November 2013
Parkallen
News In this issue… • Garden Update • Planning & Development • Meet your Community League • Hall Happenings • Classified
Are you cultivating guilt in your garden? by Marlene Wurfel Since I’ve been directing the Parkallen Sprouts and the Parkallen Community Garden, I’ve been getting a new look from some of my neighbours that I didn’t used to – it’s one that signifies intense garden-related-guilt.
full of weeds…” Or, “The community garden looks wonderful this year and I feel so badly that I didn’t make it out even once. Maybe next year…” they sadly say with nothing at all resembling hope in their voices.
“No, Marlene,” they tell me when I drop by their homes, “please don’t look at my garden. It’s so
The theme is guilt, shame, and missed opportunity. Parkallen – the thing with gardens is that what you
cultivate in them tends to grow. Are you cultivating guilt, shame and regret in your garden? Are you cultivating these things in our community garden? Stop it! The Parkallen Community Garden is a permaculture project and one important element of permaculture is “obtain a yield.” That means the focus is on
Parkallen News “getting from” a garden, not simply “putting in” for the sake of effort itself. In an ideal permaculture space, nothing is required from the gardener other than strolling through a beautiful green space, replenishing one’s self while filling a basket with healthy produce. The aim isn’t toiling but taking. The permaculturist always strives to let the soil, the sun and the rain do as much of the work as possible because their space has been planned from the onset to perform in that way. That’s why, for example, the Parkallen Community Garden has swales dug into the slope towards the hockey rink: so the garden can catch and store rain and melt water all on its own. Maximum yield for minimum effort is the endgoal. Parkallen Community Gardeners have been putting in effort to cultivate what’s been growing in the garden but, ultimately, probably less than you think. We’re striving to create a selfregulating space that gives more than it demands. I heeded quite a few warnings when the Parkallen Community Garden was in the planning stages as a communally tended space that everybody would show up at harvest time to
2 take but nobody would be willing to put in the effort. The reverse has tended to be true. We’re civilized people: We’ve read the “The Little Red Hen.” People are reluctant to take from the garden because they don’t feel they’ve put in the requisite effort. My neighbor who regretted not visiting the garden that season could have walked straight there, picked enough for a dinner salad, marveled at the sunflowers, listened to the birds, tossed a dandelion into the weed bucket, tasted the mint, smooched a loved one in the sunshine, called it a season, and left. But she didn’t feel entitled. She hadn’t put enough in to take that much out. It is my sincerest wish that the Parkallen Community Garden be a place you take more from than you give. It would help me in achieving my yield from the garden – the reward and satisfaction of knowing that I’ve helped create a space in my community that replenishes, teaches, feeds and gives; not one that requires more from time-crunched urbanites than they can reasonably afford. One of the reasons I love working with kids in the garden so much is that they
November 2013 have absolutely zero trouble with proudly digging up an armful of potatoes for dinner even though they were swinging on the monkey bars while someone’s mom took twenty minutes in the Spring to hill the seed potatoes into the soil. Really, they can teach me as much, or possibly more, about healthy relationships to food as I can teach them. What’s your relationship with your garden? Do you think of it as a place that demands more from you than you can give each season? Do you think of it as a place that should demand more than it yields? Why? Would it benefit you to re-evaluate your relationship with your green spaces? People aren’t for gardens; gardens are for people. Gardens are for feeding people, for relaxing people, for inspiring people and for replenishing people. A space that inspires guilt instead of satisfaction is not a welldesigned green space. So pretty please, Parkallen, if you’ve been scattering the seeds of guilt and shame in our community garden, or in your own gardens, just stop. Stop watering the guilt. Stop fertilizing the shame. Stop. Re-evaluate. Let’s cultivate something beautiful.
November 2013
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Te Deum Laudamus Thee God, We Praise Te Deum Laudamus A program of sacred choral music, Thee God,classical We Praise including works, contemporary
A program of spirituals, sacred choral music, by the anthems and presented including classical works, contemporary Te Deum Singers. anthems and spirituals, presented by the Saturday, November 30th at 7:00 pm Te Deum Singers. Sunday, December 1st at 3:00 pm Saturday, November 30th at 7:00 pm For more information,stcontact Sunday, December 1 at 3:00 pm Diana Wiens, Conductor at 780.436.3083 For more information, contact Diana Wiens, Conductor at 780.436.3083
Sing in Exultation - of the promise of light in birth Exultation -Sing of the of Jesus -- of of the the shepherds, promise of light angels, and wise men - of the birth of Jesus A- of concert of traditional Christmas Carols the shepherds, angels, and wise menand other arrangements. A concert of traditional Christmas Carols and Sunday, December 15th 10 am and 7 pm other arrangements.
Sunday, December 15th 10 am and 7 pm
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November 2013
Planning & Development: What’s new? Parkallen Community Development Plan On July 2, 2013 the City of Edmonton approved the McKernan-Belgravia Area Redevelopment Plan, which addresses the need to create a transit-orientated plan that relates to the Belgravia/McKernan LRT Station, and design of future transit-oriented land uses such as housing, retail and employment. The purpose of separating Parkallen from the original 1994 Belgravia-Mckernan-Parkallen Community Development Plan was to avoid potentially confusing policy overlaps. Council also approved the adoption of the Parkallen Community Development Plan as a separate entity the has remained consistent since 1994. For the sake of clarity, however, new maps and format have been ued in this Plan and all names of City departments have been
standardized to reflect their present titles.
Volunteers needed!
Given the City’s present mandate to curb urban sprawl and increase density amongst mature neighborhoods, it may not be in the best interest of Parkallen to request that the city spend significant resources to revise our plan; this could lead to re-zoning, resulting in increased intensification and density within our community. Our current community plan provides the policy framework necessary to control intensification and density in a mindful way, while allowing growth consistent with the community’s long-term plan.
Are you interested in projects related to neighborhood development and community engagements with the University of Alberta, including the 109 Street Area Redevelopment Plan and transportation? Are you excited about the notion of increasing the accessibility to modes of transportation such as walking, biking, and public transit in Parkallen? If you are, we are looking for several volunteers to join us on one of our many rewarding committees. Any interested volunteers please email development@ parkallen.ca.
To learn more, or to see documents relating to Planning and Development surrounding Parkallen — including our Community Development Plan—visit our website: www. parkallen.ca.
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November 2013
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November 2013
Spark Your Power by Brent Flesher, Green Circle Rep for Parkallen Parent Council Do you like the idea of investing in green power but haven’t got time or money to put solar panels on your roof? Do you want a great reason to ignore all the door to door energy company offers that come to your door? SPARK is Alberta’s first 100% member-owned retail power co-operative focused on renewable and green energy reinvestment.
Why SPARK? SPARK offers some of the most competitive electricity rates in the province and has made a commitment to reinvest 70% of their yearly profits into local renewable energy projects. Because SPARK is a member-owned cooperative, you can be an owner in the business and be entitled to a piece of their annual profits. Spark has a community support initiative that gives $1.50 each month in admin charges to local community groups. Spark Power supports the Green Circle Preschool right here in Parkallen. To support early learning in Parkallen use the referral code “GCPSRS” when you switch your power to Spark. The Green Circle will receive $1.50 each month for as long as Spark is your electricity provider.
How do I switch to SPARK? Switching is easy, and SPARK customers have the added bonus of cheaper electricity rates while supporting green energy in Alberta. If you want to ‘switch-off’ and ‘move over’ to SPARK, their staff will coordinate all the paperwork on your behalf with no exit or cancellation fees and
with the assurance that your power will continue to be provided with no interruption.
To make the switch: 1. Visit https://www.sparkyourpower.ca/mysecure/signup.html 2. F ill out the registration form that appears on the page ou will need to fill in your site ID number which Y can be found on your latest electric bill. 3. I n the “Referred By” box, type GCPSRS to donate $1.50 from your monthly SPARK administration fee to Green Circle Preschool 4. Y ou should receive a confirmation within 2 – 5 working days For more information on SPARK and their rate plans, please visit: http://www.sparkyourpower.ca With the recent cut backs to education from the Alberta government, users of the Parkallen school, like Green Circle Preschool, are faced with steeply rising rental costs. I switched our household electricity to Spark to support Green Circle and alternative, green energy. The Green Circle Preschool helps keep enrollment in Parkallen School up. A strong school helps keep Parkallen a vibrant and desirable community. I especially enjoy telling the door to door energy marketers all about the renewable energy, member-owned electricity co-op that supports the local pre-school. I haven’t got many of them to switch yet though.
Register now and start Preschool in January! Call the Green Circle classroom at (780) 435-3129 to make an appointment to visit the classroom, meet the teacher and pick up a registration package. For more information please visit our website at www.greencirclepreschool.com or call Jessie at (780) 977-3772 for more registration information. “A place where friendships begin and children blossom”
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Parkallen News
Parkallen’s Outdoor Rink is now hiring! Interested in helping out your community? Interested in making some extra money this winter season? There are opportunities for you to become part of the outdoor rink staff this season by taking on the role of a rink shack supervisor or a rink snow remover! The season runs approximately from December 15 to midMarch (weather dependent). Snow removers are a necessity to help keep this neighborhood winter fun going all season and supervisors are critical for the shack to be open during these chilly months! If interested, please contact Sal Blair at rink@parkallen.ca for more details and inquiries into the specific duties for each job!
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November 2013
Memories of Parkallen Submitted by Beryle Chambers My brother Robert (Bobby) Chambers had his first try at being a goalie when he was only 7. We lost 33 -0; so impressive the Edmonton Journal ran a story with the headline Was That a Puck? Bobby was the first deaf player in the city to play on an all-hearing team. His game improved and he went to play hockey in the Deaf Olympics.
Beryle Chambers’ family grew up in Parkallen. Recently she connected with us on facebook, and shared some memories of life in Parkallen in the 60s and 70s. Here are some excerpts from her stories. “We moved to Parkallen in 1963. Our school principal, Mr. Joseph Ellingson, was the first principal of Parkallen School. I met two of my best friends there and I am still in touch with them. When I was in 7th grade we were the first girls allowed to wear pants
under our dresses in winter (as long as we took the pants off when we got to school). We had baseball games in summer and hockey in winter. Everyone loved the park (known as Parkallen Park before it was named for Mr. Ellingson), especially the fountain. It was beautiful with red, blue and yellow lights shining on it at night. I got thrown right in it once! Fortunately, the Beauty Salon du Paris was nearby for such emergencies!
Besides hockey in the winter there was a separate rink for skating. The ‘shack’ in the middle between the two rinks, where you could put on your skates and buy candy, was a favourite place too. There was a loudspeaker that played old rock and roll. Speedy Gonzolez Why Don’t You Come Home by Pat Boone was the operator’s favorite song, but most of us preferred that new group The Beatles. I learned to skate backwards there, to stop, skate around corners and how to hold hands with a boy I liked and stare up at the stars in the black night and dream. We all remember Parkallen as home, even though none of us live there anymore. Those were the best days of our lives.” Thank you for sharing this with us Beryle.
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Parkallen News
Parkallen Knitters’ donations Fall 2013 Thanks to the amazing women of the Parkallen Knitters there will be toasty warm fingers, toes and ears this winter. Your work is an inspiration. We’re proud to call you Parkallen Knitters!
Want to see more great community photos? Follow us on Facebook for more great community updates! You’ll see lots of great stories like this, PLUS easy access to our online newsletter. Stay in the loop! “Like” Parkallen Community today!
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November 2013
Chocolate Making Looking to try something new? Come out and make a variety of dipped and poured chocolates to take home – if they make it home Saturday, November 30th 1 Session from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Geocaching Looking to try something new? Come out and experience a new style of scavenger hunt. You will use a GPS to find hidden Geocaches. Saturday, November 30th 1 Session from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Visit www.edmonton.ca/ereg or call 311 to register.
Lendrum Pottery Group Christmas Sale Saturday, November 30, 2013 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM 11335 57 Ave Edmonton, AB (Entrance off 113A St.) Pottery for all tastes at reasonable prices. Dishwasher, oven and freezer safe. Free coffee.
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Parkallen News
Meet your Community League a larger scale but small things matter too!
Why do you volunteer for the Community League?
Meghan Dunnigan
Where did you grow up? I grew up in Edmonton. I lived in Capilano until my teens when my family moved to Riverbend. Both my parents grew up in Edmonton and so did my grandmothers.
When did you move to Parkallen? We moved to Parkallen in June of 2010. We chose the neighbourhood and then we looked for a house. At the time people were having bidding wars for houses and we only had a week to find and buy a house. Luckily the owner of our house knew both my grandmothers from their Stork Club (think ladies knitting booties for their babies!).
What do you like best about this community? I love so many things about this neighbourhood, it’s hard
to pick just one. We wanted a neighbourhood where the kids could walk to school. I love that about Parkallen; walking to and from school, chatting with other families in the neighbourhood is so remarkably gratifying. It is a great way to stay in touch with the kids as they talk about their day. My dog, Ernie, will make us walk to the school twice a day even when the kids are long past elementary age.
Who inspires you? I am inspired every day by those who make their world better. Not long ago, I saw a young man walking. He stopped, turned around and walked back to pick up a piece of litter he had spied by the bus stop and threw it in the garbage. I now try to pick up all the litter I see on my walks in our neighborhood. He inspired me! That same principle works on
I volunteer in the community because my parents taught me that you give what you can, where you can, when you can. Parkallen is my home and I want it to be the best that it can be. Sometimes I think I volunteer for selfish reasons: because I want to create a special place where my kids can grow up and make their own memories. I think the reality is that I just have a hard time saying no.
Tell us one thing that most people would be surprised to know about you. I am pretty much an open book so I don’t think I have many surprises. I should confess though that, after living in the United Arab Emirates for seven years, I do not speak any Arabic. I can say a handful of stock phrases like hello and thank you but that is it. I can’t even count to three in Arabic. Megan is your Parks and Recreation Director. We’re glad you can’t say no Megan, but suspect your community spirit has more to do with saying yes. Thank you!
Hall Happenings for November 2013 Parkallen Playgroup Fridays 1 pm - 3 pm
Parkallen Knitters Wednesdays 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm
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Parkallen News
Classified Parkallen resident since 1990 and pet/house sitting for 12 years. Will shovel walks, bring in mail, water plants, take care of your pets while you are away. Contact Michele @780.434.7871. References available on request. Need your lawn mowed or snow shovelled this winter? Call the Andison kids (Elan, Eiden, Daylan and Rhen) all for hire. If one is busy the other may not be. Call 780-438-2120 Need a babysitter? Call Elan (3 yrs experience) or Eiden (babysitter course this past spring), both have experience with 1 yr olds. Call 780-438-2120. If one is busy the other may not be.
Your Parkallen Community League Executive:
Co President: Alex Clifford
Co President: Leanne Kohn
Treasurer: Julie Beschell Casino: VACANT Membership: Sandra Stessun & Janet Mayhew
president@parkallen.ca vicepresident@parkallen.ca treasurer@parkallen.ca casino@parkallen.ca membership@parkallen.ca
Secretary: Allison Chevrette
Past President: Nora Begoray pastpresident@parkallen.ca
Parks & Recreation Director: Meghan Dunnigan Rink: Sal Blair Soccer Coordinator: Meghan Dunnigan Hall Coordinator: Jennifer Fedor Hall Maintenance: David Begoray Social Coordinator: Todd Beschell Programs: Laurel Miyashita Garden Coordinator: James Goldman
Communications Director: Anne Pratt Newsletter Editor: Anne Pratt Website: Marc Pearce Social Media Coordinator: VACANT Graphics and Layout: Lindsay Erickson
secretary@parkallen.ca park@parkallen.ca rink@parkallen.ca soccer@parkallen.ca hall@parkallen.ca hall@parkallen.ca social@parkallen.ca programs@parkallen.ca sustainability@parkallen.ca communications@parkallen.ca newsletter@parkallen.ca webmaster@parkallen.ca newsletter@parkallen.ca graphics@parkallen.ca
Neighborhood Development Director: Jesse Lafrance development@parkallen.ca SCNC Representatives: Donna White & Jarret Orchard uofa@parkallen.ca Civics Representative: Donna White civics@parkallen.ca UACC Representative: Oliver Rossier Transportation: VACANT transportation@parkallen.ca Housing and Development: Jesse Lafrance housing@parkallen.ca Community Recreations Coordinator: Michael Goth
michael.goth@edmonton.ca