Calgary Citizen Newsletter Thursday July 18

Advertise | Sign Up

Good morning !

The Women in Need Society (WINS) is celebrating the grand opening of its new Glenbrook location at #110, 67 Glenbrook Place SW, which will help provide more Calgary women and families with access to basic needs, emotional and career support. If you’ve never been to one, I highly suggest you make a visit—these thrift shops are some of my favourite in the city.

And, thank you for the scooters feedback. It seems most in the city are happy with the move with the caveat that the scooter companies should pay for them. Have a nice weekend!

👀 In today's edition:

• Harvey the Hound turns 40

• Aphid droppings everywhere

• Welcome Patsy to the stage

Get your story told! Promote your business, event, or restaurant in front of 34,000+ engaged locals! Contact our team today.

WORTH KNOWING

⛅️ Today: High 30C, Low 17C. See the 7-day forecast.

🚗 Driving today? Check the current traffic situation, and find the city’s traffic report and road closures.

⚠️ Here’s the current smoke forecast / check Calgary wildfire and fire restrictions and the Alberta Wildfire Dashboard.

QUICK POLL

Calgary mascot creator reminisces about his time as Harvey the Hound

Grant Kelba was just 23 years old when he crafted a lovable, life-sized dog costume that ultimately would become the Calgary Flames mascot for the next 39 years—and counting. Harvey the Hound was the NHL’s first team mascot, pitched by Kelba 40 years ago. Kelba made his official debut as the lovable mascot on Feb. 16, 1984, but it wasn’t always an easy ride. “It’s from very humble beginnings,” Kelba tells Calgary Citizen.

Kelba says it was no easy feat to play the role of Harvey night after night. “Well, it was hot,” he says, adding he would lose up to 10 pounds a game through sweat. “But also all of your senses are muffled so you can’t hear and you can’t see. You can’t really feel and you really don’t know where you are.”

Harvey the Hound inspired the rest of the NHL teams to create their own mascots, with some even reaching out to Kelba for his expertise. Having a team mascot was more common with other sports such as football, but hockey was often considered too fast-moving to be able to rally fans between whistles.

Read the full story online.

Related Story

Need to know

🪲 Calgary overwhelmed with aphid droppings—and this is why.

🚕 Calgary police warn of 11 cases of people robbed in fake taxi scam and are looking for more victims.

💸 The city’s massive feeder main break is set to cost ‘tens of millions’ of dollars.

🏒 The Calgary Flames' new arena is expected to break ground imminently.

🥵 We can expect this long, hot stretch to last through next Thursday.

🐶 A new dog ice cream was unveiled and it’s in support of local animal rescue efforts

🚔️Exchange of gunfire on QEII Highway leads to charges against Calgary man.

👮 Suspicious death in the city’s southeast is now deemed a homicide.

💔 Emergency crews work to recover body in the Bow River.

🎒 Be the first to know about the best events, insider tips, and jaw-dropping deals and contests — all delivered every Thursday straight to your inbox. Subscribe to Calgary’s free newsletter to find out what’s up!

SPONSORED BY 1440 MEDIA

The Daily Newsletter for Intellectually Curious Readers

• We scour 100+ sources daily

• Read by CEOs, scientists, business owners and more

• 3.5 million subscribers

Sign up today!

Sarah Horsman brings the legendary role of Patsy Cline to life in Stage West’s latest production

You’d have to be “crazy” not to know who iconic singer Patsy Cline is but her true stamp on music is brought to the forefront with Stage West’s latest production, A Closer Walk. Sarah Horsman plays a flawless Cline in her most influential years, starting with her teenage rise to stardom up until her death at just 30 years old. Horsman puts her best efforts forward in this role seemingly made for her. We talked with the actress about her favourite Patsy songs and what audiences can expect.

How did you prepare for such an iconic role as Patsy Cline and how familiar are you with her?

Lots of listening throughout my life! For this show I focused in on listening to her sing at different stages of her life and career (since we hear her from age 14-30 in our production), watching documentaries and reading up as much as I can. I’ve done my best to pick up on her body language in different performances I’ve seen—I really want to be as in my body as possible while paying tribute to her.

How many hours did you spend prepping for this role?

Not sure on the number of hours in total but the Stage West rehearsal process is a swift two weeks in the rehearsal hall and then technical rehearsals on stage where things really begin to settle as costumes, the band, lights and our set lift us up to opening night.

Do you have a favourite Patsy Cline song?

I feel like every song has it’s own special nuances and speaks to different parts of my heart. I love how she sings “You Belong to Me” and her storytelling in “She’s Got You”. I personally love to sing “Lovesick Blues” and “Crazy” especially in our show as we get a peek into how she may have felt singing those songs at the Opry and Carnegie Hall.

What do you have in common with Patsy who was known for being fiery?

My passion for singing and the pure joy it brings me to share music with others carries a lot the energy that Pasty was famous for having towards her community and this music. I also tend to lean into my vulnerability with my acting and stepping into her boots has taught me so much on how that simple gesture allows others to lean in that way too.

What can audiences expect from this show?

A really special night celebrating an impactful woman of music, coupled with side splitting comedy and amazing dance! It’s a wonderfully nostalgic trip down memory lane that will (hopefully) stay with you long after the show comes down!

Where to eat and drink

🍴National Ice Cream Day: Foothills Creamery is hosting its third annual Scoop Slam on July 21 with an ice cream eating contest! Spectators will enjoy free ice cream while watching the event at Mount Royal University on East Gate lawn from 12pm-3pm.

🍴Calgary Italian Bakery: This family owned bakery and deli founded in 1962 has lasted all of these years for a reason! Check out the retail store and the deli at the same time.

Have a food or drink suggestion? Message us and we might share it!

Things to do

🎟️ Arts Commons Galleries: Enjoy six free galleries featuring 28 local artists working in photography, illustration, videography, textiles, mixed media, steel/metal works, and more at this collaborative exhibition until Sept. 6.

🎟️ Candlelight Concerts by Fever: Enjoy a variety of unique live musical experiences produced by local musicians illuminated by thousands of candles. This summer’s offerings include tributes to Taylor Swift, Bach to Beatles, Coldplay and Imagine Dragons, and classic rock.

Have an event suggestion? Message us and we might share it!

From our readers

That’s it!

Thanks for reading today. If you found something interesting, please forward this email to another Calgarian and tell them to sign up!

And before you go, we’d love to know…

We’ll see you back here on Tuesday, same time, same place!