2013: Elk Point’s landmark year of construction, challenges and change
By Vicki Brooker Review Staff
For Elk Point, 2013 was definitely a year of construction, challenge and change, with the new industrial subdivision, new and old residential areas and even the downtown core becoming beehives of construction activity. Construction also was prevalent outside of town as a major pipeline s made its way through the area, increasing traffic and bringing the issue of work camps to the fore.
Challenge bombarded the community right at the year’s beginning, with staff shortages at the Healthcare Centre that sent residents elsewhere to seek treatment, and was not totally solved until well into the year. Challenges also erupted in the town council chamber, causing unusually heated discussions.
Change came in the form of a new town council, with new ideas they were eager to share, and continued to the end of the year as the new council gave approval to combining two part-time positions into one fulltime position in the FCSS Department.
Photos Below Caption
Expansion and relocation of existing businesses (six photos below) combined with construction of single- and multi-family homes for a very busy year.
January: Staff shortage, power shortfall
The new year started off with a serious shortage of staff at Elk Point Healthcare Centre that saw the emergency department closed overnight from Dec. 24 to Jan. 2...
Elk Point Peewee Avalanche won the ‘B’ side of their home tournament, winning all but one game during the weekend...
A report on the energy produced over 18 months by the Elk Point Visitor Information Eco Centre's solar collectors and wind turbine showed the two produced 37 per cent of the building’s needs, with the solar panels providing 28 per cent and the turbine just nine per cent
Retired oilman Al Pankiw joined the Community Advisory Policing Committee as the oil patch representative...
Elk Point Ukrainian Dance Club portrayed the four seasons at their Malanka celebration...
Elk Point town council passed first reading of the new land use bylaw...
Two Ballas brothers skipped winning rinks at the 30th Annual Elk Point Oilmen’s Bonspiel, Sheldon taking an extra-end victory over Leonard Gadowski's Shamrock Valley rink in the grand challenge and Tyson’s Encore Environmental rink winning over Dave Cousins and Pyramid Electric in the second event final...
Ken Ference was named the Oilman of the Year at the bonspiel banquet...
MLA Shayne Saskiw, Mayor Parrish Tung, town council and Health Advisory Council representative Diana Anderson met with Alberta Health Services vice president of rural operations for the North East Zone, Wendy Harrison, Dr. Drew Ramful, Dr. Ayobami Oyebode and members of hospital staff to seek clarification on Healthcare Centre staffing issues.
Cute carrot capers were courtesy of the Beginners group at the Malanka celebrations.
February: 4-H speakers and Family Day
After an analysis of contract collection costs, town council agreed that residential garbage collection will continue to be done by town staff...
Seniors Larissa Lupul and Roy Tymko, intermediates Heidi Tymko and Matthew McAnally and juniors Kailey Wirsta and Dustin Pinder won the Elk Point 4-H Beef Club speak-off, with intermediates Nolan Vogel, Leanna Gibson and Morgan Baker and juniors Abby Baker, Carson Vogel, Brooke and Madison Krider taking the Elk Point 4-H Multi Club honours...
The Town of Elk Point was the proud recipient of a Minister’s Award of Municipal Excellence, the 2012 Partnership Award for the Eastern Alberta Trade Corridor Foreign Direct Investment Strategy presented by Minister of Municipal Affairs Doug Griffith at the AUMA Convention...
Town council hiked the residential tax incentive for new construction to coincide with that for other types of buildings, in hopes that the change would boost sales of the new residential lots coming on stream...
Health care and education were addressed at the Elk Point Chamber of Commerce annual meeting, where the 2012 leadership team was re-elected by acclamation...
Mayor Parrish Tung reported that negotiations with Alberta Health Services resulted in the re-opening of two of the 12 acute care beds at Elk Point Healthcare Centre...
Family Day weekend was marked with a gospel jamboree and pie auction at the Christian Community Church and fun for the whole family at the A. G. Ross Arena and the Elk Point Arts and Leisure Centre...
A huge number of Elk Point Elementary School students and staff wore pink on the sixth annual Pink Shirt Day, sending a powerful message to bullies...
Town council agreed to hire an economic development officer, but there was confusion regarding who would foot the bill for the position...
Fifty-four snowmobiles from the past were on display in the Iron Horse Trail staging area before most of them took a tour down the trail following the show...
Donations toward projects at A. G. Ross Arena and to the Heart and Stroke Fund were raised at the Third Annual Jim Vinge Memorial Hockey Tournament.
March: Gold rush to golden eggs
There was a gold rush in Elk Point Elementary’s science room, where Tino Braga won one of six Grade 3 Awards of Excellence for his Science Fair display on gold panning...
Inheriting a salon, not a saloon, didn’t slow down the zany crew in “Way Out West In a Dress,” the Elk Point Community Choir’s 2013 dinner theatre production...
Elk Point Chamber of Commerce agreed their involvement in the annual Auto Club Show and Shine might need an overhaul, as their street fair was far from being a money maker...
“Grease” was the word at the Elk Point Skating Club carnival, with the catchy tunes from that popular musical setting the scene for some great performances by the club members...
Town council distributed at total of $138,000 in Municipal Sustainability Initiative grants to organizations and town programs...
An old tradition was revived at Elk Point Minor Hockey's windup banquet, with the presentation of sportsmanship, most improved and most valuable player awards to deserving players on each of the five teams, with Dustyn Pankiw winning the Alex Kurash Memorial trophy before the Peewee Avalanche headed off to Peewee C Provincials in Redwater...
Keanna Radcliffe, Vanessa Ginez and Justin Jamieson found the golden eggs at the Elk Point Firefighters’ Good Friday Easter Egg Hunt.
Margaret Modin is congratulated by MLA Shayne Saskiw and Mayor Parrish Tung as she receives the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal from MP Brian Storseth.
April: Packed hall and Hall of Fame
Residents of Elk Point and area packed the Seniors’ Recreation Centre to overflowing for a public meeting on Elk Point Healthcare Centre staffing, sending a clear message to Alberta Health Services, federal and provincial governments that it was imperative that the situation be resolved.,,
Elk Point senior Margaret Modin was presented with a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal by MP Brian Storseth in recognition of her efforts in the community...
A decision made two years earlier to close 53 Ave. east of Highway 41 and then to sell the land to a private business was questioned by the other adjacent business owner, for whom it was an important access route...
The County of St. Paul approved a letter requesting provincial assistance to upgrade Murphy Road which also stated the county believes the road should be under provincial jurisdiction...
Elk Point Early Childhood Development Committee was awarded $25,000 to promote broad-based community support and resources for children from birth to five years of age and their families...
Mayor Parrish Tung received word that he was to be inducted into the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association Hall of Fame in recognition of many years of involvement with high school sports...
Elk Point town council was happy to hear that the provincial government would pay the entire cost of resurfacing the runway at Elk Point Municipal Airport...
Riverland Recreational Trail Society recognized pioneers John Trefanenko, Johnny Doonanco, Ray Danyluk, Ed English and Robert Bouchard as the society marked 10 years of operation at their annual meeting...
Elk Point Ukrainian Dance Club celebrated the arrival of spring with their annual concert.
The dance hall darlings were in fine form at the Lucky Lady Saloon inn “Way Out West... In A Dress.”
Elk Point 4-H Multi Club, like their Beef Club counterparts and 4-Hers across the province, pitched in to clean up a winter's worth of debris in the annual Highway Clean-up.
May: 2nd Chance to new records
Firefighters Jon Kadutski and Darryl O'Reilly accepted awards for outstanding performance from County Coun. Dwight Dach at the Firefighters’ Ball...
Elk Point and District Lions held their 28th annual Walk For Sight, raising $1,523...
The second annual 2nd Chance Trail Ride from Lindbergh to Heinsburg was a huge success, packing the Heinsburg Community Hall with 162 registered participants and a large influx of spectators and other supporters to the doors for the supper, silent auction and dance...
Elk Point Community Choir welcomed spring with their annual concert, where Randall Krys was dressed in vintage style for the men’s rendition of Marty Robbins’ 1957 classic, “A White Sports Coat”...
The Town of Elk Point held the line on property tax rates, the residential tax set at 9.966 mills and the business tax at 22.5 mills for another year...
There was entertainment and exuberance at Elk Point Elementary School in Education Week, with over 40 students taking part in a hugely successful Fourth Annual Entertainment Showcase...
First-year member Tulsen Wells showed the Grand Champion steer at Elk Point 4-H Beef Club’s Achievement Day, with Kailey Wirsta’s steer named the Reserve Champion...
Heinsburg Community School celebrated the Class of 2013, with Bennette ‘Benny’ Moyah, just returned from the Skills Canada provincial competition in carpentry, giving the class address...
Two new records were set at the Elk Point Elementary School track meet, Grade 6A student Dustyn Pankiw jumping 3.45 metres in the Long Jump and 5A student Dylan Ference shaving. 02 off the time for the 100-metre race with his winning time of 7.09...
Returning interpreters Blake Desjarlais, Lisa Shankowski and Chris Grant were joined by Bailey Oster to make up the 2013 staff at Fort George and Buckingham House Interpretive Centre. June: District 4-H, Class of 2013 Elk Point 4-H Beef Club shone at the District 4-H Show, where Tulsen Wells showed the District Reserve Champion steer, Larissa Lupul, Roy Tymko, Taylor Robbie, Heidi Tymko and Kailey Wirsta also picking up trophies in the showmanship and grooming categories...
Organizers of the Riverland Challenge reluctantly called a halt to that event due to safety concerns regarding the river portion of that event...
Representatives of Aurora Executive Lodges held an information session about their plans to build an accommodation complex in Elk Point to housework crews...
Grade 12 student Tia Lowry accepted five scholarships at F. G. Miller High School's Awards Day, which combined the awards traditionally presented at graduation, a sports awards supper and a fall awards night for Grades 7 to 11...
Rezoning of four parcels of land along 50 Ave. at the west end of Elk Point was approved, but half of the ratepayers at a public hearing were very much opposed to locating accommodation for workers on the property...
A new generation of Ferguson Flats area residents carried on tradition, County Coun. Glen Ockerman ringing the school bell to officially open the 100th Anniversary celebration for Fern Chapel School, built by his grandfather and other area pioneers, attended by his father and his father’s siblings, and for which his aunt, the late Olga Ockerman, had been instrumental in its restoration...
Elk Point Elementary School's awards day had a new emphasis on citizenship, sportsmanship and the achievements of well-rounded students, reflecting on the changes that have come about with outcome —based reporting, only the School Division Grade 6 Academic Award, accepted by Alyssa Duncan, based on the year’s marks...
FCSS Director Deanna Easthope visited town council to discuss potential changes to the position, from which she will retire at the end of 2013...
F. G. Miller High School celebrated the Class of 2013, with Tia Lowry as valedictorian urging her classmates to leave past differences in the past and enjoy the short time they still had together.
July
Elk Point celebrated Canada's 146th birthday, the Canada Day Idol competition won by Olivia Rose Leaf before a glorious fireworks display...
Stoney Lake’s Sist Stampede drew big crowds and diverse competition...
Six Elk Point Healthcare Centre beds were open, and if the nursing staff felt they could handle more patients, they could do so...
Town council stumbled over what to do with black dirt stockpiled during development of new industrial lots...
Elk Point Peewee Sox made history as the town’s first peewee team to win provincial gold, ending a very successful first year for the team...
The Bears and Berries Festival and first ever Teddy Bears’ Picnic was a big hit at Fort George and Buckingham House Historic Site...
A long special meeting on development projects made the regular town council meeting very short, but approved a $39,500 expenditure to move the problem dirt pile...
Elk Point Co-op’s large addition was well underway, the structural steel framework going up and the first phase proceeding on schedule.
August:
It was a ‘grand’ end to her 40th annual Elk Point Fair for Millie Orr, who won the Grand Aggregate award and the Violet McFadyen Memorial Prize...
The Horticulture and Craft show was held in conjunction with the Elk Point 4-H Multi Club Achievement Day, where Wolke Cueva and Carson Vogel showed the Grand and Reserve Champion market lambs...
Sean Hill won the championship flight at the 30th Annual Elk Point Oilmen’s Golf Tournament...
Town Coun. Ron Fraess challenged Mayor Parrish Tung on decisions he felt council should have made as a whole...
Guest performers from were a special treat at the Forts des Prairies Jamboree at Fort George and Buckingham House...
Town council passed a bylaw allowing the town to borrow $2 million for the sanitary sewage treatment system upgrade with $1.3 million to be repaid when government funding for the project arrives...
Taylor Cochrane brought home bronze from the U18 National Fastpitch Championships in Charlottetown, PEL..
September
Stoney Lake Pioneer Park and Campground celebrated 25 years of operation, with County of St. Paul Reeve Steve Upham and Coun. Dwight Dach cutting the cake...
Mayor Parrish Tung and town manager Myron Goyan displayed the town’s latest developments at the 29th Annual Information Night...
A full slate of 72 golfers enjoyed the Diamond Drillbit Ladies Golf Tournament, where Lorraine Quinney won the first flight and Corrine Cumby the coveted diamond drillbit necklace...
The wind turbine at the Elk Point Visitor Information EcoCentre was shut down On a suspension order from the Alberta Utilities Commission, after a noise complaint was registered against the turbine...
Long-awaited solar lights were installed along the 30th Ave. portion of the walking trail...
The town received $180,000 in Municipal Sustainability Initiative non-profit groups needing financial support...
Northern Lights Library System received $50,000 from the Community Initiatives Program to enable 45 member libraries to adapt to changes in the province-wide circulation computer system...
All 12 acute care beds were open and all nursing positions were filled at Elk Point Healthcare Centre...
Cancer survivors Rob MacDonald, Debbie Wood, Abby Rybchinsky and Jake Fontaine led the way in Elk Point Elementary School’s Terry Fox Run...
Mayor Tung was retuned by acclamation, with 10 candidates running for four council seats in the Oct. 21 municipal election...
Storm water drainage issues in the new residential subdivision and the industrial land were brought to council by Coun. Eugene Buck...
Organizers of the 2nd Chance Trail Ride presented $58,000 to the GoodHearts Transplant Foundation.
October
Heinsburg Community School was placed in a funding for ‘soft lockdown’ by St. Paul Education Regional Division when RCMP were looking for a high-risk sex offender in the Lloydminster area...
The chamber of commerce set dates for a pre-election forum and Christmas Extravaganza...
A record number of competitors made their way through the area in the Iron Horse Ultra 100-foot race...
New principal Troy Runzer coped well with a big jump in student numbers at Heinsburg Community School, where enrolment climbed from 102 last year to 155...
Incumbents Bernice Capjack, Eugene Buck, Ron Fraess and Dwayne Yaremkevich and new candidates Lawrence Pidluzny, Dick Miller, Debra McQuinn, Bernadette Godlein, Coral Krachmer and Lome Young were questioned by voters in a pre-election forum, with pertinent questions raised by F. G. Miller's Social Studies 30 class...
Minister of Infrastructure Wayne Drysdale officially opened the newly renovated F. G. Miller High School gymnasium and presented a provincial coat of arms to student representatives Hannah Ludlage and Dayle Oster, ...
A document signed by more than 80 individuals asking for revitalization of the EcoCentre wind turbine was declared by town council as unacceptable as a petition in its present form...
Debra McQuinn and Lome Young joined Bernice Capjack and Dwayne Yaremkevich on the town council, following the municipal election, Young also elected by acclamation as school board trustee for the area...
The new council was sworn in and given their committee appointments, with Coun, Capjack taking the position of Deputy Mayor...
Ray Danyluk lost a close race to incumbent Reeve Steve Upham in the County of St. Paul election
The Elk Point Ukrainian Dance Club's well attended Family Halloween Frolic was fun for all ages...
The Friends of Fort George and Buckingham House bid farewell to their involvement in the Riverland Challenge, enthused over the success of their Bears and Bernes Festival, and agreed to replace their poorly attended Forts des Prairies Jamboree with ‘Rendezvous 222" in 2014, a celebration of 222 years of the site’s fur trade history.
