Krasnodemski Family

Father: Nicholas Krasnodemski b: December 19,1893, Zasceinocze, Trembola, Poland. 

Mother: Joanna Krasnodemski b: Jan. 7, 1899, Zasceinocze, Trembola, Poland 

Nicholas: Came to Canmore in the early 1900’s 

Joanna: Came to Canmore in April, 1919 Married Feb. 6, 1926.

 

The Krasnodemski family lived in a house owned by Mr. Anderson, later owned by Oliver Davidson (dairy owner), approximate location today is the Wuitchuk Building.

Children of the Krasnodemski family: Anne, Jenny, Mary (deceased) John, Olga, Walter (deceased).

The Krasnodemski family built a house at 716 – 9th Street (still standing today), having been built by a Finn craftsmen Henry Pavala, and now owned by Mr. Kendal. 

Mr. Nicholas Krasnodemski was employed by the C.P.R. up to his retirement in 1958. The Krasnodemski family was one of the early pioneer families of Canmore.

John Krasnodemski: b. June 29, 1929, Canmore, Alberta.

Lois Merle Allan: b. December 23, 1933, Spruce Lake, Sask. 

Married: June 29, 1957.

Children: Margaret, Carole, John Jr., Jeanette, James, Ronda (all born in Canmore, AB.) In the year 2000, Carole and Ronda are now teaching in Canmore. James is a helicopter pilot at the Queen Charlotte Islands. John Jr. is in Calgary. Margaret died at the age of thirty, Jeanette is in Vancouver working in hotel administration.

John Sr. has lived all his life in Canmore and has noticed the many changes that are taking place. He is a great volunteer and has helped with many projects both in the past and present. John was educated in Canmore, both at public school and high school. He graduated in 1949. During her younger years at school, he was greatly taken with track and field. He was involved with the student union council as the sports representative and the treasurer. It was during this time that John became involved in starting high school curling with the aid of a school teacher, Mr. Roy Roberts. This curling  was done on natural ice in the old curling rink, which has since been taken down. John also became an avid downhill skier (self-taught). Skiing at that time was just starting to become popular because Canmore was mainly a hockey town. At that time, one pair of skiis was used for all types of events, e.g. cross-country, downhill, skating, touring, jumping, etc. Money was really hard to come by. 

A ski hill, called the “L”, (directly above the Nordic Centre) was cleared off by a small group of volunteers, John included. A few of the local skiers helped maintain this hill voluntarily by grooming and keeping the hill free of brush and small trees in the fall, so that the group of enthusiasts could ski during the winter months. The “L” also had a small ski cabin, which was also built by volunteers. The materials were carried from Lawrence Grassi’s yard in Canmore to the cabin site by hand, as there were no roads or vehicles available that could have been used to transport these materials. Mr. Lawrence Grassi also gave his time and expertise on this project. During this period, there were a few junior ski racers and people, such as John, were the forerunners. 

As a parent, John also volunteered to help with Minor Hockey by taking the young players to various game sites.

John was also on the Executive of the 400 Club. This club raised money to build the new arena, which is in use today. Volunteers were also used to install the ice surface for artificial ice in the old arena.  This surface was put in in record time and was one of the largest volunteer projects that Canmore has ever accomplished.

John was always interested in first aid. He became involved in the St. John’s organization at the age of fourteen. This is a great volunteer group. In later years John became a voluntary first aid instructor and taught local classes for the Canmore Mines employees, Banff National Park employees and the Kootenay Park Warden Service. There were obviously many volunteer hours involved for these lessons. He also instructed the Parks Canada First Aid Team that placed third in a Canadian First Aid competition. John has a letter of appreciation from the superintendent of Banff National Park for saving the life of a fellow veteran employee on the worksite with the use of his First Aid knowledge.

John is a member of The Royal Canadian Legion. He has served as the president for three terms; the first vice-president for three terms; the second vice-resident for three terms and an executive member for eight terms. John has also represented The Royal Canadian Legion of Canmore at conventions (Dominion), in Quebec City, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Edmonton. He attended Provincial Conventions in Lethbridge, Grande Prairie, Red Deer, and Medicine Hat. All these conventions were on  volunteer time and he used holiday work credits.

The Royal Canadian Legion has benefitted the Town of Canmore in many ways by having a lot of local projects done voluntarily. John has volunteered for the Canada Day parades, in the Colour Party and served on the sponsoring committee of Canada Day. This event promotes tourism for the Town. He also helped with “Millionaire’s Night” which, in the past, raised funds to help run the Canada Day event. 

John also volunteered his time in helping put on local children’s Christmas parties (Legion). He also helps in the local spring clean-up day and shovels snow off sidewalks for seniors and disabled persons.  He drives seniors to Calgary so they can  get special medical attention. He visits seniors in their homes or in the hospital when they are ill.

He has volunteered on work crews for building the local Royal Canadian Legion, the Catholic Church, has been on the Legion Cemetery Committee for cutting grass and grave maintenance. John drives Santa Claus (John Niemi) around Town at Christmas time to deliver gifts and visit the children.

One of John’s greatest projects was being one of the eleven members that helped build the new Canmore Golf Course (the first nine holes), both financially and with many voluntary labor hours. Maintaining golf club machinery was another voluntary project. He had also worked on the first golf course, where the present Seniors Lodge is located.

The 1988 Winter Olympics was a very memorable volunteer event for John. He was a driver and was able to meet many IOC and OCO dignitaries. When asked if he would do this again, he replied, “You bet I would.” These games put Canmore on the map of the world for being one of the best host towns for Nordic events.

John has spent countless hours working at the Nordic Centre as a volunteer, helping to run races of national and international calibre such as world biathalon meets, World Master cross country races (1995), Special Olympics (1996), which he found to be a very touching experience, Rocky Mountain Cup, (1996), and Alberta Cup, (1996).

Other Nordic Centre events that John volunteered to help officiate are:

World cup XC Race 

December 11-17, 1989

 

World Junior Biathlon Championships 

March 2 – 8, 1992

 

World Cup Final Biathlon

March 14 – 20, 1994

 

World Cup Masters XC

Feb. 25 – Mar.4, 1995

 

Canadian Championships (Biathlon)

Mar. 9 – 12, 1995

 

Continental Cup XC

Dec. 2 – 3, 1995

 

Three Sisters Resorts XC Ski Marathon

Jan. 21, 1996

 

Rocky Mountain Ski Marathon

Jan. 21, 1996

 

Canadian Special Olympic Winter Games

Feb. 13 – 17, 1996

 

Rocky Mountain Cup Biathlon (Shark Mtn.)

Mar. 14, 1996

 

Rocky Mtn. Cup and Alberta Cup #7 Biathlon

Mar. 16, 1996

 

Canada Cup Race XC

Nov. 29-Dec. 1,1996

 

Rocky Mountain Marathon XC

Jan. 17-19,1997

 

World Jr. Nordic Ski Championship

Feb. 12-16, 1997

 

Rocky Mtn. Cup (Biathlon)

Mar 4 – 5, 1997

 

Alberta Championships (Biathlon)

Mar.8- 9,1997

 

Canada Cup & Alberta Championships XC

Nov. 29-30, 1997

 

Continental Cup & Regional XC

Dec. 6, 1997

 

Canada Cup & Alberta Cup #2 (Biathlon)

Dec. 13-14, 1997

 

Alberta Cup #3 (Biathlon)

Jan. 3, 1998

 

Canadian XC Championships (Jeep)

Jan. 16-22, 1998 (trials for Olympics in Japan)

 

North American Biathlon Championships & Rocky Mtn. XC races, (2 in 1 day)

Jan. 24, 1998

 

Alberta Biathlon Championships

Mar.7-8, 1998

 

Can.XC Championships & Alta. Championships

Mar.27-29, 1998 (Shark Mountain)

 

Summer Biathlon Championships

Oct. 18, 1998

 

Continental Cup & Alta. Championships.XC

Dec.10-11,1998

 

Continental Cup & Alta. Championships XC & Biathlon, Canada Cup #1 & Alta. Cup #2 (2 races in 1 day)

Dec. 12,1998

 

Same races as above – XC & Biathlon

Dec. 13, 1998

 

Three Sisters Resorts Marathon XC

Jan. 22 – 23, 1999

 

Alta Championships Biathlon

Feb. 5 – 7, 1999

 

Canadian Championships, USA, North American Championships, Biathlon.

Mar. 9-13,1999

 

Alberta Cup #2 Biathlon

Dec. 11,1999

 

Continental Cup and Alta. Cup XC

Dec. 18-19, 1999

 

Alberta Championship Biathlon. (set up range)

Feb. 11,2000

 

John was on an early recreation council executive in the past, and was also a volunteer driver for the Canadian Junior Ladies Golf tournament held at the Canmore Golf Course in 1994. He also helps with the Highland Games every year. In volunteering for the world Junior Nordic Ski Championships in 1999, he helped with the medal presentations and the flag raising ceremony and was in the Legion colour party for the closing ceremony parade of this world class event.

John would like to mention his places of employment during his working years:

Canadian Pacific Railway

Alberta Government

Canmore Coal Mines

Parks Canada

He also spent time in the Royal Canadian Artillery Reserves.

The following is a story that happened when he was a young teenager.

One day a friend, Johnny Michaluk, and I decided to go fishing up Canmore Creek. We ended up at a small lake by the Twin Lake Falls. There is a power plant there now. We started to fish. My friend, Johnny, cast and let the rod fly into the water and yelled, “A bear!” He scrambled up a tree with me right behind him. We got up real high when I was told that this was his (Johnny’s) tree, and to go and find my own. Mind you, the bear was under the tree looking up at two shaky teenagers. We were up there for quite some time before the bear left. When he had gone, we came down, shaking, and took off running full out to Michaluk’s house. (They lived by the Opera House at the time) We were told we looked very white. (I wonder why!)

There are a few more stories I have but they would take a long time. (Like the old golf course story!) 

Our children could have added their thoughts and versions of their experiences, and given this write-up a more modern and recent touch.

 

 

 

 

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In Canmore Seniors at the Summit, ed. Canmore Seniors Association, 2000, p.150-153.