There were smiles all around as editor Carol Watamaniuk and St. Albert poet Andy Michaelson watched St. Albert’s 150th anniversary legacy book roll off the presses.
Michaelson spent many nights burning the midnight oil writing 60 poems to accompany an estimated 500 images. He described press day as a truly joyful experience.
“When I saw it come off the press, every ounce of sweat, tiredness and all that effort was worth it. There were days when I wondered if I was making the right moves. But I’m ecstatic.”
St. Albert 2011 in Photography and Poetry, a hardcover with 158 pages in glossy full colour, will be unveiled at St. Albert Place on Tuesday at 2:45 p.m.
In total 700 copies are available. Everyone who volunteered with Rendezvous 2011 will receive a free copy. An additional 130 copies are available to members of the public for $15 each. Volunteers have until May 31 to pick up their copy.
“You can touch it, feel it on your lap, enjoy it with family or put it on your coffee table. It’s an easy way to show people some of the fun during the 150th,“ said Margaret Plain, chair of Rendezvous committee.
During 2011, the Rendezvous committee and community photographers took pictures at each event. Through a Community Initiatives Program from the province, a grant was provided for the book.
“Rather than produce a clinical book, I thought it would be more lovely to read if there was poetry created around the 150th anniversary. It was about a celebration and the main thing we wanted to capture was the spirit of the events,” said Watamaniuk.
Sifting through thousands of submitted photographs she brought in Shane Lacey, a former graphic designer, to design the book.
“It was quite a process. There were some things that were chronologically right, but visually wrong, and he rearranged and redesigned pages for better flow.”
The book is divided into three main sections: signature events, city and community festivities, and legacy engagements.
The signature events start right from the formal gala and The Black Bonspiel of Wullie MacCrimmon to the soapbox derby, homecoming and the August picnic that attracted an estimated 15,000 people.
The city and community events are broad ranging from the Continental Cup, the International Children’s Festival and Rainmaker Rodeo to the farmers’ market, Art Walk and a fireworks display.
And last but not least, pictures of local legacies encompass everything from the Millie Seitz sculpture and Meet the Street’s theatrical presentations to the Historical Society’s buffalo statue and the Red Willow development of Elke’s Point.
“It was an incredible year and the book is a legacy in itself,” said Watamaniuk. “ It’s important that it be there for generations to come. What I love about it is that photos were taken by many different people. It’s a community book and it has many different qualities of photos. I think the fact that so many different people were involved makes it important.”
