2016: Looking back at a challenging year
VICKI BROOKER Review Staff
It's a new year, with many changes and challenges on the horizon. We never really know what a new year will bring, what new developments and innovations will affect our lives and how we will cope with those changes. Last year also brought our community, and the rest of Alberta, a long list of challenges to cope with, but there were also positives to celebrate in 2016.
Let's take a look al the year just past...
January
Goalie Colton “Colt 45" Van Maarion started the year with a shutout when the Elk Point Bantam Avalanche took on Saddle Lake.
Lena Stepa was one of seven Royal Purple members honoured for long service When she received her 45-year pin as well as recognition for 29 years of perfect attendance
Elk Point Elks may have lost their first game of 2016 to the Kitscoty Monarchs, but a rematch a week later saw the Elks trounce the visitors 7 to 2.
Elk Point Chamber of Commerce set the date for their annual meeting, with one major item on the AGM agenda being a bylaw addition that would allow the chamber to borrow money.
Town council waded through a stack of 14 applications for Municipal Sustainability Initiative operating grants from non-profit groups that totaled more than $103,000, with five groups given half of the amounts they requested and three others receiving between 20 and 40 percent of their requests. Canadian Natural Resources Limited provided substantial financial assistance, to the tune of $14,575.07, to the Elk Point Skating Club, whose volunteers assisted CNRL with fundraising.
Elk Point Ukrainian Dance Club celebrated their 37th year at Malanka, where their “Memories” storyline was a very fitting tribute to the history of the club.
The Interagency Health and Wellness Committee started off the new year with good news, that recruitment for a third doctor was going well, with both local doctors engaged in the process and ready to share their case loads and on-call duties.
February
Town council was able to wrap up their final report on grant funding used to construct the Visitor Information EcoCentre with all grant funding matched and the facility being well used, however it was necessary to ask for an extension on grant funding for the walking trail.
Groundhog or not, residents and businesses were urged to keep their shovels handy to comply with sidewalk clearing regulations in case of a snowfall.
Elk Point Midget Avalanche was off to provincials, after winning a two-game, total-point series over Smoky Lake. Elk Point 4-H clubs held back-to-back public speaking competitions, with Shaylyn Klatt, Carson Vogel, Nolan Vogel, Darianna Boorse and Morgan Evans advancing to district competition from the Multi Club and Lexi Wirsta, Macey Ann Marcoux and sisters Ashley and Nicole Bristow advancing from the Beef Club.
Recreation topped the town council agenda, including a visit from new Elk Point Golf and Country Club president Don Schultz, who said the club had ambitious plans for cleaning up deadfall, extending cart paths and keeping the driving range in shape.
Roof repairs were underway at Elk Point Healthcare Centre, with completion slated for early spring.
ALBERT BORATYNEC played a key role when A. G. Ross Arena drew the largest crowd ever as generations of the “Arena family” gathered on Family Day to salute the vision and determination of the community leaders of the early 1970s who made the facility a reality.
Seniors Nicole and Ashley Bristow and junior Darianna Boorse came home from 4-H _ District Communications competition with second prizes in the presentation section.
March
Seven was a lucky number for the Elk Point Oilmen’s Bonspiel champion Leonard Gadowski, who took seven years and a few close calls to claim his seventh Grand Championship in the seventh end, skipping the Shamrock Valley Enterprises rink. Elk Point Oilmen’s Oilman of the Year still calls Elk Point ‘home,’ even though Danny Povaschuk ‘has lived in Hanna for more than a decade.
A record number of 90 vintage snowmobiles took advantage of a warm, sunny morning to take part in the Elk Point Trail Riders annual show and shine, followed by a trail ride to Kehewin Lake.
His demise was only the beginning of the adventures for the “Lucky Stuff” played by John Sieben in the Elk Point Community Choir’s well-attended dinner theatre series.
Elk Point RCMP got input from the community on policing priorities for the coming year when they hosted a town hall meeting. With both the Midget and Peewee Avalanche teams stonewalled at provincials, Elk Point had one more chance for a provincial win when the Bantams headed for High Level for the “D” Provincials.
Elk Point was swept back to the days of knights and ladies, not to mention a few small dragons, at the annual Skating Carnival, where this year’s presentation was “Quest for Camelot.”
The time frame was amended on Elk Point’s RV parking regulations, which would now allow parking from the Friday of the May long weekend until the Tuesday following the September long weekend, with another change still under consideration that would increase the allowed parking time from 48 to 144 hours.
An “awesome year” for minor hockey was celebrated at Elk Point Arts and Leisure Centre, where Kobe Warawa was the recipient of the Alex Kurash Memorial Award.
Elk Point Municipal Library Board held their annual meeting, with County Coun. Dwight Dach on hand to present board chair Laverne Wilson with a $45,000 grant to assist with library operations.
EDMONTON OILER MARK LETESTU came home to the A. G. Ross Arena, his second home as an atom and peewee player in the 1990s, for a spring skate with today’s minor hockey stars and to present 14 sets of hockey equipment from the NHL Players’ Association to ‘Letestu’s Locker’ to ensure children of every age, size and financial situation has the opportunity could enjoy the sport.
Town council checked out their new interactive website and explored ways to spread the word about the community and all it offers.
Fifth graders who were part of the kindergarten classes involved in an Early Development Initiative study a half dozen years earlier had the opportunity to hone their artistic skills on Elk Point’s second mural, under the direction Herman Poulin.
Elk Point Elks Lodge hosted the District Six Meeting, with visitors from Hairy Hill, Lac La Biche, Myrnam, St. Paul and Mannville in attendance.
Volunteering is a way of life for Laverne Wilson, who was honoured for his “Love of the Game” and his ‘love of the community at a community sports fundraiser hosted by Elk Point Minor Hockey and Elk Point Minor Ball. The Town of Elk Point spent most of their meeting dealing with what to spend and how to spend their ‘lean’ operating budget most wisely.
The County of St. Paul dropped their 2016 residential municipal mill rate and planned for a larger than typical surplus while holding the line on other munici- — pal mill rates, including farmland and non-residential.
Thirty-two members of the Elk Point Ukrainian Dance Club performed at their 24th Annual Spring Concert, displaying the skills that won them multiple awards at recent competitions.
May
Orphanage runaway ‘Annie Jr.” made an instant bond with an equally lonesome and vocally talented shaggy dog she met in a park as the Elk Point Theatre Project performed their second annual success at the Elk Point Arts and Leisure Centre, The town’s spending cuts outweighed an increase in liabilities to reduce the municipality's net debt from $1.400,197 in 2014 to $1,269,994 in 2015.
Elk Point pitched in to help evacuees from fire ravaged Fort McMurray, with Carmen Waselick getting quick response to her Facebook plea for help, with Melissa Skarsen, Terri Castle and numerous other volunteers spending many hours gathering, sorting and delivering donations
F, G. Miller High School student Megan Phillips was recognized as a ‘Great Kid’ by the Government of Alberta, along with 15 other young leaders from across the province.
“A perfect day for a trail ride” brought out a new record of 317 participants for the fifth annual 2nd Chance Trail Ride from Lindbergh to Heinsburg, raising awareness of the need for organ and tissue donation and raising funds to assist those fortunate enough to receive a transplant.
The Town of Elk Point held the line on mill rates at 2011 levels, with the only change ratepayers would find on their tax bills being the increased Alberta School Foundation Fund levy and increases in assessment.
Kailey Wirsta of Elk Point 4-H Beef Club brought home the Heartland Fuels UFA Reserve Supreme banner for her cow-calf pair from the St. Paul District Invitational Heifer Show at Goodridge.
The roofing project at Elk Point Healthcare Centre was complete, with staffing also in good shape, reported facility manager Kristen Pelechok at the Interagency Health and Wellness Committee meeting.
The following week, Kailey Wirsta was back in the 4-H spotlight with her Grand Champion Steer winning the St. Paul and District Co-op’s Elk Point Branch, while Heidi Tymko showed the Grand Champion Female.
Art and music ventured “Outside the Lines” at F. G. Miller High, with an evening of impressive talent on stage and in the art and industrial art displays.
June
Chrome and colourful paint jobs were everywhere at Elk Point Auto Club’s Show and Shine in a 73-entry salute to automotive history.
ELK POINT’S NEW FIVE-PANEL MURAL was unveiled, bringing the results of a 2011 study of kindergarten children to life with the help of painters of all age groups from across the community.
Elk Point 4-H Beef and Multi Clubs celebrated 50 ‘years of 4-H history on Farmers’ Day with a supper and displays at Stoney Lake Community Hall with leaders and members from years gone by among those in attendance. The County of St. Paul and Elk Point FCSS celebrated Seniors’ Week with a series of four barbecue lunches facilities across the county.
Town Council unveiled a master plan for a multiyear development of Elk Point’s walking trails, with sidewalks replaced on streets and avenues leading to the existing trails, railings installed where needed, trees planted and benches and flower planters put in place.
The Town was recognized by Alberta Municipal Affairs and the Safety Codes Council with a Safety Award recognizing 20 years of accreditation.
The school year ended with Awards Day at Elk Point Elementary, where Kobe Warawa was presented with the Grade Six Academic Award from the St. Paul Education Regional Division No. 1 and Landon Malachowski and Vaughn Ockerman accepted the Bespalko Memorial Awards.
Adventure began for F. G. Miller's Class of 2016 with the graduation ceremonies where valedictorian Rosie Sam accepted the Governor General’s Award as well as the Bespalko Sribney Scholarship and the Dr. Anne Wiegerinck Scholarship.
July
Canada Day got off to a rainy start but although it moved the Friends of the Library’s pancake breakfast indoors, it didn’t rain on our parade and even cleared off before evening headliner Olivia Rose took the stage with performances before and after the Canada Day Idol competition, which was won by another talented young lady, Cassidy Zahar. Elk Point 4-H Multi Club's Achievement Day was part of the Canada Day lineup, with Morgan Evans showing the Grand Champion Market Lamb and Eros Cueva the Reserve Champion.
A very muddy infield gave poor footing for horses, but softer than usual landings for unsuccessful rough stock riders at Stoney Lake Stampede, where spectators scrambled for cover during the only shower to mar the Sunday performance.
The first event of six days of geocaching kicked off at Fort George and Buckingham House with around 50 participants starting off Sails, Rails and Tails with their search of the historic site.
History came to life for one of Peter Fidler’s descendants and his family, who were among the visitors who took in the annual Bears and Berries Festival at Fort George and Buckingham House.
The Town of Elk Point was cracking down on unsightly property, with the administration sending the owners of unkempt properties a request that the situation be dealt with.
Zone 7 teams from Provost, St. Paul and Bonnyville swept up the medals when Elk Point Pumas and Elk Point Minor Ball hosted the U14 Girls Provincial Softball Provincials.
Blandine Adkins’ beautifully tended yard was one of the stops on this year's Community Garden Society of St. Paul Garden Tour.
August
LONG-TIME MINOR BALL COACH and volunteer Laverne Wilson was honoured and the host Elk Point Bantam Sox won provincial gold medals in a 13-12 nail-biter final at the newly named Wilson Field diamond.
The Town tweaked their new campground policy with revised rates that reflect the existence of both power and non-power sites at both the Recreation Park and River Park.
Corbin Ockerman won two provincial gold medals in as many weekends after he was drafted by Provost to help that team out in the Tier 2 Provincials in Edmonton, while Elk Point players ‘Mic Jager’ Fontaine, ‘Kid Kade’ Fontaine, Vaughn ‘the Vulture’ Ockerman and Sam ‘Spiderman’ Rogal teamed up with Bonnyville Braves to win the Mosquito A Provincials.
North East Alberta Track and Field athlete Parker Allen brought home a silver in discus and a bronze in hammer throw from the Tri-Prov’ Western Canadian Championships.
A short but spirited version of television’s The Amazing Race thundered through Elk Point, 12 teams completing five challenges in short order and Bradley and Dustin Dubrule and Spencer and Denver Graling becoming the first-ever champions of the event sponsored by County of St. Paul and Elk Point FCSS.
Lillian Balazs of Cold Lake won her sixth Elk Point Horticulture and Craft Show grand aggregate, along with section prizes in canning and knitting, crochet and weaving.
Changing the format to a two-man scramble increased attendance by almost 50 per cent at the Elk Point Oilmen’s Golf Tournament, where Troy Lorenson and Lyndsey Hall were declared the Championship Flight winners.
Movie nights were once again part of a very busy summer for the County of St. Paul and FCSS, with a small but appreciative crowd enjoying ‘The Incredibles’ at Ferguson Flats, which had hosted a Science Drop-in afternoon earlier in the summer.
FCSS was once again in the headlines a week later, with director Janice Fodchuk visiting Elk Point town council to give them a comprehensive rundown on the first year of the merged departments, and received some very positive feedback in return.
“Survival 101’ was the theme of the third annual Bushcraft event at Fort George and Buckingham House, with demonstrations of fur trade era skills from birch bark canoe building to starting fires using cattail fluff as tinder.
September
“Watch out for the kids!” was the message Elk Point RCMP Sgt. Barry LaRocque emphasized, as he sat in the school zone between F. G. Miller High School and Elk Point Elementary on the first day of school, reminding drivers that excited youngsters might be looking around and not paying attention to traffic.
Victim Services is “there for victims in their darkest moments,” Elk Point VSU manager Ashley McQueen said in an interview, adding that after charges have been laid, the focus is often on the accused, “and the victims don’t always know what's going on.”
The FCSS-hosted Information Night offered one stop shopping for information on everything from pond hockey to antique cars, Further Education programs to the progress on town projects to over 240 area residents, with 37 groups, organizations and agencies taking part.
MLA David Hanson visited the first meeting of the Elk Point Chamber of Commerce after the summer break, and updated the members on the status of the Highway 41 bridge repairs, which have limited access by wide loads, such as farm machinery, to weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
An exciting new project opened its doors on the lower floor of the Play2Learn Daycare, as Elk Point Early Childhood Development Committee opened their Discovery Centre.
Town council welcomed new Deputy Fire Chief Jon Kadutski, who was still learning his new responsibilities after the retirement of Fire Chief Ken Palamarek.
Elk Point Chamber of Commerce hosted its first ever Fun Scramble golf tournament, with five-underpar teammates Matt Lett, Leo DeMoissac, Tim and Hailey Mahdiuk placing first out of seven teams in the event, which had been rescheduled from mid-June.
Northern Lights Library System hosted a one-day conference with the theme, “Libraries Reborn 2016” which was packed with information at 16 sessions on topics ranging from library board survival to creating an original summer reading program.
October
Elk Point town council learned that Quik Pick Waste Disposal’s pilot recycling project for cardboard, plastic and newspaper would be extended until Jan. 31 and company representatives would visit council before that time to discuss continuing to supply recycling containers at a nominal fee.
ECS teacher Debbie Wood and student Jake Fontaine led the way as Elk Point Elementary joined other schools from across the county Terry Fox School Run.
A questionnaire circulated to members indicated Extravaganza should be on the same day as F. G. Miller Craft Fair.
A new entrance sign was under construction at the south entrance to Elk Point along Highway 41, which when completed, would match the sign at the north entrance.
Town council met with Quik Pick and accepted their proposal to continue providing recycling service, with the County of St. Paul to share the cost.
Elk Point’s third doctor was one step closer to setting up a practice after he was approved for a three month assessment process where he would work under another doctor before getting the go-ahead.
Elk Point Canada Day Committee learned that plans are underway to honour Canadian Armed Forces veterans as part of the observance of the nation’s 150th birthday next July 1.
With the 2016 work on the walking trail almost completed, town council approved the expenditure of $2,450 for a topographical study and $3,500 for a preliminary construction cost estimate for 1,170 feet of sidewalk with brick trim between 52nd and 54th Streets. Coun. Lorne Young was sworn in as Elk Point’s Deputy Mayor for the term beginning Nov. I, 2016 and ending at the 2017 organizational meeting.
November
Elk Point Chamber of Commerce was looking for a source of high speed internet for area businesses, and was pleased to hear that the town had scheduled a meeting with a company currently bringing that service to communities across the province.
Halloween went off without a hitch, with wonderful decorations at many homes visited by as many as 280 trick-or-treaters.
Allan Preston, the new interim president of the Lac La Biche — St. Paul — Two Hills Progressive Conservative Constituency Association, started off a round of informal discussions leading up to the PC leadership vote, with delegate selection the first step in that process.
Elk Point paid tribute to the Canadian Armed Forces past and present on Remembrance Day and enjoyed warmer weather than usual as they placed wreaths at Elk Point’s cenotaph.
Firefighter Sheridan Naths visited town council to emphasize the importance of training for the department so members will comply with standards set by the fire commissioner’s office, even if the cost exceeds the department’s budget.
“The Odd Couple’, with Don Conrad and Randall Krys in the starring roles, opened at the Elk Point Arts and Leisure Centre for the annual Christmas Dinner Theatre run.
December
Danny Cardinal, Dana Lychak, Steven Rolheiser and Jordan Driver showed the top entries in a field of 47 at the Elk Point Oilmen’s Big Bucks Contest.
A move by the County of St. Paul to pay 75 per cent, rather than 50 per cent, of the fire department’s operating costs, based on the ratio of county and town calls, gave town council the go-ahead to approve the fire department budget.
A weekend of music saw the Elk Point Community Choir and guests from the St. Paul ‘Resonate’ Bell Choir entertain a delighted Friday night crowd at their annual Christmas Concert, while voices from five churches combined their talents Sunday evening at St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church in the Interfaith Cantata.
Extravaganza was self-supporting, the Chamber of Commerce heard, but needs an earlier start on the planning process for next year.
It wasn’t the Christmas gift that Elk Point ratepayers wanted, but increased costs prompted town council's decision to increase utility rates as of Jan. 1.
Council debated various potential sites before deciding that a site just north of the RV dump station for their bulk water fill station was their first choice.
Proud parents, grandparents and siblings packed Elk Point Elementary School for two music-themed Christmas concerts, with other concert crowds enjoying events at Jack and Jill Playschool and Heinsburg Community School.
Judges were awed by a number of excellent Christmas light displays as they chose the winners in the chamber’s annual Lighting and Decorating Contest, with Dante and Ginalyn Ginez, Davor and Garona Matanovic and Patsy and Ed Zarowny having the top three displays.
