Hillhurst Sunnyside: Historic Street Names | THEN & NOW

BUILDING COMMUNITY ONE STREET AT A TIME: Hillhurst Sunnyside neighbours gather at the pedestrian gates of historic 10A, 11, 11A and 12 Streets (with bonus Gladstone Road) at a recent community photo shoot. Photo collage by Stephanie Corbett

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Written by Lisa Chong: this article appeared in the September 2019 issue of the Hillhurst Sunnyside Voice

Walking along the north side of Kensington Road, reminders of our neighbourhood’s historic street names are posted on the splendid wrought iron pedestrian gates into the residential areas of our 100+ year old community: 10A St was Norfolk Road; 11th St was Beverley Street; 11A St was Preston Street; and 12th St was Oxford Street. The street gates were designed by resident and visual artist, Pamma FitzGerald in ~1992 and appears on the September 2019 cover of the Hillhurst Sunnyside Voice newsletter (above).

Prior to European settlement, this area was home to the people of the traditional Treaty 7 nations, the Piikani, Siksika, Kainai, Iyarhe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina. Gladstone Road / 4 Ave – which crosses our community diagonally (SW to NE) from 14th Street to 10th Street – was part of an indigenous trail, which explains why this roadway breaks from the gridiron layout of Calgary’s inner city communities.

Street names in Calgary’s early days often reflected the heritage of the landowners. Author, Harry Sanders describes that Hillhurst streets were given Anglo-Saxon names to attract British residents in the same way that Bridgeland streets were given Italian names in the predominantly Italian neighbourhood.

10th Street was formerly Morleyville Road which led to the Methodist Mission in Morley; the very short 3rd Ave in Hillhurst was known as Cornwall Avenue, while 13th St was Richmond Street. As we move west to what was historically Upper Hillhurst, there is a note indicating “Scattered Wooden Dwellings Beyond” in neat printed writing on the old fire insurance maps; indeed, the area was home to a few small-scale agricultural and textile facilities. 14th St was known as Strathcona Street; 15th St was Imperial Avenue and 16th St was Nelson Street. 1st Ave (between 16th & 18th Streets) was Alexandra Street.

Aerial map 1924-26: City of Calgary

7th Ave, adjacent to the St. Barnabas Anglican Church was fittingly, Church Ave, while 5th Ave in Hillhurst was originally Victoria Avenue. The soon-to-be-built “Victoria on 5th” apartment redevelopment between 10th St and 11th St takes its name from the historic street name, which was given in honour of Queen Victoria (1818-1901).

Riley Park:  Ezra Hounsfield Riley and his family were prominent homesteaders and sold the land (now Hillhurst) to the City of Calgary between 1904-1910. They resided on Buckingham Ave (8th Ave) where the Agape Hospice stands today. The adjacent 8.23-hectare Riley Park was donated by the Riley family to the citizens of Calgary as a public park.

Salvation Army Sunset Lodge, formerly Ezra Riley home, then Salvation Army Rescue Home, 1302 8th Avenue NW: Allison Jackson, 1965

Sunnyside was a predominantly a Scottish homesteading settlement in the late 1800s and was called New Edinborough. Sunnyside was developed further in the early 1900s by the CPR as the community grew. Numbered streets started perpendicular to the Bow River and westward from Centre Street. 9A St next to the train tracks was once Merchiston Avenue, a name that reflects Sunnyside’s Scottish-Edinburgh origins.

New Edinborough Park located in the heart of Sunnyside – continues to be the community gathering place for the annual volunteer-led park party celebrating community spirit after the 2013 flood. It is also where Calgary’s annual, city-wide Neighbour Day got its start!

Calgary 1911-14 Fire Insurance Map: University of Calgary

Kensington Road/Centre Avenue: Calgary historian, Alan Zakrison says that Kensington Road and many of the streets in Hillhurst were named by the primarily English settlers. After some back and forth between the City and communities in switching between numbered streets and named streets, the City of Calgary decided that the dividing line between North Calgary and South Calgary would be Kensington Avenue (renamed to Centre Avenue) north of the Bow River.

Because the Centre Ave dividing line was causing a great deal of confusion, the north/south boundary was changed in 1925 to follow the north and south banks of the Bow River. Centre Ave NE still exists in Bridgeland to this day. Centre Ave NW was renamed back to Kensington Ave (later Kensington Road) and the streets to the south of Kensington continue to this day with historic names such as Westmount Road (1st St SW), Bowness Road (2nd St SW) and Broadview Road (3rd St SW) in the neighbourhoods of Westmount (west and between 14th St and Crowchild Trail) and Broadview (east and between 14th St and 10th St).

Calgary 1912 Map: Calgary Public Library

Memorial Drive NW:  Memorial Drive was known as Broadview Boulevard prior to 1911, The Boulevard from 1911-1919, and Westmount Boulevard (west of 10th St) from 1919-1965. Memorial Drive is also the north/south boundary east of Deerfoot Trail today.

Yes, there is a Bowness Road in Hillhurst Sunnyside!  Residents in the area recount that Bowness Road was laid out with extra width because it was intended to host the streetcar route leading to the town of Bowness (annexed to the city of Calgary in 1964). The 1945 Municipal Railway Map shows the route running along Kensington Road and onto Bowness Road instead.

Today, Hillhurst’s Bowness Rd hosts one of three lilac medians in Hillhurst, planted by the City of Calgary’s third Parks & Cemetery superintendent, William Reader between 1929-32. The lilac medians on 6th Ave, 11A St and Bowness Rd were planted during the City Beautiful Movement, which was a deliberate effort to construct tree-lined boulevards and medians with formal plantings and to beautify city streets and contribute to citizen well-being. The three lilac streetscapes were added to the City’s Inventory of Historic Resources in 2011.

Bowness Rd continued under its moniker as it made its way east across 14th Street. Some time ago, the eastern portion of Bowness Rd was renamed to Kensington Crescent between 11A and 11th Streets. In the 1990s, the developer of the Providence Kensington condos used this precedent and obtained signatures going door-to-door and through a plebiscite, the western portion of Bowness Rd between 13th St and 11A St became Kensington Close. This change was intended to reflect a more prestigious street address for the building.

Do you have any stories about your street? Contact lisa.c@hsca.ca and share your story with the HSCA Heritage Subcommittee and we would be happy to include these in a future article. You can also view Margaret Tanko’s Hillhurst Sunnyside Remembers (1978) book located on our website at: www.hsca.ca.

Resources/Sources:

• Alan Zakrison, Calgary historian and researcher, Old Sidewalk Stamps

• Calgary Fire Insurance Maps (1911-14)

• Calgary Municipal Railway (January 22, 1945)

• Calgary Public Library: Historic Maps of Calgary and Alberta

• City of Calgary Inventory of Evaluated Historic Resources

• Conserving Calgary’s Historic Streets (2018)

• Harry Sanders, Historic Walks of Calgary (2005)

• Hillhurst Sunnyside Remembers (1978)

• Hillhurst Sunnyside Walking Tour (2007)

• Lorna Cordeiro, Pamma Fitzgerald, Patti Dawkins & Robin Lee, Hillhurst Sunnyside residents

• Memories of a 70 Year Old Community Association (2018)

Hillhurst Sunnyside at a Glance | Census 2019

Contributors: Lisa Chong (author, infographic) + Matt Crowley (data analysis) | HSCA Community Planning

The City of Calgary has released their April 2019 census results on September 3rd. This data is available for viewing at www.calgary.ca/census. Overall, Calgary’s population has gone up from 1,267,344 in 2018 to 1,285,711 at a 1.45% increase. Population increase was largely attributed to new suburban communities: Mahogany, Legacy, Nolan Hill, Cornerstone, and Redstone saw the most growth.

A Vision for Calgary

City Council adopted the Municipal Development Plan (MDP) in 2010 in response to continued, projected population growth in Calgary. At the time, the MDP envisioned a 1/3 population growth in the established areas and 2/3 in the new suburbs for the next thirty years with the goal of a 50/50 split in sixty years’ time. The City’s recent Next 20 project was intended as a ten-year policy review of these goals (the MDP review has now been reduced in scope as a result of the City’s budget cuts in June 2019).

A Vision for Hillhurst Sunnyside

Ten years have passed since Council’s approval of the Hillhurst Sunnyside Area Redevelopment Plan: Part II Transit Oriented Development (ARP; 2009). The ARP is the policy that guides new development in our community. Since then, we have seen a steady population increase of around 1,800 people. Hillhurst has lost population in the last two years, in part, due to the permanent evacuation of residents at Kensington Manor.

Using the City of Calgary’s census numbers and 2008 population prior to the ARP, Hillhurst Sunnyside has seen a compounded annual growth rate in its population of 1.8%. By comparison, Calgary has experienced a 1.9% compounded population growth over that same time period. In order for the City to meet 1/3 of its total growth from established areas, higher growth rates are needed in mature areas.

Based on HSCA’s internal development application tracking, Hillhurst Sunnyside has a total of 25 developments ongoing with a minimum of 6 units. There is a total of 132 residential units currently under construction.

Hillhurst Sunnyside Planning Committee Development Tracking | Current as of September 2019

Over the next 5 years, we can expect to welcome an additional 1,800 people the community (based on completion of 30% of predevelopment projects and 60% of approved projects). This would amount to a compounded growth rate of 2.8% since 2009 and 5.8% since 2019. In part, this represents a change in consumer preferences to be located in walkable communities, complete with amenities and services that emphasize lifestyle. As Hillhurst Sunnyside residents, our livable community is something to be truly proud of. For the second year in a row, the Economist has rated Calgary the #1 most livable city in North America and 5th most livable in the entire world.

Despite the current economic climate, planning and development for new buildings in the community continues to forge ahead (see: developmentmap.calgary.ca). The community is now poised to take part in the City of Calgary’s new approach to planning with the multi-community district-based planning (see: North Hill Communities Local Growth Planning).

A Vision for Your Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association

As a community association that serves Hillhurst and Sunnyside, a deeper understanding of the demographic makeup of our community is crucial to the sustainability of our organization and ensuring we continue to offer relevant programming to our current and future neighbours.

HSCA continually works at achieving diverse representation on our Board of Directors. This includes a wide range of ages, professions, expertise, housing tenure and geographical location in the community.

In recent years, we embarked on imagineHSCA in 2014, which was a visioning exercise for our community association. In 2017, we hosted a larger-scale community survey that served as a starting point of conversation about current programs/services and understanding the value which residents hope to gain from us. This valuable feedback is helping us shape current and future offerings at HSCA. You can review the results of our survey at this link.

While there is a general perception that community associations are made up of more established residents, we have observed a steady flow of volunteers, members and participants from a variety of backgrounds and ages. It is important to hear from not only these residents, but neighbours that traditionally have a smaller voice: HSCA meets regularly with various social agencies and non-profit housing groups to share information, build relationships and invite neighbours to take part in community life.

A Vision for the Future

HSCA continues to serve our strong, vibrant, inclusive community with a proud housing mix of rentals, home-ownership, cooperative housing, multi-residential, laneway homes and everything in between. We are an intergenerational and mixed income community. All are welcome at your friendly Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association ❤️

Check out our community overview on our accompanying infographic!

View fullsize

Hillhurst Sunnyside Factsheet | September 3, 2019

Fraud Alerts

Recently, a senior had a phone call – referred to as an Emergency Scam, and it went something like this…

“Hi grandma, I need your help. I am in Montreal and I had my wallet stolen. I need some money to get back home.”

“Who is this?”

“Grandma, don’t you recognize your own grandson’s voice?”

“Jesse?”

“Yes, it’s Jesse. I really need your help grandma.”

“What are you doing in Montreal?”

“I came here for a friend's wedding, but my wallet was stolen, and I have no way to get back home. Please grandma, I need your help.”

“Why didn’t you call your mother?”

“No grandma, please don’t call mom. She will be so upset with me because I didn’t tell her I was going. She can’t know I was here. Please grandma you have to help me.”

“Jesse I can’t help you. I don’t have any money to send you.” “Please grandma, I really need help. Couldn’t you….”

Thankfully the senior ended the conversation with “I cannot help you, call your mother.” The caller then hung up. As I am sure you realize, this was a scam. It is called an Emergency scam and many seniors fall victim to it every day. We care about our kids and grandkids and we want to help or get them out of trouble. Unfortunately, scammers have tapped into this care and concern and some seniors have lost money after attempting to ‘help’ a grandchild in a bind—only to discover they had been deceived by a convincing scammer. When I talked to this senior about this being a scam, her response was, “but how did he know Jesse’s name?” I explained that she told it to him when he made the comment, “Grandma, don’t you recognize your own grandson’s voice?” If we are not careful, when we receive “scam” phone calls, we can inadvertently give away personal information. The callers are very good at picking up on the clues and working with them. They are very good at what they do. This is only one type of scam. I am sure that most of us have received the calls about lowering our credit card interest, or from Canada Revenue indicating we owe them money, or even the special holiday trips that will give us a lot of “free” stuff, including reduced hotel rates, for a small fee or any of several other calls from scammers. You can block the number, but generally they can just call again using another number. You can tell them to stop calling, but usually they are randomly generated numbers and they don’t know who they are calling, the phone number for that person, or where they are located. They get that information the more they talk to us, often without us realizing that we, ourselves, have given them that information.

Competition Bureau Canada has a great publication called “The Little Black Book of Scams” that can be found on their website: www.competitionbureau.gc.ca. Scroll down and click on “The Little Black Book of Scams 2nd edition”. There is information about different types of scams, tips to protect yourself as well as what to do and who to call if you want to report a scam. Share what you learn with other family members. These scammers are creative and always coming up with something new. If someone is asking for personal information or money, just hang up.

When we are struggling with finances (which can happen to most of us at times), we may expect to get a call. If you do, ask for their name and id number, write it down, then hang up and call the number you have for that service, DO NOT CALL THE NUMBER THEY GIVE YOU.

Don’t let yourself be bullied over the phone, hang up. If you are worried about your credit card or you bank, energy bill etc., call the number on your statements to check it out.

Resources:

https://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca

Written by Debbie Olson, Seniors’ Connection Coordinator

Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Garden Turns 30!

Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Garden Turns 30!

 The Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Garden (HSCG) celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Initiated by Jim Hollicky in 1989, the garden boasts 33 plots for residents in Hillhurst Sunnyside, and has served as a great connector of residents.

Garden Leader, Richard Smith and his partner Buff Smith have been involved with the garden for 12 years. They moved from Peace River — where they maintained a huge garden — to their home in Sunnyside — which has a small and shaded backyard — and sought a space to grow some veggies. Buff says, “We saw [the garden] and I asked about it (because I always chat people up). We thought it would take a while and just kept asking every two weeks until finally they were like ‘*sigh* okay here’. We were so lucky the way it all happened.”

Buff and Richard speak about the community and connection that makes the HSCG such an excellent tool for residents to engage with one another. Richard says the greatest reward has been the gardeners. He says, “[It’s a] great group of people. They really are excellent. And a number of them have become friends. People that you see on the street and chat with and talk about gardening and other stuff are the best part.”

Buff agrees, “Definitely the people [are the greatest reward] and the fact that you get to run over and pick fresh vegetables too.”

But the garden is not without its obstacles. Richard says routinely weather is the biggest challenge. He says, “Hailstorm in a garden and it looks like somebody put it through a shredder. It’s pretty disappointing.”

Another challenge, the duo says, can be gardeners with an agenda and who may not be so community minded. Richard says, “It’s the same in any group of people, 95% of them are willing to do their bit and volunteer and then there’s 5% who don’t and they can be a pain. There are obligations like coming to the spring clean up and fall clean up and some people just don’t and it’s frustrating. But as I say, it’s 5% of the time. A small minority.”

Buff believes this is “Only because it’s a community garden, so it’s not just about growing the produce it’s about growing the community. When there are people who only want to come and garden then that’s their expectation and that’s all they want to do, so you have to recognize that not everyone thinks community is important.”

The HSCG also produces a lot of compostable material and Richard mentioned that the City’s compost program has been a barrier for the garden financially. In order to eliminate their black cart, the garden took on two green carts, but this changed their status and the price per month skyrocketed. He says, “It cost us over $1100 to have two green carts. It’s $75 per month per cart because we’re classified as commercial. So that’s a challenge right now.

Our total revenues are only $1540 for the plots. And if we’re spending $1100 for compost we can’t do it. So I’m trying to get Waste and Recycling to classify us as residential.

I’m hearing from other community gardens that they’re not using the green carts, they’re doing something else, so there isn’t pressure right now from other community gardens.”

And what do they and HSCG gardeners hope for the next 30 years of gardening? Richard says, “We need more community gardens. There must be 60 people on the HSCG waitlist right now. And it’s at least a two year wait to get on a plot. There are 33 plots in our garden and there were 4 vacancies this year and that’s kind of typical. I think it was a similar case with the Kensington Community First Garden. I hear there’s some talk with Bow to Bluff and Sunnyside Shared garden and making that into an allotment garden.”

Community gardens are important for Hillhurst Sunnyside residents. Richard says, “It brings people together and helps to create community. And aligns with so many other things the community association does like drop in badminton, soccer, potluck nights and stuff. It brings people together. And gives them an opportunity to donate some produce to Fresh Food Basket. And there are people who share their gardens, or their skills and expertise to help others out.”

Buff says community gardens such as HSCG, “Allow people who live in the city and don’t have access to a plot to grow fresh food and feed their family better. And get back to the dirt. There are people who have never gardened before and they’re so intimidated and then when they get their first crops their so excited to be eating fresh stuff.”

We hope that HSCG enjoys another amazing 30 years (and more!) and that community gardens in our neighbourhood will continue to grow (pun intended) and flourish.

Written by Jessica Clark, Communications Manager

Neighbour Day Events in Hillhurst Sunnyside

Hillhurst Sunnyside Community | Neighbour Day Happenings June 15th

Neighbour day is coming up on June 15th and there are so many exciting things happening in Hillhurst Sunnyside for you to enjoy! See below for this year's exciting events and click through the links for more details:

Bowview Pool OPENS- The Bowview Outdoor Swimming pool opens up to the public. Lessons are currently taking registrations!

Community Wide Yard Sales-  9am-2pm between Kensington Road & 5th Ave NW, visit the streets of 10A, 11th, 11A, 12th, and 13th (and beyond??) It’s back! The super-duper, you-won’t-wanna-miss-it: Kensington-Wide Yard-Sale Day! For 18 years (and counting), neighbors have pillaged their attics & storage spaces to find all kinds of interesting things to offer for sale--AND, as an added perk, there are always some young entrepreneurs offering up tasty treats to eat, too.

Sunnyside Park Party- A community-led event at New Edinborough Park from 3-7pm complete with live music, games, baby racing and more! Donations welcome to make this event a success! 

Hillhurst Block Party BBQ- 3-7pm at 1700 Block Bowness Road NW. If you live in Hillhurst come out for some games and food! Donations welcome to make this event a success! 

Framed on Fifth Sidewalk and Backyard Festival-  Framed on Fifth invites you to meet your Calgary area artists.  Chat, watch them work and check out their skills  and finished artworks in front of our gallery and in our open backyard.

Food Forest Pilot Project - Please note this project has been postponed. Stay tuned for future updates.

Community Planning and Engagement Update for June

Community Planning and Engagement

The Hillhurst Sunnyside Planning Committee (HSPC) will be meeting on Tuesday June 11, 2019 from 7-9pm. All community residents are welcome! Agendas and past minutes are posted on www.hsca.ca/meetings.

Please help us welcome the applicant’s team at Ocgrow and architects at Riddell Kurczaba as they provide an update on the proposed development at 211-221 14 St NW (site of the yellow National Transmission auto garage on the west side of 14 St between Kensington Rd and 2 Ave).

Want to volunteer? HSPC is looking for more representation from Sunnyside and condo neighbours. All are welcome – guests, students and whether you rent or own your home or have a business in the neighbourhood. Please bring your ideas and an open mind. Contact lisa.c@hsca.ca.

Ocgrow | 211-221 14 St NW (National Transmission Building)

Ocgrow has submitted a rezoning and ARP amendment application for this site for a 26m (8-storey), 5 FAR mixed use building (ARP limit of 20m or 6 storeys and 4 FAR). Because this is a proposed change to bylaw, the application will need to go through City Council for their final decision.

The due date for community comments is Monday, June 10, 2019. For information or to provide comments, please contact the City of Calgary File Manager at matt.rockley@calgary.ca. You can copy HSPC at lisa@hsca.ca and Councillor Farrell’s office at caward7@calgary.ca.

Background information:

·       HSPC overview: https://hsca-community-planning.mn.co/posts/residents-meeting-may-30-2019-natl-transmission-redevelopment.

·       Developer’s project website http://engageocgrowkensington.com

·       Review the status of the application at the City’s Planning Map website at www.calgary.ca/pdmap.

Kensington Manor | 321 10 St NW

View an update on the vacant Kensington Manor building at https://hsca-community-planning.mn.co/posts/kensington-manor-june-4-2019-council-report.

Bow to Bluff public parks project – FUNDED

Check out an exciting news announcement from Councillor Druh Farrell on the citizen-initiated Bow to Bluff project. The project was the result of years of resident engagement and advocacy to transform and create activity on the triangle-shaped parks along the LRT line from the Bow River to McHugh Bluff. Read more at https://hsca-community-planning.mn.co/posts/bow-to-bluff-funded.

Water for Riley: the drinking fountain

Check out another win for the community from the volunteer team at Water for Riley on the installation of the drinking fountain on the west side of Riley Park by the playground! Check out their blog for updates at http://www.waterforriley.org.

Bow River Naturalization and McHugh Bluff Goats

The City is beginning work this May to naturalize the park open space near 14 Street NW along Memorial Drive, and a portion of the McHugh Bluff natural area. The goals of this naturalization project are to: establish more natural, self-sustaining vegetation communities within the boulevards, provide habitat for native pollinators (e.g., bees, butterflies) and reduce non-native invasive plant species.

Read more and view the map of the affected areas at https://hsca-community-planning.mn.co/posts/city-of-calgary-naturalization-the-goats-are-coming-back.

Residential Parking Program Review

Written by Lisa Chong, Community Planning and Engagement Coordinator

Jane's Walk 2019 - A Weekend in Hillhurst Sunnyside

Jane’s Walk 2019: A Weekend in Hillhurst Sunnyside

It’s the annual Jane’s Walk festival the weekend of May 3, 4, & 5! Jane’s Walks are free, locally-led walking tours inspired by legendary urban activist, Jane Jacobs. Walks are hosted by volunteers on the first weekend of May, whether it’s rain, snow or shine. Hillhurst Sunnyside has you covered with four walks on Saturday and Sunday – participation in any (or all four) walks is optional. Click on the links for details on each walk as follows:

Gentle Density in Historic Hillhurst
Saturday May 4 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Starts at HSCA, 1320 5 Avenue NW and ending at containR
Hosted by Decker, Lorna & Lisa and guest presenters (Hillhurst residents, Studio North, Sunnyside Sustainable Living)

Sunnyside Garage Art Tour
Saturday May 4 from 1:45 PM to 3:15 PM
Starts at containR, 1020 2 Avenue NW
Hosted by Christie and Darren

Spark Change – A Look at Laneway Housing
Sunday May 5 from 1-2:00 PM
Starts and ends at HSCA, 1350 5 Avenue NW
Hosted by Maricris & Lisa and guest presenters (Alloy Homes, City of Calgary).

Flood Protection in Sunnyside
Sunday May 5 from 4-6:00 PM
Starts and ends at the Sunnyside Bus Loop at 748 5 Street NW. Bonus: the City will arrange to open the doors to take a peek in the recently completed Sanitary Lift Station.
Hosted by Charlie, Lisa and Vania (City of Calgary Water Resources)

A fair amount of planning goes into the Jane’s Walk events. We sat down with Lisa Chong, Community Planning & Engagement Coordinator at the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association to learn more about organizing Jane’s Walk in Hillhurst Sunnyside.

Who is Jane?

Jane Jacobs (1916-2006) was an urbanist and activist whose writings championed a fresh, community-based approach to city building. She saw cities as ecosystems that had their own logic and dynamism which would change over time according to how they were used. With a keen eye for detail, she wrote eloquently about sidewalks, parks, retail design and self-organization. At the core of her work and thinking was the need to get out and walk your city and observe how people, through their actions and interactions, create communities with a strong sense of belonging (from the Calgary Foundation’s Jane’s Walk website).

What is Hillhurst Sunnyside’s relationship to Jane?

I was first introduced to the writings of Jane Jacobs in my Urban Studies 201 class in university. Jane’s ability to mobilize communities and champion for vibrant and diverse neighbourhoods piqued my interest in how planning, policy and design influences the social fabric of place and eventually led me to the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association.

The community activism that has shaped Hillhurst Sunnyside mirrors Jane’s work in many ways:

• A strong sense of social justice and inclusivity resulted in HSCA’s historical and current advocacy for family-oriented and affordable housing, food security, social services and harm-reduction programs and support for seniors.

• Resilience, demonstrating strength of community, organization and advocacy that resulted from the 2013 floods.

• The HSCA Planning Committee has existed in various forms since the 1970s and continues to work to inform and educate residents in planning and development initiatives and ensure that neighbours have an opportunity to engage in civic matters together with the City of Calgary and development applicants.

Hillhurst Sunnyside was host to Jane herself: Ms Jacobs visited our community and saw Hillhurst Sunnyside as embodying the planning principles articulated in her 1961 book, “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” through successful qualities of scale and mixes of people with place. We also have a unique family connection to Jane as you will learn on the Saturday tour and at the following link – In the Family Footsteps: An Interview with Jane Jacob’s Calgary Nephew.

What was your process with organizing the Hillhurst Sunnyside walks?

Planning for this walk started a year in advance, when residents were asked what they would like to learn about in the 2019 walk. Walking tours can be tough to run as individuals, so we asked people to help! I’m connected with people daily due to my role at HSCA, the close-knit nature of the community and through redevelopment initiatives.

We have also cultivated positive relationships with City of Calgary staff who are excited to present about their work and to educate about the City’s process and talk about how citizens can engage in city- and community-building.

Development applicants also reach out to us as the Community Association (and vice versa) to present their design ideas to the wider community. We like to involve industry folks in the community through dialogue as new buildings will stand long after their design applications are accepted by the City and eventually built.

Our guest presenters are usually more than happy to talk about their work and about what they love about “home”.

What were some of the successes and learnings from the 2018 Walk?

Participants of the 2018 housing walk were thrilled to learn more about the city that they live in and asked excellent questions of our guest presenters. We delivered our Land Acknowledgement, welcomed participants and introduced HSCA before starting our journey. We connected Calgarians with 12 presenters and stories from neighbours, local non-profit housing organizations and the City of Calgary as we covered 2454 steps (1.87 km) and hosted 40 engaged minds and pairs of feet.

Some residents told us that while they are not able to participate in events at the HSCA building, they loved the idea of joining us on a collaborative walk and learning together. We were featured on Global News and on social media, generating interest and support in affordable housing and population diversity: https://globalnews.ca/news/4189734/more-calgary-affordable-housing-units-urged.

We found that participants wanted a chance to decompress, quench their thirst, and discuss what they learned. We also learned to reduce the distance of the walk, as it was a challenge to move so many people on a tight schedule and split up our walks. This year, we were awarded a modest Stepping Stones grant from the Calgary Foundation/First Calgary to provide refreshments during the first Saturday walking tour (lemonade, anyone?).

Additionally, we partnered with Sunnyside residents and walk leaders (Christie and Darren) to host two back-to-back walks on Saturday May 4 with a picnic lunch break and conversations in between. Bring your own food and drink and a blanket to sit on as we continue the conversation at containR.

Who else will be a part of the festival weekend?

To find more Jane's Walks in Calgary, go to https://www.janeswalk.calgaryfoundation.org.  Remember to check back often as the website is still populating with all the various volunteer-led walks across the city.

Do you have any advice for any residents who may want to start a Jane’s Walk in their neighbourhood?

Ask for help!

You can get together with a neighbour or a friend on a topic you feel passionate about and start from there. This walk-buddy will help keep you motivated and will serve as a sounding board for any ideas. There are resources available at the Calgary Public Library and on the City of Calgary website, if you are looking for facts and historical information.

The Calgary Foundation organizes, promotes and provides training for aspiring Jane’s Walk Leaders in Calgary – contact Julie Black and Janet Hails for more information or go to their website at https://janeswalk.calgaryfoundation.org. You can also connect with HSCA and we can help you promote your walk on our media channels.

Where else can people go to learn more about Jane?

The Calgary Urban Affairs Book Club is hosting an event, “Jane’s Talk” to discuss the book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities.

Wednesday May 15, 2019
Former Central Library
616 Macleod Trail SE
6:30-8:00 PM

Register and find out more at https://showpass.com/janes-talk.

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.

Canada's Food Guide - A Welcome Change

The new Canada’s Food Guide is a welcome change from the highly structured and restrictive days of its past. The new guide no longer looks to dictate your diet in perfect portions, but actually act as a guide. The eye-catching new plate diagram is a much easier portioning system to understand, and replaces the old (highly-industry influenced) rainbow. The main recommendation is simple: eat more plants. It isn’t about cutting out meat, dairy and grains, but simply shifting our portion sizes to have the focus be on vegetables and fruits.

These positive, plant and protein focused changes are highly important to the health of Canadians of all ages, however our favourite parts of the new food guide are actually in the additional recommendations. They encourage Canadians to try out some revolutionary ideas: cook more often, eat with others, and enjoy your food! Okay, maybe they aren’t so revolutionary, but they are surprisingly relevant reminders in a time where we applaud being busy, and prioritize convenience over our own well-being. Here are some of our own tips and tricks to help you explore these ideas:

Cook more often:

Cooking takes time, and if that is something you’re short on, try to carve out just a couple of times a week that you commit to cooking dinner- and get the whole family involved if possible! Make it fun by trying a new recipe (pro tip- head to the third floor of our new downtown Calgary Public Library and take out a cookbook to base a whole meal around), play music or listen to a podcast while you cook, or appoint one of the kids ‘head chef’ and allow them to choose the meal plan for the evening. Feeling uninspired? Come by our weekly Farmers’ Market on Wednesday to find some fresh ingredients or chat food with our awesome vendors.

Eat meals with others:

Host a potluck or dinner club with your friends and neighbours! Themes help make group meals easier- choose a culture to explore, have guests bring items that align with the theme, and play music from that country to create some great atmosphere! New to the neighbourhood or looking for a way to get to know some more folks in the area? Every Thursday at the HSCA from 6-8pm everyone is welcome at our Neighbour Night program where you can share in a vegetarian meal, and a fun activity. Additionally, the second Friday of every month we host a Community Potluck- all are welcome!

Enjoy your food:

It seems simple, but when it comes to food- you should enjoy it! Eat what you like. But of course, try to keep the focus on plants! If you don’t like vegetables much, find at least one you do enjoy (at least a little bit!) and look up several different ways to prepare it. Cauliflower doesn’t always have to be steamed and bland… try it as a garlic mash, with chickpeas in a curry, or as cauliflower “chicken” wings. If you don’t enjoy what you’re eating, you’ll cook less, and rely more on processed and convenience foods. Eat local to improve flavour and nutritional value, and try new things! Variety is the spice of life after all.

• Written by Heather Ramshaw - Community Programs Coordinator

SAVE THE DATE! THE 2019 AGM WILL TAKE PLACE ON TUESDAY APRIL 30, 7-9PM

Our annual general meeting takes place once a year in April. All residents of Hillhurst Sunnyside are encouraged and invited to attend. Come spend the evening with us and learn what the HSCA Board of Directors and our various committees are up to. Members must have their current year membership purchased and paid for 30 days prior to the scheduled AGM in order to run and or vote for board positions during the meeting. 

Renew your membership to vote

To be eligible for voting in the AGM residents must renew membership 30 days prior to the scheduled AGM.

Renewals may be done online: https://central.ivrnet.com/hsca/membership_plans Or in person at the HSCA front office from Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:30pm.

HSCA Board of Directors Voting and Nominations

Resident participation in the Board of Directors voting and nomination process is highly encouraged. Our Board of Directors at HSCA has an active involvement with numerous programs, events and activities in the facility and the community. The Board also operates critical task forces and committees. Hillhurst Sunnyside residents with valid HSCA membership are encouraged also to run for Board positions. We are a diverse group of motivated professionals working on interesting and engaging projects for a forward-looking community association.

Board meetings are held monthly – If you are interested in finding out more about joining the Board or nominating someone for the Board you may contact our Executive Director, Kate Stenson 403-283-0554 ext 221, email: kate.s@hsca.ca

Community Service Award Nominations

Do you know someone, or are you someone making a difference in Hillhurst Sunnyside?

Please email: jessica.c@hsca.ca with the candidate’s name and a brief explanation as to why the nominee is an outstanding member of our community. Please include the contact information for yourself and the nominee. Nominees may be resident or non-resident, member or non-member provided their community service experience had positive impact in the neighbourhood of Hillhurst Sunnyside.

Thank you for supporting HSCA! We look forward to connecting with you at the AGM

How Can Your Community Association Support You?

March is Community Association Awareness Month. This means that the HSCA and other Calgary CAs (there are over 150 in YYC) want you to know about all of the amazing opportunities to give back to your community association—and there are many ways; from volunteer positions, to donations, to membership, to attending events—but we would also like to take this opportunity to make you aware of the ways HSCA can give back to you.

Resident-Led Initiatives (in our spaces)

The Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association is known for both our Farmers’ Market and Flea Market, but did you know that these programs were initially started, led or developed by residents in the community?

And our drop-in Badminton group and art class program were also ideas that first developed outside of our regular programming. Chair yoga is another example. These arts and recreations ideas came from instructors who wanted to find a foothold for their businesses or share their gifts with the community and found such success in collaboration and a fit with our mission and values that we adopted them into our program offerings.

They all share a common thread of passionate volunteers and participants who pitched ideas for programs they wanted to see in the building, and they helped nurture and grow those in our spaces for the benefit of the community.

            The Kensington Community First Garden, located beside the HSCA building, established in 2010, was also a project developed and implemented by residents with some facilitation from HSCA to secure grants and funding, as well as some ongoing stewardship of the garden plots when it was adopted into our Community Food Program.

Resident-Led Initiatives (outside of our spaces)

Community gardens are also a good example of resident-led initiatives.

The Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Garden, established in 1989, was founded by residents who wanted to provide a place for those with limited space to grow their own food and to meet neighbours who shared their passion.

            And HSCA’s Vitalization Committee worked with the City of Calgary to develop placemaking and public art installation opportunities in the community such as Bow to Bluff and containR.

Community Planning

The Community Planning Committee is another example of what HSCA can give back to residents. The committee is volunteer driven and plays a valuable role in providing advice, background information and community context, as well as expressing the concerns of the Community Association to the City of Calgary and to applicants, and advocating for development that fulfills the vision as described in the Area Redevelopment Plan.

            HSCA’s Community Planning Coordinator, Lisa, has also taken on Community Engagement initiatives into her role and is available to assist with questions and applications for community grants to throw events such as block parties, or Neighbour Day events.  

Outreach and Resources

During and after the 2013 flood in Calgary, mobilization of support efforts on a community level were implemented the quickest. Residents who were flood affected were not necessarily willing to speak to government officials but would open the door to speak to their neighbours.

Eventually, a Flood Task Force was created to assist with the overwhelming amount of information. This task force then evolved into the Emergency Planning and Response Committee of the HSCA board. Volunteers of the committee use their knowledge and expertise, in a similar way to Community Planning Committee volunteers, to advocate for residents, host open houses and informational sessions and push for progress. They also developed a Community Emergency Plan to help keep Hillhurst Sunnyside residents informed and safe.

The Community Connections program at HSCA assists residents either through direct support or by sharing information on available resources externally. Community Connections outreach programs include the Fresh Food Basket, and yearly Tax clinics, and also provides free and accessible opportunities for all residents to participate in social events or programs such as Drop-In ESL Club, Neighbour Night, Seniors Drop in groups (cards or knitting), and Community Potlucks.

Volunteer and Career Experience

Community associations and the community at large benefit greatly from the hard work and skills of volunteers, but there are also opportunities for volunteers to learn and develop new skills and knowledge through volunteering. And for student volunteers we can sometimes provide support through bursaries.

            HSCA also hires practicum students and summer students to assist with their education programs and they in turn are provided with meaningful employment that can be applied to their school requirements.

Stories and Belonging

Some of the most compelling stories originate at the community level. Last year, Christie Page and the Garage Door Art Project in Sunnyside gained traction and attention in the news after receiving mention on HSCA channels. And who would have predicted that Painting Birdhouses, a project initiated by North Hill Centre to revitalize the Hearth Room would have gained that kind of steam? But it speaks to the strength of our local partnerships that we could reach out to Framed on Fifth for support on this and they came through in a big way.

            Sense of Belonging is generated through these types of initiatives (and many of the above mentioned) as like-minded residents come together to share and explore their passions in the community. HSCA is honoured to provide these opportunities as we know that belonging is a human need, such as food or shelter, and is important for residents to see value in life and cope with intensely painful emotions.

Of course, all of the above are just a fraction of the ways that HSCA can give back to you. As the community of Hillhurst Sunnyside grows and changes the needs of our residents will too, and so these programs and committees may change. But what will not change are the core reasons for why we are interested in supporting our residents, that we wish to preserve and enhance a healthy and vibrant quality of life for Hillhurst Sunnyside and that includes providing opportunities for participation to build a sense of belonging.

#howwillYOUbeapartofit

• Written by Jessica Clark, HSCA Communications Manager

Building Community Participation Through Art

Take a stroll in the community along 5th Avenue and you’ll see a unique housing development taking shape in Hillhurst Sunnyside.  But it’s not a new condo.

Local area artists have created over 90 new homes and many are on display now at Framed on Fifth, or can be viewed in the Hearth Room at HSCA.

They’re birdhouses!

As part of the North Hill Centre Hello Neighbour campaign and in collaboration with Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association, Patricia Gustafson and Hannah White from Framed on Fifth took the idea of birdhouses as art installations to exciting new heights.

“While speaking with Karen at HSCA, she told us you had been given the birdhouses by North Hill Mall, they were donated and you were selling them to people and they would decorate them. [And we went, well] we have all these artists friends why don’t we take the project to our artist friends and family and the community, to as many people as we can to paint these things. We’ll give them the birdhouses and they will paint them and they’ll bring them back and we can silent auction them,” says Patricia.

            Hannah says, “We opened it up to everybody. It was in the newsletters for a couple of months. So our youngest artist is 4. It’s a community event. It’s not just artists in Calgary. We made it ‘artists’ and meant anybody who can put a paintbrush in their hand.”

            At least 70 artists have contributed to the project, and everyone who sees the houses gets very excited. Hannah and Patricia talk about the reception from the community. “It’s blown up way more than we ever expected,” says Patricia. “It’s become more work than we ever thought, but it’s so fun.”

            “What I love,” Hannah chirps in, “are kids walking home from school and everyday they’ll all stop, and as a big pod they’re all like ‘blebleblebleblebleble’.” She makes a noise like a flock of tweeting birds.

            When asked what their favourite birdhouses and names are, Hannah and Patricia move around Framed on Fifth to showcase each. “Invasion of the Birdy Snatchers.” says Patricia, “Wordy Birdy.”

     “I love Octavia.” Hannah says. “I like her name. Oh, the tin roof one! Under the hot tin roof!”

             So why do they think birdhouses have been such a success? “It’s a small thing they can contribute to be part of the community,” says Patricia.

            “I would say that there’s a feeling of coziness and a feeling of home and maybe that’s what people are doing,” says Hannah. “It’s almost like cocooning.”

            The catalyst for this project was a partnership with North Hill Centre and that was the exact intention behind the idea to use birdhouses. Paula Lee from North Hill says, “The reason we chose birdhouses is because we wanted to start a dialogue around the Hearth Room, and the centre of a home, and we couldn’t build a house, so we decided that birdhouses were a kind of metaphor to what the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association does. You have programs for the community, for seniors, for kids. So it was just a way to give people a fun project that was around this idea of home. And the Hearth Room being the centre of this project.”

            Money raised from this project will go toward revitalizing the HSCA Hearth Room, which hosts our Community Connections programs, such as Fresh Food Basket, Neighbour Night and Community Potluck. All of these programs are HSCA run and designed to foster connections and a sense of belonging. They are open for participation by all residents. The Hearth Room is also home to our Art Class program and Indoor Farmers’ Market both of which offer capacity and skill building opportunities. 

            When Framed on Fifth is asked why a project like this is a good fit for Hillhurst Sunnyside and HSCA Patricia says, “Because people care here. They walk, they see things, they do things at the community centre. You’ve opened up the community centre to homeless people again. Because you’ve opened it up, you’ve made it accessible and when you make something accessible people want to play. They do. Personally I have no idea where this is going to go, but we’re up for pretty much anything. We’d be more than thrilled to help you do whatever group things where we can play. I don’t know where it’s going to go. This is just the beginning. This has been so much fun.”

            “We want to play,” says Hannah.

            Paula says, “The collaboration with Framed on Fifth is exactly what we want to be happening. We are neighbours. And we should all be doing something that benefits each other whatever it is, you know, especially in Calgary. I just think it’s what we do in Calgary. So they see an opportunity and they help people and we see an opportunity and we help people and you see an opportunity and you help people. It’s really kind of a great story. “

            Silent Auction bidding is open now and you can visit HSCA or Framed on Fifth to view the birdhouses in person and get a jump on the auction. All of the birdhouses will also be available during a special Farmers’ Market on Wednesday December 5, from 3-7 P.M. before bidding closes. But Patricia also mentioned that they’d like to pick 10 of their favourites for a live auction on the December 5th date. There will also be a prize awarded to the artists who win Fan Favourite and Best of Show courtesy of MLA Dr. David Swann’s local arts fund.

To view the full collection online please visit: http://framedonfifth.com/birdhouse/ and we hope you can join us on Wednesday, December 5.

Article written by Jessica Clark

Memories of a 70 Year Old Community Association

The 70th birthday of the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association gives me pause to think back on my 44 year relationship with the community. In 1982 I bought a reprint of a book from the HSCA called Hillhurst Sunnyside Remembers by Margaret Tanko. It was simply made with black and white photographs and stories told by members of the community, some who had lived here since the early part of the 20th Century. The book charmed me and became a treasured part of my library.

I have always loved Hillhurst Sunnyside because of its heritage houses, mature trees, vintage lilac bushes, layers of history, diversity of residents and small town feel. As time passes, the community continues to grow and change, but recently these changes have become alarmingly rapid changing the look and feel of the neighbourhood. Residents come and go. Old houses get demolished to make way for condos altering the heritage character. Businesses open and close on 10th Street, 14th Street and Kensington Road.

The land Calgary stands on is the traditional territory of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta. This includes the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Piikani, Kainai First Nations), the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (Chiniki, Bearspaw, Wesley First Nations). The City of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III. They have been the stewards of our land for thousands of years and continue to maintain a very positive relationship with it.

English and Scottish settlers arrived in this area, now known as Hillhurst and Sunnyside, as homesteaders in the late 1800s. New Edinborough was the name of the suburb created between 10th Street and Centre Street that eventually became Sunnyside. In 1914 it was incorporated into the City of Calgary. The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) built workers’ cottages in Sunnyside on 25-foot lots and rented them to their employees. Many of these cottages still remain today, although they are quickly disappearing due to development spurred on by City Council priority of densification. In the early days Sunnyside residents took a ferry across the Bow River to get to work at the CPR or the Eau Claire lumber mill. Now we hop on an LRT.

Squatter Felix McHugh staked a claim to homestead on CPR land. The CPR contested it but he was successful in receiving one acre of land through the courts. He built a house at the corner of 9A Street and Memorial Drive, where the green space with a Community garden now exists and the LRT tracks go overhead. McHugh Bluff is named after him.

Ezra Hounsfield Riley was a pioneer rancher and politician who owned the property west of Sunnyside. He also purchased McHugh’s. Eventually Riley sold his property to the City of Calgary and it became Hillhurst, West Hillhurst, Sunnyside and Hounsfield Heights. He donated the land that is now Riley Park to the City of Calgary.

In 1948 the Hillhurst/Sunnyside Community Association was formed. FYI there is no community in Calgary called Kensington, only a shopping district. Under the Municipal Government Act, the City of Calgary developed several Business Revitalization Zones (BRZ) to encourage Calgarians to shop in areas of Calgary that weren’t thriving during the ’80’s. The shopping area at Tenth Street and Kensington Road was first named Louise Crossing, due to its proximity to the Louise (Tenth Street) Bridge, and eventually Kensington Village named after the street. When the BRZ legislation expired in 2016, these areas became Business Improvement Area (BIA) “a group of businesses in a defined geographical area that come together to improve and promote their businesses.” http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/ABS/Pages/Partnership-programs/BRZs.aspx

I am including a photograph of Gleason family in front of my house on Memorial Drive in 1914 when Hillhurst was a new suburb. Michael and his brother James built two houses side by side on lots purchased for $650 each using materials from the Eau Claire lumber mill at a cost of $1,250 each. Taxes were $68.50 a year. The 10th Street steel and girder bridge is in the background. The City of Calgary’s saplings were newly planted and would stand for almost 100 years. The streetscape shows similar houses on small lots with picket fences lining “Westmount Boulevard” (as it was known then).

I peruse my little 24 page Hillhurst Sunnyside Remembers book with the stories and photographs so lovingly gathered and assembled by Margaret Tanko and wonder who she was and how the book came to be. When I moved into Sunnyside the HSCA had just fought the city to stop them from turning Memorial Drive into a freeway. Instead Bow Trail was built on the other side of the river. HSCA also slowed the construction of apartment blocks during the ’70’s by insisting that the community preferred homes with yards for families.

Is it time for more stories that document the 40 years since Hillhurst Sunnyside Remembers was published in 1978? Do you remember the protests about the LRT? Shoppers Drug Mart taking over Telstar Drugs? The Saturday School? Communicare? Art classes held at The Heart Studio in the home of Carol Bondaroff and Stan Phelps? Fighting to keep the schools open? The Fall Fair and Parade? Did you witness the fire that destroyed the Ross Kerr Block? Or St John’s Church? The Carpenters’ Hall all ages gigs? Gallery 510 in a Sunnyside garage? Wreck City? Ant Hill Fabrics? The blacksmith shop in the backyard of a Sunnyside resident?

Our community has a rich history with many stories to tell. Do you have stories or photos to share? If you do please contact Patti Dawkins or Lorna Cordeiro c/o Lisa Chong at mailto:planning@hsca.ca

For more information about the 70th Anniversary Celebration at the Community Hall on August 25th, follow this link https://www.hsca.ca/blog/2018/7/24/hsca-turns-70

Article written by Patti Dawkins

Credit for photo is:

The Gleason Family on "The Boulevard" 1914 Photo courtesy of Jennifer Hill

HSCA Turns 70!

The community of Hillhurst Sunnyside has a history that spans over 100 years. The first home in Hillhurst was built by Ezra H. Riley in 1882. In 1904, Riley sold Hillhurst to the City of Calgary. Land was being surveyed and sold in two neighbourhood sub divisions in 1906. Those were Sunnyside (originally named New Edinborough) and Hillhurst. The community was incorporated into Calgary in 1907. More information on the history of Hillhurst Sunnyside is available online in the document Hillhurst Sunnyside Remembers (which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year!)

In 1912, changing cabins were built on Hillhurst Athletic Park at the corner of 14th Street and 5th Avenue. The cabins doubled as meetings space until a small community hall (HSCA) was built in 1953-54.

In 1948, HSCA was incorporated as a non-profit society by the Government of Alberta.

1978, a new community centre was built in the Hillhurst Athletic Park incorporating the 1953 Community Hall and for the last 40 years staff, volunteers and residents have strived to maintain a healthy and vibrant quality of life for the residents of Hillhurst Sunnyside.

We would like to recognize the milestones throughout this community's incredible history. We wish to celebrate our 70th anniversary of incorporation as a non-profit society with all the residents and neighbours of Hillhurst Sunnyside, past and present. We hope you can join us for a day of community.

On Saturday August 25th, 2:00pm-8:00pm in the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association fields and parking lot, we hope you and your friends, family and neighbours will join us for a community party.

Please review the event schedule below so that you do not miss out on the fun!

2:00-8:00pm Event Time

2:00-5:00pm Family games, facepainting, ballon animals, giveaways, Hillhurst VS Sunnyside competition (ongoing)

2:00-6:00pm HSCA member partner businesses on site with giveaways and demos. Confirmed so far: Sunnyside Natural Market, MYo Lab, Flippn Burgers, Oranj Fitness, Framed on Fifth, Dignity Memorial

4:00-5:00pm Bike Show and Shine Parade and category judging

4:00-8:00pm Food Trucks, Beer Gardens, Live music (with headliners Sadlier-Brown Band)

4:45-5:00pm The Great Tug of War between Hillhurst & Sunnyside

5:00pm Announcements and Award presentations for Show and Shine and the H vs S competition

8:00pm Wrap up

If you are interested in entering your bike in the Show and Shine you can do so day of, or contact Heather for details. All ages welcome. Free to enter! Email: heather.r@hsca.ca 587*700-9387

If you are interested in performing on our stage please contact Kate. Email: kate.s@hsca.ca 403-283-0554 ext 248

If you are a business, group or organization in the community interested in sponsorship or presence at the event please contact Jessica. Email: jessica.c@hsca.ca 403-283-0554 ext 226

We hope to see you there!

Sunnyside's Out-Door Gallery

Sunnyside is slowly becoming an Out-Door Art Gallery due to all our creativity and the murals popping up on many resident’s garage doors.

Many home owners are painting their own art and coming up with very unique beautiful designs. We have been told: “It is a great family activity and a great way to get to know your neighbours.”

Other home owners are commissioning artists to do magnificent paintings on their garage doors. There is a post with links to many artists’ websites on the Sunnyside Up/East Sunnyside Survivors Facebook Page.

Recently, we had a request from Prospect Human Services to see if there are a group of neighbours who would be willing to hand their garage doors, plus the cost of materials, over to their artists to show off what they can do. Prospect Human Services works with adults with disabilities to participate in collaborative programming in the arts, the outdoors and community volunteering to experientially develop employment skills.

If this is something you would be willing to help support please contact Stephanie Acheson, Program Facilitator at stephanie.acheson@prospectnow.ca

We can't wait to see how your garage door adds to this great collaboration!

A Story of Community

I’ve lived in urban areas all my life, whether it was a big house or a small apartment, I was always part of a community. Nevertheless, some months ago when I arrived to Calgary chasing after a new challenge, I was able to discover a very different way to live in a community, as well as having a much better understanding of the concept of living as a community. At Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association you can find many different programs that reflect community values and make it a model Community.

After a quick look in the Hillhurst Sunnyside Voice I decided to check out the ESL conversation club with my parents to practice some English and meet some new people. After a nice long talk with awesome interesting people in a very friendly environment, where everybody respects and shows much interest in hearing what the others have to say, I felt motivated to find out about how to get more involved with the community that had opened its doors to us. During one of the monthly community Potlucks last year, where I got to meet and share a meal with my new neighbors, I was told about a possibility to volunteer as a vendor in the weekly Farmer’s Market. I decided it was a great opportunity to get involved with the other members and show commitment to the market and myself.

The Hillhurst Sunnyside Farmer’s Market is a great event that takes place in a professional, but friendly environment. You can find an extensive variety of original, tasty, healthy food and products, and even do your shopping while you enjoy some exciting live music, but most important you get to interact with energetic vendors who believe in their growing businesses and serve customers with a smile every time. As a volunteer vendor, I’ve been able to learn a lot from the market, it has been a completely new experience for me that will help me gain success in my future work related fields and I had the pleasure to meet and learn more about all the amazing persons that lead the market weekly in order to create a major beneficial impact in the community.

After having become more familiar with the market and the community I decided to volunteer in the Neighbor Night program too. During the sessions kids get to use their energy in healthy fun ways, while parents engage themselves with fun activities too and neighbor interaction, not before having a tasty vegetarian meal that the program’s coordinator, Shaye and volunteers have kindly prepared to make the evening even nicer. Working with kids was a refreshing new experience for me, one that I didn’t expect to like so much. In theory, volunteers are supposed to look after the kids while they enjoy some playtime with each other, but I couldn’t avoid getting involved in play with them as if I were a child myself again. The kids’ responses made me very happy, it is very healthy for the soul to make some children smile and laugh even if it is just for a few hours a week.

To be a volunteer has been a wonderful experience for me. HSCA has shown me the right way a community should work as well as helping me with the adaptation process. HSCA is an inclusive community that will welcome you under any circumstance without hesitation. You can always find a program that suits you, from a simple interaction with your neighbors to sports recreational classes, everyone will show you a friendly face and try to assist you. From day one, I have been treated with solidarity and respect, I’ve met some awesome members of the community who I consider my friends and now I realize I am not just living in a community, but I have my own impact on it, helping the development of something we can all enjoy together as members of the community. If you are trying to find the nicest people in Calgary, you might want to check Hillhurst Sunnyside Community.

• Jonathan Cauteruccio

HSCA continues to be a Good Food Organization, joining organizations from across Canada in working towards a healthy and equitable food system.

It’s a good food (and news!) story. HSCA is pleased to announce that we have joined Community Food Centres Canada’s Good Food Organizations program, for the fourth year, to showcase our commitment to offering impactful community food programs based in principles of health, empowerment, and respect. With over 130 other Good Food Organizations and eight Community Food Centres across the country, we are working toward a healthy and fair food system.

Launched in 2014, the Good Food Organizations program offers access to tools and resources, customized training, attendance at an annual conference, and chances to network and promote shared priorities. By working together through a set of shared principles, this important initiative connects HSCA to like-minded and progressive organizations across the country that are using food to tackle problems of poor health, inequality, hunger, and poverty.  

HSCA offers a number of food programs which include, a weekly year-round farmers’ market, community gardens and Fresh Food Basket, a weekly food access program for residents struggling to access fresh food. Good food is present in many of our other programs as well. These include, meals and snacks made from scratch in our childcare programs, and a healthy, vegetarian dinner served at Neighbour Night each week. 

“The Good Food Organizations program provides support and inspiration to organizations across the country — community health centres, food banks, community markets, and many others — that are doing important grassroots food work,” said Kathryn Scharf COO for Community Food Centres Canada. We have seen how when community food programs foreground healthy food in a dignified setting that offers meaningful opportunities for engagement, there can be a profoundly positive impact on people’s health and overall well-being. We want to amplify these outcomes to build a national case for an investment in healthy food for all.”

We are proud to be a Good Food Organization working towards a healthy and fair food system in alliance with Community Food Centres Canada. We are joining a growing network of like-minded organizations across Canada who share a commitment to offering healthy and dignified food programs in their communities.

A Daycare Story of Community and Resiliency

In 2017, the Hillhurst Sunnyside Daycare was named an Early Learning Childcare Centre by the Government of Alberta. This meant that HSCA received a grant for facility improvements and increased spaces to make our daycare more accessible to all families of Hillhurst Sunnyside no matter their income level.

This also meant more opportunity to make an impact in the community to satisfy our mission of preserving and enhancing a healthy and vibrant quality of life for our residents. One resident has shared her and her daughter's experience with the HSCA Daycare progam and its staff, and we in turn would like to share her story with you.

Once upon a time there was a young woman who found herself in a big, new city. Hopeful, yet unsure of the path she had taken with her two young girls in tow; the journey would be challenging. Once she found her stride, she felt relief when getting her work done, especially in knowing the calm she felt whenever she left the youngest daughter, K (name removed to protect identity) with her care providers. There was no doubt in her heart that K was being loved and supported in all her growth and uniqueness. There was no second thought that came to mind as the young woman stepped out to face the days; the ease of mind assured her with strength and belief in self to accomplish anything and to push even on those hardest days. From day one, she saw happiness in K’s eyes, felt excitement in K’s voice and witnessed the wonder in K at play. These gifts brought tears of joy to the young woman’s eyes. She will be indebted; for the gratitude in the young woman’s heart will continually support how she raises that little K.

I am lucky to hold the story of the community which lives and is so very real at Hillhurst Sunnyside Daycare. It is this group of hearts that will remind me of the beauty we are capable of attaining as human beings. From the bottom of my soul, I thank all the staff at Hillhurst Sunnyside for helping me build a foundation for K’s journey.

Xoxo

• J

Drawing by K: I am Looking for Ladybugs

We wish to thank J and K for sharing their story with us. And we strive for more opportunities to build community and resiliency for our Hillhurst Sunnyside neighbours.

Community Safety

Due to a variety of reasons such as the economic downturn and the displacement of vulnerable people from the downtown east side, neighbourhoods closest to the river and along the trains have been experiencing a higher amount of activity.

HSCA hosted a community safety meeting on November 30, 2017 to hear from residents and develop high-level strategy with Constable Glenn Pederson from District 3 Calgary Police Service at the table.  Click on the link here to view the meeting minutes.

What Can I Do?
Volunteer for Your Community

Would you like to get involved with starting a community safety group? We are looking for resident volunteers to take the lead and coordinate community safety initiatives and are eager to hear your ideas. Contact HSCA Vitalization at hscavitalization@gmail.com and cc: lisa.c@hsca.ca if interested.

Connect with Neighbours

Read updates and share information with neighbours via the HSCA Facebook page at www.facebook.com/hillhurstsunnyside or the residents’ “Sunnyside Up” Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/431856983579750. You can also form your own street or area-based email list or social media group.

Building Safe Communities

The Federation of Calgary Communities provides free resources and workshops under their Building Safe Communities program. Check out https://calgarycommunities.com/our-services/building-safe-communities for more information.

Fill out a “My Neighbour Card” with your neighbours. Print off a copy and share with neighbours/friends at https://calgarycommunities.com/my-neighbour-card.

Traffic Calming Study Petition

Talk to your neighbours and organize a Traffic Calming Study petition through City of Calgary Transportation – review http://www.calgary.ca/Transportation/TP/Pages/Safety/Community-Studies/Community-Traffic-Studies.aspx and click on Traffic Calming Policy for the petition form.

State the issues clearly in your submission. Once complete, contact HSCA c/o Lisa Chong (lisa.c@hsca.ca) and we will help you with getting final signatures from the HSCA, the ward councillor and the community police liaison for submission.

Note: this is a request for a traffic study through the City Transportation Department and does not guarantee traffic calming measures, which will be determined based on the City’s criteria and budget.

Resources

Calgary Police Service (CPS) District 3 Community Liaison

Sgt. Dave McMath

403-428-6300

dmcmath@calgarypolice.ca

Who to Call and When

Use this guide if you are stuck on when to call 911, CPS non-emergency line, or Downtown Outreach Addictions Program (DOAP) [add link].

City of Calgary 311

Call 311, available 24 hours a day with concerns. Be sure to provide the street address of your inquiry to the operator. You can also submit a ticket online at www.calgary.ca/311 or the mobile app, Calgary 311. 311 requests are tracked and forwarded to the appropriate City department and helps City Hall determine where to allocate resources and funding.

Calgary Parking Authority

To report a parking issue or an illegally parked vehicle, phone 403-537-7000.