Thursday, September 25, 2025
Chris’ A-Z: ‘Council finally came out of the sewage closet’
I might be up on my soapbox, but it always amazes me seeing governments slowly stumble through key issues.
Luckily today, I’m not talking about modern-day Lloydminster. Instead, I can finally wrap up my sewage saga and visit 1979, where I finally have a more definitive timeline as to a dispute with the city and farmers.
Farmers east of Lloydminster and the city had been at odds for some time regarding the issue of what to do with sewage.
It was simple, farmers wanted a mechanical plant to be built, the city leaned toward an aerated lagoon.
The actual timeline was rather difficult to piece together. The amount of people who took credit for the sewage issue being fixed was surprisingly more than two.
It was such a hot topic that it became part of what the outgoing mayor of the time, Russ Robertson, would boast about during his campaign trail in 1979. He said it was his council that solved the sewage issue and was making headway on the water crisis.
In early October, it was reported that council decided to adopt an aerated lagoon that would be discharging into the Big Gully Creek. Having two publications in the city at the time gave two different views of what was going on. It seemed The Lloydminster Times focused on it quite heavily post-election with the new council helmed by Mayor Kay Matheson.
The farmers east of the city feared ecological damage from the aerated lagoon and often spoke out against the plan.
This new council is where the stumbling seemed to begin on this issue. While the previous council paid it little mind as they were about to head into an election cycle, for the newly elected individuals it was front and centre.
Saskatchewan Environment said they wanted this resolved or they’d halt all development, threatening to withhold approvals for further sewage and water-line extensions. They said they’d be willing to shut down the city’s current sewage system until it was resolved.
The Times reported the squabbling had been going on for months, but Matheson said she wasn’t aware of the feud, despite being a councillor in the previous term.
“I think there were times when we could have been possibly alerted a little sooner and with more emphasis put on the problem,” she said in a Times article.
The city refused to make any information about the project public and didn’t want it to be talked about. Farmers, at a public meeting, said it would cost more than $8 million for the project, a stark increase over the originally proposed $2.4 million. The city, in an attempt to stifle the farmers, asked them to not speak publicly about the proposal.
After many meetings in a single week, the only information released by the city was a short press release.
“The city had proposed to build a new sewage-treatment facility including piping of the treated effluent to the North Saskatchewan River,” read a news release signed by Matheson and council.
A letter was written from the RM of Britannia supporting the city’s proposal, as long as the city restores the old lagoon site to farmland. A letter that Matheson was happy to see.
Thus ended the sewage saga, a new lagoon was in the works, the province was off their case and everyone lived happily ever after.
Oh ya, the title, I didn’t write that, I wish I did, it was a lede from The Times.
Gray Matters: How many standoffs does it take?
The federal Liberal government has had years to fix Canada’s broken bail system, and yet, here we are. Another standoff. Another neighbourhood shaken, and once again, the public is left asking: how is someone like Jesse Dillon allowed to be at large in our community?
Last week’s standoff didn’t take place in an area known for trouble. It was a well-off, middle-to-high-class neighbourhood. Residents noticed traffic coming and going but no one connected the dots until police arrived. The takeaway from this is, if you see something, say something. It can help keep your community safe.
Under Canada’s bail system, judges are supposed to ensure an accused shows up for court, doesn’t endanger the public and won’t commit more
crimes while awaiting trial. Dillon’s record is a clear warning. He has faced serious charges before, breached court orders and was mistakenly previously released, only to remain at large for more than a year. How many chances must one get, how many standoffs must occur before public safety becomes the priority it’s supposed to be?
Enough is enough. These repeated failures are not theoretical; they put families, children and entire communities at immediate risk. It’s past time for decisive action. The government must enforce stricter bail conditions, improve court accountability and ensure high-risk offenders are not released while gaps in the court process remain unaddressed.
These failures continue daily and danger to our population grows. I’ve spoken with numerous police officers who are just as frustrated with the rotating doors of justice as the public; the system is failing them, too.
Some might misinterpret Dillon’s Indigenous background as a reason for leniency. The reality is, bail decisions hinge on risk, history and public safety, not skin colour.
Ryan Arnold of the Fort McMurray Oil Barons lines up against Lloydminster Bobcats’ captain Kade Fendelet during AJHL season-opening action at the Cenovus Energy Hub, where the teams split their games Sept. 19 and 20. John MacNeil Meridian Source
Cinq-Mars counts pair on opening night
HUB HOCKEY HISTORY FROM PAGE 13
Cinq-Mars, six-foot-two and 200 pounds, might not have envisioned his two-goal night in the season-opening victory. Not to mention his Hub historymaking marker. It all amounted to plenty of good news when he called home later that night for his daily chat with his family.
“Oh yeah, it’s really special,” said Cinq-Mars, who scored three goals and 25 points in 55 games with the Blizzard and the OJHL’s Niagara Falls Canucks.
“Last year, I didn’t have a lot of goals, so starting this year strong was really important for me. And the fact that it was the first (Bobcats) goal in the new Hub, it was special, that’s for sure.”
For his offensive outburst in his AJHL debut, Cinq-Mars might have drawn on his forward-thinking instincts as a former centre. He played up front until three or four years ago, and he deduces that his switch to defence during his QMJHL draft year might have contributed to him not being selected.
Either way, he’s fitting in well on defence.
“I really like it,” he said.
PART OF CAPTAINCY GROUP
On and off the ice, Cinq-Mars has made an early impact as a Bobcat. He was the lone newcomer named to the captaincy group, which includes fellow assistant captains Gus El-Tahhan, Jaxan Hopko and Lucas Magowan and captain Kade Fendelet.
His inclusion is a measure of the respect that Labrosse and company have for Cinq-Mars.
“Esteban is someone that does everything at 100 per cent, whether it’s off-ice training (or) on-ice practices and games,” Labrosse said. “He’s very dedicated and passionate about what he does. When you look at him, he’s always doing the right things. For his first game in the AJHL, it turned out well for him — he scored two goals. That’s not the reason why we brought him here. I didn’t bring him here for his offence. It did turn out for that game, but I brought him here for his defensive play and how good he is in one-on-one battles versus opponents. Yeah, a hot start to his first game in the AJHL.”
Bobcats gain D-man Keeler, forward Robertson
Typical of the early going, roster shuffling continued as the Lloydminster Bobcats opened their Alberta Junior Hockey League regular season.
New defenceman Quinn Keeler arrived in time for practice last Thursday, Sept. 18, the day before the Bobcats’ inaugural game at the new Cenovus Energy Hub.
Keeler, a 19-year-old Calgarian, played in the BCHL last season with the Cranbrook Bucks. He joined Lloydminster after a pre-season stint with Cranbrook this month.
“He’s a player that we’re familiar with from the Calgary Royals organization,” said Nigel Dube, the Bobcats’ general manager. “Obviously, he went west last year.
“Our scouting staff do a great job of following players and having those notes, so if somebody becomes available, you can look back (and check his credentials). We talk about it a lot, it’s not only the player but the person, so we knew a lot about Quinn’s character. Also, he’s close to (Bobcats forward) Kael Screpnek. They played together two years ago (with the U18 AAA Royals).”
TIMELY ARRIVAL
Keeler stepped into Lloyd’s lineup for both weekend home games as the Bobcats split with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons, a 4-2 win Friday and a 4-0 loss Saturday.
His arrival was timely, because the Bobcats were missing two returning defencemen in Dylan Deets and Noah Smith. Deets, 17, was injured soon after his return from a WHL tryout with the Moose Jaw Warriors. Smith, 18, is recovering from off-season surgery. He’s projected to be out of action until at least mid-October.
“Keeler brings some experience back there,” Dube said. “You’ve got a couple of veteran players that are in the stands right now, and maybe for some time, so he adds a little bit of steadiness and some calmness as well.”
Bobcats coach Eric Labrosse saw those qualities — and more — in Keeler during both games on the weekend.
“I think he brought us what we were expecting,” Labrosse said. “He brought some stability on our D squad, having some experience from the BCHL last year. He’s a righty, which are hard to find sometimes, to have a (right-shot) defenceman. He has that experience, so he helped us.
“I thought he did exactly what I expected of him. He broke out pucks well. He was able to sustain some offence from the blueline, also. So, overall,
I was happy with his weekend.”
Keeler and his buddy Screpnek assisted on Matthew Hikida’s power-play goal in Friday’s opening-night victory.
OHA PREP SNIPER
The Bobcats have also added to their forward depth with the arrival of Tucker Robertson, who most recently spent the pre-season in the BCHL with the Trail Smoke Eaters.
The 18-year-old native of West Kelowna, B.C., scored 23 goals and 54 points in 36 games last season with Okanagan Hockey Academy’s U18 prep team.
Lloydminster scouts tracked his progress during his three years with OHA’s U16, U17 and U18 prep clubs.
Robertson was slated to hit the ice with the Bobcats for the first time at practice Monday, Sept. 22.
GOYETTE GOES HOME
Dube said Robertson would provide skill up the middle, especially with the sudden departure of Quebec major junior recruit Loic Goyette just days before the regular season.
“He chose to go back home,” the GM said about Goyette, who turns 20 in October.
“Yeah, a surprise, for sure. (Here) a couple of days and gone back. But we’ll move forward with the guys that want to be here and work toward our common goals.”
Goyette played three-plus seasons in the QMJHL, but after leaving Lloydminster he wasn’t expected to return to major junior for his overage year, Dube said.
“No, I think he’s going to look to pursue other things in life, outside of hockey.”
BOOST FOR LANCERS
Among other roster changes at the end of the pre-season, Lloyd moved 19-year-old defenceman Charlie Stucke back to the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, where he played the past two years.
On the local front, 17-year-old defence prospect Rhett Romanchuk was returned to the U18 AAA Lloydminster Lancers after an extended pre-season stay with the Bobcats. He’s overcoming an injury as he prepares for the opening of the Lancers’ regular season Oct. 4. They finish their exhibition schedule this weekend with a tournament in Devon.
Past and potentially future Bobcats began the WHL regular season last weekend.
Red Deer goaltender Matthew Kondro made 39 saves in the Rebels’ 4-1 loss to the host
Edmonton Oil Kings on Saturday. The Bobcats acquired Kondro’s AJHL rights in an August trade with the Drumheller Dragons. He turns 18 in December.
Kondro might become available now that Red Deer has regained the services of Chase Wutzke, the 19-year-old goaltender who just this week signed with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.
In his WHL debut, Calgary forward Ty Hynes picked up an assist in the visiting Hitmen’s 5-3 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Friday.
The 17-year-old Hynes, who has family roots in Lloydminster, signed with the Bobcats after attending their spring prospects camp. This week, however, the Hitmen announced the signing of Hynes to a WHL deal.
MOORE MAKES MAGICAL DEBUT
Cooper Moore, the Bobcats’ rookie sensation last season, continues to make strides with the major junior Kamloops Blazers. In his first WHL regular-season game, the 19-year-old forward scored the winning goal shorthanded Saturday as host Kamloops defeated the Spokane Chiefs 6-4. A week earlier, Moore signed with the Blazers after performing well in the pre-season.
“It was incredible,” Moore said about his WHL regular-season opener. “You dreamed of playing in the league as a kid, so to see it come true and to experience that was great. Also, it was amazing to get that first goal and first win of the season. Hopefully, lots more to come of both.”
HUB’S OPENING NIGHT ‘UNREAL’
Lloydminster was abuzz Friday as 1,827 fans showed up for the first official game at the Hub. The Bobcats had just moved into the new arena the previous week, after staging training camp and most of the pre-season at the venerable Centennial Civic Centre.
“Great work by everybody on the team to put it together,” Dube said on opening night. “From our ticketing (crew) to all our volunteers, making sure everything worked smoothly.
“We worked within the means of what we had tonight, and I thought our team executed a gameday operation like no other, for the first real kick at the can here in the building. The support was unreal, and what a turnout. That’s a big part. If we can do that every game here, what an exciting place it will be.”
It was a tough act to follow Saturday night, but attendance for the second game still eclipsed the 1,000-fan mark. The count was 1,042, for a two-game weekend total of 2,869.
While the Lloydminster Bobcats have lost the likes of Cooper Moore (left) to the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers, the AJHL team has just landed Quinn Keeler (middle) and Tucker Robertson (right).
JOHN MacNEIL SPORTS EDITOR
Raiders run football record to 4-0
JOHN MacNEIL SPORTS EDITOR
As the calendar turns toward prime time for fall football, the Holy Rosary Raiders remain on a roll in Alberta high school action.
The Lloydminster-based school ran its record to 4-0 last Saturday (Sept. 20) at Jasper Place Bowl in Edmonton, posting a 21-0 victory over the St. Joseph’s Celtics of Grande Prairie.
“The game on Saturday was a very good high school football game,” said Raiders coach Vince Orieux. “It was fast and physical and well-played by both teams.
“Our offensive line played well as a group. It’s hard to single anyone out from that group, but they were dominant.”
Orieux credited running back Kostas Mavridis for playing a solid game.
“We were able to sustain some long drives, with the (offensive) line and Kostas working well together.”
KEY INTERCEPTION
On the defensive side, Holy Rosary’s Denem Weber had an interception for a game-breaking touchdown.
“That really set the tone for the game,” said Orieux, who praised his Raiders for their commitment week after week.
“The kids are focused every week on their next opponent. They know the important games are coming when we get into league play. The goal is to get better each week.”
The win over St. Joseph’s (3-2) marked Holy Rosary’s second shutout victory in as many weeks,
including a 43-0 decision against the Foothills Composite Falcons of Okotoks.
“Our quarterback, JR Howdle, had a very good game last week,” Orieux said after that contest. “He was able to spread the ball around and keep the opposing defence off balance.
“The offensive line is instrumental in the team’s success, and they played well as a group (against Foothills Composite). Running backs and receivers made plays when called upon. Overall,
it was a good team effort.
“The team is off to a good start. There is lots of room for improvement in all three phases of the game, but we are happy with the progress the team is making.”
Weber, one of the Raiders’ seniors, also likes what he has seen in the early stages of the season.
“The team has some good chemistry going and I think we’re going to have a great season,” he said.
OLDS UP NEXT
Ranked atop the 3A category in Alberta high school football, the Raiders are right back in action this week when they face the Olds Spartans at 4 p.m. Thursday at Great Chief Park in Red Deer.
Fifth-ranked Olds sports a 2-2 record after blanking the Highwood Mustangs of High River 45-0 last week.
Football Alberta has billed the matchup between Olds and Holy Rosary as the 3A high school game of the week.
“The Olds Spartans have been down this road before,” reads the latest weekly report from the provincial association. “Always a solid 3A team, they have scheduled an aggressive non-conference schedule this year against ranked 3A opponents. Their first two non-conference forays were excellent football games but saw the Spartans come up short to both Sylvan Lake and Willow Creek.
“Olds is hoping third time is the charm this week but has an even tougher challenge in the No. 1ranked Holy Rosary Raiders from Lloydminster.”
All four Holy Rosary wins have come on the road. Its home field continues to undergo major reconstruction to make way for artificial turf.
Holy Rosary senior Denem Weber likes what he has seen in the Raiders thus far. John MacNeil Meridian Source
As evaluations and cuts continued, the Lancers weren’t reading too much into those early results.
Lancers forward Gavin Pratt saw encouraging signs as prospects pushed for roster spots.
Pratt believes Lloydminster played its best game of the weekend on Sunday (Sept. 14) in its Hub debut, even though it was a 6-1 loss to the swiftskating U18 prep team from OHA Edmonton.
“Today, we were definitely playing well as a team, better than the first two (games),” he said Sunday.
“The two games before were kind of more physical, I’d say. Today was a little less physical, a little more quick. I think we just had a couple of mistakes that ended up in the back of our net. We didn’t capitalize when we could have.”
The Lancers opened their pre-season schedule with a pair of road games against two of their AEHL contemporaries — a 4-1 loss to the Edmonton Junior Oilers Orange on Friday night and a 3-2 setback against the St. Albert Raiders on Saturday afternoon.
In front of a few hundred fans Sunday at the Hub, Lloyd’s first U18 AAA goal in the flashy new rink came from 15-year-old centre Brody Sunderland. He connected with fellow Kitscoty native Pratt, along with Ace Brewer, to even the score at 1-1 midway through the first period.
Sunderland, a Spokane Chiefs’ prospect, centered a creative line with Pratt and Lloydminster resident Kael Scott, a Calgary Hitmen draft choice who was facing some of his friends from his previous program, OHA Edmonton.
The academy team received a goal and two assists each from forward Bronsyn Mouille and Lethbridge Hurricanes’ defence prospect Liam McFadden.
Pratt led the U17 AAA Lancers in scoring last year, with 19 goals and 35 points in 34 games. Stepping up to U18 AAA, he welcomed the opportunity to play alongside young guns Sunderland and Scott.
“They’re definitely good,” said Pratt, 16. “They’ve
got the size to them and the skill and the IQ. They know what they’re doing out there.
“It’s going well. I’m prepared to earn everything and get all the opportunity I can.”
Sunderland and Pratt attend grades 10 and 11, respectively, at Kitscoty High School, while Scott is a 10th grader at Lloydminster Comprehensive.
Sunderland is a year younger than Pratt, who figured it’s been a long time since they played together.
“Brody is a 2010-born player, so I played atom with him for one year, when he affiliated with us,” Pratt said. “I didn’t play with him much, (but) I’ve known him forever.”
Sunderland and Pratt are from the same hometown as the U18 AAA Lancers’ new coach, Chris King, who has Kitscoty roots.
In preparing for his graduation to the top U18 level this season, Pratt attended spring and summer training camps with the junior A Lloydminster Bobcats. He and fellow Lancers forward Logan Flewell of Paradise Valley were linemates when they dressed for the Bobcats in their Sept. 1 exhibition game at the Centennial Civic Centre.
Last spring, Pratt and Flewell represented their respective schools — Kitscoty and E.H. Walter — in the Alberta high school badminton provincials.
Both of those players scored for the Lancers in the one-goal loss at St. Albert, which is where Sunderland played U15 AAA hockey last winter.
Asher Halliday’s power-play goal with less than five minutes left gave the Raiders the victory.
In Friday’s kickoff game, the lone Lloydminster goal came from newcomer Ty Domshy, a 2008born forward from St. Albert. His power-play tally was assisted by fellow 17-year-old forward Carson Mazzei, who collected two assists on the weekend.
Brayden Gramlich, Stran Edge, Reo Martin and Lewis Schieve tended Lloydminster’s net throughout the weekend, during which the Lancers outshot their opponents in two of the three games.
Three Barons tee up at provincial golf championships
Drew Mazzei led the way as three members of the Lloydminster Comprehensive Barons’ golf team qualified for the Saskatchewan high school championships.
Mazzei posted a tournament-best low score of 76 during the district championships last Thursday (Sept. 18) in Meadow Lake.
Grade 11 student Graydon Moore and Grade 10 classmates Mazzei and Tylan Ducherer recorded provincial-qualifying scores in individual play at the district championships.
That trio, along with senior Matthew Bailey, won the team event at Meadow Lake.
Barons coach Danielle Crossley said this Tuesday that Ducherer isn’t available to attend provincials this weekend, so Bailey is joining Mazzei and Moore as Lloyd Comp representatives.
Mazzei’s older brother Carson, a Grade 12 student now busy playing elite hockey, was the Barons’ golfer of the year last season.
Among the six golfers who represented Lloyd Comp in the district championships last week were Mathew Christensen (Grade 11) and Alex Dennett (Grade 10).
“It was a very successful day at districts,” said coach Crossley.
The Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association provincial championships are slated for this Friday and Saturday (Sept. 26 and 27) at the Kenosee golf course near Carlyle, Sask.
JOHN MacNEIL SPORTS EDITOR
Barons make progress despite defeat
JOHN MacNEIL
The youthful Lloydminster Comprehensive Barons began their North Saskatchewan Football League regular season on a losing note at home last Friday, but they narrowed the learning curve in the process.
On a fine Sept. 19 evening, the Martensville Royals came to Lloydminster and defeated the Barons 31-6 in senior high school play.
It was the second time in three weeks that Martensville was victorious against Lloyd Comp, including a 31-24 exhibition decision in the Saskatoon bedroom community. That Sept. 5 game wasn’t decided until the last minute.
After two tight losses in pre-season action, the Barons faced a formidable foe in their homeopener last week against the Royals.
“The boys played hard for one another,” said Lloydminster Comprehensive coach Kieran Link. “A lot of young players got their first regularseason action, so it was a learning experience. Their effort was there.”
Barons first-string quarterback Joe Kelly, a Grade 10 student, scored a rushing touchdown and led the team in passing and rushing.
Rylan Anderson, a Grade 11 student, was the Barons’ leader in tackling.
Link said Grade 10 rookie Jaxson Hakansson and 11th grader Raynar Larsson “played hard on the defensive line.”
The Barons are on the road this week as they visit the St. Mary Marauders on Friday for a 6:30 p.m. game in Prince Albert.
“St. Mary is a run-first team,” Link advised. “They have a running quarterback, so we will have to do our best to be gap sound and tackle well in space. Their team is well-coached, so we will have to do the fundamentals of blocking and tackling well.”
Those lessons have been most applicable this season as Lloyd Comp has fielded a young team trying to punch above its weight at the senior high school level.
In both of their exhibition games, the Barons were in the thick of the action in the late going, despite the defeats.
In their Sept. 12 game at Saskatoon, the Barons showed fight right until the end of a 21-15 loss to the Marion Graham Falcons.
“We were down 15-3 at the half and battled back to tie the game late in the fourth quarter,” Link reported after that matchup.
“On the third down on the last play of the game, they threw a touchdown pass to win the game. The young (Lloyd Comp) team showed resilience in the second half, battling back from a two-score deficit.”
Barons’ QB Kelly scored two rushing touchdowns. Carson Krchov, a senior, had a field goal.
The next home game for the senior Barons is at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, against the North Battleford Comprehensive Vikings.
On Thursday, Oct. 9, the Carlton Crusaders of Prince Albert visit Lloydminster for a 6:30 game.
Quarterback Joe Kelly (9) and the Lloyd Comp Barons hosted Martensville on Sept 19. Dan Gray Meridian Source
SPORTS EDITOR
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