| Grassroots groups say EUB failing to protect foothills environment
Country singer and rancher Ian Tyson, along with representatives of several landowner and environmental groups, rode on horseback to Calgary’s
McDougall Centre on June 26 to present a letter to the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) and the provincial government demanding greater protection of the foothills.
The letter, representing the Pekisko Group, the Livingstone Landowners Group, the South Porcupine Hills Steward Association and the Alberta Wilderness Association, says that the province’s regulatory process to oversee oil and gas development is "broken" and doesn’t represent the interests of ordinary Albertans or landowners.
"The current policy of liquidating oil and gas resources as quickly as possible is destroying agricultural communities, wildlife diversity, recreational tourism and signature landscapes around the Cowboy Trail," it states. "Together the (EUB) and the government are erasing Alberta’s single biggest brand: its land and heritage."
The groups are concerned about increasing oil and gas development in the foothills, where rare fescue grasslands have created ideal conditions for generations of ranchers.
Support grows for new park in K-Country
The Alberta NDP and Liberal parties have joined the Bragg Creek Environmental Coalition (BCEC) in demanding that the provincial government create a new provincial park near Bragg Creek, in Kananaskis Country, to protect the area from logging and other industrial activity.
The BCEC proposed the new park, Moose Mountain Wildland Park, after learning about Spray Lakes Sawmills’ plan to clearcut forest in popular recreational areas west of Bragg Creek. The sawmill has a harvesting agreement with the province that includes the area around Bragg Creek. However, its proposed logging plan for the area hasn’t yet been approved by the government.
Long-running Slam city Jam skateboard expo comes to calgary
The colossal skateboarding tournament and expo, Slam City Jam, will call Calgary home for the next few years, assuming all goes well this August.
When organizers announced Calgary as the host city for 2006, they were hesitant to comment on whether Cowtown was a one-night stand or a new host city altogether, a privilege held by Vancouver since the expo began in 1994. But massive support from Calgary skaters helped convince them to stick around next year as well.
"Calgary has the second largest skateboarding market in Canada," says Vanessa Langan, Slam City Jam’s project manager. "We’re very pleased with the response we received here in Calgary… with eight weeks still to go, we’ve already sold more advance tickets than we did last year in Vancouver."
A scheduled appearance by Tony Hawk probably has quite a bit to do with that, acknowledges Langan.
Slam City Jam is credited with strengthening Vancouver’s skate scene, transforming the city into something of a skateboarding hub. The annual event has had such a draw that many Calgary skaters habitually made the trip to Vancouver each summer.
In 2005, more than 25,000 people attended the event in Vancouver, making it by far Canada’s largest skateboarding event. Preparations for the Vancouver Olympics, however, brought about the change in venue. The event will take place at the Stampede Corral and the Roundup Centre from August 25 to 27.
Calgary International film festival gets new executive director
The Calgary International Film Festival, heading into its seventh year, is under new leadership.
Executive director Jacqueline Dupuis, a film lover with a marketing background, will face the task of broadening the festival’s appeal without trying to be all things to all people or selling out.
"It’s a very fine balance. Obviously, you want to maintain the artistic integrity of the festival," says Dupuis.
"I’ve been doing a lot of research, and I keep asking, why is it there is all kinds of support for theatre, ballet and opera, and yet there are so many people in Calgary who don’t know we have a film festival?"
While the festival is not self-sustaining, it is doing well, having climbed the ranks to become the fourth largest film festival in Canada. Despite the success, the festival could be reaching a larger audience, says Dupuis.
Accessibility will be a major focus, she says, which means trying to ease the intimidation some feel at the prospect of seeing an arty film. Her marketing campaign will partly focus on what she calls "movie memory," in an effort to tap into nostalgia and the importance of film in people’s lives.
"Everybody has a movie memory. Everybody has a personal experience that’s tied to film."
Dupuis says organizers will also look into tightening the festival’s business process, increasing efficiency and ultimately ensuring sustainability into the future.
The film fest is still accepting submissions, and the submission fee is waived for Alberta filmmakers or films that showcase an Alberta story or landscape. Entries must be submitted by July 14. The Calgary International Film Festival will run from September 22 to October 1.
correction
The costume designre for Beauty Herself is Black, which played during the Ignite! Festival, was Naomi Herback. Incorrect information appeared in a review in the June 22, 2006 issue. We apologize for the error. |
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