Your Braeside Beacon (July 2025)

Canada Day is a time when we come together in parks, share food, and watch fireworks burst across the Alberta sky. It’s a day filled with music, laughter, and neighbours catching up. It’s also a day to pause and think about what it means to call this country home.

For many, Canada is a place of safety and new beginnings. It’s a country built on the hopes of people who came here from all around the world, looking for a better life. It’s a place where we believe in fairness, kindness and looking out for one another.

Canada Day is also a time to remember that our story is not perfect. Indigenous Peoples have lived on these lands for thousands of years, and we must continue to learn the realities of our shared history and work towards reconciliation. Part of being Canadian means acknowledging these truths and working together toward a better future.

As we celebrate, let’s do it with joy, gratitude and an open heart. Let’s welcome newcomers, thank the people who make our communities strong and keep working to make our city and country places where everyone feels they belong. That is what being Canadian is truly about.

If you’re looking for a great way to spend the day, check out Canada Day at The Confluence — The Confluence.

Festivities begin at 11 a.m. across several downtown locations and end with a spectacular fireworks show above Stampede Park just after 11 p.m. Plan your visit with the interactive map and full event schedule at calgary.ca/CanadaDay.

The Braeside Barometer is Back!

How can community spaces in Braeside be meaningful, valuable, and foster connection and well-being in resident’s lives?

We are delighted to share that the BCA has commissioned a 6 month study to explore how our community can continue to thrive in the best way possible through its infrastructure and community spaces.

Braeside Barometer

We want to hear from you. We always want to hear from you! Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey. You taking a few moments to thoughtfully engage will mean a lot to the outcomes of this work.

Our Stampede BBQ is just around the corner!

You're invited to the BCA Stampede Barbecue! Join us on July 5 from 12:00 to 3:00 pm for an afternoon of fun, food, and festivities. It's FREE for community association members, $5 per person for non-members (Memberships will be available for purchase).

Stampede Menu: Beef or Pork on a Bun, Beans, Salad & Desserts.

Family Fun Galore: Bounce Castle, Face Painting, Airbrush Tattoos, Games for the Kids. Live Entertainment: Pork Salad Annie (live band), Line Dancing Lessons, Beer Garden, Plus – Mini Titans Summer Market!

We also still need a few more volunteers to lend a hand. Check out the shifts still needing to be filled here: Stampede BBQ

Small Sellers, Big Dreams

Remember that feeling on the last day of school, when the bell rang, the backpacks got tossed in a corner, and the whole summer stretched out in front of you like the world’s biggest adventure? Fast-forward to now, and if you’re like me, you’re already hearing the familiar summer chorus of “I’m boooored!” echoing through your house by week two.

That’s where our summer market comes in, featuring our very own Mini Titans. These talented kids are selling everything from homemade crafts and artwork to unique goodies you won’t find anywhere else.

It’s the perfect excuse to wander over, browse the stalls and maybe spend a few toonies supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Last year, I picked up some beautifully painted wooden rings from one of the young vendors and they ended up making the most wonderful Christmas tree ornaments. Who knew a summer find would become one of my favourite holiday decorations?

So come by the BCA and see what the kids have been working on.

The Magic of Firsts

The first time you rode a bike without wobbling? Cooked something without setting off the smoke alarm? Or sang karaoke, badly but proudly? There’s a kind of magic in firsts: unexpected, a little messy, always memorable.

There’s nothing quite like your first Stampede — the music, the midway, the community spirit.

Gail Rawlinson, our Operations Director, sure remembers hers...

From Montreal to the Midway: Gail’s Stampede Story

In the summer of 1978, my mom bravely boarded a train in Montreal with my sister, brother and me, ages seven, five, and one, to embark on the long journey out west. My dad was already here as he had arrived one month earlier to find a home for our family of five. We arrived on July 1 to start our new life in Calgary, staying with family, who lived in Braeside, for the first few weeks. Just a week after arriving, my dad took my sister and me to experience our very first Calgary Stampede parade. Over the next ten days, our family soaked in every bit of Stampede magic. My parents took us to various Stampede festivities: we attended pancake breakfasts, explored the Stampede grounds, and spent countless hours on the kids’ rides. We munched on corndogs along the midway, wandered through Weadickville, and proudly dressed up in our western wear and cowboy hats. That first Stampede sparked something special in each of us. It was the beginning of a lifelong love of all things Stampede — a tradition and passion that has stayed with us ever since.

Summer in the City

There’s plenty going on around town if you feel like venturing outside our neighbourhood. Downtown is packed with music, food, art and festivals all summer long, from Canada Day and Stampede to Carifest and the Folk Fest. Check out what’s happening at calgary.ca/exploredowntown and see what might be worth the trip.

We also have plenty on offer right here in our own backyard.

Summer Camps in Our Corner of Calgary

City of Calgary Summer Day Camps (July–August) offer affordable, inclusive programs featuring sports, games, arts & crafts, swimming, sailing and more. Discover ways to keep them happy and active all summer long: Summer Day Camps​

Heritage Park have launched new summer camps with sleepover options for older kids: Summer Camps Calgary | Heritage Park | Limited Spots​

Calgary Canoe Club is offering two-week, full-day summer camps for kids aged 9–12 and 10–14 at Glenmore Reservoir, where participants learn recreational paddle skills, sprint canoe/kayak, and dragon boat basics, plus a fun regatta to wrap it all up. Learn more here: Summer camps 2025 – CalgaryCanoeClub

Water Wise in Braeside

Last year’s watermain break was a challenge none of us will soon forget, but it also taught us how important it is to use water wisely. As we head into another hot summer, let’s carry those lessons forward and do our part to keep water use in check.

• Water your lawn only once a week, about 1 inch deep, and do it early in the morning or late in the evening.

• Install rain barrels or try drip irrigation to cut outdoor water use by up to 40 per cent.

• Run dishwashers and washing machines only when they’re full.

• Keep a jug of cold water in the fridge instead of running the tap until it’s cool.

• Check your water meter now and then to catch leaks early.

Let’s make the most of summer while being smart about our water use. More helpful tips: Watering 101 - Established, Mature Landscaping.

Make sure you’re ready to vote in Calgary’s General Election on October 20, 2025.

Eligible voters can check their registration, update their information, or add themselves to the Permanent Electors Register until August 1, 2025.

Visit www.voterlink.ab.ca or call Elections Alberta toll-free 310.0000, then 780.427.7191.

If you don’t register ahead of time, you can still register at the voting station during Advance Voting (October 6–11) or on Election Day itself (October 20).

For more details about voter eligibility and the election, visit www.electionscalgary.ca.

There’s always room at the table, and we’d love for you to pull up a chair.

Volunteering with the BCA doesn’t mean signing your life away or running the whole show. Sometimes we just need a few extra hands for an event, someone to help set up tables, or folks willing to share a bit of know-how. It’s a great way to meet people, feel connected and have some fun along the way.

If you’re curious, let us know through our Volunteer Interest Form. We’d be happy to have you join in, even if it’s just once in a while.

With love,

Your BCA Board