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Airdrie's top news stories of 2020

COVID-19

Like the rest of the world, Airdrie’s year was defined by the COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating impact on society, families and the economy. The City of Airdrie declared a State of Local Emergency March 17, just 10 days after the first case of the virus was identified in Alberta.

Airdrie’s municipal government faced new challenges as a result of the virus. The months-long closure of public facilities like Genesis Place Recreation Centre and Bert Church LIVE Theatre resulted in millions of dollars of revenue losses for the City. Meanwhile, public services like Airdrie Transit and parks maintenance programs were reduced drastically. On Aug. 17, Chief Administrative Officer Paul Schulz said the City anticipated a projected deficit of $2.5 million in 2020, with revenue decreases of $8.9 million and savings of $6.4 million. The shortfall was later balanced in time for the City's 2021 budget.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Airdrie businesses were forced to close or shift to online models to limit customer interactions and reduce the spread of the virus. With businesses shut down and stay-at-home orders in effect, the economy suffered and thousands of Airdrie residents were either laid off or had hours or pay reduced.

At Airdrie City council’s April 20 meeting, Economic Development team lead Sara Chamberlain presented the findings of a survey of more than 800 Airdrie business owners. The survey estimated the local financial impact of the pandemic was already tens of millions of dollars at the end of March. Seventy per cent of businesses confirmed they had to lay off some employees in the first weeks of the pandemic due to lost incomes, while 130 businesses reported 90 per cent or more of their staff had been let go. Roughly 2,400 employees ­­– 15 per cent of Airdrie’s workforce ­– had been laid off by March 25, the survey found, with most coming from the accommodation and food services sector, as well as retail.

Alongside the negative impacts COVID-19 had on the business sector and government, local charities, non-profit organizations and community associations were dealt blow after blow in 2020. Due to restrictions on public gatherings, high-profile fundraising and community events – including the Airdrie Food Bank’s Shamrock Shimmy, airdrieFEST, the Airdrie Children’s Festival and the Airdrie Pro Rodeo – were unable to run this year. Other local community hallmarks, like the Canada Day Parade and the Boo at the Creek Halloween event, were modified to comply with public health measures and social distancing directives.

The pandemic also impacted schools. In March, Alberta Education ordered the closure of all schools, forcing Airdrie students and teachers to begin home learning. For the remainder of the school year, webcam technologies were used to conduct classes. Rocky View Schools also closed access to its playgrounds and the City followed its lead soon after, eliminating an important recreational option for families already missing formal programs.

While schools reopened in September, the return didn’t come without difficulties. Despite heightened cleaning measures and new safety protocols, schools weren’t always able to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within their halls and classrooms. More than a dozen Airdrie schools experienced at least one case of COVID-19 during the first semester of the 2020-21 school year. In some cases, such as George McDougall High School, outbreaks of the virus led to more than 200 students and staff members being forced to quarantine. A second wave of the pandemic in Alberta forced schools to once again implement home learning for grades 7 to 12 throughout the month of December

The efficacy of wearing masks became a politicized and hot-button issue. City council passed a contested mandatory mask-wearing bylaw in August, with the caveat it would only be enacted if local case rates forced Alberta Health Services to move Airdrie to an “enhanced” status.

That designation was placed on Airdrie Nov. 6, after the city reached 124 active infections. In the days to come, Airdrie’s number of active cases would spike to 247 and then 314. From Nov. 16 to 20, Airdrie had the unfortunate distinction of having the highest per-capita rate of COVID-19 infections among any city in Alberta.

As of Dec. 29, the city saw 1,457 total cases of COVID-19, with 1,289 recoveries and eight deaths.

BLMRallyweb1At a Black Lives Matter demonstration in June, Anthony Eshiemomoh spoke about his experiences with racism growing up in Alberta. File Photo/Airdrie City View

BLM Rally

Residents of Airdrie added their voices to a growing international movement against systemic racism when a peaceful protest in support of Black Lives Matter was held June 3 at Nose Creek Regional Park.

The protest followed others that took place throughout the United States and around the world in response to the May 25 death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed while in police custody in Minneapolis, Minn. Floyd's videotaped death led to wide-spread protests and riots throughout the U.S. during the summer.

A group of anonymous local high schoolers organized the protest in Airdrie. Hundreds attended the event, where many hoisted signs bearing messages decrying systemic racism and police brutality. Throughout the protest, chants of “Say their names” and “Black lives are necessary” resounded through the park.

Some attendees used a megaphone to address the crowd about their own experiences encountering racism. Anthony Eshiemomoh, a 20-year-old graduate of St. Martin de Porres High School, spoke about the trauma of enduring acts of bullying and verbal abuse due to his skin colour after immigrating to Alberta from Nigeria with his family in 2007.

 

40Avenueweb1Alberta Premier Jason Kenney was in Airdrie Oct. 15 to announce $21.1 million in provincial funding for the 40 Avenue interchange. File Photo/Airdrie City View

40 Avenue

A priority infrastructure project that will connect the two halves of the city took an important step toward becoming a reality this fall.

On Oct. 15, Premier Jason Kenney announced the Alberta government would commit $21.1 million toward the construction of a long-awaited third highway bridge and interchange in Airdrie.

According to Mayor Peter Brown, the City of Airdrie will fund the remaining $45 million through a combination of borrowing, levies, reserve funds and the Municipal Sustainability Initiative. The City will also lobby the federal government for funds.

Days before Kenney’s announcement, representatives from BuildForce Canada – which provides the construction industry with labour market information – told City council the interchange will play a crucial role in facilitating future residential and commercial development in Airdrie. According to Aaron Stokes, lead economic modeler with BuildForce Canada, development facilitated by the interchange could yield economic returns totalling as much as $20 billion.

In a presentation to council Nov. 16, Glenn Archer, team lead for Capital Projects, said construction is expected to begin in April 2021 and conclude by October 2023. The project is estimated to cost a total of $83 million, he said, with $65 million for construction and up to $18 million for land acquisition.

PridePathwayweb1Homophobic slurs were written and then scratched out on the rainbow pathway in Nose Creek Regional Park in June. File Photo/Airdrie City View

Hateful vandalism

During the summer, Airdrie’s LGBTQ2S+ community grappled with multiple instances of targeted vandalism.

During the June 20-21 weekend, homophobic slurs were painted over the rainbow pathway in Nose Creek Regional Park. The City moved quickly to scratch out the slurs following their discovery, and Airdrie Pride Society members repainted the pathway June 23.

However, a second incident occurred less than a week later when the walkway was covered with a black tar-like substance and white feathers on June 26.

According to a post on Facebook, Airdrie Pride Society was “extremely disheartened” by the vandalism, which it saw as “targeted and hateful.” The timing of the incidents was significant as June was officially recognized by the City of Airdrie as Pride month.

“While we certainly appreciate this isn’t representative of the city, [these attitudes] are certainly out there,” Airdrie Pride Society President Kiersten Mohr said following the first incident.

Many, including Mayor Peter Brown, condemned the incidents. In July, Airdrie City council voted unanimously to make the rainbow pathway a permanent fixture at its current location.

KalixLangenauweb1Days after he was reported missing, the body of 19-year-old Kalix Langenau was discovered in February outside the city's limits. File Photo/Airdrie City View

Kalix Langenau

Residents mourned in February following the murder of 19-year-old Kalix Langenau.

On Feb. 16, Airdrie RCMP issued a release asking for the public’s assistance to locate Langenau, stating, “There is concern for his well-being.” The Airdronian had last been seen in northeast Calgary in the morning a day earlier.

On Feb. 17, a deceased male was found in a rural area southeast of Airdrie, near CrossIron Mills mall. Following an autopsy, RCMP confirmed the body was that of Langenau.

“The manner of death has been deemed a homicide,” Airdrie RCMP stated in a Feb. 24 press release.

Subsequently, 19-year old Hunter Van Mackelberg was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in Langenau’s death.

According to Langenau’s obituary, the teen had a passion for hockey. As a youth, he played as a goaltender for the Airdrie bantam AA Lightning and then progressed to Airdrie Dragons junior C team when he was just 15. He also found a calling as a coach and helped inspire the next generation of young players through the Explosive Edge program.

“Kalix will forever be remembered as a loving son, the best big brother, an amazing friend, a patient coach and for being a life-long Oilers fan,” the obituary stated.

NorthcottPrairieSchoolweb1Northcott Prairie School, Airdrie's newest school, opened its doors to students Sept. 2.

Northcott Prairie School

After repeated delays, Airdrie’s newest school, Northcott Prairie School, welcomed students for the first time in September.

The kindergarten to Grade 7 school, located in the southwest neighbourhood of Hillcrest, was originally scheduled for completion in January but construction delays pushed the opening to April. The COVID-19 pandemic prevented students from attending classes at the new school; however, they were already learning at home by the spring.

Northcott Prairie students officially passed through the doors of the new campus Sept. 2. According to principal Lindsay Adams, 451 students are enrolled at the school this year. After what Adams called a “challenging” year, with students first distributed to three temporary sites and then forced to learn in their homes, the Northcott Prairie community was thrilled to be in the new building.

“We’re in a situation now where the kids have overcome a lot of challenges and were separated on three different sites for the entire school year last year,” she said. “They’re really excited to come together with their siblings – who they may have been separated from – and their peers. They’ll be under the same roof and are excited to build a new school culture.”

Next year, the school’s grade structure will be adjusted slightly when Grade 8 classes are added.

COMM-ScoutsHall3_webThe Airdrie Scout Hall was home to the Second Airdrie Scouts for 34 years. Photo by Scott Strasser/Airdrie City View

Scout Hall

A familiar red building on Airdrie’s east side that served as a home for local scouts reached the end of its lifespan in 2020, marking the end of an era.

The Airdrie Scout Hall, located near East Lake Regional Park, was constructed in the 1970s and had been the headquarters of the 2nd Airdrie Scout’s since 1986.

The building was owned by the City of Airdrie. Due to structural issues, the City decided in 2019 to decommission the building in the summer. The Scout troop was provided a year’s notice and was directed to vacate the building by the end of June.

According to Senior Scout Leader Keith Yeoman, the hall was built on a wood foundation, which caused the basement walls to bow over time.

Airdrie’s scouting community was disheartened to see the building go, Yeoman said, noting it served more than 2,000 local scouts in its 34 years as the troop’s headquarters. The building was also used by other non-profit groups.

As of December, the troop has still not found a new permanent home, Yeoman said, and in-person meetings have been disrupted by the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

EastPointsCASPweb1Though opposed by many residents of Yankee Valley Estates, the East Points Community Area Structure Plan was approved by Airdrie City council in September. File Photo/Airdrie City View

East Points CASP

The City’s plan to industrialize a large parcel of land on the northeast outskirts of the city met plenty of opposition from area residents this year.

In January, City council held a public hearing for a bylaw to adopt the East Points Community Area Structure Plan (CASP) – the land use concept for the future subdivision and development of a primarily industrial area in northeast Airdrie. The area is located east of the Gateway and East Lake industrial developments and south of Croxford Estates, with Yankee Valley Estates at its southern boundary.

Yankee Valley Estates residents have been outspoken about the project. When the item returned to council Sept. 8 for a second public hearing, several community members submitted letters voicing concerns about the development's potential impacts on their neighbourhood. Resident Duane Ellingson said he and others in the acreage community were frustrated by City staff’s decision to ignore residents’ feedback from the first public hearing.

Despite resident opposition, council approved the first two of three readings for the bylaw to adopt the CASP Sept. 8. Council then ratified the bylaw by approving third reading at the Dec. 7 meeting. Ellingson said residents of Yankee Valley Estates will continue to advocate against the most recent plans.


Airdrie Today Staff

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