We Should Know Each Other – Summer Tour!

In the lead-up to We Should Know Each Other #100 (September 28-30, 2012), we’re hosting a WSKEO Summer Tour!

Over the course of the Summer Tour, WSKEO will visit different locations throughout Calgary – each location being a community gathering hub – and partner with different groups who are doing amazing community-building work in the city!

At each event, we will also be gathering elements to build a Rube Goldberg Machine that will be displayed at #100 at the end of September. Want to help? Here’s more information!

Here’s the info for each of the Summer Tour events:

(… and, yes, there are lots of TBAs right now, but they’ll be announced soon!)

#99.1: Meet Our Neighbours at the Little Free Library – June 25, 2012

#99.2: Urban Stationery – August 10, 2012

#99.3: Awesome at The AREA – August 23, 2012

#99.4: Prairie Sky Cohousing – September 9, 2012

#99.5: TBA

#99.6: We Should Know City Hall – September 24, 2012

#99.7: TBA

#99.8: TBA

#99.9: TBA

#100: September 29-30, 2012

The idea is simple: what if everyone went out for a walk at the same time, and started to meet and visit with each other?

That’s the concept of MONdays – days where we can Meet Our Neighbours! Since May 2009, a friendly group of citizens in Brentwood have set out for neighbourhood walks every Monday night at 7:00 pm. Now, it’s your chance to join them!

Our meeting place will be Cheri and Rob’s front yard, site of Calgary’s very first Little Free Library – a box full of books that anyone in the neighbourhood can borrow!

You don’t have to live in Brentwood! Just c’mon down to Cheri and Rob’s yard between 7 and 10, and we’ll set out from there to meet the neighbourhood.

WSKEO #99.1: Meet Our Neighbours at the Little Free Library
Monday, June 25 – 7:00-10:00 pm
5004 Bulyea Road NW (front yard)

The Calgary Creative City Collaboration (C4) is an enthusiastic group of citizens, banded together to strengthen Calgary’s urban fabric through events that bring together spaces, people, food, culture, dreams & design.

The first manifestation of this mission is an exciting collaboration with Calgary Transit, bringing art to C-Train stations! On August 10, they will unveil a pair of installations at Anderson Station – created by up-and-coming local artists Erika Andriashek and the team of Kayla Martin, Katie Struck, Evelyn Sawatsky and Lauren Bosch – that will animate the station for at least a month.

The event runs 5-9 pm, and at 7:00 there will be a conversation around the importance of art in the public sphere, featuring:

• Rachael Seupersad & Quyen Hoang (Calgary Public Art)
• Brendan McCabe & Natsumi Yokura (Calgary Creative City Collaboration)
• David Cooper (Calgary Transit)
• Mark Hopkins (Swallow-a-Bicycle Theatre)

See you at the station!

WSKEO #99.2: Urban Stationery
Friday, August 10 – 5:00-9:00 pm
Anderson C-Train Station, 11015 Anderson Station Way SW

Every month, The Awesome Foundation – Calgary gives a no-strings-attached $1,000 grant to a project that is… well… awesome. It’s a micro-genius grant for flashes of micro-brilliance!

Since April 2011, they’ve funded 16 awesome projects, ranging from an AudioMob to jr. high documentary filmmaking, a Tool Library to a traveling road show… oh, and a Cookie Chase!

To select a recipient, the Awesome Trustees get together for a monthly Pitch ‘n Party, where they hear from four finalists. These evenings are chock full of excitement, innovation and inspiration… and this month, it’s taking place at The AREA!

A community of Arts, Recreation, Education, Environment and Agriculture, The AREA is a quarter-acre of land in Inglewood that hosts everything from live music shows, to urban agricultural techniques, to a brand-new farmer’s market!

The collision of these two fantastic initiatives is ideal for another stop on the We Should Know Each Other Summer Tour… so join us for an Awesome evening at The AREA!

WSKEO #99.3: Awesome at The AREA
Thursday, August 23 – mingles at 6 pm, pitches at 6:30 pm
The AREA, 1119 10th Ave SE

“Cohousing neighbourhoods” refers to neighbourhoods that combine the autonomy of private dwellings with the advantages of shared resources and community living. They are supportive, inter-generational communities that emphasize social interaction, conversation, community relationships and sustainable living.

One such neighbourhood – Prairie Sky Cohousing – has existed in Calgary since 2003. Located on a 3/4 acre patch of land in the North-East, it consists of 18 units, a central courtyard, a children’s play area and a 3,200 square foot common house that hosts live concerts, movie nights, common meals and much more.

As part of the WSKEO Summer Tour, Prairie Sky has graciously agreed to open their doors for an afternoon of community gathering! The event will include a brief presentation about the principles of cohousing, a tour of the property, and the chance to mix ‘n mingle with the diverse residents of Prairie Sky.

If you want to learn more about cohousing, or just spent a fun-filled afternoon with friendly Calgarians, join us on September 9th!

WSKEO #99.4: Prairie Sky Cohousing
Sunday, September 9 – 1:00-4:00 pm, presentation at 1:30 pm
402 30th Ave NE

If you’ve ever wanted to visit Historic City Hall, see City Council in action, learn how to interact with the City of Calgary and talk about civic engagement – this is your chance!

This exciting event is designed to give us, as citizens, the tools and confidence we need to engage with City Hall, and to better understand how our local government works.

Space is limited; please RSVP for each session that you plan to attend. You are welcome, but not required, to attend all three sessions.

PART 1 – Tour of Council Chamber
3:00-4:15 pm

City Council will be in session during this event, so we will have two unique opportunities: we’ll slip into the Council Chamber during a session break to see the layout of the room, then stick around for part of the Council session once it resumes.

Registration will run from 3:00-3:15 pm in the Calgary Power Reception Hall in Historic City Hall (800 Macleod Tr SE). In the Council Chamber, we’ll receive a brief presentation from the City Clerks office, then watch the Council proceedings until about 4:15 pm.

This session will be recorded.

PART 2 – Working with City Hall
4:20-5:45 pm

As a citizen, what kind of question or issue might you bring forward to City Council? And even if you wanted to, how would you go about doing it?

We will gather in the Engineering Traditions Committee Room – the actual room you would use to make a presentation to Council – for a workshop with the Mayor’s Office, City Administration (represented by City Manager Owen Tobert) and City Clerks (represented by Legislative Assistant Corrie Smillie) that will answer your questions about how to engage with local government.

This session will be recorded.

[Note: if you're not coming to Part 1, registration for Part 2 will take place in the Calgary Power Reception Hall in Historic City Hall (800 Macleod Tr SE) between 4:00-4:15 pm.]

PART 3 – Drinks with CivicCamp
6:00-7:00 pm

After an afternoon in City Hall, it’s time for a drink! At the Auburn Saloon (115 9th Ave SE), we’ll gather for food and drink, and to hear from CivicCamp, a group of engaged citizens who will share their success stories of civic engagement.

This session may be recorded.

Space is limited; please RSVP if you plan to attend.

Volunteer for WSKEO #100