Doctor recruitment dilemma, local shopping promotions and debt-free dreams
hit the Review’s headlines in 2004
from Elk Point Review by Vicki Brooker Review Staff
January
The new year began with Town Council, Chamber of Commerce and the oil industry planning a joint meeting to facilitate communications and foster friendly relationships.
F. G. Miller High School’s grade 12 students geared up for a new style of diploma exams, starting a week earlier than ever before.
Town Council declared themselves happy with the way the local ambulance service runs.
A capacity crowd was welcomed to Elk Point Ukrainian Dance Club’s fourth annual Malanka celebration.
Representatives of the Riverland Recreational Trail, Lakeland Tourist Association, Iron Horse Trail and Elk Point Trailriders Snowmobile Club enlightened the Chamber on the many benefits of being located along the Iron Horse Trail.
St. George’s Masonic Lodge celebrated their 50th anniversary.
February Marshall Kachmar was named Elk Point Oilmen’s sociation’s Oilman of the Year at the 2lst annual Oilmen’s Bonspiel, while Leonard Gadowski and his rink the grand- challenge winners.
Alberta’s Way Out team roared into Elk Point on their tour to raise y for breast cancer research.
Staffing funding was approved and tour bookings were pouring in for the 2004 season at Fort George and Buckingham House historic site.
Rod Randall was elected Elk Point Chamber’s 2004 president, with Dwayne Vogel as vice president.
Physician recruitment efforts were ongoing, with help from the Aspen Regional Health Authority, although CEO Bob Cable told the Interagency Health Committee “it’s not necessarily our job to do that.”
John Braga scored 100% in two diploma exams.
Esther Moneta and Linda Fox received 25-year service awards at Elk Point Health Centre.
March
The Chamber’s new executive decided to try once monthly meetings.
Displays ranged from astronomy to zoology at Elk Point Elementary’s science fair.
Town Council voted to establish a community support services fund which could help organizations experiencing unexpected financial hardship.
Town Council and Chamber representatives discussed the doctor recruitment issue.
Elk Point skaters went country style at their annual ice carnival.
The Canada Day committee reconfigured their parade route after protests that a shortened route would make it difficult for seniors in retirement homes to view the parade.
Elk Point Community Choir’s dinner theatre performance for “Oklahoma!” played to eight sellout crowds.
The Elk Point Review celebrated 20 years of news coverage.
April
The minor hockey season wound up with an awards banquet, where Atom Avalanche was praised as the year’s top success story, going from a very small beginning to a zone championship. Quillan Lowry won the Alex Kurash Memorial award.
The Chamber geared up for downtown beautification and a huge local shopping promotion.
Town manager Myron Goyan was encouraged by the possibility of the Town becoming debt-free. Town Council supported a move to establish a food bank in Elk Point.
Elk Point Ukrainian Dance Club celebrated 25 years with their spring concert.
CNRL announced plans for a 60-well-per-year drilling program and numerous recompletions.
May
Elk Point Community Choir wrapped up their 16th season in song at their annual spring concert.
Elk Point and District Lions Club raised $2,100 at their Walk for Sight.
Elk Point really cleaned up, with double the previous year’s amount of hazardous household waste brought to the annual round-up.
Town Council passed their mill rate bylaw a full month ahead of the previous year, with rates similar to 2003.
Chamber members learned about their 1792 counterparts when they took their meeting to Fort George and Buckingham House, as the Forts opened for the new season.
June
Elk Point and district residents were encouraged to “Shop Locally” in a month long promotion spearheaded by the Chamber, CNRL and REACH Corporation.
Jessica Wirsta showed the Grand Champion 4-H steer.
Close to $15,000 was raised for STARS at the fifth annual Elk Point Emergency Services golf tournament.
Frog Lake Napewaew Comprehensive School sent 14 graduates into the world, while Heinsburg had five graduates this year.
Town Council submitted a joint application with the County and Town of St. Paul, in search of funding for Iron Horse staging area development.
Incumbent MP Dave Chatters was victorious in the federal election.
Elk - Point Elementary celebrated the conclusion of an incredibly successful year at their awards night.
Family teams competed at Fort George and Buckingham House in the Great Family Fur Factor Challenge.
July
The community’s leaders of tomorrow were celebrated at Canada Day celebrations, and rain on the parade could not dampen the enthusiasm for the day long event, with up-and-coming country star Michael Carey featured in the stage show and gospel concert.
The long-missing model of Fort George returned home at last, after a long stay at Cold Lake.
Agricultural service board members from across the province visited the area on a county-wide tour,
Town Council agreed to much needed road repairs in the industrial park.
Elk Point White Sox hosted the Midget A provincials.
Métis culture and tradition was celebrated at Potta Trail Days.
August
Former students and teachers were among the crowd as the newly restored Fern Chapel School was rededicated, with praise going to the countless volunteers who helped with the lengthy process.
Quilt displays increased in number, but exhibits declined at Elk Point Fair.
Town Council called for a crackdown on roaming youngsters and pets.
Robyn Moroziuk won the tiebreaker for the 21st Oilmen’s Golf Tournament championship.
The new stage at Fort George and Buckingham House set the scene for its first Fort des Prairies Jamboree.
Exemplary student John Braga carried home a stack of scholarships and awards as FGM’s Class of 2004 celebrated their commencement.
September
Danielle Schnurer was among 100 Alberta Centennial Ambassadors who were appointed to help motivate and encourage Albertans to celebrate the province’s centennial.
The Chamber’s summer projects were declared a success as meetings resumed after the two-month break.
Four generations joined to celebrate Grandparents’ Day with a walk-a-thon benefiting the Alberta Council on Aging, with Peggy Maas as the top fundraiser.
Elections were scheduled in town and county when nomination day brought out a good crop of candidates.
The Town’s new animal control bylaw had bigger fines for owners of misbehaving pets, and required cats to be licenced for the first time.
Pioneers of Elk Point Further Education, Sid Holthe, Irene Miller, Lawrence Modin and Margaret Modin were honored as the council celebrated 30 years of operation.
Travis Lindquist was named best all-around student at F. G. Miller Awards Night.
October
With Parrish Tung declared Elk Point’s new mayor by acclamation, six candidates were in the running for four council seats, with incumbents Alvina Schuhmacher and Dennis Jasinsky joined by newcomers Dwayne Yaremkevich and Thomas Kondla in the new council.
The Hon. Lois Hole addressed “the unsung heroes of civilization” at the Northern Lights Library System conference.
Glen Ockerman, Division 1, and Tom Kurek, Division 2, were among the new councillors elected in the County of St. Paul.
Elk Point mourned the loss of elder statesmen Sid Holthe, who passed away at the age of 85, with the Chamber paying special tribute to their longtime member.
With the local elections completed, campaigning got underway for the provincial election.
Elk Point finally had a second physician, as Dr. Oyekunle Oyebode opened his office in town.
November
The new Town council hosted a meet-and-greet evening for their ratepayers, receiving a good amount of feedback and suggestions for improvement.
The Elk Point Royal Canadian Legion ended sixty years of community service by passing the torch to the community, as they hosted their final Remembrance Day ceremonies.
Liberal candidate Dickson Broomfield and PC incumbent Ray Danyluk faced off in a preelection forum at Heinsburg, days before Danyluk won a landslide victory.
The Chamber’s biggest-ever Extravaganza catapulted Elk Point into the Christmas season, with its gala evening of activities and entertainment.
December
The Chamber declared Extravaganza a tremendous success, with shoppers coming from a wide area to take part in the event. Craft shows, concerts and other festive celebrations brought the year to an exciting conclusion.
The Iron Horse Trail received a long-awaited gift just before Christmas, with designation as part of the Trans Canada Trail.
You can get to any of the Elk Point Review Issues for 2004 by clicking on the following link:
https://archive.org/search?query=subject%3A%22Elk+Point+Review%22&sort=…
