Downtown Calgary as it appeared in the early-morning hours of June 24, 2013. Parts of the core were still without electricity in the aftermath of record flooding in the city. The darkened area in the foreground is the flood-hit neighbourhood of Sunnyside. As of today, power is restored to many of these areas.

My apologies for not posting in several days. To say that I’ve been distracted for about a week is something of an understatement.
As you’ve likely heard in the news, our area was recently hit with flooding from the Bow and Elbow rivers.
The damage and devastation is almost unfathomable. Tens of thousands of people were directly affected, with raging waters as high as anyone can remember flowing into homes, causing property damage to individuals, businesses and governments estimated as high as $5 billion.
You’ve probably seen footage of homes in southern Alberta simply picked up and carried away by swollen rivers.
A handful of individuals also lost their lives in this natural disaster.
In the midst of the loss, however, there is something bright shining through.
As I described in my newspaper column yesterday, the spirit of our community is rising above the devastation.
In several flood-hit neighbourhoods, people are coming together to strip out wet basements and make homes safe.
There are strangers who wander the city offering help to whomever requires it.
Ordinary Calgarians by the thousands have answered the call for volunteers.
And then, there’s all of you across Canada and around the world who’ve offered your sympathy and financial assistance to relief programs, such as the one organized by the Canadian Red Cross.
As impressive as it was to see what water did to our towns and cities, it is even more impressive to see how almost everyone is responding to the crisis.
Thank you, one and all.