All Stories About Working in Edmonton

  • A Chocolate Boutique - Kerstin Roos Story has video
    Nobody else is really doing what I’m doing here. It was funny when I set up my suppliers for the store, because nobody from Alberta had ever ordered these chocolates. Some of the bars are exclusive to us.
  • A City of Promise - David Aplin
    My love affair with Edmonton started back in 1974 when my young family and I moved from Ontario. The company I’d come to work for closed shortly after our move, and we were left with three little kids and an uncertain future. But we loved the city—so we tried to find a way to stay.
  • A Core Crew Story - The Core Crew User submitted story
    Once upon a time there was a group of five summer students all dressed in red.
  • A Love Of Place - Paul Morgan Donald Story has video
    I moved here without any plans and I found a really exciting theatre community that I could be a part of. When I was younger I thought I might move on eventually, but you develop roots. And just a love of place.
  • A Mission of Diversity - Margaret-Ann Armour
    I applied to various universities throughout Canada and heard back from the University of Alberta. They sent me a reply along with a pre-paid cable for my response. I accepted, and it was an incredible decision.
  • A Peregrine Mission - Gordon Court Story has video
    On August 26, 2010, Edmonton Fire Rescue’s Technical Rescue Team rappelled down the High Level Bridge to install housing nests for a pair of nesting peregrine falcons.
  • A Real Sense of Community - Sam Vaitheeswaran
    I traveled many parts of the world during my career as a welder and pipefitter before coming to Edmonton in 2008. And now I’m happy to call this place home.
  • All the Stories Stay Together - Lisa Thang Story has audio
    One of Lisa's favourite memories involves chopstick day, and she was really excited to find out that it still existed when she returned to Kildare to teach.
  • An Edmonton Theatrician - Ken Brown
    Edmonton is a great town in which to produce theatre, and it’s a mysteriously active and supportive theatre community. Nationally recognized writers have come from here, and Edmonton has had a profound effect on English-Canadian theatre. It’s interesting that this prairie city produces a lot of theatre.
  • Art Walk - Kim Fjorbotten Story has video
    The Art Walk is an event where over 300 artists paint and draw on Whyte Avenue for 3 days.
  • Azimuth - Murray Utas Story has video
    He had to go through certain workshops in case a young person was to disclose anything to him. He doubted that that would happen. After his first show, a young girl, 13, approached him. He was shocked.
  • Blue Sky - Dave Mowat Story has video
    Edmonton’s compact business community gives Dave the chance to regularly share ideas with talented businesspeople, and he sees Edmonton as becoming a more and more interesting place in the future.
  • Celebrating Success - Amarjeet Sohi Story has video
    Watch a video shot at City Hall during the International Day of Sharing Stories in 2009. Councillor Sohi was there to represent City Council, of course, but more importantly, to learn more about new Edmontonians and celebrate their successes.
  • Circus City - Annie Dugan
    It’s a lot of work, but I can’t stop doing it. I love it too much. We’re the only company that offers the classes and then works with our students to create theatre together.
  • Come Give Us a Try - Joanne Beaton Story has video
    Joanne Beaton loves doing business in Edmonton.
  • Converting a Calgarian - Ryan Jespersen User submitted story
    The number 99 haunted me growing up. Unlike most present-day Edmontonians, I grew up wearing red and yellow hockey sweaters - not orange and blue. Wayne Gretzky didn't make my childhood hockey dreams come true...he killed them. To this day, it frustrates me to no end, knowing there's no rebuttal for "Five Cups."
  • Creative Writing - Marty Chan Story has video
    At the time I was trying to break in as a writer, I was fortunate enough to get into the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival. I decided to put on my own play.
  • Darling Alexis - Aaron Langvand Story has video User submitted story
    Encountering the Old Strathcona Foundation's enthusiasm for the idea and Jill Wright's acceptance to be a part of the production goaded me into writing the script—lightning fast –and DARLING ALEXIS was ushered into the world.
  • Dinosaurs! - Aaron Krywiak & Ryley Paul Story has video
    Wait...is that a dinosaur tooth?!
  • Dogs with Wings - Michael Fisher User submitted story
    Giving up a puppy to go on as a service dog, you know that it is coming, and that is what they are raised for and it is sad, but at least you know theyre going on to fulfill their purpose in life…that makes it feel a little better.
  • Don't Diss Edmonton - Ava Karvonen
    Edmonton surprises people. Look at our TV industry. We have a really strong independent film community here. And we’ve got a really strong industry community here actively engaged in the arts business.
  • Dreaming Big - Sheila O'Kelly
    Edmonton has been good to me. I never set out trying to figure out what I was going to do when I grew up and it was through volunteerism in the community that I’ve ended up traveling the world, really.
  • Establishing Roots - Alison Neuman User submitted story
    Edmonton is more than my home; it is a place that has nourished many a settler’s past and continues to provide opportunities for growth.
  • Family Business - Sonia & Ramesh Devangodi Story has video
    Sonia picked him up at the airport, and it was love at first sight. For Ramesh, who left his home country of India to come to Winnipeg and then moved to Edmonton, it was the right time to get married.
  • Five Years Ago - Rowayne Salvador User submitted story
    Late one night sometime in February 2004 my 2 siblings, my Dad and myself arrived at the Edmonton International Airport. “It's Canada at last!!!!” I said to myself with joy and some tears in my eyes.
  • Four Generation Chairs - Jim Gibbon Story has video User submitted story
    Whenever I lead tours through our brewery I am always surprised to see how interested people are in the stories behind Amber's—usually much more than they are interested in the brewing and bottling process.
  • From a Small Fish In a Big Pond… - Kari Wisniewski User submitted story
    My husband opened our small Taekwon-Do school (Tien Lung) in Edmonton back in 1992 with just 52 students.
  • From New Orleans to Edmonton - Maurice Galloway
    I came to Edmonton on June 18th, 2006. After living my whole life in New Orleans, two things brought me to Edmonton.
  • From Seaweed to Stubble - Clif Chapman User submitted story
    I worked the streets of Edmonton for 25 of my 29 year police career and was given the opportunity to try many areas of the Service.
  • Gainers Strike - Nick Puhjera User submitted story
    As a North Edmonton resident, my fondest memories of my city emerged from events that occurred on 66 Street at the Gainers meatpacking plant.
  • Gauging Edmonton: A Mayor's Take - Stephen Mandel
    We’re elated that people have chosen this city, and we have to make sure they have good opportunity here. It’s hard to believe when you think about what someone has to sacrifice to move to a new country.
  • Happy to be an Edmontonian - Dr. Gary Lopaschuk
    I moved to Edmonton with a five year plan--I expected to move away in five years. Twenty-six years later, I'm still here and happy to be an Edmontonian.
  • Health Care + Creativity Makes Perfect - Raina Capito
    I really like the challenge and creativity of it, and working with people. I always knew I wanted to work with people, but I wasn’t sure how.
  • Home Of Strange Records - Aaron Levin
    Folkways was this label from New York City by Moses Asch. It was a very forward-thinking, independent label. Moses wanted to capture sounds that would’ve otherwise been lost because they weren’t commercially viable.
  • I Ceased To Be Who I Was - Philip Currie
    I loved dinosaurs from the time I was 6 years old. Then at 10, I read this book about the science of it. What it’s like to be a palaeontologist. I decided then and there that’s what I was going to be when I grew up.
  • I See the Stars - Sue Robins User submitted story
    Cities have personalities too. If Edmonton was a woman, she’d be like the serious one in the cubicle down the hall who lets loose only rarely, like during the Christmas party or in the beer tent at the folk fest.
  • I Was This Close to Going Back - Carlos Lopez Story has video Story has audio
    I was one lucky guy. They called and said I’d gotten the job, and that I could start the next day if I wanted to.
  • Immense Mode - Brian McArthur
    Yeah, there’re a lot of bricks involved. They came to us wet in Red Deer. On 16 pallets. And each pallet weighed about 2 tons. We had to store them inside so they didn’t freeze.
  • It Sure Beats Sitting at the Laptop - Michael Burns
    They showed me this tooth – probably the biggest one I’ve seen to come out of Edmonton ever – and that was fairly exciting. Then, when they sent me down into the tunnel, there was a huge femur still sticking out of the wall, which was even more exciting.
  • It's All About Work-Life Balance - Peter Chapman User submitted story
    Stopping really is the best thing I could ever have done.
  • Jewel In The River Valley - Tom Puhjera User submitted story
    My proudest moment was when the staff learned from our former General Manager that Queen Elizabeth II would be staying with us.
  • Johnny Rains - John Ullyatt Story has video
    Edmonton allowed me to do all kinds of crazy things like being a dung beetle and hanging off the side of the National Bank Building downtown. And then I had this idea of turning myself into The Human Fountain.
  • Landing The Job That Leads to Love - Debbie Ward User submitted story
    My first career was in tourism and travel.
  • Last Wave to a Princess - Clif Chapman User submitted story
    Precision! Precision was a norm when planning for a royal escort. It was 1967, the early days of my tour in the Traffic Division of the Edmonton Police Service. I was enjoying myself astride a big honking Harley.
  • Lights, Camera, Action! - Anaid Productions Story has video
    Edmonton has a talented and supportive production community with a multitude of opportunities for those just starting out, as well as experienced filmmakers.
  • Living My Dreams - Jacob Jerson T. Jala User submitted story
    The excitement of coming here was tremendous, but the sadness of leaving my country, my home and especially my family filled my heart until I set foot in this city.
  • Location: Collection Agency - Trevor Anderson
    I think I creeped out the poor young woman on the line. Finally I just said, “Let me talk to your supervisor!” and the woman put her supervisor on the phone.
  • Metal Detecting & Bagpiping - Megan Hunka User submitted story
    Last summer I was a green shack leader, a job aptly named after the wobbly, green-coloured sheds that house craft and sports supplies in certain playgrounds throughout Edmonton.
  • Most Rewarding Job - Carmit Harari
    I said initially that it doesn’t really matter where I land. I just need to find the right job. But flying into Edmonton and seeing the scenery here, I thought, “You know if I end up here...holy cow is it gorgeous.”
  • Ms. Edmonton 2005 - Leila Houle
    I'd never jigged before, and I don't think Mayor Mandel had ever jigged before, and here we are, jigging across the stage. It was quite an experience. And it was totally unplanned.
  • Night at the Museum - Midge Landals
    When I plan conferences, I’m always looking for ways to entertain the vets in their off time. They spend so much time in meetings, and it’s nice to do something just a little different in the evenings.
  • Northern Lights - Ian Mann
    I’m a big believer in the idea that science should be something that’s understandable to the average person. I hope to impact Edmontonians with the research that’s being done in space science in this city.
  • Opera Boot Camp - Kim Mattice-Wanat Story has video
    I’ve always been an educator. If you want it, you can make it happen. Same thing, 11 years ago, when I had the idea to start Opera NUOVA, which came from a collection of things happening around the same time.
  • Opportunities - Cinnamin Landhaüsser
    People come to us when their kids swallow quarters.
  • Opportunity in Edmonton - Bob Story has video
    Bob, an engineer originally from the UK, moved to Edmonton to start a new position with Stantec – and he loved it here. Moving to Edmonton meant he could afford a home twice the size of one he would have in the UK and gave him access to over 84 golf courses within an hour’s drive – a golfer’s dream.
  • Optical Illusion - Brittany Reinbold
    The man who does all the production at the club gave me a disco ball. Actually, he gave me like 5 disco balls. I asked to borrow one for my new flyer, and he’s like keep them.
  • Oscar the Clinic Cat - Jag Tuli
    When we just opened the clinic, this girl brought in a kitten with a broken hip. She had no money, so she signed the euthanasia form and then we talked about it.
  • Pelón - Jorge Torres
    His nickname is Pelón, which means bald in Spanish. We call him that because he has a shaved head.
  • Setting Down Roots - Keith Blackie
    Years ago, my wife and I honeymooned in Canada. We took a bus tour across the entire, sprawling country, from East to West. We decided there and then that when our kids were school-aged, we’d leave the UK and settle in Canada.
  • Single Best Find/Mistake - Tony Vesseur
    I’ve got a lot of really good customers who are really devoted to the store. Who really support the store. The guy who bought the lamp comes up from Calgary to shop here all the time.
  • Sustainable Edmonton - Cliff Higuchi
    I had a few ideas about how the level of service for the Shaw Conference Centre’s clients could be improved. I shared my thoughts with the Centre’s management one day and the next thing I knew, I was hired. That was 24 years ago. Find out how Cliff is making the Shaw Conference Centre more sustainable!
  • Taking It To The Citizens - Lena Fernandes User submitted story
    Who would have thought that someone born in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania, raised in Nairobi, Kenya, with Goan, Indian heritage would be such a diehard Edmontonian?
  • The Accidental Company - Stephen Moen Story has video
    Interestingly, the minute we arrived they all moved to Vancouver and the pressure was on for us to also move. But we liked it here, we were doing well, and we had started our company.
  • The Aprikat Beer Story - Neil & Lavonne Herbst Story has video
    The first apricot beer we tried was Pyramid Breweries’ Apricot Ale. It was a hot summer day and we were at a pub somewhere in Montana. We remember thinking, “Wow, we’ve got to try something like this ourselves.”
  • The Best Thing I Could Have Ever Done - Lance Cazon User submitted story
    Moving to Edmonton has been one of the best things I could have ever done. With all its diversity and opportunities, I am proud to call Edmonton home.
  • The Choice Was Clear - Michael King User submitted story
    My first impression came from the people in Edmonton. There are people here from every country in the world who’ve come to better themselves and you don’t feel like an outsider because the city is made up of such a diverse population.
  • The Most Unexpected Place - Sherryl Sewepagaham
    One of my students asked me if we could sing it. We were on a field trip, riding on the bus. I said I didn’t think we were ready. It took me a long time to learn the song. Listening, listening. It’s a very long and complex song.
  • The Old Timers Take It! - Kim Scheie User submitted story
    Did you know we also pioneered the first cellular network? Eat that cow town!
  • The Ping Pong Table - Tom Dodd & Blaine Bertsch
    A ping pong phenomenon is sweeping through Edmonton’s Advanced Technology Centre’s start-up community. Blaine and Tom, the guys behind Fission Media, explain.
  • The Right Fit for my Family - Daryl Silzer
    I am a real family guy, so when we were considering a move to Edmonton three years ago, things like family-friendly activities, a sense of community, and a bright future were high on our priority list.
  • The Snow Leopards - Clif Chapman User submitted story
    Our two idiots were still racing flat-out back and forth. Every once in a while I had to freeze, crouch down and stay in my track as they zoomed by.
  • Time For a Change - Jenn Dahlen
    I promised myself that I wouldn’t work in food service for the rest of my life.
  • Traces: LA, Honolulu & Edmonton - Heather Zwicker
    The truth is the idea for teaching the Edmonton course was seeded in something I did a few years ago.
  • Transforming Health Care - Jim Swaffield
    Alberta was in a transition time, and still is in terms of health care in my opinion. I think we’re leaders at looking at different models and different ways of doing things.
  • Who Was That? - Clif Chapman User submitted story
    I was working as a patrol sergeant in downtown Edmonton. Traffic was fairly heavy as I stopped southbound on 100 Street at Jasper Avenue, facing the majestic old MacDonald Hotel. I was scanning the faces and traffic when the lead car in a funeral procession caught my eye.
  • Why I Chose Edmonton - Ada Tai User submitted story
    I came to Edmonton as an international student and was always asked the same question, Why did you choose to come to Edmonton?
  • Why I Started the Running Room - John Stanton
    I was this portly 238-pounder, a smoker. Like so many people I threw my energy into my family, work, and community endeavours, and I neglected my own wellness.
  • Why You Get Into Medicine - Cam Barr
    That’s really why everybody gets into medicine, or at least that’s why everybody says they get into medicine.
  • You Have To Explore - Gabor Gyenes Story has video
    When I was offered a job at the University of Alberta Hospital I had no idea what to think of Edmonton. I just looked at the map and I saw where it was.
  • Dinosaurs! - Aaron Krywiak & Ryley Paul Story has video
    Wait...is that a dinosaur tooth?!
  • Darling Alexis - Aaron Langvand Story has video User submitted story
    Encountering the Old Strathcona Foundation's enthusiasm for the idea and Jill Wright's acceptance to be a part of the production goaded me into writing the script—lightning fast –and DARLING ALEXIS was ushered into the world.
  • Home Of Strange Records - Aaron Levin
    Folkways was this label from New York City by Moses Asch. It was a very forward-thinking, independent label. Moses wanted to capture sounds that would’ve otherwise been lost because they weren’t commercially viable.
  • Why I Chose Edmonton - Ada Tai User submitted story
    I came to Edmonton as an international student and was always asked the same question, Why did you choose to come to Edmonton?
  • Establishing Roots - Alison Neuman User submitted story
    Edmonton is more than my home; it is a place that has nourished many a settler’s past and continues to provide opportunities for growth.
  • Celebrating Success - Amarjeet Sohi Story has video
    Watch a video shot at City Hall during the International Day of Sharing Stories in 2009. Councillor Sohi was there to represent City Council, of course, but more importantly, to learn more about new Edmontonians and celebrate their successes.
  • Lights, Camera, Action! - Anaid Productions Story has video
    Edmonton has a talented and supportive production community with a multitude of opportunities for those just starting out, as well as experienced filmmakers.
  • Circus City - Annie Dugan
    It’s a lot of work, but I can’t stop doing it. I love it too much. We’re the only company that offers the classes and then works with our students to create theatre together.
  • Don't Diss Edmonton - Ava Karvonen
    Edmonton surprises people. Look at our TV industry. We have a really strong independent film community here. And we’ve got a really strong industry community here actively engaged in the arts business.
  • Opportunity in Edmonton - Bob Story has video
    Bob, an engineer originally from the UK, moved to Edmonton to start a new position with Stantec – and he loved it here. Moving to Edmonton meant he could afford a home twice the size of one he would have in the UK and gave him access to over 84 golf courses within an hour’s drive – a golfer’s dream.
  • Immense Mode - Brian McArthur
    Yeah, there’re a lot of bricks involved. They came to us wet in Red Deer. On 16 pallets. And each pallet weighed about 2 tons. We had to store them inside so they didn’t freeze.
  • Optical Illusion - Brittany Reinbold
    The man who does all the production at the club gave me a disco ball. Actually, he gave me like 5 disco balls. I asked to borrow one for my new flyer, and he’s like keep them.
  • Why You Get Into Medicine - Cam Barr
    That’s really why everybody gets into medicine, or at least that’s why everybody says they get into medicine.
  • I Was This Close to Going Back - Carlos Lopez Story has video Story has audio
    I was one lucky guy. They called and said I’d gotten the job, and that I could start the next day if I wanted to.
  • Most Rewarding Job - Carmit Harari
    I said initially that it doesn’t really matter where I land. I just need to find the right job. But flying into Edmonton and seeing the scenery here, I thought, “You know if I end up here...holy cow is it gorgeous.”
  • Opportunities - Cinnamin Landhaüsser
    People come to us when their kids swallow quarters.
  • The Snow Leopards - Clif Chapman User submitted story
    Our two idiots were still racing flat-out back and forth. Every once in a while I had to freeze, crouch down and stay in my track as they zoomed by.
  • From Seaweed to Stubble - Clif Chapman User submitted story
    I worked the streets of Edmonton for 25 of my 29 year police career and was given the opportunity to try many areas of the Service.
  • Last Wave to a Princess - Clif Chapman User submitted story
    Precision! Precision was a norm when planning for a royal escort. It was 1967, the early days of my tour in the Traffic Division of the Edmonton Police Service. I was enjoying myself astride a big honking Harley.
  • Who Was That? - Clif Chapman User submitted story
    I was working as a patrol sergeant in downtown Edmonton. Traffic was fairly heavy as I stopped southbound on 100 Street at Jasper Avenue, facing the majestic old MacDonald Hotel. I was scanning the faces and traffic when the lead car in a funeral procession caught my eye.
  • Sustainable Edmonton - Cliff Higuchi
    I had a few ideas about how the level of service for the Shaw Conference Centre’s clients could be improved. I shared my thoughts with the Centre’s management one day and the next thing I knew, I was hired. That was 24 years ago. Find out how Cliff is making the Shaw Conference Centre more sustainable!
  • The Right Fit for my Family - Daryl Silzer
    I am a real family guy, so when we were considering a move to Edmonton three years ago, things like family-friendly activities, a sense of community, and a bright future were high on our priority list.
  • Blue Sky - Dave Mowat Story has video
    Edmonton’s compact business community gives Dave the chance to regularly share ideas with talented businesspeople, and he sees Edmonton as becoming a more and more interesting place in the future.
  • A City of Promise - David Aplin
    My love affair with Edmonton started back in 1974 when my young family and I moved from Ontario. The company I’d come to work for closed shortly after our move, and we were left with three little kids and an uncertain future. But we loved the city—so we tried to find a way to stay.
  • Landing The Job That Leads to Love - Debbie Ward User submitted story
    My first career was in tourism and travel.
  • Happy to be an Edmontonian - Dr. Gary Lopaschuk
    I moved to Edmonton with a five year plan--I expected to move away in five years. Twenty-six years later, I'm still here and happy to be an Edmontonian.
  • You Have To Explore - Gabor Gyenes Story has video
    When I was offered a job at the University of Alberta Hospital I had no idea what to think of Edmonton. I just looked at the map and I saw where it was.
  • A Peregrine Mission - Gordon Court Story has video
    On August 26, 2010, Edmonton Fire Rescue’s Technical Rescue Team rappelled down the High Level Bridge to install housing nests for a pair of nesting peregrine falcons.
  • Traces: LA, Honolulu & Edmonton - Heather Zwicker
    The truth is the idea for teaching the Edmonton course was seeded in something I did a few years ago.
  • Northern Lights - Ian Mann
    I’m a big believer in the idea that science should be something that’s understandable to the average person. I hope to impact Edmontonians with the research that’s being done in space science in this city.
  • Living My Dreams - Jacob Jerson T. Jala User submitted story
    The excitement of coming here was tremendous, but the sadness of leaving my country, my home and especially my family filled my heart until I set foot in this city.
  • Oscar the Clinic Cat - Jag Tuli
    When we just opened the clinic, this girl brought in a kitten with a broken hip. She had no money, so she signed the euthanasia form and then we talked about it.
  • Time For a Change - Jenn Dahlen
    I promised myself that I wouldn’t work in food service for the rest of my life.
  • Four Generation Chairs - Jim Gibbon Story has video User submitted story
    Whenever I lead tours through our brewery I am always surprised to see how interested people are in the stories behind Amber's—usually much more than they are interested in the brewing and bottling process.
  • Transforming Health Care - Jim Swaffield
    Alberta was in a transition time, and still is in terms of health care in my opinion. I think we’re leaders at looking at different models and different ways of doing things.
  • Come Give Us a Try - Joanne Beaton Story has video
    Joanne Beaton loves doing business in Edmonton.
  • Why I Started the Running Room - John Stanton
    I was this portly 238-pounder, a smoker. Like so many people I threw my energy into my family, work, and community endeavours, and I neglected my own wellness.
  • Johnny Rains - John Ullyatt Story has video
    Edmonton allowed me to do all kinds of crazy things like being a dung beetle and hanging off the side of the National Bank Building downtown. And then I had this idea of turning myself into The Human Fountain.
  • Pelón - Jorge Torres
    His nickname is Pelón, which means bald in Spanish. We call him that because he has a shaved head.
  • From a Small Fish In a Big Pond… - Kari Wisniewski User submitted story
    My husband opened our small Taekwon-Do school (Tien Lung) in Edmonton back in 1992 with just 52 students.
  • Setting Down Roots - Keith Blackie
    Years ago, my wife and I honeymooned in Canada. We took a bus tour across the entire, sprawling country, from East to West. We decided there and then that when our kids were school-aged, we’d leave the UK and settle in Canada.
  • An Edmonton Theatrician - Ken Brown
    Edmonton is a great town in which to produce theatre, and it’s a mysteriously active and supportive theatre community. Nationally recognized writers have come from here, and Edmonton has had a profound effect on English-Canadian theatre. It’s interesting that this prairie city produces a lot of theatre.
  • A Chocolate Boutique - Kerstin Roos Story has video
    Nobody else is really doing what I’m doing here. It was funny when I set up my suppliers for the store, because nobody from Alberta had ever ordered these chocolates. Some of the bars are exclusive to us.
  • Art Walk - Kim Fjorbotten Story has video
    The Art Walk is an event where over 300 artists paint and draw on Whyte Avenue for 3 days.
  • Opera Boot Camp - Kim Mattice-Wanat Story has video
    I’ve always been an educator. If you want it, you can make it happen. Same thing, 11 years ago, when I had the idea to start Opera NUOVA, which came from a collection of things happening around the same time.
  • The Old Timers Take It! - Kim Scheie User submitted story
    Did you know we also pioneered the first cellular network? Eat that cow town!
  • The Best Thing I Could Have Ever Done - Lance Cazon User submitted story
    Moving to Edmonton has been one of the best things I could have ever done. With all its diversity and opportunities, I am proud to call Edmonton home.
  • Ms. Edmonton 2005 - Leila Houle
    I'd never jigged before, and I don't think Mayor Mandel had ever jigged before, and here we are, jigging across the stage. It was quite an experience. And it was totally unplanned.
  • Taking It To The Citizens - Lena Fernandes User submitted story
    Who would have thought that someone born in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania, raised in Nairobi, Kenya, with Goan, Indian heritage would be such a diehard Edmontonian?
  • All the Stories Stay Together - Lisa Thang Story has audio
    One of Lisa's favourite memories involves chopstick day, and she was really excited to find out that it still existed when she returned to Kildare to teach.
  • A Mission of Diversity - Margaret-Ann Armour
    I applied to various universities throughout Canada and heard back from the University of Alberta. They sent me a reply along with a pre-paid cable for my response. I accepted, and it was an incredible decision.
  • Creative Writing - Marty Chan Story has video
    At the time I was trying to break in as a writer, I was fortunate enough to get into the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival. I decided to put on my own play.
  • From New Orleans to Edmonton - Maurice Galloway
    I came to Edmonton on June 18th, 2006. After living my whole life in New Orleans, two things brought me to Edmonton.
  • Metal Detecting & Bagpiping - Megan Hunka User submitted story
    Last summer I was a green shack leader, a job aptly named after the wobbly, green-coloured sheds that house craft and sports supplies in certain playgrounds throughout Edmonton.
  • It Sure Beats Sitting at the Laptop - Michael Burns
    They showed me this tooth – probably the biggest one I’ve seen to come out of Edmonton ever – and that was fairly exciting. Then, when they sent me down into the tunnel, there was a huge femur still sticking out of the wall, which was even more exciting.
  • Dogs with Wings - Michael Fisher User submitted story
    Giving up a puppy to go on as a service dog, you know that it is coming, and that is what they are raised for and it is sad, but at least you know theyre going on to fulfill their purpose in life…that makes it feel a little better.
  • The Choice Was Clear - Michael King User submitted story
    My first impression came from the people in Edmonton. There are people here from every country in the world who’ve come to better themselves and you don’t feel like an outsider because the city is made up of such a diverse population.
  • Night at the Museum - Midge Landals
    When I plan conferences, I’m always looking for ways to entertain the vets in their off time. They spend so much time in meetings, and it’s nice to do something just a little different in the evenings.
  • Azimuth - Murray Utas Story has video
    He had to go through certain workshops in case a young person was to disclose anything to him. He doubted that that would happen. After his first show, a young girl, 13, approached him. He was shocked.
  • The Aprikat Beer Story - Neil & Lavonne Herbst Story has video
    The first apricot beer we tried was Pyramid Breweries’ Apricot Ale. It was a hot summer day and we were at a pub somewhere in Montana. We remember thinking, “Wow, we’ve got to try something like this ourselves.”
  • Gainers Strike - Nick Puhjera User submitted story
    As a North Edmonton resident, my fondest memories of my city emerged from events that occurred on 66 Street at the Gainers meatpacking plant.
  • A Love Of Place - Paul Morgan Donald Story has video
    I moved here without any plans and I found a really exciting theatre community that I could be a part of. When I was younger I thought I might move on eventually, but you develop roots. And just a love of place.
  • It's All About Work-Life Balance - Peter Chapman User submitted story
    Stopping really is the best thing I could ever have done.
  • I Ceased To Be Who I Was - Philip Currie
    I loved dinosaurs from the time I was 6 years old. Then at 10, I read this book about the science of it. What it’s like to be a palaeontologist. I decided then and there that’s what I was going to be when I grew up.
  • Health Care + Creativity Makes Perfect - Raina Capito
    I really like the challenge and creativity of it, and working with people. I always knew I wanted to work with people, but I wasn’t sure how.
  • Five Years Ago - Rowayne Salvador User submitted story
    Late one night sometime in February 2004 my 2 siblings, my Dad and myself arrived at the Edmonton International Airport. “It's Canada at last!!!!” I said to myself with joy and some tears in my eyes.
  • Converting a Calgarian - Ryan Jespersen User submitted story
    The number 99 haunted me growing up. Unlike most present-day Edmontonians, I grew up wearing red and yellow hockey sweaters - not orange and blue. Wayne Gretzky didn't make my childhood hockey dreams come true...he killed them. To this day, it frustrates me to no end, knowing there's no rebuttal for "Five Cups."
  • A Real Sense of Community - Sam Vaitheeswaran
    I traveled many parts of the world during my career as a welder and pipefitter before coming to Edmonton in 2008. And now I’m happy to call this place home.
  • Dreaming Big - Sheila O'Kelly
    Edmonton has been good to me. I never set out trying to figure out what I was going to do when I grew up and it was through volunteerism in the community that I’ve ended up traveling the world, really.
  • The Most Unexpected Place - Sherryl Sewepagaham
    One of my students asked me if we could sing it. We were on a field trip, riding on the bus. I said I didn’t think we were ready. It took me a long time to learn the song. Listening, listening. It’s a very long and complex song.
  • Family Business - Sonia & Ramesh Devangodi Story has video
    Sonia picked him up at the airport, and it was love at first sight. For Ramesh, who left his home country of India to come to Winnipeg and then moved to Edmonton, it was the right time to get married.
  • Gauging Edmonton: A Mayor's Take - Stephen Mandel
    We’re elated that people have chosen this city, and we have to make sure they have good opportunity here. It’s hard to believe when you think about what someone has to sacrifice to move to a new country.
  • The Accidental Company - Stephen Moen Story has video
    Interestingly, the minute we arrived they all moved to Vancouver and the pressure was on for us to also move. But we liked it here, we were doing well, and we had started our company.
  • I See the Stars - Sue Robins User submitted story
    Cities have personalities too. If Edmonton was a woman, she’d be like the serious one in the cubicle down the hall who lets loose only rarely, like during the Christmas party or in the beer tent at the folk fest.
  • A Core Crew Story - The Core Crew User submitted story
    Once upon a time there was a group of five summer students all dressed in red.
  • The Ping Pong Table - Tom Dodd & Blaine Bertsch
    A ping pong phenomenon is sweeping through Edmonton’s Advanced Technology Centre’s start-up community. Blaine and Tom, the guys behind Fission Media, explain.
  • Jewel In The River Valley - Tom Puhjera User submitted story
    My proudest moment was when the staff learned from our former General Manager that Queen Elizabeth II would be staying with us.
  • Single Best Find/Mistake - Tony Vesseur
    I’ve got a lot of really good customers who are really devoted to the store. Who really support the store. The guy who bought the lamp comes up from Calgary to shop here all the time.
  • Location: Collection Agency - Trevor Anderson
    I think I creeped out the poor young woman on the line. Finally I just said, “Let me talk to your supervisor!” and the woman put her supervisor on the phone.
  • A Chocolate Boutique - Kerstin Roos Story has video
    Nobody else is really doing what I’m doing here. It was funny when I set up my suppliers for the store, because nobody from Alberta had ever ordered these chocolates. Some of the bars are exclusive to us.
  • A Love Of Place - Paul Morgan Donald Story has video
    I moved here without any plans and I found a really exciting theatre community that I could be a part of. When I was younger I thought I might move on eventually, but you develop roots. And just a love of place.
  • A Peregrine Mission - Gordon Court Story has video
    On August 26, 2010, Edmonton Fire Rescue’s Technical Rescue Team rappelled down the High Level Bridge to install housing nests for a pair of nesting peregrine falcons.
  • All the Stories Stay Together - Lisa Thang Story has audio
    One of Lisa's favourite memories involves chopstick day, and she was really excited to find out that it still existed when she returned to Kildare to teach.
  • Art Walk - Kim Fjorbotten Story has video
    The Art Walk is an event where over 300 artists paint and draw on Whyte Avenue for 3 days.
  • Azimuth - Murray Utas Story has video
    He had to go through certain workshops in case a young person was to disclose anything to him. He doubted that that would happen. After his first show, a young girl, 13, approached him. He was shocked.
  • Blue Sky - Dave Mowat Story has video
    Edmonton’s compact business community gives Dave the chance to regularly share ideas with talented businesspeople, and he sees Edmonton as becoming a more and more interesting place in the future.
  • Celebrating Success - Amarjeet Sohi Story has video
    Watch a video shot at City Hall during the International Day of Sharing Stories in 2009. Councillor Sohi was there to represent City Council, of course, but more importantly, to learn more about new Edmontonians and celebrate their successes.
  • Come Give Us a Try - Joanne Beaton Story has video
    Joanne Beaton loves doing business in Edmonton.
  • Creative Writing - Marty Chan Story has video
    At the time I was trying to break in as a writer, I was fortunate enough to get into the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival. I decided to put on my own play.
  • Darling Alexis - Aaron Langvand Story has video User submitted story
    Encountering the Old Strathcona Foundation's enthusiasm for the idea and Jill Wright's acceptance to be a part of the production goaded me into writing the script—lightning fast –and DARLING ALEXIS was ushered into the world.
  • Dinosaurs! - Aaron Krywiak & Ryley Paul Story has video
    Wait...is that a dinosaur tooth?!
  • Family Business - Sonia & Ramesh Devangodi Story has video
    Sonia picked him up at the airport, and it was love at first sight. For Ramesh, who left his home country of India to come to Winnipeg and then moved to Edmonton, it was the right time to get married.
  • Four Generation Chairs - Jim Gibbon Story has video User submitted story
    Whenever I lead tours through our brewery I am always surprised to see how interested people are in the stories behind Amber's—usually much more than they are interested in the brewing and bottling process.
  • I Was This Close to Going Back - Carlos Lopez Story has video Story has audio
    I was one lucky guy. They called and said I’d gotten the job, and that I could start the next day if I wanted to.
  • Johnny Rains - John Ullyatt Story has video
    Edmonton allowed me to do all kinds of crazy things like being a dung beetle and hanging off the side of the National Bank Building downtown. And then I had this idea of turning myself into The Human Fountain.
  • Lights, Camera, Action! - Anaid Productions Story has video
    Edmonton has a talented and supportive production community with a multitude of opportunities for those just starting out, as well as experienced filmmakers.
  • Opera Boot Camp - Kim Mattice-Wanat Story has video
    I’ve always been an educator. If you want it, you can make it happen. Same thing, 11 years ago, when I had the idea to start Opera NUOVA, which came from a collection of things happening around the same time.
  • Opportunity in Edmonton - Bob Story has video
    Bob, an engineer originally from the UK, moved to Edmonton to start a new position with Stantec – and he loved it here. Moving to Edmonton meant he could afford a home twice the size of one he would have in the UK and gave him access to over 84 golf courses within an hour’s drive – a golfer’s dream.
  • The Accidental Company - Stephen Moen Story has video
    Interestingly, the minute we arrived they all moved to Vancouver and the pressure was on for us to also move. But we liked it here, we were doing well, and we had started our company.
  • The Aprikat Beer Story - Neil & Lavonne Herbst Story has video
    The first apricot beer we tried was Pyramid Breweries’ Apricot Ale. It was a hot summer day and we were at a pub somewhere in Montana. We remember thinking, “Wow, we’ve got to try something like this ourselves.”
  • You Have To Explore - Gabor Gyenes Story has video
    When I was offered a job at the University of Alberta Hospital I had no idea what to think of Edmonton. I just looked at the map and I saw where it was.
  • A Core Crew Story - The Core Crew User submitted story
    Once upon a time there was a group of five summer students all dressed in red.
  • Converting a Calgarian - Ryan Jespersen User submitted story
    The number 99 haunted me growing up. Unlike most present-day Edmontonians, I grew up wearing red and yellow hockey sweaters - not orange and blue. Wayne Gretzky didn't make my childhood hockey dreams come true...he killed them. To this day, it frustrates me to no end, knowing there's no rebuttal for "Five Cups."
  • Darling Alexis - Aaron Langvand Story has video User submitted story
    Encountering the Old Strathcona Foundation's enthusiasm for the idea and Jill Wright's acceptance to be a part of the production goaded me into writing the script—lightning fast –and DARLING ALEXIS was ushered into the world.
  • Dogs with Wings - Michael Fisher User submitted story
    Giving up a puppy to go on as a service dog, you know that it is coming, and that is what they are raised for and it is sad, but at least you know theyre going on to fulfill their purpose in life…that makes it feel a little better.
  • Establishing Roots - Alison Neuman User submitted story
    Edmonton is more than my home; it is a place that has nourished many a settler’s past and continues to provide opportunities for growth.
  • Five Years Ago - Rowayne Salvador User submitted story
    Late one night sometime in February 2004 my 2 siblings, my Dad and myself arrived at the Edmonton International Airport. “It's Canada at last!!!!” I said to myself with joy and some tears in my eyes.
  • Four Generation Chairs - Jim Gibbon Story has video User submitted story
    Whenever I lead tours through our brewery I am always surprised to see how interested people are in the stories behind Amber's—usually much more than they are interested in the brewing and bottling process.
  • From a Small Fish In a Big Pond… - Kari Wisniewski User submitted story
    My husband opened our small Taekwon-Do school (Tien Lung) in Edmonton back in 1992 with just 52 students.
  • From Seaweed to Stubble - Clif Chapman User submitted story
    I worked the streets of Edmonton for 25 of my 29 year police career and was given the opportunity to try many areas of the Service.
  • Gainers Strike - Nick Puhjera User submitted story
    As a North Edmonton resident, my fondest memories of my city emerged from events that occurred on 66 Street at the Gainers meatpacking plant.
  • I See the Stars - Sue Robins User submitted story
    Cities have personalities too. If Edmonton was a woman, she’d be like the serious one in the cubicle down the hall who lets loose only rarely, like during the Christmas party or in the beer tent at the folk fest.
  • It's All About Work-Life Balance - Peter Chapman User submitted story
    Stopping really is the best thing I could ever have done.
  • Jewel In The River Valley - Tom Puhjera User submitted story
    My proudest moment was when the staff learned from our former General Manager that Queen Elizabeth II would be staying with us.
  • Landing The Job That Leads to Love - Debbie Ward User submitted story
    My first career was in tourism and travel.
  • Last Wave to a Princess - Clif Chapman User submitted story
    Precision! Precision was a norm when planning for a royal escort. It was 1967, the early days of my tour in the Traffic Division of the Edmonton Police Service. I was enjoying myself astride a big honking Harley.
  • Living My Dreams - Jacob Jerson T. Jala User submitted story
    The excitement of coming here was tremendous, but the sadness of leaving my country, my home and especially my family filled my heart until I set foot in this city.
  • Metal Detecting & Bagpiping - Megan Hunka User submitted story
    Last summer I was a green shack leader, a job aptly named after the wobbly, green-coloured sheds that house craft and sports supplies in certain playgrounds throughout Edmonton.
  • Taking It To The Citizens - Lena Fernandes User submitted story
    Who would have thought that someone born in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania, raised in Nairobi, Kenya, with Goan, Indian heritage would be such a diehard Edmontonian?
  • The Best Thing I Could Have Ever Done - Lance Cazon User submitted story
    Moving to Edmonton has been one of the best things I could have ever done. With all its diversity and opportunities, I am proud to call Edmonton home.
  • The Choice Was Clear - Michael King User submitted story
    My first impression came from the people in Edmonton. There are people here from every country in the world who’ve come to better themselves and you don’t feel like an outsider because the city is made up of such a diverse population.
  • The Old Timers Take It! - Kim Scheie User submitted story
    Did you know we also pioneered the first cellular network? Eat that cow town!
  • The Snow Leopards - Clif Chapman User submitted story
    Our two idiots were still racing flat-out back and forth. Every once in a while I had to freeze, crouch down and stay in my track as they zoomed by.
  • Who Was That? - Clif Chapman User submitted story
    I was working as a patrol sergeant in downtown Edmonton. Traffic was fairly heavy as I stopped southbound on 100 Street at Jasper Avenue, facing the majestic old MacDonald Hotel. I was scanning the faces and traffic when the lead car in a funeral procession caught my eye.
  • Why I Chose Edmonton - Ada Tai User submitted story
    I came to Edmonton as an international student and was always asked the same question, Why did you choose to come to Edmonton?

Brought to you by the City of Edmonton & Edmonton Economic Development Corporation