Saskatchewan is next in line. June monsoon and the lowlands. They are used o floods,but nothing like this the worst in decades. There is the rallying call by the major - "The Stampede will go on, no matter what!" Flabbergasted I show you this . .
Quote : this was actually recorded the Monday after our exit but (the italics) is the announcement : -The Calgary Stampede will burst out of the chute full throttle next month and spur the morale of flood-weary southern Albertans, exhibition officials vowed Monday.
While many Calgarians have said the recovery focus should be on stricken citizens instead of ensuring the annual bash, Stampede CEO Vern Kimball said going ahead with the show is a vital show of defiance in the face of disaster.
“Visitors will see the resilience of Calgarians first-hand ... we’ll deliver the Stampede to take a break from pumping water from their houses,” said Kimball.
As he spoke, an army of heavy equipment worked feverishly to restore the chuckwagon track and infield area that had been submerged by the flood.
Muddy water still remained in the animal pens behind the rodeo infield, though millions of litres of water has been pumped from facilities, said Stampede officials.
Kimball said they fully intend to recover the entire Stampede Grounds in time for the July 5 opening, adding they’re not ruling out concerts like rock band Kiss at the Scotiabank Saddledome whose lower reaches were swamped.
“Stampede will be everything it was last year,” he said.
In quoting this year’s Stampede motto, exhibition President Bob Thompson said: “We will be hosting the greatest outdoor show on earth, come hell or high water.”
He said calling off the extravaganza — which pumps $340 million into the local economy — wasn’t an option.
“Throughout our entire history, we have never cancelled a show despite two wars and a depression,” said Thompson.
But both men said they won’t underestimate the scope of the cleanup effort ahead of them and that work on the grounds is running 20 hours daily instead of the normal 16.
While the Corral and BMO Centre escaped major damage, the Big Four Building will be a challenge to recover, they said.
Buildings still need to be assessed for their structural integrity, but the officials said they’re confident they’ll be usable.
The Stampede Parade, they vowed, would also take to the streets of downtown Calgary, though likely along a different route.
“We should have a secondary honorary parade marshal — a big pump with a hose on it,” said Kimball.
Help in ensuring the show goes on has come across Canada and as far away as Missouri and Texas, he added.
When asked if they fear images of Alberta’s flooding will deter visitors from Stampede, Kimball said interest remains high.
“We sold 1,000 tickets on the weekend and we didn’t even have our phone lines running,” he said.
Badly flood-buckled LRT tracks should be repaired in time for the exhibition, partly by diverting manpower building the northwest C-Train extension to Rocky Ridge, said Ward 9 Ald. Gian-Carlo Carra.
He also said it’s important the show proceed.
“I would say it’s a powerful symbol of Calgarians’ and Southern Albertans’ resiliency,” he said.
“The caveat is that we’re not diverting resources from the people who are hurting and out of their homes and I don’t believe that’s happening.”
bill.kaufmann@sunmedia.ca
oThe Calgary Stampede will burst out of the chute full throttle next month and spur the morale of flood-weary southern Albertans, exhibition officials vowed Monday.
While many Calgarians have said the recovery focus should be on stricken citizens instead of ensuring the annual bash, Stampede CEO Vern Kimball said going ahead with the show is a vital show of defiance in the face of disaster.
“Visitors will see the resilience of Calgarians first-hand ... we’ll deliver the Stampede to take a break from pumping water from their houses,” said Kimball.
As he spoke, an army of heavy equipment worked feverishly to restore the chuckwagon track and infield area that had been submerged by the flood.
Muddy water still remained in the animal pens behind the rodeo infield, though millions of litres of water has been pumped from facilities, said Stampede officials.
Kimball said they fully intend to recover the entire Stampede Grounds in time for the July 5 opening, adding they’re not ruling out concerts like rock band Kiss at the Scotiabank Saddledome whose lower reaches were swamped.
“Stampede will be everything it was last year,” he said.
In quoting this year’s Stampede motto, exhibition President Bob Thompson said: “We will be hosting the greatest outdoor show on earth, come hell or high water.”
He said calling off the extravaganza — which pumps $340 million into the local economy — wasn’t an option.
“Throughout our entire history, we have never cancelled a show despite two wars and a depression,” said Thompson.
But both men said they won’t underestimate the scope of the cleanup effort ahead of them and that work on the grounds is running 20 hours daily instead of the normal 16.
While the Corral and BMO Centre escaped major damage, the Big Four Building will be a challenge to recover, they said.
Buildings still need to be assessed for their structural integrity, but the officials said they’re confident they’ll be usable.
The Stampede Parade, they vowed, would also take to the streets of downtown Calgary, though likely along a different route.
“We should have a secondary honorary parade marshal — a big pump with a hose on it,” said Kimball.
Help in ensuring the show goes on has come across Canada and as far away as Missouri and Texas, he added.
When asked if they fear images of Alberta’s flooding will deter visitors from Stampede, Kimball said interest remains high.
“We sold 1,000 tickets on the weekend and we didn’t even have our phone lines running,” he said.
Badly flood-buckled LRT tracks should be repaired in time for the exhibition, partly by diverting manpower building the northwest C-Train extension to Rocky Ridge, said Ward 9 Ald. Gian-Carlo Carra.
He also said it’s important the show proceed.
“I would say it’s a powerful symbol of Calgarians’ and Southern Albertans’ resiliency,” he said.
“The caveat is that we’re not diverting resources from the people who are hurting and out of their homes and I don’t believe that’s happening." bill.kaufmann@sunmedia.ca
This seems to make the locals heartened, but I can not imagine how. In fact I hope it does, but it seems ridiculous as the water is currently, (pardon the pun), swirling around.
These are creeks one of them at Canmore just down the road from here.
Early breakfast , more updates with phone calls, what a waste of time, as people don't know
Things are paring down. Cold boiled eggs, no bacon. And bread for toasting . Cereals. fine but ridiculous to be paying Canadian $12 for, which is about $NZ 20 .
The foyer is all agog with an announcement by Brewster, that there will be a long convoluted trip for $99 available for people heading to Calgary ! Calgary I think. They have to bring their own food and it will be basic. Actually everyone is clamouring and coming back with stashes of muesli bars and drink. here is a toilet on the bus. IT WILL TAKE THEM TWELVE HOURS TO DO A 1 and 1/2 hour trip by going way up and over and then down near America and back up again. Big exodus of all sorts of people. Reminds me of war movies a bit, the feeling of missing out, and they are out way too early just to be sure of their place. Quite a few anxious non English speaking people. Some cynic says "wouldn't it be a shame if the army of which there are 1300 deployed managed to open the road at Canmore today".
Well it could happen but I am not going to Calgary.
I strike up more conversations, and Chris an orchardist from Clive near Napier NZ, and his wife are so frustrated, as they wanted to get to Lake Louise and had to cancel the lovely hotel there . he's philosophical about that, but has friends to catch p with from Jasper. His angle is that he is so not used to being able to do something proactive about his circumstances. he is a doer and he feels hog tied by his circumstances. We talk a lot and will keep each other updated He feels the hotel has not been helpful and kind of told us stuff on a need to know basis. This thought is exacerbated by a drip on reception, who is unusually not suited to this role. She is terse and blunt and unhelpful, andI cringe at her manner. back to the room and Sandra has emailed .
She is off, she set off at 6.30 this morning in the hope that she can get through!
Good grief, I am overwhelmed with awe and embarrassment, and delight !
That is a lo-o-ong way to drive.
I quickly email back and plan. Hoops another email and she is approaching Golden has come through a storm I later discover.
This beats the Famous Five, as I switch to Batman and Superman themes.
The weather is not bad here, intermittent rain, though the effects of what has been dropped belch forth from the ever present TV., -my choice to listen. But look. . .
I don't know what part of the day, but this is a successful shot, at last from my hotel window of one very elusive mountain.
Yeay !
Packing done, I slip out to take the odd photo, one of which is to get the Christmas shop - 'Spirit of Christmas', on my camera if they will let me, and they do.
With an average frontage, this place stretches back ages, and the internal fit out, is worthy of Harrods and more. Typically,my sort of camera doesnt capture it but Peter and Pearls and Barry's sorts would.
These banisters are luxurious. here are three levels in this shop all displaying different things and themes of Christmas.
Every conceivable size and shape and colour of Christmas tree.
This rounded glass case all in polished mahogany
It is like ai look at a mini DisneyLand as I recall it (Disneyland), and I am enthralled. And choose tiny "light" things for Pam and Sandra's tree, as a momento. It is not cheap place,but pure class, and an insight into another style of decorating as every conceivable theme of town, and the largish ornaments that go in it, are arranged and lit, upstairs- all lit up and like fairyland, a kids paradise.Pricey , and I wonder where they are stored, between seasons, and how the average house could do that. I later discover North Americans have no end of storage, by virtue of their basements. Enviable. I don't crave too much here, but appreciate it all especially, classic glass ornaments, it is all so reminiscent of Norman Rockwell paintings -home and hearth, all the best bits of middle America as I see it.
A woman comes in all drenched, and I am jerked back to reality. Outside, I discover it was but a sun shower, and get nostalgic for this place,which I will be leaving and where I have been holed up, forget the gondola experience.
Sandra emails that she should, things going well be here at 1.00 or 1.30 pm but she is just approaching Golden when she wrote that.
My bags are being held, incidentally my Mitre Peak bag gets lots of respect and appreciation. Enthusiastically I take SUNNY photos of the town. Yes there it
This is what we came for, what do you think Ian ?
Sunshine in my room on Saturday, and mountain to be seen through window.
There it is, as it should be Banff in sunshine, one way and . .
. . . The other. This is Banff Avenue as it has never looked till now.
So, back to the hotel to regroup - it is nearing 12 and I need to use their Wifi to clear messages. have I said that it is virtually impossible to get worth Ian SIM card here, just way too expensive, although that may be different in BC. But I think it is Canada wide. hey also charged to receive calls a thing I have to remind myself, if I phone..
Anyway Chris is there in the foyer and he is all packed up and happy and Cheryl is too, they have got a ride to Golden. "How ? I exclaim. it seems the couple from Manitoba for whom his had been the most west they had ever come are going on and will take these two to Golden. They are now going to connect by hook or by crook with their Jasper friends by getting to Kamloops (sp), they will work out how to do that at Golden, which is the place if of remember Sandra was hoping I cold get myself to. I tell him of the developments - that Sandra is coming and I am pretty sure she lives near Kamloops and say I will text her as that might make better sense. I do and before I get her reply, at least one hour early she walks through the door. She has been speeding, on totally empty roads, Empty roads are unheard of in Canada. We wont say how fast, as it could incriminate her, but the highway was all hers each way NO TRAFFIC AT ALL.
Yes they had stopped her in Golden and she had made clear she was going in for a rescue. People would only put extra stress on the isolated towns resources . Anywaybthe rest will be part 2 because it is only mid day.
She walks through the door, into the foyer, and suddenly I am temporarily overwhelmed and speechless, yes.
Twenty three years, since my good friend, and fellow mother of preschoolers, returned to her homeland, with her dear little family. What a drama it has been to negotiate the last little bit, and get there. She has driven since 6.30 this morning, and actually it is great. What a drama it has been getting he last bit of the journey.
It is joyful, but we are quickly down to business as Chris and Cheryl have a predicament. They are packed in to the Manitoba people's car and ready to go, but Sandra quickly ascertains that it would make better sense if we can, to squish them in with us, bags and all. It makes sense later when we see how the country is laid out. And we thought it was just me with a big bag.
Sandra's car.. Well, at least my bright blue bag is in, but, there is still more.
This is the trial pack outside the Mount Royal porch, as we switch bags to include Chris and Cheryl in our escape from Banff.
I find Sandra's flexibility amazing, a born manager. She just rose to the occasion. An angel of mercy
Still no traffic allowed East at all, and nothing but cars allowed out to the West, which we are doing.
"After the break, we bring you Lake Louise " - yes they got to see it after all.
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