Volkssport Association of Alberta History
The first registered volkssport club in Alberta is listed as the Midnight Twilight Tourist Association
(MTTA). St. Albert, AB est. 1985, IVV 4010/85. (Note the registration under IVV) The MTTA promoted Zone 14, North Central Alberta, see map on right. Travel Alberta funded these activities from 1985 – 1989 with the understanding that local clubs would be formed to take over events and funding.
After the Canadian Volkssport Federation (CVF) was established in 1986, this listing is recorded as Midnight Twilight Tourist Association. St. Albert, AB est. 1985 CVF-007.
An application with Bylaw submission for the VAA was signed January 17, 1986 with the Certificate of Incorporation under the Societies Act of the Province of Alberta dated January 21, 1986.
First recorded VAA Executive:
President – Charles Godberson
Vice-President – Rick Shaw
Secretary – David Phillips
Treasurer – Carol Sommer
Other founding members included Jock Archer, President of the MTTA in 1985.
HIGHLIGHTS OF VOLKSSPORT IN ALBERTA
| 1983 Word “volkssport” first mentioned at a MTTA meeting. |
| 1984 MTTA received a $5000 grant to promote volkssport in Alberta |
| 1985 First sanctioned walks in Alberta. 12 weekend events of 10 and 20 km each weekend. First walk in Barrhead in June 8 and 9 |
| 1986 – 89 Dr. Charles Godberson is the first VAA President. |
| 1986 12 Weekend Events VAA incorporated under the Alberta Societies Act, January 21 |
| 1987 Clubs founded: Cold Lake Tri-Town Wandering Club, Rocky Mountain House Volksmarchers, Wetaskiwin Volksmarch Club |
| 1988 27 Events held in Alberta CVF AGM, (Second Annual) held in St Albert hosted by the VAA with the help of the Trekkers. VAA begins raising funds by working Casinos at the St. Albert Inn. Clubs founded: Barrhead Walkie Talkie Volksmarch Club, Camrose Clickers, St Albert Trekkers Volksmarch Club. |
| 1989-91 President – Jim MacDonnell |
| 1989 27 events held in Albert including the first Mountain Majesty in Kananaskis hosted by the St Albert Trekkers. Club founded: Innisfail Volkssport Association Club folded: Rocky Mountain House Volksmarchers |
| 1990 Phillips trophy created; a farewell gift to David Phillips in recognition of his work in establishing volkssport in Alberta. (see listing of recipients) The Event Calendar was produced by the VAA for the first time so it now included the entire province. 27 annual events, including 7 sanctioned volksski events, sponsored by the MTTA. First Year Round Event (YRE) (name changed to Permanent Trail (PT) in 2015) set up in province by the St Albert Trekkers. Mountain Majesty held in Jasper hosted by the St Albert Trekkers Clubs founded: Gibbons Biped Locomotors, Millet Volkssport Club |
| 1991-94 President – Bill Hughes |
| 1991 Club founded: Buffalo Lake Volkssport Club 35 Events, including 5 bikes and 2 swims. 5 PT Mountain Majesty held in Banff hosted by the St Albert Trekkers |
| Â 1992 Clubs founded: Devon Discovery Walkers, Wainwright Walkers VAA AGM held in Wetaskiwin hosted by that Club Mountain Majesty held in Kananaskis hosted by the St Albert Trekkers |
| 1993 First marathon, held in Medley, AB, August 1. 35 events and 5 PT VAA AGM meeting was held in St Albert while a walk was held in Stony Plain. Mountain Majesty held in Jasper hosted by the St Albert Trekkers |
| 1994-96 President – Phil Sturges |
| 1994 CVF AGM (8th Annual) in Alberta, St. Albert Inn. 53 Events, including 4 bikes and 2 swims. 8 PT including first bike, hosted by St Albert Trekkers Mountain Majesty held in Banff/Canmore hosted by the St Albert Trekkers Club founded: Calgary Volksmarch Club Club folded: Camrose Clickers The VAA AGM was held in Innisfail hosted by the Innisfail Volkssport Assoc. |
| 1995 August 19 – 26. Jasper to Lake Louse walk organized by Grace Newman. Mountain Majesty held in Kananaskis hosted by the St Albert Trekkers Clubs founded: Fox Creek Wilderness Volkssport Club, Volkssport Club of Medicine Hat The VAA AGM was hosted in St Albert by the Trekkers |
| 1996 – 99 President – Grace Newman |
| 1996 21 PT and 96 annual events in Alberta. Mountain Majesty held in Jasper hosted by the St Albert Trekkers Club founded: Strathcona Striders (Sherwood Park) Club folded: Innisfail Volkssport Association The VAA AGM was held in Wainwright hosted by the Wainwright Walkers |
| 1997 The VAA AGM was held in Devon hosted by that club Mountain Majesty held in Lake Louise hosted by the St Albert Trekkers |
| 1998 Club founded: Chinook Country Pacers Clubs folded: Buffalo Lake Volkssport Club, Cold Lake Tri-town Wandering Club The VAA AGM was held in Redwater hosted by the Gibbons Biped Locomotors Mountain Majesty held in Kananaskis hosted by the St Albert Trekkers |
| 1999-2003 President – Bob Duncan |
| 1999 The VAA AGM was held in St Albert hosted by that club Mountain Majesty held in Jasper hosted by the St Albert Trekkers |
| 2000 Millennium Mountain Meander, June 17 – 24, Lake Louise to Jasper organized by Bob and Billie Collins. 34 PT, 117 annual events. Mountain Majesty held in Banff/Kootenay National Park hosted by the St Albert Trekkers The VAA AGM was held in Calgary hosted by the Calgary Volkssport Club |
| 2001 Club founded: Hinton Hikers Club folded: Strathcona Striders Mountain Majesty was cancelled due to high fire hazard The VAA AGM was hosted in Medicine Hat by that club |
| 2002 Medicine Hat hosted the CVF AGM with the help of the other Alberta clubs Mountain Majesty name was changed to AB Majesty and other clubs started sharing the weekend. Volkssport Club of Calgary hosted in Kananaskis Club founded: Lake Isle Pacers Club folded: Wainwright Walkers The VAA AGM was hosted in St Albert by that club |
| 2003-05 President – Myrna O’Neil |
| 2003 Club folded: Gibbons Biped Locomotors AB Majesty hosted by Medicine Hat, there and in Elkwater in the Cypress Hills The VAA hosted their AGM in Red Deer |
| 2004 20 Years of Volkssport in Alberta celebrated. AB Majesty hosted by the Trekkers in Grande Cache The VAA hosted their AGM in Innisfail |
| 2005-09 President – Richard Parr |
| 2005 Club folded: Calgary Volksmarch Club AB Majesty hosted by the VAA in Waterton and Crowsnest Pass The VAA AGM was held in St Albert hosted by that club |
| 2006 VAA and Alberta clubs host the CVF AGM in Edmonton. AB Majesty hosted by Medicine Hat in town and in Elkwater in the Cypress Hills Clubs folded: Hinton Hikers, Lake Isle Pacers The VAA AGM was held by the Chinook Country Pacers in Cardston |
| 2007 The VAA hosted their AGM in Fort Saskatchewan AB Majesty hosted by the Trekkers in Jasper |
| 2008 The VAA AGM was hosted in Medicine Hat by that club AB Majesty hosted by the VAA in Kananaskis |
| 2009-13 President – Kathleen Parr |
| 2009 49 YRE, 82 annual events. AB Majesty hosted by Medicine Hat in Elkwater and in town. Club folded: Millet Volkssport Club The VAA AGM hosted jointly by the Fox Creek and Wetaskiwin clubs in Camrose |
| 2010 25 years of sanctioned walks in Alberta celebrated at the Horse Creek Ranch event, hosted by the Barrhead Walkie Talkie club. (The first volkssport event in Alberta was held in Barrhead in 1985.) The VAA AGM was hosted by the St Albert Trekkers in St Albert and AB Majesty in Banff. VAA celebrates 25 years, honorary members recognized see write ups. |
| 2011 VAA AGM hosted by the Wetaskiwin Club in Red Deer AB Majesty hosted by the VAA in Nordegg |
| 2012 Wetaskiwin Volkssport Walking Club, celebrates 25th anniversary. AB Majesty hosted by Medicine Hat in town and in Elkwater in the Cypress Hills VAA AGM hosted by Devon Discovery Walkers, in Devon, in conjunction with their 20th Anniversary |
| 2013 Barrhead Walkie Talkie Volkssport Club, celebrates 25th anniversary. St. Albert Trekkers Volkssport Club, celebrates 25th anniversary. AB Majesty hosted by Trekkers in Lake Louise (Kananaskis plans changed due to flooding) VAA AGM hosted by the Medicine Hat Club in Medicine Hat. |
| 2013-17 President – David Hall |
| 2014 65 PT, 71 annual events. AB Majesty hosted by VAA in Hinton/Jasper VAA AGM hosted by the Wetaskiwin Club in Camrose CVF AGM in Banff hosted by St. Albert Trekkers with assistance of other Alberta clubs |
| 2015 Club folded: Fox Creek Wilderness Volkssport Club VAA AGM hosted by the Barrhead Walkie Talkie Volkssport Club at Horse Creek Ranch, plus 30 Years of Volkssport walking in Alberta celebrated. 62 PTs, 82 events. AB Majesty hosted by Medicine Hat in town. |
| 2016 68 PTs, 75 events. Â AB Majesty hosted jointly by Wetaskiwin and Devon in Waterton VAA AGM hosted by the St Albert Trekkers in that city. New club formed in Red Deer – Volkssport Walkers of Central Alberta |
| 2017-19 President – Glenda Palmer |
| 2017 67 PTs, 87 events. AB Majesty hosted by the Trekkers in Kananaskis VAA AGM hosted by the VAA in Cochrane |
| 2018 67 PTs, 69 events, 118 including the scheduled group PTs. AB Majesty hosted by the VAA in Jasper VAA AGM hosted in Red Deer by the Volkssport Walkers of Central Alberta Wetaskiwin Volkssport Club changed their name to Northern Lights Walking Club |
| 2019 – 2023 President – Sharon Tchir |
| 2019 71 PTs, 67 events, plus 28 scheduled PTs in the printed calendar and many more added as the weather dictates. AB Majesty hosted by Medicine Hat in town and the Cypress Hills Provincial Park at Elkwater VAA AGM hosted in Stony Plain by the Devon Discovery Walkers |
| 2020 74 PTs, 58 events plus 23 scheduled PTs in the printed calendar, most of which weren’t held due to Covid-19, including the AGM (which was held by videoconference in May), and AB Majesty.. Devon Discovery Walkers changed their name to Parkland Walkers. |
| 2021 76 PTs in calendar. Events were no longer published in calendar but were added, cancelled and/or postponed as Covid restrictions allowed. Volkssport Walkers of Central AB on hiatus as a new President didn’t step forward. VAA AGM meeting was held by video conference in June but a Walking Festival was held in Leduc to celebrate 35 years of the VAA in July hosted by the Northern Lights Walking Club. |
| 2022 78 PTs in calendar. Events were mostly scheduled quarterly but mainly returned to a normal schedule and the River Ravine Program resumed. VAA Walking Festival was held at Angels Valley, May 13-15th, hosted by the Barrhead Walkie Talkie Volkssport Club. The AGM was held by video conference in April. AB Majesty held in mid September in the Canmore Banff area by the VAA. Club folded: Volkssport Walkers of Central AB |
| 2023 – Present President – Denise Wallbank |
| 2023 79 PTs in Program Guide (Event Calendar rename). Events scheduled quarterly. VAA AGM held by video conference in March. Trekkers hosted the AB Walking Festival (name changed from VAA Walking Festival) June 2-4. They celebrated their 35th Anniversary in September with a walk and BBQ Northern Lights hosted a Roving Walk Festival in Central Alberta in July AB Majesty held September 9-11 in Medicine Hat and Elkwater Club folded: Chinook Country Pacers |
| 2024 76 PTs in Program Guide. VAA AGM held by video conference in April. Barrhead hosted the AB Walking Festival at Angels Valley, June 14-16. Northern Lights hosted AB Majesty in Waterton National Park in September 8-11 |