Calgary’s Fairmont Palliser is an iconic hotel, loved by locals and travelers alike. Built in 1914, its reputation and history have prompted many to call it “Calgary’s palace.” CKUA is thrilled to welcome Fairmont Palliser as the sponsor of Discoveries.
Kaitlyn Basi, Social Media Marketing Manager for Fairmont Palliser, says, “These two organizations are so rooted in Alberta and its history. That’s important to us, to partner with businesses and organizations that make Alberta the province it is. It just made perfect sense.”
“Calgary was built around us,” Basi adds. “When it was built in 1914, there was nothing like it. It was a part of everything as Calgary grew: meetings, dances, town halls, dinners. It was central to the community. The place to be!”
So how did this sponsorship come to be? It’s possible that it can all be traced back to the musical tastes of Fairmont Palliser’s General Manager, Ken Flores.
Flores has worked for Fairmont for 28 years and has lived in many cities across North America. When he arrived in Calgary four years ago, he says, “CKUA was pretty much there on Day One. It was a recommendation from a friend. They thought I would enjoy it, and, wow, they knew me well!”
It took Flores only four months to become a monthly donor to CKUA. Fast forward a few years and he knows why a program sponsorship aligns well with Fairmont Palliser’s goals for community engagement, telling Alberta stories, and supporting arts and culture.
“When we started talking about sponsoring a program and becoming a part of the CKUA family, the question was, ‘How has this not happened already, in 100 years?’ We are two institutions that are promoting the heritage of the province we love. We are promoting the people, and the arts and culture of this province, to anyone who will listen. These two organizations are so aligned in mission; it was long past time to work together!”
Leo Cripps is pleased that Fairmont Palliser chose to sponsor his weekday morning program, Discoveries. “I was absolutely humbled when I learnt about the Fairmont Palliser sponsorship,” he says. “After all, this is a hotel with over one hundred years history in the city of Calgary. To acknowledge Discoveries on CKUA as a program to align with and sponsor, encourages me to continue in the delivery of shows that encapsulate the true essence of CKUA—community! Thank you, Fairmont Palliser. Your sponsorship means the world to us.”
Flores likes the local flavour and worldwide reach of the program, and says, “We feel that Discoveries has the right blend of music to mirror our own hotel’s mission in spreading the word about Alberta to Albertans, and people further afield.”
Specific moments in history reveal why a Palliser-CKUA partnership makes sense. Flores notes that in 1985, Billy Cowsill and his band opened for k.d. lang in Palliser’s Crystal Ballroom. That concert was recorded, and in 2004, the performance was released posthumously as an album: Billy Cowsill – Live From The Crystal Ballroom Calgary, AB July, 1985. It’s a favourite among CKUA’s hosts.
It’s another one of those wonderful moments when music and community come together. Thank you, Ken and Kaitlyn, for sharing some thoughts about this sponsorship. CKUA is so happy to welcome Fairmont Palliser Hotel as a sponsor.
Discoveries, hosted by Leo Cripps, airs Monday through Thursday, 9am – 11am MT on CKUA.
This version of “Let’s Dance” is from the album Billy Cowsill – Live From The Crystal Ballroom Calgary, AB July, 1985.
