Heading into the new year and beyond, the Town of Drayton Valley’s administration will be led by Robert Osmond.
Last week town council approved an employment agreement which will see Osmond take on the role of Chief Administrative Officer on a permanent basis.
“I’m looking forward to the next few years of working together,” said Mayor Nancy Dodds. “It makes it a little bit easier now that we know you’re going to be here for the long run.”
Osmond was initially appointed as interim CAO in mid-September. The town has been without a permanent CAO since Winston Rossouw stepped down in January.
Councillor Tom McGee also welcomed Osmond’s appointment.
“I do appreciate the value you bring to this table and to the community,” he said.
What Osmond brings includes 15 years of experience in municipal government. He has spent periods as assistant CAO in Lac St. Anne County and acting CAO in both Wetaskiwin and Redcliff.
As Chief Administrative Officer Osmond’s role is to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Town. As the administrative head of the municipality, the CAO ensures that municipal policies and programs are implemented and advises and informs council on the operation and affairs of the municipality.
Are you a local looking for things to do in and around Drayton Valley, or Brazeau County. Our award winning editor Graham Long, has got your covered in his weekly summary of things happening in Drayton Valley. Have a read of Next Week’s News each week to get an idea on how to plan your, week.
Next Week's News: May 16, 2024 Column
Attention motorists, cyclists, pedestrians etc! Construction work on the eastern portion of Drayton Valley’s 50 Avenue is about to get underway. Expect some detours and traffic disruption in the area over the next several weeks.
Shale Medical is currently trialing a Saturday same day clinic. Depending on feedback and demand they may extend this further. The following dates are slated for the trial: June 15, 9 am – 4 pm, June 22 9 am -4 pm and June 29: 9 am – 4 pm.
The booking procedure is listed on their website and walk-ins will be accepted as well.
Drayton Valley’s Small Town Big Party is tomorrow, (that’s Friday June 14) in Omni 3. That means live music from a couple of bands, plus beer gardens and games and all sorts of fun. This is an adult only event and admission is $7.
Father’s Day is Sunday June 16. For the love of God, no more socks, please!
And after that, it’s time for summer! The most wonderful time of the year officially begins at 8:50 pm, Thursday June 20.
National Indigenous Peoples Day is a day recognizing and celebrating the cultures and contributions of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Indigenous peoples of Canada. This year it’s Friday June 21.
The Lions Club are bringing the fair to Drayton Valley again this month. It’ll be in town June 21, 22, and 23.
The Frank Maddock High School graduation is June 22. Congratulations to everyone who’s graduating from all of our local schools this year. And if you’re heading off to college or university please call or text your parents regularly. You know how they worry.
June 26 is the last day of school for students in Drayton Valley and Breton, so watch out for bands of feral youth roaming the streets over the next couple of months.
Don’t forget that your property taxes are due to be paid by the end of this month. Since June 30 is a Sunday, you probably want to be a few days early, just in case. If you live in Brazeau County you’ll get a 30 percent rebate if you pay on time, so it’s worth the effort.
And Canada Day is fast approaching. In Drayton Valley there’s a pancake breakfast starting at 7 am at the legion. The parade begins at 10 am and follows the usual route up 50 Avenue and then north on 50 Street. The rest of the activities will be at the Omniplex from 11 am to 3 pm with fireworks at dusk, weather permitting.
Cut out the middle man and get your Drayton Valley and District Free Press directly to your email inbox.
Get more activity ideas in for the Drayton Valley and Brazeau County region in our Brazeau and Beyond Travel Guide.
Head over to our travel guide page to download yours today.
Click here: Brazeau and Beyond
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.
“You can see that they’re starting to take down the building,” says Brad Volkman, the superintendent for the Wild Rose School Division.
Because H.W. Pickup was built on municipal reserve land Volkman says the land will not be going up for sale once the work crews are done. Once the demolition is completed, the property will automatically go back to the Town.
Vandalism reported an Issue
“We don’t take any money for that,” says Volkman. “They just get it back.”
There have been a few instances of vandalism at the old schools, and Volkman says it’s always a safety concern if there is an abandoned building. The division also had to spend money doing what they could to repair damages, such as boarding up windows that had been broken.
“We’re glad to see it coming down,” he says. “We don’t want to see people getting injured or defacing the building.”
Volkman says staff in the division had the opportunity to go through the schools and take any items they wanted out of them. Anything that was left behind became the property of the demolition company.
Playgrounds to be reused
However, Volkman says the playgrounds on both school sites aren’t being completely destroyed. The plan is to have as much of the equipment moved to the new school as they can safely do. He says they will be moved over the summer.
“Most of the one on the Eldorado property will be going to the Powerhouse Campus. One particularly piece will be going to Evergreen,” he says.
In addition to the playgrounds that are being moved over, Volkman says they still have a $250,000 grant from the province to spend on new playground equipment for the campus. He says that the school council also plans to raise funds to help with the new playground.
The school division owned the land where Eldorado was located. Now that the school is down, WRSD has received permission from the Minister of Education to sell that land, with the right of first refusal going to the Town.
Fire training proposal for Lodgepole
A new proposal could see the creation of a fire rescue college in Lodgepole.
In a presentation to Brazeau County council last week, Erik Ives spoke regarding the Canadian Fire Rescue College (CFRC) which is exploring Lodgepole as a campus location to train firefighters.
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.
Air cadets mark 60 years
The Drayton Valley Air Cadets Squadron 733 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary this year with a barbecue open to the public.
Lamont Cardinal, the chair of the parent committee for the cadets, says that the cadets are technically turning 63 this year, but the original celebration for their 60th had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
“We’re now essentially celebrating our sixtieth anniversary,” says Cardinal.
Cardinal says the barbecue will be held on Sunday, April 21 at their headquarters at 5524 Industrial Road. Only a month later, the 38 cadets will also be attending their Annual Ceremonial Revue, where they will be inspected by a member of the Canadian Military.
While the history of the Air Cadets goes back to the 1940s when the Canadian military recognized they would need more trained pilots for the war effort, Squadron 733 wasn’t established until April 22, 1961.
Originally, only boys were able to join the Cadets. However, when the Canadian Government amended legislation changing the word boys to persons in 1975, girls were allowed to enroll.
Captain Tanya Hunt says over the years there have been many people involved in the Cadets.
“Since the formation of the squadron there have been many commanding officers that have helped form and mold the 733 Drayton Valley Air Cadet Squadron we have today. Capt Matt McCullach, Capt Pat Turner, Capt Brian Torpy, Capt Lorna Luchyk, Capt Randy Romanchuk, Capt Paul Spurrell , Capt Mitch Krasey, Capt Heather Guard, Capt Kate Simpson, Capt Gerald Landers and the current commander Capt Tanya Hunt,” says Hunt in an emailed statement.
She says the barbecue is also about promoting the cadets in the community.
While the cadets do follow many military style rules, they are a separate program than the Canadian Armed Forces, says Cardinal. Given that they are Air Cadets, the members spend some of their time focused on flying.
Cardinal says throughout the year, the parents and members fundraise to pay for cadets to go gliding at least one time. They also do some flying in small engine planes.
If the cadets stick with the program and complete all of the ground school and complete all of the training, Cardinal says they can get their private flying license once they graduate from the program. There are also some scholarships that are available through the Air Cadet League of Canada.
He says it’s also a great program to teach kids responsibility and discipline. All of the cadets are given their own uniforms and are completely responsible for the maintenance of that uniform. That includes sewing on patches, washing and ironing the uniform, and shining their boots.
“It’s all about the self-motivation and self-reliance, along with working as part of a team,” says Cardinal.
He says the cadets are always accepting donations, and all funds donated will go toward programs for the members.
Staff Sergeant stepping down
The Drayton Valley RCMP Detachment is looking for a new Staff Sergeant as the current man in charge, Troy Raddatz, heads into retirement.
Raddatz started his time as Staff Sergeant in Drayton Valley in mid-May 2023, just as the community was dealing with the Buck Creek Wildfire. Raddatz hit the ground running with the detachment, and during his time the crime stats have been on a downward trend and the RCMP have been more visible in the community.
Before he was Staff Sergeant in Drayton, Raddatz had spent time in Breton, where he started his career in 2004. In 2010 he moved on to work with the canine unit where he eventually became the program director for dog services in 2017.
In 2023, he decided to make the lateral move to his position in Drayton. He and his wife had life-long friendships from the area, and he was impressed with the detachment in Drayton.
“I really enjoyed my year here, and it was good for my family,” says Raddatz. “We had planned on staying longer, but through a change in our family situation, we decided it was time to retire.”
One of Raddatz’s goals when he first started was seeing the detachment moved to a larger building. While Raddatz has been working diligently on achieving that goal, he says it’s been difficult to get the go ahead from the division.
However, during his last town council meeting report, Raddatz told council that he has been advised that there will be three trailers added to the detachment. He says he has been working with the division to finalize the design for the changes, and he anticipates the trailers will arrive in 2025/26.
“We’re trying to buy ten years for this current detachment,” says Raddatz.
He says during his time in Drayton he’s valued the support that the detachment has received from both the Town and Brazeau County, as well as members of the community.
And Raddatz says he has been happy with the detachment and feels like he’s leaving it in good hands.
“Drayton Valley has a really incredible detachment, and the community is in good hands there,” says Raddatz.
His last day as Staff Sergeant is April 11, and in the meantime, Sergeant Ryan Hoetmer will be the Interim Staff Sergeant until a replacement is found.
Concern over Winfield School
The parent advisory council at Winfield Elementary are worried about the future of their school.
Carolyn Schwindt, the president of the school’s PAC, says some motions that the Wetaskiwin Regional Public School Division recently put forward in their board meeting are concerning.
Schwindt says this year the division has a new superintendent, Mike Wake, and Schwindt says that he’s been great to work with so far. However, she doesn’t agree with some of the ideas brought forward for calculating when a school should be closed.
“There’s always been discussion in Wetaskiwin Public Schools on the potential need for closure,” says Schwindt. “We’ve got low enrollment across the board in all schools.”
Schwindt says there are many factors at play when it comes to the enrollment at Winfield. Currently, the school has 63 students and also houses the community’s public library. Schwindt says there are multiple programs that use the school, such as the playschool and gymnastics club.
The motions that were put forward suggested that the school be closed if enrollment was below 60 students. Schwindt says if the number for closure is that close to the number of currently enrolled students, no one can really be certain if the school will stay open from year to year.
She worries this could affect whether teachers look for positions at the school. Or perhaps parents would move their children prematurely because the school might close.
She says since the pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of home-schooled students in the area, which has lowered student enrollment. Allowing families to pick a school of choice for their children also affects the numbers in the schools.
Schwindt says Wake has been focusing on the reason for low numbers and has been actively looking for solutions to the problem.
His most recent proposal was to ask the provincial government for funds to build a K-12 school for the Buck Lake family of schools in the Alder Flats area. Another area that was considered was the Pigeon Lake family of schools becoming consolidated.
But Schwindt says those two school families have schools spread out over a large area. Already, some students are looking at bus rides that are an hour or more in some of those areas. Should the schools be consolidated, many of those bus rides could increase significantly.
As it is, students who choose to go to high school in WRPS rather than the Breton High School with the school of choice option, have to travel to Buck Mountain High School. The distance from Winfield to the Buck Mountain school is 27 kms, and takes about seventeen minutes of straight drive time.
Another thing Schwindt worries about is what would happen to the community should the school be closed.
As of 2011, Winfield had 244 residents. One of the major employers in the area is the school and its closure could have a ripple effect throughout the community.
Schwindt says she has spoken to Wetaskiwin County Council about the issue, but there is little they can do.
Kathy Rooyakkers, the councillor for Division 6 in Wetaskiwin County, says the idea of the school potentially being shut down next year worries her.
“It will affect them big time,” says Rooyakkers.
Rooyakkers says that unfortunately the County cannot stop anything WRPS plans to do. She says they have the opportunity to meet with the division a few times a year, where they discuss issues that concern both the County and the division, but all they can do is give their opinions about the situation.
“At the table, we don’t get a decision,” says Rooyakkers.
She says it’s frustrating, but there isn’t much they can do. At this point, she says the County has not discussed what they would do should the school be closed. She says there may be some other options that could be considered, such as creating a charter school, but council can’t make any changes…
Full story in the April 4, Free Press. Become an email subscriber at www.dvfreepress.com.
Osmond thanked council for the opportunity and said he was looking forward to getting to work on a permanent basis.
“I’m certainly very excited about the things we’re going to do together,” he said.
Are you a local looking for things to do in and around Drayton Valley, or Brazeau County. Our award winning editor Graham Long, has got your covered in his weekly summary of things happening in Drayton Valley. Have a read of Next Week’s News each week to get an idea on how to plan your, week.
Next Week's News: May 16, 2024 Column
Attention motorists, cyclists, pedestrians etc! Construction work on the eastern portion of Drayton Valley’s 50 Avenue is about to get underway. Expect some detours and traffic disruption in the area over the next several weeks.
Shale Medical is currently trialing a Saturday same day clinic. Depending on feedback and demand they may extend this further. The following dates are slated for the trial: June 15, 9 am – 4 pm, June 22 9 am -4 pm and June 29: 9 am – 4 pm.
The booking procedure is listed on their website and walk-ins will be accepted as well.
Drayton Valley’s Small Town Big Party is tomorrow, (that’s Friday June 14) in Omni 3. That means live music from a couple of bands, plus beer gardens and games and all sorts of fun. This is an adult only event and admission is $7.
Father’s Day is Sunday June 16. For the love of God, no more socks, please!
And after that, it’s time for summer! The most wonderful time of the year officially begins at 8:50 pm, Thursday June 20.
National Indigenous Peoples Day is a day recognizing and celebrating the cultures and contributions of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Indigenous peoples of Canada. This year it’s Friday June 21.
The Lions Club are bringing the fair to Drayton Valley again this month. It’ll be in town June 21, 22, and 23.
The Frank Maddock High School graduation is June 22. Congratulations to everyone who’s graduating from all of our local schools this year. And if you’re heading off to college or university please call or text your parents regularly. You know how they worry.
June 26 is the last day of school for students in Drayton Valley and Breton, so watch out for bands of feral youth roaming the streets over the next couple of months.
Don’t forget that your property taxes are due to be paid by the end of this month. Since June 30 is a Sunday, you probably want to be a few days early, just in case. If you live in Brazeau County you’ll get a 30 percent rebate if you pay on time, so it’s worth the effort.
And Canada Day is fast approaching. In Drayton Valley there’s a pancake breakfast starting at 7 am at the legion. The parade begins at 10 am and follows the usual route up 50 Avenue and then north on 50 Street. The rest of the activities will be at the Omniplex from 11 am to 3 pm with fireworks at dusk, weather permitting.
Cut out the middle man and get your Drayton Valley and District Free Press directly to your email inbox.
Get more activity ideas in for the Drayton Valley and Brazeau County region in our Brazeau and Beyond Travel Guide.
Head over to our travel guide page to download yours today.
Click here: Brazeau and Beyond
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.
“You can see that they’re starting to take down the building,” says Brad Volkman, the superintendent for the Wild Rose School Division.
Because H.W. Pickup was built on municipal reserve land Volkman says the land will not be going up for sale once the work crews are done. Once the demolition is completed, the property will automatically go back to the Town.
Vandalism reported an Issue
“We don’t take any money for that,” says Volkman. “They just get it back.”
There have been a few instances of vandalism at the old schools, and Volkman says it’s always a safety concern if there is an abandoned building. The division also had to spend money doing what they could to repair damages, such as boarding up windows that had been broken.
“We’re glad to see it coming down,” he says. “We don’t want to see people getting injured or defacing the building.”
Volkman says staff in the division had the opportunity to go through the schools and take any items they wanted out of them. Anything that was left behind became the property of the demolition company.
Playgrounds to be reused
However, Volkman says the playgrounds on both school sites aren’t being completely destroyed. The plan is to have as much of the equipment moved to the new school as they can safely do. He says they will be moved over the summer.
“Most of the one on the Eldorado property will be going to the Powerhouse Campus. One particularly piece will be going to Evergreen,” he says.
In addition to the playgrounds that are being moved over, Volkman says they still have a $250,000 grant from the province to spend on new playground equipment for the campus. He says that the school council also plans to raise funds to help with the new playground.
The school division owned the land where Eldorado was located. Now that the school is down, WRSD has received permission from the Minister of Education to sell that land, with the right of first refusal going to the Town.
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.
Drayton really does have talent
Drayton Valley’s River Valley Players provided two well produced showcases for our local talent last weekend. Drayton Valley Has Talent 2024 junior and adult showcases were held the afternoon and evening of September 21 on the Pembina Stage of Eleanor Pickup Arts Centre in downtown Drayton Valley.
Wildrose Schools starts cell phone ban this September
Students may have a different learning experience this year after the Alberta Education Minister, Demetrios Nicolaides, made the call to ban cell phones in schools.
Judge explains Breton area manslaughter ruling
A Court of King’s Bench Justice has outlined her reasons for convicting a woman of manslaughter in an incident that happened in the Breton area.
New Staff Sergeant is a familiar face
Ryan Hoetmer was first stationed in Drayton Valley in 2017 as a corporal overseeing the three man general investigation section (GIS) for the detachment. Prior to his transfer to Drayton Valley, Hoetmer was working in Grande Prairie as part of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) task force, dealing with organized crime and drug trafficking.
