When all of the cities in the world that host events are rated, did you know Calgary, with the Calgary Stampede, comes in at #8 globally? We do, and that amazing event, along with the vibrance, uniqueness, and Western culture the Calgary Stampede brings, has helped to create other interesting groups.

One of these is the Mavericks Chuckwagon Racing Team, which is comprised of 25 local businessmen who have a passion for worldclass chuckwagon racing and local children’s charities. Eighteen years ago, it all started with five friends who were invited to the private hosting area called the “Barns”. This is where over a 1,000 thoroughbred chuckwagon horses, the drivers, and the barn crews hang out for the 10 days of Stampede. TO those five friends, this experience was literally life changing. It was something they wanted more of, so they organized themselves into a group, and the next Stampede they sponsored a wagon and ran it under the name “The Mavericks”.

Having been at it for the last 17 years, They are now the longest consecutive running Calgary Stampede chuckwagon sponsor, and march 17th, 2016 was a huge day on their calendar. This is what is known as the Canvas Auction. It is held at Boyce Theatre on the Stampede Grounds, and this year, over 180 registerd sponsors bid on the 36 wagon drivers that will compete at Stampede from July 8th to 17th of this year. It is an opportunity to showcase your business or group in front on the Grandstands with over 30,000 people but also on a World Stage as the event is televised nationally and internationally.

The Canvas Auciton is also viewed as a barometer of the economic health of the city. This year, the combined agregate of the canvas sale was $2.29 million down only slightly from 2015 and much stronger than some praciced a good sign for our city. The Maverichs have once again sponsored two wagons for 2016, and we are thrilled to have the legendary Rick Raser and the strong running up and corner, Layne Bremner, flyoing our logo this year.

From the first Stampede the Mavericks became involved in they know they were on to something that was unique, and they wanted to build on it. Embracing the community and spirit of Calgary, the Mavericks not only wanted to work with the chuckwagons and Stampede, but they wanted to give back to the community they loved. After the first Mavericks Stampede year, they had $4,000.00 left int he budget so they gave it to the Children’s hospital. So began what is now a 16 year history of giving to local children’s charities.

The Mavericks are excited to embrace the 2016 season of chuckwagon racing and charity events. They have raised over $4,000,000.00 for local children’s charities and are looking to significantly add to the total this year.

To learn more about a group so unique to our city, be sure to read every issue of Oilfield PULSE as we will be showcasing regular articles in future issues. To Participate in our charity events go to

www.maverickschuckwagon.ca

Calgary has a number of well-established lake communities within the city limits and new neighbourhoods featuring lakes continue to be added every few years. Living in a lakeside community is undoubtedly a wonderful experience, featuring access to the water and beaches for a wealth of summer activities with friends and family, as well as skating and other pastimes in the winter months. However, despite the many options for Calgary homebuyers that wish to settle near the water, it’s still tough to find good recreational boating in these areas, particularly for those people operating motorized craft.

For those that enjoy life on or beside the water, there are so many excellent opportunities for recreation for families and individuals right on your doorstep on the east side of the city. Take advantage of the exciting possibilities found in areas east of Calgary, where you can enjoy many of the unique benefits of lakeside living without necessarily having your own home situated within one of the city’s lake communities.

Chestermere Lake and the surrounding area is well known to most residents of Calgary. The four-kilometre-long body of water is perhaps the most familiar destination along the city’s eastern border for families and individuals interested in lakeside living and relaxation during the summer months. It is one of the few lake recreation areas around that allows motorized vessels in their waters.

Residents can use the lake’s boat launch for free once they’ve officially registered their boat, but you don’t have to be a resident of Chestermere to enjoy all the splendid amenities that the lake has to offer. There are daily fees for non-residents for the use of boats, non-motorized watercraft on trailers, and personal motorized watercraft. If you’d like to use the lake on a regular basis once you’re fully settled in to your eastside Calgary home, a series of 10 day passes for the lake’s boat launch can be purchased at a discount, offering an excellent value for money opportunity to enjoy this wonderful location.

As well as motorboats, a variety of canoes, kayaks, sailboats and paddleboats are also popular on the lake during the summer. There are no fees for using these types of craft on the water at Chestermere but you’ll need to invest in your own craft and equipment as the lake has no rental items available either for residents or visitors. Fishing is also a popular pastime on the lake at Chestermere all year round and enthusiasts have been known to regularly catch some pretty large fish over the years.

In addition to the boat launch that’s used by residents and visitors alike, the Calgary Yacht Club has been a feature of Chestermere Lake’s east shoreline since 1933. The Calgary Yacht Club is great for families, offering a wide variety of boating and sailing activities and is also a popular venue for social events. The club is a non-profit organization run by volunteers. You don’t need to be a resident of Chestermere to become a member and enjoy all the privileges that the Calgary Yacht Club has to offer. The club has a small number of sailboats that members are able to either rent or lease but paddlers are also welcome.

Some Yacht Club members are very experienced on the water but the facility welcomes everyone, regardless of age or ability, when it comes to sailing at Chestermere. Activities at the Calgary Yacht Club include youth sailing camps, youth racing, adult sailing lessons, disabled sailing, weekend race regattas, training sessions, and a range of special events. While an annual membership fee is required to use the club’s facilities, this doesn’t apply to those people attending courses, lessons, and camps at the club.

Beyond Chestermere, there are also many other opportunities for water-borne recreation on Southern Alberta’s rivers, lakes, and reservoirs that lie east of Calgary, including boating, fishing, and aquatic recreation. The Bow River that flows through Calgary is a renowned tourist destination and a scenic wonder of the Rocky Mountains but the portion of the river that flows east of the city has long been a favourite location for fly fishers. Fish are abundant in this stretch of the Bow, including rainbow and brown trout.

Eagle Lake located southeast of Strathmore is another great spot for pike, trout, and walleye. The lake is perhaps more popular with many fishing enthusiasts during the ice fishing season rather than in the summer. For recreational activities during the warmer months of the year Eagle Lake has a campsite, recreation area, and a boat launch. Namaka Lake and Stobart Lake are similarly located close to Strathmore and there’s also Dalemead Lake, near Langdon just east of Chestermere.

If you’re interested in venturing further afield in the area, Bassano Dam is just two hours east of Calgary. The surrounding area features a wide variety of recreational activities, including boating, fishing, waterskiing, swimming, and camping. For those interested in fishing Crawling Valley Reservoir is excellent location for catching northern pike, walleye, and trout.

If you enjoy recreational boating, fishing, and the many different aspects of lakeside living but aren’t that sold on settling into a new home in a lake community, there’s never been a better time to check out what East Calgary has to offer, where a new day dawns first every morning.