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.
“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.
Got firearms?
Services
- General clean and lubricate
- Trigger jobs
- Rifle stock bedding
- Sight adjustments
- Muzzle break installation
- Scope mounting
Services are charged by the hour unless otherwise quoted. Bookings are by appointment only.
Call Ryan Fredrickson
Join us Sunday Mornings 10:30 am
Everyone Welcome!
Phone: 780-542-6501
Email: office@dvalliance.ca
Mailing address:
Box 6578
Drayton Valley, AB T7A 1R9
At Drayton Valley Alliance Church we: preach the Word, love people, worship, pray, go and get to know Jesus better! Join us Sunday Mornings 10:30am at our new facility, 5012 56 Ave, beside Value Drug Mart.
There’s no decision yet on a proposal that would see the development of a motor sports school near Rocky Rapids.
If it goes ahead, the Northern Thunder Ranch would bring an events centre and racing school to a property located off Twp Road 500, to the east of the hamlet. In the past that location has played host to a number of events which led to complaints from local residents.
The issue came before Brazeau County council on Tuesday. A group of local property owners spoke against the idea, citing a variety of concerns, many of which related to the anticipated level of noise from the development. There were similar complaints at a public hearing held in July.
Developer Dan Andersen said his intention was to revitalize existing infrastructure and create something that would benefit the entire community.
“To me this is an opportunity to work with the residents, not against the residents,” he said.
Two County residents did speak in favour of the idea, citing potential economic benefits as well as increased opportunities for young people. However, most of those who spoke on Tuesday were worried about noise and the potential impact on property values.
Reeve Bart Guyon suggested giving the developer a chance to address some of those issues in writing.
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.
“There’s a lot of passion on both sides of this argument,” he said.
The issue was then moved to the September 20 meeting, with a request for the developer to supply more information relating to noise, sewage, emergency services, camping and an overall business plan. Meanwhile County administration will look into any potential liability issues approval of the development might entail for the municipality.
Related story: https://dvfreepress.com/motorsports-school-gets-rough-ride/
It’s tax time in Canada, and while the costs of having taxes done aren’t a big deal to some, for others it can be prohibitive.
Gina Matalski, a tax specialist at GM Accounting and Tax Services, is working with Drayton Valley Family and Community Support Services to help those who struggle to afford having their taxes done.
Matalski says the Income Tax Program has volunteers in the community, who have received training provided by the Canada Revenue Agency, do the tax returns. She says people drop their information off at her office, and then a volunteer comes to get the information and files it.
“Then, if I don’t have time to do them myself, I contact the volunteers and let them know that there are some to be picked up,” she says.
Right now there are seven volunteers who have stepped forward to help out, but Matalski says the more people they have volunteering, the faster they can get things done.
While the program aims to help as many people as they can, Matalski says there are some restrictions for who can use the program, and only personal taxes can be done. She says anyone who has employment expenses, or anything outside of the norm, would not qualify for the program.
“It’s basic, basic income tax returns,” she says.
Individuals who wish to use the program must have less than $35,000 in taxable income for the year. Couples can use it if they make less than $45,000 and families cannot have more than $52,000 in earnings.
“This is my second year for the free tax program,” says Matalski, “but I’ve been doing personal tax returns for five years.”
Matalski says she signed on to the program because she wanted to help the community out.
She says the price for doing personal taxes can be high, depending on who is being used to file the taxes and it’s not fair for low income earners.
“When individuals and families that are already struggling to make ends meet every day have to go and pay between $150 and $200 to have a tax return done is ridiculous,” she says.
She said last year the program helped 500 individuals with their taxes.
Those who qualify for the program can drop their tax information off at 5136 – 54 St. on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Wild Rose School Division has been considering options for offering professional education for students.
At the January 23 board meeting, the Director of Instruction Jen Lefebvre presented trustees with an outline of different academies and collegiates the division could partner with.
The analysis report says academies are branded, specialized programs that don’t necessarily need an academy to put into place. Collegiates, which were announced as an official designation in Alberta Education in 2022, are schools that offer specialized programming that is geared toward guiding a student for different career paths.
Superintendent of WRSD, Brad Volkman, says there are many divisions that offer academy courses such as Flight Academies or Fire Academies and WRSD wanted to do some research on the feasibility of bringing some of these courses to the division.
Lefebvre brought an analysis that spoke about the benefits, drawbacks, and costs of some of those programs.
Volkman says one of the programs they were considering was a flight academy. However, since there is no funding from Alberta Education to help with the program, it would be too expensive to run.
“The cost is borne by the students,” says Volkman. “That includes instruction from a certified flight instructor, transportation costs to the airport, and there’s a pretty big insurance requirement.”
He says Lefebvre looked into different courses offered by other divisions and felt it was too much. “We’re hearing from some places that the cost is $20,000,” says Volkman.
After hearing the costs, the division felt there would be a limit as to which students could afford the enrollment for the course.
“Equity is very important to Wild Rose School Division, and we tend to not put a lot of resources into something that would impact only a few students who could most afford it.”
Volkman says while the flight academy is not an option at the moment, they are looking at other courses. One they were excited about was the firefighting training. According to the report, WRSD is currently looking to see if they can mitigate some of the transportation issues involved.
Frank Maddock High School is also partnering with Drayton Valley Ford as a focus for students in mechanics. Both Frank Maddock and Breton offer a full cosmetology course which helps students achieve apprenticeship level when they graduate. Breton also has received a grant to offer a welding program at the school.
The local response to last summer’s wildfire was generally well handled, but there are areas that need improvement.
That’s the conclusion of an after action review that came before Brazeau County council this week. The final report, which stretches over 40 pages, was prepared by Transitional Solutions Inc. of Sherwood Park, a company that was hired jointly by the County and the Town of Drayton Valley
“The primary objective of this wildfire after-action review is to conduct a thorough and impartial assessment of the incident response within the municipalities of Brazeau County and the Town of Drayton Valley, emphasizing a holistic approach aimed at learning, improving future responses, and fostering a culture of continuous enhancement within its firefighting and emergency management practices,” reads the introduction.
The review is based on interviews with 24 key stakeholders, along with a survey of municipal staff involved in the wildfire response, a tour of the area and an examination of relevant documents.
Major recommendations in the final report advocate for comprehensive training in Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC) setup, improving systems and processes, refining emergency plans, and developing proactive crisis communication strategies. For the Buck Creek Fire the ECC took three days to get set up and start running smoothly. That delay is blamed on a breakdown in communication.
“Council, Administration, and staff would greatly benefit from further understanding and utilizing the Incident Command System (ICS) and how it applies in situations like a wildfire event. Both Brazeau County and the Town of Drayton Valley need to utilize the quieter winter months before the start of the 2024 wildfire season to ensure compliance with legislation and have systems, services, and personnel ready, willing and with capacity to respond,” according to the report.
On Tuesday County CAO Kent Edney said steps had already been taken to address the areas highlighted in the report. That included making sure county staff were as well-prepared as possible in the event of a similar wildfire in the future.
“There’s quite a bit of training and activity that came from this report that’s going to be accomplished by the end of the month,” he said. “We should be in good shape by spring.
The review also has a lot of good things to say about how the fire was handled. This was an unprecedented event that escalated rapidly, providing a number of serious challenges, forcing the evacuation of more than 7,000 residents and threatening infrastructure and property valued in excess of $2 billion.
“It is imperative to emphasize the pivotal role played by municipal staff, first responders, and supporting agencies, who demonstrated collective cooperation, unwavering commitment to problem-solving, and relentless dedication,” says the report.”They supported the triumphant resolution of this unparalleled wildfire event. The success achieved in managing this crisis was inherently linked to the collaborative efforts and tireless determination demonstrated by responders, underscoring the significance of their integrated approach amidst some challenging circumstances.”
Edney said the full report would be posted on the County website.
The Alberta Junior Hockey League is now an 11 team organization. The defection of five breakaway teams to the British Columbia Hockey League was confirmed last week.
“We are disappointed – but not surprised – that the five defecting clubs now intend to drop out of the AJHL to immediately participate in an unsanctioned exhibition series,” the AJHL said in a statement.
The defecting teams are the Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Blackfalds Bulldogs, Spruce Grove Saints and Sherwood Park Crusaders. In recent years those organizations have been the most successful in the AJHL. Prior to their defection, four of them occupied the top four places in the league standings for the current 2023-2024 season.
With the five teams now removed from the rankings, the Whitecourt Wolverines jump to top spot on 59 points. The Drayton Valley Thunder sit in tenth place on 34 points. Those two teams met in a rescheduled game on Sunday afternoon, with the Wolverines winning 3-0.
Last week the AJHL thanked the 11 remaining teams for their support as the league looked to move forward. It also indicated that it may be looking at adding more teams before too long.
“The AJHL has a strong future. We are grateful for the messages of support our players and coaches have received from hockey fans across the country over the past week,” the league said. “We also appreciate the expressions of interest coming from various partners and stakeholders who are exploring the possibility of becoming part of our great league.”
It’s still not clear what format the playoffs will take in the downsized AJHL. The regular season continues without the five clubs that are now part of the British Columbia League. That schedule sees the Thunder host the Calgary Canucks on Friday evening before heading to Olds on Sunday to take on the Grizzlys.
Five active members and two retired members of Drayton Valley/Brazeau County Fire Services were awarded the Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal on behalf of the Governor General on November 26.
Retired firefighters Lieutenant Clifford Swan and Brad Charlton of the Breton station were awarded the 20 year service medal, along with Acting Battalion Chief Colin Bredin. Deputy Fire Chief Murray Galavan, Deputy Fire Chief Kamil Lasek, and Battalion Chief Mike Gramlich of the Drayton Valley station were all given their 20 year service medals, as well.
Battalion Chief Mark Raines of the Breton station was awarded his 1st bar for 30 years of service as he has already received an Exemplary Service Medal for 20 years of service.
The members were also congratulated at the November 29 town council meeting.
“That’s a big shout out,” says Mayor Nancy Dodds. “Thank you, and thank you to your families.”
Fire Chief Tom Thomson, who had the honour of nominating the award winners, says the medal isn’t just for the years of service that a firefighter has worked.
“You have to show exemplary service. You can’t just show up. You have to do more than that to receive the reward,” he says.
Even though Thomson nominated the members, they weren’t automatically awarded the medal. Each nomination form was reviewed by a selection committee to decide if they would receive the award.
“All of the members I nominated won,” says Thomson.
He says he chose those individuals because he has seen the effort they put into their positions. “All of them were selected because of their commitment and dedication to the department.”
Thomson says these members have demonstrated leadership, education of staff and the public, working toward fire prevention, and many other qualities that show their work ethic for Fire Services.
Thomson says these medals are normally awarded annually, but with Covid and the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, it has been a few years since they were given out.
“Complacency is dangerous” is the message Drayton resident Maureen Hollingsworth wants to spread.
Hollingsworth, who is a truck driver in the oil and gas industry, had her first opportunity to share her son’s story at a safety meeting held by Plains Midstream on November 15.
“Twelve years, five months, and ten days ago, my life changed,” she says.
On June 5, 2011, her son Colin Stewart, better known as Mouse, went to work in the morning, but didn’t come home in the evening. At the age of 23, Mouse had made a fatal choice at work and forever changed the lives around him.
“It was the day my heart was broken. It was also the day I had to start living without one of my greatest gifts,” says Hollingsworth.
For those in attendance, Hollingsworth shared anecdotes of Mouse. Though he had started out as a premie, Mouse had lived every day to the fullest.
Hollingsworth says that he was always active. He could be found quadding, dirtbiking, horseback riding, and snowmobiling most days. During his downtime, Mouse read.
“He would read anywhere,” says Hollingsworth.
Mouse also had a nephew Xzander, and he spent as much time with him as he could. Whenever possible, Mouse was buying Xzander gifts, many of which were playstation games.
Hollingsworth says the spring of 2011 was very wet. With all of the rain, Mouse couldn’t be out working.
Finally, at the end of May, the weather improved and Mouse and three others went to work.
For ten days the four guys, all aged between 19 and 23, were working long hours. It wasn’t unusual for a day to be 18-20 hours long.
“Not only are they over-houred and fatigued, let’s throw a whole lot of inexperience into the picture,” says Hollingsworth.
One of the 19-year-olds working that day had only been in Canada for five days.
“It’s now a Sunday afternoon and the job is completed. They were done early and were excited to go home. But that’s when complacency came into the picture,” she says.
Mouse’s machine was across the job site. He was tired. So, he hopped onto the back of another machine to catch a ride over to the other side of the job site.
The 19-year-old who was new to Canada, hopped into that machine. He didn’t know where everyone was on the site, and he didn’t walk around his equipment. Instead, he got in, flipped the switch, and that was the end for Mouse.
“Four went to work,” says Hollingsworth. “Three came home. Had [the driver] taken less than one minute and walked around the equipment, I wouldn’t be here talking about safety.”
Hollingsworth says after she was done speaking, Dan Lyons, the man who’d invited her to speak stood to say something. But after a moment of struggling to speak, he suggested a ten minute break for everyone.
“He told me he will never ever forget this,” says Hollingsworth.
She says one of the biggest frustrations she has with the situation is that people always want to know what kind of machine it was or where Mouse was working. For her, it doesn’t matter where it happened or what he was doing. The same lesson can be applied to all industries.
But she says that when she shares it was an industrial farming incident, many act as though that makes the situation non-applicable. Though Mouse died because he wanted to hitch a ride on a manure spreader, the situation is still the same in other industries. There was no walk around, no knowledge of where everyone was, and there was complacency on the worksite.
In 2011, farmers and ranch workers were still exempted from the Labour Code. There were no requirements for safety and they were not covered under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. In fact, when OH&S found out that his death was from a farming accident, they said there was nothing they could do.
“At that time there was no farm safety. None. Zero,” says Hollingsworth.
According to a blog written by Jennifer Koshan of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary, a study done by the Alberta Federation of Labour in 2017 showed “agricultural workers are more than twice as likely to be killed on the job as other workers in Alberta, and 4,000 work related injuries occur on Alberta farms each year.”
It wasn’t until Bill 6 was brought in by the Alberta Government in 2016 that things began to change for the farming industry. Now employers are required to have safety practices and are expected to meet the Alberta Occupation Health and Safety Act requirements for their industry.
“Bill 6 also brought farm and ranch workers who are paid, non-family members into the basic health and safety protections under the Occupational Health and Safety Act as of January 1, 2016. Farm and ranch employers are now obliged to ensure the health and safety of their workers, and the workers are able to refuse unsafe work that presents an imminent danger. OHS officers are authorized to inspect farm and ranch workplaces to ensure that that work is not being carried out in a manner that is unhealthy or unsafe, and serious injuries and accidents on farm and ranch work sites must be reported and investigated,” says Koshan’s article.
After the accident, Hollingsworth and Mouse’s dad Marvin Stewart spoke with the young man who’d been working the manure spreader that day. She says she felt awful for him because he was thousands of miles away from home. “He couldn’t even get a hug from his mom,” she says.
They made it clear to him that Mouse should never have been on the back of the spreader. They told him that Mouse knew better, and that he shouldn’t blame himself for what happened.
“I don’t want another mom to hear these words, ‘Your child has died due to safety reasons,’” she says. “I never want another mother to get a call from her kid saying he just killed someone at work.”
While it’s too late to help Mouse, Hollingsworth says she hopes she can spread the message far and wide. She is already slated to speak at two safety meetings at All Choice Rentals and hopes she has the opportunity to do more.
School demolition under way
Now that the Eldorado Elementary School has been completely demolished, crews have started work on tearing down the old H.W. Pickup Junior High School.
Fire training proposal for Lodgepole
A new proposal could see the creation of a fire rescue college in Lodgepole.
In a presentation to Brazeau County council last week, Erik Ives spoke regarding the Canadian Fire Rescue College (CFRC) which is exploring Lodgepole as a campus location to train firefighters.
Air cadets mark 60 years
The Drayton Valley Air Cadets Squadron 733 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary this year with a barbecue open to the public.
Staff Sergeant stepping down
The Drayton Valley RCMP Detachment is looking for a new Staff Sergeant as the current man in charge, Troy Raddatz, heads into retirement.
I remember the first time I set foot in the Willow Stream Spa at the Banff Springs Hotel. It was an experience like no other, and I feared ruined every spa experience from then on. Really the spa could really have been dog poop and still rank high in my books, I mean really how many times do you actually have to walk through a historic castle to get to a spa? But, to walk in, get handed your little key to a room filled with oak lockers, put on your plush robe and slippers, then to find a whole buffet of treatments and facilities like a salt pool, waterfalls, and a steam room. The whole experience gave me just a taste of how the other half lives. How could that not ruin a person?
I’ve been lucky enough to go to this spa three times in my life, all before having kids and so now post childbirth and well into child rearing I have now recalibrated to find experiences that are both kid inclusive and accessible and I have been pleasantly surprised to find what I was looking for right here at home.
Making of the local spa experience
Back in September my friend saw that I was suffering from mom burnout and suggested we book a pedicure in town. For anyone who has seen my nails you know that this is not a treatment I do often. She booked us a spot at Vi’s Nails, and by us I mean me, my daughter, and her and her daughter. When Ruth found out she was going she pulled Mina into her room, “Come on Mina we have to get ready!” Getting ready meant doing up her hair, putting on some makeup (aka lip chap), and putting on a dress.
The pedicure was wonderful and they were very accommodating to the little ones. Ruth couldn’t pick out just one colour and so picked out ten, one for every toe. Mina was a little gun shy so they did her feet while she sat on her mom’s lap. An hour later, after foot massages, hot stone rubs, cuticle cleaning and painted toes, our feet looked sandal worthy and just before the weather turned to shoes only.
The local (Drayton Valley) spa scene though is within reach, very diverse and the higher frequency actually provides therapeutic outcomes.
This prompted me to wonder what other hidden gems we had in Drayton Valley that could be used to make an at home spa day. That led me to a facial at Beyond Beauty. Obviously those who know me know my face hasn’t aged a day since, well… whenever I looked young and beautiful, pick an age. I don’t care. Beyond Beauty as it seems is not just a hair salon they also offer spa treatments. My facial aptly called ‘Radiant Rescue’, was the wake up call my skin needed. I was snuggled in under a heated blanket while different hot towels and facial creams were applied and removed from my face. Starting to finish the whole experience took 45 minutes to an hour and it was blissful. Then back to the rat race of picking up kids from school.
I apologize I am not going in chronological order, just before my facial, I stepped into One Therapy where I was treated to an hour massage. A gift certificate experience, purchased by my friend, was a welcome change to my typical Wednesday afternoon. The massage was both therapeutic, relaxing and deep. Some time during my lay about I wondered, “Why don’t I do this more often?”
This gets me to my point. While Willow Stream Spa was the Disneyland spa experience, it is also not something that can be done with any sort of frequency to provide lasting benefits. It is a mini trip that, let’s face it, parents of young kids cannot always get a way to do. The local spa scene though is within reach, very diverse and the higher frequency actually provides therapeutic outcomes. Your providers will get to know you and your body which means local “spacations” are great for both mental health breaks and your physical health.
Golfing Breton and Birchwood
A one day golf extravaganza, 27-holes, 3-courses. Breton Municipal Golf Course, Big Tee in Breton and The Village Golf Course in Birchwood.
Fumbles and bumbles at Rose Creek
We were about 45 minutes into what turned out to be a very thick bushwack. I was mid-lunge and my ski was looking like a “U” as I tried to get over a fallen tree when my aunt asked, “How much weight do you think we can put on our skis before they break?” I paused, unweighted my ski and looked around to see if there was another way through.
Five scenic bike rides near Drayton Valley
Here are five rides that are moderate in length, located on quiet secondary highways, and offer a variety of views not more than 40 minutes from Drayton Valley.
Experiencing the finer arts in the valley
Art galleries can be an inspiring place to visit but they can also be baffling.
DV100 a personal ride
Finally, seven years after I was first introduced to the DV100 I completed the 100km race.
I was first introduced to the event as a planner when I worked for the Drayton Valley Community Foundation.
Driving the Sunchild Road
Drayton Valley to Lake Louise via the Sunchild Road is the most scenic route to the Rocky Mountains.
The Drayton Valley Food Bank is expecting higher than average numbers over the winter.
Lyndon Muth, the president of the board of volunteers for the Drayton Valley Food Bank, says they’ve seen an increased number of people so far this year.
“In the middle of the pandemic we actually had a reduction in the number of hampers served,” says Muth. He says they attributed this to the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) payments that many people were receiving.
Now that those payments have stopped, there has been a significant upswing in hampers needed again. “Year to date in 2022, we are up 26.2 percent on people served compared to 2021,” he says.
Another contributing issue is the current cost of living, says Muth. With the cost of groceries, utility costs, and the cost of fuel, some residents are being forced to pick and choose what they spend their money on.
Their annual food drive, which is held on the Thanksgiving weekend every year, only brought in about half the donations as they would normally receive. However, Muth says there have been other food drives, which may have affected the turn out.
“There’s been a lot of community initiated food drives, so maybe people are tapped out with giving,” he says.
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.
He says 80 to 90 percent of the food bank’s donations come in between October and January. This “season of giving” is only half over, so there may still be more donations to come.
Muth says even with the lower number of donations, residents don’t have to be concerned with receiving their hampers. One thing Muth says surprises many people is that the food donations that are received aren’t enough to feed everyone. The Food Bank still has to purchase groceries every month to fill the baskets.
“We have enough money to cover the current needs,” he says.
He says the one thing that can throw a wrench into their plans is new clients who have never used the food bank before.
“This year we are at about 115 year-to-date, and we’ve never before seen that in the more than 20 year history of the Food Bank,” he says. On one of the pick-up days, they had eight new clients.
Driving the Sunchild Road
Drayton Valley to Lake Louise via the Sunchild Road is the most scenic route to the Rocky Mountains.
Rural rodeos you don’t want to miss
Rodeos have been a big part of the Brazeau and Beyond region since the Buck Lake Stampede first ran in 1929. The rural rodeo experience is not the circus you see in the larger locales. You’re closer to the action and it’s much more intimate.
Night skiing the Pembina Nordic Trails
Since November I have taken advantage of the moonlit nights by dusting off the nordic skis and hitting the Pembina Nordic Ski Trails.
They’ve also heard stories from clients who’ve talked about always donating to the Food Bank, but never expecting to have to make use of it. “It doesn’t take much,” says Muth, “‘I had a car accident,’ or ‘I just lost my job.’”
Muth says they always give to their clients without judgment. He says some of the stories they hear leave all of the volunteers with tears in their eyes.
Anyone who is in need of the services from the Food Bank can call 780-514-3777 and leave a message between 8 a.m and 6 p.m. on Sundays or Wednesdays. They can then stop by to pick up a basket on the following Monday or Thursday.
School demolition under way
Now that the Eldorado Elementary School has been completely demolished, crews have started work on tearing down the old H.W. Pickup Junior High School.
Fire training proposal for Lodgepole
A new proposal could see the creation of a fire rescue college in Lodgepole.
In a presentation to Brazeau County council last week, Erik Ives spoke regarding the Canadian Fire Rescue College (CFRC) which is exploring Lodgepole as a campus location to train firefighters.
Air cadets mark 60 years
The Drayton Valley Air Cadets Squadron 733 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary this year with a barbecue open to the public.
Staff Sergeant stepping down
The Drayton Valley RCMP Detachment is looking for a new Staff Sergeant as the current man in charge, Troy Raddatz, heads into retirement.
With 100’s of kilometres of secondary highways both east and west of the North Saskatchewan River the road cycling possibilities are endless. With Drayton Valley as your staging area we have put together beginner, intermediate and advanced routes for you to try out.
Beginner Route Ideas
When you are new to road cycling the thought of busy highways, cars, and narrow shoulders can have you more than a little nervous. If you are just easing into the sport then here are a couple of beginner route ideas that have you doing the distance on a quiet highway or on no highway at all.
Scotty’s ESSO to Rocky Rapids via ring road walking paths
The asphalt walking paths from Scotty’s ESSO on the south side of Drayton Valley to Rocky Rapids Community Centre are a great jumping off point for those looking to get into road cycling. They are wide, with manageable elevation changes. You won’t have to worry about sharing the road with vehicles but with long uninterrupted stretches you can still push to optimal speed. The best part is treating yourself
Route distance: 11.2 km one-way (22.4 km round trip)
Approximate time: 33 minutes one-way
Points of Interest:
- Pembina Rotary Community Trails South
- Pembina Nordic Ski Trails
- Brazeau Snow Club facilities
- Drayton Valley/Brazeau County Airport
- Rocky Rapids Memorial Cairn
What to bring:
A can do attitude.This route is pretty well travelled and you are not far from a helping hand so, make sure you do your pre-bike checks and you should be good to go.
Drayton Valley to Violet Grove via RR 80
This quiet highway route to Violet Grove is a great way to ease yourself into highway biking while sticking to a quieter secondary highway with wide shoulders. The route to Violet Grove is a steady climb past acreages and farm fields. At the summit looking to the east you will see the wide scape of Drayton Valley.
The route map shown includes a short distance on Hwy 22. If you find this intimidating then you can access Twp 491 through the West Valley Lions Park, via the Drayton Valley Museum. Cross the highway to the side road (at Co-op gas station) and carry on as noted.
Distance: 10.2 km one way
Approximate time: 30 minutes
Points of Interest
- Drayton Valley Museum
26 km Loop Drayton Valley via RR 81
Using Drayton Valley as your staging area this 26 km loop is a very nice sunny afternoon ride. With short uphills and rewarding downs and nice flats in between this is a great ride to ease into some of those stepping stone routes that have larger longer hills to crush.
Distance: 26 km round trip
Approximate time: 1 hr 22 minutes
What to bring
Small repair pack. There is cell service so you are not far from help if you need it.
Points of Interest:
- Rocky Rapids Carin
- Pembina Nordic Ski Trails
- Rotary Community Trails South
Stepping stone route ideas:
- Hwy 616 from Buck Creek to Breton 29.5 km one-way, approximate time 1 hr and 27 minutes. Note narrow shoulders.
- Twp 753 Cynthia to Lodgepole 22.9 km one-way, approximate time 1 hr and 9 minutes. Note some industrial traffic. From Lodgepole to Cynthia (reverse) there is a long hill with an aggressive elevation gain.
- Hwy 620 Lodgepole to Brazeau Dam 26.5 km one-way, approximate time 1 hr and 22 minutes. Note some industrial traffic on the highway, some climbs and a narrow shoulder.
Intermediate Route Ideas
If you are ready to tackle the open road and go longer distances then, these intermediate routes are a great place to start.
DV40 via RR 85
The DV 40, a route mapped by the DV100 organizing committee is a route that combines quiet secondary highways and busier highways. The route has a number of ascents and descents making it a great conditioning route. The DV40 is a great stepping stone into the longer DV100, and road biking in the wider Brazeau and Beyond region.
Distance: 40 km
Approximate time: 2 hr and 1 minute round trip
What to bring:
Bring a small repair pack. There is cell service throughout this route so you shouldn’t be too far from help if you need it. Bring some money for a treat at the Rocky Rapids General Store.
Points of Interest
- RR83 summit mountain view on a clear day
- Rocky Rapids Memorial Cairn
- Pembina Nordic Ski Trails
- Pembina Rotary Community Trails South
Drayton Valley to Breton via Buck Creek highway
The route to Breton via Buck Creek is a beautifully scenic ride as you cross the North Saskatchewan River at Hwy 22, and several creek crossings on AB-616. For the graduated beginner rider heading on to Hwy 22 can be intimidating, but wide shoulders will ease your anxiety. Shoulders on the North Saskatchewan River Bridge are narrow so be patient waiting for an opportunity to cross the bridge.
Distance 51.3 km
Approximate time: 2 hrs 32 minutes
What to bring:
Repair kit, water. Note: There are places on this route where cell reception is not good.
Points of interest:
- Blue Rapids Provincial Recreation Area
- Eagle Point Provincial Park
- Breton Museum
Lodgepole to Cynthia via AB-753
Taking off from Lodgepole we parked at the Community Centre.
Heading out of Lodgepole it is a steady downhill to the Pembina River Bridge, then you are climbing and climbing, and climbing.
When you think you have crested, guess what! You are still climbing!
Now you crested. Look to the West and on a clear day take in the awesomeness of the rocky mountains. It is a beautiful west central Alberta view.
Heading to Cynthia, is a steady decline, with boreal forest surrounding you.
Heading back, is a gradual incline for about 2/3 of the ride. once you crest great ready for a fast ride all the way down to the Pembina River.
Once you hit the Pembina River you have a small steady climb back into Lodgepole.
If you take this route, go on a Sunday because industrial traffic is lighter.
This is a beautiful road ride, that can be taken on its own or created as a part of a longer ride as is the case with the DV100 Race or Ride, annual September bike rice hosted by the Drayton Valley Community Foundation.
Distance 46 km
Approximate time: 2 hrs 20 minutes
What to bring:
Repair kit, water, a few bucks to stop at a store
Points of interest:
- Rocky mountain views
- Pembina River crossing
- Cyn City Saloon
Advanced Route Ideas
For advanced road cyclists Brazeau and Beyond is your playground. Have a look at our road trip ideas, and motorcycle routes for your next trip ideas.
DV100 route
Feel like a racer on the DV100 road route. The route has been ridden by some of Canada’s best road cycling athletes. The 100km circuit takes you west of Drayton Valley through the communities of Lodgepole and Cynthia. With two river crossings, hills and forests this route is scenic. If you want to see some of the best, come to our neck of the woods the second weekend in September. You will see 500 cyclists descend on Drayton Valley to race this route and vy for some serious cash and prizes. Got to www.dv100.ca for route information and up to date details.
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.
