TWM Top Story - Apr. 22, 2019
Young drama production a hit
Daniel Bushman
People hoping to find a ticket to this year’s production put on by the Young Drama Club may have found themselves out of luck as all three nights sold out in a hurry. For those who did get a spot, there were a lot of laughs and enjoyment as the ‘Suwork Family Reunion’ was centre stage.
Director Sherry Shouse said people filled the Young Community Hall Apr. 4, 5 and 6 to check out the performance, enjoy a meal served by Young Parks and Rec and had some drinks poured by the Young Swimming Pool Committee.
“This year’s performance of Suwork Family Reunion was a huge success with all three nights selling out,” said an excited Shouse. “The cast was put to task not only acting but singing and dancing their way to the finale.”
Shouse provided a bit of a synopsis on this year’s production which included a number of familiar faces and a few new ones: “As with any family get-together there is always a bit of conflict with Mary Sha’nay’nay – who’s ever-changing personality was very suspicious of that ‘E-talian and his E-tailian ways.’ And the conflict didn’t end there . . . food kept disappearing and Sue the family organizer was constantly bugging Mom Suwork to “stop inviting every Tony, Dick and Harry to the party ‘er I mean reunion.” The twins Rig and Rich tried to work together to serenade cousin Katie’s best friend Trudy, but sadly Rich was shot down by the over the top personality of the “Jersey girl” who was too “citified” for cowboy Rich. Amidst all the arguing, Sue and Mom Suwork finally convinced the family that life is too short to be arguing about silly things and were brought together by a star performance of “We are a Family.” The reunion ended with Tony (the E-talian) singing his own version of New York, New York appropriately retitled “Suwork, Suwork” and asking Elle, the British adopted daughter, for her hand in marriage. Who knows, maybe the Suworks will have another “family party” to help celebrate the marriage of Elle and Tony.”
Shouse said the cast did a tremendous job in addition to all of the volunteers and sponsors who lent a hand. “We really appreciated the three volunteers who helped make the song, ‘Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy’ an entertaining and funny performance. We were also really grateful to all who attended the show, helping to create another successful production! And we were very appreciative to Mooney Insurance, RBC and MNP for the door prize donations.”
This year’s cast included: Blanche Allingham as Grandma Suwork, John Allingham as Grandpa Suwork, Donna Fischer as Sue, Garnet Johnson as Tom, Rikee Rowan as Becky, Nancy Holdner as Judy, Ewald Weber as Elwood, Pam Lindberg as Sandra, Kelvin Gieselman as Jake, Terry Sperling as Rig, Aaron Bushell as Rich, Carrie Schaan as Bonnie, Debs Green as Elle, Dan Fischer as Tony, Chantelle Gieselman as Mary - Sha’nay’nay, Holly Train as Gloria, Taylor Rowan as Katie, Kellen Dreger as Trudy, Mike Dadachov as Dick, Lyle Johnson as Harry, Annie Bishop as Brenda, and Jolene Haines as Jodi. Along with Sherry Shouse as the director, this year’s sound men were Barry Shouse and Cody Gieselman, the prompter was Kathy Regush and MaryAnn McIvor helped with props.
Daniel Bushman
People hoping to find a ticket to this year’s production put on by the Young Drama Club may have found themselves out of luck as all three nights sold out in a hurry. For those who did get a spot, there were a lot of laughs and enjoyment as the ‘Suwork Family Reunion’ was centre stage.
Director Sherry Shouse said people filled the Young Community Hall Apr. 4, 5 and 6 to check out the performance, enjoy a meal served by Young Parks and Rec and had some drinks poured by the Young Swimming Pool Committee.
“This year’s performance of Suwork Family Reunion was a huge success with all three nights selling out,” said an excited Shouse. “The cast was put to task not only acting but singing and dancing their way to the finale.”
Shouse provided a bit of a synopsis on this year’s production which included a number of familiar faces and a few new ones: “As with any family get-together there is always a bit of conflict with Mary Sha’nay’nay – who’s ever-changing personality was very suspicious of that ‘E-talian and his E-tailian ways.’ And the conflict didn’t end there . . . food kept disappearing and Sue the family organizer was constantly bugging Mom Suwork to “stop inviting every Tony, Dick and Harry to the party ‘er I mean reunion.” The twins Rig and Rich tried to work together to serenade cousin Katie’s best friend Trudy, but sadly Rich was shot down by the over the top personality of the “Jersey girl” who was too “citified” for cowboy Rich. Amidst all the arguing, Sue and Mom Suwork finally convinced the family that life is too short to be arguing about silly things and were brought together by a star performance of “We are a Family.” The reunion ended with Tony (the E-talian) singing his own version of New York, New York appropriately retitled “Suwork, Suwork” and asking Elle, the British adopted daughter, for her hand in marriage. Who knows, maybe the Suworks will have another “family party” to help celebrate the marriage of Elle and Tony.”
Shouse said the cast did a tremendous job in addition to all of the volunteers and sponsors who lent a hand. “We really appreciated the three volunteers who helped make the song, ‘Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy’ an entertaining and funny performance. We were also really grateful to all who attended the show, helping to create another successful production! And we were very appreciative to Mooney Insurance, RBC and MNP for the door prize donations.”
This year’s cast included: Blanche Allingham as Grandma Suwork, John Allingham as Grandpa Suwork, Donna Fischer as Sue, Garnet Johnson as Tom, Rikee Rowan as Becky, Nancy Holdner as Judy, Ewald Weber as Elwood, Pam Lindberg as Sandra, Kelvin Gieselman as Jake, Terry Sperling as Rig, Aaron Bushell as Rich, Carrie Schaan as Bonnie, Debs Green as Elle, Dan Fischer as Tony, Chantelle Gieselman as Mary - Sha’nay’nay, Holly Train as Gloria, Taylor Rowan as Katie, Kellen Dreger as Trudy, Mike Dadachov as Dick, Lyle Johnson as Harry, Annie Bishop as Brenda, and Jolene Haines as Jodi. Along with Sherry Shouse as the director, this year’s sound men were Barry Shouse and Cody Gieselman, the prompter was Kathy Regush and MaryAnn McIvor helped with props.
TWM Top Story Apr. 15, 2019
Manitou Memories mural unveiled
Daniel Bushman
As intricate details were transferred from photo to canvas and with each precise stroke of the brush by artist Michael Gaudet, the history of Manitou Beach began to come alive. Reliving earlier days, Gaudet’s massive mural entitled ‘Manitou Memories’ will provide observers with a snapshot of the resort’s unique and historic past for generations to come.
Commemorating Manitou Beach’s 100th birthday of being incorporated, councillor Chris Moffatt was part of a group who helped to spearhead the mural project along with other events that will take place in 2019. Moffatt said the mural on the Manitou Beach Community Hall depicts a time in the beach’s history where some of the buildings that existed along the shore became well-known to locals and visitors.
“We are proud to have the mural as a component of the recent improvements to the village community hall and are excited to renew the hall and continue to develop it as an active centre of our community gatherings.”
Once the dream of creating the mural came to fruition, Michael Gaudet, who calls Manitou Beach home was asked to take on the project and along with a group of local advisors got down to work.
“The Resort Village of Manitou Beach informed me that it was my baby,” said a thrilled Gaudet. “The village received a larger funding package to rejuvenate our community hall with a new roof and siding that included provisions for the mural, called ‘Manitou Memories’. The concept was to cover the entire north-facing wall. This has benefits, including the fact that north-facing murals will not be affected by a lot of direct sunlight. Also, the mural will be highly visible from Lakeview Drive.”
Spanning 24 feet at its base, the massive mural rises 16 feet to the apex and was cut out to perfectly match the shape of the hall’s wall. With the space allotted for Gaudet’s project, the artist met with local advisors consisting of Darrell Baschak, Laurie Bzdel and Lionel Sproule and was grateful for their valuable input. During that time, Gaudet pitched his plan, one that included a rather unique and historical image.
“Prior to his passing, the late Homer Burke provided me with his original panoramic black and white photo of MacLachlan Beach circa 1921. I used that photo as a reference for a ‘triptych’ (three part) painting. I remembered this photograph and requested that the estate provide it again as a reference for this project. The family happily complied the second time around.”
In the image, which is now part of the mural, Homer is pictured as the boy standing on the dock beside his Dad Art Burke who was the first constable stationed at Manitou Beach in the 1920s.
“I think the unique perspective of my reference material that shows a view looking south to the beach really creates an interesting, fresh look,” said Gaudet after unveiling the finished mural. “The pier that features prominently adds a three-dimensional illusion to the design, as it leads your eye nicely into the landscape. I enjoyed ‘fleshing out’ the colour and texture of the water in the mural. The water occupies a very significant part of the design, you might say, the foundation of the design. This is my way of honouring the ‘healing waters’ as our most important attraction here at Manitou Beach.”
Gaudet also added another unique aspect within the mural, one not depicted in the photo, but one he felt was integral to include.
“Early on in the design process it was pointed out to me that our First Nations friends said a big part of their tradition is the story of charging buffalo and horses that were seen in spirit form in and around Little Manitou Lake. So, I felt it was imperative to include visions of these creatures intermingled in the clouds above the lake. You might have to look twice to ingest this phenomenon.”
Michael began work on the massive project this past November and with large panels to utilize, Gaudet enlisted the help of Vince Armstrong to build a temporary frame. Working in the village shop also aided in the progress of the project, eliminating the harsh winter elements. Once March arrived and the final brush stroke was applied, the mural was ready to be put up on the hall’s wall.
“I am very happy and grateful that I had this opportunity to once again express my artistic soul in the creation of this mural,” said Gaudet. “There is something very special and unique in the visual power of large murals, located in such a prominent location. I think a project of this magnitude will telegraph a very powerful message to our thousands of visitors who come to the beach each year. That being said, Manitou Beach is also a community that cares about and nurtures its artistic community, while honouring its rich history in this way. I really appreciate the Resort Village of Manitou Beach council for providing this opportunity to exercise creative freedom with this project. I would like to think that I, in turn, honoured this trust by creating a mural that will be enjoyed by generations to come.”
Because of the tremendous effort that went into the project by Gaudet, the Resort Village of Manitou Beach applied to receive funding from the Heritage Canada Anniversaries Grant to help cover the cost. Moffatt noted the intent of all Heritage Canada programs are to utilize local artists, artisans and heritage performers.
“Manitou Beach is fortunate to have an artist such as Michael Gaudet who lives here and works professionally as a mural artist. His paintings are highlights in many Canadian communities but we didn’t have one here in his hometown. This funding provided an opportunity to take on this meaningful project and the mural will become a nostalgic connection to the history of Manitou Beach for residents and visitors to enjoy.”
With funding received from the Heritage Canada Anniversaries Grant, Moffatt said the local grant advisors were able to allocate dollars towards the mural and other centennial celebration events like a pipe ceremony, Wisdom Weekend, the 100th birthday picnic and the First Nations water ceremony.
Along with the grant, Moffatt added the community is also very grateful to other funders who assisted with portions of the centennial events being held this year. “We want to acknowledge the financial support by Affinity Credit Union, SaskEnergy, the Watrous Manitou Marketing Group, Manitou Springs Hotel and Mineral Spa, Melron Services and other funders looking to support our events. We also appreciate the volunteers and community supporters for helping to make this year a great one.”
In addition, the resort village also received approval for a second, separate and artistic development grant at Manitou Beach using Heritage Canada Legacy funding. “The Legacy grant is designed to provide only half of the money for physical developments. One of those projects that the grant will be used for is a free-standing, stainless steel installation which will be located on the shore of the lake. Right now a fundraiser is currently underway to raise the matching funds to produce that artwork and site development proposed by the artistic team of Michael Gaudet, Darrell Baschak, and Bob Thibault. Once completed, that too will recognize the legacy of the resort village, its heritage and its beauty.”
Daniel Bushman
As intricate details were transferred from photo to canvas and with each precise stroke of the brush by artist Michael Gaudet, the history of Manitou Beach began to come alive. Reliving earlier days, Gaudet’s massive mural entitled ‘Manitou Memories’ will provide observers with a snapshot of the resort’s unique and historic past for generations to come.
Commemorating Manitou Beach’s 100th birthday of being incorporated, councillor Chris Moffatt was part of a group who helped to spearhead the mural project along with other events that will take place in 2019. Moffatt said the mural on the Manitou Beach Community Hall depicts a time in the beach’s history where some of the buildings that existed along the shore became well-known to locals and visitors.
“We are proud to have the mural as a component of the recent improvements to the village community hall and are excited to renew the hall and continue to develop it as an active centre of our community gatherings.”
Once the dream of creating the mural came to fruition, Michael Gaudet, who calls Manitou Beach home was asked to take on the project and along with a group of local advisors got down to work.
“The Resort Village of Manitou Beach informed me that it was my baby,” said a thrilled Gaudet. “The village received a larger funding package to rejuvenate our community hall with a new roof and siding that included provisions for the mural, called ‘Manitou Memories’. The concept was to cover the entire north-facing wall. This has benefits, including the fact that north-facing murals will not be affected by a lot of direct sunlight. Also, the mural will be highly visible from Lakeview Drive.”
Spanning 24 feet at its base, the massive mural rises 16 feet to the apex and was cut out to perfectly match the shape of the hall’s wall. With the space allotted for Gaudet’s project, the artist met with local advisors consisting of Darrell Baschak, Laurie Bzdel and Lionel Sproule and was grateful for their valuable input. During that time, Gaudet pitched his plan, one that included a rather unique and historical image.
“Prior to his passing, the late Homer Burke provided me with his original panoramic black and white photo of MacLachlan Beach circa 1921. I used that photo as a reference for a ‘triptych’ (three part) painting. I remembered this photograph and requested that the estate provide it again as a reference for this project. The family happily complied the second time around.”
In the image, which is now part of the mural, Homer is pictured as the boy standing on the dock beside his Dad Art Burke who was the first constable stationed at Manitou Beach in the 1920s.
“I think the unique perspective of my reference material that shows a view looking south to the beach really creates an interesting, fresh look,” said Gaudet after unveiling the finished mural. “The pier that features prominently adds a three-dimensional illusion to the design, as it leads your eye nicely into the landscape. I enjoyed ‘fleshing out’ the colour and texture of the water in the mural. The water occupies a very significant part of the design, you might say, the foundation of the design. This is my way of honouring the ‘healing waters’ as our most important attraction here at Manitou Beach.”
Gaudet also added another unique aspect within the mural, one not depicted in the photo, but one he felt was integral to include.
“Early on in the design process it was pointed out to me that our First Nations friends said a big part of their tradition is the story of charging buffalo and horses that were seen in spirit form in and around Little Manitou Lake. So, I felt it was imperative to include visions of these creatures intermingled in the clouds above the lake. You might have to look twice to ingest this phenomenon.”
Michael began work on the massive project this past November and with large panels to utilize, Gaudet enlisted the help of Vince Armstrong to build a temporary frame. Working in the village shop also aided in the progress of the project, eliminating the harsh winter elements. Once March arrived and the final brush stroke was applied, the mural was ready to be put up on the hall’s wall.
“I am very happy and grateful that I had this opportunity to once again express my artistic soul in the creation of this mural,” said Gaudet. “There is something very special and unique in the visual power of large murals, located in such a prominent location. I think a project of this magnitude will telegraph a very powerful message to our thousands of visitors who come to the beach each year. That being said, Manitou Beach is also a community that cares about and nurtures its artistic community, while honouring its rich history in this way. I really appreciate the Resort Village of Manitou Beach council for providing this opportunity to exercise creative freedom with this project. I would like to think that I, in turn, honoured this trust by creating a mural that will be enjoyed by generations to come.”
Because of the tremendous effort that went into the project by Gaudet, the Resort Village of Manitou Beach applied to receive funding from the Heritage Canada Anniversaries Grant to help cover the cost. Moffatt noted the intent of all Heritage Canada programs are to utilize local artists, artisans and heritage performers.
“Manitou Beach is fortunate to have an artist such as Michael Gaudet who lives here and works professionally as a mural artist. His paintings are highlights in many Canadian communities but we didn’t have one here in his hometown. This funding provided an opportunity to take on this meaningful project and the mural will become a nostalgic connection to the history of Manitou Beach for residents and visitors to enjoy.”
With funding received from the Heritage Canada Anniversaries Grant, Moffatt said the local grant advisors were able to allocate dollars towards the mural and other centennial celebration events like a pipe ceremony, Wisdom Weekend, the 100th birthday picnic and the First Nations water ceremony.
Along with the grant, Moffatt added the community is also very grateful to other funders who assisted with portions of the centennial events being held this year. “We want to acknowledge the financial support by Affinity Credit Union, SaskEnergy, the Watrous Manitou Marketing Group, Manitou Springs Hotel and Mineral Spa, Melron Services and other funders looking to support our events. We also appreciate the volunteers and community supporters for helping to make this year a great one.”
In addition, the resort village also received approval for a second, separate and artistic development grant at Manitou Beach using Heritage Canada Legacy funding. “The Legacy grant is designed to provide only half of the money for physical developments. One of those projects that the grant will be used for is a free-standing, stainless steel installation which will be located on the shore of the lake. Right now a fundraiser is currently underway to raise the matching funds to produce that artwork and site development proposed by the artistic team of Michael Gaudet, Darrell Baschak, and Bob Thibault. Once completed, that too will recognize the legacy of the resort village, its heritage and its beauty.”
TWM Top Story - Apr. 8, 2019
Winterhawks make history with league and provincial win
Daniel Bushman
As sticks were taped, skates sharpened, jerseys stitched and the puck dropped to signal a new season of senior hockey, there was something special taking place on and off the ice at the Watrous Centennial Arena. And once the final buzzer sounded on the year for the Watrous Winterhawks, they had themselves a league championship and a Senior A provincial title, something the team had never achieved before.
After assembling a cast of skilled, dedicated and hard-working players a few seasons ago, the Watrous Winterhawks went on to capture a league and Senior B provincial championship in 2016-‘17. With a few changes after that double banner year, the team took aim at repeating the feat but ended up just short last year. Looking to experience that rare accomplishment from two seasons prior, the 2018-‘19 campaign began.
Tapped to guide the club on the bench this year was head coach Jesse Mattson. In his rookie year as head coach, the Watrous native was joined by his dad Jason and former Winterhawk captain and head coach Scott Collins. With help from trainer Travis Frey, equipment manager Jamie Williams and Dylan Snell as the team’s driver, the club embarked on what would be a remarkable year.
Loaded with local talent from top to bottom, a handful of familiar other players brought in for their goal scoring and leadership qualities and two netminders who would lead the Long Lake Hockey League in several categories, the team was ready to roll.
Right from the opening face off, it was evident that the senior hockey club from Watrous was on a mission. Lead by its captain Woody Klassen, the defenceman said, “I have the luxury of being a part of a lot that goes on behind the scenes to make our team what it is. To see the end result now is so rewarding. The success on the ice was the result of incredible support from the community, countless hours of work by our executive, and a group of guys who were dedicated every night to play for one another. Our team had a ton of talent this year but what really put us over the top was our commitment to outwork our opponents and take care of our own end consistently every game. Everyone in our room knew if we accomplished those two things there wasn’t a team in Saskatchewan that could stop us.”
That commitment to outwork their opponents began right from day one as the team would beat the defending LLHL champions 7-0 in the first game of the year Nov. 9. The win would begin a nine game winning streak before losing to Davidson 6-5 Dec. 18. The team then rebounded a few nights later to defeat those same Cyclones 6-1 and then continued to score, adding three more wins before a Foam Lake Flyers club would hand them just their second loss of the year. After that defeat, Watrous would not lose again in LLHL action.
“From day one we knew we had a very strong team and we held ourselves with high expectations all year,” said Mattson. “We play in one of the best senior hockey leagues in the province and to only lose twice all year including playoffs in league is a big accomplishment. It is definitely one of the best teams I’ve ever seen.”
Going 16-2 in the LLHL regular season, scoring 129 goals for (an average of seven goals per game) and allowing just 37 (an average of two goals per game), the team accumulated 32 points to take first in the standings, five points ahead of second place Foam Lake. After an opening round bye, the Winterhawks met LeRoy and defeated them 10-3, 11-3 and 9-3 to move on to the league final against Foam Lake. Facing the league’s top point-getter and third best netminder, Watrous had a tall task ahead but as was the case during the year, they stuck to their game and won 4-1, 4-3 and 6-0 to sweep the LLHL final. Duplicating their success from two seasons ago, their championship win came at home Mar. 21.
“Winning in front of your home fans is incredibly special,” said the team’s head coach. “Being able to celebrate with the people that have supported you all year long was awesome. The support we received this year was exceptional and that made winning at home even more special.”
Klassen said winning that league title was a little redemption for how the season ended last year and it played a role in the team’s provincial quest as well. “Playing league and provincial playoffs at the same time is quite the grind so the fact we swept the league was very beneficial for our provincial run. I’m not sure we really were aware that Watrous hadn’t won a provincial A championship before until a couple weeks ago but once we realized that it almost gave us extra incentive to get the job done. We took a lot of pride in that fact we could put Watrous on the map in that conversation.”
Looking to capture a provincial title to go along with its league banner, the Winterhawks added a few players to its line up and entered the Senior A bracket, a division they had never won a championship in before. Two seasons ago when the team won league, they had also captured the Senior B bracket. This year in ‘A’, things would be different as the team faced the likes of Kindersley, Foam Lake, Naicam and Milestone.
Going into the A bracket each round became a best of three series. Watrous would receive home ice throughout the provincial run and all they had to do was keep winning and home ice was theirs.
In the first round, the Winterhawks were matched up against a high-powered Kindersley squad, one that was also seeking a Senior A title. After battling some nerves early on, Watrous stayed the course during game one Feb. 5 and like they had done throughout the LLHL regular season, filled the net and won 8-2. Game two was slated less than a week later and like the first game, Watrous poured on the momentum to win 7-2, sweeping the opening series.
Facing a familiar opponent in round two, Watrous hosted Foam Lake. At that time, both teams were on a collision course to meet up in the LLHL final so they got to know each other quite well before the season ended. In round two, Watrous shut out the Flyers in game one 6-0, the same score the teams would see in game three of the LLHL final about a month later. Then in game two, Watrous carried the momentum and won 7-2 to move on to the third round of provincials.
With a combined 28 goals for and six goals against in four games, Watrous met Naicam for the right to advance to the provincial final. Hosting the Vikings Mar. 9, Watrous found itself in tough but edged the skillful team 4-3. Game two which was held Mar. 16 provided the Winterhawks with its only loss of their lengthy provincial run, a 6-4 defeat in Naicam. The loss set up a third and final game back in Watrous.
“Senior A provincials being as tough as they are, we knew things wouldn’t come easy,” reflected Mattson. “We knew there was going to be bumps in the road and that we would have to keep battling through the tough games. Fortunately for us, we only had one blemish, a game which probably helped us win our championship. Losing game two against Naicam kind of gave us that reality check and showed us we weren’t invincible.”
With their backs against the wall, the Winterhawks hit the ice for game three and made sure they were not hanging up their skates early, winning 8-1 and moving on to the Senior A provincial final.
Sizing up their next and final opponent, the Winterhawks retained home ice advantage and hoped to feed off the enthusiasm from the local fans as they hosted Milestone in game one Mar. 23. Perhaps catching many members of the opposition off guard, Watrous went to work and netted seven goals as the team won 7-3 and began focusing on winning game two in Milestone Mar. 30. While the team defeated the Flyers by four goals in game one, Mattson knew game two would be much different.
“Milestone was our toughest test in provincials for sure. They were a very hard-working team that was physical and relentless on the forecheck. Our plan was to stay composed throughout the game, take care of our own end, and execute on the mistakes that Milestone would make.”
As should be the case in any provincial final, mistakes were few in game two and despite not having its leading scorer in the line up, Watrous took a 1-0 lead. However in the third, Milestone replied and both teams found themselves in a close 1-1 contest. Players from both sides tried to beat the goalies but the pair each stood tall for their respective teams.
The clubs, who fought hard to earn their spot in the final, continued to battle to see who would get the next goal. That marker would finally come off the stick of Chad Murton after a nice set up from Andrew Bailey and Watrous went ahead 2-1 with 13:30 to play. Hoping for more, the Winterhawks tried to nab another but Riley Ross kept the puck out of his net. As the seconds continued to tick off the clock, teams tightened up not wanting to give the other any advantage. Then with 1:19 to play, a time out was called. The Flyers tugged Ross from the cage for an extra attacker and despite the added skater were unable to solve Brody Hoffman. With time running out and the Winterhawks inching closer to a Senior A provincial title, the final buzzer sounded and it was jubilation for the team wearing white.
“Our guys paced well throughout the game, and came up clutch when we needed it,” said an elated Mattson who added it was a roller coaster final 20 minutes. “Going into the third up 1-0 we were extremely happy with the position we were in. Once Milestone tied it up early and got a breakaway the next shift I felt worried and nervous. The guys were relentless though, and turned the momentum around. When we scored our second goal I was relieved, and knew that we had an opportunity to win the game.”
Klassen attributed a lot of the success during the provincial run to the leaders in the dressing room and being able to rise to the occasion.
“I may wear the C but ultimately we have a room full of leaders. What’s really special to me is the fact we have imports that care just as much as the locals. We have a really tight-knit group of guys who hold each other accountable.”
Once the final few seconds disappeared and the realization of winning the team’s first-ever Senior A provincial title arrived, Mattson said the feeling was incredible and impossible to describe.
“It was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever been a part of. As the final buzzer went, emotions became strong. It wasn’t until the whole team was sitting in the dressing room that it really set in.”
Thrilled to see the team win both league and provincials, Mattson said it was made possible because of a full team effort. “Our whole team bought in to our game plan, and everybody on the team fulfilled their roll on the team.”
“It’s tough to compare our run two years ago with our run this year,” said Woody. “Two years ago was my first time winning either championship which was really special but I think what sets this year apart from that year is the camaraderie in our dressing room. This was our third year as a group together and I felt this year we really united as a team. We have a family in that dressing room and it makes winning that much sweeter.”
As had been the case throughout the entire year and the provincial run, Mattson said the fans who supported the team were incredible. “I could not believe the amount of people that travelled to Milestone. We had at least 100 fans there, which is absolutely incredible for an away game. The energy they gave us with their cheering helped out so much. Sometimes they made us feel like we were playing at home. This victory was for the fans and the town of Watrous, because without them we couldn’t have done this. Bringing the first ‘A’ title to Watrous is very special and a huge accomplishment for our team.”
Klassen also echoed those same feelings and was grateful for all of the support. “Can’t really say enough about the fans and community. The support for our team is really unmatched by any in this province. It makes playing in Watrous really special for everyone involved. We don’t just fill our home rink, every game this year I can remember seeing fans in the stands in opposing teams rinks as well. The fans really attribute to the success on the ice. I really appreciate everyone who has been involved this year with the team both on and off the ice. The generosity of time and money has been incredible. We sincerely appreciate our fans, executive, coaches, teammates, and our families!”
Along with that work done behind the bench and on the ice, the Winterhawk executive was also hard at work helping to make things run smoothly throughout the year. President of the Winterhawks Jeff Siegfried said the dedication put forth by executive members Marshal Inkster, Tracy Ullyott, Lane Manson, Jean Mulhall, Jaylin Klassen, Karen Siegfried, Brad Baker and Karter Elderkin was a huge help this season and tremendously appreciated. Siegfried also noted how important the fans, sponsors and volunteers were in making the year extra special.
“Without them this season would not have been as great as it was and on behalf of the executive we are so grateful for the support this past year!” Siegfried continued, “Having a competitive senior hockey team in Watrous brings notoriety in the province and should give our residents something to be proud of. All of us like talking about hockey, and it is so much fun to have a positive topic of conversation when you are out on the street. We as a team and as an executive are excited to celebrate with our community and look forward to hanging up two more banners in our arena!”
Daniel Bushman
As sticks were taped, skates sharpened, jerseys stitched and the puck dropped to signal a new season of senior hockey, there was something special taking place on and off the ice at the Watrous Centennial Arena. And once the final buzzer sounded on the year for the Watrous Winterhawks, they had themselves a league championship and a Senior A provincial title, something the team had never achieved before.
After assembling a cast of skilled, dedicated and hard-working players a few seasons ago, the Watrous Winterhawks went on to capture a league and Senior B provincial championship in 2016-‘17. With a few changes after that double banner year, the team took aim at repeating the feat but ended up just short last year. Looking to experience that rare accomplishment from two seasons prior, the 2018-‘19 campaign began.
Tapped to guide the club on the bench this year was head coach Jesse Mattson. In his rookie year as head coach, the Watrous native was joined by his dad Jason and former Winterhawk captain and head coach Scott Collins. With help from trainer Travis Frey, equipment manager Jamie Williams and Dylan Snell as the team’s driver, the club embarked on what would be a remarkable year.
Loaded with local talent from top to bottom, a handful of familiar other players brought in for their goal scoring and leadership qualities and two netminders who would lead the Long Lake Hockey League in several categories, the team was ready to roll.
Right from the opening face off, it was evident that the senior hockey club from Watrous was on a mission. Lead by its captain Woody Klassen, the defenceman said, “I have the luxury of being a part of a lot that goes on behind the scenes to make our team what it is. To see the end result now is so rewarding. The success on the ice was the result of incredible support from the community, countless hours of work by our executive, and a group of guys who were dedicated every night to play for one another. Our team had a ton of talent this year but what really put us over the top was our commitment to outwork our opponents and take care of our own end consistently every game. Everyone in our room knew if we accomplished those two things there wasn’t a team in Saskatchewan that could stop us.”
That commitment to outwork their opponents began right from day one as the team would beat the defending LLHL champions 7-0 in the first game of the year Nov. 9. The win would begin a nine game winning streak before losing to Davidson 6-5 Dec. 18. The team then rebounded a few nights later to defeat those same Cyclones 6-1 and then continued to score, adding three more wins before a Foam Lake Flyers club would hand them just their second loss of the year. After that defeat, Watrous would not lose again in LLHL action.
“From day one we knew we had a very strong team and we held ourselves with high expectations all year,” said Mattson. “We play in one of the best senior hockey leagues in the province and to only lose twice all year including playoffs in league is a big accomplishment. It is definitely one of the best teams I’ve ever seen.”
Going 16-2 in the LLHL regular season, scoring 129 goals for (an average of seven goals per game) and allowing just 37 (an average of two goals per game), the team accumulated 32 points to take first in the standings, five points ahead of second place Foam Lake. After an opening round bye, the Winterhawks met LeRoy and defeated them 10-3, 11-3 and 9-3 to move on to the league final against Foam Lake. Facing the league’s top point-getter and third best netminder, Watrous had a tall task ahead but as was the case during the year, they stuck to their game and won 4-1, 4-3 and 6-0 to sweep the LLHL final. Duplicating their success from two seasons ago, their championship win came at home Mar. 21.
“Winning in front of your home fans is incredibly special,” said the team’s head coach. “Being able to celebrate with the people that have supported you all year long was awesome. The support we received this year was exceptional and that made winning at home even more special.”
Klassen said winning that league title was a little redemption for how the season ended last year and it played a role in the team’s provincial quest as well. “Playing league and provincial playoffs at the same time is quite the grind so the fact we swept the league was very beneficial for our provincial run. I’m not sure we really were aware that Watrous hadn’t won a provincial A championship before until a couple weeks ago but once we realized that it almost gave us extra incentive to get the job done. We took a lot of pride in that fact we could put Watrous on the map in that conversation.”
Looking to capture a provincial title to go along with its league banner, the Winterhawks added a few players to its line up and entered the Senior A bracket, a division they had never won a championship in before. Two seasons ago when the team won league, they had also captured the Senior B bracket. This year in ‘A’, things would be different as the team faced the likes of Kindersley, Foam Lake, Naicam and Milestone.
Going into the A bracket each round became a best of three series. Watrous would receive home ice throughout the provincial run and all they had to do was keep winning and home ice was theirs.
In the first round, the Winterhawks were matched up against a high-powered Kindersley squad, one that was also seeking a Senior A title. After battling some nerves early on, Watrous stayed the course during game one Feb. 5 and like they had done throughout the LLHL regular season, filled the net and won 8-2. Game two was slated less than a week later and like the first game, Watrous poured on the momentum to win 7-2, sweeping the opening series.
Facing a familiar opponent in round two, Watrous hosted Foam Lake. At that time, both teams were on a collision course to meet up in the LLHL final so they got to know each other quite well before the season ended. In round two, Watrous shut out the Flyers in game one 6-0, the same score the teams would see in game three of the LLHL final about a month later. Then in game two, Watrous carried the momentum and won 7-2 to move on to the third round of provincials.
With a combined 28 goals for and six goals against in four games, Watrous met Naicam for the right to advance to the provincial final. Hosting the Vikings Mar. 9, Watrous found itself in tough but edged the skillful team 4-3. Game two which was held Mar. 16 provided the Winterhawks with its only loss of their lengthy provincial run, a 6-4 defeat in Naicam. The loss set up a third and final game back in Watrous.
“Senior A provincials being as tough as they are, we knew things wouldn’t come easy,” reflected Mattson. “We knew there was going to be bumps in the road and that we would have to keep battling through the tough games. Fortunately for us, we only had one blemish, a game which probably helped us win our championship. Losing game two against Naicam kind of gave us that reality check and showed us we weren’t invincible.”
With their backs against the wall, the Winterhawks hit the ice for game three and made sure they were not hanging up their skates early, winning 8-1 and moving on to the Senior A provincial final.
Sizing up their next and final opponent, the Winterhawks retained home ice advantage and hoped to feed off the enthusiasm from the local fans as they hosted Milestone in game one Mar. 23. Perhaps catching many members of the opposition off guard, Watrous went to work and netted seven goals as the team won 7-3 and began focusing on winning game two in Milestone Mar. 30. While the team defeated the Flyers by four goals in game one, Mattson knew game two would be much different.
“Milestone was our toughest test in provincials for sure. They were a very hard-working team that was physical and relentless on the forecheck. Our plan was to stay composed throughout the game, take care of our own end, and execute on the mistakes that Milestone would make.”
As should be the case in any provincial final, mistakes were few in game two and despite not having its leading scorer in the line up, Watrous took a 1-0 lead. However in the third, Milestone replied and both teams found themselves in a close 1-1 contest. Players from both sides tried to beat the goalies but the pair each stood tall for their respective teams.
The clubs, who fought hard to earn their spot in the final, continued to battle to see who would get the next goal. That marker would finally come off the stick of Chad Murton after a nice set up from Andrew Bailey and Watrous went ahead 2-1 with 13:30 to play. Hoping for more, the Winterhawks tried to nab another but Riley Ross kept the puck out of his net. As the seconds continued to tick off the clock, teams tightened up not wanting to give the other any advantage. Then with 1:19 to play, a time out was called. The Flyers tugged Ross from the cage for an extra attacker and despite the added skater were unable to solve Brody Hoffman. With time running out and the Winterhawks inching closer to a Senior A provincial title, the final buzzer sounded and it was jubilation for the team wearing white.
“Our guys paced well throughout the game, and came up clutch when we needed it,” said an elated Mattson who added it was a roller coaster final 20 minutes. “Going into the third up 1-0 we were extremely happy with the position we were in. Once Milestone tied it up early and got a breakaway the next shift I felt worried and nervous. The guys were relentless though, and turned the momentum around. When we scored our second goal I was relieved, and knew that we had an opportunity to win the game.”
Klassen attributed a lot of the success during the provincial run to the leaders in the dressing room and being able to rise to the occasion.
“I may wear the C but ultimately we have a room full of leaders. What’s really special to me is the fact we have imports that care just as much as the locals. We have a really tight-knit group of guys who hold each other accountable.”
Once the final few seconds disappeared and the realization of winning the team’s first-ever Senior A provincial title arrived, Mattson said the feeling was incredible and impossible to describe.
“It was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever been a part of. As the final buzzer went, emotions became strong. It wasn’t until the whole team was sitting in the dressing room that it really set in.”
Thrilled to see the team win both league and provincials, Mattson said it was made possible because of a full team effort. “Our whole team bought in to our game plan, and everybody on the team fulfilled their roll on the team.”
“It’s tough to compare our run two years ago with our run this year,” said Woody. “Two years ago was my first time winning either championship which was really special but I think what sets this year apart from that year is the camaraderie in our dressing room. This was our third year as a group together and I felt this year we really united as a team. We have a family in that dressing room and it makes winning that much sweeter.”
As had been the case throughout the entire year and the provincial run, Mattson said the fans who supported the team were incredible. “I could not believe the amount of people that travelled to Milestone. We had at least 100 fans there, which is absolutely incredible for an away game. The energy they gave us with their cheering helped out so much. Sometimes they made us feel like we were playing at home. This victory was for the fans and the town of Watrous, because without them we couldn’t have done this. Bringing the first ‘A’ title to Watrous is very special and a huge accomplishment for our team.”
Klassen also echoed those same feelings and was grateful for all of the support. “Can’t really say enough about the fans and community. The support for our team is really unmatched by any in this province. It makes playing in Watrous really special for everyone involved. We don’t just fill our home rink, every game this year I can remember seeing fans in the stands in opposing teams rinks as well. The fans really attribute to the success on the ice. I really appreciate everyone who has been involved this year with the team both on and off the ice. The generosity of time and money has been incredible. We sincerely appreciate our fans, executive, coaches, teammates, and our families!”
Along with that work done behind the bench and on the ice, the Winterhawk executive was also hard at work helping to make things run smoothly throughout the year. President of the Winterhawks Jeff Siegfried said the dedication put forth by executive members Marshal Inkster, Tracy Ullyott, Lane Manson, Jean Mulhall, Jaylin Klassen, Karen Siegfried, Brad Baker and Karter Elderkin was a huge help this season and tremendously appreciated. Siegfried also noted how important the fans, sponsors and volunteers were in making the year extra special.
“Without them this season would not have been as great as it was and on behalf of the executive we are so grateful for the support this past year!” Siegfried continued, “Having a competitive senior hockey team in Watrous brings notoriety in the province and should give our residents something to be proud of. All of us like talking about hockey, and it is so much fun to have a positive topic of conversation when you are out on the street. We as a team and as an executive are excited to celebrate with our community and look forward to hanging up two more banners in our arena!”
TWM Top Story - Apr. 1, 2019
Changes to local primary health teams
Daniel Bushman
The Watrous Imperial Primary Health Team and the Lanigan physician practice will see some staffing changes as a few familiar faces will be departing later this year. In Watrous, doctor Hammad Akhtar and nurse practitioner Jessica Niyongabo will be leaving their positions while in Lanigan a search is underway to secure a physician after doctor Chander Sharma will be relocating in the fall.
Angela Luron with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) shared about the upcoming changes. “Nurse practitioner Jessica Niyongabo has accepted a new position in a different community with her last day in Watrous May 3. We are certainly sad to see Jessica leave after more than two years of exceptional service to the community. We wish her the very best in her next adventures.”
With Niyongabo’s departure, Luron said they were able to bring in a new person for the position hiring nurse practitioner Carrie Su, who will begin her orientation with the Watrous Imperial team Apr. 26. “Carrie comes to us with some experience work in rural Saskatchewan already on an interdisciplinary team under the primary health model. She is quite passionate about community health education and health promotion. We are really looking forward to welcoming her to the team.”
One of the longest serving physicians in the area, Dr. Akhtar, has decided to join his family back in England where his wife Madeeha is currently studying medicine. Leaving Watrous at the end of this coming July, Luron said Akhtar has been with the local team since October 2012. “He really played a key role in helping to establish a strong foundation of the primary health care model in the communities including the successful integration of nurse practitioners onto the team. He has also been with us through our move to our new location and through the implementation of our electronic medical records. He has certainly been through a lot with our team and the community and has been very essential in providing lots of support and that strong foundation. We know that he and his family will be very missed by our patients and the community but we are very happy for him and wish him all the best.”
Leaving a physician spot open, with Akhtar’s departure on the Watrous Imperial team, SHA was able to secure another doctor, one that many may be familiar with. Dr. Chander Sharma will be moving from his medical practice in Lanigan as of October 2019 and will join his wife Dr. Kavita Choudhary in Watrous.
“They moved to Watrous several years ago and Dr. Sharma is really looking forward to being closer to his family and to practicing in the primary health model of community care. We know that Dr. Sharma has made strong contributions to the Lanigan practice over the years and will also surely be missed in the Lanigan area.”
With Akhtar leaving at the end of July and Sharma not starting with the Watrous Imperial team until October, Luron said SHA is working on a coverage plan for August and September and are also working hard to recruit a replacement physician for the Lanigan area for October 2019 to work alongside Dr. Joseph Akinjobe.
“We want to be clear that while these changes and recruitment efforts are underway we don’t anticipate a significant impact in terms of access to the care and services being provided in Lanigan or Watrous or Imperial. It certainly is a priority for us to maintain the services in these communities. However, we would like to thank the communities in advance for their patience as we work to adjust our appointment schedules over the next eight weeks or so to accommodate Jessica’s departure and Carrie’s orientation.”
Luron said they are also confident there will not be a gap in service in Lanigan as recruitment efforts are well underway. “We have worked hard over the last number of years to build a strong foundation in rural health in particular. I think our ability to recruit successfully to these teams shows that we have established a pretty strong foundation of health care and of the health team. People are interested in wanting to come and work for us. It also reduces the stress on the community when we can maintain services.”
Luron also noted SHA appreciates being able to work in partnership with the Town of Watrous and the surrounding communities and RMs in providing the local health services.
With the upcoming changes, Watrous Mayor Ed Collins said the community was happy to have both Akhtar and Niyongabo as part of its team and will miss them.
“It was great working with them and they did a wonderful job for us. Certainly we are sorry to see them go but appreciated their dedication to the community and the area.”
Pleased that the two soon to be vacant spots have already been secured in Watrous, Collins said, “By having those spots filled, service will not be disrupted to a great degree. We are also certainly happy to have our new physician and nurse practitioner on board and look forward to working with them both.”
As Akhtar and Niyongabo depart from Watrous and Sharma from Lanigan later this year, the three shared about their experiences while Su commented on looking forward to arriving in Watrous. The following is a brief question and answer with each with the help of SHA:
Dr. Hammad Akhtar
What work have you been most proud of during your time in Watrous and Imperial?
I feel very proud to play my role in the team to reopen the emergency services and Watrous hospital in 2013. The establishment of a new and improved integrated health clinic in hospital was also a special achievement. The development of well-functioning, efficient team of healthcare professionals in Watrous is very satisfying. I take a lot of pride to be a member of this remarkable team.
What have you most appreciated about the community, and what will you miss the most?
The way people welcomed and embraced us was incredible. It enabled us to blend in the community. We appreciate overwhelming support and help from everyone throughout. It helped us to raise our family and provided lots of opportunities for children in sports and school. I feel very fortunate and humble to serve this amazing community.
If you had one piece of advice to share with the community about living their best, healthiest life, what would it be?
Eat healthy, regular exercise and continue to care for each other.
Jessica Niyongabo
What work have you been most proud of during your time in Watrous and Imperial?
During my three years of working in Watrous and Imperial I have many memories I will hold close to my heart. When I began my practice as a nurse practitioner in 2016, I was excited but a little intimidated by the responsibility. Since that time, I have been able to develop my skills in the clinic, in long-term care and in the community setting. I have enjoyed seeing familiar faces along the way and working with a variety of people, from older adults to babies and new mothers. It was so special to get to know everyone and it’s those small moments I will not forget.
I am most proud of the community health teaching I was able to do at Interlake, Jubilee Court, elementary school and Westridge. Being able to provide health teaching and empower people with their own health knowledge makes me feel like I’m helping strengthen their life and health practices.
What have you most appreciated about the community, and what will you miss the most?
I have most appreciated how open and loving everyone has been. Watrous has made me feel like I have a second home, with people opening up their homes to me and always providing warm words of support throughout the years. The community has always been eager to engage in the health care initiatives. Thank you for being so trusting and willing to engage in the health care provided over the years.
If you had one piece of advice to share with the community about living their best, healthiest life, what would it be?
My main belief is being aware of what we nourish our bodies with food and physical activity. Having access and the ability to make informed food choices has a huge impact for our health. As I have said many of times this is nothing you master and move on from. Eating healthy, whole foods and getting enough physical activity is a continuous cycle we are experiencing as humans. Keep in mind you’re human. Know that it’s okay if you need to reset and restart again. Keep up the positive self-talk that you can do it.
Dr. Chander Sharma
What work have you been most proud of during your time in Lanigan?
I am proud of our great team work and mutual support, providing round-the-clock emergency services have been the most gratifying experience!
What will you miss the most about the community and the work in Lanigan?
It has been wonderful working and living in Lanigan, have received great affection and support from the magnificent community that I am going to cherish forever and forever!
What do you most enjoy about rural, team-based health care?
Interconnectedness is the most amazing part of rural team-based health care system. During my stay in Lanigan, I have found Interconnectedness as the most amazing part of rural team-based health care system.
Carrie Su
What excites you about coming to work in the communities of Watrous and Imperial?
Watrous and Imperial are vibrant communities infused by a lively and friendly ambiance along with a rich mix of history and culture.
What attracted you to the nurse practitioner position on this Primary Health Team?
The practice of the nurse practitioner is greatly supported by the multidisciplinary team and the local communities. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to exercise my role as a nurse practitioner to its full potential, not just limited to the daily clinic practice, but also reaching out and building stronger and healthier communities together.
Daniel Bushman
The Watrous Imperial Primary Health Team and the Lanigan physician practice will see some staffing changes as a few familiar faces will be departing later this year. In Watrous, doctor Hammad Akhtar and nurse practitioner Jessica Niyongabo will be leaving their positions while in Lanigan a search is underway to secure a physician after doctor Chander Sharma will be relocating in the fall.
Angela Luron with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) shared about the upcoming changes. “Nurse practitioner Jessica Niyongabo has accepted a new position in a different community with her last day in Watrous May 3. We are certainly sad to see Jessica leave after more than two years of exceptional service to the community. We wish her the very best in her next adventures.”
With Niyongabo’s departure, Luron said they were able to bring in a new person for the position hiring nurse practitioner Carrie Su, who will begin her orientation with the Watrous Imperial team Apr. 26. “Carrie comes to us with some experience work in rural Saskatchewan already on an interdisciplinary team under the primary health model. She is quite passionate about community health education and health promotion. We are really looking forward to welcoming her to the team.”
One of the longest serving physicians in the area, Dr. Akhtar, has decided to join his family back in England where his wife Madeeha is currently studying medicine. Leaving Watrous at the end of this coming July, Luron said Akhtar has been with the local team since October 2012. “He really played a key role in helping to establish a strong foundation of the primary health care model in the communities including the successful integration of nurse practitioners onto the team. He has also been with us through our move to our new location and through the implementation of our electronic medical records. He has certainly been through a lot with our team and the community and has been very essential in providing lots of support and that strong foundation. We know that he and his family will be very missed by our patients and the community but we are very happy for him and wish him all the best.”
Leaving a physician spot open, with Akhtar’s departure on the Watrous Imperial team, SHA was able to secure another doctor, one that many may be familiar with. Dr. Chander Sharma will be moving from his medical practice in Lanigan as of October 2019 and will join his wife Dr. Kavita Choudhary in Watrous.
“They moved to Watrous several years ago and Dr. Sharma is really looking forward to being closer to his family and to practicing in the primary health model of community care. We know that Dr. Sharma has made strong contributions to the Lanigan practice over the years and will also surely be missed in the Lanigan area.”
With Akhtar leaving at the end of July and Sharma not starting with the Watrous Imperial team until October, Luron said SHA is working on a coverage plan for August and September and are also working hard to recruit a replacement physician for the Lanigan area for October 2019 to work alongside Dr. Joseph Akinjobe.
“We want to be clear that while these changes and recruitment efforts are underway we don’t anticipate a significant impact in terms of access to the care and services being provided in Lanigan or Watrous or Imperial. It certainly is a priority for us to maintain the services in these communities. However, we would like to thank the communities in advance for their patience as we work to adjust our appointment schedules over the next eight weeks or so to accommodate Jessica’s departure and Carrie’s orientation.”
Luron said they are also confident there will not be a gap in service in Lanigan as recruitment efforts are well underway. “We have worked hard over the last number of years to build a strong foundation in rural health in particular. I think our ability to recruit successfully to these teams shows that we have established a pretty strong foundation of health care and of the health team. People are interested in wanting to come and work for us. It also reduces the stress on the community when we can maintain services.”
Luron also noted SHA appreciates being able to work in partnership with the Town of Watrous and the surrounding communities and RMs in providing the local health services.
With the upcoming changes, Watrous Mayor Ed Collins said the community was happy to have both Akhtar and Niyongabo as part of its team and will miss them.
“It was great working with them and they did a wonderful job for us. Certainly we are sorry to see them go but appreciated their dedication to the community and the area.”
Pleased that the two soon to be vacant spots have already been secured in Watrous, Collins said, “By having those spots filled, service will not be disrupted to a great degree. We are also certainly happy to have our new physician and nurse practitioner on board and look forward to working with them both.”
As Akhtar and Niyongabo depart from Watrous and Sharma from Lanigan later this year, the three shared about their experiences while Su commented on looking forward to arriving in Watrous. The following is a brief question and answer with each with the help of SHA:
Dr. Hammad Akhtar
What work have you been most proud of during your time in Watrous and Imperial?
I feel very proud to play my role in the team to reopen the emergency services and Watrous hospital in 2013. The establishment of a new and improved integrated health clinic in hospital was also a special achievement. The development of well-functioning, efficient team of healthcare professionals in Watrous is very satisfying. I take a lot of pride to be a member of this remarkable team.
What have you most appreciated about the community, and what will you miss the most?
The way people welcomed and embraced us was incredible. It enabled us to blend in the community. We appreciate overwhelming support and help from everyone throughout. It helped us to raise our family and provided lots of opportunities for children in sports and school. I feel very fortunate and humble to serve this amazing community.
If you had one piece of advice to share with the community about living their best, healthiest life, what would it be?
Eat healthy, regular exercise and continue to care for each other.
Jessica Niyongabo
What work have you been most proud of during your time in Watrous and Imperial?
During my three years of working in Watrous and Imperial I have many memories I will hold close to my heart. When I began my practice as a nurse practitioner in 2016, I was excited but a little intimidated by the responsibility. Since that time, I have been able to develop my skills in the clinic, in long-term care and in the community setting. I have enjoyed seeing familiar faces along the way and working with a variety of people, from older adults to babies and new mothers. It was so special to get to know everyone and it’s those small moments I will not forget.
I am most proud of the community health teaching I was able to do at Interlake, Jubilee Court, elementary school and Westridge. Being able to provide health teaching and empower people with their own health knowledge makes me feel like I’m helping strengthen their life and health practices.
What have you most appreciated about the community, and what will you miss the most?
I have most appreciated how open and loving everyone has been. Watrous has made me feel like I have a second home, with people opening up their homes to me and always providing warm words of support throughout the years. The community has always been eager to engage in the health care initiatives. Thank you for being so trusting and willing to engage in the health care provided over the years.
If you had one piece of advice to share with the community about living their best, healthiest life, what would it be?
My main belief is being aware of what we nourish our bodies with food and physical activity. Having access and the ability to make informed food choices has a huge impact for our health. As I have said many of times this is nothing you master and move on from. Eating healthy, whole foods and getting enough physical activity is a continuous cycle we are experiencing as humans. Keep in mind you’re human. Know that it’s okay if you need to reset and restart again. Keep up the positive self-talk that you can do it.
Dr. Chander Sharma
What work have you been most proud of during your time in Lanigan?
I am proud of our great team work and mutual support, providing round-the-clock emergency services have been the most gratifying experience!
What will you miss the most about the community and the work in Lanigan?
It has been wonderful working and living in Lanigan, have received great affection and support from the magnificent community that I am going to cherish forever and forever!
What do you most enjoy about rural, team-based health care?
Interconnectedness is the most amazing part of rural team-based health care system. During my stay in Lanigan, I have found Interconnectedness as the most amazing part of rural team-based health care system.
Carrie Su
What excites you about coming to work in the communities of Watrous and Imperial?
Watrous and Imperial are vibrant communities infused by a lively and friendly ambiance along with a rich mix of history and culture.
What attracted you to the nurse practitioner position on this Primary Health Team?
The practice of the nurse practitioner is greatly supported by the multidisciplinary team and the local communities. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to exercise my role as a nurse practitioner to its full potential, not just limited to the daily clinic practice, but also reaching out and building stronger and healthier communities together.
TWM Top Story - Mar. 25, 2019
Allan names rink in honour of Logan Schatz
Daniel Bushman
Family and friends of Logan Schatz, the community of Allan and members of the hockey world came together Mar. 16 in Allan as part of a dedication ceremony. At the arena where Schatz grew up in, the community held a ceremony to rename the rink the Logan Schatz Memorial Arena in Logan’s honour.
Mayor of Allan Les Alm said the ceremony was very emotional for the community as they remembered Logan who was the captain of the SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos before he tragically passed away last April. Alm said many people looked up to Schatz, evident by all those in attendance. “The waiting room was packed with the Schatz family, friends, Humboldt Broncos’ family members and community members.”
Logan’s parents, Bonnie and Kelly Schatz introduced their family before a former teacher of Logan’s, Craig Reinhardt said a few words at the dedication ceremony.
“It was absolutely wonderful to see so many people out to this event and the whole community stands behind and fully supports the Schatz family.”
Alm said having the arena named the ‘Logan Schatz Memorial Arena’ was something the community wanted to do, adding to Logan’s legacy and the mark that he left on all those who knew him.
“Every time anyone enters the rink, they will think of Logan and he will forever be remembered as a ‘son of Allan.’ Saturday, Mar. 16, 2019 really was Logan Schatz day in Allan and really made the Allan Winter Festival a special day.”
Hockey and Logan were synonymous right from a young age. Logan’s dad Kelly recalled his son stepping on to the ice when Logan was four years old and was an Allan Junior Flame during his minor hockey days. Excelling in hockey and playing for many hockey teams in his career, Schatz then became a Humboldt Broncos’ player and captain.
In 2017-‘18, Logan’s final season with the Broncos, the 5’9 centreman had 22 goals and 63 assists for 85 points in 57 games during the regular season. In the 2018 playoffs, he had posted 13 points in nine games. But it was not just his point totals that made an impression. A leader both on and off the ice, because of Logan’s character, determination and leadership abilities, Alm said it was important to remember Schatz.
“Logan Schatz was mature beyond his years, was an all around great person and friend to so many. He will be fondly and lovingly remembered as a young man who had limitless potential.”
As the rink was renamed in Logan’s honour and along with the memories of his minor hockey days, another recent reminder now remains a permanent fixture at the arena. Logan’s dad Kelly created Schatzy’s Corner, a mini rink area where kids can play, have fun and learn about Logan. “Schatzy’s Corner was opened this winter and has been very busy with kids playing during weekend hockey tournaments in the rink. Every child playing in Schatzy’s Corner will know and remember Logan’s legacy as a person and as a hockey player.”
After an emotional dedication ceremony, it was only fitting that the Allan Flames senior hockey team hit the ice that evening. Taking on Kinistino in game two of the Wheatland Hockey League final, Alm said the Kinistino Tigers team all wore LS stickers on their helmets in memory of Logan. A special thank you to Corey and Anita Church was announced for the sign they made and installed on the timekeeper’s box in the arena. And Brian Hinz, who taught Logan Industrial Arts in Humboldt was also in attendance and was acknowledged for designing and creating the newly installed, ‘Logan Schatz Memorial Arena’ signs located at the arena.
Before the game started, Kelly Schatz dropped the puck with Logan’s initials on it and Logan’s brother Brandon along with Kinistino Tiger Tristen Elder, who was a teammate of Logan’s with the Broncos took the ceremonial face off. After an emotional face off, the game then got underway and Allan went on to win 5-3, taking a two game series lead in the best of five. A fitting end to a memorable and moving day.
Daniel Bushman
Family and friends of Logan Schatz, the community of Allan and members of the hockey world came together Mar. 16 in Allan as part of a dedication ceremony. At the arena where Schatz grew up in, the community held a ceremony to rename the rink the Logan Schatz Memorial Arena in Logan’s honour.
Mayor of Allan Les Alm said the ceremony was very emotional for the community as they remembered Logan who was the captain of the SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos before he tragically passed away last April. Alm said many people looked up to Schatz, evident by all those in attendance. “The waiting room was packed with the Schatz family, friends, Humboldt Broncos’ family members and community members.”
Logan’s parents, Bonnie and Kelly Schatz introduced their family before a former teacher of Logan’s, Craig Reinhardt said a few words at the dedication ceremony.
“It was absolutely wonderful to see so many people out to this event and the whole community stands behind and fully supports the Schatz family.”
Alm said having the arena named the ‘Logan Schatz Memorial Arena’ was something the community wanted to do, adding to Logan’s legacy and the mark that he left on all those who knew him.
“Every time anyone enters the rink, they will think of Logan and he will forever be remembered as a ‘son of Allan.’ Saturday, Mar. 16, 2019 really was Logan Schatz day in Allan and really made the Allan Winter Festival a special day.”
Hockey and Logan were synonymous right from a young age. Logan’s dad Kelly recalled his son stepping on to the ice when Logan was four years old and was an Allan Junior Flame during his minor hockey days. Excelling in hockey and playing for many hockey teams in his career, Schatz then became a Humboldt Broncos’ player and captain.
In 2017-‘18, Logan’s final season with the Broncos, the 5’9 centreman had 22 goals and 63 assists for 85 points in 57 games during the regular season. In the 2018 playoffs, he had posted 13 points in nine games. But it was not just his point totals that made an impression. A leader both on and off the ice, because of Logan’s character, determination and leadership abilities, Alm said it was important to remember Schatz.
“Logan Schatz was mature beyond his years, was an all around great person and friend to so many. He will be fondly and lovingly remembered as a young man who had limitless potential.”
As the rink was renamed in Logan’s honour and along with the memories of his minor hockey days, another recent reminder now remains a permanent fixture at the arena. Logan’s dad Kelly created Schatzy’s Corner, a mini rink area where kids can play, have fun and learn about Logan. “Schatzy’s Corner was opened this winter and has been very busy with kids playing during weekend hockey tournaments in the rink. Every child playing in Schatzy’s Corner will know and remember Logan’s legacy as a person and as a hockey player.”
After an emotional dedication ceremony, it was only fitting that the Allan Flames senior hockey team hit the ice that evening. Taking on Kinistino in game two of the Wheatland Hockey League final, Alm said the Kinistino Tigers team all wore LS stickers on their helmets in memory of Logan. A special thank you to Corey and Anita Church was announced for the sign they made and installed on the timekeeper’s box in the arena. And Brian Hinz, who taught Logan Industrial Arts in Humboldt was also in attendance and was acknowledged for designing and creating the newly installed, ‘Logan Schatz Memorial Arena’ signs located at the arena.
Before the game started, Kelly Schatz dropped the puck with Logan’s initials on it and Logan’s brother Brandon along with Kinistino Tiger Tristen Elder, who was a teammate of Logan’s with the Broncos took the ceremonial face off. After an emotional face off, the game then got underway and Allan went on to win 5-3, taking a two game series lead in the best of five. A fitting end to a memorable and moving day.
TWM Top Story - Mar. 18, 2019
The boy from Watrous who won the Stanley Cup
Daniel Bushman
Playing his entire National Hockey League career with the storied Montreal Canadiens of the early 1950s and alongside some of the best to ever suit up, Paul Meger was an up and comer who was looking forward to finding a permanent home in the NHL. However, a life-threatening injury cut his professional career short only a few years after it began and almost took his life as well.
Almost 70 years later and enjoying each day as it comes, Meger recently celebrated his 90th birthday with his family. While he considers Barrie, Ont. his adopted home, he still has a special place in his heart for Watrous, the place where his story all began.
The first chapter of Meger’s life starts in Watrous before his journey would eventually take him east where he would become a part of the Stanley Cup winning Montreal Canadiens. However, with a lot of years and potential left, at just 25 years old, his NHL career would abruptly end. Receiving a life-threatening injury to his head during a game, Meger was forced to retire from playing hockey only a few years after turning professional. While he had to hang up his skates as a player, his passion for the game never left him. That passion for hockey and for sports in general also had Meger inducted into the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame back in 1992 as both an athlete and builder.
Now residing at a retirement home in Barrie, Meger still has his Stanley Cup ring, even digging it out and proudly wearing it during his 90th birthday party. In his room sits an engraved Stanley Cup bowl and his AHL Rookie of the Year trophy which remind him of his younger days where he skated alongside future Hall of Famers. It is also in his room where a scrapbook filled with all kinds of photos from his playing days can be found. Inside, the book contains a number of items including newspaper articles and clippings like one from 1952 of Meger pictured with Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard, both sporting fedoras after they each scored a hat trick to beat Chicago 8-3. Flipping through the pages and reminiscing about his days playing hockey, Meger enjoys sharing his stories with those young and old, even talking about his birthplace of Watrous.
“To be honest I don’t really remember too much (about Watrous) but I have often thought about it,” said Meger over the phone from his Barrie residence. “People will ask if I remember where I was born and I say, ‘I sure do.’ Watrous, it was home. That is where I started things off but mom and dad had to move on. I was young enough not to stay so I had to go along. My one brother went back one time but I have never been back.”
Born Feb. 17, 1929 to Albert Meger and Eda (nee Dreger) of Watrous, Paul was one of eight boys and one of the oldest (Paul’s only sister, a twin to one of his brothers passed away during infancy). It was not long after Albert and Eda began having children that they relocated from their farm by Watrous to try their luck around Biggar.
“Dad farmed during the 1930s and I remember just vaguely mom and me were at the well to get a pail of water and mom said, ‘Look at that field out there.’ The grain had all come up but it was all brown and it was burnt. It must have been a tough time for mom and dad. I wondered what they were going to do with the field. Dad had to disc it down and resow it because the grain was no good coming up.”
Like so many others enduring those tough years during the drought, the Meger family soon decided to move east, travelling to Manitoba and settling in the Selkirk area in the late 1930s. It was there that Paul’s love for the game of hockey came to be.
One day a pair of skates were dropped off at the Meger household. “An old army fellow that used to be in the army would bring mom some old clothes and stuff. One day he brought a package over to the house. Mom said, ‘Did you want to start unpacking it and see what he left us?’ I started unpacking it and out came an old pair of skates!”
Not knowing how to skate, Paul grabbed the used pair of blades and went to the cattle trough at his family’s farm to test them out. Since there was always water that spilled over the sides of the trough and froze during the winter months, Meger tried his best to skate on the frozen section of water. “I was on my rear end more than anything else,” he recalled. “I was young enough and foolish enough to get up and try so I did. I got up and finally I could move, not very far, but I finally got where I could move in those skates and stay up.”
Being a good mile or so from school, during the week Paul and his friends would always meet up, walking along the Red River. In the winter and with the river frozen, one year some of his buddies started playing hockey. Since he had been practicing his skating at home near the cattle trough, it was during one particular morning that Meger snuck his skates out the door and took them to school. “I stopped at the Red River, put the skates on and skated. I did that all the way to school.”
Getting comfortable in his skates, Paul’s next piece of equipment was a hockey stick. Not having enough money to buy one, Paul headed into the bush and found some crooked sticks, whittled them down like a hockey stick and that was the start of what would eventually lead to his hockey career. “But I never thought I would play hockey to be honest. The good Lord said, ‘Paul, I want you to be a hockey player and well I turned out not too bad either.’”
With his stride improving on the river ice and near the cattle trough as each winter passed, Meger started playing his minor hockey in Selkirk, Man. His strong work ethic and determination got him noticed and he was later recruited by ‘Hap’ Emms to play Junior A hockey in Barrie, Ont. It was there that he played with the Flyers for three seasons beginning in 1946-‘47.
Right off the hop it was evident that Meger had a promising career as the forward accumulated 27 points in 31 games during his rookie season followed by a 30 goal, 30 assist effort in his second year. He then erupted with 75 points in 40 games in his third season with the team. During his junior career in Barrie, he was also voted as the Flyers Most Popular Player and selected to the OHA First All-Star Team in 1947-‘48. In his second season, the Flyers advanced to the Memorial Cup final where Meger had 17 points in 10 games in the Memorial Cup. The following season, his third in the league, Meger was again selected as an all-star, leading his team in scoring.
It was also during his time playing junior hockey in Barrie that Paul would meet his future wife Betty. Paul’s daughter Debra Scott shared about that first meeting between her parents, a meeting which ironically occurred in a rink. “My dad says he was in Barrie playing junior hockey and was public skating when this pretty girl came up to him and asked him to skate with her.”
After agreeing to go for a skate, Paul and Betty’s relationship blossomed and the couple would eventually marry, having two daughters and one son.
Turning professional for the 1949-‘50 season with the Buffalo Bisons of the American Hockey League, Meger’s play was once again noticed and the forward was named the AHL’s Rookie of the Year. Meger registered 26 goals and 40 assists in 63 games and received Second All-Star Team honours.
The following year, after notching 34 goals in 46 games for Buffalo, according to records from the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame, in February of 1951 Meger was traded to the Montreal Canadiens for $15,000 and two players. After being brought in by the NHL club, Meger then helped the team reach the Stanley Cup final. He also earned an AHL First Team All-Star selection for his effort with Buffalo.
Tucked safely away in Meger’s scrapbook of hockey treasures, a newspaper article by Jack Horrigan noted ‘Peppy Paul Meger’ was considered as one of the Bison’s most popular players. In the article, Horrigan noted former Buffalo General Manager Art Chapman always considered Meger his greatest find.
“All Meger could do was fall on his seat when he first reported to our training camp,” Chapman would say. “But there was something about the determination he showed when he’d get up - he’d always be right back in the thick of things.”
Reflecting on his time with Buffalo and later Montreal, Meger said, “Some things were meant to be and by golly I was sure glad it was meant to be.”
During that 1951-‘52 season, the rookie NHL forward found himself playing with some of the best players in the game. On a line with the likes of Billy Reay and Bernie ‘Boom Boom’ Geoffrion, Meger netted 24 goals and added 18 assists in 69 games for the Canadiens. His effort put him fourth overall on the team in points, just two behind legend Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard, 12 back of his line mate Geoffrion and 23 points back of Nokomis native Elmer Lach.
During his rookie campaign, Meger also scored his first and only NHL hat trick in a big 8-3 win over Chicago. When asked if he remembered his achievement, without missing a beat Meger replied, “Yup. And the Rocket scored a hat trick that night too. The next week in the dressing room (coach) Dick Irvin - he was for the players and was real good - he came in. He always had a quarter for the newspaper and the reporter would come in and talk hockey to Dick. I heard Dick giving him a hard time. He said, ‘Here is a kid that scored three goals and just because Rocket scored three, he is a star already. Give the kid a break.’ Here he was giving him a hard time for not writing about me. Dick was a real player’s coach.”
After the rookie's regular season, in the playoffs Meger continued to help his club, chipping in with three helpers as the team made its way to the Stanley Cup final before ultimately losing to Detroit. Despite not winning the NHL’s greatest trophy that season, Meger said having veteran players on the team like Elmer Lach and Billy Reay made his transition to the big stage a lot easier.
“Elmer was a real helper to me, a senior on the team,” said Meger of the Nokomis native and NHL Hall of Famer. “He would sit and talk to you, tell you what he thought and boy I think it sunk in. Being my centreman, Billy Reay was like a father. He was a senior in the league and what a guy he was. I had a great time with the guys I played with.”
After a solid rookie campaign, the 5’7”, 160 pound left winger returned to the Montreal lineup for the 1952-‘53 season. While his point totals dropped to nine goals and 17 assists in 69 games (still good for sixth on the team in points), Meger scored once and added two assists in the playoffs. Playing more of a defensive role and despite his point totals being down from a year prior, that year Meger and the Canadiens defeated the Boston Bruins four games to one to capture the Stanley Cup.
Wearing number 20, Meger who was 23 years old at the time won the championship with players like Jean Beliveau, Reg Abbott, Butch Bouchard, Doug Harvey, Dickie Moore, Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard, Billy Reay, Elmer Lach, Bernie ‘Boom Boom’ Geoffrion and in net, Gerry McNeil and Jacques Plante. Coached by legend Dick Irvin, the team itself contained a total of 10 players that would later go on to be enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
“Winning the Cup, it was big time. I remember standing with the Stanley Cup. When you are in that business, you don’t really realize how hard it is to win some of these things but I was fortunate enough to be one of them that won the Stanley Cup.”
Competing in that era also meant going up against some of the NHL’s toughest players. One of those guys that Meger found himself facing in the corner one night was Detroit Red Wing and future Hall of Famer Gordie Howe, another Saskatchewan native. It was a well-known fact that anybody that goes into the corner with number nine was not coming out first.
“The one day the coach (Dick Irvin) said, ‘You are always checking people, maybe you would like to check Gordie Howe tonight? I will play you against Gordie Howe,’” Meger recalled of his coach’s request. “I didn’t mind as long as I was playing. I remember Gordie and I got into the corner and I was lucky enough, I got the puck out of there killing a penalty. I got the puck out and everything and Gordie said to me, ‘Way to go kid!’”
Things were going pretty good for the Watrous born Meger and in the 1953-‘54 season, he would split time between the Canadiens and the Quebec Hockey League’s Montreal Royals, accumulating 30 points in 23 games with the Royals and 13 points in 44 games with the Canadiens. But Meger’s world and his professional hockey career would come to a life-altering halt during the 1954-‘55 campaign.
Hoping for a solid year ahead, Meger dressed for 13 games and was on the ice in Boston during a November contest when Leo Labine’s skate punctured Paul’s skull and damaged tissue in his brain.
“It was just one of those fluke things that happened,” Meger said of the incident from 1954. “He picked the puck up and I went to check him. He was coming around his own net and I partially checked him and we fell. He fell and I fell behind him and the heel of his skate hit the right side of my head. You can still feel where the skate went through the skull. There is no bone there.”
After getting repaired as much as possible on the bench, Meger was told by the coach he was done for the game and was put on a train from Boston back to Montreal to see Dr. Wilder Penfield, one of Canada’s foremost surgeons. Best known for the discovery of surgical treatment for epilepsy and the founder and first director of the world famous Montreal Neurological Institute, Meger said Dr. Penfield saved his life. “When I told him that I played hockey in Boston and I got hurt down there, he said, ‘And you got all the way here? Boy we will change that! If a guy gets hurt, we need to make sure he is able to travel.’”
Unlike today where teams can fly or ride the bus, Meger had to take the train home and was lucky to make it from Boston to Montreal. Feeling things were not quite right, Meger said, “I remember just a pounding when I got out of the train. The trainer gave me some painkillers I remember but I was in real bad shape.”
While Meger felt his conditioning leading up to the hockey season helped him stay alive, Dr. Penfield who would become fairly good friends with Paul later on, explained to the forward that he was lucky to be alive.
“I remember one of the doctors said he was fairly religious so I said to him, “I talked to the good guy up there the other day and he said, ‘Paul we just don’t have room for you.’”
After performing multiple surgeries to help Meger recover and get back on his feet, following the operations he received a visit in the hospital from NHL President at that time Clarence S. Campbell and Montreal Canadiens Manager Frank J. Selke. “They came into the hospital with the helmets they had at that time. They put them on me just to see if they would have helped. They both felt no. All there really was was a strap going down underneath your chin. They didn’t think it would have helped. They weren’t made like they are today. It is just a shame the way I got hurt and things were all over because I would have had a few more years.”
Still recovering in hospital, months after his injury the 26 year old would receive a hand from the Canadiens after an incident stemming from a lengthy suspension given to one of the team’s stars. It was Mar. 13, 1955 and Montreal was taking on Boston when late in the game, Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard was struck in the head with a stick. While one of the linesmen was trying to break up an ensuing fight, he took a punch to the face courtesy of Richard. The ‘Rocket’ was then suspended for the remaining three games of the regular season and playoffs while Hal Laycoe, who had struck Richard and was involved in the skirmish, went unpunished. That sent Montreal fans into a frenzy and a few days later during the Canadiens and Red Wings game, a riot broke out at the Forum and in the streets. At the Mar. 17 game NHL President Clarence Campbell who suspended Richard attended the contest after it started but fans soon noticed him and because of the way the suspension was handled, it set off the riots. Because the riots were so bad inside the arena, a tear gas bomb was set off and fans spilled out on to the streets where rioting continued. The game was called early and it was forfeited to the Red Wings.
With fans wanting their money back because of the shortened version of the game, Selke worked out a plan suggesting Montreal fans could turn over the gate money from the ‘Riot Night’ to Meger. Paul’s daughter Debra found the article talking about Selke’s idea:
“The game ended at the first period and fans have a right to get their money back,” says Selke, “but the suggestion has been made that the money be turned over to Meger. I cannot push the idea because it might not be quite fair to the fans, so I am having release forms printed. When all hockey is cleared away the fans who held tickets that night will be invited to come around to the Forum. If they wish to take the cash they will receive same. If they wish to sign the release form, the seat money will be turned over to Paul. He could get anywhere up to $25,000.”
The article went on to state that perhaps Paul Meger would get a five-figure break and know that the fans and Forum were pulling for him. Paul’s daughter Debra said as far as she knows, he did receive the money while recovering in hospital.
After spending months in the Western Hospital and then at the Neurological Institute, Paul soon healed from his injury but his professional playing days were over. With time to think about his future, he returned to Barrie where he ended up reuniting with a familiar face from his past.
“I got in touch with ‘Hap’ Emms, my junior coach. He was really good to me. He had an electrical business and I started working for him and got my license as an electrician. One day he said to me to go with this older chap that was working for him and try working on a few things. Then one morning Mr. Emms said to me, ‘Here, take a few of these calls for electrical work.’ He said the guy I was working with felt I was ready. So I went and did some calls. I got pretty good at it and then tried appliance repairs and I liked that.”
While the father of three was getting more and more involved in another career outside of hockey, the sport which he had come to love was not entirely out of the picture. Meger’s passion for hockey continued and he began coaching. According to the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame, in 1956-‘57 he was behind the bench for Alliston. That year he took them to the OHA Junior D finals. Two seasons later, he guided the Camp Borden Air Force team to the Canadian Armed Forces Championship and in 1962-‘63, was the coach of the Barrie 7-Ups Intermediate A squad. The next season he was guiding the Orillia Bantams to a Little NHL Consolation Championship.
During that time he became a founding member of the Barrie Minor Hockey Association, coaching eight years within it. He won three Little NHL Championships in four final appearances and won an OMHA title and the Silver Stick Championship.
But it was not just hockey that Meger enjoyed. The athlete and coach was also an accomplished ball player and during his junior days was a softball catcher for Bryson’s Grill. He was also a baseball catcher and helped the Barrie Flyers capture a pair of South Simcoe League titles. Trading in his ball glove and bat for a golf club, Meger later won the 1983 Barrie Country Club Seniors Championship and in that same year received the Ontario Medal for Citizenship in recognition of his efforts on behalf of minor hockey, the Cubs, the Multiple Sclerosis Society and with St. Andrew’s Church. Then in 1992 he was inducted into the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame as both an athlete and builder.
With everything that he accomplished over those years, looking back on his life Paul said, “People tell me, ‘Boy you are lucky, you played hockey and with some of the best players in the world at that time.’ It is quite a thing sometimes when you look back. I feel that more now than ever. I had a career in hockey with the biggest teams in the world. I have been very lucky and fortunate. I was very fortunate in life and I have no regrets about my hockey injury, it was just one of those fluke things that happened in life but I am here to talk about it.”
Noting that most of his memory remains pretty good, Meger still enjoys striking up a conversation about his playing days in the NHL and looks forward to every day being a good one.
“I am pretty pleased, life has been good to me. Every once in a while I am talking to my friends and one friend will ask how I can be so jolly? I said, ‘Well I am the guy talking about it and can remember it.’ As mom said too, she was a tough old girl, she must have been she had eight boys; she was a good mother and I remember going home after one hockey season and talking at the breakfast table with her about the family. She said, ‘Paul as tough as it was, we always had lots to eat and we had people helping us with clothing and so on and really we have nothing to complain about.’ Even she thought life was tough but it could be worse. Through my injury and everything else I was very fortunate. Who would have thought I would be good enough to play in the NHL and one of the kids that learnt how to skate on the Red River? I had a real good go at it.”
Daniel Bushman
Playing his entire National Hockey League career with the storied Montreal Canadiens of the early 1950s and alongside some of the best to ever suit up, Paul Meger was an up and comer who was looking forward to finding a permanent home in the NHL. However, a life-threatening injury cut his professional career short only a few years after it began and almost took his life as well.
Almost 70 years later and enjoying each day as it comes, Meger recently celebrated his 90th birthday with his family. While he considers Barrie, Ont. his adopted home, he still has a special place in his heart for Watrous, the place where his story all began.
The first chapter of Meger’s life starts in Watrous before his journey would eventually take him east where he would become a part of the Stanley Cup winning Montreal Canadiens. However, with a lot of years and potential left, at just 25 years old, his NHL career would abruptly end. Receiving a life-threatening injury to his head during a game, Meger was forced to retire from playing hockey only a few years after turning professional. While he had to hang up his skates as a player, his passion for the game never left him. That passion for hockey and for sports in general also had Meger inducted into the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame back in 1992 as both an athlete and builder.
Now residing at a retirement home in Barrie, Meger still has his Stanley Cup ring, even digging it out and proudly wearing it during his 90th birthday party. In his room sits an engraved Stanley Cup bowl and his AHL Rookie of the Year trophy which remind him of his younger days where he skated alongside future Hall of Famers. It is also in his room where a scrapbook filled with all kinds of photos from his playing days can be found. Inside, the book contains a number of items including newspaper articles and clippings like one from 1952 of Meger pictured with Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard, both sporting fedoras after they each scored a hat trick to beat Chicago 8-3. Flipping through the pages and reminiscing about his days playing hockey, Meger enjoys sharing his stories with those young and old, even talking about his birthplace of Watrous.
“To be honest I don’t really remember too much (about Watrous) but I have often thought about it,” said Meger over the phone from his Barrie residence. “People will ask if I remember where I was born and I say, ‘I sure do.’ Watrous, it was home. That is where I started things off but mom and dad had to move on. I was young enough not to stay so I had to go along. My one brother went back one time but I have never been back.”
Born Feb. 17, 1929 to Albert Meger and Eda (nee Dreger) of Watrous, Paul was one of eight boys and one of the oldest (Paul’s only sister, a twin to one of his brothers passed away during infancy). It was not long after Albert and Eda began having children that they relocated from their farm by Watrous to try their luck around Biggar.
“Dad farmed during the 1930s and I remember just vaguely mom and me were at the well to get a pail of water and mom said, ‘Look at that field out there.’ The grain had all come up but it was all brown and it was burnt. It must have been a tough time for mom and dad. I wondered what they were going to do with the field. Dad had to disc it down and resow it because the grain was no good coming up.”
Like so many others enduring those tough years during the drought, the Meger family soon decided to move east, travelling to Manitoba and settling in the Selkirk area in the late 1930s. It was there that Paul’s love for the game of hockey came to be.
One day a pair of skates were dropped off at the Meger household. “An old army fellow that used to be in the army would bring mom some old clothes and stuff. One day he brought a package over to the house. Mom said, ‘Did you want to start unpacking it and see what he left us?’ I started unpacking it and out came an old pair of skates!”
Not knowing how to skate, Paul grabbed the used pair of blades and went to the cattle trough at his family’s farm to test them out. Since there was always water that spilled over the sides of the trough and froze during the winter months, Meger tried his best to skate on the frozen section of water. “I was on my rear end more than anything else,” he recalled. “I was young enough and foolish enough to get up and try so I did. I got up and finally I could move, not very far, but I finally got where I could move in those skates and stay up.”
Being a good mile or so from school, during the week Paul and his friends would always meet up, walking along the Red River. In the winter and with the river frozen, one year some of his buddies started playing hockey. Since he had been practicing his skating at home near the cattle trough, it was during one particular morning that Meger snuck his skates out the door and took them to school. “I stopped at the Red River, put the skates on and skated. I did that all the way to school.”
Getting comfortable in his skates, Paul’s next piece of equipment was a hockey stick. Not having enough money to buy one, Paul headed into the bush and found some crooked sticks, whittled them down like a hockey stick and that was the start of what would eventually lead to his hockey career. “But I never thought I would play hockey to be honest. The good Lord said, ‘Paul, I want you to be a hockey player and well I turned out not too bad either.’”
With his stride improving on the river ice and near the cattle trough as each winter passed, Meger started playing his minor hockey in Selkirk, Man. His strong work ethic and determination got him noticed and he was later recruited by ‘Hap’ Emms to play Junior A hockey in Barrie, Ont. It was there that he played with the Flyers for three seasons beginning in 1946-‘47.
Right off the hop it was evident that Meger had a promising career as the forward accumulated 27 points in 31 games during his rookie season followed by a 30 goal, 30 assist effort in his second year. He then erupted with 75 points in 40 games in his third season with the team. During his junior career in Barrie, he was also voted as the Flyers Most Popular Player and selected to the OHA First All-Star Team in 1947-‘48. In his second season, the Flyers advanced to the Memorial Cup final where Meger had 17 points in 10 games in the Memorial Cup. The following season, his third in the league, Meger was again selected as an all-star, leading his team in scoring.
It was also during his time playing junior hockey in Barrie that Paul would meet his future wife Betty. Paul’s daughter Debra Scott shared about that first meeting between her parents, a meeting which ironically occurred in a rink. “My dad says he was in Barrie playing junior hockey and was public skating when this pretty girl came up to him and asked him to skate with her.”
After agreeing to go for a skate, Paul and Betty’s relationship blossomed and the couple would eventually marry, having two daughters and one son.
Turning professional for the 1949-‘50 season with the Buffalo Bisons of the American Hockey League, Meger’s play was once again noticed and the forward was named the AHL’s Rookie of the Year. Meger registered 26 goals and 40 assists in 63 games and received Second All-Star Team honours.
The following year, after notching 34 goals in 46 games for Buffalo, according to records from the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame, in February of 1951 Meger was traded to the Montreal Canadiens for $15,000 and two players. After being brought in by the NHL club, Meger then helped the team reach the Stanley Cup final. He also earned an AHL First Team All-Star selection for his effort with Buffalo.
Tucked safely away in Meger’s scrapbook of hockey treasures, a newspaper article by Jack Horrigan noted ‘Peppy Paul Meger’ was considered as one of the Bison’s most popular players. In the article, Horrigan noted former Buffalo General Manager Art Chapman always considered Meger his greatest find.
“All Meger could do was fall on his seat when he first reported to our training camp,” Chapman would say. “But there was something about the determination he showed when he’d get up - he’d always be right back in the thick of things.”
Reflecting on his time with Buffalo and later Montreal, Meger said, “Some things were meant to be and by golly I was sure glad it was meant to be.”
During that 1951-‘52 season, the rookie NHL forward found himself playing with some of the best players in the game. On a line with the likes of Billy Reay and Bernie ‘Boom Boom’ Geoffrion, Meger netted 24 goals and added 18 assists in 69 games for the Canadiens. His effort put him fourth overall on the team in points, just two behind legend Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard, 12 back of his line mate Geoffrion and 23 points back of Nokomis native Elmer Lach.
During his rookie campaign, Meger also scored his first and only NHL hat trick in a big 8-3 win over Chicago. When asked if he remembered his achievement, without missing a beat Meger replied, “Yup. And the Rocket scored a hat trick that night too. The next week in the dressing room (coach) Dick Irvin - he was for the players and was real good - he came in. He always had a quarter for the newspaper and the reporter would come in and talk hockey to Dick. I heard Dick giving him a hard time. He said, ‘Here is a kid that scored three goals and just because Rocket scored three, he is a star already. Give the kid a break.’ Here he was giving him a hard time for not writing about me. Dick was a real player’s coach.”
After the rookie's regular season, in the playoffs Meger continued to help his club, chipping in with three helpers as the team made its way to the Stanley Cup final before ultimately losing to Detroit. Despite not winning the NHL’s greatest trophy that season, Meger said having veteran players on the team like Elmer Lach and Billy Reay made his transition to the big stage a lot easier.
“Elmer was a real helper to me, a senior on the team,” said Meger of the Nokomis native and NHL Hall of Famer. “He would sit and talk to you, tell you what he thought and boy I think it sunk in. Being my centreman, Billy Reay was like a father. He was a senior in the league and what a guy he was. I had a great time with the guys I played with.”
After a solid rookie campaign, the 5’7”, 160 pound left winger returned to the Montreal lineup for the 1952-‘53 season. While his point totals dropped to nine goals and 17 assists in 69 games (still good for sixth on the team in points), Meger scored once and added two assists in the playoffs. Playing more of a defensive role and despite his point totals being down from a year prior, that year Meger and the Canadiens defeated the Boston Bruins four games to one to capture the Stanley Cup.
Wearing number 20, Meger who was 23 years old at the time won the championship with players like Jean Beliveau, Reg Abbott, Butch Bouchard, Doug Harvey, Dickie Moore, Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard, Billy Reay, Elmer Lach, Bernie ‘Boom Boom’ Geoffrion and in net, Gerry McNeil and Jacques Plante. Coached by legend Dick Irvin, the team itself contained a total of 10 players that would later go on to be enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
“Winning the Cup, it was big time. I remember standing with the Stanley Cup. When you are in that business, you don’t really realize how hard it is to win some of these things but I was fortunate enough to be one of them that won the Stanley Cup.”
Competing in that era also meant going up against some of the NHL’s toughest players. One of those guys that Meger found himself facing in the corner one night was Detroit Red Wing and future Hall of Famer Gordie Howe, another Saskatchewan native. It was a well-known fact that anybody that goes into the corner with number nine was not coming out first.
“The one day the coach (Dick Irvin) said, ‘You are always checking people, maybe you would like to check Gordie Howe tonight? I will play you against Gordie Howe,’” Meger recalled of his coach’s request. “I didn’t mind as long as I was playing. I remember Gordie and I got into the corner and I was lucky enough, I got the puck out of there killing a penalty. I got the puck out and everything and Gordie said to me, ‘Way to go kid!’”
Things were going pretty good for the Watrous born Meger and in the 1953-‘54 season, he would split time between the Canadiens and the Quebec Hockey League’s Montreal Royals, accumulating 30 points in 23 games with the Royals and 13 points in 44 games with the Canadiens. But Meger’s world and his professional hockey career would come to a life-altering halt during the 1954-‘55 campaign.
Hoping for a solid year ahead, Meger dressed for 13 games and was on the ice in Boston during a November contest when Leo Labine’s skate punctured Paul’s skull and damaged tissue in his brain.
“It was just one of those fluke things that happened,” Meger said of the incident from 1954. “He picked the puck up and I went to check him. He was coming around his own net and I partially checked him and we fell. He fell and I fell behind him and the heel of his skate hit the right side of my head. You can still feel where the skate went through the skull. There is no bone there.”
After getting repaired as much as possible on the bench, Meger was told by the coach he was done for the game and was put on a train from Boston back to Montreal to see Dr. Wilder Penfield, one of Canada’s foremost surgeons. Best known for the discovery of surgical treatment for epilepsy and the founder and first director of the world famous Montreal Neurological Institute, Meger said Dr. Penfield saved his life. “When I told him that I played hockey in Boston and I got hurt down there, he said, ‘And you got all the way here? Boy we will change that! If a guy gets hurt, we need to make sure he is able to travel.’”
Unlike today where teams can fly or ride the bus, Meger had to take the train home and was lucky to make it from Boston to Montreal. Feeling things were not quite right, Meger said, “I remember just a pounding when I got out of the train. The trainer gave me some painkillers I remember but I was in real bad shape.”
While Meger felt his conditioning leading up to the hockey season helped him stay alive, Dr. Penfield who would become fairly good friends with Paul later on, explained to the forward that he was lucky to be alive.
“I remember one of the doctors said he was fairly religious so I said to him, “I talked to the good guy up there the other day and he said, ‘Paul we just don’t have room for you.’”
After performing multiple surgeries to help Meger recover and get back on his feet, following the operations he received a visit in the hospital from NHL President at that time Clarence S. Campbell and Montreal Canadiens Manager Frank J. Selke. “They came into the hospital with the helmets they had at that time. They put them on me just to see if they would have helped. They both felt no. All there really was was a strap going down underneath your chin. They didn’t think it would have helped. They weren’t made like they are today. It is just a shame the way I got hurt and things were all over because I would have had a few more years.”
Still recovering in hospital, months after his injury the 26 year old would receive a hand from the Canadiens after an incident stemming from a lengthy suspension given to one of the team’s stars. It was Mar. 13, 1955 and Montreal was taking on Boston when late in the game, Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard was struck in the head with a stick. While one of the linesmen was trying to break up an ensuing fight, he took a punch to the face courtesy of Richard. The ‘Rocket’ was then suspended for the remaining three games of the regular season and playoffs while Hal Laycoe, who had struck Richard and was involved in the skirmish, went unpunished. That sent Montreal fans into a frenzy and a few days later during the Canadiens and Red Wings game, a riot broke out at the Forum and in the streets. At the Mar. 17 game NHL President Clarence Campbell who suspended Richard attended the contest after it started but fans soon noticed him and because of the way the suspension was handled, it set off the riots. Because the riots were so bad inside the arena, a tear gas bomb was set off and fans spilled out on to the streets where rioting continued. The game was called early and it was forfeited to the Red Wings.
With fans wanting their money back because of the shortened version of the game, Selke worked out a plan suggesting Montreal fans could turn over the gate money from the ‘Riot Night’ to Meger. Paul’s daughter Debra found the article talking about Selke’s idea:
“The game ended at the first period and fans have a right to get their money back,” says Selke, “but the suggestion has been made that the money be turned over to Meger. I cannot push the idea because it might not be quite fair to the fans, so I am having release forms printed. When all hockey is cleared away the fans who held tickets that night will be invited to come around to the Forum. If they wish to take the cash they will receive same. If they wish to sign the release form, the seat money will be turned over to Paul. He could get anywhere up to $25,000.”
The article went on to state that perhaps Paul Meger would get a five-figure break and know that the fans and Forum were pulling for him. Paul’s daughter Debra said as far as she knows, he did receive the money while recovering in hospital.
After spending months in the Western Hospital and then at the Neurological Institute, Paul soon healed from his injury but his professional playing days were over. With time to think about his future, he returned to Barrie where he ended up reuniting with a familiar face from his past.
“I got in touch with ‘Hap’ Emms, my junior coach. He was really good to me. He had an electrical business and I started working for him and got my license as an electrician. One day he said to me to go with this older chap that was working for him and try working on a few things. Then one morning Mr. Emms said to me, ‘Here, take a few of these calls for electrical work.’ He said the guy I was working with felt I was ready. So I went and did some calls. I got pretty good at it and then tried appliance repairs and I liked that.”
While the father of three was getting more and more involved in another career outside of hockey, the sport which he had come to love was not entirely out of the picture. Meger’s passion for hockey continued and he began coaching. According to the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame, in 1956-‘57 he was behind the bench for Alliston. That year he took them to the OHA Junior D finals. Two seasons later, he guided the Camp Borden Air Force team to the Canadian Armed Forces Championship and in 1962-‘63, was the coach of the Barrie 7-Ups Intermediate A squad. The next season he was guiding the Orillia Bantams to a Little NHL Consolation Championship.
During that time he became a founding member of the Barrie Minor Hockey Association, coaching eight years within it. He won three Little NHL Championships in four final appearances and won an OMHA title and the Silver Stick Championship.
But it was not just hockey that Meger enjoyed. The athlete and coach was also an accomplished ball player and during his junior days was a softball catcher for Bryson’s Grill. He was also a baseball catcher and helped the Barrie Flyers capture a pair of South Simcoe League titles. Trading in his ball glove and bat for a golf club, Meger later won the 1983 Barrie Country Club Seniors Championship and in that same year received the Ontario Medal for Citizenship in recognition of his efforts on behalf of minor hockey, the Cubs, the Multiple Sclerosis Society and with St. Andrew’s Church. Then in 1992 he was inducted into the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame as both an athlete and builder.
With everything that he accomplished over those years, looking back on his life Paul said, “People tell me, ‘Boy you are lucky, you played hockey and with some of the best players in the world at that time.’ It is quite a thing sometimes when you look back. I feel that more now than ever. I had a career in hockey with the biggest teams in the world. I have been very lucky and fortunate. I was very fortunate in life and I have no regrets about my hockey injury, it was just one of those fluke things that happened in life but I am here to talk about it.”
Noting that most of his memory remains pretty good, Meger still enjoys striking up a conversation about his playing days in the NHL and looks forward to every day being a good one.
“I am pretty pleased, life has been good to me. Every once in a while I am talking to my friends and one friend will ask how I can be so jolly? I said, ‘Well I am the guy talking about it and can remember it.’ As mom said too, she was a tough old girl, she must have been she had eight boys; she was a good mother and I remember going home after one hockey season and talking at the breakfast table with her about the family. She said, ‘Paul as tough as it was, we always had lots to eat and we had people helping us with clothing and so on and really we have nothing to complain about.’ Even she thought life was tough but it could be worse. Through my injury and everything else I was very fortunate. Who would have thought I would be good enough to play in the NHL and one of the kids that learnt how to skate on the Red River? I had a real good go at it.”
*Photos of Paul Meger below courtesy Debra Scott*
TWM Top Story - Mar. 11
Slow down, move over and stay safe
Daniel Bushman
With numerous close calls and in some instances tragic, highways can become hazardous for first responders and tow truck drivers parked along the side of the road. By not slowing down, lives are put at risk for those trying to help others and in some very unfortunate circumstances those instances have turned fatal.
As was the scenario last year and the year prior, during the evening Mar. 7 towing companies and emergency response personnel from across Saskatchewan join in solidarity as part of a Slow Down and Move Over Awareness Rally. With their lights flashing and parked on the shoulder of Hwy. 2 just outside of Watrous, members of Watrous Towing, EMS and fire also joined in unison by activating their lights during a portion of the evening.
The event which takes place across the province honours and shows respect to those who have been killed along roads in the province while trying to help others. It was also meant to raise awareness that motorists need to slow down and move over while passing tow trucks and emergency response personnel.
Two years ago the first ever rally was held after tow truck driver Courtney Schaefer died in a four vehicle crash on Hwy. 22 in southeastern Saskatchewan. During that rally, hundreds of trucks from across Saskatchewan activated their emergency lights, showing respect while raising awareness.
Hoping the annual event will eventually become a nationwide awareness campaign, first responders and tow truck drivers will plan to turn on their emergency lights and stand beside their vehicles again next year, honouring Schaefer and other drivers who have been tragically killed while on the job.
Daniel Bushman
With numerous close calls and in some instances tragic, highways can become hazardous for first responders and tow truck drivers parked along the side of the road. By not slowing down, lives are put at risk for those trying to help others and in some very unfortunate circumstances those instances have turned fatal.
As was the scenario last year and the year prior, during the evening Mar. 7 towing companies and emergency response personnel from across Saskatchewan join in solidarity as part of a Slow Down and Move Over Awareness Rally. With their lights flashing and parked on the shoulder of Hwy. 2 just outside of Watrous, members of Watrous Towing, EMS and fire also joined in unison by activating their lights during a portion of the evening.
The event which takes place across the province honours and shows respect to those who have been killed along roads in the province while trying to help others. It was also meant to raise awareness that motorists need to slow down and move over while passing tow trucks and emergency response personnel.
Two years ago the first ever rally was held after tow truck driver Courtney Schaefer died in a four vehicle crash on Hwy. 22 in southeastern Saskatchewan. During that rally, hundreds of trucks from across Saskatchewan activated their emergency lights, showing respect while raising awareness.
Hoping the annual event will eventually become a nationwide awareness campaign, first responders and tow truck drivers will plan to turn on their emergency lights and stand beside their vehicles again next year, honouring Schaefer and other drivers who have been tragically killed while on the job.
TWM Top Story - Mar. 4, 2019
Frozen Tongue Challenge a big success
Daniel Bushman
Not only did the idea of having a Frozen Tongue Challenge stick but it was an overwhelming success as close to $18,000 was raised for the unique fundraiser. With the temperature dipping to -25˚C and feeling more like -34˚C with the wind chill, a pair of local residents braved the elements Feb. 25 before one of them had the task of sticking his tongue to a frozen pole.
With the funds going towards the purchase of a new rural fire association response unit for the Watrous Fire Department, the first-ever Frozen Tongue Challenge pitted Deputy Fire Chief Andrew Matheson against Jeff Siegfried of Watrous Mainline Motors. After the challenge was issued by Siegfried in January, Matheson agreed and the pair were tasked with trying to raise more money than the other with the loser having to stick his tongue to a frozen pole.
A crowd gathered at Watrous Mainline Motors during the frigid Feb. 25 evening and after a few opening remarks, both Andrew and Jeff were handed folded signs with their totals on them. After unveiling the amounts, Jeff raised a total of $8,668.90 while Andrew accumulated $9,110.71, edging out his competitor by just $441.81.
Siegfried then had to hop on the back of a truck, stuck his tongue to the frozen pole and made good on the challenge.
“If you had me hooked to something that was monitoring my vital signs, they would have been off the charts,” said Jeff. “I had some concern when I was pouring the warm water on my tongue and the Thermos was getting lighter, but my tongue wasn’t budging. The pole was so cold that it was freezing the water into an ice-cube around my tongue. I was relieved when I pulled a little harder and could feel it releasing, not tearing, and I didn’t run out of water! I tried to tell any kids watching “that wasn’t very fun” and that even though I did it, it is not something that should be attempted. My tongue will be sore for a few days and I can’t imagine tearing it off as so many people have described!”
After setting an original goal of $5,000, by the final morning of the challenge, Matheson knew that they had attained over $15,000 so he was okay to stick his tongue to a frozen pole if he lost the challenge. “But Tuesday morning I was definitely happy that my tongue was not feeling like I had burnt it on hot coffee that’s for sure! And truth be told, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Jeff do it!”
After hearing of the need for a new rural fire association truck for the fire department, it was Siegfried who came up with the unique challenge, something that caught quite a few people’s attention. “When describing the challenge to people, I got quite a few cringes and lots of shock value, that’s the attention I wanted to get people talking about this fundraiser. While more and more people found out about this fundraiser, Andrew and I also did interviews with many provincial news outlets and radio talk shows and by the end of the challenge, it reached some national sources as well.”
Because of the attention locally, provincially and nationally, people certainly were talking about the Frozen Tongue Challenge and were also donating as $17,779.61 was raised.
“I was very pleased with the support from the community, what a nice way to start off a campaign for such a large capital expenditure,” said Siegfried. “It was really surprising how many people came out to watch when it was such a cold night – thanks to each of them.”
“I am still in shock with how this fundraiser was received as well as the totals that were obtained in the five weeks of the Frozen Tongue Challenge,” replied Matheson. “When we started talking about the event happening I told Jeff and others that asked me about it that I would be happy if this got us around $5,000 towards this dream of replacing our rural fire truck, Engine 2. So, when we flipped those signs and were close to $18,000 I was completely overwhelmed. The support was amazing. I have always been so proud of our community for the dedication to always supporting the groups that are out fundraising for different initiatives. The support for this crazy fundraiser was no different!”
Funds from the inaugural event will now be used towards the purchase of a new rural fire association truck for the Watrous Fire Department. Currently having two rural engines, Matheson said Engine 2 is the only truck designated for brush and grass fires. “It is a 1978 Dodge and has served the rural areas surrounding Watrous for over 40 years. Engine 4 is designated for structural fires and providing extra water to brush and grass fires and stationary fire suppression. Purchasing a new response vehicle is always approached with the community in mind first. We are always looking at ways to better our responses as well as our fire suppression capabilities. The replacement of this truck would help keep maintenance costs down (all parts for the current truck that need replacing have to be manufactured since it is so outdated). As well it provides safe fire suppression efforts to the firefighters.”
With the money that came in from the challenge, Matheson noted that replacing a fire truck is a lengthy process and not something that will be completed in the coming months. Estimating that it will be another year or two before the truck can be built or purchased, he said the department will also be looking at possible grant applications or other ideas in conjunction with the Watrous Rural Fire Association.
“This definitely has put us in a spot to look at more fundraisers in the future. There are already other ideas being brought forward for new fundraising initiatives for this so we will have to see what transpires with those. On behalf of the Watrous Fire Department, we are just so appreciative of everyone who donated to this fundraiser and we really appreciate Watrous Mainline Motors for challenging us. Our battery drive was also a huge success and we were able to recycle 3,300 pounds of used batteries and brought in just under $1,000 that was allocated towards the rural brush truck as well.”
Siegfried said being able to contribute towards such an integral part of the community was really important and he hopes fundraising efforts for the new rural fire unit will continue.
“It’s important for all of us to remember the importance of our protective services, and add their financial support when projects like this come along. These people are trained to respond in situations that none of us hope to ever find ourselves in. Let’s hope that they are called upon as infrequently as possible, but when they are, they are equipped to manage any situation quickly, safely and effectively.”
With his tongue healing last week, when asked if this fundraiser might be brought back again next year, “Stay tuned. I’ve approached some other individuals who are considering it.”
Not only did the idea of having a Frozen Tongue Challenge stick but it was an overwhelming success as close to $18,000 was raised for the unique fundraiser. With the temperature dipping to -25˚C and feeling more like -34˚C with the wind chill, a pair of local residents braved the elements Feb. 25 before one of them had the task of sticking his tongue to a frozen pole.
With the funds going towards the purchase of a new rural fire association response unit for the Watrous Fire Department, the first-ever Frozen Tongue Challenge pitted Deputy Fire Chief Andrew Matheson against Jeff Siegfried of Watrous Mainline Motors. After the challenge was issued by Siegfried in January, Matheson agreed and the pair were tasked with trying to raise more money than the other with the loser having to stick his tongue to a frozen pole.
A crowd gathered at Watrous Mainline Motors during the frigid Feb. 25 evening and after a few opening remarks, both Andrew and Jeff were handed folded signs with their totals on them. After unveiling the amounts, Jeff raised a total of $8,668.90 while Andrew accumulated $9,110.71, edging out his competitor by just $441.81.
Siegfried then had to hop on the back of a truck, stuck his tongue to the frozen pole and made good on the challenge.
“If you had me hooked to something that was monitoring my vital signs, they would have been off the charts,” said Jeff. “I had some concern when I was pouring the warm water on my tongue and the Thermos was getting lighter, but my tongue wasn’t budging. The pole was so cold that it was freezing the water into an ice-cube around my tongue. I was relieved when I pulled a little harder and could feel it releasing, not tearing, and I didn’t run out of water! I tried to tell any kids watching “that wasn’t very fun” and that even though I did it, it is not something that should be attempted. My tongue will be sore for a few days and I can’t imagine tearing it off as so many people have described!”
After setting an original goal of $5,000, by the final morning of the challenge, Matheson knew that they had attained over $15,000 so he was okay to stick his tongue to a frozen pole if he lost the challenge. “But Tuesday morning I was definitely happy that my tongue was not feeling like I had burnt it on hot coffee that’s for sure! And truth be told, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Jeff do it!”
After hearing of the need for a new rural fire association truck for the fire department, it was Siegfried who came up with the unique challenge, something that caught quite a few people’s attention. “When describing the challenge to people, I got quite a few cringes and lots of shock value, that’s the attention I wanted to get people talking about this fundraiser. While more and more people found out about this fundraiser, Andrew and I also did interviews with many provincial news outlets and radio talk shows and by the end of the challenge, it reached some national sources as well.”
Because of the attention locally, provincially and nationally, people certainly were talking about the Frozen Tongue Challenge and were also donating as $17,779.61 was raised.
“I was very pleased with the support from the community, what a nice way to start off a campaign for such a large capital expenditure,” said Siegfried. “It was really surprising how many people came out to watch when it was such a cold night – thanks to each of them.”
“I am still in shock with how this fundraiser was received as well as the totals that were obtained in the five weeks of the Frozen Tongue Challenge,” replied Matheson. “When we started talking about the event happening I told Jeff and others that asked me about it that I would be happy if this got us around $5,000 towards this dream of replacing our rural fire truck, Engine 2. So, when we flipped those signs and were close to $18,000 I was completely overwhelmed. The support was amazing. I have always been so proud of our community for the dedication to always supporting the groups that are out fundraising for different initiatives. The support for this crazy fundraiser was no different!”
Funds from the inaugural event will now be used towards the purchase of a new rural fire association truck for the Watrous Fire Department. Currently having two rural engines, Matheson said Engine 2 is the only truck designated for brush and grass fires. “It is a 1978 Dodge and has served the rural areas surrounding Watrous for over 40 years. Engine 4 is designated for structural fires and providing extra water to brush and grass fires and stationary fire suppression. Purchasing a new response vehicle is always approached with the community in mind first. We are always looking at ways to better our responses as well as our fire suppression capabilities. The replacement of this truck would help keep maintenance costs down (all parts for the current truck that need replacing have to be manufactured since it is so outdated). As well it provides safe fire suppression efforts to the firefighters.”
With the money that came in from the challenge, Matheson noted that replacing a fire truck is a lengthy process and not something that will be completed in the coming months. Estimating that it will be another year or two before the truck can be built or purchased, he said the department will also be looking at possible grant applications or other ideas in conjunction with the Watrous Rural Fire Association.
“This definitely has put us in a spot to look at more fundraisers in the future. There are already other ideas being brought forward for new fundraising initiatives for this so we will have to see what transpires with those. On behalf of the Watrous Fire Department, we are just so appreciative of everyone who donated to this fundraiser and we really appreciate Watrous Mainline Motors for challenging us. Our battery drive was also a huge success and we were able to recycle 3,300 pounds of used batteries and brought in just under $1,000 that was allocated towards the rural brush truck as well.”
Siegfried said being able to contribute towards such an integral part of the community was really important and he hopes fundraising efforts for the new rural fire unit will continue.
“It’s important for all of us to remember the importance of our protective services, and add their financial support when projects like this come along. These people are trained to respond in situations that none of us hope to ever find ourselves in. Let’s hope that they are called upon as infrequently as possible, but when they are, they are equipped to manage any situation quickly, safely and effectively.”
With his tongue healing last week, when asked if this fundraiser might be brought back again next year, “Stay tuned. I’ve approached some other individuals who are considering it.”
TWM Top Story - Feb. 18, 2019
A look back and ahead with local communities
Daniel Bushman
With 2018 in the books and 2019 underway, local communities have been busy with a number of projects this past year and this year will be no exception. As each community begins to map out 2019 and with the announcement by the provincial government that municipal revenue sharing is set to increase for 2019-‘20, The Watrous Manitou attempted to reach out to local area communities to see how 2018 went and what could be in store for 2019.
Here are the responses TWM received by press time:
Allan - Mayor Les Alm said there were a number of items taking place in the community in 2018. One of the larger projects is the new Allan Emergency Services Centre building which is being constructed at 324 1st Ave. across from the car wash. “We are very close to our funding goal of $480,000 and are still asking the community for donations to buy one square foot for $100 and receive a taxable donation receipt. Steve Peters is our Project Manager for the construction of this new facility, which we are planning to have a grand opening in the spring of 2019.”
In addition to the emergency services centre, Alm said a reservoir upgrade project was completed in 2018 to ensure safe drinking water through the water works and reservoir for the next few decades. “This was accomplished in large part from grant money that was applied for and received.”
Streets have been earmarked as a high priority and work will be ongoing for the next foreseeable future. Alm noted road work on Maple Drive and Sylvite Crescent was completed in the fall of 2018. “This street resurfacing project is using a new chemical technology that binds the material to make a hard surface that will last for years.” In addition, pavement grinding on 2nd Ave., Princess Street and Agnes Ave. took place and this will be worked on to ensure a solid base for future street work.
Also in 2018, Alm said, “An unexpected and possibly the largest service ever held in Allan, to my memory, was in April 2018 with the memorial service for Logan Schatz. Logan grew up in Allan and was the captain of the Humboldt Broncos. The community came together like never before and I was personally deeply touched by the volunteerism, donating of time and food and the coordination that took place to safely park and transport nearly 3,000 people to and from the Communiplex for the service. The community and district love and support for Kelly and Bonnie Schatz and family was very moving and emotional for everyone involved. Thank you to everyone who contributed or was in some way involved. Kelly Schatz has built “Schatzy’s Corner” in the skating rink for kids to play in between games during tournaments. Come and see it.”
Looking at 2019, Alm said some of the community’s future plans include: ongoing street and sidewalk repair with much of the work weather dependent; and upgrades to the water distribution and waste water collection (sewer) systems during power outages to avoid water advisories. “We plan on installing a fully automated emergency standby pump for our water and standby generators for our sewer lift stations so that during power outages residents will still be able to have water and flush toilets.”
Alm said there is also an economic development strategy to attract more residents and houses as well as new businesses to town.
“When young families move to the community, they want a school for their children and recreational activities to keep them busy and involved. Recreation is a large and important aspect of Allan and the extended community. I am pleased to announce that in the spring of 2019, town owned land directly east of Allan will be farmed as part of the Agricultural Fundraising Project for recreational investment through our Parks and Recreation Board. This will take a great deal of planning, volunteering and coordination to be successful. Many small communities have been actively participating in these types of projects for years with great benefits for recreation in the community.”
Colonsay - The community had a few projects on the go during the 2018 fiscal year and there are a few items already on the agenda for 2019. Maureen Moen with the Town of Colonsay said in 2018 several of the community’s streets were upgraded with a seal coating. A second notable project that occurred included the installation of an electric fire pump which acts as a water supply back up in the event of a fire in town.
In addition, Moen said, “A major fundraiser headed by the Colonsay Recreation Board was the Shier Land Project. This fundraiser was made possible through a generous donation by Herb Shier. Herb donated the use of a quarter section piece of his land to produce a canola crop in the 2018 crop year. Several volunteers and local businesses were involved in this undertaking resulting in over $60,000 being raised for the Colonsay Recreation Board.”
Moving into 2019, budget meetings will be held in the near future and capital projects will be determined at that time. Moen said another item of interest for 2019 is the Colonsay Swimming Pool’s 50th anniversary. “The Colonsay Swimming Pool will be celebrating 50 years since the establishment of the local pool. Plans are in the works to recognize and celebrate this milestone.”
Drake - Mayor Peter Nicholson said in 2018 the Village of Drake saw the completion of its new lagoon cell project in late summer and the village managed to dredge its old cell once freeze up happened and equipment could be brought in. “We also had engineers complete a study on our potable water system going forward and we are in the process of studying the final report we received in late fall.”
Looking at 2019, Nicholson said, “We will be beginning the construction of a new well that will act as a back up to our existing well ensuring we will always have a good source of water.”
Guernsey - With Guernsey dissolving into the Rural Municipality of Usborne, RM administrator Anna Rintoul said the biggest item of note in 2018 was the completion of the Guernsey water treatment plant which was finished in March. “This consisted of drilling wells and installing a Reverse Osmosis plant, which we completed under the CWWF/PTIC grant program.”
Imperial - Mayor Ted Abrey said 2018 saw the Town of Imperial enjoying the use of its newly acquired backhoe to assist in maintenance and snow removal. “We replaced sidewalks that were in need, and did rubber topping sidewalk repairs in other spots.” Sealing of cracks in the pavement on the town access road was also completed and sand sealant was applied on various blocks as an ongoing yearly project within the town.
Abrey noted a new administrator was hired to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of the town’s previous one. Renovations were also completed to the town office and painting was done in the Community Centre. In addition the mayor said upgrades were done to the artificial ice plant in Imperial’s community rink this past fall and skating, hockey and curling are now in full swing.
“The town also has a continuous program of tree pruning during the colder months, and each year new trees are planted to replace aging and deteriorating ones. Stone planters on our sidewalks are planted and maintained each year to beautify our main street.”
With the budgeting process starting in February, Abrey said new projects are to be decided at that time. However, he added, “We do know that four new channels will be added to our community-owned cable system, and further upgrades will be done. Negotiations are in the works for MAVTV to be added as well, which will broadcast worldwide auto racing.”
Also for 2019, Abrey said work is slated to commence in the coming months to renovate the former doctor’s residence to add a suite in the basement dedicated to housing the community’s visiting ambulance attendants who currently occupy the main floor. New signage to advertise the four churches located in Imperial has been constructed and will be erected when the ground thaws in the spring.
“Council continues to strive to keep Imperial looking forward to the future, while still appreciating the rich heritage of our community. We appreciate the efforts of our residents in beautifying our town, making it a pleasure to drive into and a pleasure to live in.”
Manitou Beach - Mayor Gerry Worobec said the resort village had a busy 2018 and in 2019 is looking forward to commemorating the 100th anniversary of being incorporated as a resort community.
In 2018, Worobec said they had a number of items on the docket including upgrades and the replacement of two of the three lift stations. They also did wiring for nine pumping stations to handle water on the relatively dry side of the berm.
“We have the stations all wired up and there is power poles by each one with panels. When the spring runoff comes, there will be these good sized electric pumps that will go into eight foot deep sump holes and they will hopefully manage the runoff and pump it into the lake.”
The resort village also upgraded its street lighting and did further development on the beaches while improving signage. Another area the village looked at was the sewer and water billing and the elimination of water minimums. “We changed it to a basic fee for sewer and water plus actual utilization based on bi-monthly readings of water use.”
Other areas that saw improvements were at the Jubilee Drive-In with a new digital projector, development at the skating pond, and community hall improvements with the addition of a screened deck area and two wheelchair accessible bathrooms. The resort community also completely redid the outside of the hall and made some improvements on a number of chainsaw carvings around the beach. Worobec noted the local convenience store across from Relics also did some renovations.
“In addition we have developed a working relationship with local First Nations and have been spending a lot of time with them and working towards a few things.”
Moving into 2019 and with this year being Manitou Beach’s centennial and the bi-annual chainsaw carving competition, Worobec said they will officially be marking the 100th birthday with a picnic and dignitaries and speeches will take place on the final day of the chainsaw carving competition. Other events have also been scheduled throughout the year as Manitou Beach commemorates its centennial.
Simpson - Mayor Jeremy Nimchuk noted there were quite a few things that took place in 2018 and also already in 2019. “The roof on the rink surface had two rafters bust in summer of 2017 so we decided in 2018 to raise money to repair it between the town and the rink board. We have done multiple fundraisers to start our efforts in repairing.”
In the meantime, with no rink to use, a few members of the town decided to build an outdoor rink for the community to use this winter.
Leading up to the holidays, Nimchuk said a family fun day was held Dec. 23 with family skating, a hay ride and twinkle tour followed by hot chocolate and a visit from Santa.
Earlier last year, Nimchuk said throughout the summer crews were busy cutting down dead trees, cleaning up bushes and making the cemetery look nice.
The Simpson Volunteer Fire Team has also been busy and is in full swing with monthly meetings and training while upgrading the community’s fire equipment.
Nimchuk said another significant item that occurred was the closure of the grocery store in town. “The Simpson Co-op board decided to close our grocery store as of Jan. 31 and they will be stocking a few food items at our Co-op gas station.”
With the calendar flipped to 2019, Nimchuk said the Hockey Bags held their annual cabaret in Simpson on Jan. 16, with all proceeds going to the rink. “They had a fantastic turnout!”
The mayor noted the community is planning to continue with its fundraising efforts for the rink starting with a comedy night featuring Lee Bells with a cabaret to follow. Nimchuk said more details will be coming out in the future.
Along with the fundraisers for the rink, Nimchuk said the Simpson Homemakers are in the process of starting to plan their semi-annual ladies night out.
Viscount - Mayor of Viscount Moe Kirzinger said there were a few notable events that took place in the community in 2018 including work at the bowling alley and opening a brand new park. As many residents enjoyed the new upgrades at the bowling alley, in the summer, Koller Park was opened. Kirzinger said the new area was named after a local resident who has volunteered for a number of decades. The new park at Viscount includes benches, things for kids to do and a shelter. In addition to the bowling alley upgrades and park unveiling, Kirzinger said, “We had our big street dance and ball tournament again in August.”
From an improvement standpoint, the mayor said they got rid of a couple old buildings on main street and those commercial lots are now up for sale.
As for 2019, Kirzinger noted a bylaw officer will be brought in to help beautify the community, similar to what some other communities like Watrous have been doing. After the closure of St. Alphonse school a few years ago, Kirzinger said the Catholic School Board decided to give the building back to the community and a purchaser was found for it. Currently the building is being transformed into a four-plex and there are a few suites already leased out.
In addition, one highlight that residents and visitors can look forward to in 2019 is the 30th anniversary of the street dance in the community Aug. 10.
“We usually get up to 800 people and we have a ball tournament that is pretty well attended. It has been a good fundraiser over the years. We set up a stage and block the street off.”
Watrous - There were a number of items and projects focused on in 2018 with more on the docket for 2019. Watrous Mayor Ed Collins highlighted a few areas of note, one of which included the Watrous Volunteer Fire Department. “The Town replaced all SCBA equipment and tanks which cost about $60,000 and was shared 50/50 with the Watrous Rural Fire Protection Association.”
The Town of Watrous also developed a columbarium area at the cemetery which included benches, landscaping, and a parking area. With assistance from the Do Gooders, a water feature was also installed and the total overall work done on cemetery upgrades by the town cost around $30,000.
With regards to transportation and streets, Collins said they added a bucket truck to the fleet and upgraded the skid steer. One of the larger projects undertaken involved the construction of a service road, lift station and access to the town’s industrial lots next to Home Hardware. “We are anticipating that project will be completed in 2019.”
Collins also noted the Watrous Centennial Arena received a chiller replacement worth around $80,000 and a new ice resurfacer Zamboni which was partially funded through donations by local area businesses.
At the Watrous Sportsgrounds, Collins said the town was approached by Watrous Minor Ball and Winston High School’s football program about a joint project which would see a facility built to house concessions, washrooms and storage. Some of the work was already completed in 2018 and it is expected to finish in 2019.
With substantial water and sewer projects taking place over the last few years including the addition of a reverse osmosis water system, Collins said they were able to complete work on the lagoon expansion and aeration project that started in the fall of 2016. “We also completed water and sewer mains and sewage lift station servicing to the town’s industrial lots located next to Home Hardware, Manitou Mainline Chrysler and other future commercial/industrial land. We have also began the process of adding another well site (well #7). Hydrogeological work and the well were drilled in 2018. The pipeline and pumphouse/mechanical will be phased over 2019 and 2020.”
Along with some of those projects running into 2019, Collins said they have other items under consideration as they begin budget deliberations. Some of those areas include: continuing with improvements and upgrades at the cemetery; completing construction of the service road and access to the town’s industrial lots by Home Hardware. Continuing with street rebuilds on some of the side streets where bad frost boils occur in the spring; working on the rest area/Via Rail shelter at end of Main Street; conducting fire hydrant replacements and water main valve replacements in strategic areas; and potentially doing an engineering review which would focus discussion around sanitary sewer capacity and flood mitigation measures.
Young - Mayor of Young Julia Schultz said there were some highlights for the community in 2018 and more are ahead for 2019. “In 2018 we hired a new CAO Lyle Hannan. We also improved our office hours to suit the community better. We have done much needed repairs on sidewalks and roads. Also the Young Swimming Pool has undergone a huge renovation in the summer.”
Moving to 2019, Schultz said the community is having winter rink suppers twice a month. In addition, the mayor said, “We are renovating the village office and continuing repairs on sidewalks and roads. We upgraded our second fire truck and we are also very excited that our newly renovated swimming pool will be open this summer and it includes a water slide.”
Daniel Bushman
With 2018 in the books and 2019 underway, local communities have been busy with a number of projects this past year and this year will be no exception. As each community begins to map out 2019 and with the announcement by the provincial government that municipal revenue sharing is set to increase for 2019-‘20, The Watrous Manitou attempted to reach out to local area communities to see how 2018 went and what could be in store for 2019.
Here are the responses TWM received by press time:
Allan - Mayor Les Alm said there were a number of items taking place in the community in 2018. One of the larger projects is the new Allan Emergency Services Centre building which is being constructed at 324 1st Ave. across from the car wash. “We are very close to our funding goal of $480,000 and are still asking the community for donations to buy one square foot for $100 and receive a taxable donation receipt. Steve Peters is our Project Manager for the construction of this new facility, which we are planning to have a grand opening in the spring of 2019.”
In addition to the emergency services centre, Alm said a reservoir upgrade project was completed in 2018 to ensure safe drinking water through the water works and reservoir for the next few decades. “This was accomplished in large part from grant money that was applied for and received.”
Streets have been earmarked as a high priority and work will be ongoing for the next foreseeable future. Alm noted road work on Maple Drive and Sylvite Crescent was completed in the fall of 2018. “This street resurfacing project is using a new chemical technology that binds the material to make a hard surface that will last for years.” In addition, pavement grinding on 2nd Ave., Princess Street and Agnes Ave. took place and this will be worked on to ensure a solid base for future street work.
Also in 2018, Alm said, “An unexpected and possibly the largest service ever held in Allan, to my memory, was in April 2018 with the memorial service for Logan Schatz. Logan grew up in Allan and was the captain of the Humboldt Broncos. The community came together like never before and I was personally deeply touched by the volunteerism, donating of time and food and the coordination that took place to safely park and transport nearly 3,000 people to and from the Communiplex for the service. The community and district love and support for Kelly and Bonnie Schatz and family was very moving and emotional for everyone involved. Thank you to everyone who contributed or was in some way involved. Kelly Schatz has built “Schatzy’s Corner” in the skating rink for kids to play in between games during tournaments. Come and see it.”
Looking at 2019, Alm said some of the community’s future plans include: ongoing street and sidewalk repair with much of the work weather dependent; and upgrades to the water distribution and waste water collection (sewer) systems during power outages to avoid water advisories. “We plan on installing a fully automated emergency standby pump for our water and standby generators for our sewer lift stations so that during power outages residents will still be able to have water and flush toilets.”
Alm said there is also an economic development strategy to attract more residents and houses as well as new businesses to town.
“When young families move to the community, they want a school for their children and recreational activities to keep them busy and involved. Recreation is a large and important aspect of Allan and the extended community. I am pleased to announce that in the spring of 2019, town owned land directly east of Allan will be farmed as part of the Agricultural Fundraising Project for recreational investment through our Parks and Recreation Board. This will take a great deal of planning, volunteering and coordination to be successful. Many small communities have been actively participating in these types of projects for years with great benefits for recreation in the community.”
Colonsay - The community had a few projects on the go during the 2018 fiscal year and there are a few items already on the agenda for 2019. Maureen Moen with the Town of Colonsay said in 2018 several of the community’s streets were upgraded with a seal coating. A second notable project that occurred included the installation of an electric fire pump which acts as a water supply back up in the event of a fire in town.
In addition, Moen said, “A major fundraiser headed by the Colonsay Recreation Board was the Shier Land Project. This fundraiser was made possible through a generous donation by Herb Shier. Herb donated the use of a quarter section piece of his land to produce a canola crop in the 2018 crop year. Several volunteers and local businesses were involved in this undertaking resulting in over $60,000 being raised for the Colonsay Recreation Board.”
Moving into 2019, budget meetings will be held in the near future and capital projects will be determined at that time. Moen said another item of interest for 2019 is the Colonsay Swimming Pool’s 50th anniversary. “The Colonsay Swimming Pool will be celebrating 50 years since the establishment of the local pool. Plans are in the works to recognize and celebrate this milestone.”
Drake - Mayor Peter Nicholson said in 2018 the Village of Drake saw the completion of its new lagoon cell project in late summer and the village managed to dredge its old cell once freeze up happened and equipment could be brought in. “We also had engineers complete a study on our potable water system going forward and we are in the process of studying the final report we received in late fall.”
Looking at 2019, Nicholson said, “We will be beginning the construction of a new well that will act as a back up to our existing well ensuring we will always have a good source of water.”
Guernsey - With Guernsey dissolving into the Rural Municipality of Usborne, RM administrator Anna Rintoul said the biggest item of note in 2018 was the completion of the Guernsey water treatment plant which was finished in March. “This consisted of drilling wells and installing a Reverse Osmosis plant, which we completed under the CWWF/PTIC grant program.”
Imperial - Mayor Ted Abrey said 2018 saw the Town of Imperial enjoying the use of its newly acquired backhoe to assist in maintenance and snow removal. “We replaced sidewalks that were in need, and did rubber topping sidewalk repairs in other spots.” Sealing of cracks in the pavement on the town access road was also completed and sand sealant was applied on various blocks as an ongoing yearly project within the town.
Abrey noted a new administrator was hired to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of the town’s previous one. Renovations were also completed to the town office and painting was done in the Community Centre. In addition the mayor said upgrades were done to the artificial ice plant in Imperial’s community rink this past fall and skating, hockey and curling are now in full swing.
“The town also has a continuous program of tree pruning during the colder months, and each year new trees are planted to replace aging and deteriorating ones. Stone planters on our sidewalks are planted and maintained each year to beautify our main street.”
With the budgeting process starting in February, Abrey said new projects are to be decided at that time. However, he added, “We do know that four new channels will be added to our community-owned cable system, and further upgrades will be done. Negotiations are in the works for MAVTV to be added as well, which will broadcast worldwide auto racing.”
Also for 2019, Abrey said work is slated to commence in the coming months to renovate the former doctor’s residence to add a suite in the basement dedicated to housing the community’s visiting ambulance attendants who currently occupy the main floor. New signage to advertise the four churches located in Imperial has been constructed and will be erected when the ground thaws in the spring.
“Council continues to strive to keep Imperial looking forward to the future, while still appreciating the rich heritage of our community. We appreciate the efforts of our residents in beautifying our town, making it a pleasure to drive into and a pleasure to live in.”
Manitou Beach - Mayor Gerry Worobec said the resort village had a busy 2018 and in 2019 is looking forward to commemorating the 100th anniversary of being incorporated as a resort community.
In 2018, Worobec said they had a number of items on the docket including upgrades and the replacement of two of the three lift stations. They also did wiring for nine pumping stations to handle water on the relatively dry side of the berm.
“We have the stations all wired up and there is power poles by each one with panels. When the spring runoff comes, there will be these good sized electric pumps that will go into eight foot deep sump holes and they will hopefully manage the runoff and pump it into the lake.”
The resort village also upgraded its street lighting and did further development on the beaches while improving signage. Another area the village looked at was the sewer and water billing and the elimination of water minimums. “We changed it to a basic fee for sewer and water plus actual utilization based on bi-monthly readings of water use.”
Other areas that saw improvements were at the Jubilee Drive-In with a new digital projector, development at the skating pond, and community hall improvements with the addition of a screened deck area and two wheelchair accessible bathrooms. The resort community also completely redid the outside of the hall and made some improvements on a number of chainsaw carvings around the beach. Worobec noted the local convenience store across from Relics also did some renovations.
“In addition we have developed a working relationship with local First Nations and have been spending a lot of time with them and working towards a few things.”
Moving into 2019 and with this year being Manitou Beach’s centennial and the bi-annual chainsaw carving competition, Worobec said they will officially be marking the 100th birthday with a picnic and dignitaries and speeches will take place on the final day of the chainsaw carving competition. Other events have also been scheduled throughout the year as Manitou Beach commemorates its centennial.
Simpson - Mayor Jeremy Nimchuk noted there were quite a few things that took place in 2018 and also already in 2019. “The roof on the rink surface had two rafters bust in summer of 2017 so we decided in 2018 to raise money to repair it between the town and the rink board. We have done multiple fundraisers to start our efforts in repairing.”
In the meantime, with no rink to use, a few members of the town decided to build an outdoor rink for the community to use this winter.
Leading up to the holidays, Nimchuk said a family fun day was held Dec. 23 with family skating, a hay ride and twinkle tour followed by hot chocolate and a visit from Santa.
Earlier last year, Nimchuk said throughout the summer crews were busy cutting down dead trees, cleaning up bushes and making the cemetery look nice.
The Simpson Volunteer Fire Team has also been busy and is in full swing with monthly meetings and training while upgrading the community’s fire equipment.
Nimchuk said another significant item that occurred was the closure of the grocery store in town. “The Simpson Co-op board decided to close our grocery store as of Jan. 31 and they will be stocking a few food items at our Co-op gas station.”
With the calendar flipped to 2019, Nimchuk said the Hockey Bags held their annual cabaret in Simpson on Jan. 16, with all proceeds going to the rink. “They had a fantastic turnout!”
The mayor noted the community is planning to continue with its fundraising efforts for the rink starting with a comedy night featuring Lee Bells with a cabaret to follow. Nimchuk said more details will be coming out in the future.
Along with the fundraisers for the rink, Nimchuk said the Simpson Homemakers are in the process of starting to plan their semi-annual ladies night out.
Viscount - Mayor of Viscount Moe Kirzinger said there were a few notable events that took place in the community in 2018 including work at the bowling alley and opening a brand new park. As many residents enjoyed the new upgrades at the bowling alley, in the summer, Koller Park was opened. Kirzinger said the new area was named after a local resident who has volunteered for a number of decades. The new park at Viscount includes benches, things for kids to do and a shelter. In addition to the bowling alley upgrades and park unveiling, Kirzinger said, “We had our big street dance and ball tournament again in August.”
From an improvement standpoint, the mayor said they got rid of a couple old buildings on main street and those commercial lots are now up for sale.
As for 2019, Kirzinger noted a bylaw officer will be brought in to help beautify the community, similar to what some other communities like Watrous have been doing. After the closure of St. Alphonse school a few years ago, Kirzinger said the Catholic School Board decided to give the building back to the community and a purchaser was found for it. Currently the building is being transformed into a four-plex and there are a few suites already leased out.
In addition, one highlight that residents and visitors can look forward to in 2019 is the 30th anniversary of the street dance in the community Aug. 10.
“We usually get up to 800 people and we have a ball tournament that is pretty well attended. It has been a good fundraiser over the years. We set up a stage and block the street off.”
Watrous - There were a number of items and projects focused on in 2018 with more on the docket for 2019. Watrous Mayor Ed Collins highlighted a few areas of note, one of which included the Watrous Volunteer Fire Department. “The Town replaced all SCBA equipment and tanks which cost about $60,000 and was shared 50/50 with the Watrous Rural Fire Protection Association.”
The Town of Watrous also developed a columbarium area at the cemetery which included benches, landscaping, and a parking area. With assistance from the Do Gooders, a water feature was also installed and the total overall work done on cemetery upgrades by the town cost around $30,000.
With regards to transportation and streets, Collins said they added a bucket truck to the fleet and upgraded the skid steer. One of the larger projects undertaken involved the construction of a service road, lift station and access to the town’s industrial lots next to Home Hardware. “We are anticipating that project will be completed in 2019.”
Collins also noted the Watrous Centennial Arena received a chiller replacement worth around $80,000 and a new ice resurfacer Zamboni which was partially funded through donations by local area businesses.
At the Watrous Sportsgrounds, Collins said the town was approached by Watrous Minor Ball and Winston High School’s football program about a joint project which would see a facility built to house concessions, washrooms and storage. Some of the work was already completed in 2018 and it is expected to finish in 2019.
With substantial water and sewer projects taking place over the last few years including the addition of a reverse osmosis water system, Collins said they were able to complete work on the lagoon expansion and aeration project that started in the fall of 2016. “We also completed water and sewer mains and sewage lift station servicing to the town’s industrial lots located next to Home Hardware, Manitou Mainline Chrysler and other future commercial/industrial land. We have also began the process of adding another well site (well #7). Hydrogeological work and the well were drilled in 2018. The pipeline and pumphouse/mechanical will be phased over 2019 and 2020.”
Along with some of those projects running into 2019, Collins said they have other items under consideration as they begin budget deliberations. Some of those areas include: continuing with improvements and upgrades at the cemetery; completing construction of the service road and access to the town’s industrial lots by Home Hardware. Continuing with street rebuilds on some of the side streets where bad frost boils occur in the spring; working on the rest area/Via Rail shelter at end of Main Street; conducting fire hydrant replacements and water main valve replacements in strategic areas; and potentially doing an engineering review which would focus discussion around sanitary sewer capacity and flood mitigation measures.
Young - Mayor of Young Julia Schultz said there were some highlights for the community in 2018 and more are ahead for 2019. “In 2018 we hired a new CAO Lyle Hannan. We also improved our office hours to suit the community better. We have done much needed repairs on sidewalks and roads. Also the Young Swimming Pool has undergone a huge renovation in the summer.”
Moving to 2019, Schultz said the community is having winter rink suppers twice a month. In addition, the mayor said, “We are renovating the village office and continuing repairs on sidewalks and roads. We upgraded our second fire truck and we are also very excited that our newly renovated swimming pool will be open this summer and it includes a water slide.”
TWM Top Story - Feb. 11, 2019
Simpson Co-op grocery store closes
Daniel Bushman
After serving residents of Simpson and the surrounding area for decades, the Simpson Co-op’s grocery store has closed its doors. With a manager and two part time staff operating the store, the building provided residents a place to purchase groceries but with costs continuing to rise and a decline in traffic, the place closed Jan. 31.
Dennis Vanthuyne with the Simpson Co-op said the decision was made to shut down the grocery part of the Co-op as costs continued to go up. “With the coolers and freezers running, the power bills and other costs continually going up, the grocery store was not feasible any longer. There were not enough people shopping there any more so the fuel portion of the Simpson Co-op was subsidizing the grocery department. So the decision was made to close the store so the Co-op could offer more equity through the fuel portion.”
Vanthuyne said a public meeting was held prior to the Jan. 31 closure and ultimately with the lack of traffic to the business, it was decided to shut it down.
With that decision to close the grocery store, Vanthuyne who works at the Simpson Co-op gas station said they will be selling some items at the gas station that were offered at the grocery store.
According to the Simpson history book, Down Memory Lane, it was back in the 1940s when the Simpson Co-op first expanded into groceries and hardware. The Simpson Co-operative Association decided to purchase the R.H. Mills’ store June 30, 1944 and the grocery aspect would last for almost 75 years.
However, on Sept. 21, 1958 the Co-op was badly damaged by a fire. Because of the destruction that it caused, a new store was constructed on the site with volunteer labour and officially opened Feb. 19, 1959.
Ralph Moore who was on the Co-op board for a few years until April 1975 was one of the people that helped to build the grocery store back up. Moore said the south portion was badly damaged and was replaced with a new one through the winter months. Living 12 miles from town, Moore came in and was one of the volunteers that lent a hand to rebuild the place.
“We had one head carpenter and then volunteers from the district worked on it,” he said.
At one time in the community, Moore said there were three grocery stores but as the years went on, in 1982, the Co-op became the only one left after the closure of R & S Shop-Rite. The Co-op then expanded its floor space and storage area and in 1985 the store front was given a face lift.
“It served the people in Simpson and the area and it is too bad the store is closed now.”
As for the Simpson Co-op itself, according to the Simpson history book, in 1938 when times were dire in the agriculture world, a small group of pioneer farmers got together and started to search for ways to improve their economic lot by working together. From those gatherings a decision was made and the Simpson Co-op was established.
The organizational meeting was held Mar. 30, 1938 in the local municipal office and the provisional board included Roy Cole, John Pieper, A.R. McGregor, R.G. Quennell, Wallace McDonald, Richard Clark, David Freeman and W.H. Drake. The first secretary was Sam Orr and the first president was Roy McGregor.
The history book notes the Simpson Co-operative Association was incorporated Apr. 11, 1938 and coal, wood, oil, grease and twine were handled from the Pool office. Sam Orr, who was the Pool agent also acted as manager. Then in 1941, oil shed and barrel service was started.
A few years later, in 1943, George Carr began managing the bulk stations, handling fuel, oil, grease, flour, salt, chicken and hog feed. After a series of managers, Mr. Cragg was asked to manage the store and he did until 1953. Other managers over the years included Martin Wagman, Charles Spencer, Corky Birt, Pius Nagy, Maurice Tomarat, Alvin Hausauer, T.H. (Finnie) Hjorleifson, Ken Gillespie, Vern Triol, Harvey Choquette, Bill Twist, Glenn Crawford, Randy Miller and Dennis Vanthuyne.
In 1957, tank and metre service was installed. Operators of the fuel truck over some of the years were Thomas Harper, James Taylor, Robert Robinson, Ralph Moore, Victor Gullacher, Oscar Swanson and Dennis Vanthuyne.
In 1963 the Co-op celebrated its 25th anniversary with a special program and on Apr. 11, 1978, the Simpson Co-operative Association held its 40th annual meeting.
Daniel Bushman
After serving residents of Simpson and the surrounding area for decades, the Simpson Co-op’s grocery store has closed its doors. With a manager and two part time staff operating the store, the building provided residents a place to purchase groceries but with costs continuing to rise and a decline in traffic, the place closed Jan. 31.
Dennis Vanthuyne with the Simpson Co-op said the decision was made to shut down the grocery part of the Co-op as costs continued to go up. “With the coolers and freezers running, the power bills and other costs continually going up, the grocery store was not feasible any longer. There were not enough people shopping there any more so the fuel portion of the Simpson Co-op was subsidizing the grocery department. So the decision was made to close the store so the Co-op could offer more equity through the fuel portion.”
Vanthuyne said a public meeting was held prior to the Jan. 31 closure and ultimately with the lack of traffic to the business, it was decided to shut it down.
With that decision to close the grocery store, Vanthuyne who works at the Simpson Co-op gas station said they will be selling some items at the gas station that were offered at the grocery store.
According to the Simpson history book, Down Memory Lane, it was back in the 1940s when the Simpson Co-op first expanded into groceries and hardware. The Simpson Co-operative Association decided to purchase the R.H. Mills’ store June 30, 1944 and the grocery aspect would last for almost 75 years.
However, on Sept. 21, 1958 the Co-op was badly damaged by a fire. Because of the destruction that it caused, a new store was constructed on the site with volunteer labour and officially opened Feb. 19, 1959.
Ralph Moore who was on the Co-op board for a few years until April 1975 was one of the people that helped to build the grocery store back up. Moore said the south portion was badly damaged and was replaced with a new one through the winter months. Living 12 miles from town, Moore came in and was one of the volunteers that lent a hand to rebuild the place.
“We had one head carpenter and then volunteers from the district worked on it,” he said.
At one time in the community, Moore said there were three grocery stores but as the years went on, in 1982, the Co-op became the only one left after the closure of R & S Shop-Rite. The Co-op then expanded its floor space and storage area and in 1985 the store front was given a face lift.
“It served the people in Simpson and the area and it is too bad the store is closed now.”
As for the Simpson Co-op itself, according to the Simpson history book, in 1938 when times were dire in the agriculture world, a small group of pioneer farmers got together and started to search for ways to improve their economic lot by working together. From those gatherings a decision was made and the Simpson Co-op was established.
The organizational meeting was held Mar. 30, 1938 in the local municipal office and the provisional board included Roy Cole, John Pieper, A.R. McGregor, R.G. Quennell, Wallace McDonald, Richard Clark, David Freeman and W.H. Drake. The first secretary was Sam Orr and the first president was Roy McGregor.
The history book notes the Simpson Co-operative Association was incorporated Apr. 11, 1938 and coal, wood, oil, grease and twine were handled from the Pool office. Sam Orr, who was the Pool agent also acted as manager. Then in 1941, oil shed and barrel service was started.
A few years later, in 1943, George Carr began managing the bulk stations, handling fuel, oil, grease, flour, salt, chicken and hog feed. After a series of managers, Mr. Cragg was asked to manage the store and he did until 1953. Other managers over the years included Martin Wagman, Charles Spencer, Corky Birt, Pius Nagy, Maurice Tomarat, Alvin Hausauer, T.H. (Finnie) Hjorleifson, Ken Gillespie, Vern Triol, Harvey Choquette, Bill Twist, Glenn Crawford, Randy Miller and Dennis Vanthuyne.
In 1957, tank and metre service was installed. Operators of the fuel truck over some of the years were Thomas Harper, James Taylor, Robert Robinson, Ralph Moore, Victor Gullacher, Oscar Swanson and Dennis Vanthuyne.
In 1963 the Co-op celebrated its 25th anniversary with a special program and on Apr. 11, 1978, the Simpson Co-operative Association held its 40th annual meeting.
TWM Top Story - Feb. 4, 2019
Local company welds together lasting legacy
Daniel Bushman
Innovation, hard work and top quality were represented for more than six decades as Bergen Industries not only grew from a tiny company just outside the community of Drake but it became well-known both nationally and internationally. With thousands of agricultural implements and trailers built by Bergen Industries over its 68 years in business, each product was uniquely created to last. While the company closed its doors in April of 2017, the legacy of the Bergen brand and the work that went into creating it still remains.
First launched by Peter Bergen in 1949, the company went from a tiny blacksmith shop on Bergen’s homestead one mile east of Drake to eventually relocating to a much larger home just off Hwy. 20. Designing, manufacturing and selling short-line agricultural equipment, livestock and utility trailers along with some components for oil industry drilling rigs, Bergen Industries not only became well-known throughout the immediate area and Western Canada but in other parts of the world.
Born in 1929, the founder of Bergen Industries, Peter Bergen, spent his younger years on the family farm just outside of Drake. It was there that he was able to learn about hard work, dedication and how to make things run. With a curiosity for welding, he enrolled in a three month course at the University of Saskatchewan and studied about refining his craft. “I came back home after the course and said to my dad, ‘I need some money to buy a welder.’”
With knowledge of how to weld from his time at university and a welder to call his own, Peter then began implementing his manufacturing career, one that would last for decades. “I had a few guys helping me out in that first year at the farm in our blacksmith shop and it just grew from there.”
During a time when the need for horses to do the bulk of farm work was decreasing but roads had to be cleared in the winter for vehicles, Peter not only designed but also manufactured a V-type snowplow. The unit had a wing span of 7’6”, a hydraulic lift, and chains that came all complete and ready to hitch up to any standard tractor. Weighing about 800 pounds and with a price tag back then of only $275, the plow was scooped up by local farmers. It was not long after the success of his V-type snowplow that Bergen added a rotary snowplow and bale bunchers to his list of products. At $660, the rotary snowplow had a width cut of 6’6”, a fan size of six blades, 40 inches and a removable double auger. With replaceable sprockets, a hydraulic lift and weighing 1,075 pounds, farmers were able to utilize the dynamic design to plow snow.
Along with creating his snowplows, Bergen also did repair work and demand grew for his services and more space was needed. In 1961, the first shop was constructed at the farm measuring 14’ x 20’ and plows continued to move off the assembly line. Known as Bergen Manufacturing at that time, in addition to the new shop, the first 10.75 inch grain auger was invented. Looking to use it for his own farm and for a few neighbours, it was not long until word of the new auger spread. Pretty soon an order for 50 of them arrived from A.A. Neuman who was based just up the road at Esk.
Loading up to 100 bushels per minute capacity in wheat, the auger ran directly off the tractor’s P.T.O. shaft and with used tires and new tubes, Neuman sold them for $850.
“That happened the first year after I built them,” said Peter. “Having that order come in sure helped to get things off the ground.”
After a 24’ x 30’ Quonset was built to keep up with demand and space and with three or four employees now creating augers, demand continued to skyrocket. Bergen and his staff which included the likes of Merl Krehbiel and Jake Bergen relocated once more. Building a shop spanning 30’ x 50’ and a new home for his family on the outskirts of Drake, Peter filled the shop with augers, getting his gears and chains from Saskatoon and hauling metal from the city by using a farm truck. He also redesigned his 10.75 inch grain auger to include a drop box and eliminated the drive shaft at the top end of the auger. Bergen Manufacturing also implemented another product during the mid-1960s, seed drill transports.
“We built our augers in that new shop and we painted them there but they were too big to fit in the shop so we had to stick the one side out the window. We built so many of those augers and I remember we would paint them and pull them outside in the middle of winter and as soon as we did, the paint froze on and it stayed on there forever. We painted augers red and orange for Canadian Cooperative Implements Limited who we sold augers to for years. I still see the odd one around.”
Then from 1967-70, Bergen Manufacturing began growing its transport line and started producing two wheel swather transports, upgraded their seed drill transports to hydraulic lifts and remodelled their swather transports to four wheel units.
Not long after those advancements, a new 4,000 square foot shop began taking shape in Drake and boat trailers arrived on the production line. “We had been mostly doing drill transports, swather transports, grain augers and had gotten out of snowplows so we thought we would add trailers to our product line.”
Through the early 1970s, as was the case with his previous products, demand for trailers grew reaching 700 per year. With upwards of 15 staff including the Hawkes boys from Watrous (Rick, Dave and Lee), Bergen said they continued to weld and create their well-known products. “At one time we were doing about eight augers per day and then upwards of 500 per year. While we sold to a lot of places in Western Canada, we also had around 150 dealers in the United States, mostly in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and into Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Kansas. Big Bud Tractors out of Montana was our biggest dealer, taking 20 augers at a time. We would deliver them ourselves.”
Building a few thousand augers out of their building along with trailers and other implements, Bergen added 2,100 square feet to the plant and in 1977, invented the Bergen 16 inch grain auger, the world’s largest. Then a year later he invented the first hydraulic swing auger and began production of 16 inch swing augers. Bergen Manufacturing also introduced the direct drive swing auger as the early 1980s arrived and invented the heavy harrow bar, featuring half-inch tynes.
Needing more space yet again, Peter mapped out plans for a major expansion and in 1982, cement was poured for a new 25,000 square foot facility on the east side of Hwy. 20 at Drake. “That allowed us to build more trailers and instead of creating just boat trailers we began building livestock trailers as well.”
With the new building opening in 1983, it included a restaurant, office space and a large area for production. The relocation also meant Bergen Manufacturing came to an end and the name Bergen Industries was born. Over the next six years, more products were designed like the rock digger, large post pounder and hydraulic elk squeeze and demand for the local company’s products continued.
Ed Bergen, who is the son of Peter and previous manager/president of the company said, “It seemed when grain prices were up, we were selling more augers because cattle prices were down but then when cattle prices increased we were selling more livestock trailers and not as many augers.”
While augers, trailers and other implements were being sent out the door to customers, food was also being cooked up in the restaurant. Ran by Darlene Lozinski, Bergen said having the restaurant in the main building was a nice bonus for the staff to use during their busy weeks and it also brought in farmers, truckers and those looking for a cup of coffee or a delicious piece of pie.
“The restaurant was really nice to have in the building because you could grab a bite to eat and were close by if you needed to take a phone call or a salesman would pop by,” said Ed.
With the business entering its 40th year of existence, in 1989 Peter decided it was time to retire. While he retired, the creator of the company stayed close by to check out the operations and visit with his past customers and staff. Taking on the company after he retired were his children, who over the years learned the intricacies of how things operated. Ed became the president and the company continued to push forward.
“We responded to the needs of the markets that we served and succeeded in developing the kinds of products that Dad envisioned. They were sturdy large pieces that would wear well over time and cut production times on the field. If anything, we were known for over-building our products.”
Along with Ed, his brother Al who was the production manager began to add to Bergen Industries with new and innovative technology. In the early 1990s, a self-levelling heavy harrow was introduced and the company added down draft paint rooms and a new finishing room. They also introduced a taper nose gooseneck stock trailer and header transports, swather transports with brakes and lights and flax bunchers.
The $500,000 surface preparation blasting booth which was 18’ x 53’ was designed by Al with the intention of preparing the best possible surface for their products prior to painting. The system utilized a steel grit which removed all mill scale and was capable of producing a white metal type finish to a level of NACE1. The blasting media was also 100 percent recycled and the non-broken down media was returned to the storage hopper for reuse. That ability allowed Bergen Industries to have an efficient system and provide a topcoat which adhered to a more enduring base on their products. That also meant manufactures like Hitachi Canada came on board as a customer, contracting Bergen Industries to manufacture custom designed surface preparation blasting booths.
The two paint rooms with down-draft booths were state-of-the-art and had a paint system comprised of plural pumps and electrostatic guns. Ed said facilities with that capability can turn out oil field equipment up to 50 feet long and 18,000 pounds. And that was just what Bergen Industries did. When the oil boom hit, Ed said they signed a contract to build large equipment for the oil drilling industry.
“We hit our peak in 2007 and had about 45 employees doing oil patch equipment. We had some really good years there until there was a change in the Alberta government and the oil industry began to decline.”
While the Bergens faced the obstacle of a drop in the oil industry they continued to produce agricultural implements and in 2009, designed, engineered and started production of roll over protection systems for mining giant BHP. They also introduced the 6200 series swather transports and marked 60 years in business.
Bergen Industries then operated for another eight years following their milestone before opting to close the doors in the spring of 2017. The company then held an auction conducted by Ritchie Brothers the following year where they sold off their remaining equipment. While the business is now closed, during their 68 years of operation products were shipped throughout Western Canada, to the United States, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Costa Rica, France and Asia.
“The technology changed over the years,” said Peter. “But we were able to adapt. My greatest contribution over my time at the company was that I taught every man in Drake how to weld there.”
Pretty incredible for a company that first started out of a blacksmith shop and grew to become known throughout the world.
Daniel Bushman
Innovation, hard work and top quality were represented for more than six decades as Bergen Industries not only grew from a tiny company just outside the community of Drake but it became well-known both nationally and internationally. With thousands of agricultural implements and trailers built by Bergen Industries over its 68 years in business, each product was uniquely created to last. While the company closed its doors in April of 2017, the legacy of the Bergen brand and the work that went into creating it still remains.
First launched by Peter Bergen in 1949, the company went from a tiny blacksmith shop on Bergen’s homestead one mile east of Drake to eventually relocating to a much larger home just off Hwy. 20. Designing, manufacturing and selling short-line agricultural equipment, livestock and utility trailers along with some components for oil industry drilling rigs, Bergen Industries not only became well-known throughout the immediate area and Western Canada but in other parts of the world.
Born in 1929, the founder of Bergen Industries, Peter Bergen, spent his younger years on the family farm just outside of Drake. It was there that he was able to learn about hard work, dedication and how to make things run. With a curiosity for welding, he enrolled in a three month course at the University of Saskatchewan and studied about refining his craft. “I came back home after the course and said to my dad, ‘I need some money to buy a welder.’”
With knowledge of how to weld from his time at university and a welder to call his own, Peter then began implementing his manufacturing career, one that would last for decades. “I had a few guys helping me out in that first year at the farm in our blacksmith shop and it just grew from there.”
During a time when the need for horses to do the bulk of farm work was decreasing but roads had to be cleared in the winter for vehicles, Peter not only designed but also manufactured a V-type snowplow. The unit had a wing span of 7’6”, a hydraulic lift, and chains that came all complete and ready to hitch up to any standard tractor. Weighing about 800 pounds and with a price tag back then of only $275, the plow was scooped up by local farmers. It was not long after the success of his V-type snowplow that Bergen added a rotary snowplow and bale bunchers to his list of products. At $660, the rotary snowplow had a width cut of 6’6”, a fan size of six blades, 40 inches and a removable double auger. With replaceable sprockets, a hydraulic lift and weighing 1,075 pounds, farmers were able to utilize the dynamic design to plow snow.
Along with creating his snowplows, Bergen also did repair work and demand grew for his services and more space was needed. In 1961, the first shop was constructed at the farm measuring 14’ x 20’ and plows continued to move off the assembly line. Known as Bergen Manufacturing at that time, in addition to the new shop, the first 10.75 inch grain auger was invented. Looking to use it for his own farm and for a few neighbours, it was not long until word of the new auger spread. Pretty soon an order for 50 of them arrived from A.A. Neuman who was based just up the road at Esk.
Loading up to 100 bushels per minute capacity in wheat, the auger ran directly off the tractor’s P.T.O. shaft and with used tires and new tubes, Neuman sold them for $850.
“That happened the first year after I built them,” said Peter. “Having that order come in sure helped to get things off the ground.”
After a 24’ x 30’ Quonset was built to keep up with demand and space and with three or four employees now creating augers, demand continued to skyrocket. Bergen and his staff which included the likes of Merl Krehbiel and Jake Bergen relocated once more. Building a shop spanning 30’ x 50’ and a new home for his family on the outskirts of Drake, Peter filled the shop with augers, getting his gears and chains from Saskatoon and hauling metal from the city by using a farm truck. He also redesigned his 10.75 inch grain auger to include a drop box and eliminated the drive shaft at the top end of the auger. Bergen Manufacturing also implemented another product during the mid-1960s, seed drill transports.
“We built our augers in that new shop and we painted them there but they were too big to fit in the shop so we had to stick the one side out the window. We built so many of those augers and I remember we would paint them and pull them outside in the middle of winter and as soon as we did, the paint froze on and it stayed on there forever. We painted augers red and orange for Canadian Cooperative Implements Limited who we sold augers to for years. I still see the odd one around.”
Then from 1967-70, Bergen Manufacturing began growing its transport line and started producing two wheel swather transports, upgraded their seed drill transports to hydraulic lifts and remodelled their swather transports to four wheel units.
Not long after those advancements, a new 4,000 square foot shop began taking shape in Drake and boat trailers arrived on the production line. “We had been mostly doing drill transports, swather transports, grain augers and had gotten out of snowplows so we thought we would add trailers to our product line.”
Through the early 1970s, as was the case with his previous products, demand for trailers grew reaching 700 per year. With upwards of 15 staff including the Hawkes boys from Watrous (Rick, Dave and Lee), Bergen said they continued to weld and create their well-known products. “At one time we were doing about eight augers per day and then upwards of 500 per year. While we sold to a lot of places in Western Canada, we also had around 150 dealers in the United States, mostly in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and into Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Kansas. Big Bud Tractors out of Montana was our biggest dealer, taking 20 augers at a time. We would deliver them ourselves.”
Building a few thousand augers out of their building along with trailers and other implements, Bergen added 2,100 square feet to the plant and in 1977, invented the Bergen 16 inch grain auger, the world’s largest. Then a year later he invented the first hydraulic swing auger and began production of 16 inch swing augers. Bergen Manufacturing also introduced the direct drive swing auger as the early 1980s arrived and invented the heavy harrow bar, featuring half-inch tynes.
Needing more space yet again, Peter mapped out plans for a major expansion and in 1982, cement was poured for a new 25,000 square foot facility on the east side of Hwy. 20 at Drake. “That allowed us to build more trailers and instead of creating just boat trailers we began building livestock trailers as well.”
With the new building opening in 1983, it included a restaurant, office space and a large area for production. The relocation also meant Bergen Manufacturing came to an end and the name Bergen Industries was born. Over the next six years, more products were designed like the rock digger, large post pounder and hydraulic elk squeeze and demand for the local company’s products continued.
Ed Bergen, who is the son of Peter and previous manager/president of the company said, “It seemed when grain prices were up, we were selling more augers because cattle prices were down but then when cattle prices increased we were selling more livestock trailers and not as many augers.”
While augers, trailers and other implements were being sent out the door to customers, food was also being cooked up in the restaurant. Ran by Darlene Lozinski, Bergen said having the restaurant in the main building was a nice bonus for the staff to use during their busy weeks and it also brought in farmers, truckers and those looking for a cup of coffee or a delicious piece of pie.
“The restaurant was really nice to have in the building because you could grab a bite to eat and were close by if you needed to take a phone call or a salesman would pop by,” said Ed.
With the business entering its 40th year of existence, in 1989 Peter decided it was time to retire. While he retired, the creator of the company stayed close by to check out the operations and visit with his past customers and staff. Taking on the company after he retired were his children, who over the years learned the intricacies of how things operated. Ed became the president and the company continued to push forward.
“We responded to the needs of the markets that we served and succeeded in developing the kinds of products that Dad envisioned. They were sturdy large pieces that would wear well over time and cut production times on the field. If anything, we were known for over-building our products.”
Along with Ed, his brother Al who was the production manager began to add to Bergen Industries with new and innovative technology. In the early 1990s, a self-levelling heavy harrow was introduced and the company added down draft paint rooms and a new finishing room. They also introduced a taper nose gooseneck stock trailer and header transports, swather transports with brakes and lights and flax bunchers.
The $500,000 surface preparation blasting booth which was 18’ x 53’ was designed by Al with the intention of preparing the best possible surface for their products prior to painting. The system utilized a steel grit which removed all mill scale and was capable of producing a white metal type finish to a level of NACE1. The blasting media was also 100 percent recycled and the non-broken down media was returned to the storage hopper for reuse. That ability allowed Bergen Industries to have an efficient system and provide a topcoat which adhered to a more enduring base on their products. That also meant manufactures like Hitachi Canada came on board as a customer, contracting Bergen Industries to manufacture custom designed surface preparation blasting booths.
The two paint rooms with down-draft booths were state-of-the-art and had a paint system comprised of plural pumps and electrostatic guns. Ed said facilities with that capability can turn out oil field equipment up to 50 feet long and 18,000 pounds. And that was just what Bergen Industries did. When the oil boom hit, Ed said they signed a contract to build large equipment for the oil drilling industry.
“We hit our peak in 2007 and had about 45 employees doing oil patch equipment. We had some really good years there until there was a change in the Alberta government and the oil industry began to decline.”
While the Bergens faced the obstacle of a drop in the oil industry they continued to produce agricultural implements and in 2009, designed, engineered and started production of roll over protection systems for mining giant BHP. They also introduced the 6200 series swather transports and marked 60 years in business.
Bergen Industries then operated for another eight years following their milestone before opting to close the doors in the spring of 2017. The company then held an auction conducted by Ritchie Brothers the following year where they sold off their remaining equipment. While the business is now closed, during their 68 years of operation products were shipped throughout Western Canada, to the United States, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Costa Rica, France and Asia.
“The technology changed over the years,” said Peter. “But we were able to adapt. My greatest contribution over my time at the company was that I taught every man in Drake how to weld there.”
Pretty incredible for a company that first started out of a blacksmith shop and grew to become known throughout the world.
TWM Top Story - Jan. 28, 2019
Former Wildcats help Hilltops take fifth straight title
Daniel Bushman
Not only was history made for one of the country’s top junior football programs as it captured its fifth straight national title but that milestone was reached with the help of four players that once suited up for the Winston Wildcats. Sporting blue and gold for the high school football team out of Watrous before wearing the same colours for the Saskatoon Hilltops, Ryder Klisowsky, Landon Schutte, Brady Fossen and William Martens were all part of the championship winning Hilltops this past season.
The four who played during different seasons for the Wildcats in Watrous each had roles to play in the Hilltops successes both on and off the field.
Sporting number 61 for the Hilltops, Ryder Klisowsky is the veteran of the four former Wildcats and has been called upon to protect his quarterback. Completing his fourth year with the Hilltops, the offensive lineman was listed as a starter this past year and while he was nervous to begin the season, Klisowsky settled in nicely. “As the year went on it got easier and the nerves calmed down a bit. The highlight for me this year was being able to let my fifth year players leave as champions and it meant a lot to see the guys I’ve been playing with for four years leave as champions.”
Klisowsky along with the rest of the team not only found success once again this season but made sure they were back at the national title game. “It was nice being able to roll over all of our opponents even with our third game being a little rocky for us but after that game we sorted everything out and figured out how to get the job done again.”
Saskatoon went through the year undefeated with wins against Regina, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Edmonton. In the PFC semifinal, the Hilltops beat Winnipeg 58-5 and then defeated Edmonton 28-9 in the final. Advancing to the Canadian Bowl against Langley, Saskatoon went up 9-0 after the opening quarter before scoring 22 points in the second quarter. After halftime, the Hilltops added another 20 points in quarter three before seven to end the fourth quarter as the team ran away with a 58-21 victory and its fifth consecutive national title. That was also the first time any junior team in Canada has won five straight national championships.
Being able to compete in that game in Saskatoon Nov. 17, Klisowsky rose to the occasion. “The national championship game went well for me and I believe I played one of my best games. I was very nervous at the start of the game but that went away after the offence’s first play of the game.” From there, Klisowsky and the team were able to play a solid four quarters and for the Watrous product, he collected his fourth national championship title with the team.
“The Drive for Five this year was an amazing ride. It was a thing that has never been attempted by any other team before and I am just honoured that I was able to be a part of that team and to be part of one of only four Hilltops teams to have an undefeated season.”
In at the middle linebacker spot for the Hilltops, Landon Schutte entered his third year with the team and was a second stringer. Wearing number 46, Schutte said 2018 was incredible for him both inside and outside of football.
“From start to finish this season was a highlight and of course winning the PFC and CJFL championships topped it all off. Being on the travel roster this year was great. My first two years there was so much senior depth in the linebacking crew so I had to observe and learn from the older guys. To finally get that travel spot my third year was a great reward. It is crazy to think I’ll be one of those veteran players for the next two years.”
With the type of calibre that the Hilltops put on the field, Schutte said it was important to remain humble and do a good job when his name was called upon. While unable to suit up in the final game due to an injury, Schutte was excited about winning the title on home turf and is already making sure to be ready to go for the 2019 campaign.
“Ever year we set out with a new goal of improving from the last and breaking the championship record. This year’s fifth year players left with five rings on their hands and to never lose a championship is incredible. We had three fifth year linebackers this year (the dream team) and I’ve never seen anything like it. The Hilltop community in Saskatoon is outstanding and the Hilltops feel like a family. The brotherhood between your fellow teammates is unmatched.”
Wearing number 30, Brady Fossen is also no stranger to success and this past season provided him with the opportunity to develop into a stronger player. Competing in the Sam linebacker spot, Fossen said, “I’ve moved into the role of a player contending for a spot on the top 40 roster for away games and playoffs. I was fortunate to travel to two away games this season against the Calgary Colts and Edmonton Wildcats, as well as dress and play in the Canadian Bowl. Playing in the national final was definitely a highlight for me, where I was able to make a few special teams tackles.”
Fossen said being able to win that national title was a thrill and having a group of veteran leaders that were a dominant force aided in that victory. Add in experienced coaches and the Watrous product said, “A huge amount of time and energy are put into the team by the coaches, players, and everyone else who supports us, so it is nice to see that pay off with a rewarding season. We came up against many tough players and teams this season, always had an answer to their biggest threats, and found a way to win.”
On the team for two seasons and getting in on some action in this year’s national game, Brady shared about his experience in that big contest. “ I wasn’t overly nervous going into the final, partly because I felt comfortable in the role I was in (mostly special teams), and traditionally the B.C. Conference isn’t as tough as the match ups we face in the Prairie Conference. I have a lot of confidence in the starting group to get the job done but with that said, Langley certainly had some talented players. Receiver Jevon Cottoy is listed at 6’5” 240 lbs. and tore up the B.C. conference all season. He was certainly the biggest threat faced by the defence but our defensive coaches crafted a special game plan to minimize his impact and it worked quite well! It also felt pretty good to see the graduating players able to win the final in their last year on the team.”
For the rookie of the four former Wildcats, William Martens wrapped up his first year with the Hilltops and played defensive back. For Martens, being able to wear the Hilltop blue and gold was incredible. Wearing number 20 this year, Martens got some playing time during home games and said it was a great experience.
“Being part of a national championship team is one of the best experiences I’ve had! Having all of the hard work during the season pay off by winning the championship made every late night practice and sore muscle worth it! GO HILLTOPS!”
As the four former Wildcats savoured the victory, back home in Watrous head coach of the Winston Wildcats Barry Croshaw said this past season was the first time that the Wildcats had that many players on the Hilltops roster at one time. “It’s fun to be able to go in and watch so many of our former players on the field in various capacities. It was really great to see the boys win the national championship together in their various roles, whether it was a starting guard, a back-up linebacker, through special teams contributions or by helping out on the practice squad. It was one of the proud moments for sure in what has turned out to be many such moments that our former players have blessed us with over the years.”
Croshaw recalled the significant impact each had while playing with the Wildcats and added all were key members of the respective teams they played on. “Hopefully the skills both on and off the field that we try to provide them with have helped them as they moved forward with their football careers.”
Utilizing the skills that each gained from competing during their high school careers and learning under Croshaw and the rest of the Wildcat football coaches, it should come as no surprise that each of the four have played well and have a common bond when they step on the field.
Martens said, “Playing with the other Wildcats, I had a great experience being able to continue being teammates after high school. It made the Hilltops feel more like family. The support from back home was great! I had a lot of my friends come watch games which made them even more special and fun to play in.”
“Playing with the Wildcats gave me a taste of what a winning atmosphere feels like, with credit to the coaches and tradition of the team,” said Fossen. “Mr. Croshaw, Armstrong, Braman, Thomas, Jackson, as well as all of the other coaches have created a special team atmosphere that breeds success. I feel like a lot of the same values are expected of a player whether they’re on the Wildcats or the Hilltops. I believe playing in Watrous teaches the attitude as well as the skills necessary to be successful. Playing with Ryder, Landon, and William feels like a continuation from high school, and it’s nice to have people from my hometown competing.”
Fossen also added how great it was seeing the support from people around Watrous and the interest they have taken. “It makes me feel like I’m still part of the community even though I’m not around town for most of the year. I just really appreciate all the support from my family, friends, and community!”
Landon also echoed some similar thoughts and said, “It’s great having familiar faces on the team. Ryder, Brady, and William are all stand up guys and the home games are incredible in the playoffs. The seats are packed full of blue and gold.”
Ryder said, “Having the other players from Watrous is awesome to see on the team. All of us have been playing well this year with major improvements. It is nice to see the other guys getting playing time in the national championship as well and I hope they continue to do well on this team.”
As for the support from back home from family and friends, Klisowsky said it was unbelievable. “I can’t begin to thank everyone and I just want to thank my parents with all of the support that they gave me during the season because I wouldn’t have been able to play my best without them. I would also like to thank my high school coaches since I would not be able to play football without what they taught me and gave me a chance to keep playing. With the Drive for Five now over we move on to the Mix for Six next year!”
Daniel Bushman
Not only was history made for one of the country’s top junior football programs as it captured its fifth straight national title but that milestone was reached with the help of four players that once suited up for the Winston Wildcats. Sporting blue and gold for the high school football team out of Watrous before wearing the same colours for the Saskatoon Hilltops, Ryder Klisowsky, Landon Schutte, Brady Fossen and William Martens were all part of the championship winning Hilltops this past season.
The four who played during different seasons for the Wildcats in Watrous each had roles to play in the Hilltops successes both on and off the field.
Sporting number 61 for the Hilltops, Ryder Klisowsky is the veteran of the four former Wildcats and has been called upon to protect his quarterback. Completing his fourth year with the Hilltops, the offensive lineman was listed as a starter this past year and while he was nervous to begin the season, Klisowsky settled in nicely. “As the year went on it got easier and the nerves calmed down a bit. The highlight for me this year was being able to let my fifth year players leave as champions and it meant a lot to see the guys I’ve been playing with for four years leave as champions.”
Klisowsky along with the rest of the team not only found success once again this season but made sure they were back at the national title game. “It was nice being able to roll over all of our opponents even with our third game being a little rocky for us but after that game we sorted everything out and figured out how to get the job done again.”
Saskatoon went through the year undefeated with wins against Regina, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Edmonton. In the PFC semifinal, the Hilltops beat Winnipeg 58-5 and then defeated Edmonton 28-9 in the final. Advancing to the Canadian Bowl against Langley, Saskatoon went up 9-0 after the opening quarter before scoring 22 points in the second quarter. After halftime, the Hilltops added another 20 points in quarter three before seven to end the fourth quarter as the team ran away with a 58-21 victory and its fifth consecutive national title. That was also the first time any junior team in Canada has won five straight national championships.
Being able to compete in that game in Saskatoon Nov. 17, Klisowsky rose to the occasion. “The national championship game went well for me and I believe I played one of my best games. I was very nervous at the start of the game but that went away after the offence’s first play of the game.” From there, Klisowsky and the team were able to play a solid four quarters and for the Watrous product, he collected his fourth national championship title with the team.
“The Drive for Five this year was an amazing ride. It was a thing that has never been attempted by any other team before and I am just honoured that I was able to be a part of that team and to be part of one of only four Hilltops teams to have an undefeated season.”
In at the middle linebacker spot for the Hilltops, Landon Schutte entered his third year with the team and was a second stringer. Wearing number 46, Schutte said 2018 was incredible for him both inside and outside of football.
“From start to finish this season was a highlight and of course winning the PFC and CJFL championships topped it all off. Being on the travel roster this year was great. My first two years there was so much senior depth in the linebacking crew so I had to observe and learn from the older guys. To finally get that travel spot my third year was a great reward. It is crazy to think I’ll be one of those veteran players for the next two years.”
With the type of calibre that the Hilltops put on the field, Schutte said it was important to remain humble and do a good job when his name was called upon. While unable to suit up in the final game due to an injury, Schutte was excited about winning the title on home turf and is already making sure to be ready to go for the 2019 campaign.
“Ever year we set out with a new goal of improving from the last and breaking the championship record. This year’s fifth year players left with five rings on their hands and to never lose a championship is incredible. We had three fifth year linebackers this year (the dream team) and I’ve never seen anything like it. The Hilltop community in Saskatoon is outstanding and the Hilltops feel like a family. The brotherhood between your fellow teammates is unmatched.”
Wearing number 30, Brady Fossen is also no stranger to success and this past season provided him with the opportunity to develop into a stronger player. Competing in the Sam linebacker spot, Fossen said, “I’ve moved into the role of a player contending for a spot on the top 40 roster for away games and playoffs. I was fortunate to travel to two away games this season against the Calgary Colts and Edmonton Wildcats, as well as dress and play in the Canadian Bowl. Playing in the national final was definitely a highlight for me, where I was able to make a few special teams tackles.”
Fossen said being able to win that national title was a thrill and having a group of veteran leaders that were a dominant force aided in that victory. Add in experienced coaches and the Watrous product said, “A huge amount of time and energy are put into the team by the coaches, players, and everyone else who supports us, so it is nice to see that pay off with a rewarding season. We came up against many tough players and teams this season, always had an answer to their biggest threats, and found a way to win.”
On the team for two seasons and getting in on some action in this year’s national game, Brady shared about his experience in that big contest. “ I wasn’t overly nervous going into the final, partly because I felt comfortable in the role I was in (mostly special teams), and traditionally the B.C. Conference isn’t as tough as the match ups we face in the Prairie Conference. I have a lot of confidence in the starting group to get the job done but with that said, Langley certainly had some talented players. Receiver Jevon Cottoy is listed at 6’5” 240 lbs. and tore up the B.C. conference all season. He was certainly the biggest threat faced by the defence but our defensive coaches crafted a special game plan to minimize his impact and it worked quite well! It also felt pretty good to see the graduating players able to win the final in their last year on the team.”
For the rookie of the four former Wildcats, William Martens wrapped up his first year with the Hilltops and played defensive back. For Martens, being able to wear the Hilltop blue and gold was incredible. Wearing number 20 this year, Martens got some playing time during home games and said it was a great experience.
“Being part of a national championship team is one of the best experiences I’ve had! Having all of the hard work during the season pay off by winning the championship made every late night practice and sore muscle worth it! GO HILLTOPS!”
As the four former Wildcats savoured the victory, back home in Watrous head coach of the Winston Wildcats Barry Croshaw said this past season was the first time that the Wildcats had that many players on the Hilltops roster at one time. “It’s fun to be able to go in and watch so many of our former players on the field in various capacities. It was really great to see the boys win the national championship together in their various roles, whether it was a starting guard, a back-up linebacker, through special teams contributions or by helping out on the practice squad. It was one of the proud moments for sure in what has turned out to be many such moments that our former players have blessed us with over the years.”
Croshaw recalled the significant impact each had while playing with the Wildcats and added all were key members of the respective teams they played on. “Hopefully the skills both on and off the field that we try to provide them with have helped them as they moved forward with their football careers.”
Utilizing the skills that each gained from competing during their high school careers and learning under Croshaw and the rest of the Wildcat football coaches, it should come as no surprise that each of the four have played well and have a common bond when they step on the field.
Martens said, “Playing with the other Wildcats, I had a great experience being able to continue being teammates after high school. It made the Hilltops feel more like family. The support from back home was great! I had a lot of my friends come watch games which made them even more special and fun to play in.”
“Playing with the Wildcats gave me a taste of what a winning atmosphere feels like, with credit to the coaches and tradition of the team,” said Fossen. “Mr. Croshaw, Armstrong, Braman, Thomas, Jackson, as well as all of the other coaches have created a special team atmosphere that breeds success. I feel like a lot of the same values are expected of a player whether they’re on the Wildcats or the Hilltops. I believe playing in Watrous teaches the attitude as well as the skills necessary to be successful. Playing with Ryder, Landon, and William feels like a continuation from high school, and it’s nice to have people from my hometown competing.”
Fossen also added how great it was seeing the support from people around Watrous and the interest they have taken. “It makes me feel like I’m still part of the community even though I’m not around town for most of the year. I just really appreciate all the support from my family, friends, and community!”
Landon also echoed some similar thoughts and said, “It’s great having familiar faces on the team. Ryder, Brady, and William are all stand up guys and the home games are incredible in the playoffs. The seats are packed full of blue and gold.”
Ryder said, “Having the other players from Watrous is awesome to see on the team. All of us have been playing well this year with major improvements. It is nice to see the other guys getting playing time in the national championship as well and I hope they continue to do well on this team.”
As for the support from back home from family and friends, Klisowsky said it was unbelievable. “I can’t begin to thank everyone and I just want to thank my parents with all of the support that they gave me during the season because I wouldn’t have been able to play my best without them. I would also like to thank my high school coaches since I would not be able to play football without what they taught me and gave me a chance to keep playing. With the Drive for Five now over we move on to the Mix for Six next year!”
TWM Top Story - Jan. 21, 2019
Parrish and Heimbecker expanding capabilities near Watrous
Daniel Bushman
Substantial work is underway on an expansion at Parrish & Heimbecker’s facility south of Watrous that will see its fertilizer and grain capabilities grow with a new 6,000 tonne fertilizer warehouse, added grain handling, storage upgrades and a 150-car spot.
“The expansion at our Parrish Siding location is key in providing our customers with timely and personalized service, a complete crop input product offering and expanded grain marketing opportunities,” said Keith Thiessen, General Manager, Parrish & Heimbecker – Parrish Siding. “We look forward to bringing this improved offering to area producers and continuing to grow alongside existing and new customers.”
Western Regional Manager for Parrish & Heimbecker, Lloyd Heimbecker said, “We are always excited to grow our business in local communities. We are fortunate to be a Canadian family-owned business doing business with other families in and around the Watrous area. These relationships with our customers make it easy for us to want to look at growth opportunities. Our customers have told us they are looking forward to the investment that we are making at the facility.”
Situated just off Hwy. 2 south of Watrous, the new 6,000 tonne fertilizer facility will give producers access to global fertilizer markets while completing the crop input offering at the Parrish Siding location. Thiessen said the expansion will be a big addition to the company which will also benefit producers within the area and surrounding regions.
Working with CN Railway, as part of the expansion, Parrish & Heimbecker is looking forward to an increase in rail siding to a 150-car spot. Thiessen said having the 150-car spot would be huge for the company and will allow for added capacity. “We had been able to cater to producers within a 25 to 30 mile radius but with these expansions we can now grow that reach to a 60 to 80 mile radius.”
Justin Watson, VP Crop Inputs Canada for Parrish & Heimbecker said the massive expansion is the 14th major fertilizer investment that P&H has made in Canada since 2015. “With all of the upgrades we are doing, this move will allow us to be a total service location and will put us in a great position to cater to producers for decades to come.”
Thiessen added, “Once all of the upgrades are completed, we will have a world class facility. The company would not have done this massive expansion without the support from the community and surrounding area. We are grateful to our customers for the support we have received over the years and look forward to the future.”
Bringing full crop input solutions together in a single location, the offering from Parrish & Heimbecker will include seed, crop nutrients and crop protection.
The expansion plans for the grain facility include doubling the storage capacity, tripling the speed of grain loading and significantly increasing grain cleaning efficiency through the installation of high speed grain cleaners.
Work began on the project about two months ago and Heimbecker said the concrete foundation work is now completed for the elevator expansion with the majority of the work to commence in the spring. The fertilizer shed should be complete and operational within the next week or two and customers utilizing the services can expect a full line of crop nutrient products to be available from the new facility.
While the fertilizer facility should be ready to roll in the near future, Watson said the grain facility upgrades are expected to be completed in July of 2019. The additional 20,000 tonnes of grain storage and grain handling system upgrades will not only increase overall capacity as well as efficiency of handling and shipping, it will also enable the location to handle multiple commodities at a time.
“As a proud, Canadian family-owned and operated business, P&H is committed to investing in facilities and capabilities that support Canadian producers as they strive to grow and market the best crop,” said John Heimbecker, President Grain Division and Executive Vice President, Parrish & Heimbecker. “We continue to see a drive to reach the top of the yield curve among growers in the Watrous area and we are dedicated to providing the products and services to help these growers realize the full potential of their acres.”
With between 19 and 22 people working at the local facility near Watrous, once the expansion is complete, Lloyd Heimbecker said, “Most of the work will result in efficiency gains on the operational side of things. This will benefit our customers both locally and on the export side.”
Daniel Bushman
Substantial work is underway on an expansion at Parrish & Heimbecker’s facility south of Watrous that will see its fertilizer and grain capabilities grow with a new 6,000 tonne fertilizer warehouse, added grain handling, storage upgrades and a 150-car spot.
“The expansion at our Parrish Siding location is key in providing our customers with timely and personalized service, a complete crop input product offering and expanded grain marketing opportunities,” said Keith Thiessen, General Manager, Parrish & Heimbecker – Parrish Siding. “We look forward to bringing this improved offering to area producers and continuing to grow alongside existing and new customers.”
Western Regional Manager for Parrish & Heimbecker, Lloyd Heimbecker said, “We are always excited to grow our business in local communities. We are fortunate to be a Canadian family-owned business doing business with other families in and around the Watrous area. These relationships with our customers make it easy for us to want to look at growth opportunities. Our customers have told us they are looking forward to the investment that we are making at the facility.”
Situated just off Hwy. 2 south of Watrous, the new 6,000 tonne fertilizer facility will give producers access to global fertilizer markets while completing the crop input offering at the Parrish Siding location. Thiessen said the expansion will be a big addition to the company which will also benefit producers within the area and surrounding regions.
Working with CN Railway, as part of the expansion, Parrish & Heimbecker is looking forward to an increase in rail siding to a 150-car spot. Thiessen said having the 150-car spot would be huge for the company and will allow for added capacity. “We had been able to cater to producers within a 25 to 30 mile radius but with these expansions we can now grow that reach to a 60 to 80 mile radius.”
Justin Watson, VP Crop Inputs Canada for Parrish & Heimbecker said the massive expansion is the 14th major fertilizer investment that P&H has made in Canada since 2015. “With all of the upgrades we are doing, this move will allow us to be a total service location and will put us in a great position to cater to producers for decades to come.”
Thiessen added, “Once all of the upgrades are completed, we will have a world class facility. The company would not have done this massive expansion without the support from the community and surrounding area. We are grateful to our customers for the support we have received over the years and look forward to the future.”
Bringing full crop input solutions together in a single location, the offering from Parrish & Heimbecker will include seed, crop nutrients and crop protection.
The expansion plans for the grain facility include doubling the storage capacity, tripling the speed of grain loading and significantly increasing grain cleaning efficiency through the installation of high speed grain cleaners.
Work began on the project about two months ago and Heimbecker said the concrete foundation work is now completed for the elevator expansion with the majority of the work to commence in the spring. The fertilizer shed should be complete and operational within the next week or two and customers utilizing the services can expect a full line of crop nutrient products to be available from the new facility.
While the fertilizer facility should be ready to roll in the near future, Watson said the grain facility upgrades are expected to be completed in July of 2019. The additional 20,000 tonnes of grain storage and grain handling system upgrades will not only increase overall capacity as well as efficiency of handling and shipping, it will also enable the location to handle multiple commodities at a time.
“As a proud, Canadian family-owned and operated business, P&H is committed to investing in facilities and capabilities that support Canadian producers as they strive to grow and market the best crop,” said John Heimbecker, President Grain Division and Executive Vice President, Parrish & Heimbecker. “We continue to see a drive to reach the top of the yield curve among growers in the Watrous area and we are dedicated to providing the products and services to help these growers realize the full potential of their acres.”
With between 19 and 22 people working at the local facility near Watrous, once the expansion is complete, Lloyd Heimbecker said, “Most of the work will result in efficiency gains on the operational side of things. This will benefit our customers both locally and on the export side.”
TWM Top Story - Jan. 14, 2019
Generosity overflows towards local food bank
Daniel Bushman
With overwhelming support from those in Watrous and the surrounding area, Christmas hampers were packed and shelves stocked as the Watrous and District Food Bank received tremendous help over the holiday season. Operating with a deficit, the community and surrounding area not only stepped up in a huge way but provided the local food bank with additional food and funds for the remainder of 2018 and for the beginning of 2019.
Watrous and District Food Bank chair Darren Holland said after the need went out for items and donations, the food bank received an incredible $15,429 in donations for the month of December, a total that Holland figured was the largest ever for a month.
“We were so impressed and appreciative for all the donations from the community and surrounding area. We had businesses, people, schools, agencies and others that stepped up and helped.”
With an opportunity to garner additional funds through a matching grant, Holland said the food bank also submitted the numbers to Nutrien who has offered a matching grant in December, providing funds to food banks throughout Saskatchewan. “We anticipate receiving a portion of the matching grant as the funds from Nutrien are distributed amongst all Saskatchewan food banks on the basis of the number of individuals each food bank assists.”
This year, a total of 80 Christmas hampers were prepared in Watrous and were handed out in the community and to those in the surrounding area. The hampers also included gifts for 83 children and Holland said, “There was a tremendous amount of gifts that were brought in this year. The Bargain Shop in Watrous put in a lot of time and effort and Integra Tire did a fabulous job in getting toys to us as well. The Watrous Pharmacy provided us with donations of household items and the Watrous and District Ambulance and Watrous RCMP filled up the ambulance with food donations from Watrous Elementary School and then from people dropping items off at the Co-op Food Store as part of the Stuff the Ambulance campaign. Members of the banks in town also helped and many people stepped up and sponsored families this year which was the first time we had decided to do an initiative like that. It was very well received and appreciated and all of those donations filled the Christmas hampers and also our shelves to start 2019.”
Holland added the Nokomis School, Watrous Elementary School and Winston High School also contributed in a big way including receiving assistance from some of the elementary school students as they helped pack the Christmas hampers Dec. 15. “Local businesses also came together in support along with the dealerships and the Co-op Food Store provided us with the hams for the hampers. Along with the students, volunteers and community members also helped pack the hampers. There were so many people that lent a hand this year and we are just so appreciative of all of them.”
In addition to the volunteers and those who donated financially or with food items, Holland said the food bank board also did a tremendous job including Amanda Dezotell who coordinated the hampers.
“We are just so appreciative of the support we have received not only for the Christmas hampers but also to help us begin 2019.”
Daniel Bushman
With overwhelming support from those in Watrous and the surrounding area, Christmas hampers were packed and shelves stocked as the Watrous and District Food Bank received tremendous help over the holiday season. Operating with a deficit, the community and surrounding area not only stepped up in a huge way but provided the local food bank with additional food and funds for the remainder of 2018 and for the beginning of 2019.
Watrous and District Food Bank chair Darren Holland said after the need went out for items and donations, the food bank received an incredible $15,429 in donations for the month of December, a total that Holland figured was the largest ever for a month.
“We were so impressed and appreciative for all the donations from the community and surrounding area. We had businesses, people, schools, agencies and others that stepped up and helped.”
With an opportunity to garner additional funds through a matching grant, Holland said the food bank also submitted the numbers to Nutrien who has offered a matching grant in December, providing funds to food banks throughout Saskatchewan. “We anticipate receiving a portion of the matching grant as the funds from Nutrien are distributed amongst all Saskatchewan food banks on the basis of the number of individuals each food bank assists.”
This year, a total of 80 Christmas hampers were prepared in Watrous and were handed out in the community and to those in the surrounding area. The hampers also included gifts for 83 children and Holland said, “There was a tremendous amount of gifts that were brought in this year. The Bargain Shop in Watrous put in a lot of time and effort and Integra Tire did a fabulous job in getting toys to us as well. The Watrous Pharmacy provided us with donations of household items and the Watrous and District Ambulance and Watrous RCMP filled up the ambulance with food donations from Watrous Elementary School and then from people dropping items off at the Co-op Food Store as part of the Stuff the Ambulance campaign. Members of the banks in town also helped and many people stepped up and sponsored families this year which was the first time we had decided to do an initiative like that. It was very well received and appreciated and all of those donations filled the Christmas hampers and also our shelves to start 2019.”
Holland added the Nokomis School, Watrous Elementary School and Winston High School also contributed in a big way including receiving assistance from some of the elementary school students as they helped pack the Christmas hampers Dec. 15. “Local businesses also came together in support along with the dealerships and the Co-op Food Store provided us with the hams for the hampers. Along with the students, volunteers and community members also helped pack the hampers. There were so many people that lent a hand this year and we are just so appreciative of all of them.”
In addition to the volunteers and those who donated financially or with food items, Holland said the food bank board also did a tremendous job including Amanda Dezotell who coordinated the hampers.
“We are just so appreciative of the support we have received not only for the Christmas hampers but also to help us begin 2019.”
TWM Top Story - Jan. 7, 2019
Local Holiday Giveaway winners announced
Daniel Bushman
It was a great way to begin the holiday season for a number of people who participated in the third annual local Holiday Giveaway. Along with more than a dozen winners at participating businesses, two people had their names picked from the many thousands of entries as major prize winners. This year, the grand prize winner took home $5,000 in holiday giveaway money while the secondary prize awarded this year was a $500 travel voucher from Watrous Travel.
Selected during the Town of Watrous’ annual Christmas party at the civic centre Dec. 14, Jim Bieber’s name was picked from an estimated 30,000 entries as this year’s big winner. Along with Bieber, who resides in Colonsay, an excited Keitha Solvason collected her travel voucher from Watrous Travel’s Erin Wolff. Community Development Officer with the Watrous Manitou Marketing Group Brendan Manz was on hand as the winners were chosen and said the third ever Holiday Giveaway for Watrous was another success.
“With more than 23,000 entries in our first year, over 30,000 entries last year and about the same amount for this year, people from Watrous, Manitou Beach and the surrounding area showed their support by shopping local. We had close to 30 local businesses participate again this year and seeing all of those entries just shows you how much shopping is done in our area. This is a great opportunity to promote our local businesses. I know there is that temptation to shop outside of Watrous but we are lucky to have the services we do and it is great to see people utilizing them during the holiday season.”
Colonsay’s Jim Bieber has been shopping in Watrous for years and when he got the call that he had been drawn as this year’s $5,000 grand prize winner he was quite surprised. “I have never won too much before so it caught me off guard.”
Turning 65 a few weeks after he claimed his winnings, Bieber was thrilled to receive the early birthday present. “I appreciate the businesses in town and it was nice to win this, especially at holiday time.”
Bieber said he entered his name three times, once at the Watrous Co-op, once at the Watrous Pharmacy and once at Watrous Home Hardware. Interestingly enough, those were the same amount of entries last year’s winner Les Johnson from Young had filled out and also the same three businesses he had done so at. Going with approximately the same amount of overall entries as last year, the probability that Bieber’s name would be selected was 0.01 percent or 1 in 10,000. Now with the $5,000, Bieber is able to spend the money within Watrous and Manitou Beach at the participating businesses that were involved with the holiday campaign and has until the middle of 2019 to do so.
As for the travel voucher, Keitha was excited when her name was drawn. Recently married and planning a trip to Europe, Solvason was over the moon with her voucher. Stopping by Watrous to pick it up, she said the timing was perfect.
As the grand prize and secondary prize were handed out, participating businesses also gave away their own prizes as part of the local contest. Some of the winners from that included: Doug Ball - (Integra Tire); Ron Vogt - (Melron Services); Aaron Rowan - (Young’s Equipment); Jesse Weber - (Dunham Services); Calvin Sather - (Watrous Electronics); Darlene Martin - (Wheatland Dental Clinic); Shawn Wheten - (The Watrous Manitou); Colby Reichert - (Miz Bojangles Hair Studio); Jerry Reichert - (Cervus Equipment); Marie Ritthaler - (John’s Plate); Jay Enns - (NAPA); Joe Zimmerman - (Pip’s); Terry Sitter - (Western Financial); Helen Penner - (Model Meats); Carmen Almen - (TB’s Bar and Grill); Lorne Bradbeer - (Pepper Tree); Joanne Gingrich - (Inksters); and Al Harding - (Success RV’s).
Manz said, “Once again we really appreciated all the residents and visitors that shopped local this year. We would not be having a shop local campaign if the support was not there so we do really appreciate it!”
Daniel Bushman
It was a great way to begin the holiday season for a number of people who participated in the third annual local Holiday Giveaway. Along with more than a dozen winners at participating businesses, two people had their names picked from the many thousands of entries as major prize winners. This year, the grand prize winner took home $5,000 in holiday giveaway money while the secondary prize awarded this year was a $500 travel voucher from Watrous Travel.
Selected during the Town of Watrous’ annual Christmas party at the civic centre Dec. 14, Jim Bieber’s name was picked from an estimated 30,000 entries as this year’s big winner. Along with Bieber, who resides in Colonsay, an excited Keitha Solvason collected her travel voucher from Watrous Travel’s Erin Wolff. Community Development Officer with the Watrous Manitou Marketing Group Brendan Manz was on hand as the winners were chosen and said the third ever Holiday Giveaway for Watrous was another success.
“With more than 23,000 entries in our first year, over 30,000 entries last year and about the same amount for this year, people from Watrous, Manitou Beach and the surrounding area showed their support by shopping local. We had close to 30 local businesses participate again this year and seeing all of those entries just shows you how much shopping is done in our area. This is a great opportunity to promote our local businesses. I know there is that temptation to shop outside of Watrous but we are lucky to have the services we do and it is great to see people utilizing them during the holiday season.”
Colonsay’s Jim Bieber has been shopping in Watrous for years and when he got the call that he had been drawn as this year’s $5,000 grand prize winner he was quite surprised. “I have never won too much before so it caught me off guard.”
Turning 65 a few weeks after he claimed his winnings, Bieber was thrilled to receive the early birthday present. “I appreciate the businesses in town and it was nice to win this, especially at holiday time.”
Bieber said he entered his name three times, once at the Watrous Co-op, once at the Watrous Pharmacy and once at Watrous Home Hardware. Interestingly enough, those were the same amount of entries last year’s winner Les Johnson from Young had filled out and also the same three businesses he had done so at. Going with approximately the same amount of overall entries as last year, the probability that Bieber’s name would be selected was 0.01 percent or 1 in 10,000. Now with the $5,000, Bieber is able to spend the money within Watrous and Manitou Beach at the participating businesses that were involved with the holiday campaign and has until the middle of 2019 to do so.
As for the travel voucher, Keitha was excited when her name was drawn. Recently married and planning a trip to Europe, Solvason was over the moon with her voucher. Stopping by Watrous to pick it up, she said the timing was perfect.
As the grand prize and secondary prize were handed out, participating businesses also gave away their own prizes as part of the local contest. Some of the winners from that included: Doug Ball - (Integra Tire); Ron Vogt - (Melron Services); Aaron Rowan - (Young’s Equipment); Jesse Weber - (Dunham Services); Calvin Sather - (Watrous Electronics); Darlene Martin - (Wheatland Dental Clinic); Shawn Wheten - (The Watrous Manitou); Colby Reichert - (Miz Bojangles Hair Studio); Jerry Reichert - (Cervus Equipment); Marie Ritthaler - (John’s Plate); Jay Enns - (NAPA); Joe Zimmerman - (Pip’s); Terry Sitter - (Western Financial); Helen Penner - (Model Meats); Carmen Almen - (TB’s Bar and Grill); Lorne Bradbeer - (Pepper Tree); Joanne Gingrich - (Inksters); and Al Harding - (Success RV’s).
Manz said, “Once again we really appreciated all the residents and visitors that shopped local this year. We would not be having a shop local campaign if the support was not there so we do really appreciate it!”
TWM Top Story - Dec. 24, 2018
Watrous Citizens of the Year named
Daniel Bushman
Putting a major focus on community and through their tremendous generosity and efforts over the years, the honour of this year’s Watrous Citizens of the Year went to a most deserving Ron and Melissa Ediger. While at first the pair from Watrous were surprised to learn they had been recognized, they were also tremendously honoured to join the others that have received the prestigious award.
Presented with the Citizens of the Year award at the Town of Watrous Christmas party Friday, Dec. 14, Melissa said, “It is a humbling honour because there are so many people who have won it previously that I just feel are more deserving. It is an honour, which I really appreciate.”
In agreement, Ron said, “We try hard and we appreciate the community, the town and the support we receive and want to give back and show people the appreciation of what they have given us over the years.”
The owners of Melron Services in Watrous, the pair not only began the business from the ground up but have grown it to become well-known throughout the area. It is also because of that growth and support that they have in turn given back through substantial donations towards many initiatives within the community and beyond. Some of the many funds Ron and Melissa have provided locally have gone towards things like the Watrous District Health Complex, the new Zamboni at the Watrous Centennial Arena , the Watrous Manitou Beach Heritage Centre, the Watrous Kinsmen Bull-A-Rama and numerous clubs and organizations. In addition to their fundraising efforts, Ron and Melissa have also contributed through supplying equipment, labour and prizes towards various events and organizations.
“We are very fortunate we have such a wonderful community,” said Melissa. “We have lots of young people and families here too and we know we are going to have a good community for a lot of years. A lot of our customers have also become friends and it is really nice to have that association with your customers. You feel like you are doing a good job serving them and that is why you are in business.”
Echoing those sentiments, Ron added, “Compliments to our staff because without them we wouldn’t be doing what we are doing. They have been very good for us and we have a lot of faithful employees that do super work and also support the community at large. That is all part of the growing atmosphere and being able to give back. Community is very important and we want to keep building it up and keeping it strong.”
Arriving in Watrous in 1990, Melissa purchased the gift store in the Mall at 3rd and Main from Angie Chambers. Along with daughter Avril Reifferscheid, the pair had it together before Melissa and Ron began Melron Services. “He came home one day and thought we should buy a backhoe. I thought, what are we going to do with a backhoe? And then voila, one thing lead to another.”
Coming from Nokomis, Ron brought along his business knowledge to Watrous. After getting into the business world in 1972, in 1988 he decided to sell his place in Nokomis and moved to Watrous where he began selling vehicles with Mainline Motors. It was during that time that he made a lot of acquaintances and met numerous customers. After he left the world of selling cars and began Melron Services, “a lot of people followed us and stayed our customers. That is how it grew, just playing in the dirt.”
Recently celebrating the company’s 20th anniversary, the Edigers have become a pillar within the community and because of that, were noticed for their efforts and generosity. Melron Services employee Brandon Osmak along with the Watrous Kinsmen nominated Ron and Melissa as this year’s recipients for Watrous Citizens of the Year.
“When we got the phone call that we were chosen we couldn’t believe it,” said Ron. “I still feel we totally don’t deserve it. It is just another day in our household to do what we do and make things happen.”
Along with the support they have received from the community, both Ron and Melissa were quick to note how substantial the support has also been from their family.
“They have been on our side since day one. The boys and girls have supported us over the years and kept our wits about us over the years. And it is the friends we have had, it has really been good. We have awesome neighbours and no complaints at all.”
And how fitting that on a night where Ron and Melissa were honoured for their work within the community at the Watrous Civic Centre that just down the street and at about the same time they were receiving their award, Ron’s name was pulled as the weekly winner of the Chase the Ace draw, a fundraiser for the Watrous Manitou Beach Heritage Centre.
“That was quite something,” he smiled after finding out he had won $412. “Our journey and our time in Watrous has been super. If we were to begin and start all over, we would probably do it all over again.”
Daniel Bushman
Putting a major focus on community and through their tremendous generosity and efforts over the years, the honour of this year’s Watrous Citizens of the Year went to a most deserving Ron and Melissa Ediger. While at first the pair from Watrous were surprised to learn they had been recognized, they were also tremendously honoured to join the others that have received the prestigious award.
Presented with the Citizens of the Year award at the Town of Watrous Christmas party Friday, Dec. 14, Melissa said, “It is a humbling honour because there are so many people who have won it previously that I just feel are more deserving. It is an honour, which I really appreciate.”
In agreement, Ron said, “We try hard and we appreciate the community, the town and the support we receive and want to give back and show people the appreciation of what they have given us over the years.”
The owners of Melron Services in Watrous, the pair not only began the business from the ground up but have grown it to become well-known throughout the area. It is also because of that growth and support that they have in turn given back through substantial donations towards many initiatives within the community and beyond. Some of the many funds Ron and Melissa have provided locally have gone towards things like the Watrous District Health Complex, the new Zamboni at the Watrous Centennial Arena , the Watrous Manitou Beach Heritage Centre, the Watrous Kinsmen Bull-A-Rama and numerous clubs and organizations. In addition to their fundraising efforts, Ron and Melissa have also contributed through supplying equipment, labour and prizes towards various events and organizations.
“We are very fortunate we have such a wonderful community,” said Melissa. “We have lots of young people and families here too and we know we are going to have a good community for a lot of years. A lot of our customers have also become friends and it is really nice to have that association with your customers. You feel like you are doing a good job serving them and that is why you are in business.”
Echoing those sentiments, Ron added, “Compliments to our staff because without them we wouldn’t be doing what we are doing. They have been very good for us and we have a lot of faithful employees that do super work and also support the community at large. That is all part of the growing atmosphere and being able to give back. Community is very important and we want to keep building it up and keeping it strong.”
Arriving in Watrous in 1990, Melissa purchased the gift store in the Mall at 3rd and Main from Angie Chambers. Along with daughter Avril Reifferscheid, the pair had it together before Melissa and Ron began Melron Services. “He came home one day and thought we should buy a backhoe. I thought, what are we going to do with a backhoe? And then voila, one thing lead to another.”
Coming from Nokomis, Ron brought along his business knowledge to Watrous. After getting into the business world in 1972, in 1988 he decided to sell his place in Nokomis and moved to Watrous where he began selling vehicles with Mainline Motors. It was during that time that he made a lot of acquaintances and met numerous customers. After he left the world of selling cars and began Melron Services, “a lot of people followed us and stayed our customers. That is how it grew, just playing in the dirt.”
Recently celebrating the company’s 20th anniversary, the Edigers have become a pillar within the community and because of that, were noticed for their efforts and generosity. Melron Services employee Brandon Osmak along with the Watrous Kinsmen nominated Ron and Melissa as this year’s recipients for Watrous Citizens of the Year.
“When we got the phone call that we were chosen we couldn’t believe it,” said Ron. “I still feel we totally don’t deserve it. It is just another day in our household to do what we do and make things happen.”
Along with the support they have received from the community, both Ron and Melissa were quick to note how substantial the support has also been from their family.
“They have been on our side since day one. The boys and girls have supported us over the years and kept our wits about us over the years. And it is the friends we have had, it has really been good. We have awesome neighbours and no complaints at all.”
And how fitting that on a night where Ron and Melissa were honoured for their work within the community at the Watrous Civic Centre that just down the street and at about the same time they were receiving their award, Ron’s name was pulled as the weekly winner of the Chase the Ace draw, a fundraiser for the Watrous Manitou Beach Heritage Centre.
“That was quite something,” he smiled after finding out he had won $412. “Our journey and our time in Watrous has been super. If we were to begin and start all over, we would probably do it all over again.”
TWM Top Story - Dec. 17, 2018
Watrous District Health Complex receives digital X-ray upgrades
Daniel Bushman
In a move aimed at supporting quicker diagnosis and improved care for patients, thanks to a joint effort between the Watrous Community Health Foundation and the provincial government, the Watrous District Health Complex has received significant digital X-ray upgrades.
Part of five rural community hospitals that are receiving the new equipment and moving from film to digital X-ray images, Watrous joins Lanigan, Rosthern, Wadena and Wynyard to receive the upgrades. While the Saskatchewan Health Authority is in the process of digitalizing the equipment in all five communities, both Watrous and Lanigan officially cut the ribbon on their new technology at a pair of ceremonies Dec. 7.
In order to receive the digital X-ray upgrades, local health foundations were responsible for covering approximately half the cost for the new technology ($100,000) while the provincial government was responsible for the remaining half which totalled $500,000 or $100,000 per site.
Looking after the local portion, Watrous Community Health Foundation Chair Murray Westby said there was no hesitation from the foundation to lend a hand when they were informed of the project. “We were very supportive and indicated that we would be there with the $100,000 as soon as they received the go ahead. One of the criticisms we have had in Watrous is that our X-ray equipment was not up to where it should be and people were having to go to Saskatoon and having to get their X-rays done again after having them in Watrous. In terms of service to our clients and the costs associated with running back and forth to the city all the time, we felt it was important to do this.”
With a local commitment of $100,000, Westby said it was an easy decision to back the project for the local foundation, which has representation from Watrous, Manitou Beach, Young, Simpson and Zelma and the Rural Municipalities of Wood Creek, Morris, Wreford, Usborne and Viscount.
“As soon as we heard what the conditions were, we immediately said we were behind it.”
This is not the first time the foundation has been able to help in a big way. Over the years Westby said the local foundation has been able to support a number of initiatives including providing substantial funding towards the construction of Manitou Lodge, operating the medical clinic before it relocated to the Watrous District Health Complex, helping purchase equipment and items of need and then most recently, helping to bring digital X-ray upgrades to Watrous.
“It is all tied into the service we offer for the community. Over those years we have spent several hundreds of thousand of dollars in addition to operating the medical clinic and putting funds towards the construction of Manitou Lodge. We feel we perform a valuable function in the community and when we can do something like this, it is just an excellent opportunity.”
On hand at the Dec. 7 announcement in Watrous, Manager of Medical Imaging at Saskatoon City Hospital and SHA Manager - Diagnostics Richard Dagenais explained the importance of moving from film to digital X-rays.
“Prior to this being implemented, all of these sites had film and some people will remember when you had a camera you took pictures, brought them somewhere and waited a day for the film to be developed. It was sort of like that. Film was acquired and an individual piece of film might take two or three minutes to develop but if you needed three or four different pictures taken, you might wait 15 or 20 minutes for all those pictures to be available. So you were kind of stuck waiting for the film to be processed before you could go back to where you needed to be for the next stage of your treatment. You had that one copy of that piece of film and it went back to the emergency department and then the only person that could look at it was the emergency doctor or it went to your family physician. On a daily basis, the x-ray staff would get all that film back and put it in a bundle and send them to the city to be read by a radiologist. Once they are gone, if a physician in the emergency department wanted to look at it, they can’t anymore. It would take anywhere between 24 and 72 hours before that film would come back with the radiology result.”
Now with the digital X-ray upgrades Dagenais said three or four pictures might take six or seven minutes before they are ready as opposed to 15. The images are then stored on a centralized computer system and are available immediately to any clinician across the province. The radiologist can also look at the images right away and get a result back anywhere between a half an hour to two hours. Other physicians can also look at the images at the same time instead of waiting to view the film image.
In addition to cutting down on wait times and increasing accessibility, another huge difference Dagenais pointed out is the film processing itself which used a lot of chemistry and needed to be maintained. “There was a whole quality component of having to manage that and managing the temperature of the chemistry.”
Switching from film to digital, Dagenais said for the patients, it now provides faster care, better care, better access to care and for patients who do go into the city, typically it means they will not have to have their X-rays repeated. Understanding the importance of having that new technology in place in communities like Watrous, Dagenais also stressed his gratitude to the local health foundation who came to the table to raise the money for the digital X-ray equipment.
“This project started a little bit over four years ago when we really started seriously looking at doing this, looking at where we would get the money to do it, what would be involved and it takes a lot of time and the foundation’s support was critical.”
While unable to attend the announcement and with fellow MLA Todd Goudy bringing greetings on behalf of the provincial government, Rural and Remote Health Minister Greg Ottenbreit said, “Our government is committed to improving access to high-quality medical imaging across Saskatchewan. Digital images save time for physicians and patients, and result in patients receiving their X-ray results quicker than ever before. Strong community support helps our health system meet the need for specialized services across Saskatchewan. Our government thanks the local communities and their respective health foundations, whose generosity is helping make these digital X-ray upgrades a reality.”
Daniel Bushman
In a move aimed at supporting quicker diagnosis and improved care for patients, thanks to a joint effort between the Watrous Community Health Foundation and the provincial government, the Watrous District Health Complex has received significant digital X-ray upgrades.
Part of five rural community hospitals that are receiving the new equipment and moving from film to digital X-ray images, Watrous joins Lanigan, Rosthern, Wadena and Wynyard to receive the upgrades. While the Saskatchewan Health Authority is in the process of digitalizing the equipment in all five communities, both Watrous and Lanigan officially cut the ribbon on their new technology at a pair of ceremonies Dec. 7.
In order to receive the digital X-ray upgrades, local health foundations were responsible for covering approximately half the cost for the new technology ($100,000) while the provincial government was responsible for the remaining half which totalled $500,000 or $100,000 per site.
Looking after the local portion, Watrous Community Health Foundation Chair Murray Westby said there was no hesitation from the foundation to lend a hand when they were informed of the project. “We were very supportive and indicated that we would be there with the $100,000 as soon as they received the go ahead. One of the criticisms we have had in Watrous is that our X-ray equipment was not up to where it should be and people were having to go to Saskatoon and having to get their X-rays done again after having them in Watrous. In terms of service to our clients and the costs associated with running back and forth to the city all the time, we felt it was important to do this.”
With a local commitment of $100,000, Westby said it was an easy decision to back the project for the local foundation, which has representation from Watrous, Manitou Beach, Young, Simpson and Zelma and the Rural Municipalities of Wood Creek, Morris, Wreford, Usborne and Viscount.
“As soon as we heard what the conditions were, we immediately said we were behind it.”
This is not the first time the foundation has been able to help in a big way. Over the years Westby said the local foundation has been able to support a number of initiatives including providing substantial funding towards the construction of Manitou Lodge, operating the medical clinic before it relocated to the Watrous District Health Complex, helping purchase equipment and items of need and then most recently, helping to bring digital X-ray upgrades to Watrous.
“It is all tied into the service we offer for the community. Over those years we have spent several hundreds of thousand of dollars in addition to operating the medical clinic and putting funds towards the construction of Manitou Lodge. We feel we perform a valuable function in the community and when we can do something like this, it is just an excellent opportunity.”
On hand at the Dec. 7 announcement in Watrous, Manager of Medical Imaging at Saskatoon City Hospital and SHA Manager - Diagnostics Richard Dagenais explained the importance of moving from film to digital X-rays.
“Prior to this being implemented, all of these sites had film and some people will remember when you had a camera you took pictures, brought them somewhere and waited a day for the film to be developed. It was sort of like that. Film was acquired and an individual piece of film might take two or three minutes to develop but if you needed three or four different pictures taken, you might wait 15 or 20 minutes for all those pictures to be available. So you were kind of stuck waiting for the film to be processed before you could go back to where you needed to be for the next stage of your treatment. You had that one copy of that piece of film and it went back to the emergency department and then the only person that could look at it was the emergency doctor or it went to your family physician. On a daily basis, the x-ray staff would get all that film back and put it in a bundle and send them to the city to be read by a radiologist. Once they are gone, if a physician in the emergency department wanted to look at it, they can’t anymore. It would take anywhere between 24 and 72 hours before that film would come back with the radiology result.”
Now with the digital X-ray upgrades Dagenais said three or four pictures might take six or seven minutes before they are ready as opposed to 15. The images are then stored on a centralized computer system and are available immediately to any clinician across the province. The radiologist can also look at the images right away and get a result back anywhere between a half an hour to two hours. Other physicians can also look at the images at the same time instead of waiting to view the film image.
In addition to cutting down on wait times and increasing accessibility, another huge difference Dagenais pointed out is the film processing itself which used a lot of chemistry and needed to be maintained. “There was a whole quality component of having to manage that and managing the temperature of the chemistry.”
Switching from film to digital, Dagenais said for the patients, it now provides faster care, better care, better access to care and for patients who do go into the city, typically it means they will not have to have their X-rays repeated. Understanding the importance of having that new technology in place in communities like Watrous, Dagenais also stressed his gratitude to the local health foundation who came to the table to raise the money for the digital X-ray equipment.
“This project started a little bit over four years ago when we really started seriously looking at doing this, looking at where we would get the money to do it, what would be involved and it takes a lot of time and the foundation’s support was critical.”
While unable to attend the announcement and with fellow MLA Todd Goudy bringing greetings on behalf of the provincial government, Rural and Remote Health Minister Greg Ottenbreit said, “Our government is committed to improving access to high-quality medical imaging across Saskatchewan. Digital images save time for physicians and patients, and result in patients receiving their X-ray results quicker than ever before. Strong community support helps our health system meet the need for specialized services across Saskatchewan. Our government thanks the local communities and their respective health foundations, whose generosity is helping make these digital X-ray upgrades a reality.”
TWM Top Story - Dec. 10, 2018
Weather conditions cause widespread outages
Daniel Bushman
While the scenery looked picturesque, the hoarfrost, fog and mist that descended upon the province over the past couple of weeks created massive outages throughout Saskatchewan. At its height, SaskPower said between 175,000 and 200,000 customers in the province were without power Dec. 4, the largest outage dating back to 1981. That overall total was much higher when you combine the remaining widespread outages from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 and then those from Dec. 5.
The first of the substantial outages occurred Nov. 30 and went into the weekend before a massive outage struck Dec. 4. Over 25,000 calls were placed to the SaskPower outage centre between Friday night (Nov. 30) and Monday morning (Dec. 3), and another 33,000 calls during just the morning Dec. 4. SaskPower’s Jordan Jackal said the dense fog and mist that built up on trees and power infrastructure was to blame for the majority of the outages.
“There has been a build up of frost on most of our, if not all of our power infrastructure, power lines, and power poles for much of south and central Saskatchewan.”
Creating substantial weight from the build up, the power lines began to sag from the hoarfrost and in some cases broke or snapped off where they were connected on power poles. Trees sagging or branches breaking from the hoarfrost also caused lines to trip and because of those issues, outages began occurring one after another.
“We had crews cycling in and out night and day through the weekend and a few contractors that called in as well helped out with some of that. It was pretty widespread in many areas in southern and central Saskatchewan and in smaller pockets in general. Aside from a few transmission issues, it was the smaller pockets in general, more than you might see during a big summer storm. Those pockets were really frequent and there were a lot of small power outages throughout that area.”
Locally, outages were reported during different times throughout the weekend and last week as well. Over the Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 weekend, outages spanned over a large area to include communities like Lanigan, Jansen, Drake, LeRoy, Nokomis, Holdfast, Liberty, Imperial, Simpson, Watrous, Manitou Beach, Young and Viscount. The outages also occurred outside of that region including in the larger cities. Some of those outages lasted for a few hours while others went on for up to 11 hours or more as crews feverishly worked to fix them.
“We know that there were numerous outages over the course of the weekend and we know in some cases, people went fairly lengthy periods without power. We just really thank people for their patience,” said Jackal. “Our crews were out there working long hours and we were managing them to make sure they were working safely and not over fatigued or anything to that effect. We are out there doing this as quickly but also as safely as possible. So we do really thank people for their patience.”
Not only were the outages present throughout the weekend but they lasted into last week as well. On Tuesday, widespread outages were reported leaving a couple of hundred thousand people in the dark. While places like Watrous and Manitou Beach had power, communities and rural residents north and east of those places did not. SaskPower said because of the significant issues from the frost, power units at Boundary Dam, Shand and Poplar River Power Stations tripped off during the morning and SaskPower lost generation. SaskPower was working as quickly and safely as possible to bring those units back on line and power was restored to some areas by early Tuesday afternoon.
Most residential customers across the province had power by the evening and by 10 p.m., power was restored to all areas of southeastern Saskatchewan, including Carnduff and Oxbow. SaskPower said there may have been a small number of customers in rural areas who were still experiencing outages as the night continued.
As hundreds of people across the province were working to restore the power Tuesday, SaskPower said they had taken over 33,000 calls in the outage centre that morning, equal to all the calls taken in November.
With the ice and frost situation not improving, the system remained in a delicate position and Wednesday more local outages occurred. SaskPower said crews were working hard to repair damage caused by substation issues and power was out in Cudworth, Wakaw, Aberdeen, Viscount, Bruno, Meacham, Alvena, Vonda, Colonsay, Lanigan, Jansen, Drake and Lockwood. In addition to the local area power outages, Moose Jaw also found itself without power as Wednesday morning continued.
During the outages, some people were using generators and SaskPower encouraged those to have installed transfer switches. “Without a transfer switch, your generator will feed power back into the lines, creating a serious hazard for our personnel working to restore power. Never operate a generator in a house, garage or enclosed building. Doing so will put you and your family at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.”
With all of the outages locally and provincially, Jackal stressed if people see a downed lined, a damaged power pole or damaged equipment to stay at least 10 metres away if not further. “Always assume there is power flowing through it. Sometimes it might be a downed line but there is always a possibility that there is power going through it. Generally the power will trip off but it doesn’t always. Make sure to give our outage centre a call at 310-2220. If it is busy and you can’t get through and it is an obvious public safety issue, call 9-1-1.”
Daniel Bushman
While the scenery looked picturesque, the hoarfrost, fog and mist that descended upon the province over the past couple of weeks created massive outages throughout Saskatchewan. At its height, SaskPower said between 175,000 and 200,000 customers in the province were without power Dec. 4, the largest outage dating back to 1981. That overall total was much higher when you combine the remaining widespread outages from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 and then those from Dec. 5.
The first of the substantial outages occurred Nov. 30 and went into the weekend before a massive outage struck Dec. 4. Over 25,000 calls were placed to the SaskPower outage centre between Friday night (Nov. 30) and Monday morning (Dec. 3), and another 33,000 calls during just the morning Dec. 4. SaskPower’s Jordan Jackal said the dense fog and mist that built up on trees and power infrastructure was to blame for the majority of the outages.
“There has been a build up of frost on most of our, if not all of our power infrastructure, power lines, and power poles for much of south and central Saskatchewan.”
Creating substantial weight from the build up, the power lines began to sag from the hoarfrost and in some cases broke or snapped off where they were connected on power poles. Trees sagging or branches breaking from the hoarfrost also caused lines to trip and because of those issues, outages began occurring one after another.
“We had crews cycling in and out night and day through the weekend and a few contractors that called in as well helped out with some of that. It was pretty widespread in many areas in southern and central Saskatchewan and in smaller pockets in general. Aside from a few transmission issues, it was the smaller pockets in general, more than you might see during a big summer storm. Those pockets were really frequent and there were a lot of small power outages throughout that area.”
Locally, outages were reported during different times throughout the weekend and last week as well. Over the Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 weekend, outages spanned over a large area to include communities like Lanigan, Jansen, Drake, LeRoy, Nokomis, Holdfast, Liberty, Imperial, Simpson, Watrous, Manitou Beach, Young and Viscount. The outages also occurred outside of that region including in the larger cities. Some of those outages lasted for a few hours while others went on for up to 11 hours or more as crews feverishly worked to fix them.
“We know that there were numerous outages over the course of the weekend and we know in some cases, people went fairly lengthy periods without power. We just really thank people for their patience,” said Jackal. “Our crews were out there working long hours and we were managing them to make sure they were working safely and not over fatigued or anything to that effect. We are out there doing this as quickly but also as safely as possible. So we do really thank people for their patience.”
Not only were the outages present throughout the weekend but they lasted into last week as well. On Tuesday, widespread outages were reported leaving a couple of hundred thousand people in the dark. While places like Watrous and Manitou Beach had power, communities and rural residents north and east of those places did not. SaskPower said because of the significant issues from the frost, power units at Boundary Dam, Shand and Poplar River Power Stations tripped off during the morning and SaskPower lost generation. SaskPower was working as quickly and safely as possible to bring those units back on line and power was restored to some areas by early Tuesday afternoon.
Most residential customers across the province had power by the evening and by 10 p.m., power was restored to all areas of southeastern Saskatchewan, including Carnduff and Oxbow. SaskPower said there may have been a small number of customers in rural areas who were still experiencing outages as the night continued.
As hundreds of people across the province were working to restore the power Tuesday, SaskPower said they had taken over 33,000 calls in the outage centre that morning, equal to all the calls taken in November.
With the ice and frost situation not improving, the system remained in a delicate position and Wednesday more local outages occurred. SaskPower said crews were working hard to repair damage caused by substation issues and power was out in Cudworth, Wakaw, Aberdeen, Viscount, Bruno, Meacham, Alvena, Vonda, Colonsay, Lanigan, Jansen, Drake and Lockwood. In addition to the local area power outages, Moose Jaw also found itself without power as Wednesday morning continued.
During the outages, some people were using generators and SaskPower encouraged those to have installed transfer switches. “Without a transfer switch, your generator will feed power back into the lines, creating a serious hazard for our personnel working to restore power. Never operate a generator in a house, garage or enclosed building. Doing so will put you and your family at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.”
With all of the outages locally and provincially, Jackal stressed if people see a downed lined, a damaged power pole or damaged equipment to stay at least 10 metres away if not further. “Always assume there is power flowing through it. Sometimes it might be a downed line but there is always a possibility that there is power going through it. Generally the power will trip off but it doesn’t always. Make sure to give our outage centre a call at 310-2220. If it is busy and you can’t get through and it is an obvious public safety issue, call 9-1-1.”
TWM Top Story - Dec. 3, 2018
Jubilee Drive-In not being relocated as bylaw amendments submitted
Daniel Bushman
Hoping to address misinformation that had been circulating about the future of the community owned Jubilee Drive-In and clarifying amendments to a pair of bylaws, Manitou Beach council held a public hearing Nov. 26 before its regular council meeting. The hearing involved amendments to bylaw number 2/2014, the Official Community Plan and also bylaw number 3/2014, the Zoning Bylaw.
Speaking to residents of Manitou Beach that were in attendance for the meeting, mayor Gerald Worobec said, “I would like to clarify some misinformation that has been floating around. First, the village is not closing the drive-in. Second, the village is not currently developing the east area of the drive-in. Third, the village is not selling land for $1. And fourth, the village is not selling park model sites for $35,000.”
The amendments to the bylaws, if approved, would essentially see the large parcel of land, part of which the drive-in property sits on, split up into three sections for potential future development. Worobec said the amended bylaws would specifically allow under discretionary use in the Highway Commercial District and the Community Service District for consideration of a park model and RV seasonal camping development. The amendments that council proposed were also to correct two errors in the Park Model Residential District: ‘Uses Accessory to Discretionary Uses’ was listed twice in the Zoning Bylaw and the ‘Side Set back Requirements’ will be corrected from 10 metres to three metres.
The proposed amendments, if approved, would then allow Manitou Beach to entertain a park model/RV development which could then go on the subdivided property. Worobec said that would create revenue from the potential sale of the property and long-term taxation revenue. “This helps recoup a portion of the cost of the purchase of the drive-in property and is the fiscally responsible thing for council to do. Multiple developments are permitted already in the Highway Commercial District such as: indoor or outdoor amusement establishments; auto body repair and paint shops; and building materials sales and storage.”
By splitting up the parcel of land into three sections, Worobec said that will also allow the drive-in to remain where it is. “Council has no intention of closing the drive-in. Initially there was a proposal that was presented to us that included the drive-in property but then upon further investigation and looking into what it would cost to move the screen, the effects of moving it for the business and the building on the current property would have to be knocked down; financially it would not be worth it. We then looked into other ideas and as the talk around the council table continued we thought about breaking that parcel up into three pieces. So there is the drive-in property where the screen and the building sits on, the next parcel is the piece of property to the east of that and the third is where the horseshoe pits and ball diamonds are located.”
After putting in substantial fundraising efforts and a lot of work to find a projector for the drive-in, Worobec said they were not just going to close it because of a possible development. “We also just put the Twister combine there as well and we wouldn’t have gone through that process if we had plans to shut down the drive-in. Council feels that by keeping the drive-in operational under a private operator, it garners revenue for the Village and will continue to attract visitors to Watrous and Manitou Beach, benefiting local businesses. That is why we made these other areas available for people who wanted to do development. There is a desire for roughly 70 to 100 sites so those two parcels of property east of the drive-in would satisfy that need. It would be a very long time before we would even look at developing the drive-in property because there is just not that need right now to use that parcel. We also thought it would cost less to manually move the horseshoe pits as opposed to the drive-in screen and building. That land east of the drive-in is just sitting there costing the village money and with water and sewer infrastructure that goes right by it we thought we would try and generate some revenue.”
In its very early stages and still needing to go through quite a few steps before a developer could even go forward, Worobec said if the amended bylaws are approved and a developer is awarded the green light, the resort community would offer up the middle parcel first. “Community planning would have to accept our amendment to the zoning bylaw. Where the misconception lies is until we get this zoning changed or make it allowable for campers and park models, we can’t even entertain or consider any proposals.”
As of now, the mayor said they currently have one proposal submitted for development should it reach that far. “No one else has come forward saying they want to put a hotel, convention centre or dealership there. This is what we have received and we are trying to accommodate them and weigh the options and see if that is the best option for that area.”
Should the amended bylaws be approved and serious interest received from developers, then Worobec said going forward the process would still include a public notice and a public hearing held prior to offering any municipal land for sale. Then if there is any development proposals/purchase agreements and they fall under discretionary use for that district then public notice will be given and a public hearing held.
“Discretionary use means that if a developer purchased the property and wanted to develop anything listed under ‘discretionary use’ the process is as follows: all properties within a minimum 75 metre radius would be notified of the proposal by mail; public notices would be posted and put in the local paper as directed by provincial legislation; submissions could then be received for the public hearing that is associated with the proposal; and council can either approve the proposal, approve with conditions or deny the proposal altogether. As we continue along with this process, there has to be transparency and that is what we intend on doing. We are just trying to put the community’s best interest at the forefront.”
Daniel Bushman
Hoping to address misinformation that had been circulating about the future of the community owned Jubilee Drive-In and clarifying amendments to a pair of bylaws, Manitou Beach council held a public hearing Nov. 26 before its regular council meeting. The hearing involved amendments to bylaw number 2/2014, the Official Community Plan and also bylaw number 3/2014, the Zoning Bylaw.
Speaking to residents of Manitou Beach that were in attendance for the meeting, mayor Gerald Worobec said, “I would like to clarify some misinformation that has been floating around. First, the village is not closing the drive-in. Second, the village is not currently developing the east area of the drive-in. Third, the village is not selling land for $1. And fourth, the village is not selling park model sites for $35,000.”
The amendments to the bylaws, if approved, would essentially see the large parcel of land, part of which the drive-in property sits on, split up into three sections for potential future development. Worobec said the amended bylaws would specifically allow under discretionary use in the Highway Commercial District and the Community Service District for consideration of a park model and RV seasonal camping development. The amendments that council proposed were also to correct two errors in the Park Model Residential District: ‘Uses Accessory to Discretionary Uses’ was listed twice in the Zoning Bylaw and the ‘Side Set back Requirements’ will be corrected from 10 metres to three metres.
The proposed amendments, if approved, would then allow Manitou Beach to entertain a park model/RV development which could then go on the subdivided property. Worobec said that would create revenue from the potential sale of the property and long-term taxation revenue. “This helps recoup a portion of the cost of the purchase of the drive-in property and is the fiscally responsible thing for council to do. Multiple developments are permitted already in the Highway Commercial District such as: indoor or outdoor amusement establishments; auto body repair and paint shops; and building materials sales and storage.”
By splitting up the parcel of land into three sections, Worobec said that will also allow the drive-in to remain where it is. “Council has no intention of closing the drive-in. Initially there was a proposal that was presented to us that included the drive-in property but then upon further investigation and looking into what it would cost to move the screen, the effects of moving it for the business and the building on the current property would have to be knocked down; financially it would not be worth it. We then looked into other ideas and as the talk around the council table continued we thought about breaking that parcel up into three pieces. So there is the drive-in property where the screen and the building sits on, the next parcel is the piece of property to the east of that and the third is where the horseshoe pits and ball diamonds are located.”
After putting in substantial fundraising efforts and a lot of work to find a projector for the drive-in, Worobec said they were not just going to close it because of a possible development. “We also just put the Twister combine there as well and we wouldn’t have gone through that process if we had plans to shut down the drive-in. Council feels that by keeping the drive-in operational under a private operator, it garners revenue for the Village and will continue to attract visitors to Watrous and Manitou Beach, benefiting local businesses. That is why we made these other areas available for people who wanted to do development. There is a desire for roughly 70 to 100 sites so those two parcels of property east of the drive-in would satisfy that need. It would be a very long time before we would even look at developing the drive-in property because there is just not that need right now to use that parcel. We also thought it would cost less to manually move the horseshoe pits as opposed to the drive-in screen and building. That land east of the drive-in is just sitting there costing the village money and with water and sewer infrastructure that goes right by it we thought we would try and generate some revenue.”
In its very early stages and still needing to go through quite a few steps before a developer could even go forward, Worobec said if the amended bylaws are approved and a developer is awarded the green light, the resort community would offer up the middle parcel first. “Community planning would have to accept our amendment to the zoning bylaw. Where the misconception lies is until we get this zoning changed or make it allowable for campers and park models, we can’t even entertain or consider any proposals.”
As of now, the mayor said they currently have one proposal submitted for development should it reach that far. “No one else has come forward saying they want to put a hotel, convention centre or dealership there. This is what we have received and we are trying to accommodate them and weigh the options and see if that is the best option for that area.”
Should the amended bylaws be approved and serious interest received from developers, then Worobec said going forward the process would still include a public notice and a public hearing held prior to offering any municipal land for sale. Then if there is any development proposals/purchase agreements and they fall under discretionary use for that district then public notice will be given and a public hearing held.
“Discretionary use means that if a developer purchased the property and wanted to develop anything listed under ‘discretionary use’ the process is as follows: all properties within a minimum 75 metre radius would be notified of the proposal by mail; public notices would be posted and put in the local paper as directed by provincial legislation; submissions could then be received for the public hearing that is associated with the proposal; and council can either approve the proposal, approve with conditions or deny the proposal altogether. As we continue along with this process, there has to be transparency and that is what we intend on doing. We are just trying to put the community’s best interest at the forefront.”
TWM Top Story - Nov. 26, 2018
Food bank seeking support as holiday season arrives
Daniel Bushman
Despite expenses outweighing income for 2018, the Watrous and District Food Bank is gearing up for its annual Christmas hampers which will be distributed next month. While the food bank has been tremendously appreciative of the generosity over the years from local and area residents and businesses, at its annual meeting Oct. 29, an overall deficit was reported.
Chair of the Watrous and District Food Bank Darren Holland said in the 2018 financial report, the non-profit organization had received $16,593.64 of income while expenditures tallied $21,491.25.
“Unfortunately we are in a deficit for this year of almost $5,000 and although the majority of our expense numbers were similar to 2017, we did experience some added costs this year.”
Breaking down the numbers from the financial report, expenses tallied $21,491.25 with $17,093.16 of that for groceries; rent was $1,200; membership/registration fees were $315; advertising $185.07; insurance $610.56; Christmas hampers $517.06; bank fees $4; utilities $1,030.56; and building supplies $535.84.
On the income side, the food bank tallied $16,593.64 with personal donations accumulating $4,229.05; Food Banks of Sask. provided $1,412.28; local businesses provided $2,127.06; local churches provided $475; the Rotary, Legion and social clubs provided $4,886.66; corporate donations tallied $3,432.50; and interest was $31.09.
Comparatively in 2017, expenses were $19,803.26 with groceries costing $17,166.76 followed by rent ($1,200), administrative ($189.53), membership/registration fees ($315), advertising ($356.97), and insurance ($575). Income for 2017 was $23,507.11 with personal donations reaching $12,879 followed by Food Banks of Sask. ($1,209.66), Food Banks of Canada ($30.36), local businesses ($3,021.27), corporate donations ($3,700), Rotary, Legion and social clubs ($1,645.01), local churches and groups ($435.15), and interest ($42.92).
“We are about $7,000 below last year’s income numbers this year but if people would like to donate towards the food bank either financially or through food donations, they are more than welcome to and it would be tremendously appreciated.”
With a wider reach, serving clients in the Watrous, Manitou Beach, Young, Simpson, Imperial, Nokomis, Viscount and Liberty areas, Holland said the food bank distributes about 62 hampers per month, or 31 every second and fourth Wednesday of the month. A total of 18 volunteers purchase groceries, prepare and distribute hampers, stock shelves and lend a hand where needed. Holland said the food bank greatly appreciates their help including assistance from Interlake who comes on a regular basis to pack dry hampers at the food bank’s back alley location at 107 3rd Ave. E.
In addition to its regular hampers, for the annual Christmas hampers, last year the food bank distributed 72 for those who applied. “About half of those homes that applied last year included children.”
Now with the holiday season approaching, the food bank is once again gearing up for those annual Christmas hampers. Distributed Dec. 15, anyone in need of receiving a hamper can let the food bank know by Dec. 7. Holland added if people know of someone who would like a hamper they can also get in touch with the food bank to make arrangements.
The annual Christmas hampers are comprised of more food items and toys for children than a normal hamper which is distributed throughout the year and Holland said people wanting to help financially with those can do so either by mailing funds to Box 794 in Watrous or they can contact the food bank as well. Other initiatives are also being planned this year for residents and businesses looking to help including the Watrous Emergency Services Stuff the Ambulance which will take place Dec. 4. In conjunction with the Co-op Food Store in Watrous, members of the Watrous Emergency Services will be collecting donations in the Co-op food store parking lot during the early part of the evening. The goal is to stuff the ambulance as many times as possible with food donations which will be used to help fill Christmas hampers.
“Over the years, we have had great community support and continual efforts made by many businesses through food, toy and monetary donations and we know that will continue again this year. Along with the Stuff the Ambulance initiative, the local Co-op food store will be donating hams while Integra Tire in Watrous will be holding its annual Toy Drive again. People can purchase toys and drop them off at Integra Tire for the food bank and they will be collected and placed into Christmas hampers.”
New this year, Holland said people will have the opportunity to sponsor a family and purchase an entire Christmas hamper for $135. “People can either individually sponsor a hamper, join other families and split the cost or get together with fellow employees or as an organization and buy a family Christmas hamper.”
Packed inside the hampers, recipients will get either a turkey or ham, one dozen buns, a jug of milk, one dozen eggs, five pounds of Christmas oranges, 10 pounds of potatoes, carrots and onions, stuffing, Kraft Dinner, pasta or rice, Sidekicks or potato, a box of crackers, a breakfast item, cans of soup, canned meats, meals in a can, canned fruit and vegetables, pasta sauce, juice, cranberries, a cake mix, one tub of margarine, peanut butter and a box of chocolates. For hampers distributed to families with children, toys will be included in those as well.
As the community comes together to help out with the Christmas hampers once again, Holland said it has become an opportunity to spread some holiday cheer.
“It has made the Christmas season very meaningful to some who have been a part of helping out in some way and it is also meaningful for those who receive the hampers as well.”
For more information on this year’s Christmas hampers, people can see the ad in this week’s paper.
Daniel Bushman
Despite expenses outweighing income for 2018, the Watrous and District Food Bank is gearing up for its annual Christmas hampers which will be distributed next month. While the food bank has been tremendously appreciative of the generosity over the years from local and area residents and businesses, at its annual meeting Oct. 29, an overall deficit was reported.
Chair of the Watrous and District Food Bank Darren Holland said in the 2018 financial report, the non-profit organization had received $16,593.64 of income while expenditures tallied $21,491.25.
“Unfortunately we are in a deficit for this year of almost $5,000 and although the majority of our expense numbers were similar to 2017, we did experience some added costs this year.”
Breaking down the numbers from the financial report, expenses tallied $21,491.25 with $17,093.16 of that for groceries; rent was $1,200; membership/registration fees were $315; advertising $185.07; insurance $610.56; Christmas hampers $517.06; bank fees $4; utilities $1,030.56; and building supplies $535.84.
On the income side, the food bank tallied $16,593.64 with personal donations accumulating $4,229.05; Food Banks of Sask. provided $1,412.28; local businesses provided $2,127.06; local churches provided $475; the Rotary, Legion and social clubs provided $4,886.66; corporate donations tallied $3,432.50; and interest was $31.09.
Comparatively in 2017, expenses were $19,803.26 with groceries costing $17,166.76 followed by rent ($1,200), administrative ($189.53), membership/registration fees ($315), advertising ($356.97), and insurance ($575). Income for 2017 was $23,507.11 with personal donations reaching $12,879 followed by Food Banks of Sask. ($1,209.66), Food Banks of Canada ($30.36), local businesses ($3,021.27), corporate donations ($3,700), Rotary, Legion and social clubs ($1,645.01), local churches and groups ($435.15), and interest ($42.92).
“We are about $7,000 below last year’s income numbers this year but if people would like to donate towards the food bank either financially or through food donations, they are more than welcome to and it would be tremendously appreciated.”
With a wider reach, serving clients in the Watrous, Manitou Beach, Young, Simpson, Imperial, Nokomis, Viscount and Liberty areas, Holland said the food bank distributes about 62 hampers per month, or 31 every second and fourth Wednesday of the month. A total of 18 volunteers purchase groceries, prepare and distribute hampers, stock shelves and lend a hand where needed. Holland said the food bank greatly appreciates their help including assistance from Interlake who comes on a regular basis to pack dry hampers at the food bank’s back alley location at 107 3rd Ave. E.
In addition to its regular hampers, for the annual Christmas hampers, last year the food bank distributed 72 for those who applied. “About half of those homes that applied last year included children.”
Now with the holiday season approaching, the food bank is once again gearing up for those annual Christmas hampers. Distributed Dec. 15, anyone in need of receiving a hamper can let the food bank know by Dec. 7. Holland added if people know of someone who would like a hamper they can also get in touch with the food bank to make arrangements.
The annual Christmas hampers are comprised of more food items and toys for children than a normal hamper which is distributed throughout the year and Holland said people wanting to help financially with those can do so either by mailing funds to Box 794 in Watrous or they can contact the food bank as well. Other initiatives are also being planned this year for residents and businesses looking to help including the Watrous Emergency Services Stuff the Ambulance which will take place Dec. 4. In conjunction with the Co-op Food Store in Watrous, members of the Watrous Emergency Services will be collecting donations in the Co-op food store parking lot during the early part of the evening. The goal is to stuff the ambulance as many times as possible with food donations which will be used to help fill Christmas hampers.
“Over the years, we have had great community support and continual efforts made by many businesses through food, toy and monetary donations and we know that will continue again this year. Along with the Stuff the Ambulance initiative, the local Co-op food store will be donating hams while Integra Tire in Watrous will be holding its annual Toy Drive again. People can purchase toys and drop them off at Integra Tire for the food bank and they will be collected and placed into Christmas hampers.”
New this year, Holland said people will have the opportunity to sponsor a family and purchase an entire Christmas hamper for $135. “People can either individually sponsor a hamper, join other families and split the cost or get together with fellow employees or as an organization and buy a family Christmas hamper.”
Packed inside the hampers, recipients will get either a turkey or ham, one dozen buns, a jug of milk, one dozen eggs, five pounds of Christmas oranges, 10 pounds of potatoes, carrots and onions, stuffing, Kraft Dinner, pasta or rice, Sidekicks or potato, a box of crackers, a breakfast item, cans of soup, canned meats, meals in a can, canned fruit and vegetables, pasta sauce, juice, cranberries, a cake mix, one tub of margarine, peanut butter and a box of chocolates. For hampers distributed to families with children, toys will be included in those as well.
As the community comes together to help out with the Christmas hampers once again, Holland said it has become an opportunity to spread some holiday cheer.
“It has made the Christmas season very meaningful to some who have been a part of helping out in some way and it is also meaningful for those who receive the hampers as well.”
For more information on this year’s Christmas hampers, people can see the ad in this week’s paper.
TWM Top Story - Nov. 19, 2018
Watrous RCMP host workshop and town hall event
Daniel Bushman
There was a strong police presence in Watrous last week as members from a number of area detachments spent the day in the community Nov. 13. The following evening, RCMP officers from the Watrous detachment headed to Nokomis where they held a town hall type event, similar to the one put on in Imperial Mar. 21.
Watrous RCMP Sergeant Jeff Friedenstab said the workshop was created to bring in members of the polygraph examiners from Regina to provide training to junior officers. “It was a one day workshop and the members out of Regina said they could provide training but we would have to organize it. I originally was going to host it for our local detachment but after contacting a few other detachments, they were interested in attending as well so we moved it to the Heritage Room at the Town of Watrous building.”
With 23 officers in attendance from detachments including Watrous, Rose Valley, Wadena, Wynyard, Craik, and Warman, Friedenstab organized the workshop and two members from the Regina polygraph service came out for the day. “It was very well received and the detachment out of Warman which has quite a number of members said they will probably hold another one so more of their officers can attend.”
The workshop which was geared towards junior officers provided additional training on how to take proper statements from witnesses and suspects and included other useful tools and tips that were shared.
“It was beneficial to host this event and it provided an opportunity for some of our members and others to take part and gain additional skills to use in the field.”
The following evening Friedenstab said members from the Watrous detachment headed to Nokomis, (which is within their patrol area), to host a town hall type meeting for the public.
Over this past year, RCMP throughout the province have put on similar meetings aimed at sharing information, hearing concerns and answering questions that people may have.
In March, members of the Watrous RCMP hosted a town hall type event in Imperial where close to 30 people attended. Friedenstab along with constables Dave Hannah and Jamie Dowling were at that meeting and Friedenstab was pleased with the turnout, appreciating those who made the effort to attend and ask questions relating to a variety of topics.
Similar to that March gathering, people came together in Nokomis Nov. 14 where officers answered questions and shared information. Along with Friedenstab, constables Hannah and Dowling once again ran the event and were joined by Staff Sergeant Greg Abbott from Saskatoon, who is the district manager for the Watrous Detachment and four others. The members in attendance spent the evening discussing services provided through contract policing.
In addition to other meetings involving community officials and local councils held this year, Friedenstab said the two town hall type events were a success. “We have been encouraging people to come out and share any concerns or ask any questions. We also encourage local municipalities to start up rural crime watch programs to help deter people from causing crimes.”
With five members at the detachment in Watrous, the local RCMP services a large area with a population of roughly 4,500.
Daniel Bushman
There was a strong police presence in Watrous last week as members from a number of area detachments spent the day in the community Nov. 13. The following evening, RCMP officers from the Watrous detachment headed to Nokomis where they held a town hall type event, similar to the one put on in Imperial Mar. 21.
Watrous RCMP Sergeant Jeff Friedenstab said the workshop was created to bring in members of the polygraph examiners from Regina to provide training to junior officers. “It was a one day workshop and the members out of Regina said they could provide training but we would have to organize it. I originally was going to host it for our local detachment but after contacting a few other detachments, they were interested in attending as well so we moved it to the Heritage Room at the Town of Watrous building.”
With 23 officers in attendance from detachments including Watrous, Rose Valley, Wadena, Wynyard, Craik, and Warman, Friedenstab organized the workshop and two members from the Regina polygraph service came out for the day. “It was very well received and the detachment out of Warman which has quite a number of members said they will probably hold another one so more of their officers can attend.”
The workshop which was geared towards junior officers provided additional training on how to take proper statements from witnesses and suspects and included other useful tools and tips that were shared.
“It was beneficial to host this event and it provided an opportunity for some of our members and others to take part and gain additional skills to use in the field.”
The following evening Friedenstab said members from the Watrous detachment headed to Nokomis, (which is within their patrol area), to host a town hall type meeting for the public.
Over this past year, RCMP throughout the province have put on similar meetings aimed at sharing information, hearing concerns and answering questions that people may have.
In March, members of the Watrous RCMP hosted a town hall type event in Imperial where close to 30 people attended. Friedenstab along with constables Dave Hannah and Jamie Dowling were at that meeting and Friedenstab was pleased with the turnout, appreciating those who made the effort to attend and ask questions relating to a variety of topics.
Similar to that March gathering, people came together in Nokomis Nov. 14 where officers answered questions and shared information. Along with Friedenstab, constables Hannah and Dowling once again ran the event and were joined by Staff Sergeant Greg Abbott from Saskatoon, who is the district manager for the Watrous Detachment and four others. The members in attendance spent the evening discussing services provided through contract policing.
In addition to other meetings involving community officials and local councils held this year, Friedenstab said the two town hall type events were a success. “We have been encouraging people to come out and share any concerns or ask any questions. We also encourage local municipalities to start up rural crime watch programs to help deter people from causing crimes.”
With five members at the detachment in Watrous, the local RCMP services a large area with a population of roughly 4,500.
TWM Top Story - Nov. 12, 2018
Community rallies behind local family
Daniel Bushman
The place was packed, food served, donated items and pies auctioned off and entertainment enjoyed as people from Watrous and the surrounding area came together to not only raise funds for a local family but to show their support. With an already tremendous outpouring of support towards Derek and Lindsey Bushman and their five children, a sold out fundraiser was held Nov. 8 at the Watrous Civic Centre to help the young family while Lindsey continues to fight a rare and aggressive cancer. At the end of the night, around $15,000 was raised for the family, almost $5,000 of that from the live pie auction alone where one pie sold for $1,000!
Organized and put on by Lori Ann Frey and members of the Watrous School of Dance along with Lane Manson and TB’s Bar and Grill, around 300 people attended the evening supper which included over 80 silent auction items, a live pie auction, entertainment from the Watrous School of Dance, the Philadelphia Mennonite Brethren Junior Youth and a song from Emma and Miley Bushman, Derek and Lindsey’s daughters and their niece Natalie Bushman. With members of both Derek and Lindsey’s families in attendance, the evening was inspirational and moving as so many attended to show their support towards the family.
For the better part of a year and a half, 29-year-old Lindsey has been fighting a rare and aggressive form of cancer. While the Watrous resident at first did not know what she was fighting, after not having a diagnosis, she along with her husband Derek chose to go to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota to find answers. That decision, according to her doctor, saved her life.
Since spending three weeks at Mayo Clinic in the United States a few months ago, Derek and Lindsey have returned home as she continues to battle the cancer in her body, receiving radiation and soon rounds of chemotherapy.
With expenses both now and in the future, people have overwhelmingly come together in a show of support for the young family in Watrous. Through various things like GoFundMe, a barbecue held by Centennial Ford during its 50th anniversary, and so many others dropping off financial donations over the past few months, the wave of support spilled over Nov. 8.
Since Derek and Lindsey were unable to be in attendance at the fundraiser, on behalf of them, myself (Daniel), my sister Tanya Jansen and Lindsey’s sister Jaymie Peters were asked by the group putting on the event to share. We have been so blown away from the outpouring of support, the encouragement and prayers of so many, at times it is hard to know how to respond and to know what to say. But because of the tremendous outpouring of support and because of how many people have been touched by Derek and Lindsey’s story, we wanted to share their journey with those unable to make the fundraiser.
The following is the majority of what we shared during the evening Nov. 8:
“How can a person say thank you enough for such an outpouring of support? How can a person say thank you enough for the many prayers, words of encouragement and financial donations received? How can a person express their sincerest thanks to everyone who has taken a moment of their time to help out my brother and sister-in law? And how can someone who has felt an overwhelming outpouring of support from so many say how appreciative they are? The only thing to say is . . . thank you!
Thank you to the many who have given so generously through the GoFundMe page that has been set up for Derek and Lindsey. Thank you to the many who have dropped off money and cheques to help them with their expenses and future costs. Thank you to the many who have made meals, have watched their kids, helped with yard work, dropped off cards of encouragement, offered support in any way possible, and who have prayed.
Thank you as well to Centennial Ford who asked us if they could give Derek and Lindsey the proceeds from their 50th anniversary barbecue. Thank you to Lori Ann Frey and members of the Watrous School of Dance and to Lane Manson and TB’s Bar and Grill for holding a fundraiser for Derek and Lindsey and asking us to speak here on behalf of the Baumann and Bushman families this evening. Thank you to the Town of Watrous for waiving the Civic Centre rental fee as well. Thank you to the teachers and staff at Watrous Elementary School and pre-school for your help with the kids. Thank you to our church family for all you have done and continue to do for our families. Thank you to the generous donors who provided items, pies and time this evening. And to each and every one of you who are here tonight, thank you.
We are truly grateful for you and we cannot express our gratitude enough.
After more than a year and a half of searching for answers and seeking a diagnosis, despite not knowing what she had attacking her body and not being covered by health insurance, Lindsey along with Derek decided to go to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
With time becoming more and more critical, it was there that she finally received a diagnosis and a plan to begin treatment on what had been attacking her body. With her septum already destroyed and her sinuses disappeared, Lindsey had consultations, tests, blood work, and then surgery where samples were extracted and a diagnosis reached.
After her surgery at Rochester, Minnesota Aug. 30, doctors found signs of lymphoma and a few days later, pathologists confirmed that it was indeed lymphoma. A week later Derek and Lindsey were informed that she had Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type is a rare and aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, starting in T-cells but developing most often in natural killer (NK) cells. Developing in organs or tissues other than the lymph nodes, it usually affects areas in the nose, most often the nasal passages and can also affect the paranasal sinuses or the upper part of the throat.
More common in Asia, Central America and South America, it occurs more often in men than women and the average age at diagnosis is 60. It is also strongly linked to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), especially in people of Asian ancestry. Since Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma is already rare and Lindsey has only ever resided in Canada, is caucasian and 29-years-old, the odds of her being diagnosed with it are astounding.
After a diagnosis was reached, a scan was also done showing the cancer had not yet spread, an answer to many prayers. Lindsey and Derek were told that treatment could be done in Saskatoon so they returned home after three weeks where they had an appointment in the city with the oncologist Sept. 17. Two days later Lindsey was taken by ambulance to St. Paul’s after she had a nose bleed that wouldn’t stop. After being released from hospital, Lindsey had a scheduled radiologist appointment the following day and was informed that radiation treatment would begin in 10 days. After hearing the news of having to once again wait, Lindsey developed a fever and was admitted to the oncology ward at Royal University Hospital that same day. Because of her condition, the cancer centre doctors worked overtime to come up with a radiation treatment plan to begin a few days later instead of 10 days after, which was originally scheduled. They also did a CT, MRI and made Lindsey a radiation mask immediately, yet another answer to prayer.
Lindsey began radiation for 20 days, receiving chemotherapy once a week during that time. It was at the beginning of her treatment that Lindsey’s doctor said the cancer had found its way to the lymph nodes but was caught just before it began to spread. Her doctor also said the decision to go to Mayo Clinic saved her life.
For more than a month Derek and Lindsey remained at RUH where she received treatment. After her radiation finished in mid-October, doctors told her that she needed to gain her strength before they could begin ramping up her chemotherapy treatments. Derek and Lindsey returned home to Watrous Oct. 30 and while exhausted, Lindsey is scheduled to begin her chemotherapy treatments later this month. The current plan will have her do three straight days of chemotherapy before having a three week break. She will do that three times and doctors have told her that once her chemotherapy is completed, the cancer should be taken care of with a 70 percent chance it will not return. After that, reconstructive surgery is a good possibility so the road to recovery remains long.
However, that path has not been walked alone. Throughout this journey, we have been absolutely overwhelmed by the support we have received from so many. We are just in awe of how so many caring people have come together to support us and Derek and Lindsey during this time. People we know really well to those we have never met and others from different parts of the continent have all banded together like a family. I can’t tell you how many times I have gotten goose bumps when people have dropped off money for Derek and Lindsey or people email to let me know they and others are praying for us. We have realized that this story has touched so many and the generosity and kindness by you has touched us.
We are also reminded about the love we have from God and how He has a plan for each and every one of us. We might not like the way His plans go sometimes and we might not understand them but we are relying on our faith in Christ to get us through this difficult time. There have been instances along this journey where God has been so evident that we know He is walking alongside us. It is also the many prayers by so many that we have been able to continue along each day.
My grandma, who passed away from cancer 18 years ago would always say, ‘take one day at a time’ and we have been hanging on tight to those words and will continue to do so in the days, weeks and months ahead.”
While Derek and Lindsey were unable to attend the fundraiser, they wanted to express their sincerest gratitude as well and have been blown away by the generosity and kindness of so many. “Well where do we begin? No one ever puts themselves in these situations. As we spent all this time searching for a diagnosis, we didn’t honestly expect life to take such a dramatic turn so quickly. Things went downhill and got so intense so quickly, yet in the midst of it all, the stress has been so minimal. We have God to praise for that. When we have had to spend nearly two months away from our children our family and friends have loved them! People have supplied meals to help ease the responsibilities of those watching our children. And while the financial burden of the last two months appeared huge, we have our amazing family, community, friends, church, businesses, people from near and far, and people we don’t even know, to thank for their generosity through their financial means. We know there is a long road ahead with future expenses but we are overwhelmed, humbled and speechless when it comes to support we have received. It has been such a gift from God! Nothing we say or do will ever be enough to express our gratitude. We look forward to the day where Lindsey is back to her healthy self and can be involved in the things she loves again. We are blessed to belong to such an amazing community. From the very bottom of our hearts, thank you. Thank you so incredibly much.”
Daniel Bushman
The place was packed, food served, donated items and pies auctioned off and entertainment enjoyed as people from Watrous and the surrounding area came together to not only raise funds for a local family but to show their support. With an already tremendous outpouring of support towards Derek and Lindsey Bushman and their five children, a sold out fundraiser was held Nov. 8 at the Watrous Civic Centre to help the young family while Lindsey continues to fight a rare and aggressive cancer. At the end of the night, around $15,000 was raised for the family, almost $5,000 of that from the live pie auction alone where one pie sold for $1,000!
Organized and put on by Lori Ann Frey and members of the Watrous School of Dance along with Lane Manson and TB’s Bar and Grill, around 300 people attended the evening supper which included over 80 silent auction items, a live pie auction, entertainment from the Watrous School of Dance, the Philadelphia Mennonite Brethren Junior Youth and a song from Emma and Miley Bushman, Derek and Lindsey’s daughters and their niece Natalie Bushman. With members of both Derek and Lindsey’s families in attendance, the evening was inspirational and moving as so many attended to show their support towards the family.
For the better part of a year and a half, 29-year-old Lindsey has been fighting a rare and aggressive form of cancer. While the Watrous resident at first did not know what she was fighting, after not having a diagnosis, she along with her husband Derek chose to go to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota to find answers. That decision, according to her doctor, saved her life.
Since spending three weeks at Mayo Clinic in the United States a few months ago, Derek and Lindsey have returned home as she continues to battle the cancer in her body, receiving radiation and soon rounds of chemotherapy.
With expenses both now and in the future, people have overwhelmingly come together in a show of support for the young family in Watrous. Through various things like GoFundMe, a barbecue held by Centennial Ford during its 50th anniversary, and so many others dropping off financial donations over the past few months, the wave of support spilled over Nov. 8.
Since Derek and Lindsey were unable to be in attendance at the fundraiser, on behalf of them, myself (Daniel), my sister Tanya Jansen and Lindsey’s sister Jaymie Peters were asked by the group putting on the event to share. We have been so blown away from the outpouring of support, the encouragement and prayers of so many, at times it is hard to know how to respond and to know what to say. But because of the tremendous outpouring of support and because of how many people have been touched by Derek and Lindsey’s story, we wanted to share their journey with those unable to make the fundraiser.
The following is the majority of what we shared during the evening Nov. 8:
“How can a person say thank you enough for such an outpouring of support? How can a person say thank you enough for the many prayers, words of encouragement and financial donations received? How can a person express their sincerest thanks to everyone who has taken a moment of their time to help out my brother and sister-in law? And how can someone who has felt an overwhelming outpouring of support from so many say how appreciative they are? The only thing to say is . . . thank you!
Thank you to the many who have given so generously through the GoFundMe page that has been set up for Derek and Lindsey. Thank you to the many who have dropped off money and cheques to help them with their expenses and future costs. Thank you to the many who have made meals, have watched their kids, helped with yard work, dropped off cards of encouragement, offered support in any way possible, and who have prayed.
Thank you as well to Centennial Ford who asked us if they could give Derek and Lindsey the proceeds from their 50th anniversary barbecue. Thank you to Lori Ann Frey and members of the Watrous School of Dance and to Lane Manson and TB’s Bar and Grill for holding a fundraiser for Derek and Lindsey and asking us to speak here on behalf of the Baumann and Bushman families this evening. Thank you to the Town of Watrous for waiving the Civic Centre rental fee as well. Thank you to the teachers and staff at Watrous Elementary School and pre-school for your help with the kids. Thank you to our church family for all you have done and continue to do for our families. Thank you to the generous donors who provided items, pies and time this evening. And to each and every one of you who are here tonight, thank you.
We are truly grateful for you and we cannot express our gratitude enough.
After more than a year and a half of searching for answers and seeking a diagnosis, despite not knowing what she had attacking her body and not being covered by health insurance, Lindsey along with Derek decided to go to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
With time becoming more and more critical, it was there that she finally received a diagnosis and a plan to begin treatment on what had been attacking her body. With her septum already destroyed and her sinuses disappeared, Lindsey had consultations, tests, blood work, and then surgery where samples were extracted and a diagnosis reached.
After her surgery at Rochester, Minnesota Aug. 30, doctors found signs of lymphoma and a few days later, pathologists confirmed that it was indeed lymphoma. A week later Derek and Lindsey were informed that she had Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type is a rare and aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, starting in T-cells but developing most often in natural killer (NK) cells. Developing in organs or tissues other than the lymph nodes, it usually affects areas in the nose, most often the nasal passages and can also affect the paranasal sinuses or the upper part of the throat.
More common in Asia, Central America and South America, it occurs more often in men than women and the average age at diagnosis is 60. It is also strongly linked to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), especially in people of Asian ancestry. Since Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma is already rare and Lindsey has only ever resided in Canada, is caucasian and 29-years-old, the odds of her being diagnosed with it are astounding.
After a diagnosis was reached, a scan was also done showing the cancer had not yet spread, an answer to many prayers. Lindsey and Derek were told that treatment could be done in Saskatoon so they returned home after three weeks where they had an appointment in the city with the oncologist Sept. 17. Two days later Lindsey was taken by ambulance to St. Paul’s after she had a nose bleed that wouldn’t stop. After being released from hospital, Lindsey had a scheduled radiologist appointment the following day and was informed that radiation treatment would begin in 10 days. After hearing the news of having to once again wait, Lindsey developed a fever and was admitted to the oncology ward at Royal University Hospital that same day. Because of her condition, the cancer centre doctors worked overtime to come up with a radiation treatment plan to begin a few days later instead of 10 days after, which was originally scheduled. They also did a CT, MRI and made Lindsey a radiation mask immediately, yet another answer to prayer.
Lindsey began radiation for 20 days, receiving chemotherapy once a week during that time. It was at the beginning of her treatment that Lindsey’s doctor said the cancer had found its way to the lymph nodes but was caught just before it began to spread. Her doctor also said the decision to go to Mayo Clinic saved her life.
For more than a month Derek and Lindsey remained at RUH where she received treatment. After her radiation finished in mid-October, doctors told her that she needed to gain her strength before they could begin ramping up her chemotherapy treatments. Derek and Lindsey returned home to Watrous Oct. 30 and while exhausted, Lindsey is scheduled to begin her chemotherapy treatments later this month. The current plan will have her do three straight days of chemotherapy before having a three week break. She will do that three times and doctors have told her that once her chemotherapy is completed, the cancer should be taken care of with a 70 percent chance it will not return. After that, reconstructive surgery is a good possibility so the road to recovery remains long.
However, that path has not been walked alone. Throughout this journey, we have been absolutely overwhelmed by the support we have received from so many. We are just in awe of how so many caring people have come together to support us and Derek and Lindsey during this time. People we know really well to those we have never met and others from different parts of the continent have all banded together like a family. I can’t tell you how many times I have gotten goose bumps when people have dropped off money for Derek and Lindsey or people email to let me know they and others are praying for us. We have realized that this story has touched so many and the generosity and kindness by you has touched us.
We are also reminded about the love we have from God and how He has a plan for each and every one of us. We might not like the way His plans go sometimes and we might not understand them but we are relying on our faith in Christ to get us through this difficult time. There have been instances along this journey where God has been so evident that we know He is walking alongside us. It is also the many prayers by so many that we have been able to continue along each day.
My grandma, who passed away from cancer 18 years ago would always say, ‘take one day at a time’ and we have been hanging on tight to those words and will continue to do so in the days, weeks and months ahead.”
While Derek and Lindsey were unable to attend the fundraiser, they wanted to express their sincerest gratitude as well and have been blown away by the generosity and kindness of so many. “Well where do we begin? No one ever puts themselves in these situations. As we spent all this time searching for a diagnosis, we didn’t honestly expect life to take such a dramatic turn so quickly. Things went downhill and got so intense so quickly, yet in the midst of it all, the stress has been so minimal. We have God to praise for that. When we have had to spend nearly two months away from our children our family and friends have loved them! People have supplied meals to help ease the responsibilities of those watching our children. And while the financial burden of the last two months appeared huge, we have our amazing family, community, friends, church, businesses, people from near and far, and people we don’t even know, to thank for their generosity through their financial means. We know there is a long road ahead with future expenses but we are overwhelmed, humbled and speechless when it comes to support we have received. It has been such a gift from God! Nothing we say or do will ever be enough to express our gratitude. We look forward to the day where Lindsey is back to her healthy self and can be involved in the things she loves again. We are blessed to belong to such an amazing community. From the very bottom of our hearts, thank you. Thank you so incredibly much.”
TWM Top Story - Nov. 5, 2018
McWillie named Player of the Year
Daniel Bushman
Having a love for the game has not only translated into a successful career of striking out batters and hitting home runs but that dedication and hard work has also earned Tyler McWillie Baseball Sask’s Player of the Year honours. Recognized as the best player to suit up in 2018, McWillie was bestowed with Baseball Sask’s 2018 Player of the Year award which was handed out at the provincial organization’s annual general meeting and awards luncheon Oct. 20 in Regina.
Playing within the Watrous Minor Ball system before moving on to compete for Muenster, his province and his country, Tyler was elated to receive the award. “To be named Baseball Sask’s Player of the Year is pretty special. It is an honour to be thought of that way and I cannot thank all the coaches enough that have got me to where I am today. It is something that I am really honoured and proud of.”
Sitting in English class down in Colby, Kansas where he is attending junior college, Tyler said he received a text from his mom Renai that he had been awarded with something pretty cool. “I never thought too much into it and then I got back to my dorm and my jaw dropped when I found out what it was. Again it is something I take a lot of pride in. There are so many athletes that were in the same category as me and it almost gives me shivers thinking that they nominated me for the award.”
While Tyler said 2018 might not have been the greatest statistic wise, he felt the year was his best as a whole. Coming off elbow surgery, McWillie not only had the task of recovering but putting in a lot of hard work to regain his full potential. With a lot of support from his family, friends and teammates, Tyler went to work and began his rehab. “I lost most of my strength and it took a while to get it back. It was difficult taking that step back but I had to learn to get better every day and that is what I thought I needed to do.”
While it did not come as easy or as quickly as the pitcher and hitter wanted, McWillie began buying into the process and pretty soon the discouragement turned into results and his laser quick velocity returned as did his smooth swing of the bat. “I was able to overcome a lot this past year and because of that, it will be a year I will remember for a very long time.”
His hard work both on and off the field did not go unnoticed as Baseball Sask’s High Performance Director Greg Brons understood how tough it was for Tyler. Brons was the person who submitted the nomination for McWillie to be this year’s Player of the Year stating: Tyler McWillie is one of the most dedicated, loyal, and hardest working players we have ever had in the program. 2017 saw him win a gold medal at the Canada Games as he was on the mound for the final out. In September, he found out he needed surgery on his elbow. Thankfully it was not the UCL but it required a tremendous amount of rehab during the off season. 2018 proved to be a great year for him once he got his strength back. He competed with the Muenster Red Sox. At provincials, he pitched six innings for the win and struck out 11 batters. At the Canada Cup in Moncton, Tyler was a key player on the mound and at the plate for Team Sask. He had two home runs at the tournament – one against Team Ontario and one versus Team Quebec. He was always a threat with the bat as many teams tried pitching around him. On the mound he got the save versus Team B.C. in a 1-0 win and the save versus Team Quebec which allowed us to finish fifth overall at the tournament. He flashed a 90+ m.p.h. fastball at the tournament during his appearances. Greg Hamilton with Team Canada will be inviting Tyler to the qualifying tournament in Panama in November. Currently, Tyler is in Kansas playing junior college baseball and is fitting in really well with his new teammates along with Sask teammates Ryan Olchoway and Logan Hofmann. Coach Ryan Carter at Colby is very happy to have Tyler on his roster and believes he will be a big part of their success in the Jayhawk conference this year.
Growing up on the farm, McWillie said he picked up a glove and bat right from an early age. Having members of his family already involved in ball also spurred on McWillie’s passion for the game. “I started around the age of five. I always used to watch my Dad play fastball growing up and my brothers and I would play catch for countless hours during the game.”
While the game on the field would come to a close for Tyler’s Dad Norman, the one between the McWillie brothers would be put on pause with hopes it would resume once the family arrived back at the farm. “We would get home and I would beg to go outside and play more,” said Tyler, adding, “My brothers and my Dad are a big reason for where I am today with the hours they would play with me and I cannot thank my Mom enough for all the driving she has done for me.”
It was also Tyler’s mom Renai who accepted the Player of the Year award on Tyler’s behalf while he is down in Colby, Kansas. Since his time began south of the border, Tyler said the new adjustment has been going pretty well. “I am really enjoying my time down here. I knew some guys before like Logan Hoffman from Muenster so that has been really nice. He helped me to get settled in and the coaches are great. I am really happy with the school I have picked.”
As McWillie gets used to his new surroundings in a community of about 6,500, he noted how his past successes have aided in paving the way to where he is now. Some of those early accomplishments were evident on the ball diamonds in Watrous as he competed within the local minor ball system. “Watrous Minor Baseball was a great place to start with my development and that is where I learned to love the game. Playing ball on a Saturday with my best friends was something that I loved doing. I was fortunate to have my Dad as a coach growing up and he always pushed me to be better and I really think that helped with my success. All the coaches I had growing up loved the game and that has had an affect on me as well.”
Learning and loving the sport also brought with it the opportunity to try out different positions. Tyler has not only excelled at being able to pitch and hit but he has applied that knowledge during game situations, both on the mound and at the plate.
“Being able to pitch and hit is a huge advantage. When I am in the box against an opposing pitcher, I can almost guess what they will be throwing because I am able to put myself in their shoes and vise versa when I am the pitcher. I think it gives me an upper hand against the competition. If I had to choose a favourite position though it would probably be pitching because there is no better feeling than striking a batter out. I like having control of the game and that is what pitching does.”
Because of the way he approaches the game, McWillie has not only been able to compete locally and within Saskatchewan but around the continent as well. “Baseball has taken me all over North America. I have been on so many trips to the United States and to the eastern part of Canada. I have been grateful enough to compete at a high level since I was around the age of 11 and you do not really realize it at the time but looking back at all the places I have been, it really is something special.”
McWillie will be adding another destination to his list of places when he takes part in Team Canada’s national trip to Panama Nov. 13 to Dec. 3. McWillie said he is thrilled to be a part of the journey ahead. “I have always dreamt of putting on the jersey of our national team. I had chills running through my whole body when I was talking to Greg Hamilton with Team Canada. Although I have made the initial selection I still need to prove myself. I am really looking forward to the competition that we will be facing. It will be an incredible experience.”
After McWillie has a chance to be a part of Team Canada on the global stage, he will return to Kansas to focus on the college season. “I am really looking forward to a great year.”
And through it all, with all of the success he has already had in his career, Tyler was quick to point out it has been a team effort along the way. “My family is number one, my father, brothers and mother have helped me tremendously. I have always looked up to Eugene McWillie as well since he dominated the game of softball for so many years. All the coaches I have had have helped, the main thing is they always make baseball fun, I have never thought of it as a chore, it is always something I am able to enjoy.”
Daniel Bushman
Having a love for the game has not only translated into a successful career of striking out batters and hitting home runs but that dedication and hard work has also earned Tyler McWillie Baseball Sask’s Player of the Year honours. Recognized as the best player to suit up in 2018, McWillie was bestowed with Baseball Sask’s 2018 Player of the Year award which was handed out at the provincial organization’s annual general meeting and awards luncheon Oct. 20 in Regina.
Playing within the Watrous Minor Ball system before moving on to compete for Muenster, his province and his country, Tyler was elated to receive the award. “To be named Baseball Sask’s Player of the Year is pretty special. It is an honour to be thought of that way and I cannot thank all the coaches enough that have got me to where I am today. It is something that I am really honoured and proud of.”
Sitting in English class down in Colby, Kansas where he is attending junior college, Tyler said he received a text from his mom Renai that he had been awarded with something pretty cool. “I never thought too much into it and then I got back to my dorm and my jaw dropped when I found out what it was. Again it is something I take a lot of pride in. There are so many athletes that were in the same category as me and it almost gives me shivers thinking that they nominated me for the award.”
While Tyler said 2018 might not have been the greatest statistic wise, he felt the year was his best as a whole. Coming off elbow surgery, McWillie not only had the task of recovering but putting in a lot of hard work to regain his full potential. With a lot of support from his family, friends and teammates, Tyler went to work and began his rehab. “I lost most of my strength and it took a while to get it back. It was difficult taking that step back but I had to learn to get better every day and that is what I thought I needed to do.”
While it did not come as easy or as quickly as the pitcher and hitter wanted, McWillie began buying into the process and pretty soon the discouragement turned into results and his laser quick velocity returned as did his smooth swing of the bat. “I was able to overcome a lot this past year and because of that, it will be a year I will remember for a very long time.”
His hard work both on and off the field did not go unnoticed as Baseball Sask’s High Performance Director Greg Brons understood how tough it was for Tyler. Brons was the person who submitted the nomination for McWillie to be this year’s Player of the Year stating: Tyler McWillie is one of the most dedicated, loyal, and hardest working players we have ever had in the program. 2017 saw him win a gold medal at the Canada Games as he was on the mound for the final out. In September, he found out he needed surgery on his elbow. Thankfully it was not the UCL but it required a tremendous amount of rehab during the off season. 2018 proved to be a great year for him once he got his strength back. He competed with the Muenster Red Sox. At provincials, he pitched six innings for the win and struck out 11 batters. At the Canada Cup in Moncton, Tyler was a key player on the mound and at the plate for Team Sask. He had two home runs at the tournament – one against Team Ontario and one versus Team Quebec. He was always a threat with the bat as many teams tried pitching around him. On the mound he got the save versus Team B.C. in a 1-0 win and the save versus Team Quebec which allowed us to finish fifth overall at the tournament. He flashed a 90+ m.p.h. fastball at the tournament during his appearances. Greg Hamilton with Team Canada will be inviting Tyler to the qualifying tournament in Panama in November. Currently, Tyler is in Kansas playing junior college baseball and is fitting in really well with his new teammates along with Sask teammates Ryan Olchoway and Logan Hofmann. Coach Ryan Carter at Colby is very happy to have Tyler on his roster and believes he will be a big part of their success in the Jayhawk conference this year.
Growing up on the farm, McWillie said he picked up a glove and bat right from an early age. Having members of his family already involved in ball also spurred on McWillie’s passion for the game. “I started around the age of five. I always used to watch my Dad play fastball growing up and my brothers and I would play catch for countless hours during the game.”
While the game on the field would come to a close for Tyler’s Dad Norman, the one between the McWillie brothers would be put on pause with hopes it would resume once the family arrived back at the farm. “We would get home and I would beg to go outside and play more,” said Tyler, adding, “My brothers and my Dad are a big reason for where I am today with the hours they would play with me and I cannot thank my Mom enough for all the driving she has done for me.”
It was also Tyler’s mom Renai who accepted the Player of the Year award on Tyler’s behalf while he is down in Colby, Kansas. Since his time began south of the border, Tyler said the new adjustment has been going pretty well. “I am really enjoying my time down here. I knew some guys before like Logan Hoffman from Muenster so that has been really nice. He helped me to get settled in and the coaches are great. I am really happy with the school I have picked.”
As McWillie gets used to his new surroundings in a community of about 6,500, he noted how his past successes have aided in paving the way to where he is now. Some of those early accomplishments were evident on the ball diamonds in Watrous as he competed within the local minor ball system. “Watrous Minor Baseball was a great place to start with my development and that is where I learned to love the game. Playing ball on a Saturday with my best friends was something that I loved doing. I was fortunate to have my Dad as a coach growing up and he always pushed me to be better and I really think that helped with my success. All the coaches I had growing up loved the game and that has had an affect on me as well.”
Learning and loving the sport also brought with it the opportunity to try out different positions. Tyler has not only excelled at being able to pitch and hit but he has applied that knowledge during game situations, both on the mound and at the plate.
“Being able to pitch and hit is a huge advantage. When I am in the box against an opposing pitcher, I can almost guess what they will be throwing because I am able to put myself in their shoes and vise versa when I am the pitcher. I think it gives me an upper hand against the competition. If I had to choose a favourite position though it would probably be pitching because there is no better feeling than striking a batter out. I like having control of the game and that is what pitching does.”
Because of the way he approaches the game, McWillie has not only been able to compete locally and within Saskatchewan but around the continent as well. “Baseball has taken me all over North America. I have been on so many trips to the United States and to the eastern part of Canada. I have been grateful enough to compete at a high level since I was around the age of 11 and you do not really realize it at the time but looking back at all the places I have been, it really is something special.”
McWillie will be adding another destination to his list of places when he takes part in Team Canada’s national trip to Panama Nov. 13 to Dec. 3. McWillie said he is thrilled to be a part of the journey ahead. “I have always dreamt of putting on the jersey of our national team. I had chills running through my whole body when I was talking to Greg Hamilton with Team Canada. Although I have made the initial selection I still need to prove myself. I am really looking forward to the competition that we will be facing. It will be an incredible experience.”
After McWillie has a chance to be a part of Team Canada on the global stage, he will return to Kansas to focus on the college season. “I am really looking forward to a great year.”
And through it all, with all of the success he has already had in his career, Tyler was quick to point out it has been a team effort along the way. “My family is number one, my father, brothers and mother have helped me tremendously. I have always looked up to Eugene McWillie as well since he dominated the game of softball for so many years. All the coaches I have had have helped, the main thing is they always make baseball fun, I have never thought of it as a chore, it is always something I am able to enjoy.”
TWM Top Story - Oct. 29, 2018
Manitou Mainline Chrysler holds grand opening
Daniel Bushman
History was made and a new era commenced as upwards of 600 people went through the doors of the brand new Manitou Mainline Chrysler in Watrous during its grand opening. With close to 400 new and used vehicles lined up and ready to be purchased at the state-of-the-art 25,000 square foot facility, the official grand opening ceremony was held at the dealership just off of Hwy. 2 in Watrous.
With dignitaries, special guests and customers from the community, surrounding area and province in attendance Oct. 20, co-owner and president of the dealership Curtis Merrifield said the grand opening was excellent.
“The team we have in Watrous did a great job of putting on the event and it was great to see so many people make it out and show their support. It was really a good grand opening with so many customers turning out to see what we have to offer.”
After officially putting the shovels in the ground last October, people were able to stop by just over a year later to take in the celebrations of the finished facility. On behalf of business partners Jason Ediger and Keegan McAvoy and land partner Don Campbell, Merrifield shared words of appreciation to the many people that helped with the project and those who have supported the venture.
“Without Don Campbell, the Town of Watrous, Melron and Wright Construction, we would not have been at the point where we were at to have the grand opening. They all went really above and beyond and we really appreciated it and are excited to be part of the community.” An excited Merrifield continued, “It is great to be able to open a dealership like this in Watrous and I think it will not only bring in more people to the community and the area but also strengthen the business community. Having a third dealership here and being a new brand, I think it will provide another reason to come to Watrous. The last time there was a Chrysler dealership in Watrous was back when I was a kid so having Chrysler return will make this town a bigger attraction. There are three strong car dealerships here and people should be proud of that.”
For Merrifield and Ediger, it was also a coming home of sorts as the pair began their careers within the car industry at Watrous Mainline Motors. “We started at Mainline and Don Campbell and my Dad (Gerald Merrifield) gave us our start. Jason was there with me and we are definitely happy to be back in Watrous. It is where we grew up and where we first started.”
After moving from Watrous, the pair set up shop in Rosetown and for Curtis, he said it has been quite the journey. “I owe the opportunity to Don and my dad. They gave me my first opportunity at Watrous Mainline Motors and then in Rosetown and Jason and I were able to go there and create something pretty incredible. Don and Dad stayed with us to get the Kindersley and Virden dealerships as well and now we have come full circle back to Watrous where it all began. When I left town I did not think I would be back but it is pretty exciting to return home.”
Noting how great his business partners have been along the way and with the help from those within Watrous, Curtis said without them, Manitou Mainline Chrysler would not have come to fruition.
“I was blown away at how quick things came together and a lot of that was due to the support from my business partners Jason Ediger and Keegan McAvoy, land partner Don Campbell, and the Town of Watrous and Melron. I think this business will be a positive thing for years to come and as we grow as a dealership, more people will come in to town. Bringing in more people to Watrous is positive for everybody and I am excited to be a part of Watrous and Manitou Beach again.”
Merrifield also said it has been nice to have his Mom Lynn lending a hand at the new dealership. “My Mom is helping us out which has been really great. She does tours when people come through the doors and welcomes them with open arms. She is also donating her salary back to different organizations in town and has been incredible for us. It is great to have her and to have other local area people on staff. The group we have here is excellent.”
Along with Curtis, general manager of the new dealership Ryan Hunt also shared a few words during the grand opening ceremony. He was joined by Watrous Mayor Ed Collins, Manitou Beach Mayor Gerry Worobec, and RM of Morris Reeve Bob Penrose, who brought greetings. Melron owners Ron and Melissa Ediger, who purchased the first vehicle from the dealership, provided Manitou Mainline Chrysler with a plaque containing a sculptured Ram that is now displayed in the lounge area.
Hunt said the enthusiasm from everyone in attendance was contagious and despite the wet weather earlier in the month leading to a lot of farmers being on the fields, he said the grand opening was still a huge success.
“It was exciting to see so many people coming through the doors and watching their reactions as they saw the brand new place for the first time. This is an exciting time for the community and the area and we had people coming from as far away as Manitoba, Swift Current, Prince Albert, Rosetown and down by Weyburn.”
The general manager also mentioned how appreciative he was that the local dignitaries were able to attend the special day including Hendry’s owner Bob Hendry from Nokomis. “We were grateful that Bob was able to make it as well and are excited to be able to work with him moving forward.”
As part of the ceremonies, a board with the inscription of Manitou Mainline Chrysler, carved by local artist Wayne Seabrook was used for the official ribbon cutting. Curtis Merrifield received a chainsaw from Manitou Beach Mayor Gerry Worobec and cut the ‘ribbon’ to officially open the dealership. People who were shuttled to the business from nearby then had the opportunity to check out the vehicles and the 25,000 square foot facility which includes auto repairs, a quick lube oil change bay, detailing services, and a parts department. A barbecue was also put on and prizes given away throughout the day. Customers also had the chance to interact with the nearly 40 employees that are on staff. Hunt said when it came to hiring, it was nice to be able to bring in a lot of local and familiar faces.
“Having local faces was a focus of mine,” he said. “We want to have people at Manitou Mainline Chrysler here for a long time and hiring from the community was important to me. People are the foundation of this business and the strength of the community and we wanted to have that here. This is exciting for us and we want this place to have an inviting atmosphere. That is the most important thing to us. We want to stand out and be different and we are appreciative of those who were able to stop by Oct. 20. For those who were riding in the combine trying to get harvest completed and unable to make it, we look forward to meeting you in the near future.”
Daniel Bushman
History was made and a new era commenced as upwards of 600 people went through the doors of the brand new Manitou Mainline Chrysler in Watrous during its grand opening. With close to 400 new and used vehicles lined up and ready to be purchased at the state-of-the-art 25,000 square foot facility, the official grand opening ceremony was held at the dealership just off of Hwy. 2 in Watrous.
With dignitaries, special guests and customers from the community, surrounding area and province in attendance Oct. 20, co-owner and president of the dealership Curtis Merrifield said the grand opening was excellent.
“The team we have in Watrous did a great job of putting on the event and it was great to see so many people make it out and show their support. It was really a good grand opening with so many customers turning out to see what we have to offer.”
After officially putting the shovels in the ground last October, people were able to stop by just over a year later to take in the celebrations of the finished facility. On behalf of business partners Jason Ediger and Keegan McAvoy and land partner Don Campbell, Merrifield shared words of appreciation to the many people that helped with the project and those who have supported the venture.
“Without Don Campbell, the Town of Watrous, Melron and Wright Construction, we would not have been at the point where we were at to have the grand opening. They all went really above and beyond and we really appreciated it and are excited to be part of the community.” An excited Merrifield continued, “It is great to be able to open a dealership like this in Watrous and I think it will not only bring in more people to the community and the area but also strengthen the business community. Having a third dealership here and being a new brand, I think it will provide another reason to come to Watrous. The last time there was a Chrysler dealership in Watrous was back when I was a kid so having Chrysler return will make this town a bigger attraction. There are three strong car dealerships here and people should be proud of that.”
For Merrifield and Ediger, it was also a coming home of sorts as the pair began their careers within the car industry at Watrous Mainline Motors. “We started at Mainline and Don Campbell and my Dad (Gerald Merrifield) gave us our start. Jason was there with me and we are definitely happy to be back in Watrous. It is where we grew up and where we first started.”
After moving from Watrous, the pair set up shop in Rosetown and for Curtis, he said it has been quite the journey. “I owe the opportunity to Don and my dad. They gave me my first opportunity at Watrous Mainline Motors and then in Rosetown and Jason and I were able to go there and create something pretty incredible. Don and Dad stayed with us to get the Kindersley and Virden dealerships as well and now we have come full circle back to Watrous where it all began. When I left town I did not think I would be back but it is pretty exciting to return home.”
Noting how great his business partners have been along the way and with the help from those within Watrous, Curtis said without them, Manitou Mainline Chrysler would not have come to fruition.
“I was blown away at how quick things came together and a lot of that was due to the support from my business partners Jason Ediger and Keegan McAvoy, land partner Don Campbell, and the Town of Watrous and Melron. I think this business will be a positive thing for years to come and as we grow as a dealership, more people will come in to town. Bringing in more people to Watrous is positive for everybody and I am excited to be a part of Watrous and Manitou Beach again.”
Merrifield also said it has been nice to have his Mom Lynn lending a hand at the new dealership. “My Mom is helping us out which has been really great. She does tours when people come through the doors and welcomes them with open arms. She is also donating her salary back to different organizations in town and has been incredible for us. It is great to have her and to have other local area people on staff. The group we have here is excellent.”
Along with Curtis, general manager of the new dealership Ryan Hunt also shared a few words during the grand opening ceremony. He was joined by Watrous Mayor Ed Collins, Manitou Beach Mayor Gerry Worobec, and RM of Morris Reeve Bob Penrose, who brought greetings. Melron owners Ron and Melissa Ediger, who purchased the first vehicle from the dealership, provided Manitou Mainline Chrysler with a plaque containing a sculptured Ram that is now displayed in the lounge area.
Hunt said the enthusiasm from everyone in attendance was contagious and despite the wet weather earlier in the month leading to a lot of farmers being on the fields, he said the grand opening was still a huge success.
“It was exciting to see so many people coming through the doors and watching their reactions as they saw the brand new place for the first time. This is an exciting time for the community and the area and we had people coming from as far away as Manitoba, Swift Current, Prince Albert, Rosetown and down by Weyburn.”
The general manager also mentioned how appreciative he was that the local dignitaries were able to attend the special day including Hendry’s owner Bob Hendry from Nokomis. “We were grateful that Bob was able to make it as well and are excited to be able to work with him moving forward.”
As part of the ceremonies, a board with the inscription of Manitou Mainline Chrysler, carved by local artist Wayne Seabrook was used for the official ribbon cutting. Curtis Merrifield received a chainsaw from Manitou Beach Mayor Gerry Worobec and cut the ‘ribbon’ to officially open the dealership. People who were shuttled to the business from nearby then had the opportunity to check out the vehicles and the 25,000 square foot facility which includes auto repairs, a quick lube oil change bay, detailing services, and a parts department. A barbecue was also put on and prizes given away throughout the day. Customers also had the chance to interact with the nearly 40 employees that are on staff. Hunt said when it came to hiring, it was nice to be able to bring in a lot of local and familiar faces.
“Having local faces was a focus of mine,” he said. “We want to have people at Manitou Mainline Chrysler here for a long time and hiring from the community was important to me. People are the foundation of this business and the strength of the community and we wanted to have that here. This is exciting for us and we want this place to have an inviting atmosphere. That is the most important thing to us. We want to stand out and be different and we are appreciative of those who were able to stop by Oct. 20. For those who were riding in the combine trying to get harvest completed and unable to make it, we look forward to meeting you in the near future.”
TWM Top Story - Oct. 22, 2018
Centennial Ford celebrates 50 years in business
Daniel Bushman
Cake was cut, lunch served, vehicles sold and prizes won as Centennial Ford in Watrous not only marked a milestone but provided an opportunity for its customers and local area residents to celebrate the occasion. For the past 50 years the community-minded dealership has sold thousands of vehicles, won numerous awards and provided substantial funds towards community initiatives.
Current owner of Centennial Ford, Michelle Amendt along with previous owners Earle Amendt Sr. and Earl Jr. were joined by family members, staff, dignitaries and customers Oct. 13 to commemorate the past 50 years. Michelle said she was excited to be able to celebrate the massive milestone, noting the importance of those who have supported the dealership within the community and surrounding area.
First starting as a Ford dealership, gas station and restaurant in 1968 along Hwy. 2 in Watrous, Centennial Ford underwent a major renovation 20 years later to include a 5,500 square foot back shop. While the gas station and restaurant eventually disappeared allowing more room for vehicles, two more renovations including the most recent change of the dealership’s frontage occurred; with all three spearheaded by former owner Earle Amendt Sr.
But before Earle Sr. took on the dealership and implemented some of his changes, Michelle said the building was first purchased from Peter and Barbara Rogina by Maynard Fossen and Dale Hayter. Under the leadership of Fossen and Hayter, Centennial Ford moved ahead and in 1984, Earle Amendt Sr. purchased Fossen’s shares. Bing Vanthuyne was also a part owner for several years, starting at the dealership in 1969 and becoming part owner in 1973. “He was an owner for approximately 20 years and his no pressure, friendly nature has proved an essential part of Centennial Ford’s success,” said Michelle.
As the business continued to grow, Earle Amendt Sr. eventually became sole owner of the company, running the dealership for a number of years before selling it approximately 15 years ago to Earl Amendt Jr. and Michelle Amendt. Then in December 2016, Michelle took on the sole role of owner.
Being able to be part of a family owned business, Michelle said it has been very cool. “Pride says it all,” she emphasized. “There has been a lot of hard work, dedication and commitment that have made it happen for us to be here today. There are two key players that have contributed to the success and growth of Centennial Ford over the past number of years. I have had the pleasure of working with these two over the past 20 years and knowing them my entire life! Earle Sr. spent 34 years overseeing the business with his vision, organizational skills and attention to detail with numbers. Earl Jr. has been involved for 30 years using his wit and charm to sell vehicles, manage people and manage inventory.”
With 24 employees currently at the dealership, Amendt said it is an incredible achievement to be able to reach 50 years of business in Watrous.
“There are few businesses, especially in today’s day and age, that can say they have marked 50 years and we really feel proud and honoured to have achieved that. I think what makes us special is the people, both staff and our customers. We have an excellent staff that work together and we strive to give excellent service and pay close attention to our customers’ needs. We have received over 20 Customer Satisfaction Awards from Ford of Canada, the most recent was the President’s Diamond Club Award achieved for 2017. This is the highest customer satisfaction award that you can achieve from Ford.”
Because of the support from Watrous and the surrounding area, Michelle was quick to point out that it remains the reason they are still in business. “It has been excellent over the years and the community is extremely important to us. Without it, we would not be here today.”
It is because of the importance of community to Centennial Ford that they have also in turn given back. “Over the last 50 years Centennial Ford has been involved with many community events. We have been able to donate $30,000 to the Watrous Swimming Pool, $50,000 to the Watrous Hospital Foundation, and $50,000 to the Watrous/Manitou Beach Heritage Centre. We have also hosted many Drive Events to raise money for the Watrous community including for Winston High School, the Watrous Curling Rink, the Watrous School of Dance and the United Church to name a few. Additionally, we held many Drive Events for the surrounding area as well that included Young, Imperial, Lanigan, Viscount, Davidson, Allan and Colonsay. With Ford’s generous donations through those events and others, over $85,000 dollars for those local groups and charities has been raised!”
Amendt also noted that outside of the day to day business operations, the Centennial Ford family has been involved within the community. “Throughout the past several years Centennial Ford management and owners have been involved in the community in various roles including as president of Chamber of Commerce, past Kinsmen president, Fun Run car show chair, on Watrous Town Council, Knights of Columbus, president of the organizing committee to build the Manitou Springs Hotel, plus coaching baseball and hockey. Currently Earl Jr. is part of the United Church board and I have been an active member of the Music Festival committee and Horizon Winds Band committee for several years. I have also coached and managed the local swim club for 20 years. For us it is more than selling cars. We appreciate the community we have grown up in, raised our kids in and have done business in. To our customers, the community and the surrounding area, we appreciate you and we hope to be able to continue to serve you in the future!”
Daniel Bushman
Cake was cut, lunch served, vehicles sold and prizes won as Centennial Ford in Watrous not only marked a milestone but provided an opportunity for its customers and local area residents to celebrate the occasion. For the past 50 years the community-minded dealership has sold thousands of vehicles, won numerous awards and provided substantial funds towards community initiatives.
Current owner of Centennial Ford, Michelle Amendt along with previous owners Earle Amendt Sr. and Earl Jr. were joined by family members, staff, dignitaries and customers Oct. 13 to commemorate the past 50 years. Michelle said she was excited to be able to celebrate the massive milestone, noting the importance of those who have supported the dealership within the community and surrounding area.
First starting as a Ford dealership, gas station and restaurant in 1968 along Hwy. 2 in Watrous, Centennial Ford underwent a major renovation 20 years later to include a 5,500 square foot back shop. While the gas station and restaurant eventually disappeared allowing more room for vehicles, two more renovations including the most recent change of the dealership’s frontage occurred; with all three spearheaded by former owner Earle Amendt Sr.
But before Earle Sr. took on the dealership and implemented some of his changes, Michelle said the building was first purchased from Peter and Barbara Rogina by Maynard Fossen and Dale Hayter. Under the leadership of Fossen and Hayter, Centennial Ford moved ahead and in 1984, Earle Amendt Sr. purchased Fossen’s shares. Bing Vanthuyne was also a part owner for several years, starting at the dealership in 1969 and becoming part owner in 1973. “He was an owner for approximately 20 years and his no pressure, friendly nature has proved an essential part of Centennial Ford’s success,” said Michelle.
As the business continued to grow, Earle Amendt Sr. eventually became sole owner of the company, running the dealership for a number of years before selling it approximately 15 years ago to Earl Amendt Jr. and Michelle Amendt. Then in December 2016, Michelle took on the sole role of owner.
Being able to be part of a family owned business, Michelle said it has been very cool. “Pride says it all,” she emphasized. “There has been a lot of hard work, dedication and commitment that have made it happen for us to be here today. There are two key players that have contributed to the success and growth of Centennial Ford over the past number of years. I have had the pleasure of working with these two over the past 20 years and knowing them my entire life! Earle Sr. spent 34 years overseeing the business with his vision, organizational skills and attention to detail with numbers. Earl Jr. has been involved for 30 years using his wit and charm to sell vehicles, manage people and manage inventory.”
With 24 employees currently at the dealership, Amendt said it is an incredible achievement to be able to reach 50 years of business in Watrous.
“There are few businesses, especially in today’s day and age, that can say they have marked 50 years and we really feel proud and honoured to have achieved that. I think what makes us special is the people, both staff and our customers. We have an excellent staff that work together and we strive to give excellent service and pay close attention to our customers’ needs. We have received over 20 Customer Satisfaction Awards from Ford of Canada, the most recent was the President’s Diamond Club Award achieved for 2017. This is the highest customer satisfaction award that you can achieve from Ford.”
Because of the support from Watrous and the surrounding area, Michelle was quick to point out that it remains the reason they are still in business. “It has been excellent over the years and the community is extremely important to us. Without it, we would not be here today.”
It is because of the importance of community to Centennial Ford that they have also in turn given back. “Over the last 50 years Centennial Ford has been involved with many community events. We have been able to donate $30,000 to the Watrous Swimming Pool, $50,000 to the Watrous Hospital Foundation, and $50,000 to the Watrous/Manitou Beach Heritage Centre. We have also hosted many Drive Events to raise money for the Watrous community including for Winston High School, the Watrous Curling Rink, the Watrous School of Dance and the United Church to name a few. Additionally, we held many Drive Events for the surrounding area as well that included Young, Imperial, Lanigan, Viscount, Davidson, Allan and Colonsay. With Ford’s generous donations through those events and others, over $85,000 dollars for those local groups and charities has been raised!”
Amendt also noted that outside of the day to day business operations, the Centennial Ford family has been involved within the community. “Throughout the past several years Centennial Ford management and owners have been involved in the community in various roles including as president of Chamber of Commerce, past Kinsmen president, Fun Run car show chair, on Watrous Town Council, Knights of Columbus, president of the organizing committee to build the Manitou Springs Hotel, plus coaching baseball and hockey. Currently Earl Jr. is part of the United Church board and I have been an active member of the Music Festival committee and Horizon Winds Band committee for several years. I have also coached and managed the local swim club for 20 years. For us it is more than selling cars. We appreciate the community we have grown up in, raised our kids in and have done business in. To our customers, the community and the surrounding area, we appreciate you and we hope to be able to continue to serve you in the future!”
TWM Top Story - Oct. 15, 2018
WorkHorse Hub founded by local resident named ABEX Award finalist
Daniel Bushman
It is an innovative and creative way of matching employees with employers within the agricultural sector and later this month, WorkHorse Hub (co-created by local resident Morgan Knezacek), will be up for an ABEX award. Celebrating Saskatchewan business excellence, WorkHorse Hub was named a finalist in the Innovation Award category for this year’s 35th annual Achievement in Business Excellence (ABEX) Awards.
Grouped with other innovative businesses throughout Saskatchewan, Knezacek, who now calls Manitou Beach home, was honoured and thrilled when she found out WorkHorse Hub was named a finalist. “We were taught to work hard, always be learning and stay grounded.” Growing up on the family farm between Watrous and Manitou Beach, Morgan gained experience working with her parents Ed and Mary, and brothers Luke and Gavin before starting her career and eventually co-creating WorkHorse Hub with Kristjan Hebert.
An entrepreneur in the agriculture sector, Knezacek began consulting across the province for grain farms, predominantly larger ones, where she would help with everything from hiring to navigating succession. However, it was during that time she discovered the need for labour was a lot bigger than she thought.
“I had the opportunity to attend an industry conference and quickly realized that across all agricultural sectors, HR and finding good labour was a major pain point.”
What Knezacek gleaned from her time at the industry conference in Winnipeg was the immense struggle employers in those sectors were faced with in trying to find the right people. “I think employers found it challenging to promote their job opportunities and attract candidates. After that conference, I thought there has to be a way to solve this on a larger scale.”
Knowing that hiring recruiters to help Morgan would not be enough to deal with the magnitude of the issue, Knezacek got down to business. After having a conversation with Kristjan, who ended up becoming her business partner, the pair talked about how to solve this problem.
“We honed in on an idea and it was essentially based on a dating, match.com concept. If people can get matched for love why can’t they get matched for work?”
Setting out to create this unique online site and opportunity for both employer and employee in the agriculture sector, Knezacek and Hebert launched WorkHorse Hub.
“We invested in market research and began to understand that producers want help finding the right people to work for their operation so we decided to combine our expertise in human resources, agriculture, and technology and transform the way agriculture hires.”
Building a team proficient in development, human resources, marketing, immigration law among other fields, Knezacek explained their new way of finding the right matches for both the employee and employer.
“We are striving to revolutionize the way agriculture workers are hired. We use a matching algorithm that matches job seekers to employers and vice versa. We have candidates that are local and from around the world, they can choose to be in our database and receive messages from employers or remain private and just recieve match updates. Some are looking to get exposure and experience working on farms and others are millenial or generation z farmers from Australia, for example. Their parents have given them lots of experience as a kid growing up but they’d like to go away for a few years, gain some exposure and bring that knowledge back to the farm. It’s a piece of the succession path for those candidates.”
Because of their innovative and user-friendly system, WorkHorse Hub was recognized as a finalist for this year’s ABEX Awards. In order to be selected for the prestigious awards, ABEX applicants went through a rigorous adjudication process with 52 finalists ultimately selected in nine business categories. Finalists are then judged on the quality of their application and supporting documents, including a Safety Plan. The Safety Plan is an important aspect of each application, Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board is the Safety Partner for the ABEX Awards.
“It is a really rewarding place to be,” said Knezacek of WorkHorse Hub, which can be found online at www.workhorsehub.ca. “I feel like we have a lot of room to grow but can also appreciate how far we’ve come. That is all kudos to our team. We have a fantastic group of people that are just as passionate—or maybe even more passionate than I am—that are helping us move forward. Myself and Kristjan could not do this alone. We’ve got a great team!”
Knezacek also added she would not be where she is today without the support from her family. “My husband Matthew has been such a tremendous support and an encouragement to me as I have taken on this venture. We have been so blessed by our daughter Gwenyth and both her and my husband mean the world to me.”
Along with WorkHorse Hub in the Innovation Award category, sponsored by Saskatchewan Polytechnic, the other finalists are: InfraReady Products (1998) Ltd., Quantum Mechanical Technology Inc., Viking Innovations Ltd., and Linnaeus Plant Sciences Inc.
The remaining categories include: the Community Involvement Award, the Export Award, the Growth and Expansion Award, the Marketing Award, the New Venture Award, the Service Award, the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and the Priority Focus Award.
Five additional awards will be awarded on the night of the ABEX Awards and include: the prestigious Business Leader of the Year Award, the Community Leader of the Year Award, the Saskatchewan Hall of Fame, the Roger Phillips Chamber Builder, and the ABEX Business of the Year.
Steve McLellan, CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce said, “It’s an honour for the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce to continue to host this event and pay tribute to the Saskatchewan businesses that are doing amazing things in our province and across the globe.”
The finalists for the 2018 ABEX Awards, presented by Conexus Credit Union will be recognized at this year’s ABEX Awards Oct. 20 at TCU Place in Saskatoon. For a complete list of the finalists, people can visit www.saskchamber.com.
Daniel Bushman
It is an innovative and creative way of matching employees with employers within the agricultural sector and later this month, WorkHorse Hub (co-created by local resident Morgan Knezacek), will be up for an ABEX award. Celebrating Saskatchewan business excellence, WorkHorse Hub was named a finalist in the Innovation Award category for this year’s 35th annual Achievement in Business Excellence (ABEX) Awards.
Grouped with other innovative businesses throughout Saskatchewan, Knezacek, who now calls Manitou Beach home, was honoured and thrilled when she found out WorkHorse Hub was named a finalist. “We were taught to work hard, always be learning and stay grounded.” Growing up on the family farm between Watrous and Manitou Beach, Morgan gained experience working with her parents Ed and Mary, and brothers Luke and Gavin before starting her career and eventually co-creating WorkHorse Hub with Kristjan Hebert.
An entrepreneur in the agriculture sector, Knezacek began consulting across the province for grain farms, predominantly larger ones, where she would help with everything from hiring to navigating succession. However, it was during that time she discovered the need for labour was a lot bigger than she thought.
“I had the opportunity to attend an industry conference and quickly realized that across all agricultural sectors, HR and finding good labour was a major pain point.”
What Knezacek gleaned from her time at the industry conference in Winnipeg was the immense struggle employers in those sectors were faced with in trying to find the right people. “I think employers found it challenging to promote their job opportunities and attract candidates. After that conference, I thought there has to be a way to solve this on a larger scale.”
Knowing that hiring recruiters to help Morgan would not be enough to deal with the magnitude of the issue, Knezacek got down to business. After having a conversation with Kristjan, who ended up becoming her business partner, the pair talked about how to solve this problem.
“We honed in on an idea and it was essentially based on a dating, match.com concept. If people can get matched for love why can’t they get matched for work?”
Setting out to create this unique online site and opportunity for both employer and employee in the agriculture sector, Knezacek and Hebert launched WorkHorse Hub.
“We invested in market research and began to understand that producers want help finding the right people to work for their operation so we decided to combine our expertise in human resources, agriculture, and technology and transform the way agriculture hires.”
Building a team proficient in development, human resources, marketing, immigration law among other fields, Knezacek explained their new way of finding the right matches for both the employee and employer.
“We are striving to revolutionize the way agriculture workers are hired. We use a matching algorithm that matches job seekers to employers and vice versa. We have candidates that are local and from around the world, they can choose to be in our database and receive messages from employers or remain private and just recieve match updates. Some are looking to get exposure and experience working on farms and others are millenial or generation z farmers from Australia, for example. Their parents have given them lots of experience as a kid growing up but they’d like to go away for a few years, gain some exposure and bring that knowledge back to the farm. It’s a piece of the succession path for those candidates.”
Because of their innovative and user-friendly system, WorkHorse Hub was recognized as a finalist for this year’s ABEX Awards. In order to be selected for the prestigious awards, ABEX applicants went through a rigorous adjudication process with 52 finalists ultimately selected in nine business categories. Finalists are then judged on the quality of their application and supporting documents, including a Safety Plan. The Safety Plan is an important aspect of each application, Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board is the Safety Partner for the ABEX Awards.
“It is a really rewarding place to be,” said Knezacek of WorkHorse Hub, which can be found online at www.workhorsehub.ca. “I feel like we have a lot of room to grow but can also appreciate how far we’ve come. That is all kudos to our team. We have a fantastic group of people that are just as passionate—or maybe even more passionate than I am—that are helping us move forward. Myself and Kristjan could not do this alone. We’ve got a great team!”
Knezacek also added she would not be where she is today without the support from her family. “My husband Matthew has been such a tremendous support and an encouragement to me as I have taken on this venture. We have been so blessed by our daughter Gwenyth and both her and my husband mean the world to me.”
Along with WorkHorse Hub in the Innovation Award category, sponsored by Saskatchewan Polytechnic, the other finalists are: InfraReady Products (1998) Ltd., Quantum Mechanical Technology Inc., Viking Innovations Ltd., and Linnaeus Plant Sciences Inc.
The remaining categories include: the Community Involvement Award, the Export Award, the Growth and Expansion Award, the Marketing Award, the New Venture Award, the Service Award, the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and the Priority Focus Award.
Five additional awards will be awarded on the night of the ABEX Awards and include: the prestigious Business Leader of the Year Award, the Community Leader of the Year Award, the Saskatchewan Hall of Fame, the Roger Phillips Chamber Builder, and the ABEX Business of the Year.
Steve McLellan, CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce said, “It’s an honour for the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce to continue to host this event and pay tribute to the Saskatchewan businesses that are doing amazing things in our province and across the globe.”
The finalists for the 2018 ABEX Awards, presented by Conexus Credit Union will be recognized at this year’s ABEX Awards Oct. 20 at TCU Place in Saskatoon. For a complete list of the finalists, people can visit www.saskchamber.com.
TWM Top Story - Oct. 8, 2018
Winston High School ready to Take Action for SSLC 2019
Daniel Bushman
With less than a year to go before the 40th annual Saskatchewan Student Leadership Conference (SSLC) descends upon Watrous, many at Winston High School are hard at work preparing for the provincial event. Hoping to have tremendous community support as the 2019 conference arrives Sept. 18 to 20, students and staff on the SSLC committee at the school have been meeting and planning since last year.
In anticipation for SSLC 2019, this year 23 students and four advisors from Winston High School spent a few days in Langenburg where the 2018 conference was held. During their experience, they had the opportunity to make connections, learn what to expect for 2019 and shared in the excitement of being with other student leaders.
“It was pretty awesome and it was neat to be able to see other students from around the province,” said Winston High School student Sarah Martens, who attended this year’s SSLC. Emily Roney, who also was able to take part agreed, adding, “Overall it was a good time and a really good experience!”
During the leadership conference, students and advisors from across Saskatchewan spent three days listening to speakers, taking in a trade show and networking with others before returning back to their schools with an opportunity to make a difference. Treyl Ernst, who also attended the SSLC with Winston High School said being able to take in everything really put things into perspective. “It showed that a person really can make a difference at their school and it was also a great way to kick off the year.”
While the contingent from Winston High School also accepted the SSLC banner from Langenburg, which will be on display at the school leading up to next year’s conference, they also gave a presentation to those in attendance, hyping up the Watrous event.
The team of students and advisors from Winston High School also had the chance to scout out the conference and glean information from it.
“We wanted to see what we can bring back to our school,” said Winston High School student Emily Fossen. “We also made connections with numerous people including those at the trade show and with some sponsors. We were able to speak to students in attendance as well and hype up our event for next year.”
Roney said after attending the conference she felt more excited about the SRC and being a part of it this year. Ernst added, “Being at SSLC was such a fun atmosphere and we are excited for next year.”
In an effort to make SSLC 2019 in Watrous a success, teacher and co-chair of the conference Tina Edwards said they will be relying heavily on the community for its support.
“Watrous has held not one but two conferences in the past and now this will be a third. There is no way that a community is able to hold multiple conferences without its support so I think it just shows how great Watrous and the area has been.”
Hosting in 1993, 2012 and now in 2019, the SSLC committee in Watrous is aiming at inviting 900 students and 150 advisors to take in the 2019 conference. Co-chair Lori Bartko, who was also involved with the 2012 event said they were able to invite around 750 students last time and are hoping for even more.
“The only way that can happen though is by having billet families. Billets do not need to feel as though they have to entertain those who will stay with them. They just have to provide a place for the students to sleep, make sure they get the students to and from where they need to go and that type of thing.”
In addition to requiring billets, Edwards added they also need sponsorship support. Local area businesses and organizations can lend their support financially or through in kind donations with four levels of sponsorship that each will be recognized for, depending on funding amounts.
“About 65 percent of our revenue will be raised through the registration fees but the remainder comes from our valuable sponsors. Corporate and community sponsors have played an integral role in past conferences and their involvement has ultimately led to a tradition of excellence and success. Without sponsors we will be unable to host a quality event so it is so important to have people on board.”
With the aim of showcasing Watrous, Edwards said, “Our whole goal for the 2019 conference is to make Watrous feel like it is a part of everyone that attends. We want students and advisors to come here and make them feel like this town is theirs and provide them with a rich and memorable experience.”
With SSLC 2019’s key theme of Take Action and going along the lines of Hollywood with a red carpet, gala awards and being thrust into the spotlight, Martens said they want it to be more about just the glitz and glamour.
“Take Action means stand up and take responsibility, take initiative and help people. It means to do, not just sit back and wait. We want students to become involved in a positive way.”
For more on SSLC 2019, people can go online to www.sslc2019.com or they can contact Tina Edwards or Lori Bartko. Other Winston High School staff will also be heading up various chair committees as well as the conference gets closer.
“There is still a lot of work left to be done but we are looking forward to next year’s conference.”
Daniel Bushman
With less than a year to go before the 40th annual Saskatchewan Student Leadership Conference (SSLC) descends upon Watrous, many at Winston High School are hard at work preparing for the provincial event. Hoping to have tremendous community support as the 2019 conference arrives Sept. 18 to 20, students and staff on the SSLC committee at the school have been meeting and planning since last year.
In anticipation for SSLC 2019, this year 23 students and four advisors from Winston High School spent a few days in Langenburg where the 2018 conference was held. During their experience, they had the opportunity to make connections, learn what to expect for 2019 and shared in the excitement of being with other student leaders.
“It was pretty awesome and it was neat to be able to see other students from around the province,” said Winston High School student Sarah Martens, who attended this year’s SSLC. Emily Roney, who also was able to take part agreed, adding, “Overall it was a good time and a really good experience!”
During the leadership conference, students and advisors from across Saskatchewan spent three days listening to speakers, taking in a trade show and networking with others before returning back to their schools with an opportunity to make a difference. Treyl Ernst, who also attended the SSLC with Winston High School said being able to take in everything really put things into perspective. “It showed that a person really can make a difference at their school and it was also a great way to kick off the year.”
While the contingent from Winston High School also accepted the SSLC banner from Langenburg, which will be on display at the school leading up to next year’s conference, they also gave a presentation to those in attendance, hyping up the Watrous event.
The team of students and advisors from Winston High School also had the chance to scout out the conference and glean information from it.
“We wanted to see what we can bring back to our school,” said Winston High School student Emily Fossen. “We also made connections with numerous people including those at the trade show and with some sponsors. We were able to speak to students in attendance as well and hype up our event for next year.”
Roney said after attending the conference she felt more excited about the SRC and being a part of it this year. Ernst added, “Being at SSLC was such a fun atmosphere and we are excited for next year.”
In an effort to make SSLC 2019 in Watrous a success, teacher and co-chair of the conference Tina Edwards said they will be relying heavily on the community for its support.
“Watrous has held not one but two conferences in the past and now this will be a third. There is no way that a community is able to hold multiple conferences without its support so I think it just shows how great Watrous and the area has been.”
Hosting in 1993, 2012 and now in 2019, the SSLC committee in Watrous is aiming at inviting 900 students and 150 advisors to take in the 2019 conference. Co-chair Lori Bartko, who was also involved with the 2012 event said they were able to invite around 750 students last time and are hoping for even more.
“The only way that can happen though is by having billet families. Billets do not need to feel as though they have to entertain those who will stay with them. They just have to provide a place for the students to sleep, make sure they get the students to and from where they need to go and that type of thing.”
In addition to requiring billets, Edwards added they also need sponsorship support. Local area businesses and organizations can lend their support financially or through in kind donations with four levels of sponsorship that each will be recognized for, depending on funding amounts.
“About 65 percent of our revenue will be raised through the registration fees but the remainder comes from our valuable sponsors. Corporate and community sponsors have played an integral role in past conferences and their involvement has ultimately led to a tradition of excellence and success. Without sponsors we will be unable to host a quality event so it is so important to have people on board.”
With the aim of showcasing Watrous, Edwards said, “Our whole goal for the 2019 conference is to make Watrous feel like it is a part of everyone that attends. We want students and advisors to come here and make them feel like this town is theirs and provide them with a rich and memorable experience.”
With SSLC 2019’s key theme of Take Action and going along the lines of Hollywood with a red carpet, gala awards and being thrust into the spotlight, Martens said they want it to be more about just the glitz and glamour.
“Take Action means stand up and take responsibility, take initiative and help people. It means to do, not just sit back and wait. We want students to become involved in a positive way.”
For more on SSLC 2019, people can go online to www.sslc2019.com or they can contact Tina Edwards or Lori Bartko. Other Winston High School staff will also be heading up various chair committees as well as the conference gets closer.
“There is still a lot of work left to be done but we are looking forward to next year’s conference.”
TWM Top Story - Oct. 1, 2018
Snow halts harvest as cool weather kicks off fall
Daniel Bushman
It was an abrupt end to summer and atrocious start to fall for many people across Canada including those in Saskatchewan and Ontario. On a day which should normally include sunshine and colourful leaves falling from trees, harsh winds, snow and rain took its place. Further east in Ontario was even worse as a tornado ripped through Kinburn, Dunrobin and Gatineau on the final day of summer.
The snow, rain and cooler conditions that invaded much of Saskatchewan also put a damper on harvest operations as producers had to halt combines until fields dry up. While it does not happen often, Environment Canada’s David Phillips said approximately 30 percent of Septembers in Saskatchewan contain snow but what surprised him the most was the amount of hours of snow that arrived.
“I think in Saskatoon there was around 35 hours of snow over the last three days (ending summer and starting fall). I know it didn’t accumulate that much because it came with the temperatures hovering around that freezing mark with some rain. But it was a bit of a wake up call.”
Environment and Climate Change Canada said a frontal wave brought the first bout of snow with the most significant amounts observed in southwestern Saskatchewan. The early onset of snow resulted in numerous power outages as the heavy wet snow fell on trees with remaining foliage. “Snowfall measurements are a challenge during this time of year due to the wet nature of the snow and the melting that occurs throughout the day.”
Environment and Climate Change Canada did provide a few approximate totals in centimetres from places across the province which included: Conquest: 10 to 15; Rosetown: 10 to 15; Kindersley: 10; Strasbourg: 6; Lucky Lake: 5; and Yorkton: 3.
With that snowy reminder of what is to come for people residing in Saskatchewan, Phillips said the snow at the end of September also put a damper on harvest operations.
“In regions where harvest is not completed yet this was not a welcome kind of interruption. But it is not as if it will stay.”
After getting out of the gates in good time and well ahead of the five year average, many local area producers have since had to sit and wait. According to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly crop report for the period of Sept. 18 to 24, a total of 68 percent of the crop is now in the bin, now just slightly ahead of the five year average of 64 percent for this time of year.
Rain was recorded throughout most of the province through the week and up to 15 cm of snow was reported in some areas in the central regions.
Harvest is most advanced in the southwestern region, where 88 percent of the crop is now combined. The southeastern region has 87 percent combined, the west-central 59 percent and the east-central region 58 percent combined. The northeastern region has 34 percent combined, while the northwestern region has 27 percent combined.
In the weekly crop report, it stated 97 percent of lentils, 96 percent of field peas, 82 percent of durum, 53 percent of spring wheat, 48 percent of canola and 28 percent of flax has now been combined.
With the late season rain and snow, topsoil moisture conditions have improved across the province. Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as four percent surplus, 58 percent adequate, 32 percent short and six percent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as 48 percent adequate, 42 percent short and 10 percent very short.
The majority of crop damage was due to lodging, while rain and snow caused quality loss.
While the snow did disappear as last week continued, Phillips felt there will not be a major warm up anytime soon but things should dry up and combines will be humming once again. “It is going to be a coolish Canadian air that will be dominating the scene over the next week.”
As fall hits, Phillips said there is a battle raging as summer still wants to hang on but winter wants to get a foothold creating that tug of war. “We saw really with the tornadoes in the Ottawa area and the Gatineau area, a day where it would be like the dog days of summer, very hot and humid and then at the same time it was snowing in Saskatchewan. It shows you what a great country that we live in where it is never dull when you are talking about the weather.”
Environment and Climate Change Canada confirmed tornadoes and a downburst hit Sept. 21 as a cold front tracked over southern Ontario Friday afternoon and evening resulting in severe thunderstorms which produced two tornadoes and two downbursts.
One severe thunderstorm produced a tornado that tracked over Kinburn, Dunrobin and Gatineau between approximately 4:40 p.m. and 5:20 p.m. This tornado damaged or destroyed numerous buildings, overturned vehicles and snapped many trees and hydro poles. There were also reports of multiple injuries including several people that were critically injured. Preliminary assessment of the damage indicates that this was a high end EF-3 tornado with wind speeds up to 265 km/h.
A second severe thunderstorm produced a tornado in the neighbourhood of Arlington Woods in Ottawa near 6 p.m. Environment and Climate Change Canada said this tornado significantly damaged buildings and snapped many trees and hydro poles. Preliminary assessment of the damage indicates that this was a high end EF-2 tornado with wind speeds up to 220 km/h.
Another severe thunderstorm produced a downburst in Calabogie near 4 p.m. Several houses had roof damage and many trees were snapped and uprooted. Winds associated with this downburst are estimated to be up to 175 km/h.
Yet another area of damage from a severe thunderstorm was investigated at Sharbot Lake. A downburst with maximum winds of about 110 km/h knocked down many trees in the area.
“It really shows you how wild it can be with too much winter in the west and too much summer in the east. If we could always have a balance we would be happy.”
Moving forward, Phillips said, “We still think winter will be shorter than it was last year. I think (the recent snow) is just nature’s wake up call to tell us we are entering the cold season so this is kind of the cold and frosty snowy kind of weather we might get but it is not something that will have any staying power. It is almost like the weather trailer giving you a preview of what we are going to see.” Phillips continued, “As they say in Newfoundland, ‘If you don’t like the weather out the front door, look out the back door.’ It does change and it changes a lot on the prairies. My sense is, the cold air has arrived but I still think there will be some double digit temperatures.”
Daniel Bushman
It was an abrupt end to summer and atrocious start to fall for many people across Canada including those in Saskatchewan and Ontario. On a day which should normally include sunshine and colourful leaves falling from trees, harsh winds, snow and rain took its place. Further east in Ontario was even worse as a tornado ripped through Kinburn, Dunrobin and Gatineau on the final day of summer.
The snow, rain and cooler conditions that invaded much of Saskatchewan also put a damper on harvest operations as producers had to halt combines until fields dry up. While it does not happen often, Environment Canada’s David Phillips said approximately 30 percent of Septembers in Saskatchewan contain snow but what surprised him the most was the amount of hours of snow that arrived.
“I think in Saskatoon there was around 35 hours of snow over the last three days (ending summer and starting fall). I know it didn’t accumulate that much because it came with the temperatures hovering around that freezing mark with some rain. But it was a bit of a wake up call.”
Environment and Climate Change Canada said a frontal wave brought the first bout of snow with the most significant amounts observed in southwestern Saskatchewan. The early onset of snow resulted in numerous power outages as the heavy wet snow fell on trees with remaining foliage. “Snowfall measurements are a challenge during this time of year due to the wet nature of the snow and the melting that occurs throughout the day.”
Environment and Climate Change Canada did provide a few approximate totals in centimetres from places across the province which included: Conquest: 10 to 15; Rosetown: 10 to 15; Kindersley: 10; Strasbourg: 6; Lucky Lake: 5; and Yorkton: 3.
With that snowy reminder of what is to come for people residing in Saskatchewan, Phillips said the snow at the end of September also put a damper on harvest operations.
“In regions where harvest is not completed yet this was not a welcome kind of interruption. But it is not as if it will stay.”
After getting out of the gates in good time and well ahead of the five year average, many local area producers have since had to sit and wait. According to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly crop report for the period of Sept. 18 to 24, a total of 68 percent of the crop is now in the bin, now just slightly ahead of the five year average of 64 percent for this time of year.
Rain was recorded throughout most of the province through the week and up to 15 cm of snow was reported in some areas in the central regions.
Harvest is most advanced in the southwestern region, where 88 percent of the crop is now combined. The southeastern region has 87 percent combined, the west-central 59 percent and the east-central region 58 percent combined. The northeastern region has 34 percent combined, while the northwestern region has 27 percent combined.
In the weekly crop report, it stated 97 percent of lentils, 96 percent of field peas, 82 percent of durum, 53 percent of spring wheat, 48 percent of canola and 28 percent of flax has now been combined.
With the late season rain and snow, topsoil moisture conditions have improved across the province. Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as four percent surplus, 58 percent adequate, 32 percent short and six percent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as 48 percent adequate, 42 percent short and 10 percent very short.
The majority of crop damage was due to lodging, while rain and snow caused quality loss.
While the snow did disappear as last week continued, Phillips felt there will not be a major warm up anytime soon but things should dry up and combines will be humming once again. “It is going to be a coolish Canadian air that will be dominating the scene over the next week.”
As fall hits, Phillips said there is a battle raging as summer still wants to hang on but winter wants to get a foothold creating that tug of war. “We saw really with the tornadoes in the Ottawa area and the Gatineau area, a day where it would be like the dog days of summer, very hot and humid and then at the same time it was snowing in Saskatchewan. It shows you what a great country that we live in where it is never dull when you are talking about the weather.”
Environment and Climate Change Canada confirmed tornadoes and a downburst hit Sept. 21 as a cold front tracked over southern Ontario Friday afternoon and evening resulting in severe thunderstorms which produced two tornadoes and two downbursts.
One severe thunderstorm produced a tornado that tracked over Kinburn, Dunrobin and Gatineau between approximately 4:40 p.m. and 5:20 p.m. This tornado damaged or destroyed numerous buildings, overturned vehicles and snapped many trees and hydro poles. There were also reports of multiple injuries including several people that were critically injured. Preliminary assessment of the damage indicates that this was a high end EF-3 tornado with wind speeds up to 265 km/h.
A second severe thunderstorm produced a tornado in the neighbourhood of Arlington Woods in Ottawa near 6 p.m. Environment and Climate Change Canada said this tornado significantly damaged buildings and snapped many trees and hydro poles. Preliminary assessment of the damage indicates that this was a high end EF-2 tornado with wind speeds up to 220 km/h.
Another severe thunderstorm produced a downburst in Calabogie near 4 p.m. Several houses had roof damage and many trees were snapped and uprooted. Winds associated with this downburst are estimated to be up to 175 km/h.
Yet another area of damage from a severe thunderstorm was investigated at Sharbot Lake. A downburst with maximum winds of about 110 km/h knocked down many trees in the area.
“It really shows you how wild it can be with too much winter in the west and too much summer in the east. If we could always have a balance we would be happy.”
Moving forward, Phillips said, “We still think winter will be shorter than it was last year. I think (the recent snow) is just nature’s wake up call to tell us we are entering the cold season so this is kind of the cold and frosty snowy kind of weather we might get but it is not something that will have any staying power. It is almost like the weather trailer giving you a preview of what we are going to see.” Phillips continued, “As they say in Newfoundland, ‘If you don’t like the weather out the front door, look out the back door.’ It does change and it changes a lot on the prairies. My sense is, the cold air has arrived but I still think there will be some double digit temperatures.”
TWM Top Story - Sept. 24, 2018
Completion of industrial lots part of projects left for 2018
Daniel Bushman
With a focus placed on developing the east side industrial area of Watrous, crews continue to push forward before the winter season arrives. In addition to the work being done on the industrial parcel of land, other projects and notable items have also been taking place before 2018 comes to a close.
Beginning with the east side industrial area, along with completing the installation of water and sewer throughout the industrial lots, the community’s first sewage lift station was also finished. Constructed on a lot owned by the town and adjacent to Watrous Home Hardware, the lift station is now in operation. With water and sewer lines also running through the industrial parcel, Town Administrator Orrin Redden explained the setup.
“The water/sewer runs from 4th Ave., crossing Hwy. 365 and then moving past Home Hardware towards the town’s industrial lots and lift station. From there they run south towards the Chrysler dealership with the water portion looping back to 2nd Ave. towards where the ambulance and fire rescue units are housed. The sanitary portion follows the water lines but goes just to where the old SaskPower substation was located. The town now owns that portion of land right at the corner of Hwy. 365 and Hwy. 2 where the substation was so once SaskPower cleans up the site we hope to use that section as saleable property.”
With water and sewer installed and completed, the next phase for the industrial parcel involves road work, which is currently underway. Public Works Superintendent Dion Tarasoff said the contractor hired for the road work has been on site for the past three weeks working on the service road, cutting it down to sub grade. While crews remain in a bit of a holding pattern to begin work at the portion where the substation was previously situated, Tarasoff said they have been able to continue work elsewhere.
“There is still a fair bit of work to do in addition to that portion of land where the substation used to be located. While SaskPower cleans up the transmission lines, construction crews will be creating a new approach where Campbell Road is located off Hwy. 365 and it will be about halfway between where the current temporary approach is and Watrous Concrete. That approach will then become the main entrance road leading towards Mainline Chrysler Watrous.”
Paving that portion of roadway, the crews will also be working a little further north near the Watrous Home Hardware where they will be realigning the intersection of 4th Ave. E. and Hwy. 365. A requirement from the Ministry of Highways, Redden said, “Due to safety concerns, that intersection will be realigned to make it closer to a 90˚ angle. We will also be paving 4th Ave. E. next to the Home Hardware and it will be running to the 20 industrial lots that the town owns.”
If all goes well and the weather cooperates, Tarasoff said they would like to have all of the paving and road work completed by the end of fall. “We had hoped to see things done a bit earlier but there were a few unexpected delays that we had to wait for.”
While the work continues within the industrial area, nearby at the new residential lots located along 8th Ave. E., between 4th St. E. and Hwy. 365, Redden said one house has already been constructed with a second to be started this year. “We have 12 serviced lots on that 8th Ave. E. portion with two now sold. As more lots begin to sell, council will eventually decide whether to extend construction south to 7th Ave. E. or north to 9th Ave. E. Currently those areas have power and gas but not water and sewer so council would have to make the decision to go ahead on either before further services would be added.”
As a second house is slated to be built in the serviced residential area, a different type of service will be up for renewal at the end of the year. Currently there are just a few months remaining on the contract with Commissionaires South Saskatchewan after town council deciding to do a one year trial. Council made the decision to see bylaw enforcement increased in 2018 throughout Watrous and hired the company Jan. 1, 2018. Since that time, some residents have expressed concern there has been too much strict enforcement and Redden noted the town has heard their concerns and will be looking at creating a workable policy.
The contract with Commissionaires South Saskatchewan first began Jan. 1, 2018 with the aim of enforcing the town’s bylaws beyond just regulations for dogs and cats. After initial efforts were made to focus on education rather than enforcement earlier on in the year, the bylaw officers began enforcement throughout the summer.
“There was some good progress made through beautifying and tidying up properties and in general, property cleanup was addressed. However, we understand that some were disappointed with the way the bylaws were being enforced and I think council will be looking at some common ground as to how to move forward with that.”
Overall, Redden added that council has been pleased with the general maintenance and beautification done by the residents of the community and by the public works crew. “Members on council have received numerous compliments from visitors to our town who have noted how clean and beautiful it is.”
Beautification and extensive work has also been done at the Watrous Cemetery after the town purchased a columbarium, which was installed earlier this year. More recently, a rock fountain was built for visitors to enjoy. “There have been some niches already purchased for the columbarium and the Do-Gooders group along with the town shared the costs towards the creation of a rock fountain.”
With the fountain and flower bed recently completed at the cemetery, along with the Do-Gooders, Steve Schmidt was also instrumental in building the structure and flower bed area. The Do-Gooders said they have really appreciated the willingness from the Town of Watrous to allow them to fulfill a dream of theirs in updating the cemetery area and for helping out to cover some of the costs. The group, which now numbers approximately 15, also previously created the directory at the cemetery and installed a bench. Adding to that project list, the fountain was completed in recent weeks and come spring, flowers will be planted in the flower bed.
Spearheading the project, the Do-Gooders also wanted to extend their appreciation to Butch Monk, the seasonal cemetery maintenance employee who has been working hard with the upkeep at the cemetery.
Meanwhile, other work has also taken place within the community as the Watrous Arena received some upgrades to benefit those utilizing the facility. Inside the rink, the aging chiller was replaced and a new one installed. Tarasoff said, “It was a fairly large expense but will benefit those using the arena for many years to come.”
This past spring, through numerous local donations, a new ice resurfacer was also purchased for the rink and is all decked out and ready to roll for the season.
“We are excited to see it put to use this winter and it will be nice having a new unit to flood the ice.”
Daniel Bushman
With a focus placed on developing the east side industrial area of Watrous, crews continue to push forward before the winter season arrives. In addition to the work being done on the industrial parcel of land, other projects and notable items have also been taking place before 2018 comes to a close.
Beginning with the east side industrial area, along with completing the installation of water and sewer throughout the industrial lots, the community’s first sewage lift station was also finished. Constructed on a lot owned by the town and adjacent to Watrous Home Hardware, the lift station is now in operation. With water and sewer lines also running through the industrial parcel, Town Administrator Orrin Redden explained the setup.
“The water/sewer runs from 4th Ave., crossing Hwy. 365 and then moving past Home Hardware towards the town’s industrial lots and lift station. From there they run south towards the Chrysler dealership with the water portion looping back to 2nd Ave. towards where the ambulance and fire rescue units are housed. The sanitary portion follows the water lines but goes just to where the old SaskPower substation was located. The town now owns that portion of land right at the corner of Hwy. 365 and Hwy. 2 where the substation was so once SaskPower cleans up the site we hope to use that section as saleable property.”
With water and sewer installed and completed, the next phase for the industrial parcel involves road work, which is currently underway. Public Works Superintendent Dion Tarasoff said the contractor hired for the road work has been on site for the past three weeks working on the service road, cutting it down to sub grade. While crews remain in a bit of a holding pattern to begin work at the portion where the substation was previously situated, Tarasoff said they have been able to continue work elsewhere.
“There is still a fair bit of work to do in addition to that portion of land where the substation used to be located. While SaskPower cleans up the transmission lines, construction crews will be creating a new approach where Campbell Road is located off Hwy. 365 and it will be about halfway between where the current temporary approach is and Watrous Concrete. That approach will then become the main entrance road leading towards Mainline Chrysler Watrous.”
Paving that portion of roadway, the crews will also be working a little further north near the Watrous Home Hardware where they will be realigning the intersection of 4th Ave. E. and Hwy. 365. A requirement from the Ministry of Highways, Redden said, “Due to safety concerns, that intersection will be realigned to make it closer to a 90˚ angle. We will also be paving 4th Ave. E. next to the Home Hardware and it will be running to the 20 industrial lots that the town owns.”
If all goes well and the weather cooperates, Tarasoff said they would like to have all of the paving and road work completed by the end of fall. “We had hoped to see things done a bit earlier but there were a few unexpected delays that we had to wait for.”
While the work continues within the industrial area, nearby at the new residential lots located along 8th Ave. E., between 4th St. E. and Hwy. 365, Redden said one house has already been constructed with a second to be started this year. “We have 12 serviced lots on that 8th Ave. E. portion with two now sold. As more lots begin to sell, council will eventually decide whether to extend construction south to 7th Ave. E. or north to 9th Ave. E. Currently those areas have power and gas but not water and sewer so council would have to make the decision to go ahead on either before further services would be added.”
As a second house is slated to be built in the serviced residential area, a different type of service will be up for renewal at the end of the year. Currently there are just a few months remaining on the contract with Commissionaires South Saskatchewan after town council deciding to do a one year trial. Council made the decision to see bylaw enforcement increased in 2018 throughout Watrous and hired the company Jan. 1, 2018. Since that time, some residents have expressed concern there has been too much strict enforcement and Redden noted the town has heard their concerns and will be looking at creating a workable policy.
The contract with Commissionaires South Saskatchewan first began Jan. 1, 2018 with the aim of enforcing the town’s bylaws beyond just regulations for dogs and cats. After initial efforts were made to focus on education rather than enforcement earlier on in the year, the bylaw officers began enforcement throughout the summer.
“There was some good progress made through beautifying and tidying up properties and in general, property cleanup was addressed. However, we understand that some were disappointed with the way the bylaws were being enforced and I think council will be looking at some common ground as to how to move forward with that.”
Overall, Redden added that council has been pleased with the general maintenance and beautification done by the residents of the community and by the public works crew. “Members on council have received numerous compliments from visitors to our town who have noted how clean and beautiful it is.”
Beautification and extensive work has also been done at the Watrous Cemetery after the town purchased a columbarium, which was installed earlier this year. More recently, a rock fountain was built for visitors to enjoy. “There have been some niches already purchased for the columbarium and the Do-Gooders group along with the town shared the costs towards the creation of a rock fountain.”
With the fountain and flower bed recently completed at the cemetery, along with the Do-Gooders, Steve Schmidt was also instrumental in building the structure and flower bed area. The Do-Gooders said they have really appreciated the willingness from the Town of Watrous to allow them to fulfill a dream of theirs in updating the cemetery area and for helping out to cover some of the costs. The group, which now numbers approximately 15, also previously created the directory at the cemetery and installed a bench. Adding to that project list, the fountain was completed in recent weeks and come spring, flowers will be planted in the flower bed.
Spearheading the project, the Do-Gooders also wanted to extend their appreciation to Butch Monk, the seasonal cemetery maintenance employee who has been working hard with the upkeep at the cemetery.
Meanwhile, other work has also taken place within the community as the Watrous Arena received some upgrades to benefit those utilizing the facility. Inside the rink, the aging chiller was replaced and a new one installed. Tarasoff said, “It was a fairly large expense but will benefit those using the arena for many years to come.”
This past spring, through numerous local donations, a new ice resurfacer was also purchased for the rink and is all decked out and ready to roll for the season.
“We are excited to see it put to use this winter and it will be nice having a new unit to flood the ice.”
TWM Top Story - Sept. 17, 2018
Finding answers to an unknown
Daniel Bushman
After more than a year and a half of searching for answers, seeking a diagnosis and making numerous trips for appointments, scans and biopsies, a young mother of five has finally received some news. With no diagnosis and her condition worsening each day, Lindsey Bushman of Watrous along with her husband Derek made the decision to travel to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota hoping for help.
Extremely tired, in substantial pain and wanting to know what was attacking her body, Lindsey and Derek flew down to Mayo Clinic Aug. 23, a day before her first consultation. With the unknown battle inside of her progressing rapidly, Lindsey’s septum had been already destroyed and her sinuses disappeared. With a cavity forming in her left cheek, sores in her mouth and not wanting to risk whatever it was inside of her reach her eyes, ears or brain, Lindsey began consultations Aug. 24. Running tests and going over blood work, surgery was then scheduled for Lindsey Aug. 30 where it was hoped that samples could be extracted and a diagnosis reached.
Despite doing similar biopsies in Canada, in this particular instance, the ENT (ears, nose, throat) surgeon was able to go in and clean out Lindsey’s sinus area before extracting samples from her. It was during the surgery that the ENT surgeon was joined by a pathologist in the operating room. “Having both in there allowed them to check the tissue samples as they were removed,” said Derek. “After multiple samples were taken, they could tell it was not a vascular disease (Wegeners GPA) but instead was a lymphoma, a type of cancer in the blood/lymph nodes and possibly some form of Idiopathic Midline Destructive Disease (IMDD).”
While both Wegeners and IMDD were discussed in Canada, neither were ever confirmed and with the rare type of lymphoma Lindsey would later be diagnosed with, the news came with mixed emotions.
“So after surgery (Aug. 30), the doctors met with us and explained they had found signs of lymphoma in the biopsy and were certain it was not Wegeners, which we had been chasing up to this point. They still needed a few days for the pathologists to confirm that it was indeed lymphoma and also what type of lymphoma. But even with the news that they knew it was probably lymphoma we both had tears of happiness and relief. Yes, we just found out Lindsey more than likely had cancer but at least we knew instead of wondering. The doctor also informed us that it was treatable and there was a high probability that it was curable.”
While hearing the word ‘cancer’ was not something the pair were hoping for, both Derek and Lindsey felt a little more at ease knowing what they were up against. That and the added knowledge that it could be treatable aided in making the next few days a little easier. But while that news provided some type of relief, Lindsey’s energy continued to disappear and rest became extremely important.
Because her biopsy was performed before the Labour Day long weekend in the United States, the pair had to wait a little longer before the confirmed results arrived. The ENT surgeon informed Derek and Lindsey that as soon as the pathology department confirmed the type of cancer she had, they would book an appointment with an oncologist and set up a PET/CT scan to make sure the lymphoma had not spread throughout the rest of Lindsey’s body, affecting any organs.
A week later, Derek and Lindsey were informed that she had Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type is a rare and aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, starting in T-cells but developing most often in natural killer (NK) cells. Developing in organs or tissues other than the lymph nodes, it usually affects areas in the nose, most often the nasal passages and can also affect the paranasal sinuses or the upper part of the throat.
More common in Asia, Central America and South America, it occurs more often in men than women and the average age at diagnosis is 60. It is also strongly linked to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), especially in people of Asian ancestry. Since Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma is already rare and Lindsey has only ever resided in Canada, is caucasian and 29-years-old, the odds of her being diagnosed with it are astounding.
Because Lindsey had this now-known attacker inside of her for over a year and a half, there was concern that it had spread to other parts of her body. To know for sure and to know what stage it had progressed to, a PET/CT scan was performed during the afternoon Sept. 10. The results from that would reveal if the lymphoma had spread to other parts or organs in the body.
Following up with the oncologist and doctors the following day, Derek shared some incredible news, “Fortunately it had not spread and was localized to the nose area. This was a huge relief, because of Lindsey’s symptoms. We had been searching for answers for over a year and half and we assumed with that much time before being diagnosed it provided enough of a period for the lymphoma to spread. It was a huge answer to prayer,” he continued. “We thought for sure it had spread to other parts of the body. Just because it had taken so long to find a diagnosis and our research had said it is an aggressive form of lymphoma, we could only think of the worst. I know many people were praying that it would not spread and for it to be considered an early stage lymphoma and not spread, what a blessing it was to hear that news.”
With many hurdles left to overcome and despite not currently being covered by Saskatchewan Health for their health care expenses at Mayo Clinic, the biggest hurdle had just been accomplished with the news of the lymphoma not spreading and being treatable. Derek and Lindsey insisted the support from back home and around the country has aided in helping them to overcome each one of those hurdles along the way.
“The support has been overwhelming and has definitely helped to keep our spirits up. When we would call home or get messages from our family that so and so dropped off supper for our kids, or so and so dropped off money or this person is offering to do this or that, there just are really no words to explain how thankful and grateful we are for that. There are people we don’t know that have given to us and that says a lot about community and the generosity of being in the community we are. When I say community, it doesn’t just mean the town we live in but family, friends and those we don’t even know. We are just so appreciative! Words of encouragement, prayers and other means of support towards us and our family have been so incredible throughout this time and we cannot say thank you enough for that. Those reminders have helped us so much in knowing that we have care and support back home!”
After meeting with the oncologist and doctors last week, Derek and Lindsey planned to head home and begin their next leg of their long journey, defeating the lymphoma inside of Lindsey.
“The Mayo Clinic doctors are more than willing to send all our scans and documents to the Saskatoon Cancer Centre and to be in contact with them with a treatment plan so treatment could be done in Saskatoon. Depending on what they agree on, it looks like about three cycles of chemotherapy along with radiation over the course of about three months. There is a high chance that this chemotherapy and radiation combination will cure Lindsey from the lymphoma and we are trusting and relying on our faith to help get us through this next phase of our journey.”
It has been that faith in Jesus which has provided hope and encouragement for the Bushman family. “It has been everything. There are some tough moments through a journey like this but to know we are loved and cared for by our God and creator and we can give our worries to Him, and ultimately know that we can have eternal life with Him really brings on a peace and love in us that cannot be explained. We have recently been leaning on this verse in the Bible. It is Philippians 4:13: For I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
Daniel Bushman
After more than a year and a half of searching for answers, seeking a diagnosis and making numerous trips for appointments, scans and biopsies, a young mother of five has finally received some news. With no diagnosis and her condition worsening each day, Lindsey Bushman of Watrous along with her husband Derek made the decision to travel to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota hoping for help.
Extremely tired, in substantial pain and wanting to know what was attacking her body, Lindsey and Derek flew down to Mayo Clinic Aug. 23, a day before her first consultation. With the unknown battle inside of her progressing rapidly, Lindsey’s septum had been already destroyed and her sinuses disappeared. With a cavity forming in her left cheek, sores in her mouth and not wanting to risk whatever it was inside of her reach her eyes, ears or brain, Lindsey began consultations Aug. 24. Running tests and going over blood work, surgery was then scheduled for Lindsey Aug. 30 where it was hoped that samples could be extracted and a diagnosis reached.
Despite doing similar biopsies in Canada, in this particular instance, the ENT (ears, nose, throat) surgeon was able to go in and clean out Lindsey’s sinus area before extracting samples from her. It was during the surgery that the ENT surgeon was joined by a pathologist in the operating room. “Having both in there allowed them to check the tissue samples as they were removed,” said Derek. “After multiple samples were taken, they could tell it was not a vascular disease (Wegeners GPA) but instead was a lymphoma, a type of cancer in the blood/lymph nodes and possibly some form of Idiopathic Midline Destructive Disease (IMDD).”
While both Wegeners and IMDD were discussed in Canada, neither were ever confirmed and with the rare type of lymphoma Lindsey would later be diagnosed with, the news came with mixed emotions.
“So after surgery (Aug. 30), the doctors met with us and explained they had found signs of lymphoma in the biopsy and were certain it was not Wegeners, which we had been chasing up to this point. They still needed a few days for the pathologists to confirm that it was indeed lymphoma and also what type of lymphoma. But even with the news that they knew it was probably lymphoma we both had tears of happiness and relief. Yes, we just found out Lindsey more than likely had cancer but at least we knew instead of wondering. The doctor also informed us that it was treatable and there was a high probability that it was curable.”
While hearing the word ‘cancer’ was not something the pair were hoping for, both Derek and Lindsey felt a little more at ease knowing what they were up against. That and the added knowledge that it could be treatable aided in making the next few days a little easier. But while that news provided some type of relief, Lindsey’s energy continued to disappear and rest became extremely important.
Because her biopsy was performed before the Labour Day long weekend in the United States, the pair had to wait a little longer before the confirmed results arrived. The ENT surgeon informed Derek and Lindsey that as soon as the pathology department confirmed the type of cancer she had, they would book an appointment with an oncologist and set up a PET/CT scan to make sure the lymphoma had not spread throughout the rest of Lindsey’s body, affecting any organs.
A week later, Derek and Lindsey were informed that she had Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type is a rare and aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, starting in T-cells but developing most often in natural killer (NK) cells. Developing in organs or tissues other than the lymph nodes, it usually affects areas in the nose, most often the nasal passages and can also affect the paranasal sinuses or the upper part of the throat.
More common in Asia, Central America and South America, it occurs more often in men than women and the average age at diagnosis is 60. It is also strongly linked to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), especially in people of Asian ancestry. Since Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma is already rare and Lindsey has only ever resided in Canada, is caucasian and 29-years-old, the odds of her being diagnosed with it are astounding.
Because Lindsey had this now-known attacker inside of her for over a year and a half, there was concern that it had spread to other parts of her body. To know for sure and to know what stage it had progressed to, a PET/CT scan was performed during the afternoon Sept. 10. The results from that would reveal if the lymphoma had spread to other parts or organs in the body.
Following up with the oncologist and doctors the following day, Derek shared some incredible news, “Fortunately it had not spread and was localized to the nose area. This was a huge relief, because of Lindsey’s symptoms. We had been searching for answers for over a year and half and we assumed with that much time before being diagnosed it provided enough of a period for the lymphoma to spread. It was a huge answer to prayer,” he continued. “We thought for sure it had spread to other parts of the body. Just because it had taken so long to find a diagnosis and our research had said it is an aggressive form of lymphoma, we could only think of the worst. I know many people were praying that it would not spread and for it to be considered an early stage lymphoma and not spread, what a blessing it was to hear that news.”
With many hurdles left to overcome and despite not currently being covered by Saskatchewan Health for their health care expenses at Mayo Clinic, the biggest hurdle had just been accomplished with the news of the lymphoma not spreading and being treatable. Derek and Lindsey insisted the support from back home and around the country has aided in helping them to overcome each one of those hurdles along the way.
“The support has been overwhelming and has definitely helped to keep our spirits up. When we would call home or get messages from our family that so and so dropped off supper for our kids, or so and so dropped off money or this person is offering to do this or that, there just are really no words to explain how thankful and grateful we are for that. There are people we don’t know that have given to us and that says a lot about community and the generosity of being in the community we are. When I say community, it doesn’t just mean the town we live in but family, friends and those we don’t even know. We are just so appreciative! Words of encouragement, prayers and other means of support towards us and our family have been so incredible throughout this time and we cannot say thank you enough for that. Those reminders have helped us so much in knowing that we have care and support back home!”
After meeting with the oncologist and doctors last week, Derek and Lindsey planned to head home and begin their next leg of their long journey, defeating the lymphoma inside of Lindsey.
“The Mayo Clinic doctors are more than willing to send all our scans and documents to the Saskatoon Cancer Centre and to be in contact with them with a treatment plan so treatment could be done in Saskatoon. Depending on what they agree on, it looks like about three cycles of chemotherapy along with radiation over the course of about three months. There is a high chance that this chemotherapy and radiation combination will cure Lindsey from the lymphoma and we are trusting and relying on our faith to help get us through this next phase of our journey.”
It has been that faith in Jesus which has provided hope and encouragement for the Bushman family. “It has been everything. There are some tough moments through a journey like this but to know we are loved and cared for by our God and creator and we can give our worries to Him, and ultimately know that we can have eternal life with Him really brings on a peace and love in us that cannot be explained. We have recently been leaning on this verse in the Bible. It is Philippians 4:13: For I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
TWM Top Story - Sept. 10, 2018
Parole ineligibility decided in Carlson case
Daniel Bushman
Parole ineligibility was decided last week in the case relating to the 2008 disappearance and murder of James Carlson of Watrous. In a packed Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench Sept. 5, Justice Gerald Allbright, who presided over the case, imposed a minimum 10 year parole ineligibility sentence for Taylor Wolff, who was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.
After about a 40 minute delay, Bre McAdam with the Star Phoenix said impact statements were then read by members of the Carlson family who noted they would never have closure until James’ body is found. McAdam said after the impact statements were read, the Crown argued for parole ineligibility of “well-beyond” the minimum of 10 years for second degree murder. The defence in the case argued the 10 year ineligibility was appropriate because their client “is a completely different person than he was when he was (a) 23-year-old.” McAdam stated the defence also noted two years ago Wolff became committed to sobriety and faith. Before handing down his parole ineligibility decision, Allbright added he is certain Wolff is a different person today and if it were not for significant changes made in his life, noted in the 26 support letters court received, parole ineligibility would have increased.
The decision of the minimum 10 year parole ineligibility comes less than a month after Allbright read his 72-page document in court Aug. 10 in which he reached a guilty verdict.
Ten years ago, James was last seen at Video Stop in Watrous with an appointment to do work at a farm the following day. Never arriving at that appointment, five days later his work truck and all his work tools were located abandoned in a field near Allan. Then in May 2010, James’ white Monte Carlo was located concealed on a secluded rural property near Rosthern. It was reported to police by the land owner who advised the car was sitting abandoned in the location for two years. Over the years, tips from the public were received and extensive searches for James conducted around the Watrous, Imperial and Holdfast areas.
Daniel Bushman
Parole ineligibility was decided last week in the case relating to the 2008 disappearance and murder of James Carlson of Watrous. In a packed Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench Sept. 5, Justice Gerald Allbright, who presided over the case, imposed a minimum 10 year parole ineligibility sentence for Taylor Wolff, who was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.
After about a 40 minute delay, Bre McAdam with the Star Phoenix said impact statements were then read by members of the Carlson family who noted they would never have closure until James’ body is found. McAdam said after the impact statements were read, the Crown argued for parole ineligibility of “well-beyond” the minimum of 10 years for second degree murder. The defence in the case argued the 10 year ineligibility was appropriate because their client “is a completely different person than he was when he was (a) 23-year-old.” McAdam stated the defence also noted two years ago Wolff became committed to sobriety and faith. Before handing down his parole ineligibility decision, Allbright added he is certain Wolff is a different person today and if it were not for significant changes made in his life, noted in the 26 support letters court received, parole ineligibility would have increased.
The decision of the minimum 10 year parole ineligibility comes less than a month after Allbright read his 72-page document in court Aug. 10 in which he reached a guilty verdict.
Ten years ago, James was last seen at Video Stop in Watrous with an appointment to do work at a farm the following day. Never arriving at that appointment, five days later his work truck and all his work tools were located abandoned in a field near Allan. Then in May 2010, James’ white Monte Carlo was located concealed on a secluded rural property near Rosthern. It was reported to police by the land owner who advised the car was sitting abandoned in the location for two years. Over the years, tips from the public were received and extensive searches for James conducted around the Watrous, Imperial and Holdfast areas.
TWM Top Story - Sept. 3, 2018
Province's projected deficit
less after first quarter
Daniel Bushman
With the goal of returning the province to balance by 2019-‘20, Saskatchewan’s Finance Minister and MLA for Humboldt-Watrous, Donna Harpauer has not only been tasked with making tough decisions along the way but staying the course to get Saskatchewan back to balance. Harpauer and the provincial government released its first quarter numbers, noting the budget remains on track with a projected deficit of $306 million, $59 million less than originally projected.
“Three months into the fiscal year, we’re seeing a growing economy and an improving fiscal picture,” said Harpauer, who added the lower deficit has been attributed to a higher revenue forecast with a larger net income from Government Business Enterprises and higher non-renewable resource revenue.
“We have seen some strength in oil pricing which is a major factor in why the deficit is less than previously forecasted.”
According to the provincial government, the value of oil production increased a total of eight percent through the first four months of 2018, over the same period last year while potash production increased 11.3 percent in the first quarter of 2018 over the same period last year. Total manufacturing sales have also increased by 11.1 percent and international exports are up by four percent.
However, while the numbers have been encouraging over the first quarter, Harpauer said they are preliminary and there still remains a deficit. “There is going to be a lot of work to do in order to balance and keep on track with our three year plan.”
Another big obstacle Harpauer and the government has been faced with is the uncertainty south of the border with the current trade situation. With NAFTA negotiations between Canada and the United States still not resolved early last week and tariffs implemented, being a trade reliant province has made it more difficult to operate.
“Obviously there has been some problems with the NAFTA negotiations and tariffs that have been brought down by the United States, effecting Saskatchewan. Other countries have also raised trade concerns with Canada and all of that is extremely concerning as we move forward. Saskatchewan and our government have been advocating very heavily for a pipeline but so far there has been no shovels in the ground for the Kinder Morgan pipeline, so that is a concern.”
Harpauer added the nation is also experiencing the largest differential in oil prices observed, making a large difference to the revenues coming into not just Saskatchewan but also Canada. “Twenty-five percent differential is huge but that is because we are forced to ship our oil south and we can’t access international markets so we are price takers in a very limited market. Should we be able to get our oil to port, it makes a huge difference in the price that we can obtain.”
Another concern raised by the finance minister is the potential for decline in future investments in Saskatchewan because of the tax changes in the United States. “We were very competitive but now we no longer are. I am hearing from different corporations that future investments are probably not going to look at Canada right now and that will affect all of our provinces because there is varying investing that happens in different places but tax competitiveness is huge and we are seeing a lot of investment going south.”
Asked about whether or not she is discouraged from the outcome so far related to NAFTA and tariffs, Harpauer said, “It is disappointing that this is where we are. We refused to have negotiations without Mexico; however, Mexico took the offer from the United States and now have arrived at some sort of agreement which again puts us behind in these negotiations and that is disappointing and a huge concern because it affects a number of industries within our province.”
Absorbing the decisions made nationally while trying to obtain a balanced budget next year, Harpauer said crunching the numbers and trying to make the right choices has been tough but she has been able to lean on some help as well.
“We have a treasury board that deliberates all budget decisions and I have to say I have an extremely strong team to work with so I by no means am doing this alone. I have enjoyed it but there are challenges. There is not a doubt the deficit is worrisome because as long as we have a deficit we are borrowing to operate which is not what we want to do. It is something we want to get away from and that is why balancing is so important. We want to do so, so that we can maintain the services that we have in health care, education and social safety net programs. It is a balancing act and there is still tough decisions we are going to have to make going forward.”
Recognizing some of those tough decisions are not always favourable to some, Harpauer felt measures taken in the last budget have been working heading to balance.
“Yes, there were tough decisions made but yet this is what we are going to need to do because we are not going to see a huge recovery I don’t believe in oil and we are reliant very heavily on oil. With all of the circumstances with trade and tax competitiveness, I don’t think we are going to see a huge boom in oil in the next number of years so this just becomes more critical in how we need to get back to balance.”
With a lot to consider leading into next year, Harpauer who grew up on a farm near Guernsey said work has started on the next budget and MLAs will soon return to Regina for the fall session. But despite some of the economic struggles and implemented tariffs from south of the border, Harpauer is optimistic moving forward.
“Generally as much as there is a lot of uncertainty out there, which is raising concern, I think things are still positive within our province. The forecasters are all forecasting - albeit modest - economic growth, which is the first time in two years the forecasters have done so. The other thing is the province is still holding a very strong credit rating with bonding agencies which is great allowing us to borrow money at a much lower interest rate. That bond rating is also something that investors look to. Being the second highest in Canada I think is very important to our province and we are hoping to maintain that and that is because we have a plan to get back to balance. That is why we need to keep working hard, holding the line, and being fiscally responsible and get back to balance.”
less after first quarter
Daniel Bushman
With the goal of returning the province to balance by 2019-‘20, Saskatchewan’s Finance Minister and MLA for Humboldt-Watrous, Donna Harpauer has not only been tasked with making tough decisions along the way but staying the course to get Saskatchewan back to balance. Harpauer and the provincial government released its first quarter numbers, noting the budget remains on track with a projected deficit of $306 million, $59 million less than originally projected.
“Three months into the fiscal year, we’re seeing a growing economy and an improving fiscal picture,” said Harpauer, who added the lower deficit has been attributed to a higher revenue forecast with a larger net income from Government Business Enterprises and higher non-renewable resource revenue.
“We have seen some strength in oil pricing which is a major factor in why the deficit is less than previously forecasted.”
According to the provincial government, the value of oil production increased a total of eight percent through the first four months of 2018, over the same period last year while potash production increased 11.3 percent in the first quarter of 2018 over the same period last year. Total manufacturing sales have also increased by 11.1 percent and international exports are up by four percent.
However, while the numbers have been encouraging over the first quarter, Harpauer said they are preliminary and there still remains a deficit. “There is going to be a lot of work to do in order to balance and keep on track with our three year plan.”
Another big obstacle Harpauer and the government has been faced with is the uncertainty south of the border with the current trade situation. With NAFTA negotiations between Canada and the United States still not resolved early last week and tariffs implemented, being a trade reliant province has made it more difficult to operate.
“Obviously there has been some problems with the NAFTA negotiations and tariffs that have been brought down by the United States, effecting Saskatchewan. Other countries have also raised trade concerns with Canada and all of that is extremely concerning as we move forward. Saskatchewan and our government have been advocating very heavily for a pipeline but so far there has been no shovels in the ground for the Kinder Morgan pipeline, so that is a concern.”
Harpauer added the nation is also experiencing the largest differential in oil prices observed, making a large difference to the revenues coming into not just Saskatchewan but also Canada. “Twenty-five percent differential is huge but that is because we are forced to ship our oil south and we can’t access international markets so we are price takers in a very limited market. Should we be able to get our oil to port, it makes a huge difference in the price that we can obtain.”
Another concern raised by the finance minister is the potential for decline in future investments in Saskatchewan because of the tax changes in the United States. “We were very competitive but now we no longer are. I am hearing from different corporations that future investments are probably not going to look at Canada right now and that will affect all of our provinces because there is varying investing that happens in different places but tax competitiveness is huge and we are seeing a lot of investment going south.”
Asked about whether or not she is discouraged from the outcome so far related to NAFTA and tariffs, Harpauer said, “It is disappointing that this is where we are. We refused to have negotiations without Mexico; however, Mexico took the offer from the United States and now have arrived at some sort of agreement which again puts us behind in these negotiations and that is disappointing and a huge concern because it affects a number of industries within our province.”
Absorbing the decisions made nationally while trying to obtain a balanced budget next year, Harpauer said crunching the numbers and trying to make the right choices has been tough but she has been able to lean on some help as well.
“We have a treasury board that deliberates all budget decisions and I have to say I have an extremely strong team to work with so I by no means am doing this alone. I have enjoyed it but there are challenges. There is not a doubt the deficit is worrisome because as long as we have a deficit we are borrowing to operate which is not what we want to do. It is something we want to get away from and that is why balancing is so important. We want to do so, so that we can maintain the services that we have in health care, education and social safety net programs. It is a balancing act and there is still tough decisions we are going to have to make going forward.”
Recognizing some of those tough decisions are not always favourable to some, Harpauer felt measures taken in the last budget have been working heading to balance.
“Yes, there were tough decisions made but yet this is what we are going to need to do because we are not going to see a huge recovery I don’t believe in oil and we are reliant very heavily on oil. With all of the circumstances with trade and tax competitiveness, I don’t think we are going to see a huge boom in oil in the next number of years so this just becomes more critical in how we need to get back to balance.”
With a lot to consider leading into next year, Harpauer who grew up on a farm near Guernsey said work has started on the next budget and MLAs will soon return to Regina for the fall session. But despite some of the economic struggles and implemented tariffs from south of the border, Harpauer is optimistic moving forward.
“Generally as much as there is a lot of uncertainty out there, which is raising concern, I think things are still positive within our province. The forecasters are all forecasting - albeit modest - economic growth, which is the first time in two years the forecasters have done so. The other thing is the province is still holding a very strong credit rating with bonding agencies which is great allowing us to borrow money at a much lower interest rate. That bond rating is also something that investors look to. Being the second highest in Canada I think is very important to our province and we are hoping to maintain that and that is because we have a plan to get back to balance. That is why we need to keep working hard, holding the line, and being fiscally responsible and get back to balance.”
TWM Top Story - Aug. 27, 2018
Watrous and Imperial Primary Health expanding hours in both communities
By Daniel Bushman
In an effort to better meet the needs of residents in Watrous, Imperial and the surrounding area, Watrous and Imperial Primary Health are adding more hours to their centres at both communities.
Starting Sept. 1, Watrous Primary Health Centre will be open until 8:30 p.m. on most Monday and Thursday evenings (excluding statutory holidays) while beginning Sept. 5, the Imperial Clinic will be open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Angela Luron with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) said by extending the hours in Watrous and adding a full clinic day in Imperial it will improve the ability for people to access important health services. The changes are being made as part of SHA’s strategy and response to improving access for the communities regarding appointments with physicians and nurse practitioners.
Over the past three years information data and feedback from community members was collected and from that Luron said, “What we are seeing is approximately half of the visits to the Watrous emergency department are for non-emergencies and many of those visits happen after 5 p.m. This is telling us that we need to make some changes to have the health centres open when the community needs us. Making primary health services available outside of the traditional daytime weekday hours is a priority for primary health care across the province and we are proud to be making these improvements for the communities of Watrous, Imperial and the surrounding area.”
After looking at the services and all of the data, Luron said they knew they had to increase provider capacity and needed to be open on some of those evenings and hours that go beyond traditional hours. Having the benefit of being properly resourced they are now able to do that.
“The team is able to help people with non-emergencies, making it better for people to visit the health centre instead of the emergency department for non-emergency and non-critical health needs. It is also a lot more cost effective to take care of people with non-emergency health needs in the health centre instead of in the emergency department.”
Working in conjunction with Luron and SHA, Watrous Mayor Ed Collins was happy about adding to the local health services. “We are certainly pleased to be able to provide another great service and with the added day in Imperial it means people from that community will not have to drive as far to access care.”
Collins said in Watrous, having the expanded hours also allows people to make appointments to better fit their schedules. “We are certainly pleased and happy with the opportunity to expand those services.”
With five care providers and extended hours to both Watrous and Imperial Primary Health, Luron is encouraging people to come to the health centre instead of the emergency department if they are not having a health emergency. The new changes which go into effect shortly will also provide people who may be working an opportunity to get an appointment outside of those working hours.
“This is important, especially in communities where people might go elsewhere to work for the day and then come back just before supper. Being available later in the day is also important for parents picking kids up from school or daycare towards the end of the day. Once they pick up their kids they may realize that the kids are having a health concern and can call to see if we have any urgent appointments open that evening at the health centre.”
Over the next few months information will be provided by SHA discussing the best ways to utilize local health services.
By Daniel Bushman
In an effort to better meet the needs of residents in Watrous, Imperial and the surrounding area, Watrous and Imperial Primary Health are adding more hours to their centres at both communities.
Starting Sept. 1, Watrous Primary Health Centre will be open until 8:30 p.m. on most Monday and Thursday evenings (excluding statutory holidays) while beginning Sept. 5, the Imperial Clinic will be open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Angela Luron with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) said by extending the hours in Watrous and adding a full clinic day in Imperial it will improve the ability for people to access important health services. The changes are being made as part of SHA’s strategy and response to improving access for the communities regarding appointments with physicians and nurse practitioners.
Over the past three years information data and feedback from community members was collected and from that Luron said, “What we are seeing is approximately half of the visits to the Watrous emergency department are for non-emergencies and many of those visits happen after 5 p.m. This is telling us that we need to make some changes to have the health centres open when the community needs us. Making primary health services available outside of the traditional daytime weekday hours is a priority for primary health care across the province and we are proud to be making these improvements for the communities of Watrous, Imperial and the surrounding area.”
After looking at the services and all of the data, Luron said they knew they had to increase provider capacity and needed to be open on some of those evenings and hours that go beyond traditional hours. Having the benefit of being properly resourced they are now able to do that.
“The team is able to help people with non-emergencies, making it better for people to visit the health centre instead of the emergency department for non-emergency and non-critical health needs. It is also a lot more cost effective to take care of people with non-emergency health needs in the health centre instead of in the emergency department.”
Working in conjunction with Luron and SHA, Watrous Mayor Ed Collins was happy about adding to the local health services. “We are certainly pleased to be able to provide another great service and with the added day in Imperial it means people from that community will not have to drive as far to access care.”
Collins said in Watrous, having the expanded hours also allows people to make appointments to better fit their schedules. “We are certainly pleased and happy with the opportunity to expand those services.”
With five care providers and extended hours to both Watrous and Imperial Primary Health, Luron is encouraging people to come to the health centre instead of the emergency department if they are not having a health emergency. The new changes which go into effect shortly will also provide people who may be working an opportunity to get an appointment outside of those working hours.
“This is important, especially in communities where people might go elsewhere to work for the day and then come back just before supper. Being available later in the day is also important for parents picking kids up from school or daycare towards the end of the day. Once they pick up their kids they may realize that the kids are having a health concern and can call to see if we have any urgent appointments open that evening at the health centre.”
Over the next few months information will be provided by SHA discussing the best ways to utilize local health services.
TWM Top Story - Aug. 20, 2018
Seeking answers while dealing with an unknown
Daniel Bushman
It has been a long and arduous road for a local family of seven and after coming up with no answers for nearly two years, there appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel. After having three children, Lindsey Bushman of Watrous became pregnant with twins and it was during her pregnancy that she began feeling congested in her sinuses. Not thinking too much of it, her symptoms continued to worsen throughout her pregnancy and after giving birth to twin boys Feb. 13, 2017, the congestion started to turn into an unhealthy state.
“At first I thought I just had a cold,” said the 29-year-old. “When it continued to worsen, I just thought it was because I was run down from having our twins and getting back into the swing of things at home.”
Two months after that though Lindsey found herself in a doctor’s office searching for some type of relief and a few answers. Nothing was improving and after visiting her doctor, she was referred to a specialist. After getting the okay to see an ENT (ears/nose/throat) specialist, the long waiting game of finding a diagnosis got underway.
“We waited a few months and never heard back. We called and were told they had received the referral but the specialist was gone on leave and there was no definite time frame when patients would be accepted.”
Not risking waiting around any longer, Lindsey was referred to a different ENT specialist. While waiting to see the specialist, Bushman’s sinuses and tissues in her nose were being attacked and were slowly deteriorating. She also often found herself sick with infection and her sense of taste and smell disappeared altogether.
“I had no energy and I could barely get out of bed in the morning. Even the day to day tasks I struggled with. I didn’t know if I’d wake up sick one day or healthy the next.”
Then in October of 2017, the Watrous resident was able to see a specialist and a CT scan along with a scope on her nose were performed two months later. “At that point we knew there was something not right and my ENT specialist decided we needed to do nasal septum reconstruction.”
A process to repair the wall of bone and flexible tissue between the two nasal passages, Lindsey had surgery just after celebrating her 29th birthday. Then six weeks later at her post operation follow up, she learned that whatever was invading her nasal cavity was spreading.
“I could fit a Q-tip between my septum at that point. Now, I have no septum left. I can touch the tips of two of my fingers together in my nose. Whatever is attacking me has just eaten away all of it.”
Bushman was sent for a biopsy May 1 and doctors began searching for a diagnosis and treatment to prevent further progression. Wegener’s Granulomatosis, an autoimmune disorder was one theory. The rare disorder where the exact cause is unknown attacks and destroys healthy body tissue by mistake. Small-sized blood vessels in the nose, sinuses, ears, lungs and kidneys become inflamed and damaged and other areas may also be affected in some cases. It can also produce a type of inflammatory tissue known as a granuloma that’s found around the blood vessels.
To see if in fact the diagnoses was Wegener’s, a doctor took a small sample of affected tissue but the results came back negative. “We were told that with nasal biopsies, it is extremely hard to confirm Wegener’s Granulomatosis. But something was going on because things had been progressing faster and faster and my nasal area was deteriorating at a rapid rate.”
Then a week after her biopsy, another hurdle arrived; Lindsey became really sick. “I couldn’t get out of bed and there was incredible pain. Thankfully my ENT specialist was able to put me on some medication, which ended up helping.”
With relief and finally having some energy back, Bushman figured things were looking up. However, a second CT scan, this time done May 26, showed more progression. Thinking the situation involved an autoimmune disease as opposed to just a sinus issue, Lindsey was referred to a Rheumatologist, a specialist who deals with immune-mediated disorders. The earliest appointment was scheduled for Sept. 18, 2018 but Bushman could not wait that long. The continual progression of deterioration was not willing to push pause and wait for the September meeting so Lindsey was able to find another specialist, getting an appointment in June.
After meeting with the specialist but not confirming Lindsey had Wegener’s Granulomatosis, it was decided to perform another biopsy and begin treatment. Like the previous biopsy, it came back negative once again. “It was suggested perhaps I had IMDD or Idiopathic Midline Destructive Disease, which does not respond to the same treatment as Wegener’s and requires localized radiation. A form of lymphoma, IMDD is also extremely hard to diagnose and essentially is done by elimination of other diagnoses.”
Looking into whether or not she had IMDD, in the meantime, Bushman was prescribed for medication for Wegener’s Granulomatosis and also saw a naturopath and osteopath for their opinions. With time becoming a serious factor, she waited for something to work. “Instead of getting better, I became really sick at the end of July and had a fever of 105˚F. I contracted pneumonia and because of the severity of the situation was sent to Royal University Hospital and went for another CT scan. The CT scan showed even more progression, I had bone loss and it was moving into my sinuses. At that point I was discharged with antibiotics and headed for another biopsy, which was a few weeks ago.”
At her biopsy, going over the latest results, doctors elected to rule out Wegener’s Granulomatosis and IMDD. Lindsey was taken off her medication and her specialists began seeking further opinions from across the country. It was also at that point that Lindsey and her husband Derek decided to pursue the idea of visiting a Mayo Clinic in the United States.
With more than one million people going to Mayo Clinic each year for care and 88 percent of patients visiting Mayo Clinic for a second opinion receiving a new or refined diagnosis, the Bushmans felt it was something they needed to try.
“We had no diagnosis and the progression of what I have has not only destroyed my septum but it had started working its way into my sinuses. I now have a cavity in my left cheek and with it eating away right under my eyes and near my brain, we felt we did not want to risk losing anymore time.”
Collecting all of her medical records, CT scans, appointment forms, and getting a passport done, Lindsey was also able to see optometrist Warren Toews to ensure her eyes were still okay. After accumulating as much information as she could, an email was compiled and sent to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota to see if she could get in. Making the decision to head south of the border, Lindsey also received the support of her specialists after they had discussions with doctors in Calgary, Hamilton and Toronto and came up with no new information or diagnoses.
“We know everything takes time but we didn’t have that luxury anymore and Mayo Clinic got back to us right away. We were approved and had a schedule within a week.”
While the news of being approved and able to attend a Mayo Clinic was a long awaited relief, her appointed was slated for Sept. 26, over a month away. “We were excited to get in but devastated to learn that it would not be until later in September.”
Getting sick again, this time right after she found out about the appointment date and with time such a factor, Derek and Lindsey thought maybe one of the other Mayo Clinics in Arizona or Florida would be able to get them in earlier. With the fear of having to wait another six more weeks, the couple composed an email and sent it off at 10:30 p.m. Aug. 12. Not expecting anything to change, the pair received an email by 8:04 the next morning stating the Mayo Clinic was able to set up a new appointment for Aug. 24 in Minnesota.
“There is no explanation other than God had answered our prayers. There have been so many people praying and asking for something to happen and it was granted. We were just so thankful and we know there is still a long road ahead but to get us in that much sooner, it was just a real blessing.”
Scheduled to be at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., later this week, over a month earlier than originally planned, Derek and Lindsey said there will be between five to eight business days of testing for outpatients. Then after that, it all depends on the diagnosis. Once a diagnosis is made, more treatments would take place and there would be lots of follow ups and reconstructive surgery.
Whether or not that would all be done in the United States or some of it in Canada, the pair said there remains a long road ahead. “It scares me how things progressed and escalated so quickly in my nasal and sinus area,” said Lindsey, who grew up on a farm between Watrous and Drake. “But we have been leaning on our faith to help get us through.”
While the pair are relieved to be able to head to Minnesota and hopefully receive some answers, there are a lot of expenses that will be adding up during their time there. Lodging, transportation, food and the cost of health care in the United States are a few of those while future treatments, being off work and raising five kids will also put a strain on finances. To help alleviate some of the added financial stress, a gofundme page has been established for the pair and their kids. In addition to that, family and friends have been lending a hand and people from the church the Bushmans attend have also rallied around the family by providing meals, offering childcare, and yard maintenance.
“Many people have been finding out about what we have been going through and are coming to us asking, ‘What can we do to help?’ We are just so overwhelmed and humbled by that outpouring of support from family, friends, our church family, co-workers, the Watrous School of Dance family, neighbours, our specialists, the doctors and nursing staff here in Watrous and people we don’t know. We’ve had so many generous people stop by offering to help and even helping us with our flights, it is truly amazing.”
After being told by her ENT specialist that she is a one in a million case, Lindsey said, “People wonder how I have remained calm while juggling kids and work on top of this. I tell them that God has given us an unexplainable peace. We have found that peace through Him and have been reminded by that from these verses in the Bible: Philippians 4:6-7: Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
The couple said while it has been really hard not knowing what is going on, they are looking forward to getting some answers and are hopeful that it will all work out.
If people would like to help cover some of the expenses that the family will face, they can go to www.gofundme.com and search Derek and Lindsey Bushman or type: www.gofundme.com/derek-and-lindsey-bushman or if people prefer not to donate online, they can drop off funds at The Watrous Manitou's office at 309 Main Street in Watrous or mail monetary donations addressed to Derek and Lindsey Bushman to The Watrous Manitou, Box 100, Watrous, Sask., S0K 4T0 and they will be passed along to the couple.
Daniel Bushman
It has been a long and arduous road for a local family of seven and after coming up with no answers for nearly two years, there appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel. After having three children, Lindsey Bushman of Watrous became pregnant with twins and it was during her pregnancy that she began feeling congested in her sinuses. Not thinking too much of it, her symptoms continued to worsen throughout her pregnancy and after giving birth to twin boys Feb. 13, 2017, the congestion started to turn into an unhealthy state.
“At first I thought I just had a cold,” said the 29-year-old. “When it continued to worsen, I just thought it was because I was run down from having our twins and getting back into the swing of things at home.”
Two months after that though Lindsey found herself in a doctor’s office searching for some type of relief and a few answers. Nothing was improving and after visiting her doctor, she was referred to a specialist. After getting the okay to see an ENT (ears/nose/throat) specialist, the long waiting game of finding a diagnosis got underway.
“We waited a few months and never heard back. We called and were told they had received the referral but the specialist was gone on leave and there was no definite time frame when patients would be accepted.”
Not risking waiting around any longer, Lindsey was referred to a different ENT specialist. While waiting to see the specialist, Bushman’s sinuses and tissues in her nose were being attacked and were slowly deteriorating. She also often found herself sick with infection and her sense of taste and smell disappeared altogether.
“I had no energy and I could barely get out of bed in the morning. Even the day to day tasks I struggled with. I didn’t know if I’d wake up sick one day or healthy the next.”
Then in October of 2017, the Watrous resident was able to see a specialist and a CT scan along with a scope on her nose were performed two months later. “At that point we knew there was something not right and my ENT specialist decided we needed to do nasal septum reconstruction.”
A process to repair the wall of bone and flexible tissue between the two nasal passages, Lindsey had surgery just after celebrating her 29th birthday. Then six weeks later at her post operation follow up, she learned that whatever was invading her nasal cavity was spreading.
“I could fit a Q-tip between my septum at that point. Now, I have no septum left. I can touch the tips of two of my fingers together in my nose. Whatever is attacking me has just eaten away all of it.”
Bushman was sent for a biopsy May 1 and doctors began searching for a diagnosis and treatment to prevent further progression. Wegener’s Granulomatosis, an autoimmune disorder was one theory. The rare disorder where the exact cause is unknown attacks and destroys healthy body tissue by mistake. Small-sized blood vessels in the nose, sinuses, ears, lungs and kidneys become inflamed and damaged and other areas may also be affected in some cases. It can also produce a type of inflammatory tissue known as a granuloma that’s found around the blood vessels.
To see if in fact the diagnoses was Wegener’s, a doctor took a small sample of affected tissue but the results came back negative. “We were told that with nasal biopsies, it is extremely hard to confirm Wegener’s Granulomatosis. But something was going on because things had been progressing faster and faster and my nasal area was deteriorating at a rapid rate.”
Then a week after her biopsy, another hurdle arrived; Lindsey became really sick. “I couldn’t get out of bed and there was incredible pain. Thankfully my ENT specialist was able to put me on some medication, which ended up helping.”
With relief and finally having some energy back, Bushman figured things were looking up. However, a second CT scan, this time done May 26, showed more progression. Thinking the situation involved an autoimmune disease as opposed to just a sinus issue, Lindsey was referred to a Rheumatologist, a specialist who deals with immune-mediated disorders. The earliest appointment was scheduled for Sept. 18, 2018 but Bushman could not wait that long. The continual progression of deterioration was not willing to push pause and wait for the September meeting so Lindsey was able to find another specialist, getting an appointment in June.
After meeting with the specialist but not confirming Lindsey had Wegener’s Granulomatosis, it was decided to perform another biopsy and begin treatment. Like the previous biopsy, it came back negative once again. “It was suggested perhaps I had IMDD or Idiopathic Midline Destructive Disease, which does not respond to the same treatment as Wegener’s and requires localized radiation. A form of lymphoma, IMDD is also extremely hard to diagnose and essentially is done by elimination of other diagnoses.”
Looking into whether or not she had IMDD, in the meantime, Bushman was prescribed for medication for Wegener’s Granulomatosis and also saw a naturopath and osteopath for their opinions. With time becoming a serious factor, she waited for something to work. “Instead of getting better, I became really sick at the end of July and had a fever of 105˚F. I contracted pneumonia and because of the severity of the situation was sent to Royal University Hospital and went for another CT scan. The CT scan showed even more progression, I had bone loss and it was moving into my sinuses. At that point I was discharged with antibiotics and headed for another biopsy, which was a few weeks ago.”
At her biopsy, going over the latest results, doctors elected to rule out Wegener’s Granulomatosis and IMDD. Lindsey was taken off her medication and her specialists began seeking further opinions from across the country. It was also at that point that Lindsey and her husband Derek decided to pursue the idea of visiting a Mayo Clinic in the United States.
With more than one million people going to Mayo Clinic each year for care and 88 percent of patients visiting Mayo Clinic for a second opinion receiving a new or refined diagnosis, the Bushmans felt it was something they needed to try.
“We had no diagnosis and the progression of what I have has not only destroyed my septum but it had started working its way into my sinuses. I now have a cavity in my left cheek and with it eating away right under my eyes and near my brain, we felt we did not want to risk losing anymore time.”
Collecting all of her medical records, CT scans, appointment forms, and getting a passport done, Lindsey was also able to see optometrist Warren Toews to ensure her eyes were still okay. After accumulating as much information as she could, an email was compiled and sent to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota to see if she could get in. Making the decision to head south of the border, Lindsey also received the support of her specialists after they had discussions with doctors in Calgary, Hamilton and Toronto and came up with no new information or diagnoses.
“We know everything takes time but we didn’t have that luxury anymore and Mayo Clinic got back to us right away. We were approved and had a schedule within a week.”
While the news of being approved and able to attend a Mayo Clinic was a long awaited relief, her appointed was slated for Sept. 26, over a month away. “We were excited to get in but devastated to learn that it would not be until later in September.”
Getting sick again, this time right after she found out about the appointment date and with time such a factor, Derek and Lindsey thought maybe one of the other Mayo Clinics in Arizona or Florida would be able to get them in earlier. With the fear of having to wait another six more weeks, the couple composed an email and sent it off at 10:30 p.m. Aug. 12. Not expecting anything to change, the pair received an email by 8:04 the next morning stating the Mayo Clinic was able to set up a new appointment for Aug. 24 in Minnesota.
“There is no explanation other than God had answered our prayers. There have been so many people praying and asking for something to happen and it was granted. We were just so thankful and we know there is still a long road ahead but to get us in that much sooner, it was just a real blessing.”
Scheduled to be at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., later this week, over a month earlier than originally planned, Derek and Lindsey said there will be between five to eight business days of testing for outpatients. Then after that, it all depends on the diagnosis. Once a diagnosis is made, more treatments would take place and there would be lots of follow ups and reconstructive surgery.
Whether or not that would all be done in the United States or some of it in Canada, the pair said there remains a long road ahead. “It scares me how things progressed and escalated so quickly in my nasal and sinus area,” said Lindsey, who grew up on a farm between Watrous and Drake. “But we have been leaning on our faith to help get us through.”
While the pair are relieved to be able to head to Minnesota and hopefully receive some answers, there are a lot of expenses that will be adding up during their time there. Lodging, transportation, food and the cost of health care in the United States are a few of those while future treatments, being off work and raising five kids will also put a strain on finances. To help alleviate some of the added financial stress, a gofundme page has been established for the pair and their kids. In addition to that, family and friends have been lending a hand and people from the church the Bushmans attend have also rallied around the family by providing meals, offering childcare, and yard maintenance.
“Many people have been finding out about what we have been going through and are coming to us asking, ‘What can we do to help?’ We are just so overwhelmed and humbled by that outpouring of support from family, friends, our church family, co-workers, the Watrous School of Dance family, neighbours, our specialists, the doctors and nursing staff here in Watrous and people we don’t know. We’ve had so many generous people stop by offering to help and even helping us with our flights, it is truly amazing.”
After being told by her ENT specialist that she is a one in a million case, Lindsey said, “People wonder how I have remained calm while juggling kids and work on top of this. I tell them that God has given us an unexplainable peace. We have found that peace through Him and have been reminded by that from these verses in the Bible: Philippians 4:6-7: Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
The couple said while it has been really hard not knowing what is going on, they are looking forward to getting some answers and are hopeful that it will all work out.
If people would like to help cover some of the expenses that the family will face, they can go to www.gofundme.com and search Derek and Lindsey Bushman or type: www.gofundme.com/derek-and-lindsey-bushman or if people prefer not to donate online, they can drop off funds at The Watrous Manitou's office at 309 Main Street in Watrous or mail monetary donations addressed to Derek and Lindsey Bushman to The Watrous Manitou, Box 100, Watrous, Sask., S0K 4T0 and they will be passed along to the couple.
TWM Top Story - Aug. 13, 2018
Guilty verdict handed down in Carlson case
Daniel Bushman
After going over information and testimonies presented at Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench in June, a guilty verdict was reached in the trial related to the disappearance and alleged murder of James Carlson from Watrous. Justice Gerald Allbright, who presided over the trial, found Taylor Wolff guilty of second-degree murder in Carlson’s death.
Bre McAdam with the Star Phoenix had been covering the trial in its entirety since it began June 11 and said Allbright read his 72-page decision in court during the morning Aug. 10. McAdam said Allbright read his analysis explaining DNA of Wolff was found on two cigarette butts and on the neck of a cleaning bottle at Carlson’s home. Allbright continued by stating even though Carlson’s body has never been found, there is no doubt he died from an unlawful act.
McAdam said Allbright summarized evidence given by people including witness Lindsay Reiber, who Allbright found to be a “credible witness.”
In accepting this, Allbright found that Wolff caused James Carlson’s death. After the guilty verdict of second-degree murder was handed down (which could carry a life sentence with no parole for between 10 and 25 years), court adjourned. McAdam said the Crown and defence will argue parole eligibility Sept. 5.
On May 14, 2008 James was working at a Watrous area farm during the day and made an appointment to do work at another farm the following day. Between 7 and 8 p.m. that evening, James went to Video Stop in Watrous, the last confirmed sighting of him. Five days later, James’ work truck and all his work tools were located abandoned in a field near Allan.
In May, 2010, James’ white Monte Carlo was located concealed on a secluded rural property near Rosthern. It was reported to police by the land owner who advised the car was sitting abandoned in the location for two years.
Over the years, tips from the public have been received and extensive searches conducted around the Watrous, Imperial and Holdfast areas. Farm land, rock piles, bush areas, bodies of water and wells have been examined.
Daniel Bushman
After going over information and testimonies presented at Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench in June, a guilty verdict was reached in the trial related to the disappearance and alleged murder of James Carlson from Watrous. Justice Gerald Allbright, who presided over the trial, found Taylor Wolff guilty of second-degree murder in Carlson’s death.
Bre McAdam with the Star Phoenix had been covering the trial in its entirety since it began June 11 and said Allbright read his 72-page decision in court during the morning Aug. 10. McAdam said Allbright read his analysis explaining DNA of Wolff was found on two cigarette butts and on the neck of a cleaning bottle at Carlson’s home. Allbright continued by stating even though Carlson’s body has never been found, there is no doubt he died from an unlawful act.
McAdam said Allbright summarized evidence given by people including witness Lindsay Reiber, who Allbright found to be a “credible witness.”
In accepting this, Allbright found that Wolff caused James Carlson’s death. After the guilty verdict of second-degree murder was handed down (which could carry a life sentence with no parole for between 10 and 25 years), court adjourned. McAdam said the Crown and defence will argue parole eligibility Sept. 5.
On May 14, 2008 James was working at a Watrous area farm during the day and made an appointment to do work at another farm the following day. Between 7 and 8 p.m. that evening, James went to Video Stop in Watrous, the last confirmed sighting of him. Five days later, James’ work truck and all his work tools were located abandoned in a field near Allan.
In May, 2010, James’ white Monte Carlo was located concealed on a secluded rural property near Rosthern. It was reported to police by the land owner who advised the car was sitting abandoned in the location for two years.
Over the years, tips from the public have been received and extensive searches conducted around the Watrous, Imperial and Holdfast areas. Farm land, rock piles, bush areas, bodies of water and wells have been examined.
TWM Top Story - Aug. 6, 2018
Mainline Chrysler Watrous nears opening date
Daniel Bushman
After officially putting the shovel into the ground this past October, Mainline Chrysler Watrous will soon see its doors open to the public for the first time later this month. General Manager of the new dealership, Ryan Hunt said they are excited about officially opening in just a couple of weeks at their location just off Hwy. 2 in Watrous.
“It has been a lot of hard work to get to this point but we are thrilled to be able to say that Mainline Chrysler Watrous will be opening by the end of August.”
With a few things left to be done over the next few weeks Hunt said, “We are excited to be able to join the community of Watrous and serve our future customers within the town, surrounding area and province.”
In anticipation of opening, Hunt along with some of the employees from the dealership have already been busy increasing stock with new vehicles arriving at a temporary lot, located next to Melron Service Ltd.
“Some of our staff that will be at the brand new dealership have already started getting things lined up, bringing out new vehicles and getting them ready to be put on the lot. Once we open, people can stop by our location on the east side of town off Hwy. 2 to take a look.”
Just a short drive away from the temporary lot, work has been well underway at the site of the dealership’s permanent residence. Melron Service Ltd. has been busy doing the excavating and ground work while Wright Construction is constructing the 25,000 square foot facility. Work is also being done to finish the entrance to the dealership which will be just off road #668 next to Watrous Concrete. There are also plans to see the five acre parcel of land include a paved lot.
Employing around 35 people once operational, the dealership will be selling new and used vehicles, offering service and selling parts and will become the third automotive dealership in Watrous, joining Centennial Ford and Mainline Motors.
Daniel Bushman
After officially putting the shovel into the ground this past October, Mainline Chrysler Watrous will soon see its doors open to the public for the first time later this month. General Manager of the new dealership, Ryan Hunt said they are excited about officially opening in just a couple of weeks at their location just off Hwy. 2 in Watrous.
“It has been a lot of hard work to get to this point but we are thrilled to be able to say that Mainline Chrysler Watrous will be opening by the end of August.”
With a few things left to be done over the next few weeks Hunt said, “We are excited to be able to join the community of Watrous and serve our future customers within the town, surrounding area and province.”
In anticipation of opening, Hunt along with some of the employees from the dealership have already been busy increasing stock with new vehicles arriving at a temporary lot, located next to Melron Service Ltd.
“Some of our staff that will be at the brand new dealership have already started getting things lined up, bringing out new vehicles and getting them ready to be put on the lot. Once we open, people can stop by our location on the east side of town off Hwy. 2 to take a look.”
Just a short drive away from the temporary lot, work has been well underway at the site of the dealership’s permanent residence. Melron Service Ltd. has been busy doing the excavating and ground work while Wright Construction is constructing the 25,000 square foot facility. Work is also being done to finish the entrance to the dealership which will be just off road #668 next to Watrous Concrete. There are also plans to see the five acre parcel of land include a paved lot.
Employing around 35 people once operational, the dealership will be selling new and used vehicles, offering service and selling parts and will become the third automotive dealership in Watrous, joining Centennial Ford and Mainline Motors.
TWM Top Story - July 16, 2018
A plan to revitalize
Main Street Watrous
Daniel Bushman
It is a topic more and more rural communities are talking about, but for Watrous steps are being taken to come up with strategies and solutions on how to see the community’s main street rejuvenated while creating an overall community economic development plan. Consultations have been underway to come up with a plan aimed at future growth and as part of that, a community-wide engagement meeting was recently held to garner input into the current and future state of Watrous’ Main Street.
Community Development Officer with the Watrous Manitou Marketing Group Brendan Manz said Prairie Wild Consulting out of Saskatoon was hired in January to begin a planning process and long-term community economic development plan. Engaging with the community over the past several months, the group conducted surveys with residents and business owners including at the tourism barbecue in Watrous May 30. The consultation process culminated June 28 with a business community focus group luncheon in addition to a communitywide engagement session held in the evening.
Providing an opportunity for local residents and business owners to share challenges, concerns and feedback around current business and community development, Manz said the luncheon with the local business community provided solid feedback and discussion relating to Watrous’ Main Street.
“What we have been seeing on main street is a recent loss or closure to some of our businesses and we know there are others looking to retire and move on in the next few years. I think it is important for us to have a plan in place before it is too late.”
At the luncheon meeting June 28, Manz said there was representation from business owners located on main street and beyond including Manitou Beach. The community development officer said around 50 people from Watrous and Manitou Beach including a few members from Watrous and Manitou Beach council made it out for the evening engagement meeting, showing interest towards the current and future state of Watrous’ Main Street.
“We are seeing a transition in retail in a lot of different areas so I think it is important to go through the planning process and see where this takes us. Main street remains a vital part of the community and it is important to have it as vibrant as possible. We are lucky to have the tourist numbers that we do coming through the community and main street provides an opportunity for people to spend more time and money in our community, which is important.”
At the two meetings, Manz said discussion from attendees ranged from getting rid of or tearing down a few things on main street to beautifying the area to make it an attractive place for residents and tourists. Other suggestions like incentives and assistance for businesses new and old were also brought up.
“Having around 50 people come to the community-wide engagement meeting was extremely positive, especially since it was a nice evening leading into the long weekend. Without that input and the input from the surveys, we would not really know what people want to see. We know that it won’t solve all the problems, but the input will be used towards a long-term plan and it is a start.”
Once the plan is completed, it will be directed towards council and the marketing group to see things through. Manz said they will potentially be looking at a variety of things like engaging the youth and the arts community, better partnering with local businesses, developing a theme for main street and involving the local Heritage Centre, which is currently being worked on.
“We will be looking at how we can bring in changes to our main street but also be respectful of the history and what it includes at the same time. We don’t want to lose sight of that as well.”
Manz said the consulting firm will now be compiling all of its findings and the entire plan with its recommendations will be completed later in the summer or early fall. The findings will then be released along with recommended items that could take place once approved by the marketing group and Watrous and Manitou Beach councils. “Once we get the plan, we will review it and will start laying down a plan on how some of these items can be undertaken. This year is all about the planning but by next year we could start seeing some results and action items. Some of those things that don’t cost a lot of money or take a lot of time could be implemented right away.”
Noting that anything being done will need to be a team effort, Manz said it is an important step in the right direction towards revitalizing a key piece of the community.
“When it comes to attracting new business, we are seeing investment on Hwy. 2 and people think we have a lot going on here. That needs to continue on our main street as well.”
Suggesting beautifying main street as a start, such as doing something as small as adding flowers or benches to something larger like a universal theme amongst businesses, Manz said it can create a place that people want to invest in. “I think there are some quick things we can do to make it a little more attractive which in turn will encourage people to invest in. We have a lot of good things going for our community, especially when you combine Watrous and Manitou Beach. We have a new automotive dealership being built in town, joining other substantial dealerships and other businesses that have been built, renovated or expanded in the past year or two, which is tremendous. Add in our tourist numbers and everything else that other communities don’t have and I think we can be an attractive place for investment. If we can do that, I think businesses will come.”
Main Street Watrous
Daniel Bushman
It is a topic more and more rural communities are talking about, but for Watrous steps are being taken to come up with strategies and solutions on how to see the community’s main street rejuvenated while creating an overall community economic development plan. Consultations have been underway to come up with a plan aimed at future growth and as part of that, a community-wide engagement meeting was recently held to garner input into the current and future state of Watrous’ Main Street.
Community Development Officer with the Watrous Manitou Marketing Group Brendan Manz said Prairie Wild Consulting out of Saskatoon was hired in January to begin a planning process and long-term community economic development plan. Engaging with the community over the past several months, the group conducted surveys with residents and business owners including at the tourism barbecue in Watrous May 30. The consultation process culminated June 28 with a business community focus group luncheon in addition to a communitywide engagement session held in the evening.
Providing an opportunity for local residents and business owners to share challenges, concerns and feedback around current business and community development, Manz said the luncheon with the local business community provided solid feedback and discussion relating to Watrous’ Main Street.
“What we have been seeing on main street is a recent loss or closure to some of our businesses and we know there are others looking to retire and move on in the next few years. I think it is important for us to have a plan in place before it is too late.”
At the luncheon meeting June 28, Manz said there was representation from business owners located on main street and beyond including Manitou Beach. The community development officer said around 50 people from Watrous and Manitou Beach including a few members from Watrous and Manitou Beach council made it out for the evening engagement meeting, showing interest towards the current and future state of Watrous’ Main Street.
“We are seeing a transition in retail in a lot of different areas so I think it is important to go through the planning process and see where this takes us. Main street remains a vital part of the community and it is important to have it as vibrant as possible. We are lucky to have the tourist numbers that we do coming through the community and main street provides an opportunity for people to spend more time and money in our community, which is important.”
At the two meetings, Manz said discussion from attendees ranged from getting rid of or tearing down a few things on main street to beautifying the area to make it an attractive place for residents and tourists. Other suggestions like incentives and assistance for businesses new and old were also brought up.
“Having around 50 people come to the community-wide engagement meeting was extremely positive, especially since it was a nice evening leading into the long weekend. Without that input and the input from the surveys, we would not really know what people want to see. We know that it won’t solve all the problems, but the input will be used towards a long-term plan and it is a start.”
Once the plan is completed, it will be directed towards council and the marketing group to see things through. Manz said they will potentially be looking at a variety of things like engaging the youth and the arts community, better partnering with local businesses, developing a theme for main street and involving the local Heritage Centre, which is currently being worked on.
“We will be looking at how we can bring in changes to our main street but also be respectful of the history and what it includes at the same time. We don’t want to lose sight of that as well.”
Manz said the consulting firm will now be compiling all of its findings and the entire plan with its recommendations will be completed later in the summer or early fall. The findings will then be released along with recommended items that could take place once approved by the marketing group and Watrous and Manitou Beach councils. “Once we get the plan, we will review it and will start laying down a plan on how some of these items can be undertaken. This year is all about the planning but by next year we could start seeing some results and action items. Some of those things that don’t cost a lot of money or take a lot of time could be implemented right away.”
Noting that anything being done will need to be a team effort, Manz said it is an important step in the right direction towards revitalizing a key piece of the community.
“When it comes to attracting new business, we are seeing investment on Hwy. 2 and people think we have a lot going on here. That needs to continue on our main street as well.”
Suggesting beautifying main street as a start, such as doing something as small as adding flowers or benches to something larger like a universal theme amongst businesses, Manz said it can create a place that people want to invest in. “I think there are some quick things we can do to make it a little more attractive which in turn will encourage people to invest in. We have a lot of good things going for our community, especially when you combine Watrous and Manitou Beach. We have a new automotive dealership being built in town, joining other substantial dealerships and other businesses that have been built, renovated or expanded in the past year or two, which is tremendous. Add in our tourist numbers and everything else that other communities don’t have and I think we can be an attractive place for investment. If we can do that, I think businesses will come.”
TWM Top Story - July 9, 2018
Local health team adding nurse practitioner
Daniel Bushman
With the pressures of longer wait times, the Saskatchewan Health Authority along with the Town of Watrous will be adding to its local Primary Health Care team. Providing service to Watrous, Imperial and surrounding communities, the Saskatchewan Health Authority along with the community have secured the services of a second nurse practitioner, bringing the total of physicians and nurse practitioners to five.
Joining the current team of doctors Hammad Akhtar, Kavita Choudhary, and Olanike Adebayo along with nurse practitioner Jessica Niyongabo will be Julie Wolff.
Manager with Primary Health Care Angela Luron said the addition of Wolff will be a big benefit to the area and to the care of patients utilizing the services in both Watrous and Imperial.
“We know that the current wait time for a regular appointment has been anywhere from two to six weeks for quite some time now, and we know we have to do better,” said Luron. “By adding Julie to the team we are planning to reduce those times while continuing to provide excellent care.”
Luron also noted that they have been making ongoing improvements to scheduling and clinical service delivery methods over the past few years, but that these efforts alone have not improved access enough – additional health care provider capacity is needed.
Watrous Mayor Ed Collins said adding a second nurse practitioner to the local team will be a tremendous benefit to the community and area. “Anytime we can add another professional to the Primary Health Care team is wonderful. It should also help alleviate and cut down on wait times. When we are able to expand the health care services, it is a plus.”
From Liberty, Sask., Wolff is joining the team in July and Luron said Julie provides a strong commitment to and passion for rural health care. “We feel very fortunate to bring her on. She has many years of nursing experience and has been practicing as a Primary Health Nurse Practitioner in southern Saskatchewan.”
Having three physicians working in the local facilities and two full-time nurse practitioners, Luron said they are able to provide care within a collaborative practice model, meaning a community member can be seen by any of the five providers. “Since we’ve implemented the electronic medical record system in 2015, this makes sure that any of the five providers can access the patient information that they need in order to have the full story and all of the information required to provide the best care.” Luron explained that this means a person can book an appointment with any physician or nurse practitioner, rather than waiting to see a specific person.
By adding Wolff to the team, Luron explained how the team will also now actively pursue the community engagement and development aspect of Primary Health.
“We know that supporting a healthy community involves much more than just clinical appointments – Primary Health Nurse Practitioners are also trained to focus on health education, health promotion, and illness prevention outside the walls of the health centre, right alongside the day-to-day lives of community members. This will partly involve improving our health connections and outreach work with the many community groups that already exist in and around Watrous and Imperial. This will also involve asking and learning about what is most important to community members for living a healthy life, and looking at how we can best support that by working together.”
Daniel Bushman
With the pressures of longer wait times, the Saskatchewan Health Authority along with the Town of Watrous will be adding to its local Primary Health Care team. Providing service to Watrous, Imperial and surrounding communities, the Saskatchewan Health Authority along with the community have secured the services of a second nurse practitioner, bringing the total of physicians and nurse practitioners to five.
Joining the current team of doctors Hammad Akhtar, Kavita Choudhary, and Olanike Adebayo along with nurse practitioner Jessica Niyongabo will be Julie Wolff.
Manager with Primary Health Care Angela Luron said the addition of Wolff will be a big benefit to the area and to the care of patients utilizing the services in both Watrous and Imperial.
“We know that the current wait time for a regular appointment has been anywhere from two to six weeks for quite some time now, and we know we have to do better,” said Luron. “By adding Julie to the team we are planning to reduce those times while continuing to provide excellent care.”
Luron also noted that they have been making ongoing improvements to scheduling and clinical service delivery methods over the past few years, but that these efforts alone have not improved access enough – additional health care provider capacity is needed.
Watrous Mayor Ed Collins said adding a second nurse practitioner to the local team will be a tremendous benefit to the community and area. “Anytime we can add another professional to the Primary Health Care team is wonderful. It should also help alleviate and cut down on wait times. When we are able to expand the health care services, it is a plus.”
From Liberty, Sask., Wolff is joining the team in July and Luron said Julie provides a strong commitment to and passion for rural health care. “We feel very fortunate to bring her on. She has many years of nursing experience and has been practicing as a Primary Health Nurse Practitioner in southern Saskatchewan.”
Having three physicians working in the local facilities and two full-time nurse practitioners, Luron said they are able to provide care within a collaborative practice model, meaning a community member can be seen by any of the five providers. “Since we’ve implemented the electronic medical record system in 2015, this makes sure that any of the five providers can access the patient information that they need in order to have the full story and all of the information required to provide the best care.” Luron explained that this means a person can book an appointment with any physician or nurse practitioner, rather than waiting to see a specific person.
By adding Wolff to the team, Luron explained how the team will also now actively pursue the community engagement and development aspect of Primary Health.
“We know that supporting a healthy community involves much more than just clinical appointments – Primary Health Nurse Practitioners are also trained to focus on health education, health promotion, and illness prevention outside the walls of the health centre, right alongside the day-to-day lives of community members. This will partly involve improving our health connections and outreach work with the many community groups that already exist in and around Watrous and Imperial. This will also involve asking and learning about what is most important to community members for living a healthy life, and looking at how we can best support that by working together.”
TWM Top Story - July 2, 2018
Young to rebuild swimming pool
Daniel Bushman
With substantial local support and a lot of hard work, the Young Swimming Pool committee has been making a splash as it strives to rebuild the community’s pool. With a fundraising goal of $250,000, the committee has already raised approximately $140,000 and is hopeful to see more come in during the months ahead.
Going towards repairs, the pool will see a total facelift once completed as funds will be used for a new liner, rebuilding the pool walls, a new cover, replumbing the water lines to the pool, back filling and new concrete. The committee said some prep work has already started on the project in Young and the contractor is set to start work in mid-July.
“It is very important to keep the pool operational,” said the committee. “It is a vital part of our community during the summer. We offer public swimming, swimming lessons, and the last couple of years we have offered lane swimming, and water yoga. The pool also employs youth from Young and surrounding areas.”
Consisting of Taylor Rowan, Jolene Haines, Julia Schultz, Lydia Huston, and Kellen Dreger, the fundraising committee said efforts to raise money have been going really well.
“We have received numerous donations and support from local and corporate businesses as well as residents of Young and surrounding areas. Our committee has also been busy hosting fundraising events throughout the year such as a Steak Night at TB’s, a Plant Nite, a bottle drive and ladies night out.”
The group has also planned a bottle drive for mid-September and a Halloween Kids’ Dance and Halloween Howler Cabaret coming up in the latter part of October.
The committee added if people want to contribute financially or through volunteering with fundraisers or at the pool, they can contact youngswimmingpool@outlook.com or they can send donations to the Village of Young, Box 359, Young, Sask. S0K 4Y0.
Daniel Bushman
With substantial local support and a lot of hard work, the Young Swimming Pool committee has been making a splash as it strives to rebuild the community’s pool. With a fundraising goal of $250,000, the committee has already raised approximately $140,000 and is hopeful to see more come in during the months ahead.
Going towards repairs, the pool will see a total facelift once completed as funds will be used for a new liner, rebuilding the pool walls, a new cover, replumbing the water lines to the pool, back filling and new concrete. The committee said some prep work has already started on the project in Young and the contractor is set to start work in mid-July.
“It is very important to keep the pool operational,” said the committee. “It is a vital part of our community during the summer. We offer public swimming, swimming lessons, and the last couple of years we have offered lane swimming, and water yoga. The pool also employs youth from Young and surrounding areas.”
Consisting of Taylor Rowan, Jolene Haines, Julia Schultz, Lydia Huston, and Kellen Dreger, the fundraising committee said efforts to raise money have been going really well.
“We have received numerous donations and support from local and corporate businesses as well as residents of Young and surrounding areas. Our committee has also been busy hosting fundraising events throughout the year such as a Steak Night at TB’s, a Plant Nite, a bottle drive and ladies night out.”
The group has also planned a bottle drive for mid-September and a Halloween Kids’ Dance and Halloween Howler Cabaret coming up in the latter part of October.
The committee added if people want to contribute financially or through volunteering with fundraisers or at the pool, they can contact youngswimmingpool@outlook.com or they can send donations to the Village of Young, Box 359, Young, Sask. S0K 4Y0.
TWM Top Story - June 25, 2018
Couple thankful to be alive after bear attack
Daniel Bushman
What started out as ensuring the safety of others ended with a near-death experience after a local couple was attacked multiple times by a bear in northern Saskatchewan. Now a few weeks removed from the traumatic experience, Brad Schroeder along with his wife Casadi are grateful to be alive and back home in Lanigan.
Joining families from the Northwest Community Church out of Meadow Lake for a family camp, Brad and Casadi Schroeder were invited to be guest speakers to share about their recent experience in Thailand. Making the trek from Lanigan with their kids up to Bethel Gospel Camp near Jeannette Lake in Meadow Lake Provincial Park, the family arrived June 8. After pulling into camp Friday, a bear had been spotted but Brad said the director and a conservation officer were able to deter it from sticking around.
With the bear gone, the Schroeders spent the weekend meeting and visiting with families including reconnecting with their aunt Grace and her husband Alan, who pastors at Northwest Community Church. Enjoying the beauty of the area, the Schroeder family went to bed Saturday night only to be woken up by the noise of a bear outside their cabin door.
“Our son Noah was awake Sunday morning around 7:30 or 8 a.m. and told us a bear was pushing on the door,” said Brad. “We started banging on the window to scare it away from the cabin.”
The male bear, which conservation officers would later tell Brad was around two or three years old, slowly sauntered off to another building where the kitchen, chapel and some dorm rooms were located. A pop up tent where kids were sleeping in was also nearby the building. As the bear continued to investigate the premises, Casadi feared it might eventually wander into the tent where the kids were sleeping. Maintaining a safe distance, she opened the door of her cabin and headed towards the main building and the bear. Since there was a blind spot behind the building, Casadi slowly took the corner by making a wide angle as not to startle the bear. Making her way around, the bear had found its way onto a raised wooden walkway near the doors to the main facility. The bear turned, noticed Casadi, and began walking towards her.
“When he turned towards me, he started coming down the raised walkway,” she said. “I was maintaining a good distance from him and I thought maybe he was curious. He began approaching towards my left and I thought he was headed for the fire pit area to look around for food where we had a wiener roast earlier in the weekend. I had this moment where I thought, okay good, he does not want to head towards me.”
But that all changed in a flash. While black bears can appear slow and methodical, they can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h and as soon as the bear veered off the platform, it bolted towards Schroeder.
“He came right at me,” said Casadi. “I was behind a tree and he got up on his two hind legs and reached with his claws around the tree. For a quick second, I took a breath and thought, he is going to climb the tree and not eat me. The next thing I knew he was tearing into my legs and the bites were so deep.”
With powerful jaws, the bear continued to bite Schroeder’s legs, shaking his head and ripping the flesh apart. “At that point I was like, Jesus this is it. I am ready to go. The bear was just so strong and the pain was so much, I didn’t know how I would fight him.”
As the bear charged Casadi and got her to the ground, Brad darted from their cabin towards the scene, engaging with the animal. “I was fighting with the bear and I told Cas to run,” he said.
Getting up in severe pain, Casadi was able to make it to a nearby cabin where she pounded on the door. “I hit that door and started pounding. I didn’t have time to try and see if the door was locked and then all of a sudden, the bear was eating my legs again. He was not going to let me go.”
Screaming in terror that she was being eaten by a bear, the door to the cabin opened and one of the people inside came out, trying to force the bear away. Brad was also able to make it over to the cabin, helping as well.
“All I remember is that somehow my legs came free and I got in the cabin,” said a shaken Casadi. “Brad was able to get inside as well.”
With the bear still lingering outside, Casadi sat down clutching her legs in pain. Despite feeling like she would pass out, Schroeder was able to stay alert and an officer that had been staying at camp for the weekend was able to get a first aid kit and began cleaning her wounds.
“It was super painful,” said Schroeder. “There were a few kids in the cabin and I tried to be calm but I almost blacked out because the pain was so intense. On my one side there were chunks of flesh the size of toonies that were gone from my legs because of the bites. That wasn’t even my bad leg. On my right side, they just told me not to look. It was that bad.”
Because of the proximity of the camp up north, there was no cell service but someone was able to access a Wi-Fi network and message a friend to call for help. After Brad and Casadi made it to the confines of the cabin, Brad’s focus shifted towards their three children who were back in the family’s cabin.
“Two of our kids saw the whole thing and I needed to get back to the cabin. I thought I saw the bear saunter off a bit so I took off running.”
However, the bear was still around and caught up to Brad, knocking him over. “I was able to get free pretty quickly but I am not too sure how. I kept going and made it to the cabin, slammed the door and made sure the kids were okay.”
The bear then returned to the cabin that Casadi and other campers were in. As the bear stayed close by, a mom of two little girls in the cabin put up a mattress to keep them from seeing the bear, in hopes of not scaring them further.
With Casadi being attended to in the cabin and Brad with their children in the other, help arrived 45 minutes later as an ambulance and a team of conservation officers made it to camp.
Brad said the conservation officers were able to trap the bear that attacked them and euthanized it before sending the animal away for testing. Casadi said test results from the bear’s DNA on her pants and from the bear showed a match, confirming that it was the same bear that had attacked the couple.
“The officers told us it was very abnormal behaviour for the bear to do what it did. With the forest fires that came within a mile of the camp in May, they felt the male bear was out of its natural habitat and hungry, which may have played into the attack.”
Going in the ambulance, Brad and Casadi rode to the hospital in Meadow Lake while Brad’s aunt Grace and her husband Alan followed them with the couple’s kids. After a few hours in hospital, the Schroeders were released and eventually returned to Lanigan.
While Brad had some scrapes and cuts, Casadi received 34 staples to close the wounds from the bear’s teeth. “When we arrived at the hospital, the first thing the doctor said is that this was the best case scenario. The bites were all on my legs and he said they will heal but if they were on my upper body, then you are looking at organs and stuff and that would have been severely worse.”
As a precaution, Brad and Casadi also received rabies shots a few days after being released from hospital and were given the all clear. Half of Casadi’s staples were also removed this past week.
Reflecting back on the traumatic experience Casadi said, “You never expect something like that to happen.”
After praying and reflecting on the events that unfolded during that Sunday morning she continued, “I had a clear vision of Jesus holding my upper body pulling me backwards and I feel it was a miracle because my upper body didn’t get a scratch.”
Brad, who is one of the pastors at Christian Fellowship Church in Lanigan added, “I felt God’s strength and His protection over the kids during the attack. We are also so thankful for the church and camp at Meadow Lake, they have been so supportive since this happened. The ambulance driver that took us to the hospital, she had counselled at the camp when she was younger and she was very good to us during our ride to the hospital. We are just so thankful for a lot of things.”
Now back home resting and recovering, the pair said, “All of the support we have received at home has been pretty amazing, especially from our church. They have offered meals, child care and cleaning. The community as well has stopped by with baking and fruit and all sorts of stuff. We have felt very supported throughout this experience.”
Casadi also said it has been incredible at how little pain she has experienced since the attack. “It is nothing short of a miracle. I am grateful to be alive and to be able to be home and walk.”
Since the bear attack, a GoFundMe page has been set up for the family to help cover expenses and therapy through the trauma of the experience. If people want to donate, they can go online to: www.gofundme.com/3pm5r8-cas-and-brad-support-fund
Daniel Bushman
What started out as ensuring the safety of others ended with a near-death experience after a local couple was attacked multiple times by a bear in northern Saskatchewan. Now a few weeks removed from the traumatic experience, Brad Schroeder along with his wife Casadi are grateful to be alive and back home in Lanigan.
Joining families from the Northwest Community Church out of Meadow Lake for a family camp, Brad and Casadi Schroeder were invited to be guest speakers to share about their recent experience in Thailand. Making the trek from Lanigan with their kids up to Bethel Gospel Camp near Jeannette Lake in Meadow Lake Provincial Park, the family arrived June 8. After pulling into camp Friday, a bear had been spotted but Brad said the director and a conservation officer were able to deter it from sticking around.
With the bear gone, the Schroeders spent the weekend meeting and visiting with families including reconnecting with their aunt Grace and her husband Alan, who pastors at Northwest Community Church. Enjoying the beauty of the area, the Schroeder family went to bed Saturday night only to be woken up by the noise of a bear outside their cabin door.
“Our son Noah was awake Sunday morning around 7:30 or 8 a.m. and told us a bear was pushing on the door,” said Brad. “We started banging on the window to scare it away from the cabin.”
The male bear, which conservation officers would later tell Brad was around two or three years old, slowly sauntered off to another building where the kitchen, chapel and some dorm rooms were located. A pop up tent where kids were sleeping in was also nearby the building. As the bear continued to investigate the premises, Casadi feared it might eventually wander into the tent where the kids were sleeping. Maintaining a safe distance, she opened the door of her cabin and headed towards the main building and the bear. Since there was a blind spot behind the building, Casadi slowly took the corner by making a wide angle as not to startle the bear. Making her way around, the bear had found its way onto a raised wooden walkway near the doors to the main facility. The bear turned, noticed Casadi, and began walking towards her.
“When he turned towards me, he started coming down the raised walkway,” she said. “I was maintaining a good distance from him and I thought maybe he was curious. He began approaching towards my left and I thought he was headed for the fire pit area to look around for food where we had a wiener roast earlier in the weekend. I had this moment where I thought, okay good, he does not want to head towards me.”
But that all changed in a flash. While black bears can appear slow and methodical, they can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h and as soon as the bear veered off the platform, it bolted towards Schroeder.
“He came right at me,” said Casadi. “I was behind a tree and he got up on his two hind legs and reached with his claws around the tree. For a quick second, I took a breath and thought, he is going to climb the tree and not eat me. The next thing I knew he was tearing into my legs and the bites were so deep.”
With powerful jaws, the bear continued to bite Schroeder’s legs, shaking his head and ripping the flesh apart. “At that point I was like, Jesus this is it. I am ready to go. The bear was just so strong and the pain was so much, I didn’t know how I would fight him.”
As the bear charged Casadi and got her to the ground, Brad darted from their cabin towards the scene, engaging with the animal. “I was fighting with the bear and I told Cas to run,” he said.
Getting up in severe pain, Casadi was able to make it to a nearby cabin where she pounded on the door. “I hit that door and started pounding. I didn’t have time to try and see if the door was locked and then all of a sudden, the bear was eating my legs again. He was not going to let me go.”
Screaming in terror that she was being eaten by a bear, the door to the cabin opened and one of the people inside came out, trying to force the bear away. Brad was also able to make it over to the cabin, helping as well.
“All I remember is that somehow my legs came free and I got in the cabin,” said a shaken Casadi. “Brad was able to get inside as well.”
With the bear still lingering outside, Casadi sat down clutching her legs in pain. Despite feeling like she would pass out, Schroeder was able to stay alert and an officer that had been staying at camp for the weekend was able to get a first aid kit and began cleaning her wounds.
“It was super painful,” said Schroeder. “There were a few kids in the cabin and I tried to be calm but I almost blacked out because the pain was so intense. On my one side there were chunks of flesh the size of toonies that were gone from my legs because of the bites. That wasn’t even my bad leg. On my right side, they just told me not to look. It was that bad.”
Because of the proximity of the camp up north, there was no cell service but someone was able to access a Wi-Fi network and message a friend to call for help. After Brad and Casadi made it to the confines of the cabin, Brad’s focus shifted towards their three children who were back in the family’s cabin.
“Two of our kids saw the whole thing and I needed to get back to the cabin. I thought I saw the bear saunter off a bit so I took off running.”
However, the bear was still around and caught up to Brad, knocking him over. “I was able to get free pretty quickly but I am not too sure how. I kept going and made it to the cabin, slammed the door and made sure the kids were okay.”
The bear then returned to the cabin that Casadi and other campers were in. As the bear stayed close by, a mom of two little girls in the cabin put up a mattress to keep them from seeing the bear, in hopes of not scaring them further.
With Casadi being attended to in the cabin and Brad with their children in the other, help arrived 45 minutes later as an ambulance and a team of conservation officers made it to camp.
Brad said the conservation officers were able to trap the bear that attacked them and euthanized it before sending the animal away for testing. Casadi said test results from the bear’s DNA on her pants and from the bear showed a match, confirming that it was the same bear that had attacked the couple.
“The officers told us it was very abnormal behaviour for the bear to do what it did. With the forest fires that came within a mile of the camp in May, they felt the male bear was out of its natural habitat and hungry, which may have played into the attack.”
Going in the ambulance, Brad and Casadi rode to the hospital in Meadow Lake while Brad’s aunt Grace and her husband Alan followed them with the couple’s kids. After a few hours in hospital, the Schroeders were released and eventually returned to Lanigan.
While Brad had some scrapes and cuts, Casadi received 34 staples to close the wounds from the bear’s teeth. “When we arrived at the hospital, the first thing the doctor said is that this was the best case scenario. The bites were all on my legs and he said they will heal but if they were on my upper body, then you are looking at organs and stuff and that would have been severely worse.”
As a precaution, Brad and Casadi also received rabies shots a few days after being released from hospital and were given the all clear. Half of Casadi’s staples were also removed this past week.
Reflecting back on the traumatic experience Casadi said, “You never expect something like that to happen.”
After praying and reflecting on the events that unfolded during that Sunday morning she continued, “I had a clear vision of Jesus holding my upper body pulling me backwards and I feel it was a miracle because my upper body didn’t get a scratch.”
Brad, who is one of the pastors at Christian Fellowship Church in Lanigan added, “I felt God’s strength and His protection over the kids during the attack. We are also so thankful for the church and camp at Meadow Lake, they have been so supportive since this happened. The ambulance driver that took us to the hospital, she had counselled at the camp when she was younger and she was very good to us during our ride to the hospital. We are just so thankful for a lot of things.”
Now back home resting and recovering, the pair said, “All of the support we have received at home has been pretty amazing, especially from our church. They have offered meals, child care and cleaning. The community as well has stopped by with baking and fruit and all sorts of stuff. We have felt very supported throughout this experience.”
Casadi also said it has been incredible at how little pain she has experienced since the attack. “It is nothing short of a miracle. I am grateful to be alive and to be able to be home and walk.”
Since the bear attack, a GoFundMe page has been set up for the family to help cover expenses and therapy through the trauma of the experience. If people want to donate, they can go online to: www.gofundme.com/3pm5r8-cas-and-brad-support-fund
TWM Top Story - June 18, 2018
Trial underway related to the disappearance of Carlson
Daniel Bushman
Information and testimonies related to the disappearance and alleged murder of James Carlson from Watrous were presented last week at Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench. While Carlson has never been located since he disappeared under suspicious circumstances in 2008, Taylor Wolff was charged June 17, 2016 with one count of second degree murder relating to Carlson. Following a hearing in 2016, Wolff was subsequently released on a recognizance and was under house arrest in Watrous.
Along with other reporters, Bre McAdam with the Star Phoenix was covering the trial this past week and said according to agreed upon facts presented during the first day of trial June 12, court heard Carlson disappeared a month before he was expected to testify at a preliminary hearing for Wolff after the accused was charged with possessing drugs intended to be sold to Carlson. Crime scene investigators at court also detailed evidence in James’ home of blood, a pair of bullet fragments and cleaning solution. It was also pointed out in court that no fingerprints found in Carlson’s house matched those of Wolff after multiple swabs were taken from the scene and sent for DNA testing.
During trial June 12, Crown witness Lindsay Reiber testified about the possible whereabouts of Carlson being in a well near Watrous. McAdam said Reiber shared in court that the accused told her he dealt with James after a confrontation at Carlson’s home. McAdam added Reiber was a paid police agent in 2013 when she gave a fuller account of what she was told. Defence lawyer Brad Mitchell suggested Reiber gave information that was based on rumours because she wanted to start a new life. Reiber said she decided to come forward with her story because she wanted Carlson’s parents to have closure.
During testimony provided in court June 13, Layne Boorman told court he lied to police 10 years ago when he gave his statement that the accused showed him a gun and warned him not to go to Carlson’s home. McAdam said Boorman testified last week that he was a scared teenager at the time he provided his statement. Because of recanting his statement, the trial entered a voir dire hearing to determine if the out-of-court statement should be admissible for the truth of its contents. Justice Gerald Allbright reserved his decision on the voir dire until Monday (June 18), when the trial resumes. McAdam said the trial is expected to continue this week.
On May 14, 2008 James was working at a Watrous area farm during the day and made an appointment to do work at another farm the following day. Between 7 and 8 p.m. that evening, James went to Video Stop in Watrous, the last confirmed sighting of him. Five days later, James’ work truck and all his work tools were located abandoned in a field near Allan.
In May, 2010, James’ white Monte Carlo was located concealed on a secluded rural property near Rosthern. It was reported to police by the land owner who advised the car was sitting abandoned in the location for two years.
Over the years, tips from the public have been received and extensive searches conducted around the Watrous, Imperial and Holdfast areas. Farm land, rock piles, bush areas, bodies of water and wells have been examined.
In 2013 the RCMP Historical Case Unit created a YouTube video revealing details of the James Carlson investigation and asked farmers and land owners to check for any sign of James Carlson’s remains or any indication of suspicious activity.
Daniel Bushman
Information and testimonies related to the disappearance and alleged murder of James Carlson from Watrous were presented last week at Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench. While Carlson has never been located since he disappeared under suspicious circumstances in 2008, Taylor Wolff was charged June 17, 2016 with one count of second degree murder relating to Carlson. Following a hearing in 2016, Wolff was subsequently released on a recognizance and was under house arrest in Watrous.
Along with other reporters, Bre McAdam with the Star Phoenix was covering the trial this past week and said according to agreed upon facts presented during the first day of trial June 12, court heard Carlson disappeared a month before he was expected to testify at a preliminary hearing for Wolff after the accused was charged with possessing drugs intended to be sold to Carlson. Crime scene investigators at court also detailed evidence in James’ home of blood, a pair of bullet fragments and cleaning solution. It was also pointed out in court that no fingerprints found in Carlson’s house matched those of Wolff after multiple swabs were taken from the scene and sent for DNA testing.
During trial June 12, Crown witness Lindsay Reiber testified about the possible whereabouts of Carlson being in a well near Watrous. McAdam said Reiber shared in court that the accused told her he dealt with James after a confrontation at Carlson’s home. McAdam added Reiber was a paid police agent in 2013 when she gave a fuller account of what she was told. Defence lawyer Brad Mitchell suggested Reiber gave information that was based on rumours because she wanted to start a new life. Reiber said she decided to come forward with her story because she wanted Carlson’s parents to have closure.
During testimony provided in court June 13, Layne Boorman told court he lied to police 10 years ago when he gave his statement that the accused showed him a gun and warned him not to go to Carlson’s home. McAdam said Boorman testified last week that he was a scared teenager at the time he provided his statement. Because of recanting his statement, the trial entered a voir dire hearing to determine if the out-of-court statement should be admissible for the truth of its contents. Justice Gerald Allbright reserved his decision on the voir dire until Monday (June 18), when the trial resumes. McAdam said the trial is expected to continue this week.
On May 14, 2008 James was working at a Watrous area farm during the day and made an appointment to do work at another farm the following day. Between 7 and 8 p.m. that evening, James went to Video Stop in Watrous, the last confirmed sighting of him. Five days later, James’ work truck and all his work tools were located abandoned in a field near Allan.
In May, 2010, James’ white Monte Carlo was located concealed on a secluded rural property near Rosthern. It was reported to police by the land owner who advised the car was sitting abandoned in the location for two years.
Over the years, tips from the public have been received and extensive searches conducted around the Watrous, Imperial and Holdfast areas. Farm land, rock piles, bush areas, bodies of water and wells have been examined.
In 2013 the RCMP Historical Case Unit created a YouTube video revealing details of the James Carlson investigation and asked farmers and land owners to check for any sign of James Carlson’s remains or any indication of suspicious activity.
TWM Top Story - June 11, 2018
Despite funding cuts, RM hopeful to repair road #668
Daniel Bushman
With improvements to road #668 between Watrous and Guernsey underway last year and the plan to continue them this year, the Rural Municipality of Usborne was forced to take a different route after being denied additional funding through the Municipal Roads for the Economy Program (MREP). Despite having to scale back the work to road #668 because of funding cuts, that did not stop the spring thaw and recent rains from creating potholes near the corner of where the Sharon Mennonite Church is located and just west of Nutrien’s mine.
RM Administrator Anna Rintoul said the RM which maintains the road applied for MREP through SARM to have those portions of the road repaired. “Unfortunately, our application was unsuccessful along with many others, as SARM only accepted seven of 32 applicants this year. Despite that, we are currently working with our engineer to come up with an affordable plan to repair.”
With the road requiring repair, Reeve for the RM of Usborne Jack Gibney said they have hired a contractor to patch potholes on certain portions of #668. “As there have been government cuts to MREP, our project for resurfacing six kilometres of #668, from the potash mine to the curve near Toman’s farm was denied. We are in the process of negotiations with the contractor to resurface from the mine west to the first curve, as well as from the Sharon Church to the curve north of Toman’s farm.”
Gibney was hopeful all arrangements would fall into place this past week and added as soon as the contractor finishes last year’s paving project, they will be able to start on those road repairs. “We hope to see this repair project completed, hopefully by the end of June. There are no other major road projects planned for this year, other than the usual maintenance on the busy Bloomfield Road, as well pulling the shoulders, gravelling, dust control, and replacing culverts across the entire RM as needed.”
In the fall last year, the RM began improvements to road #668 as barricades and detours were set up along a pair of sections of the road while crews conducted the work. The plan for those sections was to improve the surface and upgrade the road to primary weights. Asphalt milling and cementing were done on both and sub-base repair in certain sections was added. With that work done and despite some application setbacks, Rintoul said road #668 remains a big priority for the RM.
“The RM’s public works staff work diligently to keep everything signed, staked and flagged. However, with the recent rainfall we’ve experienced, the RM would once again like to remind motorists to slow down.”
To ensure the safety of those utilizing road #668, Rintoul said as many markers as possible have been placed by the potholes. “There are also signs at each end of the road alerting motorists that there is broken pavement along the road.”
Despite the warning signs and markers in place, during a rainy June 1, a white box truck spilled into one of the ditches on a stretch of road past the curve where the Sharon Mennonite Church is located. Local area resident Rob Bowman travels road #668 on a daily basis and was passing by around 7:30 p.m. when he came upon the incident. “A tow truck was hauling the box truck out of the ditch when I got there,” said Bowman. “The driver appeared to have hit a section of the water-filled potholes and lost control. By the time I returned a while later, everything had been cleaned up.”
Gibney said, “There was ample reflectors out on both sides of the road and closer to the mine, and the reflectors are put in place to make people aware of road hazards and the need to slow down. This truck involved was on a road with a 10 ton weight restriction.”
As the rains subsided, crews were busy fixing that particular area and Rintoul said the RM will still be able to move forward with completing last year’s project on #668. “The second layer of pavement is being completed, along with line painting for that project, on #668 (as a continuation of last year’s MREP project, joint with the RM of Morris). This is estimated to be completed by mid-June, weather dependent.”
Rintoul reiterated the RM understands the need to repair the road and has been working to have road #668 fixed for a number of years, beginning with the PIPP program in 2016. “Unfortunately we were unable to get our partnerships together for the PIPP program, and missed out on that funding – the cost to repair the entire stretch of road is estimated at $15 million dollars. The MREP through SARM for the 2017 construction year was a joint project with the RM of Morris for the south portion – being that it was a joint project, it made us more favourable to the powers that be for approval. That portion of that project alone cost RM 310 in excess of $1.5 million, above the $750,000 that was received through SARM MREP funding. The RM had plans to complete add-ons to the project this past fall but due to time constraints and cost (as well as the SARM MREP application for 2018 construction season), this had to be tabled.”
Daniel Bushman
With improvements to road #668 between Watrous and Guernsey underway last year and the plan to continue them this year, the Rural Municipality of Usborne was forced to take a different route after being denied additional funding through the Municipal Roads for the Economy Program (MREP). Despite having to scale back the work to road #668 because of funding cuts, that did not stop the spring thaw and recent rains from creating potholes near the corner of where the Sharon Mennonite Church is located and just west of Nutrien’s mine.
RM Administrator Anna Rintoul said the RM which maintains the road applied for MREP through SARM to have those portions of the road repaired. “Unfortunately, our application was unsuccessful along with many others, as SARM only accepted seven of 32 applicants this year. Despite that, we are currently working with our engineer to come up with an affordable plan to repair.”
With the road requiring repair, Reeve for the RM of Usborne Jack Gibney said they have hired a contractor to patch potholes on certain portions of #668. “As there have been government cuts to MREP, our project for resurfacing six kilometres of #668, from the potash mine to the curve near Toman’s farm was denied. We are in the process of negotiations with the contractor to resurface from the mine west to the first curve, as well as from the Sharon Church to the curve north of Toman’s farm.”
Gibney was hopeful all arrangements would fall into place this past week and added as soon as the contractor finishes last year’s paving project, they will be able to start on those road repairs. “We hope to see this repair project completed, hopefully by the end of June. There are no other major road projects planned for this year, other than the usual maintenance on the busy Bloomfield Road, as well pulling the shoulders, gravelling, dust control, and replacing culverts across the entire RM as needed.”
In the fall last year, the RM began improvements to road #668 as barricades and detours were set up along a pair of sections of the road while crews conducted the work. The plan for those sections was to improve the surface and upgrade the road to primary weights. Asphalt milling and cementing were done on both and sub-base repair in certain sections was added. With that work done and despite some application setbacks, Rintoul said road #668 remains a big priority for the RM.
“The RM’s public works staff work diligently to keep everything signed, staked and flagged. However, with the recent rainfall we’ve experienced, the RM would once again like to remind motorists to slow down.”
To ensure the safety of those utilizing road #668, Rintoul said as many markers as possible have been placed by the potholes. “There are also signs at each end of the road alerting motorists that there is broken pavement along the road.”
Despite the warning signs and markers in place, during a rainy June 1, a white box truck spilled into one of the ditches on a stretch of road past the curve where the Sharon Mennonite Church is located. Local area resident Rob Bowman travels road #668 on a daily basis and was passing by around 7:30 p.m. when he came upon the incident. “A tow truck was hauling the box truck out of the ditch when I got there,” said Bowman. “The driver appeared to have hit a section of the water-filled potholes and lost control. By the time I returned a while later, everything had been cleaned up.”
Gibney said, “There was ample reflectors out on both sides of the road and closer to the mine, and the reflectors are put in place to make people aware of road hazards and the need to slow down. This truck involved was on a road with a 10 ton weight restriction.”
As the rains subsided, crews were busy fixing that particular area and Rintoul said the RM will still be able to move forward with completing last year’s project on #668. “The second layer of pavement is being completed, along with line painting for that project, on #668 (as a continuation of last year’s MREP project, joint with the RM of Morris). This is estimated to be completed by mid-June, weather dependent.”
Rintoul reiterated the RM understands the need to repair the road and has been working to have road #668 fixed for a number of years, beginning with the PIPP program in 2016. “Unfortunately we were unable to get our partnerships together for the PIPP program, and missed out on that funding – the cost to repair the entire stretch of road is estimated at $15 million dollars. The MREP through SARM for the 2017 construction year was a joint project with the RM of Morris for the south portion – being that it was a joint project, it made us more favourable to the powers that be for approval. That portion of that project alone cost RM 310 in excess of $1.5 million, above the $750,000 that was received through SARM MREP funding. The RM had plans to complete add-ons to the project this past fall but due to time constraints and cost (as well as the SARM MREP application for 2018 construction season), this had to be tabled.”
TWM Top Story - June 4, 2018
Watrous and Lanigan to receive X-ray equipment upgrade
media release
X-ray equipment in five rural community hospitals including Watrous and Lanigan is being upgraded from film to digital images, supporting quicker diagnosis and improved care for patients.
“Our government is committed to improving access to high-quality medical imaging across Saskatchewan,” Rural and Remote Health Minister Greg Ottenbreit said. “Digital images save time for physicians and patients, and result in patients receiving their X-ray results quicker than ever before.”
The Saskatchewan Health Authority is in the process of digitalizing the X-ray equipment in Lanigan, Rosthern, Wadena, Watrous and Wynyard. It is anticipated that full implementation, including equipment upgrades and renovations, will be complete in fall 2018.
Digital images can be quickly shared between physicians and specialists across the province. A diagnostic interpretation by a radiologist can then be provided within minutes. This eliminates the need to transport film images to be read by a radiologist, which can take days.
“This technology investment is an important step for Saskatchewan Health Authority as we begin to fulfill the vision of better co-ordination of health care services across the province,” Saskatchewan Health Authority CEO Scott Livingstone said. “As one organization, our intent is to improve systems so employees and physicians can focus on what they do best, which is patient care and support. By improving access to medical imaging, we are on the right path of ensuring our province’s hospitals are able to coordinate their services to ensure patients receive high-quality, timely health care, closer to home.”
The Government of Saskatchewan contributed $500,000 to upgrade X-ray equipment from analog radiography to digital radiography in these five sites. The remaining $500,000 in matching funding (approximately $100,000 per site) was provided by local health foundations to cover the costs associated with the equipment upgrade, infrastructure and renovations.
“Strong community support helps our health system meet the need for specialized services across Saskatchewan,” Ottenbreit said. “Our government thanks the local communities, and their respective health foundations, whose generosity is helping make these digital X-ray upgrades a reality.”
media release
X-ray equipment in five rural community hospitals including Watrous and Lanigan is being upgraded from film to digital images, supporting quicker diagnosis and improved care for patients.
“Our government is committed to improving access to high-quality medical imaging across Saskatchewan,” Rural and Remote Health Minister Greg Ottenbreit said. “Digital images save time for physicians and patients, and result in patients receiving their X-ray results quicker than ever before.”
The Saskatchewan Health Authority is in the process of digitalizing the X-ray equipment in Lanigan, Rosthern, Wadena, Watrous and Wynyard. It is anticipated that full implementation, including equipment upgrades and renovations, will be complete in fall 2018.
Digital images can be quickly shared between physicians and specialists across the province. A diagnostic interpretation by a radiologist can then be provided within minutes. This eliminates the need to transport film images to be read by a radiologist, which can take days.
“This technology investment is an important step for Saskatchewan Health Authority as we begin to fulfill the vision of better co-ordination of health care services across the province,” Saskatchewan Health Authority CEO Scott Livingstone said. “As one organization, our intent is to improve systems so employees and physicians can focus on what they do best, which is patient care and support. By improving access to medical imaging, we are on the right path of ensuring our province’s hospitals are able to coordinate their services to ensure patients receive high-quality, timely health care, closer to home.”
The Government of Saskatchewan contributed $500,000 to upgrade X-ray equipment from analog radiography to digital radiography in these five sites. The remaining $500,000 in matching funding (approximately $100,000 per site) was provided by local health foundations to cover the costs associated with the equipment upgrade, infrastructure and renovations.
“Strong community support helps our health system meet the need for specialized services across Saskatchewan,” Ottenbreit said. “Our government thanks the local communities, and their respective health foundations, whose generosity is helping make these digital X-ray upgrades a reality.”
TWM Top Story - May 28, 2018
Watrous budget approved with increase
By Daniel Bushman
With an overall municipal increase of five percent to this year’s budget, Watrous town council approved the bump as the community looks to grow in 2018, keep up with current expenditures and mitigate the decrease in provincial revenue sharing.
Town Administrator Orrin Redden said the overall uniform mill rate (4.71 mills), commercial mill rate (6.96 mills) and base tax - which is the same for all classes of property for a developed property ($1,033) - all increased by five percent. In addition there was a pre-established water/sewer consumption rate increase that also took effect Jan. 1, 2018. Redden added council is also proposing an increase to the Capital Infrastructure Levy to begin later this year pending Saskatchewan Municipal Board approval.
The bump in the budget also coincided with provincial revenue sharing dropping seven percent, down $28,000 for Watrous from what it received in 2017. While there was a drop in revenue sharing, everything remained the same for the education/school mill rates portion of the budget as announced by the provincial government.
After going through the numbers and approving this year’s budget, Redden said the average total property tax bill will equate to an increase of approximately 3.2 percent. “The range for the average total property tax bill increase is anywhere from around 2.7 percent up to 4.2 percent but the average comes in around that 3.2 percent mark. Depending on a home’s assessment that means residents could be paying anywhere from $75 to $160 a year more. On average, taking the 3.2 percent as a median they would be looking at a $100 increase for this year.”
Tax prepayment estimate notices were mailed in January and actuals were recently sent out once the budget was approved. Redden added there is a two percent discount on any unpaid municipal taxes to the end of May and one percent in June.
As for the expenditure side of the budget, some of the areas of note include:
Water/Sewer
The Town will begin developing an additional raw water source to ensure adequate supply, hydrogeology work and a well, which will come with a price tag of $150,000 and be on the books for 2018 only. The balance of the project will be phased over the next couple of years.
Work is currently underway on the east side of Watrous as water/sewer for the east side industrial development is being installed. The Town’s share for the project is $300,000 for the affected Town owned land. The other affected land owners will be contributing proportionately. As part of the work, a sewer lift station is being constructed behind Watrous Home Hardware on the Town’s portion of land. The sewer lines will service Home Hardware, running east through the new industrial area and then south to where the new Chrysler dealership is being built. The water line that is going in will be looped back to where the fire hall is located. The work which has already started is projected to be completed in about six weeks.
Environmental Services
As a member of the Regional Authority of Carlton Trail (REACT), the community is contributing to a new landfill site being constructed in the RM of LeRoy. As such, the Town is in year two of a five year commitment with REACT ($70,000/year). “This is a significant cost increase for this portion of the budget.”
Protective Services
The town will be doing a full replacement of the Watrous Fire Department’s SCBA equipment (masks, harnesses, and tanks) ensuring the community is fully compliant with all safety/OH&S requirements. The replacement program is cost shared with the Watrous Rural Fire Protection Association which consists of the Resort Village of Manitou Beach and Rural Municipalities of Morris, Wood Creek, Usborne and Wreford. The total cost of the full replacement for the department is $70,000.
Transportation and Street Work
While this portion of the budget remains similar to previous years, a significant part of the contracted street maintenance and capital will be allocated to the new east side industrial site, located next to Watrous Home Hardware. The total cost of that work is $300,000.
Public Health and Welfare
Approval was given for upwards of $25,000 to be used towards completing cemetery upgrades and improvements. Redden said the Town will be announcing more details on the project soon.
The Town of Watrous will continue to remain involved with the medical clinic operations, working in collaboration with the Primary Health Management area of the Saskatchewan Health Authority to keep a stable group of health providers practicing in the community.
Recreation and Culture
A new Zamboni ice resurfacer was purchased for $120,000 and will be used once the ice goes in later this year at the Watrous Centennial Arena. The ice resurfacer was funded entirely by donations and contributions from the supportive Watrous and area business community.
The Watrous Centennial Arena will also see another improvement as the chiller will be replaced at a cost of $60,000.
Redden said council is also considering participating with Watrous Minor Ball, the elementary and high schools, and the Winston Wildcats football team on purchasing a new washroom/concession/storage building at the sportsgrounds. The facility would be used by minor ball, the high school football team and for track events.
By Daniel Bushman
With an overall municipal increase of five percent to this year’s budget, Watrous town council approved the bump as the community looks to grow in 2018, keep up with current expenditures and mitigate the decrease in provincial revenue sharing.
Town Administrator Orrin Redden said the overall uniform mill rate (4.71 mills), commercial mill rate (6.96 mills) and base tax - which is the same for all classes of property for a developed property ($1,033) - all increased by five percent. In addition there was a pre-established water/sewer consumption rate increase that also took effect Jan. 1, 2018. Redden added council is also proposing an increase to the Capital Infrastructure Levy to begin later this year pending Saskatchewan Municipal Board approval.
The bump in the budget also coincided with provincial revenue sharing dropping seven percent, down $28,000 for Watrous from what it received in 2017. While there was a drop in revenue sharing, everything remained the same for the education/school mill rates portion of the budget as announced by the provincial government.
After going through the numbers and approving this year’s budget, Redden said the average total property tax bill will equate to an increase of approximately 3.2 percent. “The range for the average total property tax bill increase is anywhere from around 2.7 percent up to 4.2 percent but the average comes in around that 3.2 percent mark. Depending on a home’s assessment that means residents could be paying anywhere from $75 to $160 a year more. On average, taking the 3.2 percent as a median they would be looking at a $100 increase for this year.”
Tax prepayment estimate notices were mailed in January and actuals were recently sent out once the budget was approved. Redden added there is a two percent discount on any unpaid municipal taxes to the end of May and one percent in June.
As for the expenditure side of the budget, some of the areas of note include:
Water/Sewer
The Town will begin developing an additional raw water source to ensure adequate supply, hydrogeology work and a well, which will come with a price tag of $150,000 and be on the books for 2018 only. The balance of the project will be phased over the next couple of years.
Work is currently underway on the east side of Watrous as water/sewer for the east side industrial development is being installed. The Town’s share for the project is $300,000 for the affected Town owned land. The other affected land owners will be contributing proportionately. As part of the work, a sewer lift station is being constructed behind Watrous Home Hardware on the Town’s portion of land. The sewer lines will service Home Hardware, running east through the new industrial area and then south to where the new Chrysler dealership is being built. The water line that is going in will be looped back to where the fire hall is located. The work which has already started is projected to be completed in about six weeks.
Environmental Services
As a member of the Regional Authority of Carlton Trail (REACT), the community is contributing to a new landfill site being constructed in the RM of LeRoy. As such, the Town is in year two of a five year commitment with REACT ($70,000/year). “This is a significant cost increase for this portion of the budget.”
Protective Services
The town will be doing a full replacement of the Watrous Fire Department’s SCBA equipment (masks, harnesses, and tanks) ensuring the community is fully compliant with all safety/OH&S requirements. The replacement program is cost shared with the Watrous Rural Fire Protection Association which consists of the Resort Village of Manitou Beach and Rural Municipalities of Morris, Wood Creek, Usborne and Wreford. The total cost of the full replacement for the department is $70,000.
Transportation and Street Work
While this portion of the budget remains similar to previous years, a significant part of the contracted street maintenance and capital will be allocated to the new east side industrial site, located next to Watrous Home Hardware. The total cost of that work is $300,000.
Public Health and Welfare
Approval was given for upwards of $25,000 to be used towards completing cemetery upgrades and improvements. Redden said the Town will be announcing more details on the project soon.
The Town of Watrous will continue to remain involved with the medical clinic operations, working in collaboration with the Primary Health Management area of the Saskatchewan Health Authority to keep a stable group of health providers practicing in the community.
Recreation and Culture
A new Zamboni ice resurfacer was purchased for $120,000 and will be used once the ice goes in later this year at the Watrous Centennial Arena. The ice resurfacer was funded entirely by donations and contributions from the supportive Watrous and area business community.
The Watrous Centennial Arena will also see another improvement as the chiller will be replaced at a cost of $60,000.
Redden said council is also considering participating with Watrous Minor Ball, the elementary and high schools, and the Winston Wildcats football team on purchasing a new washroom/concession/storage building at the sportsgrounds. The facility would be used by minor ball, the high school football team and for track events.
TWM Top Story - May 21, 2018
Fee changes and secured load guidelines implemented at REACT stations
Daniel Bushman
Users of the Regional Authority of Carlton Trail (REACT) transfer stations and landfills will be paying more to dump loads off after fees changed May 1. In addition to the fees being adjusted, secured load guidelines have also been implemented for those transporting any type of materials to their nearest landfill or transfer station.
In an effort to keep up with higher costs of operation and to help cover the costs of changes related to regulations instituted by the Ministry of Environment, people taking waste to transfer and landfill sites will now pay a minimum charge of $5. REACT Operations Manager Lyle Ruf said, “For example, if you bring one bag of garbage that is worth $2.50, you would be charged an additional $2.50 for a minimum charge for coming in the landfill. If you brought three bags in, which are $7.50 (or three tags), that is all you would pay. You wouldn’t pay anything additional to that.”
People will also need to provide identification showing proof of residency (driver’s licence/utility bill) and if they are not a REACT member, they will be charged a higher rate. Users of the stations or landfills can still use their previous tags they purchased before May 1 but once they run out, they will have to pay more. Garbage tags are now $2.50 a tag and half tags will no longer be accepted at transfer stations or landfills. A full tag must be on each 77 L bag or can (this also applies to curbside pickup tag-a-bag).
With local transfer station sites situated near Colonsay, Drake, Lanigan, LeRoy, Meacham, Viscount, Watrous and Young, Ruf said the changes were implemented as a result of the Ministry of Environment’s regulations being enforced at landfills across the province and the increased cost of meeting those standards. “We had to upgrade our facilities to have engineered cells, runoff ponds, berms and leachate ponds in order to protect the environment.”
REACT CEO Wendy Yaworski said the Ministry of Environment has made solid waste and best practices a priority in the province and as such the practices are required to be followed.
“In rural Saskatchewan we need to follow the best practices in an effort to protect the environment. However, with the significant costs associated with the regulations that we are required to follow and running the risk of operating with a deficit, we were left no choice but to raise fees.”
But it is not just regulations that have incurred higher costs for REACT as Yaworski said other day-to-day expenses have also gone up.
“A few years ago, work done at a cell at the Hoodoo landfill cost between $40,000 and $50,000 to dig and put it into working order. Last fall work was started on a new cell that had to be engineered and included the necessary requirements to be operational. Once done, that will cost us close to $600,000. Our overhead costs have also gone up tremendously. A front load truck that collects garbage, in 2014 we paid around $250,000 for it. Now it is costing us around $380,000. Even a small residential truck that would go to Watrous, a new one of those would be $121,000 and a few years ago it used to be around $80,000. Everything is going up so either we start to try and cover the deficit off or we can’t stay operational.”
In addition to the fee increases to help cover the changes, people utilizing the transfer stations and landfill sites are also required to secure their loads during transport. For example, if it is branches there would need to be some type of net or tarp over top so they would not blow out. If it is something like a couch, there would need to be a strap that would be going over top of it preventing it or its cushions from flying out. Essentially, Ruf said whatever is necessary to secure the load in the vehicle or what the load is being hauled in without it blowing off and into the ditches is required.
If the load is not secured, then to dump it off at one of the sites will cost more than the normal fee. Operators can also refuse entry into the site if the load is unsecured or they will collect a surcharge which can be double the cost of the load. “The reasoning for that is we very often get calls to go clean up stuff on roadways that has blown out of trucks and this will help cover the cost of doing that. Every load should be secured. It is provincial law.”
In addition to the new changes, Ruf said REACT is doing more around its cells to keep blown litter in place. “We are taking steps to try and contain that at the cells so we don’t get blown litter travelling across the country. We will be putting 30 foot high fences around our garbage cells to try and retain everything in our cells. It will be at both of our landfills and the transfer stations. We will start phasing that in over a period of time.”
REACT is also encouraging people to not buy overpackaged items and recycle as much as possible to reduce waste. That includes using cloth shopping bags as opposed to plastic bags as the plastic bags can pose a challenge for landfills, easily blowing all over the place.
While fee increases may not be popular, Ruf and Yaworski said people within the REACT district are in a good spot compared to others in the province that have had landfills shutdown and are left no options as far as economically replacing them. According to Ruf, the ministry has mentioned those who do not have a site close by may have to haul their garbage, unload it and return home from a site a minimum distance of 200 km away (400 km total of driving back and forth).
“Not long ago there were 534 landfills in the province and as of last year, they have now been reduced to 256,” said Yaworski.
“It is challenging for us to implement these changes and we want the public to understand it is a challenging time for us. I want to encourage people to give our office a call if they have questions regarding the fee increases so we can help to address them.”
With a total of 17 transfer stations, and two landfills within its borders, REACT consists of 31 urban and 16 rural municipalities that have joined together to manage their solid waste and recycling. On its website, REACT said its guiding principle is to divert as much waste from the landfill as possible. Through waste reduction and recycling, REACT’s goal is to dispose of 65 percent less waste to landfill.
Daniel Bushman
Users of the Regional Authority of Carlton Trail (REACT) transfer stations and landfills will be paying more to dump loads off after fees changed May 1. In addition to the fees being adjusted, secured load guidelines have also been implemented for those transporting any type of materials to their nearest landfill or transfer station.
In an effort to keep up with higher costs of operation and to help cover the costs of changes related to regulations instituted by the Ministry of Environment, people taking waste to transfer and landfill sites will now pay a minimum charge of $5. REACT Operations Manager Lyle Ruf said, “For example, if you bring one bag of garbage that is worth $2.50, you would be charged an additional $2.50 for a minimum charge for coming in the landfill. If you brought three bags in, which are $7.50 (or three tags), that is all you would pay. You wouldn’t pay anything additional to that.”
People will also need to provide identification showing proof of residency (driver’s licence/utility bill) and if they are not a REACT member, they will be charged a higher rate. Users of the stations or landfills can still use their previous tags they purchased before May 1 but once they run out, they will have to pay more. Garbage tags are now $2.50 a tag and half tags will no longer be accepted at transfer stations or landfills. A full tag must be on each 77 L bag or can (this also applies to curbside pickup tag-a-bag).
With local transfer station sites situated near Colonsay, Drake, Lanigan, LeRoy, Meacham, Viscount, Watrous and Young, Ruf said the changes were implemented as a result of the Ministry of Environment’s regulations being enforced at landfills across the province and the increased cost of meeting those standards. “We had to upgrade our facilities to have engineered cells, runoff ponds, berms and leachate ponds in order to protect the environment.”
REACT CEO Wendy Yaworski said the Ministry of Environment has made solid waste and best practices a priority in the province and as such the practices are required to be followed.
“In rural Saskatchewan we need to follow the best practices in an effort to protect the environment. However, with the significant costs associated with the regulations that we are required to follow and running the risk of operating with a deficit, we were left no choice but to raise fees.”
But it is not just regulations that have incurred higher costs for REACT as Yaworski said other day-to-day expenses have also gone up.
“A few years ago, work done at a cell at the Hoodoo landfill cost between $40,000 and $50,000 to dig and put it into working order. Last fall work was started on a new cell that had to be engineered and included the necessary requirements to be operational. Once done, that will cost us close to $600,000. Our overhead costs have also gone up tremendously. A front load truck that collects garbage, in 2014 we paid around $250,000 for it. Now it is costing us around $380,000. Even a small residential truck that would go to Watrous, a new one of those would be $121,000 and a few years ago it used to be around $80,000. Everything is going up so either we start to try and cover the deficit off or we can’t stay operational.”
In addition to the fee increases to help cover the changes, people utilizing the transfer stations and landfill sites are also required to secure their loads during transport. For example, if it is branches there would need to be some type of net or tarp over top so they would not blow out. If it is something like a couch, there would need to be a strap that would be going over top of it preventing it or its cushions from flying out. Essentially, Ruf said whatever is necessary to secure the load in the vehicle or what the load is being hauled in without it blowing off and into the ditches is required.
If the load is not secured, then to dump it off at one of the sites will cost more than the normal fee. Operators can also refuse entry into the site if the load is unsecured or they will collect a surcharge which can be double the cost of the load. “The reasoning for that is we very often get calls to go clean up stuff on roadways that has blown out of trucks and this will help cover the cost of doing that. Every load should be secured. It is provincial law.”
In addition to the new changes, Ruf said REACT is doing more around its cells to keep blown litter in place. “We are taking steps to try and contain that at the cells so we don’t get blown litter travelling across the country. We will be putting 30 foot high fences around our garbage cells to try and retain everything in our cells. It will be at both of our landfills and the transfer stations. We will start phasing that in over a period of time.”
REACT is also encouraging people to not buy overpackaged items and recycle as much as possible to reduce waste. That includes using cloth shopping bags as opposed to plastic bags as the plastic bags can pose a challenge for landfills, easily blowing all over the place.
While fee increases may not be popular, Ruf and Yaworski said people within the REACT district are in a good spot compared to others in the province that have had landfills shutdown and are left no options as far as economically replacing them. According to Ruf, the ministry has mentioned those who do not have a site close by may have to haul their garbage, unload it and return home from a site a minimum distance of 200 km away (400 km total of driving back and forth).
“Not long ago there were 534 landfills in the province and as of last year, they have now been reduced to 256,” said Yaworski.
“It is challenging for us to implement these changes and we want the public to understand it is a challenging time for us. I want to encourage people to give our office a call if they have questions regarding the fee increases so we can help to address them.”
With a total of 17 transfer stations, and two landfills within its borders, REACT consists of 31 urban and 16 rural municipalities that have joined together to manage their solid waste and recycling. On its website, REACT said its guiding principle is to divert as much waste from the landfill as possible. Through waste reduction and recycling, REACT’s goal is to dispose of 65 percent less waste to landfill.
TWM Top Story - May 14
Donations being accepted after fire
Daniel Bushman
There has been an outpouring of support as residents of the Watrous area and beyond are joining together to help Albert and Kathleen Kimmig after Albert was severely burned in a fire earlier this month. Albert and Kathleen’s nephew, Aaron Meyerhoff set up a GoFundMe page and a drop off location has been established in Watrous by the Kimmig’s neighbours where people can also donate funds in support of the family.
Albert, who is a retired farmer started a controlled burn at his farm north of Manitou Beach May 5 but with a strong wind, the fire later spread at a rapid rate. A shed, two vehicles, a water truck with a tank, a fence and a row of trees were all destroyed.
Aaron said his 78-year-old uncle was found unconscious some 10 feet from the fire by Kathleen who was returning from Watrous when she saw columns of black smoke in the direction of their home.
Emergency crews were dispatched to treat Albert and contain the blaze while STARS was flown in from Saskatoon. After a couple of hours of treatment in the emergency room in Watrous, STARS transferred Albert to Saskatoon and then from there to the Edmonton Burn Centre.
“Albert has burns to 40 percent of his body, with 25 percent of that being third degree burns. His heart and lungs are currently a cause for concern as well as the possibility of infections in his long haul to recovery,” said Aaron. “Albert is well-known in his community and is a friend and helper to any and all. He would abandon his own home labours to help others. His own wife wished she was his neighbour as many of her “honey do” lists were left undone over the years.”
Aaron said Albert was in a coma but is now awake and undergoing treatment. “We are asking for friends, family and well-wishers to help out with the large financial burden this will have on their family. Expenses include: intensive treatment and rehab that will be ongoing; ambulance fees and STARS air ambulance fees; spousal travel to and from one province to another; home maintenance and expenses.”
This past Thursday, May 9, Kathleen said, “Albert’s going for about six hours of skin grafting Thursday. He has his stomach tube out and can get his fluids by mouth. The doctor said that when Albert arrived at the U of A burn unit they did not have much hope for his survival. Albert told me he is one of five on the unit with grass fire burns. He was in good spirits and there are wonderful staff on the burn unit. Therapy and healing will take many months and Albert is swathed in bandages from neck to feet. He was awake out of induced coma (May 8) when I first saw him. I gave him everyone’s notice of prayers and condolences and he teared up. He will be at the burn centre for at least a month and many ongoing months of rehab and healing. The doctor told me they didn’t except him to survive when he first arrived but one doctor told him there is a reason God still has him here. Praise the Lord. Have had prayer times with him. He is astounded of all the help coming in. My heartfelt thanks go out too. Pray for both of us. Love to all. God is good all the time!”
On May 10, Aaron Meyerhoff provided an update after Albert's surgery. "Albert has come out of surgery. He is as well as the doctors expected him to be after surgery. They put him on a ventilator for the time being but hope to remove that Friday morning, as long he’s doing good. The surgery went well. The doctors took off all the burnt skin, grafted all the parts they wanted to. Donor grafts weren't needed due to Albert having enough good skin to use for the grafts. In five to seven days they will look to see if the grafts took. At present Albert is back on a feeding tube."
An initial fundraising goal of $5,000 was set by Aaron on the GoFundMe page last week and was reached in the first day it was set up. A new goal of $20,000 was established as the nephew of Albert said there still remains a great financial need.
“Kathleen has already received some initial medical bills and we want to keep the fundraising going as this will be a long road to recovery for Albert. With that we are setting a new financial goal towards the ongoing support of Albert and Kathleen; both for the immediate medical and travel expenses, but also for the mid and long term costs.”
To donate online, people can go to: www.gofundme.com/support-for-albert-kimmig
Albert and Kathleen’s neighbours have also set up a donation drop off location in Watrous, which is at the Watrous Pharmacy and will be there until May 19.
Daniel Bushman
There has been an outpouring of support as residents of the Watrous area and beyond are joining together to help Albert and Kathleen Kimmig after Albert was severely burned in a fire earlier this month. Albert and Kathleen’s nephew, Aaron Meyerhoff set up a GoFundMe page and a drop off location has been established in Watrous by the Kimmig’s neighbours where people can also donate funds in support of the family.
Albert, who is a retired farmer started a controlled burn at his farm north of Manitou Beach May 5 but with a strong wind, the fire later spread at a rapid rate. A shed, two vehicles, a water truck with a tank, a fence and a row of trees were all destroyed.
Aaron said his 78-year-old uncle was found unconscious some 10 feet from the fire by Kathleen who was returning from Watrous when she saw columns of black smoke in the direction of their home.
Emergency crews were dispatched to treat Albert and contain the blaze while STARS was flown in from Saskatoon. After a couple of hours of treatment in the emergency room in Watrous, STARS transferred Albert to Saskatoon and then from there to the Edmonton Burn Centre.
“Albert has burns to 40 percent of his body, with 25 percent of that being third degree burns. His heart and lungs are currently a cause for concern as well as the possibility of infections in his long haul to recovery,” said Aaron. “Albert is well-known in his community and is a friend and helper to any and all. He would abandon his own home labours to help others. His own wife wished she was his neighbour as many of her “honey do” lists were left undone over the years.”
Aaron said Albert was in a coma but is now awake and undergoing treatment. “We are asking for friends, family and well-wishers to help out with the large financial burden this will have on their family. Expenses include: intensive treatment and rehab that will be ongoing; ambulance fees and STARS air ambulance fees; spousal travel to and from one province to another; home maintenance and expenses.”
This past Thursday, May 9, Kathleen said, “Albert’s going for about six hours of skin grafting Thursday. He has his stomach tube out and can get his fluids by mouth. The doctor said that when Albert arrived at the U of A burn unit they did not have much hope for his survival. Albert told me he is one of five on the unit with grass fire burns. He was in good spirits and there are wonderful staff on the burn unit. Therapy and healing will take many months and Albert is swathed in bandages from neck to feet. He was awake out of induced coma (May 8) when I first saw him. I gave him everyone’s notice of prayers and condolences and he teared up. He will be at the burn centre for at least a month and many ongoing months of rehab and healing. The doctor told me they didn’t except him to survive when he first arrived but one doctor told him there is a reason God still has him here. Praise the Lord. Have had prayer times with him. He is astounded of all the help coming in. My heartfelt thanks go out too. Pray for both of us. Love to all. God is good all the time!”
On May 10, Aaron Meyerhoff provided an update after Albert's surgery. "Albert has come out of surgery. He is as well as the doctors expected him to be after surgery. They put him on a ventilator for the time being but hope to remove that Friday morning, as long he’s doing good. The surgery went well. The doctors took off all the burnt skin, grafted all the parts they wanted to. Donor grafts weren't needed due to Albert having enough good skin to use for the grafts. In five to seven days they will look to see if the grafts took. At present Albert is back on a feeding tube."
An initial fundraising goal of $5,000 was set by Aaron on the GoFundMe page last week and was reached in the first day it was set up. A new goal of $20,000 was established as the nephew of Albert said there still remains a great financial need.
“Kathleen has already received some initial medical bills and we want to keep the fundraising going as this will be a long road to recovery for Albert. With that we are setting a new financial goal towards the ongoing support of Albert and Kathleen; both for the immediate medical and travel expenses, but also for the mid and long term costs.”
To donate online, people can go to: www.gofundme.com/support-for-albert-kimmig
Albert and Kathleen’s neighbours have also set up a donation drop off location in Watrous, which is at the Watrous Pharmacy and will be there until May 19.
TWM Top Story - May 7
Fast melt rushes through area
Daniel Bushman
The snow lasted longer than most would have liked but when it melted, it went quick, causing a rapid rush of water throughout parts of the province. In a span of just a few days, the sun zapped months worth of snow as creeks, fields, lakes, rivers and even roads absorbed the rise in levels.
After spending millions of dollars over the last number of years constructing berms to protect the shoreline, businesses and homes, the resort village of Manitou Beach crossed its fingers as water came barrelling through Wellington Creek.
With Little Manitou Lake already high, Manitou Beach Mayor Gerry Worobec said the melt went fast. “I think we were prepared well enough for it and we managed to stay ahead of it,” said Worobec who added at the back end of Wellington where water flows in from culverts and fields to a slough, the water rose high enough to flow over a dam, starting to erode it.
“I noticed that the creek all of the sudden increased quite a bit so we got back there and had a look Friday night (Apr. 20) and the water was going over the top. We got a piece of equipment from Trent Ediger of Melron Service and with his loader and our backhoe we got it repaired. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if that dam would have washed out completely.”
After work was done last year on building up the berm along the shoreline, the new culverts under the road next to Danceland were able to absorb the high water and Worobec said there were no issues there. A few other areas collected a fair amount of water but village crews were busy pumping those areas dry and at Camp Easter Seal water pooled but those levels also came down.
“There was a bit of infiltration to our sewer system from ground water but we have that isolated and are taking some measures to alleviate that problem. We had the Richardson trucks out there doing a great job to manage that situation for us. Our village staff also did a fantastic job, putting in long hours to help manage the runoff.”
With a major lift station upgrade slated to take place in June, Worobec said that improvement will also fix up a few issues the resort community was experiencing bringing with it a price tag around $1 million. Until that upgrade takes place, Worobec said the worst of the melt is over for the beach although there was a bit of water still flowing into the lake at the east end. As for just how much water ended up flowing into the lake from the spring melt, “Once the ice goes out we will know for sure but just judging from some of the areas, I think it will be up four or five inches from last fall. The highest levels we have ever had though were from the fall previous. After that we dropped about 14 inches over the summer but with this melt, we will gain about four or five of that back. But we were prepared for this year and we have the pumping stations and nine sump holes set up . . . we will keep one big pump here during the summer in case we have a flash flood.”
While the resort community is essentially done with the spring melt, other areas within surrounding rural municipalities are still experiencing high water levels and roads being compromised. One of those RMs bordering Manitou Beach is the RM of Usborne No. 310. Spanning over an area east of Watrous to Lockwood and then up past Drake and Lanigan before returning back over towards Plunkett, RM Administrator Anna Rintoul said there is a lot of water compromising roads. One of those roads happens to be a main highway and while it does not fall within the RM’s jurisdiction, Rintoul said water was flowing over Hwy. 16 west of Lanigan early last week before beginning to recede. “Last week a stop light was put up and it was down to one lane of traffic. On Thursday (May 3), the water was lower than earlier in the week and not on the highway as much. However, it was still down to one lane of traffic.”
Another area that the RM has been monitoring is ‘old Hwy. 20’ and Range Road 2223. “Both bridges are compromised and roads are currently closed. Township Road 330 is also closed due to surrounding quarters being underwater and water running over the road. Range Road 2230 is also completely under water. Essentially any areas with creek crossings, the roads are compromised.”
Rintoul said most roads experiencing compromised conditions have been closed or barricaded in RM 310. “Our staff is working diligently to keep on top of this, although some of the roads that are completely underwater will not be on the radar until water levels go down.”
In the Rural Municipality of Wolverine, located near Plunkett and spanning between Guernsey and Humboldt and running just north of Lanigan, Public Works Supervisor Dale Becker said they have had 26 spots where water was over the road with most of those east of Hwy. 20. Of those, seven were not passable or unsafe to drive on as of May 1. Becker said they are hopeful those areas will be reopened after repairs are made. “We would like to have our main roads passable by May 11 and then begin working on our secondary and back roads after that. If there is a road closed and marked with signage, please do not go down that road.”
Becker said the fast melt within the RM occurred over about two days and with lots of wind and snow in the area, the water came fast. “It was over Hwy. 20 and was over Hwy. 16. We are hoping to see the tail end go by pretty quickly.”
In the RM of Wreford, which spans east of Imperial and Simpson then up to Venn and over past Nokomis, RM Administrator Melanie Rich said the RM is hopeful that levels will start to recede. “A couple of the councillors and RM employees have been keeping an eye on the water level at our bridge on the Simpson grid but they think we should be okay. To my knowledge, we do not have water encroaching the roads.”
While not part of the RM’s jurisdiction, water remains high around Hwy. 15 west of Nokomis but as of last week had not gone over the road.
In the RM of Prairie Rose, which encompasses an area east of Lockwood, Drake and Lanigan, spanning across over Esk and Jansen to Dafoe and Hwy. 6, Chief Administrative Officer Melissa Dieno said the water has been receding quickly since the spring thaw. While the Quill Lakes water levels remain a concern as they flow into the RM from just east of the RM’s border, Dieno said there are not any other concerns with year round municipal roads for the ratepayers to be aware of with regards to the spring melt.
As for the Quill Lakes, over the years the high water levels have caused immense losses of property, infrastructure and livelihoods. Executive Director of the Quill Lakes Watershed Association No. 14 Kerry Holderness said, “We have hit an increase in elevations of water in the Quill Lakes almost every year since 2005, the most unprecedented extremes of a wet cycle since the last peak water levels in 1914. The wet cycle that reached the 1914 peak was around 22 years long. Even with the dry summer and fall we experienced in 2017, and the low snowfall in the southern portions of the watershed, there was significantly higher snow pack in north and east areas, accompanied by late fall rains. This saturated region could still provide trouble for the whole system in the spring of 2018. We must wait and see what the spring runoff brings.”
Over the years since the substantial rise in levels, the water within the Quill Lakes has already flooded almost 100,000 acres of public and private lands, and millions in infrastructure. Since 2005, approximately 5.436 billion cubic metres (5,436,000,000) of water has flowed into the Quill Lakes with nothing released downstream or towards the ocean.
Holderness said if a current 13-year trend continues with its extreme wet two-year cycles followed by above average two-year moderate levels, which have been going back and forth since 2005, “we are due for another two years of extreme summer rains. They could resume this year if those trends repeat again, as a fourth consecutive cycle.”
To try and curb the potential threat of more water flowing into the lakes, the watershed association is hoping to implement a strategy to try and get in front of the problem using mitigation measures. Those measures, if implemented, would prevent or minimize future damages to property, the economy and the environment.
Daniel Bushman
The snow lasted longer than most would have liked but when it melted, it went quick, causing a rapid rush of water throughout parts of the province. In a span of just a few days, the sun zapped months worth of snow as creeks, fields, lakes, rivers and even roads absorbed the rise in levels.
After spending millions of dollars over the last number of years constructing berms to protect the shoreline, businesses and homes, the resort village of Manitou Beach crossed its fingers as water came barrelling through Wellington Creek.
With Little Manitou Lake already high, Manitou Beach Mayor Gerry Worobec said the melt went fast. “I think we were prepared well enough for it and we managed to stay ahead of it,” said Worobec who added at the back end of Wellington where water flows in from culverts and fields to a slough, the water rose high enough to flow over a dam, starting to erode it.
“I noticed that the creek all of the sudden increased quite a bit so we got back there and had a look Friday night (Apr. 20) and the water was going over the top. We got a piece of equipment from Trent Ediger of Melron Service and with his loader and our backhoe we got it repaired. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if that dam would have washed out completely.”
After work was done last year on building up the berm along the shoreline, the new culverts under the road next to Danceland were able to absorb the high water and Worobec said there were no issues there. A few other areas collected a fair amount of water but village crews were busy pumping those areas dry and at Camp Easter Seal water pooled but those levels also came down.
“There was a bit of infiltration to our sewer system from ground water but we have that isolated and are taking some measures to alleviate that problem. We had the Richardson trucks out there doing a great job to manage that situation for us. Our village staff also did a fantastic job, putting in long hours to help manage the runoff.”
With a major lift station upgrade slated to take place in June, Worobec said that improvement will also fix up a few issues the resort community was experiencing bringing with it a price tag around $1 million. Until that upgrade takes place, Worobec said the worst of the melt is over for the beach although there was a bit of water still flowing into the lake at the east end. As for just how much water ended up flowing into the lake from the spring melt, “Once the ice goes out we will know for sure but just judging from some of the areas, I think it will be up four or five inches from last fall. The highest levels we have ever had though were from the fall previous. After that we dropped about 14 inches over the summer but with this melt, we will gain about four or five of that back. But we were prepared for this year and we have the pumping stations and nine sump holes set up . . . we will keep one big pump here during the summer in case we have a flash flood.”
While the resort community is essentially done with the spring melt, other areas within surrounding rural municipalities are still experiencing high water levels and roads being compromised. One of those RMs bordering Manitou Beach is the RM of Usborne No. 310. Spanning over an area east of Watrous to Lockwood and then up past Drake and Lanigan before returning back over towards Plunkett, RM Administrator Anna Rintoul said there is a lot of water compromising roads. One of those roads happens to be a main highway and while it does not fall within the RM’s jurisdiction, Rintoul said water was flowing over Hwy. 16 west of Lanigan early last week before beginning to recede. “Last week a stop light was put up and it was down to one lane of traffic. On Thursday (May 3), the water was lower than earlier in the week and not on the highway as much. However, it was still down to one lane of traffic.”
Another area that the RM has been monitoring is ‘old Hwy. 20’ and Range Road 2223. “Both bridges are compromised and roads are currently closed. Township Road 330 is also closed due to surrounding quarters being underwater and water running over the road. Range Road 2230 is also completely under water. Essentially any areas with creek crossings, the roads are compromised.”
Rintoul said most roads experiencing compromised conditions have been closed or barricaded in RM 310. “Our staff is working diligently to keep on top of this, although some of the roads that are completely underwater will not be on the radar until water levels go down.”
In the Rural Municipality of Wolverine, located near Plunkett and spanning between Guernsey and Humboldt and running just north of Lanigan, Public Works Supervisor Dale Becker said they have had 26 spots where water was over the road with most of those east of Hwy. 20. Of those, seven were not passable or unsafe to drive on as of May 1. Becker said they are hopeful those areas will be reopened after repairs are made. “We would like to have our main roads passable by May 11 and then begin working on our secondary and back roads after that. If there is a road closed and marked with signage, please do not go down that road.”
Becker said the fast melt within the RM occurred over about two days and with lots of wind and snow in the area, the water came fast. “It was over Hwy. 20 and was over Hwy. 16. We are hoping to see the tail end go by pretty quickly.”
In the RM of Wreford, which spans east of Imperial and Simpson then up to Venn and over past Nokomis, RM Administrator Melanie Rich said the RM is hopeful that levels will start to recede. “A couple of the councillors and RM employees have been keeping an eye on the water level at our bridge on the Simpson grid but they think we should be okay. To my knowledge, we do not have water encroaching the roads.”
While not part of the RM’s jurisdiction, water remains high around Hwy. 15 west of Nokomis but as of last week had not gone over the road.
In the RM of Prairie Rose, which encompasses an area east of Lockwood, Drake and Lanigan, spanning across over Esk and Jansen to Dafoe and Hwy. 6, Chief Administrative Officer Melissa Dieno said the water has been receding quickly since the spring thaw. While the Quill Lakes water levels remain a concern as they flow into the RM from just east of the RM’s border, Dieno said there are not any other concerns with year round municipal roads for the ratepayers to be aware of with regards to the spring melt.
As for the Quill Lakes, over the years the high water levels have caused immense losses of property, infrastructure and livelihoods. Executive Director of the Quill Lakes Watershed Association No. 14 Kerry Holderness said, “We have hit an increase in elevations of water in the Quill Lakes almost every year since 2005, the most unprecedented extremes of a wet cycle since the last peak water levels in 1914. The wet cycle that reached the 1914 peak was around 22 years long. Even with the dry summer and fall we experienced in 2017, and the low snowfall in the southern portions of the watershed, there was significantly higher snow pack in north and east areas, accompanied by late fall rains. This saturated region could still provide trouble for the whole system in the spring of 2018. We must wait and see what the spring runoff brings.”
Over the years since the substantial rise in levels, the water within the Quill Lakes has already flooded almost 100,000 acres of public and private lands, and millions in infrastructure. Since 2005, approximately 5.436 billion cubic metres (5,436,000,000) of water has flowed into the Quill Lakes with nothing released downstream or towards the ocean.
Holderness said if a current 13-year trend continues with its extreme wet two-year cycles followed by above average two-year moderate levels, which have been going back and forth since 2005, “we are due for another two years of extreme summer rains. They could resume this year if those trends repeat again, as a fourth consecutive cycle.”
To try and curb the potential threat of more water flowing into the lakes, the watershed association is hoping to implement a strategy to try and get in front of the problem using mitigation measures. Those measures, if implemented, would prevent or minimize future damages to property, the economy and the environment.
TWM Top Story - Apr. 30, 2018
Bull-A-Rama an overwhelming success
Daniel Bushman
An adrenaline packed night had spectators filling up the Watrous Centennial Arena in anticipation as bull riders from across Western Canada including one rider from New Zealand strapped themselves in for quite a ride. Presented by the Watrous Kinsmen, Bull-A-Rama included top riders from Bull Riders Canada and youth from the area as well. With prize money to be handed out, the evening concluded with a cabaret featuring Nice Horse.
Organizer Chris Soroka said the whole event went really well and was better than he could have imagined. “We had a lot of turnout from Watrous and the surrounding communities.”
Estimating that were more than 700 people in attendance for the Apr. 21 Bull-A-Rama, Soroka said they were still tabulating the total amount of money that was brought in as part of the Watrous Daycare fundraiser.
“We as Kinsmen could not have been happier to see such a big turnout. It was an unbelievable feeling and I would love to see this happen again next year. By the way things sounded from sponsors, we would like to see this event happen again. Without such great sponsors we would not be able to put these events on. We really appreciated them and all the volunteers who helped to make this happen. It is a heart warming feeling to see people jump in and give a helping hand.”
Beginning the Bull-A-Rama, youngsters hopped on horses, riding before the main event. Leading up to the bull riding, the national anthem was sung and a moment of silence was held for the Humboldt Broncos and the team’s personnel. Former Bronco Brad Toews was on hand wearing his jersey as his daughter Sunshine carried a Broncos flag as she rode in remembrance of the team. After the moment of silence, the riders strapped themselves in and the bull riding got underway.
With over $5,000 in prize money up for grabs, this was the first BRC Central Tour stop, earning double points for riders for the BRC Finals.
In the Long Round, Edson, Alberta’s Micheal Ostashek took first with a score of 85, taking $1,229. In second was Ponoka Alberta’s Wacey Finkbeiner who took a score of 84 for $921. Cody Coverchuck of Meadow Lake, Sask. placed third with a score of 83 and took home $614. Jacob Gardner of Dawson Creek, B.C. was fourth with a 79, taking $307. While not winning money, Wade Marshall of Invercargill, New Zealand was fifth with a score of 78, Linden Roloff of Bezanson, Alta. was sixth with a 77, Tim Lipsett of Lumsden, Sask. was seventh with a score of 76 and Shane Peters of Delburne, Alta. was eighth with a score of 75.
In the Canadian Global Championship Round, Wacey Finkbeiner was first with a score of 87, taking home $2,475. In second was Tim Lipsett with a score of 82.5, taking home $2,025.
The overall average after the two rounds put Finkbeiner in first with a score of 171, claiming the buckle and earning total money of $3,396. Lipsett claimed second with an overall score of 158.5 for a total of $2,025. Ostashek who was first in the Long Round ended with a score of 85 for $1,229. Coverchuck placed fourth with a score of 83 and won $614. Gardner was fifth with a score of 79 and earnings of $307. While taking home any money, Marshall was sixth at 78, Roloff seventh at 77 and Peters placed eighth with a 75.
Before the Long Round and then before the Canadian Global Championship Round, aspiring riders took over the arena. Riding Peewee Bareback were Gavin Rose, Whip Gertner and Nolan Soroka. On Junior Bareback were Huck Watson, Bronc Toews and Cade Bartel. The Peewee SaddleBronc included Whip Gertner while Junior SaddleBronc had Bronc Toews, Chet Meston, Ryker Kempton and Houston Friesen. Riding in the Senior SaddleBronc were Ryley Humfrey and Jax Meston. After the two rounds, Hanley’s Houston Friesen won the mini bronc average.
Daniel Bushman
An adrenaline packed night had spectators filling up the Watrous Centennial Arena in anticipation as bull riders from across Western Canada including one rider from New Zealand strapped themselves in for quite a ride. Presented by the Watrous Kinsmen, Bull-A-Rama included top riders from Bull Riders Canada and youth from the area as well. With prize money to be handed out, the evening concluded with a cabaret featuring Nice Horse.
Organizer Chris Soroka said the whole event went really well and was better than he could have imagined. “We had a lot of turnout from Watrous and the surrounding communities.”
Estimating that were more than 700 people in attendance for the Apr. 21 Bull-A-Rama, Soroka said they were still tabulating the total amount of money that was brought in as part of the Watrous Daycare fundraiser.
“We as Kinsmen could not have been happier to see such a big turnout. It was an unbelievable feeling and I would love to see this happen again next year. By the way things sounded from sponsors, we would like to see this event happen again. Without such great sponsors we would not be able to put these events on. We really appreciated them and all the volunteers who helped to make this happen. It is a heart warming feeling to see people jump in and give a helping hand.”
Beginning the Bull-A-Rama, youngsters hopped on horses, riding before the main event. Leading up to the bull riding, the national anthem was sung and a moment of silence was held for the Humboldt Broncos and the team’s personnel. Former Bronco Brad Toews was on hand wearing his jersey as his daughter Sunshine carried a Broncos flag as she rode in remembrance of the team. After the moment of silence, the riders strapped themselves in and the bull riding got underway.
With over $5,000 in prize money up for grabs, this was the first BRC Central Tour stop, earning double points for riders for the BRC Finals.
In the Long Round, Edson, Alberta’s Micheal Ostashek took first with a score of 85, taking $1,229. In second was Ponoka Alberta’s Wacey Finkbeiner who took a score of 84 for $921. Cody Coverchuck of Meadow Lake, Sask. placed third with a score of 83 and took home $614. Jacob Gardner of Dawson Creek, B.C. was fourth with a 79, taking $307. While not winning money, Wade Marshall of Invercargill, New Zealand was fifth with a score of 78, Linden Roloff of Bezanson, Alta. was sixth with a 77, Tim Lipsett of Lumsden, Sask. was seventh with a score of 76 and Shane Peters of Delburne, Alta. was eighth with a score of 75.
In the Canadian Global Championship Round, Wacey Finkbeiner was first with a score of 87, taking home $2,475. In second was Tim Lipsett with a score of 82.5, taking home $2,025.
The overall average after the two rounds put Finkbeiner in first with a score of 171, claiming the buckle and earning total money of $3,396. Lipsett claimed second with an overall score of 158.5 for a total of $2,025. Ostashek who was first in the Long Round ended with a score of 85 for $1,229. Coverchuck placed fourth with a score of 83 and won $614. Gardner was fifth with a score of 79 and earnings of $307. While taking home any money, Marshall was sixth at 78, Roloff seventh at 77 and Peters placed eighth with a 75.
Before the Long Round and then before the Canadian Global Championship Round, aspiring riders took over the arena. Riding Peewee Bareback were Gavin Rose, Whip Gertner and Nolan Soroka. On Junior Bareback were Huck Watson, Bronc Toews and Cade Bartel. The Peewee SaddleBronc included Whip Gertner while Junior SaddleBronc had Bronc Toews, Chet Meston, Ryker Kempton and Houston Friesen. Riding in the Senior SaddleBronc were Ryley Humfrey and Jax Meston. After the two rounds, Hanley’s Houston Friesen won the mini bronc average.
TWM Top Story - Apr. 23, 2018
Sister of Chanda Van de Vorst delivers powerful message
Daniel Bushman
It can come down to one decision and that choice can lead to devastating and lifelong consequences. Through tragic circumstances in which a family was taken too soon, the sister of Chanda (nee Mierau) Van de Vorst is hoping people will make the right choice to not drive drunk or distracted.
Returning to the community she grew up in and the high school she attended, Tana Deibert shared her heart-wrenching experience of not only losing her sister, but a brother-in-law, a niece and nephew after the vehicle they were in was hit by a drunk driver. Deibert also talked to those at Winston High School in Watrous about how she has journeyed on through her own life since that horrific day Jan. 3, 2016.
Having spoken at more than 20 schools in both Saskatchewan and Alberta, Tana was invited to talk at Winston High School Apr. 16 by the school’s Students Against Drinking and Driving (SADD) group. “The main reason I decided to do my presentation is that one decision can make a difference. If I can make the decision process change in one person’s mind for each presentation that I do, it is well worth it. Being able to come to Winston High School, that has been my goal for over a year. This town grieved with us and I wanted to bring some type of healing and hope to the community of Watrous.”
Winston High School teacher and SADD adviser, Cindy Cantelon said the group started up this year after conversations last year amongst the current Gr. 12 students. After attending the provincial SADD conference in Saskatoon in October where Tana spoke, the local SADD group wanted to have her speak before next month’s grad.
Winston High School’s SADD president Damion Weber and vice president Chalsey Diment said the group began the year with no funds and after many fundraisers, collecting recycling and washing dishes for the Town Christmas party, they were able to use the money to attend the provincial SADD conference in Saskatoon.
“We brought in Mrs. Deibert to show the consequences of drinking and driving and the simple decisions you can make that could help save lives. We initially set the goal to bring this speaker before our Gr. 12 graduation to ensure our peers were safe during this time. We also decided to bring SADD into our school because we have watched and heard of many accidents involving alcohol during our high school years and decided it was time to take action. We may be a small group but we have high hopes in making an impact on others. We hope as we leave at the end of June that Winston SADD continues to thrive and helps to make positive change in regards to drinking and driving.”
With the high school students and staff along with community members and Tana’s family in attendance, Deibert, who is a teacher at Goodsoil shared about the struggles and reality of receiving word that her sister and her family perished because of a drunk driver.
Thirty-four-year-old Jordan, thirty-three-year-old Chanda and their kids, who were just five and two decided to visit friends in Osler Jan. 2, 2016. Playing board games and having a lot of fun, after an enjoyable night, the family decided to leave at midnight.
“It was during the same time, someone else was making decisions . . . after a night of drinking, what should have been a 10 minute drive for her to get home, the person ended up taking a right turn and not a left, going to Louis Riel Trail. She did not stop or take the curve and going 120 km/h, she blew through the stop sign, crossed the first double lane and in the other, hit the Van de Vorst car. It took me one year and seven months to go to that site after the crash,” said Deibert. “I had no interest going there but because there was a roadside memorial to be put up in honour of my sister and her family the following month, I went.”
It was 5:30 a.m., Jan. 3, 2016 and the phone rang at the Deibert home. “We didn’t answer. We thought why would someone call that early?”
An hour later, a member of the RCMP was at Tana’s door. Being in a small town of a couple hundred people, she knew something was wrong. “My husband answered and frantically called me to the door. All I could do was put my hands in the middle of my body. The member of the RCMP asked me if I was Chanda and Jordan’s sister. I said I was and he told me three words, “They are dead.” I asked about my nephew Miguire and he said he had died. I then asked about my niece Kamryn. He said she was still alive but did not know for how much longer.”
Getting ready to make the four hour drive from Goodsoil to Saskatoon, Tana said they arrived at Royal University Hospital to see her niece. As the family of 10 were near Kamryn’s side, doctors performed tests and it was determined that Kamryn was brain dead. The family agreed to keep her alive so that she could be put on the transplant donor list and it was during their time spent with Kamryn that the aunts painted her finger nails and toe nails. “Kamryn loved having her nails painted so we wanted to do that for her. Kamryn was our hero because she was able to save three lives through organ donation. I encourage everyone to have that discussion of donating organs. We have received letters over a year later from recipients that are doing well. Jordan and Chanda also had their tissue donated which will help save many lives as well.”
After 36 hours in the hospital, the family said one final goodbye to Jordan, Chanda, Kamryn and Miguire and began making funeral arrangements. Joining around 1,000 people at Elim Church in Saskatoon for the funeral, members of the Mierau and Van de Vorst families also had the upcoming and difficult task of attending court proceedings, waiting to hear from the driver of the other vehicle, Catherine McKay.
“We wanted to hear from her and see if there was any remorse but she was skyped in from prison. She was looking at the floor for the two minutes she was on the screen with no emotion or reaction. We left disappointed and angry and found out later that it would be six months before she would come to court.”
With the funeral over and court proceedings underway, Deibert said the family then began the process of cleaning out the contents of Chanda’s home.
Speaking to the students at Winston High School, Tana said, “I want you to close your eyes for a minute. Visualize yourself walking in the front door of your home, seeing the kitchen and its contents, the fridge, dishes left to be done, the bedroom needing to be organized, toys on the living room floor, the basement and the backyard. Remember the laughter, the family dinners, what is in the cupboards and the freezer. We went through it all and dispersed it. It took three months to go through. It was the hardest three months of my life.”
Deibert said the family also went and chose a grieving stone, writing down how each person should be remembered and the legacy they left. “All of the rain checks we had promised with Chanda, Jordan and the kids, those are all now at the grave site.”
Still trying to process the tragedy while coping with the tremendous loss of loved ones, another day that will forever be etched in the minds of the family arrived. Heading to the court house July 27, 2016, the room where sentencing was to take place was standing room only. With the Mierau and Van de Vorst families along with co-workers, friends and the kids of Catherine McKay in attendance, they all awaited the outcome.
“We could hear her coming before we saw her because she was wearing shackles,” said Tana of McKay’s arrival. Once in the court room, over 20 victim impact statements were read, spanning four and a half hours. After the statements were read including one from Tana, the judge accepted a joint submission from the crown and defence of a 10 year sentence for McKay in addition to a 12 year ban on driving and a weapons ban as well. Since that sentence was handed down, it was about six months later that the family was made aware that McKay was sent to a healing lodge near Maple Creek in an effort to allow her to become rehabilitated before being released at the end of her sentence.
“She has her own room, a living room and a bathroom. She has escorted day passes and can visit with her family.”
Trying to find a glimmer of hope through the dark valleys of life, Deibert started to pick up the pieces and returned to teaching. At first it was extremely difficult to make it through a day but eventually those struggles became more subdued. After an idea of wanting to share her story through a presentation, she approached her school’s principal.
“They let me do the presentation and that is why I am here today. This is my 22nd presentation and my goal is to one day present across Canada. There are five stages of grief and once you reach acceptance, if you don’t move forward, you are moving backwards. For me, it comes down to decisions. What are you going to do? It becomes your choice. When I wake up, I have something to do that I can try and make a difference in someone’s life. What is your goal? It is up to you to make wise decisions. You might think you won’t get caught driving down a back road impaired but maybe your best friend is on the same road thinking the same thing. What are you willing to do to make the right decision and how can you help others?”
Concluding her morning presentation at the high school, Deibert finished by flashing images of her family on the projector screen in the school’s gym. “The biggest element is the human element so I show the pictures of my family to show that there is a family behind every statistic. Any type of story you see or hear, there is a family behind every single tragedy. Even the ones you don’t hear about and that doesn’t mean just death, it means all kinds of tragedies.”
Wearing her sister’s hockey jersey and a necklace of courage in memory of her niece and nephew, Tana also wanted to convey a message to the residents of Watrous. “I just wanted to say thank you to the community for all that they have done for my family and for myself. I played at the Music Festival’s 50th Gala event here in Watrous Apr. 15 and everyone was so welcoming. It has just been everything that we are so appreciative of. From sitting and visiting with my mom, to being at the vigil a few years ago, hanging glow-sticks in remembrance of my sister and her family and supporting us through the GoFundMe page that was set up. Anything from small to large, we have appreciated it.”
Daniel Bushman
It can come down to one decision and that choice can lead to devastating and lifelong consequences. Through tragic circumstances in which a family was taken too soon, the sister of Chanda (nee Mierau) Van de Vorst is hoping people will make the right choice to not drive drunk or distracted.
Returning to the community she grew up in and the high school she attended, Tana Deibert shared her heart-wrenching experience of not only losing her sister, but a brother-in-law, a niece and nephew after the vehicle they were in was hit by a drunk driver. Deibert also talked to those at Winston High School in Watrous about how she has journeyed on through her own life since that horrific day Jan. 3, 2016.
Having spoken at more than 20 schools in both Saskatchewan and Alberta, Tana was invited to talk at Winston High School Apr. 16 by the school’s Students Against Drinking and Driving (SADD) group. “The main reason I decided to do my presentation is that one decision can make a difference. If I can make the decision process change in one person’s mind for each presentation that I do, it is well worth it. Being able to come to Winston High School, that has been my goal for over a year. This town grieved with us and I wanted to bring some type of healing and hope to the community of Watrous.”
Winston High School teacher and SADD adviser, Cindy Cantelon said the group started up this year after conversations last year amongst the current Gr. 12 students. After attending the provincial SADD conference in Saskatoon in October where Tana spoke, the local SADD group wanted to have her speak before next month’s grad.
Winston High School’s SADD president Damion Weber and vice president Chalsey Diment said the group began the year with no funds and after many fundraisers, collecting recycling and washing dishes for the Town Christmas party, they were able to use the money to attend the provincial SADD conference in Saskatoon.
“We brought in Mrs. Deibert to show the consequences of drinking and driving and the simple decisions you can make that could help save lives. We initially set the goal to bring this speaker before our Gr. 12 graduation to ensure our peers were safe during this time. We also decided to bring SADD into our school because we have watched and heard of many accidents involving alcohol during our high school years and decided it was time to take action. We may be a small group but we have high hopes in making an impact on others. We hope as we leave at the end of June that Winston SADD continues to thrive and helps to make positive change in regards to drinking and driving.”
With the high school students and staff along with community members and Tana’s family in attendance, Deibert, who is a teacher at Goodsoil shared about the struggles and reality of receiving word that her sister and her family perished because of a drunk driver.
Thirty-four-year-old Jordan, thirty-three-year-old Chanda and their kids, who were just five and two decided to visit friends in Osler Jan. 2, 2016. Playing board games and having a lot of fun, after an enjoyable night, the family decided to leave at midnight.
“It was during the same time, someone else was making decisions . . . after a night of drinking, what should have been a 10 minute drive for her to get home, the person ended up taking a right turn and not a left, going to Louis Riel Trail. She did not stop or take the curve and going 120 km/h, she blew through the stop sign, crossed the first double lane and in the other, hit the Van de Vorst car. It took me one year and seven months to go to that site after the crash,” said Deibert. “I had no interest going there but because there was a roadside memorial to be put up in honour of my sister and her family the following month, I went.”
It was 5:30 a.m., Jan. 3, 2016 and the phone rang at the Deibert home. “We didn’t answer. We thought why would someone call that early?”
An hour later, a member of the RCMP was at Tana’s door. Being in a small town of a couple hundred people, she knew something was wrong. “My husband answered and frantically called me to the door. All I could do was put my hands in the middle of my body. The member of the RCMP asked me if I was Chanda and Jordan’s sister. I said I was and he told me three words, “They are dead.” I asked about my nephew Miguire and he said he had died. I then asked about my niece Kamryn. He said she was still alive but did not know for how much longer.”
Getting ready to make the four hour drive from Goodsoil to Saskatoon, Tana said they arrived at Royal University Hospital to see her niece. As the family of 10 were near Kamryn’s side, doctors performed tests and it was determined that Kamryn was brain dead. The family agreed to keep her alive so that she could be put on the transplant donor list and it was during their time spent with Kamryn that the aunts painted her finger nails and toe nails. “Kamryn loved having her nails painted so we wanted to do that for her. Kamryn was our hero because she was able to save three lives through organ donation. I encourage everyone to have that discussion of donating organs. We have received letters over a year later from recipients that are doing well. Jordan and Chanda also had their tissue donated which will help save many lives as well.”
After 36 hours in the hospital, the family said one final goodbye to Jordan, Chanda, Kamryn and Miguire and began making funeral arrangements. Joining around 1,000 people at Elim Church in Saskatoon for the funeral, members of the Mierau and Van de Vorst families also had the upcoming and difficult task of attending court proceedings, waiting to hear from the driver of the other vehicle, Catherine McKay.
“We wanted to hear from her and see if there was any remorse but she was skyped in from prison. She was looking at the floor for the two minutes she was on the screen with no emotion or reaction. We left disappointed and angry and found out later that it would be six months before she would come to court.”
With the funeral over and court proceedings underway, Deibert said the family then began the process of cleaning out the contents of Chanda’s home.
Speaking to the students at Winston High School, Tana said, “I want you to close your eyes for a minute. Visualize yourself walking in the front door of your home, seeing the kitchen and its contents, the fridge, dishes left to be done, the bedroom needing to be organized, toys on the living room floor, the basement and the backyard. Remember the laughter, the family dinners, what is in the cupboards and the freezer. We went through it all and dispersed it. It took three months to go through. It was the hardest three months of my life.”
Deibert said the family also went and chose a grieving stone, writing down how each person should be remembered and the legacy they left. “All of the rain checks we had promised with Chanda, Jordan and the kids, those are all now at the grave site.”
Still trying to process the tragedy while coping with the tremendous loss of loved ones, another day that will forever be etched in the minds of the family arrived. Heading to the court house July 27, 2016, the room where sentencing was to take place was standing room only. With the Mierau and Van de Vorst families along with co-workers, friends and the kids of Catherine McKay in attendance, they all awaited the outcome.
“We could hear her coming before we saw her because she was wearing shackles,” said Tana of McKay’s arrival. Once in the court room, over 20 victim impact statements were read, spanning four and a half hours. After the statements were read including one from Tana, the judge accepted a joint submission from the crown and defence of a 10 year sentence for McKay in addition to a 12 year ban on driving and a weapons ban as well. Since that sentence was handed down, it was about six months later that the family was made aware that McKay was sent to a healing lodge near Maple Creek in an effort to allow her to become rehabilitated before being released at the end of her sentence.
“She has her own room, a living room and a bathroom. She has escorted day passes and can visit with her family.”
Trying to find a glimmer of hope through the dark valleys of life, Deibert started to pick up the pieces and returned to teaching. At first it was extremely difficult to make it through a day but eventually those struggles became more subdued. After an idea of wanting to share her story through a presentation, she approached her school’s principal.
“They let me do the presentation and that is why I am here today. This is my 22nd presentation and my goal is to one day present across Canada. There are five stages of grief and once you reach acceptance, if you don’t move forward, you are moving backwards. For me, it comes down to decisions. What are you going to do? It becomes your choice. When I wake up, I have something to do that I can try and make a difference in someone’s life. What is your goal? It is up to you to make wise decisions. You might think you won’t get caught driving down a back road impaired but maybe your best friend is on the same road thinking the same thing. What are you willing to do to make the right decision and how can you help others?”
Concluding her morning presentation at the high school, Deibert finished by flashing images of her family on the projector screen in the school’s gym. “The biggest element is the human element so I show the pictures of my family to show that there is a family behind every statistic. Any type of story you see or hear, there is a family behind every single tragedy. Even the ones you don’t hear about and that doesn’t mean just death, it means all kinds of tragedies.”
Wearing her sister’s hockey jersey and a necklace of courage in memory of her niece and nephew, Tana also wanted to convey a message to the residents of Watrous. “I just wanted to say thank you to the community for all that they have done for my family and for myself. I played at the Music Festival’s 50th Gala event here in Watrous Apr. 15 and everyone was so welcoming. It has just been everything that we are so appreciative of. From sitting and visiting with my mom, to being at the vigil a few years ago, hanging glow-sticks in remembrance of my sister and her family and supporting us through the GoFundMe page that was set up. Anything from small to large, we have appreciated it.”
TWM Top Story - Apr. 16, 2018
Support received from around the world after tragedy
Daniel Bushman
Communities, provinces, a nation and parts of the world have banded together in a tremendous outpouring of support after the tragic crash involving the Humboldt Broncos Apr. 6. Players and personnel of the Broncos along with the team’s bus driver and members of Bolt FM passed away as the team’s bus was headed to Nipawin for a playoff game before being hit by a semi. Many of those who survived remain in serious or critical condition.
Since the tragic event, which has affected people from different corners of the world, people have banded together showing incredible support for all those affected. A GoFundMe page was started by Humboldt’s Sylvie Kellington in hopes of raising money for players and families affected by the tragedy and in six days, over 120,000 people from upwards of 60 countries around the world had donated more than $10.2 million, one of the largest campaigns ever. That number continued to climb as last week progressed.
While there are countless initiatives to mention, others showed support in a variety of ways including the National Hockey League where teams have paid tribute to the Broncos including on Apr. 7. The Winnipeg Jets and Chicago Blackhawks wore ‘Broncos’ on the back of their jerseys and along with multiple clubs, were to donate the proceeds of their 50/50 to the Broncos. Moments of silence were held across the league and that extended into other leagues as well. Having a close relationship with players on the Humboldt team, Imperial’s Connor Ingram, who plays goal for the American Hockey League’s Syracuse Crunch had #HumboldtStrong on the back of his mask. He and others are also donating money for every save he makes for the duration of the season and playoffs. The team also paid tribute Apr. 14 by wearing Humboldt on the back of their jerseys. A silent auction was also held with the proceeds benefitting the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS) Air Ambulance. Proceeds from the 50/50 were also going to STARS.
At the Allan Cup in Rosetown, Rosetown Red Wings player David Stumborg who also suited up for the Drake Canucks this season wore his old Broncos sweater during warmups Apr. 9. Other players and coaches have also honoured and remembered those on the Humboldt team. Trainers and many many others have also remembered Dayna Brons, who was the team’s athletic therapist and the 16th person to pass away from the tragedy.
After the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers played their games Apr. 7, both head coaches headed to Saskatoon where they visited with members of the Broncos in hospital. Hockey Night in Canada hosts Don Cherry and Ron MacLean were also present as they travelled to Saskatoon and then Humboldt as well.
Some members of the media broadcasting hockey games have paid tribute to Bolt FM’s Tyler Bieber who did play-by-play for the Humboldt Broncos. Many including Calgary Flames play-by-play man Derek Wills dedicated their broadcasts to him. The voice of the Saskatoon Blades Les Lazaruk has offered to call a game next season, encouraging others to do so in Tyler’s memory. Other athletes and teams from various professional sports also paid tribute including the Saskatchewan Rush. In the MLB, Marcus Stroman of the Toronto Blue Jays wrote Humboldt Broncos! on his hat and is auctioning it off with the proceeds going towards the team. Cincinnati Reds player and Canadian Joey Votto wrote Humboldt Broncos on his cleats as he took to the field in Pittsburgh.
Then last week, sticks, microphones, trainer packs and broadcast headsets were placed outside of people’s front doors, at arenas, offices and municipal buildings across the world in remembrance of those who perished. On social media the tribute was named #SticksOutForHumboldt and was kick-started after former Bronco broadcaster Brian Munz tweeted out he received a text from a friend, encouraging people to place sticks outside. Other fundraisers and initiatives have also been planned in communities and in schools locally and nation-wide as people raise funds for the families and team. There were also vigils and community rallies in support of Humboldt and the Broncos including closer to home.
Locally, in Allan, where captain of the Broncos Logan Schatz was from, the community gathered Apr. 8 to mourn his loss and remember him and his team. Town of Allan Administrator Christine Dyck said, “The Town of Allan and surrounding community is in mourning with so many other communities, our entire country and families everywhere. The Humboldt Broncos bus collision Apr. 6th has shaken our world to the core. In the disaster, we lost one of our own, Logan Schatz. Allan residents grieve with Kelly and Bonnie and their entire family. On Saturday, flowers and a sign appeared in the snow in front of the Allan Town Office.
The Allan community is a quietly caring place. The communiplex committee worked hard over the weekend to put together a touching memorial vigil, which included some local representation as well as live streaming the Humboldt vigil. It is estimated that 300 people joined Logan’s grandparents in Allan on Sunday, Apr. 8th. The Schatz family has a kitchen overflowing with food. The Nutrien Allan mine rescue teams gave up the curling rink where they normally train at this time of year to enable the facility to be used for Logan’s service.
Through their sorrow, the town has pulled together, Saskatchewan strong, and many hands will be working through the weekend to get things ready for Logan’s final tribute. Our prayers are with all those lost, their families, friends and communities. We also pray for the survivors and hope they can come through this tragedy.
The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love. (H. Humphrey) #broncostrong”
A short drive away in Colonsay, people rallied behind Layne Matechuk, who also suited up for the Broncos this year. Amanda Reiman with the Colonsay Rec Board said, “On behalf of the Colonsay Rec Board and the Colonsay Town Council, we are deeply saddened by the Humboldt Broncos incomprehensible tragedy and there are few words that will bring comfort to the 15 families who have lost a loved one. Those families are in our hearts, thoughts and prayers. To those still in hospital and their families, we offer you our strength and support in any way it is needed. We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the Schatz family for their loss of Logan and the grief they are all enduring is unimaginable. On Sunday, Apr. 8, we held a rally for Colonsay’s own, Layne Matechuk and a live stream of the Humboldt vigil. Layne remains in hospital and is fighting hard to get well and come home. Please keep Layne, his sister Carley and parents Kevin and Shelley in your prayers. We would like to thank the group of individuals who came together on very short notice Saturday to put together a wonderful tribute to the Humboldt Broncos. Our community continues to make me proud with their selfless acts of love and compassion. To the entire Matechuk family, we offer our shoulders for you to lean on, and our backs to help carry your burdens. May Layne be blessed with the strength and courage needed to pull through and endure what are likely to be difficult days ahead. Please continue to pray for the entire Bronco family. #broncostrong”
In Lanigan before the community’s minor hockey awards were presented Apr. 10, the town came together to remember and pay tribute to Humboldt and the Broncos. With numerous players from the area a part of the Broncos hockey system during their playing days along with Murray Brookbank, who was the Broncos assistant coach for many years, candles were lit, a jersey and headset were placed on a table and sticks set up in front of the stage to honour those who had passed on. Kyle Renwick opened the evening extending condolences and after a moment of silence, deputy mayor Mark Pratchler offered his condolences as well and said a few words to those in attendance. Following Pratchler, Brookbank shared a message to the minor hockey players and families at the Lanigan Town Hall. Brookbank said hockey is a big part of life in Saskatchewan and no one knows when a life can be taken. “Make sure and have fun and enjoy the game. In times like this we need to come together and stay together in support of Humboldt. Hug someone today and never take family and friends for granted.”
Former Bronco and current pastor in Lanigan, Brad Schroeder also said a few words during the tribute and led those in attendance in a time of prayer. Schroeder was followed by Mental Health Therapist Ryan Melin who talked about coping with tragedy.
Along with the tribute in Lanigan and other local communities, condolences and support also poured out on social media and flags in many places were lowered to half mast. Also in support of Humboldt, Niagara Falls went green and gold as both the American and Canadian Horseshoe Falls were lit up with the Bronco colours. Messages of condolences from the Canadian Prime Minister, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, President Donald Trump and the Queen of England were also given. At the Legislature in Saskatchewan, the Bronco colours illuminated the building and will be used for 16 nights, honouring the 16 lives lost in the tragedy. Hockey sticks were set outside the Legislature and office doors as well and a book of condolences was also available for people to sign. Humboldt-Watrous MLA Donna Harpauer, who delivered the provincial budget last Tuesday also shared her condolences as her thoughts were with the families and the team.
In Humboldt, where flowers and tributes were placed at the steps leading into the rink, thousands of people filled the Elgar Petersen Arena for a vigil Apr. 8, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Scott Moe. With the rink full, other facilities were also made available for those attending the vigil. Meant to be a place for the community to begin the healing process, the inter-denominational service included messages from Humboldt mayor Rob Muench, Bronco president Kevin Garinger, a number of ministers, pastors and priests including team chaplain Sean Brandow and concluded with singing, hugs and tears.
During the vigil, Garinger provided words of what many felt and have been feeling. “We are gathered in a state of shock, and unthinkable heartache. This tragedy has devastated our families, our Humboldt Broncos organization, our community, Saskatchewan, Canada, and our world. For many of us, the real reach and scope of this community tragedy will not be fully realized for days, or weeks, or months or even years, as we continue to process everything that has taken place over these last days. But in all this darkness, a light has shone through. This light has come from the first responders and the medical professionals who have worked miracles and continue to work miracles for those members of our Broncos family. It comes from the remarkable community of Humboldt, and the countless communities across our province and country, as people come together to offer their strength, their time and their kindness. And they do this while they’re working through their own grief. This light has come from people across this globe, reaching out to offer condolences, and to share a truly staggering level of generosity and support. And this light will only grow in time. And in time, the darkness will be less. We are so grateful to the members of our extended hockey family, to our Saskatchewan and Canadian brothers and sisters, for their support. Countless partner organizations, companies, sports teams, television personalities, politicians and more have reached out, directly and indirectly, to offer their support. To everyone who has shared a message of condolence, to everyone who has called, or emailed, or posted online to show their support, we hear you, and we feel your love. I cannot put into words how much this has meant to us. I want to say to all the Humboldt Broncos families, billets, coaching staff, teammates, classmates, teachers, friends, community members - not one of us is alone in our grief. Continue to reach out. Reach out to one another for help and support. Across our region, our province, our country and our globe we will find strength in one another. Today and for everyday forward, we are all Humboldt Broncos, and we will be forever Humboldt Broncos strong.”
Also on the bus with the Broncos and team personnel were members of Bolt FM and the driver from Charlie’s Charters. Lyndon Friesen, president of Golden West Radio which Bolt FM is a member of, shared the following: “It is with great sadness that we have learned both Tyler and Brody were victims of this tragedy. Tyler travelled with the team frequently as the play-by-play announcer. Having been with Golden West since the launch of Bolt FM in news and on-air, Tyler was a shining example of what it means to serve a community. Brody had recently joined our Golden West family, mentored by Tyler and the Bolt FM team. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of all the young men we lost and our own colleagues whose lives have been cut short by this tragic event.”
Charlie’s Charters, the company that employed bus driver Glen Doerksen shared a heartfelt post by the Kinistino Tigers: “The Tigers are saddened to learn that the gentleman who drove our bus to playoff games this spring was lost in the terrible accident yesterday. In talking to him, he spoke at length of his time in rinks with his own family and how much he enjoyed being able to take and watch other teams from minor, to senior, to SJHL to their hockey games. Our trips to Foam Lake and Allan were on horrible highways due to winter storms. We got on that bus and trusted him with our lives and both times he got us home safely. Tragically yesterday he and many others didn’t make it home and our hearts are broken for your families and friends including Charlie and the staff at Charlie’s Charters. We will never forget the smile on your face as we left Allan after winning the Championship and got you to give “two honks for the Cup”. Tonight Glen, we give two honks for you. Rest easy sir.”
Along with the outpouring from across the world, the Saskatchewan Health Authority is also providing counselling supports for people to utilize. CEO Scott Livingstone said, “On behalf of the Saskatchewan Health Authority, I want to offer our condolences to the family members, the Humboldt Broncos, City of Humboldt, and all of those who have lost a loved one . . . we are also thinking of those injured in the accident and the family members supporting them. Our thoughts are with them in this difficult time. I also want to extend my sincerest gratitude to all of the first responders, physicians, nurses, clerks, administrative staff, security and all other health providers that pulled together to respond to this situation. Many physicians and staff members were called away from their families and friends to deal with the significant number of patients, many with very serious injuries. They, along with other emergency services including police, fire departments and STARS, came together as one single team to provide care and comfort to those affected by this terrible event. I commend all involved for their quick and selfless actions. The Saskatchewan Health Authority has sent counsellors to various affected sites to provide support. We will continue to work with community leaders and community partners to determine what resources are required for grief counselling. This includes extending mental health supports to the first responders who were on site for the accident.”
The Psychology Association of Saskatchewan (PAS) issued a statement that they are aware of how this event may impact Humboldt, Nipawin, greater Saskatchewan, and hockey communities in days and weeks to come. Dr. Kristi Wright said, “There are no words to express our deepest sympathies and condolences to all those who were affected, and who lost precious family and community members. We would also like to thank all those who were there to provide immediate assistance and emergency care. This is a heart-breaking tragedy, felt province and nation-wide. As psychologists, we are prepared to assist individuals reacting to this terrible situation as best we possibly can. Most of the time, the immediate response and grief is an understandable reaction to such a traumatic event, and may not require any formal treatment aside from the love and support of family, friends, and community. However, if you feel you or a loved one requires professional assistance, you can consult with your family doctor or any mental health resource that have been made available to your community. They may refer you for counselling services, or you may also self-refer to local mental health services. Visit psychsask.ca/resources for a list of resources for both short-term and longer-term counselling and support services available in Saskatchewan.
This list will continue to be updated in the coming days and will include services that are freely available through the Saskatchewan Health Authority, community associations and organizations, as well as through privately-funded, fee-for-service resources.”
In the Horizon School Division, Director of Education and CEO Kevin Garinger, who is also the president of the Broncos issued the following letter to parents and caregivers: “It is with the deepest sadness that we mourn the loss of lives following Friday’s horrific accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the parents/caregivers, families, friends, teammates, classmates, billets, coaches, teachers, staff, fans, communities and countless others who have been impacted by this tragedy involving the Humboldt Broncos. Though our hearts are broken in the aftermath of this immense loss, I know that we will come together to offer each other strength and support in this extremely difficult time.
As a school division, Horizon is doing everything we can to support our students, staff and communities through this tragedy. A team of professionals has been mobilized across a number of Horizon schools to support the needs of grieving students and staff. These professionals include counsellors and other trained members of the Horizon Traumatic Events Response Team. In the coming days, we will be working to determine how best to support students and staff as we navigate these unthinkable circumstances. We are also encouraging anyone who feels the need for further support to make contact with health services and professionals in their area. Please contact your school principal with any questions, or for assistance connecting with these services.
I want to commend our first responders, emergency workers and medical professionals for their work in response to this terrible event. I also want to thank everyone who has sent messages of condolence and support from across Saskatchewan, Canada, and the world. I know that we will all keep the families and friends of those impacted by this tragedy in our thoughts and prayers.”
Students and staff at schools throughout Horizon wore green and yellow Apr. 9 in a show of support and remembrance while the schools in Humboldt were closed Monday before resuming later in the week. Various fundraisers at schools within the province have also been taking place.
As many paused, reflected, mourned and tried to cope with such a tragedy, former Bronco players and coaches have also been doing the same. Spending considerable time on the ice, in the dressing room and on the bus, this tragedy has hit home for many. Watrous native Bob Beatty was a big part of the Humboldt Broncos, coaching the team from 1996 to 2004 and winning a national title in 2003. Like others who have stepped behind the bench in Humboldt, Beatty said the Broncos remain a team close to his heart.
“The team is certainly a huge part of the community as all teams are. The junior team in Humboldt is certainly the lifeblood of the community, the focal point, rallying point and topic of conversation, much the same as senior teams are in every town. It has hit home and living as close to Humboldt as I do in Watrous, the young fellas that have played for the Broncos around the surrounding area and beyond, there is a lot of support everywhere and not just in the hockey family. It is around the country and the entire world and we are mourning with the people of Humboldt and certainly the kids and the families that are impacted.”
Asked to speak at a vigil last week in B.C., Beatty said riding the bus has always been a big part of junior hockey. “It is a place where there is a lot of bonding and a lot of support and some ribbing and just a fun time to be with each other. Some of the bus trips get a bit gruelling but it is a time to bond together and you become part of a team. There is some satisfaction arriving at that point where you are part of a team. We all wonder why this time and not the other thousands of trips that we made, and not just hockey teams but the sporting world in general. Riding the bus is an essential part of competing in sport and this tragedy is just very sad.”
Since the Apr. 6 event, Beatty said the support towards the community of Humboldt and the people living there has been tremendous. “I hope they know we are all grieving with them and we are all a family. I hope that there is some semblance of comfort in the fact that there is an overwhelming amount of support for everybody involved.”
Three brothers that grew up on a farm near Drake were also part of the Humboldt Broncos during their hockey careers. Twin brothers Scott and Steven and their oldest brother Brad Schroeder each played for the team and were also trying to understand why such a tragedy took place. The three recalled many memories during their time with the club.
Playing with his twin brother Steven, Scott remembered the special bonds created by being part of a team, the brotherhood made and what it meant to be together in unity. “Especially in our years where we were lucky enough to win championships it was the attitude of winning that made the difference and so it’s my hope for these survivors (both families and players) that they would have an attitude of winning, to know that even though they’ve suffered a defeat in this, that they can still recover and that there is hope. In my years with the Broncos we stuck together in wins and losses because we were a team. I remember to just how special the bus was. Just the fact that we were all together was the main thing. One of my favourite memories of the bus was coming back from the airport after we won the RBC and we took the bus from Saskatoon to Humboldt and it was the happiest time. Then once we got to Humboldt we were able to be welcomed by the town at the rink. It just went to show how much the fans and the town was invested in the Broncos.”
Scott’s brother Steven was also a member of the Humboldt Broncos for three seasons with his last year being 2008-‘09. Attending the vigil in Humboldt Apr. 8, he shared these thoughts:
“Being a member of the Humboldt Broncos for three years was one of the greatest times in my life. If you were to ask people about the team during my time there, they might tell you all about different kinds of numbers. They might talk about the amount of games played, the wins we had, the losses, the goals or points, the amount of hours spent on the buses, or the championships. But looking back, it was a different number that counted. It was the number of teammates you would have and the friendships that lasted long after our time as Broncos. Friendships among teammates, coaches, trainers, media, billets, the fans and the community.
Hockey teams tend to create a certain kind of relationship. It’s a group of young men learning what it takes to overcome physical and mental challenges. They put aside differences for the good of the team. They sacrifice themselves for their teammates and they create memories that last a lifetime. It’s the kind of friendship where you can part ways for years and come back like nothing has changed, because you both wore the same jersey.
I was reminded of all of this on Apr. 6. In a second things can change. All those other numbers don’t matter if you don’t have people around you. The Humboldt Broncos and the city of Humboldt have shown us this. They have shown us that in the greatest darkness, there is still good. And they have shown us that when it comes down to it, we can all throw on the same jersey and be on the same team. They have inspired people all over Saskatchewan, Canada, and across the world.
To the members of the Humboldt Broncos, whose lives ended much to soon, I am sorry that you didn’t get the opportunity to see how you inspired a nation and brought people together. I’m sorry that you didn’t get the opportunity to grow up into men and enjoy your teammates longer. I hope and pray that you are remembered for how you played the game, how you laughed and treated people around you, how you lived, and not how you died.
To the members of the Broncos who are still with us, your families, and the city of Humboldt, thank you for your strength and determination. Thank you for showing us what it looks like to fight. And thank you for reminding us what truly matters in life. You epitomize everything that a Humboldt Bronco should be.”
Like his younger brothers, for three years Brad Schroeder wore the Bronco jersey and was also one of the assistant captains. Now the pastor at Christian Fellowship Church in Lanigan, Brad said growing up and playing minor hockey he looked forward to the days when he could ride the bus to games with his teammates. Citing the road trips on the bus as a highlight during his junior hockey career, Brad said it was the time spent with players and coaches that was precious.
“Your teammates really became family and times on the bus were times where you had nothing else to do but hang out with your friends, watch movies together, talk, play cards, etc. Bus rides were times where your bond as teammates grew. You didn’t always realize it, but they were built-in team-building times,” said Schroeder. “For myself and many others, junior hockey represented the first time I was strictly and primarily a hockey player. Your one job and focus is on hockey, on your team. And your time is more freed up than before to focus on hockey and your teammates. So in junior hockey there becomes tremendous camaraderie with teammates. You hang out at the rink at practice and games, at the gym when you work out together, and you are often spending any free time together hanging out at one of the billet homes as well. And of course you hang out together on the bus rides and in the hotels on road trips. Most of your days are spent with your teammates so you become very close very quickly. Junior hockey is a tremendously unique and special time in life. Most hockey players I know point to these years as a highlight of their hockey careers simply because of the camaraderie between teammates.”
Suiting up for Humboldt, Brad said he was blessed to play in that community. “It is an amazing town that loves and supports their team incredibly. It is amazing to me how quickly and deeply Humboldt adopts their players who come from all over the province and country as their own. Right from the get go, the Broncos players, no matter where you come from, become part of the Humboldt family. The Broncos have always been woven into the fabric of that community and the bond between town and team runs incredibly deep.”
It is that relationship between the team and the city that has remained strong through all of this.
“A tragedy of this magnitude has ripple effects that touch countless lives. Every person who knew someone involved in this tragedy, every person connected in some way with Humboldt and area, every person connected to the hockey world, every person who has ever lost someone, every person who has family and friends they can’t imagine losing, is affected in varying degrees. The breadth of the ripple effects is not surprising. And thankfully, technology these days allows people to offer support in a variety of ways, regardless of geographical distance. It is hard to see light and hope in the midst of a situation like this. And for many it may take a long time to see any of that. But the incredible support of countless individuals across the globe does provide a ray of hope. It speaks to the capacity for love and empathy and compassion in us. It speaks to the deep need we all have for community, for relationship. It speaks to the reality that healing can come through relationship. Every human being is acquainted with suffering to some degree. It is an unfortunate part of life in a broken world. But since we are all acquainted with it, we are each able to help others who are suffering. What the incredible support that has come in over these past days speaks to me is that no one has to suffer alone. There are countless people who are available and want to support people who are hurting, whether that help is in supplying practical needs, emotional support, prayer and spiritual help, whatever it may be.”
The church in Lanigan where Brad preaches each Sunday set up an area in the foyer last week as a place of remembrance and prayer. The room is a place that people can go to and have a quiet place to remember as well as to reflect and pray. It is also a place of encouragement and hope and Schroeder said it is during times like these where finding words to help cope is incredibly tough.
“Something like this is so difficult to comprehend. We are all full of questions and wrestling and often our questions go unanswered. But for what it’s worth I find two truths helpful right now. The first is God is not distant and unacquainted with our suffering. The second is death is God’s enemy. What I mean by these is this: God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. He lived among us and He suffered greatly, most explicitly as He went to the cross to die for us. He knows suffering. And because He shared in our humanity and knows our suffering He is able to help us in our time of need, when we are suffering, and invites us to come to Him (Hebrews 2:14-18, 4:14-16). He came because He wanted to put an end to suffering eternally, to offer us eternal hope and eternal life. The Bible speaks of death as God’s enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26) and something that has been and will be defeated (1 Corinthians 15:50-57; Hebrews 2:14-15; Revelation 20:14). He came to defeat death. And obviously this is not fully our reality at the moment, we all know that. We still experience death, as we are all too aware of right now. But it is what Jesus came to accomplish eternally and He tells us, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25). Death isn’t God’s desire for us and He came to offer eternal life because He loves us (John 3:16). Even though I can’t understand the magnitude of this tragedy and I have many questions that don’t have answers right now I am able to know deeply that this breaks God’s heart even more than it does mine. We know that this isn’t the way it is supposed to be, and God agrees! That is the whole reason He came! He is not distant, He is with us. And He came to offer hope and healing and eternal life even in the midst of our earthly suffering. So I continue to believe and lean on the truths that God is with us and knows our suffering and offers healing, even eternally.”
Daniel Bushman
Communities, provinces, a nation and parts of the world have banded together in a tremendous outpouring of support after the tragic crash involving the Humboldt Broncos Apr. 6. Players and personnel of the Broncos along with the team’s bus driver and members of Bolt FM passed away as the team’s bus was headed to Nipawin for a playoff game before being hit by a semi. Many of those who survived remain in serious or critical condition.
Since the tragic event, which has affected people from different corners of the world, people have banded together showing incredible support for all those affected. A GoFundMe page was started by Humboldt’s Sylvie Kellington in hopes of raising money for players and families affected by the tragedy and in six days, over 120,000 people from upwards of 60 countries around the world had donated more than $10.2 million, one of the largest campaigns ever. That number continued to climb as last week progressed.
While there are countless initiatives to mention, others showed support in a variety of ways including the National Hockey League where teams have paid tribute to the Broncos including on Apr. 7. The Winnipeg Jets and Chicago Blackhawks wore ‘Broncos’ on the back of their jerseys and along with multiple clubs, were to donate the proceeds of their 50/50 to the Broncos. Moments of silence were held across the league and that extended into other leagues as well. Having a close relationship with players on the Humboldt team, Imperial’s Connor Ingram, who plays goal for the American Hockey League’s Syracuse Crunch had #HumboldtStrong on the back of his mask. He and others are also donating money for every save he makes for the duration of the season and playoffs. The team also paid tribute Apr. 14 by wearing Humboldt on the back of their jerseys. A silent auction was also held with the proceeds benefitting the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS) Air Ambulance. Proceeds from the 50/50 were also going to STARS.
At the Allan Cup in Rosetown, Rosetown Red Wings player David Stumborg who also suited up for the Drake Canucks this season wore his old Broncos sweater during warmups Apr. 9. Other players and coaches have also honoured and remembered those on the Humboldt team. Trainers and many many others have also remembered Dayna Brons, who was the team’s athletic therapist and the 16th person to pass away from the tragedy.
After the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers played their games Apr. 7, both head coaches headed to Saskatoon where they visited with members of the Broncos in hospital. Hockey Night in Canada hosts Don Cherry and Ron MacLean were also present as they travelled to Saskatoon and then Humboldt as well.
Some members of the media broadcasting hockey games have paid tribute to Bolt FM’s Tyler Bieber who did play-by-play for the Humboldt Broncos. Many including Calgary Flames play-by-play man Derek Wills dedicated their broadcasts to him. The voice of the Saskatoon Blades Les Lazaruk has offered to call a game next season, encouraging others to do so in Tyler’s memory. Other athletes and teams from various professional sports also paid tribute including the Saskatchewan Rush. In the MLB, Marcus Stroman of the Toronto Blue Jays wrote Humboldt Broncos! on his hat and is auctioning it off with the proceeds going towards the team. Cincinnati Reds player and Canadian Joey Votto wrote Humboldt Broncos on his cleats as he took to the field in Pittsburgh.
Then last week, sticks, microphones, trainer packs and broadcast headsets were placed outside of people’s front doors, at arenas, offices and municipal buildings across the world in remembrance of those who perished. On social media the tribute was named #SticksOutForHumboldt and was kick-started after former Bronco broadcaster Brian Munz tweeted out he received a text from a friend, encouraging people to place sticks outside. Other fundraisers and initiatives have also been planned in communities and in schools locally and nation-wide as people raise funds for the families and team. There were also vigils and community rallies in support of Humboldt and the Broncos including closer to home.
Locally, in Allan, where captain of the Broncos Logan Schatz was from, the community gathered Apr. 8 to mourn his loss and remember him and his team. Town of Allan Administrator Christine Dyck said, “The Town of Allan and surrounding community is in mourning with so many other communities, our entire country and families everywhere. The Humboldt Broncos bus collision Apr. 6th has shaken our world to the core. In the disaster, we lost one of our own, Logan Schatz. Allan residents grieve with Kelly and Bonnie and their entire family. On Saturday, flowers and a sign appeared in the snow in front of the Allan Town Office.
The Allan community is a quietly caring place. The communiplex committee worked hard over the weekend to put together a touching memorial vigil, which included some local representation as well as live streaming the Humboldt vigil. It is estimated that 300 people joined Logan’s grandparents in Allan on Sunday, Apr. 8th. The Schatz family has a kitchen overflowing with food. The Nutrien Allan mine rescue teams gave up the curling rink where they normally train at this time of year to enable the facility to be used for Logan’s service.
Through their sorrow, the town has pulled together, Saskatchewan strong, and many hands will be working through the weekend to get things ready for Logan’s final tribute. Our prayers are with all those lost, their families, friends and communities. We also pray for the survivors and hope they can come through this tragedy.
The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love. (H. Humphrey) #broncostrong”
A short drive away in Colonsay, people rallied behind Layne Matechuk, who also suited up for the Broncos this year. Amanda Reiman with the Colonsay Rec Board said, “On behalf of the Colonsay Rec Board and the Colonsay Town Council, we are deeply saddened by the Humboldt Broncos incomprehensible tragedy and there are few words that will bring comfort to the 15 families who have lost a loved one. Those families are in our hearts, thoughts and prayers. To those still in hospital and their families, we offer you our strength and support in any way it is needed. We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the Schatz family for their loss of Logan and the grief they are all enduring is unimaginable. On Sunday, Apr. 8, we held a rally for Colonsay’s own, Layne Matechuk and a live stream of the Humboldt vigil. Layne remains in hospital and is fighting hard to get well and come home. Please keep Layne, his sister Carley and parents Kevin and Shelley in your prayers. We would like to thank the group of individuals who came together on very short notice Saturday to put together a wonderful tribute to the Humboldt Broncos. Our community continues to make me proud with their selfless acts of love and compassion. To the entire Matechuk family, we offer our shoulders for you to lean on, and our backs to help carry your burdens. May Layne be blessed with the strength and courage needed to pull through and endure what are likely to be difficult days ahead. Please continue to pray for the entire Bronco family. #broncostrong”
In Lanigan before the community’s minor hockey awards were presented Apr. 10, the town came together to remember and pay tribute to Humboldt and the Broncos. With numerous players from the area a part of the Broncos hockey system during their playing days along with Murray Brookbank, who was the Broncos assistant coach for many years, candles were lit, a jersey and headset were placed on a table and sticks set up in front of the stage to honour those who had passed on. Kyle Renwick opened the evening extending condolences and after a moment of silence, deputy mayor Mark Pratchler offered his condolences as well and said a few words to those in attendance. Following Pratchler, Brookbank shared a message to the minor hockey players and families at the Lanigan Town Hall. Brookbank said hockey is a big part of life in Saskatchewan and no one knows when a life can be taken. “Make sure and have fun and enjoy the game. In times like this we need to come together and stay together in support of Humboldt. Hug someone today and never take family and friends for granted.”
Former Bronco and current pastor in Lanigan, Brad Schroeder also said a few words during the tribute and led those in attendance in a time of prayer. Schroeder was followed by Mental Health Therapist Ryan Melin who talked about coping with tragedy.
Along with the tribute in Lanigan and other local communities, condolences and support also poured out on social media and flags in many places were lowered to half mast. Also in support of Humboldt, Niagara Falls went green and gold as both the American and Canadian Horseshoe Falls were lit up with the Bronco colours. Messages of condolences from the Canadian Prime Minister, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, President Donald Trump and the Queen of England were also given. At the Legislature in Saskatchewan, the Bronco colours illuminated the building and will be used for 16 nights, honouring the 16 lives lost in the tragedy. Hockey sticks were set outside the Legislature and office doors as well and a book of condolences was also available for people to sign. Humboldt-Watrous MLA Donna Harpauer, who delivered the provincial budget last Tuesday also shared her condolences as her thoughts were with the families and the team.
In Humboldt, where flowers and tributes were placed at the steps leading into the rink, thousands of people filled the Elgar Petersen Arena for a vigil Apr. 8, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Scott Moe. With the rink full, other facilities were also made available for those attending the vigil. Meant to be a place for the community to begin the healing process, the inter-denominational service included messages from Humboldt mayor Rob Muench, Bronco president Kevin Garinger, a number of ministers, pastors and priests including team chaplain Sean Brandow and concluded with singing, hugs and tears.
During the vigil, Garinger provided words of what many felt and have been feeling. “We are gathered in a state of shock, and unthinkable heartache. This tragedy has devastated our families, our Humboldt Broncos organization, our community, Saskatchewan, Canada, and our world. For many of us, the real reach and scope of this community tragedy will not be fully realized for days, or weeks, or months or even years, as we continue to process everything that has taken place over these last days. But in all this darkness, a light has shone through. This light has come from the first responders and the medical professionals who have worked miracles and continue to work miracles for those members of our Broncos family. It comes from the remarkable community of Humboldt, and the countless communities across our province and country, as people come together to offer their strength, their time and their kindness. And they do this while they’re working through their own grief. This light has come from people across this globe, reaching out to offer condolences, and to share a truly staggering level of generosity and support. And this light will only grow in time. And in time, the darkness will be less. We are so grateful to the members of our extended hockey family, to our Saskatchewan and Canadian brothers and sisters, for their support. Countless partner organizations, companies, sports teams, television personalities, politicians and more have reached out, directly and indirectly, to offer their support. To everyone who has shared a message of condolence, to everyone who has called, or emailed, or posted online to show their support, we hear you, and we feel your love. I cannot put into words how much this has meant to us. I want to say to all the Humboldt Broncos families, billets, coaching staff, teammates, classmates, teachers, friends, community members - not one of us is alone in our grief. Continue to reach out. Reach out to one another for help and support. Across our region, our province, our country and our globe we will find strength in one another. Today and for everyday forward, we are all Humboldt Broncos, and we will be forever Humboldt Broncos strong.”
Also on the bus with the Broncos and team personnel were members of Bolt FM and the driver from Charlie’s Charters. Lyndon Friesen, president of Golden West Radio which Bolt FM is a member of, shared the following: “It is with great sadness that we have learned both Tyler and Brody were victims of this tragedy. Tyler travelled with the team frequently as the play-by-play announcer. Having been with Golden West since the launch of Bolt FM in news and on-air, Tyler was a shining example of what it means to serve a community. Brody had recently joined our Golden West family, mentored by Tyler and the Bolt FM team. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of all the young men we lost and our own colleagues whose lives have been cut short by this tragic event.”
Charlie’s Charters, the company that employed bus driver Glen Doerksen shared a heartfelt post by the Kinistino Tigers: “The Tigers are saddened to learn that the gentleman who drove our bus to playoff games this spring was lost in the terrible accident yesterday. In talking to him, he spoke at length of his time in rinks with his own family and how much he enjoyed being able to take and watch other teams from minor, to senior, to SJHL to their hockey games. Our trips to Foam Lake and Allan were on horrible highways due to winter storms. We got on that bus and trusted him with our lives and both times he got us home safely. Tragically yesterday he and many others didn’t make it home and our hearts are broken for your families and friends including Charlie and the staff at Charlie’s Charters. We will never forget the smile on your face as we left Allan after winning the Championship and got you to give “two honks for the Cup”. Tonight Glen, we give two honks for you. Rest easy sir.”
Along with the outpouring from across the world, the Saskatchewan Health Authority is also providing counselling supports for people to utilize. CEO Scott Livingstone said, “On behalf of the Saskatchewan Health Authority, I want to offer our condolences to the family members, the Humboldt Broncos, City of Humboldt, and all of those who have lost a loved one . . . we are also thinking of those injured in the accident and the family members supporting them. Our thoughts are with them in this difficult time. I also want to extend my sincerest gratitude to all of the first responders, physicians, nurses, clerks, administrative staff, security and all other health providers that pulled together to respond to this situation. Many physicians and staff members were called away from their families and friends to deal with the significant number of patients, many with very serious injuries. They, along with other emergency services including police, fire departments and STARS, came together as one single team to provide care and comfort to those affected by this terrible event. I commend all involved for their quick and selfless actions. The Saskatchewan Health Authority has sent counsellors to various affected sites to provide support. We will continue to work with community leaders and community partners to determine what resources are required for grief counselling. This includes extending mental health supports to the first responders who were on site for the accident.”
The Psychology Association of Saskatchewan (PAS) issued a statement that they are aware of how this event may impact Humboldt, Nipawin, greater Saskatchewan, and hockey communities in days and weeks to come. Dr. Kristi Wright said, “There are no words to express our deepest sympathies and condolences to all those who were affected, and who lost precious family and community members. We would also like to thank all those who were there to provide immediate assistance and emergency care. This is a heart-breaking tragedy, felt province and nation-wide. As psychologists, we are prepared to assist individuals reacting to this terrible situation as best we possibly can. Most of the time, the immediate response and grief is an understandable reaction to such a traumatic event, and may not require any formal treatment aside from the love and support of family, friends, and community. However, if you feel you or a loved one requires professional assistance, you can consult with your family doctor or any mental health resource that have been made available to your community. They may refer you for counselling services, or you may also self-refer to local mental health services. Visit psychsask.ca/resources for a list of resources for both short-term and longer-term counselling and support services available in Saskatchewan.
This list will continue to be updated in the coming days and will include services that are freely available through the Saskatchewan Health Authority, community associations and organizations, as well as through privately-funded, fee-for-service resources.”
In the Horizon School Division, Director of Education and CEO Kevin Garinger, who is also the president of the Broncos issued the following letter to parents and caregivers: “It is with the deepest sadness that we mourn the loss of lives following Friday’s horrific accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the parents/caregivers, families, friends, teammates, classmates, billets, coaches, teachers, staff, fans, communities and countless others who have been impacted by this tragedy involving the Humboldt Broncos. Though our hearts are broken in the aftermath of this immense loss, I know that we will come together to offer each other strength and support in this extremely difficult time.
As a school division, Horizon is doing everything we can to support our students, staff and communities through this tragedy. A team of professionals has been mobilized across a number of Horizon schools to support the needs of grieving students and staff. These professionals include counsellors and other trained members of the Horizon Traumatic Events Response Team. In the coming days, we will be working to determine how best to support students and staff as we navigate these unthinkable circumstances. We are also encouraging anyone who feels the need for further support to make contact with health services and professionals in their area. Please contact your school principal with any questions, or for assistance connecting with these services.
I want to commend our first responders, emergency workers and medical professionals for their work in response to this terrible event. I also want to thank everyone who has sent messages of condolence and support from across Saskatchewan, Canada, and the world. I know that we will all keep the families and friends of those impacted by this tragedy in our thoughts and prayers.”
Students and staff at schools throughout Horizon wore green and yellow Apr. 9 in a show of support and remembrance while the schools in Humboldt were closed Monday before resuming later in the week. Various fundraisers at schools within the province have also been taking place.
As many paused, reflected, mourned and tried to cope with such a tragedy, former Bronco players and coaches have also been doing the same. Spending considerable time on the ice, in the dressing room and on the bus, this tragedy has hit home for many. Watrous native Bob Beatty was a big part of the Humboldt Broncos, coaching the team from 1996 to 2004 and winning a national title in 2003. Like others who have stepped behind the bench in Humboldt, Beatty said the Broncos remain a team close to his heart.
“The team is certainly a huge part of the community as all teams are. The junior team in Humboldt is certainly the lifeblood of the community, the focal point, rallying point and topic of conversation, much the same as senior teams are in every town. It has hit home and living as close to Humboldt as I do in Watrous, the young fellas that have played for the Broncos around the surrounding area and beyond, there is a lot of support everywhere and not just in the hockey family. It is around the country and the entire world and we are mourning with the people of Humboldt and certainly the kids and the families that are impacted.”
Asked to speak at a vigil last week in B.C., Beatty said riding the bus has always been a big part of junior hockey. “It is a place where there is a lot of bonding and a lot of support and some ribbing and just a fun time to be with each other. Some of the bus trips get a bit gruelling but it is a time to bond together and you become part of a team. There is some satisfaction arriving at that point where you are part of a team. We all wonder why this time and not the other thousands of trips that we made, and not just hockey teams but the sporting world in general. Riding the bus is an essential part of competing in sport and this tragedy is just very sad.”
Since the Apr. 6 event, Beatty said the support towards the community of Humboldt and the people living there has been tremendous. “I hope they know we are all grieving with them and we are all a family. I hope that there is some semblance of comfort in the fact that there is an overwhelming amount of support for everybody involved.”
Three brothers that grew up on a farm near Drake were also part of the Humboldt Broncos during their hockey careers. Twin brothers Scott and Steven and their oldest brother Brad Schroeder each played for the team and were also trying to understand why such a tragedy took place. The three recalled many memories during their time with the club.
Playing with his twin brother Steven, Scott remembered the special bonds created by being part of a team, the brotherhood made and what it meant to be together in unity. “Especially in our years where we were lucky enough to win championships it was the attitude of winning that made the difference and so it’s my hope for these survivors (both families and players) that they would have an attitude of winning, to know that even though they’ve suffered a defeat in this, that they can still recover and that there is hope. In my years with the Broncos we stuck together in wins and losses because we were a team. I remember to just how special the bus was. Just the fact that we were all together was the main thing. One of my favourite memories of the bus was coming back from the airport after we won the RBC and we took the bus from Saskatoon to Humboldt and it was the happiest time. Then once we got to Humboldt we were able to be welcomed by the town at the rink. It just went to show how much the fans and the town was invested in the Broncos.”
Scott’s brother Steven was also a member of the Humboldt Broncos for three seasons with his last year being 2008-‘09. Attending the vigil in Humboldt Apr. 8, he shared these thoughts:
“Being a member of the Humboldt Broncos for three years was one of the greatest times in my life. If you were to ask people about the team during my time there, they might tell you all about different kinds of numbers. They might talk about the amount of games played, the wins we had, the losses, the goals or points, the amount of hours spent on the buses, or the championships. But looking back, it was a different number that counted. It was the number of teammates you would have and the friendships that lasted long after our time as Broncos. Friendships among teammates, coaches, trainers, media, billets, the fans and the community.
Hockey teams tend to create a certain kind of relationship. It’s a group of young men learning what it takes to overcome physical and mental challenges. They put aside differences for the good of the team. They sacrifice themselves for their teammates and they create memories that last a lifetime. It’s the kind of friendship where you can part ways for years and come back like nothing has changed, because you both wore the same jersey.
I was reminded of all of this on Apr. 6. In a second things can change. All those other numbers don’t matter if you don’t have people around you. The Humboldt Broncos and the city of Humboldt have shown us this. They have shown us that in the greatest darkness, there is still good. And they have shown us that when it comes down to it, we can all throw on the same jersey and be on the same team. They have inspired people all over Saskatchewan, Canada, and across the world.
To the members of the Humboldt Broncos, whose lives ended much to soon, I am sorry that you didn’t get the opportunity to see how you inspired a nation and brought people together. I’m sorry that you didn’t get the opportunity to grow up into men and enjoy your teammates longer. I hope and pray that you are remembered for how you played the game, how you laughed and treated people around you, how you lived, and not how you died.
To the members of the Broncos who are still with us, your families, and the city of Humboldt, thank you for your strength and determination. Thank you for showing us what it looks like to fight. And thank you for reminding us what truly matters in life. You epitomize everything that a Humboldt Bronco should be.”
Like his younger brothers, for three years Brad Schroeder wore the Bronco jersey and was also one of the assistant captains. Now the pastor at Christian Fellowship Church in Lanigan, Brad said growing up and playing minor hockey he looked forward to the days when he could ride the bus to games with his teammates. Citing the road trips on the bus as a highlight during his junior hockey career, Brad said it was the time spent with players and coaches that was precious.
“Your teammates really became family and times on the bus were times where you had nothing else to do but hang out with your friends, watch movies together, talk, play cards, etc. Bus rides were times where your bond as teammates grew. You didn’t always realize it, but they were built-in team-building times,” said Schroeder. “For myself and many others, junior hockey represented the first time I was strictly and primarily a hockey player. Your one job and focus is on hockey, on your team. And your time is more freed up than before to focus on hockey and your teammates. So in junior hockey there becomes tremendous camaraderie with teammates. You hang out at the rink at practice and games, at the gym when you work out together, and you are often spending any free time together hanging out at one of the billet homes as well. And of course you hang out together on the bus rides and in the hotels on road trips. Most of your days are spent with your teammates so you become very close very quickly. Junior hockey is a tremendously unique and special time in life. Most hockey players I know point to these years as a highlight of their hockey careers simply because of the camaraderie between teammates.”
Suiting up for Humboldt, Brad said he was blessed to play in that community. “It is an amazing town that loves and supports their team incredibly. It is amazing to me how quickly and deeply Humboldt adopts their players who come from all over the province and country as their own. Right from the get go, the Broncos players, no matter where you come from, become part of the Humboldt family. The Broncos have always been woven into the fabric of that community and the bond between town and team runs incredibly deep.”
It is that relationship between the team and the city that has remained strong through all of this.
“A tragedy of this magnitude has ripple effects that touch countless lives. Every person who knew someone involved in this tragedy, every person connected in some way with Humboldt and area, every person connected to the hockey world, every person who has ever lost someone, every person who has family and friends they can’t imagine losing, is affected in varying degrees. The breadth of the ripple effects is not surprising. And thankfully, technology these days allows people to offer support in a variety of ways, regardless of geographical distance. It is hard to see light and hope in the midst of a situation like this. And for many it may take a long time to see any of that. But the incredible support of countless individuals across the globe does provide a ray of hope. It speaks to the capacity for love and empathy and compassion in us. It speaks to the deep need we all have for community, for relationship. It speaks to the reality that healing can come through relationship. Every human being is acquainted with suffering to some degree. It is an unfortunate part of life in a broken world. But since we are all acquainted with it, we are each able to help others who are suffering. What the incredible support that has come in over these past days speaks to me is that no one has to suffer alone. There are countless people who are available and want to support people who are hurting, whether that help is in supplying practical needs, emotional support, prayer and spiritual help, whatever it may be.”
The church in Lanigan where Brad preaches each Sunday set up an area in the foyer last week as a place of remembrance and prayer. The room is a place that people can go to and have a quiet place to remember as well as to reflect and pray. It is also a place of encouragement and hope and Schroeder said it is during times like these where finding words to help cope is incredibly tough.
“Something like this is so difficult to comprehend. We are all full of questions and wrestling and often our questions go unanswered. But for what it’s worth I find two truths helpful right now. The first is God is not distant and unacquainted with our suffering. The second is death is God’s enemy. What I mean by these is this: God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. He lived among us and He suffered greatly, most explicitly as He went to the cross to die for us. He knows suffering. And because He shared in our humanity and knows our suffering He is able to help us in our time of need, when we are suffering, and invites us to come to Him (Hebrews 2:14-18, 4:14-16). He came because He wanted to put an end to suffering eternally, to offer us eternal hope and eternal life. The Bible speaks of death as God’s enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26) and something that has been and will be defeated (1 Corinthians 15:50-57; Hebrews 2:14-15; Revelation 20:14). He came to defeat death. And obviously this is not fully our reality at the moment, we all know that. We still experience death, as we are all too aware of right now. But it is what Jesus came to accomplish eternally and He tells us, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25). Death isn’t God’s desire for us and He came to offer eternal life because He loves us (John 3:16). Even though I can’t understand the magnitude of this tragedy and I have many questions that don’t have answers right now I am able to know deeply that this breaks God’s heart even more than it does mine. We know that this isn’t the way it is supposed to be, and God agrees! That is the whole reason He came! He is not distant, He is with us. And He came to offer hope and healing and eternal life even in the midst of our earthly suffering. So I continue to believe and lean on the truths that God is with us and knows our suffering and offers healing, even eternally.”
TWM Top Story - April 9, 2018
Winter cold sticks around as spring arrives
Daniel Bushman
Snow storms packed a punch in March and as the end of winter came to a close, the area was left with not only a lot more snow than in previous years but also contained a lot colder temperatures as well.
“March may have come in like a lion but it went out like frozen lamb chops,” said Environment Canada’s David Phillips, who added it was so frigid that some of the coldest overnight temperatures in the world heading into the final week of last month were found in the prairies. In fact as the final weekend of March arrived, various parts of the province shattered old records for low temperatures. According to Environment Canada over a dozen places including Watrous and Wynyard were part of that benchmark which spanned from Mar. 30 to Apr. 1.
Along with other locations setting new record low temperatures, Watrous saw its new record during Friday morning Mar. 30 reach -32.4˚C. The old record of -25.6˚C was set in 1969 with records dating back to 1953. Wynyard’s new record was -26.4˚C. The old record of -24.4˚C was set in 1975 with records dating back to 1941. Other places like Meadow Lake, Melfort, Nipawin, Prince Albert, Key Lake, Collins Bay, Assiniboia, Kindersley, Moose Jaw, Rosetown and Weyburn also set new records during the weekend.
“These are temperatures that would be considered cold in the dead of winter,” said an astonished Phillips. “We have seen March painfully cold throughout the entire month. There was not a lot of warmth with 1.6˚C as the warmest. What has made it particularly long was that February was more than 5˚C colder than normal and March has been up to six degrees colder than normal.”
In fact, it had been so cold that Phillips said a person would have to go back all the way to 1990 to observe a February and March as cold as the one in 2018.
But it was not just February and March that faced bone-chilling values. Winter began on a cold note in November and while there were some balmy moments in December and January, that was about it for nice weather.
“True to form, March was one of the snowiest months in your area,” said Phillips, who added the big question now becomes when will the snow leave?
Showing colder than normal values to start April, “It is going to be slow coming and the soil is not going to warm up quickly. Farmers are going to be lucky to get onto fields in April. I think they will as we will eventually see temperatures warm up . . . this year we are not going to go from slush to sweat, it is going to be a slow, patient and painful type of trend upwards. Then towards the middle and end of April there is no swing back to colder than normal kind of conditions.”
That is a far cry from even just two years ago as the area saw an incredible 20.8˚C day Apr. 2 with an overnight low of -4.4˚C. Other warmer days continued later in the month in 2016 as the grass began turning green and snow disappeared. Not so for this year’s Apr. 2. A dismal -8.4˚C with an added wind chill swept through during the day and an overnight value of -24.5˚C infiltrated the area. While both 2016 and 2018’s Apr. 2 numbers appear to be abnormal temperatures, Phillips was quick to remind people that April can be a cruel month. “It is cruel for Canadians because we think we are owed the spring like nice weather but it takes its sweet time coming.”
Daniel Bushman
Snow storms packed a punch in March and as the end of winter came to a close, the area was left with not only a lot more snow than in previous years but also contained a lot colder temperatures as well.
“March may have come in like a lion but it went out like frozen lamb chops,” said Environment Canada’s David Phillips, who added it was so frigid that some of the coldest overnight temperatures in the world heading into the final week of last month were found in the prairies. In fact as the final weekend of March arrived, various parts of the province shattered old records for low temperatures. According to Environment Canada over a dozen places including Watrous and Wynyard were part of that benchmark which spanned from Mar. 30 to Apr. 1.
Along with other locations setting new record low temperatures, Watrous saw its new record during Friday morning Mar. 30 reach -32.4˚C. The old record of -25.6˚C was set in 1969 with records dating back to 1953. Wynyard’s new record was -26.4˚C. The old record of -24.4˚C was set in 1975 with records dating back to 1941. Other places like Meadow Lake, Melfort, Nipawin, Prince Albert, Key Lake, Collins Bay, Assiniboia, Kindersley, Moose Jaw, Rosetown and Weyburn also set new records during the weekend.
“These are temperatures that would be considered cold in the dead of winter,” said an astonished Phillips. “We have seen March painfully cold throughout the entire month. There was not a lot of warmth with 1.6˚C as the warmest. What has made it particularly long was that February was more than 5˚C colder than normal and March has been up to six degrees colder than normal.”
In fact, it had been so cold that Phillips said a person would have to go back all the way to 1990 to observe a February and March as cold as the one in 2018.
But it was not just February and March that faced bone-chilling values. Winter began on a cold note in November and while there were some balmy moments in December and January, that was about it for nice weather.
“True to form, March was one of the snowiest months in your area,” said Phillips, who added the big question now becomes when will the snow leave?
Showing colder than normal values to start April, “It is going to be slow coming and the soil is not going to warm up quickly. Farmers are going to be lucky to get onto fields in April. I think they will as we will eventually see temperatures warm up . . . this year we are not going to go from slush to sweat, it is going to be a slow, patient and painful type of trend upwards. Then towards the middle and end of April there is no swing back to colder than normal kind of conditions.”
That is a far cry from even just two years ago as the area saw an incredible 20.8˚C day Apr. 2 with an overnight low of -4.4˚C. Other warmer days continued later in the month in 2016 as the grass began turning green and snow disappeared. Not so for this year’s Apr. 2. A dismal -8.4˚C with an added wind chill swept through during the day and an overnight value of -24.5˚C infiltrated the area. While both 2016 and 2018’s Apr. 2 numbers appear to be abnormal temperatures, Phillips was quick to remind people that April can be a cruel month. “It is cruel for Canadians because we think we are owed the spring like nice weather but it takes its sweet time coming.”
TWM Top Story - Apr. 2, 2018
Watrous RCMP hold town hall
meeting in Imperial
Daniel Bushman
With RCMP led town hall meetings taking place across the province aimed at sharing information, hearing concerns and answering questions that people may have, members of the Watrous RCMP hosted an event in Imperial Mar. 21.
Close to 30 people from the Imperial, Simpson and Liberty area along with representation from surrounding rural municipalities were in attendance as they heard from sergeant Jeff Friedenstab and constables Dave Hannah and Jamie Dowling.
Friedenstab said he was pleased with the turnout and appreciated those who made the effort to attend and ask questions on a variety of topics.
One of the more prevalent issues that has been making headlines throughout the province is protecting property like farmyards where it may take police a bit of time to respond to. While Friedenstab said each situation is specific and different, there really is not one right answer in how to deal with that type of potential threat.
“For situations like that, I would say those involved need to weigh the consequences of their actions. When it comes to protection of property, there are provisions within the criminal code that allow people to take steps to protect their own personal well-being and that of others as well as property. It has to be reasonable in the eyes of the law in what they are doing. The first thing they should be doing before anything is calling 911. Do not act on your own. Make sure you know your land location and your family knows your land location so when you or they call in, we can respond as quickly as possible. We are able to utilize a prairie locator app so we can punch in the location and respond as efficiently as possible.”
Friedenstab said in an effort to help deter a potential threat, if someone does come on the property, let them know you are there. “Challenge them as to why they are there. If they are there for an illegal reason and they are discovered that can prompt them to leave. Having well-lit yards, a security system or a trail cam are also some options to help prevent thefts.”
The sergeant also noted that about 90 percent of vehicle thefts are a result of leaving keys in an unlocked vehicle. “All the vehicles that we have recovered, the keys were originally left in them and in some instances, firearms were left behind the seat at farmyards. We ask that the guns are locked up safely. We are trying to deter people from stealing vehicles and with Hwy. 2 going right through our area, we see a lot of transient crime. If thieves come through and aren’t able to find unlocked vehicles with keys in them then they will move on to somewhere else.”
With regards to marijuana, Friedenstab said there are pilot projects underway that would be used to help enforce driving under the influence. Other stipulations are also being implemented by the province. Friedenstab added the detachment is aware that marijuana, cocaine and meth are being used in the area.
While drug use can occur in many communities, Friedenstab said the detachment has observed an overall decline in crimes like break and enters. In 2015, there were 44 reported in the local area, in 2016 there were 37 and in 2017, just 17 break and enters. Those were largely done in outbuildings and shops outside of towns.
Addressing some of the questions posed by those in attendance, Friedenstab said the most common calls they receive relate to thefts, break and enters, mental health, personal violence and even malfunctions of railway crossing arms.
With five members at the detachment, Friedenstab told the attendees that the local RCMP services a large area with a population of roughly 4,500. Currently this year they have 1,680 files with 1,000 of those being related to traffic stats. “There are also false 911 calls and calls related to mental health situations that are included in those figures.”
As the hour and a half meeting wrapped up, Friedenstab said they are looking at holding something similar again down the road. “We encourage people to come out and share any concerns or ask any questions. We also encourage local municipalities to start up rural crime watch programs to help deter people from causing crimes.”
Meanwhile this past week, Saskatchewan police including the RCMP and conservation officers launched a gun amnesty program, encouraging people to turn in unwanted guns and ammunition, no questions asked. The law enforcement agencies made the announcement Mar. 26 in an effort to improve public safety. The program is targeted for people who have come across guns now in their possession and have no use for them.
“The province’s amnesty also allows people to turn in firearms and unwanted ammunition to local detachments who have had spouses, family members and loved ones that may have passed away and their guns are still stored away and are of no use.”
The program was implemented across Saskatchewan after Regina held a two week municipal gun amnesty program in 2017 where police reportedly collected 157 firearms. The program is slated to run until Apr. 27.
meeting in Imperial
Daniel Bushman
With RCMP led town hall meetings taking place across the province aimed at sharing information, hearing concerns and answering questions that people may have, members of the Watrous RCMP hosted an event in Imperial Mar. 21.
Close to 30 people from the Imperial, Simpson and Liberty area along with representation from surrounding rural municipalities were in attendance as they heard from sergeant Jeff Friedenstab and constables Dave Hannah and Jamie Dowling.
Friedenstab said he was pleased with the turnout and appreciated those who made the effort to attend and ask questions on a variety of topics.
One of the more prevalent issues that has been making headlines throughout the province is protecting property like farmyards where it may take police a bit of time to respond to. While Friedenstab said each situation is specific and different, there really is not one right answer in how to deal with that type of potential threat.
“For situations like that, I would say those involved need to weigh the consequences of their actions. When it comes to protection of property, there are provisions within the criminal code that allow people to take steps to protect their own personal well-being and that of others as well as property. It has to be reasonable in the eyes of the law in what they are doing. The first thing they should be doing before anything is calling 911. Do not act on your own. Make sure you know your land location and your family knows your land location so when you or they call in, we can respond as quickly as possible. We are able to utilize a prairie locator app so we can punch in the location and respond as efficiently as possible.”
Friedenstab said in an effort to help deter a potential threat, if someone does come on the property, let them know you are there. “Challenge them as to why they are there. If they are there for an illegal reason and they are discovered that can prompt them to leave. Having well-lit yards, a security system or a trail cam are also some options to help prevent thefts.”
The sergeant also noted that about 90 percent of vehicle thefts are a result of leaving keys in an unlocked vehicle. “All the vehicles that we have recovered, the keys were originally left in them and in some instances, firearms were left behind the seat at farmyards. We ask that the guns are locked up safely. We are trying to deter people from stealing vehicles and with Hwy. 2 going right through our area, we see a lot of transient crime. If thieves come through and aren’t able to find unlocked vehicles with keys in them then they will move on to somewhere else.”
With regards to marijuana, Friedenstab said there are pilot projects underway that would be used to help enforce driving under the influence. Other stipulations are also being implemented by the province. Friedenstab added the detachment is aware that marijuana, cocaine and meth are being used in the area.
While drug use can occur in many communities, Friedenstab said the detachment has observed an overall decline in crimes like break and enters. In 2015, there were 44 reported in the local area, in 2016 there were 37 and in 2017, just 17 break and enters. Those were largely done in outbuildings and shops outside of towns.
Addressing some of the questions posed by those in attendance, Friedenstab said the most common calls they receive relate to thefts, break and enters, mental health, personal violence and even malfunctions of railway crossing arms.
With five members at the detachment, Friedenstab told the attendees that the local RCMP services a large area with a population of roughly 4,500. Currently this year they have 1,680 files with 1,000 of those being related to traffic stats. “There are also false 911 calls and calls related to mental health situations that are included in those figures.”
As the hour and a half meeting wrapped up, Friedenstab said they are looking at holding something similar again down the road. “We encourage people to come out and share any concerns or ask any questions. We also encourage local municipalities to start up rural crime watch programs to help deter people from causing crimes.”
Meanwhile this past week, Saskatchewan police including the RCMP and conservation officers launched a gun amnesty program, encouraging people to turn in unwanted guns and ammunition, no questions asked. The law enforcement agencies made the announcement Mar. 26 in an effort to improve public safety. The program is targeted for people who have come across guns now in their possession and have no use for them.
“The province’s amnesty also allows people to turn in firearms and unwanted ammunition to local detachments who have had spouses, family members and loved ones that may have passed away and their guns are still stored away and are of no use.”
The program was implemented across Saskatchewan after Regina held a two week municipal gun amnesty program in 2017 where police reportedly collected 157 firearms. The program is slated to run until Apr. 27.
TWM Top Story - Mar. 26, 2018
Water projects and development lead list for Watrous in 2018
By Daniel Bushman
Marking Canada’s 150th birthday with a homecoming, seeing larger capital projects near completion, welcoming a few new businesses, the news of a heritage centre and daycare along with some water and sewer work were all part of a busy 2017. Now in 2018, Watrous will see a continuation of projects, infrastructure work, some changes with regards to bylaws and the addition of new homes and businesses.
Watrous Town Administrator Orrin Redden said, “We celebrated a homecoming this past year which was well attended and people had a really good time. We are also pleased with the stability of the medical clinic in Watrous and area communities and municipalities have helped to provide assistance to the town for those clinical operations and that has been helpful. We are encouraged to see our local RCMP numbers remain strong. In previous years it could take a while to replace an officer after they left but the local detachment has been able to bring members in to keep those numbers steady.”
Redden also highlighted a few other areas of interest where projects and work have been and continue to be done.
Water/Sewer
Lagoon expansion
In 2017, work was done to a lagoon expansion with the work to be fully completed in early 2018. Receiving two-thirds of the total funding to help cover the cost of the expansion, the town picked up the remaining tab to create a larger lagoon, accommodating more people and businesses locating to Watrous. With just a small amount of work left to the expansion, Redden said it is already operational.
Water treatment plant
The new reverse osmosis water treatment plant has been in operation for just over two years now and Redden said it is producing great quality water.
“The plant has been operating really good and we continue to learn more about the operations as we move along. We are putting out about 100,000 imperial gallons (450,000 litres) of treated water per day which equates to approximately 6.5 to 7 million imperial gallons (30 million litres) of water on a two month billing cycle.”
Sump pump bylaw
As spring arrived, Watrous council approved a sump pump bylaw which is aimed at regulating the discharge of ground water collected from residential subsurface drainage collection systems. Created to reduce the impact collected ground water has on the sanitary sewer collection system and lagoon, Redden said heavy rainfall events over the past few years have overwhelmed the sanitary sewer mains to the point where basement backups have occurred.
“If residents can direct ground water to the surface as opposed to the sanitary sewer, it will greatly reduce the burden on the system. In most residential homes, sump pits have been plumbed directly into the sanitary sewer drains. The bylaw now requires home owners to have installed a two-way sump pump diversion system which allows for the collected water to be diverted to either the surface or the sanitary drain. Clean ground water must be diverted to the surface from Apr. 1 to Sept. 30 but may be directed to the sanitary drain from Oct. 1 to Mar. 31. Council asks for your compliance with this bylaw by May 1.”
Water pipes/Main Street work
With the winter conditions and deep frost, some of the older water pipes under the road on Main Street were dealt a blow. Redden said they have no immediate plans to rip apart Main Street and repave it, but council has spent time looking at a capital plan.
“The issue with Main Street is the infrastructure underground and council has had some discussions in terms of planning to somehow remedy that. There is currently no immediate plan to pave Main Street as there is other street work that would have to be done along with that. Some of the valves under the road are also older so they would need to be replaced. Some sections of sidewalk could also be fixed so council does not have a short term plan right now. It is something that is being looked at and will continue to be looked at. We had a couple of water main bursts over the past two years and then two weeks ago some old service lines were leaking near the Pepper Tree Restaurant and Mainline, so looking at improvements is something that would have to be done on a much larger scale and a larger financial commitment.”
Redden also said during the winter months, town crews have been flushing the service lines, trying to keep lines thawed and running a camera underground to make sure things are working in proper order.
“This winter the frost really went deep so the issue of frozen water services has been more prevalent than in other years.”
Industrial and residential starts
Industrial development
Work was done last year on a new industrial parcel next to Watrous Home Hardware on the east part of town. Redden said the lots are for sale and a tender recently closed for the water/sewer installation. The power and phone lines have been connected and gas will be installed this year for that parcel of land owned by the town. A road will then be extended from 4th Ave. E., leading traffic to that area as the town hopes to see more commercial and industrial businesses built.
South of that location, near Hwy. 2 leading out of Watrous, the new Dodge dealership continues to make progress. Redden said the town has a proposed service road to the dealership just north of where the SaskPower substation used to be located at the junction of Hwy. 365 and Hwy. 2 and just south of Watrous Concrete. That road, once approved, will allow customers access to the dealership once it is completed later this year.
Housing starts
As for housing starts, Redden said one is currently underway on 12th Ave. E., north of the sportsgrounds and one sale is pending for a new start in the 500 block along 8th Ave. E., across from the Watrous and District Health Complex. There has also been interest from others on that parcel of land serviced and owned by the town.
Bylaw officers
Members of Commissionaires South Saskatchewan have been in the community since Jan. 1 to enforce the town’s bylaws. Town council approved the move which would see the new bylaw enforcement officers provide a stronger presence in town to help achieve enforcing some of the bylaws. So far, Redden said the bylaw officers have been in Watrous surveying the community and talking with residents. “They have been here a couple of times per month and right now they are getting to know the community and get an idea about the layout while meeting residents.”
Contracted out by the town for 2018, Redden said, “The same company has been going to Nokomis for the past few years and visits Watrous a few times a month. As the year progresses, they will be looking at implementing bylaws and once fall arrives, council will look at the progress made and decide if it is worth continuing with the contract or not.”
Marijuana legalization
As Canada gets set to legalize marijuana later this year, the province released a list of private retailers regulated by the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority. Of those approximately 60 permits to private operators, Watrous was not included in the original list of communities. According to the government, the initial allocation of retail store permits will be in municipalities and First Nations with populations of at least 2,500, with larger communities being allocated additional permits. Eligible First Nations and municipalities will have the option to opt out of having a retail cannabis store in their community if they choose. The final number of retail permits will depend on the number of community leaders that decide to opt out.
Because of Watrous not being included on the list, council is taking a wait and see approach as to what happens in the future with regards to the legalization.
Town budget
As for the town budget, Redden said council will be meeting throughout March and will approve its budget in early April. “We are waiting for some firm revenue sharing numbers from the provincial government before we move forward with our budget. Once we have those then it can help determine what we can do in the future.”
By Daniel Bushman
Marking Canada’s 150th birthday with a homecoming, seeing larger capital projects near completion, welcoming a few new businesses, the news of a heritage centre and daycare along with some water and sewer work were all part of a busy 2017. Now in 2018, Watrous will see a continuation of projects, infrastructure work, some changes with regards to bylaws and the addition of new homes and businesses.
Watrous Town Administrator Orrin Redden said, “We celebrated a homecoming this past year which was well attended and people had a really good time. We are also pleased with the stability of the medical clinic in Watrous and area communities and municipalities have helped to provide assistance to the town for those clinical operations and that has been helpful. We are encouraged to see our local RCMP numbers remain strong. In previous years it could take a while to replace an officer after they left but the local detachment has been able to bring members in to keep those numbers steady.”
Redden also highlighted a few other areas of interest where projects and work have been and continue to be done.
Water/Sewer
Lagoon expansion
In 2017, work was done to a lagoon expansion with the work to be fully completed in early 2018. Receiving two-thirds of the total funding to help cover the cost of the expansion, the town picked up the remaining tab to create a larger lagoon, accommodating more people and businesses locating to Watrous. With just a small amount of work left to the expansion, Redden said it is already operational.
Water treatment plant
The new reverse osmosis water treatment plant has been in operation for just over two years now and Redden said it is producing great quality water.
“The plant has been operating really good and we continue to learn more about the operations as we move along. We are putting out about 100,000 imperial gallons (450,000 litres) of treated water per day which equates to approximately 6.5 to 7 million imperial gallons (30 million litres) of water on a two month billing cycle.”
Sump pump bylaw
As spring arrived, Watrous council approved a sump pump bylaw which is aimed at regulating the discharge of ground water collected from residential subsurface drainage collection systems. Created to reduce the impact collected ground water has on the sanitary sewer collection system and lagoon, Redden said heavy rainfall events over the past few years have overwhelmed the sanitary sewer mains to the point where basement backups have occurred.
“If residents can direct ground water to the surface as opposed to the sanitary sewer, it will greatly reduce the burden on the system. In most residential homes, sump pits have been plumbed directly into the sanitary sewer drains. The bylaw now requires home owners to have installed a two-way sump pump diversion system which allows for the collected water to be diverted to either the surface or the sanitary drain. Clean ground water must be diverted to the surface from Apr. 1 to Sept. 30 but may be directed to the sanitary drain from Oct. 1 to Mar. 31. Council asks for your compliance with this bylaw by May 1.”
Water pipes/Main Street work
With the winter conditions and deep frost, some of the older water pipes under the road on Main Street were dealt a blow. Redden said they have no immediate plans to rip apart Main Street and repave it, but council has spent time looking at a capital plan.
“The issue with Main Street is the infrastructure underground and council has had some discussions in terms of planning to somehow remedy that. There is currently no immediate plan to pave Main Street as there is other street work that would have to be done along with that. Some of the valves under the road are also older so they would need to be replaced. Some sections of sidewalk could also be fixed so council does not have a short term plan right now. It is something that is being looked at and will continue to be looked at. We had a couple of water main bursts over the past two years and then two weeks ago some old service lines were leaking near the Pepper Tree Restaurant and Mainline, so looking at improvements is something that would have to be done on a much larger scale and a larger financial commitment.”
Redden also said during the winter months, town crews have been flushing the service lines, trying to keep lines thawed and running a camera underground to make sure things are working in proper order.
“This winter the frost really went deep so the issue of frozen water services has been more prevalent than in other years.”
Industrial and residential starts
Industrial development
Work was done last year on a new industrial parcel next to Watrous Home Hardware on the east part of town. Redden said the lots are for sale and a tender recently closed for the water/sewer installation. The power and phone lines have been connected and gas will be installed this year for that parcel of land owned by the town. A road will then be extended from 4th Ave. E., leading traffic to that area as the town hopes to see more commercial and industrial businesses built.
South of that location, near Hwy. 2 leading out of Watrous, the new Dodge dealership continues to make progress. Redden said the town has a proposed service road to the dealership just north of where the SaskPower substation used to be located at the junction of Hwy. 365 and Hwy. 2 and just south of Watrous Concrete. That road, once approved, will allow customers access to the dealership once it is completed later this year.
Housing starts
As for housing starts, Redden said one is currently underway on 12th Ave. E., north of the sportsgrounds and one sale is pending for a new start in the 500 block along 8th Ave. E., across from the Watrous and District Health Complex. There has also been interest from others on that parcel of land serviced and owned by the town.
Bylaw officers
Members of Commissionaires South Saskatchewan have been in the community since Jan. 1 to enforce the town’s bylaws. Town council approved the move which would see the new bylaw enforcement officers provide a stronger presence in town to help achieve enforcing some of the bylaws. So far, Redden said the bylaw officers have been in Watrous surveying the community and talking with residents. “They have been here a couple of times per month and right now they are getting to know the community and get an idea about the layout while meeting residents.”
Contracted out by the town for 2018, Redden said, “The same company has been going to Nokomis for the past few years and visits Watrous a few times a month. As the year progresses, they will be looking at implementing bylaws and once fall arrives, council will look at the progress made and decide if it is worth continuing with the contract or not.”
Marijuana legalization
As Canada gets set to legalize marijuana later this year, the province released a list of private retailers regulated by the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority. Of those approximately 60 permits to private operators, Watrous was not included in the original list of communities. According to the government, the initial allocation of retail store permits will be in municipalities and First Nations with populations of at least 2,500, with larger communities being allocated additional permits. Eligible First Nations and municipalities will have the option to opt out of having a retail cannabis store in their community if they choose. The final number of retail permits will depend on the number of community leaders that decide to opt out.
Because of Watrous not being included on the list, council is taking a wait and see approach as to what happens in the future with regards to the legalization.
Town budget
As for the town budget, Redden said council will be meeting throughout March and will approve its budget in early April. “We are waiting for some firm revenue sharing numbers from the provincial government before we move forward with our budget. Once we have those then it can help determine what we can do in the future.”
TWM Top Story - Mar. 19, 2018
Raising awareness to slow down and move over
Daniel Bushman
It has been a tragic scene on too many roads in Saskatchewan as many motorists passing first responders and tow trucks parked along the side of the road do not slow down, putting the lives of those trying to save others at risk. In some very unfortunate cases, people have been tragically killed because of motorists not slowing down and moving over.
During the evening Mar. 7, towing companies and emergency response personnel from across Saskatchewan including those from Watrous joined in solidarity as part of a Slow Down and Move Over Awareness Rally. The annual event was held to honour and show respect to those who have been killed along roads in the province while trying to help others. It was also meant to raise awareness that motorists need to slow down and move over while passing tow trucks and emergency response personnel on roads in the province.
Members of Watrous Towing, EMS and fire stopped on the shoulder along Hwy. 2 during the evening Mar. 7 and activated their lights.
One year ago, the first ever rally was held after tow truck driver Courtney Schaefer died in a four vehicle crash on Hwy. 22 in southeastern Saskatchewan. During that rally, hundreds of trucks from across Saskatchewan activated their emergency lights, showing respect while raising awareness.
Hoping to see the annual event continue and become a nationwide awareness campaign, first responders and tow truck drivers will once again plan to turn on their emergency lights and stand beside their vehicles next year, honouring Schaefer and other drivers who have been tragically killed while on the job.
Daniel Bushman
It has been a tragic scene on too many roads in Saskatchewan as many motorists passing first responders and tow trucks parked along the side of the road do not slow down, putting the lives of those trying to save others at risk. In some very unfortunate cases, people have been tragically killed because of motorists not slowing down and moving over.
During the evening Mar. 7, towing companies and emergency response personnel from across Saskatchewan including those from Watrous joined in solidarity as part of a Slow Down and Move Over Awareness Rally. The annual event was held to honour and show respect to those who have been killed along roads in the province while trying to help others. It was also meant to raise awareness that motorists need to slow down and move over while passing tow trucks and emergency response personnel on roads in the province.
Members of Watrous Towing, EMS and fire stopped on the shoulder along Hwy. 2 during the evening Mar. 7 and activated their lights.
One year ago, the first ever rally was held after tow truck driver Courtney Schaefer died in a four vehicle crash on Hwy. 22 in southeastern Saskatchewan. During that rally, hundreds of trucks from across Saskatchewan activated their emergency lights, showing respect while raising awareness.
Hoping to see the annual event continue and become a nationwide awareness campaign, first responders and tow truck drivers will once again plan to turn on their emergency lights and stand beside their vehicles next year, honouring Schaefer and other drivers who have been tragically killed while on the job.
TWM Top Story - Mar. 12, 2018
Winter Storm Blasts Area
By Daniel Bushman
March roared in like a lion across Saskatchewan bringing with it much needed moisture for farmers but headaches for motorists and sore muscles for shovellers. The storm which brought anywhere from 7 cm of snow to more than 40 cm in areas of central and southeastern Saskatchewan also created treacherous road conditions and closing highways around Regina.
In communities like Watrous, crews were out removing snow throughout the weekend and into last week after the area was hit with around 30 cm. Climatologist with Environment Canada David Phillips said the snow provided “a shot in the arm for the economy and producers.”
While Phillips said there was no specific data available for Watrous, he looked at nearby stations and found anywhere between 25 and 35 cm had fallen. Phillips pegged the Watrous area more than likely had around 30 cm, more than what the area had received all winter.
“That accumulation would have been from Sunday, Monday and Tuesday so there were close to 60 hours worth although it was not always snowing, but for most of that period it was snowing or blowing or drifting snow.”
While a good chunk of western Saskatchewan received a dose of snow from a storm in Alberta, the central and southeastern sections were the recipients of a Colorado storm. Some areas also received snow from both with the Colorado storm carrying moisture from the Gulf of Mexico.
“This storm was good for moisture but I don’t think it is your last one,” Phillips added. “When you look statistically over averages in Watrous, about 21 cm of snow falls after the first of March to sometime maybe in April or May . . . what you have got up to this particular one was about 25 cm of snow so this one was more than what you had all winter.”
Despite the added accumulation, Phillips said the large snowfall probably will not produce a flood. “I don’t think this storm when it melts will unless you had an instant melt and the ground was too frozen and the water ran into lakes. My sense is that it was bone-dry up to that time so it won’t become a flood issue. What will depend upon that is will you get more Colorado lows and April showers? I don’t think one is out of the woods yet but it wasn’t as though you had a lot of recharge going on there in the fall and then the winter. It is not as if you are in a very moist situation, you are in a deficit situation still, when you look at the maps. This is more of a blessing.”
Some of that fallen snow was forecast to melt over the weekend as the forecast showed temperatures climbing above 0˚C. However, the climatologist said not to get your hopes up for spring quite yet.
“That is not spring arriving, it is a little teaser and sometimes March can disappoint us. We think that it is over and spring is around the corner and then we get back into some snow and cold.”
As for the snow accumulations, the following is a summary of total snowfall for Saskatchewan received by Environment Canada as of 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Mar. 6. The summary of the 48 hour snowfall totals are in centimetres and include: Melville: 43, Prince Albert: 39, Vibank: 34, Regina: 30-35, Strasbourg: 32, Yorkton: 32, Codette: 30, Wynyard: 30, Qu’Appelle: 29, Christopher Lake: 27, Hudson Bay: 25, Broadview: 25, Langenburg: 24, Limrick: 24, Saskatoon: 20-25, Kipling: 20-25, Maryfield: 22, Holbein: 22, Weyburn: 15-20, Melfort: 15-20, Moosomin: 20, Estevan: 20, Yorkton: 20, Coronach: 20, Lucky Lake: 19, La Ronge: 19, Pontrilas: 19, Spalding: 19, Kipling: 18, Emma Lake: 17, North Battleford: 15, Carlyle: 15, Gerald: 15, Conquest: 13, Oxbow: 12, Ile-a-la-Crosse: 11, Stewart Valley: 10, Rockhaven: 9, and Clavet: 7.
By Daniel Bushman
March roared in like a lion across Saskatchewan bringing with it much needed moisture for farmers but headaches for motorists and sore muscles for shovellers. The storm which brought anywhere from 7 cm of snow to more than 40 cm in areas of central and southeastern Saskatchewan also created treacherous road conditions and closing highways around Regina.
In communities like Watrous, crews were out removing snow throughout the weekend and into last week after the area was hit with around 30 cm. Climatologist with Environment Canada David Phillips said the snow provided “a shot in the arm for the economy and producers.”
While Phillips said there was no specific data available for Watrous, he looked at nearby stations and found anywhere between 25 and 35 cm had fallen. Phillips pegged the Watrous area more than likely had around 30 cm, more than what the area had received all winter.
“That accumulation would have been from Sunday, Monday and Tuesday so there were close to 60 hours worth although it was not always snowing, but for most of that period it was snowing or blowing or drifting snow.”
While a good chunk of western Saskatchewan received a dose of snow from a storm in Alberta, the central and southeastern sections were the recipients of a Colorado storm. Some areas also received snow from both with the Colorado storm carrying moisture from the Gulf of Mexico.
“This storm was good for moisture but I don’t think it is your last one,” Phillips added. “When you look statistically over averages in Watrous, about 21 cm of snow falls after the first of March to sometime maybe in April or May . . . what you have got up to this particular one was about 25 cm of snow so this one was more than what you had all winter.”
Despite the added accumulation, Phillips said the large snowfall probably will not produce a flood. “I don’t think this storm when it melts will unless you had an instant melt and the ground was too frozen and the water ran into lakes. My sense is that it was bone-dry up to that time so it won’t become a flood issue. What will depend upon that is will you get more Colorado lows and April showers? I don’t think one is out of the woods yet but it wasn’t as though you had a lot of recharge going on there in the fall and then the winter. It is not as if you are in a very moist situation, you are in a deficit situation still, when you look at the maps. This is more of a blessing.”
Some of that fallen snow was forecast to melt over the weekend as the forecast showed temperatures climbing above 0˚C. However, the climatologist said not to get your hopes up for spring quite yet.
“That is not spring arriving, it is a little teaser and sometimes March can disappoint us. We think that it is over and spring is around the corner and then we get back into some snow and cold.”
As for the snow accumulations, the following is a summary of total snowfall for Saskatchewan received by Environment Canada as of 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Mar. 6. The summary of the 48 hour snowfall totals are in centimetres and include: Melville: 43, Prince Albert: 39, Vibank: 34, Regina: 30-35, Strasbourg: 32, Yorkton: 32, Codette: 30, Wynyard: 30, Qu’Appelle: 29, Christopher Lake: 27, Hudson Bay: 25, Broadview: 25, Langenburg: 24, Limrick: 24, Saskatoon: 20-25, Kipling: 20-25, Maryfield: 22, Holbein: 22, Weyburn: 15-20, Melfort: 15-20, Moosomin: 20, Estevan: 20, Yorkton: 20, Coronach: 20, Lucky Lake: 19, La Ronge: 19, Pontrilas: 19, Spalding: 19, Kipling: 18, Emma Lake: 17, North Battleford: 15, Carlyle: 15, Gerald: 15, Conquest: 13, Oxbow: 12, Ile-a-la-Crosse: 11, Stewart Valley: 10, Rockhaven: 9, and Clavet: 7.
TWM Top Story - Mar. 5, 2018
Watrous RCMP hold meeting with local representatives
Daniel Bushman
With an opportunity to share information, discuss local issues and brainstorm solutions to problems, members of the Watrous RCMP met with area elected officials in the Heritage Room in Watrous Feb. 22. The meeting was the second such Community Visit with elected officials and community representatives held with local RCMP in the past year.
Watrous RCMP Sgt. Jeff Friedenstab led the meeting and felt it was important to get together with those representing local councils and rural municipalities to dialogue, share information and address any concerns or issues that may be prevalent.
“The Community Visit gives officials a chance to talk with one another and discuss things they are seeing in their area and hear if others are experiencing similar problems,” Friedenstab said. “It helps build relationships and trust so people feel free to bring issues and problems to our attention.”
In addition to Friedenstab, Cst. Dave Hannah and Cst. Jamie Dowling from the Watrous detachment were also in attendance with other delegates encompassing an area stretching to the RM of Prairie Rose, down to Nokomis, over to the RM of Big Arm and up to Manitou Beach and Watrous. The group that was in attendance during the Thursday evening visit touched on a variety of topics including the federal government’s upcoming marijuana legislation. Friedenstab said there was not a lot of new information that could be communicated with regards to the legislation as the RCMP does not know what the laws will be quite yet.
In addition to the upcoming legislation, Friedenstab talked about enforcement of drug impaired drivers. “We have Standard Field Sobriety Testing and Drug Recognition Evaluator Programs that we use to catch drug impaired drivers. New devices for detection similar to what are being used for alcohol are being tested but none are approved yet.”
Rural crime watch programs and the importance of having them were also highlighted during the meeting.
“I told the group in attendance that if there were three things I could impart on them to help us and themselves: one was the establishment of crime watch groups; the second was the use of trail cams on their property; and the third was taking common sense proactive approaches like locking vehicles and not leaving keys anywhere in them, even if in a locked shop. If the shop is broken into, the auto is gone and not leaving firearms in vehicles or unlocked in the home.”
With crime watch programs, Friedenstab added the RCMP does not expect citizen’s crime watch groups to do the job of the RCMP but rather to work with them as extra eyes and ears and as a means of communicating suspicious activity to the police and to their neighbours.
“The Watrous detachment boundaries leave us a large area to police even when fully staffed. The detachment currently has one sergeant, four constables and one public service employee.”
Friedenstab also highlighted the fact that crime statistics are low for the area. While he stated there was one three week spike last June and July, it was attributed to individuals coming out of Saskatoon that were eventually apprehended following a high speed chase into town.
Overall, Friedenstab was pleased with the discussion and topics and added the community visits will continue into the future.
“I may also expand them into a town hall format, opening them up to anyone from the area.”
Daniel Bushman
With an opportunity to share information, discuss local issues and brainstorm solutions to problems, members of the Watrous RCMP met with area elected officials in the Heritage Room in Watrous Feb. 22. The meeting was the second such Community Visit with elected officials and community representatives held with local RCMP in the past year.
Watrous RCMP Sgt. Jeff Friedenstab led the meeting and felt it was important to get together with those representing local councils and rural municipalities to dialogue, share information and address any concerns or issues that may be prevalent.
“The Community Visit gives officials a chance to talk with one another and discuss things they are seeing in their area and hear if others are experiencing similar problems,” Friedenstab said. “It helps build relationships and trust so people feel free to bring issues and problems to our attention.”
In addition to Friedenstab, Cst. Dave Hannah and Cst. Jamie Dowling from the Watrous detachment were also in attendance with other delegates encompassing an area stretching to the RM of Prairie Rose, down to Nokomis, over to the RM of Big Arm and up to Manitou Beach and Watrous. The group that was in attendance during the Thursday evening visit touched on a variety of topics including the federal government’s upcoming marijuana legislation. Friedenstab said there was not a lot of new information that could be communicated with regards to the legislation as the RCMP does not know what the laws will be quite yet.
In addition to the upcoming legislation, Friedenstab talked about enforcement of drug impaired drivers. “We have Standard Field Sobriety Testing and Drug Recognition Evaluator Programs that we use to catch drug impaired drivers. New devices for detection similar to what are being used for alcohol are being tested but none are approved yet.”
Rural crime watch programs and the importance of having them were also highlighted during the meeting.
“I told the group in attendance that if there were three things I could impart on them to help us and themselves: one was the establishment of crime watch groups; the second was the use of trail cams on their property; and the third was taking common sense proactive approaches like locking vehicles and not leaving keys anywhere in them, even if in a locked shop. If the shop is broken into, the auto is gone and not leaving firearms in vehicles or unlocked in the home.”
With crime watch programs, Friedenstab added the RCMP does not expect citizen’s crime watch groups to do the job of the RCMP but rather to work with them as extra eyes and ears and as a means of communicating suspicious activity to the police and to their neighbours.
“The Watrous detachment boundaries leave us a large area to police even when fully staffed. The detachment currently has one sergeant, four constables and one public service employee.”
Friedenstab also highlighted the fact that crime statistics are low for the area. While he stated there was one three week spike last June and July, it was attributed to individuals coming out of Saskatoon that were eventually apprehended following a high speed chase into town.
Overall, Friedenstab was pleased with the discussion and topics and added the community visits will continue into the future.
“I may also expand them into a town hall format, opening them up to anyone from the area.”
TWM Top Story - Feb. 19, 2018
Nutrien's operations to continue
as fourth quarter report released
Daniel Bushman
Operations will continue at Nutrien’s Allan and Lanigan potash mines along with its local farm retail centres as the merged company of Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and Agrium moves forward. There had been some reports that one or two mines could be shut down should fertilizer demand taper off but speaking to reporters earlier this month in Saskatoon, Nutrien CEO Chuck Margo said the company’s plans are going to be very similar to last year with more potash being produced this year.
Vice President, Investor and Corporate Relations for Nutrien, Richard Downey spoke to The Watrous Manitou and said operations are rolling right along since the merger took place.
“Late last year there was a little bit of down time just for inventory management (at the mines) but they are all back up and running full out. Demand for potash globally is extremely strong right now so we have got all the mines running pretty hard.”
With demand for potash high and the company moving forward, Downey also addressed jobs within the mines and retail farm centres. “Across the company at the corporate level, there will be some impact on jobs but those are corporate functions where you’ve got two tax departments or two communications departments for example. There will be some reduction at the corporate level but the operations, there will be really no impact.”
As progress continues for Nutrien, Downey said, “It is great to have the merger closed as of the start of the year because it has been almost two years in preparation for it. It has been a busy time putting the two companies together but it has been going well. We are focused on getting the systems and people in place that we need to and are already starting to deliver on our synergies so things are going well.”
Moving ahead in 2018, Downey has been pleased with the strong demand on the potash side of things and added the Chinese nitrogen production has come down, helping the nitrogen markets in terms of pricing.
“It looks like overall demand is going to be good globally for really all three fertilizers.”
Earlier this month the company released its fourth quarter results and some of the notable items outlined by Nutrien included:
• Agrium fourth quarter earnings from continuing operations, adjusted for items not included in guidance, of $0.781 per share (net earnings from continuing operations of $0.19 per share);
• PotashCorp fourth quarter adjusted earnings of $0.06 per share (net loss of $0.09 per share);
• 2017 earnings for Agrium were supported by record Retail EBITDA of $1.2 billion and margins of 10 percent, while stronger potash prices, sales volumes and lower cash costs per tonne benefited both companies;
• Nutrien full-year 2018 guidance of $2.10 to $2.60 earnings per share from continuing operations, excluding incremental D&A related to purchase price allocation of $150 million to $300 million;
• Nutrien 2018 EBITDA3 of $3.2 billion to $3.7 billion;
• Nutrien sold its equity stake in Israel Chemicals Ltd. (ICL) in January 2018 for net proceeds of $685 million;
• Nutrien announced an agreement to purchase Agrichem, a leading Brazilian specialty plant nutrition company with total annual historical net sales of over $55 million; and
• Nutrien achieved over $40 million in run-rate synergies year-to-date 2018.
As for the PotashCorp gross margin bridge, Nutrien said the potash gross margin grew due to higher prices and reduced per-tonne costs while nitrogen gross margin benefited from stronger sales prices, more than offsetting higher per-tonne costs. The phosphate gross margin declined due to lower realized selling prices and a $276 million non-cash impairment charge relating to the company’s White Springs and feed phosphate facilities.
Also in its fourth quarter report, Nutrien stated it is hoping to complete integration by bringing people, systems, assets and operations together while aligning operations and reporting to work as one. The company is also aiming to deliver synergies with a $500 million annual run-rate expected by the end of 2019, achieving synergies below industry benchmark standards.
Moving forward, Nutrien added it will be conducting a complete portfolio review of the combined company, determining key priorities and completing required sales of equity investments. Some of its capital priorities will involve a continued investment in growth opportunities with a focus on retail, enhancing shareholder returns and maintaining a strong balance sheet with investment grade credit ratings.
As the world’s largest provider of crop inputs and services looks to grow, Downey said Nutrien will not only play a critical role in feeding the future but will also put a strong focus on community.
“The commitment to the community and the communities in which we operate are critical. Nutrien is the largest employer in the province and I imagine one of the largest contributors and that will continue.”
as fourth quarter report released
Daniel Bushman
Operations will continue at Nutrien’s Allan and Lanigan potash mines along with its local farm retail centres as the merged company of Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and Agrium moves forward. There had been some reports that one or two mines could be shut down should fertilizer demand taper off but speaking to reporters earlier this month in Saskatoon, Nutrien CEO Chuck Margo said the company’s plans are going to be very similar to last year with more potash being produced this year.
Vice President, Investor and Corporate Relations for Nutrien, Richard Downey spoke to The Watrous Manitou and said operations are rolling right along since the merger took place.
“Late last year there was a little bit of down time just for inventory management (at the mines) but they are all back up and running full out. Demand for potash globally is extremely strong right now so we have got all the mines running pretty hard.”
With demand for potash high and the company moving forward, Downey also addressed jobs within the mines and retail farm centres. “Across the company at the corporate level, there will be some impact on jobs but those are corporate functions where you’ve got two tax departments or two communications departments for example. There will be some reduction at the corporate level but the operations, there will be really no impact.”
As progress continues for Nutrien, Downey said, “It is great to have the merger closed as of the start of the year because it has been almost two years in preparation for it. It has been a busy time putting the two companies together but it has been going well. We are focused on getting the systems and people in place that we need to and are already starting to deliver on our synergies so things are going well.”
Moving ahead in 2018, Downey has been pleased with the strong demand on the potash side of things and added the Chinese nitrogen production has come down, helping the nitrogen markets in terms of pricing.
“It looks like overall demand is going to be good globally for really all three fertilizers.”
Earlier this month the company released its fourth quarter results and some of the notable items outlined by Nutrien included:
• Agrium fourth quarter earnings from continuing operations, adjusted for items not included in guidance, of $0.781 per share (net earnings from continuing operations of $0.19 per share);
• PotashCorp fourth quarter adjusted earnings of $0.06 per share (net loss of $0.09 per share);
• 2017 earnings for Agrium were supported by record Retail EBITDA of $1.2 billion and margins of 10 percent, while stronger potash prices, sales volumes and lower cash costs per tonne benefited both companies;
• Nutrien full-year 2018 guidance of $2.10 to $2.60 earnings per share from continuing operations, excluding incremental D&A related to purchase price allocation of $150 million to $300 million;
• Nutrien 2018 EBITDA3 of $3.2 billion to $3.7 billion;
• Nutrien sold its equity stake in Israel Chemicals Ltd. (ICL) in January 2018 for net proceeds of $685 million;
• Nutrien announced an agreement to purchase Agrichem, a leading Brazilian specialty plant nutrition company with total annual historical net sales of over $55 million; and
• Nutrien achieved over $40 million in run-rate synergies year-to-date 2018.
As for the PotashCorp gross margin bridge, Nutrien said the potash gross margin grew due to higher prices and reduced per-tonne costs while nitrogen gross margin benefited from stronger sales prices, more than offsetting higher per-tonne costs. The phosphate gross margin declined due to lower realized selling prices and a $276 million non-cash impairment charge relating to the company’s White Springs and feed phosphate facilities.
Also in its fourth quarter report, Nutrien stated it is hoping to complete integration by bringing people, systems, assets and operations together while aligning operations and reporting to work as one. The company is also aiming to deliver synergies with a $500 million annual run-rate expected by the end of 2019, achieving synergies below industry benchmark standards.
Moving forward, Nutrien added it will be conducting a complete portfolio review of the combined company, determining key priorities and completing required sales of equity investments. Some of its capital priorities will involve a continued investment in growth opportunities with a focus on retail, enhancing shareholder returns and maintaining a strong balance sheet with investment grade credit ratings.
As the world’s largest provider of crop inputs and services looks to grow, Downey said Nutrien will not only play a critical role in feeding the future but will also put a strong focus on community.
“The commitment to the community and the communities in which we operate are critical. Nutrien is the largest employer in the province and I imagine one of the largest contributors and that will continue.”
TWM Top Story - Feb. 12, 2018
Watrous Co-op to amalgamate with Saskatoon
By Daniel Bushman
With a vote of 88 percent in favour, history was made Feb.7 as Co-op members in Watrous voted to amalgamate with the Saskatoon Co-op. The amalgamation meeting was held at the Watrous Civic Centre and needing to attain at least 66 percent in favour in order to move forward, 123 voted yes and 16 no.
Watrous Co-op General Manager Andrew Parrott, Saskatoon Co-op CEO Grant Wicks and Watrous Co-op Vice President Ron Frey spoke to members and guests in attendance about the reasons for amalgamating before opening the floor for questions from members.
A handful of people posed questions ranging from receiving equity, Co-op numbers, differing costs of groceries and petroleum, board representation and what would happen if the local Co-op indeed amalgamated. Parrott, Wicks and Frey fielded the questions and while there were those in attendance who disagreed with the move to amalgamate, looking at financial projections Parrott said, “If we didn’t do this we would have had to seriously look at our operations as a whole and what is making money for us and what we are losing money on and then having to change it. This way we can keep everyone exactly the same and all positions can stay and we are really excited about that. This is definitely the right way to go forward.”
Wicks, who made the trip to Watrous for the Feb. 7 meeting also tried to address some of the concerns raised during the meeting. “These questions that ask about numbers, facts and figures, we can provide those and provide people with answers, whether they are the ones they want or not. We can give them an answer but when their concerns are based on feelings and maybe unease and fear around change and what is going to happen in the future, it is very hard to answer those questions with facts and figures because it is about how people feel. The only way we can really respond to those is through our actions going forward. That is what I would ask people of Watrous and members of Watrous Co-op to do. Watch what we do and how we keep our promises and if you are not satisfied that we are doing what we said we would do, you let us know. It is our intent to live up to the letter and the spirit of all our commitments and we will let the local people judge us on it. It is going to be up to us to show those folks that the right decision was made.”
Following the question period, a motion was made to amalgamate and voting took place. Just a week previous, Hepburn members also voted in favour to amalgamate with Saskatoon. With the overwhelming majority voting to move forward in both communities, Parrott said the results showed that the local board and directors are on the right track moving forward.
“We are very happy with the results and are looking forward to joining with Saskatoon and Hepburn in creating new Co-ops. It is a really exciting day for us.”
All that remains now is official approval from members in Saskatoon to have both Watrous and Hepburn join forces. If approved, Parrott said Watrous will amalgamate Aug. 19, 2018. With lots of work left to do in order to get ready, Parrott said once that August date gets closer, information packages with new member numbers will be sent out.
“The way we are working that right now is most of the Co-op numbers are four digit numbers and we have to get to a six digit number so we are just going to be adding two numbers to the front of them and if it’s a three digit number then three numbers.”
Jointly going to be part of something new, Wicks said Saskatoon Co-op might have a bigger representation than a smaller community because there is more people but stressed the amalgamation to form a new cooperative will be a new company. “It is not us and them anymore it is all of us together.”
The Saskatoon CEO said amalgamating will benefit the Watrous Co-op, adding expertise and resources for potentially new opportunities in the community. “If (any new opportunities) turn out to be good business decisions and it is something that the membership is going to get behind, we can spend $1 million, or two or three or four or five million dollars on a new facility and perhaps a new commodity. That would have been very difficult for Watrous to do simply because they just wouldn’t have the resources or expertise.”
Another question that was a concern for those employed with the Watrous Co-op was retention of staff. “I can tell you that there has been a lot of amalgamations across western Canada as retails are faced with the same realities that Saskatoon and Watrous and Hepburn have been faced with,” said Wicks. “I am not aware of any situations where there have been job losses but I am aware of several where there has been new jobs created.”
Moving forward, once approved by Saskatoon Co-op members, Wicks said the next steps to amalgamate involve blending equity files, policies resolved, and human resource issues that need to be worked through.
“There is a lot of work to be done but it is the first time it’s happened for Saskatoon Co-op and we’ve reached out to some of our sister retails here in the province of Saskatchewan who have been through it lately and gotten some insight through them . . . We are going to be seeking that advice and getting that input from other retails that have been through it and find the best practices and take it forward. It is going to be busy but it is going to be worth it.”
By Daniel Bushman
With a vote of 88 percent in favour, history was made Feb.7 as Co-op members in Watrous voted to amalgamate with the Saskatoon Co-op. The amalgamation meeting was held at the Watrous Civic Centre and needing to attain at least 66 percent in favour in order to move forward, 123 voted yes and 16 no.
Watrous Co-op General Manager Andrew Parrott, Saskatoon Co-op CEO Grant Wicks and Watrous Co-op Vice President Ron Frey spoke to members and guests in attendance about the reasons for amalgamating before opening the floor for questions from members.
A handful of people posed questions ranging from receiving equity, Co-op numbers, differing costs of groceries and petroleum, board representation and what would happen if the local Co-op indeed amalgamated. Parrott, Wicks and Frey fielded the questions and while there were those in attendance who disagreed with the move to amalgamate, looking at financial projections Parrott said, “If we didn’t do this we would have had to seriously look at our operations as a whole and what is making money for us and what we are losing money on and then having to change it. This way we can keep everyone exactly the same and all positions can stay and we are really excited about that. This is definitely the right way to go forward.”
Wicks, who made the trip to Watrous for the Feb. 7 meeting also tried to address some of the concerns raised during the meeting. “These questions that ask about numbers, facts and figures, we can provide those and provide people with answers, whether they are the ones they want or not. We can give them an answer but when their concerns are based on feelings and maybe unease and fear around change and what is going to happen in the future, it is very hard to answer those questions with facts and figures because it is about how people feel. The only way we can really respond to those is through our actions going forward. That is what I would ask people of Watrous and members of Watrous Co-op to do. Watch what we do and how we keep our promises and if you are not satisfied that we are doing what we said we would do, you let us know. It is our intent to live up to the letter and the spirit of all our commitments and we will let the local people judge us on it. It is going to be up to us to show those folks that the right decision was made.”
Following the question period, a motion was made to amalgamate and voting took place. Just a week previous, Hepburn members also voted in favour to amalgamate with Saskatoon. With the overwhelming majority voting to move forward in both communities, Parrott said the results showed that the local board and directors are on the right track moving forward.
“We are very happy with the results and are looking forward to joining with Saskatoon and Hepburn in creating new Co-ops. It is a really exciting day for us.”
All that remains now is official approval from members in Saskatoon to have both Watrous and Hepburn join forces. If approved, Parrott said Watrous will amalgamate Aug. 19, 2018. With lots of work left to do in order to get ready, Parrott said once that August date gets closer, information packages with new member numbers will be sent out.
“The way we are working that right now is most of the Co-op numbers are four digit numbers and we have to get to a six digit number so we are just going to be adding two numbers to the front of them and if it’s a three digit number then three numbers.”
Jointly going to be part of something new, Wicks said Saskatoon Co-op might have a bigger representation than a smaller community because there is more people but stressed the amalgamation to form a new cooperative will be a new company. “It is not us and them anymore it is all of us together.”
The Saskatoon CEO said amalgamating will benefit the Watrous Co-op, adding expertise and resources for potentially new opportunities in the community. “If (any new opportunities) turn out to be good business decisions and it is something that the membership is going to get behind, we can spend $1 million, or two or three or four or five million dollars on a new facility and perhaps a new commodity. That would have been very difficult for Watrous to do simply because they just wouldn’t have the resources or expertise.”
Another question that was a concern for those employed with the Watrous Co-op was retention of staff. “I can tell you that there has been a lot of amalgamations across western Canada as retails are faced with the same realities that Saskatoon and Watrous and Hepburn have been faced with,” said Wicks. “I am not aware of any situations where there have been job losses but I am aware of several where there has been new jobs created.”
Moving forward, once approved by Saskatoon Co-op members, Wicks said the next steps to amalgamate involve blending equity files, policies resolved, and human resource issues that need to be worked through.
“There is a lot of work to be done but it is the first time it’s happened for Saskatoon Co-op and we’ve reached out to some of our sister retails here in the province of Saskatchewan who have been through it lately and gotten some insight through them . . . We are going to be seeking that advice and getting that input from other retails that have been through it and find the best practices and take it forward. It is going to be busy but it is going to be worth it.”
TWM Top Story - Feb. 5, 2018
Scott Moe wins Sask. Party leadership race
Article courtesy Jordan Twiss/Shellbrook Chronicle
It took five months of campaigning, and five ballots.
But after all was said and done, Rosthern-Shellbrook MLA and former environment minister, Scott Moe, shocked the province by being selected as the leader of the Saskatchewan Party, and Saskatchewan’s new premier.
Nowhere was the surprise more palpable than at Saturday’s Sask. Party Leadership Convention, held at Saskatoon’s Praireland Park, where more than 2,000 party members gathered to celebrate, and greet the man or woman who would be selected to lead the Sask. Party into the post-Brad Wall era.
Moe’s victory, which saw him garner 8,075 votes (or 53.9 per cent of the vote), defied the predictions of pollsters, which, in the week leading into the convention, had Moe pegged as a distant third place finisher, behind fellow leadership candidates Ken Cheveldayoff, and Alanna Koch.
It was also a come-from-behind victory, as Moe trailed Koch by fewer than 50 votes after the results of the first ballot were read, with Cheveldayoff a close but unexpected third, Gordon Wyant in fourth place, and Tina Beaudry-Mellor a distant fifth.
However, once Beaudry-Mellor and Wyant were removed from the running after the second and third ballots, respectively, Moe surged into the lead. And Cheveldayoff’s elimination from leadership contention after the fourth ballot results were revealed, gave Moe the push he needed to take the place of the outgoing Premier Wall, who officially retired from politics on Jan. 31.
In the end, Moe topped Koch, who was deputy minister to Premier Wall before taking a leave of absence to run for the Sask. Party leadership, by just 1,161 votes in the fifth and deciding ballot.
But while the closeness of the race sparked questions about division within the party, Moe was quick to silence any doubt, and said that he, his fellow candidates, and the party, would be united going forward.
“We are stronger and more unified than ever before,” he said in his victory speech.
“I am truly humbled to be a part of this team, and by the trust that you have placed in me to lead this party, and this province, into the future.”
Moe launched his bid for the Sask. Party leadership Sept. 1, 2017, with the support of 21 of his fellow MLAs, and a promise to “stand with Saskatchewan” – a promise he reiterated many times throughout the campaign, and at the leadership convention.
His platform included promises to balance the budget by 2019, restore PST exemptions on crop, health, and life insurance, and establish a ministry of international trade and exports, which will be responsible for growing Saskatchewan’s presence in markets around the world.
However, in a media scrum with reporters following his victory, Moe said his first priority upon returning to Regina would be to get up to speed on budget talks, and look to implement his promise on PST exemptions, and a separate promise to spend $30 million to put 400 educational assistants in classrooms across the province.
Moe added that he’d also be looking at the policy platforms of his fellow candidates, to see if any can be implemented by his government going.
Most notable, however, was Moe’s vow to continue leading the province’s stand against the federal carbon tax being imposed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government – even if it means taking the feds to court.
“I will fight for this province. I will fight for our economy to ensure that we do not have a carbon tax, “ he said.
“Justin Trudeau, if you’re wondering how far I will go, just watch me.”
Wall fires parting shots
Many of Moe’s statements echoed ones made by Premier Wall in his final address to the party at Saturday’s convention.
Defiant in his exit as he was in his final years as leader of the Sask. Party, Wall began by imploring the party to unite in the aftermath of the leadership race, and face the challenges that lie ahead. Namely, the 2020 general election.
“It is important that the state of the party be strong tonight because of what lies ahead, because of what we will need to do in the future, and because of what we will need to do on behalf of the province in 2020,” he said.
From there, Wall used his 30-minute address to fire parting shots at the opposition: the opposition NDP in Saskatchewan, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley’s NDP government, and the federal government.
Taking aim at the feds first, Wall said the Sask. Party would continue its opposition to the federal carbon tax, and that it wouldn’t seek approval from Ottawa on its Made-in-Saskatchewan strategy to combat climate change, or any other policies.
“We don’t work for the feds. This party works for the people of Saskatchewan,” he said.
Turning to the Saskatchewan NDP next, Wall denounced the party’s cynicism about the province’s future prospects, and its discomfort with the province’s reliance on the oil and gas, and mining sectors.
He added that, going forward, the Sask. Party must continue to be the party of hope and optimism.
“If we come out of this convention today… if we come out humble and hard-working and disciplined, offering a vision and a program worthy of this great province, if we come out of here united behind a leader, well, then hope wins,” he said.
“Because this is the new Saskatchewan, and hope wins here.”
* Editor’s note: Jordan Twiss covered the leadership convention on behalf of the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspapers Association, providing members with the article and accompanying photos.
Article courtesy Jordan Twiss/Shellbrook Chronicle
It took five months of campaigning, and five ballots.
But after all was said and done, Rosthern-Shellbrook MLA and former environment minister, Scott Moe, shocked the province by being selected as the leader of the Saskatchewan Party, and Saskatchewan’s new premier.
Nowhere was the surprise more palpable than at Saturday’s Sask. Party Leadership Convention, held at Saskatoon’s Praireland Park, where more than 2,000 party members gathered to celebrate, and greet the man or woman who would be selected to lead the Sask. Party into the post-Brad Wall era.
Moe’s victory, which saw him garner 8,075 votes (or 53.9 per cent of the vote), defied the predictions of pollsters, which, in the week leading into the convention, had Moe pegged as a distant third place finisher, behind fellow leadership candidates Ken Cheveldayoff, and Alanna Koch.
It was also a come-from-behind victory, as Moe trailed Koch by fewer than 50 votes after the results of the first ballot were read, with Cheveldayoff a close but unexpected third, Gordon Wyant in fourth place, and Tina Beaudry-Mellor a distant fifth.
However, once Beaudry-Mellor and Wyant were removed from the running after the second and third ballots, respectively, Moe surged into the lead. And Cheveldayoff’s elimination from leadership contention after the fourth ballot results were revealed, gave Moe the push he needed to take the place of the outgoing Premier Wall, who officially retired from politics on Jan. 31.
In the end, Moe topped Koch, who was deputy minister to Premier Wall before taking a leave of absence to run for the Sask. Party leadership, by just 1,161 votes in the fifth and deciding ballot.
But while the closeness of the race sparked questions about division within the party, Moe was quick to silence any doubt, and said that he, his fellow candidates, and the party, would be united going forward.
“We are stronger and more unified than ever before,” he said in his victory speech.
“I am truly humbled to be a part of this team, and by the trust that you have placed in me to lead this party, and this province, into the future.”
Moe launched his bid for the Sask. Party leadership Sept. 1, 2017, with the support of 21 of his fellow MLAs, and a promise to “stand with Saskatchewan” – a promise he reiterated many times throughout the campaign, and at the leadership convention.
His platform included promises to balance the budget by 2019, restore PST exemptions on crop, health, and life insurance, and establish a ministry of international trade and exports, which will be responsible for growing Saskatchewan’s presence in markets around the world.
However, in a media scrum with reporters following his victory, Moe said his first priority upon returning to Regina would be to get up to speed on budget talks, and look to implement his promise on PST exemptions, and a separate promise to spend $30 million to put 400 educational assistants in classrooms across the province.
Moe added that he’d also be looking at the policy platforms of his fellow candidates, to see if any can be implemented by his government going.
Most notable, however, was Moe’s vow to continue leading the province’s stand against the federal carbon tax being imposed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government – even if it means taking the feds to court.
“I will fight for this province. I will fight for our economy to ensure that we do not have a carbon tax, “ he said.
“Justin Trudeau, if you’re wondering how far I will go, just watch me.”
Wall fires parting shots
Many of Moe’s statements echoed ones made by Premier Wall in his final address to the party at Saturday’s convention.
Defiant in his exit as he was in his final years as leader of the Sask. Party, Wall began by imploring the party to unite in the aftermath of the leadership race, and face the challenges that lie ahead. Namely, the 2020 general election.
“It is important that the state of the party be strong tonight because of what lies ahead, because of what we will need to do in the future, and because of what we will need to do on behalf of the province in 2020,” he said.
From there, Wall used his 30-minute address to fire parting shots at the opposition: the opposition NDP in Saskatchewan, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley’s NDP government, and the federal government.
Taking aim at the feds first, Wall said the Sask. Party would continue its opposition to the federal carbon tax, and that it wouldn’t seek approval from Ottawa on its Made-in-Saskatchewan strategy to combat climate change, or any other policies.
“We don’t work for the feds. This party works for the people of Saskatchewan,” he said.
Turning to the Saskatchewan NDP next, Wall denounced the party’s cynicism about the province’s future prospects, and its discomfort with the province’s reliance on the oil and gas, and mining sectors.
He added that, going forward, the Sask. Party must continue to be the party of hope and optimism.
“If we come out of this convention today… if we come out humble and hard-working and disciplined, offering a vision and a program worthy of this great province, if we come out of here united behind a leader, well, then hope wins,” he said.
“Because this is the new Saskatchewan, and hope wins here.”
* Editor’s note: Jordan Twiss covered the leadership convention on behalf of the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspapers Association, providing members with the article and accompanying photos.
TWM Top Story - Jan. 29, 2018
Hughes honoured for his dedication to the game
By Daniel Bushman
With local rinks essentially considered a second home for Lockwood’s Hilton Hughes, the well-known and now retired official has not only spent considerable time on the ice with whistle in hand but has also sported numerous other hats off the ice as well. Assuming the role of Long Lake Hockey League Referee in Chief in 1978 and remaining in that position to this day, Hughes was recently recognized by the league for his involvement over the years.
The announcement came as a surprise to no one (except for Hilton) and for the 90 year old, Dec. 29 was just like any other winter night during the regular season. With a frigid evening outside, Hughes bundled up and made the trek from his farm located on the outskirts of Lockwood and headed to the familiar confines of a nearby hockey arena. Something he has done for decades, Hughes entered the rink in Drake and began his usual routine of getting ready to watch the puck drop. However on this December evening, it would be a little different.
“I didn’t know anything about it all,” said a surprised Hughes about being honoured. “A few of my relations came including some from Alberta. I didn’t know that and if I would have seen them I would have wondered what was going on.”
Posted ahead of time on the LLHL website and through word of mouth, a date was set by the league to recognize Hughes. With the LLHL comprised of teams from Davidson, Drake, Lanigan, LeRoy, Watrous and Wynyard, it would be the Canucks and Monarchs that were in attendance for Hughes’ recognition. League president Ryan Collins and secretary and statistician Vern Rudneski made the drive out from Watrous and were also on hand to present Hughes with a winter jacket embroidered with the words Long Lake Hockey League. A handful of officials mentored through the years by Hughes were also on hand for the occasion.
Collins, who is not only the league president but officiates himself said it was an honour to be a part of the ceremony, adding Hilton is someone that cannot be replaced. “Wherever I went as an official or player, I think he was at every game and I think he has probably been to every rink in Saskatchewan.”
Over the decades, Hughes helped to organize when, where and which officials and linesmen would be headed to each arena in the region and he has been a tremendous Referee in Chief for the league since its inception in 1978. It was also during that time that Hughes also officiated many senior and some minor hockey league contests. Collins said through those years, Hughes was able to provide other officials with insight and experience.
“You could always ask Hilton a question about officiating and everyone looked up to him. He earned a lot of respect around the league and he is just a genuine human being and a professional. Everyone comes and goes on the LLHL executive but Hilton has been there since the league’s inception. We are very grateful for his service and dedication.”
LLHL secretary and statistician Vern Rudneski said Hughes was respected by the players both on and off the ice as he would chat and kid with them during games. It was also appreciated by teams to not have to find officials for games as Hilton took care of that. “He was a mentor to many young officials as he visited with them between periods offering encouragement and helpful tips. He drove many miles following hockey games and continues to follow his great-grandkids in their hockey. The LLHL felt it was time to acknowledge the many years of dedication.”
Receiving the accolades, Hughes said it was a tremendous honour. “It meant a lot and what I’ve done has been rewarding.”
While hockey has always been in his blood, officiating was not far behind. With a vast knowledge of the game, Hughes enjoyed playing the sport but swapped his stick for a whistle and traded in his sweater for the striped variety back in 1952, when he was 25 years old.
“I went to Cupar one night with Nokomis in case they were short,” said Hughes. “Funny part was, I was standing and talking to my uncle and somebody from Cupar asked me if I would represent Nokomis on the ice.”
Looking to lend a hand, Hughes grabbed a whistle and that is where it all started. Born in Cupar and moving to Lockwood in 1942, Hughes would call hundreds of games throughout his career, making good friendships and earning respect from players, coaches and fans along the way.
“It was the camaraderie that I enjoyed. If you respected the players then they would respect you. You could be the best official in the world but if you were against them and they saw that . . . you had to earn their respect and to get it you had to earn it and that is what I tried to do.”
While Hughes mainly focused on officiating senior hockey, he also strapped on the skates to help with minor hockey too. However, with cows to milk on the farm near Lockwood, Hughes had to do a bit of juggling to make things work.
“I would milk the cows in the morning, then go officiate at one of the rinks. I remember doing a tournament in Simpson and I milked the cows in the morning then went and did a game and came back to do chores before driving back to Simpson for the night game. That was just part of everyday life back then.”
Another memory that Hughes recalled was being able to do a Pee Wee tournament in Watrous. Citing the experience as an honour to be chosen for, Hughes remembered hundreds of people packing the rink in Watrous. Three of the teams represented were from Watrous, Foam Lake and Eston and one of the players on Foam Lake’s team was future NHL’er Bernie Federko. Another player Hughes thought was very talented was Eston’s Blythe Stevenson who would go on to play with the Swift Current Broncos of the WCHL.
Hughes worked two games during that tournament and then had to head back to milk his cows. Wanting to return to watch the later game, Hilton recalled he was scheduled for two other games the next day.
“I was impressed with the kids and I was wanting to go back to watch that last game. The enthusiasm from the kids was something that struck me. They gave it a lot of effort.”
Throughout his time as an official, Hughes enjoyed being on the ice, calling upwards of 70 games a season. During that time, he also managed to avoid getting seriously injured, aside from one major blow.
Before helmets were made mandatory, Hughes was officiating a senior game in Nokomis during a stormy night in 1973. After dropping the puck, Hughes was backing up from the circle when a shot came careening towards him. Clipping him in the head, Hilton went down with a fractured skull and spent the next six weeks in a hospital.
“We had helmets the next year,” Hughes quipped.
Back on the ice after that season, Hilton continued to do what he loved and a few years after that, the Long Lake Hockey League was formed.
“I was getting calls from people about what was being called or not being called at games and so we just formed an association,” said Hughes.
Taking on the position of Referee in Chief for the LLHL in 1978, Hilton has held that role ever since. As part of his work on and off the ice, in June 1988, he was honoured as a life member of the Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey Association referee division, something not many people in the province are recognized for. Hughes also received a special award of merit in 1991 and was entered into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame for the Lockwood & National Midget Organizing Committee.
Wes Smith, past Referee’s Division Executive Member and SODM (Saskatchewan Officiating Development Model) Supervisor with the Saskatchewan Hockey Association spent many officiating years with Hilton on the executive of the Referees Division. Both Zone coordinators in the Division for many years, Smith said the pair spent lots of weekends together planning for upcoming seasons in addition to watching officials in their respective areas. “Before the days of instant communication that we enjoy today, we relied on Hilton to find out the early outcome of many provincial playoff games. He seemed to attend one every night somewhere within his driving range. Some of the games he was actually on the ice so he could give a firsthand account of the game he had seen.”
Smith also had the honour of presenting Hilton with his Lifetime Award with the Referees Division and when he found out the LLHL also acknowledged Hughes for his dedication to the game, he was thrilled.
“He was great to work with as he has such a sense of humour that he could easily diffuse a volatile situation both on and off the ice. I am so glad the Long Lake Hockey League honoured Hilton for his service. I played in that league before I went over to the ‘dark side.’ I knew Hilton then and my parents were friends with the Hughes’ as well as I grew up south on Hwy. 20 near Nokomis. I will always respect him for his many contributions to hockey.”
While Hughes has now been retired from officiating for the past eight years, he keeps close watch from the stands, going to as many senior hockey games as he can. He also puts on the miles during the winter travelling to watch his great-grandkids suit up as well.
“It has been pretty great to watch them and then being honoured at the game in December was an honour for me too. I didn’t know anything about it and usually I would have lots to say but they kept it a secret. It was a pretty special moment.”
By Daniel Bushman
With local rinks essentially considered a second home for Lockwood’s Hilton Hughes, the well-known and now retired official has not only spent considerable time on the ice with whistle in hand but has also sported numerous other hats off the ice as well. Assuming the role of Long Lake Hockey League Referee in Chief in 1978 and remaining in that position to this day, Hughes was recently recognized by the league for his involvement over the years.
The announcement came as a surprise to no one (except for Hilton) and for the 90 year old, Dec. 29 was just like any other winter night during the regular season. With a frigid evening outside, Hughes bundled up and made the trek from his farm located on the outskirts of Lockwood and headed to the familiar confines of a nearby hockey arena. Something he has done for decades, Hughes entered the rink in Drake and began his usual routine of getting ready to watch the puck drop. However on this December evening, it would be a little different.
“I didn’t know anything about it all,” said a surprised Hughes about being honoured. “A few of my relations came including some from Alberta. I didn’t know that and if I would have seen them I would have wondered what was going on.”
Posted ahead of time on the LLHL website and through word of mouth, a date was set by the league to recognize Hughes. With the LLHL comprised of teams from Davidson, Drake, Lanigan, LeRoy, Watrous and Wynyard, it would be the Canucks and Monarchs that were in attendance for Hughes’ recognition. League president Ryan Collins and secretary and statistician Vern Rudneski made the drive out from Watrous and were also on hand to present Hughes with a winter jacket embroidered with the words Long Lake Hockey League. A handful of officials mentored through the years by Hughes were also on hand for the occasion.
Collins, who is not only the league president but officiates himself said it was an honour to be a part of the ceremony, adding Hilton is someone that cannot be replaced. “Wherever I went as an official or player, I think he was at every game and I think he has probably been to every rink in Saskatchewan.”
Over the decades, Hughes helped to organize when, where and which officials and linesmen would be headed to each arena in the region and he has been a tremendous Referee in Chief for the league since its inception in 1978. It was also during that time that Hughes also officiated many senior and some minor hockey league contests. Collins said through those years, Hughes was able to provide other officials with insight and experience.
“You could always ask Hilton a question about officiating and everyone looked up to him. He earned a lot of respect around the league and he is just a genuine human being and a professional. Everyone comes and goes on the LLHL executive but Hilton has been there since the league’s inception. We are very grateful for his service and dedication.”
LLHL secretary and statistician Vern Rudneski said Hughes was respected by the players both on and off the ice as he would chat and kid with them during games. It was also appreciated by teams to not have to find officials for games as Hilton took care of that. “He was a mentor to many young officials as he visited with them between periods offering encouragement and helpful tips. He drove many miles following hockey games and continues to follow his great-grandkids in their hockey. The LLHL felt it was time to acknowledge the many years of dedication.”
Receiving the accolades, Hughes said it was a tremendous honour. “It meant a lot and what I’ve done has been rewarding.”
While hockey has always been in his blood, officiating was not far behind. With a vast knowledge of the game, Hughes enjoyed playing the sport but swapped his stick for a whistle and traded in his sweater for the striped variety back in 1952, when he was 25 years old.
“I went to Cupar one night with Nokomis in case they were short,” said Hughes. “Funny part was, I was standing and talking to my uncle and somebody from Cupar asked me if I would represent Nokomis on the ice.”
Looking to lend a hand, Hughes grabbed a whistle and that is where it all started. Born in Cupar and moving to Lockwood in 1942, Hughes would call hundreds of games throughout his career, making good friendships and earning respect from players, coaches and fans along the way.
“It was the camaraderie that I enjoyed. If you respected the players then they would respect you. You could be the best official in the world but if you were against them and they saw that . . . you had to earn their respect and to get it you had to earn it and that is what I tried to do.”
While Hughes mainly focused on officiating senior hockey, he also strapped on the skates to help with minor hockey too. However, with cows to milk on the farm near Lockwood, Hughes had to do a bit of juggling to make things work.
“I would milk the cows in the morning, then go officiate at one of the rinks. I remember doing a tournament in Simpson and I milked the cows in the morning then went and did a game and came back to do chores before driving back to Simpson for the night game. That was just part of everyday life back then.”
Another memory that Hughes recalled was being able to do a Pee Wee tournament in Watrous. Citing the experience as an honour to be chosen for, Hughes remembered hundreds of people packing the rink in Watrous. Three of the teams represented were from Watrous, Foam Lake and Eston and one of the players on Foam Lake’s team was future NHL’er Bernie Federko. Another player Hughes thought was very talented was Eston’s Blythe Stevenson who would go on to play with the Swift Current Broncos of the WCHL.
Hughes worked two games during that tournament and then had to head back to milk his cows. Wanting to return to watch the later game, Hilton recalled he was scheduled for two other games the next day.
“I was impressed with the kids and I was wanting to go back to watch that last game. The enthusiasm from the kids was something that struck me. They gave it a lot of effort.”
Throughout his time as an official, Hughes enjoyed being on the ice, calling upwards of 70 games a season. During that time, he also managed to avoid getting seriously injured, aside from one major blow.
Before helmets were made mandatory, Hughes was officiating a senior game in Nokomis during a stormy night in 1973. After dropping the puck, Hughes was backing up from the circle when a shot came careening towards him. Clipping him in the head, Hilton went down with a fractured skull and spent the next six weeks in a hospital.
“We had helmets the next year,” Hughes quipped.
Back on the ice after that season, Hilton continued to do what he loved and a few years after that, the Long Lake Hockey League was formed.
“I was getting calls from people about what was being called or not being called at games and so we just formed an association,” said Hughes.
Taking on the position of Referee in Chief for the LLHL in 1978, Hilton has held that role ever since. As part of his work on and off the ice, in June 1988, he was honoured as a life member of the Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey Association referee division, something not many people in the province are recognized for. Hughes also received a special award of merit in 1991 and was entered into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame for the Lockwood & National Midget Organizing Committee.
Wes Smith, past Referee’s Division Executive Member and SODM (Saskatchewan Officiating Development Model) Supervisor with the Saskatchewan Hockey Association spent many officiating years with Hilton on the executive of the Referees Division. Both Zone coordinators in the Division for many years, Smith said the pair spent lots of weekends together planning for upcoming seasons in addition to watching officials in their respective areas. “Before the days of instant communication that we enjoy today, we relied on Hilton to find out the early outcome of many provincial playoff games. He seemed to attend one every night somewhere within his driving range. Some of the games he was actually on the ice so he could give a firsthand account of the game he had seen.”
Smith also had the honour of presenting Hilton with his Lifetime Award with the Referees Division and when he found out the LLHL also acknowledged Hughes for his dedication to the game, he was thrilled.
“He was great to work with as he has such a sense of humour that he could easily diffuse a volatile situation both on and off the ice. I am so glad the Long Lake Hockey League honoured Hilton for his service. I played in that league before I went over to the ‘dark side.’ I knew Hilton then and my parents were friends with the Hughes’ as well as I grew up south on Hwy. 20 near Nokomis. I will always respect him for his many contributions to hockey.”
While Hughes has now been retired from officiating for the past eight years, he keeps close watch from the stands, going to as many senior hockey games as he can. He also puts on the miles during the winter travelling to watch his great-grandkids suit up as well.
“It has been pretty great to watch them and then being honoured at the game in December was an honour for me too. I didn’t know anything about it and usually I would have lots to say but they kept it a secret. It was a pretty special moment.”
TWM Top Story - Jan 22, 2018
Local writer's song makes Academy shortlist
Daniel Bushman
It has been quite the journey for song writer and singer Bruce Rawling who not only had one of his songs included in a movie but it also made the Academy Awards short list for original song. Rawling, who lives at Manitou Beach with his wife Bonnie, was recently recognized for his song, Walk On Faith, which is part of the movie Year By The Sea.
“I was pretty shocked and excited,” said Bruce. “This whole journey has just been an amazing ride! I feel very honoured to have even made it this far!”
Last month, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced 70 songs for nominations to be the best original song, with the winner taking home an Oscar. Rawling’s song Walk On Faith is part of that list and is up against contributions from people like Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey, Nick Jonas and Dierks Bently. Over the past few weeks, voting members of the Academy’s music branch received the list of the eligible choices along with a compilation of video clips representing the songs’ placement in their respective films. Members then vote for up to five picks in order of preference. Once the votes are tallied, the top five songs selected from the music branch then go out as nominees for general voting, with a maximum of two songs from any one film allowed to appear on the final ballot. Nominations for the 90th Academy Awards will be announced Jan. 23.
“This is most definitely a highlight. It’s not every day that this has happened, let me assure you. It always feels good when something you create is appreciated, and when it touches people’s hearts. Even when it’s on a small scale.”
Writing for a number of years, Rawling began his craft while in high school where he wrote songs and delivered newspapers with his very close friend Dale Johnson. As Rawling started playing in bands and eventually toured to many different types of venues, Johnson’s path took him to Hollywood where he is now a movie producer.
“He has been sending me scripts to write songs for as I feel inspired. I’ve written several songs for scripts that he has sent, some have made it as far as the director’s desk and others didn’t fit with the direction of the films. This is the first American film that I’ve had a song included in a major film.”
Born in Outlook, Rawling grew up in Meadow Lake and now calls Manitou Beach home. Along with Bonnie, the pair have recently come alongside Arnold and Millie Strueby at Danceland to help support where they can. When not at the beach, Bruce hits the open road touring and singing throughout western Canada. There is also the possibility the producers of Year By The Sea may have him tour through the United States to promote the movie soundtrack.
While Rawling said his journey through life has brought with it ups and downs, he has continued to lean on his faith. “I’ve known good times, but have also had some really difficult times as well. For me it has been my faith in Jesus that has helped me so many times to carry on. The song ‘Walk On Faith’ is an expression of that for me.
“Every step of this process has been surprising and exciting. I went in with no expectations, and so each step along this journey has just felt like a bonus! It’s been really good to work with people who have a passion for telling a story, and who have integrity, vision, and incredible perseverance.”
Released in 2016, Year By The Sea stars Karen Allen, Yannick Bisson, S Epatha Merkerson, Michael Cristofer and Celia Imrie and is directed by Alexander Janko. The feature film is based on Joan Anderson’s New York Times best-selling memoir, Year By The Sea and is about a woman hoping to reclaim who she was before marriage and children. An empty nester retreats to Cape Cod where she embarks upon a quest to set herself free.
Daniel Bushman
It has been quite the journey for song writer and singer Bruce Rawling who not only had one of his songs included in a movie but it also made the Academy Awards short list for original song. Rawling, who lives at Manitou Beach with his wife Bonnie, was recently recognized for his song, Walk On Faith, which is part of the movie Year By The Sea.
“I was pretty shocked and excited,” said Bruce. “This whole journey has just been an amazing ride! I feel very honoured to have even made it this far!”
Last month, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced 70 songs for nominations to be the best original song, with the winner taking home an Oscar. Rawling’s song Walk On Faith is part of that list and is up against contributions from people like Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey, Nick Jonas and Dierks Bently. Over the past few weeks, voting members of the Academy’s music branch received the list of the eligible choices along with a compilation of video clips representing the songs’ placement in their respective films. Members then vote for up to five picks in order of preference. Once the votes are tallied, the top five songs selected from the music branch then go out as nominees for general voting, with a maximum of two songs from any one film allowed to appear on the final ballot. Nominations for the 90th Academy Awards will be announced Jan. 23.
“This is most definitely a highlight. It’s not every day that this has happened, let me assure you. It always feels good when something you create is appreciated, and when it touches people’s hearts. Even when it’s on a small scale.”
Writing for a number of years, Rawling began his craft while in high school where he wrote songs and delivered newspapers with his very close friend Dale Johnson. As Rawling started playing in bands and eventually toured to many different types of venues, Johnson’s path took him to Hollywood where he is now a movie producer.
“He has been sending me scripts to write songs for as I feel inspired. I’ve written several songs for scripts that he has sent, some have made it as far as the director’s desk and others didn’t fit with the direction of the films. This is the first American film that I’ve had a song included in a major film.”
Born in Outlook, Rawling grew up in Meadow Lake and now calls Manitou Beach home. Along with Bonnie, the pair have recently come alongside Arnold and Millie Strueby at Danceland to help support where they can. When not at the beach, Bruce hits the open road touring and singing throughout western Canada. There is also the possibility the producers of Year By The Sea may have him tour through the United States to promote the movie soundtrack.
While Rawling said his journey through life has brought with it ups and downs, he has continued to lean on his faith. “I’ve known good times, but have also had some really difficult times as well. For me it has been my faith in Jesus that has helped me so many times to carry on. The song ‘Walk On Faith’ is an expression of that for me.
“Every step of this process has been surprising and exciting. I went in with no expectations, and so each step along this journey has just felt like a bonus! It’s been really good to work with people who have a passion for telling a story, and who have integrity, vision, and incredible perseverance.”
Released in 2016, Year By The Sea stars Karen Allen, Yannick Bisson, S Epatha Merkerson, Michael Cristofer and Celia Imrie and is directed by Alexander Janko. The feature film is based on Joan Anderson’s New York Times best-selling memoir, Year By The Sea and is about a woman hoping to reclaim who she was before marriage and children. An empty nester retreats to Cape Cod where she embarks upon a quest to set herself free.
TWM Top Story - Jan. 15, 2018
Watrous Co-op seeking to amalgamate
By Daniel Bushman
In a move that would see substantial savings, create a large partnership and provide members with positive benefits, the Watrous Co-op is planning to amalgamate with the Saskatoon Co-op and Hepburn Co-op. Contingent on approval from its members, general manager of the Watrous Co-op Andrew Parrott said in early 2017, boards from Watrous, Hepburn and Saskatoon had a vision of strengthening the co-ops by partnering to provide benefits to all members. The boards also reviewed a feasibility study planning the proposed partnership through amalgamation and found the benefits to the members were very positive.
“Today’s retail landscape continues to become more complex, and our competitors are continuing to expand and consolidate,” Parrott said. “Adding value for current and future members was at the forefront of this decision, but this also positions our co-ops to remain competitive, relevant and successful in an ever-changing market. By partnering together with neighbouring co-ops that share values, our co-ops will become better together.”
Financially, Parrott said the partnership would see the Watrous Co-op sites realize a savings of $300,000 per year because of increased efficiencies. “The feasibility study shows that the amalgamated co-op will be in a strong financial position to continue our emphasis on our Equity and Cash Back Programs to our members. Equity programs from both retails are in a strong position and would be expected to continue following amalgamation.”
If the amalgamation were to move forward, Parrott said there would be no job losses and added the feasibility study conducted by the co-ops showed the opportunity for new job creation. “All employees of the Watrous Co-op will have the opportunity to be employed with the new co-operative association. This may involve different responsibilities for our team members.”
In addition, the general manager said, “All members will benefit as a result of this partnership through amalgamation. By partnering, we will realize benefits from increased sales, increased margins and greater net savings. We will be able to offer all members a wider range of products and services, some of which are not currently available at the Watrous Co-op today. Amalgamation will also provide some communities with products and services that might not have been previously available in their communities. The biggest benefit to members from these co-ops by far would be the ability to use one co-op number in over eight communities and at over 30 different locations.”
While still in the early stages, Parrott said they will try to retain similar co-op numbers for the members and equity accumulated in either co-operative association will not be lost. “Individual equity will automatically be carried forward. If you are a member who holds membership at two or more of these co-ops, any and all equity would be combined.”
With the potential amalgamation on the horizon, a meeting is being held during the evening Feb. 7 at the civic centre in Watrous where members can register, listen to an information session and then cast their vote. Parrott said if everything passes, the goal is to begin the amalgamation process immediately after the vote has taken place. The effective date of the amalgamation could be as early as summer 2018. The new co-op’s board would be comprised of nine elected officials with elections held annually thereafter according to the bylaws.
“This is an exciting time for our co-op and for the community and this will set us up to be successful in the future. Co-ops were built on the concept of working together to help serve their communities better. That founding principle remains at the heart of this partnership, even as the world around us continues to change. If people have questions about any of the information or the amalgamation, I encourage them to get in touch with me.”
The local co-operative dates back to 1934 when a group of local farmers in Renown held the first organizational meeting Nov. 17, 1934. That resulted in Renown Co-operative being incorporated Mar. 23, 1935. According to the co-op’s website, operating out of a caboose for the first few years, the group had a part-time employee and only wood and coal was handled. The first agent was R. Norris, who at the time, was also the Pool Elevator Agent. Twine was added for sale and in 1937, gasoline and oil were also available to buy from the co-op.
Then in the early 1940s, the co-op moved into a building, formerly used by Security Lumber Company and owned by J.O. Davis. The co-op rented the building and also hired Davis to be its manager. At that time, wrenches, farm implement parts and other items were added as inventory. Not long after that, the co-op purchased stock of groceries, hardware and dry goods from the Libby Bros. General Store. It was also at that time in 1943 when the board of directors grew to nine.
As WWII ended, farm fuel sales increased and all fuel sales were delivered in 45 gallon drums. In 1951, metred fuel began and M. Laird had a contract to deliver the co-op’s fuel. The fuel was contracted out until the bulk fuel business moved to Watrous, which was when the local co-op elected to buy their own delivery truck.
Coal was used as a heating material and until the late 1950s, it was handled primarily at the Amazon Branch of the Renown Co-op. The Amazon Branch eventually closed in 1959.
With an eye on the future, discussion took place with plans to either include operating a bulk station only, building a store in Renown and expanding; or centralizing and support the organization of a co-op centre in Watrous.
As farms grew, some of the rural populations declining and Watrous becoming larger, a special meeting was held January 1958 to discuss relocating the co-op to Watrous. A feasibility survey took place and presented to the board in July 1961 and a decision was made to relocate to Watrous. Even though the co-op was still operating as the Renown Co-op Association, just over one year later on Nov. 1, 1962, the grand opening of the bulk station and store took place. The Renown store officially closed in September 1965 and the name changed to the Watrous Co-op Association at the next annual general meeting.
From there, the Watrous Co-op continued to grow and gained new members while primarily focusing on petroleum, oil, hardware and feed. Then in 1998, the Watrous Co-op elected to expand and over the next decade, grew in all areas. Part of that growth included the construction of a food store, the gas bar and C-store and the farm and hardware centre in Watrous.
By Daniel Bushman
In a move that would see substantial savings, create a large partnership and provide members with positive benefits, the Watrous Co-op is planning to amalgamate with the Saskatoon Co-op and Hepburn Co-op. Contingent on approval from its members, general manager of the Watrous Co-op Andrew Parrott said in early 2017, boards from Watrous, Hepburn and Saskatoon had a vision of strengthening the co-ops by partnering to provide benefits to all members. The boards also reviewed a feasibility study planning the proposed partnership through amalgamation and found the benefits to the members were very positive.
“Today’s retail landscape continues to become more complex, and our competitors are continuing to expand and consolidate,” Parrott said. “Adding value for current and future members was at the forefront of this decision, but this also positions our co-ops to remain competitive, relevant and successful in an ever-changing market. By partnering together with neighbouring co-ops that share values, our co-ops will become better together.”
Financially, Parrott said the partnership would see the Watrous Co-op sites realize a savings of $300,000 per year because of increased efficiencies. “The feasibility study shows that the amalgamated co-op will be in a strong financial position to continue our emphasis on our Equity and Cash Back Programs to our members. Equity programs from both retails are in a strong position and would be expected to continue following amalgamation.”
If the amalgamation were to move forward, Parrott said there would be no job losses and added the feasibility study conducted by the co-ops showed the opportunity for new job creation. “All employees of the Watrous Co-op will have the opportunity to be employed with the new co-operative association. This may involve different responsibilities for our team members.”
In addition, the general manager said, “All members will benefit as a result of this partnership through amalgamation. By partnering, we will realize benefits from increased sales, increased margins and greater net savings. We will be able to offer all members a wider range of products and services, some of which are not currently available at the Watrous Co-op today. Amalgamation will also provide some communities with products and services that might not have been previously available in their communities. The biggest benefit to members from these co-ops by far would be the ability to use one co-op number in over eight communities and at over 30 different locations.”
While still in the early stages, Parrott said they will try to retain similar co-op numbers for the members and equity accumulated in either co-operative association will not be lost. “Individual equity will automatically be carried forward. If you are a member who holds membership at two or more of these co-ops, any and all equity would be combined.”
With the potential amalgamation on the horizon, a meeting is being held during the evening Feb. 7 at the civic centre in Watrous where members can register, listen to an information session and then cast their vote. Parrott said if everything passes, the goal is to begin the amalgamation process immediately after the vote has taken place. The effective date of the amalgamation could be as early as summer 2018. The new co-op’s board would be comprised of nine elected officials with elections held annually thereafter according to the bylaws.
“This is an exciting time for our co-op and for the community and this will set us up to be successful in the future. Co-ops were built on the concept of working together to help serve their communities better. That founding principle remains at the heart of this partnership, even as the world around us continues to change. If people have questions about any of the information or the amalgamation, I encourage them to get in touch with me.”
The local co-operative dates back to 1934 when a group of local farmers in Renown held the first organizational meeting Nov. 17, 1934. That resulted in Renown Co-operative being incorporated Mar. 23, 1935. According to the co-op’s website, operating out of a caboose for the first few years, the group had a part-time employee and only wood and coal was handled. The first agent was R. Norris, who at the time, was also the Pool Elevator Agent. Twine was added for sale and in 1937, gasoline and oil were also available to buy from the co-op.
Then in the early 1940s, the co-op moved into a building, formerly used by Security Lumber Company and owned by J.O. Davis. The co-op rented the building and also hired Davis to be its manager. At that time, wrenches, farm implement parts and other items were added as inventory. Not long after that, the co-op purchased stock of groceries, hardware and dry goods from the Libby Bros. General Store. It was also at that time in 1943 when the board of directors grew to nine.
As WWII ended, farm fuel sales increased and all fuel sales were delivered in 45 gallon drums. In 1951, metred fuel began and M. Laird had a contract to deliver the co-op’s fuel. The fuel was contracted out until the bulk fuel business moved to Watrous, which was when the local co-op elected to buy their own delivery truck.
Coal was used as a heating material and until the late 1950s, it was handled primarily at the Amazon Branch of the Renown Co-op. The Amazon Branch eventually closed in 1959.
With an eye on the future, discussion took place with plans to either include operating a bulk station only, building a store in Renown and expanding; or centralizing and support the organization of a co-op centre in Watrous.
As farms grew, some of the rural populations declining and Watrous becoming larger, a special meeting was held January 1958 to discuss relocating the co-op to Watrous. A feasibility survey took place and presented to the board in July 1961 and a decision was made to relocate to Watrous. Even though the co-op was still operating as the Renown Co-op Association, just over one year later on Nov. 1, 1962, the grand opening of the bulk station and store took place. The Renown store officially closed in September 1965 and the name changed to the Watrous Co-op Association at the next annual general meeting.
From there, the Watrous Co-op continued to grow and gained new members while primarily focusing on petroleum, oil, hardware and feed. Then in 1998, the Watrous Co-op elected to expand and over the next decade, grew in all areas. Part of that growth included the construction of a food store, the gas bar and C-store and the farm and hardware centre in Watrous.
TWM Top Story - Jan. 8, 2018
PotashCorp and Agrium merge to form Nutrien
Daniel Bushman
Combining forces to create the world’s largest ag-retail network and the largest potash producer with nearly 20,000 employees and operations and investments in 14 countries, Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. and Agrium Inc. successfully completed a merger of equals to form Nutrien.
After receiving clearance from the United States’ Federal Trade Commission Dec. 27 and obtaining all regulatory approvals required to close their proposed merger of equals transaction, the transaction closed to begin the new year Jan. 1, 2018. Trading of Nutrien shares then began on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges under the ticker symbol NTR Jan. 2.
“We are proud to launch Nutrien, a company that will forge a unique position within the agriculture industry,” said Chuck Magro, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nutrien. “Our company will have an unmatched capability to respond to customer and market opportunities, focusing on innovation and growth across our retail and crop nutrient businesses. Importantly, we intend to draw upon the depth of our combined talent and best practices to build a new company that is stronger and better equipped to create value for all our stakeholders.”
The merger of equals between Potash Corporation and Agrium is very significant within the local area as it means that potash mines near Lanigan and Allan along with Crop Production Services locations at Colonsay, Drake, Liberty and Watrous all fall under the same umbrella.
With Nutrien moving forward, the company is expected to generate $500 million (US) of annual operating synergies, primarily from distribution and retail integration, production and SG&A optimization, and procurement savings. The company said it expects to achieve approximately $250 million (US) of those synergies by the end of 2018 with the full annualized run-rate achieved by the end of 2019.
In a release issued by Nutrien, the company said, “With major capacity expansion projects complete, expected proceeds from the divestiture of equity investments and significant cash flow generation capability, Nutrien will have flexibility to invest in focused growth initiatives and return excess capital to shareholders, while also prioritizing a strong investment grade credit rating profile.”
Along with the merge, a board and senior leadership team will be moving the company forward. While some of the company’s board of directors (with equal representation from Agrium and PotashCorp.) and members of its senior leadership team were previously announced, others have now been named. The group includes: Jochen Tilk, who will serve as the Executive Chair and Derek Pannell, who will serve as the Board’s independent Lead Director. Nutrien’s senior leadership team includes: Wayne Brownlee, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and Steve Douglas, Executive Vice President and Chief Integration Officer. Additional members of Nutrien’s senior leadership team include: Harry Deans, Executive Vice President and President, Nitrogen; Michael Frank, Executive Vice President and President, Retail; Kevin Graham, Executive Vice President and President, Sales; Susan Jones, Executive Vice President and President, Phosphate; Lee Knafelc, Executive Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer; Leslie O’Donoghue, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Corporate Development Officer; Joe Podwika, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer; Brent Poohkay, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer; Raef Sully, Executive Vice President and President, Potash; and Mike Webb, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer.
The company will have its registered head office in Saskatoon with other corporate offices in Calgary, Loveland Campus in Loveland, Colo. and the Northbrook sales office in Northbrook, Ill.
As the world’s largest provider of crop inputs and services, the company will produce and distribute over 25 million tonnes of potash, nitrogen and phosphate products worldwide. With this capability and its agriculture retail network, Nutrien feels it is well positioned to supply the needs of its customers. “We operate with a long-term view and are committed to working with our stakeholders as we address our economic, environmental and social priorities. The scale and diversity of our integrated portfolio provides a stable earnings base, multiple avenues for growth and the opportunity to return capital to shareholders.”
As Nutrien began operating last week, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall was cautiously optimistic about the recently approved merger, based on commitments made in recent meetings with the Chief Executive Officers and Board Chairs of the two merging corporations.
Wall said those commitments included: Nutrien’s registered head office and global potash operations will be located in Saskatoon; corporate office positions in Saskatchewan will increase by at least 15 per cent, to approximately 300; approximately 4,500 of Nutrien’s 20,000 employees worldwide will be located in Saskatchewan; two new business functions will relocate to Saskatchewan; and CEO and/or Executive Chair of the Nutrien Board and the President of Nutrien’s potash operations will live and work in Saskatchewan.
“This is a strong commitment to Saskatchewan, which will ensure that the merger results in a net benefit for our province,” Wall said. “All of these commitments remain subject to approval of the new Nutrien board. Our government will be closely monitoring future developments, but I have every expectation that Nutrien will follow through on their commitments to Saskatchewan.”
Saskatchewan NDP interim leader Nicole Sarauer also voiced her opinion on the merger this past week. In an article in the Star Phoenix, Sarauer said it was very concerning the company had not gone far enough to provide assurances of keeping existing corporate office jobs in the province.
“We’ve heard very little about what’s going to happen to those Saskatchewan jobs, and we’ve heard little reassurance that those jobs are going to stay in Saskatchewan over the long term.”
With the merger of equals complete and the new company formed, The Watrous Manitou reached out to Nutrien’s Investors and Media Relations department on a couple of occasions last week to see what impact, if any, would occur to any of the local area facilities and whether jobs or sites would be affected. However by press time, the paper had not heard back.
Daniel Bushman
Combining forces to create the world’s largest ag-retail network and the largest potash producer with nearly 20,000 employees and operations and investments in 14 countries, Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. and Agrium Inc. successfully completed a merger of equals to form Nutrien.
After receiving clearance from the United States’ Federal Trade Commission Dec. 27 and obtaining all regulatory approvals required to close their proposed merger of equals transaction, the transaction closed to begin the new year Jan. 1, 2018. Trading of Nutrien shares then began on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges under the ticker symbol NTR Jan. 2.
“We are proud to launch Nutrien, a company that will forge a unique position within the agriculture industry,” said Chuck Magro, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nutrien. “Our company will have an unmatched capability to respond to customer and market opportunities, focusing on innovation and growth across our retail and crop nutrient businesses. Importantly, we intend to draw upon the depth of our combined talent and best practices to build a new company that is stronger and better equipped to create value for all our stakeholders.”
The merger of equals between Potash Corporation and Agrium is very significant within the local area as it means that potash mines near Lanigan and Allan along with Crop Production Services locations at Colonsay, Drake, Liberty and Watrous all fall under the same umbrella.
With Nutrien moving forward, the company is expected to generate $500 million (US) of annual operating synergies, primarily from distribution and retail integration, production and SG&A optimization, and procurement savings. The company said it expects to achieve approximately $250 million (US) of those synergies by the end of 2018 with the full annualized run-rate achieved by the end of 2019.
In a release issued by Nutrien, the company said, “With major capacity expansion projects complete, expected proceeds from the divestiture of equity investments and significant cash flow generation capability, Nutrien will have flexibility to invest in focused growth initiatives and return excess capital to shareholders, while also prioritizing a strong investment grade credit rating profile.”
Along with the merge, a board and senior leadership team will be moving the company forward. While some of the company’s board of directors (with equal representation from Agrium and PotashCorp.) and members of its senior leadership team were previously announced, others have now been named. The group includes: Jochen Tilk, who will serve as the Executive Chair and Derek Pannell, who will serve as the Board’s independent Lead Director. Nutrien’s senior leadership team includes: Wayne Brownlee, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and Steve Douglas, Executive Vice President and Chief Integration Officer. Additional members of Nutrien’s senior leadership team include: Harry Deans, Executive Vice President and President, Nitrogen; Michael Frank, Executive Vice President and President, Retail; Kevin Graham, Executive Vice President and President, Sales; Susan Jones, Executive Vice President and President, Phosphate; Lee Knafelc, Executive Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer; Leslie O’Donoghue, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Corporate Development Officer; Joe Podwika, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer; Brent Poohkay, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer; Raef Sully, Executive Vice President and President, Potash; and Mike Webb, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer.
The company will have its registered head office in Saskatoon with other corporate offices in Calgary, Loveland Campus in Loveland, Colo. and the Northbrook sales office in Northbrook, Ill.
As the world’s largest provider of crop inputs and services, the company will produce and distribute over 25 million tonnes of potash, nitrogen and phosphate products worldwide. With this capability and its agriculture retail network, Nutrien feels it is well positioned to supply the needs of its customers. “We operate with a long-term view and are committed to working with our stakeholders as we address our economic, environmental and social priorities. The scale and diversity of our integrated portfolio provides a stable earnings base, multiple avenues for growth and the opportunity to return capital to shareholders.”
As Nutrien began operating last week, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall was cautiously optimistic about the recently approved merger, based on commitments made in recent meetings with the Chief Executive Officers and Board Chairs of the two merging corporations.
Wall said those commitments included: Nutrien’s registered head office and global potash operations will be located in Saskatoon; corporate office positions in Saskatchewan will increase by at least 15 per cent, to approximately 300; approximately 4,500 of Nutrien’s 20,000 employees worldwide will be located in Saskatchewan; two new business functions will relocate to Saskatchewan; and CEO and/or Executive Chair of the Nutrien Board and the President of Nutrien’s potash operations will live and work in Saskatchewan.
“This is a strong commitment to Saskatchewan, which will ensure that the merger results in a net benefit for our province,” Wall said. “All of these commitments remain subject to approval of the new Nutrien board. Our government will be closely monitoring future developments, but I have every expectation that Nutrien will follow through on their commitments to Saskatchewan.”
Saskatchewan NDP interim leader Nicole Sarauer also voiced her opinion on the merger this past week. In an article in the Star Phoenix, Sarauer said it was very concerning the company had not gone far enough to provide assurances of keeping existing corporate office jobs in the province.
“We’ve heard very little about what’s going to happen to those Saskatchewan jobs, and we’ve heard little reassurance that those jobs are going to stay in Saskatchewan over the long term.”
With the merger of equals complete and the new company formed, The Watrous Manitou reached out to Nutrien’s Investors and Media Relations department on a couple of occasions last week to see what impact, if any, would occur to any of the local area facilities and whether jobs or sites would be affected. However by press time, the paper had not heard back.
TWM Top Story - Jan. 1, 2018
Watrous Coach of the Year named
Daniel Bushman
With a tremendous dedication for the sport, knowledge of the game, and the ability to see players become the best they can be, this year’s Watrous Coach of the Year selection was a home run. Nominated by multiple people for the award, Alana Armstrong said it was an honour to be recognized in a community where there are so many amazing and dedicated coaches.
Finding out she had been named as this year’s recipient, Armstrong was at first speechless. “Yeah that never happens,” she said, laughing about being at a loss for words. After letting the recognition sink in, Alana said, “I was thrilled to have been nominated and feel so appreciated. It is really nice to have people feel you are doing a good job and that the efforts you put in are appreciated.”
Getting into coaching around 20 years ago when her oldest daughter began playing ball, Armstrong said each year has been an amazing experience. “I always learn something new and love learning new ways to help players learn. Each player learns in different ways and I love the challenge of working with each one.”
Armstrong’s desire to coach and get into coaching came right from a young age as an athlete herself. Having some amazing coaches that were inspiring to her, she wanted to do the same. “I wanted to coach to be able to give back and hopefully influence others in a positive way. I think sport can really shape children and it has lots of valuable lessons and character building built in to competition.”
The coaching abilities and the way in which Armstrong leads by example have not gone unnoticed as she was nominated by multiple people for this year’s Watrous Coach of the Year award. Lisa Oakes was one of the nominators as was Lori Dengler and Susie Schindel who sent in a nomination on behalf of the Watrous Royals Squirt ball team. Reading their nominations at the Town of Watrous’ annual Christmas party Dec. 8, it was evident at how deserving this year’s recipient was.
In her letter, Oakes noted Armstrong recently coached the Watrous girls squirt ball team to a silver medal in Redvers and Oakes was in awe of Alana’s dedication and knowledge of the game.
“She seems to have a way with the kids and it is always a treat watching how much the girls can improve their skills under her guidance. I have even witnessed her giving advice to players on opposing teams when base coaching our runners - she really just wants to see everyone out there doing their best at a game they love. A true testament to her character and her love of the sport!”
Oakes continued by stating that in addition to coaching the squirt team, Alana gave the remainder of her summer to coach the District Showcase team in a tournament in Prince Albert where they earned a bronze medal.
“Alana is a vital member of the Watrous Minor Ball executive and leads the way in our ball program in Watrous! She organizes clinics for girls of all ages to attend, applies for grants and organizes meetings and registrations. Thank you Alana for your contribution to softball in our town!”
Like the letter written by Oakes, the other nomination letter submitted by Dengler and Schindel noted how Armstrong leads by example and is very passionate about coaching. In addition to her love for the sport, Armstrong also brings exceptional experience and skills while impacting the girls she coaches, allowing them to go above and beyond how to play ball.
“She expects the girls to show up with a good attitude and sportsmanship. Anything less is not tolerated. She is tough when she needs to be in an encouraging way. She gives each girl a fair chance to learn the game and play the positions. She is there beside them encouraging them but also challenging them to be resilient.”
Reading the nomination letter at the civic centre Dec. 8, Dengler said Armstrong has what is true dedication to the girls she coaches, willing to coach them. “These girls truly love and respect Alana. The impact she has on them is remarkable.”
While Armstrong was unable to be at this year’s awards ceremony in Watrous as she was watching the 2017 Roar of the Rings curling finals in Ottawa, she said it is certainly amazing to be recognized in a community where she has watched her kids play many different sports with the help of volunteers and school coaches.
“I have witnessed great coaching for many years in this community and Watrous is certainly lucky to have so many wonderful volunteers that give selflessly season after season. For me, I just love teaching or improving skills and watching the kids grow and use what you taught them to succeed. It’s a special moment when something you teach works and the look of sheer joy they have is so rewarding! My oldest daughter has helped out when she is around and got to experience a bit of that feeling. She told me, ‘Now I know why you do it.’ . . . it’s that ah ha moment when the player gets it!”
With numerous seasons of experience over her time as a ball coach, Armstrong also shared a few highlights from her tenure. “Many of my highlights involve a player’s first hit, a home run, or the first time a team turns a double play. Taking your small town team and beating the big cities is also a joy. We won a few Saskatoon city championships and did well in tournaments in Alberta and Manitoba. This year was my first provincial medal as a coach and that is certainly a highlight as well. I am so proud of all the girls I have coached and they are always respectful and work really hard.”
The coach has also greatly appreciated the support over the years as well, noting that she has had the good fortune of working with amazing assistant coaches and very helpful parents. “I would like to thank them for their endless support. I love the sports I coach and the kids and parents that I work with, and hopefully my passion for the game can help others grow in positive ways. If you ever get the chance to coach - jump at it! The experience gives back far more than is ever put in!!”
Daniel Bushman
With a tremendous dedication for the sport, knowledge of the game, and the ability to see players become the best they can be, this year’s Watrous Coach of the Year selection was a home run. Nominated by multiple people for the award, Alana Armstrong said it was an honour to be recognized in a community where there are so many amazing and dedicated coaches.
Finding out she had been named as this year’s recipient, Armstrong was at first speechless. “Yeah that never happens,” she said, laughing about being at a loss for words. After letting the recognition sink in, Alana said, “I was thrilled to have been nominated and feel so appreciated. It is really nice to have people feel you are doing a good job and that the efforts you put in are appreciated.”
Getting into coaching around 20 years ago when her oldest daughter began playing ball, Armstrong said each year has been an amazing experience. “I always learn something new and love learning new ways to help players learn. Each player learns in different ways and I love the challenge of working with each one.”
Armstrong’s desire to coach and get into coaching came right from a young age as an athlete herself. Having some amazing coaches that were inspiring to her, she wanted to do the same. “I wanted to coach to be able to give back and hopefully influence others in a positive way. I think sport can really shape children and it has lots of valuable lessons and character building built in to competition.”
The coaching abilities and the way in which Armstrong leads by example have not gone unnoticed as she was nominated by multiple people for this year’s Watrous Coach of the Year award. Lisa Oakes was one of the nominators as was Lori Dengler and Susie Schindel who sent in a nomination on behalf of the Watrous Royals Squirt ball team. Reading their nominations at the Town of Watrous’ annual Christmas party Dec. 8, it was evident at how deserving this year’s recipient was.
In her letter, Oakes noted Armstrong recently coached the Watrous girls squirt ball team to a silver medal in Redvers and Oakes was in awe of Alana’s dedication and knowledge of the game.
“She seems to have a way with the kids and it is always a treat watching how much the girls can improve their skills under her guidance. I have even witnessed her giving advice to players on opposing teams when base coaching our runners - she really just wants to see everyone out there doing their best at a game they love. A true testament to her character and her love of the sport!”
Oakes continued by stating that in addition to coaching the squirt team, Alana gave the remainder of her summer to coach the District Showcase team in a tournament in Prince Albert where they earned a bronze medal.
“Alana is a vital member of the Watrous Minor Ball executive and leads the way in our ball program in Watrous! She organizes clinics for girls of all ages to attend, applies for grants and organizes meetings and registrations. Thank you Alana for your contribution to softball in our town!”
Like the letter written by Oakes, the other nomination letter submitted by Dengler and Schindel noted how Armstrong leads by example and is very passionate about coaching. In addition to her love for the sport, Armstrong also brings exceptional experience and skills while impacting the girls she coaches, allowing them to go above and beyond how to play ball.
“She expects the girls to show up with a good attitude and sportsmanship. Anything less is not tolerated. She is tough when she needs to be in an encouraging way. She gives each girl a fair chance to learn the game and play the positions. She is there beside them encouraging them but also challenging them to be resilient.”
Reading the nomination letter at the civic centre Dec. 8, Dengler said Armstrong has what is true dedication to the girls she coaches, willing to coach them. “These girls truly love and respect Alana. The impact she has on them is remarkable.”
While Armstrong was unable to be at this year’s awards ceremony in Watrous as she was watching the 2017 Roar of the Rings curling finals in Ottawa, she said it is certainly amazing to be recognized in a community where she has watched her kids play many different sports with the help of volunteers and school coaches.
“I have witnessed great coaching for many years in this community and Watrous is certainly lucky to have so many wonderful volunteers that give selflessly season after season. For me, I just love teaching or improving skills and watching the kids grow and use what you taught them to succeed. It’s a special moment when something you teach works and the look of sheer joy they have is so rewarding! My oldest daughter has helped out when she is around and got to experience a bit of that feeling. She told me, ‘Now I know why you do it.’ . . . it’s that ah ha moment when the player gets it!”
With numerous seasons of experience over her time as a ball coach, Armstrong also shared a few highlights from her tenure. “Many of my highlights involve a player’s first hit, a home run, or the first time a team turns a double play. Taking your small town team and beating the big cities is also a joy. We won a few Saskatoon city championships and did well in tournaments in Alberta and Manitoba. This year was my first provincial medal as a coach and that is certainly a highlight as well. I am so proud of all the girls I have coached and they are always respectful and work really hard.”
The coach has also greatly appreciated the support over the years as well, noting that she has had the good fortune of working with amazing assistant coaches and very helpful parents. “I would like to thank them for their endless support. I love the sports I coach and the kids and parents that I work with, and hopefully my passion for the game can help others grow in positive ways. If you ever get the chance to coach - jump at it! The experience gives back far more than is ever put in!!”
TWM Top Story - Dec. 18, 2017
Watrous Citizen of the Year named
Daniel Bushman
Giving selflessly of her time and considering many within the community as family, this year’s Watrous Citizen of the Year was overwhelmed and humbled when she got the call that she had received this year’s honour. Nominated by the tenants of Diamond Jubilee Court in Watrous, Sylvia Dubeczy appreciated the residents for their thoughtfulness and kind words.
Born in Germany and moving to a farm near Sedley, Sask. with her parents when she was 20 years old, Dubeczy called Watrous home in 1993 and started working for the local housing authority in 2000.
“I see the work I do here as a real opportunity to provide assistance. These people have helped build this country and are now in their senior years and I want to show my appreciation back to them,” said Dubeczy who added, “It is not just me though, this is a community effort. Everyone from the electricians, the plumbers, contractors to maintenance and volunteers, everybody comes to the Jubilee Court to help make things run. In the housing authority, I can not do what I am able to do without the assistance of others and I feel they too need to be recognized. All of the volunteers that come in and give of their time and talents and those who do meals on wheels, it is truly a whole community that is involved.”
Citing her current role as the best job she has ever had, it was back in the 1990s after a swim at the spa that Dubeczy fell in love with the area and made friends.
“I am an only child and I had three cousins in Germany and that was it. So when I came here and met friends they became like my family. There are many within Watrous and the surrounding area that are like family and I care very much about the people here and I think they care about me.”
After listening to three of the tenants from Jubilee Court read the nomination letter during the awards ceremony Dec. 8, the feeling appears very mutual. Many of the residents shared in the nomination letter why Dubeczy was deserving of the honour. Here are some of those responses:
• “I have only known her for a short time, but I feel she is a friend and very helpful;”
• “Sylvia is kind and friendly! She has treated me to coffee;”
• “Sylvia has driven me to medical appointments in Saskatoon and Watrous;”
• “She listens to all complaints;”
• “My fridge quit working so with help of a dolly, Sylvia helped move the old fridge and replaced it with a working one;”
• “She is a pretty nice lady! She is one of those people, who will do anything for you;”
• “Sylvia comes whenever I call and is mindful about your personal problems;”
• “Sylvia comes to the building at all hours, calling on tenants to see if everything is okay;”
• “Sylvia is helpful, kind, dedicated, capable, entertaining, unselfish and generous;” and
• “She brings out the best in all of us!”
Rooted in her faith, Sylvia said the way in which she lives her life is through her faith and belief. “I enjoy so much of what I do. After I lost my right leg, the support that I received from people and the love and care that they showed was tremendous. They helped me to stand up again and I am trying to return those sentiments.”
Daniel Bushman
Giving selflessly of her time and considering many within the community as family, this year’s Watrous Citizen of the Year was overwhelmed and humbled when she got the call that she had received this year’s honour. Nominated by the tenants of Diamond Jubilee Court in Watrous, Sylvia Dubeczy appreciated the residents for their thoughtfulness and kind words.
Born in Germany and moving to a farm near Sedley, Sask. with her parents when she was 20 years old, Dubeczy called Watrous home in 1993 and started working for the local housing authority in 2000.
“I see the work I do here as a real opportunity to provide assistance. These people have helped build this country and are now in their senior years and I want to show my appreciation back to them,” said Dubeczy who added, “It is not just me though, this is a community effort. Everyone from the electricians, the plumbers, contractors to maintenance and volunteers, everybody comes to the Jubilee Court to help make things run. In the housing authority, I can not do what I am able to do without the assistance of others and I feel they too need to be recognized. All of the volunteers that come in and give of their time and talents and those who do meals on wheels, it is truly a whole community that is involved.”
Citing her current role as the best job she has ever had, it was back in the 1990s after a swim at the spa that Dubeczy fell in love with the area and made friends.
“I am an only child and I had three cousins in Germany and that was it. So when I came here and met friends they became like my family. There are many within Watrous and the surrounding area that are like family and I care very much about the people here and I think they care about me.”
After listening to three of the tenants from Jubilee Court read the nomination letter during the awards ceremony Dec. 8, the feeling appears very mutual. Many of the residents shared in the nomination letter why Dubeczy was deserving of the honour. Here are some of those responses:
• “I have only known her for a short time, but I feel she is a friend and very helpful;”
• “Sylvia is kind and friendly! She has treated me to coffee;”
• “Sylvia has driven me to medical appointments in Saskatoon and Watrous;”
• “She listens to all complaints;”
• “My fridge quit working so with help of a dolly, Sylvia helped move the old fridge and replaced it with a working one;”
• “She is a pretty nice lady! She is one of those people, who will do anything for you;”
• “Sylvia comes whenever I call and is mindful about your personal problems;”
• “Sylvia comes to the building at all hours, calling on tenants to see if everything is okay;”
• “Sylvia is helpful, kind, dedicated, capable, entertaining, unselfish and generous;” and
• “She brings out the best in all of us!”
Rooted in her faith, Sylvia said the way in which she lives her life is through her faith and belief. “I enjoy so much of what I do. After I lost my right leg, the support that I received from people and the love and care that they showed was tremendous. They helped me to stand up again and I am trying to return those sentiments.”
TWM Top Story - Dec. 11, 2017
Bull wins top title at back to back events
By Daniel Bushman
With a tremendous showing just a few weeks ago at Farmfair International in Edmonton, Nordal Limousin and Angus were hoping for another successful event, this time on a much larger stage. With the very best qualifiers from across Canada, Simpson’s Rob and Cindy Garner and their partners entered their three show bulls at this year’s Canadian Western Agribition in Regina.
The group submitted their yearling bull Boss Lake Dark Horse, their senior Limousin bull Greenwood Canadian Impact and their Red Angus bull Red Lazy MC Tradition. All three animals had shown well at Farmfair International, especially Greenwood Canadian Impact who was crowned Supreme Champion.
Hoping for more success in Regina, the three bulls along with the Garners and their partners spent Nov. 19 to 24 at the largest beef cattle show in Canada. Recognized as one of the biggest multi-breed events across the globe, the trio of bulls went up against entries from across the nation and from the United States.
Since Agribition is the final show of the season, Rob Garner said it is also where the very best of all breeds of cattle are shown. “Purebred cattle from all across Canada that have been shown throughout the year end up at Agribition. The competition is always stiff as the very best are there. It could be compared to the playoffs of any sport. Winning at a division or local level is great but Agribition is like winning the biggest prize of all.”
With hours of grooming and great care spent in preparing the three bulls for the big stage, it was soon time to show them.
“In the Limousin show, our yearling bull, Boss Lake Dark Horse won Junior Champion Yearling. Our senior Limousin bull, Greenwood Canadian Impact (who was Supreme Champion in Edmonton) won the Grand Champion Limousin award. Our Red Angus bull, Red Lazy MC Tradition won Reserve Senior Champion Red Angus bull. As these three bulls have won Grand Champion awards at major shows this fall, they were qualified to enter the most coveted show of all beef cattle shows, the Agribition RBC Beef Supreme.”
With all of the breed champions attending from major shows across Canada and the United States, the RBC Beef Supreme has become a display of the very best cattle. Garner said, “These cattle shown contain some of the most influential genetics in the business. Many of the cattle in this show will have added exposure to assist the owners marketing them worldwide.”
Not only are a lot of the top cattle from North America in attendance but the judges are also the cream of the crop. Since the competition is the crown jewel at the highest level, the five judges selected from Argentina, Texas and Canada are very respected and distinguished cattlemen and cattlewomen.
At the RBC Beef Supreme, Garner said the females led the way first followed by the bulls. As the judges were tabulating the scores of the female animals after they had been shown, the bulls began entering the ring. Rob said his excitement and anticipation grew as his trio of bulls came up and were taken to the ring.
Once the bulls paraded through, the panel of judges tabulated their results and all the animals, both male and female, returned to the ring. From there, the top 10 of each were announced, a very noteworthy accomplishment in itself. The announcement after the top 10 were recognized was the crowning of both male and female RBC Supreme Champions.
“As the moment grew closer, being nervous and excited would be an understatement. As our bull Greenwood Canadian Impact had won the Supreme in Edmonton two weeks earlier we hoped he would be popular with these judges also. Well he was. Greenwood Canadian Impact was slapped by one of the judges as the 2017 Agribition RBC Supreme Champion bull. Impact made a bit of history as he is the first Limousin bull to win this major award. He has won two major Supreme awards back to back.”
Garner said what was also unique was the female champion had also won the Alberta Supreme at Farmfair International, the same competition that Greenwood Canadian Impact had won at.
“The recognition of having your animal win is something that is rarely achieved. The animal has to be one of the very best and has to be presented at a very high-calibre. In addition, the judges for that day have to place him very high to acquire enough of a score to come out on top. With over 40 bulls in this show being the very best of many breeds, this award is very special to win.”
While the Garners have exhibited cattle at Agribition for many years, this one took top spot and will be a highlight for years to come.
As for Greenwood Canadian Impact, his show career is now over and he has returned to the Garner farm.
“We have been fortunate with the added exposure and wins and because of that, his genetics will be marketed and sent to many other countries around the world.”
By Daniel Bushman
With a tremendous showing just a few weeks ago at Farmfair International in Edmonton, Nordal Limousin and Angus were hoping for another successful event, this time on a much larger stage. With the very best qualifiers from across Canada, Simpson’s Rob and Cindy Garner and their partners entered their three show bulls at this year’s Canadian Western Agribition in Regina.
The group submitted their yearling bull Boss Lake Dark Horse, their senior Limousin bull Greenwood Canadian Impact and their Red Angus bull Red Lazy MC Tradition. All three animals had shown well at Farmfair International, especially Greenwood Canadian Impact who was crowned Supreme Champion.
Hoping for more success in Regina, the three bulls along with the Garners and their partners spent Nov. 19 to 24 at the largest beef cattle show in Canada. Recognized as one of the biggest multi-breed events across the globe, the trio of bulls went up against entries from across the nation and from the United States.
Since Agribition is the final show of the season, Rob Garner said it is also where the very best of all breeds of cattle are shown. “Purebred cattle from all across Canada that have been shown throughout the year end up at Agribition. The competition is always stiff as the very best are there. It could be compared to the playoffs of any sport. Winning at a division or local level is great but Agribition is like winning the biggest prize of all.”
With hours of grooming and great care spent in preparing the three bulls for the big stage, it was soon time to show them.
“In the Limousin show, our yearling bull, Boss Lake Dark Horse won Junior Champion Yearling. Our senior Limousin bull, Greenwood Canadian Impact (who was Supreme Champion in Edmonton) won the Grand Champion Limousin award. Our Red Angus bull, Red Lazy MC Tradition won Reserve Senior Champion Red Angus bull. As these three bulls have won Grand Champion awards at major shows this fall, they were qualified to enter the most coveted show of all beef cattle shows, the Agribition RBC Beef Supreme.”
With all of the breed champions attending from major shows across Canada and the United States, the RBC Beef Supreme has become a display of the very best cattle. Garner said, “These cattle shown contain some of the most influential genetics in the business. Many of the cattle in this show will have added exposure to assist the owners marketing them worldwide.”
Not only are a lot of the top cattle from North America in attendance but the judges are also the cream of the crop. Since the competition is the crown jewel at the highest level, the five judges selected from Argentina, Texas and Canada are very respected and distinguished cattlemen and cattlewomen.
At the RBC Beef Supreme, Garner said the females led the way first followed by the bulls. As the judges were tabulating the scores of the female animals after they had been shown, the bulls began entering the ring. Rob said his excitement and anticipation grew as his trio of bulls came up and were taken to the ring.
Once the bulls paraded through, the panel of judges tabulated their results and all the animals, both male and female, returned to the ring. From there, the top 10 of each were announced, a very noteworthy accomplishment in itself. The announcement after the top 10 were recognized was the crowning of both male and female RBC Supreme Champions.
“As the moment grew closer, being nervous and excited would be an understatement. As our bull Greenwood Canadian Impact had won the Supreme in Edmonton two weeks earlier we hoped he would be popular with these judges also. Well he was. Greenwood Canadian Impact was slapped by one of the judges as the 2017 Agribition RBC Supreme Champion bull. Impact made a bit of history as he is the first Limousin bull to win this major award. He has won two major Supreme awards back to back.”
Garner said what was also unique was the female champion had also won the Alberta Supreme at Farmfair International, the same competition that Greenwood Canadian Impact had won at.
“The recognition of having your animal win is something that is rarely achieved. The animal has to be one of the very best and has to be presented at a very high-calibre. In addition, the judges for that day have to place him very high to acquire enough of a score to come out on top. With over 40 bulls in this show being the very best of many breeds, this award is very special to win.”
While the Garners have exhibited cattle at Agribition for many years, this one took top spot and will be a highlight for years to come.
As for Greenwood Canadian Impact, his show career is now over and he has returned to the Garner farm.
“We have been fortunate with the added exposure and wins and because of that, his genetics will be marketed and sent to many other countries around the world.”
TWM Top Story - Dec. 4, 2017
Precautionary drinking water advisory issued after water main break
By Daniel Bushman
With thousands of gallons spewing out of Watrous’ water system, valves had to be shutoff around Main Street in Watrous and a precautionary drinking water advisory issued. Crews worked hard to repair the Nov. 24 break after it occurred around 10 p.m. Friday night. Public Works Superintendent Dion Tarasoff said with the installation of the new reverse osmosis water treatment plant, new high flow alarms were triggered when the break occurred.
“Operators including myself receive messages immediately when high water flows out of the ordinary occur. We had up to 800 gallons of water per minute leaving the water plant when the burst occurred. Typically on a Friday night around 10 p.m. there would be around 80 gallons per minute leaving the plant so we knew something was wrong.”
A large hole in the pipe was created by the water break and crews spent a few hours trying to isolate the area. “In a lot of cases when there is a water break, it will come to the surface and it can be easy to identify where it is coming from. In this situation it found its way into our sanitary sewer so we had to pry open the manholes to find where it was.”
Leading to Main Street, crews were able to narrow down their search and turned water off to residences and businesses along Main Street and nearby. Then on Saturday morning, they continued to pinpoint the spot where the pipe had burst.
“We ended up having to dig a few holes and also repaired a valve on Main Street to isolate the leak even further. By Monday we had fixed the portion of busted pipe and water was turned back on later in the afternoon.”
However, because of the depressurization caused by the water main repair and wanting to ensure the safety of the town’s drinking water supply, Tarasoff said they were required to notify the Water Security Agency. A precautionary drinking water advisory was then issued by the Agency Monday evening, Nov. 27. The advisory, which was expected to last until early this week at the latest included residents and users on the 100 Block, 200 Block and 300 Block of Main Street, the 100 Blocks of 2nd Ave. E., 3rd Ave. E., 3rd Ave. W., 4th Ave. E. and 4th Ave. W., the 200 Block of 4th Ave. W., and the Watrous Co-op Gas and Convenience Store.
Tarasoff said the advisory would be lifted once two separate sets of samples came back clear. “We had to send samples away to be tested and were hoping to receive them back before the weekend. If not, then they should be here early this week and if all goes well, the precautionary advisory will be lifted in short order.”
In an effort to ensure safety and have the water system back up and running as quickly as possible, Tarasoff wanted to remind residents that crews do everything they can in situations like the recent water main break.
“I want to assure people that we respond as quickly as possible and try and have everything fixed and ready to go as safely and as promptly as we can. There are a lot of steps needed to be taken before we are able to give the green light and unfortunately with a break like the one we had, it took some time to safely have it fixed.”
By Daniel Bushman
With thousands of gallons spewing out of Watrous’ water system, valves had to be shutoff around Main Street in Watrous and a precautionary drinking water advisory issued. Crews worked hard to repair the Nov. 24 break after it occurred around 10 p.m. Friday night. Public Works Superintendent Dion Tarasoff said with the installation of the new reverse osmosis water treatment plant, new high flow alarms were triggered when the break occurred.
“Operators including myself receive messages immediately when high water flows out of the ordinary occur. We had up to 800 gallons of water per minute leaving the water plant when the burst occurred. Typically on a Friday night around 10 p.m. there would be around 80 gallons per minute leaving the plant so we knew something was wrong.”
A large hole in the pipe was created by the water break and crews spent a few hours trying to isolate the area. “In a lot of cases when there is a water break, it will come to the surface and it can be easy to identify where it is coming from. In this situation it found its way into our sanitary sewer so we had to pry open the manholes to find where it was.”
Leading to Main Street, crews were able to narrow down their search and turned water off to residences and businesses along Main Street and nearby. Then on Saturday morning, they continued to pinpoint the spot where the pipe had burst.
“We ended up having to dig a few holes and also repaired a valve on Main Street to isolate the leak even further. By Monday we had fixed the portion of busted pipe and water was turned back on later in the afternoon.”
However, because of the depressurization caused by the water main repair and wanting to ensure the safety of the town’s drinking water supply, Tarasoff said they were required to notify the Water Security Agency. A precautionary drinking water advisory was then issued by the Agency Monday evening, Nov. 27. The advisory, which was expected to last until early this week at the latest included residents and users on the 100 Block, 200 Block and 300 Block of Main Street, the 100 Blocks of 2nd Ave. E., 3rd Ave. E., 3rd Ave. W., 4th Ave. E. and 4th Ave. W., the 200 Block of 4th Ave. W., and the Watrous Co-op Gas and Convenience Store.
Tarasoff said the advisory would be lifted once two separate sets of samples came back clear. “We had to send samples away to be tested and were hoping to receive them back before the weekend. If not, then they should be here early this week and if all goes well, the precautionary advisory will be lifted in short order.”
In an effort to ensure safety and have the water system back up and running as quickly as possible, Tarasoff wanted to remind residents that crews do everything they can in situations like the recent water main break.
“I want to assure people that we respond as quickly as possible and try and have everything fixed and ready to go as safely and as promptly as we can. There are a lot of steps needed to be taken before we are able to give the green light and unfortunately with a break like the one we had, it took some time to safely have it fixed.”
TWM Top Story - Nov. 27, 2017
Melron Marks 20 Years
By Daniel Bushman
Starting out with just one backhoe and the future unknown, two decades later a local business has not only surpassed its expectations but has grown to include a large fleet of machinery while garnering the support of many. Thousands and thousands or perhaps millions and millions of buckets of dirt and gravel later, Melron Services in Watrous recently marked its 20th year in business.
Owned by Ron and Melissa Ediger, the pair started it up back in 1997 and Melissa recalled the first time Ron suggested the idea; an idea that would later demolish original expectations by leaps and bounds.
“Ron was still working at Mainline Motors and he came home after work one day and told me that we should get a backhoe,” Melissa said. “I looked at him and thought he was crazy. He told me that we should go for it and that he felt there was a need for the services in the area.”
So the pair agreed to give it a try, coming up with the name Melron (three letters from each of their names), and away they went.
“We started up in September of 1997 with one backhoe and began doing trenching services in and around Watrous,” said Ron, who had previously owned a business in Nokomis before working at Mainline. Utilizing that previous business experience, shortly after starting up the company in 1997, Melron bought a truck and a trailer and then added to its fleet with a tandem unit as well. Ron and Melissa’s son Trent also joined the company and then after New Year’s they began expanding by hiring another staff member.
“We hired Adam Jabs in 1998 and he has been with us ever since,” said Ron.
Purchasing Sly Yanoshewski’s shop in the fall of 1998, Ron said the company continued to pick up steam and with the local area support it was receiving, “we expanded, spread our wings and never looked back.”
Over the years Melron Services continued to add to its repertoire by growing in the aggregate business, did more excavating, demolition, land clearing and also got into marketing trailers and designing their own EZ MUV Packer, which offers an affordable spike tooth packer with hydraulic transport wheels.
“Trent and I came up with that idea one day,” Ron said of the EZ MUV Packer. “It just grew from there and we added flat deck, car hauler, utility and enclosed trailers as well.”
Along with the various expansions taking place, Melron Services also created a larger shop. In 2008, a 60’ x 100’ building was constructed at 708 4th Ave. E., in Watrous near Hwy. 365. The shop contains offices, space for machinery to be repaired and maintained and also a graphics design area called Melron Graphics which is managed by Trent’s wife Roxy.
In addition to the larger facility, more equipment was purchased and employees hired on. Currently employing 30 people, Melron Services also added numerous pieces of machinery and equipment throughout its two decades including:
• four excavators including a backhoe;
• eight larger wheel loaders;
• a caterpillar;
• three skid steers;
• packers;
• a large gravel crushing spread;
• gravel trailers and mega trailers; and
• 42 service trucks and large trucks.
“This has allowed us to do all sorts of projects and jobs in and around Watrous and the surrounding area,” said Ron.
In fact, Melron has not only done a lot of dirt work and demolitions, but they did road gravelling for nine rural municipalities this year. They have also done lots of site work for business locations including the new Chrysler dealership coming to Watrous and they haul to all of the surrounding mines.
“When BHP began its initial work, we hauled all the gravel to the site south of LeRoy. There is a lot of gravel that we have hauled there over the years. The business we have received since we first started the company has just multiplied for us. We didn’t quit, we just kept rolling.”
Part of that success can also be attributed to two other things: support from the area and doing a good job.
Ron said, “We have had very good support from the local community and from the surrounding larger local area. We cater to those within an 80 mile radius and go to the end of the RM of Big Arm, over by Govan and Semans and north of Jansen. We live in a community where it is wonderful to do business in. There are a lot of friendly people and we are just so fortunate to live in Watrous.”
Melissa echoed those comments as well. “The support has been great and we just love it here. People have been so supportive and this truly is a wonderful community.”
Ron and Melissa said the tremendous support by the area was evident earlier this year when the company held a customer appreciation day, marking its 20 years in business.
“We had a lot of people come out that day in July. It was great to see them enjoying the day and it was fun to visit with them as well.”
The pair also acknowledged their staff as well and the job that they do. “We have 30 staff and they include everyone from the technicians to truck drivers to equipment operators to office staff and we pride ourselves in knowing that our staff do a good job and to hear they do a good job makes it satisfying to know that we are moving in the right direction.”
And that direction will continue as both Ron and Melissa are looking forward to what the future holds. “When we started I didn’t think it would grow like this,” said Ron. “Our first job was at the Howatt farm east of Lockwood and from there we just continued to do more jobs and grow. We couldn’t be more thrilled with how things have turned out 20 years later and how supportive this community and the area have been.”
By Daniel Bushman
Starting out with just one backhoe and the future unknown, two decades later a local business has not only surpassed its expectations but has grown to include a large fleet of machinery while garnering the support of many. Thousands and thousands or perhaps millions and millions of buckets of dirt and gravel later, Melron Services in Watrous recently marked its 20th year in business.
Owned by Ron and Melissa Ediger, the pair started it up back in 1997 and Melissa recalled the first time Ron suggested the idea; an idea that would later demolish original expectations by leaps and bounds.
“Ron was still working at Mainline Motors and he came home after work one day and told me that we should get a backhoe,” Melissa said. “I looked at him and thought he was crazy. He told me that we should go for it and that he felt there was a need for the services in the area.”
So the pair agreed to give it a try, coming up with the name Melron (three letters from each of their names), and away they went.
“We started up in September of 1997 with one backhoe and began doing trenching services in and around Watrous,” said Ron, who had previously owned a business in Nokomis before working at Mainline. Utilizing that previous business experience, shortly after starting up the company in 1997, Melron bought a truck and a trailer and then added to its fleet with a tandem unit as well. Ron and Melissa’s son Trent also joined the company and then after New Year’s they began expanding by hiring another staff member.
“We hired Adam Jabs in 1998 and he has been with us ever since,” said Ron.
Purchasing Sly Yanoshewski’s shop in the fall of 1998, Ron said the company continued to pick up steam and with the local area support it was receiving, “we expanded, spread our wings and never looked back.”
Over the years Melron Services continued to add to its repertoire by growing in the aggregate business, did more excavating, demolition, land clearing and also got into marketing trailers and designing their own EZ MUV Packer, which offers an affordable spike tooth packer with hydraulic transport wheels.
“Trent and I came up with that idea one day,” Ron said of the EZ MUV Packer. “It just grew from there and we added flat deck, car hauler, utility and enclosed trailers as well.”
Along with the various expansions taking place, Melron Services also created a larger shop. In 2008, a 60’ x 100’ building was constructed at 708 4th Ave. E., in Watrous near Hwy. 365. The shop contains offices, space for machinery to be repaired and maintained and also a graphics design area called Melron Graphics which is managed by Trent’s wife Roxy.
In addition to the larger facility, more equipment was purchased and employees hired on. Currently employing 30 people, Melron Services also added numerous pieces of machinery and equipment throughout its two decades including:
• four excavators including a backhoe;
• eight larger wheel loaders;
• a caterpillar;
• three skid steers;
• packers;
• a large gravel crushing spread;
• gravel trailers and mega trailers; and
• 42 service trucks and large trucks.
“This has allowed us to do all sorts of projects and jobs in and around Watrous and the surrounding area,” said Ron.
In fact, Melron has not only done a lot of dirt work and demolitions, but they did road gravelling for nine rural municipalities this year. They have also done lots of site work for business locations including the new Chrysler dealership coming to Watrous and they haul to all of the surrounding mines.
“When BHP began its initial work, we hauled all the gravel to the site south of LeRoy. There is a lot of gravel that we have hauled there over the years. The business we have received since we first started the company has just multiplied for us. We didn’t quit, we just kept rolling.”
Part of that success can also be attributed to two other things: support from the area and doing a good job.
Ron said, “We have had very good support from the local community and from the surrounding larger local area. We cater to those within an 80 mile radius and go to the end of the RM of Big Arm, over by Govan and Semans and north of Jansen. We live in a community where it is wonderful to do business in. There are a lot of friendly people and we are just so fortunate to live in Watrous.”
Melissa echoed those comments as well. “The support has been great and we just love it here. People have been so supportive and this truly is a wonderful community.”
Ron and Melissa said the tremendous support by the area was evident earlier this year when the company held a customer appreciation day, marking its 20 years in business.
“We had a lot of people come out that day in July. It was great to see them enjoying the day and it was fun to visit with them as well.”
The pair also acknowledged their staff as well and the job that they do. “We have 30 staff and they include everyone from the technicians to truck drivers to equipment operators to office staff and we pride ourselves in knowing that our staff do a good job and to hear they do a good job makes it satisfying to know that we are moving in the right direction.”
And that direction will continue as both Ron and Melissa are looking forward to what the future holds. “When we started I didn’t think it would grow like this,” said Ron. “Our first job was at the Howatt farm east of Lockwood and from there we just continued to do more jobs and grow. We couldn’t be more thrilled with how things have turned out 20 years later and how supportive this community and the area have been.”
TWM Top Story - Nov. 20, 2017
Bulls a cut above at international show
By Daniel Bushman
To say it was a successful showing at this year’s Farmfair International for Nordal Limousin and Angus might be a bit of an understatement. Not only did Rob and Cindy Garner of Simpson find themselves with a tremendous outcome with their three show bulls, but they also received keys to a brand new vehicle.
Raising purebred and commercial beef cattle, Garner said they invest a lot of time and effort into their farm and ranch, taking pride in what they do. By raising their purebred cattle to introduce new and stronger genetics and improve production in their herds, the bulls entered into this year’s show Nov. 8 to 12, translated into a winning combination.
With major cattle shows held across the country each fall, Farmfair International in Edmonton, Alta. proves to be one of the largest in Western Canada. Exhibitors of purebred beef cattle display from 10 different breeds at the mid-November show. With some of the best cattle that breeders have produced entered into the show, judges award champions in both male and female divisions of each breed. Along with their partners, the Garners entered three bulls at this year’s Farmfair International, two in the Limousin show and one in the Red Angus show.
Designated as national shows, the Limousin and Red Angus events proved to be competitive with animals vying to be named National Champion. Garner explained how his animals fared:
“Our ‘Mature Bull’ (two years of age born 2015), Greenwood Canadian Impact, won the Grand Champion award making him the 2017 National Champion Limousin Bull. Our Junior Bull (one year of age born 2016), Boss Lake Dark Horse, won Reserve Junior Champion Bull. We also entered a ‘Mature Bull’ (two years old born 2015) in the Red Angus Show which was also designated a National Show. The bull, Red Lazy MC Tradition, won the Grand Champion Bull award also taking the title of 2017 National Champion Red Angus Bull.”
Garner said in just a select few of the major shows there is also an overall breed champions event at the conclusion of the show. The designated Supreme Show displays all of the breed champions, which was the case this year. At Farmfair International, an Alberta Supreme was held where Champions from the Olds Fall Classic and the Lloydminster Stockade Roundup along with the Champions from Farmfair International were eligible to compete.
With a panel of five judges who have significant experience from across Canada and internationally, the judges rank the entries based on their personal preference as to what they like to see in the ideal beef animal. Since Garner’s bulls all did well, the three qualified for the Supreme Show. Red Lazy MC Tradition won the Olds Fall Classic Red Angus show and the National Red Angus Show at Farmfair International, the bull Boss Lake Dark Horse won Olds Fall Classic Limousin show, and the third bull Greenwood Canadian Impact, won the Lloydminster Stockade Roundup Limousin show and the National Limousin show at Farmfair International.
After the judges made their notes and placed the animals, Red Lazy MC Tradition and Greenwood Canadian Impact were a cut above, making the top five in the Supreme Show.
“Our bull, Greenwood Canadian Impact was popular with the judges with his near perfect conformation, size and mobility plus his attractive presence as he was given three firsts and two seconds. On a point system Greenwood Canadian Impact was scored with the highest amount of top placings, giving him the Supreme Championship award.”
Collecting top spot was not only a tremendous honour but each of the Supreme Champion breeders in the female and bull category were awarded a 2018 Dodge Ram pickup, sponsored by Dodge.
While Greenwood Canadian Impact was first overall, Garner’s other bull, Red Lazy MC Tradition placed third in the final Supreme Show judging. Boss Lake Dark Horse did not rank but Garner said if they decide to show him another year and he wins a championship, he will be eligible for this competition again.
Winning a major show like Farmfair International was a very rewarding achievement and Garner said it provided recognition of having an animal that other breeders may want to use in their breeding programs.
“As the name says, Farmfair International is truly that. Visitors come from over 10 countries looking for opportunities to purchase genetics from the breeders who show and exhibit their cattle. Winning a championship, or even more so, the Supreme Show, adds more buyer’s interest as they can take semen or embryos back to their countries with these elite genetics. This gives the foreign buyers added value in their herds at home and offering to their customers by purchasing the very best Canada has to offer. Our two National Champion bulls have semen being exported to Mexico, Australia and the United States.”
With his bulls reaching such a high status through the show, Garner said the breeders that the animals were originally bought from kept the bulls and fed, grew and pampered them to get to the elite show ring stature.
“It takes a tremendous amount of care, attention and dedication to have these animals presented in such an impressive manner. They are fed the very best in feed, exercised daily, washed, clipped and groomed every day well in advance of the show time. At show time their hair coats are combed and prepared with such complete perfection. It is easier to take care of a large herd of cattle than it is to complete the management planning and precise presentation of a small group of show cattle. Our partners, the Scott and Jacquie Payne family from Lloydminster have done an outstanding job of presenting Greenwood Canadian Impact. Red Lazy MC Tradition is being shown by our partners Clint and Laurie Morasch from Bassano, Alta., who have achieved many championship awards in the past two years.”
While Garner was pretty excited to not only have his animals place well but also to get the keys to a new vehicle, he added the three bulls will be hitting the road to Regina for Agribition. Competing in the breed shows at Agribition, Garner said it is the final show of the year. With cattle coming from across Canada to take part in this year’s event, Garner said all three of his bulls have already qualified to compete in the final event, the RBC Beef Supreme show.
“It is one of the most prestigious honours to win. The competition will be stiff but will be exciting to watch as once again they will be part of the very best beef genetics Canada has to offer to our own industry and around the world.”
By Daniel Bushman
To say it was a successful showing at this year’s Farmfair International for Nordal Limousin and Angus might be a bit of an understatement. Not only did Rob and Cindy Garner of Simpson find themselves with a tremendous outcome with their three show bulls, but they also received keys to a brand new vehicle.
Raising purebred and commercial beef cattle, Garner said they invest a lot of time and effort into their farm and ranch, taking pride in what they do. By raising their purebred cattle to introduce new and stronger genetics and improve production in their herds, the bulls entered into this year’s show Nov. 8 to 12, translated into a winning combination.
With major cattle shows held across the country each fall, Farmfair International in Edmonton, Alta. proves to be one of the largest in Western Canada. Exhibitors of purebred beef cattle display from 10 different breeds at the mid-November show. With some of the best cattle that breeders have produced entered into the show, judges award champions in both male and female divisions of each breed. Along with their partners, the Garners entered three bulls at this year’s Farmfair International, two in the Limousin show and one in the Red Angus show.
Designated as national shows, the Limousin and Red Angus events proved to be competitive with animals vying to be named National Champion. Garner explained how his animals fared:
“Our ‘Mature Bull’ (two years of age born 2015), Greenwood Canadian Impact, won the Grand Champion award making him the 2017 National Champion Limousin Bull. Our Junior Bull (one year of age born 2016), Boss Lake Dark Horse, won Reserve Junior Champion Bull. We also entered a ‘Mature Bull’ (two years old born 2015) in the Red Angus Show which was also designated a National Show. The bull, Red Lazy MC Tradition, won the Grand Champion Bull award also taking the title of 2017 National Champion Red Angus Bull.”
Garner said in just a select few of the major shows there is also an overall breed champions event at the conclusion of the show. The designated Supreme Show displays all of the breed champions, which was the case this year. At Farmfair International, an Alberta Supreme was held where Champions from the Olds Fall Classic and the Lloydminster Stockade Roundup along with the Champions from Farmfair International were eligible to compete.
With a panel of five judges who have significant experience from across Canada and internationally, the judges rank the entries based on their personal preference as to what they like to see in the ideal beef animal. Since Garner’s bulls all did well, the three qualified for the Supreme Show. Red Lazy MC Tradition won the Olds Fall Classic Red Angus show and the National Red Angus Show at Farmfair International, the bull Boss Lake Dark Horse won Olds Fall Classic Limousin show, and the third bull Greenwood Canadian Impact, won the Lloydminster Stockade Roundup Limousin show and the National Limousin show at Farmfair International.
After the judges made their notes and placed the animals, Red Lazy MC Tradition and Greenwood Canadian Impact were a cut above, making the top five in the Supreme Show.
“Our bull, Greenwood Canadian Impact was popular with the judges with his near perfect conformation, size and mobility plus his attractive presence as he was given three firsts and two seconds. On a point system Greenwood Canadian Impact was scored with the highest amount of top placings, giving him the Supreme Championship award.”
Collecting top spot was not only a tremendous honour but each of the Supreme Champion breeders in the female and bull category were awarded a 2018 Dodge Ram pickup, sponsored by Dodge.
While Greenwood Canadian Impact was first overall, Garner’s other bull, Red Lazy MC Tradition placed third in the final Supreme Show judging. Boss Lake Dark Horse did not rank but Garner said if they decide to show him another year and he wins a championship, he will be eligible for this competition again.
Winning a major show like Farmfair International was a very rewarding achievement and Garner said it provided recognition of having an animal that other breeders may want to use in their breeding programs.
“As the name says, Farmfair International is truly that. Visitors come from over 10 countries looking for opportunities to purchase genetics from the breeders who show and exhibit their cattle. Winning a championship, or even more so, the Supreme Show, adds more buyer’s interest as they can take semen or embryos back to their countries with these elite genetics. This gives the foreign buyers added value in their herds at home and offering to their customers by purchasing the very best Canada has to offer. Our two National Champion bulls have semen being exported to Mexico, Australia and the United States.”
With his bulls reaching such a high status through the show, Garner said the breeders that the animals were originally bought from kept the bulls and fed, grew and pampered them to get to the elite show ring stature.
“It takes a tremendous amount of care, attention and dedication to have these animals presented in such an impressive manner. They are fed the very best in feed, exercised daily, washed, clipped and groomed every day well in advance of the show time. At show time their hair coats are combed and prepared with such complete perfection. It is easier to take care of a large herd of cattle than it is to complete the management planning and precise presentation of a small group of show cattle. Our partners, the Scott and Jacquie Payne family from Lloydminster have done an outstanding job of presenting Greenwood Canadian Impact. Red Lazy MC Tradition is being shown by our partners Clint and Laurie Morasch from Bassano, Alta., who have achieved many championship awards in the past two years.”
While Garner was pretty excited to not only have his animals place well but also to get the keys to a new vehicle, he added the three bulls will be hitting the road to Regina for Agribition. Competing in the breed shows at Agribition, Garner said it is the final show of the year. With cattle coming from across Canada to take part in this year’s event, Garner said all three of his bulls have already qualified to compete in the final event, the RBC Beef Supreme show.
“It is one of the most prestigious honours to win. The competition will be stiff but will be exciting to watch as once again they will be part of the very best beef genetics Canada has to offer to our own industry and around the world.”
TWM Top Story - Nov. 13, 2017
Snow arrives along with November
By Daniel Bushman
Snow shovels were dusted off, roads, driveways and sidewalks cleared and snowmobilers rejoiced as snow pelted the area along with the arrival of November. That was quite the contrast to last November when temperatures were well-above normal and there was no trace of snow to be found. Even this October was essentially spared from the snow but Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning as November approached, courtesy of a low pressure system.
Moving through the prairie provinces during the latter part of the first week of November, heavy snow and winds created headaches for motorists and those digging out of mounds of snow as the accumulation of snow began adding up. From that event, Environment Canada released amounts of total snowfall accumulations (in centimetres) throughout the province as of 2 p.m. Nov. 4: Canora had 16 cm; Elbow had 13 cm; Fort Qu’Appelle had 11 cm; Kamsack had 17 cm; Limerick had 10 cm; Lucky Lake had 17 cm; Maple Creek had 12 cm; Maryfield had 7 cm; Outlook had 9 cm; Regina had 11 cm; Rockhaven had 7 cm; Saskatoon had between 5 and 10 cm; Spalding had 8 cm; Swift Current had 15 cm; Vibank had 14 cm; and Yorkton had 15 cm.
Locally, David Phillips with Environment Canada said there was between three and four centimetres of snow that fell although there were reports of more that came down.
“Winter has arrived,” said Phillips after talking about the heavy snowfall. “Last year, November was one of the warmest Novembers on record but the month before that was winter-like. Even though winter makes an appearance, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are in it for the long haul.”
Whether or not the winter atmosphere decides to permanently stick around until the spring, it was a grim reminder of how fast it can get cold. On Nov. 5, Phillips said the temperature dropped to -20.1˚C during the morning when the normal low for this time of year would be about -8˚C. As for the daytime highs, for this time of year, they could be well-above the freezing mark.
In fact in November 2016, there was a stretch from Nov. 3 to 14 where the daytime high hit at least 10˚C and even reached 17.5˚C (Nov. 9). That has not been the case so far for this November.
“Clearly this has been a bit of a slap in the face,” said Phillips of the cooler weather this as opposed to last year.
While the cold was not that welcome to most, Phillips did say that nature has provided a bit of a break with regards to moisture. With more precipitation than normal in October and November, Phillips said it has aided in helping improve the moisture deficit.
“In October we had more than 75 mm of precipitation where normally it would be 28 mm so that is a good start on trying to bring back those soil moisture levels. Even in November, in the first six days we had around seven to eight millimetres of precipitation when normally you would see about two.”
While there can be uncertainty in the weather, especially on the prairies, from a farming standpoint, “We’ve seen some restoring of moisture levels because of what happened in October and November. The other thing is that harvest was finished in time, much earlier than it normally would be, which was good news.”
While that has been positive news, it was the cold temperatures that really took a bite out of the enjoyment of being outside. “The morning of -20.1˚C was almost a record cold spanning over the last 10 or 12 years. The record was -20.4˚C but at other stations nearby there have been colder temperatures for Nov. 5. No question it was cold and we could likely see that continue.”
With November being colder than normal, including the arrival of more arctic and polar air, Phillips regretfully said people could be dealing with more of that down the road.
“When we look at the winter as a whole, we do see conditions that seem to favour colder than normal.”
Phillips added it is not always a guarantee that it will be colder than normal and used last year’s November as an example. “It was a very similar kind of water pattern in the Pacific (last year) and the winter was not as bad as it has been in the past.”
So as November moves along and the official start of winter (Dec. 21) creeps closer and closer, Phillips summed up what people could be in store for.
“For those that like winter to be cold and snowy, they won’t be disappointed and those that don’t want it to be a frigid kind of period from Halloween to Easter, I think they will also not have to deal with that.”
By Daniel Bushman
Snow shovels were dusted off, roads, driveways and sidewalks cleared and snowmobilers rejoiced as snow pelted the area along with the arrival of November. That was quite the contrast to last November when temperatures were well-above normal and there was no trace of snow to be found. Even this October was essentially spared from the snow but Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning as November approached, courtesy of a low pressure system.
Moving through the prairie provinces during the latter part of the first week of November, heavy snow and winds created headaches for motorists and those digging out of mounds of snow as the accumulation of snow began adding up. From that event, Environment Canada released amounts of total snowfall accumulations (in centimetres) throughout the province as of 2 p.m. Nov. 4: Canora had 16 cm; Elbow had 13 cm; Fort Qu’Appelle had 11 cm; Kamsack had 17 cm; Limerick had 10 cm; Lucky Lake had 17 cm; Maple Creek had 12 cm; Maryfield had 7 cm; Outlook had 9 cm; Regina had 11 cm; Rockhaven had 7 cm; Saskatoon had between 5 and 10 cm; Spalding had 8 cm; Swift Current had 15 cm; Vibank had 14 cm; and Yorkton had 15 cm.
Locally, David Phillips with Environment Canada said there was between three and four centimetres of snow that fell although there were reports of more that came down.
“Winter has arrived,” said Phillips after talking about the heavy snowfall. “Last year, November was one of the warmest Novembers on record but the month before that was winter-like. Even though winter makes an appearance, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are in it for the long haul.”
Whether or not the winter atmosphere decides to permanently stick around until the spring, it was a grim reminder of how fast it can get cold. On Nov. 5, Phillips said the temperature dropped to -20.1˚C during the morning when the normal low for this time of year would be about -8˚C. As for the daytime highs, for this time of year, they could be well-above the freezing mark.
In fact in November 2016, there was a stretch from Nov. 3 to 14 where the daytime high hit at least 10˚C and even reached 17.5˚C (Nov. 9). That has not been the case so far for this November.
“Clearly this has been a bit of a slap in the face,” said Phillips of the cooler weather this as opposed to last year.
While the cold was not that welcome to most, Phillips did say that nature has provided a bit of a break with regards to moisture. With more precipitation than normal in October and November, Phillips said it has aided in helping improve the moisture deficit.
“In October we had more than 75 mm of precipitation where normally it would be 28 mm so that is a good start on trying to bring back those soil moisture levels. Even in November, in the first six days we had around seven to eight millimetres of precipitation when normally you would see about two.”
While there can be uncertainty in the weather, especially on the prairies, from a farming standpoint, “We’ve seen some restoring of moisture levels because of what happened in October and November. The other thing is that harvest was finished in time, much earlier than it normally would be, which was good news.”
While that has been positive news, it was the cold temperatures that really took a bite out of the enjoyment of being outside. “The morning of -20.1˚C was almost a record cold spanning over the last 10 or 12 years. The record was -20.4˚C but at other stations nearby there have been colder temperatures for Nov. 5. No question it was cold and we could likely see that continue.”
With November being colder than normal, including the arrival of more arctic and polar air, Phillips regretfully said people could be dealing with more of that down the road.
“When we look at the winter as a whole, we do see conditions that seem to favour colder than normal.”
Phillips added it is not always a guarantee that it will be colder than normal and used last year’s November as an example. “It was a very similar kind of water pattern in the Pacific (last year) and the winter was not as bad as it has been in the past.”
So as November moves along and the official start of winter (Dec. 21) creeps closer and closer, Phillips summed up what people could be in store for.
“For those that like winter to be cold and snowy, they won’t be disappointed and those that don’t want it to be a frigid kind of period from Halloween to Easter, I think they will also not have to deal with that.”
TWM Top Story - Nov. 6, 2017
Watrous business broken into during afternoon
Daniel Bushman
Thanks to some quick action by a pair of local residents, damage was mitigated and not a lot stolen after a break-in at the Watrous Pharmacy. Despite numerous cars parked along Main Street and during the early part of the afternoon Sunday, Oct. 29, a suspect gained access to the pharmacy by smashing the glass on one of the main doors to the building. From there, he went inside the pharmacy for just a couple of minutes before fleeing.
Around 2 p.m. Oct. 29, long-time Watrous resident Lyle Smith was driving north on Main Street when he heard what he thought was loud hammering. Since Sunday happened to be a really windy day, Smith was looking for the hammering to come from the top of a building where shingles may have flown off or signs may have become unhinged. Realizing that it was not someone trying to fix a roof but rather a robber breaking into a building, Smith parked in front of Affinity Credit Union, directly across the street from the pharmacy.
Standing by the end of his truck, Smith quickly called 911 and watched as the suspect smashed the door. “He threw a rock the size of a baseball at one of the doors at the front entrance, breaking the glass. He then kicked it out and went straight to the back of the building.”
As a couple of minutes passed, Smith remained on the phone with 911 and the man came out. “He looked around a bit and was going to start walking down Main Street like nothing happened. He saw me across the street looking at him and I told the person on the phone, “He’s just leaving now.” The guy knew where he was going, crossed the street and then went around the corner by the RBC Royal Bank. By the time I got there he had disappeared.”
Since the pharmacy was not open Sunday, owner Alana Armstrong and her staff were not inside. Not expecting to receive a call of a break-in during a Sunday afternoon, let alone ever, Armstrong’s phone began ringing. On the other end was Melanie Mooney, who was on the same side of the street as Smith. Mooney, who works at Affinity Credit Union also saw the incident and quickly called 911 and then Armstrong.
Mooney had pulled in front of the credit union to take out some cash from the ATM and while in her vehicle noticed someone standing at the pharmacy door.
“I realized he was breaking the glass door to enter,” said Mooney. “I called 911 and was on the phone the entire time. My cell phone indicated my call was placed to 911 at 2:04 p.m. After my 911 call, I called Alana at her home to notify her. Because of my Affinity Credit Union training on robberies, I went home and completed a number of pages to describe the robber and the incident, then delivered it to the police station.”
After Mooney placed a call to Armstrong, Alana hopped into her vehicle and headed over to the pharmacy and by the time she got there, police had arrived.
Quickly arriving after receiving the call of a break-in, officers determined the individual had been inside for a few minutes, exited and fled on foot. A search of the business revealed a small amount of prescription pills were taken.
Members of the detachment took witness statements, which provided a description of the suspect and staff from the pharmacy reported that an individual from Ontario had been in the pharmacy on three occasions on Friday, Oct. 27 trying to get an out of province prescription filled.
On Tuesday, Oct. 31, Ontario Provincial Police from Norfolk County contacted the Watrous RCMP and advised they had identified a suspect who had text his ex-wife that he had broken into the pharmacy and that he was on his way back to Ontario. She in turn reported this to the Ontario Provincial Police. Watrous RCMP said the OPP is currently assisting them and making attempts to locate the suspect and arrest him for one count of break, enter and theft.
Armstrong said, “I really appreciate our community watch and because of it, there was hardly any damage done and minimal items taken.”
Armstrong said the pharmacy was last broken into in the late 1980s and thought the Oct. 29 incident was really quite strange.
“It was really bizarre that a person would try and gain access through the front door during a Sunday afternoon, especially with all the people parked downtown.”
Smith figured if he and Mooney would not have been in the area, the suspect may have made off with significantly more. “There was no one else outside at the time and I just happened to hear this loud banging and then saw him. Both Melanie and I quickly got on our phones and it wasn’t long after that he came out and left.”
After the whole situation unfolded, Smith said he began replaying it in his head and started thinking of the things he could have done differently.
“It was one of those if I should have done this or I should have done that but I had no idea if he had a gun or whatever. Once he saw me looking at him he started moving fairly fast.”
While the perpetrator got away, at least for now, Smith provided a description.
“He had a pullover sweater that looked like those work socks that have the red and white stripe around them and he was wearing a grey toque and blue jeans.”
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the suspect can contact the Watrous RCMP or Crimestoppers.
Daniel Bushman
Thanks to some quick action by a pair of local residents, damage was mitigated and not a lot stolen after a break-in at the Watrous Pharmacy. Despite numerous cars parked along Main Street and during the early part of the afternoon Sunday, Oct. 29, a suspect gained access to the pharmacy by smashing the glass on one of the main doors to the building. From there, he went inside the pharmacy for just a couple of minutes before fleeing.
Around 2 p.m. Oct. 29, long-time Watrous resident Lyle Smith was driving north on Main Street when he heard what he thought was loud hammering. Since Sunday happened to be a really windy day, Smith was looking for the hammering to come from the top of a building where shingles may have flown off or signs may have become unhinged. Realizing that it was not someone trying to fix a roof but rather a robber breaking into a building, Smith parked in front of Affinity Credit Union, directly across the street from the pharmacy.
Standing by the end of his truck, Smith quickly called 911 and watched as the suspect smashed the door. “He threw a rock the size of a baseball at one of the doors at the front entrance, breaking the glass. He then kicked it out and went straight to the back of the building.”
As a couple of minutes passed, Smith remained on the phone with 911 and the man came out. “He looked around a bit and was going to start walking down Main Street like nothing happened. He saw me across the street looking at him and I told the person on the phone, “He’s just leaving now.” The guy knew where he was going, crossed the street and then went around the corner by the RBC Royal Bank. By the time I got there he had disappeared.”
Since the pharmacy was not open Sunday, owner Alana Armstrong and her staff were not inside. Not expecting to receive a call of a break-in during a Sunday afternoon, let alone ever, Armstrong’s phone began ringing. On the other end was Melanie Mooney, who was on the same side of the street as Smith. Mooney, who works at Affinity Credit Union also saw the incident and quickly called 911 and then Armstrong.
Mooney had pulled in front of the credit union to take out some cash from the ATM and while in her vehicle noticed someone standing at the pharmacy door.
“I realized he was breaking the glass door to enter,” said Mooney. “I called 911 and was on the phone the entire time. My cell phone indicated my call was placed to 911 at 2:04 p.m. After my 911 call, I called Alana at her home to notify her. Because of my Affinity Credit Union training on robberies, I went home and completed a number of pages to describe the robber and the incident, then delivered it to the police station.”
After Mooney placed a call to Armstrong, Alana hopped into her vehicle and headed over to the pharmacy and by the time she got there, police had arrived.
Quickly arriving after receiving the call of a break-in, officers determined the individual had been inside for a few minutes, exited and fled on foot. A search of the business revealed a small amount of prescription pills were taken.
Members of the detachment took witness statements, which provided a description of the suspect and staff from the pharmacy reported that an individual from Ontario had been in the pharmacy on three occasions on Friday, Oct. 27 trying to get an out of province prescription filled.
On Tuesday, Oct. 31, Ontario Provincial Police from Norfolk County contacted the Watrous RCMP and advised they had identified a suspect who had text his ex-wife that he had broken into the pharmacy and that he was on his way back to Ontario. She in turn reported this to the Ontario Provincial Police. Watrous RCMP said the OPP is currently assisting them and making attempts to locate the suspect and arrest him for one count of break, enter and theft.
Armstrong said, “I really appreciate our community watch and because of it, there was hardly any damage done and minimal items taken.”
Armstrong said the pharmacy was last broken into in the late 1980s and thought the Oct. 29 incident was really quite strange.
“It was really bizarre that a person would try and gain access through the front door during a Sunday afternoon, especially with all the people parked downtown.”
Smith figured if he and Mooney would not have been in the area, the suspect may have made off with significantly more. “There was no one else outside at the time and I just happened to hear this loud banging and then saw him. Both Melanie and I quickly got on our phones and it wasn’t long after that he came out and left.”
After the whole situation unfolded, Smith said he began replaying it in his head and started thinking of the things he could have done differently.
“It was one of those if I should have done this or I should have done that but I had no idea if he had a gun or whatever. Once he saw me looking at him he started moving fairly fast.”
While the perpetrator got away, at least for now, Smith provided a description.
“He had a pullover sweater that looked like those work socks that have the red and white stripe around them and he was wearing a grey toque and blue jeans.”
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the suspect can contact the Watrous RCMP or Crimestoppers.
TWM Top Story - Oct. 30, 2017
Work continues on road #668
Daniel Bushman
After beginning improvements to road #668 in early September, work continued through October and will move into November. Barricades have been set up along a pair of sections of road #668 between Watrous and Guernsey so crews can complete the projects.
With the road in rough condition and in need of repair, Rural Municipality of Usborne Administrator Anna Rintoul said things have been progressing since work began and crews are hopeful for good and cooperative weather over the next few weeks.
The plan for the sections of road #668 is to improve the surface and upgrade the road to primary weights. So far, asphalt milling and cementing on both portions have been done and sub-base repair in certain sections has been added. Aiming to be completed before winter, Rintoul said paving along with work on applicable approaches and aprons for safety and protection of investment is still to be finished.
As the work takes place, barriers have been set up and detours marked in an effort to keep motorists from using those stretches of #668. People wanting to head out of Watrous on #668 are being rerouted south of town to Hwy. 2 where they can use the Lockwood grid road. After travelling along that road, a left turn at the detour arrow will have motorists headed back towards #668 where they can access the road once again. After a brief drive eventually passing the edge of Little Manitou Lake, vehicles will approach a curve which would lead them past the Philadelphia Mennonite Brethren Church. However, another detour is set up before the curve, directing traffic north along another grid road before they can make a right turn. Following the detour arrow signs, those travelling the road will eventually arrive at an intersection where they can resume driving north on #668 towards the PotashCorp Lanigan mine, Guernsey and Hwy. 16. Those headed south on #668 towards Watrous or from road #761 (which connects to Drake) can use the same detours.
With a good amount of traffic using #668 on a daily basis, the RM said having the barriers in place for the safety of those working on the road and also for motorists is important.
“Since work started, several people have been driving around the barricades and through construction. The RM is encouraging motorists to plan accordingly and use the detours where possible to avoid unsafe situations and delays in construction.”
As the two current portions of road #668 are being worked on, a third stretch is also on the schedule to be repaired. Once the current two projects are completed then improvements on the third section would take place. That work would involve the curve by the former Sharon Mennonite Church but Rintoul said that might not happen this year.
“This is all dependent on when the current stretches are completed.”
Overall, road #668 will see 6.06 km of work done by the RM of Usborne with another 2.54 km completed by the RM of Morris, located at N9, 10, 11 and E of SE 14-32-24 W2.
Daniel Bushman
After beginning improvements to road #668 in early September, work continued through October and will move into November. Barricades have been set up along a pair of sections of road #668 between Watrous and Guernsey so crews can complete the projects.
With the road in rough condition and in need of repair, Rural Municipality of Usborne Administrator Anna Rintoul said things have been progressing since work began and crews are hopeful for good and cooperative weather over the next few weeks.
The plan for the sections of road #668 is to improve the surface and upgrade the road to primary weights. So far, asphalt milling and cementing on both portions have been done and sub-base repair in certain sections has been added. Aiming to be completed before winter, Rintoul said paving along with work on applicable approaches and aprons for safety and protection of investment is still to be finished.
As the work takes place, barriers have been set up and detours marked in an effort to keep motorists from using those stretches of #668. People wanting to head out of Watrous on #668 are being rerouted south of town to Hwy. 2 where they can use the Lockwood grid road. After travelling along that road, a left turn at the detour arrow will have motorists headed back towards #668 where they can access the road once again. After a brief drive eventually passing the edge of Little Manitou Lake, vehicles will approach a curve which would lead them past the Philadelphia Mennonite Brethren Church. However, another detour is set up before the curve, directing traffic north along another grid road before they can make a right turn. Following the detour arrow signs, those travelling the road will eventually arrive at an intersection where they can resume driving north on #668 towards the PotashCorp Lanigan mine, Guernsey and Hwy. 16. Those headed south on #668 towards Watrous or from road #761 (which connects to Drake) can use the same detours.
With a good amount of traffic using #668 on a daily basis, the RM said having the barriers in place for the safety of those working on the road and also for motorists is important.
“Since work started, several people have been driving around the barricades and through construction. The RM is encouraging motorists to plan accordingly and use the detours where possible to avoid unsafe situations and delays in construction.”
As the two current portions of road #668 are being worked on, a third stretch is also on the schedule to be repaired. Once the current two projects are completed then improvements on the third section would take place. That work would involve the curve by the former Sharon Mennonite Church but Rintoul said that might not happen this year.
“This is all dependent on when the current stretches are completed.”
Overall, road #668 will see 6.06 km of work done by the RM of Usborne with another 2.54 km completed by the RM of Morris, located at N9, 10, 11 and E of SE 14-32-24 W2.
TWM Top Story - Oct. 23, 2017
Chrysler dealership coming to Watrous
By Daniel Bushman
As the ceremonial shovel hit the ground, crews began setting up shop and work commenced on what will become a new vehicle dealership just off Hwy. 2 in Watrous. Curtis Merrifield and Jason Ediger, who both grew up in the area along with Keegan McAvoy, all of the Mainline Automotive Group, have joined forces with former co-owner of Mainline Motors in Watrous Don Campbell to build a brand new Chrysler dealership.
Merrifield and his wife Janel worked at Mainline Motors in Watrous with Gerald Merrifield and business partner Don Campbell before moving to Rosetown to take on dealerships there. The new company, Manitou Mainline Chrysler purchased the Chrysler franchise from Hendry’s out of Nokomis and will officially take over June 30, 2018. Along with Ediger, McAvoy and Campbell, Merrifield said the group is aiming to have the facility done by July 15 and officially open as Manitou Mainline Chrysler Aug. 1.
“Watrous is a great place to do business and it always has been,” said an excited Merrifield. “The business community is very strong and Jason and I grew up in the area and we are looking forward to the opportunity. We approached Hendry’s with the opportunity of moving the franchise to Watrous and we are eager to get going.”
Melron Services out of Watrous is doing the excavating and ground work for the 25,000 square foot facility which is being built by Wright Construction. With the building being constructed on a five acre paved lot near Hwy. 2, a road to the dealership will be created off road #668 next to Watrous Concrete.
Merrifield said the business which will employ 35 people will be selling new and used vehicles, offering service and selling parts. By bringing in a third car dealership to the community, Merrifield said it will add to the two already in town.
“Mainline Motors and Centennial Ford are strong companies in Watrous and by coming to town, we are hoping to add to that and bring even more people into the community.”
As for Hendry’s in Nokomis, Merrifield said they have operated a solid business over the years and have been great to deal with through the whole purchasing process.
“We are going to have a great partnership with them going forward. They will get their parts through us, will still service vehicles and maybe sell some new vehicles through us as well. We are going to work together by offering parts and new vehicles to them. They have had a great business for a lot of years as a Chrysler dealership.”
With the new dealership coming to Watrous next year and the Chrysler name attached with it, Bob Hendry with Hendry’s Western Service Station Limited in Nokomis said their dealership in Nokomis will still be operating past the June 30 franchise takeover date.
“We are planning on staying here in Nokomis,” said Hendry, whose business has been a Chrysler dealership since 1961. “We will be selling used vehicles and repairing cars and when it comes to new units or parts, we will be going through the new dealership in Watrous.”
Along with his brother Ron, the pair will mark 44 years at Hendry’s next spring and said they have had a lot of loyal customers support them throughout the years.
“We’ve had a real good customer base from Nokomis and the surrounding area. We have really appreciated their support over the years.”
As the new Chrysler dealership officially begins taking shape in Watrous, Merrifield added he appreciated help from the town including Dion Tarasoff, Orrin Redden, mayor Ed Collins and members of council as everything was finalized and approved.
“Moving forward, Jason, myself and Keegan are going to be heavily involved throughout the process along with Don and we will continue to do so once we get up and running. We are excited and our whole group is excited to get to Watrous and sell cars.”
By Daniel Bushman
As the ceremonial shovel hit the ground, crews began setting up shop and work commenced on what will become a new vehicle dealership just off Hwy. 2 in Watrous. Curtis Merrifield and Jason Ediger, who both grew up in the area along with Keegan McAvoy, all of the Mainline Automotive Group, have joined forces with former co-owner of Mainline Motors in Watrous Don Campbell to build a brand new Chrysler dealership.
Merrifield and his wife Janel worked at Mainline Motors in Watrous with Gerald Merrifield and business partner Don Campbell before moving to Rosetown to take on dealerships there. The new company, Manitou Mainline Chrysler purchased the Chrysler franchise from Hendry’s out of Nokomis and will officially take over June 30, 2018. Along with Ediger, McAvoy and Campbell, Merrifield said the group is aiming to have the facility done by July 15 and officially open as Manitou Mainline Chrysler Aug. 1.
“Watrous is a great place to do business and it always has been,” said an excited Merrifield. “The business community is very strong and Jason and I grew up in the area and we are looking forward to the opportunity. We approached Hendry’s with the opportunity of moving the franchise to Watrous and we are eager to get going.”
Melron Services out of Watrous is doing the excavating and ground work for the 25,000 square foot facility which is being built by Wright Construction. With the building being constructed on a five acre paved lot near Hwy. 2, a road to the dealership will be created off road #668 next to Watrous Concrete.
Merrifield said the business which will employ 35 people will be selling new and used vehicles, offering service and selling parts. By bringing in a third car dealership to the community, Merrifield said it will add to the two already in town.
“Mainline Motors and Centennial Ford are strong companies in Watrous and by coming to town, we are hoping to add to that and bring even more people into the community.”
As for Hendry’s in Nokomis, Merrifield said they have operated a solid business over the years and have been great to deal with through the whole purchasing process.
“We are going to have a great partnership with them going forward. They will get their parts through us, will still service vehicles and maybe sell some new vehicles through us as well. We are going to work together by offering parts and new vehicles to them. They have had a great business for a lot of years as a Chrysler dealership.”
With the new dealership coming to Watrous next year and the Chrysler name attached with it, Bob Hendry with Hendry’s Western Service Station Limited in Nokomis said their dealership in Nokomis will still be operating past the June 30 franchise takeover date.
“We are planning on staying here in Nokomis,” said Hendry, whose business has been a Chrysler dealership since 1961. “We will be selling used vehicles and repairing cars and when it comes to new units or parts, we will be going through the new dealership in Watrous.”
Along with his brother Ron, the pair will mark 44 years at Hendry’s next spring and said they have had a lot of loyal customers support them throughout the years.
“We’ve had a real good customer base from Nokomis and the surrounding area. We have really appreciated their support over the years.”
As the new Chrysler dealership officially begins taking shape in Watrous, Merrifield added he appreciated help from the town including Dion Tarasoff, Orrin Redden, mayor Ed Collins and members of council as everything was finalized and approved.
“Moving forward, Jason, myself and Keegan are going to be heavily involved throughout the process along with Don and we will continue to do so once we get up and running. We are excited and our whole group is excited to get to Watrous and sell cars.”
TWM Top Story - Oct. 16, 2017
Sask Party leadership candidate visits constituency
By Daniel Bushman
Seeking to become the next leader of the Saskatchewan Party with current premier Brad Wall getting set to retire from politics, candidate Scott Moe was joined by MLA for Humboldt-Watrous Donna Harpauer as the pair visited the local constituency. Currently endorsed by 22 Saskatchewan Party MLAs including 11 cabinet ministers and Harpauer, the MLA for Rosthern-Shellbrook chatted with The Watrous Manitou during their stop Sept. 29.
Moe, who comes from a rural setting much like the Humboldt-Watrous constituency said the whole leadership transition has been something he has been committed to since Wall’s announcement was made earlier this year.
With a leadership convention slated for late January, where members of the Saskatchewan Party will elect a new leader, Moe said once word came that Wall would be stepping away from politics, there was some fairly quick discussions by a number of people within the caucus and from outside of it on how to foster the transition and what role to play. From that, Moe felt led to put his hat in the ring, joining a handful of other leadership hopefuls.
“I can honestly say with me putting my name forward as a leadership candidate, I would be very hesitant to do that without the team of caucus and cabinet support that we have been able to assemble. It is important for me because I believe in collaborating on direction and policy and all of those things that are important, not just in this run but ultimately being able to form a government and to govern properly on behalf of the people in the province.”
Thrilled to be working with his team including Harpauer, Moe noted the importance of having the support from so many within the party and from outside of it. He also talked about the importance of Harpauer and being able to work with her since 2011.
“She is a friend and colleague and she is also a mentor as she has been in government since 1999. She represents an area similar to what I represent. I have relied on Donna and others from time to time for guidance and advice on how to best represent constituents and how to best navigate the halls of government if you will. To have her on our team is greatly appreciated by me.”
Harpauer, the Minister of Finance said there is a very good reason why there is such strong support for Moe. “We have seen his ability to take on new files, to take on new challenges and to do so and show leadership throughout. He is the only candidate that has 11 cabinet ministers that are behind him. We have seen him work at that table and how he has brought us to decisions that we can support and get behind. He has led those decisions as well as work with caucus members and bring them on board. He is definitely collaborative but most of all it is the vision. Scott is very committed to his family and that is so important to all of us to keep that in mind. We are doing this for our families and all of the families in the province.”
Moe, who will be returning to the Humboldt-Watrous constituency before the convention in January said his journey into politics was one that he did not expect would one day involve possibly becoming the next premier of Saskatchewan. The MLA’s road into politics started with volunteering for things his kids were involved with. “At some point in time you find yourself organizing work bees to replace canteen structures at your sports grounds and from there it grew to organizing additional work bees and dollars to renovate your local hockey arena and things of that nature. The next thing you find is you are involved with regional projects such as fundraising for regional hospitals and things of that nature and you start to realize that your hockey arena and community don’t operate in isolation, they are part of a broader region; a broader region where communities, when they work together, they are stronger together. The next thing you know you are in a provincial election running for the Saskatchewan Party and then if you turn around and take a breather, you find you are in a race to be the leader of that particular party. I don’t know if there is ever a path where you set out on and say, “This is where I think I will end up.” . . . I am having a lot of fun along the way.”
Moe also touched on the importance of rural and urban sectors within the province and the need to depend on each other. Whether it is mining, agriculture or manufactured goods, products that are exported across the globe may come from rural areas and the people developing and extracting the products may come from urban places.
“We are very linked in the province of Saskatchewan between our urban centres and our rural communities. I grew up on a farm between Parkside and Shellbrook and my wife and I have been involved off and on in the agriculture industry.”
With a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan, Moe said the agriculture industry is one of the very fabrics of the economy in Saskatchewan. “I understand the industry but I also rely on people that I know that are actively involved in the industry as we move forward. It is a fast moving and exciting part of the Saskatchewan economy and it is part of each of our communities.”
Moe has also been vocal about not wanting to see a carbon tax come to the province, something the federal government is implementing. Rather, Moe said Saskatchewan will be promoting a different conversation around carbon “than one of just taxing our industries to the tune of $2 or $2.5 billion a year. Saskatchewan has a great position to talk about a more fulsome carbon conversation whether that would be in the efforts that are being made in our power generation as we move forward in the next decade of a 40 percent reduction in emissions in how we generate our power here in the province of Saskatchewan. Whether it would be in the efforts that have been made and are being made in our energy industry or our mining industry, which are among the best in the world. When compared to industries around the world I would (say) that they are very sustainable.”
Moe also touched on the incorporation of things like no-till agriculture and implementing pulse crops that fix their own nitrogen. The MLA said the province has great innovation to share with the rest of the world in no-till technology and carbon capture and storage in mining. “I think this is something that Saskatchewan people and Saskatchewan industry can be very very proud of.”
Moving towards the leadership convention in January, Moe said he will continue to address the issue of the carbon tax and will also be focusing on three other key themes:
• committing to getting the budget back to balance and getting the fiscal house in order in the province;
• the continuing support for communities and families through investment and infrastructure with municipalities, investment in hospitals and schools across the province and investment in services; and
• the effort to stand with, support and allow businesses in the province to flourish. “In Saskatchewan, we have 43,000 businesses that operate in communities all across our province and we need to continue to support every opportunity for those businesses to expand and employ people in our province.”
As Moe seeks to not only implement his key themes but also aim at taking the reins of the party in January, he was quick to add that his journey towards the chance at being the next leader would not be possible without his family.
“My wife is fully supportive and happy with the decision to do this. She loves our community and our province as much as anyone I know. Our children are grown and left home and are supportive of the things we do. It is a family decision and a decision I have been able to make fortunately with my caucus colleagues and other colleagues I have. Ultimately it is a decision that has to sit right with your family, and it does with ours. We are fully committed to our community and our province and moving forward with the decision that we’ve made.”
By Daniel Bushman
Seeking to become the next leader of the Saskatchewan Party with current premier Brad Wall getting set to retire from politics, candidate Scott Moe was joined by MLA for Humboldt-Watrous Donna Harpauer as the pair visited the local constituency. Currently endorsed by 22 Saskatchewan Party MLAs including 11 cabinet ministers and Harpauer, the MLA for Rosthern-Shellbrook chatted with The Watrous Manitou during their stop Sept. 29.
Moe, who comes from a rural setting much like the Humboldt-Watrous constituency said the whole leadership transition has been something he has been committed to since Wall’s announcement was made earlier this year.
With a leadership convention slated for late January, where members of the Saskatchewan Party will elect a new leader, Moe said once word came that Wall would be stepping away from politics, there was some fairly quick discussions by a number of people within the caucus and from outside of it on how to foster the transition and what role to play. From that, Moe felt led to put his hat in the ring, joining a handful of other leadership hopefuls.
“I can honestly say with me putting my name forward as a leadership candidate, I would be very hesitant to do that without the team of caucus and cabinet support that we have been able to assemble. It is important for me because I believe in collaborating on direction and policy and all of those things that are important, not just in this run but ultimately being able to form a government and to govern properly on behalf of the people in the province.”
Thrilled to be working with his team including Harpauer, Moe noted the importance of having the support from so many within the party and from outside of it. He also talked about the importance of Harpauer and being able to work with her since 2011.
“She is a friend and colleague and she is also a mentor as she has been in government since 1999. She represents an area similar to what I represent. I have relied on Donna and others from time to time for guidance and advice on how to best represent constituents and how to best navigate the halls of government if you will. To have her on our team is greatly appreciated by me.”
Harpauer, the Minister of Finance said there is a very good reason why there is such strong support for Moe. “We have seen his ability to take on new files, to take on new challenges and to do so and show leadership throughout. He is the only candidate that has 11 cabinet ministers that are behind him. We have seen him work at that table and how he has brought us to decisions that we can support and get behind. He has led those decisions as well as work with caucus members and bring them on board. He is definitely collaborative but most of all it is the vision. Scott is very committed to his family and that is so important to all of us to keep that in mind. We are doing this for our families and all of the families in the province.”
Moe, who will be returning to the Humboldt-Watrous constituency before the convention in January said his journey into politics was one that he did not expect would one day involve possibly becoming the next premier of Saskatchewan. The MLA’s road into politics started with volunteering for things his kids were involved with. “At some point in time you find yourself organizing work bees to replace canteen structures at your sports grounds and from there it grew to organizing additional work bees and dollars to renovate your local hockey arena and things of that nature. The next thing you find is you are involved with regional projects such as fundraising for regional hospitals and things of that nature and you start to realize that your hockey arena and community don’t operate in isolation, they are part of a broader region; a broader region where communities, when they work together, they are stronger together. The next thing you know you are in a provincial election running for the Saskatchewan Party and then if you turn around and take a breather, you find you are in a race to be the leader of that particular party. I don’t know if there is ever a path where you set out on and say, “This is where I think I will end up.” . . . I am having a lot of fun along the way.”
Moe also touched on the importance of rural and urban sectors within the province and the need to depend on each other. Whether it is mining, agriculture or manufactured goods, products that are exported across the globe may come from rural areas and the people developing and extracting the products may come from urban places.
“We are very linked in the province of Saskatchewan between our urban centres and our rural communities. I grew up on a farm between Parkside and Shellbrook and my wife and I have been involved off and on in the agriculture industry.”
With a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan, Moe said the agriculture industry is one of the very fabrics of the economy in Saskatchewan. “I understand the industry but I also rely on people that I know that are actively involved in the industry as we move forward. It is a fast moving and exciting part of the Saskatchewan economy and it is part of each of our communities.”
Moe has also been vocal about not wanting to see a carbon tax come to the province, something the federal government is implementing. Rather, Moe said Saskatchewan will be promoting a different conversation around carbon “than one of just taxing our industries to the tune of $2 or $2.5 billion a year. Saskatchewan has a great position to talk about a more fulsome carbon conversation whether that would be in the efforts that are being made in our power generation as we move forward in the next decade of a 40 percent reduction in emissions in how we generate our power here in the province of Saskatchewan. Whether it would be in the efforts that have been made and are being made in our energy industry or our mining industry, which are among the best in the world. When compared to industries around the world I would (say) that they are very sustainable.”
Moe also touched on the incorporation of things like no-till agriculture and implementing pulse crops that fix their own nitrogen. The MLA said the province has great innovation to share with the rest of the world in no-till technology and carbon capture and storage in mining. “I think this is something that Saskatchewan people and Saskatchewan industry can be very very proud of.”
Moving towards the leadership convention in January, Moe said he will continue to address the issue of the carbon tax and will also be focusing on three other key themes:
• committing to getting the budget back to balance and getting the fiscal house in order in the province;
• the continuing support for communities and families through investment and infrastructure with municipalities, investment in hospitals and schools across the province and investment in services; and
• the effort to stand with, support and allow businesses in the province to flourish. “In Saskatchewan, we have 43,000 businesses that operate in communities all across our province and we need to continue to support every opportunity for those businesses to expand and employ people in our province.”
As Moe seeks to not only implement his key themes but also aim at taking the reins of the party in January, he was quick to add that his journey towards the chance at being the next leader would not be possible without his family.
“My wife is fully supportive and happy with the decision to do this. She loves our community and our province as much as anyone I know. Our children are grown and left home and are supportive of the things we do. It is a family decision and a decision I have been able to make fortunately with my caucus colleagues and other colleagues I have. Ultimately it is a decision that has to sit right with your family, and it does with ours. We are fully committed to our community and our province and moving forward with the decision that we’ve made.”
TWM Top Story - Oct. 9, 2017
Heavy rainfall rolls through area
By Daniel Bushman
After a very dry summer, rain and lots of it signalled the beginning of October as around three inches fell within the Watrous area. While the moisture provided a welcome reprieve to the drought like conditions, it also created havoc to some places within the resort village of Manitou Beach.
The rains arrived as a low pressure system, which also included snow in some southern parts of the province stuck around Oct. 1 to 3. Heavy rain with thunderstorms contributed to significant rainfall amounts in a line stretching from Maple Creek through Watrous and up to Hudson Bay. Heavy snow fell over Cypress Hills Provincial Park with accumulations of 51 cm reported as of Tuesday evening.
Environment Canada issued the following summary of the total rainfall amounts as of 5 p.m. Oct. 3: Watrous (72.8 mm), Lucky Lake (67.6 mm), Hudson Bay (62 mm), Last Mountain (59.4 mm), Elbow (58.2 mm), Wynyard (58 mm), Kindersley and Maple Creek (56 mm), Leader (51 mm), Swift Current (45.3 mm), Melfort (28.5 mm), Outlook (25.3 mm), Moose Jaw (23.7 mm), and Regina (21.4 mm).
There was also reportedly close to two inches that fell in Lanigan and up to three in Jansen and even more the came down east of Watrous. With at least 72.8 mm or 2.8 inches of rain falling within the Watrous area according to Environment Canada, water filled the channels leading out of Watrous near phase two of the Rotary Walking Trail. As last Monday continued on, the situation worsened at Manitou Beach where water spilled down streets, running into the berms along the shoreline. The water came at such a constant and torrid pace Oct. 2 that places like the Nu-Inn and the Salty Surf experienced flood damage.
Manitou Beach Mayor Gerry Worobec said, “Our berm is a wonderful thing and it protects us from the high lake level but it can cause other issues too. It keeps water out but it keeps water in. Even with the sump pits that we put in, they are just not built to handle such a large downpour at once. A nice gentle rain with a bit of water we can manage but with a case like we just had, I don’t know what it would take to be able to have the right equipment down there. To put big pumps in to handle that large amount, you are talking thousands and thousands of dollars.”
Worobec said village crews began pumping the water as best as they could around the affected areas including at the Nu-Inn. “We almost had it looked after and if the rain would have quit about 20 minutes before it did we would have had it protected but it just was too much and we couldn’t quite keep it back long enough. The Salty Surf too, the water collected there and we were trying to help them out along with keeping other areas of the beach looked after. I really appreciated the maintenance staff and Town and Country Pump for their immense efforts for trying to keep the flood waters at bay.”
As far as Wellington Creek and the flow of water from the system south of there, Worobec said it ended up being okay.
“We have a huge culvert going into the lake now from the creek and plus they’ve built up the sides of the creek at the north end so it was manageable. I think that the pond at the south end was low enough so it took a lot of the volume that was coming down the channel towards Wellington, so it was okay.”
Down about a foot after the dry summer, Worobec figured the lake rose about two or three inches with the rainfall last week. “It is still better than what it was when we started the year but we would love to be able to experience normal rains throughout a year.”
Ironically enough, a nasty storm reared its head almost one year ago to the day as harvest operations were still underway for many producers. During the first week of October 2016, Environment Canada issued a special weather statement early in the week to prepare people for the arrival of snow aided by wind gusts.
While Monday, Oct. 3 escaped without harm, the snow and wind hit hard late Tuesday, Oct. 4. Those travelling in the local area during the evening had to slow right down as roads were slushy while the whipping wind caused reduced visibility. Snow fell overnight in western and central Saskatchewan and then throughout Wednesday, Oct. 5 before it started to taper off Thursday. At that time, a major low pressure system brought rain or snow to much of southern Saskatchewan. Colder air was drawn into the system and most of the precipitation was in the form of snow.
The Watrous area was forecast to see anywhere between 10 to 15 cm of snow throughout that storm. In Saskatoon, power was out throughout a large chunk of the city Oct. 5 and they received upwards of 11 cm of snow.
By Daniel Bushman
After a very dry summer, rain and lots of it signalled the beginning of October as around three inches fell within the Watrous area. While the moisture provided a welcome reprieve to the drought like conditions, it also created havoc to some places within the resort village of Manitou Beach.
The rains arrived as a low pressure system, which also included snow in some southern parts of the province stuck around Oct. 1 to 3. Heavy rain with thunderstorms contributed to significant rainfall amounts in a line stretching from Maple Creek through Watrous and up to Hudson Bay. Heavy snow fell over Cypress Hills Provincial Park with accumulations of 51 cm reported as of Tuesday evening.
Environment Canada issued the following summary of the total rainfall amounts as of 5 p.m. Oct. 3: Watrous (72.8 mm), Lucky Lake (67.6 mm), Hudson Bay (62 mm), Last Mountain (59.4 mm), Elbow (58.2 mm), Wynyard (58 mm), Kindersley and Maple Creek (56 mm), Leader (51 mm), Swift Current (45.3 mm), Melfort (28.5 mm), Outlook (25.3 mm), Moose Jaw (23.7 mm), and Regina (21.4 mm).
There was also reportedly close to two inches that fell in Lanigan and up to three in Jansen and even more the came down east of Watrous. With at least 72.8 mm or 2.8 inches of rain falling within the Watrous area according to Environment Canada, water filled the channels leading out of Watrous near phase two of the Rotary Walking Trail. As last Monday continued on, the situation worsened at Manitou Beach where water spilled down streets, running into the berms along the shoreline. The water came at such a constant and torrid pace Oct. 2 that places like the Nu-Inn and the Salty Surf experienced flood damage.
Manitou Beach Mayor Gerry Worobec said, “Our berm is a wonderful thing and it protects us from the high lake level but it can cause other issues too. It keeps water out but it keeps water in. Even with the sump pits that we put in, they are just not built to handle such a large downpour at once. A nice gentle rain with a bit of water we can manage but with a case like we just had, I don’t know what it would take to be able to have the right equipment down there. To put big pumps in to handle that large amount, you are talking thousands and thousands of dollars.”
Worobec said village crews began pumping the water as best as they could around the affected areas including at the Nu-Inn. “We almost had it looked after and if the rain would have quit about 20 minutes before it did we would have had it protected but it just was too much and we couldn’t quite keep it back long enough. The Salty Surf too, the water collected there and we were trying to help them out along with keeping other areas of the beach looked after. I really appreciated the maintenance staff and Town and Country Pump for their immense efforts for trying to keep the flood waters at bay.”
As far as Wellington Creek and the flow of water from the system south of there, Worobec said it ended up being okay.
“We have a huge culvert going into the lake now from the creek and plus they’ve built up the sides of the creek at the north end so it was manageable. I think that the pond at the south end was low enough so it took a lot of the volume that was coming down the channel towards Wellington, so it was okay.”
Down about a foot after the dry summer, Worobec figured the lake rose about two or three inches with the rainfall last week. “It is still better than what it was when we started the year but we would love to be able to experience normal rains throughout a year.”
Ironically enough, a nasty storm reared its head almost one year ago to the day as harvest operations were still underway for many producers. During the first week of October 2016, Environment Canada issued a special weather statement early in the week to prepare people for the arrival of snow aided by wind gusts.
While Monday, Oct. 3 escaped without harm, the snow and wind hit hard late Tuesday, Oct. 4. Those travelling in the local area during the evening had to slow right down as roads were slushy while the whipping wind caused reduced visibility. Snow fell overnight in western and central Saskatchewan and then throughout Wednesday, Oct. 5 before it started to taper off Thursday. At that time, a major low pressure system brought rain or snow to much of southern Saskatchewan. Colder air was drawn into the system and most of the precipitation was in the form of snow.
The Watrous area was forecast to see anywhere between 10 to 15 cm of snow throughout that storm. In Saskatoon, power was out throughout a large chunk of the city Oct. 5 and they received upwards of 11 cm of snow.
TWM Top Story - Oct. 2, 2017
Industrial lots created in Watrous
By Daniel Bushman
With a growing need to expand the business sector in Watrous and with no more commercial and industrial lots available, the town made the decision to purchase land within the Rural Municipality of Morris No. 312. The area that the town bought is located next to Watrous Home Hardware Building Centre and the property owned by Imperial Oil on the southeasterly part of the community.
A total of 20 lots averaging 100 feet wide by 200 feet deep are being created on the new parcel for interested commercial and industrial companies. Town Administrator Orrin Redden said, “Each lot is about 20,000 square feet or close to half an acre of land. They are similar to the ones we sold along Midway Street off of 4th Ave. E.”
Now available for purchase, the lots will be sold for around $40,000 each and will have power, gas, water and sewer; all similar services to what the residential lots in town have. “We had exhausted properties within the community and there was not much left so we decided to create these 20 additional lots for those within the commercial and industrial sector to purchase.”
Public Works Superintendent Dion Tarasoff said power was brought in a few months ago and a request for gas has been made. Town crews are also going to be shaping the area and removing some of the top soil either later this fall or early spring.
Another project that town crews will be working on is the road leading out to the new area. Currently there is no through road but Tarasoff said 4th Ave. E. extends through the southern part of where Home Hardware is currently located.
“They will be moving some of their items from that area and that will allow us to eventually develop a gravel road which will head out towards our newly purchased land. Once the road is completed by Home Hardware, we will be able to access the area since that is really the only place to get to the property. We also have to work on the corner of 4th Ave. E. where it connects to Hwy. 365 by Melron Services so we will be doing that early in the spring. We are also working on our drainage plan for the 20 lots as well and that is currently underway.”
By Daniel Bushman
With a growing need to expand the business sector in Watrous and with no more commercial and industrial lots available, the town made the decision to purchase land within the Rural Municipality of Morris No. 312. The area that the town bought is located next to Watrous Home Hardware Building Centre and the property owned by Imperial Oil on the southeasterly part of the community.
A total of 20 lots averaging 100 feet wide by 200 feet deep are being created on the new parcel for interested commercial and industrial companies. Town Administrator Orrin Redden said, “Each lot is about 20,000 square feet or close to half an acre of land. They are similar to the ones we sold along Midway Street off of 4th Ave. E.”
Now available for purchase, the lots will be sold for around $40,000 each and will have power, gas, water and sewer; all similar services to what the residential lots in town have. “We had exhausted properties within the community and there was not much left so we decided to create these 20 additional lots for those within the commercial and industrial sector to purchase.”
Public Works Superintendent Dion Tarasoff said power was brought in a few months ago and a request for gas has been made. Town crews are also going to be shaping the area and removing some of the top soil either later this fall or early spring.
Another project that town crews will be working on is the road leading out to the new area. Currently there is no through road but Tarasoff said 4th Ave. E. extends through the southern part of where Home Hardware is currently located.
“They will be moving some of their items from that area and that will allow us to eventually develop a gravel road which will head out towards our newly purchased land. Once the road is completed by Home Hardware, we will be able to access the area since that is really the only place to get to the property. We also have to work on the corner of 4th Ave. E. where it connects to Hwy. 365 by Melron Services so we will be doing that early in the spring. We are also working on our drainage plan for the 20 lots as well and that is currently underway.”
TWM Top Story - Sept. 25, 2017
Detours set up as road work continues on #668
By Daniel Bushman
Those travelling along road #668 between Watrous and Guernsey will have to give themselves some extra time as detours have been set up while sections of the road are under repair. The road work began at the start of September within the Rural Municipality of Usborne and it could be wrapped up by Nov. 1, although the exact end date is currently uncertain.
“The road is in poor condition and is in dire need of repair and resurfacing,” said RM of Usborne Reeve Jack Gibney. “Right now it is being upgraded to primary weights.”
With road work underway, detours have been put in place, deterring motorists from using stretches of #668 so that repairs can safely continue. People wanting to head out of Watrous on #668 are being rerouted south of town to Hwy. 2 where they can use the Lockwood grid road. After travelling along that road, a left turn at the detour arrow will have motorists headed back towards #668 where they can access the road once again. After a brief drive eventually passing the edge of Little Manitou Lake, vehicles will approach a curve which would lead them past the Philadelphia Mennonite Brethren Church. However, another detour is set up before the curve, directing traffic north along another grid road before they can make a right turn. Following the detour arrow signs, those travelling the road will eventually arrive at an intersection where they can resume driving north on #668 towards the PotashCorp Lanigan mine, Guernsey and Hwy. 16. Those headed south on #668 towards Watrous or from road #761 (which connects to Drake) can use the same detours.
While the project of repairing and resurfacing #668 was in the works for a while, the RM of Usborne is splitting some of the costs with the RM of Morris while the remainder falls under the jurisdiction of the RM of Usborne. In addition to the stretches of road currently being worked on, Gibney said they are also looking at improving the curve by the former Sharon Mennonite Church as well as a culvert replacement section from last year’s construction season.
“We might not get to that this year but it is in the works to fix. All of this work is being done under the SARM Municipal Roads for the Economy Program (MREP), which is 50 cent dollars up to $750,000 for each RM. Not only are there two RMs working together but we also have huge gravel deposits and highway traffic from Hwy. 365, and that has taken a toll on the road.”
Overall, road #668 will see 6.06 km of work done by the RM of Usborne and 2.54 km completed by the RM of Morris, located at N9, 10, 11 and E of SE 14-32-24 W2.
Since there will still be some time yet before the work is completed, detours will be set up for the duration of the project, which means an increase of traffic along grid roads. Gibney said because of that, the RM will be trying to put dust control down on those roads for ratepayer and traffic safety.
By Daniel Bushman
Those travelling along road #668 between Watrous and Guernsey will have to give themselves some extra time as detours have been set up while sections of the road are under repair. The road work began at the start of September within the Rural Municipality of Usborne and it could be wrapped up by Nov. 1, although the exact end date is currently uncertain.
“The road is in poor condition and is in dire need of repair and resurfacing,” said RM of Usborne Reeve Jack Gibney. “Right now it is being upgraded to primary weights.”
With road work underway, detours have been put in place, deterring motorists from using stretches of #668 so that repairs can safely continue. People wanting to head out of Watrous on #668 are being rerouted south of town to Hwy. 2 where they can use the Lockwood grid road. After travelling along that road, a left turn at the detour arrow will have motorists headed back towards #668 where they can access the road once again. After a brief drive eventually passing the edge of Little Manitou Lake, vehicles will approach a curve which would lead them past the Philadelphia Mennonite Brethren Church. However, another detour is set up before the curve, directing traffic north along another grid road before they can make a right turn. Following the detour arrow signs, those travelling the road will eventually arrive at an intersection where they can resume driving north on #668 towards the PotashCorp Lanigan mine, Guernsey and Hwy. 16. Those headed south on #668 towards Watrous or from road #761 (which connects to Drake) can use the same detours.
While the project of repairing and resurfacing #668 was in the works for a while, the RM of Usborne is splitting some of the costs with the RM of Morris while the remainder falls under the jurisdiction of the RM of Usborne. In addition to the stretches of road currently being worked on, Gibney said they are also looking at improving the curve by the former Sharon Mennonite Church as well as a culvert replacement section from last year’s construction season.
“We might not get to that this year but it is in the works to fix. All of this work is being done under the SARM Municipal Roads for the Economy Program (MREP), which is 50 cent dollars up to $750,000 for each RM. Not only are there two RMs working together but we also have huge gravel deposits and highway traffic from Hwy. 365, and that has taken a toll on the road.”
Overall, road #668 will see 6.06 km of work done by the RM of Usborne and 2.54 km completed by the RM of Morris, located at N9, 10, 11 and E of SE 14-32-24 W2.
Since there will still be some time yet before the work is completed, detours will be set up for the duration of the project, which means an increase of traffic along grid roads. Gibney said because of that, the RM will be trying to put dust control down on those roads for ratepayer and traffic safety.
TWM Top story - Sept. 18, 2017
Merger between PotashCorp and Agrium delayed
Daniel Bushman
The world’s largest crop nutrient company and a major global producer and distributor of agricultural products, services and solutions will have to wait just a little longer before turning into the world’s largest provider of crop inputs and services. In June, PotashCorp and Agrium said the parties expected closure of the proposed merger of equals transaction to take place in the third quarter of 2017 but that has since been pushed back. Both companies said they remain highly confident in merging but expect to do so by the end of the fourth quarter of 2017.
In a release issued by PotashCorp and Agrium, the companies said the regulatory review and approval process has progressed in all remaining jurisdictions. “In Canada and the U.S., the parties are working with the Canadian Competition Bureau (CCB) and the Federal Trade Commission to resolve final issues in superphosphoric acid (SPA) and nitric acid.”
On Sept. 11, it was announced that the CCB granted unconditional regulatory approval for the proposed merger of equals by issuing a no-action letter. The CCB concluded the proposed transaction is not likely to lead to a substantial lessening or prevention of competition with respect to potash fertilizer, phosphate fertilizers and nitric acid.
“The CCB found that global prices of potash are correlated with prices in Canada and that customers can source potash from multiple suppliers. The issuance of the no-action letter satisfies the Canadian regulatory condition of closing of the proposed merger of equals transaction.”
Both PotashCorp and Agrium previously received unconditional clearance for the merger in both Brazil and Russia. The regulatory review and approval process continues in the U.S., China and India. The companies, which have a local presence in the region, were also informed that the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) in China and, independently, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) intend to condition their respective approvals of the proposed transaction on the divestment of certain of PotashCorp’s offshore minority ownership interests.
“The remedies under consideration are not expected to impact the estimated $500 million of annual operating synergies.”
Once the closing of the merger transaction does take place between PotashCorp and Agrium, the new company will be known as Nutrien - the largest provider of crop inputs and services in the world.
Currently PotashCorp is the largest crop nutrient company across the globe, producing three essential nutrients to help farmers grow healthier and more abundant crops. PotashCorp, which has mines near Lanigan and Allan, is the largest producer, by capacity, of potash and one of the largest producers of nitrogen and phosphate.
Agrium is a major global producer and distributor of agricultural products, services and solutions. The company produces nitrogen, potash and phosphate fertilizers, with a combined wholesale nutrient capacity of approximately 11 million tonnes. The Agrium retail distribution has a network of 1,500 facilities and over 3,300 crop consultants able to provide advice and products to its grower customers. The company currently has Crop Production Services Canada retail locations at Watrous, Colonsay, Liberty, and Viscount and a wholesale solution storage facility at Clavet.
As the pair of globally known companies move closer to merging, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall reminded them about maintaining a presence in the prairie province. After shuffling his cabinet last month, Wall told reporters that in the weeks following, the government will be getting in touch with PotashCorp and Agrium to make sure that when the two do in fact merge to become Nutrien, the new company’s head office will be in Saskatchewan.
“We want to ensure that Saskatchewan, as the head office for this company, has the maximum number of head office jobs, that the presence in this province is indisputably the head office.”
While the merger process continues and details of the company have not been finalized, according to the StarPhoenix, the merger is expected to create a company valued at $26 billion (U.S.) with around 20,000 employees.
Daniel Bushman
The world’s largest crop nutrient company and a major global producer and distributor of agricultural products, services and solutions will have to wait just a little longer before turning into the world’s largest provider of crop inputs and services. In June, PotashCorp and Agrium said the parties expected closure of the proposed merger of equals transaction to take place in the third quarter of 2017 but that has since been pushed back. Both companies said they remain highly confident in merging but expect to do so by the end of the fourth quarter of 2017.
In a release issued by PotashCorp and Agrium, the companies said the regulatory review and approval process has progressed in all remaining jurisdictions. “In Canada and the U.S., the parties are working with the Canadian Competition Bureau (CCB) and the Federal Trade Commission to resolve final issues in superphosphoric acid (SPA) and nitric acid.”
On Sept. 11, it was announced that the CCB granted unconditional regulatory approval for the proposed merger of equals by issuing a no-action letter. The CCB concluded the proposed transaction is not likely to lead to a substantial lessening or prevention of competition with respect to potash fertilizer, phosphate fertilizers and nitric acid.
“The CCB found that global prices of potash are correlated with prices in Canada and that customers can source potash from multiple suppliers. The issuance of the no-action letter satisfies the Canadian regulatory condition of closing of the proposed merger of equals transaction.”
Both PotashCorp and Agrium previously received unconditional clearance for the merger in both Brazil and Russia. The regulatory review and approval process continues in the U.S., China and India. The companies, which have a local presence in the region, were also informed that the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) in China and, independently, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) intend to condition their respective approvals of the proposed transaction on the divestment of certain of PotashCorp’s offshore minority ownership interests.
“The remedies under consideration are not expected to impact the estimated $500 million of annual operating synergies.”
Once the closing of the merger transaction does take place between PotashCorp and Agrium, the new company will be known as Nutrien - the largest provider of crop inputs and services in the world.
Currently PotashCorp is the largest crop nutrient company across the globe, producing three essential nutrients to help farmers grow healthier and more abundant crops. PotashCorp, which has mines near Lanigan and Allan, is the largest producer, by capacity, of potash and one of the largest producers of nitrogen and phosphate.
Agrium is a major global producer and distributor of agricultural products, services and solutions. The company produces nitrogen, potash and phosphate fertilizers, with a combined wholesale nutrient capacity of approximately 11 million tonnes. The Agrium retail distribution has a network of 1,500 facilities and over 3,300 crop consultants able to provide advice and products to its grower customers. The company currently has Crop Production Services Canada retail locations at Watrous, Colonsay, Liberty, and Viscount and a wholesale solution storage facility at Clavet.
As the pair of globally known companies move closer to merging, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall reminded them about maintaining a presence in the prairie province. After shuffling his cabinet last month, Wall told reporters that in the weeks following, the government will be getting in touch with PotashCorp and Agrium to make sure that when the two do in fact merge to become Nutrien, the new company’s head office will be in Saskatchewan.
“We want to ensure that Saskatchewan, as the head office for this company, has the maximum number of head office jobs, that the presence in this province is indisputably the head office.”
While the merger process continues and details of the company have not been finalized, according to the StarPhoenix, the merger is expected to create a company valued at $26 billion (U.S.) with around 20,000 employees.
TWM Top Story - Sept. 11, 2017
Roadside memorial honours Van de Vorst family
By Daniel Bushman
Honouring the memory of a family whose lives were tragically taken just over a year and a half ago by a drunk driver, the province’s first roadside memorial sign was unveiled last month. In partnership with the families of Chanda (nee Mierau) and Jordan Van de Vorst and with the support of the Province of Saskatchewan, MADD Canada unveiled a pair of roadside memorial signs to honour victims of impaired driving.
The new signs, which were unveiled Aug. 29, include the names of Chanda, Jordan and their children Kamryn and Miguire along with MADD Canada’s red ribbon image. Created to honour the Van de Vorsts, the signs will also serve as a powerful reminder to motorists about the tragic impact of impaired driving.
Chanda’s mom Marie, along with members of her family were on hand near Wanuskewin Road north of Saskatoon last month as part of the memorial unveiling. Marie who made the trip from Watrous said it was the first time she had been back at the site since the crash.
“I appreciate the support that victims do receive from MADD Canada,” said Marie. “This sign is definitely a reminder of the horrific collision but it is also a memorial to commemorate the lives of Chanda, Jordan, Kamryn and Miguire. Hopefully people will pause and realize how devastating their lives could be if a whole family was taken away from them in a flash.”
Mierau and the Van de Vorst family were both notified in May about plans to unveil the memorial sign and then about a week before the announcement took place, Marie got a phone call that it would be going ahead.
“They asked if they could use the names of our children to make the sign and we agreed. It is kind of unique that it is the first in the province.”
Put up permanently on the eastbound and westbound sides of Hwy. 11 near Wanuskewin Road, the memorial signs will act as a reminder to those passing by to think twice about drinking and driving.
Jordan’s dad Lou, who was also at the announcement said, “This is a way for us to honour our son, our daughter-in-law and our grandchildren, and also to put a very important spotlight on the problem of impaired driving. We want people to see this sign and truly understand that innocent lives are at risk anytime someone drives impaired.”
MADD Canada said roadside memorial signs are a moving way to honour victims and a powerful awareness tool to remind people about the importance of always driving sober. MADD Canada has collaborated with governments in other provinces, including Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, to install memorial signs for victims of impaired driving.
“One person’s choice to drive impaired destroyed this beautiful family,” said MADD Canada National President Patricia Hynes-Coates. “This roadside memorial offers a permanent tribute to their memories. We hope people see this sign, reflect on this terrible tragedy and vow to never drive impaired. MADD Canada thanks the Van de Vorst and Mierau families for their strength, and the Government of Saskatchewan for its support.”
By Daniel Bushman
Honouring the memory of a family whose lives were tragically taken just over a year and a half ago by a drunk driver, the province’s first roadside memorial sign was unveiled last month. In partnership with the families of Chanda (nee Mierau) and Jordan Van de Vorst and with the support of the Province of Saskatchewan, MADD Canada unveiled a pair of roadside memorial signs to honour victims of impaired driving.
The new signs, which were unveiled Aug. 29, include the names of Chanda, Jordan and their children Kamryn and Miguire along with MADD Canada’s red ribbon image. Created to honour the Van de Vorsts, the signs will also serve as a powerful reminder to motorists about the tragic impact of impaired driving.
Chanda’s mom Marie, along with members of her family were on hand near Wanuskewin Road north of Saskatoon last month as part of the memorial unveiling. Marie who made the trip from Watrous said it was the first time she had been back at the site since the crash.
“I appreciate the support that victims do receive from MADD Canada,” said Marie. “This sign is definitely a reminder of the horrific collision but it is also a memorial to commemorate the lives of Chanda, Jordan, Kamryn and Miguire. Hopefully people will pause and realize how devastating their lives could be if a whole family was taken away from them in a flash.”
Mierau and the Van de Vorst family were both notified in May about plans to unveil the memorial sign and then about a week before the announcement took place, Marie got a phone call that it would be going ahead.
“They asked if they could use the names of our children to make the sign and we agreed. It is kind of unique that it is the first in the province.”
Put up permanently on the eastbound and westbound sides of Hwy. 11 near Wanuskewin Road, the memorial signs will act as a reminder to those passing by to think twice about drinking and driving.
Jordan’s dad Lou, who was also at the announcement said, “This is a way for us to honour our son, our daughter-in-law and our grandchildren, and also to put a very important spotlight on the problem of impaired driving. We want people to see this sign and truly understand that innocent lives are at risk anytime someone drives impaired.”
MADD Canada said roadside memorial signs are a moving way to honour victims and a powerful awareness tool to remind people about the importance of always driving sober. MADD Canada has collaborated with governments in other provinces, including Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, to install memorial signs for victims of impaired driving.
“One person’s choice to drive impaired destroyed this beautiful family,” said MADD Canada National President Patricia Hynes-Coates. “This roadside memorial offers a permanent tribute to their memories. We hope people see this sign, reflect on this terrible tragedy and vow to never drive impaired. MADD Canada thanks the Van de Vorst and Mierau families for their strength, and the Government of Saskatchewan for its support.”
TWM Top Story - Sept. 4, 2017
Harpauer named Minister of Finance: leadership race underway
By Daniel Bushman
As a handful of Saskatchewan Party MLAs entered the race to become the next leader of the party, Premier Brad Wall elected to shuffle the cabinet last week to fill some of the vacated portfolios of those running for the leadership position. One of those receiving a substantial portfolio was local MLA Donna Harpauer, who was announced as the new Minister of Finance.
Harpauer, who is the MLA for Humboldt-Watrous said each time she has been asked to serve in government, it has been an honour, including last week when she was named as Minister of Finance.
“It was a little bit of a surprise and I am truly honoured that the premier has the confidence in me,” Harpauer said, “I will work as hard as I can to do the best for the Saskatchewan people. We have a path to balance and I firmly believe in that path and we will be working very hard in our next budget which we will start the deliberations pretty much immediately to keep us on that path to balance while still having good solid services for our citizens and for those most in need.”
Previously, Harpauer had large portfolios including Social Services (twice) and Education (once). “Every one is a learning curve and they have their challenges but they also have really great people that will help you and work with you.”
Harpauer said quarterly updates will continue with regards to the budget and they will make adjustments as needed. “I am glad it is on track,” Harpauer said. “That budget is set and we will just monitor it as it goes and start building on the next one.”
While the graduate of Lanigan Central High School said there are some challenging things in the budget, she added the government will have to monitor those and stay on the path of bringing the budget to balance in three years. “I will be continuing the work that the previous finance minister started. I have big shoes to fill obviously because Kevin (Doherty) did a great job. Our resource revenues are not recovering yet and we will have to work through that and work through a path to balance.”
As Harpauer begins her new role as Minister of Finance, the week previous Doherty released a report on the status of the provincial budget. Doherty said the 2017-‘18 Saskatchewan Budget remained on track at first quarter, with no change in the bottom-line forecast.
“The Saskatchewan economy is performing well so far, and for the first time in two years is projected to post positive growth,” Doherty said. “We have more to accomplish, but at first quarter we are meeting our fiscal challenge by controlling spending and shifting away from over-reliance on volatile resource revenue.”
According to Doherty, at first quarter, a deficit of $684.7 million is forecast, unchanged from the budget. Revenue at first quarter is forecast to increase $42 million (0.3 percent) from budget, while total expense is forecast to increase by about $82 million (0.6 percent).
In a release, the government said as planned, part of the budget’s $300 million contingency - about $40 million - is being used to offset expense pressures. A further $125 million of the contingency is being used to offset compensation savings that, because of the time required for negotiations to continue, will not be achieved this fiscal year.
“The reason we built a contingency into this year’s budget was to help address in-year pressures,” Doherty said. “We still have work to do to control government’s overall costs, including savings we are working hard to achieve in total compensation expense.”
Relating to Saskatchewan’s economy, the provincial government said 2017 has experienced the third-highest growth among Canadian provinces in manufacturing sales; the third-highest growth in average weekly earnings; the third-highest growth in population; and the second-highest growth in new motor-vehicle sales.
“Private sector forecasters have recognized strength in Saskatchewan’s economic performance and have increased real GDP growth forecasts for 2017 from an average of 1.7 percent at budget to 2.1 percent,” Doherty said. “At first quarter, our government remains on track with our fiscal plan to return Saskatchewan’s budget to balance in three years, by 2019-‘20.”
As the budget update was released in August, the opposition NDP were disappointed with the news.
“You don’t need to be a financial expert to know they should not be bragging about blowing through half of the budgeted contingency fund in the first quarter of the year,” said NDP Leader Nicole Sarauer. “The Sask. Party’s attempts to spin the facts would be laughable if the consequences weren’t hurting Saskatchewan families so deeply.”
The opposition party said there are many other key financial indicators that they were disappointed with.
“Under the Sask. Party, Saskatchewan is now seventh for retail trade, seventh for housing starts, eighth for wholesale trade, eighth for building permits, ninth in the country for employment, and the Saskatchewan unemployment rate is higher than the national average for the first time since 1989.”
With a large task ahead at trying to balance the budget for Saskatchewan over the next three years, Harpauer was not the only one with a new portfolio. Other MLAs were also part of the shuffle including another local MLA Greg Brkich, who becomes the new Government House Leader. During his past terms, the MLA for Arm River has served as the Deputy Speaker and Chair of the Committee of the Whole, Vice-Chair of the Caucus Standing Policy Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs and Justice and was a member of the Legislature’s Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs and Justice, the Private Bills House Committee, Treasury Board, and the Investment Board. Premier Brad Wall also appointed Brkich as Legislative Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, Agriculture Programs Innovation Initiative.
Meanwhile, Doherty, who was the Minister of Finance is now Minister of Advanced Education while Deputy Premier Don Morgan becomes Minister of Justice and Attorney General, while retaining responsibility for Labour and the Workers’ Compensation Board. Bronwyn Eyre becomes Minister of Education and Minister responsible for the Status of Women and Dustin Duncan becomes Minister of Environment and Minister responsible for SaskPower, SaskWater, the Water Security Agency and the Global Transportation Hub. Nancy Heppner re-enters cabinet as Minister of Energy and Resources and Minister responsible for the Public Service Commission; Paul Merriman becomes Minister of Social Services and Government Deputy House Leader; Steven Bonk becomes Minister of Economy and Minister responsible for Tourism Saskatchewan, Innovation and Trade; Larry Doke becomes Minister of Government Relations and Minister responsible for First Nations, Métis and Northern Affairs; and Gene Makowsky becomes Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport and Minister responsible for Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority.
Six other ministers retained their current cabinet responsibilities including Lyle Stewart, Jim Reiter, Greg Ottenbreit, Christine Tell, Joe Hargrave and David Marit. Warren Kaeding becomes Legislative Secretary to the Minister responsible for SaskTel (cellular and internet coverage) along with his current duties as Legislative Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture.
The shuffle was made following the removal of MLA Bill Boyd after the province’s conflict of interest commissioner concluded a recent trip to China Boyd took fell below the standards expected of MLAs. Boyd is reportedly facing charges for environmental violations. In addition, cabinet ministers vying to be the next leader of the party also have to give up their portfolios after Wall announced Aug. 10 that he would be retiring as premier and from elected politics when a new leader is elected.
Harpauer, who was first elected in 1999 (the same time as Wall) said she has taken a keen interest in who will be the next leader of the party. However, for the long-time MLA, when it came time to decide if she would make a run at the premier’s chair, Harpauer was quick to reply.
“Nope,” she chuckled. “There are a number showing interest but no I am not considering it.”
Current MLAs Jeremy Harrison (who withdrew his name Sept. 1 to back Scott Moe), Alanna Koch, Ken Cheveldayoff, Gord Wyant and Tina Beaudry-Mellor all tossed their names into the ring and this past Friday, MLA for Rosthern-Shellbrook Scott Moe added his name to the list. Like Harpauer, Moe comes from rural Saskatchewan and Harpauer, who was raised on a farm near Guernsey said she has decided to throw her support behind Moe. With rural Saskatchewan roots, Harpauer said Moe has a strong vision and would make for a good leader, standing up for Saskatchewan and facing issues like the carbon tax.
“I think it is going to be a good race and obviously there is still support for our party and that is good to see. The people that are interested in leading our party are pretty strong. I know that we are facing challenging times right now but in the big picture we are definitely in a better spot than we were a decade ago. As much as we have challenges and resource revenue, I think our province is still strong.”
Following a meeting of the provincial council, the Saskatchewan Party will elect its new leader at a leadership convention Jan. 27, 2018, in Saskatoon. The leader will be elected through a one-member, one-vote voting system. The Saskatchewan Party also released all of the leadership election campaign rules which included: the nomination filing deadline for candidates is Nov. 24; a filing fee of $25,000 will be required from all candidates; there will be a campaign expense limit of $250,000; candidates will be required to disclose the names of all donors who made donations of $250 or more; and the membership sales deadline in order to be eligible to vote is Dec. 8, in order to ensure all members that request a mail-in ballot receive one.
While Harpauer and others wait to see who becomes the next leader of the party, she also reflected on her time working with and for Wall.
“Brad and I were first elected in 1999 so we’ve been together throughout the journey of his career. I have to say to have him as a colleague and a friend has truly been an honour. He is a great leader and I think he has been a very, very steady leader for our province and I’ve been proud and honoured to serve with him and for him.”
The MLA for Humboldt-Watrous said while a lot of things have happened since the party formed government in 2007, she felt Wall has moved the province in a positive direction.
“It is exciting that we have record population growth that we’ve seen in the history of the province as well as the number of tax initiatives that we put forward that helps the most vulnerable in the province. Brad has been someone that I can trust, he has a sense of humour, he can be serious and has been a great example and I think he will leave a lasting legacy in our province.”
By Daniel Bushman
As a handful of Saskatchewan Party MLAs entered the race to become the next leader of the party, Premier Brad Wall elected to shuffle the cabinet last week to fill some of the vacated portfolios of those running for the leadership position. One of those receiving a substantial portfolio was local MLA Donna Harpauer, who was announced as the new Minister of Finance.
Harpauer, who is the MLA for Humboldt-Watrous said each time she has been asked to serve in government, it has been an honour, including last week when she was named as Minister of Finance.
“It was a little bit of a surprise and I am truly honoured that the premier has the confidence in me,” Harpauer said, “I will work as hard as I can to do the best for the Saskatchewan people. We have a path to balance and I firmly believe in that path and we will be working very hard in our next budget which we will start the deliberations pretty much immediately to keep us on that path to balance while still having good solid services for our citizens and for those most in need.”
Previously, Harpauer had large portfolios including Social Services (twice) and Education (once). “Every one is a learning curve and they have their challenges but they also have really great people that will help you and work with you.”
Harpauer said quarterly updates will continue with regards to the budget and they will make adjustments as needed. “I am glad it is on track,” Harpauer said. “That budget is set and we will just monitor it as it goes and start building on the next one.”
While the graduate of Lanigan Central High School said there are some challenging things in the budget, she added the government will have to monitor those and stay on the path of bringing the budget to balance in three years. “I will be continuing the work that the previous finance minister started. I have big shoes to fill obviously because Kevin (Doherty) did a great job. Our resource revenues are not recovering yet and we will have to work through that and work through a path to balance.”
As Harpauer begins her new role as Minister of Finance, the week previous Doherty released a report on the status of the provincial budget. Doherty said the 2017-‘18 Saskatchewan Budget remained on track at first quarter, with no change in the bottom-line forecast.
“The Saskatchewan economy is performing well so far, and for the first time in two years is projected to post positive growth,” Doherty said. “We have more to accomplish, but at first quarter we are meeting our fiscal challenge by controlling spending and shifting away from over-reliance on volatile resource revenue.”
According to Doherty, at first quarter, a deficit of $684.7 million is forecast, unchanged from the budget. Revenue at first quarter is forecast to increase $42 million (0.3 percent) from budget, while total expense is forecast to increase by about $82 million (0.6 percent).
In a release, the government said as planned, part of the budget’s $300 million contingency - about $40 million - is being used to offset expense pressures. A further $125 million of the contingency is being used to offset compensation savings that, because of the time required for negotiations to continue, will not be achieved this fiscal year.
“The reason we built a contingency into this year’s budget was to help address in-year pressures,” Doherty said. “We still have work to do to control government’s overall costs, including savings we are working hard to achieve in total compensation expense.”
Relating to Saskatchewan’s economy, the provincial government said 2017 has experienced the third-highest growth among Canadian provinces in manufacturing sales; the third-highest growth in average weekly earnings; the third-highest growth in population; and the second-highest growth in new motor-vehicle sales.
“Private sector forecasters have recognized strength in Saskatchewan’s economic performance and have increased real GDP growth forecasts for 2017 from an average of 1.7 percent at budget to 2.1 percent,” Doherty said. “At first quarter, our government remains on track with our fiscal plan to return Saskatchewan’s budget to balance in three years, by 2019-‘20.”
As the budget update was released in August, the opposition NDP were disappointed with the news.
“You don’t need to be a financial expert to know they should not be bragging about blowing through half of the budgeted contingency fund in the first quarter of the year,” said NDP Leader Nicole Sarauer. “The Sask. Party’s attempts to spin the facts would be laughable if the consequences weren’t hurting Saskatchewan families so deeply.”
The opposition party said there are many other key financial indicators that they were disappointed with.
“Under the Sask. Party, Saskatchewan is now seventh for retail trade, seventh for housing starts, eighth for wholesale trade, eighth for building permits, ninth in the country for employment, and the Saskatchewan unemployment rate is higher than the national average for the first time since 1989.”
With a large task ahead at trying to balance the budget for Saskatchewan over the next three years, Harpauer was not the only one with a new portfolio. Other MLAs were also part of the shuffle including another local MLA Greg Brkich, who becomes the new Government House Leader. During his past terms, the MLA for Arm River has served as the Deputy Speaker and Chair of the Committee of the Whole, Vice-Chair of the Caucus Standing Policy Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs and Justice and was a member of the Legislature’s Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs and Justice, the Private Bills House Committee, Treasury Board, and the Investment Board. Premier Brad Wall also appointed Brkich as Legislative Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, Agriculture Programs Innovation Initiative.
Meanwhile, Doherty, who was the Minister of Finance is now Minister of Advanced Education while Deputy Premier Don Morgan becomes Minister of Justice and Attorney General, while retaining responsibility for Labour and the Workers’ Compensation Board. Bronwyn Eyre becomes Minister of Education and Minister responsible for the Status of Women and Dustin Duncan becomes Minister of Environment and Minister responsible for SaskPower, SaskWater, the Water Security Agency and the Global Transportation Hub. Nancy Heppner re-enters cabinet as Minister of Energy and Resources and Minister responsible for the Public Service Commission; Paul Merriman becomes Minister of Social Services and Government Deputy House Leader; Steven Bonk becomes Minister of Economy and Minister responsible for Tourism Saskatchewan, Innovation and Trade; Larry Doke becomes Minister of Government Relations and Minister responsible for First Nations, Métis and Northern Affairs; and Gene Makowsky becomes Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport and Minister responsible for Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority.
Six other ministers retained their current cabinet responsibilities including Lyle Stewart, Jim Reiter, Greg Ottenbreit, Christine Tell, Joe Hargrave and David Marit. Warren Kaeding becomes Legislative Secretary to the Minister responsible for SaskTel (cellular and internet coverage) along with his current duties as Legislative Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture.
The shuffle was made following the removal of MLA Bill Boyd after the province’s conflict of interest commissioner concluded a recent trip to China Boyd took fell below the standards expected of MLAs. Boyd is reportedly facing charges for environmental violations. In addition, cabinet ministers vying to be the next leader of the party also have to give up their portfolios after Wall announced Aug. 10 that he would be retiring as premier and from elected politics when a new leader is elected.
Harpauer, who was first elected in 1999 (the same time as Wall) said she has taken a keen interest in who will be the next leader of the party. However, for the long-time MLA, when it came time to decide if she would make a run at the premier’s chair, Harpauer was quick to reply.
“Nope,” she chuckled. “There are a number showing interest but no I am not considering it.”
Current MLAs Jeremy Harrison (who withdrew his name Sept. 1 to back Scott Moe), Alanna Koch, Ken Cheveldayoff, Gord Wyant and Tina Beaudry-Mellor all tossed their names into the ring and this past Friday, MLA for Rosthern-Shellbrook Scott Moe added his name to the list. Like Harpauer, Moe comes from rural Saskatchewan and Harpauer, who was raised on a farm near Guernsey said she has decided to throw her support behind Moe. With rural Saskatchewan roots, Harpauer said Moe has a strong vision and would make for a good leader, standing up for Saskatchewan and facing issues like the carbon tax.
“I think it is going to be a good race and obviously there is still support for our party and that is good to see. The people that are interested in leading our party are pretty strong. I know that we are facing challenging times right now but in the big picture we are definitely in a better spot than we were a decade ago. As much as we have challenges and resource revenue, I think our province is still strong.”
Following a meeting of the provincial council, the Saskatchewan Party will elect its new leader at a leadership convention Jan. 27, 2018, in Saskatoon. The leader will be elected through a one-member, one-vote voting system. The Saskatchewan Party also released all of the leadership election campaign rules which included: the nomination filing deadline for candidates is Nov. 24; a filing fee of $25,000 will be required from all candidates; there will be a campaign expense limit of $250,000; candidates will be required to disclose the names of all donors who made donations of $250 or more; and the membership sales deadline in order to be eligible to vote is Dec. 8, in order to ensure all members that request a mail-in ballot receive one.
While Harpauer and others wait to see who becomes the next leader of the party, she also reflected on her time working with and for Wall.
“Brad and I were first elected in 1999 so we’ve been together throughout the journey of his career. I have to say to have him as a colleague and a friend has truly been an honour. He is a great leader and I think he has been a very, very steady leader for our province and I’ve been proud and honoured to serve with him and for him.”
The MLA for Humboldt-Watrous said while a lot of things have happened since the party formed government in 2007, she felt Wall has moved the province in a positive direction.
“It is exciting that we have record population growth that we’ve seen in the history of the province as well as the number of tax initiatives that we put forward that helps the most vulnerable in the province. Brad has been someone that I can trust, he has a sense of humour, he can be serious and has been a great example and I think he will leave a lasting legacy in our province.”
TWM Top Story - Aug. 28, 2017
Work continues at BHP’s Jansen site: no sanction consideration for 2018
By Daniel Bushman
Despite BHP’s Jansen project not going to the board for sanction consideration in 2018, work continues on the shafts at the mine site located between Jansen and LeRoy. Bronwyn Wilkinson with BHP said the results for the financial year (FY17) ending June 2017 were presented in London and Melbourne Aug. 22 and it was during that time the company indicated that Jansen will not go to the board for sanction consideration during the 2018 calendar year. The news of the sanction not moving forward in 2018 comes a few months after CEO Andrew Mackenzie indicated that there was the possibility the Jansen project could go to the board for sanction as early as June 2018.
Despite the date for the sanction being pushed back, Wilkinson said that will not stop progress at the site where crews continue to sink the production and service shafts.
“Projects by their nature can take a long time to get to sanction and Jansen is a really big investment and it is a greenfield project in a commodity that is new to us,” Wilkinson said. “We have to make sure we are doing it right. I think it is something that any responsible company does and that is go very very cautiously on big investments.”
While some across the globe and Saskatchewan began questioning the ‘delay’ and what it would mean for the future of the Jansen project, analyst Ben Isaacson with Scotiabank released a report Aug. 22 stating the market may be reading too much from the so-called Jansen delay headlines.
In the report provided to The Watrous Manitou, it stated, “Simply put, we do not think Jansen is delayed. What has been delayed is management seeking board approval to greenlight the project in 2018. We don’t consider this a real delay, as capex and construction to complete the shafts will continue unchanged through the end of 2019. Therefore, board approval is not required for another two years . . .”
Reiterating the fact that work will continue on the shafts and on the project while BHP looks at its options to enhance the returns on the project, Mackenzie said, “I would just point out that once we have completed the shafts, we will have totally de-risked the project. We will have dealt with all the difficult parts of it.”
While the work on the shafts continues, so too does the focus on growing the project to become a strong part of BHP’s future. Peter Beavan, BHP’s Chief Financial Officer indicated the world will need a new potash supply but the timing of the supply and demand gap remains uncertain. However, Beavan said, “We do think sometime in the 2020s we are going to see a requirement in that market for some form of new greenfield production.”
While BHP will not seek sanction to go to the board during the 2018 calendar year, Wilkinson said it will give the company some more time to work on studies around the project and deliver value that they will be looking at in those studies. “It will also allow us to investigate other options, for instance, like looking for a potential partner in the project.”
So far, approximately $3.8 billion has been committed to the project and at the end of the financial year (June 30, 2017), the production shaft had reached about 75 percent of its planned depth (planned depth is ~975 m) and the service shaft about 70 percent (planned depth ~one km).
By Daniel Bushman
Despite BHP’s Jansen project not going to the board for sanction consideration in 2018, work continues on the shafts at the mine site located between Jansen and LeRoy. Bronwyn Wilkinson with BHP said the results for the financial year (FY17) ending June 2017 were presented in London and Melbourne Aug. 22 and it was during that time the company indicated that Jansen will not go to the board for sanction consideration during the 2018 calendar year. The news of the sanction not moving forward in 2018 comes a few months after CEO Andrew Mackenzie indicated that there was the possibility the Jansen project could go to the board for sanction as early as June 2018.
Despite the date for the sanction being pushed back, Wilkinson said that will not stop progress at the site where crews continue to sink the production and service shafts.
“Projects by their nature can take a long time to get to sanction and Jansen is a really big investment and it is a greenfield project in a commodity that is new to us,” Wilkinson said. “We have to make sure we are doing it right. I think it is something that any responsible company does and that is go very very cautiously on big investments.”
While some across the globe and Saskatchewan began questioning the ‘delay’ and what it would mean for the future of the Jansen project, analyst Ben Isaacson with Scotiabank released a report Aug. 22 stating the market may be reading too much from the so-called Jansen delay headlines.
In the report provided to The Watrous Manitou, it stated, “Simply put, we do not think Jansen is delayed. What has been delayed is management seeking board approval to greenlight the project in 2018. We don’t consider this a real delay, as capex and construction to complete the shafts will continue unchanged through the end of 2019. Therefore, board approval is not required for another two years . . .”
Reiterating the fact that work will continue on the shafts and on the project while BHP looks at its options to enhance the returns on the project, Mackenzie said, “I would just point out that once we have completed the shafts, we will have totally de-risked the project. We will have dealt with all the difficult parts of it.”
While the work on the shafts continues, so too does the focus on growing the project to become a strong part of BHP’s future. Peter Beavan, BHP’s Chief Financial Officer indicated the world will need a new potash supply but the timing of the supply and demand gap remains uncertain. However, Beavan said, “We do think sometime in the 2020s we are going to see a requirement in that market for some form of new greenfield production.”
While BHP will not seek sanction to go to the board during the 2018 calendar year, Wilkinson said it will give the company some more time to work on studies around the project and deliver value that they will be looking at in those studies. “It will also allow us to investigate other options, for instance, like looking for a potential partner in the project.”
So far, approximately $3.8 billion has been committed to the project and at the end of the financial year (June 30, 2017), the production shaft had reached about 75 percent of its planned depth (planned depth is ~975 m) and the service shaft about 70 percent (planned depth ~one km).
TWM Top Story - Aug. 21, 2017
New physician coming to Watrous as another departs
Daniel Bushman
After providing service to Watrous, Imperial and the surrounding communities for nearly three years, physician Dr. Mohamed Elgendy will be moving closer to his family later next month. While Elgendy’s time in the area comes to an end, the Saskatoon Health Region in partnership with the Town of Watrous have been busy recruiting another physician.
Elgendy said, “Undoubtedly, it is hard for me to leave Watrous and Imperial after being part of this wonderful community. I arrived years ago, and what made it easy for me to settle down is receiving so much support at all levels. It is quite emotional for me to be leaving, but in order to be back with my family, I am going to move to Regina. I want to express my thanks to the community, and I know you will be in the good hands of my colleagues.”
Watrous Town Administrator Orrin Redden said the community is appreciative of Dr. Elgendy and the time he dedicated towards his patients and staff. “We want to wish him well in the future.”
Manager with Primary Health Care for the Saskatoon Health Region, Angela Luron said Elgendy will finish out his three year contract in September before moving to Regina.
“We fully understand and support his decision to be with his family and we know it hasn’t been easy living away from them for quite a while now,” Luron said. “Dr. Elgendy has been a strong member of the primary health care team and the acute care team as well as the long-term care team. The health region is very thankful for his many contributions and know he is going to be missed by his teams, patients and by the communities of Watrous and Imperial.”
While Elgendy departs next month, come October, Dr. Olanike Adebayo will be joining the local team in Watrous and Imperial. Between Elgendy’s departure and Olanike’s arrival, locum support has been obtained for certain days in September and October to help with the transition. Doctor Akhtar, Dr. Choudhary, and nurse practitioner Jessica Niyongabo will also support this physician transition.
Already residing in Canada for several years, Adebayo is familiar with the medical system and is currently completing the SIPPA training program. From there she will join the Watrous and Imperial team in October. Adebayo obtained her medical training in Nigeria with many years of medical experience in different clinical settings in Nigeria and the area including emergency, long-term care and general family practice.
Luron said both Olanike and her husband have visited Watrous and Imperial and are really looking forward to establishing life in a smaller community while their grown children live in various provinces taking post-secondary education.
Redden said the town is looking forward to the arrival of Adebayo and are grateful for the efforts made by the Saskatoon Health Region, Luron and the primary health team for their ability to quickly recruit a physician to take over from Elgendy.
Having three physicians working in the local facilities, the team also includes a nurse practitioner and Luron said the four provide the area with a strong team.
“Our physicians and nurse practitioner provide care within a collaborative practice model so that means a community member can been seen by any one of the four providers. Since we’ve implemented the electronic medical record system in 2015, this makes sure that any of the four providers can access the patient information that they need in order to have the full story and all of the information required to provide the best care.”
With a focus on providing solid care and the expected arrival of Adebayo in a couple of months, Luron said Nurse Practitioner Jessica Niyongabo has also accepted another one year term position.
“We are very pleased that Jessica Niyongabo has accepted another temporary, full-time nurse practitioner position with the team, while Erin Boyce remains on leave from this position. Now that Jessica has established her clinical practice as a nurse practitioner, she will be looking for opportunities to reach out in the community to support health promotion for children, youth, and adults.”
Luron said those opportunities may include specific health information/education talks, as well as other opportunities and community projects to connect and support healthy living and illness prevention.
“Health promotion is a very important part of primary health, so we invite community members to reach out to Jessica if they have ideas. This can be done through the idea box in the primary health centre waiting room, or by calling Jessica at the health centre (306-946-1241).”
Daniel Bushman
After providing service to Watrous, Imperial and the surrounding communities for nearly three years, physician Dr. Mohamed Elgendy will be moving closer to his family later next month. While Elgendy’s time in the area comes to an end, the Saskatoon Health Region in partnership with the Town of Watrous have been busy recruiting another physician.
Elgendy said, “Undoubtedly, it is hard for me to leave Watrous and Imperial after being part of this wonderful community. I arrived years ago, and what made it easy for me to settle down is receiving so much support at all levels. It is quite emotional for me to be leaving, but in order to be back with my family, I am going to move to Regina. I want to express my thanks to the community, and I know you will be in the good hands of my colleagues.”
Watrous Town Administrator Orrin Redden said the community is appreciative of Dr. Elgendy and the time he dedicated towards his patients and staff. “We want to wish him well in the future.”
Manager with Primary Health Care for the Saskatoon Health Region, Angela Luron said Elgendy will finish out his three year contract in September before moving to Regina.
“We fully understand and support his decision to be with his family and we know it hasn’t been easy living away from them for quite a while now,” Luron said. “Dr. Elgendy has been a strong member of the primary health care team and the acute care team as well as the long-term care team. The health region is very thankful for his many contributions and know he is going to be missed by his teams, patients and by the communities of Watrous and Imperial.”
While Elgendy departs next month, come October, Dr. Olanike Adebayo will be joining the local team in Watrous and Imperial. Between Elgendy’s departure and Olanike’s arrival, locum support has been obtained for certain days in September and October to help with the transition. Doctor Akhtar, Dr. Choudhary, and nurse practitioner Jessica Niyongabo will also support this physician transition.
Already residing in Canada for several years, Adebayo is familiar with the medical system and is currently completing the SIPPA training program. From there she will join the Watrous and Imperial team in October. Adebayo obtained her medical training in Nigeria with many years of medical experience in different clinical settings in Nigeria and the area including emergency, long-term care and general family practice.
Luron said both Olanike and her husband have visited Watrous and Imperial and are really looking forward to establishing life in a smaller community while their grown children live in various provinces taking post-secondary education.
Redden said the town is looking forward to the arrival of Adebayo and are grateful for the efforts made by the Saskatoon Health Region, Luron and the primary health team for their ability to quickly recruit a physician to take over from Elgendy.
Having three physicians working in the local facilities, the team also includes a nurse practitioner and Luron said the four provide the area with a strong team.
“Our physicians and nurse practitioner provide care within a collaborative practice model so that means a community member can been seen by any one of the four providers. Since we’ve implemented the electronic medical record system in 2015, this makes sure that any of the four providers can access the patient information that they need in order to have the full story and all of the information required to provide the best care.”
With a focus on providing solid care and the expected arrival of Adebayo in a couple of months, Luron said Nurse Practitioner Jessica Niyongabo has also accepted another one year term position.
“We are very pleased that Jessica Niyongabo has accepted another temporary, full-time nurse practitioner position with the team, while Erin Boyce remains on leave from this position. Now that Jessica has established her clinical practice as a nurse practitioner, she will be looking for opportunities to reach out in the community to support health promotion for children, youth, and adults.”
Luron said those opportunities may include specific health information/education talks, as well as other opportunities and community projects to connect and support healthy living and illness prevention.
“Health promotion is a very important part of primary health, so we invite community members to reach out to Jessica if they have ideas. This can be done through the idea box in the primary health centre waiting room, or by calling Jessica at the health centre (306-946-1241).”
TWM Top Story - Aug. 14, 2017
Forever Young
mural unveiled
By Daniel Bushman
At 20 feet high, spanning 80 feet in length and mounted 10 feet above the ground, the world’s largest free-standing mural can be found at the village of Young. The mural, created by local artist Michael Gaudet has already been attracting people to the area while catching the eye of those travelling along Hwy. 2 next to the community. Located near the road, the Forever Young mural was permanently put up on a huge steel frame and unveiled in July for all to see.
Forever Young fundraising committee member Agnes Thompson said the idea for the mural came about in 2010 after a group of people involved with the community’s 100 year celebration decided a mural depicting Young’s heritage, culture and history over the past 100 years would be a wonderful tribute to the village.
“We believe it to be one of a kind and on a scale of one to 10, our committee is at a 15 for thrilled,” said Thompson.
After the idea was born in 2010, Gaudet was hired to create the mural within the community’s hockey arena. With experience of constructing more than 60 large murals across Canada over three decades, Gaudet, a Manitou Beach artist and author, made the world’s largest free-standing mural just a 15 minute drive from his home. Painting started in late spring of 2012 and six months later, the project was completed featuring 31 images in a montage style design. Gaudet said all of the scenes and people are recognizable and sourced from the Young history book and also from private photograph collections from the community.
In addition to the unique mural, Gaudet said a legend is also being created near the left-hand side of the outdoor structure and will feature an outline of every aspect of the mural that will have a number designating its meaning. Below that will be a list of all the pictures that will allow viewers to identify all of the images.
Gaudet said the mural of monumental proportions was a challenging one to paint. “Not only was it a lot of physical work, at 1,600 square feet, but the images themselves were very detailed and rigorous to paint. My technique calls for about 15 glazes over the entire surface, so in all, the painting entailed about 24,000 square feet of application to finish. That’s a lot.”
When it comes to mural projects like the one he did in Young, Gaudet said he begins each creation by collaborating with stakeholders in order to come up with an authorized design.
“Once this happens, the rough sketches are upgraded to a scale drawing that is suitable to be replicated as a limited edition print. The print can then be marketed in order to raise funds for the mural.”
As funds were raised and the mural completed, posts were put 11 feet into the ground next to Hwy. 2 earlier this year in order to hold the finished project. The stand itself weighs approximately 26,000 pounds and there is 900 feet of 2 x 6, 640 feet of channel iron, the support pipes are 16 inches in diameter and there is 3/8” wall thickness. A total of 275 cubic yards of gravel was also used in the trench that was dug to support the base of the mural.
Thompson said, “Due to the weight we hired a crane to put it up and we had additional help from Melron Services and some of their equipment. We also had use of additional equipment from some of our committee members and putting it up was achieved with little problem.”
As the committee worked on erecting the mural near Hwy. 2, Gaudet did some last minute touches as many people stopped by. “Most would take photos and move on but those that stopped and came down to chat, those folks were excited and full of compliments for those that persevered to see it standing.”
With the committee hoping to see the free-standing structure as a place to stop and even make a day trip to, Thompson said,“We see some nice landscaping with grass and gravel, picnic tables, benches, washrooms, lighting and parking. The possibilities are endless and of course, as always, dependent on funds.”
So far, the cost to date has been approximately $55,000 and the majority of the total funds to cover that cost have come from many fundraisers including Texas Hold ‘em nights. “Of course we have had many donations from people that are supportive of the project.”
Agnes said they had tremendous help from many over the years starting with a large committee. However, she added people’s commitments and priorities changed over time so currently the committee consists of Wayne and Nancy Holdner, Lyle and Gwen Johnson, Terry Sperling, Leanne Deneiko and Agnes Thompson.
“The committee had a vision of making this into a huge mural for all the world to see, as a matter of pride for us. We believe the mural will provide a wow factor by any and all who see it, and put Young on the map. And with that, the entire community can feel proud to call this place their home!”
For those interested in checking the mural out, plans are underway to celebrate its completion with a ribbon cutting ceremony in Young, slated for 2 p.m. Aug. 26.
mural unveiled
By Daniel Bushman
At 20 feet high, spanning 80 feet in length and mounted 10 feet above the ground, the world’s largest free-standing mural can be found at the village of Young. The mural, created by local artist Michael Gaudet has already been attracting people to the area while catching the eye of those travelling along Hwy. 2 next to the community. Located near the road, the Forever Young mural was permanently put up on a huge steel frame and unveiled in July for all to see.
Forever Young fundraising committee member Agnes Thompson said the idea for the mural came about in 2010 after a group of people involved with the community’s 100 year celebration decided a mural depicting Young’s heritage, culture and history over the past 100 years would be a wonderful tribute to the village.
“We believe it to be one of a kind and on a scale of one to 10, our committee is at a 15 for thrilled,” said Thompson.
After the idea was born in 2010, Gaudet was hired to create the mural within the community’s hockey arena. With experience of constructing more than 60 large murals across Canada over three decades, Gaudet, a Manitou Beach artist and author, made the world’s largest free-standing mural just a 15 minute drive from his home. Painting started in late spring of 2012 and six months later, the project was completed featuring 31 images in a montage style design. Gaudet said all of the scenes and people are recognizable and sourced from the Young history book and also from private photograph collections from the community.
In addition to the unique mural, Gaudet said a legend is also being created near the left-hand side of the outdoor structure and will feature an outline of every aspect of the mural that will have a number designating its meaning. Below that will be a list of all the pictures that will allow viewers to identify all of the images.
Gaudet said the mural of monumental proportions was a challenging one to paint. “Not only was it a lot of physical work, at 1,600 square feet, but the images themselves were very detailed and rigorous to paint. My technique calls for about 15 glazes over the entire surface, so in all, the painting entailed about 24,000 square feet of application to finish. That’s a lot.”
When it comes to mural projects like the one he did in Young, Gaudet said he begins each creation by collaborating with stakeholders in order to come up with an authorized design.
“Once this happens, the rough sketches are upgraded to a scale drawing that is suitable to be replicated as a limited edition print. The print can then be marketed in order to raise funds for the mural.”
As funds were raised and the mural completed, posts were put 11 feet into the ground next to Hwy. 2 earlier this year in order to hold the finished project. The stand itself weighs approximately 26,000 pounds and there is 900 feet of 2 x 6, 640 feet of channel iron, the support pipes are 16 inches in diameter and there is 3/8” wall thickness. A total of 275 cubic yards of gravel was also used in the trench that was dug to support the base of the mural.
Thompson said, “Due to the weight we hired a crane to put it up and we had additional help from Melron Services and some of their equipment. We also had use of additional equipment from some of our committee members and putting it up was achieved with little problem.”
As the committee worked on erecting the mural near Hwy. 2, Gaudet did some last minute touches as many people stopped by. “Most would take photos and move on but those that stopped and came down to chat, those folks were excited and full of compliments for those that persevered to see it standing.”
With the committee hoping to see the free-standing structure as a place to stop and even make a day trip to, Thompson said,“We see some nice landscaping with grass and gravel, picnic tables, benches, washrooms, lighting and parking. The possibilities are endless and of course, as always, dependent on funds.”
So far, the cost to date has been approximately $55,000 and the majority of the total funds to cover that cost have come from many fundraisers including Texas Hold ‘em nights. “Of course we have had many donations from people that are supportive of the project.”
Agnes said they had tremendous help from many over the years starting with a large committee. However, she added people’s commitments and priorities changed over time so currently the committee consists of Wayne and Nancy Holdner, Lyle and Gwen Johnson, Terry Sperling, Leanne Deneiko and Agnes Thompson.
“The committee had a vision of making this into a huge mural for all the world to see, as a matter of pride for us. We believe the mural will provide a wow factor by any and all who see it, and put Young on the map. And with that, the entire community can feel proud to call this place their home!”
For those interested in checking the mural out, plans are underway to celebrate its completion with a ribbon cutting ceremony in Young, slated for 2 p.m. Aug. 26.
TWM Top Story - Aug. 7, 2017
Chase ends in Watrous
By Daniel Bushman
Three people face numerous charges after a high speed chase originating in Saskatoon involving police, an air support unit, canine members and spike belts came to an end in Watrous July 25. In addition, the three that were apprehended were found to have outstanding warrants while the vehicle involved in the pursuit was previously identified as being used in a number of local area property crimes.
Shortly after 1 p.m., July 25, Saskatoon Police observed a vehicle believed to be stolen in the 1500 block of Lorne Ave. in Saskatoon. Despite attempts to stop the vehicle, it evaded police and continued driving erratically at high speeds. Saskatoon Police Service’s Air Support Unit tracked the vehicle, relaying its position to ground units.
As the vehicle was leaving city limits, a pair of passengers left the vehicle near Range Road 3040 and attempted to hide in the bushes. Police apprehended 40-year-old Dana Blackie and 26-year-old Jennafer Lane and took them into custody. The driver of the vehicle, 38-year-old Michael Basaraba, continued to evade police and shortly before 4 p.m., Watrous RCMP were advised of the high speed pursuit which was entering the detachment’s area on Hwy. 763 just east of Allan.
The suspect vehicle evaded a spike belt deployed at the junction of Hwy. 763 and Hwy. 2 west of Young and continued east through Young towards Watrous. At Renown Road and Hwy. 2, a Watrous officer was able to successfully deploy another spike belt. Despite having a flat tire, the suspect reached an area close to Centennial Ford where he abandoned the vehicle. Fleeing on foot for a short distance, Basaraba was tackled by another Watrous officer. The suspect was then taken into custody by Saskatoon City Police with assistance from air support and canine members and transported back to Saskatoon.
Basaraba along with Blackie and Lane are charged with:
• Careless use of firearm (x2);
• Possession of Dangerous Weapon (x2);
• Carry Concealed Weapon (x2);
• Unauthorized Possession of Firearm (x2);
• Unauthorized Possession of Firearm in Vehicle (x2);
• Possession of a Prohibited Firearm with Ammunition (x2); and
• Possession of Weapon Obtained by Commission of Offence (x2).
Basaraba is also charged with:
• Possession of Stolen Property Over $5,000;
• Dangerous Operation of Motor Vehicle;
• Evading Police; and
• Possession of Firearms Contrary to Order (x2).
All three individuals were also found to have outstanding warrants. Each made an appearance in court Aug. 3.
The suspect vehicle involved in the pursuit was also identified as being used in a number of recent property crimes off Breckner Road, located in and around the RM of Morris.
On June 27th Watrous RCMP were called to a break and enter at a rural property in the RM of Morris off Breckner Road. A work shop had been broken into and a pellet gun and .12 gauge shotgun were reported as stolen. Later that afternoon Watrous RCMP received a call of a suspicious vehicle in a field within the RM. A description and licence plate was obtained and when checked, the licence was stolen from a vehicle north of Osler. Used .12 gauge shotgun shells were also found in the field where the truck had been.
Then on July 5th, Watrous RCMP responded to another break, enter and theft at the same location off Breckner Road. This time a different work shop was broken into and a large quantity of tools were stolen.
On July 14th, RCMP received a call of a large fuel theft which had occurred overnight from the Crop Production Services yard south of Watrous off Hwy. 2. One thousand dollars worth of fuel and fuel pumps were stolen.
The following day, the same rural property off Breckner Road was entered and fuel stolen from the farm fuel tanks. The following morning a 1999 Dodge Ram, which had the keys left in it, was stolen from a farm in the RM of Viscount. Later that afternoon suspects attempting to steal fuel from farm tanks from the rural property off Breckner Road were confronted by the land owner. The suspects were in the 1999 Dodge Ram and a newer white Dodge Ram. A license plate number was obtained which later was found to be stolen from a truck at an acreage in the Pike Lake area. The 1999 Dodge was later located off Ave. M in Saskatoon on July 21st.
The investigation into the incidents is ongoing.
The RCMP would like to remind people to not leave their keys in vehicles, even if the vehicle is in a shop it can be stolen if the shop is broken into. This is important in light of SGI considering penalties or added premiums in the event a vehicle is stolen with the keys left in it. Do not leave firearms in the back seat of vehicles or in shops and sheds, they should be kept under lock and key. Many of these stolen firearms end up chopped down and in the hands of street gangs in the city which pose a risk to others and police. If you are going to be away from your property for holidays alert your neighbours and ask them to check on your place. Trail cameras set up on access points to property have in the past provided police with good pictures of suspects and vehicles. Consider setting up Agri-watch groups in your area and linking one another on Facebook, if you would like more information on Agri-Watch contact the Watrous RCMP office.
If you have any information on these crimes or any others please contact your local RCMP detachment or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
By Daniel Bushman
Three people face numerous charges after a high speed chase originating in Saskatoon involving police, an air support unit, canine members and spike belts came to an end in Watrous July 25. In addition, the three that were apprehended were found to have outstanding warrants while the vehicle involved in the pursuit was previously identified as being used in a number of local area property crimes.
Shortly after 1 p.m., July 25, Saskatoon Police observed a vehicle believed to be stolen in the 1500 block of Lorne Ave. in Saskatoon. Despite attempts to stop the vehicle, it evaded police and continued driving erratically at high speeds. Saskatoon Police Service’s Air Support Unit tracked the vehicle, relaying its position to ground units.
As the vehicle was leaving city limits, a pair of passengers left the vehicle near Range Road 3040 and attempted to hide in the bushes. Police apprehended 40-year-old Dana Blackie and 26-year-old Jennafer Lane and took them into custody. The driver of the vehicle, 38-year-old Michael Basaraba, continued to evade police and shortly before 4 p.m., Watrous RCMP were advised of the high speed pursuit which was entering the detachment’s area on Hwy. 763 just east of Allan.
The suspect vehicle evaded a spike belt deployed at the junction of Hwy. 763 and Hwy. 2 west of Young and continued east through Young towards Watrous. At Renown Road and Hwy. 2, a Watrous officer was able to successfully deploy another spike belt. Despite having a flat tire, the suspect reached an area close to Centennial Ford where he abandoned the vehicle. Fleeing on foot for a short distance, Basaraba was tackled by another Watrous officer. The suspect was then taken into custody by Saskatoon City Police with assistance from air support and canine members and transported back to Saskatoon.
Basaraba along with Blackie and Lane are charged with:
• Careless use of firearm (x2);
• Possession of Dangerous Weapon (x2);
• Carry Concealed Weapon (x2);
• Unauthorized Possession of Firearm (x2);
• Unauthorized Possession of Firearm in Vehicle (x2);
• Possession of a Prohibited Firearm with Ammunition (x2); and
• Possession of Weapon Obtained by Commission of Offence (x2).
Basaraba is also charged with:
• Possession of Stolen Property Over $5,000;
• Dangerous Operation of Motor Vehicle;
• Evading Police; and
• Possession of Firearms Contrary to Order (x2).
All three individuals were also found to have outstanding warrants. Each made an appearance in court Aug. 3.
The suspect vehicle involved in the pursuit was also identified as being used in a number of recent property crimes off Breckner Road, located in and around the RM of Morris.
On June 27th Watrous RCMP were called to a break and enter at a rural property in the RM of Morris off Breckner Road. A work shop had been broken into and a pellet gun and .12 gauge shotgun were reported as stolen. Later that afternoon Watrous RCMP received a call of a suspicious vehicle in a field within the RM. A description and licence plate was obtained and when checked, the licence was stolen from a vehicle north of Osler. Used .12 gauge shotgun shells were also found in the field where the truck had been.
Then on July 5th, Watrous RCMP responded to another break, enter and theft at the same location off Breckner Road. This time a different work shop was broken into and a large quantity of tools were stolen.
On July 14th, RCMP received a call of a large fuel theft which had occurred overnight from the Crop Production Services yard south of Watrous off Hwy. 2. One thousand dollars worth of fuel and fuel pumps were stolen.
The following day, the same rural property off Breckner Road was entered and fuel stolen from the farm fuel tanks. The following morning a 1999 Dodge Ram, which had the keys left in it, was stolen from a farm in the RM of Viscount. Later that afternoon suspects attempting to steal fuel from farm tanks from the rural property off Breckner Road were confronted by the land owner. The suspects were in the 1999 Dodge Ram and a newer white Dodge Ram. A license plate number was obtained which later was found to be stolen from a truck at an acreage in the Pike Lake area. The 1999 Dodge was later located off Ave. M in Saskatoon on July 21st.
The investigation into the incidents is ongoing.
The RCMP would like to remind people to not leave their keys in vehicles, even if the vehicle is in a shop it can be stolen if the shop is broken into. This is important in light of SGI considering penalties or added premiums in the event a vehicle is stolen with the keys left in it. Do not leave firearms in the back seat of vehicles or in shops and sheds, they should be kept under lock and key. Many of these stolen firearms end up chopped down and in the hands of street gangs in the city which pose a risk to others and police. If you are going to be away from your property for holidays alert your neighbours and ask them to check on your place. Trail cameras set up on access points to property have in the past provided police with good pictures of suspects and vehicles. Consider setting up Agri-watch groups in your area and linking one another on Facebook, if you would like more information on Agri-Watch contact the Watrous RCMP office.
If you have any information on these crimes or any others please contact your local RCMP detachment or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
TWM Top Story - July 17, 2017
Loblaw responds to public frustrations
By Daniel Bushman
It has been two years since Watrous Shop Easy closed its doors and despite earlier efforts by the previous owners to keep the store open in 2015, the building at 215 Main Street in Watrous remains vacant. While Loblaw, the national company that now owns the place, continues to seek a new owner, many residents and former customers of the grocery store and flower shop have become disappointed with the current situation of the property.
Leading up to the Watrous - Manitou Beach Canada 150 Homecoming, which took place over the July long weekend, several residents reached out to Loblaw regarding the state of the building and its vacancy. On Facebook, one post written by a local resident contained an updated photo of the exterior and was shared to Loblaw, asking the company to “notice the broken window, askew blinds, dirty torn posters and peeling paint.” The post continued, “That is not even mentioning the winter conditions of snow and ice that accumulate on the sidewalk and that is removed by community workers and not at your expense. Our community is hosting a homecoming this weekend that will see our area’s size double. This is what our guests will see and the image they will take home in their minds of our downtown. Not very nice is it? Please be reminded that when you chose to close a thriving business that had local owners who cared, the building did NOT look anything like it does now.”
The Watrous Manitou reached out to Loblaw seeking comment on the status of the building and also requested a response from the company to pass along to concerned residents. Tammy Smitham, Vice President, External Communication, Loblaw Companies Limited said, “Since the closure of the Watrous Shop Easy, we have been actively seeking a buyer for the property and have listed the property nationally to improve our opportunities to find a buyer. We are currently working with a property manager who is responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of the property. Residents raised concerns with the property and we are working to address those concerns. We apologize to the residents of Watrous for the inconvenience. Should residents continue to have concerns, we welcome the feedback.”
Community Development Officer for the area Brendan Manz, who is also part of the Watrous Manitou Marketing Group said the local group would like to see someone take over the building and they continue to remain in contact with Loblaw regarding the property.
“The town has fielded calls for the property but nothing has transpired so far.”
In 2015, previous owners Jerry and Gloria Luscombe said they tried to work with Loblaw to renew a viable lease or purchase the property but despite their best efforts, the Luscombes were left with the difficult decision to close the doors on the 5,738 square foot building.
“There were several factors that came into play when negotiating the purchase of the building from Loblaw,” said Gloria. “With the building being 57 years old, it required several updates. Although some repairs were made to the building to address health and safety issues, there were still many necessary outstanding repairs and improvements that were required. Along with the building concerns there would need to be additional updates to obsolete lighting and refrigeration. Lastly, signing a 10-year franchise agreement would not have been viable given uncertain economic times.”
Gloria said it has been tough since they were left with the difficult choice to close. “It’s been two years and we still feel the loss both personally and for the community as well. It is heartbreaking to see the empty building and frustrating to think that Loblaw would not negotiate something feasible that would have benefited everyone involved.”
By Daniel Bushman
It has been two years since Watrous Shop Easy closed its doors and despite earlier efforts by the previous owners to keep the store open in 2015, the building at 215 Main Street in Watrous remains vacant. While Loblaw, the national company that now owns the place, continues to seek a new owner, many residents and former customers of the grocery store and flower shop have become disappointed with the current situation of the property.
Leading up to the Watrous - Manitou Beach Canada 150 Homecoming, which took place over the July long weekend, several residents reached out to Loblaw regarding the state of the building and its vacancy. On Facebook, one post written by a local resident contained an updated photo of the exterior and was shared to Loblaw, asking the company to “notice the broken window, askew blinds, dirty torn posters and peeling paint.” The post continued, “That is not even mentioning the winter conditions of snow and ice that accumulate on the sidewalk and that is removed by community workers and not at your expense. Our community is hosting a homecoming this weekend that will see our area’s size double. This is what our guests will see and the image they will take home in their minds of our downtown. Not very nice is it? Please be reminded that when you chose to close a thriving business that had local owners who cared, the building did NOT look anything like it does now.”
The Watrous Manitou reached out to Loblaw seeking comment on the status of the building and also requested a response from the company to pass along to concerned residents. Tammy Smitham, Vice President, External Communication, Loblaw Companies Limited said, “Since the closure of the Watrous Shop Easy, we have been actively seeking a buyer for the property and have listed the property nationally to improve our opportunities to find a buyer. We are currently working with a property manager who is responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of the property. Residents raised concerns with the property and we are working to address those concerns. We apologize to the residents of Watrous for the inconvenience. Should residents continue to have concerns, we welcome the feedback.”
Community Development Officer for the area Brendan Manz, who is also part of the Watrous Manitou Marketing Group said the local group would like to see someone take over the building and they continue to remain in contact with Loblaw regarding the property.
“The town has fielded calls for the property but nothing has transpired so far.”
In 2015, previous owners Jerry and Gloria Luscombe said they tried to work with Loblaw to renew a viable lease or purchase the property but despite their best efforts, the Luscombes were left with the difficult decision to close the doors on the 5,738 square foot building.
“There were several factors that came into play when negotiating the purchase of the building from Loblaw,” said Gloria. “With the building being 57 years old, it required several updates. Although some repairs were made to the building to address health and safety issues, there were still many necessary outstanding repairs and improvements that were required. Along with the building concerns there would need to be additional updates to obsolete lighting and refrigeration. Lastly, signing a 10-year franchise agreement would not have been viable given uncertain economic times.”
Gloria said it has been tough since they were left with the difficult choice to close. “It’s been two years and we still feel the loss both personally and for the community as well. It is heartbreaking to see the empty building and frustrating to think that Loblaw would not negotiate something feasible that would have benefited everyone involved.”
TWM Top Story - July 4, 2017
Homecoming celebration a huge success
Daniel Bushman
With over 900 people registered and even more than that number celebrating in Watrous and Manitou Beach, the Watrous - Manitou Beach Canada 150 Homecoming was a weekend to remember. Kicking off with registration June 30 and ending July 2, the celebration was jam-packed with events, entertainment, fun and memories.
Chairperson of the homecoming committee Karen Schroeder Mark was grateful to see so many people participating in the weekend’s festivities. “We also really appreciated the support from our business community in the form of donations to help offset the costs of the event and we felt the excitement and anticipation leading up to the start of the weekend as well.”
One of the major highlights of the weekend was the parade, with around 70 entries. After serving around 450 people at the pancake breakfast Saturday morning, people headed towards Main Street and other areas in town to catch a glimpse of the parade.
“There was a sense of general happiness on the morning of the parade as everyone assembled ready to have our first parade in several years. People were feeling proud and happy and when everyone gathered together for the parade, the feeling was really magnified.”
Schroeder Mark said a special mention goes out to Watrous resident Maynard Fossen for his efforts as the parade marshal. “It was because of his efforts that the parade was as good as it was. I also think it bears mentioning that people put a lot of effort into their floats. Their pride in their country, organization, or business was on full display that morning.”
After the parade Saturday morning, opening ceremonies were held with O Canada being performed, the cadet colour party brought in the flags and Sergeant Jeff Friedenstab raised the flag. Watrous Mayor Ed Collins, Manitou Beach Mayor Gerry Worobec and Reeve for the Rural Municipality of Morris Bob Penrose said a few words of welcome along with Schroeder Mark.
After the opening ceremony was held, a flyby took place and activities throughout Watrous and Manitou Beach were held. With lots of flags waving around town and properties spruced up, Schroeder Mark said she had never seen so many red and white planters.
With entertainment in the evenings Friday and Saturday, lots of volunteers lent a hand throughout the weekend. Schroeder Mark appreciated the many volunteers including the Kinsmen, School of Dance, the Daycare Committee, and Affinity Credit Union, who took over some large and key aspects of the weekend. Denise Lucas managed the bulk of the social media, posting on behalf of the committee and Earl Hayhurst of Video Stop set up shop Friday at the street dance, selling candy, popcorn and other treats.
“The Town of Watrous staff was also a huge help for the whole operation. Both the office staff (particularly Susan Jabs and Taya Tokarski) as well as the public works staff helped enormously and we appreciate that. The committee as a whole had to work pretty hard too, especially just before and during the weekend and that was tremendously appreciated.”
Schroeder Mark said the weekend as a whole was a big success and she has heard many compliments since. “The beach was also a big buzz of activity and those fireworks were spectacular and capped off a very memorable Canada Day. There were loads of people out to watch them. The beach looked very full. The people made this weekend what it was! When the planning is completed, it is just a framework within which people make their own fun. Our communities were ready to celebrate and it showed. Thanks everybody! We enjoyed helping you celebrate a huge milestone for Canada.”
Daniel Bushman
With over 900 people registered and even more than that number celebrating in Watrous and Manitou Beach, the Watrous - Manitou Beach Canada 150 Homecoming was a weekend to remember. Kicking off with registration June 30 and ending July 2, the celebration was jam-packed with events, entertainment, fun and memories.
Chairperson of the homecoming committee Karen Schroeder Mark was grateful to see so many people participating in the weekend’s festivities. “We also really appreciated the support from our business community in the form of donations to help offset the costs of the event and we felt the excitement and anticipation leading up to the start of the weekend as well.”
One of the major highlights of the weekend was the parade, with around 70 entries. After serving around 450 people at the pancake breakfast Saturday morning, people headed towards Main Street and other areas in town to catch a glimpse of the parade.
“There was a sense of general happiness on the morning of the parade as everyone assembled ready to have our first parade in several years. People were feeling proud and happy and when everyone gathered together for the parade, the feeling was really magnified.”
Schroeder Mark said a special mention goes out to Watrous resident Maynard Fossen for his efforts as the parade marshal. “It was because of his efforts that the parade was as good as it was. I also think it bears mentioning that people put a lot of effort into their floats. Their pride in their country, organization, or business was on full display that morning.”
After the parade Saturday morning, opening ceremonies were held with O Canada being performed, the cadet colour party brought in the flags and Sergeant Jeff Friedenstab raised the flag. Watrous Mayor Ed Collins, Manitou Beach Mayor Gerry Worobec and Reeve for the Rural Municipality of Morris Bob Penrose said a few words of welcome along with Schroeder Mark.
After the opening ceremony was held, a flyby took place and activities throughout Watrous and Manitou Beach were held. With lots of flags waving around town and properties spruced up, Schroeder Mark said she had never seen so many red and white planters.
With entertainment in the evenings Friday and Saturday, lots of volunteers lent a hand throughout the weekend. Schroeder Mark appreciated the many volunteers including the Kinsmen, School of Dance, the Daycare Committee, and Affinity Credit Union, who took over some large and key aspects of the weekend. Denise Lucas managed the bulk of the social media, posting on behalf of the committee and Earl Hayhurst of Video Stop set up shop Friday at the street dance, selling candy, popcorn and other treats.
“The Town of Watrous staff was also a huge help for the whole operation. Both the office staff (particularly Susan Jabs and Taya Tokarski) as well as the public works staff helped enormously and we appreciate that. The committee as a whole had to work pretty hard too, especially just before and during the weekend and that was tremendously appreciated.”
Schroeder Mark said the weekend as a whole was a big success and she has heard many compliments since. “The beach was also a big buzz of activity and those fireworks were spectacular and capped off a very memorable Canada Day. There were loads of people out to watch them. The beach looked very full. The people made this weekend what it was! When the planning is completed, it is just a framework within which people make their own fun. Our communities were ready to celebrate and it showed. Thanks everybody! We enjoyed helping you celebrate a huge milestone for Canada.”
Local area thrust into the spotlight
Daniel Bushman
With summer underway and people from various corners of the globe including Saskatchewan visiting Manitou Beach, the resort community and its unique lake continue to be recognized. Not only will the beach be featured nationally July 4 as part of Still Standing’s third season on CBC but it is also getting noticed by others.
Those who read Maclean’s Magazine may have noticed Manitou Beach and Watrous were recently profiled in an article entitled, Dreams of Canada by Allen Abel. According to the article, Abel spent time in Saskatchewan meeting many faces in a quest to find the true meaning of the vast country. Starting out, Abel visited Uranium City in northern Saskatchewan before venturing south through dozens of communities. As part of his adventures, Abel stopped at Manitou Beach where he chatted with Danceland co-owner Millie Strueby about her life, Danceland and its uniqueness.
During that time, it also happened to be the Winston High School graduation in Watrous (May 5) and so the writer popped by the curling rink to check it out. Abel chatted with Principal Terry Braman and graduate Brady Fossen. From there, Abel headed to Duck Lake to find out more about its history and continued along, profiling a variety of other prairie places. Photos including Strueby at Danceland, dancers enjoying Polkafest, the elevator in Watrous and a snapshot of graduation in Watrous make up the section in the magazine. The Watrous Manitou contacted Maclean’s Magazine a few weeks ago in an effort to conduct an interview about Abel’s visit and why he chose to visit and write about the area but TWM had not heard back as of press time.
Then just last week, Narcity, which highlights things to do and see in and around Regina, listed Manitou Beach as one of 13 incredible beaches in Saskatchewan you never knew existed. In the article on Narcity.com, writer Naomi Zurevinski noted that Saskatchewan has some gorgeous beaches close to Regina that are worth the drive to explore.
Under the one to two hour drive category listed in the article, Manitou Beach joins others like Echo Lake Public Beach, Sandy Beach, and Katepwa Lake Beach.
Here is what Zurevinski had to say about Manitou: “The beach here is beautiful, and if you want to stay and explore a little more, there’s plenty to do. This is a perfect location to camp or stay for a weekend because Manitou Beach also has a mineral spa, mini golf, and even a drive-in theatre.”
Community Development Officer Brendan Manz, who is also part of the Watrous Manitou Marketing Group said anytime the area is profiled in a positive way is a benefit to the region.
“Travel writers and bloggers have been visiting Manitou Beach for years and when they come we try to do the best we can to make them feel welcome. While we were not aware that Mr. Abel was in the area, it was great to see that Maclean’s Magazine decided to profile both Manitou Beach and Watrous. We are excited for the summer ahead and those who decide to visit. It once again reaffirms that Manitou Beach and Watrous are great places to live, play and do business in.
Daniel Bushman
With summer underway and people from various corners of the globe including Saskatchewan visiting Manitou Beach, the resort community and its unique lake continue to be recognized. Not only will the beach be featured nationally July 4 as part of Still Standing’s third season on CBC but it is also getting noticed by others.
Those who read Maclean’s Magazine may have noticed Manitou Beach and Watrous were recently profiled in an article entitled, Dreams of Canada by Allen Abel. According to the article, Abel spent time in Saskatchewan meeting many faces in a quest to find the true meaning of the vast country. Starting out, Abel visited Uranium City in northern Saskatchewan before venturing south through dozens of communities. As part of his adventures, Abel stopped at Manitou Beach where he chatted with Danceland co-owner Millie Strueby about her life, Danceland and its uniqueness.
During that time, it also happened to be the Winston High School graduation in Watrous (May 5) and so the writer popped by the curling rink to check it out. Abel chatted with Principal Terry Braman and graduate Brady Fossen. From there, Abel headed to Duck Lake to find out more about its history and continued along, profiling a variety of other prairie places. Photos including Strueby at Danceland, dancers enjoying Polkafest, the elevator in Watrous and a snapshot of graduation in Watrous make up the section in the magazine. The Watrous Manitou contacted Maclean’s Magazine a few weeks ago in an effort to conduct an interview about Abel’s visit and why he chose to visit and write about the area but TWM had not heard back as of press time.
Then just last week, Narcity, which highlights things to do and see in and around Regina, listed Manitou Beach as one of 13 incredible beaches in Saskatchewan you never knew existed. In the article on Narcity.com, writer Naomi Zurevinski noted that Saskatchewan has some gorgeous beaches close to Regina that are worth the drive to explore.
Under the one to two hour drive category listed in the article, Manitou Beach joins others like Echo Lake Public Beach, Sandy Beach, and Katepwa Lake Beach.
Here is what Zurevinski had to say about Manitou: “The beach here is beautiful, and if you want to stay and explore a little more, there’s plenty to do. This is a perfect location to camp or stay for a weekend because Manitou Beach also has a mineral spa, mini golf, and even a drive-in theatre.”
Community Development Officer Brendan Manz, who is also part of the Watrous Manitou Marketing Group said anytime the area is profiled in a positive way is a benefit to the region.
“Travel writers and bloggers have been visiting Manitou Beach for years and when they come we try to do the best we can to make them feel welcome. While we were not aware that Mr. Abel was in the area, it was great to see that Maclean’s Magazine decided to profile both Manitou Beach and Watrous. We are excited for the summer ahead and those who decide to visit. It once again reaffirms that Manitou Beach and Watrous are great places to live, play and do business in.
TWM Top Story - June 26, 2017
Ready to celebrate as homecoming arrives
Daniel Bushman
After many hours of planning and organizing, the candles will be lit, the cake cut and festivities underway as residents, familiar faces and visitors will commemorate Canada’s 150th birthday and the Watrous - Manitou Beach Homecoming this weekend. Chairperson of the Canada 150 Homecoming celebration Karen Schroeder Mark said the homecoming committee is looking forward to the festivities and seeing residents and visitors take in as much as they can from June 30 to July 2.
“I hope that people are excited to partake in all of the events and festivities that we’ve planned for them,” said Schroeder Mark. “We are also excited to have people return home and feel that the Canada 150 Homecoming celebration will be one to remember.”
With registration Friday and Saturday, those looking to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday will also be able to enjoy a variety of activities Saturday. Schroeder Mark said those interested in attending the beef on a bun supper held at the curling rink in Watrous will need to purchase their tickets by noon on June 27th.
“That will ensure that there will be enough food for those in attendance. We also have a lot of other things planned throughout the homecoming. We will have everything from a pancake breakfast and parade Saturday morning, to opening ceremonies at Cenotaph Park and a meet and greet and recognition of local businesses at the curling rink later in the afternoon. Entertainment has been lined up Friday evening and Saturday and suppers are also planned. It will be a lot of fun for everyone and there will be something for people of all ages to enjoy.”
Schroeder Mark said they have also got heritage displays, bingo, monster truck rides, an art show, the grand opening of the Rotary Walking Trail phase two, bouncy castles, a Beach Boogie, and pool activities all set to go.
As for the parade, a kids bike parade will commence at 10:15 a.m. followed by the larger parade at 10:30 a.m. The parade will start with floats lined up between the elementary and high schools. From there, it will go along 8th Ave. E. before turning on Main Street. Heading south on Main Street, floats will turn left at 2nd Ave. E. and then make another left a few blocks later at 3rd St. E. The parade route will end at 8th Ave. E. near the Watrous and District Health Complex.
While the majority of activities including the parade have been planned for Watrous, Manitou Beach is also getting set to celebrate as well. Manitou Beach councillor Chris Moffatt said this year’s fireworks, which take place at dusk, will be a bit different than in recent years as they will be moving them close to the resort community as opposed to across the lake.
“They are going to be held between the Nu-Inn and tennis courts on the west side of the village. We will be setting them off behind the pump station towards the water so they should be more visible than in the past. Since it is Canada’s 150th birthday, we will be syncing the fireworks up to music and will have a sound system set up as well.”
Road blocks will be set up near the fireworks but Moffatt encourages people to watch from the main beach and around that location to get a great view.
“We would like people to come down to the main beach and they should be able to hear the music and the fireworks should be more visible as well.”
Moffatt added they are still looking for volunteers for a variety of activities that are being planned in addition to the fireworks, which take place Saturday evening.
“We will have some entertainment during the afternoon Saturday with hoop dancer Lawrence Roy Jr. and singer Amy McDade. Vendors will be set up along the street at the main beach area like in years past and Danceland will be hosting events as well. We will not be having a pancake breakfast Saturday as that will be in Watrous but we are holding one Sunday at the community hall. It will be right near the flea market so people can check that out as well. We are looking forward to marking Canada’s birthday and enjoying the homecoming.”
Daniel Bushman
After many hours of planning and organizing, the candles will be lit, the cake cut and festivities underway as residents, familiar faces and visitors will commemorate Canada’s 150th birthday and the Watrous - Manitou Beach Homecoming this weekend. Chairperson of the Canada 150 Homecoming celebration Karen Schroeder Mark said the homecoming committee is looking forward to the festivities and seeing residents and visitors take in as much as they can from June 30 to July 2.
“I hope that people are excited to partake in all of the events and festivities that we’ve planned for them,” said Schroeder Mark. “We are also excited to have people return home and feel that the Canada 150 Homecoming celebration will be one to remember.”
With registration Friday and Saturday, those looking to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday will also be able to enjoy a variety of activities Saturday. Schroeder Mark said those interested in attending the beef on a bun supper held at the curling rink in Watrous will need to purchase their tickets by noon on June 27th.
“That will ensure that there will be enough food for those in attendance. We also have a lot of other things planned throughout the homecoming. We will have everything from a pancake breakfast and parade Saturday morning, to opening ceremonies at Cenotaph Park and a meet and greet and recognition of local businesses at the curling rink later in the afternoon. Entertainment has been lined up Friday evening and Saturday and suppers are also planned. It will be a lot of fun for everyone and there will be something for people of all ages to enjoy.”
Schroeder Mark said they have also got heritage displays, bingo, monster truck rides, an art show, the grand opening of the Rotary Walking Trail phase two, bouncy castles, a Beach Boogie, and pool activities all set to go.
As for the parade, a kids bike parade will commence at 10:15 a.m. followed by the larger parade at 10:30 a.m. The parade will start with floats lined up between the elementary and high schools. From there, it will go along 8th Ave. E. before turning on Main Street. Heading south on Main Street, floats will turn left at 2nd Ave. E. and then make another left a few blocks later at 3rd St. E. The parade route will end at 8th Ave. E. near the Watrous and District Health Complex.
While the majority of activities including the parade have been planned for Watrous, Manitou Beach is also getting set to celebrate as well. Manitou Beach councillor Chris Moffatt said this year’s fireworks, which take place at dusk, will be a bit different than in recent years as they will be moving them close to the resort community as opposed to across the lake.
“They are going to be held between the Nu-Inn and tennis courts on the west side of the village. We will be setting them off behind the pump station towards the water so they should be more visible than in the past. Since it is Canada’s 150th birthday, we will be syncing the fireworks up to music and will have a sound system set up as well.”
Road blocks will be set up near the fireworks but Moffatt encourages people to watch from the main beach and around that location to get a great view.
“We would like people to come down to the main beach and they should be able to hear the music and the fireworks should be more visible as well.”
Moffatt added they are still looking for volunteers for a variety of activities that are being planned in addition to the fireworks, which take place Saturday evening.
“We will have some entertainment during the afternoon Saturday with hoop dancer Lawrence Roy Jr. and singer Amy McDade. Vendors will be set up along the street at the main beach area like in years past and Danceland will be hosting events as well. We will not be having a pancake breakfast Saturday as that will be in Watrous but we are holding one Sunday at the community hall. It will be right near the flea market so people can check that out as well. We are looking forward to marking Canada’s birthday and enjoying the homecoming.”
TWM Top Story - June 19, 2017
Watrous Napa opening later this year
Daniel Bushman
Aiming to carry a myriad of parts for customers with vehicles of all makes and models, agricultural implements and even lawn equipment like mowers, Watrous Napa will officially open this fall. Work is currently underway on the new business, which will be built next to John’s Plate Restaurant along Hwy. 2 in Watrous.
Co-owner of the company Chad Mierau is excited about the opportunity of opening the parts store. “It has been a long time coming for us,” said Mierau. “We have been working on this project for the past two years and it is great to see it becoming a reality.”
Joined by Michael Hayward, Marie Mierau and Tana Diebert, Chad said the owners looked at a variety of locations within the community and felt the current spot was the best fit.
“We wanted to have a presence right along the highway where people enter the community and to us it made the most sense to go there.”
Aiming to open in October, Mierau said the brand new building will be 60’ x 100’ and feature a 3,500 square foot warehouse and a 2,500 square foot showroom filled with parts.
“We want to carry every type of part to cater to as many people as we can. Having a 6,000 square foot building will allow us to have a substantial amount of space for inventory. Ideally, we would like to have as many parts in stock as possible so the customer can come in and get the part they need right away. If we don’t have it in stock, we can request overnight delivery so it would be here as quickly as possible.”
While there is a few months until the doors officially open, Mierau said they will be requiring some help in the new facility.
“We will be looking for applicants to work at Watrous Napa. We will need a parts manager, a second parts person who can also take care of customers at the front counter and a sales representative who will be travelling and selling parts on our behalf. People can give myself or Michael a call if they are interested in being a part of our team.”
With the ground work laid and the building to follow, Chad said he and the other owners are looking forward to serving the community and surrounding area. “It is exciting. I am pumped about the opportunity and look forward to the future when we get open and underway.”
Daniel Bushman
Aiming to carry a myriad of parts for customers with vehicles of all makes and models, agricultural implements and even lawn equipment like mowers, Watrous Napa will officially open this fall. Work is currently underway on the new business, which will be built next to John’s Plate Restaurant along Hwy. 2 in Watrous.
Co-owner of the company Chad Mierau is excited about the opportunity of opening the parts store. “It has been a long time coming for us,” said Mierau. “We have been working on this project for the past two years and it is great to see it becoming a reality.”
Joined by Michael Hayward, Marie Mierau and Tana Diebert, Chad said the owners looked at a variety of locations within the community and felt the current spot was the best fit.
“We wanted to have a presence right along the highway where people enter the community and to us it made the most sense to go there.”
Aiming to open in October, Mierau said the brand new building will be 60’ x 100’ and feature a 3,500 square foot warehouse and a 2,500 square foot showroom filled with parts.
“We want to carry every type of part to cater to as many people as we can. Having a 6,000 square foot building will allow us to have a substantial amount of space for inventory. Ideally, we would like to have as many parts in stock as possible so the customer can come in and get the part they need right away. If we don’t have it in stock, we can request overnight delivery so it would be here as quickly as possible.”
While there is a few months until the doors officially open, Mierau said they will be requiring some help in the new facility.
“We will be looking for applicants to work at Watrous Napa. We will need a parts manager, a second parts person who can also take care of customers at the front counter and a sales representative who will be travelling and selling parts on our behalf. People can give myself or Michael a call if they are interested in being a part of our team.”
With the ground work laid and the building to follow, Chad said he and the other owners are looking forward to serving the community and surrounding area. “It is exciting. I am pumped about the opportunity and look forward to the future when we get open and underway.”
TWM Top Story - June 12, 2017
Local communities and RM received funding for water and wastewater projects
A handful of communities and a rural municipality from the area received a boost from the federal and provincial governments as part of 75 new water and wastewater projects that were recently announced. The projects represent combined federal, provincial and local partner funding of more than $94 million, with the Government of Canada contributing more than $45 million, the Government of Saskatchewan providing nearly $25 million and local partners covering the remaining costs.
The funding will support such initiatives as building new sewage treatment lagoons, upgrading sewage pumps, and improving drinking water supply systems. This work is aimed at improving the reliability of water and wastewater services, while also allowing for future growth and development in communities across Saskatchewan.
Of those local places that will benefit from the funding include:
• the Town of Allan (drinking water reservoir rehabilitation) with federal funding of $115,000 and provincial funding of $57,500;
• the Town of Colonsay (wastewater pipeline rehabilitation) with federal funding of $43,000 and provincial funding of $21,500;
• the Resort Village of Manitou Beach (wastewater pump station and mains upgrade) with federal funding of $128,000 and provincial funding of $64,000;
• the Town of Nokomis (two new wells and supply pipeline) with federal funding of $567,500 and provincial funding of $283,750; and
• the RM of Usborne No. 310 (Guernsey water supply and treatment upgrade) with federal funding of $181,125 and provincial funding of $90,562.
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Ralph Goodale and Government Relations Minister Donna Harpauer were on hand in Regina to make the announcement as part of the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund (CWWF) projects and Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component – National and Regional Projects.
“The investments in infrastructure we are making will benefit Canadians for years to come - creating economic growth and middle-class jobs now, while laying the foundation for sustainable growth in the future,” said Goodale. “These water and wastewater projects will protect the environment and help keep our Saskatchewan communities healthy for generations to come.”
“The Government of Saskatchewan will continue to invest in infrastructure projects to improve our citizens’ quality of life as our province continues to grow,” Harpauer said. “Since 2007, we have invested more than $350 million in municipal infrastructure projects across the province.”
The CWWF projects announced earlier this month are part of the bilateral agreement between Canada and Saskatchewan announced Sept. 16, 2016. These are in addition to $29.5 million in federal funding and $14.7 million in provincial funding announced that day for 10 water projects and more than $17.9 million in federal funding and $8.9 million in provincial funding announced Jan. 11, 2017, for an additional 26 projects under the CWWF.
A handful of communities and a rural municipality from the area received a boost from the federal and provincial governments as part of 75 new water and wastewater projects that were recently announced. The projects represent combined federal, provincial and local partner funding of more than $94 million, with the Government of Canada contributing more than $45 million, the Government of Saskatchewan providing nearly $25 million and local partners covering the remaining costs.
The funding will support such initiatives as building new sewage treatment lagoons, upgrading sewage pumps, and improving drinking water supply systems. This work is aimed at improving the reliability of water and wastewater services, while also allowing for future growth and development in communities across Saskatchewan.
Of those local places that will benefit from the funding include:
• the Town of Allan (drinking water reservoir rehabilitation) with federal funding of $115,000 and provincial funding of $57,500;
• the Town of Colonsay (wastewater pipeline rehabilitation) with federal funding of $43,000 and provincial funding of $21,500;
• the Resort Village of Manitou Beach (wastewater pump station and mains upgrade) with federal funding of $128,000 and provincial funding of $64,000;
• the Town of Nokomis (two new wells and supply pipeline) with federal funding of $567,500 and provincial funding of $283,750; and
• the RM of Usborne No. 310 (Guernsey water supply and treatment upgrade) with federal funding of $181,125 and provincial funding of $90,562.
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Ralph Goodale and Government Relations Minister Donna Harpauer were on hand in Regina to make the announcement as part of the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund (CWWF) projects and Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component – National and Regional Projects.
“The investments in infrastructure we are making will benefit Canadians for years to come - creating economic growth and middle-class jobs now, while laying the foundation for sustainable growth in the future,” said Goodale. “These water and wastewater projects will protect the environment and help keep our Saskatchewan communities healthy for generations to come.”
“The Government of Saskatchewan will continue to invest in infrastructure projects to improve our citizens’ quality of life as our province continues to grow,” Harpauer said. “Since 2007, we have invested more than $350 million in municipal infrastructure projects across the province.”
The CWWF projects announced earlier this month are part of the bilateral agreement between Canada and Saskatchewan announced Sept. 16, 2016. These are in addition to $29.5 million in federal funding and $14.7 million in provincial funding announced that day for 10 water projects and more than $17.9 million in federal funding and $8.9 million in provincial funding announced Jan. 11, 2017, for an additional 26 projects under the CWWF.
TWM Top Story - June 5, 2017
Tourism remains integral to area
By Daniel Bushman
With over 150 thousand visitors to the area each year and more than $25 million being spent in the local economy, it is no wonder why tourism is a huge part of Watrous and Manitou Beach. With tourists coming to the area from all corners of the world and amenities, businesses and things to do and discover to support that influx, the area remains one of the premier destinations to stop at in Saskatchewan.
Community Development Officer and the Watrous Manitou Marketing Group’s Brendan Manz said tourism is what many people from outside the area know it for.
“We get over 150 thousand visitors per year to Watrous and Manitou Beach and while we get a lot of day traffic, from our numbers at our various accommodations and the regional campground, tens of thousands of people spend the night here as well.”
Manz said the economic benefits stemming from the more than $25 million being spent per year in the local economy from visitors helps keep the business sector rolling. That money is going towards restaurants and gas stations to food stores and other businesses. Money is also being spent on leisure activities, lodging and artisans to name a few.
“We have a lot of great things to offer and as a brand, we have a very good one out there. People think really positively of Watrous and Manitou and when you talk to people at trade shows, they see the sign of where we are from and right away a smile comes to their face.”
Attending trade shows in Edmonton, Calgary, Regina and Saskatoon, Manz said other extensive marketing is done online and through advertising. “We try and get the word out to as many people as we can to attract them to the area.”
With people looking to get away, tourism continues to be a big part of not only the Watrous and Manitou Beach area, but also Saskatchewan. As the provincial government marked Saskatchewan Tourism Week earlier this month, it also highlighted the significance of tourism and how big of a contributor the industry is to the Saskatchewan economy. Some of those statistics included:
• Annually, tourism generates more than $2.15 billion in travel expenditures;
• Nearly 65,000 residents are employed in tourism or tourism-related jobs;
• In 2015, more than 12.2 million visits were made to and within the province; and
• Saskatchewan’s tourism sector is 95 percent small- or medium-sized businesses.
Tourism Saskatchewan CEO Mary Taylor-Ash said, “Saskatchewan communities, urban and rural, sparkle with unique energy and hospitality, and provide visitors with authentic, welcoming experiences and wonderful travel memories.”
Some of those visiting the province and more specifically Manitou Beach and Watrous are travel writers from every corner of the globe.
“We get travel writers throughout the summer from right around the world,” said Manz. “In the past few years, we’ve had people from three different continents and about seven different countries come to our community to write about us and they go back and their articles are published in magazines, blogs, online articles and sold to various outlets in the United States and across the world.”
More recently, Little Manitou Lake at Manitou Beach was selected as part of a book that lists 150 Canadian experiences by province. Destination Canada in partnership with Lonely Planet published a book in South Korea listing the experiences. Only Wanuskewin, the RCMP Heritage Centre, and Little Manitou Lake were featured from Saskatchewan.
“The 49-page book is also going to be featured as part of a Canada 150th celebration taking place at the Canadian Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, on Canada Day. ”
With more and more recognition over the past handful of years, including in the new 49-page book in South Korea, Manitou Beach and its lake have been springing up in a variety of publications. Just this past year Manitou Beach and Little Lake Manitou were featured in the En Route magazine, the in-flight magazine for Air Canada.
“Our article was going around the world literally, by air, so anytime you can get something like that is great. We are fortunate to be able to live in such a great place with a lot of amenities and have a lake that gains world recognition more and more each year. We are truly a place of unsinkable experiences.”
By Daniel Bushman
With over 150 thousand visitors to the area each year and more than $25 million being spent in the local economy, it is no wonder why tourism is a huge part of Watrous and Manitou Beach. With tourists coming to the area from all corners of the world and amenities, businesses and things to do and discover to support that influx, the area remains one of the premier destinations to stop at in Saskatchewan.
Community Development Officer and the Watrous Manitou Marketing Group’s Brendan Manz said tourism is what many people from outside the area know it for.
“We get over 150 thousand visitors per year to Watrous and Manitou Beach and while we get a lot of day traffic, from our numbers at our various accommodations and the regional campground, tens of thousands of people spend the night here as well.”
Manz said the economic benefits stemming from the more than $25 million being spent per year in the local economy from visitors helps keep the business sector rolling. That money is going towards restaurants and gas stations to food stores and other businesses. Money is also being spent on leisure activities, lodging and artisans to name a few.
“We have a lot of great things to offer and as a brand, we have a very good one out there. People think really positively of Watrous and Manitou and when you talk to people at trade shows, they see the sign of where we are from and right away a smile comes to their face.”
Attending trade shows in Edmonton, Calgary, Regina and Saskatoon, Manz said other extensive marketing is done online and through advertising. “We try and get the word out to as many people as we can to attract them to the area.”
With people looking to get away, tourism continues to be a big part of not only the Watrous and Manitou Beach area, but also Saskatchewan. As the provincial government marked Saskatchewan Tourism Week earlier this month, it also highlighted the significance of tourism and how big of a contributor the industry is to the Saskatchewan economy. Some of those statistics included:
• Annually, tourism generates more than $2.15 billion in travel expenditures;
• Nearly 65,000 residents are employed in tourism or tourism-related jobs;
• In 2015, more than 12.2 million visits were made to and within the province; and
• Saskatchewan’s tourism sector is 95 percent small- or medium-sized businesses.
Tourism Saskatchewan CEO Mary Taylor-Ash said, “Saskatchewan communities, urban and rural, sparkle with unique energy and hospitality, and provide visitors with authentic, welcoming experiences and wonderful travel memories.”
Some of those visiting the province and more specifically Manitou Beach and Watrous are travel writers from every corner of the globe.
“We get travel writers throughout the summer from right around the world,” said Manz. “In the past few years, we’ve had people from three different continents and about seven different countries come to our community to write about us and they go back and their articles are published in magazines, blogs, online articles and sold to various outlets in the United States and across the world.”
More recently, Little Manitou Lake at Manitou Beach was selected as part of a book that lists 150 Canadian experiences by province. Destination Canada in partnership with Lonely Planet published a book in South Korea listing the experiences. Only Wanuskewin, the RCMP Heritage Centre, and Little Manitou Lake were featured from Saskatchewan.
“The 49-page book is also going to be featured as part of a Canada 150th celebration taking place at the Canadian Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, on Canada Day. ”
With more and more recognition over the past handful of years, including in the new 49-page book in South Korea, Manitou Beach and its lake have been springing up in a variety of publications. Just this past year Manitou Beach and Little Lake Manitou were featured in the En Route magazine, the in-flight magazine for Air Canada.
“Our article was going around the world literally, by air, so anytime you can get something like that is great. We are fortunate to be able to live in such a great place with a lot of amenities and have a lake that gains world recognition more and more each year. We are truly a place of unsinkable experiences.”
TWM's Top Story - May 29, 2017
Taking a cautious approach as budget approved
By Daniel Bushman
With a reassessment year across Saskatchewan and substantial changes stemming from the provincial budget, there was not a lot of big ticket items planned in this year’s town budget for Watrous. While council did increase the municipal levy by about four and a half percent, it was the school portion of the taxes that witnessed the largest increase.
Watrous Town Administrator Orrin Redden said not only was it a reassessment year - which occurs every four years in Saskatchewan - but the school levy, which the provincial government sets is going up by about 17 percent from just over an overall levy of $600,000 to just over $700,000.
For example, the school portion which makes up roughly a third of a person’s taxes might be $1,000 and it is going up 17 percent. That would mean the overall number jumps to $1,170 and when you combine that with the remainder of your taxes, that could equate to about an eight and a half percent increase overall.
“The reassessment years really change things, especially when there is a jump from the school side,” said Redden.
The effects from the provincial budget are also being felt by the town itself as Redden said some of the changes to the Provincial Sales Tax on things like construction work for example will now include PST.
“We purchase a lot of materials and supplies for facilities, public works and everything so that will be a bit of a hit for us moving forward.”
The town also had to cut a few things out of its budget to help maintain a reasonable increase on the municipal tax side. Those cuts equated to between $30,000 and $40,000 on the public works side and involve equipment purchases. “Those purchases have just been essentially postponed for now.”
While tax increases are never enjoyable, Watrous mayor Ed Collins said the move was made in order to keep services within the community.
“We had a sense that people in Watrous did not want to see services cut and we wanted to maintain what we already have. With the increase in the PST and cuts made through the provincial budget, we would have had to cut some services if we didn’t raise taxes. We hear how wonderful a place Watrous is to live in and we didn’t want that to change by cutting some of the services that the community offers.”
Looking at the numbers, Redden said the overall budget for Watrous sits with expenses of around $7 million with $3 million of that going towards the lagoon expansion. “Essentially it is about $4 million without large capital. In terms of expenses, it would be around that $4 million and then closer to that $7 million mark with the lagoon expansion.”
As for the expansion itself, Redden said it is largely complete.
“Everything has gone really well with timeliness of the lagoon expansion. They were able to get a lot of work done in the winter and early in the spring whereas some years they may not have been able to due to the weather.”
Other areas of note that will see funds allocated to include:
• The street work budget remained largely intact to keep up with paving and doing some side streets. Paving work will be proposed which include some local improvements;
• The water treatment plant had some media filter tanks installed and what was left on that project is quite minimal dollar wise compared to previous years, according to Redden;
• While not taking place this year, going forward the town will be looking at doing another well;
• REACT is building a new landfill at Humboldt so Watrous has a capital commitment to that which is around $300,000 over five years. Everyone involved with REACT will be part of the overall financial commitment to building the new landfill;
• The new ice resurfacer which has already received generous donations put towards it is also expected to arrive later this year. The town will be replacing the current unit;
• A new mobility van was purchased; and
• The town is continuing on with its commercial/light industrial lot development where the current Watrous Home Hardware is located on the east side of town at 4th Ave. E. Going behind the Home Hardware where currently a field sits, Redden said, “We don’t have any sort of commercial or light industrial property services right now but we are committing to the power and gas. In terms of street work and water and sewer, demand will dictate when that happens. We know where it is going, it has been laid out and surveyed. There will be about 20 lots and will be similar to the ones where a few of the new shops around Midway Street are located. That will be phased in, depending on development in that area.”
The town administrator added, “Outside of the big lagoon expansion it is largely an operating budget. The municipal levy as a whole is about a four and a half percent increase but the school portion, which we can’t control, is upwards of 17 percent. In these reassessment years people will see anything from decreases to significant increases on their taxes. We just didn’t want it to rise substantially so that is why we elected not to go ahead with any new big projects.”
By Daniel Bushman
With a reassessment year across Saskatchewan and substantial changes stemming from the provincial budget, there was not a lot of big ticket items planned in this year’s town budget for Watrous. While council did increase the municipal levy by about four and a half percent, it was the school portion of the taxes that witnessed the largest increase.
Watrous Town Administrator Orrin Redden said not only was it a reassessment year - which occurs every four years in Saskatchewan - but the school levy, which the provincial government sets is going up by about 17 percent from just over an overall levy of $600,000 to just over $700,000.
For example, the school portion which makes up roughly a third of a person’s taxes might be $1,000 and it is going up 17 percent. That would mean the overall number jumps to $1,170 and when you combine that with the remainder of your taxes, that could equate to about an eight and a half percent increase overall.
“The reassessment years really change things, especially when there is a jump from the school side,” said Redden.
The effects from the provincial budget are also being felt by the town itself as Redden said some of the changes to the Provincial Sales Tax on things like construction work for example will now include PST.
“We purchase a lot of materials and supplies for facilities, public works and everything so that will be a bit of a hit for us moving forward.”
The town also had to cut a few things out of its budget to help maintain a reasonable increase on the municipal tax side. Those cuts equated to between $30,000 and $40,000 on the public works side and involve equipment purchases. “Those purchases have just been essentially postponed for now.”
While tax increases are never enjoyable, Watrous mayor Ed Collins said the move was made in order to keep services within the community.
“We had a sense that people in Watrous did not want to see services cut and we wanted to maintain what we already have. With the increase in the PST and cuts made through the provincial budget, we would have had to cut some services if we didn’t raise taxes. We hear how wonderful a place Watrous is to live in and we didn’t want that to change by cutting some of the services that the community offers.”
Looking at the numbers, Redden said the overall budget for Watrous sits with expenses of around $7 million with $3 million of that going towards the lagoon expansion. “Essentially it is about $4 million without large capital. In terms of expenses, it would be around that $4 million and then closer to that $7 million mark with the lagoon expansion.”
As for the expansion itself, Redden said it is largely complete.
“Everything has gone really well with timeliness of the lagoon expansion. They were able to get a lot of work done in the winter and early in the spring whereas some years they may not have been able to due to the weather.”
Other areas of note that will see funds allocated to include:
• The street work budget remained largely intact to keep up with paving and doing some side streets. Paving work will be proposed which include some local improvements;
• The water treatment plant had some media filter tanks installed and what was left on that project is quite minimal dollar wise compared to previous years, according to Redden;
• While not taking place this year, going forward the town will be looking at doing another well;
• REACT is building a new landfill at Humboldt so Watrous has a capital commitment to that which is around $300,000 over five years. Everyone involved with REACT will be part of the overall financial commitment to building the new landfill;
• The new ice resurfacer which has already received generous donations put towards it is also expected to arrive later this year. The town will be replacing the current unit;
• A new mobility van was purchased; and
• The town is continuing on with its commercial/light industrial lot development where the current Watrous Home Hardware is located on the east side of town at 4th Ave. E. Going behind the Home Hardware where currently a field sits, Redden said, “We don’t have any sort of commercial or light industrial property services right now but we are committing to the power and gas. In terms of street work and water and sewer, demand will dictate when that happens. We know where it is going, it has been laid out and surveyed. There will be about 20 lots and will be similar to the ones where a few of the new shops around Midway Street are located. That will be phased in, depending on development in that area.”
The town administrator added, “Outside of the big lagoon expansion it is largely an operating budget. The municipal levy as a whole is about a four and a half percent increase but the school portion, which we can’t control, is upwards of 17 percent. In these reassessment years people will see anything from decreases to significant increases on their taxes. We just didn’t want it to rise substantially so that is why we elected not to go ahead with any new big projects.”
TWM's Top Story - May 22, 2017
Local community's council approves proposal for medicinal marijuana company
Daniel Bushman/TWM
With the legalization of recreational marijuana on the horizon, more and more marijuana production companies, including those that produce medicinal marijuana, have taken an interest in Canada. That interest has found its way to Saskatchewan as the Regina Leader-Post reported that Canopy Growth Corp. acquired rTrees Producers Limited Inc. in Yorkton and Harvest One Cannabis Inc. announced its plans for a marijuana production facility in Lucky Lake. In Nokomis, a medicinal marijuana facility is one step closer to becoming a reality after town council approved a company’s business proposal.
Town of Nokomis Administrator Tanya Zdunich said the business proposal presented to council by Nature’s Alternative Remedies was recently accepted. “After public notice was given, the town only received letters of approval and none that objected to the business proposal.”
Since there were no letters against Nature’s Alternative Remedies business proposal, council gave its municipal approval to move ahead with the proposed project.
Speaking to The Watrous Manitou from Colorado, founder and spokesperson of Nature’s Alternative Remedies, Rafael Bracero said they were interested in exploring Nokomis as a possible location to grow medicinal marijuana because it fit a lot of the company’s criteria.
“We easily went through thousands of listings looking for the right piece of land. We wanted something within town limits but far enough away from public spaces, schools and residential areas and that really worked out for us in Nokomis. There is infrastructure there, trades in the area and stores so that also increases the value of the land to us.”
The piece of land approved for the company is located at the very southern part of Nokomis when you enter town.
While Bracero admitted there were some initial hesitancies from local area taxpayers, those posing questions had the chance to have their inquiries heard.
“Half of the other towns we dealt with, it was a denial pretty much out of the gate when they heard medical marijuana. We initially dealt with about four other towns before finding Nokomis and so far we have been really happy with our decision on choosing Nokomis. Everyone is very nice and they seem to be very welcoming regarding the medical marijuana . . . I don’t think people that are initially against it would be against it if they knew more information. I just think that their initial reaction speaks to how successful the propaganda against marijuana has been.”
Even though the business proposal has been approved in Nokomis, Bracero said they still have some hurdles to jump. A licence to sell medicinal marijuana is one of those steps and rezoning the land is another.
However, once all of that is cleared then Nature’s Alternative Remedies will get to work. Bracero said the facilities will house medicinal marijuana and will license, produce and sell the product.
“We would be growing everything indoors. It has to be in a secure facility with security, employees have to have background checks, no criminal records are allowed and there won’t be any real foot traffic. The facility will not be a storefront where customers can go and buy products over the counter or anything like that. It is just for the production of medicinal marijuana as of right now.”
Bracero was also quick to point out that not just anyone will be able to purchase the medicinal marijuana.
“They couldn’t get it from us without a valid prescription. It wouldn’t be something that we would sell to them over the counter. They would have to go through checks where we would contact their physician to make sure their prescription is valid and then make sure the doctor’s credentials are valid. There are a few checks before they would receive any product from us.”
As for when the medicinal marijuana would be available to people and other licensed distributors, Bracero said it could take at least a year to receive a licence and could take as long as three years before everything gets rolling.
Despite the time frame, Bracero is optimistic about the whole venture and was very encouraged when Nokomis approved his business proposal.
“We have been to towns that the instant they heard medical marijuana, they completely shut down the idea so we were really excited to find a town that accepted what our initial plan was . . . they are willing to hear people and their ideas and be open minded. Everyone has been really nice and helpful and we certainly look forward to working with them.”
With some experience in the medical marijuana industry, Bracero said the five buildings that will be constructed to house the product will range between 8,000 and 12,000 square feet. That also means an influx of employment to the community.
Initially, the founder’s thought is to have eight full-time and twice as many part-time staff for the first phase building. As the remaining four facilities come online, Bracero said more employees would be added. “Any job that can be taken up by a local would make us happy.”
In addition to providing employment to those in the area, Rafael said the company will also be giving a donation to the community based on its gross sales. Starting with two and a half percent and increasing half a percent every year until topping out at four, Bracero wants to be more than just a place that makes money and not shut the door on those who have granted him access to be in the area.
“I have seen these companies sprout up in California and Colorado and they can make literally millions but add little value to the community around them. Sometimes when a company helps the community it can really help and even save dying communities by creating jobs and revenue. What we wanted to do is not only create jobs and revenue but actually give a piece of our sales to Nokomis so their lives are enriched for basically saying yes to having us come here. We really do want to help the community and those around us and not have it be something that drags down the community. We want to be a positive influence as much as we can.”
Daniel Bushman/TWM
With the legalization of recreational marijuana on the horizon, more and more marijuana production companies, including those that produce medicinal marijuana, have taken an interest in Canada. That interest has found its way to Saskatchewan as the Regina Leader-Post reported that Canopy Growth Corp. acquired rTrees Producers Limited Inc. in Yorkton and Harvest One Cannabis Inc. announced its plans for a marijuana production facility in Lucky Lake. In Nokomis, a medicinal marijuana facility is one step closer to becoming a reality after town council approved a company’s business proposal.
Town of Nokomis Administrator Tanya Zdunich said the business proposal presented to council by Nature’s Alternative Remedies was recently accepted. “After public notice was given, the town only received letters of approval and none that objected to the business proposal.”
Since there were no letters against Nature’s Alternative Remedies business proposal, council gave its municipal approval to move ahead with the proposed project.
Speaking to The Watrous Manitou from Colorado, founder and spokesperson of Nature’s Alternative Remedies, Rafael Bracero said they were interested in exploring Nokomis as a possible location to grow medicinal marijuana because it fit a lot of the company’s criteria.
“We easily went through thousands of listings looking for the right piece of land. We wanted something within town limits but far enough away from public spaces, schools and residential areas and that really worked out for us in Nokomis. There is infrastructure there, trades in the area and stores so that also increases the value of the land to us.”
The piece of land approved for the company is located at the very southern part of Nokomis when you enter town.
While Bracero admitted there were some initial hesitancies from local area taxpayers, those posing questions had the chance to have their inquiries heard.
“Half of the other towns we dealt with, it was a denial pretty much out of the gate when they heard medical marijuana. We initially dealt with about four other towns before finding Nokomis and so far we have been really happy with our decision on choosing Nokomis. Everyone is very nice and they seem to be very welcoming regarding the medical marijuana . . . I don’t think people that are initially against it would be against it if they knew more information. I just think that their initial reaction speaks to how successful the propaganda against marijuana has been.”
Even though the business proposal has been approved in Nokomis, Bracero said they still have some hurdles to jump. A licence to sell medicinal marijuana is one of those steps and rezoning the land is another.
However, once all of that is cleared then Nature’s Alternative Remedies will get to work. Bracero said the facilities will house medicinal marijuana and will license, produce and sell the product.
“We would be growing everything indoors. It has to be in a secure facility with security, employees have to have background checks, no criminal records are allowed and there won’t be any real foot traffic. The facility will not be a storefront where customers can go and buy products over the counter or anything like that. It is just for the production of medicinal marijuana as of right now.”
Bracero was also quick to point out that not just anyone will be able to purchase the medicinal marijuana.
“They couldn’t get it from us without a valid prescription. It wouldn’t be something that we would sell to them over the counter. They would have to go through checks where we would contact their physician to make sure their prescription is valid and then make sure the doctor’s credentials are valid. There are a few checks before they would receive any product from us.”
As for when the medicinal marijuana would be available to people and other licensed distributors, Bracero said it could take at least a year to receive a licence and could take as long as three years before everything gets rolling.
Despite the time frame, Bracero is optimistic about the whole venture and was very encouraged when Nokomis approved his business proposal.
“We have been to towns that the instant they heard medical marijuana, they completely shut down the idea so we were really excited to find a town that accepted what our initial plan was . . . they are willing to hear people and their ideas and be open minded. Everyone has been really nice and helpful and we certainly look forward to working with them.”
With some experience in the medical marijuana industry, Bracero said the five buildings that will be constructed to house the product will range between 8,000 and 12,000 square feet. That also means an influx of employment to the community.
Initially, the founder’s thought is to have eight full-time and twice as many part-time staff for the first phase building. As the remaining four facilities come online, Bracero said more employees would be added. “Any job that can be taken up by a local would make us happy.”
In addition to providing employment to those in the area, Rafael said the company will also be giving a donation to the community based on its gross sales. Starting with two and a half percent and increasing half a percent every year until topping out at four, Bracero wants to be more than just a place that makes money and not shut the door on those who have granted him access to be in the area.
“I have seen these companies sprout up in California and Colorado and they can make literally millions but add little value to the community around them. Sometimes when a company helps the community it can really help and even save dying communities by creating jobs and revenue. What we wanted to do is not only create jobs and revenue but actually give a piece of our sales to Nokomis so their lives are enriched for basically saying yes to having us come here. We really do want to help the community and those around us and not have it be something that drags down the community. We want to be a positive influence as much as we can.”
TWM Top Story - May 15, 2017
Fire destroys home in Allan
By Daniel Bushman
A family in Allan has been left with virtually nothing after a fire destroyed their home. Kimberlee Garman and her boyfriend Clayton Mosier were at home during the evening May 6 when the fire ignited.
Kimberlee’s sister Rhonda Balion said the blaze started around 9:30 p.m. when the panel box shorted out. While Kimberlee’s eight year old son and nine month old daughter were not at home at the time, Kimberlee and Clayton managed to get out of the house before the fire engulfed the building.
“It was the most horrible nightmare you can imagine,” said Rhonda. “Watching the fire and seeing the firefighters running here and there trying everything to stop it. We were standing there watching the fire take over the house, knowing that they are losing their home and possessions. It was just the worst feeling in the world.”
Balion said Kimberlee and her family were not able to save much as the fire ravaged through everything within the home. Balion figured the blaze was eventually put out sometime around 11 p.m. and was extremely grateful for the help from the Allan and Clavet Fire Departments and Allan First Responders for their quick response and hard work.
Since the fire May 6, Balion said her sister and her family are doing the best they can. “There is so much to think about and do.”
Balion said for those who would like to lend a hand of support, a gofundme page has been set up online or people can drop of funds to Rhonda and she will pass them along.
“I have also had people ask if they can e-transfer money to someone and they can. It can be done to myself at rmebalion@hotmail.com. Once a place is established later on they will be in need of larger household items.”
Balion said the family has greatly appreciated everyone that has already supported Kimberlee and her family with donations of money, clothing, non-perishable food, baby foods, meals, gift cards and many extras.
For those would like to donate, here is the address for the gofundme page: www.gofundme.com/help-kim-family-after-the-fire. People can also go to www.gofundme.com and in the search bar type Allan, SK. The page, ‘Help Kim & family after the fire’ will appear and people can click on it and then proceed to ‘Donate Now.’
By Daniel Bushman
A family in Allan has been left with virtually nothing after a fire destroyed their home. Kimberlee Garman and her boyfriend Clayton Mosier were at home during the evening May 6 when the fire ignited.
Kimberlee’s sister Rhonda Balion said the blaze started around 9:30 p.m. when the panel box shorted out. While Kimberlee’s eight year old son and nine month old daughter were not at home at the time, Kimberlee and Clayton managed to get out of the house before the fire engulfed the building.
“It was the most horrible nightmare you can imagine,” said Rhonda. “Watching the fire and seeing the firefighters running here and there trying everything to stop it. We were standing there watching the fire take over the house, knowing that they are losing their home and possessions. It was just the worst feeling in the world.”
Balion said Kimberlee and her family were not able to save much as the fire ravaged through everything within the home. Balion figured the blaze was eventually put out sometime around 11 p.m. and was extremely grateful for the help from the Allan and Clavet Fire Departments and Allan First Responders for their quick response and hard work.
Since the fire May 6, Balion said her sister and her family are doing the best they can. “There is so much to think about and do.”
Balion said for those who would like to lend a hand of support, a gofundme page has been set up online or people can drop of funds to Rhonda and she will pass them along.
“I have also had people ask if they can e-transfer money to someone and they can. It can be done to myself at rmebalion@hotmail.com. Once a place is established later on they will be in need of larger household items.”
Balion said the family has greatly appreciated everyone that has already supported Kimberlee and her family with donations of money, clothing, non-perishable food, baby foods, meals, gift cards and many extras.
For those would like to donate, here is the address for the gofundme page: www.gofundme.com/help-kim-family-after-the-fire. People can also go to www.gofundme.com and in the search bar type Allan, SK. The page, ‘Help Kim & family after the fire’ will appear and people can click on it and then proceed to ‘Donate Now.’
TWM Top Story - May 8, 2017
Watrous Childcare Inc. purchases building
Daniel Bushman/TWM
After 18 months of planning and countless hours of fundraising efforts, the Watrous Childcare Inc. committee has found itself with a home. Watrous Childcare Inc. Director Brendan Manz said early in the new year the committee caught wind that the Pentecostal Church in Watrous was going up for sale, a place that seemed like the perfect fit.
Discussions took place with the Pentecostal Church group and the Watrous Childcare Inc. committee and with the help of Avril Reifferscheid from Realty Executives Watrous, an agreement was reached for the property at 709 Main Street.
“As of Apr. 10 everything was finalized and is now the property of Watrous Childcare Inc.,” said a pleased Manz who added the Watrous and District Food Bank, which operates out of the back of the building will remain, providing a source of revenue. With the place located across the street from the Watrous Elementary School, Manz said they could not have asked for a better location.
“We looked at other potential sites around Watrous as far as where we could go. We looked at renovating existing residential and commercial properties, we looked at new potential builds around the schools or hospital, but once this opened up, we thought this would be absolutely perfect. It is also right on main street and that means it is a very visible location and we think that is important.”
Since there is now an actual building, the next step for the Watrous Childcare Inc. committee is to begin its fundraising and grant campaign. The goal has been set at reaching $200,000, which will help cover off the remaining dollars owed to the Pentecostal Church and then be used towards renovations that are needed.
“We will look at everything from fencing, improvements to the roof, windows, doing some plumbing and electrical and other aspects with regards to specific rules and regulations that have been outlined by the government. We have to meet a certain standard but overall the building is in very good shape. We are just looking to build on that and make it the best daycare facility we possibly can.”
While no firm operating date has been set, Manz said they will be starting the tendering process to have a local contractor begin work right away. Renovations will continue and items checked off the to-do list as dollars come in.
“At the same time not all the renovations need to be completed in order for us to open. We may look at opening before all the renovations are completed but we will have to decide that. The sooner we have the funds, the sooner the renovations will be completed and the sooner we will be able to open.”
Manz said the committee is excited to be one step closer to opening the daycare and has appreciated the board members who have been working hard to see it come to fruition. He also added the community has been tremendous for its ongoing support.
“For attracting new families to our community, many look for a community daycare or a licensed daycare facility, knowing those facilities will be held to a certain standard. Not having one can be a deterrent for people and we think this is a great project for the long-term economic growth of the community. It helps make sure that people want to move here and can take care of their families when they do.”
For those who would like to contribute to the project or learn how to help, people can contact Manz at the Watrous Town Office.
Daniel Bushman/TWM
After 18 months of planning and countless hours of fundraising efforts, the Watrous Childcare Inc. committee has found itself with a home. Watrous Childcare Inc. Director Brendan Manz said early in the new year the committee caught wind that the Pentecostal Church in Watrous was going up for sale, a place that seemed like the perfect fit.
Discussions took place with the Pentecostal Church group and the Watrous Childcare Inc. committee and with the help of Avril Reifferscheid from Realty Executives Watrous, an agreement was reached for the property at 709 Main Street.
“As of Apr. 10 everything was finalized and is now the property of Watrous Childcare Inc.,” said a pleased Manz who added the Watrous and District Food Bank, which operates out of the back of the building will remain, providing a source of revenue. With the place located across the street from the Watrous Elementary School, Manz said they could not have asked for a better location.
“We looked at other potential sites around Watrous as far as where we could go. We looked at renovating existing residential and commercial properties, we looked at new potential builds around the schools or hospital, but once this opened up, we thought this would be absolutely perfect. It is also right on main street and that means it is a very visible location and we think that is important.”
Since there is now an actual building, the next step for the Watrous Childcare Inc. committee is to begin its fundraising and grant campaign. The goal has been set at reaching $200,000, which will help cover off the remaining dollars owed to the Pentecostal Church and then be used towards renovations that are needed.
“We will look at everything from fencing, improvements to the roof, windows, doing some plumbing and electrical and other aspects with regards to specific rules and regulations that have been outlined by the government. We have to meet a certain standard but overall the building is in very good shape. We are just looking to build on that and make it the best daycare facility we possibly can.”
While no firm operating date has been set, Manz said they will be starting the tendering process to have a local contractor begin work right away. Renovations will continue and items checked off the to-do list as dollars come in.
“At the same time not all the renovations need to be completed in order for us to open. We may look at opening before all the renovations are completed but we will have to decide that. The sooner we have the funds, the sooner the renovations will be completed and the sooner we will be able to open.”
Manz said the committee is excited to be one step closer to opening the daycare and has appreciated the board members who have been working hard to see it come to fruition. He also added the community has been tremendous for its ongoing support.
“For attracting new families to our community, many look for a community daycare or a licensed daycare facility, knowing those facilities will be held to a certain standard. Not having one can be a deterrent for people and we think this is a great project for the long-term economic growth of the community. It helps make sure that people want to move here and can take care of their families when they do.”
For those who would like to contribute to the project or learn how to help, people can contact Manz at the Watrous Town Office.
TWM Top Story - May 1, 2017
Province restores funding to libraries
By Daniel Bushman
With provincial funding cut to the majority of Saskatchewan libraries followed by a public outcry, the provincial government admitted it made a mistake and reversed course. Restoring funding to libraries, including local Wheatland Regional Library branches in Allan, Colonsay, Drake, Lanigan, Nokomis, Viscount, Watrous and Young, the announcement provided the perfect ending to an otherwise rocky chapter.
After cuts were first unveiled during the provincial government’s budget in the latter part of March, an announcement was made early last week to restore funding back to 2016-‘17 levels. That was welcome news for many including Community Librarian in Watrous Kathleen Kimmig.
“There was a big outcry across the province and to see the decision changed, it just shows how important libraries are in every day life,” a pleased Kimmig said. “It shows that patrons are behind us and know that libraries are necessary services.”
While funding for the library system in parts of northern Saskatchewan remained consistent with last year’s levels, the move last week now ensures regional and municipal libraries and the interlibrary loan services across the province remain operational.
With people showing their support towards libraries in Saskatchewan, Education Minister Don Morgan said, “Premier Wall has always said that we would be the kind of government that would admit its mistakes and then fix those mistakes. There were many necessary, difficult decisions taken in this budget, however the reductions in library funding without giving libraries the tools to meet the new challenge was a mistake.”
The announcement to restore funding translates into providing $4.8 million in addition to the $3.5 million that was already made available during the province’s budget. In addition, the government said a consultative review with Saskatchewan libraries and municipalities is being conducted to determine the way forward in terms of what is best for library users and communities as well as what is also financially responsible.
With the news early last week, Wheatland Regional Library was busy working to come up with a plan for how its services will now be restored. On its website, it stated: “Please standby for news on how services will be restored.”
Early in April, Wheatland stated Saskatchewan public libraries were unable to share materials between different library agencies due to the cuts. In April, Wheatland Regional Library stated anything requested from libraries in other regions would not be filled and patrons were unable to place holds on materials from other regions.
The cuts sparked outrage from numerous people within the province and various events like the ‘Drop Everything and Read’ were held; like the one in Watrous, where people were encouraged to read to raise awareness.
“I think by the province announcing the cuts it served as a good wake up call and allowed people to see the real value of our libraries in our communities,” Kimmig said from the library in Watrous. “I think people really thought about what they would do without a library and didn’t want to see that come to fruition. Now that the cuts have been reversed, I am very happy to see things being reinstated.”
With a new chapter beginning, the government said it will be engaging with libraries, municipalities and the public to develop a long-term strategy for the future of libraries. This will include reviewing The Public Libraries Act to ensure libraries have modern legislation that reflects current needs. This will also involve working with libraries to find efficiencies, including options for transportation and co-location, to ensure the most effective use of available resources.
By Daniel Bushman
With provincial funding cut to the majority of Saskatchewan libraries followed by a public outcry, the provincial government admitted it made a mistake and reversed course. Restoring funding to libraries, including local Wheatland Regional Library branches in Allan, Colonsay, Drake, Lanigan, Nokomis, Viscount, Watrous and Young, the announcement provided the perfect ending to an otherwise rocky chapter.
After cuts were first unveiled during the provincial government’s budget in the latter part of March, an announcement was made early last week to restore funding back to 2016-‘17 levels. That was welcome news for many including Community Librarian in Watrous Kathleen Kimmig.
“There was a big outcry across the province and to see the decision changed, it just shows how important libraries are in every day life,” a pleased Kimmig said. “It shows that patrons are behind us and know that libraries are necessary services.”
While funding for the library system in parts of northern Saskatchewan remained consistent with last year’s levels, the move last week now ensures regional and municipal libraries and the interlibrary loan services across the province remain operational.
With people showing their support towards libraries in Saskatchewan, Education Minister Don Morgan said, “Premier Wall has always said that we would be the kind of government that would admit its mistakes and then fix those mistakes. There were many necessary, difficult decisions taken in this budget, however the reductions in library funding without giving libraries the tools to meet the new challenge was a mistake.”
The announcement to restore funding translates into providing $4.8 million in addition to the $3.5 million that was already made available during the province’s budget. In addition, the government said a consultative review with Saskatchewan libraries and municipalities is being conducted to determine the way forward in terms of what is best for library users and communities as well as what is also financially responsible.
With the news early last week, Wheatland Regional Library was busy working to come up with a plan for how its services will now be restored. On its website, it stated: “Please standby for news on how services will be restored.”
Early in April, Wheatland stated Saskatchewan public libraries were unable to share materials between different library agencies due to the cuts. In April, Wheatland Regional Library stated anything requested from libraries in other regions would not be filled and patrons were unable to place holds on materials from other regions.
The cuts sparked outrage from numerous people within the province and various events like the ‘Drop Everything and Read’ were held; like the one in Watrous, where people were encouraged to read to raise awareness.
“I think by the province announcing the cuts it served as a good wake up call and allowed people to see the real value of our libraries in our communities,” Kimmig said from the library in Watrous. “I think people really thought about what they would do without a library and didn’t want to see that come to fruition. Now that the cuts have been reversed, I am very happy to see things being reinstated.”
With a new chapter beginning, the government said it will be engaging with libraries, municipalities and the public to develop a long-term strategy for the future of libraries. This will include reviewing The Public Libraries Act to ensure libraries have modern legislation that reflects current needs. This will also involve working with libraries to find efficiencies, including options for transportation and co-location, to ensure the most effective use of available resources.
TWM Top Story - Apr. 24, 2017
Provincial Court in Watrous closes
By Daniel Bushman
With the last case heard and final remarks made, Provincial Court in Watrous was officially adjourned for good. The final gavel came down in Watrous Apr. 20 as the court room along with other circuit courts in communities like Carnduff, Big River and Southey are also being reportedly closed down.
“I am sorry to see it close,” said Ken Williams, LL.B., of Mah Law Office in Watrous.
Involved with a few cases on the final day of court in Watrous, Williams said, “I have attended Provincial Court since I got here in 2006 and we have been very fortunate to have had consistency with the Magistrate and Clerk over that time.”
Williams said Provincial Courts in smaller communities are usually for those who make their first appearance related to charges or for traffic offenses. “The bulk of the trials are already held in Saskatoon Provincial Court.”
The circuit courts, like the one that was held every third Thursday of the month in Watrous allowed a way for locals required to attend to not have to travel a lengthy distance. Since Watrous’ court is now closed, matters will be heard in Saskatoon with court sitting every weekday of the month in the city.
Executive Legal Officer for Provincial Court of Saskatchewan Jan Whitridge explained the decision as to why Watrous will no longer be a part of the circuit.
“The Chief Judge for the Provincial Court is responsible for allocating limited Provincial Court resources in the most efficient and effective way possible. The Chief Judge reviews the allocation of judicial resources in the province on a regular basis and in doing so, monitors court activity at court circuit locations. In collaboration with the judges who preside in the relevant circuit locations and after consulting with representatives of Court Services, Ministry of Justice, the Chief Judge determined that Provincial Court sittings at the circuit location of Watrous would be discontinued.”
When Williams first heard that Provincial Court would be closed in the community he was a bit surprised but noted the docket in Watrous has been getting shorter and shorter during more recent years.
While there have been less appearances recently, Williams said it was a nice thing to have the circuit court in Watrous for local and area residents.
“Say for example someone allegedly didn’t stop at a stop sign in town and wanted to appeal their case, they could do so in Watrous with minimum disruption to their daily lives. Now if that person felt they wanted to appeal, they would have to travel to Saskatoon and appear at Provincial Court there. I think not having Provincial Court in Watrous will impact those in the community.”
Now that Provincial Court is closed in Watrous, Williams figured his criminal career in law will also come to an end. While he will still continue to practice, he said, “I was already doing very little of the criminal law type of work, so I probably won’t do much of that aspect of the job anymore.”
TWM Top Story - Apr. 17, 2017
Seeking a solution for the Quill Lakes
By Daniel Bushman
Thousands of acres of farmland have been lost, millions of dollars sucked from the economy and the livelihoods of many drowned as floodwaters continue to cause terrible consequences within the Quill Lakes region. Dedicating the past five years to try and find a solution to the high water levels, Chair of the Quill Lakes Watershed Association Number 14 Kerry Holderness explained the scenario at the Rural Municipality of Prairie Rose’s annual ratepayers supper in Jansen Apr. 6.
“One of my neighbours thought he was going to retire on his farm and got carried off in an ambulance because the water was basically at his doorstep,” said Holderness. “He couldn’t sell his land and he couldn’t get out. Another neighbour lost over two-thirds of his land underwater and my grandfather’s yard site is just about gone. My family history around me is disappearing.”
Other neighbours close to Holderness have also been hit hard. “Every rise in water is another casualty. Another neighbour had to leave and get out, he couldn’t keep up with the losses. This is what is happening. The costs of this flood are more than just dollars and cents. These stories are taking place throughout the lakes system.”
Currently the Quill Lakes Watershed Association that Holderness is with represents about 900,000 acres in a watershed of 2.1 million. In just a little over a year there are eight member RMs and four member urban municipalities involved out of a possible 19 RMs, 11 urban municipalities and seven First Nations reserves.
Part of what the group is trying to convey is that now is not the time for people to be pointing fingers about who is at fault for the high water but rather figure out a way to fix the problem. The watershed association also came up with some interesting research suggesting that an occurrence like this may have also happened in the past and without agricultural activity.
Finding records relating to the Red River Valley floods in Manitoba to the North American Great Plains and the Devil’s Lake area in North Dakota, the group indicated things may have happened with a climate shift.
“Devil’s Lake for example shows fluctuations over the past 4,000 years from overflowing to dry periods, reflecting climate changes. Some of the peaks were 1,100 and 2,200 years ago. The last time this kind of a climate event happened the Vikings came to North America and the Mayan civilization disappeared. A study on the Red River flooding pointed to the fact that the Red River floods prior to 1826 were more frequent and more severe than after 1826. Who are we going to blame for that?”
As was the case with high water levels in those situations, Holderness said the volume of water during the annual runoff for the Quill Lakes has increased substantially over recent years and continues to do so. If the current threat continues it does not bode well for those residing in the region.
“We were averaging 100 million cubic metres per year in the previous 30 years and in the last 10, we have averaged 423 million. In 2011, it was the peak year and it was almost eight times the average runoff. We had almost eight years of normal rainfall in one year. You wonder why you can’t store this water on your land?”
In a three decade span, prior to the current flood, Holderness said the lake area received three trillion cubic metres of runoff water but in the last 10 years, there has been 4.23 trillion cubic metres.
Researching data through the Weather Network using records dating back to 2005, a local area producer provided Holderness with some large precipitation numbers. According to the data, during that time span, the Quill Lakes have had 202 inches of rain while the Yorkton region, which also had flooding issues had 134 inches of rain. The Saskatoon region, including the Allan Hills had 91 inches of rain.
Those numbers pushed the water level at the Quill Lakes past its recorded historical level from 1914 when it was around 519.6 metres. Now the water is over a metre above that and rising.
“Big Quill has risen 6.8 metres in 12 years and we only have .65 metres to go until overflow. When it gets up to 1.28 metres from where it is right now, the water will run out of the watershed as fast as it is coming in.”
The enormous amount of water that continues to fill and flood the land has also been sinking the economy. With no real numbers on how much of an impact the flooding has had on the economy, the watershed association began doing extensive research. The association accumulated figures from Statistics Canada, average yields and other critical information from Crop Insurance and the Water Security Agency. From that data, Holderness said they estimate there is approximately 33,579 acres of unusable private land because of flooding.
Taking the number of acres on an average yield, using a five year rotation with a 4:1 multiplier factor ratio formula, Holderness said crop losses to the regional and provincial economy were estimated at $43 million last year, an $8.5 million rise from the year before due to the higher water levels.
The watershed association then did a calculation to see how much a one centimetre increase in the water level would cost the provincial economy. “Every centimetre is a $500,000 loss annually and they are predicting this could last 50 years or better, so we are talking about an increase in annual losses of $500,000 per year for every centimetre for the next how many decades?”
With those staggering figures, Holderness then calculated the amount of room left before the water level would reach maximum capacity. Factoring that rise in water would equate to another 53,000 acres lost. That would put the annual losses in crops at today’s prices at $112 million. If it stayed like that for a decade, that number adds up to over $1 billion. The predictions of 10 to 25 more years of this wet cycle and time to recover the land flooded with higher salt content water may take decades to recover.
“This doesn’t include the losses to businesses, the grain transportation industry, machinery dealerships and the livestock industry which was decimated because there is not a significant piece of pasture land for anyone anywhere.”
Holderness said there are businesses berming up their properties, others have shutdown completely and more have lost staff because they are unable to access the property.
“There used to be $2 million worth of grain that would come up the 640 grid (between what was then two lakes) to an elevator from the Wynyard side and those producers may go somewhere else because it is getting to be too far to get to.”
Holderness said the Hwy. 16 and Hwy. 6 junction is also being built up right now to withstand the water.
“They are building it two metres higher and in order to do that you have to go almost triple the width of the highway at the base. They had another build up before this one and as the lake keeps coming up, pieces of highway will have to be built up. It may be up in that $75 million dollar range just for highway construction if we don’t get a handle on these lakes.”
Private property losses have also been substantial and unfathomable while environmental issues with salt water flooding are not the same as fresh water flooding.
Trying to come up with a solution that would work, a couple of years ago the Kutawagan Creek Diversion project proposal, by the Water Security Agency, was unveiled but later scrapped in 2015. Shortly after, Holderness and others formed the watershed association and received a study about a year later. Since then, the organization has been busy trying to come up with a positive solution while the province has also come out with a new water strategy on agricultural drainage. Holderness said the economic impacts of this policy are being debated and it has become a hot button issue as many farmers across the province are battling extreme wet conditions.
The Quill Lakes Watershed Association has also compiled its economic impact study and its Common Ground proposal with both being completed in January. They have also started a consultation process with those downstream and have been in contact with Wascana Upper Qu’Appelle Watershed (WUQWATR).
“We had a back and forth conversation with WUQWATR and they have written a letter to the provincial government explaining that something needs to be done.”
Holderness said the association has already been to the Calling Lakes Planning Commission in the Fort Qu’Appelle area and were asked to speak at the Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds.
“Our proposal is basically a high level proposal,” Holderness said. “We did the pre-engineering on it to make sure it could be done and then we went to people downstream to see if it was okay to continue. That is where we are at right now and we are trying to get the consultation process going and are moving slowly to make sure we are doing it in the right steps. We want to make sure we have the support all the way up and down stream.”
The Common Ground proposal, which is what Holderness and the group came up with involves protecting the economy, the environment and private property.
“These things we found were common ground and that is why we called this the Common Ground proposal.”
Using mitigation studies done by the provincial government and taking positives from the Kutawagan Diversion Project proposal, the group’s Common Ground proposal calls for the removal of up to 33 percent of the water from the Quill Lakes (the Kutawagan was for nine percent). By removing that water it would help to dilute some of the saline water and would try to minimize the effects of that. By not electing to use that proposal, Holderness said the alternative is to see the water overflow on its own.
“In order to stop the lakes from overflowing, you have to stop them from rising. This proposal addresses the downstream concerns and it also addresses the concerns in the Quill Lakes about the mounting losses every year. In the diversion programs that were in previous mitigation studies, they had the water going over a hump and to Last Mountain Lake. There wasn’t a lot of storage capacity in that. There was some in Jansen Lake but a lot of diversions that would have been in place would send water downstream during their peaks, creating potential flooding downstream.”
By going in the direction of the new proposal, Holderness said in the spring when flooding becomes a concern for many downstream, the Kutawagan valley, which has more storage capacity would be able to hold additional water until there would be room in the system downstream to drain it. There would also be a back door clause where if water is stored in the Kutawagan valley and there is no room in the system downstream, Holderness said it could still go into the Quill Lakes.
“The way we are doing it, we are allowing ourselves to go both ways with the water and that provides another safety factor.”
Another phase of the Common Ground proposal suggests identifying aquifer capacity and depositing saline water underground. Holderness said they have been in contact with an oil field engineer out of Calgary who suggests that this would be a way of getting rid of a significant volume of saline water to help protect downstream water quality. Currently the Quill Lakes Watershed Association has applied for a study and are waiting for approval on it. While developing this option would be costly, Holderness said it would not even come close to the amount of economic losses already inflicted within the area, and future losses that will compound with time.
“If the studies are positive, we could look at moving to a test well. Once you can stabilize the lakes’ water, if you can get it down a little ways, producers in the Quill Lakes could have an adequate outlook again. It is important to understand, no one is asking for the ability to drain the lake, it needs to be stabilized and managed. We are pushing hard for this Common Ground proposal to go forward because we can no longer afford to procrastinate. Doing nothing is not an option!”
While Holderness admits that the flooding situation and how to deal with it is a complicated issue, there has been good response at all levels. Holderness said finding a positive solution would be a tremendous step in the right direction for many who have lost virtually everything.
“People are trapped, still having to make payments on loans while their land is underwater. The losses are still increasing and if they stop making payments on the land that is underwater, they risk losing the rest of their farm. The economic impacts are affecting family units, communities, jobs and school enrolment. This wet cycle is effecting more than people realize and it is more severe in some places than others but it is affecting everyone in the province right now. Most people think it is a bunch of farmland going underwater but to many people it is generations, past and present and future being destroyed. At what point in time can we call this an emergency?”
By Daniel Bushman
Thousands of acres of farmland have been lost, millions of dollars sucked from the economy and the livelihoods of many drowned as floodwaters continue to cause terrible consequences within the Quill Lakes region. Dedicating the past five years to try and find a solution to the high water levels, Chair of the Quill Lakes Watershed Association Number 14 Kerry Holderness explained the scenario at the Rural Municipality of Prairie Rose’s annual ratepayers supper in Jansen Apr. 6.
“One of my neighbours thought he was going to retire on his farm and got carried off in an ambulance because the water was basically at his doorstep,” said Holderness. “He couldn’t sell his land and he couldn’t get out. Another neighbour lost over two-thirds of his land underwater and my grandfather’s yard site is just about gone. My family history around me is disappearing.”
Other neighbours close to Holderness have also been hit hard. “Every rise in water is another casualty. Another neighbour had to leave and get out, he couldn’t keep up with the losses. This is what is happening. The costs of this flood are more than just dollars and cents. These stories are taking place throughout the lakes system.”
Currently the Quill Lakes Watershed Association that Holderness is with represents about 900,000 acres in a watershed of 2.1 million. In just a little over a year there are eight member RMs and four member urban municipalities involved out of a possible 19 RMs, 11 urban municipalities and seven First Nations reserves.
Part of what the group is trying to convey is that now is not the time for people to be pointing fingers about who is at fault for the high water but rather figure out a way to fix the problem. The watershed association also came up with some interesting research suggesting that an occurrence like this may have also happened in the past and without agricultural activity.
Finding records relating to the Red River Valley floods in Manitoba to the North American Great Plains and the Devil’s Lake area in North Dakota, the group indicated things may have happened with a climate shift.
“Devil’s Lake for example shows fluctuations over the past 4,000 years from overflowing to dry periods, reflecting climate changes. Some of the peaks were 1,100 and 2,200 years ago. The last time this kind of a climate event happened the Vikings came to North America and the Mayan civilization disappeared. A study on the Red River flooding pointed to the fact that the Red River floods prior to 1826 were more frequent and more severe than after 1826. Who are we going to blame for that?”
As was the case with high water levels in those situations, Holderness said the volume of water during the annual runoff for the Quill Lakes has increased substantially over recent years and continues to do so. If the current threat continues it does not bode well for those residing in the region.
“We were averaging 100 million cubic metres per year in the previous 30 years and in the last 10, we have averaged 423 million. In 2011, it was the peak year and it was almost eight times the average runoff. We had almost eight years of normal rainfall in one year. You wonder why you can’t store this water on your land?”
In a three decade span, prior to the current flood, Holderness said the lake area received three trillion cubic metres of runoff water but in the last 10 years, there has been 4.23 trillion cubic metres.
Researching data through the Weather Network using records dating back to 2005, a local area producer provided Holderness with some large precipitation numbers. According to the data, during that time span, the Quill Lakes have had 202 inches of rain while the Yorkton region, which also had flooding issues had 134 inches of rain. The Saskatoon region, including the Allan Hills had 91 inches of rain.
Those numbers pushed the water level at the Quill Lakes past its recorded historical level from 1914 when it was around 519.6 metres. Now the water is over a metre above that and rising.
“Big Quill has risen 6.8 metres in 12 years and we only have .65 metres to go until overflow. When it gets up to 1.28 metres from where it is right now, the water will run out of the watershed as fast as it is coming in.”
The enormous amount of water that continues to fill and flood the land has also been sinking the economy. With no real numbers on how much of an impact the flooding has had on the economy, the watershed association began doing extensive research. The association accumulated figures from Statistics Canada, average yields and other critical information from Crop Insurance and the Water Security Agency. From that data, Holderness said they estimate there is approximately 33,579 acres of unusable private land because of flooding.
Taking the number of acres on an average yield, using a five year rotation with a 4:1 multiplier factor ratio formula, Holderness said crop losses to the regional and provincial economy were estimated at $43 million last year, an $8.5 million rise from the year before due to the higher water levels.
The watershed association then did a calculation to see how much a one centimetre increase in the water level would cost the provincial economy. “Every centimetre is a $500,000 loss annually and they are predicting this could last 50 years or better, so we are talking about an increase in annual losses of $500,000 per year for every centimetre for the next how many decades?”
With those staggering figures, Holderness then calculated the amount of room left before the water level would reach maximum capacity. Factoring that rise in water would equate to another 53,000 acres lost. That would put the annual losses in crops at today’s prices at $112 million. If it stayed like that for a decade, that number adds up to over $1 billion. The predictions of 10 to 25 more years of this wet cycle and time to recover the land flooded with higher salt content water may take decades to recover.
“This doesn’t include the losses to businesses, the grain transportation industry, machinery dealerships and the livestock industry which was decimated because there is not a significant piece of pasture land for anyone anywhere.”
Holderness said there are businesses berming up their properties, others have shutdown completely and more have lost staff because they are unable to access the property.
“There used to be $2 million worth of grain that would come up the 640 grid (between what was then two lakes) to an elevator from the Wynyard side and those producers may go somewhere else because it is getting to be too far to get to.”
Holderness said the Hwy. 16 and Hwy. 6 junction is also being built up right now to withstand the water.
“They are building it two metres higher and in order to do that you have to go almost triple the width of the highway at the base. They had another build up before this one and as the lake keeps coming up, pieces of highway will have to be built up. It may be up in that $75 million dollar range just for highway construction if we don’t get a handle on these lakes.”
Private property losses have also been substantial and unfathomable while environmental issues with salt water flooding are not the same as fresh water flooding.
Trying to come up with a solution that would work, a couple of years ago the Kutawagan Creek Diversion project proposal, by the Water Security Agency, was unveiled but later scrapped in 2015. Shortly after, Holderness and others formed the watershed association and received a study about a year later. Since then, the organization has been busy trying to come up with a positive solution while the province has also come out with a new water strategy on agricultural drainage. Holderness said the economic impacts of this policy are being debated and it has become a hot button issue as many farmers across the province are battling extreme wet conditions.
The Quill Lakes Watershed Association has also compiled its economic impact study and its Common Ground proposal with both being completed in January. They have also started a consultation process with those downstream and have been in contact with Wascana Upper Qu’Appelle Watershed (WUQWATR).
“We had a back and forth conversation with WUQWATR and they have written a letter to the provincial government explaining that something needs to be done.”
Holderness said the association has already been to the Calling Lakes Planning Commission in the Fort Qu’Appelle area and were asked to speak at the Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds.
“Our proposal is basically a high level proposal,” Holderness said. “We did the pre-engineering on it to make sure it could be done and then we went to people downstream to see if it was okay to continue. That is where we are at right now and we are trying to get the consultation process going and are moving slowly to make sure we are doing it in the right steps. We want to make sure we have the support all the way up and down stream.”
The Common Ground proposal, which is what Holderness and the group came up with involves protecting the economy, the environment and private property.
“These things we found were common ground and that is why we called this the Common Ground proposal.”
Using mitigation studies done by the provincial government and taking positives from the Kutawagan Diversion Project proposal, the group’s Common Ground proposal calls for the removal of up to 33 percent of the water from the Quill Lakes (the Kutawagan was for nine percent). By removing that water it would help to dilute some of the saline water and would try to minimize the effects of that. By not electing to use that proposal, Holderness said the alternative is to see the water overflow on its own.
“In order to stop the lakes from overflowing, you have to stop them from rising. This proposal addresses the downstream concerns and it also addresses the concerns in the Quill Lakes about the mounting losses every year. In the diversion programs that were in previous mitigation studies, they had the water going over a hump and to Last Mountain Lake. There wasn’t a lot of storage capacity in that. There was some in Jansen Lake but a lot of diversions that would have been in place would send water downstream during their peaks, creating potential flooding downstream.”
By going in the direction of the new proposal, Holderness said in the spring when flooding becomes a concern for many downstream, the Kutawagan valley, which has more storage capacity would be able to hold additional water until there would be room in the system downstream to drain it. There would also be a back door clause where if water is stored in the Kutawagan valley and there is no room in the system downstream, Holderness said it could still go into the Quill Lakes.
“The way we are doing it, we are allowing ourselves to go both ways with the water and that provides another safety factor.”
Another phase of the Common Ground proposal suggests identifying aquifer capacity and depositing saline water underground. Holderness said they have been in contact with an oil field engineer out of Calgary who suggests that this would be a way of getting rid of a significant volume of saline water to help protect downstream water quality. Currently the Quill Lakes Watershed Association has applied for a study and are waiting for approval on it. While developing this option would be costly, Holderness said it would not even come close to the amount of economic losses already inflicted within the area, and future losses that will compound with time.
“If the studies are positive, we could look at moving to a test well. Once you can stabilize the lakes’ water, if you can get it down a little ways, producers in the Quill Lakes could have an adequate outlook again. It is important to understand, no one is asking for the ability to drain the lake, it needs to be stabilized and managed. We are pushing hard for this Common Ground proposal to go forward because we can no longer afford to procrastinate. Doing nothing is not an option!”
While Holderness admits that the flooding situation and how to deal with it is a complicated issue, there has been good response at all levels. Holderness said finding a positive solution would be a tremendous step in the right direction for many who have lost virtually everything.
“People are trapped, still having to make payments on loans while their land is underwater. The losses are still increasing and if they stop making payments on the land that is underwater, they risk losing the rest of their farm. The economic impacts are affecting family units, communities, jobs and school enrolment. This wet cycle is effecting more than people realize and it is more severe in some places than others but it is affecting everyone in the province right now. Most people think it is a bunch of farmland going underwater but to many people it is generations, past and present and future being destroyed. At what point in time can we call this an emergency?”
TWM Top Story - Apr. 10, 2017
Kidney dialysis is a part of life for local resident
By Daniel Bushman
For the past few years, Manitou Beach resident, artist and author Michael Gaudet has been faced with the decision of life or death. Choosing life, Gaudet makes the trek to Saskatoon three times a week for kidney dialysis. As March marked National Kidney Month, Gaudet continued to travel the over 600 kilometres each week to receive dialysis. Unfortunately for Michael, this is not a new occurrence as he was faced with a similar experience earlier in life.
At 19 years old, Gaudet was living and working in Toronto, Ont. when he was told at Sunnybrook Medical Centre that he had end stage renal failure and emergency life-saving dialysis was required. The blood cleansing and fluid retention control therapy was initiated to try and buy some time for Gaudet while he waited for a kidney donor and transplant.
“Only seven months later, which seemed like an eternity at the time, my brother Steven donated a kidney to me. This gift of life sustained my health and vitality for over 34 years, a longevity record in Western Canada.”
However, while the Manitou Beach resident was able to do enjoy his life and create masterpieces with his paint brush, in May of 2014 his kidney function had deteriorated to the point where he needed to return to weekly dialysis treatments three times a week. Gaudet began his routine of travelling to St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon each week, remaining a dialysis patient with no real end in sight.
“I am on the kidney transplant waiting list but the average waiting time is anywhere from three and five years, though that is no guarantee. When people ask me if I am still attending dialysis three times a week, I say, ‘Well, it is a case of dialysis do or die!’”
The long road to what Gaudet hopes is an eventual recovery has provided a bit of a positive note as the now author purchased a laptop and began typing his handwritten notes which formed a book.
Called ‘Dancing with Rejection: A Beginner’s Guide to Immortality,’ the book is a memoir penned by Gaudet that provides detail of his near-death experience but also how human triumph beat adversity with his kidney transplant. “It is a story of my eventual rise to become a painter of monumental murals. This was my way of leaving my mark on the mortal world after my close brush with an early demise.”
Gaudet’s first book was also written in an effort to provide a realistic story of severely deteriorating health before coming back in a healthy way, “My hope is that every dialysis patient will have an opportunity to read about my recovery so that they will have their hopes bolstered.”
With many turning the pages of Gaudet’s first published work, the author has now turned his focus towards his second of three books called, ‘A Work in Progress: The Life my Brother Saved.’ Slated to be released in the summer, Gaudet has already sold 100 advanced signed copies and a benefactor who read the first book came forward to cover the production costs.
“The theme of book two is a continuation of my evolving career as a mural painter and includes the story of the truly monumental mural that I designed and painted at Sacred Heart Chaldean Catholic Church in Saskatoon. The story of my wildly successful kidney transplant also looms large in the story. In this way, I wish to insinuate the kidney health phenomenon once again in a literary setting.”
With the month of March highlighting all things kidneys, the strong advocate said not only is he writing books but also reaching out on social media. About three years ago and while he was still a transplant recipient and doing well, Michael’s wife Sharon encouraged him to have a peer-to-peer support group for kidney patients and their families on Facebook. Taking her advice Gaudet created ‘Kidney Transplant Donors and Recipients.’ Within a year, the group had 900 members from every corner of the planet. Now, the group has grown exponentially to include over 14,000 members.
“KTDR has evolved to become the busiest place on the ‘net for all things kidney. It is always very inspiring to read about people who, after such a long wait, finally receive that elusive gift of life. Every time I witness this miracle in real time, I think, someday I will get the call.”
Until that call comes for Michael, Gaudet said he will continue to raise awareness of kidney health. “Dr. Mike Moser said it best: “Awareness Saves Lives!” Kidney health awareness needs a champion(s) . . . By the end of 2012, there were more than 41,000 people living with end-stage renal failure in Canada. Of those, 42 percent were living with a kidney transplant while 58 percent were on dialysis. People with a kidney transplant cost the health care system about $50,000 less per year.”
Until that transplant comes for Michael, he continues to try and find his own way to the city. A few of Gaudet’s friends have generously lent a hand and offered a ride as he can become drained after dialysis. Gaudet also tried using the Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC) but with the bus schedule not allowing enough time for Gaudet to receive full treatments of dialysis, he found himself in the emergency room numerous times and elected not to continue with that route.
While there are things to do in Saskatoon, Gaudet hopes that the three trips each week will come to an end sooner than later. “Think about it. An in-unit dialysis patient is really left with no other choice than to commit to attending three times a week, and this includes travel time to and from. So, we are obligated to sit in the chair, tethered to a machine, for four hours each time. Many of us read, nap, or work on our portable devices. I made a decision when I started back on dialysis to stay busy and focused on my laptop. So, in a very positive twist, I am making the best of a challenging situation by remaining productive when I have the energy!”
While Gaudet is able to write his books when he is able and feels up to it, there is no say in whether or not he can stay home one week instead of travelling to Saskatoon. His only other alternative is receiving a kidney transplant which can only occur from a living donor or a deceased one.
Despite waiting day after day and having to receive dialysis three times each week, Gaudet remains busy in other ways, painting commissions over the winter and into the spring and summer. Currently the artist said he is negotiating with a Saskatchewan town to design and paint another major mural project. He and Sharon are also looking forward to their 10th year of owning G-G’s Gallery and Gifts at Manitou Beach.
“My outlook on life is: Make the best of every day. Stay positive. It costs the same to have a positive attitude as it does to be mired in a negative mind-set. The cost for both is nothing. It’s all a matter of our attitude, and with a positive outlook, your chances of success and glowing health are much better.”
To stay updated with Gaudet, people can visit www.mrgaudet.com
By Daniel Bushman
For the past few years, Manitou Beach resident, artist and author Michael Gaudet has been faced with the decision of life or death. Choosing life, Gaudet makes the trek to Saskatoon three times a week for kidney dialysis. As March marked National Kidney Month, Gaudet continued to travel the over 600 kilometres each week to receive dialysis. Unfortunately for Michael, this is not a new occurrence as he was faced with a similar experience earlier in life.
At 19 years old, Gaudet was living and working in Toronto, Ont. when he was told at Sunnybrook Medical Centre that he had end stage renal failure and emergency life-saving dialysis was required. The blood cleansing and fluid retention control therapy was initiated to try and buy some time for Gaudet while he waited for a kidney donor and transplant.
“Only seven months later, which seemed like an eternity at the time, my brother Steven donated a kidney to me. This gift of life sustained my health and vitality for over 34 years, a longevity record in Western Canada.”
However, while the Manitou Beach resident was able to do enjoy his life and create masterpieces with his paint brush, in May of 2014 his kidney function had deteriorated to the point where he needed to return to weekly dialysis treatments three times a week. Gaudet began his routine of travelling to St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon each week, remaining a dialysis patient with no real end in sight.
“I am on the kidney transplant waiting list but the average waiting time is anywhere from three and five years, though that is no guarantee. When people ask me if I am still attending dialysis three times a week, I say, ‘Well, it is a case of dialysis do or die!’”
The long road to what Gaudet hopes is an eventual recovery has provided a bit of a positive note as the now author purchased a laptop and began typing his handwritten notes which formed a book.
Called ‘Dancing with Rejection: A Beginner’s Guide to Immortality,’ the book is a memoir penned by Gaudet that provides detail of his near-death experience but also how human triumph beat adversity with his kidney transplant. “It is a story of my eventual rise to become a painter of monumental murals. This was my way of leaving my mark on the mortal world after my close brush with an early demise.”
Gaudet’s first book was also written in an effort to provide a realistic story of severely deteriorating health before coming back in a healthy way, “My hope is that every dialysis patient will have an opportunity to read about my recovery so that they will have their hopes bolstered.”
With many turning the pages of Gaudet’s first published work, the author has now turned his focus towards his second of three books called, ‘A Work in Progress: The Life my Brother Saved.’ Slated to be released in the summer, Gaudet has already sold 100 advanced signed copies and a benefactor who read the first book came forward to cover the production costs.
“The theme of book two is a continuation of my evolving career as a mural painter and includes the story of the truly monumental mural that I designed and painted at Sacred Heart Chaldean Catholic Church in Saskatoon. The story of my wildly successful kidney transplant also looms large in the story. In this way, I wish to insinuate the kidney health phenomenon once again in a literary setting.”
With the month of March highlighting all things kidneys, the strong advocate said not only is he writing books but also reaching out on social media. About three years ago and while he was still a transplant recipient and doing well, Michael’s wife Sharon encouraged him to have a peer-to-peer support group for kidney patients and their families on Facebook. Taking her advice Gaudet created ‘Kidney Transplant Donors and Recipients.’ Within a year, the group had 900 members from every corner of the planet. Now, the group has grown exponentially to include over 14,000 members.
“KTDR has evolved to become the busiest place on the ‘net for all things kidney. It is always very inspiring to read about people who, after such a long wait, finally receive that elusive gift of life. Every time I witness this miracle in real time, I think, someday I will get the call.”
Until that call comes for Michael, Gaudet said he will continue to raise awareness of kidney health. “Dr. Mike Moser said it best: “Awareness Saves Lives!” Kidney health awareness needs a champion(s) . . . By the end of 2012, there were more than 41,000 people living with end-stage renal failure in Canada. Of those, 42 percent were living with a kidney transplant while 58 percent were on dialysis. People with a kidney transplant cost the health care system about $50,000 less per year.”
Until that transplant comes for Michael, he continues to try and find his own way to the city. A few of Gaudet’s friends have generously lent a hand and offered a ride as he can become drained after dialysis. Gaudet also tried using the Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC) but with the bus schedule not allowing enough time for Gaudet to receive full treatments of dialysis, he found himself in the emergency room numerous times and elected not to continue with that route.
While there are things to do in Saskatoon, Gaudet hopes that the three trips each week will come to an end sooner than later. “Think about it. An in-unit dialysis patient is really left with no other choice than to commit to attending three times a week, and this includes travel time to and from. So, we are obligated to sit in the chair, tethered to a machine, for four hours each time. Many of us read, nap, or work on our portable devices. I made a decision when I started back on dialysis to stay busy and focused on my laptop. So, in a very positive twist, I am making the best of a challenging situation by remaining productive when I have the energy!”
While Gaudet is able to write his books when he is able and feels up to it, there is no say in whether or not he can stay home one week instead of travelling to Saskatoon. His only other alternative is receiving a kidney transplant which can only occur from a living donor or a deceased one.
Despite waiting day after day and having to receive dialysis three times each week, Gaudet remains busy in other ways, painting commissions over the winter and into the spring and summer. Currently the artist said he is negotiating with a Saskatchewan town to design and paint another major mural project. He and Sharon are also looking forward to their 10th year of owning G-G’s Gallery and Gifts at Manitou Beach.
“My outlook on life is: Make the best of every day. Stay positive. It costs the same to have a positive attitude as it does to be mired in a negative mind-set. The cost for both is nothing. It’s all a matter of our attitude, and with a positive outlook, your chances of success and glowing health are much better.”
To stay updated with Gaudet, people can visit www.mrgaudet.com
TWM Top Story - Apr. 3, 2017
Tough decisions remain as province digests budget
By Daniel Bushman
A couple of weeks after the provincial budget was released by the Saskatchewan government, there has not been a lot of love shown towards it by many in the province. Facing a substantial deficit, the provincial government had to make some tough calls which unfortunately involved cuts across many sectors. As part of the budget released Mar. 22, funding has been cut in many areas including libraries and school divisions. Another area that is being effected involves municipalities and last week, President of the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Gordon Barnhart voiced his frustration.
“We expected (the) provincial budget to be tough, but nothing prepared us for the crisis some of our members now face,” Barnhart said. “The province has eliminated $36 million in funding from more than 100 hometowns without consultation after most municipalities’ budgets have already been finalized. Many councils will need to hike property taxes to stay in the black.”
While the revenue sharing formula was left intact - something that had increased dramatically over the years - the Canadian Union of Public Employees said revenue sharing grants were cut by 5.1 percent overall. That translated into municipalities losing over $35 million in grants in lieu of property taxes effective Apr. 1.
CUPE said those grants in lieu of property taxes are paid by Crown corporations SaskPower and SaskEnergy which will continue to add a surcharge on residents’ utility bills even though the corporations will no longer pay the grants in lieu of taxes.
“In some cases, this move will result in funding decreases equivalent to 40 to 50 percent of this year’s municipal revenue sharing,” Barnhart said. “Unlike the fluctuating nature of municipal revenue sharing, eliminating payments in lieu is permanent, leaving hometowns scrambling to find ways to make up this shortfall every year.”
Larger centres like Saskatoon and Regina will lose more than $10 million. In Regina, that equates to the city’s annual budget for park maintenance. In Yorkton, SUMA said that city will lose $1.6 million.
“Many communities do not have large reserves,” Barnhart said. “Besides, reserve funds are usually a contingency plan for snow removal emergencies, major water main breaks, and other unexpected catastrophic infrastructure needs - not for last-minute, permanent cuts by the Province.”
In Regina last week, MLA for Humboldt-Watrous and Minister of Government Relations Donna Harpauer met with mayors regarding the issue. Harpauer told reporters that there were times where they agreed to disagree during the meeting but they will try and look at how to get around those issues and get to a place that works for both parties involved.
After seeing the budget, Watrous Mayor Ed Collins said the situation for municipalities does not look great. “The numbers aren’t in yet but it appears it will have a fairly negative effect not only on our town but all of the towns in the province. We will know better when numbers come in but it will certainly have a negative impact no doubt. We are just bracing for that and it was something we didn’t think the government would renege on, that being the payments in lieu of taxes.”
Collins said the provincial government was up front on the revenue sharing which allowed communities to budget for that, they just did not know about the grants in lieu.
“It is a substantial amount of money. We aren’t sure what it will be here but it could be substantial,” said Collins, who added Watrous is currently going through its own budget process. “I can certainly see this having a negative effect on having to raise taxes in regards to that but we are not through the process yet.”
It was not only municipalities that are facing a rough road ahead as school divisions across the province have a lot of tough decisions to make. Director of Education with Horizon School Division Kevin Garinger said while many in education breathed a sigh of relief that elected boards will be maintained and large-scale school division amalgamations will not be implemented, Garinger said it came at a cost as the sector will see cuts to Trustee remuneration through reduced Governance funding.
“You should be aware that the provincial budget came out and it was announced that a 1.2 percent reduction in education funding would exist. At first blush, this seems like a decent figure but one has to remember that the government fiscal year runs from Apr. 1, 2017 to Mar. 31, 2018. This does translate to $22 million across the sector. However, because school division fiscal years run from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31, the actual reduction in education funding is more accurately reflected as $54 million. This reduction will pose a significant challenge to our entire sector that can only be addressed by working closely together with all other school divisions to realize even deeper efficiency savings. Work has already begun to establish provincial project teams to address areas, which include Education Act amendments, sector purchasing and services, organizational design and staffing and structural governance changes. I can assure you that Horizon School Division is and will continue to be committed as an active partner in supporting these process reviews.”
Another area being impacted is in libraries across the province. Saskatchewan Library Trustees’ Association (SLTA) released a statement saying it is both shocked and troubled by the cuts to library funding.
“Now, more than ever, libraries play a critical role in the social, educational, cultural and economic success of Saskatchewan communities. Our libraries are an essential investment in the future of our communities and are essential drivers of success in school preparedness, reading readiness, economic and employment success, and social equity. Our public libraries are a vital link for every resident and every community ensuring success of all people of Saskatchewan, regardless of location or background.”
The SLTA said the province has eliminated the operating grant to the municipal library systems in Regina and Saskatoon which comes at a loss of $1.3 million. The seven regional library systems have received an almost 60 percent reduction in operating funding which is a reduction of $3.5 million while funding to PNLS, in northern Saskatchewan, remains the same at $974,000.
“It was a huge disappointment that libraries were not forewarned or consulted with given the severity of the budget cuts. SLTA strongly urges the Provincial Government to find alternative solutions for keeping libraries adequately funded.”
That impact also hit Watrous as Collins said the cuts equate to a $10,000 reduction for the community to try and work around. “That may seem insignificant to what cities are talking about but that is not insignificant to the town of Watrous. In our mind it is important to have libraries and it will be something we will have to look at.”
Collins also noted The Urban Highway Connector Program, which is a cost sharing program will see funding cut by a third and that could impact the community and others. “We have Hwy. 2 that goes through the middle of town and Hwy. 365. If they are going to cut some funding to those . . . it is just another downloading of services to municipalities.”
As for the Watrous budget, Collins said they are continuing to work on it and now that both the provincial and federal budgets were released in March, the town will be able to have a better understanding of which direction it needs to go.
“We should have something in place later in April or May.”
*Update: the provincial government announced it will cap the grants-in-lieu reduction to municipalities at no more than 30 percent of the amount the municipality receives in revenue sharing.
“As the province moves away from its dependence on resource revenues and addresses a $1.2 billion revenue shortfall, we made the decision to cancel the grants-in-lieu paid to municipalities by SaskPower and SaskEnergy,” Government Relations Minister Donna Harpauer said. “For the vast majority of municipalities, this was equivalent to reducing their revenue sharing by about 15 percent or less.
“However, for a few, the reduction was more than 30 percent. After discussions with SUMA, we felt that it was too much of a burden to put on those municipalities, so we are capping the reduction to ensure that no municipality will see a reduction of more than 30 percent of their revenue sharing amount.”
The 30 percent cap will result in nine municipalities retaining a portion of their grants-in-lieu payments from SaskPower and SaskEnergy. They are Estevan, Humboldt, Melfort, Melville, Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Prince Albert, Weyburn and Yorkton.
The government said while these payments by SaskPower and SaskEnergy are referred to as grants-in-lieu of taxes, they are based on a flat percentage of utility sales within a municipality and are unrelated to the value of property.
The provincial government stated that the $29 million in grants-in-lieu based on estimated property taxes on provincially-owned assets are still being paid to municipalities by other Crowns and government ministries. SaskPower also collects a municipal surcharge on power bills, which results in another $74 million for municipalities. Municipalities will also receive $257 million in municipal revenue sharing this year, more than double the amount they received in revenue sharing a decade ago.
Harpauer said the grants-in-lieu reduction is a one-year measure as part of the government’s three year plan to return to balance and that the government will be meeting with SUMA and SARM to discuss a complete revamping of the various streams of funding municipalities receive from the province.
The 30 percent cap will cost about $3 million, which means the SaskPower and SaskEnergy grants-in-lieu reduction with the cap applied will reduce municipal funding by about $32 million.
“Even after this $32 million reduction, municipalities are still receiving more than $360 million in grants-in-lieu, municipal surcharge and revenue sharing.”
By Daniel Bushman
A couple of weeks after the provincial budget was released by the Saskatchewan government, there has not been a lot of love shown towards it by many in the province. Facing a substantial deficit, the provincial government had to make some tough calls which unfortunately involved cuts across many sectors. As part of the budget released Mar. 22, funding has been cut in many areas including libraries and school divisions. Another area that is being effected involves municipalities and last week, President of the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Gordon Barnhart voiced his frustration.
“We expected (the) provincial budget to be tough, but nothing prepared us for the crisis some of our members now face,” Barnhart said. “The province has eliminated $36 million in funding from more than 100 hometowns without consultation after most municipalities’ budgets have already been finalized. Many councils will need to hike property taxes to stay in the black.”
While the revenue sharing formula was left intact - something that had increased dramatically over the years - the Canadian Union of Public Employees said revenue sharing grants were cut by 5.1 percent overall. That translated into municipalities losing over $35 million in grants in lieu of property taxes effective Apr. 1.
CUPE said those grants in lieu of property taxes are paid by Crown corporations SaskPower and SaskEnergy which will continue to add a surcharge on residents’ utility bills even though the corporations will no longer pay the grants in lieu of taxes.
“In some cases, this move will result in funding decreases equivalent to 40 to 50 percent of this year’s municipal revenue sharing,” Barnhart said. “Unlike the fluctuating nature of municipal revenue sharing, eliminating payments in lieu is permanent, leaving hometowns scrambling to find ways to make up this shortfall every year.”
Larger centres like Saskatoon and Regina will lose more than $10 million. In Regina, that equates to the city’s annual budget for park maintenance. In Yorkton, SUMA said that city will lose $1.6 million.
“Many communities do not have large reserves,” Barnhart said. “Besides, reserve funds are usually a contingency plan for snow removal emergencies, major water main breaks, and other unexpected catastrophic infrastructure needs - not for last-minute, permanent cuts by the Province.”
In Regina last week, MLA for Humboldt-Watrous and Minister of Government Relations Donna Harpauer met with mayors regarding the issue. Harpauer told reporters that there were times where they agreed to disagree during the meeting but they will try and look at how to get around those issues and get to a place that works for both parties involved.
After seeing the budget, Watrous Mayor Ed Collins said the situation for municipalities does not look great. “The numbers aren’t in yet but it appears it will have a fairly negative effect not only on our town but all of the towns in the province. We will know better when numbers come in but it will certainly have a negative impact no doubt. We are just bracing for that and it was something we didn’t think the government would renege on, that being the payments in lieu of taxes.”
Collins said the provincial government was up front on the revenue sharing which allowed communities to budget for that, they just did not know about the grants in lieu.
“It is a substantial amount of money. We aren’t sure what it will be here but it could be substantial,” said Collins, who added Watrous is currently going through its own budget process. “I can certainly see this having a negative effect on having to raise taxes in regards to that but we are not through the process yet.”
It was not only municipalities that are facing a rough road ahead as school divisions across the province have a lot of tough decisions to make. Director of Education with Horizon School Division Kevin Garinger said while many in education breathed a sigh of relief that elected boards will be maintained and large-scale school division amalgamations will not be implemented, Garinger said it came at a cost as the sector will see cuts to Trustee remuneration through reduced Governance funding.
“You should be aware that the provincial budget came out and it was announced that a 1.2 percent reduction in education funding would exist. At first blush, this seems like a decent figure but one has to remember that the government fiscal year runs from Apr. 1, 2017 to Mar. 31, 2018. This does translate to $22 million across the sector. However, because school division fiscal years run from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31, the actual reduction in education funding is more accurately reflected as $54 million. This reduction will pose a significant challenge to our entire sector that can only be addressed by working closely together with all other school divisions to realize even deeper efficiency savings. Work has already begun to establish provincial project teams to address areas, which include Education Act amendments, sector purchasing and services, organizational design and staffing and structural governance changes. I can assure you that Horizon School Division is and will continue to be committed as an active partner in supporting these process reviews.”
Another area being impacted is in libraries across the province. Saskatchewan Library Trustees’ Association (SLTA) released a statement saying it is both shocked and troubled by the cuts to library funding.
“Now, more than ever, libraries play a critical role in the social, educational, cultural and economic success of Saskatchewan communities. Our libraries are an essential investment in the future of our communities and are essential drivers of success in school preparedness, reading readiness, economic and employment success, and social equity. Our public libraries are a vital link for every resident and every community ensuring success of all people of Saskatchewan, regardless of location or background.”
The SLTA said the province has eliminated the operating grant to the municipal library systems in Regina and Saskatoon which comes at a loss of $1.3 million. The seven regional library systems have received an almost 60 percent reduction in operating funding which is a reduction of $3.5 million while funding to PNLS, in northern Saskatchewan, remains the same at $974,000.
“It was a huge disappointment that libraries were not forewarned or consulted with given the severity of the budget cuts. SLTA strongly urges the Provincial Government to find alternative solutions for keeping libraries adequately funded.”
That impact also hit Watrous as Collins said the cuts equate to a $10,000 reduction for the community to try and work around. “That may seem insignificant to what cities are talking about but that is not insignificant to the town of Watrous. In our mind it is important to have libraries and it will be something we will have to look at.”
Collins also noted The Urban Highway Connector Program, which is a cost sharing program will see funding cut by a third and that could impact the community and others. “We have Hwy. 2 that goes through the middle of town and Hwy. 365. If they are going to cut some funding to those . . . it is just another downloading of services to municipalities.”
As for the Watrous budget, Collins said they are continuing to work on it and now that both the provincial and federal budgets were released in March, the town will be able to have a better understanding of which direction it needs to go.
“We should have something in place later in April or May.”
*Update: the provincial government announced it will cap the grants-in-lieu reduction to municipalities at no more than 30 percent of the amount the municipality receives in revenue sharing.
“As the province moves away from its dependence on resource revenues and addresses a $1.2 billion revenue shortfall, we made the decision to cancel the grants-in-lieu paid to municipalities by SaskPower and SaskEnergy,” Government Relations Minister Donna Harpauer said. “For the vast majority of municipalities, this was equivalent to reducing their revenue sharing by about 15 percent or less.
“However, for a few, the reduction was more than 30 percent. After discussions with SUMA, we felt that it was too much of a burden to put on those municipalities, so we are capping the reduction to ensure that no municipality will see a reduction of more than 30 percent of their revenue sharing amount.”
The 30 percent cap will result in nine municipalities retaining a portion of their grants-in-lieu payments from SaskPower and SaskEnergy. They are Estevan, Humboldt, Melfort, Melville, Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Prince Albert, Weyburn and Yorkton.
The government said while these payments by SaskPower and SaskEnergy are referred to as grants-in-lieu of taxes, they are based on a flat percentage of utility sales within a municipality and are unrelated to the value of property.
The provincial government stated that the $29 million in grants-in-lieu based on estimated property taxes on provincially-owned assets are still being paid to municipalities by other Crowns and government ministries. SaskPower also collects a municipal surcharge on power bills, which results in another $74 million for municipalities. Municipalities will also receive $257 million in municipal revenue sharing this year, more than double the amount they received in revenue sharing a decade ago.
Harpauer said the grants-in-lieu reduction is a one-year measure as part of the government’s three year plan to return to balance and that the government will be meeting with SUMA and SARM to discuss a complete revamping of the various streams of funding municipalities receive from the province.
The 30 percent cap will cost about $3 million, which means the SaskPower and SaskEnergy grants-in-lieu reduction with the cap applied will reduce municipal funding by about $32 million.
“Even after this $32 million reduction, municipalities are still receiving more than $360 million in grants-in-lieu, municipal surcharge and revenue sharing.”
TWM Top Story - Mar. 27, 2017
Heritage Centre a reality after agreement reached
By Daniel Bushman
Not only will Watrous and area residents be able to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday this year but there is another reason to be excited in 2017. For the past five years, a local group has been seeking to create a Heritage Centre to serve Watrous, Manitou Beach and the surrounding area. Watrous-Manitou Beach Heritage Board member Kathy Bergen said the exciting endeavor of creating the Heritage Centre is now a reality.
“An agreement has been reached between the Board of the Watrous-Manitou Beach Heritage Centre and SaskWater Corporation for the purchase of the Provincial Building on Main Street in Watrous.”
Bergen said the four decade old building, located next to the Watrous Post Office, has been well maintained as a government facility with regular inspections and recent upgrades to its roof, windows and insulation.
“The purchase and renovation of the SaskWater building will be a key part of the revitalization of the Main Street economy, and be great addition to our tourism industry. It will also add to the community by providing recreational and educational programs.”
Currently, some of the offices within the provincial building are being leased but Bergen said those will be maintained as a revenue stream.
With the remaining space, Bergen said, “The vision is to create exhibit spaces, archival storage and work areas, as well as a gallery/travelling exhibit area. The great pioneer type museums already in existence will not be duplicated, but the focus will be on the rich history specific to this area.”
On the hunt to find a suitable space and location, the Heritage group’s search took place in both Watrous and Manitou Beach. Since available buildings in the communities were not large enough or suitable for what the group was looking for, Bergen said they explored the option of constructing a facility. However, with the economic downturn the option to build became less appealing.
Then came the opportunity to look at the Provincial Building on Main Street in Watrous. “Almost a year ago, the board entered into conversations with SaskWater and from there we were able to reach an agreement.”
Bergen said the board, which includes: vice-chairman Lionel Sproule, treasurer Robert Cannon, secretary Darlene Kornelsen and members Sue Alcock, Karen Schroeder-Mark, Ron Frey, Lyle Emmons and Jean Margetts are really excited about what the future holds.
“We are eager to begin creating a unique place to display our area’s history.”
A campaign is now in the works to raise funds for the purchase and renovation of the building, which will be launched soon.
Leading up to acquiring the future home of the Heritage Centre, Bergen said board members have been busy making other preparations. “The Centre is incorporated as a non-profit, and has worked on the creation of policies, been involved in professional development, as well as training in the area of archives and exhibits.”
Over these past years there have been exhibits at the Heritage Room, the Gallery, the library, and Manitou Springs Hotel. A website, (www.watrousheritage.ca) has been created and is an online archives, exhibiting photos, documents, videos and other interesting items. The group also has a Facebook page containing local heritage photos and events (www.facebook.com/WatrousManitouBeachHeritage/).
By Daniel Bushman
Not only will Watrous and area residents be able to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday this year but there is another reason to be excited in 2017. For the past five years, a local group has been seeking to create a Heritage Centre to serve Watrous, Manitou Beach and the surrounding area. Watrous-Manitou Beach Heritage Board member Kathy Bergen said the exciting endeavor of creating the Heritage Centre is now a reality.
“An agreement has been reached between the Board of the Watrous-Manitou Beach Heritage Centre and SaskWater Corporation for the purchase of the Provincial Building on Main Street in Watrous.”
Bergen said the four decade old building, located next to the Watrous Post Office, has been well maintained as a government facility with regular inspections and recent upgrades to its roof, windows and insulation.
“The purchase and renovation of the SaskWater building will be a key part of the revitalization of the Main Street economy, and be great addition to our tourism industry. It will also add to the community by providing recreational and educational programs.”
Currently, some of the offices within the provincial building are being leased but Bergen said those will be maintained as a revenue stream.
With the remaining space, Bergen said, “The vision is to create exhibit spaces, archival storage and work areas, as well as a gallery/travelling exhibit area. The great pioneer type museums already in existence will not be duplicated, but the focus will be on the rich history specific to this area.”
On the hunt to find a suitable space and location, the Heritage group’s search took place in both Watrous and Manitou Beach. Since available buildings in the communities were not large enough or suitable for what the group was looking for, Bergen said they explored the option of constructing a facility. However, with the economic downturn the option to build became less appealing.
Then came the opportunity to look at the Provincial Building on Main Street in Watrous. “Almost a year ago, the board entered into conversations with SaskWater and from there we were able to reach an agreement.”
Bergen said the board, which includes: vice-chairman Lionel Sproule, treasurer Robert Cannon, secretary Darlene Kornelsen and members Sue Alcock, Karen Schroeder-Mark, Ron Frey, Lyle Emmons and Jean Margetts are really excited about what the future holds.
“We are eager to begin creating a unique place to display our area’s history.”
A campaign is now in the works to raise funds for the purchase and renovation of the building, which will be launched soon.
Leading up to acquiring the future home of the Heritage Centre, Bergen said board members have been busy making other preparations. “The Centre is incorporated as a non-profit, and has worked on the creation of policies, been involved in professional development, as well as training in the area of archives and exhibits.”
Over these past years there have been exhibits at the Heritage Room, the Gallery, the library, and Manitou Springs Hotel. A website, (www.watrousheritage.ca) has been created and is an online archives, exhibiting photos, documents, videos and other interesting items. The group also has a Facebook page containing local heritage photos and events (www.facebook.com/WatrousManitouBeachHeritage/).
TWM Top Story Mar. 20, 2017
Winterhawks crowned league champions
Daniel Bushman
For the first time since winning Long Lake Hockey League titles in the 2006-‘07 and 2007-‘08 seasons, the Watrous Winterhawks took home the league championship at home Mar. 14. Even with St. Patrick’s Day approaching, there was no luck of the Irish needed on this night as the team made sure it was not leaving the ice without the LLHL trophy.
Up 2-1 in the best of five series against the defending champion Lanigan Pirates, both teams got down to business right from the opening faceoff. With a fast pace and lots of big hits, teams traded shots in the early going before an injury to Winterhawk Brady Larock had him helped off the ice and to the dressing room.
When play resumed, Pirate forward Tyson Hobbins came in on Watrous netminder Brennan Duncan and wired a quick shot but the goaltender ensured the puck stayed out of the net. Playing smart hockey, both teams were not willing to make the first mistake but with 8:33 remaining in the first period, Watrous captain Woody Klassen spotted Craig McCallum who fed linemate Trent Campbell and he wristed a shot past Lanigan goalie David Reekie to open the scoring.
With the score 1-0, skaters from both teams continued to race up and down the ice but it was the Pirates who got called for slashing. Looking to capitalize, the high-octane Winterhawk powerplay went to work. Once again the combination of Klassen, Campbell and McCallum struck but this time it was the LLHL’s leading scorer McCallum that beat Reekie with five seconds remaining with the man advantage.
Up 2-0, Watrous found itself in a bit of trouble when the officials called a goalie interference penalty with 1:06 remaining. However, it was McCallum that turned the momentum around and flying down the ice wired a slapshot off the post with 14 seconds left. While the puck stayed out of the net, Watrous skated into the break leading 2-0 and 11-7 in the shot department.
In the second period and still on the penalty kill, speedster Craig McCallum picked up right where he left off and on a clean sheet of ice danced his way into Lanigan territory and on a breakaway, slid the puck through the legs of Reekie to make it 3-0. The goal which came 39 seconds into the period was a shorthanded marker for number 23 and his second of the evening.
Teams traded penalties as the second period continued along and later in the middle frame it was the two netminders that stole the show. Both Reekie and Duncan were on their game, kicking out pucks and making big saves when called upon as players feverishly tried to apply pressure.
With some penalty trouble later in the frame, Watrous eventually found itself with a powerplay opportunity and late in that advantage McCallum received a pass from Campbell and his slapshot rang the post but stayed out. There was no more scoring in the period and Watrous found itself just 20 minutes away from winning the league championship.
In the final stanza, Watrous played a patient but fast paced game and with 13:34 to go, forward Mitch Friesen was able to get open for a chance in the slot but Reekie stuck out the blocker to keep his team within three. The Pirates then headed to the penalty kill a short time later and Watrous brought out its number one unit and like they had done previously, went to work.
With the puck at the blueline, Woody Klassen fired a low shot towards Reekie and Campbell got a piece of it on the way to the net and the puck found the back of the cage to make it 4-0 Watrous. Doug McLeod added the extra helper on the marker and midway through the final 20 minutes, Watrous began eyeing the clock.
Despite a late penalty and pressure by Lanigan on the powerplay, the Winterhawks and goalie Brennan Duncan remained resilient. With time winding down, Lanigan dumped the puck deep into Watrous territory and the home team began to celebrate as the final buzzer sounded.
The 4-0 victory capped off the team’s 11th title in its history while Duncan recorded his second shutout of the series and third of the playoffs. Woody Klassen and Craig McCallum each had three points in game four as the final shots were 26-21 for Watrous.
Along with captain Woody Klassen, assistants Braydon Vanthuyne, Patrick Ullyott and Trent Campbell accepted the league trophy from LLHL President and former Winterhawk Ryan Collins.
Head coach Lane Manson enjoyed the victory and although it has been a while since the team won a league championship, it made the victory even sweeter for the coach. “That game three in Lanigan was not the way we’ve played and after that loss we really wanted to play like we knew we could. In game five, the team played really well and a lot of guys really stepped up and did their job. It was a top to bottom team effort.”
As the players and coaches soaked up the victory last Tuesday, the team’s season was not quite over. The Winterhawks are in a position to capture a provincial title to go along with its league championship. Watrous headed to Gull Lake for game one of the best of three Provincial B Final Mar. 18. The team returns home for game two Mar. 25 and if necessary, will host Gull Lake in a third game Mar. 26.
“Winning the league at home was really nice and now we have an opportunity to win the provincial title at home as well. We have a special group of guys and it always is when you have a championship team.”
Daniel Bushman
For the first time since winning Long Lake Hockey League titles in the 2006-‘07 and 2007-‘08 seasons, the Watrous Winterhawks took home the league championship at home Mar. 14. Even with St. Patrick’s Day approaching, there was no luck of the Irish needed on this night as the team made sure it was not leaving the ice without the LLHL trophy.
Up 2-1 in the best of five series against the defending champion Lanigan Pirates, both teams got down to business right from the opening faceoff. With a fast pace and lots of big hits, teams traded shots in the early going before an injury to Winterhawk Brady Larock had him helped off the ice and to the dressing room.
When play resumed, Pirate forward Tyson Hobbins came in on Watrous netminder Brennan Duncan and wired a quick shot but the goaltender ensured the puck stayed out of the net. Playing smart hockey, both teams were not willing to make the first mistake but with 8:33 remaining in the first period, Watrous captain Woody Klassen spotted Craig McCallum who fed linemate Trent Campbell and he wristed a shot past Lanigan goalie David Reekie to open the scoring.
With the score 1-0, skaters from both teams continued to race up and down the ice but it was the Pirates who got called for slashing. Looking to capitalize, the high-octane Winterhawk powerplay went to work. Once again the combination of Klassen, Campbell and McCallum struck but this time it was the LLHL’s leading scorer McCallum that beat Reekie with five seconds remaining with the man advantage.
Up 2-0, Watrous found itself in a bit of trouble when the officials called a goalie interference penalty with 1:06 remaining. However, it was McCallum that turned the momentum around and flying down the ice wired a slapshot off the post with 14 seconds left. While the puck stayed out of the net, Watrous skated into the break leading 2-0 and 11-7 in the shot department.
In the second period and still on the penalty kill, speedster Craig McCallum picked up right where he left off and on a clean sheet of ice danced his way into Lanigan territory and on a breakaway, slid the puck through the legs of Reekie to make it 3-0. The goal which came 39 seconds into the period was a shorthanded marker for number 23 and his second of the evening.
Teams traded penalties as the second period continued along and later in the middle frame it was the two netminders that stole the show. Both Reekie and Duncan were on their game, kicking out pucks and making big saves when called upon as players feverishly tried to apply pressure.
With some penalty trouble later in the frame, Watrous eventually found itself with a powerplay opportunity and late in that advantage McCallum received a pass from Campbell and his slapshot rang the post but stayed out. There was no more scoring in the period and Watrous found itself just 20 minutes away from winning the league championship.
In the final stanza, Watrous played a patient but fast paced game and with 13:34 to go, forward Mitch Friesen was able to get open for a chance in the slot but Reekie stuck out the blocker to keep his team within three. The Pirates then headed to the penalty kill a short time later and Watrous brought out its number one unit and like they had done previously, went to work.
With the puck at the blueline, Woody Klassen fired a low shot towards Reekie and Campbell got a piece of it on the way to the net and the puck found the back of the cage to make it 4-0 Watrous. Doug McLeod added the extra helper on the marker and midway through the final 20 minutes, Watrous began eyeing the clock.
Despite a late penalty and pressure by Lanigan on the powerplay, the Winterhawks and goalie Brennan Duncan remained resilient. With time winding down, Lanigan dumped the puck deep into Watrous territory and the home team began to celebrate as the final buzzer sounded.
The 4-0 victory capped off the team’s 11th title in its history while Duncan recorded his second shutout of the series and third of the playoffs. Woody Klassen and Craig McCallum each had three points in game four as the final shots were 26-21 for Watrous.
Along with captain Woody Klassen, assistants Braydon Vanthuyne, Patrick Ullyott and Trent Campbell accepted the league trophy from LLHL President and former Winterhawk Ryan Collins.
Head coach Lane Manson enjoyed the victory and although it has been a while since the team won a league championship, it made the victory even sweeter for the coach. “That game three in Lanigan was not the way we’ve played and after that loss we really wanted to play like we knew we could. In game five, the team played really well and a lot of guys really stepped up and did their job. It was a top to bottom team effort.”
As the players and coaches soaked up the victory last Tuesday, the team’s season was not quite over. The Winterhawks are in a position to capture a provincial title to go along with its league championship. Watrous headed to Gull Lake for game one of the best of three Provincial B Final Mar. 18. The team returns home for game two Mar. 25 and if necessary, will host Gull Lake in a third game Mar. 26.
“Winning the league at home was really nice and now we have an opportunity to win the provincial title at home as well. We have a special group of guys and it always is when you have a championship team.”
TWM Top Story - Mar. 13, 2017
Train derails near Watrous crossing
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Three railcars derailed and traffic was blocked for a few hours just east of the rail crossing at Watrous on Hwy. 2 last Wednesday night. Watrous RCMP received a request for assistance from CN rail dispatch for a train derailment at 9:54 p.m. Mar. 8. The derailment occurred approximately 50 meters east of the east rail crossing at Watrous on Hwy. 2.
CN spokesperson Kate Fenske said the CN train departing the yard was travelling at slow speeds when it derailed three cars northeast of where Watrous Salvage is located. Fenske said the cars were carrying potash fertilizer and remained upright during the incident. There were no injuries or leaks as crews worked to clear the crossing at Hwy. 2.
Watrous RCMP responded to help provide traffic control and were advised by CN that rail cars three, four and five derailed. The remaining rail cars were able to be pulled back by another locomotive, clearing the rail crossing.
Work crews moved the cars and laid them next to the tracks as they worked to clear the crossing and the crossing was opened at midnight and traffic allowed to flow through. Crews remained on scene Thursday Mar. 9 as large semis were called in to haul the damaged cars away. While the area was cleared, the derailed cars remained in a ditch adjacent to the tracks during the afternoon Thursday.
The cause of the derailment remains under investigation.
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Three railcars derailed and traffic was blocked for a few hours just east of the rail crossing at Watrous on Hwy. 2 last Wednesday night. Watrous RCMP received a request for assistance from CN rail dispatch for a train derailment at 9:54 p.m. Mar. 8. The derailment occurred approximately 50 meters east of the east rail crossing at Watrous on Hwy. 2.
CN spokesperson Kate Fenske said the CN train departing the yard was travelling at slow speeds when it derailed three cars northeast of where Watrous Salvage is located. Fenske said the cars were carrying potash fertilizer and remained upright during the incident. There were no injuries or leaks as crews worked to clear the crossing at Hwy. 2.
Watrous RCMP responded to help provide traffic control and were advised by CN that rail cars three, four and five derailed. The remaining rail cars were able to be pulled back by another locomotive, clearing the rail crossing.
Work crews moved the cars and laid them next to the tracks as they worked to clear the crossing and the crossing was opened at midnight and traffic allowed to flow through. Crews remained on scene Thursday Mar. 9 as large semis were called in to haul the damaged cars away. While the area was cleared, the derailed cars remained in a ditch adjacent to the tracks during the afternoon Thursday.
The cause of the derailment remains under investigation.
TWM Top Story - Mar. 6, 2017
Seeking answers after drunk driver moved to healing lodge
By Daniel Bushman
There seems to be a lot more questions than answers for family and friends of Jordan, Chanda (Mierau), Kamryn and Migure Van de Vorst who were tragically killed by a drunk driver. Reports recently surfaced that the person responsible for their deaths was transferred to a healing lodge, just one month after receiving her 10 year sentence.
Just over one year ago, the Van de Vorsts were killed after Catherine McKay’s vehicle slammed into the family’s car near Saskatoon. McKay was sentenced to 10 years in prison for drunk driving and according to numerous reports is now serving her time at a healing lodge near Maple Creek.
Chanda’s mom Marie, who resides in Watrous said on the day of the sentencing both families were told at some point McKay would be moved to a healing lodge but they did not figure it would be right away. “I don’t think anybody at that time really knew when.”
Looking for answers and clarity about why McKay was transferred so fast, Mierau said she was surprised when she heard McKay was reportedly moved to Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge near Maple Creek.
“Spending a short time in a penitentiary with a 10 year sentence after killing a whole family, is that fair? I don’t know. It is tough to say really how one feels because I have been told many times the justice system is broken. It makes you wonder is the holistic and spiritual approach equal to a penitentiary approach? I don’t know.”
According to Correctional Service Canada (CSC), Aboriginal Healing Lodges are correctional institutions where Aboriginal values, traditions and beliefs to design services and programs for offenders are used. Aboriginal concepts of justice and reconciliation are also included with a holistic and spiritual approach. The programs include guidance and support from Elders and Aboriginal communities.
In all cases, CSC said they thoroughly assess an offender’s risk to public safety before a decision is made to move a person to a healing lodge.
Like Marie, the father of Jordan, Lou Van de Vorst was dismayed when he found out Catherine was transferred early into her sentence. “She killed four people,” Lou told reporters. “The severity of her sentence should reflect the fact she killed four people. When you say, okay she got sent to a healing lodge right away, it is sort of a shock . . . I hope in terms of her rehabilitation that part of it is her speaking out against impaired driving and she starts promoting sober driving because of what she went through, because of what she did to other people.”
Healing lodges like the one McKay is at operate in one of two ways. They may be funded and operated by CSC and its staff or they may be funded by CSC and managed by community partner organizations. In the second case, community partner organizations sign an agreement with CSC under Section 81 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA). There are currently nine CSC healing lodges across Canada. Four are managed by CSC and five under Section 81.
At Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge, it is a lodge for strictly women offenders with a focal point being a spiritual lodge where teachings, ceremonies, and workshops with Elders take place. Okimaw Ohci contains both single and family residential units, as offenders may have their children stay with them. Each unit has a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchenette with an eating area, and a living room.
A personal life plan is created for each Aboriginal offender outlining what she needs emotionally, physically, and spiritually to help with her rehabilitation. Programs are aimed at helping offenders build the strength they need to make essential changes in their lives. Programs address vocational training, family and children, Aboriginal language, and nature. CSC said the women learn how to live independently by cooking, doing laundry, cleaning, and doing outdoor maintenance chores.
“When you read that kind of information, we all thought it sounded like a better atmosphere than in prison,” said Marie. “Catherine McKay now has the opportunity to heal while the victims are just left with a lot of unanswered questions. Is this being fair? I really don’t know compared to a federal penitentiary. I understand that she will be at the healing lodge for the remainder of her sentence.”
By Daniel Bushman
There seems to be a lot more questions than answers for family and friends of Jordan, Chanda (Mierau), Kamryn and Migure Van de Vorst who were tragically killed by a drunk driver. Reports recently surfaced that the person responsible for their deaths was transferred to a healing lodge, just one month after receiving her 10 year sentence.
Just over one year ago, the Van de Vorsts were killed after Catherine McKay’s vehicle slammed into the family’s car near Saskatoon. McKay was sentenced to 10 years in prison for drunk driving and according to numerous reports is now serving her time at a healing lodge near Maple Creek.
Chanda’s mom Marie, who resides in Watrous said on the day of the sentencing both families were told at some point McKay would be moved to a healing lodge but they did not figure it would be right away. “I don’t think anybody at that time really knew when.”
Looking for answers and clarity about why McKay was transferred so fast, Mierau said she was surprised when she heard McKay was reportedly moved to Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge near Maple Creek.
“Spending a short time in a penitentiary with a 10 year sentence after killing a whole family, is that fair? I don’t know. It is tough to say really how one feels because I have been told many times the justice system is broken. It makes you wonder is the holistic and spiritual approach equal to a penitentiary approach? I don’t know.”
According to Correctional Service Canada (CSC), Aboriginal Healing Lodges are correctional institutions where Aboriginal values, traditions and beliefs to design services and programs for offenders are used. Aboriginal concepts of justice and reconciliation are also included with a holistic and spiritual approach. The programs include guidance and support from Elders and Aboriginal communities.
In all cases, CSC said they thoroughly assess an offender’s risk to public safety before a decision is made to move a person to a healing lodge.
Like Marie, the father of Jordan, Lou Van de Vorst was dismayed when he found out Catherine was transferred early into her sentence. “She killed four people,” Lou told reporters. “The severity of her sentence should reflect the fact she killed four people. When you say, okay she got sent to a healing lodge right away, it is sort of a shock . . . I hope in terms of her rehabilitation that part of it is her speaking out against impaired driving and she starts promoting sober driving because of what she went through, because of what she did to other people.”
Healing lodges like the one McKay is at operate in one of two ways. They may be funded and operated by CSC and its staff or they may be funded by CSC and managed by community partner organizations. In the second case, community partner organizations sign an agreement with CSC under Section 81 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA). There are currently nine CSC healing lodges across Canada. Four are managed by CSC and five under Section 81.
At Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge, it is a lodge for strictly women offenders with a focal point being a spiritual lodge where teachings, ceremonies, and workshops with Elders take place. Okimaw Ohci contains both single and family residential units, as offenders may have their children stay with them. Each unit has a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchenette with an eating area, and a living room.
A personal life plan is created for each Aboriginal offender outlining what she needs emotionally, physically, and spiritually to help with her rehabilitation. Programs are aimed at helping offenders build the strength they need to make essential changes in their lives. Programs address vocational training, family and children, Aboriginal language, and nature. CSC said the women learn how to live independently by cooking, doing laundry, cleaning, and doing outdoor maintenance chores.
“When you read that kind of information, we all thought it sounded like a better atmosphere than in prison,” said Marie. “Catherine McKay now has the opportunity to heal while the victims are just left with a lot of unanswered questions. Is this being fair? I really don’t know compared to a federal penitentiary. I understand that she will be at the healing lodge for the remainder of her sentence.”
TWM Top Story - Feb. 20,2017
Population numbers released as Canada sees increase
Daniel Bushman
Patterns of population growth were evident through most of Canada including Saskatchewan as Statistics Canada released its results of the 2016 Census count on population and dwellings. Canada also led the G7 in population growth from 2011 to 2016, rising on average one percent per year.
Canada saw a five percent increase in population from 2011 to 2016, going from 33,476,688 to 35,151,728 people. Provincially, Nunavut had the largest population increase (12.7 percent), going from 31,906 in 2011 to 35,944 people in 2016; Alberta was second (11.6 percent), going from just over 3.6 million people in 2011 to slightly over four million in 2016; and Saskatchewan ranked third with a 6.3 percent increase, going from 1,033,381 in 2011 to 1,098,352 in 2016. New Brunswick was the only province to see a decline in population (-0.5 percent).
The population count in 2016 was 10 times greater than in 1871, when the first Census after Confederation recorded 3.5 million people in Canada. Over that time, Statistics Canada said Canadians have been making their way west. “In 1871, most Canadians lived in the four founding provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, while Western Canada was sparsely populated. By 2016, close to one-third of the population lived in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.”
For the first time since joining Confederation, all three Prairie provinces recorded the highest rates of provincial population growth from 2011 to 2016.
While the overall population in Saskatchewan increased, some local area communities and rural municipalities experienced decreases. Locally, here are the population figures of those communities and rural municipalities in alphabetical order:
Communities
• Allan dropped from 648 people in 2011 to 644 in 2016 (-0.6 percent change);
• Colonsay dropped from 475 people in 2011 to 451 in 2016 (-5.1 percent change);
• Drake dropped from 202 people in 2011 to 197 in 2016 (-2.5 percent change);
• Etters Beach stayed the same with 30 people in 2011 and 2016;
• Holdfast increased from 169 people in 2011 to 247 in 2016 (46.2 percent change);
• Imperial increased from 349 people in 2011 to 360 in 2016 (3.2 percent change);
• Jansen dropped from 126 people in 2011 to 96 in 2016 (-23.8 percent change);
• Lanigan dropped from 1,390 people in 2011 to 1,377 in 2016 (-0.9 percent change);
• LeRoy increased from 427 people in 2011 to 450 people in 2016 (5.4 percent change);
• Liberty dropped from 88 people in 2011 to 78 in 2016 (-11.4 percent change);
• Manitou Beach increased from 257 people in 2011 to 314 people in 2016 (22.2 percent change);
• Meacham increased from 84 people in 2011 to 99 people in 2016 (17.9 percent change);
• Nokomis increased from 397 people in 2011 to 404 in 2016 (1.8 percent change);
• Plunkett dropped from 75 people in 2011 to 60 in 2016 (-20 percent change);
• Simpson dropped from 131 in 2011 to 127 in 2016 (-3.1 percent change);
• Viscount dropped from 252 in 2011 to 185 in 2016 (-26.6 percent change);
• Watrous increased from 1,857 people in 2011 to 1,900 in 2016 (2.3 percent change);
• Young increased from 239 people in 2011 to 244 in 2016 (2.1 percent change); and
• Zelma stayed the same with 35 people in 2011 and 2016.
Rural Municipalities
• Arm River No. 252 increased by one, going from 249 people in 2011 to 250 in 2016 (0.4 percent change);
• Big Arm No. 251 dropped from 200 people in 2011 to 191 in 2016 (-4.5 percent change);
• Blucher No. 343 increased from 1,876 people in 2011 to 2,006 in 2016 (6.9 percent change);
• Colonsay No. 342 increased from 240 people in 2011 to 269 in 2016 (12.1 percent change);
• LeRoy No. 339 increased from 490 people in 2011 to 502 in 2016 (2.4 percent change);
• Lost River No. 313 increased from 209 people in 2011 to 242 in 2016 (15.8 percent change);
• Morris No. 312 dropped from 316 people in 2011 to 290 in 2016 (-8.2 percent change);
• Prairie Rose No. 309 dropped from 259 people in 2011 to 220 in 2016 (-15.1 percent change);
• Sarnia No. 221 increased from 266 people in 2011 to 322 people in 2016 (21.1 percent change);
• Usborne No. 310 dropped from 547 people in 2011 to 529 in 2016 (-3.3 percent change);
• Viscount No. 341 dropped from 371 people in 2011 to 338 in 2016 (-8.9 percent change);
• Wood Creek No. 281 increased from 205 people in 2011 to 224 people in 2016 (9.3 percent change);
• Wolverine No. 340 increased from 464 people in 2011 to 480 in 2016 (3.4 percent change); and
• Wreford No. 280 dropped from 150 people in 2011 to 135 in 2016 (-10 percent change).
While population and dwelling counts were released in February, other statistics like age and sex, type of dwelling, families, income, immigration and others will be unveiled as the year progresses. For more information, people can log on to www.statcan.gc.ca.
Daniel Bushman
Patterns of population growth were evident through most of Canada including Saskatchewan as Statistics Canada released its results of the 2016 Census count on population and dwellings. Canada also led the G7 in population growth from 2011 to 2016, rising on average one percent per year.
Canada saw a five percent increase in population from 2011 to 2016, going from 33,476,688 to 35,151,728 people. Provincially, Nunavut had the largest population increase (12.7 percent), going from 31,906 in 2011 to 35,944 people in 2016; Alberta was second (11.6 percent), going from just over 3.6 million people in 2011 to slightly over four million in 2016; and Saskatchewan ranked third with a 6.3 percent increase, going from 1,033,381 in 2011 to 1,098,352 in 2016. New Brunswick was the only province to see a decline in population (-0.5 percent).
The population count in 2016 was 10 times greater than in 1871, when the first Census after Confederation recorded 3.5 million people in Canada. Over that time, Statistics Canada said Canadians have been making their way west. “In 1871, most Canadians lived in the four founding provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, while Western Canada was sparsely populated. By 2016, close to one-third of the population lived in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.”
For the first time since joining Confederation, all three Prairie provinces recorded the highest rates of provincial population growth from 2011 to 2016.
While the overall population in Saskatchewan increased, some local area communities and rural municipalities experienced decreases. Locally, here are the population figures of those communities and rural municipalities in alphabetical order:
Communities
• Allan dropped from 648 people in 2011 to 644 in 2016 (-0.6 percent change);
• Colonsay dropped from 475 people in 2011 to 451 in 2016 (-5.1 percent change);
• Drake dropped from 202 people in 2011 to 197 in 2016 (-2.5 percent change);
• Etters Beach stayed the same with 30 people in 2011 and 2016;
• Holdfast increased from 169 people in 2011 to 247 in 2016 (46.2 percent change);
• Imperial increased from 349 people in 2011 to 360 in 2016 (3.2 percent change);
• Jansen dropped from 126 people in 2011 to 96 in 2016 (-23.8 percent change);
• Lanigan dropped from 1,390 people in 2011 to 1,377 in 2016 (-0.9 percent change);
• LeRoy increased from 427 people in 2011 to 450 people in 2016 (5.4 percent change);
• Liberty dropped from 88 people in 2011 to 78 in 2016 (-11.4 percent change);
• Manitou Beach increased from 257 people in 2011 to 314 people in 2016 (22.2 percent change);
• Meacham increased from 84 people in 2011 to 99 people in 2016 (17.9 percent change);
• Nokomis increased from 397 people in 2011 to 404 in 2016 (1.8 percent change);
• Plunkett dropped from 75 people in 2011 to 60 in 2016 (-20 percent change);
• Simpson dropped from 131 in 2011 to 127 in 2016 (-3.1 percent change);
• Viscount dropped from 252 in 2011 to 185 in 2016 (-26.6 percent change);
• Watrous increased from 1,857 people in 2011 to 1,900 in 2016 (2.3 percent change);
• Young increased from 239 people in 2011 to 244 in 2016 (2.1 percent change); and
• Zelma stayed the same with 35 people in 2011 and 2016.
Rural Municipalities
• Arm River No. 252 increased by one, going from 249 people in 2011 to 250 in 2016 (0.4 percent change);
• Big Arm No. 251 dropped from 200 people in 2011 to 191 in 2016 (-4.5 percent change);
• Blucher No. 343 increased from 1,876 people in 2011 to 2,006 in 2016 (6.9 percent change);
• Colonsay No. 342 increased from 240 people in 2011 to 269 in 2016 (12.1 percent change);
• LeRoy No. 339 increased from 490 people in 2011 to 502 in 2016 (2.4 percent change);
• Lost River No. 313 increased from 209 people in 2011 to 242 in 2016 (15.8 percent change);
• Morris No. 312 dropped from 316 people in 2011 to 290 in 2016 (-8.2 percent change);
• Prairie Rose No. 309 dropped from 259 people in 2011 to 220 in 2016 (-15.1 percent change);
• Sarnia No. 221 increased from 266 people in 2011 to 322 people in 2016 (21.1 percent change);
• Usborne No. 310 dropped from 547 people in 2011 to 529 in 2016 (-3.3 percent change);
• Viscount No. 341 dropped from 371 people in 2011 to 338 in 2016 (-8.9 percent change);
• Wood Creek No. 281 increased from 205 people in 2011 to 224 people in 2016 (9.3 percent change);
• Wolverine No. 340 increased from 464 people in 2011 to 480 in 2016 (3.4 percent change); and
• Wreford No. 280 dropped from 150 people in 2011 to 135 in 2016 (-10 percent change).
While population and dwelling counts were released in February, other statistics like age and sex, type of dwelling, families, income, immigration and others will be unveiled as the year progresses. For more information, people can log on to www.statcan.gc.ca.
TWM Top Story - Feb. 13, 2017
Province projected to have larger deficit
Daniel Bushman
The news was not what people wanted to hear but the reality of weaker resource prices is taking its toll on the province. During the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association’s annual convention last week, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall reportedly said the province will see a projected $1.2 billion budget shortfall as opposed to a $434 million one, announced in June. Despite the larger deficit, Wall said the province will meet the challenge head on.
Speaking to delegates at the 112th annual SUMA conference in Saskatoon Feb. 6, Wall said hard decisions will have to be made moving forward. It was reported that because of weak resource prices cutting into royalty revenues, the shortfall ballooned from $434 million up to more than $1 billion.
“Everything is on the table for consideration,” Wall told reporters. “When I say that everything is on the table for consideration, I mean everything. We mean everything.”
Wall said they have come up with scenarios and “it points to significant layoffs in important sectors like health care . . . We are seeking to balance this year and if it is not this year then it has to be a very short term very clear transparent way to get there.”
While the deficit picture does not look positive with potash and uranium prices remaining weak, Wall said oil prices are recovering.
It was also reported that larger deficit will also have an affect on municipal revenue sharing as that is expected to drop by 5.1 percent or approximately $13 million for the 2017-‘18 year.
As Wall stated the province will do what it can to keep the books balanced and maneuver through the difficult challenges it faces, NDP leader Trent Wotherspoon was quick to blame the tough choices due to financial mismanagement during the prosperous years.
Speaking to reporters at the SUMA convention, Wotherspoon said, “Right now, we have to be supporting our classrooms, supporting our municipalities, supporting health care.”
More than 1,000 delegates from towns, villages, cities, and northern municipalities across Saskatchewan spent four days at SUMA’s 112th convention. Some of the highlights included:
• five elections which completed the SUMA Board of Directors. Those members include President - Councillor Gordon Barnhart, Town of Saltcoats; Vice-President of Towns - Mayor Rodger Hayward, Town of Naicam; Vice-President of Villages, Resort Villages, and Northern Municipalities - Mayor Mike Strachan, Village of Torquay; Saskatoon/Regina Executive Member - Councillor Darren Hill, City of Saskatoon; and Northern Regional Director - Mayor Bobby Woods, Northern Village of Buffalo Narrows.
With Strachan going to the Executive Committee from a Regional Director position, SUMA also welcomed Southeast Regional Director - Councillor Lori Stephan, Town of Broadview;
• passed eight policy resolutions, including ones on fair taxation on provincial park residences, carbon pricing, and water quality assurance;
• the President’s Banquet and Awards Ceremony celebrated 14 long-serving municipal employees, seven long-serving council members, and former SUMA Board member, Fred Clipsham.
The full provincial cabinet attended the Bear Pit.
“I look forward to working with our new Board on behalf of Saskatchewan’s hometowns over the next four years,” said President Barnhart. “This is a group of passionate and dedicated elected officials who will work hard to make progress on the issues affecting Saskatchewan’s cities, towns, villages, and northern municipalities.”
Daniel Bushman
The news was not what people wanted to hear but the reality of weaker resource prices is taking its toll on the province. During the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association’s annual convention last week, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall reportedly said the province will see a projected $1.2 billion budget shortfall as opposed to a $434 million one, announced in June. Despite the larger deficit, Wall said the province will meet the challenge head on.
Speaking to delegates at the 112th annual SUMA conference in Saskatoon Feb. 6, Wall said hard decisions will have to be made moving forward. It was reported that because of weak resource prices cutting into royalty revenues, the shortfall ballooned from $434 million up to more than $1 billion.
“Everything is on the table for consideration,” Wall told reporters. “When I say that everything is on the table for consideration, I mean everything. We mean everything.”
Wall said they have come up with scenarios and “it points to significant layoffs in important sectors like health care . . . We are seeking to balance this year and if it is not this year then it has to be a very short term very clear transparent way to get there.”
While the deficit picture does not look positive with potash and uranium prices remaining weak, Wall said oil prices are recovering.
It was also reported that larger deficit will also have an affect on municipal revenue sharing as that is expected to drop by 5.1 percent or approximately $13 million for the 2017-‘18 year.
As Wall stated the province will do what it can to keep the books balanced and maneuver through the difficult challenges it faces, NDP leader Trent Wotherspoon was quick to blame the tough choices due to financial mismanagement during the prosperous years.
Speaking to reporters at the SUMA convention, Wotherspoon said, “Right now, we have to be supporting our classrooms, supporting our municipalities, supporting health care.”
More than 1,000 delegates from towns, villages, cities, and northern municipalities across Saskatchewan spent four days at SUMA’s 112th convention. Some of the highlights included:
• five elections which completed the SUMA Board of Directors. Those members include President - Councillor Gordon Barnhart, Town of Saltcoats; Vice-President of Towns - Mayor Rodger Hayward, Town of Naicam; Vice-President of Villages, Resort Villages, and Northern Municipalities - Mayor Mike Strachan, Village of Torquay; Saskatoon/Regina Executive Member - Councillor Darren Hill, City of Saskatoon; and Northern Regional Director - Mayor Bobby Woods, Northern Village of Buffalo Narrows.
With Strachan going to the Executive Committee from a Regional Director position, SUMA also welcomed Southeast Regional Director - Councillor Lori Stephan, Town of Broadview;
• passed eight policy resolutions, including ones on fair taxation on provincial park residences, carbon pricing, and water quality assurance;
• the President’s Banquet and Awards Ceremony celebrated 14 long-serving municipal employees, seven long-serving council members, and former SUMA Board member, Fred Clipsham.
The full provincial cabinet attended the Bear Pit.
“I look forward to working with our new Board on behalf of Saskatchewan’s hometowns over the next four years,” said President Barnhart. “This is a group of passionate and dedicated elected officials who will work hard to make progress on the issues affecting Saskatchewan’s cities, towns, villages, and northern municipalities.”
TWM Top Story - Feb. 6, 2017
Helping out as Telemiracle approaches
Daniel Bushman
In less than a month, people will be ringing those phones and raising money to help people in Saskatchewan as Telemiracle 41 takes centre stage across the province. In the meantime, local communities like Watrous are doing their part to raise funds as local Kinette Haley Ruether said Telemiracle is one of the Kinsmen and Kinettes favourite times of the year.
With various local initiatives and fundraisers taking place, Ruether said so far they have donated the proceeds of the Kinettes craft show’s soup and sandwich lunch, have played a Toilets for Telemiracle game and this past Sunday went door-to-door to canvas for donations.
One of the popular fundraisers put on by the Kinettes was the Toilets for Telemiracle campaign. People would request the toilet be placed on someone’s front lawn and a donation or insurance against the porcelain object would be handed over towards the Kin for Telemiracle. Various residents in town found themselves with the toilet on their lawn and called up Ruether to get her and the Kin crew to come remove the object.
“Our Toilets for Telemiracle campaign has gone over tremendously! I think both the community and our club had a lot of fun with it,” said Haley. “We really appreciated everyone that supported the initiative and played along. There are a lot of good sports in the community.”
While the toilet campaign ended last week, Ruether said from the success that the Kin had from it, there is a strong possibility it could return in the future.
“We are still bringing in the last few donations but are excited to say that through a combination of toilet insurance sales and moving the toilets around town, the Toilets for Telemiracle campaign has raised over $4,000!”
Other events are also being lined up to raise funds for Telemiracle including an annual Sweetheart Lunch Feb. 13 at the Senior Centre, the annual Winston High School’s Ham and Scalloped Potato Supper Feb. 9, the Watrous Elementary School’s annual bake sale Feb. 14 and other student fundraising and various business and individual initiatives. There are also Helping Hands that can be purchased at various businesses with the money going to Telemiracle.
Ruether said raising funds locally for Telemiracle also means that there is a good possibility that some of that stays within the community. For example, a portion of the new mobility van that was recently purchased was part of an application to Telemiracle.
“The community’s donations to Telemiracle have now made it full circle!”
Those who want to contribute to Telemiracle this year can get in touch with Haley or any member of the Kinsmen or Kinettes. “We are excited for Telemiracle 41 and this year there is a big crew headed to Saskatoon. They will be comprised of about 12 Kinettes, a few Kinsmen and a couple of other volunteers.”
In Saskatoon Mar. 4 and 5, Telemiracle 41 will be broadcast live from TCU Place on all CTV Saskatchewan stations. Telemiracle is a 20-hour telethon that has raised over $111 million over 39 years, more money per capita than any other telethon in the world. All the money raised at Telemiracle is spent in Saskatchewan helping Saskatchewan people.
The money raised at Telemiracle provides resources to residents with specialized needs for medical assistance and equipment, such as:
• Specialty wheelchairs at a cost of $3,000 to $5,000 each;
• Wheelchair lifts worth $2,000 each;
• Scooters that average between $2,500 and $4,500 each;
• A trip to Edmonton for a child’s heart surgery valued at $2,000 to $5,000;
• “Talking Machines,” at a cost of $10,000 each that enable people who are non-verbal to communicate with words; and
• Ceiling tracks, worth $1,000 to $4,000 each, to make a person with a disability mobile in their own home.
Throughout the year, Saskatchewan people of all ages with special needs apply to the Kinsmen Foundation for financial assistance. The resulting miracles are varied, but the goal is always the same - to have a direct, positive affect on each recipient’s quality of life.
Local talent selected for Telemiracle 41
As preparations continue for Telemiracle 41 Mar. 4 and 5 in Saskatoon, the Saskatchewan talent line up was recently announced and includes some familiar performers. The Winston Garage Band from Watrous will be part of the 60 acts that will take the stage this year.
Here is the list released by Telemiracle and includes: Abby Wilson - Canora; Aneurin Sheasby - Saskatoon; Ashley Peterson - St. Walburg; Atlanta Wagmann - Goodsoil; Autumn Alexander - Weyburn; Ava Zoller - North Battleford; Beau Duckarmie - Macoun; Bold Dance Productions - Prince Albert; Bryce King - Saskatoon; Chelsea Sauve - Wapella; Claire Swidzinski - Yorkton; Dale Von Bieker - Nipawin; Dance INK - Saskatoon; Emilie Kirchgesner and Sarah Grieve - Saskatoon; Encore Musical Theatre and Dance Company - Fillmore and Stoughton; Garden Dance - Saskatoon and Battleford; Get Up and Sing - Marengo; Graham Dyck - Warman; Hallelujah - Moose Jaw; Hana Coates - Saskatoon; Ignite Danceworks Inc. - Saskatoon; James “Jimbo” Betts - Melville; Jayneika Okemow-Bull - Cut Knife; Joy of Vox - Saskatoon; Justin LaBrash and True North - Lumsden; Kaitlyn Clark and Alysa MacDonald - Rosetown; Karissa Hoffart - Minton; Katherine Downton - Saskatoon; Kayla Perkins - Yorkton; Latin Dance Academy Danza Morena - Saskatoon; Lii Pchii Daanseur la Prayrii - Saskatoon; Lisa Moen - Saskatoon; Lloydminster Malanka Dancers - Lloydminster; Mackenzie Sproat - Regina; Marlee Gerde and Taylor McPeek - Coronach; Matt Bantle One Man Band - Saskatoon; Melody Sterner - Saskatoon; Mike Wowk - Langham; Nathan Pylypuk - Regina; Newera - Regina; Regina Mini Express and the Expressions - Regina; Ryan and Brian - Saskatoon; Ryan Riopay - Regina; Saskatoon Expressions - Saskatoon; Saskatoon Mini Express - Saskatoon; Scott Dreveny - Regina; Shayla Ulmer - Neudorf; Shell Shocked - Davidson; Sheri-Lynn Turgeon - Martensville; Stella and Rowan Mansell - Saskatoon; Sweet Note Harmony - Indian Head; Sylvia Chave - Delisle; Tayler Tluchak & Chris Sikorsky - Regina and Saskatoon; The Hourhand - Regina; The Journalist - Caronport; The Sundrops - Swift Current; Trinity Moostoos - Prince Albert; Tyson Grismer - Saskatoon; Winston Garage Band - Watrous; and Zack Halkett and Tynael Lundquist - Hagen.
Performance times will be posted on Telemiracle’s website after Feb. 15.
Daniel Bushman
In less than a month, people will be ringing those phones and raising money to help people in Saskatchewan as Telemiracle 41 takes centre stage across the province. In the meantime, local communities like Watrous are doing their part to raise funds as local Kinette Haley Ruether said Telemiracle is one of the Kinsmen and Kinettes favourite times of the year.
With various local initiatives and fundraisers taking place, Ruether said so far they have donated the proceeds of the Kinettes craft show’s soup and sandwich lunch, have played a Toilets for Telemiracle game and this past Sunday went door-to-door to canvas for donations.
One of the popular fundraisers put on by the Kinettes was the Toilets for Telemiracle campaign. People would request the toilet be placed on someone’s front lawn and a donation or insurance against the porcelain object would be handed over towards the Kin for Telemiracle. Various residents in town found themselves with the toilet on their lawn and called up Ruether to get her and the Kin crew to come remove the object.
“Our Toilets for Telemiracle campaign has gone over tremendously! I think both the community and our club had a lot of fun with it,” said Haley. “We really appreciated everyone that supported the initiative and played along. There are a lot of good sports in the community.”
While the toilet campaign ended last week, Ruether said from the success that the Kin had from it, there is a strong possibility it could return in the future.
“We are still bringing in the last few donations but are excited to say that through a combination of toilet insurance sales and moving the toilets around town, the Toilets for Telemiracle campaign has raised over $4,000!”
Other events are also being lined up to raise funds for Telemiracle including an annual Sweetheart Lunch Feb. 13 at the Senior Centre, the annual Winston High School’s Ham and Scalloped Potato Supper Feb. 9, the Watrous Elementary School’s annual bake sale Feb. 14 and other student fundraising and various business and individual initiatives. There are also Helping Hands that can be purchased at various businesses with the money going to Telemiracle.
Ruether said raising funds locally for Telemiracle also means that there is a good possibility that some of that stays within the community. For example, a portion of the new mobility van that was recently purchased was part of an application to Telemiracle.
“The community’s donations to Telemiracle have now made it full circle!”
Those who want to contribute to Telemiracle this year can get in touch with Haley or any member of the Kinsmen or Kinettes. “We are excited for Telemiracle 41 and this year there is a big crew headed to Saskatoon. They will be comprised of about 12 Kinettes, a few Kinsmen and a couple of other volunteers.”
In Saskatoon Mar. 4 and 5, Telemiracle 41 will be broadcast live from TCU Place on all CTV Saskatchewan stations. Telemiracle is a 20-hour telethon that has raised over $111 million over 39 years, more money per capita than any other telethon in the world. All the money raised at Telemiracle is spent in Saskatchewan helping Saskatchewan people.
The money raised at Telemiracle provides resources to residents with specialized needs for medical assistance and equipment, such as:
• Specialty wheelchairs at a cost of $3,000 to $5,000 each;
• Wheelchair lifts worth $2,000 each;
• Scooters that average between $2,500 and $4,500 each;
• A trip to Edmonton for a child’s heart surgery valued at $2,000 to $5,000;
• “Talking Machines,” at a cost of $10,000 each that enable people who are non-verbal to communicate with words; and
• Ceiling tracks, worth $1,000 to $4,000 each, to make a person with a disability mobile in their own home.
Throughout the year, Saskatchewan people of all ages with special needs apply to the Kinsmen Foundation for financial assistance. The resulting miracles are varied, but the goal is always the same - to have a direct, positive affect on each recipient’s quality of life.
Local talent selected for Telemiracle 41
As preparations continue for Telemiracle 41 Mar. 4 and 5 in Saskatoon, the Saskatchewan talent line up was recently announced and includes some familiar performers. The Winston Garage Band from Watrous will be part of the 60 acts that will take the stage this year.
Here is the list released by Telemiracle and includes: Abby Wilson - Canora; Aneurin Sheasby - Saskatoon; Ashley Peterson - St. Walburg; Atlanta Wagmann - Goodsoil; Autumn Alexander - Weyburn; Ava Zoller - North Battleford; Beau Duckarmie - Macoun; Bold Dance Productions - Prince Albert; Bryce King - Saskatoon; Chelsea Sauve - Wapella; Claire Swidzinski - Yorkton; Dale Von Bieker - Nipawin; Dance INK - Saskatoon; Emilie Kirchgesner and Sarah Grieve - Saskatoon; Encore Musical Theatre and Dance Company - Fillmore and Stoughton; Garden Dance - Saskatoon and Battleford; Get Up and Sing - Marengo; Graham Dyck - Warman; Hallelujah - Moose Jaw; Hana Coates - Saskatoon; Ignite Danceworks Inc. - Saskatoon; James “Jimbo” Betts - Melville; Jayneika Okemow-Bull - Cut Knife; Joy of Vox - Saskatoon; Justin LaBrash and True North - Lumsden; Kaitlyn Clark and Alysa MacDonald - Rosetown; Karissa Hoffart - Minton; Katherine Downton - Saskatoon; Kayla Perkins - Yorkton; Latin Dance Academy Danza Morena - Saskatoon; Lii Pchii Daanseur la Prayrii - Saskatoon; Lisa Moen - Saskatoon; Lloydminster Malanka Dancers - Lloydminster; Mackenzie Sproat - Regina; Marlee Gerde and Taylor McPeek - Coronach; Matt Bantle One Man Band - Saskatoon; Melody Sterner - Saskatoon; Mike Wowk - Langham; Nathan Pylypuk - Regina; Newera - Regina; Regina Mini Express and the Expressions - Regina; Ryan and Brian - Saskatoon; Ryan Riopay - Regina; Saskatoon Expressions - Saskatoon; Saskatoon Mini Express - Saskatoon; Scott Dreveny - Regina; Shayla Ulmer - Neudorf; Shell Shocked - Davidson; Sheri-Lynn Turgeon - Martensville; Stella and Rowan Mansell - Saskatoon; Sweet Note Harmony - Indian Head; Sylvia Chave - Delisle; Tayler Tluchak & Chris Sikorsky - Regina and Saskatoon; The Hourhand - Regina; The Journalist - Caronport; The Sundrops - Swift Current; Trinity Moostoos - Prince Albert; Tyson Grismer - Saskatoon; Winston Garage Band - Watrous; and Zack Halkett and Tynael Lundquist - Hagen.
Performance times will be posted on Telemiracle’s website after Feb. 15.
TWM Top Story - Jan. 30, 2017
By Daniel Bushman
Perhaps it should come as no surprise that the weather in Saskatchewan went from a bone-chilling -30˚C one week to a balmy 6˚C the next. After all, it is the prairies and the way that the elements can turn on a dime, the first month of 2017 went pretty much how it seems to usually go. The only thing that may have been a little more unusual was just how dramatic those swings were.
Environment Canada’s David Phillips said the variety of temperatures in winter and even thaws in January can be a bit more commonplace, but it was the extreme changes between those that caught people off guard.
“We saw temperatures go down to -30˚C and it stayed from about Dec. 7 to the 18th and then what happened? It warmed up. Then you got some cold weather around the Christmas period and then it warmed up again where temperatures were almost at the freezing mark. Then in January you got another cold bout where temperatures were in the -30˚C range and now they have swung to melting temperatures. I think it is not the back and forth, it is the extreme of back and forth. You have the depths of cold to the balminess of warmth. It is almost like polar to tropical.”
Comparing the start of this year’s winter to the previous one, Phillips said last year’s version had 12 days where the temperatures went below -20˚C. Heading into the final week of January, there were 28 of those days where values dipped below -20˚C. In terms of days -30˚C or below, there were three days last year and already six days this time around.
In fact it got so chilly in the province earlier this month that daily natural gas consumption over a 24-hour period from Jan. 12 to 13 tied the previous record set in December 2016 of 1.33 PetaJoules (PJ) of natural gas. This is now the fourth consecutive winter in a row that a new record has been established, and eight of the top 10 peak load or near record-setting days for SaskEnergy have occurred this winter.
SaskEnergy said the previous 24-hour record was set Dec. 16th, 2016 due to the extreme cold temperatures, along with high natural gas consumption from industrial customers and power plants. The 1.33 PJ record is three percent higher than the record set in January 2016. A PetaJoule is a unit of measurement equivalent to one million GigaJoules (GJ) of natural gas – the average home in Saskatchewan consumes about 102 GJ of natural gas annually.
With an added extreme cold warning in effect and temperatures dropping below -30˚C (-40˚C with an added wind chill), travel was not recommended during the night Jan. 12 as white out conditions existed across the province. Motorists hit ditches as visibility was poor at best. Then a night later, a power outage occurred after a larger trip on the line. SaskPower crews worked hard to get power restored to the area after the outage hit around 6 p.m. Affecting places like Allan, Colonsay, Viscount, parts of Saskatoon and all the way over to Nokomis, the outage lasted until after 11 p.m.
Despite the cold weather invading the region, it eventually subsided and much warmer values arrived, commencing a January thaw. The slushy roads and sunshine continued through the latter part of the month, leaving the bitter cold behind; for at least a while.
“You don’t always get a January thaw but this one has been noteworthy because it is fairly mild. When you hit 6˚C in mid-January, it is something,” said Phillips. “A January thaw can be just a half degree above freezing and may go for one day but this one was longer than that. Even when it cooled off with a bit of snow, it was still above normal.”
The dramatic swing into the thaw went from a dismal -30˚C to record warm values just under a week later. A total of 21 record high temperatures were set in the province Jan. 18 including a 94-year-old mark in Saskatoon. Locally, values in places like Last Mountain Lake, Watrous and Wynyard also set new marks. For Last Mountain Lake, the new record set was 5.7˚C, beating the previous mark of 3.7˚C from 2009. Watrous reached 6.4˚C, eclipsing the old record of 4.0˚C also set in 2009. Wynyard reached 6.2˚C, shattering its mark of 2.4˚C set in 1991. Maple Creek was the warmest (12.2˚C), breaking its record of 10.1˚C from 2014 on Jan. 18.
While above-normal numbers hovered around the region for the remainder of January, Phillips said do not be mistaken, winter is still sticking around.
“I think the polar vortex is going to return and you haven’t seen the end of winter as you have had it but what is happening is that the days are getting longer and you are gaining about two and a half minutes a day of daylight. The sun is also a little higher in the sky and the warmth is a bit more intense. However, any spring like weather you get is false spring and is just a teaser but the warmer weather does make winter go faster.”
Perhaps it should come as no surprise that the weather in Saskatchewan went from a bone-chilling -30˚C one week to a balmy 6˚C the next. After all, it is the prairies and the way that the elements can turn on a dime, the first month of 2017 went pretty much how it seems to usually go. The only thing that may have been a little more unusual was just how dramatic those swings were.
Environment Canada’s David Phillips said the variety of temperatures in winter and even thaws in January can be a bit more commonplace, but it was the extreme changes between those that caught people off guard.
“We saw temperatures go down to -30˚C and it stayed from about Dec. 7 to the 18th and then what happened? It warmed up. Then you got some cold weather around the Christmas period and then it warmed up again where temperatures were almost at the freezing mark. Then in January you got another cold bout where temperatures were in the -30˚C range and now they have swung to melting temperatures. I think it is not the back and forth, it is the extreme of back and forth. You have the depths of cold to the balminess of warmth. It is almost like polar to tropical.”
Comparing the start of this year’s winter to the previous one, Phillips said last year’s version had 12 days where the temperatures went below -20˚C. Heading into the final week of January, there were 28 of those days where values dipped below -20˚C. In terms of days -30˚C or below, there were three days last year and already six days this time around.
In fact it got so chilly in the province earlier this month that daily natural gas consumption over a 24-hour period from Jan. 12 to 13 tied the previous record set in December 2016 of 1.33 PetaJoules (PJ) of natural gas. This is now the fourth consecutive winter in a row that a new record has been established, and eight of the top 10 peak load or near record-setting days for SaskEnergy have occurred this winter.
SaskEnergy said the previous 24-hour record was set Dec. 16th, 2016 due to the extreme cold temperatures, along with high natural gas consumption from industrial customers and power plants. The 1.33 PJ record is three percent higher than the record set in January 2016. A PetaJoule is a unit of measurement equivalent to one million GigaJoules (GJ) of natural gas – the average home in Saskatchewan consumes about 102 GJ of natural gas annually.
With an added extreme cold warning in effect and temperatures dropping below -30˚C (-40˚C with an added wind chill), travel was not recommended during the night Jan. 12 as white out conditions existed across the province. Motorists hit ditches as visibility was poor at best. Then a night later, a power outage occurred after a larger trip on the line. SaskPower crews worked hard to get power restored to the area after the outage hit around 6 p.m. Affecting places like Allan, Colonsay, Viscount, parts of Saskatoon and all the way over to Nokomis, the outage lasted until after 11 p.m.
Despite the cold weather invading the region, it eventually subsided and much warmer values arrived, commencing a January thaw. The slushy roads and sunshine continued through the latter part of the month, leaving the bitter cold behind; for at least a while.
“You don’t always get a January thaw but this one has been noteworthy because it is fairly mild. When you hit 6˚C in mid-January, it is something,” said Phillips. “A January thaw can be just a half degree above freezing and may go for one day but this one was longer than that. Even when it cooled off with a bit of snow, it was still above normal.”
The dramatic swing into the thaw went from a dismal -30˚C to record warm values just under a week later. A total of 21 record high temperatures were set in the province Jan. 18 including a 94-year-old mark in Saskatoon. Locally, values in places like Last Mountain Lake, Watrous and Wynyard also set new marks. For Last Mountain Lake, the new record set was 5.7˚C, beating the previous mark of 3.7˚C from 2009. Watrous reached 6.4˚C, eclipsing the old record of 4.0˚C also set in 2009. Wynyard reached 6.2˚C, shattering its mark of 2.4˚C set in 1991. Maple Creek was the warmest (12.2˚C), breaking its record of 10.1˚C from 2014 on Jan. 18.
While above-normal numbers hovered around the region for the remainder of January, Phillips said do not be mistaken, winter is still sticking around.
“I think the polar vortex is going to return and you haven’t seen the end of winter as you have had it but what is happening is that the days are getting longer and you are gaining about two and a half minutes a day of daylight. The sun is also a little higher in the sky and the warmth is a bit more intense. However, any spring like weather you get is false spring and is just a teaser but the warmer weather does make winter go faster.”
TWM Top Story - Jan. 23, 2017
Trying to avoid getting sick
Daniel Bushman
This year’s cold and flu season has been nothing to sneeze at and it appears as though more and more people have been finding themselves catching a cold or getting the flu. As many in the area deal with prolonged sniffles and flu symptoms, they are not alone.
“We have seen an increase in influenza cases in the last couple of weeks, and we expect flu activity will continue through March,” Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said. “I encourage everyone to get a flu shot if they haven’t already. This season’s vaccine is a good match for circulating strains, including H3N2.”
Receiving a flu shot or not, there were 590 lab-confirmed influenza cases in Saskatchewan between September and Jan. 7, with a spike of 175 cases during the final week of December.
Deputy Medical Health Officer for the Saskatoon Health Region Dr. Johnmark Opondo said the past month or so has been when the peak of the flu activity has occurred. “This year the flu has come in and the timing was towards the mid to end of December when we saw a lot. I think last year we had a much milder flu season so it wasn’t as remarkable but at the same time we are seeing an increase in influenza activity it is also cough and cold season.”
Opondo said because of the combined seasons there are cold viruses that are quite active along with the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), which presents as a cold is particularly nasty in young children.
The RSV is the most common virus in young children and most will become infected with RSV before they turn two years of age. Some of the common symptoms of RSV are cough, runny nose, fever, and other cold-like symptoms. The health region said RSV is most common in the winter months and is very contagious and spread through physical contact and through the air by coughing or sneezing.
“RSV is a very strong virus and it can live outside the body on counter tops or other objects for several hours.”
As people try to avoid becoming sick, Opondo suggested the most important thing people need to do is get immunized. “This particular year, the circulated strain of influenza virus is a good match in what is in the vaccine.”
Add in a few days of rest and stay away from others and the risk of transmitting the disease to others lessens. Opondo also recommends that people wash their hands when they have the flu.
“The reason why we ask you to wash your hands frequently is because a lot of people sneeze into their hands and touch a lot of surfaces after sneezing. During cold and flu season, wash your hands frequently and try to avoid touching around your face. Even just rubbing your eyes you can self inoculate with the flu virus.”
While dealing with cold and flu symptoms is not enjoyable, the Deputy Medical Health Officer said by the end of January or early February there should begin to be a respite from influenza.
For those seeking the flu shot, the funded vaccine is available from many pharmacies across the province, some physician offices, and public health clinics. Locally, pharmacies in Watrous, Lanigan, Nokomis and Humboldt are able to administer the flu shot this year.
Pharmacists can only immunize adults and children nine years of age and older who have a valid Saskatchewan health card. Children under nine need to be vaccinated at a public health clinic or physician office.
As of Dec. 31, an estimated 238,830 flu vaccine doses were administered in Saskatchewan – 64 percent by public health nurses and other providers, and 36 percent by pharmacists.
Daniel Bushman
This year’s cold and flu season has been nothing to sneeze at and it appears as though more and more people have been finding themselves catching a cold or getting the flu. As many in the area deal with prolonged sniffles and flu symptoms, they are not alone.
“We have seen an increase in influenza cases in the last couple of weeks, and we expect flu activity will continue through March,” Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said. “I encourage everyone to get a flu shot if they haven’t already. This season’s vaccine is a good match for circulating strains, including H3N2.”
Receiving a flu shot or not, there were 590 lab-confirmed influenza cases in Saskatchewan between September and Jan. 7, with a spike of 175 cases during the final week of December.
Deputy Medical Health Officer for the Saskatoon Health Region Dr. Johnmark Opondo said the past month or so has been when the peak of the flu activity has occurred. “This year the flu has come in and the timing was towards the mid to end of December when we saw a lot. I think last year we had a much milder flu season so it wasn’t as remarkable but at the same time we are seeing an increase in influenza activity it is also cough and cold season.”
Opondo said because of the combined seasons there are cold viruses that are quite active along with the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), which presents as a cold is particularly nasty in young children.
The RSV is the most common virus in young children and most will become infected with RSV before they turn two years of age. Some of the common symptoms of RSV are cough, runny nose, fever, and other cold-like symptoms. The health region said RSV is most common in the winter months and is very contagious and spread through physical contact and through the air by coughing or sneezing.
“RSV is a very strong virus and it can live outside the body on counter tops or other objects for several hours.”
As people try to avoid becoming sick, Opondo suggested the most important thing people need to do is get immunized. “This particular year, the circulated strain of influenza virus is a good match in what is in the vaccine.”
Add in a few days of rest and stay away from others and the risk of transmitting the disease to others lessens. Opondo also recommends that people wash their hands when they have the flu.
“The reason why we ask you to wash your hands frequently is because a lot of people sneeze into their hands and touch a lot of surfaces after sneezing. During cold and flu season, wash your hands frequently and try to avoid touching around your face. Even just rubbing your eyes you can self inoculate with the flu virus.”
While dealing with cold and flu symptoms is not enjoyable, the Deputy Medical Health Officer said by the end of January or early February there should begin to be a respite from influenza.
For those seeking the flu shot, the funded vaccine is available from many pharmacies across the province, some physician offices, and public health clinics. Locally, pharmacies in Watrous, Lanigan, Nokomis and Humboldt are able to administer the flu shot this year.
Pharmacists can only immunize adults and children nine years of age and older who have a valid Saskatchewan health card. Children under nine need to be vaccinated at a public health clinic or physician office.
As of Dec. 31, an estimated 238,830 flu vaccine doses were administered in Saskatchewan – 64 percent by public health nurses and other providers, and 36 percent by pharmacists.
TWM Top Story - Jan. 16, 2017
Projects on the docket for Watrous as 2017 begins
Daniel Bushman/TWM
There was a lot of activity taking place within Watrous during 2016 as crews were busy improving streets, working on the new water treatment plant and opening a new fitness facility. While there was a lot going on in 2016, Watrous Mayor Ed Collins said people can expect more to come for the community as 2017 gets going.
While work on the water treatment project, which included reverse osmosis water started in the fall of 2014, it was substantially completed in 2016. “Now operating for over a year, some tweaking and adjustments continue but we are very happy with the project.”
Overall, Collins said the noteworthy project came in with a total cost of about $2.7 million with $900,000 in grant funding.
Along with the water treatment plant upgrades, a new well was created to ensure an adequate water supply to the plant. “That project also started in late 2014 and was completed in 2016. We have been using that well for about a year now.”
With the pair of water related projects streamlined, funding was recently announced for a lagoon expansion and aeration project. Work got underway for that in late 2016 and despite the fall weather preventing progress, Collins said the project will be completed in 2017. “The project is estimated to cost $3.4 million with two-thirds of the funding through the New Build Canada Fund.”
As water related projects were a large part of 2016, other areas within the community also received work and improvements. The Watrous Fitness Centre officially opened its doors in the Mall at 3rd and Main and Collins said it has been a bonus to have it in the community.
“Usage and membership numbers continue to be very positive and it has been a great addition to our recreation facilities.”
In addition to the fitness facility in Watrous, Collins said the sportsgrounds also received a significant face lift this past summer.
“A small diamond was added, shale brought in, the concession building was renovated, upgrades were done to the bleachers along with continuing work on road and parking improvements.”
Other projects like extensive road work and improvements also took place in other parts of town within 2016. A new mobility van, which was budgeted for in the early part of last year is also being delivered shortly. As the calendar flipped to 2017, the community is also turning its focus towards marking Canada’s 150th birthday with a joint homecoming between Watrous and Manitou Beach. The mayor also added there are more items on the agenda for 2017.
After years of hard work, Watrous was accepted this past fall to the accredited level of the Main Street Saskatchewan Program. With the announcement Sept. 27, Watrous will now be able to access a full package of program services and benefits at the accredited level.
After the announcement was made, Community Development Officer Brendan Manz said to be accredited in the Main Street Program is a tremendous step towards the long term economic viability of Watrous. “Together with Manitou Beach, we welcome more than 150,000 visitors annually to our community. This is a chance to revitalize our main street and for it to become a destination of its own for locals and visitors alike. With this announcement, our main street businesses, town council and local residents are eager to get to work in developing our future vision, streetscape designs and beautification plans for Main Street Watrous.”
Along with being accredited for the Main Street Program, Collins said a continued emphasis will be on improving street infrastructure and the lagoon expansion.
In addition to that work, Collins said the town is also working to secure land and subdivision approvals to develop commercial and light industrial parcels east of Home Hardware Building Centre.
With regards to health and safety, Collins said clinic operations at the hospital remain stable while fire department is well equipped and has good leadership with its members.
While the budget for the town will not be completed until late February or early March, Collins said they are looking forward to a positive 2017, one that can build off of 2016.
Daniel Bushman/TWM
There was a lot of activity taking place within Watrous during 2016 as crews were busy improving streets, working on the new water treatment plant and opening a new fitness facility. While there was a lot going on in 2016, Watrous Mayor Ed Collins said people can expect more to come for the community as 2017 gets going.
While work on the water treatment project, which included reverse osmosis water started in the fall of 2014, it was substantially completed in 2016. “Now operating for over a year, some tweaking and adjustments continue but we are very happy with the project.”
Overall, Collins said the noteworthy project came in with a total cost of about $2.7 million with $900,000 in grant funding.
Along with the water treatment plant upgrades, a new well was created to ensure an adequate water supply to the plant. “That project also started in late 2014 and was completed in 2016. We have been using that well for about a year now.”
With the pair of water related projects streamlined, funding was recently announced for a lagoon expansion and aeration project. Work got underway for that in late 2016 and despite the fall weather preventing progress, Collins said the project will be completed in 2017. “The project is estimated to cost $3.4 million with two-thirds of the funding through the New Build Canada Fund.”
As water related projects were a large part of 2016, other areas within the community also received work and improvements. The Watrous Fitness Centre officially opened its doors in the Mall at 3rd and Main and Collins said it has been a bonus to have it in the community.
“Usage and membership numbers continue to be very positive and it has been a great addition to our recreation facilities.”
In addition to the fitness facility in Watrous, Collins said the sportsgrounds also received a significant face lift this past summer.
“A small diamond was added, shale brought in, the concession building was renovated, upgrades were done to the bleachers along with continuing work on road and parking improvements.”
Other projects like extensive road work and improvements also took place in other parts of town within 2016. A new mobility van, which was budgeted for in the early part of last year is also being delivered shortly. As the calendar flipped to 2017, the community is also turning its focus towards marking Canada’s 150th birthday with a joint homecoming between Watrous and Manitou Beach. The mayor also added there are more items on the agenda for 2017.
After years of hard work, Watrous was accepted this past fall to the accredited level of the Main Street Saskatchewan Program. With the announcement Sept. 27, Watrous will now be able to access a full package of program services and benefits at the accredited level.
After the announcement was made, Community Development Officer Brendan Manz said to be accredited in the Main Street Program is a tremendous step towards the long term economic viability of Watrous. “Together with Manitou Beach, we welcome more than 150,000 visitors annually to our community. This is a chance to revitalize our main street and for it to become a destination of its own for locals and visitors alike. With this announcement, our main street businesses, town council and local residents are eager to get to work in developing our future vision, streetscape designs and beautification plans for Main Street Watrous.”
Along with being accredited for the Main Street Program, Collins said a continued emphasis will be on improving street infrastructure and the lagoon expansion.
In addition to that work, Collins said the town is also working to secure land and subdivision approvals to develop commercial and light industrial parcels east of Home Hardware Building Centre.
With regards to health and safety, Collins said clinic operations at the hospital remain stable while fire department is well equipped and has good leadership with its members.
While the budget for the town will not be completed until late February or early March, Collins said they are looking forward to a positive 2017, one that can build off of 2016.
TWM Top Story - Jan. 9, 2017
Homecoming planned for Watrous and Manitou Beach
By Daniel Bushman
With the stroke of midnight signalling the end of 2016 and with the beginning of 2017 underway, an entire nation is getting set to celebrate this year including various communities like Watrous and Manitou Beach. This year marks Canada’s 150th birthday and the two local communities plan to mark the milestone with a homecoming celebration June 30 to July 1.
Karen Schroeder Mark, chairperson of the Canada 150 Homecoming Celebration entitled ‘Welcome home! You are a part of our history!’ said people had expressed that they would like to see something happen to commemorate the nation’s 150th birthday. Through some informal meetings and discussion, a committee was set up.
“We have already been meeting for about half a year and a great deal of work has already gone into planning events in both Watrous and Manitou Beach,” said Schroeder Mark. “We hope that people will enjoy the festivities and use the homecoming as an opportunity to renew old acquaintances and make new friends.”
Festivities get going Friday, June 30 with registration and visiting at the Watrous Civic Centre. “We are hoping to have some displays set up and also hold a street dance later in the evening in addition to the beer gardens.”
On Saturday, people can enjoy activities like an opening ceremony, parade, dances, a Beach Boogie, pancake breakfast, children’s activities, community supper, fireworks at Manitou Beach, Canada Day activities at both Watrous and Manitou Beach and other activities sponsored by local groups.
As for some of the musical entertainment, Schroeder Mark said, “The Boar Hawks will be playing Friday night at the beer gardens and Bush League Orchestra will hit the stage on Saturday at the Manitou Beach Boogie. Hammer Jammer is also playing and he will be at the street dance on Friday while the College Nine will be out from the city to entertain during the parade as well as at a few other venues on Saturday.”
Schroeder Mark said there will also be an opportunity for people to meet and greet former friends and neighbours at the Watrous Curling Rink. “We really want to encourage people to come to the curling rink and visit and catch up. It should make for a great time.”
However, in order to have a successful homecoming celebration, Schroeder Mark said people need to lend a hand by providing addresses and contact information of families not residing in the area in order for the committee to get in touch with them regarding registering for the event.
“We need to spread the word and have updated addresses in order to let people know about our big celebration. There will be another batch of information being sent out but the key is having people register for the event. If we don’t have people registering then we won’t be able to pay for all of the venues, entertainment, decorations and other material needed for the celebration.”
Schroeder Mark said current residents are also strongly encouraged to register in order to help cover costs for the occasion.
“Everyone seems delighted that we are putting something like this on, especially during Canada’s 150th birthday. It also provides an excuse for people to come back home and visit. I think having events like this keeps a community together and it strengthens the community for those who are here.”
People who have yet to register or who have names and addresses of former residents can phone or email the town office or download a registration form off the local homecoming’s Facebook page (watrous & manitou beach canada 150 homecoming 2017).
Schroeder Mark said they will also be searching for volunteers for the homecoming for a variety of roles. “We will need a lot of help leading up to the day but the communities seem to always rally around events like this. There will be a volunteer list posted at the town office in Watrous and we have a lot of groups already willing to lend a hand and doing various activities.”
People can keep an eye on how things are going via the local homecoming’s Facebook page (watrous & manitou beach canada 150 homecoming 2017) and on Twitter (@WM_Homecoming17).
“It is going to be a fun time and a great opportunity to share stories, rekindle friendships and make new memories.”
By Daniel Bushman
With the stroke of midnight signalling the end of 2016 and with the beginning of 2017 underway, an entire nation is getting set to celebrate this year including various communities like Watrous and Manitou Beach. This year marks Canada’s 150th birthday and the two local communities plan to mark the milestone with a homecoming celebration June 30 to July 1.
Karen Schroeder Mark, chairperson of the Canada 150 Homecoming Celebration entitled ‘Welcome home! You are a part of our history!’ said people had expressed that they would like to see something happen to commemorate the nation’s 150th birthday. Through some informal meetings and discussion, a committee was set up.
“We have already been meeting for about half a year and a great deal of work has already gone into planning events in both Watrous and Manitou Beach,” said Schroeder Mark. “We hope that people will enjoy the festivities and use the homecoming as an opportunity to renew old acquaintances and make new friends.”
Festivities get going Friday, June 30 with registration and visiting at the Watrous Civic Centre. “We are hoping to have some displays set up and also hold a street dance later in the evening in addition to the beer gardens.”
On Saturday, people can enjoy activities like an opening ceremony, parade, dances, a Beach Boogie, pancake breakfast, children’s activities, community supper, fireworks at Manitou Beach, Canada Day activities at both Watrous and Manitou Beach and other activities sponsored by local groups.
As for some of the musical entertainment, Schroeder Mark said, “The Boar Hawks will be playing Friday night at the beer gardens and Bush League Orchestra will hit the stage on Saturday at the Manitou Beach Boogie. Hammer Jammer is also playing and he will be at the street dance on Friday while the College Nine will be out from the city to entertain during the parade as well as at a few other venues on Saturday.”
Schroeder Mark said there will also be an opportunity for people to meet and greet former friends and neighbours at the Watrous Curling Rink. “We really want to encourage people to come to the curling rink and visit and catch up. It should make for a great time.”
However, in order to have a successful homecoming celebration, Schroeder Mark said people need to lend a hand by providing addresses and contact information of families not residing in the area in order for the committee to get in touch with them regarding registering for the event.
“We need to spread the word and have updated addresses in order to let people know about our big celebration. There will be another batch of information being sent out but the key is having people register for the event. If we don’t have people registering then we won’t be able to pay for all of the venues, entertainment, decorations and other material needed for the celebration.”
Schroeder Mark said current residents are also strongly encouraged to register in order to help cover costs for the occasion.
“Everyone seems delighted that we are putting something like this on, especially during Canada’s 150th birthday. It also provides an excuse for people to come back home and visit. I think having events like this keeps a community together and it strengthens the community for those who are here.”
People who have yet to register or who have names and addresses of former residents can phone or email the town office or download a registration form off the local homecoming’s Facebook page (watrous & manitou beach canada 150 homecoming 2017).
Schroeder Mark said they will also be searching for volunteers for the homecoming for a variety of roles. “We will need a lot of help leading up to the day but the communities seem to always rally around events like this. There will be a volunteer list posted at the town office in Watrous and we have a lot of groups already willing to lend a hand and doing various activities.”
People can keep an eye on how things are going via the local homecoming’s Facebook page (watrous & manitou beach canada 150 homecoming 2017) and on Twitter (@WM_Homecoming17).
“It is going to be a fun time and a great opportunity to share stories, rekindle friendships and make new memories.”
TWM Top Story - Jan. 2, 2017
Water rushes into local business
By Daniel Bushman
It was a rather unusual and unfortunate sight on main street in Watrous as water spewed out of a portion of the road, forcing motorists and those walking to take a detour. The water pipe burst also wreaked havoc on at least one local business while forcing crews to shutoff water to a portion of Watrous until the pipe was replaced.
Like a fountain at a mall, water gushed up from below the road just before 5 p.m. Dec. 19 near Video Stop, located at the corner of 3rd Ave. and Main Street. While the water eventually disappeared below the surface, it found its way to the local video rental place and promptly began filling up the building’s basement.
Comparing it to a fast flowing waterfall, owner of Video Stop Earl Hayhurst said the water gushed below the main floor for approximately five hours before it started to let up.
“I have never seen anything like that before,” said Hayhurst. “It was incredible how much water came in. I felt helpless just watching it pour into my basement. Some of the water also managed to seep in from the roadway and into the front entrance.”
Located in the former Roxy Theatre, Hayhurst estimated at one point there was about 15 inches of water throughout the entire basement. Considering at one time the building contained a giant movie screen, space for seating and a concession area, that is a substantial amount of water filling up a large area.
“There were originally two sump pumps down there trying to get the water out but it eventually flooded my furnace so we had to bring in additional help. Richardson Services brought their units in and hauled away nine trucks worth of water and it was still coming in.”
While the water eventually did subside, Hayhurst said his basement was transformed into a pit of mud and without a furnace, the main level was a little cool.
“A new furnace is now installed but until then I had my heaters blasting heat to keep things warm.”
Watrous Public Works Superintendent Dion Tarasoff said the old cast line that burst was part of the original installation many years ago. Once the pipe in question was located, it had a gaping hole in the side of it. While Tarasoff did not speculate on what caused it to break, a lot of work went into finding and fixing the broken pipe.
“We had to turn off water to a couple of blocks to isolate the leak. We had some newer pipe that we used for repairs about 13 years ago that we dug towards and then went from there to find the leak. I would estimate it was about 25 feet of pipe that we exposed before the hole was found.”
With crews working hard Monday night and all day Tuesday, the pipe was replaced and water turned back on for residents and businesses after 5 p.m. Dec. 20.
“That was quite the event,” said Hayhurst. “I appreciated the job the crew did to help get things fixed. I used to like waterfalls but now I’m not so sure.”
By Daniel Bushman
It was a rather unusual and unfortunate sight on main street in Watrous as water spewed out of a portion of the road, forcing motorists and those walking to take a detour. The water pipe burst also wreaked havoc on at least one local business while forcing crews to shutoff water to a portion of Watrous until the pipe was replaced.
Like a fountain at a mall, water gushed up from below the road just before 5 p.m. Dec. 19 near Video Stop, located at the corner of 3rd Ave. and Main Street. While the water eventually disappeared below the surface, it found its way to the local video rental place and promptly began filling up the building’s basement.
Comparing it to a fast flowing waterfall, owner of Video Stop Earl Hayhurst said the water gushed below the main floor for approximately five hours before it started to let up.
“I have never seen anything like that before,” said Hayhurst. “It was incredible how much water came in. I felt helpless just watching it pour into my basement. Some of the water also managed to seep in from the roadway and into the front entrance.”
Located in the former Roxy Theatre, Hayhurst estimated at one point there was about 15 inches of water throughout the entire basement. Considering at one time the building contained a giant movie screen, space for seating and a concession area, that is a substantial amount of water filling up a large area.
“There were originally two sump pumps down there trying to get the water out but it eventually flooded my furnace so we had to bring in additional help. Richardson Services brought their units in and hauled away nine trucks worth of water and it was still coming in.”
While the water eventually did subside, Hayhurst said his basement was transformed into a pit of mud and without a furnace, the main level was a little cool.
“A new furnace is now installed but until then I had my heaters blasting heat to keep things warm.”
Watrous Public Works Superintendent Dion Tarasoff said the old cast line that burst was part of the original installation many years ago. Once the pipe in question was located, it had a gaping hole in the side of it. While Tarasoff did not speculate on what caused it to break, a lot of work went into finding and fixing the broken pipe.
“We had to turn off water to a couple of blocks to isolate the leak. We had some newer pipe that we used for repairs about 13 years ago that we dug towards and then went from there to find the leak. I would estimate it was about 25 feet of pipe that we exposed before the hole was found.”
With crews working hard Monday night and all day Tuesday, the pipe was replaced and water turned back on for residents and businesses after 5 p.m. Dec. 20.
“That was quite the event,” said Hayhurst. “I appreciated the job the crew did to help get things fixed. I used to like waterfalls but now I’m not so sure.”
TWM Top Story - Dec. 19, 2016
The Mosaic Company makes donation towards Manitou Beach
By Daniel Bushman
An early Christmas present arrived for the resort village of Manitou Beach as The Mosaic Company donated $150,000 to help out the community deal with its high water levels. Following the flooding situation closely this year, Public Affairs Manager for Mosaic Tyler Hopson said the company felt it was important to step up and lend a hand.
“We came out to Manitou Beach in September and met with Mayor Gerry Worobec and our eyes were opened with how much of an issue the high water levels have become.”
With employees from Mosaic’s Colonsay potash mine residing in Watrous, Manitou Beach and the surrounding area, Hopson said the company felt it was important to contribute towards the resort’s berm raise project and keep the high water levels at bay.
“This is an important spot for the province and it is very unique with a lot of history. We really feel that this area is something worth preserving.”
Manitou Beach Mayor Gerry Worobec said the generous donation from Mosaic will have a tremendous impact on the finances of the resort community.
“As a government agency, we do not have a lot of surplus revenue and have had to borrow in order to fund our portion of the flood prevention project. Our portion of the recent emergency flood prevention construction could exceed $1 million dollars and we intend to use $100,000 of Mosaic’s generous grant to offset these costs. We are allocating the remaining balance of $50,000 toward a long term/permanent solution such as a water diversion project or something similar.”
Earlier this year, Manitou Beach was approved for up to $3.877 million through the Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program and work got underway in the fall. That funding is what is being used to pay for the raising of the existing berm by one metre to protect residents, businesses, regional park areas, Camp Easter Seal and infrastructure like sewage lift stations.
With the warmer weather in November, Worobec said the work on the one metre berm raise project progressed nicely including a new beachfront area.
“Many beach businesses, historic landmarks and valued residential properties have been saved from future flooding and possible disaster through the construction of elevated berms.”
Now that the work is winding down, the village is anticipating the completion of all planned construction except for the paving of Lake Avenue, which will take place in the spring of 2017, along with beautification.
“Currently, the construction taking place at Wellington Creek - a favourite spot for locals and visitors alike - will protect it from future rising lake levels. Overall, we are more than pleased with how all of this has turned out and it has been a pleasure to work with Golder Associates Ltd., the Water Security Agency’s Flood Reduction Program, and all of the subcontractors. We thank everyone who has been involved on every level, at every stage of the process.”
By Daniel Bushman
An early Christmas present arrived for the resort village of Manitou Beach as The Mosaic Company donated $150,000 to help out the community deal with its high water levels. Following the flooding situation closely this year, Public Affairs Manager for Mosaic Tyler Hopson said the company felt it was important to step up and lend a hand.
“We came out to Manitou Beach in September and met with Mayor Gerry Worobec and our eyes were opened with how much of an issue the high water levels have become.”
With employees from Mosaic’s Colonsay potash mine residing in Watrous, Manitou Beach and the surrounding area, Hopson said the company felt it was important to contribute towards the resort’s berm raise project and keep the high water levels at bay.
“This is an important spot for the province and it is very unique with a lot of history. We really feel that this area is something worth preserving.”
Manitou Beach Mayor Gerry Worobec said the generous donation from Mosaic will have a tremendous impact on the finances of the resort community.
“As a government agency, we do not have a lot of surplus revenue and have had to borrow in order to fund our portion of the flood prevention project. Our portion of the recent emergency flood prevention construction could exceed $1 million dollars and we intend to use $100,000 of Mosaic’s generous grant to offset these costs. We are allocating the remaining balance of $50,000 toward a long term/permanent solution such as a water diversion project or something similar.”
Earlier this year, Manitou Beach was approved for up to $3.877 million through the Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program and work got underway in the fall. That funding is what is being used to pay for the raising of the existing berm by one metre to protect residents, businesses, regional park areas, Camp Easter Seal and infrastructure like sewage lift stations.
With the warmer weather in November, Worobec said the work on the one metre berm raise project progressed nicely including a new beachfront area.
“Many beach businesses, historic landmarks and valued residential properties have been saved from future flooding and possible disaster through the construction of elevated berms.”
Now that the work is winding down, the village is anticipating the completion of all planned construction except for the paving of Lake Avenue, which will take place in the spring of 2017, along with beautification.
“Currently, the construction taking place at Wellington Creek - a favourite spot for locals and visitors alike - will protect it from future rising lake levels. Overall, we are more than pleased with how all of this has turned out and it has been a pleasure to work with Golder Associates Ltd., the Water Security Agency’s Flood Reduction Program, and all of the subcontractors. We thank everyone who has been involved on every level, at every stage of the process.”
TWM Top Story - Dec. 12, 2016
Couple named Citizens of the Year
By Daniel Bushman
Synonymous with the annual Watrous Fun Run Auto Show and Shine, this year’s Watrous Citizens of the Year have spent countless hours organizing the longest running annual event in the community, something that has gained provincial and national notoriety.
Recognized for their hard work and dedication within the community, Watrous residents Jason and Laura Lindgren were named this year’s Watrous Citizens of the Year.
Honoured at the Town of Watrous’ Christmas party Dec. 8 and nominated by Andy and Irena Broadfoot, when Jason first received the call that he and Laura were named citizens of the year, he said, “Oh, thank you.”
Laura said her husband came home and told her they would be going to the town’s Christmas party this year and she thought that would be a nice idea.
“Then he told me we were the Watrous Citizens of the Year,” Laura said. “I responded with a yeah right, really? I was definitely surprised!”
Coming the same year as the annual Watrous Fun Run Auto Show and Shine marked its 25th year, the newest citizens of the year have spent countless hours volunteering for that event; something they are proud of being able to put on year after year.
“It has been a major part of our lives and our family’s lives since 1996,” Jason said. “We don’t eat at our kitchen table from May until August as it becomes the Fun Run office. Once the car show is over, you start planning for next year.”
Both said being able to give back to the community through the annual event has been important to them.
“It seems that everyone’s lives are so busy and preoccupied that there are less and less people around willing to get involved with local clubs and organizations that are such an important part of living in a rural community.”
Featuring vehicles of all makes and models, Main Street in Watrous is packed from one end to the other during a Saturday in July as part of the annual Watrous Fun Run Auto Show and Shine. Thanks to the Lindgrens and other volunteers, the show has grown to become one of the largest car shows in rural Saskatchewan. Consistently attracting over 175 entries for the annual event, the show and shine also includes a full day of family-oriented events.
“The growing success of the event keeps us going and we would hate to see that come to an end. We are always trying to grow the show and the friends and people you meet are a big part of why we keep doing it. From what we understand, this is the longest running event that the Town of Watrous has hosted.”
In the nomination letter submitted by Andy and Irena Broadfood it states almost any car enthusiast will say the event is always a success, getting bigger and better every year.
“Year after year they and their dedicated team of volunteers put on this spectacular event and it is appreciated, known and endorsed all across Canada,” remarked Irena.
Broadfoot said what makes the Lindgrens so passionate about the Fun Run is they are car and community people to the core. “Jason has always lent a hand or a spare part or elbow grease or expertise to assist a fellow gear head in their latest project. One cool thing about the Lindgrens is that they treat everyone equal.”
Irena said there is no possibility to repay them for their countless hours that they donated to the event. “Nor could we put a monetary value on the advertising, exposure and good will that the Watrous and Manitou area has received from the Fun Run. And all because one family has stood by and taken this event to the next level.”
While Jason and Laura were quick to deflect praise, adding the event is an achievement of many, they did appreciate the recognition of being honoured as this year’s Watrous Citizens of the Year.
Growing the Fun Run over the years, both Jason and Laura have also been an integral part of the community in other ways including being on the Relay for Life committee.
As for Jason, he knows Watrous well as he was born and raised in the community. After graduating from high school, he worked for Hayter Drilling and was an apprentice mechanic at Acme Service in Watrous. From there he made the move from grease to canola oil and attended Kelsey Professional Cooking with the purpose of returning to Watrous to open Paul’s Place Restaurant.
“My parents Joan and Paul Smorodin had been successful business entrepreneurs in Watrous in the early 1960s. They owned and operated a pool hall, a TV and radio business, an auto wrecker, an auto body, flipped numerous homes and brought fast food to Watrous when they built and operated the Original Burger King in town and at Manitou Beach. The one at Manitou Beach is still in operation with very few changes since it was built.”
Jason was able to attain his dream of opening a restaurant and along with Laura and his mom Joan, built and opened Paul’s Place in 1987. Later Joan sold her shares to Jason and Laura and they continued to manage the restaurant until selling it after their 20th anniversary in December of 2007.
Jason was also one of 12 enrolled in the pilot day release apprenticeship cooking program and received his Red Seal Certification in 1989. He was also a member of the provincial cook trade board in addition to the curriculum and development committee for the cook trade.
“I also served as an active board member of the local Chamber of Commerce, the Watrous Curling Club and helped out as a Beaver leader with the local Cubs and Beavers.”
Most recently, since 2008, Jason has worked as a sales consultant for Mainline Motors.
While Jason is originally from Watrous, Laura was born in Noranda, Que. and moved to Young in 1967 when Noranda opened what is now known as the Mosaic Colonsay mine.
After graduation she went to Saskatoon Business College and was employed with Northland Stationers. Moving to Watrous in 1987, she and Jason combined to work in the restaurant business. Many who ate at Paul’s Place might remember the famous House dip and Caesar dressing, something that Laura was responsible for.
“I will still make it on occasion,” she said.
Laura started working for Watrous Insurance Brokers in 2009 and then Western Financial Group in Watrous. She now works from home for Western Financial Group’s head office in High River, Alta. as part of their central processing unit.
Married in 1988, the pair have two children, a son Aaron born in 1990 and a daughter Delaney born in 1992.
“Aaron lives in Toronto now and is the Director of Fuels for Mac’s Convenience and Delaney is married and lives in Watrous. She is a dance teacher in Aberdeen and Imperial.”
During Delaney’s dancing years as a student, Laura was an active member of the Watrous School of Dance executive as treasurer, co-president and then spent two terms on the Dance Festival Committee.
“We moved back to Watrous not only to start a business but also to raise our children close to family and friends, knowing Watrous had everything to offer.”
Now almost 30 years after their decision to return to the area, the pair now bear the distinction of being Watrous Citizens of the Year.
As for whether or not the couple will continue their hard work with the car show?
“Every year Laura says this is our last year and I pretend I don’t hear her,” Jason laughed. “I guess she needs to stop asking because she knows the answer. The phone is already ringing for next year’s event. The 26th annual will be July 29th, 2017. See you there!”
By Daniel Bushman
Synonymous with the annual Watrous Fun Run Auto Show and Shine, this year’s Watrous Citizens of the Year have spent countless hours organizing the longest running annual event in the community, something that has gained provincial and national notoriety.
Recognized for their hard work and dedication within the community, Watrous residents Jason and Laura Lindgren were named this year’s Watrous Citizens of the Year.
Honoured at the Town of Watrous’ Christmas party Dec. 8 and nominated by Andy and Irena Broadfoot, when Jason first received the call that he and Laura were named citizens of the year, he said, “Oh, thank you.”
Laura said her husband came home and told her they would be going to the town’s Christmas party this year and she thought that would be a nice idea.
“Then he told me we were the Watrous Citizens of the Year,” Laura said. “I responded with a yeah right, really? I was definitely surprised!”
Coming the same year as the annual Watrous Fun Run Auto Show and Shine marked its 25th year, the newest citizens of the year have spent countless hours volunteering for that event; something they are proud of being able to put on year after year.
“It has been a major part of our lives and our family’s lives since 1996,” Jason said. “We don’t eat at our kitchen table from May until August as it becomes the Fun Run office. Once the car show is over, you start planning for next year.”
Both said being able to give back to the community through the annual event has been important to them.
“It seems that everyone’s lives are so busy and preoccupied that there are less and less people around willing to get involved with local clubs and organizations that are such an important part of living in a rural community.”
Featuring vehicles of all makes and models, Main Street in Watrous is packed from one end to the other during a Saturday in July as part of the annual Watrous Fun Run Auto Show and Shine. Thanks to the Lindgrens and other volunteers, the show has grown to become one of the largest car shows in rural Saskatchewan. Consistently attracting over 175 entries for the annual event, the show and shine also includes a full day of family-oriented events.
“The growing success of the event keeps us going and we would hate to see that come to an end. We are always trying to grow the show and the friends and people you meet are a big part of why we keep doing it. From what we understand, this is the longest running event that the Town of Watrous has hosted.”
In the nomination letter submitted by Andy and Irena Broadfood it states almost any car enthusiast will say the event is always a success, getting bigger and better every year.
“Year after year they and their dedicated team of volunteers put on this spectacular event and it is appreciated, known and endorsed all across Canada,” remarked Irena.
Broadfoot said what makes the Lindgrens so passionate about the Fun Run is they are car and community people to the core. “Jason has always lent a hand or a spare part or elbow grease or expertise to assist a fellow gear head in their latest project. One cool thing about the Lindgrens is that they treat everyone equal.”
Irena said there is no possibility to repay them for their countless hours that they donated to the event. “Nor could we put a monetary value on the advertising, exposure and good will that the Watrous and Manitou area has received from the Fun Run. And all because one family has stood by and taken this event to the next level.”
While Jason and Laura were quick to deflect praise, adding the event is an achievement of many, they did appreciate the recognition of being honoured as this year’s Watrous Citizens of the Year.
Growing the Fun Run over the years, both Jason and Laura have also been an integral part of the community in other ways including being on the Relay for Life committee.
As for Jason, he knows Watrous well as he was born and raised in the community. After graduating from high school, he worked for Hayter Drilling and was an apprentice mechanic at Acme Service in Watrous. From there he made the move from grease to canola oil and attended Kelsey Professional Cooking with the purpose of returning to Watrous to open Paul’s Place Restaurant.
“My parents Joan and Paul Smorodin had been successful business entrepreneurs in Watrous in the early 1960s. They owned and operated a pool hall, a TV and radio business, an auto wrecker, an auto body, flipped numerous homes and brought fast food to Watrous when they built and operated the Original Burger King in town and at Manitou Beach. The one at Manitou Beach is still in operation with very few changes since it was built.”
Jason was able to attain his dream of opening a restaurant and along with Laura and his mom Joan, built and opened Paul’s Place in 1987. Later Joan sold her shares to Jason and Laura and they continued to manage the restaurant until selling it after their 20th anniversary in December of 2007.
Jason was also one of 12 enrolled in the pilot day release apprenticeship cooking program and received his Red Seal Certification in 1989. He was also a member of the provincial cook trade board in addition to the curriculum and development committee for the cook trade.
“I also served as an active board member of the local Chamber of Commerce, the Watrous Curling Club and helped out as a Beaver leader with the local Cubs and Beavers.”
Most recently, since 2008, Jason has worked as a sales consultant for Mainline Motors.
While Jason is originally from Watrous, Laura was born in Noranda, Que. and moved to Young in 1967 when Noranda opened what is now known as the Mosaic Colonsay mine.
After graduation she went to Saskatoon Business College and was employed with Northland Stationers. Moving to Watrous in 1987, she and Jason combined to work in the restaurant business. Many who ate at Paul’s Place might remember the famous House dip and Caesar dressing, something that Laura was responsible for.
“I will still make it on occasion,” she said.
Laura started working for Watrous Insurance Brokers in 2009 and then Western Financial Group in Watrous. She now works from home for Western Financial Group’s head office in High River, Alta. as part of their central processing unit.
Married in 1988, the pair have two children, a son Aaron born in 1990 and a daughter Delaney born in 1992.
“Aaron lives in Toronto now and is the Director of Fuels for Mac’s Convenience and Delaney is married and lives in Watrous. She is a dance teacher in Aberdeen and Imperial.”
During Delaney’s dancing years as a student, Laura was an active member of the Watrous School of Dance executive as treasurer, co-president and then spent two terms on the Dance Festival Committee.
“We moved back to Watrous not only to start a business but also to raise our children close to family and friends, knowing Watrous had everything to offer.”
Now almost 30 years after their decision to return to the area, the pair now bear the distinction of being Watrous Citizens of the Year.
As for whether or not the couple will continue their hard work with the car show?
“Every year Laura says this is our last year and I pretend I don’t hear her,” Jason laughed. “I guess she needs to stop asking because she knows the answer. The phone is already ringing for next year’s event. The 26th annual will be July 29th, 2017. See you there!”
TWM Top Story - Dec. 5, 2016
Ingram having year to remember
By Daniel Bushman/TWM
Perhaps it was destiny when Connor Ingram first put on a Long Lake Lightning jersey during his minor hockey days or maybe it was just meant to be that the Imperial product would one day be drafted by a team with the lightning logo. After having his named called by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third round of this year’s NHL Entry Draft, Ingram has been enjoying quite the year. Not only did the Imperial native get selected by the Lighting but he is currently one of the top netminders in the Western Hockey League and could very well get a call to be one of this year’s goaltenders at the World Junior Hockey Championships later this month.
For a guy who grew up playing mini sticks against his older brothers in the living room of his parent’s home to being asked to play goal for older age groups during his minor hockey days, Connor has excelled in his hockey career over the years.
A couple weeks after being drafted by the Lightning and during a brief pit stop at his parent’s home, Connor along with dad Brent and mom Joni graciously opened their home to The Watrous Manitou to chat about the whirlwind year.
Since that time visiting with the Ingrams, Connor’s year to remember has continued to provide memorable moments with a mention in the Hockey News while grabbing the attention of members of the national media. In the Hockey News, Ryan Kennedy featured Ingram as a ‘Prospect Need To Know’ while TSN’s Bob McKenzie wrote that Ingram and Carter Hart of Everett have been the best Canadian goalies in junior hockey this season.
“And it really hasn’t been close either,” McKenzie wrote. “Barring unforeseen developments, they are expected to be Team Canada’s tandem.”
If McKenzie’s prognostication is correct and Ingram nabs a spot at Hockey Canada’s selection camp, then not only will a kid from Imperial be wearing the Canadian colours later this month but he will be joined by another Imperial native, Kris Knoblauch, who was selected to help guide the team from the bench.
When asked about potentially making team Canada and joining Knoblauch, Connor said, “It would be pretty cool to have a couple of us from Imperial supporting Canada. It is crazy to think it could happen. I know I spent a lot of time as a kid playing World Juniors in my head at the rink.”
With around 350 people residing in Imperial, Connor’s dad Brent said to have two people potentially involved at the World Junior tournament from the community would be something special.
“It is fantastic that Kris has made it. He has put in so much time and is such an outstanding coach, having success everywhere he goes. If Connor got lucky and made it, to have two people from this tiny town that would be something, especially since it could happen at the same time.”
Joni said the family is very familiar with the World Junior tournament and it has become a part of their Christmas tradition as they watch it on TV each year. This year would be no different although if her son made the team, they would be watching from the stands not their couch.
“Well I would be too nervous to watch so I would probably be hiding in the washroom or something, but we would be there,” Joni quipped.
And it could very well happen as Connor currently sits second in the WHL with a .933 save percentage and third with a goals against average of 2.23. Ingram’s record through 22 games was 12-9-1 and he has recorded one shutout.
“That would be so cool to see him play and this year the tournament is in Toronto and Montreal so Canada would be very well supported by the hometown crowd.”
While the waiting game is on for Connor as to whether or not he will be selected to make team Canada, there is no question as to his NHL draft status.
Taken in the third round and number 88 overall, the 19-year-old prospect shared his experience about getting the call in June that he was part of the Lightning organization.
With his flight just about set to take off, Ingram was informed that he had been drafted in the NHL. Bottled up with excitement, he then had to turn his phone off and wait to land before sharing the news.
“It was pretty cool,” Connor said about getting the call. “I found out right before we left so I basically had to turn my phone off. It was a gruelling hour before I could figure out what was going on but it was fun. When I landed, I turned my phone back on and there were over 100 texts.”
From there, Ingram essentially repacked his bags and headed to Tampa Bay to take part in a rookie and prospect camp.
“It was a lot more intense than anything I had ever been at before. It was a tough week but a fun week.”
During his time south of the border, Ingram met the man that drafted him, NHL legend and general manager Steve Yzerman.
“Me and another goalie were the only two left in the room and Mr. Yzerman came in and introduced himself, like we didn’t know who he was,” Ingram chuckled.
Brent said when he and Joni heard about their son being drafted, it was an exciting moment. “It is always fun as a parent seeing your kids reach goals they want and set in life. So many kids play hockey and don’t get a chance to do that and he did. I think it is just as exciting to see him set a goal in life and reach it.”
While Connor now finds himself the property of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, Joni said there were certainly bumps along the way to get there.
Since there were not a lot of kids that suited up to play hockey in Imperial, Connor would play defense in his age category and goal for his older brother’s team, which was also coached by his dad.
“As a goaltender he was always playing in an age group above,” Brent said. “When he was six, he was playing two age groups above. On his older brother Keeran’s team, we had players from Dilke, Girvin, Holdfast, Penzance, Imperial, Simpson and Stalwart and our population was still small enough to play D in provincials.”
Joni added that Connor was always younger than everyone else and some days he would be sick but would have to play because there was no one else to take his spot.
“That was what small town hockey was like. You had a little bit of representation from everywhere. We would go into provincials with two lines and three defenseman and one goalie.”
Over the next few years as Connor got older, there were not enough players left to form a team in his age group. While his three older brothers (Bryce, Mark and Keeran) were able to finish their minor hockey in Watrous, Connor headed to Clavet to play net.
“It seemed sad to me at the time to see him give up playing defense,” Joni said. “I always found the goaltending position to be a bit more stressful so I preferred when he played out.”
Playing in Clavet and being the netminder on a more regular basis, Connor began making the transition as he refined his craft. Then, a few years later came his time in Prince Albert.
Ingram joined the Midget AAA team during the 2013-‘14 season and had a 16-4-3 record with a 1.98 goals against average and a .928 save percentage. After being named the top netminder in the SMAAAHL, Connor and the Mintos advanced to the Telus Cup. Reaching the finals, Ingram made 60 saves in that final contest to help his team take gold in triple overtime.
“That was probably one of the most fun things I’ve done,” said Connor. “That memory is definitely up there and it was fun living in the city of Prince Albert.”
As his Midget career came to an end and despite a WHL camp invite in Victoria not working out, Ingram tried his hand at Kamloops.
“I actually didn’t really want to go. I was going to miss the start of camp for football in Watrous and I wanted to be a starter that year for the Wildcats.”
Putting his desire to play six-man football aside, Ingram headed west to Kamloops to give it a try. The Blazers liked what they saw and brought him on board. Since then, he has been the club’s netminder.
“Kamloops is a great place. It is a very hockey based community and they treat you well.”
Having that support helped Ingram on the ice as he was named the team MVP and also found himself receiving WHL goalie of the week honours on a few occasions last season.
A modest and laid back individual, Connor was quick to deflect praise for his milestones and credits his family and coaches who have helped him out along the way.
“My family for sure have been great. It has also been crazy the amount of people around town that reach out to you during the year when you are struggling or anything like that. Being from a small town, it is that much more special. It is a place that supports me.”
Ingram said it is also nice to return home and head to the rink in Imperial where his career first began.
“It is fun to go back, even hearing the sound of the front door, you can always tell when someone is coming into the rink. It is a cool place to go back to and I spent a lot of time down there. They have great burgers and when the curling bonspiels were on, there were people everywhere.”
Joni said being able to live in Imperial and receive the support from the community throughout Connor’s hockey journey has been tremendous.
“There is a sense of community and it is just amazing in a small town when something like this happens. It is very incredible and it is neat because there are people who don’t really watch hockey but are watching Connor. Our neighbour is 94 and likes to watch Connor play when he is on TV.”
For a young netminder who was assessed a penalty each time he shot a ball at his parent’s venetians while playing mini sticks to now making stellar glove saves on national TV, the next chapter of his hockey career could very well be another one to remember.
By Daniel Bushman/TWM
Perhaps it was destiny when Connor Ingram first put on a Long Lake Lightning jersey during his minor hockey days or maybe it was just meant to be that the Imperial product would one day be drafted by a team with the lightning logo. After having his named called by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third round of this year’s NHL Entry Draft, Ingram has been enjoying quite the year. Not only did the Imperial native get selected by the Lighting but he is currently one of the top netminders in the Western Hockey League and could very well get a call to be one of this year’s goaltenders at the World Junior Hockey Championships later this month.
For a guy who grew up playing mini sticks against his older brothers in the living room of his parent’s home to being asked to play goal for older age groups during his minor hockey days, Connor has excelled in his hockey career over the years.
A couple weeks after being drafted by the Lightning and during a brief pit stop at his parent’s home, Connor along with dad Brent and mom Joni graciously opened their home to The Watrous Manitou to chat about the whirlwind year.
Since that time visiting with the Ingrams, Connor’s year to remember has continued to provide memorable moments with a mention in the Hockey News while grabbing the attention of members of the national media. In the Hockey News, Ryan Kennedy featured Ingram as a ‘Prospect Need To Know’ while TSN’s Bob McKenzie wrote that Ingram and Carter Hart of Everett have been the best Canadian goalies in junior hockey this season.
“And it really hasn’t been close either,” McKenzie wrote. “Barring unforeseen developments, they are expected to be Team Canada’s tandem.”
If McKenzie’s prognostication is correct and Ingram nabs a spot at Hockey Canada’s selection camp, then not only will a kid from Imperial be wearing the Canadian colours later this month but he will be joined by another Imperial native, Kris Knoblauch, who was selected to help guide the team from the bench.
When asked about potentially making team Canada and joining Knoblauch, Connor said, “It would be pretty cool to have a couple of us from Imperial supporting Canada. It is crazy to think it could happen. I know I spent a lot of time as a kid playing World Juniors in my head at the rink.”
With around 350 people residing in Imperial, Connor’s dad Brent said to have two people potentially involved at the World Junior tournament from the community would be something special.
“It is fantastic that Kris has made it. He has put in so much time and is such an outstanding coach, having success everywhere he goes. If Connor got lucky and made it, to have two people from this tiny town that would be something, especially since it could happen at the same time.”
Joni said the family is very familiar with the World Junior tournament and it has become a part of their Christmas tradition as they watch it on TV each year. This year would be no different although if her son made the team, they would be watching from the stands not their couch.
“Well I would be too nervous to watch so I would probably be hiding in the washroom or something, but we would be there,” Joni quipped.
And it could very well happen as Connor currently sits second in the WHL with a .933 save percentage and third with a goals against average of 2.23. Ingram’s record through 22 games was 12-9-1 and he has recorded one shutout.
“That would be so cool to see him play and this year the tournament is in Toronto and Montreal so Canada would be very well supported by the hometown crowd.”
While the waiting game is on for Connor as to whether or not he will be selected to make team Canada, there is no question as to his NHL draft status.
Taken in the third round and number 88 overall, the 19-year-old prospect shared his experience about getting the call in June that he was part of the Lightning organization.
With his flight just about set to take off, Ingram was informed that he had been drafted in the NHL. Bottled up with excitement, he then had to turn his phone off and wait to land before sharing the news.
“It was pretty cool,” Connor said about getting the call. “I found out right before we left so I basically had to turn my phone off. It was a gruelling hour before I could figure out what was going on but it was fun. When I landed, I turned my phone back on and there were over 100 texts.”
From there, Ingram essentially repacked his bags and headed to Tampa Bay to take part in a rookie and prospect camp.
“It was a lot more intense than anything I had ever been at before. It was a tough week but a fun week.”
During his time south of the border, Ingram met the man that drafted him, NHL legend and general manager Steve Yzerman.
“Me and another goalie were the only two left in the room and Mr. Yzerman came in and introduced himself, like we didn’t know who he was,” Ingram chuckled.
Brent said when he and Joni heard about their son being drafted, it was an exciting moment. “It is always fun as a parent seeing your kids reach goals they want and set in life. So many kids play hockey and don’t get a chance to do that and he did. I think it is just as exciting to see him set a goal in life and reach it.”
While Connor now finds himself the property of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, Joni said there were certainly bumps along the way to get there.
Since there were not a lot of kids that suited up to play hockey in Imperial, Connor would play defense in his age category and goal for his older brother’s team, which was also coached by his dad.
“As a goaltender he was always playing in an age group above,” Brent said. “When he was six, he was playing two age groups above. On his older brother Keeran’s team, we had players from Dilke, Girvin, Holdfast, Penzance, Imperial, Simpson and Stalwart and our population was still small enough to play D in provincials.”
Joni added that Connor was always younger than everyone else and some days he would be sick but would have to play because there was no one else to take his spot.
“That was what small town hockey was like. You had a little bit of representation from everywhere. We would go into provincials with two lines and three defenseman and one goalie.”
Over the next few years as Connor got older, there were not enough players left to form a team in his age group. While his three older brothers (Bryce, Mark and Keeran) were able to finish their minor hockey in Watrous, Connor headed to Clavet to play net.
“It seemed sad to me at the time to see him give up playing defense,” Joni said. “I always found the goaltending position to be a bit more stressful so I preferred when he played out.”
Playing in Clavet and being the netminder on a more regular basis, Connor began making the transition as he refined his craft. Then, a few years later came his time in Prince Albert.
Ingram joined the Midget AAA team during the 2013-‘14 season and had a 16-4-3 record with a 1.98 goals against average and a .928 save percentage. After being named the top netminder in the SMAAAHL, Connor and the Mintos advanced to the Telus Cup. Reaching the finals, Ingram made 60 saves in that final contest to help his team take gold in triple overtime.
“That was probably one of the most fun things I’ve done,” said Connor. “That memory is definitely up there and it was fun living in the city of Prince Albert.”
As his Midget career came to an end and despite a WHL camp invite in Victoria not working out, Ingram tried his hand at Kamloops.
“I actually didn’t really want to go. I was going to miss the start of camp for football in Watrous and I wanted to be a starter that year for the Wildcats.”
Putting his desire to play six-man football aside, Ingram headed west to Kamloops to give it a try. The Blazers liked what they saw and brought him on board. Since then, he has been the club’s netminder.
“Kamloops is a great place. It is a very hockey based community and they treat you well.”
Having that support helped Ingram on the ice as he was named the team MVP and also found himself receiving WHL goalie of the week honours on a few occasions last season.
A modest and laid back individual, Connor was quick to deflect praise for his milestones and credits his family and coaches who have helped him out along the way.
“My family for sure have been great. It has also been crazy the amount of people around town that reach out to you during the year when you are struggling or anything like that. Being from a small town, it is that much more special. It is a place that supports me.”
Ingram said it is also nice to return home and head to the rink in Imperial where his career first began.
“It is fun to go back, even hearing the sound of the front door, you can always tell when someone is coming into the rink. It is a cool place to go back to and I spent a lot of time down there. They have great burgers and when the curling bonspiels were on, there were people everywhere.”
Joni said being able to live in Imperial and receive the support from the community throughout Connor’s hockey journey has been tremendous.
“There is a sense of community and it is just amazing in a small town when something like this happens. It is very incredible and it is neat because there are people who don’t really watch hockey but are watching Connor. Our neighbour is 94 and likes to watch Connor play when he is on TV.”
For a young netminder who was assessed a penalty each time he shot a ball at his parent’s venetians while playing mini sticks to now making stellar glove saves on national TV, the next chapter of his hockey career could very well be another one to remember.
TWM Top Story - Nov. 28, 2016
Changes and adjustments taking place at Potash Corporation
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Approximately 100 permanent employee and 40 temporary positions are being reduced at Potash Corporation’s Cory potash facility while production is being curtailed at both of the company’s Lanigan and Allan mines.
The potash giant outlined its operational changes and inventory adjustments Nov. 23 with the Cory workforce reduction primarily taking effect in February and the remaining changes occurring in the third quarter of 2017.
“This is a difficult day for our employees and their families, and we are committed to helping those affected through this transition,” said Mark Fracchia, President PCS Potash. “We are making this decision to optimize production to our lowest cost operations, including Rocanville and other Saskatchewan sites, where new capacity was added and employment levels have risen by approximately 265 since 2014.”
The operational changes at the Cory potash facility will involve a move to produce only white potash with an expected operational capability of approximately 0.8 million tonnes. The company said the facility previously had a capability of around 1.4 million tonnes and produced both red and white potash. Overall those changes will see a reduction of approximately 100 permanent employees and 40 temporary positions while about 350 employees will remain at the site.
“PotashCorp is intent on providing severance packages, assistance, transition programs and information on existing openings at other sites for affected employees. The operational change is not expected to impact the availability or quality of products across the company’s portfolio of operations and, as such, impacts to customers are not anticipated.”
As for the Lanigan and Allan mines, the company said with the ramp up of additional low cost production from the Rocanville site and consistent with Potash Corporation’s practice of matching supply with market demand, Lanigan will curtail its production for six weeks beginning January 2017 and Allan will curtail production for 12 weeks beginning February 2017.
Potash Corporation said the number of temporary layoffs associated with those inventory adjustments are not known at this time as the company continues to assess the opportunities for reassigning positions to capital and maintenance projects during the down time.
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Approximately 100 permanent employee and 40 temporary positions are being reduced at Potash Corporation’s Cory potash facility while production is being curtailed at both of the company’s Lanigan and Allan mines.
The potash giant outlined its operational changes and inventory adjustments Nov. 23 with the Cory workforce reduction primarily taking effect in February and the remaining changes occurring in the third quarter of 2017.
“This is a difficult day for our employees and their families, and we are committed to helping those affected through this transition,” said Mark Fracchia, President PCS Potash. “We are making this decision to optimize production to our lowest cost operations, including Rocanville and other Saskatchewan sites, where new capacity was added and employment levels have risen by approximately 265 since 2014.”
The operational changes at the Cory potash facility will involve a move to produce only white potash with an expected operational capability of approximately 0.8 million tonnes. The company said the facility previously had a capability of around 1.4 million tonnes and produced both red and white potash. Overall those changes will see a reduction of approximately 100 permanent employees and 40 temporary positions while about 350 employees will remain at the site.
“PotashCorp is intent on providing severance packages, assistance, transition programs and information on existing openings at other sites for affected employees. The operational change is not expected to impact the availability or quality of products across the company’s portfolio of operations and, as such, impacts to customers are not anticipated.”
As for the Lanigan and Allan mines, the company said with the ramp up of additional low cost production from the Rocanville site and consistent with Potash Corporation’s practice of matching supply with market demand, Lanigan will curtail its production for six weeks beginning January 2017 and Allan will curtail production for 12 weeks beginning February 2017.
Potash Corporation said the number of temporary layoffs associated with those inventory adjustments are not known at this time as the company continues to assess the opportunities for reassigning positions to capital and maintenance projects during the down time.
TWM Top Story - Nov. 21, 2016
Extensive work being conducted by SaskPower
By Daniel Bushman
Ensuring customers have reliable power while supporting future economic growth in the region is SaskPower’s goal as work continues in the area. The extensive work is taking place in an area encompassing communities like Watrous, Young, Simpson, Imperial, Viscount, Drake, Lanigan, Humboldt, Bruno and Annaheim.
SaskPower said it has started construction on its new $3 million Watrous substation in September to replace the existing 1950s vintage station. “Substations are critical electrical infrastructure transforming electricity from high to low voltage so we can deliver power to customers.”
Part of that construction also includes building new power lines to connect the new station to the existing system. While some of the work is weather dependent, SaskPower is hoping to have everything in service by early 2017.
“The new substation will serve customers in: Watrous, Manitou Beach, Young, Simpson, Imperial, Liberty, Holdfast, Stalwart, Penzance, as well as the Rural Municipalities of Arm River, Big Arm, McCraney, Morris, Sarnia, Wood Creek, Wreford and surrounding areas.”
While work continues on the new substation, SaskPower said in 2016, residential and commercial customers within the area made over 40 new connection or reconstruction requests. “Additional maintenance work in the region, worth over $3.5 million, includes replacement/reinforcement of aging wood poles, upgrades to electrical devices that assist our field technicians in troubleshooting and locating problems in our system, relocating/upgrading overhead power lines out of the middle of farmers’ fields and remediating power structures located in water-logged areas.”
Since system improvements are ongoing, SaskPower said there may be planned outages. “Customers will be notified in advance. Planned power outages are listed on saskpower.com and on Twitter.”
By Daniel Bushman
Ensuring customers have reliable power while supporting future economic growth in the region is SaskPower’s goal as work continues in the area. The extensive work is taking place in an area encompassing communities like Watrous, Young, Simpson, Imperial, Viscount, Drake, Lanigan, Humboldt, Bruno and Annaheim.
SaskPower said it has started construction on its new $3 million Watrous substation in September to replace the existing 1950s vintage station. “Substations are critical electrical infrastructure transforming electricity from high to low voltage so we can deliver power to customers.”
Part of that construction also includes building new power lines to connect the new station to the existing system. While some of the work is weather dependent, SaskPower is hoping to have everything in service by early 2017.
“The new substation will serve customers in: Watrous, Manitou Beach, Young, Simpson, Imperial, Liberty, Holdfast, Stalwart, Penzance, as well as the Rural Municipalities of Arm River, Big Arm, McCraney, Morris, Sarnia, Wood Creek, Wreford and surrounding areas.”
While work continues on the new substation, SaskPower said in 2016, residential and commercial customers within the area made over 40 new connection or reconstruction requests. “Additional maintenance work in the region, worth over $3.5 million, includes replacement/reinforcement of aging wood poles, upgrades to electrical devices that assist our field technicians in troubleshooting and locating problems in our system, relocating/upgrading overhead power lines out of the middle of farmers’ fields and remediating power structures located in water-logged areas.”
Since system improvements are ongoing, SaskPower said there may be planned outages. “Customers will be notified in advance. Planned power outages are listed on saskpower.com and on Twitter.”
TWM Top Story - Nov. 14, 2016
Warm weather replaces wet October
By Daniel Bushman
After a soggy October that contained snow, rain and fog, the month of November has been much more pleasant thus far, with sunshine and temperatures reaching into the mid-teens. Environment Canada’s David Phillips said given what people in Saskatchewan experienced last month, the recent November temperatures have almost been like an atmospheric gift.
“Temperatures were cooler than normal in October and you had a lot more rain, a lot more wet days and then the early snow arrived,” said Phillips who added that trend reversed when the calendar was flipped over to November. “It was almost as if nature felt sorry for people in Saskatchewan and across the prairies and since then we have seen a remarkable string of great weather that is more of what you would see at the end of September.”
While abnormally warm days can sometimes occur late in the year, it is the duration in which they have lasted that has caught people’s attention. With highs pegged between 15˚C and 18˚C for the Watrous area last week, Phillips said those values were similar to ones back in 1962, when it was 16.1˚C on Nov. 8.
On the other side of the coin, Phillips said it could also be much worse. “When you think of how cold it could be, it could be -19˚C as it was back in 1971 or you could have six to eight centimetres of snow. You realize that this is something quite unusual and unseasonably warm.”
Many people were able to utilize the warm stretch including some farmers who had yet to get the crop off their fields. “The quality and quantity was maybe hurt because of October’s misery but the latest warm spell has been fantastic news.”
While people were a bit spoiled with the well-above normal values, Phillips said not to get used to it as it will not last forever.
“It is just nature setting you up for a big fall which will probably happen before the end of the month. But we clearly know the benefit from this warmth is that it makes winter that much shorter.”
From a practical point of view, Phillips said the warm weather will eventually give way to colder values, especially since November is a month that typically resets itself. The month in Saskatchewan has also always contained snow at some point as typically winter takes a foothold. “When we look at the difference between October and November, we often find the greatest drop in temperature for any month is often at this time where you go from almost late summer in October to early winter.”
Despite snow typically being on the ground already, Phillips said people certainly received a nice surprise in its absence. “The high right now should be about 1˚C but it has been almost a dozen degrees higher on some days. I’m sure Saskatchewan residents have smiles on their face because it is really unseasonably wonderful weather.”
Phillips said Environment Canada is still calling for it to be more of a colder winter but added that once it does arrive, it could contain something for everyone. “These wild swings that you might see in November will probably continue. The durations won’t be as long but there will be something for everybody.”
By Daniel Bushman
After a soggy October that contained snow, rain and fog, the month of November has been much more pleasant thus far, with sunshine and temperatures reaching into the mid-teens. Environment Canada’s David Phillips said given what people in Saskatchewan experienced last month, the recent November temperatures have almost been like an atmospheric gift.
“Temperatures were cooler than normal in October and you had a lot more rain, a lot more wet days and then the early snow arrived,” said Phillips who added that trend reversed when the calendar was flipped over to November. “It was almost as if nature felt sorry for people in Saskatchewan and across the prairies and since then we have seen a remarkable string of great weather that is more of what you would see at the end of September.”
While abnormally warm days can sometimes occur late in the year, it is the duration in which they have lasted that has caught people’s attention. With highs pegged between 15˚C and 18˚C for the Watrous area last week, Phillips said those values were similar to ones back in 1962, when it was 16.1˚C on Nov. 8.
On the other side of the coin, Phillips said it could also be much worse. “When you think of how cold it could be, it could be -19˚C as it was back in 1971 or you could have six to eight centimetres of snow. You realize that this is something quite unusual and unseasonably warm.”
Many people were able to utilize the warm stretch including some farmers who had yet to get the crop off their fields. “The quality and quantity was maybe hurt because of October’s misery but the latest warm spell has been fantastic news.”
While people were a bit spoiled with the well-above normal values, Phillips said not to get used to it as it will not last forever.
“It is just nature setting you up for a big fall which will probably happen before the end of the month. But we clearly know the benefit from this warmth is that it makes winter that much shorter.”
From a practical point of view, Phillips said the warm weather will eventually give way to colder values, especially since November is a month that typically resets itself. The month in Saskatchewan has also always contained snow at some point as typically winter takes a foothold. “When we look at the difference between October and November, we often find the greatest drop in temperature for any month is often at this time where you go from almost late summer in October to early winter.”
Despite snow typically being on the ground already, Phillips said people certainly received a nice surprise in its absence. “The high right now should be about 1˚C but it has been almost a dozen degrees higher on some days. I’m sure Saskatchewan residents have smiles on their face because it is really unseasonably wonderful weather.”
Phillips said Environment Canada is still calling for it to be more of a colder winter but added that once it does arrive, it could contain something for everyone. “These wild swings that you might see in November will probably continue. The durations won’t be as long but there will be something for everybody.”
TWM Top Story - Nov. 7, 2016
Poppy Campaign honours those who serve
Daniel Bushman/TWM
This week Canadians across the country will pause to remember those who fought for our freedom and those who continue to do so. As Remembrance Day takes place Nov. 11, the annual Poppy Campaign is also underway throughout the region.
Serving the Watrous area, Poppy Chair for the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 290 in Nokomis Doug Potter said the poppy represents supreme sacrifice and is the symbol of remembrance.
“People are encouraged to wear a poppy or display a wreath to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country and help Veterans and their families.”
Potter said the annual Poppy Campaign, which runs from the last Friday in October to Remembrance Day has benefitted local communities like Watrous because money raised is placed in trust and then used to provide assistance. The funds are used for care facilities, for elderly or disabled Veterans and their families, community medical appliances and medical research, drop-in centres, meals on wheels, transportation and related services to help Veterans and their families.
“Watrous is extremely good at supporting the Poppy Campaign, which is why we try to give as much money back as we can. The schools really support it, the local businesses including the bakery really support it as well. A lot of businesses support through financial donations and a large portion of the money stays in the community.”
Potter said they have helped provide funds for a variety of items in Watrous like the gazebo at the Watrous District Health Complex. The Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 290 also recently provided $1,000 to the Watrous First Responders and $1,000 to the Watrous District Health Complex through the poppy fund.
“People can donate towards the poppy fund during our Poppy Campaign but they can also bequest to the poppy fund anytime as well. A receipt can be provided to those who donate in that way.”
With about 70 members part of the Legion in Nokomis and many others involved in Legions throughout the country, Potter said it is important to reflect on Remembrance Day and the sacrifice that was made by many.
“It is remembrance because we are remembering the ones who fought for our freedom and our rights. You might not have any of that if they had not gone to fight. I tell kids that they have their right to choose because their grandfathers went overseas to fight and guarantee their freedom. Remembrance Day is a time to remember them and to try and remember so there is never another war. War is a terrible thing. It takes too many young lives and destroys countries. War should never happen but it does.”
Potter said, “I encourage people to attend a Remembrance Day ceremony, purchase a poppy and support the Poppy Campaign. I know how it is with a long weekend coming up but people should still try and attend a ceremony and remember those who fought for our freedom.”
Daniel Bushman/TWM
This week Canadians across the country will pause to remember those who fought for our freedom and those who continue to do so. As Remembrance Day takes place Nov. 11, the annual Poppy Campaign is also underway throughout the region.
Serving the Watrous area, Poppy Chair for the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 290 in Nokomis Doug Potter said the poppy represents supreme sacrifice and is the symbol of remembrance.
“People are encouraged to wear a poppy or display a wreath to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country and help Veterans and their families.”
Potter said the annual Poppy Campaign, which runs from the last Friday in October to Remembrance Day has benefitted local communities like Watrous because money raised is placed in trust and then used to provide assistance. The funds are used for care facilities, for elderly or disabled Veterans and their families, community medical appliances and medical research, drop-in centres, meals on wheels, transportation and related services to help Veterans and their families.
“Watrous is extremely good at supporting the Poppy Campaign, which is why we try to give as much money back as we can. The schools really support it, the local businesses including the bakery really support it as well. A lot of businesses support through financial donations and a large portion of the money stays in the community.”
Potter said they have helped provide funds for a variety of items in Watrous like the gazebo at the Watrous District Health Complex. The Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 290 also recently provided $1,000 to the Watrous First Responders and $1,000 to the Watrous District Health Complex through the poppy fund.
“People can donate towards the poppy fund during our Poppy Campaign but they can also bequest to the poppy fund anytime as well. A receipt can be provided to those who donate in that way.”
With about 70 members part of the Legion in Nokomis and many others involved in Legions throughout the country, Potter said it is important to reflect on Remembrance Day and the sacrifice that was made by many.
“It is remembrance because we are remembering the ones who fought for our freedom and our rights. You might not have any of that if they had not gone to fight. I tell kids that they have their right to choose because their grandfathers went overseas to fight and guarantee their freedom. Remembrance Day is a time to remember them and to try and remember so there is never another war. War is a terrible thing. It takes too many young lives and destroys countries. War should never happen but it does.”
Potter said, “I encourage people to attend a Remembrance Day ceremony, purchase a poppy and support the Poppy Campaign. I know how it is with a long weekend coming up but people should still try and attend a ceremony and remember those who fought for our freedom.”
TWM Top Story - Oct. 31, 2016
Voters head to the polls throughout the region
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Ballots were cast and decisions made throughout the area last week as voters headed to the polls in communities, rural municipalities and school subdivisions. The following election results were received before press time and also include acclamations.
Communities:
Watrous - Mayor Ed Collins was acclaimed. With 256 voters casting ballots, those voted in for council include John Gunderson, Gary Bergen, Jody Lewis, Patricia Isherwood Thomas, Jean Margetts and Neil McDonald.
Allan - With 230 voters casting ballots, Les Alm was elected as mayor. Those elected on council were Corey Church, Louise Hagel, J. Patrick O’Grady, Karen Larsen, Lyle Dieno and Steve Holtorf.
Colonsay - James Gray was acclaimed as mayor while Lonnie Burns, Warren Cooper, Aaron Reid, Amanda Reiman, Scott Yausie and Tracy Yousie were voted in as councillors.
Drake - Peter Nicholson was voted in as mayor. On council, Terry Willems, Ron Kiefer and Erica Thiele were declared elected by acclamation.
Imperial - Mayor Edward Abrey and councillors Brent Ingram, Patricia Joa, Ryan Kelly, Susan Parish, Leslie Sainsbury and Randy Shaw were all acclaimed.
Jansen - Mayor Albert Cardinal and councillors Kathy Jones, Elmer Kinzel and Ken Manyk were acclaimed.
Lanigan - Mayor Andrew Cebryk was acclaimed. With 280 electors who voted, Tony Mycock, Marilyn Bodner, Paul Mamer, Mark Pratchler, Velda Daelick and Wendy Mehrer were elected as council members.
LeRoy - Mayor Brian Thoen and councillors Don Brown, Ken Crowter, Denis McKnight, Kurt Schreiner, Zosimo Serrano and Ray Sussums were all acclaimed.
Liberty - Mayor Jennifer Langlois and councillors Tanner Hebron and Kyle Mooney were all acclaimed.
Plunkett - Rick Hayes was acclaimed as mayor.
Simpson - Jeremy Nimchuk was acclaimed as mayor. Voted in on council are Karaley Abrey, Colleen Brooker, Melinda Hassel and Jim Zitaruk.
Viscount - Moe Kirzinger was acclaimed as mayor. Those voted in on council are Melissa Dieno, Dustin Gusikoski, Mitch Gusikoski and Derek Holcomb.
Young - Robert Clinkard was elected as mayor while a call for nominations for a councillor has been issued.
Zelma - Stuart Elderkin was acclaimed as mayor while William Birrell and Brian Fischer were acclaimed as councillors.
Rural Municipalities
RM of Big Arm - Reeve Eugene Lucas, councillor for division one Dean Wolff, councillor for division three Trevor Lewis and councillor for division five Larry Waldow were all acclaimed.
RM of Colonsay - Reeve Gerald Yausie, councillor for division one Alan Garner and councillor for division three Duncan McVicar were acclaimed while Marvin Lang was elected for division five.
RM of LeRoy - Calvin Buhs is the reeve, Cody Block is the councillor for division one, Donald Williams is the councillor for division three and Tracy Mollenbeck is the councillor for division five.
RM of Lost River - Charles Smith is the reeve; Dale Walter is the councillor for division one, Karsten Frydenlund is the councillor for division three and Larry Sommerfeld is the councillor for division five.
RM of Morris - Robert Penrose was acclaimed as reeve while Dale Miettinen was acclaimed in division one and Keith Thoner was acclaimed in division three. Gordon Anderson was elected in division five.
RM of Prairie Rose - Darin Pedersen was acclaimed as reeve while Andre (Andy) Ribi was acclaimed as division one councillor, Trevor Blair was acclaimed as division three councillor and David Paetsch was acclaimed as division five councillor.
RM of Usborne - Jack Gibney was voted in as reeve. Ryan Morningstar was acclaimed for councillor in division one, Howard Toews was acclaimed for councillor in division three and Fred Toman was acclaimed for councillor in division five.
RM of Viscount - Reeve Gordon Gusikoski, councillor for division one Eric Langston, councillor for division two Bruce Deneiko, councillor for division three Blair Welter and councillor for division five Douglas Thoms will be representing the RM.
RM of Wolverine - Bryan Gibney was voted in as reeve while Dennis Merkosky was voted in as councillor for division five. Craig Bartel is the councillor for division one and Elise Dale is the councillor for division three.
RM of Wood Creek - Glen Busse is the reeve, David Hill is the councillor for division one, David Vanthuyne is the councillor for division three and Blair Crawford is the councillor for division five. A call for nominations for a councillor in division four has been issued.
RM of Wreford - Dean Hobman was elected as reeve while councillor for division one Craig Smith and councillor for division three Jeff Gingrich were acclaimed.
Horizon School Division
Those already acclaimed locally within the Horizon School Division subdivisions include:
Subdivision two (Annaheim/Lake Lenore/St. Brieux/Middle Lake/Humboldt): Linda Mattock; and
Subdivision three (Viscount/Watrous): Jennifer Lemky.
Locally, here are the results of the Horizon School Division subdivision elections:
Subdivision four (encompassing Lanigan, Guernsey, Muenster, Watson, Wimmer and Daphne) - Mark Fedak was elected;
Subdivision five (encompassing Jansen, LeRoy, Dafoe and Wynyard) - Lori-Anne Proznick;
Subdivision eight (encompassing Simpson, Imperial, Liberty, Penzance, Holdfast, Duval and Strasbourg) - Cheryl Vertefuille was elected; and
Subdivision nine (encompassing Drake, Lockwood, Govan, Semans, Raymore and Punnichy) - Jolene Koopman was elected.
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Ballots were cast and decisions made throughout the area last week as voters headed to the polls in communities, rural municipalities and school subdivisions. The following election results were received before press time and also include acclamations.
Communities:
Watrous - Mayor Ed Collins was acclaimed. With 256 voters casting ballots, those voted in for council include John Gunderson, Gary Bergen, Jody Lewis, Patricia Isherwood Thomas, Jean Margetts and Neil McDonald.
Allan - With 230 voters casting ballots, Les Alm was elected as mayor. Those elected on council were Corey Church, Louise Hagel, J. Patrick O’Grady, Karen Larsen, Lyle Dieno and Steve Holtorf.
Colonsay - James Gray was acclaimed as mayor while Lonnie Burns, Warren Cooper, Aaron Reid, Amanda Reiman, Scott Yausie and Tracy Yousie were voted in as councillors.
Drake - Peter Nicholson was voted in as mayor. On council, Terry Willems, Ron Kiefer and Erica Thiele were declared elected by acclamation.
Imperial - Mayor Edward Abrey and councillors Brent Ingram, Patricia Joa, Ryan Kelly, Susan Parish, Leslie Sainsbury and Randy Shaw were all acclaimed.
Jansen - Mayor Albert Cardinal and councillors Kathy Jones, Elmer Kinzel and Ken Manyk were acclaimed.
Lanigan - Mayor Andrew Cebryk was acclaimed. With 280 electors who voted, Tony Mycock, Marilyn Bodner, Paul Mamer, Mark Pratchler, Velda Daelick and Wendy Mehrer were elected as council members.
LeRoy - Mayor Brian Thoen and councillors Don Brown, Ken Crowter, Denis McKnight, Kurt Schreiner, Zosimo Serrano and Ray Sussums were all acclaimed.
Liberty - Mayor Jennifer Langlois and councillors Tanner Hebron and Kyle Mooney were all acclaimed.
Plunkett - Rick Hayes was acclaimed as mayor.
Simpson - Jeremy Nimchuk was acclaimed as mayor. Voted in on council are Karaley Abrey, Colleen Brooker, Melinda Hassel and Jim Zitaruk.
Viscount - Moe Kirzinger was acclaimed as mayor. Those voted in on council are Melissa Dieno, Dustin Gusikoski, Mitch Gusikoski and Derek Holcomb.
Young - Robert Clinkard was elected as mayor while a call for nominations for a councillor has been issued.
Zelma - Stuart Elderkin was acclaimed as mayor while William Birrell and Brian Fischer were acclaimed as councillors.
Rural Municipalities
RM of Big Arm - Reeve Eugene Lucas, councillor for division one Dean Wolff, councillor for division three Trevor Lewis and councillor for division five Larry Waldow were all acclaimed.
RM of Colonsay - Reeve Gerald Yausie, councillor for division one Alan Garner and councillor for division three Duncan McVicar were acclaimed while Marvin Lang was elected for division five.
RM of LeRoy - Calvin Buhs is the reeve, Cody Block is the councillor for division one, Donald Williams is the councillor for division three and Tracy Mollenbeck is the councillor for division five.
RM of Lost River - Charles Smith is the reeve; Dale Walter is the councillor for division one, Karsten Frydenlund is the councillor for division three and Larry Sommerfeld is the councillor for division five.
RM of Morris - Robert Penrose was acclaimed as reeve while Dale Miettinen was acclaimed in division one and Keith Thoner was acclaimed in division three. Gordon Anderson was elected in division five.
RM of Prairie Rose - Darin Pedersen was acclaimed as reeve while Andre (Andy) Ribi was acclaimed as division one councillor, Trevor Blair was acclaimed as division three councillor and David Paetsch was acclaimed as division five councillor.
RM of Usborne - Jack Gibney was voted in as reeve. Ryan Morningstar was acclaimed for councillor in division one, Howard Toews was acclaimed for councillor in division three and Fred Toman was acclaimed for councillor in division five.
RM of Viscount - Reeve Gordon Gusikoski, councillor for division one Eric Langston, councillor for division two Bruce Deneiko, councillor for division three Blair Welter and councillor for division five Douglas Thoms will be representing the RM.
RM of Wolverine - Bryan Gibney was voted in as reeve while Dennis Merkosky was voted in as councillor for division five. Craig Bartel is the councillor for division one and Elise Dale is the councillor for division three.
RM of Wood Creek - Glen Busse is the reeve, David Hill is the councillor for division one, David Vanthuyne is the councillor for division three and Blair Crawford is the councillor for division five. A call for nominations for a councillor in division four has been issued.
RM of Wreford - Dean Hobman was elected as reeve while councillor for division one Craig Smith and councillor for division three Jeff Gingrich were acclaimed.
Horizon School Division
Those already acclaimed locally within the Horizon School Division subdivisions include:
Subdivision two (Annaheim/Lake Lenore/St. Brieux/Middle Lake/Humboldt): Linda Mattock; and
Subdivision three (Viscount/Watrous): Jennifer Lemky.
Locally, here are the results of the Horizon School Division subdivision elections:
Subdivision four (encompassing Lanigan, Guernsey, Muenster, Watson, Wimmer and Daphne) - Mark Fedak was elected;
Subdivision five (encompassing Jansen, LeRoy, Dafoe and Wynyard) - Lori-Anne Proznick;
Subdivision eight (encompassing Simpson, Imperial, Liberty, Penzance, Holdfast, Duval and Strasbourg) - Cheryl Vertefuille was elected; and
Subdivision nine (encompassing Drake, Lockwood, Govan, Semans, Raymore and Punnichy) - Jolene Koopman was elected.
TWM Top Story - Oct. 24, 2016
Berm work begins at Manitou Beach
Daniel Bushman/TWM
With a plan of attack in place, large equipment began arriving Oct. 14 as work got underway at Manitou Beach on a one metre berm raise project. Dealing with record high water levels and in need of assistance, Manitou Beach was recently approved for up to $3.877 million through the Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program. That funding is what is being used to pay for the raising of the existing berm by one metre to protect residents, businesses, regional park areas, Camp Easter Seal and infrastructure like sewage lift stations.
Manitou Beach foreman Fraser Murray said the plan is to begin work at Camp Easter Seal (pictured below) and head eastward. After advancing past the main beach and Mike’s Beach Bar towards Relics, construction will then shift to the east end and work its way back west.
A straight berm is also being created between the former Nu-Inn to the lift station by the tennis court and a beach area will be reclaimed. The sand that will be used for the regional beach is being taken from inside the Hesco barriers and Murray said it will help to try and beautify the area while maintaining a functional berm.
As for the main beach, Murray said the project is still going through the development stages but plans are being made to save the gazebo and beaches. “The berms will be set up in a way that will not affect the beach. Mike’s volleyball court at the beach bar will be bermed around as well to save that. We are putting a big focus on tourism so a lot of the work in the main area is designed to keep things looking good and allow tourists to continue to come and enjoy the area.”
Along with the construction work, the road running along the west shoreline will also be ripped up over the next couple of weeks. “At that end, the road is the berm so that will be coming right out and everything built up. It is the same type of project that was done a few years ago, it is just being built higher.”
During the construction period, Murray said there is a lot of equipment coming in and the area along the shoreline is not a safe place for people to stop and check out. “We are asking people to stay back and let workers do their job. For some of those big trucks, visibility is not great.”
Residents and visitors are also reminded to watch out for dump trucks hauling materials from the beach’s pit down Jean St. and across Lake Ave. and McLachlan Ave. In addition, Pukwana Dr. will be closed during construction with back lane access only and there is also no access to McLachlan Ave. from Shawondasse Dr. and Saskatoon and Roy streets.
“We really want to stress to people not to cross or go around barriers or barricades that have been set up. If for some reason people need to cross the work area please do so with extreme caution and try to stay out of the way of trucks and equipment. We want everyone to be safe with all the work taking place.”
As work progresses, Murray is hoping for some decent weather so crews can make a strong push until at least the middle of November. If they get a good stretch and are able to compact the clay for the berms, Fraser said the gravel and the rest of it can be put on even if the weather is cold. “That could take us right up to Dec. 1 and then we would be working again in the spring to beautify it. Other plans are also being worked on for the Wellington Park area and we are trying to finish off with a product that looks great.”
The long-time beach resident estimates that the water rose about eight inches this year before dropping five and then rising back up three. “In the late 1920s, Danceland was built to be out over the water. That was the highest it was,” Fraser said. “I would guess that was probably a metre and a half to two metres lower than what it is now. It is unprecedented. When it rains and the water flows, it really flows. We usually get nine to 11 inches of moisture in a year and we have had years of over 30 so that has also been a factor. Our water table is really high.”
Daniel Bushman/TWM
With a plan of attack in place, large equipment began arriving Oct. 14 as work got underway at Manitou Beach on a one metre berm raise project. Dealing with record high water levels and in need of assistance, Manitou Beach was recently approved for up to $3.877 million through the Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program. That funding is what is being used to pay for the raising of the existing berm by one metre to protect residents, businesses, regional park areas, Camp Easter Seal and infrastructure like sewage lift stations.
Manitou Beach foreman Fraser Murray said the plan is to begin work at Camp Easter Seal (pictured below) and head eastward. After advancing past the main beach and Mike’s Beach Bar towards Relics, construction will then shift to the east end and work its way back west.
A straight berm is also being created between the former Nu-Inn to the lift station by the tennis court and a beach area will be reclaimed. The sand that will be used for the regional beach is being taken from inside the Hesco barriers and Murray said it will help to try and beautify the area while maintaining a functional berm.
As for the main beach, Murray said the project is still going through the development stages but plans are being made to save the gazebo and beaches. “The berms will be set up in a way that will not affect the beach. Mike’s volleyball court at the beach bar will be bermed around as well to save that. We are putting a big focus on tourism so a lot of the work in the main area is designed to keep things looking good and allow tourists to continue to come and enjoy the area.”
Along with the construction work, the road running along the west shoreline will also be ripped up over the next couple of weeks. “At that end, the road is the berm so that will be coming right out and everything built up. It is the same type of project that was done a few years ago, it is just being built higher.”
During the construction period, Murray said there is a lot of equipment coming in and the area along the shoreline is not a safe place for people to stop and check out. “We are asking people to stay back and let workers do their job. For some of those big trucks, visibility is not great.”
Residents and visitors are also reminded to watch out for dump trucks hauling materials from the beach’s pit down Jean St. and across Lake Ave. and McLachlan Ave. In addition, Pukwana Dr. will be closed during construction with back lane access only and there is also no access to McLachlan Ave. from Shawondasse Dr. and Saskatoon and Roy streets.
“We really want to stress to people not to cross or go around barriers or barricades that have been set up. If for some reason people need to cross the work area please do so with extreme caution and try to stay out of the way of trucks and equipment. We want everyone to be safe with all the work taking place.”
As work progresses, Murray is hoping for some decent weather so crews can make a strong push until at least the middle of November. If they get a good stretch and are able to compact the clay for the berms, Fraser said the gravel and the rest of it can be put on even if the weather is cold. “That could take us right up to Dec. 1 and then we would be working again in the spring to beautify it. Other plans are also being worked on for the Wellington Park area and we are trying to finish off with a product that looks great.”
The long-time beach resident estimates that the water rose about eight inches this year before dropping five and then rising back up three. “In the late 1920s, Danceland was built to be out over the water. That was the highest it was,” Fraser said. “I would guess that was probably a metre and a half to two metres lower than what it is now. It is unprecedented. When it rains and the water flows, it really flows. We usually get nine to 11 inches of moisture in a year and we have had years of over 30 so that has also been a factor. Our water table is really high.”
TWM Top Story - Oct. 17, 2016
MP visits area
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Talking with local residents and hearing their concerns, Member of Parliament for Moose Jaw - Lake Centre - Lanigan Tom Lukiwski was in the area last week as part of a Come and Go event.
“This is a brand new riding for me and it is important to get around to a lot of the communities just to allow people to come out and meet me if they have any questions,” the MP said. “People can also talk to me about some of the issues that they have and if nothing else, just let them know I am accessible.”
With stops in Kenaston (Oct. 11), Outlook (Oct. 11), Manitou Beach (Oct. 12) and Lanigan (Oct. 13), Lukiwski spoke to The Watrous Manitou on a number of issues.
Beginning with the high water levels at Manitou Beach, Lukiwski said it is a provincial issue; however, he has been advocating and doing what he can to find out if there is a possibility to divert some of the water. Lukiwski said he has talked to the former and current provincial Environment Minister and is doing what he can to help.
The local MP also talked about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent carbon tax announcement, which according to the Globe and Mail essentially means premiers have to adopt the tax or cap-and-trade plan or a levy will be imposed by the government to the tune of a minimum $50 a tonne by 2022. Then that revenue would be returned to the provinces.
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall adamantly opposes the move and Lukiwski feels adding a carbon tax right now is not the way to go and would have a negative impact on the province’s economy.
“If you took every car, every plane and every train off the streets, out of the skies and off the rail lines; if you reduced Canada’s carbon emissions to zero, it would be less than 1.6 percent of the world’s total emissions. While yes I agree that everyone needs to do their part, what is really needed is if you are really concerned about climate change you would have to get the world’s largest emitters (being the United States, Brazil and China and places like that) to come up with something to reduce their emissions in a significant manner.”
With the economy the way it is this year, Lukiwski said imposing a carbon tax can do great damage to resource producing economies like Saskatchewan and Alberta.
“(Trudeau) assured Canadians during the last election that he would not unilaterally impose a carbon tax on provinces. He would consult with them and make sure they would be able to work with the federal government. He has betrayed the provinces on that.”
As Lukiwski disputed Trudeau’s carbon tax he also took aim at the growing deficit. After it appeared as though the current government would run a temporary deficit and balance the budget by the time the next election comes around in 2019, the local MP said, “That is out the window. Now we are looking at at least a $30 billion annualized deficit with no plan to get back to balance by 2019 . . . in tough economic times my belief has always been more than ever to try and balance budgets. Now is not the time to be running deficits.”
While Lukiwski is not pleased with the current government, he wants to continue to try and be an effective member of the opposition. “I think this government to date has been more focused on reversing some pieces of legislation that we brought in instead of having a vision to go forward.”
Seeking a direction within the Conservative Party, Lukiwski also talked about the current search for a new leader. The Conservatives are in the midst of a leadership campaign with a permanent leader to be elected in May. “It is tough to set policy for an example without a permanent leader and it is tough to set a firm direction on almost anything without permanent leadership in place.”
With numerous people running to become the next leader, Lukiwski said he elected not to run but is supporting former Speaker of the House of Commons Andrew Scheer. “I am not going to be running for the leadership position but I think Andrew would make an excellent leader and I think he has all the attributes of a good leader and I am certainly going to be giving all the support I possibly can.”
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Talking with local residents and hearing their concerns, Member of Parliament for Moose Jaw - Lake Centre - Lanigan Tom Lukiwski was in the area last week as part of a Come and Go event.
“This is a brand new riding for me and it is important to get around to a lot of the communities just to allow people to come out and meet me if they have any questions,” the MP said. “People can also talk to me about some of the issues that they have and if nothing else, just let them know I am accessible.”
With stops in Kenaston (Oct. 11), Outlook (Oct. 11), Manitou Beach (Oct. 12) and Lanigan (Oct. 13), Lukiwski spoke to The Watrous Manitou on a number of issues.
Beginning with the high water levels at Manitou Beach, Lukiwski said it is a provincial issue; however, he has been advocating and doing what he can to find out if there is a possibility to divert some of the water. Lukiwski said he has talked to the former and current provincial Environment Minister and is doing what he can to help.
The local MP also talked about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent carbon tax announcement, which according to the Globe and Mail essentially means premiers have to adopt the tax or cap-and-trade plan or a levy will be imposed by the government to the tune of a minimum $50 a tonne by 2022. Then that revenue would be returned to the provinces.
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall adamantly opposes the move and Lukiwski feels adding a carbon tax right now is not the way to go and would have a negative impact on the province’s economy.
“If you took every car, every plane and every train off the streets, out of the skies and off the rail lines; if you reduced Canada’s carbon emissions to zero, it would be less than 1.6 percent of the world’s total emissions. While yes I agree that everyone needs to do their part, what is really needed is if you are really concerned about climate change you would have to get the world’s largest emitters (being the United States, Brazil and China and places like that) to come up with something to reduce their emissions in a significant manner.”
With the economy the way it is this year, Lukiwski said imposing a carbon tax can do great damage to resource producing economies like Saskatchewan and Alberta.
“(Trudeau) assured Canadians during the last election that he would not unilaterally impose a carbon tax on provinces. He would consult with them and make sure they would be able to work with the federal government. He has betrayed the provinces on that.”
As Lukiwski disputed Trudeau’s carbon tax he also took aim at the growing deficit. After it appeared as though the current government would run a temporary deficit and balance the budget by the time the next election comes around in 2019, the local MP said, “That is out the window. Now we are looking at at least a $30 billion annualized deficit with no plan to get back to balance by 2019 . . . in tough economic times my belief has always been more than ever to try and balance budgets. Now is not the time to be running deficits.”
While Lukiwski is not pleased with the current government, he wants to continue to try and be an effective member of the opposition. “I think this government to date has been more focused on reversing some pieces of legislation that we brought in instead of having a vision to go forward.”
Seeking a direction within the Conservative Party, Lukiwski also talked about the current search for a new leader. The Conservatives are in the midst of a leadership campaign with a permanent leader to be elected in May. “It is tough to set policy for an example without a permanent leader and it is tough to set a firm direction on almost anything without permanent leadership in place.”
With numerous people running to become the next leader, Lukiwski said he elected not to run but is supporting former Speaker of the House of Commons Andrew Scheer. “I am not going to be running for the leadership position but I think Andrew would make an excellent leader and I think he has all the attributes of a good leader and I am certainly going to be giving all the support I possibly can.”
TWM Top Story - Oct. 10, 2016
Storm slams Saskatchewan
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Harvest operations were halted, motorists drove at a slower pace and people had to get out their snow shovels as the first taste of winter came whipping through the province last week. Environment Canada issued a special weather statement early in the week and by Tuesday night the snow, wind and ice pellets began arriving.
Those travelling in the local area during the evening Oct. 4 had to go slower as roads were slushy while the wind caused reduced visibility. Snow continued to fall overnight in western and central Saskatchewan and then dropped throughout Wednesday and into Thursday before it started to taper off.
Environment Canada said the major low pressure system brought rain or snow to much of southern Saskatchewan while gusty northerly winds caused reduced visibility in many areas. That forced many indoors as travel was not recommended in various parts of the province including east of Saskatoon.
The Watrous area was forecast to see anywhere between 10 to 15 cm of snow throughout the storm although those early numbers may have been surpassed. In Saskatoon, power was out throughout a large chunk of the city Wednesday and RCMP detachments across Saskatchewan were also busy Wednesday responding to multiple minor collisions on the province’s roads and highways. With weather a factor in many of them, a number of vehicles slid off slippery roads. RCMP reported 46 such calls received by 1 p.m. Fortunately, there were no major collisions to report up to that point and in some cases, traffic was temporarily diverted.
The major storm system that brought significant snow to Saskatchewan Wednesday and Thursday had the highest amounts fall along a band from Cypress Hills Park northeast through Saskatoon and on to Island Falls. Environment Canada reported a few locations seeing more than 40 cm in total.
Some of the accumulated snowfall reports received by Environment Canada as of early Friday morning (in centimeters) included: Christopher Lake 42, Cypress Hills Park 41, St. Isidore de Bellevue 41, Holbein 33, Saskatoon 30, Pelican Narrows 30, Prince Albert 28, Island Falls 23, Southend 22, Waskesiu Lake 16, La Ronge 14, Beechy 13, North Battleford 13, Wynyard 13, Moose Jaw 12, Strasbourg 12, Swift Current 10 and Regina 10.
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Harvest operations were halted, motorists drove at a slower pace and people had to get out their snow shovels as the first taste of winter came whipping through the province last week. Environment Canada issued a special weather statement early in the week and by Tuesday night the snow, wind and ice pellets began arriving.
Those travelling in the local area during the evening Oct. 4 had to go slower as roads were slushy while the wind caused reduced visibility. Snow continued to fall overnight in western and central Saskatchewan and then dropped throughout Wednesday and into Thursday before it started to taper off.
Environment Canada said the major low pressure system brought rain or snow to much of southern Saskatchewan while gusty northerly winds caused reduced visibility in many areas. That forced many indoors as travel was not recommended in various parts of the province including east of Saskatoon.
The Watrous area was forecast to see anywhere between 10 to 15 cm of snow throughout the storm although those early numbers may have been surpassed. In Saskatoon, power was out throughout a large chunk of the city Wednesday and RCMP detachments across Saskatchewan were also busy Wednesday responding to multiple minor collisions on the province’s roads and highways. With weather a factor in many of them, a number of vehicles slid off slippery roads. RCMP reported 46 such calls received by 1 p.m. Fortunately, there were no major collisions to report up to that point and in some cases, traffic was temporarily diverted.
The major storm system that brought significant snow to Saskatchewan Wednesday and Thursday had the highest amounts fall along a band from Cypress Hills Park northeast through Saskatoon and on to Island Falls. Environment Canada reported a few locations seeing more than 40 cm in total.
Some of the accumulated snowfall reports received by Environment Canada as of early Friday morning (in centimeters) included: Christopher Lake 42, Cypress Hills Park 41, St. Isidore de Bellevue 41, Holbein 33, Saskatoon 30, Pelican Narrows 30, Prince Albert 28, Island Falls 23, Southend 22, Waskesiu Lake 16, La Ronge 14, Beechy 13, North Battleford 13, Wynyard 13, Moose Jaw 12, Strasbourg 12, Swift Current 10 and Regina 10.
TWM Top Stories - Oct. 3, 2016
Main Street Watrous to be revitalized
Daniel Bushman/TWM
After years of hard work, Watrous has been accepted to the accredited level of the Main Street Saskatchewan Program. With the announcement Sept. 27, Watrous will now be able to access a full package of program services and benefits at the accredited level.
Community Development Officer Brendan Manz said to be accredited in the Main Street Program is a tremendous step towards the long term economic viability of Watrous. “Together with Manitou Beach, we welcome more than 150,000 visitors annually to our community. This is a chance to revitalize our main street and for it to become a destination of its own for locals and visitors alike. With this announcement, our main street businesses, town council and local residents are eager to get to work in developing our future vision, streetscape designs and beautification plans for Main Street Watrous.”
Watrous joins Nipawin as the only two to advance to the accredited level this year while Yorkton, Wadena and Unity enter the program at the affiliate level.
Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Ken Cheveldayoff said, “Our government is proud to announce the newest members of our Main Street Saskatchewan Program. Traditional downtowns serve as the hearts of our communities that, with a bit of investment in the organizations and buildings, can continue to meet the needs of the community and our growing province. That’s where the Main Street Program comes in and that’s why it’s such a great program to implement across the province.”
The Main Street Saskatchewan Program’s aim is to provide communities with an opportunity to revitalize historic commercial downtowns by supporting downtown development, heritage conservation, and economic growth.
As part of the Main Street Program, communities can enter it in one of two tiers:
• for the competitive accredited tier that Watrous has now been accepted in, communities are required to commit to meeting the highest performance standards in order to receive the full package of program services and benefits; and
• the affiliate tier is open to those interested in the main street approach but are not ready to commit to all the accredited standards. This tier receives a reduced level of service.
Since being introduced in 2011, a total of 21 communities have participated in the Main Street Saskatchewan Program. Since then, the program has generated 158 new jobs, 56 business openings, $6 million spent on building rehabilitation and streetscape improvements and $7.6 million in private investment in property acquisitions in Main Street Program areas.
In addition to providing training and technical support, Main Street Saskatchewan distributes more than $300,000 per year in matching grant funds to participating communities.
“Now that we are accepted into the accredited level, this program will be a big benefit to Watrous,” said Manz. “I look forward to the opportunity to work with local businesses and residents in the future and utilize the opportunity we have been given with the Main Street Saskatchewan Program.”
Daniel Bushman/TWM
After years of hard work, Watrous has been accepted to the accredited level of the Main Street Saskatchewan Program. With the announcement Sept. 27, Watrous will now be able to access a full package of program services and benefits at the accredited level.
Community Development Officer Brendan Manz said to be accredited in the Main Street Program is a tremendous step towards the long term economic viability of Watrous. “Together with Manitou Beach, we welcome more than 150,000 visitors annually to our community. This is a chance to revitalize our main street and for it to become a destination of its own for locals and visitors alike. With this announcement, our main street businesses, town council and local residents are eager to get to work in developing our future vision, streetscape designs and beautification plans for Main Street Watrous.”
Watrous joins Nipawin as the only two to advance to the accredited level this year while Yorkton, Wadena and Unity enter the program at the affiliate level.
Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Ken Cheveldayoff said, “Our government is proud to announce the newest members of our Main Street Saskatchewan Program. Traditional downtowns serve as the hearts of our communities that, with a bit of investment in the organizations and buildings, can continue to meet the needs of the community and our growing province. That’s where the Main Street Program comes in and that’s why it’s such a great program to implement across the province.”
The Main Street Saskatchewan Program’s aim is to provide communities with an opportunity to revitalize historic commercial downtowns by supporting downtown development, heritage conservation, and economic growth.
As part of the Main Street Program, communities can enter it in one of two tiers:
• for the competitive accredited tier that Watrous has now been accepted in, communities are required to commit to meeting the highest performance standards in order to receive the full package of program services and benefits; and
• the affiliate tier is open to those interested in the main street approach but are not ready to commit to all the accredited standards. This tier receives a reduced level of service.
Since being introduced in 2011, a total of 21 communities have participated in the Main Street Saskatchewan Program. Since then, the program has generated 158 new jobs, 56 business openings, $6 million spent on building rehabilitation and streetscape improvements and $7.6 million in private investment in property acquisitions in Main Street Program areas.
In addition to providing training and technical support, Main Street Saskatchewan distributes more than $300,000 per year in matching grant funds to participating communities.
“Now that we are accepted into the accredited level, this program will be a big benefit to Watrous,” said Manz. “I look forward to the opportunity to work with local businesses and residents in the future and utilize the opportunity we have been given with the Main Street Saskatchewan Program.”
RCMP busy dealing with thefts
Watrous RCMP responded to more than two dozen reports of theft from vehicles and at least one theft of a truck within a 12-hour period last week. Reports began surfacing Wednesday morning of bicycles being taken and unlocked vehicles rummaged through during the early morning hours Sept. 28 in Watrous and Young.
It appears that the incidents were not specific to certain areas of the communities as many residents in Watrous residing on the east side and west side experienced the same thing.
This is not the first time that vehicles have been tampered with this year in the area and RCMP want to emphasize to residents to lock their vehicles to prevent theft. “Prevention is key. No opportunity equals no crime.”
People with any information about these or any other crimes can call the Watrous RCMP at 306-946-3316 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through Sask-Tel Mobility at *8477, text TIP206 plus your message to CRIMES (274637) or submit a tip online at www.saskcrimestoppers.com where you can also view information on other unsolved crimes. Crime Stoppers is anonymous and does not subscribe to call display and calls are not traced or recorded. If your information leads to an arrest or charge you may be eligible for a cash award.
Copper wire theft
Investigations conducted involving the theft of copper wire by Saskatoon RCMP and provincial GIS members have resulted in arrests and charges. On Sept. 14th, a compound in the Colonsay area was broken into and copper wire was stolen. A search warrant was executed at a residence located in Young where the stolen wire was located as well as offence related property. With the assistance of Watrous RCMP, two adults were arrested and charged. Forty-three year old Raymon Hounjet of Young and 39-year-old Shannon Rausch of Saskatoon face multiple charges including break, enter and theft.
On Sept. 24th, the same compound was broken into and copper wire was stolen. A search warrant was executed at a residence in the Grandora District where the stolen wire was located as well as offence related property. With the assistance of Warman RCMP, two adult males from Grandora and Saskatoon were arrested and charged. The copper wire recovered in this incident was returned to the rightful owner. This investigation is still ongoing and there may be further charges as the investigation evolves and items recovered and believed to be stolen unrelated to this offence are identified.
Extortion and fraud charges stayed
Extortion and fraud charges that were laid in 2015 have been stayed against Watrous resident Dwight Hayter after he was accused of trying to defraud and extort money from his employees at the Manitou Springs Resort and Mineral Spa. According to the Star Phoenix, at a preliminary hearing in Saskatoon Sept. 14, a judge found there was insufficient evidence to proceed to trial on one set of charges. The remaining two counts of extortion and two counts of fraud were stayed. The Star Phoenix said unless new information comes forward within the next year, the charges will be dropped. Hayter still faces a charge of accepting repayment of an employee’s wages under Section 76 of the Labour Standards Act. The Star Phoenix said the Crown did not believe there was a reasonable likelihood of conviction given information that came forward during and after the preliminary hearing.
Break, enter and theft at Kelvington Golf Course
Greenwater RCMP and Crime Stoppers are seeking assistance from the public in solving the following crime which happened Sept. 19th. During this time, unknown person(s) broke into and entered the outbuildings at the Kelvington golf course, stealing liquor from the snacks and drinks golf cart at Kelvington. The Greenwater RCMP continues their investigation.
Watrous RCMP responded to more than two dozen reports of theft from vehicles and at least one theft of a truck within a 12-hour period last week. Reports began surfacing Wednesday morning of bicycles being taken and unlocked vehicles rummaged through during the early morning hours Sept. 28 in Watrous and Young.
It appears that the incidents were not specific to certain areas of the communities as many residents in Watrous residing on the east side and west side experienced the same thing.
This is not the first time that vehicles have been tampered with this year in the area and RCMP want to emphasize to residents to lock their vehicles to prevent theft. “Prevention is key. No opportunity equals no crime.”
People with any information about these or any other crimes can call the Watrous RCMP at 306-946-3316 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through Sask-Tel Mobility at *8477, text TIP206 plus your message to CRIMES (274637) or submit a tip online at www.saskcrimestoppers.com where you can also view information on other unsolved crimes. Crime Stoppers is anonymous and does not subscribe to call display and calls are not traced or recorded. If your information leads to an arrest or charge you may be eligible for a cash award.
Copper wire theft
Investigations conducted involving the theft of copper wire by Saskatoon RCMP and provincial GIS members have resulted in arrests and charges. On Sept. 14th, a compound in the Colonsay area was broken into and copper wire was stolen. A search warrant was executed at a residence located in Young where the stolen wire was located as well as offence related property. With the assistance of Watrous RCMP, two adults were arrested and charged. Forty-three year old Raymon Hounjet of Young and 39-year-old Shannon Rausch of Saskatoon face multiple charges including break, enter and theft.
On Sept. 24th, the same compound was broken into and copper wire was stolen. A search warrant was executed at a residence in the Grandora District where the stolen wire was located as well as offence related property. With the assistance of Warman RCMP, two adult males from Grandora and Saskatoon were arrested and charged. The copper wire recovered in this incident was returned to the rightful owner. This investigation is still ongoing and there may be further charges as the investigation evolves and items recovered and believed to be stolen unrelated to this offence are identified.
Extortion and fraud charges stayed
Extortion and fraud charges that were laid in 2015 have been stayed against Watrous resident Dwight Hayter after he was accused of trying to defraud and extort money from his employees at the Manitou Springs Resort and Mineral Spa. According to the Star Phoenix, at a preliminary hearing in Saskatoon Sept. 14, a judge found there was insufficient evidence to proceed to trial on one set of charges. The remaining two counts of extortion and two counts of fraud were stayed. The Star Phoenix said unless new information comes forward within the next year, the charges will be dropped. Hayter still faces a charge of accepting repayment of an employee’s wages under Section 76 of the Labour Standards Act. The Star Phoenix said the Crown did not believe there was a reasonable likelihood of conviction given information that came forward during and after the preliminary hearing.
Break, enter and theft at Kelvington Golf Course
Greenwater RCMP and Crime Stoppers are seeking assistance from the public in solving the following crime which happened Sept. 19th. During this time, unknown person(s) broke into and entered the outbuildings at the Kelvington golf course, stealing liquor from the snacks and drinks golf cart at Kelvington. The Greenwater RCMP continues their investigation.
TWM Top Stories - Sept. 26, 2016
Hoofin' it for Hunger a success
Way to go Watrous and area as over $9,000 was raised for the Watrous and District Food Bank as part of the Hoofin' It For Hunger walk Sept. 21. In total, just over $7,000 was raised through personal donations and pledges and another $2,000 by the local RBC Royal Bank! Those taking part met at Manitou Lodge and joined up with residents, taking them in wheelchairs.
Way to go Watrous and area as over $9,000 was raised for the Watrous and District Food Bank as part of the Hoofin' It For Hunger walk Sept. 21. In total, just over $7,000 was raised through personal donations and pledges and another $2,000 by the local RBC Royal Bank! Those taking part met at Manitou Lodge and joined up with residents, taking them in wheelchairs.
RNs part of layoffs in health region
Daniel Bushman/TWM
As layoffs were announced by the Saskatoon Health Region Sept. 15, it was not known specifically which of the 70 positions were being affected and where. Dealing with a deficit of over $30 million, the health region said it had been working to eliminate the gap between revenues and expenses to achieve a balanced budget and because of it were forced to issue layoffs.
At the time of the announcement earlier this month, President and CEO of the Saskatoon Health Region Dan Florizone said, “We have made these decisions knowing how difficult this is for employees across our region. We built our sustainability plan on the principles of not compromising patient care and doing everything we can to protect frontline services while delivering health care in the most efficient way possible. We had hoped to avoid affecting the jobs of any of our over 11,000 employees. However, we knew that with over 70 percent of our entire budget devoted to staffing, not affecting jobs was extremely unlikely.”
While no specific positions were listed at the time of the layoff announcement, the president of the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses said 12 registered nurses were a part of the number.
Saskatchewan Union of Nurses President Tracy Zambory said the news of RNs being laid off was disappointing. “Unfortunately we know that the Saskatoon Health Region isn’t the only region struggling with looming budget deficits. While this has been the most public and official layoff announcement, there has been a gradual but steady erosion of registered nurses at the bedside through the abolishment of positions and not filling vacancies for quite some time now. Registered nurses are acutely aware of the fact that decisions like these will likely have a negative impact on patient care.”
Zambory said reducing the number of RNs providing direct patient care in response to budget shortfalls is not a long-term solution to take care of current health care challenges.
“Research consistently shows that appropriate registered nurse staffing has a direct positive impact on patient outcomes and safety, including reduced hospital complications and infections, shortened hospital stays and fewer readmissions – all of this has been shown to have a direct impact on the bottom line, ultimately resulting in cost-savings to the system.”
Zambory said the reductions in the number of direct care providers in response to current-year budget deficits is a short-term fix.
The Watrous Manitou contacted the health region to see if any of the 12 RN layoffs or any of the other 58 positions were specific to the area. The region said because of the impacts across areas and out of respect for employees involved, they issued the following statement: “Approximately 70 people in about 30 position types have been affected. This includes people with in-scope positions in all unions (SEIU, SUN, HSAS) and people in out-of-scope positions, including management positions across both urban and rural locations.”
Daniel Bushman/TWM
As layoffs were announced by the Saskatoon Health Region Sept. 15, it was not known specifically which of the 70 positions were being affected and where. Dealing with a deficit of over $30 million, the health region said it had been working to eliminate the gap between revenues and expenses to achieve a balanced budget and because of it were forced to issue layoffs.
At the time of the announcement earlier this month, President and CEO of the Saskatoon Health Region Dan Florizone said, “We have made these decisions knowing how difficult this is for employees across our region. We built our sustainability plan on the principles of not compromising patient care and doing everything we can to protect frontline services while delivering health care in the most efficient way possible. We had hoped to avoid affecting the jobs of any of our over 11,000 employees. However, we knew that with over 70 percent of our entire budget devoted to staffing, not affecting jobs was extremely unlikely.”
While no specific positions were listed at the time of the layoff announcement, the president of the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses said 12 registered nurses were a part of the number.
Saskatchewan Union of Nurses President Tracy Zambory said the news of RNs being laid off was disappointing. “Unfortunately we know that the Saskatoon Health Region isn’t the only region struggling with looming budget deficits. While this has been the most public and official layoff announcement, there has been a gradual but steady erosion of registered nurses at the bedside through the abolishment of positions and not filling vacancies for quite some time now. Registered nurses are acutely aware of the fact that decisions like these will likely have a negative impact on patient care.”
Zambory said reducing the number of RNs providing direct patient care in response to budget shortfalls is not a long-term solution to take care of current health care challenges.
“Research consistently shows that appropriate registered nurse staffing has a direct positive impact on patient outcomes and safety, including reduced hospital complications and infections, shortened hospital stays and fewer readmissions – all of this has been shown to have a direct impact on the bottom line, ultimately resulting in cost-savings to the system.”
Zambory said the reductions in the number of direct care providers in response to current-year budget deficits is a short-term fix.
The Watrous Manitou contacted the health region to see if any of the 12 RN layoffs or any of the other 58 positions were specific to the area. The region said because of the impacts across areas and out of respect for employees involved, they issued the following statement: “Approximately 70 people in about 30 position types have been affected. This includes people with in-scope positions in all unions (SEIU, SUN, HSAS) and people in out-of-scope positions, including management positions across both urban and rural locations.”
TWM Top Story - Sept. 19, 2016
Protecting Manitou Beach
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Dealing with record high water levels, the resort community of Manitou Beach received some welcome news as provincial funding has been approved for a one metre berm raise project. In addition to receiving approval for the berm raise, council will also be putting forward a motion to request work begin on initiating a water diversion project.
Manitou Beach Mayor Gerry Worobec and the Water Security Agency’s (WSA) Patrick Boyle confirmed the funding approval of $3.877 million through the Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program. The program provides funding to communities/municipalities using a 75 percent government – 25 percent community cost-share formula, meaning the resort will be on the hook for about $900,000.
“We will however be negotiating with the province to have this amount reduced,” said Worobec.
If all goes well, Boyle said construction on the berms should start shortly. “It is hoped construction will begin the first week in October and the basic protection measures will be finished before the onset of winter with final works to be complete the next spring/summer.”
Worobec said the work will be disruptive but extensive measures have been engineered into traffic control and detours.
“They will only be put in place when needed and where needed. We ask that everyone remain patient and remember what the final outcome will be, which is the beach will be properly protected from the rising waters. When the last shovel of dirt and the last rock is put in place we will all sleep a little better knowing that everything possible that could be done will be done.”
Boyle said the latest funding from WSA comes after significant 2016 spring inflow into the lake and persistent rains throughout the summer, raising the water level to the crest of the present berm. “Raising it is critical to protect against further precipitation events and 2017 spring inflow.”
Having the WSA invest roughly $7 to $8 million into protective measures at Manitou Beach over the last handful of years, Worobec said the latest project to raise the berms will include several aspects.
The first component is raising the existing berm one metre to protect residents, businesses, regional park areas, Camp Easter Seal and infrastructure like sewage lift stations. “If the lift stations are compromised then we would be required to shut down our water system as well, which would prove to be disastrous.”
Secondly, when the resort community experiences heavy rain fall, maintenance staff are left to pump large amounts of water from the south side of Lake Avenue over the berm and into the lake. “We will be doing ground work that will channel that water to fewer central locations and installing large sump pits with automatic pumps that will operate year-round with minimal supervision.”
A straight berm is going to be created between the Nu-Inn to the lift stations by the tennis court. “We will then dewater the south portion and reclaim the regional park and beach area. This is will be a huge asset to the village and business owners.”
Worobec said once the berm is raised from the tennis court west to Camp Easter Seal, they will be dewatering the south side of the street paralleling the regional park picnic area. “We will also be removing all the dead trees, filling the low areas with clay and gravel to create a parking lot for visitors.”
Lastly, the mayor said they will be doing repairs to slow areas of the berm that are currently piping or leaking water.
Appreciative of the support through the funding, Worobec said, “All of this work should give us roughly five or more years of breathing room.”
The resort community has also asked the WSA if they have hit the trigger marks to initiate plans for the water diversion project. “Their response was yes,” Worobec said.
Boyle confirmed that the WSA is considering the project with the community but added a proposed diversion project will take considerable time. Boyle outlined a few steps that have to be taken in order for the diversion project to begin taking shape. “Detailed design of the construction is required, acquiring the land control is complex, environmental assessments will have to be conducted and stakeholders consultations would have to take place. This will all take some time before any project would be given an approval.”
Worobec said council at Manitou Beach is getting the ball rolling and will be putting forward a motion to officially request the work begin immediately in regards to the diversion. “Following the completion of the berm project we will be able to put all our energy and time into a diversion project. On behalf of myself, council, and staff, thank you for your support, and patience. Keep in mind that this will be a long process as there needs to be environmental impact studies, communication with affected land owners, Aboriginal affairs and so on. It is expected that it will take two years to see it through to completion.”
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Dealing with record high water levels, the resort community of Manitou Beach received some welcome news as provincial funding has been approved for a one metre berm raise project. In addition to receiving approval for the berm raise, council will also be putting forward a motion to request work begin on initiating a water diversion project.
Manitou Beach Mayor Gerry Worobec and the Water Security Agency’s (WSA) Patrick Boyle confirmed the funding approval of $3.877 million through the Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program. The program provides funding to communities/municipalities using a 75 percent government – 25 percent community cost-share formula, meaning the resort will be on the hook for about $900,000.
“We will however be negotiating with the province to have this amount reduced,” said Worobec.
If all goes well, Boyle said construction on the berms should start shortly. “It is hoped construction will begin the first week in October and the basic protection measures will be finished before the onset of winter with final works to be complete the next spring/summer.”
Worobec said the work will be disruptive but extensive measures have been engineered into traffic control and detours.
“They will only be put in place when needed and where needed. We ask that everyone remain patient and remember what the final outcome will be, which is the beach will be properly protected from the rising waters. When the last shovel of dirt and the last rock is put in place we will all sleep a little better knowing that everything possible that could be done will be done.”
Boyle said the latest funding from WSA comes after significant 2016 spring inflow into the lake and persistent rains throughout the summer, raising the water level to the crest of the present berm. “Raising it is critical to protect against further precipitation events and 2017 spring inflow.”
Having the WSA invest roughly $7 to $8 million into protective measures at Manitou Beach over the last handful of years, Worobec said the latest project to raise the berms will include several aspects.
The first component is raising the existing berm one metre to protect residents, businesses, regional park areas, Camp Easter Seal and infrastructure like sewage lift stations. “If the lift stations are compromised then we would be required to shut down our water system as well, which would prove to be disastrous.”
Secondly, when the resort community experiences heavy rain fall, maintenance staff are left to pump large amounts of water from the south side of Lake Avenue over the berm and into the lake. “We will be doing ground work that will channel that water to fewer central locations and installing large sump pits with automatic pumps that will operate year-round with minimal supervision.”
A straight berm is going to be created between the Nu-Inn to the lift stations by the tennis court. “We will then dewater the south portion and reclaim the regional park and beach area. This is will be a huge asset to the village and business owners.”
Worobec said once the berm is raised from the tennis court west to Camp Easter Seal, they will be dewatering the south side of the street paralleling the regional park picnic area. “We will also be removing all the dead trees, filling the low areas with clay and gravel to create a parking lot for visitors.”
Lastly, the mayor said they will be doing repairs to slow areas of the berm that are currently piping or leaking water.
Appreciative of the support through the funding, Worobec said, “All of this work should give us roughly five or more years of breathing room.”
The resort community has also asked the WSA if they have hit the trigger marks to initiate plans for the water diversion project. “Their response was yes,” Worobec said.
Boyle confirmed that the WSA is considering the project with the community but added a proposed diversion project will take considerable time. Boyle outlined a few steps that have to be taken in order for the diversion project to begin taking shape. “Detailed design of the construction is required, acquiring the land control is complex, environmental assessments will have to be conducted and stakeholders consultations would have to take place. This will all take some time before any project would be given an approval.”
Worobec said council at Manitou Beach is getting the ball rolling and will be putting forward a motion to officially request the work begin immediately in regards to the diversion. “Following the completion of the berm project we will be able to put all our energy and time into a diversion project. On behalf of myself, council, and staff, thank you for your support, and patience. Keep in mind that this will be a long process as there needs to be environmental impact studies, communication with affected land owners, Aboriginal affairs and so on. It is expected that it will take two years to see it through to completion.”
TWM Top Stories - Sept.12, 2016
Manitou Beach receiving funding for berms
Manitou Beach mayor Gerry Worobec confirmed to TWM that the resort community will see its berm raise one metre. Worobec said the provincial government is committing $3.877 million towards Water Security Agency for the berm raise with the beach's portion around $900 thousand.TWM has contacted the Water Security Agency but due to press deadline constraints, we will have a more in-depth article in our Sept. 19 edition.
Manitou Beach mayor Gerry Worobec confirmed to TWM that the resort community will see its berm raise one metre. Worobec said the provincial government is committing $3.877 million towards Water Security Agency for the berm raise with the beach's portion around $900 thousand.TWM has contacted the Water Security Agency but due to press deadline constraints, we will have a more in-depth article in our Sept. 19 edition.
Packing Danceland as Harris delivers
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Daniel Bushman/TWM
TWM Top Stories - Sept. 5, 2016
Filming for CBC show wraps up at Manitou Beach
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Manitou Beach was thrust into the spotlight last week as members of the CBC show Still Standing filmed an episode for their upcoming season.
“We are having a great time so far,” said host Jonny Harris, who graciously spent a few minutes talking with the Watrous Manitou last Thursday. “It is messing with my head though because I had no idea you could find a full on beach front, resort/wellness community in southern Saskatchewan. I didn’t know Canada had its own Dead Sea.”
Harris talked with locals about the high water levels while also having some fun. The comedian chatted with Sue Alcock at Danceland, Fraser Murray on the swings (pictured below), played volley pong with Mike Nicholson (pictured right), visited with Orrin McIntosh about his scale models and also spent time with a few other local faces.
Harris said McIntosh’s scale models of local historic buildings was fascinating. “With Danceland he can go take measurements to build his scale model but the Chalet Pool he scaled it all from photographs. It is amazing the job that he has done.”
The comedian and host of the show found Manitou Beach interesting because of the way the lake draws thousands of tourists every year but continues to rise. “It is really threatening the place and it is an interesting story.”
Jonny planned to go for a float at Manitou Springs Mineral Spa Thursday evening and then hop in the lake Friday.
“That is my favourite thing about doing this show is there are places where you slap your forehead and say, ‘I had no idea this was in our country.’ It is definitely one of the more interesting stories and I love the whole romantic notion that in the roaring 1920s the social elite would come to Manitou Beach, Saskatchewan to soak in the healing powers of the waters.”
Admitting Danceland was bigger than he originally thought, Harris was quick to point out that hearing the stories about it being flocked with big bands coming to play over the years was fascinating.
Regardless of the water levels present at the resort community Harris said, “People here are resilient and want to stay and make it work. It is crazy is how much the water has risen over the last six or seven years. Between the berms and potential diversion project, I hope things will go well here for sure.”
Since filming an episode is like a whirlwind tour, Harris does a bit of homework on each destination before hitting the road. Once he and the crew arrive, he is able to have a first hand look at the area and then goes to work on his comedy routine. “I go to the hotel and sit down with the guys and go over things.”
Then at the end of the week, Harris takes the stage and offers his comedic insight during a free show. The show includes local anecdotes and they are added into the episode that is scheduled to appear on season three of Still Standing.
With two seasons already in the books, Harris said he has really enjoyed the opportunity. “I do. I have gotten to see a lot of places across the country that you might not have reason to visit. If we can sort of get the word out (about them) it is great. It is never really our mission to just try to save a place, we are just there to find out about it. But I like the idea of finding these incredibly interesting stories and sharing them."
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Manitou Beach was thrust into the spotlight last week as members of the CBC show Still Standing filmed an episode for their upcoming season.
“We are having a great time so far,” said host Jonny Harris, who graciously spent a few minutes talking with the Watrous Manitou last Thursday. “It is messing with my head though because I had no idea you could find a full on beach front, resort/wellness community in southern Saskatchewan. I didn’t know Canada had its own Dead Sea.”
Harris talked with locals about the high water levels while also having some fun. The comedian chatted with Sue Alcock at Danceland, Fraser Murray on the swings (pictured below), played volley pong with Mike Nicholson (pictured right), visited with Orrin McIntosh about his scale models and also spent time with a few other local faces.
Harris said McIntosh’s scale models of local historic buildings was fascinating. “With Danceland he can go take measurements to build his scale model but the Chalet Pool he scaled it all from photographs. It is amazing the job that he has done.”
The comedian and host of the show found Manitou Beach interesting because of the way the lake draws thousands of tourists every year but continues to rise. “It is really threatening the place and it is an interesting story.”
Jonny planned to go for a float at Manitou Springs Mineral Spa Thursday evening and then hop in the lake Friday.
“That is my favourite thing about doing this show is there are places where you slap your forehead and say, ‘I had no idea this was in our country.’ It is definitely one of the more interesting stories and I love the whole romantic notion that in the roaring 1920s the social elite would come to Manitou Beach, Saskatchewan to soak in the healing powers of the waters.”
Admitting Danceland was bigger than he originally thought, Harris was quick to point out that hearing the stories about it being flocked with big bands coming to play over the years was fascinating.
Regardless of the water levels present at the resort community Harris said, “People here are resilient and want to stay and make it work. It is crazy is how much the water has risen over the last six or seven years. Between the berms and potential diversion project, I hope things will go well here for sure.”
Since filming an episode is like a whirlwind tour, Harris does a bit of homework on each destination before hitting the road. Once he and the crew arrive, he is able to have a first hand look at the area and then goes to work on his comedy routine. “I go to the hotel and sit down with the guys and go over things.”
Then at the end of the week, Harris takes the stage and offers his comedic insight during a free show. The show includes local anecdotes and they are added into the episode that is scheduled to appear on season three of Still Standing.
With two seasons already in the books, Harris said he has really enjoyed the opportunity. “I do. I have gotten to see a lot of places across the country that you might not have reason to visit. If we can sort of get the word out (about them) it is great. It is never really our mission to just try to save a place, we are just there to find out about it. But I like the idea of finding these incredibly interesting stories and sharing them."
Potash Corporation and Agrium confirm preliminary merger talks
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Amidst current prices, both Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and Agrium confirmed last week that they are in preliminary discussions regarding a potential merger of equals.
In a statement released by both companies, the pair said no decision has been made as to whether to proceed with such a combination, no agreement has been reached and there can be no assurance that any transaction will result from these discussions.
Premier Brad Wall took to twitter last Tuesday, tweeting out, “Will work to ensure SK interests protected by any Potash/Agrium merger. Jobs, economic impact and revenue will be our top priority.”
The release by Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and Agrium was issued after a report surfaced by Bloomberg News Aug. 30. In the report, it stated: “The potential deal comes as fertilizer companies struggle with depressed crop prices, which have pressured spending by farmers. Over the past year, spot potash prices in the U.S. corn belt have fallen 34 percent and other crop nutrients have also gotten cheaper. Potash buyers in India and China have delayed signing contracts for supplies, damping demand.”
If a potential merger does go through, Bloomberg News said the combined company would own more than 50 percent of North American potash capacity. Those assets, according to the report would be the main challenge if the merger faces regulatory hurdles.
Stifel analyst Paul Forward was named in the report, stating anti-trust concerns could be addressed by selling one or more potash assets to competitors such as BHP Billiton Ltd. or K+S AG.
The merger “would likely create significant value, particularly amidst a depressed backdrop for global fertilizer prices,” Forward said.
Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan has a pair of mines in the region near Lanigan and Allan. Potash Corporation is also the world’s largest fertilizer company by capacity, producing potash, nitrogen and phosphate.
A global leader in agricultural products, services and solutions, Agrium has a local presence with retail areas located in Watrous, Colonsay, Viscount and Liberty. They also have a Solutions Storage wholesale facility in Clavet. Agrium can be found across the globe including North and South America, Australia, Egypt and Europe.
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Amidst current prices, both Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and Agrium confirmed last week that they are in preliminary discussions regarding a potential merger of equals.
In a statement released by both companies, the pair said no decision has been made as to whether to proceed with such a combination, no agreement has been reached and there can be no assurance that any transaction will result from these discussions.
Premier Brad Wall took to twitter last Tuesday, tweeting out, “Will work to ensure SK interests protected by any Potash/Agrium merger. Jobs, economic impact and revenue will be our top priority.”
The release by Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and Agrium was issued after a report surfaced by Bloomberg News Aug. 30. In the report, it stated: “The potential deal comes as fertilizer companies struggle with depressed crop prices, which have pressured spending by farmers. Over the past year, spot potash prices in the U.S. corn belt have fallen 34 percent and other crop nutrients have also gotten cheaper. Potash buyers in India and China have delayed signing contracts for supplies, damping demand.”
If a potential merger does go through, Bloomberg News said the combined company would own more than 50 percent of North American potash capacity. Those assets, according to the report would be the main challenge if the merger faces regulatory hurdles.
Stifel analyst Paul Forward was named in the report, stating anti-trust concerns could be addressed by selling one or more potash assets to competitors such as BHP Billiton Ltd. or K+S AG.
The merger “would likely create significant value, particularly amidst a depressed backdrop for global fertilizer prices,” Forward said.
Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan has a pair of mines in the region near Lanigan and Allan. Potash Corporation is also the world’s largest fertilizer company by capacity, producing potash, nitrogen and phosphate.
A global leader in agricultural products, services and solutions, Agrium has a local presence with retail areas located in Watrous, Colonsay, Viscount and Liberty. They also have a Solutions Storage wholesale facility in Clavet. Agrium can be found across the globe including North and South America, Australia, Egypt and Europe.
TWM Top Stories - Aug. 29, 2016
Woman recalls near-death experience
Daniel Bushman/TWM
A woman from St. John’s, Newfoundland is lucky to be alive after her trip across Canada came to a horrifying end southwest of Watrous. Elle Gottzi and her two-year-old Husky Naina had successfully crossed the country after going more than 10,000 km over three weeks and were on their way home when her vehicle veered into a slough.
Facing all sorts of roads, weather conditions and wildlife, it was not until she was motoring along on Hwy. 15 between Kenaston and the Junction of Hwy. 2 when her trip went horribly wrong.
On that particular August day, Gottzi mapped out her route which would take her from Three Hills, Alta. to Raymore. “My path happened to fall on Hwy. 15 and it turned out to be a dangerous mix of unpredictable road with very little signage to none at all,” said a shaken Gottzi.
With the sun going down and driving on a highway with eroded pavement, loose stones and muddy pot holes, Gotzzi had to keep her eyes peeled. It was on one of those broken pieces of road that completely knocked her Honda Element out of control, sending it into the slough and landing upside down.
Trapped in her vehicle as water filled the interior, Gottzi tried to remain focused while holding her breath. With oxygen being replaced by water and trying not to panic, Elle frantically searched for a way out.
“I was holding my breath and periodically swallowing the swampy dirty water to lessen the pressure in my lungs. I was carefully and blindly examining with my hands everything around me in the car while in an upside down position.”
Gottzi needed to break the windows to get out but could not find anything heavy enough. Running out of air and with her last gasp to survive, Gottzi extended her feet and felt the ground. Realizing one of the windows was broken, she knew it was her only way out. Not knowing where her dog was, Gottzi managed to slip through the space where the back window was located and like a bullet, shot towards the surface.
Gasping and gulping for air, Elle did not see her Husky Naina and chaotically began searching for her friend. “I had an extra pair of keys for the car in my pocket so I swam to the trunk and desperately was fighting to open it. It wouldn’t work and later on after I saw the car on the ground, I understood why because it was completely deviated and stuck.”
Relentlessly diving below the surface to find a way to her dog, Gottzi could see nothing. “The water was a heavy mix of algae, lots of leaches and debris.”
The survivor caught a glimpse of a vehicle approaching so she did her best to elevate herself on the sunken car and flagged the motorists down. “It was a couple and they called 9-1-1 and the guy immediately jumped into the water as I was repeating that I needed to save my dog.”
The motorist, Andrew Leslie found Niana around the back of the vehicle but it was too late as she was lifeless. Gottzi spent the next half an hour trying to revive her friend but to no avail.
An ambulance and a member of the Watrous RCMP soon arrived on scene and Elle described to them the tragic events that had just unfolded. With adrenaline pumping and not feeling her injuries, Gottzi refused to go to the hospital and stayed beside her lifeless companion.
“When I was describing what happened, I felt like I had killed my dog. That was all that was going through my mind.”
Sopping wet and with her belongings and shoes in the slough, Gottzi was able to get some clothes from Andrew Leslie and Carah Campbell and she sat in their car to warm up.
The RCMP member attending the scene was Constable Carl Diduck and he offered to take Elle to Watrous to find her a place to stay as Lorri Struthers from Watrous Towing arrived to haul the vehicle out of the water.
“When I went to pull out Elle’s vehicle the water was up to my shoulders when I hooked it up.”
Not wanting to leave Naina, Elle placed the body of her dog in the trunk of the police cruiser and arrived in Watrous at the Watrous Animal Hospital.
“It was Saturday night and the clinic was closed but somehow by luck the owners happened to drive by us when we were there. After hearing my story, they agreed to keep Naina’s body in the freezer until I sorted things out.”
Realizing just how close she was with her own death, Gottzi began having flashbacks and spent the night in a motel crying while fighting the images in her mind.
After the dreadful night, Struthers arrived to pick up Gottzi Sunday morning to take her back to the slough to try and recover some of her items. After finding a few of her things floating around, Elle decided to head deeper into the water.
“I spent close to an hour in the slough with wounded feet full of cuts, cold and shivering and I hadn’t eaten anything properly for a few days before that as well.”
Originally from Ukraine, Gottzi did manage to recover almost everything including her iPhone, iPad, iPod, GPS and plenty of other random items.
“I was in disbelief that I found so many of them, since stepping on the ground of the slough was nearly impossible. It was like soft clay that made me sink and it was covered in heavy algae and sharp branches and rocks.”
Gottzi also dealt with leaches and was covered head to toe but she was able to get what she could from the slough. Staying in the community, Elle soon met other people from the area that generously helped her out.
Struthers and his wife Susan took Elle under their wings and introduced her to Lori Harper. “She turned out to be an amazing soul, who surrounded me with so much positive energy, that I even managed to smile here and there.”
During that time Gottzi decided to cremate her dog in order to bring her back home. “Lori drove me for more than four hours in total to get to the cremation place with my dog and then back. All the people I was meeting were truly the special kind.”
While Gottzi’s horrifying experience of hitting the slough had ended, less than 24 hours later, another near fatal accident occurred at the exact same spot.
“Literally the tires of their car followed mine and a couple from the United States, Barbara and Tim, ended up in the slough on the right side of the road opposite of me.”
Struthers could not believe how these two incidents were so close together. “The tire marks made a perfect ‘x’ on the road. They hit the same approach and drowned their vehicle.”
While Elle hit the slough around dusk, the second incident was during the middle of the day. “It was on the highway about a half mile west from Huck Road,” said Lorrie.
While the car driven by the American couple landed right side up, their experience was “word for word the same thing that happened in regards to losing control when they hit the same spot I did,” said Gottzi.
“Two accidents 15 hours apart at the same spot, that is just the beginning in my opinion. Luckily for the couple no one got hurt but in my case, I lost a dearly loved puppy in a terrible way, that will never stop haunting me.”
Gottzi ventured out once more to where she went into the slough but this time was equipped with a flashlight, snorkel and magnet that she got from Sly’s Repair.
But with the murky condition of the water, the tools did not help in retrieving her items so she elected to go bare foot. Hovering over some of the spots where her items might be, Elle was beginning to lose hope in finding anything further. Proclaiming not to be religious, Gottzi was running out of ideas and pleaded for help to find her camera.
“I said in a sad voice if there is anyone up there please hear me and let me find the camera. Literally seconds later I felt something that I thought was another one of those big rocks I had lifted. I lifted the item ready to see another rock and it was my camera.”
Despite it being damaged by water, Gottzi was happy to have found it. “It was a small victory and later on it turned out the SD card that my pictures were on worked and my pictures were saved!”
Gottzi also found one of her books about healing plants and herbs and sticking out of it was a piece of paper with text titled, An Unbeliever Convinced. “I have never had anything like it in my car or with me before that and I had no idea how it made it to the book in the form it did. It was strange and a bit spooky to say the least. I kept the page just for memory.”
After spending part of Aug. 10 in the slough, Elle got word her dog had been cremated and her brief time in the area was coming to an end.
During her last day in Watrous, Gottzi was getting ready to check out of her room and pay when she was given some overwhelming news. “The owner of the place (Lane Manson) simply told me, ‘you don’t owe anything. I am sorry about your bad luck and really wish you well.’ I was amazed at just another kind gesture after so many I was getting in the town of Watrous. I was at a loss for words. I was never really that used to meeting good and kind people in my life before, especially in big numbers.”
After being dropped off at the airport in Regina by Lorrie and Susan, Elle departed back home Aug. 11, which happened to be the same day as her mother’s memorial day.
Arriving at the airport broken hearted and in tears with her bag and urn in her arms, Gottzi headed straight for her partner who was there waiting.
Looking back on her tragic near-death experience, Elle knows she is lucky to be alive and wants to use her experience to draw attention to the condition of the roads.
“After driving more than 10,000 km crossing the country in all sorts of conditions and roads, it took Saskatchewan’s back country to have my trip abruptly end and be fatal for my dog. It took an American couple to drive there to have pretty much the same end as well. If a dog’s life isn’t important for some you can easily imagine a kid instead, a human life. It is just a matter of time before the next story like mine appears.”
The Watrous Manitou contacted the Minstry of Highways and Infrastructure to see if anything will be done to improve Hwy. 15 not only between Kenaston and the Junction of Hwy. 2 where the two incidents occurred but between the Junction of Hwy. 2 and Nokomis where the highway continues towards.
Sonja Orban with the ministry said safety is a priority and something they keep in mind each and every day as they design, build and maintain the provincial transportation system.
“The Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure is aware of the gravel spots on Hwy. 15 between the junction of Nokomis and Hwy. 2. This road is a Thin Membrane Surface (TMS) road that has deteriorated over the years. Although the ministry has upgraded a large number of TMS roads there is still more work to be done.”
Orban said there are no current plans to pave that stretch of road but she did say that MHI reviews the prioritization of TMS upgrades on an annual basis.
In the meantime, crews have installed signs in the area indicating pavement to gravel and gravel to pavement and have been conducting routine maintenance on Hwy. 15 from Nokomis to the junction of Hwy. 2 as needed. This work includes hand patching, gravel blading, and the placement of hot mix. Crews had also planned to do some spot sealing in August in addition to re-gravel ling a large gravel section west of the junction of Hwy. 2 this fall.
As for the portion of road that Gottzi was travelling on, Orban said the highway was re-graded and reconstructed to a gravel surface starting in 2012. “Crews have also continued to perform routine maintenance on this road such as blading, spot improvements, patching and spot sealing. This season, crews will be sealing this section of road.”
Maintenance or not, Gottzi was less than impressed with the highway’s condition calling them exceptionally bad and dangerous. “How many more accidents and fatalities will it take before someone pays attention to it? And it is suppose to be a tourist area with Manitou Beach nearby, where local businesses expect tourists to visit the area.”
While the road and the circumstances surrounding it are not positive, there is a silver lining in all of this as Gottzi wanted to shed some light on the generosity of local residents in the area. She extended her appreciation to: “Lorrie Struthers from Watrous Towing who went beyond any limits to help me with everything possible. His wife Susan’s hospitality, support and her amazing food was very very much appreciated. Lori Harper, the twin spirit, and an amazing soul. Carah Campbell and Andrew Leslie, the couple who spotted and stopped at the accident, and called 9-1-1. They also helped me with clothes and shoes and tried to calm me down. Thank you so much. To Lane Manson, the owner of TB’s Bar and Grill and the hotel I stayed, thank you so much for being so kind and understanding to me and letting me stay free of charge. To the Watrous Animal Hospital and owner Dr. Allison Bartel for being there at the right time and helping me free of charge. Also for the crew at the clinic for getting a paw print and fur of my baby, again free of charge. Pip’s Esso for letting me use the phone and to the people of Watrous, thank you. I wish I would have visited the place under different circumstances and I wish the roads to such special places were not so deadly.”
Daniel Bushman/TWM
A woman from St. John’s, Newfoundland is lucky to be alive after her trip across Canada came to a horrifying end southwest of Watrous. Elle Gottzi and her two-year-old Husky Naina had successfully crossed the country after going more than 10,000 km over three weeks and were on their way home when her vehicle veered into a slough.
Facing all sorts of roads, weather conditions and wildlife, it was not until she was motoring along on Hwy. 15 between Kenaston and the Junction of Hwy. 2 when her trip went horribly wrong.
On that particular August day, Gottzi mapped out her route which would take her from Three Hills, Alta. to Raymore. “My path happened to fall on Hwy. 15 and it turned out to be a dangerous mix of unpredictable road with very little signage to none at all,” said a shaken Gottzi.
With the sun going down and driving on a highway with eroded pavement, loose stones and muddy pot holes, Gotzzi had to keep her eyes peeled. It was on one of those broken pieces of road that completely knocked her Honda Element out of control, sending it into the slough and landing upside down.
Trapped in her vehicle as water filled the interior, Gottzi tried to remain focused while holding her breath. With oxygen being replaced by water and trying not to panic, Elle frantically searched for a way out.
“I was holding my breath and periodically swallowing the swampy dirty water to lessen the pressure in my lungs. I was carefully and blindly examining with my hands everything around me in the car while in an upside down position.”
Gottzi needed to break the windows to get out but could not find anything heavy enough. Running out of air and with her last gasp to survive, Gottzi extended her feet and felt the ground. Realizing one of the windows was broken, she knew it was her only way out. Not knowing where her dog was, Gottzi managed to slip through the space where the back window was located and like a bullet, shot towards the surface.
Gasping and gulping for air, Elle did not see her Husky Naina and chaotically began searching for her friend. “I had an extra pair of keys for the car in my pocket so I swam to the trunk and desperately was fighting to open it. It wouldn’t work and later on after I saw the car on the ground, I understood why because it was completely deviated and stuck.”
Relentlessly diving below the surface to find a way to her dog, Gottzi could see nothing. “The water was a heavy mix of algae, lots of leaches and debris.”
The survivor caught a glimpse of a vehicle approaching so she did her best to elevate herself on the sunken car and flagged the motorists down. “It was a couple and they called 9-1-1 and the guy immediately jumped into the water as I was repeating that I needed to save my dog.”
The motorist, Andrew Leslie found Niana around the back of the vehicle but it was too late as she was lifeless. Gottzi spent the next half an hour trying to revive her friend but to no avail.
An ambulance and a member of the Watrous RCMP soon arrived on scene and Elle described to them the tragic events that had just unfolded. With adrenaline pumping and not feeling her injuries, Gottzi refused to go to the hospital and stayed beside her lifeless companion.
“When I was describing what happened, I felt like I had killed my dog. That was all that was going through my mind.”
Sopping wet and with her belongings and shoes in the slough, Gottzi was able to get some clothes from Andrew Leslie and Carah Campbell and she sat in their car to warm up.
The RCMP member attending the scene was Constable Carl Diduck and he offered to take Elle to Watrous to find her a place to stay as Lorri Struthers from Watrous Towing arrived to haul the vehicle out of the water.
“When I went to pull out Elle’s vehicle the water was up to my shoulders when I hooked it up.”
Not wanting to leave Naina, Elle placed the body of her dog in the trunk of the police cruiser and arrived in Watrous at the Watrous Animal Hospital.
“It was Saturday night and the clinic was closed but somehow by luck the owners happened to drive by us when we were there. After hearing my story, they agreed to keep Naina’s body in the freezer until I sorted things out.”
Realizing just how close she was with her own death, Gottzi began having flashbacks and spent the night in a motel crying while fighting the images in her mind.
After the dreadful night, Struthers arrived to pick up Gottzi Sunday morning to take her back to the slough to try and recover some of her items. After finding a few of her things floating around, Elle decided to head deeper into the water.
“I spent close to an hour in the slough with wounded feet full of cuts, cold and shivering and I hadn’t eaten anything properly for a few days before that as well.”
Originally from Ukraine, Gottzi did manage to recover almost everything including her iPhone, iPad, iPod, GPS and plenty of other random items.
“I was in disbelief that I found so many of them, since stepping on the ground of the slough was nearly impossible. It was like soft clay that made me sink and it was covered in heavy algae and sharp branches and rocks.”
Gottzi also dealt with leaches and was covered head to toe but she was able to get what she could from the slough. Staying in the community, Elle soon met other people from the area that generously helped her out.
Struthers and his wife Susan took Elle under their wings and introduced her to Lori Harper. “She turned out to be an amazing soul, who surrounded me with so much positive energy, that I even managed to smile here and there.”
During that time Gottzi decided to cremate her dog in order to bring her back home. “Lori drove me for more than four hours in total to get to the cremation place with my dog and then back. All the people I was meeting were truly the special kind.”
While Gottzi’s horrifying experience of hitting the slough had ended, less than 24 hours later, another near fatal accident occurred at the exact same spot.
“Literally the tires of their car followed mine and a couple from the United States, Barbara and Tim, ended up in the slough on the right side of the road opposite of me.”
Struthers could not believe how these two incidents were so close together. “The tire marks made a perfect ‘x’ on the road. They hit the same approach and drowned their vehicle.”
While Elle hit the slough around dusk, the second incident was during the middle of the day. “It was on the highway about a half mile west from Huck Road,” said Lorrie.
While the car driven by the American couple landed right side up, their experience was “word for word the same thing that happened in regards to losing control when they hit the same spot I did,” said Gottzi.
“Two accidents 15 hours apart at the same spot, that is just the beginning in my opinion. Luckily for the couple no one got hurt but in my case, I lost a dearly loved puppy in a terrible way, that will never stop haunting me.”
Gottzi ventured out once more to where she went into the slough but this time was equipped with a flashlight, snorkel and magnet that she got from Sly’s Repair.
But with the murky condition of the water, the tools did not help in retrieving her items so she elected to go bare foot. Hovering over some of the spots where her items might be, Elle was beginning to lose hope in finding anything further. Proclaiming not to be religious, Gottzi was running out of ideas and pleaded for help to find her camera.
“I said in a sad voice if there is anyone up there please hear me and let me find the camera. Literally seconds later I felt something that I thought was another one of those big rocks I had lifted. I lifted the item ready to see another rock and it was my camera.”
Despite it being damaged by water, Gottzi was happy to have found it. “It was a small victory and later on it turned out the SD card that my pictures were on worked and my pictures were saved!”
Gottzi also found one of her books about healing plants and herbs and sticking out of it was a piece of paper with text titled, An Unbeliever Convinced. “I have never had anything like it in my car or with me before that and I had no idea how it made it to the book in the form it did. It was strange and a bit spooky to say the least. I kept the page just for memory.”
After spending part of Aug. 10 in the slough, Elle got word her dog had been cremated and her brief time in the area was coming to an end.
During her last day in Watrous, Gottzi was getting ready to check out of her room and pay when she was given some overwhelming news. “The owner of the place (Lane Manson) simply told me, ‘you don’t owe anything. I am sorry about your bad luck and really wish you well.’ I was amazed at just another kind gesture after so many I was getting in the town of Watrous. I was at a loss for words. I was never really that used to meeting good and kind people in my life before, especially in big numbers.”
After being dropped off at the airport in Regina by Lorrie and Susan, Elle departed back home Aug. 11, which happened to be the same day as her mother’s memorial day.
Arriving at the airport broken hearted and in tears with her bag and urn in her arms, Gottzi headed straight for her partner who was there waiting.
Looking back on her tragic near-death experience, Elle knows she is lucky to be alive and wants to use her experience to draw attention to the condition of the roads.
“After driving more than 10,000 km crossing the country in all sorts of conditions and roads, it took Saskatchewan’s back country to have my trip abruptly end and be fatal for my dog. It took an American couple to drive there to have pretty much the same end as well. If a dog’s life isn’t important for some you can easily imagine a kid instead, a human life. It is just a matter of time before the next story like mine appears.”
The Watrous Manitou contacted the Minstry of Highways and Infrastructure to see if anything will be done to improve Hwy. 15 not only between Kenaston and the Junction of Hwy. 2 where the two incidents occurred but between the Junction of Hwy. 2 and Nokomis where the highway continues towards.
Sonja Orban with the ministry said safety is a priority and something they keep in mind each and every day as they design, build and maintain the provincial transportation system.
“The Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure is aware of the gravel spots on Hwy. 15 between the junction of Nokomis and Hwy. 2. This road is a Thin Membrane Surface (TMS) road that has deteriorated over the years. Although the ministry has upgraded a large number of TMS roads there is still more work to be done.”
Orban said there are no current plans to pave that stretch of road but she did say that MHI reviews the prioritization of TMS upgrades on an annual basis.
In the meantime, crews have installed signs in the area indicating pavement to gravel and gravel to pavement and have been conducting routine maintenance on Hwy. 15 from Nokomis to the junction of Hwy. 2 as needed. This work includes hand patching, gravel blading, and the placement of hot mix. Crews had also planned to do some spot sealing in August in addition to re-gravel ling a large gravel section west of the junction of Hwy. 2 this fall.
As for the portion of road that Gottzi was travelling on, Orban said the highway was re-graded and reconstructed to a gravel surface starting in 2012. “Crews have also continued to perform routine maintenance on this road such as blading, spot improvements, patching and spot sealing. This season, crews will be sealing this section of road.”
Maintenance or not, Gottzi was less than impressed with the highway’s condition calling them exceptionally bad and dangerous. “How many more accidents and fatalities will it take before someone pays attention to it? And it is suppose to be a tourist area with Manitou Beach nearby, where local businesses expect tourists to visit the area.”
While the road and the circumstances surrounding it are not positive, there is a silver lining in all of this as Gottzi wanted to shed some light on the generosity of local residents in the area. She extended her appreciation to: “Lorrie Struthers from Watrous Towing who went beyond any limits to help me with everything possible. His wife Susan’s hospitality, support and her amazing food was very very much appreciated. Lori Harper, the twin spirit, and an amazing soul. Carah Campbell and Andrew Leslie, the couple who spotted and stopped at the accident, and called 9-1-1. They also helped me with clothes and shoes and tried to calm me down. Thank you so much. To Lane Manson, the owner of TB’s Bar and Grill and the hotel I stayed, thank you so much for being so kind and understanding to me and letting me stay free of charge. To the Watrous Animal Hospital and owner Dr. Allison Bartel for being there at the right time and helping me free of charge. Also for the crew at the clinic for getting a paw print and fur of my baby, again free of charge. Pip’s Esso for letting me use the phone and to the people of Watrous, thank you. I wish I would have visited the place under different circumstances and I wish the roads to such special places were not so deadly.”
CUPW and Canada Post reach agreement in principle Aug. 30
Canada Post/CUPW update Tuesday: Agreement In Principle
Statement from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers:
"We have worked relentlessly for the past few days with the assistance of Special Mediator William Kaplan and the head of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services, Guy Baron, to finalize our negotiations.
Bargaining continued until the early hours of this morning and we have now achieved two agreements in principle, one for each of the RSMC and Urban Bargaining Units. The negotiating committee has unanimously recommended to the National Executive Board that we accept these agreements in principle. The majority of the National Executive Board has voted to accept these agreements and are recommending that the membership ratify them. We achieved these agreements because we remained strong and maintained our strategy.
The tentative collective agreements must be ratified by a majority vote of the members in each respective bargaining unit. The ratification vote process can be found in section 6.18 of our National Constitution.
The members of the negotiating committee thank everyone for all of your support and solidarity activities during this difficult round of negotiations. The last few days have been difficult with the on again - off again job activities. Thanks to all of you for being patient. We could not have achieved these tentative agreements without your support."
Canada Post/CUPW update Tuesday: Agreement In Principle
Statement from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers:
"We have worked relentlessly for the past few days with the assistance of Special Mediator William Kaplan and the head of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services, Guy Baron, to finalize our negotiations.
Bargaining continued until the early hours of this morning and we have now achieved two agreements in principle, one for each of the RSMC and Urban Bargaining Units. The negotiating committee has unanimously recommended to the National Executive Board that we accept these agreements in principle. The majority of the National Executive Board has voted to accept these agreements and are recommending that the membership ratify them. We achieved these agreements because we remained strong and maintained our strategy.
The tentative collective agreements must be ratified by a majority vote of the members in each respective bargaining unit. The ratification vote process can be found in section 6.18 of our National Constitution.
The members of the negotiating committee thank everyone for all of your support and solidarity activities during this difficult round of negotiations. The last few days have been difficult with the on again - off again job activities. Thanks to all of you for being patient. We could not have achieved these tentative agreements without your support."
TWM's Top Story - Aug. 22, 2016
Lots to enjoy at the beach despite high water
By Daniel Bushman
The resort community of Manitou Beach has remained resilient despite high water levels over the years. Visitors continue to check out one of the province’s gems and mayor of the beach, Gerry Worobec said council is committed to working with the provincial government and the Water Security Agency (WSA) to come up with a solution to try and alleviate record water levels.
Despite the water continually rising, the beach has remained a popular destination for many people across the globe. Worobec said those who are hesitant to come out are encouraged to pack their bags and see what the beach has to offer.
“We have an amazing campground, one of the last drive-ins, a really challenging and unique mini-golf, a beautiful golf course, bed and breakfasts, hotels, spas, businesses, Wellington Creek and the list goes on and on,” he said. “There is still lots to do, lots to see and lots to enjoy.”
While Worobec hopes people will not shy away from making the beach a place to visit, the long-time resident of the community also understands the importance of the high water.
Patrick Boyle with the WSA said current lake levels have risen just over 1.5 m over the past six years and are the highest on record. Currently, levels are around 497.4 m above sea level (m), up from 495.89 m in August 2010. Because of the continual increase from spring thaws and heavy rains, the beach is trying to remain vigilant by looking at different alternatives to alleviate the impact.
“We are at a crucial point and something needs to be done,” said Worobec. “Something will be done but what ends up being done remains to be seen yet.”
A few alternatives that have been mentioned by Worobec involve raising the current berm by either half a meter or one metre in addition to implementing a water diversion project.
“With a one metre raise it would be almost like a peak top and you could barely see over top of it and the footprint would be huge. It would also disrupt the roadway from one end of the beach to the other.”
The mayor is instead hoping for a compromise and wants to see about a half a metre added to the berm with about a 40 inch flattop that could be packed to use as a walking trail from one end to the next. Then if a lot more rain comes crews can put the barriers on top in a quick time frame.
However, Worobec said ultimately they would like to see a diversion project move forward in unison with the berm raise. “The two projects need to go hand in hand.”
Whatever the final outcome is, the mayor said it has to be sufficient for the village to survive and to protect them while maintaining some sort of level of tourism.
The issue of dealing with high water levels is nothing new for the community as the WSA has already contributed roughly $4 million to help protect properties in the village since 2011. That funding ranges from helping with road raising, creating berms, adding to those berms, pumping, sandbagging and more recently installing a wave break system on top of the berms in 2015.
This year, Emergency Management and Fire Services worked with the resort village to prepare a single hazard preparedness plan to augment the emergency plan component of the community plan in the event of a breach of the berms. WSA also entered into an agreement with the community for funding assistance for pumping from behind the berms during runoff and precipitation events as well as to initiate considerable maintenance and repair of the berms.
The WSA said it is also continuing to provide the geotechnical and hydro-technical support from an engineering firm in the design and supervision of the repairs and in monitoring of the berm stability and safety.
As Manitou Beach hopes for a viable solution, Minister of Environment, Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Water Corporation, and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Water Security Agency Herb Cox also has a keen interest on how things go.
The MLA has spent time with his family at Manitou Beach over the past several years and recently took the opportunity to meet with council and delegates during his recent stay. Touring around the village, Cox viewed the situation and also inspected the berms currently set up along the shore that protect the community from the ever rising water.
“Every year we see that it increases and we are looking at various alternatives, whether we raise that berm up again to continue to protect it,” said Cox. “We are also aware that the village is proposing a diversion that would divert some water away from Manitou Beach and we are going to continue to investigate that and see what we can do in the future with that. No decisions have been made yet but for now our first concern is to make sure that the existing berm is safe and will hold back the lake to protect village businesses and residents.”
Boyle said any project is possible but if it is going to be some type of water diversion project “the community would need to act as the proponent to move this forward. WSA will certainly review any proposal that would come forward.”
The minister added they will continue to keep the lines of communication open with elected village leaders and like many visitors to the beach, Cox hopes the water will start to recede.
“The regional park campground is in my opinion one of the better ones in the province. There is lots to do there. There is a great little golf course, the drive-in theatre as well and my wife enjoys the flea market on Sunday mornings. If the weather is a little inclement you can go to the spa. It is a great community and it truly is a gem in the province. We have to be aware of that and I think we will do whatever is necessary to maintain it and make sure it continues into the future. A lot of people depend on that resort and enjoy that resort.”
With a beach to enjoy and lots of services available, Worobec said people thinking of visiting should come despite the high water levels.
“There is still lots to do and a lot of things you can enjoy doing. We are going to try and maintain a beach front and accommodate those people that want to come and enjoy the beach.”
By Daniel Bushman
The resort community of Manitou Beach has remained resilient despite high water levels over the years. Visitors continue to check out one of the province’s gems and mayor of the beach, Gerry Worobec said council is committed to working with the provincial government and the Water Security Agency (WSA) to come up with a solution to try and alleviate record water levels.
Despite the water continually rising, the beach has remained a popular destination for many people across the globe. Worobec said those who are hesitant to come out are encouraged to pack their bags and see what the beach has to offer.
“We have an amazing campground, one of the last drive-ins, a really challenging and unique mini-golf, a beautiful golf course, bed and breakfasts, hotels, spas, businesses, Wellington Creek and the list goes on and on,” he said. “There is still lots to do, lots to see and lots to enjoy.”
While Worobec hopes people will not shy away from making the beach a place to visit, the long-time resident of the community also understands the importance of the high water.
Patrick Boyle with the WSA said current lake levels have risen just over 1.5 m over the past six years and are the highest on record. Currently, levels are around 497.4 m above sea level (m), up from 495.89 m in August 2010. Because of the continual increase from spring thaws and heavy rains, the beach is trying to remain vigilant by looking at different alternatives to alleviate the impact.
“We are at a crucial point and something needs to be done,” said Worobec. “Something will be done but what ends up being done remains to be seen yet.”
A few alternatives that have been mentioned by Worobec involve raising the current berm by either half a meter or one metre in addition to implementing a water diversion project.
“With a one metre raise it would be almost like a peak top and you could barely see over top of it and the footprint would be huge. It would also disrupt the roadway from one end of the beach to the other.”
The mayor is instead hoping for a compromise and wants to see about a half a metre added to the berm with about a 40 inch flattop that could be packed to use as a walking trail from one end to the next. Then if a lot more rain comes crews can put the barriers on top in a quick time frame.
However, Worobec said ultimately they would like to see a diversion project move forward in unison with the berm raise. “The two projects need to go hand in hand.”
Whatever the final outcome is, the mayor said it has to be sufficient for the village to survive and to protect them while maintaining some sort of level of tourism.
The issue of dealing with high water levels is nothing new for the community as the WSA has already contributed roughly $4 million to help protect properties in the village since 2011. That funding ranges from helping with road raising, creating berms, adding to those berms, pumping, sandbagging and more recently installing a wave break system on top of the berms in 2015.
This year, Emergency Management and Fire Services worked with the resort village to prepare a single hazard preparedness plan to augment the emergency plan component of the community plan in the event of a breach of the berms. WSA also entered into an agreement with the community for funding assistance for pumping from behind the berms during runoff and precipitation events as well as to initiate considerable maintenance and repair of the berms.
The WSA said it is also continuing to provide the geotechnical and hydro-technical support from an engineering firm in the design and supervision of the repairs and in monitoring of the berm stability and safety.
As Manitou Beach hopes for a viable solution, Minister of Environment, Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Water Corporation, and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Water Security Agency Herb Cox also has a keen interest on how things go.
The MLA has spent time with his family at Manitou Beach over the past several years and recently took the opportunity to meet with council and delegates during his recent stay. Touring around the village, Cox viewed the situation and also inspected the berms currently set up along the shore that protect the community from the ever rising water.
“Every year we see that it increases and we are looking at various alternatives, whether we raise that berm up again to continue to protect it,” said Cox. “We are also aware that the village is proposing a diversion that would divert some water away from Manitou Beach and we are going to continue to investigate that and see what we can do in the future with that. No decisions have been made yet but for now our first concern is to make sure that the existing berm is safe and will hold back the lake to protect village businesses and residents.”
Boyle said any project is possible but if it is going to be some type of water diversion project “the community would need to act as the proponent to move this forward. WSA will certainly review any proposal that would come forward.”
The minister added they will continue to keep the lines of communication open with elected village leaders and like many visitors to the beach, Cox hopes the water will start to recede.
“The regional park campground is in my opinion one of the better ones in the province. There is lots to do there. There is a great little golf course, the drive-in theatre as well and my wife enjoys the flea market on Sunday mornings. If the weather is a little inclement you can go to the spa. It is a great community and it truly is a gem in the province. We have to be aware of that and I think we will do whatever is necessary to maintain it and make sure it continues into the future. A lot of people depend on that resort and enjoy that resort.”
With a beach to enjoy and lots of services available, Worobec said people thinking of visiting should come despite the high water levels.
“There is still lots to do and a lot of things you can enjoy doing. We are going to try and maintain a beach front and accommodate those people that want to come and enjoy the beach.”
TWM Top Story - Aug. 15, 2016
Sensational season for McWillie
Daniel Bushman/TWM
This year has been nothing short of spectacular for Watrous’ Tyler McWillie. The ball player has not only pitched in to help his team win a provincial title but he was also named to team Saskatchewan who played at the Canada Cup. With his recent success he is also swinging towards a national title and will be attending a Blue Jays Academy Tournament later this year.
Playing AAA Midget baseball with the Muenster Red Sox, McWillie and the team competed in provincials July 21 to 24, winning the title. Along with a few other players from Muenster, Tyler was selected for Team Saskatchewan to play in the Baseball Canada Cup Aug. 3 to 8 in Fort McMurray, Alta.
In the team’s opening game Aug. 3 in Fort McMurray, Saskatchewan beat B.C. 8-0 as McWillie served as the designated hitter. The batter had one run and a hit with four at bats. In the second game, Saskatchewan met Alberta but fell 2-0. McWillie was the team’s pinch hitter having a single at bat.
Saskatchewan was back on the field Aug. 4 as it took on Ontario. Down 5-0 after four, Saskatchewan scored five in the fifth but gave up a run in the ninth to fall 6-5. McWilllie had three at bats with one RBI.
With a 1-2 record, Saskatchewan faced B.C. Aug. 5 and McWillie was given the nod to pitch. Tyler went five innings, giving up five hits and six runs with one strike out. However, the club dropped the game 10-4.
Down but not out, Saskatchewan began to turn the corner as it beat Alberta 7-3 in its next game to improve to 2-3. McWillie who was playing third base also had a hit and one RBI in the game.
Entering Saturday’s action, Saskatchewan continued to heat up, beating Ontario 6-2 to even its record at 3-3. Tyler had three at bats and recorded one hit and a RBI.
Sitting with a record of 3-3, Saskatchewan headed into the final day of the Baseball Canada Cup with some momentum.
“We were underdogs and no one expected anything out of us,” McWillie said. “We just went off in the last half of the round robin.”
On a winning streak, Saskatchewan met Quebec in the semifinal Aug. 7 in what would be an epic comeback for the prairie team. Quebec roared out of the gates as they scored seven runs in the first and one in the second to go up by eight. However, the resilient bunch from Saskatchewan began chipping away and they put two runs on the board in the third, fourth and sixth innings. The team was not finished there as Saskatchewan added four more in the seventh and pushed the game into extra innings.
The 17 hit barrage helped Saskatchewan reach extra innings and after a walk and single in the 11th inning, an error allowed Saskatchewan to score and advance to the Baseball Canada Cup final with a big 11-10 victory.
“Some of us definitely thought we were kind of out of it but we kept grinding,” said McWillie. “We got a couple of runs here and there and then a big inning in the seventh. That was crazy.”
McWillie and Saskatchewan met B.C. in the gold medal game and the son of Norm and Renai said the team felt it had a good chance of winning.
In the game, B.C. struck first taking a 1-0 lead but that was short-lived as Saskatchewan tied the contest in the second. McWillie added a two RBI single in the top of the sixth which eventually proved to be the difference as Saskatchewan went on to win 6-1 to take gold.
“It is still kind of sinking in. No one expected anything,” said McWillie of their chances at the tournament. “We just played loose and had fun and that worked out for us.”
This was just the second time in the event’s 28 year history and the first time since 1994 that team Saskatchewan captured the Baseball Canada Cup. In fact, the last time the team won, McWillie was not born yet.
The ball player said the title is something special and a definite highlight for him.
While the win was tremendous, McWillie does not have too long to savour it as he and the team from Muenster are now headed to Sherbrooke, Que. for the Midget National Championships Aug. 18 to 22. The team’s first game is against Nova Scotia as the club takes on other provincial winning teams.
“We know we definitely have the talent so I think Saskatchewan can do it. We will see how it goes.”
Thinking that would be the final event of an already magical 2016, McWillie was just recently notified that he made the Saskatchewan/Manitoba team which will be competing at the Blue Jays Baseball Academy Tournament 12. The national amateur tournament at the Rogers Centre in Toronto takes place Sept. 14 to 19 with teams represented from across the country. The goal of the event is to provide a showcase opportunity for the best 160 amateur ball players born in Canada with college eligibility.
Asked if this has been a highlight year, McWillie said, “You can’t ask for much more.”
Daniel Bushman/TWM
This year has been nothing short of spectacular for Watrous’ Tyler McWillie. The ball player has not only pitched in to help his team win a provincial title but he was also named to team Saskatchewan who played at the Canada Cup. With his recent success he is also swinging towards a national title and will be attending a Blue Jays Academy Tournament later this year.
Playing AAA Midget baseball with the Muenster Red Sox, McWillie and the team competed in provincials July 21 to 24, winning the title. Along with a few other players from Muenster, Tyler was selected for Team Saskatchewan to play in the Baseball Canada Cup Aug. 3 to 8 in Fort McMurray, Alta.
In the team’s opening game Aug. 3 in Fort McMurray, Saskatchewan beat B.C. 8-0 as McWillie served as the designated hitter. The batter had one run and a hit with four at bats. In the second game, Saskatchewan met Alberta but fell 2-0. McWillie was the team’s pinch hitter having a single at bat.
Saskatchewan was back on the field Aug. 4 as it took on Ontario. Down 5-0 after four, Saskatchewan scored five in the fifth but gave up a run in the ninth to fall 6-5. McWilllie had three at bats with one RBI.
With a 1-2 record, Saskatchewan faced B.C. Aug. 5 and McWillie was given the nod to pitch. Tyler went five innings, giving up five hits and six runs with one strike out. However, the club dropped the game 10-4.
Down but not out, Saskatchewan began to turn the corner as it beat Alberta 7-3 in its next game to improve to 2-3. McWillie who was playing third base also had a hit and one RBI in the game.
Entering Saturday’s action, Saskatchewan continued to heat up, beating Ontario 6-2 to even its record at 3-3. Tyler had three at bats and recorded one hit and a RBI.
Sitting with a record of 3-3, Saskatchewan headed into the final day of the Baseball Canada Cup with some momentum.
“We were underdogs and no one expected anything out of us,” McWillie said. “We just went off in the last half of the round robin.”
On a winning streak, Saskatchewan met Quebec in the semifinal Aug. 7 in what would be an epic comeback for the prairie team. Quebec roared out of the gates as they scored seven runs in the first and one in the second to go up by eight. However, the resilient bunch from Saskatchewan began chipping away and they put two runs on the board in the third, fourth and sixth innings. The team was not finished there as Saskatchewan added four more in the seventh and pushed the game into extra innings.
The 17 hit barrage helped Saskatchewan reach extra innings and after a walk and single in the 11th inning, an error allowed Saskatchewan to score and advance to the Baseball Canada Cup final with a big 11-10 victory.
“Some of us definitely thought we were kind of out of it but we kept grinding,” said McWillie. “We got a couple of runs here and there and then a big inning in the seventh. That was crazy.”
McWillie and Saskatchewan met B.C. in the gold medal game and the son of Norm and Renai said the team felt it had a good chance of winning.
In the game, B.C. struck first taking a 1-0 lead but that was short-lived as Saskatchewan tied the contest in the second. McWillie added a two RBI single in the top of the sixth which eventually proved to be the difference as Saskatchewan went on to win 6-1 to take gold.
“It is still kind of sinking in. No one expected anything,” said McWillie of their chances at the tournament. “We just played loose and had fun and that worked out for us.”
This was just the second time in the event’s 28 year history and the first time since 1994 that team Saskatchewan captured the Baseball Canada Cup. In fact, the last time the team won, McWillie was not born yet.
The ball player said the title is something special and a definite highlight for him.
While the win was tremendous, McWillie does not have too long to savour it as he and the team from Muenster are now headed to Sherbrooke, Que. for the Midget National Championships Aug. 18 to 22. The team’s first game is against Nova Scotia as the club takes on other provincial winning teams.
“We know we definitely have the talent so I think Saskatchewan can do it. We will see how it goes.”
Thinking that would be the final event of an already magical 2016, McWillie was just recently notified that he made the Saskatchewan/Manitoba team which will be competing at the Blue Jays Baseball Academy Tournament 12. The national amateur tournament at the Rogers Centre in Toronto takes place Sept. 14 to 19 with teams represented from across the country. The goal of the event is to provide a showcase opportunity for the best 160 amateur ball players born in Canada with college eligibility.
Asked if this has been a highlight year, McWillie said, “You can’t ask for much more.”
TWM Top Story - Aug. 8, 2016
Manitou Beach election held as water levels a focus
Daniel Bushman/TWM
A new mayor and four councillors were elected at Manitou Beach as residents cast their votes during the resort community’s July 30 election. While some faces are familiar, others are joining council for the first time.
After previous mayor Eric Upshall decided not to run this time around, former councillor Gerry Worobec (pictured) put his name forward and was elected for the mayoral position.
Joining the Manitou Beach resident on council are returnees Larry Zemlak and Chris Moffatt and newcomers Laurie Bzdel and Douglas Guenther.
The Watrous Manitou spoke to Worobec on his appointment and Gerry said he appreciated those who put their trust in him and elected him as mayor.
“I hope I am worthy of your trust and I am hoping to strive to take care of not just the larger tasks at hand but the little stuff too.”
This is not Worobec’s first time as mayor as the barber also wore that hat after being a councillor in the 1990s. After stepping away from the political ring for a few years, Gerry elected to hop back in and was most recently a councillor at the resort community before getting the mayoral job.
“Including my most recent term, I have served about 16 years on council at Manitou Beach.”
During his time on council, Worobec noted the water levels at the beach have continued to increase. The mayor said he wants to keep pushing for a solution to see those levels drop.
Worobec said he recently had a good meeting with provincial Ministry of Environment minister Herb Cox who saw firsthand what the water levels looked like.
“He came out on his own and we made a presentation to him. We took him for a drive at the beach, stopping at key stops to show him how bad the water levels have gotten.”
Currently there is a proposal floating around that would see the berms along the shoreline increased by one metre. Worobec said the resort community would much rather prefer another route or some type of compromise.
“We hope that there will eventually be a water diversion project done. The water levels are 2 and 1/2 metres above where they normally should be and the rains we had a few weeks ago increased the lake levels by five inches. This is a serious concern.”
While the levels remain increasingly high, Worobec said they will also focus on other projects and successful events with hopes of continuing to attract visitors and potential residents to the area.
“We just have to keep going on other projects.”
As the new council begins its journey, Worobec wanted to welcome the four councillors and appreciated them for letting their names stand.
The mayor also added that he looks forward to working with Watrous Mayor Ed Collins and the town of Watrous to come up with new and innovative ideas to stimulate both communities.
Daniel Bushman/TWM
A new mayor and four councillors were elected at Manitou Beach as residents cast their votes during the resort community’s July 30 election. While some faces are familiar, others are joining council for the first time.
After previous mayor Eric Upshall decided not to run this time around, former councillor Gerry Worobec (pictured) put his name forward and was elected for the mayoral position.
Joining the Manitou Beach resident on council are returnees Larry Zemlak and Chris Moffatt and newcomers Laurie Bzdel and Douglas Guenther.
The Watrous Manitou spoke to Worobec on his appointment and Gerry said he appreciated those who put their trust in him and elected him as mayor.
“I hope I am worthy of your trust and I am hoping to strive to take care of not just the larger tasks at hand but the little stuff too.”
This is not Worobec’s first time as mayor as the barber also wore that hat after being a councillor in the 1990s. After stepping away from the political ring for a few years, Gerry elected to hop back in and was most recently a councillor at the resort community before getting the mayoral job.
“Including my most recent term, I have served about 16 years on council at Manitou Beach.”
During his time on council, Worobec noted the water levels at the beach have continued to increase. The mayor said he wants to keep pushing for a solution to see those levels drop.
Worobec said he recently had a good meeting with provincial Ministry of Environment minister Herb Cox who saw firsthand what the water levels looked like.
“He came out on his own and we made a presentation to him. We took him for a drive at the beach, stopping at key stops to show him how bad the water levels have gotten.”
Currently there is a proposal floating around that would see the berms along the shoreline increased by one metre. Worobec said the resort community would much rather prefer another route or some type of compromise.
“We hope that there will eventually be a water diversion project done. The water levels are 2 and 1/2 metres above where they normally should be and the rains we had a few weeks ago increased the lake levels by five inches. This is a serious concern.”
While the levels remain increasingly high, Worobec said they will also focus on other projects and successful events with hopes of continuing to attract visitors and potential residents to the area.
“We just have to keep going on other projects.”
As the new council begins its journey, Worobec wanted to welcome the four councillors and appreciated them for letting their names stand.
The mayor also added that he looks forward to working with Watrous Mayor Ed Collins and the town of Watrous to come up with new and innovative ideas to stimulate both communities.
TWM Top Story - Aug. 1, 2016
Heavy rains cause flooding in July
Daniel Bushman/TWM
After a relatively quiet start to the summer season, active weather and torrential rains blasted through July. As funnel clouds developed frequently within the area, it was a few heavy downpours that really caused problems this past month.
On July 11, under a rainfall warning issued by Environment Canada, buckets of rain fell from the sky as streets, yards and basements in Watrous filled with water. In Manitou Beach, a funnel cloud was spotted by residents that same afternoon. Due to the excessive precipitation, the road near Danceland had to be dug out to allow rushing water from Wellington Creek to head into an already high lake.
Environment Canada said a slow-moving low pressure system gave anywhere from 50 to over 100 mm of rain in some areas of central and southern parts of the province. Those living in or around Watrous experienced anywhere from 80 to over 100 mm of rain between July 11 to 13.
Other places like Holdfast saw 99 mm and the Last Mountain area had 44 mm of rainfall.
“It has been a real soggy July,” said Environment Canada’s David Phillips. “Maybe it was a good thing coming into July that it was a little drier. Precipitation from April, May and June was only about two-thirds of what you would normally get.”
Despite feeling the brunt of the low pressure system, the area continued to experience active weather. Another funnel cloud was spotted, this time around Watrous later in the afternoon July 16. Then a few days later, more rain blasted communities and farms. With mammatus clouds hovering overhead, an intense storm rolled through the area July 19. A tornado was also reported near Davidson that evening and power was knocked out to several communities including Imperial, Holdfast, Liberty and the surrounding area.
As more severe thunderstorm watches were issued following the July 19 event, it was not until July 23 that the area had another heavy rainfall. During the 25th annual Watrous Fun Run Auto Show and Shine, the rain came roaring down from the sky. Filling the streets and flooding basements once again, water pooled together as the morning progressed.
There were also reports of hail south of Watrous and by the time the afternoon arrived, the rain moved along but the damage had been done.
Phillips said while June is often the wettest month, this July turned out to be the second wettest month in history with records going back to 1953. “You had 183.5 mm of rain (over seven inches) where normally it would be 51 mm. You got a lot of rain in short periods of time. In fact there were three days where there was more than 25 mm of rain. You would normally see maybe one of those every two years (but) you had three of them.”
With flooding in the area during both heavy rainfalls, Watrous Mayor Ed Collins heard over 50 homes were affected with varying degrees of water seepage or sewer backup. Collins said the town applied for provincial assistance and got approved for that. “People that don’t have insurance will be able to claim to the provincial government. It is unfortunate for those who got flooded,” said Collins who had water in his basement as well. “Hats off to our town crew as they were out and about and we had over ground pumping with Richardson who was here with trucks working late at night. We felt we did our due diligence reacting after it happened.”
With so much rainfall, a temporary flood recovery centre opened up to the public in Watrous last week to provide support and advice to residents of the community and RM of Morris. Government Relations Minister Jim Reiter said after consultations with local officials they decided to open a temporary Provincial Disaster Assistance Program flood recovery centre to offer support to those in the area who were affected by recent flooding.
Phillips said the active weather throughout the province in July contained everything from hail, heavy rains, strong winds, funnel clouds and tornadoes. “It was really a rock and rolling kind of month. We know that July can often be the peak month for hail and tornadoes and heavy doses of rain. It is often the warmest month and when the crops are growing feverishly like they have been then there is a lot of added moisture to the air. That can sometimes be just enough to trigger these things off.”
Watrous Ministry of Agriculture Regional Crops Specialist Cory Jacob said with the large amount of rainfall, fields are stressed and full of water, especially in lower spots. “It is the low spots that have water and if the crop is not dead it is going to likely die from getting water logged for a period of time. But aside from that, we are going to see pretty good crops.”
Jacob calculated just over seven inches of rain in two weeks and said it was too much for the area in such a short period of time.
With that active weather rolling through Saskatchewan, Jacob some local fields received pea-sized hail. Besides the water issues, Jacob said some lodging has really shown up in the cereals. “It just depends if the crops stand back up or not.”
Moving into August, Jacob said hopefully the rain stops and insect and disease issues will stay away. “It looks like we will have an above-average crop and I wish the growers a good harvest. Don’t despair, if producers are losing some acres or yield, it is the way Mother Nature is. There is still the potential in isolated areas to have a bumper crop but probably it will average out to more of an above-average crop. The canola still looks good but the pulses are probably the worst affected by this rain.”
While it can be tough predicting when and how much rain will arrive in any given month, Phillips said when it comes to temperatures, their models are showing warmer than normal values for August.
Daniel Bushman/TWM
After a relatively quiet start to the summer season, active weather and torrential rains blasted through July. As funnel clouds developed frequently within the area, it was a few heavy downpours that really caused problems this past month.
On July 11, under a rainfall warning issued by Environment Canada, buckets of rain fell from the sky as streets, yards and basements in Watrous filled with water. In Manitou Beach, a funnel cloud was spotted by residents that same afternoon. Due to the excessive precipitation, the road near Danceland had to be dug out to allow rushing water from Wellington Creek to head into an already high lake.
Environment Canada said a slow-moving low pressure system gave anywhere from 50 to over 100 mm of rain in some areas of central and southern parts of the province. Those living in or around Watrous experienced anywhere from 80 to over 100 mm of rain between July 11 to 13.
Other places like Holdfast saw 99 mm and the Last Mountain area had 44 mm of rainfall.
“It has been a real soggy July,” said Environment Canada’s David Phillips. “Maybe it was a good thing coming into July that it was a little drier. Precipitation from April, May and June was only about two-thirds of what you would normally get.”
Despite feeling the brunt of the low pressure system, the area continued to experience active weather. Another funnel cloud was spotted, this time around Watrous later in the afternoon July 16. Then a few days later, more rain blasted communities and farms. With mammatus clouds hovering overhead, an intense storm rolled through the area July 19. A tornado was also reported near Davidson that evening and power was knocked out to several communities including Imperial, Holdfast, Liberty and the surrounding area.
As more severe thunderstorm watches were issued following the July 19 event, it was not until July 23 that the area had another heavy rainfall. During the 25th annual Watrous Fun Run Auto Show and Shine, the rain came roaring down from the sky. Filling the streets and flooding basements once again, water pooled together as the morning progressed.
There were also reports of hail south of Watrous and by the time the afternoon arrived, the rain moved along but the damage had been done.
Phillips said while June is often the wettest month, this July turned out to be the second wettest month in history with records going back to 1953. “You had 183.5 mm of rain (over seven inches) where normally it would be 51 mm. You got a lot of rain in short periods of time. In fact there were three days where there was more than 25 mm of rain. You would normally see maybe one of those every two years (but) you had three of them.”
With flooding in the area during both heavy rainfalls, Watrous Mayor Ed Collins heard over 50 homes were affected with varying degrees of water seepage or sewer backup. Collins said the town applied for provincial assistance and got approved for that. “People that don’t have insurance will be able to claim to the provincial government. It is unfortunate for those who got flooded,” said Collins who had water in his basement as well. “Hats off to our town crew as they were out and about and we had over ground pumping with Richardson who was here with trucks working late at night. We felt we did our due diligence reacting after it happened.”
With so much rainfall, a temporary flood recovery centre opened up to the public in Watrous last week to provide support and advice to residents of the community and RM of Morris. Government Relations Minister Jim Reiter said after consultations with local officials they decided to open a temporary Provincial Disaster Assistance Program flood recovery centre to offer support to those in the area who were affected by recent flooding.
Phillips said the active weather throughout the province in July contained everything from hail, heavy rains, strong winds, funnel clouds and tornadoes. “It was really a rock and rolling kind of month. We know that July can often be the peak month for hail and tornadoes and heavy doses of rain. It is often the warmest month and when the crops are growing feverishly like they have been then there is a lot of added moisture to the air. That can sometimes be just enough to trigger these things off.”
Watrous Ministry of Agriculture Regional Crops Specialist Cory Jacob said with the large amount of rainfall, fields are stressed and full of water, especially in lower spots. “It is the low spots that have water and if the crop is not dead it is going to likely die from getting water logged for a period of time. But aside from that, we are going to see pretty good crops.”
Jacob calculated just over seven inches of rain in two weeks and said it was too much for the area in such a short period of time.
With that active weather rolling through Saskatchewan, Jacob some local fields received pea-sized hail. Besides the water issues, Jacob said some lodging has really shown up in the cereals. “It just depends if the crops stand back up or not.”
Moving into August, Jacob said hopefully the rain stops and insect and disease issues will stay away. “It looks like we will have an above-average crop and I wish the growers a good harvest. Don’t despair, if producers are losing some acres or yield, it is the way Mother Nature is. There is still the potential in isolated areas to have a bumper crop but probably it will average out to more of an above-average crop. The canola still looks good but the pulses are probably the worst affected by this rain.”
While it can be tough predicting when and how much rain will arrive in any given month, Phillips said when it comes to temperatures, their models are showing warmer than normal values for August.
TWM Top Story - July 11, 2016
Storm season arrives as SaskPower looks to repair Watrous substation
Daniel Bushman
Lightning, hail, funnel clouds (including one east of Watrous July 7), a handful of tornadoes and power outages have been themes throughout parts of Saskatchewan this July. On the same day as a funnel cloud was spotted east of Watrous (pictured), Environment Canada said others were reported near Greenwater Lake, Govan and Yorkton areas. Environment Canada also confirmed a landspout tornado near Estevan July 7.
With the unpredictable weather, a few power outages have also occurred and SaskPower has plans to address the issues. Heather Johnson with SaskPower said crews had a busy weekend to kick off July courtesy of some active weather across the province.
“There were a number of weather-related outages (primarily lightning), including in Regina; Moose Jaw; the Turtleford, St. Walburg, Paradise Hill, Turtle Lake, Frenchman Butte area; Carivale, Carnduff and surrounding area; Elbow and area; Davidson; and Wilcox area.”
Locally the lights went out just before midnight July 3 affecting Watrous, Simpson, Imperial, Manitou Beach, Liberty, Penzance, Holdfast and the surrounding areas.
“The cause was downed poles because of the weather, and about 500 customers were impacted. Power was fully restored shortly after 11 a.m. (July 4) Some customers may have been restored sooner due to the nature of the repair work and whether or not it was possible to switch some areas to other lines while the work was being done.”
Johnson added crews had to deal with over two inches of rain, bringing in track machines to get access to the poles that needed to be repaired and replaced.
With the numerous unplanned power outages recently taking place in and around the Watrous area, Johnson said while some cannot necessarily be totally prevented, SaskPower is working on short- and long-term plans to improve the reliability to customers served by the Watrous substation.
“Within the next two weeks or so, SaskPower will be replacing all the breakers and line protection in the substation with new, more reliable equipment. In the longer-term (June 2017), we’re planning to decommission the existing substation and build a new modular substation to serve the customers in the area.”
Johnson said over the past five years, 34 percent of unplanned SaskPower outages have been caused by aging infrastructure. In addition, 31 percent are caused by the weather/environment, another 31 percent by nature like trees, birds and animals and the remaining four percent accidental contact like vehicles or vandalism.
Being storm season in Saskatchewan Johnson said there are steps people can take to stay safe and prepared.
For more on how to be prepared and what to put in an outage kit, people can visit www.saskpower.com.
Daniel Bushman
Lightning, hail, funnel clouds (including one east of Watrous July 7), a handful of tornadoes and power outages have been themes throughout parts of Saskatchewan this July. On the same day as a funnel cloud was spotted east of Watrous (pictured), Environment Canada said others were reported near Greenwater Lake, Govan and Yorkton areas. Environment Canada also confirmed a landspout tornado near Estevan July 7.
With the unpredictable weather, a few power outages have also occurred and SaskPower has plans to address the issues. Heather Johnson with SaskPower said crews had a busy weekend to kick off July courtesy of some active weather across the province.
“There were a number of weather-related outages (primarily lightning), including in Regina; Moose Jaw; the Turtleford, St. Walburg, Paradise Hill, Turtle Lake, Frenchman Butte area; Carivale, Carnduff and surrounding area; Elbow and area; Davidson; and Wilcox area.”
Locally the lights went out just before midnight July 3 affecting Watrous, Simpson, Imperial, Manitou Beach, Liberty, Penzance, Holdfast and the surrounding areas.
“The cause was downed poles because of the weather, and about 500 customers were impacted. Power was fully restored shortly after 11 a.m. (July 4) Some customers may have been restored sooner due to the nature of the repair work and whether or not it was possible to switch some areas to other lines while the work was being done.”
Johnson added crews had to deal with over two inches of rain, bringing in track machines to get access to the poles that needed to be repaired and replaced.
With the numerous unplanned power outages recently taking place in and around the Watrous area, Johnson said while some cannot necessarily be totally prevented, SaskPower is working on short- and long-term plans to improve the reliability to customers served by the Watrous substation.
“Within the next two weeks or so, SaskPower will be replacing all the breakers and line protection in the substation with new, more reliable equipment. In the longer-term (June 2017), we’re planning to decommission the existing substation and build a new modular substation to serve the customers in the area.”
Johnson said over the past five years, 34 percent of unplanned SaskPower outages have been caused by aging infrastructure. In addition, 31 percent are caused by the weather/environment, another 31 percent by nature like trees, birds and animals and the remaining four percent accidental contact like vehicles or vandalism.
Being storm season in Saskatchewan Johnson said there are steps people can take to stay safe and prepared.
For more on how to be prepared and what to put in an outage kit, people can visit www.saskpower.com.
TWM Top Story - July 4, 2016
Ingram's name called at NHL draft
Daniel Bushman/TWM
(photo credit Kelvin Harrison)
The 2016 NHL entry draft will be one to remember for Connor Ingram and his family as the netminder’s name was called during the third round of this year’s draft. With the 88th overall pick, the Tampa Bay Lightning selected the former Long Lake Lightning goaltender.
The Imperial native who now plays for the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League was the eighth netminder chosen during the draft June 25 and second from the WHL. Ingram opted not to attend the draft in Buffalo this year and instead spent some time in Kamloops.
One of 34 WHL players selected in this year’s draft, Ingram was on a plane ready to take off for Saskatoon to play his dad in a round of golf when he found out the Lightning selected him. The goalie told Marty Hastings of Kamloops This Week that he received a call from a number he did not have on his phone which turned out to be Ingram’s agent saying Tampa drafted him.
On Tampa Bay’s website, Lightning director of amateur scouting Al Murray said that when Ingram was available when Tampa was on the clock in the third round with its 88th overall pick, they struck quickly.
“We’ll have four goalies that we like at our development camp that can play but Connor Ingram, he was our top-ranked goalie, so we liked Connor. There were a couple other guys right beside him that went earlier, so it was a very easy choice at that time that he was the top guy on our board and he was a goalie that we really liked. He went to the Hockey Canada goalie camp about two weeks ago, and Dave Alexander, our goalie coach for Syracuse was there, worked with all those goalies and came back with rave reviews on Connor. He really liked him during the season, and he confirmed a lot of the things that we felt.”
Letting the feeling of being drafted to the NHL sink in, Connor tweeted out, “This feeling is surreal. Thanks to everyone who helped me along the way, wouldn’t be here without you. Can’t thank the @TBLightning enough for this opportunity. Forever grateful.”
Connor’s parents, Joni and Brent were camping at Douglas Provincial Park during the draft and had to deal with bad phone reception and buckets of rain.
With previous plans to play golf with his dad, Connor also text to see if his mom would like to accompany Brent to Saskatoon Saturday. Sensing there could be something up, Joni obliged and the pair got ready to go.
Since there was spotty reception at the park, their phones remained silent but once the Ingrams began venturing towards Saskatoon, Brent’s phone started going off. An earlier text from Connor informed Brent that his son’s plane had been delayed a few hours in Kamloops.
“It was absolutely pouring so we decided to come back to the trailer just for a half hour or so and that is when we got the news from Connor’s agent,” said Joni.
With the rain pouring and not being able to hear the voice on the other end, Joni said they asked Connor’s agent a few times to repeat what he was saying. When they were able to make out what their son’s agent was saying, they could not believe it.
Hearing that his son was drafted, Brent said it was really exciting. “I think it is kind of an affirmation for him with all the time that he has put in playing. He loves that sport and loves that game and there were times I think when he was young and playing where he didn’t make a team here or didn’t make a team there but he stuck with it and kept working hard. It came to bear fruit for him Saturday. It was kind of unique.”
Getting selected in the third round of the NHL entry draft was even more icing on the cake for Ingram as he had quite the month. Earlier in June he attended team Canada’s National Junior Team development camp and will be doing so again later this month in Toronto for a chance to represent his country at the World Junior Championships in December.
“He has had a busy June,” said Brent. “He thought he was just going to train all June then all of the sudden he was in Calgary for three or four days then he scooted out to Kamloops to do some more training and see his goalie coach then all of the sudden he is back to Saskatchewan for two days and gone to Tampa Bay.”
Ingram joined other prospects of the Tampa Bay Lightning last week for the team’s annual Development Camp. The roster consisted of a total of 33 players: 21 forwards, eight defencemen and four goaltenders.
“We are very excited,” said Joni of how this year has gone for Connor.
“So many kids work so hard and going through bantam hockey and not being drafted into the WHL . . . We are very excited,” added Brent.
Once the busy netminder returns from Tampa Bay, TWM will have more with Connor and his unbelievable summer.
Daniel Bushman/TWM
(photo credit Kelvin Harrison)
The 2016 NHL entry draft will be one to remember for Connor Ingram and his family as the netminder’s name was called during the third round of this year’s draft. With the 88th overall pick, the Tampa Bay Lightning selected the former Long Lake Lightning goaltender.
The Imperial native who now plays for the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League was the eighth netminder chosen during the draft June 25 and second from the WHL. Ingram opted not to attend the draft in Buffalo this year and instead spent some time in Kamloops.
One of 34 WHL players selected in this year’s draft, Ingram was on a plane ready to take off for Saskatoon to play his dad in a round of golf when he found out the Lightning selected him. The goalie told Marty Hastings of Kamloops This Week that he received a call from a number he did not have on his phone which turned out to be Ingram’s agent saying Tampa drafted him.
On Tampa Bay’s website, Lightning director of amateur scouting Al Murray said that when Ingram was available when Tampa was on the clock in the third round with its 88th overall pick, they struck quickly.
“We’ll have four goalies that we like at our development camp that can play but Connor Ingram, he was our top-ranked goalie, so we liked Connor. There were a couple other guys right beside him that went earlier, so it was a very easy choice at that time that he was the top guy on our board and he was a goalie that we really liked. He went to the Hockey Canada goalie camp about two weeks ago, and Dave Alexander, our goalie coach for Syracuse was there, worked with all those goalies and came back with rave reviews on Connor. He really liked him during the season, and he confirmed a lot of the things that we felt.”
Letting the feeling of being drafted to the NHL sink in, Connor tweeted out, “This feeling is surreal. Thanks to everyone who helped me along the way, wouldn’t be here without you. Can’t thank the @TBLightning enough for this opportunity. Forever grateful.”
Connor’s parents, Joni and Brent were camping at Douglas Provincial Park during the draft and had to deal with bad phone reception and buckets of rain.
With previous plans to play golf with his dad, Connor also text to see if his mom would like to accompany Brent to Saskatoon Saturday. Sensing there could be something up, Joni obliged and the pair got ready to go.
Since there was spotty reception at the park, their phones remained silent but once the Ingrams began venturing towards Saskatoon, Brent’s phone started going off. An earlier text from Connor informed Brent that his son’s plane had been delayed a few hours in Kamloops.
“It was absolutely pouring so we decided to come back to the trailer just for a half hour or so and that is when we got the news from Connor’s agent,” said Joni.
With the rain pouring and not being able to hear the voice on the other end, Joni said they asked Connor’s agent a few times to repeat what he was saying. When they were able to make out what their son’s agent was saying, they could not believe it.
Hearing that his son was drafted, Brent said it was really exciting. “I think it is kind of an affirmation for him with all the time that he has put in playing. He loves that sport and loves that game and there were times I think when he was young and playing where he didn’t make a team here or didn’t make a team there but he stuck with it and kept working hard. It came to bear fruit for him Saturday. It was kind of unique.”
Getting selected in the third round of the NHL entry draft was even more icing on the cake for Ingram as he had quite the month. Earlier in June he attended team Canada’s National Junior Team development camp and will be doing so again later this month in Toronto for a chance to represent his country at the World Junior Championships in December.
“He has had a busy June,” said Brent. “He thought he was just going to train all June then all of the sudden he was in Calgary for three or four days then he scooted out to Kamloops to do some more training and see his goalie coach then all of the sudden he is back to Saskatchewan for two days and gone to Tampa Bay.”
Ingram joined other prospects of the Tampa Bay Lightning last week for the team’s annual Development Camp. The roster consisted of a total of 33 players: 21 forwards, eight defencemen and four goaltenders.
“We are very excited,” said Joni of how this year has gone for Connor.
“So many kids work so hard and going through bantam hockey and not being drafted into the WHL . . . We are very excited,” added Brent.
Once the busy netminder returns from Tampa Bay, TWM will have more with Connor and his unbelievable summer.
TWM Top Story - June 27, 2016
Canada Post work disruption could still occur
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Entering the final week of June, the potential for a Canada Post work disruption at the start of July still remains. Barring some type of deal after press time, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) remains without a new collective agreement for its urban and RSMC members. If no deal is reached this week then a potential work disruption could take place starting July 2.
In the June 20 edition of TWM, National President of CUPW Mike Palecek said come July 2 the union would be in a position to strike or be locked out by Canada Post which could result in a complete shutdown. That would mean people will have no choice but to wait until the dispute ends before mail delivery resumes.
If there is a work disruption, deals were made that would see pension and social assistance cheques delivered in addition to ensuring live animals are not trapped in the mail system as they were in 2011.
While CUPW could be locked out or opt to strike, smaller centres like Watrous for example fall under the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association (CPAA). National President of the CPAA Brenda McAuley said they are a non-striking union. “From the early days of the association being formed our members overwhelmingly voted in favour of final selection arbitration instead of striking.”
McAuley said if a work disruption occurs, for CPAA members it will be business as usual. “The doors to our offices will be open and we are able to sell all our retail products (like) stamps, coins, money grams, money orders, etc. However, there will be no mail going out or parcels.”
McAuley added it is CPAA’s understanding that no mail will be inducted from the mail processing plant. “Canada Post has a policy to not accept mail whether it be local or out of community. Our association is grateful to know that pensioners and those living on low incomes will not suffer during this potential strike or lock-out. Both urban and rural postal workers (that work in some of the 3,260 CPAA offices) have an agreement with the corporation to continue to deliver pension and social assistance cheques, and have further committed to ensuring no live animals get caught in the mail if there is a shutdown due to a labour dispute.”
In the June 20 edition of TWM, Canada Post spokesperson Mouktar Abdillahi said, “Canada Post understands the importance of the service we provide, and we’ve been working hard since negotiations started in late 2015 to get a deal that is fair to our employees, recognizes the changes to our business and the evolving needs of our customers. As we are in conciliation, no legal work disruption can occur until the end of June. Canada Post is committed to keep customers informed throughout the process of labour negotiations so they can prepare accordingly.”
If a work disruption does indeed go ahead and newspapers are unable to be delivered, they can be picked up during the week at the Watrous Manitou at 309 Main Street in Watrous or readers can go online to read it.
People can access the online edition if the work disruption is implemented by visiting www.twmnews.com. From there they can click the ‘Online Subscription’ tab and enter the password: mail
If subscribers have any questions regarding the online subscription they can contact our office at 306-946-3343.
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Entering the final week of June, the potential for a Canada Post work disruption at the start of July still remains. Barring some type of deal after press time, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) remains without a new collective agreement for its urban and RSMC members. If no deal is reached this week then a potential work disruption could take place starting July 2.
In the June 20 edition of TWM, National President of CUPW Mike Palecek said come July 2 the union would be in a position to strike or be locked out by Canada Post which could result in a complete shutdown. That would mean people will have no choice but to wait until the dispute ends before mail delivery resumes.
If there is a work disruption, deals were made that would see pension and social assistance cheques delivered in addition to ensuring live animals are not trapped in the mail system as they were in 2011.
While CUPW could be locked out or opt to strike, smaller centres like Watrous for example fall under the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association (CPAA). National President of the CPAA Brenda McAuley said they are a non-striking union. “From the early days of the association being formed our members overwhelmingly voted in favour of final selection arbitration instead of striking.”
McAuley said if a work disruption occurs, for CPAA members it will be business as usual. “The doors to our offices will be open and we are able to sell all our retail products (like) stamps, coins, money grams, money orders, etc. However, there will be no mail going out or parcels.”
McAuley added it is CPAA’s understanding that no mail will be inducted from the mail processing plant. “Canada Post has a policy to not accept mail whether it be local or out of community. Our association is grateful to know that pensioners and those living on low incomes will not suffer during this potential strike or lock-out. Both urban and rural postal workers (that work in some of the 3,260 CPAA offices) have an agreement with the corporation to continue to deliver pension and social assistance cheques, and have further committed to ensuring no live animals get caught in the mail if there is a shutdown due to a labour dispute.”
In the June 20 edition of TWM, Canada Post spokesperson Mouktar Abdillahi said, “Canada Post understands the importance of the service we provide, and we’ve been working hard since negotiations started in late 2015 to get a deal that is fair to our employees, recognizes the changes to our business and the evolving needs of our customers. As we are in conciliation, no legal work disruption can occur until the end of June. Canada Post is committed to keep customers informed throughout the process of labour negotiations so they can prepare accordingly.”
If a work disruption does indeed go ahead and newspapers are unable to be delivered, they can be picked up during the week at the Watrous Manitou at 309 Main Street in Watrous or readers can go online to read it.
People can access the online edition if the work disruption is implemented by visiting www.twmnews.com. From there they can click the ‘Online Subscription’ tab and enter the password: mail
If subscribers have any questions regarding the online subscription they can contact our office at 306-946-3343.
TWM Top Stories - June 20, 2016
Arrest made in Carlson case
On Friday afternoon, June 17 the RCMP made an arrest near Moose Jaw in relation to an eight-year old homicide investigation. Taylor Wolff from Saskatoon has been charged with one count of second degree murder (section 235 of the Criminal Code) in the death of James Carlson of Watrous. Wolff, who is 31 years old is appearing in Saskatoon Provincial Court Monday, June 20. Inspector Karen Munro, “F” Division RCMP said, “It is because of the persistence and dedication of the investigators involved that charges were laid. In these types of situations, our hope is always to bring some closure for families, so they can say goodbye to their loved ones.” In 2008, Carlson disappeared from the Watrous area under suspicious circumstances. On May 14, 2008 James was working at a Watrous area farm during the day. He made an appointment to do work at another farm the following day. Between 7 and 8 p.m. that evening, James went to Video Stop and this is believed to be the last confirmed sighting of James. Five days later, James’ work truck and all his work tools were located abandoned in a field near Allan. The following day, his residence on 4th Ave. E. in Watrous was examined by the RCMP Forensic Identification Section. This examination revealed evidence to support the belief that James Carlson was murdered. In May, 2010, James’ white Monte Carlo was located concealed on a secluded rural property near Rosthern. It was reported to police by the land owner who advised the car was sitting abandoned in the location for two years. Over the years, tips from the public have been received and extensive searches conducted around the Watrous, Imperial and Holdfast areas. Farm land, rock piles, bush areas, bodies of water and wells have been examined. In 2013, the RCMP Historical Case Unit created a YouTube video revealing details of the James Carlson investigation and asked farmers and land owners to check for any sign of James Carlson’s remains or any indication of suspicious activity. James has not been located to date.
On Friday afternoon, June 17 the RCMP made an arrest near Moose Jaw in relation to an eight-year old homicide investigation. Taylor Wolff from Saskatoon has been charged with one count of second degree murder (section 235 of the Criminal Code) in the death of James Carlson of Watrous. Wolff, who is 31 years old is appearing in Saskatoon Provincial Court Monday, June 20. Inspector Karen Munro, “F” Division RCMP said, “It is because of the persistence and dedication of the investigators involved that charges were laid. In these types of situations, our hope is always to bring some closure for families, so they can say goodbye to their loved ones.” In 2008, Carlson disappeared from the Watrous area under suspicious circumstances. On May 14, 2008 James was working at a Watrous area farm during the day. He made an appointment to do work at another farm the following day. Between 7 and 8 p.m. that evening, James went to Video Stop and this is believed to be the last confirmed sighting of James. Five days later, James’ work truck and all his work tools were located abandoned in a field near Allan. The following day, his residence on 4th Ave. E. in Watrous was examined by the RCMP Forensic Identification Section. This examination revealed evidence to support the belief that James Carlson was murdered. In May, 2010, James’ white Monte Carlo was located concealed on a secluded rural property near Rosthern. It was reported to police by the land owner who advised the car was sitting abandoned in the location for two years. Over the years, tips from the public have been received and extensive searches conducted around the Watrous, Imperial and Holdfast areas. Farm land, rock piles, bush areas, bodies of water and wells have been examined. In 2013, the RCMP Historical Case Unit created a YouTube video revealing details of the James Carlson investigation and asked farmers and land owners to check for any sign of James Carlson’s remains or any indication of suspicious activity. James has not been located to date.
Road work underway in Watrous
Daniel Bushman/TWM
With nice weather, road crews in Watrous have been busy as the construction season ramps up. Watrous Town Administrator Orrin Redden said various roads in the community will be worked on as the summer season moves along.
Some of the contracted maintenance is already completed as Redden said Diamond Asphalt finished crack sealing on various streets. A smaller paving crew was also brought in to do lots of the asphalt patches.
“We have had to do a lot more sewer service replacements the last couple of years and have now done most of our patching that we are planning to do this year.”
On the slate for late July is base work as crews will excavate and haul in the pit run and road based gravel on four or five blocks. One of those includes a well used road which runs through town.
The majority of base work has been done on 4th St. E. (Hospital Road) and sealed up. This year crews will work on a piece of that street from Hwy. 2 up to about 3rd Ave. (by the Mainline Motors Body Shop). “That will complete the base work on Hospital Road all the way from Hwy. 2 to Hwy. 365.”
Crews will also start base work to a block on 2nd St. W. between 2nd Ave. and 3rd Ave. In addition, on the 400 block of 4th Ave. E., local improvements are being done.
After experiencing issues with sewer services failing on that block, the town sent a camera down at each residence to see the condition of the pipes and replaced any sewer services that needed to be done.
With that work completed and barring a petition not to move forward with local improvements on that block, the town will have excavation for the proper base and new concrete curbs done. If no petition was brought forward this past weekend, that work would be done later on in July. Once started, it could take two weeks of continuous work before being completed.
Redden said they are also proposing base work and curb on a couple of other blocks on 1st St. W. from 3rd Ave. to 4th Ave. and from 5th Ave. to 6th Ave.
“That will complete 1st St. W., which will then have curb all the way from Hwy. 2 to 8th Ave. Essentially council has a prioritized plan for dealing with the streets,” Redden said. “The priority is working out from Main Street in terms of the curb work starting with 1st St. E. and 1st St. W. Some of them we are concentrating more on the base work but we are gradually getting to the curb work as well.”
In addition to the 400 block on 4th Ave. E., Redden said they hope to be doing the rest of the road work in late July and early August.
The town administrator said this year’s construction period will be a little bit busier in terms of the work they are undertaking from a base work perspective. “Council has increased their budget for this type of work recognizing largely the side streets. That work is not local improvements where the homeowners would participate but it is entirely out of the town’s operating budget. Council increased that budget significantly starting last year.”
In addition to that road work, Redden also touched on a few other items of note:
• ongoing updgrades to vehicles and equipment as the town added a street sweeper and a one ton to its fleet;
• a lot of drainage work that has been over the past few years is wrapping up. There is a bit of work left to do along Hwy. 365 near the water treatment plant. Most of it had to be excavated out but in that area crews will have to do some filling;
• the town has done more dust proofing than in the past on some side streets and in the industrial area;
• the town will be undertaking the replacement of a lot of street blade signs. Redden said they are doing a large number of them this year which are placed at various intersections; and
• improving signage around Kinsmen Park. Redden said there has been some concern about people not recognizing that the park is signed as a playground which would be no different than the school zone. Kinsmen Park may get overlooked a bit so the town is going to try and improve the signage there as well.
Daniel Bushman/TWM
With nice weather, road crews in Watrous have been busy as the construction season ramps up. Watrous Town Administrator Orrin Redden said various roads in the community will be worked on as the summer season moves along.
Some of the contracted maintenance is already completed as Redden said Diamond Asphalt finished crack sealing on various streets. A smaller paving crew was also brought in to do lots of the asphalt patches.
“We have had to do a lot more sewer service replacements the last couple of years and have now done most of our patching that we are planning to do this year.”
On the slate for late July is base work as crews will excavate and haul in the pit run and road based gravel on four or five blocks. One of those includes a well used road which runs through town.
The majority of base work has been done on 4th St. E. (Hospital Road) and sealed up. This year crews will work on a piece of that street from Hwy. 2 up to about 3rd Ave. (by the Mainline Motors Body Shop). “That will complete the base work on Hospital Road all the way from Hwy. 2 to Hwy. 365.”
Crews will also start base work to a block on 2nd St. W. between 2nd Ave. and 3rd Ave. In addition, on the 400 block of 4th Ave. E., local improvements are being done.
After experiencing issues with sewer services failing on that block, the town sent a camera down at each residence to see the condition of the pipes and replaced any sewer services that needed to be done.
With that work completed and barring a petition not to move forward with local improvements on that block, the town will have excavation for the proper base and new concrete curbs done. If no petition was brought forward this past weekend, that work would be done later on in July. Once started, it could take two weeks of continuous work before being completed.
Redden said they are also proposing base work and curb on a couple of other blocks on 1st St. W. from 3rd Ave. to 4th Ave. and from 5th Ave. to 6th Ave.
“That will complete 1st St. W., which will then have curb all the way from Hwy. 2 to 8th Ave. Essentially council has a prioritized plan for dealing with the streets,” Redden said. “The priority is working out from Main Street in terms of the curb work starting with 1st St. E. and 1st St. W. Some of them we are concentrating more on the base work but we are gradually getting to the curb work as well.”
In addition to the 400 block on 4th Ave. E., Redden said they hope to be doing the rest of the road work in late July and early August.
The town administrator said this year’s construction period will be a little bit busier in terms of the work they are undertaking from a base work perspective. “Council has increased their budget for this type of work recognizing largely the side streets. That work is not local improvements where the homeowners would participate but it is entirely out of the town’s operating budget. Council increased that budget significantly starting last year.”
In addition to that road work, Redden also touched on a few other items of note:
• ongoing updgrades to vehicles and equipment as the town added a street sweeper and a one ton to its fleet;
• a lot of drainage work that has been over the past few years is wrapping up. There is a bit of work left to do along Hwy. 365 near the water treatment plant. Most of it had to be excavated out but in that area crews will have to do some filling;
• the town has done more dust proofing than in the past on some side streets and in the industrial area;
• the town will be undertaking the replacement of a lot of street blade signs. Redden said they are doing a large number of them this year which are placed at various intersections; and
• improving signage around Kinsmen Park. Redden said there has been some concern about people not recognizing that the park is signed as a playground which would be no different than the school zone. Kinsmen Park may get overlooked a bit so the town is going to try and improve the signage there as well.
TWM Top Story - June 13, 2016
Tourism a big part of area
Daniel Bushman/TWM
With lots to see and do, it should come as no surprise that the Watrous and Manitou Beach area continues to become a go to destination for visitors and potential residents a like.
With more than 200 businesses and unique attractions including Little Manitou Lake itself, Community Development Officer Brendan Manz said tourism continues to be an integral part of the local region.
“Our numbers are around 200,000 visitors a year and that is people who are travelling more than 40 km to come here and visit. That might be for appointments, coming to the beach for the day, staying for the night or even something else. That is a significant amount of visitors to the area and that relays into about $25 million into our economy.”
Manz said the tourism dollars generated in the area are comparable to what would be found in smaller cities in the province. “Because of all that we have to offer, it is a huge asset to our communities.”
As more and more visitors stop by the area, Manz said Manitou Beach continues to be recognized on an international stage. Travel writers from across the globe have marked Manitou Beach on their list of locations to visit and in 2015, Manz said there were eight different travel writers representing four different countries from three different continents that visited Manitou Beach.
In addition, RVwest magazine, which has readership across western Canada and the western United States issued its Readers’s Choice awards and out of Saskatchewan, Manitou Beach was voted tops in three different categories. MSN.ca also named the resort community as a top 10 Canadian beach.
With people enjoying unsinkable experiences, there is more on the schedule as 2016 reaches its summer season. Along with the annual fireworks and a day of fun at Manitou Beach July 1, Manz said there are a few other highlights on the schedule that people will be able to enjoy.
The ninth edition of the Spirit of Manitou Studio Trail takes place July 9 and 10 at various locations within the area. People can view studios where artwork created by local artists is offered for purchase. “We love supporting our artists and seeing them promote their work. They are a big part of our tourism industry and that goes hand in hand with other things like the flea market, the antique stores and the farmers market. They all parlay into that whole visitor experience we offer our guests.”
The annual Watrous Fun Run Show ‘n’ Shine car show marks its 25th year July 23 as it will take over Main Street in Watrous. One of the largest car shows in rural Saskatchewan, the event is geared towards car enthusiasts of all ages and includes a full day of family-oriented events.
Everything from classic cars, trucks, motorcycles, hot rods and customs with specialty cars to antique tractors have drawn huge crowds over the years. Entries for the popular event come from across Western Canada with the occasional American entry. Another crowd pleaser at the Fun Run Show ‘n’ Shine is Kevin Therris and Prairieland Motorsports with their Bio Diesel Jet Car.
Supplementing the incredible walk through automotive history is a wide variety of other activities which include: a pancake breakfast, Beeper the Clown, the dog performances at Memorial Park, face painting and balloons for the kids.
Once the day comes to a close, the vehicle entrants go for a cruise from Watrous to Manitou Beach. The highway between the two communities is lined with spectators who get the chance to view the variety of vehicles.
“Organizer of the event Jason Lindgren and his team have a lot of great things in store for this year.”
For the first time, an Artist Creation Expo is taking place at Manitou Beach Aug. 2 to 13. Local artist Sarah McKen has spearheaded the event and Manz said it will be similar to the chainsaw event last year but on a little bit smaller scale.
“We will have sculptors coming in from right across Saskatchewan and probably beyond to work for two weeks right at Manitou Beach. The sculptors will work with all different types of materials to build their creations. Once the finished product is completed, it will remain in our community and become part of our attraction here. That is something that people can look forward to.”
In addition to the scheduled events, Manz said Manitou Beach is also looking at constructing an events centre while the famous Danceland remains a popular destination to dance and even get married.
“It is great to see and with our central location in the province it gives us a bit of a leg up on hosting events and we probably have more accommodations than any community in the province our size. Because of that, it helps us to attract different events.”
Coinciding with the summer season, the 2016-‘17 Activities Guide has also been released showcasing tourism within the area. “We understand that people are hosting different things like reunions, gatherings or weddings so having an Activities Guide close by gives visitors and residents a chance to see what the area has to offer. It also builds a source of community pride and I think we should be proud of what we have to offer here. I encourage residents to go down and spend some time at the beach, spend some time in Watrous and support the different events that we have each year. It goes a long way.”
To check out the guide or for more on tourism, Manz said people can visit www.watrousmanitou.com.
Daniel Bushman/TWM
With lots to see and do, it should come as no surprise that the Watrous and Manitou Beach area continues to become a go to destination for visitors and potential residents a like.
With more than 200 businesses and unique attractions including Little Manitou Lake itself, Community Development Officer Brendan Manz said tourism continues to be an integral part of the local region.
“Our numbers are around 200,000 visitors a year and that is people who are travelling more than 40 km to come here and visit. That might be for appointments, coming to the beach for the day, staying for the night or even something else. That is a significant amount of visitors to the area and that relays into about $25 million into our economy.”
Manz said the tourism dollars generated in the area are comparable to what would be found in smaller cities in the province. “Because of all that we have to offer, it is a huge asset to our communities.”
As more and more visitors stop by the area, Manz said Manitou Beach continues to be recognized on an international stage. Travel writers from across the globe have marked Manitou Beach on their list of locations to visit and in 2015, Manz said there were eight different travel writers representing four different countries from three different continents that visited Manitou Beach.
In addition, RVwest magazine, which has readership across western Canada and the western United States issued its Readers’s Choice awards and out of Saskatchewan, Manitou Beach was voted tops in three different categories. MSN.ca also named the resort community as a top 10 Canadian beach.
With people enjoying unsinkable experiences, there is more on the schedule as 2016 reaches its summer season. Along with the annual fireworks and a day of fun at Manitou Beach July 1, Manz said there are a few other highlights on the schedule that people will be able to enjoy.
The ninth edition of the Spirit of Manitou Studio Trail takes place July 9 and 10 at various locations within the area. People can view studios where artwork created by local artists is offered for purchase. “We love supporting our artists and seeing them promote their work. They are a big part of our tourism industry and that goes hand in hand with other things like the flea market, the antique stores and the farmers market. They all parlay into that whole visitor experience we offer our guests.”
The annual Watrous Fun Run Show ‘n’ Shine car show marks its 25th year July 23 as it will take over Main Street in Watrous. One of the largest car shows in rural Saskatchewan, the event is geared towards car enthusiasts of all ages and includes a full day of family-oriented events.
Everything from classic cars, trucks, motorcycles, hot rods and customs with specialty cars to antique tractors have drawn huge crowds over the years. Entries for the popular event come from across Western Canada with the occasional American entry. Another crowd pleaser at the Fun Run Show ‘n’ Shine is Kevin Therris and Prairieland Motorsports with their Bio Diesel Jet Car.
Supplementing the incredible walk through automotive history is a wide variety of other activities which include: a pancake breakfast, Beeper the Clown, the dog performances at Memorial Park, face painting and balloons for the kids.
Once the day comes to a close, the vehicle entrants go for a cruise from Watrous to Manitou Beach. The highway between the two communities is lined with spectators who get the chance to view the variety of vehicles.
“Organizer of the event Jason Lindgren and his team have a lot of great things in store for this year.”
For the first time, an Artist Creation Expo is taking place at Manitou Beach Aug. 2 to 13. Local artist Sarah McKen has spearheaded the event and Manz said it will be similar to the chainsaw event last year but on a little bit smaller scale.
“We will have sculptors coming in from right across Saskatchewan and probably beyond to work for two weeks right at Manitou Beach. The sculptors will work with all different types of materials to build their creations. Once the finished product is completed, it will remain in our community and become part of our attraction here. That is something that people can look forward to.”
In addition to the scheduled events, Manz said Manitou Beach is also looking at constructing an events centre while the famous Danceland remains a popular destination to dance and even get married.
“It is great to see and with our central location in the province it gives us a bit of a leg up on hosting events and we probably have more accommodations than any community in the province our size. Because of that, it helps us to attract different events.”
Coinciding with the summer season, the 2016-‘17 Activities Guide has also been released showcasing tourism within the area. “We understand that people are hosting different things like reunions, gatherings or weddings so having an Activities Guide close by gives visitors and residents a chance to see what the area has to offer. It also builds a source of community pride and I think we should be proud of what we have to offer here. I encourage residents to go down and spend some time at the beach, spend some time in Watrous and support the different events that we have each year. It goes a long way.”
To check out the guide or for more on tourism, Manz said people can visit www.watrousmanitou.com.
TWM Top Story - June 6, 2016
Deficit forecast as province unveils budget
Daniel Bushman/TWM
The province is forecast to run a $434 million deficit as the Saskatchewan government unveiled its budget June 1. While taxes will not be increased and substantial cuts to programs and services should be avoided, some areas were not immune.
In the 2016-‘17 budget released June 1, the overall forecasted revenue of $14.02 billion is down 1.8 percent from the previous budget while overall forecasted spending is up two percent from the last budget to $14.46 billion. That leaves a forecasted deficit of $434 million.
While taxes will remain the same, among some of the areas that will see changes include the Children’s and Seniors’ Drug Plan. The drug plan is now up $5 per prescription, resulting in a $25 per prescription maximum. The government stated the change helps make the plan more sustainable, offsetting some of the annual increase by $6.75 million in 2016-‘17, and $9 million annually.
Another area targeted is The Active Families Benefit, a refundable Personal Income Tax credit, which is now being eliminated, saving the government $5.5 million per year. The credit was initiated to assist families with the cost of registering children in cultural, recreational and sports activities.
MLA for the Humboldt-Watrous riding Donna Harpauer said it is a very challenging budget and will have very controlled spending. “We are committed to keeping the economy strong and are not going to raise any taxes. We are going to focus on where we best need to spend our dollars in order to support families and focus on the economy and balance the budget in 2018.”
As far as the local area is concerned, Harpauer said that basically it is status quo with the exception for revenue sharing for municipal governments in which the government is keeping its promise.
She added that school divisions will not have the increases they were hoping for but also will not see cuts, being forced to manage much like the province in a very basic budget.
Harpauer said the premier has been up front to bring the province back to a balance budget but did not want to make major cuts to cause damage to the economy. “We are going to take a look at all our programming . . . and make changes that we can that will still deliver good services.”
The news of the deficit and the lack of increased spending to areas like health care and education did not sit well with the opposition NDP. NDP Finance Critic Cathy Sproule said there was nothing in the budget that justified a long delay from it being delivered earlier this year. “When, during the election, did the Sask Party mention their plans to hike prescription drug costs, and pull the rug out from hard-working families who rely on a little extra assistance just to get by? None of that was in their platform or their Throne Speech just two weeks ago. The tiny increases allotted for both health care and education are not nearly enough to even maintain programs at their current levels. As a result school divisions and health regions will need to make difficult decisions in the coming months.”
Despite a forecasted deficit, here are some of the areas where funding has been allocated within the budget:
Health care
A record $5.17 billion health budget will go towards health infrastructure, improving access to care and reducing wait times for surgery and diagnostic services. The health budget is an increase of $57.4 million, or 1.1 percent, over 2015-‘16.
Some of the items include:
• Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) will receive $3.4 billion for operating funding, an increase of 2.3 percent over funding provided to RHAs last year. Included is $20 million in additional funding to reduce surgical wait times;
• the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency is receiving more than $167 million in funding in this budget, up $9.8 million from last year, or 6.2 percent. The substantial increase in funding will help pay for the addition of 15 new cancer drugs that were approved last year;
• the budget includes $500,000 to fulfil the government’s campaign commitment to expand its robotic telemedicine to more northern communities. This project allows health care professionals to connect with patients remotely and provide real-time assessment, diagnosis and patient management;
• the budget is also reducing RHA administration expenses by $7.5 million and re-investing that funding to frontline staff in long-term care homes. This equals a five percent reduction in general administration costs, to be determined as part of RHA budget finalization in coming months; and
• capital investments total $71.4 million in 2016-‘17, including a 25 percent increase (to a total of $34.7 million) for capital maintenance across the province. Capital funding is also being provided for a power plant upgrade at Saskatoon Royal University Hospital, electrical renewal projects at Regina’s General and Pasqua hospitals, and completion of construction at the Kelvington Integrated Care Facility.
Education
The overall investment in education is increasing by 7.8 percent to a total of $2.2 billion. This includes $391.4 million for capital investments. The government’s investment in infrastructure includes:
• $310.5 million, an increase of $153.1 million for the 18 joint-use schools being built on nine sites;
• $33.4 million for preventative maintenance and renewal;
• $4.6 million for emergency building repairs;
• $41.9 million for ongoing capital projects including schools in St. Brieux, Langenburg, Gravelbourg, and Martensville as well as École Connaught, Sacred Heart and the new Mâmawêyatitân Centre replacing Scott Collegiate in Regina; and
• $1 million for school facility assessments.
The budget also increases funding for classroom supports by $4 million. Government is providing $288 million to school divisions for supports for learning funding in the 2016-‘17 school year. This funding includes supports for students with intensive needs, students in vulnerable circumstances and students who require English as an additional language support. In addition, $5.4 million of school operating funding is being targeted to support Syrian refugee students.
Funding for Youth at High Risk facilities is also increasing by $600,000 over last year, to help address salary and enrolment pressures, for a total investment of $5.8 million.
Highways
For the first time in Saskatchewan history, the Highways and Infrastructure budget tops $1 billion and includes:
• $355 million for capital construction;
• $30 million in new funding for the first year of the Highways 2020 Plan – a three-year, $70 million surge in highway repair and maintenance; and
• $500 million for the Regina Bypass.
More than 1,300 km of provincial highways will see repairs or upgrades this year including:
• continuing work on major projects like the Regina Bypass and twinning on Hwy. 7 and 16 near Saskatoon and Hwy. 39 between Estevan and Bienfait;
• starting construction on new overpasses at Warman and Martensville;
• upgrading more than 100 km of rural highways to improve safety and access, including Hwy. 322 north of Silton and Hwy. 354 near Dilke; and
• 200 km of repaving.
As part of the Highways 2020 Plan, $30 million will be invested in repairs to many highways throughout the province, including Hwy. 220 and 322 in the Silton-Strasbourg area; Hwy. 924 to Dore Lake; Hwy. 340 north of Radisson; Hwy. 376 between Maymont and Asquith; Hwy. 45 south of Outlook; and Hwy. 58 between Chaplin and Shamrock.
Municipalities
The overall funding for municipal revenue sharing represents an increase of $56.7 million or 16.2 percent from the previous budget. The municipal revenue sharing figure, announced earlier, is based on the formula of one percentage point of Provincial Sales Tax (PST) revenue. A record $271.6 million is being provided to municipalities in municipal revenue sharing in 2016-‘17. That’s up $6.4 million or 2.4 percent from last year’s budget.
Urban revenue sharing for all cities, towns, villages and resort villages will amount to $174.6 million in 2016-‘17. Revenue sharing for rural municipalities, which includes organized hamlets, will total $76.7 million, and northern municipalities will receive just under $20.3 million this fiscal year.
Agriculture
The Ministry of Agriculture’s budget will increase by 7.5 percent for a total of $389.8 million. This includes $254.6 million to fully fund business risk management programs, a $14.6 million increase from the previous year. The budget also includes $71.2 million for strategic initiatives under the federal-provincial Growing Forward 2 Agreement, with $26.8 million for agricultural research and $4.2 million to support events and organizations like Canada’s Farm Progress Show, 4-H Saskatchewan and Agriculture in the Classroom.
The ministry will also achieve expense reductions from a decrease in amortization costs and operational savings, with no impact on programming, customer service or staffing. One change for the 2016-‘17 year will be the discontinuation of the 2015 Agricultural Crown Land Sale program.
The Ministry of Agriculture expects to net $148 million in revenue from land sales during 2016-‘17. Any cultivated or previously cultivated land that is eligible for sale that has not been purchased will continue to be subject to rental increases in upcoming years.
Social services
The budget is $1.052 billion, a 5.1 percent increase from the last fiscal year.
Part of that includes at-risk children, youth and their families benefitting from a $16.7 million investment, which involves:
• $7.9 million for medically fragile children and those with complex needs;
• $5.7 million for foster care and extended family care;
• $2.3 million in preventative services to keep children from coming into the care of the ministry; and
• $0.8 million for Assisted Adoption.
In response to the Saskatchewan Poverty Reduction Strategy, Social Services is undertaking a redesign of its income assistance programs to simplify administration, improve client service and support transitions to independence and participation in the economic and social life of the province.
Other provisions include:
• $210 million will be dedicated to the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) program for people with significant and enduring disabilities;
• $3.4 million will address the emerging needs of those with intellectual disabilities and support the transition of individuals from Valley View Centre as homes and programs become available;
• work on a third assessment and stabilization home – part of the safety net of supports for people with intellectual disabilities – will begin;
• $494 million for income assistance programs (including SAID) that help more than 30,000 individuals and families to meet their basic needs. This investment includes $36.5 million for the Transitional Employment Allowance (TEA), an increase of $19.5 million over last fiscal year; and
• $3.8 million for housing programs. The Saskatchewan Housing Corporation will support the Disability Strategy, Poverty Reduction Strategy and Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan by focusing on accessible, affordable housing for those most in need.
To view more on the budget visit the government’s website: www.gov.sk.ca.
Daniel Bushman/TWM
The province is forecast to run a $434 million deficit as the Saskatchewan government unveiled its budget June 1. While taxes will not be increased and substantial cuts to programs and services should be avoided, some areas were not immune.
In the 2016-‘17 budget released June 1, the overall forecasted revenue of $14.02 billion is down 1.8 percent from the previous budget while overall forecasted spending is up two percent from the last budget to $14.46 billion. That leaves a forecasted deficit of $434 million.
While taxes will remain the same, among some of the areas that will see changes include the Children’s and Seniors’ Drug Plan. The drug plan is now up $5 per prescription, resulting in a $25 per prescription maximum. The government stated the change helps make the plan more sustainable, offsetting some of the annual increase by $6.75 million in 2016-‘17, and $9 million annually.
Another area targeted is The Active Families Benefit, a refundable Personal Income Tax credit, which is now being eliminated, saving the government $5.5 million per year. The credit was initiated to assist families with the cost of registering children in cultural, recreational and sports activities.
MLA for the Humboldt-Watrous riding Donna Harpauer said it is a very challenging budget and will have very controlled spending. “We are committed to keeping the economy strong and are not going to raise any taxes. We are going to focus on where we best need to spend our dollars in order to support families and focus on the economy and balance the budget in 2018.”
As far as the local area is concerned, Harpauer said that basically it is status quo with the exception for revenue sharing for municipal governments in which the government is keeping its promise.
She added that school divisions will not have the increases they were hoping for but also will not see cuts, being forced to manage much like the province in a very basic budget.
Harpauer said the premier has been up front to bring the province back to a balance budget but did not want to make major cuts to cause damage to the economy. “We are going to take a look at all our programming . . . and make changes that we can that will still deliver good services.”
The news of the deficit and the lack of increased spending to areas like health care and education did not sit well with the opposition NDP. NDP Finance Critic Cathy Sproule said there was nothing in the budget that justified a long delay from it being delivered earlier this year. “When, during the election, did the Sask Party mention their plans to hike prescription drug costs, and pull the rug out from hard-working families who rely on a little extra assistance just to get by? None of that was in their platform or their Throne Speech just two weeks ago. The tiny increases allotted for both health care and education are not nearly enough to even maintain programs at their current levels. As a result school divisions and health regions will need to make difficult decisions in the coming months.”
Despite a forecasted deficit, here are some of the areas where funding has been allocated within the budget:
Health care
A record $5.17 billion health budget will go towards health infrastructure, improving access to care and reducing wait times for surgery and diagnostic services. The health budget is an increase of $57.4 million, or 1.1 percent, over 2015-‘16.
Some of the items include:
• Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) will receive $3.4 billion for operating funding, an increase of 2.3 percent over funding provided to RHAs last year. Included is $20 million in additional funding to reduce surgical wait times;
• the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency is receiving more than $167 million in funding in this budget, up $9.8 million from last year, or 6.2 percent. The substantial increase in funding will help pay for the addition of 15 new cancer drugs that were approved last year;
• the budget includes $500,000 to fulfil the government’s campaign commitment to expand its robotic telemedicine to more northern communities. This project allows health care professionals to connect with patients remotely and provide real-time assessment, diagnosis and patient management;
• the budget is also reducing RHA administration expenses by $7.5 million and re-investing that funding to frontline staff in long-term care homes. This equals a five percent reduction in general administration costs, to be determined as part of RHA budget finalization in coming months; and
• capital investments total $71.4 million in 2016-‘17, including a 25 percent increase (to a total of $34.7 million) for capital maintenance across the province. Capital funding is also being provided for a power plant upgrade at Saskatoon Royal University Hospital, electrical renewal projects at Regina’s General and Pasqua hospitals, and completion of construction at the Kelvington Integrated Care Facility.
Education
The overall investment in education is increasing by 7.8 percent to a total of $2.2 billion. This includes $391.4 million for capital investments. The government’s investment in infrastructure includes:
• $310.5 million, an increase of $153.1 million for the 18 joint-use schools being built on nine sites;
• $33.4 million for preventative maintenance and renewal;
• $4.6 million for emergency building repairs;
• $41.9 million for ongoing capital projects including schools in St. Brieux, Langenburg, Gravelbourg, and Martensville as well as École Connaught, Sacred Heart and the new Mâmawêyatitân Centre replacing Scott Collegiate in Regina; and
• $1 million for school facility assessments.
The budget also increases funding for classroom supports by $4 million. Government is providing $288 million to school divisions for supports for learning funding in the 2016-‘17 school year. This funding includes supports for students with intensive needs, students in vulnerable circumstances and students who require English as an additional language support. In addition, $5.4 million of school operating funding is being targeted to support Syrian refugee students.
Funding for Youth at High Risk facilities is also increasing by $600,000 over last year, to help address salary and enrolment pressures, for a total investment of $5.8 million.
Highways
For the first time in Saskatchewan history, the Highways and Infrastructure budget tops $1 billion and includes:
• $355 million for capital construction;
• $30 million in new funding for the first year of the Highways 2020 Plan – a three-year, $70 million surge in highway repair and maintenance; and
• $500 million for the Regina Bypass.
More than 1,300 km of provincial highways will see repairs or upgrades this year including:
• continuing work on major projects like the Regina Bypass and twinning on Hwy. 7 and 16 near Saskatoon and Hwy. 39 between Estevan and Bienfait;
• starting construction on new overpasses at Warman and Martensville;
• upgrading more than 100 km of rural highways to improve safety and access, including Hwy. 322 north of Silton and Hwy. 354 near Dilke; and
• 200 km of repaving.
As part of the Highways 2020 Plan, $30 million will be invested in repairs to many highways throughout the province, including Hwy. 220 and 322 in the Silton-Strasbourg area; Hwy. 924 to Dore Lake; Hwy. 340 north of Radisson; Hwy. 376 between Maymont and Asquith; Hwy. 45 south of Outlook; and Hwy. 58 between Chaplin and Shamrock.
Municipalities
The overall funding for municipal revenue sharing represents an increase of $56.7 million or 16.2 percent from the previous budget. The municipal revenue sharing figure, announced earlier, is based on the formula of one percentage point of Provincial Sales Tax (PST) revenue. A record $271.6 million is being provided to municipalities in municipal revenue sharing in 2016-‘17. That’s up $6.4 million or 2.4 percent from last year’s budget.
Urban revenue sharing for all cities, towns, villages and resort villages will amount to $174.6 million in 2016-‘17. Revenue sharing for rural municipalities, which includes organized hamlets, will total $76.7 million, and northern municipalities will receive just under $20.3 million this fiscal year.
Agriculture
The Ministry of Agriculture’s budget will increase by 7.5 percent for a total of $389.8 million. This includes $254.6 million to fully fund business risk management programs, a $14.6 million increase from the previous year. The budget also includes $71.2 million for strategic initiatives under the federal-provincial Growing Forward 2 Agreement, with $26.8 million for agricultural research and $4.2 million to support events and organizations like Canada’s Farm Progress Show, 4-H Saskatchewan and Agriculture in the Classroom.
The ministry will also achieve expense reductions from a decrease in amortization costs and operational savings, with no impact on programming, customer service or staffing. One change for the 2016-‘17 year will be the discontinuation of the 2015 Agricultural Crown Land Sale program.
The Ministry of Agriculture expects to net $148 million in revenue from land sales during 2016-‘17. Any cultivated or previously cultivated land that is eligible for sale that has not been purchased will continue to be subject to rental increases in upcoming years.
Social services
The budget is $1.052 billion, a 5.1 percent increase from the last fiscal year.
Part of that includes at-risk children, youth and their families benefitting from a $16.7 million investment, which involves:
• $7.9 million for medically fragile children and those with complex needs;
• $5.7 million for foster care and extended family care;
• $2.3 million in preventative services to keep children from coming into the care of the ministry; and
• $0.8 million for Assisted Adoption.
In response to the Saskatchewan Poverty Reduction Strategy, Social Services is undertaking a redesign of its income assistance programs to simplify administration, improve client service and support transitions to independence and participation in the economic and social life of the province.
Other provisions include:
• $210 million will be dedicated to the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) program for people with significant and enduring disabilities;
• $3.4 million will address the emerging needs of those with intellectual disabilities and support the transition of individuals from Valley View Centre as homes and programs become available;
• work on a third assessment and stabilization home – part of the safety net of supports for people with intellectual disabilities – will begin;
• $494 million for income assistance programs (including SAID) that help more than 30,000 individuals and families to meet their basic needs. This investment includes $36.5 million for the Transitional Employment Allowance (TEA), an increase of $19.5 million over last fiscal year; and
• $3.8 million for housing programs. The Saskatchewan Housing Corporation will support the Disability Strategy, Poverty Reduction Strategy and Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan by focusing on accessible, affordable housing for those most in need.
To view more on the budget visit the government’s website: www.gov.sk.ca.
TWM Top Story - May 30, 2016
Local roads requiring attention this spring
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Conditions during spring can become hazardous to chunks of roads in Saskatchewan, leaving motorists to do their best to manoeuver around crumbling stretches. Around the Watrous area that is no exception as Communications Consultant with the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure Sonja Orban said the spring thaw is a vulnerable time for highways across the province.
“Potholes are formed by the expansion and contraction of water that has entered into the subsurface of the road. When water freezes it expands, this causes the pavement to expand, bend or crack which weakens the road.”
Because of the damage that spring thaw can cause, portions of local roads in the area have forced motorists to slow way down. The Watrous Manitou asked the ministry for updates on some of the local highways that are maintained by the Ministry of Highways and what is being done to repair them. Those highways include:
• Hwy. 2 between Watrous and Young (pictured above) - crews are grading and putting down base in the area;
• Hwy. 2 between Watrous and Holdfast - blading, patching and other routine maintenance is planned. It is well flagged and signed;
• Hwy. 365 between Watrous and Manitou Beach - routine maintenance is planned including blading and patching;
• Hwy. 15 between Nokomis and the junction of Hwy. 2 - routine maintenance is planned including blading and patching;
• Hwy. 15 between Kenaston and the junction of Hwy. 2 - about 14.5 km of grading of Hwy. 15 from 5 km west to 19.5 km west of its junction of Hwy. 2 is now complete. Cleanup is underway;
• Hwy. 20 between Lanigan and Nokomis - routine maintenance will be done including blading and patching. It is well signed.
Orban said blading, patching and other routine maintenance work will occur throughout construction season to improve the road surface.
“Construction season has already started on Saskatchewan highways. Contractors are working to complete ongoing projects.”
Orban also wanted to remind motorists travelling through construction zones to obey signage and slow to 60 km/h in the work zone. “It’s the law. There are also times where speeds need to be reduced even when workers are not present. This may include areas where there are sharp drop-offs or loose stones.”
Orban said providing good quality roads is a priority for the government and in addition to record highways budgets, a $70 million surge in highway repairs and upgrades was announced during the recent election campaign. “Details on which roads will be repaired will be provided when the provincial budget is released in early June.”
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Conditions during spring can become hazardous to chunks of roads in Saskatchewan, leaving motorists to do their best to manoeuver around crumbling stretches. Around the Watrous area that is no exception as Communications Consultant with the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure Sonja Orban said the spring thaw is a vulnerable time for highways across the province.
“Potholes are formed by the expansion and contraction of water that has entered into the subsurface of the road. When water freezes it expands, this causes the pavement to expand, bend or crack which weakens the road.”
Because of the damage that spring thaw can cause, portions of local roads in the area have forced motorists to slow way down. The Watrous Manitou asked the ministry for updates on some of the local highways that are maintained by the Ministry of Highways and what is being done to repair them. Those highways include:
• Hwy. 2 between Watrous and Young (pictured above) - crews are grading and putting down base in the area;
• Hwy. 2 between Watrous and Holdfast - blading, patching and other routine maintenance is planned. It is well flagged and signed;
• Hwy. 365 between Watrous and Manitou Beach - routine maintenance is planned including blading and patching;
• Hwy. 15 between Nokomis and the junction of Hwy. 2 - routine maintenance is planned including blading and patching;
• Hwy. 15 between Kenaston and the junction of Hwy. 2 - about 14.5 km of grading of Hwy. 15 from 5 km west to 19.5 km west of its junction of Hwy. 2 is now complete. Cleanup is underway;
• Hwy. 20 between Lanigan and Nokomis - routine maintenance will be done including blading and patching. It is well signed.
Orban said blading, patching and other routine maintenance work will occur throughout construction season to improve the road surface.
“Construction season has already started on Saskatchewan highways. Contractors are working to complete ongoing projects.”
Orban also wanted to remind motorists travelling through construction zones to obey signage and slow to 60 km/h in the work zone. “It’s the law. There are also times where speeds need to be reduced even when workers are not present. This may include areas where there are sharp drop-offs or loose stones.”
Orban said providing good quality roads is a priority for the government and in addition to record highways budgets, a $70 million surge in highway repairs and upgrades was announced during the recent election campaign. “Details on which roads will be repaired will be provided when the provincial budget is released in early June.”
TWM Top Stories - May 23, 2016
RCMP Report
Monday the 16th of May, Watrous RCMP and the RCMP Forensic Identification Section, attended the Manitou Beach Regional Park after receiving two separate reports of break, enter and theft. Culprits gained entry to Manitou Beach Golf and Country Club and the regional park office. RCMP believe both incidents are related. A golf cart had been taken by the suspect(s) and was later located abandoned undamaged.
If you have information about this or any other crime, please contact the Watrous RCMP Detachment at 306-946-3316 or you may call Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through SaskTel at *8477, or submit a tip online at www.saskcrimestoppers.com.
Shortly before 10 a.m. May 16, Watrous RCMP and Strasbourg EMS were dispatched to a single motor vehicle roll over 15 kms east of Nokomis on Hwy. 744 in the RM of Mount Hope. The lone occupant of the vehicle sustained minor injuries. The male driver from Nokomis was treated and released on scene. The vehicle sustained extensive damage and had to be towed to an SGI compound in Watrous. No charges have been laid.
Monday the 16th of May, Watrous RCMP and the RCMP Forensic Identification Section, attended the Manitou Beach Regional Park after receiving two separate reports of break, enter and theft. Culprits gained entry to Manitou Beach Golf and Country Club and the regional park office. RCMP believe both incidents are related. A golf cart had been taken by the suspect(s) and was later located abandoned undamaged.
If you have information about this or any other crime, please contact the Watrous RCMP Detachment at 306-946-3316 or you may call Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through SaskTel at *8477, or submit a tip online at www.saskcrimestoppers.com.
Shortly before 10 a.m. May 16, Watrous RCMP and Strasbourg EMS were dispatched to a single motor vehicle roll over 15 kms east of Nokomis on Hwy. 744 in the RM of Mount Hope. The lone occupant of the vehicle sustained minor injuries. The male driver from Nokomis was treated and released on scene. The vehicle sustained extensive damage and had to be towed to an SGI compound in Watrous. No charges have been laid.
Fleeing a city on fire
Daniel Bushman/TWM
As wildfires roared towards homes in Fort McMurray, Alta., family members of those caught up in the catastrophe were left waiting by their phones to hear how their loved ones were doing. Four weeks ago, fires invaded the city of 80,000 people and forced a city-wide evacuation. Of the thousands that had to take what they could and get out, some have connections to Watrous.
It just all happened so fast:
Watrous resident Jean Isherwood’s sister Donna and her husband Larry Dewey were part of the many who had to evacuate the city and were forced north. With vehicles leaving one after the other Isherwood said what should have taken little time to arrive at a work camp ended up being about seven hours.
Living in the downtown area, Donna and Larry were unable to go south to Edmonton because of the fires and found their way north towards a work camp. Once there they stayed a few days before being airlifted to Edmonton. “They had an elderly friend who they were travelling together with,” Jean said. “I think that was one of the reasons why they were airlifted out.”
When the evacuation order was first issued, Isherwood said the Deweys did not have much time to pack.
“They had less than a half an hour but in the morning we had talked to her and she said it was a beautiful day and the sun was shining and there was no smoke. It just all happened so fast and they didn’t really have a chance to pack.”
Isherwood’s nephew Monte, his wife Pauline and their two girls also live in the city and were also evacuated north. Leaving from the Thickwood neighbourhood, the family drove to safety.
Now weeks later since escaping the fires, Isherwood said the Deweys were hopeful they would be getting back sooner than later but with fires still burning, it does not appear to be the case. “But they are safe and that was the main concern. They are totally stressed of course but just knowing that everybody got out okay is just a miracle.”
Ten minutes to pack up and leave:
What would you take with you given just 10 minutes while not knowing if anything left behind would be there when you returned? That was the case for Watrous resident Heather Pister’s son and his family as they too had to scramble to get out.
Living in Fort McMurray, Pister’s son Lonnie, his wife Heidi and their two daughters Sadie and Charley were notified that they had 10 minutes to pack up and go.
“When they were told to leave, they were in the process of grabbing things like clothes and food and not knowing how long they would be gone for,” said Heather, who owns the Little Olive Health Market in Watrous.
Residing in the Timberlea neighbourhood, which is located in the north end of the city, the family was unable to use the south route to get out and had to head north. “They couldn’t use Hwy. 63 south but luckily they had a camper in a compound near the north part of the highway so they got to get that.”
After hitching up the camper, Lonnie and his family began driving the 53.5 km towards Fort Mackay. “Because it was bumper to bumper, I am not sure they got that far,” said Heather. “They might have stopped before Fort Mackay and then the next day they were able to find a way south to Boyle, Alta., located north of Edmonton.”
However, because thousands of others from Fort McMurray also ventured north, Pister said traffic was backed up for a long time. “What normally would take close to three hours to drive to Boyle from Fort McMurray took them nine and a half hours.”
After being able to escape, Lonnie and his family eventually made their way to Watrous to stay with Heather for a few days. As images of destroyed homes and vehicles began popping up, the family found out that their home was one of those spared.
As portions of Fort McMurray were completely destroyed, oilsands camps remained unharmed. During the May 14 weekend Lonnie was given the green light to head back to work at CNRL while Heidi (a nurse in the city) and the kids flew to Vancouver to stay with her family.
After driving past the city to the CNRL camp, Lonnie told his mom “it looked like a zombie apocalypse but without the zombies. It was devastating and there are no words to describe it.”
While Lonnie was able to start working again, for other oilsands workers it was short-lived as the massive fire forced 8,000 oilsands workers from 12 plants last Monday.
“I can’t fathom what people are going through,” Heather said as she had planned before the fires to visit her kids in Fort McMurray this past weekend. “It will be quite different the next time I go up there. It is just unreal.”
Last week, fires were still burning in areas of the city and there were reports of explosions last Tuesday including a fourplex that was destroyed in the Thickwood neighbourhood. That area is just south of the Timberlea neighbourhood where Lonnie and Heidi’s house is.
With the fire growing and having reached the Saskatchewan border late last week, the only timeline as to when residents of Fort McMurray could return was a conditional one and that may only be at the start of June. However, Heather said her son figured it could even be longer than that.
As residents of the Alberta city wait to go back, Heather said the outpouring of support from across the country has been incredible.
“Canada has really pulled together. When the kids were down we went to Saskatoon and ate at Earl’s. The waitress overheard us talking about the situation in Fort McMurray and came back and said the meal is on us. Lonnie and Heidi had tears streaming down their faces and were so grateful for the support. I am happy that they and others were able to get out of Fort McMurray and are safe. It is just hard to even imagine what they are going through.”
Daniel Bushman/TWM
As wildfires roared towards homes in Fort McMurray, Alta., family members of those caught up in the catastrophe were left waiting by their phones to hear how their loved ones were doing. Four weeks ago, fires invaded the city of 80,000 people and forced a city-wide evacuation. Of the thousands that had to take what they could and get out, some have connections to Watrous.
It just all happened so fast:
Watrous resident Jean Isherwood’s sister Donna and her husband Larry Dewey were part of the many who had to evacuate the city and were forced north. With vehicles leaving one after the other Isherwood said what should have taken little time to arrive at a work camp ended up being about seven hours.
Living in the downtown area, Donna and Larry were unable to go south to Edmonton because of the fires and found their way north towards a work camp. Once there they stayed a few days before being airlifted to Edmonton. “They had an elderly friend who they were travelling together with,” Jean said. “I think that was one of the reasons why they were airlifted out.”
When the evacuation order was first issued, Isherwood said the Deweys did not have much time to pack.
“They had less than a half an hour but in the morning we had talked to her and she said it was a beautiful day and the sun was shining and there was no smoke. It just all happened so fast and they didn’t really have a chance to pack.”
Isherwood’s nephew Monte, his wife Pauline and their two girls also live in the city and were also evacuated north. Leaving from the Thickwood neighbourhood, the family drove to safety.
Now weeks later since escaping the fires, Isherwood said the Deweys were hopeful they would be getting back sooner than later but with fires still burning, it does not appear to be the case. “But they are safe and that was the main concern. They are totally stressed of course but just knowing that everybody got out okay is just a miracle.”
Ten minutes to pack up and leave:
What would you take with you given just 10 minutes while not knowing if anything left behind would be there when you returned? That was the case for Watrous resident Heather Pister’s son and his family as they too had to scramble to get out.
Living in Fort McMurray, Pister’s son Lonnie, his wife Heidi and their two daughters Sadie and Charley were notified that they had 10 minutes to pack up and go.
“When they were told to leave, they were in the process of grabbing things like clothes and food and not knowing how long they would be gone for,” said Heather, who owns the Little Olive Health Market in Watrous.
Residing in the Timberlea neighbourhood, which is located in the north end of the city, the family was unable to use the south route to get out and had to head north. “They couldn’t use Hwy. 63 south but luckily they had a camper in a compound near the north part of the highway so they got to get that.”
After hitching up the camper, Lonnie and his family began driving the 53.5 km towards Fort Mackay. “Because it was bumper to bumper, I am not sure they got that far,” said Heather. “They might have stopped before Fort Mackay and then the next day they were able to find a way south to Boyle, Alta., located north of Edmonton.”
However, because thousands of others from Fort McMurray also ventured north, Pister said traffic was backed up for a long time. “What normally would take close to three hours to drive to Boyle from Fort McMurray took them nine and a half hours.”
After being able to escape, Lonnie and his family eventually made their way to Watrous to stay with Heather for a few days. As images of destroyed homes and vehicles began popping up, the family found out that their home was one of those spared.
As portions of Fort McMurray were completely destroyed, oilsands camps remained unharmed. During the May 14 weekend Lonnie was given the green light to head back to work at CNRL while Heidi (a nurse in the city) and the kids flew to Vancouver to stay with her family.
After driving past the city to the CNRL camp, Lonnie told his mom “it looked like a zombie apocalypse but without the zombies. It was devastating and there are no words to describe it.”
While Lonnie was able to start working again, for other oilsands workers it was short-lived as the massive fire forced 8,000 oilsands workers from 12 plants last Monday.
“I can’t fathom what people are going through,” Heather said as she had planned before the fires to visit her kids in Fort McMurray this past weekend. “It will be quite different the next time I go up there. It is just unreal.”
Last week, fires were still burning in areas of the city and there were reports of explosions last Tuesday including a fourplex that was destroyed in the Thickwood neighbourhood. That area is just south of the Timberlea neighbourhood where Lonnie and Heidi’s house is.
With the fire growing and having reached the Saskatchewan border late last week, the only timeline as to when residents of Fort McMurray could return was a conditional one and that may only be at the start of June. However, Heather said her son figured it could even be longer than that.
As residents of the Alberta city wait to go back, Heather said the outpouring of support from across the country has been incredible.
“Canada has really pulled together. When the kids were down we went to Saskatoon and ate at Earl’s. The waitress overheard us talking about the situation in Fort McMurray and came back and said the meal is on us. Lonnie and Heidi had tears streaming down their faces and were so grateful for the support. I am happy that they and others were able to get out of Fort McMurray and are safe. It is just hard to even imagine what they are going through.”
TWM Top Story - May 16, 2016
Nurse Practitioner taking leave
Daniel Bushman/TWM
After being a part of the Watrous/Imperial Primary Health Team since May 2014, Nurse Practitioner Erin Boyce will be taking a temporary leave for one year. Manager, Primary Health Care Angela Luron said Boyce’s last day with the team will be Friday, May 20.
Patients who were already booked to see Erin past May 20 will be receiving a call to be re-booked and Luron praised Boyce’s work during her time with the team.
“In her role as a Nurse Practitioner, she has added such a tremendous value to the health teams in both Watrous and Imperial and also to the communities as well through her clinical expertise, passion and commitment in caring for her patients everyday. We know that she will be very missed.”
Nurse Practitioner Erin Boyce said, “I have greatly enjoyed my time practicing in Watrous and Imperial. These are rich and vibrant communities with wonderful people. I have appreciated being able to serve as a Nurse Practitioner in these communities. At this point in my career, I have decided to build on my current experience and have accepted a temporary, one year position as a Nurse Practitioner in a different department of the Saskatoon Health Region.”
Watrous mayor Ed Collins said when they heard the news they were disappointed that Boyce would be leaving. “Erin filled a great void here in our community and was very well received and it will certainly be sad to see her leave. We are disappointed she is leaving but are happy the health region is on top of it to find a replacement.”
With the leave coming up, Luron said Primary Health will be posting a temporary position this week, bringing on a new Nurse Practitioner to replace Erin for this one year’s time. “We anticipate a start date within the month of June and will keep the community updated.”
In an effort to minimize service disruption until that time, Luron said they will be working with the three local physicians as well as many other partners and colleagues in Watrous and Imperial.
The health region is also addressing the clinic wait times at the Watrous Primary Health Centre. “Over the past several months now, the team has recognized that community members have had a longer wait to make non-urgent clinic appointments.”
Luron said they have been working hard at the way patients are scheduled and how the work is divided among the physicians and nurse practitioner. “We have made some changes to our scheduling and to our work flow processes that have helped to improve access and reduce the wait times. We are in the process of implementing more strategies to reduce the wait times. These particular strategies are posted on the walls of the Primary Health Centre and they include things like managing prescription refills more effectively with our patients, changing how we handle lab results follow ups and different things like that.”
In the next few weeks, Luron said they would be sharing more information with the community about the strategies to reduce wait times including information on what community members can do to help ensure that the region is making the most of the health resources in the community.
Daniel Bushman/TWM
After being a part of the Watrous/Imperial Primary Health Team since May 2014, Nurse Practitioner Erin Boyce will be taking a temporary leave for one year. Manager, Primary Health Care Angela Luron said Boyce’s last day with the team will be Friday, May 20.
Patients who were already booked to see Erin past May 20 will be receiving a call to be re-booked and Luron praised Boyce’s work during her time with the team.
“In her role as a Nurse Practitioner, she has added such a tremendous value to the health teams in both Watrous and Imperial and also to the communities as well through her clinical expertise, passion and commitment in caring for her patients everyday. We know that she will be very missed.”
Nurse Practitioner Erin Boyce said, “I have greatly enjoyed my time practicing in Watrous and Imperial. These are rich and vibrant communities with wonderful people. I have appreciated being able to serve as a Nurse Practitioner in these communities. At this point in my career, I have decided to build on my current experience and have accepted a temporary, one year position as a Nurse Practitioner in a different department of the Saskatoon Health Region.”
Watrous mayor Ed Collins said when they heard the news they were disappointed that Boyce would be leaving. “Erin filled a great void here in our community and was very well received and it will certainly be sad to see her leave. We are disappointed she is leaving but are happy the health region is on top of it to find a replacement.”
With the leave coming up, Luron said Primary Health will be posting a temporary position this week, bringing on a new Nurse Practitioner to replace Erin for this one year’s time. “We anticipate a start date within the month of June and will keep the community updated.”
In an effort to minimize service disruption until that time, Luron said they will be working with the three local physicians as well as many other partners and colleagues in Watrous and Imperial.
The health region is also addressing the clinic wait times at the Watrous Primary Health Centre. “Over the past several months now, the team has recognized that community members have had a longer wait to make non-urgent clinic appointments.”
Luron said they have been working hard at the way patients are scheduled and how the work is divided among the physicians and nurse practitioner. “We have made some changes to our scheduling and to our work flow processes that have helped to improve access and reduce the wait times. We are in the process of implementing more strategies to reduce the wait times. These particular strategies are posted on the walls of the Primary Health Centre and they include things like managing prescription refills more effectively with our patients, changing how we handle lab results follow ups and different things like that.”
In the next few weeks, Luron said they would be sharing more information with the community about the strategies to reduce wait times including information on what community members can do to help ensure that the region is making the most of the health resources in the community.
TWM Top Stories - May 9, 2016
Manitou mayor not seeking re-election
Daniel Bushman/TWM
After 20 years of being involved in government on a provincial and local level, Manitou Beach mayor and former MLA Eric Upshall has decided he will not be seeking re-election this summer.
“The last seven years have been very stressful and with seven years at the local government level and 13 years before that at the provincial government level, I am ready to be done,” said Upshall. “I am just ready to step aside and have someone else pick up the traces because I feel I have fulfilled any commitment that was required of me to try to put myself in public service.”
Upshall wanted to spur on the democratic process and elected to announce his future intentions now instead of closer to the July 30 election. “There is nothing that excites an area more than a political race because it gets everyone involved . . . I would like to encourage everyone to think about what can they do for a few years and take their turn to manage the affairs at Manitou Beach. While it is difficult at times it is very rewarding as well.”
Reflecting on the past seven years as mayor of the resort community, Upshall said they have been able to stay ahead of the lake and the water coming up. “We have made a silk purse out of a sow’s ear when the first berm went in by paving all the streets. It wasn’t without its controversy but I think at the end of the day, people are very happy with the streets being paved.”
Upshall said other changes like those at Wellington Creek have also made a big difference with trying to contain high water during the spring runoff.
While the water has risen over the years, keeping the beaches available has also been something on Upshall’s to do list. Despite some of the sand at the beaches underwater, Upshall said they have tried to make it a place that residents and visitors can still enjoy. “If people say, “well there is no beaches so there is no use coming,” then that is what effects the whole business community of Manitou Beach and Watrous. It has been an interesting exercise of how to keep ahead of a disaster, not just an environmental disaster but an economic disaster. I think for the most part we have done okay.”
The mayor also noted a few enjoyable events over the years including the first ever chainsaw competition. “We also have a community meeting every year and a community barbecue every year. At the community meeting in July, it is an open house and people can come and ask any questions and get any answers they want. That has been applauded by a lot of people at the beach, they really enjoy it.”
He is also anticipating the Artistic Creation Expo this year. In addition, Upshall said he is excited about the events centre that will be constructed later this year.
“I think that will be a huge boost for the whole area because this events centre will be a 50’ x 80’ building . . . it will be something that will draw people here in larger numbers in terms of family reunions and weddings and that type of stuff.”
But the thing that has satisfied Upshall the most during his tenure is how the village has come together. “Sometimes you find if you are not doing things properly, the community will become fragmented. The councils that I have enjoyed chairing as mayor have been very successful in unifying the community around events and community pride. That is very satisfying.”
Upshall said they have also taken steps to try and bring Watrous to the fray and make the communities one.
While the election is still a few months away, Upshall said there is still a lot of work to be done. “We are planning the events centre, we have the whole water situation and we are monitoring it and working with the government to try and get the diversion project incorporated into the strategy of handling the water situation. We also have to get our budget finalized and there is lots to do.”
As the mayor wraps up his time in political life, Upshall has appreciated people’s patience, support and advice during his term and also wanted to mention the Watrous Manitou for its interest in the beach. “The fact that the Manitou has followed our events and is concerned about our events and the people of Manitou Beach and the area is something that is really important to the communications involved in any public service or public life. The paper provided that outlet for us and it is much appreciated.”
Daniel Bushman/TWM
After 20 years of being involved in government on a provincial and local level, Manitou Beach mayor and former MLA Eric Upshall has decided he will not be seeking re-election this summer.
“The last seven years have been very stressful and with seven years at the local government level and 13 years before that at the provincial government level, I am ready to be done,” said Upshall. “I am just ready to step aside and have someone else pick up the traces because I feel I have fulfilled any commitment that was required of me to try to put myself in public service.”
Upshall wanted to spur on the democratic process and elected to announce his future intentions now instead of closer to the July 30 election. “There is nothing that excites an area more than a political race because it gets everyone involved . . . I would like to encourage everyone to think about what can they do for a few years and take their turn to manage the affairs at Manitou Beach. While it is difficult at times it is very rewarding as well.”
Reflecting on the past seven years as mayor of the resort community, Upshall said they have been able to stay ahead of the lake and the water coming up. “We have made a silk purse out of a sow’s ear when the first berm went in by paving all the streets. It wasn’t without its controversy but I think at the end of the day, people are very happy with the streets being paved.”
Upshall said other changes like those at Wellington Creek have also made a big difference with trying to contain high water during the spring runoff.
While the water has risen over the years, keeping the beaches available has also been something on Upshall’s to do list. Despite some of the sand at the beaches underwater, Upshall said they have tried to make it a place that residents and visitors can still enjoy. “If people say, “well there is no beaches so there is no use coming,” then that is what effects the whole business community of Manitou Beach and Watrous. It has been an interesting exercise of how to keep ahead of a disaster, not just an environmental disaster but an economic disaster. I think for the most part we have done okay.”
The mayor also noted a few enjoyable events over the years including the first ever chainsaw competition. “We also have a community meeting every year and a community barbecue every year. At the community meeting in July, it is an open house and people can come and ask any questions and get any answers they want. That has been applauded by a lot of people at the beach, they really enjoy it.”
He is also anticipating the Artistic Creation Expo this year. In addition, Upshall said he is excited about the events centre that will be constructed later this year.
“I think that will be a huge boost for the whole area because this events centre will be a 50’ x 80’ building . . . it will be something that will draw people here in larger numbers in terms of family reunions and weddings and that type of stuff.”
But the thing that has satisfied Upshall the most during his tenure is how the village has come together. “Sometimes you find if you are not doing things properly, the community will become fragmented. The councils that I have enjoyed chairing as mayor have been very successful in unifying the community around events and community pride. That is very satisfying.”
Upshall said they have also taken steps to try and bring Watrous to the fray and make the communities one.
While the election is still a few months away, Upshall said there is still a lot of work to be done. “We are planning the events centre, we have the whole water situation and we are monitoring it and working with the government to try and get the diversion project incorporated into the strategy of handling the water situation. We also have to get our budget finalized and there is lots to do.”
As the mayor wraps up his time in political life, Upshall has appreciated people’s patience, support and advice during his term and also wanted to mention the Watrous Manitou for its interest in the beach. “The fact that the Manitou has followed our events and is concerned about our events and the people of Manitou Beach and the area is something that is really important to the communications involved in any public service or public life. The paper provided that outlet for us and it is much appreciated.”
Local couple wins $100,000
Daniel Bushman/TWM
(photo courtesy Clark Stork/Boldt FM)
It was a special day for Bob and Marilyn Wignes of Watrous as they not only celebrated Bob’s birthday but also found out they were the grand prize winners of this year’s Humboldt Broncos Spring Lottery of Cash. Marilyn said she was pretty elated and pumped when she found out Apr. 30 that they had won $100,000.
Celebrating Bob’s birthday in their backyard, the pair had been expecting a lot of company when the phone call came.
“Some of our family and friends were there and I had gone in the house to get something and I saw the phone was blinking.”
Marilyn picked up the phone and pushed the button to see that the caller was ‘Brockman’ from Humboldt. “I phoned the number back right away and it was a woman that answered and she gave me all the information. I just couldn’t believe it.”
Wignes went outside with a big grin and signalled something was up. As those in attendance found out about the good news and it began to sink in, Bob said, “it was once in a lifetime. We have been buying tickets there and we have bought quite a few pretty much every year and probably will continue.”
Bob and Marilyn have enjoyed watching the Broncos, especially in the past when local area players would suit up.
The pair made the drive to Humboldt last week not to watch hockey, but rather to take part in the cheque presentation (pictured above).
While the pair do not plan on spending the money right away, they may take a trip in the near future.
“It is a once in a lifetime deal,” said Bob. “It sweetens retirement,” said Marilyn.
Daniel Bushman/TWM
(photo courtesy Clark Stork/Boldt FM)
It was a special day for Bob and Marilyn Wignes of Watrous as they not only celebrated Bob’s birthday but also found out they were the grand prize winners of this year’s Humboldt Broncos Spring Lottery of Cash. Marilyn said she was pretty elated and pumped when she found out Apr. 30 that they had won $100,000.
Celebrating Bob’s birthday in their backyard, the pair had been expecting a lot of company when the phone call came.
“Some of our family and friends were there and I had gone in the house to get something and I saw the phone was blinking.”
Marilyn picked up the phone and pushed the button to see that the caller was ‘Brockman’ from Humboldt. “I phoned the number back right away and it was a woman that answered and she gave me all the information. I just couldn’t believe it.”
Wignes went outside with a big grin and signalled something was up. As those in attendance found out about the good news and it began to sink in, Bob said, “it was once in a lifetime. We have been buying tickets there and we have bought quite a few pretty much every year and probably will continue.”
Bob and Marilyn have enjoyed watching the Broncos, especially in the past when local area players would suit up.
The pair made the drive to Humboldt last week not to watch hockey, but rather to take part in the cheque presentation (pictured above).
While the pair do not plan on spending the money right away, they may take a trip in the near future.
“It is a once in a lifetime deal,” said Bob. “It sweetens retirement,” said Marilyn.
TWM Top Stories - May 2, 2016
Fires deemed suspicious
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Three fires started in the Watrous area are being considered suspicious while the cause of a fourth has been undetermined. Last week local firefighters spent around seven hours dousing flames Apr. 26 and were back out to extinguish another Apr. 27.
Around 2 a.m. Apr. 26, Watrous RCMP received a report of a fire in the Rural Municipality of Morris, about one kilometre south of Manitou Beach. Constable Marcel Taekema attended the scene and noted a brush fire, which had potential to get out of control. The Watrous Fire Department was notified and Fire Chief Wayne Vielhauer said they attended the blaze.
Burning between Watrous and the local gun range, crews began containing the fire but before they were finished, other calls came in.
Watrous RCMP said they received two more reports of fires located in the RM of Usborne and one fire unit was sent over while the remainder of the firefighters continued to contain the first fire.
The second fire, which engulfed bales and destroyed a corral was about five miles southeast of Watrous.
Vielhauer said about two miles from that fire was the third blaze. Fire crews headed over to that fire and by around 9 a.m., the unit had everything out.
Vielhauer said there were eight members from the fire department who fought the fires through the early morning hours, using two pumper trucks, the UTV and rescue unit.
“Thankfully not having the wind provided for calm conditions so the fires didn’t spread rapidly.”
The fourth fire occurred during the afternoon Apr. 27 and Vielhauer said it was in the same area as the third but had yet to determine whether it was a flare up or suspicious in nature. “There were eight of us that fought the fire and we got the call around 2:30 p.m. and it took a couple of hours to get it put out.”
At this time, RCMP and Watrous Fire Department are currently investigating the fires. RCMP are asking that if anyone has information on this or any other crime to call the Watrous RCMP at 306-946-3316, or Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or text TIP206 and your message to CRIMES (274637) or submit a tip online at www.saskcrimestoppers.com. Calls are completely anonymous and if information leads to an arrest or charge a person may be eligible for a cash reward.
Daniel Bushman/TWM
Three fires started in the Watrous area are being considered suspicious while the cause of a fourth has been undetermined. Last week local firefighters spent around seven hours dousing flames Apr. 26 and were back out to extinguish another Apr. 27.
Around 2 a.m. Apr. 26, Watrous RCMP received a report of a fire in the Rural Municipality of Morris, about one kilometre south of Manitou Beach. Constable Marcel Taekema attended the scene and noted a brush fire, which had potential to get out of control. The Watrous Fire Department was notified and Fire Chief Wayne Vielhauer said they attended the blaze.
Burning between Watrous and the local gun range, crews began containing the fire but before they were finished, other calls came in.
Watrous RCMP said they received two more reports of fires located in the RM of Usborne and one fire unit was sent over while the remainder of the firefighters continued to contain the first fire.
The second fire, which engulfed bales and destroyed a corral was about five miles southeast of Watrous.
Vielhauer said about two miles from that fire was the third blaze. Fire crews headed over to that fire and by around 9 a.m., the unit had everything out.
Vielhauer said there were eight members from the fire department who fought the fires through the early morning hours, using two pumper trucks, the UTV and rescue unit.
“Thankfully not having the wind provided for calm conditions so the fires didn’t spread rapidly.”
The fourth fire occurred during the afternoon Apr. 27 and Vielhauer said it was in the same area as the third but had yet to determine whether it was a flare up or suspicious in nature. “There were eight of us that fought the fire and we got the call around 2:30 p.m. and it took a couple of hours to get it put out.”
At this time, RCMP and Watrous Fire Department are currently investigating the fires. RCMP are asking that if anyone has information on this or any other crime to call the Watrous RCMP at 306-946-3316, or Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or text TIP206 and your message to CRIMES (274637) or submit a tip online at www.saskcrimestoppers.com. Calls are completely anonymous and if information leads to an arrest or charge a person may be eligible for a cash reward.
The Watrous Manitou brings home handful of awards
The Watrous Manitou is proud to announce that the newspaper came home with a handful of awards including two first place finishes at the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association's Better Newspapers Competition. Nominated for five awards and up against other weekly newspapers from across the province, the Watrous Manitou’s Daniel Bushman won first place for best Saskatchewan Arts or Cultural Story and best Black and White photo. Bushman also collected three third place finishes for best Agriculture coverage, best Feature story and best Health/Healthcare coverage. Bushman’s story about the CBK building’s iconic history and demolition, which ran in the Aug. 3, 2015 edition of TWM, edged out 26 others for best Saskatchewan Arts or Cultural Story. Bushman’s black and white photo of runningback Brayden Moneo of the Winston Wildcats also received top honours and ran in the Oct. 19, 2015 edition of TWM.
Daniel received third place for best Agricultural coverage with the stories in the Watrous Manitou’s 2015 agriculture issue, which ran Mar. 16. In the best Feature Story category, Bushman placed third with the story on local artist and author Michael Gaudet. That story was featured in the Oct. 19, 2015 edition of TWM. The final third place was awarded for best Health/Healthcare coverage with Bushman’s Mar. 30, 2015 story on STARS providing care across Saskatchewan and in Watrous. The SWNA Better Newspapers Competition is held annually and aims to celebrate overall achievements of weekly newspapers in Saskatchewan
The Watrous Manitou is proud to announce that the newspaper came home with a handful of awards including two first place finishes at the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association's Better Newspapers Competition. Nominated for five awards and up against other weekly newspapers from across the province, the Watrous Manitou’s Daniel Bushman won first place for best Saskatchewan Arts or Cultural Story and best Black and White photo. Bushman also collected three third place finishes for best Agriculture coverage, best Feature story and best Health/Healthcare coverage. Bushman’s story about the CBK building’s iconic history and demolition, which ran in the Aug. 3, 2015 edition of TWM, edged out 26 others for best Saskatchewan Arts or Cultural Story. Bushman’s black and white photo of runningback Brayden Moneo of the Winston Wildcats also received top honours and ran in the Oct. 19, 2015 edition of TWM.
Daniel received third place for best Agricultural coverage with the stories in the Watrous Manitou’s 2015 agriculture issue, which ran Mar. 16. In the best Feature Story category, Bushman placed third with the story on local artist and author Michael Gaudet. That story was featured in the Oct. 19, 2015 edition of TWM. The final third place was awarded for best Health/Healthcare coverage with Bushman’s Mar. 30, 2015 story on STARS providing care across Saskatchewan and in Watrous. The SWNA Better Newspapers Competition is held annually and aims to celebrate overall achievements of weekly newspapers in Saskatchewan
TWM Top Story - Apr. 25, 2016
Local co-op marks milestone
Daniel Bushman
With a strong focus on community and a lengthy tradition of being locally owned and operated, the Watrous Co-op is recognizing eight decades within the area. Reflecting back over 80 years of history, Watrous Co-op General Manager Andrew Parrott said they are a large employer within the community, employing 65 staff.
“We live here in Watrous and are community owned and operated from our nine board members through to our management team and staff. Our profits are your profits and our money stays here in the community and does not go to a head office in some far away city. We are invested in Watrous.”
The local co-op has also stressed an importance when it comes to donating towards many local organizations throughout the trading area. “We have an aggressive member relations program. Last year we donated $14,000 to organizations in our community and we have a budget of $20,000 for this year. We are truly community minded.”
With sales of $19.29 million last year, the Watrous Co-op has come a long way since its inception. According to the Co-op’s website, the first organizational meeting for the company was held Nov. 17, 1934 by a group of local farmers in Renown. From there, the Renown Co-operative was incorporated Mar. 23, 1935.
Operating out of a caboose for the first few years, the co-op had a part-time employee and only wood and coal was handled. The first agent was R. Norris, who at the time, was also the Pool Elevator Agent. Twine was added for sale and in 1937, gasoline and oil were also available to buy from the co-op.
Then in the early 1940s, the co-op moved into a building, formerly used by Security Lumber Company and owned by J.O. Davis. The co-op rented the building and also hired Davis to be its manager. At that time, wrenches, farm implement parts and other items were added as inventory.
Not long after that, the co-op purchased stock of groceries, hardware and dry goods from the Libby Bros. General Store. It was also at that time in 1943 when the Board of Directors grew to nine.
As WWII ended, farm fuel sales increased and all fuel sales were delivered in 45 gallon drums. In 1951, metred fuel began and M. Laird had a contract to deliver the co-op’s fuel. The fuel was contracted out until the bulk fuel business moved to Watrous, which was when the local co-op elected to buy their own delivery truck.
Coal was used as a heating material and until the late 1950s, it was handled primarily at the Amazon Branch of the Renown Co-op. The Amazon Branch eventually closed in 1959.
With an eye on the future, discussion took place with plans to either include operating a bulk station only, building a store in Renown and expanding; or centralizing and support the organization of a co-op centre in Watrous.
With farms growing, some of the rural populations declining and Watrous becoming larger, a special meeting was held January 1958 to discuss relocating the co-op to Watrous. A feasibility survey took place and presented to the board in July 1961 and a decision was made to relocate to Watrous.
Even though the co-op was still operating as the Renown Co-op Association, just over one year later on Nov. 1, 1962, the grand opening of the Bulk Station and Store took place.
The Renown Store officially closed in September 1965 and the name changed to the Watrous Co-op Association at the next annual general meeting.
From there, the Watrous Co-op continued to grow and gain new members while primarily focusing on petroleum, oil, hardware and feed.
Then in 1998, the Watrous Co-op elected to expand and over the next decade, grew in all areas.
Parrott said part of that growth included the construction of a 10,000 sq. ft. food store in 1999 but outgrew it within 14 years. In 2013, the Watrous Co-op then expanded its food store at 107-2nd Ave. W. to 16,0000 sq. ft.
“This store is very modern with a full server meat department with trained meat cutters on site. It has a full service deli department ready to serve customers with soup and sandwiches for lunch to meat and cheese trays for a big event. Our food store has a produce department with a great variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.”
The general manager said they do fruit baskets and trays and veggie trays that are made to order. The in-store bakery also provides daily baked products with made to order cakes and trays. “We also have a great selection of groceries from frozen, dairy and dry goods in the grocery department. Our great staff is eager to provide you with great customer service.”
In close proximity to the co-op’s grocery store is the Gas Bar and C-store at 104-1st Ave. W. Parrott said the gas bar as it is now was built in 2007. “With great staff and full service, we are able to provide our customers with Top Tier Co-op fuel, regular, mid-grade and premium Gas as well as Co-op premium diesel and propane.”
The C-store offers a bit of everything from lotto tickets, carbonated slushies, coffee, tea, fresh sandwiches made daily, hot Vern’s pizza as well as candy, chips and cold drinks. Parrott said they also have an automotive section with DEF and a good variety of oil and novelty items. “For customers that want to make some noise, we also have fireworks.”
The third co-op facility on the west side of the community is the Farm and Hardware Centre at 410-1st Ave. W. along Hwy. 2. “Built in 2004, our great staff are able to help customers with any farm project from building corrals to selling and delivering grain bins, as well as helping with the care of your livestock. We have a great selection of hardware for any weekend do-it-yourselfer including plumbing, electrical and paint centre.”
Parrott said they also carry products from patios to RV items in addition to hunting supplies and yard care.
The general manager who came to Watrous this past July said, “As we reflect back on the past 80 years of the Co-op, We are very excited to work toward insuring that the Watrous Co-op will be around for the next 80 years.”
The Watrous Co-operative Board of Directors includes: President Brad Ulmer, Vice President Ron Frey, Secretary Lori Ann Frey, Delegate Doug Gregory and directors Konn Hawkes, Bob Lee, Brendan Manz, Steven Leslie and Dale Schatz.
The management team includes: General Manager Andrew Parrott, Food Store Manager Carl Danku, Gas Bar C-Store Manager Sharon Hildebrand and Farm and Hardware Manager Taylor Engele.
Daniel Bushman
With a strong focus on community and a lengthy tradition of being locally owned and operated, the Watrous Co-op is recognizing eight decades within the area. Reflecting back over 80 years of history, Watrous Co-op General Manager Andrew Parrott said they are a large employer within the community, employing 65 staff.
“We live here in Watrous and are community owned and operated from our nine board members through to our management team and staff. Our profits are your profits and our money stays here in the community and does not go to a head office in some far away city. We are invested in Watrous.”
The local co-op has also stressed an importance when it comes to donating towards many local organizations throughout the trading area. “We have an aggressive member relations program. Last year we donated $14,000 to organizations in our community and we have a budget of $20,000 for this year. We are truly community minded.”
With sales of $19.29 million last year, the Watrous Co-op has come a long way since its inception. According to the Co-op’s website, the first organizational meeting for the company was held Nov. 17, 1934 by a group of local farmers in Renown. From there, the Renown Co-operative was incorporated Mar. 23, 1935.
Operating out of a caboose for the first few years, the co-op had a part-time employee and only wood and coal was handled. The first agent was R. Norris, who at the time, was also the Pool Elevator Agent. Twine was added for sale and in 1937, gasoline and oil were also available to buy from the co-op.
Then in the early 1940s, the co-op moved into a building, formerly used by Security Lumber Company and owned by J.O. Davis. The co-op rented the building and also hired Davis to be its manager. At that time, wrenches, farm implement parts and other items were added as inventory.
Not long after that, the co-op purchased stock of groceries, hardware and dry goods from the Libby Bros. General Store. It was also at that time in 1943 when the Board of Directors grew to nine.
As WWII ended, farm fuel sales increased and all fuel sales were delivered in 45 gallon drums. In 1951, metred fuel began and M. Laird had a contract to deliver the co-op’s fuel. The fuel was contracted out until the bulk fuel business moved to Watrous, which was when the local co-op elected to buy their own delivery truck.
Coal was used as a heating material and until the late 1950s, it was handled primarily at the Amazon Branch of the Renown Co-op. The Amazon Branch eventually closed in 1959.
With an eye on the future, discussion took place with plans to either include operating a bulk station only, building a store in Renown and expanding; or centralizing and support the organization of a co-op centre in Watrous.
With farms growing, some of the rural populations declining and Watrous becoming larger, a special meeting was held January 1958 to discuss relocating the co-op to Watrous. A feasibility survey took place and presented to the board in July 1961 and a decision was made to relocate to Watrous.
Even though the co-op was still operating as the Renown Co-op Association, just over one year later on Nov. 1, 1962, the grand opening of the Bulk Station and Store took place.
The Renown Store officially closed in September 1965 and the name changed to the Watrous Co-op Association at the next annual general meeting.
From there, the Watrous Co-op continued to grow and gain new members while primarily focusing on petroleum, oil, hardware and feed.
Then in 1998, the Watrous Co-op elected to expand and over the next decade, grew in all areas.
Parrott said part of that growth included the construction of a 10,000 sq. ft. food store in 1999 but outgrew it within 14 years. In 2013, the Watrous Co-op then expanded its food store at 107-2nd Ave. W. to 16,0000 sq. ft.
“This store is very modern with a full server meat department with trained meat cutters on site. It has a full service deli department ready to serve customers with soup and sandwiches for lunch to meat and cheese trays for a big event. Our food store has a produce department with a great variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.”
The general manager said they do fruit baskets and trays and veggie trays that are made to order. The in-store bakery also provides daily baked products with made to order cakes and trays. “We also have a great selection of groceries from frozen, dairy and dry goods in the grocery department. Our great staff is eager to provide you with great customer service.”
In close proximity to the co-op’s grocery store is the Gas Bar and C-store at 104-1st Ave. W. Parrott said the gas bar as it is now was built in 2007. “With great staff and full service, we are able to provide our customers with Top Tier Co-op fuel, regular, mid-grade and premium Gas as well as Co-op premium diesel and propane.”
The C-store offers a bit of everything from lotto tickets, carbonated slushies, coffee, tea, fresh sandwiches made daily, hot Vern’s pizza as well as candy, chips and cold drinks. Parrott said they also have an automotive section with DEF and a good variety of oil and novelty items. “For customers that want to make some noise, we also have fireworks.”
The third co-op facility on the west side of the community is the Farm and Hardware Centre at 410-1st Ave. W. along Hwy. 2. “Built in 2004, our great staff are able to help customers with any farm project from building corrals to selling and delivering grain bins, as well as helping with the care of your livestock. We have a great selection of hardware for any weekend do-it-yourselfer including plumbing, electrical and paint centre.”
Parrott said they also carry products from patios to RV items in addition to hunting supplies and yard care.
The general manager who came to Watrous this past July said, “As we reflect back on the past 80 years of the Co-op, We are very excited to work toward insuring that the Watrous Co-op will be around for the next 80 years.”
The Watrous Co-operative Board of Directors includes: President Brad Ulmer, Vice President Ron Frey, Secretary Lori Ann Frey, Delegate Doug Gregory and directors Konn Hawkes, Bob Lee, Brendan Manz, Steven Leslie and Dale Schatz.
The management team includes: General Manager Andrew Parrott, Food Store Manager Carl Danku, Gas Bar C-Store Manager Sharon Hildebrand and Farm and Hardware Manager Taylor Engele.
TWM Top Story - Apr. 18, 2016
Water levels remain high at Manitou Beach
Daniel Bushman/The Watrous Manitou
Despite not having a heavy runoff this spring, high water levels at Manitou Beach remain a concern. Manitou Beach mayor Eric Upshall said the water level is up about four inches but added the resort community is fortunate not to have experienced a heavy runoff this spring. “We still have an issue though because the levels are very high and we still have the Hesco barriers along the lake.”
Last year a portion of the road had to be dug out near Danceland and water rose about 24 cm higher than it was from that previous fall. Barriers were eventually put up along the shoreline and Upshall said this year the water is still incredibly high and further precautions are being looked at.
The mayor said a meeting was recently held regarding emergency planning and organizing with SaskWater, Sergeant Earl LeBlanc from the local RCMP and Emergency Management and Fire and Safety (EMFS) who were at Manitou Beach last year to set up the barriers.
“It was a good discussion about the safety element of the situation here. If the berm was to break, what would be flooded? Where would people go? Where would the exits be? We had very good discussion on that and the EMFS and the office is working on that . . . we don’t know this spring when the frost comes out of the berms what kind of shape they are going to be in.”
Last fall, Upshall said crews repaired two potential breaches on the berms, one by Danceland and one at the east end. “This year they are going to be monitoring those repairs. They were temporary repairs and (crews)will be trying to decide if there is anything more to do. There are two more areas that need to be repaired. There is a real soft spot at the condos and also west of the Nu-Inn.”
This spring, Upshall said they are planning to try and raise the beaches a little bit to keep the water back in many areas. “We’d like to fill the areas in with sand and bring it up above the water so that there may be a beach there. We don’t know exactly how that is going to happen yet but that is on our agenda for this spring.”
Since the water levels are not decreasing, another berm is being engineered by SaskWater. “They would like to have in place engineering plans to raise the berm another metre if certain triggers are met like rainfall, the height of the lake and a few different things. They are getting that all done so that it can be put into action quite quickly. Certainly, it is not what we want (to see) because it is very expensive. We also put the word back through SaskWater that we still want the diversion water project done. Now that the election is over and budgets are being tweaked, we put that forward.”
Upshall also wanted to encourage residents at the beach to be mindful of the high water. “If you are in a low lying area, we are asking people to think about if that berm ever started to blow out . . . we are asking people to make sure to have a plan if you have to get out quick. We are going to be sending out some information on this right away. Have a pre-arranged meeting place, make sure a route is planned if you think the water levels are encroaching on your property and you had to get out. Think about what you would do because there is nothing to say that something can’t happen and that lake can’t push through that berm in those potential breach areas. We are working on them and we patched them but just keep it in mind (as a safety precaution).”
Daniel Bushman/The Watrous Manitou
Despite not having a heavy runoff this spring, high water levels at Manitou Beach remain a concern. Manitou Beach mayor Eric Upshall said the water level is up about four inches but added the resort community is fortunate not to have experienced a heavy runoff this spring. “We still have an issue though because the levels are very high and we still have the Hesco barriers along the lake.”
Last year a portion of the road had to be dug out near Danceland and water rose about 24 cm higher than it was from that previous fall. Barriers were eventually put up along the shoreline and Upshall said this year the water is still incredibly high and further precautions are being looked at.
The mayor said a meeting was recently held regarding emergency planning and organizing with SaskWater, Sergeant Earl LeBlanc from the local RCMP and Emergency Management and Fire and Safety (EMFS) who were at Manitou Beach last year to set up the barriers.
“It was a good discussion about the safety element of the situation here. If the berm was to break, what would be flooded? Where would people go? Where would the exits be? We had very good discussion on that and the EMFS and the office is working on that . . . we don’t know this spring when the frost comes out of the berms what kind of shape they are going to be in.”
Last fall, Upshall said crews repaired two potential breaches on the berms, one by Danceland and one at the east end. “This year they are going to be monitoring those repairs. They were temporary repairs and (crews)will be trying to decide if there is anything more to do. There are two more areas that need to be repaired. There is a real soft spot at the condos and also west of the Nu-Inn.”
This spring, Upshall said they are planning to try and raise the beaches a little bit to keep the water back in many areas. “We’d like to fill the areas in with sand and bring it up above the water so that there may be a beach there. We don’t know exactly how that is going to happen yet but that is on our agenda for this spring.”
Since the water levels are not decreasing, another berm is being engineered by SaskWater. “They would like to have in place engineering plans to raise the berm another metre if certain triggers are met like rainfall, the height of the lake and a few different things. They are getting that all done so that it can be put into action quite quickly. Certainly, it is not what we want (to see) because it is very expensive. We also put the word back through SaskWater that we still want the diversion water project done. Now that the election is over and budgets are being tweaked, we put that forward.”
Upshall also wanted to encourage residents at the beach to be mindful of the high water. “If you are in a low lying area, we are asking people to think about if that berm ever started to blow out . . . we are asking people to make sure to have a plan if you have to get out quick. We are going to be sending out some information on this right away. Have a pre-arranged meeting place, make sure a route is planned if you think the water levels are encroaching on your property and you had to get out. Think about what you would do because there is nothing to say that something can’t happen and that lake can’t push through that berm in those potential breach areas. We are working on them and we patched them but just keep it in mind (as a safety precaution).”
TWM Top Story - Apr. 11, 2016
