Manager s Message: Ross Watson Guests and Their Children

Transcription

1 T he has now been open for 33 years and some guests that first came to the as children now have their own children that they are bringing to the. Bear #47 was initially collared as part of the Eastern Slopes Grizzly Bear study, and although she s now relatively elusive, she still has a home range around the s, Mt. Indefatigable, and north through the Valley to the Galatea area. All collared bears in the Park have an identification number. Bear #47 is the mother of Bear #94. Bear #47 brought her new cub, bear #94, to the eleven years ago. Bear #94 is now 11 years old. The William Watson is definitely part of bear #47 s home range, and her cub, bear #94, would have been exposed to the William Watson as she was growing up. She has adopted a good part of her mother s home range as her own range. Bear #94 was first collared as a two-year old, and has been recollared a few times since then. She showed up this year (2012) with her three new cubs. The biggest draws to the facility zone for female grizzly bears are the incredible food sources, but perhaps more importantly, the relative security these humandominated areas provide from large male grizzly bears, which will kill cubs regardless of their paternity. Although we see the facility areas as phenomenal habitat because of the berry production generated through clearing areas, to a grizzly bear, these are suboptimal habitats because of the stress from the presence of humans. Perhaps the females have learned that the human stress is worth it if they can keep their cubs from being killed by male bears. The big male bears can essentially go anywhere and will choose areas less frequented by humans, which is why we don t see them around the facility zone, except during breeding season (because that s where the girls are). Like all guests, these bears with cubs have always respected the lodge and their fellow campers, and the human guests have always given them their space and respected them in return. Manager s Message: Ross Watson Guests and Their Children #V Upper Upper Lower Lower Fortress Fortress Service Service Centre Centre Mt Engadine Mt Engadine William William Watson Watson «40 «40 Spray s Road NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2013 ISSUE WW Newsletter.indd :41 AM

2 WILLIAM WATSON LODGE SOCIETY NEWSLETTER Society Mandate To enhance the experience and promote accessibility of the William Watson and outdoor environments for the benefit and enjoyment of persons with disabilities and senior citizens of Alberta. Annual Meeting William Watson Society At William Watson Saturday, June 22, :30 PM Please Join Us The WW Society welcomes your comments and active participation which help to achieve the objectives of William Watson. Volunteers Camp Hosts During the camping season you may wish to volunteer as a camp host for two weeks. The WWL front desk will provide the duties of a host upon arrival. There are 13 fully serviced sites; one is set aside for the host. Ross Watson, Manager, selects hosts Gifts Your membership and donations as well as bequests or legacies are gratefully received and appreciated. Gifts may be made at the or through our contact addresses below. Contact Us William Watson Society Box Chinook Postal Outlet 6455 MacLeod Trail SE Calgary, AB T2H 2W1 -wwlodgesociety@shaw.ca For More Information William Watson 1(403) Brochure Peter Lougheed Visitor Information Centre (Toll free) then (403) Park Website Accommodation Reservations Cabins RV Site Main Day Use Call (Rite) toll free , then WW Newsletter.indd :41 AM

3 The Best Part of Our Life in Alberta Twenty-three years ago my husband and I made the life-altering decision to leave behind all our family and friends so that we could move to Calgary from Montreal. Our son PJ, who was born with cerebral palsy, was 3 years old at the time and services in Quebec for someone with such involved needs as his were sorely lacking at the time. Our research told us Alberta was the place to be, so we packed it all up and headed down the 401. Truly we have never once looked back. That was due in the largest part to our discovering William Watson. Beginning in 1990, we started coming to the lodge every Thanksgiving and May long weekends with another family with a special needs child we met through a support group. Those weekends quickly became the highlights of our falls and springs, a time for some pure, uninterrupted quality family time free from phones and internet in one of the most beautiful natural landscapes on the face of the Earth. Being able to access the lake and walking trails was huge. Having a totally wheelchair-accessible living unit was even more significant. But I think the best part of all was the feeling that this was a place just for us, where no one stares, and everyone understands exactly what we need and is willing and able to provide it. Those weekends comprise my fondest memories of raising my three children. They lasted 18 years, right until my son s passing in And in the course of turkey roasts and barbeques, charade nights and shows at the, the family we always went with grew to be our very best friends, and our family of the heart. We continue to meet regularly at our beloved Willy Wats, eating a picnic lunch on the deck of the, laying flowers on my son s memorial bench and listening to hear his voice in the whisper of the lodge pole pine. Joanne Cosentino Peter Lougheed The William Watson was opened in September 1981 by Premier Peter Lougheed and his wife Jeanne. Jeanne is credited with the idea of creating such a facility for disabled Albertans and their families. On behalf of all members of the Society we extend condolences and our fondest respect to Jeanne and her family on the passing of Peter Lougheed, Premier of Alberta from 1971 to Did You Know The United Nations declared December 3rd as International Day of Persons With Disabilities. Worldwide, more than a billion people live with some form of disability. The UN has promoted an International Day on behalf of the disabled since As the UN marked the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, Secretary-General Ban stressed the need for equal access to services and opportunities for the disabled WW Newsletter.indd :41 AM

4 JANUARY 2013 ISSUE 19 President Casino Vice President Newsletter Treasurer Casino/Grants Secretary Newsletter Membership Newsletter/ Web Site Northern Alberta Liaison WW Society Board of s s - Two Postion Available Wayne Pelletier Terry Garvin Farhood Rahnama Carol Page Donna Fox Enid Pettifer Ross Wein Peter Cosentino Technical Resources William Watson Manager WW Staff Resource Associate WW Staff Resource Associate Ross Watson Gwen Ross-Cieslak Patti Johnston Push To Open Push to Open is an event held every year at William Watson and the Park area as part of Alberta s Plan for Parks to remove barriers and create opportunities for people with disabilities. The date is tentatively set for mid August. Call to confirm. Open House at William Watson Country June 8, 2013 Bring the Whole Family Come view the lodge, cabin and camp sites Enjoy fun activites Sit around a campfire Go hiking Food, drinks and snacks provided Facility is senior and wheel chair friendly Financial Statements William Watson Society Balance Sheet ASSETS As of 21/11/2012 Cash and Bank Accounts: Bank Operating Account 44, Casino Account 16, ING Saving Account 97, TOTAL Cash and Saving 158, Other Assets Account Receivable 5.00 GST Receivable Interest Receivable 0.00 Prepaid Expenses TOTAL Other Assets TOTAL ASSETS 159, LIABILITIES AND EQUITY LIABILITIES Other Liabilities Account Payable 0.00 Deferred Revenue 34, Recycle Program TOTAL Other Liabilities 34, TOTAL LIABILITIES 34, EQUITY 124, TOTAL Liabilities & Equity 159, Equity 165, TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY 165, Opportunity Grants The William Watson Society, with their many supporters, wish to help where we can. We have ideas about what we could propose and what we could do to enhance our ability to help. If you would like to join the Board of s to lead us in our endeavor to acquire financial and in-kind support please contact us at -wwlodgesociety@shaw.ca A Special Thank You to Our Donors Many people and organizations support the work of the William Watson Society with financial gifts, membership fees, voluntary service and in-kind material and supplies. In 2012, thanks to the Alberta Government Community Spirit Program grant, 12 units at the were equipped with ceiling railings to assist the mobility of persons with severe disabilities. Also, WISPA lifts were purchased with this grant WW Newsletter.indd :41 AM

5 Interpretation Canada presented Alberta Parks and William Watson Society the bronze award in the Non-Personalized Interpretation category in the spring of 2012 for the Lower Interpretive Trail. Many individuals came together to work on this project, and without funding from the Society it certainly would not have been possible. Award Winning Interpretive Trail In the summer/fall of 2008, the William Watson Society had 0.5 km of trail constructed to connect the Lower Trail with the White Spruce Trail in the vicinity of the. In the spring of 2009, the William Watson Society approached Alberta Parks with their vision for an interpretive trail. Work began that summer with Claudette Landry, Interpretive Supervisor in Peter Lougheed Park, and writer Rachelle Delaney developing the theme and text for five interpretive signs. Several meetings were held between Claudette, Ross Watson and Gwen Ross-Cieslak with Parks and Terry Garvin and Jon Solberg from the Society to facilitate and provide direction to the project. Several businesses were contracted by the Society in this endeavour as well: Studio West for bronze casts, M2 Designs for artwork and layout, Boland Taxidermy for paw/ hoof casts, Outdoor Museums for production and installation of panels, and Skylight Pictures for MP3 players and the recorded narrative for the audio portion of the project. This was a great team effort and now this legacy that was completed in June of 2010 can be enjoyed by future visitors to William Watson and Peter Lougheed Park for many years to come. Claudette Landry, Interpretive Supervisor in Peter Lougheed Park Did You Know? The William Watson Society Board is proposing wheel chair accessible improvement to the foot trail that extends this trail 2.5 kms along the Lower to the Canyon campgrounds, connecting to the Braille Trail. This will complete a wheel chair accessible five km circuit WW Newsletter.indd :41 AM

6 Appreciation The M n M Senior Outdoor Club has utilized the William Watson common area for decades. It is an important factor contributing to the success of our winter activities. To have a roomy warm area to congregate in during cold winter days in between our skiing and snowshoe activities is a godsend. Also important to us is its central location for the wide variety of trails around the site. We would be hard pressed to find an alternative and doubt we would be able to find anything as comparable. It is also the site for our annual barbecue. We find the utilities superb, and the open deck with its views are conducive to our congenial gathering. We sincerely hope to keep our relationship with the for many years to come and a sincere and heartfelt thank you to the staff. Mel Andersen, President, M n M Senior Outdoor Club Growing Accessibility Capacity in Alberta Like all board members, our family has enjoyed visits to William Watson. Son, Danny, is recovering from a near-death motorcycle-truck crash that occurred on November 21, 1998 in Bogotá, Colombia. This accessible and welcoming lodge stimulated the establishment of the Alberta Abilities s Society ( after my university career. A major goal of this society is to develop additional accessible lodges in Alberta that are modeled after William Watson. Jeannie Lougheed and her husband Peter, former Premier of Alberta, were instrumental in the establishing William Watson. Jeannie graciously agreed to serve as the Patron of Alberta Abilities Society s. Ross Wein, WWLS Board Member Danny Wein s Story a Book Don t Worry Mom, I ll Be Home for Christmas (278 pages with 100+ colour photos) is the story of Danny Wein s recovery after his dream journey was cut short by a devastating accident in South America. This Christmas Gift is available as an Alberta Abilities s Society fundraiser for the price of $40.00 (includes GST) + shipping and handling. Contact the Wein family at or rosswein@shaw.ca for details. Photo Credits: Page 1 Page 2 and 3 Bear Family - Gwen Ross-Cieslak Bear 94 Telemetry Locations courtesy of Alberta Parks Moonlit Backdrop: Gwen Ross-Cieslak Page 3 Page 5 Page 6 Lower : Carol Page Peter & Jeanne Lougheed Photo: with Permission of Jeanne Lougheed and Trail Images: Carol Page Skiers: Anne Pal WW Newsletter.indd :41 AM