Available at more than 200 locations in Airdrie, Balzac and Calgary. Use QR code to see all locations.
VOLUME 21, NUMBER 3 | ISSN 1916-355X
Contents copyright 2024 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.
airdrielife does not accept unsolicited submissions. Freelance writers and photographers interested in assignments are asked to send an inquiry, with published samples, to sherry@frogmediainc.ca
| FALL 2024
On the Cover
“Balanced Rocks” Josie Hoisington is a watercolourist who ”invites viewers to look past their perceptions of what should be and go on a journey where nature is reimagined.” Instagram: @josiehoisington.art
Publisher’s Note
Happy fall!
It’s our annual arts issue and we have so much to cram into 100 pages! I mean, we could have done 200 pages on how the arts are growing in Airdrie (but that would require another 50 pages in ad support — hint, hint).
We’ve got some great conversations in this issue about the arts and art spaces, including the new library multiuse facility called Inspire. I am personally so excited to see this place open and show the doubters that libraries and creative space are as vital and necessary as arenas and soccer fields.
We’ve got so much art bursting our pages we continue online with our Airdrie Virtual Art Market (pages 38-39) at airdrielife.com where you will find more than 50 artists and artisans. We provide direct links to them and take zero commissions — we just needed to create a place for you to find them easily!
And we have all the Voice & Vision partnerships online, too.
Speaking of artists, I recently returned to my artistic leanings and rediscovered my love of painting. My office has been converted into a studio and I love coming down here to create. It inspires me so much and brings me joy that I carry over to my desk and bring to my work on the magazine.
SWAG FOR A CAUSE!!!
We’ve launched a new initiative to keep you stylin’ and supporting local charities at the same time! We know you love your life in Airdrie and love reading airdrielife, so we combined the two into a fun line of merch.
Pick up a hoodie, a hat, a T-shirt or a coffee mug to declare your love for your community and, until Nov. 1, 25 per cent from each sale goes to the Airdrie Food Bank.
Need a bunch for the whole team? Contact me directly at sherry@frogmediainc.ca.
You KNOW her…
Our 2025 Amazing Airdrie Women Awards turn 15 next year and we did a little research, and your 15th anniversary is “crystal,” so we are working behind the scenes right now planning the biggest party yet. Think bling, baby! Mark your calendars for April 12, 2025!!!
And get your nominations in before Nov 1, 2024. We know you know amazing women in your life who deserve a little public adoration and recognition. From 15 to 105, we celebrate women from all walks of life with awards from Amazing Promise to Amazing Legend.
Are you on our a-list? Since we only come out every three months, we can keep you up to date with events every week with our e-newsletter. It’s bright and easy to read, lots of links, and even contests. Sign up today at airdrielife.com
Here’s to a creative fall season — starting right here with airdrielife
Sherry Shaw-Froggatt Publisher
Perfectly designed for real life.
• Brand new show homes!
• Homes starting from the $500s
• New Street Towns available
• Quick possession opportunities
greatlife
WHAT TO SEE, DO, EAT, LISTEN TO AND MORE
STORY BY STACIE GAETZ | PHOTOS BY KRISTY REIMER
For Kristi Puszkar, beading is more than a hobby — it’s a life philosophy.
“When you are beading, you need to think of the intention of each bead. Every tiny bead has a story and lends itself to the end product,” she says.
“Each individual beads plays a role in the bigger initiative, so you need to plan and place it carefully in order for the bigger picture to come together.”
Puszkar has admired and collected individual beads since she was a child, well before she learned how to work with them.
“I would see a beautiful bead in the store and want it, but I never knew what to do with it,” she says. “It wasn’t until 2021 that my mom and I worked with a local Elder who taught us how to do beadwork.”
Puszkar says she connected with the art form immediately.
Small beads, big impact
YOUR NEW HOME, READY AND WAITING
FIND QUALITY HOMES THAT ARE READY WHEN YOU ARE
we offer beautifully crafted homes with an open-concept layout that makes daily living effortless. Our homes feature spacious main floors with high ceilings, elegant flooring, and premium finishes like quartz countertops. Enjoy the convenience of a modern kitchen and the comfort of a cozy living room, often complemented by an electric fireplace.
With a range of practical floorplans and customer-focused designs, we ensure that your everyday moments turn into cherished memories. Whether you're looking for immediate possession or planning for the future, we have homes ready when you are. Prices starting in the $600s.
Now building in: Calgary, Airdrie, Balzac, Cochrane, Chestermere, Okotoks
Scan the QR Code to Learn More
We use beadwork to tell stories.
By wearing it, you are keeping that story alive.
“Working with beads engages my whole brain and keeps my hands busy,” Puszkar says. “It makes me think of colours and textures and allows me to bring my whole body together into the zone, which lets me turn off everything else and reconnect with what matters.”
Puszkar says she knew she was Métis growing up in Manitoba, but she wasn’t allowed to celebrate it. When she moved to Alberta in 2010, she started to connect with her Indigenous background, including cultural art forms like beading.
The May 2021 discovery of 215 unmarked graves of children at a residential site in Kamloops, B.C., impacted her in a profound way.
“My kids were four and two at the time, and knowing that it could have been my child in one of those graves destroyed me,” Puszkar says.
As a social worker with a minor in psychology, she decided she needed to do something, so she tried her hands at designing and making orange-shirt beaded pins for the kids in her children’s day care. “It was my call to action to give back,” she says.
And that’s just what Puszkar did, creating Silver & Ivy Beads, an online store that donates 20 per cent of product sales to non-profit organizations. So far, she has raised money for the Canadian Red Cross, World Central Kitchen for Ukrainian Refugees, Orange Shirt Society and many more organizations.
“We were poor growing up and we leaned on non-profits like these for support,” she says.
Puszkar estimates she has given about $5,000 to various charities since starting Silver & Ivy in 2021. She adds that customers can choose which charity the money from their purchase goes towards.
She says beading has a very strong cultural significance, but anyone can wear the pieces.
“Beadworks [are] for anyone. The pieces are meant to be worn; that’s why we make them,” Puszkar says. “You don’t have to be Indigenous to wear the beadwork. The importance of our culture and where beading comes from runs through every bead and piece of thread. We use beadwork to tell stories. By wearing it, you are keeping that story alive.”
Puszkar has also created pins and ribbons for the Airdrie anti-bullying campaign, as well as for the REDress Project, fundraisers for various types of cancer and Pride Month.
“I have family members in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and they are all in different stages of comfort in their identity,” she says. “I wanted to let them know that I am an ally and that I love them regardless of how they want to be addressed.
“That is the power of these pins. One tiny pin on someone’s shirt can show another person that they are safe to talk to if they need somebody. It is so small, but so big at the same time. You are one person, but you can be everything to someone else. Each individual plays a role in the bigger picture.” life
STARK SKY RISING
STORY BY WYATT TREMBLAY | PHOTO BY SERGEI BELSKI
“We started playing a couple of gigs before we even had a name.”
While many music bands are created by design, others come together through serendipity.
Airdrie’s acoustic country duo, Stark Sky, is one such group that formed through luck and timing.
Mark Ferguson and Stacey Fedigan both have Royal Conservatory backgrounds, but were on vastly different paths that were unlikely to cross.
Fedigan lives in Airdrie with her husband and two sons and has loved music since her childhood in Ontario. She took piano and vocal lessons and often performed solo as a classical musician. However, when she graduated university, she chose to pursue a career as an environmental engineer and later as a lawyer (currently in downtown Calgary).
“Music had always been a huge thing for me in high school. I used to play and sing, but was never in a band,” she says.
While visiting family in Ontario a few years ago, Fedigan recalls,
there was a lot of singing and the suggestion was made that she should move back home and start a band with them.
“I couldn’t move, but it planted the seed that I should be in a band,” she says.
Ferguson, who lives in Calgary with his partner, began studying piano at five. He added guitar and drums in high school and played in several bands.
“Anything I could put my hands on, I played. Knowing theory from piano helped,” Ferguson says.
However, he says, he never actually wanted to be a musician, but his parents made him do it. He wanted to be an engineer.
“My dad talked me out of it in Grade 12,” Ferguson says. “He said, ‘Mark, I’ve never seen you do much engineering stuff, but you do a lot of music. Maybe you should be a musician.’”
Taking Dad’s advice, Ferguson obtained degrees in music and education at the University of Calgary and eventually became a music teacher at Airdrie Music Lessons, a private music school.
This is where serendipity enters into Stark Sky’s backstory.
Two years ago, Fedigan enrolled at Airdrie Music Lessons. “I knew, if I wanted to start a country band, I needed to play guitar,” she says.
Fedigan also took vocal lessons with Ferguson because she wanted to learn to sing harmony, something she had never done as a classical singer.
“I told Mark, ‘I need to learn how to play this guitar, and I need to learn how to sing harmony, and then I need to find a guy because I’m going to make a country band, and then I’m going to perform,’” she says.
Ferguson and Fedigan began practising songs together, and it wasn’t long before he realized, “Oh, that ‘guy’ is me.”
Having already been part of two bands, The Bandolier Brigade with his brother and best friend and The Galacticas, a group of friends from Calgary, performing with Fedigan seemed like a good opportunity for Ferguson.
“We started playing a couple of gigs before we even had a name,” he says. In July 2023, Stark Sky had their first official gig at Verns, a well-known bar in Calgary.
“It was scary for me,” Fedigan recalls. “I hadn’t performed like that, ever, but Mark has been doing this forever.”
Stark Sky is a mashup of the pair’s names and a nod to Alberta’s big skies. With influences from Alison Krauss to The Chicks, they cover country, folk and pop songs. Their smooth vocals and understated guitar work are easy to listen to. They’ve performed around Airdrie at venues like Atlas Brewing and Good Earth, as well as several Calgary locations, including this summer at the Windows on the West Stage at the Calgary Stampede.
The future of Stark Sky may be as serendipitous as its beginning.
“We’ll see where it takes us,” Ferguson says.
Fedigan agrees: “I’m having a lot of fun.” life
A
VIBRANT
NEW COMMUNITY WITH AIRDRIE’S FIRST OUTDOOR POOL!
The wait is almost over! New homes are coming soon to Wildfl ower, including new single family fl oorplans, and The Grove Townhomes and Condos, which offer convenient, carefree multi-family living. Every new home offers premier access to Wildfl ower’s best amenities, including Airdrie’s fi rst outdoor pool, a bike pump track, pickleball courts, basketball courts, and so much more. Discover the incredible community of Wildfl ower today.
PHOTO BY KRISTY REIMER
IN THE FIRST PERSON
Iwas born in Didsbury, Alta., the middle child of three, and raised on a farm east of town. I credit my rural upbringing to my active imagination and my love of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Being a rural child, it was common to see my nose pressed into a book to and from school. I preferred reading over doing chores, practising piano or doing homework. I knew from an early age that I would write at least one book someday.
Poetry became an outlet for my emotions in my later teen years. When I did not know how to process my feelings, I would allow the sensations to flow out onto paper. Poetry is very natural for me and requires little work. This is how I view my world, as a poem.
Reading books to my children was one of my favourite pastimes. To this day, both of my adult children are avid readers. While raising my children, I took a program at the Institute of Children’s Literature based out of West Redding, Conn. I received a certificate in Writing for Children, and it was this program that fostered my passion to write children’s books.
Gracie’s Playful, Dusty Day is my first published children’s picture book, illustrated by Airdrie artist Mackenzie Cox. Our family pet beagle, Gracie, was my inspiration for the story. She was with us for 13 years and filled our home with memorable adventures.
Gracie tended to bark incessantly at inanimate objects, anything that could move in a breeze, from a plastic bag to a feather. It was Gracie’s shenanigans that bolstered my imagination, bringing to life this playful story where Gracie is desperate to show her owner what is hiding under the bed … dust bunnies! It is an imaginary story that will have children mesmerized by the possibilities of our imagination if we have just the right friend to take us there.
Originally, the story was written as prose and did not rhyme. It was one of my assignments in the program I took with the Institute of Children’s Literature and took me about a month to write and edit. My instructor praised my work and told me I should attempt to take it further, but, instead, I tucked it away and let it sit for ten years before deciding to pursue publication. After pulling it out again, I chose to make it a rhyming story to capture the attention of little readers. As I said earlier, poetry is natural for me and requires little work, so it was only natural to go this route and I was happy with the result. Rhyming comes so easily to me that I had the rough draft of the revisions done in a day, but then comes the editing.
Gracie’s Playful, Dusty Day was published in June 2023. It is available at Indigo Crossiron Mills and Indigo Online, and also at the Red Deer Chapters. It is also available on Amazon, both Canadian and United States, multiple online book retailers, as well as directly from me. The manuscript for my second Gracie story is completed; watch for that in 2025!
Lorraine Derksen Janzen –Airdrie Author
I am passionate about writing and continue to write a little bit everyday for, without an opportunity to write, I feel incomplete. I have numerous picture book manuscripts and am working on a novel intended for adults.
It is my hope that my followers feel the passion behind the words they read and that my stories will leave readers wanting more! life
You can find me on my website at lorrainejanzen.ca, Instagram @lorraine_storyteller or Facebook Lorraine Janzen Author, and my email is ljauthor23@gmail.com.
Performing has always ignited a light inside of me.
With a passion for dance that ignited at age four, 19-yearold Riley Labait has spent her life honing her craft and pushing her limits to new heights.
From ballet and jazz, hip hop and musical theatre, to lyrical and contemporary, Labait spent her childhood training in a range of styles at Airdrie Dance Academy and Elements Dance Co., where she added even more to her repertoire, including heels and jazz funk.
But Labait’s dedication to dance didn’t stop there.
“Hip hop is my life!” she says from her apartment in downtown Vancouver, where she moved in July 2023 to pursue her career in dance.
“I love the vibes and the beats you get to hit with hip hop. Performing has always ignited a light inside of me.”
Although the move out to the West Coast was a big one, Labait is no stranger to going outside of her comfort zone — literally — to hone her craft. Besides Vancouver, she has ventured to Los Angeles, London and New York in order to improve her versatility and expand her horizons.
“Travelling for dance introduced me to styles like afro jazz, street jazz and house dance,” Labait says.
She has worked and trained with many choreographers, including Luther Brown, Justin Corbo, Anthony Carr and Menina Fortunato, while collaborating with some for-concept music videos and live performances such as dancing with Enola Bedard at Universal CityWalk in Hollywood.
“I loved being on set and filming,” says Labait. “I got to be completely in it and wanted to be front and centre. I always feel like I’m on a high when I get back from travelling for dance.”
Labait has also trained at numerous studios around the world including Millenium Dance Complex, Playground LA, TMilly TV, Broadway Dance Centre, The BASE, Studio 68, Pineapple Dance Studios, Studio North, Harbour Dance Centre, A3 District and many more.
Dedicated to Dance
STORY BY STACIE GAETZ
“There is so much history in some of these places,” she says.
“You walk in, and you just know that there have been so many other famous dancers that have danced on the same floor. It’s inspiring!”
ROLE MODEL
Labait’s superpowers extend beyond the dance world. She has also been modelling for a year, working for Kayzie Couture; Love, Bella Feye; and Xcarii Xii. Modelling has taken her to Orlando Swim Week and New York Fashion Week.
“When you are up there on the runway, you can be anything you want to be,” she says. “Dancing is my life, but modelling is fun, too.”
Labait adds that her favourite thing to model is bathing suits because she has worked hard on her body and she in confident and comfortable with herself.
“I am happy with what I have created and worked for,” Labait says, adding that eating healthy is an important part of feeling good and looking good.
“You need to make sure you eat three meals and day and take your rest days,” she says. “Dancers are very hard on themselves and might feel guilty if they take a day off, but it is okay to take a step back when you need to.”
She says taking care of yourself is one of the messages she would like to pass on to younger dancers who look up to her.
“When I realize I am a role model for younger people, it fills me with joy,” Labait says. “I like to ask younger girls how they are doing and answer any questions they might have about modelling or dance. I want to let them know that they are awesome the way they are, but it feels great to put hard work into something and see it pay off.”
She is no stranger to hard work. On top of dancing up four times a week, Labait works as a hostess at a restaurant and is training at The Source Dance Company.
DANCE DREAMS
Continuing to hone her skills, Labait enrolled in The Business of Dance Program via Fortunato, equipping her with knowledge and skills for both her dance career and life.
“My motto is that you are not going to know until you try,” she says. “There are things in life that are really scary, but you have no idea how they will turn out unless you do them. It’s just like dance; you can worry that you won’t be able to do a certain move, but you have to take the first step and try in order to find out.”
Labait recently signed with Premiere Talent Management, a step on her way to her dream job of dancing with top recording artists like Rihanna and Beyoncé, or landing roles in feature films like The Greatest Showman or Burlesque.
Her story is one of perseverance, dedication and love for dance, and it’s clear that, with her talent, determination and infectious personality, she’s destined to soar to new heights. life
Experience Elevated Living in Key Ranch
If you want to live in a community with exceptional amenities and a rich heritage, Key Ranch is where you want to purchase your next home. The new community is located on the west side of 24th Street and is Lamont Land’s third development in Airdrie, following Luxstone Landing and Prairie Springs.
Bill MacDonald, Development Manager with Lamont Land, describes Key Ranch as a modern community with inspiring views, as it’s situated on the highest point in west Airdrie.
“With sweeping views of Airdrie, downtown Calgary and the Rocky Mountains on the horizon, Key Ranch combines thoughtfully planned community amenities with nature’s untouchable beauty,” says MacDonald. “Acres of wide-open green spaces, gathering areas, lush parks, playgrounds, trails upon trails, lookout points, our spectacular community pond and viewing deck all come together in this amenity-rich neighbourhood. Lamont is very excited to be back in Airdrie.”
Construction on Phase 1 of the development kicked off in early 2023, and the show homes are now open with several homes under construction and new residents taking possession. Phase 2 is planned to come to market in 2025, MacDonald says.
The first phase in Key Ranch is its own unique enclave within the overall community and includes 132 homesites. Single-family, frontattached garage homes start in the mid $600s and front-attached garage duplex homes start in the mid $500s. Additionally, there is a 2-acre multi-family townhome site currently under design.
Once the entire development is complete, Key Ranch’s 160 acres will be home to over 1,100 families. Homes include a great mix of single-family, duplex and townhomes, as well as future multifamily residential. Given the unique topography, there is a variety of lot types offered including walkouts onto the pond and future lots backing onto the 10-acre environmental reserve. Builders included in the development are Akash Homes, Bedrock Homes, Prominent Homes and Sterling Homes.
The community is built with room to grow and is ideal for families needing to upsize, first-time homebuyers and empty nesters. Key Ranch includes five parks and playgrounds, and a future high school and elementary school site, all combining to close to 30 acres of open space. Minutes from urban comforts, Key Ranch is convenient for accessing every amenity the city has to offer, plus it’s an easy drive to the mountains. The lots offered in our first phase of Key Ranch are oversized and larger than most new home communities in Airdrie, according to MacDonald.
“Airdrie continues to be a desirable place for homebuyers and offers value and amenities with a strong community support network. The location, coupled with the topography of the land rising to the west, provides a fantastic opportunity to create a community like no other currently in Airdrie,” says MacDonald. “More than simply a place to live, Key Ranch is the perfect neighbourhood to put down roots, make lasting memories and raise your lifestyle to new heights.”
Lamont Land has created lasting communities for more than 30 years. Co-founders Roy Moore and Gerry Lamont, as well as President Phil Moore and Vice-President Scott Lamont, take pride in the company’s commitment to thoughtful planning solutions and responsible land development.
“We are committed to creating special communities like Key Ranch, envisioned and established to help you live better,” says MacDonald.
For more information, visit keyranch.ca.
Left to right: Roy Moore, P. ENG. (Co-Founder), Phil Moore, P. ENG. (President), Gerry Lamont (Co-Founder), Scott Lamont, PL. (ENG.) (Vice-President)
GET Chatting
PUCKER UP FOR A VIDEO PODCAST STARRING
AIRDRIE KIDS
STORY BY STACIE GAETZ | PHOTO BY MITCHELL GEORGE
Sarah Parker came by her love of all things film naturally.
She grew up next to Batman, Willy Wonka and Beauty & the Beast working in her mom’s video store in Crossfield. It was her job to review all the movies and see what age they were appropriate for.
“I feel like production is in my blood,” says the Airdronian of 15 years.
These days, her day job is in early learning and child care, but she has dabbled in film and TV production as a hobby for years and has been on the set of a number of local films and shows including Highway Patrolman, Rental Rewind (seasons 1 and 2), Father Robin Hood, Come to Me, and Papa
“Although I didn’t work on the set, the coolest experience I had by far was Brokeback Mountain,” says Parker.
“I was able to meet Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal — it was magical! That was one of the experiences that really solidified the fact that this is something I want to do.”
SWEET DEAL
Parker was recently selected to receive production funding for her original video podcast, The Sour Chat Kids, as a part of the new TELUS STORYHIVE video podcast program.
TELUS STORYHIVE gives communities across B.C. and Alberta an opportunity to share their stories. Through innovative programs for filmmakers, video podcasters, digital-content creators and live streamers, it provides production funding, training, mentorship and distribution on TELUS Optik TV, Stream+ and STORYHIVE’s YouTube channel.
“We are dedicated to the ongoing mission of supporting underrepresented and diverse communities, helping empower the next generation of content creators and storytellers,” says Shaun Cathcart, TELUS STORYHIVE program manager.
The STORYHIVE video podcast program has selected 70 projects since launching at the end of 2023, each receiving $12,000. The projects are selected by a committee made up of community members, filmmakers and TELUS team members. Parker was one of the first funding recipients.
“Sarah pitched a video podcast where their host will engage in hilarious and insightful interviews with kids from various backgrounds in the city of Airdrie, a fantastic example of the types of stories we want to help amplify,” says Cathcart.
CANDY & CONVERSATION
Parker says she came up with the idea for her show from Hot Ones, an American YouTube talk show created by Christopher Schonberger and Sean Evans. The show involves celebrities being interviewed by Evans over a platter of increasingly spicy chicken wings.
“It’s so entertaining to watch them try to keep it together as the heat increases,” says Parker. “What better way to get kids to sit still and talk to me for a bit than with a big bowl of candy?”
She plans to import the candy from all over the world and will speak to inspiring Airdrie kids like Addyson Lescard, a
16-year-old boxer, and Anna Kelsberg, an aspiring actor.
“There will definitely be awesome stories about what the kids are interested in, but it is really about young people who are doing amazing things for their community,” says Parker.
The show will also feature a lively puppet co-host named Miss Fizz, who will bring a bit of pizzazz to each episode. The season will have eight 25- to 30-minute episodes and other topics will include soccer, coding and gaming. The shows will air in 2025.
SOMETHING BIGGER
Parker has built a studio in her garage and says she has great pride in the hard-working team of people she has put together to help her make this show a reality.
“I like working with people who have the same goals and are interested in production,” she says. “I love the creativity involved. Most people don’t realize how much goes into something like this. You’ve got casting, a producer, director, set design, lighting, camera work, editing, sound tech and more.”
That’s why Parker is so thrilled to have received the TELUS STORYHIVE video podcast grant.
“You don’t have to go to Hollywood anymore to get these kinds of opportunities,” she says. “Production is not easy, it takes a long time and there are a lot of moving parts but, if you are patient, believe in yourself, do your research and build a good team, you can be a part of something big ger than yourself.”
Cathcart says you don’t need to be from an urban centre to access STORYHIVE’s resources as an emerging creative.
“While the film industry is growing, it can often be difficult for content cre ators in more-rural communities to access support and funding to create content,” he says.
“We’ve had storytellers from Aird rie, Lethbridge, Grande Prairie and oth er communities create amazing content and kick-start their content journey with STORYHIVE.”
Parker hopes the first season of The Sour Chat Kids is successful so she can create a second and branch out to interview inter esting Airdrie adults who also are making an impact in the community. life
SNOW WHITE WITH DUFFLEBAG THEATRE NOV. 3
AIRDRIE’S STAGE
Bert Church LIVE Theatre (BCLT) is Airdrie’s stage. The theatre strives to support regional community partners while maintaining a broad, family appeal with many of its shows.
“Ultimately, the goal is to be reflective of the diversity of interest found in our community,” says Clay Aragon, manager of Heritage, Culture & Events with the City of Airdrie. “We’re excited to welcome back favourites like the Prairie Mountain Fiddlers and Wild Mint Arts, while welcoming fresh faces like this season’s opener, Skerryvore.”
The theatre has two types of shows. The Presented Series, a collection of shows chosen by the theatre team, begins each September and ends in late spring or early summer of the following year. It also hosts many community events, which are performances hosted by external organizations renting the space.
“Our audience is made up with both seasoned theatre veterans [and] people experiencing live performances for the first time,” says Aragon. “We think that is what makes our stage so special; it’s part of the heart of the community. You don’t have to drive 30 to 45 minutes to experience quality artistic expression, it’s in your backyard, where your kid’s dance recital was last weekend and across the parking lot from where you go swimming.”
When visiting bclt.ca, customers can see what category (or categories) each individual show belongs to:
All ages – content that is suitable for young children and a general audience. Comedy – humorous shows that may not be suitable for all audiences.
Community partnership – involvement with local and regional community organizations. Music – performances that are predominately musical.
R-rated – performances that are suggested for adult and mature audiences. Theatre – shows, performances and storytelling presented by movement, actions and performers.
The art and culture scene in Airdrie continues to evolve as the city grows. The BCLT team has noticed the community responds well to the variety of performances and shows an appreciation for the family shows. As a result, BCLT strives to bring family-friendly content at a budget-friendly price point. One of BCLT’s most popular productions is its annual Christmas/ holiday show. This year, BCLT presents The Christmas Skates by DIY Theatre, running from Dec. 20-22.
Be it a night out with friends or the family, a cultural experience or a musical immersion, there is something for everyone at the Bert Church LIVE Theatre.
“The theatrical experience is so unique; a high note hits differently when it echoes off the walls of the theatre, and a melody resonates deeper when you can see the guitar strings being plucked in front of you,” says Aragon. “We hope the live shows continue to inspire creativity, connection and excitement within each of our patrons.” life
BCLT’s season-opener, Skerryvore, appears on Sept.26. The theatre is located at 1000 East Lake Blvd. N.E.. For more information, visit tickets.airdrie.ca
Bert Church LIVE Theatre 2024-25 Presented Series
Tickets available at tickets.airdrie.ca
Skerryvore
THURSDAY, SEPT. 26, 2024, AT 7:30
P.M.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Ticket Price: $55
The Returns Department
FRIDAY, OCT. 4, 2024, AT 7:30 P.M.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Adult Ticket Price: $27 each
Youth/Senior Ticket Price: $23 each
House of Hush: The Roaring 20s (18+ Only)
SATURDAY, OCT. 19, 2024, AT 7:30 P.M.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Ticket Price: $35
Groups of 6 or more: $30 (Please contact the Box Office directly to receive this special rate!)
Snow White by Dufflebag Theatre
SUNDAY, NOV. 3, 2024, AT 2 P.M.
Doors open at 1 p.m.
Adult Ticket Price: $27 each
Youth/Senior Ticket Price: $23 each
The Christmas Skates
FRIDAY, DEC. 20, 2024. AT 7:30 P.M.
SATURDAY, DEC. 21, 2024. AT 11 A.M.
SATURDAY, DEC. 21, 2024. AT 2 P.M.
SUNDAY, DEC. 22, 2024. AT 11 A.M.
Adult Ticket Price: $27 each
Youth/Senior Ticket Price: $23 each
Piano Heist
SUNDAY, FEB. 9, 2025, AT 7:30 P.M.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Ticket Price: $42 each
Ihtsipaitapiyopa by Wild Mint Arts
SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 2025, FROM 2 TO 4 P.M.
Doors open at 1 p.m.
Adult Ticket Price: $27 each
Youth/Senior Ticket Price: $23 each
Admission FREE for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples.
Please contact the Box Office at 403-948-8824 for wheelchairaccessible seating.
EMPTY BOWLS FILL A NEED
As Sept. 15 approaches, the Airdrie community eagerly anticipates the return of the Empty Bowls Festival after four years.
This annual event, organized by the Airdrie Food Bank, is a cherished tradition that brings our community together to fight hunger and support those in need. This year’s festival promises to be a lively and heartening event, not only celebrating the cause it supports, but also the resilience of our community.
The annual event (which was sadly cancelled between 2020 and 2023) returns to the Airdrie Food Bank, 20 East Lake Way N.E., on Sept. 15, from noon to 4 p.m.
“We welcome you to purchase beautifully handcrafted ceramic bowls, each one a unique piece of art created by local artisans and community members,” says communications manager Christine Taylor. “These bowls symbolize the empty plates faced by those struggling with food insecurity.”
Guests will also enjoy a hearty serving of soup generously donated by local restaurants and chefs, along with refreshments.
The event will showcase live music, activities for the whole family and tours of the food bank, creating an enjoyable and interactive environment for everyone. It is an opportunity to recognize and appreciate the contributions of the local artists, chefs, volunteers and donors who make this event possible and support the Airdrie Food Bank throughout the year. Every dollar raised goes directly to the Airdrie Food Bank, helping to support its programs. it will be a day of compassion, creativity and community spirit. For up-to-date information, visit airdriefoodbank.com/ emptybowls. life
ART OF THE SANDWICH
STORY AND PHOTOS BY CARL PATZEL
Since the Earl of Sandwich first slapped a portion of meat between two slices of bread centuries ago, the handheld meal bearing his name has become a staple in the dining world.
No matter how you concoct two simple carbohydrates, whether with succulent meats, healthy veggies, supreme sauces or all of the aforementioned toppings, everyone loves sinking their choppers into this lunch and dinner favourite.
These literally handy meals come in all shapes and sizes waiting to quench your hunger. Stepping well beyond two flat slices of baked dough, a quick search can find a variety of bread shapes and flavours, from the submarine, multilayered club, open-faced Reuben, hero, smoked meat and poor boy varieties, just to name a few.
Following in the footsteps of the namesake Earl, let us grab our appetites and test the taste buds on some quick, but satisfying bread-nourishing wonders, as conceived by some of Airdrie’s top eateries.
ABE’S MODERN DINER
If a restaurant displays “Diner” on its marquee, you can be assured it will serve up a good sandwich.
Abe’s Modern diner has been a popular tiny island in the sea of restaurants in Airdrie for several years and, if you’re lucky enough to be marooned in this food-driven sanctuary, there are plenty of fresh-made options, including sandwiches.
From the traditional to the unique, this bistro puts out everything from the time-tested Old Tavern Clubhouse and Philly cheese steak to a naan bread grilled cheese.
While several of these would easily fall on your favourite plate, the temptation of a Pork Belly Master was too much to pass up.
Served on a brioche bun, the Master is stacked with a healthy portion of slow-braised pork belly, cooked for five hours, and topped with bacon-onion jam, lettuce and spiced mayo.
The round bun may say burger, but the tenderness of the pork belly puts this handheld meal into another dimension. Spicy mayo adds a kick while the exceptional bacon-onion jam cuts through the heat with a touch of sweetness. Combined, this produces the perfect bite of sweet, heat and savoury.
1,2 AND 2 + DEN BEDROOM CONDOS
Perched atop the Elevate Collection at Cooper’s Crossing, the Monarch offers unparalleled living with luxurious 1- and 2-bedroom homes plus flex spaces, ranging from 670 to 1,198 sq. . The Monarch redefines sophistication with high-end finishes and premium features. Residents will enjoy premium apartments and over 4,500 sq. . of opulent indoor amenities, including Monarch Fitness, Social Parlor, Serenity Retreat, Entertaining Zone, Boardroom, Gear Station, Paw Spa and more—a perfect place to gather, relax, and feel at home.
REGISTER TO LEARN MORE
Social Parlor
Entertaining Zone
Serenity Retreat
Monarch Fitness Boardroom
FLAVOURS OF MONTREAL
Focusing on freshly sliced smoked meats, Flavours of Montreal stacks your lunch, dinner or, heck, even breakfast with subs or sandwiches.
Hand-carved smoked meat is piled high on rye bread that stretches the limits of your jaw muscle, with options of Sauerkraut and coleslaw, pickles and cheese. These sixounce wonders could pass for two meals in one.
Other smaller packed-bread meals come in variations of BLT, roast beef and cheddar, turkey and Swiss, and even fried bologna.
“Where’s the beef?” might have been a famous commercial catchphrase decades ago, but it’s still a question we all put to our hunger when tracing down a handheld meal.
The Main Street-located bistro and bakery answers that question with its in-house Montreal smoked meat sandwich. There are no veggie distractions on this lunchtime favourite, just bread and meat.
The freshly sliced slow-cooked succulent protein is piled twice as high as the accompanying rye bread. Connecting the sweet and savoury meat is a good swirl of plain or spicy mustard.
As the meat is carved in front of your eyes, the stomach growls encourage the chef to slice off just a little bit more. By the time it hits your lips, you realize there’s plenty to satisfy any hunger.
JON SMITH SUBS
It’s easy to submerse yourself in an ocean of savoury pleasures at Jon Smith Subs.
Don’t let the generic name fool you; this petite Kingsview Market bistro serves up a large variety of sandwiches, from classic giant cold cut subs to grilled specialties like the Cuban and Reuben.
This sandwich shop torpedoes your empty belly with classic Giant deli subs, served in a shiny wrap, simulating a deep-sea submarine. There’s sweet glazed teriyaki, spice-filled Cajun, turkey breast, Virginia ham, tuna and specialities like The Gator, complete with swamp sauce.
The bestseller, The Bomb, is an explosion of flavour which put Jon Smith Subs on the sandwich map.
Whether a six-inch or foot-long version, the sliced steak or chicken Bomb is packed with grilled onions, peppers, tomatoes, bacon, mushrooms and provolone cheese.
Made fresh to order, with all meats produced inhouse, the steak Bomb is built with a slice of bacon almost hidden underneath a god portion of sautéed beef fresh off the grill alongside crunchy green pepper, fine-diced tomatoes, mayo and provolone cheese.
This is all encased in a tender submarine bun with a choice of dipping sauces on the side including garlic aioli, buffalo, butter chicken sauce, sweet onion and many more favourites.
FIREHOUSE SUBS
Who doesn’t need a hero when fighting some annoying hunger pains?
Firehouse Subs is ready for any lunch or dinner emergency with cold and hot subs that will save any craving whether it’s a seven-eight-inch or 11-12-inch sandwich served on an attractive, soft-scored Italian bun.
With names like Smokehouse Beef and Cheddar Brisket, Hook and Ladder, Firehouse Sweet and Spicy Meatball, and New York Streamer and Engineer, this Sierra Springs sandwich shop is a five-alarm experience for Flavour Town.
If that doesn’t suit your needs, there’s a build your own option, as well.
With a fitting name to help celebrate rescue workers who risk their lives on the job, the Hero is a go-to favourite on the menu.
This ladder truck-sized sandwich is a red-light masterpiece, with layers of cold honey ham, smoked turkey breast and a succulent warm roast beef smothered with melted provolone cheese.
Plenty of mayo and deli mustard make for a perfect combination of savoury, creamy, sweet and smoky, all in one. Fresh tomato slices, crunchy lettuce and white onions make for a pleasantly alarming textured feast, giving any sandwich shop a run for its money.
Decorated in a firefighter theme, this restaurant fittingly donates a portion of profits towards the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada, helping to provide life-saving equipment and resources to rescue workers.
RIO NECTAR FAST CASUAL RESTAURANT
Combining health with taste, Rio Nectar Fast Casual Restaurant cooks up flavoursome food without chemicals and preservatives.
Tucked away in downtown along Main Street, Rio Nectar approaches a hearty meal with homemade, healthy ingredients in salad bowls, smoothies, vitamin-packed Acai bowls and chef-inspired sandwiches.
The tiny takeout-and-delivery restaurant uses real, fresh ingredients with slow house-roasted turkey breast, chicken, bacon, ham, and homemade sauces and dressings. Caramelized vegetables, avocado mash, cheeses and fresh vegetables are menu options.
If you are looking for a little afternoon or dinner kick, the Habanera Mango Chicken sandwich will surely spice up your day. Available on several types of breads, this version uses a firm ciabatta bun to surround thick cuts of juicy, roasted chicken.
A spicy habanera mango aioli gives a good kick to the taste buds, starting out hot and letting the sweet fruit cool you down. Crispy red onion, tomato and a slab of creamy provolone cheese merge nicely with a sweet tropical slaw.
A solid bite, the spicy afterburn can be complimented with a sweet, healthy granola parfait or fresh fruit, sugar-free uplifting smooth drink.
Rio Nectar staff can be found donating and volunteering for several community outlets like the Cancer Society, children’s sports, blood donor clinics and Airdrie Children’s Festival.
CHERYL’S COUNTRY KITCHEN
What sandwich story can be complete without the go-to lunch or dinner favourite, the clubhouse sandwich? Like stepping into Grandma’s kitchen on a late Sunday afternoon, you will find all kinds of homestyle delights in Cheryl’s Country Kitchen, including a few breaded wonders.
While a variety of salads, burgers, pastas, pizzas and entrees can be found at this welcoming Edmonton Trail food outlet, it also produces more than a dozen hand-held eats.
Among those down-home favourites served at this family-style restaurant, you will find hot turkey and roast beef classics smothered in gravy, Monte Cristo, Ruben, BLT and Philly beef, just to mention a few.
A literal layer of flavours, Cheryl’s puts it on thick for its wide-mouth clubhouse sandwich. Just release your jaws and take a big bite of this masterpiece highlighted by in-house cooked turkey and off-the-bone ham. There are no processed meats here, just some down-home, slow-cooked meats that will transport you to Thanksgiving dinner, without the holiday strife of who wants turkey or ham. Plenty for everyone.
The juicy meat, mayo and thick-sliced tomato makes this sandwich a succulent, savoury feast, with crisp lettuce adding a satisfying crunch.
Oh, and did I forget to mention bacon? That little delight is also layered into this piled-high sandwich alongside an optional flavoursome boat of gravy perfect for dipping. life
NOSE CREEK PLAYERS Theatre thoughts
ROBIN MCKITTRICK
Airdrie’s theatre association, Nose Creek Players (NCP), is committed to building community through giving individuals the opportunity to find a creative outlet.
Those of us in NCP believe in the power that theatre arts has to impact community. We encourage innovation in the arts!
As Isadora, the fierce maiden from NCP’s 2025 spring production, The Epic Quest of the Damsels in Distress, exclaimed, “Why would you want to adventure with us? I mean, other than the fact that we are totally awesome!” NCP is open to anyone interested in exploring their creative side and welcomes anyone interested in creative adventures and awesomeness.
As we look toward the season ahead, we are poised for even greater adventures. The appointment of three new board members brings fresh perspectives and expertise that will undoubtedly enrich our initiatives and propel us forward. We will continue to build community through our camp programming. NCP will once again endeavour to help young people recognize their potential. We firmly believe that drama not only teaches performance, but it also builds communication skills, emotional literacy skills, problem-solving skills, confidence and self-esteem, and assertiveness. Drama education provides an exploratory laboratory where young people can dig deeply into their world in a safe space.
As we stride arm-in-arm into a new season, our focus is on empowerment, with new voices joining our board.
Also, later this year, our Holiday Jubilation will empower playwrights to give voice to their visions! The Christmas season is traditionally a time of coming together and celebrating traditions. Over the last few years, NCP has established a strong tradition of bringing inspiring and engaging original stories to Airdrie audiences over the holidays.
This year, we will introduce two original holiday stories to our community. We will also be presenting an original play during the Wind Wood Festival next summer as we continue a wonderful, collaborative relationship. We will explore a new non-traditional theatre space to present an evening of one-act plays. Our spring production, The Epic Quest of the Damsels in Distress, by Kenneth Wasermann, will “slay the stereotypes!”
Our continued advocacy for theatre arts will empower artists in our community. As a powerful collective, we can work towards creating a stage to inspire and to empower! life
Robin McKittrick is the president of Nose Creek Players. Tickets and more information can be found at nosecreekplayers.com.
Members of Nose Creek Players, left to right: Robin McKittrick, Brenna Perlinger, Mandi Fusaro-Smith, Warren Jones, Emma Secord, Justine Madge, Jasmine Lepage, Theresa Mork, Karalee Braun, Jordan Cote, Peggy Buzzard and Garry Buzzard.
WITH
PHOTO BY SERGEI BELSKI
FRONT ELEVATION Artist’s rendering only*
Mark Mirasol specializes in creating custom commissioned portraits for special occasions. He’s had the privilege of serving clients across Canada, the United States and parts of Europe.
Facebook: Markus Arts
Kara Barkved is primarily an abstract artist, interested in exploring current events, abstract figurative, bold colour, mixed media and intuitive mark making. Climate Change, 36” x 48” oil and cold wax. https://www.karabarkvedart.com
Instagram: @karabarkvedart
Airdrie Virtual Art Market
airdrielife is pleased to support artists from all disciplines in our community. Here is a sample of some of the local work you can find on our website where we have created a virtual art market featuring more than 30 artists and makers — all links take you direct to the artists and we take NO commissions! airdrielife.com
Ajay Gautam makes personalized products and home décor. This piece is a Lippan Art Wall Hanging made out of clay and mirror pieces and painted in acrylic colours. It is a traditional art form that comes from the Kutch region of India. Instagram: etherealcraftwork
Heather Crespo is a self-taught acrylic and water colour painter when able, nurse and mother all other times. A Night In, acrylic on canvas, 11” x 14”
Instagram: @HC.on.canvas
Shirin K. Yamolky is a self-taught artist with a passion for oils. She captures the essence of emotion and timeless beauty, striving to portray movement and natural beauty. Image: Se Liberer, oil on canvas, 36” x 48” Instagram: Shirin_arts shirinkyamolky.com
Cindy Bouwers is a painter and designer. She obtained a BFA and also taught design at Alberta University of the Arts before pursuing painting full-time. She has shown in Toronto, Edmonton and Calgary and recently won the Duggan Landscape Award from the Society of Canadian Artists. Her inspiration comes from watching the play of light, then translating shapes and patterns — striving to bring the viewer into a shared experience, a moment of pleasure, a recognition of beauty and a sense of hope. Summer Joy, acrylic on wood, 23” x 46”, framed. www.cindybouwers.com
Bonnie Datta is a weaver. This wrap is woven on a manual loom of wool from her uncle’s sheep. “The design is inspired by my grandma’s love of quilting.” https://crocuscorner.com
DJ Young, Dog Yard Forge and Metalworks
DJ Young is retired from oil and gas. artistic by nature, and now has time to pursue art reutilizing and recycling metal/wood/ stone. Young’s metalwork art utilizes the throwaways of bygone years. Specializing in one-off unique creations from multimedia materials, commissions are available. Instagram: @darker22000 Pinterest: darker22000
Resin Jewellery Making
Sept. 14 and Oct. 12, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where Memories Are Made
Register via email memoriesaremade@gmail.com
Learn how to make resin jewellery or geodes with crystals by registering for a workshop at Where Memories Are Made this fall. Workshops are held every Saturday in September and October, and two new festive ones are planned for October and November, as well, featuring standing floor ornaments and light-up deer and Christmas trees.
Knit Nights
Ongoing Wednesdays from 4 to 8 p.m.
Polka Dot Creek
Drop-in program
Bring a project and visit with other crafters while you work. This workshop is not just for knitting projects; you can bring whatever you’re working on, whether it’s a crochet, felting, weaving or needlework project.
Beginner Stained Glass
Oct. 11 and 26, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Mukluk Magpies
Register by calling 403-948-0691
Learn how to cut glass, grind, fit, foil, solder and finish a stained glass piece. Mukluk Magpies will be offering more stained glass and mosaic workshops throughout the fall and winter, including stained glass snowflakes and a holiday tree.
Where to workshop your creativity this fall
Many Airdrie artists and artisans also provide workshops – and here are just a few. Check airdrielife.com for an updated and growing list!
Family Art Night
Oct. 19 and Nov. 30, 5 to 7 p.m.
MackiMakes Art Studio
Register online at mackimakes.ca
Spend time as a family making art. Whether it’s painting, working with clay, printmaking or craft building, Family Art Night has something for everyone.
Messy Babies Art and Play
Sept 4 to Nov. 20
MackiMakes Art Studio
where parents can let their little ones explore art through painting, sensory bins and bubbles.
Contemporary Floral Design
Starting in October (dates TBD)
Sweet Williams Co.
Register via email hello@sweetwilliamsco.ca
Participate in seasonal contemporary floral design workshops with Sweet Williams Co. this fall and winter. Dates will be posted on Instagram and sweetwilliamsco.ca once they are finalized. The floral studio will be offering Thanksgiving and Christmas centrepiece workshops, as well as “mommy and me” classes taught by the owner and her five-year-old daughter.
Watercolour & Embroidery
Dates TBD
Elizabeth Hall Artist
Register online at linktr.ee/elizabethhallart
Combine watercolour and embroidery to create a unique piece of art with Elizabeth Hall. The local artist runs her workshops out of Sol-Auna Wellness & Retreats. Fall workshops will have a spooky or winter theme. life
FALL INTO FUN
There is a ton to see and do in Airdrie this fall. Check out the Bert Church LIVE Theatre Presented Series listings on page 30.
airdrieFEST!
SATURDAY, SEPT. 7, 11 A.M. - 4 P.M.
Main Street in front of City Hall
Join in supporting local at airdrieFEST! What started as a small community celebration in 2010 has grown into a signature event as a ma jor street festival that attracts more than 7,000 attendees each year. airdrieFEST is an outdoor street festival that celebrates everything local Airdrie. From local artisans, businesses, non-profits, sports groups and more, it is a free family-friendly event for people of all ages that features live music, entertainment, vendors offering local items and a variety of activities for families.
Empty Bowls Festival
SATURDAY SEPT 15, NOON TO 4 P.M.
Airdrie Food Bank
20 East Lake Way N.E.
See story on page 31
The Comic Strippers (18+ Only)
FRIDAY, SEPT. 20, 8 P.M.
Bert Church LIVE Theatre Mainstage 1000 East Lake Blvd. N.E.
Presented by The Comic Strippers Doors open at 7 p.m. tickets.airdrie.ca
ART of the Harvest
SATURDAY SEPT. 21, 10:30 A.M. - 3 P.M.
Airdrie Agricultural Society Site 265232 Range Road 14, Rocky View County FREE EVENT
Take a trip into the past at our old-tyme ART of the Harvest, featuring harvest demos, wagon rides, kids’ games, live music, food trucks and an antique tractor pull. Purchase vegetables from our garden, including potatoes you can dig yourself. All proceeds donated to the Airdrie Food Bank.
The Yellow Brick Road Experience feat. Andrew Johns
SUNDAY, SEPT. 22, 7:30 P.M.;
DOORS OPEN 6:30 P.M.
Bert Church LIVE Theatre Mainstage 1000 East Lake Blvd. N.E.
Presented by LMS Entertainment. An Elton John tribute show. tickets.airdrie.ca
e a c e i n P e
Peace in the Park 3: A Celebration of Brain Health and Mental Resiliency
The Thumbs Up Foundation is thrilled to announce the third annual Peace in the Park event, set to take place on Sept. 21, 2024 at Nose Creek Regional Park. This year’s free-to-the-public event, themed “Healers, Helpers and Heroes,” aims to bring the community together to raise awareness about brain health and mental health resiliency.
Peace in the Park 3 will be headlined by the legendary Lee Aaron, a Canadian Walk of Fame recipient known for her incredible contributions to music and the arts. Aaron will be joined by a lineup of outstanding local talent, ensuring a day filled with exceptional performances and entertainment.
“We are incredibly excited to have Lee Aaron headlining this year’s event,” says Kim Titus, founder and spokesperson for the Thumbs Up Foundation. “Her presence will undoubtedly draw attention to the vital cause of mental health awareness and provide a memorable experience for all attendees.”
The event also will feature more than 30 wellness-based vendors. Food trucks will offer a wide range of delicious options and various family-friendly activities will be available throughout the day, making it a perfect outing for all ages.
DATE: SEPT. 21, 2024
TIME: 12 – 8 P.M.
Location: Nose Creek Park Regional Park, Main Street S. Admission: Free thethumbsupfoundation.com
ROCKY MOUNTAIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, conducted by Carlos Foggin, performs the Faust Overture by Emelie Mayer, Pelleas & Melisande by Sibelius, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4
HOMECOMING FESTIVAL
OCT. 5, 9 A.M. - 5 P.M.
Ed Eggerer Athletic Park and East Lake Regional Park
800 East Lake Blvd. N.E., 730 East Lake Rd. N.E.
Join us for the most spirited event of the year with a “small-town feel” focused on community spirit and pride! Immerse yourself in the excitement of tailgating while rallying behind our local football teams. Additionally, as part of the seasonal atmosphere, participate in fall-inspired activities throughout the day.
Light Up The Night Gala Luau
OCT. 5, COCKTAILS START, 5:30 P.M.;
PROGRAM STARTS 6:30 P.M.
Town and Country Centre
275 Jensen Dr. N.E.
A night to support health care in Airdrie. Dust off your grass skirt and join us for an unforgettable luau fundraising gala, filled with vibrant music, tropical cuisine, enchanting entertainment, raffles, live and silent auctions, and more!
Early bird tickets available until Sept. 20. Tickets at airdriehealthfoundation.com
Trick or Treat Downtown
OCT. 26, 12 - 3 P.M.
Downtown Airdrie
Take a trick-or-treating stroll throughout Downtown Airdrie in costume! It will be a spooktacular outing visiting participating businesses for treats (and tricks). Each business participating in the event will have a “Trick or Treat Here” poster displayed in their window. It will be a haunting scavenger hunt to find all the businesses in the heart of Airdrie – try to find them all! There will be no street closures for this family-friendly free event — so please use caution and be safe.
Mark your calendar!
Pumpkin Fest 2024
OCT.12 11 A.M. – 3 P.M. BLUE GRASS GARDEN CENTRE
260130B Writing Creek Cres, Rocky View
The giant pumpkin drop is just one of the fun highlights of this day that includes face painting, hay and carriage rides, pumpkin carving, games, straw maze, food trucks and a vendor market.
$10 admission per person in support of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation Tickets at bluegrassnursery.com/pumpkinfest2024
GHOUL Times Roll Trivia Night & Dance (18+)
Boys and Girls Club of Airdrie
102-275 Jensen Dr. N.E.
Have a ghoulish good time testing your brains playing Halloween trivia and dancing into the witching hours. Prizes for best costumes, silent auction, basket raffles, bar and Daytona Beach Seafood Tacos. Buy your tickets at bgcairdrie.com/trivianight
Airdrie Farmers’ Market
Town and Country Centre, 275 Jensen Dr. N.E.
The Market will be hosting two special seasonal events in November:
Christmas Show
Nov. 1, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Nov. 2, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Winter Market
Nov. 30, 10 - 4 p.m.
Boys and Girls Club Annual Holiday Market
NOV. 30 AND DEC. 1, 7 AND 8, 10 A.M. – 3 P.M.
200 East Lake Cr. N.E.
The Annual Holiday Market is one of BGC Airdrie Club’s most popular holiday traditions and offers something for everyone in our community. This market was so successful last year that BGC has added another weekend! Come out to support 30 local vendors each week selling a variety of gifts, goodies and the perfect gifts for someone special for the Festive Holiday!
The Circle Alberta Wedding Show
525 Woodside Restaurant and Patio
525 Woodside Dr. N.W.
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Tickets: thecirclealberta.com
Welcome to The Circle Alberta Wedding Show – the premier wedding event north of Calgary! Whether you’re newly engaged or finalizing the details of your big day, this show is designed to inspire, educate and connect you with top wedding professionals in the industry.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
Top Vendors: Meet and interact with a curated selection of the best local vendors, from florists and photographers to caterers and venues. Discover unique services and products that will make your wedding day unforgettable.
Expert Advice: Attend informative sessions and panels led by industry experts. Gain valuable insights on wedding planning, trends and tips to ensure your special day is perfect.
Inspiration Galore: Explore beautifully decorated booths and displays that showcase the latest in wedding décor, fashion and design. Get inspired by stunning visuals and creative ideas for every aspect of your wedding. Interactive Experiences: Enjoy live demonstrations, tastings and workshops that will engage all your senses. From cake tastings to floral arranging, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Unique Swag Bags: Each couple who registers prior to Oct. 1 will receive a unique swag bag filled with amazing goodies from show vendors.
The Circle Alberta Wedding Show is more than just an expo – it’s a community of passionate wedding professionals dedicated to helping you create the wedding of your dreams. Come out for a day of inspiration, education and connection. life
parentlife WITH PATRICIA MERRICK
BACK TO SCHOOL
Another summer is in the books and our kids are going back to school. Lunch-packing season is back in session and parents can get back to working, without wondering how they’re going to keep their kids busy all day.
I am new to being a school mom, as my first born just completed his first year of school in June this year, but I can’t believe how much he has blossomed.
He is four and about to enter his second year of preschool at Inspiration Station here in Airdrie. He was diagnosed with global developmental delay shortly before his third birthday, and this preschool was recommended to us as it works with children with special needs and has Program Unit Funding (PUF) supports available from Alberta Education.
And, honestly, it was the best thing we could have done for him.
He has a severe speech delay and was mostly non-verbal when he started school in September 2023, but, by the end of the school year, his speech had improved drastically. We met with the teachers and aides throughout the year to discuss how he was doing and what goals he would be working towards. By June 2024, he had achieved all of them.
After the first meeting, I was worried about some of the things discussed, like lacking the ability to make meaningful relationships with peers or interacting with classmates without needing adult intervention.
For example, at the school’s Christmas celebration with parents, students were dancing in a circle while holding hands, but my son wasn’t sure how to join in, so an aide stepped in and showed him how to join hands with his classmates.
Only a few months later, he was speaking in full sentences, saying challenging words and making friends. He even started telling me about his friends and I could actually understand what he was talking about. We have already had play dates and he is continuing to build friendships.
Now that he can communicate with me, he is a much happier little person because he feels understood and we can bond over things like music or laugh at something together. Progress is a process that takes time, but every little step contributes to something bigger.
We are so fortunate to have the options we do and all the teachers and aides who help shape little minds every day. Their patience is incredible and they want to see our kids thrive, too. life
Grades 1 to 6 in Airdrie
healthylife
TANYA McMILLAN
Sports medicine acupuncture is also commonly known as IMS (intramuscular stimulation), or dry needling. The treatment principles are based heavily in Western medicine, using anatomical structures such as the origin and insertions of each individual muscle, orthopaedic assessment, and manual muscle testing to assess and treat structural musculoskeletal issues.
A small filament needle is used to elicit a “twitch response” from the muscle. This needle is very thin and does not have a hollow in it. This is where the term “dry needling” comes from because the needle, although very thin, is solid and not used to administer any kind of substance.
When the muscle is stimulated and contracts, this twitch response resets the muscle length and tone, making this kind of treatment extremely effective at reducing muscle tension or spasm and has immediate and very noticeable results.
Sports medicine acupuncture is most effective at treating chronic back pain, sciatica, muscle spasms, rotator cuff issues and general range of motion issues. While sports medicine acupuncture alone is a great treatment for dysfunction and pain, when combined with traditional acupuncture, acupressure, herbs and topical treatments, this style of treatment yields wonderful results, offering patients the best of both of treatments.
How does this style of treatment differ from traditional acupuncture?
This style of treatment is focused more on isolating problematic movement dysfunction, while traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture treats the body holistically, looking for patterns in the patient’s overall health. It also uses certain point selections that, we know from research, stimulates the release of significant amounts of dynorphin — our body’s own form of natural morphine. This relieves pain, no matter where you are feeling it.
Sports medicine acupuncture is an effective form of treatment, used as a stand-alone therapy or augmented with traditional Chinese medicine. life
Dr. Tanya McMillan, R.Ac TCMD, MT, is a Doctor Of Acupuncture, registered with CAA (regulatory body: College of Acupuncturists of Alberta), and a traditional Chinese medicine doctor and massage therapist.
GREATLIFE | COLUMN
seniorlife WITH JODY SANDERSON
Creativity
THE FALL ISSUE OF AIRDRIELIFE IS MY FAVOURITE. We focus on the creative — in art, business, education, parenting.
There are a lot of opinions on the word “creativity” out there. Here are a couple of my favourites:
“You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.” - Robin Williams
“Creativity is intelligence having fun.” - Albert Einstein
Recently, I went through a bunch of costume jewelry I asked for, and inherited, from my grandma. Her jewelry was so much fun. She’d let us wear whatever we wanted when my sister and I played dress-up with her.
She even had her jewelry hanging on her walls of her bedroom. My grandpa made hangers from six-inch-long dowels that he attached a thin wire to. Grandma would then cover the dowelling with fabric, and that’s what she hung all her necklaces from. Grandpa also made wooden hooks for her bracelets. She kept all her rings in a large drawer in her dresser and hung her earrings on dyed burlap sheets that also decorated her walls.
She made a lot of it herself. She had a tumbler in the shed she polished her rocks with, which she set in findings, also made by my grandpa. It was all so big and bold and colourful! Grandma couldn’t afford gold, and only later did she begin to acquire silver. I loved it!
Once upon a time, in a universe far, far away, I was a municipal councillor. Often, our meetings ran quite late. I would be wide awake when I got home. It didn’t take me long to start doodling around, making my own jewelry: necklaces, bracelets, earrings. I made it for myself and sold a bunch at Christmas craft shows and summer fairs.
I’d buy old pieces from a garage sale, or thrift store, and take it all apart to make something unique, to me.
The apples didn’t fall from the tree. My sister became a silversmith. She has the true talent!
I have never met anyone who isn’t creative in one way or another. We all have it inside of us; it’s just a matter of tapping into it. It could be gardening, balancing numbers, meal planning, kids’ activities, exercise, repairs — anything.
I take my inspiration from my grandkids. Kids aren’t afraid of anything; they’ll try everything. They have no fear. They haven’t heard for years they can’t do something, or that they don’t have a creative bone in their body. And they aren’t afraid to use their imagination.
At this stage, we need to hang out more with kids, which leads to opportunities to share what we both have.
Let’s be reminded of this. As British author Neil Gaiman once said, “The imagination is a muscle. If it’s not exercised, it atrophies.”
I will always treasure the creative joy my grandma’s jewelry gave me — and still does. life
A sustainable future with MCKEE HOMES
STORY BY PATRICIA MERRICK
As the housing industry moves towards more energy-efficient options, like net-zero housing, Airdrie-based McKee Homes aims to stay ahead of the curve by offering enhanced energy-reducing features for homebuyers.
“There is definitely a push coming from our government to reduce energy consumption and go to a little bit more of what is deemed clean energy,” says Kierson Bare, architectural technologist for McKee Homes. “There are different rumblings around what different requirements are going to be but, each year, we’re pushed into being more energy-efficient. And so, there are goals in the future to have, say, ‘X’ amount of new construction be net-zero.”
A net-zero home produces as much energy as it consumes, which is achieved through alternate energy sources such as solar panels. Net-zero homes also use heat pumps for climate control; pumps have higher heating efficiency than traditional furnaces and can both heat and cool the home. Electricity generated from the solar panels can offset power consumed by the heat pump to reduce the home’s carbon footprint even more.
Insulation is also important for maintaining energy efficiency inside the home. Spray foam insulation, exterior rigid insulation around foundation walls, triple-pane windows and a heat-recovery ventilation system help keep the heat inside.
“There are lots of different paths that you can take to achieve net-zero, but the main one that we have [taken] is use what’s called a clean energy source,” says Bare. “In this case, that would be using electricity to heat and power the home. Basically, through lots of different systems and upgraded assemblies, we have reduced how much energy consumption
would be used on a standard house, and then, to offset it to actually get to net-zero, we have solar panels.”
McKee Homes is currently completing its first net-zero-specification home in Bayside in southwest Airdrie and will be opening it to showcase what kind of options and features homebuyers can choose to add to their home. The process of building the home was a learning opportunity for staff, says Bare.
“We know that this is coming, and we want to be ahead of the curve, so this is our way of finding out what we can improve on,” he says.
Costs associated with net-zero housing depend on a variety of factors and what kind of features homebuyers would like to include in their home, says Stephanie Doel, energy co-ordinator for McKee Homes, adding the goal is to have a few different packages available for buyers to choose from.
“A net-zero home, overall, continues to provide comfort for the homeowners and occupants inside. And you’ll see a reduction in your utility bills, overall,” says Doel. “You’ll also be using alternate forms of energy and a bit of a different wall design to the traditional wall and insulation system.
“We are looking forward to gathering true data on the finished home to track how everything performs in our complex climate and to understand the full costs of the net-zero build from both a capital investment perspective and operationally.” life
PHOTO
A dynamic group of women coming together and making a huge impact on our local charities and non-profit organizations, all for the betterment of our community
Always accepting new members! JOIN NOW and make a difference.
Boutique townhomes coming to Midtown
STORY BY PATRICIA MERRICK
Shane Homes is adding an affordable high-end housing option to Airdrie’s real estate market through a new townhome development in Midtown.
Construction on The Towns kicked off in May and the first building is scheduled for completion in early 2025, says Mark Albertin, general manager of multi-family with Shane Homes. The development includes 49 three-storey units, each with three bedrooms and a two-car garage.
“Because of its proximity to 8th Street and its presence within the community, we wanted to create something that encompassed everything that was happening in that area,” says Albertin. “So, we are really taking the elements of the adjacent architecture into play to really create something that would become like an icon along that main 8th Street in Airdrie.”
The townhomes include flex spaces on the ground level that can be walled off and turned into fourth bedrooms, as well as an option to add another three-piece bathroom adjacent to that room.
“There’s a couple of optional features that can be added, depending on how you want to use the space,” says Albertin. “You can have a little ensuite and bedroom if you had parents that live with you or that wanted to move in.”
The price per unit starts at $540,000 and the final price depends on whether it’s an end unit or inset unit and what the buyer wants to include.
“If you’re looking for something with a kind of higher-end feel in a smaller community, this is kind of a niche product, so it’s more
of a boutique development,” says Albertin. “I believe that, once the entire complex is built, it’s really going to provide that kind of cozy community feel.”
Completion of all eight buildings included in the development is planned for mid to late 2025. For prospective buyers worried about noise, Albertin says Shane Homes conducts a “yell test” to make sure no homeowner can hear between the units.
“What we like to do is build a home for our customers in the same way we would want to build a home for ourselves,” he says. “When it comes to attached units like these, where you have party walls separating the units, a lot of builders will minimize their spec to kind of save money. What that does is it allows for things like smells and sounds to penetrate from unit to unit. We actually take the opposite approach and we build them as soundproof as possible.”
Amenities planned for the development include a playground and dog park, so dog owners won’t have to go far from home to let their pets run free.
“You’re essentially in the heart of Airdrie and you’re able to walk to everything while still having a very high-end, affordable property,” says Albertin. “I think it’s really going to shock and amaze the surrounding community and I think we’re going to be really building something that’s going to stand the test of time in that area.” life
Autumn’s Encore: Extending Your Garden’s Vibrant Performance
Cool-season annuals for fall: pansies, violas, fall mums, asters, ornamental cabbage and kale, ornamental peppers, snapdragons, dusty miller, coral bells, nemesia, petunia, sunflowers
Hardy shrubs and trees with brilliant fall colour: cranberry, cotoneaster, amur maple, chokeberry, saskatoon, dogwood, sumac, burning bush (Euonymus), barberry (Berberis), spirea, mountain ash (Sorbus), ure pear, ornamental crabapples, birch, larch
Deep-blue skies, cool fall evenings, crisp colours and the transition from a challenging garden season are once again upon us. While the serenity of the fall garden is close, most avid gardeners take this time to continue pushing the limits of our Zone 3/4 gardens, while others may be ready to see the end in sight. If you are still eager to keep your containers and gardens full of colour, take some time to assess what’s growing in your yard.
Remove tired and spent annuals from your containers and replace them with cool-season annuals to carry them through until frost. Much like our early spring offerings, most of these will tolerate a light frost and extended cool temperatures. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have frost cloth and flannel sheets at the ready, just as we did in spring.
Missing late-season colour in your flower beds? Consider adding late-blooming perennials to add vibrancy to your garden. Cooler temperatures and shorter days allow perennials to settle in easier. Roots will happily grow in soil still warm from the summer sun, and garden soil will retain moisture easier and longer with cooler conditions. While you may not get an explosion of colour this season, they will provide lasting colour for many autumns to come.
Fall is also one of the best times to plant trees and shrubs on the prairies. Cooler temperatures, warm soil and budget-friendly prices (thanks to season-end sales) are all benefits of planting woody ornamentals this time of year. Choose shrubs and trees that provide late-season interest, such as bright red and orange fall leaf colour, to add to your gardens for more autumnal appeal.
Embrace the changing season, experiment with new plantings and enjoy the unique charm that fall gardening brings. By planning and planting thoughtfully, you can create a garden that not only withstands the chill of fall, but also bursts with colour and life, making the transition into winter a graceful and beautiful experience. life
“The garden in autumn is a symphony of grace and quiet beauty, a time to reflect and appreciate nature’s final gift before winter’s rest.”
– UNKNOWN
Olivia Johns is a Horticulturist at Blue Grass Calgary.
gardenlife WITH OLIVIA JOHNS
MATTAMY pumpsHOMES up the fun IN SOUTHWINDS
STORY BY PATRICIA MERRICK
When choosing a new neighbourhood, often it’s the amenities that appeal and Southwinds by Mattamy Homes is no exception — or, rather, it is the exception for providing one of the most interesting amenities in Airdrie: a pump track!
A pump track is a unique outdoor amenity that combines hills, banks and other obstacles to create a course for riders to complete without the need for pedalling. Such a space offers an outlet for open-ended enjoyment and creative play for people of all ages and ability levels.
Pump tracks are primarily used by cyclists, but are also targeted towards people with scooters, skateboards or wheelchairs. Paved pump tracks are often enjoyed by wheelchair-users who can ride the track in the same way cyclists or skateboarders do by using the momentum of their body to carry them through the course.
The pump track is located within Mattamy Homes’ Southwinds community. Bounded by the natural creek to the north and by 40th Avenue to the south, this neighbourhood park’s location at the entrance to Southwinds was intentionally chosen to ensure the track is more of a regional amenity, accessible to residents in both Southwinds and neighbouring communities.
“The track includes obstacles and elements that are appropriate for all ages and ability levels, making it a truly inclusive amenity
that can be enjoyed without alienating users who require accommodations,” says Mat Simmons, land development manager for Mattamy Homes.
Additionally, the park is equipped with benches and a picnic area which makes the amenity enjoyable for passive users, too. Seating and decorative planting is located closer to 40th to enhance the natural vista available from the park’s vantage point down into the creek bed area and to the west.
“We thought it was important to take this preserved natural amenity and enhance it for our residents by placing the pump track and other park spaces adjacent,” says Simmons. “The close proximity encourages users to spend time immersed in their surroundings outdoors.”
As a result, Mattamy Homes has created a unique and varied user experience and a strong sense of community. Friends and neighbours can take the regional pathway to meet at the park and enjoy physical activity and healthy play, gather for a picnic meal, and soak in the natural beauty around them — all in one place.
The pump track is already open and being enjoyed by people from across Airdrie. Southwinds residents also have access to a new pickleball court and playground. This, combined with the spray park in nearby Chinook Winds Park, means Southwinds is more than where you‘ll find your new home — it’s where you find your new life. life
TEST YOUR BUSINESS IDEA
Discover helps entrepreneurs to build a viable business solution people love and are willing to pay for. Over eight weeks, you will run experiments to determine who your customers are and whether it’s worth the time and money to build the business.
more and register at airdriecommon.ca/discover
to Securing a Mortgage
Buying a home is very exciting and can also be quite stressful if you have not prepared for the financing part of the deal.
Understanding the process behind mortgage approvals is good information for both a buyer and a seller as it can help speed up the approval process and make the transaction successful.
Real estate agents who work closely with their buyers set a good practice in discovering if their buyer(s) have been pre-approved for their mortgage. Part of this discovery is securing a copy of the pre-approval letter (lenders will often provide them with permission from the buyer) and having a conversation with the lender so there is confidence in going into the market to secure a home for the buyers.
Pre-approval letters are also a great negotiating tool when you get into competing offer situations as the confidence will be stronger for the seller to choose your offer.
It is very important to choose a lender/mortgage broker who works with you in advance with collecting all the needed documents for the mortgage approval, versus one who asks a couple of questions and tells you to go ahead and buy and will look at everything once you have an offer in place. Doing the work in advance will help shorten your condition dates, help you secure the final mortgage approval and save you the grief of not being approved.
Within the many steps of the buying process, you will write an Offer to Purchase and negotiate a deal that moves you into the Conditions of Purchase which ensure you complete your due diligence and secure financing.
The financing condition is one of those vital conditions. It is more than just having your deposit and getting the pre-approval. If a buyer has worked closely with their lender and has submitted all the paperwork required, approval can be quick.
When your lender submits the file for approval, it will reach many hands, including an underwriter who will verify and analyze the information and look at the risk of approving the loan, and, if there is less than a 20-per cent down payment, it will go to a mortgage insurance company like Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Sagen (Genworth), or Canada Guaranty.
If any of these organizations find that the risk is too high or discovers something in your credit history that does not meet their requirements, the mortgage can be denied. It is extremely important to disclose all financial matters to your lender so they can guide you to the steps to get your approval or help you plan for a mortgage in the future.
Once the lender, underwriter and mortgage insurance company give their stamp of approval, you will be able to waive conditions and secure the home.
We all work together to achieve successful closings and want to give you keys to your new home. Have the discussions in advance to save yourself time and ensure the offer you make is the one that secures you your new home.
Happy buying and selling! life
Lanark Landingcontinues to grow
BY PATRICIA MERRICK
Lanark Landing is a great place to live for those looking to buy a home in Airdrie.
For one thing, the community, located near King’s Heights on the east side of the city, is slated for a new K-8 school at the corner of Lanarkshire Drive and Lanark Boulevard.
“Rocky View County has identified Lanark Landing as a future school site. They currently have 10 [sites] identified, with Lanark Landing being top of priority,” says Erin Cripps, sales and marketing co-ordinator with Melcor Developments. “We are working together with Rocky View County on timelines and expectations.”
One of the neighbourhood’s best features is its community garden, which is fully up and running for its first season this year. The garden is maintained by the Airdrie Horticultural Society and provides an opportunity for residents to grow their own food.
The popular garden is home to 19 plots that are currently occupied by individuals and families in Lanark Landing. The plots are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, and those wanting one can put their name on a waiting list. The garden also features a designated learning garden, rhubarb planter and herb garden, as well as annual, perennial and native Alberta flowers.
Lanark Landing has plenty of green spaces, orchid trees, playgrounds, a half basketball court, and pump track for bikes and scooters, as well as
gathering spaces with
tables and walking paths. It’s also located within walking distance of an outdoor skating rink.
“Lanark Landing in Airdrie is a community that’s connected to it all,” says Cripps. “With great access to downtown Calgary, the Rocky Mountains, the airport and great schools — find everything you need in this brand-new neighbourhood.”
The Melcor Developments community boasts a variety of homes from builders such as Homes by Avi, McKee Homes, Douglas Homes, Sterling Homes and Castellano Homes. It was established in 2019 and includes triplex, single-family front-drive homes, single-family laned homes, duplex front-drive homes, duplex laned and green street homes.
There is also a tree program offered in Lanark Landing, where homeowners new to the community can choose a new tree for their property.
“We’ve partnered with Branched Out Nursery to provide you with a beautiful tree for your home. Branched Out Nursery will deliver, plant and fertilize the selected tree,” says Laura Gerbrecht, office administrator at Melcor Developments. “Whether you’re downsizing, excited about getting into your first place or you’re ready to move up, we have the perfect home for you.” life
outdoor
picnic
worklife
MEET THE MOVERS, SHAKERS AND BUSINESS MAKERS
The dangers of falling in love –with your idea
businesslife WITH JESSICA WILLIAMSON
Have you ever fallen in love with an idea?
Perhaps the most simplistic version of this concept is what my dad calls, “a buck a dream.” You purchase a lottery ticket and lose yourself in daydreams of what life will be like when you do, in fact, win. Though you may have niggling doubts about the odds of success, your storytelling mind chooses to get carried away with envisioning an idealistic future.
Many entrepreneurial ventures start out as an idea that someone has fallen in love with. While I also love “love,” I have made it my mission since joining Airdrie Economic Development in 2020 to guide entrepreneurs to take more calculated risks versus simply following their passion and (sometimes-idealistic) dreams.
In 2023, Airdrie developed a new program that fills a gap across Southern Alberta. Too many entrepreneurs and innovators execute business ideas prematurely because they seem great in theory, make sense in a spreadsheet or look irresistible in a business plan. In essence, they are not moving from intuition to evidence in their business development.
Our new program, Discover, supports the key task for a startup entrepreneur — reduce risk and uncertainty. Discover is based on business-development practices that are only a decade old, developed by author and innovator David J. Bland. Bland created his own entrepreneur-support niche that grew from his 11 years working at startups. Of his startups, one was successful, the other two were not. His book, Testing Business Ideas, is inspired by the patterns that emerged from the two that didn’t succeed. He developed hands-on techniques for quickly testing new business ideas to reduce risks and enhance the likelihood of success.
Over eight weeks, starting Oct. 22, in Airdrie’s Discover program, participants will be guided to develop a one-page business plan to deconstruct their idea into its key assumptions, identify who their customers are and conduct tests for:
• Desirability (do customers want this?)
• Feasibility (can I do this?)
• Viability (can I make money?)
I recently had the opportunity to see Bland speak in Calgary. He believes this approach to testing business ideas is the future of innovation and entrepreneurship. I wholeheartedly agree that validating an idea is so much bigger than traditional market research and business plan-development processes. I’m excited to be part of building an entrepreneurial ecosystem of excellence in Airdrie that equips our residents and incoming entrepreneurs with the tools to build viable business solutions that people love and are willing to pay for.
I hope to see you this fall and work together in developing your business ideas into success stories that capture the heads, hearts and wallets of a target audience of raving customers.
Learn more about Airdrie’s Discover program at www.airdriecommon. ca/discover. life
Jessica Williamson is an economic development officer with the City of Airdrie.
Jessica Williamson and Wendy Muise with the Innovative Approach to Economic Development Project award from Economic Developers Alberta for the Discover program. Williamson is idea-maker and program manager for Discover and Muise is curriculum developer and one of the program’s talented facilitators.
LAURA CROUTCH: BECOMING THE MENTOR YOU NEEDED
Sometimes, experiencing adversity creates the best mentors in the future. Laura Croutch remembers the deep sting of isolation and having to rely on herself from a young age as she navigated a challenging home environment. She lacked the family connections and emotional support many of us take for granted. Laura didn’t have what you would describe as a normal upbringing and made sacrifices to be a caretaker for her brother, who has cerebral palsy. Despite these challenges, Laura’s resiliency and strong sense of independence flourished equipping her to become a phenomenal adult role model at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and Area (BBBS Calgary).
Laura spent years in lively classrooms working as an education assistant, supporting students with exceptionalities. Despite the fulfilling work, she felt the constraints of the classroom were limiting her impact. Driven by a desire to do more, Laura transitioned into the financial industry, focusing on securing and investing funding for disabled individuals of all backgrounds to ensure their financial security. Around this time, she also discovered BBBS Calgary and felt an immediate pull to become the mentor she had once needed herself.
Laura is nearing the end of her second mentoring relationship with Theo, a bold and inventive 15-year-old, Laura sees a lot of herself in her mentee – they bonded quickly through their shared experiences at home, they love enjoying delicious foods, Laura supports Theo’s love of rugby, and they connect over art, specifically crocheting. Laura has been a constant presence in Theo’s life and helped her navigate personal relationships and encouraged Theo to put herself first as opposed to the needs of others; empowering her by being in her corner and always rooting for her.
As the two developed their artistic passions together, Laura’s BBBS Calgary mentoring co-ordinator, Kennedy shared an opportunity with her to nominate Theo for a local art award. Laura describes how “she always wished someone else would put her forward for opportunities like this” as a child, so she became that person for others. Through Laura’s efforts in sharing Theo’s story, Theo won the art award and a $100 cash prize. Winning the award allowed Theo to embrace her artistic talents and pursue entrepreneurial opportunities.
Today, in her own words, Laura advises anyone considering mentorship: “Just do it. Worst case, it doesn’t work out. But you might change a life.” life
STORY AND PHOTO BY BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CALGARY AND AREA
Theo and Laura
Tattoo artists find success in Airdrie
T GET INKED
he tattoo industry is booming in Airdrie, with four new studios opening up shop in just the last two years.
Sundog Studios, The Astoria Tattooing Company, Boss Tattoos and Magnolia Tattoo Collective are all new to the city and have found success since launching. Three of the shops are located in King’s Heights and one is in Cooper’s Crossing.
The studios provide a place for tattoo artists to rent space to run their business out of. Each artist has their own edge, specializing in something different and adding their own unique touch to tattooing. The studios all have Instagram accounts to display each artist’s work.
“Each of these local establishments support our community as incubators for independent tattoo artists and by offering local goods in their boutiques,” says Jessica Williamson, economic development officer with the City of Airdrie.
“As people have become more accepting and are embracing individualism, tattoos have become a modern art form of self-expression.”
STORY BY PATRICIA MERRICK AND STACIE GAETZ | PHOTOS BY SERGEI BELSKI
SUNDOG STUDIOS
Shop owner Yvonne Koprnicky has been tattooing for 11 years, but says she has always been an artist. She describes Sundog Studios as a bright, friendly shop with boho and California surf culture vibes.
Four artists work out of the studio, each with their own unique style. Elise Lamoureux specializes in illustrative black work, floral pieces and mandalas, while Dominic Kirouac specializes in black and grey realism and loves tattooing
Mahala Heald, meanwhile, enjoys doing vintage ornate, fine-line and traditional tattoos and sells butterfly prints in vintage frames. Chantal Hammond loves bolder lines, drawing mushrooms, woodland art and forest animals, while Koprnicky herself specializes in fine-line floral and black-and-grey realism.
“We’re really trying to create a community-focused artist collective,” says
THE ASTORIA TATTOOING COMPANY
The name of this shop, co-owned by longtime friends Maxine Yagilnicky and Craig Howe, was inspired by an old film.
“We named it after where they filmed The Goonies,” says Howe, referring to the town of Astoria, Ore. “We’re children of that age.”
Four tattoo artists work out of the studio, as well as an esthetician, and there’s a space reserved for local vendors to display their wares.
Yagilnicky specializes in fine-line black-and-grey floral tattoos, while Howe tattoos fine-line vintage and illustrative styles. Clare Moreau specializes in astrology and illus trative tattoos and Kory Presiloski is a tattoo apprentice still finding his groove. Avery Emerson runs her business, Emerald Brow Lounge, out of the shop, as well.
“We weren’t sure how the surrounding businesses would kind of welcome us in, but they have been amazing,” says Yagilnicky.
BOSS TATTOOS
The owner of Boss Tattoos, Mark LeMay, grew up painting artwork on helicopters, airplanes and boats and has been tattooing for ten years.
Five artists work out of his shop, including LeMay’s wife, Heather, who specializes in fine-line florals, while LeMay enjoys black-and-grey realism. Dana Dynamite specializes in watercolour tattoos and Trevor Jameus has an edge for comics-style realism. Renee Gagnon does medical and cosmetic tattooing.
“The style of tattooing a lot of us do is pretty rare. A lot of the artists have clients that fly in. They come for a week and get tattooed [over] multiple days,” says LeMay.
He and his wife also teach new artists how to tattoo.
“We are pretty obsessed with tattooing — it’s kind of our life,” he says.
MAGNOLIA TATTOO COLLECTIVE
Magnolia Tattoo Collective is an artist and maker collective pulsating with innovation and expression.
Owner Erin Belley has been tattooing for 17 years and creating art for her whole life.
“I work primarily in illustrative or semi-realism, as well as ornamental styles, using both colour or black and grey,” she says.
Belley’s apprentice, Kelly ML, specializes in custom drawing and realism portraits.
The vibrant space is a haven for tattoo enthusiasts and creators featuring tattoo artists, holistic-focused aestheticians, and an ever-expanding and unique maker market the goes beyond the world of tattooing, showcasing an array of handmade treasures crafted by local artisans and makers.
Holistic aesthetician Angela of And Skin Studio believes in aging as healthily and as gracefully as possible. She works with locally sourced skin-care products and is a holistic nutrition consultant, Reiki master, certified relationship coach and birth doula. life
Indo Spice
EXPERIENCING CULTURAL FOOD
STORY BY PATRICIA MERRICK | PHOTO BY SERGEI BELSKI
Anew vegetarian grocery store on Airdrie’s Main Street offers its customers a taste of the world, including produce shipped fresh from India.
Last March, Gagandeep Singh Grewal opened Indo Spice Grocery Store at 400 Main St. N. with his sister, Amardeep Uppal, and cousin, Arwinder Singh, to offer authentic cultural tastes from India and other countries.
“The community is so supportive. People here, they support local,” says Grewal.
The store brings in produce, dairy and other groceries from India and the U.S., offering high-quality products for a good price. A variety of international cultural items — including farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, pantry staples and even utensils — fill the shelves.
Top-selling items at Indo Spice include almonds, apples, avocados, bananas and coconuts. Products that might be hard to find elsewhere include guava, okra, taro and tindora, as well as authentic rice and naan. Grewal says the store also carries Indian spices and herbs, soft drinks, sweets and snacks, and Indian-brand Mamaearth hair and skin-care products.
“We are working really hard with suppliers and distributors to bring good-quality produce for a good rate … so we can actually give that good experience to the customer,” says Grewal. “We sell all our stuff for a good price, and [as for] our quality, we don’t compromise for that. Our produce is our biggest, I would say, thing that people should come and try.”
The store supports local produce farmers as well and is open every day. Indo Spice offers online shopping, a delivery service and has a walk-in cooler to keep produce fresh. Grewal says his business strives to be the go-to destination for Airdrie residents to get fresh produce and pantry staples.
Jessica Williamson, economic development officer with the City of Airdrie, says roughly 19 per cent of Airdrie residents are immigrants and most commonly from the Phillipines, Ukraine and India.
“We continue to see an increase in the number of entrepreneurs launching businesses offering goods to cater to our diverse and growing population,” says Williamson. life
STORY BY TARA LEVICK ILLUSTRATIONS BY LIA GOLEMBA
Airdrie’s award-winning SMARTstart program has been pairing entrepreneurs with business mentors since 2014.
More than 100 people have completed the program. Entrepreneurs have opened businesses, grown their businesses and improved their business practices. Some participants also determine that their idea is not viable or that they don’t have what it takes to be an entrepreneur. SMARTstart also considers this a success. SMARTstart is all about helping entrepreneurs realize their potential. Meet six of the program’s current entrepreneurs and their mentors.
SMARTstart also has three mentors at large. They are not paired with an entrepreneur this year; instead they work with any and all as needed!
PHOTOS BY KRISTY REIMER | ILLUSTRATIONS BY MACKENZIE COX
2020 MENTORS AT LARGE
WHAT IS THE NO. 1 QUALITY AN ENTREPRENEUR NEEDS TO HAVE IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL?
Andrew Bennett (The I.T. Company): Persistence/ tenaciousness about achieving their objectives.
Small business is big in Canada, accounting for 97.8 per cent of all businesses. While it’s the engine of our economy, the profession is both rewarding and challenging.
Joan Traub (retired, former owner of Airdrie Yoga Passion. They need to believe in their product or and their ability to outshine their competition.
Jo-Anne Yau (Masuch Law): An entrepreneur must able to read the market – know where consumer is, where it’s going, and how to fit into the market.
It’s been shown that business owners with education in entrepreneurship have an 80- to 90-per cent chance of success. Airdrie’s SMARTstart entrepreneurial training program can accelerate your learning, helping you avoid costly mistakes. This made-in-Airdrie program offers online learning, workshops with local experts, mentorship and business planning to people with a business idea and owners who have been in operation for less than three years.
Each program participant walks away with a completed plan — either feasibility, business or strategic — and connections to the supportive Airdrie business community.
In the past ten years, 144 entrepreneurs have completed the SMARTstart program.
This issue, we feature the final six participating entrepreneurs from the 2024 cohort. Visit airdrielife.com to read more about why each participant decided on entrepreneurship.
TWIN OAKS TELEHEALTH SERVICES INC.
Ian Irvine
I have a BSc in kinesiology and biology and developed a vocational skill in occupational rehabilitation over five years where I learned a variety of injury profiles, treatment protocols and critical-thinking skills to provide quality care. Throughout my experiences, I have witnessed gaps in the care that people are being provided in the medical industry and telehealth is a great solution to many of these challenges. Twin Oaks Telehealth Services will specialize in delivering exercise therapy for the prevention and recovery of disease and/or injury.
What I hope to learn: I am brand-new to entrepreneurship and there are an infinite number of resources, advice and directions to go. Time is valuable and I don’t want to waste it. That is why I am incredibly grateful to be a part of this program that can help me to connect to real resources, to know which advice is wise, and know what I need to focus on with development and execution so that Twin Oaks Telehealth Services can have a really “smart start.”
Mentor: Jennifer Benner, Benner Database Designs
YOGA ROOM ELEMENTS
Ellen Wolfe
To support my own yoga practice and artistic interests, I took my unappealing yoga supports and redesigned them into textile art. While attending yoga events, I was being approached as to where I purchased my yoga props and requests started coming in. Yoga Room Elements is an e-commerce platform offering handcrafted yoga and meditation-support products, including yoga bolsters, meditation seats, supports and accessories. My products are handcrafted locally, utilizing sustainably sourced local materials and are beautifully designed to reflect your unique personality.
What I hope to learn: I want to create the foundations and systems to build this hobby into a business. As a product-based business is a new venture for me, I want to develop my skills in collecting data to make informed business decisions.
Mentor: Tia Callaway, Sonic Breakthrough Coaching
REVOLUTION HOLISTIC HEALTH COACHING
Caira Haynes
I have been a Registered Nurse (RN) for 12 years and have spent my career at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Most recently, I received my Health Coach certificate from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and am planning to open a holistic health-coaching practice to help improve the health and wellness of those in our great community. I have a passion for nutrition and achieving optimal health through natural means. My goal is to help you uncover the root causes of your concerns and work towards improving your well-being in a sustainable way! What I hope to learn: I see myself thriving in a beautiful office space in Airdrie within five years. Therefore, I need support with all the steps required to hit the ground running to start and maintain a successful business.
Mentor: Tracy Goodbrand, Irricana Kountry Kennel
VINTAGE APOTHECARY
Pam McLeod
Vintage Apothecary is a traditional herbal dispensary, natural product retailer, and holistic health and wellness consultation service. I am proud to offer high-quality, therapeutic herbs that are organically grown or wildcrafted, sustainably sourced, and purchased at fair trade or better. I am a passionate herbalist and clinical aromatherapist, and am currently pursuing a Clinical Herbalist certification. My areas of focus include women’s health, Alzheimer’s disease support and end-of-life care. In addition to being a natural progression of my professional experience in the environmental and natural skin-care industries, Vintage was formed from my desire to empower people with options for their health and wellness following the COVID-19 pandemic. What I hope to learn: I want to structure and grow my business in a way that is financially stable and sustainable long-term to become a staple in the community. In five years, I’d like to be considering moving into a brick-andmortar location.
Mentor: Dawnie McElligott of At Dawn Wellness and Joan Traub, former owner of Airdrie Yoga Studio
CURSED DOLL CULT
Kristy Ecklin
I’m passionate about helping people to express themselves through the use of fashion as art. My mission is to bring together beautiful humans with a strange aesthetic — lovers of shoujo manga, horror stories and bold street fashion — and to give them a place to connect and bring their unique style to life. At Cursed Doll Cult, the entire garment is used as a canvas. I’m so excited to bring you an experience that is more than fast fashion: this is unique, wearable art!
What I hope to learn: I hope to learn the practical business skills I need to bring my customers as much weird joy and fun fashion as possible. The Airdrie business community is truly a special group of people and it’s an honour to be a part of SMARTstart! life
Mentor: Kelly Paisley, The I.T. Company
CONTINENT CONSTRUCTIONS
Lalit Mohan
At Continent Constructions, our passion lies in crafting environments where everyone can thrive. Our journey began with a simple, yet powerful vision: to revolutionize the renovation industry. As a general contractor, I noticed a gap between exceptional craftsmanship and quality service, motivating me to establish Continent Constructions. Whether it’s designing cozy homes or functional workspaces, we aim to elevate productivity, satisfaction and overall success for both residential and commercial clients. From grasping our clients’ visions to bringing them to life, our devoted team ensures meticulous attention to detail in every project, regardless of its size.
What I hope to learn: Looking ahead, I’m eager to further develop my skills in sales, networking, marketing and social media. Over the next few years, I envision Continent Constructions evolving into a comprehensive builder, transforming spaces and lives and fostering a sense of belonging for all.
Mentor: Kari Lines, Budget Blinds of Airdrie
FUELLING STARTUPS
Starting a new business is a thrilling adventure, bringing both excitement and challenges. Mentors are experienced guides who help startups navigate through their business development, offering valuable insights, direction and clarity while supporting their road map to success.
Airdrie’s SMARTstart program matches new entrepreneurs with a one-on-one mentor who is eager to share their wisdom, experience and guidance. The mentorship group is made up of volunteers from the Airdrie business community whose background and knowledge act as catalysts to propel startups toward growth and success.
If you are interested in sharing your business expertise with new entrepreneurs and have about 30 hours to give over eight months, contact program organizers at info@airdriecommon.ca to learn more.
JENNIFER BENNER
Benner Database Designs, Owner
My aha! moment: When I was asked to reassess whether I was building a business or creating a job for myself. A successful business will function without you. If it doesn’t, then it is self-employment. Applying that lens to business decisions was an effective and impactful guide. Why I enjoy mentoring: I enjoy mentoring due to the energy and enthusiasm the entrepreneurs bring to the SMARTstart program each year. I also appreciate the challenge and creativity of collaborative problem-solving with them when they are working through the various stages in their business development.
SHELLEY BITZ
Bank of Montreal, Relationship Manager
My aha! moment: To choose one aha! moment is near to impossible because, truthfully, the aha! moments never stop. It’s part of what keeps my job interesting. Those aha! moments come as the city, the economics and the world change.
My greatest strength I bring to the mentor role: My long-term knowledge and commitment to business banking in the same city. With over 20 years of business banking experience in Airdrie, I have a strong knowledge not only [of] the business banking industry but the city, and many of the people within it over all areas. My genuine love for the city of Airdrie, along with that knowledge, provides me with a strong passion to help the businesses and the people who own them be successful.
TIA CALLAWAY
Sonic Breakthrough Coaching, Partner
My aha! moment: There have been so many aha! moments for me, but probably the one that sticks with me the most is that there is no one “right” way to run a business. It is so important to bring yourself into the business and really let you and your values show through. Let your business reflect you and your character. If you are able to thrive in your business, your business will also thrive!
Why I enjoy mentoring: I really enjoy having the opportunity to mentor entrepreneurs because it can be a very lonely journey when you are building a business. I love being able to “partner” with them to help create a strategy/road map. I was fortunate to have the experience that I gained throughout my corporate career, which taught me how to really run a business, but not everyone has had that experience. Being able to lend that to someone who is great at what they do and help strengthen their business acumen is very rewarding!
TRACY GOODBRAND
Irricana Kountry Kennel, Pack Leader
My aha! moment: I had my “nose to the grindstone” developing and growing my business, mainly focusing on all the pets we get to care for. I wasn’t really paying attention to the difference I was making to the pet community until the Town of Irricana called me, asking my permission to name their new dog park the Tracy Goodbrand Dog Park. What a humbling experience! It proved that my philosophy: If we focus on the pets, the owners will take care of us.
Why I enjoy mentoring: I find it so worthwhile to give back and share my experience, especially if it can help a new business owner not to make the mistakes that I likely made. I so benefited from my mentors throughout the years and, as a wise man said, “The best way to learn from experience is to learn from someone else’s experience.” I also love watching these new business owners learn, grow and succeed!
HEATHER HARKE
Former owner of Shoplift Deals Ltd.
Business Development, Sales and Marketing Strategist
My aha! moment: My aha! moment in business came early on as I learned of the opportunity to create community. Developing friendships and connections and providing safe spaces for people to be their true selves was always something I was proud of that my business offered. Many people have met each other and formed lasting relationships, just from being a client. A business can be so much more than just a job. It truly can build a community.
Why I enjoy mentoring: As a mentor, I am grateful to be able to help support others in their journey through entrepreneurship. It can be lonely even in the best of times, and being able to be a trusted person to come to for venting, idea-generation, marketing support, work/life balance and general feedback/accountability is truly an honour. I am happy to be a part of helping someone feel like they are not alone. As a business development and marketing executive, my ability to help strategize and be a sounding board have always been strengths I share.
GARY MANOCHA
Condor Integrity CPA, Managing Director
My aha! moment: When I got into the business, I didn’t think I would make it through on my own. A lot of people in this industry buy practices to have a client base. I started from scratch. I was always determined to make it work. As I got into it, it almost shocked me to see the demand there is for good CPAs.
What I enjoy about mentoring: I enjoy mentoring as I want to give back to society and be a part of their success story. I am passionate about people who are determined to work hard and think outside the box
DAWNIE MCELLIGOTT
At Dawn Wellness, Owner/Registered Massage Therapist
My aha! moment: Helping people feel better always filled my heart. Getting amazing massages from RMTs from a certain school was my aha! moment that that was what I wanted to do and who I wanted to learn from. That was 20 years ago!
My greatest strength I bring to the mentor role: My biggest strength is relationship-building and basic financial.
KELLY PAISLEY
The I.T. Company Ltd., President and CEO
My aha! moment: Realizing the importance of delegating. Hire skilled employees and empower them to take on responsibilities, allowing you the time to grow the business.
What I enjoy about mentoring: I enjoy passing my experience on to other people.
BRENT PARK
Liquid Amber Landscape Management Ltd., President
My aha! moment: That your goal as an entrepreneur is to build your business into an asset that does not require your complete involvement in running the day-to-day affairs of the company. The most important and impactful journey you will take (and need to take), is the transition from operating a business to owning an asset.
My greatest strength as a mentor: My greatest strength as a mentor is my ability to actively listen. I engage with entrepreneurs to understand their pain points, challenges and victories. This active listening helps them talk out their challenges, creating an open and collaborative dialogue to find possible solutions. By providing a supportive space where they feel heard and understood, I help them process their thoughts and emotions, building trust and fostering a supportive environment for growth.
JOAN TRAUB
Airdrie Yoga Studio (retired), Owner (Chief Cook and Bottle Washer!)
My aha! moment: Early in my twenties, after working for a couple of banks and an energy service company, I realized that I was not cut out for corporate life. I wanted to be able to have an impact on a business and my community. I didn’t want to be just a number in a large business, so I started on a life of entrepreneurship, and I never looked back. Growing my businesses took a lot of time and personal commitment, but was so worth the investment.
Why I enjoy mentoring: Prior to joining the SMARTstart program, I mentored MBA students at the University of Calgary. I have been with the SMARTstart program since its inception and enjoy seeing the passion that entrepreneurs have for their business. Mentorship is my way of giving back to the community that supported my business.
JO-ANNE YAU
Miles Davison LLP, Innovations Lawyer
My aha! moment: When I started thinking beyond my job as a lawyer and thinking about how to better serve my clients. This came from making better investments in my own tools and resources and working more efficiently.
My greatest strength: I believe in “sustainable mentoring.” This means that my job is not done when the entrepreneur has completed the SMARTstart program; it means that entrepreneurs learn how to ask themselves questions about risk, budget, marketing and operations. I want entrepreneurs to understand how to coach themselves and serve as an accountability partner to the next generation of entrepreneurs.
KARI LINES
Budget Blinds of Airdrie
What I wish I knew when I started out: I wish I would have got a mentor and a business coach earlier on in my career as the ones I have now are extremely valuable I also wish I would have known to not take things personally when it comes to business. life
A CLOSER LOOK AT YOUR COMMUNITY
Deb Cryderman, APL Director
STORY BY JODY SANDERSON | PHOTO BY KRISTY REIMER
From bulldozers to tower cranes and from girders and posts, there’s not too much about building a new home for the Airdrie Public Library (APL) that doesn’t excite APL Director Deb Cryderman.
“I get a little chill every time I go by it,” exudes Cryderman of the new municipal multi-use facility being constructed on Main Street, replacing the library’s previous strip-mall location across from Tower Lane.
She has come a long way from Sudbury, Ont., where she was born and raised. Her dad was in mining, all her friends had family
in mining, and the giant nickel in her hometown made it pretty clear it was a mining town.
“Rocks are everywhere there. I grew up around rocks. I explored rocks. I loved rocks,” Cryderman says. “They didn’t talk back to me!”
Rocks were all she wanted to play with when she grew up, her goal being to become a geologist. Even when her family moved to another mining town — Fernie, B.C. — her goal didn’t waver.
When Cryderman enrolled at the University of Lethbridge, she was required to take a liberal arts course.
“To be a part of this new project? It’s simply incredible!”
“I chose sociology, for whatever reason,” she recalls. “That particular course revolved entirely around [Margaret Atwood’s novel,] The Handmaid’s Tale, and I was hooked. That’s all I wanted to study for the rest of my life! I just wanted to know how people worked when they’re together.”
While Cryderman was earning her degree in sociology, the undergrad continued to be involved in what she thought was just a hobby.
“I had worked in the Fernie Library as a summer student, and the University [of Lethbridge] Library in the winter. I even volunteered at the Lethbridge Public Library in my spare time. I loved the library,” she says. Before long, sociology gave way to a new passion — libraries.
After becoming a credited library technician, Cryderman worked in the Northwest Territories as a school librarian. Next came library positions in Cranbrook, B.C., Camrose and Grande Prairie. In the fall of 2023, Cryderman became the new director of APL.
“I feel like I’m finally home!” she says. “I travelled many times through Airdrie from Calgary on my way north, and I always thought it was a neat little town. And now? To be a part of this new project? It’s simply incredible!”
Cryderman says there is actually a formula for how large a library should be based upon the size and diversity of its municipality. Airdrie’s old library (next to City Hall) is about a quarter the size of what it should be for a city that is now past 80,000 residents. In contrast, the new facility, just down the road, on the site of the former fire hall on Main Street S., will be 73,000 sq. ft., with 53,000 designated for the new library.
“We have spectacular programmers, who are really passionate about what they do: building community,” Cryderman says. “However, we don’t have a collection that reflects our community. We have great programming, but we need more-diverse programming.”
Cryderman says public libraries are vital to maintaining community connections.
“We live in an isolating time, in my mind. It’s become easy to stay at home. We’ve become more connected to our devices, than to other human beings,” she says. “The library is one of the only places where everyone can go. Where we can meet people who are different. When we interact with each other, face-to-face, the differences fall away.
“We are building a community so people can get along outside the building.”
Cryderman, along with the library board and staff, has been actively collaborating with the City of Airdrie on the $65-million project, which is set for a fall 2025 opening. The Airdrie Multi-Use and Library Facility (AMULF) will be focused on art and the bringing together of artists and ideas. (See more details on page 84)
“Participation from the community is welcome,” she says. “We have so many opportunities to get involved personally, such as naming a room, or even a library shelf. The Advocates for the Airdrie Public Library (a volunteer friends of the library group) are also a great part of this initiative. Anyone can physically be a part of the building!”
With the new library’s grand opening less than a year away, Cryderman watches the bricks and mortar become walls, rooms, windows and open doors, and she couldn’t be happier. life
A conversation about culture at City Hall
airdrielife hosted a Q&A with the City of Airdrie’s Culture and Heritage team: Clay Aragon, heritage and event services manager; Kim Harris, culture specialist; and Michael McAllister, public art specialist. Combined, they have 50 years of experience with the City.
PHOTO BY SERGEI BELSKI
It’s a very exciting time to really move to a new horizon around culture and heritage and how do we work with the community to provide that service.
Q. WHAT IS THE VISION/GOAL FOR THE HERITAGE AND CULTURE TEAM?
CLAY ARAGON:
The department underwent a realignment from Community Development to Culture and Heritage to focus on delivering services based on community needs. The aim is to prepare for the city’s growth, particularly in areas of culture and heritage, by responding to evolving needs such as cultural initiatives and Indigenous heritage, aligning with the calls to Truth and Reconciliation. The department aims to preserve, celebrate and make Airdrie’s culture and heritage accessible to all residents and visitors.
KIM HARRIS:
My role involves managing monuments, memorials and plaques, and working with organizations that propose these installations. We will partner with local, national and international organizations to achieve these goals and build strong relationships.
MICHAEL MCALLISTER:
Public art is also an area of focus for our department, and the co-ordination of some of these projects fall under my role. Airdrie has a long-standing history of public art and community involvement is always a top priority in this area. The Public Art Policy aims to guide our public art acquisitions; it aims to enhance quality of life, create a vibrant environment and foster community pride for Airdrie residents.
Q: WHAT’S THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION YOU’VE FACED IN YOUR ROLE? WHAT IS ONE THING YOU WISH PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT YOUR ROLES?
MICHAEL MCALLISTER:
One of the biggest misconceptions could be that there is a misunderstanding as to how public art is very much a collaborative effort, involving the community, council approval and administrative co-ordination. We [City of Airdrie staff] do not actually vote on public art projects; rather, we provide technical information to assist the decision-makers who are Council and ad hoc Community Selection Panel members. Staff from other departments with specialized skills in maintenance and safety may also offer feedback to make sure the project is successful. We greatly value all the input as we have seen time and time again that it truly does make for better projects. It’s not a quick process as it involves a detailed selection process and criteria to meet community-agreed outcomes. Public art is “by the public for the public,” and we aim for that every time. There is no “one person” making the decision.
KIM HARRIS:
For my area, misconceptions stem from the department’s shift from community development to a more-specific focus on monuments, memorials and plaques. Now, the department works differently with groups, focusing on the procurement and maintenance of these gifts to the City. A new policy is being developed to guide the acceptance and standards for monuments and memorials, emphasizing sustainability and low maintenance.
Q: WHAT CAN THE COMMUNITY LOOK FORWARD TO? CLAY ARAGON:
One of the largest public art projects is being integrated into the new Airdrie Multi-Use and Library Facility [AMULF], shaped by extensive community engagement. The process included gathering feedback, narrowing down choices, and selecting the final art pieces and artists. We are also looking forward to the new spaces that will be accessible for arts and culture programming the AMULF will provide. [See story, page 84]
KIM HARRIS:
City council has approved a budget for a Veterans’ Memorial on Veterans Boulevard. The memorial will feature banners and panels, silhouettes, and benches [dedicated to] veterans. The designs were created in collaboration with veterans, making the memorial deeply meaningful for the community. There will be an Indigenous veterans’ panel designed with input from an Indigenous veteran, and three other panels depicting veterans’ stories from air, land and sea.
Gwacheon Park [in Nose Creek Regional Park] will see several enhancements, including the planting of historical species mentioned in the Gwacheon Scroll (which accompanied the gift of the totem poles), a rope and post fence to define the area, and the installation of a Korean arch, also known as a hongsalmun. The hongsalmun creates an entrance into a sacred place of significant importance. A celebration for these enhancements is planned for Sept. 18. The totem poles have been restored and returned to Gwacheon Park, reflecting the previous sister-city relationship with Gwacheon, [South Korea].
Gapyeong War Monument [commemorating the Korean War Battle of Gapyeong victory] will have two celebrations annually, one in July and one in April. This monument, located at the Town and Country Centre, along with the totem poles and the Veterans Memorial, is seen as a potential tourist attraction.
MICHAEL MCALLISTER:
The Water Tower, a municipally recognized historic resource, is being rehabilitated to heritage standards, with the project expected to be completed by fall 2024. The current Public Art Policy, in place since 2008, is being revised and updated to better serve the community’s needs. Poetry in Motion, in partnership with the library, features local poets’ work on Airdrie Transit during Alberta Culture Month [September]. The AMULF will include 24 to 36 public exhibition spaces showcasing local, regional, and sometimes national or international artists. This initiative revives the successful art exhibition programs previously held at Genesis Place, Bert Church LIVE Theatre and City Hall, providing artists with opportunities to display and sell their work.
Q: IN CONCLUSION…:
CLAY ARAGON:
We are a small, but very dynamic group and every single one of us does something totally different. It’s a very exciting time to really move to a new horizon around culture and heritage and how do we work with the community to provide that service. And [there are] lots of exciting projects that we’re working on in the near and long term. life
Get ready to be INSPIRED Get ready to be INSPIRED
STORY BY JODY SANDERSON
There is a low undercurrent of electricity in the room. A faint, but palpable hum. Like a generator in the distance. The room is small. There are only three people in it, but the hum is unmistakeable.
I’m sitting with Clay Aragon, manager of Heritage, Culture & Events with the City of Airdrie, and Claudia Usuga-Benitez, Community Services project co-ordinator with the City. The buzz is coming from them. It is them.
“It began three years ago,” begins Aragon, with a smile. “Our consultant, HCMA and RPG, conducted a household survey for residents about what they would like to see downtown for services and amenities in the multi-use space. What would make them want to come downtown? What might increase their interest in visiting the new building and/or become a library member?”
A space for the Airdrie Multi-Use and Library Facility (AMULF) had been secured by the City. Suggestions for the multi-use component have included a coffee shop, an art gallery/exhibition space, pop-up markets, presentation space and an art-focused space the whole family can enjoy, one that would flow with the new library.
“It will be the catalyst for the downtown, to grow it, to get residents to come,” says Aragon.
The proposed name of this new facility? Inspire.
And so, it began.
Usuga-Benitez is the liaison between all of the external consultants and the City.
“I’m the one to ensure that the consultants have all the information they need to do the design and the construction,” she explains. “If there is a problem, I’m the one to provide whoever can address that problem.”
The hum is getting louder.
Once the project is completed, Aragon says, he and his team will completed, Aragon says, he programming for much of the multiuse facility. At this stage, he is the one to provide input to the design consultants to ensure the spaces are designed in keeping with the programming planned and Council’s vision.
“We ensure that the spaces are designed and constructed to meet community needs and programs,” says Aragon. “And, when we
don’t have programming, we have opportunities for rentals [and] opportunities for partners who can help us with curating some of these spaces.”
With that in mind, one of the meeting rooms, for example. has been designed in consultation with Indigenous Elders, community members and members of Circle for Reconciliation.
The new facility will feature art studios offering classes from beginner to intermediate levels in drawing, painting and art fundamentals. These studios will provide a dedicated civic space for art education, which currently doesn’t exist in Airdrie.
There will also be large multi-purpose rooms, including a round room that is inclusive and available for use by various cultural communities, including Indigenous groups. These rooms can be rented for meetings, presentations and other events.
The atrium will host various seasonal activities, with social stairs enhancing the space’s functionality and appeal, especially during festive times such as Christmas.
In addition, rentable rooms equipped with technology for creating YouTube videos or podcasts will be available, encouraging community members to engage in digital-content creation.
Public art pieces for the AMULF have already been selected by the City’s Public Art Selection Committee and approved by Council and will be part of the whole vibe. From May 27 to June 2, community members were able to view the public art proposals. There were more than 1,000 comments and suggestions.
The outdoor art piece titled From Earth to Sky, created by Adrian Stimson and Pierre Poussin, is a powerful tipi-themed structure.
Caitlind r. c. Brown and Wayne Garrett are the creators of the indoor art installation, Landscapes of the Imagination
The facility will have underground and surface parking for 182.
Aragon urges the community to check the renderings of the new facility on the City’s website.
The energy is catching. And Airdrie will be buzzing next fall, when Inspire opens to all. life
VOICE & VISION
STORY BY SHEILA HUMPHREY
VOICE AND VISION IS CELEBRATING NINE YEARS OF CREATIVITY.
This annual event brings together artists and writers from Airdrie and surrounding communities. The Airdrie Public Library plays a big role in its success, providing a place for the writers’ group and a venue for the Voice and Vision gala.
This year, there are 14 writers and 14 artists that have been randomly paired up for the project. This article highlights four of these partnerships. Three partners have chosen the artist’s initial piece and the writer’s response to them. One partnership will show the writer’s initial piece of writing and the artist’s response to it.
Each pair of creative individuals try to honour the intent of the original, while being inspired to make their own expressive connections. The results are often surprising. All 28 artworks and compositions have been captured in a Voice and Vision publication, available for purchase at the gala on Sept. 21.
SHEILA HUMPHREY, WRITER AND AFSHAN KHAN, ARTIST
Sheila Humphrey:
What do animals say to each other? What makes the world turn? There’s always something to wonder about each time I write. Inspiration comes from my children’s enthusiasms, an article in the paper, a chance encounter…
Bugsy and Zorro
Come see the artwork and hear the writing at this year’s Voice and Vision gala at the Airdrie Public Library on Sept. 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. This free event includes entertainment and tasty bites in addition to the presentations and copies of the 2024 Voice and Vision publication will be available for purchase. Artwork and the accompanying writing will be kept on display in the library until the end of October. 1. 1.
“As I was sayin’, Professor Higgs should never have had his name on the boson particle.”
“Does it really matter?” asks Bugsy. “What difference does it make what it’s called? Just to know the God particle exists is enough to satisfy me!”
“They could just as well call it the dog particle then,” announces Zorro, the junior member of the pair. “It’s the other research scientists like Anderson, Brout and Hooft who were left out and should be pissed.” He excuses himself momentarily as they pass by a suitable tree.
“Forget the unfortunate human aspect of scientific discovery. Focus on the poetry of the boson particle,” urges Bugsy.
“Like, the boson as the force that holds all nuclei together?”
“Yes! And get this — Higgs saw the universe filled with an invisible field of energy,” adds Bugsy.
“And the boson is the bit that flakes off when things happen, right?” asks Zorro.
“Kind of…CERN discovered an actual boson in 2012.”
“Right away Higgs got the Nobel Prize, and was rich and famous,” insists Zorro.
“Listen Zed,” (Bugsy’s affectionate term for his friend), “Higgs didn’t seek fame or fortune, he even turned down a knighthood!”
“And free food!” exclaims Zorro. The thought of a royal banquet makes him drool.
“Speaking of—“ yelps Bugsy, catching the tossed treat on the fly.
“What a good boy!” exclaims his owner.
“And here’s my darling Zorro!” breathes his owner.
“See you tomorrow!” Bugsy says.
“Remember, it’s my chess move,” counters Zorro. They trot off in opposite directions.
Afshan Khan’s Response:
I am a participating artist at voice and vision this year, love this project! I was paired up with an amazing writer, Sheila Humphrey. This art is a response piece for her story called Bugsy and Zorro! I complimented this poem with my imagination and created this textured piece.
The Unknown, acrylic on gallerywrapped canvas (24 x 18 inches)
Puddles, oil on board, (10 x 20 inches unframed; 13 x 23 inches framed)
3. Vulnerable, watercolour on 80lb drawing paper, artist’s collage materials (8.5 x 11.5 inches unframed; 12.5 x 16 framed)
4. Alone, acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas, (16 x 20 inches)
LORRAINE JANZEN, WRITER AND TAMI HORT, ARTIST
ALLISSA
2. 3. 4.
Tami Hort’s artwork:
My painting of the boy running along the curb is of my grandson in early spring. I could feel the cold wet water soaking him as he laughed and splashed through the melting snow. The composition; long and narrow, shows the bright reflection of his red coat and boots.
Lorraine Janzen’s response: A PLAYGROUND OF SEASONS
Winter and spring dance on the air, tumbling, twisting, and swirling,
An interplay of soft, gentle whispers and harsh laments.
With every whisper, thin patches of snow give way to warmth, and water begins to trickle.
But the complaints, unyielding, resist surrender, encouraging snow piles to persist.
Nature is conflicted, creating a welcome design.
Spring sighs, delighted to come alive, murmurs through open windows,
Tickles the ears of a little one, curious, he ponders which boots to wear.
Winter and spring collide creating a musical of water traveling down drainpipes.
Snow mounds crunch under the weight of puddle boots, ready for rivulets of fun.
Water is flowing, tumbling, gurgling, beguiling little eyes, and ears.
The seasons vie for his attention, each one jealous of the others tenacity.
Spring brushes the innocent face with a breeze and warmth from the sun, while winter wrestles with a resolution and sends a final refrain.
The child shivers, then, smiling, he runs through the current of water along the sidewalk. With giggles of joy, he scurries; feet splashing, legs jumping, and arms swinging.
Back and forth he races between the seasons, each one enticing but winter gives way.
Final snow mounds halt the flow of water, the child stops, and with feet together, he jumps!
Water and snow travel upwards, as high as the child is tall and cascade down along sleeves and pants and then, settles back in the cheerful stream, as it waits for more play. Spring and Winter together, nature’s beauty, a child’s playground.
This poem was inspired by the interplay of the two seasons, winter and spring. Winter is not ready to leave, and spring is eager to be present. Both seasons vie for the little boy’s attention, sharing their gifts and creating an afternoon of fun.
BLONDIN, WRITER AND ANITA SCHILL, ARTIST
Anita Schill’s artwork:
Vulnerable, watercolour on 80lb drawing paper, artist’s collage materials (8.5 x 11.5 inches unframed; 12.5 x 16 framed)
Allissa Blondin’s response: OVERTURE TO AN OCEAN
A rare glimpse indeed it is to witness the restorative power of a single weary woodland water nymph’s teardrop. A mystical miracle of monumental import that completely reverses the chaotic effect of humankind’s careless self-concern.
The slinky, sultry seaweed, now dancing freely, was completely unaware that only moments ago she was grappling for her life after becoming deeply entangled with the remnants of a piece of elegantly designed green metallic wrapping paper bound with dingy discarded dental floss.
The frisky phytoplankton frolicked with bubbly effervescence after being released from the heavy burden of living under the sharp steel scissors that had settled stiffly upon them.
The helpless, hapless hermit crab emerged from his faded yellow home just in time to witness the large plastic plate, that had previously imprisoned him in his shell, invert upon itself and disappear into a puff of nothingness before his very eyes.
The coy but clever catfish popped its head out of its submerged spawning-season shelter and sang a scintillating song after a piece of coloured glass dislodged itself from the entrance to his nest and seemed to sizzle out of sight.
If only the weary woodland water nymph wasn’t the work of wishful whimsy. What a wonderous welcoming watery world we would witness.
Allissa and Anita’s thoughts on their partnership: Immersed in the unfamiliar, yet peaceful lagoons of the Galápagos Islands, Anita was presented with a new realm of filtered light, waves dancing above and dark shadowy animals swirling around her. Allissa noticed designs that resembled decorative wrapping paper at the bottom of the scene, inspiring the flow of alliterative ideas.
CHAD STEWART, WRITER AND MEGAN ELLAHI, ARTIST
Megan Ellahi’s painting:
Creating this acrylic landscape painting involved channeling the serene power of the mountains, my happy place. The looming peaks symbolize permanence and solace, contrasting with the overgrown wheat field and abandoned barn. This juxtaposition reflects the tranquility found in nature, a refuge for solitude and contemplation amidst life’s impermanence.
Chad Stewart’s response: MOUNTAINS
The mountains soar into the bright sky
The wind whips and batters the unyielding stone
Thousands of years have passed
Yet here they stand like majestic monuments testifying to many ages gone by
People come and people go
Fields are plowed
Seeds planted
Crops grow and are harvested
Buildings are erected, then time ushers them to the grave
This is the cycle that has been destined from the beginning
Birth …
Growth …
Decay …
But in the midst of all this the mountains soar
They reach to the sky and stand
Unmoved
Undaunted by the passage of time
Confident they will see the birth, growth, and decay of countless generations
They are overseers that stand no matter what
Look to the mountains, for they stand strong and sure
They instruct us
Though we are mortal and will decay and fade like this barn
We should be like the mountains
In times of joy and peace, or in times of trials and struggles we should stand like them
Stand with your back erect, shoulders out, chin up
Take the battering of the wind; the rain; the snow
But stand strong knowing who you are and where you’re going
Be like the mountains and soar
Be like the mountains, firmly rooted and grounded
Stand till the end
The end comes for us all, but how will you be when it comes?
Will you still be standing, ushered into eternity with your head held high?
Will you soar?
Will you be unmoved?
Will you stand?
Megan Ellahi’s beautiful painting of a rundown barn in the shadow of the mountains soaring behind it provided ample inspiration for me to work with. When creating, I always want to draw on the visual piece, but like to extrapolate on a larger more metaphoric or deep understanding we can draw from the scene. For example, my piece goes from extolling the unmoveable standing of the mountains over time, to encouraging the reader to be like the mountains and stand through the course of time. life
MOVIES 101: TEACHING YOUTH LIFE SKILLS —
ONE FILM AT A TIME
STORY BY STACIE GAETZ | PHOTO BY KRISTY REIMER
Imagine racing down a road at 250 km/hour in a 1970 Dodge Charger, breaking into a bank with a gang of men donning clown masks, or singing on stage at an international competition with more than just the title on the line … and all before lunch period.
That’s what students in Paul Wunderlich’s Film & Media Arts Class at George McDougall High School get to experience. Wunderlich has been teaching the class for two years and says he looks forward to stepping into the classroom every day.
“I have always loved movies and I even worked at Blockbuster [Video] when I was younger,” he says. Wunderlich adds that, although it was very common to spend a lot of free time watching movies when he was a teenager, the kids he teaches today often opt for short-form entertainment.
“It is not uncommon for me to have a student who hasn’t watched more than a handful of movies in their lifetime,” he says.
“That is part of what we talk about. How the long-form art of a movie allows characters to evolve and build up tension and suspense and add dimension to the film — something a short video clip can’t do.”
The class examines how things like camerawork, lighting, dialogue, settings, scene order, costumes and more help deliver the message a movie is trying to convey.
Wunderlich says some students start taking the class thinking it will be an easy mark, but they quickly learn there is much more to critiquing a movie than sitting back with a box of popcorn.
Grade 11 student Aidan Kernaghan admits that, when she signed up for the class, she was looking forward to, “watching movies and using the time to get some more important classwork done.” However, she found herself becoming invested in the movies and engulfed in the process of reviewing them.
“I learned a lot about what goes into filmmaking that you never really think about. There is so much more going on that you don’t pay attention to when you just watch a movie,” she says.
“But, when you sit there and analyze, you notice how the camera moves in an action shot to make you feel like you’re there. How the music builds and dies down to build intensity, or that certain dialogue at the beginning of the film can foreshadow what may happen later. It was really interesting learning the
ability to understand the art of the movie and not just the entertainment.”
The students watch a fiction movie made after 2005 at the beginning of the week and spend the rest of the week discussing the details and completing related assignments.
The final assignment of the class gets the students to pitch the idea for a movie, as if to Hollywood executives.
“The pitch-your-own-movie project was probably one of the best things I have done in school,” says Kernaghan.
“I had a ton of fun working on it and Mr. Wunderlich allowed all kinds of creative freedom, so we could do almost anything we wanted.”
Kernaghan’s idea was for a mystery/drama set in the late 1800s. The main character is a female university professor being blackmailed by someone who knows a secret that could destroy her life and career. She hires a private investigator to help her uncover this blackmailer who sends her tasks to do that become increasingly more violent.
Wunderlich says the final project involves students coming up with a director, style of cinematography, actors and more for their production.
“Through this project, I learned that there is way more to moviemaking than one might think,” says Kernaghan.
“We had almost two weeks to make the pitch, and it was barely enough time to get the basic outline for what the film could be, let alone details and surprises in the plot, creating dialogue for at least a 90-minute film, costume design, making things historically accurate and so much more that goes into making a work of art.”at goes into making a work of art.”
Wunderlich adds his class has its own plot twist: It is helping to prepare the students for real life by teaching them how to have a low-stakes argument and opening them up to hear other people’s perspectives.
“It is also a stress-reliever,” he says.
“This is time where students get to forget about what is troubling them and talk about something they are passionate about. They get to dissect other fictional characters’ lives and try to figure out what it all means. It is engaging their mental energy in a positive way.”
We couldn’t let our film expert go without asking him: “What makes a good movie?”
“A great movie is the one that matches the vibe of the mood you are in at the time,” says Wunderlich. “The one that lets you escape and entertains you in that moment.” life
The Airdrie Arts & Culture Council (AACC) launched in 2024. We asked AACC Chair Tara Pickford for her thoughts on the council’s role and the future of Airdrie’s culture scene.
Why a cultural council and why now?
A cultural council is crucial for Airdrie to foster a vibrant arts scene, enhance economic and social benefits, and provide stable support for artists and cultural programs. The need is pressing due to recent community feedback highlighting gaps in funding, collaboration and resources for local arts initiatives. Establishing a cultural council now aligns with the City’s strategic goals and supports the growing creative industry, ensuring a sustainable and thriving cultural landscape.
What is the long-term vision?
[Our vision] is to create a vibrant, sustainable arts and culture community in Airdrie. This includes fostering collaboration between artists, organizations and businesses; promoting cultural tourism; and integrating arts into daily life. The council aims to support economic growth; enhance community identity; and improve social well-being through continuous advocacy, funding, and development of diverse cultural programs and events.
Is Airdrie lacking a cultural direction?
Yes. The City of Airdrie has identified gaps in cultural direction, particularly in funding, collaboration and support for local arts organizations. Recent feedback highlighted the need for better co-ordination and resources to nurture a vibrant arts and culture scene. Establishing a cultural council aims to address these challenges and provide a clear, strategic direction for the future.
What does the council perceive as the needs of the arts community?
Artists need more funding sources, marketing support, access to spaces and facilities, and opportunities for collaboration and professional development. Arts organizations require sustainable funding, assistance with governance and succession planning, volunteer recruitment, and enhanced visibility and communication strategies. Culture programmers need better collaboration with other sectors, streamlined processes for event planning, and resources to support diverse and inclusive cultural initiatives in the community.
The AACC Board
Tara Pickford - Chair
Ryan Crandall - Vice Chair
Dan Nelles - Secretary
Tare Rennebohm - Director at Large
Tong Wang - Director at Large
Juanesteban Cardenas - Director at Large
The AACC website is currently under construction, so please send any inquiries to airdrieartsculturecouncil@gmail.com.
Each fall, in our Arts issue, we love to showcase local grads who are choosing to pursue the arts. Here are eight great grads that will no doubt be entertaining and inspiring us for years to come!
AMBER SIEDULE, 18
Bert Church High School
Future: Alberta University of the Arts, majoring in media arts, minoring in animation
“She is very talented and creative, all round, in many artistic disciplines, and demonstrates excellence in all the disciplines she explores. I appreciate when I can see a student’s achievements in these other disciplines; it is a good reminder that creativity comes in many forms. I was fortunate that, for one of her art assignments, she created an animation for it, and I have seen a stop-motion animation she also created not for this class. While I was impressed with her digital abilities, she also impresses me with her drawing and painting skills, too.”
– Lisa Tschritter, teacher, Bert Church High School
Role model: I don’t have a role model per se, but I have many who have supported and helped me on my journey. I hope to inspire others, to show that art can be a career worth pursuing. I feel a sense of accomplishment when completing an art piece. It isn’t just finishing a project. I love to research the materials that I find, and I like learning new techniques and experimenting with my own, which is why I find it hard to keep a consistent medium.
My aha! moment: I always remember enjoying art, all the way back to kindergarten. It was one of my only escapes from the monotony of life. How can Airdrie support the arts? I feel that Airdrie needs to have more local public art around the city. It allows young artists to volunteer and gain exposure. The more art is seen, the more it can be appreciated.
PHOTOS BY KRISTY REIMER
ONES TO WATCH
CALEB BELL, 18
George McDougall High School Future: University of Lethbridge, Bachelor of Music
“Caleb Bell is a member of the George McDougall High School Fine Arts program, participating in the GMHS Sr. Concert Band, the GMHS ‘Big Band’ and the Midnight Mustangs Jazz ensemble as principal trumpet. Affectionately known as ‘Ginger Spice,’ with his fiery orange mane, Caleb brings not only an unmatchable skillset to our program, but a unique real-world humour and an absolutely no-fear attitude. In a musical world where every mistake takes us further away from the prize, Caleb shows no mercy when approaching new or difficult music, choosing instead to meet each and every challenge head on. To say that he ‘eats and breathes’ band would not be far from the truth as I’m certain music is his ultimate daily motivator.”
–
Jordan Harris,
teacher, George McDougall High School
Role model: Trumpet players such as Arturo Sandoval and Chet Baker are definitely trumpet players I’d love to emulate. Having that much presence and passion behind your sounds is definitely something to work towards. Aha! moment: Originally, I wasn’t even supposed to be a trumpet player. I was originally an art student who got forced into the band program because there were not enough people to have an art class. I still remember coming home on the first day and complaining to my parents about having to play music. Where I truly began to be known as “the trumpet player” and began to be known for my talents was my first solo in Grade 10 for the George McDougall Jazz Band on the song Gonna Fly Now. Blasting away, hitting the super-high notes at the end and getting congratulated from everyone was what really pushed me towards this path. I’d also like to thank my band teacher Mr. Harris. Without him, I’d probably not even be here: his continued support and encouragement for me to continue discovering my passion when I first came to him over being worried about “not being good enough” to participate in the jazz band, to when he let me hold some of his own awards, telling me I could be as successful and even more so if I continued working and discovering my passion, were truly some of the most important aha! moments in my career.
CAYTHLEEN DIMANNO, 17
St. Martin De Porres High School
Future: Alberta University of the Arts/University of Calgary, design/architecture
“Caythleen has been involved in the Arts program every year during her time at St. Martin de Porres and has spent that time developing a portfolio that includes painting, sketching and a variety of other mediums. She has a strong eye for design and colour, both skills that will benefit her when she attends post-secondary. On her spare time, she enjoys filling her sketchbooks at home and helping her sister with school projects.”
– Sara Neumiller, teacher, St. Martin De Porres High School
Role model: My role model would be my dad, as he’s done quite a lot for me, as all parents should. He’s constantly looking out for me, telling me I can do and be whatever I want, as long as it makes me happy, so I wish to make him proud. Aha! moment: I drew a lot as a kid, and I remember making a bunch of models and designs for certain things I thought were cool. The moment I realized I wanted to go into something art-related though, was whenever there was a creative school assignment; the teacher would explain the rubric, and then, after that, we’d figure the assignment out ourselves. I noticed that I always enjoyed the process more than the final project, seeing how I could turn a blank page into an idea. I’m pretty sure this solidified when I was in a fabrication class in ninth grade. I welded a rose and made a puzzle game out of wood. Despite all the mishaps and the little mistakes, I still enjoyed making them, and I wanted to chase that feeling into my later years.
GAVIN QUIRING, 18
George McDougall High School Future: University of Lethbridge, Bachelor of Music
“In the four years that I’ve been privileged to work with Gavin, I have seen an enormous growth in skillset. He’s principal trombonist in the George McDougall High School Senior Concert Band, ‘Big Band’ and Midnight Mustangs Jazz Combo. Gavin is an individual that possesses a great deal of natural talent, yet he has never rested on these laurels, instead choosing to put in hard work to reach his desired levels of success. He is dedicated, focused and has a sense of humour like no other! I am definitely excited to hear him lay down his first university trombone solo and see him continue to explore the world of music!”
– Jordan Harris, teacher, George McDougall High School
Role Model: I’m sure as I go with my music career, there will be people I learn about that will inspire me, but, for now, my role models are some of the people whose music I listen to and also my band director, Mr. Harris.
Aha! moment: There wasn’t really a specific moment for me. It was more a few small moments until a few years back when I realized that I was actually pretty good at playing my instrument, and that I was actually better than some of the students that were a year older than me at the time. It was that year that I was getting a lot of solos in the songs we were playing, and it was then that I decided that I wanted to go into music. How can Airdrie support the arts? I think that the arts could use a bit more funding at schools and in general for the community.
HELAYNA MOLL, 18
George McDougall
Future: McGill University,
Bachelor of Music, majoring in voice
“Helayna is a key member in our Senior Concert Band and Midnight Mustangs Jazz Combo, where she continually brings effective learning, leadership and humour to each class. A vocalist by trade, with a specialty in opera, [Helayna] has graced the GMHS stage via the school musical, HMS Pinafore, and in a multitude of band concerts and pep rallies. Outside of school, she has been a festival favourite both in Airdrie and Calgary and, on multiple occasions, has received provincial festival recommendations, where she has shared her skills in voice, musical theatre and piano. Additionally, she has been a multi-year member of the acclaimed Cantaré Children’s Choir in Calgary. I am certain that, one day, Helayna Moll [will be] a name that we will all be privileged to recognize.”
– Jordan Harris, teacher George McDougall High School
Role model: I have a great respect for my voice teacher, Lauren Woods. She is an incredible musician and provides me with invaluable advice that I will carry with me to university and beyond. She inspired [me] to pursue my love of opera as a career, and she has always been there for me. Aha! moment: The first time I saw Bizet’s Carmen, it brought me to tears. I remember being in awe at how the singers were able to capture the emotions of the music and ensnare the audience. I remember wanting to be able to pull in an audience with that same skill and emotion, and I have been working towards it ever since.
SAHARA BOSCH, 17
Bert Church High School Future: Gap year, then (potentially) Alberta University of the Arts
“Sahara is looking at attending AUArts in September 2025, and I hope she will as she is extremely talented. Sahara demonstrates exemplary skill, especially when it comes to drawing and colour pencil work. She is also a fantastic photographer; she is very good at observing and seeing, excellent attributes for an artist. Often, when students are creative and strong in one artistic discipline, they are creative in others, like Sahara. I have no doubt that Sahara will find a future in the arts.”
– Lisa Tschritter, teacher, Bert Church High School
Future ambition: Photographer or interior design.
My aha! moment: I’ve just always liked art-related things, ever since I was little.
SONYA WALKER, 18
Bert Church High School
Future: SAIT Culinary Arts
“Sonya is an extraordinary woman who forges ahead and overcomes obstacles to continue her path to her goals. We have seen growth in her talent and skills, especially while she was competing in the Culinary Arts Regional Skills Competition. The time, dedication, practice and skill that she put forth were amazing. Sonya is a positive contribution to any team, including rugby and culinary arts in our school. She is kind, thoughtful, patient with others [and] is an excellent mentor for younger students. Always ready to lend a helping hand to others, Sonya does a great deal of volunteering around the school. Sonya has been accepted to the SAIT Culinary Arts program this year. We look forward to seeing where Sonya’s journey will take her.”
– Stephanie Booker, teacher, Bert Church High School
Role model: My role models are my parents; the sacrifices they have made to support me give me inspiration. My mom and dad work extremely hard and pass on their knowledge and experience to help me grow as an individual and will guide me in the choices I make in the future. They are entrepreneurs and I see myself following in their footsteps.
Aha! moment: My aha! moment was when I started taking culinary in high school. Previously, I enjoyed cooking and baking but, when I attended culinary with Chef Booker and Chef Sheets, they made me realize I had more of a passion for this course and continued taking culinary classes through my high school years. I really do owe my culinary teachers a huge thank you for allowing me to find my passion and guiding me along the way.
VICTOR MATTHEWS, 18
Bert Church High School
Future: Alberta University of the Arts, Fine Arts degree
“Victor has taken art all their years at Bert Church, and has even pursued other art classes — more specifically, the pre-college summer program at AUArts last summer. Victor has always been a dedicated student, continually advancing their skills and creativity, and this is evident in the excellent work they have created. Victor has always wanted to pursue arts. Victor was selected as a finalist in this year’s ShowOff at AUArts, and, in 2023, they won an Airdrie public art competition. [Seacan art in Fletcher Regional Park].”
– Lisa Tschritter, teacher, Bert Church High School
Role model: [Early 20th century Polish painter] Tamara de Lempicka was a powerhouse during the art deco movement. I’d love to hold both her success and her work discipline.
My aha! moment: I’ve been stealing paper out of my father’s printer since I was a toddler, but I really began taking art seriously when we learned about surrealism in art class. That was my major epiphany regarding how far the medium of painting could be pushed. I was able to shed the notion that art had to be about copying a photograph which was holding me back. How can Airdrie support the arts? Airdrie needs to introduce more spaces for artists to gather. The world of fine arts is built upon the notion of co-operation, whether that be critiques, networking or finding inspiration. Without access to these, the young artist is stifled. We have many clubs involved in sports or other interests, but there is a noticeable lack of opportunities for youth to hone their skills in the arts. If we want to foster creativity, this needs to change. life
EDITOR’S NOTE
We love our photographers and wanted you to know they do way more than airdrielife
SERGEI BELKSI
I have a great job where I get to photograph all kinds of things, and one of them is photographing animals for the Calgary Zoo. I always try to challenge myself and try to take photographs in which animals look natural, as they would in the wild, without being able to see any fences and with natural-looking backgrounds.
My choice of camera is always the latest Canon cameras (right now, it is the Canon R5), and my favourite lens for the zoo is the Canon RF 100-500mm. life
Website: www.sergeibelski.com
Instagram: @sergeibelski
A Living Legacy
ENDLESS CHOICES. ENDLESS MEMORIES.
More than just homes, we’ve built a community that stands the test of time.
Airdrie’s Premier Community ESTATE • ATTACHED • REAR LANE
