GOLD HORSE CASINO HOSTS FIRST POWWOW AT HUB
Gold Horse Casino packed the Cenovus Energy Hub with excited spectators and competitors for its first-ever powwow.
Hosted by Gold Horse Casino, the event, which ran from March 13-15, is the first of its kind in the Border City.
“It’s our inaugural powwow for Gold Horse Casino. From my understanding, it’s the first of this kind of powwow in Lloydminster,” said Justina Sather, general manager of Gold Horse Casino.
She said SIGA, which operates Gold Horse Casino, hosts cultural events throughout the year.
“SIGA has been putting powwows on for almost 28 years, and we’re actually celebrating 30 years as a SIGA company right now,” she said. Originally, Gold Horse Casino planned to host its first powwow in 2020.
“We had planned our first powwow back in 2020, but we know what happened there,” said Sather.
The delay between the original planned powwow and now was due to the opening of the Cenovus Energy Hub.
“SIGA’s been bringing back its powwows, and we just wanted to wait until the Cenovus Energy Hub was open,” she said.
The main arena was packed with competitors and spectators alike, both in the stands and on the floor.
“It’s been amazing. While I expected a good crowd, this has gone beyond my expectations in a wonderful way,” said Sather.
Friday’s grand entry featured 505 dancers, with even more participating throughout the weekend. Both dance and singing competitions were held as part of the powwow, drawing crowds from across the region.
“From my understanding, they’re from across Western Canada and the United States, all coming here to Lloydminster,” she said.
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
The Gold Horse Casino’s inaugural powwow filled the Cenovus Energy Hub from March 13 to 15 and featured more than 500 dancers. Christian Apostolovski Meridian Source photos
KINSMEN DONATE TO 19 LOCAL GROUPS
TAYLOR WEAVER EDITOR
The Kinsmen Club of Lloydminster showcased its community impact this week, donating $12,250 to 19 local organizations during a special presentation aimed at highlighting the group’s commitment to giving back.
Kinsmen life member Darcy Wildeman said the club decided to make the event more visible this year so residents could see how fundraising efforts benefit the community.
“We’ve always given money away. This is the first year we decided to make it kind of splashy to let the community know we do give back,” said Wildeman. “Lots of times we solicit the community for donations and don’t always have the opportunity for the community to see us giving back.”
Wildeman noted almost all recipient groups were present for the presentation, with only Lakeland College unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict.
The Lloydminster Kinsmen club, chartered in February 1926, is among the oldest in Canada and
is approaching its 100th anniversary.
“We’re almost 100 years old and we look forward to our 100th anniversary in Lloydminster and we have celebration plans well underway already,” he said.
Wildeman said the club’s work is guided by Kin Canada’s motto of “serving the community’s greatest need.”
Despite having just 17 members, he said the group organizes numerous fundraising events throughout the year to support local causes. Major initiatives include Christmas tree sales, a hockey draft, bartending events, the Harvest Hoedown cabaret and the annual Telemiracle Steak Night.
“This year, we were very fortunate to fundraise and send them $161,000 from our community,” said Wildeman, referring to Telemiracle. “It amazes me, and I guarantee you that money comes back to our community.”
He added many local residents have benefited from Telemiracle funding for equipment and travel, including scooters and wheelchairs.
For the club’s members, distributing funds to so many organizations is rewarding.
“From a club that has 17 members, it feels pretty dang awesome,” said Wildeman. “We work hard at everything we do … When we have the opportunity to give this much money back to the community, it’s a pretty great feeling and warms your heart knowing all the hard work we do in the community is going back to the community.”
The Kinsmen Club of Lloydminster donated $12,250 between 19 different non-profit and community organizations at a giving event last Friday at the Kinsmen Hall. Taylor Weaver Meridian Source
MOUNT JOY CELEBRATES 60 YEARS
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
Mount Joy Snow Resort passed a big milestone March 14 as it celebrated 60 year in business.
The day was filled with snowy fun as the resort hosted races for skiers and snowboarders, as well as a cardboard race.
The
volunteers that are out here, in current day, they love it to life. This is what makes it go around.
- Chris Bogue
“They’ll head up on the bunny hill and race for time to get to the bottom,” said rental shop volunteer Chris Bogue when asked about the cardboard race. “Hopefully, all cardboard boxes survive on the way down. It’s always a great time.”
Reflecting on the anniversary, Bogue says the resort’s operations are only possible thanks to the many hard-working volunteers.
“It’s 60 years of volunteers. It’s 60 years of hard-working people,” he said, noting the hill opened in 1966. “People in the community coming together to ensure that it carries on the long heritage the hill has.”
He said the group that first founded Mount Joy loved it to life, something that’s still evident in the volunteers today.
“The volunteers that are out here, in current day, they love it to life. This is what makes it go around,” said Bogue. “Everybody is out here because they love winter sports. They love helping out local events and giving back to the community.”
Bogue’s happy to see people are able to come out and still enjoy the hill.
“It’s very heartwarming to see people come out and enjoy the hill year after year,” he said.
The hill itself is one of the largest in the area.
“Our ski to acres is larger than most that surround (us),” said Bogue. “We also have a back-country area that people can enjoy. Ungroomed, when the snow is really good, it’s really fun to get out and do that.”
Skiers and snowboarders enjoyed timed races at Mount Joy Snow Resort following a fresh dusting of snow as part of their 60th anniversary celebration.
Christian Apostolovski Meridian Source photos
He spoke about the history of the hill, as Mount Joy previously played host to the Alberta Winter Games.
“Back in the early ’80s, we actually hosted the Alberta Winter Games here,” said Bogue. “We had a luge track, we had a ski jump, all kinds of different things.”
Sitting in the rental shop, he said the building’s been completely renovated a number of times as it’s more than 100 years old.
“This building was the original building back in 1966,” he said. “This building was built in 1921 for a school about three miles east from here.”
The historic building once served as an all-in-one chalet, concession and rental shop. Today, it holds roughly 175 pairs of skis and 100 snowboards.
Bogue explained Mount Joy is still on the search for additional volunteers.
“Volunteers is the biggest thing out here and we need more volunteers to continue this on,” he said, noting they have one paid member who does maintenance.
Mount Joy is also open during the summer months to allow users to enjoy the various trails in the area.
“About five years ago, we started our summer operations,” said Bogue. “This opened up the 150 acres that we’re exposed to, mountain bike trails, running trails, just kind of a place where you can get away.
“There is quite an enormous trail system past our ski runs that make up our trail system.”
They host mountain bike events, running events and running races over the summer months.
“We really believe in this place and we want everybody in our community to know about it,” he said.
Volunteer forms can be found at Mountjoyresort.com
AALBERS HEADS EAST FOR FCM
Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers recently spent some time advocating for local issues on the east coast as part of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) board of directors meetings in St. John’s, N.L.
The meetings took place throughout the week of March 3 and varied in topics.
“I have the pleasure of representing and being one of four representatives from the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA),” said Aalbers, noting the FCM board meets a couple of times a year, both in person and virtually.
He says that when he works with FCM, he carries the voices of members from Saskatchewan.
“The responsibility is to carry the voices of all our members, from villages to cities to northern Saskatchewan communities,” said Aalbers. “It’s a great opportunity to carry that voice of Saskatchewan, but also the unique voice of being a border city.”
He explained being a border city also means Lloyd has some common issues with other Alberta municipalities.
“I attended a couple of different meetings,” he said. “One is called rural forum. The rural forum helps address issues that you wouldn’t have in
downtown Toronto or Ottawa. Often, we talk about the challenge of distance and transportation, as well as infrastructure.”
He says that while transportation and infrastructure might be common issues shared by small and big cities, for rural and smaller municipalities, they’re more unique.
“You don’t have bus routes running between communities,” said Aalbers.
The second meeting he attended was a committee of the whole, where they discussed various resolutions coming forward across Canada.
In a different meeting, they discussed how to improve conventions to draw bigger attendance.
“Another meeting I attended was how do we make our conventions better,” Aalbers said, pointing to smaller municipalities generally not wanting to travel or attend FCM convention. “For our neighbouring communities, from Marshall, Lashburn, Maidstone, Kitscoty, Paradise Valley and Marwayne, how do we make that as attractive for those individuals who are on council (to attend).”
The final meeting was their board of directors meeting.
“It was our last day there to address those issues of resolutions that made it through,” he said.
During that final meeting, various reports were presented.
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CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
Federation of Canadian Municipalities photo
The giving event donated to Holy Rosary High School athletics, the Lloydminster Youth Centre, the Lloydminster Legion, Citizens on Patrol, Lloydminster Public School Division (LPSD) athletics, Border Town HOG toy run, Lloydminster Catholic School Division (LCSD) Kinsmen scholarship, the Lori Craven Memorial baseball tournament, the LPSD breakfast program, Here Comes Santa Claus Day, the LCSD breakfast program, the Lloydminster Concerned Citizens for Senior Care Society, LPSD Kinsmen scholarship, Midwest Community Cupboard, The Goat’s Christmas Wish, Lloydminster Region Health Foundation and Lakeland College.
Several recipient organizations said the support helps them continue important work.
Melanie Mutter, board chair with the LPSD, said the funding helps provide opportunities for
students that fall outside normal budgets.
“These donations allow us to do some of those extras that we just don’t have within our budget because we focus on academics, so this really helps our students in so many ways,” she said.
The donation will also support community events and charitable initiatives, including the Border Town HOG Toy Run.
“Our upcoming Toy Run will be the 15th annual Border Town HOG Toy Run and it’s going to be a big year,” said co-chair Murray Getty. “We’re getting really close to raising $1 million for local kids’ charities in our community.”
Other recipients included programs supporting students, food security and families in need, such as a breakfast program run by the Lloydminster Catholic School Division, the Midwest Community Cupboard in Lashburn and the Goat’s Christmas Wish campaign.
Evan Degenhardt of 106.1 The Goat said the Christmas Wish initiative has raised more than $1.1 million over nearly 25 years and helped more than 200 families.
“It’s cool to see all of these groups giving back to each other,” he said. “We couldn’t do it without everybody in this room.”
Kagan Kneen, CEO of the Lloydminster Region Health Foundation, also thanked the Kinsmen for their continued partnership.
“It’s because of groups like everybody in this room that we can do what we do and really try to enhance the health care in our region,” he said.
Wildeman said all of the money donated comes from local fundraising initiatives and partnerships with community events.
He added the club is always looking for new members interested in helping continue its nearly century-long tradition of community service.
WATER/SEWER UPGRADE ON WAY FOR 41 St.
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
The City of Lloydminster is continuing work in the area surrounding the Cenovus Energy Hub, after awarding the tender for water and sewer improvements along 41 St.
“Due to the development of the Cenovus Energy Hub, offsite infrastructure projects are required to ensure the surrounding infrastructure, including roads, water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer mains, can efficiently support the increased system demands,” said James Rogers, senior manager of capital infrastructure, City of Lloydminster.
Rogers gave some details of what the work will entail.
“This rehabilitation work will consist of roadway reconstruction and
urbanization,” he said. “The roadway urbanization will be along 41 St. between 39 Ave. and approximately 150 metres east of 39 Ave., extending what we urbanized last year.”
The city received nine bids for the project, to the surprise of administration.
“The tender period closed on Feb. 26 with nine bids being received. That was completely astonishing to our team on the number of bids,” said Rogers.
The bids featured some local contractors, along with some from farther away. Ultimately, the bid was won by Pidherney’s Inc. of Rocky Mountain House in the amount of $2,754,740.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
ENSURING LLOYD’S VOICE IS HEARD NATIONALLY
“I had the pleasure of reporting for the finance, infrastructure and transportation committee that I’m the vice-chair of,” said Aalbers.
The focus during the time in St. John’s was around issues that have been plaguing municipalities for some time, such as the ever-growing infrastructure gap.
“It’s the same story over and over again. We see a federal government that is very focused — laser-focused — on housing,” said Aalbers. “I think what FCM continues to do is remind the federal government that before you build houses (or) any other infrastructure, municipalities have to have the ability to supply clean drinking water, take away the wastewater and still get a road to get you there. Then you add the fire department to ensure there’s fire services and protection there.”
Growing infrastructure demands are something Lloydminster is no stranger to.
“We’re also dealing with dated infrastructure and, as we continue to grow, there will be future demands,” he said. “We’ve addressed our wastewater, but the next item you’ve heard through council is our water system.”
Trade was another topic FCM tackled, highlighting the struggle of local businesses facing growing global uncertainty.
“Raising the concerns from local,” said Aalbers. “Canola was definitely a huge issue, how it impacted our local producers, which have a direct impact on our community.”
He talked about the impacts tariffs have on various industries, such as forestry.
“When jobs (are lost), when businesses are idled or completely lost, those are major issues,” he said. “Again, helping our provincial and federal elected officials understand that those impacts are felt right here and right now.”
While in Newfoundland, Aalbers noted a large federal issue the East Coast city is dealing with — not much different than the federal problems Lloydminster faces.
“We’ve had sandwich gate and we are still dealing with a number of federal issues,” he said. “St. John’s, N.L., still does not have the ability to dump snow off their streets into the harbour. They have to take it to a location and truck it so it can melt.”
FCM serves as a national voice for municipalities and boasts over 2,000 members, representing more than 90 per cent of the Canadian population.
FCM FROM PAGE 5
FISH, GAME MEMBERS EARN PROVINCIAL AWARDS
Two members of the Lloydminster and District Fish and Game Association have been recognized with provincial awards from Alberta and Saskatchewan for their contributions to outdoor education and conservation.
The association received the Rural Outdoor Education – Gerry Gibson Memorial Award from the Alberta Wildlife Federation. The award recognizes a rural club or individual demonstrating outstanding work in outdoor education programming.
The Lloydminster group was honoured for its leadership in promoting conservation and hands-on learning opportunities for youth. The association sponsors young people to attend provincial youth outdoor leadership and conservation camps and hosts its annual two-day youth outdoor activity days each June.
The events provide instruction in archery, canoeing, air rifle and pistol shooting, wildlife and plant identification, survival skills, fisheries studies, navigation and camp cooking. Organizers say the programming helps rural youth build confidence and develop practical outdoor skills while fostering an understanding of responsible environmental stewardship.
Association president Dwayne Davison accepted the award on behalf of the group from Alberta Wildlife Federation president Paul Short.
Meanwhile, longtime executive member Bill Armstrong received the Gordon Lund Memorial Award from the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation at its annual convention in Yorkton.
The award is presented annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the conservation of Saskatchewan’s renewable resources.
Armstrong was recognized for decades of work promoting outdoor conservation, both as an educator and volunteer. He has led and expanded the Youth Outdoor Activity Days to include up to 100 students each year and supports several initiatives, including the association’s post-graduate scholarship program, Fish in Schools and the National Archery in Schools Program.
Organizers say his efforts have helped educate generations of youth about wildlife, conservation and responsible outdoor practices.
TAYLOR WEAVER EDITOR
Above: From left, SWF president Travis Schaeffer presents Bill Armstrong with the Gordon Lund Memorial Award. Below: From left, Dwayne Davison receives the Gerry Gibson Memorial Award from AWF president Paul Short on behalf of the Lloydminster and District Fish and Game Association. Submitted photos
HUB COMES IN SLIGHTLY OVER BUDGET
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
The final funding sources for the Cenovus Energy Hub have been approved after the project came in just over budget.
Administration has requested a transfer of $536,893 from wastewater offsites to the Hub, the new showcase arena in Lloyd.
The offsite development projects were trending under budget and we had hoped the project would come in on budget between those two elements.
- Tracy Simpson
“During the final phases of construction, we required additional funds to complete a number of areas to ensure the facility was functional and opening on time,” said Tracy Simpson, executive manager of community development services, City of Lloydminster. “Additional costs were from various elements of the facility, including some concrete work, structural steel, fire stopping, electrical and general project expenses.”
The wastewater transfer supports the final infrastructure project related to water and wastewater improvements within 41 St. that supports the development of the Wigfield Area Structure Plan.
Simpson says construction was trending over budget as the project ended.
“Close to the end of the project, the construction was trending over budget slightly,” she said. “The offsite development projects were trending under budget and we had hoped the project would come in on budget between those two elements.”
She explained the project went over the originally approved budget from December 2023 by 0.53 per cent.
The Hub also paid into some of the offsite levies.
“The Cenovus Energy Hub, as a development project, also paid into the offsite levy funds for our commercial lands only,” said Simpson.
Efforts are still ongoing to secure additional support for the project.
“The project team, with support from the mayor, has been actively
advocating both the Alberta government and our neighbouring regional partners for funding and support,” said Simpson, explaining numerous applications were submitted to the Government of Alberta with no success.
She noted no funding has been received from the R.M. of Britannia or County of Vermilion River. The R.M. of Wilton, however, contributed $1M to the project. There are still two grants pending, totalling $1,433,932 related to surrounding ancillary projects on the site.
Of note, the annual budget surplus was put aside in 2023, 2024 and 2025 to support anticipated needs.
Simpson says as they looked at the project, budgets were trending upward in some areas and downward in others.
“We were anticipating they would balance out to an on-budget project,” she said. “Nearing the end of completion, we were seeing additional project overhead costs to ensure we were on time. One of the bigger ones was structural steel.”
As construction was underway, there were changes in steel design to ensure it functioned for the building.
“There were some things that came in that were time and material tendered, that came in higher than anticipated,” said Simpson. “One of them was the radon installation of the radon rock and layer on the cement pad.”
Snow removal and heating expenses were also higher than anticipated. Landscaping, however, coming in under budget.
“That’s one of the challenges of a construction management model. It’s kind of a free-flowing process until the end,” she said.
There’s still ongoing construction under the facility’s stairs, which is something the city is working on internally.
“Once we saw the space and realized that under the stairs area was kind of awkward and not good functional space, we wanted to convert it to a storage room,” she said. “We requested a change order price that came in higher than we thought was realistic, so we didn’t accept that change. We’re now doing that work internally outside the project.”
Weather delays caused problems for the project and tenders from 2023 drove prices up with inflationary impacts.
“One of the big challenges we had with the Cenovus Energy Hub project was our tight timeline,” said Simpson, noting they could have gotten more community support and fundraising with more time.
They also grappled with difficulties of not having a lottery licence.
Coun. Jim Taylor chimed in saying they should look at securing funding ahead of time before moving forward with future projects.
“Moving forward, whenever we have any major capital project like this, I would encourage we have a major portion of that secured or budgeted in hand before we move forward,” he said.
Mayor Gerald Aalbers says the city is constantly grappling with ballooning infrastructure costs.
“Our infrastructure costs are growing so fast we’re on a downhill slide,” he said. “If councils of the day don’t make a decision and move forward today, there wouldn’t be a new rink.
“The way things are going, we’ll never keep up.”
Taylor pointed to the decision to build a $101-million facility and not building more within the city’s means.
“As a councillor, moving forward, I bring that from my opinion when I’m making votes on new capital projects coming up,” he said. “I’m taking that approach, maybe it isn’t going to be as extravagant, as large as those types of things and we build more within our means. We’re not going to have cash for everything, (and it’s) going to be less of a burden on the taxpayer.”
Coun. Michael Diachuk, who sat on council when the project was first approved, said they were building a project for the future.
“We weren’t building a project for today, we were building a generational project,” he said. “The expectation to be able to pay it off today, and have the people who live here currently pay it off, it’s not that kind of project. This building is going to be here for five decades or more, so there’s going to be multiple generations going through it.”
City manager Dion Pollard gave insight into the short timeline the city was working with when approving the Hub.
“There was a timeline put on the project on the federal grant money of March 31 of this year to have that project complete,” he said. “If we don’t complete that project by, or guarantee that the project was going to be complete by March 31, the federal money and the provincial money goes away. That was a major key to council having to make the decisions when they made them and how they made them.”
Council approved the transfer of $536,893 from the wastewater offsites to the Hub at the March 9 meeting. Council also approved the revised funding sources for the arena.
WORD ON THE BEAT: IMPROVING
Staff Sgt. JERRY NUTBROWN SPECIAL TO THE SOURCE
An aspect of our local RCMP detachment is the need to learn and improve, sometimes from mistakes. We have service standards and, at times, they are not always met, but we do work to improve.
An example was our handling of a victim of a crime regarding a court appearance, which caused some problems for them. They called us to express the issues they experienced and how it affected them. They were insistent but respectful in wanting to make sure the same issue isn’t experienced by another victim in the future.
As with any process of conflict resolution, dealing with it at the lowest level is most often the best way to have it resolved. We can’t respond defensively, as we need to understand whether or not we met our standards of service delivery.
This victim didn’t go on social media but rather came directly to those who could address the problem. Once it was looked into, we noted a flaw in an internal process. The issue experienced by the victim was ours to own.
Many people do not have an understanding of policing, and that is OK. The intent of these articles is to inform readers and provide a bit of an inside look to build understanding. For most people, police aren’t part of their lives, with the rare exception of maybe a traffic ticket or a knock on the door, as we may be making neighbourhood inquiries.
Another way we make ourselves better is when we provide evidence in court. This is where investigations are scrutinized, with areas dissected under a microscope. When any deficiencies are identified — whether detrimental to
Man faces 20-plus charges after drug, firearm seizure
A37-year-old man is facing more than 20 charges after Turtleford RCMP seized firearms, weapons and illicit drugs from a residence on Thunderchild First Nation earlier this month.
RCMP say officers executed a search warrant at the home on March 4 as part of an ongoing investigation.
During the search, police located and seized a loaded handgun, an illegally modified firearm and numerous firearm parts, including a loaded barrel capable of firing. Officers also seized thousands of rounds of ammunition, a butterfly knife and nunchucks.
Police say officers also found suspected drugs at the residence, including about 400 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 33 grams of crack cocaine and about 26 grams of cocaine. MORE ON PAGE 11
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Tuesday, March 30th, 2026 7:00pm
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the charges or not — we note them to ensure those areas are addressed in new investigations.
From time to time, defence lawyers or Crown prosecutors will bring up possible issues regarding charges that were laid. Investigators again note these and apply remediation to subsequent investigations, with the intent they are not repeated issues that may affect outcomes.
All RCMP officers start as cadets and, aside from establishing their policing foundation at Depot (our training facility in Regina), they learn, develop and improve throughout their entire careers. I am still learning. Experience is the best teacher, and this is very true in law enforcement. As the Lloydminster detachment receives many new officers, we see their steep learning curves, which include mistakes.
New RCMP officers are under a trainer’s supervision for the first six months of their career, which includes guiding them as there is very much to learn to get comfortable with policing.
The last new officer I trained, many years ago, ended up with me taking down a vehicle containing six Manitoba Warriors gang members, all of whom had weapons. We hope new officers progress into situations like this, but in reality, they can face a life-and-death situation on their first working day.
Checks and balances are in place, but patience from our clients is appreciated as we all improve at our duties..
Staff Sgt. Jerry Nutbown is the NCO in charge of the Lloydminster RCMP detachment’s General Investigation Section. Stay tuned for future columns from the Lloydminster RCMP.
Rogers also gave some insight into what urbanizing means for the roadway.
“There are two types of cross-sections that our roads can have,” he explained. “A rural cross-section and an urban cross-section. A rural crosssection is a crown road, no curb and gutter, with ditches on both sides. An urban cross-section has paved roadways, curb and gutter, landscaped boulevards, sidewalks and walking trails — that sort of infrastructure.”
Administration included the rehabilitation of 41 St. between 37 Ave. and 39 Ave., and 37 Ave. between 41 St. and 44 St., within the project’s scope of work. They say it is intended to alleviate contractor conflicts and seek advantageous pricing for both projects.
They say a portion of the costs associated with the rehabilitation of 41 St. from 37 Ave. to 39 Ave. and 37 Ave. from 41 St. to 44 St. will be incurred by the 2026 Street Improvement Program.
Construction for the project is anticipated to start in May 2026 and is expected to be completed by September 2026, weather pending.
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SEWER IMPROVEMENTS FROM PAGE 6
Thursday, March 19, 2026
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Leave it to Weaver: A splash of colour to your weekly read
EDITOR TAYLOR WEAVER
You may have noticed an additional splash of colour in this week’s edition of the Meridian Source . Here at the Source , we’re always up for trying new things, especially when it improves the reader experience.
Not too many years ago, additional colour meant additional spending. Now, with the difference being so negligible, we thought we’d spice things up a bit to improve the visual appeal.
In the past, we’ve used low-opacity coloured boxes and black font to separate multiple stories on the same page. In this week’s paper, we’ve used 100 per cent opacity coloured boxes and white font. We find it makes things stand out more and gives our pages a bit of a magazine feel.
If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, pages 6, 8, 9 and 11 are prime examples. On Page 6, we used a blue box to separate the tail end of a story from another page and a black box to highlight the headline for a new story. Looking at Page 8, the coloured boxes are used to highlight important quotes in the story. It’s our way of saying to you,
the reader, “Hey, this is the meat and potatoes of the story.”
Page 11, which is currently visible to the right of this page, uses two examples of the new boxes. One is a turned story from a previous page and one is an entirely new story.
We thought we’d shake things up a bit and we hope you like the changes. However, if you’re not a fan of the reversed-colour text boxes, please let me know at taylor@meridiansource.ca
My inbox is always open, and suggestions or critiques are welcome.
Not only do we, as a team, want the Meridian Source to be a reliable and factual community news outlet, we also want it to be a great reading experience.
Of course, there are always going to be negative Nancys out there, but I continue to get feedback and praise from people on the street who say they like what Christian, John and I have been doing every week.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: in this business, we usually only get feedback when we mess up, but any and all feedback is appreciated. We’re here to serve the community and hope the community enjoys the way we do it.
If you have specific ideas for things you’d like to see in the paper, let me know!
Saskatchewan RCMP respond to almost 10,000 family and partner violence victims in 2025
Saskatchewan RCMP responded to more than 9,800 victims of family and intimate partner violence in 2025, highlighting persistently high levels of interpersonal violence across the province.
Family violence includes abuse by spouses, ex-spouses, parents, children, siblings or other family members. Intimate
partner violence refers to abuse by current or former spouses or romantic partners. Last year, officers responded to 5,191 family violence victims, representing 30 per cent of all violent crime victims, and 4,708 intimate partner violence victims, accounting for 27 per cent. Spouses and ex-spouses are counted in both categories.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Planning and Development Department
Both categories saw slight decreases from 2024, when the RCMP responded to 5,269 family violence reports and 4,808 intimate partner violence reports.
Take notice that the following Development Permit Application for a proposed Discretionary Use is being reviewed in accordance with Land
Anyone wishing to provide written comment or make general inquiry on the proposed use may do so within the next fourteen (14) days by contacting Roxanne
rshortt@lloydminster.ca. Full name and address are required for submission of valid comment(s).
In Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdictions, family violence occurred at a rate of 925 victims per 100,000 population, and intimate partner violence at a rate of 839 per 100,000. Rates have remained high over the past five years. The North District accounted for more than half of all victims. Family violence cases in 2025 were split as follows: North District, 2,698 (52 per cent); Central District, 1,456 (28 per cent); South District, 1,037 (20 per cent). Intimate partner violence followed a similar pattern: North District, 2,385 (51 per cent); Central District, 1,414 (30 per cent); South District, 909 (19 per cent).
11
Thursday, March 19, 2026
MERIDIAN SOURCE
Chris’ A-Z: A flight to sobriety
I always find it fascinating to relive someone’s story.
More than that, going through old documents and seeing what someone deemed important about someone’s life is always interesting.
Today’s subject, Ronald Carlyle Harris, accomplished plenty in his life.
He was born in Colonsay, Sask., and was one of five kids. Once he finished high school, he went to work for the Massey Harris farm outside of Saskatoon. His passion for flying, however, would soon see him take a different direction.
He enrolled in the aeronautical training course at Saskatchewan Technical Collegiate. He graduated with honours and volunteered for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
His class was then invited to enrol in the 1940 class of aircraft mechanics destined for the RCAF. Harris’ first posting was in Brandon, Man., where he took basic training. This was followed by a fourmonth intensive course to specialize in the latest V12 Rolls Royce Aircraft engine.
He was then posted to the No. 9 services flying training school in Summerside, P.E.I.
It was during this time that he courted and later married Florence Edna MacInnis. They met while Harris was stationed in Yarmouth, N.S.
What’s fascinating about the start to his marriage was the fact he was so busy with work he was given
As a result of the investigation, Spencer Wapass, 37, of Thunderchild First Nation, is charged with multiple offences under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the Criminal Code, including possession for the purpose of trafficking, trafficking, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a restricted or prohibited weapon with ammunition and unsafe storage of a firearm.
Wapass also faces charges including possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, possession of a weapon contrary to an order and tampering with a serial number.
RCMP say Wapass was already in custody after being arrested March 2 on an outstanding warrant with assistance from the Saskatchewan RCMP Critical Incident Response Team. He is scheduled to appear next in St. Walburg provincial court on March 17.
three hours off to go get married, which included an hour-long honeymoon.
Harris then went to Gander, N.L., and began flying as a flight engineer on long-range patrol aircraft assigned to the 162 BR Squadron. He even got to fly an amphibian flying boat, which I think is pretty neat.
Despite only being 23 years old, Harris was given the nickname “Grandpa” by the seven other crew members on long-range missions.
A notable moment from his flying career, his longest flight over the Atlantic Ocean was 18.5 hours, providing safe protection to the passenger ship the Queen Mary.
He completed a tour of operational flying after 90 missions in search of enemy subs over the Atlantic before holding the position of senior flight engineer with the eastern air command aircrew assessment board.
He was decorated with a gold leaf for aboveaverage service and was the first flight engineer to be promoted to the rank of officer.
When the war ended, he chose to move his wife and son to Saskatoon. They’d have two more boys in Saskatoon and the family of five moved to Lloydminster in 1948.
Harris founded Harris Electric Company Ltd. in 1949. He was very active in his business interests, electrical contracting, transportation, leasing of
property, audio and electronics manufacturing.
He was involved with Rotary and was past president of the Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce, a charter member of the Knights of Columbus, and past president of 605 Wing RCAF Association.
If I were to mention everything Harris was involved in, my entire column would likely be one long list. He kept himself very busy and was always involved in the community.
In 1966, Harris was awarded the Canadian Forces Decoration Medal and the Centennial Medal in 1967. He was also the Lions Club Citizen of the year in 1978.
Another major moment in Harris’ life came in 1951 when he stopped drinking. He worked with Slim Thorpe and the hospital board to found the Thorpe Recovery Centre and spent 25 years on the board of directors.
He passed away on June 4, 1999, as a result of heart problems. Harris realized that day he wasn’t feeling well and was going to go to the doctor, but he stopped at a hotel on the way to help a friend who was in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
I’m not sure there’s a more selfless action than giving your last moments on earth to help someone else. Harris cared for his community and the people that called the Border City home.
Battlefords RCMP warn of scam caller posing as police
Battlefords RCMP is warning the public about a phone scam involving someone impersonating a police officer.
During the call, the person posing as an officer instructed the individual to go to a local gas station and withdraw cash from an ATM. The caller also told the individual not to attend any RCMP detachment, claiming they would be arrested if they did.
Police stress the RCMP will never request money or threaten arrest for making a report to police. The public is encouraged to verify detachment phone numbers by using those listed on the Saskatchewan RCMP website.
If you receive a suspicious phone call or text message, police advise residents to hang up immediately, avoid sharing personal information, not trust caller ID alone and never send or withdraw money at someone’s request. They also advise people not to engage with automated prompts.
Passport to YLL
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
The Meridian Source calendar of events is a free service provided for non-profit organizations located within our coverage area. All events are in chronological order, as space permits and at the editor’s discretion.
To place an event, email taylor@meridiansource.ca or fax 306-825-5147
Bingo at Moose Lodge
Bingo is back at Moose Lodge every Monday and Wednesday evening. Doors open at 5 p.m. and play starts at 7 p.m. Must be 18 to play.
Southridge Playschool Registration is Open
The Southridge Playschool and Kindergym Society has opened registration for the fall 2026-27 term for kids ages 3-5. One day a week is covered by a government affordability grant and two days a week is $325 for the whole term. Contact Mrs. Shandy at southridgeplayschool@gmail.com or message them on Facebook.
Spades Tournament
The Legacy Centre hosts a spades tournament on March 19 starting at 10 a.m. Cost is $10/ person to play and $12/person for lunch.
Singles Crib Tournament
The Lloydminster Moose Lodge host a singles cribbage tournament on Sunday, March 22, from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Cost is $20/person, eight games guaranteed and prizes awarded to top finishers. Must register by Friday, March 20. Contact Bruce at 780-522-6972 for more info.
Lions Strides Walk for Diabetes
Join the Lions Strides Walk for Diabetes on March 28 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Servus Sports Centre. Hosted by Lions Clubs International, the event promotes diabetes awareness and will feature refreshments and opportunities to speak with nurses and exercise therapists.
Crib Tournamant
The Hillmond Hall is hosting a crib tournament on Sunday, March 29, starting at 11 a.m. Lunch will be served at noon.
Dewberry Hall Upcoming Events
The Dewberry Community Hall is hosting Family Social and Music – The Relics on March 7, ATCO Movie Day – Zootopia 2 on March 8 and a hall meeting on March 10. They will also host the cutter rally on March 14 and the Dewberry Dinner Theatre – Is There a Doctor in the House? on March 27 and 28.
Legacy Centre Dinner Theatre
The Legacy Centre’s 14th annual dinner theatre production is scheduled for March 26, 27, 28 and 29 at the Legacy Centre. Tickets are $55/person and they’re going fast. Call the Legacy office at 780-875-4584 for more details.
The Holy Rosary Raiders won the Northeast zone 3A senior girls’ high school basketball championship last weekend in St. Paul to qualify for this week’s School Sport Alberta provincials in Coaldale. In the back row (from left) are assistant coach Chris King, Allie Roger, Mfonma Idiong, Lily Cey, Dawsyn Winterhalt, Reegan Rawlake, Natalie Spencer and head coach Ashley Fullarton. In the front row (from left) are Paige Kvill, Mieka Hoff, Cooper Leckie, Alexis Clark and Presley Andrews. Holy Rosary’s boys also qualified for their provincials. Submitted photo
RAIDERS IN PROVINCIAL HUNT
JOHN MacNEIL SPORTS EDITOR
The Holy Rosary Raiders are going into the School Sport Alberta provincials with momentum on their side.
The senior girls’ basketball team from Holy Rosary won the Northeast Alberta zone championship last weekend in St. Paul, posting an 81-47 victory over the host school in Saturday’s final.
“The team’s balanced play and strong defence helped secure the championship and another trip to provincials,” said Holy Rosary coach Ashley Fullarton.
In Coaldale for the 3A provincials this week, the Raiders are making their fifth straight appearance in the Alberta championship tournament.
Holy Rosary is ranked eighth among the 12 girls’
teams that qualified for provincials.
Entering the zone championship, the Raiders were seeded 10th among 3A schools in the province.
In its decisive victory over St. Paul, the Lloydminster school received a standout performance from shooting guard Dawsyn Winterhalt, who was named a tournament all-star for the zone championship.
Holy Rosary has added a familiar face to the coaching staff in former Lakeland College women’s basketball coach Chris King, most recently the coach of the U18 AAA Lloydminster Lancers boys’ hockey team.
“It’s been great to have him, and his expertise, join us,” said Fullarton, who has coached elite teams from King’s Golden Ticket basketball club.
HOLY ROSARY BOYS PUNCH TICKET
Along with the Raiders’ senior girls’ team, Holy Rosary’s senior boys are bound for their 3A provincials, also this week in Coaldale, with Prairie Winds Secondary School as host.
“I’m very proud of the resilience that both teams have shown,” said Fullarton, also a teacher and the athletic director at Holy Rosary. “The girls, specifically, have improved immensely this season. With nine out of 10 players returning next year, the future of this team is looking very bright.”
The boys continue to battle, even with injuries shortening their bench. In the final of the Northeast zone tournament, Holy Rosary lost 85-68 to Holy Trinity of Fort McMurray. Based on solid results during the regular season, the silver-medal-winning Raiders are among three Northeast representatives to qualify for provincials. They’re seeded fifth for the 12-team 3A boys’ tournament.
This is the second straight year that the Raiders’ boys’ and girls’ teams are both in provincials. At the 1A level, the E.H. Walter boys’ and girls’ teams from Paradise Valley are representing the Northeast region at their respective provincials. The Trojan boys were rated second in the province, while the girls’ team was seeded 11th in Alberta.
Sports
BOBCATS FACE THE STORM — AGAIN
Make it right. As the Lloydminster Bobcats pondered possible playoff slogans, those words were certainly in the conversation, especially after it was confirmed that their first-round opponent would be the Grande Prairie Storm.
The Storm, of course, swept the junior A Bobcats in the first round of last year’s Alberta Junior Hockey League playoffs.
Although each team has just half-a-dozen players back from those clubs, the sentiment remains the same. This is considered payback time for the Bobcats, or in the more-conservative words of captain Kade Fendelet, time to make it right.
“Absolutely, for myself and the guys that were part of it last year, we’re coming in (mindful of that sweep),” said Fendelet, in his last year of junior hockey. “We don’t want to let them put us through that feeling again. So, we want to stick up for last year, make it right here. And, yeah, for all the new guys, I think they understand what it means for us. Everyone just knows it’s going to be tough, and everyone is super excited for Grande Prairie.”
Just three points separated the playoff combatants in the 2025-26 regular season.
The best-of-seven North Division semifinal between the second-place Storm (38-15-2) and the third-seeded Bobcats (34-14-7) begins with two games in Grande Prairie this Friday and Saturday (March 20 and 21).
The third and fourth games are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday (March 24 and 25) at Lloydminster’s Cenovus Energy Hub, the new arena welcoming junior A playoff action for the first time.
Grande Prairie won the season series 5-1, though three of those victories were in overtime or a shootout. Lloyd takes a measure of confidence from its 1-2-3 showing against the Storm, and the fact that four of the games were one-goal decisions and another was a two-goal verdict. The only wide-margin result was GP’s 5-1 victory in Lloyd with a week left in January.
“All the games were super close,” said Fendelet, while also cautioning not to put much too stock in regular-season matchups. “You just look at last year. We sort of had the edge (5-1) in regular season, and it came to playoffs and that didn’t mean a whole lot. Regular season, those games are
important, but definitely a new season starts now.”
It’s as though a new season began in January for Grande Prairie. The Storm regrouped from an ordinary first half of the season and proceeded to post a 21-3-1 record in their final 25 games.
January was also a defining month for the Bobcats. They signalled an all-in approach for a playoff push, with push being the operative word. They beefed up at the trade deadline, adding size and strength with the likes of six-foot-three Landen Ward and six-foot-one Alex Levasseur up front and six-foot-four Oakley McIlwain and six-foot-six Ryder Ellis on defence.
The past two months have been a feeling-out period for a new-look Lloydminster squad that took a hit in February with the unexpected departures of 19-year-old forward Matthew Hikida and 20-year-old goaltender Jaiden Sharma to separate teams in the independent BCHL.
The Bobcats continued to assert themselves, winning more often than not. But they didn’t gain enough to bump Grande Prairie or the pennantwinning Whitecourt Wolverines for one of the top two positions in the North and overall. Lloyd landed six points back of Whitecourt (39-13-3).
Now, with playoffs on the horizon, the Bobcats will see a lot of each other over the next few weeks, at least, with even more meetings, bus rides, team meals, hotel rooms, practices and games.
“Yeah, absolutely,” Fendelet said with a chuckle. “Whether or not we like it, we’re going to be together. We’re all in it, so might as well enjoy it and sort of get on the same page. Since the trade deadline, the boys have been great, but everyone is still just getting comfortable with each other. That takes time on any team, so I think it’s been a couple of months now and everyone is really starting to find their groove together.”
Ending the schedule on a six-game winning streak, the Bobcats further bonded with two road victories on the final weekend of the regular season — 2-1 in a shootout over the Fort McMurray Oil Barons on Saturday and 2-1 over Bonnyville on Friday in the final game of the year for the Pontiacs.
Fort Mac (30-17-8) finished fourth in the North Division, seven points behind Lloyd. The Oil Barons go up against Whitecourt in their first-round series, also a rematch from 2025. Bonnyville (27-24-4) posted 58 points, but it still left the Lakeland contingent 10 points out of a playoff position in the ultra-competitive North. Playoff adversaries Lloydminster and Grande Prairie both lost world junior A defencemen at mid-season as the Bobcats’ Esteban Cinq-Mars (Val-d’Or, QMJHL) and the Storm’s Noah Chadi (Red Deer, WHL) earned permanent promotions to major junior teams.
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Licensed Residential Realtor in Saskatchewan & Alberta Call/Text: 780-808-0480
Email: sarahdekock@remax.net
Louis de Kock
Licensed in Alberta & Saskatchewan for Residential, Commercial, Farm & Rural properties. Call/Text: 780-808-1358 Email: Louisd@Remax.net
Lloyd captain Kade Fendelet says the Bobcats want another shot at Grande Prairie. John MacNeil Meridian Source
JOHN MacNEIL SPORTS EDITOR
AJHL North Division best-of-seven semifinal
Grande Prairie Storm (38-15-2 record, 78 points, 2nd in North) versus Lloydminster Bobcats (34-14-7 record, 75 points, 3rd in North)
Venues: Bonnetts Energy Centre, Grande Prairie; Cenovus Energy Hub, Lloydminster.
SCHEDULE
Game 1 — Friday, March 20, Lloyd at GP, 7 p.m.
Game 2 — Saturday, March 21, Lloyd at GP, 6 p.m.
Game 3 — Tuesday, March 24, GP at Lloyd, 7 p.m.
Game 4 — Wednesday, March 25, GP at Lloyd , 7 p.m.
x-Game 5 — Friday, March 27, Lloyd at GP, 7 p.m.
x-Game 6 — Sunday, March 29, GP at Lloyd , 5 p.m.
x-Game 7 — Tuesday, March 31, Lloyd at GP, 7 p.m.
x — denotes if necessary.
LOCALS PROMINENT IN ENERGY SERIES
BOBCATS
In the final deal announced at the January trade deadline, the Storm acquired a player familiar to multiple Bobcats in former Lloydminster U18 AAA defenceman Reily Pickford of Chauvin, Alta.
Pickford, a 25-point man in his 18-year-old season, came from the Camrose Kodiaks, who in exchange received 19-year-old forward Brandon de Haas. Pickford, whose brother Bryce stars in the Western Hockey League as captain of the Medicine Hat Tigers, played U18 AAA in Lloyd with four current Bobcats — McIlwain, Ward, Brady Gamble and Jaxan Hopko, a finalist for the AJHL’s outstanding-defenceman honours (see Page 19).
That group of Bobcats, along with fourth-year forward Fendelet, gives Lloydminster loads of local content on its roster. Meadow Lake’s Ellis and Cold Lake’s Dylan Deets grew up relatively close to the Border City.
The strong local representation, and a competitive team, combined to make the Bobcats a prime attraction in the inaugural year for the Hub, which regularly attracted crowds of more than 1,100 fans per game.
From the opening-night crowd of 1,827 on Sept. 19, 2025, to the final regular-season turnouts of 1,570 and 1,205 on the March 6-7 weekend, the Hub has been a hubbub of activity on most nights.
Fendelet scored the Bobcats’ final playoff goal in the historic Centennial Civic Centre. His tally with 2:35 left in regulation forced overtime in the March 26, 2025, game that Grande Prairie went on to win 4-3 to complete the first-round sweep.
“Well, yeah, the Civic in playoffs, that was sort of a different place,” Fendelet said about that unique atmosphere.
“I’m super excited for what the Cenovus Hub is going to bring. The fans have always been incredible throughout the whole year, but playoffs we’re hoping that they’re on a whole other level, same as the players.
“With it being my last year, I obviously want to go as far as we can, and just everyone on our team wants to do the best that we can, because we know we’re a good team. So, we want to go out there and show that to everybody.”
This year’s head-to-head battle could be dubbed
the Energy Series. The action rotates between the Cenovus Energy Hub in Lloyd and the Bonnetts Energy Centre in Grande Prairie, where the Storm also draw big crowds north of 1,100 fans.
Fendelet is a 40-point man and the mostpenalized player (with 104 penalty minutes) on a defensive-minded Bobcats team that doesn’t have a player in the top 20 in AJHL scoring. Lloyd’s top gun offensively is Jadon Iyogun, whose 43 points left him 25th in the league.
Grande Prairie placed two players on the league’s top-20 scoring list — Colin Doherty (14th, 59 points) and Max Leduc (16th, 55 points).
“They’re a deep team, for sure,” Fendelet said of a Storm side backstopped by goaltenders Leland Gill and Hudson Perry. “They’ve got lots of great forwards. They’ve got three or four solid lines there. All their defencemen are really good, and their two goalies are really solid.
“Just working around their depth is going to be the big thing, But, that said, our team is super deep, too, so I don’t think that should be a problem for us.
“We’re going to have to look back on regular season and see what they’re doing, see their tendencies and all that, and just prepare as best as we can. We want to be ready for anything they sort of try to throw at us.”
In a best-case scenario for the Bobcats, they would hope to “make it right” in the opening playoff round. That slogan could even become their theme in the post-season.
“Yeah, that could definitely be one of them,” Fendelet agreed as the regular season ended.
“I’m not sure. We’re probably going to do something. We’re working on slogans right now and stuff like that. As far as the hair goes, I don’t think we’re going to be bleaching it, but we might get something fun going there.”
All the fun, for both teams, begins Friday.
OVERTIME : In a less-heralded transaction last October, Lloydminster traded the CJHL playing rights of 18-year-old forward Rylan Bissett to Grande Prairie in exchange for a playerdevelopment fee. Bissett, a native of Chetwynd, B.C., joined the Storm after a BCHL stint. He has scored 13 goals and 25 points in 37 games with GP.
Lloyd vs. Grande Prairie
AJHL HEAD-TO-HEAD
2025-26 season series
Grande Prairie Storm (5-1) vs. Lloydminster Bobcats (1-2-3)
Nov. 16 (at Lloyd) — Storm 4, Bobcats 3 (shootout).
Dec. 12 (at GP) — Storm 3, Bobcats 2 (overtime).
Dec. 13 (at GP) — Storm 2, Bobcats 0. Jan. 3 (at Lloyd) — Bobcats 5, Storm 4. Jan. 23 (at Lloyd) — Storm 5, Bobcats 1. Feb. 27 (at GP) — Storm 6, Bobcats 5 (overtime).
TOP SCORERS
2025-26 regular season
Grande Prairie Storm
Colin Doherty 53 GP, 25 G, 34 A, 59 points
Max Leduc 52 GP, 20 G, 35 A, 55 points
Braeden Veldhuizen 43 GP, 18 G, 27 A, 45 points
Will Harris 46 GP, 15 G, 21 A, 36 points
Lloydminster Bobcats
Jadon Iyogun 48 GP, 24 G, 19 A, 43 points
Kael Screpnek 50 GP, 14 G, 28 A, 42 points
Raphael Messier 47 GP, 12 G, 29 A, 41 points
Kade Fendelet 47 GP, 17 G, 23 A, 40 points
Jaxan Hopko 54 GP, 12 G, 28 A, 40 points
TOP-SCORING DEFENCEMEN
2025-26 regular season
Grande Prairie Storm
Connor Frost 50 GP, 5 G, 21 A, 26 points
Reily Pickford 46 GP, 6 G, 19 A, 25 points
Lloydminster Bobcats
Jaxan Hopko 54 GP, 12 G, 28 A, 40 points
Dylan Deets 52 GP, 3 G, 11 A, 14 points
50-GAME CLUB
Grande Prairie and Lloydminster players who played 50 or more games during the 55-game Alberta Junior Hockey League regular season:
Grande Prairie Storm (6)
Colin Doherty, 53 games
Chase Christensen, 52 games
Max Leduc, 52 games
Max Fogle, 51 games
Matthew Lysyk, 51 games
Connor Frost, 50 games
Lloydminster Bobcats (6)
Gus El-Tahhan, 55 games
Jaxan Hopko, 54 games
Quinn Smith, 52 games
Luke Dooley, 51 games
Brady Gamble, 51 games
Kael Screpnek, 50 games
PUBLIC NOTICE
BIG BOYS STAND OUT ON BOTH SIDES
JOHN MacNEIL SPORTS EDITOR
Playoff prognostication is problematic at the best of times, but predicting a long first-round series between the Lloydminster Bobcats and Grande Prairie Storm would be considered a safe bet in most Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) circles.
Just three points separated the North Division’s second-place Storm (38-15-2) and the No. 3 Bobcats (34-14-7) in the regular season, and home-ice advantage for the playoff matchup wasn’t confirmed until last weekend.
A year ago, Lloyd finished a mere one point behind Grande Prairie, while both teams occupied the same positions in the North as this season, but the Storm went on to sweep their opening-round series in four straight games.
This year, Grande Prairie has been on a hot streak for virtually the entire second half of the season, and Lloydminster has been built for a playoff run, so the matchup appears to be tighter this time around.
“Last year, we were 5-1 against them in the regular season, and obviously got swept in playoffs,” said Kael Screpnek, a second-year Bobcat and the team’s second-leading scorer.
“Then, this year, we were 1-5 against them in the regular season. So, (possibly) some foreshadowing there.”
That head-to-head discrepancy for this season isn’t as great as that record might suggest, considering that three of Lloydminster’s losses against Grande Prairie came in overtime or a shootout.
“I think the strategy to beating them is we’ve just got to play harder than them,” said Screpnek, a 19-year-old forward from Calgary.
“They’re a big team. We’re a big team. We’ve just got to outlast them and grind the game harder than they do, and get in front of their goalie, because he’s a pretty good goalie.”
The Storm’s No. 1 goaltender is Leland Gill, and his backup is the capable Hudson Perry. Neither was with Grande Prairie last season.
‘A LOT OF TALL TREES’
A former Storm defenceman, Owen Hutzul, believes this year’s GP-Lloyd matchup could be a long series.
“Yeah, for sure, I think so,” said Hutzul, now of the Olds Grizzlys. “It’ll be a grind.
“GP is pretty physical. I mean, Lloyd is massive. They’ve got a lot of tall trees back there (on defence). If they play physical, I think they can take it to GP. Lloyd is a really good team, so I think anything can happen.”
The Storm traded Hutzul, a 19-yearold Edmontonian, to Olds this past December. Last spring, he was part of Grande Prairie’s push to the AJHL final and a berth in the Centennial Cup national championship.
“It was a quick one, but it was really competitive,” he said about the Storm’s first-round sweep of the Bobcats last March. “Lloyd had a lot of fans in the building (in the swan song for the Civic Centre). So did GP at home. It was pretty electric.”
The newest Storm defenceman,
Chauvin’s Reily Pickford was a mid-season addition to the Grande Prairie defence. John MacNeil Meridian Source
Reily Pickford, is no stranger to Lloydminster. He’s from Chauvin, Alta., and played U18 AAA hockey in Lloyd with four of the current hometown Bobcats — Brady Gamble, Jaxan Hopko, Oakley McIlwain and Landen Ward.
The 18-year-old Pickford has fashioned a 25-point season, split between Grande Prairie and the Camrose Kodiaks. He has flourished with the Storm, scoring four goals and 15 points in 19 games.
“My offensive game has picked up quite a bit since the trade,” Pickford said. “It feels amazing to score once in a while.
“The way GP plays, for me, I like it a lot more than the way Camrose plays, team-wise. I would say GP is more like a puck-possession team.”
Pickford’s defence partner with the Storm has been 20-year-old Matthew Gillard.
Grande Prairie’s bountiful 2026 has coincided with Pickford’s arrival. In the 20 games since his debut in midJanuary, the Storm have posted a 17-2-1 record.
Although it’s convenient for his family to see him play in a series against a team from closer to home, Pickford isn’t attaching any extra significance to facing Lloyd in the playoffs.
“I wouldn’t say it would mean anything different than playing any other team, personally,” he said. “No difference at all.
“Obviously, you play differently depending on the other team’s structure and the way they like to play, and their top guys, but that’s really all I’m focused on.”
Lloyd and GP each won two games last weekend to finish the regular season.
On the road, the Bobcats posted 2-1 victories over the Fort McMurray Oil Barons in a shootout Saturday and the Bonnyville Pontiacs on Friday, extending Lloyd’s winning streak to six games.
In front of a combined 3,756 fans, the Storm scored 8-1 and 4-1 wins over the visiting Drayton Valley Thunder. The Storm elected to rest multiple regulars in Saturday’s rout.
Lloydminster hasn’t lost since a 6-5 overtime defeat at Grande Prairie on Feb. 27.
BOBCATS 2 OIL BARONS 1 (SHOOTOUT) : Affiliated goaltender Carsten Leyerzapf made 24 saves through the overtime period, and two more in the shootout, to win his AJHL debut. Leyerzapf and his Edge U18 prep teammate, forward Luke Jamieson, joined the Bobcats after the CSSHL playoffs.
McIlwain and Tucker Robertson scored Lloyd’s shootout goals. Jadon Iyogun, the Bobcats’ top scorer, netted a power-play goal with 7:21 left in the third period to force extra time.
Fort Mac captain Drew Freer opened the scoring 12 seconds into the middle period.
The Oil Barons’ Brendan Gee stopped 37 of 38 shots, including overtime. Leyerzapf became the seventh goalie to play for Lloydminster this season. Three others dressed as backups, but didn’t see action.
BOBCATS 2 PONTIACS 1: In the final game of the year for Bonnyville, Jack Ferguson scored the winning goal for Lloyd late in the second period. The Bobcats’ Raphael Messier and Pontiacs’ Maxwell Pendy, on the power play, exchanged first-period goals.
Ty Matonovich, with 20 saves, and Screpnek both returned to Lloyd’s lineup Friday, after injuries had sidelined them for a couple of weeks.
Nathan Salisbury stopped 26 shots for Bonnyville, and his backup was Marwayne’s Stran Edge of the U18 AAA Lloydminster Lancers.
It was the 200th and final AJHL game for Pontiacs’ 20-year-old forward Brent Hoshowski, who played his U18 AAA and U15 AAA hockey in Lloydminster. It was also the last junior game for ex-Bobcat Ben Costantino, the Pontiacs’ defenceman/ forward who last week committed to the Dalhousie University Tigers in Halifax.
Bonnyville played without AJHL rookie-of-the-year candidate Gavin Harrison, the just-turned 17-year-old forward promoted to the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos. The Cold Lake kid netted 28 goals and 59 points in 52 games with the Pontiacs.
The Lakeland Rustlers celebrate Sunday night in Lloyd after their 1-0 double-overtime win over the Red Deer Queens in the deciding game of the ACAC final. The Rustlers’ second straight ACAC title capped a weekend that saw Lakeland’s women’s volleyball team capture a fourth consecutive national championship.
‘GREAT WEEKEND TO BE A RUSTLER’
It was after 11 p.m. Sunday when Lakeland College athletic director Alan Rogan greeted the champion women’s hockey Rustlers as they left the Co-op Community Arena ice surface.
“It’s a great day to be a Rustler,” Rogan declared after Lakeland scored a 1-0 double-overtime victory over the Red Deer Queens in the fifth and deciding game of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) championship.
The Rustlers did it the hard way, as they entered the weekend trailing 2-0 in the series and needing wins in three consecutive days and in two cities. With an overflowing crowd backing them on Sunday night, Lakeland’s golden girls were crowned ACAC champions for a second straight season.
And they did so on a banner weekend for Lakeland athletics.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL DYNASTY INTACT
On Saturday, the women’s volleyball Rustlers added another chapter to their golden dynasty, capturing a fourth straight Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association championship, this time in Niverville, Man.
“It’s a great weekend to be a Rustler,” Rogan said as family, friends and fans celebrated with the hockey team at Lloydminster’s new Co-op rink after a three-hour-plus marathon.
“The women’s hockey program has just been incredible since they started. From where they started five years ago, to be where they are now, it just shows the amount of work and dedication that the leadership group has put into this program. And it shows the character of athletes that they’ve been able to bring into Lakeland. Just all-around really good people.”
NOTICE OF DEVELOPMENT PERMITS
Claudia Lammers, one of eight Rustlers in their final year with the team, scored a power-play goal at 5:37 of the second overtime period for a momentous finish to the team’s inaugural year in the community arena, which is part of the Cenovus Energy Hub complex.
Lakeland forward Keyra Buziak, the ACAC’s record-setting scoring champion, was named the playoff MVP.
The final would have been an ideal fit for the spacious Hub, occupied with a powwow all weekend. But the smaller rink created a special atmosphere just the same and mirrored old-time playoff hockey.
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John MacNeil Meridian Source
JOHN MacNEIL SPORTS EDITOR
RUSTLERS PREVAIL IN GOLDEN FINISH
All at the same time, Lakeland Rustlers’ overtime hero Claudia Lammers exhibited both the glory and pain of victory Sunday night in a college hockey championship game for the ages.
“Oh, I’m very sore,” Lammers said during the pandemonium on home ice as the Rustlers and their legion of fans celebrated a momentous 1-0 double-OT win over the Red Deer Queens in the fifth and deciding game of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) championship.
“Blocked a few shots and got a few bruises on my body, so it was a tough battle. But I’m going to take a good rest this week.”
The Rustlers performed more than a week’s worth of work in one weekend, as they won three straight must-win games in as many days to repeat as the ACAC champions. The crowning moment came Sunday in Lloydminster in their new rink, the Co-op Community Arena, which mirrored an old-time hockey atmosphere with an enthusiastic capacity crowd and noise levels that rivalled the weekend powwow next door at the Hub’s primary facility.
Lammers triggered the most noise when she put the puck past Red Deer’s small-but-mighty goaltender, Tora Ward, who seemed unbeatable all night as she blocked 42 shots. The winning goal at 5:37 of the second overtime period came during a Lakeland power play, after the Queens’ Arilyn Toews gave Rustlers goalie Schay Camphaug a snow shower and was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct.
“It happened so fast,” said Lammers, one of the eight Rustlers moving on to other endeavours beyond this season. “I was just below the hash marks, almost in the crease.
“I felt the puck on my stick, and it went in. I tipped it and it was just really slowly going over that (goal) line. I saw it go by and I was, like, ‘Hell, yeah.’ ”
The Rustlers more than doubled the Queens in shots (43-20), including a 9-3 margin in the first overtime. But, make no mistake, both teams were within a whisker of winning the gold-medal game.
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“Even despite the shots, it totally could have gone either way.” Lammers agreed. “Red Deer is really gritty. They really battle. They’re tough and they’re not afraid to throw the body out there, so that’s kind of tough for us.”
The Rustlers were up to the task, and they didn’t suffer the penalty trouble that dogged the Queens. Red Deer received eight minor penalties, while Lakeland was tagged with four. Most notably, the visitors served a penalty in each of the final three periods, and the hosts stayed out of the box during that time.
It was an ideal ending for the Rustlers, and especially for the graduating players like Lammers.
“This is all that I wanted for my final season, just to hold up that Cup one more time and get that gold medal,” the Outlook, Sask., native said after posing for pictures with family members and her boyfriend.
“I’ve applied to go to (University of Saskatchewan) next year to finish my commerce degree. I’m going to play in the U22 league next year, and hopefully senior after that. So, I’m not done hockey. I’m just done with my time here at Lakeland.”
At the same time, Lakeland life has
just begun for first-year Rustlers like hometown forward Ryann Rekimowich, beaming with excitement Sunday as she hugged her grandparents.
The ACAC final marked the second time in less than a year that Rekimowich has played in a major championship in her backyard. Last year, she captained the host Lloydminster Steelers in the Esso Cup U18 girls’ national championship at the Centennial Civic Centre. In the semifinals, the Steelers lost 1-0 in overtime to the eventual-champion Edmonton Junior Oilers.
“It’s hard to compare the two events, because both atmospheres were electric,” Rekimowich said. “We had the stands full for both. We have such a good community that supports us, so it was nice to see everyone come out for Esso Cup and this (ACAC championship).”
Rekimowich’s teammates with those Steelers included fellow college rookies Ashlyn Hinton of the Rustlers and Natalie Tychkowsky of the Queens.
After sitting out Friday’s home game, a 3-1 Lakeland victory, Rekimowich dressed for the Rustlers’ 5-1 win Saturday and the five-period marathon Sunday.
“For sure, I felt like I had a little more gas,” she said. “I feel like everyone had a little more gas, though, just with the atmosphere. Everyone gave it that extra, just with how supportive the crowd was.”
That crowd included many young fans, some of them minor hockey girls inspired by the Rustlers — and the Queens.
“We coached four camps this year, and we went out to a couple of practices, giving back to our community,” said Rekimowich, who turns 19 in May.
“Many of the participants in those camps were a big part of our crowd tonight and throughout the season.”
Fresh-faced Rustlers like Rekimowich have role models, too, within their own dressing room. One of them is ACAC scoring champion Keyra Buziak, who was named the most valuable player in the playoffs and the regular season.
“Keyra is my stallmate, so I’ve very much looked up to her,” Rekimowich said.
“She’s so positive in the room, always giving feedback. She’s a leader on the ice. She has great hands and skill.”
Buziak tallied twice in Saturday’s victory at Red Deer. Addison Eurich scored a goal and two assists, while Ava Cole and Alyssa Shaw had one of each.
Queens captain Kaedence Mollin netted the lone goal against Camphaug, who made 23 saves. The Rustlers directed 35 shots at Ward and her thirdperiod replacement, Elizabeth Campbell. At home Friday, Buziak’s two power-play goals were the difference in Lakeland’s first season-saving victory. Eurich opened the scoring. Red Deer’s goal came off the stick of Hannah Lundquist. Camphaug, a first-year Rustler with NCAA experience, recorded 23 saves, four more than Ward.
On the previous weekend, Red Deer prevailed 2-1 in overtime at home and away to take a 2-0 series lead.
Lakeland senior Claudia Lammers scored the winning goal in double overtime as the Rustlers defeated Red Deer 1-0 to win the ACAC title. John MacNeil Meridian Source
JOHN MacNEIL SPORTS EDITOR
“A packed house,” said Rogan, standing across the ice from Lakeland’s multiple championship banners. “It’s so great to see this arena (full), with people standing around the boards, supporting our program and supporting quality hockey. It was just a thing of beauty.
“I’m so happy that our gals won (the title) at home this year. They won it on the road last year, which is special, too. But winning at home adds a little extra speciality to it. Just in front of your family and friends and your home community, it’s great to win it at home.”
That sense of home was evident all night, as the crowd was loud, even as the tension grew during four-plus periods of scoreless hockey. Signs were prominent throughout the rink, and a drum sounded in support of the hometown Rustlers.
NATIONAL HEROICS
It’s fitting that the latest hockey championship came on the same weekend as the national heroics for the women’s volleyball Rustlers. Both of those Lakeland teams have distinguished themselves as elite programs in college athletics.
“Our women’s volleyball team had a great weekend of play,” Rogan reported about a national championship performance that included a 3-1 victory (17-25, 25-20, 28-26 and 25-22) over Quebec’s Lynx d’Édouard-Montpetit in the final.
“The first two matches (against host Providence and Humber), our team played extremely well, and we were probably the best team from start to finish. The gold-medal game was certainly a challenge — d’Édouard-Montpetit is an incredibly talented team. It was definitely a battle for our gals. We won in four, but every single set was a battle. Our girls dug deep, like they’ve been doing all year, and they were able to pull it out in the end. A true testament to their fortitude and their character and perseverance throughout the entire year.”
It was a particularly poignant weekend for the volleyball team’s three seniors — Avery Bates, Emma Jeffs and Seanna Trumier — all graduating as four-time national champions.
“Three incredible young ladies who dedicated their life to our program for five years,” Rogan said. “You can’t say enough about those three as leaders and as people. Just great human beings.”
While the past weekend belonged to the CCAA volleyball champions and the ACAC hockey goldmedallists, many other Lakeland athletes showed their school spirit and cheered from the sidelines, especially during the hockey final in Lloydminster.
“It’s two very special programs,” Rogan said. “We’ve got a ton of incredible student-athletes in our athletics program. These two teams are at the
Hopko earns nomination for AJHL’s top D-man
Lloydminster Bobcats’ hometown assistant captain Jaxan Hopko has been named one of four finalists for the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s outstanding-defenceman honours.
Hopko, 19, has had a breakout year in his third season with the Bobcats. He not only played all but one of 55 games, but he was also the team’s topscoring defenceman and a solid contributor at both ends of the rink.
He scored 12 goals and 40 points in 54 regular-season games.
Also nominated for the top-defenceman award are Quentin Bourne of the Whitecourt Wolverines, Taynton Lavender of the Drayton Valley Thunder and Tristan Payne of the Drumheller Dragons.
The major awards finalists for the 2025-26 season are:
Most valuable player — Maxwell Pendy, Bonnyville Pontiacs; Jalen Bianchet, Whitecourt Wolverines; Alex Scheiwiller, Canmore Eagles; and Taynton Lavender, Drayton Valley Thunder.
Top forward — Maxwell Pendy, Bonnyville Pontiacs; Jalen Bianchet, Whitecourt Wolverines; Harper LoLacher, Calgary Canucks; and Cohen Daoust, Canmore Eagles.
Rookie of the year — Gavin Harrison, Bonnyville Pontiacs; Tristan Slywka, Whitecourt Wolverines; Sullivan Humeniuk, Drumheller Dragons; and Jordin St. Louis, Olds Grizzlys.
Outstanding defenceman — Jaxan Hopko, Lloydminster Bobcats ; Quentin Bourne, Whitecourt Wolverines; Taynton Lavender, Drayton Valley Thunder; and Tristan Payne, Drumheller Dragons.
Top goaltender — Brendan Gee, Fort McMurray Oil Barons; Elliott Pratt, Whitecourt Wolverines; Alex Scheiwiller, Canmore Eagles; and Sean Cootes, Drumheller Dragons.
top of their game right now. Great ambassadors, which is probably even more important.”
Attending multiple championship events in the past month, Rogan witnessed that cross-sport support from various Rustlers teams.
“Our volleyball teams, we were up at three in the morning Alberta time (to travel home), they got here and had a bit of a nap and showed up to cheer on our women’s hockey team tonight,” Rogan said.
“Our basketball teams came down to Augustana to cheer on our volleyball team, and our hockey team comes out to support all the other clubs. It’s just one big family that supports each other. They know what it takes to win and be a team. It’s a team of individuals, but it’s also a team of 135 student-athletes supporting each other.”
Most dedicated player — Ryan Arnold, Fort McMurray Oil Barons; Zachary Wilson, Grande Prairie Storm; Junshi Hideshima, Camrose Kodiaks; and Aidan Tkachuk, Canmore Eagles.
Coach of the year — Chris Schmidt, Grande Prairie Storm; Shawn Martin, Whitecourt Wolverines; Andrew Milne, Canmore Eagles; and Kevin Hasselberg, Drumheller Dragons.
The Lakeland Rustlers are all smiles after winning a fourth straight CCAA women’s volleyball title. Submitted photo
JOHN MacNEIL SPORTS EDITOR
U17 AAA LANCERS SWEEP SHERWOOD PARK
The U17 AAA Lloydminster Lancers are one series win away from advancing to the Hockey Alberta provincials.
Continuing a productive second half of the season, the Lancers swept the Sherwood Park Squires last week in their best-of-three North Division quarter-final in the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL).
At home Saturday night at the Servus Sports Centre, the Lancers posted a 5-1 victory to eliminate Sherwood Park and advance to face the Southside Athletic Club Bulldogs in a North semifinal that doubles as a provincial qualifier.
The North and South semifinal winners join the host Parkland Athletic Club Saints of Spruce Grove in the five-team provincial championship tournament April 2-5.
Lloydminster opened the playoffs on the road last Wednesday with a 6-2 win at Sherwood Park.
This Wednesday, the Lancers were back in Edmonton as they visited Southside at Meadows East rink for Game 1 of their division semifinal.
Those teams face off in Lloyd at 7 p.m. Saturday at Holmes Arena in Servus, which is the Lancers’ regular practice facility.
If a third game is necessary, it would be played at 6 p.m. Sunday at Booster Juice Recreation Centre in Edmonton.
Seven points separated the North’s second-place Southside (20-9-5) and fifth-seeded Lloydminster (16-12-6) during the regular season. The clubs were 1-1 against each other.
It’s been a tale of two halves for the Lancers.
“We’ve had a great second half,” said Jason Ross, who coaches Lloydminster along with Chase McAllister and Scott Pratt. “We started the year 2-9-2. Most of the league had us written off. We were sitting 11th in the North.
“Then, we went on (an early December) road trip to Grande Prairie, won back-to-back up there, and had seven wins in a row (through Jan. 10) to get back to .500. Yeah, we’ve continued to climb the standings after that.”
MORE HOCKEY, MORE SCOUTS
It’s an opportune time for the Lancers and their U17 AAA contemporaries still in the playoff picture. The longer they play, they gain more exposure and possible opportunities at higher levels next season.
“Oh, for sure,” said Ross, who coached the junior B Lloydminster Bandits for five seasons.
“It’s a showcase for the players, going forward. So, the longer you’re on the ice and the longer you last in the playoffs, the more scouts that show up in the buildings, and they get more looks from scouting staffs to advance their career. The 18s’ coaches will be out watching, to build their team for next year, and junior teams (will be represented) in the rinks, too.
“It opens up all sorts of possibilities, especially if we make it to provincials.”
It was a positive scouting report on the Lancers
from last weekend’s series-clinching victory. They got the job done firmly on home ice and negated any need of a Sherwood Park trip for a third and deciding game Sunday afternoon.
Lloydminster goaltender Brayden Gramlich came within 35 seconds of shutting out the Squires. Keithen Murphy tallied a power-play goal for Sherwood Park just 39 seconds after Taythan Willis potted a short-handed, empty-net tally to give the Lancers a 5-0 lead.
“Yeah, I’ll even take the blame for that one,” Ross said about the lone Squires’ goal. “I called a kid off the ice on a line change, after he had gone by the bench, so we were playing 5-on-3 there for a bit and it cost us.”
Shutout or not, it was a solid 36-save performance for Gramlich, who returned to the lineup in a big way.
“Our goalie played well, for sure,” Ross said. “He had been sick all week, hadn’t been on the ice until Friday, so he missed Game 1 of the series.
“(Evan) Fedor played Game 1. He stood on his head and stopped 35 of 37 shots. He had a great game, after having a couple of tough ones. It was nice to see him get back in the groove, and Gramlich came in and stopped them for the second game.”
Willis and defenceman Grier Pahtayken each scored a goal and an assist for Lloydminster in Game 2. Jaxon Skarsen, Easton Carfantan and Shaun Going had the other Lloyd goals.
The Lancers fired 33 shots at Squires goaltender Austin Kamp.
In the series-opener, Lancers captain Jack Teasdale and Hunter Prybysh each collected a goal
At
and two assists, while Going had one of each. Kaleb Hozack and Dextyn Vasseur, with an empty-netter, also scored for Lloyd.
Robert Black and Nick Kaminsky replied for Sherwood Park. The Squires’ Adrian Ferro and the Lancers’ Fedor each faced 37 shots.
Lloydminster has benefited from balanced scoring during its playoff push.
“In the Sherwood Park series, honestly, everybody was clicking,” Ross reported. “We pretty much rolled four lines, except when we got in a little bit of penalty trouble in the second game.”
In the opening contest, he said, the statistics showed that the ice time for each of the Lancers’ lines was within three minutes of each other.
“I think that’s where our strong suit is. We’ve got a lot of team depth, with a lot of spread-out scoring. Shaun Going was our leading goal-scorer by far this year, but in the same token, we had other guys down the lineup putting pucks in on a regular basis. So, that definitely helps, when you can score lines 1 through 4.
“Actually, the line that’s designated as the fourth line has been contributing the most down the stretch.”
Hozack, Jordan Beattie and Gage McKnight comprise that so-called fourth line, “but they’re our energy line and they put the puck in the net,” Ross said. “McKnight is a little smaller, slight of frame, but he’s a skilled forward, and Beattie and Hozack are workhorses, so they’re a great combination.”
The Lancers gained more depth with the addition of the top two scorers from the U18 AA Lakeland Panthers — Skarsen and Vasseur — after that team’s season finished.
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The Lloydminster Lancers, including captain Jack Teasdale (left) and Jordan Beattie (No. 20, right), have advanced to the second round of the Alberta Elite Hockey League U17 AAA playoffs. John MacNeil Meridian Source photos
JOHN MacNEIL SPORTS EDITOR
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Sunday, March 22, 2026
Rev. George Mafuleka and Ben Nutbrown Nursery and Sunday School
Lent 5 Worship Service
Annual General Meeting after worship. Lunch shall be served.
Nancy (Howard) Mehain; Grandchildren, Katie, Ian, Rhea, Keith, Kim, Kristal, Janel, Michaela, Jillian and Sean; Great-grandchildren, Elizabeth, Victoria, Donovan, Lilianna, Genevieve, Frances, Gadsby, Griffin and Cooper
Passed away in Lloydmin ster at the age of 97 years Norman is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Brigitte Gadsby; Children, Randy (Debbie) Gadsby, Tom Gadsby (Judy), Shelley Gadsby, Michael (Janice) Gadsby, and
As well as numerous nieces, nephews and friends. Norman is predeceased by his parents, Harold and Edith Gadsby, Brother Fred Gadsby, and Sister-in-law Hedy. A Celebration of life for Norman Gadsby will be held on April 4, 2026 from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Fort Pitt Hall Donations in Memory of Norman may be made to the charity of your choice.
Obituary of Norman Gadsby
On Sunday January 4, 2026 Mr. Harold "Norman" Gadsby Passed away in Lloydminster at the age of 97 years
Norman is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Brigitte Gadsby; Children, Randy (Debbie) Gadsby, Tom Gadsby (Judy), Shelley Gadsby, Michael (Janice) Gadsby, and Nancy (Howard) Mehain; Grandchildren, Katie, Ian, Rhea, Keith, Kim, Kristal, Janel, Michaela, Jillian and Sean; Great-grandchildren, Elizabeth, Victoria, Donovan, Lilianna, Genevieve, Frances, Gadsby, Griffin and Cooper
As well as numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
Ogilvie in Regina, SK. Her dad passed when she was 14 and she dedicated herself to graduate high school, work and help raise her two brothers.
In high school, she was the Editor of the school newspaper and a singer in the Saskatchewan Golden Jubilee Choir. She entered the Nursing program at Regina General Hospital and graduated in 1958. She met Jim Cross on a blind date and married June 1959. After stops in North Battleford and Prince Albert and extending the family with Dale, Cindy, Glen and Cory, they settled in Lloyd minster in 1973.
Jo nursed at the Lloydmin ster Clinic for 24 years, and was known for her empathy
Norman is predeceased by his parents, Harold and Edith Gadsby, Brother Fred Gadsby, and Sister-in-law Hedy.
A Celebration of life for Norman Gadsby will be held on April 4, 2026 from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Fort Pitt Hall
Donations in Memory of Norman may be made to the charity of your choice.
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