T8N Winter 2021

WINTER 2021 I t8nmagazine.com

HOCKEY LEGACY

RULES & RIGHTS

COVID 19’s effect On the Law

A tale of 3 cities

SLEDDING

ALONG

Longriders gets festive

WARMED UP YET?

Try these clothing and snacking options

OUT OF AFRICA

A club preps for Black History Month

2 T8Nmagazine.com

LOCATED IN

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T8N MAGAZINE

Contents

VOLUME 8 ISSUE 4 Winter 2021 PUBLISHER

EDITOR

Rob Lightfoot

Gene Kosowan

ART DIRECTION

Brenda Lakeman DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

B. Timothy Keith PHOTOGRAPHY

Brenda Lakeman CONTRIBUTORS

Gene Kosowan, Shima Zonneveld OFFICE MANAGER

Janice Lightfoot CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES Image page 9 ©jiris/Adobe Stock Image page 10 ©Proxima Studio/Adobe Stock Image page 10 ©ludmila_m/Adobe Stock Image page 10 ©Proxima Studio/Adobe Stock Image page 24 ©Ross/Adobe Stock Image page 24 ©Anna/Adobe Stock

ISSN 2368-707X (PRINT) ISSN 2368-7088 (ONLINE)

Conversations

City

8

24 THEN & NOW

Avoiding like the plague What you should know about your rights during the pandemic

Culture 11 Knotty knits

An independent crafter ­animalizes her woolen inventory

Living 16 FOOD & GATHERINGS Solace from the snow

Baking and snacking options to wait out winter

22 THE 8s

Get Cozy Discover your personal comfort zone by buying local

From Mets to Saints St. Albert, Spruce Grove and Edmonton share a legacy of a prominent AJHL franchise

26 MEET YOU THERE Riding in a winter wonderland

This season, Ken Dobush isn’t circling the wagons

Showcase 28 It takes a village

A local club aims to make new African immigrants feel right at home

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 6 times a year by T8N Publishing Inc. Copyright ©2021 T8N Publishing Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited.

Content marked by the Sponsored Content icon was produced in partnership between content producers and T8N magazine.

PRINTED IN CANADA

T8N PUBLISHING INC PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT

Rob Lightfoot: rob@t8nmagazine.com Mailbox #215, 3-11 Bellerose Drive, St. Albert T8N 5C9

Down Time 30 Seasonal search

Here’s a festive find-a-word puzzle to ward off that seasonal stress CONNECT WITH US

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T8N Winter 2021 5

I FROM THE PUBLISHER I THIS TIME LAST year, we heard two mantras

frequently punctuate the seasonal din. The first was that profound refrain of “Peace on Earth, goodwill to men and women,” a welcome statement during the holidays. The second, “ We’re all in this together,” tried to placate fears of the pandemic but has since been eroded by divisive opinions on everything from masks and social distancing to quarantines and vaccines.

Rob Lightfoot

That’s why our feature examines the social and legal aspects of the coronavirus’s effect on us from municipal and provincial directives to the Constitution. We’ll try to sort through all the confusion on page 8.

Lately, we’ve witnessed the emergence of minorities seeking empowerment and wanting to tell their stories to the world. Since February’s Black History Month is a great enabler for visibility, we thought we’d talk to the African and African Descendent Friendship Club of St. Albert about their plans for the event on page 28.

On the Cover

We also haven’t forgotten the essence of what this time of year brings, however.

You’ll find plenty of options that include gift items (page 22), snacks (page 16), a festival in Bon Accord (page 26) and an uprising business specializing in knitted apparel and toys (page 11). And since winter also means hockey, we present a nostalgic look at a regional legacy that answered to both the Mets and the Saints (page 24).

In the meantime, stay warm, stay comfortable and stay safe. And hopefully all that goodwill and pleas for togetherness will manifest themselves to make this a season we will fondly remember.

LOCAL FOoD

’Tis the season to be jolly, but if you’re a tad chilly to get into festive mode, there’s nothing like a hot chocolate and a lit fireplace to do the trick. If your cockles still need some warming up, you’ll find other holiday ideas throughout this edition as well.

Photo credit: Brenda Lakeman

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I CONVERSATIONS I

Avoiding like THE NUMBER OF patrons beat-

ing a path to the door of Healthy Choice Pharmacy on McKenney Avenue to get a COVID 19 vaccine varies from day to day. Occasionally, the shop sees lineups, other times it’s little more than a trickle of folks waiting for a jab. But the store also has customers who have no intentions of getting a shot, preferring to shop and grumble over the government directives to mitigate the pandemic from masks and social distancing to quarantines and, yes, vaccines.

“We still see people who are struggling with accepting the idea of getting vaccinated,” said Enas Abougalalah, the store’s pharmacist, “and even cases of people who already had COVID and had a hell of a time recovering from it and are still hesitant to get the vaccine. Their reasons for saying no are between fear of side effects and personal freedom issues.”

Abougalalah said that those nay-sayers are a considerable minority, a segment that’s been relatively silent in St. Albert compared to noisier resistors in cities like Edmonton and Calgary, groundzero turf for anti-lockdown rallies and campaigns deploring “vaccine passports.”

But St. Albert City Councillor Sheena Hughes, a constant opponent to government regulations implemented towards flattening the COVID 19 curve, thinks those measures are creating a rift in the municipality she serves.

“Everything that’s been done by the higher levels of government has been quite obvious,” said Hughes who publicly refused to reveal her vaccination status in October. “Continuing to disregard privacy laws encourages a new standard which is that medical privacy

8 T8Nmagazine.com

laws shouldn’t exist because of the political nature of the day only increases divisiveness.”

Public Scrutiny It’s not the first time she’s made waves over the issue. During lockdown in January, Hughes found herself under public scrutiny when she vacationed in Mexico, defying a federally-imposed travel advisory and prompting a local citizen to issue a formal complaint. That didn’t stop her from winning a third term after a civic election in October and with four-more years in office, she’s not likely to compromise her stance.

“Do I deal with what is politically correct at the time at the expense of political freedom in the future?” she said. “Those who give up freedom for the idea of charity in the end will have neither.”

Hughes and other figures opposing anti-COVID 19 directives often cite the Constitution, and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which support freedom of religion, expression, assembly and association. But as constitution lawyer Sujit Chaudhry wrote in his 2020 report COVID 19 and the Canadian Constitution, “all Charter infringements can

the plague What you should know about your rights during the pandemic potentially be justified under [Section One] of the Charter’s limitation clause.”

In short, individual rights aren’t sacred, but part of a balance with society interests that warrant limits to be imposed on guaranteed rights and freedoms.

Chaudhry also noted that when it came to public safety, “The potentially fatal nature of COVID-19 engages [Section Seven] of the Charter, which protects the right to life, liberty and security of the person.”

High-profile Trial The Charter was the main focus in a high-profile trial involving Pastor James Coates of GraceLife Church, roughly 30 km southwest of St. Albert. When Alberta Health Services locked down his church in April, 2020 after Coates refused to enforce masking and social distancing during sermons, the pastor played the religious freedom card to state his case. In June, the court determined otherwise, stating that those freedoms were still under rule of law.

However, that verdict doesn’t settle the ongoing tug-of-war between personal rights and health-based social limitations. St. Albert-based criminal defence

lawyer David Lloyd argues that the judicial system will have to deal with several more cases before any clarity surfaces in this ongoing argument.

“It doesn’t come up often enough for there to be a single flow of judicial interpretation and whatever precedents there are will be from a long time ago,” said Lloyd, who no longer practices criminal law.

“People with complaints are going to argue that society has changed, so it will be up to the courts a lot of the time.

Some courts may decide that legislation is invalid because it violates Canadian constitutional rights, at which time it will probably be appealed so we’re going to start seeing a whole lot of growing judicial interpretations going on here.”

Novel Events A statement released by the Alberta Human Rights Commission in October echoed Lloyd’s perspective. “It is important to remember that the current COVID-19 pandemic, and government public health requirements are novel events,” said the report. “While human rights legislation in Alberta and elsewhere are designed to prevent

discrimination on certain grounds, such as disability and religious beliefs, the interpretation and application of human rights laws in the present circumstances of a public health emergency is evolving.”

If lockdowns during a pandemic have lawyers working overtime, issues surrounding vaccinations will likely have them toiling around the clock. Receiving the jab isn’t mandatory for starters, but rejecting the needle opens up yet another consequential can of worms.

In St. Albert, unless unvaccinated folks produce a vaccination exemption letter from a physician or present a document showing a negative result from a privately-paid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID 19 test, they won’t be allowed into such facilities as the Arden Theatre or the Jarome Iginla Arena. Everyone else with QR-coded vaccination papers will be granted entry.

But in other areas such as employment, Lloyd said that some people will have a hard time navigating a workplace environment that adopts similar vaccination procedures. “It’s very thorny and it’s going to come down to each individual’s case if they feel that there is a risk that T8N Winter 2021 9

their employer may actually terminate them,” he said. “It’s probably something they want to find out before giving an answer. It’s kind of a grey area right now.”

Mixed Reactions Split opinions over COVID-19 measures aren’t likely to provide any clarity in this grey landscape of what Hughes says is a “difficult topic.” And while she hasn’t had to field many calls from citizens over the issue, reactions she’s received are mixed. “People have been very passionate about their point of view, which of course increases divisiveness,” she said. “Their messages have been very clear on both sides.”

Divisiveness and the effect of government measures on St. Albert aside, the city is

10 T8Nmagazine.com

doing better than most Alberta municipalities. Roughly 92 percent of the city has received at least one COVID 19 vaccine, slightly higher than the provincial average of 89.2 percent as of mid-November. The statistic is also well above the 70 percent benchmark set in October by the World Health Organization, a figure it determined would help achieve herd immunity.

So far, St. Albert’s schools are relatively safe with only one outbreak reported at École Marie Poburan, compared to 20 that took place in Edmonton’s primary education system since the pandemic began early in 2020. Tragically, less than 50 St. Albertans have died from infection, a fraction of the overall Edmonton Zone death toll that has surpassed 1,300 since the pandemic began.

Times of Crisis Still, Hughes believes politicians could have better handled this medical emergency. “The thing is that as political leaders, your test for whether or not you believe in freedom is not done in times of good, but in times of crisis,” she said. “If you do not support freedom and protect privacy laws, when they’re under a test, then you do not support them at all.”

Meanwhile, back on McKenney Avenue, Abougalalah and those dropping in for a jab view those medical directives as more of a way to stay healthy during a pandemic as opposed to possibly losing their personal liberties. “The majority of people understand all that so far,” she said. “They know that these measures help us avoid big outbreaks.” t8n

I CULTURE I

An independent crafter animalizes her woolen inventory JEN WALTER HAS knitted her share

of toques and scarves the past five years and has even applied those skills to creating animal toys from beagles to zebras. But one creation requested by a customer was one that she was hard-pressed to wrap her head around.

Knotty KNITS

T8N Winter 2021 11

“It was a Gruffalo,” said Walter, who discovered later that the animal was the title character of a kids’ book. “It probably isn’t unusual for people with young children but I had never heard of it. It’s kind of like a monster meets a buffalo; he was big and brown but kind of had crazy teeth.”

Monsters aren’t normally Walter’s forte as the owner of St. Albert-based sideline gig The Knotted and Hooked Shoppe.

Since 2015, after rediscovering the art of knitting and crocheting−skills she learned years earlier from her grandmother−Walter has stitched a niche in the unpredictable gig economy.

Besides beagles and zebras, she has an arsenal of animals up for grabs on Etsy, where she’s sold more than 500 of her wares to date. Bunnies, moose and even octopuses vie for attention on her page as well as winter wardrobe items that include ear warmers and headbands.

Prices range from $20 to $65, depending on the material quality and the time she puts into creating them.

While the fashion accessories seem to be a no-brainer, Walter doesn’t decide on what animals to make. They’re all based on customer requests. But she found it was more economical to produce those

12 T8Nmagazine.com

T8N Winter 2021 13

works in groups. “When I make one animal I usually try to make two or three more,” said Walter. “It just helps me time-wise. It’s easier to make three bodies and heads at once.”

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The shoppe also enjoys nearly 6,600 followers on Instagram, where customers can also order these woolen items. But regardless of where her customers reach her, those prospects continue to delight the crafty entrepreneur.

“I’m always thrilled when an order comes through to me,” said Walter. “I love creating all these items and sales allow me to continue. It’s always exciting to makers to hear a new order come through.” t8n

THE KNOTTED AND HOOKED SHOPPE CORRESPONDENCE etsy.com/ca/shop/theknottedandhooked instagram.com/theknottedandhookedshoppe facebook.com/theknottedandhookedshoppe

3–11 Bellerose Drive, St. Albert I (780) 460-3666 I www.theupsstore.ca/65/ 14 T8Nmagazine.com

theknottedandhookedshoppe@gmail.com

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T8N Winter 2021 15

I FOOD & GATHERINGS I

Solace from the snow Baking and snacking options to wait out winter

BY SHIMA ZONNEVELD

THE TREES ARE bare, the darkness

is moving in and the temperatures are dropping. Yes, we are moving into our cold season here in Alberta. Everybody responds differently to the winter season.

Some can’t wait for the clear blue skies, bracing air a nd winter sports. Others retreat with warm drinks, fuzzy socks and baking.

Let’s dive into the second choice with warm beverages, baking and using seasonal spices to amp up baking and snacking choices.

16 T8Nmagazine.com

Chai Spiced Ginger Cake Several cake recipes easily convert into cupcakes. This ginger cake recipe is one of those that can be used to make 18 yummy cupcakes. Whichever way you choose, whether cake or cupcake, both look great with a light dusting of icing sugar or try Turbinado sugar for additional holiday sparkle!

1 c. butter ½ c. white sugar ½ c. brown sugar 2 eggs, large, room temperature 1 c. water ½ c. molasses 2 ½ c. all purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. Chai spice ¼ tsp. ginger ½ tsp. vanilla ½ tsp. kosher salt icing sugar, enough to dust the surface of the cake.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray and line with parchment, a 15-inch by 10-inch pan.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, chai spice, ginger, and salt.

Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until the colour has turned light in shade. Add in the eggs, one at a time mix until incorporated. Beat in water, molasses and vanilla. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until the batter comes together, it won’t take long. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and scrape down the sides and do a quick stir to make sure all the ingredients have been mixed in.

Pour the batter in the prepared baking dish and bake for 20–22 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean once inserted.

Allow this cake to cool for 15 minutes and then remove the cake to a cooling rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar, slice and serve! A scoop of ice cream will complement this beautifully.

T8N Winter 2021 17

Gooey Brie with Fig & Pear Jam Does anything more need to be said after the phrase “warm brie?” Well, let’s go ahead anyway and talk about figs and pears, too!

1 firm ripe pear, peeled, cored and chopped ¾ c. chopped dried figs ½ c. water 1 ½ tbsp. chopped crystallized ginger 1 tbsp. brown sugar ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Combine the above ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring this mixture to a boil and then turn down the heat to a simmer. Continue to cook for 25–30 minutes. Let this cool and then using an immersion blender, blend to desired consistency.

For serving: fresh baguette and/or crackers chopped fresh rosemary toasted, chopped pecans a round of brie, room temperature

¼ tsp. grated nutmeg

18 T8Nmagazine.com

Winning combination = slice of baguette + wedge of brie + spoonful of jam + a sprinkle of both fresh rosemary & chopped pecans!

Cocktail Mix The warmth of the Hawaij spice mix, combined with the sweetness of the date syrup and the spice of the pepper give this snack mix a unique taste. Combine all that flavour with the floral notes of the long pepper and you’ve got yourself a great “won’t be around long” party mix!

1 c. natural almonds, whole 1 c. natural cashews, whole 1 c. toasted corn ½ c. chow mein noodles 1 tsp. kosher salt ½ tsp. hawaij spice mix ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

½ 1 long pepper grated (using a microplane) ¼ c. date syrup ¼ c. water 1 tbsp. butter, unsalted

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and give this a quick stir, set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the date syrup, water and butter over medium heat. Heat this mixture up until the butter is melted and the sauce has a consistent texture.

Pour this mixture over the top of the dry ingredients and stir to coat everything.

On the baking sheet, spread the snack mix into a single layer.

Bake for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Cool slightly and serve warm or cool completely and store in an airtight container for later.

T8N Winter 2021 19

Salted Hot Caramel Serves 4.

2 c. milk (any type will work) 32 caramels, unwrapped ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg Himalayan pink sea salt, enough for sprinkling on top.

1 oz. Bourbon, rum, or coffee liqueur (optional)

In a medium saucepan, combine the caramels, milk and nutmeg. Cook over medium heat, until the caramels have melted and the mixture is hot but not boiling.

Pour into mugs, stir in liquor (if being used) and pop in a salted caramel marshmallow!

Salted Caramel Marshmallows Homemade marshmallows are next-level flavours compared to bagged marshmallows from the store.

This recipe takes a little bit more work to make the caramel swirl, but you won’t regret it!

Caramel Swirl 1 c. heavy cream ½ c. brown sugar ½ tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste ¼–1/3 tsp. Himalayan pink sea salt

In a medium saucepan, heat the cream and brown sugar until bubbling. Continue to cook until the mixture reaches 200°F on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and add in the vanilla and pink sea salt. Give it a quick stir and set aside.

Vanilla Marshmallows Line a nine-inch x 13-inch glass baking dish with tinfoil and then spray with cooking spray. Make sure you leave an overhang with the tinfoil, handy for removing the marshmallow slab from the pan. Dust the bottom of the pan with sifted icing sugar.

3 packages of unflavoured gelatin 1 ½ c. sugar ½ c. corn syrup ½ c. Lyle’s golden syrup ½ tsp. kosher salt 1 ½ tbsp. vanilla extract sifted icing sugar, enough to dust the pan

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the gelatin with ½ cup of cold water. Use a fork to give it a quick stir let stand.

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, syrups, salt and ½ cup of water. Cook this mixture over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat up slightly and 20 T8Nmagazine.com

continue to cook until a temperature of 240°F is reached on a candy thermometer.

Take the pan off the heat.

Turn the stand mixer on low and slowly (and carefully) pour in the hot sugary syrup mixture over the dissolved gelatin. Once everything is added, turn the speed up to high on the stand mixer and let this mix for 12–15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix until the vanilla is combined.

With a spatula (spray with cooking spray), pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Drizzle the caramel mixture down the middle of the marshmallow pan and use a skewer to make a swirly pattern throughout.

Lightly dust the top with the sifted icing sugar and let stand on the counter over night.

The next morning, using the tinfoil overhang, lift the marshmallows out of the pan and place on a large cutting board. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container up to one week.

Orange & Cranberry Cozy Think thick blanket, warm fire, good book and then pour a mug full of this tasty hot beverage. Kick back and enjoy.

Serves two.

2 c. cranberry juice 1 c. orange juice, pulp free ¼ lemon juice, fresh or bottled ¼ c. honey powder 2 cinnamon sticks 12 whole cloves 6 whole allspice berries ¼ vanilla bean, split open 1 oz. cognac or brandy (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. With the lid tipped slightly, cook over low for an hour and a half. Strain the mixture and either serve immediately or refrigerate and heat as needed. t8n

T8N Winter 2021 21

Get Cozy

I THE EIGHTS I

Discover your personal comfort zone by buying local

1

FOLKS EAGER FOR the arrival of winter

dig the activities that the season yields from skiing and snowboarding to sledding and making snow angles. But for the rest of us, the best part of winter is comfortably staying inside. Fortunately, a lot of local shops keep this pastime in mind and have stocked up to ensure you make the most of those frigid months while safely sheltered. In the spirit of the season, here’s a look at eight wardrobe and interior accessory items to accentuate that cozy experience. Snuggling, of course, is optional. t8n 22 T8Nmagazine.com

4 5

2 3 6

8 7 WHERE TO LOOK

1 Solemate socks from Modern Eyes Gallery and Gift, $29

2 JJ Wool Company upcycled wool sweater Mittens from the Art Gallery of St. Albert, $60 with Fraas Cashmink scarf from Modern Eyes Gallery and Gift, $36

3 Natura Soy “Smoked Vanilla Oak” whiskey tum-

bler candle, $33 and Light My Fire Matches, $16 from Saltwater Bay Boutique

Art Gallery of St. Albert, 19 Perron Street, 780-460-4310, artsandheritage.ca

4 XO peppermint marshmallows, $14 and Warm &

Modern Eyes Gallery and Gift, 5 Perron Street, 780-459-9102, moderneyesgalleryandgift.ca

5 Hot Chocolate Beverage Bomb, from Saltwater Bay

Saltwater Bay Boutique, 445-140 St Albert Trail, 780-418-5728, saltwaterbay.ca

6 Garneau sheepskin slippers from Modern Eyes

The Makers Keep, 101 Riel Drive, 780-999-7160, themakerskeep.com XO & Mane Boutique, 103-20 Perron Street, 780-690-1376, xoandmane.com

Cozy coffee mug, $26 from XO & Mane Boutique Boutique, $21.95

Gallery and Gift, $120

7 JJ Wool Company Sittevnderlag Norwegian sitting mat, from the Art Gallery of St. Albert, $50

8 Fraas Cashmink oversized wrap, from Modern Eyes Gallery and Gift, $120 with Heartprint Threads “Tree Line” blanket from The Makers Keep, $140

T8N Winter 2021 23

I THEN & NOW I

Mets Saints From

to

(credit Spruce Grove Saints)

St. Albert, Spruce Grove and Edmonton share a legacy of a prominent AJHL franchise

THE HISTORY MAY be compli-

cated, but when it comes to provincial hockey, the most dominant team the past 60 years has been the Spruce Grove Saints. While not always recognized under that moniker and having at times also been a home team in St. Albert and Edmonton, the franchise has enjoyed an enviable string of winning seasons including 13 league titles. As the only team—in one form or another—to have been in the Alberta Junior Hockey League since the beginning, it’s also been an ideal talent incubator for more than 50 N H L players. Here’s a brief look at this rather voluminous history of the Saints.

1974–1977 (Spruce Grove)

1963–1974 (Edmonton) Provincial investors and local hockey fans banded together to create a junior A-level league to provide opportunities for a large pool of amateur talent. The association became the Alberta Junior Hockey League fielding five teams, including two in Calgary and one from Lethbridge.

Edmonton comprised the rest of the roster with the Western Movers and the Maple Leafs. Of the two, the Western Movers were more prominent, winning Carling Cup league championships in 1967 and 1968. In 1972, the two teams merged into the Edmonton Mets.

The Mets moved to Spruce Grove, starting the first wave of the team’s glory years. Their first season saw the franchise earn a league title and a national championship by beating the Guelph Bitmore Mad Hatters in 1975.

They repeated as league champions in 1976, but lost a quarter-final playoff series the following year against the Taber Golden Suns. It was in their final year in Spruce Grove when they introduced a young centre player named Mark Messier into the fold.

1977–2004 (St. Albert) Relocated to St. Albert and christened the Saints, the team finished second overall in the league after the 1977–78 season. Much of that success had to do with Messier, but shortly after starting his third season in the AJHL, he embarked on a professional career that would eventually take him to the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. During his brief tenure in the AJHL, however, his output

(credit Spruce Grove Saints) 24 T8Nmagazine.com

was impressive, having scored 67 goals and recording 106 assists.

But one NHL star has been prominent with the Saints on an administrative level since 2017. Team owner Darren Myshak sold it to an ownership group that included former Edmonton Oilers luminary Ryan Smyth. So far, the group has witnessed the Saints win an AJHL title in 2018 with prospects of more championships to come. t8n

Without Messier, however, the Saints won four league championships in 1981, 1982, 1996 and 1998 and fostered the careers of future NHL stars like Troy Murray, Stu Barnes and Mike Comrie. But in 2004, when St. Albert City Council balked at replacing the decrepit Akinsdale Arena with a newer hockey facility, the team announced it planned to move back to Spruce Grove and the upgraded Grant Fuhr Arena.

(credit AJHL)

2004–2021 (Spruce Grove) Despite a different city, the team name remains the same as the franchise continues to add to its legacy. Since their relocation, the Saints have never missed the playoffs and have won five AJHL championships in 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2018. Its reputation for developing NHL talent has also remained intact, having been a home for future bigleague players like Ben Scrivens and Matt Benning.

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T8N Winter 2021 25

I MEET YOU THERE I

This season, Ken Dobush isn’t circling the wagons

Riding in a winter wonderland

BY GENE KOSOWAN

KEN DOBUSH LIKES to make hay while the sun is

still shining, so to speak. But it’s usually during a time of year when the outdoor illumination isn’t so bright. And all that hay provides an idyllic lining to his family business otherwise known as Longriders Sleigh & Haywagon Rides, an operation that’s been lucrative for years.

26 T8Nmagazine.com

“With COVID last year, we got shut down complete,” Dobush recalled. “It was an impossible task to do sleighrides, so everybody canceled. We didn’t do one for the first time in 30 years.”

I have maintained what was originally a hobby that got way out of control and now it’s an extremely a viable business,” said Dobush, who runs the operation from a ranch near Gibbons. “Approximately 90 percent of my income annually is done from the middle of November to the end of February. And it’s a crazy thing.”

For more than 30 years, Longriders has supplied hay rides to patrons from Edmonton and the surrounding area, fulfilling an extensive itinerary of booking from community leagues, church groups, elementary schools and even corporations. With a massive arsenal that includes 16 pieces of equipment and four teams of horses (it takes two to move a wagon), Longriders still barely managed to service all their clients.

But the Longriders brand extends beyond horses and wagons. The name used to designate a country and western nightclub Dobush started in 1990 before selling it 15 years later. Shortly after that, he parlayed the proceeds from the sale into an RV campground—also called Longriders—just outside Gibbons. Meanwhile, the family also ran a trail-riding sideline from the ranch before converting it into a hayride enterprise.

“We’ve always been in the horse racket; that’s actually what propelled Longriders,” added Dubush. “I knew a lot of the country folk and cowboys and that’s what kind of put us on the map.”

That all changed in 2020 when the Alberta government issued lockdown and quarantine orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. All of a sudden, the clientele that provided a decent revenue stream for Longriders plumetted.

This winter, Longriders isn’t likely to go back to the well servicing its regular clientele that was scared off by the pandemic.

But it doesn’t seem like they have to.

Recently, organizers of the Winter Wonder Forest that was staged in Edmonton’s Rainbow Valley in 2020 called Dobush about the possibility of running the event at his campsite. It didn’t take him long to strike an agreement.

It turned out that the “contactless” festival had become a victim of its own success during its inaugural run. Traffic congestion to Rainbow Valley during the event became so severe that organizers thought a more relocation would be a better fit. The RV park’s facilities that include firepits and a toboggan run tipped the scales in the site’s favor, making it ideal for the festival to stage mazes, snow and ice sculptures, and massively lit trees throughout its engagement which ends Jan. 9.

“All of a sudden I don’t need to go anywhere,” noted Dobush. Everything will be staying right at the RV park and people will be able to buy their tickets to the festival and the hayrides online.”

Dobush plans to run at least eight teams of hayride wagons daily throughout the entire festival, although he admits sticking

to pandemic restrictions could be a challenge. At its capacity, a wagon can carry 20 passengers. If social distancing continues to be the norm, he’ll be lucky if he can carry six. To make those rides more viable, Dobush is counting on the government to relax some of those regulations. What might help is that 80 percent of Albertans older than 11 years of age have already been double-vaccinated against the coronavirus.

“Last year, for example, they eased off and you could have family groups of 10 or less,” recalled Dobush about how the festival dealt with the restrictions. “I imagine

that might happen again, because the rules have a tendency to change as this COVID thing moves along, and the government allows a certain leeway.”

But despite one lean year, there’s always something about running a hayride operation that keeps Dobush interested in what used to be a hobby. “It’s hard for me to quit,” he said. “We just keep rolling.” t8n

LONGRIDERS SLEIGH & HAYWAGON RIDES

WINTER WONDER FOREST FESTIVAL

(780) 923-3300 Longriders.ca lgriders@telusplanet.net

Ends Jan. 9, 2022 winterwonderforest.ca Tickets: $28.99-$34.99 Directions from St. Albert: north on Hwy. 2, east on Hwy. 37, north on Hwy. 28A, east on Hwy. 643 T8N Winter 2021 27

I SHOWCASE I

a village It takes

BY GENE KOSOWAN Memoirs Photography by Abi

WHETHER IT’S AN offshoot of

multiculturalism or a reactive remedy to a myriad of cultural issues that have surfaced of late, inclusivity is a big deal today. More and more, we’re seeing diversity in race, gender and orientation in most aspects of life from business opportunities to political representation. And while the change is hardly full-scale floodgate, at least the taps are turning in such a way that the movement is more than a steady trickle.

Local club aims to make new African immigrants feel right at home The shift might be a comfort to new immigrants trying to make sense of life in an adopted foreign country where everything from bus routes to local mannerisms double as a cultural tsunami they need to navigate while trying to settle down. Recognizing that in particular, most African arrivals lacked a support network to adjust to their new lives in St. Albert, Nigerian expatriate Helen Agbonison founded the Africans & African Descendant Friendship Club of St. Albert (AADFC) in 2019.

“The need was for people of African descent was to have a community of 28 T8Nmagazine.com

people where they could relate with in terms of cultural relationships and have something like a village,” she said.

“Back home you have your own village where you could do cultural things together. We’re all from different countries of Africa. And coming here to St. Albert, you find out that they don’t have any other siblings or family.”

Admittedly St. Albert’s African community isn’t huge, slightly larger than 800 citizens in a city of nearly 70,000, according to the AADFC. But in absence of a social hub, it’s a safe bet that life

in this part of the Canadian prairies for former residents of a distant continent would be lonely at best.

governments related to the pandemic.

But to Agbonison, the AADFC will still find ways to ensure Black History Month and other events to uphold all the customs and traditions that Africans followed in their former homes.

The way Agbonison explains it, this proverbial village is a hub where long-settled and recently-arrived African citizens can get together to share their backgrounds and help others plot their life paths with the resources they need.

These days, the meeting places tend to be more virtual than in-the-flesh, thanks to government directives issued during the pandemic. But the response to the coronavirus hasn’t slowed down the itinerary of events that the AADFC hosts year-round. One day, members and other interested parties might find themselves entertained by an Ekombi dance troupe. On another occasion, they might learn how to cook koki beans, a Cameroon staple.

“We found out that there are lots of people in St. Albert who know very little about the African continent,” added Agbonison, “so as a community we’re also trying to teach people and let them know about all the cultures here in St. Albert.”

One sure way to spread that word while keeping its base enthralled is via Black History Month in February. While much of this year’s roster is unconfirmed at this writing, Agbonison said the club is planning to hold two movie nights

during the month at the St. Albert Public Library, with a cultural showcase at the Arden Theatre Feb. 26, followed by the perennial Taste of Africa cuisine showcase tentatively slated for City Hall.

In 2020, the pandemic altered some of the plans, which resulted in the AADFC streaming many of its live events. The Taste of Africa attraction had to be relegated to the St. Albert United Church, where patrons had to drive to pick up their food. How the forthcoming installment will go depends on future actions taken by the municipal and provincial

AFRICANS & AFRICAN ­DESCENDANT FRIENDSHIP CLUB OF ST. ALBERT 780-233-7415 aadfc.ca africans.and.descents.in.stalbert@ gmail.com facebook.com/Africans.and.African.

Descents.in.St.Albert

erfect H ol P i ur

day

The AADFC doesn’t limit these events to culture. It also hold youth mentoring programs, career day campaigns and food drives geared to provide some relief to needy families. The club also facilitates a few outreach initiatives to provide information to St. Albert citizens otherwise unaware of such a relatively small ethnic community.

preserve it.” t8n

Yo

“Most times, when immigrants come over, they’re more concentrated on settling down and finding jobs,” added Agbonison. “They don’t find out about the things going on within and around St. Albert. So forming a community makes it possible for us to pass information around. The community helps us share information and look for ways of supporting each other.”

“We each came with our individual African cultures and it’s difficult for you to preserve a culture individually, she said.

“But as a group, it’s possible now for us to showcase something and actually

It Starts Right Here! ™

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T8N Winter 2021 29

I DOWN TIME I

Try this unlisted

SO WHAT DO lists have to do with the festive sea-

Seasonal Search

son? Well, they’re great for Christmas shopping and Santa’s naughty-and-nice tallies. They’re ideal for find-a-word puzzles, except this time we’ve omitted that handy reference, forcing you to come up with words to fill this out the best way you can. If you think you’ve got them all, post your work on Facebook or Twitter (tagging Name: with TheTeachersCorner.net Word random Search Maker prizes. #t8n) toCreated qualify for some great

Christmas Season

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Wishing you a very Merry Christmas May your days be filled with warmth, love, and good cheer as you celebrate the season.

Michelle Broadbent, Agent

3523 Tudor Glen Market St. Albert, AB 780-470-3276 michellebroadbent.com michelle@michellebroadbent.com

Jennifer Miles, Agent

125-15 Circle Drive St. Albert, AB 780-460-2279 jmilesinsurance.com jen@jmilesinsurance.com

CST-0390

Happy holidays from my team to you.

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