Meet the interpreters

This summer, the Edmonton City as Museum Project is offering two immersive walking experiences. These Curiosity Tours will be available June 18 – August 16, 2025 (tickets and info here). Meet the interpreters who’ll be leading your tours!

A photograph of a small group of people standing in front of Victoria School for the Arts. Abigail addresses the group from the middle.
Learning fun facts with Abigail. Did you know that Victoria School offered Ukrainian classes as early as 1969?

Hi, everybody!

My name is Abigail, and I am so excited to be leading ECAMP’s Curiosity Walking Tours this summer as a historical interpreter, along with my colleague Emily. Unfortunately, we will not be in costume, but we hope to transport participants into an Edmonton of the past nonetheless.

I have always loved history, ever since I was a little kid checking out books about the Famous Five at the public library and taking trips to Fort Edmonton Park. I developed an interest in untold stories or the “dark side” of Canada’s most celebrated historical figures, like Nellie McClung. I was fascinated by the fact that we continue to place these people on pedestals, with little public acknowledgement of their problematic politics. My classmates did not share in my passion for righting Canadian history’s wrongs but I’m pretty sure I made up for it by bringing in cupcakes to celebrate the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in Alberta (it was 2016, I was in the fourth grade and I’m pretty sure the only reason my teacher let me give a presentation was because she wanted to eat a cupcake too).

At the same time, I was growing up in a household completely immersed in our local community league. My parents instilled in me the value of volunteerism as a child and I’ve carried it with me in all aspects of my life. From helping out around the community hall, to organizing and managing dozens of volunteers, I have always believed in the power of bringing people together through art, music, and of course, food.

As my love for the city grew, I became more invested in the ways in which I could participate in civic life, even if I wasn’t yet a voter. I volunteered for my city councillor, consulted on behalf of my high school regarding the construction of the King Thunderbird Centre, and spread my enthusiasm for public transit. These were the key factors that motivated my decision to pursue an undergraduate degree in Political Science with a minor in Human Geography at the University of Alberta, where I just finished my first year.

/></a><figcaption><em>Visiting St. John the Baptist Cathedral on our tour</em></figcaption></figure> <p>I am thrilled to be able to share all that I’ve been working on so far on this summer’s <a href=Ukrainian Ties tour. As someone who isn’t of Ukrainian descent, I’ve embraced this opportunity to learn about a community that has truly shaped the Edmonton I know and love into what it is today. From cathedrals to community centres, Ukrainian Ties was born out of a collaboration with community partners in the Northeast, who have been crucial to the development of this tour. My favourite part of the job so far has been meeting with members of Edmonton’s Ukrainian community and experts in Sociology and Ukrainian Studies, allowing my research to go beyond heritage and incorporate my own experiences within Edmonton’s Ukrainian community today.

I hope to catch you all this summer, either on the Ukrainian Ties tour or Strikes, Struggles and Success, led by my lovely coworker Emily.

Happy touring!

– Abigail Struthers, ECAMP Interpreter

/></a><figcaption><em>You too could learn about the Chocolate Bar Strike with Emily on a walking tour this summer.</em></figcaption></figure> <p>If you had told me two years ago that I’d be <em>leading tours</em> around Edmonton, I’d have laughed.</p> <p>Hello! My name is Emily and I am one of ECAMP’s new summer interpreters, alongside Abigail. By the time you’re reading this, I will officially be a graduate of the University of Alberta, where I majored in Classics and minored in History.</p> <p>I have always been a shy person. When I decided to go for my Classics degree, I had visions of myself hunched over in overstuffed libraries, reading and translating ancient Greek poetry with not another human in sight. In some ways, this did come true. I’m a sucker for a good, quiet library, and I was ecstatic when I got keys to the Honours room so I could squirrel myself away to work on my thesis. My <em>actual </em>experience throughout my undergrad, however, forced me out of that isolated dream, and into a level of confidence and engagement with my community that I never thought possible!</p> <p>Volunteering at the W.G. Hardy Classics Museum and the Royal Alberta Museum, I came to a great appreciation for the folks working front-of-house. I love artifacts and super old stuff, and I still hope I can work behind-the-scenes at some point, but what good are physical traces of history if there’s no one willing to share them with the public? ECAMP has given me the best of both worlds. My second week here, I was trawling through Edmonton Journal newspapers from the early 20th century, and by the beginning of June we delivered our first preview tours!</p> <p>This labour history tour, <strong><a href=Strikes, Struggles, and Success, has ignited in me an incredible passion for unions, strikes, and early industry in the area. It’s an exploration through downtown Edmonton, inviting folks to step back in time with us and witness how labour has evolved and shaped this city.
A black and white photograph of thousands of people downtown in an Edmonton square. Some hold protest signs with slogans like Stop Deportation of Young Workers and Our Living is First
Twelve thousand Hunger March protestors gathered in Edmonton’s Market Square. Source: Glenbow Archives, NC-6-13014A-J: McDermid Studio Fonds.

My favourite part of the tour preparation so far has been learning about the 1932 Hunger March. It’s been called the “Wildest Disorder in Edmonton’s History!” It is fascinating to try and place ourselves where all these people stood, speaking up for themselves in the face of political violence and neglect from the government. It’s a great reminder, too. The past shows us that we all have the potential to affect immense change if we work together, and we are not alone in our struggles.

Abigail and I are also working on some super-secret ECAMP projects that we are looking to bring you during the summer! No details yet, but keep a watch out… it will be fun. I might even say… keep your ears open for when my project drops (when it happens, you will look back on this post and think I am very clever, I promise!)

My first month here has been crazy, and totally out of my comfort zone, but I am so excited to really get going! ECAMP rocks! History is awesome! I hope Abigail and I can help ignite in you all an interest in this stuff like ECAMP has for me.

– Emily Horrill, ECAMP Interpreter

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