Beltline: Gay History Walk with Kevin Allen
Please give a brief overview of the Jane’s Walk you led.
I lead a Calgary Gay History Walk through the Beltline annually. We travel to significant historical gathering spots for the gay community in this inner-city neighbourhood, including Calgary’s first gay bar from 1970, Club Carousel.
What motivated you to lead a Jane’s Walk?
I’m the Research Lead of the Calgary Gay History Project, a research collective working to uncover and preserve stories from Calgary’s LGBTQ2 past. Jane’s Walks are a wonderful vehicle for sharing these stories as well as getting recollections for walk participants.
Do you have any special memories from the walk you led?
One year the weather forecast was looking dubious for the Jane’s Walk and it actually snowed on us, but a dozen participants braved the bitter temperatures, and all claimed they enjoyed the walk.
How do you build community during the pandemic?
We build community during the pandemic, by volunteering, as well as getting ourselves out there virtually. We need to purposefully connect with old friends and colleagues, as well as make sure our neighbours are all OK.