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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2020
In what was a year unlike any other in history, there were plenty of intriguing stories to share From city projects to fundraisers, celebrations to elections, and economic development to a pandemic, there was a lot that happened in Estevan in the past 12 months. Here are our choices for the top 10 stories of the year: 1. COVID’s impact: Nobody can deny the impact that COVID had on life in southeast Saskatchewan or around the world. While there were concerns about the virus early in the year, those concerns exploded on March 11, when a member of the Utah Jazz basketball team tested positive. Professional sports leagues suspended their seasons at that point, and within days, a virtual lockdown across the continent had occurred. It seemed like the pandemic touched every aspect of our lives in some way over the next nine months, affecting both physical and mental health, the econony, education, government and so much more. But there were plenty of positives that emerged locally due to the pandemic, with people showing support for health care workers and first responders. Others did what they could to help others. 2. Economic development: The previous item leads into this one. While economic development has been a point of emphasis for the City of Es-
tevan and other communities for a number of years, there was an even greater emphasis in 2020. We saw several exciting developments amid the tough times. The Estevan Shoppers Mall became the Estevan Market Mall, and also announced a renovation that would modernize the building and bring in a food court. A couple of intriguing projects were announced as well. One was a polygeneration facility through a partnership with the City of Estevan, Buffalo Potash and the Ocean Man First Nation. The facility will be an industrial complex consisting of separate, yet integrated modules that will use southern Saskatchewan’s coal, potash, natural and inert gases, brines and other raw materials to make high-quality synthetic fuel, generate power through co-generation, and other value-added products such as potassium-based fertilizer, hydrogen syngas, battery materials, and pitch for carbon fibre. The other came in midDecember, when Tomahawk Energy, whose CEO is longtime southeast Saskatchewan entrepreneur Derrick Big Eagle, announced that it was looking to bring an indoor agriculture facility to Estevan. (See Page 3 story for more on this project). The city announced in
March that Richard Sadick had been hired as the coal transition co-ordinator, and in November, it revealed it had hired Doug Griffiths of 13 Ways Inc. to develop a strategy and action plan that identifies new economic opportunities and how best to attract businesses and new residents to the city. Griffiths, the author of 13 Ways to Kill Your Community, was in Estevan and November, and was impressed with what he saw from the community. 3. Coal transition: Estevan was dealt a stiff blow in February, when Westmoreland Mining LLC announced that it was laying off up to 25 people from its Estevan mine site. Ultimately 23 people would lose their jobs, including some who took early retirement or voluntary layoffs. The company cited coal sales that have been impacted by the availability of lowpriced natural gas, as well as the imposition of carbon taxes as reasons for the layoffs. Ironically, nine days after the announcement, Premier Scott Moe was in Estevan for the signing of the Coal Transition Fund, a $10 million investment of which Estevan will receive $8 million over a three-year span. The $8 million given to Estevan from the province is part of a $10 million commitment from the province. The
The 2020 ECS graduation day was filled with happiness, as grads, their families and the City of Estevan were celebrating their achievements other $2 million will be sent to Coronach, home of the Poplar River Power Station. The city will have to allocate some of its $8 million to the RM of Estevan, the Town of Bienfait and other affected municipalities. 4. Grad Cruise: Perhaps there was no better example of rethinking an event during pandemic times than the Grad Cruise that was held in Estevan on June 12. The pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 grad ceremony at the Estevan Comprehensive School, and it appeared that the Class of
Addictions treatment and recovery services returned to St. Joseph’s Hospital in the fall.
2020 would be left without a celebration. That’s when Mike Keating, whose son Jamison was among this year’s grads, stepped in with an idea based on a classic activity. A Grad Cruise was held through the streets of Estevan. It started at the site of the Derrick Motor Inn and made its way down Fourth Street, 13th Avenue/Souris Avenue North and Isabelle Street before making a loop back to the hotel. “The biggest thing was getting people on board with what I envisioned. And what happened (on Friday) was a million times bigger than my vision,” Keating said at the time. The community was in the spirit of the occasion. Business that were along the streets of the cruise were decorated for the occasion, with supportive messages for the grads. Many residences were decorated, too. Signs with the grads’ photos lined Souris Avenue North. And a large crowd lined the parade route to salute the grads, who honked horns on their vehicles. As an added tribute to the class of 2020, there will be a sculpture constructed in Torgeson Park. 5. Civic election: Voters were back at the polls for the civic election on Nov. 9. Elections were held in many Saskatchewan urban and rural municipalities, including the
City of Estevan. Roy Ludwig was returned to a third term as Estevan’s mayor, defeating Ray Walton. Ludwig received 1,632 of the 2,314 votes cast, or about 70.5 per cent of the popular vote, while Walton took 682. Diversity and new faces were the story of the councillor race. Shelly Veroba and Travis Frank, the two incumbent councillors in the field, were both re-elected. They were joined on council by newcomers Rebecca Foord, Lindsay Clark, Kirsten Walliser and Tony Sernick. There are three female members of council for the first time since 2009, and three of the councillors – Foord, Frank and Walliser – are under the age of 35. “I look forward to working with the new council,” Ludwig said on election night. “I think they’re a bright bunch of local people that will do their very best. They have their hearts in the right place, along with a couple of veterans, Shelly and Travis.” Due to the pandemic, the city had a mail-in ballot for the first time, and a drive-thru polling station at the Estevan Fire Rescue Service building that proved to be popular. The pandemic did reduce the availability of the advanced poll, and kept the city from having special polling stations. As for the RM election, A2 » REASONS
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