Tag: Urban

Meet “The Flâneur”

Introduction

I’ve been writing this blog for nearly three years. Over that time, I’ve thought about whether the site is achieving what I intended when I wrote the first pieces. Indeed, it’s worth asking whether my initial objectives have changed—and if so, how.

My soul-searching is timely because my friend Phil Davies recently approached me with some thoughts on the blog and my other social media content. Phil has a keen eye and a strong artistic sensibility. He volunteered his opinion that my Instagram profile may not be totally accurate:

Runner. Observer. Stroke survivor.

Phil questioned my use of the word observer. At first, I wasn’t sure what he meant, because he had always been complimentary about my photo runs. For those unfamiliar, photo runs are a cornerstone of My Second Running Life—they make this blog what it is. As an example, here’s a piece I wrote about my run in Longview a few weeks ago.

For me, there’s nothing better than going out for an easy run with no worries about time and pace, seeking only a memorable photograph. I look for different things—colour, pattern, contrast, human interaction, irony—and observer was the word I settled on to describe what I do on these runs.

Phil went on to explain that there might be more to this process than observation. He even jotted down some thoughts, which I present here as my first guest submission on the blog. The photographs are mine, but Phil selected the pictures he wanted to accompany his writing.

In nineteenth-century Paris, the flâneur was a stroller who transformed the act of walking into an art form; moving leisurely through the city, observing its ebb and flow with an artist’s eye and a philosopher’s curiosity. Armed with nothing more than time and attention, he understood the city itself to be a living canvas, constantly repainting itself.

Steve’s approach to running and photography is a modern embodiment of this classic figure—using movement through the city as a form of creative engagement rather than mere exercise or transit. His curiosity and his keen eye allow him to see the extraordinary within the ordinary.

The flâneur’s genius lies not in destination but in observation—he reads the city like a complex novel, deciphering the social codes written in architecture, fashion, and gesture. In the Parisian context, this meant lingering in the arcades, studying the interplay of commerce and desire, watching how different classes of people navigated the same spaces with entirely different purposes. The flâneur sees what others miss because he moves at human speed rather than the hurried pace of those bent on efficiency. 

Transported to Calgary among the gleaming downtown towers and the sprawling neighbourhoods stretching toward the Rockies, the flâneur’s eye discovers different rhythms and revelations. He might capture the interplay between the city’s frontier heritage and its contemporary energy—perhaps pausing to photograph how the morning light catches the glass of a modern office building while casting shadows on a historic sandstone church. My friend Steve embodies this Parisian tradition, combining the flâneur’s contemplative wandering with the practical purpose of his runs. His camera serves the same function as the flâneur’s notebook—a tool for capturing the moments that define urban life; transforming the ordinary act of moving through space into a form of creative observation.  In calling Steve a flâneur, I celebrate something valuable but increasingly rare in our hurried world—the importance of moving through our environment with alertness, engagement and appreciation.

– Phil Davies, December 2025

These boots were made for walkin’…! (Calgary, December 2022)

Concluding thoughts

Until my discussion with Phil, I would have said that I wasn’t doing anything different from any other street photographer, except that I’m moving faster than most of them. When I’m cruising the streets, I do so with thoughts of my photography idols in mind; people like Fred Herzog, Elliott Erwitt, and Saul Leiter. I wish I could be one-tenth the photographer that they were.

I also move through the streets with a clear purpose. I welcome the creative tension that comes with choosing a location and then watching for promising scenes to develop in front of me as I’m running. Many times and for many reasons, I’ve missed a shot that I wish I’d captured. But that’s alright, because sometimes I come home with a treasure. I can’t ever be too hard on myself about this, given the parameters I’ve set for myself.

In the end, it may not matter what label I use—flâneur, observer, or something else. Phil, you’ve helped me see that this process of roving exploration is well worth the effort.

On Running Streaks

A running streak is pretty much what it sounds like—run every day until you can’t. And while it’s up to each runner to set their own parameters, the Streak Runners International, Inc. and the United States Running Streak Association, Inc. (yes, there is a governing body for this activity) have set out some helpful guidelines. Here’s a quote from the SRI/USRSA website:

The official definition of a running streak, as adopted by the Streak Runners International, Inc., and United States Running Streak Association, Inc., is to run at least one mile (1.61 kilometers) within each calendar day. Running may occur on either the roads, a track, over hill and dale, or on a treadmill.

-SRI/USRSA website

So that’s it. Sounds simple enough, right? The longest active run streak, as reported recently in Canadian Running, belongs to Jim Pearson of Marysville, WA. As of September 24, 2025, he has run for 20,310 consecutive days. Over that time—more than 55 years—Pearson has run 305,000 kilometres. Now that’s impressive!

Is a running streak a good idea?

As I wrote in my memoir, Stroke of Luck, I’ve never bought into the idea that runners, even highly competitive runners, need to run every day. Of course, regular exercise is hugely beneficial, and running streaks are as consistent as you can get. So, the routine of getting out the door every day will pay dividends in overall health and cardiovascular fitness. From my own experience, regular running seems to increase resistance to seasonal bugs. It may reduce susceptibility to injuries (or it may not). And perhaps most important—streaking instills a feeling of mental toughness, given all the challenges that must be overcome to keep one going.

But there are downsides. The most obvious is that sometimes, when we are injured or feeling under the weather, the best thing we should do is rest. Forcing ourselves out the door, just to check a box and continue a streak, may be making a bad situation worse.

Although streaks aren’t really my thing, I will admit to a certain fascination with runners who can and do carry on long streaks. My brother Paul completed a decades-long streak, as did my old running partner in Calgary, Rick Webb. Rick used to regale me with stories about how he kept his streak alive. One of my heroes is the late Ron Hill, a fascinating man, a legendary runner, and a running streaker. I wrote this in Stroke of Luck:

“… I appreciate what it takes to carry on a running streak. I have known a number of streakers through the years. This evolutionary branch of the running population is an eccentric lot. Most serious runners of the last few decades would have heard of Ron Hill, the great British marathoner and Olympian, whose 52-year streak—which ended in 2017—is legendary. To running streakers, Ron Hill is a patron saint, a person who is universally admired and spoken of with great reverence. He died in 2021.”

Strides Run Streak, 2025 edition

With that background, there should be no surprise that I’ve once again taken on the challenge of the annual Strides Run Streak (SRS). The challenge is simple: run at least one mile every day in December. Kudos to Jeremy and his team at Strides for giving us a manageable goal, one that will help keep us motivated over the holidays.

I’ve been a regular participant in the SRS. In fact, there is a connection between the SRS and my stroke story, which goes all the way back to 2012. I explained in Stroke of Luck how I extended the 2012 streak from a month-long event into one that lasted more than four years. This became my longest personal running streak, even though it paled in comparison to Hill or Pearson. I joked in the book that I might be able to make a case to the RSI/USRSA for the most interesting END to a running streak.

I’ll leave my story there, but if you’d like to know how things turned out, why not get a copy of my book? In doing so, you’ll be supporting a great cause—the stroke unit at the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary. The book would be a great gift for the runner on your Christmas list!

Now, as some of my followers on Strava will know, I give myself the added challenge of finding a worthy photo while I’m completing my daily run. Sometimes that is a bigger test than the running part, particularly with the days getting shorter and winter setting in. There aren’t many great photos taken on a treadmill!

So far in 2025, my commitment is strong, and the weather has been agreeable. There are a few hurdles, mostly a nagging soreness in my right Achilles tendon. Fortunately, that seems to loosen up after a couple of kilometres. Worse for me is that my training partner is still sidelined with a sore hip. That means my running is mostly solo.

Enough words. Here are some images from the 2025 SRS, which started while we were in Toronto. It’s obviously a work in progress, and I hope to send out another batch of pictures by month-end:

Copyright for all images is mine.

While it’s always nice to capture the festive spirit, I don’t consider it essential. As I’ve said before, my goal is to find images that transport me back to that time and place. I like visiting different neighbourhoods during the month. For me, a good photo run is thrilling; a way of adding meaning to my runs. It doesn’t replace the excitement of competition in a road race, but it’s sure better than nothing. And while there are no governing bodies for photo runs, I can recommend the Ricoh GR III—portable, capable, and durable. It’s been a constant companion on my outings.

Merry, Merry!

Wrapping Up

I hope you’re finding your own source of motivation at this time of year. While it’s easy to avoid going outside, especially when the temperature is -18c, as it is in Calgary today, I always feel better for having made the effort. So, whether it’s a month-long run streak, a walk with your dog, or a jog on a treadmill, I highly recommend a daily dose of activity. Having a camera with me is a reminder to keep things informal, and if I’m lucky, I’ll come home with a memento of the day.

Happy Holidays! And until next time, be well and BE FAST…

Urban Sustainability? Hardly!

We live in interesting times in Calgary. I’ve formed strong opinions about what I see happening in my city. For many reasons, I think we’re on the wrong track. From what I’ve seen recently in other large Canadian cities, the same things are happening there, too.

One of the first pieces I wrote for this blog was on the topic of sustainability. You can find it here. My focus then was on objects that are perfectly designed for their intended purpose. They are sustainable, in that they can be expected to work perfectly for a lifetime (or longer) if properly maintained.

As I walk around inner-city neighbourhoods in Calgary, I’m bothered by a pattern that I see being repeated over and over again. Homes that have stood for decades are being levelled and replaced by one of two things: large, contemporary boxes or large, multi-family boxes. And it’s not just homes. Commercial buildings are being torn down and replaced by high-rise residential towers full of small (you guessed it) boxes.

Boxes, boxes and more boxes…

Why is this happening? Well, it is now presented as common knowledge that housing is a critical problem in Calgary. City administration has prepared or commissioned studies to explain the situation and how dire it is. I’ve read their material, and I’m willing to admit that I don’t know. I’m not an urban planner or a sociologist. Maybe it’s a crisis, or maybe it isn’t.

What I do know is that if I exercise my right to ask questions or comment on proposed developments that directly affect me, by writing letters to my councillor and city planners, the usual response consists of boilerplate talking points about housing supply and affordability challenges. I used to write such letters, but I don’t do so anymore. When a response starts with the words “because we are in a housing crisis…“, then it will include justification for all sorts of irrational actions.

As I said, I have many problems with this trend, but let me come back to that word, sustainability. I define sustainability as encompassing the social, environmental and economic aspects of a project. In my view, nothing in the current teardown and build cycle is sustainable. I’ve noticed that the experts who tout densification and the bureaucrats who facilitate it—the same people who are quick to extol its benefits—tend to be silent on this point. This isn’t an oversight; it’s because the facts don’t fit their narrative.

How about an illustration?

Yesterday, I walked by a row of three post-war houses. All were small, neat and well-kept. They have been standing for decades, so we know they have survived many brutal Calgary winters. The owners of these homes have replaced roofs, tended lawns, and done the hundreds of other routine tasks needed to keep them functioning. They have put their personal touches on them. These houses are not flashy, large, or modern, but they definitely are sustainable. On the evidence, these are the type of structures that stand in the way of solutions to our housing problem.

The impediments to solving our housing crisis… really?

Let’s contrast this scene with another, where a transition has already occurred. The houses that used to stand in this location were like the ones pictured above. They have been replaced by multiple, multi-family dwellings; in this case, four fourplexes.

Tell me, what problem is this solving?

To get to this point, three houses were demolished and carted to the landfill. I estimate this would have generated 400 cubic metres (200 tonnes) of waste. That’s without consideration of the concrete foundations, which represent more waste to the landfill, and heavy waste at that.

Pouring new foundations generates significant GHG emissions, because cement manufacturing is one of the most GHG-intensive industries. Of course, there will be a continuous stream of waste while construction is in progress. And our lush urban tree canopy? Gone.

What are the main development scenarios for inner city locations?

If we see a custom contemporary house going up, it’s usually large and built to serve the needs of a couple or a small family. In other words, there will be a lot of space dedicated to a few people. Don’t get me wrong. This is a free country, and people can build to their own taste and budget. But on a full lifecycle basis, it’s hardly sustainable.

If it’s a multi-family dwelling, it’s almost certainly going to be built by a developer who will target the minimum building standards. There will be pressed board exterior walls, thin insulation and interior walls, plastic pipe and cheap finishings. Unlike the post-war houses pictured above, nothing built today will last. We can be sure of two more things: the developer will realize a healthy margin, and the finished units will not be affordable.

What about commercial properties? To round out my review, I checked the progress on the long-planned demolition of the Jimmie Condon Building at the corner of 17th Avenue and 14th Street. Some would say the building is (sorry, was) historic, and others would say its pagoda-style roofline was an eyesore. Either way, if a picture is worth a thousand words, then this one is a mouthful.

Off to the landfill, Jimmie!

We hear a lot these days about the need to build more “climate resilient” infrastructure. In response, I’ll note that I’ve seen plenty of buildings shrouded in tarps a few years after construction, presumably to repair deficiencies in exterior construction or incorrect materials. That is neither resilient nor sustainable.

I’ll leave for another day related questions—like whether multi-family dwellings (or high-rise towers) will solve the apparent housing crisis that led to their construction in the first place. Or who ultimately pays for luxury condo units that sit on the market unsold, or peddled as short-term rentals. Or whether we should be replacing our city’s already small inventory of historic buildings with characterless, cheaply-built boxes.

To conclude, there’s a saying that a good crisis should never be wasted. I think our municipal government and administration are doing just that with their housing crisis. Their logic is simple: the more housing units that are built, the more tax revenue will be generated. So inner city buildings are being demolished at a rapid pace, with no consideration of what makes our neighbourhoods unique or desirable.

This is a trend that’s hard to justify if one is thinking sustainably. We’re targeting one objective—increasing the supply of housing units—at all costs. In this context, “at all costs” means neglecting environmental stewardship and economic sensibility.

Fortunately, the market has a way of correcting irrational behaviour. I hope we will soon see evidence that a much-needed correction is underway.

Moose Jaw Delivers!

Are there certain places you’ve heard about your whole life? Places you’ve wondered what it might be like to visit? Over the weekend, we made a visit to one such mysterious and notable place: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. This is a place that everyone seems to have heard about. After all, it’s a name you remember.

For Deborah and me, there have been tenuous connections to Moose Jaw over the years: family, friends, work colleagues who hail from there. More recently, and more directly, our son Daniel has been stationed in Moose Jaw as an RCAF pilot trainee.

As for initial impressions, Moose Jaw seems to have the whole range covered. You see, the city’s former motto was The Friendly City, but that has been changed to Canada’s Most Notorious City. Hmmm. This was clearly another reason to visit. So we did. And we are very glad we did!

First, that name

This city of 33,000—the fourth largest in Saskatchewan—is located at the confluence of the Moose Jaw River and Thunder Creek, about an hour west of Regina.

The name Moose Jaw is said to come from a phrase in the Cree language, which translates to “warm place by the river”. This phrase likely refers to the sheltered valley where the city is located. Alternatively, the name may have come from the resemblance of the river’s shape to a moose’s jawbone. Whatever the origin, the name is anything but ordinary.

Moose Jaw was a historically important location for the economic development of western Canada, as it was a key railroad hub for the Canadian Pacific Railway. With its wide downtown streets and early 20th-century architecture, it gives the impression of a city that enjoyed some influence.

What we liked

In short, almost everything!

We stayed in the stately Grant Hall Hotel, right on Main Street. In no time, we discovered lovely Crescent Park, a few steps from the hotel. We crossed the street to the bustling Himawari Sushi restaurant, where we enjoyed an excellent dinner. It was delicious, maybe more so because it was so unexpected.

After dinner, we walked a few blocks down Main Street in persistent rain. We noticed the many architectural gems—City Hall, the Capitol Theatre, the CPR train station. This is a city with a rich history. We retired to the hotel and crossed our fingers for a break in the weather, as we had a busy schedule for the next day.

We lucked out in the weather department, although Saturday morning brought a smoky sky due to nearby wildfires. Fortunately, it wasn’t bad enough to put a crimp in our plans. We met with Dan and got a tour of the 15 Wing Air Base. That meant a chance to take in some aviation action up close. We walked through the CT-156 Harvard II hangar and watched a few planes taking off and doing maneuvers. We also peeked in at the simulators and the training rooms. Very cool!

One of the highlights of our visit was an aerobatic display by Canada’s Snowbirds, the famous flight team of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Officially, they’re known as the 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, and Moose Jaw is their home base. We enjoyed 20 minutes of thrilling formation flying from the perfect viewing location that Dan had scouted out for us. It was breathtaking!

There was more—more great meals, more sightseeing, more history. We did touristy things, like the Tunnels of Moose Jaw Chicago Connection guided tour. (The city’s possible connection to the gangster Al Capone is where its “notorious” reputation comes from, by the way.) The tour was good fun.

We did artsy things, like the impressive Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery. Then, as the sun was setting, we found a couple of beautiful locations for photos, like these taken under the Thunderbird Viaduct (also known as the 4th Avenue Bridge).

Even a Photo Run!

I came prepared for a short photo run while I was in town. So, with the prospect of a warm day ahead, I got up early and jogged some of the downtown streets. What I found was more pleasant surprises.

I ran by the historic 1932 Natatorium in Crescent Park—today we would call it a pool. I found some murals in the downtown area. And I checked out the imposing Parrish & Heimbecker grain elevator, adjacent to the rail line just off High Street. All before breakfast!

Here are a few more photos, taken in and around downtown Moose Jaw. There was no shortage of photo opportunities!

Wrapping up

We couldn’t help but feel that we should have visited Moose Jaw years before. As we grudgingly headed west for home, it was with a feeling that we had found a real treasure on the prairies. We would welcome the chance for another visit, if we should be so lucky.

Before we left town, we had to visit Mac the Moose, the city’s mascot. Even here, we found a story. You see, in 2019, Mac lost his title of “world’s tallest moose” to Storelgen, a steel moose sculpture in Stor-Elvdal, Norway. Not to be outdone, the citizens of Moose Jaw rallied and constructed a new set of antlers for Mac, to ensure he could once again proudly guard the eastern entrance to the city. (To be fair, Mac’s initial pair was pretty wimpy. And to avoid an international incident, I will keep my comments about the relative merits of each sculpture to myself…) But I will say, congratulations to Mac and the whole city!

Until next time, be well and BE FAST!

More BUMP and Run

We had a brief return to winter weather last week, which was a good excuse for me to dig through more Beltline mural pictures. This piece is not a lesson in how to hit a “bump and run”… a crafty shot that will be familiar to golfers… it’s a mash-up of pictures from several recent photo runs.

Like the first post in this series, I scouted out Beltline Urban Mural Project (BUMP) murals and did background research on the artists. Routes for all my urban photo runs are “organic”… dictated by red lights, convenient turns, and whatever street scenes catch my eye.

This post highlights murals in the large area from 17th Avenue SW to the downtown core. There are so many pieces in this area, with more coming in 2025, that there will certainly be more posts in the future.

Some of my favourites:

  • Seeroro (Carolyn Wong, @seeroro_ ) is a Chinese-Canadian artist from Vancouver. “Euphoria” is a colourful, three-sided mural inspired by the Tortoise and Hare folktale and the year of the water rabbit in the lunar calendar. Wong’s mural is tucked in between the buildings at 625 11 Avenue SW. Well worth the search!
  • birdO (Jerry Rugg, @jerryrugg ) is a multidisciplinary artist based in Toronto. He is well-known for large-scale murals on walls and buildings. His spectacular untitled piece at 441 5th Avenue SW is of a peregrine falcon, with the city skyline reflected in the bird’s eye. I’ve photographed this piece often.
  • Fluke ( @fluke.art ) is based in Montreal. His work as a street artist has roots in graffiti going back to the mid-1990s. Working with photographers, Fluke merges street art and contemporary imagery to create his pieces. His untitled mural on the west face of 1039 17th Avenue SW was glowing in the setting sun when I shot my photo.
  • Hanna Reimer ( @hannaclare ) is a Treaty 1 artist from Winnipeg, whose works emphasize texture and pattern. Hanna’s interest in fabric was the inspiration for her mural at 739 11 Avenue SW. She chose colours and patterns to make the wall appear to be flowing like sheer fabric. I found the juxtaposition with the angular Cybertruck jarring, but too good to pass up.

And a few more:

While I was thinking about murals, I paged through my files and came up with more pictures and stories. These fall a bit outside the topic of this post as they weren’t taken “on the run”, but that’s okay.

In 2019, I was walking around the Beltline with a newly repaired Voigtlander Vitessa T. I had picked the camera up on eBay with low expectations. It was 70 years old and non-operational. The camera is unique: it’s a rangefinder, and it has a plunger instead of the usual film advance lever. (Perhaps not surprisingly, this is a weak element of the design. It’s probably why this feature didn’t find its way into other cameras!) Fortunately, I found a fellow in Calgary who patiently (and cheaply) sourced the required spring to get it going again.

My first shots with the Voigtlander were of the multicultural artist Fathima Mohiuddin ( @fatspatrol ), as she was finishing her mural at 708 11 Avenue SW. We chatted for a few minutes and I took photos of her in front of the mural. It’s in her signature graphic style, and it’s awesome!

I had no idea if I’d get anything out of the Vitessa, but I was very happy with the result. I never saw Fathima again, so I hope she will see this picture.

The following pictures were taken within a minute of each other. I had been walking around 17th Avenue SW with my Ricoh GR III, on the lookout for interesting people or street scenes. On that day, I remember being disappointed that I had not seen much that caught my eye.

I walked down 13th Street, past the alley behind Calgary Jewellery, and snapped a quick shot of a fellow walking by Alex Kwong‘s huge (and hugely impressive) 2021 piece. Unfortunately, I don’t have many details about the mural. It doesn’t appear to be part of the BUMP series. Alex has done other pieces around the city, including a couple for BUMP. Check out his website and Instagram ( @_alexkwong ).

After I snapped this picture I turned onto 17th Avenue, and I noticed a stylish guy approaching me. An obvious picture was coming together… I just had to wait for him to pass in front of the colourful mural at 1137 17th Avenue SW. The bright elements in the mural complement his confident personal style.

In my research, I learned that the mural is by Calgary artist Toner ( @bravotoner ). The piece is titled Companion and it was painted in 2020. I realized I wasn’t being totally fair to Toner by having the best part of his mural obscured, so I went back and photographed it on its own to reveal a beautiful parrot. Here’s the whole image. Nice work Toner!

“Companion” by Toner, 1137 17th Avenue SW, painted in 2020

An interesting fact is that Toner and Kwong have collaborated on pieces around the city. I’ll be back soon with more in my next post.

Until then, be well and BE FAST!

February News Roundup – UPDATED

This is a short post, with the latest news. I’ve been busy compiling and editing photographs for my new BUMP Photo Run series. If you aren’t familiar with BUMP, it’s the Beltline Urban Mural Project, a vibrant project that has been brightening up our city since 2017. Check out my first piece here. You can read about the background of the project while enjoying photographs of some amazing art. Look for more posts very soon!

Canmore Public Library Event, Feb 12

UPDATED!

It was a wonderful evening in Canmore. The venue in Elevation Place was beautiful, we had a great turnout for our talk and an engaged audience. What more could we ask for?

Thanks to my friend, Don Crowe, for taking on MC duties, to Carey Lees of the Canmore Public Library for her flawless organization, and to all who attended. Thanks too, to Kylie and Tim at Strides Canmore, for their generous support of this event!

Here’s a synopsis of the talk:

  • A brief personal introduction
  • A collage of my running adventures (see below)
  • Discussion of my stroke journey, including the useful phrase to remember stroke symptoms (readers of this blog will already be familiar with BE FAST)
Steve and Deb greet Dianne Deans
Author Event Feb 12
Canmore Vista from Elevation Place

Of course, I shared my three main messages, listed below:

  • The importance of an active lifestyle
  • Awareness of ALL the symptoms of stroke
  • Raising funds to support the great work being done every day on stroke prevention and care at the Foothills Stroke Unit
This is what 50 years of running memories look like on one page!

You can read all the details in Stroke of Luck: My Life in Amateur Athletics. And there’s some news on that front: Cafe Books in Canmore will be carrying the book. So, if you live in Canmore, please drop into this unique bookstore and grab your copy!

For anyone in the Canmore area this Wednesday (February 12), I’ll be speaking at an Author Event at the Canmore Public Library at 6:30 p.m. Join me if you can, for an informal (and informative) presentation of my story, as told in Stroke of Luck: My Life in Amateur Athletics. There will be a short presentation, a Q&A session, and some draw prizes. I’ll have copies of the book available for purchase, at a special event price. Proceeds from book sales support the great work being done every day in the Foothills Stroke Unit.

I’d like to thank the staff at the library for hosting us in your wonderful facility. Also, to my friends at Strides Canmore, thank you for spreading the word about this event, and for your ongoing support of my book project. I feel blessed to be part of the tremendous local running community… it’s second to none!

Finally, thanks to Dianne Deans, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the CanStroke Congress in November. Dianne is an enthusiastic patient support volunteer for stroke victims at the Foothills Medical Centre. She kindly connected me with the Canmore library staff, which led to this event coming together. Thank you, Dianne!

Heart Month Sale Still On!

What better way to mark Heart Month than a healthy discount for online sales of Stroke of Luck?

Order your copy on Amazon, and save 20%. The sale will run through the end of February.

Until next time, be well and BE FAST!

BUMP Photo Runs – Part 1

I was jogging around Calgary’s Beltline, feeling a bit short of ideas for my next urban run/photo adventure. As I rounded the corner from 7th Street onto 15th Avenue, I glanced up at the side of the building. What I saw stopped me in my tracks, and instantly gave me the inspiration I needed.

What’s BUMP?

There’s a program called the Beltline Urban Mural Project… BUMP… that has been making Calgary’s inner city streets more interesting and colourful for years. I had to find out more.

From the BUMP website, I learned that the project started in 2017, and has grown significantly since then. Seeing all the artwork in one run would be challenging, if not impossible. There are dozens of sites, spread throughout the core. I needed a plan. I often start my runs near Lougheed House, so I decided to use that location as my base. I could get a good overview of the murals (and hopefully some worthy photos) by concentrating on different neighbourhoods over several runs. This is the first of what is likely to be an ongoing series.

Run 1 – BUMP in the Beltline

Run 1 focused on the Beltline itself… bounded roughly by 15th and 10th Avenue, and 1st and 10th Street. Here’s my Strava map:

Turning to the art, let me start with the mural that prompted this idea. It’s a large, striking piece in green, called “The Last Maple Leaf”. It was painted in 2023 by the Colombian artist Wosnan. This is from the mural description:

“Rising from nature an ancient guardian of the forest who merges the realms of magic, other worlds and dimensions, spirit and space stands tall, looking over our city…”

Wosnan, “The Last Maple Leaf”, 1411 7th Street SW

This was an apt description of the mysterious tree-like being that loomed over me, guarding his/her corner of the neighbourhood while pondering (no surprise) the last maple leaf. Stirring stuff! I studied the mural carefully, with my stopwatch running. The magnitude of the challenge I had taken on dawned on me. Maybe I should make this a slow photo walk…

No! I resumed my run, with my goal of at least five kilometres in mind. I tried to ignore the glimpses of colour that I started to notice down every alley.

Bottom line? I finished with lots of pictures and a feeling that I had made a small dent in the many Beltline murals. For full disclosure, while I saw all these murals on BUMP Run 1, some of the photos are from previous runs because I liked the shot more. Light is everything, you know!

Here’s a short summary of the pieces in the photographs. I recommend following the links to the map on the BUMP website to find out more.

Mural Making – A Layman’s Perspective

Imagine painting a mural on a wall 60 feet wide by 30 feet high. How does one even begin? Laying out a piece at that size and scale must be extremely difficult. And the execution would bring very different challenges. I marvel at the way the artists manage the intricate details, while still capturing their vision for the whole piece.

I had a front-row seat for the creation of sôhkâtisiwin (that’s Canadian artist Kevin Ledo’s striking mural at 340 10 Avenue SW). The title means “strength/power” in the Cree language. The image is taken from a picture of B-Girl and traditional hoop dancer, Angela Gladue. I watched the beautiful portrait of this young Indigenous woman come to life in 2018, from the comfort of my office across the street. Kevin and his helpers toiled away in the hot summer sun on a stage lift, going up and down endlessly over several weeks to complete the image, which now livens up the west side of a parking garage. I made sure to give them a thumbs-up every time I walked by.

Here’s a rough timelapse of the process (I had many more pictures on my phone, but I recently deleted most of them). You get the idea though.

Impressions

This is an amazing initiative. To state the obvious, BUMP is a diverse selection of art. I’m impressed by the sheer number and quality of the murals. It’s great to have artists from around the world come to Calgary and share their talent. I hope the project continues and expands its reach across the city.

This is the kind of project that invites us to slow down and take a closer look at the art. Sure, we can (and most often, do) pass by these murals in our daily routine. Maybe we glance at them, maybe we don’t. But this first photo run has already prompted many questions… Who is this artist? What is their message? Do I think they succeeded? What does this piece make me feel?

The BUMP website helpfully lets the user select pieces they would like to see on a walking tour, and this is probably the correct way to see them. I will persevere with my photo run idea, knowing I will still see and learn a lot along the way.

My early impressions are very positive. I already have some favourites. I will defer any thoughts about that question until I’ve done more exploration. There will eventually be a personal top 10 list, but even that will be subject to change as I see more of the contenders. Look for more posts on my BUMP photo runs soon.

Thanks for reading. Please drop me a comment. Let me know if you have a favourite BUMP mural that you think I should see.

Until next time, be well and BE FAST!

Head Hunting

The Art of Jaume Plensa

I was looking for an excuse to go into downtown Calgary for some photography, and I thought about the “big head” sculpture that sits in front of The Bow building. Like the building, the sculpture is iconic; it’s a monumental and very popular piece of public art. I’ve photographed the sculpture many times, but it seems to always have more to offer, depending on the season, the time of day and of course, the light.

First, some background. The sculpture’s official name is Wonderland and it’s by the Spanish artist, Jaume Plensa. Plensa was born in 1955 in Barcelona. He studied art in his home city. Over several decades he has lived, worked and exhibited his art in cities across Europe and the United States. Plensa has received international recognition for his exhibitions and installation pieces. His diverse works include sculpture, fountains and graphic arts.

Wonderland (2012), Calgary

Wonderland is one of many sculptures that Plensa has created for public spaces around the world. When I looked into the origin of Wonderland, I learned that he has installed similar large-scale pieces across Europe, Asia and North America.

Wonderland is ideally situated in the curved façade of The Bow, where it’s been since 2013. The sculpture depicts the head of a young girl. It’s about 12 metres high, and it’s made of bent steel wire. I think the piece is so popular because it has openings at ground level, which let visitors enter the sculpture’s inner space. Plensa invites us to contemplate Calgary’s downtown from the perspective of the subject. It’s a thought-provoking piece, for sure.

Here are several of the many shots of Wonderland I’ve taken over the years.

Julia (2018), Madrid

I realized that Debbie and I had seen other Plensa pieces in our travels. Most recently, we stayed a couple of blocks from a monumental sculpture in the Plaza de Colón in Madrid, called Julia. About the same size as the Calgary piece, Julia is also a sculpture of a young woman’s head. The subject’s eyes are closed as if she is meditating.

Julia is typical of Plensa’s large, elongated and flattened busts. When you look at them straight on, they give the impression of being on an angle. It’s an impressive optical illusion. The Madrid piece is made of polyester resin and white marble dust. It’s stunning.

We passed Julia several times a day while we were in the city, and each time I took a few photos. While Julia has been in her current location since 2018, it turns out that she may not be installed permanently… it’s a good thing I took so many photos while we were nearby. Here are a couple of my favourites:

Sanna (2013), Bordeaux

As I did more research into the artist, I realized we had seen another sculpture similar to Julia in Bordeaux, France some years earlier. Sure enough, it was another Plensa piece called Sanna. That one sits in the Theatre Square (the Place de la Comédie) in the heart of the city. Its perspective has been manipulated in the same way as the Madrid piece, and the subject is also shown in a quiet, contemplative pose. Unlike Julia, Sanna is made of cast iron. She is 7 metres high.

The story of Sanna coming to be in Bordeaux is that in 2013 the city hosted an exposition of Plensa’s pieces. The event was popular, so much so that residents initiated a movement to acquire Sanna permanently. As far as I know, it will remain in place until at least 2027.

We have very fond memories of our visit to Bordeaux. The square where Sanna sits is busy with cafes and shops. If we ever make it back there, I hope Sanna will still be there.

Source (2017), Montreal

The final Plensa sculpture I want to highlight is installed on a terrace in Rue Wellington, just at the entrance to downtown Montreal. Somewhat in the same style as Wonderland, Source is a three-dimensional piece within an open outer frame. It’s a stainless-steel sculpture formed from a random pattern of letters taken from different alphabets, which depict a sitting figure.

The Montreal piece symbolizes the many cultures that have come together over the city’s long history. Fittingly, it was installed for the 375th anniversary of Montreal’s founding in 2017. Like the Calgary piece, Source is open, so it invites visitors to enter the inner space of the piece.

Our stop at the Source was short, and I only have one photo of the piece. Rest assured, I will take more time to check it out next time we are in Montreal.

Concluding thoughts

So what is my take on Plensa, and his large public art pieces?

In a 2019 interview with Forbes, Plensa discusses his use of altered perspective and open gridwork sculptural elements. He described using these techniques as a way of exploring his interest in the way humans communicate, and how different cultures use language.

For me, Plensa’s sculptures seem designed to invite close inspection and discussion. We want to get close to these sculptures. We want to walk around them and even into them. The large scale of his head sculptures could be intimidating, but Plensa defuses this by the way he plays with perspective, and by his use of serene and peaceful subjects.

Having seen four of his works in person, and looked at many others on his website, I find them to be beautiful and innovative. It’s clear from Plensa’s vast catalogue that his formula is a success: there are literally dozens of his pieces installed around the world. I don’t take this as evidence of an overworked theme. Rather, I would say that Plensa has achieved his goal: his works encourage us to get together in pleasant locations and talk. For this reason alone, his art is well suited to the public spaces in which we find it.

Catching Up

It’s been a couple of weeks since I posted anything, so this will be a quick effort to catch up. I’ve been wrestling with some more pithy pieces. Those aren’t really coming together, and I needed an excuse to park them for a while.

The first thing I wanted to mention is that my Dedication Sale is still on.

For the rest of September, you can pick up a copy of Stroke of Luck on Amazon, at a 20% discount, in either print or e-book format.

Don’t miss out!

A Major Milestone

Deb and I marked a special occasion in early September: our 40th wedding anniversary. Although the day seemed to come up quickly… it’s been that kind of year… we did enjoy a quiet dinner together.

Apparently, the 40th anniversary gift is ruby. I can assure you that no rubies were exchanged. Maybe we will plan a vacation for early 2025 to mark the occasion.

It was fun to pull out our wedding album and confirm how little (?) we’ve changed over the years. No comments, please!

Street Scenes

Last week, I was reminded why it’s a good idea to always carry a camera. (I still don’t count the one in my phone.) I happened to be in the East Village during what would usually be the commuting hour. Good thing that I don’t have to bother with that anymore. It was a beautiful morning. The light was so amazing that I had to stop the car. I was at the corner of Centre Street at 11th Avenue SW.

I hadn’t seen a specific image, but I felt there might be some good shots for the taking. I didn’t have far to go. Overnight rain had conveniently left some puddles on the sidewalk. Looking east down 11th Avenue, the buildings were perfectly framed, with the sunrise reflected in the building across the street. I crouched down and snapped a couple of shots. Here’s the result.

East Village, morning commute (13 September, Ricoh GR III)

Two days later, I was driving north on Crowchild Trail with no real plans. Every time I pass the Eamon’s Bungalow Camp sign at the Tuscany LRT station, I think about stopping to have a look. As that isn’t my part of town, it took me a few minutes to actually find the station. The reason I’ve wanted to stop is that I remember the sign from our earliest years in Calgary. We used to take the kids to Butterfield Acres, and we would see the sign on our way up there.

I did some digging on the internet. The Eamon’s Tourist Centre was in operation from 1949 to 1961. It was basically a gas station and restaurant, with some motel-style bungalows. The place had some good years before the TransCanada Highway changed traffic patterns. The business declined and the restaurant was destroyed by fire. Of course, as Calgary expanded north, the whole area was eventually absorbed by urban sprawl. Fortunately, the city preserved the sign and incorporated it (rather nicely I think) into the architecture of the C-Train station.

My shot was taken on a sunny afternoon. The vibe was decidedly mid-century, so my photo had to be monochrome. The clouds added some interest. I even lucked out when a transit patron came into the shot, holding an umbrella.

Tuscany LRT Station, homage to Eamon’s (15 September, Ricoh GR III)

Always Grateful

I’ve missed several of our regular Thursday evening interval sessions at Carburn Park, and for a variety of reasons. I think I’m over the worst of my tight calf/Achilles tendon issue, thanks to Jenna Nichol at Alpine Sports Therapy. Then it was recovery from my tooth implant, and one missed session due to torrential rain.

Finally, this past Thursday, I was ready to give it a try. We had a good turnout, on a perfect late summer evening. I can almost hear the AC/DC soundtrack playing when I look at this photo.

Ready for business, Carburn Park (19 September, Ricoh GR III) Photo by Jason Gurevitch

Our workout called for mile repeats, with an option of some shorter stuff for those targeting shorter races or just returning to form. That last part suited me. I set my sights on 2 sets of 1 mile-800m-400m. I wasn’t sure I would even be able to achieve that.

I’ve gotten used to bringing up the rear among my talented teammates. Still, given that several of them are in the final stages of marathon training, and I am at a very different point, it promised to be a humbling experience.

In fact, it was a great workout. I surprised myself by managing to hang on the back of the bunch, but only just. My mind did its usual thing of wandering while I ran. I wondered, is there a running equivalent for the “lanterne rouge” of the Tour de France?

Given that I was doing a shorter version of the workout, I was back to our starting point with a bit of time before the thoroughbreds made it there. I had a few minutes to check out the lagoon and snap a couple of pictures of the peaceful scene in the fading light. Beautiful!

Carburn Park Lagoon, sunset (19 September, Ricoh GR III)

It was the kind of evening that makes me very grateful, for all the blessings I’ve had. I hope you may also be so fortunate.

Until next time, all the best.

Elbow River Photo Walk

Ever had a day when you lacked the drive for running? When a little voice was telling you you’d be better off just doing a walk?

Today was one of those days for me.

It was a week I’d been dreading. I’ve been stressing for weeks about a problem tooth… a molar that had become something of a mystery. I’d been bounced back and forth between two specialists, but eventually, it became clear that the end was looming for tooth number 3-6.

I went through the week with a feeling of dread. But now it’s over and the tooth is gone. We can turn our attention to the next stage of the process, inserting an implant and crown. While I wouldn’t say I’m looking forward to that part, I am curious about how it all works and how the tooth will look in the end. Maybe I’m naive.

So, this morning, even though I was feeling much better, I decided that the tooth episode was a convenient excuse to pass on our usual Sunday long run. It was a pleasant morning, a little cool and breezy, but better than the weather being forecast for the week ahead. The prospect of some good shots along the Elbow River was enough motivation for me to grab the Leica M10 and head out for a photo run… sorry, walk.

I walked along the bluff in Ramsay. The views of downtown are spectacular from Scotsman’s Hill. The light looked promising when I left the house… cloudy but clearing. By the time I got going, the sun had just about burned off the cloud cover. Maybe I was too late. Regardless, it was a brilliant morning and I was feeling fine.

I made my way down towards Fort Calgary, knowing that the old train bridge in Inglewood is often worth a look. This morning, a train was conveniently passing through, heading east, just as I arrived. I snapped a few pictures, drawn by the curving line of identical cars in the sunlight.

Later, in Lightroom Classic, I tried one of the many presets that come with the software. Usually, I avoid these, preferring instead to make all my own editing decisions. But why not try something new? Given the oranges and browns in the scene, an “Autumn” preset seemed appropriate. What do you think?

Inglewood Rail Bridge, Lightroom preset TM07 (February 25, 2024)

I wandered on through Stampede Park. The new BMO Centre has been under construction for a couple of years. The building is an amazing piece of architecture… especially the graceful curved lines on the eastern facade. I’ve gone by there many times, but it’s not been an easy building to photograph, what with all the construction equipment in front.

Today, I saw a nice scene as I walked along the pathway by the Saddledome. Later, in Lightroom, I stuck close to the subject matter and tried an “Architectural” preset. I have to say, I liked the result.

Stampede Events Centre, Lightroom present UA10 (February 25, 2024)

I continued along the river pathway, past the unimaginatively-named Stampede Ground Bridge at the south end of Stampede Park. It’s an attractive bridge, and I’ve shot it many times. While I was tempted to linger there this morning, the sky wasn’t doing me any favours. I moved on.

I finished my walk by climbing the stairs back up to Salisbury Avenue. As I approached the car, I realized that much of my walk had been solitary. I’d hardly seen anyone on the path. At the top of the stairs, I was rewarded with one “street shot”… a lady out on her bottle-picking rounds. Let’s say she was a little suspicious of me. But never mind, it was a nice finish for my outing. For this shot, it had to be a “Portrait” preset.

Scotsman’s Hill, Lightroom preset “Gritty Portrait” (February 25, 2024)

Overall, it was a productive morning. I didn’t miss running, not even a little. But I’ll be back at it next Sunday, I promise!