Creating Community: Christian Life Assembly Opens New Parkette

Recently, Christian Life Assembly unveiled a new public parkette right within their parking lot. Aimed at fostering community connections in the neighborhood, the park was organized by Jordan Illsley, Community Services Team Coordinator, and several other staff members.

"So far, the park has been well received,” remarks Jordan. “We have seen an influx of families coming by with their kids to play at the park, along with couples enjoying the relaxing patio furniture under the string lights and the night sky! 

On build day, Jordan said a handful of volunteers from the congregation and the community came out to lend a hand. The park is funded through a grant from ActivateYYC and supported by donations from local residents and church members.

The parkette features a basketball court, playground, barbecues, patio seating, and various games. It's designed not just for leisure, but also as a venue for events and gatherings. The park will be open all summer until the fall, but Jordan says they have plans for expanding the parkette next year.

Currently, he says they’re looking for donations to introduce more yard games, set up a shed, and enhance safety by building a fence. They are collecting pallets and fencing materials, Jordan says donations are welcome but they would also appreciate any leads on securing the materials.

For those interested in contributing or offering assistance, Jordan can be contacted at communityevents@clacalgary.com.

Varbar January 2024

2915 Richmond Road SW.

Moonlight & Eli | Varbar | M&E Catering (moonlightandeli.com)


In January, the Board of the KGCA got to visit the new business Varbar, (an offshoot of Moonlight and Eli in Bridgeland), located in the same mall as WINS, Highlander Spirits etc. You can visit on regular hours from Thursday to Sunday, and do private arrangements from Monday to Wednesday. You can reach them at Mhairi the owner at moonlightandeli@gmail.com

The space itself might take the title for tiniest and coziest bar in Calgary. It should also be noted that there are very few Champagne and Fondue bars in Calgary at all. 

They offer a plethora of Champagne, Sparkling wine, Cocktails, wines, snacks, fondue and of course dessert. As mentioned, it is a tiny space that can probably fit 14 people max, depending on the table configuration. Beautiful pillows, chairs, benches, and paraphernalia harken back to days of old and make you feel that you aren't even in Calgary, or the 21st century. The dark and quiet space is very intimate and perfect for hosting smaller parties. 

Its worth mentioning that they do catering for small to large parties, and offer cuisine that expands outside of the menu you see on their website. 

We decided to order some bottled Pinor Noir, and let Hannah do the rest of the food ordering for us. We really enjoyed the Classic fondue (Gruyere and Emmental). It was a very large portion which is meant for 2 but could feed 3-4. The cheese was smooth, salty and a bit funky, and even with a lactose situation, no one had any issues because the cheese is aged and of good quality. 

On the side we had bread cubes, pickled veggies, steamed potatoes, and green apply. All of these are included in the dish for $60. All of the food was of top quality and a fair price for the quantity we received. 

Other sides we received were grape tomatoes, mini cured sausages, brussel sprouts, asparagus, and charcuterie. There was enough food that the 8 of us didn't finished everything. 

Killarney Glengarry has limited restaurant and bar options. There are very few sit down places on 17th ave, 26th Ave or Richmond road. This is a very welcome addition to the community as a higher end snack and dinner spot to go with family and friends. 

Next time we go, I think we should try the champagne and dessert as no one had any space left by the end!

Stay tuned for more local spotlights in our newsletter and website.



Sincerely,


Thomas Mo

VP, KGCA Board of Directors

killarneyglengarry.com