It has just turned 2013, the Magic Tree has been welcoming to all who enter town, and 2012 has been a good year for Coalmont.

In a sense, this year has been another anniversary for Coalmont. The General store turned 100 in January, and we’ve had another major town party around the 100th anniversary of the Hotel.

The major news for the year is that the Arthon road crews have been working up the hill and some workers are staying at the Hotel and forming a little community within a community there. With a new road built from the mine to the Coquihalla, and a brand new coal crusher installed by crews from England, the mine will be ready to go in the new year under the name of Coalmont Energy Corporation.

Other than that, the community association has not imploded, and we survived the Mayan calendar circus, so there is really not a lot to worry about. The weather hasn’t been very cold and we haven’t had a lot of snow, though there’s enough to keep the sledders happy and the town sounds like a hornet’s nest on the weekends.

Tonight, there was a little party at the Hotel, and fireworks could be heard around town at midnight. We’re only a couple of hours into the new year, and so far so good. Coalmont is basically looking like it’s right on track to continue business as usual – and that’s how we like it. §