T8N Winter 2022

PUBLISHER EDITOR

ART DIRECTION

Brenda Lakeman

DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

B. Timothy Keith

PHOTOGRAPHY

Brenda Lakeman

CONTRIBUTOR

Paula E. Kirman, Gloria Loitz, and Shima Zonneveld.

OFFICE MANAGER

Janice Lightfoot

CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES

Images page 7: Sirylok/Adobe Stock, page 28: 2dmolier/Adobe Stock, micromonkey/Adobe Stock

ISSN 2368-707X (PRINT)

ISSN 2368-7088 (ONLINE)

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Rob Lightfoot Gene Kosowan

IT’S EASY TO find how paper contributes to the festive season, from greeting cards to gift wrap, but to us, that pulp product has more fundamen tal meaning. For openers, it’s the material used to create the latest edition of T8N that you’re reading right now. And while we can’t under state enough how vital paper has been to the development of civilizations around the world, what isn’t so obvious is how versatile that stuff can be.

That’s why we dedicated three stories involving paper. We first check out the St. Albert Paper Arts Guild which boasts a membership with eclectic skills sets (page 9), then examine a few paper-based gift ideas (page 20), and profile W.A.R.E.S., a gift shop selling local artistic wares including paper works (page 26).

Naturally, food is a holiday draw and to accommodate those unannounced guests, we offer some quick and easy snack ideas (page 15). Also ranking highly is religion, which warranted an examination of how St. Albert United Church adapted to the needs of community members previously overlooked (page 22).

Additionally, for families seeking seasonal stress relief, we recommend a date with their sleighs and toboggans on any of the local runs (page 28). Finally, more liquor stores than ever offer Christmas cheer options, but whether that’s a good thing is still debatable. We examine the benefits and costs of Alberta’s deregulated liquor retail industry and produce the results (page 7).

However you plan to celebrate the season, enjoy those moments and stay safe. t8n

On the Cover

One unexpected part of the holiday season is when guests pop by to spread good cheer. That’s all very nice, but you never know when it’s going to happen. Get ready for such an occasion by preparing these snacks designed to sate the appetites of those impromptu visitors on page 15.

Brenda Lakeman

Photo:

Rob Lightfoot

Selling spirits

BY PAULA E. KIRMAN

Do more liquor stores benefit the community?

YOU’LL FIND A liquor store on every corner in Alberta – at least, that’s how the saying goes.

Of course it’s an exaggeration, but they are everywhere. Exactly how many liquor stores exist in St. Albert depends on who you ask. As of late September 2022, 35 retail liquor stores licensed by the AGLC (Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis) dotted the civic landscape.

Supply & Demand

However, Michael Erickson, Director of Economic Development, City of St. Albert, notes that the AGLC’s list of retail liquor licenses in St. Albert includes businesses the municipality does not recognize as retail liquor stores, such as breweries and distilleries, which it classifies as manufac turing. The City counts 29 stores as retail liquor businesses−still a lot, compared with 25 convenience stores and 19 phar macies/drugstores.

“ It’s important to emphasize that the quantity of any type of retailer is driven by supply and demand in our largely free-market system,” says Erickson. “The City has no bylaws or regulations that limit the number of businesses of a certain type that may open within St. Albert.”

In 1993, Alberta became the first Canadian

province to privatize retail liquor. It’s still the only fully-privatized province where liquor is concerned, although Saskatche wan will fully transition liquor retailing to the private sector in 2023.

Kathy Hibbs, Acting Senior Director, Liquor Services, AGLC, explains that deregulation means “liquor retailing, warehousing, and distribution are all managed by the private liquor industry.”

The current system gives the AGLC the task of legally importing liquor into

Alberta, while registered suppliers and agents handle responsibilities that include ordering, consolidating, shipping, and marketing liquor. Additionally, manufac turers and suppliers go through the AGLC to sell liquor products to businesses (or licensees), who in turn sell those products to consumers.

More Competition & Variety

The move has since contributed to the industry’s growth to nearly $2.8 billion in beverage sales in 2021, according to Sta tistics Canada. Prior to deregulation, 208 retailers sold liquor in Alberta. Now 1,500 offer 32,000 liquor products (up from 2,200). Additionally, 249 Alberta-based liquor manufacturers (such as brewers and distillers), spiked upward from 31 outlets during that same period.

“In other provinces, the liquor board determines what products will be sold in their stores. In Alberta, there is no bar rier to product entry, which has resulted in a huge variety of products being sold in Alberta,” says Hibbs.

Huge variety means huge competition as major chains and independent stores alike try to make a sustainable profit. Explains Hibbs, “All retailers and licensees are pro vided the opportunity to order products from the warehouse operated by Con nect Logistics at the same prices, and all

retailers pay the same rate of delivery no matter where they are located in the prov ince.”

Bigger Players Dominate

Although government deregulation did not apply to wholesaling, manufacturing, or warehousing, the latter is centralized. Hibbs explains that after reviewing the liquor supply chain in the wake of dereg ulation, “a centralized warehouse system was recommended to build a stable sup ply chain, provide the most efficiency in terms of inventory and delivery consisten cies, as well as result in lower costs for the industry.”

The review consulted retailers who opted for a centralized system that enabled them to order domestic beer products from three additional warehouses as well as purchase goods directly from small Alberta manufacturers.

Not everyone thinks the post-regulatory environment is positive. Jason Foster, Executive Director of the Parkland Insti tute at the University of Alberta, says pri vatization makes the system both “more efficient” and “more monopolistic.”

“It seems ironic, but that’s just the way the system has been played out−that it becomes dominated by bigger players,” says Foster. “Smaller players work on very thin margins. There is a proliferation of stores. It generally pushes prices upward.”

While privatization at least allows smaller shops to operate in the first place, Foster is unsure if “that’s a benefit or not, being able to run on tight profit margins, trying to scramble for tiny bits of profit… vis-àvis having a stable system for consumers under a public retail setup.”

Business still booming

However, some St. Albert liquor store rep resentatives claim business is booming. Wine and Beyond opened in St. Albert in May of 2019 and keeps ahead with their “extensive selection of wine, beer, spirits, and accessories, as well as fine spirits, vintage selections, and unique product launches not commonly found elsewhere,” according to Lauren Johnson, the store’s director.

A free market also isn’t hurting Vivo’s bot tom line. “There is competition because

there are so many liquor stores around, but in the end it is a profitable business,” says Operation Manager Sam Girdhar.

Vivo’s St. Albert location opened in 2021. Girdhar says sales peaked during COVID restrictions, when people spent more time at home and the provincial government considered liquor stores to be essential businesses, exempt from having to tem porarily close, and show no sign of slow ing down. “Demand is increasing. This is one business that is never going to stop in the coming years.”

Sober Second Thought

Girdhar is likely correct, because many Albertans drink alcohol. Alberta Health Service’s community profiles section of its Healthier Together website provides cur rent information concerning risk factors in specific communities. As of early Novem ber of 2022, the site reported 87 percent of people in St. Albert have had at least one drink in the past 12 months, higher than the 78 percent recorded among Albertans overall.

Within the St. Albert breakdown, 26 per cent reported engaging in heavy drink ing, defined as “females who drink more than four or more drinks on one occasion, and males who consume five or more, at least once per month.” This is actually a lower number than for the entire prov ince, which sits at 34 percent.

However, consumers might want to give their drinking habits a sober second

thought. The site also links alcohol use to “cancer, cardiovascular disease, [and] psy chological well-being and mental health conditions.”

Parkland released three liquor privatiza tion studies, the latest in 2014 comparing Alberta’s fully-privatized system, partial privatization in B.C., and Saskatchewan’s then-fully public system. Foster insists little has changed economically regard ing prices and differences between the systems, although he noticed an impact on social health. For example, the 2014 report says that following privatization in 1993, police in Edmonton reported offences for minors in possession of alco hol had doubled.

Liquor Funds Programs

At the same time, a portion of liquor sales in Alberta helps fund provincial programs and services. Liquor licensees buy prod ucts from the AGLC at a wholesale price, which, in addition to container deposit, recycling fees, and federal duties and taxes, includes a provincial markup added by the AGLC.

That markup becomes liquor revenue, which goes to the Government of Alber ta’s General Revenue fund. “This is not specific to deregulation, however it is a significant benefit of Alberta’s overall liquor model. Since 1996, over $11.5 bil lion from liquor sales has been used to provide essential services to Albertans,” Hibbs explains.

Foster stands by his belief that dereg ulation is not in the community’s best interests. “I think a key piece here is that having a liquor store every two blocks does not contribute to the public good. It’s more liquor stores than we need. It feels sometimes that we have more liquor stores than we have grocery stores. In terms of building community, creating neighbourhoods that are people-friendly, what contributes more to a healthy com munity: a grocery store or a liquor store?”

For now, that community includes a growing number of liquor stores and their staff. As Johnson notes, “The City of St. Albert is a beautiful community and is a desirable residential area of the greater Edmonton region. I don’t think we are alone in our joy of being part of the St. Albert community.” t8n

Fun with

fibre

TO ENVIRONMENTALISTS CITING a paperless environment would help stem the tide towards climate change, here’s a newsflash. The St. Albert Paper Arts Guild isn’t exactly taking that argument to heart. “Not all paper is created equal!” declared guild member Wendy Hodgson-Sadgrove, while also stating most artists prefer to use mate rial from more renewable sources that include cotton, flax, hemp, and linen. “Using paper as art or craft is completely different,” added col league Kyla Fisher.

The St. Albert Paper Arts Guild promotes creative uses for a traditional material

BY GENE KOSOWAN PHOTOGRAPHY BRENDA LAKEMAN

The guild hardly seems interested in immersing the amenities of their craft with the social issues of the day. They’re far more enthralled with the processes involved in making paper, using such tools as a Hollander beater to make wood pulp more malleable, or using techniques like washi chigre-e that involves tearing Japanese paper compounds to make art. That doesn’t include other centuries-old methods appropriated world-wide such as pasting, stitching and weaving that go into a finished work.

Add to that the diverse skill set provided by the 20 members that comprise the guild and you’re likely to see a wide variety of pieces emerge from their studio in St. Albert Place. Every creation from pictures and books to cards and even the paper itself involves the appli cation of disciplines like bookbinding, suminagashi (Japanese ink marbling), cyanotype, calligraphy, and letterpress. “No other medium that I know of meets the diverse applications as paper does,” noted Rena Whistance-Smith.

While the activity surrounding paper art might sound academic, there’s no getting around the Zen-like experience of engaging with the craft. “For me working with paper is grounding,” said Vicki Cooke. “Using natural materials with my hands inspires creativity to flow through me.” Added Amanda McKenzie, “Seeing how it was made and knowing that it was tenderly made by someone’s hands, creativity, and passion is what I enjoy immensely about paper arts.”

Meanwhile, Carla Costuras likes what the art does to her senses. “I love the tactile quality of handmade paper, and my favourite response is to treat it almost as a non-woven fabric to be assembled, stitched and woven.” And while some paper art disciplines might be more difficult to grasp than others, Arlene Westen likes the notion that paper is quite user-friendly. “A five-yearold can cut, fold and paste it with ease.”

It was a love for the craft that prompted six practitioners to form the St. Albert

Paper Arts Guild in 2007. Today, the guild, with Trudy Mason as its president, continues to promote paper arts and exchange creative ideas at its studio. “The Paper Arts Guild  is the most diverse , multi talented,  helpful and encouraging group of  people ever,” noted artist Dayle Lambert. The guild also engages in community outreach by participating in such events as St. Albert Artwalk, the St. Albert Place Visual Arts

Council Country Craft Fair and the biannual “Guilded” exhibi tion at the Art Gallery of St. Albert.

Because of the dedication to the craft, which nearly spans the legacy of civilization itself, members of the guild are confident that paper isn’t going away anytime soon. “Paper is as old as human history…almost,” said artist Mary Whale. “It is the foun dational ground of much of the works in our art history.” t8n

Dr. Amy Bakelaar

Dr. Kari Ann Smart

Dr. Susan Bischof

Dr. Angela Morley

Visitation

Bites

HOW LUCKY ARE we during this holiday season? We can welcome friends and family into our homes for food, laughs and a chance to reconnect. Planned gatherings are always fun, but so are the last-minute invites. Last-minute anything can be stressful so here are a few tricks to feel at ease when invites happen on the fly!

BY SHIMA ZONNEVELD PHOTOGRAPHY BRENDA LAKEMAN

The following are a few recipes that require some preparation ahead of time. However, they can all be baked from frozen while serving that first cup of coffee or perhaps a signature cocktail! There are also a few tips on stocking some key items in your pantry that are delicious and simple when folks pop by. Remember, it’s less about the food and more about time spent together.

Caramelized Nut & Seed Mix

1 c. toasted chopped pecans

¼ c. black sesame seeds

½ c. toasted sunflower seeds

½ c. + ½ tbsp. salted butter

1 c. dark brown sugar

To toast the pecans and sunflower seeds: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put both seeds and nuts on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 11 minutes. Cool completely. Drop the temperature on the oven to 325°F and reuse the same parchment sheet for the next step.

In a medium sauce pan, combine the butter with the brown sugar. Over low heat, stir mixture until melted and combined. Raise the heat to high and bring the butter and sugar mixture to a boil. Boil for one minute and remove from heat.

Add in both the seeds and the pecans. Stir and spread out on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, stir the mixture and bake for another six minutes. Let cool completely. Break apart and store either in the freezer for up to one month or in an airtight container for one week.

This crunchy caramel mix is delicious as a snack, served with a bowl of ice cream as a quick dessert or over yogurt as a fun breakfast treat.

Brie Bites

Warm from the oven and served with spicy honey, this delicious, cheesy bite hits the spot on a winter’s night.

1 package of frozen puff pastry, defrosted in the fridge

1 large egg, beaten (You will need another egg when you are ready to bake.)

½ round of brie (cut in to 1½” x 1½” squares, rind on) spicy honey (store-bought)

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and whisk the egg in a small bowl and set both aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the first sheet of puff pastry. Cut into 3½” x 2½” rectangles, as many as will fit. Discard any excess dough. Do the same with the second sheet of puff pastry. Make sure you have an equal amount of pastry rectangles to match up for the brie bites.

Brush the perimeter of all the bottoms of the pastry bites with egg wash. Place a brie piece in the middle and top with the second pastry rectangle. Pinch the edges together using your finger or a fork and slash the top of the pastry to create a vent while baking. Set on to the prepared sheet. Do the same with the rest of the pastry rectangles.

Pop the sheet pans into the freezer and freeze for up to two hours. Then pack them in to freezer bags for when you are ready to bake.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°F. Put nine frozen brie bites per tray. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with flaky sea salt or smoky sea salt.

Bake for 18–22 minutes, until they are puffy and golden. Serve warm and enjoy!

Baked Brie with Caramelized Nut & Seed Mix

Gooey cheese topped with the caramelized nut and seed mix along side apple or pear slices. What a cozy way to entertain during the holiday season!

¼–½ c. caramelized nut & seed mix

Round of brie (If you are using a brie baker, it should fit inside. If you are baking on parchment, the size is up to you.) pear & apple slices

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the brie (either on parchment or in the brie baker) for 15–17 minutes, until brie is soft and gooey. Remove the lid on the brie baker or transfer brie to a serving dish. Top the brie with the praline and serve with fruit slices while still warm. Crackers and crusty bread would be a tasty addition!

Salty Sweet Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

You can’t go wrong if you are serving chocolate chip cookies warm and straight from the oven! Gooey chocolate, crunchy hazelnuts and a nice hit of salt on top… a winner!

1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1¼ c. dark brown sugar

½ c. granulated or cane sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 c. flour, all-purpose

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

¾ tsp. kosher salt

2 Skor bars, roughly chopped

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ c. toasted, chopped hazelnuts flaky sea salt to sprinkle on top Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a stand mixer, cream together the but ter and the two sugars. Add in the eggs, one at a time and the vanilla extract until blended together.

Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix to just combine. Finally add in the chocolate chips and chopped hazelnuts and using a wooden spoon, stir to incorpo rate.

Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop approximately 2½ tbsp. per cookie ball. Place each dough ball on the parchment-lined sheet, leaving minimal space in between.

Pop the sheet pan into the freezer for 1–2 hours. Then put the dough balls into a freezer bag to stow away until unexpected visitors arrive.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F, place your cookie dough balls two inches apart, give them a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and bake for 12–14 minutes. Six minutes into the bake time, pull the sheet out and drop it onto a solid surface (pan bang) to encourage ripples and spread in the cookies.

Cheese Rounds

From the freezer into the oven, these cheese crackers can be baked while you pour your guests a glass of wine! They have a delicious crunch from the sunflower seeds and a nice bit of heat from the cayenne pepper.

1⅓ c. all-purpose flour

1⅓ c. grated sharp cheddar 1 tsp. kosher salt ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper ½ c. toasted sunflower seeds

To toast the sunflower seeds:

Spread the sunflower seeds out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Toast at 350°F for 12-14 minutes. Let cool, you will need 1 tbsp. for the cracker dough and the rest will be used as you roll out the dough.

In a food processor, combine the flour, cheddar, salt, cayenne pepper and 1 tbsp. of the toasted sunflower seeds. Pulse this mixture until the dough is crumbly and when squished between your fingers, holds together.

On a piece of parchment, form the dough into a rough log approximately 11” x 1½”(diameter), use the parchment to help you roll. Once the log is formed coat the outside of the log in the sunflower seeds. You can either pat them on or roll the log through the seeds.

Rewrap the log in the parchment and pop into the fridge for 2 hours. Slice the log into approximately ¼” rounds and pop into a freezer bag and into the freezer.

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake for 20–22 minutes until light golden around the edges. Sprinkle the crackers with flaky smoked sea salt or regular flaky sea salt while still warm. Serve and enjoy!

Things to buy

Really you could buy anything you like or think might be fun to put out with coffee, wine and/or cocktails. Here are just a few ideas to get the ball rolling: pita crisps & your favourite store-bought hummous good kettle chips jarred olives, any or all varieties! cornichons dark chocolate dried apricots salted cashews

Remembering that ultimately the driving force behind having people over is not to dazzle them with the menu (this could be a bonus) but to reconnect and foster a sense of community. The food and drinks are just the excuse to make this happen!

Happy entertaining this season! t8n

Pulp

Depiction

Nifty gifts that celebrate the versatility of paper

BY GENE KOSOWAN PHOTOGRAPHY BRENDA LAKEMAN

EVEN THOUGH ENVIRONMEN TALISTS clamor for a reduction in paper, there’s no denying that the material has provided an almost endless array of uses, and art is no exception. Some recycle paper to create interesting new works, while others will simply create paper out of other substances to add to the novelty of such a

product. Some of the items shown here reflect a move towards repur posing, others were crafted from handmade paper, such as those using Korean and Japanese disci plines. Regardless of their origins, they not only make for eye-catch ing gifts, but unlike other paper products, you’re not likely to throw any of these away. t8n

Birdstring by Barb Pankratz, $15 from W.A.R.E.S Gift Shop

“You Are Beautiful 너는 아름다워” Korean letter abstract collage art, Hanji (Korean traditional paper) on canvas (24”x36”) by Eunju Park ‘K Art by JuJu’, $360

Recycled newspaper leaf baskets by Paper Feathers Handmade Gifts, $25 and $35

Handmade card by Barb Pankratz, $14 from W.A.R.E.S Gift Shop

The Japanese Paper Place Katazome-shi collection $26.95, Konnyaku kit, $15.95, and Chiuogami buffet $19.95, from The Paint Spot

“Siamese Fighting Fly: Flamboyant” screen print on Mitsumata with paper spinning and manipulation (32.5” x 12”) by Amanda Mckenzie, $450

Handmade journal by Trudy Mason, $32, and handmade book by Barb Pankratz $48 from W.A.R.E.S Gift Shop

“Art From Nature” handmade greeting card by Brenda Malkinson, $15 each from W.A.R.E.S Gift Shop

Growth

through

faith

Tracing St. Albert United Church’s path towards diversity

BY GENE KOSOWAN

OVER THE YEARS, St. Albert United Church has made the most of its mission statement that the facility should be more than just a place of worship. From its begin ning during the 1950s, when the town’s population base included enough Protestants to warrant them a place dedicated to prayer, to modern times when diverse voices seek recognition of their own spiritual needs, the church has expanded its focus to meet those demands.

Today, the church welcomes not only Protestants, but also patrons represent ing diverse ethnicities, ages, languages, cultures, sexual orientations and identities. St. Albert United Church has witnessed nearly 70 years of change in the community it serves to accommodate these people. Since the only constant in life is change itself, the church remains a work in progress… in the name of progress.

1950s & 1960s

According to “The Church on the Trail” by David Geddes, St. Albert United Church was little more than an idea in 1953 when locals drafted a survey to determine the need for a Protestant church. Around that time, roughly 1,300 people lived in town with the only church in the community being a Catholic parish.

That would change the following year after meetings between 11 Christian denominations pursued the notion of a Protestant church until they formed the United Church of St. Albert, which

had its first charter service April 18, with more than 130 patrons in atten dance. That event took place in the Club Mocombo dance hall, which offered the space for free. A semi-retired minister named Dr. Villette conducted the first sermon there for $15.

Meanwhile, proponents for a new church started a building fund, which grew from the first wave of donations totaling $404.96. Thanks to the efforts of a fundraising organization, they raised enough to cover the $27,000 needed to create the new church by 1956, which began in earnest when sod was first turned. A year later, and thanks to the combined skills of several dedicated vol unteers, a new church was finally built.

What wasn’t created through all that sweat equity was donated, such as the pews from McDougall United Church in nearby Edmonton and its first organ, provided by the Ronald Harvey family. Future Lieutenant Governor Lois Hole also had a distinct role in the church’s history by becoming its first choir direc tor and organist.

St. Albert United Church first service, early 1950s. The first United Church service in St. Albert held in Club Mocombo with Villett officiating. The organist is Lois Hole.

1970s to 1990s

Once built, more Protestants moved to St. Albert and flocked to the church, prompting its administration to consider ways to accommodate that growth. By the 1970s, the basement of the church had already become too small for the 316 Sunday School students to the point where classes had to be moved to other locations that included Sir Alexander MacKenzie School, a community centre on Perron Street and Sir George Simpson School.

After 27 years, church attendance was crowding the confines of the building, which created the need for a larger facil ity. By 1983, construction began on the new building, which officially opened for services a year later. But the origi nal church wasn’t abandoned as it was converted into the Friendship Hall.

2000 to Now

By the time the millennium rolled around, the whole concept of spirituality was at the crossroads with social con sciousness intersecting religious thought, and St. Albert United Church became

Image Credit Musée Héritage Museum

Christmas Benedict

part of the national denomination’s initiatives to address those concerns. Setting those wheels in motion was the first same-sex marriage ceremony ever conducted in Canada, which took place in 2001 at a United Church in Toronto. Supporting the move was the St. Albert church, which has since conducted simi lar marriages and supported the LGBTQ+ community through participation in the Pride celebrations and creating space and programs for citizens previously alien ated from the church.

St. Albert United Church also pursued the notion of spirituality and wholeness

The church committee for the charter service, United Church in St. Albert, held at Club Mocombo, April 18, 1954. Front row, from left: Mr. Sweeney, Lois Hole, Mrs. H. Usher, Mrs. Millie Herron, Astrid Roberts (Mrs. Jim) and the United Church Presbytery representative. Back row: Dr. Villett, Bert Sumner, Dan Richardson, Doug Barron, Gordon Parkes, Mr. Payne, Dr. William Cuts

by creating an outdoor labyrinth in 2011. Based on the original stone lab yrinth created inside France’s Chartres Cathedral around 1200 A.D., the St. Albert version was crafted on the lawn inside a circle roughly 12 metres in diameter. It consists of a maze leading to the centre of the circle, providing visitors to the church an opportunity to meditate and pray.

In 2017, the church was also involved in another consciousness-raising project that’s not on the premises. In recognition of aboriginals who survived the horrid abuses in Residential Schools, one of

Image Credit Musée Héritage Museum

the darkest chapters in Canada’s history, former United Church minister James Ravenscroft suggested the creation of the St. Albert Healing Garden, located on the Red Willow Trail on the norther banks of the Sturgeon River. It also acknowledges the city’s drive to foster the well-being of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit citizens who contributed to the community’s development.

The church also reinforced its commit ment to public safety when it closed its doors in March 2020 in response to the pandemic, with live services replaced by electronic ceremonies until September. However, three months later, St. Albert United Church had to shut down again when variants of COVID-19 threatened the community. The church resumed normal operations in March 2022 after the Alberta government lifted restric tions. t8n ST. ALBERT

W.A.R.E.S offers unique works from St. Albert’s visual arts community

Hidden

Find

BY GENE KOSOWAN PHOTOGRAPHY BRENDA LAKEMAN

BRENDA MALIKSON BELIEVES

the store she runs in St. Albert Place as probably the best-kept secret in the city, although her customers would more likely call it a happy accident when they first stumble across the establishment.

“Almost every day, I hear from peo ple who say, ‘I didn’t know you were here!’” said Malikson, the shop manager of W.A.R.E.S., short for Works of Art Representational of Every Studio.” We’re kind of down the hall from the library, but what’s really fun is when people discover us, they’re back time and time again. We get a lot of repeat customers from people like that.”

Granted, the gift shop doesn’t have conspicuous signage to draw the masses and it’s open less than 13 hours a week. But in St. Albert’s culture community, W.A.R.E.S. is a critical revenue stream for visual artists seeking a financial return for their works, all of them handmade.

A kaleidoscope of colour and eclecti cism greets viewers passing through the entrance of W.A.R.E.S., where walls and shelves accommodate such items as prairie landscape paintings by Peg McPherson, mugs of city images by Margaret Belec, olive-green plates by Potter Shirley Randall, marble clay bowls by Willie Renema and surrealistic field creations by Charity Ambs.

Malikson is particularly drawn to the wooden clocks crafted by woodworker Julie Hage. “She sources the wood from various places and puts together inter esting combinations of wood,” she said. “Sometimes she uses different sizes of pieces like barn wood. They look pretty cool.”

W.A.R.E.S. normally adds new pieces weekly by artists whose works go through an acceptance process that involves an appointment and a prereq uisite requiring the creator belongs to an established guild in St. Albert. “They bring the work in and we assess it as a committee,” added Malikson. “If there’s some work that’s maybe not to standard, then we certainly don’t accept that. But

we accept a limited amount from each artist basically all the time.”

Limited exposure notwithstanding, Malikson said the staff is usually quite busy with customers, especially during December’s holiday season, when W.A.R.E.S. sells the most of its visual arts goods. “I would say that a lot of work that goes out of here is a gift for some one else, so we’re just a great shop for that,” she said.

Pottery, like pots and mugs, account for the biggest sellers at W.A.R.E.S. According to Malikson, those items comprise the bulk of the inventory in the shop, given that roughly 100 artists are members of the St. Albert Potters Guild. Less prominent items include the covers, duvets and bedspreads by the rel atively smaller St. Albert Quilters Guild, although those articles sell relatively well. Other big sellers include items that tend to fall between the cracks of artistic disciplines. “We also have stained glass and those artists tend to belong to the painters guild, because we don’t have a stained glass guild in the city,” noted Malikson. “And the stained glass actually does quite well.”

W.A.R.E.S. is operated by the St. Albert Place Visual Arts Council, which follows a mandate to foster awareness of such artistry in the city. In turn, the council runs under the umbrella of St. Albert’s cultural services department, the first such public service branch to ever be established by any city in Canada. And while W.A.R.E.S. conducts all of its transactions in the shop, it also takes part in a few outreach initiatives such as the city’s Artwalk event that runs every first Thursday of the month during the summer. It’s that type of backing from the city and arts patrons that makes W.A.R.E.S. an attractive workplace for staffers like Malikson.

“We’re really well supported by the com munity,” she said. “I know a lot about the work in here, so I know can tell people about all the work that went into the paintings and pottery that customers didn’t know already. That kind of stuff. We have some pretty good conversations in the shop.” t8n

W.A.R.E.S.

Main floor, St. Albert Place 5 St. Anne Street 780-459-1690 sapvac.ca/shop-w-a-r-e-s sapvacshopwares@gmail.com Open Thursday & Friday noon-3:30 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

GUILDS REPRESENTED AT W.A.R.E.S.

Floral Art Society of St. Albert St. Albert Painter’s Guild St. Albert Paper Arts Guild St. Albert Potters Guild St. Albert Quilters’ Guild

Thrills on

BY GLORIA LOITZ

EVEN AFTER RIDING the waves of a pandemic the past couple of winters, tobogganing continued to be a breath of fresh air and a safe alternative to the indoor coop.

For local toboggan fans, going downhill is a good thing

When the Covid virus was still blaring alarming headlines, doctors recom mended tobogganing as a great way to get some exercise to get people’s minds off the health scare, as long as they followed medical guidelines. Physi cians added that hitting the slopes was another way to lower stress, as adrena line releases endorphins that can act as a natural mood boost.

Compared to other winter activities like skiing and hockey, toboggan facilities didn’t need to be more than a hill acces sibly by foot, vehicle or public transit. What’s more, the gravitational adrena line rush is pretty much open to anyone of all ages, differing athletic abilities, and budget. Those unable to invest in a sled or toboggan found that the flattened remnants of a cardboard box would do quite nicely. All that is left to guarantee a smooth cruise is to be equipped with the know-how to safely ride down those snow-covered hills.

Still, tobogganing isn’t without risk. In 2021, Alberta Health Services reported that 380 injuries requiring hospitalization were attributable to tobogganing and sledding, nearly double the 246 incidents cited the previous winter. AHS attributed the spike to quarantines compelling more and more families to take to the slopes after municipal and provincial governments shut down public and pri vate recreation facilities in the interests of public safety during the pandemic. According to the Injury Prevention Centre of Alberta, 48 percent of sledding injuries occur from falling off a sled, 21 percent from striking a tree, 17 percent from hitting another person and 14 per cent from colliding with other objects. The majority of cases involved arm and leg injuries suffered by kids 5-12. But among more extreme cases, roughly 10 percent of documented tobogganing injuries included concussion diagnoses, as roughly half of patients seen in emer gency departments wore a helmet when on a sled or toboggan.

Many of these injuries are preventable by ensuring children wear helmets, check ing the run for obstacles including trees and utility poles, and inspecting the end run to ensure sledders and tobogganists avoid careening into roads or parking lots. More brazen head-first or belly-flop practitioners are more vulnerable to injury; the IPC recommends sitting or kneeling while in riding mode for more control and a better chance of leaping out of the way of an impending obstacle. Injuries might have also been a going concern for centuries among Canada’s aboriginal people, although historical records haven’t really been forthcoming about the issue. Back then, they consid ered toboggans as more as a tool to win ter survival, using them to haul game and move camp. The Inuit carved whale bones to create their sleds, often pulled by dog teams. The eastern Mi’kmaq used

chest harnesses to pull their own sleds made from birch or animal skins. And while the Mi’kmaq are credited with coining the word “tobâkun” as a name for their cargo carrier, early 19th-century French Canadian settlers adopted the moniker, calling it “toba ganne,” until more Anglo folks eventu ally altered it to “toboggan.” It was by this time that European settlers discov ered the recreational possibilities of the toboggan, which became an immensely popular winter pastime.

Running rampant with mood-enhancing and health-boosting benefits, it should be no surprise that tobogganing has stood the test of time and regaled many families with visions of hitting the hills. It’s a simple, classic family-friendly sport to − even if briefly − slide all your worries away. t8n

TOBOGGAN RUNS IN ST. ALBERT

While you’ll find a few hills around the city that are good for short runs, most outdoor enthusiasts prefer to hit the bigger slopes at two prime sledding and tobogganing locations.

By far, the most popular attraction is Seven Hills (4 St. Vital Ave.), in Mission Park, across the road from Father La combe Chapel. The vertical drop from the top is roughly 50 metres, providing plenty of opportunity for a high-ve locity trip down the slope and an energy-burning return back up to try it again. On some runs, a few contoured attractions add an extra element of adventure to the toboggan experience that momentarily has enthusiasts cruis ing on nothing but air. More cautious families bringing young er children might want to try Liberton Hill on Liberton Drive, roughly a block south of Lennox Drive. There, three runs are available for folks, including one deemed safe for youngsters.

Join us to learn more about:

• Preparing your child for PreKindergarten and Kindergarten

• Program options (full-day, half-day and progressive)

• Faith-based education

• French Immersion

• Nature Kindergarten

• Division programming

• Bussing

• Registering your child

• and more...

Save the Date: St. Albert — January 19 at SACHS Morinville — January 26 at MCHS

CALL US TO LEARN MORE: 780-459-7781 WWW.GSACRD.AB.CA

NOW THAT THE mercury has dropped, not to mention tonnes of snow, here’s a chance to ward off that cold by staying cozy indoors and check out this winter-themed find-a-word puzzle. Look up, down, left, right, and diagonally to find 32 (and maybe even more) words synonymous with the season. If you think you’ve found them all, post your results on Facebook or Twitter (tag ging #t8n) to qualify for some great random prizes. t8n

Here’s a way to keep your mind off the cold

Name:

Created with TheTeachersCorner net Word Search Maker

Winter

A B U P Q U P T H P B X F P Q P V S G V K C P E L V W D D F B C K Y V O S P J T C E J Q W Y E L D F H Y Q Z C Z J P F D P R Z V A G N M Y E H K X Z B K O G W I H O P X D I V H M V T P V E E N T K O E E L J T R V U B L K U D A H N L K F A L O R U G R I N B K C Z V O V E P T L B P P H Z H C C O A V J B B D X P H E C I G V D U S X B Y H E V H V N N W S K C S A O R I I K S L H V M O L A L S Q B E G V T I K E F V E Q G D G P W B Z I B G S O V S F I K P K O N D Q U N U F C A Q F O G E G I J F K I Y Z G M X B P E B F I V N F F E E T Y Z W O A M Y H J T A E S Q C Z G X N O C O I Q I K U N Z J Z Y Y E N K O E D A G L O M N U M K O R P L K O C N E Y F O R Z K D

I W H I T E T S R T G N I T A K S P S N I G S K P E R Y W P N F N E Z S M B Y T R E S H A W V K C O C N K L P X S F W Z G N A P C S G O S V P R P U T K U J Z Z L N X P E T K K M

X J R K A S E V B K T E Z G Z D M A U I E E I I I I D N Q Q W S F R T S O R F B T N G X U E X Z U C G D L M C Z F D P B D V F G C F H Z B A P Y Y X K Q O M L F O S X Q E H Z J I E L X M S M F M I E A Z M F A B E J H J G K P C P D L F O Q N D G H A P U G W X G C D L T I E A J L G U O Q G T R T V A O G E U S C M S P J R P F A W Y Z A L X A K P P K R I B I G W E L D K A R Z M V B W V Y E K C O H X Q T O R Z F Z D C N O S V A T R A S K C O S Z X G K U E G W T F E F I Y S X O I G W W E P P E C Y N O V X B E E U R R O M Y X A S O M S C L Q A J Z L N H I S O N A K T B G R A H N Z Q L Y Z N B O O R J N C S V N K P P Z N X B P Y O Z K V S X Z Y V F K O I A U X L V B B S W L A Z B B T J Q J I U R A B G X S W C E C T C G U D F O M U W L Q P T W Z U A F R E E Z E G G Y U Z W A X V X P E M E V Q J T N J C F L Y Q N U W Y R A E R D Q G C O J G

X F A L Q R C P X H F A E N K N R A H K E I B T J E G O W

M W V C L T I D F C R K X P G N I D R A O B W O N S