Greetings, neighbour!
If you’re reading this, you may have discovered the Torii gate near Fairy Lane in the Ranchlands dog park in northwest Calgary. My name is Stuart, and I’d like to share the story of how it came to be here and why this little gateway means so much to me.
I was born in Calgary and have lived in Ranchlands for nearly twenty years. For many of those years, I explored this park with our beloved Border Collie, Phebe. It was one of her favourite places, and mine too.
In November 2024, we lost Phebe at fifteen years old. I still remember our last walk here together.
Whenever we visited the park, I made a point of taking the wooded path known as Fairy Lane. I don’t know who first created it, or who keeps adding the little homes, pictures, and notes tucked along the trail. Whoever you are, thank you. Your contributions have made countless walks a little more magical.
There’s something special about this path. For years, I’d notice a new addition and think, “I should make something for this place.” Perhaps a birdhouse, or a fairy-sized version of our own home in Ranchlands.
“One day,” I kept telling myself.
At the beginning of 2025, I launched The Common Anomaly Podcast. There were many reasons for starting it, but in those early days, part of what I needed was a way to work through the grief of losing Phebe. Having something to research, create, and share helped me move forward.
Then, in the summer of 2026, an unexpected connection brought that project back to Fairy Lane.
While researching an episode about kitsune—the foxes of Japanese folklore—I became fascinated by the Torii gates associated with Shinto shrines. These gateways mark a passage into sacred space, inviting us to recognize that we are entering somewhere deserving of care and reverence. Shinto’s deep respect for the natural world also resonated with how I felt about this park.
Suddenly, my long-delayed contribution became clear.
A Torii gate felt like a fitting way to honour this special place and the memories of Phebe that live here.
There was just one problem: I’m not much of a craftsman.
Fortunately, I knew where to ask for help.
I work in logistics and warehousing for a local nonprofit organization and thrift retailer. One of our programs supports people with disabilities as they develop practical job skills and work experience. Participants tackle projects such as repairing furniture, refurbishing pallets, and turning donated beverage drums into rain barrels.
I approached the mentor who leads the program at our location, initially hoping to commission him to build the gate. As it happened, he was looking for creative woodworking projects that would give participants room to practise, experiment, and build confidence.
The Torii was a perfect fit.
And then came the coincidence I never could have planned: the mentor already had experience creating Torii installations in Japan, Korea, and even nearby Airdrie.
Of all the people I could have asked!
What began as a personal idea became a shared project. The gate you see here was made from repurposed broken furniture, carefully transformed by program participants developing their woodworking skills under an experienced mentor’s guidance.
Knowing how it was made gives it even more meaning to me. There’s a contribution from every person who helped turn that discarded material into something worth stopping to look at.
For me, this gate honours Phebe and the many walks we shared. It also celebrates the care and imagination that so many people have brought to Fairy Lane over the years.
These days, I’m back in the park with our new puppy, Xena, making new memories and discovering it all over again. I still carry Phebe’s memory with me whenever I visit, especially along this little wooded path.
I hope the gate gives you a reason to pause, enjoy your surroundings, and think of someone—or some four-legged friend—who has made a place special to you.
And if you happen to meet Xena and me out on one of our adventures, please say hello!
