VISIT US AT: crowsnestpassherald.ca CONTACT US AT: passherald@shaw.ca 403.562.2248
Crowsnest Pass
Herald
Vol. 93 No. 44
November 22, 2023 $1.25
Serving our communities since 1930
Campaign starts today • Campaign closes November 14 @ 4:00 pm • Draw date November 18
Campaign
We have thousands of dollars in prizes and gift certificates to give away! How it works: Cut out the ‘Shop Local’ pass and carry it around with you. Every time you spend $50, the participating businesses will stamp your pass. To be considered complete, each card requires six stamps, equalling $300 spent locally. Once you have the card filled in, bring it here to the Pass Herald and place it in our draw barrel. More details on page 4 PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES: Allied True Value Alpenland Aura Yoga Studio Ben Wongs Restaurant Blairmore Liquor Store Blairmore Rx Drug Mart (IDA)
Chris’ Restaurant Coleman Remedy’s Rx Copy Magic Crocket’s Trading Company Crowsnest Candy Crowsnest Pass Herald Crowsnest Pass Public Art Gallery Doublemore
Emilio’s Mercato Italiano Greg’s Liquor Store Oldman River Brewing Pass Automotive (Napa) Pharmasave Summit Home Hardware The Pantry Work n’ Play
8 - CROWSNEST PASS HERALD - Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Highway 3 twinning moves ahead to Pass NICHOLAS L.M. ALLEN Pass Herald Reporter Alberta’s government has awarded the first contract to begin twinning Highway 3, with the goal of improving safety, creating jobs and spurring economic investment in the region. Highway 3 is a vital economic corridor and eastwest link, with the first section of the highway being twinned seeing approximately 3,900 vehicles per day. Through $179.7 million in provincial funding, this first phase will twin Highway 3 between the town of Taber and the hamlet of Burdett. The contract for the 46-kilometre project was awarded to Ledcor Highways Ltd. “Highway 3 is a key economic corridor in southern
Alberta between Saskatchewan and British Columbia, south of the Trans-Canada Highway. It is critical infrastructure for Alberta’s growing agri-business industry and will enhance tourism and improve safety in the region as well,” said the Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, Devin Dreeshen. Pre-construction work, including acquiring the right of way and relocating utilities, is underway and set to be completed this year. Construction is set to begin in spring 2024, with completion anticipated in 2025. The project is expected to support 755 jobs. “I am excited to see this important project get underway. Twinning this stretch of Highway 3 is critical to supporting jobs, growth and the agri-food processing corridor in the region. This project has been a priority of mine and I want to thank Minister Dreeshen for his commitment to twinning this vital east-west link,” said Grant Hunter, the MLA for Taber-Warner. Twinning Highway 3 from border to border will be completed in eight phases to limit costs and minimize disruption to people and businesses along the route. The other seven sections of the project are in various phases, including consultation, planning and design, land acquisition, environmental assessment, engineering or contract tendering.
Changes to Alberta Health Services executive GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA The Government of Alberta announced a vision to refocus Alberta’s public healthcare system. According to a press release from the Alberta Government, Alberta Health Services (AHS) is committed to supporting this change while con-
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“This is great news for our association members and municipalities all along the agri-food corridor, in addition to all southern Albertans who will be ecstatic when dirt begins to move next spring. Our association extends our thanks to Premier Danielle Smith and Devin Dreeshen, minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, for your commitment to this vital project,” said Bill Chapman, the president of the Highway 3 Twinning Development Association The eight phases of this project include: Phase 1, 46 kilometres – twin Highway 3 between Taber and Burdett Phase 2, 10 kilometres – Highway 3X/Coleman Bypass Phase 3, 15 kilometres – east of Seven Persons to Medicine Hat Phase 4, 47 kilometres – Blairmore to east of Highway 6 at Pincher Creek Phase 5, 28 kilometres – east of Bow Island to east of Seven Persons Phase 6, 23 kilometres – east of Burdett to east of Bow Island Phase 7, 38 kilometres – Pincher Creek to west of Fort Macleod Phase 8, eight kilometres – Alberta/B.C. border to Highway 3X
tinuing to deliver on its mandate of providing high quality health services to all Albertans. The transition will unfold over the next 18 months, and will require new ideas, new voices. and new leadership. To support this transition, the Alberta Health Services Board has made changes to senior leadership positions within the organization. The following individuals are no longer in their roles: Mauro Chies, President and CEO Dr. Francois Belanger, Vice President of Quality and Chief Medical Officer Colleen Purdy, Vice President of Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer Tina Giesbrecht, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Geoffrey Pradella, Chief Strategy Officer Dean Olmstead, Chief Program Officer, Capital Management “Members on the executive team, and staff throughout Alberta Health Services, come to work every day to make a positive contribution to the healthcare being offered to Albertans. I want to thank everyone for their commitment and efforts. We will be respectful and deliberate as we move forward in the transition,” said Dr. Lyle Oberg, Alberta Health Services Executive Board Chair. Sean Chilton, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Clinical Operations and Information Technology is named acting President and CEO. The updated list of executive leadership team members can be found here: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/about/Page11884.aspx. AHS will continue to have a strong role as part of the refocused system, explained the release. Under the new structure, Alberta Health Services’ primary focus will be acute care. Other delivery functions will be accountable to new organizations. These new organizations will focus on governance, accountability and oversight for primary care, acute care, continuing care, and mental health and addiction. Albertans will have access to healthcare services where they regularly receive their care during the system’s transition period and beyond. Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health support and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Their mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans. The current focus for AHS is reducing emergency department wait-times, improving EMS response times, increasing access to surgeries and improving patient flow.
We are getting ready for our
Christmas Greeter December 20, 2023
get your Christmas Message out to your valued customers
9 - CROWSNEST PASS HERALD - Wednesday, November 22, 2023 DRAW DATE: DECEMBER 18
Shop Local
at these participating businesses
Chris’ Restaurant
Campaign Your local eatery for homecooked comfort food!
Chris’403-563-3093 Restaurant
10 - CROWSNEST PASS HERALD - Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Why should you shop local? REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS 26% - FEWER AUTOMOBILE MILES Residents of neighborhoods with more local businesses log 26 percent less automobile miles. Locally owned businesses make more local purchases — requiring less transportation — and set up shop in town or city centers which generally means less sprawl, congestion, habitat loss, and pollution.
Campaign KEEP OUR COMMUNITY UNIQUE One-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of the distinct character of our place. It’s what distinguishes the uniqueness of our community compared to a chain store that looks the same anywhere else. SUPPORT COMMUNITY GROUPS - 250% MORE DONATIONS Small businesses donate almost 2.5x more per employee to local charitable causes than large, national competitors. Local businesses donate more per sales dollar to local nonprofits, events, and teams compared to national chains. At EMILIO’S MERCATO ITALIANO, we believe celebrating with family and friends during this special time of year is always made better when paired with great food.
Cheeses from around the globe…Italian prosciutto…Spanish
olives…and raising your glass toasting the New Year with a glass filled with Italian Sparkling Lemonata!
Say Grazia with a made to order Gift Basket or personalized Gift Certificate
Enjoy fresh, Chinese specialties made in house Friday/Saturday Dinner Buffet 5pm- 8:30pm
Friday Lunch Buffet 11 - 2
e te! Tliem a r b e c o t Check out our wide
variety of wine,
beer and spirits for
Ben Wong Restaurant, Grill & Wok 13249 20 ave Blairmore 403-562-8388
N E P O
A S Y A D 7
EK E W
all your holiday needs
S p l u r g e Wo r t h y Fashions & Gifts
REDUCE REUSE REFILL Bring your own container, ask us about our stamp card & save!
Visit us at #11777 – 20th Ave, Blairmore crowsnestpantry.ca • 403.753.3344
Blairmore
Wednesday, November 22, 2023 - CROWSNEST PASS HERALD - 11
Why should you shop local?
Campaign products they are selling and take more time to get to know their clients, customers, and patrons.
CREATE MORE LOCAL OWNERSHIP & GOOD JOBS - 90% NET NEW JOBS Up to 90 percent of net new jobs in the Canada. are created by locally owned businesses. Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally, and in our community, provide the most jobs to residents. Let’s encourage more start-ups!
INVEST IN COMMUNITY - $68 REMAINS HERE For every $100 spent at a locally owned business, $68 recirculates and remains in our local economy. Only $43 remains in our community when it’s spent at a national chain. Local businesses are owned by your friends and neighbors who live in this GET BETTER SERVICE community, are less likely to leave, and are more invested in our community’s Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the future — just like you.
AURA s t u d i o s
AURA STUDIOS IS MOVING AND YOU’RE INVITED TO JOIN THE PARTY! ON DEC. 4TH COME TO CHECK OUT THE NEW SPACE FOR BARRE, YOGA, SOUNDBATH & MORE GET YOUR TICKET AND SAVE YOUR SPOT UNDER WWW.AURA-STUDIOS.CA
Best Gift Finds ... Made Easy!! 50+ Local, 30+ Albertan, 30+ Canadian AUTHORS, ARTISTS & ARTISANS
You love local ... We love local
BLACK FRIDAY
25% off
Friday November 24 Bellevue East Access • (403) 563-4389
Some restrictions apply
Blairmore
Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner
Stop By For A Pint!
8329 20 ave Coleman 403-563-5555
www.oldmanriverbrewing.com
ca
12 - CROWSNEST PASS HERALD - Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Why should you shop local? BETTER SELECTION FOR YOU Small businesses that select product based not on a national sales plan, but on their own interests and the needs of their local customers, guarantee a much broader range of product choices and price.
Campaign BETTER PUBLIC SERVICES Local businesses mean a stronger tax base and better use of public services compared to nationally owned stores. This translates into better schools, transportation, and emergency response services for you and your family. ENCOURAGE LOCAL PROSPERITY Entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that promote their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character. This also means a better use of community space.
Candy
Crowsnest Pass
Herald Serving our communities since 1930
We want to celebrate by giving you
20% OFF every Thursday! *Some restrictions apply
Vol. 93 No. 44 Ornaments
November 22, 2023 Stocking Stuffers $1.25
Gift Wrap
Greeting Cards & More
“Sleigh” the Season
with decorations, tools, trees, gifts & more.. Blairmore 403-562-8282
SALE
Nov 23-25
Wednesday, November 22, 2023 - CROWSNEST PASS HERALD - 13
Nature is Magic Scientifically Speaking Leanne Marie Cameron Wirch
Track down some winter fun
1. Begin by exploring your neighbourhood for tracks. • Examine your own tracks and then search for tracks left by squirrels, cats, dogs, birds, and deer.- Which way was the animal going? • Was the bird track left by a large bird, like a magpie, or that of a smaller bird, like a sparrow? How can you tell? 2. Visit a park or go on a forest hike. The best time of doy to search for tracks is in the early morning before the sun has melted the tracks’ edges. If you are out later in the day, the clearest tracks will be found in the shaded areas. 3. Become a Track Detective and thoughtfully examine the tracks: • Were the tracks made by a bird or a mammal? • What is the size and shape of the tracks? How many toes are there? • Are there claw marks? • What kind of pattern do the tracks make? (pacing -like a cat, fox, or deer; bounding -like a weasel; galloping -like a squirrel, hare, or mouse; or running like a vole or shrew) • Did the animal have long legs? Short legs? • Was the animal thin or wide? • Are there tail marks? • Which direction was the animal going? • Was it in a hurry? How can you tell? • Did it make any stops for food? • Where did the animal visit? Why did it stop there?
I always look forward to a fresh snowfall. It not only beautifies and refreshes the neighbourhood, but it also provides a great opportunity to learn about nature during the winter months. One of my most exciting hiking experiences involved discovering tracks while on a snowy trail near Johnston Canyon in Banff National Park. After examining the size of the tracks, we decided to leave the area immediately. As we turned around on the trail, a large wolverine lumbered out of the woods, gave me a long appraising stare and went on its way. Now I can identify wolverine tracks! Venture out into the snow, and you may track down some exciting discoveries of your own. Tracks that you probably won’t find during the winter include jumping mice, badgers, snakes, frogs, or toads, because these creatures hibernate. That means that their bodies achieve a sluggish state where the heart rate, breathing, and growth slows down so much that the body becomes cold and rigid. However, animals such as bears, skunks, and chipmunks are called light hibernators or winter nappers. Although they sleep during most of the winter, their bodies remain warm and relaxed and their heartbeat stays almost normal. So you may come across these animals’ tracks during a hike. Other animal tracks that you may observe include deer, fox, coyote, mouse, shrew, hare, rabbit, squirrel, weasel, and a variety of birds -just to name a few. You will need: paper, pencil, magnifying glass and field guide - visit your local library (optional)
4. Carefully sketch the tracks (a field guide would help you identfy the tracks). 5. Do the tracks tell a story? Write about it or draw the story. 6. Gathering more evidence for your track story: • Are there remains of shells or nuts? If so, look for tracks of squirrels or chipmunks. Do the tracks lead to a tree and stop or do they lead to a hole in the snow? What does this tell you? • Examine nearby plants. Can you find any evidence of feeding? Look nearby for tracks of deer, rabbits, or hares. • Look for remains of fur, feathers, bones, or teeth, and you may discover tracks of a carnivore such as coyote, fox, or owl. • Do any of the tracks lead to an animal’s home? A home could be: a hole (in a tree or the ground), under a log or a brush pile, an abandoned nest, or be neath a building. How big is the opening? • What kind of animal could live there? (Remember do not disturb the occupant!) • For more clues look for signs of animal hair and droppings in the surrounding area. Whether you are on a cross country ski trail or out for a walk on a trail or in a park, a snowy day is a chance for you and your children to track down some winter fun. Perhaps you will discover a story that the snow is waiting to share! Happy tracking! Leanne Wirch Bio: I have often looked to the natural world as an inspiration and a teacher. From exploring the creek and fields on the farm where I grew up, to my many roles as an educator (naturalist, elementary school teacher, and museum educator), experiencing and sharing the magic of nature has been a vital part of my life. Leanne Wirch is a retired teacher and museum educator who now resides in the awe-inspiring Crowsnest Pass with her wonderful husband and two adventurous cats. Originally published in the Western Parent March 1998, used with permission