Graham Long, Free Press
The project that will see the construction of a new school in Drayton Valley will also provide a timely boost to the economy, according to the provincial minister responsible.
Minister of Infrastructure Prasad Panda estimated that the creation of a replacement for HW Pickup School, along with the demolition of both the existing school and the old Eldorado Elementary will create around 200 jobs while work is ongoing.
“It will also ensure generations of students have access to the top quality learning facility they need to help them do their best work and succeed,” he said.
Panda was speaking at the official announcement of the $36.4 million project, which was held in Drayton Valley last Wednesday. He was joined by provincial Minister of Education Adriana LaGrange, MLA Mark Smith and Wild Rose school trustees Daryl Scott and Mae Tryon along with school board chair Russ Hickman.
While it’s little more than a decade old, the existing HW Pickup Middle School has been plagued by structural problems almost since it opened. The ground under the building has continued to shift, which has led to cracks appearing in the walls and floors buckling. Attempts have been made to remedy the situation, but eventually it was deemed to be more cost effective to build a new school rather than continue to put money into the old one.
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.
The CFRC is an indigenous owned private corporation, which is certified as an educational institution by the government of Canada,
The college currently operates a facility in Alberta Beach. Core services offered include Firefighter I and II training, HazMat responder training and a wildland firefighter program which is geared toward municipal firefighters.
The proposal would see the organization taking over the provincial boxing facility in Lodgepole, which covers more than 15,000 square feet and includes living quarters, a commercial kitchen and a large gymnasium, and turning it into a campus capable of offering a range of firefighting and rescue training for as many as 100 trainees by 2026.
The CFRC also envisions the creation of a fire station and a live fire building.
The estimated overall price tag for the project is a little over $1 million. CFRC staff are working on acquiring grant funding to help offset those costs.
After last week’s presentation, council agreed to write a letter of support for the idea.
Council going live
Starting May 21, county council meetings will be livestreamed online. The County has set up a YouTube channel to allow the public to watch proceedings without having to visit the county office. The link to each meeting will be posted on the County website. Meeting videos will also be archived to allow for viewing at a later date.
Rec board appointment
Council appointed Rina Saar to serve a two-year term as a member at large on the joint Town of Drayton Valley – Brazeau County Recreation Board. The board is composed of two councillors and one member at large from each municipality. Its mandate is to provide input regarding sport, culture, and recreation programs as designated by town and county councils.
Next Week’s News
Are you a local looking for things to do in and around Drayton Valley, or Brazeau County. Our award winning editor Graham Long, has got your covered in his weekly summary of things happening in Drayton Valley. Have a read of Next Week’s News each week to get an idea on how to plan your, week.
Next Week's News: May 16, 2024 Column
Ready for a long weekend? You must be. You look exhausted.
Victoria Day is Monday May 20, which means it’s a well deserved day off for those of you who have a real job. Currently the weather forecast is calling for it to be … cloudy with showers. That’s rain showers, not snow showers, so I suppose it could be worse.
And once Victoria Day is over, it’s time to start thinking all sorts of summery thoughts. For one thing, it’s usually around now that we have the last frost, so it’s time to start planting things outside if you’re of a horticultural inclination. You’ll find more summer activity ideas in the Free Press travel guide. You can pick up a copy at various locations around the community.
What else is going on? Brazeau County’s household hazardous waste roundup is at the Breton, Buck Lake and Lindale transfer stations May 25 and in Rocky Rapids, Easyford, Cynthia, Lodgepole and Violet Grove June 1.
The Drayton Valley Horse Club’s annual Cancer Ride is coming up May 25.
The 4-H Interclub Achievement Day will be held Monday May 27 at the Omniplex. This is a big deal for those involved and is well worth checking out if you have the time.
The Drayton Valley Triathlon is back once again. The date this year is Saturday June 1 with things taking place in the area around the pool.
And that same day the seventh annual Walk for ALS is happening in Lions West Valley Park. Registration opens at 10 am and the walk starts at 11 with a barbecue afterwards.
Since we’re talking about doing physical things outside, the Black Gold Brute Obstacle Race is coming up on June 8. That’s in the area around the Omniplex.
The Ol’ Pembina Tractor Pull Society 21st Annual Farmers Day Event is June 8 – 9. Tractor Pulls (8 classes), Concessions, Children’s Money Mine and more…You’ll find that at 56528 – Range Road 71
And there’s a bit of a theme here, because looking further ahead, the agricultural society is also holding an antique tractor pull at the Lions Rodeo Grounds on Saturday June 16.
Cut out the middle man and get your Drayton Valley and District Free Press directly to your email inbox.
Get more activity ideas in for the Drayton Valley and Brazeau County region in our Brazeau and Beyond Travel Guide.
Head over to our travel guide page to download yours today.
Click here: Brazeau and Beyond
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.
Lamont Cardinal, the chair of the parent committee for the cadets, says that the cadets are technically turning 63 this year, but the original celebration for their 60th had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
“We’re now essentially celebrating our sixtieth anniversary,” says Cardinal.
Cardinal says the barbecue will be held on Sunday, April 21 at their headquarters at 5524 Industrial Road. Only a month later, the 38 cadets will also be attending their Annual Ceremonial Revue, where they will be inspected by a member of the Canadian Military.
While the history of the Air Cadets goes back to the 1940s when the Canadian military recognized they would need more trained pilots for the war effort, Squadron 733 wasn’t established until April 22, 1961.
Originally, only boys were able to join the Cadets. However, when the Canadian Government amended legislation changing the word boys to persons in 1975, girls were allowed to enroll.
Captain Tanya Hunt says over the years there have been many people involved in the Cadets.
“Since the formation of the squadron there have been many commanding officers that have helped form and mold the 733 Drayton Valley Air Cadet Squadron we have today. Capt Matt McCullach, Capt Pat Turner, Capt Brian Torpy, Capt Lorna Luchyk, Capt Randy Romanchuk, Capt Paul Spurrell , Capt Mitch Krasey, Capt Heather Guard, Capt Kate Simpson, Capt Gerald Landers and the current commander Capt Tanya Hunt,” says Hunt in an emailed statement.
She says the barbecue is also about promoting the cadets in the community.
While the cadets do follow many military style rules, they are a separate program than the Canadian Armed Forces, says Cardinal. Given that they are Air Cadets, the members spend some of their time focused on flying.
Cardinal says throughout the year, the parents and members fundraise to pay for cadets to go gliding at least one time. They also do some flying in small engine planes.
If the cadets stick with the program and complete all of the ground school and complete all of the training, Cardinal says they can get their private flying license once they graduate from the program. There are also some scholarships that are available through the Air Cadet League of Canada.
He says it’s also a great program to teach kids responsibility and discipline. All of the cadets are given their own uniforms and are completely responsible for the maintenance of that uniform. That includes sewing on patches, washing and ironing the uniform, and shining their boots.
“It’s all about the self-motivation and self-reliance, along with working as part of a team,” says Cardinal.
He says the cadets are always accepting donations, and all funds donated will go toward programs for the members.
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.
Raddatz started his time as Staff Sergeant in Drayton Valley in mid-May 2023, just as the community was dealing with the Buck Creek Wildfire. Raddatz hit the ground running with the detachment, and during his time the crime stats have been on a downward trend and the RCMP have been more visible in the community.
Before he was Staff Sergeant in Drayton, Raddatz had spent time in Breton, where he started his career in 2004. In 2010 he moved on to work with the canine unit where he eventually became the program director for dog services in 2017.
In 2023, he decided to make the lateral move to his position in Drayton. He and his wife had life-long friendships from the area, and he was impressed with the detachment in Drayton.
“I really enjoyed my year here, and it was good for my family,” says Raddatz. “We had planned on staying longer, but through a change in our family situation, we decided it was time to retire.”
One of Raddatz’s goals when he first started was seeing the detachment moved to a larger building. While Raddatz has been working diligently on achieving that goal, he says it’s been difficult to get the go ahead from the division.
However, during his last town council meeting report, Raddatz told council that he has been advised that there will be three trailers added to the detachment. He says he has been working with the division to finalize the design for the changes, and he anticipates the trailers will arrive in 2025/26.
“We’re trying to buy ten years for this current detachment,” says Raddatz.
He says during his time in Drayton he’s valued the support that the detachment has received from both the Town and Brazeau County, as well as members of the community.
And Raddatz says he has been happy with the detachment and feels like he’s leaving it in good hands.
“Drayton Valley has a really incredible detachment, and the community is in good hands there,” says Raddatz.
His last day as Staff Sergeant is April 11, and in the meantime, Sergeant Ryan Hoetmer will be the Interim Staff Sergeant until a replacement is found.
Concern over Winfield School
The parent advisory council at Winfield Elementary are worried about the future of their school.
Carolyn Schwindt, the president of the school’s PAC, says some motions that the Wetaskiwin Regional Public School Division recently put forward in their board meeting are concerning.
Schwindt says this year the division has a new superintendent, Mike Wake, and Schwindt says that he’s been great to work with so far. However, she doesn’t agree with some of the ideas brought forward for calculating when a school should be closed.
“There’s always been discussion in Wetaskiwin Public Schools on the potential need for closure,” says Schwindt. “We’ve got low enrollment across the board in all schools.”
Schwindt says there are many factors at play when it comes to the enrollment at Winfield. Currently, the school has 63 students and also houses the community’s public library. Schwindt says there are multiple programs that use the school, such as the playschool and gymnastics club.
The motions that were put forward suggested that the school be closed if enrollment was below 60 students. Schwindt says if the number for closure is that close to the number of currently enrolled students, no one can really be certain if the school will stay open from year to year.
She worries this could affect whether teachers look for positions at the school. Or perhaps parents would move their children prematurely because the school might close.
She says since the pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of home-schooled students in the area, which has lowered student enrollment. Allowing families to pick a school of choice for their children also affects the numbers in the schools.
Schwindt says Wake has been focusing on the reason for low numbers and has been actively looking for solutions to the problem.
His most recent proposal was to ask the provincial government for funds to build a K-12 school for the Buck Lake family of schools in the Alder Flats area. Another area that was considered was the Pigeon Lake family of schools becoming consolidated.
But Schwindt says those two school families have schools spread out over a large area. Already, some students are looking at bus rides that are an hour or more in some of those areas. Should the schools be consolidated, many of those bus rides could increase significantly.
As it is, students who choose to go to high school in WRPS rather than the Breton High School with the school of choice option, have to travel to Buck Mountain High School. The distance from Winfield to the Buck Mountain school is 27 kms, and takes about seventeen minutes of straight drive time.
Another thing Schwindt worries about is what would happen to the community should the school be closed.
As of 2011, Winfield had 244 residents. One of the major employers in the area is the school and its closure could have a ripple effect throughout the community.
Schwindt says she has spoken to Wetaskiwin County Council about the issue, but there is little they can do.
Kathy Rooyakkers, the councillor for Division 6 in Wetaskiwin County, says the idea of the school potentially being shut down next year worries her.
“It will affect them big time,” says Rooyakkers.
Rooyakkers says that unfortunately the County cannot stop anything WRPS plans to do. She says they have the opportunity to meet with the division a few times a year, where they discuss issues that concern both the County and the division, but all they can do is give their opinions about the situation.
“At the table, we don’t get a decision,” says Rooyakkers.
She says it’s frustrating, but there isn’t much they can do. At this point, she says the County has not discussed what they would do should the school be closed. She says there may be some other options that could be considered, such as creating a charter school, but council can’t make any changes…
Full story in the April 4, Free Press. Become an email subscriber at www.dvfreepress.com.
County spends on fire suppression
Brazeau County is set to spend $560,000 to improve fire suppression in two underserved parts of the municipality. Last week council approved $250,000 for a 210 cubic metre concrete water tank in Lindale and $310,000 for a similar tank and water well in Buck Creek.
The move is the result of a study conducted last year that outlined gaps in water sources for residential fire suppression. Lindale and Buck Creek were identified as areas that did not have access to an adequate source of water that was close enough to be practical in the event of a blaze.
According to the County, the Lindale tank will replace the current holding tank, and will provide year-round fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in case of wildfire in the area. A water well and the below ground tank near the Buck Creek lift station will provide fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in the event of wildfire. Water will be available all year round with no risk of freezing. If drilled to a lower aquifer, the water well will not place residents’ wells at risk.
Meanwhile, with the wildfire season now underway, CAO Kent Edney said that Incident Command System training, which is offered by the Government of Alberta, was being rolled out to staff. Edney said ICS 100 training was now mandatory for all employees. ICS 200, 300 and 400 were also being provided to those who are eligible. Councillors were scheduled to attend ICS 402 training, which is designed for elected officials, last week.
Two training sessions for public contractors held last month have enabled the County to draw up a list of “first calls” in the event of an emergency. The sessions sparked considerable interest, with 55 people attending in Breton February 21 and 112 in Drayton Valley two days later.
A review and update of the County’s Municipal Emergency Plan is expected to be completed by early April.
“It’s become clear that it’s time to build a new school in Dayton Valley,” said LaGrange at Wednesday’s announcement. “I’m delighted that local students will be learning in a safe and modern environment in the near future.”
School board chair Russ Hickman gave an overview of the history of education in Drayton Valley dating back to the opening of the original Eldorado School in 1915. He said the province’s decision to support a replacement school represented a powerful commitment to the future of the area.
Drayton Valley is once again going to be down to two doctor’s clinics by June 30.
After nearly forty years, the Malone clinic will be closing its doors, though the IDA Pharmacy will still remain open.
Pat Jeffery, the chair of the Pembina Physicians Recruitment and Retention Committee, says the committee is concerned about the future of healthcare in the community.
“Dismayed would be the word that comes to mind,” says Jeffery
Though two new physicians have recently started in the community, this closure will mean the loss of five physicians. Jeffery says Alberta Health Services is advertising three job postings for the community, which won’t quite fill the gap.
She says the committee knew about the retirement of Dr. Roz Beacom and Dr. Mike Peyton, but they hadn’t anticipated that Dr. Afe Okafor would be moving her practice to Edmonton. They were also unaware that Dr. Raf Ali and Dr. Amni Ali would be retiring from their practice as well.
Jeffery says AHS doesn’t play a role in deciding the placement of any new physicians in the community. So it’s not certain if they will be placed at the Claro Clinic or the Shale Clinic. And that’s assuming either of the clinics has the physical space for more doctors
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.
The CFRC is an indigenous owned private corporation, which is certified as an educational institution by the government of Canada,
The college currently operates a facility in Alberta Beach. Core services offered include Firefighter I and II training, HazMat responder training and a wildland firefighter program which is geared toward municipal firefighters.
The proposal would see the organization taking over the provincial boxing facility in Lodgepole, which covers more than 15,000 square feet and includes living quarters, a commercial kitchen and a large gymnasium, and turning it into a campus capable of offering a range of firefighting and rescue training for as many as 100 trainees by 2026.
The CFRC also envisions the creation of a fire station and a live fire building.
The estimated overall price tag for the project is a little over $1 million. CFRC staff are working on acquiring grant funding to help offset those costs.
After last week’s presentation, council agreed to write a letter of support for the idea.
Council going live
Starting May 21, county council meetings will be livestreamed online. The County has set up a YouTube channel to allow the public to watch proceedings without having to visit the county office. The link to each meeting will be posted on the County website. Meeting videos will also be archived to allow for viewing at a later date.
Rec board appointment
Council appointed Rina Saar to serve a two-year term as a member at large on the joint Town of Drayton Valley – Brazeau County Recreation Board. The board is composed of two councillors and one member at large from each municipality. Its mandate is to provide input regarding sport, culture, and recreation programs as designated by town and county councils.
Are you a local looking for things to do in and around Drayton Valley, or Brazeau County. Our award winning editor Graham Long, has got your covered in his weekly summary of things happening in Drayton Valley. Have a read of Next Week’s News each week to get an idea on how to plan your, week.
Next Week's News: May 16, 2024 Column
Ready for a long weekend? You must be. You look exhausted.
Victoria Day is Monday May 20, which means it’s a well deserved day off for those of you who have a real job. Currently the weather forecast is calling for it to be … cloudy with showers. That’s rain showers, not snow showers, so I suppose it could be worse.
And once Victoria Day is over, it’s time to start thinking all sorts of summery thoughts. For one thing, it’s usually around now that we have the last frost, so it’s time to start planting things outside if you’re of a horticultural inclination. You’ll find more summer activity ideas in the Free Press travel guide. You can pick up a copy at various locations around the community.
What else is going on? Brazeau County’s household hazardous waste roundup is at the Breton, Buck Lake and Lindale transfer stations May 25 and in Rocky Rapids, Easyford, Cynthia, Lodgepole and Violet Grove June 1.
The Drayton Valley Horse Club’s annual Cancer Ride is coming up May 25.
The 4-H Interclub Achievement Day will be held Monday May 27 at the Omniplex. This is a big deal for those involved and is well worth checking out if you have the time.
The Drayton Valley Triathlon is back once again. The date this year is Saturday June 1 with things taking place in the area around the pool.
And that same day the seventh annual Walk for ALS is happening in Lions West Valley Park. Registration opens at 10 am and the walk starts at 11 with a barbecue afterwards.
Since we’re talking about doing physical things outside, the Black Gold Brute Obstacle Race is coming up on June 8. That’s in the area around the Omniplex.
The Ol’ Pembina Tractor Pull Society 21st Annual Farmers Day Event is June 8 – 9. Tractor Pulls (8 classes), Concessions, Children’s Money Mine and more…You’ll find that at 56528 – Range Road 71
And there’s a bit of a theme here, because looking further ahead, the agricultural society is also holding an antique tractor pull at the Lions Rodeo Grounds on Saturday June 16.
Cut out the middle man and get your Drayton Valley and District Free Press directly to your email inbox.
Get more activity ideas in for the Drayton Valley and Brazeau County region in our Brazeau and Beyond Travel Guide.
Head over to our travel guide page to download yours today.
Click here: Brazeau and Beyond
The Drayton Valley Air Cadets Squadron 733 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary this year with a barbecue open to the public.
Lamont Cardinal, the chair of the parent committee for the cadets, says that the cadets are technically turning 63 this year, but the original celebration for their 60th had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
“We’re now essentially celebrating our sixtieth anniversary,” says Cardinal.
Cardinal says the barbecue will be held on Sunday, April 21 at their headquarters at 5524 Industrial Road. Only a month later, the 38 cadets will also be attending their Annual Ceremonial Revue, where they will be inspected by a member of the Canadian Military.
While the history of the Air Cadets goes back to the 1940s when the Canadian military recognized they would need more trained pilots for the war effort, Squadron 733 wasn’t established until April 22, 1961.
Originally, only boys were able to join the Cadets. However, when the Canadian Government amended legislation changing the word boys to persons in 1975, girls were allowed to enroll.
Captain Tanya Hunt says over the years there have been many people involved in the Cadets.
“Since the formation of the squadron there have been many commanding officers that have helped form and mold the 733 Drayton Valley Air Cadet Squadron we have today. Capt Matt McCullach, Capt Pat Turner, Capt Brian Torpy, Capt Lorna Luchyk, Capt Randy Romanchuk, Capt Paul Spurrell , Capt Mitch Krasey, Capt Heather Guard, Capt Kate Simpson, Capt Gerald Landers and the current commander Capt Tanya Hunt,” says Hunt in an emailed statement.
She says the barbecue is also about promoting the cadets in the community.
While the cadets do follow many military style rules, they are a separate program than the Canadian Armed Forces, says Cardinal. Given that they are Air Cadets, the members spend some of their time focused on flying.
Cardinal says throughout the year, the parents and members fundraise to pay for cadets to go gliding at least one time. They also do some flying in small engine planes.
If the cadets stick with the program and complete all of the ground school and complete all of the training, Cardinal says they can get their private flying license once they graduate from the program. There are also some scholarships that are available through the Air Cadet League of Canada.
He says it’s also a great program to teach kids responsibility and discipline. All of the cadets are given their own uniforms and are completely responsible for the maintenance of that uniform. That includes sewing on patches, washing and ironing the uniform, and shining their boots.
“It’s all about the self-motivation and self-reliance, along with working as part of a team,” says Cardinal.
He says the cadets are always accepting donations, and all funds donated will go toward programs for the members.
The Drayton Valley RCMP Detachment is looking for a new Staff Sergeant as the current man in charge, Troy Raddatz, heads into retirement.
Raddatz started his time as Staff Sergeant in Drayton Valley in mid-May 2023, just as the community was dealing with the Buck Creek Wildfire. Raddatz hit the ground running with the detachment, and during his time the crime stats have been on a downward trend and the RCMP have been more visible in the community.
Before he was Staff Sergeant in Drayton, Raddatz had spent time in Breton, where he started his career in 2004. In 2010 he moved on to work with the canine unit where he eventually became the program director for dog services in 2017.
In 2023, he decided to make the lateral move to his position in Drayton. He and his wife had life-long friendships from the area, and he was impressed with the detachment in Drayton.
“I really enjoyed my year here, and it was good for my family,” says Raddatz. “We had planned on staying longer, but through a change in our family situation, we decided it was time to retire.”
One of Raddatz’s goals when he first started was seeing the detachment moved to a larger building. While Raddatz has been working diligently on achieving that goal, he says it’s been difficult to get the go ahead from the division.
However, during his last town council meeting report, Raddatz told council that he has been advised that there will be three trailers added to the detachment. He says he has been working with the division to finalize the design for the changes, and he anticipates the trailers will arrive in 2025/26.
“We’re trying to buy ten years for this current detachment,” says Raddatz.
He says during his time in Drayton he’s valued the support that the detachment has received from both the Town and Brazeau County, as well as members of the community.
And Raddatz says he has been happy with the detachment and feels like he’s leaving it in good hands.
“Drayton Valley has a really incredible detachment, and the community is in good hands there,” says Raddatz.
His last day as Staff Sergeant is April 11, and in the meantime, Sergeant Ryan Hoetmer will be the Interim Staff Sergeant until a replacement is found.
The parent advisory council at Winfield Elementary are worried about the future of their school.
Carolyn Schwindt, the president of the school’s PAC, says some motions that the Wetaskiwin Regional Public School Division recently put forward in their board meeting are concerning.
Schwindt says this year the division has a new superintendent, Mike Wake, and Schwindt says that he’s been great to work with so far. However, she doesn’t agree with some of the ideas brought forward for calculating when a school should be closed.
“There’s always been discussion in Wetaskiwin Public Schools on the potential need for closure,” says Schwindt. “We’ve got low enrollment across the board in all schools.”
Schwindt says there are many factors at play when it comes to the enrollment at Winfield. Currently, the school has 63 students and also houses the community’s public library. Schwindt says there are multiple programs that use the school, such as the playschool and gymnastics club.
The motions that were put forward suggested that the school be closed if enrollment was below 60 students. Schwindt says if the number for closure is that close to the number of currently enrolled students, no one can really be certain if the school will stay open from year to year.
She worries this could affect whether teachers look for positions at the school. Or perhaps parents would move their children prematurely because the school might close.
She says since the pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of home-schooled students in the area, which has lowered student enrollment. Allowing families to pick a school of choice for their children also affects the numbers in the schools.
Schwindt says Wake has been focusing on the reason for low numbers and has been actively looking for solutions to the problem.
His most recent proposal was to ask the provincial government for funds to build a K-12 school for the Buck Lake family of schools in the Alder Flats area. Another area that was considered was the Pigeon Lake family of schools becoming consolidated.
But Schwindt says those two school families have schools spread out over a large area. Already, some students are looking at bus rides that are an hour or more in some of those areas. Should the schools be consolidated, many of those bus rides could increase significantly.
As it is, students who choose to go to high school in WRPS rather than the Breton High School with the school of choice option, have to travel to Buck Mountain High School. The distance from Winfield to the Buck Mountain school is 27 kms, and takes about seventeen minutes of straight drive time.
Another thing Schwindt worries about is what would happen to the community should the school be closed.
As of 2011, Winfield had 244 residents. One of the major employers in the area is the school and its closure could have a ripple effect throughout the community.
Schwindt says she has spoken to Wetaskiwin County Council about the issue, but there is little they can do.
Kathy Rooyakkers, the councillor for Division 6 in Wetaskiwin County, says the idea of the school potentially being shut down next year worries her.
“It will affect them big time,” says Rooyakkers.
Rooyakkers says that unfortunately the County cannot stop anything WRPS plans to do. She says they have the opportunity to meet with the division a few times a year, where they discuss issues that concern both the County and the division, but all they can do is give their opinions about the situation.
“At the table, we don’t get a decision,” says Rooyakkers.
She says it’s frustrating, but there isn’t much they can do. At this point, she says the County has not discussed what they would do should the school be closed. She says there may be some other options that could be considered, such as creating a charter school, but council can’t make any changes…
Full story in the April 4, Free Press. Become an email subscriber at www.dvfreepress.com.
Brazeau County is set to spend $560,000 to improve fire suppression in two underserved parts of the municipality. Last week council approved $250,000 for a 210 cubic metre concrete water tank in Lindale and $310,000 for a similar tank and water well in Buck Creek.
The move is the result of a study conducted last year that outlined gaps in water sources for residential fire suppression. Lindale and Buck Creek were identified as areas that did not have access to an adequate source of water that was close enough to be practical in the event of a blaze.
According to the County, the Lindale tank will replace the current holding tank, and will provide year-round fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in case of wildfire in the area. A water well and the below ground tank near the Buck Creek lift station will provide fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in the event of wildfire. Water will be available all year round with no risk of freezing. If drilled to a lower aquifer, the water well will not place residents’ wells at risk.
Meanwhile, with the wildfire season now underway, CAO Kent Edney said that Incident Command System training, which is offered by the Government of Alberta, was being rolled out to staff. Edney said ICS 100 training was now mandatory for all employees. ICS 200, 300 and 400 were also being provided to those who are eligible. Councillors were scheduled to attend ICS 402 training, which is designed for elected officials, last week.
Two training sessions for public contractors held last month have enabled the County to draw up a list of “first calls” in the event of an emergency. The sessions sparked considerable interest, with 55 people attending in Breton February 21 and 112 in Drayton Valley two days later.
A review and update of the County’s Municipal Emergency Plan is expected to be completed by early April.
The Malone building will remain in place, and Jeffery says there’s a possibility that other physicians will come in and open another clinic.
While the community is down those physicians, Mina Bolos, the owner of the IDA Malone Pharmacy, says he may be able to help out a little bit.
“I am a prescribing pharmacist,” he says. “I think the community around needs somebody to help with some of the minor ailments.
Bolos says he’s also the only diabetic educator in town. “I have the licensing for that,” he says.
Anyone who needs help learning about insulin, the medication, and how to use the injections can talk to Bolos.
The Drayton Valley Free Press was unable to make contact with Dr. Beacom or Dr. Peyton by the deadline for this article
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
So far it looks like the vast majority of area residents have escaped the wildfires without suffering serious property damage. Sadly that’s not true of everyone. It’s been confirmed that four homes were destroyed on the fringes of Drayton Valley. Further north, Pembina River Tubing was completely destroyed by the fire in Parkland County.
Pembina River Tubing was established in 2007 and offered visitors the opportunity to enjoy a day of fresh air and fun on the river. When the fire hit last week Cheryl Harris watched the business she and her husband Dan had built go up in smoke.
“Thursday early afternoon I was in Evansburg picking up some supplies and saw the Evansburg fire start up again,” she said in an email. “The wind was crazy strong. I saw the smoke again with the Parkland fire and started to organize our personal items better.”
The following day Harris made a trip to the store and then tried to relax. She was able to monitor the business property through its security cameras.
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.
The CFRC is an indigenous owned private corporation, which is certified as an educational institution by the government of Canada,
The college currently operates a facility in Alberta Beach. Core services offered include Firefighter I and II training, HazMat responder training and a wildland firefighter program which is geared toward municipal firefighters.
The proposal would see the organization taking over the provincial boxing facility in Lodgepole, which covers more than 15,000 square feet and includes living quarters, a commercial kitchen and a large gymnasium, and turning it into a campus capable of offering a range of firefighting and rescue training for as many as 100 trainees by 2026.
The CFRC also envisions the creation of a fire station and a live fire building.
The estimated overall price tag for the project is a little over $1 million. CFRC staff are working on acquiring grant funding to help offset those costs.
After last week’s presentation, council agreed to write a letter of support for the idea.
Council going live
Starting May 21, county council meetings will be livestreamed online. The County has set up a YouTube channel to allow the public to watch proceedings without having to visit the county office. The link to each meeting will be posted on the County website. Meeting videos will also be archived to allow for viewing at a later date.
Rec board appointment
Council appointed Rina Saar to serve a two-year term as a member at large on the joint Town of Drayton Valley – Brazeau County Recreation Board. The board is composed of two councillors and one member at large from each municipality. Its mandate is to provide input regarding sport, culture, and recreation programs as designated by town and county councils.
Are you a local looking for things to do in and around Drayton Valley, or Brazeau County. Our award winning editor Graham Long, has got your covered in his weekly summary of things happening in Drayton Valley. Have a read of Next Week’s News each week to get an idea on how to plan your, week.
Next Week's News: May 16, 2024 Column
Ready for a long weekend? You must be. You look exhausted.
Victoria Day is Monday May 20, which means it’s a well deserved day off for those of you who have a real job. Currently the weather forecast is calling for it to be … cloudy with showers. That’s rain showers, not snow showers, so I suppose it could be worse.
And once Victoria Day is over, it’s time to start thinking all sorts of summery thoughts. For one thing, it’s usually around now that we have the last frost, so it’s time to start planting things outside if you’re of a horticultural inclination. You’ll find more summer activity ideas in the Free Press travel guide. You can pick up a copy at various locations around the community.
What else is going on? Brazeau County’s household hazardous waste roundup is at the Breton, Buck Lake and Lindale transfer stations May 25 and in Rocky Rapids, Easyford, Cynthia, Lodgepole and Violet Grove June 1.
The Drayton Valley Horse Club’s annual Cancer Ride is coming up May 25.
The 4-H Interclub Achievement Day will be held Monday May 27 at the Omniplex. This is a big deal for those involved and is well worth checking out if you have the time.
The Drayton Valley Triathlon is back once again. The date this year is Saturday June 1 with things taking place in the area around the pool.
And that same day the seventh annual Walk for ALS is happening in Lions West Valley Park. Registration opens at 10 am and the walk starts at 11 with a barbecue afterwards.
Since we’re talking about doing physical things outside, the Black Gold Brute Obstacle Race is coming up on June 8. That’s in the area around the Omniplex.
The Ol’ Pembina Tractor Pull Society 21st Annual Farmers Day Event is June 8 – 9. Tractor Pulls (8 classes), Concessions, Children’s Money Mine and more…You’ll find that at 56528 – Range Road 71
And there’s a bit of a theme here, because looking further ahead, the agricultural society is also holding an antique tractor pull at the Lions Rodeo Grounds on Saturday June 16.
Cut out the middle man and get your Drayton Valley and District Free Press directly to your email inbox.
Get more activity ideas in for the Drayton Valley and Brazeau County region in our Brazeau and Beyond Travel Guide.
Head over to our travel guide page to download yours today.
Click here: Brazeau and Beyond
The Drayton Valley Air Cadets Squadron 733 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary this year with a barbecue open to the public.
Lamont Cardinal, the chair of the parent committee for the cadets, says that the cadets are technically turning 63 this year, but the original celebration for their 60th had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
“We’re now essentially celebrating our sixtieth anniversary,” says Cardinal.
Cardinal says the barbecue will be held on Sunday, April 21 at their headquarters at 5524 Industrial Road. Only a month later, the 38 cadets will also be attending their Annual Ceremonial Revue, where they will be inspected by a member of the Canadian Military.
While the history of the Air Cadets goes back to the 1940s when the Canadian military recognized they would need more trained pilots for the war effort, Squadron 733 wasn’t established until April 22, 1961.
Originally, only boys were able to join the Cadets. However, when the Canadian Government amended legislation changing the word boys to persons in 1975, girls were allowed to enroll.
Captain Tanya Hunt says over the years there have been many people involved in the Cadets.
“Since the formation of the squadron there have been many commanding officers that have helped form and mold the 733 Drayton Valley Air Cadet Squadron we have today. Capt Matt McCullach, Capt Pat Turner, Capt Brian Torpy, Capt Lorna Luchyk, Capt Randy Romanchuk, Capt Paul Spurrell , Capt Mitch Krasey, Capt Heather Guard, Capt Kate Simpson, Capt Gerald Landers and the current commander Capt Tanya Hunt,” says Hunt in an emailed statement.
She says the barbecue is also about promoting the cadets in the community.
While the cadets do follow many military style rules, they are a separate program than the Canadian Armed Forces, says Cardinal. Given that they are Air Cadets, the members spend some of their time focused on flying.
Cardinal says throughout the year, the parents and members fundraise to pay for cadets to go gliding at least one time. They also do some flying in small engine planes.
If the cadets stick with the program and complete all of the ground school and complete all of the training, Cardinal says they can get their private flying license once they graduate from the program. There are also some scholarships that are available through the Air Cadet League of Canada.
He says it’s also a great program to teach kids responsibility and discipline. All of the cadets are given their own uniforms and are completely responsible for the maintenance of that uniform. That includes sewing on patches, washing and ironing the uniform, and shining their boots.
“It’s all about the self-motivation and self-reliance, along with working as part of a team,” says Cardinal.
He says the cadets are always accepting donations, and all funds donated will go toward programs for the members.
The Drayton Valley RCMP Detachment is looking for a new Staff Sergeant as the current man in charge, Troy Raddatz, heads into retirement.
Raddatz started his time as Staff Sergeant in Drayton Valley in mid-May 2023, just as the community was dealing with the Buck Creek Wildfire. Raddatz hit the ground running with the detachment, and during his time the crime stats have been on a downward trend and the RCMP have been more visible in the community.
Before he was Staff Sergeant in Drayton, Raddatz had spent time in Breton, where he started his career in 2004. In 2010 he moved on to work with the canine unit where he eventually became the program director for dog services in 2017.
In 2023, he decided to make the lateral move to his position in Drayton. He and his wife had life-long friendships from the area, and he was impressed with the detachment in Drayton.
“I really enjoyed my year here, and it was good for my family,” says Raddatz. “We had planned on staying longer, but through a change in our family situation, we decided it was time to retire.”
One of Raddatz’s goals when he first started was seeing the detachment moved to a larger building. While Raddatz has been working diligently on achieving that goal, he says it’s been difficult to get the go ahead from the division.
However, during his last town council meeting report, Raddatz told council that he has been advised that there will be three trailers added to the detachment. He says he has been working with the division to finalize the design for the changes, and he anticipates the trailers will arrive in 2025/26.
“We’re trying to buy ten years for this current detachment,” says Raddatz.
He says during his time in Drayton he’s valued the support that the detachment has received from both the Town and Brazeau County, as well as members of the community.
And Raddatz says he has been happy with the detachment and feels like he’s leaving it in good hands.
“Drayton Valley has a really incredible detachment, and the community is in good hands there,” says Raddatz.
His last day as Staff Sergeant is April 11, and in the meantime, Sergeant Ryan Hoetmer will be the Interim Staff Sergeant until a replacement is found.
The parent advisory council at Winfield Elementary are worried about the future of their school.
Carolyn Schwindt, the president of the school’s PAC, says some motions that the Wetaskiwin Regional Public School Division recently put forward in their board meeting are concerning.
Schwindt says this year the division has a new superintendent, Mike Wake, and Schwindt says that he’s been great to work with so far. However, she doesn’t agree with some of the ideas brought forward for calculating when a school should be closed.
“There’s always been discussion in Wetaskiwin Public Schools on the potential need for closure,” says Schwindt. “We’ve got low enrollment across the board in all schools.”
Schwindt says there are many factors at play when it comes to the enrollment at Winfield. Currently, the school has 63 students and also houses the community’s public library. Schwindt says there are multiple programs that use the school, such as the playschool and gymnastics club.
The motions that were put forward suggested that the school be closed if enrollment was below 60 students. Schwindt says if the number for closure is that close to the number of currently enrolled students, no one can really be certain if the school will stay open from year to year.
She worries this could affect whether teachers look for positions at the school. Or perhaps parents would move their children prematurely because the school might close.
She says since the pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of home-schooled students in the area, which has lowered student enrollment. Allowing families to pick a school of choice for their children also affects the numbers in the schools.
Schwindt says Wake has been focusing on the reason for low numbers and has been actively looking for solutions to the problem.
His most recent proposal was to ask the provincial government for funds to build a K-12 school for the Buck Lake family of schools in the Alder Flats area. Another area that was considered was the Pigeon Lake family of schools becoming consolidated.
But Schwindt says those two school families have schools spread out over a large area. Already, some students are looking at bus rides that are an hour or more in some of those areas. Should the schools be consolidated, many of those bus rides could increase significantly.
As it is, students who choose to go to high school in WRPS rather than the Breton High School with the school of choice option, have to travel to Buck Mountain High School. The distance from Winfield to the Buck Mountain school is 27 kms, and takes about seventeen minutes of straight drive time.
Another thing Schwindt worries about is what would happen to the community should the school be closed.
As of 2011, Winfield had 244 residents. One of the major employers in the area is the school and its closure could have a ripple effect throughout the community.
Schwindt says she has spoken to Wetaskiwin County Council about the issue, but there is little they can do.
Kathy Rooyakkers, the councillor for Division 6 in Wetaskiwin County, says the idea of the school potentially being shut down next year worries her.
“It will affect them big time,” says Rooyakkers.
Rooyakkers says that unfortunately the County cannot stop anything WRPS plans to do. She says they have the opportunity to meet with the division a few times a year, where they discuss issues that concern both the County and the division, but all they can do is give their opinions about the situation.
“At the table, we don’t get a decision,” says Rooyakkers.
She says it’s frustrating, but there isn’t much they can do. At this point, she says the County has not discussed what they would do should the school be closed. She says there may be some other options that could be considered, such as creating a charter school, but council can’t make any changes…
Full story in the April 4, Free Press. Become an email subscriber at www.dvfreepress.com.
Brazeau County is set to spend $560,000 to improve fire suppression in two underserved parts of the municipality. Last week council approved $250,000 for a 210 cubic metre concrete water tank in Lindale and $310,000 for a similar tank and water well in Buck Creek.
The move is the result of a study conducted last year that outlined gaps in water sources for residential fire suppression. Lindale and Buck Creek were identified as areas that did not have access to an adequate source of water that was close enough to be practical in the event of a blaze.
According to the County, the Lindale tank will replace the current holding tank, and will provide year-round fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in case of wildfire in the area. A water well and the below ground tank near the Buck Creek lift station will provide fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in the event of wildfire. Water will be available all year round with no risk of freezing. If drilled to a lower aquifer, the water well will not place residents’ wells at risk.
Meanwhile, with the wildfire season now underway, CAO Kent Edney said that Incident Command System training, which is offered by the Government of Alberta, was being rolled out to staff. Edney said ICS 100 training was now mandatory for all employees. ICS 200, 300 and 400 were also being provided to those who are eligible. Councillors were scheduled to attend ICS 402 training, which is designed for elected officials, last week.
Two training sessions for public contractors held last month have enabled the County to draw up a list of “first calls” in the event of an emergency. The sessions sparked considerable interest, with 55 people attending in Breton February 21 and 112 in Drayton Valley two days later.
A review and update of the County’s Municipal Emergency Plan is expected to be completed by early April.
“2:30 pm I saw the fire close to the property on the south side. I knew it was going to be finished. Nothing was stopping this monster this time,” she says.
Aircraft dropping water and retardant tried to hold the flames off, but the wind proved too strong. As Harris continued to watch, the inevitable happened.
“From the east camera I saw some bad smoke. That was the one that would take out the rest of the property. I could do nothing but watch. Then at 3:30 pm the cameras stopped transmitting and it was all over but the crying.”
Once it reached the property the fire took out the general store, the security cabin and the rental booths, along with all the tubes and life jackets.
Since then Harris says she’s heard from numerous people who’ve told her how much they’d enjoyed their experience on the river and the service Pembina River Tubing offered.
“We are glad we are safe, but everything we had built from 2007 to now is gone. Time to reinvent our business and move forward,” she says. “Thank you Pembina River Tubing for all the memories you gave us.”
But the story doesn’t end there. Harris says in spite of everything, she and her husband will find another way to help keep customers coming back to enjoy the river. She’s glad firefighters were able to save Entwistle itself from the flames that threatened the community for several days.
“Our community will have a lot of stories to tell and we will spring back as best we can,” she says. “We will come together as never before and reinvent what we do.”
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
It looks like there will be Alberta Junior Hockey League action in Drayton Valley for the foreseeable future. The Drayton Valley Thunder has come to a multi-year agreement with the Town regarding use of the Omniplex.
“I’m thrilled that the Thunder will continue to play in our facility,” said Mayor Nancy Dodds. “We are fortunate to have such an exceptional and exciting hockey team in our hometown, and I’m so pleased that a successful agreement was met.”
Details of the agreement are not available. Previous deals between the Town and the hockey club have covered areas such as cost for ice time and changing rooms, and revenue from advertising in Omni 1.
The Thunder have been in the community and a part of the Alberta Junior Hockey League since 1998 and were league champions in 2002. In the just completed 2022-2023 season the team finished last in the north division and did not make the playoffs. A release from the Town said the municipality recognizes “the benefits the team and its players have brought to Drayton Valley over the last 25 years, including its various volunteer efforts, local economic spin-off and positive role model positions that support the next generation through their annual kid’s camp, and the Jr. Thunder Kids Club.”
The Thunder’s annual Kid’s Hockey School is set for August 14-18. The 2023-2024 AJHL season is expected to get underway in mid- September.
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.
The CFRC is an indigenous owned private corporation, which is certified as an educational institution by the government of Canada,
The college currently operates a facility in Alberta Beach. Core services offered include Firefighter I and II training, HazMat responder training and a wildland firefighter program which is geared toward municipal firefighters.
The proposal would see the organization taking over the provincial boxing facility in Lodgepole, which covers more than 15,000 square feet and includes living quarters, a commercial kitchen and a large gymnasium, and turning it into a campus capable of offering a range of firefighting and rescue training for as many as 100 trainees by 2026.
The CFRC also envisions the creation of a fire station and a live fire building.
The estimated overall price tag for the project is a little over $1 million. CFRC staff are working on acquiring grant funding to help offset those costs.
After last week’s presentation, council agreed to write a letter of support for the idea.
Council going live
Starting May 21, county council meetings will be livestreamed online. The County has set up a YouTube channel to allow the public to watch proceedings without having to visit the county office. The link to each meeting will be posted on the County website. Meeting videos will also be archived to allow for viewing at a later date.
Rec board appointment
Council appointed Rina Saar to serve a two-year term as a member at large on the joint Town of Drayton Valley – Brazeau County Recreation Board. The board is composed of two councillors and one member at large from each municipality. Its mandate is to provide input regarding sport, culture, and recreation programs as designated by town and county councils.
Are you a local looking for things to do in and around Drayton Valley, or Brazeau County. Our award winning editor Graham Long, has got your covered in his weekly summary of things happening in Drayton Valley. Have a read of Next Week’s News each week to get an idea on how to plan your, week.
Next Week's News: May 16, 2024 Column
Ready for a long weekend? You must be. You look exhausted.
Victoria Day is Monday May 20, which means it’s a well deserved day off for those of you who have a real job. Currently the weather forecast is calling for it to be … cloudy with showers. That’s rain showers, not snow showers, so I suppose it could be worse.
And once Victoria Day is over, it’s time to start thinking all sorts of summery thoughts. For one thing, it’s usually around now that we have the last frost, so it’s time to start planting things outside if you’re of a horticultural inclination. You’ll find more summer activity ideas in the Free Press travel guide. You can pick up a copy at various locations around the community.
What else is going on? Brazeau County’s household hazardous waste roundup is at the Breton, Buck Lake and Lindale transfer stations May 25 and in Rocky Rapids, Easyford, Cynthia, Lodgepole and Violet Grove June 1.
The Drayton Valley Horse Club’s annual Cancer Ride is coming up May 25.
The 4-H Interclub Achievement Day will be held Monday May 27 at the Omniplex. This is a big deal for those involved and is well worth checking out if you have the time.
The Drayton Valley Triathlon is back once again. The date this year is Saturday June 1 with things taking place in the area around the pool.
And that same day the seventh annual Walk for ALS is happening in Lions West Valley Park. Registration opens at 10 am and the walk starts at 11 with a barbecue afterwards.
Since we’re talking about doing physical things outside, the Black Gold Brute Obstacle Race is coming up on June 8. That’s in the area around the Omniplex.
The Ol’ Pembina Tractor Pull Society 21st Annual Farmers Day Event is June 8 – 9. Tractor Pulls (8 classes), Concessions, Children’s Money Mine and more…You’ll find that at 56528 – Range Road 71
And there’s a bit of a theme here, because looking further ahead, the agricultural society is also holding an antique tractor pull at the Lions Rodeo Grounds on Saturday June 16.
Cut out the middle man and get your Drayton Valley and District Free Press directly to your email inbox.
Get more activity ideas in for the Drayton Valley and Brazeau County region in our Brazeau and Beyond Travel Guide.
Head over to our travel guide page to download yours today.
Click here: Brazeau and Beyond
The Drayton Valley Air Cadets Squadron 733 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary this year with a barbecue open to the public.
Lamont Cardinal, the chair of the parent committee for the cadets, says that the cadets are technically turning 63 this year, but the original celebration for their 60th had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
“We’re now essentially celebrating our sixtieth anniversary,” says Cardinal.
Cardinal says the barbecue will be held on Sunday, April 21 at their headquarters at 5524 Industrial Road. Only a month later, the 38 cadets will also be attending their Annual Ceremonial Revue, where they will be inspected by a member of the Canadian Military.
While the history of the Air Cadets goes back to the 1940s when the Canadian military recognized they would need more trained pilots for the war effort, Squadron 733 wasn’t established until April 22, 1961.
Originally, only boys were able to join the Cadets. However, when the Canadian Government amended legislation changing the word boys to persons in 1975, girls were allowed to enroll.
Captain Tanya Hunt says over the years there have been many people involved in the Cadets.
“Since the formation of the squadron there have been many commanding officers that have helped form and mold the 733 Drayton Valley Air Cadet Squadron we have today. Capt Matt McCullach, Capt Pat Turner, Capt Brian Torpy, Capt Lorna Luchyk, Capt Randy Romanchuk, Capt Paul Spurrell , Capt Mitch Krasey, Capt Heather Guard, Capt Kate Simpson, Capt Gerald Landers and the current commander Capt Tanya Hunt,” says Hunt in an emailed statement.
She says the barbecue is also about promoting the cadets in the community.
While the cadets do follow many military style rules, they are a separate program than the Canadian Armed Forces, says Cardinal. Given that they are Air Cadets, the members spend some of their time focused on flying.
Cardinal says throughout the year, the parents and members fundraise to pay for cadets to go gliding at least one time. They also do some flying in small engine planes.
If the cadets stick with the program and complete all of the ground school and complete all of the training, Cardinal says they can get their private flying license once they graduate from the program. There are also some scholarships that are available through the Air Cadet League of Canada.
He says it’s also a great program to teach kids responsibility and discipline. All of the cadets are given their own uniforms and are completely responsible for the maintenance of that uniform. That includes sewing on patches, washing and ironing the uniform, and shining their boots.
“It’s all about the self-motivation and self-reliance, along with working as part of a team,” says Cardinal.
He says the cadets are always accepting donations, and all funds donated will go toward programs for the members.
The Drayton Valley RCMP Detachment is looking for a new Staff Sergeant as the current man in charge, Troy Raddatz, heads into retirement.
Raddatz started his time as Staff Sergeant in Drayton Valley in mid-May 2023, just as the community was dealing with the Buck Creek Wildfire. Raddatz hit the ground running with the detachment, and during his time the crime stats have been on a downward trend and the RCMP have been more visible in the community.
Before he was Staff Sergeant in Drayton, Raddatz had spent time in Breton, where he started his career in 2004. In 2010 he moved on to work with the canine unit where he eventually became the program director for dog services in 2017.
In 2023, he decided to make the lateral move to his position in Drayton. He and his wife had life-long friendships from the area, and he was impressed with the detachment in Drayton.
“I really enjoyed my year here, and it was good for my family,” says Raddatz. “We had planned on staying longer, but through a change in our family situation, we decided it was time to retire.”
One of Raddatz’s goals when he first started was seeing the detachment moved to a larger building. While Raddatz has been working diligently on achieving that goal, he says it’s been difficult to get the go ahead from the division.
However, during his last town council meeting report, Raddatz told council that he has been advised that there will be three trailers added to the detachment. He says he has been working with the division to finalize the design for the changes, and he anticipates the trailers will arrive in 2025/26.
“We’re trying to buy ten years for this current detachment,” says Raddatz.
He says during his time in Drayton he’s valued the support that the detachment has received from both the Town and Brazeau County, as well as members of the community.
And Raddatz says he has been happy with the detachment and feels like he’s leaving it in good hands.
“Drayton Valley has a really incredible detachment, and the community is in good hands there,” says Raddatz.
His last day as Staff Sergeant is April 11, and in the meantime, Sergeant Ryan Hoetmer will be the Interim Staff Sergeant until a replacement is found.
The parent advisory council at Winfield Elementary are worried about the future of their school.
Carolyn Schwindt, the president of the school’s PAC, says some motions that the Wetaskiwin Regional Public School Division recently put forward in their board meeting are concerning.
Schwindt says this year the division has a new superintendent, Mike Wake, and Schwindt says that he’s been great to work with so far. However, she doesn’t agree with some of the ideas brought forward for calculating when a school should be closed.
“There’s always been discussion in Wetaskiwin Public Schools on the potential need for closure,” says Schwindt. “We’ve got low enrollment across the board in all schools.”
Schwindt says there are many factors at play when it comes to the enrollment at Winfield. Currently, the school has 63 students and also houses the community’s public library. Schwindt says there are multiple programs that use the school, such as the playschool and gymnastics club.
The motions that were put forward suggested that the school be closed if enrollment was below 60 students. Schwindt says if the number for closure is that close to the number of currently enrolled students, no one can really be certain if the school will stay open from year to year.
She worries this could affect whether teachers look for positions at the school. Or perhaps parents would move their children prematurely because the school might close.
She says since the pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of home-schooled students in the area, which has lowered student enrollment. Allowing families to pick a school of choice for their children also affects the numbers in the schools.
Schwindt says Wake has been focusing on the reason for low numbers and has been actively looking for solutions to the problem.
His most recent proposal was to ask the provincial government for funds to build a K-12 school for the Buck Lake family of schools in the Alder Flats area. Another area that was considered was the Pigeon Lake family of schools becoming consolidated.
But Schwindt says those two school families have schools spread out over a large area. Already, some students are looking at bus rides that are an hour or more in some of those areas. Should the schools be consolidated, many of those bus rides could increase significantly.
As it is, students who choose to go to high school in WRPS rather than the Breton High School with the school of choice option, have to travel to Buck Mountain High School. The distance from Winfield to the Buck Mountain school is 27 kms, and takes about seventeen minutes of straight drive time.
Another thing Schwindt worries about is what would happen to the community should the school be closed.
As of 2011, Winfield had 244 residents. One of the major employers in the area is the school and its closure could have a ripple effect throughout the community.
Schwindt says she has spoken to Wetaskiwin County Council about the issue, but there is little they can do.
Kathy Rooyakkers, the councillor for Division 6 in Wetaskiwin County, says the idea of the school potentially being shut down next year worries her.
“It will affect them big time,” says Rooyakkers.
Rooyakkers says that unfortunately the County cannot stop anything WRPS plans to do. She says they have the opportunity to meet with the division a few times a year, where they discuss issues that concern both the County and the division, but all they can do is give their opinions about the situation.
“At the table, we don’t get a decision,” says Rooyakkers.
She says it’s frustrating, but there isn’t much they can do. At this point, she says the County has not discussed what they would do should the school be closed. She says there may be some other options that could be considered, such as creating a charter school, but council can’t make any changes…
Full story in the April 4, Free Press. Become an email subscriber at www.dvfreepress.com.
Brazeau County is set to spend $560,000 to improve fire suppression in two underserved parts of the municipality. Last week council approved $250,000 for a 210 cubic metre concrete water tank in Lindale and $310,000 for a similar tank and water well in Buck Creek.
The move is the result of a study conducted last year that outlined gaps in water sources for residential fire suppression. Lindale and Buck Creek were identified as areas that did not have access to an adequate source of water that was close enough to be practical in the event of a blaze.
According to the County, the Lindale tank will replace the current holding tank, and will provide year-round fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in case of wildfire in the area. A water well and the below ground tank near the Buck Creek lift station will provide fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in the event of wildfire. Water will be available all year round with no risk of freezing. If drilled to a lower aquifer, the water well will not place residents’ wells at risk.
Meanwhile, with the wildfire season now underway, CAO Kent Edney said that Incident Command System training, which is offered by the Government of Alberta, was being rolled out to staff. Edney said ICS 100 training was now mandatory for all employees. ICS 200, 300 and 400 were also being provided to those who are eligible. Councillors were scheduled to attend ICS 402 training, which is designed for elected officials, last week.
Two training sessions for public contractors held last month have enabled the County to draw up a list of “first calls” in the event of an emergency. The sessions sparked considerable interest, with 55 people attending in Breton February 21 and 112 in Drayton Valley two days later.
A review and update of the County’s Municipal Emergency Plan is expected to be completed by early April.
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
Does Drayton Valley need an indoor gymnasium? Three students from Drayton Christian School think so, and made their case to town council last week.
The students, Lucas, Duan and Dane, are aged 12-13. They suggested that an indoor gym would allow for year round recreation opportunities for sports such as basketball, volleyball and tennis that are not currently available in Drayton Valley.
The list of benefits from the proposal would include giving youth something to do outside school, encouraging a lifelong habit of sports and recreation and providing opportunities to make friends and socialize. Suggested locations were adjacent to the new pool, so the facility could be operated with existing staff, a conversion of the curling rink which would reduce cost by using an existing building, or the current Drayton Christian School gym, which is already built and has appropriate flooring and equipment in place.
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.
The CFRC is an indigenous owned private corporation, which is certified as an educational institution by the government of Canada,
The college currently operates a facility in Alberta Beach. Core services offered include Firefighter I and II training, HazMat responder training and a wildland firefighter program which is geared toward municipal firefighters.
The proposal would see the organization taking over the provincial boxing facility in Lodgepole, which covers more than 15,000 square feet and includes living quarters, a commercial kitchen and a large gymnasium, and turning it into a campus capable of offering a range of firefighting and rescue training for as many as 100 trainees by 2026.
The CFRC also envisions the creation of a fire station and a live fire building.
The estimated overall price tag for the project is a little over $1 million. CFRC staff are working on acquiring grant funding to help offset those costs.
After last week’s presentation, council agreed to write a letter of support for the idea.
Council going live
Starting May 21, county council meetings will be livestreamed online. The County has set up a YouTube channel to allow the public to watch proceedings without having to visit the county office. The link to each meeting will be posted on the County website. Meeting videos will also be archived to allow for viewing at a later date.
Rec board appointment
Council appointed Rina Saar to serve a two-year term as a member at large on the joint Town of Drayton Valley – Brazeau County Recreation Board. The board is composed of two councillors and one member at large from each municipality. Its mandate is to provide input regarding sport, culture, and recreation programs as designated by town and county councils.
Are you a local looking for things to do in and around Drayton Valley, or Brazeau County. Our award winning editor Graham Long, has got your covered in his weekly summary of things happening in Drayton Valley. Have a read of Next Week’s News each week to get an idea on how to plan your, week.
Next Week's News: May 16, 2024 Column
Ready for a long weekend? You must be. You look exhausted.
Victoria Day is Monday May 20, which means it’s a well deserved day off for those of you who have a real job. Currently the weather forecast is calling for it to be … cloudy with showers. That’s rain showers, not snow showers, so I suppose it could be worse.
And once Victoria Day is over, it’s time to start thinking all sorts of summery thoughts. For one thing, it’s usually around now that we have the last frost, so it’s time to start planting things outside if you’re of a horticultural inclination. You’ll find more summer activity ideas in the Free Press travel guide. You can pick up a copy at various locations around the community.
What else is going on? Brazeau County’s household hazardous waste roundup is at the Breton, Buck Lake and Lindale transfer stations May 25 and in Rocky Rapids, Easyford, Cynthia, Lodgepole and Violet Grove June 1.
The Drayton Valley Horse Club’s annual Cancer Ride is coming up May 25.
The 4-H Interclub Achievement Day will be held Monday May 27 at the Omniplex. This is a big deal for those involved and is well worth checking out if you have the time.
The Drayton Valley Triathlon is back once again. The date this year is Saturday June 1 with things taking place in the area around the pool.
And that same day the seventh annual Walk for ALS is happening in Lions West Valley Park. Registration opens at 10 am and the walk starts at 11 with a barbecue afterwards.
Since we’re talking about doing physical things outside, the Black Gold Brute Obstacle Race is coming up on June 8. That’s in the area around the Omniplex.
The Ol’ Pembina Tractor Pull Society 21st Annual Farmers Day Event is June 8 – 9. Tractor Pulls (8 classes), Concessions, Children’s Money Mine and more…You’ll find that at 56528 – Range Road 71
And there’s a bit of a theme here, because looking further ahead, the agricultural society is also holding an antique tractor pull at the Lions Rodeo Grounds on Saturday June 16.
Cut out the middle man and get your Drayton Valley and District Free Press directly to your email inbox.
Get more activity ideas in for the Drayton Valley and Brazeau County region in our Brazeau and Beyond Travel Guide.
Head over to our travel guide page to download yours today.
Click here: Brazeau and Beyond
The Drayton Valley Air Cadets Squadron 733 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary this year with a barbecue open to the public.
Lamont Cardinal, the chair of the parent committee for the cadets, says that the cadets are technically turning 63 this year, but the original celebration for their 60th had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
“We’re now essentially celebrating our sixtieth anniversary,” says Cardinal.
Cardinal says the barbecue will be held on Sunday, April 21 at their headquarters at 5524 Industrial Road. Only a month later, the 38 cadets will also be attending their Annual Ceremonial Revue, where they will be inspected by a member of the Canadian Military.
While the history of the Air Cadets goes back to the 1940s when the Canadian military recognized they would need more trained pilots for the war effort, Squadron 733 wasn’t established until April 22, 1961.
Originally, only boys were able to join the Cadets. However, when the Canadian Government amended legislation changing the word boys to persons in 1975, girls were allowed to enroll.
Captain Tanya Hunt says over the years there have been many people involved in the Cadets.
“Since the formation of the squadron there have been many commanding officers that have helped form and mold the 733 Drayton Valley Air Cadet Squadron we have today. Capt Matt McCullach, Capt Pat Turner, Capt Brian Torpy, Capt Lorna Luchyk, Capt Randy Romanchuk, Capt Paul Spurrell , Capt Mitch Krasey, Capt Heather Guard, Capt Kate Simpson, Capt Gerald Landers and the current commander Capt Tanya Hunt,” says Hunt in an emailed statement.
She says the barbecue is also about promoting the cadets in the community.
While the cadets do follow many military style rules, they are a separate program than the Canadian Armed Forces, says Cardinal. Given that they are Air Cadets, the members spend some of their time focused on flying.
Cardinal says throughout the year, the parents and members fundraise to pay for cadets to go gliding at least one time. They also do some flying in small engine planes.
If the cadets stick with the program and complete all of the ground school and complete all of the training, Cardinal says they can get their private flying license once they graduate from the program. There are also some scholarships that are available through the Air Cadet League of Canada.
He says it’s also a great program to teach kids responsibility and discipline. All of the cadets are given their own uniforms and are completely responsible for the maintenance of that uniform. That includes sewing on patches, washing and ironing the uniform, and shining their boots.
“It’s all about the self-motivation and self-reliance, along with working as part of a team,” says Cardinal.
He says the cadets are always accepting donations, and all funds donated will go toward programs for the members.
The Drayton Valley RCMP Detachment is looking for a new Staff Sergeant as the current man in charge, Troy Raddatz, heads into retirement.
Raddatz started his time as Staff Sergeant in Drayton Valley in mid-May 2023, just as the community was dealing with the Buck Creek Wildfire. Raddatz hit the ground running with the detachment, and during his time the crime stats have been on a downward trend and the RCMP have been more visible in the community.
Before he was Staff Sergeant in Drayton, Raddatz had spent time in Breton, where he started his career in 2004. In 2010 he moved on to work with the canine unit where he eventually became the program director for dog services in 2017.
In 2023, he decided to make the lateral move to his position in Drayton. He and his wife had life-long friendships from the area, and he was impressed with the detachment in Drayton.
“I really enjoyed my year here, and it was good for my family,” says Raddatz. “We had planned on staying longer, but through a change in our family situation, we decided it was time to retire.”
One of Raddatz’s goals when he first started was seeing the detachment moved to a larger building. While Raddatz has been working diligently on achieving that goal, he says it’s been difficult to get the go ahead from the division.
However, during his last town council meeting report, Raddatz told council that he has been advised that there will be three trailers added to the detachment. He says he has been working with the division to finalize the design for the changes, and he anticipates the trailers will arrive in 2025/26.
“We’re trying to buy ten years for this current detachment,” says Raddatz.
He says during his time in Drayton he’s valued the support that the detachment has received from both the Town and Brazeau County, as well as members of the community.
And Raddatz says he has been happy with the detachment and feels like he’s leaving it in good hands.
“Drayton Valley has a really incredible detachment, and the community is in good hands there,” says Raddatz.
His last day as Staff Sergeant is April 11, and in the meantime, Sergeant Ryan Hoetmer will be the Interim Staff Sergeant until a replacement is found.
The parent advisory council at Winfield Elementary are worried about the future of their school.
Carolyn Schwindt, the president of the school’s PAC, says some motions that the Wetaskiwin Regional Public School Division recently put forward in their board meeting are concerning.
Schwindt says this year the division has a new superintendent, Mike Wake, and Schwindt says that he’s been great to work with so far. However, she doesn’t agree with some of the ideas brought forward for calculating when a school should be closed.
“There’s always been discussion in Wetaskiwin Public Schools on the potential need for closure,” says Schwindt. “We’ve got low enrollment across the board in all schools.”
Schwindt says there are many factors at play when it comes to the enrollment at Winfield. Currently, the school has 63 students and also houses the community’s public library. Schwindt says there are multiple programs that use the school, such as the playschool and gymnastics club.
The motions that were put forward suggested that the school be closed if enrollment was below 60 students. Schwindt says if the number for closure is that close to the number of currently enrolled students, no one can really be certain if the school will stay open from year to year.
She worries this could affect whether teachers look for positions at the school. Or perhaps parents would move their children prematurely because the school might close.
She says since the pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of home-schooled students in the area, which has lowered student enrollment. Allowing families to pick a school of choice for their children also affects the numbers in the schools.
Schwindt says Wake has been focusing on the reason for low numbers and has been actively looking for solutions to the problem.
His most recent proposal was to ask the provincial government for funds to build a K-12 school for the Buck Lake family of schools in the Alder Flats area. Another area that was considered was the Pigeon Lake family of schools becoming consolidated.
But Schwindt says those two school families have schools spread out over a large area. Already, some students are looking at bus rides that are an hour or more in some of those areas. Should the schools be consolidated, many of those bus rides could increase significantly.
As it is, students who choose to go to high school in WRPS rather than the Breton High School with the school of choice option, have to travel to Buck Mountain High School. The distance from Winfield to the Buck Mountain school is 27 kms, and takes about seventeen minutes of straight drive time.
Another thing Schwindt worries about is what would happen to the community should the school be closed.
As of 2011, Winfield had 244 residents. One of the major employers in the area is the school and its closure could have a ripple effect throughout the community.
Schwindt says she has spoken to Wetaskiwin County Council about the issue, but there is little they can do.
Kathy Rooyakkers, the councillor for Division 6 in Wetaskiwin County, says the idea of the school potentially being shut down next year worries her.
“It will affect them big time,” says Rooyakkers.
Rooyakkers says that unfortunately the County cannot stop anything WRPS plans to do. She says they have the opportunity to meet with the division a few times a year, where they discuss issues that concern both the County and the division, but all they can do is give their opinions about the situation.
“At the table, we don’t get a decision,” says Rooyakkers.
She says it’s frustrating, but there isn’t much they can do. At this point, she says the County has not discussed what they would do should the school be closed. She says there may be some other options that could be considered, such as creating a charter school, but council can’t make any changes…
Full story in the April 4, Free Press. Become an email subscriber at www.dvfreepress.com.
Brazeau County is set to spend $560,000 to improve fire suppression in two underserved parts of the municipality. Last week council approved $250,000 for a 210 cubic metre concrete water tank in Lindale and $310,000 for a similar tank and water well in Buck Creek.
The move is the result of a study conducted last year that outlined gaps in water sources for residential fire suppression. Lindale and Buck Creek were identified as areas that did not have access to an adequate source of water that was close enough to be practical in the event of a blaze.
According to the County, the Lindale tank will replace the current holding tank, and will provide year-round fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in case of wildfire in the area. A water well and the below ground tank near the Buck Creek lift station will provide fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in the event of wildfire. Water will be available all year round with no risk of freezing. If drilled to a lower aquifer, the water well will not place residents’ wells at risk.
Meanwhile, with the wildfire season now underway, CAO Kent Edney said that Incident Command System training, which is offered by the Government of Alberta, was being rolled out to staff. Edney said ICS 100 training was now mandatory for all employees. ICS 200, 300 and 400 were also being provided to those who are eligible. Councillors were scheduled to attend ICS 402 training, which is designed for elected officials, last week.
Two training sessions for public contractors held last month have enabled the County to draw up a list of “first calls” in the event of an emergency. The sessions sparked considerable interest, with 55 people attending in Breton February 21 and 112 in Drayton Valley two days later.
A review and update of the County’s Municipal Emergency Plan is expected to be completed by early April.
The three students had also conducted a survey of their junior high classmates, with close to 95 percent support for a proposed sports centre including an indoor gym in Drayton Valley.
Mayor Nancy Dodds said the idea lined up with some things council had heard from schools in the community.
“We’ll definitely give this some thought,” she said.
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
When you’re hot, you’re hot. Four separate Drayton Valley area projects have been shortlisted for this year’s Alberta Emerald Awards. That’s more than from any other community outside Edmonton and Calgary.
The Emerald Awards showcase businesses, organizations and individuals who are “raising the bar in addressing environmental and climate change issues,” across a number of categories.
Among local nominees, the Eagle Point-Blue Rapids Parks Council Environmental and Outdoor Education Program has been shortlisted in the education category.
EPBR’s Executive Director Sandra Bannard said the group was “thrilled to make the shortlist.” The outdoor education program “provides a facilitated, positive learning opportunity for youth. Schools and community groups can access our highly trained facilitators to provide fun, hands-on activities that get kids outdoors mastering new skills, achieving learning outcomes and connecting with nature.”
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.
The CFRC is an indigenous owned private corporation, which is certified as an educational institution by the government of Canada,
The college currently operates a facility in Alberta Beach. Core services offered include Firefighter I and II training, HazMat responder training and a wildland firefighter program which is geared toward municipal firefighters.
The proposal would see the organization taking over the provincial boxing facility in Lodgepole, which covers more than 15,000 square feet and includes living quarters, a commercial kitchen and a large gymnasium, and turning it into a campus capable of offering a range of firefighting and rescue training for as many as 100 trainees by 2026.
The CFRC also envisions the creation of a fire station and a live fire building.
The estimated overall price tag for the project is a little over $1 million. CFRC staff are working on acquiring grant funding to help offset those costs.
After last week’s presentation, council agreed to write a letter of support for the idea.
Council going live
Starting May 21, county council meetings will be livestreamed online. The County has set up a YouTube channel to allow the public to watch proceedings without having to visit the county office. The link to each meeting will be posted on the County website. Meeting videos will also be archived to allow for viewing at a later date.
Rec board appointment
Council appointed Rina Saar to serve a two-year term as a member at large on the joint Town of Drayton Valley – Brazeau County Recreation Board. The board is composed of two councillors and one member at large from each municipality. Its mandate is to provide input regarding sport, culture, and recreation programs as designated by town and county councils.
Are you a local looking for things to do in and around Drayton Valley, or Brazeau County. Our award winning editor Graham Long, has got your covered in his weekly summary of things happening in Drayton Valley. Have a read of Next Week’s News each week to get an idea on how to plan your, week.
Next Week's News: May 16, 2024 Column
Ready for a long weekend? You must be. You look exhausted.
Victoria Day is Monday May 20, which means it’s a well deserved day off for those of you who have a real job. Currently the weather forecast is calling for it to be … cloudy with showers. That’s rain showers, not snow showers, so I suppose it could be worse.
And once Victoria Day is over, it’s time to start thinking all sorts of summery thoughts. For one thing, it’s usually around now that we have the last frost, so it’s time to start planting things outside if you’re of a horticultural inclination. You’ll find more summer activity ideas in the Free Press travel guide. You can pick up a copy at various locations around the community.
What else is going on? Brazeau County’s household hazardous waste roundup is at the Breton, Buck Lake and Lindale transfer stations May 25 and in Rocky Rapids, Easyford, Cynthia, Lodgepole and Violet Grove June 1.
The Drayton Valley Horse Club’s annual Cancer Ride is coming up May 25.
The 4-H Interclub Achievement Day will be held Monday May 27 at the Omniplex. This is a big deal for those involved and is well worth checking out if you have the time.
The Drayton Valley Triathlon is back once again. The date this year is Saturday June 1 with things taking place in the area around the pool.
And that same day the seventh annual Walk for ALS is happening in Lions West Valley Park. Registration opens at 10 am and the walk starts at 11 with a barbecue afterwards.
Since we’re talking about doing physical things outside, the Black Gold Brute Obstacle Race is coming up on June 8. That’s in the area around the Omniplex.
The Ol’ Pembina Tractor Pull Society 21st Annual Farmers Day Event is June 8 – 9. Tractor Pulls (8 classes), Concessions, Children’s Money Mine and more…You’ll find that at 56528 – Range Road 71
And there’s a bit of a theme here, because looking further ahead, the agricultural society is also holding an antique tractor pull at the Lions Rodeo Grounds on Saturday June 16.
Cut out the middle man and get your Drayton Valley and District Free Press directly to your email inbox.
Get more activity ideas in for the Drayton Valley and Brazeau County region in our Brazeau and Beyond Travel Guide.
Head over to our travel guide page to download yours today.
Click here: Brazeau and Beyond
The Drayton Valley Air Cadets Squadron 733 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary this year with a barbecue open to the public.
Lamont Cardinal, the chair of the parent committee for the cadets, says that the cadets are technically turning 63 this year, but the original celebration for their 60th had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
“We’re now essentially celebrating our sixtieth anniversary,” says Cardinal.
Cardinal says the barbecue will be held on Sunday, April 21 at their headquarters at 5524 Industrial Road. Only a month later, the 38 cadets will also be attending their Annual Ceremonial Revue, where they will be inspected by a member of the Canadian Military.
While the history of the Air Cadets goes back to the 1940s when the Canadian military recognized they would need more trained pilots for the war effort, Squadron 733 wasn’t established until April 22, 1961.
Originally, only boys were able to join the Cadets. However, when the Canadian Government amended legislation changing the word boys to persons in 1975, girls were allowed to enroll.
Captain Tanya Hunt says over the years there have been many people involved in the Cadets.
“Since the formation of the squadron there have been many commanding officers that have helped form and mold the 733 Drayton Valley Air Cadet Squadron we have today. Capt Matt McCullach, Capt Pat Turner, Capt Brian Torpy, Capt Lorna Luchyk, Capt Randy Romanchuk, Capt Paul Spurrell , Capt Mitch Krasey, Capt Heather Guard, Capt Kate Simpson, Capt Gerald Landers and the current commander Capt Tanya Hunt,” says Hunt in an emailed statement.
She says the barbecue is also about promoting the cadets in the community.
While the cadets do follow many military style rules, they are a separate program than the Canadian Armed Forces, says Cardinal. Given that they are Air Cadets, the members spend some of their time focused on flying.
Cardinal says throughout the year, the parents and members fundraise to pay for cadets to go gliding at least one time. They also do some flying in small engine planes.
If the cadets stick with the program and complete all of the ground school and complete all of the training, Cardinal says they can get their private flying license once they graduate from the program. There are also some scholarships that are available through the Air Cadet League of Canada.
He says it’s also a great program to teach kids responsibility and discipline. All of the cadets are given their own uniforms and are completely responsible for the maintenance of that uniform. That includes sewing on patches, washing and ironing the uniform, and shining their boots.
“It’s all about the self-motivation and self-reliance, along with working as part of a team,” says Cardinal.
He says the cadets are always accepting donations, and all funds donated will go toward programs for the members.
The Drayton Valley RCMP Detachment is looking for a new Staff Sergeant as the current man in charge, Troy Raddatz, heads into retirement.
Raddatz started his time as Staff Sergeant in Drayton Valley in mid-May 2023, just as the community was dealing with the Buck Creek Wildfire. Raddatz hit the ground running with the detachment, and during his time the crime stats have been on a downward trend and the RCMP have been more visible in the community.
Before he was Staff Sergeant in Drayton, Raddatz had spent time in Breton, where he started his career in 2004. In 2010 he moved on to work with the canine unit where he eventually became the program director for dog services in 2017.
In 2023, he decided to make the lateral move to his position in Drayton. He and his wife had life-long friendships from the area, and he was impressed with the detachment in Drayton.
“I really enjoyed my year here, and it was good for my family,” says Raddatz. “We had planned on staying longer, but through a change in our family situation, we decided it was time to retire.”
One of Raddatz’s goals when he first started was seeing the detachment moved to a larger building. While Raddatz has been working diligently on achieving that goal, he says it’s been difficult to get the go ahead from the division.
However, during his last town council meeting report, Raddatz told council that he has been advised that there will be three trailers added to the detachment. He says he has been working with the division to finalize the design for the changes, and he anticipates the trailers will arrive in 2025/26.
“We’re trying to buy ten years for this current detachment,” says Raddatz.
He says during his time in Drayton he’s valued the support that the detachment has received from both the Town and Brazeau County, as well as members of the community.
And Raddatz says he has been happy with the detachment and feels like he’s leaving it in good hands.
“Drayton Valley has a really incredible detachment, and the community is in good hands there,” says Raddatz.
His last day as Staff Sergeant is April 11, and in the meantime, Sergeant Ryan Hoetmer will be the Interim Staff Sergeant until a replacement is found.
The parent advisory council at Winfield Elementary are worried about the future of their school.
Carolyn Schwindt, the president of the school’s PAC, says some motions that the Wetaskiwin Regional Public School Division recently put forward in their board meeting are concerning.
Schwindt says this year the division has a new superintendent, Mike Wake, and Schwindt says that he’s been great to work with so far. However, she doesn’t agree with some of the ideas brought forward for calculating when a school should be closed.
“There’s always been discussion in Wetaskiwin Public Schools on the potential need for closure,” says Schwindt. “We’ve got low enrollment across the board in all schools.”
Schwindt says there are many factors at play when it comes to the enrollment at Winfield. Currently, the school has 63 students and also houses the community’s public library. Schwindt says there are multiple programs that use the school, such as the playschool and gymnastics club.
The motions that were put forward suggested that the school be closed if enrollment was below 60 students. Schwindt says if the number for closure is that close to the number of currently enrolled students, no one can really be certain if the school will stay open from year to year.
She worries this could affect whether teachers look for positions at the school. Or perhaps parents would move their children prematurely because the school might close.
She says since the pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of home-schooled students in the area, which has lowered student enrollment. Allowing families to pick a school of choice for their children also affects the numbers in the schools.
Schwindt says Wake has been focusing on the reason for low numbers and has been actively looking for solutions to the problem.
His most recent proposal was to ask the provincial government for funds to build a K-12 school for the Buck Lake family of schools in the Alder Flats area. Another area that was considered was the Pigeon Lake family of schools becoming consolidated.
But Schwindt says those two school families have schools spread out over a large area. Already, some students are looking at bus rides that are an hour or more in some of those areas. Should the schools be consolidated, many of those bus rides could increase significantly.
As it is, students who choose to go to high school in WRPS rather than the Breton High School with the school of choice option, have to travel to Buck Mountain High School. The distance from Winfield to the Buck Mountain school is 27 kms, and takes about seventeen minutes of straight drive time.
Another thing Schwindt worries about is what would happen to the community should the school be closed.
As of 2011, Winfield had 244 residents. One of the major employers in the area is the school and its closure could have a ripple effect throughout the community.
Schwindt says she has spoken to Wetaskiwin County Council about the issue, but there is little they can do.
Kathy Rooyakkers, the councillor for Division 6 in Wetaskiwin County, says the idea of the school potentially being shut down next year worries her.
“It will affect them big time,” says Rooyakkers.
Rooyakkers says that unfortunately the County cannot stop anything WRPS plans to do. She says they have the opportunity to meet with the division a few times a year, where they discuss issues that concern both the County and the division, but all they can do is give their opinions about the situation.
“At the table, we don’t get a decision,” says Rooyakkers.
She says it’s frustrating, but there isn’t much they can do. At this point, she says the County has not discussed what they would do should the school be closed. She says there may be some other options that could be considered, such as creating a charter school, but council can’t make any changes…
Full story in the April 4, Free Press. Become an email subscriber at www.dvfreepress.com.
Brazeau County is set to spend $560,000 to improve fire suppression in two underserved parts of the municipality. Last week council approved $250,000 for a 210 cubic metre concrete water tank in Lindale and $310,000 for a similar tank and water well in Buck Creek.
The move is the result of a study conducted last year that outlined gaps in water sources for residential fire suppression. Lindale and Buck Creek were identified as areas that did not have access to an adequate source of water that was close enough to be practical in the event of a blaze.
According to the County, the Lindale tank will replace the current holding tank, and will provide year-round fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in case of wildfire in the area. A water well and the below ground tank near the Buck Creek lift station will provide fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in the event of wildfire. Water will be available all year round with no risk of freezing. If drilled to a lower aquifer, the water well will not place residents’ wells at risk.
Meanwhile, with the wildfire season now underway, CAO Kent Edney said that Incident Command System training, which is offered by the Government of Alberta, was being rolled out to staff. Edney said ICS 100 training was now mandatory for all employees. ICS 200, 300 and 400 were also being provided to those who are eligible. Councillors were scheduled to attend ICS 402 training, which is designed for elected officials, last week.
Two training sessions for public contractors held last month have enabled the County to draw up a list of “first calls” in the event of an emergency. The sessions sparked considerable interest, with 55 people attending in Breton February 21 and 112 in Drayton Valley two days later.
A review and update of the County’s Municipal Emergency Plan is expected to be completed by early April.
Brazeau County’s Violet Grove Constructed Floating Wetlands System with Aeration is shortlisted under the government category. Wetlands act as a natural system for filtering and purifying surface water. Constructed Floating Wetlands aim to replicate that process over the County’s lagoons in order to enhance the treatment of domestic household wastewater. Native wetland species of plants are allowed to grow over the wastewater, and their root systems take up nutrients and release oxygen into the lagoon. The project aims to extend the lifespan of the lagoon and ensure cleaner runoff enters rivers and lakes.
“Brazeau County is a leader in harnessing the power of nature to treat municipal wastewater,” said Reeve Bart Guyon. “The fact that there are four local projects shortlisted for these awards is confirmation of the fact that Brazeau County is on the leading edge of innovative and unique approaches to environmental sustainability and infrastructure.”
The other local nominees are Solar Aquatic Systems Wastewater Treatment, which is shortlisted in the infrastructure category, and GreenLearning’s Eco 360 program: Transitioning to a circular economy for plastic waste which is shortlisted for public engagement and outreach.
“Those represented in this year’s shortlist demonstrate the incredible dedication that Albertans have toward protecting our environment and taking action against climate change” said The Alberta Emerald Foundation’s Executive Director, Marisa Orfei, “The diversity in the shortlist is also astounding, there’s small grassroots organizations, large corporations, and everything in between. We’re also incredibly proud to have 17 communities across Alberta represented in this year’s shortlist, including Drayton Valley, Grande Cache, Canmore, and many more.”
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
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Drayton Valley is once again going to be down to two doctor’s clinics by June 30.
After nearly forty years, the Malone clinic will be closing its doors, though the IDA Pharmacy will still remain open.
Pat Jeffery, the chair of the Pembina Physicians Recruitment and Retention Committee, says the committee is concerned about the future of healthcare in the community.
“Dismayed would be the word that comes to mind,” says Jeffery
Though two new physicians have recently started in the community, this closure will mean the loss of five physicians. Jeffery says Alberta Health Services is advertising three job postings for the community, which won’t quite fill the gap.
She says the committee knew about the retirement of Dr. Roz Beacom and Dr. Mike Peyton, but they hadn’t anticipated that Dr. Afe Okafor would be moving her practice to Edmonton. They were also unaware that Dr. Raf Ali and Dr. Amni Ali would be retiring from their practice as well.
Jeffery says AHS doesn’t play a role in deciding the placement of any new physicians in the community. So it’s not certain if they will be placed at the Claro Clinic or the Shale Clinic. And that’s assuming either of the clinics has the physical space for more doctors
The Malone building will remain in place, and Jeffery says there’s a possibility that other physicians will come in and open another clinic.
While the community is down those physicians, Mina Bolos, the owner of the IDA Malone Pharmacy, says he may be able to help out a little bit.
“I am a prescribing pharmacist,” he says. “I think the community around needs somebody to help with some of the minor ailments.
Bolos says he’s also the only diabetic educator in town. “I have the licensing for that,” he says.
Anyone who needs help learning about insulin, the medication, and how to use the injections can talk to Bolos.
The Drayton Valley Free Press was unable to make contact with Dr. Beacom or Dr. Peyton by the deadline for this article
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
So far it looks like the vast majority of area residents have escaped the wildfires without suffering serious property damage. Sadly that’s not true of everyone. It’s been confirmed that four homes were destroyed on the fringes of Drayton Valley. Further north, Pembina River Tubing was completely destroyed by the fire in Parkland County.
Pembina River Tubing was established in 2007 and offered visitors the opportunity to enjoy a day of fresh air and fun on the river. When the fire hit last week Cheryl Harris watched the business she and her husband Dan had built go up in smoke.
“Thursday early afternoon I was in Evansburg picking up some supplies and saw the Evansburg fire start up again,” she said in an email. “The wind was crazy strong. I saw the smoke again with the Parkland fire and started to organize our personal items better.”
The following day Harris made a trip to the store and then tried to relax. She was able to monitor the business property through its security cameras.
“2:30 pm I saw the fire close to the property on the south side. I knew it was going to be finished. Nothing was stopping this monster this time,” she says.
Aircraft dropping water and retardant tried to hold the flames off, but the wind proved too strong. As Harris continued to watch, the inevitable happened.
“From the east camera I saw some bad smoke. That was the one that would take out the rest of the property. I could do nothing but watch. Then at 3:30 pm the cameras stopped transmitting and it was all over but the crying.”
Once it reached the property the fire took out the general store, the security cabin and the rental booths, along with all the tubes and life jackets.
Since then Harris says she’s heard from numerous people who’ve told her how much they’d enjoyed their experience on the river and the service Pembina River Tubing offered.
“We are glad we are safe, but everything we had built from 2007 to now is gone. Time to reinvent our business and move forward,” she says. “Thank you Pembina River Tubing for all the memories you gave us.”
But the story doesn’t end there. Harris says in spite of everything, she and her husband will find another way to help keep customers coming back to enjoy the river. She’s glad firefighters were able to save Entwistle itself from the flames that threatened the community for several days.
“Our community will have a lot of stories to tell and we will spring back as best we can,” she says. “We will come together as never before and reinvent what we do.”
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
It looks like there will be Alberta Junior Hockey League action in Drayton Valley for the foreseeable future. The Drayton Valley Thunder has come to a multi-year agreement with the Town regarding use of the Omniplex.
“I’m thrilled that the Thunder will continue to play in our facility,” said Mayor Nancy Dodds. “We are fortunate to have such an exceptional and exciting hockey team in our hometown, and I’m so pleased that a successful agreement was met.”
Details of the agreement are not available. Previous deals between the Town and the hockey club have covered areas such as cost for ice time and changing rooms, and revenue from advertising in Omni 1.
The Thunder have been in the community and a part of the Alberta Junior Hockey League since 1998 and were league champions in 2002. In the just completed 2022-2023 season the team finished last in the north division and did not make the playoffs. A release from the Town said the municipality recognizes “the benefits the team and its players have brought to Drayton Valley over the last 25 years, including its various volunteer efforts, local economic spin-off and positive role model positions that support the next generation through their annual kid’s camp, and the Jr. Thunder Kids Club.”
The Thunder’s annual Kid’s Hockey School is set for August 14-18. The 2023-2024 AJHL season is expected to get underway in mid- September.
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
Does Drayton Valley need an indoor gymnasium? Three students from Drayton Christian School think so, and made their case to town council last week.
The students, Lucas, Duan and Dane, are aged 12-13. They suggested that an indoor gym would allow for year round recreation opportunities for sports such as basketball, volleyball and tennis that are not currently available in Drayton Valley.
The list of benefits from the proposal would include giving youth something to do outside school, encouraging a lifelong habit of sports and recreation and providing opportunities to make friends and socialize. Suggested locations were adjacent to the new pool, so the facility could be operated with existing staff, a conversion of the curling rink which would reduce cost by using an existing building, or the current Drayton Christian School gym, which is already built and has appropriate flooring and equipment in place.
The three students had also conducted a survey of their junior high classmates, with close to 95 percent support for a proposed sports centre including an indoor gym in Drayton Valley.
Mayor Nancy Dodds said the idea lined up with some things council had heard from schools in the community.
“We’ll definitely give this some thought,” she said.
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
Things are looking good in Alberta’s oil patch. After some very tough years activity has bounced back, as has the price of a barrel of crude. But the current level of prosperity doesn’t always filter down to the communities where the industry is focused.
According to a report published earlier this month by the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) approximately $268 million in property taxes owed to rural municipalities by oil and gas companies has gone unpaid. That number represents a 6.1 percent increase from amounts reported for the 2021 tax year, and a 231.5 percent increase from the 2018 tax year, which was the first year that the RMA collected such data.
While some of that amount is owned by companies that are no longer in operation, a significant portion is attributed to companies that are still active in Alberta.
“Given the success of the industry and the wealth it has generated, I am shocked that I still have to discuss this issue, and that rural municipalities and rural property owners continue to be forced to subsidize an industry in a massive boom period,” said RMA President Paul McLauchlin in a media release. “While oil and gas revenues flow to government as royalties or out of the province to shareholders, industry and the provincial government assume rural municipalities can magically maintain service levels even as they face an average shortfall of nearly $4 million due to non-payment of taxes.”
Brazeau County is among the municipalities impacted by the non-payment, although not to the extent suffered by some others. At the last county council meeting director of Corporate Services Colin Swap estimated the County was owed “a couple of hundred thousand,” in unpaid taxes.
Earlier this week the provincial government issued a ministerial order under the Responsible Energy Development Act, requiring the Alberta Energy Regulator to receive proof that municipal taxes have been paid prior to granting licence transfers or new licences. Companies will have to confirm either that their unpaid municipal taxes across the province do not exceed the maximum threshold allowed or that they have a repayment agreement in place. The actual level of the maximum threshold has not yet been determined.
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
Things are looking good in Alberta’s oil patch. After some very tough years activity has bounced back, as has the price of a barrel of crude. But the current level of prosperity doesn’t always filter down to the communities where the industry is focused.
According to a report published earlier this month by the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) approximately $268 million in property taxes owed to rural municipalities by oil and gas companies has gone unpaid. That number represents a 6.1 percent increase from amounts reported for the 2021 tax year, and a 231.5 percent increase from the 2018 tax year, which was the first year that the RMA collected such data.
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.
The CFRC is an indigenous owned private corporation, which is certified as an educational institution by the government of Canada,
The college currently operates a facility in Alberta Beach. Core services offered include Firefighter I and II training, HazMat responder training and a wildland firefighter program which is geared toward municipal firefighters.
The proposal would see the organization taking over the provincial boxing facility in Lodgepole, which covers more than 15,000 square feet and includes living quarters, a commercial kitchen and a large gymnasium, and turning it into a campus capable of offering a range of firefighting and rescue training for as many as 100 trainees by 2026.
The CFRC also envisions the creation of a fire station and a live fire building.
The estimated overall price tag for the project is a little over $1 million. CFRC staff are working on acquiring grant funding to help offset those costs.
After last week’s presentation, council agreed to write a letter of support for the idea.
Council going live
Starting May 21, county council meetings will be livestreamed online. The County has set up a YouTube channel to allow the public to watch proceedings without having to visit the county office. The link to each meeting will be posted on the County website. Meeting videos will also be archived to allow for viewing at a later date.
Rec board appointment
Council appointed Rina Saar to serve a two-year term as a member at large on the joint Town of Drayton Valley – Brazeau County Recreation Board. The board is composed of two councillors and one member at large from each municipality. Its mandate is to provide input regarding sport, culture, and recreation programs as designated by town and county councils.
Are you a local looking for things to do in and around Drayton Valley, or Brazeau County. Our award winning editor Graham Long, has got your covered in his weekly summary of things happening in Drayton Valley. Have a read of Next Week’s News each week to get an idea on how to plan your, week.
Next Week's News: May 16, 2024 Column
Ready for a long weekend? You must be. You look exhausted.
Victoria Day is Monday May 20, which means it’s a well deserved day off for those of you who have a real job. Currently the weather forecast is calling for it to be … cloudy with showers. That’s rain showers, not snow showers, so I suppose it could be worse.
And once Victoria Day is over, it’s time to start thinking all sorts of summery thoughts. For one thing, it’s usually around now that we have the last frost, so it’s time to start planting things outside if you’re of a horticultural inclination. You’ll find more summer activity ideas in the Free Press travel guide. You can pick up a copy at various locations around the community.
What else is going on? Brazeau County’s household hazardous waste roundup is at the Breton, Buck Lake and Lindale transfer stations May 25 and in Rocky Rapids, Easyford, Cynthia, Lodgepole and Violet Grove June 1.
The Drayton Valley Horse Club’s annual Cancer Ride is coming up May 25.
The 4-H Interclub Achievement Day will be held Monday May 27 at the Omniplex. This is a big deal for those involved and is well worth checking out if you have the time.
The Drayton Valley Triathlon is back once again. The date this year is Saturday June 1 with things taking place in the area around the pool.
And that same day the seventh annual Walk for ALS is happening in Lions West Valley Park. Registration opens at 10 am and the walk starts at 11 with a barbecue afterwards.
Since we’re talking about doing physical things outside, the Black Gold Brute Obstacle Race is coming up on June 8. That’s in the area around the Omniplex.
The Ol’ Pembina Tractor Pull Society 21st Annual Farmers Day Event is June 8 – 9. Tractor Pulls (8 classes), Concessions, Children’s Money Mine and more…You’ll find that at 56528 – Range Road 71
And there’s a bit of a theme here, because looking further ahead, the agricultural society is also holding an antique tractor pull at the Lions Rodeo Grounds on Saturday June 16.
Cut out the middle man and get your Drayton Valley and District Free Press directly to your email inbox.
Get more activity ideas in for the Drayton Valley and Brazeau County region in our Brazeau and Beyond Travel Guide.
Head over to our travel guide page to download yours today.
Click here: Brazeau and Beyond
The Drayton Valley Air Cadets Squadron 733 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary this year with a barbecue open to the public.
Lamont Cardinal, the chair of the parent committee for the cadets, says that the cadets are technically turning 63 this year, but the original celebration for their 60th had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
“We’re now essentially celebrating our sixtieth anniversary,” says Cardinal.
Cardinal says the barbecue will be held on Sunday, April 21 at their headquarters at 5524 Industrial Road. Only a month later, the 38 cadets will also be attending their Annual Ceremonial Revue, where they will be inspected by a member of the Canadian Military.
While the history of the Air Cadets goes back to the 1940s when the Canadian military recognized they would need more trained pilots for the war effort, Squadron 733 wasn’t established until April 22, 1961.
Originally, only boys were able to join the Cadets. However, when the Canadian Government amended legislation changing the word boys to persons in 1975, girls were allowed to enroll.
Captain Tanya Hunt says over the years there have been many people involved in the Cadets.
“Since the formation of the squadron there have been many commanding officers that have helped form and mold the 733 Drayton Valley Air Cadet Squadron we have today. Capt Matt McCullach, Capt Pat Turner, Capt Brian Torpy, Capt Lorna Luchyk, Capt Randy Romanchuk, Capt Paul Spurrell , Capt Mitch Krasey, Capt Heather Guard, Capt Kate Simpson, Capt Gerald Landers and the current commander Capt Tanya Hunt,” says Hunt in an emailed statement.
She says the barbecue is also about promoting the cadets in the community.
While the cadets do follow many military style rules, they are a separate program than the Canadian Armed Forces, says Cardinal. Given that they are Air Cadets, the members spend some of their time focused on flying.
Cardinal says throughout the year, the parents and members fundraise to pay for cadets to go gliding at least one time. They also do some flying in small engine planes.
If the cadets stick with the program and complete all of the ground school and complete all of the training, Cardinal says they can get their private flying license once they graduate from the program. There are also some scholarships that are available through the Air Cadet League of Canada.
He says it’s also a great program to teach kids responsibility and discipline. All of the cadets are given their own uniforms and are completely responsible for the maintenance of that uniform. That includes sewing on patches, washing and ironing the uniform, and shining their boots.
“It’s all about the self-motivation and self-reliance, along with working as part of a team,” says Cardinal.
He says the cadets are always accepting donations, and all funds donated will go toward programs for the members.
The Drayton Valley RCMP Detachment is looking for a new Staff Sergeant as the current man in charge, Troy Raddatz, heads into retirement.
Raddatz started his time as Staff Sergeant in Drayton Valley in mid-May 2023, just as the community was dealing with the Buck Creek Wildfire. Raddatz hit the ground running with the detachment, and during his time the crime stats have been on a downward trend and the RCMP have been more visible in the community.
Before he was Staff Sergeant in Drayton, Raddatz had spent time in Breton, where he started his career in 2004. In 2010 he moved on to work with the canine unit where he eventually became the program director for dog services in 2017.
In 2023, he decided to make the lateral move to his position in Drayton. He and his wife had life-long friendships from the area, and he was impressed with the detachment in Drayton.
“I really enjoyed my year here, and it was good for my family,” says Raddatz. “We had planned on staying longer, but through a change in our family situation, we decided it was time to retire.”
One of Raddatz’s goals when he first started was seeing the detachment moved to a larger building. While Raddatz has been working diligently on achieving that goal, he says it’s been difficult to get the go ahead from the division.
However, during his last town council meeting report, Raddatz told council that he has been advised that there will be three trailers added to the detachment. He says he has been working with the division to finalize the design for the changes, and he anticipates the trailers will arrive in 2025/26.
“We’re trying to buy ten years for this current detachment,” says Raddatz.
He says during his time in Drayton he’s valued the support that the detachment has received from both the Town and Brazeau County, as well as members of the community.
And Raddatz says he has been happy with the detachment and feels like he’s leaving it in good hands.
“Drayton Valley has a really incredible detachment, and the community is in good hands there,” says Raddatz.
His last day as Staff Sergeant is April 11, and in the meantime, Sergeant Ryan Hoetmer will be the Interim Staff Sergeant until a replacement is found.
The parent advisory council at Winfield Elementary are worried about the future of their school.
Carolyn Schwindt, the president of the school’s PAC, says some motions that the Wetaskiwin Regional Public School Division recently put forward in their board meeting are concerning.
Schwindt says this year the division has a new superintendent, Mike Wake, and Schwindt says that he’s been great to work with so far. However, she doesn’t agree with some of the ideas brought forward for calculating when a school should be closed.
“There’s always been discussion in Wetaskiwin Public Schools on the potential need for closure,” says Schwindt. “We’ve got low enrollment across the board in all schools.”
Schwindt says there are many factors at play when it comes to the enrollment at Winfield. Currently, the school has 63 students and also houses the community’s public library. Schwindt says there are multiple programs that use the school, such as the playschool and gymnastics club.
The motions that were put forward suggested that the school be closed if enrollment was below 60 students. Schwindt says if the number for closure is that close to the number of currently enrolled students, no one can really be certain if the school will stay open from year to year.
She worries this could affect whether teachers look for positions at the school. Or perhaps parents would move their children prematurely because the school might close.
She says since the pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of home-schooled students in the area, which has lowered student enrollment. Allowing families to pick a school of choice for their children also affects the numbers in the schools.
Schwindt says Wake has been focusing on the reason for low numbers and has been actively looking for solutions to the problem.
His most recent proposal was to ask the provincial government for funds to build a K-12 school for the Buck Lake family of schools in the Alder Flats area. Another area that was considered was the Pigeon Lake family of schools becoming consolidated.
But Schwindt says those two school families have schools spread out over a large area. Already, some students are looking at bus rides that are an hour or more in some of those areas. Should the schools be consolidated, many of those bus rides could increase significantly.
As it is, students who choose to go to high school in WRPS rather than the Breton High School with the school of choice option, have to travel to Buck Mountain High School. The distance from Winfield to the Buck Mountain school is 27 kms, and takes about seventeen minutes of straight drive time.
Another thing Schwindt worries about is what would happen to the community should the school be closed.
As of 2011, Winfield had 244 residents. One of the major employers in the area is the school and its closure could have a ripple effect throughout the community.
Schwindt says she has spoken to Wetaskiwin County Council about the issue, but there is little they can do.
Kathy Rooyakkers, the councillor for Division 6 in Wetaskiwin County, says the idea of the school potentially being shut down next year worries her.
“It will affect them big time,” says Rooyakkers.
Rooyakkers says that unfortunately the County cannot stop anything WRPS plans to do. She says they have the opportunity to meet with the division a few times a year, where they discuss issues that concern both the County and the division, but all they can do is give their opinions about the situation.
“At the table, we don’t get a decision,” says Rooyakkers.
She says it’s frustrating, but there isn’t much they can do. At this point, she says the County has not discussed what they would do should the school be closed. She says there may be some other options that could be considered, such as creating a charter school, but council can’t make any changes…
Full story in the April 4, Free Press. Become an email subscriber at www.dvfreepress.com.
Brazeau County is set to spend $560,000 to improve fire suppression in two underserved parts of the municipality. Last week council approved $250,000 for a 210 cubic metre concrete water tank in Lindale and $310,000 for a similar tank and water well in Buck Creek.
The move is the result of a study conducted last year that outlined gaps in water sources for residential fire suppression. Lindale and Buck Creek were identified as areas that did not have access to an adequate source of water that was close enough to be practical in the event of a blaze.
According to the County, the Lindale tank will replace the current holding tank, and will provide year-round fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in case of wildfire in the area. A water well and the below ground tank near the Buck Creek lift station will provide fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in the event of wildfire. Water will be available all year round with no risk of freezing. If drilled to a lower aquifer, the water well will not place residents’ wells at risk.
Meanwhile, with the wildfire season now underway, CAO Kent Edney said that Incident Command System training, which is offered by the Government of Alberta, was being rolled out to staff. Edney said ICS 100 training was now mandatory for all employees. ICS 200, 300 and 400 were also being provided to those who are eligible. Councillors were scheduled to attend ICS 402 training, which is designed for elected officials, last week.
Two training sessions for public contractors held last month have enabled the County to draw up a list of “first calls” in the event of an emergency. The sessions sparked considerable interest, with 55 people attending in Breton February 21 and 112 in Drayton Valley two days later.
A review and update of the County’s Municipal Emergency Plan is expected to be completed by early April.
While some of that amount is owned by companies that are no longer in operation, a significant portion is attributed to companies that are still active in Alberta.
“Given the success of the industry and the wealth it has generated, I am shocked that I still have to discuss this issue, and that rural municipalities and rural property owners continue to be forced to subsidize an industry in a massive boom period,” said RMA President Paul McLauchlin in a media release. “While oil and gas revenues flow to government as royalties or out of the province to shareholders, industry and the provincial government assume rural municipalities can magically maintain service levels even as they face an average shortfall of nearly $4 million due to non-payment of taxes.”
Brazeau County is among the municipalities impacted by the non-payment, although not to the extent suffered by some others. At the last county council meeting director of Corporate Services Colin Swap estimated the County was owed “a couple of hundred thousand,” in unpaid taxes.
Earlier this week the provincial government issued a ministerial order under the Responsible Energy Development Act, requiring the Alberta Energy Regulator to receive proof that municipal taxes have been paid prior to granting licence transfers or new licences. Companies will have to confirm either that their unpaid municipal taxes across the province do not exceed the maximum threshold allowed or that they have a repayment agreement in place. The actual level of the maximum threshold has not yet been determined.
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
“The opening of Evergreen School in September of 2020 and today’s announcement of a replacement school will allow the Wild Rose School Division to deliver high quality education in modern, efficient, powerful learning environments for generations to come,” he said. “Drayton Valley/Brazeau will be here in 100 years, still pulling together. The investment in the future of our community announced today will help ensure that.”
The new school will be built on land close to Frank Maddock High School. The plan is for the building to accommodate students from both the current HW Pickup and from Drayton Christian School, which is currently operating out of the old Eldorado School building. Work is set to begin this spring, with completion some time in 2023.
Drayton Valley is once again going to be down to two doctor’s clinics by June 30.
After nearly forty years, the Malone clinic will be closing its doors, though the IDA Pharmacy will still remain open.
Pat Jeffery, the chair of the Pembina Physicians Recruitment and Retention Committee, says the committee is concerned about the future of healthcare in the community.
“Dismayed would be the word that comes to mind,” says Jeffery
Though two new physicians have recently started in the community, this closure will mean the loss of five physicians. Jeffery says Alberta Health Services is advertising three job postings for the community, which won’t quite fill the gap.
She says the committee knew about the retirement of Dr. Roz Beacom and Dr. Mike Peyton, but they hadn’t anticipated that Dr. Afe Okafor would be moving her practice to Edmonton. They were also unaware that Dr. Raf Ali and Dr. Amni Ali would be retiring from their practice as well.
Jeffery says AHS doesn’t play a role in deciding the placement of any new physicians in the community. So it’s not certain if they will be placed at the Claro Clinic or the Shale Clinic. And that’s assuming either of the clinics has the physical space for more doctors
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.
The CFRC is an indigenous owned private corporation, which is certified as an educational institution by the government of Canada,
The college currently operates a facility in Alberta Beach. Core services offered include Firefighter I and II training, HazMat responder training and a wildland firefighter program which is geared toward municipal firefighters.
The proposal would see the organization taking over the provincial boxing facility in Lodgepole, which covers more than 15,000 square feet and includes living quarters, a commercial kitchen and a large gymnasium, and turning it into a campus capable of offering a range of firefighting and rescue training for as many as 100 trainees by 2026.
The CFRC also envisions the creation of a fire station and a live fire building.
The estimated overall price tag for the project is a little over $1 million. CFRC staff are working on acquiring grant funding to help offset those costs.
After last week’s presentation, council agreed to write a letter of support for the idea.
Council going live
Starting May 21, county council meetings will be livestreamed online. The County has set up a YouTube channel to allow the public to watch proceedings without having to visit the county office. The link to each meeting will be posted on the County website. Meeting videos will also be archived to allow for viewing at a later date.
Rec board appointment
Council appointed Rina Saar to serve a two-year term as a member at large on the joint Town of Drayton Valley – Brazeau County Recreation Board. The board is composed of two councillors and one member at large from each municipality. Its mandate is to provide input regarding sport, culture, and recreation programs as designated by town and county councils.
Are you a local looking for things to do in and around Drayton Valley, or Brazeau County. Our award winning editor Graham Long, has got your covered in his weekly summary of things happening in Drayton Valley. Have a read of Next Week’s News each week to get an idea on how to plan your, week.
Next Week's News: May 16, 2024 Column
Ready for a long weekend? You must be. You look exhausted.
Victoria Day is Monday May 20, which means it’s a well deserved day off for those of you who have a real job. Currently the weather forecast is calling for it to be … cloudy with showers. That’s rain showers, not snow showers, so I suppose it could be worse.
And once Victoria Day is over, it’s time to start thinking all sorts of summery thoughts. For one thing, it’s usually around now that we have the last frost, so it’s time to start planting things outside if you’re of a horticultural inclination. You’ll find more summer activity ideas in the Free Press travel guide. You can pick up a copy at various locations around the community.
What else is going on? Brazeau County’s household hazardous waste roundup is at the Breton, Buck Lake and Lindale transfer stations May 25 and in Rocky Rapids, Easyford, Cynthia, Lodgepole and Violet Grove June 1.
The Drayton Valley Horse Club’s annual Cancer Ride is coming up May 25.
The 4-H Interclub Achievement Day will be held Monday May 27 at the Omniplex. This is a big deal for those involved and is well worth checking out if you have the time.
The Drayton Valley Triathlon is back once again. The date this year is Saturday June 1 with things taking place in the area around the pool.
And that same day the seventh annual Walk for ALS is happening in Lions West Valley Park. Registration opens at 10 am and the walk starts at 11 with a barbecue afterwards.
Since we’re talking about doing physical things outside, the Black Gold Brute Obstacle Race is coming up on June 8. That’s in the area around the Omniplex.
The Ol’ Pembina Tractor Pull Society 21st Annual Farmers Day Event is June 8 – 9. Tractor Pulls (8 classes), Concessions, Children’s Money Mine and more…You’ll find that at 56528 – Range Road 71
And there’s a bit of a theme here, because looking further ahead, the agricultural society is also holding an antique tractor pull at the Lions Rodeo Grounds on Saturday June 16.
Cut out the middle man and get your Drayton Valley and District Free Press directly to your email inbox.
Get more activity ideas in for the Drayton Valley and Brazeau County region in our Brazeau and Beyond Travel Guide.
Head over to our travel guide page to download yours today.
Click here: Brazeau and Beyond
The Drayton Valley Air Cadets Squadron 733 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary this year with a barbecue open to the public.
Lamont Cardinal, the chair of the parent committee for the cadets, says that the cadets are technically turning 63 this year, but the original celebration for their 60th had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
“We’re now essentially celebrating our sixtieth anniversary,” says Cardinal.
Cardinal says the barbecue will be held on Sunday, April 21 at their headquarters at 5524 Industrial Road. Only a month later, the 38 cadets will also be attending their Annual Ceremonial Revue, where they will be inspected by a member of the Canadian Military.
While the history of the Air Cadets goes back to the 1940s when the Canadian military recognized they would need more trained pilots for the war effort, Squadron 733 wasn’t established until April 22, 1961.
Originally, only boys were able to join the Cadets. However, when the Canadian Government amended legislation changing the word boys to persons in 1975, girls were allowed to enroll.
Captain Tanya Hunt says over the years there have been many people involved in the Cadets.
“Since the formation of the squadron there have been many commanding officers that have helped form and mold the 733 Drayton Valley Air Cadet Squadron we have today. Capt Matt McCullach, Capt Pat Turner, Capt Brian Torpy, Capt Lorna Luchyk, Capt Randy Romanchuk, Capt Paul Spurrell , Capt Mitch Krasey, Capt Heather Guard, Capt Kate Simpson, Capt Gerald Landers and the current commander Capt Tanya Hunt,” says Hunt in an emailed statement.
She says the barbecue is also about promoting the cadets in the community.
While the cadets do follow many military style rules, they are a separate program than the Canadian Armed Forces, says Cardinal. Given that they are Air Cadets, the members spend some of their time focused on flying.
Cardinal says throughout the year, the parents and members fundraise to pay for cadets to go gliding at least one time. They also do some flying in small engine planes.
If the cadets stick with the program and complete all of the ground school and complete all of the training, Cardinal says they can get their private flying license once they graduate from the program. There are also some scholarships that are available through the Air Cadet League of Canada.
He says it’s also a great program to teach kids responsibility and discipline. All of the cadets are given their own uniforms and are completely responsible for the maintenance of that uniform. That includes sewing on patches, washing and ironing the uniform, and shining their boots.
“It’s all about the self-motivation and self-reliance, along with working as part of a team,” says Cardinal.
He says the cadets are always accepting donations, and all funds donated will go toward programs for the members.
The Drayton Valley RCMP Detachment is looking for a new Staff Sergeant as the current man in charge, Troy Raddatz, heads into retirement.
Raddatz started his time as Staff Sergeant in Drayton Valley in mid-May 2023, just as the community was dealing with the Buck Creek Wildfire. Raddatz hit the ground running with the detachment, and during his time the crime stats have been on a downward trend and the RCMP have been more visible in the community.
Before he was Staff Sergeant in Drayton, Raddatz had spent time in Breton, where he started his career in 2004. In 2010 he moved on to work with the canine unit where he eventually became the program director for dog services in 2017.
In 2023, he decided to make the lateral move to his position in Drayton. He and his wife had life-long friendships from the area, and he was impressed with the detachment in Drayton.
“I really enjoyed my year here, and it was good for my family,” says Raddatz. “We had planned on staying longer, but through a change in our family situation, we decided it was time to retire.”
One of Raddatz’s goals when he first started was seeing the detachment moved to a larger building. While Raddatz has been working diligently on achieving that goal, he says it’s been difficult to get the go ahead from the division.
However, during his last town council meeting report, Raddatz told council that he has been advised that there will be three trailers added to the detachment. He says he has been working with the division to finalize the design for the changes, and he anticipates the trailers will arrive in 2025/26.
“We’re trying to buy ten years for this current detachment,” says Raddatz.
He says during his time in Drayton he’s valued the support that the detachment has received from both the Town and Brazeau County, as well as members of the community.
And Raddatz says he has been happy with the detachment and feels like he’s leaving it in good hands.
“Drayton Valley has a really incredible detachment, and the community is in good hands there,” says Raddatz.
His last day as Staff Sergeant is April 11, and in the meantime, Sergeant Ryan Hoetmer will be the Interim Staff Sergeant until a replacement is found.
The parent advisory council at Winfield Elementary are worried about the future of their school.
Carolyn Schwindt, the president of the school’s PAC, says some motions that the Wetaskiwin Regional Public School Division recently put forward in their board meeting are concerning.
Schwindt says this year the division has a new superintendent, Mike Wake, and Schwindt says that he’s been great to work with so far. However, she doesn’t agree with some of the ideas brought forward for calculating when a school should be closed.
“There’s always been discussion in Wetaskiwin Public Schools on the potential need for closure,” says Schwindt. “We’ve got low enrollment across the board in all schools.”
Schwindt says there are many factors at play when it comes to the enrollment at Winfield. Currently, the school has 63 students and also houses the community’s public library. Schwindt says there are multiple programs that use the school, such as the playschool and gymnastics club.
The motions that were put forward suggested that the school be closed if enrollment was below 60 students. Schwindt says if the number for closure is that close to the number of currently enrolled students, no one can really be certain if the school will stay open from year to year.
She worries this could affect whether teachers look for positions at the school. Or perhaps parents would move their children prematurely because the school might close.
She says since the pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of home-schooled students in the area, which has lowered student enrollment. Allowing families to pick a school of choice for their children also affects the numbers in the schools.
Schwindt says Wake has been focusing on the reason for low numbers and has been actively looking for solutions to the problem.
His most recent proposal was to ask the provincial government for funds to build a K-12 school for the Buck Lake family of schools in the Alder Flats area. Another area that was considered was the Pigeon Lake family of schools becoming consolidated.
But Schwindt says those two school families have schools spread out over a large area. Already, some students are looking at bus rides that are an hour or more in some of those areas. Should the schools be consolidated, many of those bus rides could increase significantly.
As it is, students who choose to go to high school in WRPS rather than the Breton High School with the school of choice option, have to travel to Buck Mountain High School. The distance from Winfield to the Buck Mountain school is 27 kms, and takes about seventeen minutes of straight drive time.
Another thing Schwindt worries about is what would happen to the community should the school be closed.
As of 2011, Winfield had 244 residents. One of the major employers in the area is the school and its closure could have a ripple effect throughout the community.
Schwindt says she has spoken to Wetaskiwin County Council about the issue, but there is little they can do.
Kathy Rooyakkers, the councillor for Division 6 in Wetaskiwin County, says the idea of the school potentially being shut down next year worries her.
“It will affect them big time,” says Rooyakkers.
Rooyakkers says that unfortunately the County cannot stop anything WRPS plans to do. She says they have the opportunity to meet with the division a few times a year, where they discuss issues that concern both the County and the division, but all they can do is give their opinions about the situation.
“At the table, we don’t get a decision,” says Rooyakkers.
She says it’s frustrating, but there isn’t much they can do. At this point, she says the County has not discussed what they would do should the school be closed. She says there may be some other options that could be considered, such as creating a charter school, but council can’t make any changes…
Full story in the April 4, Free Press. Become an email subscriber at www.dvfreepress.com.
Brazeau County is set to spend $560,000 to improve fire suppression in two underserved parts of the municipality. Last week council approved $250,000 for a 210 cubic metre concrete water tank in Lindale and $310,000 for a similar tank and water well in Buck Creek.
The move is the result of a study conducted last year that outlined gaps in water sources for residential fire suppression. Lindale and Buck Creek were identified as areas that did not have access to an adequate source of water that was close enough to be practical in the event of a blaze.
According to the County, the Lindale tank will replace the current holding tank, and will provide year-round fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in case of wildfire in the area. A water well and the below ground tank near the Buck Creek lift station will provide fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in the event of wildfire. Water will be available all year round with no risk of freezing. If drilled to a lower aquifer, the water well will not place residents’ wells at risk.
Meanwhile, with the wildfire season now underway, CAO Kent Edney said that Incident Command System training, which is offered by the Government of Alberta, was being rolled out to staff. Edney said ICS 100 training was now mandatory for all employees. ICS 200, 300 and 400 were also being provided to those who are eligible. Councillors were scheduled to attend ICS 402 training, which is designed for elected officials, last week.
Two training sessions for public contractors held last month have enabled the County to draw up a list of “first calls” in the event of an emergency. The sessions sparked considerable interest, with 55 people attending in Breton February 21 and 112 in Drayton Valley two days later.
A review and update of the County’s Municipal Emergency Plan is expected to be completed by early April.
The Malone building will remain in place, and Jeffery says there’s a possibility that other physicians will come in and open another clinic.
While the community is down those physicians, Mina Bolos, the owner of the IDA Malone Pharmacy, says he may be able to help out a little bit.
“I am a prescribing pharmacist,” he says. “I think the community around needs somebody to help with some of the minor ailments.
Bolos says he’s also the only diabetic educator in town. “I have the licensing for that,” he says.
Anyone who needs help learning about insulin, the medication, and how to use the injections can talk to Bolos.
The Drayton Valley Free Press was unable to make contact with Dr. Beacom or Dr. Peyton by the deadline for this article
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
So far it looks like the vast majority of area residents have escaped the wildfires without suffering serious property damage. Sadly that’s not true of everyone. It’s been confirmed that four homes were destroyed on the fringes of Drayton Valley. Further north, Pembina River Tubing was completely destroyed by the fire in Parkland County.
Pembina River Tubing was established in 2007 and offered visitors the opportunity to enjoy a day of fresh air and fun on the river. When the fire hit last week Cheryl Harris watched the business she and her husband Dan had built go up in smoke.
“Thursday early afternoon I was in Evansburg picking up some supplies and saw the Evansburg fire start up again,” she said in an email. “The wind was crazy strong. I saw the smoke again with the Parkland fire and started to organize our personal items better.”
The following day Harris made a trip to the store and then tried to relax. She was able to monitor the business property through its security cameras.
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.
The CFRC is an indigenous owned private corporation, which is certified as an educational institution by the government of Canada,
The college currently operates a facility in Alberta Beach. Core services offered include Firefighter I and II training, HazMat responder training and a wildland firefighter program which is geared toward municipal firefighters.
The proposal would see the organization taking over the provincial boxing facility in Lodgepole, which covers more than 15,000 square feet and includes living quarters, a commercial kitchen and a large gymnasium, and turning it into a campus capable of offering a range of firefighting and rescue training for as many as 100 trainees by 2026.
The CFRC also envisions the creation of a fire station and a live fire building.
The estimated overall price tag for the project is a little over $1 million. CFRC staff are working on acquiring grant funding to help offset those costs.
After last week’s presentation, council agreed to write a letter of support for the idea.
Council going live
Starting May 21, county council meetings will be livestreamed online. The County has set up a YouTube channel to allow the public to watch proceedings without having to visit the county office. The link to each meeting will be posted on the County website. Meeting videos will also be archived to allow for viewing at a later date.
Rec board appointment
Council appointed Rina Saar to serve a two-year term as a member at large on the joint Town of Drayton Valley – Brazeau County Recreation Board. The board is composed of two councillors and one member at large from each municipality. Its mandate is to provide input regarding sport, culture, and recreation programs as designated by town and county councils.
Are you a local looking for things to do in and around Drayton Valley, or Brazeau County. Our award winning editor Graham Long, has got your covered in his weekly summary of things happening in Drayton Valley. Have a read of Next Week’s News each week to get an idea on how to plan your, week.
Next Week's News: May 16, 2024 Column
Ready for a long weekend? You must be. You look exhausted.
Victoria Day is Monday May 20, which means it’s a well deserved day off for those of you who have a real job. Currently the weather forecast is calling for it to be … cloudy with showers. That’s rain showers, not snow showers, so I suppose it could be worse.
And once Victoria Day is over, it’s time to start thinking all sorts of summery thoughts. For one thing, it’s usually around now that we have the last frost, so it’s time to start planting things outside if you’re of a horticultural inclination. You’ll find more summer activity ideas in the Free Press travel guide. You can pick up a copy at various locations around the community.
What else is going on? Brazeau County’s household hazardous waste roundup is at the Breton, Buck Lake and Lindale transfer stations May 25 and in Rocky Rapids, Easyford, Cynthia, Lodgepole and Violet Grove June 1.
The Drayton Valley Horse Club’s annual Cancer Ride is coming up May 25.
The 4-H Interclub Achievement Day will be held Monday May 27 at the Omniplex. This is a big deal for those involved and is well worth checking out if you have the time.
The Drayton Valley Triathlon is back once again. The date this year is Saturday June 1 with things taking place in the area around the pool.
And that same day the seventh annual Walk for ALS is happening in Lions West Valley Park. Registration opens at 10 am and the walk starts at 11 with a barbecue afterwards.
Since we’re talking about doing physical things outside, the Black Gold Brute Obstacle Race is coming up on June 8. That’s in the area around the Omniplex.
The Ol’ Pembina Tractor Pull Society 21st Annual Farmers Day Event is June 8 – 9. Tractor Pulls (8 classes), Concessions, Children’s Money Mine and more…You’ll find that at 56528 – Range Road 71
And there’s a bit of a theme here, because looking further ahead, the agricultural society is also holding an antique tractor pull at the Lions Rodeo Grounds on Saturday June 16.
Cut out the middle man and get your Drayton Valley and District Free Press directly to your email inbox.
Get more activity ideas in for the Drayton Valley and Brazeau County region in our Brazeau and Beyond Travel Guide.
Head over to our travel guide page to download yours today.
Click here: Brazeau and Beyond
The Drayton Valley Air Cadets Squadron 733 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary this year with a barbecue open to the public.
Lamont Cardinal, the chair of the parent committee for the cadets, says that the cadets are technically turning 63 this year, but the original celebration for their 60th had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
“We’re now essentially celebrating our sixtieth anniversary,” says Cardinal.
Cardinal says the barbecue will be held on Sunday, April 21 at their headquarters at 5524 Industrial Road. Only a month later, the 38 cadets will also be attending their Annual Ceremonial Revue, where they will be inspected by a member of the Canadian Military.
While the history of the Air Cadets goes back to the 1940s when the Canadian military recognized they would need more trained pilots for the war effort, Squadron 733 wasn’t established until April 22, 1961.
Originally, only boys were able to join the Cadets. However, when the Canadian Government amended legislation changing the word boys to persons in 1975, girls were allowed to enroll.
Captain Tanya Hunt says over the years there have been many people involved in the Cadets.
“Since the formation of the squadron there have been many commanding officers that have helped form and mold the 733 Drayton Valley Air Cadet Squadron we have today. Capt Matt McCullach, Capt Pat Turner, Capt Brian Torpy, Capt Lorna Luchyk, Capt Randy Romanchuk, Capt Paul Spurrell , Capt Mitch Krasey, Capt Heather Guard, Capt Kate Simpson, Capt Gerald Landers and the current commander Capt Tanya Hunt,” says Hunt in an emailed statement.
She says the barbecue is also about promoting the cadets in the community.
While the cadets do follow many military style rules, they are a separate program than the Canadian Armed Forces, says Cardinal. Given that they are Air Cadets, the members spend some of their time focused on flying.
Cardinal says throughout the year, the parents and members fundraise to pay for cadets to go gliding at least one time. They also do some flying in small engine planes.
If the cadets stick with the program and complete all of the ground school and complete all of the training, Cardinal says they can get their private flying license once they graduate from the program. There are also some scholarships that are available through the Air Cadet League of Canada.
He says it’s also a great program to teach kids responsibility and discipline. All of the cadets are given their own uniforms and are completely responsible for the maintenance of that uniform. That includes sewing on patches, washing and ironing the uniform, and shining their boots.
“It’s all about the self-motivation and self-reliance, along with working as part of a team,” says Cardinal.
He says the cadets are always accepting donations, and all funds donated will go toward programs for the members.
The Drayton Valley RCMP Detachment is looking for a new Staff Sergeant as the current man in charge, Troy Raddatz, heads into retirement.
Raddatz started his time as Staff Sergeant in Drayton Valley in mid-May 2023, just as the community was dealing with the Buck Creek Wildfire. Raddatz hit the ground running with the detachment, and during his time the crime stats have been on a downward trend and the RCMP have been more visible in the community.
Before he was Staff Sergeant in Drayton, Raddatz had spent time in Breton, where he started his career in 2004. In 2010 he moved on to work with the canine unit where he eventually became the program director for dog services in 2017.
In 2023, he decided to make the lateral move to his position in Drayton. He and his wife had life-long friendships from the area, and he was impressed with the detachment in Drayton.
“I really enjoyed my year here, and it was good for my family,” says Raddatz. “We had planned on staying longer, but through a change in our family situation, we decided it was time to retire.”
One of Raddatz’s goals when he first started was seeing the detachment moved to a larger building. While Raddatz has been working diligently on achieving that goal, he says it’s been difficult to get the go ahead from the division.
However, during his last town council meeting report, Raddatz told council that he has been advised that there will be three trailers added to the detachment. He says he has been working with the division to finalize the design for the changes, and he anticipates the trailers will arrive in 2025/26.
“We’re trying to buy ten years for this current detachment,” says Raddatz.
He says during his time in Drayton he’s valued the support that the detachment has received from both the Town and Brazeau County, as well as members of the community.
And Raddatz says he has been happy with the detachment and feels like he’s leaving it in good hands.
“Drayton Valley has a really incredible detachment, and the community is in good hands there,” says Raddatz.
His last day as Staff Sergeant is April 11, and in the meantime, Sergeant Ryan Hoetmer will be the Interim Staff Sergeant until a replacement is found.
The parent advisory council at Winfield Elementary are worried about the future of their school.
Carolyn Schwindt, the president of the school’s PAC, says some motions that the Wetaskiwin Regional Public School Division recently put forward in their board meeting are concerning.
Schwindt says this year the division has a new superintendent, Mike Wake, and Schwindt says that he’s been great to work with so far. However, she doesn’t agree with some of the ideas brought forward for calculating when a school should be closed.
“There’s always been discussion in Wetaskiwin Public Schools on the potential need for closure,” says Schwindt. “We’ve got low enrollment across the board in all schools.”
Schwindt says there are many factors at play when it comes to the enrollment at Winfield. Currently, the school has 63 students and also houses the community’s public library. Schwindt says there are multiple programs that use the school, such as the playschool and gymnastics club.
The motions that were put forward suggested that the school be closed if enrollment was below 60 students. Schwindt says if the number for closure is that close to the number of currently enrolled students, no one can really be certain if the school will stay open from year to year.
She worries this could affect whether teachers look for positions at the school. Or perhaps parents would move their children prematurely because the school might close.
She says since the pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of home-schooled students in the area, which has lowered student enrollment. Allowing families to pick a school of choice for their children also affects the numbers in the schools.
Schwindt says Wake has been focusing on the reason for low numbers and has been actively looking for solutions to the problem.
His most recent proposal was to ask the provincial government for funds to build a K-12 school for the Buck Lake family of schools in the Alder Flats area. Another area that was considered was the Pigeon Lake family of schools becoming consolidated.
But Schwindt says those two school families have schools spread out over a large area. Already, some students are looking at bus rides that are an hour or more in some of those areas. Should the schools be consolidated, many of those bus rides could increase significantly.
As it is, students who choose to go to high school in WRPS rather than the Breton High School with the school of choice option, have to travel to Buck Mountain High School. The distance from Winfield to the Buck Mountain school is 27 kms, and takes about seventeen minutes of straight drive time.
Another thing Schwindt worries about is what would happen to the community should the school be closed.
As of 2011, Winfield had 244 residents. One of the major employers in the area is the school and its closure could have a ripple effect throughout the community.
Schwindt says she has spoken to Wetaskiwin County Council about the issue, but there is little they can do.
Kathy Rooyakkers, the councillor for Division 6 in Wetaskiwin County, says the idea of the school potentially being shut down next year worries her.
“It will affect them big time,” says Rooyakkers.
Rooyakkers says that unfortunately the County cannot stop anything WRPS plans to do. She says they have the opportunity to meet with the division a few times a year, where they discuss issues that concern both the County and the division, but all they can do is give their opinions about the situation.
“At the table, we don’t get a decision,” says Rooyakkers.
She says it’s frustrating, but there isn’t much they can do. At this point, she says the County has not discussed what they would do should the school be closed. She says there may be some other options that could be considered, such as creating a charter school, but council can’t make any changes…
Full story in the April 4, Free Press. Become an email subscriber at www.dvfreepress.com.
Brazeau County is set to spend $560,000 to improve fire suppression in two underserved parts of the municipality. Last week council approved $250,000 for a 210 cubic metre concrete water tank in Lindale and $310,000 for a similar tank and water well in Buck Creek.
The move is the result of a study conducted last year that outlined gaps in water sources for residential fire suppression. Lindale and Buck Creek were identified as areas that did not have access to an adequate source of water that was close enough to be practical in the event of a blaze.
According to the County, the Lindale tank will replace the current holding tank, and will provide year-round fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in case of wildfire in the area. A water well and the below ground tank near the Buck Creek lift station will provide fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in the event of wildfire. Water will be available all year round with no risk of freezing. If drilled to a lower aquifer, the water well will not place residents’ wells at risk.
Meanwhile, with the wildfire season now underway, CAO Kent Edney said that Incident Command System training, which is offered by the Government of Alberta, was being rolled out to staff. Edney said ICS 100 training was now mandatory for all employees. ICS 200, 300 and 400 were also being provided to those who are eligible. Councillors were scheduled to attend ICS 402 training, which is designed for elected officials, last week.
Two training sessions for public contractors held last month have enabled the County to draw up a list of “first calls” in the event of an emergency. The sessions sparked considerable interest, with 55 people attending in Breton February 21 and 112 in Drayton Valley two days later.
A review and update of the County’s Municipal Emergency Plan is expected to be completed by early April.
“2:30 pm I saw the fire close to the property on the south side. I knew it was going to be finished. Nothing was stopping this monster this time,” she says.
Aircraft dropping water and retardant tried to hold the flames off, but the wind proved too strong. As Harris continued to watch, the inevitable happened.
“From the east camera I saw some bad smoke. That was the one that would take out the rest of the property. I could do nothing but watch. Then at 3:30 pm the cameras stopped transmitting and it was all over but the crying.”
Once it reached the property the fire took out the general store, the security cabin and the rental booths, along with all the tubes and life jackets.
Since then Harris says she’s heard from numerous people who’ve told her how much they’d enjoyed their experience on the river and the service Pembina River Tubing offered.
“We are glad we are safe, but everything we had built from 2007 to now is gone. Time to reinvent our business and move forward,” she says. “Thank you Pembina River Tubing for all the memories you gave us.”
But the story doesn’t end there. Harris says in spite of everything, she and her husband will find another way to help keep customers coming back to enjoy the river. She’s glad firefighters were able to save Entwistle itself from the flames that threatened the community for several days.
“Our community will have a lot of stories to tell and we will spring back as best we can,” she says. “We will come together as never before and reinvent what we do.”
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
It looks like there will be Alberta Junior Hockey League action in Drayton Valley for the foreseeable future. The Drayton Valley Thunder has come to a multi-year agreement with the Town regarding use of the Omniplex.
“I’m thrilled that the Thunder will continue to play in our facility,” said Mayor Nancy Dodds. “We are fortunate to have such an exceptional and exciting hockey team in our hometown, and I’m so pleased that a successful agreement was met.”
Details of the agreement are not available. Previous deals between the Town and the hockey club have covered areas such as cost for ice time and changing rooms, and revenue from advertising in Omni 1.
The Thunder have been in the community and a part of the Alberta Junior Hockey League since 1998 and were league champions in 2002. In the just completed 2022-2023 season the team finished last in the north division and did not make the playoffs. A release from the Town said the municipality recognizes “the benefits the team and its players have brought to Drayton Valley over the last 25 years, including its various volunteer efforts, local economic spin-off and positive role model positions that support the next generation through their annual kid’s camp, and the Jr. Thunder Kids Club.”
The Thunder’s annual Kid’s Hockey School is set for August 14-18. The 2023-2024 AJHL season is expected to get underway in mid- September.
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.
The CFRC is an indigenous owned private corporation, which is certified as an educational institution by the government of Canada,
The college currently operates a facility in Alberta Beach. Core services offered include Firefighter I and II training, HazMat responder training and a wildland firefighter program which is geared toward municipal firefighters.
The proposal would see the organization taking over the provincial boxing facility in Lodgepole, which covers more than 15,000 square feet and includes living quarters, a commercial kitchen and a large gymnasium, and turning it into a campus capable of offering a range of firefighting and rescue training for as many as 100 trainees by 2026.
The CFRC also envisions the creation of a fire station and a live fire building.
The estimated overall price tag for the project is a little over $1 million. CFRC staff are working on acquiring grant funding to help offset those costs.
After last week’s presentation, council agreed to write a letter of support for the idea.
Council going live
Starting May 21, county council meetings will be livestreamed online. The County has set up a YouTube channel to allow the public to watch proceedings without having to visit the county office. The link to each meeting will be posted on the County website. Meeting videos will also be archived to allow for viewing at a later date.
Rec board appointment
Council appointed Rina Saar to serve a two-year term as a member at large on the joint Town of Drayton Valley – Brazeau County Recreation Board. The board is composed of two councillors and one member at large from each municipality. Its mandate is to provide input regarding sport, culture, and recreation programs as designated by town and county councils.
Are you a local looking for things to do in and around Drayton Valley, or Brazeau County. Our award winning editor Graham Long, has got your covered in his weekly summary of things happening in Drayton Valley. Have a read of Next Week’s News each week to get an idea on how to plan your, week.
Next Week's News: May 16, 2024 Column
Ready for a long weekend? You must be. You look exhausted.
Victoria Day is Monday May 20, which means it’s a well deserved day off for those of you who have a real job. Currently the weather forecast is calling for it to be … cloudy with showers. That’s rain showers, not snow showers, so I suppose it could be worse.
And once Victoria Day is over, it’s time to start thinking all sorts of summery thoughts. For one thing, it’s usually around now that we have the last frost, so it’s time to start planting things outside if you’re of a horticultural inclination. You’ll find more summer activity ideas in the Free Press travel guide. You can pick up a copy at various locations around the community.
What else is going on? Brazeau County’s household hazardous waste roundup is at the Breton, Buck Lake and Lindale transfer stations May 25 and in Rocky Rapids, Easyford, Cynthia, Lodgepole and Violet Grove June 1.
The Drayton Valley Horse Club’s annual Cancer Ride is coming up May 25.
The 4-H Interclub Achievement Day will be held Monday May 27 at the Omniplex. This is a big deal for those involved and is well worth checking out if you have the time.
The Drayton Valley Triathlon is back once again. The date this year is Saturday June 1 with things taking place in the area around the pool.
And that same day the seventh annual Walk for ALS is happening in Lions West Valley Park. Registration opens at 10 am and the walk starts at 11 with a barbecue afterwards.
Since we’re talking about doing physical things outside, the Black Gold Brute Obstacle Race is coming up on June 8. That’s in the area around the Omniplex.
The Ol’ Pembina Tractor Pull Society 21st Annual Farmers Day Event is June 8 – 9. Tractor Pulls (8 classes), Concessions, Children’s Money Mine and more…You’ll find that at 56528 – Range Road 71
And there’s a bit of a theme here, because looking further ahead, the agricultural society is also holding an antique tractor pull at the Lions Rodeo Grounds on Saturday June 16.
Cut out the middle man and get your Drayton Valley and District Free Press directly to your email inbox.
Get more activity ideas in for the Drayton Valley and Brazeau County region in our Brazeau and Beyond Travel Guide.
Head over to our travel guide page to download yours today.
Click here: Brazeau and Beyond
The Drayton Valley Air Cadets Squadron 733 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary this year with a barbecue open to the public.
Lamont Cardinal, the chair of the parent committee for the cadets, says that the cadets are technically turning 63 this year, but the original celebration for their 60th had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
“We’re now essentially celebrating our sixtieth anniversary,” says Cardinal.
Cardinal says the barbecue will be held on Sunday, April 21 at their headquarters at 5524 Industrial Road. Only a month later, the 38 cadets will also be attending their Annual Ceremonial Revue, where they will be inspected by a member of the Canadian Military.
While the history of the Air Cadets goes back to the 1940s when the Canadian military recognized they would need more trained pilots for the war effort, Squadron 733 wasn’t established until April 22, 1961.
Originally, only boys were able to join the Cadets. However, when the Canadian Government amended legislation changing the word boys to persons in 1975, girls were allowed to enroll.
Captain Tanya Hunt says over the years there have been many people involved in the Cadets.
“Since the formation of the squadron there have been many commanding officers that have helped form and mold the 733 Drayton Valley Air Cadet Squadron we have today. Capt Matt McCullach, Capt Pat Turner, Capt Brian Torpy, Capt Lorna Luchyk, Capt Randy Romanchuk, Capt Paul Spurrell , Capt Mitch Krasey, Capt Heather Guard, Capt Kate Simpson, Capt Gerald Landers and the current commander Capt Tanya Hunt,” says Hunt in an emailed statement.
She says the barbecue is also about promoting the cadets in the community.
While the cadets do follow many military style rules, they are a separate program than the Canadian Armed Forces, says Cardinal. Given that they are Air Cadets, the members spend some of their time focused on flying.
Cardinal says throughout the year, the parents and members fundraise to pay for cadets to go gliding at least one time. They also do some flying in small engine planes.
If the cadets stick with the program and complete all of the ground school and complete all of the training, Cardinal says they can get their private flying license once they graduate from the program. There are also some scholarships that are available through the Air Cadet League of Canada.
He says it’s also a great program to teach kids responsibility and discipline. All of the cadets are given their own uniforms and are completely responsible for the maintenance of that uniform. That includes sewing on patches, washing and ironing the uniform, and shining their boots.
“It’s all about the self-motivation and self-reliance, along with working as part of a team,” says Cardinal.
He says the cadets are always accepting donations, and all funds donated will go toward programs for the members.
The Drayton Valley RCMP Detachment is looking for a new Staff Sergeant as the current man in charge, Troy Raddatz, heads into retirement.
Raddatz started his time as Staff Sergeant in Drayton Valley in mid-May 2023, just as the community was dealing with the Buck Creek Wildfire. Raddatz hit the ground running with the detachment, and during his time the crime stats have been on a downward trend and the RCMP have been more visible in the community.
Before he was Staff Sergeant in Drayton, Raddatz had spent time in Breton, where he started his career in 2004. In 2010 he moved on to work with the canine unit where he eventually became the program director for dog services in 2017.
In 2023, he decided to make the lateral move to his position in Drayton. He and his wife had life-long friendships from the area, and he was impressed with the detachment in Drayton.
“I really enjoyed my year here, and it was good for my family,” says Raddatz. “We had planned on staying longer, but through a change in our family situation, we decided it was time to retire.”
One of Raddatz’s goals when he first started was seeing the detachment moved to a larger building. While Raddatz has been working diligently on achieving that goal, he says it’s been difficult to get the go ahead from the division.
However, during his last town council meeting report, Raddatz told council that he has been advised that there will be three trailers added to the detachment. He says he has been working with the division to finalize the design for the changes, and he anticipates the trailers will arrive in 2025/26.
“We’re trying to buy ten years for this current detachment,” says Raddatz.
He says during his time in Drayton he’s valued the support that the detachment has received from both the Town and Brazeau County, as well as members of the community.
And Raddatz says he has been happy with the detachment and feels like he’s leaving it in good hands.
“Drayton Valley has a really incredible detachment, and the community is in good hands there,” says Raddatz.
His last day as Staff Sergeant is April 11, and in the meantime, Sergeant Ryan Hoetmer will be the Interim Staff Sergeant until a replacement is found.
The parent advisory council at Winfield Elementary are worried about the future of their school.
Carolyn Schwindt, the president of the school’s PAC, says some motions that the Wetaskiwin Regional Public School Division recently put forward in their board meeting are concerning.
Schwindt says this year the division has a new superintendent, Mike Wake, and Schwindt says that he’s been great to work with so far. However, she doesn’t agree with some of the ideas brought forward for calculating when a school should be closed.
“There’s always been discussion in Wetaskiwin Public Schools on the potential need for closure,” says Schwindt. “We’ve got low enrollment across the board in all schools.”
Schwindt says there are many factors at play when it comes to the enrollment at Winfield. Currently, the school has 63 students and also houses the community’s public library. Schwindt says there are multiple programs that use the school, such as the playschool and gymnastics club.
The motions that were put forward suggested that the school be closed if enrollment was below 60 students. Schwindt says if the number for closure is that close to the number of currently enrolled students, no one can really be certain if the school will stay open from year to year.
She worries this could affect whether teachers look for positions at the school. Or perhaps parents would move their children prematurely because the school might close.
She says since the pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of home-schooled students in the area, which has lowered student enrollment. Allowing families to pick a school of choice for their children also affects the numbers in the schools.
Schwindt says Wake has been focusing on the reason for low numbers and has been actively looking for solutions to the problem.
His most recent proposal was to ask the provincial government for funds to build a K-12 school for the Buck Lake family of schools in the Alder Flats area. Another area that was considered was the Pigeon Lake family of schools becoming consolidated.
But Schwindt says those two school families have schools spread out over a large area. Already, some students are looking at bus rides that are an hour or more in some of those areas. Should the schools be consolidated, many of those bus rides could increase significantly.
As it is, students who choose to go to high school in WRPS rather than the Breton High School with the school of choice option, have to travel to Buck Mountain High School. The distance from Winfield to the Buck Mountain school is 27 kms, and takes about seventeen minutes of straight drive time.
Another thing Schwindt worries about is what would happen to the community should the school be closed.
As of 2011, Winfield had 244 residents. One of the major employers in the area is the school and its closure could have a ripple effect throughout the community.
Schwindt says she has spoken to Wetaskiwin County Council about the issue, but there is little they can do.
Kathy Rooyakkers, the councillor for Division 6 in Wetaskiwin County, says the idea of the school potentially being shut down next year worries her.
“It will affect them big time,” says Rooyakkers.
Rooyakkers says that unfortunately the County cannot stop anything WRPS plans to do. She says they have the opportunity to meet with the division a few times a year, where they discuss issues that concern both the County and the division, but all they can do is give their opinions about the situation.
“At the table, we don’t get a decision,” says Rooyakkers.
She says it’s frustrating, but there isn’t much they can do. At this point, she says the County has not discussed what they would do should the school be closed. She says there may be some other options that could be considered, such as creating a charter school, but council can’t make any changes…
Full story in the April 4, Free Press. Become an email subscriber at www.dvfreepress.com.
Brazeau County is set to spend $560,000 to improve fire suppression in two underserved parts of the municipality. Last week council approved $250,000 for a 210 cubic metre concrete water tank in Lindale and $310,000 for a similar tank and water well in Buck Creek.
The move is the result of a study conducted last year that outlined gaps in water sources for residential fire suppression. Lindale and Buck Creek were identified as areas that did not have access to an adequate source of water that was close enough to be practical in the event of a blaze.
According to the County, the Lindale tank will replace the current holding tank, and will provide year-round fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in case of wildfire in the area. A water well and the below ground tank near the Buck Creek lift station will provide fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in the event of wildfire. Water will be available all year round with no risk of freezing. If drilled to a lower aquifer, the water well will not place residents’ wells at risk.
Meanwhile, with the wildfire season now underway, CAO Kent Edney said that Incident Command System training, which is offered by the Government of Alberta, was being rolled out to staff. Edney said ICS 100 training was now mandatory for all employees. ICS 200, 300 and 400 were also being provided to those who are eligible. Councillors were scheduled to attend ICS 402 training, which is designed for elected officials, last week.
Two training sessions for public contractors held last month have enabled the County to draw up a list of “first calls” in the event of an emergency. The sessions sparked considerable interest, with 55 people attending in Breton February 21 and 112 in Drayton Valley two days later.
A review and update of the County’s Municipal Emergency Plan is expected to be completed by early April.
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
Does Drayton Valley need an indoor gymnasium? Three students from Drayton Christian School think so, and made their case to town council last week.
The students, Lucas, Duan and Dane, are aged 12-13. They suggested that an indoor gym would allow for year round recreation opportunities for sports such as basketball, volleyball and tennis that are not currently available in Drayton Valley.
The list of benefits from the proposal would include giving youth something to do outside school, encouraging a lifelong habit of sports and recreation and providing opportunities to make friends and socialize. Suggested locations were adjacent to the new pool, so the facility could be operated with existing staff, a conversion of the curling rink which would reduce cost by using an existing building, or the current Drayton Christian School gym, which is already built and has appropriate flooring and equipment in place.
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.
The CFRC is an indigenous owned private corporation, which is certified as an educational institution by the government of Canada,
The college currently operates a facility in Alberta Beach. Core services offered include Firefighter I and II training, HazMat responder training and a wildland firefighter program which is geared toward municipal firefighters.
The proposal would see the organization taking over the provincial boxing facility in Lodgepole, which covers more than 15,000 square feet and includes living quarters, a commercial kitchen and a large gymnasium, and turning it into a campus capable of offering a range of firefighting and rescue training for as many as 100 trainees by 2026.
The CFRC also envisions the creation of a fire station and a live fire building.
The estimated overall price tag for the project is a little over $1 million. CFRC staff are working on acquiring grant funding to help offset those costs.
After last week’s presentation, council agreed to write a letter of support for the idea.
Council going live
Starting May 21, county council meetings will be livestreamed online. The County has set up a YouTube channel to allow the public to watch proceedings without having to visit the county office. The link to each meeting will be posted on the County website. Meeting videos will also be archived to allow for viewing at a later date.
Rec board appointment
Council appointed Rina Saar to serve a two-year term as a member at large on the joint Town of Drayton Valley – Brazeau County Recreation Board. The board is composed of two councillors and one member at large from each municipality. Its mandate is to provide input regarding sport, culture, and recreation programs as designated by town and county councils.
Are you a local looking for things to do in and around Drayton Valley, or Brazeau County. Our award winning editor Graham Long, has got your covered in his weekly summary of things happening in Drayton Valley. Have a read of Next Week’s News each week to get an idea on how to plan your, week.
Next Week's News: May 16, 2024 Column
Ready for a long weekend? You must be. You look exhausted.
Victoria Day is Monday May 20, which means it’s a well deserved day off for those of you who have a real job. Currently the weather forecast is calling for it to be … cloudy with showers. That’s rain showers, not snow showers, so I suppose it could be worse.
And once Victoria Day is over, it’s time to start thinking all sorts of summery thoughts. For one thing, it’s usually around now that we have the last frost, so it’s time to start planting things outside if you’re of a horticultural inclination. You’ll find more summer activity ideas in the Free Press travel guide. You can pick up a copy at various locations around the community.
What else is going on? Brazeau County’s household hazardous waste roundup is at the Breton, Buck Lake and Lindale transfer stations May 25 and in Rocky Rapids, Easyford, Cynthia, Lodgepole and Violet Grove June 1.
The Drayton Valley Horse Club’s annual Cancer Ride is coming up May 25.
The 4-H Interclub Achievement Day will be held Monday May 27 at the Omniplex. This is a big deal for those involved and is well worth checking out if you have the time.
The Drayton Valley Triathlon is back once again. The date this year is Saturday June 1 with things taking place in the area around the pool.
And that same day the seventh annual Walk for ALS is happening in Lions West Valley Park. Registration opens at 10 am and the walk starts at 11 with a barbecue afterwards.
Since we’re talking about doing physical things outside, the Black Gold Brute Obstacle Race is coming up on June 8. That’s in the area around the Omniplex.
The Ol’ Pembina Tractor Pull Society 21st Annual Farmers Day Event is June 8 – 9. Tractor Pulls (8 classes), Concessions, Children’s Money Mine and more…You’ll find that at 56528 – Range Road 71
And there’s a bit of a theme here, because looking further ahead, the agricultural society is also holding an antique tractor pull at the Lions Rodeo Grounds on Saturday June 16.
Cut out the middle man and get your Drayton Valley and District Free Press directly to your email inbox.
Get more activity ideas in for the Drayton Valley and Brazeau County region in our Brazeau and Beyond Travel Guide.
Head over to our travel guide page to download yours today.
Click here: Brazeau and Beyond
The Drayton Valley Air Cadets Squadron 733 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary this year with a barbecue open to the public.
Lamont Cardinal, the chair of the parent committee for the cadets, says that the cadets are technically turning 63 this year, but the original celebration for their 60th had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
“We’re now essentially celebrating our sixtieth anniversary,” says Cardinal.
Cardinal says the barbecue will be held on Sunday, April 21 at their headquarters at 5524 Industrial Road. Only a month later, the 38 cadets will also be attending their Annual Ceremonial Revue, where they will be inspected by a member of the Canadian Military.
While the history of the Air Cadets goes back to the 1940s when the Canadian military recognized they would need more trained pilots for the war effort, Squadron 733 wasn’t established until April 22, 1961.
Originally, only boys were able to join the Cadets. However, when the Canadian Government amended legislation changing the word boys to persons in 1975, girls were allowed to enroll.
Captain Tanya Hunt says over the years there have been many people involved in the Cadets.
“Since the formation of the squadron there have been many commanding officers that have helped form and mold the 733 Drayton Valley Air Cadet Squadron we have today. Capt Matt McCullach, Capt Pat Turner, Capt Brian Torpy, Capt Lorna Luchyk, Capt Randy Romanchuk, Capt Paul Spurrell , Capt Mitch Krasey, Capt Heather Guard, Capt Kate Simpson, Capt Gerald Landers and the current commander Capt Tanya Hunt,” says Hunt in an emailed statement.
She says the barbecue is also about promoting the cadets in the community.
While the cadets do follow many military style rules, they are a separate program than the Canadian Armed Forces, says Cardinal. Given that they are Air Cadets, the members spend some of their time focused on flying.
Cardinal says throughout the year, the parents and members fundraise to pay for cadets to go gliding at least one time. They also do some flying in small engine planes.
If the cadets stick with the program and complete all of the ground school and complete all of the training, Cardinal says they can get their private flying license once they graduate from the program. There are also some scholarships that are available through the Air Cadet League of Canada.
He says it’s also a great program to teach kids responsibility and discipline. All of the cadets are given their own uniforms and are completely responsible for the maintenance of that uniform. That includes sewing on patches, washing and ironing the uniform, and shining their boots.
“It’s all about the self-motivation and self-reliance, along with working as part of a team,” says Cardinal.
He says the cadets are always accepting donations, and all funds donated will go toward programs for the members.
The Drayton Valley RCMP Detachment is looking for a new Staff Sergeant as the current man in charge, Troy Raddatz, heads into retirement.
Raddatz started his time as Staff Sergeant in Drayton Valley in mid-May 2023, just as the community was dealing with the Buck Creek Wildfire. Raddatz hit the ground running with the detachment, and during his time the crime stats have been on a downward trend and the RCMP have been more visible in the community.
Before he was Staff Sergeant in Drayton, Raddatz had spent time in Breton, where he started his career in 2004. In 2010 he moved on to work with the canine unit where he eventually became the program director for dog services in 2017.
In 2023, he decided to make the lateral move to his position in Drayton. He and his wife had life-long friendships from the area, and he was impressed with the detachment in Drayton.
“I really enjoyed my year here, and it was good for my family,” says Raddatz. “We had planned on staying longer, but through a change in our family situation, we decided it was time to retire.”
One of Raddatz’s goals when he first started was seeing the detachment moved to a larger building. While Raddatz has been working diligently on achieving that goal, he says it’s been difficult to get the go ahead from the division.
However, during his last town council meeting report, Raddatz told council that he has been advised that there will be three trailers added to the detachment. He says he has been working with the division to finalize the design for the changes, and he anticipates the trailers will arrive in 2025/26.
“We’re trying to buy ten years for this current detachment,” says Raddatz.
He says during his time in Drayton he’s valued the support that the detachment has received from both the Town and Brazeau County, as well as members of the community.
And Raddatz says he has been happy with the detachment and feels like he’s leaving it in good hands.
“Drayton Valley has a really incredible detachment, and the community is in good hands there,” says Raddatz.
His last day as Staff Sergeant is April 11, and in the meantime, Sergeant Ryan Hoetmer will be the Interim Staff Sergeant until a replacement is found.
The parent advisory council at Winfield Elementary are worried about the future of their school.
Carolyn Schwindt, the president of the school’s PAC, says some motions that the Wetaskiwin Regional Public School Division recently put forward in their board meeting are concerning.
Schwindt says this year the division has a new superintendent, Mike Wake, and Schwindt says that he’s been great to work with so far. However, she doesn’t agree with some of the ideas brought forward for calculating when a school should be closed.
“There’s always been discussion in Wetaskiwin Public Schools on the potential need for closure,” says Schwindt. “We’ve got low enrollment across the board in all schools.”
Schwindt says there are many factors at play when it comes to the enrollment at Winfield. Currently, the school has 63 students and also houses the community’s public library. Schwindt says there are multiple programs that use the school, such as the playschool and gymnastics club.
The motions that were put forward suggested that the school be closed if enrollment was below 60 students. Schwindt says if the number for closure is that close to the number of currently enrolled students, no one can really be certain if the school will stay open from year to year.
She worries this could affect whether teachers look for positions at the school. Or perhaps parents would move their children prematurely because the school might close.
She says since the pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of home-schooled students in the area, which has lowered student enrollment. Allowing families to pick a school of choice for their children also affects the numbers in the schools.
Schwindt says Wake has been focusing on the reason for low numbers and has been actively looking for solutions to the problem.
His most recent proposal was to ask the provincial government for funds to build a K-12 school for the Buck Lake family of schools in the Alder Flats area. Another area that was considered was the Pigeon Lake family of schools becoming consolidated.
But Schwindt says those two school families have schools spread out over a large area. Already, some students are looking at bus rides that are an hour or more in some of those areas. Should the schools be consolidated, many of those bus rides could increase significantly.
As it is, students who choose to go to high school in WRPS rather than the Breton High School with the school of choice option, have to travel to Buck Mountain High School. The distance from Winfield to the Buck Mountain school is 27 kms, and takes about seventeen minutes of straight drive time.
Another thing Schwindt worries about is what would happen to the community should the school be closed.
As of 2011, Winfield had 244 residents. One of the major employers in the area is the school and its closure could have a ripple effect throughout the community.
Schwindt says she has spoken to Wetaskiwin County Council about the issue, but there is little they can do.
Kathy Rooyakkers, the councillor for Division 6 in Wetaskiwin County, says the idea of the school potentially being shut down next year worries her.
“It will affect them big time,” says Rooyakkers.
Rooyakkers says that unfortunately the County cannot stop anything WRPS plans to do. She says they have the opportunity to meet with the division a few times a year, where they discuss issues that concern both the County and the division, but all they can do is give their opinions about the situation.
“At the table, we don’t get a decision,” says Rooyakkers.
She says it’s frustrating, but there isn’t much they can do. At this point, she says the County has not discussed what they would do should the school be closed. She says there may be some other options that could be considered, such as creating a charter school, but council can’t make any changes…
Full story in the April 4, Free Press. Become an email subscriber at www.dvfreepress.com.
Brazeau County is set to spend $560,000 to improve fire suppression in two underserved parts of the municipality. Last week council approved $250,000 for a 210 cubic metre concrete water tank in Lindale and $310,000 for a similar tank and water well in Buck Creek.
The move is the result of a study conducted last year that outlined gaps in water sources for residential fire suppression. Lindale and Buck Creek were identified as areas that did not have access to an adequate source of water that was close enough to be practical in the event of a blaze.
According to the County, the Lindale tank will replace the current holding tank, and will provide year-round fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in case of wildfire in the area. A water well and the below ground tank near the Buck Creek lift station will provide fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in the event of wildfire. Water will be available all year round with no risk of freezing. If drilled to a lower aquifer, the water well will not place residents’ wells at risk.
Meanwhile, with the wildfire season now underway, CAO Kent Edney said that Incident Command System training, which is offered by the Government of Alberta, was being rolled out to staff. Edney said ICS 100 training was now mandatory for all employees. ICS 200, 300 and 400 were also being provided to those who are eligible. Councillors were scheduled to attend ICS 402 training, which is designed for elected officials, last week.
Two training sessions for public contractors held last month have enabled the County to draw up a list of “first calls” in the event of an emergency. The sessions sparked considerable interest, with 55 people attending in Breton February 21 and 112 in Drayton Valley two days later.
A review and update of the County’s Municipal Emergency Plan is expected to be completed by early April.
The three students had also conducted a survey of their junior high classmates, with close to 95 percent support for a proposed sports centre including an indoor gym in Drayton Valley.
Mayor Nancy Dodds said the idea lined up with some things council had heard from schools in the community.
“We’ll definitely give this some thought,” she said.
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
When you’re hot, you’re hot. Four separate Drayton Valley area projects have been shortlisted for this year’s Alberta Emerald Awards. That’s more than from any other community outside Edmonton and Calgary.
The Emerald Awards showcase businesses, organizations and individuals who are “raising the bar in addressing environmental and climate change issues,” across a number of categories.
Among local nominees, the Eagle Point-Blue Rapids Parks Council Environmental and Outdoor Education Program has been shortlisted in the education category.
EPBR’s Executive Director Sandra Bannard said the group was “thrilled to make the shortlist.” The outdoor education program “provides a facilitated, positive learning opportunity for youth. Schools and community groups can access our highly trained facilitators to provide fun, hands-on activities that get kids outdoors mastering new skills, achieving learning outcomes and connecting with nature.”
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.
The CFRC is an indigenous owned private corporation, which is certified as an educational institution by the government of Canada,
The college currently operates a facility in Alberta Beach. Core services offered include Firefighter I and II training, HazMat responder training and a wildland firefighter program which is geared toward municipal firefighters.
The proposal would see the organization taking over the provincial boxing facility in Lodgepole, which covers more than 15,000 square feet and includes living quarters, a commercial kitchen and a large gymnasium, and turning it into a campus capable of offering a range of firefighting and rescue training for as many as 100 trainees by 2026.
The CFRC also envisions the creation of a fire station and a live fire building.
The estimated overall price tag for the project is a little over $1 million. CFRC staff are working on acquiring grant funding to help offset those costs.
After last week’s presentation, council agreed to write a letter of support for the idea.
Council going live
Starting May 21, county council meetings will be livestreamed online. The County has set up a YouTube channel to allow the public to watch proceedings without having to visit the county office. The link to each meeting will be posted on the County website. Meeting videos will also be archived to allow for viewing at a later date.
Rec board appointment
Council appointed Rina Saar to serve a two-year term as a member at large on the joint Town of Drayton Valley – Brazeau County Recreation Board. The board is composed of two councillors and one member at large from each municipality. Its mandate is to provide input regarding sport, culture, and recreation programs as designated by town and county councils.
Are you a local looking for things to do in and around Drayton Valley, or Brazeau County. Our award winning editor Graham Long, has got your covered in his weekly summary of things happening in Drayton Valley. Have a read of Next Week’s News each week to get an idea on how to plan your, week.
Next Week's News: May 16, 2024 Column
Ready for a long weekend? You must be. You look exhausted.
Victoria Day is Monday May 20, which means it’s a well deserved day off for those of you who have a real job. Currently the weather forecast is calling for it to be … cloudy with showers. That’s rain showers, not snow showers, so I suppose it could be worse.
And once Victoria Day is over, it’s time to start thinking all sorts of summery thoughts. For one thing, it’s usually around now that we have the last frost, so it’s time to start planting things outside if you’re of a horticultural inclination. You’ll find more summer activity ideas in the Free Press travel guide. You can pick up a copy at various locations around the community.
What else is going on? Brazeau County’s household hazardous waste roundup is at the Breton, Buck Lake and Lindale transfer stations May 25 and in Rocky Rapids, Easyford, Cynthia, Lodgepole and Violet Grove June 1.
The Drayton Valley Horse Club’s annual Cancer Ride is coming up May 25.
The 4-H Interclub Achievement Day will be held Monday May 27 at the Omniplex. This is a big deal for those involved and is well worth checking out if you have the time.
The Drayton Valley Triathlon is back once again. The date this year is Saturday June 1 with things taking place in the area around the pool.
And that same day the seventh annual Walk for ALS is happening in Lions West Valley Park. Registration opens at 10 am and the walk starts at 11 with a barbecue afterwards.
Since we’re talking about doing physical things outside, the Black Gold Brute Obstacle Race is coming up on June 8. That’s in the area around the Omniplex.
The Ol’ Pembina Tractor Pull Society 21st Annual Farmers Day Event is June 8 – 9. Tractor Pulls (8 classes), Concessions, Children’s Money Mine and more…You’ll find that at 56528 – Range Road 71
And there’s a bit of a theme here, because looking further ahead, the agricultural society is also holding an antique tractor pull at the Lions Rodeo Grounds on Saturday June 16.
Cut out the middle man and get your Drayton Valley and District Free Press directly to your email inbox.
Get more activity ideas in for the Drayton Valley and Brazeau County region in our Brazeau and Beyond Travel Guide.
Head over to our travel guide page to download yours today.
Click here: Brazeau and Beyond
The Drayton Valley Air Cadets Squadron 733 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary this year with a barbecue open to the public.
Lamont Cardinal, the chair of the parent committee for the cadets, says that the cadets are technically turning 63 this year, but the original celebration for their 60th had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
“We’re now essentially celebrating our sixtieth anniversary,” says Cardinal.
Cardinal says the barbecue will be held on Sunday, April 21 at their headquarters at 5524 Industrial Road. Only a month later, the 38 cadets will also be attending their Annual Ceremonial Revue, where they will be inspected by a member of the Canadian Military.
While the history of the Air Cadets goes back to the 1940s when the Canadian military recognized they would need more trained pilots for the war effort, Squadron 733 wasn’t established until April 22, 1961.
Originally, only boys were able to join the Cadets. However, when the Canadian Government amended legislation changing the word boys to persons in 1975, girls were allowed to enroll.
Captain Tanya Hunt says over the years there have been many people involved in the Cadets.
“Since the formation of the squadron there have been many commanding officers that have helped form and mold the 733 Drayton Valley Air Cadet Squadron we have today. Capt Matt McCullach, Capt Pat Turner, Capt Brian Torpy, Capt Lorna Luchyk, Capt Randy Romanchuk, Capt Paul Spurrell , Capt Mitch Krasey, Capt Heather Guard, Capt Kate Simpson, Capt Gerald Landers and the current commander Capt Tanya Hunt,” says Hunt in an emailed statement.
She says the barbecue is also about promoting the cadets in the community.
While the cadets do follow many military style rules, they are a separate program than the Canadian Armed Forces, says Cardinal. Given that they are Air Cadets, the members spend some of their time focused on flying.
Cardinal says throughout the year, the parents and members fundraise to pay for cadets to go gliding at least one time. They also do some flying in small engine planes.
If the cadets stick with the program and complete all of the ground school and complete all of the training, Cardinal says they can get their private flying license once they graduate from the program. There are also some scholarships that are available through the Air Cadet League of Canada.
He says it’s also a great program to teach kids responsibility and discipline. All of the cadets are given their own uniforms and are completely responsible for the maintenance of that uniform. That includes sewing on patches, washing and ironing the uniform, and shining their boots.
“It’s all about the self-motivation and self-reliance, along with working as part of a team,” says Cardinal.
He says the cadets are always accepting donations, and all funds donated will go toward programs for the members.
The Drayton Valley RCMP Detachment is looking for a new Staff Sergeant as the current man in charge, Troy Raddatz, heads into retirement.
Raddatz started his time as Staff Sergeant in Drayton Valley in mid-May 2023, just as the community was dealing with the Buck Creek Wildfire. Raddatz hit the ground running with the detachment, and during his time the crime stats have been on a downward trend and the RCMP have been more visible in the community.
Before he was Staff Sergeant in Drayton, Raddatz had spent time in Breton, where he started his career in 2004. In 2010 he moved on to work with the canine unit where he eventually became the program director for dog services in 2017.
In 2023, he decided to make the lateral move to his position in Drayton. He and his wife had life-long friendships from the area, and he was impressed with the detachment in Drayton.
“I really enjoyed my year here, and it was good for my family,” says Raddatz. “We had planned on staying longer, but through a change in our family situation, we decided it was time to retire.”
One of Raddatz’s goals when he first started was seeing the detachment moved to a larger building. While Raddatz has been working diligently on achieving that goal, he says it’s been difficult to get the go ahead from the division.
However, during his last town council meeting report, Raddatz told council that he has been advised that there will be three trailers added to the detachment. He says he has been working with the division to finalize the design for the changes, and he anticipates the trailers will arrive in 2025/26.
“We’re trying to buy ten years for this current detachment,” says Raddatz.
He says during his time in Drayton he’s valued the support that the detachment has received from both the Town and Brazeau County, as well as members of the community.
And Raddatz says he has been happy with the detachment and feels like he’s leaving it in good hands.
“Drayton Valley has a really incredible detachment, and the community is in good hands there,” says Raddatz.
His last day as Staff Sergeant is April 11, and in the meantime, Sergeant Ryan Hoetmer will be the Interim Staff Sergeant until a replacement is found.
The parent advisory council at Winfield Elementary are worried about the future of their school.
Carolyn Schwindt, the president of the school’s PAC, says some motions that the Wetaskiwin Regional Public School Division recently put forward in their board meeting are concerning.
Schwindt says this year the division has a new superintendent, Mike Wake, and Schwindt says that he’s been great to work with so far. However, she doesn’t agree with some of the ideas brought forward for calculating when a school should be closed.
“There’s always been discussion in Wetaskiwin Public Schools on the potential need for closure,” says Schwindt. “We’ve got low enrollment across the board in all schools.”
Schwindt says there are many factors at play when it comes to the enrollment at Winfield. Currently, the school has 63 students and also houses the community’s public library. Schwindt says there are multiple programs that use the school, such as the playschool and gymnastics club.
The motions that were put forward suggested that the school be closed if enrollment was below 60 students. Schwindt says if the number for closure is that close to the number of currently enrolled students, no one can really be certain if the school will stay open from year to year.
She worries this could affect whether teachers look for positions at the school. Or perhaps parents would move their children prematurely because the school might close.
She says since the pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of home-schooled students in the area, which has lowered student enrollment. Allowing families to pick a school of choice for their children also affects the numbers in the schools.
Schwindt says Wake has been focusing on the reason for low numbers and has been actively looking for solutions to the problem.
His most recent proposal was to ask the provincial government for funds to build a K-12 school for the Buck Lake family of schools in the Alder Flats area. Another area that was considered was the Pigeon Lake family of schools becoming consolidated.
But Schwindt says those two school families have schools spread out over a large area. Already, some students are looking at bus rides that are an hour or more in some of those areas. Should the schools be consolidated, many of those bus rides could increase significantly.
As it is, students who choose to go to high school in WRPS rather than the Breton High School with the school of choice option, have to travel to Buck Mountain High School. The distance from Winfield to the Buck Mountain school is 27 kms, and takes about seventeen minutes of straight drive time.
Another thing Schwindt worries about is what would happen to the community should the school be closed.
As of 2011, Winfield had 244 residents. One of the major employers in the area is the school and its closure could have a ripple effect throughout the community.
Schwindt says she has spoken to Wetaskiwin County Council about the issue, but there is little they can do.
Kathy Rooyakkers, the councillor for Division 6 in Wetaskiwin County, says the idea of the school potentially being shut down next year worries her.
“It will affect them big time,” says Rooyakkers.
Rooyakkers says that unfortunately the County cannot stop anything WRPS plans to do. She says they have the opportunity to meet with the division a few times a year, where they discuss issues that concern both the County and the division, but all they can do is give their opinions about the situation.
“At the table, we don’t get a decision,” says Rooyakkers.
She says it’s frustrating, but there isn’t much they can do. At this point, she says the County has not discussed what they would do should the school be closed. She says there may be some other options that could be considered, such as creating a charter school, but council can’t make any changes…
Full story in the April 4, Free Press. Become an email subscriber at www.dvfreepress.com.
Brazeau County is set to spend $560,000 to improve fire suppression in two underserved parts of the municipality. Last week council approved $250,000 for a 210 cubic metre concrete water tank in Lindale and $310,000 for a similar tank and water well in Buck Creek.
The move is the result of a study conducted last year that outlined gaps in water sources for residential fire suppression. Lindale and Buck Creek were identified as areas that did not have access to an adequate source of water that was close enough to be practical in the event of a blaze.
According to the County, the Lindale tank will replace the current holding tank, and will provide year-round fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in case of wildfire in the area. A water well and the below ground tank near the Buck Creek lift station will provide fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in the event of wildfire. Water will be available all year round with no risk of freezing. If drilled to a lower aquifer, the water well will not place residents’ wells at risk.
Meanwhile, with the wildfire season now underway, CAO Kent Edney said that Incident Command System training, which is offered by the Government of Alberta, was being rolled out to staff. Edney said ICS 100 training was now mandatory for all employees. ICS 200, 300 and 400 were also being provided to those who are eligible. Councillors were scheduled to attend ICS 402 training, which is designed for elected officials, last week.
Two training sessions for public contractors held last month have enabled the County to draw up a list of “first calls” in the event of an emergency. The sessions sparked considerable interest, with 55 people attending in Breton February 21 and 112 in Drayton Valley two days later.
A review and update of the County’s Municipal Emergency Plan is expected to be completed by early April.
Brazeau County’s Violet Grove Constructed Floating Wetlands System with Aeration is shortlisted under the government category. Wetlands act as a natural system for filtering and purifying surface water. Constructed Floating Wetlands aim to replicate that process over the County’s lagoons in order to enhance the treatment of domestic household wastewater. Native wetland species of plants are allowed to grow over the wastewater, and their root systems take up nutrients and release oxygen into the lagoon. The project aims to extend the lifespan of the lagoon and ensure cleaner runoff enters rivers and lakes.
“Brazeau County is a leader in harnessing the power of nature to treat municipal wastewater,” said Reeve Bart Guyon. “The fact that there are four local projects shortlisted for these awards is confirmation of the fact that Brazeau County is on the leading edge of innovative and unique approaches to environmental sustainability and infrastructure.”
The other local nominees are Solar Aquatic Systems Wastewater Treatment, which is shortlisted in the infrastructure category, and GreenLearning’s Eco 360 program: Transitioning to a circular economy for plastic waste which is shortlisted for public engagement and outreach.
“Those represented in this year’s shortlist demonstrate the incredible dedication that Albertans have toward protecting our environment and taking action against climate change” said The Alberta Emerald Foundation’s Executive Director, Marisa Orfei, “The diversity in the shortlist is also astounding, there’s small grassroots organizations, large corporations, and everything in between. We’re also incredibly proud to have 17 communities across Alberta represented in this year’s shortlist, including Drayton Valley, Grande Cache, Canmore, and many more.”
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
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Drayton Valley is once again going to be down to two doctor’s clinics by June 30.
After nearly forty years, the Malone clinic will be closing its doors, though the IDA Pharmacy will still remain open.
Pat Jeffery, the chair of the Pembina Physicians Recruitment and Retention Committee, says the committee is concerned about the future of healthcare in the community.
“Dismayed would be the word that comes to mind,” says Jeffery
Though two new physicians have recently started in the community, this closure will mean the loss of five physicians. Jeffery says Alberta Health Services is advertising three job postings for the community, which won’t quite fill the gap.
She says the committee knew about the retirement of Dr. Roz Beacom and Dr. Mike Peyton, but they hadn’t anticipated that Dr. Afe Okafor would be moving her practice to Edmonton. They were also unaware that Dr. Raf Ali and Dr. Amni Ali would be retiring from their practice as well.
Jeffery says AHS doesn’t play a role in deciding the placement of any new physicians in the community. So it’s not certain if they will be placed at the Claro Clinic or the Shale Clinic. And that’s assuming either of the clinics has the physical space for more doctors
The Malone building will remain in place, and Jeffery says there’s a possibility that other physicians will come in and open another clinic.
While the community is down those physicians, Mina Bolos, the owner of the IDA Malone Pharmacy, says he may be able to help out a little bit.
“I am a prescribing pharmacist,” he says. “I think the community around needs somebody to help with some of the minor ailments.
Bolos says he’s also the only diabetic educator in town. “I have the licensing for that,” he says.
Anyone who needs help learning about insulin, the medication, and how to use the injections can talk to Bolos.
The Drayton Valley Free Press was unable to make contact with Dr. Beacom or Dr. Peyton by the deadline for this article
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
So far it looks like the vast majority of area residents have escaped the wildfires without suffering serious property damage. Sadly that’s not true of everyone. It’s been confirmed that four homes were destroyed on the fringes of Drayton Valley. Further north, Pembina River Tubing was completely destroyed by the fire in Parkland County.
Pembina River Tubing was established in 2007 and offered visitors the opportunity to enjoy a day of fresh air and fun on the river. When the fire hit last week Cheryl Harris watched the business she and her husband Dan had built go up in smoke.
“Thursday early afternoon I was in Evansburg picking up some supplies and saw the Evansburg fire start up again,” she said in an email. “The wind was crazy strong. I saw the smoke again with the Parkland fire and started to organize our personal items better.”
The following day Harris made a trip to the store and then tried to relax. She was able to monitor the business property through its security cameras.
“2:30 pm I saw the fire close to the property on the south side. I knew it was going to be finished. Nothing was stopping this monster this time,” she says.
Aircraft dropping water and retardant tried to hold the flames off, but the wind proved too strong. As Harris continued to watch, the inevitable happened.
“From the east camera I saw some bad smoke. That was the one that would take out the rest of the property. I could do nothing but watch. Then at 3:30 pm the cameras stopped transmitting and it was all over but the crying.”
Once it reached the property the fire took out the general store, the security cabin and the rental booths, along with all the tubes and life jackets.
Since then Harris says she’s heard from numerous people who’ve told her how much they’d enjoyed their experience on the river and the service Pembina River Tubing offered.
“We are glad we are safe, but everything we had built from 2007 to now is gone. Time to reinvent our business and move forward,” she says. “Thank you Pembina River Tubing for all the memories you gave us.”
But the story doesn’t end there. Harris says in spite of everything, she and her husband will find another way to help keep customers coming back to enjoy the river. She’s glad firefighters were able to save Entwistle itself from the flames that threatened the community for several days.
“Our community will have a lot of stories to tell and we will spring back as best we can,” she says. “We will come together as never before and reinvent what we do.”
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
It looks like there will be Alberta Junior Hockey League action in Drayton Valley for the foreseeable future. The Drayton Valley Thunder has come to a multi-year agreement with the Town regarding use of the Omniplex.
“I’m thrilled that the Thunder will continue to play in our facility,” said Mayor Nancy Dodds. “We are fortunate to have such an exceptional and exciting hockey team in our hometown, and I’m so pleased that a successful agreement was met.”
Details of the agreement are not available. Previous deals between the Town and the hockey club have covered areas such as cost for ice time and changing rooms, and revenue from advertising in Omni 1.
The Thunder have been in the community and a part of the Alberta Junior Hockey League since 1998 and were league champions in 2002. In the just completed 2022-2023 season the team finished last in the north division and did not make the playoffs. A release from the Town said the municipality recognizes “the benefits the team and its players have brought to Drayton Valley over the last 25 years, including its various volunteer efforts, local economic spin-off and positive role model positions that support the next generation through their annual kid’s camp, and the Jr. Thunder Kids Club.”
The Thunder’s annual Kid’s Hockey School is set for August 14-18. The 2023-2024 AJHL season is expected to get underway in mid- September.
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
Does Drayton Valley need an indoor gymnasium? Three students from Drayton Christian School think so, and made their case to town council last week.
The students, Lucas, Duan and Dane, are aged 12-13. They suggested that an indoor gym would allow for year round recreation opportunities for sports such as basketball, volleyball and tennis that are not currently available in Drayton Valley.
The list of benefits from the proposal would include giving youth something to do outside school, encouraging a lifelong habit of sports and recreation and providing opportunities to make friends and socialize. Suggested locations were adjacent to the new pool, so the facility could be operated with existing staff, a conversion of the curling rink which would reduce cost by using an existing building, or the current Drayton Christian School gym, which is already built and has appropriate flooring and equipment in place.
The three students had also conducted a survey of their junior high classmates, with close to 95 percent support for a proposed sports centre including an indoor gym in Drayton Valley.
Mayor Nancy Dodds said the idea lined up with some things council had heard from schools in the community.
“We’ll definitely give this some thought,” she said.
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
Things are looking good in Alberta’s oil patch. After some very tough years activity has bounced back, as has the price of a barrel of crude. But the current level of prosperity doesn’t always filter down to the communities where the industry is focused.
According to a report published earlier this month by the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) approximately $268 million in property taxes owed to rural municipalities by oil and gas companies has gone unpaid. That number represents a 6.1 percent increase from amounts reported for the 2021 tax year, and a 231.5 percent increase from the 2018 tax year, which was the first year that the RMA collected such data.
While some of that amount is owned by companies that are no longer in operation, a significant portion is attributed to companies that are still active in Alberta.
“Given the success of the industry and the wealth it has generated, I am shocked that I still have to discuss this issue, and that rural municipalities and rural property owners continue to be forced to subsidize an industry in a massive boom period,” said RMA President Paul McLauchlin in a media release. “While oil and gas revenues flow to government as royalties or out of the province to shareholders, industry and the provincial government assume rural municipalities can magically maintain service levels even as they face an average shortfall of nearly $4 million due to non-payment of taxes.”
Brazeau County is among the municipalities impacted by the non-payment, although not to the extent suffered by some others. At the last county council meeting director of Corporate Services Colin Swap estimated the County was owed “a couple of hundred thousand,” in unpaid taxes.
Earlier this week the provincial government issued a ministerial order under the Responsible Energy Development Act, requiring the Alberta Energy Regulator to receive proof that municipal taxes have been paid prior to granting licence transfers or new licences. Companies will have to confirm either that their unpaid municipal taxes across the province do not exceed the maximum threshold allowed or that they have a repayment agreement in place. The actual level of the maximum threshold has not yet been determined.
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
Things are looking good in Alberta’s oil patch. After some very tough years activity has bounced back, as has the price of a barrel of crude. But the current level of prosperity doesn’t always filter down to the communities where the industry is focused.
According to a report published earlier this month by the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) approximately $268 million in property taxes owed to rural municipalities by oil and gas companies has gone unpaid. That number represents a 6.1 percent increase from amounts reported for the 2021 tax year, and a 231.5 percent increase from the 2018 tax year, which was the first year that the RMA collected such data.
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.
The CFRC is an indigenous owned private corporation, which is certified as an educational institution by the government of Canada,
The college currently operates a facility in Alberta Beach. Core services offered include Firefighter I and II training, HazMat responder training and a wildland firefighter program which is geared toward municipal firefighters.
The proposal would see the organization taking over the provincial boxing facility in Lodgepole, which covers more than 15,000 square feet and includes living quarters, a commercial kitchen and a large gymnasium, and turning it into a campus capable of offering a range of firefighting and rescue training for as many as 100 trainees by 2026.
The CFRC also envisions the creation of a fire station and a live fire building.
The estimated overall price tag for the project is a little over $1 million. CFRC staff are working on acquiring grant funding to help offset those costs.
After last week’s presentation, council agreed to write a letter of support for the idea.
Council going live
Starting May 21, county council meetings will be livestreamed online. The County has set up a YouTube channel to allow the public to watch proceedings without having to visit the county office. The link to each meeting will be posted on the County website. Meeting videos will also be archived to allow for viewing at a later date.
Rec board appointment
Council appointed Rina Saar to serve a two-year term as a member at large on the joint Town of Drayton Valley – Brazeau County Recreation Board. The board is composed of two councillors and one member at large from each municipality. Its mandate is to provide input regarding sport, culture, and recreation programs as designated by town and county councils.
Are you a local looking for things to do in and around Drayton Valley, or Brazeau County. Our award winning editor Graham Long, has got your covered in his weekly summary of things happening in Drayton Valley. Have a read of Next Week’s News each week to get an idea on how to plan your, week.
Next Week's News: May 16, 2024 Column
Ready for a long weekend? You must be. You look exhausted.
Victoria Day is Monday May 20, which means it’s a well deserved day off for those of you who have a real job. Currently the weather forecast is calling for it to be … cloudy with showers. That’s rain showers, not snow showers, so I suppose it could be worse.
And once Victoria Day is over, it’s time to start thinking all sorts of summery thoughts. For one thing, it’s usually around now that we have the last frost, so it’s time to start planting things outside if you’re of a horticultural inclination. You’ll find more summer activity ideas in the Free Press travel guide. You can pick up a copy at various locations around the community.
What else is going on? Brazeau County’s household hazardous waste roundup is at the Breton, Buck Lake and Lindale transfer stations May 25 and in Rocky Rapids, Easyford, Cynthia, Lodgepole and Violet Grove June 1.
The Drayton Valley Horse Club’s annual Cancer Ride is coming up May 25.
The 4-H Interclub Achievement Day will be held Monday May 27 at the Omniplex. This is a big deal for those involved and is well worth checking out if you have the time.
The Drayton Valley Triathlon is back once again. The date this year is Saturday June 1 with things taking place in the area around the pool.
And that same day the seventh annual Walk for ALS is happening in Lions West Valley Park. Registration opens at 10 am and the walk starts at 11 with a barbecue afterwards.
Since we’re talking about doing physical things outside, the Black Gold Brute Obstacle Race is coming up on June 8. That’s in the area around the Omniplex.
The Ol’ Pembina Tractor Pull Society 21st Annual Farmers Day Event is June 8 – 9. Tractor Pulls (8 classes), Concessions, Children’s Money Mine and more…You’ll find that at 56528 – Range Road 71
And there’s a bit of a theme here, because looking further ahead, the agricultural society is also holding an antique tractor pull at the Lions Rodeo Grounds on Saturday June 16.
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Get more activity ideas in for the Drayton Valley and Brazeau County region in our Brazeau and Beyond Travel Guide.
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Click here: Brazeau and Beyond
The Drayton Valley Air Cadets Squadron 733 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary this year with a barbecue open to the public.
Lamont Cardinal, the chair of the parent committee for the cadets, says that the cadets are technically turning 63 this year, but the original celebration for their 60th had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
“We’re now essentially celebrating our sixtieth anniversary,” says Cardinal.
Cardinal says the barbecue will be held on Sunday, April 21 at their headquarters at 5524 Industrial Road. Only a month later, the 38 cadets will also be attending their Annual Ceremonial Revue, where they will be inspected by a member of the Canadian Military.
While the history of the Air Cadets goes back to the 1940s when the Canadian military recognized they would need more trained pilots for the war effort, Squadron 733 wasn’t established until April 22, 1961.
Originally, only boys were able to join the Cadets. However, when the Canadian Government amended legislation changing the word boys to persons in 1975, girls were allowed to enroll.
Captain Tanya Hunt says over the years there have been many people involved in the Cadets.
“Since the formation of the squadron there have been many commanding officers that have helped form and mold the 733 Drayton Valley Air Cadet Squadron we have today. Capt Matt McCullach, Capt Pat Turner, Capt Brian Torpy, Capt Lorna Luchyk, Capt Randy Romanchuk, Capt Paul Spurrell , Capt Mitch Krasey, Capt Heather Guard, Capt Kate Simpson, Capt Gerald Landers and the current commander Capt Tanya Hunt,” says Hunt in an emailed statement.
She says the barbecue is also about promoting the cadets in the community.
While the cadets do follow many military style rules, they are a separate program than the Canadian Armed Forces, says Cardinal. Given that they are Air Cadets, the members spend some of their time focused on flying.
Cardinal says throughout the year, the parents and members fundraise to pay for cadets to go gliding at least one time. They also do some flying in small engine planes.
If the cadets stick with the program and complete all of the ground school and complete all of the training, Cardinal says they can get their private flying license once they graduate from the program. There are also some scholarships that are available through the Air Cadet League of Canada.
He says it’s also a great program to teach kids responsibility and discipline. All of the cadets are given their own uniforms and are completely responsible for the maintenance of that uniform. That includes sewing on patches, washing and ironing the uniform, and shining their boots.
“It’s all about the self-motivation and self-reliance, along with working as part of a team,” says Cardinal.
He says the cadets are always accepting donations, and all funds donated will go toward programs for the members.
The Drayton Valley RCMP Detachment is looking for a new Staff Sergeant as the current man in charge, Troy Raddatz, heads into retirement.
Raddatz started his time as Staff Sergeant in Drayton Valley in mid-May 2023, just as the community was dealing with the Buck Creek Wildfire. Raddatz hit the ground running with the detachment, and during his time the crime stats have been on a downward trend and the RCMP have been more visible in the community.
Before he was Staff Sergeant in Drayton, Raddatz had spent time in Breton, where he started his career in 2004. In 2010 he moved on to work with the canine unit where he eventually became the program director for dog services in 2017.
In 2023, he decided to make the lateral move to his position in Drayton. He and his wife had life-long friendships from the area, and he was impressed with the detachment in Drayton.
“I really enjoyed my year here, and it was good for my family,” says Raddatz. “We had planned on staying longer, but through a change in our family situation, we decided it was time to retire.”
One of Raddatz’s goals when he first started was seeing the detachment moved to a larger building. While Raddatz has been working diligently on achieving that goal, he says it’s been difficult to get the go ahead from the division.
However, during his last town council meeting report, Raddatz told council that he has been advised that there will be three trailers added to the detachment. He says he has been working with the division to finalize the design for the changes, and he anticipates the trailers will arrive in 2025/26.
“We’re trying to buy ten years for this current detachment,” says Raddatz.
He says during his time in Drayton he’s valued the support that the detachment has received from both the Town and Brazeau County, as well as members of the community.
And Raddatz says he has been happy with the detachment and feels like he’s leaving it in good hands.
“Drayton Valley has a really incredible detachment, and the community is in good hands there,” says Raddatz.
His last day as Staff Sergeant is April 11, and in the meantime, Sergeant Ryan Hoetmer will be the Interim Staff Sergeant until a replacement is found.
The parent advisory council at Winfield Elementary are worried about the future of their school.
Carolyn Schwindt, the president of the school’s PAC, says some motions that the Wetaskiwin Regional Public School Division recently put forward in their board meeting are concerning.
Schwindt says this year the division has a new superintendent, Mike Wake, and Schwindt says that he’s been great to work with so far. However, she doesn’t agree with some of the ideas brought forward for calculating when a school should be closed.
“There’s always been discussion in Wetaskiwin Public Schools on the potential need for closure,” says Schwindt. “We’ve got low enrollment across the board in all schools.”
Schwindt says there are many factors at play when it comes to the enrollment at Winfield. Currently, the school has 63 students and also houses the community’s public library. Schwindt says there are multiple programs that use the school, such as the playschool and gymnastics club.
The motions that were put forward suggested that the school be closed if enrollment was below 60 students. Schwindt says if the number for closure is that close to the number of currently enrolled students, no one can really be certain if the school will stay open from year to year.
She worries this could affect whether teachers look for positions at the school. Or perhaps parents would move their children prematurely because the school might close.
She says since the pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of home-schooled students in the area, which has lowered student enrollment. Allowing families to pick a school of choice for their children also affects the numbers in the schools.
Schwindt says Wake has been focusing on the reason for low numbers and has been actively looking for solutions to the problem.
His most recent proposal was to ask the provincial government for funds to build a K-12 school for the Buck Lake family of schools in the Alder Flats area. Another area that was considered was the Pigeon Lake family of schools becoming consolidated.
But Schwindt says those two school families have schools spread out over a large area. Already, some students are looking at bus rides that are an hour or more in some of those areas. Should the schools be consolidated, many of those bus rides could increase significantly.
As it is, students who choose to go to high school in WRPS rather than the Breton High School with the school of choice option, have to travel to Buck Mountain High School. The distance from Winfield to the Buck Mountain school is 27 kms, and takes about seventeen minutes of straight drive time.
Another thing Schwindt worries about is what would happen to the community should the school be closed.
As of 2011, Winfield had 244 residents. One of the major employers in the area is the school and its closure could have a ripple effect throughout the community.
Schwindt says she has spoken to Wetaskiwin County Council about the issue, but there is little they can do.
Kathy Rooyakkers, the councillor for Division 6 in Wetaskiwin County, says the idea of the school potentially being shut down next year worries her.
“It will affect them big time,” says Rooyakkers.
Rooyakkers says that unfortunately the County cannot stop anything WRPS plans to do. She says they have the opportunity to meet with the division a few times a year, where they discuss issues that concern both the County and the division, but all they can do is give their opinions about the situation.
“At the table, we don’t get a decision,” says Rooyakkers.
She says it’s frustrating, but there isn’t much they can do. At this point, she says the County has not discussed what they would do should the school be closed. She says there may be some other options that could be considered, such as creating a charter school, but council can’t make any changes…
Full story in the April 4, Free Press. Become an email subscriber at www.dvfreepress.com.
Brazeau County is set to spend $560,000 to improve fire suppression in two underserved parts of the municipality. Last week council approved $250,000 for a 210 cubic metre concrete water tank in Lindale and $310,000 for a similar tank and water well in Buck Creek.
The move is the result of a study conducted last year that outlined gaps in water sources for residential fire suppression. Lindale and Buck Creek were identified as areas that did not have access to an adequate source of water that was close enough to be practical in the event of a blaze.
According to the County, the Lindale tank will replace the current holding tank, and will provide year-round fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in case of wildfire in the area. A water well and the below ground tank near the Buck Creek lift station will provide fire suppression for structure fires as well as assisting in the event of wildfire. Water will be available all year round with no risk of freezing. If drilled to a lower aquifer, the water well will not place residents’ wells at risk.
Meanwhile, with the wildfire season now underway, CAO Kent Edney said that Incident Command System training, which is offered by the Government of Alberta, was being rolled out to staff. Edney said ICS 100 training was now mandatory for all employees. ICS 200, 300 and 400 were also being provided to those who are eligible. Councillors were scheduled to attend ICS 402 training, which is designed for elected officials, last week.
Two training sessions for public contractors held last month have enabled the County to draw up a list of “first calls” in the event of an emergency. The sessions sparked considerable interest, with 55 people attending in Breton February 21 and 112 in Drayton Valley two days later.
A review and update of the County’s Municipal Emergency Plan is expected to be completed by early April.
While some of that amount is owned by companies that are no longer in operation, a significant portion is attributed to companies that are still active in Alberta.
“Given the success of the industry and the wealth it has generated, I am shocked that I still have to discuss this issue, and that rural municipalities and rural property owners continue to be forced to subsidize an industry in a massive boom period,” said RMA President Paul McLauchlin in a media release. “While oil and gas revenues flow to government as royalties or out of the province to shareholders, industry and the provincial government assume rural municipalities can magically maintain service levels even as they face an average shortfall of nearly $4 million due to non-payment of taxes.”
Brazeau County is among the municipalities impacted by the non-payment, although not to the extent suffered by some others. At the last county council meeting director of Corporate Services Colin Swap estimated the County was owed “a couple of hundred thousand,” in unpaid taxes.
Earlier this week the provincial government issued a ministerial order under the Responsible Energy Development Act, requiring the Alberta Energy Regulator to receive proof that municipal taxes have been paid prior to granting licence transfers or new licences. Companies will have to confirm either that their unpaid municipal taxes across the province do not exceed the maximum threshold allowed or that they have a repayment agreement in place. The actual level of the maximum threshold has not yet been determined.
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
Fire meeting answers questions
Town and County residents who had concerns and questions about the Buck Creek fire got some answers on June 26 at a meeting at Buck Creek Hall.
A decade of Warming Hearts
Today, Warming Hearts is a space where people can come to eat, do laundry, shower, get some clothes, or relax in a warm building.
New school moving forward
Last week, some parents from H.W. Pickup gathered to hear from Wild Rose School Division superintendent Brad Volkman and the board trustee for ward one, Daryl Scott, to get an update about the new Powerhouse Learning Campus.
County to host fire meeting
Brazeau County residents with questions, kudos or concerns about the handling of the Buck Creek Fire will be able to have their say June 26.
