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104th Street door openers: Rima Devitt, Blue Plate Diner Bryan Humphrey, 29 Armstong Michelle Pombert, eyecare Group
with Muggsy, Marty & Mark
I
was touched. It’s humbling when a special
friend says something nice about you in a speech and in print. Community powerhouse Lyle Best is receiving the Order of Canada—well-deserved… I’ve always been more than a little proud that I was the first person Lyle met in Edmonton. We were taking the elevator to the Travelers Insurance office where Lyle was about to start a new job after being transferred from Toronto. I took him to my office (his was one floor down) to find out more about him. I’ll let Lyle tell it in his own words… this is an excerpt from an interview with Scott Hayes of the St. Albert Gazette: “When I came here in 1979 I was challenged by a guy named Muggsy Forbes,” he explained. “He basically told me that if you wanted to fit in Edmonton I needed to get off my bum and start volunteering. It started me volunteering and started me off on a 30-year mission.” The rest, as they say, is history… the list of his involvements and the millions of dollars he has raised over the years would fill my entire column. Here’s to you, Lyle.
Notes from Indy: No
Danica Patrick surprise that Danica Patrick is the media darling of fast cars. I sat in the front row of her press conference at the opening of the Indy race. She’s beautiful, lovely complexion, every thing a star should be. Her Andretti Green Racing team partner Tony Kanaan says she’s the best female driver he’s ever seen but, for me, that’s a bonus. Tony is known as the best driver who has never won an Indy.
Head out to Fort-in-View for a smashing
good time at the annual Ukrainian Festival of Golf—aka the Buck-Diachuk Golf Classic—on Wednesday August 20th. In case you don’t know—or remember—Dr. Walter Buck and Bill Diachuk are former MLAs. Special guests are Clare Drake and Gene Dub. This Special events connoisseur Jenny Kachkar Ukrainian Foundation for College knows how to throw a party. Think it’s Education annual fundraiser supports in her genes; her dad, r and be im cl n ai nt Mou programs at Grant MacEwan College. Jean, was a local y Gu r ne an pl financial The $100-registration fee includes team hotelier of some e th by d pe McKay stop photos, nine holes of golf—shotgun start renown who ran the r te af o at 12:30 pm—power cart, golf clinic, Fantasyland Hotel and Canmore Casin peaks w and traditional Ukrainian dinner and the Mayfield Inn for the scrambling a fe s on le entertainment. Or just purchase a dinner Family Pechet for to flex his musc . es in ch ticket. Contact Alice Chumer at decades. Jenny hosted a the slot ma 780.497.4374 or Larisa Hayduk media conference at 780.497.5494. Registration deadline is Violino Ristorant a few August 15th. The committee is looking weeks ago to tell us the for prizes, auction items and sponsors. Pechets want back into If you’d like to donate, call Molly dinner theatre in Anne Warring at 780.456.8989. Edmonton after selling Stage West a while back. Thank goodness. Good Congrats to Ashley Berry, daughter of our dinner theatre’s been in the dregs ever since. own Chef John and Myrna. This year, Ashley graduated The Pechets have been one of the bricks that built with honours from Victoria Edmonton. I’ve been lucky to know all three generations: School of Visual and patriarch, Gene, whom I knew during the days we hung Performing Arts in the out at the Corona on Jasper Avenue and 107 Street. It was a International big hangout for the young and frisky in those days. Of Baccalaureate Dance course, his son, Howard, wrote for Edmontonians for Program… got the many years. Howard’s a prolific writer who’s made a few highest mark in bucks in the hospitality industry. It’s casinos, though, that Performing Arts 35 and recently have turned the heads of the next generation, a service award. She also Jason and brother David, who now run the family was awarded a scholarAshley Berry enterprise along with 1,000 of their closest just-part-of-theship sponsored by family-employee empire. First, the Camrose Resort Casino Landmark Homes and, in June, Canmore opened its doors. All the Pechets through the Victoria Arts Foundation. Ashley is leaving the need now is the land and building to get back into dinner city for BC’s Simon Fraser University to begin her theatre in Edmonton. Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance. Dare I say, “Break a leg”?
In early June, talented bassist
Taddes Korris was in Toronto to receive Canada’s Top 20 under 20 Award. Each year outstanding youth are chosen for this award in various disciplines for innovative projects they have created in their communities. Taddes was recognized for his recording project of Mikalojus Taddes Korris Ciurlionis symphonic works. He recruited 66 young musicians from Alberta to volunteer their time and talent to record and introduce Ciurlionis’ works to Canadian audiences. But here’s the real news: In May, Taddes’ was taking classes from two members of the New York Philharmonic. These Julliard instructors were so excited about his ability, they convinced the Manhattan School of Music (where auditions are held in February) to hear Taddes play in June. US News and World Report rated the Manhattan School as having one of the lowest acceptance rates of any music school in the U.S. Within two days, Taddes was notified that he was accepted… a dilemma: He would have to forego his remaining $15,000 Millennium Scholarship as it can only be used for a Canadian university. Tuition and board at the Manhattan School runs about $50,000 per year. Taddes’ mom, Nejolla Korris, who runs the Sponsorship Group and is a former Edmontonians columnist, called from Winnipeg to confirm the bags and bass are being packed. Taddes leaves on August 20th. √ This message is for the publishers of the 2008-09 white pages phone book: What the hell were you thinking??
Call Muggsy Forbes at 780.482.4545 or e-mail mforbes@edmontonians.com
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was totally thrilled to hear that the late
Wes Montgomery is going to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this coming September in Winnipeg, thanks to wonderful people, like Jackie Rae Greening of CFCW, who made this happen. Wes owned the airwaves in Edmonton for many, many years, hosting mornings on CHED, KRae Wes and Jackie LITE, and CFRN, with the last several years on country music radio CFCW. I was fortunate to have known Wes since I was just a kid when he worked for Dad at CHED in the 1960s. Nothing was sadder for me than when we changed the format on CFRN AM in the early 1990s and I had to let this legend go from his morning shift. Wes went easy on me and we shook hands as friends. However, he got the last laugh. In his column in the Edmonton Sun that weekend, Wes mentioned his termination, stating, “I just got fired by my former boss’s kid… I knew him when he just got out of his diapers.” Special! Good work JR.
This past month I was honoured to be part of a focus group for the Edmonton Oilers. This was just a week or so after the Daryl Katz takeover became official. Ernie Pasemko and Frank Calder of Calder Bateman
conducted the session, with input from people like me, Don Metz of Aquila Productions, Martin Salloum of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, and Ron Gilbertson of Economic Development Edmonton, among others. It was one of several gatherings to discuss the on-going operation of the hockey team. The sign of a great business is when it conducts research on a continuous basis to improve its product. I think we’ll see the Kevin results of that on the Lowe ice this year. Speaking of the Oilers, I go back to the early 1980s with GM Kevin Lowe when he was doing sport-a-torials for a radio station I was Brian running in town. I must have taught him well because Kevin made sportsworld-wide Burke headlines when he performed a half-hour verbal assault on Anaheim Mighty Ducks’ Brian Burke with Total Sports host Bob Stauffer on our sports station, Team 1260 early in July. One of the most entertaining half-hours of radio that I’ve ever heard, it spurred a record number of phone calls and e-mails in the following few days. The NHL even called to ask for a copy of the tape. Hmmm...
We are so fortunate with world class entertainment this summer in Edmonton. I saw some tremendous concerts in the past month and many more are on the way. As showcased a few months ago, Pink Martini blew everybody away at the Winspear during the Jazzfest. China Forbes (no relation) sang in six different languages and had a back-up band that could have carried the show. Following that Mark Knopfler, formerly of Dire Straits, sold out the Jube in record time and put on one of those concerts where you spend most of the time with your eyes closed moving to his amazing guitar. Jubilee President Katherine Huising invited me up to see the relatively new private rooms that are now available for pal Steve Antle. As well, Bobby Cameron did a great job at his first Stanfest.
Before I ramble on here about football…
D
ispatch from the East Coast…
Portugal Cove, NL – Breaker, Breaker. good buddy. I have been in and around the East Coast for about a month now. No real clue what is happening around E-Town, but expect that my lawn must be quite unruly. I was sorry to miss all the city’s activities in July… especially the Taste of Edmonton, Capitol Ex and the Rexall Indy. But, I’m really enjoying seeing Portugal Cove family and friends here in Atlantic Canada. I would like to recommend that you start planning next year’s summer vacation in this part of the country. You could check out the Stan Rogers folk festival in Canso, Nova Scotia in early July. Top notch location, top notch Shanneyganoc entertainers and top k notch vibe—very similar vibe to the Edmonton Folk Music Festival… except you’re in a beautiful ocean-side location. This year’s show featured Martin Sexton, Stacey Earle, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Gordie Sampson, Ron Hynes, April Wine, Bruce Guthro, Little Miss Higgins, Coco Love Acorn, Valdy, and my new favourite Newfoundland band Shanneyganock, to name a few. Go to www.stanfest.com to get the scoop. There was an Edmonton connection at Stanfest. I was happy to be hosting the main stage with my old
I want to wish Esks receiver Jason Tucker a speedy and full recovery. My thoughts and prayers are with you, Jason. I am and always have been a diehard Edmonton Eskimos fan. That being said, I would love to see a CFL team in Atlantic Canada. A team in the Far East would complete the picture for the CFL. Jason Tucker It would even the East vs. West contest—and what a hell of a Grey Cup party they would have in Halifax. There has always been rumblings about this concept happening. But why am I waiting until 11pm—11:30 in Newfoundland—to see the western teams half of the Thursday doubleheaders? It seems to be a wee bit neglectful of possible future ticket buyers in Atlantic Canada.
corporate functions at the refurbished auditorium. Give her a call from more information. Then it was off to Rexall for the James Taylor concert. Nothing like watching a veteran of the music industry work the crowd. Both James and Mark enjoyed four-and-ahalf-star status in the newspapers the next day—a rarity, to say the least. Now the fun begins: We’re in outdoor concert mode and I hope that the past six to James Taylor eight weeks of almost daily precipitation is over. The Folk Festival, Big Valley Jamboree, the Fringe Festival, and the Blues Festival deserve blue skies. There’s nothing like bad weather—and bad roads—to ruin a good summer. Fingers are crossed that these outstanding events get more than their fair share of sunshine so that the world class entertainment we have invited to Sunny Alberta can take home positive stories of their experience. Enjoy.
Finally, I’ve been touring the city for several weeks with 630 CHED’s Gord Whitehead and Debbie Walker. We’ve spoken to some of our great civic supporters—people like Telus’ Dr. Bob Westbury, the United Way’s Anne Smith, and Quickcard’s Lyle Best— about an incredible project that Santa’s Anonymous is putting together. It’s not official yet… but when it is announced Santa’s Anonymous will go to a whole new level. It’s an exciting project that will help this wonderful cause become even bigger and better. More to come…soon. √ Marty Forbes is VP and general manager of The Bear, EZRock and The TEAM 1260 Sports Radio. Contact marty@edmontonians.com bath house, a dining hall and zoo which ran until 1954 when the “amusements” were removed. For all its years, it has been a popular picnic spot. Borden Park currently has two wading pools, an underused outdoor swimming pool in need of repair, a bandshell, playground, tennis courts, and two baseball diamonds. Seven of the picnic sites can be booked for gatherings of up to 100 people, and the eighth site for up to 60 is sheltered… oodles of tables, barbecue pits and stoves. A great place for a family outing.
What a city we live in… Go to www.pollstar.com and search concerts coming to Edmonton; it is unbelievable. We are in the wheelhouse for touring acts. How about these picks? • Can’t wait to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with Steve Winwood • Joan Osborne, Ron Sexsmith, Luke Doucet and Martha Wainwright at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival should be killer • Hubert Sumlin and Pinetop Perkins at the Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival are not to be missed • Oasis at Rexall on the 29th should be good • Motley Crue would be a great show to see. Live and learn… I want to thank Lorinne Shore
A huge round of applause… to the people of
for pointing out a grammar glitch in last month’s column. Here’s part of her e-mail: Edmonton’s North East. “I enjoy reading your column in The first ever Canada Borden Park 1913 the Edmontonians. In reference Day celebration at to…your commentary about Bill Borden Park was Clinton, you said ‘He inspired held this year. A me to do more…especially with pile of people regards to the environment.’ Just made their way to wanted to pass along that the the park to hang correct terminology is ‘with out, listen to regard to’, ‘in regard to’ or music, enjoy ‘regarding’. The plural form…is plenty of family typically used in friendly activities and sing greetings such as ‘give him/her my themselves “Happy regards’.” Birthday.” Councillor Tony I think it is great that Lorinne sent me Caterina and his staff, MLA this note. I hope to be the best writer I can Peter Sandhu along with great be. This feedback helps. Keep it coming. help from Northlands pulled off a Barb Deters sends her regards too! √ fantastic event that is sure to be a long standing tradition in the city. I didn’t know that Borden Park goes waay back to 1879 and that it Mark Scholz, owner of MES boasted a wood-frame roller coast, Communications Inc. offers a variety of affectionately called the “Green services including production, creative e Green Rattler Th Rattler” from 1915 to 1935. and entertainment. For more d Pool-1932 an Funland, as it was known then, also information or to suggest a story idea, n Archives nto mo Ed of y Cit had a carousel, swimming pool and email mscholz@edmontonians.com
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CELEBRATING
Poll
19
STATION
YEARS
With Linda Banister
FOUNDER DICK MacLEAN
Vol. XIX
AUGUST 2008
A
No. 8
SHARON MacLEAN Publisher and Advertising Director Telephone: 780.482.7000 Fax: 780.488.9317 e-mail: info@edmontonians.com edmontonians.com
nutritious and balanced diet is fundamental to good health. Nutrition labels provided on packaged food or with recipes provide the information needed to make healthy food choices. This month’s Poll Station asked Edmontonians about their use of this nutritional analysis information. Respondents were then asked which items on the nutritional labels they checked. The most commonly viewed items were sodium (84 percent), fat (81 percent), and calories (70 percent). When asked if they believed that the nutritional labeling helped them make informed choices for healthy living, 87 percent indicated that they believed it did. The 12 percent who did not believe it helped were asked why they felt that way. Thirty-three percent reported they don’t pay attention to the nutritional information, and another 33 percent indicated they still do what they want regardless of the information provided.
DO YOU USE NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION WHEN PURCHASING OR PREPARING FOOD?
POLL STATION Nutritional labels/Banister . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 PHOTO FEATURE Habitat for Humanity/Norwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Percentage
INSIDE VOX POP Muggsy Forbes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Marty Forbes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Mark Scholz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
60% 35%
DOORS OPEN FESTIVAL Accessing architetural jems/Brown . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Edmonton’s Heritage Neighbourhoods . . . . . . . . . .9 Name the Doors Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 INNOVATION/Croucher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Said they always or almost always use nutrition information on prepackaged food
CIVIC BUZZ/Norwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 MEDIA MINUTE/Hogle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
LIVELY LIFESTYLES Menu Magic/Berry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Absolute Bodo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
BARB DETERS Editor
editor@edmontonians.com COLUMNISTS Linda Banister John Berry Linda Bodo Marty Forbes Muggsy Forbes Bruce Hogle Ryan Jesperson David Norwood Erin Rayner Mark Scholz Nizar J. Somji FEATURE WRITERS NJ Brown Barb Deters Rick Lauber Peter Drake McHugh Marg. Pullishy Laurel Vespi PHOTOGRAPHERS Terry Bourque Quincey Deters Janis Dow Carla Turner SPECIAL PROJECTS Edmontonians Transformers Tom Bradshaw Les Brost Steffany Hanlen Larry Ohlhauser
Said they use the nutrition information provided with recipes in cookbooks
18%
Said they use the nutrition information provided with recipes in magazines
Said they use the nutrition information provided with recipes on websites
Respondents were first asked how often they use the nutritional analysis information that is provided on a variety of items. Sixty percent of respondents reported they always or almost always use the nutritional information on prepackaged food, 35 percent use the information provided with recipes in cookbooks, 28 percent use it in magazine recipes, and 18 percent always or almost always use the information provided with recipes on websites. Eighteen to 20 percent of respondents reported they sometimes use the nutritional information provided on the various items. Respondents who reported they never use the nutritional information provided (10 percent to 45 percent) were asked why not. The most frequent reasons were not using recipes in cookbooks, magazines or online or not purchasing prepackaged foods, and not being concern about nutritional analysis.
WHICH ITEMS ON THE NUTRITIONAL LABELS ARE OF MOST INTEREST TO YOU?
Percentage
BUSINESS OF LOVE/Jesperson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 MY E-SPACE Chocophilia/Rayner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
SHOULD NUTRITIONAL LABELING BE MANDATORY FOR RECIPES IN PRINT AND ON-LINE?
28%
84%
In December 2007, it became mandatory to include nutrition labeling on all prepackaged foods. When asked if they were aware that the labeling was mandatory, 66 percent of respondents indicated that they were. Respondents were then asked if they believed nutritional labeling should also be mandatory for all recipes in magazines and cookbooks. Of the 67 percent who indicated it should be mandatory, 28 percent of them said they wanted to know what they’re eating, 24 percent wanted the analysis for health purposes, 24 percent wanted to know the nutritional information, and 22 percent felt it would help make informed decisions. Thirty-two percent of respondents did not believe the labeling should be mandatory. Their reasons included labeling not being necessary (31 percent), ingredients already having the nutritional information on the packages (31 percent), and that people will still do what they want regardless of the information provided (28 percent). When asked if nutritional labeling should be mandatory for recipes on websites, 59 percent indicated “yes” because they want to know the nutritional information (27 percent), for health purposes (25 percent), and to make informed decisions (20 percent). Reasons provided by the 32 percent who felt nutritional information should not be mandatory for recipes on websites included that nutritional information about the ingredients is already provided on the packaging (50 percent), and that people will still do what they want (31 percent). √
New to the Edmontonians website: Monthly Poll Station Online Question Visit www.edmontonians.com to register your opinion
81%
Want a question included in the Edmontonians Poll?
70% Said they always looked at the sodium content in the nutritional information
Said they always looked at the fat content in the nutritional information
Said they always looked at the calories in the nutritional information
Contact Linda at 780.451.4444 or e-mail lbanister@edmontonians.com. Linda Banister is a certified management consultant and the owner of Banister Research and Consulting Inc., a full service provider of market research and program evaluation services. Visit www.banister.ab.ca.
GRAPHIC PRODUCTION Rage Studios Inc.
THIS MONTH’S COVER
Neighbours on 104th Street Photo by Terry Bourque Published by 399620 Alberta Ltd. on the first day of each month at C-100 Park Side Tower, 8920-100th Street Edmonton AB CA T6E 4Y8. ©All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Manuscripts: must be accompanied by a stamped, selfaddressed envelope. Edmontonians is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. All stories Copyright ©Edmontonians Publications Mail Agreement No. 40023292 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Department C-100 Park Side Tower, 8920-100th Street Edmonton AB CA T6E 4Y8 Email: info@edmontonians.com
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Norwood homes at 96 Street & 114 Avenue.
Women Build board members and ambassadors: (back row) Sharon MacLean, Sandra Bromley, Nancy Goin, Ruth Kelly, Mary Kwong and Lynn Mandel; (middle row) Catrin Owen (standing) Opal Blackstock and Mary Cameron; (bottom row) Gay Young, Karla Horcica, Susan Green and Lindsay Kelly.
ore than 200 people celebrated the key presentations to nine Edmonton families that have settled into their new Habitat for Humanity homes. The three triplexes are located on a treelined street in Norwood. This is the largest number of homes built in one location to-date. Eighteen more are currently under construction in the north east Kirkness district. Among the families are Terry and Noelle and their two young sons. Terry’s comments reflect the feelings of all the families: “Our children will now have a bedroom of their own to sleep in and a yard to play in. We have been living in a one bedroom apartment with little hope of ever having a larger home, let alone becoming homeowners. Habitat for Humanity has offered us the opportunity of a life-time and we very much appreciate our new home.” “Habitat for Humanity is committed to having as great an impact as possible on the affordable housing issue in our community,” said Mary Cameron, chair of the board of directors. Homes are built by volunteers and family members with significant support from corporate donors and government agencies. √
KEYS TO FAMILIES Presenter: Mary Kwong, wife of Lieutenant Governor Norman Kwong
udek Dalibor Ho Presenter: k Canada Corp. te from Forin Presenter: Enbridge VP of Finance Cynthia Hansen Presenters: Grandson Jeff Bryson and his wife Tanis Mosentine represented the Stollery Family
Presenter: Connie Campbell at a REIN seminar. She and her husband Don are great supporters of Habitat through the Real Estate Investment Network
Presenter: Yves Millet, president of Intuit Canada
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Photos by Quincey Deters
SATURDAY, August 9th
SUNDAY, August 10th
GUIDED WALKING TOURS—104th Street Market Area: Depart 10 am, noon and 2 pm from COBOCO Lofts 10249–104 Street
SELF-GUIDED TOURS—1 pm to 4 pm
SELF-GUIDED WALKING TOURS—10 am to 4 pm
McDougall United Church: 10025-101Street
Metals Building: Ric’s Grill—10190-104 Street Phillips Building: Strada Clothing—2-10169-104 Street Blue Plate Diner: 10145-104 Street Great West Saddlery Building: Scroll Shop—101-10137-104 Street Armstrong Building: 29 Armstrong—10129 104 Street Armstrong Building: C’est Sera—10125-104 Street Birks Building: DeVine Wines—10111-104 Street Birks Building: eyecare Group—10360 Jasper Avenue Enterprise Square: 10230 Jasper Ave CPR Building: Design Group Staffing -10012 Jasper Ave McLeod Building: 10134-100 Street Freemasons’ Hall: 10318-100 Ave H.V. Shaw building: 10229-105 Street Stantec Architecture: 10160-112street LeMarchand Mansion: 11523-100 Ave
Campus Saint Jean: 8406-91 Street
Ernest Brown Block: City Market Apartments—9670 Jasper Ave Saint Joachim’s Catholic Church: 9924-110 Street MacLean Block: Audrey’s Bookstore—10702-Jasper Ave Anglican Parish of Christ Church: 12116-102 Ave Glenora Bed and Breakfast: 12327-102 Ave Saint Peter’s Anglican Church: 11035-127 Street Saint Josaphat’s Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral: 10825 97Street Sacred Heart Church of First Peoples: 10821 96 Street Holy Trinity Orthodox Church: 10902 96 Street Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church: 9606 -110 Avenue Ansgar Lutheran Church: 9554 108A Avenue
SPECIAL EVENTS Capital Modern Bus Tour: 1 to 4pm - Register on-line; depart Enterprise Square Freemasons’ Hall Poetry Reading: 2 to 3pm Stantec Architecture Open House: Noon to 4pm
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Civic and Historic Bus Tour: 1 to 4pm - Register on-line; depart Campus St. Jean Audrey’s Bookstore Edmonton - Architecture Book Event: 1 to 4pm
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Adviana Davies at Campus Saint Jean, the heart of the French Quarter Photos by Terry Bourque
By NJ Brown
W
ho among us has not stood on the outside of a closed door and thought, “Hmmm…I wonder what’s in there?” Or come across an old building and wondered about the original people and purpose behind it? Whether exploring distant locations or strolling down the streets of our own neighbourhoods, we wonder about the places and spaces that surround us. Curiosity compels us to ask questions and seek answers. Simply put, we’re all a little snoopy—and that snoopiness is what Doors Open caters to and, indeed, thrives on. By its own description, Doors Open Alberta, an initiative of the Heritage Community Foundation, “raises the profile of Alberta’s rich heritage by encouraging urban and rural communities to open the doors of buildings of all types—past and present—to the general public.” In 2003, when this international festival first appeared in Alberta, it included a handful of participants. It now encompasses 21 communities province wide. Including, of course, our own fair city, where the festival is set to run Saturday and Sunday, August 9th and 10th, giving residents and visitors alike an opportunity to share in the city’s rich architectural heritage. Edmonton’s buildings have a unique and particular story to tell, especially in relation to its position as the province’s capital. As Adriana Davies, executive director of the Heritage Community Foundation says, “Buildings here were built to inspire confidence and that gives Edmonton its character. These historical buildings portray an enormous belief in the future of Edmonton as the capital city.”
But that, of course, is not all there is to Edmonton and the festival embraces all aspects of the city’s architectural character. And, you have options for how you explore these gems that line our streets. Festival details are available at www.doorsopenalberta.com for all activities. The tours, all led by knowledgeable facilitators (and all free) are complemented by a variety of other events (also free), such as receptions. In this way, the festival brings together the historical and the modern, telling the story of Edmonton through the contributions of the many conditions and cultures that have shaped the city. On Saturday, put on your walking shoes to join Jon Hall, a loft resident of the Warehouse District, for one of three guided tours along 104 Street … do a bit of shopping at the fabulous stores and pick up fresh produce at the City Market… then you can visit a number of other buildings that will be open to the public… and take in a poetry reading at 2 pm at the Freemasons’ Hall. On Sunday, hosts will be on hand at several churches—many in the “Church” District—and other buildings from 1 to 4 pm… during those same hours, there will be a display of books about Edmonton history and architecture at Audrey’s Bookstore, where several of the authors will be on hand Sunday to answer questions. Or, you can take a stroll through French Quarter: Explore Edmonton’s francophone heritage and visit such sites as the Campus Saint Jean and the iconic Saint Joachim Catholic Church. Not into walking? Well, take a bus. On Saturday, architects Shafraaz Kaba, Troy Smith and David Murray will lead the Capital Modern afternoon tour,
Beyond satisfying the snoop in all of us... is a social movement that embraces and promotes reuse and presentation of historical buildings.
Continued on page 8
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Continued from page 7 starting at the Art Gallery of Alberta in Enterprise Square. Edmonton boasts many significant modern buildings around the city— some of which have been nominated to be included on the City’s Register of Historic Resources. On Sunday, there will be a guided Civic and Historical Tour—starting at Campus Saint Jean—that will take you to several architecturally significant neighbourhoods. You must pre-register on-line for bus tours. True to its name, the festival also opens the doors of various buildings not typically accessible to the general public. While not all buildings included in the tours will be open for interior access, the ones that are make the festival all that more compelling for the curious. One notable host is award-winning architect Gene Dub, who has granted the festival access to a number of his historical buildings, including the H.V. Shaw building on 105th Street and the lobby of the McLeod building on 100th Street. On Saturday, August 9th, Jon Hall Other buildings that will be open (left) will conduct guided Doors for public access include numerous Open walking tours along 104 Street churches, the LeMarchand Mansion lobby, Enterprise Square, and the City Market Apartments—just to name a few. As for those buildings Bryan Humphrey, who co-owns 29 that can be viewed only from the Armstrong with Amadeo Pagliuso, will outside, there remains a vast feature many of his own designs in the quantity of intriguing stories electric furniture and decor studio written on their exterior walls and the landscape that surrounds them. Central to the festival is the importance of architectural heritage in shaping the understanding people have of a particular community and their place in it. Davies explains, “Even for the average person living a normal, everyday life, it’s important to see the space-time continuum demonstrated by these buildings, which gives us a sense of place and identity. Doors Open gives people the opportunity to actually explore how Edmonton’s sense of identity came to be what it is.” Catherine Kuehne Harder, provincial coordinator of Doors Open Alberta, talks about how this holds true even on a personal level: “With Doors Open, we go behind the scenes to see how buildings have shaped communities. Our
experiences of our communities are different depending on where we grew up, and those experiences shape us as people.” And this sense of identity is not only about who Albertans were in times past, or who we are now, but also about who we wish to become in the future. In understanding our heritage, Davies says, we are given license to write our own history as it will be viewed by future generations. “Doors Opens gives us the opportunity to re-examine ourselves and work out what we want to be as a city. It’s about communities opening doors and minds and discussing the city as a concept in time and space.” If this all sounds like a philosophy rather than a simple festival, that’s because Doors Open is as multi-faceted as the buildings it explores. Beyond satisfying the snoop in all of us—beyond issues of identity, beyond the entertainment, education and pure fun of it—is a social movement that embraces and promotes reuse and preservation of historical buildings. As Davies points out, “Not all old buildings have to be turned into museums. With adaptive reuse—whether that Michelle Pombert loves working with means converting a warehouse to eyecare owner Kim Jurina in the original lofts for living space or a factory Birks Jewellers store where a different into a series of shops—these kind of bling sparkles in the showcases. buildings remain a vibrant, essential part of our communities.” Kuehne Harder echoes this idea when she cites a specific example Blue Plate Diner owner Rima Devitt of adaptive reuse being brought to (right) and partner John Williams bear on Edmonton’s landscape: “It’s have a permanent guest in their café about preserving as well as appreciating these buildings. For instance, the Hudson’s Bay building was pretty much mothballed until we found a new use for it. Many developers are now starting to understand the importance of preserving our built heritage.” All of this translates into a pro-active, rather than reactive, response to the line of thinking that would opt to demolish old buildings rather than going through the trouble of restoring and reusing them. The logic at play here says the greater the understanding of how vitally important heritage buildings are, the smaller the likelihood of them being dismissed as unnecessary. And that, in turn, diminishes the need for protests as preservation becomes a given. Unlike the bits and pieces of history we find housed in museums and archives, buildings tell ever-present, immediate stories through the spaces and places that define our neighbourhoods—they are, after all, all around us, part of our everyday lives. Whether we are rural or urban dwellers, whether we live in a sleepy suburb or a busy downtown core, we are shaped by our surroundings. As Jon Hall, manager of marketing and communications for the Realtors Association of Edmonton, says, “We live in the now, but everything is affected by history and that, then, is projected into the future. It’s about time as much as it is about place. And when you start noticing these things, your life becomes more interesting as you watch how the stories have evolved and continue to evolve.” Speaking of which, there are unique challenges of living in or operating a business in a heritage building. Rima Devitt, co-owner with John Williams of the Blue Plate Diner on 104th Street, offers a glimpse of what it’s like: “We’ve been here four years… the location has housed various restaurants over a number of decades. Basically, it’s not much different from any building… except for the ghost.” Oh. Perhaps another story for another day. √ Doors Open Alberta website: http://www.doorsopenalberta.com Doors Open Edmonton website: http://www.doorsopenalberta.com/welcomepage.php?userid=49
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Name the Doors and Dine Contest
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Identify the doors and buildings—all part of the Doors Open Festival— and win dinner for two at Ric’s Grill in the historic Metals Building. Deadline for entries August 31, 2008. Mail entries to Edmontonians: C-100 Park Side Tower, 8920-100th Street Edmonton AB T6E 4Y8 or e-mail—in numerical order—to bdeters@edmontonians.com Please include your contact information.
Boutique Heritage FIRST CORRECT ENTRY RECEIVED WINS!
Photos by Quincey Deters
Adaptive reuse means buildings—and the city–remain vibrant
12327 - 102 Avenue, Edmonton, AB Canada T5N 0L8 Call for Reservations:
Toll Free: 1-877-453-6672 www.glenorabnb.com/index.html
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I
NNOVATION
Beating the drum
for Scum
“We’re actually looking at a hybrid—covered ponds in which we have total control of evaporation and temperature. Also, the depths of the pond… the first two inches are the only place where you actually have your algae within it. Underneath that, there’s no algae being grown because light isn’t getting there. “So we’re looking at solar collectors, and actually trying to increase the depth of the pond where we have active growth of the algae.” Dr. Vidmar suggests the heated ponds around coal firedplants could make good algae factories, even during our Canadian winters.
Nano-ization The term nano is quickly moving into the
DR. JOHN VIDMAR One of the solutions to our energy and climate change crises could be as near as the local slough. That’s the hope of InnoVentures Canada, a consortium of research councils across the country. Their scientists want to harness the photosynthetic activity of algae, the green scum that forms on prairie lakes and ponds during the summer. Produced on a large scale, algae factories could capture excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. As well, the fatty acids in algae are an excellent feedstock for the production of bio-diesel. Dr. John Vidmar of the Alberta Research Council is a member of InnoVentures Canada. He describes how an algae factory might be constructed.
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consumer lexicon. We already have nano attached to anti-wrinkle cremes and mp3 players. And it won’t be long before the paper we write on or the houses we build are also nano-ized. That’s the prediction of Dr. Ted Wegner of the Forest Products Laboratory with the USDA Forest Service in Madison, Wisconsin. He was in Edmonton recently as a panelist at the Alberta Ingenuity Forum on Nanotechnology and the Forest Industry. Dr. Wegner predicts nanotechnology will provide a whole new range of valueadded and multi-functional products based on wood and cellulose. “You can take a sheet of DR. TED WEGNER paper and it can be an electronic device because wood has pizoelectric properties which act as a semiconductor under certain conditions. And you can get it to be a calculator and a computer just like the ones we have on
with Cheryl Croucher
our desktops now. We can have our houses so that if they’re being attacked by insects or starting to decay, they’ll alert the home. We can come up with siding that is going to generate electricity for the home.” Dr. Wegner believes that innovations using nanotechnology will revive the forest products industry in North America.
Award for work on CO2
capture & storage
The winner of this year’s Emerald Award for environmental excellence in the research and innovation is Dr. Bill Gunter—his latest in a string of awards recognizing his groundbreaking research. A distinguished scientist at the Alberta Research Council, Dr. Gunter pioneered the science for capturing carbon dioxide DR. BILL GUNTER and storing it underground. With global concern rising over the carbon emissions and climate change, this new technology will have two environmental benefits. First, it will help reduce carbon emissions. Second, since it’s an expensive technology, Dr. Gunter believes carbon capture and storage will help make renewable energy sources more competitive. Moreover, it will bridge the transition from fossil fuels to alternatives. “How fast can you actually ramp the capacity up in terms of producing these alternative fuels? That, of course,” Dr. Gunter says, “takes a span of 50 to 100 years because, at the same time, energy demands are increasing. So there’s really no solution to stop using fossil fuels abruptly. It has to be a gradual thing.” Dr. Gunter expects carbon capture and storage also will prove very useful in developing countries where the use of fossil fuels is increasing.
EDMONTONIANS AUGUST 2008
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How fast
DR. RICK SCHNEIDER
the landscape changes due to climate warming is a major concern for ecologist Dr. Rick Schneider. For the past year, he has been analyzing various climate models for the integrated landscape management program which he chairs at the University of Alberta. Dr. Schneider says climate induced change has already been documented in Alaska where forests are moving up mountainsides, and peatlands are drying out. In Alberta, we’re already seeing the grassland encroach north into the parkland. “None of these things happen gradually year by year. The way it actually happens is in fits and starts,” Dr. Schneider explains. “And so, in 2002 and 2003, we had a fairly severe drought over a lot of the lower parkland region… there are people who have been doing flyovers and aerial mapping of the aspen forest there and trying to document the amount of die back. And what they’re finding… it’s sort of a moth eaten kind of change. It’s sort of like getting eaten out from the inside—more holes—and they get bigger and start to coalesce and so on.” Predicting these changes depends on better understanding the link between drought, fire and vegetation.
Changing
landscapes
RELEASING HEAVY METAL,
GUY MEYER
saving crude
When oil sands are processed to make oil, two of the heavy metals that must be removed are nickel and vanadium. While valuable in their own right, they can lead to pollution and contamination problems further down the production line. But the present technology for removing these heavy metals is wasteful. Dr. Murray Gray is the director of the Imperial Oil-Alberta Ingenuity Centre for Oil Sands Innovation “The current techniques are pretty crude,” laments Dr. Gray. “If you use a process called coking, you reject about 20 percent of the bitumen as a solid waste product. That contains all the metals, but you’ve lost 20 percent of your crude oil. The other method is to treat the crude oil with solvents and that removes 30 to 40 percent of the oil along with all the metals. “So you can appreciate DR. MURRAY GRAY removing a fraction of one percent of the oil” would be preferable to “throwing away 20 to 40 percent of the oil. We want to do things better.” Dr. Gray’s research is now focused on finding materials that might absorb the nickel and vanadium, releasing them from the bitumen without wasting any oil. Then these metals can be recovered for sale, not lost as a contaminant.
Taking LED lights to the next level You may have strung LED lights on your Christmas tree to save energy. Well, a new Edmonton company has its sights set on an even bigger market for LEDs or light emitting diodes. Optilume Engineered Light is Western Canada’s first LED manufacturer that caters specifically to outdoor lighting applications—street lights, parking lots and buildings. Company president Guy Meyer estimates there are 78 million streets lights in North America and twice that in South America. Replacing those lamps with LEDs could translate into huge energy savings for consumers and for the environment. “The LED competes with all forms of traditional lighting, even the high pressure sodium,” according to Meyer. The street light that this one would replace is a 200 to 250 watt halogen or high pressure sodium. [The LED] consumes 120 watts…. and it lasts 100 thousand hours as opposed to the 30,000 hours with the high pressure sodium. The benefits are clear.” Not only does the LED work efficiently in cold temperatures, Meyer says the new modular designs make it easy to add more light where needed. And thin, flat LED panels could change the way indoor construction is done. Cheryl Croucher is host of Innovation Anthology on CKUA Radio. Learn more at www.innovationanthology.com
WED -August 20, 2008 Summer Networking Barbeque “Just for the fun of it!”
Women and youth in science, engineering and technology Whitemud Equine Learning Centre,
PROGRAM 2:00pm Show-grounds and hospitality suites open
5:30pm Sumptuous BBQ with music
6:00pm Welcome We Have A Dream, River Valley Alliance, Sol Rolinger
Whitemud Equine Centre Association , Linda Lipinski-Olsen
6:30pm Keynote Address: No Community Left Behind
7:00pm ENTERTAINMENT - Music in the Meadows
RSVP your “hospitality suite” today! Call Perry Kinkaide - Toll Free 1.866.241.7535 pkinkaide@shaw.ca
EDMONTONIANS AUGUST 2008
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C ivic Buzz with David Norwood
T
here’s no doubt that the housing market in Edmonton has hit a plateau, with many more properties currently available for sale than there are buyers. New single-family home construction has dropped dramatically over the past year. Homes are still selling, but the average time on the market today is about double what it was a year ago: 55 to 60 days as opposed to 27 to 30. At the same time, however, the situation is regarded more as a
M
edia Minute with Bruce Hogle
I like what I hear on i-news 880 now that the station is shaking off its change of format jitters. New voices abound with the likes of Jeremy Lye and Quinn Phillips—the latter being rumoured to become the next Voice of the Eskimos… or to replace her dad, Rod, as Voice of the Oilers. The one concern I initially had was some of the junior announcers inadvertently treading dangerously close to promoting , rather than reporting, the news involving Sandra Nette of Edmonton. She’s the lady who suffered a stroke resulting in multiple medical problems. That resulted in Sandra and her husband David, through their lawyer Daryl Wilson, filing a statement of claim against chiropractor Gregory Stiles, claiming her condition was the direct result of his treatment. Also named are the Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors and the Alberta Minister of Health and Wellness. Some 48 hours after filing that lawsuit, Wilson turned the case into a class action suit and set up a website soliciting further plaintiffs. That website was over heavily publicized. Hence my concerns. 16
“correction” or “rebalancing” than a “bust.” To counter the opinions of the Chicken Littles among us, Todd Hirsch, senior economist with ATB Financial, recently wrote in the Edmonton Journal about housing prices in Edmonton and Calgary. “In both cities, prices in June [were] off only slightly from the peak record highs reached last July [2007]. They’re down 3.6 percent in Calgary, and 3.8 percent in Edmonton—hardly a sign of collapsing prices. In fact, for a full year now, prices in the resale market have been remarkably stable.” Another sign of the housing stability is Edmonton’s condominium market. Prices have held at even more stable levels over the past year than single-family homes. This is reflected in the fact that more projects are being started and others announced. I’ve mentioned quite a number of them in this column in past months, but it bears repeating that the market here remains strong. It appears now that sales for the Mira, first tower of the Aurora project, will commence this fall, with construction of the 23-storey tower and related townhomes expected to begin in the spring of 2009. This does reflect a slowdown in the market, but no more than that—the sky is certainly not
falling. As if to prove the point, construction has recently started on the 23-storey Quest Condominium on 104th Avenue and 105th Street. This elegant property, a project of Regency Developments, will redefine the skyline of the north-central part of the downtown core. Its proximity to Grant MacEwan College’s growing downtown campus, not to mention the increasing number of shops and restaurants in the Warehouse District, will undoubtedly help the Quest to be a successful project. Another local developer with firmly established credentials plans to develop an upscale condominium, this time at the south end of the downtown core. Abbey Lane Homes is well known for a number of multiple-family projects, perhaps most notably the ultra-upscale One River Park on Saskatchewan Drive in Old Strathcona and the Venetian in Oliver. It is proposing a 26-storey condominium on 97th Avenue at 104th Street, in the Legislature district. The project received generally favourable reviews at a public hearing in mid-July. The building’s height was scaled down from 31 to 26 floors, in keeping with the plans for other high-rise condominiums in the same area. In my view, the renderings for the Abbey Lane project and the design of many other condos both proposed or under construction indicate that Edmonton is truly leaving behind the horribly unimaginative box-like apartment and condo architecture of its past. Despite the housing slowdown, it’s clear that Edmonton’s robust economy is contributing to a healthy market, one that will continue to foster exciting new developments.
The dealings between Wilson and the various media brought into focus two interesting viewpoints in The Lawyers Weekly (which I read regularly thanks to two lawyer sons). One was an article by Paul Kuttner who provides marketing support for Canadian and U.S. law firms. He wrote on the top 20 ways for lawyers to work with the media, with No. 1 being: Don’t avoid reporters!
talking with most of the city’s print and electronic media about client Sandra Nette, with former lawyer Dufour’s statement that: “There is no possible upside to speaking to the media prior to adjudication and there is always a possible downside. It’s a no-brainer. No interview.” In his letter to The Lawyers Weekly written when he was still a lawyer,
Edmonton International Airport’s passenger numbers continue to grow. Overall 534,660 passengers passed through security in June, and 3,144,369 so far in 2008. While not the spectacular
Lawyers— and the media Saskatchewan Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Geoffrey Dufour, prior to being appointed to the bench, disagreed with Kuttner’s article, saying the first question for the lawyer should be: “Why should I talk to the media?” Further, “If the lawyer is absolutely honest with himself, the two most frequent answers will be: So I can enhance my profile and attract more and better clients; and/or so my mom can see me on TV.” It is hard to reconcile the huge amount of coverage generated by Wilson in
Justice Dufour said there were occasions when it was appropriate for lawyers to speak with the media. That would include explaining the state of the law or providing opinion on the effect of recent rulings which would enhance the public’s understanding of the law and legal process. But, he added, “Remember that whereas some reporters are fine and accurate scribes, others cannot be trusted even with crayons. Choose the reporter carefully.”
growth experienced in the past two years, overall passenger numbers are up seven percent over 2007. The biggest increase is in transborder (i.e., United States) traffic, up 17.8 percent in June and 14 percent year-to-date. Even with a decrease in flights to Europe (Martinair no longer serves Amsterdam from Edmonton or Calgary, and Zoom Airlines has ceased its London-Gatwick flights), international passenger numbers are up 26.6 percent so far this year. Increased winter sun destination flights—with more apparently on the way for winter 2008-09—and the introduction of Mexicana Airlines’ yearround non-stop service to Mexico City in June have undoubtedly helped boost those numbers. A follow-up on an item in last month’s column: Dynacor Media Group’s winning six prestigious Telly Awards. Managing Director Terri Dorn informs me that the company has won yet another Telly, this one for an interactive web-based orientation program Dynacor created and produced for EPCOR. “From what we know,” she told me in an e-mail, “there isn’t another production company in Edmonton, and perhaps Alberta, who has been awarded with a Telly—let alone seven of them in a year!” Just to recap last month’s comments, the New York-based awards honour “the very best local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions, and work created for the Web.” The 28th Annual Telly Awards received more than 14,000 entries from all 50 states and five continents. √ David Norwood is a freelance writer/editor. Contact dnorwood@edmontonians.com Appreciating his blunt views on the media, I would now like to ask Dufour, as a Court of Queen’s Bench Justice, for his thoughts about decorum on the bench. Specifically, his views of statements expressed in open court last year by B.C. Supreme Court Justice Peter Leask when he acquitted Hell’s Angel member Glen Jonathon Hehn of trafficking cocaine worth $1.5 million. I’ve mentioned this in a previous column: With school children touring his court room at the time, Justice Leask used profanity four times, swearing at the Crown Prosecutor, saying: “He (the accused) would have to be out of his f— king mind to store it (cocaine) in his own locker, all right?” Justice Leask then used “f—king” a second time, as well as “shit” and “goddamned” Since I still haven’t heard anything from the Canadian Judicial Council on this matter, I’ll go play with my crayons while I await Mr. Justice Dufour’s reply. √ Bruce Hogle is the former news director at CFRN TV and recently retired head of the Alberta Press Council. Contact bhogle@edmontonians.com EDMONTONIANS AUGUST 2008
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Photos by Carla Turner
The Business of
By Ryan Jesperson
Y
“
ou’ll never be able to surprise me!” she vowed, a year after we met in a media scrum and started dating. “I guarantee I’ll see your proposal coming from a mile away!” Needless to say, my fiancee-to-be— Capital FM’s Kari Skelton—had officially thrown down the gauntlet. Fast forward two years. Kari is at Perugia enjoying a massage/manicure package “I won at work.” As she‘s leaving, she is given a hot pink envelope directing her to Second Cup. At the door, the barista hands Kari her personal travel mug filled with her favourite green tea latte, along with another pink envelope directing her outside. A Cadillac stretch limo pulls up. Inside, she finds a giftwrapped scrapbook chronicling our courtship. The limo delivers Kari to the Legislature grounds, where a security guard hands her the final pink envelope directing her to the top of the stairs… A “belated birthday dinner” with both sets of parents—Bruce and Catherine Jespersen from Calgary, and Gary and Deb Skelton from Sylvan Lake—later that night completed what proved to be a total surprise for everyone—except her dad. Getting engaged is a funny thing. On one hand, you’re telling the world you’re totally ready to take the biggest step of your life. On the other, you quickly realize how little you actually know
Love
about making a marriage work. Who loses what when closets are combined? What if family Christmas traditions clash? From bathroom cleaning duties to bank accounts, everything needs to be discussed and decided. No better time to connect with Edmonton’s leaders in financial planning, real estate, organizational skills and interpersonal communication, to name a few. This is The Business of Love—a journal of sorts on getting ready for the ring. One of the early questions is where we’ll live as newlyweds and what we’ll do with my current condo. But before we go there in coming months, some background on how I got to where I’m at… “A man without land is nothing.” As a renter reading Richler, those words stung. Was I the only would-be buyer who lay awake at night counting “shouldaboughts”? Or were there other Edmontonians who saw condos jump from five-figures to an average quartermillion and started feeling queasy? I feared I‘d be stuck on the outside looking in forever. So a year ago, despite record-high real estate prices, I went for it. My gut told me it was time to pounce. After all, it would only be a matter of time before I doubled my money…right? As several trusted friends concurred, there was “no way” the prices would
Chocophilia A
She said YES!!
t the age of seven, Kerstin Roos knew she was leaving behind a world of premium sweets and chocolate when her family moved to Edmonton from Germany in 1977. Her passion for all things chocolate was evident even then. Many years and multiple culinary cultures later—from Japan to New York—she returned to Edmonton to launch Kerstin’s Chocolates in 2003, retailing her uniquely flavoured bars in upscale grocery stores and cafes. In February, she opened The Cocoa Room at 10139 112th Street. The marketing strategy focuses heavily on grassroots relationship building. “I like meeting people and talking with them directly,” says Kerstin. Along with some basic advertising within the local community, she has also capitalized on public relations and various food festivals and shows, including selling her chocolates at the Rocky Mountain Food and Wine Show. More recently, at the Home Show, she handed out coupons to track how many visitors to the booth would later visit the store. She also invited attendees to sign up for her e-mail newsletter. As well, Kerstin does chocolate tastings at The Cocoa Room that the public can register for at www.kerstinschocolates.com.
Kerstin Roos of olates Kerstin’s Choc
ever drop. It was onward and upward for this real estate rookie. With a few flips, I’d move from a modest condo to a riverfront villa, chuckling at how easy it was to finally become “something.” All I had to do was follow the model that had worked for thousands of Edmontonians already—buy, sit, cash in. So, at the height of the boom, I bought. But nobody said anything about timing. It’s a tough row to hoe: building wealth after the boom. You’re the guy who shows up at the buffet table 10 minutes before closing time, with nothing but instant mashed potatoes and a bologna tray left to devour. Fast forward one year, there are more “For Sale” signs outside my condo complex than there are geraniums. And there are a lot of geraniums. It’s like everybody came to their senses and is trying to cash in at the same time. Now, I fear I’m stuck on the inside looking out. Everyone agrees: It’s a buyer’s market. Great news for all those renters who had the foresight to ride out the insanity. Not so great for those who were banking on the upward trend to continue, carrying them to a beautiful bungalow on Easy Street. Ahem. Despite my assurances that “I know what I’m doing,“ the fine folks at the bank are a little less eager to hand out a
E
second mortgage than they were the first time around. How on earth am I supposed to take advantage of this great time to buy with that kind of hesitation? I’ll admit, there have been moments where I’ve second-guessed the price I paid for my place. It’s like the classic real estate advice—“location, location, location”—simply meant “find one.” It’s not in the best neighbourhood. It’s not even the nicest building on my street. But, at the end of the day, it’s mine (at least, as long as I continue to make the payments). And even though I probably should have waited… even though my hands are tied during this great time to buy, I smile when I twist that deadbolt and walk through my front door. Because this is my place. And a man with land is somebody. √ You can catch Ryan Jesperson “live on location” on Your City, weeknights at 6pm on Citytv. E-mail rjesperson@edmontonians.com
my space For Young Entreprenuers By Erin Rayner All of these initiatives are consistent with the organic, original branding and her desire to continue growing the business at a manageable pace. When I asked Kerstin about her favourite mistake, she said the business has “gotten bigger, faster than I expected it would… and that has made me realize where I want it to go and what I want to do in the business.” I suggested that she look at possible partnerships with other luxury items retailers. For example, partner with a wine or liquor retailer to expand her tasting event base or partner with a boutique flower or tea shop around holidays like Valentine’s Day and Christmas. There is also the opportunity to capitalize on the corporate and wedding markets by individually branding a specific line of bars. √ Erin Rayner is president of ED Marketing and Communications Inc. You can submit marketing materials for review; suggest young entrepreneurs to be profiled; nominate a Top Three; or ask a business developement question. Contact erayner@edmontonians.com
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lifestyles LIVELY
MENU
Magic with Chef John Berry
I
don’t think there is anything more precious than receiving your mother or grandmothers’ recipe book after they pass. This is the food that we were raised on. It’s the food that we came to love and enjoy—dare I say, expect—every Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, birthday, any special occasion. This was the taste of home. It made us feel comfortable, safe, relaxed and, yes, bloated. But it was family and, by golly, this is the way it was meant to taste. And the real joy is in passing these wonderful recipes to our children, so they can pass them on to their children, and so on. I was so blessed to receive my wife’s mother’s recipes, my mom’s and my dad’s after they had passed. Each recipe recalls a journey, a time, a place, an occasion. What a great way to keep our family heritage alive. The Eleniak family understood this. So to preserve the secrets of their babas’ kitchens alive, they formed the Eleniak Heritage Society and published a cookbook. There’s a wonderful picture of Anna, wife of Wasyl… Irene, second wife of Ivan… and Anna, wife of Petro. From Baba’s Kitchen to Ours, dedicated to these matriarchs, is a runaway hit—a 13-year old hit. “Every time I figure that’s it, a new order comes in,” marvels Steve Eleniak. It’s like a snowball that has rolled and rolled into an avalanche. The neat thing is that the family decided to support the Kalyna Country of Performing Arts Association with a donation from the sale of each book. It’s a 316-page bible of Ukrainian cooking, handed down from generation to generation—appetizers, breads, salads, candy, cakes, canning, preserves, pickles, meat, soups, sauces, tea dainties… the list is impressive. Says Steve, “We decided to put this together in 1991, the 100th anniversary of the first Ukrainian to arrive in Canada. We asked for recipes, and three months later had five pounds of paper—all recipes. Now in its seventh printing, 5,000 copies of From Baba’s Kitchen to Ours have sold in Canada, the U.S. and around the world. “Our busiest time is in the spring, when people buy the book to give as wedding presents” You can buy it at the Ukrainian Village, and the Ukrainian Book Store on 97th Street—incidentally, the first bookstore in Edmonton, established in 1907. Or you can order directly from Steven at 780.454.7893. So parents and grandparents, start assembling the family recipes as part of your legacy. If you are 20-something, start
1 tsp parsley, finely diced 2 cups shredded cabbage 2 Tbs. lemon juice 1/2 cup sour cream.
1 tsp. dill 9 cups water 1 1/2 tsp. salt
Cover beets and carrots with water. Add lemon juice and salt. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables. Cook 30 minutes longer. Serve and top with a dollop of sour cream
Baba’s Potato Pancakes Borscht collecting them now, so your questions can be answered, and you can be taught by those in the know. I chose a couple of the Eleniak’s traditional Ukrainian recipes. After a hard day ploughing the land, a hot steaming bowl of borscht with homemade bread was always welcome. These dishes are perfect at this time of the year when you can harvest the veggies fresh from the garden, or pick them up at a farmers’ market.
BORSCHT 2 cups beets, cut into thin strips 1 medium onion, chopped 1/2 cup carrots, cut into strips 1 medium potato, cut into small cubes
Beets
POTATO PANCAKES: 4 cups shredded, peeled potatoes (approx 4 large potatoes) 1 Tbs. grated onion 1 egg, lightly beaten 3 Tbs. flour 1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp pepper Rinse the shredded potatoes in cold water. Drain well. Place in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. In a skillet heat 1/4 inch of oil over medium heat. Drop 1/2 cup of batter into the oil and flatten with a spatula. Fry until golden brown, then flip over. Drain on paper towels. Contact Chef John Berry at jberry@edmontonians.com
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with Linda Bodo
H
e knew how to take what a tree gave him and give it a second life. He even knew how to take apart the second life and create something entirely new from its remnants. He repurposed, reused and recycled before going green was cool. Dad was ahead of his time. The blueprints were scrawled on the back of a napkin. It was the long week end in May 2001, and my father and I were fine-tuning measurements over a couple of espressos. Dad always had an affinity for all creatures great and small and suggested we construct a sanctuary for my growing populace of feathered friends, using organic materials harvested from our acreage. A graceful, arched arbour would crown a collection of hand-made bird feeders, houses and baths, and provide scaffolding for hanging suet and seed baskets. Perfect. We downed our coffees, gathered our tools, and headed outside to forage for suitable materials. In our search, we came upon a pile of fell trees that would provide all the timber required for our project. No need for the rusty clippers and stubborn chain saw… we easily dragged our supplies to the job site. Our next task was to excavate four 24-inch deep cavities without puncturing buried water or electrical lines. Gingerly, we began the arduous task of hand-digging through clay, rock and tenacious roots that could only be tamed with those rusty clippers. We dropped the limbs into the prepped holes and backfilled. The upright supports were reinforced with cross branches to provide stability to the structure. Little did we know, those cross branches would be the perfect ladder for poaching porcupines and their young. The next step was to arc the branch tips to create that lovely arched apex. Precariously balanced on the top rungs of our ladders, we dampened the branches and inch-byinch began coaxing the wood to bow. I was the first to crack my bough. Apparently, the branches we collected had been cut down the previous year and were far from pliable anymore. Undaunted, we carried on until we shaped a somewhat awkward asymmetric gothic peak that leaned heavily toward the right. That lopsided creation would make me smile each time I gazed upon it. Through it I heard Dad’s laughter and felt his presence.
currents from the river valley. Dad and I shared many an Finally, we began Arbour 2001 afternoon over an espresso watching the action outside. the auspicious task And then it of staging. Hanging happened: Last feeders, soft winter while filling plantings and handthe feeders after a made willow pieces severe snowfall, I completed the took a tumble on an setting. By nightfall, unstable step-stool. we were tired, To break my fall, I hungry and in reached for a serious need of branch and took showers. But, we half the sanctuary still had one more down with me. feeder to install: a two-story cedar pied-à-terre that Dry wood, rotted rested on a four by four post. Hastily, we dug a small 08 shafts and hollow and rammed the post into the ground with a Arbour 20 woodpecker sledge hammer. That’s when we hit water. I held both excavations had weakened the assembly considerably. hands over the gusher while Dad ran to the shut-off Horrified, I re-erected the sorry mess with tie wraps, heavy valve. The next day I had the irrigation guys pay us a visit. They had to tear up half the lawn to replace the broken line. wire and tears. A month later, gale-force winds knocked the entire structure over. This time I knew it was irreparable. For the next seven years nests were built, families were With a heavy heart, I disassembled what was left and cut it raised, and migrants seeking temporary room and board up for firewood. came and went with the seasons. Over 30 species of birds made an appearance in our retreat. And then there were the July 12th would have been Dad’s 81st birthday. I little surprises. A flying squirrel built a nest in a feeder and, to this day, flies across the night skies from bough to bough celebrated by branching out and erected a new sanctuary. Stronger, sturdier and more durable than the original, I in his aerodynamic webbed suit. Our chipmunk population hope my efforts will stand the test of time. escalated to the size of a small village and moved to more I think you would have approved, Dad. √ spacious digs under the gazebo where they regularly sow sunflower seeds in the surrounding beds. The squirrels For step-by-step instructions and how-to photos, go to repurposed a willow feeder into a day bed, where they stretch out and take afternoon naps in the sun. Pheasants, www.edmontonians.com and scroll to the bottom of the partridges and ruffed grouse wander about in the fall Current Edition page cleaning up dried berries left on Saskatoon bushes. Deer stop in occasionally to wet their whistles at the bird bath. A Contact Linda Bodo at lbodo@edmontonians.com red-tailed hawk patrols the area floating on uplifting or visit www.absolutebodo.com.
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