2012 will be Calgary's year

I write a monthly column in the Calgary Herald. Here is the full version of my January story:

Happy New Year! I hope you had a joyous and relaxing holiday season and are now ready to hit 2012 with a new sense of excitement and purpose. As for my part, I am filled with optimism about 2012, which can't help but be Calgary's year.

One of the biggest surprises of my job is the sheer number of centennial events at which I find my-self. Since 2010, we've celebrated the 100th birthdays of Mount Royal University and the YWCA of Calgary (each started by one-half of a married couple), the City of Calgary Parks department and Calgary's Chinatown. And City Hall, the beautiful old building I work in every day, was opened 100 years ago.

In 2012, we blow out 100 candles for the Calgary Public Library, for the Pumphouse and Grand theatres, and for that little party we like to call the Calgary Stampede.

All this got me to wondering - what was going on in Calgary in 1912? What was in the water that people were starting such lasting institutions?

In 1912, Calgary was at the end of a major boom. 40,000 people lived here, up from 4,000 a decade earlier. But when you look at City Hall, this is not a building built for a city of 40,000. The people then were building not for who they were, but for who they dreamed of becoming. They had their faces turned firmly toward the future.

When I think about Calgary in 2012, I feel that same sense of optimism. We know that anything is possible, and that we can be anything we want to be, and that it's time to start making it happen.

It will certainly be a big year politically. We're moving forward on many fronts at the City, including my personal emphasis on a new plan for Calgary Transit and cutting red tape throughout the organization.

A provincial election will also give us the opportunity to talk about the future of a strong Calgary within a strong Alberta. I'll be pressing all the party leaders on their plans for ensuring that Calgary maintains its standing as the economic driver of this province and of this country, and I encourage all of you to do the same with your candidates.

But life, shockingly, is about much more than politics. 2012 will be a year for us to celebrate our neighbours, our communities, and everything that makes life worth living in this great city. From massive dance parties in Olympic Plaza to block parties in your neighbourhood, it's all about doing more of what we love this year...

Our naming as Canada’s Cultural Capital, in particular, gives us a chance to get together and do great things in our community. I encourage you to learn more about how you can be involved at calgary2012.com.

But the key is: for this city to be even greater, we need to all play our part. If you have not yet thought about your role, please consider participating in “3 Things for Calgary” (www.3thingsforcalgary.ca).

This simple program encourages all Calgarians to do three things for the community this year. They could be big things like joining your local community organization or taking on a major volunteer role. Or, they could be small thing such as vowing to pick up litter or carry an extra plastic bag for dogwalkers who may have forgotten theirs.

My favourite example was the guy who said he was going to throw a barbecue this winter. But this barbecue would be in his front yard instead of his backyard, and he’d invite all the neighbours he has yet to meet.

The key to “3 Things”, though, is to share. Share what you’re doing online and in real life, and encourage three other people to do their own three things.

Together, let’s use 2012 as our starting point towards creating the community that the people of 2112 will still enjoy. And let’s make that future mayor go to lots of centennial events!

- Mayor Naheed Nenshi