EDMONTON — Hundreds of people from Edmonton and area will be “busting a move” at Northlands after raising tens of thousands of dollars for breast cancer research.

Bust A Move Edmonton takes place March 24, 2012

Brooke Rose, event promotion specialist for the Alberta Cancer Foundation, is the chief bust-a-mover  in Edmonton. She hails from Aldergrove, in west Edmonton.

Rose has personal reasons for taking part in the event. “Both my dad and my sister went through treatment at the Cross Cancer Institute,” said Rose.

The event will take place on March 24 at the Northlands Expo Centre , beginning at 8:45 a.m. The event is a six-hour fitness event that will include kickboxing, yoga, hip-hop, zumba and salsa. Organizers are expecting around 400 participants.

A strong social media front has brought awareness of the event to many in the city and province. A number of local bloggers have helped bring awareness of the event to the public.

Carol McBee, the president of Bossy Mama and Mommy Connections, will be participating and will be live tweeting along the way. McBee will be tweeting from both @bossymama and @mommy connections. She believes the event will be quite successful.

“I think it’s a unique event. I think it’s really fun as opposed to just doing the usual walks and runs,” said McBee. “I think it will bring about more awareness just because it’s a fun event.”

The celebrity guest at the event will be Richard Simmons. Rose has said that Simmons came to the event in Halifax in 2010. When it comes to having Simmons at the event it just seemed to be a “natural fit to have him come and kick off the event in Edmonton,” said Rose.

Major events on the Bust A Move schedule

According to the Bust A Move Edmonton website the event has a scheduled itinerary which includes the following:

• The doors will open at 7:30 a.m.

• The opening ceremonies run from 8:45 – 9 a.m.

• A kickboxing session will run from 9 – 9:45 a.m.

• A yoga session will run from 9:50 – 10:35 a.m.

• A hip hop session will run from 11:00 – 11:40 a.m.

• A zumba session will rum from 12:25 – 1:05 p.m.

• A salsa session will run from 1:05 – 1:40 p.m.

• Richard Simmons celebrity session will run from 2 – 3 p.m.

• The closing ceremonies are from 3:00 – 3:30 p.m.

All the proceeds from the event will go towards a University of Alberta human genome project that is co-chaired by Dr. Gane Wong, who holds the iCORE Chair in Biosystems Informatics at the U of A. Dr. Wong is currently working on a team led by oncologist John Mackey to see if there is a connection between viruses and breast cancer.

The amount of money raised in total will be announced at the event itself. There was no set monetary goal for the fundraiser but participants are being asked to raise a minimum of $1,000 each.

 History of Bust A Move For Breast Health

Bust A Move For Breast Health began in Halifax in 2010 and is currently celebrating its third year of fundraising. It started off as an innovative approach, by the QEII Foundation and IWK Foundation, to raise funds for breast cancer research.

“They really wanted to spice it up a bit and add some energy, enthusiasm and excitement to the fundraiser for the traditional breast cancer research at their cancer centres there and breast health for women in Nova Scotia,” Rose said.

The event is also taking place in Halifax, St. John’s, Ottawa and Montreal. For more information, go to www.bustamove.ca or check out @BaM_Edmonton.

rastash@mymail.macewan.ca

EDMONTON — Residents of West Jasper Place and Sherwood communities are concerned that the City’s Transit Oriented Development plans will erode their neighbourhoods.

“Planning is not looking at the dynamics of individual communities,” said Irene Blain, civic director for the West Jasper Place and Sherwood community league. “It’s one size fits all.”

Council passed the Transit Oriented Development guidelines Feb. 15 after hearing community concerns the week prior at the executive committee meeting.

Irene Blain, civic director for West Jasper Place and Sherwood Community Leagues, pictured with the map she obtained from the City of Edmonton outlining future TODs. Photograph by Tejay Gardiner.

TOD policy and guidelines outline the City’s transit strategy and development guidelines around LRT stations. The guidelines will serve as a blueprint for development extending 400 metres from the LRT station. Densification, walkability, bikability and employment define the development priorities.

Blain attended the public executive committee meeting and voiced two recommendations to councillors: Keep a minimum of 50 per cent single detached housing intact, and have the funds and date for the LRT construction in place.

She said smaller communities will be more adversely affected because single detached housing numbers are already at a minimum. The goal of densification in the TOD strategies means that small communities like Sherwood could see much of the area dedicated to single family dwellings rezoned for condos, semi-detached housing or commercial developments.

With regards to recommendations for a more defined LRT plan, senior TOD planner Erik Backstrom explains the difficulty is that demand for housing and transit tend to go hand in hand. The presence of an LRT station brings more demand for housing, just as densification brings more demand for transit.

“If we say ‘No, there can be no intensification until a train is there,’ there won’t be a lot of demand for that station,” he said, “and we will be underutilizing a very expensive piece of infrastructure that we’ve just installed.”

Blain is also concerned about the impact densification projects could have on long-term residents.

“We have many long-term residents, minimum 20 years, some as long as 50 years,” Blain said. “We are asking council to respect why they bought into the neighbourhood.”

Jasper Place and Sherwood residents enjoy the “small town” feel and the history of their community, which increased density could threaten, said Blain.

“This is the flavour of Jasper Place and I don’t want to lose this,” she said.

The redevelopment plans are nice in some ways, Blain continued, because it’s renewal for their neighbourhoods. But renewal plans must be planned out thoughtfully and with community input, she said.

Bev Zubot, community planning adviser with the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues, agrees that TOD guidelines can have a positive impact on community renewal, as long as redevelopment plans don’t turn into a free-for-all for developers.

“We have come to the conclusion that we agree with the principals of TODs,” she said, “where you basically have a more compact and more walkable urban form around the LRT station. But our position is that the focus should be on creating quality neighbourhoods.”

Quality neighbourhoods are defined by the EFCL as communities with balanced demographics and access to necessary amenities such as schools, parks, child care, recreation areas and community gathering spaces.

“What we don’t want is increased density, which brings more people, more automobiles, less green space,” Zubot said, “and that’s the traditional density we’ve seen in this city.”

Communities want and need to be part of the redevelopment process, said Zubot.

“We are quite intent on the fact that these redevelopments should respect the existing neighbourhood,” Zubot said. “The history of it, the existing social and infrastructure environment, and it should be redeveloped with community input.”

Both Zubot and Blain are concerned that information about transit planning isn’t making it to communities.

“Information is not coming down,” said Blain.

She had to ask city planning for a map of the TOD planned for her neighbourhood. It didn’t come easily, she said, but she persisted and obtained one. When she looked at the map, she realized the potential impact it could have on her community.

Three large circles outline the reach of each of the three TODs slated for West Jasper Place and Sherwood on the map. Each TOD will surround an LRT station and are planned for the following locations:

• Along 149 Street and Stony Plain Road;
• At 156 Street and Stony Plain Road;
• At 156 Street and 95 Avenue.

Blain has highlighted in bright red marker the areas that could be re-zoned and redeveloped, along the edges of both neighbourhoods.

West Jasper Place has a buffer of high density apartments and housing along its fringes, which may protect its core neighbourhood. However, the smaller community of Sherwood has less density, which means re-zoning for densification could encroach existing single-family housing.

Backstrom said the three TODs planned for West Jasper Place and Sherwood are not excessive.

“I mean is it unusual?” Backstrom said, “Yeah, most neighbourhoods don’t have three LRT stations planned. Is it excessive? I would say no.”

Recognizing the concerns raised by community members and advocates at the Feb. 8 meeting, council passed new TOD guidelines on Feb. 15.

Some of the changes included: half stations near residential areas, lower densities for collector roads in neighbourhood station areas and adding suitable school design in TOD neighbourhoods.

In order to further address community concerns, council has approved increasing resources for TOD planning in the 2012 budget, said Backstrom.

“We haven’t 100 per cent decided on how to allocate that funding,” he said. “We need to look at the concerns people in West Jasper Place have expressed and how they relate to priorities in other parts of the city.

“West Jasper Place is definitely a priority,” Backstrom added.

Both Zubot and Blain encourage community members to seek information about TOD projects and to advocate for public input.

“I think a lot of our concerns were around the implementation,” Zubot said, “and it’s coming and that’s where communities need to be part of the process.

“They need to have a voice in that process.”

Gardinert3@mymail.macewan.ca

Families enjoyed the Family Day long weekend at the Glenora community Winter Festival/Heritage Classic day on Sunday, Feb.19,2012. Photograph by Erin Cripps-Woods.

By Erin Cripps-Woods

GLENORA – The Glenora community came together on the Family Day long weekend to celebrate with family and friends with the annual Winter Festival and Heritage Classic day.

Festivities started in the afternoon on Feb.19 at the Glenora Community League Hall located on 10426 136 St. Volunteer Michelle Hildebrand said she wants to help bring the community together.

“I think knowing your neighbours and belonging to a community is very important.”

CTV personality and Glenora resident, Graham Neil, pointed out these kinds of events also help make the community safer. “It’s the whole idea of looking out for each other,” he said.

Hildebrand had an army of helpers for all the various activities: face painting, three-on-three hockey, hay rides, skating, a chili cook-off, Scrabble, snowshoeing, cooking s’mores and bannock over campfires, playing games in the playground and one huge dance party outside with a DJ.

This is one of the events that a lot of people come out to annually so that they can have fun and catch up with friends. About 150-200 people came to this event throughout the day.

“It’s a community within a community,” said Phil McRae.

McRae came out with his family and said it’s so great to know everyone and see so many people come out to annual events like the Winter Festival and Heritage Classic.

The family favourite of the day was face painting inside the hall. Two talented ladies spent most of the day painting lion, tigers and bunnies. The odd request came in for Spider Man or a pretty unicorn. Children begged their parents to wait in the long line so that they could run around with painted faces to show off to their friends.

While waiting in line or sitting down for a rest in the community hall, people could look to one wall and see pictures of last year’s festival. The memories made were pasted up collage-style.

Edmonton-Glenora MLA Heather Klimchuk came out to not only judge the chili competition, but also to enjoy the activities along with everyone else. Glenora is where her children were raised and she said attending these events is like coming home for her.

“This is a magical community where we keep connections,” said Klimchuk.

On another wall, sponsors and a large Thank-You banner were on display. The sponsors for this year’s Winter Festival and Heritage Classic were: Flesky Flynn LLP, Ernest & Young, Servus Credit Union, Kegs and More Liquor Store, Glenora Liquor Store, Original Joes, Top of the Mountain Beef, Tage Cawley BBA, Realtor Wade Klimchuk, Melnyk Wealth Management Group and Canacord Wealth Management.

During the chili cook-off, the hall was full of people waiting to try the six different pots of chili in the running. Neil, Klimchuk and Olympic figure skater, David Pelletier, got to choose the top chili based on taste.

Community member and Boom Town sound DJ Kevin Ashmore has been the music source for the festival for about three years now.

“[It is] super-fantastic to see the increase of people coming out and enjoying what Glenora community has to offer even with the cold weather,” he said.

The Heritage Classic part of the day was one of the last events to take place. Both hockey teams played wearing jerseys sporting the name Glenora Leafs, one team sported a white jersey, while the other team wore a royal blue jersey. The teams played hard, but fair, and in the end the score didn’t matter. After the game a huge team photo of blue and white mashed up together was taken and everyone shook hands.

To end the Winter Festival with a bang, fireworks were set off with vocal artist Katy Perry’s song Firework playing loud from the speakers of Ashmore’s DJ booth set up in his van. The crowd cheered as bursts of red, blue, green and white lit up the night sky over Glenora.

La Perle community league also celebrated the long weekend by having a Family Day Frolic on Feb. 20.

Upcoming events in the Glenora community include a meeting for the men of Glenora happening on March 15 at 9 p.m. at Original Joe’s, 12520 102 Ave.

crippswoodse@mymail.macewan.ca

The inside of Cafe Tiramisu. It was the location for the last Movable Feast on Jan. 18, 2012. It's located at the corner of 124 Street and 108 Avenue in Edmonton Alberta. Photo by Kjell Wickstrom.

EDMONTON — The Westmount Community League is getting people together for a night out and at the same time supporting the local businesses that help the community grow.

The Movable Feast (a.k.a Westmount Dine-out) is a big dinner out for community members and supports a local restaurant.

“It’s a great opportunity for new people in the neighbourhood to meet their neighbours,” said Rosella Mandau, the special events co-ordinator for Westmount Community League.

The feast primarily takes place in the winter at a restaurant near the Westmount neighbourhood, typically on 124 Street.

“We try to keep it in Westmount,” said Mandau, “so people can walk from their homes to the restaurant.

“We’re fortunate, we’ve got some pretty fantastic restaurants right in our neighbourhood, but I think a lot of the people don’t necessarily dig around that close to home.”

This program taps into the same spirit as the Live Local and Shop Local movements in Edmonton. These movements encourage people to use local products and support small businesses within the community.

One of the main goals of the feast is to “support local business,” said Mandau. “A lot of the business owners in this area live in this area. So we know them personally and we want to support them.”

By supporting local businesses people hope to foster a stronger community.

“I just see the value in supporting the businesses that are owned by members of your city and community,” said Tara Hogue-Harris, a community member who has attended the previous Movable feasts. “You’re building ties within your community.”

The league works with the local restaurants to set a menu so the meal has a set price and makes things easier for the people who attend and the owners.

Making the event easier to find time for is one of the main goals of the community league.  For parents of young children finding the time can often be one of the biggest barriers to going out.

The community league works with a local preschool to help parents find the time for a nice night out.

“By arranging childcare for two or three hours, parents can go to the preschool, drop their child off, walk over, have dinner, walk back and pick up their child,” said Mandau. “So it just makes it really easy (for parents).”

“It’s a chance to hang out without our kids for those of us who maybe just crossed paths at the school,” said Harris.

“It’s a great way to get out and connect with the people, the neighbours you already know and the ones you don’t know.”

The event has been growing in popularity.

“At first we didn’t know if we’d be able to fill a table,” said Mandau. “Now we have people e-mailing us for when the next one will be.”

The Feast normally takes place every other month. The last one was on Jan. 18 at, so the next is likely to be in March, but planning for it hasn’t started.

People can check the Westmount Community League website for details and sign up for the Movable Feast’s email list.

Events that bring communities together are happening all year round in west Edmonton.  Check your community league website for events in your area and keep an eye on West Edmonton Local’s events Calendar. If there is anything you would like us to add to the calendar contact one of our reporters through the email at the bottom of their stories.

wickstromk2@mymail.macewan.ca

EDMONTON — When the Jasper Place library opens this fall, it will be full of books, just like before, but it will also be adaptable for the future.

Construction continues at the new Jasper Place library. Photograph by Heather Rastas

The old Jasper Place library closed and moved to a temporary location in early 2011 to allow for the construction of the new Jasper Place library. The new Jasper Place library is being built on the same site as the original library.

There will be many differences between the old building and the new building. Instead of the library being a stoic orangish-red colour building, like its predecessor, this new building will have a modern look that is unique.

Modern technology in the new library

Some of the designs and technologies that will make the new library modern include:

• A mezzanine level on the second floor;
• An open ground level;
• Building materials that have recycled content in them;
• LED lights throughout the entire building;
• Open space that allows for easy movement;
• A roof that dips down in certain areas to give a cozier feeling.

“It will have no interior columns. So it’s going to be a total open span within, throughout, the entire interior of the building,” says Kevin Kramers, executive director of facilities and operations at the Edmonton Public Library.

The library will still house books, even though one day there may be a need for a paperless library.

“There will be a transition in the future but we are not sure when,” says Pilar Martinez, executive director of public services. Martinez says traditional paper books are still the most common form of book, and this library will have 55,000 to 60,000 in its collection.

The  Sony e-reader is currently being lent out at certain branches and could “include Jasper Place” once that initiative is expanded.

The Edmonton Public Library currently has 22,000 e-books and 6,300 audio e-books available on its website. The new location will have about 20 computers.

The Jasper Place library will be a LEED certified building. The original goal for LEED certification was silver for the Jasper Place Branch. The building is expected to surpass that goal.

When it comes to the new aim of LEED certification the designers are “targeting LEED Gold at the moment,” says Michael Dub,  a designer for Dub Architects, one of the two prime consultants for the project. “It will be a minimum LEED Silver.”

The library is expected to be finished and opened in the fall of 2012 and will still be located at 9010 156 St., in west Edmonton. The library will be around 15,000 square feet.

rastash@mymail.macewan.ca

EDMONTON — The Britannia-Youngstown community has introduced a Families Get Active Night to encourage residents to eat a meal together and participate in a physical activity afterwards.

Evelyn Blanchette, mother of two and communications/sports co-ordinator for the community, started the Families Get Active night. Kim Turcotte, communication and recreation co-ordinator, then joined Blanchette in helping out with the night. The two of them have been planning potluck suppers with some kind of physical activity afterwards since this summer.

Blanchette saw a need for something that would engage the whole family.

Kids at Britannia Youngstown community hall chow down before going outside to build a snowfort on Jan. 26, at Britannia Youngstown Community Hall. Photograph by Erin Cripps-Woods

“It’s easy for your kids to get active, but motivating yourself is harder,” said Blanchette.

As people start to arrive for the monthly Thursday meal, other families greet them warmly. Smiles and laughter are exchanged as the food for the community potluck is set out. The children race to get plates first and parents migrate to the coffee.

Simone Atkinson, play-group co-ordinator and webmaster for the community website, has two children and enjoys meeting new people.

“The small town feel is what makes this a great community,” said Atkinson.

Blanchette also plans an indoor walking group two times per week. The walking program is aimed at having people stay active during the cold winter months in the warmth of the community hall.

“The emphasis is on getting people off the couch,” said Blanchette.

Attendance for the events has been around 25 people per night, adding up to five or six families in total. On Jan. 26, the turnout was 15 people from three families.

While everyone ate, Blanchette, Turcotte and Atkinson discussed upcoming holidays and events they want to plan. The children got excited when Ukrainian Easter eggs were suggested.

Blanchette’s children also attend “Apple Schools,” which aim to have all the students eating healthy and exercising regularly.

The “Apple School” grant was introduced through a program run by the University of Alberta. Schools who receive the grant are required to always have fresh fruit ready for students and engage children in some type of exercise throughout the day.

“This is a lower income neighbourhood, so the kids sometimes show up with a bag of chips and say they’ve eaten,” said Blanchette.

After the potluck supper, families at Britannia Youngstown community hall go outside to build a snowfort and go snowshoeing. Photograph by Erin Cripps-Woods

Having the healthy eating in schools is why Britannia Youngstown is pursuing an active living approach to events and programs for the community. Pioneering a small-town feel in the midst of west Edmonton is what these women and their families are doing all the time.

This past holiday season, Britannia Youngstown had a winter festival with an amazing number of people showing up. Seniors, couples, families and teens all came out to enjoy the festivities.

“It’s the most amazing thing to see all the new faces,” said Atkinson.

The Families Get Active Night happens on the fourth Thursday of every month in the Britannia Youngstown community hall located on 15927 105 Ave. The Walking Group happens every Monday and Thursday at the community hall as well.

crippswoodse@mymail.macewan.ca

CRESTWOOD — A west-Edmonton holiday tradition is bringing heavy foot- and vehicle-traffic into the Crestwood neighbourhood.

Candy Cane Lane, which runs along 148 Street between 92 and 100 Avenues, is an Edmonton tradition. Thousands of guests will visit the lights display this year. The community is prepared for the heavy traffic, thanks to some city provisions and a festive neighbourly attitude. Saturday, December 10, 2011. Photograph by Shaamini Yogaretnam.

Candy Cane Lane, a staple in Edmontonians’ December activities, turned on the lights on Dec. 9. It attracts thousands of spectators every holiday season.

On a typical night, dozens of cars are lined up between 149 Street and 148 Street, waiting to get on to the lane, which spans from 92 Avenue to 100 Avenue along 148 Street. Although most residents on the street are willing participants in the merriment, some have opted not to string lights or put up lawn displays. There are quite a few dark gaps along the lane where not a light is seen, not even a bulb.

Those who do participate know that during the holiday season they’ll have to sacrifice their quiet residential neighbourhood and the ease of travelling on their street after dark.

“It’s a busy time,” said Angelee Zon, the vice-president of the Crestwood Community League. “We just exit out of the Crestwood community on the east side because we know the west side will have traffic on it.”

As the lane grew as an attraction, the city of Edmonton began to offer support to the residents to help deal with the number of people that come through the neighbourhood.

“The city’s been very good about it,” said Kees Den Hartigh, a resident and organizer of Candy Cane Lane.

The city provides garbage cans and helps with traffic control. This year, the city offered to help with snow removal so that guests could continue to walk and drive the lane, but fortunately the weather hasn’t been as much of an issue as it was in years past.

For the most part, the lane and its residents run themselves, said Zon. The activities on the street are a Christmas-lover’s dream, but require a lot of work from the neighbourhood and its resident elves.

The trouble with traffic and noise is definitely a concern on the lane but vandalism and theft are at a minimum.

“You get a few Grinches or people that say ‘Bah Humbug’ every year,” Zon said. “Overall, considering the thousands of people that walk up and down the street, it’s a safe and fun event.”

Candy Cane Lane has made a deliberate effort to keep the grassroots charm of the event and not turn the season into a moneymaking venture.

“Residents aren’t keen on turning this into a major festival,” Den Hartigh said. “We don’t want this [to be] a commercial strip.”

The move to keep the commercialism of Christmas away has involved saying no to advertising bids and not allowing sales on on the street. The community’s decisions have maintained the neighbourhood magic of the lane.

Zon thinks this small-scale, neighbourly attitude may have something to do with the low incidence of trouble.

“Certainly, it brings extra people. Mostly I think the feeling is we’re proud of it,” Zon said. “The people that live on Candy Cane Lane have just come to accept that for the four weeks of the season, they can’t park in front of their house.”

It’s a small price to pay for the amount of joy brought by each night’s illumination.

In addition to the lights, guests can walk the lane, book a sleigh ride and drink hot chocolate from a friendly stand run by the Price girls, who donate their proceeds to the SPCA.

Candy Cane Lane will keep its lights on until midnight on Jan. 2, 2012. In lieu of an admission fee, the lane asks that you bring a non-perishable food donation for Edmonton’s Food Bank.

If you can’t make it to the lane in person, take a look at the sights and hear the sounds of the busy street on opening weekend.

 yogaretnams@mymail.macewan.ca

EDMONTON — About 40 men and women mingle under changing neon lights. They are drinking beer and wine, and eating finger food. A dog goes from familiar friend to familiar friend, looking for scraps.

It’s “naughty XXX-Mas wear night” at 4-Play, a swingers club at 10120 156 St. Most club members are in semi-casual dress, while others aren’t wearing much at all. “Newbies” are painfully obvious. They’re often alone, and fidgety. The club’s co-owner, Joe Ancic, says new members are joining all the time.

“The club will hopefully have 5,000 members in five years,” he said. The club has about 500 members now.

The club

“The old Jasper Cinema,” is what Ancic and his wife Cindy allude to, in order to place the club in time and space to prospective members. Jasper Cinema officially closed its doors in 2008, but remnants of the theatre remain — on a mandatory tour, new members see the dual projector slots on the east wall of the club’s top floor.

Group sex clubs like 4-Play on 156th Street and Stony Plain Road in Edmonton were legalized after Canada's Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in 2005 in their favour, deciding that they cause no harm to society. Photograph by Timothy Gerwing

The tour also takes you along a corridor to a room of medieval sex apparatuses that is best described as museum-like, and another that houses “Goliath,” a bed that’s bigger than king-size.

The tour fills you in on etiquette, safe-sex practices and swinger lingo, such as a vanilla (someone not in the lifestyle) or a unicorn (a single woman who enjoys having sex with married couples).

The main level of 4-Play is like any other bar or dance club with tables, chairs and a dance floor — complete with light effects and a DJ. There’s a sitting area with leather sofas, fireplace and magazines ranging from Men’s Health to ultra-niche pornographic magazines to a “lifestyle” information package complete with studies and research findings on swinging.

A place like 4-Play would have been illegal before 2005, when a 7-2 Supreme Court decision legalized group sex clubs in Canada.

Opposition and moving forward

The Ancics did not have very much support when 4-Play opened its doors in 2009. They could only operate under a probationary licence that allowed them to be open two days per week. The Canora Community League criticized them, and they were under pressure to prove their place in the community while pursuing full-time business status from the city.

“What we had to do was be good corporate citizens, follow the law, work our two days, and not have any incidents,” said Cindy Ancic. “We could not have anything like that against us, and it was really easy.”

On May 9, 2011, 4-Play earned a full-time business licence, with a proven reputation and eight letters of recommendation from nearby businesses.

The Ancics have invested heavily into renovations. Now, just like any business in Edmonton, they have to focus on issues like long-term viability and expanding their clientele. The club will play host to a wider range of events, such as Super Bowl and Grey Cup parties, gay and lesbian socials, and ladies nights. Joe Ancic wants to knock down various walls to make rooms bigger to better serve the club’s clientele.

“[The building] was falling apart,” he said. “It was dilapidated. We saved [it], a city landmark.”

The club doesn’t advertise through any traditional channels. But through the Internet and word of mouth, the club is growing, he said.

“Last night we had three new couples,” he said on Dec. 4. “Those couples will go out and talk to their friends, and bring in six new couples.”

The Stony Plain Road Revitalization Project

The Stony Plain Road Revitalization Project seeks to improve the aesthetic and moral state of Stony Plain Road. The district is currently host to a rogue’s gallery of massage parlors, adult shops (including one that showed racy videos in its front window recently), pawnshops and liquor stores.

When 4-play arrived in 2009, the Canora Community League saw it as a direct contradiction to what that project was aiming for. Two years later, it’s a non-issue, said Jamie Post, a former member of the steering committee for the Stony Plain Road Revitalization Project and current member of the Glenwood Community League.

“Perception goes a long way,” said Post. “If nobody told me they were there, I wouldn’t even know. The adult stores — not a good presence at all. Their public appearance just detracts from the area. [4-Play] keeps quiet and to themselves. I joined the community league about a year after they moved in. I came into it with an open mind.”

Money

First-time visitors pay $20 to go to 4-Play. After that, patrons are required to buy a year-long membership at a cost of $60 per person or per couple. Single men are only permitted on Friday nights.  Men are welcome as part of a couple on Saturdays.

If Joe Ancic realizes his prediction of 5,000 members, it would mean hundreds of thousands of membership dollars per year. But for the Ancics, it’s not just a business; it’s a lifestyle. They won’t shy away from their critics or the media.

“Just because we are swingers doesn’t mean we break the law, are sexual deviants or drug dealers,” said Cindy Ancic.

Swingers believe in “emotionally monogamous sexually liberated relationships,” as the literature in the reading room says, claiming that “90.4 per cent of previously unhappy couples are happier after joining the lifestyle.”

While they believe in discretion, the Ancics are also proud of what they do. And they aren’t going anywhere. They have signed a new five-year lease on the building.

“We’re not like turtles,” she said. “We will not cower.”

GerwingT@mymail.macewan.ca

EDMONTON — Santa Claus is in town at the Callingwood Marketplace so that boys, girls and parents alike can pass on any last minute Christmas wishes that might not yet be on his list.

Horse-drawn hay rides were offered Dec. 10, 2011, at the Marketplace in Callingwood in west Edmonton at the Santa's Workshop event, and will be available again on Dec. 17. Photograph by Jeremy Jagodzinski.

If you missed it last week, Santa’s Workshop will be open one last time at 6650 177 St. at the Professional Centre on Dec. 17 from noon to 4 p.m. With all sort’s fun activities, Santa’s helpers will be on hand to make getting a photo with the Kris Kringle an event for kids.

“This year has been one of our best turnouts yet,” said Marketplace Marketing director Jody Hrabiwchuk after Santa’s first visit to Callingwood, on Dec. 10. “I think it’s going to be another fabulous day, simply because the weather forecast is looking really great again.” Saturday’s forecast is for a high of 5 C.

Whether it’s face painting, crafts or balloon animals, there are plenty of things to keep kids entertained for the afternoon.

Meanwhile, adults can sip a free hot chocolate, listen to carolers and enjoy horsedrawn hay rides by themselves or with the whole family.

Sponsoring radio stations 91.7 The Bounce and Sonic 102.9 have donated an iPad and a game system to raffle off as well.

The first 25 visitors to get their photo taken with Santa will get a $20 gift certificate to Muggn’z Family Restaurant.

“I can tell you that I have seen anywhere from newborn babies coming to get their photo with Santa right up to 30-year-olds,” said Hrabiwchuk. “It’s quite a span of people who like to come out and meet Santa.”

Santa, of course, is keen on making the children happy.

“Really impressed with everyone here,” he said last Saturday. “None of the boys or girls here have been greedy. No one came with long lists, most of them only asked for one or two reasonable things.”

Although the Marketplace has been providing hay rides for the last 10 years, this year marks the second year that the shopping centre has been able to organize a full event with the help of sponsors such as Shoppers Drug Mart, the Edmonton Sun and Country Daycare.

There is a nominal fee for the digital photos, but hot chocolate and all the activities are free and your photo will be processed by the time you’re ready to leave.

Visit the official Santa’s Workshop website provided by the Marketplace at Callingwood or check out either The Bounce or Sonic radio online for more information.

Take a look at Santa’s big scene on Dec. 10:

jagodzinskij@mymail.macewan.ca