Capturing images and stories from some of Alberta's most historic and beloved small town hotels and taverns, 'The Beer Parlour Project' made a recent stop in Clive in the quest to preserve a unique part of the province's history.
Chris Doering, Connie Biggart, and Rob Pohl were at the Prairie Fire Bar and Cafe (formerly the Clive Hotel) on March 15 to chat with locals about the establishment, which dates back to the 1920s.
"We're documenting small town hotel bars from the old days, and their connections with their respective communities," said Doering, who is based in Calgary.
"My stepfather was quite the aficionado of places like this when I was young," he said, adding the group has, over the years, documented a range of historic sites around Alberta, and got to thinking about hotel bars in rural communities, which for decades typically served as a kind of community hub.
"We thought this would be a really interesting subject to tackle - so we started that discussion just before COVID."
These days, they are busy tracking these incredible buildings that can hold so many memories for residents.
And there is a bit of a rush, as some of them have closed in recent years.
In the meantime, The Beer Parlour project isn't just about the structures themselves, which are often loaded with old-time charm. It's also about the people who gather there, too.
To date, they've covered about 30 sites, via stories and beautifully-shot photos.
The routine is that they typically reach out to the owner beforehand, set up in the bars, and wait until folks begin to arrive. Over the next few hours, Pohl will use his vintage equipment to capture some stunning portraits, while Doering conducts interviews - tapping into not just a range of stories and experiences, but also the spot's unique character and history.
"You get all these snippets of interesting stuff. And some of the interviews go on for extended periods of time," said Doering.
"We will do a history of the building, of the town that it's in, and any other interesting little tidbits."
Doering, Biggart, Pohl - and Pohl's wife Margarit - have been working together on these kinds of projects for about a decade now. For Doering, it's, in a sense, very much a labour of love.
"As a history buff, there is always something quirky or really fascinating with these buildings. I really like that. From an architectural standpoint, I appreciate them as well. But also to know how they are so ingrained in the community, and how important these buildings have been in their communities - you are looking at 100 years of memories within this building," he said. "It's just really cool."
Rob agreed.
"We are also as much interested in the people who patronize these places now, as they evolve with today's generation. And so for me, it's about the challenge of shooting something different - I've got thousands of images of lakes, and farmhouses for example, and I'm always looking for new projects to get involved with," he explained. "I've just always been fascinated by old stuff, too," he added with a smile.
"We hope to turn this into a travelling exhibition once we are done. Our goal is to get 100 (establishments) - maybe more. Once we have done that, we can put together an exhibition and see if we can approach some galleries, and also approach a publisher to see if we can create a coffee table book. That's our plan."
And the future for The Beer Parlour Project is looking brighter by the day, as more hotel owners are reaching out to the team in hopes of being included.
"We are getting calls from all over western Canada, and way up in northern B.C."
Biggart also gets so much out of taking part in the project.
"It's the people - just meeting all of these people, old and young, and all of the different dynamics that are happening now," she said, referring to the 'changing times' that these places are seeing as the years pass.
Meanwhile, Prairie Fire Bar & Care's owner, Erin Lewis, was very pleased to welcome The Beer Parlour Project team, and to be included in the initiative.
"Just to see the history of this building. Some people have been coming in here for 60 years, so it's pretty fascinating."
Check out The Beer Parlour Project at www.beerparlourproject.com.
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