From art to mental health, Jane's Walk returns with a bang in Calgary

Whether you're fascinated by the stars or need to feel a sense of belonging in turbulent times, you're likely to find a group that appeals to you, thanks to Jane's Walk, an event that takes place once a year in multiple locations around the world, including Calgary.

The event is making a comeback this weekend with volunteers leading walks in areas in and near Calgary, such as St. Patrick's Island, East Village, the Elbow River Valley, Prairie Winds Park, Rothney Astrophysical Observatory, and more. 

"Jane's Walk is in honour of Jane Jacobs, who was an advocate for meaningful development in cities," said Sara Jordan-McLachlan, a naturalist at the Weaselhead/Glenmore Park Preservation Society, in a conversation on the Calgary Eyeopener.

"These Jane's Walks are an opportunity for people to connect with aspects of their city that perhaps they haven't noticed before in a way to engage with the vibrancy of the city," she added.

Jordan-McLachlan, who is working with the Miistakis Institute on a long-term project in the city called Calgary Captured, hopes to answer questions on local wildlife while leading a walk at Weaselhead Flats on Friday.

"The walk is going to kind of focus on the 'Calgary Captured' cameras that we have in the park and what we've found through that," she said. "But we're also going to be looking at what is going on in the Weaselhead right now."

Fighting mental health stereotypes

For Harpreet Hans, hosting a Jane's Walk in northeast Calgary is a way to shatter mental health stereotypes among members of the South Asian community. 

The Federation of Calgary Communities organizes the free Jane's Walks every year. 

Hans, a group facilitator at Punjabi Community Health Services (PCHS), hopes to help participants feel more supported through deep-breathing exercises, meditation, candid conversations, and a long walk around Prairie Winds Park on Friday.

Hans wants to help spread awareness about the importance of reaching out to someone you trust in times of need instead of shying away from difficult conversations.

"The focus is how important it is to have a support system because I think, especially in South Asian communities, people are afraid and sometimes embarrassed to share about their mental health to either their families, either to their friends," she said.

Hans plans to divide the participants into groups and suggest topics for them to discuss.

"As the walk progresses … some mental health activities and groups will happen, so they will get to know each other and then they will talk about [a] few things," she said.

Drawing the city's landscapes for a different perspective

For Calgary-based artist and author, Carolyn Fisher, there's no better way to share her love for Calgary's varied landscapes than to draw them.

Fisher is leading an Urban Sketch Walk on St. Patrick's Island on Saturday evening. Participants have been asked to bring along paper, pens, crayons, and other drawing supplies for the event. 

"We're going to make a circuit around the island and we're going to stop every few minutes, maybe every 15 minutes at some place in order to draw," Fisher said, before adding they'll also try a few warm-up exercises and "talk about the ways that we can use drawing to see our surroundings a little bit better."

Fisher chose St. Patrick's Island for the walk because she believes it has a lot to offer, such as a bird's eye view of the city, the Bow River, a trout pond, and more. 

Fisher's Urban Sketch Walk doesn't need you to be a proficient artist or painter to participate.

"All you have to do is get a pen and put it down on the paper and see what comes out of the end," she said. "There's something profound that comes out of that, whether you think so or not, there's probably something special that other people can see, even if you can't see it yourself."