THE NEWSLETTER OF THE BOWNESS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MYBOWNESS.COM JULY/AUGUST 2020

VITAL SIGNS P. 2 HORSESHOES P. 8 LEWIS’ WOODPECKER P. 15 CONTENTS

ON THE COVER- A Boy and His Dog Photo Credit: Verle Arndt

2 Vital Signs 3 MLA Report 5 Bowtanical Gardens 7 Stampede 2020 8 Horseshoes 10 Pioneers 10 We Love His Music! 11 Historical Society 13 Business Directory 13 Park 14 BCA Directory 14 Community Directory 15 Lewis’ Woodpecker

HAPPENINGS

• Check https://www.mybowness.com/ programs for what’s happening virtually in Bowness every week • Follow us on facebook and instagram @ mybowness for updates on events and program

VITAL SIGNS Throughout the month of April, Bowness Community This year the survey looks a little different and we hope that Association (BCA) staff had the opportunity to call our this new format helps you do the survey quickly but still gives members to see how they were doing. The purpose of our call you the opportunity to give the feedback that is important to was simple, we just wanted to check in and offer support if any you. When we tried the survey it took us about 15 minutes support was needed. We anticipated that some needs might be to complete. Please take that bit of time to check in and help food, help applying for provincial and federal supports, feeling build the road map for Bowness. The survey is open now and isolated or lonely, struggling with working from home while closes on September 15th. balancing parenting demands. There was no way to know for sure if this would be what people needed until we started We don’t know exactly what these next few months will mean calling. for gathering together and in person conversations. The health and wellness of our neighbours is our most important Vital Signs is very similar, only so much bigger and it happens consideration and so for now the survey is available on our every three years. Leading up to Vital Signs the BCA along website (mybowness.com) under Happenings and then Vital with other partner organizations try to organize questions to Signs. Through partner organizations in Bowness we are also ask everyone living in Bowness (not just BCA members) to help reaching out to those who normally don’t have internet access us check in. The purpose is also pretty similar, we all want to have as many voices as possible included. If you need to see how Bowness is doing. The check in from Vital Signs assistance accessing the survey please call Lee-Ann at the BCA will help design the road map for the next three years that 403-288-8300 ext. 130 – your voice is important. Bownesians and organizations like the BCA and our co-located partners can work on.

2 I JULY/AUG 2020 I THE BOWEST’NER JULY/AUGUST 2020

The Bowest’ner is published bimonthly by the Bowness Community Association. The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Bowness Community Association or its Board of Directors. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TREASURER Michelle Dice, [email protected] Beverley Sheridan Copyright is retained by the respective authors. Articles may be reprinted BOARD OF DIRECTORS SECRETARY for non-commercial purposes with [email protected] Scott Hutchison appropriate credit to the author and The DIRECTORS AT LARGE Bowest’ner. PRESIDENT Jason New Cindy Amthor, Jeff Riedl, Paul Sipos, EDITOR/PRODUCER Teresa Davidson, Ben Kaczmarek, Christina Pilarski, and Andrea McLean Jessica Clark, [email protected] VICE-PRESIDENT Kurt Kinnear DESIGNER BOWNESS COMMUNITY CENTRE & ARENA Jocelyn Zoller 7904-43 Ave. NW, AB T3B 4P9 CONTRIBUTORS 403-288-8300 [email protected] Verle Arndt, Beverley Sheridan, Teresa Davidson, Scott Penny, Marg Weber, mybowness.com Bowness Historical Society, MJ Karelse, /mybowness Henry, Sonya and Bryenna Chapman @mybowness PROOFREADING Janis Giroux, Anne Campbell, Marg VOLUNTEERING IS THE BEST WAY TO SHOW YOUR LOVE OF BOWNESS. Scott and MJ Karelse • Meet new people and make new friends • Develop professional networks CIRCULATION • Experience new challenges • Gain experience in a variety of roles The Bowest’ner is distributed by Canada • Raise awareness and support • Email [email protected] today! Post to nearly 6,000 residences and important community issues businesses in Bowness, and is available at the Bowness Community Centre and Bowness Library. Dear friends and neighbours, encourage you to shop local and show them your support! Please direct any delivery concerns to This month is a time to celebrate the [email protected] history and diversity that make our On May 27th, I returned to the ADVERTISING province and country a great place legislature to debate legislation that 403-288-8300, [email protected] to live. I take great pride in being will make life better for our community Canadian and I wish everyone a very as reopens. I am pleased happy Canada Day! to be continuing this work with the introduction of bills that affirm parents’ After a difficult beginning of the year, rights to make choices in their children’s our province has been gradually education, strengthen public safety, and reopening businesses and facilities. reduce red tape. Each of these new bills Our province’s relaunch strategy puts continues the commitment we made to the health and safety of our community always better the lives of Albertans. NEWS & ADS DEADLINE FOR first. Our province has expanded its With the increased activity around the testing capacity and contact tracing West Ring Road which many of the SEPT/OCT 2020 ability, and put a rapid response plan communities Calgary-Bow encompass, in place for possible outbreaks to I encourage you to stay informed of ensure that our province can continue these activities by visiting the website or JULY 24 to prevent the spread of COVID-19. subscribing to their regular newsletter General workplace and industry-specific at: www.westringroad.ca guidelines, which can be found at alberta.ca/bizconnect, are in place As always, it is my honour to serve as [email protected] or to protect employees and customers your MLA. 403-288-8300 to businesses across the province. Our wonderful local businesses are Demetrios Nicolaides at the heart of our community, and I

THE BOWEST’NER I JULY/AUG 2020 I 3

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BOWNESS MONTGOMERY LAW OFFICE

Continuing the excellent tradition of providing sound Legal Services to the Bowness & Montgomery Communities for over 20 years.

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4 I JULY/AUG 2020 I THE BOWEST’NER THE BOWTANICAL GARDENS

It may be a sign of advancing age, but there are some replant. I have found that some of the older varieties tend to days when I wish there was no work to do in my garden. live longer than the newer Pacific Giants. Aphids are the only Alternatively, maybe I have never admitted to myself that I am pests that seem to cause these plants any distress and they can actually lazy. I want lots of healthy flowering plants, but some usually be controlled with a spray from the garden hose or an days I am not willing to work for it. Many years ago I found a application of dish soap and water in a spray bottle. partial answer to this dilemma in a selection of well mannered, dependable perennials that offer years of pleasure without There are a number of less well known long-livers that I would years of fuss and attention. In fact, most of these plants rebel encourage you to try. The first is Dictamnus, often called when divided or moved. My aching back immediately fell in Gas Plant. Dictamnus grows about two to three feet tall and love. produces tall spikes of flowers which give off a strong lemon scent. Wonderful on a summer evening. Flower colours are If you are looking for some additions to your garden that white, pink or mauve and, once established, this plant will be are undemanding and will perform, in some instances for with you for a decade or more. Dictamnus hates to be moved decades with no intervention from you, the following are a and will sulk for years if uprooted, so site selection is critical. few suggestions. All of these plants have grown in my Bowness garden undisturbed for 10 plus years. The only caution with If you have a shade garden, Aruncus, or Goat’s Beard, is a respect to all these plants is that you must take extra care good choice. These plants grow about three to four feet tall when selecting an initial planting site and preparing the soil and produce plumes of white fluffy flowers on long stalks in and planting hole. Are the conditions right for this type of early August. Aruncus takes a couple of years to become perennial? Is there sufficient area for it to grow and expand established, but then will bloom reliably for you for years. over a number of years? Is it in the correct place with respect A good companion for Aruncus in a shady garden is Hosta. to height and other plants that will surround it? Remember, These deceptively tough plants are not only long-lived, but also once established these gems require only a touch of compost well adapted to withstand our dry climate. Some of the newer or fertilizer each spring, a bit of extra water in a dry spell and variegated varieties add a spectacular dash of colour to the some deadheading to make them look neat and respectable front of a perennial bed. when they are done flowering. Goodbye split, dig-up or move. Patience is also a requirement. Most of these plants take two If you have a rock garden or need some colour in the front of to three seasons to become well established and are generally a bed, try one of the shorter varieties of Geranium (this is the moderate to slow in their growth. A little babying on the front perennial geranium genus, not the annual variety), often called end however, pays huge dividends for years. Crane’s Bill. Geranium forms tidy clumps over about a three year period and will be covered in pink, magenta, white or red If you have any gardening experience you have no doubt blooms for several weeks in July. Some varieties also produce already discovered the joy of growing several of these nice red fall leaf colour. Be sure to check the hardiness rating wonderful plants. The number one winner in the long-lived, no when you purchase Geranium, many are not Zone 3 /4 hardy. fuss category is the peony. Twenty-five years is not exceptional for these plants to go undisturbed. They can often be found A personal favourite that blooms in my garden in early spring still growing quite happily around old building foundations is Euphorbia polychroma or Cushion Spurge. This is a well- long after the original structure has fallen into ruin. Thanks to behaved cultivar, not the spurge on the Alberta noxious weed decades of hybridization there are now hundreds of varieties list. Euphorbia produces what look like bright yellow flowers in to choose from, many of which still retain that wonderful peony early spring. They are actually coloured bracts; the flowers are fragrance. Check out the Canadian Peony Society’s website at very tiny, non-descript things. Left undisturbed, Euphorbia will www.peony.ca for where to buy and how to plant. These plants form large mounds about 12 to 14 inches high. I have several are a must in any garden; I have 65 of them! plants scattered about my back garden. They are a welcome sight in May after another long Alberta winter. Second on my list after peonies is delphiniums. Given sufficient room they will gradually grow into a substantial clump that - Beverley Sheridan comes back year after year without the need to divide and

I’m Beverley - I am a member of the Bowness Garden Club. They are a group of new to experienced gardeners who just love growing plants. If you are interested in becoming a member of our garden club, or would just like more information, please contact Anne Campbell at [email protected] or 403-288-3295.

THE BOWEST’NER I JULY/AUG 2020 I 5 6 I JULY/AUG 2020 I THE BOWEST’NER PLANT A SEED AND WATCH IT GROW

The earth is warming up from all the winter snow Spring air and light breezes blow Little did you know…. that a dormant seed would grow

You begin like only a speck of sand, Uncurl and make your way to stand Breakthrough the heavy weight of land Starting often with only a fragile strand

Shedding your shell, You are ready to show and tell New places to see and smell No longer a confining space to dwell

Roots dig down deep Water will surely seep Stretching out as you creep Stability to brace the body like feet

Arms rising to the sun Now with freedom to stretch and run Look at all the outdoor fun Can’t go back now, this won’t be undone

Let’s all shed that outer shell that binds No need to live in that lifestyle that confines Grows, flourishes, explores and climbs Raising our head to THE ONE who shines

- Teresa Davidson

STAMPEDE 2020

If you’re like us, you were deeply saddened by the cancellation outside and exercise while practicing social distancing. We of the this summer. Last summer was my first would love to see Bownesians with festive bikes out in their in Calgary, and I had an amazing time helping to organize the neighbourhood, parks, and bike lanes on July 4. Bowness Stampede Parade and Breakfast (as well as eating many fried foods at the Stampede grounds). The BCA and Send us your photos so we can share the excitement with the Bowness Lions were excited to get the community more Bowness! While you’re at it, why not cook up some pancakes involved in the planning process of the event, and making before your ride? Create your own mini-pancake breakfast the parade and breakfast a great experience for everyone in your home. Although the parade has been cancelled, our involved. However, the health and safety of our close-knit excitement and community spirit cannot be, and we can still community comes first, and the Bowness Lions made the right protect our loved ones while celebrating the occasion. Let call by cancelling this year’s Bowness Stampede event. us know how you are honouring the Bowness Stampede by emailing [email protected] or tagging us on Just because the parade is cancelled doesn’t mean that we facebook or instagram @mybowness. If you love this event can’t harness the Stampede spirit in other ways. That’s why we and are excited to have it back in 2021, consider joining are encouraging people to go all the way back to the earliest the volunteer planning committee in January, check your days of the Bowness Stampede Parade, and decorate your Bowest’ner in 2021 for how to join. bicycles for the occasion. Bike paths are a great way to get

THE BOWEST’NER I JULY/AUG 2020 I 7 Bringing Back SOCKS & SANDALS: Old Game of HORSESHOES Returns to Calgary Parks

Bringing Back Socks and Sandals: Way back in time, at a back- alone - no crowd or competitor now - throwing that effortless, forty family reunion somewhere between Moosamin, SK and arching, one and a quarter turn pitch into twilight. His was a Millet, AB, an old-boy holds court around a hard-used, sand, small mastery, but goes to show that even a one-trick pony horseshoe pit. He’s a farmer for sure, 60 plus, big bellied in needs to practice. a plaid shirt, suspenders and jeans, under a hot prairie sun, his only concession to summertime leisure – brown, leather sandals with grey, flannel socks. And he’s an entertainer to boot, beer in one hand, horseshoes in the other and posturing on the throwing plank like it was a stage performance. When the handful of spectators in lawn chairs clustered around the pit start calling out his choice of footwear, he kicks a little pit sand back in their face.

He punctuates his punchline by tossing two picture perfect ringers from 40 feet out, both horseshoes striking hard, top of the pin and dropping around the stake. “Two dead” they call it in horseshoe lingo and true that, the old-boy is killin’ it, a classic double down with comedic timing that stays with me to this day. I mean, who knew horseshoes could be kinda cool, right? I also remember later that evening, he was still at the pits

“Horseshoes ain’t no beach” still strikes me as funny because it’s true; the dusty, landlocked, largely disappeared game of “barnyard golf” doesn’t rank too highly these days as a preferred recreational outdoor pursuit. Ever since lawn darts took hold in the ‘70s (ultimately outlawed under the category of great fun, but essentially a bad idea), horseshoes has steadily lost ground in popularity to more portable, less difficult, lazy day, open-space tossing games like ladder ball and cornhole.

But once upon a summertime, horseshoes ruled rural Alberta as a go-to pitching contest when chorin’ was done. It’s former appeal can still be evidenced throughout Southern

8 I JULY/AUG 2020 I THE BOWEST’NER Alberta: public use park sites in Olds and Drumheller boast 12 tournament style pitching lanes that surely hosted vigorous and competitive play back in the day, though faded and a little broken from neglect now. High River and Cochrane recently cut similar large sites down to size, removing a half dozen pits each, acknowledging a shrinking demand and ever diminishing demographic for this once timeless classic. Somewhere along the way over the last 50 years, horseshoes got old and tired for everyone.

your drink on) strategically placed one foot farther back than usual to discourage flying sand from landing in your beverage. (Priorities after all.)

So, let’s call it a comeback: in fall of 2019, the same Calgary Parks team that brought Crokicurl – winter’s newest outdoor novelty game - to Bowness Park decided to reach back in time and break ground at , installing a set of three regulation sand pits in an effort to resuscitate and re-introduce horseshoe pitching in a family friendly environment for summer 2020.

Well located in an underused greenspace at the u-turn of Baker’s east end parking lot, the site’s slightly modernized pit design widens the tight lane spacing of yesteryear, allowing plenty of elbow room between players. The minimalist timber/ turf/sand/steel construction borrows from the best elements of those small-town Alberta pits and has also been favourably described as Japanese Zen-like in its simplicity - but of course only by yours truly. Most innovative is the longer pitching plank featuring a wooden backboard (doubly useful to set

I’m Scott - I have lived and worked in Bowness for over 15 years. In my spare time, I am self styled “open space use advocate” and occasional freelance writer with an affinity for any free outdoor activity (horseshoes, lawn darts, disc golf, bocce ball etc) that involves throwing things at a distant target just for the heck of it.

THE BOWEST’NER I JULY/AUG 2020 I 9 Wood’s Riding Academy which was was a pioneer in the setup, running and located on Chinook Avenue (now 34 teaching of a bronc riding school. Ave). This was a wonderful place to Marty was married to Jean Roth in the meet friends and was a focal point for 1950s and they had one son, Chip. The many years in Bowness. Marty rode his couple divorced in the late 1960s and first contact horse at Olds, Alberta. He Marty had one partner for the last 35 also sometimes rode bareback horses years, Kelly McCormach. He retired in and bulls, but he decided to drop these 1974 due to the cumulative effect of his to focus on saddle bronc riding. He took injuries and went on to train American up rodeo in the early 1950s and soon Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds for specialized in saddle bronc riding and as racing and jumping. an amateur won saddle bronc riding in Marty Wood his first professional rodeo. His Honours include: . 1991 Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame PIONEERS Marty was the Canadian Champion . 1994 Alberta Sports Hall of Fame of Bowness Saddle Bronc Rider in 1954, 1955, and . 1994 Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1963. He was the Rodeo Cowboys . 2006 Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame June 4, 1933 – Aug 10, 2019 Association World Champion in 1958, . 2008 Rodeo Hall of Fame of the 1964, and in 1966 and he won the National Cowboy and Western Heritage We honour our pioneer families in Calgary Stampede a total of five times in Museum Bowness and the Wood family are 1954, 1957, 1961, 1964, and in 1965. He definitely pioneers. Harry and Dorothy was Calgary Stampede Parade Marshall Marty Wood died in Pendleton, Oregon Wood moved to Bowness in 1940 in 1965. He also won at Cheyenne on August 10, 2019 from cancer at the with their son, Marty. Marty’s great Frontier Days; Madison Square Garden, age of 86 years old. grandfather was Henry Wise Wood New York City; San Francisco Cow who was the founding president of the Palace, California; Fort Worth, Texas; The plan is for the Bowness Historic United Farmers of Alberta and has a Houston, Texas; Salinas, California; Society to name a park in Bowness in Calgary school named after him. Marty’s Boston Garden, Massachusetts; and honour of Marty Wood on 34 Ave. dad had a pony for him when he was Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, rodeos. He behind Bowest Motors. three years old so Marty had been qualified 15 times for the National Finals riding since then. The family operated Rodeo. Marty also trained horses and

WE LOVE HIS MUSIC! But we will not hear it this year at the Bowness Stampede as their fourth child. Their next door neighbour, Curt Seely Breakfast and Parade because of the COVID –19 pandemic. who is a Bowness boy, turned out to be a perfect neighbour and their mutual love of music soon had them playing together Normally, Gord and the band “Vintage Express” are very busy every chance they could, and their first band was formed, “The with their music. They are especially busy during Stampede week Backyard Jammers”. Later they changed the name to “Vintage playing at various places in Calgary such as; the Bowness Legion, Express” and have been making music together for the last 13 Bowness Pub, Silver Point Pub, Jubilee Legion #286, Chapelhow years together. Legion #285 and many bars and pubs. And the band has played at the Bowness Lions Stampede Breakfast and Parade for the last Their son, Corey, was the bass player in the band for many years 12 years. before moving with his wife to Vegreville, and daughter, Danielle, joined the band about 10 years ago. When she officially turned Gord has been a member of the Bowness Lions Club for the last 18 she was able to play in the bars. Jesse their oldest son, plays 21 years, and has been President and Vice President, as well a bit of the drums, but didn’t play in the band as they didn’t play as other executive positions. He works very hard with the club “his kind of music”. Ha! Ha! Good friend and sax player Derek activities. He is also a long time member of the Bowness Legion Routledge has been with the band from the beginning and about #238 and holds a position on the executive board of that Legion. eight years ago Gord’s brother, Ron “Buckshot” Rage, joined He also was involved with summer sports in Bowness when his the band on keys. There have been a few other members over children were younger. He was awarded the Bowness Volunteer the years, but in 2013 the drummer moved on and Corey moved of the Year.He was also a cub and scout leader with the 169th away. Harve McCool joined the group on bass and Curt took up Bowmont Scouting group for over 15 years and is still currently drumming, and that has been the current lineup ever since. on the executive of the Bowness Ratepayers Scout and Guide Hall Association. The three Barge children attended Belvedere Parkway, T.B. Riley and Bowness High Schools and loved it. Gord and Jody, his wife of 32 years, moved to Bowness in November of 1989 with their son, Jesse. Soon their second We will miss hearing “Vintage Express” this summer but look son, Corey, was born. In 1995 their last child, Danielle, was forward to next year when this pandemic is over! born. Later the family took in Danielle’s best friend, Courtney, I’m Marg - I moved to Bowness as a youngster in the mid 1950s and have never left! I attended Parkway School (as it was known then) and Bowness High School. My daughters also attended Belvedere-Parkway and Bowness High School and four of my grandchildren attended Bowness High.

10 I JULY/AUG 2020 I THE BOWEST’NER News from the Past Co�r�e�y o� t�e Bo�n�s� Hi�t�r�c�l So�i�t� b�w�e�s�i�t�r�c�l�o�i�t�.c�m

Growing up in Early Bowness- Somewhere in this era, we had a measles quarantine sign on our front door, and I was confined to a dark room in order Part VI to protect my eyes from harm. That was hard to understand at that age.

Here are some more memories The perpetual orange glow in the southern sky from “Hell’s of the 1930s and 1940s from Kitchen” in Turner Valley was a sight for many of those early former Bowness resident, Les years. As we were without a car, we never got to see the Hamilton. huge flare.

Some of the sights of summer in the ‘40s were the big semi- trailers carrying huge loads of ice blocks down Main Street from the Calgary Ice Plant on their way to Calgary ice boxes. On a hot July day, it was a novelty to pickup a slab of ice that would often fall from the trailers. The plant was located on the hill just north of the Shriner’s Headquarters at Stoney Trail Northwest. The lake the ice was taken from is now just a water feature with a fountain in front of the Shriner’s building.

Halloween in early Bowness was somewhat different than today’s version the city children experience. As this event was one of very few where the kids could get free treats, it was taken seriously by many families. It was not unusual for the kids to return home with a pillowcase full of apples (the Hauling Blocks of Ice, 1911. most common donation), then change disguises and go out all over again. For a homeowner to not answer the door would lead to a good soaping of the windows of their house and, in many cases, the outhouse in the back yard would be tipped over. I recall one year when there was a row of four or five outhouses that sat blocking Main Street in front of our house at what is now 65th Street. Main Street was also number 8 provincial highway in those days. As we had no police department in that era, the RCMP were a frequent sight at the schools and around town. It was a barometer of the social problems that persisted in a limited but noticeable bunch of families.

On July 14, 2019, the Bowness Historical Society dedicated a park at 6704 Bow Crescent as Tony and Ruby Schmaltz Park. In the ‘40s, this was a vacant lot with a deep wide ditch, the purpose of which was to carry storm water that flowed through the streetcar subway and get it under Main Street and into the river. It was one of the few spots that one could access to do some fishing. In later years, it was a skating rink. Two workmen operating power saw, Alberta Ice Company. Keith Alberta, 1937. There is another memory from the early ‘40s. Our milk man was none other than the famous chuckwagon driver from High River, Ron Glass. I rode with him in his little red pickup truck and carried bottles of milk to his customers’ doors. I was on top of the world!

THE BOWEST’NER I JULY/AUG 2020 I 11 www.stedmundscalgary.org

The Church Building is quiet and empty but the Spirit of Christ’s Community is loud & joyful! St Edmunds sends Love to our community and thanks for all who are bringing our Socially Distanced neighbors closer together! We❤Bowness!

12 I JULY/AUG 2020 I THE BOWEST’NER BUSINESS DIRECTORY PLEASE TELL ADVERTISERS YOU FOUND THEM IN THE BOWEST’NER

Appreciate life All her beauties, joys, splendors A new world awaits - MJ Karelse

DALE HODGES PARK RECEIVES AN EMERALD AWARD! The Emerald Awards celebrates outstanding environmental achievements in Alberta. This year, was a recipient of the Shared Footprints category that recognizes those who have exemplified land and water stewardship, built shared knowledge, improved air quality, reduced land disturbances, and encouraged ecotourism.

Councillor Sutherland would like to congratulate the many people responsible for this achievement - Sans façon; WATERSHED+; AECOM; O2 Planning + Design; Source2Source; Wilco Contractors Southwest Inc and the staff and artists from the Public Art Department, Calgary Parks, and Utilities and Environment Protection from The City of Calgary.

Photography by: Sans façon

THE BOWEST’NER I JULY/AUG 2020 I 13 BCA DIRECTOR

Bowness Community Association We are lose until urter notie ut www.mybowness.com 7904 43 Avenue NW aailale y pone 40-2-00 General Inquiries: Calgary, AB T3B 4P9 leae a essage an soeone will [email protected] return your all

Our staff may be reached by dialing the main number 403-288-8300 and then selecting the extension listed below:

STAFF CONTACT NAME ETENSION EMAIL

xecutive irector Michelle ice 17 [email protected] ffice Manager Rentals Molly MacRae 15 [email protected] vents olunteer Coordinator Laddie Miller 11 [email protected] Bowest’ner Newsletter Jessica Clark 1 [email protected] Communications Coordinator Community Hub Lee-Ann Baines 130 [email protected] Community lanning / Sydney mpson / 134 [email protected] / Accounting eb Hall [email protected] Arena ffice 135 Facilities Kale aniels 1 [email protected]

COMMUNIT DIRECTOR CITY OF CALGARY algarya Municipal services 3-1-1 BOWNESS CLUBS & SERVICES Non-emergency social services 2-1-1 OIN US! Bow Ridge Little League Baseball...... bowridgebaseball.com Bruins...... bowriverhockey.ca Bowmont Serniors Assistance Association...... 403-286-1811 Bowmont Youth Justice Committee...... 403-288-6922 Bowness Community Association/...... mybowness.com Bowness Community Centre & Arena...... 403-288-8300 Bowness Historical Society...... 403-288-1737 Bowness Lions Club...... 403-286-1648 Bowness Responsible Flood Mitigation Society ...... bownessrfm.ca Bowness Seniorsʼ Centre...... 403-286-4488 Bowness Soccer Club...... bownesssoccer.com BowWest Community Resource Centre...... 403-216-5348 Boys and Girls Club of Calgary, Bowness: Club Programs...... 403-571-0517 Ready, Set, Go! Preschool...... 403-999-5827 B BCA MEMBER! Home-Start...... 403-571-0516 Not a member yet or need to renew t’s easy. YEAR (Youth-centred Engagement, Action & Respect).... 403-669-5533 CARYA (formerly Calgary Family Services)...... 403-269-9888 rop by the office or go online Northwest & Central Outreach for Older Adults...... 403-286-1811 Calgary Northwest Basketball...... cnwb.ca Calgary Police Services, District 2 Zone 4, Cst. D. Down ...... 403-428-6241 Memberships are 5 for seniors, 10 for [email protected] individuals, 0 for a family, 30 for an Calgary Public Library, Bowness Branch...... 403-221-2022 associate or a business. City of Calgary, Calgary Neighbourhoods...... 403-476-7221 Distress Centre/24-hour Crisis Line...... 403-266-1605 Family Pride Parent Link Centre...... 403-288-1446 Renew or purchase your BCA membership to be Girl Guides District Commissioner...... 403-710-5775 Miskanaw ah...... 403-247-5003 entered to win a 0 gift card from a local Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 238 Bowness...... 403-247-1234 Bowness business. Scouts, 169 Bowmont...... 403-829-9956 United Way of Calgary & Area: Bowness Montgomery Neighbourhood Collaborative.... 403-875-1278 r, get in touch at (403) -300 or West Valley Softball...... westvalleysoftball.com [email protected]. ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES www.mybowness.com Calgary Board of Education Trustee Joy Bowen-Eyre...... 403-294-8487 Calgary Catholic School District Trustee Serafino Scarpino.. 403-500-2550 facebook.com/mybowness Councillor Ward Southerland, Ward 1...... 403-268-2430 @mybowness MLA Demetrios Nicolaides, Calgary-Bow...... 403-216-5400 MP Ron Lipert, Calgary Signal Hill...... 403-292-6666

14 I JULY/AUG 2020 I THE BOWEST’NER with binoculars and cameras to get a glimpse of the Lewis’ Woodpecker. We talked to everyone who came by and learned how very rare it was for this bird to be in this location. Apparently the Lewis’ hasn’t been reported in Calgary since 1999, even that spotting was unique. Allegedly, it has been spotted three other times in Alberta this year. This bird is most commonly seen in interior of B.C. and the Western U.S.

Throughout the week, we had a couple people per day on our street wielding binoculars and cameras, hoping for a Lewis’ glimpse of the Lewis’ Woodpecker. Lewie (as we affectionately named him) hung around for about two weeks. The children Woodpecker happily neglected their school work to watch him out of our front window taking from our crab apple tree. Also distracting us from school work are the chickadees, sparrows, squirrels, Sunday night my children and I were sitting down to supper robins and just this week about a dozen yellow rumped when my amateur bird watching son jumped up and exclaimed: warblers visiting our yard. We will always cherish our days “I’ve never seen that one before!” and pulled out his binoculars with Lewie, and are grateful to live in Bowness where we can and bird field guide. As he was marking down his find in the see a variety of creatures. field guide he realized the bird he identified as a “Lewis’ Woodpecker” didn’t travel into Alberta, let alone Calgary. We all spent a few minutes looking through the binoculars and taking photos, trying to identify the bird. It looked exactly like a Lewis’. Was it possible the field guide was wrong?

I posted our find on the INaturalist app and also messaged a couple of friends who were into birds. My friends confirmed it looked like a Lewis’ Woodpecker and almost immediately we got a message on INaturalist asking us to confirm that this was indeed spotted in Calgary. It was at this point we realized we had seen something special. Another birding acquaintance recommended we obscure our location on the app, otherwise we would have a hundred people on our front lawn by morning. We quickly did so.

But by morning word was out, or at least a whisper made it out. That morning we had about five people show up

Birders, Henry (11) and Sonya (9), have been proud Bownesians for the past seven years. You will often run into them at Dale Hodges or with their binoculars and bird field guides, happily identifying everything they see. As their mom, I am usually close behind carrying the snacks and water. If you see us, please say hi and tell us about the birds you’ve been spotting.

THIS IS THE TIME TO BE SLOW

This is the time to be slow, Lie low to the wall Until the bitter weather passes.

Try, as best you can, not to let The wire brush of doubt Scrape from your heart All sense of yourself And your hesitant light.

If you remain generous, Time will come good; And you will find your feet Again on fresh pastures of promise, Where the air will be kind And blushed with beginning.

Poem selected by Sherra Molyneux - John O’Donohue

THE BOWEST’NER I JULY/AUG 2020 I 15 KEN RICHTER RE/MAX Real Estate (Central) Each Office Independently Owned and Operated

403-630-6363

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Asking $569,900 Asking $579,900 Asking $749,900 6409 34 Avenue NW 2000 Home Road NW 4923 21 Avenue NW

FOR SALE! FOR SALE! FOR SALE!

Asking $1,200,000 Asking $1,200,000 Asking $599,900 6530 Bow Crescent NW 8018 48 Avenue NW 7340 36 Avenue NW

REDU STAY SOC STAY SAFE! CE BE WELL! IALLY th e RISK! CONNECTED!

403-630-6363 www.KenRichter.com [email protected]

www.BowCrescent.com Not intended to solicit properties already listed for sale. *based on number of closed transactions

16 I JULY/AUG 2020 I THE BOWEST’NER