In early 2025, the Bailey Theatre was able to cover the remaining balance of their mortgage. This is thanks to significant contributions from the City of Camrose alongside years of community fundraising and support from local partners. Having achieved this major breakthrough, this local gem can now focus on reinvesting profits into upgrades, strengthening its role as a cultural hub in the region.

With no mortgage, the first major project in store for the theater is their Boost the Balcony campaign.
The theatre was built in 1911, without a balcony and no front lobby. In 1921, the front portion of the building was added and included the balcony, curved stairs and projection booth.

The original balcony seats were cast iron with wood and leather seats. Four of them still remain on display in a dressing room in the basement of the building. Those seats were upgraded, likely in the 1960s, with more modern seating that remained until the renovations beginning in 2000.

The current balcony seats were obtained from the Citadel Theatre which opened in 1975. When they were undergoing renovations in 2007, the Citadel gave permission to Bailey volunteers to select and remove the best seats. They were transported to Camrose and placed in storage until 2010 when they were installed into the balcony.

Those seats are now 50 years old and have seen better days with average life spans of 20 to 25 years. The Bailey has acquired a quote from a Canadian manufacturer to supply and install new seats providing added cushioning and cup holders. This comes with a cost of close to $96,000.

The Bailey will be applying for grants for this special project, but still need the support from the community to make this dream a reality. Donations of $850 from community members will come with a named plaque on the seat itself, once the project is complete.

With the mortgage paid, this also allows the theatre to continue to focus not only on upgrades to the building, but also on the amazing programming the community has come to expect and enjoy.

Donations for this worthy upgrade can be made securely online at www.baileytheatre.com.
 

The Nordlys Film and Arts Festival returns to the Bailey from February 13 to 15. The festival’s roots trace back to the Pretty Hill Film Festival at the Olson family home near Camrose and has grown into an event that people in the area have come to love and look forward to every year.

Coming to the festival this year is the stage play Evie and Alfie: A Very British Love Story. This is the story of two aging lovebirds puttering around their house, drinking tea, and birdwatching as they reminisce.

The stars of the show are both award-winning actors Alex Dallas as Evie and Jimmy Hogg as Alfie. They play the quintessential British couple in this romantic comedy. This couple will take you on a journey as the elderly retirees examine the ties that bind us together with humour and nostalgia. They go through a series of flashbacks giving the audience snippets of their lives that includes when they first met, their first holiday out of the UK and the birth of a child.

The play bounces between the past and present as the audience learns the full extent of what it takes to make their relationship work. The show is hilarious, yet relatable, full of wit and heart. They will make you laugh and your heart smile as you watch this cute, elderly couple. You will most certainly  enjoy this must-see and endearing story and will walk away with a smile on your face as you experience how this couple sticks together through thick and thin, through the good and bad times as they age together.

The Nordlys Film and Arts Festival is run entirely by volunteers, passionate about what they do. They are grateful for the support of a growing list of generous community sponsors. The weekend will be filled by talented local performers providing musical interludes between movies making this festival a unique experience of cinema and community.

For more information about the festival, go to www.nordlysfestival.com. Tickets are currently on sale at www.purchase.baileytheatre.ca

Pete Paquette is an Elvis tribute artist and provides a high-energy live show that revives a magical time in music. Pete delivers all eras of the iconic entertainer’s music from the 1950s to his Vegas years, delivering an authentic Elvis experience at each of his shows.

He will be accompanied by his band, The Rockin’ Royals and Tonettes singers. Pete is also known for his popular performances across the country known for his signature shows like Elvis – A Christmas Special.

Pete will be bringing Elvis back to life at the Lougheed Performing Arts Centre (LPAC) on January 25 at 3 p.m. as he delivers his unforgettable show. The Elvis Concert will be an all ages show giving the audience the best sound and performance in live entertainment has to offer.

Come for the powerful vocal energy similar to what Elvis brought to the stage. The Elvis Concert is an electrifying show celebrating the King of Rock and Roll. Grab your tickets to see what audiences are raving about at camroselive.ca

Camrose council has given approval to the City administration to send a letter of concurrence to MCSnet for a proposed 150-foot telecommunications tower in the City. The decision was made during the January 5 regular council meeting and supports the construction of a free-standing internet and telecommunications tower at 3611-47 Avenue on land owned by Wild Rose Co-op.

Telecommunications towers fall under federal jurisdiction through Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, but municipalities are required to be consulted. Council is not obligated to provide concurrence if concerns are identified.

According to a report from Aaron Leckie, manager of planning and development, the proposed structure would be a self-supporting tower with a minimal ground footprint. All operating equipment would be contained in a small equipment shack at the base of the tower, with no on-site parking or loading required.

The tower is intended to improve internet service for MCSnet customers within an approximate eight-kilometre radius. While other telecommunications towers exist in the area, co-location was reviewed and determined not to be feasible, as it would negatively affect MCSnet’s current service coverage. The proposed tower will be designed to allow for future co-location with other providers.

Access to the site would use existing access from 36 Street, with underground power and fibre-optic connections included. The tower would not conflict with airport regulations and must meet all applicable safety, engineering and aeronautical marking standards.

Public notification will be handled by MCSnet, adjacent landowners within the required notification area have been contacted by the City.
For more information, visit www.camrose.ca

The McGowan Family Band have been writing roots/americana music that has been filling dance floors across Western Canada since 1999. They are known for their improvisations, harmonies and evolving set-lists that makes every performance distinctive.

This band, based out of Edmonton, brings its psychedelic jams and flowing hippie beards to the Bailey Theatre on January 24 at 8 p.m. and is presented by The Rose City Roots Music Society.

Paul and his brothers Mark and Sean come from a musical family growing up listening to the Grateful Dead, a band they say has been influential to them.
The McGowan Family Band’s dynamic style lends itself to improvisation. Mark McGowan said, “Often the band’s best songs come about as a collaborative effort, passing around a pad of paper and having each member write a lyric.”

Live performances provide them the opportunity to play off each other’s energy. The band feels they are at their best when they jam a song leading to an experience that is unique to both them and the audience.

The band has recorded two live albums (the eponymous McGowan Family Band and the Psychedelic Tales of the Lawn Gnomes Volume 1) that were recorded off the floor which were organically produced with their own microphones and studio set up. For  more information or tickets to this show, go to baileytheatre.ca

Camrose’s Toilet Rebate program is showing signs of success in an unexpected way: fewer people need it. At the January 5 Committee of the Whole Council meeting, the council received an annual update on the program, and Jeremy Enarson, manager of engineering services, informed the council that in 2025, participation dropped to its lowest level since the program began in 2008. In 2025, just 16 toilets were replaced through the rebate, continuing a gradual decline seen over the past decade.

The program was created to reduce water use by encouraging residents and businesses to replace older, high-volume toilets with low-flow models. Toilets account for roughly 30 per cent of indoor water use, making them an easy target for conservation. Each replacement saves an estimated $82 per year on utility bills while reducing demand on the city’s water system.

Since it was launched, the rebate program has helped replace 1,673 toilets and now saves nearly 42,000 cubic metres of water annually in Camrose.
Enarson stated that the decline in participation is expected. Most newer homes are already built with water-efficient toilets, leaving fewer eligible fixtures still in use. The City is not ending the program. Council received the 2025 report for information, with administration asking for direction on future water conservation efforts. The toilet rebate will continue in 2026, while staff review other options that could complement or eventually replace it.

That review will look at existing City plans and conservation programs used in other communities. Possible alternatives are expected to be brought forward during the 2027 and 2028 budget process. Further discussion will also follow conversations between the mayor and the Mid-sized Cities Mayors’ Caucus.

Camrose community continued to show strong support for safe hazardous waste disposal in 2025, with more than 500 people taking part in the City’s spring and fall Recycling Roundup events.

Amy Johnson, senior municipal engineering technologist, presented a summary report to the council at the January 5 Committee of the Whole Council meeting. She shared the results of the two events, which collected approximately 27,000 kilograms of hazardous materials. However, both participation and total volume were slightly lower than in 2024, Johnson shared that last year marked a 15 year high and that community demand for the program remains consistent.

The biannual Recycling Roundup provides residents with a no-cost option to dispose of hazardous household materials that cannot go to the landfill or regular recycling stream. Items accepted include paint products, chemicals, batteries, light bulbs and, for a second consecutive year, electronic waste.

In 2025, roughly 1,100 kilograms of electronics were collected, helping divert harmful materials from landfills and supporting responsible recycling within Camrose.

Running the two events cost a combined $58,680, due to the rising contractor staffing and disposal fees. Funding for the roundups has also shifted following the dissolution of the Camrose Regional Solid Waste Authority and the sale of the landfill in 2024.

All costs were covered through a mix of partnerships, grants, stewardship programs and City reserves, with reserves accounting for 57 per cent of the total.

The 2025 roundups also highlighted Camrose’s first full year operating under Alberta’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program for hazardous and special products. Through its agreement with Product Care, the EPR program covered 23 per cent of hazardous waste disposal costs higher than the provincial average.

In the year ahead, administration will be exploring the possibility of moving away from biannual roundups to a staffed hazardous waste depot. Options for a permanent facility, which could be in place as early as 2026, are expected to be presented to council in spring.

A beautiful new collection of art is now on display in the Jeanne and Peter Lougheed Performing Art Centre’s lobby. This display of work is sure to move the viewers and maybe even evoke a little laughter in its audiences.

Joel Morello is a local artist who has dedicated his life to artistic expression. He began his career in theatre and has been the recipient of many accolades. In addition to being a talented thespian, Morello also enjoys painting with watercolours.

“I am mostly a theatre practitioner, I taught theatre all my life. I painted and built sets when I was directing as well, so after I retired, I started focusing on watercolours,” shared Morello.

He draws inspiration from everyday life, often choosing wildlife and nature to be the subject of his work. “It has to be something that has a story behind it, anything that strikes my eye as having that potential and I always paint some type of action,” he continued.

Morello tries to view the world around him with an artist’s eye, something he has also helped many of his acting students do themselves.

“Saltwater Buddha: A Surfer’s Quest to Find Zen on the Sea by Jaimal Yogis, is a book I studied when I was in graduate school and it transcends any of the arts. It talks about training the eye to see with an open mind as opposed to preconceived ideas,” explained Morello.

He emphasizes the importance of communication when it comes to the process of creativity. “For me, it is about the process, there is a beginning, a middle and then an end,” he added.

Morello believes that connecting with other artists and discussing their process with them is a great way to perfect your own work. He also constructs his own frames for his artworks, utilizing a variety of wood types.

“I use exotic woods like black limba. To me, it completes the picture that I painted as long as I am doing it,” he commented.

He will be sharing his work with the community until March 5, and the collection can be viewed during box office hours. A meet and greet event with Morello will take place on January 23, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Lougheed Centre’s lobby. It’s a wonderful chance to connect with the man whose artistic vision is truly larger than life, now expressed through the medium of paper rather than the stage.

Those who are interested in applying to show their own artwork, can contact Jane Cherry, curator of the show, at jcherry62@hotmail.com

After nearly 12 years of volunteering with Days for Girls, Liz Rolf continues the work that matters–providing education and resources for girls all around the world. Rolf recently returned from India, where she joined a Days for Girls team distributing reusable menstrual kits and delivering education to girls and boys in communities where menstruation remains stigmatized and misunderstood.

Days for Girls is an international non-profit organization focused on menstrual health, dignity and opportunity. Along with sewing and distributing kits, volunteers provide education on hygiene and body literacy to help girls stay in school and participate fully in daily life. Rolf has taken part in several international distributions, including trips to Peru and Honduras, and is preparing for another mission to Egypt in November.

“Going on this trip was a follow up to going on the trip to Peru and Honduras, and we decided that we needed to keep going,” said Rolf, who has now travelled for three international distributions with Days for Girls. Her most recent trip took her across India, including visits to the Ganges River and the Taj Mahal, though most of the work took place in the state of Rajasthan.

“We found stigma around contraception and censorship to be a great challenge on this trip,” she said.

Rolf said the group followed a structured approach, delivering hour long presentations in schools before distributing kits and ensuring students understood how to use them. “The trip is already planned out for us. We go into schools and do an hour presentation and then we give them their kits and show them how to use them and then they have to show us that they know how to use them,” she said.

One component of the program, Men Who Know, focuses on educating boys and men about menstruation. Two male volunteers helped lead those sessions during the India trip. “We had men with us, we had two husbands and they did Men Who Know, and that was really interesting,” Rolf said. “Some schools, when they showed the principals what they were going to teach the boys, were not okay with that. The ones who were okay with it were so thrilled that their boys had been taught something that would never be taught otherwise.”

In some schools, lessons were restricted. “One of the first places we went to, the principal came out and we showed them this is what we teach the girls,” she said. “They said you will not show that or that or that. One, of course, was the male anatomy. We did not get to the part where we talked about contraception at all.”

After several similar experiences, the team adjusted their approach. “I think after the first couple of experiences we thought maybe we just don’t bother with contraception part,” she said. Despite the restrictions, Rolf said she was inspired by the work of the non governmental organizations (NGO) schools.

“I was really impressed with the NGO schools that we did go to. They seemed progressive,” she said. Rolf first became involved with Days for Girls because she enjoys sewing. “The fact that I can feed my addiction of sewing and be helping someone else, is a win-win,” she said.

As she prepares for her next trip, Rolf said the impact of the work continues to motivate her.

The Battle River Community Foundation awarded a $2,600 grant to the Camrose Public Library (CPL).

According to Channing MacDonald, interim director of CPL, “We are grateful to receive this funding for the CPL Library of Things. The Library of Things allows us to support the community in a lot of non-traditional ways, for example trying out new hobbies and games.  Some of the new kits we’re hoping to build this winter will encourage patrons of all ages to explore the beautiful outdoors around us. This might include things like a bird-watching kit, or a stargazing kit.  Our hope is that they will be ready to go out with the new Book Bike this coming summer. We will be happy to make  announcements as new ‘things’ become available.”

The Library of Things is an amazing collection of resources for both kids and adults that works just like the library itself, allowing you to borrow elements ranging from a kit to learn about worms, to a set of drums, to a pair of snowshoes. The Library of Things shows how far libraries have come in terms of working to serve the needs of the community, and is reflective of the library’s mission to provide the place, tools, and opportunities for everyone to learn, share, and create.

The CPL has been serving residents of Camrose and Camrose County since 1919. The library has the largest collection in the Parkland Regional Library System, and provides an abundance of programs, opportunities, and services. They see over 100,000 visits a year, host about four programs a day and answer over 27 questions every hour (as of 2024).
The grant for the Camrose Public Library Board is provided by the Edwin Eivinsen Family Fund, as well as the Battle River Community Foundation Community Fund.

The Battle River Community Foundation exists to support organizations in east central Alberta that benefit the local communities and positively impact the future.

Grants from the Battle River Community Foundation are primarily made possible through the generosity of individual donors and organizations that have created endowment funds. The principal of these endowment funds is kept intact, and the income is made available annually to support local projects and organizations.

Since it was founded in 1995, the Battle River Community Foundation has granted over $10,469,392 to support charitable activities in the Battle River Region.

The Jeanne and Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre has a great lineup planned.

Ballet Jörgen is a favourite for local fans and  they return to tell the story of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on February 28, at 7:30 p.m. With a stop in  Camrose as part of this world premiere tour, they dip into a Shakespeare classic. This short family friendly ballet is sure to captivate the audience with this fun, appealing story. The show will be lighthearted, bringing to life one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies.

The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour returns with a show on March 12, at 7 p.m. Get ready for an adrenaline-fueled adventure with breathtaking landscapes and inspiring stories. This unforgettable cinematic journey is a celebration of the great outdoors.

UPU blends poignant storytelling with splendid visuals and opulent sounds. This deeply moving performance is here on March 13, at 7:30 p.m.

“This is a special project. It just finished a run in the Sydney Opera House. This is a national tour across Canada. We are bringing this here along with the Chester Ronning Centre. We are trying something different in that you pay what you will after you see the show. You can reserve tickets now,” said manager Nick Beach.

Delhi 2 Dublin has a re-energized, re-inspired show and is ready to launch an audacious new phase of their career. With new music on the horizon as well as their 20th anniversary around the corner, they hit the stage on March 17, at 7:30 p.m.

“The cool part of that is their actual anniversary is actually St. Patrick’s Day, so that may be a ruckus party,” said manager Nick Beach.