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f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 0 6 • v o l u m e 3 • n u m b e r 1 • w w w. a i r d r i e l i f e . c o m

AirdrieLIFE THE OFFICIAL GUIDE TO LIFE IN THE CITY OF AIRDRIE

Airdrie’s got community spirit!

INSIDE: The EXCLUSIVE story of the Prairie Pond Posse

Ai rd ri s se pec eW ct ial io fe n a OR in tu si re KS de .

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AirdrieLIFE

Volume 3 • Number 1 PUBLISHER EDITOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Welcome to Airdrie

W

elcome to the fifth edition of AirdrieLIFE magazine. I invite you to browse through the magazine and check out articles on community initiatives, Airdrie’s neighbourhoods, services available to residents and take note of all the exciting events this season.

Airdrie is taking advantage of Alberta’s hot economic boom and it has been a busy year, with signs of growth everywhere you look. With all the growth, we are committed to maintaining a productive community life and a thriving atmosphere. One of our strategic priorities is to foster community. We are constantly looking for ways to engage with residents. We are working with neighbourhoods and citizens to enhance our strong spirit. The City of Airdrie and City Council has been participating and working on a variety of communication initiatives this year, to interact and exchange ideas with citizens and foster relationships. The City created the first edition of the “Annual Community Report.” The report was developed as a more community friendly document highlighting significant achievements from City operations as well as some general information on municipal procedures. The City also hosted the “Community Showcase,” at the East Lake Recreation and Wellness Centre (ELRWC) this fall featuring a guest speaker, activities for families and children, city-wide information booths and the opportunity to interact with City Council. The event was a huge success and another similar event will be held in the spring of 2007.

Airdrie’s ELRWC will be undergoing some upgrades! The Recreation Centre currently houses six pools, a waterslide, a fitness centre, a gymnasium and multipurpose rooms for community use. Phase II of the Recreation Centre will add two indoor field houses, a state of the art gymnastics facility and an indoor running track. Construction is to begin in 2007. The improved facility will provide our community numerous opportunities to host sport, recreation and business events.

This winter we look forward to many different winter festivities including the 11th annual Airdrie Festival of Lights and the annual Santa Claus Parade. The Festival lights up at 6 pm on Saturday, November 25, and winds up in a flurry of fireworks at 9 pm on Sunday, December 31. Hours of operation are from 6-9 pm every night. The festival is free of charge, but donations keep it glowing. Be sure to round up some guests and invite them to experience the light display with your family.

Enjoy reading through this magazine and discover what Airdrie has waiting for you!

Linda Bruce Mayor, City of Airdrie 6 AirdrieLIFE • fall/winter 2006 • volume 1

PRODUCTION MANAGER LISTINGS CO-ORDINDATOR

FROG INC Sherry Shaw-Froggatt Linda Fletcher Kim Williams Renee Doucette

CONTRIBUTORS

Alan Tennant Beverly Cardinal beverlycardinalphotography.com For editorial inquiries: email: airdrielife@shaw.ca For advertising inquiries: email: airdrielife@shaw.ca City Contacts: Kent Rupert Tara Richards 948-8800 Printing: Calgary Colorpress

AirdrieLIFE is published twice per year by Frog Inc in conjunction with the City of Airdrie Economic Development Department.

35,000 copies of AirdrieLIFE are distributed each spring and fall to homes in Airdrie and surrounding communities.

AirdrieLIFE can be viewed online at www.airdrielife.com Additional copies are available at Airdrie City Hall 400 Main Street Airdrie, Alberta T4B 3B4 The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents of any advertisement and all representations of warranties made in such advertising are those of the advertiser and not of the publisher. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, in all or in part, without the written permission of the publisher.

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She Knows She Can Dance

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Meet Susan Laing dance teacher, role model

Airdrie is Hockeyville!

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The exclusive behind the scenes story of how Airdrie earned national exposure in Canada’s Kraft Hockeyville contest

Meet the Neighbours

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Our regular exclusive community profiles with updated real estate figures

Winter Wonderland

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Our calendar of events keeps you in the loop this season

Making History

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Nose Creek Valley Museum shares the story of A.E. Bowers

You Are Here

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Your city map complete with the newest streets!

In Stitches

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Kim Schofield has her hobby all sewn up

WIN! A $500 shopping spree

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Enter our contest and check out our new website

Volunteers keep the Airdrie Festival of Lights glowing.

Table of

Contents

Bus driver open the door!

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Your transit map and guide to getting around

Long Live the King

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A photo tour through Airdrie’s newest community King’s Heights

From City Hall

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Stuff you need to know and weren’t afraid to ask

Ssssshhhhhhhh!

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The Airdrie Public Library has news for you!

Here to Help

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A contact list for Airdrie’s Support Services

That’s Entertainment!

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Red Box Theatre unveils a lively season

ABCs and un deux trios

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School listings and closer look at École Francophone d'Airdrie

Airdrie is activeville!

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Find your sport and take a closer look at Airdrie Minor Soccer About the cover: Three of Airdrie’s active teens had fun on this photo shoot. Kristen Massey, 13 gets her kicks playing for the Aztecs in Airdrie Minor

We’ve got Community Spirit.

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Find a club to join, a volunteer cause and learn more about the Boys & Girls Club

Dive in, the Water’s Great

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East Lake Recreation and Wellness Centre winter schedule

Soccer, Mitch Groarke, 14, plays centre in Airdrie Tier One Bantam, and Ali Froggatt, 13, dances up a storm at the Airdrie Dance

AirdrieWORKS

Academy.

Our special section on starting and growing your business in Airdrie

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Susan Laing dances from the heart.

AirdrieLIFE is… the joy of dance

F

or a woman born with “soft feet”Susan Laing has taken her toes to the top, leading hundreds of young dancers to live, laugh, love, and dance!

At the age of three, Susan faced the choice between orthopedic shoes and a series of casts and braces, or trying to strengthen the bones through physical activity. A dancer was born.

“My first dance teacher was a wonderful, white-haired woman named Mrs. Brown, who taught dance in her house,” Susan says. Mrs. Brown encouraged Susan to perform her first solo at age four. Her first teacher passed away when Susan was only six, but Susan knows Mrs. Brown would be smiling now to see where her little dancer is today.

Mom discovered that the best dance instruction was an hour away in Red Deer. So Mom drove Susan every week for classes in Highland, then Jazz, Ballet and eventually Tap.Those long hours logged in the car back and forth from class gave Susan special time with her Mom. “I feel blessed to have had all those days with her, from dancing, because I spent more time with her than anybody and she knew everything about me. She was my best friend.”

Susan’s Mom continued to play an important role in Susan’s teaching life – Susan would come home from the studio and call her to talk about how great her students were doing, how much each dancer had grown. Her Mom’s sudden death in 1999 was the saddest time in Susan’s life.

Susan turned to Highland dancing at seven, much to her Mom’s delight (Mom was a pipe band member in her youth and dabbled in Highland dancing too). Susan took naturally to Highland, winning at her first competition. “I placed first in the Highland Fling. It’s the nicest medal I have ever won and I still have it,” she smiles in fond memory.

“I miss her so much, especially after a great night of classes – I want to share it with her. Sometimes when I am teaching I’ll say something just like she used to say to me. I’d get this little giggle and the kids would look at me… and I go, oh, it’s just my Mom.”

At ten, Susan’s family moved from BC to Erskine (near Stettler) where

At twelve, Susan was the third best Highland dancer in Alberta when

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“My goal is for the kids to love their bodies and love themselves.” her promising dance future was put on hold. She had developed a bone marrow infection in her femur and was forced to give up dance for a three-month stay at the University of Alberta hospital. Her leg was in a cast being pumped with intravenous medications; Susan was given the somber news that if the infection had happened two years earlier she would have faced amputation. But Susan refused to accept that she was sick,“I kept saying I’m not sick, my leg is sick and it just has to get better.”

After all, this was the determined young dancer who won at everything she did.“Don’t get me wrong, I worked my butt off. I didn’t show up at competitions without being thoroughly prepared. I worked at it in the evening. I practiced in the morning. I practiced after school. Then we’d drive to dancing. Then I’d practice all week. While my Mom was making supper, I’d be practicing saying ‘Hey Mom, look at this. What do you think of this?’ And then I got sick and it gave me a different view.“

city and began converting the existing shop building into a fully functional dance studio.Today the studio boasts over 400 dancers, who take everything including Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Musical Theatre, Ballet, Creative, and yes, Highland.

Susan’s ‘commute’to work is a simple walk by the garden each afternoon to the studio. In seconds the stereo is on and Susan’s voice can be heard above the pulsing music … “5-6-7-8…” and another night of dance begins. When the studio doors open at 4 p.m., Susan has already put in a full day’s work. Every month during dance season brings new challenges, registrations, costumes, competitions, choreography, and recitals – during which she averages 14 to 15 hours a day.

She can look back at this time objectively now, “I believe everything happens for a reason. When I got sick in Grade 7, I needed a reality check because I was too competitive. It was winning or nothing and that is not healthy.”

Susan’s parents were supportive and ingenious.They sensed that Susan needed a new direction and encouraged her to find the fun in dance when she returned to the stage.“I got more into Jazz and I got into theater. My dad had decided my brothers and I should try the music festival route.”

In other words, the competitive streak in Susan was nurtured to be in balance with fun and the sheer joy of performing. She continued to compete in all dance and theatre categories and Highland (she reached first in Highland provincials at age 19), but her personal reasons for dancing had dramatically altered. She loved to work hard and she loved the results, but more importantly Susan simply loved to dance.

That love of dance has been shared with each and every student she has taught along the way. In 1992 Susan began teaching dance in Airdrie on Monday nights at the Bert Church Theatre to 65 students. By the studio’s fourth year Susan was teaching four nights a week. It was time for Susan to find a permanent home for the Airdrie Dance Academy. In 1998 Susan and husband Joe purchased an acreage on the edge of the volume 1 • fall/winter 2006 •

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cityLIVING The studio is closed June through August, but Susan herself is anything but shut down. Besides doing extensive gardening (her self-proclaimed mental therapy), Susan uses the summer to get ready for the next season, which includes taking dance classes as the student instead of the teacher.

“I was first a dancer. I still need to go and fill my soul up, so [that] come September, I have enough to share.”

In the past, Susan has attended dance conferences in Chicago, Phoenix, Vancouver and Las Vegas. This summer Susan took classes from Popin’ Pete – one of the original California-based, Electric Boogaloo crew and ‘Breakin’ classes with Ken Swift of New York’s Rock Steady Crew.

The studio has created an all-encompassing lifestyle, thankfully Susan has solid support from the two men in her life, Joe and her son Brandon.

Weekends are precious to her family; Brandon plays hockey on a travel team. Every now and then the pull of the studio means sacrificing that family time – there are always workshops in the winter and competitions in the spring.

“I have shed lots of tears,” she admits,“but it is who I am and they support that. I feel lucky because when Brandon was little I got to spend all day with him. It’s harder now that he’s in school. That’s why weekends are so precious. Joe is really great. He helps Brandon with his homework and totally supports what I do. He says whatever I need to do, I can do. In other words – he’s knows I’m cranky when I don’t get to dance,” she laughs.

Don’t get to dance. These four words became the painful truth for Susan at the beginning of 2006. Emergency abdominal surgery pulled Susan out of the studio for eight weeks. It meant eight weeks of bed rest for someone who has spent almost everyday of her life in constant motion. However, her body may have been “resting,” but Susan’s mind was racing:“I choreographed whole routines from my couch. I couldn’t

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wait to get back into the studio.” Fortunately Susan had the support of a staff of terrific teachers, who gave 110% to keep the kids on track and ready for her to return only weeks before competition.

“The eight weeks was the longest ever – not physically being able to dance,” she gets teary when speaking about it. For Susan to have an activity that comes naturally so rudely taken away became a time of deep reflection, frustration, and ultimately a renewed sense of joy.

“The reality is I can do it better now then I did before because I am healthy and I am alive. So the kids better watch out this season because I have two month’s [worth] of pent up energy they didn’t get, that I need to get out because it is driving me crazy!” she says with a wink.

The 15th year in her Airdrie studio means Susan has watched many young dancers grow into mature adults. There is much that makes her proud of her students both past and present.

“It’s the little things: a dancer rushing up to me to tell me she got her triple pirouette, being asked to be a reference when they apply for their first jobs, and sometimes being invited to their weddings!”

“My goal for the kids is to love their bodies and love themselves. Know how to show respect, be confident in everything that they do, make good choices, and be happy. So if dance is part of that – great!”

Each May brings another recital, another good-bye to older students, who are ready to move on in the world. There are always tears, always hugs and always cherished memories.Then each September brings the cutest little four year olds, from the City, to join the fold at the Airdrie Dance Academy.

Squealing with delight as the door opens they bounce into the studio.

There is always one little face that beams the loudest, “I just love to dance!” And Susan beams back just as loudly,“So do I!”

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cityLIVING

The Prairie Pond Posse put Airdrie on the map with hockey fans across Canada.

AirdrieLIFE is… Hockeyville!

A community pulls together to gain national exposure…

J

anuary 18, 2006 CBC announces a partnership with Kraft Canada, the NHL, and the NHLPA (players association) to find Canada’s Kraft Hockeyville. The theme Hockey + Community = Hockeyville.

Al Jones, a guy with zero hockey experience or connections to the game, had seen the commercials on CBC and met Peter Brown, the VP of Airdrie Minor Hockey, for lunch. Together they decided the contest was worth looking into. Peter brought in two key players to help with the entry form – Murray Buchanan, the President of Airdrie Minor Hockey, and Michelle Calloway, a former VP of Airdrie Minor Hockey.While Peter, Murray and Michelle had the vital hockey background and had worked together successfully in the past, Al brought a zealous love of his community to the table. Thus the Prairie Pond Posse was formed. They sat down March 13th the entry deadline: March 19th, 2006.

The entry form required a creative team name, hence the Prairie Pond Posse. The entry also had a short series of questions, which thanks to Peter’s wit and Michelle and Murray’s extensive knowledge of the hockey community, was fairly easy to fill out. They also had to submit photographs of the arena, the community, and the “Welcome to Airdrie” sign. The final task for submission was to include a spirit item. Several ideas were bantered around the table when the idea of a mini hockey bench seen in a local store window was suggested.“The bench was made out of hockey sticks,” explained Michelle,“Al came up with a great theme – ‘Nobody sits on the bench’, we loved it.”

The theme was explained in the application: “Airdrie Minor Hockey Association has established the “Safe and Caring Program,” where members of Airdrie and surrounding communities help individuals, who are unable to, pay for the cost of the season through donations. This program ensures a fair opportunity for everyone to play so that NOBODY SITS ON THE BENCH. Everyone, regardless of their economic situation, has an opportunivolume 1 • fall/winter 2006 •

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Al “Community” Jones ty to enjoy Canada’s favorite pastime.”

Peter made several calls to the organizers of the contest to ensure the entry was received. He was bold enough to ask,“How do we measure up?” According to Peter the producer thought Airdrie was one of the favorites. The bench was a hit “… the producer even said,‘when this is all over I want that bench’,” Peter recalled.

March 29, 2006 The first episode of Kraft Hockeyville airs. Host Cameron Bancroft announces that there were over 400 entries from across the country and that 50 communities have been selected to move to the next stage of the competition. According to the CBC press release, “the top 50 finalists edged out the competition by demonstrating creativity, passion for the game, and above all great community spirit. “ The fifty communities are announced by region. Half way through the hour-long episode, on the other side of the county communities are already celebrating. Finally it gets to the Western region where three provinces had to compete head-to-head: Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta.

The first nine communities are named, and there is no mention of Alberta.There is a moment, at the arena, when no one is breathing and then the hooting and hollering begins.“Well that was Al,” jokes Peter.

Peter and Al were in the arena when the words they had been waiting

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Michelle “The Roc k” Callow ay to hear for the last hour were finally said “Airdrie, Alberta.” Cell phones were pulled out and excited messages were left for the other half of the team…Michelle was in air flying for WestJET and Murray was stuck in a meeting in Calgary.

Five minutes later the fifth member of the Posse was recruited. Rob Ing, a talented, local video producer had been in contact with the Posse and knew this call might come. Rob generously donated his time and expertise and became a bonafide Posse member.

Rob’s involvement was vital.The second stage of the competition was to submit a video of not more than two minutes in length, which answered the question “Why should your community win the title of Kraft Hockeyville 2006?”

The Posse had less than two weeks to complete the shoot, edit, mix in sound and send it off. Michelle’s organizing skills were kicked into high gear. Filming would take place over four days: March 23 – 25.“Over five hundred people showed up. There was representation from every level of hockey in Airdrie – all [were] in uniform, all eager to share their enthusiasm in front of the camera,” she said.

“The miracle of this is the power of a real community – there was no real lead-in time for the local media to broadcast this to the Airdrie public. It took phone calls, emails and tremendous word-of-mouth to

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cityLIVING assemble such a large, organized group in such a short time,” Al added.

Each team was given five minutes of ice time to skate around while Rob’s camera captured the action. Everyone was game to show their hockey pride – from the littlest wobblers to the wizened senior players.

“The video was self-directed, which means we did not have the time to do to a real script outline so I shot everything,“ Rob explained.“It was one of the most amazing experiences I have had on a shoot. It just flowed by itself, the kids were so pumped and the looks in their eyes said it all.” Rob added,“Actually, the hardest person to control was Peter!”

But our spirit shines when we look out for each other and lend a helping hand. Our community spirit shows up inside our hockey arena as well.

The names written on these bricks represent a community commitment to hockey in this arena.

In Airdrie nobody sits on the bench. Our minor hockey association has a Sharing and Caring Program to help families that might lack funds.

In Airdrie nobody sits on the bench.

If you want to play – we’ll find you a team. What brings us together … the stick in our hands and the skates on our feet. It’s camaraderie! A sense of belonging, its hard work, dedication, with one goal in mind.

Fun!

There is much laughter over that comment. Everyone involved played a vital role.

• Peter was the energy infuser – keeping everybody pumped • Rob was the creative force – designer/engineer extraordinaire It’s leadership, mentorship and sportsmanship. It’s the collective will of • Michelle was the den mother – keeping the focus and everyone hundreds energizing the abilities of a few. In Airdrie, WE are Kraft on track Hockeyville, where nobody sits on the bench!

• Murray was the expert – the one to whom ___________ everyone deferred on any detail related to The wait was on. In two weeks the videos would hockey in Airdrie begin airing.

• Al was the community booster – talking up “In Airdrie nobody the contest to everyone he could April 5 Kraft Hockeyville second episode airs giving the viewing audience and panel of celebrity sits on the bench.”

With the shooting complete the Posse sat down judges the chance to learn more about each com___________ together to flesh out a script. Thanks to the talmunity ent of Rob’s partner, Deanna Hunter, the final edited visual matched the most endearing script Airdrie is erroneously announced as Airdrie, imaginable. Deanna’s suggestion that Peter’s young daughter, Emily, Saskatchewan. But the Posse is not deterred. More and more people narrate the whole script was the defining creative touch. are taking notice of Airdrie and that, according to Al, is one of the biggest bonuses.

The script reprinted here embodied the spirit of a whole community, not just hockey. The Posse felt it would give them that advantage. A April 12 The first half of the top fifty showcase their communities with few people outside the Posse were shown the video and they all had the video submissions. At the end of the episode the judges pick their top 10 same reaction – it made them want to cry. After getting those reactions to advance in the competition (two per each of the five Hockeyville the Posse knew they had it nailed. regions) and viewers then vote on their top picks from the remaining fifteen.

Hello Canada! Welcome to Kraft Hockeyville, it’s Airdrie Alberta. Our community spirit shows up inside and outside the rink.

Airdrie is not aired in that episode so it gives the Posse and the rest of Canada a chance to see how intense the competition is going to be. At Let us tell you about Airdrie’s spirit. We’ve got Santa Claus Parades, the end of the episode the phone lines are opened for the first time and Canada Day Parades; we’ve got the Airdrie Festival of Lights Wonder the voting begins.

Celebration, all run by volunteers.

“I have to admit that after watching that first round of videos I thought volume 1 • fall/winter 2006 •

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Mur ray “Votes R Us” Buchanan we had made a mistake. Most of the communities approached the video from the angle of showing hockey heroes in their community,” said Al. Murray didn’t think so,“I was confident we were on the right track, we had to wait and see.”

April 19 The second half of the videos are aired and the same process is repeated, the judges pick their top ten to move forward and the viewers will pick two more to make it a final 25.

Busloads of communities were making the trek to be part of the live studio audiences for both episodes.The Posse made plans to attend the April 19th filming in Kingston, Ontario. Michelle, Peter, and Al caught a flight east, at their own expense, and discovered the excitement over the competition had reached a fevered pitch.

Peter “Go to Guy” Brown

two-minute video and used them in their Hockeyville ads was thrilling to me. The whole contest showed Airdrie in a very positive image to a national TV audience [that] was free advertising, for our City, which would have cost tens of thousands of dollars to duplicate,” Murray said.

The national exposure brought instant fame to the Posse. Suddenly everywhere they went people were walking up to them and saying great job – but the hardest work of all had begun.

There were two steps to be completed during the month of May: (a) a second, one-minute video and (b) a surprise project involving a visit from the CBC crew.

Signage started to appear along the boulevards, in home windows, businesses got into the spirit with elaborate murals, while school children plastered the hallways of their schools.

The three Posse members were overwhelmed by the instant camaraderie they received from the competing communities. There were plenty of congratulations and “good work” compliments passed around with community pins and souvenirs being traded.“It was one of those real ‘proud Canadian’ moments," Al said.

Corey Wine of Sign Concepts donated his time and equipment to help spread the message. Soon the City was covered in “Airdrie is Kraft Hockeyville” signs, which were a welcoming gesture when the camera crew arrived the morning of May 7th.

For Murray, back home, the thrill was seeing their video on national TV. “It was a special feeling to view our video for the first time, as it totally captured the community events in Airdrie – in addition to our hockey programs. Also the fact that CBC took several clips from our

The surprise project was scheduled for May 7th. The Prairie Pond Posse put the call out again for volunteers. Two hundred people showed up! When the cameras started rolling the Prairie Pond Posse was informed that they had $2,500 worth of products from Home

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cityLIVING Depot. The project was to paint a mural, build and install park benches, landscape the arena entrance and do general clean up of the parking lot and lobby all within a two-hour time limit. At first the production crew from CBC didn’t think the Airdrie volunteers would pull it all off in time. However, they were soon to discover that Airdrie volunteerism knows no limits … the CBC crew was impressed.

“The second video was actually harder,” explained Rob.“You want to say all the right things and you only have a minute. So we spent a significant amount of time getting this just right.”The second video was to include a person or group, who spoke on behalf of the community, to illustrate why it deserves to win the title "Kraft Hockeyville 2006."

Instead of going the celebrity or high profile route, which many communities eventually did, the Posse decided to have two young adults, Matthew and Jillian Warnock endorse the Airdrie spirit.

Hello Canada, welcome to Airdrie. This is Airdrie, where nobody sits on the bench. That’s a metaphor for life in our community. We take hockey values and apply them to daily life here in Airdrie. Like hard

_________________ “The game is our passion but it’s the people that make us Hockeyville.” _________________

work and commitment. Like teamwork and looking out for each other.

We encourage each other and we have fun. In Airdrie we don’t sit on the sidelines and watch the world pass us by. The game is our passion but it’s the people that make us Hockeyville. And that’s why Airdrie is Kraft Hockeyville, where nobody sits on the bench!

The CBC invited all twenty-five, finalist teams to send two representatives each for the final week of taping during the second week of June.

Michelle and Murray were adamant that Peter and Al make the trip.

With Peter and Al off to Hamilton, Ontario, for filming, Murray and Michelle became the driving force to ensure Airdrie was prepared for the next round of voting and for getting on the bandwagon. There were

Rob “Spielberg” Ing

two separate rounds of voting required. Murray ran the voting promotion like an election – signs were everywhere, flyers were stuck under windshields. Calgary radio personalities gave Airdrie extra exposure and the Calgary Flames even included information in their e-newsletter. The Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, is captured on camera holding a Prairie Pond Posse t-shirt.

June 6th CBC airs highlights of all 25 videos. At the end of the episode host Cameron Bancroft tells the on-air judges and the audience at home that it’s their turn to choose the top ten.

The first, voting round results would be announced that Friday. During the rest of the week Al, Peter and the other top 25 community representatives were bused back and forth from rehearsals to tours; they bonded over dinners, card games, the east coast teams even flew in fresh lobster.“It was an amazing week,” Peter said.

June 9th The final ten – two from each region are announced right off the top. Airdrie, Alberta, and Birtle, Manitoba, are announced as the top two for the West.

The final ten teams were not given any time to celebrate, as a series of game-show-style competitions took place on the stage. Each team was volume 1 • fall/winter 2006 •

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cityLIVING The emotional rollercoaster of the week was hard on everyone in the studio. The announcement gave way to a release of pent-up emotions.

Communities cried, laughed and hugged. Peter couldn’t contain his tears of joy,“My first thought was of my brother. I said to myself – this is for you.”Al was bouncing up and down finding it hard, although not really trying, to contain his excitement at how far this dream had come.

It was very emotional for both Peter and Al. (What no one but Peter and Al knew, at the time, was that the numbers on the back of their own jerseys represented the ages at which Peter’s brother and Al’s father had passed away from cancer.)

The bus ride that night from the studio back to the hotel was a mix of joy and sadness for the teams: some would go no further and others had made it all the way. Several communities started throwing their support behind Airdrie. When the final taping came on Sunday there was a sea of Posse t-shirts worn by the supporters for Maple Creek Saskatchewan, Meadow Lake Saskatchewan, Cold Lake Alberta, Pilot Mound Manitoba and Port Alberni BC, who ALL sat in Airdrie’s section to show their support. The McBride BC team had even scratched out their team name and wrote Airdrie on their poster.

Peter and Al on the CBC set with the Kraft Hockeyville judges

given one last chance to petition their case emphasizing why they should win. Peter spoke emotionally on behalf of the Prairie Pond Posse.

“Good Evening, Kraft Hockeyville is not a destination it’s a spirit within a community. A community comprised of family and friendship, pride and hard work, fun and respect, learning and teaching from one and other on and off the ice.

We shared that experience this week with these incredible people and I'm overwhelmed.

Airdrie shares that spirit with all of you if you select Airdrie as your Hockeyville representative for Kraft Hockeyville 2006, we'll honor you by continuing to embrace that spirit in all that we do, because in Airdrie and in Kraft Hockeyville - Nobody sits on the bench" The judges left the stage to make their decision on the final five. The tension was heavy in the studio and suddenly it was down to five – Airdrie was still standing!

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When the winner was announced – Salmon River Nova Scotia – Peter and Al were genuinely thrilled. They were as moved by this community’s story as everyone else had been.“We weren’t disappointed at all. Salmon River is a very small community that does not even have shower rooms at their arena – they could use the grand prizes ($50,000 in arena improvements) much more than us. Plus the chance to see NHL players is something most of that community would never in their lifetime experience.” Besides Airdrie’s Twin Arenas got a $2500 beauty treatment.

“Our main focus from Day One was to gain positive exposure for the City of Airdrie.” Al says,“To raise our civic pride, to bring the community together. We had surpassed any expectations we ever had during this whole event.

“The Posse may have been the public faces of the Airdrie bid, but there was a whole community behind us that deserves a standing ovation.”

Months later the Prairie Posse team pulled their jerseys out of the closet and posed for pictures – there is a quiet, unspoken pride among them. They are at ease with one another – they crack a lot of jokes, and have made friends for life. Notably, they exemplify what Kraft Hockeyville was all about. And the bench? CBC still has it.

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communityPROFILES

Community Profiles Fall 2006

T

he Airdrie real estate market brought summer to a close in grand style.

According to statistics released by the Calgary Real Estate Board and the City of Airdrie, there were 106 MLS® sales in August, up from 84 in July and also up from 98 in August 2005. "There’s been a lot of talk about the market slowing down but as these results show, there is still a lot of activity happening in Airdrie,” stated RE/MAX Rocky View sales associate Alan Tennant.

In Calgary the average MLS® residential sale price was $365,732 up 49% from a year ago, while prices in Airdrie inched up to an all time high of about $316,000.

As of Sept 15th there were 158 MLS® listings on the market in Airdrie, up from 102 a year ago. In August it took an average of 23 days in Airdrie for a home to sell compared to Calgary where the average continues to be 25 days of MLS® exposure.

"The increase in listing inventory is a welcome development as it maintains buyer interest in the market and the added listing competition will keep sellers on their toes.”

Average condo and house prices are based on average MLS® sale prices between January 1, 2006 and August 31, 2006 and were provided by Alan Tennant of RE/MAX RockyView.

Airdrie Meadows Airdrie Meadows is a walker’s haven. Centrally located on Airdrie’s west side it’s a short walk to downtown, the malls, schools, Kinsmen Splash Park, Plainsman Arena, the Library and more!

Average condo price $209,783 Average house price $259,033

Bayside/Bayside West Bayside is one of Airdrie’s most innovative new areas, thanks to an exciting blend of upscale single family homes and condos and future commercial development. Plus it’s close to the new Rocky View School Division offices.

Bayside West is all about water access. Nearly 80% of all homes having private water access and nearly 50% of all homes have the capability of installing private boat docks. Six kilometers of waterways will be linked by walking and bike paths. www.baysideairdrie.com Average condo price $198,500 Average house price $359,563

Big Springs Big Springs is Airdrie’s most affordable neighbourhood, with a combination of starter homes in your choice of condo or townhouse style condos, single and double wide manufactured homes and single family homes.

Average condo price $142,900 Average house price $223,084

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communityPROFILES The Canals/Canals North The Canals is a water lovers dream! Peaceful blue canals wind their way for six kilometers and flow into a five acre lake. From starter homes and condos to some of Airdrie’s most spectacular executive homes, this is an area with lots to offer.

The buzz about the Canals North is“suite”as many of the lots allow for condo suites above a detached garage. The area features a country cottage living architectural theme with wrap around verandas and attractive column detailing. www.canalsnorthairdrie.com Average condo price $241,700 Average house price $337,828

Cooper’s Crossing/ Estates of Cooper’s Crossing Take a walk through Cooper’s Crossing and you’ll quickly realize why this is one of Airdrie’s most desired neighbourhoods. A well designed and beautifully landscaped six kilometer pathway system connects every corner of this hillside development.

Airdrie's most prestigious address is the Estates of Cooper’s Crossing, featuring estate homes on lots up to 74ft. wide, some with waterfront lots. The show home parade features walk out lots backing into a beautiful six acre water feature. Phase 12 is an exclusive phase where all home sites will have direct park access. These larger lots will allow for triple garages. www.cooperscrossing.ca Average condo price $289,950 Average house price $419,876* * House prices include MLS stats for the Morningside community.

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communityPROFILES Downtown

Edgewater

This is Airdrie’s central business district but many people call this area of Airdrie home and several exciting new projects are going to increase the population base.

Living in Edgewater combines the advantages of being within walking distance to schools and shopping and being wrapped around some of Airdrie’s best green space. Many homes are situated overlooking Nose Creek Park, a year round gem but especially beautiful in December during the Airdrie Festival of Lights.

Railtown is an exciting new residential & commercial development just west of Main Street noteworthy for being a living-working-shopping destination and the first buildings in the city of six stories in height. www.airdrierailtown.ca Cedarwood Station is an 87 suite, four storey, full service rental retirement residence, the first of its kind in Airdrie. Occupancy is scheduled for early 2007.A leasing trailer will be open this fall on site to meet with interested prospects. The amenities will include a dining room, private dining room, 24 hour on-site health services, organized leisure activities, housekeeping, private bus, beauty salon and outdoor patio. Parking is underground and heated and suites include full kitchens.

Average house price $261,065

Fairways Fairways, on the golf course – of course! Quiet, low traffic streets meander around the west end of Woodside Golf course and create easy access to a wide range of homes from affordable condos right up to some very exclusive homes on the golf course.

Average condo price $235,543 Average house price $373,517

Investicare is the developer for this community and Origin Retirement Communities Inc. will manage the operations of the community and all marketing, once it opens. www.cedarwoodstation.ca

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communityPROFILES Jensen Heights The Jensen family lent their name to one of Airdrie’s first sub-divisions and it still maintains a strong family feel.Thanks to being next door to the Tri-Schools (all three levels of public schools) this has long been a sought after area to live. Homes range from rental apartments to executive homes.

Average condo price $216,156 Average house price $298,083

King’s Heights

Big Springs Family Album The Farrell/Stoesser Family

The first phase of King’s Heights features 110 single family homes, two multi-family projects and the beginning of a community pathway. Ten show homes are now open. Welcoming residents to the community is a dramatic entry feature that includes a custom stone façade with a treelined boulevard. This distinctive entrance adds unique character to the community and sets the tone for the understated tranquility that King’s Heights will become synonymous with. Proximity to destination shopping and commercial facilities at the emerging Kingsview Business Centre makes King’s Heights a desirable location. www.kingsheights.ca

Becky Farrell and Emery Stoesser now both work in Calgary but had grown up in Carstairs, so deciding to live in Airdrie gave them the best of both worlds. Two years ago, they fell in love with their first house owing to the fact that the older homes in Big Springs were not “cookie cutter” in design and it featured a wood-burning fireplace in the living room.

After living in Calgary for a while, the couple was pleased to discover… in Airdrie you actually get to talk to your neighbours. “We have great neighbours,” says Emery.

The house is a stepping-stone towards their future, (the family farm beckons) but for now they are content to putter in their own yard and enjoy the corner of the world called Big Springs.

Luxstone Park Estates Luxstone Park Estates is home to several distinct areas and home ownership choices. Westpointe and Park Place Estates with Airdrie’s first “wide lot” style community both offer excellent single family homes The town home lifestyle shows lots of potential from the sold out urban loft concept of Parkside to the new Park Place Court town homes– watch for further phases this fall. All of these homes are nestled around a carefully landscaped nature park with water pond, soccer field and children's playground. www.luxstonepark.com

Luxstone Landing Celebrate the natural surroundings and amenities that abound in Luxstone Landing. Single family homes are selling fast thanks to parklands, trails, and easy access to the nearby canal and open spaces that connect home sites. School sites are safely and conveniently accessible and shopping is close at hand. Take a bike ride, have a picnic lunch or read by the pond without leaving the neighborhood. www.luxstonelanding.com Luxstone prices reflect both communities: Average condo price $191,887 Average house price $320,024

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communityPROFILES Mackenzie Pointe Mackenzie Point is a high-density community of condos with easy access to downtown and commuting to work make easy thanks to the access to 8th Avenue. Iron Horse Park is right next door.

Average condo price $191,887* *Prices in Mackenzie Pointe are part of the Luxstone statistics.

Meadowbrook Meadowbrook residents enjoy a quiet setting in the south east corner of Airdrie. The pathways lead to a large central park with a play structure and connect to Meadowbrook Middle School. It’s all single family homes and they range from 1980’s construction to a few years old.

Many families have started in the original Meadowbrook and moved up to the newer area – they must feel at home!

Meadowbrook Family Album The Baltimores

Kelly and Donna Baltimore moved from central BC to Airdrie in 2001. “We have a great neighbourhood. It's quiet and the residents are friendly.” The Meadowbrook area has lovely, big yards, which make for wonderful gardening opportunities and the Baltimore’s have taken full advantage of this – cultivating a yard that is the envy of many of their friends.

Donna & Kelly love traveling to warm climates, golfing, skiing and, of course as mentioned, gardening. They are both very active in the community, despite their full time jobs in Calgary. They are also both active at their church – conducting marriage preparation classes and volunteering at the Town & Country Centre. Kelly is a member of the Knights of Columbus and Donna belongs to the Airdrie Horticulture Society, for which she publishes their quarterly newsletter. She also ran her first 21 km marathon course this year at the Tour de Airdrie sponsored by the Rotary Club.

Average house price $322,805

Morningside Wake up to Morningside, a brand new development in the established community of Cooperstown. With natural beauty, higher elevated lands and east facing slopes, Morningside is a jewel nestled in the desirable SW quadrant of Airdrie.

When finished, Morningside will have 450 single-family homes and two multi-family sites on 112 acres. With ten single family show homes in three parades, Morningside is sure to have a home suitable for all buyers.

Park space and pathways are plentiful in this stunning community while state-of-the art playground equipment over looks an expansive water pond. www.morningsideairdrie.com.

Morningside MLS listings are part of the Cooper’s Crossing MLS listings. See Cooper’s Crossing for average prices.

Old Towne Old Towne is the most commonly used name for the original Airdrie town proper. In addition to being centrally located residents enjoy living close to the “Tri-Schools”, the Plainsman Arena and Waterpark and having the largest lots in town!

Average house price $257,138

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communityPROFILES Ridgegate

Silver Creek

Many people have moved into Ridgegate and settled in. It’s a compact area with low traffic streets winding around the north end of Nose Creek Park. It’s an easy walk to schools, the library and shopping – who would want to leave!

There’s lots of excitement at the north end of Airdrie. Residents of Silver Creek enjoy condo living and a variety of single family home options such as coach houses (legal suites as part of the rear garages), starter homes and upscale homes backing onto the green space.

Average house price $295,500

Average condo price $254,771 Average house price $294,621

Sagewood If you are looking for something fun and interesting, then Sagewood is for you. One of Airdrie’s most talked about areas and for good reason!

This is a very well designed place for families and by the end of construction will be home to 800 of them!

Average condo price $221,648 Average house price $335,408

Stonegate Stonegate is also at the north end of Airdrie and has become very popular with young families thanks to the quiet, curving streets and play structures. Plus it’s home to some condos and attached homes that blend in very nicely.

Average condo price $203,155 Average house price $336,090

www.sagewood.ca

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communityPROFILES

Kyle and Kerrie with their daughters, Alisa (16) and Megan (12), moved to Airdrie in 1998. At that time the attraction of the Canals to the Bialas family, was the fact that the girls could walk to school. Eight years later, the decision to choose the Canals remains the right choice … thanks to friendly neighbours and a recently completed backyard renovation. (The result is worthy of a Home &Garden show!)

The girls are active in dance and school activities. Kyle and Kerrie enjoy the small town vibe while still being able to slip into Calgary for an evening out to catch a hockey game (Go Flames Go!), theatre, or dinner.

The Canals Family Album The Bialas Family

Waterstone Summerhill Overlooking the fountains in Nose Creek is something the residents of Summerhill really enjoy, especially in the winter when skating on the creek is very popular. Plus this area is home to AE Bowers Elementary School and is next door to the Nose Creek Valley Museum.

One of Airdrie’s not so well kept secrets is Waterstone. Tucked away just south of Summerhill this very popular neighbourhood is home to some of Airdrie’s finest homes backing onto Nose Creek. It’s very well designed and features lots of green space throughout. Drive through and watch for kids playing!

Average house price $373,100

Average house price $274,817

Willowbrook Sunridge Families who call Sunridge home may be small in number but certainly large in their affection for this centrally located compact area. It’s close to Fletcher Park, the Tri-Schools and connects to the bike path network.

Willowbrook as its name indicates enjoys being next to Nose Creek.

From higher end homes backing onto the green space to condos and attached homes Willowbrook is a great place to call home.

Average condo price $238,481 Average house price $290,363

Average house price $322,429

Woodside Thorburn You’ll find a single family home in almost every price range in Thorburn and no duplexes or condos. There’s lots of green space and easy access to schools, the Twin Arenas and the East Lake Recreation and Wellness Center. No wonder this is such a popular neighbourhood!

Average house price $357,811

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Golf course living in Woodside is something special and it’s just as special for those residents of Woodside who don’t back onto the golf course! With many parks and easy winding streets it’s easy to see the attraction. Woodside is also home to many great options in senior and adult housing.

Average condo price $243,875 Average house price $340,345

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cityLIVING

Calendar of Events See the complete Bert Church Theatre season schedule on page 49.

October

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Oct 6

First Home game for the Airdrie Thunder 2006-07 season. The Heritage Junior Hockey League consists of 15 teams in three divisions. This year Airdrie faces off against the toughest Central division pitting their skills against Three Hills, Didsbury, Cochrane and Banff. It’s a younger faster team with only eight veterans returning. Guaranteed excitement all season long at the Twin Arenas. See the complete schedule at www.airdriethunder.com

Oct 14

The Coin and Apple Festival presented by the Over 50 Club

Oct 16

Small Business Week begins – go hug a small business person!

Oct 19

Airdrie’s best in the business celebrate The Winning Edge, Family Friendly Business Award and Eco Edge Awards at the Woodside Golf Course

Oct 21

Working on Wellness (WOW) Fair Bert Church High School Learn about the different kinds of wellness; spiritual, physical and emotional, presented by the North Rocky View Action Group. The event will feature many interesting exhibitors for children, youth, seniors and adults, demonstrations by the Xtreme Cheer team, Horizon Tae Kwon Do and more. For more information contact the North Rocky View Community Resource Centre at 948-0263

Oct 25 -27

The great pumpkin give away at Towerlane Mall

Oct 25 -Oct 28

The Boys and Girls Club of Airdrie present the “Haunted Hotel” The annual Haunted House is targeted towards youth aged 8 yrs and up. Parental accompaniment for younger children is strongly encouraged.

Oct 31

Trick or treat safely in the warmth of Towerlane Mall

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November Nov 11

Remembrance Day – watch local papers for specific events honouring our veterans and soldiers.

Nov 17-19

Lioness Christmas Craft Bazaar Towerlane Mall

Nov 18-19

Volunteers NEEDED! The set up of the Airdrie Festival of Lights doesn’t happen without 100s of volunteers to participate in setting up the displays. Come and improve your elf-esteem. Call 912-XMAS.

Nov 24

The Annual Teddy Bear And Friends Festival at Nose Creek Valley Museum. See all the teddy bears and their fuzzy friends until the first week of January The Airdrie Festival of Lights offers a ‘sneak peek’ at the light display 6 -9 pm

Nov 25

Santa Claus is coming to town! The Santa Claus Parade begins at 10 a.m. Then Santa visits the Airdrie Festival of Lights for the official start to the season with fireworks and the official “switching” on of the lights. 6-9 pm. The Festival continues nightly right through to New Years Eve 6- 9 pm.

December Take part in Christmas activities at school, church and around town. Support your local businesses and do your Christmas shopping right in Airdrie. The largest outdoor walk through light display in Western Canada is right here at home. It’s FREE and open every night until Dec 31.

The Airdrie Festival of Lights promises their best season ever with more entertainment, more activities and more excitement for kids of all ages. Volunteers are the biggest asset of the Festival as it is 100% volunteer run, to become a volunteer call 912-XMAS today.

Dec 31

The Festival of Lights wraps up with a spectacular fireworks display. www.airdriefestivaloflights.com

January Join the gym - get those Christmas calories burned off. Check out the programs at the East Lake Wellness and Recreation Centre.

COMING THIS SPRING: March: Kub Kar Rally, United Church Craft Bazaar April: Golf season begins, National Volunteer Week and Appreciation Night at City Hall and the 30th Annual Home and Garden Fair on the 28 & 29, 2007.

AirdrieLIFE is now on the Internet!

Visit us online at www.airdrielife.com Exciting contests, reader feedback, back issues and much more!

Win the “Hockey Night in Canada” jersey from our cover! See our website for details. volume 1 • fall/winter 2006 •

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AirdrieLIFE is… the legacy of A.E. Bowers Today, the name A.E. Bowers conjures up images of students and teachers at the local elementary school.Yet there are few who understand the man himself, one of the key players in the initial development of Airdrie.

Arthur E. Bowers, his brother-in-law William Croxford, and their families were the first settlers in what would eventually become Airdrie.They arrived in 1901 from Innisfail and immediately began laying the foundations of the City.

The Bowers homestead was north-east of the present day intersection of Main Street and 1st Avenue . Prior to Bowers’ and Croxford’s arrival, the only signs of civilization were the CPR station and a section house.

Bowers, equipped with an entrepreneurial spirit and a strong work ethic was responsible for many initial developments in the region such as the building of the area’s first barn (1901), house (1901), and store (1902). Bowers’ home even served as Airdrie’s first church until the Methodist church was established in 1903.

Airdrie’s first commercial venture – a general store – was operated by A.E. Bowers out of his home until a separate building was erected in 1902. In 1903, due to an increase in population and thus demand for goods, another larger store was built, which was better able to accommodate the needs of the booming community. Bowers also served as the post master of the region from 1903 to 1907.

A.E. Bowers intended to cultivate his homestead for farming purposes, but floods in 1905 coupled with the early success of his commercial ventures changed this thinking. At this time Bowers had his homestead surveyed, divided into individual town plots, and put up for sale. By 1907 his initial homestead housed a hardware store, a saddlery business and several homes. This area of land made up much of the original village of Airdrie.

Although he is not the only early settler to influence the development of Airdrie, Bowers was very important to Airdrie’s foundations. Bowers’ vision, particularly in regards to the general store and the division of his homestead, were instrumental in attracting newcomers to settle the area. Once they arrived, locals benefited from these central meeting places he created such as the church, general store, and post office. These establishments allowed a widely dispersed group of homesteaders to come together, socialize, make friends, and develop a cohesive spirit and pride in their new hometown. This unity and pride displayed itself on December 23, 1908 when a meeting of community members resulted in a formal request to the government of Alberta for Airdrie’s incorporation as a village.

David Mahalek Curator, Nose Creek Valley Museum

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AirdrieLIFE

fashion

PROFILE

Lisa and Shannon from S’inStyle in Los Angeles with L.A.’s hottest designer Joe Bush.

Who says you need to go to the “big city” for style? Not anymore, Airdrie is demonstrating a lot of fashion savvy with local businesses like these three bringing the latest from around the world right to our doorstep.

S’inStyle Lisa Q’s savvy sense of style was piqued during her frequent visits to the States.

“Everywhere I went I discovered these funky little boutiques with the most unique clothing and I wondered ‘why can’t I find fashion like this at home?’ ” Turns out Lisa had to start her own fashion empire right here in Airdrie. All clothing is hand picked by Lisa at buying shows in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Toronto. “I only bring in a few of each piece to keep the unique factor intact,” she says.

In her travels to L.A, Lisa connected with designer Joe Bush whose reconstructed designs of vintage Levi button fly jeans are worn by the hottest Hollywood celebrities. “He is an amazing man, he showed us around L.A. on my last trip including the Belle Gray store owned by actress Lisa Rinna – I felt like the celebrity,” she says. S’inStyle is now the exclusive outlet for Joe Bush in Western Canada.

Watch for S’inStyle branded tanks, tees and hoodies in addition to plenty of casual and business wear, party and outerwear and accessories this season.

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A D V E R T I S I N G F E A T U R E

Cater Tot Consignment Since opening in May of this year, Airdrie’s only children’s store, Cater Tot Consignment, has been wildly successful. “We sell gently used children's clothing, toys and equipment, and maternity clothing as well,” says owner Sarah Deveau. “Our new specialty products are also a huge draw. We carry dozens of new, mom-tested favorites such as Snack Trap, Robeez, Keep it Kleen soothers, Bumbos and squeaky shoes.” It’s not just the products that draw in the crowds. The Cater Tot shopping experience is fun for both moms and tots, and the small town touch is still evident in everything they do. “We have a play area for the kids, a fully stocked complimentary change table and nursing glider for moms,” says Deveau. “We know our regular customers by name and we’re a great source of information about what’s going on around town for kids.

Cater Tot is a gathering place for local moms, and we love that.”

Hot Mama’s Lingerie Hot Mama's Lingerie, it's all in the name and perception. Renae Gibson and Angela Scully have had more chuckles over comments and perceptions of what the store is all about, due to the interesting name. The name came about from a seminar series that Angela was involved in "From Mommies to Hot Mama's".

“That is exactly what we do for the women that come through our doors. We help them rediscover themselves in good fitting bras to maybe the more playful attire for a special occasion,” explains Angela.

The girls at Hot Mama's try and make bra buying a fun experience. As they say.......we lift, we separate, we re-create. The store has attracted people from all over Alberta that find bra fitting a challenge and the curious who wonder, with all the media attention, what size they really are.

“Most women wear two bands too big and three cups to small, or worse!” says Angela. Get profiled today and solve the mystery. volume 1 • fall/winter 2006 •

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AirdrieLIFE is… creative expressions

W

hat do ‘walking the dog over the log cabin’ and ‘stitching in the ditch’have in common? These are phrases that would only make sense if you are a quilter. On a daily basis, Kim Schofield is definitely no stranger to these and other common quilting phrases such as ‘fat quarters’ and ‘sandwiching the layers.’

It was a hobby born literally out of… babies. “I first started quilting in my teens. I’m from a large family. I’m seventh of nine, so when my older siblings started having babies I made real simple, basic quilts for my nieces and nephews.”

Her quilting days at that time were short lived, as life got in the way. Marriage, then a move to Germany, followed by the birth of two children, meant quilting was sidelined until she and a girlfriend started getting together to tackle their mending.“We both hated mending but figured if we did it together it would less of a pain.” Her friend suggested that Kim take up quilting again. Soon there were up to ten women meeting each week to quilt and share stories.That group, called a ‘circle of friends,’ still meets every Thursday.

Quilting, in Kim’s words, became “an addiction and a much need distraction” when she discovered her brother, Mark, was diagnosed with cancer. “It was 1996 and I wasn’t sleeping because I was so stressed out over my brother. The doctor said instead of lying there, get up and do something. So for three months I cleaned my house – it was meticulous.

A love of quilting unveiled.

“Every night I would get up and clean, but it wasn’t helping.

Then my doctor suggested doing something I liked to do. So I started quilting. I would get up and I go down to my tiny sewing space, which was tinier than a bathroom, and I would sew until my husband got up.

‘Many mornings he’d come down and ask if I’d been there all night and I’d say yes, especially when Mark was in the final stages. So I used it as therapy, it’s much cheaper, and it’s true, it’s gotten me through a lot: the death of my brother, my father, my mother-in-law, and my son’s serious accident a few years ago,” she sighs.“When I’m stressed I go sew, instead of focusing on my worries, I’m focused on that. I lose myself.”

Back when Kim quilted to distraction, she didn’t even have a radio in the room.Today she’s wired – her sewing room, which volume 1 • fall/winter 2006 •

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cityLIVING future grandchildren.

A handsome, plaid flannel quilt elicits a good laugh. “I call this one Honey where’s my shirt? “ Kim explains,“My husband would leave his worn out, flannel shirts on my sewing machine hoping I’d fix the collars or cuffs. Well one day I just started cutting them up in to squares and when I showed Tom the resulting five quilts he said ‘hey that looks like one of my shirts’ and I said ‘not anymore!’”

Kim delicately unfolds a quilt that contains 1600 “yo-yos” little fabric squares that have been gathered into circles and hand stitched to form one large masterpiece. The project took three years.

There are quilts, she admits, that were originally designated to be gifts but she could not part with once finished. She frequently donates quilts to charities for fundraisers and silent auctions.

____________ “Kim’s “fabric stash” is, well… something one has to see to believe.” ____________ is a temple to fabric, is equipped with DVD and CD players, a TV, DVD’s, CD’s and videos. “On Sundays I put on these CD’s and I put the headphones on and sing my head off. The kids come down and ask me to stop it because they want to sleep... I sing loud!” she laughs.

Quilting as therapy evolved into quilting as creative expression. She’s a self-professed traditional quilter, member of three guilds and a sought after instructor.“The best trade I made was quilting lessons for massage [time] – that was wonderful. And she turned out to be a marvellous quilter – I’m very proud of that.”

A tour of Kim’s collection, which is spread throughout her home, reveals a passion for pattern and colour, of textures and memories. Each quilt tells a story of its own. Kim shares treasured quilts that once comforted her brother, father and mother-in-law. Their deaths meant the quilts returned to Kim and she is comforted each time she holds one in her hands.

Some of the quilts recall a time and a place – a weekend workshop quilting bee, hand stitching while travelling on holidays, there are boxes and boxes of quilts completed and waiting for their “rightful owner.”

The collection includes boxes of baby quilts she has stocked up on for gifts, not to mention the very special baby quilts made out of her own children’s receiving blankets being carefully tucked away for her own

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Both Kim and her husband come from large families so Kim is often busy quilting gifts from wall hangings to bedspreads. Although she’s lost track of how many projects she’s made in ten years (it’s in the hundreds now), she always takes a photo of each one. She usually enters 20 - 30 quilts per year in non-juried quilting shows and loves sharing her creations while admiring the work of other quilters.

Kim’s “fabric stash” is, well … something one has to see to believe. Her sewing room is a fabric lover’s version of Tutankhamen's treasures.The room is filled to capacity with tools of the trade, bobbins of thread, patterns, books, and hundreds of metres of fabric all pre-washed folded and stored in a very organized manner.“I know where everything is,” she says. Her sewing machine sits squarely in the middle. “If it had an odometer it would have passed one million stitches a long time ago,” she admits.

A craft that was a necessary life skill for women a hundred years ago has become a multi-million dollar industry that has given people, like Kim, a way to express their creativity, build lifelong friendships, and aid in the healing process, one square at a time.

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WIN!

A $500 shopping spree at

Airdrie location!

You know you’re from Airdrie when…

Can you finish this sentence?

What would you say? Would you make it funny, heartwarming, serious, or so obscure only an Airdronian would understand it? Share your best answer with us and you could be shopping at the Airdrie Sears location with a $500 gift certificate.

Enter online at www.airdrielife.com or drop off your entry at Sears Airdrie, Plaza One, 400 Main Street.

Contest deadline February 15th, 2007. Winner must be 18 years or older. No purchase necessary to win.

Multiple entries permitted. Prize has no cash value and is nontransferable. Prize must be redeemed as awarded. Valid at the Airdrie Sears location only. Prize can not be used toward a Sears card balance.

AirdrieLIFE reserves the right to publish the winner’s name and photo.

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AirdrieLIFE is… on the go.

AirdrieTransit Routed Service The routed service will pick up at designated “routed service” bus stops only.

Monday – Friday 6 am – 7 pm

Dial-a-Bus Service The Dial-a-Bus system operates at a client’s request.

Bus service can be requested to pick up at any designated routed service bus stop during Dial-a-Bus service hours. To request service please call 948-8888. Unless there is a request or call made for a certain bus stop, the bus may not go to your community.

Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 7 pm – 10 pm Saturdays 8:30 am – 10 pm

Transfers If you need to use more than one bus to complete your trip, please ask the bus driver for a transfer when boarding the bus. Transfers are valid only on the day of issue, within 1 hour of the time indicated. Customers will be

allowed to stop over and travel in any direction during this period of time. Transfers must be given to the operator when boarding.

Schedules For a complete schedule visit www.airdrie.ca/transit

Transit Rider Support Program To mitigate the impact of rate increases and to ensure that cost is not a barrier for use if the public transit system, the City of Airdrie offers a reduced rate for individuals who meet a low-income qualification.

Application forms must be accompanied by proof of coverage under one of the following government programs (GIS, AISH, SFI, Child Health Benefit).

If a person is unable to obtain proof of the above, an income tax statement from the previous year can be used as proof of income. Applications are available online, through your bus driver or by calling the City of Airdrie at 948-8800, ext. 701.

Fares Cash fares Adult $2.10 TRSP* $1.50 Children (under 6) FREE

Tickets Punch Pass (11 for 10) $21.00 Punch Pass subsidy (11 for 10) $15.00

Monthly Passes Adult Youth and senior Adult (TSRP) Youth and senior (TSRP)

$60.00 $45.00 $45.00 $33.75

Senior Annual (65+) Regular rate Subsidy* rate

$120 $90

*Transit Rider Subsidy Program

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King’s Heights The first phase of King’s Heights features 110 single family homes, two multi-family projects and the beginning of a community pathway. Here is a sneak peak at the ‘royal’ show homes.

This page from top clockwise: 1) The Parade features ten show homes.

1

2) The Loreck nook.

3) Great room of the Shane Ambient.

4) A view of the bonus room in the Reidbuilt Cantebury.

Opposite page from top right clockwise: 1) Even the laundry room has style in the McKee Foxford.

2)Bedroom stripes in the Jayman Altar ll.

3) The elegant master suite of the McKee Foxford.

4) The kitchen of the Jayman Albany ll.

2

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3

2

2

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AirdrieLIFE is… happening at City Hall City Hall has two complete floors which include Council Chambers, the Office of the Mayor, the Office of the City Manager, meeting rooms, staff office space, and the reception area. Friendly and professional Customer Service personnel are on hand to deal with any inquiries or questions you may have.

City Hall Customer Service Hours: 8:30am to 4:30pm Payments: • Taxes • Ambulance • Garbage Tags

• Utilities • Dog Licenses

Services: • Economic Development • Planning and Development • Building Permits • Community Services Council Meetings City Council meetings occur on the first and third Monday of each month. Meetings are open to the public and are called to order at 7:00pm in Council Chambers. If a scheduled meeting falls on a holiday, the meeting is held on the Tuesday of the same week.

Airdrie City Hall is located at: 400 Main Street SE, Airdrie, AB T4B-3B4 948-8800

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AirdrieLIFE is… environmentally focused The City of Airdrie is committed to waste reduction and innovative waste and recycling management. The Airdrie Recycle Depot provides an outlet for residents to drop off their recyclables.

Recycle Depot 15 East Lake Hill 948-0246 environmental.services@aidrie.ca Recycle Depot Winter Hours: October 1, 2006 – April 30, 2007 Monday – Tuesday CLOSED Wednesday 9 am – 8 pm Thursday – Sunday 9 am – 5 pm Recycle Depot Holiday Hours: Saturday November 11, 2006 CLOSED Sunday December 24, 2006 Closed at 2 pm Monday December 25th 2006 CLOSED Tuesday December 26th 2006 CLOSED Sunday December 31, 2006 CLOSED Monday January 1, 2007 CLOSED Tuesday January 2, 2007 CLOSED Transfer Station Saturday December 23 Regular hours 9:30 am – 4: 30 pm Saturday December 30 Regular hours 9:30 am – 4:40 pm The Recycle Depot accepts the following recyclables: • White office paper • Mixed coloured paper & magazines • Cardboard & boxboard • Coloured & clear glass

AirdrieLIFE • fall/winter 2006 • volume 1

• • • • • • • • • •

Household metal Cardboard milk cartons Used antifreeze/containers Electronic waste (TV’s and Computers) Rechargeable batteries Used oil/containers • Newspaper Plastic milk jugs • Phone books Aerosol cans • Propane tanks Cell phones • Vehicle batteries Used oil filters • Used clothing

The Recycle Depot does not accept the following items: • Styrofoam • Waxed cardboard • Tires • Wood • Tree branches • Sod • Drywall • Selected Plastics The Recycle Depot started accepting selected household plastic in the spring of 2006. In particular, the Depot accepts certain types of plastic jugs such as detergent containers and condiment bottles. Check the bottom of plastic products for the number in the middle of the Recycle logo to know if it will be accepted at the Depot – initially, #1s, #2s, and #5s will be collected.

Compost is accepted May 1 – October 31 Grass clippings and leaves can be brought to the Recycling depot from May 1 – October 31. Backyard composters are available for purchase at the Recycle Depot.

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AirdrieLIFE is…expanding page by page

T

he Airdrie Public Library is focused on access and connections,” says Vivian O’Neil, Airdrie Public Library Public Services Coordinator,“Our doors are open to the whole community and we are searching for input and connections with Airdrie citizens to guide us towards an improved service model.”

The community has been asking for an improved Library facility and expanded collections for some time; the Library Board and staff are working to meet those needs. The new Library building opened at the beginning of 2006 and provided increased space for programs, studying, and meetings, as well as a fireplace area for reading magazines, newspapers or just relaxing.

Improved Programs. The Library offers programs, free of charge, for the whole community. The popular Summer Reading Program, StoryTime, Family Saturday Programs, Teen Type, and the Senior Computer Classes continue. Thanks to a partnership with Airdrie Family Services, two new pre-school literacy programs have been added: BabyTime and ToddlerTime. Science Alberta and the Calgary Zoo will provide partnerships to present additional programs.

The Library will host three author/illustrator visits in October and November.Schools,as well as the public,are invited to attend. Adult programs for the fall include Genealogy and Financial Planning for Women.

Improved Collection. Every area of the collection has been carefully weeded to remove damaged, inaccurate and non-circulating material, and to make room for new items. Recently added resources include: a large collection of Board Books for toddlers, 200 early chapter books for primary school-aged children, young adult paperbacks, and popular adult fiction and nonfiction. New formats such as Books on CD, Music CDs and DVDs are being purchased and will be welcome additions to the collection.

Through membership in The Alberta Library (TAL), Airdrie Public Library provides access to the collections of over 300 public, college and university libraries across the province. The Board is exploring options for a web accessible catalogue, which will bring Airdrie’s Library catalogue into the homes, businesses and schools of the community.

Improved Services: The new Reference Desk will be staffed most hours that the Library is open. Reference librarians are available and eager to assist you with your requests for information, recreation reading, or help with electronic searching.

Improved Hours. No more Monday closures! The Library is now open seven days a week. For more information on any of these services, come in and check out the improved and renewed Airdrie Public Library, your community gathering place and information hub.

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AirdrieLIFE is… enhanced with support • Airdrie Food Bank provides short-term food assistance to residents of Airdrie and outlying communities. www.airdriefoodbank.com or 912-8500 • Airdrie Meals on Wheels provides regular nourishing meals to help people to remain healthy and independent in the comfort of their own homes 948-6625 • Airdrie & District Victim Assistance provides support and information for victims of crime and tragedy. www.airdrievictimassistance.com or 948-3468 • Airdrie Family Services Counseling Program prevents personal and family breakdown, enhances the abilities of individuals and families to constructively manage their lives and enriches the quality of family life. www.airdriefamilyservices.ca or 945-3900 • Rocky View School Division Family School Liaison Program provides social support services to children and families in Airdrie by working with school staff and community agencies. www.rockyview.ab.ca or 945-4000 • Airdrie Family Services Family Resource Program supports families towards the goal of optimum family functioning www.airdriefamilyservices.ca or 945-3900 • Airdrie Boys & Girls Club offers safe and accessible social, educational and recreational programs for youth. www.abgc.8m.com or 948-3331 • R. J. Hawkey Breakfast Program cares for students who have needs for personal, social and/or nutritional support outside their homes on school day mornings. 948-3939 • Airdrie Family Services Out of School Care Program decreases the number of Airdrie children left unsupervised by helping families in financial need who are working, attending educational institutions, or who have special needs. www.airdriefamilyservices.ca or 945-3900 • Alberta Mentor Foundation for Youth (AMFY) helps junior and senior high school students achieve their full potential through supportive in-school mentoring relations. www.amfy.org or 945-2535

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SENIORS • Airdrie Seniors Outreach Program enables seniors to remain healthy and engaged in the community by linking seniors, information and resources. www.airdrieseniors.com or 316-9955 • FREE Coffee socials for families raising children with disabilities: Includes childcare, music therapy and information sessions. Fourth Thursday of each month, 6:00 – 8:00 pm.

To register: 948-0263 • Parent Mediation & Family Support for families raising children with disabilities: Helps parents by listening to needs, providing information and helping parents navigate the systems.

921-6954 • Family Support for Children with Disabilities Aide Support Program: Provides services to families in the Calgary and North Rocky View (Airdrie and Cochrane) region, who have been approved by FSCD for Family Support and/or Child Focused Services. 921-6954 • Parent Link Centre: Airdrie Family Services and the North Rocky View Community Resource Centre have collaborated in the opening of a new Airdrie & Area Parent Link Centre. The services and programs are intended to promote family wellness and provide support for families of young children, helping them to connect with the appropriate resources to meet their needs. 948-0263 or 945-3900 • A-CHAMP Program: The Cardiovascular Health Awareness and Management Program (A-CHAMP) is a free communitybased program made available to all senior community residents over the age of 65 and offers opportunities for enhanced multiple blood pressure monitoring and health promotion activities around cardiovascular disease and stroke. Sessions are run in local pharmacies. For information contact Jennifer at 948-6463

THE SOCIAL CIRCLE Distress Centre 24-HR CRISIS LINE: 266-1605 AADAC – Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission: 912-3306 Airdrie Mental Health: 948-3878 Bethany Care Centre Airdrie: 948-6022 Calgary Rocky View Child & Family Service: 912-4758 Closer to Home: 948-9776 Credit Counselling Services of Alberta: 265-2201 North Rocky View Community Resource Centre: 948-0263 Rocky View Adult Literacy Program: 948-6556

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AirdrieLIFE is… theatrical!

J

oin Airdrie’s own Theresa Wasden and Red Box Productions for some very special performances this season at the Bert Church Live Theatre.

October 20, 21, 2006 Red Box Comic Opera Night (in English) features: “A Night of Menotti and Mischief.”

The performance includes “The Telephone” by Gian-Carlo Menotti; “Game of Bridge” with Libretto by Menotti; and A Noisy Neighbor with music by Menotti. The tenants in the apartments upstairs and next-door have had enough of the telephone ringing downstairs and the laughing and the interruptions.

Menotti wrote some of the greatest one act Operas. He takes the common stories of real life and brings them to the stage. Who hasn’t been interrupted by an annoying cell phone? Or been at a party where you just don’t’ seem to click with anyone? What antics will the upset tenants think up next to quiet the noisy neighbor? Come and find out in “A Night of Menotti and Mischief.”

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AirdrieLIFE is… theatrical continued…

February 15, 2007

March 1, 2 & 3, 2007

7: 30 pm Auction with the Craft Fair earlier at 6:00 pm

The Bert Church Theatre Pops presents features a night similar to the ‘Boston Pops’ or Carnegie Hall to get the audience spellbound with great singing, dancing and the familiar music of Broadway musicals from South Pacific My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls and much more.

Theatre Pops is produced by Red Box Productions in conjunction with the Marquee Players. Dancing, singing, fun galore for everyone.

My Child Variety Show in support of the Children’s WISH Foundation of Canada.

This year Red Box is having a P-A-R-T-Y to make dreams come true.

Cinderella’s stepmother and those zany stepsisters stop in, along with Theresa Wasden and friends for the 7th annual variety show and silent auction in support of the Children’s WISH Foundation. “Last year we sent a little 4-year old girl named Brett to meet the “princesses” at Disney World,” says Theresa Waden founder of Red Box.“There are many more wishes to be granted and what better way to do it than by having a party.”

To donate silent auction items contact Gabrielle Simpson at: samngabe@shaw.ca. To get involved or to reserve tickets for shows, please email Theresa at: theresawasden@shaw.ca Airdrie residents may contact Patti Newfield for silent auctions items: patti@cusa.ab.ca or phone 945-1636.

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March 30, 31 and April 1, 2007 Gianni Schicci by Gian-Carlo Menotti (sung in English) … the Hatfield’s and the McCoy’s have nothing on this family soiree when the wake becomes the re-writing of the will. Is he dead or isn’t he? Who gets the house? “Look out… someone’s coming.” This large cast needs all the space it can get to contrive and meddle. Great fun combined with world-class vocals make this a must see for 2007. Start the Stampede spirit early.

For more information on these performances and to buy tickets contact the Bert Church Theatre at 403-948-2153. Also the following website gives event line-up information and where to purchase tickets http://www.airdrie.ca/com-serv/arts/bertprfrm.cfm.

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Education in Airdrie Public Schools A.E. Bowers [K-4] Bert Church High [9-12] Ecole Airdrie Middle [5-8] Ecole Edwards [K-4] Meadowbrook Middle [5-8] George McDougall High [9-12] Muriel Clayton Middle [4-8] Nose Creek Elementary K-4 OPENS WINTER 2007 R.J. Hawkey [K-4] Ralph McCall [K-8] Rocky View Virtual School [9-12]

Grade 1-2 teacher Émilie Saillant works one on one with student Élyzabeth Breton at École Francophone d’Airdrie

Rocky View School Division #4, 945-4000 www.rockyview.ab.ca

École Francophone d'Airdrie Separate Schools Airdrie’s first fully francophone school opened in 2005 and is enjoying a successful sophomore school season in 2006. There are currently 61 students and ten staff providing a very low student to teacher ratio.

Our Lady Queen of Peace School [K-12]

This year the school is currently operating out of the former Public Library space at 704 Main Street until their temporary portables are ready just east of the Rockyview School Board’s new location in early 2007.

Calgary Roman Catholic Separate School Division #1, Calgary 298-1383 www.cssd.ab.ca

A permanent location for the school is still under review but Principal Martin Cormirand hopes to see his students in their own official school site within three years.

The school runs a French immersion program for the students who are learning the language for the first time and an English immersion program for the first language French student. Students in grade four also get the chance to begin lessons in Spanish. The kindergarten is a full day program.

St. Martin de Porres [7-12]

Private Airdrie Koinonia Christian School [K-12) 948-5100 www.akcs.com

Francophone École Francophone d'Airdrie 948-6995 www.conseildusud.ab.ca/airdrie

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Airdrie Minor Soccer Soccer is one of the largest participatory sports organized in Airdrie with over 1500 kids getting their kicks on the fields around town.

There are two seasons that the Airdrie & District Soccer Association participates in, indoor and outdoor. The Minor Association runs all its games locally except for the Aztecs who play as a guest district in the Calgary Minor Soccer Association in a higher level of play.

They play half their games in Airdrie and half in Calgary with all practices in Airdrie.

The indoor season consists of approximately 16 teams and the season runs Thanksgiving to the end of February with the provincials in March.

Things really gear up in the spring for the outdoor season with over 100 mini and community teams and 8-10 Aztec (competitive division) teams. Practices for outdoor begin the last week of April. Mini's (U6-U8) finish with their Mini-Festival the 3rd weekend of June. Community teams (U10-U18) finish with their wind up at the Monklands Tournament on the fourth weekend of June. The Aztecs continue into July ending the season with provincials in a designated host city.

AirdrieLIFE is active!

Sports Groups Airdrie BMX Association Bonnie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .912-0919 Glen Edwards . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202-1888 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.airdriebmx.com Airdrie Bowling Club - Youth/Adult/Senior Leagues 805 East Lake Blvd, Airdrie AB . . . . . . . . . . . .948-3404 • fax 948-4685 Airdrie Curling Club 275 Jensen Drive NE, Airdrie, AB, T4B 2B8 Booking Information: Gary Ritchie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-7100 Club/Pro Shop: . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-7100 Concession: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-0602 Airdrie & District Recreation Complex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-4242 . . . . . . . . . . . .www.airdrieagsociety.com Airdrie Chinook Winds Baseball Association Dennis Driscoll . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-7387 Airdrie Dance Academy 291070 Yankee Valley Road Susan Laing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-5530 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.airdriedance.ca Airdrie Edge Gymnastics Club Twin Arena Complex, Airdrie, AB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-7769 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.airdrieedge.com Airdrie Judo Club Paul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .592-0918 Airdrie Ju-Jitsu Daniel Verzotti . . . . . . . . . . . . .239-9467 cell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .607-0621 . . . . . . .www.members.shaw.ca/goshindo Airdrie Ladies Fastball League P.O. Box 5314, Airdrie AB, T4B 2T9 Linda Raymond . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-4699 Airdrie Little League Box 3885, Airdrie, AB, T4B 2B9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-0684 . . . . . . . . . . .www.airdrielittleleague.com Airdrie Minor Basketball Harvey Neumiller . . . . . . . . . . .948-7514 . . .www.intouchsystems.net/intouch/amba Airdrie Minor Hockey Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .912-2680 . . . . . . . . . . .www.airdrieminorhockey.ca Airdrie Mixed Industrial Slo-Pitch Rick Campos . . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-5900 Airdrie Ringette Association Box 3086, Airdrie, AB, T4B 2B4 Charles Wardell . . . . . . . . . . . . .912-4660 . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.airdrieringette.com

www.airdrieminorsoccer.com

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Airdrie Skating Club Plainsmen Arena, Airdrie, AB Coach, Joanne . . . . . . . . . . . . .945-2421 Richelle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .912-0331 . . . . . . . . . . .www.airdrieskatingclub.com Airdrie Soccer Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-6260 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.airdriesoccer.com Airdrie Softball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-5071 Airdrie Storm Football . . . . . . . . . .912-0070 . . . . . . . . . . . .www.eteamz.com/airstorm Airdrie Tae Kwon Do Airdrie Tae Boxing Academy of Champions 536 - 2nd Avenue, Airdrie, AB, T4B 2C2 Everald Wright, Master Instructor Level #3, 5th Dan Black Belt email: airdrietkdandkb@shaw.ca Airdrie Thunder Junior Hockey Club 80 Waterstone Cres, Airdrie, AB, T4B 2E5 Frank McEvoy, President & General Manager . . . . . . . . . . . .948-7511 fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .912-1762 . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.airdriethunder.com Airdrie Volleyball Club Jim Kramer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-3367 Airdrie Yoga Studio . . . . . . . . . . .945-1825 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.airdrieyoga.com Badminton Club Chris Gardner . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-6642 Flying Tiger Martial Arts Academy Andrew Erickson . . . . . . . . . . . .945-0800 cell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .651-2828 Goshindo Karate Airdrie J.K.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239-9467 cell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .607-0621 . . . . . . . . . . . .email: dverzotti@shaw.ca . . . . . . .www.members.shaw.ca/goshindo Horizon Taekwon-Do . . . . . . . .912-6TKD (853) Aron Johnston . .email: horizontkd@shaw.ca Imeson Highland Dancers Head Instructor: Jessica Imeson .701-0726 . . . . . . . . .email: jessicai@pfscalgary.com Kensho Karate Club 16 C East Lake Green N.E. Airdrie, AB T4A 2J2 . .

Head Instructor: Ian Scully . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .912-1903 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .email: kensho@shaw.ca . . . . . . . . .www.members.shaw.ca/kensho Mall Walkers Walking Club . . . . . .948-7819 Nose Creek Swim Association (Airdrie Competitive Swim Club) mail: NCSA, Beddington Postal Outlet, Box 51002, Calgary, AB T3K 3V9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208-5353 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .fax 208-5355 . . . . . .http://members.shaw.ca/ncsaswim/

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AirdrieLIFE is active continued…

Old Timers Hockey . . . . . . . .948-5108 Star Baton & Dance Company Mandy Yip . . . . . . . . . . . .948-9999 . . . . .email: mandy@starbaton.com . . . . . . . . . . . .www.starbaton.com Synchro Stars Club Arlene Mayor . . . . . . . . . .948-1969 Rockyview Lacrosse Association 932-7940 . . . . . .www.rockyviewlacrosse.com

Woodside Golf Club . . . . . . .686-4653 . . . . . . . . . .www.woodsidegc.com Airdrie Volunteer First-Aid Brigade Membership and Training Lori Taylor . . . . . . . . . . . .420-1064 Requests for Support Kim Greenizan . . . . . . . . .948-6977

Airdrie’s Boys and Girls Club

AirdrieLIFE is involved Service Organizations #88 Royal Air Cadet Squadron A/Captain Carol Hartwick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .880-3253 #3016 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps Commanding Officer . . . . .710-7363 Airdrie Boys and Girls Club . .948-3331 . . . . . . . . . . . .www.abgc.8m.com Airdrie Chamber of Commerce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-4412 . . . . . . .www.airdriechamber.ab.ca Airdrie & District Special Olympics Box 5024, Airdrie Kim Nicolas . . . . . . . . . .912-7842 Airdrie Girl Guides Barb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226-0814 Airdrie Mentor Foundation for Youth Leanne Hall . . . . . . . . . . .945-2535 Airdrie Scouts 1st Lora . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-7938 2nd Bert . . . . . . . . . . . .948-5016 4th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-5243 6th Bea . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-3719 . . . . . . .email: Chinook@scouts.ca Airdrie Breakfast Club Bonnie . . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-2121 Alberta 4-H Rob Smith . . . . . . . . . . . .948-8501 . . . . . . . . . . . .www.info@4h.ab.ca Ducks Unlimited Keith Wilson . . . . . . . . . .863-4363 Friends of the Library . . . . .948-2778 Junior Forest Wardens . . . . .237-1652 . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.airdriejfw.ca Kinsmen Club Don Scottman . . . . . . . . .948-6519 Knights of Columbus Roy Reveiro . . . . . . . . . . .948-2531 Lioness Club Cobi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 948-3253 Lions Club Dan Mckinnon . . . . . . . . .948-5447 Optimist Club Bill Hope . . . . . . . . . . . .948-5207 . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.optimist.org

A CLOSER LOOK

Rotary Club Dave Macdonald . . . . . . . .948-1516 . . . . . . . . . . .www.airdrierotary.org Royal Canadian Legion . . . .948-3000

Hobby and Leisure Airdrie & District Art Council . .948-2153 Airdrie Artists Guild . . . . . . .668-4118 Airdrie Community Choir Eileen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-2118 Airdrie Drag Racing Team 197 Acacia Drive, Airdrie, AB, T4B 1G6 Harry Svingen . . . . . . . . .948-2962 Ed Dyck . . . . . . . . . . . .948-3074 Rod Havens . . . . . . . . . .948-7214 e-mail: heritageref@telus.net Airdrie Horticultural Society Allison . . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-9950 Airdrie Little Theatre Jaime Hair . . . . . . . . . . . .948-6289 cell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .606-8702 Airdrie Rodeo Ranch Association Box 3663, Airdrie, Alberta, T4B 2B8 Clint McLeod or Sylvia Kerr 948-0512 . . . . . . . .www.airdrieprorodeo.net Alberta Model Engineering Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .948-2380 Bert Church . . . . . . . . . . . .948-2153 . . . . . . . . . . . .www.airdrie.ca/arts Modellers Aircraft Society . . .948-4145 Northern Trails Riding Club . .220-1624 Nose Creek Historical Society .948-6287 Pegasus Pony Club . . . . . . .948-2271 Revolver & Pistol Club . . . . .608-0783 Rockyview Ramblers Square Dance Club . . . . . . . .948-4181 Running Club . . . . . . . . . . .948-4800 Toastmasters Joseph Schluter . . . . . . . .946-5553 Windy Ridge Riders . . . . . . .948-3936 Woodside Seniors Club . . . .948-4088

The Boys and Girls Club of Airdrie has offered programs and services to Airdrie and the surrounding communities since 1979, and is an active hub year round for all youth aged 6-17 years old.

At the base of their existence is the Club’s philosophy that everyone is welcome. Their small group philosophy allows one on one attention to be paid to all their participants and all their activities focus on developing social skills and enhancing self esteem. Probably most important however- their programs are FUN!!

Games, crafts, and outings describe the base of the agency but this does not do it justice. From after school and evening programs, to full day programs during school breaks and the summer, the Club truly has something for every taste. For the older youth, two leadership programs and ample volunteer opportunities allow teens to gain valuable work experience and give back to their community.

The cost of all of the programs and activities at the Club is kept deliberately low to ensure maximum participation from everyone. Memberships are $20/year for youth aged 6-12 years old and $8/year for teens.

Family memberships are also available for $40/year.

Memberships are sold from September – April 30 each year and all memberships expire August 31 of each year. Individual program fees range from $5 for an after school program to $20 for a full day program.

All program details are outlined in their newsletters, distributed to all members and interested participants in September, January and March. For more information or to get on a mailing list please call 948-3331 or stop in for a visit at 1003 Allen Street, Airdrie.

One of the agency’s largest community events is the 3rd Annual Haunted House. See page 30 for more details in the Calendar of Events. volume 1 • fall/winter 2006 •

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Fall/Winter SCHEDULE

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East Lake Recreation & Wellness Centre

Ph: (403) 948 - 8804 website: www.airdrie.ca Summer 2006 Schedule - effective July 2 - August 31, 2006 CUSTOMER SERVICE- call 948 - 8804 ext. 550

MONDAY 5:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

TUESDAY 5:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

WEDNESDAY 5:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

5:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

5:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

5:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

THURSDAY 5:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

FRIDAY 5:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

SATURDAY 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.

SUNDAY 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.

7 a.m. - 9 p.m.

7 a.m. - 9 p.m.

FITNESS CENTRE- call 948 - 8804 ext. 517 5:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

5:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

CHILDCARE

8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

5:30 - 8 p.m.

8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

5:30 - 8 p.m.

Prebooking of child care is required - call 948 - 8804 ext. 512 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

8:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.

5:30 - 8 p.m.

5:30 - 8 p.m.

8:45 a.m. - 11:45 p.m.

GYMNASIUM To confirm open gym times - call 948 - 8804 ext. 550 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Gym B

6:45 - 8:15 p.m.

Gym A

4:30 - 6 p.m.

Gym A

6:45 - 8:15 p.m.

Gym A

7 - 8:30 p.m.

Gym A

12 - 2 p.m.

Gym A

2 - 4 p.m.

Gym A

AQUATIC & AEROBIC DROP-IN FITNESS CLASSES

NO CLASSES: SEPTEMBER 2 - 4, OCTOBER 7 - 9, DECEMBER 25 - 26 (DUE TO HOLIDAY WEEKENDS) MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 5:45 - 6:30 a.m.

Deep Water Running Deep Water Running 8:00 - 8:45 a.m.

Deep Water Running 8:45 - 9:30 a.m.

Deep Water Running 9:15 - 10:15 a.m.

Aquafit Light Step Aquafit Circuit Aquafit Variety Butts & Gutts Mind, Body, Balance 10:20 - 11 a.m.

Fit Over Fifty 11:15a.m. - 12 p.m. Older Adult Aquafit Older Adult Aquafit Older Adult Aquafit 12:15 - 1 p.m.

Deep Water Running Deep Water Running Deep Water Running 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Deep Water Running Boot Camp Deep Water Running 6:15 - 7 p.m.

Deep Water Running Deep Water Running 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Creative Step Tae Box 6:45 - 7:45 p.m.

Butt’s & Gutts Variety 7:45 - 8:30 p.m.

Training Wheels (10 Sports Only) 8:00 - 8:45 p.m.

Deep Water Running Deep Water Running

SUNDAY

PLEASE NOTE: Children under the age of seven are required to be accompanied by a responsible person 16 years of age or older. Further, to ensure safety, the child is to be within arms reach of the responsible person at all times they are in the aquatic area. Patrons are required to take a cleansing shower prior to entering any of the aquatic bodies of water, steam room or before making use of the water slide.

AQUATIC HOURS - SUMMER 2005 Open Public Swim Teens Only Swim Parent & Tot Swim Family Swim Lane Swim

MONDAY 2 - 4:30 p.m.

8 - 9:30 p.m.

9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

6:30 - 8 p.m.

5:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

7:15 - 9:30 p.m.

Hot Tub, Steam Room 5:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Tot Pool 5:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.

TUESDAY 2 - 5 p.m.

7:30 - 9:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY 2 - 4:30 p.m.

8 - 9:30 p.m.

THURSDAY 2 - 5 p.m.

7:30 - 9:30 p.m.

FRIDAY 2 - 8 p.m.

8 - 9:30 p.m.

9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

6:30 - 8 p.m.

1 - 3 p.m.

5:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. 5:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. 5:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. 5:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. 7 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.

6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

5:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. 5:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. 5:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. 5:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. 7 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.

5:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. 5:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. 5:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. 5:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. 7 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.

SUNDAY 3 - 8:30 p.m.

9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Parent and tot swim is open to parents with childern six years of age or younger only.

Floatation device's may be used during any Public and/or Family Swim Times Gymnasium Schedule available at the Centre or www.airdrie.ca Note: Schedules subject to change, please call 948-8804 for information

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12 - 3 p.m.

7 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.

7 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.

7 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.

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w w w. a i r d r i e l i f e . c o m

AirdrieWORKS

THE OFFICIAL GUIDE TO STARTING AND GROWING YOUR BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF AIRDRIE

Ai Stay r Re dri in A on gi e@ ird top st w r o er o ie f at rk wi bu ww N th sin w. ew the es s ai s rd le rie t .ca te r

Building a foundation for economic prosperity

AirdrieWORKS

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T

he Department of Economic Development has been busy through out the summer welcoming new businesses, working with existing businesses and developing our Economic Development Strategy.

2006 has been an amazing year in growth for the City of Airdrie. To give an idea of how fast we are developing, the City has increased development values from $87M in 2004 to an estimated projection of $200M in development dollars in 2006.

Some of the new exciting developments that have happened since the Spring/Summer issue of AirdrieWORKS is the announcement that FortisAlberta will be building offices in Airdrie relocating approximately 250 employees (in phase 1) out of downtown Calgary.

Other announcements and events include grand openings of new businesses and celebrations of local business expansions. Other ground breakings included the Railtown Development downtown and the King’s Heights Development on the eastside. A lot of building has been happening in King’s Heights Industrial Park and a number of both new residential and industrial developments are in the plans through out the city. Approximately 160 new businesses received business license in the last 4 months including home based businesses, out of town businesses working in Airdrie and store front businesses.

The Department of Economic Development conducted one on one interviews, e-mail surveys and focus groups this summer with local businesses to look at the economic environment in Airdrie. We thank

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all those businesses who took the time out of their schedules to assist us. If you wish to find out more about the study and some of our findings please contact us 948-8844. From our findings we will be developing our economic development strategy for the City of Airdrie called the Sustainable Prosperity Plan.

Finally the department created an e-Newsletter “Airdrie@work” to inform local businesses of what is happening on a quarterly basis.You can find the newsletter and our newly created “2005 Economic Report”, as well as other City publications and community newsletters at www.airdrie.ca. Also be sure to check our Economic and Business Development section of the website. Our priority is to ensure that both businesses and residents are kept aware of the happening in YOUR city.

We hope you enjoy our publication AirdrieLIFE and AirdrieWORKS to keep up on what is happing in Airdrie. With growth comes change and the City of Airdrie is working to ensure proper and responsible growth management to secure a healthy future for Airdrie residents and businesses. If you have any suggestions or feedback please do not hesitate to contact us at City Hall or give us a call at 948-8844.

Kent Rupert and Karen Heisler Economic Development Team Email: kent.rupert@airdrie.ca Phone 948-8844

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Contents

Prosperity Report

58

Airdrie is growing and this is good news for business

Airdrie really works

60

A look at some of the success stories around the City

Location, location, location

62

A City land use map helps you plan your move

The Airdrie Advantage

64

Comparing non-residential tax assessments

WORKS cover photo courtesy of FortisAlberta.

Airdronians at Work

65

Our new feature on the people who make us smile

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AirdrieWORKS

Table of

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AirdrieWORKS

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Cedarwood Station on First Avenue is just one of the estimated $200 million in construction projects that are underway in 2006 in Airdrie.

Building a Foundation for Economic Prosperity

O

ver the past few months research by the Economic Development department has been underway to build a better understanding of what forms the foundation of the local economy. An economic base analysis was conducted over the summer looking at the size and type of companies that do business in Airdrie.

Canadian Business Patterns data, from Statistics Canada, was used to measure business growth between 2001 and 2005. An astonishing 17.4% growth rate was reflected by the 127 new businesses that had grown in Airdrie during the time period studied. That growth rate compares to the Calgary Region’s 2.3% growth and Alberta’s 2.2% growth over the same period. The study revealed Airdrie had the greatest amount of growth (in growth order) in the professional, scientific and technical service, construction and service sectors during the period of 2001 to 2005. Of these new business establishments 63% were companies with 1 to 4 employees. This is reflective of the large number of home-based businesses and new start-ups that the city has seen over the past couple of years. Home-based

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AirdrieWORKS

businesses now represent 1/3 of existing business licenses.

One of the key strategies to strengthening the local economy is to attract and nurture the development of industries that bring new money into the community. This is done by appealing to the larger trading area or through exporting products/services out of the local community. Traditionally these include agriculture, oil and gas extraction, health care and social assistance, accommodation and food services, education, arts and entertainment, wholesale trade and manufacturing.The expansion of these sectors brings in new dollars, which are then circulated through the purchase of goods and services within the community.

In addition to the economic analysis, the research included consultations with the existing business community, banks, and business service organizations to identify specifics that are needed to bolster the business environment of the city. Recommendations from these consultations included: • Review of key policies and practices of the City, to build positive relationships with and within the business community • Actions, such as analyses and regional and provincial inititiatives, to help address labour market issues and affordable housing • Strengthening of local business development services and improvements to transportation infrastructure.

The cornerstone of the new Airdrie Sustainable Prosperity Plan

being prepared this fall will be the research results and recommendations that focus on reinforcing the economic environment. The Economic Development department is producing a strategy that takes advantage of Airdrie’s capacity to foster business attraction and development. The Plan will identify key sectors for investment attraction and build on Airdrie’s competitive advantage for economic growth along the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor. As the Plan advances stakeholders will be invited to contribute and provide feedback. Focus groups are anticipated for early November 2006.

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successSTORIES

AirdrieWORKS…successfully

T

When asked for an update on how her business is doing, Lorelei Talbot owner/broker of Astoria Asset Management Ltd had one breathless comment,“My business is growing like crazy and I’ve hired my first staff!”

Prairie Sun Creations Inc. has gone through very rapid growth this past year. The company size has doubled since 2005 and now consists of a team of 15 highly capable specialists working in every area of interactive and print marketing from initial strategy and creative presentation to professional writing to website design and maintenance. “We are now successfully competing with leading agencies and interactive marketing specialists in the province serving clients that include oil and gas corporations, government and highly specialized professional organizations,” says Sue Methuen, owner. www.prairiesuncreations.com

Music Centre Canada opened its doors on Main Street with a bang inviting George Canyon to sign autographs and now the innovative music store is looking to enhance the local arts scene, keeping local musicians in tune with the latest products and offering future rock stars lessons. The store is a big supporter of home grown talent developing a program called Extreme Rock School giving students the opportunities to perform around the Calgary area. www.mccextremerock.com

hese local businesses have great news to share; growth, innovation and success.

Janet Palmer, owner of AirdrieOnLine.com, Airdrie's locally owned and operated community website, now receives over four million hits per year. She says over 5,000 visitors come to the site every month looking for local information. She recently opened www.ShopAirdrie.ca as the new home of the AirdrieOnLine Business Directory. www.airdrieonline.com

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AirdrieLIFE • fall/winter 2006 • volume 1

Mike De Bokx, mortgage specialist with Home Loans Canada (www.hlcmortgages.com) is a busy man, starting his third year as a member of the Chamber and first year as a Director. “I've also just started my second year as a mentor with AMFY (Alberta Mentorship for Youth). It's an in school mentoring program in which I am matched up with a student and we get together for an hour once a week during school hours. It's a terrific program and I'm sure that I

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get just as much out of the weekly meetings as my protégé does.” Mike adds a plea for more mentors – they are currently looking for more in the Airdrie area. www.amfy.org For 20 years, Bow Valley College has offered a variety of courses in Employment Training, Academic Upgrading, Business, Computer Applications and Health Care in the Airdrie community. Nearly 2000 individuals living in and around Airdrie have enrolled in programs at the campus since the doors opened.

The Airdrie Campus is currently taking registrations for the new fulltime Accounting and Financial Management Certificate, starting January 2007. This certificate offers a huge range of career options, with graduates finding work in accounting and bookkeeping firms, financial institutions, governments, industries and the non-profit sector. www.bowvalleycollege.ca/airdrie, The Airdrie School of Art has been providing introductory Art lessons for home schoolers, children, teens and adults since 2001. Jane Romanishko is pleases to announce the opening of The Gallery.

“It’s a place where original and affordable paintings by local artists can be viewed and purchased by the public,” she explains. www.airdrieschoolofart.com

took one look at an antique reproduction piece and said “I can do better than that.” They have – with Boss Furniture –solid birch, maple and oak all hand sanded and finished with the highest quality stains, oils milk paints and lacquers. Milling their own lumber and employing five millwrights, Boss Furniture is gaining a national following, shipping custom pieces to Jasper, Vancouver and Toronto. They recently started producing dining room suites after several requests from interior designers. www.bossindustries.net The Airdrie Holiday Inn received international recognition, picking up an award from the Intercontinental Hotels Group at a conference in Toronto the first week of October. Selected as the 2006 Newcomer Award winner, the Airdrie Holiday Inn was the only Canadian hotel to be recognized. Fourteen other recipients came from the US, Mexico and Chile. Recipients of the award are judged to have significantly enhanced guest preference. Airdrie businesses know a thing or two about customer service as the Airdrie Holiday Inn can attest to. www.ichotelsgroup.com

AirdrieWORKS

successSTORIES

The Airdrie Women in Small Business Association is holding a Winter Celebration Sunday November 4 from 10 – 5 pm at the Town & Country Centre. Fashion shows, kids activities, family fun and the chance to meet and learn about some of Airdrie’s entrepreneurial women.

John and Silvana Casale opened Boss Furniture in 1998 after John

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According to Jennifer MacGowan, Manager of Corporate Communications for FortisAlberta, there were several reasons for the move.“Our downtown lease was up and the timing was great for us to move closer to our clients. Airdrie is one of our larger service areas and we already have an operational facility in Airdrie with 15 -2 o employees.

FortisAlberta looked at Airdrie’s growing residential marketplace, from the viewpoint of not only being a major client base, but also for the potential for employees to relocate conveniently if they so choose.

“We’re very excited to make our market here and provide customers with safe and reliable electricity," says Jennifer,“From our employees we have had positive feedback to be able to do what they do best closer to the customer.”

Moving In FortisAlberta makes plans for Airdrie

AirdrieWORKS

T

his past May, FortisAlberta announced the building of a new office facility in Airdrie’s Kingsview Business Park. The new facility will house approximately 250 FortisAlberta employees.

The design and construction of FortisAlberta’s new facility will take two years pending regulatory approval. FortisAlberta expects to occupy the new building prior to the spring of 2008.

FortisAlberta is an electrical distribution company with approximately 420,000 customers and more than 103,600 kilometres of power lines. www.fortisalberta.com .

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AirdrieWORKS… by comparison Assessment and Taxation Comparisons 2006 Non-Residential Comparisons A comparison has been undertaken to show the assessment & taxation comparisons of non-residential properties between Airdrie, Calgary and Cochrane. The comparisons are for both industrial and commercial properties. The property details used for comparison purposes are not specific to any particular site.

Airdrie Property Tax Rate: 14.81817

Calgary Property Tax Rate: 19.0263

Cochrane Property Tax Rate: 14.41

Calgary Business Tax Rate: 8.66

Industrial Property 2.5 Acre Site, 40,000 Sq. Ft. Warehouse, 5,000 Sq. Ft. Office Assessment & Taxation Property Assessment Property Taxes Business Assessment Business Taxes Total Taxes

Airdrie $ 2,790,000 $ 41,342 $ 41,342

Calgary $ 2,700,000 $ 51,371 $ 270,000 $ 2338 $ 53,709

Cochrane $ 3,110,000 $ 44,815 $ 44,815

Calgary’s total taxes are 29.91% higher than taxes in Airdrie. • Cochrane’s total taxes are 8.4% higher than taxes in Airdrie.

Commercial Property 2.00- 3.00 Acre Site, 28,000 Sq. Ft. Average Quality Retail Assessment & Taxation Property Assessment Property Taxes Business Assessment Business Taxes Total Taxes

Airdrie $ 3,080,000 $ 45,640 $ 45,640

Calgary $ 3,900,000 $ 74,203 $ 420,000 $ 3,637 $ 77,840

Cochrane $ 3,052,000 $ 43,979 43,979

Calgary’s total taxes are 70.55% higher than taxes in Airdrie. • Cochrane’s total taxes are 3.64% lower than taxes in Airdrie.

Airdrie has a definite tax advantage over Calgary and a slight advantage over Cochrane overall.

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AirdrieWORKS

Michael McElligott raises the bar on customer service.

Airdronians At Work

W

elcome to our newest feature in AirdrieWORKS. In each issue we’ll introduce you to someone who, we feel, makes a difference at his or her job and has simply made

us smile.

Walk into the Airdrie Safeway and chances are good that you’ll see Michael McElligott, courtesy clerk, loading groceries, helping customers and sweeping floors. Duties that are not out of the ordinary for a courtesy clerk. Pay attention though and you’ll notice how many people stop just to say hello to Michael, or spend time chatting with him while they wait in the cashier’s line.

Michael’s family moved to Airdrie in 1988, five years later Michael graduated from Bert Church High School. Long time community residents will recall Michael’s active role in supporting the Bert Church football team. Also, when he’s not working at Safeway, Michael is coaching Pee Wee bowling and likes to golf whenever he can fit it into his schedule.

Michael enjoys the day-to-day contact with customers, and would love to work in public relations. Being stuck in an office all day, he admits, would not be as fun for him. Safeway Manager, Mike Ellison, says Michael is a huge asset to both the store and the community,“He raises the bar for customer service in our store. Our management and our customers notice it and they can’t imagine the store without him.”

The staff echoes those sentiments. Sylvia Graham, a cashier who often works with Michael, says simply,“Michael is a blast and a hard worker.”

Go ahead – make their day. Nominate someone who, because of the way they do their job in Airdrie, makes your day – go online at www.airdrielife.com.

Riding a bike to work is something others may take for granted, but not Michael.“If I gave up trying I wouldn’t be walking or talking,” he says,“My motto is never give up.”

In fact, he’s tried most sports at least once. He laughs,“not all of them successfully!”

His cerebral palsy may affect his fine motor skills and speech, but his wit, charm and intelligence have not been compromised at all. Michael is actually quick to point out that he doesn’t think about his cerebral palsy as a disability, and hopes others can see past it, or in his words …“get over it.” volume 1 • fall/winter 2006 •

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cityLIVING

AirdrieLIFE… is mine

As this City grows we become exposed to big city advantages but also big city issues. Yes stuff happens here that is disappointing, stressful and even tragic. But this magazine has a focus on giving you the good stuff. We like to share little nuggets of human interest, of hope and of community. People really banter the word community around these days - look how many times the word appears in AirdrieLIFE (actually if you really count them up email me).

A sense of community is how a City becomes a home.

You don’t just live in a custom built two storey with a double garage, you live in a neighbourhood. A wise woman named Lady Bird Johnson once said,“It’s important to remember that the spirit of neighbourliness was important on the frontier because there were so few, it is even more important now because our neighbours are so many.”

Your neighbourhood is part of a community.

Look what happens when people come together as a community; they light up an entire park, they get their City on national television, they raise money for cancer patients, they deliver a meal to an elderly shut in. They mentor high school students and they coach basketball, soccer and hockey.These are the people who understand that we make a living by what we do but we make a life by what we give.

The saying goes, ‘if you want something done, ask a busy person.’ By my estimation there are a lot of very busy people in Airdrie and at the end of the day they are the most exhausted, but they are also the happiest.

Come on Airdrie...get happy!

Sherry Shaw-Froggatt

Cartoon courtesy of Kelly Gannon www.stubblestudio.ca

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AirdrieLIFE • fall/winter 2006 • volume 1

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f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 0 6 • v o l u m e 3 • n u m b e r 1 • w w w. a i r d r i e l i f e . c o m

AirdrieLIFE THE OFFICIAL GUIDE TO LIFE IN THE CITY OF AIRDRIE

Airdrie’s got community spirit!

INSIDE: The EXCLUSIVE story of the Prairie Pond Posse

Ai rd ri s se pec eW ct ial io fe n a OR in tu si re KS de .

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