How’s that new year’s resolution working out? Yeah, I thought so, there’s a guilty look about you.
But I am not here to apportion blame. Not today, anyway. Because resolutions are a bad idea.
It’s all very well to sit nursing an eggnog hangover on New Year’s Day and decide you’re going to quit smoking, lose weight or stop stealing electricity from your neighbours. It’s something else entirely to find yourself several days later cigaretteless, hungry and faced with the grim reality of having to pay for your own hot water.
Why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we start the year by setting ourselves up for almost certain failure? Things are miserable enough in the middle of January without any extra help. You’re probably broke, you’re almost certainly bloated and there’s a very good chance that you’re also bloody cold. Remember a few weeks ago when we had all that freezing rain and everything was covered in a thin layer of ice? I’m starting to miss that.
The Alberta Junior Hockey League is now an 11 team organization. The defection of five breakaway teams to the British Columbia Hockey League was confirmed last week.
“We are disappointed – but not surprised – that the five defecting clubs now intend to drop out of the AJHL to immediately participate in an unsanctioned exhibition series,” the AJHL said in a statement.
The defecting teams are the Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Blackfalds Bulldogs, Spruce Grove Saints and Sherwood Park Crusaders. In recent years those organizations have been the most successful in the AJHL. Prior to their defection, four of them occupied the top four places in the league standings for the current 2023-2024 season.
With the five teams now removed from the rankings, the Whitecourt Wolverines jump to top spot on 59 points. The Drayton Valley Thunder sit in tenth place on 34 points. Those two teams met in a rescheduled game on Sunday afternoon, with the Wolverines winning 3-0.
Last week the AJHL thanked the 11 remaining teams for their support as the league looked to move forward. It also indicated that it may be looking at adding more teams before too long.
“The AJHL has a strong future. We are grateful for the messages of support our players and coaches have received from hockey fans across the country over the past week,” the league said. “We also appreciate the expressions of interest coming from various partners and stakeholders who are exploring the possibility of becoming part of our great league.”
It’s still not clear what format the playoffs will take in the downsized AJHL. The regular season continues without the five clubs that are now part of the British Columbia League. That schedule sees the Thunder host the Calgary Canucks on Friday evening before heading to Olds on Sunday to take on the Grizzlys.
Firefighters recognized for service
Five active members and two retired members of Drayton Valley/Brazeau County Fire Services were awarded the Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal on behalf of the Governor General on November 26.
Retired firefighters Lieutenant Clifford Swan and Brad Charlton of the Breton station were awarded the 20 year service medal, along with Acting Battalion Chief Colin Bredin. Deputy Fire Chief Murray Galavan, Deputy Fire Chief Kamil Lasek, and Battalion Chief Mike Gramlich of the Drayton Valley station were all given their 20 year service medals, as well.
Battalion Chief Mark Raines of the Breton station was awarded his 1st bar for 30 years of service as he has already received an Exemplary Service Medal for 20 years of service.
The members were also congratulated at the November 29 town council meeting.
“That’s a big shout out,” says Mayor Nancy Dodds. “Thank you, and thank you to your families.”
Fire Chief Tom Thomson, who had the honour of nominating the award winners, says the medal isn’t just for the years of service that a firefighter has worked.
“You have to show exemplary service. You can’t just show up. You have to do more than that to receive the reward,” he says.
Even though Thomson nominated the members, they weren’t automatically awarded the medal. Each nomination form was reviewed by a selection committee to decide if they would receive the award.
“All of the members I nominated won,” says Thomson.
He says he chose those individuals because he has seen the effort they put into their positions. “All of them were selected because of their commitment and dedication to the department.”
Thomson says these members have demonstrated leadership, education of staff and the public, working toward fire prevention, and many other qualities that show their work ethic for Fire Services.
Thomson says these medals are normally awarded annually, but with Covid and the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, it has been a few years since they were given out.
Mom shares tragic story
“Complacency is dangerous” is the message Drayton resident Maureen Hollingsworth wants to spread.
Hollingsworth, who is a truck driver in the oil and gas industry, had her first opportunity to share her son’s story at a safety meeting held by Plains Midstream on November 15.
“Twelve years, five months, and ten days ago, my life changed,” she says.
On June 5, 2011, her son Colin Stewart, better known as Mouse, went to work in the morning, but didn’t come home in the evening. At the age of 23, Mouse had made a fatal choice at work and forever changed the lives around him.
“It was the day my heart was broken. It was also the day I had to start living without one of my greatest gifts,” says Hollingsworth.
For those in attendance, Hollingsworth shared anecdotes of Mouse. Though he had started out as a premie, Mouse had lived every day to the fullest.
Hollingsworth says that he was always active. He could be found quadding, dirtbiking, horseback riding, and snowmobiling most days. During his downtime, Mouse read.
“He would read anywhere,” says Hollingsworth.
Mouse also had a nephew Xzander, and he spent as much time with him as he could. Whenever possible, Mouse was buying Xzander gifts, many of which were playstation games.
Hollingsworth says the spring of 2011 was very wet. With all of the rain, Mouse couldn’t be out working.
Finally, at the end of May, the weather improved and Mouse and three others went to work.
For ten days the four guys, all aged between 19 and 23, were working long hours. It wasn’t unusual for a day to be 18-20 hours long.
“Not only are they over-houred and fatigued, let’s throw a whole lot of inexperience into the picture,” says Hollingsworth.
One of the 19-year-olds working that day had only been in Canada for five days.
“It’s now a Sunday afternoon and the job is completed. They were done early and were excited to go home. But that’s when complacency came into the picture,” she says.
Mouse’s machine was across the job site. He was tired. So, he hopped onto the back of another machine to catch a ride over to the other side of the job site.
The 19-year-old who was new to Canada, hopped into that machine. He didn’t know where everyone was on the site, and he didn’t walk around his equipment. Instead, he got in, flipped the switch, and that was the end for Mouse.
“Four went to work,” says Hollingsworth. “Three came home. Had [the driver] taken less than one minute and walked around the equipment, I wouldn’t be here talking about safety.”
Hollingsworth says after she was done speaking, Dan Lyons, the man who’d invited her to speak stood to say something. But after a moment of struggling to speak, he suggested a ten minute break for everyone.
“He told me he will never ever forget this,” says Hollingsworth.
She says one of the biggest frustrations she has with the situation is that people always want to know what kind of machine it was or where Mouse was working. For her, it doesn’t matter where it happened or what he was doing. The same lesson can be applied to all industries.
But she says that when she shares it was an industrial farming incident, many act as though that makes the situation non-applicable. Though Mouse died because he wanted to hitch a ride on a manure spreader, the situation is still the same in other industries. There was no walk around, no knowledge of where everyone was, and there was complacency on the worksite.
In 2011, farmers and ranch workers were still exempted from the Labour Code. There were no requirements for safety and they were not covered under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. In fact, when OH&S found out that his death was from a farming accident, they said there was nothing they could do.
“At that time there was no farm safety. None. Zero,” says Hollingsworth.
According to a blog written by Jennifer Koshan of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary, a study done by the Alberta Federation of Labour in 2017 showed “agricultural workers are more than twice as likely to be killed on the job as other workers in Alberta, and 4,000 work related injuries occur on Alberta farms each year.”
It wasn’t until Bill 6 was brought in by the Alberta Government in 2016 that things began to change for the farming industry. Now employers are required to have safety practices and are expected to meet the Alberta Occupation Health and Safety Act requirements for their industry.
“Bill 6 also brought farm and ranch workers who are paid, non-family members into the basic health and safety protections under the Occupational Health and Safety Act as of January 1, 2016. Farm and ranch employers are now obliged to ensure the health and safety of their workers, and the workers are able to refuse unsafe work that presents an imminent danger. OHS officers are authorized to inspect farm and ranch workplaces to ensure that that work is not being carried out in a manner that is unhealthy or unsafe, and serious injuries and accidents on farm and ranch work sites must be reported and investigated,” says Koshan’s article.
After the accident, Hollingsworth and Mouse’s dad Marvin Stewart spoke with the young man who’d been working the manure spreader that day. She says she felt awful for him because he was thousands of miles away from home. “He couldn’t even get a hug from his mom,” she says.
They made it clear to him that Mouse should never have been on the back of the spreader. They told him that Mouse knew better, and that he shouldn’t blame himself for what happened.
“I don’t want another mom to hear these words, ‘Your child has died due to safety reasons,’” she says. “I never want another mother to get a call from her kid saying he just killed someone at work.”
While it’s too late to help Mouse, Hollingsworth says she hopes she can spread the message far and wide. She is already slated to speak at two safety meetings at All Choice Rentals and hopes she has the opportunity to do more.
Name recognizes local history
A historic landmark only officially recognized in 2017 will now have a street named after it.
At the November 1 meeting, town council heard from Hans Van Klaveren, the General Manager of Community Services and Recreation, regarding a petition from a community member who asked to have 49th Street renamed as Drake Street. Council unanimously agreed to the change.
Suzanne Hommy, one of the people behind the push for the name change, says she’s happy with the decision.
Hommy’s son Brett is the current owner of the Drake house located at 5048 49 St., though he was unable to speak with the Free Press due to his work shift. Between Brett and his older brother Colton, the home has been in the hands of the Hommys for fourteen years.
Hommy and Brett were also two of the key players in getting the house recognized as one of the original homes that was built in Drayton Valley. In fact, the owners, William and Ellen (Dora) Drake, were the ones who gave the community its name.
“It took the Town a long time to recognize it and actually give us the plaque,” says Hommy.
The history of the original settlement of Drayton Valley is one that is often overshadowed by the discovery of the Pembina Oilfield, say the descendants of the Drakes who still live in the community.
“A lot of people don’t think of Drayton before the Discovery Well,” says Nicole Coleman, William and Ellen’s great-great-granddaughter, and lifetime resident of Drayton Valley.
Coleman can recall a time in elementary school when assignment was to do a family tree. “I was outright told that I was lying,” she says.
Her mother Kathy Linde and aunt Amy Newberry, say they both had similar experiences in school.
Getting the attention from the Town and County of Brazeau has been challenging for the family. For a while, it seemed the Drakes and their history had faded from the collective memory of the community.
That changed when Mandy and Tyler Layden purchased the home in the late 90s.
Layden says they very nearly passed on the home because it looked run down and strange. “I drove past it three or four months before [we purchased the house] and was like ‘Nope!’” says Layden.
That changed when she had a dream about the house. In her dream, she was walking around inside the house, and when she woke she told her husband they had to take a look inside.
“I fell in love with the bones of the place,” says Layden.
At first, Layden and her husband didn’t know anything about the history of the home. The home inspector had told them the house was built in the ‘50s, based on a permit to have a basement dug for the home in 1955. But Layden said the architecture of the place had her thinking differently.
Layden, who worked for the Town at the time, says one day she was in one of the back rooms and came across a booklet that showed older pictures of the community. Layden took a moment to look through the booklet. She came across a familiar roofline in one of the photos. She was almost certain she was seeing the same house she had, but in a different location. That lunch hour, she went home and took several polaroid pictures of her house from different angles.
“I copied the picture from the booklet for an overhead projector,” says Layden.
Once she had the copy and laid it over the picture of her home, it was an exact match. That was when Layden started digging.
She started with the development file for the lot the house sits on. She found the permit to have the house moved from 50th and 50th, where the Shale Clinic now stands, to its current location in 1955. Janet and Jean (Red) Fuhr had the home moved onto a new basement that had been dug out by horses. In 1966, the Fuhrs would sell the home to the Schubergs.
But Layden didn’t drop the trail there. She began to research everything she could find about the beginnings of Drayton Valley. By looking through history books like To Trail’s End by W.S.B. Loosmore, and Trappers, Loggers, Homesteaders and Oilmen published by the Historical Society, Layden was able to piece things together.
Layden also conducted interviews with Les Tucker, the son of Jack Tucker who took over the post office after the Drakes, Fred Kynoch, the Drake’s grandson, Eleanor Pickup, and Keith Fuhr, the son of Fuhrs that bought the house.
The story that unfurled was one Layden felt the community should know about. As she and her husband worked on renos in the house, keeping as much of the original parts as they could, she began work on talking with the Town about getting the place recognized.
But she couldn’t find anyone who wanted to recognize it. “Nobody was interested,” she says.
Layden discovered that William and Ellen Drake were amongst the first settlers in the area. At first, Ellen was alone in the area with her eight-year-old daughter, Dora (Dolly), for eighteen months. They lived in a tent while William was away working. At the time, Ellen was the only woman in the area.
When William came back, he became the Postmaster starting in 1913. He called the post office Powerhouse due to a proposed dam to be built on the North Saskatchewan River.
When William left to serve in World War I, Ellen took charge of the post in the area. But, after a call from Ottawa, Ellen learned there was already a Powerhouse in Western Canada. They asked her to come up with a new name.
Ellen chose Drayton Valley, as William had grown up in Drayton, England.
When William came back, the family eventually moved to a homestead on 50th and 50th, taking the post office with them. Some historians have said the Drake’s built the home, but the research says otherwise.
Newberry was told by her father that the ghost that is purported to haunt the house was from the man “who owned the house before the Drakes.
The home they purchased was originally built in 1928. Les Tucker, who had spoken with Layden, said he recalled the house being built “by a young man named Albert Black.” Layden also found reference in one of the books from a woman who remembers seeing the house being built in 1928 when she was going to the Eldorado School, which at the time was situated across from the house.
The Drakes purchased the home in 1930 and built a shop onto it. They operated the shop and post office until 1936. While they no longer operated the post office or the store, the Drakes lived in that house until the close of World War II. The Drakes moved to Edmonton, leaving behind their eldest daughter, Dora, who had married Gordon Kynoch.
Newberry and Linde’s father is Fred Kynoch, the son of Dora and Gordon Kynoch. They can both recall efforts that were made to try and get the home recognized.
Newberry says the original homestead was across from where Intercon Messaging now sits. She says there was a sign there at one point. But it eventually fell to the ground and though her mother tried to get the County to put it back up, it never happened.
Later, Ivy Clark, Newberry and Linde’s cousin, tried to get the Town to rename the street, but had no success.
When Layden and her husband sold the home, they were careful to choose someone who respected its history. Colton, Brett’s older brother, originally bought the home, making no changes to the house. When Brett purchased it from Colton, he decided he wanted to do some upgrades to the house, but was careful to keep as much of the original work as possible.
Hommy and her husband helped Brett with the renovations.
“We tried to keep as much as we could. We didn’t throw anything out but the old windows, but they were from the ‘80s,” says Hommy.
They restained the cupboards in the kitchen, though they were not the original cupboards, and Brett installed a dishwasher. The original threshold was kept in place, the original stairs were restained, and the old brick stove chimney that runs through the house was kept. While the Hommys changed the exterior doors, the interior doors are the same.
While Hommy’s sons lived in the house, she began speaking to the Town about having the place recognized. “I told them, ‘I’m not stopping until you give them something,’” she says.
When the plaque was put up on July 1, 2017, Hommy says she spoke to Fred Kynoch, who told her that they had tried to have the street named Drake at one point, but had no success. “So that was my next mission,” she says.
The Drakes’ family says they are very grateful for the efforts that were made on their ancestors’ behalf.
“We don’t learn about history so that it doesn’t repeat itself,” says Jodi Sandercock, Newberry’s daughter. “We learn about history because every single step that our ancestors took led us exactly to where we are standing today. Just as every step we take today impacts the steps future generations take.
“Renaming the street honours those very steps our ancestors, the Drakes, took. The Drakes created a foundation for our family to grow in this community for six generations and counting.”
Coleman agrees with Sandercock. “I would love to see some of the old settlers recognized by renaming buildings and streets,” says Coleman.
Crystal O’Malley, Newberry’s daughter, says she is excited about the change. “I think this will start a conversation and get some dialogue going.”
Linde’s daughter Melissa Linde says she’s happy there is going to be some recognition. “I think my grandpa would be really proud of all of the work that’s put into it,” she says.
“[Layden, Hommy, and Brett] did all of the legwork to make this happen, and that’s important to remember,” says Linde.
Hommy says that while she and Brett appreciate the thanks, they weren’t the only ones who made it happen. “I know they were thanking me, but there’s a whole lot of people before me. I’m just the end,” she says.
Hommy and her husband will be moving out of the country in January, and she is hoping to see the sign go up before then. Brett is also looking to sell the home in the near future, but both of them feel the Drake House’s tale is far from over.
“This story isn’t about the street, or even the family,” says Hommy. “It’s about this house and all of the people who have lived in it.”
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Group works for Brighter Futures
After giving so much to the community, Brighter Futures is hoping the community can help them out.
Jen Sinclair, the executive director of Brighter Futures Family Resource Society, says they are looking to fill some spaces on their policy board. “We currently have five board members. Ideally we are looking for five more,” she says.
Sinclair says it’s a low time commitment. The board meets once every two months for about two hours, meaning a total of 12 hours per year. Sinclair chooses a couple of policies to review each month and the board helps to decide when and where edits are needed.
“We also go over what’s happened in the organization in the last two months,” says Sinclair. “I give them a fill-in, let them know what’s up and coming, and if I have any issues they give me guidance.”
When it comes to finances, the responsibility of the board is only to review and approve expenditures. There is no treasurer on the board, but the Chair and Vice Chair are needed to sign cheques.
Brighter Futures has been in the area since 1994, when they first started in Breton and served rural locations. Eventually, they moved their office to Drayton Valley, but they still have programs running in the Faith Covenant Church in Breton, the Alder Flats Community Hall, Easyford Hall and Miss Joanne’s School of Dance in Drayton Valley.
The programs they offer are for children aged 0-6 and their caregivers. Sinclair says these programs offer fun learning and socialization for both the children and their parents. She says there is some circle time, free play, crafts and snacks.
“It’s a good way for moms to connect with each other, and for kids to socialize if they aren’t really getting out of the house much,” says Sinclair.
Brighter Futures also offers a Nutritious Beginnings Program, that helps pregnant, at-risk moms. There is some financial support, check-ins to ensure they are getting to the doctor, and giving them guidance if it’s needed.
“We even supply them with car seats if they need them,” says Sinclair.
She says that while there is some financial support, that isn’t the goal of the program. Instead, they are focussed on educating moms that need a bit of support.
Another support they offer the community is Baby’s Essentials, which is run entirely on community donations. Sinclair says when the Food Bank gets donations of diapers, baby wipes, formula, or other necessities for babies, they forward them to Brighter Futures. She says they distribute those items to families in need.
The Essentials program will also help with a $75 gift card at a grocery store so that caregivers don’t have to choose between diapers or formula and food for the rest of the family. She says if the mom is breastfeeding, they encourage her to use the extra money to purchase healthy foods.
This year the donations have been way lower than usual, says Sinclair. She says they are hoping that monetary donations and item donations will increase, as they require community support in order to keep the programs running.
Sinclair says anyone who is interested in becoming a board member can go to their office in the Rotary House for an application. Those who wish to give to the program can drop their donations off at the office in the Rotary House, or they can attend one of the fundraiser’s the program hosts throughout the season.
“They can just give us a call and either drop it off or we can arrange a pick up,” says Sinclair.
Beating the heat at the North Saskatchewan River
With hot summer temperatures a day at the river is just the ticket.
Just a 10 minute drive west of Drayton Valley is the Willey West campground and boat launch. From what I can tell no one knows how the Willey West Campground got its name, there is no mention of it in the local history books and there is also some debate among locals on how to pronounce the name. Is it “Willey” like the caretaker from Simpsons or “Wiley” like that old coyote that keeps getting bested by the Road Runner? It was a hot debate in my grade six classroom.
The road heading down to the campsite rolls, winds and finishes with a steep downhill. For you cyclists looking to make the trip from Drayton Valley the ups and downs will not disappoint. The road meandering the campground’s treed campsites open up to a large activity field and playground at the heart of the camp. This is a fantastic place to play but in the heat of summer it can be quite hot.
Following the boat launch signs you will find a large parking lot with a gravel beach and a rocky river bank. The current slows close at the water’s edge but get out too far you may find yourself going on a ride down the river.
Play in the river
There is a row of Adirondack chairs on the upper bank but many locals opt to bring their own lawn chairs and sit in the shallows, cooling their heels and sipping a pop. Kids splash and play among the rocks at the boat launch. With such hard underfoot conditions, bringing along a pair of water shoes or sandals is a great idea. Sand toys such as buckets and shovels are also great. There is one picnic table at the boat launch.
With such beautiful scenery it is important to remember that the water can be dangerous. Often the water’s surface masks the turbulent activity below. If you look to the bend just south of the boat launch below the surface there are some powerful undertows and have taken more than one life in recent years. Although the North Saskatchewan River is a class 5 river, being cautious, using life jackets, and keeping a watchful eye is always a great idea.
As part of Canada’s broader trapper and fur trade history the North Saskatchewan River was once a vast trade route. By 1776, the North West Company had begun to travel up the North Saskatchewan to give competition to the Hudson’s Bay Company. South along the North Saskatchewan River Boggy (or Bogey) Hall is one refuge stop the famed David Thompson stopped at during his time with the North West Company. This clearing can be accessed from the Powerhouse Road near Lodgepole through a network of lease roads. Fast forward a century and industry and modernization came to the area.
In 1913, upstream from Rocky Rapids, Edmonton Hydro-Electric Power planned to build a dam; but it was funded by a British syndicate and all funding stopped with the outbreak of WWI. The great flood of 1915 wiped out all evidence of dam building. In the 1930’s coal in the seams in the riverbanks sold for $2.50/ton.
Pan for Gold
If coal isn’t a mineral that interests you, maybe you’d like to spend your time panning for gold.
Although gold rush fever never took hold of west central Alberta like it did the Yukon panning for gold is still a fun activity you can do at the river’s edge. I have yet to know anyone who struck it rich doing this but even just finding a few flakes here and there can feel like you won the lottery.
Hiking the trails
Hiking from the Willey West boat launch is also an activity for the to do list. If you head south along the river edge on a sandy hiking trail the curves along give you a view of the new Drayton Valley River Bridge. The original two-lane bridge structure was built in 1956. It replaced a ferry crossing further upstream. The ferry crossing brought its own set of challenges. Eleanor Pickup, the namesake for the local arts centre, re-lived her experience with the old ferry crossing in the Drayton Valley Historical Society book “Trappers, Loggers, Homesteaders and Oilmen.”
“…I am first on. “What’s happening? The car made the ferry bob around like a rubber ball. The front of the ferry was higher than the back, “Oh NO!” I thought. Then the back was higher than the front.”
Mrs. Pickup managed to navigate her car on and off the ferry but in a time before backup cams, and big car fronts the task wasn’t for the faint of heart.
In 2010 construction broke ground on a new two-lane bridge that you see today with completion being reached in 2016.
Along the hike there are viewpoint benches to rest on. You can go all the way under the bridge but eventually the trail dead ends and so begins the journey back.
Biking the trails
If you head from the north end of the boat launch parking lot there is another hiking/biking trail that connects with the Hill Top and Hillside trail systems. These trails were developed along with the construction of the new river bridge.
Hiking and biking the trails is best to do in the morning or evening on a hot day. Although both trails are covered by a thick forest canopy, they do not have any water source. So bringing water is encouraged if you are heading out during the heat of the day. Also before you go have a look at the trail maps on www.epbrparkscouncil.org because although these are two loops they only intersect at one point and if not planned properly you can find yourself on the trail longer than you expected.
Spending a day or a weekend in the Eagle Point Provincial Park at Willey West Campground is a fantastic way to enjoy the summer heat.
Golfing Breton and Birchwood
A one day golf extravaganza, 27-holes, 3-courses. Breton Municipal Golf Course, Big Tee in Breton and The Village Golf Course in Birchwood.
Fumbles and bumbles at Rose Creek
We were about 45 minutes into what turned out to be a very thick bushwack. I was mid-lunge and my ski was looking like a “U” as I tried to get over a fallen tree when my aunt asked, “How much weight do you think we can put on our skis before they break?” I paused, unweighted my ski and looked around to see if there was another way through.
Five scenic bike rides near Drayton Valley
Here are five rides that are moderate in length, located on quiet secondary highways, and offer a variety of views not more than 40 minutes from Drayton Valley.
Experiencing the finer arts in the valley
Art galleries can be an inspiring place to visit but they can also be baffling.
DV100 a personal ride
Finally, seven years after I was first introduced to the DV100 I completed the 100km race.
I was first introduced to the event as a planner when I worked for the Drayton Valley Community Foundation.
Driving the Sunchild Road
Drayton Valley to Lake Louise via the Sunchild Road is the most scenic route to the Rocky Mountains.
Resolutions are hard, which I suppose is the entire point. Resolving to spend the next several months lying on the couch watching Netflix and eating Cheetos doesn’t really cut it. There has to be a degree of difficulty and an element of challenge or you might as well not bother.*
And that’s why, according to figures I just made up, somewhere around 95 percent of resolutions will have been abandoned by the end of January; forgotten and consigned to the trash can of history along with the turkey carcass, a pile of empty gin bottles and Ghislaine Maxwell’s chances of ever landing a job as a camp counsellor.
You can’t deny that there’s something admirable about wanting to start the new year as a better person, whether that means reading more, giving up a bad habit, getting some exercise or stopping recycling the same half dozen jokes over and over (sorry folks, it won’t happen again**). But don’t we have enough misery on our plate right now without a failed resolution to remind ourselves of our own failures, shortcomings and general lack of moral fibre? Spoiler alert: yes we do. And besides, isn’t pointing out your numerous character flaws your wife’s job?
So if you’ve already fallen off the wagon, if you just spent 20 minutes going through the back of the fridge in the hope of finding one more slice of illicit pumpkin pie or if you found that first trip to the gym since 1998 just a little bit more than you bargained for, I want you to forgive yourself. Becoming a better person is hard work and, you know, there’s a pretty good chance that most of your friends like you just the way you are. After all, they’ve put up with you for this long, haven’t they?
*Incidentally, I used to have a friend who liked to say that quitting smoking was easy, because he’d personally done it four times. Then he’d laugh like a drain. I think he’s an MLA now.
** Yeah it will.
The Alberta Junior Hockey League is now an 11 team organization. The defection of five breakaway teams to the British Columbia Hockey League was confirmed last week.
“We are disappointed – but not surprised – that the five defecting clubs now intend to drop out of the AJHL to immediately participate in an unsanctioned exhibition series,” the AJHL said in a statement.
The defecting teams are the Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Blackfalds Bulldogs, Spruce Grove Saints and Sherwood Park Crusaders. In recent years those organizations have been the most successful in the AJHL. Prior to their defection, four of them occupied the top four places in the league standings for the current 2023-2024 season.
With the five teams now removed from the rankings, the Whitecourt Wolverines jump to top spot on 59 points. The Drayton Valley Thunder sit in tenth place on 34 points. Those two teams met in a rescheduled game on Sunday afternoon, with the Wolverines winning 3-0.
Last week the AJHL thanked the 11 remaining teams for their support as the league looked to move forward. It also indicated that it may be looking at adding more teams before too long.
“The AJHL has a strong future. We are grateful for the messages of support our players and coaches have received from hockey fans across the country over the past week,” the league said. “We also appreciate the expressions of interest coming from various partners and stakeholders who are exploring the possibility of becoming part of our great league.”
It’s still not clear what format the playoffs will take in the downsized AJHL. The regular season continues without the five clubs that are now part of the British Columbia League. That schedule sees the Thunder host the Calgary Canucks on Friday evening before heading to Olds on Sunday to take on the Grizzlys.
Five active members and two retired members of Drayton Valley/Brazeau County Fire Services were awarded the Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal on behalf of the Governor General on November 26.
Retired firefighters Lieutenant Clifford Swan and Brad Charlton of the Breton station were awarded the 20 year service medal, along with Acting Battalion Chief Colin Bredin. Deputy Fire Chief Murray Galavan, Deputy Fire Chief Kamil Lasek, and Battalion Chief Mike Gramlich of the Drayton Valley station were all given their 20 year service medals, as well.
Battalion Chief Mark Raines of the Breton station was awarded his 1st bar for 30 years of service as he has already received an Exemplary Service Medal for 20 years of service.
The members were also congratulated at the November 29 town council meeting.
“That’s a big shout out,” says Mayor Nancy Dodds. “Thank you, and thank you to your families.”
Fire Chief Tom Thomson, who had the honour of nominating the award winners, says the medal isn’t just for the years of service that a firefighter has worked.
“You have to show exemplary service. You can’t just show up. You have to do more than that to receive the reward,” he says.
Even though Thomson nominated the members, they weren’t automatically awarded the medal. Each nomination form was reviewed by a selection committee to decide if they would receive the award.
“All of the members I nominated won,” says Thomson.
He says he chose those individuals because he has seen the effort they put into their positions. “All of them were selected because of their commitment and dedication to the department.”
Thomson says these members have demonstrated leadership, education of staff and the public, working toward fire prevention, and many other qualities that show their work ethic for Fire Services.
Thomson says these medals are normally awarded annually, but with Covid and the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, it has been a few years since they were given out.
“Complacency is dangerous” is the message Drayton resident Maureen Hollingsworth wants to spread.
Hollingsworth, who is a truck driver in the oil and gas industry, had her first opportunity to share her son’s story at a safety meeting held by Plains Midstream on November 15.
“Twelve years, five months, and ten days ago, my life changed,” she says.
On June 5, 2011, her son Colin Stewart, better known as Mouse, went to work in the morning, but didn’t come home in the evening. At the age of 23, Mouse had made a fatal choice at work and forever changed the lives around him.
“It was the day my heart was broken. It was also the day I had to start living without one of my greatest gifts,” says Hollingsworth.
For those in attendance, Hollingsworth shared anecdotes of Mouse. Though he had started out as a premie, Mouse had lived every day to the fullest.
Hollingsworth says that he was always active. He could be found quadding, dirtbiking, horseback riding, and snowmobiling most days. During his downtime, Mouse read.
“He would read anywhere,” says Hollingsworth.
Mouse also had a nephew Xzander, and he spent as much time with him as he could. Whenever possible, Mouse was buying Xzander gifts, many of which were playstation games.
Hollingsworth says the spring of 2011 was very wet. With all of the rain, Mouse couldn’t be out working.
Finally, at the end of May, the weather improved and Mouse and three others went to work.
For ten days the four guys, all aged between 19 and 23, were working long hours. It wasn’t unusual for a day to be 18-20 hours long.
“Not only are they over-houred and fatigued, let’s throw a whole lot of inexperience into the picture,” says Hollingsworth.
One of the 19-year-olds working that day had only been in Canada for five days.
“It’s now a Sunday afternoon and the job is completed. They were done early and were excited to go home. But that’s when complacency came into the picture,” she says.
Mouse’s machine was across the job site. He was tired. So, he hopped onto the back of another machine to catch a ride over to the other side of the job site.
The 19-year-old who was new to Canada, hopped into that machine. He didn’t know where everyone was on the site, and he didn’t walk around his equipment. Instead, he got in, flipped the switch, and that was the end for Mouse.
“Four went to work,” says Hollingsworth. “Three came home. Had [the driver] taken less than one minute and walked around the equipment, I wouldn’t be here talking about safety.”
Hollingsworth says after she was done speaking, Dan Lyons, the man who’d invited her to speak stood to say something. But after a moment of struggling to speak, he suggested a ten minute break for everyone.
“He told me he will never ever forget this,” says Hollingsworth.
She says one of the biggest frustrations she has with the situation is that people always want to know what kind of machine it was or where Mouse was working. For her, it doesn’t matter where it happened or what he was doing. The same lesson can be applied to all industries.
But she says that when she shares it was an industrial farming incident, many act as though that makes the situation non-applicable. Though Mouse died because he wanted to hitch a ride on a manure spreader, the situation is still the same in other industries. There was no walk around, no knowledge of where everyone was, and there was complacency on the worksite.
In 2011, farmers and ranch workers were still exempted from the Labour Code. There were no requirements for safety and they were not covered under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. In fact, when OH&S found out that his death was from a farming accident, they said there was nothing they could do.
“At that time there was no farm safety. None. Zero,” says Hollingsworth.
According to a blog written by Jennifer Koshan of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary, a study done by the Alberta Federation of Labour in 2017 showed “agricultural workers are more than twice as likely to be killed on the job as other workers in Alberta, and 4,000 work related injuries occur on Alberta farms each year.”
It wasn’t until Bill 6 was brought in by the Alberta Government in 2016 that things began to change for the farming industry. Now employers are required to have safety practices and are expected to meet the Alberta Occupation Health and Safety Act requirements for their industry.
“Bill 6 also brought farm and ranch workers who are paid, non-family members into the basic health and safety protections under the Occupational Health and Safety Act as of January 1, 2016. Farm and ranch employers are now obliged to ensure the health and safety of their workers, and the workers are able to refuse unsafe work that presents an imminent danger. OHS officers are authorized to inspect farm and ranch workplaces to ensure that that work is not being carried out in a manner that is unhealthy or unsafe, and serious injuries and accidents on farm and ranch work sites must be reported and investigated,” says Koshan’s article.
After the accident, Hollingsworth and Mouse’s dad Marvin Stewart spoke with the young man who’d been working the manure spreader that day. She says she felt awful for him because he was thousands of miles away from home. “He couldn’t even get a hug from his mom,” she says.
They made it clear to him that Mouse should never have been on the back of the spreader. They told him that Mouse knew better, and that he shouldn’t blame himself for what happened.
“I don’t want another mom to hear these words, ‘Your child has died due to safety reasons,’” she says. “I never want another mother to get a call from her kid saying he just killed someone at work.”
While it’s too late to help Mouse, Hollingsworth says she hopes she can spread the message far and wide. She is already slated to speak at two safety meetings at All Choice Rentals and hopes she has the opportunity to do more.
A historic landmark only officially recognized in 2017 will now have a street named after it.
At the November 1 meeting, town council heard from Hans Van Klaveren, the General Manager of Community Services and Recreation, regarding a petition from a community member who asked to have 49th Street renamed as Drake Street. Council unanimously agreed to the change.
Suzanne Hommy, one of the people behind the push for the name change, says she’s happy with the decision.
Hommy’s son Brett is the current owner of the Drake house located at 5048 49 St., though he was unable to speak with the Free Press due to his work shift. Between Brett and his older brother Colton, the home has been in the hands of the Hommys for fourteen years.
Hommy and Brett were also two of the key players in getting the house recognized as one of the original homes that was built in Drayton Valley. In fact, the owners, William and Ellen (Dora) Drake, were the ones who gave the community its name.
“It took the Town a long time to recognize it and actually give us the plaque,” says Hommy.
The history of the original settlement of Drayton Valley is one that is often overshadowed by the discovery of the Pembina Oilfield, say the descendants of the Drakes who still live in the community.
“A lot of people don’t think of Drayton before the Discovery Well,” says Nicole Coleman, William and Ellen’s great-great-granddaughter, and lifetime resident of Drayton Valley.
Coleman can recall a time in elementary school when assignment was to do a family tree. “I was outright told that I was lying,” she says.
Her mother Kathy Linde and aunt Amy Newberry, say they both had similar experiences in school.
Getting the attention from the Town and County of Brazeau has been challenging for the family. For a while, it seemed the Drakes and their history had faded from the collective memory of the community.
That changed when Mandy and Tyler Layden purchased the home in the late 90s.
Layden says they very nearly passed on the home because it looked run down and strange. “I drove past it three or four months before [we purchased the house] and was like ‘Nope!’” says Layden.
That changed when she had a dream about the house. In her dream, she was walking around inside the house, and when she woke she told her husband they had to take a look inside.
“I fell in love with the bones of the place,” says Layden.
At first, Layden and her husband didn’t know anything about the history of the home. The home inspector had told them the house was built in the ‘50s, based on a permit to have a basement dug for the home in 1955. But Layden said the architecture of the place had her thinking differently.
Layden, who worked for the Town at the time, says one day she was in one of the back rooms and came across a booklet that showed older pictures of the community. Layden took a moment to look through the booklet. She came across a familiar roofline in one of the photos. She was almost certain she was seeing the same house she had, but in a different location. That lunch hour, she went home and took several polaroid pictures of her house from different angles.
“I copied the picture from the booklet for an overhead projector,” says Layden.
Once she had the copy and laid it over the picture of her home, it was an exact match. That was when Layden started digging.
She started with the development file for the lot the house sits on. She found the permit to have the house moved from 50th and 50th, where the Shale Clinic now stands, to its current location in 1955. Janet and Jean (Red) Fuhr had the home moved onto a new basement that had been dug out by horses. In 1966, the Fuhrs would sell the home to the Schubergs.
But Layden didn’t drop the trail there. She began to research everything she could find about the beginnings of Drayton Valley. By looking through history books like To Trail’s End by W.S.B. Loosmore, and Trappers, Loggers, Homesteaders and Oilmen published by the Historical Society, Layden was able to piece things together.
Layden also conducted interviews with Les Tucker, the son of Jack Tucker who took over the post office after the Drakes, Fred Kynoch, the Drake’s grandson, Eleanor Pickup, and Keith Fuhr, the son of Fuhrs that bought the house.
The story that unfurled was one Layden felt the community should know about. As she and her husband worked on renos in the house, keeping as much of the original parts as they could, she began work on talking with the Town about getting the place recognized.
But she couldn’t find anyone who wanted to recognize it. “Nobody was interested,” she says.
Layden discovered that William and Ellen Drake were amongst the first settlers in the area. At first, Ellen was alone in the area with her eight-year-old daughter, Dora (Dolly), for eighteen months. They lived in a tent while William was away working. At the time, Ellen was the only woman in the area.
When William came back, he became the Postmaster starting in 1913. He called the post office Powerhouse due to a proposed dam to be built on the North Saskatchewan River.
When William left to serve in World War I, Ellen took charge of the post in the area. But, after a call from Ottawa, Ellen learned there was already a Powerhouse in Western Canada. They asked her to come up with a new name.
Ellen chose Drayton Valley, as William had grown up in Drayton, England.
When William came back, the family eventually moved to a homestead on 50th and 50th, taking the post office with them. Some historians have said the Drake’s built the home, but the research says otherwise.
Newberry was told by her father that the ghost that is purported to haunt the house was from the man “who owned the house before the Drakes.
The home they purchased was originally built in 1928. Les Tucker, who had spoken with Layden, said he recalled the house being built “by a young man named Albert Black.” Layden also found reference in one of the books from a woman who remembers seeing the house being built in 1928 when she was going to the Eldorado School, which at the time was situated across from the house.
The Drakes purchased the home in 1930 and built a shop onto it. They operated the shop and post office until 1936. While they no longer operated the post office or the store, the Drakes lived in that house until the close of World War II. The Drakes moved to Edmonton, leaving behind their eldest daughter, Dora, who had married Gordon Kynoch.
Newberry and Linde’s father is Fred Kynoch, the son of Dora and Gordon Kynoch. They can both recall efforts that were made to try and get the home recognized.
Newberry says the original homestead was across from where Intercon Messaging now sits. She says there was a sign there at one point. But it eventually fell to the ground and though her mother tried to get the County to put it back up, it never happened.
Later, Ivy Clark, Newberry and Linde’s cousin, tried to get the Town to rename the street, but had no success.
When Layden and her husband sold the home, they were careful to choose someone who respected its history. Colton, Brett’s older brother, originally bought the home, making no changes to the house. When Brett purchased it from Colton, he decided he wanted to do some upgrades to the house, but was careful to keep as much of the original work as possible.
Hommy and her husband helped Brett with the renovations.
“We tried to keep as much as we could. We didn’t throw anything out but the old windows, but they were from the ‘80s,” says Hommy.
They restained the cupboards in the kitchen, though they were not the original cupboards, and Brett installed a dishwasher. The original threshold was kept in place, the original stairs were restained, and the old brick stove chimney that runs through the house was kept. While the Hommys changed the exterior doors, the interior doors are the same.
While Hommy’s sons lived in the house, she began speaking to the Town about having the place recognized. “I told them, ‘I’m not stopping until you give them something,’” she says.
When the plaque was put up on July 1, 2017, Hommy says she spoke to Fred Kynoch, who told her that they had tried to have the street named Drake at one point, but had no success. “So that was my next mission,” she says.
The Drakes’ family says they are very grateful for the efforts that were made on their ancestors’ behalf.
“We don’t learn about history so that it doesn’t repeat itself,” says Jodi Sandercock, Newberry’s daughter. “We learn about history because every single step that our ancestors took led us exactly to where we are standing today. Just as every step we take today impacts the steps future generations take.
“Renaming the street honours those very steps our ancestors, the Drakes, took. The Drakes created a foundation for our family to grow in this community for six generations and counting.”
Coleman agrees with Sandercock. “I would love to see some of the old settlers recognized by renaming buildings and streets,” says Coleman.
Crystal O’Malley, Newberry’s daughter, says she is excited about the change. “I think this will start a conversation and get some dialogue going.”
Linde’s daughter Melissa Linde says she’s happy there is going to be some recognition. “I think my grandpa would be really proud of all of the work that’s put into it,” she says.
“[Layden, Hommy, and Brett] did all of the legwork to make this happen, and that’s important to remember,” says Linde.
Hommy says that while she and Brett appreciate the thanks, they weren’t the only ones who made it happen. “I know they were thanking me, but there’s a whole lot of people before me. I’m just the end,” she says.
Hommy and her husband will be moving out of the country in January, and she is hoping to see the sign go up before then. Brett is also looking to sell the home in the near future, but both of them feel the Drake House’s tale is far from over.
“This story isn’t about the street, or even the family,” says Hommy. “It’s about this house and all of the people who have lived in it.”
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After giving so much to the community, Brighter Futures is hoping the community can help them out.
Jen Sinclair, the executive director of Brighter Futures Family Resource Society, says they are looking to fill some spaces on their policy board. “We currently have five board members. Ideally we are looking for five more,” she says.
Sinclair says it’s a low time commitment. The board meets once every two months for about two hours, meaning a total of 12 hours per year. Sinclair chooses a couple of policies to review each month and the board helps to decide when and where edits are needed.
“We also go over what’s happened in the organization in the last two months,” says Sinclair. “I give them a fill-in, let them know what’s up and coming, and if I have any issues they give me guidance.”
When it comes to finances, the responsibility of the board is only to review and approve expenditures. There is no treasurer on the board, but the Chair and Vice Chair are needed to sign cheques.
Brighter Futures has been in the area since 1994, when they first started in Breton and served rural locations. Eventually, they moved their office to Drayton Valley, but they still have programs running in the Faith Covenant Church in Breton, the Alder Flats Community Hall, Easyford Hall and Miss Joanne’s School of Dance in Drayton Valley.
The programs they offer are for children aged 0-6 and their caregivers. Sinclair says these programs offer fun learning and socialization for both the children and their parents. She says there is some circle time, free play, crafts and snacks.
“It’s a good way for moms to connect with each other, and for kids to socialize if they aren’t really getting out of the house much,” says Sinclair.
Brighter Futures also offers a Nutritious Beginnings Program, that helps pregnant, at-risk moms. There is some financial support, check-ins to ensure they are getting to the doctor, and giving them guidance if it’s needed.
“We even supply them with car seats if they need them,” says Sinclair.
She says that while there is some financial support, that isn’t the goal of the program. Instead, they are focussed on educating moms that need a bit of support.
Another support they offer the community is Baby’s Essentials, which is run entirely on community donations. Sinclair says when the Food Bank gets donations of diapers, baby wipes, formula, or other necessities for babies, they forward them to Brighter Futures. She says they distribute those items to families in need.
The Essentials program will also help with a $75 gift card at a grocery store so that caregivers don’t have to choose between diapers or formula and food for the rest of the family. She says if the mom is breastfeeding, they encourage her to use the extra money to purchase healthy foods.
This year the donations have been way lower than usual, says Sinclair. She says they are hoping that monetary donations and item donations will increase, as they require community support in order to keep the programs running.
Sinclair says anyone who is interested in becoming a board member can go to their office in the Rotary House for an application. Those who wish to give to the program can drop their donations off at the office in the Rotary House, or they can attend one of the fundraiser’s the program hosts throughout the season.
“They can just give us a call and either drop it off or we can arrange a pick up,” says Sinclair.
With hot summer temperatures a day at the river is just the ticket.
Just a 10 minute drive west of Drayton Valley is the Willey West campground and boat launch. From what I can tell no one knows how the Willey West Campground got its name, there is no mention of it in the local history books and there is also some debate among locals on how to pronounce the name. Is it “Willey” like the caretaker from Simpsons or “Wiley” like that old coyote that keeps getting bested by the Road Runner? It was a hot debate in my grade six classroom.
The road heading down to the campsite rolls, winds and finishes with a steep downhill. For you cyclists looking to make the trip from Drayton Valley the ups and downs will not disappoint. The road meandering the campground’s treed campsites open up to a large activity field and playground at the heart of the camp. This is a fantastic place to play but in the heat of summer it can be quite hot.
Following the boat launch signs you will find a large parking lot with a gravel beach and a rocky river bank. The current slows close at the water’s edge but get out too far you may find yourself going on a ride down the river.
Play in the river
There is a row of Adirondack chairs on the upper bank but many locals opt to bring their own lawn chairs and sit in the shallows, cooling their heels and sipping a pop. Kids splash and play among the rocks at the boat launch. With such hard underfoot conditions, bringing along a pair of water shoes or sandals is a great idea. Sand toys such as buckets and shovels are also great. There is one picnic table at the boat launch.
With such beautiful scenery it is important to remember that the water can be dangerous. Often the water’s surface masks the turbulent activity below. If you look to the bend just south of the boat launch below the surface there are some powerful undertows and have taken more than one life in recent years. Although the North Saskatchewan River is a class 5 river, being cautious, using life jackets, and keeping a watchful eye is always a great idea.
As part of Canada’s broader trapper and fur trade history the North Saskatchewan River was once a vast trade route. By 1776, the North West Company had begun to travel up the North Saskatchewan to give competition to the Hudson’s Bay Company. South along the North Saskatchewan River Boggy (or Bogey) Hall is one refuge stop the famed David Thompson stopped at during his time with the North West Company. This clearing can be accessed from the Powerhouse Road near Lodgepole through a network of lease roads. Fast forward a century and industry and modernization came to the area.
In 1913, upstream from Rocky Rapids, Edmonton Hydro-Electric Power planned to build a dam; but it was funded by a British syndicate and all funding stopped with the outbreak of WWI. The great flood of 1915 wiped out all evidence of dam building. In the 1930’s coal in the seams in the riverbanks sold for $2.50/ton.
Pan for Gold
If coal isn’t a mineral that interests you, maybe you’d like to spend your time panning for gold.
Although gold rush fever never took hold of west central Alberta like it did the Yukon panning for gold is still a fun activity you can do at the river’s edge. I have yet to know anyone who struck it rich doing this but even just finding a few flakes here and there can feel like you won the lottery.
Hiking the trails
Hiking from the Willey West boat launch is also an activity for the to do list. If you head south along the river edge on a sandy hiking trail the curves along give you a view of the new Drayton Valley River Bridge. The original two-lane bridge structure was built in 1956. It replaced a ferry crossing further upstream. The ferry crossing brought its own set of challenges. Eleanor Pickup, the namesake for the local arts centre, re-lived her experience with the old ferry crossing in the Drayton Valley Historical Society book “Trappers, Loggers, Homesteaders and Oilmen.”
“…I am first on. “What’s happening? The car made the ferry bob around like a rubber ball. The front of the ferry was higher than the back, “Oh NO!” I thought. Then the back was higher than the front.”
Mrs. Pickup managed to navigate her car on and off the ferry but in a time before backup cams, and big car fronts the task wasn’t for the faint of heart.
In 2010 construction broke ground on a new two-lane bridge that you see today with completion being reached in 2016.
Along the hike there are viewpoint benches to rest on. You can go all the way under the bridge but eventually the trail dead ends and so begins the journey back.
Biking the trails
If you head from the north end of the boat launch parking lot there is another hiking/biking trail that connects with the Hill Top and Hillside trail systems. These trails were developed along with the construction of the new river bridge.
Hiking and biking the trails is best to do in the morning or evening on a hot day. Although both trails are covered by a thick forest canopy, they do not have any water source. So bringing water is encouraged if you are heading out during the heat of the day. Also before you go have a look at the trail maps on www.epbrparkscouncil.org because although these are two loops they only intersect at one point and if not planned properly you can find yourself on the trail longer than you expected.
Spending a day or a weekend in the Eagle Point Provincial Park at Willey West Campground is a fantastic way to enjoy the summer heat.
Golfing Breton and Birchwood
A one day golf extravaganza, 27-holes, 3-courses. Breton Municipal Golf Course, Big Tee in Breton and The Village Golf Course in Birchwood.
Fumbles and bumbles at Rose Creek
We were about 45 minutes into what turned out to be a very thick bushwack. I was mid-lunge and my ski was looking like a “U” as I tried to get over a fallen tree when my aunt asked, “How much weight do you think we can put on our skis before they break?” I paused, unweighted my ski and looked around to see if there was another way through.
Five scenic bike rides near Drayton Valley
Here are five rides that are moderate in length, located on quiet secondary highways, and offer a variety of views not more than 40 minutes from Drayton Valley.
Experiencing the finer arts in the valley
Art galleries can be an inspiring place to visit but they can also be baffling.
DV100 a personal ride
Finally, seven years after I was first introduced to the DV100 I completed the 100km race.
I was first introduced to the event as a planner when I worked for the Drayton Valley Community Foundation.
Driving the Sunchild Road
Drayton Valley to Lake Louise via the Sunchild Road is the most scenic route to the Rocky Mountains.
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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.
Concern over Winfield School
The parent advisory council at Winfield Elementary are worried about the future of their school.
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.
Tax help is here
Matalski says the Income Tax Program has volunteers in the community, who have received training provided by the Canada Revenue Agency, do the tax returns. She says people drop their information off at her office, and then a volunteer comes to get the information and files it.
