At approximently 2:40 p.m. Friday, July 24 Drumheller Emergency Services responded to a single vehicle motorcycle accident near Nacmine heading towards the Carbon hill.
Injuries are unknown at this time.
Emergency Services have secondary highway 575 down to one lane while crews clean up debris.
More details to follow as they become available.
The Drumheller mixed slo-pitch teams will be wrapping up their 2015 season in a couple of weeks with a round robin style tournament.
The local league, made up of 22 teams has six teams in the competitive portion and 16 in the non-competitive.
Meredy Mielke, league organizer, said the teams play each other throughout the year and, “for the most part every team plays once a week.”
The teams play at the Newcastle ball diamonds as well as sometimes at the Rosedale diamond and play Monday to Friday.
“Our annual year end tournament will be August 8 and 9 at the Newcastle diamond,” she told inSide Drumheller.
“There will be round robin style games and a home run derby Saturday,” she explained.
Bernie and the Boys will return this year to provide the league with food and beverages throughout the tournament, Mielke said.
“Fingers crossed for some good weather. Everyone is welcome to come out and watch some ball or just to grab a bite to eat,” she said.
Mielke said the league would like to thank Kevin Blanchett and his maintenance team, “for working hard and keeping the diamonds in tip top shape for us, and to Judy Quintin-Arvidson for booking the diamonds.”
With the year coming to an end for the teams, Mielke said the league is not taking players right now but the 2016 season will be open to new teams or players.
Environment Canada issued at tornado watch at 10:37 a.m. on Saturday July 25 for Drumheller and area.
Conditions are favourable for the development of dangerous thunderstorms that may be capable of producing a tornado, very strong wind gusts, golf ball sized hail and heavy rain.
Storms will initiate early this afternoon and move eastward throughout the day. As a result watches may be expanded east later this afternoon. Be prepared for severe weather. Take cover immediately, if threatening weather approaches.
In the event of a tornado, or if a tornado warning is issued for your area, it is recommended you take the following actions: Go indoors to a room on the lowest floor, away from outside walls and windows, such as a basement, bathroom, stairwell or interior closet. Leave mobile homes, vehicles, tents, trailers and other temporary or free-standing shelter, and move to a strong building if you can. As a last resort, lie in a low spot and protect your head from flying debris.
Environment Canada meteorologists will update alerts as required. Please monitor local media or Weatheradio.
Strathmore was full of activity July 16-19 as over 1200 individuals gathered for a weekend of competition and friendship.
A culmination of more than two years of planning, buses arrived from the far north and south to deliver athletes to Strathmore and hundreds of cars and RV’s converged on the northern edge which housed the venues for the 15 sports and cultural activities which ranged from slo-pitch to pickleball to athletics and cribbage that were part of the Alberta 55 Plus Summer Games.
The zone which includes Drumheller, Hanna and Three Hills were double winners. They won the Lieutenant Governor’s Cup which was awarded to the team that has shown the most improvement from previous Summer Games as well as the Spirit of Participation given to the zone team that exemplifies the true spirit of participation with personal integrity and sportsmanship both in and out of competition.
Drumheller residents contributed to the 81 medals won by zone two. Phil Wade won a gold medal in javelin throw, setting a games record with a throw of over 29 m. Bob Friesen and Ian Jones both won a bronze medal in pickleball. This was a new sport in the games and was highly competitive.
Other participants from Drumheller included Gus LeStrat playing crib, and Barb Barker, Mike Barker and Louise Paul in Creative Arts. Individuals from Oyen and Three Hills participated in golf, contract bridge, slo-pitch and floor curling.
More than 800 volunteers from the town of Strathmore and surrounding area made the games a tremendous event with young and old all pitching in to meet the needs of all participants. This included food, billets, people movers from site to site and rickshaw rides.
Concerts were held on Friday and Saturday evening, including a one man play, a string quartet, barn dance and Drew Gregory.
On Sunday the games wrapped up with Her Honour the Honourable Lois Mitchell, CM, AOE, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta presenting the overall awards and closing comments.
Calgary (Zone three) won the Alberta 55 Plus Zone Championship Trophy awarded to the zone team achieving the most points for the activity/sport competitions in the games with 126 medals won.
The mission of the Alberta 55 Plus Association is to encourage individuals to remain active both physically and socially by seeking greater levels of physical, social, intellectual and creative achievement through friendly participation and competition while enhancing a sense of community spirit by bringing Albertans together.
Zone two has recently provided two floor shuffleboard lanes to Drumheller and will be hosting a workshop to introduce this sport to Drumheller. Anyone wanting additional information on Alberta 55 Plus can contact Linda Traquair at 403-823-8460.
Dinny the Dinosaur is going to be getting some much needed repairs.
Ed Palm of Palm Engineering LTD inspected the dinosaur, located at the Rotary Spray Park, on June 8 to determine if the structure was still safe for the public to be near. Palm Engineering provided a letter to council of their recommendations for the dinosaur. Within the letter, it is mentioned that the structure was built from odds and ends pieces of rebar, expanded wire mesh, stucco wire, chicken wire, and concrete mortar and that the work was done over 60 years ago. The cracks have developed overtime from shrinkage, water penetration and vibration caused by high winds.
The town of Drumheller then invited quotes to refurbish the dinosaur based on the report. Two quotes for Stage one of the repairs were received, one by Frank Hadfield of Paleoprep quoted at $42,472.50 and one by Steve Vernon quoted at $6,700.
At the Monday, July 27 Regular Council meeting, Council passed a motion to award the quote for the dinosaur rehabilitation to Steve Vernon.
Stage one of the repairs will include removing sections of the dinosaur where large cracks are present and removing sections of mortar, which appear, displaced in large scales.
It will also include welding penetrating rods from the inner rebar cage through the mesh to a layer of mesh played on the outside of the hole. Dinny will also get repairs done to his surface concrete that has been broken away or otherwise needs attention. Lastly, all the cracks will be covered with a brushed on layer of latex emulsified rubber such as Elasto Seal and then the dinosaur will be primed and painted.
“He needs some major repairs. We are basically going to put a Band-Aid on him right now,” Drumheller Mayor Terry Yemen said.
“For now, he is still engineered, he is still safe. They are going to do some patches to prevent the water from getting in, clean it up, hopefully it will look good and it should give us the time we need to make an informed decision,” Yemen told the Mail.
“Council is going to want to hear from the community. That dinosaur, it is very iconic, and it is kind of where it all started from, but there is going to have to be a very significant amount of money spent on him. Is that the direction the community wants us to go? There have been some great improvements to the world of dinosaurs now, so there is some other options there,” Yemen said.
“Perhaps that is what the community wants us to do, something new or we do have the option of repairing this one but it is going to be at a significant cost. At a later time, we are going to have to ask the community and get some direction from them of what they want to do with him,” he said.
As you drive toward Rosebud, Alberta, the blacktop prairie highway rolls under your wheels as you make your way to the Rosebud Chamber Music Festival. Bugs hit your windshield as the wide-open road becomes the seam through this patchwork of canola and wheat.
In the distance, a white towering cloud dumps rain on the grateful land. You open your window, turn off the radio, and breathe in the fresh air. The anticipation of harvest is thick.
You don’t know it, but you’re forming a lifelong memory. Time seems to disappear as you lose yourself in the echoes of First Nations People and long-forgotten sod-busting pioneers.
Only a few corners, over a hill, and then into a green river valley which holds the hamlet of Rosebud, Alberta, home of Rosebud Centre of the Arts.
Brighter than a thousand points of light, classical music luminaries descend on Rosebud once a year for the Rosebud Chamber Music Festival. The tsunami of excellence and anticipation emanates from our guests for the festival, a company that includes multi-Juno recipient, John Stetch, a quartet of Canada’s most thrilling young string players and acclaimed pianist, Peter Longworth.
This year, the Rosebud Chamber Music Festival is bringing a brand new outdoor performance to the spectacular Passion Play Site in Drumheller. Don’t miss this amazing week of concerts!
Schedule of Events:
•July 27, 7 pm: Reading Party! - Rosebud Mercantile
•July 29, 7:30 pm: Jazz with Pianist, John Stetch, Rosebud Church
•July 30, 7:30 pm: Beethoven Returns to the Badlands! - The Canadian Badlands Passion Play Site, Drumheller, Alberta
•July 31, 7:30 pm: Three Hills Arts Academy, Three Hills
•August 2, 7:30 pm: Rosebud Church
The Town of Drumheller, Economic Development, and The Drumheller Housing Administration are happy to announce that the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation (CMHC) has approved Drumheller’s grant application for ten thousand dollars to assist in a needs assessment study of social housing in the community.
The Drumheller Housing Administration currently manages several subsidized rental units in the community and is eager to start on a new project. CMHC’s ten thousand dollar grant will be used for a needs assessment to determine where, in fact, the greatest need is in regards to social housing. Currently the Town of Drumheller is researching qualified social housing consultants to complete the needs assessment study.
Bob Sheddy, CAO of Drumheller Housing said "thanks to the Board of Directors for their vision on this project and CAO Ray Romanetz, Paul Salvatore and especially Economic Development officer Cody Glydon for securing this grant. Cody jumped in with both feet and secured the Grant which will be used for a Needs Assessment / Feasibility Study."
The identification of housing needs in Drumheller is a top priority in the Economic Development Strategic Plan put together by the Economic Development Task Force in 2014. The Town of Drumheller is eager to work with the Drumheller Housing Administration and a housing company to ensure this project moves forward for the betterment of our community.
Drumheller Housing Authority manages 50 subsidized townhouse- style units in Greentree and Hunts and 20 apartment style affordable rental units in Sandstone Manor.
Sheddy says,"If you have input on what you would like to see for future affordable rental properties email rent.drumheller@century21.ca or comment on the Drumheller Mail Facebook page under this story."
The Drumheller Dragons hosted a beer garden during the Canada Day July 1 festivities with proceeds going to the Drumheller Association of Skateboarding Enthusiasts (DASE).
Presenting a cheque for $2500 is (l-r): Brian Curran, Head Coach and General Manager for the Drumheller Dragons, Amanda Stahl, Drumheller Dragons Business Manager, to Trevor Gough DASE Treasurer and Marina Flater Communications for DASE.
The McDonald's truck adventure made a stop into the Royal Tyrrell Museum parking lot today (Friday). Despite the rain, staff working in the truck said they had been quite busy handing out free McFlurries to celebrate the ice cream treat's 20th anniversary. Above is Rachelle Russell and her son Evan Russell who grabbed their free McFlurry on the way to their vehicle.
A local thrower is heading to Winnipeg to represent Drumheller.
St. Anthony’s student, 15 year old Payton Zacharuk is part of the University of Calgary Athletic Club (UCAC) team.
She has made Team Alberta and will be heading to the Tri Province Western Canada Challenge at the University of Manitoba Stadium from July 17 to 19 with her teammates.
This is her first year on the UCAC team. Previous to this she was part of a club in Airdrie.
At the Caltalf trials this spring, she finished fourth in discus, fifth in javelin, sixth in hammer throw and ninth in shot put.
When asked why she decided to start competing in track she said, “We had to do it in grade six for school and I guess I liked it plus my older sister did it too.”
This year, Zacharuk moved from the midget category to the youth category, which covers ages 17 and under.
Her mom, Elizabeth, said she is, “proud of her, she has done really, really well.”
“I think if she places in the top 10 in this, she will be pretty happy. There are some pretty good throwers,” Elizabeth said.
When it comes to sportsmanship, Elizabeth said Payton always shows it.
“She gets along with all the girls from Edmonton, Manitoba, everywhere. It has been really good, I think, to get her out of Drumheller a bit (and) around other kids from different places and to travel. We travelled to B.C. last year and she did quite well. We travel all over the place for track meets and she meets kids. Sportsmanship is number one with our family because she comes from a long line of athletes,” Elizabeth said.
“That’s just how it is. Even (when) she had stepped over the line and they didn’t see it, she told them, and it was the best throw of the track meet. She was honest, that’s just how she is,” Elizabeth said.
Payton said she feels “it will be a good experience” for her.
Elizabeth is travelling with Payton and the team as a chaperone.
Rosebud Theatre is taking patrons on a romp through a fantasy world and reminding them there is no place like home in their production of The ‘Wizard of Oz.’
The unique Americana musical fairy tale continues its run on the Rosebud Opera Stage for the summer. Familiar faces to Rosebud fans include Cassia Schramm as Dorothy, Dave Snider as the Tin Man and Mike Thiessen as the Great and Powerful Oz.
The story is a classic that audiences far and wide are familiar with, from possibly one of the most successful films ever. It plays to Rosebud Theatre’s strengths of big casts, stage efficiency, and of course, music.
Shauna Murphy and Rachel Peacock provide the music for the familiar songs that get young and old tapping their toes and humming along and the entire cast brings a strong voice to the show.
Familiarity does not take away from the energy and zeal that the cast put into the production. The company does a fine job of balancing between keeping true to the classic and familiar and putting their own signature on the play. They do this masterfully, allowing purists go home satisfied with the production, but at the same time provide those special wow moments that only Rosebud Theatre can do.
The ‘Wizard Of Oz’ runs until September 5, and is truly fun for the whole family. Children and adults alike can enjoy the mastery of the language, and music, and get lost in the fairly tale on stage, which is just what is intended.
The little museum that could has endured 50 years and this summer they are celebrating this milestone.
The Homestead Antique Museum celebrates the human history of the valley and surrounding areas. It looks at the social, economic and family fabric of the past that holds together today. Many of the family names that are attached to the exhibits are still alive and well in these hills of home.
Gilles Danis, manager of the museum explains the museum was founded by a small group of area residents wanting to preserve the history.
“There were 11 homesteaders who thought that times were getting modern, their families were going to take over their farms, and very likely what they owned was going to be sent away to be dumped. So they thought they would do something with it,” explains Danis. “As well, some of those guys liked to restore antiques, such as cars and machinery.”
“They all got together and pooled their resources. The museum was supposed to represent not objects as such, but the people, the homesteaders, it’s their story. It’s the culture, the society and the industry.
Danis said these were the homesteaders who came and broke the land and eked out a life, raising their families.
The museum opened its doors on June 7, 1965, on a parcel owned by the Brilliant Mine.
They succeeded under the legendary dome with an eclectic collection of cars, truck, farm implements, as well as items from their homes, places of businesses, farms, professional offices and institutions. There are items that celebrate Monday morning at work and Saturday night at the dances halls throughout the area.
This summer they are celebrating this milestone on Saturday, July 25. The celebration starts at 10 a.m. It includes live music from past president Murray Johnson, who will be bringing his fiddle to get toes tapping. They are also hoping for an appearance from Bert Hoy.
There will also be more musicians as well as snacks and representation from the Atlas Coal Mine and other museums to help celebrate. Any funds raised at the event will go to the operations of the museum, so it can continue preserving memories for another 50 years.
The weather is quite often a topic of discussion for many people, but for Cassie Molyneux and the bride and groom she was photographing last weekend, it will be a memory that will last a lifetime.
Originally from Drumheller, Molyneux has been a wedding photographer for just over five years and is now based in Calgary.
The couple, Helen Knight and Owen Chan, wanted their wedding photos atop Tom Campbell’s Hill Natural Park in Calgary because that is where the couple loved to walk their dog, said Molyneux.
When the bridal party arrived on the top of the hill it, “was still beautiful weather and a great day, you would have never known that was coming by looking at the sky at that point,” she said continuing in saying that once she was finished with the bridesmaids she sent them back to the couples home and began pictures of just the bride and groom.
“I knew we would only have a very short window to do that, but I really wanted to get a great shot of them with the skyline and all these crazy dark clouds moving over the city,” she said.
“We stayed out there and got the shot and within 60 seconds after that it just started pouring down (rain) in buckets on us,” she finished.
Molyneux recalls that one of the groomsmen had two small umbrellas with him at the time and she said they used one for the couple to help shield the brides hair, and the other to help protect her camera equipment.
“We just booked it to the car and the bride got in there, I got in there, there was only room for a few of us. Some of the boys were still outside trying to shield themselves with the vehicle. Eventually they did all pile in so it was a car of seven people and we were all just laughing. We couldn’t believe it was actually happening,” she said with a laugh.
She explained that once the rain stopped and they could see and drive they headed back to the couple’s home to get ready for their dinner.
“Everyone just went into the recovery mode. The girls were blow drying Helen’s dress. Thankfully one of her bridesmaids was her hair dresser, so she fixed Helen’s hair. All the boys were tossing their suits in the dryer, whatever could go in there, and ironing and just doing whatever they could to get dry,” she said.
“Leaving the house, it had looked like nothing had happened, everyone looked fabulous again. It was crazy. I didn’t think anyone was going to believe us that it had happened,” she told the Mail.
“It was definitely just the right place, the right time, everything came together for that. It is really cool that it worked out,” Molyneux said.
The Craigmyle Centennial Celebration is in full swing and all kinds of fun is still ahead.The day kicked off with a parade that wound its way through the community, and that is just the beginning. There are all sorts of activities planned for the for all ages. This includes a scavenger hunt, historic downtown walks, games, concession and entertainment.
The day caps off with a family dance and fireworks.
The Drumheller Emergency Services responded to a trailer fire in Greenwood Villa at approximately 11:35 p.m. Sunday night.
They responded with a pump, rescue and tank truck. About 15 fire fighters were on scene for approximately two hours, said Drumheller Fire Chief Bruce Wade.
It is a non-suspicious fire and he said the fire department had it under control “pretty quick.” A truck was kept overnight for fire watch.
The fire is still under investigation.
Members of downtown businesses came down to Munchie Park on Wednesday to thank the crew members and supervisor for cleaning up and beautifying the park. The crew and businesses owners/operators were given a thank you pizza lunch provided by Pizza 249.
The 2015-2016 Rotary Club of Drumheller executive held a meeting on Wednesday at the Cretaceous Conference Centre.
The members are: (Back row l-r) Jim Fisher, Wendy Benzon, Sylvia Adams and Stacey Gallagher. (Front row l-r) Vicki Wilton, president Doug Stanford and Barb Campbell.
Missing from the photo is: Cody Glydon, Tracy Kakuk, Michelle Kendell, Bev Krabsen and Linda Rietveld.
The new executive for July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 is a mix of experienced and new people.
Stanford told inSidethat the club will continue to make an impact in the community through donations such as the poppy fund and scholarships, and focus on the regular Rotary projects.
He added that the Rotary is working on a long-term project that will involve the Rotary Spray Park.
He also mentioned that members who have been with the club for 25, 40 and 50 years will be honoured in the fall.
Starland County is ready to help residents and farms go solar.
The County has pledged $20,000 towards solar installations for residents. Those wishing to install solar in Starland County will be eligible to receive 20 cents per install watt of photovoltaic solar up to a maximum of $2000.
The funding will be available for solar installations completed in 2015 on a first come, first serve basis.
“This level of incentive plus significantly lower turn key costs means that this is the best opportunity to install solar on your home or farm we have seen yet,” said Jordan Webber, Economic Development Officer for Starland County.
“About four residents have signed up for theprogram this year. Last year we had about 12 residents who did the program. If you want to be on the list make sure you contact us soon,” he said.
“Alternative energy is a huge benefit for the community. It has environmental benefits, and it also creates a sustainable power source that hedges us against inflating energy costs,” Webber told The Mail.
“But more so I think it is really a legacy for these farms and residents that will have alternative energy and a source of power and independence in some ways for 25-30 years because of this decision. It has been and will continue to have a profound positive effect on our community.”
Alternative energy is accessible to everyone. There are smaller lower cost systems available to get residences involved as well as cost effective large scale systems for farms and commercial applications. Starland County has example pricing and information for those residents who are interested.
In the last two years, Starland County has been successful in supporting the installation of over 100 kW of photovoltaic solar on residences in addition to Countyprojects. This year, Starland County plans to match that success.
Those interested in installing a photo voltaic solar system in Starland County or would like more information can contact Jordan Webber at 587-795-0503 or visit www.starlandcounty.com
The Village of Acme has rezoned a park in a residential area that has been the center of some recent controversy.
A Public Hearing was held on Monday, July 13, to amend the Village’s Land Use Bylaw to change the land known as the Tire Park from Community Service District to Residential. Mayor Bruce McLeod said the public meeting went smoothly.
“There were two individuals who showed up and spoke in favour of it. We had two letters that I read out for people who were opposed to it. These were both taken into consideration, and we adjourned the meeting,” said McLeod.
The Council then went into its regular council meeting and the bylaw passed second and third readings.
McLeod said Council put a lot of effort into the decision.
“It has been a long process, but from day one we wanted to do it right, and make sure it was correct according to the MGA (Municipal Government Act),” said McLeod. “We also wanted to make sure that the public had an input. We received a lot of input and took it into consideration.”
The new designation will allow the land to be divided into four parcels for residential expansion. McLeod says this was a cost efficient way to allow the community to grow.
“Our CAO did some research on expanding Heritage Estates, which is part of a subdivision, and the difference was extraordinary. It was roughly $250,000 to develop this land, and Heritage Estate would have been up in the neighbourhood of $1.3 and $2 million. There was no way we could do that …any community couldn’t afford that nowadays,” said McLeod. “I think the salability of those four lots is tremendous because of the area it is in. It backs on to the school and there is access. They will be nice lots.”
