In my short two years here, I’ve heard many arguments both for and against the mining projects coming the Crowsnest Pass, specifically the Grassy Mountain Project.

I’ve heard people argue that the Pass should focus more on tourism in the industry.

I’ve heard the people who say the only way to a sustainable Crowsnest Pass is through mining.

While I’ve heard more people in favour of the mine than opposed to it, I respect that there are people on both sides of this issue.

In my eyes, while the Crowsnest Pass has amazing ways to recreate and draws a decent amount of tourism every year, the Pass isn’t a community that would be able to survive on tourism alone staying the way it is.

Some of the people I’ve seen posting on Facebook have stated they would like tourism to be the focus for the Crowsnest Pas going forward but that they don’t want to see Crowsnest Pass become a Banff or Canmore type destination.

For me, that’s the only way a community can have a strictly tourism based industry.

Now, obviously I’m not an expert in what it takes to survive strictly off of tourism.

I’m just going based off of my eye tests of other tourism-based towns in Alberta.

I can see a way forward that provides a base for both tourism and mining to co-exist in the Crowsnest Pass and certain tourism-based companies see it as well.

In the next couple of weeks, I will be interviewing Tyson Leavitt, the founder and CEO of Charmed Playhouses.

He and his team will be opening a themes cottage resort in the Crowsnest Pass later this year.

I will be asking Leavitt why he decided to open a resort here in the Pass even though mining seems to be getting the go ahead.

I’m very interested to see what his response will be.

Without putting words in his mouth let’s just say I’d be surprised if he didn’t believe mining and tourism could co-exist.

I truly believe that both industries can co-exist moving forward.

Some may call me naïve for believing that but I’m prepared to wait and see if I truly was naïve or if both mining and tourism can be a part of the Crowsnest Pass’s future.