My time here in Cold Lake is coming to an end this month, and I thought I would take my last column to share with our joyful readers some lessons learned in my short years by the shores of Kinosoo Beach. It hasn’t been easy, battling through COVID with you all, trying to hold onto what little has been “normal” while coping with the challenges of the first worldwide pandemic in nearly a hundred years. But there has been a lot of blessing here for me, and I think for many if you think about it. Hopefully this is as valuable for those pondering their time here as it is for those newly arrived to help settle in and get the most out of a posting to “The End of the Road”.
- This is Fightertown Canada! That’s kind of awesome. Fighter jets shooting overhead makes it almost seem like there’s an air show every day. There’s a public viewing area right on base for anyone to come check out the pride of the RCAF. On any given day you can see some of the finest pilots in the world around town. Not a lot of opportunities like that out there.
- The Lake. I’ve lived all over Alberta, and there is not a finer lake outside the Mountain Parks between Lake Superior and the Rockies. Cold Lake is pristine, clean, breathtakingly clear, and full of truly massive fish that comparatively speaking are easy to catch! You may not be the most outdoorsy person, but put a line in the water and you will be the one hooked!
- The Lifestyle. You can have an affordable home in walking distance to the lakeshore, a long commute in town is 15 minutes with traffic (having lived in a few big cities I can in all honesty say, “What traffic?”). Just about everything you need is at Walmart, Sobey’s or Canadian Tire, and there is a broad range of educational and recreational opportunities for kids here. Unless you are super niche, this place has you covered!
- The Pace. Living here is just relaxing. Now, working on a big fighter base is a little more on the demanding side – there’s the NORAD mission to fulfill, the world class air show to put on, there’s deployable squadrons and Temporary Deployments all over the place. But when you’re home, there is something just… dare I say, “chill?” about living here. It seems like everyone has a firepit in their backyard. That alone speaks of the rhythm of life here – watching sunsets, flickering flames, sipping a hot one in the fall or a cold one in the summer, and sharing your day with friends (new or old).
- It is what you make it. This has been said by many when they reflect on their time here, and I believe it is key for anyone looking to find satisfaction in life in general, but especially for here, which is when all is said and done, a semi-isolated posting in a small community with a three hour drive to the nearest “big city”. If you find yourself thinking negatively about your situation here, dwelling on its shortcomings, or the greener grass “anywhere but here”, you will find what you want to find: more reasons to dislike your circumstance. If, however, you choose to dwell on the positive, the opportunities provided here, the people who have the potential to encourage and bless you if you give them a chance, you will find the best posting of your career.
There is more I could talk about. I didn’t do everything here, and there are many other activities and attractions here that have moved and continue to move people while they are here, and give them reasons to stay. I pray you find your blessings here, and I know you will if you keep your eyes wide and your spirit open. Blessings, 4 Wing!
