Corey Peebles wants to lead Drayton Valley forward over the next four years, and believes he has the vision to do so. Last week the two-term councillor announced that he’ll be running for mayor in the October municipal election.
Peebles moved to Drayton Valley as a child in the mid-1990s. He was first elected to council in 2010 and served for three years. He didn’t run in 2013 but returned and began his second term in 2017. After serving as a youth pastor for several years Peebles opened his first business in 2014. He is now co-owner of three gyms, including one in Drayton Valley.
After living in the community for 25 years he says he’s seen the town at both its “highest highs” and its “lowest lows.” Through it all Peebles remains a self-described optimist. As restrictions from the Covid-19 pandemic ease he’s keen to talk about what the coming years hold for the community.
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“I think the future is looking great in Drayton Valley again,” he says, citing returning strength in our traditional industries, along with a gradual diversification of the local economy. Peebles says he’ll always support the oil and gas industry, which has long provided the foundation of the local economy. He’d like to see the expertise garnered from oil and gas used to diversify and attract new industry to the area. That includes opportunities from the manufacturing sector rather than just the production of raw materials.
“We have so many trades in this community, and so many jobs can come out of value-added,” he says.
Businesses will see some changes to the local Rural Renewal Stream program come into effect on November 13.
The program, offered through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program, allows business owners to bring in skilled workers from outside of the province or country. It also allows business owners who employ staff on a Temporary Work Visa to endorse them for permanent residency through the program.
At the October 30 town council meeting, Kundiso Nyambirai, the growth services manager, explained that they had 300 applications that they were reviewing. Between March 2023 and August 2024, the Town had endorsed 200 of those applications for consideration to the Province.
Nyambirai explained that the Province has now put a system into place to make it easier to sort through the applications on their end.
The points based system gives a better idea of which applications are most likely to be considered or approved for those municipalities endorsing them. Nyambirai says his department is reviewing the applications to see which ones would have enough points to be considered by the Province.
However, the Province is limited in the number of applications that it can put through. There are more than 70 municipalities and districts participating in the program, and the Province only has 1,900 spots they can approve in 2024.
“We are over-subscribing,” says Nyambirai. “We are endorsing 200 plus people.”
In August, the Town decided to make some changes to the way that the program would work in the community. This included limiting the number of applications to 100 each year, while also limiting the number of applications a business can submit to five. Nyambirai also suggested that limiting applications to workers who already resided in the community could help to ensure that the Town does have housing available for these applicants.
Nyambirai says the Province is currently sorting through 1,000 applications to decide on the remaining spots for the year. Councillor Monika Sherriffs agreed that the Town is sending in a higher than average amount of endorsements, stating that if there are 1,000 being considered and Drayton Valley has sent in 200, then we would be sending in many more applications than other municipalities.
Councillor Amila Gammana disagreed, saying that he believed other communities are likely doing the same. He says the real question is how many of those endorsements are receiving approval from the Province.
Nyambirai says that the municipalities are not made aware of which endorsements are approved. He says that looking into that number by contacting applicants would be very time consuming, so they cannot be sure how many of Drayton Valley’s businesses’ applications have been accepted for the program.
Five creative ways to use print advertising to supercharge your business
Sponsored Content
In the age where there’s a constant drive for more and more content, coming up with ideas of how to promote your business can become a full time job on its own. I mean – you signed up to be a business owner right? Not a videographer, copywriter, or graphic designer. The good news is print advertising works differently from the social platforms that have you constantly chasing the next batch of likes and shares.
Print advertising with your local newspaper gets you off the hamster wheel and connects you with a copywriter, graphic designer, and an ad planner who are actually interested in learning the ins and outs of your business. This person or people will work with you to generate creative ideas within your marketing budget. With their help you can get your creative juices flowing again and find ways to not just push content but to craft creative content that will be seen and prompts action.
Print ads are consumed like fine wine. Readers look at print ads longer and deeper than they do the disruptive advertising found on other media platforms. Tell me in the last time that you’ve binge scrolled your social media feeds – How many ads do you actually remember seeing? I am betting, not many.
Print ads are non-disruptive content for newspaper readers and therefore get the attention they truly deserve. They have a longer lasting impact for readers, and after all, deepening the relationship with customers is really what you are looking to do.
So here are some ways you can position your local business with print advertising.
- Thought leadership: Be a thought leader in the regional landscape of your industry. Use an ad space for how-to content, data presentation on regional trends. Newspaper readers are readers and so are more likely to read long form advertisements with interesting information. You can reuse this information on your website blogs, social platforms, podcasts and the like.
- Be action oriented: Ads are there to move the needle forward. A call to action can be as simple as moving an interested person from the print ad to “Check out our online store” – print to digital is easy to do in both the print and digital formats of your local newspaper. Using click through options and QR codes to specific URLs makes the cross over from print to digital platforms seamless.
- Event marketing: Discovering local events in the community newspaper is one of the top interest points for local readers. But don’t just churn out a generic “Come to our event”. Remember our readers enjoy spending time with the paper. Capitalize on that. When you advertise an event in the newspaper you have an opportunity to make an intimate connection so don’t treat it like a fly by night ad. Make it engaging, personal, and relevant.
- Coupons and promotions: If you are a retailer or a restaurant that has deals and promotions, newspaper readers take notice! Not only does the use of coupons help you track the effectiveness of your ad it also gets people in the door where you can start to deepen your client relationship.
- Minimize or maximize. When people book a print ad they tend to want to throw everything into it. This creates a cluttered, hard to read ad. Instead take the space to promote your one product or service that tends to get people in the door, then cross promote once you are in contact with your prospective client. Alternatively you can also use the space to create an organized product catalogue, or flier page that showcases a number of products but in an organized and thematic fashion.
By contacting your local newspaper you don’t just get an ad, you expand your marketing team exponentially. You get access to our professionals and we help you to figure out the direction you are looking to go with your business.
Hard work and heritage reflected in 4-H
One local youth has seen his hard work with 4-H pay off after being selected as one of 12 youth to show their steers at the 2025 Calgary Stampede Junior Steer Classic.
Hunter Harris is a third generation 4-H member and has been part of the organization since he was 12 years old. Not only does he show cattle for 4-H, he’s also been entering open shows for the past two years. He says showing cattle is just a natural extension of his life as the son and grandson of farmers.
“I think it’s really important to know where your food comes from and I really enjoy showing,” says Harris. He says he also feels like he’s staying true to his heritage working in agriculture, which he is something he is proud of and wants to continue doing.
As an ambassador, Harris got his choice of steer from the OH Ranch this month. At the next Calgary Stampede, he will bring that steer back to show in the Calgary Stampede Junior Steer Classic under a special category for OH Beef.
He says being chosen as an ambassador is an honour and he’s excited to use the opportunity to help educate people about the importance of the industry.
“I think it means putting myself out there and trying to put out a positive image for both the Calgary Stampede and the beef industry as a whole,” says Harris. “As an ambassador, I feel I have the responsibility to try and promote the show world, the beef industry, and this way of life as much as I can.”
Beef showing a competitive sport
He says there is a lot of work that goes into showing and that he considers it a competitive sport, no different than horse showing or dog showing. Each year, Harris works with the steer or heifer he’s chosen. He’s responsible for feeding it, grooming it, and training it, which means spending time with it nearly every day for more than half a year.
“You’ve got to put in a ton of time. You have to be able to halter break it and get it tame,” says Harris. “There’s a process of training it to stand a certain way, how to respond to certain cues when you’re pulling on their halter, and how they should lead and behave in the show ring.”
It’s also important to put time into research about the proper feed for the steer. Harris says the type of food they are fed will greatly impact the standing in competition as well as the sale of the steer for butcher. He says there is a certain balance between fat and muscle that needs to be kept to make good meat.
At the show, all of the cattle get a fitting from the competitors to make sure they look their best when in the ring.
“It’s kind of like hairstyling, but for cows, in a sense,” he says.
Fitting involves cleaning the cow, blow drying them, clipping them, brushing tufts and styling them in certain ways to make the cow look its best in the show.
“It kind of brings out the best traits in them so they look like a better market animal,” he says.
Harris says he plans to attend more open shows this year and hopefully have the opportunity to help educate people about the industry. In the past, he’s spoken with young spectators at events who come up to see his cow and shared a little bit about the importance of the event.
“I just wanted to make sure they were enjoying themselves and that they learned something,” says Harris. “The ladies that were showing [the children] around were learning stuff, too. I think it’s really important to try and connect with everyone on all levels and tell them what an amazing sport it is and how important it is.”
He says that sometimes it can be sad to see the cow go after working with it for so long. But Harris says it’s important for him to remember why he is doing it in the first place, and that families will be fed well because of his efforts.
While Harris is still contemplating what the future could hold for himself in terms of a career, he’s pretty certain that he will likely end up working with cattle and in the agriculture industry. He’s already been working on building up his own herd with his time and money, and a little bit of help from his family. He feels that this will give him a headstart in life and also makes a good choice as an ambassador.
“My parents have been extremely supportive of it, and they’ve helped me out a ton,” he says.
Harris believes his experience in working with his herd makes him more knowledgeable about the industry. He’s been learning about the traditions and the work that goes into maintaining a herd, including breeding, feeding, and the general well-being of the animals.
“I think that makes me a better showman and in a better position to be an ambassador,” he says.
Those who wish to know how Harris’ steer holds up to the other 11 ambassadors will have to wait until the July 2025 Calgary Stampede or hope to catch him at one of the several shows he plans to attend.
Volleyball comes home to Tomahawk
Tomahawk to receive a $1 million dollar upgrade
For the first time ever, the Tomahawk School volleyball team was able to host a home game thanks to their new gym.
Tracey Gilmour, the new principal for the school, says the new gym was a $1 million project. It was started last May and was finally finished on October 16, hours before their opening game.
“They were bringing the scissor lift out as we brought in the net,” says Gilmour.
The Timberwolves went on to win their first home game against the Muir Lake Mustangs.
“They were a little bit worried that actually performing at home would put some pressure on them,” says Gilmour. “But they did great.”
“I was very nervous and excited at the same time,” says Layla Chausse, one of the Timberwolves.
Team practice was a challenge in the past
While the school has always had team sports, Gilmour says it’s been a challenge for the teams to practice, and they’ve never been able to host a game before. The size of the gym wasn’t necessarily the problem. The issue was a large stage that took up about a third of the space in the room.
Gilmour says the stage made it difficult for the students to play any type of sports in the gym. She says small games could work, but a full sized game wasn’t possible.
The previous principal, Fran Bell, really advocated for the students saying they should have equal opportunities to access sports and extracurriculars.
“Parkland School Division stepped up and made that investment in our school,” says Gilmour.
After years of playing away games, the team was happy to finally get to play on their home turf.
“It was really nice to play in the gym for the first time,” says Josie Woodruff, one of the players. “We’re especially grateful to be able to play a home game.” She says their team has never had the opportunity to play in a new gym before.
The fact that they were the very first people to use the gym was something the team enjoyed, as well.
Strocher says winning is just icing on the cake
“We were really excited to have our first home game and be the first ones to play in that gym,” says Isabelle Strocher. She says winning that first game was just icing on the cake.
Up until the home opener, the girls had been practicing outside on a paved area near the school. Gilmour says it hasn’t been easy for the team, but they persevered, and had won every single game going into the home opener.
“Honestly, I think what got them through was their amazing team spirit,” says Gilmour. “I’ve never seen anything like it. They’re so supportive of each other.”
That team spirit has helped the Timberwolves make it into the playoffs this year.
“We’ve finished our placement games,” says Judith Munch. “Now we just have playoffs, and we’re hoping to host one, too.”
Meeting calls for change in town
Members of business community voice concerns over local issues
Some local businesses gathered last week to voice concerns, propose possible solutions, and brainstorm a presentation to put before town council.
Erik Bergen, one of the owners of the Drayton Valley Bakery, held a meeting on October 9 and invited all businesses in the community to come out. Bergen wanted to hear their thoughts on three specific topics: homelessness, essential service administration and the Town’s free enterprise policy.
Bergen says the idea about having a presentation has been on his mind for several months. He says he’s spoken to many business owners who feel frustrated with the Town and the direction council is taking. However, he says he felt that if everybody only talked about it and no one went to the town, nothing would get accomplished.
Along with business owners, the organizers of Warming Hearts and members of the public attended the event.
Homelessness and franchises stir debate
Bergen prepared a presentation for the event, and reviewed it several times as people came and went as they were able. He also had a petition available for attendees to sign.
As he went over his presentation, Bergen says it was difficult to focus on the problems and solutions rather than opinions.
“It did derail a little bit, just because of the opposite points of view, especially regarding the homeless,” he says.
There were some attendees who viewed the homeless issue from a more humanitarian point of view and others that felt a heavier hand was needed. But Bergen says it’s important to
remember that not all homeless people are causing the issue. There are some individuals who are making it difficult for everyone.
“I don’t want to group all people into one basket,” says Bergen. “There are people who are homeless because their house burned down or were dealt a bad hand.”
Another topic that brought up differing opinions was new franchises coming into the community. In his presentation, Bergen argued that by simply leaving the door open for any new businesses in the community, council was putting a strain on businesses that were already established.
According to Bergen, there is about one restaurant (or registered kitchen) for every 95 people in the community. There are more than eight liquor stores and six cannabis stores, 12 pizza places and more than one of some franchises.
He believes that a lack of direction from council in this matter is making it difficult for businesses to do well. Bergen says his concern is protecting the current businesses that the town already has in place and allow them to flourish.
“A lot of these restaurant owners say that they’re one franchise away from closing their doors,” says Bergen.
Town services and the need for improvement
Bergen says that many people have also noticed a disparity in the services the Town offers the community. For example, there are a number of different “nice” things the Town has spent money on like the pumptrack, disc golf, the pool etc. However, there are some struggles with providing basic services such as regular road maintenance, weed control and pest management.
“Maybe they are doing the best they can do, or maybe they got pushed to the back burner,” says Bergen.
He says that he got a lot of feedback from those who attended the meeting. As it was his first time attempting anything like this, there was a learning curve and Bergen says he’s looking forward to making improvements at another meeting that will be held at the beginning of November.
Bergen’s plan is to present a list of complaints with possible solutions to council in November.
Town changing Facility Code of Conduct
The Town is making some changes to its Facility Code of Conduct in an effort to ensure its facilities aren’t being misused.
Cody Rossing, the manager of enforcement and emergency management, presented council with a proposed amendment to the Code of Conduct. Rossing says the Code of Conduct was put in place in August 2016. Since council expressed concern surrounding enforcement of removing homeless individuals from the Civic Centre vestibule, administration reviewed the code and came up with some suggestions.
Rossing says there are several different prohibitions that were not included in the original Code of Conduct. Most of the changes were stronger wording surrounding loitering and failing to comply with signage. While the original code prohibited smoking, it did not mention vaping, so Rossing says they have changed that.
The wording surrounding service animals was also changed to match provincial law.
The proposed changes also give more power to facility managers when it comes to banning individuals from Town facilities. They will be able to ban individuals for up to seven days. General managers and peace officers will also be able to suspend someone for up to six months. CAOs will be able to ban someone for more than six months if necessary.
“It’s putting in those different layers so the CAO isn’t involved in everything,” says Rossing.
He says there are also changes to wording surrounding the appeals process of someone who has been banned for more than 24 hours.
“And it clarifies that if someone is contravening their suspension or expulsion, then they are considered trespassing and law enforcement will be made aware for further actions,” says Rossing.
Councillor Colin Clarke raised concerns about the bans, asking if a ban from Town facilities meant all Town-owned buildings, even if there were tennants operating out of some of them. He says he worried that banning someone from the Omniplex might affect their ability to go to the Food Bank or other necessary services.
Hans van Klaveren, the acting CAO, says that typically the operator is setting those guidelines or rules for their building.
Councillor Tom McGee also spoke about the Warming Hearts Centre as the Town helps to fund the rent for the facility through grants.
In the end, it was decided that if a tenant wanted to have someone trespassed, they would contact Rossing and it would be treated like other businesses in the community. Their bans will only apply to Town owned and operated facilities.
“I’m glad to see we’re addressing this and putting the structure in place to give you the tools to do something about it,” says Councillor Rick Evans.
“I think that, in the end, our residents are going to appreciate our efforts to make the use of our facilities more enjoyable and safe, ultimately.”
That increased economic strength is part of a broader vision which would see Drayton Valley continue to grow as people from other parts of the province learn the benefits of living in a small community that boasts good amenities and is relatively close to both an international airport and a major highway system, while having easy access to the kind of recreational activities found in and around this area.
“Here you can get 25 percent more house for 25 percent less money than in the city. We’ve got two brand new schools, the pool’s being built. There’s the pump track,” he says. “We’re creating the recipe for a community that is so great and so strong.”
An important piece of the puzzle is to get the message about what Drayton Valley has to offer out to the rest of the province and beyond. That means finding a way to let others know about the strengths of the community and the quality of life available here.
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.
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.
It’s tax time in Canada, and while the costs of having taxes done aren’t a big deal to some, for others it can be prohibitive.
Gina Matalski, a tax specialist at GM Accounting and Tax Services, is working with Drayton Valley Family and Community Support Services to help those who struggle to afford having their taxes done.
Matalski says the Income Tax Program has volunteers in the community, who have received training provided by the Canada Revenue Agency, do the tax returns. She says people drop their information off at her office, and then a volunteer comes to get the information and files it.
“Then, if I don’t have time to do them myself, I contact the volunteers and let them know that there are some to be picked up,” she says.
Right now there are seven volunteers who have stepped forward to help out, but Matalski says the more people they have volunteering, the faster they can get things done.
While the program aims to help as many people as they can, Matalski says there are some restrictions for who can use the program, and only personal taxes can be done. She says anyone who has employment expenses, or anything outside of the norm, would not qualify for the program.
“It’s basic, basic income tax returns,” she says.
Individuals who wish to use the program must have less than $35,000 in taxable income for the year. Couples can use it if they make less than $45,000 and families cannot have more than $52,000 in earnings.
“This is my second year for the free tax program,” says Matalski, “but I’ve been doing personal tax returns for five years.”
Matalski says she signed on to the program because she wanted to help the community out.
She says the price for doing personal taxes can be high, depending on who is being used to file the taxes and it’s not fair for low income earners.
“When individuals and families that are already struggling to make ends meet every day have to go and pay between $150 and $200 to have a tax return done is ridiculous,” she says.
She said last year the program helped 500 individuals with their taxes.
Those who qualify for the program can drop their tax information off at 5136 – 54 St. on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“We need to work on marketing to showcase the Drayton Valley you and I know exists,” he says. “I see a strong and diversified town that still has a real sense of community.”
Peebles says he believes Drayton Valley is looking for a mayor who will lead, rather than simply govern. For him that means listening to what people say and always having the best interests of the community at heart. He says it’s important for the mayor and council to understand the needs and wants of their residents and to make sure that their values align with the values of the community as a whole.
“The community needs to win. Not the mayor, not the council. The community needs to win,” he says.
“If we facilitate ideas that resonate with the community, that’s where we’re going to do some great things.”
Peebles joins Councillor Nancy Dodds in the race to become Drayton Valley’s next mayor. Election day is Oct. 18.
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.
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.
It’s tax time in Canada, and while the costs of having taxes done aren’t a big deal to some, for others it can be prohibitive.
Gina Matalski, a tax specialist at GM Accounting and Tax Services, is working with Drayton Valley Family and Community Support Services to help those who struggle to afford having their taxes done.
Matalski says the Income Tax Program has volunteers in the community, who have received training provided by the Canada Revenue Agency, do the tax returns. She says people drop their information off at her office, and then a volunteer comes to get the information and files it.
“Then, if I don’t have time to do them myself, I contact the volunteers and let them know that there are some to be picked up,” she says.
Right now there are seven volunteers who have stepped forward to help out, but Matalski says the more people they have volunteering, the faster they can get things done.
While the program aims to help as many people as they can, Matalski says there are some restrictions for who can use the program, and only personal taxes can be done. She says anyone who has employment expenses, or anything outside of the norm, would not qualify for the program.
“It’s basic, basic income tax returns,” she says.
Individuals who wish to use the program must have less than $35,000 in taxable income for the year. Couples can use it if they make less than $45,000 and families cannot have more than $52,000 in earnings.
“This is my second year for the free tax program,” says Matalski, “but I’ve been doing personal tax returns for five years.”
Matalski says she signed on to the program because she wanted to help the community out.
She says the price for doing personal taxes can be high, depending on who is being used to file the taxes and it’s not fair for low income earners.
“When individuals and families that are already struggling to make ends meet every day have to go and pay between $150 and $200 to have a tax return done is ridiculous,” she says.
She said last year the program helped 500 individuals with their taxes.
Those who qualify for the program can drop their tax information off at 5136 – 54 St. on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Training officer arrives
The new training officer for the Drayton Valley/Brazeau County Fire Services comes to the position with a background in the military.
Matthew Noad started with the department at the beginning of June after relocating from Cold Lake’s military base.
Near tragedy draws family together
On March 18, 2023, the Mockerman family’s lives took a drastic turn when Rob Mockerman was involved in an accident that left him with second and third degree burns to more than 85 percent of his body.
Next Week’s News – Drayton Valley Events
Are you looking for things to do in Drayton Valley, Alberta. Our next week’s news will inform you on what is happening in and around the area for locals to check out an attend.
School demolition under way
Now that the Eldorado Elementary School has been completely demolished, crews have started work on tearing down the old H.W. Pickup Junior High School.
