Resist

easy answers

formulated for

evil purposes

really

enough

no more

despotic

undertones

maligning our

society

Jon Lai (he/him) is a researcher, writer, and lifelong resident of Treaty 6 territory. His poems have been published in Happiness Reflected Vols. 1 & 4, Boyle McCauley News, NorthWord Literary Magazine, and Capital City Press Anthology Vols. 4 & 5. Jon believes everyone has creative abilities.

You may have recently seen video footage of provincial corrections vans dropping off released inmates in the Chinatown area. You, like me, may have been outraged to see that this practice is still going on, despite commitments made by the Province following the tragic murders of Ban Phuc Hoang and Hung Trang in 2022. These videos are concrete evidence that promises were broken.

The practice of dropping detainees is unsafe for our whole community. We know that the days after release are when individuals have the highest chance of falling into homelessness, being victimized, overdosing or relapsing, or re-offending. They need meaningful reintegration plans to help connect them to the services they need, for their safety and for the safety of local residents and businesses. 

While communities like McCauley and Boyle Street are most impacted, this is an issue across the entire city. It is beyond time for the province to take action. I will continue to advocate on this, and I encourage all of you to write to the Honourable Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services (pses.minister@gov.ab.ca), and your local MLA to share your concerns.

I take comfort in knowing that solutions to these challenges do exist. We have phenomenal not-for-profits that are supporting successful reintegration each and every day. Together we can work to make sure the needed resources and coordination are in place to make prisoners in parking lots a thing of the past.

Anne Stevenson, City Councillor for Ward O-day’min
Email: anne.stevenson@edmonton.ca
Phone: 780-496-8333

Autumn in McCauley is beautiful. The season of autumn is one of change, transition, and letting go. It is the start of a new year in many ways. This is true for the McCauley Community League board. There have been many changes to the board in the past few months. This is a perfect time to let you know that you are welcome and invited to step forward to volunteer. This neighbourhood has always been a mix of people and the work of many folks. 

If you are interested or called to community work, step forward to be either on the board or as an active member. It is important, so please reach out now! This can be done via email or on Facebook.

In the coming season, the McCauley Community League will still host the WECAN Food Basket Society  for the community. The WECAN program is seeking volunteers, including a coordinator. Please reach out to the league’s email and we will forward that to WECAN organizers. 

McCauley is a unique community and we have historically had many different cultures and groups within our boundaries. We have also always walked a balance with administrative and other authorities to remain a neighbourhood and not be swallowed up by other forces. 

We do a good job, and with the help of our neighbours we will do a better one.

Website: mccauleycl.com
Email: league@mccauleycl.com
Facebook: @mccauleycommunityleague

Ruth Sorochan lives in McCauley with her family and is the Communications Director with the McCauley Community League.

Lindsay Bueckert is a local artist and filmmaker, astrophotographer, and quiet virtuoso. When she was 19 she moved to Little Italy from Saskatchewan and kept her connection to the Boyle Street and McCauley neighbourhoods playing music professionally and jamming with friends all around the area. She has played on the Heart of the City stage, and at this year’s jam and she captured the spirit of HOTC on camera. 

“I like to call those types of gigs ‘fun patrol,’ because I’m basically going around finding people having fun, capturing them on camera and then giving the vibe of the festival,” she says. These moments edited together tell a story of how the festival creates community and a sense of belonging. 

Bueckert’s films are mostly music related and she strives to let the subject speak for itself. “I’m always trying to look into things and try to find what the subject is,” she says about her work. “I don’t want to force the subject into any kind of box. I want them to show me who they are.” 

In 2020, when COVID-19 forced the cancellation of gigs, Bueckert started experimenting with film. “I bought a camera, started making some small music videos with some friends of mine, and then I eventually decided to go to NAIT.”

One of Bueckert’s assignments at NAIT was to make a documentary film. Her subject was Wayne Jackson, an accomplished singer-songwriter and nêhiyaw language speaker and teacher. “I had a month to figure out who this guy was. But we were also in [the] studio; it was a studio documentary because he hired me to be his session player for [a] full Cree language album.” The short film, The Making of Where the Elders Dwelt, captures Jackson and his devotion to uplifting the profile of the Cree language.

When Bueckert plays music she doesn’t like to pigeonhole herself. “I play a bit of everything. I play a lot of country, I like to play funk and soul, but I love folk music. I played in punk bands when I was younger.” She has played too many shows to count at The Aviary, a music venue right next to McCauley, and still gigs around Edmonton with her bass guitar. 

Her music career started as a child with the flute and eventually her parents bought her a guitar. When she moved to Edmonton she started playing basement shows with other musicians. “Eventually we got to a point in the band where there were five guitar players and nobody played bass. I was like, ‘Well, I guess I’ll buy a bass.’ So I just bought a bass and that’s how I started playing.”

Bueckert won’t wax poetic about her work. She keeps it simple: “I like to make art. My whole goal in life is just to make art.” She is currently experimenting with astrophotography. “We’ve taken pictures of galaxies and some nebulas. Weird stars, stuff like that. There’s one we got a couple of years ago, the Fireworks Galaxy. That was really neat. One of the best ones we got.”

Bueckert continues to play music while filming, editing, writing, and producing. “It’s coming out of a few hard years; COVID’s made it hard for everyone. To keep going, we need to keep doing it and not lose these traditions.”

Rachael Roberts is a board member with the Heart of the City Festival and Boyle McCauley News. She is a mother, a teacher, and a lifelong Edmontonian who loves this community. 

As we transition from fall to winter and the temperatures are dropping, I would like to again raise an issue that impacts our communities of Boyle Street and McCauley so acutely: housing. It’s an issue not just critically important to me as your local MLA, but also as the Official Opposition Shadow Minister for Housing.

At the time of writing this, there are nearly 4,000 Edmontonians without housing. When I was elected as an MLA in 2019, and the UCP formed government, that number was 1,200. This is a staggering threefold increase. Tragically, we’ve also seen record numbers of deaths and amputations of unhoused community members. 

We say that housing is a fundamental human right, and if we truly believe this statement, we should be alarmed at the breadth of failure on this issue. 

While I cannot direct government policy as an opposition MLA, my commitment to you is that I won’t stop fighting for evidence-based solutions. 

Solutions such as increased funding for permanent supportive housing. Right here in our community, services like Ambrose Place from Niginan Housing provide Indigenous-led, culturally safe, supportive housing that has been successful in achieving permanency for our unhoused neighbours. Research shows that programming like this dramatically reduces chronic homelessness, hospital admissions, and addiction and mental health related emergencies.

Solutions such as investment in critical health care and harm reduction services that help people remain housed and stop the cycle of poverty. Programs like Pregnancy Pathways offered by Radius Health, which provides support to pregnant women experiencing homelessness and have drastically reduced the number of infants being taken into care. 

Solutions such as restrictions on rent increases and better renter protections to help prevent houselessness from occurring. In 2023, I proposed Bill 205, which would have mandated temporary rent caps to give breathing room to renters who’d experienced skyrocketing rent increases – some as high as 50, 60, even 80%! Not only did the UCP refuse to support my bill, they also would not consider other solutions, like increasing the number of rent subsidies or making the targeted investments needed to build and maintain affordable housing. 

I remain unwavering in my commitment to keep fighting for better. And I remain resolute because amidst the housing crisis and dire statistics, I understand these aren’t just numbers. These are humans - they are neighbours, family, friends, and they deserve dignity, safety, and respect just like any other Albertan. We know the solutions; we just need a government with a will to implement them. 

As always, I want to hear from you. Please reach out anytime.

Take good care of yourselves and each other.

Janis Irwin, MLA for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood
Email: Edmonton.HighlandsNorwood@assembly.ab.ca
Phone: 780-414-0682

The 26th annual CEASE (Centre to Empower All Survivors of Exploitation) Memorial was held on August 14th at the Alberta Avenue Community Centre, where 85 community members gathered to remember those whose lives were stolen through murder, suicide, overdose, illness, and other causes linked to sexual exploitation. 

Attendees tied ribbons of red, yellow, blue, and white representing people and the four directions, plus orange ribbons to remember children taken to residential schools. 

Sadly, the name of a young woman from the Boyle Street-McCauley area was added to the list this year. She was found murdered in a burning house. 

Liz John-West, CEASE Executive Director, challenged attendees to work for the day, “when no more names are added to this list.” 

Kate Quinn lives in McCauley.

Back in 2000, the Federal Government designated November as Housing Month. This is a time when different organizations critically look at the housing crisis and explore creative solutions to meet the growing need for affordable and accessible housing. 

Back in 2016, Bissell Centre marked an incredibly important milestone in its rich history: it opened Hope Terrace in King Edward Park, a first of its kind supportive housing complex in Edmonton for people with FASD. Bissell Centre has a longstanding history helping people with FASD discover and utilize their strengths to achieve their goals. That experience makes the organization ideal to operate supportive housing for people with FASD.

Hope Terrace’s 24/7 wraparound supports are catered specifically to address the individualized barriers people with FASD may experience. These supports include assistance with meals, scheduling, emotional regulation, recreation, and goal setting all under the guidance of an on-staff occupational therapist. Hope Terrace’s goals are to help build the strengths of the people who call the building home, help them address the barriers they experience that can lead to chronic homelessness, and help them reintegrate into the community. 

Hope Terrace has seen a lot of success over its 10 years. Since 2024, 10 people moved out of Hope Terrace and into fully independent housing thanks to the skills Hope Terrace’s programs helped them build. Upwards of 88 per cent of the people living at Hope Terrace are shopping for groceries and cooking meals without help from support workers, a key skill on the journey to living independently. And these are only a couple of the stats that show this model of supportive housing is successful.

In 2026, Bissell Centre opened its next supportive housing house, Den of Willows in the Delton neighbourhood. In addition to 24/7 wraparound supports for its five residents, the goal of Den of Willows is to help people with FASD on their recovery journeys in a living situation that supports their sobriety. Staff at the supportive recovery housing site support the residents with life-skills development, employment readiness, cultural connection, and referrals to health and community services.   

“I find that being here in a place that offers these supports, it helps to regulate everything, both from my schedule to my own anxieties to anything that I end up needing help with,” said former Hope Terrace and current Den of Willows resident Chance Goddard.  

“Both the staff, as well as the other residents, they’re all very open and very good about providing that assistance and that support to each other.”  

For Bissell Centre, this is only the start of their impact on affordable and accessible housing for people experiencing barriers to their housing stability. The organization is looking for opportunities to expand housing solutions across the city - working to help people break down barriers and establish stability.

To learn more about Bissell Centre’s approach to supportive housing, visit bissellcentre.org. And make sure to follow Bissell Centre and Homeward Trust for more information about Housing Month. 

Information submitted by Bissell Centre.

It was a challenging time for me, when I first came to McCauley. I had recently been a patient in a psychiatric hospital and had to leave behind a lot of possessions, a lot of friends, and an older, less healthy way of life.

What I recall the most was the home I went to, which was an E4C property. They welcomed me by taking me to a buffet dinner for a New Year’s celebration right on my first day. McCauley seemed a bit rough, but what I soon learned was that in rough areas all the kind and supportive people there quickly learn how to stick together.

On that first night, there were others who also battled mental illness, and it was a bit more chaotic than I had hoped for. Four of us shared a house without supervision. To be honest, I nearly chickened out and wanted to find another place to stay, but I had paid rent for the month and decided to wait for the month to end before doing so.

Right away I was accepted into the social groups at what is now called Meadow’s Place. I soon learned that having friends and staff members who understand the special needs of someone with schizoaffective disorder and anxiety is crucial. I ended up thriving. I wrote books, published them, and took all kinds of classes.

It was great because I found so many experiences here, from guitar classes by Steven Johnson to art classes, nights out to play sports or shoot pool, movie nights - and, the food was great.

I began to recover from my long hospital stay and soon found a job. Not long after, I explored being on the board and writing for Boyle McCauley News. Doing this was critical to my recovery because I love to write and needed something to do.

So many nice people stepped forward with support. David Prodan, then of E4C, got me paid work as a creative writing instructor. Jane Molstad, then the area’s Revitalization Coordinator with the City of Edmonton, hired me to take pictures around the community. Sadly, my camera was stolen during this time, but the community stepped in and got me a new one.

Now, 25 years later, I still love McCauley. I live on my own, write a great deal, do public speaking, and even still volunteer a little for Boyle McCauley News.

Leif Gregersen lives and writes in McCauley.  

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM). As part of DEAM, Voice of Albertans with Disabilities (VAD) and  EmployAbilities are hosting the Accessibility in Action Resource Fair and Reverse Job Fair on Thursday, October 15th from 12-3:30 p.m. at Kingsway Mall.

As explained on the VAD website:

This innovative event brings together employers, service providers, and job seekers with disabilities in a welcoming and accessible environment. Unlike a traditional job fair, the Reverse Job Fair allows job seekers to remain at their own tables while employers rotate through the room, creating a more comfortable and empowering networking experience.

Attendees will have the opportunity to:

Connect with inclusive employers.

Learn about employment supports and community resources.

Explore education and training opportunities

Discover workplace accommodation solutions.

Build meaningful professional connections. 

This will be a remarkable opportunity to let people with disabilities have choices. 

The event is free but registration is required by contacting VAD. More information can be found on the VAD website (vadsociety.ca) or by contacting the office at 780-488-9088.

I wish you all a pleasant autumn.

Ian Young is a columnist and Block Carrier with the paper. He lives in the area. 

Chinatown got a little bit brighter during August.

New decorative lights were installed on lamp posts along 97th Street and surrounding side streets, featuring a variety of shapes and designs. 

“The project received from the City of Edmonton’s Chinatown Vibrancy Fund 2025,” explains Kat Luu, Interim Executive Director of the Edmonton Chinatown Business Improvement Area (BIA). 

“The lighting concept was developed collaboratively by the ‘Light Up Chinatown Team’ from Chinatown BIA and Rebecca Barnes, one of the students from CTC [Chinatown Transformation Collaborative Society], with the work carried out by Five Star Holiday Decor who, with our voices, helped design the lights. The lights were installed by the City of Edmonton.”

Around two dozen of the colourful new installations feature 13 distinct designs such as a dragon, lucky cat, bubble tea, lanterns, and noodles. In addition, the City has restored lights on the Gate of Happy Arrival on 107th Avenue and 97th Street. 

“The intention is to bring more light, colour, and cultural identity into Chinatown. We want the neighbourhood to feel brighter, safer, and more welcoming in the evenings while encouraging more people to visit our restaurants, shops, and community spaces,” says Luu.

“Most importantly, this project is about restoring pride and confidence in Chinatown,” she continues. “I think these are more than decorative lights - they represent hope, renewal, and our community’s determination to keep moving forward. We want Edmontonians to see Chinatown as a vibrant cultural destination and a neighbourhood worth visiting, supporting, and celebrating.”

Paula E. Kirman is the Editor of Boyle McCauley News.

Are you interested in volunteering with Boyle McCauley News? Would you like to get some exercise while getting to know your neighbours? 

We have a number of routes that are available for Block Carriers. The route boundaries are listed below and on the map. 

Block Carriers deliver each edition of the paper, so this is a commitments that happens six times per year. Routes take around 30-60 minutes. Papers are delivered to your front door in a bag with a label including the route boundaries and any special instructions. 

If you are interested in any of these routes, please reach out to editor@bmcnews.org.

ROUTE 1
North: 108 Ave.
South: 107a Ave.
East: 95 St.
West: 93 St.
50 papers

ROUTE 2
North: 110a Ave.
South: 110 Ave.
East: 95 St.
West: 92 St.
60 papers

ROUTE 3
North: 110 Ave.
South: 107a Ave.
East: 97 St.
West: 98 St.
Only the west side of 98 St.
50 papers

ROUTE 4
North: 107 Ave.
South: 105 Ave.
East: 97 St.
West: 97 St.
1 paper to businesses except Lucky Supermarket.
50 papers

ROUTE 5
North: 109a Ave.
South: 109 Ave.
East: 95 St.
West: 96 St.
30 papers

Ian Young’s columns about constantly improving access for people with disabilities are always interesting and inspiring. My neighbour, an amputee who uses a motorized wheelchair, can take the LRT all over the city and even go to the huge concerts at the Commonwealth Stadium, which has a seating area for people with special needs.

Yet, there are still innumerable barriers. For example, the neighbour mentioned above recently had difficulty using the Capital Line. The wheelchair access area caused costly damage to her chair, and she is struggling to receive compensation from the City. The cost of repairs is just one concern. “It makes going out frightening, never knowing if you can even board a train safely,” she says. We perhaps don’t think much about doors, ramps, and elevators not operating properly, but these problems rob people of their independence. 

Happily, though, my neighbour reports that the staff, ushers, and security at both the Commonwealth Stadium and Rogers Place are exceptional. “I have experienced kindness and customer service above and beyond to accommodate my needs for a safe and wonderful experience,” she says. 

- Anita Jenkins

La French Taste
11401 95 Street
825-523-8278
www.lafrenchtaste.ca

Walking home along 95th Street, I was reflecting on how nice it is to have so many lovely local businesses like OTTO, which I’d just passed. The next spot, nestled between OTTO and Arden’s Varimart, had been another favourite of mine since the 1980s: La Favorite Pastry Shop. Its former location at 114th Avenue has been renovated to blend that old French tradition with a more modern welcoming “local cafe” environment. 

Julien Dallaine, a local originally from Paris, and Anthony Cucchiara, also from France, opened La French Taste together at the end of 2023. In the three years since, they’ve continued to perfect their cafe/bakery, making it a star of the area. With an awning above and (in good weather) bright red chairs on the front sidewalk, it’s like a little piece of Paris on 95th.

Inside, you’re greeted by a long glass bakery counter, packed full of dozens of different types of sweet or savoury creations. The variety of pain (French breads), brioche, croissants and more had me staring wide-eyed for several minutes trying to make up my mind.

Inside, the first thing that catches your attention is the long glass bakery counter. It is filled with an almost overwhelming variety of sweet and savoury creations. There are baguettes and other breads, brioche, croissants, tarts and pastries of all kinds. I stood there for several minutes trying to decide what to take home.

The choice is not easy. The cinnamon bun is a particular favourite among customers, with flaky, layered dough that gives it a distinctly French twist. Gateau St. Honoré, lemon meringue tarts, and chouquettes provide plenty of temptation for those with a sweet tooth. If you’re not sure what those are, the staff are entirely welcoming and very passionate about their craft.

And then there is the bread. A traditional sourdough baguette, with its crisp crust and chewy interior, is reason enough to make a stop. There is plenty for savoury appetites, too. Quiches come fresh from the oven, sausage rolls abound, while a spinach, feta, and pine nut brioche offers a delicious combination of buttery bread and savoury filling.

The sandwiches make La French Taste an appealing lunch stop, with fillings served on buttery house-made croissants, brioche, or focaccia. My son particularly adores their turkey and pesto croissant with cheese.

But for all the savouriness, don’t leave without a canelé. This tiny, dark, slightly sweet morsel is a unique flavour bomb with a deeply baked almost crispy exterior that opens to a soft and sweet interior. What texture!

La French Taste may have taken over a familiar location, but it has made the space its own. With genuine French skill, superb ingredients, and a welcoming local atmosphere, it feels like a neighbourhood treasure - or should I say in French, a “trésor du quartier” - a perfect place to sit outside enjoying a coffee and fine pastry.

Alan Schietzsch lives in McCauley and is a member of the paper’s Board of Directors.

I have been involved with a number of projects over the years involving recording and publishing oral histories, where people tell their stories in their own words while being recorded. While we don’t engage in that specific practice at Boyle McCauley News, we do publish stories often written by community members themselves, which then become part of our permanent archive online and in hard copy at the City of Edmonton Archives.  

Stories here at the paper are presented from a uniquely local perspective, often about news and events you won’t read about anywhere else. The historical record created by this grassroots community effort spans nearly 50 years. 

One of the presenters at the conference said something profound: that stories keep people alive. It’s true. Long after people have gone, their stories will remain if care has been taken to collect, preserve, and present them.

In a similar way, Boyle McCauley News is keeping the history of the area alive, thanks to the collective efforts of a community passionate about its stories. It’s a history worth saving.

I am going to jump right into things by emphasizing how this is a volunteer-driven, non-profit community newspaper. Our writers, photographers, proofreaders, and Block Carriers are all volunteers. 

Concerning the latter role, we currently have a number of routes available in McCauley. If you would like to help deliver the paper to a specific block (or two) contact me at editor@bmcnews.org and I’ll let you know what is available. There is also a list of routes available as of press time listed on page five. 

Have you visited our website? At bmcnews.org there is exclusive content, an archive of back issues, the opportunity to sign up for our free e-newsletter, and more. On social media you can follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @bmcnews and Bluesky at @bmcnews.bsky.social.

Residents of McCauley and Boyle Street (and active volunteers with us anywhere) can apply  for a free membership at our website. Members occasionally receive information and have a vote at our AGM. For more information: bmcnews.org/membership.

Enjoy the issue! See you again in a couple of months.

The Chinatown Transformation Collaborative Society of Edmonton (CTC) is pleased to present the Edmonton Dragon Festival, taking place August 21–23, 2026, at Kinistinâw Park and 96 Street (between 102A Avenue and 103A Avenue).

The Edmonton Dragon Festival is a free three-day outdoor cultural celebration featuring the Canadian National and Pan American Lion Dance Championships, cultural performances, Taste of Chinatown food vendors, a beer garden, an outdoor movie, family activities, and much more.

Festival Hours

• Friday, August 21: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
• Saturday, August 22: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
• Sunday, August 23: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Road Closure
To safely accommodate festival activities, 96 Street between 102A Avenue and 103A Avenue will be closed to vehicle traffic from:
Thursday, August 20 at 7:00 a.m. through Monday, August 24 at 2:00 p.m.

• Pedestrian access will be maintained wherever possible.
• Designated crossing corridors will remain available.
• Alleyways will remain open to provide access for local businesses.
• Delivery access for businesses will be coordinated in advance.

Transit

• No bus stop closures are planned.
• The Quarters LRT Station will remain open and is located just a short walk from the festival
• site.

Parking
Limited on-street parking is available nearby. Several public parking lots are located within walking
distance and may be used by festival attendees at their own expense.

Noise Advisory
Festival activities will include amplified music, announcements, lion dance performances, and cultural
programming.

• Amplified sound will occur between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
• All performances will conclude by 9:00 p.m. each day.
• Every effort will be made to manage sound levels and minimize disruption to neighbouring
• residents and businesses.

We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as we celebrate the culture, heritage, and community spirit of Edmonton's Chinatown. We hope you will join us for this exciting community event!

For more information:
Website: www.ctcyeg.ca/dragonfestival
Email: info@ctcyeg.com
Phone: 780-916-8482

AV (Ann Vriend) is a McCauley resident who makes an impact with her music. She is still well-known for the outdoor porch concerts held in front of her home during the height of the COVD-19 pandemic which brought people from the neighbourhood - and beyond - together.

Her newest song is "A Dollar & A Suitcase. It was released in May and features AV's band of all-women vocalists, The Inner City. The song tells the story of AV's grandmother's immigration from The Netherlands to Canada in 1951, and was writte as a gift for AV's mother's 60th birthday.

"I think the hope is a remembrance of, or a deepened appreciation of the sacrifices and journeys of those who came before us, especially those of our mothers and matriarchs," says Laurelle K., a member of the Inner City, who responded to interview questions because AV was putting family first and attending to her mother's health. 

"Ann actually wrote this song years ago before AV & the Inner City was even an idea. It was inspired by a detail from her mom and grandmother’s immigration story, When they were separated to travel overseas, her grandmother promised to give her young daughter a dollar if she was brave and didn’t cry. Of course there were tears, but when she reached into her pocket to get a tissue she found a dollar there as well, planted in advance by her mother, knowing full well that tears were inevitable, but bravery was still present and rewarded. Ann arranged the song for the group just this last year, and we had the privilege of debuting the arrangement as a surprise for her mom’s birthday. That experience, and the song itself hold even more meaning and relevance now that her health has taken a turn for the worst, which is why I’m doing my best to answer these questions on Ann’s behalf while she focuses on family," Laurelle explains.

McCauley has had a deep influence on AV's music. "McCauley is where the group was formed through Ann's weekly porch concerts. I am aware that many of the families within the community of McCauley are immigrants facing a myriad of struggles including separation from family and loved ones overseas. McCauley and the issues the community faces is a common theme in Ann’s music," Laurelle says.

"Ann and her family are dealing with a lot at the moment, and that the meaning behind this song is hitting home a little harder for us these days," Laurelle continues. "We would love for you to have a listen if you haven’t yet, and also go check out the music video on AV & the Inner City’s YouTube channel. Follow and subscribe while you’re there as well."

You can hear the song and watch the official video here.

Paula E. Kirman is the Editor of Boyle McCauley News.

The second Rockin' Thunder shook the north side on July 11th and 12th at the former Northlands Racetrack.

"I hope there won't be actual thunder," commented one of my friends when I mentioned where I was spending that weekend. Oh, how I wish those words were only a joke and not prophetic. However, the wild weather patterns that have been affecting the city struck once again. Before things could even get started on the Saturday, attendees had to evacuated into the Expo Centre for protection from the sudden flash storm. 

Calling All Captains, a local punk band, was supposed to be the first act on the main stage. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans, although the band did appear twice later in the day at the YEG ROCKS stage.  

Fortunately, the weather lifted for Bif Naked, one of the highlights for me that weekend. She was in fine form dancing around the stage while belting out classics like "Lucky Ones," "I Love Myself Today," and "Spaceman." 

Day one of the festival included Grandson, The Glorious Sons, and Three Days Grace.

Fortunately, the weather held out on Sunday (for the most part). Calgary band Chilio for the afternoon going with youthful energy. 

One of the many reasons many people attended Rockin' Thunder was to experience Paul Langlois, who was introduced as Canadian rock royalty. The Tragically Hip guitaristone of the guitar players in The Tragically Hip. He was introduced as Canadian rock royalty, and that is not an exaggeration. He performed mostly originals with his new band, but also a few Hip classics like "Grace, Too," "Bobcaygeon," and "Wheat Kings."

The rest of the lineup included Buckcherry, Mammoth (featuring Wolfgang Van Halen - yes, the son of the late, great Eddie Van Halen), and Creed. 

Rockin' Thunder was emceed once again by Rick Campanelli, forever in my brain as "Rick the Temp" from his MuchMusic VJ days. 

I look forward to how the next Rockin' Thunder will shake up the north side in 2027.

Paula E. Kirman is the Editor of Boyle McCauley News.

At the Annual General Meeting for the Boyle Street Community League in July, I invited everyone present to chat with each other about what they love about the neighbourhood, what they would love to nourish in Boyle Street, and what they want to nourish in themselves as community members. The conversation was just a small taste of the type of questions I’ll be bringing to Boyle Street over the next few months. 

In that conversation, people expressed their love for the multicultural nature and diversity of the community. They appreciate that the neighbourhood is rich with relationships, and that it is easy to walk to many interesting nearby attractions. 

While some people also mentioned feeling isolated in the community, others celebrated how connected they feel. Some long-time community leaders said they would like to step back from their leadership roles and help to mentor a new generation. 

I will be inviting all interested Boyle Street residents to join us in more of these types of conversations until the fall. To ensure we have as many people as possible involved, in the first phase of the work I will connect with current Community League members, those who respond to the posters and handbills delivered around the neighbourhood, and people other neighbours connect me with. We are looking to connect with anyone who lives in the neighbourhood and cares about it! You can chat with me without committing to any long-term involvement.

Once we have spoken with a good number of neighbours, we will host some fun workshops sharing what we love about the neighbourhood, what we would love to nourish in the neighbourhood, and how to ensure this work supports us as whole humans. We would love to have you involved! 

After that, we’ll make a plan to do the things we’ve identified and head into the next phase of nurturing Boyle Street as the beautiful place we call home.

I’m excited to meet people in the neighbourhood! If you are a Boyle Street resident and would like to be involved or learn more, contact me at community@boylestreetcl.com, or fill out this form: https://tinyurl.com/5cu5c58h.

Around 40 volunteers from TELUS helped revitalize outdoor community spaces, organize clothing donations, and spent time with seniors supported by Operation Friendship Seniors Society (OFSS) during the TELUS Days of Giving in late May.

“At a time when many community organizations are facing increasing demand and limited resources, volunteer support has never been more important. We’re incredibly grateful to the TELUS team for stepping up and making a meaningful impact through TELUS Days of Giving,” says Jimmy Morrison, Community Relations Manager at Operation Friendship Seniors Society.