The three pillars

By Will Colford, SnowSeekers Inc.

        

             Growing up in a small town, I know first-hand the importance of staying busy.  Idle hands are, after all, the Devil’s playthings. I know it now and my parents knew it then. As a result they kept me busy and involved with as many sports and recreational programs as possible. The community of High River, however, has a significant advantage over my hometown: a recreation centre. 

            Above the entrance are three signs designating the three activities contained within the rec centre, or as I call them, the three recreational pillars of any small town, swimming, curling, and ice rinks. “Without the rec programs the kids are out on the street, maybe getting up to stuff they shouldn’t be,” said Darryn Gold Thorpe, director of the centre.

 Cynthia Phaero, the center’s program administrator tries, “to implement a wide variety of sports programs to see which ones the kids like best, then promote those.” The local care foundation donates money, enabling a free swim twice a week. 

            The centre isn’t just for the youth either. “During the day the seniors use all the facilities through a wide variety of programs like aquatic aerobics, a curling league, and even a senior men’s hockey league called the Old Timers. But more than just a sporting facility, the rec centre is a social hub where people of all ages within the community go to be social and enjoy sport.

It was a fitting site for the Olympic Torch Relay ceremonies in High River. Make sure to catch the Travel Alberta Olympic Torch Relay videos on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/TravelAlbertaCanada

 

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Back to the well

By Will Colford, SnowSeekers Inc.

Up to his knees in muck, award-winning country musician, Corb Lund and his buddies realized they weren’t getting their truck unstuck for some time. Frustrated and tired of pushing and digging, Lund took out his guitar and wrote the country music radio hit, Truck Stuck in the Mud. Unlike the mainstream Nashville style of country, Truck Stuck in the Mud was written in the underground country-style known as the cowboy ballad. Simply put, these are stories that stem from real life experiences, people, and places. 

“I didn’t really know any better, right from the start I just wrote songs about my experiences. The style is very personal.” As such, Lund’s listeners are able to find a relatable quality in his songs that speak to their own experiences, especially here in Alberta. 

Lund has played all over the world singing about the experiences of his hometown, Taber Alberta. And now things have come full circle as he is playing two sets on this leg of the Olympic Torch Relay in the town where his music stems. As we walk through the crowd to a quieter space, Corb seems to be on a first name basis with practically everyone we pass. In fact, before we can even begin, he has to go quickly check on his Mom. Local Harley Phillips notes, “Nice part about Corb is he hasn’t forgot his grass roots.” 

“My Folks still farm south side of town. I grew up in that one and only house,” says Corb. Whether he’s singing about his brother the tool push, the wisdom of his grandfather, or the critters on his ranch, Corb is singing about home and the people he knows there.

Make sure to catch the Travel Alberta Olympic Torch Relay videos on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/TravelAlbertaCanada

Historical Arrival for the Olympic Torch

By Jim Barr, SnowSeekers Inc.

As the Olympic Torch makes its way across this province, it’s travelling by more ways than one. Snowmobile, Horse Drawn Carriage and in today's case, an Olympic first – via a vintage hand railcar across the world's longest and tallest railway bridge, Lethbridge’s High Level Bridge.

I caught up with one of the four who had the chance to pump their way into the history books. "When we got to the other side I could see my kids standing in the audience and tears started to well up in my eyes … it’s a pretty emotional experience," said Olympic torch bearer, Don Burla.

And a little hair-raising I'd gather as Burla and his mates where not just on any ordinary set of tracks; the bridge is a steel structure suspended 314 feet above the ground. Burla was joined by CP locomotive engineers, Brian Lagace and Gord Balderston along with rail car mechanic, Roger Brown on a vintage handrail car on loan from Calgary's Heritage Park.

The Lethbridge Viaduct as it’s known, is owned and operated by Canadian Pacific Railway and just celebrated its own 100th anniversary. It's a piece of history Burla's been working on since 1978.

The bridge spans over a one mile and took over two years to build – construction took two years, from 1907 to 1909. "I started with Canadian Pacific as a bridgeman and worked on keeping this very bridge in great shape," said Burla.
I asked him if there were any memorable moments from working on a bridge of this magnitude. "Well you certainly know when there is a wind about, it can get pretty interesting out there.”

Lucky for all of us the sun was shinning and the temperatures were mild. I am sure Burla and his team would have kept themselves warm pumping their way across the bridge for their 20-minute ride pulling the Olympic cauldron behind them.

It was a once in a lifetime sight.

Make sure to catch the Travel Alberta Olympic Torch Relay videos on YouTube

It’s in the Music

By Will Colford, SnowSeekers Inc.

     

            Why do Albertan’s love country music so much?  The question seemingly answers itself; however, they might be a deeper explanation.  Terri Clark, North American Country Music star, happily flew home to Medicine Hat for the torch ceremony.  “It’s been great being back,” she says.  “I’ve got to run into all my old high school friends and take a tour around and see all the changes.  My school is a lot bigger than I remember.”  Terri was glad to see an event like this bring the whole community together, and honoured to be apart of it.

Outside of the torch relay, however there was still the question of why people from Medicine Hat, and Albertan’s in general love country music.  When you think of the phrase ‘country music’, you think of the country: barns, dogs, hay fields, do-goods and done wrongs.  In truth, however, the phrase “country music” can be thought of as national music.  People who identify with Canada can find themselves, their community, their culture within the lyrics and rhythms of country music because it’s about our country.  It’s about Canada.  Albertan's

especially, then, identify with country music because Canada can be identified within the people and small town communities of the province.           
  Terri’s set list kicked off with “No Fear”.  “The song,” says Terri, “is about being able to shrug off the fear surrounding following your dreams.  I myself had to overcome fear when I left for Nashville to follow my own dreams, just like every Olympian has to overcome theirs.”  The second song is called “Burn”, aptly named for the theme of passion.  It is no coincidence Teri opens the torch relay with songs of overcoming fear and being passionate.  “The next three are about having a big party,” laughs Terri.  But, again, her music perfectly exemplifies the feeling of the relay, the identities of Alberta towns, and relation Albertan’s have to our country.

 

Alberta is defined by it's people

By Jim Barr, SnowSeekers Inc.

The Olympic movement is about bringing people together, its about sharing cultures, learning from one another and acheiving goals. As our team makes its way around this province, I have been asking those who are part of the celebrations and the tens of thousands of Albertan's who are out to share in the Olympic glory, "What makes this a great place to live?"

For Susan and David Guba from Drumheller, that answer was simple.

"Our province is an incredible place to live and its the people that make it great. We are a province that is full of people who are there to help each other out," said Susan.

And certainly the Gubas were there in 1988 to help people out, volunteering for the '88 Calgary Olympics. They had the chance to reflect back on that experience yesterday, seeing the Olympic flame up close again as it marched into The Canadian Bad Lands Passion Play Theatre in Drummheller. It was sight that brought both of them to tears.

"It was such an incredible exerpience, to be apart of history and share in the excitement, its really hard to explain," said Susan. For David, his times during the Calgary games was about the chance to connect with fellow Albertans, Canadaians and people around the world.

"The people that we laughed with, the opportunity for us to share stories from our province and to be proud of what we are so fortunate to have. Then to see that flame back in Alberta here today ... it really choked me up and brought tears to my eyes."

This theme of hospitality is one we've been hearing a lot of as we make our way around the province, we really are a place where people care.

"We are strong. We work hard and we really work to see our dreams come true," explained Gisselle Beauchesne of Medicine Hat at last night, where the celebrations took place under the world's largest teepee- the Saamis Teepee (which was constructed for the Calgary '88 Olympics to showcase Alberta's heritage.)

Stay tuned for lots more as we make our way into Taber and Lethbridge today – where the torch will be making its way across the 100 year old railway bridge through town.

The influence of the Gibber By Will Colford, SnowSeekers

Dr. Garry Gibson – lead torch bearer for Camrose, and affectionately known as the Gibber – told the crowd carrying the torch was “a major highlight of [his] life, made all the more wonderful by sharing it with [his] community.”

It appeared as if the whole town was closed that day to come out and celebrate its leg of the torch relay. Most excited were the school kids, who not only got to “miss math class” for the event, but they shared a connection to Dr. Gibson through their teacher, Miss Olsen. 

Garry “taught me in high school,” remembers Olsen. “He taught Phys Ed. and coached me in both volley ball and basket ball. It was before he stared the biathlon program. Before the program, only the army was concerned with biathlon.” 

Having not one, but two former biathlete Olympians – David Leony and Glenn Rubertus  – Dr. Garry’s influence on the community is as strong as ever. I had a chance to ask Glenn and David about the Nordic tradition in Camrose. 

“Camrose owes its Nordic skiing tradition to its Scandinavian heritage. Many Swedes and Norwegians settled here and brought with them cross country skiing. Now we have a prominent ski jumping, cross country, and biathlon program,” says David.  As such, representing their country in the sport of their home town makes both Glenn and David feel as though they “carry the town with [them] wherever [they] go.”  

The Heritage Flame

As former Olympian and Edmontonian native Doreen Ryan finishes raising her arms in spiritual triumph, Native Edmontonian singing group Asani raise their voices in triumphant spirit. 

In school, we had to learn both the English and French versions of O Canada, no different than two sides of a cereal box.  The bi-lingually legislated part of our heritage is omni present.  But, Canada is not a bi-lingual country, and we share a far deeper heritage beyond that of our colonial ancestry.  Edmonton especially has a rich history involving our Native heritage.  So like the crisp night air stealing breath, Asani’s rendition of O Canada was both refreshing and overwhelming. 

Asani are described as a “contemporary Women’s trio from Edmonton, who [carry] with them the traditional influences of First Nations and Metis music accompanied by drums and rattles.  Their songs resonate with their own blend of traditional vocals infused with the sounds of jazz, folk and blues.”  They, thankfully, were on stage during the pinnacle moment of tonight’s torch relay.

As the crowd grew close, and all generations of Edmontonains cheered on the torch’s arrival, the crowd became one and the singing of the National Anthem was announced.  Just like we’ve all been taught, everyone straightened and prepared to belt out a familiar rendition.  But then something unexpected happened.  Debbie Houle began a low vocal rhythm, lightly rattled her drum, and everyone gave pause.  Before anyone knew what to expect, Sarah Pocklington charged ahead with a vibrant melody and Sherryl Sewepagham carried everyone’s ears with a swooping and bold harmony.  The words of the anthem were gone, replaced instead by a comforting feeling, like finding something you never knew was lost.  It perfectly articulated the symbolic nature of the torch, the enduring human spirit of the games, and the deep connection Albertan’s and Canadian’s share with one another.