On June 28, 2025, I performed for an event in Edmonton by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association, to wrap up Philippine Heritage Month is a meaningful way. Panels, social and political discussions and artistic performances offered a rich program of insights and connection.
The inspiration for the poem is my experiences over the past five years, where I had the opportunity and honour to produce historical articles about Filipinos in Edmonton and how they made an impact, through an initiative called Edmonton City As Museum Project. This poem is a glimpse in my mind of my experiences researching, writing and submitting these articles, one in 2020 and one just this year.
Around the corner, Of a quiet neighbourhood street, Quaint shops form a line, One with a banner name, A play on words of a national brand, Selling more than function, But familiarity in seemingly simply products.
An eager phone call from a Tito, “Oh this person, call them ha?!”, So you give them a chance, a means,To relive, envision, memories of distant past, A vignette in the mind, The foundation of their endeavours, When the city was half its size.
A smile as bright, As that pristine chef’s uniform, Fill the TV screen. Curious eyes and steady microphones made the simmering pot shine. If only the aroma can reach their homes! But then, it soon did. The steamy metal box on wheels, Arms reaching out the window, Handing take out containers, Filling bellies, minds and hearts, In a park, or a street, of this festival city.
A dim hallway, The light sparking to show facts and figures, maps and artifacts, The large sign saying “Alberta Transforms.” In a case of glass, a row of graying photos, Cotton fabric both warm and sterile, Metal implements that cut, measure or heal the body, All for everyone to see, What a kababayan has done since half a century.
Meron palang ganyan!Faded photos, showing constellations, Wistful voices of relief and recollection. ith my phone, my pen, my ear, and my eyes, Filling with knowledge and facts, The arroz caldo filling my belly.
Ang dami pala nilang ginawa!Titles, accolades, fragments almost forgotten. Woven together, not with finesse, Simply an eagerness to retell.
Sana nakwento ko ng maganda!In a city with no museum of its own, In digital homes and public memory, Archived in modern ways, Bearing witness to threads of lasting legacy.
We are this, but more than just that. And I hope that’s what everyone gets to see. We are what we remember, What we record. Out story is alive, Evolving, And never ending.
A few weekends ago, I visited someone near my home to talk about different neighbourhood things and the upcoming election. That late morning visit was lovely and veered into a conversation about winter cycling, something my husband just started to do in 2024 when the snow hit. As a result, she enthusiastically offered to lend this book that I immensely enjoyed. So to this neighbour, who also gave me a sample pack of roibos tea from a local tea shop, this is a Thank You letter and review of the book Frostbike, the Joy, Pain and Numbness of Winter Cycling, by Tom Babin.
April 19, 2025
Hi neighbour,
That winter morning was frosty, but my hands felt better right away from how you welcomed me to your home, with a cup of tea. The great conversations about my post the day before about someone wanting to organize an English-learning initiative for newcomers in the neighbourhood was even lovelier. As we chatted about different matters, the inevitable half-complaints about winter came up. Then I shared that my husband tried biking to work once a week since the summer, with this season being his first time winter biking.
I was so delighted that you were delighted to hear about this, and shared all your experiences biking from your neighbourhood all the way to the core of downtown. I appreciated your observations on your experiences as a cyclist and how the service roads, sidewalks, shared-use paths and the dedicated bike lanes affect your ride. That you were looking forward to the warmer weather since you are quite faster on the bike then driving at times. So, when you enthusiastically offered to lend me the book Frostbike for my husband to read, I happily took in home.
The thing is, my husband is a digital book reader these days. He’s quite happy with the app from our local library and been reading books regularly. So I ended up being the one who read the book. The fact that the author in Canadian, and Albertan at that, was a particular draw to me. This is not someone who lives overseas – this is someone with relatable and relevant experience, who lives only a 4-hour drive away.
I liked the way the table of contents was outlined, and how the information and stories started growing in scope. Starting from his personal journey of biking, building and acquiring bikes to help him get cycling in winter. Then the second part is about his assessments of locations, both local and abroad and their winter cycling infrastructure. Then the final part went even broader, the collective thoughts, sentiments and culture not just about cycling, but about winter in general.
Perhaps because I haven’t had a lot of exposure to writing based in Calgary – whether it is fiction, non-fiction, or journalistic, the book gave me the very first deep explanation of the chinooks. It went in detail how that weather phenomenon affects people who live there – from huge migraines from temperature and air pressure changes, to the drastic change from ice and snowbanks to deep watery cold puddles on roads and sidewalks in just a matter of hours. I mean, I’m not a fan of being splashed by cars when I’m on the sidewalk, I can only imagine it being worse down there.
The author’s experiences with biking in the winter reflected what my husband shared to me these past few months. That compact snow is ideal. Ice is more manageable that some would assume. Studded tires make a huge difference. Soft snow and slush is the worst, even more when they are combined with bits of mud, sand and gravel. Putting salt can be described as “the devil you know”, very useful for traction, but damaging in many other ways. Biking at -20 or -30 weather is more doable than anticipated. That car drivers being impatient and hostile is one of the worst things about cycling. And yes, the way infrastructure is laid out plays a very big role in how pleasant or save the bike ride could be. I’m so grateful though that my husband got actual studded tires right away. I definitely would not let him get away with the author’s first attempt at using flat screws on a conventional bike wheel. I do a lot of DIY stuff, but that’s too far. As I always say to my husband – safety first!
The section that talked about the different cities in Europe that have enviable cycling infrastructure was fascinating to read. I empathize with the author’s struggle with not finding the perfect ‘silver bullet’ solution that can be easily copied over to North America, especially in cities that are much bigger compared to the smaller Scandinavian cities. A common pattern is those European cities is the practical normalization of biking all year long, which makes the seasonal switch to winter biking more manageable. The cities described made me realize the truth of the advocacy statement I’ve heard so many times here in Edmonton: build it and they will come.
As someone who doesn’t cycle, the chapters of the last section resonated with me the most. The author started to probe deeply on how pop culture and casual interpersonal interactions over the decades talk about winter so negatively. This I completely agree, and I find a bit frustrating. The pity that people cast towards me when I said “I walked less than half an hour to get here” is so intense. Music, media, TV, movies and songs definitely portray winter as harsh, relentless and something to escape from.
He argues that our negative impressions of winter are holding people back from something positive (or even practical) like winter cycling. I’d say that it is also holding people back from doing even just short walks in the winter! As an immigrant, I have had enough stories and warnings about how awful winter is, so this definitely tracks.
Edmonton had an initiative now for a few years called Winter City Edmonton, to encourage people to seek out interesting and exciting activities to do during winter, such as the winter festivals. And this year, the encouragement also had a different direction, to get people to do more of the typical fun activities but with a winter twist, such as going to a restaurant with a winter patio. I think that the next step should be encouraging doing everyday transportation while being prepared for winter, not wanting to escape it as quickly as possible. With heated cars (that even have heated seats and heated steering wheels), well-insulated buildings, and high-tech cozy winter wear might have contributed to people rejecting the notion of winter altogether, rather than having a practical mindset of it being a regular part of the day. This is what is needed to encourage people to have infrastructure to make walking and cycling manageable all year long. To quote the book when talking about cycling in those European countries “I found a similar practicality: winter didn’t seem to be the enemy, it just was.“
I really enjoyed this opportunity to learn from a long-time winter cycling enthusiast what my husband went through, and what the passionate folks in the city are talking about. I know in a few years I would consider getting a bike again, but for now, I feel more informed in understanding where people are coming from, as far as the other transportation methods that don’t involve the car.
So thank you! I hope your biking this year, now that the snow is gone and I think we are past the second “false spring” is going well so far. Maybe my husband will see you on the trails or roads, and perhaps I also will in the future. I bet that if the Coffee Fridays YegBike community has a book club section, they would talk about this book. It’s safe to say, they probably already had.
This is part of an ongoing series of posts discussion issues I personally encounter while taking public transit in Edmonton. Links to other posts will be added on an ongoing basis:
What is a Captive Transit User? I learned about the term for the first time from the City of Edmonton’s website. The easy definition is: someone who takes public transit because it’s the best (or only available) option for them to travel around. The part about feeling ‘captive’ comes from the restriction that sometimes comes up, perhaps because one is too poor to own and maintain a vehicle, one does not know how to drive, or for medical reasons, cannot operate a vehicle. In many ways, I relate to this a lot. Though I’m pretty fortunate to afford the occasional taxi ride, and with my husband having a car.
In my first few years in Canada, I had to learn how to keep track of all the different phone numbers, watch lines and apps for reporting different issues. In fact, because I knew that this can be confusing for other people, I’ve written a resource articles on this subject a few times for multicultural media outlets in the city. It can be hard to tell right away what constitutes an emergency. When someone is in the middle of an unsafe situation, regardless of whether someone’s bleeding or not, everything seems urgent.
Frankly this is why I have major concerns that the information to ask for help when taking transit can be hand to find. If my personal feedback can be summarized in one word, that would be consistency.
Consistency on where the information can be found, both on the buses and LRT vehicles, would be handy. When I used to take the LRT more frequently, I eventually trained my eyes on where the emergency buttons and alarm strings to ask for help are located. I’m too short to reach the alarm strings – but that’s a different subject altogether. Also, on a 25- minute trip which is typical for my travels, there had been the rare occasion when the same automated robot voice that announce the next LRT stop would also talk about Transit Watch, the phone number where people can call or text if they feel unsafe.
But unfortunately, for those who take the buses, this information is definitely hard to find. On top of the fact that Transit Watch is actual full 10-digit phone number instead of the 3-digit ones like 911 or 311, so it’s not something that people will instinctively remember and dial. I mean, even I don’t know the full number in my mind, but I had saved it as a contact on my phone. In my experience, upon entering a bus, 75% of the time I don’t see any posters about Transit Watch at all. When it does, the posters are in different parts of the overhead compartment for the posters.
In my typical 30- 45 minute bus trip, I don’t hear a single robot-voice announcement about Transit Watch as well. Back in 2023, Edmonton Transit Service had a marketing campaign encouraging people to take one of six potential actions when they see harassment while taking public transit. These posters were in many of the buses but not as much these days. Although I was relived to see it a dozen times so far this year.
In transit stations, not all of them have a PA system to blast audio announcements. In the places that do, one of which is the South Campus LRT station, I have heard a few robot-voice announcements for different topics, including bus delays, scheduling changes, and even encouraging participation on Stuff A Bus. I have heard a handful of times about Transit Watch. But how about other locations? Sure, it is a temporary station, but I think it’s important to have more visible signs and reminders at West Edmonton Mall transit station for example. It truly would be nice to have a consistent approach in every transit station.
I have taken bus trips with the smaller community buses as well, and I don’t recall seeing a poster about Transit Watch. It’s been a few months since I have taken an On-Demand buses which are much smaller, and I know there’s no space there for paid advertisement or even a small bulletin board. Perhaps a decal or sticker somewhere prominent can be strategically placed somewhere. Or maybe even a QR code that’s quite popular these days.
Consistency builds trust. I think if there’s more consistency in communicating that 1 – harassment is not okay , 2 – reporting unsafe situations when taking transit is truly worth the effort, 3 – the contact number is repeated often enough while people are taking transit that they might eventually memorize it, and 4 – that the person who reported can see the resolution, perhaps people could be more understanding about unpleasant situations about taking transit. I agree with what the City officials had said that majority of public transit trips happen successfully, on time and no issues. But for the times when it does, people need to trust the system for reporting and the response to it. This starts with knowing when and how to report.
I am a columnist for two newspapers in Alberta that serve the Filipino community. I feel particularly proud of this one because of the timely topic and integrating ideas beyond making shopping decisions. This was published in February 2025. You can get a free copy of the paper, published monthly, from many Filipino-owned businesses in Edmonton. You can also view everything digitally at www.albertafilipinojournal.com/.
Community Resource Article – Support Canadian with your Patronage and Pocketbook
Many of us have heard about impending tariffs by the United States. Because of this, there’s a boost to ‘Buy Canadian’ more than ever. You might be wondering how you can take part, especially if you have a tighter budget, or have gotten use to the popular options.
Supporting Canadian businesses comes in many forms. It can be as hyper-local as using products and services made in our city, prioritizing art or events made by fellow Canadians anywhere in the country or not spending money at all. Below is a list of ideas you can consider, to have more Canadian in your everyday activities and purchases.
Media and Entertainment
CBC Gem: You can create a free login on your computer or Smart TV and watch news, shows and movies produced in Canada through our public broadcaster.
TELUS STORYHIVE: This special program funds content made by locals in Alberta and BC, such as short-form documentaries on community topics, podcasts and vod-casts, mini-series, and more. My documentary about Filipinos in Edmonton is funded through this and there’s lots of great shows to watch. It’s on Telus Optic TV and YouTube.
Accessible Media Inc. Canada: It is a dedicated channel created about, and by, Canadians with disabilities. There’s so much inspirational and well-produced content to watch. You can create a free login on your computer or Smart TV or watch on YouTube.
CKUA Radio Station: This radio station, with a webpage and app, is based in Alberta and showcases music from all over the world, a great way to break way from Hollywood-produced music.
Filipino-Canadian content: There are many kababayans countrywide that produce content and it’s time to them to our lists. Whether it is the What’s the Tsismis podcast, the many vloggers on YouTube, documentaries Paglalayag, Canadian Adobo and Kalinga, or books such as Magdaragat, Reuniting with Strangers, Tony’s Wheels, and more.
Consumer Goods
Made in Canada directories: Webpages can identify products made in Canada, which can help with your shopping. Some of these are: madeinca.ca as well as madeincanadadirectory.ca.
Bulk Barn: This is a great store where you buy items by weight, such as flour, rice, spices, pasta, candies, and more. If can save more money than buying in small packages, and it’s Canadian.
Farmers Markets and Pop-Up Markets: There are indoor farmers markets and pop-up markets hosting local businesses. They even give a chance for ones that have closed to come back in a different way. For example, Intent Coffee, a café by Filipinos in Edmonton, has returned as a pop-up café.
Cultural Stores: If you continue to support these stores, whether the products made by a kababayan locally, imported from the Philippines, an Indigenous creator, or a multicultural market by fellow immigrants in Canada, that certainly counts as a way to support.
“Buy Nothing” Neighourbood Groups: Instead of buying an item right away, perhaps a neighbour is giving it away for free. Connect with your neighbourhood’s Buy Nothing Facebook page and see if you can get the item you need. It’s a great way to save money, help the environment, and connect with neighbours.
Business Districts in the city: Whether it is Whyte Ave, Stony Plain Road, Downtown, or the ones by your neighbourhood block, visiting and patronizing independent businesses there is a very valuable way to support Canadian locally.
Attractions, Events and Activities
Tourism Webpages for Cities and Towns: Our province has Travel Alberta, a great resource to discover places to visit in our beautiful province, or even how to have a successful business in the Canadian tourism sector. Many local areas have similar resources to help you spend your tourism dollars here, such as Visit Jasper, Explore Edmonton, Tourism Calgary, Visit Drumheller, and more.
Getting at the Neighbourhood Level: At times, there’s no need to travel far and use companies to have fun and have meaningful experiences. I highly recommend checking the events in your local neighbourhood such as your neighbourhood community league, the nearby seniors centre, and schools.
Exploring Local Recreation Destinations: Consider trying a festival in the city you haven’t considered before. If you haven’t visited the local zoo, museum, library with unique architecture and free drop-in programs, or the local skating rink, here is your chance to prioritize them.
It is very important to think long-term, sustainable, and manageable. If you are unable to do all of these or might need to change, that’s completely okay and valid. If you learn about other options outside this list that works better for you, do them. I heard the saying “vote with your wallet” and I believe it also works with international trade. Let’s support Canadian with our choices and wallet even more moving forward!
This is part of an ongoing series of posts discussion issues I personally encounter while taking public transit in Edmonton. Links to other posts will be added on an ongoing basis:
What is a Captive Transit User? I learned about the term for the first time from the City of Edmonton’s website. The easy definition is: someone who takes public transit because it’s the best (or only available) option for them to travel around. The part about feeling ‘captive’ comes from the restriction that sometimes comes up, perhaps because one is too poor to own and maintain a vehicle, one does not know how to drive, or for medical reasons, cannot operate a vehicle. In many ways, I relate to this a lot. Though I’m pretty fortunate to afford the occasional taxi ride, and with my husband having a car.
The name Edmonton Transit Riders (ETR) sounded very much like the city group where I volunteered for six years, the Edmonton Transit Service Advisory Board (ETSAB). But they are different and once I heard about ETR, I’m very happy that they exist.
Over many years I have observed different ways that people use their voice to advocate for improvements in our public transit system. There are people like me that use our personal social media platform sharing our own individual experiences and opinions. There are people who create anonymized accounts with a group name to build an impression it is part of a collective of thoughts who care about a common goal. There are people who join established organizations or groups to share their time, energy and insights in a formalized way within the city government’s system – I’m talking about ETSAB here. And there’s ETR, the external organization who wanted to combine the power of being a formalized group willing to mobilize in a wide range of ways to make public transit better.
Sometime in the fall, Danielle Witte, the board Chair of ETR contacted me for a meeting to learn more about what I mentioned above, how current groups have been giving feedback to improve public transit. I offered a unique kind of meeting – a walking meeting where we discussed his questions and I gave him a tour of the West Edmonton LRT construction sites from future West Edmonton Mall to the future Meadowlark Station. I told him how excited I was for the group, and that ETR, ETSAB and the actual public transit city employees for ETS have a lot of positive opportunities to work with each other.
On October 20, the group hosted a official launch party which included an announcement with speeches, and then a private tour of the Blatchford LRT station that is not yet open to the public where the attendees can connect and chat with each other. It was nice to see the current board chair of ETSAB, actual representatives from ETS, city politicians, and other people enthusiastic about transit.
Interestingly enough, I remembered a discussion about the Blatchford station during an ETSAB meeting, and see the station still not being used was a reminder that our recommendations to city staff sometimes get implemented. It does make an impact.
In some ways, the word hype feels superficial, but with what ETR is doing, I think building hype about public transit is not only just a good thing, it is an excellent thing that is very much needed. There’s a lingering disdain from everyday people about public transit, combined with an undercurrent of classism and car culture. I’ve said countless times, people complain about hiccups on public transit too quickly and harshly but if those experiences are tied to their driving experience, people are more forgiving.
When I was chatting with the ETR volunteers and board of directors, I was amazed that they were planning to go to Ottawa for a conference about transit. There’s a lot of flexibility they have that made me wish I had something similar when I was with ETSAB. Then again, ETSAB is a part of the city and funded by taxpayer money, so I understand the limitations that where in place. It is nice though that ETSAB board members get a chance to attend the Canadian Urban Transit Association fall conference every year.
One thing I really appreciate is that both organizations seem to have a relationship with the staff of the city’s transit system. Everyone seem to have a well-known common ground of sharing the desire to actually make public transit better.
In future years I eagerly look forward to seeing more of what ETR does. I subscribed to their e-newsletter and social media accounts and they are a lot more public with their advocacy which is fantastic. They had several media interviews, organized an automated e-petition to speak about the low-income transit programs, and had plans to advocate to the provincial and federal orders of government. It’s quite remarkable. Once the actual transit department launches their merchandise line I bet that the ETR supporters would be the first in line to buy or market these items ala influencer style – yes that includes me.
Looking back at the LRT launch for the Valley Line East last November 2023, it is nice to join along a group of fellow transit nerds. If I am lucky enough to be the next city councillor of my area of the city on the west end, I’ll be thrilled to organize the official launch or tour of the LRT along with them! The warm drinks, train-themed cake and ceremonial scissors would be on me – unless someone beats me to it which is very possible!
In December 2023, so about a year ago, I decided to finally work on something that eluded me since I was a kid. The ability to actually finally stay afloat and tread on the deep end of the swimming pool. I figured that there’s no better place to do this than the place where I used a swimming facility for the first time over a decade ago, the YMCA on the west end.
I grew up in a mountain village in rural Philippines, where swimming pools are nonexistent. The hot spring resorts in the nearby mountains are not the optimal place to learn how to swim properly as they are designed for large groups that go there to socialize and splash around on waist (or chest) deep water. When I moved to the city, the school I attended didn’t have a pool despite it being a private school – only the more expensive ones had them.
When I moved to Canada at 16, I never heard any invitations to check the pool at my high school, so whether our school even had a swimming team or the related facilities will forever be a mystery to me.
Back in 2011 at age 20 out of my own initiative I finally went to the YMCA on the west end. I forked up the monthly fee despite being a part time student with seemingly endless expenses from my schooling, home expenses, my brother’s upcoming immigration to Canada and shopping for all the supplies he needed, and things that a young adult would like to get every now and then.
It was awkward at first. I observed other people who used the floating belt and how they swam on the pool within the confines of the plastic ropes. My hands, feet or shoulders kept hitting the plastic rope, I can hardly breathe, and I gasped loudly in relief once I reached the end of the lane. I tried to go twice a week in the summer before my shift at work started at 1 PM. But that summer flew by fast. As soon as my teen brother arrived in Canada that fall and I got admitted to to co-op placement program for my business degree in university, the swimming routine went adrift.
Fast forward to the next attempt at the pool in 2014, when I got an office job in downtown Edmonton. The downtown YMCA was only two blocks from my office and I managed to stick to my gym membership for about six months before I fell out of habit again. The workout rooms and the group exercise classes gave me a strange dilemma, and only after a few tries in the pool, I opted to do exercises that don’t require me to smell like chlorine even after taking a shower.
I haven’t thought of swimming again for many years until 2023. I noticed that my back and shoulders were hurting more often, and going for a massage once a month didn’t seem to be enough. I also found out that my new job then didn’t cover the cost of massage therapy. I needed a cheaper way to get the movement that my shoulders and back needed that stretching, dancing and pilates fail to help.
It occurred to me that my Saturday afternoons were free while the husband was away with the drinking and running group. I figured, might as well work on a fitness goal for myself too!
Since it’s been such a long time since I was last in a pool, I booked one private lesson to assess my skill level – or should I say, lack of skill. I just need to know whether I can be on the deep end while wearing a flotation belt without panicking or feeling ashamed. That was the best $45 and half-hour session I’ve spent for myself that year. The lifeguard instructor confirmed I can rotate my arms and flip my feet just fine and watched closely my awkward attempt to do the “egg-beater technique” to tread water on the deep end. “Now, all you need is practice”, he said. That I sure can do.
That became my routine. Saturday afternoons, as soon as the husband drives off, I got ready to take the bus to the YMCA. Two walls of the swimming room had clocks. I eyed on the clock’s hand rotating as I swam back and forth with the floater belt acting like an armour of courage. On my third visit, I waited until the open space with the deep end was free of the lane-swimmers, take off the floater belt and twirl my arms, legs and feet. When the water reached my chin, I’d grab onto the edge of the pool for a moment, and then let go for another try.
With more visits in the pool, I gained more seconds treading water on the deep end. 15 seconds, then 25, then 30, then 45, and then a full minute before needing to grab onto the pool’s edge. Then a minute, and then a minute an a half. The hands of the clock making a full rotation acted like my cheerleaders, beckoning me push just a little harder. The day came when I went onto the swimming lane with no floater belt, from the shallow to the deep end for a minute and swam back, and did that over and over for a half hour. By March, I finally reached the milestone of being a mildly-functional swimmer.
There was actually a swimming facility closer to my home. I eagerly watched the city’s webpage on recreational facilities for the pool’s re-opening. I got annoyed when the opening got delayed three times. I admit I was also losing motivation to take the 25 minute bus ride to the other pool and back. When the neighbourhood pool finally did open, it was exactly the next level of learning I needed. It’s only a fifteen-minute walk to my house and because of that I can shower at home afterwards. Literally no excuses this time.
The smell and feel of the poolwater was somehow different. A bit gentler and I loved it. The change rooms and locker spaces were much bigger too. When the entire pool is configured for lane swimming only, there are six lanes that has room for one swimmer going in both directions so it is effectively 12 lanes. On the days when I go and it is open swim time, the pool is divided into the shallow, middle and deep sections. It was another great way for me to hang out in the deep end for as long as I need to, as long as I get out of the way of those using the water slide, diving board, and rope.
Whenever I go to the pool, I make sure that I stay in the lanes clearly labelled as “slow”, so I stay out of the way from those who were zipping through the lanes at what looks like to be five times my speed. I still bump the plastic floating dividers sometimes. But at least I don’t panic and need to be pulled out by the lifeguards. As I watch other swimmers with the floating belt swimming on the lane next to me, I try to subtly beam positive vibes and prayers to them, hoping that they too will reach the milestone of feeling more skilled in the water.
Just like any habit that is supposed to be healthy, around late summer I started to fall out of habit again. This time around, my body tells me when I really needed it – no excuses. After only a half-hour swim, my shoulders and back feel much more relaxed and nimble. And at $8 per trip to the pool, it’s definitely much cheaper than massage therapy. It’s not just exercise – it’s therapy, it’s pain management. For the drop-in rate, I got a discount because of the family membership fee I purchased for the neighbourhood’s community league, which is surely a bonus.
Also since the summer I joined my husband a bit more regularly when he goes to our very unique running-and-drinking group. A 45-minute brisk walk is a good addition to my fitness routine, if I choose to ignore the snacks and alcohol that we consume at the end of route. And as always, for doing errands that are close by, I walk for up to 30 minutes one way instead of taking the bus or waiting for a car ride. The true definition of a 15 minute neighborhood that makes certain fitness activities more achievable for me.
My goal is to one day to be a more public space to test how I deal with the deep waters then. I’m thinking the WaterPark that is pretty close. Or if I get invited to a social event in someone’s backyard pool or a lake that works for me too. I’m just thrilled that I won’t need to piggyback off my husband like when we were at the hot springs in Iceland in 2018 or at the local WaterPark in 2019. To be able to carry my own weight, or at least, my body afloat in the deep end, is an empowering feeling I didn’t realized I needed until I achieved it.
This is part of an ongoing series of posts discussion issues I personally encounter while taking public transit in Edmonton. Links to other posts will be added on an ongoing basis:
What is a Captive Transit User? I learned about the term for the first time from the City of Edmonton’s website. The easy definition is: someone who takes public transit because it’s the best (or only available) option for them to travel around. The part about feeling ‘captive’ comes from the restriction that sometimes comes up, perhaps because one is too poor to own and maintain a vehicle, one does not know how to drive, or for medical reasons, cannot operate a vehicle. In many ways, I relate to this a lot. Though I’m pretty fortunate to afford the occasional taxi ride, and with my husband having a car.
People unfamiliar with a transit system, whether it is because they are new to an city, a neighbourhood, or just so happened to not use transit for a specific event, benefit from the help of a fellow human who seemed to know their way around. A few times this summer, it was nice to be that fellow human, even as a stranger, to be that source of help and companionship to someone. Here’s a few stories when I by myself, or with my husband, did this to people in the city.
Edmonton Folk Festival
This summer was the first time that my husband and I went to Edmonton Folk Festival. Because we had little time between having dinner at the bar near his work by the Manchester Square, we took an rideshare to the festival location. But we decided to take the relatively-recently-opened Valley Line LRT to her back.
While walking through the green space to get to the station, someone called out to us. They seemed confused and asked where the LRT station is. My husband and I pointed to the direction that we are headed. In the spot where we were standing, it seemed easy to miss the LRT station, as the glass pyramids of the Muttart Conservatory is right close by. The people seemed relived to know that the LRT station was indeed close by, which is a great reason why the festival organizers heavily promoted transit as a way to get to and from the festival.
This is the first year that the festival is going on with the LRT access. I bet that in future years, it would be a no-brainer for most people to get to the festival through transit, either to get to the bottom or top of the hill.
New worker going to downtown
On a Thursday morning in August, I was waiting to get on my usual bus to get to downtown. A man was talking passionately over the phone, in a language I cannot understand. He hung up, browsed his phone for a few minutes and then he approached me, speaking in limited English. Asked which buses go to downtown by 109 Street, and whether the bus is arriving since it’s been late for 5 minutes. I can imagine how a late bus for a route you’ve never used before would make anyone anxious. So I told him “yes that’s the number 2, it will come soon, and we can take it together!”
The bus arrived and we hop on together. He was restlessly looking at the window to check where we are going. I placed the address of his destination on my Google maps app, and showed him the blue moving dot that symbolizes the bus. We were sitting close to the front, so I also point to him the digital screen that was showing the intersection of the upcoming bus stops. I told him, “once we are close to downtown, the screen and the audio annoucement will say.. 121 Street – Jasper Avenue, 116 Street – Jasper Avenue, 112 Street – Jasper Avenue… and then that’s when you pull the stop alert and get off. Then when you get off, you just need to walk 2 blocks that way, and you’ll be in your destination!” I finished my instructions while pointing towards the south.
He shared to me that it was his first day at his job. He shyly told me that his English is “not very good” but he will be starting classed at Norquest college very soon. I said that Norquest is very close to where he was getting off for work, so he can take the same bus and just wait for a few stops further into downtown. I shared that I am an immigrant too, only that I’ve been here for 17 years. He sounded amazed upon hearing that.
As his stop approached, I got him to pull the string for the stop request. As he left the bus, I said good bye and waved at him through the glass, while making sure I press the button again as I was getting off at the next stop. I sent a silent prayer, wishing him a good day at work as I headed out to start mine.
Lady navigating west end construction zone
One morning, I was on the bus heading to work and after a few stops, a woman wearing business clothes came in. There were several vacant seats at the front, but she didn’t sit right away. Clutching her phone tightly, she talked to the driver asking if the bus would be passing by 139 Street and 102 Avenue. He said yes, and continued to drive. She continued standing at the front craning her neck, seemingly wanting to have the same line of sight as the driver.
Only a few stops later, she asked the driver again how close we are getting to her destination. We were still on 87 Avenue, about 15 minutes away. I do know though that she is getting off on a very busy construction zone and might miss where the bus stop is.
I waited for catch her eye, I smiled and said, yes the bus is heading that way. I pointed at the digital sign above her head and said “as you can see, and you will hear, the upcoming bus stops will show on the sign. So you will hear when the next step is 139 Street and 102 Avenue and press the button then.” As we waited along the very congested 142 Street, the bus finally got a chance to turn on 102 Avenue. The bus arrived at the intersections and the got off one of the temporary-looking bus stops.
Honestly, I’m quite relived that smartphones are around. It helps communicating bus routes and travel times better. One can argue that if someone has a phone and data, people can just look at the directions and go where they need to go. But I think that the additional element of human help can provide that extra level of reassurance. Many times, I’ve seen passengers come up to the bus, show their phone to the driver and confirm, and happily enter the bus once they get the okay from the driver. But in a pinch, whether in a random location around the city, a busy transit station, or a bus stop, I enjoy pitching in when needed. It’s a fleeting moment of kindness, lasting a few minutes at most, but can help with those unfamiliar with our transit system get the hang of it.
This is part of an ongoing series of posts discussion issues I personally encounter while taking public transit in Edmonton. Links to other posts will be added on an ongoing basis:
What is a Captive Transit User? I learned about the term for the first time from the City of Edmonton’s website. The easy definition is: someone who takes public transit because it’s the best (or only available) option for them to travel around. The part about feeling ‘captive’ comes from the restriction that sometimes comes up, perhaps because one is too poor to own and maintain a vehicle, one does not know how to drive, or for medical reasons, cannot operate a vehicle. In many ways, I relate to this a lot. Though I’m pretty fortunate to afford the occasional taxi ride, and with my husband having a car.
When people choose a place to live, they consider many important things in choosing the neigbhourhood. We knew when we picked the neighbourhood we live in now that since the LRT will literally pass through the main road nearby, that we will be inundated with the impacts of the construction for many years until the line officially opens. But what is something that many residents complain about, became something that piqued my curiosity over the years.
I’m basically like a “Marites”, the nosy neighbour looking into the latest “tea” of what is happening next door, but for an LRT construction. This transit nerd is delighted with integrating such a Filipino reference, hehe. Every time I leave my home to commute to work, it’s neat to see the changes.
Between my husband and me, our no-cost-but-super-fun date idea has been to go for a half-hour work along the construction site, observe the different holes and poles, the cranes and trucks, the cement and the metal pieces, and the people around the site. I bet my husband is truly enjoying being married to a transit nerd – no need to go far or spend a lot of money for romantic quality time, haha!
As the cliche goes, a photo says a thousand words. So here is a photo dump of the photos of the LRT construction progress because because it’s fun and nerdy
Frankly at this point, for very short trips, it is much better to walk – to the mall, the library, the pharmacy. But as long as the locations are literally long the main road, I can also be lazy and take the bus in one direction.
I heard many times that the construction impact north of my neighbourhood, along Stony Plain Road, is much worse for the businesses there. In fact, the City launched a campaign called “Rally for the Road” to encourage people to continue to patronize the businesses along the road, where construction makes it difficult and unappealing to park to get to these businesses. I know of a business owned by a fellow Filipino that sells Filipiniana inspired attire. I hope to visit the business someday when it is easier to travel to get there, either by car of perhaps, the newly opened LRT line!
In the middle of May, during the Annual General Meeting for our community league, we also held a town hall where staff from the city and the LRT construction company co-presented and answered questions from the neighbourhood. I really appreciated them doing this. The maps and slideshows were informative in giving both the big picture progress of the whole project, timelines for summer 2024 and what to anticipate as far as changes in access to lanes and intersections. We were given the reassurance that any concerns can be shared to them anytime, and that they have what sounds like daily meetings with the staff at the hospital to ensure access is not blocked unintentionally.
On top of that, our community league president seems to have established a good relationship with relevant staff. He managed to make a few phone calls to sort out the traffic lights nearby to help traffic flow better.
And just a few weeks after this neighbourhood meeting, my husband and I can see the large crane off our second-floor bedroom window.
We were told that our section will be finished by fall this year, then the section off the other side of 178 Street will be worked on. I will definitely miss the unique crane when it moves. And I hope that the residents who live in that area, that have been affected by construction for just as long as we are, have a manageable experience for the next few years.
Sometime in December 2023, I was contacted by a researcher who is working on a paper asking for the financial barriers faced by women running for public office. Did she ever find the right person willing to talk and vent about this very topic! I was connected to her through a national organization that aims to encourage women to run for public office.
I shared what I knew and gave so much more information that the questions she outlined in her 3-page questionnaire. I truly hoped I didn’t sound too grouchy when I explained all the potential barriers, both ones I experienced personally and broader patterns I’ve observed.
Despite the fact that my candidacy was coming up to three years ago, I remember many things that I wished were more clear during the campaign workshops and campaign toolkits that I accessed between 2017 – 2021.
So here is a short list of what I wish I knew.
About the “social etiquette” in Canada, Alberta, and Edmonton when it comes to door-knocking. I didn’t feel confident enough to reassure volunteers on how to handle different types of situations such as homes having no mailboxes, the “no soliciting” signs, entering gates and how long to wait at the doors.
How to handle conversations with one’s employer on handling things such as time off, salary and using vacation days and reputation management for the workplace. I think I handled it okay, but if I had more information I would have been less terrified.
The range of options on how to handle the election campaign with family members.
Exercise routines to help manage pain and soreness from walking, standing a long time, using mobility aids (like my walking cane) for a long time, hand care (from knocking on all the doors), and more.
Personal finance budgeting once the motivation to run is there. This includes saving for money for taking time off from work to do campaigning full time, money to initially fund election expenses, budgeting some extras that may be needed such as replacement shoes, therapy appointments, pens, umbrellas, or takeout food.
Options for campaign finances, as in ideas of what a low-budget, medium-budget, and a high-budget campaign can potentially look like, as it took me too long to decide whether I should get one digital billboard or one bus bench.
Tips and tricks to coordinate with landlords to connect with apartment residents, as this process also took a lot of time coordinating while being afraid I might be somehow breaking some election rule that I was never aware of.
I will likely talk about this more in future posts. In the meantime, I eagerly look forward to the research publication talking about this topic.
Everyday people that wanted to participate in the political discourse in this very important way should feel confident in their ability to do a decent job. They should not feel demoralized by obstacles that seem systemic in nature.
To conclude, here’s the copy of the post I wrote for the Alberta Filipino Journal back in 2021 during the beginning of the actual campaign.
General Point of View: Trailblazing and Smashing Ceilings – The Journey of a First-Time Elections Candidate
By: Giselle General, April 2021
This election candidacy is a journey five years in the making. Here is a reflection on my experiences as of this date as someone running for the first time.
A main challenge is informing people on different topics. There are many issues that affect our daily lives, and it can be difficult to remember which level of government is responsible. On top of that, there are issues that are a shared responsibility between the municipal, provincial and federal government. So it is important for me, my campaign team, and other candidates to be informed and patient when discussing with others.
The electoral district boundaries not only changed in composition, but also the names have changed. They are changed from numbers to Indigenous names. I think the names are beautiful and meaningful, but many are frustrated and unwilling to learn. I can personally attest that all it takes is practice, just like learning Asian geography back in high school. After a few rounds of practice, I can confidently say without missing a beat that “I am running for city councillor for West Edmonton, the ward of sipiwiyiniwak!” Those in ward Dene and O-day’min will have an easier time, while those in ward Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi would need to practice a few more times.
I found out that apartments and condo buildings are usually ignored by campaign teams. I found this shocking and unacceptable! Because most apartment buildings are rentals, this means that many people who are not homeowners and from lower economic background are not given the same opportunity by election candidates to share their thoughts about political matters. No wonder the voter turnout in municipal elections is only 30%. Like a spark that ignited in me, I felt a fierce sense of determination to go against the tide and find ways to connect with people living in higher-density places. I hope that landlords and building managers would cooperate with my campaign team so we can engage with residents effectively and safely.
A harsh and true advice I received was “you need a lot of money”. And I don’t have a lot. I feel motivated to find creative ways to compensate for the shortage of money, and fun ways to raise money and support. From virtual dance-a-thons as a fundraiser, using social media for marketing instead of spending money on billboards, and asking volunteers to drop off brochures instead of paying Canada post thousands of dollars, the ideas seem to be endless. Necessity is the mother of invention as they say, and I’m excited to find innovative ways to connect with potential voters and supporters. I hope that I get hundreds of volunteers from all walks of life, and that even those who cannot vote yet, the newcomers and under 18 years old, feel inclined to join the campaign team as well.
The election day is in October, and given how time feels like it’s slipping through our fingers, it will be here before we even realize it. All the spare time I have, between breakfast and starting work, between dinner and bedtime, between laundry and cooking on the weekends, are occupied by the seemingly endless tasks to gain more resources, to recruiting volunteers, to ensuring we consult with people with different perspective. Door-knocking officially starts in May and I’m eagerly looking at the calendar counting down the time.
I am excited to be transformed by this experience. I suppose, turning 30 years old this year also highlights the significance of this adventure. I’d love to win of course, but it’s more that that. My hope is that I am just one of the many people from under-represented backgrounds, of the women, the young adults, the migrants and the Filipinos who would take the leap and throw their name in an election race. I hope that my experience can serve as inspiration and a resource guide in navigating an election candidacy that appropriately considers the complications that arise from our lived experiences. If I don’t end up being that trailblazer, I hope that someone else does not too long after I run.
Last fall, I had an an eye-opening moment as I went about doing my volunteer activities. During the third weekend of September 2023, I had two activities back-to-back, both outdoors. From morning until early afternoon, I was in my neighbourhood park helping with an annual gathering that includes serving lunch, having activities for kids and families to enjoy, and for residents to apply for their membership with our organization. Shortly after, I went to an Philippine arts event at an outdoor park in downtown Edmonton.
When the day began, I checked the air quality index and it is a 4. Not yet a concern which is great. But as we approached the lunch hour, my eyes started to feel irritated so I wore my glasses. It’s not the type that corrects your vision, but a cuter version of safety glasses I got a few years ago. Turns out, my eyes get irritated by the wildfire smoke, more easily that the average person.
It was 3 PM when I rushed to the arts event, where I kept my glasses but didn’t wear an N95 mask. That was my mistake. Although I must say that communicating and connecting with my fellow writers in our booth was so much more efficient without the mask. Also, since we were outdoors, I figured the COVID risk would be minimal.
Unfortunately on my bus ride home, as I sat on my seat resting my legs from walking and standing all day, that’s where it hit me. When taking transit I still wear a mask because I definitely don’t want to catch any of the respiratory viruses spreading around. As I sat patiently waiting for the bus to reach the west side of the city, I checked the air quality index app again. It went up to 8 – high risk! No wonder my eyes were irritated for the afternoon. As soon as I arrived home, I plopped on the couch while struggling to answer my husband’s question about what we plan to have for dinner. After dinner, my chest started to hurt, and I have to make an effort to breath in for the rest of the night.
I had plans to attend other neighbourhood events the next day, but when I looked out the window and saw the familiar orange haze in the sky I knew it’s a bust. The air quality index app showed a rating of 8 in the morning which went up to 10+ in the afternoon. I have to stay in.
This is just frustrating. I very much hate the fact that my own body seems to now get in the way of my volunteer activities. I also know that since COVID precautions are virtually nonexistent in public spaces, the burden on individuals to protect themselves is just more significant. The worst part is, event individual precautions are less effective especially if let’s say, you are one one of the 100+ people in an indoor hall during a community engagement event. While on one hand, I know that my assistance and contributions will be very helpful during the said event or activity, none of the organizers, fellow volunteers, or attendees would step in to help me if I get permanent harm from attending.
Perhaps that is part of the reason why that even more so the past few months, I make sure that majority of my volunteer activities can be done from home. Writing two informative articles for the monthly ethnic paper for the Filipino community in Edmonton continue to be rewarding. Over winter and until now, I started to do volunteer sewing tasks, upcycling old merchandise from my husband’s running group and turning them into personalized outfits. The documentary and book projects are also tasks that hopefully will make a positive impact in the future and can be done without risk of being exposed to smoke, fumes, viruses, hostile weather or all of the above.
There’s really no solid takeaway message I can pin down. During my election campaign a few years ago, I made decisions that I know prioritize my wellbeing and my life over potentially winning over votes. “My goal is to come home alive” and “if I’m sick, severely injured, or dead, then I won’t be able to help” are my personal constant reminders when I feel guilty about missing community events or volunteering opportunities.
In the new year, I tried to nudge more of my free time towards improving my personal health. Weekends offer what seems to be an unlimited opportunities to get involved and volunteer, whether it is events, workshops, rallies, and more. However, given that my husband goes out for a run with his running group in the afternoons (in the winter), I discovered that it is best to try a fitness related activity that I can try to stick to on a weekly basis. So for that past three months, that has been swimming for about 45 minutes at the local YMCA.
This weekly swim routine has paid off really well in just a few weeks. It’s hugely help reduce my shoulder, neck, and back pain from doing office work full time. Swimming laps and treading water is definitely good cardio without aggressively hurting my joints. And slowly, as I gain confidence in learning how to tread in deep water, I also manage my fear while celebrating my incremental improvements.
This tradeoff has been worth it for now. My community service time and activities are sprinkled over week nights, lunch breaks and weekends, so I figured carving out a premium time for my self is the right call for now. I do dread the upcoming summer though with the greater likelihood of forest fires and smoke risk. Maybe volunteering for public and indoor activities is the approach moving forward.
FilipinaYEG 