BONNYVILLE/COLD LAKE – The following is an overview of the many events and issues that took place in 2021 from July to December.
July
On July 18, the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority (BRFA) celebrated 25 years of service to the MD, Town of Bonnyville, as well as the several other communities the authority operates out of. Officially formed in 1996, the BRFA brought together 13 separate fire halls and departments throughout the municipality. Over the years, the BRFA has grown its services to include a 911 call centre and will soon be transitioning to next-generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) services.
On the evening of July 9, a fire broke out at the Catholic church in Kehewin Cree Nation. The fire that destroyed the vacant church, known as Our Lady of Mercy, was determined to have been deliberately set, according to Bonnyville RCMP. A youth, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was charged with arson following the investigation.
On July 1, Alberta was “Open for Summer,” marking a short return to normalcy during the pandemic.
The Bonnyville community celebrated the Alberta government’s lifting of nearly all public health measures with a Let’s Go Lakeland Parade featuring floats of all kinds and sizes that travelled down Main Street, on July 9.
Over the July 9-10 weekend, Bonnyville hosted the first post-pandemic rodeo and Xtreme Indian Relay Races.
At 11 years old, Leland Warburt, unofficially broke the world record for how quickly he was able to solve a Rubik’s Cube while operating a hover board, with a time of just 19.79 seconds, beating the previous world record of 30 seconds. Although the École des Beaux-Lacs student broke the record on July 25, surrounded by friends and community volunteers, his accomplishment wouldn’t be officially inducted into the Guiness World Record until Aug. 10.
Officially launching in July, the Clayton Bellamy Foundation for the Arts will provide Northern Lights Public School (NLPS) graduates entering a recognized fine arts program the opportunity to apply for the foundation’s post-secondary scholarship. The scholarship was made possible through a partnership between the Clayton Bellamy Foundation, NLPS and MacEwan University.
Purposed changes to nurses’ contracts by the province, caused Registered Nurse and Bonnyville president for the United Nurses of Alberta, Christina Dietrich to speak out, telling Lakeland This Week that local nurses felt the contract is “a slap in the face.” The contract proposed by the province included a three per cent wage rollback, layoffs, a cap to the amount of overtime staff can bank, and the elimination of designated days of rest.
After months of planning, the St. Anne Chapel made its journey on the back of a flat-bed truck to its new home at the Bonnyville and District Museum on July 14. Both the Town and MD of Bonnyville contributed $20,000 towards the Bonnyville and District Historical Society to pay for the church’s relocation. A green space will be maintained at the church's former location for residents of the Lakeland Lodge and Housing Foundation.
The Town of Bonnyville council contributed just shy of $14,000 to the Community Futures Lakeland Business Beautification program. The program offers loans to business owners interested in enhancing the look of their property.
A former Lakeland Catholic School Division teacher appeared in Cold Lake Provincial Court to speak to charges of voyeurism and making, printing and publishing child pornography. James Neil Morrison was released from police custody.
August
Information provided by a new interactive map, developed by Alberta Health Services, showed five acute care beds at the Cold Lake Healthcare Centre had been closed due to staffing shortages, as well as reduction of ER hours and bed closures in other Lakeland healthcare facilities. The Cold Lake facility continues to cope with lack of staff and ongoing bed and service disruptions.
Opening in 1946, Bonnyville’s Royal Canadian Legion – Branch 183, marked 75 years of serving the community, members, veterans and their family. To celebrate the milestone, Legion members held a 75th Birthday Party Steak Night on Aug. 13 and a Legion Riders Bike rally the following day.
The City of Cold Lake became the home of Western States Hockey League (WSHL) Junior A Aeros. Team owner Axel Axmann, moved the WSHL team from Edson to Imperial Oil Place rink at the Cold Lake Energy Centre. The Aeros are currently at the top of the Canadian WSHL division.
On Aug. 20, a Bonnyville resident and employee of the MD, passed away following a motor vehicle collision near the intersection of the Secondary Highway 660 and Range Rd. 455. Another driver was critically injured in the incident.
On Aug. 25, the MD of Bonnyville declared a state of agricultural disaster after the summer saw two ‘heat dome’ weather systems linger over western Canada and the Prairies. The prolonged and widespread heat and lack of precipitation led to poor forage yields, diminished pasture grazing and increasing costs of animal feed into the winter months.
During an Aug. 24 council meeting, former Town of Bonnyville Mayor Gene Sobelowski relayed that wait times have grown and health care staff at the Bonnyville Healthcare Centre are burning out due to increased pressure on the facility caused by emergency bed closures elsewhere in the region, leading more patients to seek treatment in Bonnyville.
Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs’ former assistant coach T.J. Millar took on a position within the Toronto Maple Leafs’ coaching development program. Millar spent three years with the Pontiacs before moving on to the next step of his career.
Sobolewski announced he would not run for reelection as the Town of Bonnyville’s mayor. First elected in 2004 as a town councillor, Sobolewski served three consecutive terms as a councillor before going on to win the mayor’s chair in 2013 and again in 2017.
September
The Métis flag joined other flags featured outside of the Town of Bonnyville’s municipal building on Sept. 2, during a flag raising ceremony. The Métis flag also hangs in the council chambers, along with the Canadian flag, the province of Alberta’s flag, Town of Bonnyville flag and the flag of Treaty Six.
Bonnyville was the hardest hit municipality in the Lakeland region during the pandemic’s fourth wave. On Sept. 12, the Bonnyville region reported over 400 active cases of COVID-19. The MD of Bonnyville and area, including the town, reported 306 active cases of the respiratory virus. The neighbouring Cold Lake area was reporting 150 active cases at that time. Per capita, the region ranked third overall for active cases of the virus in Alberta.
Ardmore duck No.1417 was rediscovered 10,000 km from home. The rubber duck found its way from the starting line at the annual Ardmore duck race in 2017 on the Beaver River to the rocky shoreline of Barnets Sea of northwestern Russia. Vladimir Matusevitch and his family spotted the little yellow duck on the shore in 2019. Matusevitch, spent the next two years trying to find the duck’s home.
The first memorial motocross race and ride was held on Sept. 18, to remember the St. Paul youth, Mason Watt, at Cold Lake’s recently renamed track the Mason Watt Memorial Raceway.
On Sept. 14, the Town of Bonnyville council voted to restrict in-person attendance of members of the public at council meetings in relation to the pandemic. The vote was not unanimous, and the decision still remains in place. The Town’s council meetings can be watched live on its YouTube channel, speakers can also participate through pre-arranged video calls. MD of Bonnyville council meetings and meetings of the whole remain open to the public for in-person attendance.
The first Orange Shirt Drive through the Town of Bonnyville was organized by the Bonnyville-based and Indigenous-led Grassroots Movement Committee to mark Orange Shirt Day on Sept. 30. The day was also marked by the country and the region as the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which is now a federal statutory holiday.
The Bonnyville Stampede Bingo Hall closed its doors after more than thirty years of raising funds for community’s non-profits and youth associations. The decision was reached after five years of decreasing numbers of volunteers and patrons. From Sept. 16-19, 540 patrons came out during the bingo hall’s last weekend of operation.
October
The MD of Bonnyville took over construction of the Ardmore and Fort Kent firehalls following legal disputes with the projects’ contractor and subcontractors. The project had been halted during legal proceedings, but on Oct. 5, the MD announced that municipal crews would finish the remaining work.
The City of Cold Lake council committed $2.7 million over the next two years to upgrade and expand Kinosoo Beach’s amenities, including a beach promenade, shade structures and a Wave Plaza, among others.
Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs replaced outgoing assistant coach Millar with Yukon-native Derek Hemsley. Hemsley is no stranger to the Bonnyville area having played for the Cold Lake Jr. B Ice as a youth.
Following the 2021 municipal election on Oct. 18, Elisa Brosseau was elected as the Town of Bonnyville’s mayor after receiving 74 per cent of the vote. Joining Brosseau on Town council are Kayla Blanchette, Byron Johnson, David Sharun, Phil Kushnir, Brian McEvoy and Neil Langridge.
In a much closer race, Barry Kalinski won the seat for reeve in the MD of Bonnyville’s municipal election. Receiving 54 per cent of the vote, Kalinski replaced Greg Sawchuk as the MD’s reeve. Joining Kalinski on the MD council are Josh Crick, Don Slipchuk, Darcy Skarsen, Mike Krywiak, Dana Swigart and Ben Fadeyiw.
In the Village of Glendon’s municipal election Lorie Czuroski, Daryn Galatiuk and Nicholas Werstiuk were elected to council. During the first operational meeting of council, Werstiuk was selected as mayor and Galatiuk was selected to fill the role of deputy mayor.
In the City of Cold Lake, Craig Copeland running unopposed, returned to the role of mayor by acclamation. Joining Copeland on the City’s council are Bob Mattice, Chris Vining, Vicky Lefebvre, Adele Richardson, Ryan Bailey and Bill Parker.
November
Jennie’s Diner and Bakery was ordered to close its kitchen by AHS for non-compliance of the province’s Restrictions Exemption Program (REP). Patrons were not being checked for a vaccine passports and masking was not being adhered to in the facility. The diner’s food-handling permit was suspended on Sept. 20, but was later reinstated, allowing the restaurant to continue providing take-out meals.
Jay Melvin, the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority’s (BRFA) regional fire chief announced his departure from the Authority effective Nov. 19. On Dec. 14, the Board of the BRFA would select Regional Deputy Fire Chief Dan Heney to replace Melvin as the regional fire chief.
Lakeland residents who oppose mandatory vaccine policies and vaccination passports came together for a third time on Nov. 6, to march from the Bonnyville and District Centennial Centre (C2) down Main Street. Rally-goers stood in silence holding their signs in front of the Provincial Building for five minutes to protest public health measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Town of Bonnyville’s Festival of Trees returned to an in-person event and was joined with a Christmas Craft Show and Expo organized by the Bonnyville and District Chamber of Commerce.
Bonnyville RCMP, in conjunction with the RCMPs Missing Persons and Historical Homicide Unit, reopened the historical missing persons case of Margaret Mildred Batoche, a Bonnyville area woman. Batoche was reported missing by a family member on July 7, 1967. RCMP continue to investigate the circumstances around Batoche’s disappearance.
On Nov. 8, a procession through the Town of Bonnyville and one last check of B&R Eckel’s yard marked the passing of Victor Ringuette. At 83 years old, Ringuette was known across the Lakeland for his trucking business, but more so for his support and contributions to community groups and events. He is remembered throughout the region as “a good man – with a big heart.”
Moose Lake was proposed to be the first lake in Canada to pilot and aluminum sulfate treatment (Alum) to manage and reduce the occurrence of blue green algae blooms. If supported by the MD and its residents, Algae Control Canada will seek between $13-15 million in funding from the provincial government with hopes to carry out the project beginning in 2023.
December
On Dec. 1 and without public attention, the MD of Bonnyville turned over keys to the Fort Kent and Ardmore fire chiefs for crews to begin moving into their newly finished fire halls, Reeve Kalinski told Lakeland This Week.
During the first week of December, AHS confirmed that surgical services at the Cold Lake Healthcare Centre were affected by a shortage of General Practice Anesthetist and the inability to secure locum coverage. These shortages lasted into January.
Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA David Hanson spoke out against his own government’s passing of Bill 81, The Election Statutes Amendment Act. Hanson and two other UCP MLA, pushed for the addition of seven words to the bill – “with written consent of that person,” referring to the purchasing of provincial party memberships. The bill was passed without the amendment.
The House of Commons opened an investigation into alleged staff mistreatment by Lakeland MP Shannon Stubbs. The probe was initiated by Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole after the Globe and Mail presented claims of staff abuse and mistreatment, which were made by former aides and employees.
Provincial funding announced on Dec. 4, will create 104 additional and fully-funded spaces at the Bonnyville Indian-Métis Rehabilitation Centre. This translates to 8 extra beds provided at the rehab facility for those seeking treatment with no cost for services being placed on the individual.
The Clayton Bellamy Foundation for the Arts sought funding from the Town and MD of Bonnyville to transform the former gymnasium of Bonnyville Centralized High School into a state-of-the-art theatre for performing arts and afterschool programming. The foundation requested $100,000 of support from the Town and $198,000 from the MD.
On Dec. 27, the C2 moved to a fully REP facility, the move allowed for the reopening of food services and other gym programs at the centre, but resulted in mixed responses from members of the public.
The Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs mark 101 player commitments to a NCAA Division teams since 2013. This season alone, six players were made commitments to post-secondary teams including Bonnyville-native A.J. Macaulay to the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Will Hilfiker who is also heading to Alaska-Fairbanks, team captain Kash Rasmussen to Michigan Tech University, Alex Power to Quinnipiac University, Sebastian Tamburro to Colgate University and Nick Traggio Brown University.
