airdrielife summer 2015

ICONIC. ICONIC.

SUMMER 2015

We believe in building homes that are handed down from one generation to the next. It’s why we design sophisticated, livable interior spaces, adorn them with dramatic, timeless exteriors, and craft each and every one with cutting-edge materials and technologies.

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Contributors

SUmmEr 2015

What did you find fascinating about your subject matter?

CARL PATZEL WRITER/PHOTOGRAPHER (Cool Jobs, page 80) We all know someone who has a fascinating hobby or occupation.

For me it was meeting a group of fellows who, individually, have conversed with James Bond royalty; grown up among the Calgary Stampeders and the grey Cup; and whose monday morning job is jetting to hawaii.

ALEX FRAZER-HARRISON WRITER (This Job Really Soars, page 74) it was interesting to learn about how UAV (drone) flying is still very much an industry in its early days.

Dr. Mo Korayem

Airdrie’s only full-time certified orthodontist

JEFF MACKINNON, WRITER (Bareback Champion, page 102) in the case of someone like bareback star Jake Vold i find it fascinating that someone can nonchalantly climb onto an ornery animal every day knowing there’s a good chance they will be seriously hurt.

Airdrie’s Orthodontic Clinic summer 2015

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editor’s note As I was reading through the stories that make up this issue of airdrielife, it occurred to me yet again just how incredible is this community we call home.

Airdrie is filled with delightful people, all of whom have fascinating stories to tell. We see them in passing as we hurry through the grocery store or the bank or the recycling depot, but we don’t often have the opportunity to find out more about them and their lives and the paths they have trod that have brought them to where they are today. (Of course, they might just call the police if a total stranger stopped them and said: “Tell me all about yourself, I’m really interested … really … I mean it.”)

With airdrielife, we have the chance to introduce our readers to at least a few of the people of our community, and we have a lot of fun with our summer issue dedicated ‘to the guys.’ Here we showcase some great life stories, from entrepreneurial businessmen to a (some might call him crazy) rodeo athlete; from dads who joined forces for charity to an artist who draws his inspiration from the beautiful landscapes of Alberta. We also get to live vicariously through our ‘food critic’s’ burger binge and take a magical trip to the bottom of the world.

Each time I read these stories, I find that I want to know even more about these people. I want to sit down over coffee and ask about how they came to Airdrie; what it is that stirs their souls; what they like to read; what makes them laugh … and cry.

While I may never get to know to that extent all the people who have graced the pages of our magazine, our wonderful writers and photographers have given us snapshots of their lives, so we do feel that we know them, at least a little bit, as our Airdrie neighbours.

So in homage to summer in Airdrie, grab an iced drink, sit down, turn the page and meet your neighbours.

Anne Beaty, EDITOR

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AIRDRIE

BE

i LDER

j OMEB ’S H UI ST

6 YEARS

IN

summer 2015

A ROW

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102 on the Cover

Jake Vold impresses.

PHOTO BY KRISTY REIMER

GroUP PUBLisHEr Editor CoPY Editor dEsiGN MANAGEr CoNtriBUtors

20 columns & reGular features

AdVErtisiNG sALEs

PriNtiNG distriBUtioN MANAGEr

sherry shaw-Froggatt Anne Beaty Vanessa Peterelli Kim Williams Anne Beaty, sergei Belski, Alex Frazer-Harrison, rob Jamieson, Ellen Kelly, Kurtis Kristianson, Jeff MacKinnon, Carl Patzel, Vanessa Peterelli, trent Pittner, Kim Purvis, Kristy reimer, Kent rupert, sherry shaw-Froggatt, Lisa silva, Jaimee slifka-Butalia, Corey Wine sherry shaw-Froggatt, sharie tanner Print West sharie tanner

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airdrielife is delivered to all homes in Airdrie and surrounding areas. if you do not receive an issue please contact sherry@frogmediainc.ca

24 events 36 healthylife 44 reallife with rob Jamieson 46 parentlife with vanessa peterelli 60 Gardenlife with lisa silva 62 lifestyles with Kim purvis 64 homelife

airdrielife is also available at more than 100 locations around the city. You can also find airdrielife in every showhome in the city and at more than 100 locations in Calgary. airdrielife is published quarterly by Frog Media inc. with the co-operation of the City of Airdrie Economic development department.

70 businesslife with Kent rupert 111 lifetimes with ellen Kelly 114 last look

VoLUME 12, NUMBEr 2

issN 1916-355X

Contents copyright 2015 by Frog Media inc. May not be reproduced without permission. the publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents of any advertisement, and all representations of warranties made in such advertising are those of the advertiser and not of the publisher.

EDITORIAL POLICY

airdrielife editorial is not for sale. Editorial is completely independent from advertising, and no special editorial consideration or commitment of any kind can form any part of the advertising agreement. All editorial inquiries must be directed toward the editor. A copy of Frog Media inc.

Writers’ Guidelines can be downloaded from the editorial page on our website.

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airdrielife does not accept unsolicited submissions. Freelance writers and photographers interested in assignments are asked to send an inquiry, with samples from at least three published magazine articles, to editorial@airdrielife.com airdrielife is produced from well-managed forests, printed with canola-based inks, and is 100% recyclable.

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92 80

112

home life 52

neighbours – western community is home

54

sustainable & attractive – builder looks to the future

56

urban charm – development is quiet, yet close

66

townhome trends – showhomes offer options

work life

slice of life 20

Mixed media – artist pursues his passion

22

sweethearts – band loves to rock

26

burger baron – corey wine tours the town

30

better than ever – Great dad gets makeover

34

absolutely fabulous – amazing airdrie women celebrate

38

cold as ice – unique trip fulfils dream

42

fighting fit – participants meet the challenge

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innovative – local man meets global demand

74

high flyer – businessowner drones on and on and on

76

Meals on wheels – entrepreneur rolls to success

80

ups & downs – different jobs pique interest

84

smart moves – initiative continues strong

local life 92

citylife – what lies below

94

space odyssey – family spreads its wings

96

instructive – program engages students

98

teed off – airdrie dads swing for charity

99

street scene – hockey event raises funds

102

champing at the bit – cowboy has banner year

104

admirable – local men earn respect

112

Get growing – hort society educates, informs

AIRDRIE 2015

JUNE 27 - JULY 1

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slice of life w h at t o s e e , d o , e at, l i s t e n a n d w e a r

22 Sounding off • 30 New man • 42 Shaping up

Slice of life artist profile

Framed for

T

he first painting Brad Holt sold began as a photo he took of some wild horses near the Morley reserve west of Cochrane. Much to his surprise, it went for $300. That was three years ago.

“I thought, ‘Wow, 300 bucks! I can really do this!” Holt recalls. “Then, my dream was to sell one for $1,000. Now, they are just skyrocketing.

“It’s not about the money for me, though, because it’s my passion,” he adds.“But, it’s awesome that I can make both work.”

Creations by the Airdrie-based mixed media artist now can fetch upwards of $20,000 for a single piece. The born-and-raised farm boy paints beautiful landscapes of mostly Alberta rural settings, bringing the province’s stunning country inside to private homes and a growing number of boardrooms in downtown Calgary.

For the past year now, the 33-year-old former construction worker has been working nine-to-five in his garage trying to keep pace with the demand. He also shares a studio at Spruce Meadows with two other artists. He sells at art shows but also is regularly commissioned by horse owners to produce paintings of their prized possessions, which he says he loves doing.

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Holt is extra busy these days because he has been chosen to be the featured artist for the 2015 Calgary Stampede dream home. He’ll have 30 to 40 pieces on display for the thousands who take the tour in July.

All will be available for purchase.

Holt will also need to have around 60 other pieces ready for the Stampede’s Western Showcase, where he will set up shop for a full 10 days. It was at his first appearance there last year that his work really began to blow people away; during his four days there he sold all 25 pieces of his displayed work.

“The Stampede was a huge breakthrough last year; people started taking me more serious as a professional artist,” he says. “But my first couple of years (doing this) I said: ‘I’m going to do everything,’ and I went to every little show I could find and it really started the ball rolling.

Last year I sold over 100 original pieces.

“It’s just awesome to sell that much and do what I love,” he adds.

While the muscular Holt – who will admit to looking more like a jock than an artist – has been seriously pursuing his passion for just three years, he has been dabbling in photography and mixed media since childhood. Both his mother, Leanne Holt, and late grandmother, Edith Holt, were hobby artists, he says, and he was inspired greatly by an

original Georgia Jarvis painting his mom had on display in their home near Strathmore.

“I would just stare at it and be amazed.

That sparked my interest, and I was in 4-H club growing up and we’d show cattle during the Stampede and I would just sit in the Western Showcase all day and look at the art and say,‘One day I’d like to be here,’” he says.

Holt was also pushed to get serious about his art by his wife, Amber, who is a popular Calgary-area baby photographer.

“Amber said: ‘You need to do this; you need to do a couple of shows because you are really good.’,” Brad says. “So I did one show at Spruce Meadows and sold out. Then I switched my career path and took the dive.”

Aside from the paintings themselves, potential buyers are also drawn by the frames, which are all handmade from reclaimed wood that Brad and his brother, Dave, find in barnyards, old homes and antiques stores.

A carpenter/home renovator who worked in Strathmore for years and now resides in Penticton, Dave now helps his brother

build the frames, thus giving Brad more time to paint.

“We actually built this together,” says Brad, slapping the top of his beautiful dining room table, which was made from wood salvaged from Vancouver’s Stanley Park docks.

Among the paintings the artist has in his home is one of a scene from the Okanagan with a frame made out of an old wine casket; plus another of a grain elevator with a frame made out of a railway tie, with spikes inserted into the wood.

In the Holt living room is a humongous mural of an oil rig setting, with a frame made from a rig mat, with old oil cans added to the frame to complete the theme. It’s for sale and when it goes it will take Brad and a couple of his friends to get it out the door because the whole thing weighs more than 200 pounds.

“The first one I did like that I thought, ‘Why did I do this?’ But it sold, so I was like, ‘OK, I’ll have to do some more.’

“It’s something no one has seen before, so I’m not surprised,” he adds. life

Success

story by Jeff MacKinnon photoS by Kristy Reimer

Artist Brad Holt sits at the dining table he and brother Dave created from salvaged wood.

summer summer 2015 2015

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Slice of life musicians

All Day Sugar members (clockwise from right) Sammi Tully, Trevor Alway, Chris Simnett and Todd Crawford live it up at the Time Traveller’s Car Club in Airdrie.

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Sweet Sounds story and photos by Carl Patzel

S

ugar and spice and everything nice.

Using a sweet blend of well-known favourites tossed with a couple of original tunes, All Day Sugar could easily be cause for a few musical cavities.

Led by the vigorous, bleach-blond vocalist Sammi Tully, the local musicians have been looking to push the limits of confectionary resonance, hitting notes for their own ears as well as their audiences.

“We call that putting some sugar on it. We’ll just ‘sugar it up.’ That’s the lingo in the band to say we’re going to make it our own,” says the light-hearted Tully.

Putting out vibes for close to two years, the band includes Chris Simnett on bass, Trevor Alway at the drums and guitarist Todd Crawford. This trio also harmonizes on backup vocals.

When first formed, All Day Sugar put out songs lending to the strength of a female lead, moving in the direction of such rock stars as Janis Joplin and the accompanying ’60s-’70s pop groove.

“In the beginning typically we directed ourselves to female (lead) songs but now it doesn’t matter. If it’s a good song we’re going to play it,” says Tully, who initially gravitated towards more comfortable gal-led bands.

“At first we definitely did,” she says. “Honestly I was a little insecure about singing a song especially by a male to a female. But then I got over it. A song is a song – if it sounds great we do it.”

Apart from a handful of originals – Not Gonna Stop and Sittin’ Alone (which can be found on ReverbNation or the All Day Sugar Facebook page) – the quartet throws in an ambrosial blend of hits from the 1960s to the present.

But don’t let the band’s name fool you – the delivery is anything but candy-coated.

During a usual set the audience can hear renditions of Sweeney Todd’s Roxy Roller, Tainted Love by Soft Cell, 54-40’s Ocean Pearl and Neil Young’s Rockin’ in the Free World as well as more recent numbers including Adele’s Rumour Has It and Hot N Cold by Katy Perry.

“I think our niche is rock. We love to rock and get people to dance. Our little slogan is ‘Alberta’s hottest rocking party band.’ That’s what we [thrive] on,” says Tully, who is adding a few country classic numbers for Stampede season.

In their beginnings, drummer Alway and bassist Simnett were drawn to the classically trained vocalist, Tully, through collaboration with other bands. They added Crawford to the group shortly after that.

Tully spent her childhood singing in musicals and choirs, hitting every note during her developmental years and graduating with classical voice lessons.

“Before I could even form conversations with people I would be singing songs about them,” she says. “Classical voice training is kind of like jazz dancing – once you can classically sing you can sing anything. It’s (more) a wellrounded technique of singing than it is a style.”

Working together, the All Day Sugar musicians refined their creamy Neapolitan sound and even added a few sprinkles on top. Working around full-time jobs and family commitments, the group finds time to play gigs at several Calgary locations (Century Casino and Chelsea’s Pub & Grill), The Krave in Airdrie, and local festivals throughout the summer as well as events and weddings.

“Ultimately our goal is to be locally famous. If we could get into a recording studio we would love to, but ultimately what we want is to be well-known in Airdrie,” says Tully. life summer 2015

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slice of life events

summer heats up JUNE-AUGUST ART IN THE LIBRARY Airdrie Public Library throughout the year, Airdrie Public Library (APL) plays host to local, regional and travelling art. the 2015 exhibit schedule includes: May-June: Art in the Prairies by Brenda Campbell, Glen Collin, Gwen Lemay and Karen Williamson; July-August: AsA travelling Exhibition Portraiture + Clay by rylee Petkau. airdriepubliclibrary.ca

JUNE-SEPTEMBER 2015 AIRDIRONDACK ART PROJECT tour around Airdrie and you will discover 12 original works of art that just happen to be Adirondack chairs (or, as the Creative Airdrie society calls them, Airdirondacks). the chairs are auctioned off at a formal gala sept. 12 in support of the arts, where guests enjoy gourmet foods, live music and more. creativeairdrie.ca JUNE 3-OCT. 7 AIRDRIE FARMERS MARKET Jensen Park open every Wednesday, 3:30-7 p.m. Explore the market and enjoy local goods such as fresh fruit and vegetables, original quilts, handcrafted art, natural soaps and lotions, and more. special Food truck Frenzy 6.0 event July 29. details online. airdriefarmersmarket.com JUNE 4-SEPT. 17 CROSSFIELD FARMERS MARKET Pete Knight Memorial Arena (Crossfield) open thursdays, 5:30-8 p.m., this indoor market features a variety of vendors who make, bake or grow their own product, multiple vendors with hot food and ready-to-cook items, and more (e.g. out-of-province produce).

Enjoy weekly entertainment vendors and demos including local artists/musicians, interactive vendors and more.

Check Facebook, instagram and twitter for details.

JUNE 27-JULY 1 ANNUAL AIRDRIE PRO RODEO Airdrie Rodeo Grounds With exciting highlights such as bareback and saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, steer riding, team roping, barrel racing and bull riding, the Airdrie Pro rodeo always draws a great crowd. only a short drive away, the Airdrie rodeo ranch is located west of Airdrie on Highway 567. on June 27-30 the junior rodeo will start at 6 p.m., the grand entry at 6:45 p.m. and pro rodeo at 7 p.m. on July 1, the junior rodeo starts at 2 p.m., the grand entry at 2:45 p.m. and pro rodeo at 3 p.m. Live entertainment will start each night after the last bull has been ridden. airdrieprorodeo.net

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JULY 1 CANADA DAY CELEBRATIONS Airdrie offers a great variety of ways to celebrate the country’s birthday in style! Begin your day with family fun events in the City Hall parking lot starting at 9 a.m. (held until 1 p.m.), then enjoy the Canada day Parade down Main street starting at 10 a.m. take in the action at the Airdrie Pro rodeo, with events in full swing into the night.

Enjoy lunch at many of the local restaurants or stop by the Airdrie Public Library Canada day BBQ. Check out the Wild rose Humane society’s dog day Afternoon at Nose Creek Park for a BBQ, adopt-a-thon, vendor market, kids activities, agility demonstrations and more. Visit iron Horse Park, open after the parade ends till 4 p.m., then swing by the Airdrie Farmers Market and enjoy the Calgary stampede showband performance. As the day draws to a close, gather with the rest of Airdrie at Ed Eggerer Athletic Park for family events (including bouncy castles, live music and a dJ) beginning at 7 p.m., followed by fireworks at dusk. airdrie.ca JULY 14 MODEL T TOUR Pioneer Acres (Irricana) on behalf of the Foothills Model t Ford Club of Calgary, Pioneer Acres will host this event for the National tour of the Model t Ford Club of America. Approximately 100 antique vehicles will be on display. pioneeracres.ab.ca JULY 16-17 SUMMER READING CLUB Airdrie Public Library BMo Kingsview Author series. July 16 – Gordon Perry, children’s author; July 17 – Joan Marie Galat, children’s author. airdriepubliclibrary.ca

JULY 25 AIRDRIE AG SOCIETY RANCH HAND COMPETITION Airdrie Rodeo Grounds see firsthand the cattle-handling skills used by local area ranchers and farmers. Events include simulated branding; team sorting; team penning; simulated doctoring; trailer loading of cattle; and for the kids, a calf scramble.

Food and beverages available for purchase. the rodeo grounds are 6.5 kilometres west of Airdrie on Hwy 567. runs 1-4:30 p.m. airdrieagsociety.com

AUG. 7-9 ANNUAL SHOW AND REUNION Pioneer Acres (Irricana) the museum’s main event of the year will feature virtually every piece of equipment running. Many outside exhibitors also bring displays, equipment, crafts and much more. the 2015 feature is Massey Harris equipment. pioneeracres.ab.ca AUG. 8 AIRDRIE SUMMER CLASSIC CHARITY CAR SHOW & SHINE Nose Creek Park Gate opens at 8 a.m. Entry is $10 and registration runs from 8 a.m. to noon. For spectators the show runs from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. there is no admission fee for spectators but a food bank donation is requested. Event details available online. timetravellers.ca

AUG. 15 CALGARY POLICE RODEO Airdrie Rodeo Grounds the only police rodeo in Canada, this amateur competition features contestants from all over the police community throughout Canada and the United states. Bring the family and enjoy watching a full slate of rodeo events. Free on-site camping and children’s carnival. Adults will enjoy the evening barn dance with live country music entertainment. rodeo action kicks off at 1 p.m. tickets available at the gate on rodeo day. calgarypolicerodeo.com AUG. 15-16 AG SOCIETY FALL FAIR Plainsmen Arena the Airdrie and district Agricultural society (AdAs) is pleased to host this annual celebration of the best Airdrie has to offer. Participants of all ages take part in a variety of classes, including vegetable growing, children’s crafts, baking, fine art and photography, and more. airdrieagsociety.com AUG. 21-22 5TH ANNUAL BIKES & BULLS CHARITY EVENT Airdrie Rodeo Grounds this community fundraiser is hosted by the Airdrie oilmen’s Association, featuring concerts, a poker run at 1 p.m. on Friday, and freestyle motocross on saturday. Pro bull riding both nights. Bring a non-perishable food item and get a daily pass for $30, or a full weekend pass for $50. Free self-contained camping on site. aoaalberta.com

summer 2015

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slice of life food

Corey Wine takes the Rita Challenge at Canadian Brewhouse.

Airdrie’s

BEST Burgers

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local foodie tackles his toughest assignment – rating airdrie’s burger STORY BY COREY WINE | PHOTO BY SERGEI BELSKI

original Joe’s

Pour Beer Market & Grill

18+ establishment First up, the oJ’s Kona Burger. Accompanying my burger were some awesome fries and gravy, as well as a nice Caesar salad. I gotta tell ya, the first bite melted in my mouth.

This burger had mayo, tomato, melted mozzarella, grilled pineapple, lettuce, red onion and teriyaki sauce. Biting into it, it had the perfect amount of ‘squish.’ This burger was anything but sloppy. It held together and still had every topping intact to the last bite. The key to making this burger extraordinary for me was the teriyaki sauce plus the red onions and grilled pineapple. The mozzarella was pretty darn good, too, now that I think of it! All of this goodness was delicately bedded in a warm, soft brioche bun.

Presentation: 8 Taste: 10

18+ establishment, but minors are welcome until 7 p.m. every Sunday I jetted over to Pour Beer Market in my next quest to find Airdrie’s best burger. I’m a sucker for blue cheese and got sucked right in to the Black & Blue Burger: Danish blue cheese, sautéed mushrooms and onion. Oh, so rich. The blue cheese seemed to get heartier and more robust as the munching continued. The accompanying peppery fries and gravy were a nice twist. The meal looked nice on its plate and it was exactly what I needed to fill that afternoon void. It hit the spot!

Presentation: 8 Taste: 7

toad ‘n’ turtle Pubhouse & Grill

All-ages establishment I ventured over to Ricky’s for a quick burger, fries with gravy and a Coke during my lunch break. It didn’t take me long to decide on the radical Bacon Cheeseburger: maple bacon and a sharp Cheddar crisp, then even more sharp Cheddar melted on an eight-ounce beef burger seasoned with pepper medley; with crisp lettuce, fresh tomato, crunchy onion tanglers and mayo. WOW – freakin’ awesome! If you are fanatical about cheese on your cheeseburger, I’m tellin’ you, this is the cheesiest burger I have ever had. The secret is that sharp cheddar crisp … it’s wicked! The fries and gravy held their ground perfectly and, oh yeah, the pickle was a great addition, as well.

Presentation: 7 Taste: 7

18+ establishment Next on the list was Toad ‘n’ Turtle Pubhouse & Grill. I ordered the Loaded toad Burger.

For some reason, my hopes weren’t up on it, dunno why, but when it was delivered right under my nose, it was picture perfect. This creation must have stood a whopping eight inches high! It was solid! No skimping with the Loaded Toad Burger. I didn’t even know how to approach it. It was a bit of a topic at our table when, finally, someone recommended that I squash it down with my hand to be able to work with this massive burger.

This was a six-ounce patty with juicy pulled pork (What? I know.), three huge (yuge) onion rings, smoked Gouda (it was sooo gooda!), lettuce, tomato, sweet onion (mmmmmm), dill pickle, Rufus Teague barbecue sauce, all on a grilled bun. (Yes, I took my Prevacid before going.) I ordered fries and gravy (as I planned to do with all my reviews) but there were many side options available, including quinoa salad. (Why anyone would order a nice, light quinoa salad to go with this mammoth burger is beyond me.) The first bite was tough but amazing. I got a little bit of everything … and there was a lot of everything. The burger got easier to consume with every bite. It still took time, though. I would hold this heavy guy in both hands and turn it around and tilt it from side to side to figure out where I should bite next. I am a fast eater, yet I chipped away at this stone for a good 20 minutes and, amazingly, only one napkin was required.

Presentation: 9 Taste: 8

Brewsters All-ages establishment I went for the Brewsters Burger: fresh pressed brisket patty, Bow Valley barbecue sauce, bacon, cheddar, sautéed mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, dill pickle. I accompanied the burger with fries and gravy, of course, and a Coke. The fries and gravy were nice and hot. Great flavour! The burger was nice and hot as well. Everything tasted good. All in all, I think I want to come back for the great ambiance that I found at Brewsters and try its Frogburger (fresh pressed brisket patty, Frogsauce, white cheddar, grilled red onion, lettuce, tomato, dill pickle).

Presentation: 6 Taste: 5

ricky’s All day Grill

Abe’s restaurant All-ages establishment Newcomer to Airdrie, Abe’s really sparked my curiosity, so I strolled right into this diner-feel restaurant and ordered the Big Lion Burger and yep, you guessed it, fries and gravy. It was a cool atmosphere, watching the chef grill my burger. Sitting at the front counter, I had the opportunity to partake in friendly banter with the waitresses, manager and chef.

One thing they don’t need to fine tune is their Big Lion Burger. When the plate was ready I was impressed by its initial presentation. This burger was tall and proud. We’re talking a double-stacked beef burger, cheddar cheese, onions, pickles and Abe’s secret sauce … and I’ve never had an olive on top of my burger before! I had this thing woofed in no time. All in all, it was a good first impression with Abe’s.

Presentation: 7 Taste: 6

summer 2015

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Ricky’s Radical Bacon Cheeseburger

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the Canadian Brewhouse

the Woods

All ages until 8 p.m. nightly, when it becomes an 18+ establishment “All right … breathe … here we go … you can do this, Corey!” Those were the last thoughts in my head as the manager and two staff members brought out my meal. I was about to take the rita Challenge at the newly opened Canadian Brewhouse. We’re talkin’ 5.5 pounds of lunch! Six patties on the McBurger, with all the fixings, served with a large poutine. Did I say large? It was YUGE! What is the Rita Challenge, you ask? Well, if you mow 4+ lbs. of beef and cheese, as well as the 1+ lb. cheesy poutine within an hour, your meal is free! I only had about a 48-hour notice for this challenge so I had to act fast. I Googled. I YouTubed. I had to prepare my stomach for the big day. The day before, I bought and ate a 5.5 lb. bag of gala apples and drank a load of water. That is how serious I was to WIN! Wanna know how I did? Well, I focused only on the burger, but you have to understand that each patty is humongous and covered in its own slice of beautiful cheese. After the first two patties, I was a bit awestruck from the incredible taste I was getting just from the burger and cheese alone. I continued my mantra: “I can do this.” By the fourth slab of beef, I started looking at the clock and wiping my forehead of perspiration. I wasn’t going to make it. Either time would run out or my belly would explode. I decided to make my own goal to scarf only the burger within the hour but leave the poutine alone.

And … I finished every burger patty, plus lettuce, tomato, pickle and buns, in 59 minutes! I was pretty impressed with myself as my wife, daughter Leah and the new fans I made along the way cheered my success. I rewarded myself with a frosty pint of Budweiser as I watched Lisa and Leah pick away at the mountain of poutine. What a great experience it was. But I hope I never have to do something like it again. Lol. Presentation: 10 Taste: 7

All-ages establishment And the Best Fries Award goes to The Woods at Woodside Golf Course. I was given the option of sitting inside or taking advantage of the outdoor patio and view of the amenities.

Rather than getting caught up watching golfers practise their drives, chips and putts, I decided I needed focus while completing my Burger Tour de Airdrie and opted to stay inside.

Besides, it was way too early in the season for me to start thinking about how I’m going to correct my slice this year.

I was there for FOOD and, more specifically, the Woodside Fairway Prime rib Burger: signature homemade prime-rib burger with crisp lettuce, sliced tomato, sliced dill pickles, sautéed white mushroom, double-smoked bacon, blanketed with cheddar cheese and served on a toasted sesame bun.

No bells, no whistles, just premium food went into this bacon cheeseburger. I could taste every ingredient with each bite-sized morsel. This burger was fantastic, the staff were professional and friendly and Holy %&@*, those fries!

Presentation: 7 Taste: 8

Corey’s top Eight Burgers 1. Original Joe’s Kona Burger 2. Toad ‘n’ Turtle’s Loaded Toad Burger 3. Canadian Brewhouse’s Rita Challenge 4. Pour Beer Market’s Black & Blue Burger 5. The Woods’ Fairway Prime Rib Burger 6. Ricky’s Radical Bacon Cheeseburger 7. Abe’s Big Lion Burger 8. Brewsters’ Brewsters Burger

NOSE CREEK

www.nosecreekdental.ca

Keeping Airdrie Smiling Since 1994

Happy, healthy smiles are what we do best.

Nose Creek Dental provides professional general dentistry services for every member of the family.

Our friendly team will make every visit an enjoyable one, for any treatment that you may require.

General dentistry services are the foundation of dental care, and include your regular cleanings, examinations, and restorative procedures.

Our commitment to innovative technology means that we can transform your smile in less time and in less invasive ways than ever before. Products like Zoom! Whitening, Invisalign, and CEREC Ceramic Restorations are convenient, long lasting and safe ways that we can help you get the smile you’ve always wanted.

Our team of dental professionals has been bringing friendly, quality dental services to the families of Airdrie and area since 1994.

Nose C Creek Dental Centre • #1-409 1st Ave NW., Airdrie, AB T4B 3E2 403-948-6684 ((tel) • 403-948-6691 (fax) • www.nosecreekdental.ca summer 2015

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Slice of life makeover From H&M: denim jacket; blue checkered long-sleeve button-up; tan khakis

From Joe Fresh: casual light-weight blazer; basic white dress shirt; beige fitted khakis

The MANover

Photos by Kristy Reimer

Awesome dad gets an awesome new look

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W From Joe Fresh: white linen button-up; floral printed walking shorts

From H&M: floral camo printed button-up; navy khaki

oUr MANover partners: Airdrie Eyecare Centre the Hair Lounge Airdrie dental studio Crossiron Mills

Want to WIN a makeover?

Visit us at airdrielife.com and tell us why you deserve to win a prize package that includes a $250 Crossiron Mills shopping spree.

BEFORE

AFTER Bill and loving wife Michelle, who was surprised with her own makeover, courtesy of The Hair Lounge

hen we put the call out for men who needed a little help in the style department, Michelle Nadraszky was desperate to get her husband, Bill, into our hands. “He is a great dad and husband – putting us first ahead of himself, but yes he has the same old glasses, sweats, haircut and bad T-shirts,” Michelle joked in her e-mail to us.

It turned out our offer to provide a fun makeover gave this family of four a much-appreciated lift in their stressful lives.“By choosing Bill to be your manover, you all in return have given us much-needed fun and excitement in an otherwise challenging time for us,” Michelle said.

Bill and Michelle’s 15-year-old daughter, Taylor, has Stage 4 kidney disease – a rare one in 50,000 case. Taylor is currently awaiting an emergency surgery May 22 to have her kidney removed and go on dialysis. After she heals from her surgery, Bill – who has already undergone cross-match testing – will be donating his kidney to his daughter, pending approval. Greatest dad indeed.

The Nadraszkly family story so moved Wendy at The Hair Lounge, she surprised Michelle with her own makeover when they came in for Bill’s haircut. Wendy treated Michelle to the full treatment – a makeup session with Jamie Lee and then she cut, coloured and styled Michelle’s hair to make her feel refreshed.

For Bill, Wendy cut Bill’s hair shorter on the sides, leaving it a little longer on top for extra coverage. She used a thickening paste to finish for a really up-todate look.

Bill enjoyed getting his teeth professionally whitened at Airdrie Dental Studio, taking an already great smile to brilliant!

New glasses were also part of the package and the team at Airdrie Eyecare Centre showed Bill how to pick a pair that was a perfect fit for his face.

And then it was off to shop with style consultant Jaimee Slifka at CrossIron Mills. Bill had a $250 gift card to spend and Jaimee helped him pick some updated looks that are still Bill, but better! Bill learned it was OK to have fun with crazy, wild patterns and still look professional. His favourite look – the outfit with the jacket.

“I am trying to wear more collared shirts,” he says, but admits he is not ready to give up his tie-dye T-shirt.

Did it work? Bill, a systems analyst at West Jet for 11 years, reported that everyone at work noticed and he was even called out for looking more clean-cut and responsible than he had in years! life summer 2015

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slice of life #morelife

Scenes from the 2014 Carre Group $1 Million Home in One Challenge at Woodside Golf Course

airdrielife brings you #MORELIFE! WIN a $1 Million Mortgage

airdrielife is proud to be the media sponsor of the second Carre Group $1 Million Home in One Challenge Promotion at Woodside Golf Course.

From May through August, every round of golf or tournament you play in at Woodside gives you a chance to qualify to be one of 13 lucky golfers to participate in the 2015 Million Dollar Home in One Shootout Sept. 13.

The shootout itself promises to be a great afternoon with a party held right on the No. 3 tee box. The 13 lucky qualifiers and their fans will enjoy beverages and food after the nail-biting driving contest is finished. There’ll be tons of prizes for the golfers, and maybe, just maybe, Matt Carre will hand a lucky golfer a $1 million mortgage!

Full contest details at airdrielife.com or woodsidegc.com

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summer 2015

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Slice of life #MORELIFE Guests join in sharing their awesomeness

It was an AMAZING day photos by Kristy Reimer

The fifth annual Pharmasave airdrielife Amazing Airdrie Women Awards,

held May 1 at Woodside Golf Course, featured a sell-out gourmet luncheon, laugh-out-loud improv and tender moments of tears. This year’s 34 nominees were featured in the spring issue of airdrielife. At the luncheon, the recipients were announced.

The food is as good as it looks.

Grace and Elaine McKee (seated) are in stitches along with the whole audience as improv cast members Renee Amber and Ali Froggatt “portray” their lives, while cast member Immanuella Lawrence (far right) coaches them on.

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The 2015 Amazing Airdrie Women Recipients (from left): standing in for her sister, AWBA Amazing Promise recipient Caitlin, is Sydney Prater-Haacke; Pharmasave Amazing Heart recipient Michele Gray; airdrielife publisher Sherry Shaw-Froggatt; Pureform Amazing Courage recipient Candy Adams; McKee Amazing Leadership recipient Laurie Jacob-Toews; and Hassett & Reid Amazing Determination recipient Karen MacDonald. To see more photos from the day please visit airdrielife.com

summer 2015

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slice of life healthYlife

Man to Man – the health talk by alex frazer-harrison

the Canadian society for Exercise Physiology (CsEP) Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines booklet (available on the Heart & stroke Foundation’s website at heartandstroke.com) offers tips for staying active.

C

According to CsEP, adults (including seniors) should get at least 150 minutes of “moderate- to vigorousintensity aerobic physical activity” every week, preferably in 10-minute stretches (but start with what is comfortable).

POSSIBLE IDEAS FOR ACTIVITY INCLUDE: • going for a walk after work or dinner; • joining a running or walking club; • biking or walking to work or other destinations; • trying a new sport; • joining a run or walk for charity; • bike-riding; • cross-country skiing; • playing a round of golf; and • doing certain household chores, such as raking leaves in the yard. it helps to keep a weekly log of your activities and time spent doing them.

You’ll find the time adds up quickly.

Many health organizations recommend checking with your doctor first before starting an exercise program or regime.

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omedian Billy Connolly once said he knew he’d reached middle age when he started to utter strange sounds from his mouth whenever he got up from a chair.

As many men enter or progress through middle age, they often notice changes to their bodies. The well-oiled machine might now be a bit squeaky, or if the machine wasn’t taken care of to start with some of those issues might be coming home to roost.

Dr. Avneet Brar, an Airdrie-based physician associated with Highland Primary Care Network, says that when men enter their 40s, they should have regular checkups to look for certain issues that often manifest themselves in middle age.

“A few different things come in at 40, usually,” Brar says. “Certainly talk about diabetes screening, cholesterol screening, blood pressure. Weight is a risk factor … and between 40-50, that’s when you get into [screening] for some of the cancers, as well.”

For older men, prostate and colon are the two most common cancers, Brar says, adding that there are risk factors that are taken into account, such as a family history of cancer.

Regular prostate exams are very important for older men, says the doctor, adding that he understands why some men might want to avoid it. “I always tell my male patients, it’s not my favourite part of the day, either,” he says. “But it’s a quick exam … it’s uncomfortable, but it’s not the end of the world.

And prostate cancer can be one of the more fatal cancers as it can spread to the bone … it’s worth the discomfort and awkwardness.”

All cancers combined are the biggest killer of men, but if you break them up individually, then heart disease is No. 1, says Brar, which makes tracking cardiovascular health important.

“We also talk about bone health, and vitamin D,” he adds, noting that, although media often as-

sociates it with women, older men can also develop osteoporosis. “Probably not starting in your 40s, but into your 60s it’s something your doctor should touch base with you on.”

For men wanting to improve their health, it’s never too late to get into a conditioning or fitness program, says Fabio Marcucci, a kinesiologist with Airdrie Family Wellness.

“Whenever designing a program or looking at people getting into any fitness or conditioning program, it depends on the individuals themselves,” Marcucci says. “There will always be a starting point for anyone, whether they think they’re in good shape or have never done anything. That’s what makes exercise so unique – you can start at any level at any time.”

Something as simple as going for a 10-minute walk gets you off the sofa and starts you working your heart and lungs, he says. Cardiovascular workouts involving walking, jogging, running, cycling and other activities can help strengthen the heart and lungs, although Marcucci stresses the importance of getting a medical checkup to establish what limits you may have.

“And the more information I have from a health perspective, the more it will help me be able to design a program that’s right for that individual,” he says.“Gauging a person’s health capability is critical in deciding any kind of program.”

Establishing a physical-fitness regime involves some commitment. “It’s a huge challenge with all the distractions from family, work and life,” Marcucci says. “When talking to patients who want to live longer and pain-free, it will require some commitment. Not everyone has an hour-and-a-half every day, but you hopefully have 10-15 minutes a day to do something.”

And, Brar notes, Airdrie has had an influx of family doctors recently.“So if you’re looking for one, this is a good time,” he says. life

YOUR LIFE

RISES WITH BOW VALLEY COLLEGE

Attend College in Airdrie.

We create a college environment where you can triumph, right here in Airdrie. Get an excellent education for a rewarding career on your terms. Career programs for Fall 2015 include: Practical Nurse Diploma | Hospital Unit Clerk Certificate | Medical Office Assistant Certificate | Health Care Aide Certificate | Early Learning and Child Care Certificate | High School Upgrading Also check out our Continuing Education options – everything from Business Administration to Computer Skills.

The world needs you. Visit bowvalleycollege.ca/airdrie

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Slice of life Travel

Editor’s Note: Each issue we bring you an airdrielife reader’s travel adventures in his or her own words. Want to tell yours?

Contact anne@frogmediainc.ca

Antarctica

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“Why on earth would you want to go there?”

This was a common reaction I experienced when telling people of my plan to visit Antarctica, although to be fair there were others who shared my desire to visit such an intriguing place. I can understand the confusion; why leave Canada in winter to go somewhere potentially colder? However, Antarctica has always held a special place in my heart not only because of the beautiful landscape, but because of its history of not being ‘owned’ by anyone or inhabited by anyone but the penguins.

My trip began in Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world. Travelling with Quark Expeditions, aboard the Sea Adventurer, we were fewer than 12 hours into our voyage when it became apparent that this prairie girl does not have sea legs! After learning that the crossing we experienced was rated about 5.5 out of 10, I felt a bit sheepish. All I could think was, “What the heck does a 10 out of 10 feel like?”

When I finally caught my first glimpse of ‘land’ and icebergs floating by with groups of penguins happily lazing on them, I knew it was worth the two days of sickness.

Each day in Antarctica was unique; as we travelled through the peninsula, each ice formation appeared to have its own combination of shape, size and colour – I never knew how beautiful ice and snow could be.

Adventure

STORY BY LAURIE JACOB-TOEWS | PHOTOS BY LAURIE JACOB-TOEWS AND ALLISON MCCARTHY

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Slice of life Travel

And just in case you were wondering, we saw penguins every day of our voyage and I never got sick of seeing them. Throughout the five days we spent in Antarctica, we were fortunate to visit colonies of Adelie, Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins. On our first disembarkation from the ship, we visited a colony of Adelie penguins with 50,000 breeding pairs. There were penguins as far as the eye could see and that was just one afternoon.

It was a truly surreal experience to walk among the penguins and observe them in their natural habitat. Although I had seen penguins previously on my trip to South Africa, there is nothing like seeing them in Antarctica. My most memorable penguin moment was when one intrepid fellow came sauntering up to me as I was taking photos of the remnants of a hut. He got so close I had to stand on my tiptoes to get his full body into a photo. Apparently he didn’t hear about the five-metre rule of approaching wildlife in Antarctica.

I was fortunate to be one of a group of 16 kayakers, which provided a whole new way to experience Antarctica. Hearing the glaciers calve (when chunks of ice break off the glacier and fall into the water) as we paddled along the shoreline and paddling through fresh ice are experiences I will never forget. We often found ourselves pausing and just drinking in the breathtaking surroundings. We felt so small in the shadows of the towering snow and ice formations. It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced and on more than one occasion, I caught myself tearing up and was reminded that this was truly an experience of a lifetime.

Our first day in the kayaks provided one of my favourite memories from the trip. The weather was not pleasant when we disembarked the ship. It was snowing and visibility was limited. As we prepared for a less-

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than-perfect day of paddling, the weather completely changed. Within minutes the snow stopped, the clouds parted and we found ourselves surrounded by towering formations of ice and snow. We all sat in awe of our surroundings for a few minutes, content to soak up the breathtaking views. When our paddles finally hit the water, we all seemed to share the knowledge that we were part of something truly unique, something only a small percentage of people will ever get to experience.

Every place I’ve visited has its own unique flair, but Antarctica is truly magical. My travel companions and I would often marvel at the end of the day that we didn’t know how it could get better the next day … but every day was different and just as amazing as the one before. Even the day when the weather turned and we had to cancel the disembarkation, or the day that we had to raft up in our kayaks for safety, each excursion provided its own story, one that will not soon be forgotten.

If you’ve ever considered a trip to Antarctica, all that I can say is, “Just do it!” life

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summer 2015

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The Last 20 Pounds Challenge

Slice of life Fitness

Meet our contestants!

airdrielife and our partners Danielle Kott with Simply for Life, Nic Lacoursiere with Body by Nic and Randelle Lusk with Blacksmith Yoga chose three challengers who, while active, are in a rut and need coaching and championing to help them reach their goals.

The challenge isn’t just about weight loss, it’s about gaining strength, which is why we are tracking our contestants’ strength level with skills tests and commitment – sticking to the plan, making a commitment to themselves. The overall winner will be decided based on all of these factors, including 25 per cent of your feedback based on the commitment level you see from each challenger. You can follow their progress online at airdrielife.com and cast your vote starting July 15.

The three challengers are a full-time student in her 20s, a 911 operator in her 30s

and a new business owner in her 40s. They each have specific challenges and plans to succeed. The training started April 7 and wraps up at the end of June.

“Consistency is the only rule in training the body and seeing results,” says Lacoursiere, who co-ordinates the strength training. “By having a trainer [who] they are accountable to they will reach their goals because they are more than willing to put the effort into it.

“Each of them will be completing three 30-minute sessions each week where we will work on strength, endurance and flexibility,” Lacoursiere adds. “My goal is to show each of these three amazing ladies just how strong they are and to give them a program that easily fits into their busy schedules so that they continue the journey long after the challenge.”

Here we meet the challengers on the cusp of their journey.

Alycia Bradley, full-time student, age 28 Height 5’2” Weight 157.6 lbs

Chest 37” Abs 37.5” Hips 42”

Strength Snapshot: Squats 30, Pushups 28, Burpees 9 Why Alycia accepted the challenge: I needed that final push to get me through the last 20 lbs. – it is no joke, it really is the hardest to get off! More importantly, I want to enter my 30s with a healthy mentality that will carry forward in life, especially when my husband and I want to start a family in a few years.

Alycia’s ‘aha’ moment: After Nic told me how the challenge winner was being determined – it isn’t completely based on weight loss, but instead on strength gained. This was a strange concept to me. It made me realize that exercise, eating habits and yoga practice are there to keep you happy and healthy as preventative measures – a changing body form is just an amazing side effect.

“As a student Alycia had some great eating habits,” says Kott. “She just needed to learn the proper portions for her body and to also eat more on a schedule while her life wasn’t as routine. We just needed to increase her overall great knowledge of nutrition. ”

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Sarah Conduct, 911 operator, age 33 Height 5’3” Weight 155.9 lbs

Chest 37” Abs 35” Hips 39”

Strength Snapshot: Squats 31, Pushups (knees) 20, Burpees 12 Why Sarah accepted the challenge: I have always struggled getting under 145 lbs. I am fairly active but I have mainly focused on cardio workouts, running, cycling, etc. I don’t eat well all of the time and I don’t gain enough muscle so I seem to plateau and get disheartened. Then the weight creeps back on. To have strength workouts to help gain muscle and change my body, along with healthy eating, will hopefully give me the knowledge and motivation to change my life forever.

Sarah’s ‘aha’ moment: The meal plan is an eye-opener, for sure. I always associate ‘snacking’ with being bad but I was surprised to see so many snacks on the menu. Also, Nic has told me that strength training is what will help give me the body I’ve always wanted – finally, something to work towards! I’ve never really done much with weights before, so that is something very exciting to me.

“Sarah has a very busy life; she balances her family with shift work,” says Kott. “Eating while on shift work can pose many problems, especially with an unhealthy work environment and treats everywhere.

“Once we have created a low-glycemic meal plan for Sarah it will give her lots of organization to preplan her meals, especially on the long 12-hour shifts when she needs to bring everything with her to work,” adds Kott.

“Sarah will greatly benefit from having the recipes to follow and having the family all eat the same foods,” adds Kott.

Char Stang, new business owner (senior home care), age 45 Height 5’ 9.5” Weight 191.4 lbs

Chest 37.5” Abs 38” Hips 44.5”

Strength Snapshot: Squats 39, Pushups 25, Burpees 11.5 Why Char accepted the challenge: Exercise hasn’t gotten me where I want to be simply because I haven’t put in the effort to get the results I want. I have started many fitness programs – always with the best of intentions – but never follow through.

It’s difficult to push yourself beyond what you ‘think’ are your limitations. I need someone to remind me that I am capable of anything.

Char’s ‘aha’ moment: When I realized that Nic wasn’t going to let me quit; that she was going to push me to my physical limits even when my mind tells me I can’t do it. A close second was finishing week one of my meal plan, not cheating at all and realizing I can eat healthy and enjoy all my meals and not feel hungry.

“Charlene told me the first day that she is just lazy on numerous occasions,” says Kott. “She was not prepping her food enough. The first week she has proven everything but! She just needed a plan and to get herself organized.

“As an entrepreneur she does not run on a regular schedule,” adds Kott. “The eating plan we set up for Char forces her to be more routine and scheduled and makes her cook for herself even while her husband is away.

Following a plan has already proven to be successful.” life

Follow the journeys of Alycia, Sarah and Char online at airdrielife.com, cast your vote and watch for the big reveal in the fall issue of airdrielife. summer 2015

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slice of life column

NEED A LAUGH?

reallife

with rob JaMieson

Sour Dog Theatre can tailor an improv show for your event. Bringing the best of Calgary’s improv community to you. Perfect for corporate celebrations & fundraisers!

Contact ali@sourdog.ca today!

Why’s

3

TO SHOP AT CARSCO IN AIRDRIE

1. Q: Why isn’t there a big outlet store for quality Pre-owned cars/trucks/vans & SUV’s?

A: But there is. Just Google CARSCO. 2. Q: Why is it so hard to find the best price?

A: We’re not too sure. CARSCO does the homework for you and is consistently ranked in the top 3 for value in the region.

3. Q: Why doesn’t anyone have the car I want now?

A: That one puzzle’s us too. CARSCO has 150 vehicles on site, full access to the dealer only auction right down the road and 2 strategic partners with an additional 7 million dollars in Inventory. I bet CARSCO can find it!

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Car Buying Made Easy - Value Pricing - 48 Hr Return & 30 Day Exchange Policy - Financing Options of Everyone

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Used Vehicle Superstore www.carsco.co

The Life Hack O

ne of the “life hacks” I love, and fail to implement in my everyday life, came from a good pal, Corey Wine.

A life hack is to make life easier with a simple solution. (For example, one of my favourite hacks is to lift the triangles on either side of a juice box when I hand it to my young sons. That way they have something to hold on to and aren’t squeezing the box by mistake, thereby limiting the potential for messes.)

Corey and I would always bump into each other at events all over the city. We’d catch up, give each other the appropriate “How’ve you been?” We’d chat, we’d laugh, and in the moment things are good.

I have a lot of respect for the Wine family, running a successful business in town as previous owners of Sign Concepts. Both Corey and wife Lisa have always had smiles on their faces whenever I’ve seen them and I really can’t say enough about them as community members. They are what Airdrie is built on.

So enough sucking up and back to this life hack … which isn’t so much taking a hard task and turning it easy, but more about changing how you look at a certain situation.

Most of my conversations – and most likely yours, too – usually end with: “We should get together sometime,” “We should have you over for dinner,” or “We should do coffee.”

“Yeah, we totally should.” Usually nothing more than a parting phrase.

“No,” emphasized Corey as one of our conversations ended, “we’re not doing that. I don’t do that.” He pointed out that he loved talking to people, so much so that when conversations ended, he wanted to make solid plans for the next chat. Even if that talk had to be rescheduled, it was important enough to not be fake and pretend like magic was going to “do coffee” for us.

So we hammered out an actual time and an actual place and didn’t feel the pressure of having to be somewhere else. And things were still good.

Truth be told, I owe Corey Wine more than one adult beverage, because I told him I would and I haven’t followed though. Now that it is in writing, I’m liable to pay the man back. And right before I started typing this out, I did the exact same thing to someone else … and my guardian Corey popped up on my shoulder and said, “Set a time and place.”

So next time a close friend or an old acquaintance pops into your life and you’re about to break out the “We should do something/go for coffee/paint the town red,” and you’re ready to leave it at that – don’t.

Unless you actually want to blow the person off and not do coffee, make each other accountable and just imagine where that will take you. Things will still be good. life summer 2015

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slice of life column

Happy Campers

parentlife

with vanessa peterelli

S

ummer is fast approaching, and the kids will soon be looking for something to fill their days.

In the interest of keeping the lazy, hazy days of July and August fun and engaging (and dare I say it, a bit educational, too), summer camps are a popular answer, and there is a growing variety of options available to Airdrie families.

New this year, both Atlas Learning Academy and Airdrie Koinonia Christian School (AKCS) have week-long summer camps open to the public.

With camps for ages five through 12, Atlas Learning Academy (established in Airdrie in 2008) is a preschool-to-Grade 6 school that’s new to the summer program scene. The theme is Around the World in 35 Days, with a new focus of study each week. Children will learn about traditions and lifestyles in Australia, Africa or Asia, for example, as well as participating in games, crafts, art and physical activity, such as park or gym time. The camp day runs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Register by calling 403-477-3311.

Helen Koupantsis, director of Atlas Learning Academy, says that she sees numerous advantages to summer camp for kids. “It provides them with a sense of community and keeps their minds learning so they’re ready to go again come September,” Koupantsis says. As well, she adds, camps help children stay connected with and/or make new friends, as well as building confidence in new social settings.

AKCS, established in 1987, is a private, non-denominational Christian discipleship school (kindergarten to Grade 12) able to expand its offerings this year, thanks to a new facility. “This is one of the dreams

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• Christian values taught by certified Christian teachers in a safe and caring environment • Championship sports programs with numerous opportunities to play and compete • Student led worship teams and guest speakers during our weekly Chapel time Come and visit the New & Improved AKCS today!

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we’ve had for many, many years – to be able to offer camps to the larger Airdrie community,” says AKCS’s Ron Smith.

AKCS camps run the weeks of July 20-24 and Aug. 17-21. Children attend camp from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and are broken out into two age groups: Grades 1-3 and Grades 4-7 (based on the grades being entered in the fall).

Activities depend on age group but include Bible time, music, crafts or art, indoor/outdoor games including water activities and an obstacle course (weather permitting), and sports. Register online at akcs.com Have a budding young performer on your hands? Bert Church Theatre is offering four separate weeks of half-day summer camps through its Performing Arts Classes for Kids (P.A.C.K.) program, where childrencan express themselves through acting. Participants will take part in acting games, voice projection, stage blocking and improvisation, gaining self-confidence through success.

The P.A.C.K. program offers week-long junior group classes (ages seven to 10) in the mornings, and senior group classes (ages 11-16) in the afternoons. Both groups take part in a Friday evening final performance. Register online at thebertchurchtheatre.com Genesis Place offers camps throughout the summer for children ages three through 12, with a variety of activities including crafts, games, sports and outdoor fun. July themes include western week; the great outdoors; summer safari; and fairy tales and superheroes. In August, watch for sports, science, pirates and globe-trekking themes.

The facility has preschool camps for ages three and four; half-day specialty camps for children ages five to 12; and full-day camps for children ages five to 12 that incorporate field trips to such destinations as the Calgary Zoo, Sikome Lake, TELUS Spark science centre and Calaway Park. Full details and registration online at genesisplace.ca No matter the camp you choose, remember to register early, as programs fill up quickly. Also be sure to inquire what your children will need to bring along. Is a snack/lunch provided? Do they need indoor shoes; a bathing suit and towel? Don’t forget to pack sunscreen, bug spray and appropriate clothing for outdoor activities. Busy parents will want to ask whether early dropoff/late pickup is available, too.

Then let the fun begin! life

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i d e a s a n d a dv i c e f o r yo u r h o m e , i n s i d e a n d o u t

52 Home sense • 54 Quality & longevity • 66 Attractive options

home life neiGhbourhoods

The Hatch family – Claire, Derek, Erica and Olivia – have seen Sagewood grow and mature, but not lose the friendly neighbourhood feel.

A Sense of Sagewood STORY BY ALEX FRAZER-HARRISON | PHOTO BY CARL PATZEL

E

rica Hatch says that her children grew up thinking of wild deer as neighbours. That’s because the Hatch family’s community, Sagewood, is located on the quiet western edge of Airdrie, looking out onto what are – for now, anyway – acreages and farms.

“We’ve lived here for 10 years; it was us and our neighbours [to start] and no one else out here,” says Hatch. “They were still digging up some of the farm fields.”

Hatch moved to Sagewood with her boyfriend, now husband, Derek.

“The lots looked out onto farm fields – it was the closest way to get an acreage without buying an acreage,” she says, adding that one of the selling features of her home is its large backyard, with detached garage.

Since moving to Sagewood, the Hatches have had two children – Olivia, 7, and Claire, 5 – but Erica says that their three-bedroom home is still the perfect size.“It’s not even 1,600 square feet; a standard two-storey home,” she says.“We did the basement ourselves – and one of the reasons we haven’t left is we love the backyard. We built the fence, garage, deck, made the garden; I put in the lilac bushes.”

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The small-town feel of Airdrie continues to appeal to the couple.“My husband and I are both from small towns … we had no plans to buy and flip,” says Erica, who works as an urgent care nurse and went back to school last year to study osteopathy, often using her basement for her practice. Derek, meanwhile, is a millwright in the oil and gas industry.

For Erica, her home’s proximity to amenities is a bonus. Several schools are nearby, as is Woodside Golf Course. Monklands Soccer Park is a few blocks away, it’s a short straightaway drive to the Creekside Crossing shopping centre, and nearby 24th Street SW offers a quick city bypass for heading into Calgary.

“We go swimming as a family, we do bike rides, and we all do triathlons as a family,” Erica says, adding that she also enjoys going to the spin studio.

One aspect of Sagewood that appeals to her is its sense of community, and she is always encountering colleagues at work who call the neighbourhood home. “A few years ago, we even used to have block parties every summer,” she says.

The Hatches have no plans to relocate from the community they’ve called home for a decade.“We’ll stay here for a long time,” says Erica. life

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home life builder profile

Living a ZEN life story by Jeff MacKinnon

Courtesy of Avalon Master Builder

“We are looking to build homes that are going to stand the test of time”

W

ith a focus on the future and a commitment to quality and longevity, Avalon Master Builder’s goal is to build homes that are not only energy-efficient, but sustainable and attractive, too.

“We’re looking to build homes that are going to stand the test of time,” says Dean Clark, Avalon sales and marketing co-ordinator. “For Avalon it’s not just about installing a high-efficiency furnace or light fixtures. We look at the entire home as a system.”

Avalon is now offering ZEN Townhomes in the Ravenswood community in Airdrie. Construction was well underway in the spring with an anticipation of summer move-in dates. Avalon will have 119 homes available.

The two showhomes currently under construction – the 1,126-squarefoot Roma and 1,120-sq.-ft. Cameo – were two of Avalon’s popular floor plans from the Aspen Hills development in southwest Calgary. Both are two-storey townhomes.

“With all of our homes they all have a private outdoor space, whether that’s a backyard, courtyard patio or private deck. It’s very important to us that our homeowners have space to enjoy the outdoors,” Clark says.

Each residence is EnerGuide rated by a third party to give clients the assurance of guaranteed efficiency.

“Other programs supply the builders with checklists to fill out on their

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own,‘We have this, we installed this … here is your score,’” Clark explains.

“With our program we are held accountable.”

One of the ways Avalon attains better efficiency is by using one of two exterior wall systems. The first is a double wall, essentially two twoby-four walls with the stud spacing off centre that allows for insulation through the entire wall cavity. The second is a standard two-by-six wall system with two-inch rigid insulation added to the exterior of the home.

Both of these systems were designed to eliminate heat loss through the studs in exterior walls.

Avalon isn’t just about being extremely efficient; it’s also about looking good and lasting, according to Clark.

“We don’t use disposable products that will end up in the landfill in a few years. We want our homes to stand up to our Alberta climate,” he says.“This is why we use items like Hardie board siding, something that will hold up after a hailstorm. This siding is also a safety feature. With density in our communities continually increasing we want to make sure our homeowners are kept safe from the risk of fire.”

As stated on Avalon’s website, it’s all about creating affordable modern-style homes with practical green features, which helps save money for today and the environment for tomorrow.

“The products that we use and the homes we build are very energyefficient so we are going to be leaving some of the resources for future generations,” Clark says. life

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55

home life developer profile

Canals Landing story by Jeff MacKinnon | photo by serGei belsKi

Canals Landing builders (left to right) Barry Smith (Westview Builders); Allan Stuckert (McKee Homes); Bruce Taylor (Genesis Builders); Jeff Augustine (ReidBuilt Homes); and Michael Smith (Crystal Creek Homes)

T

he great thing about Canals Landing, says Jesse Coderre of Genesis Land Development Corporation, is that it is a “little charming neighbourhood” that is close to important amenities.

“It’s comfortably ensconced as a community, so you’re not in and around the hustle and bustle of the town,” says the Genesis corporate marketing manager.“So it kind of feels like your own personal space. It has personality and it’s a little closed off but in a charming kind of way.

At the same time it’s close enough that you can walk with the family to the grocery store.”

The hugely popular Airdrie community

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continues to attract streams of new buyers, and now there are new estate lots from which to choose, including some along the water in the 88- to 91-foot-wide range. The new lots are located in the northeast corner of the community along Canals Boulevard.

Two of the five builders present in Canals Landing have new estate showhomes on view.

Westview Builders and Crystal Creek Homes had grand openings in April. McKee Homes, ReidBuilt Homes and Genesis also continue to have a strong presence there.

Currently in Phase 6 of construction, which began in fall 2013, Canals Landing was a finalist for the Canadian Home Builders Associa-

tion-Calgary Region SAM (Sales and Marketing) Awards community of the year.

Crystal Creek’s new showhome, the Cameron, was also a finalist for best new home design in the $425,000-$489,000 category. It is a 2,973-square-foot home that can be seen at 427 Canals Blvd.

Westview’s new offering is the Lancaster, a 2,710-sq.-ft. model that has been adapted from the previously successful Arlington. It can be toured at 423 Canals Blvd.

Showhome hours for all five builders are typically Monday to Thursday, 2-8 p.m., and Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from noon to 5 p.m. life

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| airdrielife.com

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home life column

It’s not too late to get started

W

gardenlife

e’re already headed toward the longest day of the year and should be well on our way to having our containers, gardens and flowerbeds growing.

It’s not too late if you’re just getting started – likely our evenings are just beginning to get nice and warm. Such cold-sensitive plants as burgundy-coloured grasses, coleus and New Guinea impatiens will just be starting to feel comfortable at night. If you’re just seeding a vegetable garden, choose veggies with a shorter growing season. Weeds will be growing, annuals will need fertilizer and watering is likely a daily chore.

Garden trends for this year include raised gardens, growing your own food and gardening for nature. Raised beds make a gardener’s life a whole lot easier by having everything in reach and making it accessible for all ages to enjoy gardening.

There’s nothing better than fresh lettuce that’s been grown in your very own tidy garden! Small yards, balconies and shared spaces make raised beds or containers a perfect choice.

A new generation of gardeners is sprouting up, and young people are excited about growing their own food and sharing with their community. Everyone is becoming more environmentally aware by using nature-friendly materials and gardening methods.

Gardening is also being heralded as a form of exercise and is good for our well-being and overall health. More and more, our gardens are becoming an extension of our personality. We use colours, plants and outdoor decor to express who we are. The state of our economy is keeping us at home a little more, thus the desire to create personal and beautiful spaces at home is more important than ever. Creating areas that take us from indoors to outdoors allows us to gather family and friends and entertain.

Garden decor comes in all styles, colours and shapes and is accessible on all sorts of budgets. Walking through the garden centre, reading garden magazines or virtually flipping through all sorts of pictures provides us with inspiration aplenty.

Be bold, be personal and create beautiful spaces and lush gardens in any form. Summer is upon us and there’s garden work to be done, but let’s make sure we take time to stop and smell the roses! lfe

with lisa silva

– Lisa Silva is marketing manager with Blue Grass Nursery, Sod & Garden Centre

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61

home life column

lifestyles

with Kim Purvis

Six thoughts on summer-fresh decor inside and out Tuck the winter clutter away

I realize we live in Alberta and you never know when a blustery snowstorm might hit – but, if you can, pack some of the unnecessary items away. You’ll be amazed what removing bulky blankets and industrial-strength doormats will do to make your home feel fresh and inviting. Replace them with fun and bright versions that don’t need to stand up to our winter slush and chill.

Lighten and brighten Replace a lamp, a collection of vases or a few of your throw pillows with a summer pattern in bright colours that will co-ordinate with the rest of the decor that isn’t changing. White is always a classic if you don’t want to add bright colours – just make sure it’s washable! If you prefer not to spend money on replacement lamps and vases, purchase old pieces at secondhand stores or garage sales and then spray paint in fun colours.

Add some natural touches Nothing says summer like a large piece of driftwood on your fireplace mantle or a beautiful seashell or coral collection you gathered on a winter holiday. Succulents are really big right now, and they look fantastic in almost any ceramic pot.

Bonus: they’re really tough to kill. Trust me, I’m an expert at killing plants!

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GOLD WINNER VOTED AIRDRIE’S BEST REALTOR

Plant monochromatic flowers If you need the help like me, ask a greenhouse expert for a couple of different flowering-plant suggestions and focus on flowers all in the same colour. Plant them in all different sizes and shapes of pots. Display them in clusters around your front entrance, and on your back deck.

Carman Thiessen Investment and Retirement Planner Financial Planning 403-462-7727 carman.thiessen@rbc.com

Keep it simple Summer is about fun and relaxation. Don’t fuss over elaborate decor. Less clutter is easier to keep clean. When the house is clean you can enjoy the beautiful weather outside!

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Have fun As always, make your home a reflection of you and your family. If there’s ever a time to step outside your decorating comfort zone and try something out, summer is it. Add some fun to your decor! life – Decorator Kim Purvis, owner of Aurora Decor, is pursuing her lifelong passion of creating beautiful home spaces

Financial planning services and investment advice are provided by Royal Mutual Funds Inc. (RMFI). RMFI, RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Royal Bank of Canada, Royal Trust Corporation of Canada and The Royal Trust Company are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. RMFI is licensed as a financial services firm in the province of Quebec. ® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. ©2015 Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence.

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45808 (01/2015)

summer 2015

2015-04-30 2:11 PM | airdrielife.com

63

home life Column

Celebrating 40 years as Airdrie’s #1 Source For Breaking News, Sports & What’s Happening in YOUR COMMUNITY!

real estate

with Trent Pittner

Local housing

market Connect with us for breaking updates at Follow Us on Twitter @Airdrie_Echo |

Like Us on Facebook @ Airdrie Echo

www.airdrieecho.com | 112 – 1st Avenue N.E. | 403-948-7280

remains

robust

R

ecession is a term misused in our vocabulary. I am asked almost daily by clients, family and friends what I think about the future of Airdrie’s real estate market.

I’ve had the opportunity to watch Airdrie develop into the family-friendly community that it is today. As a father, I am pleased to see how Airdrie has evolved into a safe place for our children to grow up and prosper.

I continue to promote the message that Airdrie is a great place to live and invest.

Airdrie’s housing market is very robust.

With the community’s continued population growth, residential construction is the city’s top business sector. Growth in residential permits and construction values remains strong. In addition to lifestyle choices, consumer demand for detached homes in Airdrie will continue to be fueled by the

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sector’s relative affordability and selection – particularly in lower price ranges. The $450,000-and-lower price range has been very active in the first quarter of 2015 and I suspect this will continue into the summer market. That said, sellers in the higher price ranges may have to sharpen their pencils with their asking prices in order to sell in the near future.

The MLS sales-to-listing ratio is a leading indicator for resale house prices. The indicator is trending downward, signalling that the average price for resale houses has reached a period peak and will decline moderately in coming periods. The sales-to-listing ratio is a reasonable proxy for the supply/ demand balance in the resale market. A fall in the ratio indicates that listings are growing relative to sales. If this pattern holds, house prices should decline slightly in the coming periods. Some of the decline will come from fewer higher-priced sales. I anticipate a small market correction this year and for the overall Airdrie market to be stable.

Airdrie faces a similar market headwind as Calgary, specifically in the number of homes for sale. Inventory more than doubled to 368 in February, a 164.75 per cent increase from last year, while new listings were up 55.4 per cent. Although the inventory levels are continuing to climb, interest rates for prospective buyers are still very attractive. An April 13, 2015, update on interest rates provides a five-year best rate of 2.54 per cent, which is quite appealing for the Airdrie home buyer.

My advice is to take advantage of these low rates and make a move in 2015. If we remain optimistic about investing in the Airdrie real estate market, our city will continue to be the fastest-growing community in Alberta, ensuring that our largest investments hold strong. life

NOW TWICE AS SWEET!

New Didsbury location 1812 20th St 403.518.1222

– Trenton Pittner, Trentshomes, Legacy Real Estate Services summer 2015

| airdrielife.com

65

home life showhomes

Two new projects in Airdrie, Brookside and StoneKeep, both by Merge Developments, are giving townhome buyers tremendous value, choice and style with two- and three-bedroom options, front porches and attached garages.

Emerging style

66 66 airdrielife.com airdrielife.com ||

summer summer 2015 2015

StoneKeep show suite featured across top left and right pages.

Located at 1225 King’s Heights Way. Stonekeep.ca

SNEAK PEEK: Brookside at Baysprings showhome featured bottom left and right pages.

Located at 162 Bayspring Terrace. brooksideatbaysprings.com summer summer 2015 2015

|| airdrielife.com airdrielife.com

67 67

Canal’s Landing featuring Genesis Builders, Crystal Creek Homes, Reid Built & McKee Homes

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summer 2015

work life

meet the movers, shakers and business makers

74 Flight of fancy • 76 Keep on truckin’ • 84 Sharing know-how

Work life Column

We’ve been here before

businesslife

with Kent Rupert

If we look back to the economic slump in 2008-09, Airdrie’s population actually increased 11 per cent.

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T

his year started out with such headlines as: Housing sales slide; More job layoffs and What does $40 oil mean? If you ask anyone who has lived in Alberta for several years, you’ll likely hear:“We’ve been here before and will get through it.” There’s a general optimism that oil prices will come back. It is just a matter of when.

What does this mean for Airdrie? For those families affected by the drop in oil prices through layoffs, cutbacks or wage reductions, it’s obviously a very challenging time. Our hearts go out to you. As with many Albertans – and in looking at recent history in Airdrie – we remain optimistic.

If we look back to the economic slump in 2008-09, Airdrie’s population actually increased 11 per cent. While it’s difficult to prove exactly why this growth occurred, we can speculate that Calgarians were selling their houses and moving out to the surrounding communities for better value.

That wasn’t the only positive indicator in 2009. We also saw a steady flow of industrial and commercial projects come into Airdrie, and the number of licensed businesses continued to increase. In 2011, we asked companies through our Business Satisfaction Survey about that economic downturn: 64 per cent said that it had a negative impact on their business. However – and perhaps most importantly – they also reported much optimism: 68 per cent expected workload to grow or expand, and the majority had plans to hire staff.

In short, it seemed that before a significant impact hit Airdrie in 2008-09, the economy was moving ahead, jobs were coming back and optimism was high.

What about this time around? It’s difficult to speculate and hindsight is always 20-20. What I can tell you is that in the first quarter of 2015, Airdrie saw the same number of new home starts as we did in 2014. We’ve seen new retail businesses open, new industrial projects get underway and local expansions announced (such as the Costco Distribution Centre’s $12-million project). With that said, we’ve also heard developers and builders project that we could see a slowdown in the third and fourth quarters if oil prices don’t rebound. Time will tell, and so will the results of our 2015 Business Satisfaction Survey, which will show what businesses feel about the current economy.

Todd Hirsch, senior economist with ATB Financial, predicts that oil prices will rebound to $65-$70 by the end of this year and that the real GDP will be close to two per cent (2014 was 3.8 per cent). Hirsch also warns that we shouldn’t panic. While oil is a major player in the Alberta economy, other industries, such as meat-product exports, are seeing an increase and there is growth in the aerospace, agriculture and chemicals sectors.

Airdrie was built based on pioneers coming west to take risks in hopes of great rewards.

While we have seen many highs and lows over the years, one thing remains constant: we always stick together and find new and innovative ways to adapt and move forward. I believe this is what got us through the last downturn and it will get us through this one as well.

Airdrie is a young, innovative and entrepreneurial community. As with the early, enterprising pioneers, we won’t panic; we will work through the risky times together and reap the eventual rewards as an entire community. life

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work life Global story by alex frazer-harrison | photo by serGei belsKi

F

or most of us, the electronic devices we use may just as well be magic: push a button and stuff happens.

But getting electronic-based products to market often requires navigating a maze of product-compliance requirements, environmental ratings and international approvals.

From his base in Airdrie, Tom Smith, principal engineer of TJS Technical Services, helps domestic and international clients get these approvals and certifications.

Smith’s experience in product compliance dates back more than 30 years.

“Back around 1982, I got a job at a lab that was starting up in Canada that’s now part of a global chain called Nemko Canada,” he recalls. (Nemko provides product testing and certification services.) “I was the first engineer they hired to oversee what was going on in the lab, working through approvals.

The lab was primarily doing approvals for Canada and the U.S. and slowly getting international.”

After that, Smith was hired by Nortel to work on regulatory approvals and product integrity and managed its product integrity lab, overseeing divisions working with Norstar telephone terminals and Millennium payphones. Another Calgary job at National Technical Systems followed before Smith launched his own company, TJS, in 2009.

“I’d been considering it for quite a while,” he says.

Since branching out, Smith has worked with a wide range of mostly electronics clients in Canada and internationally, helping them get the approvals needed to market their products.

A rewarding part of his job, he says, is getting to see new innovations firsthand.

“One product, for example, is a highend barbecue, so I get into some odd

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Clearing roadblocks is his business

TJS Technical Services owner Tom Smith, at the MPB Technologies Electronic Test Centre

things from time to time,” Smith says. “I’m working on a device right now which is used to inspect pipes and tanks … it has its own electric wheels and will crawl around the tank.

I’ve worked with downhole tools in the oil and gas industry. I’ve also worked with things like cellular base stations and medical equipment.”

His work has him dealing with clients from Beijing to Venezuela, and he’s currently assisting a client in Austria who’s in the process of bringing a product over to North America. (Of course, what that product is we’ll have to wait and see.)

Smith has lived in Airdrie for 21 years, and says that he does a lot of business on his laptop and the phone. “There’s myself and one other part-time employee,” he says.“In addition, I have a number of contract people I work with.”

The business owner has also been called upon to sit on about a half-dozen standards-development committees in such areas as product safety, electromagnetic interference and telecommunications, and he’s been recognized by the British Approvals Board for Telecommunications, and Austel in Australia.

Much of Smith’s job involves keeping track of ever-changing standards, not only in Canada, but also worldwide. He says that events in the news can play a role.“One time, Canada seized a Portuguese vessel that had been fishing illegally off the coast,” he says.“I got into work and found an approval was on hold because the EU had an issue with Canada!”

Smith jokes that it’s been suggested that he “should be admitted to the bar,” given his skill at helping people cut red tape.

“It’s fun,” he says. “I’m dealing with so many creative people. The people who come to me are usually engineers with an incredible amount of creativity. They’ve come up with something no one has thought of before, and maybe the existing standards don’t exactly cover it. Or maybe they need help going through what can be a very legalistic process getting approvals.

“It’s about being able to clear roadblocks, find a path to completion and ultimately see the product on the market,” he adds. life

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work life hi-tech Photographer Rob Ganzeveld’s passion has taken him to new heights.

ThiS JoB rEALLY SoArS

STORY BY ALEX FRAZER-HARRISON | PHOTO BY CARL PATZEL

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courtesy of rob Ganzeveld

“The technology blows me away.”

L

ike many a young boy, Rob Ganzeveld loved playing with model airplanes. Little did he know he’d someday be making a living flying state-of-the-art remote-controlled aircraft in the skies over Alberta.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a.k.a. drones, have arrived on the scene in a big way in recent years. Commercially, their applications seem almost endless, with Amazon recently testing UAVs in B.C. in hopes of using them to deliver packages, and for folks like Ganzeveld, who provides aerial photography services, they’ve changed the game.

“I have another company called FX Photo, a commercial photography company that I’ve run for 20 years … this is an offshoot of that,” Ganzeveld says of Outlaw UAV, which he launched in September 2014.

When he’s not doing ground-level photography through FX, he’s flying UAVs up to 300 feet in the air taking images of real estate, farms and construction sites.

“With drones, you’re [legally required] to stay lower than 300 feet, and so often you only want to be 100 feet in the air – it gives you a unique perspective,” he says.

Ganzeveld flies UAVs that are about three feet wide, lifted by four propellers and equipped with cameras, including GoPros, taking still and video images.

Far from the model aircraft of yesteryear, UAVs are considered serious business – as Ganzeveld notes, Transport Canada regulates their use by such businesses as Outlaw UAV. “You have to apply for a Special Flight Operations Certificate when you fly commercially,” he says, adding that he took a licensing test and course through Nav Canada that allows him to communicate with control towers and nearby aircraft. “Recreationally, there really [aren’t] any regulations other than common sense, but in the commercial end, it’s controlled pretty heavily. You have to file a flight plan the same as a helicopter would … over grown-up areas and cities, it can take months to get permission.”

In addition, UAV operators also have to keep their aircraft within line of sight, adds Ganzeveld, who often has a two- or three-person crew with him, including spotters.

“There’s a video downlink from the drone to my controller – I have a five-inch monitor. They call it first-person view, so you can position it perfectly for aerial photos,” he says, adding that another video downlink lets clients see the same view and direct what they want photographed.

Ganzeveld has been all over B.C. and Alberta with his UAVs. “I might do aerial photos of a bridge under construction, buildings … farm aerials are quite big,” he says.“[Images for] land-mapping, mining; I do stuff for oil and gas.”

But he would also like to use his skills for helping people in need, and notes that UAVs have applications in search and rescue and accident reconstruction.

Ganzeveld, who has been based in Airdrie for the last year-and-ahalf after spending 20 years in Grande Prairie, says that regardless of new bells and whistles, the same rules of taking a good picture apply to his work with UAVs.“It’s still composition, lighting ... But you can get so technically close to water if you’re flying over a creek, it really immerses you,” he says. “The technology blows me away. I shot traditional film and transitioned to digital in 1999, when it was still quite new.”

For Ganzeveld, between FX Photo and Outlaw UAV, the favourite part of his job is that it’s always changing.

“No two days are the same,” he says. “One day, I’m shooting headshots for a corporate client; the next day, someone’s building a bridge; the next day, I’m shooting a rodeo.

“I could never go back to the eight-hour day where I’m doing the same thing all the time,” he adds. life summer 2015

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work life entrepreneur

FOOD story by Jeff MacKinnon | photo by serGei belsKi

TRUCK

KING

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SEAN WILKIE COOKS UP A CAREER ON WHEELS

A

n acquaintance arriving at the coffee shop for his morning mud detours to where Sean Wilkie is sitting to ask him about his new competition.

“My new competition?” Wilkie asks.

“The perogy truck,” he’s told.

“Not exactly competition,” says Wilkie.

“They serve perogies and I serve burgers.”

And hand-cut french fries, poutine in various styles and chicken to go with his tasty burgers of all varieties.

The 34-year-old Airdrie man is in his third season operating a successful food truck in the city – Wilk’s Booth, a name that references the owner’s nickname and the man who assassinated Abraham Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth.

Wilkie typically offers up his tasty cuisine from three regular locations in the city – the Farmer’s Market each Wednesday; the parking lot of the Super 8 motel to attract business from Genesis Place and Bert Church High School; and one of the city’s big condo complexes.

“We offer high-quality food,” he says.

“You can’t really make a great meal if you use sub-par ingredients.”

Wilkie has been part of the food industry since 2005. His first experience came at restaurants when he was travelling in Australia that year and grew tired of picking fruit, the only job he says he could find there. summer 2015 2015 summer

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Work life Entrepreneur

Sean Wilkie’s Recipe for Success “I saw in one of the newspapers that one of the islands was looking for a cook,” he says.

“I never worked in a restaurant before but I told them I worked in restaurants in Calgary.

They knew instantly I hadn’t worked in one in my life, so they demoted me down to dishwasher within a couple of days, which was fine because I got a taste of restaurants and it was fun.

“After that,” he adds, “I went over to another island and joined another kitchen. In kitchens if you show you are motivated and eager to learn they’ll do whatever they can to teach you.”

After returning to Canada and working at restaurants in Calgary, Wilkie began operating a catering company and renting out kitchen space to food trucks.

“I saw how much fun they were having and decided to go out on my own and it’s been great,” he says.

Wilkie also studied culinary arts at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and is a Red Seal chef.

A love of working with food came from both his parents – his mother, Wendy, and his late father, Neil, who Wilkie says worked at restaurants when he was younger but stopped because “he cut himself too much.”

Adds Wilkie: “I can always remember cooking with my mom, standing on a chair and making stuff with her. I’ve always liked cooking.”

The culinary entrepreneur operates his truck with his girlfriend, Katlyn Ormson, and is joined by one more staff member for dinners and a couple others for bigger events, such as rodeos.

As far as competition for the food truck market in Airdrie, he welcomes others like the Perogy Boyz.

“It works out good,” he said. “I look at it like being at a mall; you have more than one choice. I’ll call (the Perogy Boyz) up and ask: ‘You busy this weekend? I’ve got a rodeo if you are interested.’ They do the same for me. It’s all good.”

All the burgers on his menu are made to order ‘in truck’ using 100 per cent Alberta beef for the homemade six-ounce patties. His namesake Wilk’s Burger features cheddar, sautéed onions, bacon, fried egg and sautéed mushrooms.

Wilkie has added a couple more poutine dishes to his menu this year, including Whole Truck fries, gravy, cheese curds, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms and loads of bacon. Among the french fries is the new Rancher’s Fries – crispy fries topped with heaps of bacon, green onion, diced tomatoes and shaved cheddar and served with a side of chipotle aioli.

Also new to the menu are deep-fried pickles.

“You batter them like fish and chips,” Wilkie says.“I never had them until last year and I tried them at a bar here. I hate pickles but they are so good. Super tasty.”

Asked why he focuses on burgers, Wilkie is quick to answer: “I found it hard to find a good one,” he says. life

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Since taking to the road with Wilk’s Booth, Airdrie chef and food truck operator Sean Wilkie has forged a reputation as a go-to guy for a quality hamburger and tasty poutine.

Wilkie knows that his business is not just about the food, but about service and value, and he’s come up with a few things he has at the top of his business menu: People want value for their money.

This doesn’t mean they are looking for a deal.

If they are going to spend their hard-earned money, it needs to be satisfying. According to the Airdrie entrepreneur: “The person needs to walk away from my food truck satisfied. Our mission statement at Wilk’s Booth is: ‘Every customer leaves happy.’”

Networking is huge. That doesn’t simply mean being involved in social media but going out and meeting people and telling them about the business. “Each day before I open,” says the chef, “I head out to local businesses and pass out business cards and introduce myself and tell people about my business.”

There is no such thing as a day off.

There is always something to do on the truck: organizing, advertising, booking events, paperwork, bookkeeping and improving the recipes. “As much work as it is to make my business successful,” Wilkie says, “it is important to love what I do, as it doesn’t feel like work at all.”

– Jeff MacKinnon

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79

Work life Career Choices

Bruce Peters

Bruce Aalhus

Capt. Bruce Peters, pilot On a regular basis Capt. Bruce Peters can be waking up in Airdrie, Vancouver, Chicago or a hot-spot destination in the Caribbean or the Hawaiian islands.

With more than 17,000 hours under his belt, the WestJet pilot has the ultimate frequent-fliermiles occupation. But with those perks comes huge responsibilities on a daily basis.

“My schedule really varies month to month. I could be flying east, west, oceanic down to the Caribbean or Hawaii, or transporters flights to the United States,” says the 14-year WestJet veteran. “To see some green

Cool Jobs Chris Glass

story and photos

by Carl Patzel

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summer 2015

From flight paths to football passes … meet guys who made cool career choices plants, beach, waves and warm weather is a nice reprieve from the Canadian winters.”

The biggest challenge to this mini-vacation lifestyle is jet lag, time changes and the body clock waking up in the dark, early morning hours.

“Twenty-four hours in Hawaii sounds great. But if there’s anything about this job that is unpleasant it’s the fatigue management and flopping time zones all over the place,” Peters says.

The thought of flying came early to the experienced aviator. After a brief layover career as an architectural engineer, Peters earned his commercial pilot’s licence in 1991 and was soon piloting such crafts as Cessna, Hawker Siddley and Learjet before becoming a wingman on the white-and-blue WestJet 737.

Fourteen years later a lot has changed in the airline industry, including the upgraded (in 2001) digital-loaded 737, 700NG (Next Generation) aircraft.

“The old airplanes did have a rudimentary autopilot, but the only flight management computer that you had on the old airplane was the one sitting in your brain,” says Peters who now leaves a bit more of the flying to the Automatic Flight Director System.

Regardless of his many hours in the air, the WestJet training captain still marvels at the complexity of modern day aviation, and he has great respect for all involved, from the flight crew to ground maintenance through to air traffic controllers.

“From my experience it’s amazing how they can make the aviation dance work co-ordinating multiple airplanes,” Peters says. “Airplanes these days are immensely complicated machines. For the amount of flights that happen, it’s pretty remarkable with the reliability of the entire system.”

Bruce Aalhus, videographer On any given day Bruce Aalhus can be found hanging off a mountainside, rubbing elbows with celebrities and high-profile athletes, or traversing a disaster scene.

Being on front-line news for more than 15 years, Aalhus has been hauling his Global News camera to all corners of Calgary and beyond, from Red Deer to Medicine Hat or west to the British Columbia border.

“Even after this many years no two days are the same,” says the athletic cameraman.“What makes (this job) interesting is showing up in the morning you just never know what your day is going to bring.”

From the exhilarating to the mundane, the experienced lensman can be photographing politicians, reporting on a deadly tragic house fire, navigating 17-hour days on the front lines of a national flood story or chasing coyotes beside a busy thoroughfare.

“You may cover something that is pretty tragic – a car accident that involves kids, something pretty sad – then half an hour later you’re at [a] positive event. You have to take the good with the bad,” says Aalhus.

“The lens is a bit of a buffer sometimes,” he adds.“You do feel like you’re removed from it in some ways because you’re looking at it through the lens.”

Aalhus recalls days of standing centrefield during the Grey Cup, shooting backstage at a Who concert, being flown to Disneyland for the day, broadcasting live from the Calgary Tower roof or following royals William and Kate around the Calgary Zoo. Even more surreal, a casual two-hour chat with James Bond actor Roger Moore has become a career highlight.

“You’re sitting there talking, thinking, ‘I’m talking to James-Bond.’

Roger Moore may not be a big deal, but when you’re a kid watching him and then one day you’re sitting with him it’s a surreal experience,” recalls Aalhus.

“I think that’s what keeps any of us doing the job,” he adds.“Every once in a while there’s one of those things that you just know,‘I wouldn’t get to do this if I wasn’t doing this job.’”

Chris Glass, football coach Like the hardened white lace threaded through brown pigskin leather, Chris Glass and football are virtually inseparable.

When he’s not performing his WestJet operational performance analyst duties, the linebacker-built Glass is helping transform the minds and talents of local junior-level football players.

Growing up around football royalty, Glass bleeds football brown.

“When I was nine years old my dad started a job as vice president (Peter Glass, VP of finance and administration) with the Calgary Stampeders so I grew up around the game as a kid,” says the George McDougall Mustangs co-head coach.“My father’s been a pretty big influence on me. It’s always been a family tradition for us.”

As a training camp assistant coach with the Stampeders and Dave Dickenson’s Passing Academy, Glass had the honour to cart around the Grey Cup this past April to schools and WestJet. Also helping with the Airdrie Raiders Football Club, coaching came early to the 35-year-old Glass – immediately after graduating from Dr. E.P. Scarlett High School. For 16 years he’s been reaping the rewards of developing camaraderie and young football minds.

“Some of the most unique, fun, outgoing personalities and some of the shyest kids get to come together on the football team. On the first day of school they don’t know each other very well (but) a week later they have 40 or 50 brothers,” says Glass, who is also a part-time DJ and vicechairman of WestJet’s Proactive Communications Team.

Impressed with both the talent and the mindset of local athletes, Glass takes pleasure in seeing his chess-match-like coaching moves acted out on the field.

“On a very selfish level it’s an absolute blast to be able to challenge myself and to come up with new ways to interpret the sport. Airdrie has such a high level of athletes you can pretty much run a university or pro-style offence and have a lot of fun with it,” says Glass, who will be entwined with the gridiron game for many years to come.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to be a part of,” he adds.“In fact the older I get the more involved I get.” life summer 2015

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Advertorial

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Work life teamwork

Getting a Smart Start Meet six of the 10 teams of entrepreneurs and mentors who are part of the second year of the successful SmartStart program created in Airdrie.

Meet the other teams in the fall issue of airdrielife.

Melody

Derek

Entrepreneur: Melody McClain Age: 40 Business or idea: McClain Barker Professional Accountant Years in business: 2 Dream/goal for your business: To be recognized in the Airdrie community as an accounting practice that is here to help other small business owners reach their goals and dreams.

Which would you rather – Celebrity Apprentice or Dragon’s Den: Dragon’s Den What I hope to learn in SMARTstart: To make connections with and learn about the Airdrie business community. There is much that we can learn from one another and I hope to participate in this experience in a way that will help both my business and those of my clients.

My biggest obstacle: Balancing my family, my business and my personal time.

Why I am an entrepreneur: I love the everyday challenge that it presents. I love knowing that my success is up to me. I love that I can create the flexibility in my career to cherish my family. I love choosing my own path.

I start each day with: A resolution that today is going to be a great day! Then I read something tax-related and check my e-mails.

Mentor: Derek Lalonde Age: 41 Business: Edward Jones Investments Years in business: 15 Growing up I wanted to be: Hockey player My first year in business: First I acted like a sponge, taking in all the necessary education and training.

Then I met as many people as possible to promote the business.

Best advice you ever got: “Do good things and good things will happen.” People will need to like you to be able to trust you and then do business with you.

Proudest achievement: I have achieved six financialplanning designations; and helped all different walks of life, from people starting a savings plan to professional hockey players. My proud achievement now is assisting other business owners to be successful in order to help as many people as possible.

What’s on your desk/laptop right now: Pictures of my kids, and the book The 8th Habit I define success as: Doing what you do every day because you love what you do and are passionate to share.

I have been paired with: Melody McClain, McClain Barker Professional Accountant

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Brent Kerry

Entrepreneur: Brent Park

Mentor: Kerry Oswald

Age: 33 Business or idea: Liquid Amber Landscape Management Ltd. Years in business: 1 Dream/goal for your business: To be the landscape professional of choice in Airdrie Which would you rather – Celebrity Apprentice or Dragon’s Den: Dragon’s Den What I hope to learn in SMARTstart: Strategic planning and effective marketing solutions My biggest obstacle: Brand awareness and recognition in a highly competitive industry Why I am an entrepreneur: To have the freedom to build a business based on my core values and interests I start each day with: Breakfast with my wife and two daughters

Age: 53 Business: Smart Auto & Tire Years in business: 18 Growing up I wanted to be: Mechanic or firefighter My first year in business: I worked 90 hours a week. I learned a lot and made some mistakes along the way, as well.

Best advice you ever got: “Always keep a close eye on the business financials.” I review my financials daily/weekly/monthly/yearly.

Proudest achievement: The Airdrie Winning Edge Award 1999. I saved a little girl in Roatan who was drowning.

What’s on your desk/laptop right now: A screen saver of a beach setting in Roatan (my favourite island). My folders are current marketing and advertising plans plus future growth of my commercial buildings.

I define success as: Being content with where you are in life.

I have been paired with: Brent Park, Liquid Amber Landscape Management Ltd. summer 2015

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Work life teamwork

Cheryl Mentor: Brent Swain

Brent

Melanie

Age: 69 Business: Innovative Marketing Solutions Years in business: 40+ Growing up I wanted to be: Fighter pilot My first year in business: I was fortunate enough to have a great mentor (western manager of Imperial Oil) who not only guided me, but allowed me to choose the direction I wanted to take and my role in the organization.

Best advice you ever got: “Go to university.”

Proudest achievement: Development and facilitating my own management course for companies in Canada and the U.S. What’s on your desk/laptop right now: Notepapers, telephone and a computer I define success as: Being able to enjoy what you are doing while making a living that accommodates your lifestyle.

I have been paired with: Cheryl Lindberg and Melanie Lacroix, The Cat Next Door Inc.

Entrepreneur: Melanie Lacroix

Entrepreneur: Cheryl Lindberg Age: 41 Business or idea: The Cat Next Door Inc. Years in business: 7 months Dream/goal for your business: To be the ‘go-to people’ for a variety of unique pet services.

We definitely have dreams and goals for The Cat Next Door that extend beyond pet sitting.

Which would you rather – Celebrity Apprentice or Dragon’s Den: I actually don’t like either of these shows but if I had to sit and watch one of them, I’d pick Celebrity Apprentice.

What I hope to learn in SMARTstart: The most effective methods for getting our business where we want it to go. We are doing the things we know how to do, but we need another perspective of those other

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little things we probably aren’t thinking of. We don’t want to miss out on any opportunities to make our company as successful as it can be.

My biggest obstacle: Balance. At the same time, sometimes that very obstacle is the thing that makes me go full force into something. I need to work on that so I don’t burn myself out.

Why I am an entrepreneur: I love what happens when you can use your own creativity and ideas to guide the business. I’ve thrived in companies that allowed me to be part of the start-up experience and it is exciting to see the results when it works. If I can do it for someone else, I want to do it for myself and my family.

I start each day with: LOTS of black coffee and a good hour-long workout to get me going for the day.

Age: 40 Business or idea: The Cat Next Door Inc. Years in business: 7 months Dream/goal for your business: To be the best at what we offer for pet sitting and other quality related products and services.

Which would you rather – Celebrity Apprentice or Dragon’s Den: I haven’t really watched either.

What I hope to learn in SMARTstart: How to best market our company to attract and retain clients, and have glowing referrals My biggest obstacle: Financial costs associated with a startup Why I am an entrepreneur: I want to run a business that is focused on my beliefs and what I feel is important when it comes to running a business.

I start each day with: Positive thoughts on growing our business and new ideas about how to do that.

Entrepreneur: Christine McLeod

Mentor: Sandi Christensen

Entrepreneur: Tracy Winger

Age: 36 Business or idea: Tri Fit Training Ltd. Years in business: 2 Dream/goal for your business: Tri Fit Training is a well-known, successful business in Airdrie.

Which would you rather – Celebrity Apprentice or Dragon’s Den: Dragon’s Den What I hope to learn in SMARTstart: To increase my business knowledge. We are very excited to learn from our mentors.

My biggest obstacle: Managing my time between being a mom and a business owner.

Why I am an entrepreneur: I love all the different challenges of being a business owner.

Fitness is my passion and I get to share it with others daily.

I start each day with: A healthy breakfast!

Age: 53 Business: Goodmen Roofing Ltd. Years in business: 16 Growing up I wanted to be: Airline stewardess, but I was too short! I wanted to travel the world.

My first year in business: I knew I made the right decision to get into business for myself. I had the best of both worlds – working from home and stayat-home mom. I was able to set my own hours.

Best advice you ever got: “The best investment you can make is into your own company.” You can invest in RRSP, land deals, real estate, stocks and bonds, where your investment is controlled by others … or you can invest in your business, where you have control of that investment.

Proudest achievement: I’m very proud of the business’s accomplishments and awards to date.

To be recognized by our peers for our customer service, our growth and our support in the community makes me proud.

What’s on your desk/laptop right now: Too much paperwork, and flowers – they brighten the workplace.

I define success as: Creating balance between the workplace and home.

I have been paired with: Christine McLeod and Tracy Winger, Tri Fit Training

Age: 39 Business or idea: Tri Fit Training Ltd. Years in business: 2 Dream/goal for your business: For our business to be a known, successful business in Airdrie.

Which would you rather – Celebrity Apprentice or Dragon’s Den: Dragon’s Den What I hope to learn in SMARTstart: To increase my business knowledge. We are very excited to learn from our mentor.

My biggest obstacle: Time management between being a wife, mom and business owner.

Why I am an entrepreneur: I love being in control of my career and I absolutely love what I do.

I start each day with: Teaching early morning classes and training clients.

Mentor: Joan Bell Age: 58 Business: Retired, former owner of Airdrie Yoga & Fitness and Environics West Years in business: Environics West, 25; Airdrie Yoga & Fitness, 10 Growing up I wanted to be: Superstar!

My first year in business: I loved the freedom of being an entrepreneur and escaping the corporate world.

Best advice you ever got: “Jump in with both feet and commit with all your heart.”

Proudest achievement: Working with other aspiring entrepreneurs to help launch their dreams.

What’s on your desk/laptop right now: Facebook!

I define success as: Exploring your passion.

I have been paired with: Christine McLeod and Tracy Winger, Tri Fit Training (co-mentoring with Sandi Christensen)

Joan Sandi

Christine

Tracy summer 2015

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Work life teamwork

Entrepreneur: Brandi Rosgen

Mentor: Gary Armstrong

Age: 40 Business or idea: Inner Worx Psychotherapy & Hypnotherapy Years in business: 8 Dream/goal for your business: To develop a five-day retreat/intensive, helping clients create more happiness by harnessing their own potential for change by using the power of the subconscious mind, body and spirit.

Which would you rather – Celebrity Apprentice or Dragon’s Den: Celebrity Apprentice What I hope to learn in SMARTstart: What my blind spots are as an entrepreneur as I step forward with my clients and retreat planning.

My biggest obstacle: Keeping balance in my daily schedule Why I am an entrepreneur: I am more in control of my own life and destiny as an entrepreneur because my success is up to me and my performance.

I start each day with: Alone time where I meditate, read and then plan my day.

Age: 57 Business: Empowered Employee Education Years in business: 9 for this venture Growing up I wanted to be: Police officer My first year in business: I discovered that for some things it simply pays to hire an expert. I incorporated three times, once federally and twice provincially, before getting it right. I discovered that an accountant and a lawyer both had insights on what would be best for my specific circumstances and paying a little now would have dividends later.

As an entrepreneur I wanted to be able to say I did it all on my own. I have since put a bit of that pride aside. It hasn’t cost much and I now realize the value of hiring other professionals.

Best advice you ever got: “It’s called ‘show business’ for a reason. The show is only half of it.”

For me it is easy to be passionate about the service and products my business provides. That part is the show. What was a bit more challenging was the business part: sales, advertising, marketing, bookkeeping, strategic planning, monitoring cash flow,

accounts receivable and payable and so on. The shift for me came when I realized the “show” and the “business” were at the very least equal. However the biggest gain is when the business actually exceeds the show. Not that the passion for the service or product in any way diminishes, just the concentration on growing the business and improving the service or product substantially increases.

Proudest achievement: There are several: being married to the same wonderful woman for 35 years; raising three boys to fine young men; a 27-year career as a police officer; building two homes as our own general contractors; successfully operating two businesses; obtaining a master’s degree in leadership.

What’s on your desk/laptop right now: The 2015 marketing plan for Empowered Employee Education I define success as: Casting my own shadow.

I have been paired with: Brandi Rosgen, Inner Worx Psychotherapy & Hypnotherapy

Brandi

Gary

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Entrepreneur: Tamara Farrell

Jennifer

Tamara

Age: 40 Business or idea: Airdrie Staffing Solutions Years in business: 1 (3 as Mara’s Mad Minutes) Dream/goal for your business: To help business owners feel more profitable, and co-ordinate local clerical talent with local businesses Which would you rather – Celebrity Apprentice or Dragon’s Den: Dragon’s Den What I hope to learn in SMARTstart: Best balance of management and job contracts completed by myself My biggest obstacle: Current economic situation Why I am an entrepreneur: My family commitments require flexibility.

I start each day with: Quiet meditation and stretching

Mentor: Jennifer Benner Age: 37 Business: Benner Database Designs Years in business: 6 Growing up I wanted to be: Teacher, archeologist, massage therapist, advertising director, artist and author – I was a bit undecided, to say the least.

My first year in business: I landed one of my biggest and most difficult (technically speaking) projects. I was scrambling to get my business caught up to the amount of work coming in. It was very much a trial by fire. Thankfully I had some training beforehand from various courses I had attended and skills learned from past work experiences. However, it would have been much easier if there had been a program like SMARTStart to help me in those first initial months.

Best advice you ever got: “You can’t do EVERYTHING by yourself.” It doesn’t hurt to push boundaries but you have to know your limits and try to stick with what you’re good at. We all have our strengths and weaknesses and delegating weaknesses to someone better equipped to handle the task will save time, money and frustration.

Proudest achievement: Finding out that my work makes a positive difference in my clients’ lives.

What’s on your desk/laptop right now: Ongoing project files, Dropbox (love it!), never-ending to-do lists and Songza (helps keep me motivated) I define success as: Being excited and challenged by the work I am doing. For me it’s more about quality not quantity.

I have been paired with: Tamara Farrell, Airdrie Staffing Solutions summer 2015

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Comfortable private home studio Functional training - train to live your best life 13 years experience.

Nicole Lacoursiere 403.809.4993

bodybynic.com bodybynic@gmail.com

Specializing in working with the physical and mental body together to create balance.

about summer road trips Get your vehicle ready for your summer road trip.

300 point complete vehicle inspection includes oil and ďŹ lter change and tire rotation for only

July 28

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$89.95

(most vehicles)

local life

a c l o s e r l o o k at yo u r c o m m u n i t y

92 Cityscape • 96 Class act • 104 Awesome guys

local life citYlife

Andrew Townshend, site supervisor at the Southwinds pump station and reservoir, oversees construction on the massive build.

From the (Under) story by alex frazer-harrison photo by serGei belsKi

Ground Up

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I

t’s hard to believe there was once a time when Airdrie’s old water tower was enough to service the entire town, and there wasn’t a stoplight to be found.

But Airdrie’s not a little town anymore. With a population surpassing 50,000, and with city planners anticipating a future with more than 100,000 residents, developing and maintaining Airdrie’s service infrastructure – including roads, water and sewers – is an ongoing challenge.

Airdrie’s water supply and sewage treatment is handled by Calgary, explains Lorne Stevens, director of Community Infrastructure with the City of Airdrie.

“We need to have our own system to pressurize and distribute water, provide fire flows and water storage,” Stevens says. “Growth presents some unique challenges for us.”

Meeting those challenges requires the City to keep on top of existing and projected demand. This spring, a new $12.7 million pump station and reservoir will go online in Southwinds, adding 10 million litres of water storage capacity, says Water Services team leader Glenn Archer.

“It’s directly driven by growth,” Archer says. “The most important [need for water] is fire protection, and the second is safe drinking water.

As you add more people, you have to add capacity for those two things.”

Archer’s team is upsizing some water mains downtown this year, and a lifecycle upgrade of Airdrie’s main reservoir at Nose Creek Park is also planned, including upgrading controls and putting in a premium-duty electric motor that, Archer says,“will save us a ton of money.” In total, the City can store about 30 million litres of water pipelined in from Calgary; wastewater is sent back through another series of pipes for treatment.

The largest pipeline, used to bring water in, is 900 millimetres, or ninetenths, of a metre wide.

Getting from point A to B in a growing city can be a challenge, but putting in new roads involves more than just laying pavement, says Engineering Services team leader Bob Neale.

“A lot of this major infrastructure is influenced by third parties,” Neale says. “If it involves the highway, it’s the province and Alberta Transportation. With [crossing] Nose Creek, the province needs special permissions through Alberta Environment. And if it involves the CP Rail line, it involves Transport Canada.”

By late 2016, the City hopes to have an extension of 40th Avenue SW in place connecting Eighth Street with Main Street. The project includes a $10.5 million rail overpass, which will allow uninterrupted traffic flow without concern about rail crossings.

“The timing of the trains is somewhat unpredictable if you have to move east to west,” Neale says.“This will provide additional east-west connectivity and relieve some of the capacity issues on Yankee Valley Boulevard, especially in the Sierra Springs commercial area; now you’ll be able to get out through the south.” Emergency vehicles will be able to take advantage of the extra access, he adds.

Eventually, the City hopes to negotiate with the province on construction of an interchange at 40th Avenue and Highway 2, providing a new access route into Airdrie for motorists going to and from Calgary.

“We have a limited amount of employment centres within Airdrie… and the balance of our working population goes to Calgary,” Neale explains. “So that means a large reliance on Highway 2 and any regional roads to get back and forth.” No time frame has been set for construction of the interchange, he adds.

Neale’s department is also charged with making sure existing roads are kept up to snuff. Major rehabilitation programs are planned this year for Main Street south of Allen Street, and East Lake Boulevard.

A lot of the City’s infrastructure work involves looking to the future. In 2012, Airdrie annexed 12,800 acres that Stevens says is expected to provide a 50-year supply of land for future development, potentially taking Airdrie up to a population of 175,000.

This has already resulted in the City revisiting its transportation master plan, and a utility master plan is also underway to sketch out long-range servicing, says Neale.

Future-proofing for servicing new and established areas is also addressed in a new 20-year master water/wastewater agreement with Calgary.

“Calgary has been a good servicing partner for us, but the agreement we had previously was a 20-year agreement that was patched together with one-year extensions for the last 10 years,” says Stevens.

“It was time to revisit the core of that.”

The new agreement encourages transparency to make sure Calgary’s water and wastewater system is able to keep up with growing Airdrie’s demands, while making sure Airdrie pays fairly for the service, he says.

In spite of nearly doubling the size of Airdrie’s boundaries, along with increased residential growth, Stevens adds, the City still has “some desire to ensure that we do good … sustainable development, that we’re not trying to extend operations and infrastructure in many competing directions.” life summer 2015

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Local life multiculturalism

Dutch Treat

Originally from the Netherlands, the Fransen family – Odett, Marc, Bo and Kinga – has called Airdrie home for several years.

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Netherlands family makes Airdrie home story by Alex Frazer-Harrison | photo by Kristy Reimer

I

t’s something we take for granted every day, but for Bo and Marc Fransen, it was a major selling feature when they decided to relocate from their home in the Netherlands to Canada 10 years ago.

“It was space – absolutely,” says Bo. “It’s something we lack in the Netherlands, unfortunately. We were from the busy part, right in the heart of Amsterdam. Sometimes it took me three hours a day sitting in a car for 35 kilometres going to work.

“The Netherlands would fit between Red Deer and Calgary and it has half the population of Canada in that size of land,” she adds.

According to Bo, the decision to move herself, her husband and their two very young daughters to Canada in 2005 was made very carefully. “We both had good jobs, cars, house – everything was going well and we had a good education system and health care was fine,” she says.“It’s not like you were leaving a war zone – you wanted to make a good choice, especially with kids. It’s not like, ‘OK, if it doesn’t work out, you can just pack your bags and come back.’ You want to make sure.”

That’s why in 2002 Bo, Marc and three-yearold Kinga spent more than a month exploring Canada in a rented motor home, including visiting Calgary and the Stampede. “We wanted to see if this was the place we want to be,” says Bo.“My husband was in oil and gas, so [Alberta] was the place to go to. On the third day, our little one said, ‘Mom, I want to live here.’ After five-and-a-half weeks, we ended up going home and she was bawling.”

It took several years to work through the procedures necessary for relocating. During that time, Bo had another daughter, Odett.

Initially, the family lived in Okotoks and Marc

quickly found work in northeast Calgary, but they decided the commute was a bit much and looked at homes in Calgary before realizing they could get a bigger house for a similar price in Airdrie. They first moved into a home overlooking Woodside Golf Course, and four years ago relocated to Windsong.

“There are a lot of Dutch people here,” Bo notes. “About eight per cent of Albertans have Dutch roots. It’s a place that feels good to us. I didn’t have any adjustment – and my family adjusted so easily. Language for the kids wasn’t a problem … normally, we speak English, Dutch or another language [in school].”

Bo says that the small-town feel of Airdrie, so often cited by others who decide to come here, also appealed to her. “When we came to Airdrie, it had 24,000 people, so it was a little different, but it still has that feel,” she says.

“When I go to the Safeway, the cashiers know me. You don’t feel numbered in this city.”

Today, the Fransens still honour their roots, having made several trips back to see family, and they still keep up with Dutch TV shows through Apple TV. “We still speak Dutch in the house – our oldest [Kinga, now 15] is way better than our youngest [Odett, now 11],” says Bo, adding that her family enjoys cheering on both Canadian and Dutch speedskaters at the Olympic Oval.

The family has also taken the time to explore their new country. “We travelled to the Maritimes by motorhome in 2010 and we’ve visited every province but Newfoundland and the territories, but they’re on our list,” says Bo. As for what she misses the most about the Netherlands, Bo says, “Of course, it’s the food.

But I would not give up Alberta steak for anything else!” life

Erwtensoep (Split Pea Soup) 16 cups water 2 lb bacon 2 lb split peas 6 medium carrots 2 lb sausage 4 medium leeks 4 medium onions 6 medium potatoes 1 large bunch celery ground black pepper salt Place the bacon in a large frying pan and cook slowly until crisp, then drain.

Carefully rinse the peas in a strainer. Put the peas and the water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Start the timer for 1.5 hours and stir the pot frequently to prevent sticking on the bottom.

Rinse, then scrub or peel the vegetables as desired. Pull all the leaves off of the celery and set the leaves aside.

Set the potatoes aside. Cut up each of the remaining vegetables (carrots, leeks, onions, celery) and the sausage and bacon in medium to large bite-sized chunks, and add them to the pot one by one. Bring the pot to a boil after each addition, then turn the heat down to a simmer.

Cut up the potatoes and finely chop the celery leaves. At the end of the 1.5 hours, add the potatoes, salt and pepper to taste, bring to a boil again and then simmer for another 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat and stir in the celery leaves.

The soup is good to eat immediately, but it’s even better reheated. It can also be frozen in twocup portions, and microwaves well.

– A traditional Dutch recipe, courtesy of the Fransen family summer 2015

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Local life Teachers Teacher Mark Turner is all about hands-on learning at the Building Futures new homes in Bayside Loop.

“It’s not a case of knowing information, it’s knowing what to do with it, and how do you make that engaging for kids?”

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Home-Schooled An extraordinary school experiment is building momentum, thanks to the teachers who make it work story by Alex Frazer-Harrison | photo by Kristy Reimer

F

or Airdrie educators Ed Polhill, Mark Turner and Jarett Hooper, “home schooling” has a whole different meaning.

That’s because the three are advocates for an innovative program called Building Futures that takes 32 Grade 10 students from Airdrie’s three public high schools and gives them the chance to combine the three Rs with real-world, hands-on experience, learning what goes into building a home.

Teacher Turner technically calls George McDougall High School home, but he’s spent the last year in the field with his students, based out of two new homes under construction on Bayside Loop. The students study core subjects, including science and English, in a classroom located in one of the homes’ garages, and spend part of every day being mentored by contractors working for Building Futures partner McKee Homes.

“I taught middle school for six years at Muriel Clayton and this is my first year at the high-school level,” says Turner. “I was born and raised in Alberta and my family is all still here. I travelled a lot … and I realized Airdrie is still the best place there is.”

With his education degree from St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, Turner’s resume includes teaching posts in Thailand and New Zealand (as well as working on Alberta oil rigs).

“It was very traditional learning there,” Turner recalls of his overseas teaching experiences, and while he says he’s a bit of a “jack of all trades,” he believes that education is not about teachers showing off how much they know.

“It’s not a case of knowing information, it’s knowing what to do with it, and how do you make that engaging for kids?” he says.“Kids will make mistakes, [so] how do you deal with that? Is it, ‘Oh my gosh, you didn’t meet the deadline, that’s it, you fail,’ or is it about,‘How do you get better?’”

Turner enjoys working with Building Futures because of the flexibility it offers teachers and students.“A lot of students become better advocates of their learning,” he says.

Fellow teacher Hooper is one of the originators of the Building Futures program and shares his time between George McDougall, the job site and W.H. Croxford High School.

Hooper studied education at the University of Calgary, and also worked as a mechanic. “I actually was a mechanic by trade first and went back to university and got a degree in math and then a degree in education,” he says.

“My schooling experience in the trades was very different; it was hands-on, and then some technical [training], and then hands-on again.”

This is his fourth year teaching, and it was he and fellow George McDougall teacher Greg Rankin who came up with the idea for Building Futures when they shared a ride to work one morning.

“We carpooled and, from our conversations, we realized there were a whole bunch of students [who] didn’t seem very engaged in the class and what we were offering,” Hooper says. “So we tried to figure out ways to implement things they could do in the classroom. We got together with McKee Homes and came up with this idea.”

Hooper says that as a teacher there’s no more rewarding an experience than seeing his students become engaged. “We get to know the kids significantly better … and the parent feedback is really rewarding,” he says.

When Hooper and Rankin first pitched the Building Futures concept, it was their principal, Ed Polhill, who initially signed off on the idea.

A 15-year education veteran, the University of Alberta and Bishop’s University graduate has been principal at George McDougall for three years. Before that, he served as assistant principal at Springbank Community High School and spent eight years teaching outdoor education and phys-ed at Bow Valley High School in Cochrane.

“I’m from a small town, and small towns resonate with me,” Polhill says, and although he admits Airdrie isn’t the small town it used to be, his school still has that flavour.

“I think it’s the community feel of the schools,” he says, “and the connectivity of the larger community to the school that I enjoy.

“We’ve got a lot of teachers who went to school here, and parents who went to school here,” he adds. “There’s more connection between the school and community, which makes programs like Building Futures [possible].”

With Building Futures, Polhill and his colleagues have been able to promote the concept not only locally (a similar program now exists in Cochrane) but also with educators from Italy, Singapore and Scotland.

As a principal, Polhill says that he finds himself one step removed from students. “When I was a teacher, the best thing was the connection with the students,” he says.“Now it’s different … its about facilitating connections between teachers and students, and when teachers come up with innovative approaches, I’m able to support them.” life summer 2015

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local life FUNDRAISING

Airdrie Dads Marc Smith (left) and Grant Whittemore are all ready to tee up for charity.

EXTRAORDINARY

DADS

W

story by alex frazer-harrison | photo by carl patzel

hat started out as a plan for a modest private golf tournament has grown into a major charity fundraiser. And it all started with a group of dads.

Marc Smith and Grant Whittemore, members of the Airdrie Dads Facebook group, came up with the idea while texting back and forth.

“We thought we should do a golf tournament,” says Smith.“At first, we talked ourselves out of it; we were busy enough. The next morning … we texted and said,‘Let’s do this,‘and we put it on the Airdrie Dads page.”

Airdrie Dads launched in January 2014 as a place for local fathers to gather online and socialize. Inspired by the Airdrie Moms meetup group, organizers decided to start a similar place for dads. Smith, who joined just after Christmas, says that there are now about 750 members in the invite-only group.

Expecting only about 45 members to sign up for what was expected to be a $100-a-head tourney, Smith and Whittemore were amazed by

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how many were interested – so they decided to make it into a fundraiser.

They chose the Nathan O’Brien Children’s Foundation – a charity created in memory of the Calgary-area boy who disappeared during the summer of 2014 – along with Airdrie Food Bank. A local father in need of assistance is also being supported.

Ultimately, the tourney, set for June 5 at Apple Creek Golf Course near Airdrie, had to be capped at 112 golfers. Such support does not surprise Whittemore.

“It’s the way Airdrie is,” says Whittemore, who works in oil and gas sales.“It’s a young community, full of like people and families trying to get through the day. Our Facebook group has all walks of life.”

Smith says that the hope is for the tourney to become an annual event.

“We want to make the first year amazing,” he says.“Without the [support of ] Airdrie Dads, we wouldn’t be able to do this.”

TO JOIN THE AIRDRIE DAD’S FACEBOOK GROUP, visit facebook.com/groups/AirdrieDads

local life coMMunity support Dad Bryan and son Evan Crompton team up.

HOCKEY

NIGHT in ie r d r i

A STORY

BY

P GATT |

-FROG

Y SHAW SHERR

ERGEI

BY S HOTOS

BELSKI

Brother and sister Devon and Evelyn Saunder take to the pavement to play.

summer 2015

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Local life Community Support

T

he third annual James Tonk Memorial Street Hockey Tournament took place in the cul-de-sac of Fairways Close just the day after the Amazing Airdrie Women Awards (see page 34), at which street hockey event organizer Candy Adams was honoured with the Pureform Amazing Courage Award. When airdrielife found out that the tournament was the very next day we had to send our amazing Sergei Belski (who also shoots Flames home games!) to cover this celebration.

The annual event is in memory of Candy’s son James, who, as airdrielife readers know, passed away in 2012. His mom has since launched a foundation to raise funds to make sure AEDs (automated external defibrillators) are in every sports facility and school in the province (airdrielife spring 2015). But this particular Saturday was all about family and HOCKEY! Candy says that she buys all the burgers, pop and munchies, and neighbours all chip in with salads, veggies, sweets and fruit. “I want to shout out to all of them because they have been so supportive,” she says, adding that such neighbours as Jocelyn Dunn, Karen Crompton and Crystal Adamo are a great help.“This is a great time for James’s friends to get together – the whole neighbourhood watched them all grow up.”

Approximately 75 friends and neighbours gathered this year and all ages joined in the hockey fun – celebrating a truly Canadian tradition. life

Candy Adams (front row in pink) with her neighbours

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Zander Sikorski takes a shot against Carter Black. On page 91 Cameron Adamo attempts a shot on Black.

Neighbour Jocelyn Dunn serves up special drinks for the crowd.

Little Christopher Dunn is raring to play.

Rick Mikitka, Ryan Derkson, Brittany Ference, Nick Theriault and Jess Gabel chow down on the good food.

summer 2015

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k c a b e r a B

Local life PROFILE

n o i p m Cha

I

story by Jeff MacKinnon | photo by Kristy Reimer

t must not be a superstition among cowboys to not talk about their injuries, because when he’s asked, Jake Vold reels off some of the many he’s incurred. It’s a long list.

“It happens lots,” Vold says. “I’ve broken my arm a few times.

I’ve broken my leg. I’ve broken some ribs, my wrist. Sometimes you get in a bad wreck. But the older you get I guess you learn how to save yourself in a bad situation or avoid a bad situation.”

A healthy 2014 brought the 27-year-old Airdrie resident his best year in the tough world of professional rodeo. He finished the year as the top bareback rider in Canada and also placed in the top 10 in the world when he won a bundle at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Las Vegas in December.

The born-and-raised Ponoka man has been an Airdrie resident since moving here with his girlfriend, who is from the Calgary area, in summer 2013. When he’s not on the road trying to make a living Vold can be spotted in town in the white pickup truck he received for the 2014 Canadian bareback title – the truck that has his name and title painted on both sides.

Vold’s story follows a path similar to others in the rodeo business in that he was born into it. His father rode bareback, his grandfather competed in saddle bronc and his mother was a barrel racer.

“We grew up around it, that’s for sure,” he says.

The rodeo event that doesn’t require a saddle became a comfortable fit for him early on.

“Right off the get-go bareback riding was my forte,” Vold says. “It’s what I wanted to do, ride saddle bronc and bareback horses. The bronc riding wasn’t panning out for me and I didn’t want to keep paying the entry fee and not winning as much. With bareback I was fairly strong at a young age, I guess.”

It’s not an easy business, either physically or mentally. In order to make a living, cowboys have to travel constantly, all the while knowing that there’s no guaranteed paycheque waiting for them, but merely the possibility of hard, potentially bone-crunching falls.

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“The costs are unbelievable, especially now with the price of gas and even plane tickets,” Vold says. “I remember even five or six years ago (plane) tickets were half the price they are now.

“If you don’t win you don’t get paid,” he adds. “A lot of guys have other jobs.”

Nobody was better at bareback in Canada last year than Vold. His 12 victories in one season are believed to be a Canadian record. They carried him to the lead heading into the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton in early November, where he locked up the Canadian title with $63,621 in winnings.

“I had a phenomenal year in Canada last year,” he says.“I went to 29 rodeos and placed in 25. It was just one of those years where I drew really good horses and if I drew a bad horse it worked. I was placing on horses that guys don’t usually place on.

“It’s kind of carried on to this year,” Vold adds. “I’m at the point in my career where I’m a little bit smarter, I guess. I always say you learn how to do it, you learn how to get good at it and then you learn how to win at it.”

Also in 2014, Vold became the first Canadian since Dusty LaValley in 2011 to qualify in bareback for the NFR, the Super Bowl of rodeo if you will. He entered the Las Vegas event ranked 11th but placed in eight of 10 rounds to win $74,988 and move him up to sixth in the year-end world standings with $142,774 won.

What was the difference? Along with experience, previous health issues played a role. Since 2011 various injuries cost Vold a lot of time – a broken leg, a broken collarbone and a fractured right arm among them. As recently as 2013, he tore the ligaments in his left elbow, which cost him several months.

Not to worry, though. “It’s a tough job but I can literally say I love what I do,” he says.

The cost of travelling to rodeos south of the border and the uncertain pay is what prevents a lot of Canadians from attempting to make it a full-time gig. A lot of time is spent in such places as Texas and Arizona

Local favourite

by Jeff MacKinnon

in the winter, and in the summer there’s a lot of hopping back and forth between there and Canada.

One of the events Vold will be sure not to miss is the Airdrie Pro Rodeo, which is scheduled for June 27 to July 1 at the Airdrie Rodeo Grounds. It’s part of what’s known as Cowboy Christmas, a stretch in the summer when the largest number of rodeos are held and the most money is on the table.

“I’ll usually enter six to eight but you can enter up to 15, 16 in that week,” says Vold, who split second and third money last year in Airdrie for a $2,492.18 payout from an 84-point ride.

At the peak of his career, Vold remains committed to riding as much as he can and wherever he can for the foreseeable future.

“If I can get a few more years of rodeoing hard, then have a couple of good years in Canada, I’ll be happy,” he says. life

The Airdrie Pro Rodeo is a favourite of Canadian cowboys and a big part of Cowboy Christmas, says Airdrie bareback star Jake Vold.

“It’s a great rodeo. I never miss it, that’s for sure,” Vold says.

Billed as the seventh-largest professional rodeo in the country by payout, the annual event is set for June 27 to July 1 at the Airdrie Rodeo Grounds. Cowboy Christmas is the week during the summer when the most rodeos are held in North America, representing the best opportunity for cowboys to win big money.

As always, the not-for-profit Airdrie rodeo will feature every event possible including bull riding and barrel racing. As well, the competition kicks off each day with a junior rodeo for ages five to 13 with mutton busting, barrel racing, sheep and calf scramble and wild pony races.

Festivities get underway June 26 with a kickoff party featuring the music of KixxSin. There will also be live music each night following bull riding.

On June 28 spectators are asked to wear pink to the rodeo in support of Canadian Breast Cancer Awareness. The following day will be Support Our Troops Day. Patrons are asked to wear red as a sign of support for members of the Canadian military and their families.

For rodeo ticket and schedule information, call 403-948-0512 or visit airdrieprorodeo.com summer 2015

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Men We Admire

Local life Feature

Story by Anne Beaty | Photos by Kurtis Kristanson

A

irdrie is full of men we admire. You know them – the guy who always shovels the sidewalk of his elderly neighbour; the man who helps out at every event at his children’s school; the gentleman who generously supports needy causes in the community – anonymously; the City utility worker who responds to late-night callouts with a smile on his face; the teacher who touches lives and opens doors; the firefighters and emergency medical personnel who keep their community safe.

Although airdrielife can’t profile every man in Airdrie who deserves recognition, we are pleased to present to you a few of those whose have earned our admiration for many different reasons.

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Jamie and Brody Atkin, father-and-son trampoline & tumbling athletes Jamie Atkin, head coach with Airdrie Edge Gymnastics Club, has been a gymnast for many years. When he was young, he admits, he wanted to be a ninja, and so was drawn to his sport. “I picked this sport in particular because it is so out-of-the-ordinary,” Atkin says.

“It requires exceptional commitment, effort and courage and helps foster exceptional people. Nothing else is quite like it.”

His coaching has given Atkin an opportunity to make a difference, something he says he finds incredibly fulfilling, especially since he has the chance to work with individual athletes for several years. “I love to teach, and amateur competitive sport gives me the opportunity to try to pass on the values I cherish over a longer term,” Atkin says. And when it comes to his son, he certainly sees Brody as a young man to admire. “I’m incredibly proud of Brody every moment of his life,” he says.

Athlete Brody Atkin has followed in his father’s footsteps in more ways than one – he, too, says that he sees himself as a ninja. When it comes to his athletic pursuits, it’s a given for Brody that he’ll always do something to keep fit, and gymnastics fill that need and more. “I … really enjoy spending time with people who love to work hard at what they love,” he says. “The atmosphere is great for me.” Having his father as coach has only made the experience more special. “I love my dad so getting to spend lots of time with him is awesome,” Brody says.

After he graduates, the teen intends to keep up his gymnastics training, and he’d like to work a year before continuing his education. “I love music and playing saxophone but I also love math, physics and chemistry so I would like to minor in music and major in petrochemical engineering or something along the lines of astrophysics,” he says. summer summer2015 2015

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local life feature

Const. Jason Curtis, Airdrie RCMP community resource officer and media liaison Const. Jason Curtis loves his job. Curtis is making a difference in Airdrie by working directly with members of the community and being the face of the local RCMP. “I’m just kind of your neighbourhood friendly RCMP officer,” he says. Curtis especially likes working with elementary school children, facilitating the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program and just generally being a resource for young people. His hope with DARE, he says, is that the students will absorb what he is teaching and remember their options when they are older. Knowing that he is touching young lives in such a positive way is reward in itself. “I’d do (my job) for free,” he says with a laugh.

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Paul Schulz, City of Airdrie Chief Administrative Officer For 29 years, Paul Schulz’s smile has brightened the halls of City Hall, and for the past five years, he has been heading up the City of Airdrie as CAO. For Schulz, watching his community grow and mature has been exciting and he sees great things in Airdrie’s future – from new or expanded civic facilities to greater variety in housing opportunities and more business.

“Community spirit will continue to shine through expanded and new events and community organizations,” he says. “Truly, Airdrie will evolve with its own identity and be considered less of a suburban community.” Although his job has its challenges, Schulz credits his colleagues with helping make his job fulfilling. “I love the people [who] make the City of Airdrie a successful organization,” he says. “I feel privileged to lead a very dedicated workforce very much focused on providing excellent service to our citizens.”

Gordon Perry, children’s author More than 35 years ago when Gordon Perry’s four children were young, rather than simply reading to them he began to make up his own stories for their entertainment. Fast forward to today and Perry is a highly successful children’s author, with storybooks much loved by readers of all ages. Despite his vivid imagination and storytelling ability, Perry didn’t actually begin to write his stories down until four years ago, after retiring from 40 years in the construction industry.“I finally resolved to see if I could find an illustrator to help make the magic happen and bring my stories to life,” he says.“I am being very well rewarded for my efforts.” His favourite book?“I love them all,” Perry says,“and I’m having so much fun sharing them with people everywhere, and I revel in receiving the positive feedback from parents.”

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Bernie Moen, counsellor Social work has been Bernie Moen’s calling for nearly all of his adult life. “I’ve always liked helping people,” he says, “and people have always been attracted to me with their problems.” Having begun his career in the Yukon, Moen eventually moved to Airdrie more than two decades ago, and he has been a counsellor with Community Links for 14 years. While he very much enjoys his counselling work with couples, Moen’s men’s group has special meaning. “I think I’m a better man, a better husband, a better father, a better person … because of the group,” he says. Away from the office, he enthusiastically volunteers and raises funds for non-profit organizations.

Another passion is woodworking, which, he says, soothes away every ache and pain, every stress at the end of the day. “Eventually I hope maybe to set up a little shop,” he says. Until such time, Moen will continue to make a huge difference to the people of his community, both professionally and as a volunteer.

Dr. George Rotaru, veterinarian Heartland’s Dr. George Rotaru – who graduated from veterinary school in Romania in 1997 before emigrating to Canada four years later – decided on his career path in life at age five, when his favourite cow got sick and a veterinarian saved her life. “And I never changed my mind,” he says. Rotaru not only heals and helps others’ pets, his own life is enriched with all sorts of animal companions: two dogs, three cats, six fish and a horse. “My life would be empty without pets,” he says. “Every single one is special to me in a different way.” Rotaru feels incredibly lucky in his work: he gets lots of ‘kisses’ from his animal clients every day, and he also is able to see the role they play in the lives of their families. “They bring happiness and health to their owners,” he says. “For me it is like being on a holiday every day of work.”

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Dennis Tinkler, Bert Church Theatre manager For Dennis Tinkler, the performing arts are so much more than simply entertainment – they are an essential part of the human experience. “I love the performing arts. Music, drama, dance, you name it … it all warms the soul and strengthens people,” Tinkler says. The theatre aficionado’s enthusiasm and passion is palpable, especially when he speaks of live performance, such as what he and his colleagues at Bert Church Theatre are able to provide the community. “In such a digital age where most of our entertainment lives are prerecorded, edited, bottled and sold to us like any other product, the live experience engages and holds us,” he says. “It brings us back to our humanity and nurtures that which we’ve lost.”

Alex Granley, student Alex Granley appreciates the value of a good education. Granley recently earned 100 per cent on three diploma exams: biology, chemistry and math 30-1. Knowing that the results of the diploma exams really help out his overall marks, Alex was more than motivated to do well, and acing the exams was just icing on the cake. “I think academics is just really important,” he says. However, there’s more to the St. Martin de Porres student than academics. Granley, who likes classical music, has played piano for 10 years and is also an avid volleyball player. Looking ahead, he plans to attend the University of Alberta in engineering, a subject area he enjoys because of the challenge. “It’s a lot of science, and that’s sort of my stronger area,” he says.

summer 2015

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local life feature

In memoriam: Rob Van Biezen We featured Rob Van Biezen in the summer 2012 issue of airdrielife, honouring his dedication to his community as the Soul of Airdrie award winner. What most of you do not know is the connection that I had with Rob. He was a charming, effusive, generous, demanding, loyal and deeply responsible man. I admired him immensely and was honoured to work with him on the Alberta 55+ Games in 2009. I also had to face Rob several times when I appeared in front of the City of Airdrie community services board and always found him to be engaged and committed to his role. I did not often see Rob socially, but every time we ran into each other there was a genuine affection and interest in how the other was doing.

I will deeply miss knowing Rob was there in my corner. I was always in his. – Sherry Shaw-Froggatt, publisher, airdrielife

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slice of life column

lifetimes

with ellen Kelly

I

The Bread Project

am making bread again. It doesn’t matter that there has been a gap between writing and publication – once a week I’ll be making bread.

When I was first married in the late ’60s, my friends and I practised yoga faithfully, gardened organically, explored all forms of fabric art (remember the macramé plant holders and jewelry, the tie-dye shirts and the batik wall hangings?) and we made our own nutritious wholegrain bread. We exchanged and experimented with recipes and turned out lovely wholesome bread and buns. It was our way of celebrating domestic hippyhood by returning to a simpler way of living.

In time, though, the process got lost in life and the responsibilities of families and work.

Fast forward 35 years to the bread project’s second coming. A small grandson is diagnosed with a severe peanut allergy. We become a family of label-readers and find that many yeast products, although not actually containing nuts, carry a peanut warning, either because there are peanut products in the bakery or the facility can’t guarantee that the ingredients they use are peanut-free. I decide to make the stuff myself and so the weekly ritual of baking bread begins again.

At first finding the rhythm is difficult – all that mixing and kneading and waiting – but after a few weeks, the practice becomes automatic, the kneading becomes a meditation, the proofing can be done while other

things happen and the scent of baking bread fills the house with promise. In winter, paired with a hearty soup or stew, steaming whole wheat bread brings comfort and warmth. In hot weather, bread baking waits for a rainy day or happens late at night, allowing the heat from the oven to go out with the heat of the day.

Nine years after the bread project began, the grandson advocates for himself and new and comprehensive labelling laws have made choices easier, but I look forward to this weekly ritual and the time it takes for the bread to rise.

I experiment – I use saved vegetable/potato water, or add an egg, yogurt, grated carrot, cottage cheese, seeds, wheat germ, flaxseed, bran or raisins. Various flours (stone-ground, graham, rye, spelt, triticale) add variety. I try foreign (to me) breads – focaccia, chapati, challah, barmbrack, cornbread, German rye. I often use a mixer and dough hook now but always knead the last bit of flour in by hand.

As I watch the dough thicken and draw together, I revel in the magic as the bread creates itself. It is my weekly therapy session, and besides, there is no scent more comforting than the smell of fresh bread baking or a taste more wonderful than a fresh bun, still warm, dripping with butter and strawberry jam. life

summer 2015

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111

local life Growth industry

Cultivating a passion C ultivating a plant-growing culture in the Airdrie urban environment can be as simple as spreading a handful of seeds.

Not letting hailstorms, unpredictable temperature changes or occasional harsh winters deter their green thumbs, local garden enthusiasts are lining up to grow their own food.

Beginner botanists lacking initial know-how can sprout some perennial knowledge with the help of the Airdrie Horticulture Society (AHS).

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Utilizing a crop of information from experienced members and a planter full of well-informed speaking guests – from Environment Canada experts to local greenhouse gurus – AHS strives to keep the community green and flourishing.

“Part of our mandate is to help educate and inform. We try to find topics that people will be interested in,” says AHS past president Tyler Bradbury. “If you come to the meetings you will run into all kinds of people, whether they are new gardeners or gardeners [who]

AHS member Tyler Bradbury is a font of horticultural information when it comes to growing in the Airdrie area.

Airdrie Horticultural Society story and photo by carl patzel

have been doing it for a while. Just talking to people you can find all kinds of interesting things about what’s growing or what’s not growing.”

Planting the flora idea early on, the non-profit AHS has been seeding green-leafed inspiration throughout the gardening community since its inception in 2001.

Taking into account central Alberta’s semi-harsh environment, gardeners use past experience, a little fertilizer and, in many cases, a good bunch of luck to keep plant life thriving.

“People generally feel that growing your own food tends to be more tasty and flavourful.”

Incurring the wrath of Mother Nature’s lightning-fast weather changes, dramatic summer storms and sporadic, unpredictable wet-and-dry climate can cause havoc on any ecological system.

“Our zone is a harder climate. The further south you go the higher your zone (and ease of growth) will be,” says Bradbury.“There are plants that will grow only in British Columbia or Ontario because of their climate. It’s pretty selective what grows here but there is a fair choice. If someone really wanted to grow something from a (warmer climate) there are ways to do it.”

Those who do choose to toil in the soil are richly rewarded.

As well as spreading knowledge, AHS also oversees the volunteer, donation-driven Airdrie Community Garden.

Situated at Monklands Soccer Park, the immensely popular garden site comprises 123 plots. Most measure around 100 square feet, with eight of those being double plots. The garden also includes a larger section set aside for growing produce for Airdrie Food Bank, and a children’s garden.

This green venture sprouts plenty of interest each growing season, drawing an annual waiting list for space.

“I would place it around 150 people. Before we even start (in the spring) we’re over 70 people on the waiting list,” says Bradbury, who also acts as the community garden manager.

Barring summer hailstorms, gardeners looking to supply their own food are rewarded with mini-crops of beans, peas, carrots, beets, zucchini, potatoes and many other root-based vegetables.

“People generally feel that growing your own food tends to be more tasty and flavourful. You end up getting something better than the generic stuff you’re constantly getting at the store,” Bradbury says. “A lot of people do come because they want to get their kids involved in growing their own food.”

Three fruitful seasons previous, the garden was expanded to accommodate the growing interest. Since then AHS has been hoping to develop a second site, but is in search of someone to manage the areas, as well as filling the AHS executive.

“If somebody wanted to step up and initiate it, the City Parks Department is very interested in getting that set up,” Bradbury says. “They would have to be part of the society and we would assist them with whatever we could to get them going.” life summer 2015

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Local life last look

Storm Chasing During the months of July and August I spend most of my free time chasing storms along the Foothills between Cochrane and Sundre, all the way east to Drumheller. This is a frame from a crazy storm we chased a few years back. Out near a high point on Lochend Road, this classic supercell was letting the low evening sun peek around from the north. The difference in colour is from the light not getting through the cell, casting blue shadows to the south and warm reds to the north.

Settings: Canon 7D, 10-22mm, 640iso, 1/60 sec @ f4.5 Handheld just seconds before lightning struck about 200 feet away - – Kurtis Kristianson, spindriftphotography.com

Have an image you think is worthy of a last look? Send it to sherry@frogmediainc.ca

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ICONIC. ICONIC.

SUMMER 2015

We believe in building homes that are handed down from one generation to the next. It’s why we design sophisticated, livable interior spaces, adorn them with dramatic, timeless exteriors, and craft each and every one with cutting-edge materials and technologies.

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Because if it’s not a home you can be proud of for years to come, it’s not worth building in the first place.

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LIFEST YLEHOMES.C A

ICONIC. ICONIC.

SUMMER 2015

We believe in building homes that are handed down from one generation to the next. It’s why we design sophisticated, livable interior spaces, adorn them with dramatic, timeless exteriors, and craft each and every one with cutting-edge materials and technologies.

2ND ANNUAL

MEN WE

ADMIRE

Because if it’s not a home you can be proud of for years to come, it’s not worth building in the first place.

AIRDRIE’S

BEST BURGERS

Accept nothing less.

Yep, we ate them all

GUYS WITH COOL

CAREERS MEET OUR

LAST 20 LBS FITNESS CHALLENGERS

8SECONDS

Dr. Sanjay Rajpal D.D.S. Dr. J. Choi D.M.D.

WITH JAKE VOLD FREE INSIDE

EatPlayStay AIRDRIE TOURISM GUIDE

airdrielife.com

Vantage Point Chiropractic & Wellness...Now located at the Apple Wellness Center

CALGARY

AIRDRIE

CHESTERMERE

CHESTERMERE

OKOTOKS

HIGH RIVER

(403) 474-8953

(403) 980-8096

(403) 474-0664

(403) 460-3606

(403) 938-2504

(403) 649-8891

Lifestyle Homes is a proud builder partner of the Holmes Approved Homes program. Visit a showhome today for additional details.

LIFEST YLEHOMES.C A