Step into spring with Jane's Walk: Free walking tours for community exploration in Calgary

As the warm breeze of spring fills the streets of Calgary, a bustling excitement is brewing.

The annual Jane's Walk festival is making its grand return to the city this May, ready to invite curious minds on a journey of discovery through free walking tours.

This global event promises to unite people of all ages in a celebration of community, history, and culture.

There are various types of walks to suit everyone's preferences.

“It can be an art walk, a poetry walk, or a nature walk. So whether it's taking in a bunch of colorful murals downtown or finding inspiration, there's something for everybody,” says Awani Khatu, community activator for the Federation of Calgary Communities.

The history of the walk

The festival is named after Jane Jacobs, an urbanist who championed a community-based approach to urban planning.

After her death in May 2006, her friends started Jane's Walk in Toronto to honour her legacy, and now it happens all over the world.

“She was a proponent of getting people out in their neighborhood and exploring,” says Khatu.

The festival started small in Toronto, but has grown over the years.

“It evolved from being just two or three walks a year. And then at one point, it reached about 80 walks,” says Khatu.

Calgarians have been taking part in Jane's Walks for 15 years. Jane's Walk Calgary has now become the third-largest event of its kind globally, surpassed only by Toronto and New York.

However, things slowed down when the pandemic hit and the walks had to be moved online, Khatu says.

“Now we're trying to get back to that momentum again that we had. So it's really grown and we're just trying to keep growing,” she adds.

Becoming a walk leader

Anyone can become a walk leader for Jane's Walk free of charge, regardless of their background or expertise, and choose any topic of discussion they are interested in leading.

Richard de Boer is a passionate aviator with a long-standing connection to Jane's Walks.

As a pilot with a deep interest in aviation history, he saw an opportunity to create a unique experience for participants interested in exploring the connection between the aviation industry and Calgary's past.

"Leading a Jane’s Walk is just such an effective, hands on way to do history," de Boer says in an emailed statement.

"We get to see the buildings and stand on sites where historic events actually occurred and it becomes a far more tactile and tangible way to communicate a story.”

De Boer's love for airplanes and aviators was nurtured by his parents when they used to take him on Sunday afternoon car rides to the Calgary airport back in the early 1960s.

“I first heard about Jane's Walks in Calgary on CBC Radio and after attending a couple and checking the website I saw that there were no airport or aviation themed events,” says de Boer.

Sharing a passion

This sparked an idea in de Boer to design a walk that would cater to aviation enthusiasts like himself.

"I walked the southeast corner of the original airport site and identified some of the surviving buildings, which go back to the 1930s and 40s," de Boer says.

"I thought about the huge impact that WWII had on aviation in Calgary and across the country, and then I recalled some of the stories of bold entrepreneurs, movie stars, hijackings, and tragic crashes; all of which can make for a great story.”

De Boer's passion for aviation and history is evident in the way he leads his walks. He enjoys the chance to share his knowledge and experiences with participants and encourages them to contribute their own stories and relevant facts on the theme of the walk.

“Jane's Walks also encourage attendees to chip in if they have a story or a relevant fact or two on the theme of the walk. It’s interactive, it's fresh air, sunshine, and sometimes snow,” says de Boer.

"History creates a context for our lives today, and this is a fun way to strengthen and broaden the foundations of all of our lives.”

De Boer is leading his next Flying Through History walk on May 7 beginning at the Hangar Flight Museum.

A festival about city stories

The festival is all about community exploration and neighbourliness, and this is what Jane Jacobs stood for.

“Jane's Walk in its entirety is a festival about city stories and all of the delights that you can find just by being out in your community. These walks are like slow-paced adventures,” says Khatu.

The role of the Federation of Calgary Communities is to advertise Jane's Walk and get people registered on the website. It also helps those who want to become walk leaders and advertise the festival to those who want to participate.

“We’re trying to champion the movement,” says Khatu.

The federation is calling for walk leaders to volunteer for May 5, 6, and 7.

If you are interested, you can register on the website.The walks can be on any topic, and the date and time are up to the walk leaders' discretion.

Everyone is welcome to participate in the festival, and it's an excellent opportunity to explore the community and meet new people.

Keep an eye out for the upcoming The Last of Us walking tour, featuring all of the shooting locations from the show in Calgary.