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The Food Issue
2016
Grains
West
8
THETABLE ISSET
THECOMMUNITY-BUILDINGPOWEROFGOODFOOD
IF YOU ARE A CALGARIAN, OR HAVE
recently lived in the city, people may won-
der if you were present when it flooded in
2013. The conversations nowadays almost
always lead into the state of the econo-
my and the price of oil. Ironically, while
Calgary’s troubling times seem to have put
the city on the radar, it’s also these chal-
lenges that unite Calgarians and strength-
en their community connections.
Michael Noble, chef and proprietor/
owner of NOtaBLE restaurant and The
Nash, and, most recently, co-chair of The
Alex Community Food Centre (CFC) cam-
paign cabinet, is a big believer in giving
back to his community, both personally
and professionally.
“Going back to the floods in 2013, I
opened my doors at NOtaBLE restaurant
and invited anyone displaced by the flood
to come in and have a meal on me,” he
said. “That was when I fully realized the
importance of community to me.”
Noble’s passion for community serves
him well in his role with The Alex CFC,
which was created in partnership between
The Alex Community Health Centre
(The Alex) and Community Food Centres
Canada, and is set to open its doors this
summer. He brings a talent for fundrais-
ing to the table, along with ground-level
insight into food insecurity among Calgar-
ians, especially now, in light of the current
economic downturn.
“I know for a fact that food insecurity
in Calgary has always been an issue,” he
said. “This is a fact across the country. It’s
very tough to get a definite answer as to
how many people skip meals because they
can’t afford them. I believe that number is
actually much higher than we realize.”
Noble has high expectations for the
CFC and its potential to overcome food in-
security—not simply by providing food on
an emergency basis, but through teaching
people how to grow food, prepare it nutri-
tiously and take better care of themselves.
Located on International Avenue in For-
est Lawn, the vibrant community space,
which was formerly a restaurant, has been
transformed through pro bono design
work by FRANK Architecture.
“This centre will be a bright, welcoming
space for the community to come together
to grow, cook, share and advocate for good
food,” said Renee MacKillop, manager of
the Alex CFC. “Equipped with a garden,
community kitchen, dining space and
offices, the CFC will deliver programs that
increase access to healthy food, provide
food skills and education, and empower
people to have voice and agency on issues
affecting the community.”
The centre will serve community-mind-
ed Calgarians, including children, families
and individuals, who struggle to access
healthy food.
MacKillop stressed that food sits at the
crux of some of the biggest issues of our
time. “We’re dealing with hunger, poor
health and social isolation,” she said. “The
rate of Type 2 diabetes is four times higher
for the lowest income group and is esti-
mated to cost our country more than $16.9
billion by 2020.”
She added that an overwhelming
number of Calgarians are working hard to
TABLE
TALK
The Alex Community Food Centre is designed to address food insecurity in Calgary, an issue that has worsened as
low oil prices weaken the local economy.
Photo: TerryManzo