Jill Browne, from home and away

Fourth Avenue Flyover and Langevin Bridge, Calgary. Photo by Jill Browne, February 22, 2011.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Winter. Snow. If you’re getting tired of hearing me say it, imagine how I feel.

I have been hearing robins over the past week or two, but today I saw my first one. Poor guy, up there in the spruce tree in the snow.

The picture is from February, though the day looks much the same as today. We were going east on Memorial Drive, stopped at the light at Edmonton Trail, and I took this picture of the 4th Avenue flyover. You can also see the older Langevin Bridge behind it.

The Langevin Bridge is named after the same gentleman as the Langevin Block on Parliament Hill, Sir Hector-Louis Langevin. He was a Conservative Member of Parliament from Quebec, and one of the Fathers of Confederation. He was also the Minister of Public Works and left office because of a scandal. His department was the subject of an inquiry in 1891, and he stepped down that year.

It strikes me as odd that a Quebec politician from any party would have a bridge named for him in Calgary. Even in the early days, we had more than enough luminaries to cover the infrastructure.

Langevin was the minister who petitioned Parliament for a bridge across the Bow River, and that is why his name is on it. So says a brochure from the City of Calgary, “A Snapshot of Calgary’s History”. The petitioning was in 1885. The bridge was built in 1910, twenty-five years later.

You can just tell there’s a lot of juicy 19th century politics behind the scenes here. I wonder who in Calgary felt such loyalty to Langevin as to put his name on the Calgary bridge so long after the fact, and why.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

If you fly into Calgary on Air Canada, you often find yourself at the “A” end of the terminal. There’s a bronze statue of a cowboy’s head, huge, you can’t miss it.

That’s Sam Livingston. He was one of Calgary’s pioneers, originally from Ireland.

He had a farm in a sheltered part of the Elbow River Valley. The microclimate was pretty good there.

The farm is underwater now. We call it the Glennmore Reservoir.

You can stand at Sam’s house, moved to Heritage Park on the high ground above the reservoir, and look down at where the farm was.

The Answer is:

Owen Sound, Ontario

Clue #1: Billy Bishop, Canadian World War One Flying Ace, was born and raised here. The Billy Bishop Regional Airport is named after him, and the family home is now the Billy Bishop Home and Museum.

Clue #2 said you can jump in the lake. Owen Sound is the town’s name, but also the name of the Sound itself, a long, narrow inlet bringing the water of Lake Huron (Georgian Bay) right into town. Owen Sound is half on the east side of the Sound, and half on the west, roughly.

Clue #3: The Big Canoe, or Chi-Cheemaun, is the ferry that runs from Tobermory to Manitoulin Island. In the winter, you can see the Chi-Chee tied up in Owen Sound.

Clue #4: Prohibition until 1961. Owen Sound didn’t get a liquor store until 1961, long after Prohibition ended everywhere else. Signs of such temperance are no longer evident. The town has the same ration of beer stores and bars as its peers.

Clue #5: This was a pun! Everyone likes the sound of this place so much they want to own it.

Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada.  A beautiful place all year-round.

Yesterday’s Where Am I clue number four was:

Where am I?

Used to be pretty hard to get a drink around here.

This town was dry from 1917 until 1961.

Have you figured it out yet? One more clue and then the answer in the next two posts.

Yesterday’s post for Clue Number 1 said:

Away on a whirlwind trip.

Clue: Famous First World War flying ace is a big name in aviation around here.

Here’s the answer:

Billy Bishop Regional Airport

And on to Clue Number 2 in the next post.

Where am I?

Used to be pretty hard to get a drink around here.

Have you figured out where I am yet?

The third clue: This is where you can see the Big Canoe in winter.

Where am I?

Clue number two: Once you get here, you can jump in the lake.

Away on a whirlwind trip.

Clue: Famous First World War flying ace is a big name in aviation around here.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Lounging at home, trying to get some work done, managing to actually do that.

The Heritage Classic outdoor hockey game was on at McMahon Stadium today, but I didn’t pay attention, I’m afraid. Glad to hear Calgary Flames won it!

It wasn’t as cold as yesterday, so I hope the people in the stands were comfortable.

Playing hockey outside is a great idea. I’m so glad the NHL has the outdoor classic.

Some pics from 2011 so far.

In the distance, the copper dome of a church, seen from the 4th Avenue flyover. Photo by Jill Browne. Calgary, January 3, 2011.

Entering downtown on 4th Ave SE. Bow Building on left and Harry Hays on right (brown horizontal stripes). Photo by Jill Browne. Calgary, January 3, 2011.

Cupola of former James Short School. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, January 3, 2011.