Estevan Mercury 20170913

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Former ECS teacher Troy Ruzicka pleads guilty to numerous sex-related charges

By Brian Zinchuk brian.zinchuk@sasktel.net

Former Estevan Comprehensive School teacher Troy E. Ruzicka pleaded guilty to several sexualrelated charges, including charges with respect to young people, in Estevan Provincial Court on Sept. 11.

Ruzicka, 42, is from Estevan.

Estevan Police Service (EPS) said it was contacted

by officials with the South East Cornerstone Public School Division (SECPSD) on Feb. 8, regarding allegations of inappropriate conduct by Ruzicka, who had been a shop teacher at the school.

A complete investigation was initiated by the EPS’s Criminal Investigations Division regarding the claims.

The charges are with respect to three victims.

The most serious charge, one count of aggravated sexual assault, which could have carried a penalty up to imprisonment for life, was reduced to a charge of sexual assault, which carries with it a maximum possible penalty of 14 years imprisonment and a mandatory minimum of one year in prison. He pleaded guilty to the reduced charge.

A second charge of sexual assault also received

a guilty plea.

There were three charges of committing an offence of sexual touching while being in a position of trust or authority. Ruzicka pleaded guilty to one charge and two charges were stayed.

Ruzicka faced five charges of using telecommunication to communicate with someone under 18 years of age for the purpose of facilitating the

commission of an offence with respect to that person.

He pleaded guilty to three of those charges, and the remaining two charges were stayed.

He pleaded guilty to one charge of accessing child pornography. The Crown stayed a charge of transmitting sexual material.

A publication ban had been imposed early on in the court proceedings on

the names of the victims and the specifics of the alleged crimes. Their ages are also not being released.

The case was held over to Nov. 20 for sentencing.

Judge Lane Wiegers expected it would be a lengthy matter for sentencing. He ordered a pre-sentence report with risk assessment.

Defence attorney James Korpan represented Ruzicka, who was present in court.

Biette pleads Visitor numbers down at tourism booth guilty to two charges Karry Biette has pleaded guilty to a pair of charges that stem from a fatal single-vehicle collision in south Estevan in October 2015.

Biette pleaded guilty Friday in Estevan Provincial Court to one count of dangerous driving causing death and one count of dangerous driving causing bodily harm, and was sentenced to two years in prison at the penitentiary in Prince Albert.

The other charges he was facing – including impaired driving causing death, impaired driving causing bodily harm and criminal negligence causing death – were stayed.

Biette was also issued a three-year driving prohibition, but was given credit for the time he has already been without a driver’s licence since the accident, so he has one year and 35 days remaining on that suspension.

He was fined a victim surcharge of $200 for each of the two charges.

The collision occurred on Oct. 14, 2015, when a vehicle travelling on Fourth Avenue South towards the city left the road and collided with a tree in an adjacent field.

The collision left one person dead and a second passenger serious injured.

Following the accident, and another serious crash a few days earlier, the Estevan Police Service announced they would be taking a zero-tolerance approach to impaired driving in the community.

Tourism Estevan’s Visitor Information Centre, which is located at the west entrance to the city, saw a significant decrease in the number of visitors this year.

In an interview with the Mercury on Thursday morning, Rebecca Westling, who is the destination marketing and communications consultant for the City of Estevan, reported a total of 1,197 visitors stopped by the centre, which was a 43 per cent decrease of 2,097 people last year.

The visitor information centre was open from May 19 to Aug. 31 this year.

Westling noted that there were 483 visitors in July, while in July 2016 there were 912. She suspects the decline for July is due to the fact the 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games were in Estevan.

May drew 148 visitors to the centre this year, while June brought in 140 and August attracted 426.

“It usually is fairly quiet in those first few weeks,” said Westling.

Tourism Estevan doesn’t count people who are taking energy tours in the final total for the information centre.

“We want to count and separate the people who are coming to the visitor centre on their own, rather than coming for the energy tour,” said Westling.

Westling said they have seen a trend for the type of information and services people are seeking. Washrooms are the biggest reason for people to stop, she said.

Directions are the next biggest reason. Attractions in the area also drew inquiries.

“We did see a decrease in ... events and conferences,” said Westling. “People didn’t ask anything about different events that were going on this summer.”

The numbers reflect a trend that is happening elsewhere in the province with visitor centres, she said. Fewer people are using them as a resource. Tourism Saskatchewan has been closing their sites.

Westling said it will be up to city council to decide whether to keep the information centre open in future years.

“Now that generations are moving

The Visitor Information Centre at the west entrance to Estevan saw a significant decline in the number of visitors this year. more into the electronic ways to access information, they are moving towards going online to get all their resources,” said Westling.

Google Maps, the GPS and websites with lots of content allow people to preplan their trips, and print out their information, reducing the amount of traffic at information centres.

“On the reverse side of things, we found that a lot of visitors that came through, who did stop, were people who were traveling through to the United States, because we’re so close to the border,” she said.

American visitors to Canada like to have the information centre, because it

* ENDS OCTOBER 2

gives them a place to stop.

Older generations are also still happy to have the Visitor Information Centre, she said, because they still use maps and other more traditional means to travel.

The energy tours, which take people to the Westmoreland Coal Company’s mine site, as well as the Shand Power Station and Shand Greenhouse, also saw a decline in numbers this year.

The total number of people on the tours was 353 this year, compared with 870 in 2016, which amounted to nearly a 60 per cent decrease. Seventy-four of the people who took the tour were local residents. Last year 214 local residents took a tour.

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Plans coming together for upcoming air show Richard Reetz hopes to see good weather and a large crowd on Sunday afternoon for the Living Skies Airshow at the Estevan Regional Airport.

Gates for the airshow will open at 11 a.m. so that people can view the ground displays that will be part of the event. The show will begin at 12:30 p.m.

Reetz, the manager of the airport, is co-chair of the airshow committee alongside city Coun. Greg Hoffort. He hopes that lots of people will turn out, and he encourages them to be there early. “ Yo u c a n w a n d e r around the airport and take a look at the aircraft and ask some questions,” said Reetz. “There might even be a chance to see or speak a couple of the performers before the show.”

There will be opportunities to get autographs, likely after the show.

Six acts are planned for the event. Brent Handy Aerobatics will return for this year. Handy was the opening act last year when the Snowbirds aerobatic team was the featured act. He flies the Pitts Special, a high-powered aerobatics plane.

Yellow Thunder is a two-plane aerobatic demonstration team, using Harvard planes, powered by 600-horsepower supercharged radial engines. The Vanguard Squadron is a U.S.based, ethanol-powered, four-plane aerobatic squad.

The Geoff Latter Airshow is an aerial ballet demonstrating the flying qualities of a fully-restored Nanchang CJ-6A from the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.

Stefan Trischuk Pipistrel Aerobatics is an act that uses advanced aerodynamic and engine technology.

Finally, Sky Dive South Saskatchewan is a Moose Jaw-based skydive team that will entertain the crowd while promoting its business.

“We’re looking forward to having them here,” said Reetz. “We’re just working on the finishing touches to get everyone lined up and here on time.”

Also part of the event will be the unveilling of a new monument that pays tribute to the 21 people who died in a plane crash at the old Estevan Airport in 1946.

The monument was carved by sculptor Darren Jones, who did the Soldiers’ Tree last year.

As part of the unveilling, there will be a fly-by

courtesy of 15 Wing Moose Jaw. A few planes have been lined up for the static displays, Reetz said. A T-28 Second World War aircraft is coming from Winnipeg.

A couple of jets will be on display. And he hopes a Tiger Moth from Brandon, Man., will be here, but the weather has to co-operate.

Organizers are hoping to have the Northern Air Ops water bomber as well, but it has been used to fight forest fires.

The airshow will be weather dependent, Reetz said. Not only does it need to be nice outside, but the winds need to co-operate.

“As long as we get a decent day, we’ll be going ahead,” said Reetz.

The business community has been very supportive

Brent Handy will return to Estevan on Sunday to perform in the Living Skies Airshow at the Estevan Regional Airport. File photo of the airshow, and he has heard a lot of people talking about the event.

“People have been coming to me and asking ‘When is it starting?’ ‘How is it playing out?’ ‘Who is going

to be there?’ So there is a lot of interest,” said Reetz.

Tickets are $15 for an adult and $5 for youth under the age of 12, and can be purchased at the event. Parking will be on site.

Sun Country releases annual report Experience Estevan The Sun Country Health Region has released what will likely be the last of its annual reports.

The comprehensive document, which examines the activity levels, operations, services and the finances of the health region in 2016-17, while also examining wages, was released at the end of last month.

“Overall the report just reflects the activity level taking place in Sun Country,” said John Knoch, the vice-president of corporate and finance and the acting president and CEO. “We have a lot of really dedicated staff, and they’re doing really good work all across Sun Country, generally speaking.

We’ve identified areas where we continue to need to work and focus.”

Financial statements for the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2017, showed that revenues were at $160.4 million, which was about $500,000 higher than the previous year, and well above the budgeted amount of $157.1 million.

The Ministry of Health provided $143.4 million in funding, while patient and client fees came in at $11.2 million.

Expenses were at $163.6

million, for a deficit of about $3.1 million. Salaries accounted for $87.6 million of the expenses, and benefits were another $17.5 million.

The expenses were up from $162.1 million the previous year.

The report also includes the wages of all personnel earning at least $50,000 in salaries, wages and honourariums. It’s a lengthy list that includes both employees and managers.

Two managers who retired at the end of the fiscal year on March 31 were the top wage earners. Former president and CEO Marga Cugnet received $930,555.

“That amount of money did include several different components,” said Knoch.

“One is her annual salary was included in there, so there’s salary for a full year. There is a separation agreement that had been arranged, as well as some outstanding vacation time that she was not able to take in previous years.”

She was paid just over $300,000 in 2015-16.

Former vice-president of health facilities Murray Goeres received $552,419, compared to approximately $196,000 the previous year.

They were the only employees to receive more than

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$200,000 in compensation last year.

Knoch noted Cugnet and Goeres had more than 35 years of experience in health care.

As for the rest of the document, according to eHealth Saskatchewan’s most recent Covered Population Report, there were 60,124 people residing in Sun Country, as of June 30, 2016. Forty-nine per cent of the health region was female and 51 per cent was male. The 25-44 age group accounted for the largest share at 27.7 per cent.

Forty-two per cent of residents are in the two cities, Estevan and Weyburn.

The health region had 4,288 total calls to Emergency Medical Services last year, compared with 4,409 the previous year. Ambulances travelled 673,124 kilometres, which was also down from 692,735 kilometres a year earlier.

There were 912 calls for Estevan, and the ambulance travelled 131,018 kilometres.

The previous year, 933 calls were received and 127,113 kilometres were travelled.

A total 1,453 procedures were performed, compared with 903 the previous years.

And 258 cataract surgeries were performed, after the service wasn’t offered the previous year.

The health region had 125 Workers’ Compensation Board claims. Nine physi-

cians were hired and six left the region.

A total of 280 employees were hired, and 279 departed, which included 48 retirements.

The document also recaps the health system priorities, looks at what the health region is doing to enhance primary care and mental health partnerships to improve patient care; and examines how it is trying to create a culture of safety.

The report also noted the new provincial linen service began serving customers from a new plant in Regina in 2015. The one-year anniversary of the transition was marked last October.

Sun Country reported that the transition happened with very few issues.

The report also notes that the provincial government announced its intention at the start of 2017 to bring Saskatchewan’s health regions together into one regional health authority for the entire province. While a date for the transition has yet to be announced, it is expected to happen before the end of the year.

The government has announced the board members and the CEO for the health authority. Sun Country board chair Marilyn Charlton will be part of the new board.

The full copy of the annual report can be found on the Sun Country website.

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well received « A1 “Last year we really did a push for energy tours locally, and for people to come out on an energy tour,” said Westling. “Those people that have already come, and every few years they would maybe go on a tour, and not necessarily every single year.”

July was the busiest month for energy tours with 173 people.

Westling said Tourism Estevan changed its method of tracking the energy tour numbers, because she wanted to see how many students were on the tours.

The school tours, which occur in May and the first couple weeks of June, had 160 children, with 96 in May and 64 in June.

Tourism Estevan also launched the Experience Estevan promotion this year. Westling and summer student Michelle Fergusson chronicled their experiences at different attractions and events in the Estevan area through social media.

“We had a lot of positive feedback,” said Westling. “People were talking and calling from out of town. Regina people commented and Minot

Rebecca Westling people commented on different things we could do here.”

She also received a lot of comments from people who said they didn’t realize they could do those activities in Estevan.

For example, kayaking is one activity that has been growing in popularity, and Westling hopes it will continue to grow, because it is a fun thing to do in the city.

“People should go out and try new things and experience new things and step out of the box,” said Westling.

Some of these were activities that she and her family hadn’t tried before, but they loved it, she said. And it allowed her family to see the value of being committed to something in the community.

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Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Police chief studying morale among local officers

By David Willberg

“It’s a huge opportunity for members to be able to be open, to be honest and to shape the future of this service as far as engagement and such is concerned.”

dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca

Paul Ladouceur has embarked on a unique project as part of his studies for his master’s degree in leadership at Royal Roads University in Victoria, B.C. Ladouceur is studying morale levels at the Estevan Police Service (EPS), and how it can be enhanced. He said it has been rare for anyone to study morale among police officers in the past, and that’s part of the reason he selected this topic.

“There’s very limited research when it comes to morale in policing,” he told the Mercury. “There’s lots of research done when it comes to police engagement, police leadership, police culture. All kinds of topics have been covered in policing.”

He suspects it’s because morale is a fairly broad topic, so he wants to delve into the big issues that affect morale.

Numerous other topics were considered before he settled on morale. Another reason he chose morale is it affects everyone in the local police force.

He could have looked at efficiencies, new programs or specialty units,

Police Chief Paul Ladouceur but those would only affect a number of people, and not the whole organization.

“It’s a huge opportunity for members to be able to be open, to be honest and to shape the future of this service as far as engagement and such is concerned,” said Ladouceur.

Even slight drops in morale can result in officers feeling fatigued, and not being eager to come to work, or get out and serve the public.

“The biggest thing I say, time and time again, is morale is everybody’s business,” said Ladouceur. “If morale is good, we thank us all. If morale is bad, people tend to want to point the finger.”

He believes it’s important for the EPS to do what they can to enhance morale, because that will transcend to their work, their performance and the community. It also leads to

health benefits.

Ladouceur is examining what the EPS can do, as an organization, to enhance morale, and the factors that cause morale to go up and down, both internally and externally.

“We see everything from changing legislation to members of the public that may be dissatisfied with the police,” said Ladouceur. “Not everybody likes to see the police show up. A lot of times when we’re doing community events or open houses, it’s a great time and everybody is happy.

“The public has to realize that a lot of times, when our officers are out there, people aren’t happy (to see them). People aren’t at their best. Our officers are often yelled at, scrutinized and sometimes assaulted.”

Ladouceur has spoken with the Estevan Police

Estevan police Chief Paul Ladouceur Association president and its executive, and they are very open to the project, and working together to improving morale. The Estevan board of police commissioners is also on board.

“This is an organization leadership project that will basically not just look at what are the concerns, but how do we solve them,” said Ladouceur.

The police chief said he could go to the officers and ask how they are doing, and they will probably respond by saying they are fine. So for this project, the EPS is using an external consultant to speak with the members through interviews and focus groups.

These sessions will happen anonymously, off-site

Mayor pleased to see support for local legion Estevan city council has decided it won’t be offering financial assistance to the Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion.

Speaking after Monday night’s meeting of city council, Mayor Roy Ludwig said the legion has received considerable support since representatives of the organization appeared before council during the Aug. 14 city council meeting.

The mayor claimed he has heard the legion now has enough money to pay off $16,000 in debt it had accumulated.

“It’s my understanding that they are there, if not even over that amount,” said Ludwig. “Their immediate, emergent problem is behind them.”

After the legion appeared before council, Ludwig said he supported helping out the legion in some fashion.

Now he is pleased that city council won’t need offer money to the legion.

“If we did in some fash-

ion, of course, we would be looking at getting that paid back under some terms, but fortunately that did not have to happen,” said Ludwig.

He’s not surprised that the legion has received a surge in donations from the community since the organization went public with its financial issues.

“It’s a very important institution within our community,” said Ludwig. “They have done a lot of good works over the years. They have raised countless dollars for good causes within our community.

So I’m not surprised that when they were down and needed help, our community came forward and helped them.”

The city did show some support for the legion last month. During the Sunday Funday Slip’N Slide event at Royal Height Veterans’ Memorial Park, proceeds from a barbecue were directed to the legion, and legion representatives were on hand to promote the organization.

Ludwig noted the legion

Mayor Roy Ludwig is continuing with its fundraising efforts, highlighted by a truck raffle in partnership with Murray GM, and some special events, including a performance by A.R. Cash, which is a tribute to Johnny Cash, on Sept. 30. The mayor hopes both events will be well supported.

“We feel confident at this time that the legion is out of the woods,” said Ludwig.

and without Ladouceur’s knowledge.

He hopes the members will have complete freedom to speak their minds.

Ladouceur said the project doesn’t mean there is a morale problem within the members’ ranks. Police officers see things the public doesn’t see, he said, and they are privy to knowledge and information the public doesn’t have access to. They have to deal with high-stress court situations where they are held to a very high level of accountability, and it’s a public life in which officers constantly face scrutiny.

Ladouceur is about a year into the project. He has gone through tonnes of literature to learn the benefits of increased morale, the detriments of poor morale, and the cultural differences between policing and other organizations.

Ladouceur will need to have the approval of the academic supervisor, the university and the ethics review board before he can complete the project.

These approvals are needed to ensure the study protects people’s interests and identity, while allowing them to have a voice without fear of reprisal.

An inquiry team has

been formed to work with and assist Ladouceur in the project. It will be made up of different members of the EPS, and to help decide and decipher key questions for interviews and focus groups.

“Then we will be coding the information and theming the information that we receive back from those focus groups, and looking at final recommendations based on the information that we retrieve, the themes that we see, and the literature of recommendations of what we can do to enhance morale moving forward,” said Ladouceur.

He expects he will be finished in about six months.

Ladouceur said a lot of his free time during the past year has been dedicated to the project.

At the conclusion of the project, recommendations will be provided on what the EPS can do collectively to enhance morale, and make it the best police service to work for in the province or the country.

“And that’s the goal, is at the end of the day, we want people walking out the door and saying ‘I work for one of the best police organizations in the country,’” he said.

Harvest remains ahead of five-year pace Warm and dry weather has harvest well ahead of the five-year average, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Weekly Crop Report.

Forty-five per cent of the crop is now in the bin, compared to the five year (2012-2016) average for this time of year of 28 per cent combined.

Twenty-eight per cent of the crop is swathed or ready to straight cut.

Harvest progress is most advanced in the southwest region where 70 per cent of the crop is now combined. The southeast region has 60 per cent combined, the westcentral region 44 per cent and the east-central region 36 per cent The northeast region has 12 per cent combined while northwest region has 18 per cent combined.

Ninety-nine per cent of fall rye and winter wheat, 91 per cent of lentils, 90 per cent of field peas, 58 per cent of mustard, 62 per cent of durum, 51 per cent of barley, 27 per cent of triticale, 38 per cent of spring wheat and 26 per cent of canola have now been combined. Twenty-four per cent of oats, 31 per cent of chickpeas, 16 per cent of canary seed and nine per cent of flax have been combined.

Forty-nine per cent of canola and 29 per cent of spring wheat and mustard have been swathed or ready to straight cut. Not much progress has been made on soybean as harvest progress for this crop remains at 18 per cent combined, similar to the previous week.

The majority of the province received little to no rainfall during the week of Sept. 4, with the highest rainfall for the week (56 millimetres) reported in the Langenburg area. No other area received a similar amount of rainfall, as the next highest amount reported was six millimetres m in the Nipawin area. The Pierceland area still holds the highest amount of rainfall received in the province since April 1 at 543 millimetres.

Topsoil moisture conditions remain low. Across the province, topsoil moisture on cropland is rated as 24 per cent adequate, 42 per cent short and 34 per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as 19 per cent adequate, 38 per cent short and 43 per cent very short.

The majority of crop damage this past week is attributed to lack of moisture and strong winds.

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SERVING CANADA’S SUNSHINE CAPITAL Publisher

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EDITORIAL

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Numbers reflect the changing times Has the bottom fallen out for the Visitor Information Centre at the west entrance to the city? Or is there more room for the figures to fall?

Numbers released by Tourism Estevan last week showed the centre had 1,097 visitors this year, which is a little more than half of the 2,097 visitors who entered the building in 2016.

The No. 1 reason people accessed the centre was not for directions or information on events. Rather, it was to use the washrooms.

Now, there could be any one of a number of reasons for the decrease. Last year the Saskatchewan Summer Games were held in Estevan. Thousands of people converged on the city for that incredible week. We didn’t have an event that generated such a large influx of people for several days.

But the numbers at the information centre were down each month, so other factors were seemingly at work.

And while the numbers for 2016 look pretty good compared to this year, the number of visitors for 2016 dropped by about 100 from 2015.

Visitor Information Centres are becom-

From the Top of the Pile BRIAN ZINCHUK

Self-represented drunks and man buns: a day in court Ironing my suit, I realized that I don’t do this very often anymore.

These days my suit gets pulled out for the occasional political event or, unfortunately, funerals. Hardly anyone even wears a suit to church anymore unless someone is walking down the aisle or being carried down it.

But this was different. It was the first day in almost a decade that I would be covering a court case, so it would be a good idea to make a good impression.

I must have made some impression, because someone else in a suit mistook me for a Crown prosecutor. With the black suits I’ve always worn, normally I get mistaken for a mortician.

The case was a significant one in the community, and I’ve been asked to help out the Estevan Mercury with its court coverage, in addition to my duties chasing oilmen and oilwomen with Pipeline News.

I used to spend up to three days a week covering court in North Battleford, so a couple weeks ago, I got the lay of the land.

When I was covering court in the Battlefords, there was a provincial courthouse

ing obsolete. Many of them have shut down already.

We don’t think it’s quite time for Tourism Estevan to make that move yet, but this is a trend that has to be watched closely.

Rather than stopping in at the information centre and asking for directions, people can go to Google Maps and check out how to reach their destination.

A GPS device can tell you how many kilometres it will be before it’s time to make the next turn.

And rather than chatting with knowledgeable people at the tourism booth about what is happening in the community, they can go online and learn more about the Estevan Motor Speedway, the Souris Valley Theatre, the Woodlawn Regional Park or our local hotels and restaurants.

People can print out this information at home before they leave, or they can access it from a smart phone or on a tablet during their travels.

When the log cabin structure was purchased to be our Tourism Information Centre years ago, the centres still had relevance.

Smart phones were a relatively new concept.

Tablets were non-existent.

That’s not to say they don’t have a place.

Some people still use them, particularly those who aren’t technologically savvy, or those who still prefer the old-fashioned paper maps compared with the GPS or the electronic version of a map found on a phone.

So there are people who would be genuinely upset to lose this service.

And some people would still rather get information from an actual person than a machine.

It’s too soon to pull the plug on the information centre. Perhaps the numbers will rebound next year. They might not make it to 2,000 visitors, but there might be enough people to justify keeping the building open.

But if those numbers don’t rebound, if they continue to languish around the 1,000 visitor mark, or if they decline again, then it might be time to pull the plug on the centre.

After all, there are better uses for our taxpayer dollars than a site at the west entrance to the city that struggles to bring in 1,000 people a year for the 3 1/2 months it is open.

in North Battleford with three courtrooms, and a Queen’s Bench (QB) courthouse in Battleford. The Battlefords had three fulltime provincial court judges, one part-time supernumerary judge, and one resident QB judge. Estevan has one provincial court judge and one QB, and that’s it.

The prosecution's office in the Battlefords had eight Crown prosecutors. The regional Crown prosecutor told me back then that if his lawyers had the same caseload as other prosecutors in the system, he’d have 16. There were also five legal aid lawyers.

In Estevan, there had been two prosecutors, but they moved, so now prosecutions are being handled out of Regina. There’s one legal aid lawyer covering the whole region for criminal matters, and another does family matters. Just a wee bit of difference.

In the courtroom, there was one obvious difference – a big screen TV mounted on the wall with a camera above it. A decade ago, if someone was in custody in the remand centre in Saskatoon, they, and a bunch of other prisoners, would be taken by way of paddy wagon to court in North Battleford, sit in cells all morning, appear in court for three minutes and make the trip back. Now, the courts use video conferencing. Several prisoners, from two different locations, appeared by video link.

Similarly, the court clerk did something I never saw before. Numerous times she got up and called a lawyer, putting them on a speakerphone. The conference call included the judge, clerk and prosecutor in the court, the defence lawyer on the phone, and the accused on the video conference. It appears courts have finally entered the 21st century.

It was apparent from the immediate answers that the lawyers were waiting by the phone, meaning they had to wait there until whenever the court gets around to making the call. (Better go pee beforehand.) But

it also meant that lawyers could save the four hours drive time to and from Regina to Estevan for a 10-minute or less appearance.

That’s time they could be doing whatever lawyers do, but I’m sure it’s all billable hours.

There was another thing I found quite remarkable – the very, very high number of people representing themselves in court, in most cases, for drunk driving offences. One man was complaining to another he had a job so he couldn’t get legal aid, but he couldn’t afford a lawyer. Let me put this into context – in one morning, I saw more cases of selfrepresentation in a provincial court than I might have seen in a year covering provincial court several days a week in the much-busier North Battleford provincial court.

One case I was interested in was stalled because the accused couldn’t get legal aid, and needed the court to appoint a lawyer because he was facing a raft of drug charges.

After the Supreme Court of Canada clamped down on the speedy trial issue, court delays are now top of mind. But I also heard numerous times how delays were waived for this reason or another.

While docket court continues to be the place where things get put off time and again (and this was no different), there was a common thread through the cases that were resolved. Nearly all were alcohol-fuelled.

Most were men with drinking and driving offences (I didn’t see one woman charged, with anything). And most of those cases involved someone who couldn’t afford a lawyer and were representing themselves. I may have to look into this.

One last new thing in court: man buns.

I counted two. Let’s see how many show up next time.

Brian Zinchuk is editor of Pipeline News. He can be reached at brian.zinchuk@ sasktel.net.

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Wednesday, September 13, 2017

An unforgettable morning Corey Atkinson New Material Only

The morning of Sept. 11, 2001 will never be remembered in any other context other than “where were you when?”

But for those of us who remember, the real story is “What have we been like since?”

For me, to be in a newsroom at the moment seemed like the most natural place to be. I had been at the Moose Jaw Times-Herald for less than a year and was on the court/cops beat. Because we were a morning paper with the good fortune of having a press plant in the same city, our deadline was just after 9 a.m.

That meant I had to be in at about 8:30 a.m. to get the police stuff from the previous 24 hours for that day’s paper. It was a part of my routine to watch TV for a bit before going to work. After watching some highlights on sports channels, I’d change the channel to one of the news stations. They all seemed to be showing this image of a fire in one of the Twin Towers in New York.

It wasn’t too long after that where I saw a plane fly into one of them. ‘Horrible pilot error’ was my first thought as I got ready for the rest of the working day.

But it wasn’t a typical day and we would soon all know different.

As soon as I got in to work, the mood was sombre, shocked, whatever word you want. The TV in the office (we’d just gotten cable few months before that) behind the editor’s desk was fixed on CNN. We used wire services, but rarely on the front page.

This was clearly going to need to be an exception. Front page was held until after 10:30 because of the disaster, when we were sure we couldn’t hold off any longer and the paper had to get out on the street. That day, we were the only paper with any reference to the crash out on the stands.

Our minds all raced – how can we make this local?

Did we know people in the area? Former NHL star Clark Gillies worked in the banking industry in New York and was from Moose Jaw (still has family there). By the next day, we’d gotten him. We’d gotten someone else who was working near the Pentagon that day when a plane hit there.

Slowly, we’d pieced together some local connections and reflections for the next day’s paper.

But the effects of the day lasted long on anyone who can remember. That night, one of the few sporting events in the world that was continuing was a pre-season game between the Moose Jaw Warriors and Prince Albert Raiders. I watched the game, hoping to get some sense of separation from the events of the world, but it was all friends and I could talk about. Was there a fifth plane in the air? What was next? Who was at fault?

It was right about that night when the sorrow and shock was still on our minds that I’d started hearing radical conspiracy theories. Somehow the most bogus ideas had gotten credibility because no one knew exactly who did this or how far it went.

And when I think back about that day, the worst part other than the deaths of innocent people in planes and buildings was the loss of our ability to reason through our problems. The hysteria surrounding many political discussions has its base in that day. While bigotedness didn’t have a starting point on that day, it flew through the roof from that day on and really hasn’t looked back since. Extreme media outlets now prey on this fear that has ripped through North America, feeding a culture looking to get offended and getting paid well for it.

I remember the world before, and how nice we all were to each other – even through political discussions – in the immediate aftermath. What wouldn’t we give to have that back?

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Farmer criticizes tax changes Editor’s note: the following is an open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that is reprinted with the author’s permission.

Dear Prime Minister Trudeau: My name is Jake Leguee, and I am a farmer in Saskatchewan. I am writing this letter to express my grave concerns with your plan for what you refer to as “tax fairness.” While I am not an accountant or a tax expert, I know enough to be apprehensive about the changes you and Mr. Bill Morneau plan to enact.

I take offence to being labelled as a tax cheat. I, along with my parents, my sister and my own young family, as well as our two full-time employees (one being a brother-in-law), all work together in this wonderful business we call farming. We grow food, we work hard to improve our community, and we are excited about the prospect of a fourth generation someday having the opportunity to take over this farm.

Your tax changes will severely challenge our abil-

ity to pass on this farm. You will penalize my parents for passing their land on to me. Land that they paid for a long time ago; land that I will never sell. I will never realize the capital gains on that land. Why should my parents be taxed for passing it on? Why should I be taxed for someday passing it on to my own children?

Farming is a tough business. We rely on the weather to provide for us; even if we do absolutely everything right, one bad storm can take it all away. It is very difficult to manage a farm well enough to have the opportunity for the next generation to take over, even without having to worry about taxes.

Notice how drastically the number of farms has collapsed over the past century?

Don’t get me wrong; all small businesses have similar challenges. Succession is hard. Passing along a business to your children should be celebrated by government. Small business is the backbone of this great country. They provide jobs, innovation and growth for all Canadians.

We small business peo-

ple don’t have pensions, or employment insurance, or health benefits. We must cover all of that on our own. Furthermore, we provide those services to our employees, who also work hard in the community and provide for their children. So much rides on the success of our businesses.

You talk about closing loopholes and creating tax fairness. What you are missing is that the playing field already is out of whack. Employees have a lot of benefits that we small business people don’t have.

And that’s okay. We can live without these benefits for the opportunity to build something.

We aren’t just out there to make money; we do what we do to build a legacy. We do it to provide jobs, and look after our employees.

We do it to give our children the opportunity to take the next step, and do amazing things we could never even dream of.

As a child, I spent most of the time I wasn’t in school helping out on the farm. It was hard work, but I loved it. It was how I could spend time with my dad, who

worked seemingly every hour of every day. The farm didn’t pay me to save money on taxes, it paid me because I earned it.

This taught me the value of hard work, and how to save money and prepare budgets for it. None of this had anything to do with cheating taxes.

My farm provides a living for seven people, not to mention my own little son and our next child who is on the way. But our farm does far more. As we grow, we purchase equipment, tools, parts, inputs and so many other things our farm needs.

Along with the other farms in this area, we provide jobs for hundreds of people, from mechanics to engineers to biologists and sales people.

This farm isn’t a tax haven; it, along with every other farm and all the other small businesses around us, are powering Canada’s future.

Don’t take that away.

Mr. Prime Minister, please reconsider your tax fairness proposal. The future of this great country we call Canada depends on it.

Jake Leguee Fillmore, Sask.

Changes needed to the system The editor: Does our first-pastthe-post voting system violate your right to fair and equal representation?

A Charter challenge has been launched to find out.

In her decision in another case, Supreme Court Justice Beverley McLachlin ruled “Each citizen is entitled to be represented in government. Representation comprehends the idea of having a voice in the deliberations of government.”

So, your member of parliament (MP) may rep-

resent you but do they give you a voice?

Odds are they don’t.

In the 2015 election, less than 40 per cent of MPs won their seats with a majority of votes. Some won seats with less than 35 per cent of the votes.

Presenting this another way, you might be in a riding where 13 out of 20 people have a representative but no voice.

For example, DesnethéMissinippi-Churchill River 2015 votes were split 34.15 per cent for the New Democratic Party, 33.88

per cent for the Liberals, 30.14 for the Conservative Party, and 1.83 per cent for the Green Party.

Without a voice, we cannot hold our governments accountable. During Democracy Week from Sept. 15-21, ask yourself why 80 of the 123 democratic countries use some form of proportional representation.

Don’t be surprised to discover it is because proportional representation gives voters a fair and equal voice, plus proportional representation

outperforms first-pastthe-post on measures of quality of life, income equality, environmental performance and fiscal policy.

Most parties have shifted to continual election mode because of our winner-take-all-system.

This makes Democracy Week and every week a good week to tell your MP they will only get your support if they back proportional representation.

Nancy Carswell Shellbrook, Sask.

Fire bans once again imposed Fire bans are once again in effect for the rural municipalities (RM) of Benson and Cambria.

In a post on its Facebook page on Thursday, the Estevan Fire Rescue Service reported that the bans were needed due to the extremely dry conditions in the area due to a lack of precipitation, as well as high rates of spread

once ignition occurs.

These are total fire bans, so no fires are allowed in those two RMs. A Level 2 fire ban remains in effect for the Rural Municipality of Estevan. A Level 2 fire ban includes unsupervised burning barrels and incinerators; supervised incinerators for farm, acreage and hamlet use; burning

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barrels with screens under constant supervision; and fireworks.

Fire bans were first imposed in the three RMs on July 18, with total bans in Benson and Cambria, and a Level 1 ban for the RM of Estevan. The ban for the RM of Estevan was upgraded to a Level 2 eight days later.

Thanks to some pre-

cipitation in early August, the fire bans were lifted for Benson and Cambria on Aug. 9, but the Level 2 ban for the RM of Estevan remained in place.

The fire ban does not extend to the City of Estevan. Since there isn’t a fire ban in effect within city limits, fire pits are allowed as long as a permit has been obtained.

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A6 September 13, 2017

Estevan Mercury

Local firefighters grace calendar cover Two members of the Estevan Fire Rescue Service are on the front cover for the 2018 Saskatchewan Fire Fighters Calendar that was launched on Tuesday morning.

Lieutenant Lincoln Empey and firefighter Justin Charron were selected to be part of the 2018 calendar earlier this year, and they found out recently they would be on the cover.

The cover has Charron on the left and Empey on the right, shirtless, but wearing their firefighter helmets and turnout gear pants. Each is carrying an axe. The helmets cover most of their faces.

graphs. Their photo was selected because it was the best overall.

“We did a focus group, and figured out what we be the most eye-catching photo,” said Woodard. “It’s the one we went with.”

Woodard said Charron and Empey didn’t know they were on the cover until they received their copies a few days ago. Firefighters are encouraged to post a video with their reactions when they receive their calendars and see how their photos look.

Charron and Empey also appear in the calendar. Charron is the firefighter for May and Empey is the August firefighter.

“Our calendar actually ranks as one of the top calendars in the world,” said Woodard. “Every year there is a site called the fire critic that reviews the firefighter calendars and ranks them. In the last few years, we’ve been in the No. 2 to 5 range.”

Brad Woodard A fire truck is in the background.

Brad Woodard, who is a producer of the calendar, said Charron and Empey were selected after looking through numerous photo-

Raelin Jackson, who is a member of the Bienfait Fire Department, is the November firefighter. She is one of three female firefighters in the calendar.

There is one other local con-

nection for the calendar, as Chandra Drabek, a makeup artist from Estevan, handled the makeup for the calendar.

Woodard believes the calendar turned out really well, and the photos look great.

The calendars have arrived with The calendars have arrived at the stores that are selling them.

The calendars could have been launched on Monday, he said, but they were delayed a day because Monday was the 16th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

This year also marks the 15th anniversary edition of the calendar. Proceeds from the sale will be directed to the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation.

The hospital is currently under construction in Saskatoon.

Woodard noted that this calendar has remained popular over the years, even though a lot of people aren’t purchasing calendars any longer.

“Our calendar actually ranks as one of the top calendars in the world,” said Woodard. “Every year there is a site called the fire critic that reviews the firefighter calendars and ranks them. In the last few years, we’ve been in the No. 2 to 5 range.”

The calendar can be purchased locally at the House of Stationary and at Peavey Mart.

Justin Charron, left, and Lincoln Empey from the Estevan Fire Rescue Service are on the cover of this year’s Saskatchewan Fire Fighters Calendar. Photo by Fit Pics Pro Fitness Photography

www.estevanmercury.ca

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A8 September 13, 2017

Estevan Mercury

First-ever Duck Derby viewed as a success The Estevan Humane Society is pleased with the support shown for its inaugural Duck Derby on Saturday afternoon at Woodlawn Regional Park.

“We had a good turnout, and overall ticket sales were great,” said Estevan Humane Society president Eric Salmers.

A total of 1,158 tickets were sold. The corresponding ticket number was inscribed on the yellow rubber duck, and the first duck to cross the finish line was declared the winner. The owner of the duck, Chris Riese, won $5,790, which represented half of all revenues generated by ticket sales.

The humane society retained the other half for its current and future operations.

A giant rubber duck was raffled off as well. Cindy Romanyk, who is part of the humane society’s executive, was the winner, so she donated it back to the organization, and the duck will be raffled off again next year.

The rubber ducks float down the Souris River during the Duck Derby.

The day started with a fundraising barbecue and a bouncy castle. At 1 p.m., the rubber ducks were loaded into a skid steer loader, and dropped into the Souris River from the Highway 47 bridge south of the city.

The ducks floated east down the river.

A crowd watched the race from along the river’s banks.

“We didn’t know what to expect, because it was our first try at it, but I was happy with the turnout,” said Salmers. “There were lots of kids … and lots of people.”

There were some concerns on Saturday regarding the river flow, stemming from the breeze out of the east that swept through Estevan that day.

But the race went quicker than Salmers expected.

“I think it was only 10 or 15 minutes for the race itself, and I was expecting longer than that with the direction of the wind,” said Salmers. “There just wasn’t a lot of water flow, but there was enough there to make for a good little race.”

Duck derbies have

proven to be popular in other communities. Lumsden has a large one each year. But this was the first one held in Estevan.

“Some people said they hadn’t seen a duck derby in years, and they were excited to see another one,” said Salmers.

Others hadn’t seen one before, so the humane society had to explain the concept.

An event like the Duck Derby, with its ticket sales and the people in attendance, was also a good way to also build awareness of

More than a thousand rubber ducks were released from above the Souris River as part of the Estevan Humane Society’s inaugural Duck Derby. the humane society, he said, and Salmers hopes the organization can build on the momentum generated by the event.

Salmers expects the

Duck Derby will be an annual event. He would like to have more prizes and a bigger cash prize next year, and he expects it will only get bigger.

Police handle assault, collisions and more The Estevan Police Service (EPS) dealt with driving infractions and arrested an impaired driver in recent days.

Members attended to a report of a domestic dispute during the Sept. 4 day shift. A 17-year-old Estevan male was arrested and charged with assault.

He was released with conditions and will appear in court in October to answer

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semi unit caused damage at a train crossing. The matter is still under investigation.

Officers attended to a report of an assault. The matter is still under investigation.

Police were very active patrolling the school zones as children were back in school.

Multiple summary offence tickets were issued for distracted driving and for vehicle occupants not

properly wearing a seatbelt.

Members received a request during the Sept. 6 night shift to assist with a dispute over property involving roommates.

Officers also received a request to assist in resolving a dispute over property between a separated couple.

Police assisted Emergency Medical Services in gaining access to a residence to assist a patient.

The EPS revealed on

its Twitter feed on Sept. 9 that a motorist had been stopped for driving 100 kilometres per hour in a 60 zone. It resulted in a $300 fine.

Police also announced via Twitter on Sept. 9 that a male driver had been arrested for impaired driving, after a minor collision at the intersection of Fourth Street and Souris Avenue South. Nobody was injured in the collision.

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also under investigation.

Police received a report of a vehicle failing to remain at the scene of an accident at a parking lot.

A semi unit was struck by another semi unit when it was leaving the parking lot. The matter is being investigated.

Members responded to a hit and run accident on the outskirts of the city during the Sept. 5 day shift. A

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to the charges.

Police received a report of a mischief to property in the Pleasantdale area during the Sept. 4 night shift. Police attended to investigate and learned that curse words were written on a number of residences in chalk. The matter is being investigated.

Officers were also notified of a stolen bicycle from a residence. The matter is

OF THE

MONTH

Howie Family The Howie family has been delivering papers since March of 2009. What started out as the perfect first job for Nolan and Jordan, who were 7 and 11 at the time, has become a weekly routine for their parents Brett and Jen as well. This summer, Jordan, who is a third year Business student at the U of R, delivered the majority of the 385 Mercury papers and 510 Lifestyles on his own and filled in as Lifestyles delivery driver to our carriers and businesses when needed. He did this to save money for University while working full time for the Southeast Cornerstone School Division and the Kenosee Superslides on weekends.

With Jordan back in Regina, Nolan, Brett and Jen are once again sharing their delivery duties. Nolan is in grade 11 at ECS, plays football and works part time at Estevan Bowl.

During the summer Jen works at Allison’s at Kenosee Lake and spends the school year looking after children in her home and working casually at Whistle Stop Toys. Brett is a Sales Consultant at Power Dodge.

The Howies enjoy their evening walks around the many areas of the city they deliver to, chatting with whoever they cross paths with! While they typically don’t mind most types of weather, they do hope that this upcoming winter will be milder than last year’s!

Every month the Estevan Mercury pays tribute to its dedicated carriers who strive for excellence and deliver your paper each week.

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McDonald’s Restaurant proudly supports hard work and doing your best and will be supplying the carrier of the month with a gift card for a meal at the McDonald’s location in Estevan.

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City moves forward with economic development

The City of Estevan has moved forward on a couple of fronts regarding economic development initiatives.

The first is the hiring of Dwight Bramble as the new economic development co-ordinator. The other is the formation of a new economic development committee.

Bramble brings a diverse background to the economic development post. Originally from the Caribbean nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, he went to the United States to attend university on a soccer scholarship. He played soccer for his home country at an international level for many years and worked as an economist.

He was also his nation’s deputy ambassador to the U.S. He moved to Canada five years ago to work at the University of Regina as a sectional lecturer in economics.

Bramble has enjoyed living in Saskatchewan.

“It’s been a good new home for me,” he told the Mercury. “Canada is a great country. We in the Caribbean, we have a very rich history and relationship with Canada. I remember when I first entered high school, we had a bunch of volunteer teachers from Toronto, and the experience was good. They made us feel like students.”

He admits he still isn’t used to the cold winter months experienced in Saskatchewan, but he loves the province.

As the new economic development officer, Bramble will be tasked with researching, analyzing, developing and recommending policies to the economic development committee and city council, so that the Estevan area can grow economically.

He will study current trends to take the city forward.

Promoting the city will also be a big part of his job.

“It doesn’t make sense for me to do all this research if the intention is not to promote the city,” said Bramble.

Bramble called the job with the city a great opportunity to make a contribution to

“I think that’s going to drive me even more to be successful at my job, because if I’m going to be living here, I want to be as responsible as I can in contributing to the development and well-being of the community.”

Dwight Bramble the development of a smaller centre, and to bring his skills and expertise to the job.

“If you’re looking at economic development, that is a never-ending, ongoing process,” said Bramble. “What I have to do, and my intention in the initial stages of being here, is to do a lot of information gathering and talking to people, and interacting

with the community to get a feel of where Estevan is and where Estevan could go.

“Then I will be in a better position to design a more focused approach for how I should do my work, in the confines and the context of my job description.”

Before he moved to Estevan, Bramble said some of his friends questioned his decision. But Bramble has lived in many different communities, and said he feels comfortable in this city, and has no doubt that he will be able to call Estevan home.

“I think that’s going to drive me even more to be successful at my job, because if I’m going to be living here, I want to be as responsible as I can in contributing to the development and well-being of the community,” said Bramble.

As for the economic development committee, it is comprised of 11 people, with two each from the City of Estevan, the Rural Municipality of Estevan and the Estevan Chamber of Commerce, and five members at large.

Mayor Roy Ludwig and Coun. Greg Hoffort are the city representatives, Reeve Terry Keating and Coun. Dennis Blackburn are the RM delegates, and president John Williams and past-president Josh LeBlanc are the chamber reps. The members at large are Nathan Wilhelm, Kurt Schmidt, Josh Biggs, Gene Baniulis and Derek Keating.

City manager Jeff Ward, RM of Estevan administrator Grace Potter and chamber executive director Jackie Wall are nonvoting advisors.

“It’s a very good and diverse group, which is great,” Ward said.

The mandate of the committee is to

Dwight Bramble work with Bramble to provide direction to city council related to community development and bringing in new businesses, including development incentives. It will also improve the economic base and amenities in the Estevan area.

Bramble said he has been able to meet with the new economic development committee, and he is pleased with the people involved.

The city had been without an economic development co-ordinator since Manpreet Sangha stepped down in the summer of 2016. There was some discussion as to whether the city would hire Sangha’s replacement, but they ultimately opted to bring in Bramble.

Sun Country launches take-home naloxone program The Sun Country Health Region (SCHR) has joined the list of health regions in the province participating in the take-home naloxone (THN) program.

Naloxone is an antidote to opioids such as fentanyl, morphine, heroin, methadone or oxycodone. When administered properly, naloxone can restore breathing to an individual experiencing an overdose. Naloxone is already in use in Saskatchewan emergency departments and by paramedics in emergency situa-

tions to treat an opioid overdose.

THN kits have been available in Estevan and Weyburn since Sept. 5. The program is being launched by the SCHR in partnership with the Ministry of Health.

The THN kits will be available free of charge to individuals at risk of an opioid overdose.

Kits can be obtained from addiction services at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Estevan, or addiction services in the community health services building in Weyburn.

Both are open weekdays from

8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is recommended that people book an appointment to pick up a kit.

At-risk individuals must first receive education on preventing an overdose, recognizing and responding to an overdose, and properly administering naloxone using the THN kit.

The THN kit is then provided to the individuals at risk. Family members and friends are encouraged to participate in the training.

Terry Romanow, the regional director of mental health and

addiction services and the THN program lead for the health region, said the aim is to save lives through education and access to the kits themselves.

“SCHR is implementing the project to help individuals be prepared and proactive in preventing deaths from opioid overdose.

Even one such death is too many,” she said.

People should always call 911 if they witness an overdose.

In a press release, Sun Country noted fentanyl is an opioid that

is 50 to 100 times more potent than heroin, oxycodone or morphine. It is a prescribed painkiller that is often added to illegal drugs without people knowing. Overdose deaths attributed to fentanyl have been rising across Canada.

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health is providing $50,000 this year to fund THN programs in the Sun Country, Saskatoon, Regina Qu’Appelle, Prairie North, Sunrise, Prince Albert Parkland, and Five Hills health regions.

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A10 September 13, 2017

Estevan Mercury

ECS sees a slight decline in numbers The Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) has seen a slight decline in its enrolment numbers for the start of the school year.

Principal Pat Jeannot said the school has about 735 students in Grades 9 to 12, as of the first day of school on Sept. 5. That number will change a little before the end of the month, because registrations for new students are still coming in.

“The 735 mark is pretty much where we expected to be,” Jeannot said.

Approximately 760 students were registered at the start of the school year last year.

“In a couple of years, we expect to go up from there, but we’ve been fairly steady for the last couple of years,” said Jeannot.

Their projections help determine their staffing numbers, so they try to be

as accurate as possible. He believes the school does a pretty good job with its projections, unless there is a big change in the community.

Jeannot noted ECS also made some changes for the first week of school.

Typically registration day is held before school starts, but since they’re no longer collecting some fees like they did in the past, they were able to have registration on Sept. 5.

A couple of hours of home room sessions followed so students could connect with teachers.

“We did a homeroom Olympics,” said Jeannot.

“The SRC (student representative council) planned that, and that was a great thing for school spirit.”

ECS students are now divided into homerooms by grades, so they should have the same home room

ECS principal Pat Jeannot instructor for four years.

Students then spent 30 minutes in each of their classes in the afternoon.

“We’re getting some really good, positive feedback from the students that it was nice to have a half hour class to go and meet your teacher and get a little

idea of what’s going to be going on in the class,” said Jeannot.

Regular classes started on Sept. 6.

A welcome barbecue and dance was held for the Grade 9s on Sept. 8. The school’s open house will happen on Sept. 20 at 5 p.m.

It will be an opportunity to sign up for clubs, and a chance for parents to meet teachers.

Golf, football, volleyball, soccer and crosscountry are already up and running for the start of the season.

Another change for this year is that the alternate school, which was located in the North Portal area, has been closed. Jeannot said closing the alternate school stemmed from provincial funding.

The students who were at North Portal are now studying at ECS, in the area formerly occupied by Southeast College.

“I have one person, Kayla Dutras, who is kind of a co-ordinator of the program now, and I have teacher experts teaching the various core subjects down there,” said Jeannot.

The students in the

alternate school now have the opportunity to transition into ECS for elective courses, such as commercial cooking, auto body, mechanics, photography and more.

“That’s a nice piece that we couldn’t do when they were 15 minutes out of town,” said Jeannot.

ECS was limited with programming it could offer at the alternate school, because there was just one teacher at the school.

“They can get every opportunity that every other student has, and we have some of those kids joining the extracurricular teams now, as opposed to when you’re on a separate campus, you don’t really hear about the programs.”

About 16 students were registered at the alternate school last year, and Jeannot said that was consistent with previous years.

Holy Family board gears up for changes

By Greg Nikkel (Weyburn Review) The Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division is preparing itself for changes to come this year from the provincial Ministry of Education, with updates provided to the board of trustees at their first board meeting of the new school year on Sept. 6.

One of the pending changes will be for a Unified Student Information System, which will see all school divisions using a single software program for all student information

in the province, said Gwen Keith, the director of education.

“We’re very concerned with what might happen,” said Keith. “If our system is not selected, it’s going to cost us a lot of money.”

She explained that Holy Family uses the Maplewood system for their student information, while other school divisions are using other systems, such as Power School. Once an information system is chosen, all school divisions will have to switch over to it if they aren’t already using it.

Keith noted the school divisions had been told

earlier there would be a five-year phase-in allowed to make this possible, but information from the ministry over the summer is now saying the government will want all school divisions to be on the new system by the 2019-20 school year.

Asked who will be deciding this, Keith said there is a subcommittee of the ministry with six people, most of them information-technology experts, and guesses that school divisions will find out in the next couple of months which system will be used for student information.

“My concern is once

all the documentation is in one system. We need to manage our own information ourselves. We are going to manage our own school data very tightly this year,” said Keith.

Among other changes coming for school divisions is a much tighter control on funds, including new rules on funds allowed for trustees to use for professional development and governance. The ministry will now only allow $750 per person for the year for professional development for trustees, and this will affect whether trustees will be able to attend events like

ESTEVAN

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tenders came in higher than the amount budgeted for it, around $100,000, there would have to be a secondary approval by the ministry.

She noted this was very puzzling after the board received verbal approval for a tender on roof work for $600,000 earlier that summer for St. Mary’s School in Estevan.

Keith said this was highly unusual “to have third-party interference on the tender process,” which could result in problems for the school division if companies balk at submitting tender bids.

Church Directories GOSPEL CHAPEL

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Children’s Clubs Wednesdays 7-8 pm

an upcoming convention for Saskatchewan Catholic school boards in October.

A concern that has come up is over the ministry’s clamping down on funds for school boards when they have a tender over a certain amount.

Trustees were told of an instance of third-party interference on tenders by the ministry after Holy Family asked for tenders on bus services.

Executive assistant LaurieAnn Bendtsen explained that after the request for tenders went out, a letter was received by the ministry saying if the

His Glory Bible Church Pastor Brad Mackenzie Westview School Sundays at 10:00AM Starting September 3 “People matter to God and we desire to show that in our fellowship.”

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Sunday Service 10:30 am Sunday school during service Nicholson Centre Pastor Dan Krauss Phone: 306-471-8130 All Are Welcome Faithlc.com

St. Peter’s Lutheran Church 130 Souris Ave. N. Reverend Randy Kleemola Phone: 306-634-2024 email: st.peters@sasktel.net

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Sunday Worship 9:30 a.m. - Bible Study 10:30 a.m. - Divine Service with Holy Communion and Sunday School A Congregation of LUTHERAN CHURCH - CANADA

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Energy industry hears from service industry on new worker safety initiatives

By Brian Zinchuk brian.zinchuk@sasktel.net

Enform, the petroleum safety association, has been talking for years now about the need to address new, young worker safety. As it turns out, they’re not the only ones.

At Enform’s health and safety information group meeting in Weyburn on Sept. 7, they had someone from a sister organization speak about the very same thing, except from the perspective of the service industry.

George Marshall, CEO of the Service and Hospitality Safety Association, was one of the keynote speakers.

Marshall focused on young people entering the workforce, and he noted that they realized this focus has not been soon enough. As a

result, there’s a need to get the safety message out in schools, long before young people enter the workforce.

He related his own experience of being a young soldier in the army reserves at the age of 17. Told to go work on an army truck, with no training on trucks and only three months in, he promptly got battery acid in his eyes. Thankfully, he recovered.

“It took me less than two minutes working on the vehicle and I was being rushed into the barracks,” Marshall said.

His sister, in starting a new job with a fast food restaurant, got her hand sliced up on her first day, effectively because of her own stupidity. Immediately after being told not to touch a sharp slicer, she did exactly that, because she just

George Marshall spoke to the Enform health and safety information group meeting in Weyburn on Sept. 7. Photo by Brian Zinchuk had to know.

Marshall pointed out that 70 per cent of Canadians’ first job is in the service industry, which includes restaurants, bars, taxis, hotels and the like. His or-

ganization also represents a number of community services, too. “ We s p e n d a f a i r amount of time on future workers,” he said. Among those are newcomers and

First Nations people.

He pointed out that over a five-year period, from 2006 to 2010, injuries among service workers dropped from 2,524 to 2,088 per year, a substantial drop, but then the numbers stalled at that level. The question was, why?

Turnover, it turns out, was the culprit. In many businesses in the service industry, they can see turnover rates from 50 to 150 per cent, per year. There was especially a revolving door of employment in 2011-2012.

Those young workers also have the highest probability of getting injured on the job. “Nearly half of all youth will get injured – half of those within six months. You don’t have a lot of time to wait. We need to get people before they

Celebrating a milestone James “Doc” Stephen, seated, was one of the founders of Estevan Meter. His wife Maggie and son Reg joined him at the 50th anniversary breakfast and lunch held in a big tent at their shop on Sept.

6. Reg took over the business in 1984 and eventually sold it to the current ownership group. Photo by Brian Zinchuk

enter, and we need to get youth before they enter the workplace,” Marshall said.

He pointed out roughly 35 organizations in Saskatchewan are working with youth on the issue of safety, in one manner or another.

They started working with high school students, as they often get jobs in the service industry.

Saskatchewan has sufficient curriculum for health and safety, but not sufficient tools, he noted.

“You have nothing to teach with,” he said.

There are safety programs in Grades 6-9 in practical and applied arts classes. Grade 6 also has home safety instruction. Grade 3 students are exposed to safety at play programs from St. John Ambulance.

In Grades 8-9, mental health is looked at. “In our industry, mental health is one of the biggest upcoming issues,” Marshall said.

One focus has become Youth Safety Education Day, which is a general awareness day held Sept.

10 each year since 2011. It creates a platform to raise awareness of youth safety in the workplace. This year, 20,000 students were expected to participate.

They have 103 partners with activities all over. One of those partners hires a lot of young people – McDonald’s.

“It’s growing at a rate we can’t keep up with anymore,” he said thankfully.

The impact of all this has seen a reduction of those injury numbers down to 1,771 in 2016, and even lower numbers trending for 2017. Since 2012, there’s been a 39 per cent reduction in injuries.

Marshall noted the safety culture in Saskatchewan is different than it was 30 years ago, or even 10 years ago.

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TAKE NOTE THAT the Regular (Public) Meeting of the Board of Education of South East Cornerstone Public School Division previously scheduled for September 20, 2017 has been rescheduled to September 27, 2017 commencing at 1:00 PM at the school division office located at 80A-18th Street N.E., Weyburn, SK.

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A12 September 13, 2017

Estevan Mercury

Enrolments slightly up in South East Cornerstone The enrolment numbers are up slightly in the South East Cornerstone Public School Division.

Director of education Lynn Little said the figures are similar to the school division’s projections. The division expected there would be 8,292 students, and that’s the number that registered on the first day of school.

“With a little bit of fluctuation now, it might be a little lower than that when the dust settles at the end of the day, but we’ll be pretty close,” said Little.

At the end of the 201617 school year, South East Cornerstone was at 8,219 students.

As for local schools, Estevan Comprehensive School is at 729 students, which is above the 721 it had at the end of the school year, but lower than the 740 that was expected.

(For more on ECS, see page A10).

Hillcrest School had 111 students, which was lower than the 125 at the end of June. Pleasantdale School was at 203, which was also lower than the

217 it had at the end of the school year. Spruce Ridge School ended the 2016-17 school year at 433 students and started at 427 students.

We s t v i e w S c h o o l is expected to have 194 students, compared to 199 at the end of the last school year. Little noted that Westview has a preKindergarten program, so its enrolment isn’t as clear.

Lampman School has 209 students, up from the 204 at the end of June.

Macoun School, which is a kindergarten to Grade 6 school, has 53 students,

which is on par with expectations.

B i e n f a i t We l d o n School, which is kindergarten to Grade 8, has seen an increase from 122 students at the end of the school year to 136 for this year.

Official numbers for the division and its schools won’t be released until after Sept. 30.

Little said the school d i v i s i o n h a s n ’t h a d a chance to study trends, and to see if students have relocated to other schools in the community, or if they have left the community.

It’s a fit Estevan Curling Club manager Pauline Ziehl Grimsrud, left, showed a curling shoe slider to Albina Monulkalo during city wide registration on Thursday evening at the Power Dodge Ice Centre. The curling club was among the many organizations promoting its programs, activities and leagues for the upcoming season. Local residents were able to sign up for organizations. Photo by David Willberg

Lynn Little South East Cornerstone has 31 new teachers, and they are spread out throughout the division.

There haven’t been any changes to administrative teams for schools in and around Estevan, but Little noted there has been a change in the upper level school management for the Estevan area. Shelley Sargeant is now the superintendent of schools, replacing Michael Merriman, who has moved on.

Changes are also taking place in programming.

Through the education sector strategic plan, all Grade 10 classes in the province are working on implementing a Student First classroom, since they will be graduating in 2020.

“We’re working together to enhance student experiences, to try to increase the graduation rate,” said Little. “We’re focusing on credit attainment, graduation plans, course planning, monitoring their achievement and just some

real engagement pieces at all those levels.”

The division’s jump math pilot will continue as well. Little said they want to see students attain their greatest success in mathematics. The pilot program was attempted in eight different schools last year, but didn’t generate sufficient data, so Cornerstone wants to try it again.

Many students in Grades 4 to 6 will also be engaged in a coding quest in their classrooms, learning more about computer programming language.

And the school division will continue with its work on truth and reconciliation, through calls to action and the Treaty 4 Education Alliance. Discussions will focus on history, implications and reconciliation moving forward.

And the division will continue to focus on reading and ensuring that students can read at grade level by the end of Grade 3.

Pistol and switchblade seized CALL is OUT! to students (K-12) To AUDITION for a part in Missoula Children’s Theatre presentation of

Gulliver’s Travels

Auditions take place on Monday, September 13th at 4:00 p.m. SHARP at Westview School Cast members are expected to have a clear schedule for the week to participate in rehearsals. Unfortunately some students who audition will not receive a role. Some cast members will be required to rehearse following the audition (September 13th).

Performances: Saturday, September 23th Souris Valley Theatre 2:00 and 7:00 p.m.

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Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers seized a nine-millimetre

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On September 19th Federated Co-op has decided to partner with Southern Plains Co-op to make a difference in the community.

On this day, Federated will donate $.05 per litre sold at the Kensington C-Store and 4th Street C-Store in Estevan to The Casey Foundation for Autism Support. This will then be matched by the Southern Plains Co-op, which means that $.10 per litre will be donated. These funds help Saskatchewan families living with the effects of Autism.

Landon Emde (an employee of Southern Plains Co-op) and his wife Katie have a 6 year old son (Avery) who has Autism. They try to advocate for him the best they can.

Supporting this foundation in return directly supports local families dealing with the effects of Autism.

This foundation is an independent no-profit organization with the mission to see that all children with autism be able to receive financial assistance to develop their unique needs. All monies donated are used to benefit families living with autism in Saskatchewan. The Casey Foundation operates with a board of volunteer trustees and no paid employees.

We thank you for your support.

ited. Both items were taken with no terms of release, and the traveller was arrested for failing to declare them.

The man was allowed to continue into Canada without his handgun and switchblade, after paying a $1,500 penalty.

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Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Bruins end pre-season undefeated

By Corey Atkinson sports@estevanmercury.ca

It didn’t matter what or who it was, where they were from or how old they were; if they played against the Power Dodge Estevan Bruins, the Bruins were going to win.

The Bruins went 4-0 in the pre-season, earning a win in the rookie game last week against the Notre Dame Hounds, an 11-0 thrashing over the Waywayseecappo Wolverines at home last Tuesday and a pair of wins over the Weyburn Red Wings to conclude the exhibition season. The Bruins shut down the Red Wings at home 5-2 Friday and won 5-4 in Weyburn Saturday “There’s some intensity,” said Bruins head coach and general manager Chris Lewgood after Friday’s win. “Mix in some of these guys are playing for their junior A lives, some of them are fighting to develop a role and carve out a niche in our program and throw in the Highway 39 rivalry and the instincts take over, especially with our returning guys or the local guys. They know the history between the teams.

There’s a lot of respect there but there’s also a lot of hatred. It shows just as much in the pre-season as it does when there’s more

Power Dodge Estevan Bruins forward Jake Fletcher tries to tip in a shot behind Weyburn goaltender Carter Phair Friday at Affinity Place. on the line.”

Once the season starts, the gap between the rookies and steady veterans like Hayden Guilderson, Kaelan Holt and Michael McChesney will diminish.

“I think the spread between the top veterans players at this time of year and the young guys is huge,” Lewgood said. “The young guys are getting their feet wet on all teams, and the

veteran players are comfortable and take advantage of it.”

While there were no fights in either of the two games against Weyburn, angry glares from a lot of players who still aren’t sure if they’ll make the teams were plenty. The Bruins kept a lot of players into the exhibition season and clearly not all of them can make the team.

“We’ve got some time to make some decisions but at the end of the day, there’s going to be some players here who are not going to make our club that are going to be able to play junior A hockey,” Lewgood said.

“You get small separations every game where guys start carving out their niche and finding their place and other guys separate themselves negatively, or mak-

ing less strong of a case.”

In the game against the Wolverines, Zach Goberis led the way on the scoresheet with a goal and four assists, while McChesney scored a hat trick with an assist. TJ Irey and Andrew Warhoftig scored two goals and an assist each, while Holt, Raihan Kheraj and Jack Kilroy each scored singles. Matt Lukacs and Tyler Szturm combined for 19 saves in the shutout.

Holt scored two Friday against the Red Wings, with Jake Heerspink, Johnny Witzke and Jerzy Martin adding single goals. Matt Lenz stopped 14 of 16, with Maxim Sidelnik saving all five of the shots he faced in half a game.

Saturday, McChesney

and Matthew Chekay each scored a pair for the Bruins, with Tanner McKechnie also scoring. Lukacs and Szturm saved 10 shots each in the net.

But now the fun of the regular season starts. And the team isn’t in a hurry to make a move to add any players before then.

“We’re not interested right now in shopping any of our players in the lineup,” Lewgood said. “Our plan right now is to get down to 25 guys. That’s probably going to be a combination of 15 forwards, seven D and three goalies, or eight D, two goalies, maybe we’ll go down to 14 forwards to accomodate one more goaltender, I don’t know. We’re going to be somewhere in that mix.”

Inexperienced Elecs blown out

by Vanier

The Bruins celebrate one of their goals Friday at Affinity Place.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

The Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs football program is going to go through some growing pains, but in their first regular season game the team looked to be closing in on an upset.

After being tied 6-6 after the first quarter with the Vanier Vikings at Moose Jaw, the team was stung by multiple touchdowns and

ended up losing 48-8 in Moose Jaw High School Football League action.

Hunter Eagles, a Grade 9 running back, collected 132 yards on 21 carries in the game but the Elecs were hurt by five turnovers on downs in the game.

The Elecs get a bye next week but will return Sept. 19 to play home to the Yorkton Raiders.

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B2 September 13, 2017

Estevan Mercury

Parent-Child Tournament at Woodlawn Golf Club is successful again

By Corey Atkinson sports@estevanmercury.ca

Kids as young as four were able to enjoy themselves at TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club for the summer, with the season winding down Sunday.

The 34th Parent-Child Tournament saw parents with their kids enjoying the game together with the help of co-ordinator Eldon Rondeau and Woodlawn staff.

“We had 10 events this summer, starting out with the scramble at the end of May,” said Rondeau. “Then for 10 Wednesdays, except for one that was rained out, every Wednesday morning we had a different event.”

The nine-hole tournament used a special scoring system with an age-based handicap. All players received a trophy at the end of the day.

The tournaments with

kids were all based on fun, Rondeau said, with this year was more successful than the year before. That fun will hopefully translate into a life-long interest in the sport.

“All through the year, we had 81 kids participate in least one event,” he said.

“We figure that’s pretty good.”

There is a difference between the top young golfers like Jayden Dudas, Jace Carlisle and Jean-Luc Dupuis and the golfers in these events, but there are times during the summer when those players would help out and mentor their even younger counterparts.

“That’s an important aspect too,” Rondeau said.

“Leadership golf is based on honesty, integrity and all of those things. (Sunday) is something special.”

Bringing them into the game is a continual

reminder that the game can be fun. One day they were given a couple of feet of string and told they could count anything within that

All through the year, we had 81 kids participate in least one event. We figure that’s pretty good.”

Eldon Rondeau string as a ‘gimme’, with the remainder of the string to be used for a future hole.

Another day was something he called “monkey golf,” which allowed the kids only three clubs from their bag of their choice to use

for a whole round.

“They just think it’s so much fun,” Rondeau said.

“Same thing with the string.

They have to make decisions as a group. ‘Can we use it here,’ ‘should we use it here?’ And then you get that group at the end that still has some string left...

“We think it’s fun. And we do give prizes, like theatre passes, Dairy Queen passes, McDonalds passes.

Balls, things of that sort.

We just draw those. It’s not based on skill. We kind of downplay the competition.”

At the parent-child tournament, they were organized into divisions named after contemporary Canadian golfers like Graham DeLaet, Brooke Henderson and Adam Hadwin.

The smallest of them need to be taken to their own tee boxes about 100 yards from the greens. Sometimes it’s a bit of a challenge to get

them there but there’s a good understanding between kids, parents and staff.

“I think mad things like that, goofy things, make it seem like ‘this is hilarious,’” Rondeau said.

In the mother-daughter junior division, Kaylin Wilhelm won with a score of 54. Maia Flamen was in second with 64. Cruz Shauf was the winner of the mother-son junior division with 60 and Ryder Dyer was in second with 79. Father-daughter junior was won by Summer Peterson (age 5) with a score of 43 and Anna Biggs (also 5) was second at 44. The father-son junior division was taken by Merek Wilhelm with a score of 40, with Jayden Chernoff and Wyatt Simpson tying for second at 42.

Jacey Farr was first in the mother-daughter

senior division with a 49 and Bailey Farr was in second place at 52. The top mother-son senior was Hudson Chernoff at 45, and his brother Logan Chernoff was second at 47. Fatherdaughter senior winner was Grace Larson with a score of 53 and Kennedy Dowhaniuk was in second at 54. Father-son senior winner was a tie between Ryan Chernoff and Connor Spencer with scores of 34 each.

Late Sunday afternoon, four-year-old Jake Hockey – who would not have remembered the huge flood of 2011 that destroyed the course for the year as he was not yet born – got up to accept a trophy that was nearly as big as he was for being the youngest player in the event. Even after 34 years, it’s truly still an event for the next generation of Woodlawn golfers.

Elecs golf dominates early season event

Gearing up for the regular season Power Dodge Estevan Bruins assistant coach Aren Miller, left, head coach and general manager Chris Lewgood, centre, and assistant coach Carter Duffin will be starting the SJHL regular season with the team Friday against Melville. The team went undefeated in pre-season. Photo by Corey Atkinson

New Participants

Estevan Archery Club

The Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs golf team look to be on their way to a dominant season.

They travelled to Kenosee last week for a pre-districts tune up tournament with other schools Sept. 7 and took the top four spots on the boys side, with the girls finishing first and third place in their division as well.

Jayden Dudas finished first with a score of 74, with Reegan Robinson (76), Chase Gedak (78) and Jace Carlisle (80) behind him.

On the girls side of the

draw, Bailey Farr was in first place (82) with Taryn Stovin a pair of places behind her.

Next up for the golfers was Tuesday’s South East District Athletic Association’s championship tournament at TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course, with results unavailable at press time. The boys team had Dudas, Robinson, Gedak and Carlisle, while the girls team had Farr and Stovin joined by Tatianna Dutka and Reese Hendley.

Provincials will be Sept. 22-23 at Woodlawn.

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September 13, 2017 B3

Father, son finish first and second at the Fall Brawl Demolition Derby

By Corey Atkinson sports@estevanmercury.ca

Backing up in your old beater and repeatedly hitting your father’s vehicle is probably not advisable except for one occasion – the Fall Brawl Demolition Derby at the Estevan Motor Speedway.

Carson Dixon and Kevin Dixon were the last two cars left in the final feature after all the others had been eliminated or stuck in the mud banks, and Carson nudged his father Kevin’s car – gently – a few times before claiming the fall brawl title.

“I’ve still got to go home to him,” Carson joked as he accepted the cheque for first place in the derby.

Going into the event, there was no set plan if they were the last two standing.

“You always talk about it but it never really happens,” laughed Kevin. “I just came out of retirement

last year when Estevan had it for the first time. I had a fun time, so I thought I’d try it again.”

The strategy for Carson was simple: “not get hung up like I did last year. Keep moving and don’t get hit.”

Kevin had retired going into the event this year but Carson was in his 10th event in 2017 at Estevan.

Carson Dixon won the consolation race at last year’s Fall Brawl, which was the first one ever held at the track. Cars at the derby get eliminated by either being unable to run or getting stuck.

It’s a seemingly simple strategy but others were unable to stay away from the sides and were bashed out and into submission before the Dixons were in the final.

“Just stay off the banks and you’ll do pretty good,” said Dustin Whitrow, who placed third in the final.

“They’re fresh made. If you get a bank that’s there all

Carson Dixon (68) and Kevin Dixon (89) try to mash their way through the competition in the feature at the Fall Brawl. year round, it’s harder. But it’s a fresh one so it’s soft and as soon as you hit them you’re stuck.”

The next and final event of the year will be the Enduro Race Sept. 17.

The race will last an hour

and a half or 150 laps, whichever comes first. No drivers of any of the usual races for the last five years

are allowed to drive in this race and the Estevan Motor Speedway is still looking for entries.

Evening paddling at Woodlawn draws crowd A nice, summer-like evening was the setting for a group of paddlers at Woodlawn Regional Park Sunday night.

“I think we had just seen it online and we wanted to get together as a group paddleboarding,” said Jennifer Durr, one of the 17 members of the group. “We decided to row ourselves up.”

The paddlers included some glow-in-the-dark lights which helped illuminate themselves to the outside world, but unfortunately it was still quite dark to them.

“It was a little darker than we thought it was going to be,” Durr said. “So when you’re sitting on the

paddleboard looking out as they’re lit up, you can’t really see much in front of you. That was a little more difficult than we expected.

We had flashlights and headlamps at the start so we knew where we were going.”

They went from Woodlawn up to the water treatment plant bridge and back.

The group is planning on doing it again next year but even this year, if the weather is good, some members may give it another go. The weather itself for this year was just about perfect for it.

“The wind even went down just in time and the bugs were a little bad, but that’s to be expected I think,” Durr said.

A time lapse shot from Sunday evening’s night time paddleboarding experiement at Woodlawn.

Photo by Durr Photography

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B4 September 13, 2017

Estevan Mercury

Celebrating BRUINS’ 60TH SEASON

GO BRUINS GO!

GO BRUINS GO!

GO BRUINS GO!

Bruins have long history in the community Estevan, Saskatchewan was a much different place in 1957.

We’re not talking about dinosaurs roaming the Earth or even a walking alligator roaming the old Civic Auditorium but let’s just say the climate was a bit different.

Sixty years is a long time. Long enough to have a junior hockey team named the ‘Indians’ (you’d never have that in 2017) move from Humboldt-Melfort to Estevan.

Estevan needed a new name for their team and the Mercury was chosen to hold the name-the-team contest. Some of those chosen included Oilers, Cubs, Boomers, Wildcats and SooLiners.

Because junior hockey teams were sponsored by NHL clubs at the time the Bruins’ name was suggested by a C.H. Hook from Toronto as the winning entry.

It was a great year for the city, which had just become a ‘city’, as the Agricultural Auditorium and its obstructed views were fresh and new. The oil boom that had begun the year before was now in full swing.

Roderick ‘Scotty’ Munro moved the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League team down to the shiny new rink with artificial ice on Souris Ave., where tickets would cost $1 for adults, 50 cents for students and 25 cents for children. Camp opened Oct. 5 with 60 players and by Oct. 12, they’d be playing their first exhibition game in front of 1,321 patrons with an 8-4 defeat of the Winnipeg Rangers.

That season’s home opener at the Aud saw the Bruins knock off the Regina Pats 5-4 in overtime Oct. 22, and had earned a 7-3 win in Melville to kick off the

season a few days before.

The Pats game included a bench clearing brawl – which would go on to not be the only one in the building’s history – and was played in front of 1,800 people. The city’s population was shy of 6,000 at the time.

That first ever Bruins team ended up making the playoffs that year in the old, brawling SJHL. They lost to Regina in the first round.

The following season – 1958-59 – the Bruins were in second place by January.

Captain Dick Meissner was in his third year in junior hockey, taking a run at the scoring title and finished the year with 46 goals. That year saw the Bruins win their first playoff series over Melville, won another round over Regina but lost in the final to the Flin Flon Bombers, who picked up Meissner for their Memorial Cup run.

The 1960s In 1959-60, the team hosted the SJHL all-star game with the winning team getting a chance to play a touring Moscow Selects junior team. The all-star game featured appearances in the stands from Montreal manager Kenny Reardon and New York Rangers manager Lynn Patrick. The Bruins team itself was in rebuilding mode.

But off the ice, problems mounted. The agricultural society that ran the building faced a $109,000 debt still for the rink. Munro, who managed the building for no charge, would receive all income and pay all expenses from that point rather than the 80:20 split previous to that.

In the 1960-61 season, the team lost burgeoning star Dallas Smith to the parent Bruins, who put him in the

NHL at age 18. He scored 16 goals and 31 assists as a 17-year-old the previous season and ended up playing 890 NHL games when his playing career was over in 1978. The Bruins finished in second place without Smith, only a point behind the Regina Pats. The Pats would sweep the Bruins in the league final that year in four games, picking up captain John Rodger, Jim Kozie and Dave Padzerski for their Memorial Cup run.

While the Bruins were setting the league on fire the following season by finishing the 1961-62 season in first place, a rink they were in also did. Prince Albert’s Mintos hosted the Bruins that game, but all players and fans escaped without harm. That year, the SJHL experimented with a round robin for the first round of the playoff, ending with the 3-1-1 Bruins on the outside looking in.

The 1962-63 season saw Munro and the Bruins embarking with only one returning defenceman, Joe Watson (who would go on to play 835 games in the NHL, mostly with the big, bad Philadelphia Flyers). But that Bruin team won enough to be in first place yet again and concluded a streak of 44 consecutive wins at home with a 3-2 loss in overtime to the Weyburn Red Wings.

Fan support for Munro was great but it was Weyburn fans that hung an effigy of Munro. In the playoffs, Munro was hit by a construction bolt in Regina, but the team still won and played Melville in the league final.

Estevan won in six games to play the Edmonton Oil Kings in the Saskatchewan versus Alberta league final with 3,200 fans packing the Aud in the second game of

The Bruins 1967-68 team that won the WCHL regular season and playoff title with a 45-13-2 record. the series. Edmonton won, however.

The following season, 1963-64, perhaps could have seen the Bruins take a bit of a step back with the graduation of starting goaltender Jack Norris and a lot of their stars over the previous seasons. However, they finished in first once again and defeated Regina in the SJHL final, but also fell to Edmonton in the interprovincial series.

Munro moved on to Calgary and installed Ernie ‘Punch’ McLean as bench boss for the 1964-65 campaign. Rookie Dale Hoganson was one of the new, bright lights for the squad, who finished in fourth place and bowed out after a first round loss to the Regina Pats.

But things turned quickly for the Bruins. The Agricultural Society left the ownership group for the Aud for $38,000 and the promise to use the land rent free during

Celebrating

GO BRUINS GO!

GO BRUINS GO!

GO BRUINS GO!

GO BRUINS GO!

GO BRUINS GO!

the summer for the fair every year. The Bruins finished in first place for the 1965-66 season, 11 points ahead of second place Weyburn. Estevan’s Ross Lonsberry scored a league-high 144 points and the team blasted the Moose Jaw Canucks out of the first round of the playoffs and 3,300 fans at the newly renamed Civic Auditorium watched the Bruins knock off Weyburn for the SJHL championship.

After beating out Fort William in the next round of the playoffs, the Bruins once again took to the ice against the Edmonton Oil Kings, and once again the Oil Kings took that series and headed up to the Memorial Cup, picking up Lonsberry and two other players.

Off the ice in the offseason, the Bruins switched leagues, moving from the SJHL to the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League – today known as the Western Hockey League. Regina,

GO BRUINS GO!

GO BRUINS GO!

Moose Jaw, Estevan, Saskatoon and Weyburn joined Calgary and Edmonton in a new league for 1966-67.

McLean led the Bruins to a second place finish on the season, behind the Oil Kings. The Bruins lost in the second round to Regina that year, and began the following season in the newlynamed Western Canadian Major Junior League, with Brandon, Swift Current and Winnipeg joining the league.

That year belonged to the Bruins. The finished second in the regular season to Paddy Ginnell and the Flin Flon Bombers but defeated Flin Flon in the WCHL final.

They defeated the Westfort (Fort William) Hurricanes, and the Penticton Broncos to advance to the Memorial Cup in Toronto for the first time in franchise history.

Estevan lost the series 4-1 to the Niagara Falls Flyers but returned home to a championship-style rally.

B5 » Munro GO BRUINS GO!

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September 13, 2017 B5

GO BRUINS GO!

GO BRUINS GO!

Celebrating BRUINS’ 60TH SEASON

Munro remained key force for team « B4 For 1968-69, the WCHL would have to do without Moose Jaw, Saskatoon and Regina but the eight-team league split into two divisions for the season. They would also have to do without the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association, which declared the WCHL an outlaw league and wouldn’t allow the teams to participate in the Memorial Cup. Munro relinquished management and ownership duties with the Bruins to McLean and Bill Shinske. The Bruins finished in second place to Flin Flon, who had accumulated 1,952 penalty minutes to Estevan’s 1,023 during the season, making the Bruins seem downright gentlemanly. The Bombers defeated the Bruins in the second round of the playoffs.

The 1970s In the 1969-70 season, the WCHL’s soured relationship with the CAHA continued, with the CAHA withholding player development money from the teams who had players drafted by the NHL. Nevertheless, the league moved on with the Bruins a bit more distant second place to Flin Flon. Fans averaged 2,000 per game at the Aud but the team lost in the first round to the Winnipeg Jets.

Four players were drafted

by NHL teams.

In 1970-71, the Bruins took the league by storm, leading the league at the halfway point playing a rougher brand of hockey and ended up winning the East Division. They lost to the Winnipeg Jets in the second round. McLean survived a plane crash near Kamsack in April.

That season was the last time Estevan played in the WCHL. In June, it was announced the team was being moved to New Westminster, B.C. Estevan had been one of the smallest centres for a major junior hockey operation and the New West area had a population of about 50,000 at the time.

The city of Estevan was left without a junior hockey team until the city quickly coughed up $14,000 for a grant for a new team to play in the newly reformed Saskatchewan Amateur Junior

Hockey League. Bud John and Wayne Wettherstrand were the new managers for the Aud. Among the newer people for the now-community-run organization, Ray Frehlick was named the team’s first president. Gary McKechney ran the on-ice product but McLean would return for the fall camp to help pare down the roster.

Some of that season’s home games would be played in Bismarck, N.D. due to a contract they’d signed with that city.

By the time the SAJHL started, the Bruins had a team scraped together and won their first game 6-4 over the Weyburn Red Wings. Carter Sears scored a hat trick for the Bruins.

The on-ice product was rough. In a game with Weyburn just before Christmas that year, a scene that wouldn’t have been out of place in the movie Slapshot saw one linesman get injured for stitches breaking up fights while the other suffered numerous cuts breaking up other fights.

The Bruins lost to the Humboldt Broncos in the league final in their first season back in the league.

The 1973-74 season, McKechney’s team bettered Dwight McMillan and Weyburn in the regular season standings, but the Bruins lost the league final to the Prince Albert Raiders. The final game saw 1,606 paying fans in the Aud. When the following season’s team struggled a bit out of the gate, the team sold leading scorer Brian Hill to Medicine Hat for $2,000. The Bruins still finished only a couple of points behind Swift Current’s first place overall squad in 1974-75. Weyburn won the playoff round against the Bruins.

Lorne Frey took over the head coaching duties that summer, and news came that franchise legend Munro had died in Calgary.

The team finished the 197576 season in third place, just barely above .500, and lost in the first round to Melville.

In the 1976-77 season, the Bruins got off to their slowest start in team history, going their first six games without a win. The Aud was out of service

for a while due to nearby construction at the curling rink. By the time the midway point of the season happened, the Bruins were 19 points out of a playoff position and Frey was axed.

McKechney stepped back into the role of head coach with Doc Stephen named manager. The 1977-78 team finished in third in the division to Moose Jaw and Regina and lost to Regina in the first round of the playoffs.

But off the ice, problems continued. The team was swimming in $20,000 in debt. McKechney returned to guide the team on the ice for 1978-79 but the Bruins were stuck in last place by the end of October and the Aud was on the fritz again. They played two home games in Midale early on, rescheduling some road games as well. For the second time in three seasons, the Bruins were on the outside looking in when it came to the playoffs.

The 1980s For the 1979-80 season, the Aud was ok and the team on the ice was looking better as well, earning second place to Moose Jaw, 21 points behind them in the standings. McKechney was named coach of the year and the team faced the Regina Pat Blues in the first round of the playoffs.

Rough hockey prevailed that day, with eight fighting majors among 28 penalties in the first period of the first game. The Bruins won the series but were knocked out in the second round by Moose Jaw in six games.

The Bruins returned a lot of players for the 198081 season but struggled to score goals and still finished second to the Canucks. McKechney added 14-year-old Bryan Wells to the roster briefly toi try to add a spark and the Moosomin product played

One of the best Bruins teams - and memories - of all time, the 1985 team that won the SJHL title and the Anavet Cup. a full season the following year with the Bruins before a WHL career with Brandon and Regina. Moose Jaw rolled over Estevan in a four-game sweep in the playoffs.

McKechney’s team struggled again out of the gate in 1981-82. They lost five games in a row at home during the season, and this time McKechney couldn’t survive the downfall. Rod Fagerheim was appointed head coach. Ron Dunville, the franchise’s alltime leading scorer at the time, left to play in Fort McMurray for the Oil Barons of the AJHL. Wells and Blaine Chrest played for the Bruins full time as 15-year-olds for a 17-40-3 team that missed the playoffs by a couple of area codes.

It was also a tumultous time in the SJHL. Three teams folded or moved, with the Saskatoon Js and the Regina Pat Blues folding and the Prince Albert Raiders moving to the WHL. Things didn’t immediately improve the next season for the Bruins. The 1982-83 version of the team lost Wells but forward Alan May emerged as a star for the team attempting to

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was Harvey Fleming from Regina. Melville won in the first round over the 30-33-1 Bruins.

Fleming announced he wouldn’t return for the 1984-85 season and the Bruins were once again looking for a coach. They found Yorkton’s Gerry James, who sold a number of players to Estevan before accepting the job (hmmmm...) and tried to sell the Terriers team he owned. When he failed to do so, Max Chambers picked up the pieces of that franchise while James moved to Estevan.

James installed a winning team attitude in Estevan, as the team climbed to second place overall behind Weyburn by the end of the year. They beat Lloydminster and North Battleford in the first two rounds and set up a league final between the Highway 39 rivals. The Bruins took game one in double overtime with a goal from John Davis, and the second game was played in B6 »Gerry

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The seventh place Bruins were streaky and that cost Fagerheim and general manager Ernie Wells their jobs, with the team’s board installing Larry Hornung behind the bench. They lost to Yorkton in the first round of the playoffs, outscored 42-9.

Chrest scored 109 points in 64 games for the Bruins but that wasn’t the biggest news. The team was now $100,000 in debt and the public was asked to help out for $500 shares in the club in a Save The Bruins campaign. The public was able to come up with the money, just in time to see Chrest’s WHL rights traded from Brandon to Portland.

Chrest came back after a short stint with the WHL’s Winterhawks in the 1983-84 season to help the Bruins improve while scoring 61 points in 33 games. However, he broke his collarbone in a game in Humboldt and missed a big part of the season. Hornung resigned, and in his place

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B6 September 13, 2017

Estevan Mercury

Celebrating BRUINS’ 60TH SEASON

GO BRUINS GO!

GO BRUINS GO!

GO BRUINS GO!

Gerry James wins with the team in mid 1980s « B5 front of an announced crowd of 2,060 at the Aud. It wasn’t just standing room only, as fans sat on staircases and climbed to the rafters to watch the Bruins win 4-2.

Weyburn roared back to eventually push the series to seven games. Serge Poulin scored the winning goal with five minutes left for the Bruins to win the SJHL title. The Bruins then met the MJHL’s Selkirk Steelers in the Anavet Cup, winning in five games to set up a chance to go to the Centennial Cup. But the Bruins could go no further, and lost to the Penticton Knights in the western final.

James had his work cut out for him to improve on that performance. They won seven of eight to start the 1985-86 season and were 13-1-1 after the first 15 games, scoring an average of over five goals per game. Adrian Sakundiak – one of the players brought over by James – scored 70 goals in 52 games and ended the season with a league record of 81.

The Bruins finished 47-11-2, but were 16 points shy of the 56-4-0 Humboldt Broncos. The teams met in the SJHL final with the Broncos winning in seven games.

In the off-season, James inked a new two-year deal to stay with the Bruins. The 1986-87 season began with quite a few players gradu-

ating or otherwise leaving.

The Bruins went 25-36-3 for the season to finish in sixth place and lost in five games to Lloydminster in the first round of the playoffs.

The 1987-88 season started terribly, with Mark Nermyr of the Minot Americans getting a broken neck from a check by Danny McKersie of the Bruins in a pre-season game. Nermyr spoke of no ill feelings to McKersie despite having to relearn how to walk in the months of recovery. While the team went through ups and downs in the first half of the season, then James quit to become the new head coach of the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors just before Christmas. Ken Ireland was hired as coach and Jim Harrison was brought on as the team’s general manager.

The team finished 29-29-2 for fifth place and were chosen by second place Humboldt to be their first round playoff opponent.

The Broncos won in five games.

Harrison fired Ireland and brought in former Bruin Skip Krake to help out behind the bench, while the league saw a couple of franchises shift. Lloydminster jumped to the AJHL and the Weyburn Red Wings were nearly sold to a Melfort group. That attempted sale fell through but Melfort was granted an expansion team for the 1988-89 season.

The Bruins started 1988-89 with a 7-2 record.

The success was short-lived however and Krake was shuffled out to move Harrison behind the bench full time. The Bruins finished 30-33-1 to finish fourth in the South Division. They were swept by the Humboldt Broncos in the first round.

The 1990s Before the 1989-90 season, Harrison left for the Kelowna Spartans of the BCHL. The team reached into their past once again to find their next management team, deciding on Bill Shinske as manager. He installed Kevin Ginnell, 27, as head coach.

The team stormed out to an 8-3-3 record out of the gate and entered the Christmas break at 16-12-6. But that success was short lived and the rest of the league caught up to the Bruins, who were 30-30-8 by the end of the season and in third place in the SJHL South.

Weyburn, who finished 25 points ahead of the Bruins, won the first round series in six games.

The 1990-91 team struggled to 7-17-2 after the first 26 games of the season and sputtered until Ginnell was canned in late January. Doug Sauter took over behind the bench for the rest of the season, and while the team slightly im-

proved, they couldn’t catch Notre Dame for the last playoff position.

The club lost $68,000 on the season for a total debt of over $100,000. They also had to find a coach for the 1991-92 campaign. Bob Robson joined the team as head coach. The team’s fortunes improved greatly as experience and talent combined for Robson, who was able to push the team to first overall by the new year.

But Robson announced his retirement from hockey in January due to an illness. He was admitted to St. Joseph’s Hospital and the Bruins eventually found Ron Kennedy. Kennedy helped lead the team to a final record of 45-16-3 to win the regular season banner for the South Division. The playoffs rolled the Bruins’ way until the league final against Melfort, where they lost in five games.

The team’s finances were in a much better position but Kennedy moved on to coach in Europe the following season leaving the Bruins to once again search for a head coach.

Doug Hedley, 34, was brought in and the team started 1992-93 with a 7-3 record. They held on to second place in the division through much of the first half but lost 12 of 17 after Christmas. They salvaged enough to finish the year in third place in the division at

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32-26-6 and upset the Yorkton Terriers in the first round, only to lose to Melville in the South Division final.

The real rebuilding project began then, though, as Hedley had to replace a lot of the team’s leading scorers, goaltenders and defencemen for the 199394 season. The team still finished in fourth place in the division with a 27-32-9 season but lost in five games

in the survivor series to the Notre Dame Hounds.

Both Shinske and Hedley were brought back for 1994-95. The Bruins again settled for fourth place in the division but Shinske died Feb. 13 after a lengthy illness. The Bruins swept Melville in the survivor series but were defeated by the Lebret Eagles, who finished first in the south.

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September 13, 2017 B7

GO BRUINS GO!

GO BRUINS GO!

Celebrating BRUINS’ 60TH SEASON

Bruins have mixed success with many coaching changes

HAPPY 60TH ANNIVERSARY

« B6 As the 1995-96 season got underway, the Bruins were strong and the year in second place at 38-17-9.

After dispatching of Lebret in the first round, the Bruins battled Yorkton in the south final. The Terriers won in seven games, winning the final three games.

Hedley was let go after that season, and the Bruins’ search for a head coach ended with former assistant coach and new GM Glen Watson bringing in Morey Gare. With Gare, the Bruins started the 1996-97 season 8-2-1. Soon thereafter, the Bruins went on a skid and struggled to recover. They finished the year 19-38-7 and swept the Minot Top Guns in the survivor series.

But the second round of the playoffs saw the Bruins blasted by Weyburn.

Gare left after the season and Watson took over behind the bench. The team finished 28-29-7 in the 1997-98 regular season, the franchise’s 40th. Their record meant they had to battle Weyburn once again in the South Division semifinal, and Weyburn won once again, this time in five games.

The 1998-99 season saw reason for optimism as the team was returning a lot of their roster and perhaps had had enough of losing to Weyburn. Turned out, that optimism was well-placed.

The Bruins started out the season 8-1-1, and continued on to roll through the league. Players like Marco Cefalo, Tyler Fleck, Brant Kersey, Graham Schendler and goaltender Dave Guererra led the team to a 44-14-8 regular season. They beat Melville, Notre Dame and Humboldt to win the SJHL. They then took care of the OCN Blizzard of the MJHL

to head on to the Royal Bank Cup national championship in Yorkton.

They lost 6-1 in the opening game to the host Terriers, and fell 4-3 to the Bramalea Blues of Ontario.

The Bruins stepped up and beat the Charlottetown Abbies 5-4 but lost 3-2 to the Vernon Vipers to end their quest.

The 2000s The success the team had in the 1998-99 season couldn’t carry over into the following year. Glen Watson resigned to go to Prince George Spruce Kings of the BCHL. Estevan’s own Nick Sereggela was chosen to be the new head coach after three years as an assistant.

The team was 14-14-5 at the Christmas break but struggled the rest of the way to finish 20-32-8 for fifth place, earning them a spot in the round robin first round.

Somehow despite losing two of the games, they ended up advancing to face the Melville Millionaires in the next round. The Bruins lost in five games.

Just six players returned for the 2000-01 campaign.

The Bruins struggled out of the gate to start the season and ended up 19-32-5-4 on the year, bad enough to miss the playoffs. Sereggela came back the following season and the Bruins started the turnaround.

They went 8-3-1 in their first 12 games of the 200102 season with goaltender Mike Clague but he got hurt in November and the team didn’t recover. After an off-ice incident involving Clague, Sereggela was dismissed and Kelly Lovering was brought in to coach the team. Lovering dealt Clague to B.C. and traded popular Brad Herauf to North Battleford. The team ended the

The Estevan Bruins in game action in 2011 at Spectra Place, now Affinity Place. year 29-25-4-6 and faced Humboldt in the first round.

The Broncos won in five games.

Lovering was brought back with a new contract and 16 players returned for the 2002-03 season. The optimism couldn’t translate into wins and Lovering resigned in the middle of the season. The team’s assistant coaches Doug Trapp and Darcy Haugan took over for the season as interim coaches. The Bruiins finished the year 19-32-5-4, out of the playoffs.

They brought in Kelvin MacKay as head coach and general manager for the 2003-04 season. Moving veterans out for younger players, the team went 2123-8-8 and missed the playoffs due to their head-tohead record with Yorkton,

with whom they were tied in points.

After moving a lot of players in and out, MacKay picked up goaltender Juliano Pagliero from Fort McMurray in the offseason and then Bear Trapp, who was one of the SJHL’s top scorers. The Bruins ended up 34-14-6-1 in the 2004-05 regular season but lost the chance to chose their playoff opposition after an opening round round robin. Humboldt was their opposition for the first round and they were swept by the Bruins in four games.

Yorkton won the semifinal in seven games.

MacKay was brought back for 2005-06 but the team fell apart that year on the ice. Karry Biette was chosen as the team’s new head coach, to mixed results.

The Bruins ended the year in

sixth place. 13-36-3-3.

The 2006-07 Bruins jumped out to a 10-5-2 record under Biette. They ended the campaign 31-213-3 but lost in six games in the quarterfinal round to Yorkton. Off the ice, the team began to be the focus of fundraising for a new arena to replace the creaky old Aud. And while the 2007-08 season started out well on the ice, the team lost five gaems in a row around the Christmas break. Kaelin Wong, Kyle Stroh, Kyle Ermel and Payden Benning were chosen for the all-star game. They begin the 2008 new year with a bit of a jump in their step, and climbed to 29-25-2-2 for fourth place in the Sherwood Conference and a date with Yorkton in the survivor series. They lost

that series, but Biette was re-signed for a new contract, The 2008-09 Bruins started the year with a bit of a whiff, going 2-5-1 to start.

They climbed back a bit thanks to a stretch of a few wins in a row to 15-15-1-3 by the middle of December thanks to the acquisition of players Scott Doucet, Mike Dopko and Ty Ariss. The team’s high point was likely a 14-0 win over the visiting Melville Millionaires in January that saw 195 penalty minutes, with Doucet collecting seven points in the game. But the team ended the year 24-25-3-4 with an opening round to the survivor series against Kindersley. The Klippers won a hard-fought series 3-2, including a 5-4 overtime win in Kindersley in Game 5.

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B8 September 13, 2017

Estevan Mercury

Celebrating BRUINS’ 60TH SEASON

GO BRUINS GO!

GO BRUINS GO!

GO BRUINS GO!

Team moves into shiny new hockey arena « B7

The 2010s In the off-season, it was announced the team lost $34,577 for a total debt load of $234,077 as the fundraising for the new facility continued. The 2009-10 season on the ice got started with a split with Melville and the team’s first 10 games went 5-4-0-1. A trade with the MJHL’s Neepawa shortly after that meant the team acquired their leading scorer, Anthony Collins, as part of a six-player deal. The team fell to 9-17-2-2 and last place in the Sherwood Division by the beginning of December.

Biette cleaned house, trading four players and winning two of the next three games. That couldn’t last, however and the team fell further behind Melville for fifth place. Three more players were dealt at the deadline, veterans Colton McPherson, Liam Brennan and leading scorer Chad Filteau. They ended the year out of the playoffs with an 18-36-2-2 record.

The off-season saw the Bruins cautiously give Biette a one-year extension.

“If we’re not in the top three at Christmas, and I think we should be, but if we’re not and the executive wants to get rid of me, I’ll be happy to walk out the door and hand over everything to the next guy with no hard feelings,” Biette told Daniel Hendriksen of the Mercury in the Sept 15, 2010 edition on the eve of the 2010-11 season.

And the season started with a sweep of Melville and clicked along at 13-61-1 by the middle of November as Spectra Place was being built. The team lost 10 of 13 heading into Christmas to drop the team

into fourth place. Biette was relieved of his duties, with assistant Chad Leslie and Rick Oakes taking over on an interim basis.

The Bruins finished 29-23-4-2, good enough for fourth in the Sherwood Division and a survivor series playoff date with Melville.

They lost a heartbreaker 5-4 in triple overtime of Game 3 against the mills to fall down 2-1 in the series, but recovered to win in five games and play in the next round against Yorkton, where they were swept.

With Spectra Place opening in the spring of 2011, a new head coach was going to be in place for the Bruins in time for the team to move into the shiny new arena. They turned to Keith Cassidy, a 36-year-old former head coach with Selkirk of the MJHL. A torch ceremony that included Ray Frehlick and Gary McKechney helped open Spectra Place Sept. 17 for the Bruins, a game the team won 8-4 over Melville.

Calder Neufeld scored the Bruins’ first goal in the rink.

The Bruins battled for first place in a tight Sherwood Conference, starting the year 12-7 and headed into Christmas with a 20-18-0-1 record, still good enough for second.

But the team stumbled after that, ending up in fourth place with a 28-28-02 record. That earned them a survivor series with Notre Dame, which the Bruins swept to put them against Weyburn in the following round. The Red Wings swept Estevan, ending the season but with room for optimism the following year.

With 20-year-olds aplenty, Cassidy and the Bruins marched into camp with second year players

Last season, the Bruins battle the Flin Flon Bombers, Jake Fletcher reaches for the puck at Affinity Place. like Austin Yano and Tyler Kauk, along with Darcy DeRoose who was reassigned by Moose Jaw of the WHL. But the Bruins started 2-7-1 in their first 10 games.

Off the ice, the team announced a profit of over $200,000 on the previous season – largely due to increased revenue at Spectra Place.

But the sluggish start on the ice led to a major shake up, with the team trading Yano for Brett Blatz while picking up Alex Cote.

In December, 2012, the team dealt with the resignation of Oakes, the team’s director of player development for 12 years. Within two weeks, he’d join the Red Deer Rebels scouting staff. The team on the ice struggled to a 14-23-3 record after the Jan. 10 trade

CONGRATULATIONs

60

deadline, even after reacquiring the previous season’s leading scorer Dylan Smith. But the Bruins edged into a playoff position, once again into a survivor series – this time with Kindersley.

They beat the Klippers in that series and survived to play Yorkton, who would win the series in five games.

The offseason before 2013-14 was a busy one.

Cassidy was dismissed as head coach and general manager after two seasons and a search was on for the new coach. That May, the search ended when the Bruins signed Chris Lewgood, a 31-year-old former coach of the Prairie Junior Hockey League’s Pilot Butte Storm.

“I think there are a lot of good elements in place,” said Lewgood at the time of his hiring.

The team relied heavily on local players Austin Daae and Tanner Froese. The Viterra Division’s Bruins finished in third place in the

on

SEASONS! Good Luck This Year!

regular season at 27-20-9, beating the Flin Flon Bombers in a tough five-game series in the first round. But they lost in the next round to North Battleford again.

The following season was a bit of a rebuild, with Lewgood patient as the team tried to recapture a sense of stability on the ice. The 2227-1-6 Bruins were only five points behind first place in a particularly weak Viterra Division but stood in third place in the division once the season was over. Still, the Bruins put up a good fight in the first round of the playoffs before losing to North Battleford.

But the 2015-16 regular season started out and finished much better. Reacquiring DeRoose in the offseason, Lewgood’s team started out the regular season 4-1. The team picked up Tyson Predinchuk in a trade, and he ended up scoring 20 points in 18 games. Captain Keegan Allison was sec-

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ond on the team in scoring to DeRoose, with Lynden Pastachak in third place once the 35-20-0-3 regular season was finished. But the team lost in the first round to the Nipawin Hawks, including a heartbreaking 2-1 loss at home in game six. All four of the Bruins’ losses in the playoffs were by one goal.

Undeterred, the Bruins rolled into 2016-17 in search of scoring and Lewgood found it in a trade with Drayton Valley. He brought in 20-year-olds Matt McNeill and Jason Miller and those two players led the team in scoring, helping the Bruins finish first for the first time in the Viterra Division with a 37-18-1-1 record – 16 points better than second-place Yorkton.

The Bruins got great years from veterans like overage defenceman Josh Rieger and forward Pastachak. While they rolled over Yorkton in the first round, they ended up dropping out in four straight to the eventual SJHL champion North Battleford, getting outscored 23-8.

That brings the Bruins to the beginning of the 2017-18 season – their 60th in existence. They begin their season with an opening weekend against – who else? - the Melville Millionaires. The Bruins are a franchise with a long history of near misses but seem to be on the verge of a very good season. Maybe this is the year they win it all?

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September 13, 2017 B9

Celebrating BRUINS’ 60TH SEASON

Ah, the memories of the Black and Gold Before I moved to Estevan 17 years ago, one of the first things I needed to know was how much hockey I would get to watch.

After all, if I was going to pack up my worldly belongings and move a third of the way across the country, I was going to need some quality hockey to watch during the winter months. Since I was from B.C.’s Lower Mainland, I couldn’t envision myself doing anything else, other than shivering.

So I was pretty delighted to find out that Estevan was home to a junior A hockey team. I didn’t know much else about the team, but I learned quickly that the Estevan Bruins had a proud tradition, excellent community support and, at one time, were the Saskatchewan affiliate of the Boston Bruins.

This was good news.

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the Black and Gold since I came to Estevan in 2000.

They missed the playoffs four of the first six years I covered the team. They went 12 years between appearances in the league’s semifinal.

But that doesn’t mean there haven’t been some fond memories for myself, and other Bruin supporters, in the 21st century.

Here are a few of them.

1. Western Canada Cup. Earlier this year, I lamented the demise of the Western Canada Cup Ju-

nior A hockey tournament.

As current Bruins head coach/GM Chris Lewgood said, it was the best junior A hockey tournament in the world.

For 10 days in late April and early May last year, Estevan hockey fans were treated to some of the best hockey they have seen in the last 45 years. We watched some of the elite junior A hockey players in the world at that time. Cale Makar, who was selected fourth overall by the Colorado Avalanche in June’s NHL Entry Draft, was a standout at the tournament.

The Bruins went 0-4 and didn’t make the playoffs, but they weren’t overmatched.

How big of a deal was the tournament? My dad timed his annual trip to Saskatchewan so that he would be able to take in some games.

A great week indeed.

2. Spectra’s opening night: I’ve had the pleasure of being at the opening game for two hockey arenas. The first was GM Place (now Rogers Arena) in Vancouver in 1995, when my beloved Canucks faced the Detroit Red Wings.

The other was in 2011, when the Bruins opened Spectra Place (now Affinity Place) against the Melville Millionaires, and won 8-4. Calder Neufeld scored the first goal at Affinity, tapping in a Dylan Smith pass into a wide open net on a power play early in the first period.

The first time I walked into the complete Affinity Place in 2011, I marvelled

Congratulations on 60 years of

Junior Hockey

at the magnificent addition to our community. Sometimes, I still find myself in awe of how impressive it is.

Affinity Place remains one of the finest junior A rinks in the country. We are very lucky to have it in our city, and to spend those cold winter nights watching hockey in that venue.

It’s as impressive as the day it opened.

3. No. 1 at Christmas: This one is bittersweet.

The 2004-05 Estevan Bruins are the best Bruin team I’ve covered. They were the top team in the country at Christmas that season, and they had a realistic shot of winning the RBC Cup, which was conveniently in Weyburn that season.

They had a 3-2 series lead in the league semifinal against the Yorkton Terriers. After losing Game 6, they came back to the Civic Auditorium for Game 7.

The Bruins held leads of 2-0 and 3-2, but lost 4-3 that night.

My most vivid memory of junior hockey is watching Barry Sparvier skate through the neutral zone, freeze Bruin defender Derek Wilhelm with a shot attempt, and then score the winner on a shot from the blue line midway through the third period.

It was still a fun season to cover the team. Not only was the club loaded with talent, but they had nearly 10 players from southeast Saskatchewan.

On a personal note, I grew a playoff beard that year, and didn’t shave

for six weeks. It actually looked pretty good by the end of the playoff run.

To quote one former coworker, after six weeks, all the gaps filled in.

4. First games: Fans have fond memories of their first game. So do I. The Bruins defeated the Yorkton Terriers 6-4 in a preseason game in early September 2000. Bromhead’s Lonny Forrester scored a spectacular goal that was foreshadowing of what local fans would see for the next three years.

Eight days later, the Bruins defeated the Melville Millionaires 4-2 in the home opener. The Bruins didn’t have a lot of highlights that year, but that was one of them.

I was pretty lost that first season. Thankfully, Nick Sereggela, the club’s coach and general manager of the day, and other members of the club were understanding.

5. Got the convert: It wasn’t the most lopsided win I’ve seen, but a 14-0 rout of the Melville Millionaires in 2009 was the most memorable. Melville went to the league final that year, and their goalie, Travis Bosch, was a strong MVP candidate.

But on that night, everything seemed to go in. Melville had an early two-man advantage, but after that, the Bruins took over, and led 7-0 after the first period.

Hockey Hall of Famer Lanny McDonald was in attendance that night. Perhaps the Bruins should have brought him in more often.

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Classifieds B10

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YOUR LOCAL COVERAGE WHERE YOU WORK, PLAY & LIVE

Catch up on sports, shopping deals, restaurant reviews, events, new businesses, politics, job openings, homes for sale, cars for sale and more with your local daily newspaper!

To submit a classified ad, please visit out website

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and go to “CLASSIFIEDS” tab and click “Submit a Classified Ad”

Contact us at 306-634-2654 or classifieds@estevanmercury.ca In MeMorIaM Four Years Have Passed Shannon Dechief (nee Ledingham) June 15, 1964 - Sept 13, 2013 In loving memory of a mother and a partner Who suddenly left us four years ago, Without saying the formal good-bye Which would have included her customary hug.

Thinking of you every day brings warm And cherished memories Smiles with a few tears And Comforting thoughts of your Wonderful life well lived And all your accomplishments in a short time.

Your compassion, humility and sense of caring And respect for others was genuine.You lived everyday with purpose,Integrity, honesty and Caring.

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Your loving daughters Taylor and Madison, and husband Dale.

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For Sale - MiSc Adver tisements and statements contained herein are the sole responsibility of the persons or entities that post the advertisement, and the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association and membership do not make any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness or reliability of such advertisements. For greater information on advertising conditions, please consult the Association’s Blanket Adver tising Conditions on our website at www.swna.com.

PROVINCE-WIDE CLASSIFIEDS. Re a c h ove r 5 5 0 , 0 0 0 re a d e rs weekly. Call thisnewspaper NOW or 306-649.1405 for details.

Auctions

Auctions ONLINE TIMED REAL ESTATE AUCTION FOR KATHY PEET & MARLIN SHAIN, OXBOW, SK - BIDDING CLOSES 6 PM, MONDAY, OCTOBER 16TH. To bid on this property go to www.2sauctioneers.ca Open House: Sept.17th & 24th 2:00-5:00 pm. Contact: Kathy Peet 306-4857751 &/or Marlin Shain: 306-4859750 or Brad Stenberg 306-5519411 for more details. ** ALL BIDS ARE SUBJECT TO OWNER’S ACCEPTANCE. 2017 Taxes: Lot #1: $1,158.01; Lot #2: $618.77; Lot #3: $744.61. Lot #1: NW 1803-01-W2 (159 ac) House is on NW corner of this quarter (can be subdivided) Details: 6 bedrooms, 3 up, 3 down. 2 full bathrooms, 1 half bath off Mudroom; Air exchange system; Cold room & connected storage room; Natural gas furnace, water heater & dryer; Attached 2 car garage. Insulated & drywalled with extra plugs & lights.

2nd electrical panel box in garage; Central vac; Renos In October of 2010; All new doors, vinyl triple pane windows, French doors, vinyl siding, sh ingles & eve-trough; All new flooring, paint, trim & baseboards, toilets, sink & faucet in main bath & oak stairs; New wall oven in 2013, All Appliances Included; Custom made oak cabinets in kitchen, bathrooms & basement bar; Mature Fruit Trees; 2 garden sheds, tack shed & 3 hitching posts; Tin covered pole shed & shop; Four Fenced horse pastures around yard of various sizes. All the land is fenced; Water source is dugout. Currently no treatment system. Lot #2: SW 19-03-01-W2 Ext 1 & 2 split by Highway 18 (62 N side ac & 79 ac S side). Lot #3: SW 18-03-01-W2 (156 ac) - All quarters are seeded to grass, fenced and have dugouts. All quarters have Pump Jacks w/Surface Rights only. TERMS: 10% NON-REFUNDABLE OPTION TO PURCHASE DUE ON SALE DAY. BALANCE DUE WITHIN 30 DAYS. www.2sauctioneers.ca PL#333133

Please Support the Canadian Cancer Society

877-695-6461 Visit our website @

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Shopping locally helps support the community and its many activities. Local businesses support the many activities in the community with thousands of dollars of contributions every year to help make it a better place. Money spent locally stays and helps the community grow.

Money spent away, stays away and doesn’t help support scout groups, churches, baseball leagues and the many other organizations and activities that make our community a better place for everyone.

Support the community by supporting the ones who help the community grow - local businesses.

Career OppOrtunities Heavy equipment

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Competitive wages, plus R & B. Valid drivers license req’d.

Send resume and work references to: Bryden Construction and Transport Co. Inc., Box 100, Arborfield, Sk. S0E 0A0; Fax: 306-769-8844 Email: brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca www.brydenconstruction andtransport.ca MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION! Indemand career! Employers have work-at-home positions available.

Get online training you need from an employer-trusted program. Visit: CareerStep.ca/MT or 1-855768-3362 to start training for your workat-home career today!

LIKE US ON

68 Souris Avenue N., Estevan 306. 634. 2654 adsales@estevanmercury.ca www.estevanmercury.ca

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www.estevanmercury.ca

September 13, 2017 B11

Woodlawn Regional park nearing the end of its season

By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca

While Woodlawn Regional Park is still open for camping at its Souris River and Boundary Dam campgrounds, its peak activity wrapped up with the conclusion of the Labour Day long weekend.

Joanne Schulte, who was in her first year as the park’s business manager, said it was a good year overall. The feedback from the campers has been positive.

Schulte didn’t have numbers for how many people stayed at the campground this year, or the percentage of sites that were filled. She noted the number of campers at the Boundary Dam campsite were a little lower than normal in May and June due to the strong winds in the Estevan area throughout those two months, but activity picked up in July and August.

The Souris River campground was busy since the Victoria Day long weekend in May, she said.

“I think we saw the same numbers as last year, with the exception of June being a little lower because of the high winds, but overall it was on par with what we’ve been seeing,” said Schulte.

The number of seasonal campers at Boundary Dam was down this year, but the Souris River campground was full.

Short-term campsites were full most weekends, too, she said.

The park completed numerous projects as well.

At the Souris River campground, the sewer service was completed, so all campsites are now full service, completing an initiative that started following the flood of 2011.

A concession opened at the Boundary Dam campground, which was very well received, and a new gate house opened at the entrance to the park.

As for the other amenities at the Souris River site, the dog park was expanded, the Fresh Air Fitness site opened, and they have seen an influx of people in the day park, particularly along the river, thanks to the growing popularity of kayaking.

“It removed the congestion up at the front,” said Schulte. “It has opened things up considerably, and that’s been a huge help.”

The annual Beach

INVENTORY

Woodlawn Regional Park was busy this summer with camping and the other activities and attractions inside the park. File photo.

Bash, which expanded to two days for the first time, was well attended this year, she said.

Campgrounds will be open until Sept. 30, when the seasonal campers have to leave. Short-term sites will be closed that date as well, because the water and sewer facilities won’t be available any longer.

“There is still lots of activity down here,” said Schulte. “Our seasonals are still here, so there are lots coming and going, and the golf course is open, so lots of people are coming through. Lots of people are taking advantage of this beautiful weather, and the trails are full of people walking.”

Football games will be happening at the Woodlawn Athletic Park, and people will continue to fish on Boundary Dam. “We’ve been fortunate to have this beautiful weather,” said Schulte.

The park still has some projects to be completed before the end of the year. A bridge is being constructed to connect the dog park with the area behind the Souris Valley Theatre’s site. Fencing needs to be installed before the bridge is completed.

A splash park will be added to the Souris River campground, and playground equipment will be added to Rotary Park before the end of this year.

“Also for next year’s agenda will be a filleting shack at Boundary Dam, washrooms located at the beach and also a boat washing station,” said Schulte.

“So there’s lots on the list for 2018.”

The washroom at the Boundary Dam beach site is being constructed through

CAREERS

a grant from the 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games legacy fund.

Irrigation will be extended for both parks.

Board chair Larry Preddy said three fields at the Souris River site have now been irrigated, and Mets Stadium will be irrigated this fall.

They also hope to irrigate the grass areas near the beach at Boundary Dam. Preddy said the boat

wash station would be an important addition to prevent invasive water species from entering the dam.

He hopes the spray park will be a nice addition for children.

“You look back on the stuff you’ve done in the past and you look forward to the future,” said Preddy.

“I think we have the best regional park in Saskatchewan, and there’s always room for improvement.”

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Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Newcomers learn about education and other essential services at information session

By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca

Local newcomers gained information on a variety of topics on Saturday afternoon during an orientation workshop for newcomers (OWN) hosted by the Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS).

Speakers provided information throughout the day during a series of short speeches in the morning and afternoon.

Between 50 and 60 people were in attendance.

“It was very interactive,” said Aimee Haralson, the Estevan and area worker for SWIS. “Presentationwise, it was very substantial, very useful and very helpful, because we planned it this way so it would be very informative for newcomer families.”

When the speakers weren’t discussing life and education in Canada, there were games and activities for those in attendance. A button-making and designing craft had newcomers paying tribute to why they love Canada.

Mayor Roy Ludwig

opened the day by offering greetings from the City of Estevan.

Haralson then supplied an introduction to SWIS and how it works. Christine Farquhar, the district commissioner for the Girl Guides of Canada, explained how the program can benefit young girls.

Estevan Police Service Sgt. Craig Bird offered a look at the laws in Canada and safety tips for parents.

“He talked about driving for parents, with red lights and all, and warnings, and he also talked about children’s safety at home, and crossing the road when they are riding a bike.”

Christine Batke, the children’s program co-ordinator at the Estevan Public Library, provided a look at the library’s resources. She also offered activities for the children during the day.

Nancy Masuda described some of the services provided by Southeast Newcomer Services.

Sun Country Health Region public health nutritionist Barb Wright offered tips on building healthy lunches and snacks.

Aimee Haralson is the Estevan and area worker for Settlement Workers in Schools.

Nancy Zeleny discussed the services provided by Southeast Newcomer Services.

“That’s what parents would like to hear about,” said Haralson.

A healthy lunch was served after Wright’s presentation.

After lunch, Kids Matter brought a violence prevention and personal safety presentation with a puppet show. It went over well with the kids, Haralson said, and she said it would be great for local schools and youths.

Sheila Dosch, a teacher with the South East Cornerstone Public School Division, provided an overview

of the Canadian school system.

“She talked about proper clothing for winter, she talked about going out for recess, supervision and buses,” said Haralson.

Liz Rowley, who is an English as another language (EAL) consultant for the South East Cornerstone Public School Division, explained their EAL programs for children.

Local optometrist Dr. Sarah Sliva explained the importance of family involvement in a student’s

life. Sliva has taken an active role in her five children’s lives, while also owning a business, South East Eyecare.

“That gave inspiration to parents to do the same,” said Haralson. “If they’re not as busy, how come? If Sarah can do it, then why not them?”

Debbie Hagel, who is the executive director for Southeast Advocates for Employment, wrapped up the day with an offer to extend support to parents, families and communities.

While education was emphasized during the day, the information was much broader.

“We would like to help in the success of our students at school, but we don’t stop there because we would like to reach out to families and the community as well,” said Haralson.

SWIS has been in Saskatchewan for two or three years, but it was established in the southeast in April.

Katie Bloor covers the Weyburn area.

“We got our training in May, met schools at the end of June, and then this event

happened,” Haralson said.

“So it’s been … overwhelming, but nice so far.”

The program is a bridge to student success, connecting families to schools and the community. The mandate is to provide support to children and to make their settlement as easy as possible.

Harlason has been providing orientation presentations at schools. She has been to most of the schools in Estevan, and has been to rural communities as well so she can meet with families.

“I’ve done a few events before this event,” said Haralson. “They were a smaller version, but they were really useful as well.”

Haralson said SWIS will be offering more of these information sessions in the future. She hopes they can do something once or twice a year, and be at events in the community as well.

SWIS falls under the umbrella of Southeast Advocates for Employment, so they work side by side with organizations such as Southeast Newcomer Services.

To the community that has come together over the past 7 years and made Creighton Lodge home for so many.

We thank the City of Estevan, the RM’s, corporate sponsors, local businesses, service groups, volunteers and individuals who have given their time, their financial support and their hearts.

You are appreciated.

Sincerely, Creighton Lodge, the residents and its owners, the R.M’s of Estevan #5, Cambria #6, Benson #35, Cymri #36 and Coalfields #4

www.estevanmercury.ca

September 13, 2017 B13

INVENTORY

0 Audrey Garrioch and her grandson Hunter were among the participants at this year’s Parkinson Superwalk in Estevan.

Estevan Parkinson Superwalk tops $5,000 mark Estevan’s second annual Parkinson Superwalk on Sunday afternoon at St. Mary’s School raised more than $5,000 for Parkinson Canada.

Local resident Elaine Murray, who was one of the organizers of the event, said they had more than 30 participants, which was lower than last year. Since the number of participants was down, she was pleased with the amount raised.

The walk was held inside the St. Mary’s School gymnasium. Participants were asked to complete 18 laps in the gymnasium, which would be equivalent to two kilometres.

But since the walk had so many participants with Parkinson’s and other health issues, they walked as long as they could.

“We have had an indoor walk both years just because of the possibility

of not good weather,” said Murray.

Murray was the top fundraiser, as she brought in $1,000. Her family team, Barry’s Buddies, raised about $2,600. The team is named after Murray’s husband, Barrie Murray, who has Parkinson’s disease.

The bulk of the money raised will go to Parkinson Canada for research and education efforts.

“In some ways, it ben-

efits our Estevan support group, because we get different materials and videos and stuff like that from Parkinson Canada,” she said.

The Hearts and Hands Quilting Guild created a quilt for the walk that was raffled off. A little more than $200 was raised, and that money, as well as the money generated by door prizes, will be directed towards the local Parkinson’s support group.

Missoula Children’s Theatre returning to Estevan next week The Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT) is bringing a performance of Gulliver’s Travels to Estevan to open the local Koncerts for Kids series.

The MCT is the largest touring children’s theatre in the U.S. It has been touring extensively for 35 years, and will visit more than 1,200 communities this year, with 36 teams of tour actors and directors. A tour team arrives in a given town with a set, lights, costumes, props and make-up, and everything else it takes to put on a play, except the cast.

So they’re turning to

local youth in a quest for performers.

An open audition will take place on Sept.. 17 at Westview School, starting at 4 p.m., and a cast of 50-60 local youths will be selected that day to perform in the show. The production will be rehearsed throughout the week, and then two performances will happen for the public.

All MCT shows are original adaptations of classic children’s stories and fairy tales.

The performance for Estevan will be at the Souris Valley Theatre’s Frehlick Hall on Sept. 23

at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are available in advance from Henders Drugs or can be purchased at the door.

Gulliver’s Travels tells the story of brave explorer Gulliver, whose ship is wrecked and his trusty computer JCN on the fritz.

He is lost in space with nothing but an invisible force to guide him.

1 bedroom

ONE

Estevan Area Home Care would like to thank the volunteer drivers from the Estevan Alliance Church: Sharon Rae, John & Marg Dyck, Trish Duncan, and Calvin & Esther Schlamp; the Church of Christ: Norma Erickson and Isabel Asbenlieder; as well as our many spare drivers: Anita Kjersem, Joanne Weisgerber, Renee Landry, Bob Abernethy, Bev Hickie, Paul Radomski, Don & Lynn Kindopp, and Barb McLaren & Arnie Zimmerman for their help with delivering Meals on Wheels through the month of August.

Your help during the summer vacation has been most appreciated.

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While travelling from world to world, under the control of the maniacal scientist of Lapunta, Gulliver ends up fighting aliens, arrogant horse leaders of the foolish Yahoos, largerthan-life royalty (in more ways than one) and robots – all who need as much help from Gulliver as Gulliver needs from them.

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B14 September 13, 2017

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306-634-3644 409 KENSINGTON AVENUE POWERING YOUR LOCAL TEAMS CHARITIES & EVENTS

www.powerdodge.ca | powerdodge

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O.A

Thank you Diane Jocelyn

The owner group at Coldwell Choice Real Estate would like to thank Diane Jocelyn for her tireless work over the past 1 1/2 years as her role as owner and helping us start our brokerage.

We look forward to her continuing her work as an Agent within our office and providing the same great service she has always provided her clients with!

If your are looking to buy or sell, please feel free to call her at 306.421.3170

DIANE JOCELYN REALTOR®

306.421.3170 www.dianejocelyn.com diane@ dianejocelyn.com Office: (306) 634-9898 Fax: (306) 634-2291

CHOICE REAL ESTATE

1228 Fourth St., Estevan

Each office independently owned and operated

E

R O M ES K A IT T

A N A TH

N G SI

Hire

Josh LeBlanc

to sell your home and you will receive: EXTENSIVE MARKETING

Josh utilizes traditional (newspaper, brochures and postcards) and digital (Facebook, websites and other social media) to find your buyer.

The photos and videos of your home are done by a professional photographer.

EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE Josh has been a REALTOR® for the past 8 years, and lived in Estevan all of his life. He will guide you through the process of the biggest transaction of your life.

RESPECT Josh treats all his clients the same. No deal is too big or small. You can count on him to be honest with you.

Josh LeBlanc 306-421-6778 josh.r.leblanc@gmail.com www.joshleblanc.ca

REALTOR® (PART-TIME)

It takes more than a sign!

CHOICE REAL ESTATE

FIND YOUR

D! UCE D E R EXCELLENT SUBDIVISION OPPORTUNITY

NEW HOME

Call Josh to view these homes!

STUNNING ACREAGE

Krueger Parcel A, Estevan

Galloway Acreage, Oxbow

MLS# SK593569

MLS# SK607945

118 acres of land SE of Estevan on Hwy. 39

5 Bedroom • 2.5 Bathroom 2600 sq. ft.

$1,800,000

$795,000

FULLY FENCED & GRAVELLED HOBBY FARM

Deeray Acreage, Estevan

931 Fourth Street, Estevan MLS# SK604182

MLS# SK616609

Six unit building with massive investment opportunity.

4 Bedroom • 4 Bathroom 2640 sq. ft. 16 Acres

$695,000

MLS# SK592815 5 acres of land located in Industrial park, RM of Estevan . Lot is fenced & gravelled. Perfect spot for shops or storage.

$549,900

$669,900

RECENTLY RENOVATED

109 Jahn Street, Estevan 2364 Irvine Crescent, Estevan MLS# SK616091

401 Willow Bay, Estevan

6 Bedroom • 3 Bathroom 2196 sq. ft.

MLS# SK590567 3 Bedroom • 4 Bathroom 1815 sq. ft.

$544,900

$479,000

D! UCE D E R NEW KITCHEN

COMPLETELY RENOVATED

1481 Mather Crescent, Estevan

425 Petterson Drive, Estevan

1255 Nicholson Road, Estevan

1459 Nicholson Road, Estevan

MLS# SK603839

MLS# SK606543

MLS# SK705482

MLS# SK702840

4 Bedroom • 3 Bathroom 2200 sq. ft.

4 Bedroom • 3 Bathroom 1764 sq. ft.

4 Bedroom • 3 Bathroom 1295 sq. ft.

5 Bedroom • 2 Bathroom 1342 sq. ft.

$472,900

$474,900

$445,000

$429,900

AMAZING GARAGE INFLOOR HEATING

E PE SAL

NDI

Sjolie Road Lots

COMMERCIAL BUILDING DEVELOPMENT

Starting @ $425,000

NG 2 STORY OFFICE BUILDING

SALE PENDING

BASEMENT SUITE

202 Perkins Street, Estevan

Nelson Acreage-Parcel D

319 Weldon Road, Bienfait

902 4th Street, Estevan

248 Duncan Road, Estevan

MLS# SK601632

MLS# SK617289

MLS# SK590861

MLS# SK700359

MLS# SK605115

Commercial Property

2 Bedroom • 1 Bathroom 1080 sq. ft.

9 Bedroom • 3 Bathroom 3562 sq. ft.

4500 sq. ft. on 2 levels located on 4th Street

4 Bedroom • 2 Bathroom 1546 sq. ft.

$379,000

$369,900

$380,000

$349,000

$330,000

D! UCE RED OVERHEAD CRANE

MASSIVE GARAGE

170 First Avenue NW, Benson

602 Eva Street, Estevan

434 Fifth Street, Estevan

2301 Victory Road, Estevan

318 Tiverton Avenue, Torquay

MLS# SK702109

MLS# SK700097

MLS# SK610993

MLS# SK703408

MLS# SK599562

4 Bedroom • 2 Bathroom 1673 sq. ft.

3 Bedroom • 2 Bathroom 1304 sq. ft.

Excellent shop centrally located on 5th street.

4 Bedroom • 2 Bathroom 1248 sq. ft.

5 Bedroom • 3 Bathroom 1454 sq. ft.

$330,000

$319,900

$319,900

$309,900

$309,900

COMMERCIAL

REDUCED

BRAND NEW BASEMENT

1212 Fourth Street, Estevan

BEAUTIFUL YARD

737 Eva Street, Estevan

621 King Street, Estevan

MLS# SK601646

413 First Street, Estevan

626 Fifth Street, Estevan

MLS# SK600174

MLS# SK605343

MLS# SK610391

MLS# SK610438

3 Bedroom • 3 Bathroom 2016 sq. ft.

6 Bedroom • 3 Bathroom 1190 sq. ft.

Updated building in downtown Estevan.

Surrounded by many other local businesses. this building has plenty of square footage with double income potential.

2 Bedroom • 1 Bathroom 992 sq. ft.

3 Bedroom • 2 Bathroom 1350 sq. ft.

$295,000

$289,900

$259,900

$250,000

$269,900

REDUCED LOTS OF UPDATES

PRICED TO SELL

REDUCED

1038 Third Street, Estevan

1025 Valley Street, Estevan

6 Rattray Place, Estevan

205-12 Cundall Drive, Estevan

313 Second Street, Estevan

MLS# SK605699

MLS# SK703003

MLS# SK610671

MLS# SK703677

MLS# SK596086

3 Bedroom • 1 Bathroom 911 sq. ft.

6 Bedroom • 1 Bathroom 988 sq. ft.

3 Bedroom • 1 Bathroom 1161 sq. ft.

2 Bedroom • 2 Bathroom 946 sq. ft.

3 Bedroom • 2 Bathroom 1014 sq. ft.

$249,900

$239,900

$225,000

$199,000

$189,900

D! UCE D E R LARGE GARAGE

REDUCED

2 BEDROOM OVERSIZE LOT

REDUCED

518 Montgomery St, Midale

422 Doerr Street, Bienfait

MLS# SK607927

MLS# SK600801

#207-517 Albert St, Estevan

4 Bedroom • 2 Bathroom 1144 sq. ft.

3 Bedroom • 2 Bathroom 1434 sq. ft.

2 Bedroom • 1 Bathroom 810 sq. ft.

2 Bedroom • 1 Bathroom 768 sq. ft.

$183,000

$175,000

$124,900

$119,000

MLS# SK616800

JOSH LEBLANC 306-421-6778

josh.r.leblanc@gmail.com www.joshleblanc.ca REALTOR® (PART-TIME)

Office: (306) 634-9898

1228 Fourth Street, Estevan

322 Taylor Street, Bienfait

REDUCED

It takes more than a sign!

For more listings, Visit

www.joshleblanc.ca

152 Williams Way, Estevan MLS# SK701620

156 Williams Way, Estevan MLS# SK701602

It takes more than a sign!

158 Williams Way, Estevan MLS# SK701636

3 Bedroom • 2 Bathroom 1178 sq. ft.

CHOICE REAL ESTATE www.coldwellbankerchoice.ca

$88,500

164 Williams Way, Estevan MLS# SK701641

168 Williams Way, Estevan MLS# SK701630

Each office independently owned and operated

A14 September 13, 2017

Estevan Mercury

Creighton Lodge residents busy in August heavens Norma Barber Doreen Hagen, Sharon comes through for us on the Dayman, Melodye Pierson piano at these times. We just and Norma Blackburn for

their continued support of I ’ m b a c k ! T h r e e love the way she plays.

Things are starting to our residents. months off with two broOur exercise leaders ken wrists and I’m finally get a bit busier around the recovered and back at the lodge now as activities have made sure we kept resume and folks are home moving this summer. We computer.

Thanks to Shelly Vero- from their visits to fami- missed a few sessions but ba for writing the columns lies. We love summer as all in all it’s been a good for me during my absence. we see so many children, workout. Thanks to Sharon She did a great job. There grandchildren and great Dayman, Monica Mackwere a few changes around grandchildren coming to enzie and Irene Tarnes for coming weekly to lead us here while I was gone, but visit our residents.

It is such a highlight in our exercise programs. it’s sure nice to be back Also a huge thank you with all my friends and even for our seniors when someone takes the time to spend to our Bingo caller Joan some new ones.

Can you believe it was a few minutes or an hour Wock, and her daughter Christina, who does our dog 4C one recent morning? visiting and reminiscing.

A big thank you to therapy program. It would It’s the beginning of September and although we are the Freebies for coming to be a quiet place around here still having lovely weather, entertain in August. I hope without these great people there is a chill in the air in they know how much their to run these activities.

We’ve missed menthe morning reminding us music is enjoyed by all of that summer is almost over. us here at Creighton Lodge. tioning lately some of The grass is turning brown We also were treated to the our new residents who’ve and some of our flower pots lovely singing of Lori Forn- moved in over the spring are done, but as long as the wald. We love the songs she and summer. We have welpicks and she has so much comed Minnie Fleck, Ted sun shines, we’re happy.

Fai, Elva Pick and Wanda Kudos to Warren, Don- talent.

We put on our classi- Kjersem to the Creighton na, Leanne and all of the other staff who consistently cal hats one night and were Lodge family. They all watered and tended to the treated to a super concert seem to be fitting in to life

by Audrey Andrist, who is at the lodge. We hope they yard and gardens. are happy here.

Also, thank you to all a concert pianist. She made ESTEVAN LEISURE CENTRE We were about the the people in the area who it so very interesting with September 2 - Octobersad 2, 2017 are bringing us produce the stories she told about passing of longtime resifrom their gardens. We will the songs and composers. dent Mary Schiestel. Mary 9:10am - 9:50amWe’reTABATA MULTI-PURPOSE MONDAY such aROOM joy and had such so glad she finds was have lots of apples frozen 10:10am - 10:50am EASY STRETCH MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM great sense come here to play a MULTI-PURPOSE for apple crisp this winter, 5:15pm - 6:00pmtime to TABATA ROOM of humour. when she is home visiting We really miss her. We that’s for sure.

6:10am - 6:50amher mom SPIN*Shirley.

SPIN BAR also were sad when Betty Our birthday folks this TUESDAY 9:10am - 9:50am SPIN* SPIN BAR MacDonald moved on to And what would we month were Otillia Gervais, 5:30pm - 6:10pm SPIN* SPIN BAR Viola Kyle, Sylvia Oszust, do without our volunteer nursing home care. She was - 9:50amwomen?

TABATA MULTI-PURPOSE one ofROOM the Songbirds’ We have a long the Sarah WEDNESDAY Harder, Marie9:10am Bill, 10:10am - 10:50am EASY STRETCH MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM list of women who commit altos, a devoted card player Frank DeBoth and 5:15pm Irma - 6:00pm CIRCUIT MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM Lesiuk. We entertained their time to our birthday and a very sweet woman to who lived here.

KFC night and our everyone ourselves on birthday night, 6:10am - 6:50amparties,SPIN* SPIN BAR THURSDAY 9:10am - 9:50amcocktail SPIN* SPINhope BAR she likes her new hours. Thanks to We as there were no musicians 5:30pm - 6:10pmJean Delorme, SPIN* SPIN BAR Margaret home. available due to holidays We were Marge Heidinger, and harvesting. Thank 9:10am - 9:50amMack,H.I.I.T. MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM pleased our FRIDAY

Submitted by Judy Pratt

FITNESS CLASSES

church services were constant throughout the summer months. We appreciate all the ministers who come to the lodge on Sunday afternoons. Also thanks to our ministers who give us communion every month

and those who conduct mass for us.

It is so thoughtful that the community realizes how important our spiritual health is to us.

Just a note to some of the women in the commu-

nity, we are having another clothing sale here at Creighton Lodge on Sept. 18 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., if you are interested in stopping by.

There will be Alia, TanJay, French Dressing and a few other brands available.

Motorcyclists depart the Estevan McDonalds at the start of the ride.

Riding for Sask. children The Prairie Winds’ 19th annual Ride for Ronald McDonald House was a popular event for motorcycle enthusiasts.

More than 65 people participated in this year’s ride. They gathered at the Estevan McDonald’s, and

rode to Lampman, Arcola and Stoughton, where they enjoyed a beef on a bun supper and door prizes at the Crossroads Inn, before returning to Estevan.

A final fundraising figure wasn’t available, but it’s believed the ride generated more than $4,000,

thanks to registration fees, donations and a raffle.

Proceeds from the event will be directed to Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon, which offers a place to stay for families with children who have a medical issue.

* To ensure a spot in SPIN classes pre-register by calling 306-634-1888

LEISURE SERVICES City Hall: 1102 4th Street or at www.estevan.ca. If space is available, Drop Ins may be available.

8 am to 4:30 pm | (306) 634-1800

DID YOU KNOW? A drop in fee gives you access to the pool, weight room, squash courts, hot tub, steam room, land and water fitness classes, tennis

Leisure Office: 701 Souris Avenue and pickle ball courts, drop in at the multi purpose room and noon hockey!

8 am to 4:30 pm | (306) 634-1880

WEIGHT ROOM WEIGHT ROOM

Message From

MONDAY

6:00am - 10:00pm

THURSDAY

6:00am - 9:00pm

TUESDAY

6:00am - 9:00pm

FRIDAY

6:00am - 9:00pm

WEDNESDAY

6:00am - 10:00pm

SATURDAY

9:00am - 9:00pm

SUNDAY

9:00am - 9:00pm

TRY THE NEW TRUE - ALPINE RUNNER TREADMILL WITH A 30° INCLINE!

The Estevan Air Show is September 17, gates open at 11am.

Come out and join the family fun!

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Some classes may not run as scheduled due to demand, holidays, etc. Please call 306-634-1888 to confirm times.

701 Souris Avenue North | Estevan, SK | Tel: 306-634-1888 | www.estevan.ca

The Mayor

Follow us!

LEISURE SERVICES MANAGER The City of Estevan is searching for a talented senior level Manager who can provide superior customer service, adapt quickly to a challenge, and wants to be part of a growing community.

Reports To: City Manager Business Division: Leisure Services Summary: Manages and supervises the Events Facility including three (3) ice surfaces, leisure pool, gymnasium, curling rink, skate park and tennis courts; as well as managing recreation programs, facilities and activities. The successful applicant will lead, manage, supervise and co-ordinate all Leisure Services activities for the City of Estevan along with a talented team of Management and staff. The Leisure Service Manager will focus on the following duties: § Manages, supervises and co-ordinates Leisure Services § Plans, organizes, co-ordinates, directs and evaluates all Leisure Services Facilities and Programming. Prepares long and short-term plans. § Ensures that Leisure Services Facilities are maintained and repaired. § Directs, co-ordinates and ensures that Leisure Services has a Comprehensive Programming Plan. § Promotes and markets facilities, advertises programs and attracts events. Assists with the organization of major community Leisure Services events. § Administers Community Grant Program. § Directs the implementation and monitors the progress of policies and programs, evaluates and recommends changes. § Develops and implements Business Division policies, procedures, plans and budgets including long term capital budgets. Monitors and controls expenditures. § Provides information for the preparation of specifications, tenders and contracts. § Researches, prepares and submits reports on any matter. § Participates in the appointment, hiring, training, suspension, dismissal, appraisal, promotion, demotion, transfer or dismissal of staff. § Approves Leisure Services Board Agenda Packages § Attend all meetings of Leisure Services Board. Attends meetings of Council and Council Committees as assigned and participates in the exchange of information providing opinion, guidance, advice and recommendations. § Drafts correspondence resulting from decisions of the Leisure Services Board or Council. § Manages contracts and books facilities during off-season. § Responds to requests for information and investigates complaints. § Acts as liaison with Federal, Provincial and Local Government Officials, Consultants, Customers and Members of Boards, Committees and Community Groups. § Assists the public and associate staff members with records, bylaws, policies and procedures § Other duties as assigned REQUIRED EDUCATION & TRAINING § Grade 12 Diploma § Valid Class 5 Driver’s License

§ Degree in Sport and Recreation

EXPERIENCE AND ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS § Seven (7) years of progressively responsible leadership roles and experience in Leisure Services Management § Seven (7) years Municipal Experience § Experience working with volunteer boards and committees § Proficiency in Computer Software Programs § Superior leadership, interpersonal and organizational abilities § Superior oral and written communication skills APPLICATION DEADLINE This position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. The City of Estevan offers a competitive salary and an outstanding benefits package.

For further information or to apply, please contact: Sheryl March,Human Resource Generalist 1102-4th Street, Estevan, SK S4A 0W7 Ph: (306) 634-1841 Fax: (306) 634-9790 apply@estevan.ca We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.