By Kobe Gallagher Tulloch, Newsletter editor
The last few weeks have been tough.
The weather is cold. Snow is piling, and cars are crashing. It’s dark when many leave their homes for work in the morning, and it’s dark when they leave the office at night.
Nothing has changed, about that, don’t get me wrong. But we’re trying to look a little on the bright side, on how we can tackle that daylight deprivation, at least when we get some spare time over the weekends to fight that good fight.
On the docket
- Winter is here. Get out and enjoy it.
- Jyoti Gondek is back at bat.
- We’re publishing like, a lot.
And hey! The Calgary Journal hosted an event on Friday!
We want to give a special thanks to everybody who braved winter weather to come spend an evening with the Journal, and attended our panel about the future outdoor recreation around Calgary.
If you missed out, but want to read more about whether or not Alberta needs an outdoor recreation advocate, our journalist in residence, Doug Horner, wrote an incredibly thorough piece on the battle over Bragg Creek.
Read it here! But not until you get through the newsletter. You can double back.
— Kobe
How to get outside this winter
By Alex Janz, Environment editor
Hey Journal readers, it’s your winter-loving, outdoors enthusiast and environment editor, Alex.
I know, the weather is colder and the nights are longer. It seems to sneak up on us every year and I can’t blame anyone for considering taking the path of least resistance and sinking into a hibernation-like existence.
However, it’s Canada and winter is going to happen like it or not.
But this is your gentle reminder that getting outside is a non-negotiable for your mental and physical health—no matter the season.
We’re in luck because Calgary and its surrounding areas have plenty to offer for winter outdoor activities. I’m here to encourage you to join my winter appreciation brigade and try something new this year.
Where to Go:
Cross Country Skiing
Shaganappi Point Golf Course, offers seven kilometres of groomed ski trails and you can even take the C-Train to get there. West Bragg Creek is a great place to get out of the city to cross-country ski, snowshoe, or even fat tire bike. I highly recommend stopping into Mabel and Marie’s for a warm drink and sweet treat after all your hard work! Cascade Valley, in Banff National Park, is entirely worth the trip, beginner and intermediate-friendly.
Skating:
Bowness Park Lagoon in Calgary has a great path to skate along and lots of fire pits to warm up. Canmore Nordic Center is surrounded by cross-country ski and snowshoe trails, definitely the place to go if you want to try it all. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Chateau Lake Louise, maybe the most picturesque skating spot in the province. Many of these locations do offer rentals, but here are a few other places to check out. Don’t forget to be weather-smart and dress for the temperature!
Where to rent:
Cross country Skis and snowshoes:
Norseman is Calgary’s designated cross-country ski shop. They offer both XC ski equipment and snowshoes. Trail Sports, in the Canmore Nordic Centre offers rentals as well as lessons for cross-country skiing for those just starting out. Moose Mountain General Store in Bragg Creek Alta. rents out both cross-country skis and snowshoes and is conveniently located just a 15-minute drive from some of the best ski trails.
Skates:
Sports Rent in Calgary offers both short and long term skate; figure and hockey rentals. Chateau Mountain Sports has three locations, Canmore, Banff and Lake Louise they offer one day rentals for all kinds of skates.
The Newsweek index
The Roundup
By Kelsea Arnett, News editor
This past week, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek announced she plans on seeking re-election in 2025, despite what many would consider a turbulent first-term. Here’s some other news you might have missed last week:
Support Local holiday campaign highlights opportunities for shoppers | Livewire Calgary
New transit safety hub at Chinook Centre ‘critical’ to addressing social disorder concerns, councillor says | Calgary Herald
Media outlets, including CBC, sue ChatGPT creator | CBC News
Some landowners in rural Alberta don’t trust wind companies, alleging aggressive tactics | The Narwhal
‘Deeply flawed’: Alberta to take federal government to court for second time over environmental assessment law | Edmonton Journal
Alberta student loan changes already affecting learners
Shifts in eligibility criteria may leave students without a way to pay their tuition.
5 takeaways from our feature story on Bragg Creek’s trail battle
The Calgary Journal has been exploring the future of outdoor recreation in Alberta, with a […]
Artist displaced by planned Green Line construction laments loss of Artpoint building in Ramsey
Christine Wignall is lonely these days. A handful of clay sculptures are her only company. […]
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Meet the masthead
Kobe Tulloch: Can you introduce yourself for me?
Ace Jakeman: My name is Ace Jakeman, and I’m the sports editor for the Calgary Journal.
What got you into journalism?
Well I love cars. That’s it.
No, I love cars. I want to be an automotive journalist. If you’ve seen the show Top Gear? Those three British guys? That’s like the rockstar level. But if I can do anything on the minute scale, I’d be pretty happy. If I can drive cars, get consumer reports about them, and anybody who wants to read about my work and buy a car, I’d be very happy.
Have you written anything about automotive journalism in your time at Mount Royal?
Yeah! It’s hard because our stories are very much Calgary-based, and not too many people can relate to going to drive a Lamborghini. I’ve tried to do a few car stories here and there. I also love watches, so I’ve done a lot more watch stories.
Do you have a favourite piece in general you’ve had written on the Journal?
Oh man, that’s a good question.
(Jakeman obviously doesn’t read these portions of the newsletter or he’d have known that was coming.)
For me, it was one, there was a charity event that happened at Rocky Mountain Motorsports racetrack. Local supercar owners would bring out their sportscars to raise money for kids-cancer. I was lucky enough to be a guest there. I mean, I don’t have cancer or anything, but I was invited through family friends. I got to cover the event itself, raising awareness for the cause, but also got to go around the track and talk about the cars, so that was pretty awesome.
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