Meet Nkechi! HSCA’s Newest Practicum Student

Nkechi Cynthia Obiegbusi is a fourth-year social work student who also holds a bachelor’s degree in political science. She is passionate about working with youth and families, as well as community on a larger scale.

Nkechi moved to Canada in July 2022. She chose HSCA for her practicum because she felt it would be a great way to learn how to implement community social work in a setting that already has a strong and active community. In her personal time, Nkechi enjoys meeting new people, trying new things, and cooking.

So, if you see Nkechi around HSCA participating in the various programs that have already benefited from her help, don’t be shy! Say “hi!”

Welcome to the Team! — Alex Walz, Farmers’ Market and Community Programs Coordinator

From working on their family’s grain and cattle farm near Innisfail, Alberta, to being the head brewer at Winterlong Brewing Co In Whitehorse, Yukon, Alex Walz brings a unique set of skills and experience to the role as HSCA’s new Farmers’ Market and Community Programs Coordinator. As anyone who’s met Alex will know, their patient, positive attitude is truly contagious, and Alex is inspired to make an impact with the HSCA Farmers’ Market. “I think the market is a really amazing thing...having your job being helping people do the things they’re passionate about is really cool.” They go on to express how programs like the Farmers’ Market also fund other important programs, bringing even more benefit to the community.  

While Alex currently lives in Bankview SW, they used to come all the way from Innisfail just to visit Kensington as a teenager. “It’s the neighbourhood that we would come to Calgary to hang out in. We would go to record stores and coffee shops and pretend we lived in the city” Alex laughs. “It’s a cool neighborhood and there’s always something going on.” 

Now, all these years later, Alex is giving back to one of their favorite Calgary communities. Come say hi to them at the HSCA Farmers’ Market, which moves indoors on Saturday, October 15th from 11am to 3pm. 

Ten Ways to Secure your Garage - Tips and advice from Hillhurst Sunnyside residents

By Tim Schaefer 

Garage break ins are an unfortunate reality, but there are ways you can secure your garage to help prevent it from happening.  Here’s a list of ten ideas from fellow Hillhurst & Sunnyside residents that you may want to consider.  The ideas have varying levels of complexity and cost. You may want to tackle some yourself and others you may want to seek help. 

Stay safe and secure everyone! 

1. Deadbolt - Install a deadbolt on your garage walk-in door.  Most doors will have a deadbolt but if yours only has a lock on the door knob then it's time to upgrade. 

2. Longer screws - Standard door hardware comes with short screws that could easily fail in a forced entry situation.  Replace the screws used to install the strike plate (metal plate on door frame) with longer screws (3” or greater).   

3. Garage Door Deadlock - Similar to a deadbolt on a walk-in door, a deadlock is a mechanical lock that goes on your garage vehicle door.  Engage the deadlock with a padlock overnight or when you are going to be away for extended periods.  

4. Secure items inside your garage - Keep your vehicle locked inside your garage and don’t leave your keys in your vehicle.  If you store bicycles, scooters or other items that are commonly stolen, secure them with further measures inside your garage.  

5. Window Security Bars & Covering - If your garage has windows, consider installing security bars to discourage a break-in through the window.  Covering your windows is also a good idea to prevent thieves from looking inside. 

6. Cut power to your garage door motor - Immobilize your garage door’s motor anytime it’s not being used by pulling the plug or breaker.  This will prevent someone from getting in if they get a hold of your garage remote.  It will also slow thieves down if they manage to get inside.  If it’s not practical to unplug the motor, try installing a smart plug or a separate remote switch to make it easy.  Reminder: Never leave your garage remote in a vehicle parked outside overnight. 

7. Disable or Block the Safety Latch - There are many YouTube videos showing how thieves can push in your garage door from the outside and then reach in with a coat hanger and open it by releasing the safety latch.  Those same videos demonstrate ways you can disable or block your safety latch; making it impossible for thieves to use this trick.  The safety latch is there for obvious safety purposes, so review things carefully before deciding what changes you make to the safety latch. 

8. Outward swing door - Consider installing a walk-in door that opens outwards instead of inwards into the garage.  Inward opening doors are prone to being kicked in. 

9. Alarm system - If your home already has an alarm system, consider adding sensors to your garage.  You could also add an alarm exclusively for your garage.  Lots of do-it-yourself alarm options available with varying features and capabilities.  Placing alarm system stickers on your garage doors can also act as a good deterrent too! 

10. Smart Home features - If your house has smart home functionality set up, such as cameras or smart-switches, you may want to add smart features to your garage.  That way you can be notified when things are not as they should.  For example, you could be notified anytime your garage door has been opened. 

Here are some bonus ideas to keep in mind: 

• Hide away wire/bolt cutters - Don’t give thieves a hand up by leaving tools around they can use to steal your stuff or break in somewhere else.  Wire cutters, bolt cutters or other tools of the trade should not be left out or easily found in your garage. 

• Avoid “show-boating” - Don’t leave your garage door open for extended periods, even if you are there.  Many thieves scope things out first and you may be setting yourself with everything on display.   

Volunteer of the Month: Gerald Wheatley

How long have you lived in Hillhurst-Sunnyside?  What do you like about living here? 

 25 years.  I love that this neighbourhood has been so influential on Calgary food initiatives, transportation, culture and environmental action. 

 How did you get involved in volunteering in our community? 

 Our street decided to start having a block party, I met some fun people and it took off! 

 What would you tell others in the community about volunteering?  What do you like most about volunteering in the community? 

 Relationships are the most rewarding part of life. The ones with neighbours are a special kind and we're lucky in Sunnyside to have so many chances to create them. The projects we work on together make me laugh and recharge my batteries. We're stronger together. 

 What is a hidden gem in the community you have discovered and would like to share? 

 Sunnyside can get away with things few others can, and there are folks making cool things happen now. Keep your eyes open for the next surprise and join our Sunnyside Brightening Committee to create your own hidden gem! 

Gerald Wheatley (far right) is a valued member of HSCA’s volunteer community, and a cool guy to boot!

The HSCA Flea Market, Meet our Vendors--Melissa Tebo

Photos and words by Ben Hames 

Are you looking for beer steins? How about sunglasses? What about tiny collectable sculptures? If so, Melissa Tebo and her dog, Bulla Bell, will be your guide. Tebo has been selling these various items for almost ten years at the HSCA Flea Market with a big smile on her face and a warm welcome at the door.   

Remove a Deerfoot Trail’s worth of traffic

By Tim Schaefer

In a recent survey of 1,900 students at six high schools in Calgary, Youth En Route discovered only 1% of students chose to regularly wheel (bike, scooter, etc.) to school. Meanwhile 45% took transit, 44% were driven, and 10% walked. What’s profound about these numbers is the number who are driven. While some high school students may have a vehicle to drive themselves, most are driven to school by someone else. This means that there are people making two round trips or four one way trips a day to drive their kids to school.

Youth En Route presented these numbers to the Calgary City Council Infrastructure committee in July 2022 where they also shared their goal to increase the number of kids biking to school from 1% to 20%.  Is this a lofty goal?  Yes, but definitely achievable. For example a 2022 IPSOS survey found that Sweden, with a similar climate to Canada, had 20% of people riding bikes as their primary means of transport to destinations like school. Are Swedes able to do this because they are stronger or tougher than Canadians? No way!  

The impact of achieving 20% bike ridership amongst grade school students would be huge for Calgary traffic!  In September 2022 there will be approximately 200,000 kids attending Calgary grade schools and if 20% were biking this means 40,000 kids would be riding a bike to school. This translates into 160,000 one way driving trips removed from Calgary streets each day.  

What does 160,000 trips look like?  To put it in terms of existing roads, there are sections of Deerfoot Trail that had daily pre-pandemic volumes in this range. So by getting 20% of kids biking to school, we would remove a Deerfoot Trail’s worth of traffic every day from Calgary streets. That’s impressive! 

What’s needed to make this happen? There are two main things: 

1. Create safe routes for biking to schools 

2. Create secure places to park bikes 

Safe paths to school is the biggest reason kids don’t bike to school today. Fortunately Calgary has amazing recreational pathways that provide a great foundation and several are very close to schools. Where there are gaps, we need to finish those connections of safe infrastructure by creating protected lanes for kids. That might mean creating protected bike lanes on streets leading to schools, especially in older neighbourhoods like Hillhurst Sunnyside where recreational pathways weren’t built when they were created. Protected bike lanes on 2 Ave NW and 5 Ave NW would allow so many more kids to bike to school 

Building safe pathways for kids to travel by bike to school will come at a financial cost but is remarkably cheaper than supporting the same volume of kids transported by cars. Youth En Route estimates that for the same price as one highway interchange, Calgary could create safe routes to every school in the entire city. Compare that to the Deerfoot Trail where today we have built 20 interchanges to support the same amount of daily traffic. That’s a massive cost difference! 

Youth En Route converted bike rack 

As for item 2, many schools have bike racks but most are the old 1950’s style wheel bender type that are difficult to securely lock a bike. Kids won’t bike to school if their bike is likely to be stolen. This is where Youth En Route is working with schools and their Parent Societies to transform their old racks to be more secure. They also work with the school to have racks positioned in appropriate places to provide a more secure solution. 

There are so many benefits to having kids bike to school instead of being driven. From mental and physical health to building independence, the freedom active mobility provides is liberating for kids. It’s also liberating for taxi moms and dads who spend too much time driving already! 

Kids biking to school Feb 11, 2022

If you’d like to see fewer cars on the streets in Calgary by having more kids choosing active modes of transport, then get in contact with your city Councillor and Ward office and let them know you want investment in safe routes to schools. There will be a vote on funding safe routes to school this fall and Calgary City Council will be deciding whether to continue at a slow pace or whether they should accelerate that plan. Let’s help more kids bike to school sooner so collectively we can realize all the benefits it will offer.

Want to learn more about Youth En Route? Check out their website: youthenroute.ca

Flea Market Vendor Spotlight – Leroy Moffet

Photos by Ben Hames

1. How long have you been a vendor at the HSCA flea market?

I've been at the market about 6 years. Before that I was doing a lot of garage sales and different customers suggested that I might do well at the flea market. I checked it out and they haven't been able to get rid of me.

2. What kind of things do you sell?

I started with just vinyl records and did very well because I was selling my own collection, which was awesome, and I sold quite a lot to a few of the other vendors. Then I got into buying and selling other people’s LPs. I still haven't found a collection like I had. I got into selling sports jerseys and that's my biggest seller now.

3. What's your favorite item you've ever sold?

Some of the favorite items that I sold were some of the collectable albums from my original collection of LPs that were very rare and I got hundreds of dollars for them.

4. What is your favorite item you currently have for sale?

  My current favorite is a fringed deer hide leather jacket worth more than $450.00.

5. What do you like most about being a vendor at the flea market?

I like being a vender and meeting so many interesting people. I also like to find things that customers tell me they are looking for. It makes them so happy and of course I'm happy to have a sure sale.  

The Bike Rider who is Not a Cyclist

By Tim Schaefer

When you think of the word “cycling”, what comes to mind?

 In Calgary, the average person will think of these two things:

1. Something kids do

2. A recreational activity for some adults

Yes, this may be over simplifying things, but for many people this is their perception.

There is another type of biking in Calgary not covered in these two buckets and if you look for it, you will see it on the streets and pathways of Hillhurst Sunnyside. This other type is on the cusp of breaking out and when it fully emerges, it will create an incredible amount of benefit for all Calgarians!

The other type is when people, of all ages and abilities, use a bicycle to simply get around as part of their daily lives.

No special clothes.

No sweating.

No shower required afterwards.

Just everyday people riding a bike to get around.

Whether it’s going to work, school, the store, appointments, you use your bike to get there. It also means using a bike when going out for dinner, for coffee or to visit a friend. It’s all done on a bike!

What do we call this other type of cycling? In English we don’t have a unique word that identifies this everyday type of bicycle use. When we don’t have a word that can easily identify something, it's more challenging to understand it exists.

This may explain why we have trouble seeing beyond the recreational sport activity side of the word “cycling”. It may be the reason we visualize spandex when we say the word “cyclist” (sorry for that visualization). As a result, adults in North America have been held back from recognizing the opportunity for using the bicycle for uses outside of recreation.

The Dutch on the other hand have a unique word to identify these sorts of everyday bicycle users; they call them “Fietsers”. This word technically translates to “bike rider” which seems like the same thing as “cycling” but it’s the naming of the sporting variety that creates the differentiation. Those riders are called a “Wielrenner” in Dutch, which literally translates to wheeled-runner. Very fitting for the athletic side of biking.

So the Fietser is that other type of bike rider, and as mentioned its about to break out in Calgary. The only thing holding things back is safe and secure infrastructure that allows people of all ages and abilities to ride their bicycles to simply get around. Calgary’s streets have been dominated by the car since the 1950s and the lack of safe space has prevented many people from becoming a Fietser, even for really short journeys in their own neighbourhood.

Photo Credit @notjustbikes from YouTube video “The Gym of Life”

The good news is Calgary cycle tracks and pathways are starting to support Fietsers, but more are needed to connect destinations we travel to in the course of our day. The City of Calgary’s plans for 2 Ave NW will be a great addition to help Fietsers in our community. It will connect everyday riders to destinations like Sunnyside School, cafes and restaurants like And Some, Vendome, and Holy Cow. From there, the 2 Ave NW bike lane will connect 9A St NW where you can go to grocery stores and other businesses in the Kensington area.

The benefits that we will realize are huge! From a fiscal perspective, building and maintaining transportation infrastructure for Fietsers is much less expensive than it is for vehicles weighing thousands of pounds. There is also less congestion with Fietsers which means less noise and pollution from vehicles in our city.

Then there are the health benefits of having a more active lifestyle in our general society. Finally, there is the added benefit of vibrancy in our community by having opportunity to socialize and interact amongst neighbours. Not much of that happening behind tinted windows of moving cars.

If you are someone who is dependent on your car to get around, no matter what the reason or how short the journey, having more Fietsers in Calgary is great for you too! It means fewer cars on the roads because all those other people who are now Fietsers are not creating congestion in their cars. It also means our current built out car infrastructure will continue to support our growing city because there is less use of cars.

Are you ready to be a Fietser?

Join in the conversation by following me on Twitter @TinyBeaches

Volunteer of the Month Profile: Jane Ebbern

How long have you lived in Hillhurst-Sunnyside?  What do you like about living here?

 My husband and I moved here in November 1995 and we love what a connected community this is. Everyone is out walking and biking and you get to know your neighbours.

 How did you get involved in volunteering in our community?

 My husband and I stared doing HSCA late night casino shifts a few years ago though sadly we weren't able to volunteer this year due to COVID.

 What kind of volunteer activities have you done?

 I helped build the playground at HSCA and my husband and i have organized block barbecues and Neighbours Day concerts in West Gladstone park. And we have been active in the recent developments in this West Gladstone park.

 What would you tell others in the community about volunteering?  What do you like most about volunteering in the community?

 Volunteering is a great way to give back to this wonderful community but it is also a way to put your stamp on this community and help shape how it develops. Plus we do meet your neighbours if you volunteer and that just makes you feel even more connected. Come join us.

Sunnyside Garage Art

by Christie Page

Would you let a child paint your garage door? A few people in our neighbourhood have, and I would argue that our neighbourhood is better because of it. A few years ago, Joanna was feeling inspired and invited her then 3-year-old, Charlie, to help. The juxtaposition between their two pieces really complements each other and what a way to give a child a sense of pride and ownership over their neighbourhood.

Last fall, homeowners just east of Sunnyside School allowed thirty 8 to 11-year-olds to paint their garage doors. The art was done by the 98 Girl Guides over three days with a little instruction from Mandy Stobo, a Calgary Artist. The teamwork and organization by this group was incredible and it really brightens up a path many kids take to school. Just this June, one of Sunnyside’s young residents who attends Madeleine D’Houet School organized a field trip for her grade 7 art class to paint garage murals in the alley on the 700 block between 4 and 4A street. The result was three delightfully different designs, each supported and brought together by a group of ten students. These are pieces that they will come back to show off over the years, exposing many more eyes to our community’s garage door art gallery and the wonderful weirdness that is Sunnyside.

If you have an empty, unstimulating garage door and don’t have the inspiration to paint it yourself, maybe consider asking the kids down the street if they could paint a picture on it for you. Whatever they draw, it will be better than having nothing there at all.

Brian Smith Flea Market Aficionado & Accidental Historian

By Patti Dawkins

For decades the Sunday Hillhurst Sunnyside Flea Market has been a gathering place for members of our community. Brian Smith has attended every week since it began. He is recognizable by his groomed moustache and mutton chops, ponytail, plaid shirt, denim jacket and jeans. You may catch a twinkle in his eyes.

Brian was a long-time resident of Hillhurst and Sunnyside and has lots of lived experience in the community. He was born in the Grace Women’s Hospital eight decades ago. His first home was in Sunnyside on 9th Avenue by Edinburgh Park. He remembers catching polliwogs as a child in the swamp close by and being terrified of the “witches”, retired priests dressed in black robes, who lived at the top of the hill in the Bishop’s Palace. https://www.heritagecalgary.ca/heritage-calgary-blog/bishopspalace

During his childhood Brian’s family moved around the neighbourhood. For a while they lived on 10a Street behind McGavin’s Bakery where his father worked delivering bread by horse and wagon until he reached an age when Mr. McGavin thought it was too hard on him and gave him a job inside the bakery. His uncle worked as a Ferrier at the bakery stable one block south of Kensington Road at 11th Street. One of Brian’s first jobs was to mow the newly installed lawn at the bakery.

McGavin's Bread company building, Calgary, Alberta.", 1967-05, (CU1124594) by Duffoto. Courtesy of Libraries and Cultural Resources Digital Collections, University of Calgary.

The Smith family also lived on 11th Street at 3rd Avenue and in a house at #20 14th Street NW that his father built by hand. That house was moved to Parkdale in 1954 to accommodate the widening of the 14th Street bridge and his parents moved with it. Brian inherited the house when his parents passed away and that’s where he lives now.

 Brian attended Hillhurst Cottage School (now the Alberta Wilderness Society Offices) on 12th Street for grades one to four. After that he attended Bow View School before it became Queen Elizabeth School. He remembers the school slowly expanding as they added a new grade every year until it went right up to grade 12. 

 He was a quiet child who liked to draw. In 1960 he enrolled in the Alberta College of Art (now AUARTS) and moved away from home. He rented an “alley house” on 6th Street in Sunnyside, for $40 a month. It was originally a livery stable, now it would be called a laneway house and rent for $1400 per month. It was in this little house that Brian hooked up with artists and musicians. They formed the Brute Force Jug Band and performed regularly at the Pig’s Eye in the Stadium Shopping Centre, a popular hangout for beatniks, hippies, and adherents of the counterculture.

 There was something in the air during the sixties and it wasn’t just pot smoke. “The times they were a changin’…” sang Bob Dylan. An interest in Eastern religions led Brian to many of his lifelong friends at the Borderline, a Transcendental Meditation Centre situated in Parkdale by the Bow River. For a fee you received a personal mantra and learn how to meditate at the Borderline. The Maharishi once came to visit.

 In 1968 Brian rented a little house on a large piece of property in the far Northeast corner of Sunnyside on McHugh Bluff at 3rd Street and 7th Avenue. If you look closely at the photo below you can see Brian’s house on the left-hand side of the photo perched on the bluff with the old streetcar line acting as a driveway. The original house had been lifted 15 feet off the ground onto a concrete basement to protect it from flooding hence the house was well above the flooded area.

Glenbow Archives (NA-1044-3) "Bow River flooding, Calgary, Alberta.", 1932-06, (CU175281) by Unknown. Courtesy of Libraries and Cultural Resources Digital Collections, University of Calgary.

The property had a good-sized unused chicken coop, which was quickly occupied by musicians as a band rehearsal space. It became a gathering place for artists, students, and musicians. Backline Orchestra, Rooster and others practiced and jammed together there.

 During the sixties Brian was involved with the “Diggers”, a group formed in Haight Ashbury San Francisco, the centre of the counter-culture movement. They were radical, social activists and anarchist street performers who promoted the idea that everything should be free - food, clothing, medical care, and love. They lived communally, spearheaded the back to the land movement, provided free street entertainment, made a daily soup that was distributed for free on the street to anyone who wanted it and introduced the idea of free medical and law street clinics. Their ideas drifted up to Canada. This group was the genesis for many alternative movements.

 Hitchhiking was a legal and a common mode of travel for many young folks. Brian provided free accommodation for travellers in. He remembers driving to Banff and back with a friend, picking up hitchhikers along the way. They would drop people off in Banff and then drive back to Calgary picking up more hitchhikers who were taken back to “crash” at Brian’s place for the night. Brian happily lived in that house until 1976 when the landlord attempted to put a second story on the property, and it failed.

 After a short stint at a house on Memorial Drive, Brian moved into a small backyard house behind what was known locally as the Singer house. Alan Singer, son of Jack Singer, lived in the main house on the SW corner of Memorial Drive and 5a Street NW. Another small house sat at the rear of the property. It was fire damaged by the previous occupants rumoured to be prostitutes. Brian made a deal with Alan to repair the damage for one year’s free rent and continued to live there until the property was sold and developed into condos. He then moved to the family home in Parkdale that his father built. Brian may have left the community of Hillhurst Sunnyside, but he returned to his childhood home.

 Brian claims that going to the Alberta College of Art, as it was called then, saved his life. It was a tolerant, supportive, and stimulating environment where hard work, lateral thinking, and an appreciation of difference thrived. The art school was a small department of SAIT at the time. The students were actively engaged in the work they were doing. Tuition was under $100 including supplies, within reach for low-income students with artistic abilities. 

 While Brian was going to art school, he spent his summers working as a relief Fire Lookout Observer. He was the first “long hair” to get hired. Other art students soon signed up following Brian’s lead. It was the perfect job for artists, and art students. During their working hours they were scouring the mountains with their binoculars looking for wisps of smoke. Down time allowed them the solitude and uninterrupted environment to produce artwork.

 When Brian was in his fourth year of art school he applied for and accepted a job at West Canadian Graphics as copy camera operator. Eventually he found his lifetime career when he became a Display Man for Eaton’s and then the Bay, setting up all instore floor and window displays.

 Brian loved a store on 10th Street called the Opportunity Shop in a space that was formerly a Jenkins Groceteria. It was full of old treasures that could be picked up for a reasonable price. Brian bought an old dentist chair there and a National Resophonic Guitar that was in bad shape and in dire need of repairs. He had the guitar for many years before he found a Martin D28 with the perfect neck to replace the damaged one on the old National. His musician friend Gary Bird was so impressed with the repair job he kept it! Brian’s love of old things in need of repairs has continued throughout his life, hence his presence on Sunday mornings at the HSCA Flea Market and a house full of old treasures.

Tracking Your Pathway Completion

By Tim Schaefer, Sunnyside Resident

One of the great things Calgary has to offer are recreational pathways! Whether you walk or pedal, use them for exercise or for commuting, these pathways offer a great opportunity to be actively mobile outside!

For those goal setters out there, did you know there is a way to track the progress you’ve made completing all of the pathways in Calgary’s network? If you are a member of Strava (Freemium GPS activity tracking service) you can sync your membership with the website yycpathways.ca to view your progress.

Here’s how it works: Once you’ve connected your Strava to yycpathways.ca, a comparison analysis matches up the activity you’ve captured in Strava against the yycpathways database. From there yycpathways provides a progress report on how much of Calgary's pathways you’ve completed.

Here’s what reporting the site provides: First there is an overall completion in terms of kilometers and percentage of pathways completed. Next from a visual perspective, there is a map view (see image) that shows what you’ve completed and what is still on your to-do list. Finally for the real competitors out there, the site provides a Leaderboard that shows how you’re doing in comparison to other people with an overall ranking score.

Map of Calgary’s pathways on yycpathways.ca

As of May 1, 2022, there were 1,230.7km of pathways listed in the yycpathways site. This total number will change over time as new pathways are added to the site. For example in January 2022, pathways in Fish Creek Provincial Park were added. These weren’t new pathways, just new to yycpathways. Also note that yycpathways only includes recreational pathways. It does not include dedicated bike lanes found on Calgary streets such as on 5 Ave, 9A St or 10 St NW, at least not yet.

Has anyone out there completed all the pathways? No, but there are a few who have come pretty close! As of May 1, 2022 there were five people who have completed more than 90% of the pathways listed on yycpathways with the highest person sitting at over 99%.

Join the conversation on this article by following me on Twitter: @TinyBeaches

HSCA Daycare's "Little Rainbow-ers"

Community nature walks are one of the best ways to encourage children to be active and enjoy their time outdoors. Studies have shown that going on daily walks can have tremendous benefits to one’s mental and physical health over time. Not only does it help improve focus, it also helps with boosting immunities. Aside from these added bonuses, daily discovery walks can be a powerful learning tool as well.

The HSCA Daycare would like to highlight its little Rainbow-ers. These children, ranging from two and a half to three, have learnt so much more outside than they would indoors as every time they step out, it is a completely new and unique experience. They have the opportunity to interact with the real world and choose their next destination while under the vigilant supervision of our Educators. As the weather has warmed, the children have been able to explore their surroundings which include plants, animals, people, vehicles, buildings and everything in between. Their daily adventures link what they have seen in books and photos with the actual objects. For example, every time the children see a C-train passes by, they would always stop to watch without fail. Some would express their excitement through words and cheers, while others simply observe in silence, but never would they take their eyes off the target for long.

While the process was slow to start as the children (and Educators) gained confidence in taking twelve children across busy roads and into the “real world”, this activity has grown into something so much bigger. These children are skilled walkers; while crossing the street, on the sidewalk, together. Community members stop to ask them who they are, Police officers waive and Firetrucks honk their horns. Our centre is blessed with being situated at the crossroad where nature meets the city, with easy access to both settings. To travel east, we get to explore the hidden gem that is Riley Park, a tranquil piece of real estate where children can learn to appreciate animals and plants in their native environment. To travel south, the children can experience the friendly neighbourhood charm that Kensington gives off before seeing the tall office buildings just across the Bow River. Depending on how adventurous we feel that day, it can be a nature day or an urban day or a nice blend of both. While no discover walk is ever the same, what is constant is that it is a wonderful way for children to safely learn about the real world while feeling empowered.

The progress, growth, and exploration this little group has journeyed on over the past few months has made such impact to the programming, as each child looks forward to their new morning ritual. Please send  wave, honk a horn or give a shout if you see our mighty explorers venturing on the streets of Hillhurst Sunnyside!

IT'S BACK: Hillhurst's Annual Area-Wide Parade of Yard-Sales Day!!

By Becky Rock

For more than 20 YEARS, the Hillhurst yard-sale day has grown from one street to an area-wide extravaganza--with a community that includes everyone from tiny tots to super-seniors and furry friends alike, there are treasures to be found for everyone! 

We hope you'll take part. The Yard-Sale Day is a great chance to explore your community and meet your neighbors. You might choose to HOST your own yard sale, SHOP at the many sales, or do BOTH. All are welcome--see you there! 

Local Business Shoutout – The Plaza theatre

HSCA proudly welcomes a new membership partner, The Plaza theatre! Located at 1133 Kensington Road NW, this historic Calgary theatre has recently changed ownership, and has expanded to include a café and bar. The building was originally constructed in 1927 as an auto mechanic shop and later converted to a single-screen cinema, with The Plaza theatre officially opening on January 10, 1935. 

Only one year ago, Fatima Allie Dobrowolski took over the lease, and since then The Plaza has been breathtakingly restored and rejuvenated thanks to the tireless work of general manager Kelly Mandeville.  

As their website says: “The Plaza has always been at the heart of the local community. It's been witness to so many meaningful events and we are delighted it will be around to be witness to so many more.” 

HSCA is delighted too! Check theplaza.ca for showtimes, and follow them on social media @theplazayyc 

HSCA May Planning Update

HILLHURST SUNNYSIDE PLANNING COMMITTEE UPDATE 

HSPC reviews and makes recommendations on applications for development permits in the area. Meetings take place online currently on the first Wednesday of every month from 7-9pm. All residents are welcome to attend. You can find out more here: https://www.hsca.ca/meetings 

 Over the past few months we have been reviewing applications for land use changes such as an application to allow 8 units on a lot that previously allowed 2 maximum in a stacked townhouse, to rowhouse and infill applications. We have had several pre-applications for larger developments in the transit-oriented development area of Sunnyside which we expect to be coming forward with formal applications in the coming months. You can follow along with all current developments in the neighbourhood at Calgary.ca/pdmap or stay current with HSCA Planning Committee work on our Mighty Network site here: https://www.hsca.ca/mighty-networks 

 The Hillhurst Sunnyside Local Area Plan is being revisited by the City of Calgary. Our communities will now be part of a larger plan area that includes some adjacent communities. This plan will have impact on how our neighbourhood grows and changes over the next 25 years. The City is seeking residents to be on the working group and applications to be on this committee are open until May 8th. You can find more information here on how to apply or just follow along with other opportunities to give your feedback: https://engage.calgary.ca/Riley 

 If you have any other questions about Planning or to get involved please follow up with Ali McMillan, HSCA Community Planning Coordinator at ali.m@hsca.ca. 

EMERGENCY PLANNING & RESPONSE COMMITTEE UPDATE 

There is currently one active subcommittee operating within EPARC: the Infrastructure (Technical) Division. EPARC has been diligently advocating for and reviewing flood protection plans for Hillhust and Sunnyside – thank you to those who have participated. EPARC has partnered with the University of Calgary Landscape Architecture Program to create visions for the Memorial Drive Parkway and berm. These ideas will help inspire ideas the City might consider as they move ahead with the flood barrier design ongoing until 2023. Decisions on aesthetic elements and on possible permanent narrowing of Memorial Drive will follow. Flood barrier construction will be complete in 2025. More information can be found at https://www.calgary.ca/uep/water/construction-projects/construction-projects-and-upgrades/sunnyside-flood-barrier.html 

For more information email Charlie Lund at clund2@yahoo.com or Ali Mcmillan at ali.m@hsca.ca  

HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMITTEE UPDATE 

 The Heritage Preservation Committee is focused on the preservation and celebration of architectural, cultural, and natural history in the community. Their large project for the past year has been working with Heritage Calgary to complete a historical context paper for Hillhurst and Sunnyside. The report is now complete and will be on the HSCA website shortly. This paper tells some amazing stories of our past – thank you to Lorna Cordeiro, Lisa Chong and all the other volunteers who participated in this project. Additionally, the committee has been working with the City of Calgary on adding some of these stories to the Bow to Bluff corridor which you will see popping up over the summer and fall of 2022. Our committee is currently working with the City on tools to protect heritage commercial areas and policy to help conserve heritage homes in our community. To get involved email ali.m@hsca.ca. 

SUNNYSIDE BRIGHTENING COMMITTEE UPDATE 

The Sunnyside Brightening Committee (SBC) is an active group of neighbours seeking to "brighten" Sunnyside via recreational, artistic and environmental improvements. Originally established to focus on aesthetic aspects of flood mitigation projects, their scope has expanded to include essentially all recreational, artistic and environmental opportunities in Sunnyside. Presently they have been working with the City on the Bow to Bluff project – adding wayfinding/ historical information throughout and public art to the skate park area and transit fence. Additionally, the group is initiating several other resident-led public art projects. To get involved email Ali.m@hsca.ca. 

HILLHURST PLACEMAKING COMMITTEE 

This committee was founded around the winter 2022 pop-up activation of West Gladstone Park and has since built a network of fun, creative and engaged neighbours who want to continue to beautify, improve liveability and add vitality to the Hillhurst area. This spring they are working on some traffic calming along Gladstone Road, park naming of Gladstone Parks and working with Hillhurst School kids on some art and planting in the parks! To get involved email Ali.m@hsca.ca 

MOBILITY COMMITTEE 

A sub-committee of the planning committee, we educate, provide information and advocate for the community on traffic safety, parking, mobility issues. Presently the committee has been working with the City of Calgary on traffic calming projects for 2nd Ave NW in Sunnyside and 3rd Ave NW next to the C-Train station. To get involved email ali.m@hsca.ca. 

HSCA Volunteer Spotlight: Julie Ann

The HSCA Volunteer Spotlight will introduce (or reintroduce) our community to HSCA staff, volunteers, and members of the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community. If you know of a resident interested in participating in the HSCA Spotlight Series, email   ian.l@hsca.ca with SUBJECT LINE: HSCA Spotlight. We know our community is full of awesome residents and captivating stories and we’re hoping to share that with everyone!   

Let’s get to know Julie Ann… in 5 questions or less  

 How long have you lived in Hillhurst Sunnyside? 

 I actually live in Bragg Creek now, but I did live in the community in the 80s when my son was a child. 

 How did you get involved in volunteering in our community? 

 Since Covid I have been helping those in need to secure groceries.  So I started to come on Mondays for fresh routes. I felt like it would be better to volunteer than to wait. I just love volunteering at the community center and have made many friends.   

 What kind of volunteer activities have you done? 

 I have volunteered for many years at various organizations, WINS, The Women’s Center, The Food Bank, The Leftovers Foundation, Samaritan’s Purse, The Samaritan Club. 

 What would you tell others in the community about volunteering?  What do you like most about volunteering in the community? 

 I think in this age we have to help each other and volunteering in whatever capacity can help do that. I really love the friendships that I have made volunteering and just getting out of the house especially during Covid. 

 What is a hidden gem in the community you have discovered and would like to share? 

 I’m always surprised how many folks don’t know about the Flea Market. It’s a gem for sure. 

Build It and They Will Come

By Pamma FitzGerald 

 An elderly woman stood immobile in Riley Park. She was wearing sturdy walking shoes and despite the summer heat, a warm woolly cardigan. She was leaning on her cane looking up and down the newly installed walking path. At first I thought she was a bit disoriented but as I walked closer she turned to me and boomed “Build it and they will come’”.  

She was using a quote from WP Kinsella’s book Shoeless Joe that was the basis for the Field of Dreams movie starring Kevin Costner. The quote has come to mean ‘if you believe in something then follow your instincts and don’t be held back’.  

 I know all this useless trivia because not only did I have a crush on Kevin Costner in the 80s (before he left his wife and kids for another woman and therefore turned me right off) but because I had taken my first university English course with Kinsella at the good old U of C. But I digress. 

 So there we were, two strangers standing on the new path but I had more of an interest in her opinion of the new path than she knew. You see it was my idea. Kinda. 

 It was the year before as I was jogging around the perimeter of the park and just after I passed a father and his young daughter (who loudly asked “Daddy why is that lady running so slowly?”) that I found myself side-stepping mud. I realized the existing patchy path only covered three quarters of the perimeter and the remaining quarter was just mud. And remember, it was spring so it was real muddy mud. 

 On the next few runs I noticed more and more how the disintegrated path hindered mobility for parents with strollers, people on crutches, toddlers on tricycles and Usain Bolt-like runners like myself. When I saw a man in a wheelchair have to turn around because of the path ending, I thought someone should try and fix this. And then I thought could that be me? I’m not exactly that kind of person, am I? 

 But feeling strongly about the lack of accessibility, I took the idea to the HSCA planning committee for their approval and then moved on to ‘The City’. It’s an onerous title isn’t it? I thought of ’The City’ as a big all-encompassing moniker that conveys a maze of impersonal dead-ends. And I definitely did encounter a couple of dead-ends, but then, by magic or good fortune or Roger Bannister guiding my way - (that’s for the runners reading this) I got hold of real people who listened and cared. 

Ron Buchan (Parks Community Strategist) and Michele Reid (lCultural Landscape Lead) are people that care, and they were both instrumental in getting this project going. Michelle pointed out that the original park included a path around the perimeter. Yea! It’s back to how it was! Hardly anything else in the park has changed in 100 years, although I’d like to point out that the ‘Comfort Stations’ are now called ‘Washrooms’. 

 Pamma FitzGerald is a mixed media artist who has lived in Hillhurst for 40 years. Recently her Riley Park postcard was chosen by Loft112 to represent the Hillhurst Community in the 'Cards for Community' project. You can pick one up for FREE from Pages Bookstore from the end of March. Follow her on Instagram @pammafitzgerald or www.pammafitzgerald.wordpress.com 

Sonya's Cycle of Hope

From July 5th to 14th, Hillhurst Resident Sonya Stoez will embark on a charity bike-ride for Habitat for Humanity. Read about Sonya’s fundraiser in her own words below:

I have decided to embark on the Habitat for Humanity Manitoba, Cycle of Hope fundraising event. This will be my first time participating and will be the longest cycle ride and officially the first fundraising event I have ever done. So many firsts for me!

This year’s event is in the spectacular Canadian Rocky Mountains, which I have tried to spend a significant portion of my time in during the summers here in Alberta. The ride will be starting in Jasper and ending in Waterton Lakes, AB.

Cycle of Hope brings together passionate cyclists along with a dedicated group of volunteers that make this event as fantastic as is possible, all with a drive to help lower income families in Manitoba build a better life through homeownership.

This annual event is Habitat for Humanity Manitoba’s longest running, signature fundraising event. Over the past 26 years, the Cycle of Hope ride has raised more $3 million dollars and has built more than 30 homes in Winnipeg. The 12-day event is a supported journey where cyclists challenge themselves by riding long distances through breathtaking scenery, offering the perfect mix of effort and reward.

I would like to note that every rider is responsible for their own costs and prepay this in advance. In addition, I am required to raise a total of $3,500 for house construction. Every dollar donated to Habitat for Humanity Manitoba produces more than $4.50 worth of social benefits, effectively quadrupling the impact of your donation.

I am proud to join this team of riders and to raise money for a family in need! I look forward to receiving support for this ride:

Click https://www.canadahelps.org/me/na25TYFW to visit my fundraising page.

If you would like to understand more about Habitat for Humanity Manitoba and how your donation helps change lives, please click HERE

Mental Health Moment: Neuro-Diverse Relationships

Mental Health Moment

Nancy Bergeron | nancy@viewpointcalgary.ca

Neuro-diverse couples are more common that we realize. There are many high-functioning adults who are undiagnosed with what we used to call Asperger syndrome (now included as Autism Spectrum Disorder-ASD) or possibly neuro-atypical (NA) individuals. Having worked with children with ASD and children that are neuro-atypical (NA), I am now seeing more relationships with neurological diversity; an ASD/NA partner with a neuro-typical (NT) partner.

Pursue a diagnosis:
A diagnosis can be important to acknowledge ND traits that might be causing relationship problems. Understanding how ASD/NA traits affect the relationship can remove the blame, frustration, shame, pain and confusion felt by both partners.

Once a diagnosis is confirmed, working with an ASD/NA-specific couples therapist can be very helpful. Individuals with ASD/NA can be loyal, honest, highly intelligent, hardworking, generous, and funny. Accepting their strengths and weakness as part of their natural brain wiring can help with acceptance in relationships.

Understand how ASD/NA impacts the individual:
Individuals with ASD/NA are at increased risk for depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD. Undiagnosed or untreated they can have serious negative consequences for both partners. NT partners can sometimes experience their own mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, Affective Deprivation Disorder, and PTSD, as a result of being in a relationship with an undiagnosed ASD/NA partner. Implementing ASD/NA-specific strategies to address certain issues in the relationship can help alleviate these symptoms for both partners.

 Self-awareness for the NT partner & for ASD/NA individual:

The NT partner can often be a rescuer or considered controlling. Their own traits and family of origin issues can help them understand why they chose their partner with ASD/NA. Learning the part they play in the conflicts with their partner and what to do about it is important.

The individual with ASD/NA tends to have a weak theory of mind (TOM) meaning they may have trouble understanding, predicting and responding to a person’s thought-feeling state. They may unintentionally say and do things that can come across as insensitive and hurtful to their partner. They can develop a better TOM by becoming more aware of how they are likely to offend their partner. They may also learn to better express positive thoughts, affirm and compliment their partner.

Create a relationship schedule:
Due to the executive functioning and social-emotional reciprocity adults with ASD/NA are challenged with, keeping a calendar is crucial. A relationship schedule can help the couple plan for conversations, sex, and quality time in order to stay connected.

The partner with ASD/NA may either want a lot of sexual activity, little, or none at all. Scheduling the sexual needs of both partners can help couples regulate their sex-life. The individual with ASD/NA might be mechanical and unemotional in bed, or struggle with sex due to sensory sensitivities. They may need to learn ways to maintain a daily emotional connection both in and out the bedroom.

An individual with ASD/NA may go days, weeks, or months engrossed in work and their interests. This “parallel play” can leave their partner feeling lonely and abandoned. Common activities that might have brought the couple together when dating can abruptly stop after commitment. This is in part due to their challenges in initiation, reciprocity, planning and organizing. Scheduling playing together such as long walks, biking, hikes, and travel can help bridge the parallel play gap.

Cope with sensory overload:
Individuals with ASD/NA often experience distress due to sensory sensitivities. The individual’s senses may be either hypersensitive or hyposensitive: a caress can feel like burning fire, or a needle prick can have no effect. Managing sensory triggers such as sound or touch can help prevent blow-ups to due sensory overload. Individuals with ASD/NA can often feel stressed out by being in social situations than their NT counterparts. Planning time to be alone and recover from social situations is essential.

Improve communication & manage expectations:
Communication is often a major challenge for the individual with ASD/NA. They may have difficulties in reading up facial cues, vocal intonations, and body language. They can often monopolize, or have difficulty initiating conversations, or keeping them flowing. Their NT partner might feel frustrated by the lack of communication and reciprocity. Scheduling daily conversation time, and direct and step by step communication strategies can be useful.

Adjusting expectations based on ability and neurology is important for both partners. Working hard to improve the relationship with the strategies listed here can bring about real change.

Specialized couples therapy:
Sometimes the NT partner may be so depressed, angry, and disconnected from their mate, that they might not desire to salvage the relationship. It can be difficult to get the relationship back on track. Focusing on the positive in the relationship and the traction made by implementing new skills and strategies can help the both parties to stay motivated.

Working with a neuro-diverse couples therapist can help the couple to make rapid gains, stay motivated, and encouraged about their relationship. A well trained therapist can teach both partners about neuro-diversity. The therapist can help the couple create and implement strategies to better their relationship. The issues and challenges that some neuro-diverse couples face can seem similar, but every individual with neuro-diversity is unique and so is every relationship. Customized therapy is a must.