Sorso bartender’s Caesar named best in Canada
An Airdrie bartender took home the Best Caesar in Canada award in 2021, beating out more than 200 submissions from restaurants across the country to claim national bragging rights and a $25,000 cash prize, courtesy of Mott’s Clamato.
Sorso Lounge, Espresso and Wine Bar’s managing partner London Richard said it is nice to know the community had such an impact, noting he received a lot of support from Airdrie after he masterminded the contest's winning cocktail.
The competition, titled Best Caesar in Town, is hosted by Mott’s Clamato annually, and this year, featured 255 participants from across Canada.
Richard’s submission, the “Suffering Caesar” was chosen in the top 10 and was eventually dubbed the first-place winner after a voting period whereby fans could vote for their favourite drink.
The veteran bartender added he hoped to connect the Caesar – a drink synonymous with Canada – to other parts of the world.
“When you think of a Caesar, you think of Canada, which is almost a travesty,” he said. “I personally would love to see a Caesar in other parts of the world.”
According to Richard, his creative cocktail showcased his ingenuity, while also connecting to his Caribbean roots. Differing from a traditional Caesar, Richard's drink consisted of pineapple rum, black fermented garlic, mango nectar, a coconut Worcestershire marinade, fresh lime juice, a scotch bonnet hot sauce, black pepper, and bone marrow ice cubes.
As an avid traveller, Richard has been kept Canada-bound during the COVID-19 pandemic, which inspired the drink’s unorthodox name.
“I couldn’t help but think I wanted to be on a beach somewhere,” he said. “I called it the Suffering Caesar because I felt like we were all kind of suffering – I just wanted to be playful with it.”
Steve Gray runs down every street in Airdrie
During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, now-58-year-old Airdrie resident Steve Gray set a goal for himself to run down every one of Airdrie’s 660 named streets, roads, avenues, and boulevards.
He completed 93 per cent of his target by mid-August and set a further goal to complete the remaining seven per cent before the first snowfall.
By Oct. 25, Gray had accomplished his lofty mission, running down his final street – an obscure range road on the east side of Airdrie's city limits, near Highway 567.
“I just don’t give up,” he said, of his motivation to complete the task. “It’s just built in me that way. If I set myself a goal, I’m going to finish it no matter what.”
To track his runs, Gray used an app called CityStrides, which compiles uploaded data from an activity tracker and correlates the completed runs with a map of the city.
According to his CityStrides data, Gray averaged approximately nine kilometres per run, and 300 kilometres a month – his average run was 54 minutes long.
And while it took him nearly six years to accomplish his goal of running down every street in Airdrie, he said he ran the majority – 65 per cent – after the pandemic began in March 2020.
“It’s been fun during this whole COVID thing to take my mind off everything and do a challenge,” he said. “I think I’m one of the first people to ever do it.
“I just got busy during the last two years, with COVID, and finished it.”
Closure of the Roxy Theatre
The Roxy Theatre, a favourite spot for first dates and afternoon matinees, served its final bag of buttered popcorn on May 24 after Landmark Cinemas head office decided to draw the Airdrie theatre’s curtains for good.
Bill Walker, CEO of Landmark Cinemas, said the 876-seat, two-screen theatre had been struggling since before the COVID-19 pandemic hit with dwindling ticket sales.
“We’re sincerely appreciative of the support of the Airdrie community... it’s just difficult to compete,” he said. “We found the business model for that theatre was no longer working the way we needed it to.”
He added the decision to close “The Roxy” came quickly and acknowledged the loss that many felt across the community following its shutdown.
“It’s always tough to hear the stories of people’s first movie and first date,” he said. “[It] is tough because these theatres have been around for a long time, and they’ve seen guests create memories and experiences they really loved and look upon fondly.”
Following news of the closure of the city’s only movie theatre, Airdrie residents responded in droves on social media. One resident and former employee said the theatre was the reason she met her husband and it holds a place “very near and dear” to her heart.
“I always knew there would be the day that the Roxy Theatre would close, but it was still hard to hear the news,” Nicole Wall said. “I have to admit I was quite upset, and tears were shed.
“The Roxy Theatre is where our story started so I think it’s hard for me to accept that the place where we fell in love will soon be replaced.”
ADVAS support dog Jake received Alberta Community Justice Award
A local support dog and his handler took home the Alberta Community Justice Award in 2021 for their contributions towards supporting victims of crime and preserving justice in the community.
Jake, a five-year old purebred, black Labrador, has been working for the Airdrie and District Victims Assistance Society (ADVAS) and the Airdrie RCMP detachment since November 2019.
His handler and court coordinator Deborah Reid is responsible for monitoring court proceedings, preparing victims to take to the witness stand, and accompanying them to court, which is where Jake lends a helping paw.
“If we have somebody that’s requesting to have a court aid, Jake can accompany them to court,” Reid explained. “He can go right up on the stand with them and help them testify. He has had specified training [and] he’s very calm.”
Reid said Jake has become a bit of a local celebrity since news articles were first written about his and Reid’s nomination for the award earlier this year. She said they were both honoured to take it home.
“Jake and I are so incredibly honoured to receive this prestigious award on behalf of Airdrie and District Victims Assistant Society,” she said. “We would like to acknowledge our entire unit, including staff and volunteer and the RCMP, with whom we partner, to provide support to our community.”
In a statement, Airdire Mayor Peter Brown said the City was rooting for Jake and Reid to take home the award this year.
“We are extremely proud of Debbie and Jake and very grateful that they’ve been recognized for the positive impact they’ve made in Airdrie and area,” he said. “This is well-deserved praise for the tremendous support they provide to some of our most vulnerable community members.”
Airdrie Lioness Club name change
The Airdrie Lioness Club officially changed its name after 40 years, following a decision not to join forces with the Lions International Club earlier this year.
Rather than come under one umbrella with the Lions Club at their behest, the Airdrie-based group decided to remain their own entity, a decision that resulted in the need for a change of name in 2021.
The club, famous for its red-vested volunteers and yearly Christmas hamper program, changed its moniker to the Airdrie 1st Club on July 1.
“We had many names put forth and this was the one that best suited what we wanted people to know – we put Airdrie first,” said Helen Gitzel, club president, though she did acknowledge club members were sorry to see the old name and logo go.
“I think everyone is sad in a way – it was sad to think that since 1977, over 40 years under this name, and we are going to change,” she said. “But it was also exciting because we are putting forth a new name with the new mandate that Airdrie is first and for people to know that.”
Gitzel assured the community the change was in name only and the club’s structure, mission, and inclusive spirit remain the same.
Urban farm opens at Daybreak Church
An Airdrie resident started up an urban farm collective at Daybreak Community Church last spring to get gardening enthusiasts digging in the dirt during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jenn Katerina, founder and facilitator of Airdrie Urban Farm Collective, said the land on which the farm sits had been bare for many years and is owned by the church. After a period of deliberation with the City and the church, the project was approved for this year.
“A garden is such a beautiful thing for a community to be a part of, so the mayor was super eager and told us that he would support us however he could,” she said. “And it’s proven to be a very smooth process so far.”
Katerina said she hoped to involve as much of the community in the project as possible, including people of all ages. With COVID-19 precautions in place for most of the year, she added gardening was a safe outdoor activity for families to participate in.
“Any type of environment like this is so therapeutic and we hope that it can be that for whatever stage people are in,” she said. “Whether life is really heavy for them or they’re just trying to enjoy their summer, I hope to create an atmosphere that can be welcoming to any age and any stage.”
Katerina noted an urban farm differs from a community garden in that everybody works together and enjoys the harvest together. She added she hopes the initiative will be “nurturing to people’s souls” during the ongoing health crisis.
First disc golf course opens
The City of Airdrie unveiled a temporary disc golf course at Fletcher Park on Aug. 20 with the mayor, councillors, Airdrie Disc Golf Club (ADGC) members, and City of Airdrie Parks Department personnel in attendance.
Airdrie City Council had unanimously approved the implementation of a nine-hole disc golf course in Fletcher Park following a presentation at their July 5 regular meeting.
Both the Parks department and volunteers from ADGC worked to construct the course over a period of a few weeks, according to a City press release.
“We were able to join forces with ADGC and create a fun activity in existing park land at a nominal cost to taxpayers,” said Kevin Brinson, the City’s team leader for the Parks department.
Brinson put forth the recommendation for the new course in the sport field management plan released in 2019.
Similar to traditional golf, disc golf involves throwing a specialized disc or frisbee into a chain basket, in as few throws as possible.
The sport has been growing in popularity around the world, and a disc golf course in Calgary had the third-highest usage statistics in North America last year, according to a City press release.
Mayor Peter Brown said the City was happy to support the ADGC in the development of Airdrie’s first disc golf course.
“Council would like to thank City administration for helping make this course a reality,” he said. “It will encourage residents to be active while trying something new and enjoying our parks.”
BGC Airdrie name change
The Boys and Girls Club of Airdrie officially changed their name in 2021, following suit with fellow Canadian chapters to a title that promotes more gender inclusivity.
The organization, now called BGC Airdrie Club, changed its name to align with the organization’s mission to provide a safe, supportive and inclusive space for youth to build relationships, confidence, and life skills.
“Removing gender from our name modernizes the BGC brand and echoes the inclusive practice we’re known for without straying too far from our history and national brand awareness,” a press release stated. “It also embraces the fact we serve young people of all ages, backgrounds and identities.”
Sammy Morros, manager of youth programs at BGC Airdrie, said the club is super passionate about the message that accompanies the name change, promoting inclusivity for all. While the impact of the logo change may be subtle, Morros said it goes a long way to ensure everyone feels welcome.
“When we have individuals who don’t necessarily identify as a boy or a girl, if they see the old name versus the new name, I think that’s going to kind of inspire something in them and help them feel like they’re accepted and included [at BGC Airdrie],” she said.
Similarly, Kiersten Mohr, president of the Airdrie Pride Society, said BGC and Pride have a long-standing, positive relationship and the recent name change is a step in the right direction toward reflecting gender inclusivity and diversity among youth.
“Eliminating the gender binary in their name is incredibly positive with respect to ensuring the organization and the space feel more inclusive to individuals, regardless of gender identity,” she said.
“I love that it opens up the space because what they do is great, and they provide a great resource to our community.”
Airdrie entrepreneurs launch delivery app
A pair of entrepreneurs, including one from Airdrie, launched their own delivery app called rnnr.shop this summer after appearing on The Pitch, a contest hosted by Michele Romanow, co-star of the television series Dragon’s Den.
The contest centered around discovering and funding start-ups with potential, with the winner taking home $25,000.
Anthony Morvillo and his partner Andrew Koenig had a strong showing during the contest, making it to the third round by beating out 40 other companies before their elimination, just prior to the semi-finals. Morvillo said he was happy to have had the opportunity to pitch his product to Romanow.
“We got a lot of publicity from it and now a lot more people know who we are,” he said.
Following the launch of the Airdrie-based app, the founders worked diligently to grow the start-up, aiming to support user convenience and local businesses.
Morvillo, of Airdrie, came up with the idea for the app, which offers delivery of everyday items, after experiencing a hiccup last Christmas when he found himself in need of a meat thermometer for the turkey but was unable to leave his kitchen to buy one.
“Like most people, all my holiday shopping was done online,” he said. “I knew I could purchase one from Amazon, but I needed it to arrive immediately. I would have paid any delivery fee to get it within the hour.
“I was annoyed that I could get a soggy Big Mac with Skip the Dishes within 15 minutes, but not a meat thermometer.”
Airdrie Regional Arts Society and Airdrie Film Society dissolve
Both the Airdrie Regional Arts Society (ARTS) and Airdrie Film Society dissolved this year amid decreasing membership and what they deemed a lack of community support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ARTS disbanded its membership in March and worked thereafter to sell its remaining assets, with all proceeds going toward local charities.
Brian Wilson, vice-president of ARTS, said a lack of membership and a declining number of board members made it so continuing the arts-focused organization was not a “viable reality.”
“Everybody was gung-ho and all of a sudden, things started to change and of course a lot of that is due to COVID,” he said. “[Public interest] fell off so fast that there was no way to save it.
“But I know it’s missed by a lot of people out there.”
According to a notice issued in March, the society sent out a vote to its membership base and 75 per cent of members voted in favour of dissolving the society.
“It’s sad. I was really kind of hoping that we could maybe just put it into a relaxed mode and then wait for another year or two,” Wilson said. “But with everything we’ve got, it was best just to dissolve the organization.”
Similarly, Kim Cheel, president of the Airdrie Film Society, said in a Facebook post on Aug. 5 that the club was struggling prior to the pandemic with a lack of board members and interest in the society. The film society was most known for facilitating the annual Airdrie Film Festival, and acting as a hub for aspiring film producers.
“This isn’t the kind of post any board member of an art-based society wants to write,” Cheel said. “We had dreams of getting a space to provide green screen filming locations, camera rentals and [offer] workshops and courses.
“Our 2020 film festival was our biggest yet in terms of accessibility, but our viewership was the lowest.”
Carmen Cundy, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @carmenrcundy
