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MUSIC FESTIVAL
LACROSSE AWARDS
Pam Dechief recognized A9
Several awards handed out A13
Issue 30
SERVING THE ENERGY CITY SINCE 1903
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
www.estevanmercury.ca
Mailing No. 10769 | Publication No. 40069240
Mellencamp concert turns a profit for the city
No cannabis incidents at local schools
By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca
the impact, and … with a sense of meaning and clarity,” dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca said Keith. It helps with any impacts The Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School the division might face. Holy Family started to Division and the South East Cornerstone Public School prepare for the legalization of Division have not encountered cannabis shortly after the fedany issues related to cannabis eral government announced in since it became legal to possess April 2017 that it intended to less than 30 grams of the drug legalize the drug. “We didn’t get really far last month. Gwen Keith, the direc- ahead of this because we knew tor of education for Holy there would be organizations Family, said their policy is and structures that would be equivalent to what they al- helpful in this area, and we ready have for issues such wanted to make sure that we as smoking. Cannabis is not were aligned to the key reallowed on school property. sources to be used,” said Keith. “We really became en“It hasn’t been a major issue or process that we’ve had to use,” gaged with processing and said Keith. “Basically the same working on this last spring, and then as resources came types of rules apply.” No students have showed to us, we were more heavily up to school impaired by can- impacted this fall, and we used nabis, and no students have those resources to create more been caught with cannabis on clarity and more impact.” Lynn Little, the director school property. Keith noted that Holy Family operates of education for South East elementary and middle grade Cornerstone, said students schools, and not high schools, cannot use, consume, be unso they’re less likely to en- der the influence of, possess, counter issues with the drug. distribute, offer for sale, or sell It’s also a smaller school cannabis. The policy extends to division, with five schools alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, in four communities in the illegal drug paraphernalia, prescribed drugs for which southeast. If an employee shows they do not have a prescripup to work in possession of tion or prescribed drugs which cannabis, Holy Family would may cause impairment, and have to find out if an accom- that pose a safety risk for the modation is required, since student or those around them that person might have a while at school or on school prescription for medicinal sponsored activities. “Students may also not marijuana. have a strong odour of alcohol Employees are expected to show up ready for work. In or cannabis on their person that instance, Holy Family’s that would indicate impairpolicies are similar to alcohol. ment,” said Little. She pointed out the diviPeople cannot be impaired if sion’s administrative procedure they are working. Holy Family has also 352, which deals with safe received resources to help the school environments, and division create coherent and the school’s practices have clear policies on the issue. remained unchanged. Meanwhile, she said Schools have resources they can send to parents, students employees are not to use, consume, possess, distribute, and staff about the issue. “Being that we are in offer for sale, or sell the aboveeducation, we try to proac- listed drugs, again including tively make sure that people cannabis, as per the terms of A2 » DIVISION understand what this is, and
By David Willberg
The numbers are in for the John Mellencamp concert at Affinity Place last month, and they show a large crowd turned out for the show. According to a press release from the City of Estevan released Monday afternoon, more than 2,400 tickets were sold for the Oct. 26 concert, generating a net profit of $21,000 for the city. City manager Jeff Ward told the Mercury a profit was expected, thanks to the large crowd and the timing. Since the concert was held on a Friday night, an increase in food and alcohol sales materialized as expected. An exact breakdown for revenues and expenses was not released, but Ward said about 2,200 tickets needed to be sold to break even. “Most of our shows, we project that 2,000 (tickets sold) would be fairly close (to breaking even), depending on booze and food sales. So that’s always the target we want to hit for our shows is 2,000 tickets, in addition to the boxes,” said Ward. It was great to have a show on a Friday night, and the city would like to have more shows on Friday and
John Mellencamp performed on Oct. 26 at Affinity Place. About 2,400 tickets were sold for the concert, helping the City of Estevan post a profit. File photo Saturday nights, but that’s not a guarantee, since Estevan is a smaller community on most tours. Ward pointed out that well-known classic rock acts, such as Mellencamp, tend to be the ones that draw the best crowds for Estevan. “I know council will be considering any options that come up, and looking at the cost-benefit analysis of bringing those shows to Estevan, especially in the spring once the ice is out at Affinity,” said Ward. Ward didn’t get much of an opportunity to watch the
show, since he had to work that night, but he believes Mellencamp is still a big draw and still puts on a good show with his band. “The vocals, the musicianship, they’re still there,” said Ward. “They know what they’re doing. I’ve heard nothing but positive comments from the actual performance itself, so that’s great to hear.” The city continues to look for efficiencies when it comes to the setup and take-down of the concerts, and with the new promoter. Some people who are with the promoter, rather than
city staff, were involved with food and beverage sales and take-down. Among the ideas that have been discussed for future events is the possibility of having a pre-show lounge in the multipurpose room. If the doors open at 7 p.m. for an 8 p.m. concert, there isn’t much time to have a drink and socialize. “People might be able to come right after supper, or come a little early and have a couple beverages and talk before the show actually starts,” said Ward. “There are things A2 » CITY
New nursing home committee encouraged after meeting with province The new Estevan Regional Nursing Home Committee is feeling optimistic following a meeting with representatives of the provincial government Monday in Regina. Committee members Don Kindopp, Greg Hoffort and Roy Ludwig met with Minister of Health Jim Reiter, Minister of Rural and Remote Health Greg Ottenbreit, and Estevan MLA Lori Carr, who is also the minister of Highways and Infrastructure. At the time, the committee presented the report by
1080 Architecture Planning of Regina, which the committee received last month. The provincial ministers asked questions of the committee. “I was very pleased with the meeting, in the sense that the report really piqued the interest of both ministers, and they want to look at the possibilities of how we can do this in a very creative manner,” said Kindopp, who is the chair of the new nursing home committee. The report from 1080 calls for a three-story, 72-bed
building to be attached to St. Joseph’s Hospital. The cost of a new nursing home has been lowered to $30 million from $40 million, in large part because it would be built over three stories instead of one. Attaching to St. Joseph’s would create efficiencies in the kitchen, heating, electricity and materials management of about $500,000 a year. The new nursing home committee has received more than $8.2 million in pledges and donations, with about $8 million of the money com-
ing through the Hearthstone Community Campaign from 2011-2015. They have more than the required 20 per cent of the cost of the building. The firm also looked at a “greenfield” option of building a replacement nursing home on its own. They also looked at renovating the present nursing home, or constructing a new nursing home at the present location on Wellock Road, which wasn’t feasible. This week’s edition of Lifestyles will have much more on this story.
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