T8N Volume 11 Issue 2 - May 2024

Life can change quickly and it’s important to ensure your insurance is keeping up. Here are five important times to pause and determine if your insurance needs have changed.

1. Your marital status has changed

Whether you’re getting married and combining households, or divorcing and splitting up possessions, a change in your marital status can affect your need for life, auto and home insurance coverage. As you review your coverage, be sure to verify or change your beneficiary designations, if applicable.

2. Your family makeup changes

If you’re expecting a baby or adopting a child, you’ll want to protect your growing family with adequate life, critical illness and disability insurance. Losing a family member is another life event that may prompt a policy review. It’s important to review beneficiary designations on your existing policies whenever these types of changes occur.

3. Your teen gets a driver’s licence

If your child is just learning to drive, proper auto insurance is a must. Whether you plan to add them to your existing policy or have them purchase a policy of their own, be sure to talk to your insurance advisor about your options, including discounts that may be available for multi-vehicle policies or student drivers.

4. You make a major purchase

If you buy a home or vacation property, or take on a significant renovation, you should review your home insurance. But don’t stop there. When you buy, inherit or acquire items of value, like expensive sports equipment, a baby grand piano, or antique jewelry, it’s also important to check whether these possessions are fully covered by your existing policy or if you should consider protecting them with additional coverage.

5. Your employment status changes

If your income has changed recently because of a promotion, lay-offs, termination, retirement, or a change in your career aspirations, it’s important to let your insurance advisor know. Depending on your circumstances, they may recommend increasing your coverage or opting for a more affordable option. Plus, if you’re no longer commuting to an office or worksite, your auto insurance premiums might also change.

Bottom line: if your life has changed significantly, now’s the right time to review your insurance coverage. Not sure where to start? Reach out to me for an insurance and financial review today – or visit desjardinsagents.com/customer-care/blog for more helpful insurance tips.

PUBLISHER EDITOR

Rob Lightfoot Gene Kosowan

DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

Isaac White

PHOTOGRAPHY

Francis Tetrault, Paula E. Kirman, Stephanie Cragg, and Brenda Lakeman

CONTRIBUTOR

Paula E. Kirman, Carmen D. Hrynchuk, Tom Murray, and Shima Zonneveld

OFFICE MANAGER

Janice Lightfoot

CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES

hazim-Adobe Stock, JatoCreate-Pixabay, and Musee Heritage Museum

ISSN 2368-707X (PRINT)

ISSN 2368-7088 (ONLINE)

For editorial inquiries or information, contact T8N magazine at info@t8nmagazine.com . Have something to say? Letters, suggestions or ideas can be sent to letters@t8nmagazine.com.

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Rob Lightfoot rob@t8nmagazine.com

780 940 6212 or visit t8nmagazine.com

T8N magazine is published 5

2024

“A big thank you to Caruana Interiors & Contracting here in St Albert. They completed home renovations for us and we are very pleased with the outcome. They remained positive, dedicated to the purpose and went the extra mile at all times. Your efforts are truly appreciated. We would recommend anyone interested in renos or home projects give them a call.”

— Dennis A

The St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce invites you to come shop and support local at the largest outdoor farmers’ market in Canada starting June 8th!

10AM - 3PM

scan me to learn more information on the market

Thank you St. Albert for recognising us again in 2024!

Rob Lightfoot

WE REGULARLY DEDICATE a great deal of space to what our readers cite as the best and most popular attractions and services in the city and once again, they came through with flying colours in our annual Best of T8N reader survey. Check the results of what’s tops in St. Albert in hundreds of categories, beginning on page 16.

It’s a no-brainer why spring and style are inextricably intertwined, as creative types tend to get inspired by the arrival of a season budding and sprouting in a kaleidoscope of colour. It’s no accident that spring is when the hottest wardrobe hits the catwalks from New York to Paris. And it’s hardly coincidental why we regularly choose this time of year to showcase the most eye-catching apparel gracing local racks. Catch a panoramic showcase of what this year has to offer fashion-wise, starting on page 10.

But we’re just getting started. Dig a little deeper into this issue to create and serve some cocktail classics (page 22), check out products emblazoned in Peach Fuzz, Pantone’s colour choice for 2024 (page 28), flip a frisbee at Kingwood’s new disc golf course (page 30), retrace the short, but vibrant, history of Bellerose Composite High School (page 33), and take in the eye-catching and ecological wonders of Big Lake (page 35).

Enjoy the issue and take advantage of the colourful tapestry surrounding you, inherent of what this spring has to offer. t8n

On the Cover

The arrival of the sun also marks the return to classic cocktails, ideal for sipping outdoors. Should you need a reminder on how to mix legendary drinks from the Mai Tai to the Mint Julep, we're glad to oblige, starting on page 22. Just add ice.

Cover concept: Isaac White

Earthy and eclectic

Wardrobe worlds collide in this season’s fashion outlook

Sugar Lips jumper and Qupid shoes from Frock Box

YOU DON’T HAVE to gaze at headlines or your social media accounts to realize we live in very confusing times when reality and reason seem to have lost their meanings. Add to the bewilderment the idea that going forward might also mean taking a few steps back.

That appears to be the rationale behind this season’s fashion spread that takes a combination biodome and utilitarian approach, involving futuristic designs, while digging into the past to find one’s roots. Think jumpsuits with wide pant legs and cargo pockets for a look that’s not only attractive, but practical. Or bright and colourful ’70s designs hearkening the carefree spirit of that decade melding with muted earth tones to call to attention the need for environmental awareness that future generations will have to wrestle with.

As this photo essay reveals, those are mashups worth mulling over. t8n

L: Sanctuary jacket and pants, Steve Madden sandals, and Pilgrim necklace from Bella Maas Boutique

R: Heartloom vest, Steve Madden pants, Billini shoes, and Pilgrim necklace from Bella Maas Boutique

Bella Dahl dress, Billini shoes, and Pilgrim necklace from Bella Maas Boutique

Black Tape tank top, Orb blazer and shorts, Dirty Laundry shoes from Frock Box

Dex top, Only bomber jacket and skirt, Toms shoes from Frock Box

CITY

BEST LOCAL ARTS EVENT

Artwalk St. Albert artwalkstalbert.com

BEST LOCAL FAMILY EVENT

International Children’s Festival of the Arts stalbert.ca/exp/childfest

BEST PUBLIC SPACE

Lions Park

BEST PLACE FOR OUTDOOR SKATING

Lacombe Park Lake

BEST HIDDEN GEM

Riverlot 56 Natural Area

BEST POLITICIAN

Marie Renaud

BEST NON PROFIT

LoSeCa Foundation loseca.ca

BEST PRESCHOOL

Tot Spot Academy totspotacademy.com

BEST DAY CARE SIGIS Child Care Society sigischildcare.ca

BEST TUTORING BUSINESS Success 2000 Study Centres success2000studycentres.ca

BEST PLACE OF WORSHIP

Holy Family Parish holyfamilyparish.ca

BUSINESS

BEST NEW BUSINESS Co-op Food Store

BEST LOCAL EMPLOYER

Sturgeon Animal Hospital sturgeonanimalhospital.ca

BEST BUSINESS DECOR

Simone & Ivy Interiors simoneandivy.ca

BEST BUSINESS WEBSITE

Saltwater Boutique saltwaterbay.ca

BEST BUSINESS SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE

Sweet Boutique sweet-boutique.ca

BEST NEW AUTO DEALER St. Albert Dodge stalbertdodge.com

BEST AUTO SERVICE

Big Kev’s Tire and Auto napaautopro.com/en/autorepair/alberta/st-albert-big-kevstire-auto

BEST AUTOBODY REPAIR SERVICE

Sturgeon Autobody sturgeonautobody.com

BEST AUTOMOTIVE TIRE SHOP

Fountain Tire fountaintire.com

BEST BIKE SHOP

Cranky’s Bike Shop crankys.ca

BEST FLORIST

Charmed Floral charmed-floral-design-inc. myshopify.com

BEST CLEANING SERVICE

Lathered Cleaning Company

BEST GARDENING STORE

Salisbury at Enjoy enjoygardencentre.ca

BEST GIFT / GIFTWARE STORE

Seasons Gift Shop seasonsgiftshop.ca

BEST LAWYER

Laura Maloney –Weary & Company wearyco.com

BEST PHOTOGRAPHER

Jim Whitesell jimwhitesell.com

BEST SHOPPING / RETAIL COMPLEX

Erin Ridge Retail Centre

BEST SPORTING GOODS STORE

St. Albert Source for Sports sourceforsports.com

BEST ANIMAL HOSPITAL / VETERINARIAN

Sturgeon Animal Hospital

sturgeonanimalhospital.ca

BEST PET CARE PROVIDER

The Ranch Pet Care theranchpetcare.com

BEST PET PRODUCT STORE

Bone & Biscuit

boneandbiscuit.ca/location/stalbert

BEST LOCAL/CLOSE BY GOLF COURSE

Sandpiper Golf Club countryclubtour.com/sandpiper

BEST MARTIAL ARTS STUDIO

Phoenix Taekwon-Do phoenixtaekwon-do.ca

BEST ARTS STUDIO

St. Albert Art Studio stalbertartstudio.com

BEST DANCE STUDIO Danceco Ltd. danceco.net

BEST YOGA STUDIO

Lahari Yoga lahariyoga.ca

HOME & LIVING

BEST COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, IN DEVELOPMENT

Erin Ridge Shopping Centre

BEST COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, COMPLETED

The Shops at Boudreau

BEST RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, IN DEVELOPMENT

Riverside genstar.com/our_communities/riverside

BEST FURNITURE STORE

Simone & Ivy Interiors simoneandivy.ca

BEST HOME ACCESSORY STORE

The Makers Keep themakerskeep.com

BEST FINANCIAL CONSULTANT

Aron Egay-Samu, Clarity Wealth Council claritywealthcounsel.ca/our-team

BEST INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE BROKER

Tara Borle taraborle.com

BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT

Ryan Sellers ryansellers.com

BEST LOCAL HOME BUILDERS

Sarasota Homes sarasotahomes.ca

BEST LOCAL CONTRACTOR

Caruana Interiors & Contracting caruanainteriors.ca

BEST PAINT STORE

Benjamin Moore / Days Paint and Wallpaper benjaminmoore.com

BEST WINDOW TREATMENT BUSINESS

Gotcha Covered gotchacovered.com/edmonton-st-albert

BEST LANDSCAPING COMPANY

Rockland Supplies rocklandsupplies.com

BEST FLOORING STORE

Titan Flooring & Interior Design titanflooring.com

FASHION & STYLE

BEST EYEWEAR STORE

Sturgeon Vision Centre sturgeonvisioncentre.com

BEST HAIR SALON Voodoo Hair Studio voodoohair.ca

BEST BARBERSHOP

Mario’s Barbershop facebook.com/mariosbarbershopstalbert

BEST MEN’S WEAR STORE Tip Top Tailors www.tiptop.ca

BEST WOMEN’S WEAR STORE

Bella Maas bellamaas.com

BEST FASHION ACCESSORY STORE Sweet Boutique sweet-boutique.ca

BEST JEWELRY STORE

Gemport Jewellers gemportjewellers.ca

BEST THRIFT STORE Goodwill

goodwill.ab.ca/goodwill-location/stalbert-thrift-store-and-donation-centre

NEW BUSINESS

RIVERSIDE FOOD STORE ST. ALBERT

Looking forward to Soap Box Derby on June 14th – 15th, and Rock’n August on August 8th.

Thank you St. Albert for voting us Best Automotive Tire Shop 5 years in a row.

To the St. Albert Community, The LoSeCa Foundation would like to thank everyone who voted us T8N

year in a row We are so happy to have so much support and recognition for what we do from the members of our community We have been supporting adults with developmental disabilities for 30 years now, and we will continue to focus on improving the quality of life for everyone who comes into our care for years to come. We consider ourselves lucky to have such an amazing the keys to our success. Thank you!

We’re on this road together. We’re on this road together.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

BEST ACUPUNTURIST

Danielle Peters renewwellness.ca

BEST CHIROPRACTOR

Dr. Kevin Maloney maloneyclinics.com/kevinmaloney

BEST PHYSIOTHERAPIST

Dr. Chad Burden, Summit Physiotherapy summitphysiotherapy.ca

BEST DENTIST

Dr. Dana Hardy, Generations Family Dentist generationsfamilydental.ca

BEST DENTAL CLINIC

St. Albert Dental Centre stalbertdentist.com

BEST OPTOMETRISTS

Dr. Angela Morley sturgeonvisioncentre.com

BEST MEDICAL CLINIC Grandin Medical Clinic

BEST SPA

We’re on this road together. We’re on this road together. We’re on this road together.

Off the Hook Laser and Spa offthehooklaserandspa.com

BEST MASSAGE THERAPIST

Amanda Taylor, Off the Hook offthehooklaserandspa.com

BEST NAIL SPA

Off the Hook Laser and Spa offthehooklaserandspa.com

BEST FITNESS CLUB Servus Place

FOOD & BEVERAGE

BEST BREAKFAST Toast Breakfast and Lunch toastbl.ca

BEST BRUNCH

Toast Breakfast and Lunch toastbl.ca

BEST COFFEE SHOP

Good Earth Coffee Shop goodearthcoffeehouse.com/locations/ st-albert

BEST BAKERY (BREAD, BUNS, ETC) Wild Earth Bakery wildearthbakery.com

BEST BAKERY (SWEETS, COOKIES, CUPCAKES, ETC) Mercato mercatofoods.com

BEST STEAKS Riverbank Bistro riverbankbistro.ca/home

BEST SUSHI Tokyo Express. tokyoexpressyeg.com

BEST TAPAS Tryst Wine & Small Plates trystexperience.com

BEST SANDWICHES Mercato mercatofoods.com

BEST BURGERS Jack’s Burger Shack jacksburgershack.ca

BEST FRIES Jack’s Burger Shack jacksburgershack.ca

BEST PIZZA Pizza Garage pizzagarage.ca

BEST PASTA Nello’s Cucina Italiana nellosrestaurant.ca

BEST VEGETARIAN Kb & Co kbandcompany.com

BEST CHICKEN WINGS St.Louis Bar & Grill stlouiswings.com

BEST RESTAURANT DESSERTS The Cajun House cajunhouse.net

BEST ICE CREAM SHOP DaVinci davinci-gelato.com

BEST TAKEOUT Jade Village jadevillage.ca

BEST DINING EXPERIENCE (+ $20 / ENTRÉE) Riverbank Bistro riverbankbistro.ca/home

BEST DINING EXPERIENCE (- $20 / ENTRÉE) Nello’s Cucina Italiana nellosrestaurant.ca

BEST CHINESE Asian Connection asianconnectionrestaurant.net

BEST JAPANESE Sushi Park

BEST THAI / VIETNAMESE Songkran Thai

BEST ITALIAN Sorrentino’s sorrentinos.com

BEST PUB Crown and Tower thecrownandtower.com

BEST NEW RESTAURANT Dickey’s Barbecue Pit dickeys.com/ca/en-ca

BEST DATE NIGHT RESTAURANT Tryst Wine & Small Plates trystexperience.com

MOST INNOVATIVE MENU Bodega bodegayeg.ca/st-albert

BEST WINE LIST (BY GLASS) Buco Pizzeria & Vino Bar bucopizzeria.com/st-albert

BEST WINE LIST (BY BOTTLE) Nineteen stalbert.dinenineteen.com

FOOD & BEVERAGE

BEST BEER LIST (TAP) Endeavour Brewing endeavourbrewing.com

BEST BEER LIST (BY BOTTLE) Central Social Hall centralsocialhall.com

BEST SPORTS BAR Canadian Brewhouse thecanadianbrewhouse.com

BEST LATE NIGHT Central Social Hal centralsocialhall.com

BEST SERVICE Eastside Mario’s eastsidemarios.com

BEST PATIO Eastside Mario’s eastsidemarios.com

BEST INTERIOR DESIGN Nineteen stalbert.dinenineteen.com

BEST ATMOSPHERE Central Social Hall centralsocialhall.com

BEST KID FRIENDLY Boston Pizza bostonpizza.com/en/index.html

BEST WINE STORE Wine & Beyond wineandbeyond.ca

BEST BEER STORE Wine & Beyond wineandbeyond.ca

BEST CATERER Socrates socratesrestaurant.com

Just add garnish

When it comes to summer drinks, you can’t go wrong with classic cocktails

BARTENDERS AND MIXOLOGISTS love to experiment with what’s in the cabinet to come up with new drinks all the time. While we welcome diversity in all their forms, you can’t go wrong with some classic combos that have stood the test of time. Those wanting to go old-school on cocktails might want to try a few legendary options, some of which have been around for decades.

Mai Tai

This legendary concoction isn’t indigenous to Tahiti; the nation’s Polynesian heritage inspired restaurant chain Trader Vic to invent the beverage in the 1940s. This one’s the standard that accentuates the qualities of white and dark rum, when balanced with the citrus elements and will let your tastebuds realize why this is such a classic.

1 ¼ oz. white rum

¾ oz. orange curaçao

¾ oz. lime juice, freshly squeezed ½ oz. orgeat syrup

½ oz. dark rum

lime wheel for garnish

mint sprig for garnish

Add the white rum, curaçao, lime juice and orgeat into a shaker with crushed ice and shake lightly for a few seconds. Pour into a double rocks glass and float the dark rum over the top. Shake and serve over crushed ice and garnish with a lime

Mint Julep

Best known as the choice cocktail of the Kentucky Derby, this concoction is usually served in a rocks glass or more appropriately in a silver julep cup. Use a slightly higher-proof bourbon to keep the crushed ice from diluting the beverage too quickly.

¼ oz. simple syrup

2 oz. bourbon

7 mint leaves mint sprig for garnish angostura bitters for garnish (optional)

In a Julep cup or rocks glass, lightly muddle the mint leaves in the simple syrup. Add the bourbon then pack the glass tightly with crushed ice. Stir until the cup is frosted on the outside. Top with more crushed ice to form an ice dome, and garnish with a mint sprig and a few drops of bitters (optional)

Lime Margarita

This cocktail has a complicated history, allegedly created in 1938 by a Mexican restaurateur to impress a showgirl named Margaret, although another story has it that it was invented in the 1940s in Tijuana and named after Rita Hayworth, whose real name was Margarita Casino. Regardless of the past, made correctly, this beverage’s taste is timeless.

1 wedge lime

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, or as needed

1 cup ice cubes, or as needed

2 oz. white tequila

1 ½ oz. triple sec

1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice

1 slice lime

Moisten the rim of a glass with a lime wedge. Sprinkle salt onto a plate. Lightly dip the moistened rim into the salt. Place a large ice cube in the glass and freeze the prepared glass until ready to serve. Fill a cocktail shaker with fresh ice. Add tequila, triple sec, and lime juice. Cover and shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker has frosted. Strain margarita into the chilled glass and garnish with a slice of lime.

Pink Paloma

One of the most popular drinks in Mexico, this concoction has become a hit for its combination of tequila with fruit juice, adding a tarty kick to the imbibing experience.

2 oz.  tequila

2 oz.  pink grapefruit juice

2 oz.  sparkling water

¼ oz. lime juice

¼ oz. simple syrup

1 pinch sea salt

1 lime wedge for garnish ice cubes

Fill a glass with ice cubes, then add the tequila, lime juice and salt. Fill the rest of the glass with pink grapefruit juice, then garnish with a lime wedge.

Strawberry Basil Smash

One classic that’s more recent goes back a couple decades to a bar in Hamburg, Germany, although it uses gin as a primary ingredient. In this variation, strawberries and fresh basil are smashed together until fragrant in this bourbon-based cocktail make it perfect for those hot summer days just around the corner.

¼ c. fresh strawberries, cut into chunks

5 leaves fresh basil

1 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. simple syrup

3 oz. bourbon

½ cup ice, or as needed

3 oz. sparkling water, or as needed

Muddle strawberries, basil, lemon juice, and simple syrup together in a cocktail glass until smashed together and fragrant. Add bourbon and ice, then stir to combine. Top with sparkling water. Add a strawberry and a couple of basil leaves for garnish.

Blue Lagoon

Contrary to popular belief, this beverage wasn’t named after the 1980s Brooke Shields movie, as a Paris-based bar came up with the concoction at least a decade earlier. Still, its exotic moniker might be enticing enough for folks to give this cocktail a shot.

1 oz. vodka

1 oz. blue curaçao

4 oz. lemonade

lemon wheel for garnish

maraschino cherry for garnish

Add the vodka, blue curaçao and lemonade to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a glass over crushed ice. Garnish with a lemon wheel and maraschino cherry.

T8N and Summer in the City are looking for a Food Stylist to help create the tasty and beautiful food shown in our publication each issue.

Details on: www.t8nmagazine.com/jobs/

Pokoloko

ONE HAIRY HUE

Pantone takes a fruitier path with this

Yo

Koi eyeglass frames, $340 from Sturgeon Vision Centre

Sox novelty socks, $12.95 from When Pigs Fly

coastline towel – Savanna, $55 from Concept Jewelry

AS WE CONTINUE to recover from the lingering isolation in the wake of COVID, while grappling with the divisiveness rampant across the planet, the Pantone Color Institute chose a shade designed to unite us all, while packing a peachy punch.

“In seeking a hue that echoes our innate yearning for closeness and connection, we chose a colour radiant with warmth and modern elegance,” said Pantone Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the organization that revealed “Peach Fuzz” (PANTONE 13-1023) as this year’s official colour.

“A shade that resonates with compassion, offers a tactile embrace, and effortlessly bridges the youthful with the timeless.” With that in mind, we searched high and low for items geared towards upholding that directive. t8n

Hummingbird mug by Chipewyan

Dene artist John

Rombough, $15.50 from Bearclaw Gallery

Sentimental DIY book, $23.95 from BasketBelle

Marabu art crayon, $5.19 from Delta Art & Drafting Supplies

Dr. John plays Mac Rebennack vinyl album, $52.99 from Blackbyrd Myoozik

Lack of Colours bucket hat in 100% terrycloth, $120 from Who Cares Wear

Benjamin Moore aura eggshell interior paint, $109.99 from Benjamin Moore Days Painting Supplies

Par for the course

Disc golf sets new heights at Kingswood Park

BY: GENE KOSOWAN PHOTOGRAPHY: CITY OF ST. ALBERT

THE CITY OF St. Albert has put an entirely different spin on park recreation. It’s a whirl in the form of a permanent disc golf course at Kingswood Park that will run throughout the entire summer for the first time.

Locals only had a few months to try out the facility, which opened last summer at the park, located near Riverlot 56 in the eastern part of the city. Stats on its usage are murky at best, although a third-party app called UDisc reported that visitors played roughly 2,100 rounds on the course during the four months it was open. Still, Craig Cameron, the city’s Manager of Parks and Community Partnership, was encouraged by the numbers.

“This was our first season of use, and we look forward to continuing to track usage,” he said about last year’s traffic on the course, slated to operate this year from May until October. “Even with a shortened play season, we were pleased with the amount of usage.”

A full six-month season will provide plenty of opportunity for patrons to try their hand at disc golf, one of the fastest growing sports on the planet. It’s played very much like the more conventional version of golf, but without clubs and dimpled balls. Instead, players use flying

discs, more commonly known as frisbees on nine- or 18-hole courses. But instead of holes, the sport uses baskets as targets on each fairway.

It’s also far more user-friendly than traditional golf in that participants don’t need to invest in relatively more items like clubs, balls, bags and tees. And unlike most golf courses, the Kingswood Park facility doesn’t charge admission fees or impose tee-time bookings. Folks can show up anytime during the day with anything from a disc from a dollar store to a more professional version from a sporting goods retailer.

With Kingswood Park being the first permanent disc golf course in St. Albert, players are happy for the experience

“Disc golf is for everyone!” noted Cameron enthusiastically. “We see players of all ages and abilities using the course, including family groups, school groups, and community groups. Kingswood Park disc golf course is a recreational course that will allow people to discover the sport and hopefully grow interest in the community.”

The city is relying on more than just hope to attract more users. In 2020, a temporary facility was already in use in Langholm Park, when the city embarked on a feasibility study to determine the need for something more permanent. An eight-page report presented at City Council in September, 2021 revealed that 83 percent of respondents favoured a

disc golf park, with Kingswood cited as its most preferred location. Using respondent feedback and guidelines set by the Professional Disc Golf Association, the city went ahead with a $147,900 project to landscape the park into a course that opened in July, 2023. The result is a playing surface with natural features like hills and trees to make it more interesting for players, although Cameron added that the park isn’t strictly for disc golf.

“The course is also designed to balance shared use between existing and new park users, including the consideration of grooming cross-country ski trails in the winter,” he said.

Looking forward to increased usage of Kingswood, Cameron noted he’s impressed with the comments about the facility’s amenities and the thought that went into the course’s construction.

“With Kingswood Park being the first permanent disc golf course in St. Albert, players are happy for the experience,” he said.

We are honoured to be voted St. Albert’s Best Daycare!

SIGIS is excited to announce the launch of our SIGIS Pension Plan to compliment our RSP, Health Benefits & Professional Development plan.

We are committed to remaining the best!

Disc golf is for everyone! We see players of all ages and abilities using the course, including family groups, school groups, and community groups.

“We have also had positive feedback on the tee pads and basket features. The tee pads are artificial turf which provide a strong, consistent, and safe area to throw discs from in different conditions. The disc golf baskets are PDGA approved and mounted seasonally in the park. People also like that the park has a pavilion that offers shelter and a public washroom.” t8n

Disc Golf Fun Facts

Disc golf goes as far back as the ’60s, when students scattered throughout the U.S. played early, more ramshackle versions of the game, using everything from trees to garbage cans as targets.

Ed Headrick is credited with creating the more official version of the game, after redesigning the original frisbee for toy manufacturer Wham-O during the ’70s. After leaving the company, he formed his first company, the Disc Golf Association, which made more durable discs and formalized disc golf into the version currently enjoyed worldwide.

Folks in more than 40 countries world wide play disc golf, which spiked in popularity during two years of COVID-19 lockdowns that started in 2020.

Canada ranks third in terms of number of golf courses available within its borders, trailing the U.S. and Finland.

The Canadian Disc Golf Association is the sport’s governing body in this country, and sanctions tournaments like its flagship national championship to be held this September in Clearwater B.C.

Bulldog Pride

The short, yet colourful history of Bellerose Composite High School

BY: GENE KOSOWAN PHOTOGRAPHY: PAULA E. KIRMAN

WHEN ST. ALBERT’S Paul Kane High School in the public system was experiencing an overflow of students on its premises, thoughts turned to creating another facility to accommodate that growth. The result was the construction of Bellerose Composite High School, which successfully tackled that expansion of teens when it opened. Today, the school, located on 49 Giroux Road has diversified its education menu to include an International Baccalaureate program and a Sports Academy. It’s also home to a variety of Bellerose Bulldogs teams, from football and basketball to volleyball and track, cheered on by its mascot, Rosie the Bulldog.

1980s

Construction begins on the school in 1987, with the doors officially swinging open in September 1988 to welcome its inaugural crowd of 514 Grades 10 and 11 students to the completed facility. It’s decided that the new building would be named to honour Octave Bellerose, who had established St. Albert’s first school in 1886.

1990s

The first-ever graduating class of Bellerose, roughly 150 students, finally earn their mortarboards and robes in 1990. Barely a decade after it first opened, increasing enrolment prompts discussions concerning further expanding the school, in the form of a two-storey section to be built, adding eight more classrooms to the facility.

2000s

Bellerose’s graduating class of 2000 consists of nearly 220 students who leave the school with diplomas. With construction on the new section of the school completed in 2000, Bellerose also adds two more portables connected by a foot-traffic link in 2002. Two years later, a freestanding portable also shows up on the premises. By 2005, the school’s attendance surpasses the 1,100 mark, more than double the number when Bellerose opened 17 years earlier.

The school begins to distinguish itself for its charitable campaigns, most notably the bike-a-thons, in which students pedal on stationary bikes, on occasion for up to 48 hours to raise money for worthy causes. In 2006, Bellerose teens pedal until they raise around $57,000 for the Cross Cancer Institute, roughly $47.50 per participant.

2010s

Nearly 300 students comprise Bellerose’s Class of 2010, who graduate from a secondary institution that has seen a great deal of change and will likely see more. The school’s annual bike-a-thon also witnesses a number of records broken in terms of donations, including a 2010 event that sees them raise $107,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society, the second-largest donation ever given to the organization by a school at the time.

In 2017, Bellerose briefly turns into a movie set for a modernday, high school version of the 19th century romantic stage play Cyrano de Bergerac. In the Canadian-produced flick, “#Roxy,” actor Danny Trejo, best known for portraying baddies in outings like “Desperado” and “Sons of Anarchy,” defies his villain stereotype by playing the school principal. The movie also includes “Degrassi: The Next Generation” star Sarah Fisher and “Twilight Saga” actor Booboo Stewart.

The provincial government reveals plans in 2019 to modernize Bellerose and create space to accommodate 275 more students. The $46.3 million project would additionally renovate part of the building. Once completed, the facility would be able to provide education for roughly 1,600 students. The Bellerose project is announced as part of the government’s $397-million endeavour to upgrade 25 schools in the province.

2020s

While a pandemic grips the planet during the start of the decade, Bellerose is among schools in the city that endures everything from lockdowns to social distancing and mask-wearing. Its graduation ceremonies in 2020 turns out to be the most unusual in the school’s 30-year history. To mitigate the risks of COVID infection, 337 Grade 12 students receive their caps and gowns in the gymnasium, put them on, and take part in an outdoor procession, before wrapping up the ceremonies with slices of wood-fired pizza.

While most schools cancel several of their events during the pandemic, Bellerose comes up with ways to keep those activities going while trying to mitigate the spread of infection, and maintaining the school’s Bulldog spirit. Solutions include holding their theatrical events and their annual bike-a-thon outdoors.

St. Albert Public Schools reports in 2022 that the $46.3 modernization project subsidized by the provincial government has been approved. Attendance at Bellerose that year sits at 1,076, although the school has a capacity to accommodate up to 1,353. Just as impressive is the school revealing in 2024 that in the 20-plus year history of its bike-a-thons, the campaigns had raised a cumulative $3.5 million for cancer research. t8n

2024

Who was Octave Bellerose?

Born in 1849, Octave Bellerose was one of 13 children raised by pioneering couple Olivier Bellerose and wife Josephte-Suzette Savard, who owned more than 800 hectares of land at River Lot #35.

He was well-known for his equine skills, which came in handy as a second lieutenant with the St. Albert Mounted Riflemen, assembled to prevent an incursion of the Riel Rebellion in 1885.

The following year, after the end of the rebellion, Bellerose established a school on his land, the first of its kind in the St. Albert Catholic School district. The original schoolhouse was actually a converted barn, which has since been preserved and moved to Fort Edmonton Park.

St Albert

The big deal about Big Lake

A look at one of Alberta’s most important aquatic sanctuaries

BY: CARMEN D. HRYNCHUK & GENE KOSOWAN PHOTOGRAPHY: BRENDA LAKEMAN

WHEN YOUR BACKYARD is 1,800 hectares of trails, wetlands and history, escaping the city is a walk in the park. For residents of St. Albert and other communities in the capital region, that escape is Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park. Established in 2005, the park—named in honour of our 15th Lieutenant Governor—preserves Big Lake, a freshwater wetland ecosystem. Never been? There’s no time like the present. Getting there is as easy as accessing the boardwalk off Riel Drive or following the Red Willow Trail west along the south bank. A viewing platform, boardwalk and interpretive centre all await your arrival.

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Connected to the park along Big Lake’s eastern shoreline is the John E. Poole Wetland, an interpretive site dedicated to conserving Canada’s wetlands. Doubling as an education destination, the area provides a critical habitat for thousands of migrating and nesting shorebirds and waterfowl. But our amazing wetlands don’t just provide for wildlife. They work hard for us too, storing twice the carbon found in the tropical forests of the world, while occupying only six percent of the earth’s land surface.

Big Lake, which takes its name from the Cree’s moniker “Mistihay Sakigan,” makes up 59 percent of the park’s total area and is eight km. long and three km. wide at its widest point. Globally recognized as one of the 20 most important habitat areas in Alberta, it’s also home to an estimated 235 bird species, including trumpeter swans, peregrine falcons, short-eared owls and bald eagles. In the lake’s waters are schools of fish that include goldeye, northern pike, stickleback, walleye, white sucker and walleye, while the rest of the provincial park area is occupied by mammals that include beaver, coyote, mink, moose, muskrat, porcupine, red fox, red squirrel, skunk, snowshoe hare, and white-tailed deer.

It sits on the sand and gravel of the Empress Formation, an aquifer 30 metres below its surface that was laid down by meltwater from the massive Laurentide and Cordilleran glaciers that dominated the surface of North America before retreating as far back as 15,000 years ago. Vegetation subsequently spiked around 6,000 years later, in the form of trees and grasslands during the Hypsithermal period, when the climate heated to temperatures that were warmer than today’s average readings by up to three degrees Celsius.

That period seems to coincide with evidence that humans first began to occupy the area, according to archaeological discoveries of ancient tools dating as far back as 5,000 years, although many scholars believe nomadic tribes had passed through the area at least 4,000 years earlier.

After Father Albert Lacombe established his mission in the area in 1861, its residents often ventured to Big Lake, to fish, hunt moose and deer, and trap beaver and muskrat. By 1914, Big Lake’s reputation as a tourist attraction escalated thanks to the paddlewheel boat the Ste. Thèrésa, which took passengers to the lake from St. Albert, which by now had become a village.  But it wasn’t until much more recently that the provincial government recognized the ecological significance of the lake, declaring it to be among Alberta’s 20 most important natural

habitats. In 1999, it dedicated 1,119 hectares of the lake and surrounding land to becoming the Big Lake Natural Area, and recognized it as an important bird sanctuary two years later. By 2024, 19 years after the area became a provincial park, the government expanded its size by another 238 hectares, declaring that it be used only for nature-based activities.

Like all great visits that end, a goodbye at Big Lake gives pause for gratitude. To stand on the shore at sunset is a reminder of that. And it’s with that feeling that conservation begins. It may seem like a small thing, but feeling that you are part of something bigger—something you want to experience again and share with others—is an important part of the conservation equation. In recognizing the hard work of others, you not only help bring change, you help sustain it. t8n

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A three-mendous opportunity

Multiply your powers of observation in this challenge

So far, Down Time has been rather easy on readers, offering them the chance to determine the number of items in a container. This month, we up the stakes by asking you which of the three jars contains the most pieces of candy. But we’re not done yet. After selecting that jar, tell us how many are in that particular jar.

Once you think you’ve figured it out, write down the answer on this page, whip out your smartphone to click an image of it, then post it on either Facebook or Twitter (tagging #t8n, of course) or direct message us instead. The person who guesses the right jar and gets closest to the correct amount wins. If there is a tie, we will randomly draw from the closest guessers. Prize is available only to St. Albert residents.

Visit summercity.ca to sign up for our E-newsletter for the chance to win prizes throughout the summer!