Amanda Jeffery, Free Press
Anyone who is 55 years or older will soon be able to access a vehicle to get them to all of their appointments in town, and to some appointments outside of the community.
Drake’s Handi-Bus Services is now being contracted by the Town of Drayton Valley to help those who are older than 55 and those with mobility issues (at any age). Annette Driessen, the General Manager of Community Services for the Town, says they put an RSP out into the community, checking to see if there was anyone who wanted to operate the service, and Drake’s was the one who won.
Firearms repair and maintenance
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Valley Worship Assembly
Please take your time and discover what is happening at Valley Worship in Drayton Valley.
B.D. Lock and Key Ltd.
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Drayton Valley Alliance Church
Join us Sunday Mornings 10:30 am Everyone Welcome! Phone: 780-542-6501 Email: office@dvalliance.ca Mailing address: Box
All Saints Anglican Church
We participate in the Anglican Liturgy, which comforts and sustains us. Many have said that
“Providing accessible transportation in Drayton Valley has been a priority of Council and I am excited to see this important project come to fruition. Town Council remains committed to offering yearly grants to keep this service operating for the betterment of the community,” says Mayor Michael Doerkson in an email statement.
Amy Newberry, of Drake’s Handi-Bus Services, says the name has historical meaning for the community. “The Drakes were the people of our town that named Drayton Valley because of the Postal Code system, and they were also my great grandparents. It’s a form of leaving a legacy for me,” she said via email.
Locals could be forgiven for thinking that the only reasonable hike to do is one that is up the side of a mountain. But what our region lacks in mountains it makes up for in ravines and river banks.
These manageable hikes that are closer to home are a great way for kids to fall in love with hiking. When I choose a hike for the family I like to pick something that is close to home, not too long, and that ends with a feature. This could be a river, a steam, a waterfall or a playground. The Pembina River Provincial Park ticked all of these boxes.
Last week school was out, daycare was closed and so my kids and I turned my weekly newspaper delivery route into a regional road trip. A road trip sounds so much more fun than, “Hey kids, you get to sit in the car for four hours while I deliver newspapers!” No matter how many exclamation points you add it’s a tough sell. So instead we were going on a road trip, packed snacks, car games, a map, some tunes, and my five year old got to be dj/navigator. The second stop of the day took us to Entwistle, where I promised a playground stop or a hike. It turned out that we got both.
The Pembina River Provincial Park is located 2.8 km north of Entwistle. From the Hwy 16 and Hwy 22 overpass you travel North on 16A and the park is on your right. In the summertime the park offers hiking, camping, a day use area and it is also a hot spot for river tubing. In the winter the area is a little quieter. On our drive down to the park gates we did a brief stop at the trailhead at the top of the hill to take a look at all the trail system. The system is a series of loops that take you through forested areas, with the option to hike down to the park’s day use area and river valley. With a 2.5 year old in tow we decided to drive to the day use area of the park.
Driving into the parking lot there is a signage that directs you to “day use access trail”. In the winter walking is the only way the day use area can be accessed. The hike to the playground, and river area is all down hill, and so quite enjoyable for the little ones. My little guy walked the whole way and my daughter made bunny prints hopping along the trail. There are views of the river along the way, water ripples could be heard in the distance as well as the horn of a distant train. The scenery is absolutely beautiful with a sandstone embankment across the river. Down the trail you come across remnants of the old Canadian National Railway crossing. The hike is short lasting only about 20 – 25 minutes with the little ones and it finishes at a playground. If you’d like to explore or just take a mental break, the edge of the river is easily accessed.
Leaving the playground we decided to walk up the day use access road. No matter how you leave it is all uphill. It is either long and gradual or short and steep. We took the short and steep route. For kids of a slightly older age the hike would be no problem. My kids on the other hand all of the sudden decided they were too tired and so our route back was a series of running races, piggy back rides, and of course bribery. Why else would we pack snacks on a road trip?
On the whole the adventure was one well worth taking and an easy backyard way to enjoy winter close to home.
Winter time at Buck Lake
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Try these DV100 training routes
Just beyond the western borders of Drayton Valley is a series of township roads and secondary highways that creates an amazing training ground for anyone looking to tackle the DV100, DV60 or the DV40, this September.
To market, to market: Shopping downtown Drayton Valley
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Tips for beginner mountain bikers
Rocks, berms, extreme pitches, however you slice it, mountain biking is not for the faint of heart. But with a little can-do attitude and grit it can become a fun pastime during any age or stage of life. This summer Rae and Bell decided that they wanted to try something new. Although they were no strangers to road cycling, the purchase of a e-mountain bike got them off the asphalt onto the trail.
Three trips for your winter wonder list
Snowshoeing is a fun way to get outside, stretch your legs and add a little interest to your snowy winter walks. With the Eagle Point Provincial Park and Provincial Recreation area right on our doorstep there are endless places to explore by snowshoe. But for those of you who are just getting started here are three of my favourite places to get you going.
The rugged and refined in Alder Flats
So I have been telling you to explore your backyard and check out places like Evansburg, Breton and Eagle Point Provincial Park. But what about Alder Flats? What the heck is there to do in Alder Flats? To answer this question I have visited Alder Flats five times since July to have a new experience, discover a new place and give you guys some actionable ideas.
Province recognizes economic corridor
It’s official. On February 15, the Alberta Minister of Jobs, Economy and Northern Development, Brian Jean, announced the inception of the Western Economic Corridor at the Recover Energy plant, west of Lodgepole.
The Western Economic Corridor (WEC) is a project Brazeau County has been working toward for several years. At its heart, the WEC is an infrastructure and tax structure plan designed to attract business to central Alberta.
Firearms repair and maintenance
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Drayton Valley Alliance Church
Join us Sunday Mornings 10:30 am Everyone Welcome! Phone: 780-542-6501 Email: office@dvalliance.ca Mailing address: Box
Life Church Drayton Valley
We know that exploring a new church can be an overwhelming experience. To help you
B.D. Lock and Key Ltd.
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The infrastructure that is now in place is one of the reasons Recover Energy chose Brazeau County for their first plant, said Stan Ross, the CEO and president of Recover. Not only do those elements save money for new businesses, but it also saves them time. The lowered taxes and decreased red-tape make the County more attractive, as businesses can get set up with less effort than in other places.
With the corridor in place, it’s hoped there will be more jobs available, and the County will become a leader in innovative tech that can help secure the future for the area.
“By working together with our economic corridor, we can build and diversify our economies, create new jobs, and benefit all of our communities,” said Cody Brooks, Deputy Reeve for the county.
Corb Lund played the Eleanor Pickup Art Centre stage for a raucous sold-out audience Thursday evening.
The Hurtin’ Albertans acoustic duo backing Lund were Grant Siemans on guitar and Sean Burns playing upright bass About a quarter of the 224 capacity seats were purchased as VIP tickets. At 5PM, the three front rows were filled as a solo Corb Lund was greeted with cheers, sat on the edge of the stage, and began singing VIP favourites, telling backstories and conversing. After the warm and friendly performance, knowing their seats were reserved, VIPs ticket holders shopped for merch in the EPAC lobby or went for a meal and refreshment to a downtown restaurant.
Several VIP super-fans commented that it was well worth the premium to be up-close and personal with Lund.
EPAC’s doors remained open as rush seating meant coming early for a preferred perch. The merch table was double-staffed as demand was high for CDs and vinyl LPs, “It’s Better with Cows Around” hoodies and Lund album cover poster three-packs. Lots of stock meant no one was disappointed. Long before the 7:30 curtain it was rare to find two seats together, however. A group of five young men just arriving before the curtain were quickly ushered to the remaining seats.
With the theatre full, an excited ambiance and the clock ticking down to showtime, it was no surprise that when the house lights dimmed, introduction completed, and Corb Lund with the Hurtin’ Albertans appeared from stage right, pandemonium reigned.
Joyful hoots and hollers, cheers, yahoos and multiple long, wavering, high-pitched vocal trilling filled the auditorium. The band, looking fresh and ready despite being midway through a long tour of Europe/US started what was only their second performance of this acoustic set.
The show opened with two songs from Lund’s 2007 Horse Soldier Horse Soldier album. The opening bars of the title track were greeted with cheers of recognition and rewarded with loud applause as was “Especially A Paint”. The set list dipped into Lund’s deep catalogue from a long career: “May you Always have Cows Around” (Cabin Fever 2012), “Devil’s Best Dress” (Losin’ Lately Gambler 2009), “Truth Comes Out” (Hair in My Eyes Like a Highland Steer 2006) and “The Cardplayers” ( El Viejo 2024).
A tribute to the late Ian Tyson included past collaborations and Tyson songs: “Someday Soon” (1964), “The Rodeo’s Over” (Hair in My Eyes…2005), and “La Primera” (Ian Tyson Lost Herd 1999). Many fan favourites peppered the performance. Prior to the intermission we were treated to “Hard on Equipment”, “This is My Prairie” , and “Big Butch Bass Bull Fiddle”. After the break, Lund introduced his next two songs as “hillbilly music” which drew cheers of anticipation. “Family Reunion” brought out the banjo and it stayed out for “Truck Got Stuck”, “Rye Whisky, Rye Whisky” and “Time to Switch to Whisky” . The audience sang backup for both. They even performed a verse and chorus “a capella” after which Lund said “buy a t-shirt, cuz we bought too many, thanks and goodnight!” But the EPAC audience was not yet ready for their good times to end. After lengthy applause, hoots and hollers, and a prolonged chant of “Corb, Corb, Corb” finally earned them their encore: a Lund solo of “S Lazy H”. It’s a plaintive ballad chronicling a family’s loss of their sixth generation ranch. The lyrics, “I have lived with the sorrow/And I will die with the shame/For now the bank owns what’s left/Of the S Lazy H” clearly tugged at the audience’s hearts. When the Hurtin’ Albertans rejoined Lund onstage, cheers banished melancholy as “Five Dollar Bill” was warmly welcomed and earned another standing ovation fitting for a memorable evening of great melody, lyrics and artistry.
I talked with Corb Lund backstage shortly after the final song and asked him how his evening was.
“It was super fun! It’s a cool little theatre. I like it!…
We were just in Europe. I think they find cowboy stuff exotic. Europeans like that about us. I know about Alberta and our regional culture, so people here pick up on the subtleties more. It’s a little different here cause people know what I’m talking about. I grew up just outside of Taber/Cardston, so I’m pretty used to small town Alberta life.”
I asked him about the set. “It’s only the second night we’ve been doing this acoustic trio, but it’s been really fun. It’s kind of different from the big loud band. I like that too, but it’s been kind of neat because there’s a lot of space to play with. Like the guys, especially Grant (lead guitar), when he’s playing his acoustic instruments there’s so much space in the theatre for it to speak. This was a blast. Thanks for having us.”
Grant Siemans has been playing with Corb Lund for 21 years. Lund gave him props explaining that any instrument he (Epiphone guitar) and Sean Burns don’t play, Grant does! I asked Siemans to expand. He listed off what he used for this acoustic trio set. “The mandolin is a Gibson F5 that’s actually Corb’s. It’s about 10 years old. It sounds awesome! The resonator is a 1931 National. I got a steal of a deal with that one because somebody painted it brown in the 1940’s. Nobody wanted it, which was awesome! It looks baaad! The banjo; Epiphone gave us. It was a new model. I asked him about the unique guitar and playing style Siemans used for most of the evening’s performance. “That’s a Manouche guitar (gypsy jazz guitar), a Djanko Rhinehart style guitar. It was made by a Winnipeg luthier named Al Beardsell, Beardsell Guitars.” The acoustic trio has no drum kit, so Siemans played manouche guitar Le Pompe style and imitates the drum kit’s cymbals, keeping rhythm and also the chording of the melody. “I like the playing, practicing, learning. It’s not work for me.”
Pleasant duty, indeed. Especially for the night’s audience!
Businesses will see some changes to the local Rural Renewal Stream program come into effect on November 13.
The program, offered through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program, allows business owners to bring in skilled workers from outside of the province or country. It also allows business owners who employ staff on a Temporary Work Visa to endorse them for permanent residency through the program.
At the October 30 town council meeting, Kundiso Nyambirai, the growth services manager, explained that they had 300 applications that they were reviewing. Between March 2023 and August 2024, the Town had endorsed 200 of those applications for consideration to the Province.
Nyambirai explained that the Province has now put a system into place to make it easier to sort through the applications on their end.
The points based system gives a better idea of which applications are most likely to be considered or approved for those municipalities endorsing them. Nyambirai says his department is reviewing the applications to see which ones would have enough points to be considered by the Province.
However, the Province is limited in the number of applications that it can put through. There are more than 70 municipalities and districts participating in the program, and the Province only has 1,900 spots they can approve in 2024.
“We are over-subscribing,” says Nyambirai. “We are endorsing 200 plus people.”
In August, the Town decided to make some changes to the way that the program would work in the community. This included limiting the number of applications to 100 each year, while also limiting the number of applications a business can submit to five. Nyambirai also suggested that limiting applications to workers who already resided in the community could help to ensure that the Town does have housing available for these applicants.
Nyambirai says the Province is currently sorting through 1,000 applications to decide on the remaining spots for the year. Councillor Monika Sherriffs agreed that the Town is sending in a higher than average amount of endorsements, stating that if there are 1,000 being considered and Drayton Valley has sent in 200, then we would be sending in many more applications than other municipalities.
Councillor Amila Gammana disagreed, saying that he believed other communities are likely doing the same. He says the real question is how many of those endorsements are receiving approval from the Province.
Nyambirai says that the municipalities are not made aware of which endorsements are approved. He says that looking into that number by contacting applicants would be very time consuming, so they cannot be sure how many of Drayton Valley’s businesses’ applications have been accepted for the program.
Sponsored Content
In the age where there’s a constant drive for more and more content, coming up with ideas of how to promote your business can become a full time job on its own. I mean – you signed up to be a business owner right? Not a videographer, copywriter, or graphic designer. The good news is print advertising works differently from the social platforms that have you constantly chasing the next batch of likes and shares.
Print advertising with your local newspaper gets you off the hamster wheel and connects you with a copywriter, graphic designer, and an ad planner who are actually interested in learning the ins and outs of your business. This person or people will work with you to generate creative ideas within your marketing budget. With their help you can get your creative juices flowing again and find ways to not just push content but to craft creative content that will be seen and prompts action.
Print ads are consumed like fine wine. Readers look at print ads longer and deeper than they do the disruptive advertising found on other media platforms. Tell me in the last time that you’ve binge scrolled your social media feeds – How many ads do you actually remember seeing? I am betting, not many.
Print ads are non-disruptive content for newspaper readers and therefore get the attention they truly deserve. They have a longer lasting impact for readers, and after all, deepening the relationship with customers is really what you are looking to do.
So here are some ways you can position your local business with print advertising.
- Thought leadership: Be a thought leader in the regional landscape of your industry. Use an ad space for how-to content, data presentation on regional trends. Newspaper readers are readers and so are more likely to read long form advertisements with interesting information. You can reuse this information on your website blogs, social platforms, podcasts and the like.
- Be action oriented: Ads are there to move the needle forward. A call to action can be as simple as moving an interested person from the print ad to “Check out our online store” – print to digital is easy to do in both the print and digital formats of your local newspaper. Using click through options and QR codes to specific URLs makes the cross over from print to digital platforms seamless.
- Event marketing: Discovering local events in the community newspaper is one of the top interest points for local readers. But don’t just churn out a generic “Come to our event”. Remember our readers enjoy spending time with the paper. Capitalize on that. When you advertise an event in the newspaper you have an opportunity to make an intimate connection so don’t treat it like a fly by night ad. Make it engaging, personal, and relevant.
- Coupons and promotions: If you are a retailer or a restaurant that has deals and promotions, newspaper readers take notice! Not only does the use of coupons help you track the effectiveness of your ad it also gets people in the door where you can start to deepen your client relationship.
- Minimize or maximize. When people book a print ad they tend to want to throw everything into it. This creates a cluttered, hard to read ad. Instead take the space to promote your one product or service that tends to get people in the door, then cross promote once you are in contact with your prospective client. Alternatively you can also use the space to create an organized product catalogue, or flier page that showcases a number of products but in an organized and thematic fashion.
By contacting your local newspaper you don’t just get an ad, you expand your marketing team exponentially. You get access to our professionals and we help you to figure out the direction you are looking to go with your business.
One local youth has seen his hard work with 4-H pay off after being selected as one of 12 youth to show their steers at the 2025 Calgary Stampede Junior Steer Classic.
Hunter Harris is a third generation 4-H member and has been part of the organization since he was 12 years old. Not only does he show cattle for 4-H, he’s also been entering open shows for the past two years. He says showing cattle is just a natural extension of his life as the son and grandson of farmers.
“I think it’s really important to know where your food comes from and I really enjoy showing,” says Harris. He says he also feels like he’s staying true to his heritage working in agriculture, which he is something he is proud of and wants to continue doing.
As an ambassador, Harris got his choice of steer from the OH Ranch this month. At the next Calgary Stampede, he will bring that steer back to show in the Calgary Stampede Junior Steer Classic under a special category for OH Beef.
He says being chosen as an ambassador is an honour and he’s excited to use the opportunity to help educate people about the importance of the industry.
“I think it means putting myself out there and trying to put out a positive image for both the Calgary Stampede and the beef industry as a whole,” says Harris. “As an ambassador, I feel I have the responsibility to try and promote the show world, the beef industry, and this way of life as much as I can.”
Beef showing a competitive sport
He says there is a lot of work that goes into showing and that he considers it a competitive sport, no different than horse showing or dog showing. Each year, Harris works with the steer or heifer he’s chosen. He’s responsible for feeding it, grooming it, and training it, which means spending time with it nearly every day for more than half a year.
“You’ve got to put in a ton of time. You have to be able to halter break it and get it tame,” says Harris. “There’s a process of training it to stand a certain way, how to respond to certain cues when you’re pulling on their halter, and how they should lead and behave in the show ring.”
It’s also important to put time into research about the proper feed for the steer. Harris says the type of food they are fed will greatly impact the standing in competition as well as the sale of the steer for butcher. He says there is a certain balance between fat and muscle that needs to be kept to make good meat.
At the show, all of the cattle get a fitting from the competitors to make sure they look their best when in the ring.
“It’s kind of like hairstyling, but for cows, in a sense,” he says.
Fitting involves cleaning the cow, blow drying them, clipping them, brushing tufts and styling them in certain ways to make the cow look its best in the show.
“It kind of brings out the best traits in them so they look like a better market animal,” he says.
Harris says he plans to attend more open shows this year and hopefully have the opportunity to help educate people about the industry. In the past, he’s spoken with young spectators at events who come up to see his cow and shared a little bit about the importance of the event.
“I just wanted to make sure they were enjoying themselves and that they learned something,” says Harris. “The ladies that were showing [the children] around were learning stuff, too. I think it’s really important to try and connect with everyone on all levels and tell them what an amazing sport it is and how important it is.”
He says that sometimes it can be sad to see the cow go after working with it for so long. But Harris says it’s important for him to remember why he is doing it in the first place, and that families will be fed well because of his efforts.
While Harris is still contemplating what the future could hold for himself in terms of a career, he’s pretty certain that he will likely end up working with cattle and in the agriculture industry. He’s already been working on building up his own herd with his time and money, and a little bit of help from his family. He feels that this will give him a headstart in life and also makes a good choice as an ambassador.
“My parents have been extremely supportive of it, and they’ve helped me out a ton,” he says.
Harris believes his experience in working with his herd makes him more knowledgeable about the industry. He’s been learning about the traditions and the work that goes into maintaining a herd, including breeding, feeding, and the general well-being of the animals.
“I think that makes me a better showman and in a better position to be an ambassador,” he says.
Those who wish to know how Harris’ steer holds up to the other 11 ambassadors will have to wait until the July 2025 Calgary Stampede or hope to catch him at one of the several shows he plans to attend.
Tomahawk to receive a $1 million dollar upgrade
For the first time ever, the Tomahawk School volleyball team was able to host a home game thanks to their new gym.
Tracey Gilmour, the new principal for the school, says the new gym was a $1 million project. It was started last May and was finally finished on October 16, hours before their opening game.
“They were bringing the scissor lift out as we brought in the net,” says Gilmour.
The Timberwolves went on to win their first home game against the Muir Lake Mustangs.
“They were a little bit worried that actually performing at home would put some pressure on them,” says Gilmour. “But they did great.”
“I was very nervous and excited at the same time,” says Layla Chausse, one of the Timberwolves.
Team practice was a challenge in the past
While the school has always had team sports, Gilmour says it’s been a challenge for the teams to practice, and they’ve never been able to host a game before. The size of the gym wasn’t necessarily the problem. The issue was a large stage that took up about a third of the space in the room.
Gilmour says the stage made it difficult for the students to play any type of sports in the gym. She says small games could work, but a full sized game wasn’t possible.
The previous principal, Fran Bell, really advocated for the students saying they should have equal opportunities to access sports and extracurriculars.
“Parkland School Division stepped up and made that investment in our school,” says Gilmour.
After years of playing away games, the team was happy to finally get to play on their home turf.
“It was really nice to play in the gym for the first time,” says Josie Woodruff, one of the players. “We’re especially grateful to be able to play a home game.” She says their team has never had the opportunity to play in a new gym before.
The fact that they were the very first people to use the gym was something the team enjoyed, as well.
Strocher says winning is just icing on the cake
“We were really excited to have our first home game and be the first ones to play in that gym,” says Isabelle Strocher. She says winning that first game was just icing on the cake.
Up until the home opener, the girls had been practicing outside on a paved area near the school. Gilmour says it hasn’t been easy for the team, but they persevered, and had won every single game going into the home opener.
“Honestly, I think what got them through was their amazing team spirit,” says Gilmour. “I’ve never seen anything like it. They’re so supportive of each other.”
That team spirit has helped the Timberwolves make it into the playoffs this year.
“We’ve finished our placement games,” says Judith Munch. “Now we just have playoffs, and we’re hoping to host one, too.”
Members of business community voice concerns over local issues
Some local businesses gathered last week to voice concerns, propose possible solutions, and brainstorm a presentation to put before town council.
Erik Bergen, one of the owners of the Drayton Valley Bakery, held a meeting on October 9 and invited all businesses in the community to come out. Bergen wanted to hear their thoughts on three specific topics: homelessness, essential service administration and the Town’s free enterprise policy.
Bergen says the idea about having a presentation has been on his mind for several months. He says he’s spoken to many business owners who feel frustrated with the Town and the direction council is taking. However, he says he felt that if everybody only talked about it and no one went to the town, nothing would get accomplished.
Along with business owners, the organizers of Warming Hearts and members of the public attended the event.
Homelessness and franchises stir debate
Bergen prepared a presentation for the event, and reviewed it several times as people came and went as they were able. He also had a petition available for attendees to sign.
As he went over his presentation, Bergen says it was difficult to focus on the problems and solutions rather than opinions.
“It did derail a little bit, just because of the opposite points of view, especially regarding the homeless,” he says.
There were some attendees who viewed the homeless issue from a more humanitarian point of view and others that felt a heavier hand was needed. But Bergen says it’s important to
remember that not all homeless people are causing the issue. There are some individuals who are making it difficult for everyone.
“I don’t want to group all people into one basket,” says Bergen. “There are people who are homeless because their house burned down or were dealt a bad hand.”
Another topic that brought up differing opinions was new franchises coming into the community. In his presentation, Bergen argued that by simply leaving the door open for any new businesses in the community, council was putting a strain on businesses that were already established.
According to Bergen, there is about one restaurant (or registered kitchen) for every 95 people in the community. There are more than eight liquor stores and six cannabis stores, 12 pizza places and more than one of some franchises.
He believes that a lack of direction from council in this matter is making it difficult for businesses to do well. Bergen says his concern is protecting the current businesses that the town already has in place and allow them to flourish.
“A lot of these restaurant owners say that they’re one franchise away from closing their doors,” says Bergen.
Town services and the need for improvement
Bergen says that many people have also noticed a disparity in the services the Town offers the community. For example, there are a number of different “nice” things the Town has spent money on like the pumptrack, disc golf, the pool etc. However, there are some struggles with providing basic services such as regular road maintenance, weed control and pest management.
“Maybe they are doing the best they can do, or maybe they got pushed to the back burner,” says Bergen.
He says that he got a lot of feedback from those who attended the meeting. As it was his first time attempting anything like this, there was a learning curve and Bergen says he’s looking forward to making improvements at another meeting that will be held at the beginning of November.
Bergen’s plan is to present a list of complaints with possible solutions to council in November.
Jean said the WEC is great economic news for Alberta.
“Brazeau County has been working hard to create a low tax environment and a low red tape environment, which I know that we need,” he says.
He said the work that the County has been doing to pave roads and create infrastructure has made the municipality one of the leaders for projects like this.
“I’m excited to recognize some of the early investments and successes that the Western Economic Corridor is bringing to Alberta,” he said.
Recover Energy, a company that recycles drilling mud for companies free of cost, and Base Element Energy, which works to reduce greenhouse gasses from oilfield waste, were two of the plants toured by Jean.
“Two leading-edge clean tech investments are helping to establish the Western Economic Corridor as a centre for clean tech innovation. We know this is the future for the oil industry,” said Jean.
Jean said those two companies recognized the opportunity the County had created for new businesses, and that was what drove them to start up in central Alberta.
He added that with a renewed Alberta Advantage, entrepreneurial spirit, communities, and work ethic, the future is promising for the province.
“You have a recipe for success for businesses and Albertans,” he said.
Jean said the Alberta government has been steadily investing in clean technology in the province, and the WEC is one area that shows the results of those investments.
“Oil and gas are not going anywhere, but the combustion engine obviously is, and we have to be at the top of that,” he said.
“We are an energy superpower here in Alberta … We have to make sure we are at the front of all of the technologies.”
Corb Lund plays to a packed house
Corb Lund live at the Eleanor Pickup Art Centre. A sold-out crowd enjoyed an acoustic trio set with the Hurtin’ Albertans, blending heartfelt ballads, fan favorites, and cowboy-inspired storytelling. VIP perks, exclusive merch, and a thrilling encore made this Alberta performance unforgettable
Changes to Rural Renewal Stream
Businesses in Drayton Valley will see some changes to the local Rural Renewal Stream program come into effect on November 13.
Five creative ways to use print advertising to supercharge your business
Print advertising with your local newspaper gets you off the hamster wheel and connects you with a copywriter, graphic designer, and an ad planner who are actually interested in learning the ins and outs of your business.
Hard work and heritage reflected in 4-H
Hunter Harris is a third generation 4-H member and has been part of the organization since he was 12 years old. Not only does he show cattle for 4-H, he’s also been entering open shows for the past two years.
The Blue Rapids Provincial Recreation Area is home to 75km of OHV trails that run along the North Saskatchewan River.
The trails are built and maintained by the Brazeau ATV Club. There are two trail systems separated by the North Saskatchewan River.
Blue Rapids Recreation Area from Lodgepole Hwy (Hwy 620) via RR83:
On the south side of the river off the Lodgepole Hwy 620, to Range Road 83. Follow the signage to the Brazeau ATV Staging Area.
Trails in this area are not for the faint of heart. Steep embankments, mud holes, and natural features makes this area one to test your ability.
Trails in this area are maintained by the Brazeau ATV Club a volunteer group operating out of Drayton Valley. Please mind trail signage and conservation efforts.
Blue Rapids Recreation Area from Rand Road 71 (Buck Creek Hwy)
On the north side of the river south turn off Hwy 22 to Range Road 71 (Buck Creek Hwy). Follow the highway to TWP 484A. You are now entering the Blue Rapids Provincial Recreation Area.
There are no designated staging area for OHV users but you will see along this road, pull outs, lease roads and signage noting designated trails.
Trails in this system are a mix of sand based trails, and mud/clay trails. Trails traverse steep creek ravines, and sandy river embankments. The variety of trails, and natural features will test you.
Dirt biking Blue Rapids Recreation Area
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Please have yourself a proper Brazeau and Beyond adventure and be mindful of the surrounding environment and the residents who call this community home.
- Stay on trail
- Ride at a safe and sensible speed
- Pack out what you pack in
- Stay off private property
- Do not try to feed or approach wild animals
There isn’t a mountain in sight in this area and so one would think paragliding is something you would have to travel for. Local extreme sports enthusiasts may be happily surprised to find out there is a way to paraglide just five minutes out of town and catch some gorgeous Drayton Valley views
Air Adventure Flight School is based north of Drayton Valley and offers extreme sports such as paragliding and powered parachutes. Traditionally paragliding begins on a mountain where paragliders will run off the side, catch the wind and fly; at Air Adventure Flight school they have a different way of enjoying the fun.
“We have a winch that brings you up to a certain altitude and then you can paraglide from there so we don’t have mountains but with this winch you can make your own mountains basically,” says Claudio Mota who is the chief flight instructor at the school.
The winch can bring people up to 2,000 feet; once at the desired altitude they are released from the airplane and can glide through the air taking in the views.
Currently Air Adventure Flight School has not seen a ton of local traffic but does bring in many people from out of town.
Corb Lund played the Eleanor Pickup Art Centre stage for a raucous sold-out audience Thursday evening.
The Hurtin’ Albertans acoustic duo backing Lund were Grant Siemans on guitar and Sean Burns playing upright bass About a quarter of the 224 capacity seats were purchased as VIP tickets. At 5PM, the three front rows were filled as a solo Corb Lund was greeted with cheers, sat on the edge of the stage, and began singing VIP favourites, telling backstories and conversing. After the warm and friendly performance, knowing their seats were reserved, VIPs ticket holders shopped for merch in the EPAC lobby or went for a meal and refreshment to a downtown restaurant.
Several VIP super-fans commented that it was well worth the premium to be up-close and personal with Lund.
EPAC’s doors remained open as rush seating meant coming early for a preferred perch. The merch table was double-staffed as demand was high for CDs and vinyl LPs, “It’s Better with Cows Around” hoodies and Lund album cover poster three-packs. Lots of stock meant no one was disappointed. Long before the 7:30 curtain it was rare to find two seats together, however. A group of five young men just arriving before the curtain were quickly ushered to the remaining seats.
With the theatre full, an excited ambiance and the clock ticking down to showtime, it was no surprise that when the house lights dimmed, introduction completed, and Corb Lund with the Hurtin’ Albertans appeared from stage right, pandemonium reigned.
Joyful hoots and hollers, cheers, yahoos and multiple long, wavering, high-pitched vocal trilling filled the auditorium. The band, looking fresh and ready despite being midway through a long tour of Europe/US started what was only their second performance of this acoustic set.
The show opened with two songs from Lund’s 2007 Horse Soldier Horse Soldier album. The opening bars of the title track were greeted with cheers of recognition and rewarded with loud applause as was “Especially A Paint”. The set list dipped into Lund’s deep catalogue from a long career: “May you Always have Cows Around” (Cabin Fever 2012), “Devil’s Best Dress” (Losin’ Lately Gambler 2009), “Truth Comes Out” (Hair in My Eyes Like a Highland Steer 2006) and “The Cardplayers” ( El Viejo 2024).
A tribute to the late Ian Tyson included past collaborations and Tyson songs: “Someday Soon” (1964), “The Rodeo’s Over” (Hair in My Eyes…2005), and “La Primera” (Ian Tyson Lost Herd 1999). Many fan favourites peppered the performance. Prior to the intermission we were treated to “Hard on Equipment”, “This is My Prairie” , and “Big Butch Bass Bull Fiddle”. After the break, Lund introduced his next two songs as “hillbilly music” which drew cheers of anticipation. “Family Reunion” brought out the banjo and it stayed out for “Truck Got Stuck”, “Rye Whisky, Rye Whisky” and “Time to Switch to Whisky” . The audience sang backup for both. They even performed a verse and chorus “a capella” after which Lund said “buy a t-shirt, cuz we bought too many, thanks and goodnight!” But the EPAC audience was not yet ready for their good times to end. After lengthy applause, hoots and hollers, and a prolonged chant of “Corb, Corb, Corb” finally earned them their encore: a Lund solo of “S Lazy H”. It’s a plaintive ballad chronicling a family’s loss of their sixth generation ranch. The lyrics, “I have lived with the sorrow/And I will die with the shame/For now the bank owns what’s left/Of the S Lazy H” clearly tugged at the audience’s hearts. When the Hurtin’ Albertans rejoined Lund onstage, cheers banished melancholy as “Five Dollar Bill” was warmly welcomed and earned another standing ovation fitting for a memorable evening of great melody, lyrics and artistry.
I talked with Corb Lund backstage shortly after the final song and asked him how his evening was.
“It was super fun! It’s a cool little theatre. I like it!…
We were just in Europe. I think they find cowboy stuff exotic. Europeans like that about us. I know about Alberta and our regional culture, so people here pick up on the subtleties more. It’s a little different here cause people know what I’m talking about. I grew up just outside of Taber/Cardston, so I’m pretty used to small town Alberta life.”
I asked him about the set. “It’s only the second night we’ve been doing this acoustic trio, but it’s been really fun. It’s kind of different from the big loud band. I like that too, but it’s been kind of neat because there’s a lot of space to play with. Like the guys, especially Grant (lead guitar), when he’s playing his acoustic instruments there’s so much space in the theatre for it to speak. This was a blast. Thanks for having us.”
Grant Siemans has been playing with Corb Lund for 21 years. Lund gave him props explaining that any instrument he (Epiphone guitar) and Sean Burns don’t play, Grant does! I asked Siemans to expand. He listed off what he used for this acoustic trio set. “The mandolin is a Gibson F5 that’s actually Corb’s. It’s about 10 years old. It sounds awesome! The resonator is a 1931 National. I got a steal of a deal with that one because somebody painted it brown in the 1940’s. Nobody wanted it, which was awesome! It looks baaad! The banjo; Epiphone gave us. It was a new model. I asked him about the unique guitar and playing style Siemans used for most of the evening’s performance. “That’s a Manouche guitar (gypsy jazz guitar), a Djanko Rhinehart style guitar. It was made by a Winnipeg luthier named Al Beardsell, Beardsell Guitars.” The acoustic trio has no drum kit, so Siemans played manouche guitar Le Pompe style and imitates the drum kit’s cymbals, keeping rhythm and also the chording of the melody. “I like the playing, practicing, learning. It’s not work for me.”
Pleasant duty, indeed. Especially for the night’s audience!
Businesses will see some changes to the local Rural Renewal Stream program come into effect on November 13.
The program, offered through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program, allows business owners to bring in skilled workers from outside of the province or country. It also allows business owners who employ staff on a Temporary Work Visa to endorse them for permanent residency through the program.
At the October 30 town council meeting, Kundiso Nyambirai, the growth services manager, explained that they had 300 applications that they were reviewing. Between March 2023 and August 2024, the Town had endorsed 200 of those applications for consideration to the Province.
Nyambirai explained that the Province has now put a system into place to make it easier to sort through the applications on their end.
The points based system gives a better idea of which applications are most likely to be considered or approved for those municipalities endorsing them. Nyambirai says his department is reviewing the applications to see which ones would have enough points to be considered by the Province.
However, the Province is limited in the number of applications that it can put through. There are more than 70 municipalities and districts participating in the program, and the Province only has 1,900 spots they can approve in 2024.
“We are over-subscribing,” says Nyambirai. “We are endorsing 200 plus people.”
In August, the Town decided to make some changes to the way that the program would work in the community. This included limiting the number of applications to 100 each year, while also limiting the number of applications a business can submit to five. Nyambirai also suggested that limiting applications to workers who already resided in the community could help to ensure that the Town does have housing available for these applicants.
Nyambirai says the Province is currently sorting through 1,000 applications to decide on the remaining spots for the year. Councillor Monika Sherriffs agreed that the Town is sending in a higher than average amount of endorsements, stating that if there are 1,000 being considered and Drayton Valley has sent in 200, then we would be sending in many more applications than other municipalities.
Councillor Amila Gammana disagreed, saying that he believed other communities are likely doing the same. He says the real question is how many of those endorsements are receiving approval from the Province.
Nyambirai says that the municipalities are not made aware of which endorsements are approved. He says that looking into that number by contacting applicants would be very time consuming, so they cannot be sure how many of Drayton Valley’s businesses’ applications have been accepted for the program.
Sponsored Content
In the age where there’s a constant drive for more and more content, coming up with ideas of how to promote your business can become a full time job on its own. I mean – you signed up to be a business owner right? Not a videographer, copywriter, or graphic designer. The good news is print advertising works differently from the social platforms that have you constantly chasing the next batch of likes and shares.
Print advertising with your local newspaper gets you off the hamster wheel and connects you with a copywriter, graphic designer, and an ad planner who are actually interested in learning the ins and outs of your business. This person or people will work with you to generate creative ideas within your marketing budget. With their help you can get your creative juices flowing again and find ways to not just push content but to craft creative content that will be seen and prompts action.
Print ads are consumed like fine wine. Readers look at print ads longer and deeper than they do the disruptive advertising found on other media platforms. Tell me in the last time that you’ve binge scrolled your social media feeds – How many ads do you actually remember seeing? I am betting, not many.
Print ads are non-disruptive content for newspaper readers and therefore get the attention they truly deserve. They have a longer lasting impact for readers, and after all, deepening the relationship with customers is really what you are looking to do.
So here are some ways you can position your local business with print advertising.
- Thought leadership: Be a thought leader in the regional landscape of your industry. Use an ad space for how-to content, data presentation on regional trends. Newspaper readers are readers and so are more likely to read long form advertisements with interesting information. You can reuse this information on your website blogs, social platforms, podcasts and the like.
- Be action oriented: Ads are there to move the needle forward. A call to action can be as simple as moving an interested person from the print ad to “Check out our online store” – print to digital is easy to do in both the print and digital formats of your local newspaper. Using click through options and QR codes to specific URLs makes the cross over from print to digital platforms seamless.
- Event marketing: Discovering local events in the community newspaper is one of the top interest points for local readers. But don’t just churn out a generic “Come to our event”. Remember our readers enjoy spending time with the paper. Capitalize on that. When you advertise an event in the newspaper you have an opportunity to make an intimate connection so don’t treat it like a fly by night ad. Make it engaging, personal, and relevant.
- Coupons and promotions: If you are a retailer or a restaurant that has deals and promotions, newspaper readers take notice! Not only does the use of coupons help you track the effectiveness of your ad it also gets people in the door where you can start to deepen your client relationship.
- Minimize or maximize. When people book a print ad they tend to want to throw everything into it. This creates a cluttered, hard to read ad. Instead take the space to promote your one product or service that tends to get people in the door, then cross promote once you are in contact with your prospective client. Alternatively you can also use the space to create an organized product catalogue, or flier page that showcases a number of products but in an organized and thematic fashion.
By contacting your local newspaper you don’t just get an ad, you expand your marketing team exponentially. You get access to our professionals and we help you to figure out the direction you are looking to go with your business.
One local youth has seen his hard work with 4-H pay off after being selected as one of 12 youth to show their steers at the 2025 Calgary Stampede Junior Steer Classic.
Hunter Harris is a third generation 4-H member and has been part of the organization since he was 12 years old. Not only does he show cattle for 4-H, he’s also been entering open shows for the past two years. He says showing cattle is just a natural extension of his life as the son and grandson of farmers.
“I think it’s really important to know where your food comes from and I really enjoy showing,” says Harris. He says he also feels like he’s staying true to his heritage working in agriculture, which he is something he is proud of and wants to continue doing.
As an ambassador, Harris got his choice of steer from the OH Ranch this month. At the next Calgary Stampede, he will bring that steer back to show in the Calgary Stampede Junior Steer Classic under a special category for OH Beef.
He says being chosen as an ambassador is an honour and he’s excited to use the opportunity to help educate people about the importance of the industry.
“I think it means putting myself out there and trying to put out a positive image for both the Calgary Stampede and the beef industry as a whole,” says Harris. “As an ambassador, I feel I have the responsibility to try and promote the show world, the beef industry, and this way of life as much as I can.”
Beef showing a competitive sport
He says there is a lot of work that goes into showing and that he considers it a competitive sport, no different than horse showing or dog showing. Each year, Harris works with the steer or heifer he’s chosen. He’s responsible for feeding it, grooming it, and training it, which means spending time with it nearly every day for more than half a year.
“You’ve got to put in a ton of time. You have to be able to halter break it and get it tame,” says Harris. “There’s a process of training it to stand a certain way, how to respond to certain cues when you’re pulling on their halter, and how they should lead and behave in the show ring.”
It’s also important to put time into research about the proper feed for the steer. Harris says the type of food they are fed will greatly impact the standing in competition as well as the sale of the steer for butcher. He says there is a certain balance between fat and muscle that needs to be kept to make good meat.
At the show, all of the cattle get a fitting from the competitors to make sure they look their best when in the ring.
“It’s kind of like hairstyling, but for cows, in a sense,” he says.
Fitting involves cleaning the cow, blow drying them, clipping them, brushing tufts and styling them in certain ways to make the cow look its best in the show.
“It kind of brings out the best traits in them so they look like a better market animal,” he says.
Harris says he plans to attend more open shows this year and hopefully have the opportunity to help educate people about the industry. In the past, he’s spoken with young spectators at events who come up to see his cow and shared a little bit about the importance of the event.
“I just wanted to make sure they were enjoying themselves and that they learned something,” says Harris. “The ladies that were showing [the children] around were learning stuff, too. I think it’s really important to try and connect with everyone on all levels and tell them what an amazing sport it is and how important it is.”
He says that sometimes it can be sad to see the cow go after working with it for so long. But Harris says it’s important for him to remember why he is doing it in the first place, and that families will be fed well because of his efforts.
While Harris is still contemplating what the future could hold for himself in terms of a career, he’s pretty certain that he will likely end up working with cattle and in the agriculture industry. He’s already been working on building up his own herd with his time and money, and a little bit of help from his family. He feels that this will give him a headstart in life and also makes a good choice as an ambassador.
“My parents have been extremely supportive of it, and they’ve helped me out a ton,” he says.
Harris believes his experience in working with his herd makes him more knowledgeable about the industry. He’s been learning about the traditions and the work that goes into maintaining a herd, including breeding, feeding, and the general well-being of the animals.
“I think that makes me a better showman and in a better position to be an ambassador,” he says.
Those who wish to know how Harris’ steer holds up to the other 11 ambassadors will have to wait until the July 2025 Calgary Stampede or hope to catch him at one of the several shows he plans to attend.
Tomahawk to receive a $1 million dollar upgrade
For the first time ever, the Tomahawk School volleyball team was able to host a home game thanks to their new gym.
Tracey Gilmour, the new principal for the school, says the new gym was a $1 million project. It was started last May and was finally finished on October 16, hours before their opening game.
“They were bringing the scissor lift out as we brought in the net,” says Gilmour.
The Timberwolves went on to win their first home game against the Muir Lake Mustangs.
“They were a little bit worried that actually performing at home would put some pressure on them,” says Gilmour. “But they did great.”
“I was very nervous and excited at the same time,” says Layla Chausse, one of the Timberwolves.
Team practice was a challenge in the past
While the school has always had team sports, Gilmour says it’s been a challenge for the teams to practice, and they’ve never been able to host a game before. The size of the gym wasn’t necessarily the problem. The issue was a large stage that took up about a third of the space in the room.
Gilmour says the stage made it difficult for the students to play any type of sports in the gym. She says small games could work, but a full sized game wasn’t possible.
The previous principal, Fran Bell, really advocated for the students saying they should have equal opportunities to access sports and extracurriculars.
“Parkland School Division stepped up and made that investment in our school,” says Gilmour.
After years of playing away games, the team was happy to finally get to play on their home turf.
“It was really nice to play in the gym for the first time,” says Josie Woodruff, one of the players. “We’re especially grateful to be able to play a home game.” She says their team has never had the opportunity to play in a new gym before.
The fact that they were the very first people to use the gym was something the team enjoyed, as well.
Strocher says winning is just icing on the cake
“We were really excited to have our first home game and be the first ones to play in that gym,” says Isabelle Strocher. She says winning that first game was just icing on the cake.
Up until the home opener, the girls had been practicing outside on a paved area near the school. Gilmour says it hasn’t been easy for the team, but they persevered, and had won every single game going into the home opener.
“Honestly, I think what got them through was their amazing team spirit,” says Gilmour. “I’ve never seen anything like it. They’re so supportive of each other.”
That team spirit has helped the Timberwolves make it into the playoffs this year.
“We’ve finished our placement games,” says Judith Munch. “Now we just have playoffs, and we’re hoping to host one, too.”
Members of business community voice concerns over local issues
Some local businesses gathered last week to voice concerns, propose possible solutions, and brainstorm a presentation to put before town council.
Erik Bergen, one of the owners of the Drayton Valley Bakery, held a meeting on October 9 and invited all businesses in the community to come out. Bergen wanted to hear their thoughts on three specific topics: homelessness, essential service administration and the Town’s free enterprise policy.
Bergen says the idea about having a presentation has been on his mind for several months. He says he’s spoken to many business owners who feel frustrated with the Town and the direction council is taking. However, he says he felt that if everybody only talked about it and no one went to the town, nothing would get accomplished.
Along with business owners, the organizers of Warming Hearts and members of the public attended the event.
Homelessness and franchises stir debate
Bergen prepared a presentation for the event, and reviewed it several times as people came and went as they were able. He also had a petition available for attendees to sign.
As he went over his presentation, Bergen says it was difficult to focus on the problems and solutions rather than opinions.
“It did derail a little bit, just because of the opposite points of view, especially regarding the homeless,” he says.
There were some attendees who viewed the homeless issue from a more humanitarian point of view and others that felt a heavier hand was needed. But Bergen says it’s important to
remember that not all homeless people are causing the issue. There are some individuals who are making it difficult for everyone.
“I don’t want to group all people into one basket,” says Bergen. “There are people who are homeless because their house burned down or were dealt a bad hand.”
Another topic that brought up differing opinions was new franchises coming into the community. In his presentation, Bergen argued that by simply leaving the door open for any new businesses in the community, council was putting a strain on businesses that were already established.
According to Bergen, there is about one restaurant (or registered kitchen) for every 95 people in the community. There are more than eight liquor stores and six cannabis stores, 12 pizza places and more than one of some franchises.
He believes that a lack of direction from council in this matter is making it difficult for businesses to do well. Bergen says his concern is protecting the current businesses that the town already has in place and allow them to flourish.
“A lot of these restaurant owners say that they’re one franchise away from closing their doors,” says Bergen.
Town services and the need for improvement
Bergen says that many people have also noticed a disparity in the services the Town offers the community. For example, there are a number of different “nice” things the Town has spent money on like the pumptrack, disc golf, the pool etc. However, there are some struggles with providing basic services such as regular road maintenance, weed control and pest management.
“Maybe they are doing the best they can do, or maybe they got pushed to the back burner,” says Bergen.
He says that he got a lot of feedback from those who attended the meeting. As it was his first time attempting anything like this, there was a learning curve and Bergen says he’s looking forward to making improvements at another meeting that will be held at the beginning of November.
Bergen’s plan is to present a list of complaints with possible solutions to council in November.
“The funny thing is most of our students and clients don’t come from Drayton. Most of our students come from anywhere in Canada. I think we’ve had maybe so far two people from Drayton but we’ve had people who have come all the way from Prince Edward Island,” says Mota.
If paragliding is not your thing the flight school does offer airplane flying lessons or even just 30 minute flights over the area where they show you a few introductory tips and tricks on how to fly an airplane.
Air Adventure Flight School came to Drayton Valley as it has a less restrictive air space so they are able to provide more opportunities to fly and do other air activities. With the base the schools has, they are also able to create an environment that many schools don’t have such as a games room for when it’s too rainy to fly.
Corb Lund plays to a packed house
Corb Lund live at the Eleanor Pickup Art Centre. A sold-out crowd enjoyed an acoustic trio set with the Hurtin’ Albertans, blending heartfelt ballads, fan favorites, and cowboy-inspired storytelling. VIP perks, exclusive merch, and a thrilling encore made this Alberta performance unforgettable
Changes to Rural Renewal Stream
Businesses in Drayton Valley will see some changes to the local Rural Renewal Stream program come into effect on November 13.
Five creative ways to use print advertising to supercharge your business
Print advertising with your local newspaper gets you off the hamster wheel and connects you with a copywriter, graphic designer, and an ad planner who are actually interested in learning the ins and outs of your business.
Hard work and heritage reflected in 4-H
Hunter Harris is a third generation 4-H member and has been part of the organization since he was 12 years old. Not only does he show cattle for 4-H, he’s also been entering open shows for the past two years.
Drayton Valley’s standalone Covid-19 testing and immunization clinic closed last week. The Drayton Valley clinic had been open since early last year and was located on 50 Street. It was one of five in central Alberta shut down by Alberta Health Services due to decreasing demand. The services previously offered by the clinic will now be available through the Drayton Valley Community Health Centre.
A number of local pharmacies continue to offer the Covid-19 vaccine and free rapid antigen testing kits for at-home use.
Drayton Valley Insurance
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Dr. Chris Birchall Dentistry
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Breton Dental Clinic
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Emmaus Lutheran Church
“A community of faith passionately walking the road of life with the Lord Jesus” Phone:
All Saints Anglican Church
We participate in the Anglican Liturgy, which comforts and sustains us. Many have said that
In a media release, AHS says it “will continue to closely monitor Covid-19 activity across the zone, and will be ready to adjust testing and immunization options should the need arise.”
As of May 2, AHS figures showed 61 new cases of Covid-19 reported in the Drayton Valley area over the previous seven days. That number may not show the whole picture since PCR testing is now only available for those who have clinical risk factors for severe outcomes and those who live and work in high-risk settings.
AHS defines the Drayton Valley area as including Brazeau County and the west end of Wetaskiwin County.
Corb Lund played the Eleanor Pickup Art Centre stage for a raucous sold-out audience Thursday evening.
The Hurtin’ Albertans acoustic duo backing Lund were Grant Siemans on guitar and Sean Burns playing upright bass About a quarter of the 224 capacity seats were purchased as VIP tickets. At 5PM, the three front rows were filled as a solo Corb Lund was greeted with cheers, sat on the edge of the stage, and began singing VIP favourites, telling backstories and conversing. After the warm and friendly performance, knowing their seats were reserved, VIPs ticket holders shopped for merch in the EPAC lobby or went for a meal and refreshment to a downtown restaurant.
Several VIP super-fans commented that it was well worth the premium to be up-close and personal with Lund.
EPAC’s doors remained open as rush seating meant coming early for a preferred perch. The merch table was double-staffed as demand was high for CDs and vinyl LPs, “It’s Better with Cows Around” hoodies and Lund album cover poster three-packs. Lots of stock meant no one was disappointed. Long before the 7:30 curtain it was rare to find two seats together, however. A group of five young men just arriving before the curtain were quickly ushered to the remaining seats.
With the theatre full, an excited ambiance and the clock ticking down to showtime, it was no surprise that when the house lights dimmed, introduction completed, and Corb Lund with the Hurtin’ Albertans appeared from stage right, pandemonium reigned.
Joyful hoots and hollers, cheers, yahoos and multiple long, wavering, high-pitched vocal trilling filled the auditorium. The band, looking fresh and ready despite being midway through a long tour of Europe/US started what was only their second performance of this acoustic set.
The show opened with two songs from Lund’s 2007 Horse Soldier Horse Soldier album. The opening bars of the title track were greeted with cheers of recognition and rewarded with loud applause as was “Especially A Paint”. The set list dipped into Lund’s deep catalogue from a long career: “May you Always have Cows Around” (Cabin Fever 2012), “Devil’s Best Dress” (Losin’ Lately Gambler 2009), “Truth Comes Out” (Hair in My Eyes Like a Highland Steer 2006) and “The Cardplayers” ( El Viejo 2024).
A tribute to the late Ian Tyson included past collaborations and Tyson songs: “Someday Soon” (1964), “The Rodeo’s Over” (Hair in My Eyes…2005), and “La Primera” (Ian Tyson Lost Herd 1999). Many fan favourites peppered the performance. Prior to the intermission we were treated to “Hard on Equipment”, “This is My Prairie” , and “Big Butch Bass Bull Fiddle”. After the break, Lund introduced his next two songs as “hillbilly music” which drew cheers of anticipation. “Family Reunion” brought out the banjo and it stayed out for “Truck Got Stuck”, “Rye Whisky, Rye Whisky” and “Time to Switch to Whisky” . The audience sang backup for both. They even performed a verse and chorus “a capella” after which Lund said “buy a t-shirt, cuz we bought too many, thanks and goodnight!” But the EPAC audience was not yet ready for their good times to end. After lengthy applause, hoots and hollers, and a prolonged chant of “Corb, Corb, Corb” finally earned them their encore: a Lund solo of “S Lazy H”. It’s a plaintive ballad chronicling a family’s loss of their sixth generation ranch. The lyrics, “I have lived with the sorrow/And I will die with the shame/For now the bank owns what’s left/Of the S Lazy H” clearly tugged at the audience’s hearts. When the Hurtin’ Albertans rejoined Lund onstage, cheers banished melancholy as “Five Dollar Bill” was warmly welcomed and earned another standing ovation fitting for a memorable evening of great melody, lyrics and artistry.
I talked with Corb Lund backstage shortly after the final song and asked him how his evening was.
“It was super fun! It’s a cool little theatre. I like it!…
We were just in Europe. I think they find cowboy stuff exotic. Europeans like that about us. I know about Alberta and our regional culture, so people here pick up on the subtleties more. It’s a little different here cause people know what I’m talking about. I grew up just outside of Taber/Cardston, so I’m pretty used to small town Alberta life.”
I asked him about the set. “It’s only the second night we’ve been doing this acoustic trio, but it’s been really fun. It’s kind of different from the big loud band. I like that too, but it’s been kind of neat because there’s a lot of space to play with. Like the guys, especially Grant (lead guitar), when he’s playing his acoustic instruments there’s so much space in the theatre for it to speak. This was a blast. Thanks for having us.”
Grant Siemans has been playing with Corb Lund for 21 years. Lund gave him props explaining that any instrument he (Epiphone guitar) and Sean Burns don’t play, Grant does! I asked Siemans to expand. He listed off what he used for this acoustic trio set. “The mandolin is a Gibson F5 that’s actually Corb’s. It’s about 10 years old. It sounds awesome! The resonator is a 1931 National. I got a steal of a deal with that one because somebody painted it brown in the 1940’s. Nobody wanted it, which was awesome! It looks baaad! The banjo; Epiphone gave us. It was a new model. I asked him about the unique guitar and playing style Siemans used for most of the evening’s performance. “That’s a Manouche guitar (gypsy jazz guitar), a Djanko Rhinehart style guitar. It was made by a Winnipeg luthier named Al Beardsell, Beardsell Guitars.” The acoustic trio has no drum kit, so Siemans played manouche guitar Le Pompe style and imitates the drum kit’s cymbals, keeping rhythm and also the chording of the melody. “I like the playing, practicing, learning. It’s not work for me.”
Pleasant duty, indeed. Especially for the night’s audience!
Businesses will see some changes to the local Rural Renewal Stream program come into effect on November 13.
The program, offered through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program, allows business owners to bring in skilled workers from outside of the province or country. It also allows business owners who employ staff on a Temporary Work Visa to endorse them for permanent residency through the program.
At the October 30 town council meeting, Kundiso Nyambirai, the growth services manager, explained that they had 300 applications that they were reviewing. Between March 2023 and August 2024, the Town had endorsed 200 of those applications for consideration to the Province.
Nyambirai explained that the Province has now put a system into place to make it easier to sort through the applications on their end.
The points based system gives a better idea of which applications are most likely to be considered or approved for those municipalities endorsing them. Nyambirai says his department is reviewing the applications to see which ones would have enough points to be considered by the Province.
However, the Province is limited in the number of applications that it can put through. There are more than 70 municipalities and districts participating in the program, and the Province only has 1,900 spots they can approve in 2024.
“We are over-subscribing,” says Nyambirai. “We are endorsing 200 plus people.”
In August, the Town decided to make some changes to the way that the program would work in the community. This included limiting the number of applications to 100 each year, while also limiting the number of applications a business can submit to five. Nyambirai also suggested that limiting applications to workers who already resided in the community could help to ensure that the Town does have housing available for these applicants.
Nyambirai says the Province is currently sorting through 1,000 applications to decide on the remaining spots for the year. Councillor Monika Sherriffs agreed that the Town is sending in a higher than average amount of endorsements, stating that if there are 1,000 being considered and Drayton Valley has sent in 200, then we would be sending in many more applications than other municipalities.
Councillor Amila Gammana disagreed, saying that he believed other communities are likely doing the same. He says the real question is how many of those endorsements are receiving approval from the Province.
Nyambirai says that the municipalities are not made aware of which endorsements are approved. He says that looking into that number by contacting applicants would be very time consuming, so they cannot be sure how many of Drayton Valley’s businesses’ applications have been accepted for the program.
Sponsored Content
In the age where there’s a constant drive for more and more content, coming up with ideas of how to promote your business can become a full time job on its own. I mean – you signed up to be a business owner right? Not a videographer, copywriter, or graphic designer. The good news is print advertising works differently from the social platforms that have you constantly chasing the next batch of likes and shares.
Print advertising with your local newspaper gets you off the hamster wheel and connects you with a copywriter, graphic designer, and an ad planner who are actually interested in learning the ins and outs of your business. This person or people will work with you to generate creative ideas within your marketing budget. With their help you can get your creative juices flowing again and find ways to not just push content but to craft creative content that will be seen and prompts action.
Print ads are consumed like fine wine. Readers look at print ads longer and deeper than they do the disruptive advertising found on other media platforms. Tell me in the last time that you’ve binge scrolled your social media feeds – How many ads do you actually remember seeing? I am betting, not many.
Print ads are non-disruptive content for newspaper readers and therefore get the attention they truly deserve. They have a longer lasting impact for readers, and after all, deepening the relationship with customers is really what you are looking to do.
So here are some ways you can position your local business with print advertising.
- Thought leadership: Be a thought leader in the regional landscape of your industry. Use an ad space for how-to content, data presentation on regional trends. Newspaper readers are readers and so are more likely to read long form advertisements with interesting information. You can reuse this information on your website blogs, social platforms, podcasts and the like.
- Be action oriented: Ads are there to move the needle forward. A call to action can be as simple as moving an interested person from the print ad to “Check out our online store” – print to digital is easy to do in both the print and digital formats of your local newspaper. Using click through options and QR codes to specific URLs makes the cross over from print to digital platforms seamless.
- Event marketing: Discovering local events in the community newspaper is one of the top interest points for local readers. But don’t just churn out a generic “Come to our event”. Remember our readers enjoy spending time with the paper. Capitalize on that. When you advertise an event in the newspaper you have an opportunity to make an intimate connection so don’t treat it like a fly by night ad. Make it engaging, personal, and relevant.
- Coupons and promotions: If you are a retailer or a restaurant that has deals and promotions, newspaper readers take notice! Not only does the use of coupons help you track the effectiveness of your ad it also gets people in the door where you can start to deepen your client relationship.
- Minimize or maximize. When people book a print ad they tend to want to throw everything into it. This creates a cluttered, hard to read ad. Instead take the space to promote your one product or service that tends to get people in the door, then cross promote once you are in contact with your prospective client. Alternatively you can also use the space to create an organized product catalogue, or flier page that showcases a number of products but in an organized and thematic fashion.
By contacting your local newspaper you don’t just get an ad, you expand your marketing team exponentially. You get access to our professionals and we help you to figure out the direction you are looking to go with your business.
One local youth has seen his hard work with 4-H pay off after being selected as one of 12 youth to show their steers at the 2025 Calgary Stampede Junior Steer Classic.
Hunter Harris is a third generation 4-H member and has been part of the organization since he was 12 years old. Not only does he show cattle for 4-H, he’s also been entering open shows for the past two years. He says showing cattle is just a natural extension of his life as the son and grandson of farmers.
“I think it’s really important to know where your food comes from and I really enjoy showing,” says Harris. He says he also feels like he’s staying true to his heritage working in agriculture, which he is something he is proud of and wants to continue doing.
As an ambassador, Harris got his choice of steer from the OH Ranch this month. At the next Calgary Stampede, he will bring that steer back to show in the Calgary Stampede Junior Steer Classic under a special category for OH Beef.
He says being chosen as an ambassador is an honour and he’s excited to use the opportunity to help educate people about the importance of the industry.
“I think it means putting myself out there and trying to put out a positive image for both the Calgary Stampede and the beef industry as a whole,” says Harris. “As an ambassador, I feel I have the responsibility to try and promote the show world, the beef industry, and this way of life as much as I can.”
Beef showing a competitive sport
He says there is a lot of work that goes into showing and that he considers it a competitive sport, no different than horse showing or dog showing. Each year, Harris works with the steer or heifer he’s chosen. He’s responsible for feeding it, grooming it, and training it, which means spending time with it nearly every day for more than half a year.
“You’ve got to put in a ton of time. You have to be able to halter break it and get it tame,” says Harris. “There’s a process of training it to stand a certain way, how to respond to certain cues when you’re pulling on their halter, and how they should lead and behave in the show ring.”
It’s also important to put time into research about the proper feed for the steer. Harris says the type of food they are fed will greatly impact the standing in competition as well as the sale of the steer for butcher. He says there is a certain balance between fat and muscle that needs to be kept to make good meat.
At the show, all of the cattle get a fitting from the competitors to make sure they look their best when in the ring.
“It’s kind of like hairstyling, but for cows, in a sense,” he says.
Fitting involves cleaning the cow, blow drying them, clipping them, brushing tufts and styling them in certain ways to make the cow look its best in the show.
“It kind of brings out the best traits in them so they look like a better market animal,” he says.
Harris says he plans to attend more open shows this year and hopefully have the opportunity to help educate people about the industry. In the past, he’s spoken with young spectators at events who come up to see his cow and shared a little bit about the importance of the event.
“I just wanted to make sure they were enjoying themselves and that they learned something,” says Harris. “The ladies that were showing [the children] around were learning stuff, too. I think it’s really important to try and connect with everyone on all levels and tell them what an amazing sport it is and how important it is.”
He says that sometimes it can be sad to see the cow go after working with it for so long. But Harris says it’s important for him to remember why he is doing it in the first place, and that families will be fed well because of his efforts.
While Harris is still contemplating what the future could hold for himself in terms of a career, he’s pretty certain that he will likely end up working with cattle and in the agriculture industry. He’s already been working on building up his own herd with his time and money, and a little bit of help from his family. He feels that this will give him a headstart in life and also makes a good choice as an ambassador.
“My parents have been extremely supportive of it, and they’ve helped me out a ton,” he says.
Harris believes his experience in working with his herd makes him more knowledgeable about the industry. He’s been learning about the traditions and the work that goes into maintaining a herd, including breeding, feeding, and the general well-being of the animals.
“I think that makes me a better showman and in a better position to be an ambassador,” he says.
Those who wish to know how Harris’ steer holds up to the other 11 ambassadors will have to wait until the July 2025 Calgary Stampede or hope to catch him at one of the several shows he plans to attend.
Tomahawk to receive a $1 million dollar upgrade
For the first time ever, the Tomahawk School volleyball team was able to host a home game thanks to their new gym.
Tracey Gilmour, the new principal for the school, says the new gym was a $1 million project. It was started last May and was finally finished on October 16, hours before their opening game.
“They were bringing the scissor lift out as we brought in the net,” says Gilmour.
The Timberwolves went on to win their first home game against the Muir Lake Mustangs.
“They were a little bit worried that actually performing at home would put some pressure on them,” says Gilmour. “But they did great.”
“I was very nervous and excited at the same time,” says Layla Chausse, one of the Timberwolves.
Team practice was a challenge in the past
While the school has always had team sports, Gilmour says it’s been a challenge for the teams to practice, and they’ve never been able to host a game before. The size of the gym wasn’t necessarily the problem. The issue was a large stage that took up about a third of the space in the room.
Gilmour says the stage made it difficult for the students to play any type of sports in the gym. She says small games could work, but a full sized game wasn’t possible.
The previous principal, Fran Bell, really advocated for the students saying they should have equal opportunities to access sports and extracurriculars.
“Parkland School Division stepped up and made that investment in our school,” says Gilmour.
After years of playing away games, the team was happy to finally get to play on their home turf.
“It was really nice to play in the gym for the first time,” says Josie Woodruff, one of the players. “We’re especially grateful to be able to play a home game.” She says their team has never had the opportunity to play in a new gym before.
The fact that they were the very first people to use the gym was something the team enjoyed, as well.
Strocher says winning is just icing on the cake
“We were really excited to have our first home game and be the first ones to play in that gym,” says Isabelle Strocher. She says winning that first game was just icing on the cake.
Up until the home opener, the girls had been practicing outside on a paved area near the school. Gilmour says it hasn’t been easy for the team, but they persevered, and had won every single game going into the home opener.
“Honestly, I think what got them through was their amazing team spirit,” says Gilmour. “I’ve never seen anything like it. They’re so supportive of each other.”
That team spirit has helped the Timberwolves make it into the playoffs this year.
“We’ve finished our placement games,” says Judith Munch. “Now we just have playoffs, and we’re hoping to host one, too.”
Members of business community voice concerns over local issues
Some local businesses gathered last week to voice concerns, propose possible solutions, and brainstorm a presentation to put before town council.
Erik Bergen, one of the owners of the Drayton Valley Bakery, held a meeting on October 9 and invited all businesses in the community to come out. Bergen wanted to hear their thoughts on three specific topics: homelessness, essential service administration and the Town’s free enterprise policy.
Bergen says the idea about having a presentation has been on his mind for several months. He says he’s spoken to many business owners who feel frustrated with the Town and the direction council is taking. However, he says he felt that if everybody only talked about it and no one went to the town, nothing would get accomplished.
Along with business owners, the organizers of Warming Hearts and members of the public attended the event.
Homelessness and franchises stir debate
Bergen prepared a presentation for the event, and reviewed it several times as people came and went as they were able. He also had a petition available for attendees to sign.
As he went over his presentation, Bergen says it was difficult to focus on the problems and solutions rather than opinions.
“It did derail a little bit, just because of the opposite points of view, especially regarding the homeless,” he says.
There were some attendees who viewed the homeless issue from a more humanitarian point of view and others that felt a heavier hand was needed. But Bergen says it’s important to
remember that not all homeless people are causing the issue. There are some individuals who are making it difficult for everyone.
“I don’t want to group all people into one basket,” says Bergen. “There are people who are homeless because their house burned down or were dealt a bad hand.”
Another topic that brought up differing opinions was new franchises coming into the community. In his presentation, Bergen argued that by simply leaving the door open for any new businesses in the community, council was putting a strain on businesses that were already established.
According to Bergen, there is about one restaurant (or registered kitchen) for every 95 people in the community. There are more than eight liquor stores and six cannabis stores, 12 pizza places and more than one of some franchises.
He believes that a lack of direction from council in this matter is making it difficult for businesses to do well. Bergen says his concern is protecting the current businesses that the town already has in place and allow them to flourish.
“A lot of these restaurant owners say that they’re one franchise away from closing their doors,” says Bergen.
Town services and the need for improvement
Bergen says that many people have also noticed a disparity in the services the Town offers the community. For example, there are a number of different “nice” things the Town has spent money on like the pumptrack, disc golf, the pool etc. However, there are some struggles with providing basic services such as regular road maintenance, weed control and pest management.
“Maybe they are doing the best they can do, or maybe they got pushed to the back burner,” says Bergen.
He says that he got a lot of feedback from those who attended the meeting. As it was his first time attempting anything like this, there was a learning curve and Bergen says he’s looking forward to making improvements at another meeting that will be held at the beginning of November.
Bergen’s plan is to present a list of complaints with possible solutions to council in November.
As of this week, 71.6 percent of area residents aged 12 and over have had at least one dose of vaccine. A little more than 68 percent have had two doses.
The other clinics that closed last week were in Rocky Mountain House, Drumheller, Stettler and Wainwright.
Corb Lund plays to a packed house
Corb Lund live at the Eleanor Pickup Art Centre. A sold-out crowd enjoyed an acoustic trio set with the Hurtin’ Albertans, blending heartfelt ballads, fan favorites, and cowboy-inspired storytelling. VIP perks, exclusive merch, and a thrilling encore made this Alberta performance unforgettable
Changes to Rural Renewal Stream
Businesses in Drayton Valley will see some changes to the local Rural Renewal Stream program come into effect on November 13.
Five creative ways to use print advertising to supercharge your business
Print advertising with your local newspaper gets you off the hamster wheel and connects you with a copywriter, graphic designer, and an ad planner who are actually interested in learning the ins and outs of your business.
Hard work and heritage reflected in 4-H
Hunter Harris is a third generation 4-H member and has been part of the organization since he was 12 years old. Not only does he show cattle for 4-H, he’s also been entering open shows for the past two years.
Please take your time and discover what is happening at Valley Worship in Drayton Valley. VWA is an autonomous church affiliate with a fellowship of churches known as the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. Our desire is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as we do ourselves. We are committed to going to our world with the message of Jesus Christ. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Website: www.valleyworship.ca
Phone: 780-898-2791
She also feels strongly about the seniors in the community, who have contributed so much of their efforts to make Drayton Valley the town that it currently is.
“I felt that it was past due for our town to give back to our seniors and help them out as much as possible. Without them we wouldn’t have had a town to call home.”
Driessen says the project has taken a while to put together. “It’s been in the works for quite a few years and we have to thank [many] for their contributions. It’s been a community collaboration without a doubt.”
Newberry says she is also grateful for the generosity and hard work of community members, including one local hockey team, that were able to ensure the project was a success.
Driessen says this service isn’t just for medical appointments. She says in some cases that means getting groceries, going to the pharmacy, or sometimes, the polls for an election.
“We will be providing a special in town service every Wednesday, so that our seniors can go shopping and get their groceries or medications along with their senior discounts,” says Newberry.
There will be a fee for the service, says Driessen. The Town researched and found a reasonable cost comparison with cab services in the community. Driessen says it will be comparable to cab services. “It does, of course, give a bit of a break,” she says.
In the future, Driessen says they would like to see some public funding allotted to the service to help lower the cost for those who need it.
Newberry says that paying for the service is set up with a digital payment service, allowing family members to easily help out their loved ones.
“It will work on digital payment service program where a family member or the person (senior or disabled) can purchase a prepaid visa gift card. Every time a person needs a ride the card will be debited the amount of the ride. Until the card is used up. Then it’s a matter of reloading it with money at that time. Could be a great Christmas gift from family to a loved one,” she says.
Those who are interested in registering their family for the service can contact Drake’s Handi Bus at 780-542-8706.
