Inspiration for this fine inner-city hike comes from the book Calgary’s Best Walks by Lori Beattie. Here we’ll be following Route #12, roughly, taking in a series of parks and hitting the pavement in number of older established neighbourhoods. The going is super easy. You don’t have to follow our route to the letter either, mix it up, we insist upon it. I think the author of the book would agree – make it yours. This one has a lot of zigs and zags.
Our start was at the Confederation Park parking lot, off 30th Ave NW. Enter this long green space some eight to ten blocks long. It’s located in a shallow coulee set below the surrounding neighbourhoods. There’s lots of trees and lots of nice open grassy areas. It was established in 1967 and named after Canada’s union which took place exactly one hundred years prior. That stylized maple leaf was the symbol of our country’s 100th.
Calgary’s Best Walks #12: a fun and interesting urban trek through parks and older neighbourhoods. A Chris & Connie Adventure!
Head west on a paved path, ambling along next to a stream. What, in the big city? Lots of people out enjoying the nice weather this day. Dog walkers, joggers, picnickers, and daredevil kids hitting up the many toboggan runs in the park. Fun was had by all.
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Dip under 10th Street using a tunnel. Take in the park, soak up the sun, a gentle breeze blows, large trees tower overhead. Bliss. Another underpass. Just beyond 14th Street take the path heading behind Confederation Golf Course, which in winter is used for X-County Skiing. Lots of people out doing it this day.
To the left…Boler! Wait…it’s just a look-alike, a near carbon copy called a Lil’ Bigfoot. I don’t know the story of the Bigfoot firm, but we think they made Bolers under contract in the 1980s and perhaps “borrowed” the design for their own trailer. It’s easy to confuse one with the other, especially from a distance. One sure fire way – that hitch shroud tells us it’s an impostor.
Enter Canmore Park, head up to street level and enter the Banff Trail Neighbourhood on Canmore Road. Lots of Brady style houses here dating from the late 1960s to the early 1970s. Rather in love with the kitschy designs of that era.
Turn left on 28th Avenue and left again on Cochrane Road. Right on 27th Avenue then left on Morley Trail. Hitting 19th Street – Boler! And our first of the year. Turn right, cross over at the lights and head east on 24th Avenue. You’re now in the community of Capitol Hill which dates form the 1940s (mostly)
We’ve been passing all kinds of cool old vehicles along the way and would see more later. Most looked road-worthy, even if they were a bit beat up and worn out looking. We call junker pickups “Mike’s Trucks” after the old man who had a thing old beaters to use in his construction business. Got many of his from “Farmer Jones”.
Right on 18th Street, left on 22nd Avenue, right on 16th Street, then right again on 20th Avenue. There’s a corner store along here – not a chain 7-11 or Mac’s but an independent Mom & Pop type place. And when we pass an old-school “confectionery” such as this we always buy a couple lotto tickets. If one is to win, we feel it’ll be here. Truth be told, they were duds and we walked away with jack. Had we won, we would have shared it with all you readers. Of course we would.
On hitting 19th Street again, turn left and on arriving at busy 16th Avenue, turn right and enter Tipperary’s Pub. This stop is mandatory! A Guinness, dark as night, and some bacon and eggs await. A beer with breakie? It works! Technically it was breakfast for lunch.
A couple pints later, all happy and rocking a low grade buzz, we hit the road again. Head in behind the Home Depot on 17th Avenue, after crossing 19th Street. On 17th Street head left, on 19th Avenue head right – and old Olds and Jurassic Jeep in quick succession – then left on 16th Street and finally right on 20th Avenue. We’ll stay on this one for a time after bouncing around like a pinball earlier.
Wander past many tiny homes, mostly, along with the occasional business (that post tells us one was a former Loaf & Jug). Come to King George School, a large imposing structure made of sandstone. It’s not the only one like it in Calgary. We’re now in the neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant. It dates from the 1910s. Lots of small bungalows here interspersed with giant McMansion infills of more recent vintage. Quite a contrast in size! And style.
Head north on 10th Street then right on 23rd Avenue. More old houses. Left on 7th Street, right on 24th Avenue, and one last left on 6th Street. Another old truck – the old man would love it. Come to Confederation Park and drop down to your car. You’re done!
Full expect we’ll being doing more of Lori Beattie’s Walks. There’s times where wilderness hiking in winter is not possible for us – long story – and these help fill a void. She did a great job making these city-treks interesting and fun and we recommend them. Stay tuned.
If you wish more information about this trail, by all means contact us!
Date of adventure: January, 2018. Location: Calgary, AB. Distance: 10km loop. Height gain maximum: 80m-ish. Height gain cumulative: 120m-ish. NOTE: all distances and heights are approximate.
(A long read) After twelve years it's time to put a face to the name and come clean on something. That's rarely-seen Chris in the photo, one half of Team BIGDoer, my best friend for almost thirty years and orchestrator of everything you see here. For his entire adult life, he's battled a deep depression.
Mostly it's manageable, but there are extended bouts where it's crippling and his life comes to a grinding halt. Sometimes there are days or weeks where he's lost. Sleep does not come easy at this time and further aggravates the issue. As he ages, it's worsening and seems intent on destroying him from the inside.
If you see a lack of posts here, or ones poorly worded, confusing or simply off, it's from one of these periods.
Through all this, he remains as kind, thoughtful and loving as ever, but is somewhere else. To the family, it's just Chris and accepted as it should be. The kids and grandkids adore him no less. Until today, however, this has been hidden from the outside world, although closer friends and some readers were probably already suspect of his condition. I hope admitting this does not break the site.
He finds clarity when we're out and doing things, hiking or documenting something historic and it's only THE reason this page and our website exists. It's therapy. Then he's a new and passionate person, but the monster as he calls it always returns. The Beer Parlour Project has brought out a side I've never seen and when out in the field he's never been so on point and confident.
This post is not for sympathy but to inform. Just so you know where he is and here's what you can do to help (a last ditch request)...
If you see a missed comma or oddly worded sentence in a post, please be kind. You'll probably see his uncertainty when he's off and be nice there too. But if you like what you see, even if the write up could be presented better, post your encouragement. Say something and say it loud...it's important and will keep him sharing. Help Chris get better by cheering him on.
Other than some photos that are mine, everything else comes from him. All the tiring research and the writing (he admits he's NOT a writer), are his.
Chris puts every dollar he makes into this "project of a lifetime", and it's supplemented by donations from readers who enjoy the content. If you want to help...
Admittedly he was not thrilled with the idea of posting this but agrees it probably should be said, even if it makes him uneasy. He doesn't like appearing in photos either. He's so shy, thinks he looks goofy and hates his husky eyes. I love them and they're windows into a wonderful, complex and quiet, but tortured soul. It breaks my heart when he's in a bad space.
This image comes thanks to photographer Arturo Pianzola and was captured while exploring the historic Riverview Mental Hospital in Coquitlam BC. Chris thought since he was in the area last year, he'd stop by to visit with a grandfather he never really knew, who spent his last years at the facility and is buried on the grounds.
Thanks for listening and your understanding. Hopefully we'll see you next week. Johanna (Connie).
Journey of Natty Gann (Disney 1985) and the same location in the Crowsnest Pass 2014. We're visiting the Pass over the new year, as we often do, and this time we'll be staying at a house that appears (briefly) in the film. How cool, eh? Chris has decided it's time on this visit to reshoot this and other Natty Gann comparison shots we did from ten years ago. Stay tuned!
This scene was shot in historic downtown Coleman and shows the former Holyk's Grocery. It was built in the early 1900s and the store closed in the '60s. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
From 2015. Rob Pohl and his strange old-style view camera joined us in documenting the Laing House (with permission). Head down to the comments to see an amazing coincidence with something I found inside.
From the Crossley slides, it's an undated view of Towers School, out near Cluny Alberta. It was originally called Swastika School but that's before the word and symbol were ruined by negative connotations. Built 1922. Gone? _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
The same alley in downtown Calgary's west end, in the 1970s & today. You have to look hard to see the connection! The area was quite run down back then and is in stark contrast to all the shiny condo towers seen present day. Calgary Place West, an apartment block, appears in both images although it's barely a sliver in ours. Check the comments for more info.
Photo credit: James Tworow collection. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
Lost highways (2022): a section of old #93 in Southeastern BC. That BIGDoer-mobile is gone now but quite famous and had a following of its own. Old mine roads, cow paths, 4x4ing across fields - no problem and people would recognize us out in remote areas just by this car. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
Great day with my best friend! A little hard on the knees with that ice, but still fun.
You make me all warm and fuzzy. Yes, it’s always fun.
Yes, that was a Loaf and Jug. We lived just around the corner and used buy candy there as a kid.
There was a fair number of them at one time. I looked in old phone books and they covered much of the city.
Mount Pleasant boy here!! You just missed going past our place.
That close! There’s sure lots of quaint homes in your neighbourhood.