Canmore Hotels

Canmore is a town in Alberta, Canada, located in the Bow Valley with a permanent population of 12,005 . The non-permanent population is about. It is located just east of the world-famous Banff National Park, about 110 kilometres (70 mi) west of Calgary and immediately north of Kananaskis Country. The town lies in the Bow Valley, named so for the Bow River that passes through it. Its mountain setting is noted for The Three Sisters. Canmore's climate is relatively mild compared to most regions of Canada, with the coldest day in January averaging only −8 °C (18 °F), with very low humidity that makes it feel considerably warmer than the thermometer indicates. Summers are short and cool, and winters are long but usually sunny and dry. The area boasts, on average, 330 days of sunshine annually, with the short wet season occurring through mid-May to early June. The rest of the summer is considered semi-arid.Mountains located adjacent to and visible from the townsite are Grotto Mountain (2,706 m / 8,878 ft), Mount Lady Macdonald Mount Lawrence Grassi (2,685 m / 8,809 ft) and, most famously, the Three SistersBy the 1890s, a North West Mounted Police barrack had been instated on Main Street, but it was vacated in 1927. The building was restored in 1989 and it is under the care of the Canmore Museum and Geoscience Centre.The coal mining industry in Canmore boomed well into the 20th century. In 1965, with a population of 2,000, Canmore was incorporated as a town. By the 1970s the market for coal was diminished, and in 1979 Canmore Mines Ltd. ceased operations. As a result of safety and reclamation policies instigated by the province of Alberta, all but a few mining structures were demolished in the following year; only the lamp house and a few mine entrances remain today.Canmore's economic future seemed dismal until the announcement in the early 1980s that Calgary, Alberta would be hosting the 1988 Winter Olympics, and that Canmore would play host to the Nordic events. This resulted in an increase in tourism, and Canmore began to develop into the recreational tourist destination it is today.The Canmore Hotel sits on the main street as it has for over 100 years. The building has changed very little in this time making it one of the most distinguishable landmarks in Canmore. The hotel recently celebrated its 118th anniversary in October 2008.