Social Connection

Submitted by: Chantal Fillion 

Registered Provisional Psychologist 

VIVID Psychology & Wellness (Kensington) 

Did you know that one of the best ways to reduce stress and combat burnout is through social connection? When we’re stressed and burned out, we often withdraw from others because we don’t have the time or energy to reach out. While a short break can help, prolonged withdrawal can harm our relationships and lead to isolation. Over time, this can cause serious harm to our mental health! 

Humans are social by nature. We need good relationships to thrive, even if our enjoyment of social settings and situations varies. Research supports that people with strong social networks have better long-term stress resilience, health, and mental wellbeing. Social connections provide support during tough times and can bring new experiences, purpose, learning, joy, and love into our lives. 

When we join activities, attend events, or even volunteer, we give ourselves the chance to meet new people we may connect with deeply. These connections can boost our self-esteem, self-acceptance, and sense of hope, motivating us to stay more engaged and live fuller lives. While feeling drained after social interactions can be totally normal, it can also be a sign that you feel unable to be your authentic self around others. This suggests a potential need for deeper, more genuine connections that help you feel understood, supported, and safe to be yourself. 

Finding people we truly connect with takes time, but it’s never too late to get started. It is easy to become socially isolated without realizing it. If you’ve been feeling down and you’re not sure why, it may be time to reach out and start connecting more. If you notice someone else withdrawing, it may be helpful to encourage them to start connecting again as well. 

If you’re not sure where to start, consider the following: making small changes can lead to more sustainable long-term improvements. Small changes are easier to maintain and gradually build into lasting habits. Taking manageable steps looks different for everyone, so try to make changes that feel like a good fit for you. If you feel like you need support or guidance in this process, you can always reach out to a mental health professional.  

Community associations like the HSCA are a fantastic resource for improving your social connections and well-being! The HSCA offers a bunch of activities and programs that are meant to bring people together and to build stronger, healthier communities. They create opportunities for people to meet new friends, share common interests, and find a deeper sense of belonging and connection. 

Consider checking out the HSCA Community Connections page or the events calendar for opportunities to join in and make a difference—for yourself and your community. 

Links

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2921311/ 

2. https://heartcareeducators.ca/2023/11/03/how-investing-in-social-support-can-help-you-manage-burnout/ 

3. https://www.hsca.ca/community-connections 

4. https://www.hsca.ca/programsrecreationcalendar 

Winter Cycling in Hillhurst Sunnyside

Submitted by Sunnyside Resident Timothy Schaefer

“You can’t cycle in the winter!  Or so I’m told, repeatedly, by people who have never tried it!”

“Winter is a lazy excuse used by ignorant people to make the discussion of safe road infrastructure go away!”

These punchy lines are from the Not Just Bikes (NJB) YouTube video called “Why Canadians Can’t Bike in the Winter (but Finnish people can)”. The video explores the real reasons why people in Canada are so averse to biking in winter conditions, whereas people in Finland are not. 

Have you ever tried cycling in the winter?  Have you ever told someone that they can’t or shouldn’t do it without having tried it yourself?  Why do Canadians view riding a bike in the winter as hard-core?  Is it the cold temperatures?

As it turns out, the Finnish study cited in the NJB video report finds that cold temperature is not the reason people stop biking once winter sets in.  Instead, there are two main reasons people choose not to bike in winter conditions:

1.     Lack of a safe path/network with minimal vehicle interactions, and

2.     Slow or poor removal of accumulated snow.

Cold is not a reason!  

Photo: Winter biking in Calgary. Credit: @ThisMomBikes

Cold is not a reason because when people actually try it, wearing regular winter clothing, they find they warm up quickly and aren’t cold at all.  Fun fact: In Oulu Finland, 50% of kids ride their bikes to school year round, and they only see slight ridership drop when the temperatures dip below -20C. 

When you stop and think about “Safe Path/Network” (reason 1), it is the main barrier that prevents most people from cycling no matter the season. It's also why physically separated bike lanes (lanes protected from vehicle traffic) are considered the gold standard for inclusiveness across all ages, genders and other demographic factors.

The accumulation of snow (reason 2) and not the presence of snow makes sense too.  Just as you may drive a vehicle in the snow, there comes a point when if there is too much accumulation it's no longer safe. This is especially true when dealing with hardened deep snow, windrows or slush; it becomes treacherous. 

Interestingly when it comes to winter maintenance of bike paths in Oulu, Finland, they prefer to pack the snow instead of clearing it.  Sunnyside Hillhurst residents will be familiar with this as it’s the identical strategy used on Calgary’s residential streets.  

With those two main factors in mind, what’s it really like riding a bike in the winter in Hillhurst Sunnyside?  To answer that question let’s check in with a couple people who regularly ride their bikes in the winter.

For years, Aaron Stayner has been commuting in all seasons from Sunnyside to his work in the North-East Calgary.  When winter weather sets in, Aaron follows the Bow River Pathway East and then heads North on the Nose Creek pathway before taking the bridge across the Deerfoot into Vista heights.  This route has entirely separated pathways until entering Vista Heights.  From there it’s a short road ride with vehicle traffic. 

Aaron’s path is almost entirely free of vehicle traffic, so he has a safe path.  That aligns with the findings reported in the NJB video.  The City of Calgary has also done better the past few winters prioritizing the clearing of snow from these pathways; another bonus.

Next, let's check in with Heather Feil who lives outside the Hillhurst Sunnyside area but cycles to Kensington often to enjoy it’s restaurants.  She finds the neighbourhood’s quick access to the Bow River pathway an excellent safe connection for winter cycling.  That said, when snow piles up on the streets in Kensington, with no protected lane from vehicle traffic, she finds it’s really not a safe space for cycling.  

Clearly some room for improvement to be made in our neighbourhood to make riding a bike safer in the winter.

The good news for year round biking is the City continues to build out the network of separated bike pathways.  The Kensington Area Streetscape and Public Realm Improvement initiative is a great opportunity on this front.  As more protected bike lanes are built there will be more safe connections for residents and with that we will see more people riding their bikes and scooters year round.  

Interested in learning more about riding a bike in the winter?  Calgarian Tom Babin’s book “FrostBike” is an excellent read with both a local and a worldly perspective.  Tom also has an excellent set of winter riding YouTube videos on his Shifter channel and of course there is the NJB video mentioned above.  Here’s a QR code to view it:  

Spirit of the Community

By: Lisa Jordan

(Yoga Teacher and Therapist; Founder Karma Yoga Program at HSCA)

There is an adage, "we are spiritual beings having a human experience."

 Our collective human experience is a beautiful privilege; and a heavy responsibility to ourselves, our loved ones, our community, and our environment.

 In today's technologically advanced and organically deflated society, it might be more appropriate to say, we are human doings too distracted to feel the present moment.

 "Spirituality" may be defined as a portal or a path that connects us to something larger than ourselves and in reciprocation offers us inspiration.

 There is a calling in most of us to 'spirituality'  at some stage in life...

 We are born into a spiritual community or family.

 A curiosity dawns upon us.

 A circumstance arises, that draws us inward, questioning what is or what was.

 Life, seen as a verb, is the art of being.

 A journey out of habitual "human doing" and into the intimacy of being and the transcendental landscape of endless becoming.

 Newcomers to yoga and meditation may find the very word 'spirituality' intimidating and even deterring.

"Mind-Body practice", is more palatable, in the context of yoga and meditation.

 The web of mind-body non-dualism is at the forefront of holistic medicine and alternative healing practices. 

Holistic living and mindfulness-based practices are making a bold stamp in the world of conventional medicine, especially with the surge of psycho-neuro-immunological disorders prevalent today.

 Yoga is one of several mind-body practices.

  Yoga allows one to have an experience of something profound that is body-based.   

The yoga practice allows the practitioner to dial into a network of energy beyond the limits of our egocentric awareness. 

 Yoga postures are not meant as athletic performance. 

 The asanas (postures) are a means of exploring the rivers of energy in the body.

 There are noted to be 72,000 'nadis', or nerve channels in ancient ayurvedic texts.

 Breath, or Prana, reveals the magic of yoga practice, it is what we aim to cultivate on the mat.

 It is the fuel of our transformation.

 The breath unfolds our sense of inner spaciousness revealing what lies beyond and within our skin.

It is not knowing that is all-knowing.

It is a letting go.

 On the mat, I would encourage the newcomer to adopt spirituality as this sense of space.

Spaciousness beyond the mind.

Space within and around the body. 

The pause between inhale and exhale.

A place beyond perception, emotion, thought, and experience.

 Deepak Chopra defines 4 specific questions as the landmark for the spiritual journey:

1) Who am I?

2)What do I truly want? 

3)Why am I here?  What is my purpose? What am I doing?

4)What am I grateful for?

It is these questions and their interconnections that lends our sense of "I" to include the universe as "I".

As we age, and the once entertaining amusement park of life presents itself as a somewhat nauseating roller-coaster of unpredictable shifts and challenges; The inner calling to slow down, pause, reevaluate, and indeed find stillness grows louder.

 The call may not be gentle but an overwhelming HALT, STOP, HELP, for what I do not know.

 This is one of several reasons why yoga practice has become a commercial industry.

 Yoga works.

 Absolutely.

 It is magic

 Yoga enhances our sense of well being, increases the mobility of mind and body, reduces stress, stimulates vital body organs, enhances the creativity of the soul. It is a system of self-healing; Inner alchemy. 

Yet its reduction to a bunch of shapes, with the over-commercialized, monotonous "inhale and exhale" as the only guideline from your teacher, or youtube video, maybe a mantra thrown in for the show, is not only a mistranslation but an insult to Indian culture and the history of Vedanta.

 Yoga and meditative disciplines are not a vacation from life, nor a quick fix for life.

 Yoga is not an all-inclusive luxury trip for sale on Instagram.

Yoga is a commitment to be better for you and for those around you.

Yoga, from the Sanskrit root "yuj'  , to join or to yoke, is an inner offering. 

 It is an offering to the self no matter where one is at in the dance of life.

Yoga is an unwavering effort to cultivate peace in the chamber of our hearts.

 Yoga practice is a moving meditation; an art of movement and detailed science of stillness.

(Very detailed. )

 It is a surrender and empowerment.

Inward stability and an outward curiosity that offers more space for life to teach us how to live.

"Yoga is an art of the body, not an art of display, but an art of seeing inwardly."

~Dr. Norman Sjoman

This is WHY we come to the mat

 It becomes a celebration, a place of safety, a dance.

 An act of self-knowledge.

 What drew me, Lisa, to yoga?

Another story.

"Yoga should be known through yoga. Yoga arises from yoga. Whoever is honest with yoga will enjoy in yoga for a long time"

 ~ Vyasa's commentary on yoga sutras, verse 3.6

Find out more about Karma Yoga here. For a full list of HSCA programs and events, view our Calendar.

Please note that guest blogs reflect the opinions and ideas of the author and should not be considered to reflect the opinions of HSCA.  HSCA supports and invites content from all residents and we aim to provide a platform for the diverse and unique perspectives of our community members on our blog and monthly newsletter.  

Beyond Straws - Shopping Low-waste in Kensington

“First off, don’t be shy about talking to businesses about waste. They’re literally invested in it, and when you make a change - even if it is one small take-out container, or a tupperware for leftovers from a meal -  it will help them save money and reduce their environmental footprint as well. ”

By Hillhurst Sunnyside Resident, Jocelyn K.

One Sunday last Spring, I did something that felt extreme: I emptied my recycling bin on the kitchen floor and sorted it. I was feeling inspired to further reduce my waste and I definitely wanted to quit plastic. Over the past year, I haven’t eliminated single-use plastics coming into my home, but  I’ve reduced my waste dramatically by following a few simple rules that work for me and my home. It wasn’t intimidating at all, it’s been easy and fun and I’ve done it all here in Hillhurst.

BYOC - Bring Your Own Container

Shopping in Kensington is rich with opportunities to reduce waste, especially if you remember to bring your own container (BYOC). Most businesses generally support opportunities to reduce waste and the only standard is that your containers have to be clean, dry and fit your purchase. Like bringing a reusable bag grocery shopping, the hardest part of reducing plastic waste is… remembering the containers! In the interest of research, one sunny afternoon we packed them up and took a stroll around Kensington to chat with retailers about reducing waste. Here’s what we found:

First off, don’t be shy about talking to businesses about waste. They’re literally invested in it, and when you make a change - even if it is one small take-out container, or a tupperware for leftovers from a meal -  it will help them save money and reduce their environmental footprint as well. 

Canary Goods Refillery and Zero Waste Market opened their first permanent retail space on Kensington Road in 2019, offering a range of household goods and personal care items. Their refillery offers a beautiful display of common goods, from laundry detergent to dishwasher tabs,  that will certainly inspire you to BYOC. They always seem to have a small stash of containers available for free, or you can buy one of their beautiful amber bottles to fill with their products.

Since 1997, Sunnyside Natural Market has been helping customers reduce waste. They offer a broad selection of environmental products such as recycled paper, refillable cleaning products, and health care items. They recently renovated to expand their bulk offerings, adding bulk lettuces to their produce area and replaced plastic bags and containers with compostable ones that are locally sourced. An advantage of shopping BYOC is you can buy exactly what you need and Sunnyside staff will portion containers to make sure you get exactly what you need. Their robust selection of spices is especially great when you just need a little product to finish a complicated recipe.

Since trying to reduce waste, I’ve yet to find an easy way to remove sticky labels from containers I want to reuse. A friend enthusiastically recommended The Beehive on 10 Street for their Glue Gone Adhesive remover. They also carry bulk beeswax and pine resin if you’re interested in making your own beeswax food wraps.

The Roasterie offers a discount on bulk coffee if you BYOC or reuse their packaging. When you bring your own mug, no matter what size it is, you’re charged for a small 12 ounce.

Japanese housewares store Nanao Kimono on 10 Street is a hidden gem with great choices to practice your new habit. Replace paper serviettes with a square furoshiki cloth and they’ll show you how to wrap it into a little bag to carry your lunch in. They also have a large selection of bento boxes for a zero-waste lunch, and we think paper washi tape is a pretty cute way to label your containers.

A new member of the Hillhurst business community, PB&J offers nut butters and will happily tare your container before you fill them at the self-serve machines. They encourage BYOC and told us they’ve already noticed customers asking to ‘hold the box’ when ordering their sandwiches. Crave Cupcakes will happily bypass their trademark clamshell containers and pack your order in any container you have, as long as it’s clean and fits appropriately.  Pie Junkie already wrap their delicious sweet and savoury pies in paper, but encourage BYOC as well. 

Every restaurant we spoke to will happily pack your take-away order BYOC style, and one employee asked us to remind customers to bring along a container to eat-in in case of leftovers. 

Jonathan at The Naked Leaf offers $1.50 discount on 100 grams of tea in any container you have or reuse one of his collectable tea tins! Stop in with your travel mug for an excellent discount on any of his organic teas. 

Making it CRYSTAL CLEAR! Our newest Membership Partner Good Trade Coffee (@goodtradeco) offers clear signage for recycling coffee cups, lids, and sleeves

When considering how you’ll reduce waste in your home, start small and keep it manageable. Never compare your efforts to others - it’s a commitment that has to work for your life and for your family.

3 Things We Can Do to Reduce Waste Now

By Hillhurst Sunnyside Resident Jocelyn

Waste and recycling doesn’t receive a lot of love on the “Most Liveable Cities” list, but there’s a lot to be proud of after those carts are emptied into the truck. Calgary has set an ambitious goal: To divert 70 percent of waste from landfill by 2025! Here are some small things we can all do now to reduce our household waste and take full advantage of the resources in Calgary.

 1. Compost More 

Calgary’s green cart system is to waste management what the Central Library is to architecture. A critical piece of infrastructure that makes our city unique! 50% of residential waste has been diverted from landfill since the introduction of the green cart. Watch this video to learn how it works. 

All items marked compostable should not go in your green bin. The city only accepts bags with certification, broadly available in Calgary. Be especially skeptical of biodegradable or bioplastics made from bamboo or sugarcane. These should never go in the green bin.

For an easy visual reference, check out the City of Calgary’s handy Green Cart Guide here.

 You can compost paper when it’s food soiled. Use your junk mail to make compostable bags to line your compost bin.! Our informal testing at HSCA kitchen reports that layers of paper are solid. Check out the City’s YouTube video to learn, ‘How to fold newspaper to line your kitchen compost pail’ .

2. BYOC

BYOC sign outside Sunnyside Natural Market (338 10 St NW)

Bring your own container (BYOC) as you head out to shop in Kensington! This is becoming more and more common as residents try to reduce waste, and most businesses are willing to fill your clean container with your purchases. You can even BYOC for take-out! Sunnyside Market and Canary Goods are great places to shop for common household and pantry items. Feel good for reducing plastic waste, and with an HSCA membership you get a great discount shopping local! They will also accept your clean containers for other customers to use.

Bring your own Container to Zero Waste night on March 3 at HSCA. The City of Calgary will speak about recycling right and you’ll have an opportunity to fill them up at our pop-up refillery for free.  Check out our Facebook event page here.

3. Bookmark What Goes Where

The City has put together an encyclopedic database of waste for citizens to reference. Bookmark it and use it for your recycling questions. https://www.calgary.ca/UEP/WRS/Pages/What-goes-where/Default.aspx

February is Black History Month in Canada: Violet King

Written by Lorna Cordeiro, Hillhurst Sunnyside Heritage sub-committee.

This blog post will also appear as our featured article in the 2020 February Hillhurst Sunnyside Voice

Sunnyside home @ 518-7th Avenue NW in which Violet King grew up & her family lived for over 50 years: 1930-1974.

A profile of Violet King, the 1st Black Woman to practice law in Canada & and her former Sunnyside Heritage Home!

Violet King (b. 1929 in Calgary and d. 1982 in New York) was a trailblazer- the 1st Black Canadian to obtain a Law degree in Alberta (1953), 1st Black person admitted to the Alberta Bar (1954) and 1st Black woman to become a lawyer in Canada.

Her parents John & Stella King were part of an African American group of farmers who migrated in 1911 from Oklahoma to Alberta to avoid racism. However the actions of the Canadian Government at that time did little to welcome Black settlers to Canada. One example was the Order-in-Council under the Cabinet of PM Wilfred Laurier proposed (but never became law) in 1911 to ban Black people from entering Canada for a period of one year, it read ‘the Negro race…is deemed unsuitable to the climates and requirements of Canada’. 

The Kings first lived in the all-Black settlement of Keystone, Alberta. They then moved to the Sunnyside community (Calgary) in 1919. John worked as a ‘sleeping car porter’ with the CPR and Stella worked as a seamstress. They raised their 4 children in their modest home at 518-7th Avenue NW.

Violet attended Crescent Heights High School followed by the University of Alberta (one of only 3 women in the Faculty of Law). She articled in Calgary and spoke out publicly against racism, in Nov 1955 she remarked “It is too bad that a Japanese, Chinese or colored girl has to outshine others to secure a position.” 

One of her siblings, Ted King also was outspoken about Civil Rights. He was the president of the Alberta Association for the Advancement of Colored People from 1958-1961. In 1959 he launched a legal challenge against a Calgary motel’s discriminatory practices. The case made it to the Alberta Supreme Court and while it was unsuccessful it drew awareness to the barriers and lack of human rights protection laws in Canada at the time.

Violet moved to Ottawa to work for the Department of Citizenship & Immigration in 1956, then in 1963 saw a greater need and moved to New Jersey to become ED of the Newark YMCA where she set up urban social planning programs for Blacks. She married and had one daughter. In 1969 she moved to Chicago and became Director of Manpower, Planning & Staff Development of the YMCA – the 1st woman to be named to a senior management position with that organization.

‘King shattered glass ceilings and broke down colour barriers to pave the way for future generations. Her hard work and drive to excel in all facets of her career are an inspiration for those who also aspire to do great things in their field.’

Sources: The Canadian Encyclopedia; Calgary’s Henderson Directories; University of Alberta @UAlberta; Wikipedia; Calgary Herald articles: ‘Prairie Roots: Calgary-born Violet King Henry the first black woman to practise law in Canada’ by Brian Brennan Nov2,1996; Miss Violet King Is Credit to the City’ by Teen Nolan, June 26,1958; ‘Former Calgary Lawyer Moves to New US Job’ Oct 1,1963.

Water for Riley 2.0

By Deborah Sword

This blog post was originally published on the W4R blog on January 21st, 2020.

Since 2015, Water for Riley has proudly used the unique name, logo, and brand that our generous elf Diana Thompson gifted to us.

The drinking fountain is built, and its new water line awaits. Installation is scheduled for this spring as soon as the ground of Riley Park thaws and the site prepared. We decided the logo should reflect the progress to this last, final and concluding stage -can you tell we are excited about the project ending?

The logo 2.0

To acknowledge these accomplishments, we asked the drinking fountain’s designer, AUArts student Michelle Lazo, to refresh the logo. We wanted to incorporate her design. We hope you like the new logo as much as we do.

Save the date please

Planning the party

January 20, 2020, the team met in the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association. Six months from now, we will have a terrific celebration of this entirely local, volunteer driven, community based drinking fountain. 

Come for the music, bring a picnic, enjoy Riley Park and admire the drinking fountain.

Area of greatest need

There is much to do in planning the celebration. The area that most needs willing volunteers is social media and publicity. If you have time and an interest in marketing/social media/publicity/promotion etc, please call 403 862 1923.

Be part of Calgary’s public art legacy;
for Riley Park, for you, and for the future.

Donate to make this vision become reality. At the instructions to seller page, specify that your support is for The Water for Riley Project. The Parks Foundation issues tax receipts for donations greater than $10.00.

We invite everyone to participate as a volunteer, fundraiser, donor, sponsor, or any other role. Call 403 862 1923 and leave your contact information.

See our story in a video http://www.waterforriley.org/2018/07/acad-w4r-video/

Sunnyhill Housing Cooperative- Food Forest Pilot Project- UPDATE

Correction: Please note the date was listed incorrectly in the September Hillhurst Sunnyside Voice. The correct date for this event is Sunday September 15, 9-5pm.

Sunnyhill Housing Cooperative recently received a $3,500 grant to implement a community greening project. On Sunday September 15, 2019, Sunnyhill will be planting a Food Forest Pilot Projecton their property. The work will be done in collaboration with Sunshine Earth Works, a Calgary permaculture organization “committed to repairing the earth one yard at a time.”   

Please join us between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Sunday, September 15, 2019.  All volunteers welcome.   Lunch will be provided and the day will conclude with a pot luck celebration and bonfire held on site.  

These grants are part of a multi-year partnership between Tree Canada, Canada’s national tree planting charity and Pembina Pipeline Corporation.  More than 230 project applications were received for the Green Canada Edible Trees program and SHC has been selected among 60 others. 

What is a food forest?   “Forest gardening is a low-maintenance, sustainable, plant-based food production and agroforestry system based on woodland ecosystems, incorporating fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs, vines, and perennial vegetables that have yields directly useful to humans.”

Trees are critical to strong communities. They help us to live healthier lives by providing multiple environmental, social and economical benefits to our cities such as absorbing CO2, cooling our homes and reducing our stress. Research shows that living near trees lowers the risk of mortality from common causes and helps to improve our mental health. The effects of climate change in our cities can be mitigated by increasing our urban canopy.

Under the guidance of Jeremy Zoller and his crew from Sunshine Earth Works, the Grounds Committee, co-op members, and volunteers from Pembina and the whole community will be removing sod, preparing the soil, and planting trees and shrubs. 

Plan to join us on Sunday, September 15, 2019, in participating with our community in some healthy physical labour to bring this fabulous project to fruition (pun intended).  

Submitted by 

Pamela Boyd

SHC Grounds Committee

Steel Wave: A Full Circle Moment

This blog post originally appeared in the August 2019 Hillhurst Sunnyside Voice, by Patti Dawkins

“Steel Wave before restoration”. Photo by Patti Dawkins

Do you remember a faded, rusty and rather tired looking sculpture outside the CBC building facing Memorial Drive for many years? I am pleased to inform you that it has been donated by the CBC to the Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre (KOAC) in Springbank.

The name of the sculpture is “Steel Wave” by former artist Roy Leadbeater (1928-2017). The CBC commissioned it in 1978 for $250,000. "It is an outstanding sculpture. In terms of Alberta sculptures, it is one of the better pieces. The imagery is about wings, and abstract wings imply freedom," Harry Kiyooka told the CBC’s Homestretch.

Leadbeater came to be an artist late in life. While living in Calgary in the 1960’s he enrolled in art classes with Katie Ohe at the Calgary Allied Arts Centre (Coste House). He worked full time to subsidize his art practice: for Shell Oil in Calgary and then EPCOR in Edmonton. Dominion Bridge Company in Ramsey liked his work so much they offered him access to a workshop space after hours. In Edmonton he ran his own foundry with eleven employees and produced sculptural commissions.

The KOAC is a not-for-profit charity organization founded by artists and educators Harry Kiyooka and Katie Ohe. According to their website, KOAC is “dedicated to the preservation of its surrounding environment, enriching Canadian art culture and providing community programming”. The Springbank property has been their home since 1978. The house, two studios and a future pavilion will be used for the three R’s: Retreat, Research and Residence. There is currently a sculpture park on the property with over 100 sculptures. Kiyooka taught at U of C 1961-1988 and Ohe taught at AUArts (formerly the Alberta College of Art and Design ACAD) from 1970-2016.

“Steel Wave Today”. Photo by Patti Dawkins

This year Ohe will receive the highest honour the province can bestow on a citizen, The Alberta Order of Excellence (AOE).You may be familiar with some of her public art, “The Zipper” (1975) a kinetic sculpture in the University of Calgary Sciences Building, “Cracked Pot Foundations” a stone fountain in Prince’s Island, and “Janet’s Crown”, a kinetic sculpture that sits on the grass outside of the Alberta University of the Arts (AUArts) at the top of the hill above Hillhurst School. 

After long negotiations between the CBC and KOAC, Leadbeater’s two-ton “Steel Wave” was donated and transported to KOAC for restoration. Local artist Alex Caldwell meticulously restored the sculpture, removing all rust spots, making necessary repairs and applying a fresh bright coat of orange paint that will last for decades. The sculpture was unveiled on June 22, 2019 at KOAC’s annual open house with over 100 people in attendance, including CBC Calgary’s Doug Dirks. Attendees enjoyed tours of Kiyooka and Ohe’s studios, home, library, fantastic art collection and sculpture garden.

As a former student of Ohe, Leadbeater’s sculpture now graces the property and begins a new life in the KOAC sculpture garden, a very appropriate full circle moment.

For more information about KOAC please visit the website http://www.koartscentre.org/

Written by Patti Dawkins, Community Member

Further Reading & Sources:

1.    CBC News September 2018 David Bell

2.    Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre

3.    Avenue Magazine September 2014

Food Forest Pilot Project

Sunnyhill Housing Cooperative recently received a $3,500 grant to implement a community greening project.  These grants are part of a multi-year partnership between Tree Canada, Canada’s national tree planting charity and Pembina Pipeline Corporation.  More than 230 project applications were received for the Green Canada Edible Trees program and SHC has been selected among 60 others.  

On Saturday, June 15th Sunnyhill will be planting a Food Forest Pilot Project on their property. The work will be done in collaboration with Sunshine Earth Works, a Calgary permaculture organization “committed to repairing the earth one yard at a time.”  

What is a food forest?   “Forest gardening is a low-maintenance, sustainable, plant-based food production and agroforestry system based on woodland ecosystems, incorporating fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs, vines, and perennial vegetables that have yields directly useful to humans.” 

Trees are critical to strong communities. They help us to live healthier lives by providing multiple environmental, social and economical benefits to our cities such as absorbing CO2, cooling our homes and reducing our stress. Research shows that living near trees lowers the risk of mortality from common causes and helps to improve our mental health. The effects of climate change in our cities can be mitigated by increasing our urban canopy.

Under the guidance of Jeremy Zoller and his crew from Sunshine Earth Works, the Grounds Committee, co-op members, and volunteers from Pembina and the whole community will be removing sod, preparing the soil, and planting trees and shrubs.  

The work for this is currently postponed. Please stay posted for future updates.

Plan to join us in participating with our community in some healthy physical labour to bring this fabulous spring project to fruition (pun intended). 

Submitted by

Pamela Boyd

SHC Grounds Committee.

Social Impact Renters: The Success of the Mixed Income Model

Written by Cynthia Mazereeuw, Norfolk Housing

Most people hear ‘affordable housing organization’ and assume a certain amount of fundraising and governmental intervention to maintain operations.

And for a lot of housing models, that is absolutely true and entirely crucial to success. Without funds to boost operations, organizations would be unable to deliver the critical services that they provide to populations in need.

But what if we told you that for NHA’s unique mixed income model of housing, it is (almost) as simple – and as hugely important – as social impact renters?

Let’s delve deeper:

At Norfolk Housing Association, our mixed model means that half of our residents pay rent geared-to-income – they pay a percentage of their income, regardless of what that is (with a minimum base), which allows persons on lower or fixed incomes to live in excellent, stable housing and be part of a community of their choosing.

The other half of our residents, the aforementioned “social impact renters”, pay market rent – rents normal to, or slightly below, the current market price for a given neighbourhood – knowing that their full rent payment directly offsets another person’s rent, allowing both parties to live in a diverse, inclusive community that promotes overall social good and a healthy economy.

Kind of cool, right?

Social impact renters benefit too. Hugely.

The misconception here might be that only half of NHA’s population benefits from our mixed-income model. But that just isn’t true. In fact, our market renters are quick to share all of the ways they benefit from being part of our community.

At NHA, it’s important to us that rent and utilities are kept affordable for everyone. This means that we never raise rents more than 5% annually – for any of our residents. It also means that everyone, whether they pay market rent or not, has access to incentive programs such as Calgary Dollars, which allows residents to turn in a portion of their rent through Calgary Dollars instead of federal currency. That translates to savings across the board!

Beyond that, social impact renters have access to a diverse community with rich amenities in a sought-after section of the city. Not to mention, we’re pet friendly and compassionate, meaning they also get to live with the security of knowing that in the event of a major life change, they have landlords who will work with them to ensure their continuity of home, safety, and stability for the long run. Plus, we’re pet friendly - and I think we can all agree that pets make everything better!

In other words, everyone wins

Together, through the mixed income model, neighbours advance an inclusive and respectful community; this ripples out of our buildings and is echoed into the communities that Norfolk serves (and beyond). Social impact renters are not the only reason the mixed model works – but they are at the very heart of it all.