Chinook Country 2020 AGM
On June 16, 2020, CCHS held its Annual General Meeting via Zoom. This meeting had originally been scheduled for March 24. A review of the past year’s activities was undertaken as well as the actions taken and plans changed since Covid-19 made its appearance on the scene. Our plans for the next year were outlined with caveats due to the current restrictions on large gatherings. The attendees were treated to a showing of the five-minute long pilot video that was developed to illustrate the Digital Walking Tour Initiative we will work on through next year.
Financials for the year ended December 31, 2019 were reviewed and the members were presented with the budget for 2020, which was unanimously approved. The members were informed about the effects that reduced funding will have on the organization’s ability to carry on its activities but that it will live within its means under the budget presented.
If you have any questions, please email us at info@chinookhistory.ca.
The election of Directors for the year were held and the following individuals constitute the Board of CCHS for the next year:
Executive
Jackie Kleiner, President
Walt DeBoni, Past–President
Megan Ballard, 1st Vice President
Kari Burgess, Treasurer
Graeme Miller, Secretary
Directors at Large
Kim Geraldi
Sarah Harvey
Patrick Mealey
Nicole Marion-Patola
Vivian Sampson
There are two vacant positions on the Board.
Upcoming CCHS Event
Christine Hayes presents: Epidemics and our Ancestors
The COVID-19 pandemic has showed us that disease can have an impact far beyond our health. For us, this has been "unprecedented" but for our ancestors epidemics were not uncommon. By looking at the various pandemics and epidemics that affected our ancestors, we can better tell their stories. An understanding of the effects of epidemics can also help direct us to genealogical resources we may not have explored. Presented in partnership with Calgary Public Library. Please check the Calgary Public Library events page for full details later.
Photo courtesy of University of Calgary, Glenbow Library and Archives Digital Collection, "Nurses at Isolation Hospital, Lloydminster, Alberta and Saskatchewan," NA-1422-7, 1918.
Bridgeland Walks
By Deb Lee
What happens when you combine a recently liberated person who likes to keep active, with an endlessly interesting community setting, with a community social worker who is trying to build a stronger community? Christine Bennett was the Social worker who had started doing a weekly walk in Bridgeland, in order to bring people together for some exercise and fun. Deb Lee had just retired after a career in health care in Calgary. And we connected through walking around the historic community of Bridgeland- Riverside. Christine moved on to another job but she had lit a fire in Deb, who now had the time to learn more about past and present day Bridgeland - Riverside and to explore its many nooks and crannies on foot.
Bridgeland Walks are an annual happening. They generally take place every Wednesday evening from early May till end of September. Deb and two other residents, Laura McLeod and Nony Hilborne lead the walks of 4-6 kilometers length around the community and beyond. There are numerous stops along the walking route where current info is shared, but historical facts and stories are a significant part of the conversation. We have a theme for each week – such as Parks, Gardens, Fireworks Viewing sites, Trees, Walk on the Wild Side (the Calgary Zoo is within Bridgeland boundaries), Schools, In the Footsteps on Ukrainians, Riverside Art Walk, etc. Last year we had an average of 15 people participating each week, many of whom have memories or stories to contribute.
You might wonder how so much can be known about a community to enable so many walks, essentially a Jane’s Walk every week for 12 weeks? We gleaned lots of info from the “Inventory of Heritage Resources”; with its listing of 15+ local sites. Deb and other members of the Bridgeland- Riverside Heritage Committee also write regular articles for the community newsletter – with research done at the public library or city archives, so that has been a good way to gain new knowledge about the past of the community. Intrepid researcher Alan Zakrison from nearby Crescent Heights, former resident historian Devon Blean, long time resident Marshall Libicz and other informative people have contributed to our knowledge. And when you live in a community with such a history of diversity and tumultuousness (where else has a city hospital been imploded and swaths of homes expropriated to build a parking lot or a freeway … or police raided the homes of Italian residents and poured out their homemade wine?), it is bound to offer many fascinating stories for those who are new to the community as well as those who have lived here for a long time.
The very big bonus to the walking group is meeting new people and feeling welcome, whether you live in Bridgeland- Riverside or are from another community. New friendships have been started and the regulars like to come out and see familiar as well as new faces. Occasional stops for ice cream along our route also allow for more time to get to know each other.
And then 2020 arrived, with our Covid-19 challenges! To date no group activities have been allowed due to the risk of spreading the virus. We decided to create ‘Self guided’ walks on the same themes and Allan McIntyre has joined the team as the map man and editor. So far we have completed 6 walks. Our Community Association is doing a weekly update and we advertise the walks, with links to access the walk directions and the map. We hope to complete 15 walks by the end of this season and our goal is to have them posted on our soon to be updated Community Website for access to all.
If you are a walker and like to explore and learn about different areas of the city check out the following:
Walk #1 Overview. https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/brcacalgary/pages/1650/attachments/original/1588356388/Bridgeland_Walks_2020_-__1_Overview_self_guided_Apr_19.pdf?1588356388
Walk #2. Walk on the Wild Side. https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/brcacalgary/pages/1652/attachments/original/1589218745/Bridgeland_Walks_-_Self_guided__2_on_the_Wild_Side.pdf?1589218745
Walk #3. Riverside Art Walk. https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/brcacalgary/pages/1654/attachments/original/1589919507/Bridgeland_Walks__3_Riverside_Art_Walk.pdf?1589919507
Walk #4 Little Free Libraries. https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/brcacalgary/pages/1656/attachments/original/1590178214/Bridgeland_Walks_Self_Guided__4__Little_Free_Libraries.pdf?1590178214
Walk #5. In the Footsteps of the Ukrainians https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/brcacalgary/pages/1658/attachments/original/1591039272/Bridgeland_Walks_2020_-Self_Guided__5_-_Ukrainians__copy.pdf?1591039272
Walk #6. Bridges. https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/brcacalgary/pages/1660/attachments/original/1591640045/Bridgeland_Walks_Self_Guided__6_Bridges.pdf?1591640045
Doug Coats Presents: Calgary Welcomes the Car
Presented in Partnership with the Calgary Public Library
Calgarians with money and a sense of adventure embraced the newfangled automobile with open arms. Grab your duster and goggles and join our excursion into the novelty, freedom, challenges and misadventures of early motoring in Calgary. You don't even need a license--there weren't any!
Chinook County Historical Society presents this online presentation in partnership with the Calgary Public Library. Please check the Calgary Public Library website for details on how to access the talk.
The Wreck of Nova Zembla
Calgary Public Library Event
In September 1902 the whaling vessel Nova Zembla struck a reef off Baffin Island and sank fast. Using first-hand accounts and other historic clues Dr. Michael Moloney and Dr. Matthew Ayre, research fellows at the Arctic Institute of North America, UCalgary, found the remains of the wreck and will take you through their fascinating investigation.
Monday, March 4
7:00pm
Patricia A. Whelan Performance Hall, Central Library
Free Event, No Registration Required
2019 Shortlist for the Governor General's History Award
Congratulations to the Calgary Gay History Project!
Congratulations to our friends with the Calgary Gay History Project, which has been shortlisted for the Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Community Programming. See here for the full list of shortlisted candidates.
Uncovering Human History: Archaeology and Calgary Parks
The City of Calgary has just released an archeological survey of many Calgary Parks. Check it out here.
