Calgary Hitmen - Teddy Bear Toss

Winter is in full swing for us Calgarians, which isn't always a bad thing.  There's obviously not much outdoor golf happening, but there are still some golf options such as the RCGA Golf Centre or Metro Fairway, which is a new golf simulator lounge.  I typically enjoy the winter season, with the excitment surounding Christmas, and following the Calgary Flames.  Sadly, there won't be any 'Sea of Red' or 'Red Mile' going on this season, but the WHL and the Calgary Hitmen are proving to be a pretty good alternative.

If you're a hockey fanatic like me and have been missing the NHL, I'd highly recommend checking out a Hitmen game.  About a week ago I had the pleasure of attending the annual Calgary Hitmen Teddy Bear Toss, in a game where they faced off against the Kootney Ice.  For those of you unfamiliar with this event, fans are encouraged to bring teddy bears to the game and anxiously await the first goal by the Hitmen.  Once the Hitmen score their first goal, the building errupts and teddy bears rain down onto the ice.  It's difficult to describe unless you experience it for yourself; the sight of over 20,000 teddy bears flying through the air and onto the hockey rink, is pretty unique.  That's right, over 20,000 teddy bears!

It took the volunteer crew nearly half and hour to scoop up the 21,453 stuffed animals.  What do they do with  over 20,000 stuffed animals?  They've partnered with 50 plus agencies and charities such as the Alberta Children's Hospital to help bring smiles to the lives of young children.  Hitmen players personally delivered 400 bears to kids at the Alberta Children's Hospital last Monday.

So, hang in there, get out and play some indoor golf, check out a Hitmen game, and enjoy the Christmas Season!

Merry Christmas!

Lilac Festival

The lilac Festival took place this past weekend, and here's how it went...

CALGARY — Clouds and the occasional drizzle didn’t hamper spirits at the Lilac Festival on Sunday as thousands turned out for the annual street celebration that took over several blocks of 4th Street S.W.

With temperatures hovering below 10 C for most of the day, some vendors estimated that attendance would be down this year.

But many hardy Calgarians endured the chilly weather and were rewarded with a couple of hours of sunshine late Sunday afternoon.

“If I waited for nice weather to do things, I’d waste half of my life,” said Fernando Herrera, who brought his two daughters to the festival.

“The weather shouldn’t matter.”

Despite the odd rain shower, dense crowds circulated up and down 4th Street, as people flocked to the Mission district festival for food, shopping and music.

A flotilla of food trucks parked along 4th Street formed a “food truck alley” and attracted crowds of hungry Calgarians.

Lured by the promise of the “baconiest” sandwich, Toronto-transplant Jodi Rukavina ordered a Bacon Storm sandwich at the BLAM!Wich food truck.

“Bacon is usually a good. The sandwich is delicious. It’s got ham, bacon and cheesy sauce,” said Rukavina, who moved to Calgary six months ago.

The young school teacher said she’s enjoying what the city has to offer.

“I was looking for fun things to do and I heard the Lilac Festival was fun.”

Rain showers didn’t stop a troupe of salsa dancers from turning up the heat in a street performance of Cuban dancing.

“You don’t need to wear a lot of layers to stay warm when you’re salsa dancing,” Jenna Lakusta joked.

More than a 100,000 Calgarians are estimated to have made their way through the festival grounds Sunday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Article by Calgary Herald.

Calgary Peace Bridge

I probably should have been out on the golf course practicing my short game, but instead my fiance and I decided to go for a roller blade down to Prince's Island Park and check out the new 'Peace Bridge' which opened to the public yesterday.

Personally, I don't have a lot of bridge building experience, but in my opinion the $25 million dollar price tag seemed a little excessive. Regardless, it's been in the works for over 2 years and I have to admit it does look pretty cool now that it's all finished.  I'd encourage anyone to take a trip downtown and check it out, even if you don't like the bridge, you can't beat a nice stroll along the river or a relaxing picnic in Prince's Island Park.

Project Background

Nestled between the banks of the Bow, just west of Prince's Island Park, the Peace Bridge is being built to accommodate the increasing number of people commuting to and from work and those who simply want to enjoy Calgary's pathways.

This unique structure will connect the Eau Claire area and Hillhurst-Sunnyside, carrying thousands of Calgarians each day. Calgary's downtown is home to over 30,000 residents along with 120,000 employees. This area continues to grow as 40,000 new residents and over 60,000 additional employees are expected in the downtown area by 2035.

With more people choosing to live and work in the core and surrounding areas, there will be more people travelling by foot, bicycle, or in-line skates in and out of the city centre.

For more details on the Peace Bridge  project you can visit the City of Calgary website.