Another year comes and goes – 1994 in review
from Elk Point Review By Vicki Brooker
As we hang up the new calendars and Start writing in the new day books, let’s take a few minutes to look back at the year we have just completed - its highlights and low spots, victories and calamities, as Elk Point worked its way through 1994:
January
The International Year of the Family started off with the Town of Elk Point and County of St. Paul meeting to discuss joint concerns, including the deteriorating Community Services Building and the Landfill agreement.
Elk Point welcomed new librarian Michele Duczek....
Pioneer Circle Seniors received an $8000 lotteries grant...
Thirty Friends of Fort George - Buckingham House were honored at the Friends’ Annual Meeting, at which Billie Milholland was named _ incoming President...
The stork found his way to Elk Point in a January 12 snowstorm to deliver Evan Adrian Faithful, the 1994 New Year’s Baby...
School Board chairman Ray Danyluk outlined education cuts toa disappointingly small crowd of ratepayers...
Patricia Conroy entertained over 650 spectators as Elk Point Agricultural Society put the “fun” in fundraising...
Lawrence Pidluzny resigned from Town Council, as that group got ‘set to study engineering proposals for street and ‘utility line upgrading...
Elk ‘Point Elks outshone the ‘Sask-Alta Allstar team...
‘Elk Point Oilmen’s Association hosted their 1th annual bonspiel, which was won by Vulcan
February
Elk Point Municipal Hospital Board outlined the options they face with the coming regionalization of hospital boards, and despite public pressure to the contrary, opt to join the region to the south of Elk Point...
Victor Stepa became the 1994 Chamber of Commerce President, at an annual meeting which featured Jars Balan of Kalyna Country Ecomuseum as guest speaker...
Betty Callbeck left Council with two vacant chairs as she resigned...
A.G. Ross Arena celebrated two decades with special guests from the original grand opening and a game between the Bucs Alumni and Edmonton Oilers Alumni...
The future of FCSS programs was in question as Deputy Premier Ken Kowalski confirmed government plans to divert all FCSS funding to Municipal Affairs for municipalities to spend as they wish...
The Town of Elk Point later spent most of a Council meeting discussing the major role FCSS plays in the community...
Elk Point Chamber voiced their concern with the Hospital Board’s choice of region...
Over 60 district residents voted unanimously to support school board regionalization...
Dorothea and Claudia Naber won the 4-H MultiClub speakoff.
March
Elk Point Elks accepted the Sask-Alta League year-end trophy for league play, going on to take their first playoff series in four games straight...
Elk Point Thunder won the Midget Zone Championship...
Elk Point Capitol IDA Atoms also went to Provincials...
Jaylene Purdy, Diane Babcock and Garrett Poulin won the medals at Saddle Slickers public speaking...
Jim Penz of St. Paul defeated his son Steve in the Grand Challenge of the Elk Point Mixed Bonspiel...
The Town’s 1993 financial statement was presented, showing a $113,000 surplus...
Gail Kozicky was named the new Historical Society president...
Elk Point learned “The Truth About Cinderella” at the Community Choir’s annual dinner theatre...
The Youth Talent Quest was a big success, with 15 excellent performances...
The Review marked a decade of publication...
Jaylene Purdy placed first and Dorothea Naber second at district level of 4-H Public Speaking...
Council voted unanimously to accept conditional funding for FCSS programs for the coming year...
Elk Point Bantam Lightning Elks won the Ace Championship at the Value Drug Mart Bantam Hockey Tournament in Calgary...
Billie Milholland was named runner up in a romance novel competition...
Elk Point Skating Club saluted Disney at their annual ice carnival...
Elk Point Elks won their first Sask-Alta League championship 4-games to 1 against Bonnyville.
April
MLA Paul Langevin resigned from the Liberal caucus, citing irrepressible concerns- with the
Direction the Alberta Liberal Party was taking under the leadership of Lawrence Decore...
A map released by Health Minister Shirley McClellan showed Elk Point as part of a far different scenario than the Hospital Board had wanted, but far more in line with area residents’ wishes...
F. G. Miller High School teacher Cheri Lindquist was one of 20 Provincial Excellence in Teaching Award winners...
Elk Point Lakers won their third consecutive provincial women’s basketball title...
The future of the abandoned railway line between Heinsburg and Elk Point was decided by a large group who wanted it dedicated for recreational use...
Elk Point Community Services hosted the North Eastern Alberta FCSS Conference...
The Beaver River Reform Party hosted a delightful dinner theatre presentation of “In The Mood”...
The furriest horse was among the winners at the Ag Society’s Fun and Furry Spring Horse Show...
Peewee Hockey coach Doug Bassett was named Coach of the Year...
Sixteen ratepayers turned out for the Town's Annual Meeting...
Lady Marie Buck and Bro. Michael Chubey were sworn in as Honored Royal Lady and Exalted Ruler at the OORP and BPOE joint installation of officers...
Elk Point Elementary School students presented an enjoyable Fine Arts Night...
Elk Point Ukrainian Dance Club presented their 15th annual Spring Concert.
May
St. George’s Masonic Lodge opened their doors to the public at a first-ever Open House...
John Zacharuk, a longtime volunteer who helps keep the town looking its best; was presented with a plaque of appreciation by Council as Spruce Up Week got underway...
Footsore fundraisers took part in the Lions Club Walk-a-thon for Sight...
Elk Point lost its reputation as a rainmaker rodeo town, as the Spring Classic Stampede made the dust fly, for a change...
Kerry Loughran was named MVP as the Elks hockey club handed out yearend awards...
FCSS autonomy was deferred to January 1, 1995, to give the Community Services Department and board more time to cope with the changes in their role...
Elk Point Community Choir had some backwoods visitors as they sang of spring...
The F. G. Miller Class of ‘94 welcomed back their long-ago kindergarten teacher, Donna Dahmer, as guest speaker at their graduation ceremonies. They also gave a moving tribute to two former classmates, Clayton Orr and Amelia Youngchief, who had passed away in their late elementary school years...
The long-awaited extended care facility at Elk Point Municipal Hospital was officially opened...
The Ag Society’s Megabucks Bingo was cancelled due to poor turnout...
Fast Company won the A Side of the Jan Frisby Memorial Slowpitch Tournament...
Elk Point Elementary School won their 16th consecutive track and field County Cup.
June
James Babenek showed the Grand Champion Steer and Tim Havener the Supreme Champion Heifer at the Elk Point 4-H Multi Club Achievement Day, with Havener going on to show the Inter Club Supreme Champion at the District Heifer Show the next weekend...
Heinsburg High School saluted their heroes - the Class of ‘94 - at a gala graduation ceremony...
Elk Point Auto Club’s Show and Shine was a success, with 28 gleaming vehicles on display...
An era ended in Heinsburg as the merchandise and fixtures of Gregor’s Lucky Dollar store went under the auctioneer’s gavel...
FE. G. Miller Crusaders won the Senior High County Cup in. fastball...
The Town found a new home for the FCSS Department at the Peter Fidler Centre...
Elk Point’s 1994 mill rate held the line for residence owners, while non-residential taxes dropped almost half a percent...
Seniors’ Week saw everything from watermelon seed spitting to a community worship service...
The community’s fathers were saluted at a warm hearted gathering at the Seniors’ Recreation Centre...
Buddy Bensmiller took the lead in the Northern Professional § Chuckwagon Association with a win before his hometown crowd in Dewberry...
Joni Matthews set three new records at the High School County Cup track and field...
Elementary School students in Elk Point and Heinsburg received .. well deserved awards at their yearend Awards Days...
Elk Point Peewee and Squirt girls ball teams both won league championships....The 4th Annual Gospel Concert featured guest singer Lorraine Unruh of Yorkton, SK.
July
Canada Day saluted the International Year of the Family, and was attended by over 200 descendants of fur trader Peter Fidler as part of their reunion...
Erica Nielsen of Elk Point and CJ Best of Heinsburg were among the trophy winners at Whitney Lake
Rodeo...
Three oil companies and a service company operating in the Elk Point area agreed to share the cost of a recent cleanup of an oily substance from the Town’s sewage lagoon...
Elk Point was approved for $178,582 in funding under the Canada/ Alberta Infrastructure Works Agreement, and immediately got to work on their utility line and street upgrading program...
Theodore and Doris Ludlage and family were named the County of St. Paul’s Farm Family of the Year...
Cowboys rode high and the weather cooperated at the Stoney Lake Stampede...
Diane Babcock was the overall champion at the 4-H Saddle Slickers Achievement Day...
Elk Point was looking good due to response to the beautification concept...
Buddy Bensmiller won the Calgary Stampede aggregate award for nine days of racing...
Amoco Canada said they are considering amalgamating their two treatment plants into one because of waning production in the area...
MLA Paul Langevin met with constituents in Heinsburg and Elk Point to hear their concerns...
Lee Johnson of the Elk Point Lioness Club received a Melvin Jones Fellowship, the foundation’s highest honor.
August
Clan Days at Fort George Buckingham House featured multicultural entertainment and a fur trade skit...
Town Council gave first reading to a new dog bylaw which would have large fines for those who do not obey it...
Joni Matthews won two national gold medals in Ottawa...
Elk Point’s Town Office got a new look, with trees removed and a new roofline added...
Christina Brown edged out six-time winner Norma Berg for the Elk Point Fair’s Grand Aggregate...
Vandals attempted to burn down the gazebo at the Elk Point Recreation Park...
Elk Point Surface Rights Association bid farewell to Bryan Campbell, departing superintendent of Pan Canadian Petroleum’s Elk Point office...
Art Britton added another Elk Point Oilmen’s Golf Tournament championship to his collection...
Doug Irvine of Lindbergh shared the year end glory as he outrode for 1994 NPCA Champion Brian Laboucane...
Shanna and Charlene Baker shared the winner's circle at the Summer Horse Show...
Jana Wade was crowned Frog Lake Princess at the very well attended PowWow...
FCSS moved to their new location...
Reverend Norman Hartley and his wife Jill arrived in Elk Point and were welcomed by the United Church congregation...
George and Irene Jacobson celebrated their diamond — wedding anniversary. September
CJ Best won the novice horse riding at the Lakeland Finals Rodeo...
Elk Point Chamber of Commerce reported a 10 percent increase in the number of visitors at the Tourist Information Centre...
A Community Advisory Policing Committee was formed by volunteer representatives from the community...
Trappers and traders were saluted as the third season at Fort George Buckingham House wound down...
A new flag and banner design was approved by Town Council...
Participation and fundraising both increased at the Terry Fox Run...
The A. G. Ross Arena’s future was still in limbo as an information meeting was held to discuss the possibilities of its purchase by the Operating Committee...
A 78-year-old pedestrian, Della Povaschuk, was critically injured when struck by a car as she crossed 50th Avenue...
Town Council called a by-election following the resignation of Vernon King, who moved out of the community...Chris Kittlitz won ten awards at F. G. Miller High School’s annual Awards Night...
Marion Rose, who spent part of her childhood in Elk Point more than 60 years ago when her father was United Church minister here, was welcomed back with a tea hosted by the Historical Society...
Benne and Justin Berg won two awards in the province-wide Cowkid Poetry Contest...
Information Night was well attended and filled with interesting displays...
Elk Point's Provincial Court House closed its doors as a victim of deficit cuts.
October
The Town and Alberta Power discussed moving the power substation to a Town owned property adjacent to the sewer lift station. A recent incident in which Alberta Power punctured a sewer line while installing a guy wire was also discussed...
Edlyn Smuk was the overall academic achiever at Heinsburg High Awards Night...
Ron Salt became the new president of the Elk Point Agricultural Society at a meeting which gave the society a new direction as an overseeing body with its massive debt split between the Arena Operating Committee and the Fairgrounds Committee...
Angie Duocher was crowned Fishing Lake Princess...
Council was finally back at full strength, adding Dave Yake, Louis Verhagen and Ron Smith to fill the vacant chairs...
Elk Point saluted Great Albertan Sid Holthe with a surprise dinner and program in his honor...
The former Community Services Centre was demolished...
Elk Point Royal Canadian Legion announced plans for a new cenotaph...
After five years of waiting, Elk Point has received word that they will receive a retired CNR caboose.
November
Elk Point lost its ambulance service as Fred Lambright announced he could no longer afford to run it without subsidies, but was back on the road just over a week later as County and Town provided interim funding while the issue was studied further...
A Norway Rat was found in Elk Point and the area was put on the lookout for others...
War dead were remembered with a well attended indoor ceremony...
Supreme Honored Royal Lady Elaine Hennell of the OORP of Canada was welcomed to Elk Point
Northbound 41's Woytkiw family were named Small Businesspeople of the Year by the Chamber.
Pan Canadian Petroleum announced plans to double production in 1995...
Heinsburg Eagles won both the boys’ and girls’ Volleyball County Cups...
Jim Penz of St. Paul skipped the winners at the Town and Country Bonspiel...
The Town of Elk Point agreed to cover the $1160 FCSS deficit.
December
The month just past saw the Chamber's Christmas Extravaganza warm up a frosty Friday, further discussion of ambulance funding, ratepayers helping to prepay the curb and gutter debenture, Fine Arts at the high school and concerts for the Community Choir and the Elementary students, as Elk Point got ready for Christmas and wound down another year of history.
