Proceeds of the event will be donated to “Food for Learning”, an initiative of the Canadian Rockies Public Schools.  The beneficiaries of this program are school age children in the Bow Valley who are provided with lunches.  All net proceeds will be designated to the program. 

The Rolling Sculpture Car Club is a registered not for profit society, and is a volunteer based club. 

Click here to register, it is $20.00 per car entry!

The Banff National Park Bikefest is now open for registration! Everyone can take part in the Festival Fun activities as part of Bike Fest. On Saturday the Banff Farmers Market comes to Banff Ave for one day only, enjoy the entertainment and fresh local produce. And for those looking for a longer ride head down the Bow Valley Parkway to Castle Mountain Chalets on Saturday for a fundraising BBQ in support of the Bow Valley Mountain Bike Alliance, or cycle to the Cave and Basin on Sunday for Fathers day and relax in the new picnic area.

Click here for more information and download the  2013 Bike Fest Tech Guide for all the race details.

5. Pitbull feat. Christina Aguilera – Feel This Moment (5)
4. Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko – Stay (3)
3. Justin Timberlake – Mirrors (4)
2. Bruno Mars – When I Was Your Man (2)
1. Pink feat. Nate Ruess – Just Give Me A Reason (#1 for 4th week)

A few weeks ago in this space, I was talking about the loss of a much-loved local business, and streaming my interview with owner Camile about the impending closure of the Avalanche Movie Co.  After that interview aired the following morning, I got a call from Mike Vlessides, who I’ve known for a few years through the Rogue Players Theatre group.  He wanted to speak with Camile and told me he wanted to buy the business.  I thought it would be nice if someone did come in to save Avalanche, but did Mike realize they’d have to move, with their current location no longer being available?  And the financial aspects of running a movie rental business in this day and age of Netflix and on-demand streaming?  I didn’t think much of it until yesterday afternoon when I got the press release (read the rest of the entry to see it) that Mike had, indeed, purchased Avalanche and was moving it down the road beside Starbucks!  Wow!  I had to get him in to chat about it this morning:

This is really a good news story, and I wish Mike and the Avalanche crew all the success in the world at their new location which they’ll be moving in to mid-June!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Avalanche Movie Company Closing?
NOT!
CANMORE – It’s been scarcely three weeks since Avalanche Movie Company – one of the most well-known and best-loved of all independent Bow Valley businesses – announced it was closing its doors. But in the immortal words of Mark Twain, “Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”
On the afternoon of May 15, 2013, current owners Camille Hemingson and Patrick Fradette sold the business to long-time Canmorite Mike Vlessides, who vows to keep Avalanche alive and well for years to come.
“Avalanche Movie Co.? Yeah, baby!” exclaimed an overjoyed Vlessides, who has long been a devotee of Canmore’s entertainment hub. “Now that the faceless giants are dead, independent video-rental stores are undergoing a renaissance all across North America. We are excited to keep alive Avalanche’s tradition as a community hub, where great customer service and free popcorn combine to make renting movies a full-blown Canmore experience.”
The only thing changing about Avalanche will be its location, as it moves down the street to 1240 Railway Avenue, right beside Starbucks and across from Safeway. “This is one of the most convenient, well-used, and recognizable spots in all of Canmore,” said Camille, who has owned Avalanche since 2008. “It’s equally accessible for people all over Canmore, and it’s the perfect size. But mostly, I’m super excited that I can keep renting movies at my favourite movie store!”
So what’s in store for long-time Avalanche customers? Other than a different venue, Mike plans to change little about the business. “Someone much smarter than me once said, ‘If something works, stick with it.’ Well Avalanche works… so we’re sticking with it. Sure, we will always look out for new ways to make Avalanche super-cool, super-convenient, and super-fun. But we’ll never lose sight of what we really are.”

Got a Writer’s Cramp submission?  writerscrampcanmore@live.com

Spring Welcome

Flittering in the springtime sun
wings of sliver grey
picking at the nesting grounds
while young at home they stay

playing in the sky above
with feathers all aglow
swooping spinning dance about
with the wind they flow
 
singing in the sky above
the sun upon their face
celebrate the season here
dancing with great grace
 
flitter flying spin about
let the forest sing
as the birds do a concert round
to usher in the spring

Thanks to Banff Centre Events and Marketing Leader Lachlan Mackintosh for joining me on the show this morning to give us a sneak peek at this year’s Banff Summer Arts Festival.  Some pretty fantastic names coming through this year!  Details for all shows going live this morning on the Banff Centre’s website, and tickets go on sale through the Banff Centre Box Office at noon today!  Listen below, and read the rest of the entry for some of the shows we talked about.

June 30th – Classified (with Zeus, The Eerie Green, and Elk Run and Riot)

July 6th – Blue Rodeo

July 13th – Measha Brueggergosman

July 21st – Brassfire

July 27th – Heather and Murray Edwards Legendary Leader – Mikhail Baryshnikov

August 7th – Feist (with Snowblink)

August 18th – Whitehorse (with Wool on Wolves)

Spring has finally arrived in the Bow Valley. That means that snow pack in the mountains is melting and water levels in town are rising.

The Town of Canmore is watching water levels again this year and encouraging residents to begin preparing, in the case of high water levels in the coming weeks and months. “The Bow River water level and ground water levels have been rising. Depending on weather and temperature, both river and ground water levels could continue to rise,” says Sally Caudill, Communication Coordinator for the Town of Canmore. Town staff are regularly monitoring water levels and areas of concern. Regular water level readings are posted on the town of Canmore website: http://www.canmore.ca/Municipal-Services/Planning-Building-Development/Groundwater-Monitoring.html.

Property owners should be taking actions now to protect their homes and property from flooding and to be prepared to mitigate any flooding that occurs. “We are asking anyone who has experienced flooding or sewage seepage in previous years to begin to prepare now in case we experience issues in the upcoming weeks” explains Caudill.

All residents are encouraged to regularly check basements for flooding. “If flooding occurs, please do not pump water into the sewer system. Pumped water should go into yards, the boulevard or the street,” says Caudill.

Home owners should notify their insurance companies if they experience flooding and keep records of any damage. “If residents do experience issues with high water, we ask that they notify the Town. Your information helps us understand the extent of the problem in the community, enabling us to take appropriate action, and helps us utilize resources effectively.” Residents can call 403.678.1500 between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm Monday-Friday. “This information will be used for tracking purposes only” says Caudill.

Residents are advised to call insurance companies and a restoration contractor if sewage seepage occurs. Handling this material can be unsafe, so the use of professionals is encouraged.

While snow pack is at average levels this year, water levels can rise quickly with warm temperatures and rainfall. Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development provides regular forecasting and advisory updates at: http://environment.alberta.ca/forecasting/advisories/index.html