Waterton businesses persist even after financial losses
WATERTON LAKES NP – As the gates opened to the general public September 20 for the first time in two weeks, tourists began once again trickling into the still beautiful, but badly scarred Waterton Lakes National Park.
On the side of the road leading to the town, people could be seen taking turns posing for pictures with the lakes and mountains as a backdrop. But now, instead of seeing vast forests of green trees, grasses and flowers, their faces registered a sort of shock at the destruction and starkness of the landscape nine days after firefighters fought bravely to save the townsite and many of its landmarks.
As those tourists drove into the Waterton townsite, their shock turned to utter delight as they saw the beautifully treed main street, now displaying bright fall colours, the quaint homes, and lakeside docks.
All of it was intact.