It is a heartbreaking event when a beloved piece of the ski community is lost, let alone when over 200 people are displaced and lose their entire lives in the blink of an eye.

The Charleston Residence, AKA Chucktown, was completely destroyed by a fire on Monday, which was attended by local authorities around noon on July 3rd. This fire has displaced over 200 residents of the legendary staff accommodation and the local community has rallied around to offer support to those who have lost everything.

Sadly, it was evident early into the blaze that the three-story log building was not going to survive and that everything inside the building would be destroyed, it was estimated that between 150 and 200 people were living in Chucktown at the time of the blaze.

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It is reported that emergency service officials spotted a man on the roof of the Lake Louise staff accommodation, apparently in distress at the time of the fire on Monday. Officers say the situation was de-escalated and the individual was removed from the roof via a ladder, which he fell from causing non-life-threatening injuries.

Since then, Timothy Alexander Peterson, 40, faces charges that include arson and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and is expected to appear in court in Calgary on the 7th of July.

There is a wide-reaching community appeal for provisions to be provided to those displaced and who have lost everything in this fire. Requested items include underwear, socks, phone chargers, toothbrushes, and personal toiletries.

Donations are being accepted in the Bow Valley at PROJECT A and Le Fournil in Canmore and Last Temptations and Good Earth Coffee House in Banff.

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Our thoughts go out to those affected by this terrible tragedy. Many of our members have lived in, and are current residents of Chucktown. If you've lived or spent time there, it'd be rad to share your memories of the place, so drop them in the comments and we'll add the best ones here.