edmonton bicycle and touring club spokes · edmonton bicycle and touring club 1 spokes k ukrainian...

A u g u s t 2 0 1 0! E d m o n t o n B i c y c l e a n d T o u r i n g C l u b

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SPOKESk

Ukrainian Village Overnight Ride

Ride 50 km each day and enjoy a delicious catered Ukrainian meal on Saturday evening and camp overnight.See page 9 for details.

Sat Aug 7 to Sun Aug 8

Piggies go to Market

Cycle to the one and only St. Albert Market, go shopping., have lunch and ride back (about 50 km in all).See page 10 for details.

Sat Aug 14th

Dr. Seuss’ Footloose Caboose

Enjoy a scenic 95 km ride stopping for lunch along the way Your boarding pass, at a cost of only $17, includes an unforgettable meal in our exquisite dining car (includes drinks and GST). See page 10 for details.Sat Aug 21st

Ice Cream Ride

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice scream. Join us for a 25 to 35 km beginner ride, stopping at various establishments for ice cream.

See page 11 for details.

Sun Aug 22nd

Save the Date for These Upcoming Events

In This Issue

Club Information.............2

Contact Information .......2

Footbridge Closure ........3

Tour de l’Alberta Appreciation ..............4

In the News ..................5

Weekly Rides ...............7

Overnight Rides ...........9

Aug Ride Calendar ......10

Sept Ride Calendar.......12

A u g u s t 2 0 1 0! E d m o n t o n B i c y c l e a n d T o u r i n g C l u b

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CLUB INFORMATIONEdmonton Bicycle & Touring Club

P.O. Box 52017Garneau Postal Station

Edmonton, Alberta

Phone: (780) 424-2453Email: [email protected]

E-mail?

The EBTC maintains an e-mail directory of members. Occasionally, e-mail articles or other items received by EBTC

considered to be of interest to the membership are forwarded via e-mail. If you wish to be added to this electronic mailing list to

receive updates, please send your request via email to: [email protected]

To save the environment and expenses, all club members receive

e-mail notification when Spokes is posted on the club website and are expected to access it online. Members who cannot access the Internet readily can get Spokes in hard copy by sending a written request to the EBTC post office box noted. Please note: Cost to the club is $2.00 for each copy printed and mailed.

Moving? New Email Address?

If you’re moving or have changed your email, please send your name and updated information, including new email address to the Membership Coordinator at the mailing address shown or to: [email protected] This information will ensure that you receive your newsletters and other important information.

Newsletter Enquiries and Submissions

Deadline for newsletter submissions is the 22nd of each month. Articles can be e-mailed to [email protected]. Articles must be submitted in Word format and pictures should be scanned and e-mailed.

Permission is granted to non-profit groups for reprinting articles

herein. Credit to the author and Spokes must appear in your publication and a copy sent to the EBTC address shown.

Publisher Information & Policies

Spokes is the newsletter of the all-volunteer Edmonton Bicycle & Touring Club. Spokes is published monthly in the summer and

bi-monthly in the winter months.

Fees for non-members to advertise in Spokes is $25 for a quarter page, $50 for a half page and $100 for a full page.

Opinions expressed in Spokes are those of the contributors and are not necessarily shared by the Edmonton Bicycle & Touring

Club. The editor reserves the right to edit for clarity, brevity and content, and is the sole judge of suitability for all articles and

advertisements.

©Copyright 2008 - The Edmonton Bicycle & Touring Club

All rights reserved

EBTC EXECUTIVE MEMBERSPublicity Coordinator

Nancy and Dale Smigerowsky................780-430-7467 [email protected]

Supplies and Equipment Coordinator

..................................Freeman Taylor 780-988-6345 [email protected]

Education and Safety Coordinator

...........................................Scott Keast 780-467-2499 [email protected] Coordinator

.....................................Ron Chapman 780-405-1159 [email protected] Librarian/Web

.....................Greg Pommen [email protected]

.............................. Chris Sommerfeldt 780-434-0165

E-mail Communications

.....................Greg Pommen [email protected]

.............................. Chris Sommerfeldt 780-434-0165

Past President

.......................................... Eileen Hall 780-922-0884

President

.......................................Sid Bennett 780-604-0466

Vice-President/Touring

...................Lauren Dyck-L’Heureux 780-244-6993 [email protected] Secretary

..................................Keri Barringer 780-988-1340 [email protected] Treasurer

................................Chris Chapman 780-977-4965 [email protected]

Membership Coordinator

...........................Anne-Marie Adachi 780-988-9554 [email protected] Editor

................................Chris Chapman 780-997-4965 [email protected] Social Coordinator

.....................................Ellen Ainsley 780-235-2247

Please contact the Vice

President-Touring if you would

like to coordinate a ride or if you

have a ride idea

mailto:[email protected]
























a u g u s t 2 0 1 0! E d m o n t o n B i c y c l e a n d T o u r i n g C l u b

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Laurier Heights Quesnell

Footbridge Closure

The City of Edmonton will be

undertaking maintenance and

rehabilitation work on the

Laurier Heights/Quesnell

footbridge from July 5th until

September 30th. The bridge

will be closed during this time

but a shuttle bus will be

available 7-10 am and 4-7

pm to help people cross

Whitemud Drive.

COMMUNITY NEWS


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TOUR D’E ‘ALBERTA APPRECIATION

Thank you, in particular, to our Yellow Jersey sponsors this year:

The Town of Morinville, Sturgeon County Mountain Equipment Co-op

United Cycle, Revolution Cycle and Volvo Edmonton

We would like to give a HUGE thank you to the many volunteers that made this year’s Tour de L’Alberta a success.

To those EBTC members who gave up riding to help out, thumbs up to you!

You all did a marvelous job!

A special thank you to the organizers of the event, Dan Boonstra, Karen Evenden, and Jason Demers - Your hard

work and dedication was outstanding!



Congratulations to all those who rode in the 2010 Tour de l’Alberta!

Thank You to our Sponsors!

Thank you, sponsors! Your financial and corporate assistance made this event possible and the warm reception received from the local communities

made this event memorable and special for everyone!


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Jul 28, 2010 06:00 am | By Ryan Tumilty | St. Albert Gazette

Tour de l'Alberta Making StridesAs Spain’s Alberto Contador rode down the Champs-Élysées

in Paris and raised his Tour de France trophy, another ride

inspired by the gruelling international event wound its way through Sturgeon County Sunday.

Tour de l’Alberta spun into its 16th year as hundreds of riders

took off from Morinville and rode throughout the county, going as far as Westlock and Thorhild.

The huge group of riders started to lurch away from the start

line in wave after wave early in the morning, and by the time the last riders left the start there was virtually an unbroken line of cyclists all the way to Highway 44.

The 1,100 riders who took part in this year’s event are a far

cry from the 30 cyclists that left St. Albert on the first tour in 1994.Don Peddie was a man with a plan back

then, one that just suddenly popped into his

head on an evening bike ride.“I was meandering along the northern

end of the city and I went to Villeneuve and

Legal and I wandered through a community called Rivière Qui Barre, and then I came through St. Albert,” he said. “All of a sudden a light came on, and I said I just went

through four or five French towns. It is kind of like I did my own Tour de France.”

Peddie, 67, has pedalled through 15 of the 16 local tours, having taken one

year off to ride across Canada.In the first year,

organization for the event consisted mostly of drawing

out a map and picking a starting place and time. The riders used

convenience stores as rest stops and the 30 riders were all members of the Edmonton Bicycle and Touring Club.

Over the years the field grew, rider by rider, and the club

eventually opened up the race to the general public.Peddie said he never thought Tour de l’Alberta would grow to

this size, but is thrilled it has.

“It is strange, but it is wonderful. I am really happy with the success and all the people.”

In part to make the event more open, the ride is now actually four rides with 100-kilometre, 50-km and 20-km routes, as well as

the main event, a 187-km trip that takes cyclists from Morinville to Westlock, Thorhild, Redwater, Gibbons and Bon Accord.

That route is a little longer than what cyclists call a “century

ride,” which is 100 miles (161 km) and most legs of the Tour de France fall around that mark.

Monumental task

For many years, Peddie has been off the hook as an event organizer. He jokes they burned through about three club

presidents before they realized it was time for some full-time help.

This year’s monumental task of organizing the event fell to the triumvirate of Dan Boonstra, Karen Evenden and Jason Demers.

Boonstra said the ride got a shot in the arm the last few years with marketing funds from the Alberta Government. The different routes

have also helped expand the ride, by making it appeal to a broader public, he said.

IN THE NEWS

con’t on next page




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“The idea is it is just a recreational ride, which is pretty much the merits of our club as well,” he said. “We try and shoot for that middle of the road, the mere mortal cyclist.”

The 100-km

course was by far the most popular

Sunday with more than 600 riders taking

part.Boonstra and the other

organizers’

cellphones and radios were beeping constantly, to co-ordinate the myriad of logistical challenges needed to pull off the tour.

He said he didn’t realize the scope of what was involved when

he first signed up.“It always takes up more than you think. There are all kinds of

organizational details that you don’t think of.”

Like any army, this legion of cyclists needs to stay well fed to keep rolling, and the organizers used more than 200 volunteers to stock the rest stops with food and plenty of water.

“We have about a dozen rest stops all together and for every

rest stop you have to have the right amount of water and Gatorade and trail mix and that sort of thing,” said Boonstra.

In addition to the cellphones and walkie-talkies, the Northern Central Alberta Amateur Radio Club set up a

radio system for the day allowing a free flow of communication about flat tires, skinned knees and dwindling supplies.

Evenden said one of the biggest

challenges was finding and recruiting volunteers.

“That is in part because the profile

of the event is still growing, but I think that is going to get easier.

In addition to being a busy weekend, many of the prospective

volunteers are cyclists who would much rather be out on the course than watching from the sidelines, she added.

Ron Chapman volunteered this year after spending last year on the course. He said it was hard to leave his bicycle at home, but

he will likely return to the road next year.

“I kind of want to be out there, but my help here is more useful,” he said. “I love the club and they needed help, and that is the bottom line.”

Warren Footz from St. Albert, a rider who completed the 100-

km loop, called the tour a great event.“I like that it is organized and that there is support along the

way if I need it — and it is fun riding with other people.”

Edmonton’s Dwayne VinStraten, who rode the long course, uses the race to help train for the national Ironman competition in Penticton, B.C.

He said riding as a group is more physically challenging and rewarding.

“You are pedalling higher, because as a group you are moving along a little faster … than you would be by yourself.”

Roving packThis year’s tour was capped at 1,200 entrants, though slightly

less actually raced.

Though the field left en masse, riders returned in a steady trickle, each to a small round of applause and a medal for their efforts.

Unlike the tour in Paris, where a yellow jersey is handed out, the first rider across the finish line at the Tour de l’Alberta receives only bragging rights, and many riders purposely slow down to cross at the same time.

Peddie said he is amazed at the event’s reach.“We have people coming in from Calgary, I rode with 10 guys who had

come down from Fort McMurray for it, and there were people from Saskatoon,” he said. “Word of mouth just keeps

spreading and there are people from further and further away.”Out on the road, the bicycles get a wider berth than they might ordinarily,

which is one advantage of a group ride like Tour de l’Alberta.“When they see the highway littered

with bikes for miles they change their mentality and they slow down a bit.”

He said the nicest thing about the big group ride, however, is

the company. He always has someone to chat with on the course.“The less time you have to ride all by yourself, the happier

people seem to be.”

IN THE NEWS - CON’T

Jul 28, 2010 06:00 am | By Ryan Tumilty | St. Albert Gazette




! !! 7

Recumbent Group RidesDate: The second Saturday of each month,

starting May 8, 2010 until OctoberTime: 6:30 pmLocation: Edmonton, exact location to be announcedCost: $10 for non membersDistance: Between 70 and 100 kmRating: IntermediateDescription: A chance for recumbent riders to do a group

tour and get acquainted with each otherCoordinator: Clayton Suave at

[email protected]

WEEKLY RIDES

Wednesday Night Show n’ Go

Date: Every Wednesday evening starting April 28,

2010 until Sept 29, 2010

Time: Meet at 6:45 pm for a 7:00 pm SHARP start

Location: NE Corner of the Kinsmen Sports Center

Parking Lot

Cost: Bring cash for coffee and or treats

Distance: Between 15 and 30 km

Rating: Easy paced, social ride

Description: Show up and go! That is the theme for our

weekly social, easy paced rides. We go

wherever anyone wants to go so please bring

your ride ideas for routes. We do stop to

chat, have a coffee or ice cream. We ride

mostly on bike paths and quiet residential

streets. It is a great way to discover what

Edmonton has to offer the recreational

cyclist. In September we will meet 1/2 hour

earlier for a 6:35 start

Coordinator: Al Carlson at (780) 458-1471 or at

[email protected]

The Outback Date: Every Tuesday evening starting Wednesday May 11, 2010 until Sept 28, 2010Time: Meet at 6:30 for a 6:45 pm SHARP startLocation: Start locations change each week. See schedule belowCost: Bring cash for coffee and or treats for after the rideDistance: However far you can ride out in 45 minutes and then the same distance back for 45

minutesRating: Beginner to Advanced - you ride at your own pace for 45 minutes out and 45 minutes backDescription: The outback rides are an any-level ride where we ride from the start point for 45 minutes and then turn around, for a total of

an hour and a half. It doesn’t matter what speed you ride, just come out and join the camaraderie and fun. The pace is determined by each individual. Everybody arrives back at the starting point at roughly the same time and coffee usually follows at a nearby Tim Hortons or Second Cup. These rides take place on highways rather than on pathways or city streets.

Coordinator: Ellen Ainsley at (780) 235-2247 or at [email protected] May 11, June 1, June 22, July 13, Aug 3, Aug 24, Sept 14 St. Albert Wal-Mart: SE corner of the Wal-Mart parking lot May 18, June 8, June 29, July 20, Aug 10, Aug 31, Sept 21 Just east of the junction of Highways 37 and 28 at Johnny's Store in Namao May 25, June 15, July 6, July 27, Aug 17, Sept 7, Sept 28 Sherwood Park Alliance Church: NE corner of Wye Rd/Rge Rd 231












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WEEKLY RIDES

Mentored by some of the most skilled and

respected riders in the Edmonton Bicycle and

Touring Club, these rides take you the rider

beyond Cycling 101. If you've developed the

basic skills of cycling, but have hit that 25-26

kph plateau - these rides are for you.

Through weekly pace-line rides, sprint for the

pole repeats, fox and hound chases, and hill

climbs you'll discover the secrets to move to

the front of the pack. Be ready to fine tune

your ride position, improve your economy of

motion and fitness so that YOU can watch

everyone else arrive after a day of touring!

Saturday mornings at 10:30am

starting in May.

Discover what good base training can do for your

enjoyment of the bike. Perfect for the novice

cyclist, this series of rides is the ideal way to

prepare for the EBTC signature event the Tour d

l'Alberta®. Starting at a manageable 15-18 kph

average and 25 km distance, the rides build

endurance first until riders can manage 60 km at

15-18 kph average – NO ONE gets left behind!

Then the distance is cut back and the average

speed is raised to 18 – 22 kph average. Through

these development cycles a rider will finish off

the series 1 week prior to the Tour d l'Alberta®

having completed a 140 km ride at a 25 kph

average. Do you have a goal in mind?

Starting Sunday March 28th and each Sunday after (excluding long weekends) at 9:30 a.m. until

July 18th

Going up hurts right? The secret to making hills hurt less is to do more of them. Intended for novice riders and those who avoid hills at every opportunity, this series of rides will start easy. Week by week you'll build strength and power through incremental increases in both the number of hills tackled, as well as the steepness of the grades. Learn some of the secrets of hill climbing and descending that make going up and down just little bit easier. These are the perfect ride to get you ready for that mountain tour you've been dreaming about.

Starting Thursday April 29th at 7:00 p.m. and each week after until August 12.

For more information or to get on the email group for each of these rides contact Scott Keast at:

[email protected]




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Please note that Overnight Trip Registrations will now be taken ONLINE only with Karelo.

When the event fills, Karelo will begin a waitlist and keep track of the order of that waitlist.

Since our insurance only covers club members only EBTC members can participate in EBTC overnight trips.

Be sure you have a current membership before you attempt to register for an overnight trip.

Saying that, this is not really a difficult trip especially if you pack light and this may be your opportunity to try self-support travel. If you are planning a self-support trip of your own in the near future, this might be your chance to test out your skills and equipment on a short weekend before you strike out on the open road. This is where you can decide if you really need all that stuff that your were planning to take along and to see if it will do the job and hold up when you need it most and to make any changes and repairs before heading out. On Saturday, we will take our time getting out there with plenty of stops and perhaps some side trips along the way. We will stop for lunch at the Blackfoot Grazing Reserve and continue on to our campsite where we will have some time for games, socializing, and stargazing. Later that evening, we will have a delicious, catered Ukrainian meal of Perogys, cabbage rolls, and Kolbassa

Your $55.00 will include a delicious Ukrainian supper, lunch, snacks, and camping on Saturday,

and entrance to the Village, breakfast, lunch & snacks on Sunday.Coordinator: Doug Bezovie at [email protected]

Date: August 7 to August 8, 2010Time: Meeting time TBALocation: Meeting location TBACost: $55.00 per personDistance: 50 km each wayRating: Relatively easy ride, with the

exception of carrying all your camping gear with you

Description: Join us for an exciting weekend on EBTC’s only self support bike trip- all the way out to the Ukrainian

Village about 50 Km east of Edmonton. Join us for an exciting day of cultural festivities as the Village celebrates Ukrainian

days on Sunday August 8, 2010. There will be traditional dancing, singing, old time cooking, demos on operating the old

farm machinery, and a chance to participate in the role playing of the local inhabitants of the 1920’s (If you can find any

Ukrainian / Romanian clothing to wear please bring them along to help get into the sprit). We may look a bit strange

wearing a period shirt with cycling shorts, but hey, it’s the spirit that counts). There will also probably be opportunities to

buy some local, organic produce and stuff from merchants that they will have on display.

OVERNIGHT RIDES -

Come prepared to get there under your own steam as we will be carrying everything that we will need with us, on our bikes. This is a self support trip which means that there will NOT be any support vehicles to carry your camping equipment, to bring you water or Gatorade, or to help you if you break down (other than the members of the group). In addition, we will be camping in little bitty tents that we will bring with us on our bikes and where there will NOT be any showers. None of that sissy stuff and this trip will probably go rain or shine so come prepared.

Ukrainian Cultural Village




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August

Piggies Go To Market

Date: Saturday, August 14, 2010 Time: 8:45 am for a 9:00 am Sharp Start Location: Will be announced on the website, closer to the ride date Cost: No cost - bring money to purchase market items and or lunch Distance: 50 km Rating: Beginner to Intermediate, with some bumpy sections Description: Cycle to the St. Albert Market with Jasmine and go shopping. Stay for lunch and come back. If you really are lucky there might be a classic car show next to the market. Coordinator: Jasmine Hohenstein at (780) 475-7224 or at [email protected]

Dr Seuss’ Footloose Caboose

All Aboard!Departure Date: Saturday, August 21, 2010

Boarding Time: Check in at 8:30 AM for 9:00 boarding. Please arrive a minimum of 30 or 45 minutes prior to boarding to allow

sufficient time to check in and complete your booking.

Location: Board at Tim Horton Station on Wye Road beside the Sobeys at Clover Bar Road in Sherwood Park. Arrive early

for a good window seat! We'll be back at the Station at approximately 16:00 hours.

Cost: Fare is $17.00 per person

Distance: 95 km

Rating: Intermediate

Description: Enjoy a scenic train journey in our own back yard! As our special guest, you will enjoy individual first-class

coaches with seating surrounded by windows providing breathtaking panoramic views. Every cabin comes fully

equipped with state-of-the-art air-conditioning that feels so natural you’ll think you’re in the open air!

Your boarding pass also includes an unforgettable meal in our exquisite dining car, including drinks and GST.

Due to the popularity of this ride and limited seating capacity, I'm going to ask that if you join us, you stay for

lunch. If you are just along for the ride, there will be others that would get left out. The conductor will collect

your payment as you pre-board at “Horton Station”.

Please keep your luggage to a minimum as storage is limited. If you have a reflective safety vest, feel free to bring

it along as our tour will take us alongside some stretches of highway. If weather impedes the track, we will board

the Express train, and head straight to lunch.

All aboard the Footloose Caboose!

Coordinator: Dan Boonstra at (780) 447-3680 or at [email protected]






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Ice Cream Ride

Date: Sunday, August 22, 2010Time: 12:30 pm for a 12:45 StartLocation: Ezio Ferrone Park - NW Corner of the High Level BridgeCost: Bring $10 to $15 for ice cream at three stopsDistance: 25 to 35 kmRating: Beginner, no hillsDescription: You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream. Al Carlson delivers! We ride and get ice cream. A delicious a ride as it

sounds! Coordinator: Al Carlson at (780) 458-1471 or at [email protected]

Elk Island Park Ride

Date: Saturday, August 28, 2010Time: 10:45 amLocation: At Irene's place - is located 3 km east of Ukrainian Village gate on Highway #16 (Yellowhead Highway). House is located on

the south side of the highway. A large sign & balloons will be in place next to the driveway.Cost: Bring Park Pass (family or single) if you have one, or pay at the gate. Fee will be posted later. Bring cash for lunch or snacks

at the local bakery Distance: 70 kmRating: Beginner/IntermediateSupport: A van with water, bring your own lunch, snacks or buy them at local bakery in Lamont. Description: This route will take us through Elk Island National Park. This road is paved with only 2 Texas gates, some rolling hills, and

there are numerous chances to encounter wild life. We will continue to Lamont where we'll stop at the Town Hall park area for a lunch break. Cycle around town of Lamont to Highway #15 going east to Junction #834 and return to Irene's house. After the ride, please stay for a glass of apple cider and some social time.

Coordinator: Irene Malcolm - Phone: 780-662-2191, E-mail - [email protected]

Pigeon Lake Ride

Date: Sunday, August 29, 2010, weather permittingTime: Meet at 9:30 am for a 10:00 am StartLocation: Village Market at Pigeon Lake - RR 11 and Hwy 13, SE of Pigeon Lake, Westerose, AB To get to Pigeon Lake, travel south on QE2, go 52.5 km from the Gateway Tourist Information Center to Exit 482B Ma-Me O Beach. The distance to the Village at Pigeon Lake from the exit is 25 km. On arrival, park in the gravel lot by the Information Booth left of the gas stationCost: No cost for ride but $15 to $20 per person at the Eco Cafe or The Village Creek Country Inn Restaurant. There is great ice cream at Daisy McBean’s as well!Distance: 60 km, rolling hillsRating: IntermediateDescription: Ride over rolling hills around Pigeon Lake and enjoy the rural setting and scenery. Afterwards have a meal or an ice cream at a local establishment Coordinators: Anne-Marie Adachi at [email protected] Bernie Lee at (780) 637-6064 or at [email protected]

August










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September

Country Soul Stroll Date: Saturday 4, 2010

Time: 9:00 am

Location: TBA

Cost: TBA

Distance: 75 km

Rating: Beginner/Intermediate

Description: Cycle quiet roads just north of the city and visit several of the Country Soul Stroll stops. We enjoy the country side while

learning about some of the interesting happenings just outside our city. In case of poor weather, we will car pool to the

Country Soul Stroll stops.

Coordinator: Nadine Leenders at (780) 438-1987 or at [email protected] - on the day of the ride use cell

number: (780) 270-8032

Night Riders

Date: Saturday, September 25, 2010

Time: 8:00 pm

Location: TBA

Cost: TBA

Distance: TBA

Rating: TBA

Description: Many cyclists have never ridden at night. They don't know what they are missing! We ride around with

flashing lights and bright reflectors in a long chain around the river valley. Too much fun to be described. This year

we start late enough in the season so that our BBQ doesn't get interrupted by bylaw enforcement officials.

More details to follow.

Coordinators: Greg Pommen at (780) 434-5082 or at [email protected]

Bernie Lee at (780) 637-6064 or at [email protected]







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