Weekly Anchor pickup locations: Edson Sobeys (outside box); Edson Tags North (Inside); Edson Post office (outside boxes); Edson and District Leisure Center (outside box); Edson, Home Hardware (inside); Edson, Thymes Two (outside box); Edson, Your Independent Grocer (inside); Edson, Parkland Lodge (inside); Wildwood (outside box); Evansburg Post office (outside box); Evansburg Super A Foods (inside)
In Remembrance of World War I Veterans from Junkins
by Shaylyn Thornton
Nov 4, 2024 issue: In the early 1900s, Black immigrants who came to
Alberta settled primarily in four isolated rural areas. One of these
areas was the community of Junkins, Alberta, which is now known as
Wildwood.
Several of these settlers would go on to become soldiers for Canada. Two
of these men were William Boone and John Henry Lindsay. They were
veterans of the First World War and members of the No. 2
Construction Battalion, which was the largest Black regiment in
Canadian history.
In August 1914 tens of thousands of men across Canada enlisted for
service for World War I. Many Black men tried to enlist as well but
were rejected. According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, “Some were
told that this was a white man’s war, while others were told that
their services were not required. This reflected the racism in
Canada at the time. Many white men told recruiting officers and
battalion commanding officers that they refused to serve with Black
men.”
Leaders in Black communities pushed back, fighting for the right for
Black men to enlist and fight for their country. “An all-Black
infantry battalion was not an option,” the Encyclopedia reads.
“There were not enough Black men in Canada to man such a battalion
and provide reinforcements… Further, the British War Office… feared
that Black infantry units might use their training and experience
against British authorities in the colonies.”
In April 1916, a suggestion to create a Black labour battalion was made,
and the British approved the idea in May. The Batallion was
advertised as being “For Colored Men of Canada” and stated that men
were needed “for all kinds of construction work.”
The Canadian Forestry Corps urgently needed labour to support
forestry operations in the Jura Mountains in southeast France. The
No. 2 Construction Batallion arrived on May 21, 1917 and immediately
began operations.
Lumber was essential for the war effort, used for the sides of trenches,
duckboards, artillery gun platforms, railway ties, ammunition boxes,
accommodation huts, and bridges. “The work of No. 2 Construction
Company allowed the mills to produce more than twice as much lumber
as mills that did not have this support,” states the Canadian
Encyclopedia. “The men of No. 2 Construction Battalion showed the
dedication of Black communities across Canada towards their
country.”
In Remembrance
John Lindsay was born in the early 1890s and came from the United States
in 1908, finding work on the Grand Trunk Railroad. He joined the
army at 18 and spent five years in World War I. According to the
Canadian Great War Project, John’s rank detail was Private, No. 2
Canadian Construction Company, Canadian Forestry Corps (Army).
The book Where the River Lobstick Flows states that John “considered
himself ‘lucky to get back’ [from the war] and endured the
consequences of that conflict all his life.”
John went on to marry Consuello Mae Cook in Edmonton in 1933 and the
pair came to farm and homestead in the Empyrean area near Chip Lake.
They had four children between 1935 and 1944: Floyd Leon, John
George, Donna Mae Lydia, and Leonard Lyle. The book states that John
would participate in the Wildwood and District Agricultural Fairs,
and that he “was very proud of his team taking many prizes.”
John Henry passed away on July 3, 1966. He is buried in the Empyrean
Cemetery in the Wildwood area, which was recently officially
reclaimed and recognized as a historical site.
William Boone was also a Junkins-area resident who shared the rank detail
of Private, No. 2 Canadian Construction Company, Canadian Forestry
Corps (Army). Born in 1866 in Alabama, William married Joanna
Mewborn and had nine children before immigrating to Canada. One more
child, a son named Thirhaka but affectionately known as “Buster”,
was born in 1910 after their arrival.
Buster wrote the piece on the Boone family in Where the River Lobstick
Flows and noted that William and his family were “fairly
well-established” on their homestead by 1915.
In October of 1916, William decided to join the army. Buster’s piece
details how William came home in uniform to see his family before
going to Eastern Canada.
“Whether or not he had a feeling he would be back, William visited
all his friends and neighbours to say farewell. He also gathered his
family ‘round him and bade each farewell,” wrote Buster. “In full
uniform he made a very handsome and striking figure, leaving a
wonderful impression on members of his family. As he left, William
stepped out the door, saluted the family smartly, and went out.”
“That was the last time any of the family saw him,” Buster wrote, as
William lost his life in the front lines in France in 1917. The book
notes that, at the time of writing, Buster still had some of the
medals awarded to his father for outstanding bravery.
with files Madison Sharman, Yellowhead County Heritage Coordinator
County unveils community resilience murals
by Niki Luymes
Oct 31, 2024 issue: Yellowhead County welcomed people to the Wildwood Community Hall on
October 17, for the official unveiling of the community murals.
From 4pm to 6pm people came and check out the finished piece, while also
enjoying a free barbecue supper. Visitors could also enter draws,
submit a name for the mural, and collect a free colouring book.
The community murals have been a work in progress since May of
this year. Each one was painted with help from members of the
community. Yellowhead County was present at different community
events, or set up their own Paint Party events, so people of all
ages could paint a part of the mural. It was achieved in a 'paint by
numbers' style where each participant could fill as many parts as
they wanted. In total, over 300 people from the various communities
worked on the murals.
There are eight murals that combine into one large picture. This event
was the first and only time that all the pieces were displayed as a
whole. "We wanted to show off the size and scope of this project so
people can appreciate the murals before they go to their forever
homes," said Maddison Sharman, Heritage Coordinator with Yellowhead
County.
The individual murals will be displayed in the different participating
hamlets at the following locations: Wildwood's mural will be
displayed on the Ag Complex, Evansburg's will be on the arena, and
Niton's, Peers' Cadomin's, Robb's, Marlboro's, and Brule's will be
on or near their community halls.
Each piece commemorates the different hamlets throughout the county with
details specific to that place. "The murals, showcasing the
diversity, beauty, and resiliency of each community, were designed
with suggestions from the public and Yellowhead County staff," added
Sharman.
Displays explaining the project and listing those who helped complete the
murals will be set up in each location. The finished murals will be
coated with a UV protective and anti graffiti coating, which will
keep them colourful and detailed for at least the next 10 years.
Detailed prints of the combined mural will be on display in the
Yellowhead County offices in Edson and Wildwood.
The mural is actually only the first step in a larger project called
'Rise Together: a story of Community and Resilience.' The project
will focus on stories from the 2023 wildfire season, and all that
the area went though in that time. The murals were the first part of
the project completed due to their size and purpose. "The
murals are really the highlight of the project since it's
celebrating all the great things about our communities. Not focusing
on the negatives and not defined by tragedy —there's so much more
here," said Sharman.
The project itself consists of seven parts. The other parts include a
collection of extended oral histories from 25 different members of
the community. These individuals all have dynamic stories from the
2023 wildfires/floods. They also will collect other stories
throughout the community. These stories will be compiled into a
book, and an exhibit commemorating the resiliency of the
communities.
Added to that, the county is commissioning local artists from each
division to create one of a kind works about what their community
went through. These pictures will be brought together as part of a
traveling display.
Most of this project is already in progress. The County is currently
collecting the short stories about the fires/floods, which will also
be included in the book and exhibit. If you have a story or photos
about resiliency from that time, you can send them to the County to
be reviewed for the project.
The deadline for submission is the end of this year. The project
will be completed sometime in 2025.
Scammers attacks on local family devastating
OP/ED: by Dana McArthur
Oct 21, 2024 issue: We often hear about people being scammed and think,
"There is no way that's going to happen to me". Well, one of life's
biggest lessons is don't ever think it can't happen to you.
Scammers are professionals and know just what to say to gain your trust.
A close friend of mine in Edson knows this only too well now. For
this article we will call her Jane, "My husband fell victim to being
scammed. He was so sure it wasn't a scam, we talked about it and
talked some more. Unfortunately, they had him right where they
wanted him."
It truly is scary just how well they can groom a person and gain their
trust, often with personal information harvested off of social
media. "After being scammed, my husband was yet again scammed by
someone pretending to be with the fraud department and they were
going to help him get his money back. Wrong! It was another scam
that cost us even more loss," Jane said.
"If you or someone you know has been scammed, seek professional help, but
within our community of professionals. Don't trust online ads to
help you get your money back, as they too could be a fraud. Only
trust someone you have already dealt with or can speak face to face
with," said Jane.
"Before my husband knew what was really going on, it was too late, they
had cleaned out the bank accounts. The mess it has left us in is
awful. It's not just loosing our life savings, it's everything that
goes along with it. Having to change bank accounts, deal with other
possible consequences from the scammers gaining access to his
personal information. Getting a new driver's license, filing reports
to the RCMP, and more. Once they have your personal information they
can do so much to you," Jane said.
Fraud can also cause lasting mental and physical trauma for victims.
Don't respond to unsolicited cold calls, emails, junk mail,
late-night commercials or infomercials, or social media posts that
are either overly attractive or fear-inducing. These are all common
tactics scammers use to entice you to engage.
Tips from a local banking expert include:
1. The quicker your bank's Fraud Team is notified of a fraud in progress
the quicker they can stop it from happening –the same day if
possible!
2. On most banking apps you can customize the notifications so if your
balance changes by more than $$ amount you will get a text or email.
3. Do not click on links from anyone or website that you are not
expecting. Even if you are expecting it, you can always go to the
same page on your own without clicking on the link.
4. Never share your screen or allow anyone remotely onto your computer,
especially while signing into on-line banking. Install reputable
antivirus software and do not share personal information.
5. Scammers often call to say your Visa/MC was compromised. Never
confirm card details or provide additional information. Call your
credit card company directly.
6. Another preventative measure is to have the bulk of your cash in GICs
or investment accounts as these are branch transactions, so
electronic is not an option. Fraudsters typically only gain access
to chequing accounts.
7. Some more recent scams have involved investing in Bitcoin or other
investment options where the clients are promised high returns with
no/low fees. Unfortunately, the bank clients themselves are
transferring the funds to these illegitimate organizations.
"Make sure the scammer can't do anymore harm to you. Close any
compromised bank and credit card accounts. Update and secure online
accounts. Change your passwords immediately and enable two-factor
authentication to prevent unauthorized access. Freeze your credit
with all three credit bureaus. A credit freeze stops fraudsters from
opening new accounts or taking out credit in your name," Jane
advised.
Alberta RCMP states that if you believe you may be a victim of fraud, or
are currently being targeted by fraud, please report it to your
local law enforcement and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) at
1-888-495-8501, use the number as fake links online can lead
directly to scammers. Instances of compromised personal and/or
financial information should be reported to your bank and credit
card company.
Edson and area honours National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
by Niki Luymes
Oct 14, 2024 issus:
On September 31, members of the Edson and area Indigenous community
gathered along with other community members to honour the National
Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
From 5pm to 8pm, everyone was welcome to come out to Kinsman Park to
experience Indigenous community, history, and culture.
Upon arriving at the park, visitors were invited to interact with local
Elders and Indigenous representatives. There was a free BBQ
sponsored by Secure Energy, alongside free snacks that included
authentic pemmican.
At the beginning of the event Elders were positioned around the park so
that guests could wander around and choose a group to listen in on.
"We've been talking about a lot of stuff, and they want to learn so
much. It's open to everybody, not just the Native people. It's for
everyone that wants to learn and take part," said Elder Jackie
Whitford.
As the day progressed the crowd gathered in one spot for a traditional
drummer performance. After a few songs, they welcomed the whole
community together to perform a round dance. Round dances are a
traditional celebration of community to promote unity and healing.
Throughout the event there was a sacred fire burning in remembrance of
the children who lost their lives at residential schools. Visitors
were welcome to throw in some tobacco and say a prayer in
remembrance. "Truth and Reconciliation to me," said Elder Frieda
Maynard, "is everybody telling the truth about their experiences and
reconciling with the people who've done them wrong. Trying to
forgive them —as hard as it is sometimes."
The event was supposed to end with the showing of short movie showcasing
local stories, but it was cancelled due to the cold weather. Despite
the chill in the air, there was still a substantial crowd for most
of the evening. It's estimated that over 200 people made their way
to the park throughout the event.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation has been a federally
recognized holiday for three years. Each year the Edson Friendship
Centre chose a location for the community to gather. This year the
organizers choose Kinsman Park due to its abundance of fire pits and
better protection from the chilly fall winds. In the weeks preceding
this event, local Elders also visited schools to share their stories
and traditions.
"I think it's very important for everyone to understand where we're
coming from so that we can work together as one. I think it's time
we pull together and work together to share our stories, so that
everyone can understand our pain and where we're coming from," added
Elder Whitford.
Edson Fire Department upgrading communications system
by Niki Luymes
Oct 7, 2024 issue: Bradley Milton, Fire Chief for the Edson Fire
Department, came to the Edson Town Council on October 1, to request
an upgrade to the first responders radio system.
Due to deficiencies identified with the current equipment, Milton
requested the implementation of the Alberta First Responders
Communications System (AFRRCS) for Protective Services and Emergency
Management. This implementation would come with a cost of $120,000
in additional funding to be added to the 2024 Capital Budget.
"AFRRCS is a two way radio network for first responders in municipal,
provincial, and First Nations agencies across the province,"
explained Chief Milton. The system allows agencies to create and
share 'talk groups' greatly enhancing communication between
agencies. Operation and maintenance for this system is provided by
the Government of Alberta. This system has been live since July 1,
2016, and is used by many different agencies province-wide.
This change is being proposed as a direct response to feedback after the
2023 wildfires. The 2023 Edson After Action Reviews conducted by TSI
(Transitional Solutions Inc), provided two recommendations that
specifically referenced the use of AFRRCS Radios.
"Deficiencies have been identified with the current radio communications
equipment in both the After-Action Reviews as well as internally
within Town operations. Large emergency scenes are not capable of
being controlled through the existing radio system without
difficulties, and the use of multiple radio systems or various other
communications means. The current radio system, while working, it is
not ideal to be using several different communication modes as a
standard operating practice," said Milton. He added that the
deficiencies were again noted during Edson's involvement in the
Jasper wildfires.
The current radios and pagers used are also reaching the end of their
lifecycle. This makes it the perfect time to make the switch.
Instead of ad-hoc repairs, Chief Milton and Town Administration are
recommending a full scale upgrade to the AFRRCS. Upgrading would
ensure long-term reliability, compatibility, and provide better
value and enhanced operational effectiveness.
Administration is also actively seeking third party donations and grant
funding opportunities. They have already received $55,000 in
external funding specific to the implantation of AFRRCS.
Councillor Ed Moore asked about the security of this proposed system.
"What are the odds of the public eavesdropping into this system?"
Milton replied, "These systems are designed though a VPN system, so
they are encrypted and are not able to be scanned."
"How often will you have to do upgrades on these [AFRRCS radios] or will
they last for a while?" asked Councillor Trevor Bevan. Milton
stated the new radios will have the same lifespan as normal radios,
about 10-15 years.
Councillor Krystal Cacka and Councillor Greg Pasychny voiced their
approval for a system-wide upgrade.
Councillor Pasychny noted that when other fire departments came to Edson
to help with the 2023 wildfire, they came with AFRRCS. "I think this
is a long time coming and it's a really good thing for our fire
department."
"I was actually quite surprised to learn that we weren't on AFRRCS
already," said Mayor Kevin Zahara. "Is Yellowhead County already on
AFRRCS?" Milton responded, "They do have AFRRCS accessibility
right now and they have the current radio system. So, it would be an
easy transition for us to their dispatching system."
The motion to approve $120,000 additional funding in the 2024 Capital
Budget to implement the AFRRCS for Protective Services and Emergency
Management to be funded from the Protective Services Capital Reserve
was carried unanimously.
Support for the Edson Community Care Foundation: Council approved a
$10,000 funding request to assist the Edson Community Care
Foundation with start-up costs of sub committee to help recruit
doctors and healthcare works to the area. A member of Council will
be appointed to the sub committee.
Evansburg Community Hall public engagement gathers input
by Shaylyn Thornton
Sept 30, 2024: Yellowhead County Council heard an update on a
potential community hall in Evansburg from GM of Community Services
Crystal McNernie at their September 24 meeting.
McNernie addressed some of the key community feedback from the
Community Hall Open House that was hosted in Evansburg on September
10, which over 150 people attended. Residents could also complete
either a hard copy or online survey, which received 183 submissions
as of September 24.
McNernie said, “The feedback collected really revealed no clear community
consensus on the need or the vision for a new community hall.
Feedback was quite mixed, with some residents expressing support
while a significant amount either opposed the project or question
the timing of the project.”
A few themes emerged, including the need for “adequate space for service
groups and particularly seniors… just really highlighting the need
that this community hall could provide,” McNernie explained.
Another theme was “the idea of a multi-use concept and really that would
be the intent of this facility,” McNernie said. Key public
suggestions included having flexible room configurations, adequate
audiovisual equipment, that recreational programming be available,
and that parking capacity is addressed.
The proposed location also brought in mixed opinions. “Some thought it
was a great synergy with the arena and others felt that there were
alternatives we should be looking at,” said McNernie, noting that
the positives of adjoining to the arena includes shared use of
amenities like washrooms, parking, and the kitchen, and the
proximity would allow for programming synergy.
Many were concerned about the Royal Canadian Legion. “For the past 75
years the Legion has been providing Community Hall service to
Evansburg, but we know the Legion is struggling,” said McNernie,
referencing a 2022 visit from the Legion asking for financial
assistance from the County.
“Later in that same year the Legion was listed for sale and that’s really
what prompted the review that we’re undertaking today,” McNernie
explained. “The need for a new hall will arise once the Legion is no
longer able to provide that service so really today’s planning is
just focused on being prepared for [that].”
McNernie addressed the question of renovating the current Legion
facility. After considering a 2016 assessment identified nearly $1.4
million in needed renovations, which would be close to $2 million
today, “It does suggest that that building is likely not a long-term
solution.”
The last major theme involved the Evansburg Public Library. “There are
two issues currently plaguing Evansburg. One is the long-term need
for a community hall and the second is the immediate need for a new
library space,” said McNernie. While the Grand Trunk High School’s
renovations will “greatly benefit the students and staff,” the
library will not benefit. Post-renovation, the library will be
reduced from 3500sqft to just under 700sqft, thus reducing their
capacity for programs, their collection, and their ability to
provide the same service level. Many residents suggested integrating
a library into the community hall, but with construction potentially
several years away it would not solve the immediate problem.
Instead, “Administration has been exploring the possibility of relocating
the library to the Tipple Park site,” which would offer several
advantages such as its central location for residents, adequate
parking, and the potential collaboration in blending library and
museum services, thus enhancing visitor experience. “This could
provide a really unique cultural hub of educational and historical
services in one central location,” said McNernie.
McNernie recommended to Council that they direct Administration to
continue to develop the proposed community hall concept design
incorporating resident feedback, and that they continue to explore
the integration of the library into the Tipple Park site.
Grand opening of Pivotal Energy's processing facility
by Niki Luymes
Sept 23, 2024 issue: The Town of Edson officially welcomed Pivotal Energy to the community
during the grand opening of their new processing facility.
Representatives from the town and council, along with Pivotal Energy
executives and partners officially cut the ribbon at 11am on
September 16.
The site, which has been under construction since spring of 2024, serves
as a C3+ processing facility. C3+ is the natural liquid
remnants of natural gas after the removal of methane. It can be
processed into three separate gas liquids products including
propane, butane, and condensate. The site is set up for both
truck and train hauling to and from the location.
Pivotal constantly sought and received input from the community and
stakeholders over the course of the project. They hosted multiple
open houses and forums to discuss the details with the community and
affected parties.
Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara said, “It's been a long time coming, there's
been a lot of hard work that made today happen, and we really want
to thank Pivotal Energy Partners for choosing Edson as a place to do
business."
Steven Duckett, President and CEO of Pivotal Energy, said, "This moment
marks a significant milestone for our company and we're thrilled to
be operational. Today is not just about cutting a ribbon it's about
recognizing the hard work, dedication, and support that's brought us
to this point."
During the opening ceremonies, the official ribbon cutting took place.
Pivotal then presented custom golden shovels to the Town of Edson
and local partner Thermals Design, the lead engineering firm for the
project.
Now that the plant is up and running, Pivotal and the Town of Edson are
excited to see what will come from the partnership. "We have 15 full
time jobs that have been created by this plant, and that's not the
only benefit. It's supporting our local natural gas producers in the
region which is critically important," said Mayor Zahara.
Duckett said, "As I stand here today, it's important to reflect on what
this facility brings to the area. With a capacity of 10,000 barrels
per day, this facility not only represents a significant investment
in the future growth of this area, but also positions Edson as a key
link in other major markets.
"Moreover, our contribution to the local economy goes beyond job
creation. Looking ahead we have plans for future expansion and
development around this facility with millions of dollars earmarked
for investment in Edson," Duckett added.
MLA Martin Long was also in attendance. "There are so many aspects of our
economy that are up and down —this brings more stability to the
region. It's a region that is very much a beneficiary of the oil and
gas sector and another company that supports the longevity of the
oil and gas sector in this region will certainly benefit us for
decades to come.”
"In closing," Duckett said, "I want to thank all of you for your
unwavering support here today. Today is a celebration of what we can
achieve when we work together and we're excited about the future we
will be able to build together."
Jasper disaster waste to be sent to Hinton Landfill
by Shaylyn Thornton
At their September 10 meeting, Yellowhead County Council heard from
General Manager of Infrastructure and Planning Services Cory Armfelt
regarding disaster waste from Jasper being sent to the Hinton
Landfill.
After a request from Council at a previous meeting, Armfelt was providing
an update on the “impact from the Jasper fire and the significant
amount of material that is likely to be landfilled at the Hinton
Landfill,” he said. The Hinton Landfill is managed by the West
Yellowhead Regional Waste Management Authority (WYRWMA).
WYRWMA was contacted by the Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) on
July 28, 2024 to request that Jasper fire material and waste be
landfilled in Hinton. The authorization of the landfill at the time
did not permit this, “so we worked quite swiftly with Alberta
Environment and Protected Areas and we received an amended
authorization,” Armfelt said.
The WYRWMA then met on August 14, 2024, and confirmed the waste from
Jasper would be accepted at the Hinton Landfill, and discussed items
like tipping fees and amendments to their budget’s expenses and
revenues.
The fire in Jasper destroyed approximately 358 structures. Each structure
will account for approximately 140 metric tonnes (mt) of material,
for a total approximate amount of 50,000 mt.
“As per the motions from the Authority Board, the material from these
structures should be considered mixed waste, which has a 2024 fee
rate of $175/mt. Based on a tipping fee of $175/mt, the gross
estimated revenue is $8.75 million,” read the Request for Decision.
“Contracted service providers have prepared to accommodate two
incoming waste streams (normal waste drop off and Jasper waste drop
off), internal staging areas, additional staffing, equipment, safety
training, and space allocation for this material. These efforts are
estimated to cost approximately $1,054,500 in 2024. Given this
figure, the net revenue from this event to the Authority based on
50,000 mt is approximately $7.7 million.”
With the waste to be landfilled in Cell 8 of the landfill, questions
arose regarding the impact on longevity of the cell. When Cell 8 was
constructed, it was estimated it would provide approximately 13.5
years of storage. “The 50,000 metric tonnes inbound for the landfill
decreased the operational lifespan of that by about 3.2 years so
we’re looking at Cell 8 - if we receive all of that 50,000 metric
tonnes - to be about 10.3 years,” said Armfelt.
Councillor David Russell asked for clarification on what the additional
monies coming into the WYRWMA will be dedicated to, to which Armfelt
responded, “Currently the additional revenue is proposed to be
transferred to reserves, and then when we have another meeting with
the Waste Management Authority they could decide on what to do with
that revenue beyond there.” Armfelt noted that currently the motion
was to place the monies in a reserve fund for future considerations.
Russell also referenced the decreased lifespan of Cell 8 and asked,
“How many cells will we have available to us at this landfill site?”
“There is enough space within that landfill for a number of decades as we
just simply construct more and more cells within that space. There’s
numerous capacity for cells,” Armfelt said, stating an estimation of
80 years worth of space.
Councillor Brigitte Lemieux asked if the transferring of the waste
from Jasper to the Hinton Landfill is expected to be completed in
2024 or if it will flow into 2025.
“We receive changing plans from the incident management team in Jasper
almost every day related to what the plan is for the removal of the
waste. The most recent news that we received is that the ash and the
material from the structures would be removed first, in the next
month, month and a half,” Armfelt explained. “Then they would be
returning for the concrete foundations. So I don’t think that’s all
going to land in 2024 based off their latest proposed action plan…
some of it is likely to spill over into 2025.”
Armfelt noted that the WYRWMA is kept informed as plans related to
the recovery evolve.
$1.6M approved for Vision Park restoration
by Niki Luymes
Sept 9, 2024 issue: At the Edson Town Council meeting on September 3,
Ryan O'Sullivan, Transportation & Parks Manager, presented a request
for funding to complete phases 2 and 3 of Vision Park's restoration
and rehabilitation.
Specifically, the request was for council to approve a transfer of
$1,608,625 from the vision park reserve to complete the Vision Park
ball diamonds.
The Vision Park Rehabilitation project has been in progress since
initially approved by Council on Sept 7, 2021. This initial approval
came with a budget of $2,024,710. Administration moved forward with
a tender to complete Phase 1. This included rebuilding six and a
half ball diamonds, landscaping to enhance drainage, and the
addition of park upgrades including diamond lighting, batting cages,
new bleachers, as well as the replacement of a play structure which
was removed for pipeline development.
However, all the tender bids came in significantly higher than expected.
Due to this sudden increase in project costs these renovations were
not completed as planned.
In 2022, a revised Phase 1 plan was presented to Council which included:
landscaping to improve drainage in the lower areas of Vision Park,
construction of two 300-foot diamonds suitable for Slo-Pitch, the
rebuilding of three diamonds in the northeast area of the park to
improve drainage, and the development of the new parking lot.
Provisional items such as lighting, new bleachers, picnic tables,
etc, were removed from the plan to accommodate budgetary
limitations. The work outlined in this revised phase of construction
was then completed in fall of 2023.
The 2024 capital budget included $315,000 to complete the fencing,
dugouts, and newly built ball diamonds. The plan is to begin this
work in fall 2024, to allow for the grass seed to mature. This
timeframe also gave Administration an opportunity to gather feedback
from user groups through representatives of the Edson Minor Ball and
Mixed Slow Pitch associations.
"Minor Ball indicated they were promised two U18 diamonds. These were
removed when the initial tender came in over budget," explained
O'Sullivan. "Slo-Pitch was hoping to have at least four 270 foot
diamonds to host provincial or league tournaments."
While initial planning for phases 2 and 3 included complete
restoration of the Vision park area, this has now been deemed beyond
the budget. Administration is recommending Phases 2 and 3 only
include the following items: total rebuild of diamonds 18 & 2,
fencing and dugouts of diamonds 1-4 and 25 and the replacement of
the playground structure. Outstanding improvements are planned to be
brought to council for the coming years which, eventually, will
complete the project as initially planned in 2022.
The work for these revised phases is estimated to cost $1,600,000. If
council approves the motion, this would be paid from the 6-72-76101
Vision Park Reserve, which currently has $1,608,625 remaining plus
$315,000 which is already committed in the 2024 capital budget. The
Vision Park reserve is leftover money from a large donation received
towards the project.
Councillor Greg Pasychny asked, "Before we start anymore construction and
move anymore diamonds, are we going to have all the backstops done
on the current diamonds and will they be open before we do the other
ones?" O'Sullivan replied, "It'll all be part of this tender."
Councillor Ed Moore asked about the park drainage. "I know in the
past it's been somewhat lacking. How's that coming along?"
O'Sullivan replied that there was drainage work done during phase 1
of construction. Any puddling that remains will be handled in house
and will not need to be included in the phase 2 and 3 tenders.
Councillor Peter Taylor asked, "What do the user groups feel about
the plan that has been brought forward here tonight? Are they
satisfied with this?"
O'Sullivan stated that they have talked about the new plan with the
user groups. "I know there are some concerns about the location of
the U18 [diamond] being off and to the left, and the parking not
being close enough, but that's the only place in Vision Park that
that field will fit."
Councillor Krystal Cacka asked, "How much was the total amount that we've
already spent for phase 1? We had some funds donated to this project
and I'm just wondering if they were already spent in the phase 1
portion?"
O'Sullivan responded, "Phase 1 was $1.9 million. The money that was
donated was put towards phase 1 and is what we have in reserves."
It was carried that Council approve a transfer of $1,608,625 from the
6-72-76101 Vision Park Reserve to GL 4-72-95047 in the Capital
Budget to complete the Vision Park ball diamonds for all user
groups.
Camping out during Jasper wildfire evacuation
by Deanna Mitchener
A lot of people enjoy camping during the summer, but it's not quite the
same enjoyment when you are told to evacuate, with little notice.
During the Jasper wildfire evacuation the whole community needed to
leave. Most headed towards B.C., and some made their way to Hinton
and Edson, and other locations. Some had family or friends to stay
with, while others didn't have a clue where they would go.
That is what happened to Steven and May Colbath when they were told they
needed to evacuate from Jasper. The couple found welcome at the
Lion's Campground in Edson.
Steven recalls, “We didn't get much notice at all to evacuate. I was at
home and heard the fire was started by a lightning storm. It was
about 1.5 hours later they issued an evacuation notice, it was
really quick. Even though the fires weren't that close to town, it
was the threat of the way the winds were blowing. It was very dry
conditions; we all knew the condition of the forest. It was
everyone's worst fear because of all that dryness. It was true that
it was a really fast moving fire.”
May added, “From all the Pine Beatles getting to so many trees in the
area, it was so dry, they would just burst [into flames] with a huge
explosion, and then it spread.”
"We left Jasper July 22," said Steven. The [Lion's] campground attendants
have been excellent with trying to help us. The first two nights we
camped in a small tent. Rosie our cat hated the tent with a passion.
We had a storm and she isn't used to being outside, so everything
was a new experience for her. Our tent got a little flooded, and the
campground caretaker's dad offered us his holiday trailer to stay
in. We are very fortunate to have caring people reaching out to see
how they can help."
“I was working at the General Store when we got the notice,"
May said. "My phone didn't receive the alert and my co-worker's
didn't either. I didn't know what was happening. We noticed the town
in such mayhem with people running through stop signs, others
running out of gas stations. We were wondering what the heck was
going on? Then we looked up at the sun, and it looked like a disc of
blood red."
"When I got home at 8:00 p.m. my husband was backing-up our computer. I
asked him what was going on? He said we got an alert, then about 20
minutes later my phone sent an alert finally. It was just an alert
to get ready, nothing about an evacuation yet. In total we got five
hours to get out of Jasper. Traffic wasn't moving, we were in
gridlock. Traffic was just moving inch by inch and there were times
we had to turn the car off as we weren't moving at all. We became
the eighth car going out to the highway and everyone was being
ordered to head to Valmont. Then all of a sudden Parks Canada people
came up to our car and said to us "would you be interested in going
east?" So we spent the first night in a parking lot in Hinton,
arriving there around 3:30 a.m. we didn't get much sleep at all,
trying to figure out what we should do," May said.
"There was a Renaissance Fair happening in Edson, and I had already
called to make reservations at the Lion's Campground. We decided to
call the campground and see if we could extend our stay for at least
a week. Well, we never made it to the Renaissance Fair, as we
weren't in a good head-space to be out doing anything other than
worrying about things back home in Jasper," said May.
"A special thank you to Tyler and Jackie McIntyre, the caretakers at
Lion's Campground, and the Lion's Club members as well. A lovely
couple that made quilts to hand out to those affected by the
evacuation and gave us one. A warm thank you to Warren McIntyre for
lending us a holiday trailer to stay in for the remainder of our
stay,” May concluded.
The Jasper Recovery Task Force continues to support the development of
interim housing options for displaced residents, essential workers,
and other workers to help rebuild Jasper.
Those in need of immediate emergency financial assistance can contact the
Income Support Emergency Contact Centre at 1-866-644-5135. The
contact centre operates 24/7.
Town reviews Extreme Cold Warming Shelter protocol
by Niki Luymes
Aug 26, 2024 issue: During the August 20, Edson Town Council
Meeting, Council discussed the budget for the return of the Extreme
Cold Shelter Emergency Warming Centre Protocol.
The discussion focused on the cost of the program, with discussions
of possible alternatives. This protocol would only go into action if
a third party non-government organization (NGO) does not create
something similar.
Extreme Cold Shelter Emergency Warming Centre Protocol was created in
2023 as a response to an immediate need within the community. "The
Town of Edson has a vulnerable population experiencing homelessness
who are at increased risk during the winter months, especially
during extreme cold weather (-25ºC). There are currently programs
and warm spaces provided by various social support agencies during
the day, however, there are no facilities available for individuals
experiencing homelessness to escape the extreme temperatures
overnight," explained Doug Wagstaff, Acting CAO.
In the absence of any program in the community addressing this need, on
December 12, 2023, Council adopted an Extreme Cold Shelter Emergency
Warming Centre Protocol to support the operation of a warming
centre. The facility became operational on December 20, 2023.
During this time the shelter activated a total of 26 nights and
supported 63 visitors. The warming centre operated solely as an
emergency, temporary, supervised space. The shelters did not provide
local supports, food, or any such services. "It's intent is to limit
disruption to business and the public," said Wagstaff. In
2023/2024 the total cost for the initiative was $53,405.90, not
including Town of Edson Staff wages.
Based on average temperatures from the past 10 years, Town Administration
anticipates that there would be a need for between 30-45 nights in
2024/2025. Anticipated hard costs for five 5 months, or 45 evenings,
is a total of $102,287. This includes operating expenses and
fixed costs for mobilization and demobilization. These costs would
be split between the 2024 and the 2025 operating budget, and sourced
from multiple funds and reserves. Once trailer availability is
secured, the centre can be operational within 7-10 days.
"If Council authorizes the financial allocations, the Town of Edson will
only move forward with this proposal if there is no viable
alternatives operating and will continue to explore grant funding
opportunities," added Wagstaff. The preferred situation would be for
a NGO to create a Medication assisted treatment program or something
similar to fill this void in the community. The Town would support
such a group in doing so.
The project is broken down into two motions. Motion 1: That Council
approve $43,327 additional funding in the 2024 Operating Budget for
an Extreme Cold Emergency Warming Centre, on the condition no other
viable program is operable, funded from the Connected Community
Reserve with a transfer of $32,727 from the Revenue Sharing Reserve.
Motion 2: That Council approve $58,960 to be included in the 2025
Operating Budget to operate an Extreme Cold Emergency Warming
Centre, on the condition no other viable program is operable, funded
from the Connected Community Reserve with a transfer of $58,960 from
the Revenue Sharing Reserve.
"We know there is another NGO that's working on creating a MAT program."
said Councillor Krystal Cacka. "Do we know where they are at in that
process?"
"We have been working with a community group that did make an application
to the province last week," answered Wagstaff. "Currently the
province does not fund a warming centre that's based off a weather
dependent trigger, they currently only fund MAT programs that
operate on a daily basis. But, that it under review. They have
assured us that they are looking at whether or not they would fund
such a proposal."
"With the government looking into funding, if a group does get approval
for a MAT program, but we have already started our Extreme Cold
Shelter Emergency Warming Centre, can we stop it or are we committed
for the entire winter season?" asked Council Chaka.
Wagstaff replied that if the shelter needed to be put up to fill a
small gap, it could be demobilized when no longer viable.
Councillor Greg Pasychny then asked how many NGOs are currently
working on a shelter program or a MAT program. "If so, how far along
are they and what are the chances they will be in operation before
we have to deploy trailers."
"To our knowledge there is only one organization that is considering a
MAT program. The Homelessness Taskforce is looking into transitional
housing. With regards to preparedness, that depends on the answer
from the provincial government. It is based solely on whether or not
they get grant funding," answered Wagstaff. He also explained
that the NGO's proposed program is only looking to use the same
extreme cold weather protocol as the Town, and not to be open every
night.
"Looking at this situation, it's difficult," said Mayor Kevin Zahara.
"These are citizens of our community that have no place to go —if it
saves one life, then it's worth it. I don't like
spending this kind of money, and I much prefer us looking at longer
term solutions."
Mayor Zahara also asked if the town had looked into purchasing a
lightstand and generator to save on rental costs. Such equipment
could also be used in other situations. Wagstaff answered that the
town hadn't considered those kind of long term decisions. However,
that is something that they can look into.
Councillor Peter Taylor, who sits on Edson's Homelessness Taskforce,
clarified, "First and foremost, the Homelessness Taskforce does
support the warming centre. They don't see it as a long term
solution, they do see it as part of a solution to keep people
alive."
Both motions were moved by Councillor Peter Taylor. Both were carried
with a majority vote. The Town also noted that they would make sure
to keep council and the public updated on whether or not the
protocol is activated.
Physician shortage impacts region
by Shaylyn Thornton
Aug 19, 2024 issue: Residents in Edson and area have been
experiencing increasing frustration over a lack of physician
availability in its local healthcare centres.
Struggles like getting appointments in a timely manner, finding a family
doctor, and being able to access services that require residents to
have a family doctor have become more common, as several doctors
have left the Edson area recently.
In addition, Alberta Health Services has had to issue “Emergency
Department Interruption” notices for the Edson Healthcare Centre on
several occasions “due to a lack of available physicians and
inability to secure locum [travelling physician] coverage.”
The issue has also been occurring in neighbouring communities, with the
Hinton Healthcare Centre posting nine different time periods in
July, ranging from 8 hours to 40 hours, that there would be no
physician coverage in the Emergency Department.
With concerns rising locally, the Edson Medical Centre released a
statement on social media on August 6 addressed to Edson and
surrounding area to give an “accurate update” of Edson’s “doctor
situation.”
The post noted that “the recent departure of multiple doctors and the
doctor numbers in Hinton being in the news quite frequently” has led
to a lot of discussion.
While five doctors have left the community in the past 12 months,
Edson currently has 11 family doctors living in the community who
actively see patients in the clinic, with 8 also working in the
Emergency Department to “take care of patients in the hospital
including continuing care.”
Of those eight, four also deliver babies, one also does minor surgeries,
and one is an anesthetist.
The post noted that in 2019, 16 active doctors were in our community,
“with almost all working in the clinic and hospital.”
The Edson Medical Centre stated that another 5-7 doctors are needed, and
they are “actively encouraging Alberta Health Services to recruit
more physicians to Edson.”
“We understand it is frustrating not having a family physician or
not being able to easily get in to see your family physician,” they
said. “What we have found, however, is that Rural Alberta is not a
high interest place for new physicians currently, especially with
many healthcare changes that have occurred in the past 5 years.”
Edson’s current physicians are working hard to try and keep services
up and available for residents, but they are being stretched thin.
“In attempt to prevent the ER and hospital from being closed, our current
doctors are working between 10-16 ER shifts and 1 week of
hospitalist (taking care of admitted patients) per month with
physicians frequently working up to 14 days straight at a time,”
explained the post. “This leaves, on average, 2 clinic days per week
to see patients. Additionally, each doctor also usually has to
devote 1/2 of one of those clinic days each week to seeing patients
in the Walk-In clinic.”
In addition to all of this, Edson is “a teaching site for the University
of Alberta, training medical students and residents doctors.”
The Edson Medical Centre is “trying to increase access” utilizing locum
physicians, which is a doctor that would fulfill medical coverage in
the community for “a short time, so cannot become your family doctor
and are a temporary solution only.” The post also notes that these
physicians are in high demand and booking them can be difficult.
“While our situation is slightly more stable than Hinton’s, our
current situation is not sustainable,” they said. “We appreciate
your understanding and hope this makes it more clear why our current
doctors are unable to take on any more regular clinic patients at
this time.”
Local residents expressed gratitude for the information post, with the
statement appearing to be well-received by most.
The Weekly Anchor reached out to MLA Martin Long for comment on the
situation, and he emphasized the priority of healthcare in rural
Alberta.
“We are working diligently to address health issues in rural Alberta to
ensure Albertans are getting the care they need, when and where they
need it. This includes more rural medical training opportunities, an
updated physician compensation model to encourage the best and
brightest to practice in Alberta, and expanded scope for nurse
practitioners to be able to provide primary care with government
compensation,” said MLA Long. “As local MLA and Parliamentary
Secretary for Rural Health, I continue to work closely with our
health minister and AHS partners to make sure we can continue to
recruit the best and brightest to our communities.”
For those looking for what they can do to help, the Edson Medical Centre
also recommended visiting patientsfirst.ca for more information, or
to reach out to your local MLA.
Flooding as storm rips through Edson
Aug 12, 2024 issue: A fierce summer storm that ripped through
Edson on Sunday night of August 4, had many residents of town
dealing with flooding and power outages.
"Our town was rocked by a massive storm at around 7pm that caused
widespread damage to both public and private property," said Edson
Mayor Kevin Zahara.
The extent of the damage is still being assessed. Flooding had
subsided in a number of areas a day later. Edson Emergency Services
and Town of Edson staff were fully deployed throughout the evening.
Fortis crews continued to restore power throughout the night. 63rd
St from 9 Ave to Creekside Village was closed to safely remove
downed trees under the powerlines.
According to Environment Canada, about 42 mm of rain fell in the area
between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday. At one point, wind gusts
reached 107 km/h. June of last year, Edson was hit with over 105 mm
of rain in a span of just 48 hours and also saw localized flooding
in the area.
"No infrastructure is going to handle 42 mm of rain within an hour," said
Mayor Zahara. "Crews had pumps and everything ready to go. I can't
say enough about this community. They always rally together. On
behalf of Town Council I’d like to thank Edson Fire, RCMP, Town of
Edson staff, Fortis, ATCO, and local residents who have jumped into
action to help out."
Debris, caused by the strong winds and rain clogged up catch basins,
created a significant amount of the flooding issues. "The culvert
upgrades done at 6th Avenue at Wase Creek helped move water through
that creek as designed. Overland flooding on the road was caused by
debris blown into the catch basins from the wind, clogging them,"
Zahara added.
Premier Danielle Smith arrived in Edson on Monday afternoon where she met
with Mayor Kevin Zahara and West Yellowhead MLA Martin Long to
survey the storm damage first-hand. "I want to thank all the civic
officials at the Town of Edson, Mayor Kevin Zahara, and MLA Martin
Long for working diligently to support residents affected by the
localized flooding that hit Edson last night," stated Smith.
"At this time, the floods have not appeared to have caused any major
issues with the sanitary sewer projects underway on 54th or on 10th,
said Zahara. "Both projects are being done to mitigate flooding in
the community. However, they are not complete, so it did not help in
this latest extreme rain event. The 18th Avenue project was just
completed and there was no water pooling on the street indicating
that the storm sewer operated as intended."
Following the floods last year, the Town introduced the Backflow
Prevention Program and paid for assessments on private homes to gain
a better understanding of why there has been flooding in some homes
and not others.
"Most of these homes were built prior to current building
regulations. Plumbers have found incorrect hook-ups for things such
as sump pumps and weeping tiles which are causing some of the
problems. As such, we expanded the program this year to include sump
pumps. The Town will cover up to 50% of the cost and if it's fully
subscribed council will add money to the budget so more people can
take advantage of the program," Zahara explained.
"Plumbers are also finding weeping tile tied into the sanitary
system. This is a major issue and we recommend all homeowners have
weeping tiles disconnected from the sanitary system and have it
discharging to the surface to prevent backups and overloading the
sanitary system," Zahara said. "This coupled with other upgrades we
are doing will go a long way to mitigate flooding in Edson."
Did Poor Forest Management
Contribute to Jasper's Fires?
Letter to the Editior:
Dear Editor: Did the Federal Government and local authorities in Jasper
fail to apply established forest management techniques diligently in
the past to keep the town's inhabitants and their property safe?
Past pronouncements from Government officials seem complacent, i.e.,
“'We're quite comfortable with where we are with our own emergency
planning' says Parks Canada” (April 10, 2018 CBC). But they
shouldn't be.
In 2017 and 2018, I expressed concerns on this topic included in two
letters to local papers. And one thing that worried me was that in
2017 I attended a mountain pine beetle seminar in Jasper and met
scientists and forest health practitioners from across the country,
especially Western Canada. But I was stunned that nobody attended
who had anything to do with Jasper National Park.
Later that year, I attended Jasper's 150 anniversary canoe event and
there were many Park employees, and I wondered how it was possible
for them to participate in a canoe event yet not have a single
person attend the pine beetle meeting. If they had attended, they
would have learned much, as I did, about the lack of measures in
Jasper to deal with the pine beetle issue, especially the way an
infestation leaves all kinds of dead dry wood just waiting to catch
fire and burn out of control. And how other national parks in
cooperation with the federal government and local communities were
able to conduct aggressive control treatments along the leading edge
of the infestation.
I also learned from the many experts to whom I spoke that prescribed
burning is not considered an effective control technique, especially
in the midst of an infestation. (In fact it seems that prescribed
burning over time can alter the species composition without
controlling MPB infestations.) Yet it is the exact approach that is
generally and primarily being undertaken in Jasper National Park.
In 2018, I was even told that control work at Jasper was initially
limited due to sensitive soils and steeper slopes in some areas,
such as the Pyramid Bench. It seemed incredible that the
administration had decided the remote possibility of damage of
ground soils was a higher priority than the town of Jasper's safety.
As I said, I wrote two public letters expressing concern about the
potential danger and the way it was being handled. In response in an
on-line comment, I was told by a retired National Parks
superintendent that there was no mountain pine beetle problem in
Jasper (or the Alberta Foothills) – there is a natural process of
change unfolding and nothing anybody can do will stop it.
It wasn't just him. The message we received at the time was that our
federal government, via Jasper Parks management, believed public
safety must play take a back seat to certain narrow, even exotic
environmental issues.
Now they're blaming the fire on climate change. But as Jamie Sarkonak
recently wrote in the National Post, it's bad management forest
management that's behind it. And yes, some of us did try to raise
the alarm years ago.
Stuart Taylor
RPF (ret'd), B.Sc. (Forestry), M.Sc. (Forest Entomology), Hinton
Wildfires reach the townsite of Jasper
by Dana McArthur
July 25, 2024: Despite wildfire crews' best efforts, at
approximately 6:40pm Wednesday evening, portions of the South Fire
reached the Jasper townsite after being driven by strong winds
gusting from the south and southeast. The air quality had
deteriorated to the point that wildland firefighters and others
without self-contained breathing apparatuses needed to evacuate to
Hinton.
Multiple structure fires have been reported including some homes and
businesses and confirmed reports that Maligne Lodge was destroyed by
fire as well as unknown damage to Jasper Park Lodge.
In an emotional speech at 11:30am on July 25, Premier Danielle Smith
thanks responders for their bravery and dedication. "Alberta stands
ready to assist in any way we can." Initial estimates of the
structural damage to the townsite are 30 to 50 percent.
Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland stated, "The news this evening [July 24]
that the fire has entered our town has rocked us all. The pain and
heartache that you feel is shared by each one of us."
Structural firefighters remained in town and are working to save as
many structures as possible and protect critical infrastructure
including the wastewater treatment plant, communications facilities,
the Trans Mountain Pipeline, and others.
Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara stated, "Edson stands in solidarity with Jasper
and will do whatever we can to help and support your community in
the days, weeks and months ahead. We are all heartbroken by this
loss."
An evacuation order was issued for Jasper National Park and the
Town of Jasper which took place between 10pm on July 22 and 3am on
July 23. Residents of Jasper and visitors to the national park were
forced to evacuate after a wildfire spread into the area late Monday
night.
Fires threatening from the northeast cut off highway access east to
Edmonton. Another fire travelling up from the south forced the
closure of the Icefields Parkway.
Evacuees were told to head west on Highway 16 towards British Columbia
with little notice over dark mountain roads amidst soot and ash.
Travelers heading to Jasper National Park were directed to travel
back the way they came.
The Town of Valemount, with limited services, offered to accommodate
evacuees at the community hall, but it quickly filled up. Prince
George opened an evacuation center for evacuees at their CN Center.
Emergency Info BC advised evacuees travelling from the Municipality of
Jasper and Jasper National Park to continue on Highway 16 through
B.C. (after resting) and select a route back to Alberta to
designated reception centres opening in Grande Prairie and Calgary.
The fire is in Parks Canada’s jurisdiction, however, Alberta Wildfire
said it has been asked to help and on Monday night was currently
responding with ground and air resources. Other agencies are
supporting wildfire suppression efforts and evacuation support.
The federal government stated their priority is to protect the town and
community of Jasper, limiting wildfire growth towards the town,
Highway 16, and critical infrastructure. Jasper National Park and
the Town of Jasper have mobilized all available resources, with
federal, provincial, and municipal agencies all dedicated to
supporting firefighting and protecting the town.
Structural protection crews and specialists installed structure
protection sprinklers and hose lines throughout the community.
Another high-volume system was being established at the southwest
perimeter of the town.
The wildfire danger in the Edson Forest Area is extreme. This means that
forest fuels are extremely dry and pose a very serious fire risk.
Fast-spreading, high-intensity fires are likely, which may be very
difficult to control.
The smoke settling over Yellowhead County, Hinton, and Edson is not
produced by a wildfire in our forest area. Smoke columns from the
wildfires in Jasper may be visible from some regions in Yellowhead
County.
Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara stated on July 23, "As we know all too well,
wildfire situations can escalate quickly and that’s why we always
have to be prepared. The Town of Edson has been in regular contact
with our colleagues in Jasper since the start of the emergency and
have offered whatever support we can. As the evacuation route was
west instead of east, we have not had to open a reception centre,
but we are fully prepared to if required."
"Moving Edson provided busses to support evacuation efforts last night.
Other resources have been offered and will be deployed upon request.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Jasper as they deal
with this difficult situation. This situation is a reminder to be
prepared for an emergency at all times with a 72 hour emergency kit
and plans in case a situation arises," Zahara added.
On July 23, Yellowhead County Mayor Wade Williams stated, "I just want to
let the folks in the Jasper area know that our thoughts and prayers
are with them as they are experiencing fire very close to Jasper and
evacuations are in progress. I would just like to mention to the
residents of Yellowhead County, we are in an extreme fire hazard
situation. My advice is, it doesn't matter where you live in this
county, have an evacuation plan ready, have your belongings packed
up and ready to go so that you can escape within a few minutes."
In a public statement, NDP Emergency Preparedness and Climate Change
Resilience critic, Richard Cannings, said, "New Democrats, local
firefighters, and 75 per cent of Canadians have been urging the
Liberals to create a National Wildfire Fighting Force so that Canada
has the resources it needs to support people. We need to extinguish
wildfires as quickly as possible, before they grow into monstrous
blazes that destroy communities."
A fire ban is in effect as of July 10 in the entire Forest Protection
Area of Alberta, including the Edson Forest Area, due to hot and dry
conditions.
Check Alberta 511 on their website or download the app for road
conditions and closures. Additional information is available on
the Jasper National Park social media page and Municipality of
Jasper page.
(story last updated July 25 at noon)
Universal Broadband Project update for County
by Dana McArthur
July 22, 2024 issue: The Yellowhead County Broadband project is a hybrid
broadband system supplying either fibre or wireless internet to
individual homes in the county.
The project requires fibre to be installed and towers to be constructed
for the wireless side to capture the maximum number of households.
Towers that Yellowhead County has already constructed as the
backbone of the system will also be included in this project for
coverage.
Albert Bahri, General Manager of Protective Services, stated, "The
current broadband project is well underway. Construction began on
the 29th of May. Equipment and supplies are arriving daily. Our Obed
section of the project for fibre —the conduit is in the ground
complete. Millers Lake is moving forward, as well as being complete
for conduit."
"The tower design, the wireless side, has been completed. Tower locations
have been selected. Based on our policy, we'll go out and consult
with residents in a two kilometres of the tower locations. We'll be
sending out letters to each one of those individual residents to set
up either a face-to-face or a town hall so they can come in and
we'll discuss the tower, where it's going, what it does, and how it
works. This process has to be completed before any construction can
take place," said Bahri"
"And then we're working with the provincial government regarding the
hamlets of Marlboro and Evansburg to see if we can actually
challenge the ruling that they already have the proper 50 and 10
[Mbps download/upload speed]," Bahri explained.
Local residents and area councillors have raised concerns regarding a
lack of connection and that minimum internet speed requirements are
not being met by other providers. The County needs a sample of
internet speed tests from residents in those areas to help
substantiate the current connects are insufficient.
The project's completion is slated for December of 2026, and will
reach just over 3,000 homes. Excluding the Marlboro and Evansburg
area, which could increase if those are attached.
Councillor Dawn Mitchell said, "I know for a fact in Marlboro the
internet is extremely poor or non-existent in some cases. Can you
tell me how we're going to obtain speed tests from these two areas?
Bahri responded, "The only way for us to obtain a speed test is for
the residents that lives in the area to do one. We don't need
everybody in the area to do one, but we need several so we can
compare." The County's website will have an explanation on how to do
the speed test and how to send it in to them.
Councillor David Russell added, "I did a speed test at my internet
provider's site and it showed relatively normal speeds. I went to
three different aftermarket speed testers and all three showed that
my internet connection was very poor. I just wanted the general
public to be aware of that."
Council for Yellowhead County accepted the Universal Broadband Project
update as information.
Kinette Christmas Hamper campaign begins with Toy Run
by Deanna Mitchener
July 15, 2024 issue: The Annual Kinette Toy Run took place in Edson on
July 6. The event started and finished at the Edson Lions Hall.
The parade of riders got underway at 11:00 a.m. led by the Edson RCMP,
the Edson Fire Department, motorbikers, Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara,
the 'Stuff the Bus', and whoever else wanted to take part in the
event.
Kinette, Mary-Anne Bittner, said, “We are happy to host another annual
Toy Run. I have to admit we are hurting, as it's hard to get
volunteers. Many organizations are in the same shape these days.
This event is our kick-off to start promoting for our Christmas
Hampers. It's Christmas in July where we start reminding people we
are collecting toys for our Christmas Hampers or monetary
donations."
“We used to do registration fees, but with the economy the way it's been
we have to open it up and make it as accessible as possible for
everybody. If they are able to donate great, but times are tough.
This makes a registration fee not feasible for some and can turn
people away. We don't want that. Everything today is completely
free."
“We have a free barbecue today compliments from Cenovus. They are
providing the food and cooking on their BBQ, which is amazing. The
fire department is coming down and leading the parade. The RCMP will
be directing the 748 intersection, and we are happy about that,"
said Bittner.
"Edson Early Learning and Childcare Centre donated the bus we can stuff
with toys. We have Santa here from the Edson Kingz Biking Club. They
come every year to support us, and we promote their event, Bikez 4
Kidz, and will be making a $1,000 donation to them to help purchase
the bikes. They like to come out and help us with our Christmas
Hampers too," Bittner said.
"We have a pretty good routine to assembling all the hampers, after years
of doing them. Last year we had around 370 families and food hampers
were close to 1200. We had between 550 and 600 bags of toys last
year, so every child could have a gift. The need definitely grew
last year for sure," added Bittner.
“Registration for a hamper is very confidential and non-judgmental. We
ensure it stays confidential and the volunteers who deliver have a
very solid oath. We take it very seriously,” Bittner explained.
The ride started at 11:00 a.m. throughout town. Unfortunately, this year
a few places on the route got missed. An apology went to those
waiting and not able to see the parade. Not as many riders made it
out this year, but it was still a great event.
After the ride, community members were invited to join the free
barbecue at the Lions Hall.
This was just the kick off to the Christmas Hamper campaign, so you still
have plenty of time to make a donation if you can.
Alberta Farmers' Market program celebrates 50 years
by Dana McArthur
July 8, 2024 issue: Alberta's approved Farmers' Market program is
celebrating 50 years of history.
In 1974 the government registered the “Sunnygirl” symbol as the official
logo to help consumers identify approved farmers' markets.
Farmers' markets are a popular agri-tourism attraction in Alberta,
providing a great shopping experience in a relaxed atmosphere. The
Alberta government, through the Alberta Approved Farmers' Market
Program, helps ensure market managers and vendors have the
information they need to be successful in their roles and keep its
visitors safe.
Edson and Evansburg are both home to Alberta Approved Farmers' Markets.
The Edson Market is hosted at the Edson Legion and the Evansburg
Market is hosted at the Tipple Park Museum.
Eileen Kotowich, farmers' market specialist with the Alberta government,
said, “To help ensure market managers and vendors had the
information they needed to be successful, the Alberta government
started the Alberta Approved Farmers' Market Program in 1973. It
provides guidelines and minimum standards that all approved farmers'
markets must follow.”
The Sunnygirl symbol signals that at least 80% of vendors are Alberta
entrepreneurs who make, bake or grow the products they are selling.
Many food businesses who have worked with Alberta's Food Processing
Development Centre got their start at farmers' markets before
selling products in retail stores.
Yellowhead County Mayor, Wade Williams, stated, "Farmers' Markets are
integral to many communities' summer activities, supporting local
vendors and farmers within our region. They are often the weekly
gathering and visiting place for residents and travellers alike,
with many stopping to see what is locally offered and frequently
coming back weekly to support their favourite vendors."
"These markets are an economic benefit to smaller
communities such as Evansburg as they generate additional consumer
traffic, benefiting not only those selling their wares at the market
but also increasing the customer base for local businesses,"
Williams added.
Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara, stated, "Farmers Markets provide an
important venue for residents to access farm fresh foods and
merchandise while supporting home based businesses. Many of the
products available are more affordable or not available at
traditional stores. They provide an important connection between
those that grow and create the foods we eat and those that consume
them."
There are more than 145 Alberta approved farmers' markets serving over
110 communities across the province. This reach is important,
considering almost 80% of Alberta households shop at farmers'
markets. When consumers buy products at a market, they spend about
$70 on average per visit. More than 80% of this is spent on local
food, which includes everything from fresh Alberta produce and other
farm products to baking, preserves and ready-made meals to ethnic
offerings.
Albertans can download a free Alberta Approved Farmers' Market app to
find locations, operating hours and contact information. Access the
App Store or Google Play through sunnygirl.ca.
Reasons behind no fireworks on Canada Day
by Deanna Mitchener
July 1, 2024 issue:
Edson will not be having fireworks on Canada Day. But, there are
reasons behind this decision.
Diana Inscho, Community Development Coordinator with the Town, said,
“When we postponed the fireworks last year because of the
evacuations and sensitivity to fire risk, we rescheduled them to
RCMP Centennial Park Light Up in November. The response and
attendance at Light Up was overwhelming. We had so much positive
feedback that we decided to follow suit this year.”
“Canada Day fireworks cannot start until 10:45 p.m. and the skies
are still not very dark. Also, Canada Day often lands on a weekday
or a long weekend when residents are away, so there is a large
number of people who are not able to watch them," Inscho explained.
The 7:00 p.m. Friday evening timing at Light Up allowed even people
with early bedtimes to view them. Also, the display was so much more
brilliant against a darker sky and the newly lit lights on the
trees,” said Inscho.
“We embrace the opportunity to bring more people together at
different times of the year to enjoy the outdoors and our beautiful
RCMP Centennial Park. There have been comments about the possibility
of cold weather in November. This is a risk, but people do come out
to the Santa Claus parade in bitter weather, and in my experience
putting on Canada Day celebrations, I can attest that we have had to
contend with more rain than we have cold weather in November,”
Inscho added.
“We love our traditions and they're often hard to change. This
change was made with careful consideration and in response to the
feedback we heard from the community. Plans for future years will
depend upon what our community wants. There is still an amazing
line-up for Canada Day with many food trucks, entertainment from
Spandy Andy, children's artist D.J. Warekntin, Kehewin Native
Dancers, roving performers, inflatables, artisan market, photo
booth, caricaturist, and cupcakes of course,” said
Inscho.
You can start the day with a pancake breakfast being held at the
Edson Royal Canadian Legion, then head over to the Centennial Park
the festivities, with opening remarks at 1pm.
Families impacted by home fires start petition
by Dana McArthur
June 24, 2024 issue: On April 20, 2024, a fire broke out at the Kupsch home and quickly spread
to the adjacent Mercer and DeRoche family homes (a duplex). The
Kupsch home was completely destroyed. The other two homes are
unliveable until reconstruction is done.
The properties in question are located next to each other in Westgrove
along 11th Ave.
On behalf of the Mercer Family, Lockyer said, "The fire started sometime
after 2:00am at our neighbor's house. Eventually the owner woke up
and saw his deck on fire. He immediately knocked on our door, which
alerted our dog and woke up my son, Landon. Landon went outside to
find our neighbor's house fully ablaze. Landon called 911 at
2:16am."
"The fire quickly spread to our duplex, compromising the east wall and
entire upper floor of our side, which houses our family, and caused
significant fire, water, and smoke damage to the upper floor of the
other side of the duplex as well, rendering both uninhabitable,"
said Mercer.
According to Mercer's notes, written in a report to the Town, the Edson
Fire Department Command arrived on scene at 2:28am and one fire
engine from the Edson department arrived at 2:36am. At 2:41am
water was supplied to the engine from a hydrant and the crew begins
actioning the fully engulfed house.
"The call for mutual aid to Yellowhead County was not made until 2:51am.
[County] units were paged out two minutes after," Mercer explained.
"Yellowhead County Fire Department arrived at 3:20am with their aerial
truck. They started putting water on the fire a few minutes later
and had the fire on the roof of our duplex knocked down within about
5 minutes. The ladder then pivoted over and put the fire out, of
what was left of the basement of our neighbour's home."
After that devastating morning, the impacted families now believe a
faster Mutual Aid call to the Yellowhead County Fire Department
would have reduced the extent of the damage and even saved homes.
"The delay in calling for Mutual Aid had devastating consequences. If
Yellowhead County had been called immediately on the initial
page-out for Edson Fire (automatic mutual aid), our house might have
been saved as the fire didn't jump to our house until about 2:37am.
Even if YCFD had been called when command arrived, the fire
may have been contained to only the attic. It was very clear that
night that we needed more resources from the very beginning," said
Mercer.
There is a Mutual Aid Agreement in place between the Town and County to
share resources and personnel in times of emergency, at no expense
to the jurisdiction in need. Mutual Aid calls are based on protocols
and the judgment of the Firefighter in charge at the scene.
Mercer continued, "We sat down with the Town of Edson including the
Mayor, the Fire Chief, and the General Manager and expressed our
concerns. We requested that all residential structure fires in Edson
trigger an automatic Mutual Aid response from Yellowhead County. The
Town had acknowledged our concerns, but after further communication
via email had only agreed to consider this protocol for commercial
and high-life hazard fires."
"We continue to push for a more comprehensive approach, as we feel
that our concerns were overlooked. Our home was not a commercial
building or a high-life hazard building like an apartment, but
communication with the Town has stopped," added Mercer.
The Weekly Anchor forwarded a list of questions to Edson Mayor Kevin
Zahara. The Q&A follows.
Anchor: For a residential fire in Edson, what is the
current protocol used to initiate/evaluate the need for a Mutual Aid
call to the County?
Zahara: "Edson Town Council has full confidence in our
Chief and the dedicated volunteers of the Edson Fire Department.
Each call for service presents unique challenges, and the duty
officer on scene makes the best decisions possible based on a number
of considerations, and often under rapidly changing circumstances.
Whenever there is a loss of a home, it is devastating. We are happy
that no injuries occurred as a result of this fire, and I would like
to personally thank our firefighters for ensuring this was the
case."
Anchor: It appears a dual station response for
commercial and highlife hazard structure fires is being considered
by the Town and Fire Dept. In their Letter to the Editor (June 10
issue) the Mercer family asked that Mutual Aid calls be
automatically initiated for residential fires in Edson. Would such a
call to both departments offer a more robust residential first
response? What concerns would it raise?
Zahara: "The Edson Fire Department has saved many
structures throughout the years. They deserve our entire community's
thanks. I'm still humbled by their tireless efforts,
professionalism, and dedication during last year's wildfires, as
evidenced through an independent, third-party report reviewing the
Town's response to those wildfires. Of course, we appreciate the
support and mutual aid assistance provided by Yellowhead County
firefighters over the years. However, regardless of whether the EFD
is responding on its own or with mutual aid from another department,
no outcome is ever guaranteed. The two fire departments are
currently discussing enhanced mutual aid response, and what that
could look like for both communities. We will share that information
with the community as soon as that's figured out. In the meantime,
it's important to note that not all structure fires require
dual-station response. There are multiple factors to consider in
bringing on additional apparatus and crews."
Anchor: The Town of Edson and Yellowhead County
operate separate main fire stations both within the Town of Edson
limits. Why are there two fire departments in the first place?'
Wouldn't a single joint Edson/County department serve the area
better?'
Zahara: "For many decades, the Town of Edson provided
fire services to Yellowhead County. Around 10 years ago, the County
decided they wanted a stand-alone fire hall, and have operated one
in the Town of Edson ever since. I truly believe that having two
fire departments available to respond to emergencies is beneficial
to our region, including that it allows each community to better
respond to its individual needs, while adding additional resources
in specific cases, including during last year's wildfires."
Mayor Zahara added, "The Edson Fire Department trains on a regular basis
and provides not only fire response services, but also Medical First
Response. Our firefighters are very active in the community,
providing fire prevention education and supporting important
activities in Town. We are thankful for the dedicated individuals
that serve our community every single day at the Edson Fire
Department, and will continue to support them moving forward."
To garner support for their cause the families have started a petition on
change.org. "The petition calls for automatic mutual aid for all
residential fires in Edson to ensure quicker and more effective
response times, said Mercer. "We feel that perhaps if we start this
petition we can gain more support from the residents wanting to
support our cause." Residents can access it by searching for 'Town
of Edson' on change.org. or by
visiting
https://chng.it/g8TgTrk79z
"We are deeply grateful for the efforts of all volunteer firefighters.
However, the incident highlighted systemic issues that need
addressing. We urge the Town of Edson to prioritize residents'
safety over politics and ensure mutual aid is called promptly. We
will continue seeking public engagement to make sure our concerns
are taken seriously," concluded Mercer.
Editor's Note: According to sources at the time,
due to cost and service level concerns, Yellowhead County decided
its residents would be better served by establishing their own fire
hall.
Town council debates Emergency Cold Weather shelter plan for upcoming season
by Niki Luymes
June 17, 2024 issue: During the 2023/2024 winter season, the Town of
Edson instigated an Emergency Cold Weather shelter for the
vulnerable population experiencing homelessness that is at increased
risk during the winter months.
The program ran from December of 2023 to April of 2024. During the
recent Committee of the Whole Meeting on June 11, Edson Town Council
was presented the final statistics from the program, and asked by
Administration for feedback on the best way to continue.
The Emergency cold shelter program was created specifically to meet a
temporary, yet critical need in the community. While currently there
are programs and warm spaces provided by various social support
agencies for unhoused individuals during the day, there continues to
be no facilities available during the evenings and nights.
The shelters are located across from the Provincial Building at 54th
Street between 1st and 2nd Ave, and became operational on December
20, 2023. Access to the emergency cold shelters was only available
after the weather dropped below -25°C including wind chill. Once
triggered, access was available from 8:00pm to 8:00am.
The temporary buildings acted solely as refuge from the cold weather. No
other supports, such as day lodging, mat/sleeping accommodations or
food provisions were supplied. Each simply contained a few chairs,
with two portable washrooms placed outside. "The facility would not
function as a shelter and was in no way intended to replace the
Shelter Pods or function in a similar manner," said Tanya Byers,
Community Development Manager. The site was also constantly
monitored by video surveillance, and on site security when in use.
The shelters were demobilized on April 27, 2024. During those intervening
months, the facility was open a total of 26 nights and welcomed 63
visitors. This is broken down as, January: open 13 nights, 24
visitors; February: open 6 nights, 10 visitors; and March: Open 7
nights, with 29 visitors. The number of visitors does not indicate
individuals, just the number of times It was used.
The total cost for the initiative was $53,405.90. This number does not
include Town staff costs, even though a total of 360 staff hours
went into operation of the warming facility.
After the demobilization of the warming centre, the Town received
feedback for the Edson Homelessness Taskforce and several other
organizations. Issues of concern included potentially raising the
trigger temperature and lack of sleeping comfort, but overall, the
response was positive. "We had a really good discussion with the
Homelessness Taskforce today and I think overall we can say this was
really quite a success," said Byers. "The RCMP in particular, have
said that they felt that the model that we used was very successful.
If nothing else is in place for the fall, they would like the same
kind of project take place."
Councillor Ed Moore asked for clarification on how the group was able to
enforce this not being a sleeping shelter. "If someone was falling
asleep on their chair would they be nudged and told you can't sleep
there? How did that work?"
Byers answered that the security company had also asked this
question. "Our suggestion was that if they were nodding off and not
causing any trouble, and there were no health risks, to just allow
them to nod off."
Doug Wagstaff, General Manager, Community & Protective Service added that
the security also did wellness checks on all persons who stayed
overnight, so if they fell asleep, they were checked to make sure
they we okay.
Councillor Greg Pasychny asked the actual cost with the inclusion of
staff hours. "That could be anything from 9 to 15 thousand dollars
extra in staff costs to add. If you broke it down every day it was
open, it's $333 a day in external costs. So moving forward we need
to understand what our true costs will be."
Councillor Krystal Cacka said, "Does Administration have a plan for
what month it would be intended on opening the shelter going
forward? Is there another organization planning on doing a MAT
[medication assisted treatment] program? Wagstaff explained that the
plan is to look into options and numbers to bring back at the July
16 Council meeting. "There is one organization within the community
that is looking at attempting to have something in place for a
mat-type program. We have reached out to them to see where they are
at with that, but at this time it is not confirmed to be
operational."
Councillor Pasychny, asked that Administration to look into other options
and bring those options back to council as well. "This program was
an emergency response and to run it for a full winter would create
exponential costs to the town." Council accepted the report for
information.
Family pleas for faster Mutual Aid calls for home fires
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: June 10, 2024 issue: In
the early morning hours of April 20, 2024 the Westgrove neighborhood
was awakened to the sights and sounds of a tragic house fire.
Obviously, many residents are not used to seeing this type of tragedy
unfold before their very eyes. It was traumatic (to say the least)
watching this event unfold and the stress and agony inflicted upon
the victims as they watched their lives as they knew them, come
crashing down so quickly.
Kudos to the Edson and Yellowhead County Fire Departments for their
response. I don't think our community understands the intricacies of
a volunteer model like Edson's. There is NO guarantee of a response
if there are no members available. Volunteer departments also don't
have the same response times as those found in the bigger centers
with full-time, staffed departments —and often don't have the
resources to acquire all the apparatus that can assist in different
types of emergency situations.
As the events of that early morning incident unfolded, everyone present
acknowledged that 'time' was the enemy. A lot of destruction occurs
from the time a call for assistance is made, the time a hall is
appropriately staffed to respond, the time to travel to the
incident, and ultimately, to the time to get assets in position to
extinguish the fire.
This was a challenging event and it did have its complications for the
responders. In the end, the fire was extinguished. However, the
damages included three families being displaced from their homes.
As with any major incident, a review should be undertaken to determine
the things that worked well and things that could be improved upon.
The observations of many witnesses that morning were that the
immediate implementation of Mutual Aid from the County would have
likely had a more positive outcome for the situation. This is in no
way a slight to the brave men and women of the Edson Fire
Department. A Mutual Aid call to the County was eventually enacted.
In this particular instance, having access to additional fire
fighters and the aerial truck proved instrumental in putting out
this type of two story home fire. Unfortunately, a significant
amount of time had passed, and subsequent damage, before this
request occurred.
To clarify, there is an existing Mutual Aid Agreement in place between
the Town and County for this very reason —to share resources and
personnel in times of emergency, at no expense to the jurisdiction
in need. The issue is that the implementation of this agreement is a
judgment call of the Chief (or his/her designate) in the
jurisdiction requesting aid.
Our argument to Town leadership (political and administrative) is that
the resources available under this agreement should be an automatic
call-out from the 9-1-1 call center when a structure fire is
reported within town (as much of the County's fire equipment is
already housed in Edson, including the aerial). This gets the assets
moving in a timelier way than waiting on the judgment-call of an
individual who may be under extreme stress, depending on the nature
of the incident they are attending.
Alternatively, the Town could consider acquiring its own aerial
unit, however, the cost may make it prohibitive at this time, and
likely unnecessary.
It is better to have the early arrival of manpower and equipment and not
need it, as opposed to needing it and not having it.
To date, the town does not wish to enact automatic mutual aid for
residential structure fires, but is discussing a joint response for
what they call commercial and highlife hazard structure fires. We
are not sure why they wouldn't want the best possible outcomes
available for our entire community.
The Mercer Family
Editor's note: The Edson Fire Department currently
has one full time Fire Chief, a volunteer deputy, training office,
chaplain, and 36 other volunteer members who strive to protect the
community should an emergency arise.
Yellowhead County fire/rescue services are provided 24/7 by a
composite fire services model made up of full-time, casual, and paid
on call volunteer members. The County's Central Fire Station is in
Edson, and they operate six other stations throughout the Hamlets.
Brief ER closure at Edson Hospital impacts residents
by Dana McArthur
June 3, 2024 issue: In Edson, an emergency room closure was a
pressing issue on May 26, affecting residents' access to critical
health services at the hospital.
Alberta Health Services (AHS) reported that the Edson Hospital had
no physician available in the emergency department May 26 (0800) to
May 27 (0800). The reason stated was a "temporary physician shortage
due to illness / leave / vacation / vacancies".
"Our local physician team, nurses, and staff have worked extremely
hard to keep our ER open and have made a lot of sacrifices to do so.
Closing the ER was a last resort as no locums [travelling doctors]
were available. Fortunately, coverage was arranged over the weekend
allowing for a much shorter closure than anticipated, said Edson
Mayor Kevin Zahara.
Records from AHS indicate that this year there have been
approximately 52 instances when emergency rooms and urgent care
centers in Alberta were either closed or had to rely solely on
nursing staff due to a lack of available doctors. Comparatively,
last year saw approximately 50 similar notices posted for the entire
year.
The overwhelming reason for ERs having to temporarily shut down was
because doctors or other staff were unavailable. More than half of
the hospitals recorded closures of 20 days or longer. For EMS crews,
the loss of the local ERs means more patient transfers over longer
distances and longer turnaround times for calls.
Rural communities across Canada continue to struggle to attract and
retain physicians. A sudden absence of even one or two physicians
can lead to unavoidable ER closures. These ER closures can create
anxiety, especially for older individuals or those with medical
conditions.
Dr. Parker Vandermeer, a locum (travelling) doctor who works in
emergency departments across Alberta, described the provincial
situation as a constant drain. He noted that within the last six
months, the requests he receives have changed. Instead of one or two
days, he's now asked to cover gaps for more than 20 days.
Addressing ER closures, like what happened briefly in Edson,
requires concerted efforts to recruit and retain health
professionals, explore alternative models, and ensure timely access
to emergency care.
Thanks to the concerted efforts of local officials, doctors, AHS
staff, and local medical support staff to recruit and retain health
professionals, this was the only ER closure in Edson this year. "We
have been working with AHS and local physicians on recruitment. I've
also spoken to the Health Minister and MLA Long directly about our
concerns regarding physician retention and recruitment," stated
Mayor Zahara.
This year, the UCP government aims to dismantle Alberta Health
Services to create four agencies linked to specific areas of care —
such as acute care and primary care — all answering to the Minister
of Health and cabinet.
Some healthcare experts are sceptical this management shuffle will
fix the staffing crisis, others are more optimistic that the
shake-up will help revitalize the system.
Chris Gallaway, executive director of Friends of Medicare stated,
“The ongoing short staffing crisis in our public health care system
making it increasingly difficult for Albertans to access their
health care. Yet instead of addressing the real issues impacting
people in this province, the UCP government wants to drastically
restructure administration as a supposed solution.”
Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said the changes should attract
physicians, nurses and other health-care professionals to Alberta
since they would be able to focus on delivering care under the new
model.
"They're excited by the possibilities," LaGrange said, referencing
telephone town halls with health care employees. "There's hope that
the work that they're doing will in fact produce better results and
they can really use their skills to their full potential."
For more information visit:
alberta.ca/establishing-the-future-of-alberta-health-care
County moves ahead with fireguard plans
by Dana McArthur
May 27, 2024 issue: At the January 23, 2024 Yellowhead County (YC)
Council meeting, Administration shared potential options for
documenting the fire and flood disasters of 2023.
The project, dubbed 'Our Uncompromising Communities', aims to
capture the voices of all segments of our communities and groups of
residents who experienced events caused by natural disasters this
past spring.
During that meeting, Council made a motion to move forward with the
following three items:
1. Highlighting our Resilience: This entails asking residents to
submit any creative artwork, photos or stories they would like to
share of their experience.
2. Sharing our Story: Interviews will be conducted with 20-25 people
who have interesting stories and experiences to share. Interviews
could be with residents, staff, first responders, etc. to showcase
the many elements and impacts of the disasters.
3. Recording our History: A hardcover book will be created using all
the information gathered throughout the project. Up to 1000 book
copies may be printed and made available on a cost-recovery basis.
The remaining projects were asked to be brought back to Council for
further discussion and clarification. During the County's May 21
Governance and Priorities meeting, Crystal McNernie, General Manager
of Community Services re-introduced the proposed additions to the
project, including:
Making our Mark: Reaching out to local artists within each division
to create artwork that they feel represents their division's
resiliency and strength. Artwork would then be displayed in YC-owned
facilities.
Celebrating our Hamlets: Community engagement project. Residents
within each hamlet will be consulted to create imagery that
represents how their community overcame adversity. A paint-by-number
mural is then designed where residents can come together to assist
with the painting. Each hamlet mural would form part of a larger
picture, showing a united Yellowhead County. Images are intended to
be uplifting, positive, and celebratory in nature.
Displaying our Experience: Creating an exhibit to showcase the
artist submissions, resident submissions, printed versions of the
mural, and the book. Would go hand and hand with the next item,
showcasing our growth.
Showcasing our Growth: Community "open house" to share all elements
of the overall project.
The entire proposal has been intentionally designed to share seven
distinct projects, allowing Council the opportunity to approve all
seven or a combination thereof. The total of all seven projects
falls within the $100,000 budget allotment.
The three projects currently approved can be completed for
approximately $45,000.
Councillor Brigitte Lemieux said, "This has a really positive tone
to it. So, I am supportive of the four additional projects.
Councillor David Russell said, "I too support this presentation. I
think it captures what council had in mind. The idea for a book is
going to happen, so that's what I'm very pleased about."
Mayor Wade Williams said, "I also like the four options as they do
involve the community. There will be a lot of community input and I
think that's what we're looking to achieve."
Council voted to direct Administration to pursue the additional four
projects to document the spring 2023 wildfire and flood emergencies,
for a total of seven distinct projects.
County moves ahead with fireguard plans
by Dana McArthur
During the Yellowhead County meeting on May 14, council discussed the
feasibility of fireguards at major population centers around the
county.
"Multiple catastrophic forest fires burned across Yellowhead County
in 2023 and overwhelmed fire fighting forces. Over 20 primary
residences were destroyed and tens of thousands of residents
evacuated. In some cases, multiple times," stated Albert Bahri,
General Manager of Protective Services with the County.
Yellowhead County Administration has begun to explore protection in the
form of fire guards to help make the best use of available
resources. The Province of Alberta announced a Fire Guard program in
early 2024. Yellowhead County with the assistance of a consultant
applied for the fire guard funding.
The County has received notice that their Forest Resource Improvement
Association of Alberta (FRIAA) Community Fireguard Program funding
request has received conditional approval. FRIAA now requires
formalized support from Yellowhead County for the project to move
forward.
The grant funding amount is conditionally approved for $2,449,000.
Yellowhead County will have to fund a 10 percent contingency and
in-kind work from Protective Services.
There are many rural subdivisions and hamlets in the county.
Administration and council would like to explore the feasibility of
fireguards at major population centers around the county. Areas of
concern are Evansburg, Brule, Cadomin, Jasper gate (Overlander),
Peers, Niton, Robb, Marlboro, Wildwood.
A planning phase would be undertaken to prioritize each community
including consultation with nearby residents, lease holders, and
government agencies such as Forestry and Parks, Parks, Lands,
Wildfire, and County municipal planners. The fireguards would be
built on Yellowhead County owned or Crown Land, and would not
include private properties.
Bahri added, "This will bring with it operational costs going forward. We
as a municipalit y will need to maintain these, possibly through
grazing leases. We don't know all the options yet, but we will need
to make sure that these are kept to their original capacity so that
they work."
Following several questions from councillors, Yellowhead County Council
voted to formally support the FRIAA Community Fireguard Program
CFP-24-18 - Yellowhead County Fireguard Program 2024 in the amount
of $2,449,000.00
2024 Final Budget
During the meeting, council adopted the 2024 Final Budget. The Interim
Budget was accepted on December 19, 2023 and that budget went into
effect on January 1, 2024. Since the adoption of the Interim Budget
the remaining pieces of information that are required for completion
of the 2024 Final Budget have been received. These included the
property assessment, the requisitions for school taxes, Senior's
Foundation and the designated Industrial property assessment and
included final amounts for tenders and price quotes.
The overall assessment increased from $10.9 billion to $11.4
billion versus the 2023 budget; this equates to $2.9 million in
additional revenue from taxation. As a result of the overall
assessment increase the municipal mill rate for the 2024 is 0%.
Residential Assessment will change approximately 1.30% as a result
of inflation and growth, while Non-Residential Assessment has
experienced a 5.92% change.
Council for Yellowhead County voted to adopt the 2024 Final Budget
in the amount of $238,735,199 as presented. This option will provide
final approval and will allow the 2024 Tax Rate Bylaw to be
presented. The final budget can be viewed on the County website at
yhcounty.ca.
After 112 year Switzer's Drug Store says goodbye
by Deanna Mitchener
May 13, 2024 issue: Switzer's Drugs, which opened its doors in 1912
and was one of Edson's oldest surviving businesses, closed it doors
permanently on May 8, 2024.
Pharmacy manager Dan Reich, said, “It is true the closure of the
historic Switzer's Drugs Store is upon us. Before I continue, I must
thank the patients and community for their support. It is an
incredible feat for a business to last 112 years."
Thanks also went to the Switzer family including founder Harvey A.
Switzer, John and Hazel, Dan (John's brother), and Harold and
Cheryl.
After graduating from the Ontario College of Pharmacy, Harvey moved
to Edson in 1910. He began his pharmacy business establishing it as
Switzer's Drugs. His wife Edith and he had 14 children, several of
whom also pursued pharmacy as a profession. The pharmacy has been an
integral part of the community, providing essential services and
care for over a century. Harvey Switzer passed away in 1977.
Upon hearing the news of the closure, Harold and Cheryl Switzer
stated, "It is with a very heavy heart that Cheryl and I, and the
Switzer family have to see the doors of Switzer’s Drugs close. It
was 109 years of a family owned store and the past 3 1/2 years
privately owned in the name of Switzer’s Drugs. We would like to
thank the community for their loyal support over the generations. As
well, a huge thanks to all of our excellent employees who have
served the pubic over the years. You all helped to contribute to the
longevity of the store. Edson is our home, we were both born and
raised here and will continue to make it our home in retirement.
Thanks again to the Edson and district community."
"Harold and the Switzer family have been great support since I
purchased Switzer's back in October 2020. I truly appreciate how
they have made me feel like family, just like the drug store has for
its patients for years,” said Reich.
“Unfortunately, I had to make plans to transition onwards with my
pending marriage and sold the store in February 2023. The new
owners, I am sure, never planned to divest of the store. However,
the search for my replacement has been fruitless. As time moved on,
I believe they felt the lack of pharmacists would result in locum
(travelling) pharmacists rotating through the store, decreasing
patient care, and destroying the family feeling of the business.”
“The difficult decision was finally made to join with Shopper's Drug
Mart in Edson, where Callen and Sam are dedicated to this town,"
said Reich.
"Pharmacist Laurie Stuve and I will move over to Shopper's to
assist in patient transition and care for at least one year,” Reich
concluded.
For customers that are concerned about their prescription files they
will be automatically transferred to Shoppers Drug Mart, unless they
desire elsewhere.
Security Suites debated at Town Council meeting
by Niki Luymes
May 6, 2024 issue: Edson Town council held a Committee of the Whole
meeting on April 30, to discuss the final changes to the updated
Land Use Bylaw (LUB).
This meeting served only to discuss the changes. Final readings and
approval will need to take place at an upcoming council meeting. The
meeting was broken down into sections. Administration changes and
residential and industrial feedack/ concern responses.
One topic that was of great concern was the new bylaws around Security
Suites on industrial property. Many residents expressed
concern with the changes as many have homes that are on business
lots. The updated bylaws have suite size restrictions that would
prevent them from rebuilding those building should they be lost.
Most feedback asked for the removal of the size restrictions.
Town Administration defined Security Suites/Surveillance Suites as
subordinate to a principal parcel use an intended for more remote
areas of a municipally to provide a form of extra security for
business owners. They may be classified as dwelling if food
preparation and sleeping quarters are included, but they are not
intended to function as residential land uses for families to reside
in. "It really isn't intended to create a situation where there
might be individuals that are living predominately on a site that
has industrial operations on it," said Becky Soby, Planner with
Urban Systems, who assisted the town with the bylaw draft.
Bylaws often prohibit the mixing of residential and industrial uses due
to safety concerns. Admin-istration is recommending the current
provisions in Section 8.27 of the proposed draft LUB No. 2296 remain
as is. However, they still would like to hear council's
feedback.
Mayor Kevin Zahara voiced his concern for the changes. "The fact remains
that some of these places have been there for a very long time. And
so people have invested money, a significant amount of money. So if
something were to happen, and they would not be able to replace
their home, I'm very challenged with that. For me, I don't support
the changes that are here. Dwellings should continue to be allowed,
if they are existing on those specific properties. I don't think we
should be allowing any new development."
Councillor Greg Pasychny added that often he sees pre-built homes like
mobile home, or Atco trailers being used as security suites. These
can also exceed the size limits. "I'm not against limiting them in
the future. But is there a way we can add a provision or a clause
for existing ones, that if something happens to them they can be
replaced?"
"I think it would have to be specific to allowing it to be rebuild to
what it was before," answered Soby. "The intention of these
regulations are to insure that these surveillance suites are built
only for the purpose of surveillance of the site and not having
residents live on it." Soby explained that the challenge would be
that rebuilds would not align with that intention, and could not be
defined as a surveillance suite.
"I agree with the intent," stated Councillor Peter Taylor. "We shouldn't
see residential dwellings in an industrial area. That being said, I
cannot ignore the number of people who have come forward. I think we
are going to have to have some kind of provision, in some way, that
any existing suites may remain."
Clayton Kittlitz, General Manager of Infrastructure and Planning,
responded to the concerns, "I can certainly appreciate the
challenge. It is hard to deal with legacy issues and situations."
He explained that the earliest drafts of the bylaw didn't even
include the surveillance suites in Business Industrial (BI-2) zones.
They were added in after discussions with the public. It is an
option for an exception clause to be added. That is something
that would need to be discussed by Admin-istration. Although he
would want to restrict the mixing of residential and industrial
zoning for future builds.
Administration will record direction from Council and revise the
current draft of LUB No. 2296 accordingly before preparing a final
bylaw for first reading at a future Council meeting.
Edson Town Council approves 2024 Operating Budget
April 29, 2024 issue: (Town of Edson) A $37.28 million operating
budget was approved that focuses on affordability for our residents,
while continuing to offer high quality services to the community.
The budget was designed to touch every pillar of Council's Strategic
Plan: Creating a Connected Community that is Safe and Inclusive;
Fostering a Robust and Adaptable Economy; Responding to a Changing
Global Environment; Ensuring Quality Infrastructure; and Providing
Effective Leadership and Community Engagement.
“Council is pleased to support this final Operating Budget, which sees no
new user fee increases, but continues to focus on quality services
for our residents. It was important to Council to limit increases
considering the immense financial pressure Canadians are dealing
with. This is a difficult balance considering costs to
municipalities also continue to increase, but we feel we've been
presented a fair budget that addresses both affordability and
quality levels of service," stated Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara.
The overall taxation increase for 2024 is 2.89%. The Reserve Policy
requires 0.5%, with the remaining 2.39% going towards new budget
initiatives. On an average residential assessment of $336,400, this
would equate to an increase of $65.50 for the year.
A couple of changes have also been approved for the 2024 Capital budget,
including an increase of $60.24 million for YCE Multi-use Facility
with the project set to commence this summer, and a decrease of $1.5
million in the Township Road 532 project.
Councils approve final design for YCE Multiplex
by Dana McArthur
April 22, 2024 issue: In synchronized Council meetings at noon on
April 16, both the Town of Edson Council and the Yellowhead County
Council approved the program design for the Yellowhead County Edson
(YCE) Multiplex Facility Project.
The facility will include a new pool, new arena, new gymnasium,
renovations to Centennial Arena, repurposing Memorial Arena to a
curling facility, and inclusion of an elevated walking track in the
gymnasium at an estimated cost of $80.24 million.
The scope budget includes: Fees, management + OH $8.46M;
construction $70.18M; off-site service Uupgrades $0.54M; and FFE
allowance $1.06M.
Funding for this project includes an Investing in Canada Infrastructure
Program (ICIP) grant for $20,000,000. The YCE Multiplex is a
regional partnership with the project being cost-shared 50-50
between the Town of Edson and Yellowhead County. Each partner will
contribute $30,120,000, representing an increase of $5,120,000 from
our currently approved financial contribution of $25,000,000.
Each Council directed the Steering Committee and their respective
Administrations to proceed with phased tendering of the project.
Over the past several months, intensive planning has been done
towards developing the design of the YCE Multiplex. Construction set
to begin on the new recreation facility in Summer 2024.
This joint initiative between the Town of Edson and Yellowhead County is
one step closer to becoming a regional staple, with schematic
designs for the YCE Multiplex officially approved. With the
innovative design given the thumbs-up, a four-phase construction
plan is in the books and work is ready to begin this summer.
The initial phase of construction focuses on the continued use of the
existing Edson and District Leisure Centre – a unique step advocated
by both municipalities.
During the County Council meeting, Crystal McNernie, General Manager of
Community Services and a member of the Steering Committee, stated,
"The intent behind the entire construction project is that services
will be maintained. So the pool will remain operational until the
new pool is online. Nothing will be shut down with the arenas until
the new arena is online. Will there be impacts to use? There will
be, we'll have temporary access points and so forth. But the intent
throughout this entire project is to maintain operations."
Public parking and building access will be planned and managed during
construction, working around existing amenities and various project
activities. This will ensure residents’ have access to recreational
opportunities throughout the entire project, it stated in a joint
release.
“Edson Town Council is excited to get to this stage of the project. We
are no longer talking about it; we’re actually doing it. This
investment will make our region more desirable for those looking to
move here, and will enhance the wellness of existing residents with
expanded recreation opportunities. We thank Yellowhead County for
being at the table as an equal partner in this regional facility,”
stated Mayor Kevin Zahara, Town of Edson.
Phase 2 of the project will include the construction of a new ice arena
and an aquatics area, including lane and leisure swimming, scheduled
for completion in Spring 2026.
Phase 3 will incorporate the construction of a new lobby and a
gymnasium that includes an elevated walking track and Phase 4 will
see renovations to the current Centennial Arena and the conversion
of the Memorial Arena to a new curling facility. The project is
expected to be completed by Summer 2027.
“The new YCE Multiplex will be a fantastic space for year-round indoor
recreation for residents of all ages, from young families to seniors
and every age in between. The upgrades and new amenities will be
well-used, and it will be a facility that we can take pride in.
We’re happy we can give new life to this well-utilized centre in our
community and the results show the benefit of being able to work in
partnership with the Town of Edson towards this common goal. It will
be a welcome addition for our residents and a draw to anyone moving
to our region, now and for years to come,” stated Mayor Wade
Williams, Yellowhead County.
Town of Edson considers expansion of Backflow Preventer Program
by Niki Luymes
April 15, 2024 issue: During the Committee of the Whole meeting on
April 9, Council was presented an update on the Backflow Preventer
Program Pilot.
Council set aside $50,000 for the program for 2023, which covered
50% of the cost of having a backflow device installed. Eligibility
was on a first come basis for those affected by flooding, until the
budget was depleted. It was created in response to the 2022 flood
event that caused damages to 23 private properties.
The initial rollout saw nine homeowners apply and install backflow valves
before June 2023. However, the major flood event in that same month,
caused damage to over 90 private properties. Following this event,
another 13 homes applied to have a backflow preventer installed.
Of the $50,000 budget, a total of $23,857.40 was used for
reimbursements.
After the 2022 events, Administration decided that more research had to
be done to help understand, troubleshoot, and recommend solutions to
limit or prevent damage to private properties during major flood
events. The Utilities Department put out a Request for Quotes to
local companies to complete private property plumbing inspections.
Local Edson business, Truman Plumbing and Gas Fitting, was the
successful proponent.
After reaching out to all landowners affected by flooding, 46 of them
consented to sewer inspection services as offered by Truman Plumbing
and Gas Fitting. From this process, the Town learned that 50% of the
homes inspected had no backflow prevention device installed. Many of
them also had an old model weeping tiles that feed into the sewer
lines. When weeping tile feeds into the sewer system, it is more
likely to flood during a rain event as water overpowers the sewer
system causing backflow. The remaining homes had both a backflow
prevention device and a weeping tile/sump pump that were correctly
installed. It's important to note that some of the homes with
properly installed devices still experienced backups due to line
pressure.
Both, Darin Borysko, Fleet & Utilities Manager for the Town of Edson, and
Colin Truman of Truman Plumbing and Gas Fitting, presented their
findings to council. They, and Town Administration, were seeking
feedback from Council on making the pilot program a permanent
program funded through Sewer Contracted Services as proposed in the
2024 Operating Budget. They also recommended an update and expansion
to the program.
They proposed that the program reimburse owners for the installation of a
backflow valve and a full sump pump. They also wanted to open the
program to all residents of Edson and not just those who had
experienced flooding. If Council approves the proposed operating
budget for this program, the Communications department would inform
landowners of the continuation and expansion of the program.
Following the presentation, Mayor Kevin Zahara asked Borysko if he
believed that the $50,000 allotted would be enough to cover the
program after expansion. "Do you think that is a sufficient
amount to include sump pumps in this program as well?"
"I was actually pleasantly surprised," replied Borysko "In doing the
program, a lot of the builds were anywhere from $1,500, to $3,000
just for the backflow preventer. I was expecting a little bit more."
Truman agreed, saying that installing the sump pump and back flow
preventer at the same time would reduce the overall cost. "As long
as they are in the same location, it's not that much more work to
add. One at a time would be about $3,000 each, but both together
would only be a third more. Borysko also reminded Council that the
full $50,000 hadn't been used last year. Assuming the program is as
popular, it shouldn't be an issue.
Councillor Peter Taylor commented that if the program reached the $50,00
maximum, Administration would simply have to come ask for an
extension. "If people are really enjoying the program, and want to
take part in it, I would rather see them do that than deal with a
flooded basement." He also added that with the amount of
people who just don't know what kind of system they have, maybe they
could also create a program that educates. It may also be a good
idea to prioritize people who would financially struggle to pay for
the installation on their own.
Mayor Zahara added that while he is in support of an education program,
he wouldn't want to complicate things by limiting the program to
those who need financial aid. "As soon as you start adding different
mechanisms, it becomes more of a burden to administer."
"Would this program apply to anyone who has this system or just those who
have been flooded?" asked Councillor Greg Pasychny. "It would apply
to anybody," answered Borysko, "Even if you were a business owner
within town and had a connected sump."
The program will not be put into action until the full 2024 budget is
approved on April 23. If approved during this process, interested
residents can reach out to the town for more information on the
program.
Town plans to rejoin Rural Renewal Stream
by Niki Luymes
April 8, 2024 issue: Council discussed the merits of rejoining the Rural
Renewal Stream (RRS) program during the April 2 Town Council
meeting.
This program would allow business to sponsor skilled international
workers to come into the country and work. "The RRS program is a
provincial program designed to support the attraction and retention
of newcomers in rural Alberta through a community driven approach
that is responsive to local economic development needs and
contributes to the economic growth of the community," said Morgan
Roberts, Economic Development Officer.
The program goals are to help small businesses with staffing challenges
and to help foreign workers find a place in Canada where they can
thrive. It is only open to Alberta communities with populations
under 100,000. The employees gained through the program are
granted employment while they work towards permanent resident
status. The number of employees brought in is decided on a federal
level. The program then allocates those approved workers to the
individual partner municipalities.
This is not the first time Edson has joined the RRS program. Edson was
approved as a host community back in 2023. Back then, 86 endorsement
letters were written to support local businesses with staffing
challenges. Although the program saw support, it became unmanageable
due to staffing issues. "In the summer of 2023, Administration
made the decision to pause the program due to capacity challenges
with running the program, and potentially fraudulent attempts at
accessing the program," said Roberts.
After Roberts was hired in 2023, she was able to begin discussions in the
community regarding the program and its local impact. She also
consulted communities across the province and developed a list of
best practices to provide guidance for better risk management of the
program, as well as provide guidance for the management of the heavy
administrative load that accompanies participation in the program.
In Alberta, there are currently 34 rural municipalities that are in
partnership with RRS.
More than 75 letters of support have been received from Edson and the
surrounding community requesting that the Town of Edson return to
the RRS program. "Implementing the RRS program in our community will
provide support to our local businesses as well as benefit our
community in growth, stability, and prosperity." To avoid some of
the issues seen before, EDO Roberts will be putting together a new
system of best practices. Then, should Edson be accepted back into
the program, Town Administration will conduct a full review six
months after implementation in the community.
The application requirements include an endorsement letter from the
Town's Municipal Council. The application timeline is approximately
eight weeks from the time of submission by the Town. Only after
being approved on the provincial level, will the town actually join
the program. Council presented two motions that would begin the
application process. The program wouldn't bring any extra cost to
Edson or its taxpayers.
Councillor Peter Taylor voiced his support for this program, "We need
people employed in Edson. People that are going to come here, pursue
homes, send their kids to schools, and everybody wins." He then
asked, "What are we looking at in terms of an administration fee?
Roberts replied, "At this point, we are looking at a $500 fee to be
paid by the businesses that are making applications to the program.
That fee is not to be passed on to any of the individuals."
Councillor Krystal Cacka echoed this support as a recent Community
Futures triage report highlighted the need for workers in our
community. "Do we need to ask for allocation to be a host community
annually or once you receive that endorsement does that just
continue until you decide not to?" Roberts responded, "The
application process is for approximately two years but can be
extended up to five years."
Mayor Kevin Zahara asked, "How many letters of support and inquires have
you received at this point?" Roberts replied, "At this point I have
received over 100 letters of support. We've also had thousands of
phone calls in support from employers and job seekers." She added
that the process of rejoining the program would reset the
applications. The town would only be viewing new applications.
Councillor Greg Pasychny asked if the town was guaranteed a spot in the
program once council had passed the necessary motions. Roberts
replied that it is not guaranteed. The town needs to create a
business plan to outline policies and procedures which would then go
back to the province for approval.
Council unanimously carried the motion to authorize Administration to
submit an application to become a designated host community under
the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program. They also carried a
motion to authorize the Mayor to execute an endorsement letter for
the Town's application to the Rural Renewal Stream Program to become
a designated host community under the Alberta Advantage Immigration
Program.
Broadband Internet Project underway in Yellowhead County
by Dana McArthur
April 1, 2024 issue: After a lengthy embargo on information imposed by
the federal and provincial governments, Yellowhead County Council
was finally able to publicly discuss the Universal Broadband Project
(UBF-03570) during it's March 26, 2024 council meeting.
Until this point, County's discussions on the topic were held in-camera,
closed to the public and media, to comply with the governments'
grant and funding requirements. "Yellowhead County applied for the
Universal Broadband Funding for Rural Broadband through the
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) in
February of 2021," said General Manager of Protective Services,
Albert Bahri.
The project costing $41,113,824.40 looks to provide coverage to over
90% of residents within Yellowhead County.
"On May 25, 2022 Yellowhead County received a letter with conditional
approval of the UBF Project. ISED then contacted Administration to
begin the negotiation process and project scope of work," said
Bahri.
ISED then provided mapping that excluded the Hamlet of Marlboro, Hamlet
Of Evansburg, and a portion of residents in the highway 32 corridor
stating that other internet service providers had already provided
the required 50-down, 10-up speeds. "Yellowhead County did question
these restrictions," said Bahri.
ISED required a resolution of Council approving the UBF Project in order
to move forward with negations for the funding. "The issue was that
the project was embargoed until such time it was announced by the
federal and provincial governments. This meant that any resolution
would have to be presented in camera," said Bahri. Discussions did
occur in camera at the September 27, 2022 Council meeting, but the
motion/resolution was passed in the public portion, albeit without
significant information, Chief Administrative Officer Luc Mercier
and Mayor Wade Williams, later clarified.
The resolution committed Yellowhead County to the entire project and
associated funding to complete the project within a five year
timeline. The project has a completion date of 2027.
"Based on the submission guidelines a response should have been received
within 5 weeks of the submission should a party be successful.
Yellowhead County received a letter providing conditional approval
on May 25, 2022 via email," said Bahri. May 25, 2022 then became the
official date that Yellowhead County could begin to action the
project and bill for items. The contract for the federal government
portion was received on January 11, 2024. The contract for the
provincial government portion was received on March 7, 2024.
"With the information embargo now lifted and both federal and provincial
government contracts in place, the required Yellowhead County
funding portion is presented to Council for approval," said Bahri.
Crews are ready to move forward and construction will begin immediately
based on frost remaining in the ground.
The total project cost funded by the provincial and federal governments
is based on $36,476,204.00. This is broken down as follows: Federal
contribution $11,660,646; provincial contribution $11,660,646;
Yellowhead County Contribution $13,154,912.
Yellowhead County is also responsible for costs associated with the
project, but outside of the approved funding model of the provincial
and federal governments. These includes: Legal and land acquisition
$500,000; system management program $250,000; consultant services
$150,000; and a contingency of 10% on the overall project
$3,737,204.40.
This brings Yellowhead County's contribution to $17,792,532.40 for a
total project cost of $41,113,824.40. The project will span from
2024 to the first quarter of 2027.
Yellowhead County would utilize the Restricted Surplus Fund:
Infrastructure to fund the project, with the reserve being paid back
over a four year period (2025 to 2028) through a combination of
property tax revenue from assessment growth, annual surplus, and
program revenue.
Wade Williams said, "I am going to go to questions and comments from
council prior to asking for a motion."
Councillor Dawn Mitchell began, "The required 50-down and 10-up speeds,
those are recognized by whom? I don't believe that those speeds are
being met, specifically in Marlboro, because I remember having to go
door to door and do stuff on my iPad there."
Bahri replied, "We spent over eight and a half months trying to prove to
them that the service wasn't there, but they were provided that data
from those ISPs [Telus and Shaw] and that's all they have to go on.
Hence the reason that those areas are still excluded. This is a
bigger conversation that has to happen throughout Canada, based on
all of those providers and carriers that won't serve smaller areas,
based on the small population."
Councillor David Russell said, "I did a survey on my own upload-download
speeds from three different websites and provided that information
to my internet service provider. I asked them for an explanation,
because they weren't achieving anywhere near their stated upload or
download speeds. Their answer to that was, 'that's our best possible
speed. We don't have to provide that, but that is our best possible
speed'. Unfortunately, that is the number that they report to ISED,
and those aren't their actual numbers. So they're playing fast and
loose with the actual truth, in my opinion."
Councillor Shawn Berry commented, "I've been looking forward to this
motion in order to move forward with getting us into the broadband
network, that we so deserve
as residents in Canada and especially in Alberta."
Williams concluded, "This is a huge undertaking for any municipality.
With the joint funding from the federal government, the provincial
government, and Yellowhead County we're able to move forward with
this and get this much needed infrastructure in. I'm so excited for
this."
Yellowhead County Council approved Yellowhead County's portion of the
project in the amount of $17,792,532.40 from the Infrastructure
Reserve, paid back over a four year period from 2025 to 2028.
Council also approved the broadband project in the amount of
$41,113,824.40, and direct administration to proceed with the
project installation.
Yellowhead County's Broadband Tower Network System provides a vital
infrastructure service to its communities. The goal has been to get
fibre connections to as many households as possible and create new
wireless options where fibre is not an option.
These federal and provincial grants will help support the ongoing
development of this infrastructure backbone to support the
ever-increasing need for high-speed internet and cellular
connectivity for Yellowhead County residents, first responders,
emergency services, and other protective services such as early
wildfire protection, as well as industry and other stakeholders.
ESTS re-branding as ME: Moving Edson & Area
by Niki Luymes
Mar 25, 2024 issue: At the March 19 Edson Town Council Meeting, Dawn
Mitchell, Executive Director of the Edson Senior's Transportation
Society (ESTS) came to give an update of their activities over the
past year.
Some highlights from this report was the changing of the Society's
name, an overview of their updated clientele, and their work during
the wildfires.
The Edson Senior's Transportation Society has been operating under
that name for the past 39 years. In 2023 the decision was made to
expand the society to reach other clients throughout Edson. While
they will continue to offer their services to Edson residents 55
year and over, they have expanded to also serve Edson residents
under 54 who have cognitive or mobility challenges. In correlation,
they also changed their name to ME (Moving Edson). "This re-branding
is meant to be more inclusive," explained Mitchell.
Moving Edson & Area now has one full time driver and three part time
drivers working for them throughout the week. The group is run by a
volunteer governance board, with an Executive Director. Moving
Edson & Area has one wheelchair accessible bus, which now runs from
8:30am to 4pm, Monday thru Friday, with the exception of Thursdays
when it runs until 9pm, and on weekends from 9am to 3pm. This
adds up to 54.5 operational hours per week.
When summarizing the past year Mitchell highlighted the Society's
actions during the 2023 wildfires. Throughout the emergency the
buses were running to evacuate and then transport all their
clientele. "So I need to say thank you to all our drivers. They went
night and day for months." However, the wildfires did have a
negative effect on the year's statistics. Overall ridership looks
like it has dropped, but in actuality if you factor in the fires, it
has remained the same.
Also in 2023, Moving Edson & Area received a grant from Healthy
Aging Alberta. This, coupled with fundraising and other donations,
allowed them to purchase a new mobility van. This new vehicle has
been ordered and hopefully will be in Edson soon to begin
operations.
Mitchell explained their priorities going into 2024 include: further
development of policies & procedures; re-branding from ESTS to
Moving Edson & Area; the implementation of modern technology like
the new van; Increasing revenue by raising community awareness; and
promoting their charter service. As well, a the return of their
Annual Trivia Night Fundraiser on May 4.
Councillor Gean Chouinard, asked about the expanded hours. "Saturday
and Sunday you started in December. Have you seen ridership
increasing?" Mitchell answered that they have seen increased usage
on Saturdays and Sundays. As words spreads, the weekends are getting
busier. They have consistent clients that get rides to Sunday
worship services.
"My question is regarding the mobility van," said Councillor Krystal
Cacka, "I'm curious about when will it arrive and if it will have
air conditioning?" Mitchell replied that the van should get here by
the end of March or beginning of April. "I promise you it will have
air conditioning, it will be a comfortable ride, and it will
have heat. This new van is going to be fabulous."
Councillor Ed Moore then asked if they complete many out of town
trips. Mitchell explained that when you charter the bus it
will take you everywhere and anywhere. Mitchell also explained that
with the new van they plan to greatly enhancing their services. "We
will be offering subsided medical service trips to Edmonton, that is
really exciting."
Mitchell explained that it's a big challenge for some seniors to
make it to the city for specialized medical appointments. ESTS used
to offer a limited service where they would drop clients at Tim
Hortons to then ride the SunDog bus to the city. However, those
busses only go to West Edmonton Mall. From there the client would
need to arrange rides to the actual medical appointment. The stress
of this whole procedure would often stop them from going. With the
new grant and the new van, Moving Edson will be able to offer door
to door service. "We will pick seniors up where they live or
wherever is most appropriate for them. We will drive them straight
to their appointment, wait for them, and take them straight back
home." Mitchell also added that if the client requires a support
person for their appointment, that person will be able to ride with
them at no extra cost. This new program is very exciting as it fills
an incredible need in the Edson community.
Mayor Zahara voiced his approval for this program. He noted that
Council has often looked into fixing this problem and is excited to
have a solution with a partner that has done such good work in the
community. Moving Edson and Area is filling the need in Edson for
public transportation without the high overhead that comes with a
municipal bus system. "I thank you for taking on that work. We all
appreciate that, and I think taxpayers should appreciate that as
well."
County reviews after-action report on 2023 disasters
by Dana McArthur
Mar 18, 2024 issue: A Special County Council meeting was called on
March 6 to discuss the 2023 after-action report the County
commissioned from 9Zero Solutions.
9Zero is a national consultancy based in Alberta that provides
services which include emergency management, incident management,
strategic direction, and after-action reviews.
"It takes courage to call for an independent review of a disaster,"
stated Tom Sampson, with 9Zero Solutions, in his report.
"The events of 2023 were unprecedented in nature. The scope and
scale of wildfires across the province of Alberta challenged many
communities, stretched resources to the breaking point, and resulted
in the evacuation of thousands of Albertans.
"In Yellowhead County, there was not one fire but multiple large
complex fires that disrupted the regular operations and routine of
staff, volunteers, and community members. An abrupt change in
weather quickly required the focus to shift from wildfire to flood
response.
"After-action reviews are difficult by nature. We realize and want
to acknowledge that without the hard work done by paid staff,
volunteers, and countless members of the community, the losses in
Yellowhead County would have been much worse. Yellowhead County
should be commended for their effort, their response and their
dedication to mitigating losses in the community," stated Sampson.
The company collected and analyzed information including data from
open surveys, interviews, and a review of all documents provided by
Yellowhead County and other stakeholders, as well as publicly
available information regarding the fire response.
"At every turn, I have been impressed by the way Yellowhead County
staff, volunteers, and residents rose to the challenge and never
gave up despite the length, complexity, and magnitude of the
situation. A commendable feat!" Sampson emphasized.
In the report Sampson outlined some best practices and opportunities
for improvement in 11 different areas. "As the 2024 spring hazard
season approaches, there will be limited time to comprehensively
implement all aspects of the after-action review." Below are the
most impactful best practices and opportunities for Yellowhead
County.
Most Impactful Best Practices
- The staff members of Yellowhead County showed an incredible spirit
and willingness to help. This demonstrates a strong culture that
should be maintained.
- The alignment of leadership between the Mayor, Council, the Chief
Administrative Officer (CAO) and the General Manager (GM)/Fire Chief
was noteworthy and impactful.
- The establishment of an evacuee call-in line where evacuees
obtained information. Residents from Yellowhead County, the Town of
Edson,and Entwistle (Parkland County) were able to access the line
for information.
- The leadership of Yellowhead County recognized the magnitude of
the events early and requested assistance of both the North Central
Incident Management Team and Canada Task Force 2.
Most Impactful Opportunities
- Continue to advocate for increased Alberta Wildfire resources,
both personnel and air assets to be fully trained and available
earlier in the wildfire season.
- Advocate for a review of the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)
program within the Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA).Alter
the program to dismantle roadblocks and open access to interested
parties, including first responders and community members.
- Work with Alberta Wildfire to modernize their mapping system and
approach to information transparency to provide increased
situational awareness for members of the community.
- Work with Alberta Wildfire to re-evaluate the dual processes of
using 9-1-1 and 310-FIRE for reporting fires.
"People are smart. They need to understand what's coming their way,"
said Sampson. One of the most impactful actions he stated is a new
provincial public information system "that refers that information
and allows smart people to make smart decisions about how they
protect their land or what they're going to do."
"The geographical area of Yellowhead County is massive. The county
encompasses over 22,000+square kilometres that are covered by 14
full time firefighters, 2 work experience students, and a volunteer
contingent that fluctuates in number. At the time of the wildfires,
there were 70 rostered volunteers, including the work experience
students. This means one fulltime firefighter for approximately
every 1,375 square kilometres," said Sampson. Many volunteers,
however, were not available during the disasters.
Council has recently approved four additional full-time equivalent
firefighters and two additional work experience students in their
2024 Budget. Additional opportunities are also available Sampson
stated, "We believe that a six-person seasonal crew focused on the
speciality of Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) would be extremely
beneficial to the advancement of the program and the residents."
Councillor David Russell commented, "I want to make sure that
everyone is aware that the residents at Shiningbank Lake stopped the
fire when it crossed the McLeod River. Only the residents stopped
the fire. Had it not been for them, that fire would have been in Fox
Creek in two days. So they also contributed to the local resources
fighting fires. Please do not forget."
Russell added, "The State of Texas has their largest fire in
recorded history burning right now. It's the second largest in the
United States at just over 1.1 million acres and they are completely
overwhelmed, they stated in the Media. This is in a country of
almost 400 million people! If I'm not mistaken, our fire was 2.2
million hectares. Double that! So what we faced was indeed
overwhelming and I don't think we can overstate that."
"It is important to reiterate that a disaster, by very definition,
overwhelms the resources of the local response agencies. The staff,
volunteers, and residents of Yellowhead County should be commended
for the response to the wildfires of 2023 and the seamless shift to
respond to the subsequent flooding. While there are
opportunities for improvement, there are also many best practices
that should be continued through any future response," stated
Sampson.
Mayor Wade Williams said, "Did some things go wrong? Absolutely. We
went through 61 days of devastation in the area and not everything
is going to go right. Did we learn, are we learning? Absolutely."
"Right from the start, Yellowhead County's number one priority was
the safety of residents and protection of as much property as we
could possibly protect. I think we did that. I'm a little bit
fearful that if a very similar situation were to happen again that
we're going to have more and more people trying to stay back. I'm
fearful that at some point we're not going to escape with no loss of
life. The more people that we have staying back the tougher it is to
get people out when things do turn bad. These fires turn and we've
had fire crews trapped that are experienced in fighting fires. I
think we got away very lucky, but I'm fearful," concluded Mayor
Williams.
The spring 2023 wildfire/flood after action report is available on
the Yellowhead County website at: yhcounty.ca.
Six wildfires remain listed as active in Edson Forest Area
by Niki Luymes
Mar 18, 2024 issue:
Alberta Wildfire and the Edson Fire Department continue to raise
wildfire awareness before Spring with a FireSmart Open House event
hosted at the Galloway Museum.
This event specifically reached out to the community of Edson. From
2pm to 7pm, on February 28 and March 4, members of both departments
were on hand to answer questions people had about the wildfire
season.
This meeting was just part of the many FireSmart events that haven
taken place recently in cooperation with the Town of Edson and
Yellowhead County. Alberta Wildfire is making it a priority to reach
out to as many local hamlets and towns as possible.
Locations that have already had a FireSmart event include Peers, Niton,
Marlboro, Robb, Fulham, Evansburg, Wildwood, and Burle. The goal of
these events is to have as many conversations about wildfire
preparation as possible. This helps arm local residents with
knowledge and tools to better protect their homes.
The basic FireSmart tips remain the same for rural and urban residents.
"It's for towns, it's for residential properties, even out in the
county, and it can also be applied for commercial properties as
well," said Edson Fire Chief Brad Milton. One of the most important
tips to remember is to create a buffer zone between your dwelling
and flammable materials such as brush and dry wood.
Within a town this may mean coordinating with your neighbours to
keep the whole neighbourhood safe. Alberta Wildfire offers programs
such as the Neighbourhood Recognition Program to help communities
make themselves FireSmart. Though this program neighbourhoods can
get funding to prepare their residents and also be recognized as a
FireSmart community.
Currently there are six active wildfires in the Edson Forest Area. All of
these fires are carryover fires from last year. "With those
carryover fires, it doesn't mean that they are still burning or
smouldering," said Caroline Charbonneau, Wildfire Information
Officer with Alberta Wildfire. "It's just that there's hundreds of
kilometres of perimeter that was burnt last year and until we know
100% that those wildfires are out, we're going to leave them on the
app."
Even with the recent snow, the risk of these fires returning remains a
possibility. The snow can cause these fire areas to smoulder
underground, explained Charbonneau.
The equipment that Alberta Wildfire uses to do high level scans for
active hot spots cannot be used until the snow melts. "We need to
wait until the conditions are right and then we will do those
high-level scans. But in the meantime we are monitoring. So
firefighters are out there monitor some of the perimeter. We also
rely on the public to call 310-FIRE if they see smoke or flame,"
added Charbonneau.
The next scheduled FireSmart event is planned for May 18 in Cadomin from
4pm to 7pm.
For more FireSmart information visit alberta.ca/firesmart
Edson Library receives donation for Furniture Fundraising Drive
Mar 4, 2024 issue: The Edson & District Public Library is
thrilled to announce that it has received a $10,000 grant from the
Vermilion Ways of Caring program in support of their Furniture
Fundraising Drive.
“Vermilion Energy is more than happy to help in the areas we operate
in,” said Wally Samson, Operations Superintendent for AB/BC with
Vermilion Energy, when he presented the donation to the library on
February 23.
“With this generous donation from Vermilion Energy, we will be able
to purchase much needed furniture for the children's and teen
areas,” said Robin Corser, Library Board Chair.
The library is currently fundraising to furnish the new spaces in
the renovated and expanded building that will include a larger
children's area, dedicated teen zone, and quiet room. “We expect to
move back to our former location at 4726 8th Avenue in June and this
$10,000 donation is a large step towards our goal of raising
$250,000. We are very grateful for the generosity of Vermilion
Energy and their support of our library,” said Corser.
"If anyone wants more information or would like to join Vermilion
Energy on our Wall of Recognition, please contact Connie Hargreaves,
Library Director at (780) 723-6691, chargreaves@edsonlibrary.ca,"
concluded Corser.
County Council updated on Spring Wildfire Preparedness
by Dana McArthur
Feb 26, 2024 issue: Albert Bahri, General Manager of Protective Services presented an update
report to Yellowhead County Council at their February 20 meeting.
"In the spring of 2023, devasting Wildland Fires
occurred within Yellowhead County. One of the fires occurred in the
'white zone' which consists of a portion of Yellowhead From Highway
16 to the northern most boundary of the County and between Highway
22 North and the Pembina River," stated Bahri.
The bulk of the fires occurred in the 'green zone' or the Forest
Protection Area, which is the jurisdiction of Alberta Wildfire. Most
of this area is covered by the Edson Provincial Forest Protection
Branch, with a small portion to the South covered by the Rocky
Provincial Forrest Protection Branch. Over 310,337 hectares of
forest burnt.
"Looking forward to Spring 2024, Yellowhead County Administration
has been working very hard to prepare for the upcoming
Wildland season," Bahri added. The report stated:
Training: Yellowhead County staff have exceptional
training in all aspects of Protective Services. Keeping with this
high standard training is occurring on a regular basis in all
disciplines of Protective Services. Yellowhead County has a very
aggressive training regiment.
Current Equipment: All current equipment in
Protective Services is response ready.
New Equipment: All wildland equipment identified in the 2024 Capital
Budget has been ordered. The request for quotes for the Regional
Rescue and Wildland Response vehicle is posted on APC, closing on
February 23, 2024, at 14:00.
Operational Preparedness: All staff and associated equipment are
response ready for any incidents that may occur including
wildland fires.
Community preparedness: Fire smart safety sessions,
in conjunction with Alberta Wildfire, are well underway. 12 have
been scheduled, with 7 being completed as of this report being
written. More will be scheduled in the fall, with the program being
developed to be offered yearly. The Fire Equipment Contractor list
and requirements are being finalized and will be advertised to local
citizens and contractors to sign up for. This list will be for
equipment that can be used to assist in firefighting. MOU's for
Helicopter assistance are being developed for white zone coverage.
Community Protection: Yellowhead County, working
with Alberta Wildfire, will be creating an application to be
submitted for fire guards around Hamlets within Yellowhead County.
Funding for this is coming from the Provincial Government. These
fire guards will be combustible-free areas to prevent the spread of
a Wildland fire into Hamlets and other populated areas. Sprinkler
protection lines can also be used in these fire guards to bolster
protection.
The process to acquire funding will start immediately after the program
is announced. Funding is limited and the project scope will have to
be based on successful funding. Once the project has been approved
it will then move to developing the scope of work using a consultant
who would have expertise in these types of projects. Once this
is complete the project would move into land acquisition, followed
by actual guard construction. Project timelines would be expected to
see actual guards being built within 24 months of project approval.
"We'll be creating an application to be submitted for fire guards around
Hamlets within Yellowhead County that can be expanded to
subdivisions," Bahri explained. " It won't be without challenges to
get them around Hamlets."
Councillor David Russell said, "I compare this to the way people protect
their yards from criminal activity; no one thing will protect you.
It has to be layers of protection. The same thing applies to fire
guards around hamlets. In and of itself, it won't be sufficient, but
it's one more layer in protection."
Councillor Brigitte Lemieux said, "I want to say thank you for all the
work that you [Albert Bahri] and your team have been doing, hosting
these fire smart sessions. I attended the one that was in Pine
Grove. It was well attended. The feedback I have received has been
very positive."
Mayor Wade Williams added, "I would just like to thank the province for
stepping up and realizing that this is a concern in these areas and
for offering this funding. We don't know what it's going to look
like."
Council for Yellowhead County accepted the report on Spring Wildfire
Preparedness, for information.
AB Wildfire Reflects on Causes of 2023 Season
by Deanna Mitchener
Feb 19, 2024 issue:
Last summer the Edson Forest Area saw a wildfire season that few
people will soon forget.
Caroline Charbonneau, Area Information Coordinator for Alberta
Wildfire -Edson Forest Area, stated, “89 wildfires burned 234,558
hectares of grass, wetland, and forest in the Edson Forest Area.
Wildfires typically leave islands of unburnt vegetation within their
perimeter. They often create a mosaic effect on the landscape by
burning more flammable fuels such as conifer trees and leaving less
flammable deciduous trees unburned. Of the total hectares (ha)
burnt, 90 per cent were caused by lightning and the rest were
human-caused.”
“Wildfires are usually caused by either lightning or human activity.
Human-caused wildfires are most often caused accidentally, such as
by a campfire that escapes its ring, a powerline malfunction that
causes a spark, or sparks from the improper use of a burn barrel,”
said Charbonneau.
“They are rarely caused by arson. Less than 10% of wildfires in
Alberta were determined to be caused by arson last year. Arson is
part of a broader category referred to as 'incendiary' by Alberta
Wildfire. Incendiary fires are intentionally set but only those with
a criminal element are deemed to be arson. For example, incendiary
fires could be started by a child playing with a lighter, or even by
fireworks or exploding targets. It's important to understand that
we're all capable of starting a wildfire and we need to pay
attention to help prevent them,” Charbonneau said.
Of the 89 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area, 33 were caused by
lightning and 56 were human-caused.
“Alberta Wildfire investigates every wildfire to determine origin
and cause. This helps us track primary causes, emerging trends, and
how we can ensure our prevention methods are working," said
Charbonneau.
It's not uncommon to see a significant number of fires classified as
'under investigation' in a year like 2023. Unless a wildfire is
undoubtedly caused by lightning, it defaults to 'under
investigation' until the file is closed. If a cause can not be
determined, it becomes classified as 'undetermined'.
Residents were responsible for 12 of the 56 wildfires determined to
be human-caused in the Edson Forest Area. “These causes can include
improperly extinguishing winter burning, unsafe debris disposal,
unattended cooking and warming fires, and mechanical failure of
machinery such as lawnmowers,” explained Charbonneau.
“The industrial sector was responsible for the second highest total,
with 11 fires. Some of these fires were caused by mechanical failure
of equipment, winter pile burning that escaped or wasn't properly
extinguished, and flaring devices," said Charbonneau. "Powerlines
and railroads were responsible for eight wildfires. These were
caused by friction and sparks, mechanical failure, and by one
unfortunate animal who climbed a power pole."
Six wildfires were determined to be caused by recreational activity.
Five were caused by unattended campfires and one could not be
determined. Incendiary came in last with two unclassified fires and
one arson. There are 16 wildfires that remain under investigation or
are undetermined.
“If you are working or recreating in the outdoors, it is everyone's
responsibly to know how to prevent wildfires. Do your research, keep
watch of your surroundings, and pay attention when whatever you are
doing could be creating sparks, hot exhaust, or friction,"
Charbonneau advised.
Follow along as more topics about wildfire are discussed in this
recurring mini-series.
For up-to-date information on wildfires in our area, you can
subscribe to the Edson Forest Area Wildfire updates by downloading
the AB Wildfire Status app. Once in the app, select the info tab at
the bottom, click the bell and toggle on Edson Forest Area. You'll
receive notifications each time a new update is sent.
To learn more, visit our website alberta.wildfire.ca
Town reviews report on 2023 local disasters
by Niki Luymes
Feb 12, 2024 issue: During the Town of Edson's council meeting on
February 6, Edson Fire Chief Brad Milton presented an after-action
report regarding the three local emergencies that took place in
2023.
In the spring of 2023, the Town of Edson experienced two wildfires
and a flood.
Administration and the Emergency Command Center (ECC) team enlisted
Transitional Solutions Inc's (TSI) expertise as a third-party to
create the report, offer oversight and recommendations regarding the
operations, capacity, training, and management of all three
emergencies. Assisting online with the presentation for council were
TSI analysts Kevin Lefebvre, Kerri Holmes, and Cory Thomas, who were
also able to answers questions afterwards.
The report on the first of the wildfires (EWF-031) and subsequent
evacuation concluded that as a small municipality with limited
training, Edson demonstrated a resilient, community-driven culture
underscoring the power of solidarity and adaptability in the
face of adversity. “Edson's success in managing the wildfire was not
merely a result of technical expertise or extensive resources but
was profoundly influenced by the strength of the community's unity,
quick thinking, and resourcefulness."
"The collaboration among residents, emergency responders, and local
authorities played a pivotal role in containing the fire and
minimizing its impact."
"The Town of Edson achieved its overall priorities to protect lives
and property, demonstrating a resiliency of spirit in extremely
trying times."
This review also identifies areas for improvement. While the team's
cultural strength significantly contributed to its success, formal
training and resources could enhance preparedness and response
capabilities further. Investing in training programs, acquiring
necessary resources, and establishing more structured emergency
response protocols would complement and fortify Edson's existing
community driven approach.
"Moving forward, integrating formal training and resources within
the framework of a resilient community culture will fortify the
Town's ability to address such crises more effectively while
preserving the ethos that defines the municipality."
The second wildfire and subsequent town-wide evacuation to Edmonton
once again presented the Town of Edson with a challenging and
sobering set of circumstances. The second report concluded that,
"the response efforts were evidence of the resilience and dedication
of the Town staff, IMTs, emergency response teams, provincial
agencies, and the community. It should be noted that the Town
successfully managed to evacuate residents and contain the wildfire.
It is evident that there are still lessons to be learned and
improvements to be made, but overall, the protection of life and
property was a success."
"The ability to execute a second evacuation so soon after the first
demonstrates the importance of preparedness and the need for a
robust and adaptable MEP. The Town is encouraged to continue to
refine the plans for wildfire and evacuation procedures and identify
vulnerabilities, the Town must be commended for its use of enhanced
communication strategies to ensure the safety and well-being of its
residents."
In regard to the flooding event, the report concluded that based on
the comprehensive assessment of the response to the 2023 Edson
Flood, it was evident that the management of this disaster was
highly effective. "The Town demonstrated a commendable commitment to
safeguarding the lives and property of its residents."
"It is essential to highlight that the success of the Town of Edson
during this flood crisis can be attributed, in part, to having been
through two previous wildfires in a very short time. Although the
Town ECC staff were exhausted, they were able to collaborate with
key players, stakeholders, and vendors to mitigate the flood
effectively. Had the circumstances been different, the Town might
not have fared as well under the challenging conditions it faced."
During the presentation, the TSI representatives offered multiple
actionable ideas for each of the events to help the Town to be
better prepared for future challenges. "You did an incredible job,"
said Holmes, "Nobody died, you safeguarded their lives and you
protected their residences."
Councillor Krystal Cacka said see believed everyone did a
commendable job during the evacuations. She then asked where
Administration stands in response to TSI's recommendations. Milton
responded, "We have started actioning the recommendations that were
made here. We are working on an implementation plan for all of the,
I believe, 81 recommendations. We are working through that process
and that is something we will bring back to council at a later
date."
Councillor Gean Chouinard had a question about the issue of fatigue
management, a challenge that staff faced in the second fire
evacuation and the overland flooding. "In all fairness how do you
train for this? We can do all the training in the world and yet
everything could be different."
Milton responded, "You are very correct in that. Trying to balance
the fatigue management side is extremely difficult." He then
explained that joining the North Central Incident Management Team
along with accessing the recently joined Northwest Alberta Emergency
Resource Agreements would give Edson an option for relief in the
future.
Councillor Peter Taylor had a question on the issue of unified
command. He pointed out that even though the Edson and the County
had different Emergency Command Centres, they were still required to
coordinate on a lot of things. "When an evacuation like this
happens, we're linked."
Chief Milton said, "Those conversation are going to be had. Unified
command is always going to be a challenge everywhere we go. But it
is something that we are going to be continuing to work towards to
better our response and work with our municipal partners."
After the discussion, Council voted unanimously to accept the 2023
TSI After Action Reports as information.
Town Community Development staff moving into Griffiths Park Centre
Feb 5, 2024 issue: The Town of Edson is excited to announce that
the Community Development staff, which includes Family and Community
Support Services (FCSS), Arts, Culture, and Active Living are moving
into the newly renovated Griffiths Park Centre located at 5414 – 6th
Avenue.
Although the facility will remain closed to the public while we
settle in, services are still available, and programs are still
operating.
Should you need assistance during the transition the Community
Development team can be reached by calling (780) 725-0582. They will
be inviting the community to join them at their new location for the
Grand Opening on February 19th where they will host Family Day
festivities in collaboration with community partners.
The renovations were completed to create a fully accessible
community facility which provides the opportunity to better serve
residents and was funded in part through the Community Services
Reserve and Provincial/Federal grants.
The Town of Edson is committed to the strategic priorities of
Ensuring Quality Infrastructure and Creating a Community that is
Safe and Inclusive. This project supports that by facilitating a new
space which fosters a sense of belonging and provides a variety of
services for all residents to enjoy.
The Community Development team is very excited to welcome residents
into this new community space.
County project to showcase community resiliency during fire and flood disasters
by Dana McArthur
Jan 29, 2024 issue: During the Yellowhead County Council meeting on
January 23, CAO Luc Mercier presented council with an overview of
the proposed project 'Our Uncompromising Communities'.
Yellowhead County Council previously directed Administration to
prepare options for how the County could document the fire and flood
disasters of 2023, highlighting the resiliency and strength of our
communities.
"During the budget process, the idea that Council put forward and
put $100,000 as a place marker for, was to look at options to
capture the 2023 disasters, the fires and the flooding, so we could
keep that as part of our history and document it," said Mercier.
During the spring emergencies of 2023, residents, first responders,
and staff demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of
adversity. Despite these challenges, our communities came together
to support one another and overcome obstacles. Documenting this
experience will serve as a testament to the strength and
determination of our residents and will allow our communities to
come together to share their collective experiences, Mercier stated.
The project dubbed 'Our Uncompromising Communities' is to document
the stories of Yellowhead County related to the spring 2023
emergencies. These stories may be showcased through seven proposed
distinct projects with a projected total of $100,000:
- Highlighting our Resilience (no cost)
- Making our Mark ($14,000)
- Celebrating our Hamlets ($33,000)
- Sharing our Story ($15,000)
- Displaying our Experience ($4,000)
- Recording our History ($29,000)
- Showcasing our Growth ($5,000)
The proposed plan for the project includes a book, community
displays, murals, artwork displays, and other associated material.
Upon completion, each hamlet would host an opening day/evening for
the exhibit, mural, and book. The event would feature food for the
community, speakers, interview clips, and giveaways.
Councillor Dawn Mitchell said, "I think this captures the will of
Council, and as usual, Administration expanded on it and just made
it into something so much better. We have an amazing number of
brilliant artists in Yellowhead County... this is a living history,
I like it."
Councillor Penny Lowe said, "I guess I looked at this a little bit
differently. It was a very large piece of history for Yellowhead
County. I really am against doing a mural or artwork or something as
you enter in one of our hamlets, because to me that's labelling that
hamlet. As you're driving in you want to have something positive and
not of a negative nature. Not only that, but it's very difficult for
a lot of people to deal with. I think that constant reminder would
be there every time you drive into town and I think it would not
serve the purpose of what Council is trying to do. Yes, it happened,
but it was a negative impact on that community."
Councillor David Russell said, "I can certainly empathize with
counselor Lowe's position. I totally understand that and you don't
want to repeat that over and over again. So it can be looked at and
studied as to how much visual arts needs to be attached to this."
Mitchell responded, "I hadn't looked at it from the negative. I
truly had looked at it from the positive, in my mind's eye. Maybe
people holding hands? I think we came out on the other side bigger,
better, stronger, right?"
Councillor Anthony Giezen said, "from my perspective, I support the
whole program. I think it has to be done tastefully and in the right
way. But I think if we truly want to capture the event, we have to
have it open and as broad as we can."
Councillor David Russell moved that Council for Yellowhead County
direct Administration to proceed with Highlighting Our Resilience,
Sharing Our Story, and Recording Our History projects for
documenting the spring 2023 wildfire and flood emergencies as
presented in "Our Uncompromising Communities"; and further, that
Administration forward the remaining projects to a Governance and
Priorities Committee Meeting for further discussion. This was
carried unanimously.
Town updated on Disaster Recovery Programs
by Niki Luymes
Jan 22, 2024 issue: At the January 16 Town Council Meeting, Council received information on the 2023 Disaster Recovery Programs (DRP). This update includes the DRP information for both the May 5 to June 23, 2023 wildfires and the June 16 to June 22, 2023 overland flooding.
From the initial announcement dates of each of these programs, the Town has three years to confirm and submit all claims related to either.
In summary, during the May and June wildfires the Town incurred initial expenditures of $1,312,806.15.
On December 8, 2023, the Town requested reimbursement of 50% of the recovery costs, as instructed in the Disaster Assistance Guidelines.
The Town is anticipating this initial partial reimbursement from the province in January 2024. However, since submission the Town has incurred an additional $46,739.23 in expenses for fire fighting assistance provided by other municipalities. These additional expenses will be added to the 2023 Wildfires DRP claim bringing the current total to $1,359,545.38.
These numbers do not include the cost involved in the potentially significant charge from Edmonton for reimbursement of Town residents use of the City's Evacuation Centre. When or if received, this number would be added to the DRP claim.
"Ultimately, the DRP Program reimburses back to the Town 90% of all eligible recovery expenditures. This is the final reimbursement percentage amount which is determined after the initial 50% reimbursement provided to the Town," said Paul Hanlan, General Manager Corporate Services.
The Alberta government confirmed the 2023 Overland Flooding DRP on November 29, 2023. While the Town is still preparing the required project list for this flood event, the current estimated total of recovery of expenditures is $857,483.13. Administration also decided to add $241,000 in the 2024 Budget for remediation of damages received during the flood event. This brings the current estimated and planned expenditures for this DRP up to $1,098,483.13.
"We just wanted to add this for council's information," said Chief Administrative Officer Christine Beveridge. "When it comes to these programs we typically don't see funding for years. These programs are typically three year programs. [These expenses] will show in our books for the coming year as well."
Councillor Krystal Baier asked for clarification on what "show in our books" means for the operating budget. "Is that just like how we see our capital projects that we carry forward, does it carry on in that same way or is it affecting our operating budget?"
Beveridge explained that the town had already paid the expenses, so there would not be any affect on the budget's outgoing expenses.
Councillor Greg Pasychny asked what the town might expect the cost from the city of Edmonton to be for the evacuation centre. The regional centres cost around $800,000.
"The reception centres in Edmonton, were open for 7 months this year. So there is some pressure on the Province to pay that outright and not distribute it to the various municipalities," said Hanlan. "At this point there is no clear direction and I would be uncomfortable hazarding a guess on what that cost could be. My understanding is that the City of Edmonton spent considerable funds on their evacuation centres."
Council accepted the 2023 Disaster Recovery Programs update as information.
Letters have been circulated to the community providing a claim submission reminder for those who qualify for funding under the Disaster Recovery Program for the June Floods. The deadline to apply is February 26, 2024, and it covers uninsured losses. It is important to note private sector claimants (residents) can only make one claim per property. This is for the lifetime of the property and includes subsequent owners.
- Residential Portal: https://recovery.alberta.ca/SitePages/Home.aspx
- Small Business:
https://www.alberta.ca/disaster-recovery-programs
Construction Managment appointed for YCE Multiplex in Edson
by Niki Luymes
Jan 15, 2024 issue: At their respective Council meetings on January
9, The Town of Edson and Yellowhead County voted in favour of the
construction management firm Clark Builders for the new YCE
Multiplex Facility.
Yellowhead County and the Town of Edson are moving ahead in 2024
with the construction plans for the Yellowhead County Edson (YCE)
Multiplex located in Edson, Alberta.
The company chosen as the Construction Management will function as
both an advisor during the budgeting process, and eventual general
contractor. In September 2023 the committee invited various
companies to submit proposals for the project. Seven proposals
were submitted, and from those seven, three were invited to respond.
Following a thorough evaluation process, Clark Builders, a renowned
construction management and general contracting company, has been
appointed the construction manager for this highly anticipated
project, which includes a new pool, arena, and walking loop, stated
a subsequent joint release from the Town and County. The project
also includes renovations to the Centennial Arena, repurposing the
Memorial Arena to accommodate curling, and planning of potential
space for a gymnasium.
"After deliberations on December 19, 2023, the Steering Committee
unanimously endorsed Clark Builders as the choice for the
Construction Management team of the YCE Multiplex Facility," said
Doug Wagstaff, Edson's General Manager, Community & Protective
Services. "Clark has the depth, expertise, experience, availability,
and organization necessary to successfully plan and construct this
project."
Clark Builders is an Edmonton based company and is one of Canada's
leading Construction Managers and General Contractors. The company
has experience with similar projects, including the Camrose Aquatics
Centre, Beaumont Sports and Recreation Centre and over 20 sports and
recreation projects in the Greater Edmonton area.
"Through their submissions and interview Clark clearly articulated
their relative experience with building new arenas and aquatic
facilities, coupled with renovating and upgrading facility
components and systems whilst maintaining safe operations of
existing programs," added Wagstaff.
"This project has been very frustrating from the get go," commented
Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara. "I'm very happy to see the light at the
end of the tunnel with shovels in the ground and construction
hopefully occurring later this year."
The YCE Multiplex project will be funded in partnership between the
Town of Edson and Yellowhead County. Clark Builder's proposed
construction management fee for this project is 2.6% of the total
construction budget. The current target for this budget is
$59,300,000, so this could reflect a fee of around $1,541,800. "This
recommendation is within the overall project target budget of $70
million," said Wagstaff. However, the construction budget is still
to be finalized by the Steering Committee.
The next stage of the project is to meld the ongoing schematic
design work with construction management input that will include a
cost analysis and constructability review. In September, the Town
and County selected GEC Architecture to perform the architectural
and design functions on the YCE Multi-plex project. Clark Builders
will begin work with GEC Architecture, Town of Edson, and Yellowhead
County on the schematic design of the YCE Multiplex. This will lay
the groundwork for the construction planning during this important
stage of the project.
In a follow-up statement Zahara added, “Edson Town Council is
excited to see this important step forward. We have the team in
place to ensure we get a facility that is focused on functionality
and meeting the needs of our regional community. A lot of work has
occurred in the last several months to get us to this milestone in
the project. Town Council is firmly committed to getting this
project complete as reflected in our Strategic Plan.”
Yellowhead County Mayor, Wade Williams stated, “With this step of
hiring an experienced and accomplished construction management team,
we're moving ahead to provide a modernized recreation hub for our
regional community. Our residents will get a multiplex that will
deliver a range of recreation services and promote healthy active
living for current and new users.”
Fire advisory now in effect in the Edson Forest Area
Jan 8, 2024 issue: A fire advisory is now in effect in the Edson Forest Area
due to warm, dry and windy conditions with no significant
precipitation in the forecast. Exposed dry or dead grass and
vegetation pose a serious risk. A wildfire can easily ignite and
spread quickly under these conditions.
Fire permits are not required outside of wildfire season in the Forest
Protection Area of Alberta. Residents and industry planning a burn
are still responsible for all fires they ignite and should keep safe
burning practices top of mind by following Alberta Wildfire’s
guidelines.
These guidelines include the following:
- Carefully select your burn site and do not burn until you have
good snow cover in the area.
- Check weather conditions and refrain from burning when an
inversion is in place or is forecasted.
- Actively manage burn projects to reduce total burning time.
- Burn debris in stages so that you can adapt to changing weather
conditions and reduce smoke.
- Ensure you have the right tools, water and equipment on hand to
keep the burn under control.
- Consult your local municipality on how to safely undertake larger
winter burning projects near communities or roads.
Municipalities, parks and protected areas may have additional fire
safety requirements.
This fire advisory will remain in effect until conditions improve.
After a dry wildfire season, smart winter burning practices can make
a big difference in reducing the number of human-caused wildfires.
“While wildfire season officially ended October 31 and a fire permit is
no longer required for burning inside the Forest Protection Area,
it's important to keep safe burning practices top of mind,” says
Josee St-Onge, provincial information officer with Alberta Wildfire.
“Fire safety matters year-round, even when there is snow on the
ground.”
Fires that are not properly extinguished can smoulder underground and
re-ignite as a wildfire in the spring when conditions tend to be at
their driest.
Winter burning can also cause dangerous driving conditions when
smoke lingers in the air. On particularly cold winter days, such as
during an inversion when cooler air is trapped at the ground under a
layer of warmer air, smoke can stay close to the ground and travel
great distances. The ideal conditions for burning are typically days
with average temperatures and minimal wind.
Bethel Pentecostal Church vandalized by rocks
by Deanna Mitchener
Dec 25, 2023 issue: The Bethel Pentecostal Church in Edson was the
target of a recent vandalism incident.
Pastor John stated, “Over the past 30 years I've been at Bethel
Pentecostal Church we've often had people burn donuts [tires] in our
parking lot. We even had a sign made stating 'Thank you for not
burning donuts on the streets'. I've even managed to catch a few of
them and give them the same message."
"Last Friday or Saturday, however, someone made some very aggressive
donuts in our parking lot and shattered both our entry doors, broke
10 windows, and put about 15 holes in our siding. I am
thankful that this was off the public streets, but I ask drivers to
not only be safe, but also consider the expense for damage to nearby
property," said Pastor John.
Anyone knowing of vandalism in the communities, please speak up or let
the authorities know. Thanks for helping to keep our community safe.
Warming Centre to be near Edson RCMP station
by Niki Luymes
The Edson Town Council convened a Special Meeting on December 12, to
discuss the creation of an Extreme Cold Emergency Warming Centre and
protocol in Edson.
This Special Meeting was a continuation of the December 5 Town council
meeting. During that meeting it was decided that Administration
needed more time to reevaluate the protocol. Therefore, the motion
to enact the Extreme Cold Weather Warming Centre Protocol was
postponed to its own Special Meeting.
"I just want to be clear again on what the emergency warming centre in
our proposal is about," said Doug Wagstaff, General Manager,
Community and Protective Services. "It's a heated trailer[s] to act
as a warming location for overnight. It is not a shelter. It is not
lodging. It is not a MAT [medication assisted treatment] program. It
is not a replacement for the Shelter Pods. It only operates in the
evening once a threshold of -25º Celsius including a wind chill, has
occurred in the forecast. And it does not open during the daytime."
The revised protocol comes with a new location and layout, including two
trailers. On the days that dip below -25ºC, the warming centre will
be opened at 8pm, allowing people to shelter in a warm building. The
trailer will then closed at 8am, with occupants being vacated so
that the trailers can be cleaned.
The facility would be supervised by a third-party security contractor
on-site to monitor the use of the facility, provide regular wellness
checks throughout the night, and contact emergency services if
required.
After the deliberation from council on Dec 5, and further research,
Administration proposed a new location for the centre. "We have
sited a location just west of the Provincial building, east of the
RCMP station, in the vicinity of 1st Ave," said Wagstaff. The
location would not be directly in line with 1st Ave, to avoid
unintended traffic.
This new site has many factors that make it superior to the previous
location of Griffiths Park, according to Administration. It is
close to the RCMP station. It is Town of Edson owned land. It has
high visibility and has no residential buildings nearby. Finally, it
is close to other services commonly used by unhoused individuals.
The only noted disadvantage to the location is its proximity to the
Provincial building which does house an early childhood program
during daylight hours.
They proposed shelter compound would be laid out with two trailers and
two portable washrooms surrounded by fencing. The whole site would
be supplied with electricity by a portable generator, also protected
by fencing. There would be parking spaces just outside the fence for
security personal. In the event that security cannot come out to the
site, the centre would not be opened. Local RCMP would make
routine patrols of the area.
"What is the capacity of the trailers at any given time?" asked
Councillor Ed Moore. "The capacity of each trailer is about 13
persons," answered Wagstaff. "I say about because if there are
chairs, which we are able to have, there can be 13. With no chairs
it can be as high as 17. We do intend on having at least somewhere
for them to sit with a chair inside. So, the capacity of the two
trailers is between 23 and 36."
Councillor Peter Taylor directed his question towards the Edson RCMP and
Fire Department representatives that came to the meeting. "If we
don't proceed with this, if we decide that the $45 to $55 thousand
dollars that we're looking at is too expensive, what kinds of things
do you think will happen in the interim?"
"To be quite honest I don't have a definite answer," said Edson RCMP
Staff Sergeant Christian Delisle, Detachment Commander with Edson
RCMP. "Having worked with the homeless population for many
years, they have always surprised me with how they can be so
resourceful. So I don't have a definite answer, although there is a
high risk, if we look at the winter time, of people freezing. That
would be our fear." He also added that in terms of policing, they
have also seen the resourcefulness of unhoused people extend to
criminal action.
Bradley Milton, Edson Fire Chief, echoed Staff Sargent Delisle's
response. "One thing that could be noticed is the potential for
increased fires. Those would be fires of necessity, trying to stay
warm. The other side of this is obviously the fact of someone
freezing, and receiving those medical calls and responding to that.
Frost bit feet, hypothermia, and other stuff like that."
Councillor Greg Pasychny, had a few concerns about the new estimated
price for the project. He asked Delisle who was around for the
previous trailer project and Shelter Pods, and in his experience,
would the trailers see enough usage. "I will struggle with spending
taxpayers money on something that one, maybe two people will go in.
I'm just looking for professional guidance here."
"Was the [previous] trailer successful? It really depends on your
definition of success," answered Delisle. "I will say, yes it
was successful, because some people used it when it was very cold.
So we probably prevented someone from getting frostbite or freezing
to death. I still believe that when we're talking temperatures of
-25ºC we have to have a place at least where they have the choice to
go."
"How long is this going to take to get set up? What kind of timeframe?"
asked Councillor Gean Chouinard. "Within 5-10 days is the
anticipated timeframe for us to have it set, and to have it
operational," answered Wagstaff.
Pasychny asked for clarification on why the town can't just make use of
the existing shelter pods in the emergency capacity. Wagstaff
answered that there were multiple issues with trying to reuse the
pods. They were much closer to businesses that may be disrupted. The
insurance would not cover the pods in the same way as a the new
trailers without increased monitoring and manpower. Chief
Administrative Officer Christine Beveridge also pointed out that the
Town doesn't own the Shelter Pods themselves, just the land.
The motion that council adopt the Extreme Cold Weather Warming Centre
Protocol as presented was carried.
with edits by Dana McArthur
Town considers extreme cold weather trailer after closure of Shelter Pods
by Niki Luymes
Dec 11, 2023 issue: During the Town of Edson Council meeting on December 5, Council discussed
the implementation of an emergency cold shelter for Edson's unhoused
population. The proposed plan is called the Extreme Cold Weather
Emergency Cover Protocol.
This new plan has been put forward since the closure of the Shelter Pods
at the Edson and District Recycling Centre (EDRS).
The five Shelter Pods opened at the site in 2021. This was a two year
pilot program that the Edson Friendship Centre Housing Plus+ Program
had collaborated with the EDRS to develop. There was also
significant collaboration with Reflections Edson, Alberta Health
Services, the Town of Edson, and local RCMP.
EDRS stated online that they were, "saddened to hear of the recent passing
of two young people who were patrons of the Shelter Pods". The EDRS
added, "At this time, the development permit to operate at our
facility has lapsed, without which, the Board cannot allow operation
of the pods. As always, the health and safety of our employees and
the public using the Recycling Depot facilities is our primary
focus."
This closure has left the vulnerable population in the Edson area with no
overnight extreme cold weather option. Although programs and warm
spaces are provided by various social support agencies during the
day, there are currently no facilities available for unhoused
individuals to escape extreme temperatures at night.
The proposed protocol states that a heated trailer will act as a warming
location for those in need of a place to escape the elements. There
will be access to a secure bathroom located on-site with an external
entry. It will provide rudimentary cover when temperatures are
forecast to drop below -25°C (including wind chill) and is assigned
no other purpose (lodging etc). This unit will be in place through
the winter months as an emergency measure until a suitable
alternative is available. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4, DEC. 11, 2023.
Reflections Chair offers clarifications
regarding Shelter Pods
by Dana McArthur
The Weekly Anchor asked for clarification from Reflections regarding the
Shelter Pods. Debbie Bezaire, Chairperson for Reflections,
responded, "The EDRS has a long-term lease agreement with the Town
of Edson for the area where the pods were to be built. As a result,
the EDRS needed to apply for a development permit (change of use)
and building permit. This was a long process since a project such as
the planned Pod facility had never been developed in Alberta."
"A two-year development permit and building permit were issued.
Construction started in January 2021. The pods officially opened in
June 2021. The pods were open 7 days per week, 365 days per year
from day one —this has never changed. The Pods were designed as a
permanent shelter not a cold weather shelter," Bezaire added.
"In December 2021 the question came up as to who was covering the
liability insurance for the project. It was discovered that the EDRS
had building coverage for the project, the Friendship Center had
coverage for the volunteers, but no one had liability coverage. The
EDRS decided to close the pods until someone stepped forward to
cover the liability insurance. The EDRS approached the friendship
center. They replied with an emphatic "no". Reflections knew how
crucial this project was for their clients and agreed to take over
the operations of the pods and acquired liability insurance. A usage
agreement between the Town and EDRS plus an agreement between the
EDRS and Reflections was developed and signed," Bezaire said.
"From this point on paid staff made sure clients left the pods by 9am
every morning, cleaned/sanitized the Pods, hired security staff 40
hours per week and allocated the pods every day. The only
change Reflections made was to how pods were allocated. Previously,
Pods were allocated via a intercom system at 8pm every night, first
come first served. Upon input from the EDRS this was changed. Pod
users started to line up at the Depot as early as 3pm, this was
disruptive to the residents using the depot. Therefore, Reflections
allocated the Pods at 5:30pm every day at their office and allowed
Pod users to go to the Pods at 6:00pm. This was a very good
adjustment for all involved," said Bezaire.
"The summer of 2023 was a very difficult summer for the homeless
population. There were several overdoses and near incidents in the
Town and County as a whole. In fact, there were two such deaths that
occurred at the Pods. These deaths could have happened anywhere in
the community. A number did occur in other areas of the Town,"
Bezaire said.
“The EDRS, Reflections, and the Town of Edson Administration had a
meeting in early September. The Town informed the group that in fact
the development (change of use) permit was for only a two-year
period ending in December 2022. This was a shock to the both the
EDRS and Reflections. The Pods could not be legally open without
that permit," Bezaire stated.
"The EDRS could have applied, but there was little chance it
would be successful. As a result, the EDRS board decided to cancel
the current operating agreement they had with Reflections for the
Pods," said Bezaire.
"Public and safety concerns were an ongoing concern for Reflections. The
operation of the pods was constantly being monitored and improving.
Additional cameras, monitoring, and security systems had been added.
Some simple operational protocols were also being considered,"
Bezaire said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4, DEC. 11, 2023 ISSUE.
County directs removal of soil added on floodplain
by Dana McArthur
Dec 4, 2023 issue: During late summer of 2022 there was
approximately 11,000 tonnes of material deposited on the a property
(Lot 20, Block 1, Plan 9021558) during the widening of Highway 40
northwest of Hinton, done at the request of the landowner.
The location of this deposited material is on a Country Residential
lot in Seabolt Estates and is within the Special Risk Area of the
Maskuta Creek floodplain.
"The landowner elected to have a fairly significant portion of earth
and material deposited on his property for reasons that he thought
suitable at the time. The reality of that is, the earth and material
were placed within the floodplain within a creek in that area. And
it is not compliant with the municipal land use bylaw," said County
Planning & Development Manager, Cory Armfelt during County Council's
November 28 meeting.
The concern is that the new dirt placed in the middle of the
floodplain may affect where water will go to in the next flood event
and could cause damage to other nearby properties.
County Administration stated their preference was for the landowner
to deal with the issue he created, but added that the landowner has
not been cooperative. "Through our Administration we dealt with the
landowner the best that we could right from the start of this, and
they were just not cooperating whatsoever. This is really
unfortunate," said County CAO Luc Mercier.
Administration sought compliance on the parcel by way of a Stop
Order, the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board, and a Court
Order via the Court of Kings Bench.
Administration sought three quotes for the removal of this material.
JRF Oilfield Services Ltd. was the lowest fixed fee bid provided at
$232,270.00 and demonstrated a clear understanding of how to
effectively mitigate the site challenges and address safety
concerns. Yellowhead County's expenditure will be recoverable
through a transfer to the subject property's tax roll. The assessed
value of the property is in excess of $232,000.
"We're concerned that if something were to happen in the spring and
we hadn't dealt with this, that we could cause further damage to
other properties," said Mercier.
Councillor Brigitte Lemieux asked, "Let's say we pass this motion
today, but the property owner decides tomorrow that he or she will
undertake this work. Will that property owner have that
opportunity?"
Armfelt responded, "Yes, I believe we would give that property owner
the opportunity. They've had the opportunity for almost a year and a
half to undertake this work. We have worked with our legal council.
That individual has been represented by their legal council, so they
have known that this process is coming."
CAO Mercier added, "Most definitely we would prefer that the
landowner deal with this. We don't want to get into to this cleanup.
If we sign the contract with this company, it's too late. We will
have a legally binding contract with this company to remove that
dirt."
County Mayor Wade Williams added, "I'd just like to say this is a
very unfortunate incident. I know that the stop work order was
placed on that property. When this was going on here a few months
back and I know that Administration had done everything to work with
the landowner. Unfortunate we got to this point, but that seems to
be where we're at. So, this is the next step."
Council agreed to direct Administration to transfer $232,270.00
excluding GST from the General Emergent Operating Reserve for the
purposes of funding the removal of the earthen material from Lot 20,
Block 1, Plan 9021558 which will be recoverable on the property's
tax roll as per the Court Order. This will allow Administration to
proceed with the removal as per the Subdivision and Development
Appeal Board Order.
ESTS expands bus service and hours
Nov 27, 2023 issue: In August 2023, the Edson Seniors
Transportation Society (ESTS) submitted a Healthy Aging Alberta
grant application to the provincial government in hopes of receiving
capital funding support for the purchase of a new Mobility Van and
expanding transportation services to Edson residents aged 55+.
The full funding request of $275,660 was approved and ESTS is
thrilled to be able to publicly announce their new initiatives and
capital purchase.
The grant application included a capital funds request for the
purchase of a new Wheelchair Accessible Van configured for up to 10
ambulatory passengers, 4 wheelchairs, or a combination of both.
Mayor Kevin Zahara stated, "This is fantastic news for the Edson
community and speaks to the work, collaboration & advocacy done by
ESTS, the Town of Edson and community partners over the last year."
Additional capital funding was requested to allow ESTS to purchase
safety cameras and location tracking equipment for all buses, as
well as funds to purchase an app/system that will allow clients to
book On-Demand transportation from their computer or smartphone
24hrs a day.
Dawn Mitchell, Executive Director of ESTS, said, "This service will
simplify point of purchase and fare reloads and send reminders to
clients regarding their On-Demand reservation. It will also provide
detailed transportation analytics that will inform future decision
making at the Board level and support all government and Town of
Edson reporting requirements".
To support repeated requests from Edson residents for increased
hours of service, operational funding was also requested. ESTS
currently operates Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:00pm. With
this approved funding, beginning on November 30, ESTS will be
offering late-night transportation every Thursday (4pm to 9pm), as
well as service on both Saturday and Sunday (9am to 3pm).
Mitchell spoke to the health benefits of older adults being able to
connect with community and retain their independence. “Studies
overwhelmingly show that if adults aging in the place most
appropriate for them, are provided with opportunities to socially
engage and connect with the community of their choice, improved
physical and psychological well-being follows. Being able to provide
opportunities for our Edson Seniors to attend their grandchild's
birthday party on a Saturday, attend weekend worship services, or go
for Sunday brunch with friends is all part of supporting healthy
aging”.
Mitchell also included a request for grant funding that would enable
ESTS to offer door-to-door, wheelchair accessible transportation for
Edson Seniors needing to travel to Edmonton for medical
appointments. A sliding scale model-based income will be used to
determine the amount each 55+ adult wishing to access this service
will pay. Mitchell said that, “ESTS will begin offering this service
once the new Mobility Van arrives in April of 2024”.
Local MLA Martin Long stated, "This funding for Edson is great news.
Seniors in my community rely on this transportation and now Edson
Seniors Transportation Society will be able to expand service to
include weekends, evenings, and transportation to Edmonton for
medical appointments. This expanded access will help seniors get to
where they need to go and live independently."
On behalf of the ESTS Board of Directors, Mitchell would like to
sincerely thank everyone for their continued support and patronage.
“Part of the grant funding requirements were proof of community
support and financial contribution to the Mobility Van with saved
capital funding dollars. Without the donation we received from the
1st Annual Edson Mayors Charity Golf Tournament in 2022, funds
earned from our Trivia Night fundraiser this spring, and the
donation received from Members of 100 Women Who Care (Edson), we
would not have met the capital grant funding requirements”.
(with files from Dana McArthur and Dawn Mitchell)
County not included in Drought Livestock Assistance Program
by Dana McArthur
Nov 20, 2023 issue:
On October 20, the governments of Alberta and Canada announced they
are providing $165 million to support livestock producers affected
by drought and extreme growing conditions.
Funding for this joint AgriRecovery initiative is cost-shared
through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership
(Sustainable CAP), with the federal government providing $99 million
and Alberta's government providing $66 million. Agriculture
Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) will administer the program.
Livestock producers with grazing animals will be able to apply for
financial support to cover losses they incurred to manage and
maintain their breeding herds. For example, eligible producers could
access up to $150 per head for breeding animals. However, Yellowhead
County residents are not currently included in the programs.
During the Yellowhead County Council meeting on November 14,
Jennifer Benson, the County's Agricultural Services Supervisor,
stated, "The province, through AFSC (Alberta Financial Services
Corporation), announced a 2023 Canada/Alberta Drought Livestock
Assistance Program, Opening November 1. At the same time, the 2023
AgriRecovery Tax Deferral Program-Livestock Producers was also
released. Neither of these programs include Yellowhead County
residents."
"While the AgriRecovery Program considers forage yields, spring
moisture, and summer rainfalls, the preliminary map shows that
Yellowhead County producers will not be included in this program,"
said Benson. "The Alberta Drought Livestock Assistance Program has
already eliminated Yellowhead County residents based on drought
projections made by experts and supplemented by Alberta Government
weather stations placed throughout Alberta."
"I'm sure I don't have to tell any of you how hard this spring,
summer, and fall have been for our producers. Last winter, we
effectively had a drought with very little precipitation, " said
Benson. "There was no moisture in the spring of 2023. Drought
conditions led to the 2023 fires that played out in Yellowhead
County. Some of our residents were evacuated from their homes for
days. Some of them for weeks; and this happened multiple times."
"Hayfields and pastures burned. Producers had an inability to seed
or fertilize until late June because of the evacuations, fires, and
road closures. Pasture land was destroyed because the fire itself
either burned the pasture or removed kilometres upon kilometres of
fences. Smoke hindered the growth of pasture and haylands. Producers
experienced two cycles of grasshoppers; arguably three. When the
rain did come in the end of June, it came so fast and heavy that
overland flooding was a result. High temperatures in the latter part
of the summer continued to impede growth," Benson concluded.
On November 2, an email survey was sent to Agricultural Service
Board (ASB) members asking if they support a letter being presented
to Council —they unanimously agreed.
"I am asking that Yellowhead County Council approve sending a letter
to the Ministry of Agricultural and Irrigation asking for Yellowhead
County to be included in the 2023 Drought Livestock Assistance
Program and the 2023 AgriRecovery Tax Deferral Program as
presented," said Benson. Councillor Ken Groat made the motion.
Councillor Shawn Berry said, "Our Ag producers were hard hit this
year. I don't think I've seen anything quite like this before,
especially with the fires on top of it. I really hope the Alberta
government cooperates with us and working with our producers."
Councillor David Russell said, "When I read what you [Benson] had
presented to us that the Canadian drought monitor has excluded
central Alberta, including Yellowhead County, and deemed that area
not analyzed, to me, it spoke that they made a decision based on no
facts and no data. I know of two producers in my area that received
cattle from southern Alberta because of the droughts. They had no
pastures left, so they moved their cattle all the way up to my area.
And partway through the summer, they had to find another home for
them again as there was no grass for them here. So if that isn't an
indication of drought, I don't know what is."
The motion was carried unanimously.
Ravine Community Hall – Council approved a request for funding from
the Ravine Community Association for $27,000 to upgrade kitchen
facilities to bring them to CSA standards so they can resume
commercial use. The Ravine Community Association is contributing
$21,000 along with donated labour and materials to match the
Community Hall Capital Assistance Grant.
Edson RCMP warn public of group physically impersonating police officers
(Nov 10, 2023) Edson, Alta. – Edson RCMP have recently been made aware of a scam
involving a group of people physically impersonating police
officers.
In the most recent case, an Edson victim was called by a number
listed as RCMP. When they answered the phone, the person on the
other end of the line stated they were calling from the RCMP and
that the victim was going to be arrested due to some outstanding
“money laundering” scheme.
At the same time, two people, dressed as police officers, knocked on
the door asking if the victim had gotten a call. The two suspects
confirmed that the victim would be arrested unless they pay a fee.
The victim was instructed to empty their account and purchase gift
cards and give the information to the person on the phone. The
suspect on the phone said that the money would be given back if it
was proven that they were not part of an ongoing investigation.
Edson RCMP are asking anyone who was in the area of 4th avenue, 63rd
street and 56th street in Edson, on Nov. 3, 2023, between the hours
of 10-11 a.m., and may have seen something or have access to dashcam
or surveillance footage, to please call the Edson RCMP detachment.
Alberta RCMP would like to remind the public to always be aware of
scammers:
· At no time will an RCMP officer request a fee, gift cards, or
otherwise money in exchange of forgoing an arrest.
· If an arrest warrant is issued, the warrant will be executed as
specified on the warrant. If a warrant to search a home or seize an
account is granted, the warrant will be executed as specified and
you are entitled to read the warrant.
· If ever you are in the presence of someone stating they are a
police officer and you have doubts, you are allowed to ask for
identification. Furthermore, you may call 911 or your local
detachment or dispatch number to confirm that the officers before
you are who they say they are.
If you, or anyone you know, has fallen victim to this scam, please
contact the Edson RCMP Detachment at 780-723-8822, or your local
police. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime
Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) online at www.P3Tips.com.
Edson Friendship Centre hosts Fall Family Gathering
by Deanna Mitchener
Nov 6, 2023 issue:
On October 26 the Edson Friendship Centre held a Fall Family
Gathering at the Bingo Hall.
Between 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. they had lots of draw prizes ready
to be won along with pizza, drinks, and dilly bars. Everyone was
welcome to attend, and to find out more about all the events coming
up this winter for youth and families.
The Friendship Centre staff said, “What a great night with our
community at the Fall Family Gathering. Congratulations to everyone
who won in our draws and a huge thank you to everyone who came out.
We can't wait to see everyone again at our upcoming events. Thanks
to Alberta Health Services' Honouring Life grant for funding all
these wonderful activities.”
There are some pretty amazing activities coming up in 2024 if you
would like to take part. On January 15 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
you can learn how to make Spirit Pouches. Participants will learn
about and make individual spirits pouches to take home.
On January 27 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Quilling with a Metis
artist will teach about how to make
quill art.
Then in February, learn about Felted Indian Dolls on February 5 and
6th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. This class will show you how to make
figures out of felt.
On February 12 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. come do some Mohawk
Beading. Learn basic Mohawk beading skills to do your own beading.
An Ice Fishing Family Event will take place on February 23 and 24th
from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Learn how to net fish and enjoy a
hotdog roast.
On February 26 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Lean how to scale a fish,
then create your own fish scale art.
In March there will be lots happening too with Food Smarts on March
18 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Youth will learn how to do meal
preparations (with supplies and costs). Youth will shop for their
meal and return to the hall to cook.
Moose Tufting will take place on March 23 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m. A Metis artist will teach basic moose tufting.
Remember to mark your calendar and contact the Friendship Centre at
780-723-5495 to confirm times and information on how to join in the
fun and learning.
Leisure Centre wins Swim for Life award
Oct 30, 2023 issue: For the seventh year in a row the Edson and
District Leisure Centre Pool has won the Lifesaving Society of
Alberta's Anne Resek Swim for Life Award.
Since 2016, with the exception of 2020 due to COVID, Edson's
dedicated pool staff have consistently earned this honour.
The award acknowledges Edson for achieving the highest point tally
in the Swim for Life program among communities under 15,000
residents.
"In essence, we're the top spot for swimming lessons for a town our
size!" stated Steve Bethge, Communications Coordinator with the Town
of Edson. "A huge shout out to our amazing staff and to our
community's commitment to water safety!"
New light industrial road planned from 54 Street to Willmore Park Road
by Niki Luymes
Oct. 23, 2023 issue: The Town of Edson Administration requested a
decision from Council to approve reallocating $150,000 from the 2023
Capital-Road Repairs Budget to procure tree removal and detailed
design for the construction of a new light industrial rural road TWP
RD 532, between 54 Street to Willmore Park Road.
"Secondary access/egress to the south industrial area is warranted,
even without the Pivotal development proceeding," stated a report to
Council from Clayton Kittlitz, General Manager, Infrastructure &
Planning and CAO Christine Beveridge.
At present, the town landfill, one county residential property, and
five private businesses (not including Pivotal) use 54 St. as their
only access and egress. There is a bridge crossing in this area that
has been damaged by flooding on more than one occasion, which needs
upgrades or replacement, according to a recent assessment. A cost
assessment is now underway. The creation of the road would also
allow access in and out of the area while allowing for
potential repairs or reconstruction to take place.
Without a secondary road into the area two private businesses, the
county residence, and the landfill will be inaccessible if the
bridge crossing becomes impassable. Deemed more critical is the lack
of secondary access and egress for emergency purposes. Train traffic
at the CN Rail Yard blocks the 54 St. crossing multiple times a day
for extended periods.
Pivotal Energy Partners made a commitment to provide temporary
emergency access/egress to the area and this commitment was secured
through a condition of approval for DP-019-2023 for striping and
grading of their plant site.
Only a verbal commitment could be secured with CN and building a
temporary road would be an expensive throwaway cost for Pivotal. The
temporary road would be built above a cutline created during the
placing of a sanitary pipeline. This road could never be permanent
due to the pipeline not being buried deep enough.
Administration is proposing accepting the verbal commitment from CN
under the condition that Pivotal contributes funds earmarked for the
temporary emergency access/egress, to the building of a permanent
rural industrial road within the existing TWP RD 532 road allowance.
It is proposed the project will be a 2024 Capital Project managed
by the Town with contributions coming from benefiting landowners
(future) and the Pivotal contribution. No dollar figure has been
determined or committed at this time.
Councillor Greg Pasychny started off the question period by asking
about the tree removal. "Part of the $150,000 talks about the
removal of the trees. Is that for the entire quarter south, so it
would be a substantial firebreak or is that just a road allowance
amount of trees?" Kittlitz replied, "I think our plan would be to
take the road allowance plus a little bit more, but it would not be
the entire area. I suggest it would be a little bit wider than the
road allowance, since it's our land."
Pasychny then asked, "Has any work been done to figure out what the
cost would be to remove the trees to the end of the property line to
create a significant firebreak." Kittlitz responded, "No, we have
not done that, but certainly if it's the will of council we could
pursue that."
Councillor Gean Chouinard asked, "Is there any value to those trees?
If we could get someone to come in and possibly log it all, since
it's ours, we could get rid of the trees at virtually zero cost."
Kittlitz replied that Administration had looked into that option.
"We weren't able to find a local tree removal provider who saw value
in those trees. But, if council supports the motion we could
certainly pursue that more."
Mayor Kevin Zahara expressed his support for the motions. "With
Pivotal coming to our community, it's a huge opportunity. This is
the biggest development that this community has seen since
Weyerhaeuser was built. It's going to be a major taxpayer, a source
of major employment, and support our natural gas industry."
Zahara added, "I certainly want to see us going east as well as
west. I think that it is a better opportunity for the safety of all
residents and ease of access for people to be able access from Land
Fill Road to either Willmore Park or Golf Course Road. The challenge
that we have is that we do not own all the land to the Golf Course
Road."
The motion that Council approve reallocating $150,000 from the 2023
Capital-Road Repairs Budget was passed by a unanimous vote. This
motion means that the project will move forward with the design and
pricing.
A second motion was made for Council to instruct Administration to
come back with progress report and total dollar amount to remove all
the trees to the south of the boundary for a larger firebreak. This
motion was also passed.
County requests meeting with Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services
Oct 16, 2023 issue: During the Yellowhead County Council meeting on Oct 10, Council
passed a motion to direct Administration to schedule a meeting for
Mayor Williams and CAO Mercier with the Honorable Mike Ellis,
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services to discuss
Yellowhead County's concerns with the Wildland Urban Interface
program under Alberta Emergency Management Agency.
County Chief Administrative Officer Luc Mercier stated, "There were
hindrances that worked against local emergency services in a few
cases during the disasters, which should have never occurred."
Mercier's report to Council stated: "The first incident in question
involved representatives of the Provincial Wildland Urban Interface
division and their unauthorized entrance into the local authority
command post during a critical time and giving unauthorized
direction to members on the emergency response team dealing with the
emergency. The Wildland Urban Interface representatives were
directed to leave the site and not to return by senior
officials, as they had no authority to be in the command post
whatsoever. It should be noted that one of the Wildland Urban
Interface representatives was again directed to leave the command
center site on a second day.
The second incident involved representatives from the Provincial
Wildland Urban Interface department disconnecting and moving,
without consultation and without any authority, some of the
sprinkler protection systems that were installed by local emergency
services to protect homes.
The third incident in question occurred by a Wildland Urban
Interface representative putting out very unprofessional comments,
in words that we will not put out in a public document, to members
of the fire department in an adjacent municipality about
Yellowhead County administration after we complained about the first
two incidents to the Province."
In addition to these issues, Yellowhead County has attempted to be
part of the formal AEMA Wildland Urban Interface, and Structural
Protection Specialist Certification training for a number of years
and has been denied access to this training by the Province.
"Although our members have training from other sources, this
training should be made available by AEMA to allow all fire
departments in our Province if they choose," stated Mercier.
After some discussion by Council, Mayor Wade William summarized,
"This is all about accountability. We can't just let this go and if
we don't ask for this meeting, it's just going to be swept under the
carpet. It's far too serious an issue to sweep under a carpet."
National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
by Niki Luymes
Oct. 9, 2023 issue: The Edson Friendship Centre welcomed the people
of Edson to the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation at
Centennial Park on September 30.
The event ran from 11am to 1pm with many different activities taking
place. In 2021 the federal government declared National Day of Truth
and Reconciliation a federal statutory holiday. This is the second
year the Friendship Centre hosted the event.
The day started off with opening prayers, lightning of the sacred
fire, and a drumming circle. The prayer and fire-lighting were
performed by local Elders Dorothy Courtereille and Debbie Gaucher,
with the drumming circle being led by the Mountain Cree Drummers.
Starting at noon, Secure Energy sponsored a free hotdog lunch that
ran until 1pm. During the afternoon small orange cards were
scattered around the park. "The cards had residential school
information from local Alberta. People could take the information
back to an elder and discuss what they learned and then they were
given a gift. This helped open up conversations between indigenous
and non-indigenous people," said Renay Woelfing, cultural
programming coordinator with the Edson Friendship Centre.
Throughout the rest of the afternoon local Elders led visitors in
three different Indigenous crafts. People could choose from Fish
Scale Art, Dream Catchers, or Mini Drums. The crafts were an
enjoyable activity for people of all ages and served as a memento
for people to take home. They also allowed people to learn from and
connect with local elders.
Alongside the crafts were free range Indigenous games that people
could enjoy at their leisure. There were also raffles and local
Indigenous crafts for sale throughout the afternoon.
The day wrapped up with a free chili and bannock supper from 5pm to
6:30pm. There was also an outdoor documentary movie about
residential schools and their effects.
One of the more important aspects of the event was the ongoing
conversations happening around the fire.
"One of the main things about today, and what we really wanted to
bring forward, was that this is not a day of celebration or of
fanfare," said Woelfing. "This is a day of reflection. It's really
about recognizing and educating people about the true history of
Canada and how we're still healing. We have a long ways to go and
it's about honouring that. You can go to the fire and share in
prayers for the children that were found or for the survivors."
While this year's event was smaller than last year, lots of people
came through and there was plenty of good conversations.
This whole event was planned and put on by the Edson Friendship
Centre with funds provided by the Gord Downy and Chanie Wenjack
fund.
The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation event marked the
conclusion of a month for Truth and Reconciliation in September.
Other acts of reconciliation have been happening throughout the
month. On the October 5, Edson Town Council and town staff met with
local elders to take part in a Blanket Ceremony; Town Council
implemented a land acknowledgment; and on Sept 20 council began
flying a survivor's flag outside the Civic Centre.
There is hope that Truth and Reconciliation will last far beyond the
month. "So often we focus on days throughout the year of healing or
remembrance, not just for Indigenous issues, but issues in general.
It's really taxing on members that are living it. So we really
encourage people to reach out to us throughout the whole year for
reconciliation —because it can go all year. And it's so meaningful
that by the time next year rolls around on September 30, people have
that basis of true understanding," said Woelfing.
Edson Food Bank extends hours due to increased need
by Deanna Mitchener
Oct. 2, 2023 issue:
The Edson Food Bank has extended their hours to try and accommodate
those in need.
Amy Pillage, the Program Coordinator for the Edson Food Bank
Society, said, “We recently helped 212 people in just one week. That
included 86 children and handing out 94 hampers. That's close to
double what we usually see. We've decided to expand our hours to
help alleviate the bottleneck that seemed to happen on Thursday
evenings.”
“Our hope is that by being open every Thursday evening from 6:45
p.m. to 8:00 p.m. as well as every Tuesday morning, we'll be able to
better plan and meet the needs of the community,” said Pillage.
“With the new hours, we're reaching out to our incredible volunteer
base to fill those extra roles. The response has been incredible so
it should be a seamless transition for us all," Pillage said. "Also
new, we are seeing an increase in the amount of reclamation
donations from our local Walmart store. This up-tick has helped us
immensely during this busy snap we're experiencing. The increase in
reclaim has allowed us to keep our shelves fuller for longer.”
The Edson Food Bank appointment line is 780-725-3185.
Concerns raised at County with 2023 wildland fire season
by Dana McArthur
Sept 25, 2023 issue: During the Yellowhead County's September 19
Governance and Priorities meeting, Albert Bahri, General Manager of
Protective Services gave a presentation on some issues of concern
encountered during the 2023 Wildland fire season.
"The fires started on April 29 at approximately 14:00 with fire
EWF-15 North East of Peers. Over 60 days later the fires were being
brought under control. During this time there were many issues and
struggles," said Bahri.
"Yellowhead County worked in conjunction with Alberta Wildfire to
protect lives, property, and to control, and extinguish these fires
over an extended two-month period. No lives were lost in these
fires," stated Bahri.
Bahri's report to council stated —There were several issues that
hampered the ability to fight these fires. The first was the
Provincial election, which Mayor Williams addressed. The next issue
was the Province's inability to supply needed resources and staff to
suppress the fires and bring them under control. One imported IMT
group stated that three thousand firefighters were needed to deal
with fires of this size in Yellowhead County alone. The Province did
not supply this number.
The Province of Alberta Fire Season starts March 1 of each year.
Although the season starts March 1, the Province does not provide
staffing or resources to the Forest Protection areas March 1.
Witnessed in this 2023 fire season, aircraft contracts did not kick
in until May 1, 2023, which meant pilot certification followed this.
The onboarding of essential wildland Firefighters was not complete
on March 1, 2023, but getting underway. Keep in mind the first fire
started April 29, 2023, with wildland firefighter's staffing,
equipment, and aircraft not at the full level throughout the
Province.
The current training levels of Alberta Wildfire firefighters does
not include Wildland Urban interface training, sprinkler protection
training, or any type of structural protection or tactics. The Edson
Forest protection area only has one type 6 wildland engine to cover
some 22,000 square kilometres. None of the other trucks used to
transport Alberta Wildfire firefighters in the Edson Forest
protection area contained a water system or tank. During the April
29 startup of these fires local ponds, creeks, and lake were still
frozen over not allowing portable pumps to be used to their maximum.
Type six engines were needed.
The local forest protection area also does not have control over
major equipment or staffing requests. The local area submits
requests to Edmonton for approval. This takes time and the response
to the requests could be denied.
Because there is currently no crossover training for Alberta
Wildfire fighters, when a fire approaches an asset at risk,
building, or residence, these firefighters must stand down and do
not assist municipal structural trained firefighters. Meaning all
protection, wildland urban interface response, and structural
protection is left to municipal firefighters.
The aerial water and retardant application process needs to also be
reviewed as the current policy does not allow for close retardant
application around residences and or structures. This is also an
issue when a structure becomes involved in fire, as the current
policy will not allow drops directly on a burning structure to
prevent extension. This was witnessed during the fires in Yellowhead
County this year.
On top of this, Alberta Wildfire firefighters are currently not
trained for night operations and do not have the staffing to cover
both a day shift and a night shift. Yellowhead County Firefighters
work 24/7.
To add to this, the Alberta Government began cutting wildfire
budgets and air tanker groups in 2016, followed by more cuts in 2019
with one major cut being the repel team. All these cuts have
impacted the boots on the ground ability to actually fight fires. —
Adding to these issues, Bahri stated there were several rude and
demeaning comments made by provincial counterparts, in reference to
Yellowhead County staff. CAO Luc Mercier added that those comments
have caused some County Fire Department volunteers to leave their
positions.
Bahri presented council with a list of questions developed from
issues encountered with reference to the Provincial Wildfire
response.
"If the questions are not addressed and the Province will not commit
to providing the required resources and training in a timely manner.
Who will provide this? If there is no change in response, aircraft,
staffing levels and equipment from the Province, who will fill these
needs?"
After some discussion by the council members, council voted that a
request for decision regarding a letter to the province and meeting
with the Minister of Forestry and Parks, be brought back to a future
County Council meeting.
YCE Recreation Multi-Use Facility Update
(Release) September 12, 2023 – Work continues by the Town of
Edson and Yellowhead County towards the construction of a Multi-Use
Facility for the region.
On September 12, 2023, the Town and County selected Alberta-based
GEC Architecture as the design firm for the architectural and design
functions on the YCE Multiplex project. GEC Architecture is a
renowned firm with a proven track record of excellence in designing
and delivering state-of-the-art multiplex facilities, including
complex renovation projects. The firm's extensive experience and
sustainable design approach make them an ideal firm for this
project.
GEC has done considerable work along the Yellowhead highway with
projects located in Spruce Grove, Hinton, Jasper, and Grande Cache
and understand the challenges and opportunities working in our
region presents.
GEC will immediately begin work with the Town and County on the
schematic design of the YCE Multiplex, which includes a new pool and
arena, repurposing of one arena to accommodate a curling rink and
planning space for a gymnasium. The next milestone in the project
will be the selection of a general contractor to lead construction.
This project represents a significant investment in both community's
future, and the town and county are excited to embark on this
journey with GEC Architecture as the project design partner. The
firm's expertise, creativity, and commitment to excellence will help
bring the vision for the YCE Multiplex to life.
Town adopts Land Acknowledgement Policy
by Niki Luymes
During the September 5 Edson Town Council meeting, council took the
time to review and discuss the new Land Acknowledgment Policy. They
invited members of the Edson Friendship Centre along with local
Elder Freda Maynard to attend the meeting to give feedback on the
acknowledgment.
This new acknowledgment is a part of the Town of Edson's desire to
create and strengthen relationships with the local Indigenous
peoples. "In 2022, Council adopted the Town of Edson Strategic Plan
2022-2025, which included a commitment to enacting relevant Calls to
Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report. The Plan
also emphasized the need to build strong relationships with
Indigenous people and organizations by working with local partners
to learn of Indigenous matters and adapting Town initiatives to meet
common interests, and by reviewing all decisions through the lens of
the Calls to Action," in a statement from the Town's Administration.
A territorial or land acknowledgment is an act of truth telling and
reconciliation that involves making a statement recognizing the
territory of Indigenous Peoples who are present and have thrived in
the area since time immemorial, as outlined in the Land
Acknowledgment Guidance Document.
The acknowledgment was created after many meetings with members of
the Edson Friendship Centre. Town Administration relied on their
guidance throughout the process. According to the Municipal Guide to
the Truth and Reconciliation, a land acknowledgment statement is to
be used when appropriate at the beginning of each public council or
committee meeting. This also includes boards, committees, and town
communications. The new acknowledgment is as follows:
"In the spirit of truth and reconciliation, we acknowledge the Town
of Edson is located on Treaty 6 territory, the traditional and
ancestral lands of the Nehiyawak, Saulteaux, Siksika, Piikuni,
Kainai, Dene, Nakota Sioux, and the Otipemisiwak (Metis) Nations. We
honour the knowledge of this land, the Elders and youth which gather
here, and our ancestors who have gathered here for centuries."
The motion presented was that Council adopt Land Acknowledgment
Policy L-M-5 as presented. It is important to note that the Land
Acknowledgment may not be required at all gatherings of the Town of
Edson, but should be used wherever meaningful and appropriate. The
statement will also be printed on, meeting agendas, the Town website
and other Town communications where appropriate.
Elder Maynard took a moment to introduce herself and give a brief
history. "I am an Indian residential school survivor. I decided
rather than let that experience make me bitter, that I would become
a better person," she said. "I decided that I would help other
Indian residential school survivors. Once I learned why I was so
messed up, unhealthy, I stopped being so hard on myself and started
helping other people."
Mayor Kevin Zahara then asked Maynard how important Land
Acknowledgment Policy is to her. "I believe it's very important
because native people were booted off their own land, and I believe
it's important to acknowledge that," she said.
Councillor Greg Pasychny requested Elder Maynard's opinion on
whether it would be a good idea to open every meeting with the
acknowledgment. He expressed concern that overusing it would lessen
its impact and whether it would be better for them to save it for
special occasions. "I guess I'm just looking for an opinion and I
will support whatever option you think would be the best way to do
this."
Elder Maynard replied that she thinks it would be important to do
the land acknowledgment, but have other natives members of the
community come in to talk about their experience. After answering
questions Elder Maynard presented a survivor's flag to council to
display as they choose.
Tanya Byers, Senior Manager for Community Services, presented the
new Land Acknowledgment Policy on behalf of the Administration. "I
want to acknowledge Elder Maynard joining us this evening and also
the time we have been spending with our friends at the Friendship
Centre working though these documents so that they were
representative of our Indigenous community."
Councillor Peter Taylor thanked everyone for their work. "To have
you here tonight, to have you show your support for this policy, it
means a lot that you are willing to come to the table and discuss
and move forward in reconciliation with us."
Councillor Krystal Baier said, "Truth and Reconciliation isn't just
a one way thing, we are very happy that you're here to work with us
as well. Because that's a very important process to go through."
The motion was carried unanimously to accept the policy.
“This is an important step forward in the Town of Edson's commitment
to Truth and Reconciliation. We are grateful to be able to work with
Elder Freida Maynard and organizations such as the Edson Friendship
Centre to further our efforts. Council looks forward to further
collaboration with the Indigenous community in the spirit of Truth &
Reconciliation,” said Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara in a release.
CRAA meets with CN Rail to advance regional transportation priorities
Sept 4, 2023 issue: On August 22, the Community Rail Advocacy
Alliance (CRAA) and its membership met with representatives from CN
Rail in Grande Prairie to discuss ongoing concerns regarding rail
service throughout Northern Alberta.
Mayor Kevin Zahara, who sits on the Alliance board, said, "The
meeting was very productive with both sides sharing a desire to
improve service to communities and customers. From an Edson
perspective we talked about the need for consistent service and the
challenge local industry has faced with rail car availability in
recent years."
"CN assured us that rail car availability is improving and they have
taken a number of steps in the last year and half to improve
service. They have had challenges recruiting staff and have a
number of job openings in our region. We will work with them to get
the word out. We look forward to future dialogue on these issues,"
stated Zahara.
Since January 2023, CRAA has advocated for government and railway
providers to address rail challenges experienced by local
communities and industries. Railway services throughout Alberta need
sufficient seasonal service, consistent capacity levels, and evenly
deployed resources. Members of CRAA met with CN representatives to
discuss these issues and work collaboratively to identify solutions.
With over 25 CRAA members in attendance and regional and national
representatives from CN Rail, CRAA is pleased to share that the
conversation left participants feeling optimistic and motivated to
address longstanding issues regarding rail reliability for
communities, businesses, and key industries throughout Northern
Alberta, including forestry and agriculture.
CRAA continues to identify future opportunities for collaboration
with rail partners and advance the priorities of Northern Alberta to
provincial and federal decision-makers to ensure that local
businesses and industries have the transportation systems to meet
their needs on time and on budget.
The Community Rail Advocacy Alliance (CRAA) is a coalition of 32
counties, municipalities, and associations impacted by Alberta's
inequitable and undersupplied rail services. For more information,
visit their website: www.railforward.ca.
Pioneer Cabin's Annual Summer Barbecue
by Deanna Mitchener
August 28, 2023 issue: The Pioneer Cabin held their Annual Summer
Barbecue on August 16. It was almost like seniors week all over
again, but all rolled into one day. The Pioneer Cabin went above and
beyond to cater to all that attended. There was no shortage of
snacks throughout the afternoon with everything from cheese,
crackers, and pickles to fruit and vegetable trays and an endless
amount of desserts (all day), along with plenty of cold drinks to
help keep everyone hydrated.
Outside games of Bocce Ball, Bean Bag Toss, and Ladder Ball were
under heavy competition as each team tried their best to take the
lead. Even down to getting the old measuring tape out to ensure who
was closer in the Bocce Ball game.
Mid West Glass donated a couple of tents for shade to help keep
those watching the games outside out of the direct hot sun. Inside
the Cabin, tables were full of card players competing in cribbage.
The afternoon seemed to fly by quickly and before anyone knew it, it
was time for the barbecue supper. As always, it was a great meal
with a few different kinds of salads, cheese burgers, hot dogs,
brown beans, fried onions, and homemade pie and other desserts.
The crowd was hungry after playing games outdoors all afternoon, and
enjoyed everything on offer. A very special thanks went out to the
kitchen staff for organizing such fantastic food all day long.
Everything was delicious.
Thanks also went to those that pitched in to volunteer wherever they
could. Plenty of work goes into the planning, preparing the food,
setting up tables, tents, games, serving, and then clean up.
After supper, first and second place prizes went out to the winners.
A very special birthday was also highlighted as Dorothy Desjardais
celebrated her 90th birthday.
Residential flood damage discussed at County
by Dana McArthur
August 21, 2023 issue: There are a significant number of properties
throughout Yellowhead County that sustained damage during the
flooding that occurred in June. County CAO Luc Mercier said,
"We have had damage to agricultural lands, grazing lands, homes,
residential acreages, and some commercial properties."
Council received several letters from residents regarding erosion to
their property due to the June floods and they request that County
replace the lands eroded and consider building a rock barrier to
guard against future erosion.
The three letters presented at Council refer to the Mile 34 area
along the Embarrass River in lower Robb, where there's a significant
amount of private properties impacted by the floods.
"As the mandate for repairing private properties does not lie with
Yellowhead County, we are awaiting direction from the Province of
Alberta as to the potential for the implementation of a Disaster
Recovery Program (DRP) for the floods," Mercier stated.
"We are hopeful that a DRP program is implemented and we have been
in discussions with the province. A DRP would allow Yellowhead
County residents who were affected by the floods to gain access to
provincial funds to help certain aspects of repair to their
properties," stated Mercier.
"The province's disaster relief programs are based in dealing with
uninsurable costs for residences. Their disaster recovery programs
are a little bit different for significant overland flooding," said
Mercier. His assumption is that the province will implement the
flood recovery program.
Although sympathetic with their plight, Mercier stated that affected
residents will need to deal with the province directly in applying
for the recovery program, but that Yellowead County will help them
work through the red-tape as much as possible.
Mayor Wade Williams said, "I have been in conversation with numerous
residents and they are under the impression the County will fix all
this up." Williams stated that he made it clear that the County does
not have the mandate or resources to repair private properties.
Yellowhead County Council voted to direct Administration to respond
to the residents regarding the Embarrass River erosion with the
recommendations discussed at council.
The County will give notice to residents as soon as they get notice
from the Province on the DRP program and its particulars.
Editor's note: Currently, standard insurance policies generally do
not cover storm surge and overland flooding because it is considered
too high risk. The federal government and the Insurance Bureau of
Canada are now working on a way to make insurance coverage for that
kind of damage possible. The goal is to have a national flood
insurance program available by April 1, 2025. While the exact
details are still being worked out, it is likely that flood-related
damages to residential properties will no longer be eligible for
federal disaster financial assistance once flood insurance is
considered available and affordable to Canadians. At that point,
decisions on flood recovery programs will be made on a province by
province basis.
Shandy's Dream for a Cure set for September 10
by Deanna Mitchener
August 14, 2023 issue: The Annual Shandy's Dream for a Cure Barbecue and Fundraiser was
postponed, and will now be held on September 10 from noon to 4p.m.
in the RCMP Centennial Park in Edson.
In 2015, Barbie Brown and husband Rod Reichenbacher lost their
daughter Shandy to a brain tumour at the tender age of just 11 years
old.
Shandy had a dream to help find a cure for brain cancer. After her
passing the family was determined to keep Shandy's dream alive. They
came up with Shandy's Dream for a Cure to raise much needed funds
for paediatric brain tumour research.
Every year family, friends, and the community come together to
remember Shandy and her dream and to raise awareness of brain cancer
and to raise money for research into a cure.
“Since starting Shandy's Dream for a Cure in 2016 we have raised
over $100,000 in support of paediatric research. For four years
Brain Canada matched our money that was raised," said Barbie.
"During Covid in 2021 and 2022 we couldn't hold the barbecue due to
restrictions, so we decided to try a Bottle Drive. Now that the
Covid restrictions have lifted we are back doing the barbecue
fundraiser plus we still do the bottle drive," explained Barbie.
"Our Bottle Drive raised $1,630.70 so far this year. We are
accepting bottles all year long if anyone has some they would like
to donate. Our goal is to raise $10,000 this year.”
If you would like to help support Shandy's Dream for a Cure you can
go online to
https://rb.gy/ybboph anytime to make a donation. You can also come
out to the barbecue and purchase a burger or some memorabilia in
Shandy's name. Hope to see you there.
All Canada news will be removed from Facebook, Instagram within weeks: Meta
- Canadian governments and businesses boycott Meta - Editorial comment by Dana McArthur:
August 7, 2023 issue: Meta announced it is officially ending news
availability in Canada. Meta has decided to block Canadian news
content instead of following the requirements of Bill C-18. The law
will force tech giants like Meta to pay Canadian news outlets for
journalism they profit from, but do not pay for.
Meta said Tuesday, August 1 that within a few weeks it will remove
news for all Canadian users of its Facebook and Instagram platforms.
—"we are announcing today that we have begun the process of ending
news availability permanently in Canada," said Rachel Curran, head
of public policy for Meta Canada.
Paul Deegan, president of News Media Canada, said this
"intemperate" action will harm user experience and devalue the
Facebook platform. "Without access to real fact-based news created
by real journalists, Facebook will become far less attractive to
users and advertisers. We expect more and more advertisers and their
agencies will begin pulling advertising from the platform in
response to this unilateral, undemocratic, and unreasonable move."
The Canadian Government's stance is that Meta's "bullying" tactics
will not work with the government, which it says is ensuring those
companies do not weaken Canada's democracy by threatening its
domestic media industry.
Meta's actions have led to the Canada's Federal Government, and
Provincial Governments in B.C. and Quebec to boycotting Meta. Many
companies have followed suit.
Does anyone in Canada believe having Meta and U.S. billionaire Mark
Zuckerburg in charge of what news Canadians will or will not read,
is a good idea?
Since 2008, close to 500 media outlets in 335 communities across
Canada have closed, with more than 20,000 journalists losing their
job.
For local rural journalism to survive in Canada, this needs to
serve as a wake-up call to many local advertisers and event
organizers. Local advertising matters, shop local matters, and
supporting local events matters.
$80,000 in flood damage to McLeod Valley Recreation Area
by Dana McArthur
July 31, 2023 issue: The recent flood event in Yellowhead County
caused significant damage to the McLeod Valley Recreation Area. Much
of the damage occurred on property owned/leased by Yellowead County.
Damage includes:
- erosion and road wash outs of the access points to the main
grounds, pavilion area, and group campground
- erosion around outhouses, cook shack, pavilion, and kitchen
- erosion of sand in the playground area
- erosion of both ball diamond infields
- ball diamond outfield fencing
The McLeod Valley Recreation Area is a popular location for ball
tournaments, family reunions, weddings, and is home to the annual
Peers Gold Dust Daze celebration every August long weekend. "This
park space is a priority area for repair and redevelopment," stated
Crystal McNernie, General Manager of Community Services, in her
report.
Initial estimates to complete repairs are approximately 80,000
dollars.
If Yellowhead County's application is approved, these costs would be
submitted for reimbursement through the Provincial Disaster Relief
Program (DRP) for flooding.
Funding through this program is based on a 90/10 cost share, with
90% of the expenses being covered by the Province and the remaining
10% by the municipality.
Administration is requesting approval outside of the 2023 Budget for
the un-budgeted expenditure of $80,000 to complete the above-noted
repairs.
These expenditures would be submitted through the DRP for
reimbursement, if approved. If the DRP related to the flooding event
is not approved, these expenditures will be funded through the
Community Services Reserve Fund.
The program would only cover like-for-like replacement/repair and
not for future mitigation upgrades, explained General Manager of
Corporate Services Jeffrey Morrison.
Council voted to approve the un-budgeted expenditure of $80,000 to
complete repairs to the McLeod Valley Recreation Area resulting from
the recent flood event.
County Mayor joins Taskforce for Wildfire Response
by Dana McArthur
During Yellowhead County's Governance and Priorities meeting on July
18, Mayor Wade Williams discussed the Rural Municipalities of
Alberta (RMA) plan to create a Taskforce for Wildfire Response in
Alberta.
Mayor Williams has been requested to sit on this Taskforce and
attend meetings.
"As a result of the wildfires and state of local emergencies that we
have just gone through, not just for Yellowhead County, but
throughout Alberta, and the unprecedented damage RMA is putting
together a taskforce." said Luc Mercier, Chief Administrative
Officer for the County.
The taskforce will make recommendations back to the province in
order to be better prepared for these types of emergencies. County
is still in the process of unpacking what had transpired during the
emergencies, and will report back to Council within a few months,
stated Mercier.
Councillor David Russell said, "I think this is a great idea and I
encourage Mayor Williams to keep an open mind and to see perhaps if
we need any other Council members onboard."
Councillor Shawn Berry said, "I agree with sending the Mayor to sit
on this taskforce. I would like a better understanding as time goes
on as to what outcome we are looking for." This was a genuine
emergency that had some errors in beginning. I want to see what
outcomes we are going to be satisfied with."
"The key here is to make recommendations to the province so we never
get caught again to where we have multiple wildfires burning
throughout the County and the resources are not ready to get into
the firefight," responded Mayor Williams.
Council voted all in favour that Mayor Williams sit on the RMA
Wildfire Response in Alberta Taskforce.
Flood damages/Flood Recovery:
During the recent flood event, 19 county bridge structures sustained
minor/major damages. A County engineering consultant will be
conducting inspections of 19 sites to access the extent of damages
and provide remedial options and high-level costs.
Recent flooding also damaged critical infrastructure including
significant roadway washout and embankment /culvert failures at
various locations. Yellowhead County is in process to retain
engineering consultant services to conduct inspection/design/tender.
The province has approved a $175 million Disaster Recovery Program
(DRP). Municipalities and Metis settlements affected by wildfires
can now apply for financial support to help with rebuilding and
recovery efforts. The province has not come out with a flood damage
component as of yet. DRP provides financial assistance for
uninsurable loss and damage caused by emergencies and disasters, but
it is not intended to replace appropriate fire insurance coverage.
International wildland firefighters gather in Edson
by Niki Luymes
On July 6th there was a social event at the RCMP Centennial Park in
Edson to meet and greet and also say farewell to the international
wildland firefighters.
Starting at 5pm, residents of Edson and Yellowhead County were
invited to come say thank-you to all the firefighters who helped
protect lives and properties in the region from the devastating
wildfires.
Due to the exceptional wildfire year Alberta has had, 215 South
African firefighters came up to assist with controlling the fires.
This group, along with a group from Australia had just recently
finished their 40 day tour here and were heading home soon.
Yellowhead County resident Ken Katarynchuk wanted to say thanks to
the international firefighters with a small gift for each of them
before they left. Katarynchuk used his own money to create and
procure stickers, pins, and customized pictures for all the
inter-national fire-fighters. For logistical reasons, meeting at the
park was the easiest option. Alberta Wildfire decided to turn the
meeting into a whole event for the community. All 215 South African
fire-fighters turned out alongside other firefighters from Canada,
Australia, and the USA.
The event started with the South Africans performing a song and
dance while marching around Centennial Park. It is commonplace for
South African firefighters to start each day with song and dance.
So, as a final send-off to the town and county they worked so hard
to protect, they decided to showcase some of those songs. They went
up through the parking lot, around the museum, and across the
bridge. From there they made their way to the front of the stage
where they took up formation, did a small marching demonstration,
then sang the South African national anthem.
All firefighters present then gathered in front of the stage for a
final group photo. All of this was done while proudly carrying flags
for Canada, South Africa, and Australia.
Following that, the South African A-Rep, Antoinette Jini, took a few
moments to thank Edson and the County for their hospitality. She
said they all felt very welcome here and were proud to represent
their country and fight alongside their firefighting brothers and
sisters.
Caroline Charbonneau, with Alberta Wildfire, also thanked the
International Firefighters from South Africa and all over the world,
for coming out to help. "Alberta Wildfire put out the call for
assistance, and thanks to the many agreements we have with other
agencies in provinces, territories, and countries, they sent us
their highly skilled professional firefighters to help with these
wildfires," Charbonneau said. "Today is the last day for most of our
international fire-fighters. We want to wish them safe travels home
in the next few days. And from bottom of our hearts, thank you."
Charbonneau and Jini then welcomed up Katarynchuk to thank him for
his gifts while also giving him a chance to voice his thanks. "The
fire was on three sides of me, I thank everybody because they came
from all around the world to be on my doorstep. I'm truly
appreciative of all the help."
Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara also added words of thanks and
appreciation. Mayor Zahara, West Yellowhead MLA Martin Long, and
other members of the Edson Town Council then handed out pins to each
firefighter present. The groups then spent some time mingling before
heading back to camp.
Today there are nearly 2,400 wildland firefighters currently working
in Alberta, 1,287 from Alberta and 1,077 from other jurisdictions.
So far this season, more than 3,300 wildland firefighters have come
to assist from across Canada, United States, Australia, New Zealand,
Costa Rica, Chile, and South Africa. 400 members of the Canadian
Armed Forces also gave assistance.
Budget increase approved for Edson Public Library renovations
by Niki Luymes
On June 29th, Bob Beck, General Manager, Community and Protective
Services, submitted a request for decision regarding an updated
budget for the Edson Public Library Renovations.
The request was that if Council would approve an increase in the
Capital Budget for the Library Renovation and Expansion project from
$3,000,000 to $3,700,000 with increased town funding of $616,600 to
be funded from the Future Civic/Cultural Facility Reserve.
Plans for the Library renovation have been in the works since the
February 9, 2021 Committee of the Whole Meeting when Edson &
District Public Library representatives gave a presentation to
Council regarding a renovation feasibility study conducted for their
facility.
Council previously passed resolutions to allow the Town to proceed
to tender on the Library Renovation and Expansion project in advance
of final adoption of the 2023 Budget. Six compliant tenders were
received. The tender deemed most acceptable to the project team
requires a construction budget of $3,700,000, which includes a
contribution to the project budget from the Library Board of
$83,400. The project went to tender during the budgeting process,
and was only recently completed.
"The bids were not shocking, even the highest ones are not shocking.
So we feel good about the builder. The library board, the architect,
and the project manager have negotiated a number of different things
over the past 10 days, so we feel really good about perusing this
bid," said Beck.
The whole of the $3,700,000 would not come entirely from the town.
An exact breakdown of the cost is as follows: $2,078,600 would
come form the Town of Edson, $538,000 from Yellowhead County,
$1,000,000 is coming from the province in the form of the CFEP
program grant, and finally the library itself has raised $83,400 in
reserves for the project. The Library Board has indicated that
fundraising efforts will continue for this project. There is also an
outstanding grant application that could reduce costs through an
additional $777,501 in funds.
Councillor Peter Taylor, who is the council representative on the
Library board, took a moment to thank the current board for all
their hard work getting this project going. He said, "We got
some good bids and this project is a feasible project. I will admit
that another $616,000 is a lot of money. But this is not something
we can wait for. The more we drag our heels, the more expensive it
will be."
"This is a very manageable project in the second most used facility
in our community, and it's 40 years old, so it's needed," added
Taylor. He also said that the Library board will potentially be
looking for sponsorships during the building process. There are also
hopes that the County will provide further support. The Library
Board is going to go back to the County Council in the future
budgeting year to have those discussions.
Councillor Taylor also asked Beck when construction would begin and
how long would it take if the motion was approved. Beck answered,
"They are working with the builder for August and an expected eight
month construction process."
Councillor Krystal Baier took a moment to note that the expansion
will accommodate the activities the library already provides.
Councillor Gean Chouinard said that he was glad to see this project
coming to fruition. "It's been a long time coming."
Mayor Kevin Zahara also voiced his approval. He noted that the
building renovations would be beneficial to the community as a
whole. "We cannot attract people to our community, be that from the
lowest level to the highest level, if there's not things for them to
do. We are competing with every single community, not only in our
region, but across Alberta and across our country. We need things
and we have a very passionate group that's been behind this. I hope
to see shovels in the ground and to see it open as soon as
possible."
The motion was carried unanimously.
Mayor Wade William: 56 Days of Turmoil in our Region
July 3, 2023 issue: In a prepared statement during the Yellowhead County Council meeting on June 27, Mayor Wade Williams stated:
"With what I hope is the worst part of our disasters behind us, I
wish to reflect on where we are at now and how proud I am of our
region and its response to multiple disasters at the same time and
for extended periods of time.
It seems somewhat surreal to know that we opened up 11 reception
centres in the past 56 days, and had help from across the world,
across the country, across the Province, from our municipal
partners, far and wide, and from residents of Alberta as a whole.
For this, we thank you. We cannot begin to list off the hundreds of
people who came to our help, but we do know that we would not be
where we are at without you. For all of you, Thank you from
Yellowhead County.
To the residents of Yellowhead County. Your resilience, courage,
passion and determination have inspired me during this crisis and I
thank you for that. Even in the face of fires, floods and
snowstorms, you have persevered, and I am so very proud to be part
of this community. We will continue to work with our residents in
the coming months as we rebuild, and I know that our community will
be stronger than what it was 2 months ago.
With that said, I wish to focus my next comments on Yellowhead
County Staff, Fire Crews and Volunteer Fire Fighters.
Yellowhead County staff have worked tirelessly for extended long
shifts and filled in positions wherever necessary. Many times this
included working nightshifts on short notice or extended hours to
ensure we had the best approach to the disasters. There is not one
staff member that hasn't been affected by this disaster, and each
and every one of them has made me proud to see how they have done
whatever was needed of them.
Our fire services have 8 full-time fire fighters, 5
office/management staff and over 90 volunteer fire fighters. That is
not a lot of people to cover 22,000 km2 but they make us proud every
day and have excelled in their service to our community over the
past 8 weeks. The initial fires that hit us hit us so fast and with
such ferocity that forestry crews nor our resources were able to
stop them. Winds quickly fanned the fires to have 200kms of fire
front which quickly inundated our region and our fire fighters
efforts. We were then hit with new fires in the Shiningbank Area and
a fire from Parkland County which jumped the river with 60km/ hour
wind gusts. There is no possible way to have enough crews to be at
all of these places at once, nor to stop mother nature with such
strong winds.
Since this wasn't enough for mother nature, we then had Fire 31,
which took a run from the Brazeau Dam area to points just close to
our residents in an area stretching from Nojack to Marlboro. These
same fire fighters continued to be on scene for all of these fires,
(along with hundreds of fire fighters from Alberta Forestry as well
as partners) and continued to work long hours to keep our community
safe on a daily basis.
What we don't see through all of this is:
· the fire North of Evansburg, which would have given us another out
of control fire to deal with, but was put out by our fire crews,
even while fighting strong winds and after it jumped RR 75
· the volunteer fire fighter who gave up his/her day job or closed
their business so they could help our community.
· the fire fighter who has given up 2 months of their personal
lives, only to be admonished by those who feel they should have done
more
· the homes that were saved because municipally installed sprinkler
systems were able to keep the fire at bay
· the fire fighter's spouse who was spit on by a disgruntled person
without knowledge of what really transpired
· the fire fighter who's property was severely comprised by fire,
but continued to fight the fires in the community
· Yellowhead County having hired its own helicopter to fight fire
for 5 days in the Shiningbank Fire when Provincial resources were
busy in other parts of Alberta
· the resident who was mad at the fire fighting efforts one day when
they lost their home but hugged a fire fighter the next day as they
realized just how much effort these human beings have put into
saving our community.
In the end, we are only human, and I applaud our staff and first
responders for the extraordinary effort they have put in over the
past 2 months to keep our community safe. I have received numerous
comments from our region thanking our municipal resources and fire
fighters and have committed to acknowledging them now in this public
forum and on behalf of Yellowhead County residents. You are such
great people and our municipality and community commend you for your
efforts.
The past 8 weeks have been a disaster for our Region, similar to
other parts of Alberta, and our fire crews acted valiantly to keep
our community safe. There is no possible way that these fires could
have been stopped sooner, but I do know that things would have been
a lot worse without the extraordinary efforts of our staff and fire
crews.
After 2 months of crisis with more than 350,000 hectares burned,
massive flooding, to heavy snowfalls, we are proud that not a single
human life was lost. This is a testament to our residents, outside
help from all parts, and our county staff and first responders.
I take my hat off to each and every one of you. Thank you all so
very much for all you do. Yellowhead County is a very beautiful
place to live, raise our families and enjoy our lifestyles knowing
you are all there protecting us.
I thank you for listening and trust that you will follow me in
showing my appreciation to those who came to help us, our staff and
our first responders as they have done a fabulous job."
International firefighters come to aid of local wildfire crews
by Niki Luymes
In early May, the first of the Alberta forest fires ignited in
Yellowhead County. This was only the first of what has become one of
the worst years for forest fires in decades. Alberta Firefighters
have been on the frontlines since the very beginning. However,
with this year being as bad as it is, more help was needed to keep
the fires under control.
In the past few months Alberta Firefighters have received help, not
only from other provinces and the Canadian military, but also from
international fire crews. Detachments from South Africa, Australia,
and other countries have come to assist the already hardworking
Canadian firefighters.
The first of the international fire crews arrived in the area on the
weekend of June 3. "When we first came to Edson, we came to the base
camps and we could see multiple plumes of smoke in the area. For us,
we could tell from the fire behaviour we could see and the smoke we
could see, that they were fairly intense moving, at a fairly rapid
rate through the forest. From that we knew we were going to have
some significant days ahead of us," said Andrew Stewart, Fire Crew
Leader with the South Australian County Service.
Each of the crews work in a 14 days on and 2 days off rhythm, and
will stay in Canada for around 40 days. Crews are working along
control lines and fire breaks taking out hotspots to stop the spread
of the fire. "Its a big challenge working with crews from all over
the world. Everybody has different levels of training, different
experiences, and they're used to different work practices. So being
able to bring what I know to the team and lead them is quite
important to steer the direction and strategy to contain these fires
and prevent impacts to the community," said Stewart.
Stewart has never been to Canada before, but is proud to be here and
helping out. "I'm very proud to be able to represent my country and
come support Canada. In 2019 during fire season for us in
Australia, we also received support from Canadian crews when we had
a bad season. The fire fighting industry is a big brotherhood and
sisterhood, so it's good to repay the favour," said Stewart. "I'm
very passionate about my job. I get a lot of satisfaction helping
the community. That's not just my community, but the wider human
population. You get a lot a gratitude in that."
Sietse Vandermeulen, a Firefighter with Alberta Wildfire, said,
"They're very positive and very proud of the country they're
representing and they bring that enthusiasm with them. We've been
bogged down working day in and day out, so to have that positivity,
to have that enthusiasm, and that eagerness to help out has been
phenomenal for us. A good morale boost for sure."
"It's a good experience learning new things as we come from a
different environment for firefighting in South Africa," said
Antoinette Jiai, Firefighter and A-Rep with The South African crews.
"It's a great exposure in learning and making sure that we make a
difference to protect the environment and the communities and
everything around. It's very exciting, and it's very
motivating to come all the way from South Africa and lift the flag
of South Africa and make a difference. We as South Africans, I
think, are very passionate about making a difference. We want to be
the leading integrated fire management in the world. And so we
strive to make that difference and we live according to those
values."
South Africa has sent at total of 215 people to fight the fires —200
crew and 15 management. This not the first time South Africa,
or Jlai herself has come to Canada. She was in High Level in 2019
and Manitoba in 2021. "So far my team has been excellent in what
they do. They've done a great job. When we arrived we went straight
to the frontline and there was a great improvement and a great
excitement in the team that was here." She added, "In the beginning
we could not understand because the terminology was different. Our
terminology back home was so different. There's a lot to learn and
it is a journey. We are looking forward to equipping each other with
practicals that we are doing and that we are taking it home and
implementing it and improving ourselves in terms of understanding
that different things that Canada uses around their fires."
As the rain falls and people return to their homes, Andrew Stewart
had a few words to share, "People might be coming home to a
different landscape. It's important to stick together during this
time. Speak to you neighbour, speak to your family and friends, and
make sure you support each other during this time. There are
people who may have lost personal belongings, so it's important we
stick by them and support them during these times."
Edson and area residents return home
by Dana McArthur
June 19 2023 issue:
On June 15, the Town of Edson rescinded the evacuation order that
was put in place on June 9th at 6:22 pm. Yellowhead County and the
Town of Edson issued the evacuation order for the town and parts of
the county due to out of control wildfires in the area.
Edson's Chief Administrative Officer, Christine Beveridge, said, "We
are happy to announce that we are lifting the evacuation order at
6pm tonight."
This was the second wildfire evacuation of Edson to occur in just a
few weeks. The first wildfire evacuation occurred on May 5 and
remained in effect until May 8.
Rains and favourable weather, along with the efforts of fire crews
battling the Willmore Park wildfire were key factors in lifting the
evacuation order.
The wildfires received a significant amount of rain over the last
two days which will buy firefighters up to 10 days of quiet fire
behaviour, said Beveridge. Firefighters continue to work as quickly
as possible to build containment lines and extinguish hotspots in
key areas near communities.
"Welcome home and please drive safely," said Edson Mayor Kevin
Zahara. Thanks went to all those who have helped battle the
wildfires. Yellowhead County has removed its Evacuation Order as of
6:00pm on June 14, for the Marlboro and Millers Lake areas and south
of Highway 16.
Fire crews continue to make progress in fighting fires, creating
fire guards, and putting out hotspots. However, even with cooler
temperatures, and rain, the fires remain out-of-control and are
still close to rural homes, roads and highways, and several
communities, including the Town of Edson.
Local official caution residents to be prepared to evacuate with
four hours notice if the situation worsens. The potential for
further evacuations will remain until snow cover takes place this
winter.
For information on evacuation alerts and orders, please visit
Alberta Emergency Alert or visit www.edson.ca and www.yhcounty.ca
and their social media pages for updates. All residents are
encouraged to download the Alberta Emergency Alert app. For
evacuation information, contact the info line: 1-833-334-4630.
Changes at the Edson Food Bank
by Deanna Mitchener
June 12, 2023 issue: The Edson Food Bank has undergone some
exciting changes over the past winter from new positions to
renovations.
After meeting with Amy Pillage, the Program Coordinator, and taking
a tour around the facility recently, there have been a lot of
changes.
Pillage has been in this position for 13 months now. “We have been
able to maintain our hours to meet the needs of the community. We
are open every Tuesday morning for hamper service to our clients
from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and two Thursday evenings a month. One
happened to be last night and it was quite busy."
"Our visits are getting busier and busier and last night we almost
ran out of produce. We always order enough food to be ahead of the
visits. We always think we have enough for everybody, but this week
has been so busy. We had 48 families we helped this week and it's
the last week of the month. Usually the last week of the month we
aren't as busy," said Pillage.
"Because our clients can visit once per month, normally we see lots
of visits in the first week, less visits the second week, and even
less on the third week. By the last week of the month we see them
just trickle in," explained Pillage. "That was not the case this
week. We under-ordered our produce thinking it was going to be a
normal week and it wasn't. It kind of knocked the doors off. It's
break up, so we are hearing that from a few families. There're not
working right now as it's the slow season. Things are starting to
ramp up, so hopefully that is the case for many families and they
will be going back to work. It has just been a very busy time for
us."
“That being said, our shelves are always full. Our goal is to keep
the shelves full. We want to try and keep a months worth of food on
hand. We want to do this, because what if something happened? What
if we couldn't get fruit? What if we couldn't get canned beans? Our
pricing could go through the roof. We have seen this happen over the
past few years with Covid. Supply chain issues where we couldn't get
certain items and had to go without for a while. Learning from past
experiences, we want to try and stay ahead on the food,” said
Pillage.
“Our non-perishable hampers are always the same. Our clients can
always rely on what's inside. There's familiarity to it. We want our
clients to know that every visit they can count on certain items
always being the same. Some weeks we can give extras, such as last
week we had 150 pounds of chocolate donated from Independent
Grocers, so families can enjoy a little extra,” Pillage said.
“We have such great relationships with Sobeys, Independent Grocers,
Walmart, as well as Shoppers Drug Mart where we have volunteers
weekly picking up from them. We are able to get short dated items,
items that might be slightly damaged, maybe items going through a
marketing change, or items the store chooses not to sell any longer.
All of these extras are fantastic on the days we run short or out of
fresh produce,” said Pillage.
The Edson Food Bank has an active volunteer base of approximately 55
people ranging in age from eight to 88 years old.
"We have work bees that happen on a regular basis to help build the
food hampers. We have volunteers who help out twice a week. Other
volunteers sign up on open days to hand out hampers, compose produce
hampers, and meet and greet the clients," Pillage said.
“The community support we have seen lately has been mind-blowing.
People are just so willing to help. Our core volunteers are thrilled
with the extra help. It helps take a lot of the pressure off those
extra jobs. Now they have more time to focus on the hampers that are
needed for that day,” said Pillage.
“The board is 100% volunteer. My position is a part time paid
position. The board started my position at 20 hours a week and have
recently bumped it up to 25 hours a week. Honestly this could easily
be a full time position. There is so much more work that could be
done," said Pillage.
50 years of History for the Carrot Creek 4-H Club
by Cameron Coady, Club Reporter
June 5, 2023 issue: This year is the 50th year of running for the
Carrot Creek 4-H Club. The club has been through a lot over the last
50 years. The club started back in 1973 and has been going and
growing ever since. Back in 1973 the Grand Champion sold for $0.64
per pound. As the club grew so did the people who got
involved. The buyers, members and leaders grew in size.
In 1973 our first Club Champion was won by Jody Karzlen. Years
later his own children were part of the Carrot Creek Club.
Looking through the history of the club many members from years ago
later had their children join the club. There is a strong
family history in our club.
The leaders in 1973 were Linda Roder, Eric Karlzen, Robert Mackay,
Ed Birkenhagen, Joan Aschenmeir and Hans Roder. Members
included Anne Auriat, David Birkenhagen, Arnold and Frank Deleeuw,
Ricky and Rodney Gale, Jim Hart, Eric & Jody Karzlen, Dale and Jeff
MacKay, Joanne Rizzie, Leslie & Lorrie Roder, Ron Thomas and Bernice
Van Dyk.
The club has been doing Highway Cleanup, Speak-offs, Community
Service Events, Multi Card and Achievement Days over the last 50
years. Even though such things as Covid slowed us down , and this
year with the wildfires, we were able to make our way past the
circumstances and pull through.
This year we are happy to say we are back to doing Multi Card after
being restricted from doing so over the last couple of years. The
club is back at full speed after all these years of being slowed
down. This year we were able to do almost all of our events and
more. Even though the club is 50 years old, we are as strong
as ever and heading to another Achievement Day. We just want
to say thanks to all the buyers, members and leaders that have been
a part of our club. We can't wait to see you on June 2, 2023.
A local resident's wildfire encounter
by Deanna Mitchener
May 29, 2023 issue: The wildfires so far this season have been
unprecedented in the Edson Forest Area with many fires burning at
the same time across the region.
Yellowhead County resident Karen Whitnack Ahlskog spoke with the
Weekly Anchor on May 22 about her recent wildfire encounter on May
19, just south of the Beaver Meadow Hall.
"We knew the fire was coming and we were getting prepared. Pat Van
Koughnett had gone to help our neighbour move a couple of horses to
safety. My grandson Brycen and I had gone into Edson to pick up a
few groceries and his graduation suit for his big day next weekend,"
began Ahlskog.
"Meanwhile, Pat received a call from a neighbour saying he thought
our place as gone. Pat immediately called to inform me that our
house was on fire. We were so worried about our pets. After Pat was
able to get back home, he called me back saying no, the house was
not on fire it was still standing," explained Ahlskog.
"By the time I was able to make it home after being rerouted due to
smoke and fire, locals had the fire extinguished and under control.
The fire went through so fast. We knew the day before they were
predicting the winds to change in our direction, so we knew we were
in danger. I just didn't realize how fast it was coming. I got a
call from my other neighbour letting me know they had our dog.
I just didn't know which dog, as we have two plus a cat. My grandson
and I were worried about the other pets, and Pat, as we knew he was
back at the house. It's hard to put into words all the emotions a
person goes through," said Ahlskog.
“I'm overwhelmed, thankful beyond words, and humbled and amazed that
we still have a home. We had firemen here putting sprinklers on our
house about 11:30 a.m. and by 1:30 p.m. the fire was ravaging our
place. It even burnt the pump that was supplying the sprinklers.
Everyone thought our house was gone. When they realized it wasn't,
they all jumped in to help save it,” continued Ahlskog.
“The work of our neighbors coming together to help with the fire was
truly incredible. Total strangers coming to help wherever they
could. All the firefighters that have been working on the fires,
some from the States, B.C., Calgary, and Red Deer —it didn't matter
what time I looked out my window, even at 3:00am, there was someone
on fire patrol checking for hot spots,” said Ahlskog.
“My most emotional moment through it all was on Friday night when
five young firefighters from B.C. came to check on things. The one
young guy said to me, "You know, when I realized you still had a
house I cried. It's my birthday today and couldn't have gotten a
better birthday present," Ahlskog said. "I started to cry too."
"All of our neighbours are totally astonished we didn't lose the
house. It isn't about our homes or houses, it's about neighbours,
livelihoods, and all the stock they have —hundreds and hundreds of
cows— they aren't just going to walk away and leave them behind.
Some neighbours had to leave because of health issues, which is
understandable. The rest stayed behind to fight the fires head on to
save their livelihoods,”said Ahlskog.
"Some RCMP were given [#*+*] jobs, having to tell people they
couldn't go home. That couldn't have made them feel very good, but
it was a job they were told had to be done. We all understand that,
we know it's an evacuation order, and we know they are stretched
thin," said Ahlskog.
"The community had a meeting with Martin Long the night before
telling him something needs to change, this can never happen again
to this extreme. I have to give Long credit, he came into a pretty
hostile environment with a lot of frustrated people. Not to point
fingers or put blame, because I think everyone is trying their best.
But if not for locals staying behind when given the evacuation
notice, more homes and livelihoods would have been lost," said
Ahlskog.
Free support for those feeling distressed by wildfires
May 22, 2022 issue: Albertans – even if not directly affected by the wildfires, may be experiencing a sense of distress or vulnerability. As a provincial community we have been through several natural disasters in the last decade, and are still reeling from the pandemic lockdown and economic changes.
In a communication we received from the Psychologists'
Association of Alberta (PAA) the organization thanked community news
producers, including The Weekly Anchor, for our coverage of the
wildfires that have so grievously impacted our area. "Thank you for
your exceptional coverage of what Albertans need to know as they
cope with the Wildfire Disaster that we are currently experiencing."
The PPA has now activated their Disaster Response Network (DRN) for
Albertans experiencing distress due to wildfires.
The organization's DRN provides pro-bono (free) tele-psychology
services for those traumatized by these recent events. This is not a
crisis line or a referral service but pro-bono support by volunteer
psychologists of 1-3 sessions for those in need.
"Whether you have been evacuated, you live near the current or past
wildfires, or you are just watching destruction unfold in the media
– particularly if you have family or friends who may be impacted and
are concerned by about health, wellness, or safety -- psychologists
in Alberta are there for you," states the PPA.
"The Psychologists' Association of Alberta would like to help those
Albertan's who are experiencing distress due to wildfires. Our
Disaster Response Network members are offering pro-bono
telepsychology services for those traumatized by recent events. This
is not a crisis line or a referral service but pro-bono support by
volunteer psychologists of 1-3 sessions for those in need," the
organization states.
To access this service, contact the PAA Office at: paa@paa-ab.ca
or (780) 424-0294. Online advice in dealing with wildfire distress
can be found at:
https://www.apa.org/topics/disasters-response/wildfires-tips
Our thoughts are with all Albertans impacted by the wildfires in
northern Alberta, particularly with the recent evacuations.
Supports are also available 24/7 through the Mental Health Helpline
at 1-877-303-2642, the Addiction Helpline at 1-866-332-2322, or
Health Link at 811. Online mental health resources are also
available on the AHS website at www.ahs.ca/helpintoughtimes. -with
files PPA
Edson and area residents return after wildfire evacuation
by Niki Luymes
(updated May 10, 2023) As skies darkened to red and ashes began
to fall on the town, residents of Edson and Yellowhead County had to
pack up and leave, as a widespread wildfire evacuation order was
released on May 5.
For the week prior, residents had been on alert as fires near
Wildwood and Evansburg threatened the hamlets and nearby residents
forcing several evacuations.
While those fires still burn, new blazes sprouted up including a
fire 14 km southeast of Edson near the Brazeau Dam and another north
near Shiningbank along Highway 32.
These created increased smoke and filled the air with floating ash.
On May 5 at approximately 6pm the emergency alert went out that all
residents of Edson and the affected Yellowhead County areas were
ordered to evacuate. This included the Edson Hospital and Seniors
residences in the region.
The Western boundary of the evacuation zone was Marlboro and Range
Road 200 all the way to the East end of Yellowhead County. The
northern boundary was Township Road 550 and southern was Township
Road 520.
Due to the fires still burning east near Wildwood and Evansburg
causing a Hwy 16 closure and the Shiningbank fire closing Hwy 32,
all evacuees were directed to head west. During this time, residents
of Evansburg and Wildwood had already been evacuated to Edson.
Now they, along with Edson and area residents, headed to evacuation
centres located in Hinton and Jasper.
Lineups at gas stations quickly ensued and the exodus created
bumper-to-bumper traffic as it rolled out of Edson. With guidance
from local RCMP, the process went relatively smoothly. “The
evacuation went well,” said Staff Sergeant Christian Delisle,
Detachment Commander with Edson RCMP. "The constant changes in the
fire behaviour were a challenge as it limited the use of some of the
pre-planned evacuation routes."
“The local RCMP members with the assistance of RCMP members from
other detachments, the RCMP STO team, the County CPOs, and different
provincial enforcement agencies evacuated Edson and the surrounding
rural communities without any major problems. The vast majority of
the population followed the evacuation order and were able to safely
get to an alternate location for the night,” said Delisle.
In regard to patrolling the empty township overnight, Delisle said,
"This requires a heavier police presence in Town and in the County
to prevent and deter any form of criminality while the population is
away. The Town did pretty well Friday night."
"There were couple of accidents that we have to report within the
town of Edson, and one in Yellowhead County. Two were very minor,
and another one, unfortunately, someone got injured. Besides that,
the evacuation went very well,” added Delisle. It took approximately
two hours for residents to make their way to Highway 16 and head
towards Hinton/Jasper.
As of May 6, over 24,000 individuals had been evacuated from
communities throughout north and central Alberta, with that count
growing. Some people made their way to evacuation centres or hotels,
while others stayed with family or friends.
While most of the Edson township was vacated, some residents of
Yellowhead County made the choice to stay and do what they could to
protect their property. “The work that they did was spectacular,
whether it was in Shiningbank, Wildwood, or north of Wildwood,” said
Yellowhead County Director of Protective Services and Fire Chief,
Albert Bahri. “Those residents were great. They didn’t evacuate,
they were asked to evacuate, they didn’t evacuate, they stayed and
defended their property, and I support that. The tough part is, our
Firefighters are working to do that as well. It's about
coordination, it’s about training, it’s about all that knowledge,
and now we have to make sure we keep them safe as well.”
On Saturday May 6, a Provincial State of Emergency was declared for
all of Alberta.
With some rain, favourable winds, and efforts of Alberta Wildfire,
local fire crews, and support staff, the evacuation order was lifted
for Edson and certain areas of Yellowhead County on May 8. The
fires, however, are still considered out of control. “Our biggest
concern for Yellowhead County is all the residents affected by the
fires. We are worried about all of them and their residences,” said
Chief Bahri.
Throughout this time, and continuing now, Alberta Wildfire and local
firefighters worked around the clock to contain and control the
blazes. A number of out-of-town resources came out to assist with
the fight. Due in no small part to their efforts, the fire never
actually reached town limits. Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara said he was
very proud to announce that there was no damage to Edson and no
lives lost. “When I left here on Friday night I thought we were
going to lose this town. I could see flames from one of our
residential neighborhoods and I thought there was nothing that could
stop that. Fortunately, with the work of firefighters and the
weather change we have a community that has come back in today,”
said Mayor Zahara.
Yellowhead County did unfortunately lose homes to the fires. The
exact number is currently unknown. “Yellowhead County, right from
the very start, maintained the safety of our residents as our
primary concern,” said Yellowhead County Mayor Wade Williams. “As of
right now I am happy to report that we have had no loss of human
life. We have also protected as much as we possibly could. But with
13 fires burning throughout the county in the past few days that’s a
massive undertaking.”
It didn't take long for life in Edson to resume. The Edson Medical
Centre reopened for walk-ins on May 9. The Edson Hospital's
emergency room reopened the same day and most schools resumed
classes on Wednesday, May 10.
Martin Long, the MLA for West Yellowhead, said, "Over the last week
I've witnessed firefighters, volunteers, officials, and leaders from
all levels prioritize human safety and wellbeing. I am deeply
thankful for the hard work and dedication each of them has shown."
"I have seen local residents and businesses coming into evacuation
centres bringing in pillows and blankets, offering to bring food and
water, offering to volunteer, even offering to provide a room in
their homes. The resilience and compassion of our community members,
emergency response teams, volunteers, and citizens make me extremely
proud to be a part of West Yellowhead," Long added.
Evansburg residents were able to return home on May 10th, and on the
10th, Yellowhead County announced that Wildwood, Lobstick, and
Hansonville area residents could plan to head home on the morning of
May 11th.
Yellowhead County stated, "As we continue to deal with the wildfire
situation in Yellowhead County, we want to thank the firefighters
and emergency crews that have been working long and hard throughout
this difficult time. Many of these boots-on-the-ground emergency
responders have dealt with their own evacuations and being away from
their homes and families while they work to contain these wildfires.
—We are all in this together and we thank you for all you’ve done."
Fire bans and OHV restrictions remain in place for Edson, all of
Yellowhead County, and Alberta. Highway 16 in both directions was
reopened completely on May 9.
Alberta Wildfire states that while there are some areas that
experienced some precipitation other areas did not. "The wildfires
in the area are extremely hot and will burn deep into the ground.
These fires can re-ignite again if conditions are right. Mid-high
temperatures and windy conditions will ignite fires that may look
extinguished as they hide deep in the ground. There is still a risk
to the communities affected by the Deep Creek Complex.” The Deep
Creek Complex includes the EWF035 (Shiningbank) fire, and the
WCU001/002 fires (which are in the area of Wildwood, Chip Lake, and
on both sides of Highway 22).
"All residents should be ready to leave again if need be, weather is
unpredictable,” said Mayor Zahara. “We didn’t want to leave
people outside the community longer than we needed to, so what we’ve
said to people is keep your trailers stocked, be ready. We certainly
hope that’s not going to happen, we’re confident that’s not going to
happen —but as we know, things can change.” --- with
files Dana McArthur
Wildfires force evacuation of Edson and east Yellowhead County residents
Update: May 5, 2023 5:37pm Yellowhead County and Town of Edson have issued an Immediate Evacuation Order for the Town of Edson and Yellowhead County. For details see: www.alberta.ca/alberta-emergency-alert
Wildfires force evacuation of Yellowhead County residents
by Dana McArthur
Posted May 3, 2023: Fueled by dry conditions and powerful winds, wildfires threaten communities in Yellowhead County resulting in evacuations affecting over 1,100 Yellowhead County residents.
As the wildfires put rural homes and businesses under threat, critical alerts were sent out advising people to collect important documents, medications, and enough food and water to be away for at least three days. Yellowhead County worked with Alberta Wildfire to contain the spread of the fires.
Detected April 29th, a wildfire southeast of Evansburg threatened areas in both Parkland and Yellowhead County, resulting in mandatory evacuation orders for the hamlets of Entwistle and Evansburg that same day. The four seniors lodges in Evansburg were evacuated safely with assistance from neighbouring municipalities and organizations such at the Edson Seniors Transportation Society and the Evergreen Foundation.
Another two wildfires were detected the evening of April 29, northwest of Evansburg on both the east and west sides of Highway 22. Originally two separate incidents, the fires quickly merged into one, causing middle-of-the-night evacuations with emergency responders going door-to-door to let residents know they needed to pack up and go.
Yellowhead County declared a state of local emergency, and by mid-afternoon on April 30 expanded its evacuation area, with residents in the Lobstick Resort community and areas north of Wildwood, including properties at the east end of Chip Lake, being issued mandatory evacuation orders.
On May 1 at approximately 1pm, Yellowhead County expanded the evacuation area once again, sending out the notice that residents of Wildwood should also evacuate immediately. A reception centre for evacuees was set up at the Edson and District Leisure Centre. Structural protection, including the use of sprinklers, were employed by County Fire Department crews.
Yellowhead County Mayor Wade Williams stated, "We practice this. We hope it never happens, but we’re realistic enough to know that at some point these things will happen in our communities. And it is very critical to be ready.”
Mayor Williams also expressed his gratitude to residents impacted by the fire and the teams working throughout this emergency. “We would like to acknowledge our residents for their resiliency in this situation. Their patience, understanding, and cooperation during this difficult time has been a crucial part in helping our emergency services and Yellowhead County staff, including our firefighters and the other agencies, who have been working together to deal with this incident.”
“Yellowhead County residents and our neighbours offered their support and empathy throughout the event. This show of support and community spirit is encouraging and truly shows the integrity of our residents and neighbours,” said Williams.
Evacuees, who were originally welcomed at a reception centre in Wildwood, were moved to the Edson & District Leisure Centre when the hamlet of Wildwood was issued their own evacuation order.
“The Town of Edson provided support to Yellowhead County in terms of staff resources at the Evacuation Centre and at the Emergency Coordination Centre,” said Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara.
"Our thoughts are with all those impacted by the fires over the last week along with all those fighting the fire on the front lines. The one positive to come out of this is the generosity of so many Edson area residents and businesses wanting to help and support evacuees,” Zahara said. “The Town of Edson will be here to support the county as needed throughout the emergency.”
Approximately 25 Yellowhead County firefighters and over 60 firefighters from Alberta Wildfire battled the blaze, supported by more than a dozen pieces of heavy equipment and six helicopters. This was alongside several other agencies and contractors from neighbouring municipalities and organizations over several days.
With some favourable weather and the efforts of these fire crews and support personnel, the mandatory evacuation order was lifted at 12:00 noon on May 2 for Evansburg, Entwistle, and areas in Parkland County located west of Highway 22. These residents were now safe to return to their homes. The entire Highway 16 corridor was opened for Yellowhead County residents and Parkland County residents traveling to their homes.
The Wildwood evacuation order was lifted at 3:00pm on May 3 for all evacuees in the Wildwood/Lobstick area. Residents were directed to remain on 30-minute alert and be prepared to evacuate if conditions changed. Transportation was available from Edson to Wildwood for evacuees.
As of May 3, the wildfire affecting Wildwood and Lobstick area residents was still burning out of control and was estimated to be 2,320ha in size and burning in a mixture of grass, shrub, trees, and marsh.
On May 3, the fire behaviour was less active with the majority of burning occurring within the perimeter. It is currently being maintained in its boundaries and firefighting crews continue their efforts to contain and reduce the fire.
Yellowhead County Fire Chief and GM of Protective Services, Albert Bahri acknowledged the work done to mitigate the fire and assist with the evacuation but is reminding residents that there continues to be threats with the current hot weather. “It’s important to acknowledge that wildfires are dynamic situations and changes can happen quickly. Our focus continues to be on the safety of our residents as we continue to work to contain and extinguish these fires with our partners.”
“We encourage everyone to have an evacuation plan in place for themselves, family members, and pets and livestock,” added Bahri.
A fire restriction is in effect for most of Central Alberta in the Forest Protection Area due to high fire hazard. Dry grass can catch fire easily and burn quickly. Any spark, hot exhaust, or friction can cause a wildfire. Avoid working near or on dry vegetation to help prevent wildfires. If you see smoke or flame and suspect it's a wildfire, call 310-FIRE.
Yellowhead County continues to monitor the situation closely and all important updates will be posted on www.yhcounty.ca and at www.facebook.com/yellowheadcounty.
For the most up-to-date information on the wildfires, visit https://srd.web.alberta.ca/edson-area-update.
Volunteers recognized at annual Awards Night
by Niki Luymes
May 1, 2023 issue: The Town of Edson took a moment to appreciate
local volunteers at the annual Volunteer Awards Night on Friday,
April 21 at the Galloway Station Museum.
The doors opened at 5:30 with the ceremony starting at 7pm. This
created a time for mixing and mingling among the guests. After the
ceremony, there was also live entertainment from local musicians
until 8:30pm.
The theme of this year's awards night was 'Volunteers are an
Essential Piece of Edson'. “This is because it takes both our
collective and individual actions to make Edson a thriving and
inclusive community,” said Marsha Shack, Community Development
Coordinator with FCSS.
The night was a great way for local volunteers to connect with
others in the community while also enjoying free food and
entertainment. During the 'mix and mingle' time attendees
could take part in free food and drink, a free photo booth, and a
cash bar. Guests could also enjoy the provided discussion prompts
and blank puzzle pieces for a little creative fun.
The award presentations began at 7pm. Members of the Edson town
council and youth council were present to hand out the awards. There
were six categories and the winners were as follows:
The Social Innovator Award went to a local volunteer who tackles old
problems in a new way and innovate despite the challenges. This
award went to Sheila Buckle in recognition of the countless hours
she has put into the Edson Public Library expansion project.
The Emerging Leader Award celebrates young volunteers who
demonstrate growing leadership skills. This year's recipient was
Maya Dalueg. Dalueg is a grade 9 student who has donated her time to
multiple causes including Edson Youth Council, Edson Hospital, and
March 4 A Cure.
The Long Term Service Award went to Debra Edey-Halterman.
Edey-Halterman has lived, worked, and volunteered in Edson since the
1980's. In that time, she has served on the Public Library Board, as
President of the Edson Fencing Club, as a part of the Edson Cultural
Historical Society (ECHO), and much more.
The Community Leader Award went to outstanding volunteers who have
taken a lead role in developing solutions to social challenges in
communities. The award went to Dewayne Scott for helping the Edson
Food Bank navigate the complexity of providing to the vulnerable
people in Edson for the past five years.
Preston Langton accepted both the Business Leadership Award on
behalf of Surepoint Energy and personally accepted the Biggest Heart
Award. Surepoint was celebrated for their continual donations of
money and volunteers to local events.
Langton received the Biggest Heart Award for continually going above
and beyond with his time and effort as the go-to BBQ person for
local events.
Finally, The Mayors Award of Excellence went to the Edson Cycling
Association. This award goes to volunteers that Edson Mayor Kevin
Zahara wishes to recognize for outstanding contribution to the Town
of Edson. This year Mayor Zahara choose the Edson Cycling
Association in recognition of their tremendous work developing the
bike trails and skills park at Willmore.
After the awards, local band 'Not to Scale' performed a few songs to
close out the night.
Fittingly, the Awards night itself was put together with the help of
local volunteers. “I wouldn't be able to do this without all the
volunteers who helped host this event for all the other volunteers,”
said Shack, “Especially the Community Development team.”
Local artist Madison Sharman designed the art on the tote bags given
to attendees. Edson Girl Guides painted the table decorations, which
were put together by the members of the Grand Buddies program at
Parkland Lodge.
YCE Recreation Centre plans continue to progress
by Dana McArthur
At the April 18 Yellowhead County Governance and Priorities meeting,
Council discussed the YCE Recreation Centre, during the presentation
of the Community Services monthly highlights.
"In terms of the YCE Centre [Yellowhead County/Edson Recreation
Centre] we are finalizing and wrapping up our contract with Dialog
Design," said Crystal McNernie, General Manager of Community
Services.
Project management services for the construction of the facility has
been awarded to Tango Management Group. "Tango Management will be
our project consultant over the next four years of this project or
however long it takes to complete."
A start-up meeting with the steering committee has been organized
for April 19 to bring Tango representatives up to speed on the
concept design work that has been completed over the last few
months.
"In addition, we will be working to establish significant milestones
and objectives we hope to achieve over the next 3, 6, and 9 months,"
said McNernie.
Of note, the steering committee has not yet heard back from the
'Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program' (ICIP) regarding the
amended grant application, due to the change of plans favouring the
Leisure Centre location.
Councillor Shawn Berry asked, "Could you please identify to me if a
concept plan for the YCE Centre has been approved by the steering
committee and is that what's going forward to Tango?"
McNernie responded, "We actually have two concept designs that have
been approved by the steering committee and we are still finalizing
those. We are not looking to release to the public after this
meeting. We would like to meet with Tango, get them up to speed, and
have another steering committee meeting to wrap up our relationship
with Dialog, and then look at releasing a [design] concept to the
public."
"I think we all recognize it's time for the public to see what we
have been working on and keep the momentum and excitement going for
the project," McNernie added.
Councillor Berry replied, "I am a little concerned releasing two
plans to the public when Council has not approved either of them at
this point. The steering committee may have this in mind of meeting
with the consultant, but the moment they do that, your putting out
to the public that we are going to go ahead with the project (or
seem to be) and that decision has not been made by this Council at
this time."
Mayor Wade Williams, who sits on the steering committee, said,
"Those are good comments Councillor Berry, and we have been upfront
right from start with the information the committee has and anything
else people are hearing out there, is rumour. At this point in time
that's all I can say."
Councillor David Russell added, "There is nothing wrong with the
steering committee saying to the public, this is the design we will
present to our Councils. At which point is it made very clear that
Council(s) still have to say, yes or no."
In regard to the ICIP grant, Councillor Anthony Giezen asked, "Have
any of the other communities that applied received any response
yet?" McNernie replied, "There are other community groups that have
applied. Drayton Valley applied and had to amend their application
and it took about four months, but they did and it was approved. We
are pushing that four month mark now, so we are anxiously awaiting a
response. It's a likely time to do a follow up with our provincial
reps to see where things are at. The decision is made at the federal
level so we are trying to be patient."
Council accepted the Community Services monthly highlights for
information.
Writer concerned overuse of road
salt causing deterioration of Hwy16
April 17, 2023 issue: (Letter to the Editor) I am a business owner whose storefront is
on Hwy 16 west through Edson, and my family has been doing business
here since 1987. My desk is adjacent to the front window, so I am
very familiar with the condition of the highway, traffic habits, and
maintenance that takes place year round.
I do believe that I know why the condition of the highway has
rapidly deteriorated in the recent years, and I have been collecting
data on this for quite some time. In all the years that we have been
located on Hwy 16 it seems that year after year the amount of salt
being used for winter ice control on the hwy increases.
When my brother used to clean the snow bank away from the front of
the store 20 years ago, it was white and fluffy, now it is a horrid
mess of brown slop. The purpose of the salt is to raise the melting
point of the snow and ice, something that seems useful, but they
don't realize all of the down sides to this.
When the salt melts the snow into water during the warmer
temperatures of the day, it then freezes at night, splitting apart
the small pours and cracks of the asphalt road surface breaking it
away, exponentially creaking these massive pot holes and cracks we
see today.
This melt and freeze scenario without the excessive use of salt
would only happen in the spring time, but instead is happening every
single day all throughout the winter. I have documented the highway
maintenance company spreading this material upwards of a dozen times
a day on the hwy through Edson, even during periods where it hasn't
snowed in weeks.
This can be seen right now in spring time with the accumulation of
sand in the shoulders of the highway, in some places 2” deep. On top
of this non necessary damage to the road surface, it is also
creating environmental and public health concerns.
Often out front of my store I have been able to taste the salt in
the air, and I have taken multiple water samples of run off, with
test results indicating that the water would be harmful to anything
that ingests it, including children, pets, and wildlife.
The salt mist from the highway is causing visible rust and corrosion
to adjacent infrastructure, the sign structure and downspout screws
are rusting on my building. The grout of the tiles on my showroom
floor has become permanently stained from the mixture tracking in on
customers footwear. The sand/salt mixture plugs our storm drains,
and eating up tax dollars both in the cost of the material itself
and the cost of cleaning it up.
The cost both direct and indirect to taxpayers for this de-icing
program is much higher than anyone realizes, and the Government of
Canada's policy on use of road salts is based off information from
1999.
D. Auriat, Northside Motorsports
Province providing $750,000 to begin preliminary work on improvements to Hwy 16 through Edson
by Dana McArthur
April 10, 2023 issue: For a very long time, Edson's Town Council and Administration
have been making considerable efforts to get the repaving of Hwy 16
through Edson on the Province's Capital Plan, but to no avail.
The highway's maintenance and repair is under provincial
jurisdiction. But the continued patching along Highway 16 through
Edson has done little to improve the deteriorating road surface.
This is in spite of the fact that the province recognizes the
primary purpose of the highway is as a major trade and economic
corridor.
In an interview, Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara said, "We are encouraging
the provincial government to include the paving of Hwy 16 through
Edson in their capital plan. As of right now it is not in their
three year plan and the condition of the highway continues to
deteriorate with 18,000 vehicles a day passing through our
community. Our biggest concern is the smoothness and safety of the
travelling public."
"The highway has been in poor shape for quite some time and it's
only getting worse. Ledcor crews are spending a lot of time doing
pothole repair work, but at this point in time we feel that it needs
complete repaving as the pothole repairs do not hold up with the
amount of heavy traffic flowing through the community," Zahara said.
"We have reached out to the Minister of Transportation and Economic
Corridor, Devin Dreeshen's office and also requested meetings with
the previous Minister —those meetings have been declined," said
Zahara. The mayor was directed to speak with the local
Transportation officials. "MLA Long has also been involved on this
file and is advocating on our behalf."
In an emailed letter to the Town, Devin Dreeshen, the Minister of
Transportation and Economic Corridors, stated, "Transportation and
Economic Corridors reviews several factors when evaluating pavement
condition, including traffic volumes, pavement quality, roughness,
existing structure, local information, visual inspections, and
surface distress. This data is used to determine when the road is
expected to need rehabilitation. The data is also used to prioritize
rehabilitation projects from across the province for inclusion in
the Provincial Construction Program in order to ensure a fair
process for all areas of Alberta."
However, Mayor Zahara stated that, "The province's own data shows
that the highway through Edson is 1.9x more rough compared to the
rest of the province and the rut depths are significantly higher
compared to other sections of the highway."
Dreeshen's letter continued, "Based on these factors, there are no
rehabilitation projects planned for Highway 16 in the Town of Edson
on the department's three year Provincial Construction Program.
However, as part of our annual capital planning process, future
rehabilitation projects for Highway 16 through Edson will be
evaluated and considered for prioritization and funding along with
all other projects across the province."
In 2016 under the NDP government, Hwy 16 through Hinton was repaved
even though it was in much better shape than the highway through
Edson. "When you look at the conditions that they repaved a large
portion of the highway through Hinton compared to Edson's, it
doesn't make any sense. Ours is far worse than some of the other
communities that have the highway going through it," said Zahara.
The Mayor was able to meet with the Parliamentary Secretary for
Economic Corridors, Shane Getson, and took him on a tour of Edson's
problematic highway. Getson was raised on a mixed farming operation
west of Chip Lake and went to Niton Central High School. He was,
however, "very non-committal", said Zahara.
The Town of Edson has also been working with the Trans-Canada
Highway Association on this issue, said Zahara.
In response to The Weekly Anchor's inquiry, local MLA Martin Long
responded, “I have heard from a number of my constituents and know
first-hand from driving through the area that there is a need for
repaving Highway 16 through Edson. I have continuously advocated to
the Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors and regional
staff that Highway 16 is critical to the well-being of the region's
economy and residents... More work needs to be done, and I am
committed to advocating for the repaving of highway 16 through Edson
as quickly as possible. The UCP government understands the
importance of our provincial highway infrastructure in rural
Alberta. This is why the Government of Alberta has invested over
$2.5 billion in rural Alberta's roads in Budget 2023, with $1.3
billion allocated to Northern Alberta," concluded Long.
The Weekly Anchor also sent a list of questions on the state of the
highway through Edson, to Transportation Minister Dreeshen's office.
Below are the responses.
1. Is the condition of Hwy 16, as one of Alberta's main
corridors, a priority for the Province?
Yes, highway condition is a priority for the Province. Alberta has
an extensive highway network that requires significant investment to
maintain and rehabilitate approximately 64,000 lane-kilometres of
roads and nearly 4,600 bridges and interchanges. Department staff,
along with the highway maintenance contractor, conduct road patrols
along the provincial highway network on a regular basis to ensure
safety-related concerns are addressed as soon as possible within
available budgets.
2. What is the criteria/threshold for considering the repaving of
Hwy 16 through a township?
For all provincial highways, Transportation and Economic Corridors
reviews several factors when evaluating pavement condition,
including traffic volumes, pavement quality, roughness, existing
structure, local information, visual inspections, and surface
distress. This data is used to determine when the road is expected
to need rehabilitation. The data is also used to prioritize
rehabilitation projects from across the province for inclusion in
the Provincial Construction Program in order to ensure a fair
process for all areas of Alberta.
3. Crack and pothole repairs are a temporary solution that erodes
with weather and traffic. Will the erosion of the roadbed lead to
more costly and time-consuming repairs?
Roads deteriorate based on a number of factors, such as time,
weather cycles, traffic loading, etc. The presence of cracks and
potholes allow water to penetrate into the asphalt, pools below the
surface and freezes. As vehicles drive over these defects, the
asphalt is weakened and cracks/holes begin to expand. As more water
pools and vehicles drive over it, the hole gets larger. With the
freeze-thaw cycles in spring, freezing water expands which further
accelerates pavement deterioration. This is minimized with timely
maintenance.
4. Why was Hwy 16 through Hinton chosen for repaving in 2016
(under the NDP government) when it was in much better condition that
Hwy 16 within Edson, even back then?
Recommended projects for Capital Maintenance and Renewal are
analyzed through technical systems, and validated and prioritized by
department subject matter experts. All projects continue to be
evaluated as provincial priorities and budgets allow.
5. What would the Province like to say to the many local
residents who continue to complain about the state of Hwy 16 in
Edson?
Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors is providing
approximately $750,000 to begin preliminary work, including
engineering and design, on improvements to Hwy 16 through Edson.
Construction would be expected to start next year. Thank you to MLA
Martin Long for his advocacy for his community on this important
project.
Furthermore, Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors has
completed pothole repairs and hand patching work on Highway 16
through Edson. Additional pothole repairs and hand patching work is
planned to be completed, beginning April 2 weather-permitting.
Selective paver patching is also scheduled to be completed during
the 2023 summer maintenance program to keep up with highway surface
maintenance. Until a rehabilitation project takes place, the
department will monitor Highway 16 through Edson and ongoing
maintenance will continue to ensure issues are addressed in a timely
manner.
What do you think of the state of Hwy 16 through Edson?
Editorial: Province says NO PAVING more PATCHES
by Dana McArthur
(Page 18, April 3, 2023 issue) Under the provincial
government's care, the rinse-and-repeat repetition of pavement
patching along Highway 16 through Edson will continue for the
foreseeable future, it seems.
As every Edsonite knows, painfully well, the highway through Edson has
been in abysmal condition for a very long time.
This seems at odds with the fact Highway 16 is one of the premiere
highways in Alberta and the gateway to world-renowned Jasper
National Park.
Quite frankly, the highway in both directions through Edson should
be an embarrassment to a province that's experiencing a windfall of
cash into its coffers. And the fact is, repaving this badly
deteriorating surface is not even in the province's three year plan!
It would be amusing, if it wasn't so tragic, that if you want to know
which vehicles ahead of you are local residents, just watch for
which ones swerve around the ever-present potholes and manhole
covers with uncanny precision. As a rider myself, motorcycles are at
particular risk.
In the meantime, highway crews continue to revisit many of the same areas
over and over adding to this patchwork quilt of cracks and repairs,
as their last efforts quickly erode under the traffic and weather.
What seems odd, is that back in 2016 under the previous NDP government,
Hinton had pretty much their whole highway through town repaved
within a month, and it was in much better shape than Edson's. One is
left wondering why the UCP government, in a much better financial
situation, doesn't seem to show that same commitment to rural
Alberta infrastructure?
If you would like to send your comments about the condition of the
provincial highway through Edson, it may appear in our upcoming
story on Hwy 16.
Please email us a brief message by April 4 to:
anchorwk@telusplanet.net
Public hearing held for proposed NGL processing facility
by Niki Luymes
Mar 27, 2023 issue: During the Edson Town Council meeting on March 21, a
statutory public hearing was held in regard to draft Bylaw No. 2286
to redistrict a parcel of land for Pivotal Energy Partners proposed
Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs) processing facility.
The company says the facility will provide area oil and gas producers with
a strategic processing alternative for their C3+. A C3+ processing
facility uses the natural liquid remnants of natural gas after the
removal of methane. This can be processed into three separate gas
liquid products including propane, butane, and condensate.
The Town of Edson has received an application to redistrict a ±46.30
hectares parcel in the SW-15-53-17-W5 (603 54 Street South)
bordering Yellowhead County on the east and south boundaries from
Urban Reserve (UR) to Heavy Industrial (M-2).
First reading of Bylaw No. 2286 was passed by Council on February 21, 2023
moving it to the public hearing process. Administration did not
recommend that any further readings of the bylaw be given at this
time. Instead, second and third reading would be brought forward in
April 2023, acknowledging input received during this public hearing
process.
The parcel is currently zoned Urban Reserve (UR). The proposal is to
redistrict this parcel to Heavy Industrial (M-2) based on the
applicant's plans to develop a Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs) processing
facility, which is a permitted use in the Heavy Industrial (M-2)
District, according to a report to Council by Shaival Gajjar,
Planner with the Town.
The proposed redistricting is not in conflict with the MDP for future uses
proposed in this area of Town, stated Gajjar. This redistricting is
considered in conjunction with the direction of the 2017
Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP) with Yellowhead County.
Gajjar stated that Town Administration is in support of the Applicant's
proposed Land Use Bylaw Amendment seeking to redistrict these lands
to Heavy Industrial (M-2). Second and third reading would be
recommended in April, acknowledging input received during the public
hearing process.
As part of the process, the Town referred the application to
external stakeholders including Yellowhead County, CN Rail, Alberta
Environment and Parks, and Alberta Energy Regulator. Pivotal Energy
has provided responses to the comments and concerns.
Gajjar stated that Administration went beyond the standard notification
radius and notified all landowners within 500 metres of the subject
site (including County residents), keeping in mind the scale of the
project.
Several nearby landowners have objected to the proposed site stating
safety concerns, future financial property losses, and other
concerns. Another resident expressed concerns over access of
emergency vehicles if the one access road becomes blocked with the
additional traffic across the railway tracks. One landowner sent a
letter of support for the project stating, "With the conditions
imposed by the province and the Town of Edson, this resource based
project can be a successful development for the community.”
After Gajjar completed his presentation, John Schwarz Vice President,
Business Development with Pivotal Energy Partners presented a
response from the company. Based on the feedback from
stakeholders, the company recognized the need to continue to consult
with residents and landowners on what the project is, but also, what
it is not.
Pivotal has also began the necessary steps on the regulatory and
environmental front. Key steps have been taken in order to prepare
the license application to Alberta Energy Regulator (AER).
Environmental Phase 1 is completed, the Historical Resource
application was approved March 14, and Nav Canada has given approval
regarding the heights of facility equipment in relation to the
airport. A geotechnical assessment has been completed, with final
analysis expected the week of March 13. The traffic impact
assessment study is currently underway. “Recognizing that the
job is nowhere close to being done, there is still lots of work to
reach out and move forward," said Schwarz.
Councillor Ed Moore asked, “To this day have there been any problems with
your other facilities or any emergency situations?” Schwarz
responded, “Currently we have five facilities operating in the
Province of Alberta and we have had zero incidents to date at those
facilities.”
Councillor Gean Chouinard asked, “Just for clarification, you said that
you had a chance to talk to all the residents, for or against, in
the radius —is that correct?” Schwarz responded, “Yes, that's
correct. Anything that we heard back we made an attempt to meet with
those people. To my knowledge, anybody who was either for or against
we met with in person.”
Councillor Trevor Bevan asked if a pipeline was still being considered to
reduce congestion in the area. “Is that still something you will be
pursuing?” Schwarz replied that they were still looking into it, and
without getting into confidential specifics, they have had some
successful meetings on that front.
Council then opened the floor to public questions. Randy McGuire of Moose
Meadows RV Park was the first of three registered presenters.
McGuire stated that he and his wife were totally against the
proposed plant coming to this site. “We are concerned for the
future, safety concerns, and future financial property losses, not
just for us, but for the future of our grandchildren, and their
future children. Plus, currently for the safety of our RV Park
clients who live here sometimes for months at a time.” McGuire
continued by saying, “I want to see Pivotal Energy processing in our
area for the employment opportunities and other benefits. But within
two kilometers of the town of Edson and populated county areas, it
shouldn't even be considered as an option.”
Next to speak was Mike Lenahan who echoed McGuire's concerns. Lenahan
brought along small scale models of the proposed tanks to be set up
at the plant. He stated that according to Pivotal's plan there will
be a potential of 840,000 gallons of pressured gas on site. In a
worse case scenario, he speculated, the blast radius would devastate
Edson. “It's something to seriously think about because no one has
thought about the size of it, and there are other options.”
Finally, Jo-Ann Sobon spoke on behalf of several different business
located within the notification radius. “For clarity, we are in
support on this project in principal,” said Sobon. "However, we do
have several concerns." Access of emergency vehicles due to added
congestion at the CN crossing, area road construction standards, and
concerns with residential versus non-residential assessments, were
just some of the concerns she presented. The group has been in
conversation with Pivotal Energy and the Town of Edson, but feels
their concerns have not been adequately addressed.
Pivotal Energy was then able to give closing remarks. “One of the things I
will say is that we are governed under the Alberta Energy Regulator
that has some of the most stringent rules around safety, for local,
for our workers, and the environment. We'll have 17 to 20 of our own
operators out there, so safety is of the utmost importance,” said
Schwarz. He also encouraged anyone with thoughts or concerns to
reach out to them.
Mayor Kevin Zahara, then brought that portion of the meeting to a close.
“I do want to thank everybody that's engaged with this process. It's
important that council gets all the feedback, be it for or against.
We're not making any decisions tonight regarding this. We will be in
a few weeks, following a review of all the comments made here
today.”
Cadomin Community Society's new Hall Project approved
by Dana McArthur
Mar 20, 2023 issue: During the March 14th Yellowhead County Council
meeting, council discussed the Cadomin Community Society's recent
request for support to construct a new community hall in Cadomin.
The Cadomin Community Society (CCS) was pursuing the renovation of
the Cadomin firehall into a community hall facility, stated Crystal
McNernie, General Manager of Community Services for the County.
"Most recently they were looking at renovating the decommissioned
firehall," McNernie said. Upon receipt of tenders for the project,
the renovation costs were significantly greater than anticipated.
CCS have since been engaged with the low construction bidder,
Fillmore Construction, to explore alternative options and to come up
with a cost-effective solution to move the project forward.
When comparing renovation costs to the costs of a new build, the
consensus within the Society was to go back to the original
freestanding building design located immediately west of the
playground as proposed in the summer of 2021, stated McNernie. "They
determined it would be more economically feasible than renovating
the firehall."
Construction of a new facility would be approximately $4.17 million
and includes the cost of construction, all design and consultant
fees, furniture and fixtures, as well as a contingency.
Facility concept plans and layout were presented to council. CCS has
spent significant time fundraising, both through private business
and within the community, and can commit to providing $1.92 million
or 46% of the funding for the Community Hall. Administration added
that this is a major feat for CCS to bring to the table such a
significant contribution towards the facility.
This project does require an additional $750,000, and as such, the
Society is requesting this funding be provided from Yellowhead
County as follows: 2023 - $375,000; 2024 - $375,000.
The proposed size of the hall is 6,300 sq ft. This is the same size
as the existing Legion building in Cadomin. This square footage has
proven to be the right size for the community, meeting the various
functional needs. If square footage is reduced now, the Society
believes an addition will be needed at a later date.
The current design includes a full basement, which allows for future
uses. If the basement was eliminated, it would result in a $150k
savings.
As agreed upon between the Cadomin Community Society and Yellowhead
County, the County will assume ownership of this facility upon
completion. "This agreement is consistent with our other community
halls and recreation facilities located within hamlets and
designates responsibility for all utility costs and repairs and
maintenance to Yellowhead County," stated McNernie.
"Our current facility operators who previously owned and operated
their respective facilities have found this arrangement preferable
as it allows them to focus on maximizing program and event offerings
without the financial onus of costly utilities and repair expenses.
The financial contribution of the society/association towards the
new facility has never been a determining factor for ownership,"
McNernie added.
Councillor Dawn Mitchell said, "I can not believe you raised 46% of
the cost of this new building. I have never seen this in my time on
council. I am so proud of you, as I am sure all of Council is —good
job."
Councillor Brigitte Lemieux asked, "Who is responsible for the
parking lot development?" McNernie responded, "There is a provision
within their budget to construct a gravel parking lot. At this point
they are not pursuing a paved lot."
Councillor David Russell said, "I would like to echo Councillor
Mitchell's comments, stellar work, absolutely incredible, and I
support it 100%."
Councillor Shawn Berry said, "To the society, thank you for doing
the good work to bring this forward to us. It is very understandable
the way you have presented this. I am in favour of the project."
"Thank you to the group, you have done a really, really good job,"
said Mayor Wade Williams. "You have done everything council has
asked and I will definitely support this motion."
Council voted all in favour of approving Cadomin Community Society
moving forward with constructing a new community hall in Cadomin.
And that Council for Yellowhead County provides an additional
$750,000 in funding towards the project, with $375,000 being
provided in 2023 and $375,000 being provided in 2024.
New Saturday Youth Club at Edson's Library
by Niki Luymes
Mar 13, 2023 issue: Edson Public Library kicked off a brand new
program. The new Saturday Youth Club held its first event on March
4.
The club will be gathering every Saturday from 1pm to 3pm at the
Edson and District Public Library to take part in fun crafts and
games. The group is open to anyone ages 8 to 15.
The club was created to specifically fill a void in the library's
programming. “I do story-time during the week for the toddlers and
the preschool kids, and I wanted something for this group, this age
group is seemingly always left out, so I decided to start the
Saturday Youth Club,” said Ms Terry, Program Facilitator with the
Library.
This week's activity was Morse code bracelets. Each youth planned
out a message in Morse code, then selected different colours to
represent the 'dots' and 'dashes'. The end result was a colourful
creation that also taught decoding and problem solving skills.
“Next week we're going to be doing a fun day of Minute to Win It
games," said Ms Terry. So it's going to be a variety of crafts and
other weekly activities for the kids, to get the kids to try
something new they probably wouldn't on their own.”
The program is still in its infancy. “Right now we are just trying
it. I have March and April planned, but it is something that I hope
to continue,” said Ms Terry. “Plus, once we get into July we're
planning on doing Summer Reading Program and Summer Camp Activities,
so I'm using this as a jump off with these kids to ask, 'Hey, what
are you interested in, what can I plan for camp?'”
Like all the library programs, this one is free to the public. “It's
absolutely free,” said Ms Terry, "my only request is that people
sign up, so I have a rough idea of numbers.”
There is no limit in attendance as long as the numbers stay
manageable. Those who are interested can sign up at the library
front desk, or if you want more information visit edsonlibrary.ca or
call 780-723-6691.
RCMP crime stats presentation at County Council
by Dana McArthur
Mar 13, 2023 issue: During the February 28 Edson Town Council
meeting, Staff Sergeant Christian Delisle, Detachment Commander for
the Edson and area Municipal RCMP, presented a review of the
detachment’s 2022 operations and outlined its priorities for 2023.
He was accompanied by Hinton's S/Sgt Shiloh Fragomeni.
“We are coming to you today to have a discussion in policing
priorities for upcoming financial year, said SSgt Delisle. “If we
look at last year when I was here the priorities were overall crime
reduction, community presence, visibility, youth, and squatter
[concerns].
SSgt Delisle stated that they exceeded their goal of 30 community
presences/contacts with 51 different meetings and activities
throughout the communities.
For general crime reduction, this year they mostly focused on
thefts. Specifically, the goal was a 10% decease in thefts over
$5,000 and vehicular theft. So far they have achieved a 9.5%
reduction in this area.
The detachment also had the goal for their General Investigations
Section (GIS) unit to do six proactive drug investigations. So far
they have only done one, however, there are other things in
development, said Delisle. "We are also going to pretty much every
school even it's just to say hi, and ask if they have any questions
etc." To address squatter concerns, he stated officers have been out
in the field talked to people and making sure they are complying
with regulations.
Delisle also presented a rundown of the basic statistics for the
Edson Municipal Detachment. This included the number of crimes
committed, crimes filed, the workload associated with the different
crime types, and the response times. Total personal crimes were up
14%. "The big driver of this was criminal harassment," he said. This
broad category even includes social media websites where people say
things to each other they should probably not be saying, the Staff
Sergeant explained.
Property crimes were also up at 12%. "Basically our big challenge
with property crimes in Yellow County is oil and gas sites; they are
being targeted pretty hard."
Overall there is a 5% increase in crime over last year, in Edson and
area. Delisle also pointed out, "People seem more willing to call us
so we can gather stats and do our jobs," which he said was a good
thing.
Councillor Dawn Mitchell said, "I think some of these number are up
because calls are up. I know in my area people are feeling they can
call." SSgt Delisle responded, "That's 100 percent right. The number
of calls in the county are actually up by 4%."
Councillor Shawn Berry said, "The calls I am getting are not about
violent cries, it's trespassing, particularly ATVs along the
pipeline corridor."
Councillor David Russell said that he'd like to see more focus on
knowledge and education of the RCMP and the court's rolls, continued
police presence on casual patrol, and more community meetings.
SSgt Delisle said he is holding another Town Hall meeting on March
15 at 7pm in the Hospitality Room of the Edson and District Leisure
Centre. He invited council to suggest locations for other meetings
as well.
Mayor Wade Williams thanks the two RCMP members for their
presentations.
Edson Downtown Parking Changes
Feb 27, 2023 issue: The Town of Edson is reinstituting downtown
parking rules with some new signage this month.
Following some concerns from local businesses, the 1.5-hour parking
restriction signs are being re-installed in the downtown core. This
will be in effect Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. While the rules have
remained in place over the years, the signage was taken down during
the light standard upgrade project. The new signage will help with
awareness and enforcement moving forward.
“It is great to see our downtown busy once again, but it has caused
some parking issues in recent months with people parked for extended
periods. We have heard the concerns of our business community and we
are making every effort to ensure our downtown core is meeting the
needs of our local businesses and remains accessible for shoppers,
diners, and visitors to spend time in our community.” -Mayor Kevin
Zahara
As this will only be in effect during the daytime hours, it will not
interfere with bowling, theatre, or other evening entertainment
venues.
This change is a part of Edson's ongoing efforts to encourage
economic growth in our downtown and make it a more attractive and
accessible destination for residents and visitors. It also ties
directly to Council's strategic Priority of fostering a robust and
adaptable economy. (release)
Raising awareness of bullying: editorial
Feb 20, 2023 issue: On February 22 students in Edson and area,
and across Canada, are urged to wear pink shirts as part of the
bullying awareness campaign “Pink Shirt Day”.
The theme this year is “Be Kind”. It is a simple but powerful
message encouraging us to look beyond our differences and celebrate
the things that make us unique.
This theme also encourages Albertans to be inclusive, welcoming and
supportive with colleagues, clients, friends and family. Building
healthy relationships is one of the best ways to prevent bullying
and create safe environments.
As parents, we worry about our children being bullied and schools
can be a place where bullying is encountered most frequently.
Bullying is a form of aggression where there is a power imbalance;
the person doing the bullying has power over the person being
victimized. It is a conscious, wilful, deliberate, hostile, and
repeated behaviour by one or more people which is intended to harm
others. It can take on many forms including physical, verbal,
emotional, cyber, and peer exclusion. Bullying can result in serious
emotional problems, including anxiety, low self-esteem, depression,
or worse.
One in five children are affected by bullying. Even with the added
awareness in recent years, every seven minutes someone is bullied on
a playground in Canada, according to bullying.org.
Pink Shirt Day is a reminder to parents, teachers, and students of
just how critical it is to ensure that our children are safe inside
and outside of school.
The day offers an important reminder and helps to keep public
attention focused on a problem that is so damaging and destructive
within our schools and society.
However, reminders alone will not be enough to bring an end to this
age old problem. Bullying is a complex multi-level problem, and in
order to address these negative behaviours, solutions also need to
be on multiple levels.
Parents play a key role in teaching children how to be inclusive,
empathetic, and how to deal with feelings without becoming
aggressive. With the support of important programs like Family and
Community Support Services, and teaching empathy at the classroom
level, communities that focus on helping to promote inclusion,
respect, and empathy have been the most successful at reducing
bullying behaviours.
Can we ever get rid of bullying completely? Probably not. This is
why reducing bullying must be an ongoing effort with the whole
community working together, so every child feels valued, equal, and
safe. DM
C3+ processing facility proposed in Edson
by Niki Luymes
Feb 13, 2023 issue: During the Town Council meeting on February 7,
John Schwarz, Vice President of Business Development, and Oliver
Sherwood, Business Development Specialist, of Pivotal Energy
Partners, provided an introduction to the company and the potential
development of a C3+ processing facility in Edson.
The company, headquartered in Calgary, currently has over $50MM in
assets in operation and over $100MM in project development, and they
continue to invest and explore opportunities across the midstream
energy space. Currently they have 9 facilities across Alberta and
North Dakota.
The two representatives were joined (via teleconference) by
supporting presenters and technical team Mike Longeway, Jill Hofer,
Nick Hanson, and Sameh Esmail.
A C3+ processing facility uses the natural liquid remnants of
natural gas after the removal of methane. It can be processed into
three separate gas liquid products including propane, butane and
condensate.
The company says the facility will provide area oil and gas
producers with a strategic processing alternative for their C3+. It
will also provide access to premium markets for their specification
products and increasing netbacks as a result of lower overall
transportation costs.
The Town of Edson was chosen after a detailed survey. Edson
provides multiple amenities that make it the optimal site for such a
facility. This includes proximity to the railway and highway, and
ample space for the current build and any future expansion.
The presentation included visuals and maps regarding the facility,
along with a business overview and project schedule. The overview
also included the plot, which they have the right to purchase, and
economic benefits to the community.
The proposed location is within town limits at 603 Landfill Road.
Pivotal Energy has entered into an option to purchase with the
current landowner. The facility would also bring added jobs for
Edson and area residents. “We are really open to contracting and
hiring locally, it's really important to our business,” said
Schwarz. This includes the jobs needed for site construction, and
continual day to day running.
The company plans a multi-phased approach for development that
offers a market-based scalability.
The facility will receive feedstock (natural gas liquids) and
separate it into gas liquids purity products including propane,
butane, and condensate. This feedstock will be transported to the
facility via truck. Egress options include rail for propane and
truck for propane, butane, and condensate.
Pivotal Energy Partners' specific action they are requesting from
Town Council is the re-zoning of lot 4G to Heavy Industry use.
The project has been in the works for nearly three years. The
regulatory and permitting process has started including D56
application, development permit and engagement with Alberta
Environmental. The project team is secured, with fabrication, land,
engineering, and procurement underway. Once all the permits have
been approved and completed, Pivotal Energy hopes to begin
construction in May or June of this year.
After the presentation the floor was open to council to ask any
questions about the planned facility. (see the Feb. 13, 2023
issue for the full story)
Family Literacy Day celebrated at Edson Public Library
by Niki Luymes
Feb 6, 2023 issue: Saturday, January 28 was a big day at Edson
Public Library. Not only was it the Library's 75th birthday
party, it was also Family Literacy Day.
There was no shortage of activities from 1pm to 4pm as families
could come out and enjoy free treats, crafts, and storytimes.
Family Literacy Day has always been a partnership with Edson Public
Library and Edson and District Community Learning. It is the focus
of a national event that takes place once a year.
It serves as a reminder for families to consistently practice and
encourage literacy related activities as a family.
This includes things such as reading stories, singing, rhyming, and
other activities that facilitate strong literacy skills. “Every year
we do this to celebrate Family Literacy Day,” said Josephine
Bunz-Clark, Library Clerk and Adult Learning Coordinator with Edson
and District Community Learning. “Hopefully it promotes people
coming in to the library and all the things they can access here.”
The event was well attended throughout the day. Many families took
the time to come out and enjoy the activities. From storytime
with Miss Terry to parent-led craft, all the activities planned for
the Library's party supported the goals of Family Literacy
Day. Some of the crafts included mini story books and flower
pens. All those who attended received a free book and could
enter a draw for even more prizes.
These activities also served to draw attention to everything the
library has to offer. From free board games, to the open play
area, to the immense catalogue of books and movies, the Public
Library offers things for people and families of all ages.
“That's what the library is for,” said Bunz-Clark. “It's for you to
bring your kids. People don't come to the library because they have
babies or small children, and they think that's not for them.
It's totally for them.” Patrons hoping to encourage Family
Literacy in their homes can also check out the 'bag of books' which
are specially curated with stories and activities to do at home.
County Council votes on creating Municipal Planning
Commission
by Dana McArthur
Jan 30, 2023 issue: Yellowhead County Council gave third reading to
the Municipal Planning Commission (MPC) Bylaw 23.22 during their
January 24 meeting.
A Municipal Planning Commission offers the municipality another
option for facilitating development requests for unique or
contentious development proposals. This approach allows for
increased public engagement during the development approval process.
Shortly after the adoption of Land Use Bylaw 09.21 it became
evident, according to County Administration, that due to the
spectrum of developments which could be approved under some uses,
there was not the certainty of outcome in permitting processes which
residents had become accustomed to.
Standard practice has been that Administration (as Development
Authority) makes the decision on Development Permit applications,
with unique or contentious development proposals coming before
County Council.
Some residents have requested a change to the current process for
the more unique and/or contentious development proposals that are
applied for. Creating a MPC and populating this commission with
elected officials is one method to address this matter.
Creating a MPC has been discussed at previous Governance and
Priorities Committee meetings and the bylaw underwent several draft
revisions. First and second readings of the bylaw were passed at the
January 10 Council meeting.
During the January 24 Council meeting, Councillor Shawn Berry made
the motion to give third reading to Bylaw 23.22.
Councillor Brigitte Lemieux said, "It's my position that creating an
MPC is simply [adding] another layer of bureaucracy with very little
gain. Therefore I will not be supporting this motion."
Councillor David Russell said, "While I echo Councillor Lemieux's
sentiments on this, it's become apparent that the majority of
Council supports trying out a Municipal Planning Commission, so I
think we need to move ahead."
Mayor Wade Williams said, "We have heard a lot from the residents
and I feel that by passing this it gives them another layer to bring
their concerns to, prior to some of these decisions being made for
rezoning. For those reasons I would support this."
Council then passed third reading for Bylaw 23.22. Council also
passed a motion to appoint Councillor Soroka, Councillor Giezen,
Councillor Lowe, Councillor Mitchell and Councillor Groat as members
of the Yellowhead County Municipal Planning Commission.
Questions raised regarding hot tub leak at Leisure Centre
Hot tub to remain out of service; focus centered on YCE Multiplex
construction
by Niki Luymes
Jan. 23, 2023 issue: On January 17, Edson's Town Council voted
on whether to direct Administration to proceed with an additional
investigation into the ongoing leak of the hot tub at the Edson and
District Leisure Centre. The presentation on the matter was made by
General Manager of Community and Protective Services Bob Beck, and
Recreation Manager Krysta Hawboldt.
During the assessment of the facility in fall of 2022, leakage from
the existing hot tub was confirmed on the exterior of the building
and in the basement of the facility.
Council was shown the water issue during a facility tour in 2022. It
was noted that this was a longstanding issue that has been worked on
multiple times with no resolution, prior to the 2022 assessment.
With the Town and County actively pursuing redevelopment of the
Leisure Centre, including construction of a new aquatic facility,
questions have been raised regarding shutting down the existing hot
tub for the foreseeable future of the current facility. The closure
of the hot tub would be a significant loss of amenities for facility
users.
The architectural and engineering team working on the YCE Multiplex
project have recommended against reopening the hot tub until the
cause of the leakage is determined and it is confirmed that the
subsurface conditions in and around the hot tub pose no hazards. In
particular, the engineer and contractor raised concerns that there
may be potential voids in the ground caused by the long-term leak of
water from the hot tub.
Given the costs involved in exploring and implementing interim
solutions, it is unclear the extent to which staffing and financial
resources should be invested in solutions.
The preliminary estimate for the engineering/consulting work to
investigate the hot tub matter is approximately $50,000. The Town
office states that the costs of actual repair or temporary solutions
are hard to predict without the engineering study, however, one
community in Alberta is currently planning to replace their hot tub
at a cost of approximately $450,000. This is also a cost-shared
facility with Yellowhead County.
Although the County is aware of the issue, they have not yet been
formally consulted on the matter of conducting additional
investigations.
After further consultation with the design team, it is now
recommended by Town Administration not to pursue further
investigation. Instead, the focus and resources should be put
towards development of the new YCE Multiplex project. The
uncertainty surrounding further investigative work would mean such
efforts could potentially go to waste if no viable or cost effective
solution can be found.
Councillor Greg Pasychny stated, “I definitely do not support
spending money on that hot tub.”
Councillor Krystal Baier agreed with Councillor Pasychny, but also
asked if there was a possibility of putting a portable hot tub in
for temporary use. “I’ve seen hotels put Arctic Spa hot tubs in as
their hotel hot tub. Is there any possibility that something like
that could fit in the pool or aquatic centre at all?”
Beck answered that they would need to talk it over, however, “There
are some code issues we might have, so it might not be so simple.”
Beck added that the cost of installing something like that may not
be worth it, considering how long it would be in use. “It could be
quite costly for us to do it. I know it sounds simple, but nothing
is simple for government.”
Councillor Peter Taylor stated that as a user of the pool he
understood the desire to get the hot tub up and running, but he had
no desire to sink money into the situation. “My only concern is if
there's any damage, like underneath or in the ground, that may cause
issues with future construction.”
“[The architectural and engineering team] didn’t seem concerned with
that,” answered Beck, “They’re anticipating that we’re demolishing
that entire pool. So, I don’t think they’re concerned about that."
Councillor Taylor added, “I guess the challenge is now, that we have
a significant portion of that facility that is unavailable. I hate
to think about reducing fees or something like that, but we are
asking people to pay the same amount that they would when they had a
hot tub."
Beck responded, "It is a significant loss of amenity and we’re
hearing from people that it is a beloved part of the pool, and
people are missing it."
Chief Administrative Officer Christine Beveridge added that
Administration would require a motion to further investigate the
options, be it fee reduction or otherwise."
Councillor Pasychny added, “I understand that it’s a loss, but at
this time we need to focus on the new facility and get shovels in
the ground so we can get this thing built."
Councillor Trevor Bevan said that he agrees with Councillor
Pasychny. “I wouldn’t support lowering any fees, because there’s
only a handful of people using it.” He also added that he
wouldn’t support the temporary hot tub idea because if the cement
does not support it, it would only lead to more issues.
Mayor Kevin Zahara concluded the discussion by saying that when he
saw this item on the agenda he felt just like the rest of council.
“It’s up to $50,000 and what comes after the $50,000? We've got a 40
year old building and all of a sudden you do something and something
else breaks. It’s unfortunate. I know people are very disappointed.
But I think it speaks to why we are building a new facility, and why
the urgency to get shovels in the ground this year.”
Following the report, Council voted against the motion to proceed
with additional investigation into the hot tub issues. Resources
will instead be focused on the development of the new facility.
“We understand that the hot tub is a popular feature for facility
users, but, considering all of the information, Council felt it
wouldn’t be fiscally prudent to move forward with putting any more
resources towards this issue. I know this isn’t the news anyone
wants to hear, but our focus needs to be on the new facility which
will hopefully break ground later this year,” Edson Mayor Kevin
Zahara stated later in a release.
Administration will continue to review programming to ensure quality
and value for patrons of the facility until the new multi-plex is
constructed.
YCE Multi-plex revised grant moves ahead
by Dana McArthur
Jan 16, 2023 issue: Both Town of Edson and Yellowhead County
councils approved excluding the Multi-plex facility gymnasium from
the grant tendering process. If included in the revised grant
application, there would be no option of eliminating this program
area if tenders came in significantly over budget. Projections
suggest it could exceed $70M.
The grant being applied for is based on a construction cost of $50M.
The grant funding being applied for is $20M.
A revised grant application was needed with the switch to the new
plan of transforming the Leisure Centre into the new Multi-plex
facility.
Both councils agreed the gymnasium will continue to be included in
the project scope of work and tendering process, as will the costing
of a second arena.
"Our intent is still to build the gymnasium and to include it in the
scope of work and the tendering process, but just exclude it from
the grant application," said County CAO Luc Mercier, during
Yellowhead County's Council meeting on January 10.
The two municipalities jointly submitted a draft amended grant
application to Government of Alberta ICIP representatives, with the
preferred concept design and project costing, for review and
feedback.
The representatives recommended the removal of the gymnasium
component of the application, as the current costing projections
exceed the $70 million budget. By including this component, both
municipalities would have been obliged to include the gymnasium in
the final project regardless of tender results, and would therefore
not have the option of eliminating this program area if tenders came
in significantly over budget.
On January 10, both Councils voted to approve the joint submission
of the cost-effective concept design amended grant application to
the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program without the gymnasium
program area, and further, that Councils direct their respective
Administrations to include the gymnasium in the overall project
scope and for design and tendering purposes.
It will likely take 3 to 4 months to receive a response back on the
revised application.
Bill C-21 amendments could impact rural farmers, hunters
Jan 9, 2023 issue: by Lacie Nairn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Liberal federal government brought forward several proposed
amendments to its gun control legislation, Bill C-21, in late
November which could potentially lead to many rifles and shotguns
commonly used for hunting prohibited.
One major change in the proposed amendments would add a definition
for “assault-style” firearms, which is currently not defined in
Canadian law, and would also include a clause to ban any long gun
capable of accepting a detachable magazine able to hold more than
five rounds of ammunition.
“Bill C-21 is deeply problematic in and of itself,” said Battle
River-Crowfoot MP Damien Kurek.
He adds there were significant problems with the bill, even before
the proposed amendments were “dropped on the table in the eleventh
hour,” and says the proposed amendments are a “backhanded,
undemocratic approach” by the Liberal government.
“A bunch of firearms meant for hunting and farmers to protect their
property, and sports shooters-these are important activities; for
hunters and farmers, it's integral to their livelihoods,” stated
Alberta's Minister of Justice Tyler Shandro during a virtual
roundtable with rural media on Friday, December 9.
Bill C-21 was initially meant to ban handguns in a bid to reduce
violent gun crime, but critics say the proposed changes are a
significant departure from the original intention.
Both Minister Shandro and MP Kurek share concerns the federal
Liberal government is using the image of “scary-looking” firearms to
take them out of the hands of legal gun owners in Canada.
Conservatives are not the only ones with concerns around the
proposed amendments to Bill C-21, either.
The amendments are also facing opposition from NDP and Liberal MPs,
and the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) also publicly stated it
could not support the bill as it is currently presented due to the
impact it would have on Indigenous hunters and communities, many of
whom currently use firearms on the proposed banned list.
Minister Shandro noted the Liberal government was previously
accused they would use Bill C-21 to “eventually go after hunters and
sportsmen,” and says this is exactly what is being proposed with the
amendments to the bill.
MP Kurek acknowledges there is a rise in violent crimes and gun
violence in the country, but says the proposed amendments do not
address the real problem; he adds, in most cases, guns used in
violent crimes are often illegally obtained through means such as
cross border smuggling.
He also expressed concerns over “softened penalties” and reduced
mandatory minimums for some firearms offenses outlined in Bill C-5,
which received royal assent in November.
Minister Shandro shares similar sentiments, noting the fact Canada
does not currently track illegal gun crime-an issue he says he has
brought up to federal Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino.
He worries the proposed changes are not focused on safety, but
rather on politics and targeting law-abiding Canadians.
(Drumheller Mail Dec. 14, 2022)
Weekly Anchor Editor's update: Minister Shandro has sent a letter to
the federal minister of justice informing him that Alberta will be
taking back constitutional jurisdiction for charges related to the
federal Firearms Act. According to Shandro, provinces have
constitutional authority to handle Criminal Code matters, including
charges related to the Firearms Act.
Walk-in Clinic opens at Shoppers Drug Mart
by Niki Luymes
Dec 26, 2022 issue: On Friday, December 16 the Town of Edson became
home to one of the first ever Shoppers Drug Mart Pharmacist lead
Walk-in Clinics. The clinic is only the forth of its kind in the
province. The first three locations opened in Lethbridge, Fort
Saskatchewan, and Brooks over the course of the last year.
“I'm just incredibly excited about it,” said Callen James Kenyon,
local Shoppers Drug Mart Clinical Pharmacist and Associate owner of
the Edson location. Kenyon has been living in Edson for the past 7
months and it very excited for this opportunity. “Obviously it's a
huge initiative, it's one of the first of its kind nationwide. So
I'm incredibly grateful to have the opportunity in Edson, a
community that I think could really benefit from it.”
The official ribbon cutting for the Edson location happened on
December 16, with the clinic fully opening to the public on Saturday
the 17th. The new clinic features two top of the line
examination rooms, within close proximity to the pharmacy. Both
Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara, MLA for West Yellowhead Martin Long, and
Todd Small, VP Operations at Shoppers Drug Mart, as well as others
from Shoppers Drug Mart & Loblaws corporate offices were present for
the ribbon cutting ceremony.
“I think it's fantastic,” said Mayor Zahara. “It's really going to
enhance the health services in our community. I think one of the
great things too is that you don't need to be a Shoppers customer to
come down here and utilize the services. It's open to the community
as a whole.”
“It's a great way for this clinic, and pharmacists, to get the word
out about just how broad their scope of practice is,” said MLA Long.
The Province of Alberta is the only province that allows for
Pharmacists to fully utilize their training in this way. A Clinical
Pharmacist is able to help with minor injuries and/or illness,
prescription refills, travel health, vaccinations, lab testing, and
chronic pain management.
The hope is that clinics like this will alleviate some of the
pressure put on the Alberta healthcare system, and specifically
local medical clinics. “We know that access to the primary
heath care services have been an issue across the country for
sometime, and over the past few years as we dealt with COVID it has
gotten worse and worse,” said Todd Small, VP Operations at Shoppers
Drug Mart. “We're ready to do our part and really help close
the gap that's there in the public healthcare system.”
The Shoppers walk-in clinic will be operating 6 days a week, Monday
through Saturday, 10am to 6 pm. The walk-in clinic will not affect
the day to day workings of the current pharmacy or the store itself,
both of which will still be open their usual hours.
YCE Multi-Plex Centre preferred concept approved
by Niki Luymes
Dec 19, 2022 issue:
The YCE Multi-Plex Centre preferred concept was under discussion at
the Town of Edson Council Meeting the evening of December 13.
Since September 2022, the YCE Multi-Plex Steering Committee has been
working on design concepts for the Leisure Centre which involve both
new construction and renovation to achieve the service level desired
by the Town and County.
Upon completion of the Edson & District Leisure Centre facility
condition assessment in September, it was reported that this
facility was deemed suitable for re-use and could support continued
utilization for another 50 years.
The project architects, Dialog Architecture and Engineering, have
developed two design concepts: the Cost-Effective Option” and the
“Minimum Disruption Option.”
The Cost-Effective Option proposes a new aquatic centre and one new
NHL-sized rink/arena. This would involve the demolition of the
existing aquatic centre. Centennial Arena would be renovated for ice
sports (hockey, ringette, etc.), and Memorial Arena would be
renovated for curling.
The Minimum Disruption Option proposes a new aquatic centre and two
new NHL-sized rinks. This would involve demolition of the existing
aquatic centre. Centennial Arena would be renovated for
gym/fieldhouse purposes and Memorial Arena would be renovated for
curling.
Based on construction estimates, the Cost-Effective Option will be
within the project budget, but the Minimum Disruption Option would
exceed it. Ether renovation option would be completed during the
Centre’s off season to allow users to access the facilities as long
as possible.
This recommendation is within the overall project budget of $70
million. $20 million in capital funding has been included in the
2023 Budget. It is hoped that further efficiencies may be found
during the design and procurement stage which may allow for
additional amenities or a modified design to be considered while
remaining within the overall budget.
Councillor Greg Pasychny made the motion, "That Council approve the
Cost-Effective concept design option. This design includes a new
aquatics centre and one new ice surface, the conversion of Memorial
Arena to a curling rink facility, upgrading the existing Centennial
Arena, and allowing for the addition of a new gym space and walking
track on the front of the existing structure for the purposes of the
ICIP grant application."
“I’m very please to share this update today, we’ve been working very
had to reach this stage in this process,” said CAO Christine
Beveridge.
Mayor Kevin Zahara stated, “This latest design is fiscally
responsible, responsive to the region’s needs, and very exciting. We
are making use of what we already have and building new facilities
within our original budget. Edson is very excited to see this move
forward.”
A vote was then taken for the first motion and it was carried
unanimously. The motion was then made that Council direct
Administration to further investigate costing options for a second
ice arena, which was also carried.
During the morning of December 13, after a closed meeting on the
subject, Yellowhead County Council also unanimously voted in favour
of the Cost-Effective concept.
“I’m excited by the new concept and look forward to the next phase
of the project. This new design is a great reuse of the existing
facility while also building new components to better serve the
region,” stated Yellowhead County Mayor Wade Williams.
The next step in the process will be the submission of the amended
ICEP grant application to the Federal Government. “We
anticipate the time line to be about 6 months,” said CAO
Beveridge.
The Town of Edson and Yellowhead County continue to pursue the
Federal and Provincial grants needed to make this concept a reality,
and to further develop the concept to allow the municipalities to
secure a builder in the spring of 2023.
Town joins effort to improve regional rail service
by Niki Luymes
Dec. 12, 2022 issue: During the Edson Town Council meeting on
December 6, Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA)
representatives Brock Mulligan, Senior Vice President and Natalie
Peace, General Manager of Weyerhaeuser raised concerns regarding the
impact of diminished rail capacity.
In response to an increased number of circumstances whereby the rail
system, owned by Canadian Pacific and Canadian National, has been
unreliable or failed to meet service obligations, the AFPA states,
it is approaching affected municipalities to highlight the issue and
lobby all levels of government for support.
The group contends that, "poor railway service is having a negative
impact on communities throughout rural Alberta. Our most important
industries, including energy, agriculture, and forestry, are
suffering from unreliable service. This undermines competitiveness,
tarnishes our reputation as a reliable supplier, and harms local
jobs. While Canada's railway duopoly continues to make record
profits, they are failing to invest those profits back into the
people and infrastructure to fulfill their service obligations."
Rail capacity issues can have a direct and adverse effect on Edson's
economy
Together with local municipal partners, AFPA's plan is to lobby at
the federal and provincial levels, and with railways themselves, for
better service. "We are seeking both advocacy and financial
support from our municipal partners to execute the strategy and
stand up for our communities and industries."
Led by Mayor Jackie Clayton of Grande Prairie, the coalition seeks
to include a diverse group of representatives from municipalities
and industry. Already 8 different communities have agreed to be a
part of the delegation. This number includes towns such as,
Whitecourt, High Level, and Slave Lake, and counties such as
Northern Lights County and Northern Sunrise County. Mayor Zahara has
been working with representatives from other municipalities and
industry to discuss railway service in Alberta over the past few
weeks.
The AFPA asked the Town for $2000 towards the coalition for the
implementation of the advocacy plan compiled by Canadian Strategy
Group. The budget from CSG to execute the strategy is $35,000 over 4
months. Potential travel expenses for participation in a delegation
to Ottawa is estimated at approximately $1,300 (assuming two nights
accommodation).
Councillor Ed Moore began the open discussion by asking, “How
long has this problem been around and what do you think are some
solutions to it?”
Peace answered by saying that the issues are usually seasonal,
happening more often in the winter and that they have existed since
she came to Edson in 2018. “As for solutions, I think we really need
to lobby and work with the rail services and make sure they
understand our needs. And then, how do we prioritize the forestry
sector when they're planning and reach out to them for solutions as
well.”
“It's a problem every winter,” said Mulligan, also in answer to the
question. “One of our asks for railway is going to be that they need
to figure out how to deal with this because it's not like winter is
a surprise phenomena. The service is consistently poor during those
months. So this is a big part of the ask —for them to make the
proper investment in people and infrastructure to make sure the
service is delivered in the months we need it the most.”
“You mentioned eight communities that signed on in favour. Have any
communities not, or been hesitant, or haven't gotten back to you?”
asked Councillor Peter Taylor.
“There are a handful of communities that we don't have confirmation
from,'' answered Mulligan. While no specific names
were given, the call went out to most of northern Alberta and they
are waiting for all responses.
“Regarding lobbying the federal government,” said Councillor Krystal
Baier, "have you had any successes with them so far?”
“Our conversation as AFPA with the federal government are in their
early stages,” replied Mulligan. “We're planning, as part of this
lobbying effort, to have more in-depth conversations. The
recommendations are there, and now it's time to put some resources
and actions in place to help them stick.”
Mulligan and Peace ending the open question time by thanking Mayor
Zahara and the Council for being supporters of the process.
“That support means a lot to people all over our industry,” said
Mulligan.
Following the presentation council put forward three different
motions relating to the matter presented.
First, that Council contributes $2000 to the Alberta Railway
Advocacy Coalition. That Council appoint Mayor Kevin Zahara to the
Alberta Railway Advocacy Coalition. And that Council approve Mayor
Kevin Zahara's participation, along with associated expenses, in an
Alberta Railway Advocacy Coalition delegation to meet with
government officials in Ottawa to further the Coalition's advocacy
efforts, if required.
Councillor Gean Chouinard asked, “Since this is federally funded,
with CN, have we brought this to the attention of our local MP?”
Mayor Zahara replied by saying that doing so is a part of the whole
strategy.
All three motions were then carried unanimously by council.
During the discussion on the first of the three motions Councillor
Baier presented the idea that the issue should also be presented to
Alberta Municipalities. “Maybe this is something they could
advocate for us as well.” The idea was supported by the rest
of council. This led to the creation of a motion that council direct
administration to bring back a draft resolution for Alberta Railway
Advocacy Coalition to be considered at the 2023 association
convention. This motion was also carried unanimously.
Shop local this season
Editorial by Dana McArthur.
Dec 5, 2022 issue: With the holiday season upon us, it's time to
contemplate what shopping local means to a community. There are a
whole lot of reasons why this makes good sense.
One of the biggest factors is that for every dollar spent locally,
more than half goes back into the community to support local
charities, programs, and the local economy.
The small business sector is also a major contributor to local
employment and quality of life in the communities they serve. The
donations small businesses make to local charities and non-profit
groups are often the lifeblood of these organizations.
Newspapers also play a defining role, with local journalism that not
only covers our municipal governments, but highlights the efforts,
struggles, and successes of our local community groups.
The problem is that local shopping and the local advertising dollars
are being continually sucked up by massive foreign corporations like
Amazon, Facebook, and Google. Even our locally generated journalism
is usurped without payment by these social 'media' giants to feed
their bottom line.
The irony for newspapers is that we have more readers than ever
before —and more ways than ever to reach them. More than eight out
of 10 Canadians read community newspapers every week, according to
the latest research from News Media Canada and government.
So, before you shop online check out this video on shopping local in
Edson available on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4u6r_W-PKA
Please remember that Google, Amazon, or Facebook are not going to
donate to your local non-profit group or add to local employment
—nor will they be spending money to send a journalist to our local
council chambers or write local stories that benefit the whole
community.
Simply put, a community cannot prosper and grow without the support
of local purchasing.
By making deliberate choices to shop local, and read local, you are
not only helping to support local jobs and the tax dollars those
businesses and their employers generate —you are also helping to
support local journalism.
Shopping local matters —and local journalism matters— now more than
ever!
Off-highway vehicle use broadened in County
by Dana McArthur
Nov 28, 2022 issue: Off Highway Vehicle Bylaw 18-22 was discussed
during the Nov. 22 Yellowhead County Council meeting.
The bylaw regulates the operation and use of off-highway vehicles on
highways under the jurisdiction of Yellowhead County. The current
bylaw only allowed OHV use on routes from a property to a trailhead.
After the draft bylaw was presented to Council at a previous GPC
meeting, Administration was instructed to bring the bylaw back for
debate and approval at a regular Council meeting.
"The current bylaw was passed in 2012 and was written based on
current usage of the day and Traffic Safety Act within Alberta,"
said Albert Bahri, General Manager of Protective Services. "The
current bylaw was forwarded to Reynolds Mirth Richards & Farmer LLP
for their review. There were several changes recommended in this
review."
Administration also reviewed the current bylaw in its entirety.
Statistics were also reviewed to determine any major enforcement
issues that were encountered with the current bylaw. No major issues
were found.
"It was clear in the research that OHV use in hamlets and county
roads is done in a very responsible manner. The one major issue in
hamlets is that the current bylaw only allows travel from a
residence to a trailhead. It doesn't allow for operation throughout
the hamlet for extended periods or on a regular basis. This means
that there are daily violations of the bylaw," said Bahri.
The changes in the new bylaw will allow operation of off-highway
vehicles in hamlets and county roadways on a regular basis, but in a
safe and controlled manor to include proper operation in county
ditches. Not just to go from a property to a trailhead.
"The changes have been reviewed for their enforceability and do not
pose any challenges to the Traffic Safety Act," said Bahri.
Mayor Wade Williams said, "I think this is a very good plan moving
forward. I think we will get really good support from residents in
the hamlets."
Councillor Shawn Berry asked, "Are we actually promoting the use of
county ditches for off-highway vehicles? I thought we were promoting
on road, licensed and insured." Bahri responded, "We are
recommending they drive on the road when possible. There may be
times when they need to use the ditch, but they have to operates
properly in the ditches and not ripping it up —we have regulated
that."
Council passed all three readings of the bylaw, bringing it into
effect.
Community Care Foundation fundraising for additional cataract suite
equipment
by Dana McArthur
Nov. 21, 2022 issue: During Yellowhead County's Governance and
Priorities meeting on November 15, the Community Care Foundation of
Edson & District requested support for the Ophthalmology Program at
the Edson hospital. The presentation was made by their president,
Ruth Martin-Williams.
Martin-Williams advocated for the need of addition equipment for the
cataract surgery suite at the Edson hospital. This would
enable patients to have their pre-operative assessment in Edson.
Currently patients must travel to Sherwood Park, she stated.
"Everybody had to go to Edmonton for [cataract] surgery and it
increased the wait time for many surgeries up to two, three years.
With cataract surgery now in Edson we are able to do it in about two
and a half weeks." Over 560 people have had surgery at the new
clinic since 2021.
"What we don't have for cataract surgery or any other additional
special surgeries at any of the hospitals in the province is
equipment, and that's where Community Care Foundations come in," she
stated. Unlike AHS, Community Care Foundations are able to issue tax
receipts for donations.
"Rather than having to drive to Sherwood Park to have the assessment
done," where wait times are up to 3 hours, "we want to have these
assessments done in Edson," said Martin-Williams.
She stated that the surgeon is prepared to complete the
pre-operative assessment in Edson, but requires the following
equipment: an IOL master and a macular OCT machine, totalling
approximately $150,000. Martin-Williams requested the financial
support of the County.
The cataract surgery suite's catchment area extends to all of
Yellowhead County, west to McBride in BC, and north past Grande
Cache. Martin-Williams stated they will also be asking the other
communities for donations.
Mayor Wade Williams thanked Martin-Williams for the presentation.
Council passed a motion to request Administration to return the
request to a future council meeting for deliberation.
Municipal government register as lobbyists?
Editorial/Comment by Dana McArthur
United Conservative Party members want all municipal politicians and
staff to register as lobbyists if they have any dealings with
provincial officials.
At the UCP's annual convention on October 20, party members voted in
favour of a resolution to require municipal representatives to
register as lobbyists if they're in touch with the provincial
government.
This means Mayors, Town and County CAO's, and staff would be
required to register as lobbyists. Then, before speaking to any
elected official like an MLA or a provincial civil servant, they
would need to indicate who will be doing the lobbying, what
ministries they will be contacting, and what topics they will
communicating about.
By definition, the current Act states municipal civil servants are
not lobbyists. "A member of a council or other statutory body
charged with the administration of the civic or municipal affairs of
a municipality, or an individual on their staff" —are not lobbyists.
Now, UCP resolutions are not bills, and bills are not legislation
—but each can be very short stepping stones to laws. And this new
stone is particularly concerning for local government.
Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara said, "Such a move would create further
divisions between levels of government at a time when we need to be
working together."
"Elected officials should be able to talk to each other without
layers of bureaucracy in the way. Lobbying legislation is in place
for those who are trying to get contracts or funding/legislation
changes for private interests. We are elected by people and
represent our constituents, not private business interests," Mayor
Zahara stated. "What is going to be next? Residents have to register
to speak with their elected representatives?"
The UCP resolution seems to apply a ponderous red-tape solution,
without a problem. "It [municipalities] should require to be held to
the highest standards of accountability and transparency in all
areas of their activities/operations and exercise of their judgment
and authority…"
As a journalist, editor, and publisher I have been covering
municipal council meetings for over 30 years. And in my experience,
municipal councils (albeit not perfect) are extraordinarily better
at accountability and transparency than their provincial
counterparts —and far better at responding to journalist inquires.
A peculiar example of this is an unprecedented email we received
last week from Premier Danielle Smith's office asking about removing
The Weekly Anchor as a listed "publication interested in media
opportunities engaging with the Premier and Cabinet Ministers for
your articles and stories". We can not fathom why a Premier's office
would ask about closing down communications with any rural Alberta
newspaper, particularly one with our substantial readership. Of
course we asked to remain on the list!
"Municipalities are the creation of the province through
legislation. To have legislation in place restricting access to
municipal representatives makes zero sense and would only create a
further narrative that the government is not interested in working
with municipalities. Our communities are stronger when we work
together," concluded Mayor Zahara.
The Evansburg Legion: Then and Now
by Shaylyn Thornton
Nov 7, 2022 issue: The Evansburg Legion Branch No. 196 has been an important part of
our local communities since they were granted their charter in 1946.
Branch No. 196 had 12 founding members who started off meeting in a
small room in the top of a red house, as they had no Legion building
for the first three years. After the local community hall burned
down, Branch No. 196 collaborated with Evansburg community groups to
help rebuild the hall as “The Royal Canadian Legion Community Hall.”
While part of the rebuild was covered by insurance, much of the
funds came from money raised by the Legion. The hall reopened to the
public in 1949. Since that time, the hall has gone through several
expansions, adding wings on each side and digging out the basement.
Legion membership has also grown considerably over the years.
Currently, there are just under 200 members, although pre-COVID they
saw numbers as high as 350.
Past President Floyd Fausak noted that about 75% of members are
locals from the Evansburg, Entwistle, and Drayton Valley areas,
however they still have long-time Legion members who keep up their
membership despite having moved away.
Fausak said that he has been a member for about 15 years now, and a
board member since 2013. "We're a pretty proud group, and our main
goal is to be of service to veterans and veteran's families," he
said.
Fausak became involved with the Legion through his father, who was a
World War II veteran. He said that there were many soldiers from the
Evansburg area, both male and female, who went off to fight in WWII.
Fausak estimated the number to be around 250 people who went off to
fight for our freedoms during the second world war, based on photos
and records he was able to find. Afterwards, many WWII veterans
continued to make the Evansburg area home.
The Evansburg Legion also has a cenotaph, which is erected near The
Royal Canadian Legion Community Hall. The cenotaph represents all
veterans lost in any war or in peacetime.
One important aspect of any Legion is its dedication to the
community. The Evansburg Legion has been a great example of this
throughout the years, donating to and helping many organizations,
both local and outside the community.
Hockey, dance, seniors' groups, and Camp He Ho Ha are just a few of
the beneficiaries of the Evansburg Legion. Fausak noted that, in the
“glory years with lots of volunteers” there were “10s of thousands
of dollars given away every year.” While donating to that extent is
not currently possible, Branch No. 196 continues to find ways to
help when they can.
One way the Evansburg Legion has continued to give back is through
their purchase and operation of the Evansburg Lodge. Out of 22
residents, 4 are veterans. The Evansburg Lodge is run by volunteer
board members.
The community hall is also benefited by “dedicated volunteers” who
“work very hard” on everything from events to facility maintenance.
With “massive utility bills,” these volunteers make such a
difference in the continued operation of the building.
You can also help support your local Legions by taking part in
events, visiting their establishments, or buying a membership. The
Evansburg Legion holds several events that you can support,
including weekly meat draws, holiday-related events and, of course,
their yearly Remembrance Day celebration.
Fausak noted that the Evansburg Legion's celebration is
“traditionally one of the largest” in the local areas, often seeing
approximately 250-300 people. During COVID, only a cenotaph ceremony
could be had, but this year the group is able to do a full service,
parade, and wreath-laying. After the ceremony, the Lounge will be
open, and the band Flat Broke will also be providing some live
entertainment later in the day.
Everyone is welcome to attend, no membership is required. You can
find more information about this event and others on the Evansburg
Legion's social media.
Fausak also encouraged the public to support your local Legion,
wherever you're located. “We're all struggling right now,” he said.
“The main thing is to get out and support your Legion. The very
least we can do is be grateful for our freedom.”
Wild boars detected in Yellowhead County
by Dana McArthur
Oct 31, 2022 issue:
During the Yellowhead County Council meeting on Oct. 25,
Administration provided an update on wild boar in the county.
Wild Boars (Sus scrofa) are considered a pest when at large in
Alberta. Raising wild boars or starting a wild boar farm in
Yellowhead County is not allowed, as wild boars are prohibited
animals under Yellowhead County's Animal Control Bylaw and
Prohibited Animals Bylaw.
Wild boars can weigh over 150 kilograms (330 lbs) and stand about 1
meter (3.28 feet) at the shoulders. They are protected from cold
weather by a thick woolly undercoat. These highly adaptive animals
can travel more than 40 kilometres in a day. Their ability to
survive in almost any climate makes them among the most prolific and
invasive species in North America.
Wild boars usually live in the forest and emerge to devour crops,
contaminate water sources, and harass livestock. They also carry
diseases that can be transmitted to domestic pigs.
"In May 2022, Yellowhead County Council received an update on the
Wild Boar Bounty program, and as per the recommendation by
Administration, Council declined to continue participating in the
program," stated Jennifer Benson, County's Agricultural Services
Supervisor.
Since that time, Administration twice received reports of sightings
of wild boar within the County from Agriculture Forestry Rural and
Economic Development (AFRED).
"Information was not provided regarding whether these sightings have
resulted in damage to property and/or livestock, the report was
mainly to notify staff that wild boar are present," said Benson.
"Additionally, we have not heard from landowners regarding wild boar
impacting their property."
Staff will continue to remain in contact with provincial
representatives to stay informed on the status of the wild boar
population as well as any new initiatives or strategies that can be
implemented to address the concern.
"We are not getting a lot of sightings and because we don't have a
bounty program, we are not getting [boar] ears sent in. But it is of
the opinion of Administration that a problem does exist," said
Benson. "The two neighbouring municipalities to the north have a
significant problem. It's just a matter of time before those boar
encroach our borders."
Councillor Brigitte Lemieux said, "I read an article on eDNA testing
to monitor wild boar populations. Could you expand on that?"
Benson responded, "eDNA stands for Environmental DNA. What they do
is test water bodies in the area for wild boar DNA. What it allows
us to do, is know if its a single boar or a sounder [herd of wild
boar] in the area." Benson explained they do not have plans
currently to bring the technology to the county, but Administration
is talking with neighbouring municipalities regarding the costs and
benefits to residents.
Councillor David Russell said, "Wild boar are a problem and they
grow exponentially. Currently we are dealing with the viewpoint that
they are a recreational opportunity for hunting. This is an
erroneous viewpoint, because once the population grows to a certain
point, there is no stopping it. They will grow completely out of
control. The State of Texas estimates the impact on their
agricultural industry at $1.4 billion per year. We have an
opportunity to stop this 'infection' now and we need to continue
working on it."
Councillor Shawn Berry was not in favour of eDNA testing at this
time, "There are trappers out there who want to trap them for the
ears, and people who want to use them recreationally for hunting. So
it's a divisive topic at this time, and I am hoping for more clarity
on what we want to do in the future. It's hard making a decision
because we are not seeing them, we are not testing for them, and
people are arguing on the side of keeping them wild —and others want
to be farmers. It's still way too controversial at this time."
Councillor Russell pointed out that these are not "pink little
piggies" running around, "These are large nasty creatures. The first
human fatality has been recorded in the United States. These animals
will attack human beings without hesitation. The time to deal with
this is now."
Council for Yellowhead County voted to accept the wild boar update
as information.
Edson's 2023 Draft Operating Budget introduced
Oct 24, 2022 issue: Edson Town Council was introduced to the
draft 2023 Operating Budget on October 15.
During the budget consultation earlier in the year, residents
identified a desire for a service level increase for roads while
maintaining service levels in most other departments. The $30.5
million draft budget responds to these priorities by increasing the
budget for transportation through increased infrastructure funding
and snow removal. The budget also includes funds for casual staff to
assist with outdoor rinks, a sidewalk maintenance program, and a
proposed backflow prevention program.
The draft budget also includes the completion of the final phase of
the Covid Recovery Strategy ($295,000), which was implemented to
reduce taxation impacts through the pandemic, including a tax
reduction of 5% in 2020.
The Town of Edson faces numerous challenges with this budget due to
increased inflationary pressures, rising gas and electricity prices,
and a substantial mandatory increase in the policing contract. To
lessen the taxation impact, additional funds from the Revenue
Sharing Agreement with Yellowhead County have been allocated towards
the operating budget. Efforts have also been made to reduce spending
and increase revenues where possible.
The base budget accounts for 4.52% of the proposed increase, which
is comprised of mandatory items such as policing, inflationary
costs, compensation, and other obligations including 2.46% for COVID
recovery. The additional 3.19% is made up of improved service level
changes which were reviewed during the introductory budget meeting
with Council.
Council requested further information to provide costing for the
hiring of additional summer students to support the road program,
dust control on the Willmore Park access road, and the reinstatement
of the skating oval at Water Tower Park on an annual basis. The
operational effects and costs for these items will be brought back
to Council for further consideration.
When all of this is taken into consideration, the draft budget
proposes an approximate taxation increase of 7.71%. Each percent
represents approximately $120,000 in revenue.
The draft budget will be adjusted in the coming weeks before being
brought back to Council for deliberation.
The Town of Edson is committed to providing a high level of service
to meet the growing demands of our community, all while being
fiscally responsible and ensuring long-term sustainability.
Yellowhead Ag Society renovation receives County support
by Dana McArthur
Oct 17, 2022 issue: Crystal McNernie, Interim General Manager of
Community Services for Yellowhead County, updated council on the
Yellowhead Agricultural Society's request for funding for repairs
and abatement costs due to the discovery of mould in the riding
facility.
Repairs are estimated to cost approximately $456,226.75. The society
has confirmed financing for the project and is looking to start
repairs immediately.
"At the September 27th council meeting the society shared they were
no longer looking to pursue a new facility, but instead want to
extend the life of their current facility," said McNernie.
The Yellowhead Agricultural Society operates and maintains a 16,000
sq ft community indoor riding facility that offers a variety of
programs, workshops, and events to the public while also providing a
home base to other local clubs and service groups within the area.
To date, they have 346 members, 194 of which are Yellowhead County
residents.
Over the past number of years, the society has been pursuing the
construction of a new facility to better meet the needs of the
community. Yellowhead County had committed $500,000 in the 2022
capital budget to assist with this endeavor.
However, with rising costs, a new facility is no longer feasible and
the society is now pivoting its approach and looking to extend its
current facility's life.
The request to Yellowhead County is for a $100,000 commitment toward
the project, which, if approved, would go directly towards paying
back the financing loan.
"In the 2022 budget we do have $500,000 allocated towards the
society for a new facility. A portion of that money could be used to
fund this request and the remainder could be redirected to general
revenue," said McNernie.
Councillor Brigitte Lemieux said, "I think this facility is
extremely important to the region." Lemieux added that she would
support the request under two conditions: that the lender provide
County with written confirmation that the society has secured the
funding; and the society provides written confirmation that County
funds will only be used to offset the original loan principal.
Councillor Dawn Mitchell said, " I agree with Councillor Lemieux
that those two conditions should be part of the motion."
Mayor Wade Williams said, "I was very happy to see the Ag Society
decide to try and repurpose the existing building rather than
building something new at this time, because I am sure the costs
would have more that doubled." He added, "With the two
conditions Councillor Lemieux added, I think I can support this
motion and get them back up running. I think that would be good for
the residents that use this facility."
With the two added stipulations, council approve the funding request
from the Yellowhead Agricultural Society for $100,000 to complete
their facility repair and mold abatement project; and that the
remaining $400,000 originally allocated towards the Yellowhead
Agricultural Society's new facility project be moved from capital to
general revenue.
Memorial Wake and Reconciliation held in Edson
by Deanna Mitchener
Oct 10, 2022 issue: During the course of three days, starting on
September 29, the Edson Friendship Centre welcomed the community to
take part in a Memorial Wake and Reconciliation at the Lions Park in
Edson, as part of Canada's National Day for Truth and
Reconciliation.
A ceremonial fire that burned for 24 hours was a special part of the
event, and drummers from the Hinton area performed during the start
of the fire. Near to the fire was a tipi (tepee), which are
structures that retain culture significance and are constructed for
special functions. A couple of canopies were also set up for
Indigenous Elders.
The fire-keepers build, maintain, and keep watch over the fire for
24 hours so it’s never unattended. Fire is the element that requires
the utmost care and attention, since it can bring new life and take
life away.
Fire can devastate land during times of drought but can also provide
a natural cleansing of Mother Earth, Elder Jackie Whitford
explained.
When asked the reason behind the ceremonial fire, Renay Woelfing
said, “It is a memorial wake for all the children that are beginning
to be found. For the ones that have been found, the ones that are
still lost, our present children, and future generations.”
“The fire is also open to the community for their own prayers. Once
the fire is opened, all prayers are open to our creator. Anyone can
come to the fire, we will have tobacco pouches, which are tobacco
offerings that can be used,” Woelfing explained. “So they can pray
for their loved ones, as well as for anyone who may be sick or
struggling, and even for their ancestors that have gone on.”
Chad Dickson supplied all of the wood, providing enough for
the 24-hour ceremonial fire as well as for a fish demonstration and
for the making of Bannock.
September 30th began with a free community breakfast, where
everyone was welcome to attend and enjoy. This was followed by a
ceremonial smudging, prayer, and then the lighting of the fire. Out
of respect, those in attendance refrained from photography.
Everyone that attended was offered the opportunity to take part in
the ceremonial smudging, and the drums for the ceremony also were
smudged. ‘Smudging’ involves the burning of sacred herbs used for
ceremonies and rituals involving smoke.
Elder Jackie Whitford explained, “The smudging we did today was the
opening of calling all our ancestors and little ones down to join
us. The songs that were sung are a cleansing. It’s a prayer for all
the little ones to join us.”
Many individuals from all walks of life attended and took part in
this special ceremony, which is significant. “Everyone is invited,
it doesn’t matter who,” said Whitford.
The drummers, Bowdrie and Grayson Roan, sang while playing the drum.
Drums are considered sacred amongst Indigenous people and represent
the heartbeat of people, animals, and Mother Earth.
While it was hoped that a blanket exercise would be a part of the
event, it was cancelled as not enough people signed up. The blanket
exercise will likely be offered again soon.
Before heading into the Lions Park Hall for lunch, individuals took
part in a round dance. Regardless of background, the Round Dance is
a time when all members of the community can come together with
family and friends to join hands. Round Dance is a community
gathering of all people.
In Indigenous cultures, Elders are always given great respect as
they are looked upon as leaders, teachers, role models, mentors, and
healers. The Elders lead the way into the lunch.
The huge luncheon was offered to the community free of charge. There
was plenty of good food to enjoy over the course of the ceremonial
event. Between lunch, supper, and a breakfast before closing
remarks, everyone was sure to leave satisfied.
Elder Jackie Whitford explained the importance of the National Day
of Truth and Reconciliation. “It is a learning for everyone about
our culture. They need to know that we feel this still today. It is
still going on and continuing,” she said.
“So if we don’t start helping people to understand us and where we
come from, the racism will continue. It’s from all cultures, not
just one culture. If we don’t stop and take the time to learn about
each other, we are never going to understand each other,” Whitford
explained. “It’s not about the 'poor me, poor me' anymore, that’s
all gone.”
"It’s time we share our culture, not just ours, but everyone’s
culture. It is so important to learn and understand each other,”
Whitford continued. “I’ve learned so much from other cultures, it’s
amazing. We need to teach our children… Be proud of who you are and
not ashamed.” Whitford stressed the importance of education and
learning about not only your own culture, but the culture of those
around you.
The three-day event was filled by many stories being shared,
prayers, crafts, food, and new friendships being formed through
teachings, listening, and the encouragement of opening your heart
and mind to another’s culture.
County adds library renovation project funding request to 2030 budget deliberations
by Dana McArthur
Oct 3, 2022 issue: During the Yellowhead County Council meeting
on Sept 27, council discussed the Edson & District Public Library's
request for financial support to complete both an extension and
renovation to their current library facility.
The library board requested $538,000 in financial assistance from
the county for the project. Total project budget is estimated at
$2,875,243*.
At the September 20, 2022 Governance and Priorities Committee
meeting, members of the Edson & District Public Library (EDPL)
presented to Council their plans to undertake both an expansion of
their current library facility as well as interior renovations.
In a briefing to Council, GM Crystal McNernie with Yellowhead County
stated that the proposed project would achieve: a welcoming,
engaging design; increased capacity and functionality; accessible
and inclusive spaces; address safety and code compliance issues; and
dedicated children and teen spaces.
Timelines indicate that the project will be tendered in quarter one
of 2023, with construction beginning soon after. The library board
anticipate a total project length of 12-18 months, with the facility
being finished in its entirety by 2024.
To date, funding has been pursued through the library's own
fundraising and reserves, provincial and federal grants, as well as
through requests to both the Town of Edson and Yellowhead County
Councils.
Council voted to direct Administration to include the $538,000
request from the Edson & District Public Library for 2023 budget
consideration.
YCE Multi-Plex Centre Project Update
by Dana McArthur
Sept. 26, 2022 issue: The YCE Multi-Plex Centre steering committee
asked DIALOG Design to do a condition assessment report of the YCE
Multi-Plex Centre Project which has now been completed.
The draft report of the condition assessment and conceptual design
of the Multi-Plex has been received and a presentation to both
Administration and the YCE Steering Committee highlighting the
findings of the assessment took place on September 13, 2022.
Yelllowhead County council had the opportunity to discuss the report
during their Governance and Priorities meeting on Sept. 20.
GM Crystal McNernie stated, "What we found during the final report
is that overall the structures of these three buildings are sound
(Centennial Arena, Memorial Arena, and the Aquatics Centre) and can
continue to support utilization over the next 50 years."
"This is great news as we were all sort of holding our breath
waiting for this report to come in; great news for the potential of
that facility and options we can now pursue moving forward," added
McNernie.
Key findings from the report include that overall, the structures of
all three program areas (Centennial Arena, Memorial Arena, and the
Aquatics Centre) are sound and can support continued utilization
over the next 50 years.
Recommendations for the future use of these program areas were
focused on whether the space could be re-used in its current form,
re-purposed to accommodate another use, or should be replaced
entirely.
The next steps for the project will focus on developing strategies
in which the combination of new with renovated or repurposed
buildings can deliver all the desired program areas as outlined in
the statement of requirements, as set out by the planning committee.
This would include the development of concepts for consideration by
the Steering Committee, with a final concept being utilized to amend
the grant application for funding.
Councillor Shawn Berry pointed out that due to the overall condition
of the aquatic center, as laid out in the report, if it was better
to replace the pool facility. The report indicates that, while the
swimming pool facility is still safe for current use, it has many
deficiencies which must be rectified to extend its useful life and a
complete new build of a swimming pool facility is likely a more
logical option to consider.
McNernie responded, "The aquatic center is recommended for complete
replacement. The structure itself is sound. What we will be looking
at is what use could that space have? Could it become a fitness
center or a dry space? The aquatic center as you know it will not
exist in the new facility. We will be looking at a complete
replacement."
"Building a new aquatic center while keeping the old one functional
and then repurposing the space is very positive —22,000 people a
year use that facility," stated Berry.
Council accepted the YCE Multi-Plex Centre Project condition
assessment and conceptual design draft report for information.
Yellowhead County and Town of Edson Administration will continue
working with the architectural team to refine concepts to include
all the desired components of the original plan: two ice arenas, a
leisure and competition pool, a curling rink, a walking track and an
exercise area. The goal is to have a final concept forwarded to both
Councils for consideration before the end of 2022. -with
files
Jasper welcomes back visitors with end of fire threat
by Dana McArthur
Sept 19, 2022 issue: Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland stated, "We are
able and eager to safely welcome visitors back to the community."
Line transmission power has been restored for Jasper and the
Chetamon Mountain wildfire poses no risk to the town site or
surrounding communities. The town was switched to generators
due to transmission lines being taken out by the wildfire. Residents
were asked to conserve electricity amid intermittent outages.
The wildfire, which ignited September 1, was estimated to be around
6,000 hectares on Sept 14. About 100 firefighters and five
helicopters were working on the fire.
Despite dry conditions over the weekend, Parks Canada deputy
incident commander of the Chetamon Mountain wildfire, Landon
Shepherd stated they were able to keep the fire growth limited on
both the critical north and south ends of the fire.
Reservations for Whistlers Campground through the Parks Canada
system was to resume on September 20, with bookings available until
October 10. Parks Canada will be keeping all other front country
campgrounds closed for the season.
The back country reservation system will be reopening and all hiking
trails not within the zone where the wildfire is still burning are
open and have not been damaged.
During the Yellowhead County Council meeting on September 13,
General Manager of Protective Services Albert Bahri said, "When the
fire ignited we were able to watch that on our Aspen Heights camera.
So we watched it develop from Friday straight through the weekend.
That enabled us to do our planning to move equipment into place very
quickly."
County worked with the Agriculture and Forestry department and
Jasper Park on what the fire was doing, how it was moving and any
points of concern, said Bahri. County deployed structure protection
equipment including tanks in the Brule area for sprinkler
protection.
"There is 15 kms of distance from the fire to Yellowhead County; the
fire is very subdued. It did pose a hazard to surrounding
communities. It was moving very quickly and was out of control. That
threat is gone now," said Bahri.
Councillor Ken Groat, Division 8, Hinton Area/Cadomin/Robb stated,
"On behalf of the community I want to thank you and Protective
Services for bringing those tanks. People are thankful for what the
County did."
Mayor Wade Williams also thanked Bahri for Protective Services'
proactive approach and a job well done.
Residents bring flooding concerns to Edson council
by Niki Luymes
Sept 12, 2022 issue: During the September 6 Town council meeting,
members of the community came to present concerns about reoccurring
flooding of their properties.
Multiple residents of the Tiffin area of Edson came to speak about
issues with the town sewer system that they believe are causing
basements to flood during substantial amount of rainfall.
It happened in July 2019 and again on June 28, 2022. The group was
represented by Melissa Weeteringen and Liane Richardson, who spoke
on their behalf.
Weeteringen began by giving a summary of her own experiences with
flooding. Both times the water came up from the floor drain.
The damage caused was upwards of $100,000 in 2019 and $90,000 in
2022. Despite the presence of backflow valves they stated the
water pressure coming up from the drains is significant. New
electronic backflow valves would cost around $18,000.
“Our main concern,” said Weeteringen, “is we just want to know
where, why, and how water is getting into the sewer system.”
Richardson added, “And why it cannot handle what’s coming in, in our
area”. They then asked if the town would be willing to help
out with the cost of new electronic backflow valves, as other
municipalities have done in the past.
“This isn’t a new problem in our community,” said Councillor Greg
Pasychny. “This it the third event. The first one, which was
the worst one, was in the early 2000s.” He continued to say
that steps have been taken by previous councils to mitigate the
issue. This includes legislation that prevents new builds from
having weeping tile that ties into the sewer system, which causes
the overflow. Older neighbourhoods like Tiffin are still connected
in the old way and so have those issues.
Weeteringen responded that they know that town is aware. “We’re just
wondering if there’s anything that can be done to help prevent it
from happening again. [And] if the town is willing to work with us
to come up with a solution on what we can do on our end and what the
town can do on their end to make the problem go away.”
Mayor Zahara concluded, “We appreciate you taking the time here
today. We will refer this to Administration and hopefully follow up
with you in due course. And this will certainly be a discussion as
we talk about our upcoming budget.”
Edson BEST: Family Dance Party
by Niki Luymes
Sept 5, 2022 issue:
As we reach the end of summer, quite a few activities and weekly
events are coming to a close.
Among those events are the free family activities provided by the
Edson BEST (Bringing Empowered Students Together).
The program is 1 of 38 provincial Mental Health Capacity Building In
School Initiatives which help to build resiliency in all children,
youth and families for successful and healthy futures.
Throughout the summer months BEST has been providing drop-in events
of all kinds for people in Edson and Yellowhead County area.
Among the events that happened this summer was a Yoga and Journaling
mindfulness event August 23, an Art Club and multiple Pop-up in the
Park events across Yellowhead County. The final event of the summer
was a free Family Dance Party at the gazebo next to Parkland High
School on August 25 from 5 to 6pm.
Like most of their events, the Family Dance Party was done in
partnership with a local group. Professional dance teacher Amy
Wesolowsky with the Edson Dance Academy was teaching kids and
parents how to bust a move. Although there were small numbers at the
dance party, there were big smiles as kids danced along. There were
also snacks and cool drinks to enjoy during the breaks.
While the summer winds down, Edson BEST isn't done with their
programming. “We put on programming throughout the summer and
throughout the year to provide mental health programming, usually
free,” said Edson BEST coach Katerina Giovos. “We're sorry to see
the summer coming to a close, but excited for kids to enter back
into their school routine.”
Wildwood Ag Fair Fun Returns
by Niki Luymes
August 29, 2022 issue: The Wildwood Agricultural Grounds was
bustling with activity as crowds gathered for the Annual Wildwood
Agricultural Fair on August 19.
The fair started 8 am with a pancake breakfast and continued with
the parade at 11 am. This was followed by various fun activities
going until 4 pm.
The day closed with a supper at the Wildwood Legion at 6 pm.
The Wildwood Ag Fair features both judging competitions and fun
activities for all ages.
Various livestock, plants, and handicrafts were there for the
competition. Since this was the first fair in two years due to the
COVID restrictions, the number of competitors was lower than
previous years.
Despite that, there were many events going on throughout the day
including horse, beef, sheep, goat, poultry, and rabbit shows. The
handicrafts and produce bench show featured a wide variety of items.
The full schedule of events started at 1 pm with the jelly and
watermelon eating contests and basketball games. After that,
the fun continued with a greased pig chase and a catch the rooster
chase. The last of the scheduled activities was the nail
pounding and log sawing competition at 3 pm.
To go with the scheduled events were plenty of drop-in games and
activities. From the money pit dig to face painting, rock climbing,
axe throwing, and balloon animals there was no shortage of fun
things to do. There was also options for snacks and lunch,
plus live music from Singing Sawyer and Friends.
This is the 81st year for the annual fair, not counting the two year
break. Wildwood Agricultural Society President and Fair
Coordinator, Wilma Swinkels said, "It’s good to be back —but it was
nice to have the break." The Wildwood Fair will return again
in 2023. “So long as I have the volunteers we will keep going,” said
Swinkels.
Ice cream fun traveling across Yellowhead County
by Niki Luymes
August 22, 2022 issue: Ice cream fun is traveling across Yellowhead
County.
For each week in August and into September, Yellowhead County is
sending out free games and ice cream to different parks and
playgrounds across the county.
People of all ages are welcome to come out to enjoy the treats,
while also interacting with the community.
On August 15, the event landed in Peers at the Family Fun
Playground. For an hour from 3 pm till 4 pm, members of the
community were able to enjoy getting out and have some fun.
“The goal of events like this,” said Recreation Program Coordinator
with Yellowhead County Nicole Parven, “is to get people using the
county playgrounds and parks and help residents get to know one
another, socialize, and maybe make some new connections.”
The Peers event saw a good turnout with upwards of 30 to 40 people
making their way to the ice cream cooler on site.
To go with the cool treats, there were also multiple lawn games
available. Croquet and lawn golf proved especially popular.
The events are put together by the Yellowhead County Parks and Rec
Department. The first of these ice cream socials took place on
August 12 in Brule from 1 to 2 pm and had a turnout of close to 50
people.
Future locations include Robb on August 23 from 1-2 pm, Evansburg in
September on the 1 from 1-2 pm, Wildwood on September 1 from 3-4 pm,
and finally Marlboro on September 2 from 1-2 pm.
All Ice Cream Socials are weather dependant, so keep and eye on the
skies and the schedule to make it to the next one happening near
you.
Edson's school zones to share same speed/time limits as playgrounds
August 15, 2022 issue: Changes are underway to school and
playground zones in the Town of Edson.
A thorough review of all traffic zones identified many
inconsistencies and showed that most school zones contained
playgrounds and gathering spots that were used outside of normal
school hours. As such, Council made the decision that all school
zones will become playground zones in the Town of Edson.
In January of this year, Town Council also passed Bylaw 2273, which
set the new active times for playground zones in Edson. Playground
zones are now in effect from 7:30 am to 9:00 pm, 7 days a week,
year-round.
New signage is being posted over the next few weeks starting with
Phase 1 of three phases totalling 13 zones. Target completion date
of the three phases is set for mid-late fall.
These changes will update all former school zones to the new
playground zones as part of the harmonization project.
While signage is being erected, the focus will be on education on
the new hours and new zones, as opposed to enforcement. The goal is
to allow everyone time to adjust to the changes with enforcement
going into effect as the new school year commences.
Background
At their January 11th meeting, Council gave all three readings to
Bylaw 2273, amending the Edson Traffic Bylaw. The amendment
harmonizes all school and playground zones to playground zones only.
The CAO has been authorized to designate these zones and a review
was conducted to ensure the zones fit the current pedestrian traffic
patterns.
These adjustments come after a thorough review of all school and
playground zones in 2020/2021. During the review it became evident
that many zones were inconsistent and many school zones contained
playgrounds that were used more than just during school hours.
It’s hoped these changes will provide greater clarity and
consistency to drivers and increase safety in potential hazard areas
when school is not in session. This could include organized events
and general use of playgrounds and sports fields after school hours.
Safety is paramount, especially in the winter when the sun sets well
before 5:00 pm.
For more information on these changes, and maps of the zones being
updated, visit www.edson.ca/zones.
Peers Gold Dust Daze returns
by Niki Luymes
August 8, 2022 issue:
Summer 2022 has seen the return of many annual events. This past
weekend was the return of the ever popular Peers Gold Dust Daze.
From July 30 to August 1 people flocked to the McLeod Valley
Recreation Grounds to enjoy food, activities, and entertaining
events.
The weekend was full of things for the whole family, and despite
shifting weather, was consistently busy. While entrance to the
grounds is always free, some activities required tickets. The
official opening ceremonies were at noon on the 30th. Both
Yellowhead County Mayor Wade Williams and local MLA Martin Long were
there to show their support for the event.
The weekend had no shortage of activities. What started with a
parade through Peers downtown on Saturday at 10am, did not slow down
until the last of the slopitch games on Monday. There was
something for all ages to enjoy. For the kids there were
bouncy castles, gold panning, arts and crafts, kids tube races, and
a free Sunday night family dance. There was also weekend-long
camping available for any who wanted.
Each day of the event started with a pancake breakfast. There were
also lots of food trucks on hand offering both amazing meals and
great snacks for spectators. Some of the featured competitions were
a show and shine, horseshoe toss, mounted shooting, horse pull,
tubing races, and ranch events. Gold Dust Daze also runs a
weekend-long slopitch tournament that coincides with all the other
events. Saturday night ended with an 18-and-up dance with a live
concert by local country artist Tyler Babiuk.
This year was an amazing return to form for the annual event. Not
including the pause during COVID, the event has now been running for
44 years. Watch out for next year's event on the August long
weekend.
County hosts Bear Chase Triathlon
by Niki Luymes
August 1, 2022 issue: July 21 saw the return of the Bear Chase
Triathlon held at Bear Lake Park and Campground.
The Bear Chase Triathlon is a kids and family event that has been
running for close to five years with a pause in 2020.
This year's event had 104 racers in four different age categories.
The youngest group was the under-fives then the 6-7s, 8-9, and
finally the 10-11s.
All racers began with a short dash through the lake, continued with
one or two bike laps around the campground, depending on age, and
then either a half or full lap run to the finish. An 12-13 age
category had been offered in previous years, but was removed due to
lack of entries.
This year was unique as it was the first time that a prize was
offered for the top ranked racers. Stone RV in Whitecourt donated
both the main prize and multiple items for draws.
There was also a free barbecue run by Integra Tire/Advantage Towing.
They served up hamburgers for racers and their families from 4:00
till 7:30 pm. The event began at 5:30 pm with the first race
and the last one finishing about 7 pm.
Fun activities were also available into the evening.
The Bear Chase Triathlon was planned and staged by Yellowhead
County. “We wanted to feature Bear Lake as a great place to explore
in the county,” said Nicole Tarves, Recreation Program Coordinator
with Yellowhead County. “We really wanted to encourage
families being fit together. It's not about necessarily winning, but
just completing it, trying it, and everyone working together and
enjoying themselves.”
Summer Festival Returns to Edson
by Niki Luymes
July 25, 2022 issue:
Great weather and fun rides made for an amazing time at this year's
Edson Chamber of Commerce Summer Festival from July 13th to 15th.
Main street Edson was filled with rides, games of chance, local food
trucks, and local businesses offering great deals to all who came
by. Each day the festivities would begin at noon, and go into
the evening. Wednesday and Thursday ended around 9pm, with the
whole event coming to a close at 5pm on Friday.
“The Chamber's last summer festival was 2019, before COVID,” said
Chamber Manager Kathy Arndt. “Our numbers this year were
considerably up from 2019, which is absolutely awesome.”
This year was the first time that tickets and wrist bands were
available for preorder online. There were over 50 rides,
courtesy of West Coast Amusements.
Popular amongst festival goers was the new Speed ride that towered
over the town. Other classic rides available included the
Ferris Wheel, Carousel, and Bumper Cars. Overall, there was a
great mix of rides for dare devils and casual riders alike.
A big hit this year was all the local food trucks. From Mexican to
ice cream to the always popular elephant ears, there was more than
enough for attendees to choose from.
Shopping the main street sales was also a big draw this year.
“People were just happy to get out, get on Main Street, get some
good sales, have some rides and eat some carnival food,” said Arndt.