Wednesday, December 2, 2020 Vol. 43, No. 49
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YOUR LOCAL PAPER
New RCMP Commander brings 15 years experience Patricia Harcourt Editor
Cpl. Ryan Doucette took over as commander for the Viking RCMP Detachment early in November. He replaces the outgoing Cpl. Brad Mouland who moved on to a new posting in Lloydminster earlier in the year. Doucette is newly arrived and already facing more than perhaps most new commanders might. Not only is Viking a new position in the midst of new surroundings, but the demands of a viral pandemic mean things are not going to be dealt with in the usual way - at least for the time being. “It’s the world we’re living in,” he said, during a telephone interview Tuesday. The protocols put in place to keep the officers, administrative staff, and public safe are now part of daily business. “We have to try and keep the community safe,” he said, noting that “everyone has the potential for being carriers,” of COVID-19. That means police officers and staff must wear masks and try to keep minimal contact with the public and, indeed, each other while in the detachment. “At present the detachment is still open,” he said, and the “fabu-
Cpl. Ryan Doucette took over command of the Viking RCMP Detachment in the early part of November.
lous ladies” working as support staff are keeping the front counter open, with precautions. He is hopeful that the COVID-19 statistics can be kept to a minimum. “We’re managing the numbers in this area quite well,” he said, but the situation can also be managed if numbers start rising. This is Doucette’s first post as a detachment commander. “I may be 38 years young but I have 15 years in service,” he says, with that serv-
ice all in Alberta. Born and raised in the farming area just outside Wetaskiwin, he had a construction background before deciding to join the force. He graduated from Depot in Regina at 23. Since then, Doucette has worked in High Prairie from 2005 to 2011, and in High River from 2011, up until his transfer to Viking. In High River he worked for nine years as a highway patrol officer and recalled
the floods of 2013 as a memorable event. Now, along with his wife and three children, he has moved into a home and taken up residence in Viking. And, although he loves to keep an open door, and is “always willing to chat,” that is not possible now because of the pandemic. But, “We’re happy to be here,” he said, calling this an “absolutely beautiful area and a hidden gem.”
Masks now mandatory in Village of Holden Patricia Harcourt Editor
With Beaver County declared an enhanced area for COVID-19 last week, Village of Holden Council has put in place a Mandatory Masking Bylaw as of Monday, Nov. 30. “We hope this will not be for a long duration and that the COVID cases in our enhanced area begin to
decline quickly,” said Mayor Joy Zoopkow. “Our focus is to protect our residents where we can and we believe this is the focus of all residents. We would like to thank you for your understanding in this matter and remind everyone to be diligent and kind.” Council also closed the Village Office to the public as of Nov. 27 and will be open by appointment only.
The village received a notice from the Province of Alberta that Beaver County and all the towns, villages, and hamlets within those boundaries are now under an enhanced notification. This means there are at least 10 active cases in the county, with a case rate of 98.1 per 100,000 people minimum. On top of the emergency measures put in place by the province on
Tuesday, Nov. 24 restricting social gatherings and putting all students in Grades 7-12 into at home learning, the enhanced status given to the county means additional restrictions also apply. “Please stay safe and please follow the guidelines so the number (of COVID-19 cases) decrease,” stated Administrative Assistant and Communications Coordinator Amber Kostyk.