August 3, 2023 Digital Issue

Additional Doctors Coming to Martensville Collective Health and Wellness

Martensville Collective Health and Wellness (MCHW) along with the City of Martensville are pleased to announce upcoming changes for physician services in the community, including the arrival of a new doctor who completed a residency in the United States.

Dr. Kira Schaab will officially be joining the MCHW in August. Dr. Schaab is originally from Yorkton and completed her Bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Science at McGill University before receiving her medical degree at the University of Medicine and Health Sciences in St. Kitts. She recently completed her Family Medicine residency Training at the University of Wyoming and will be looking forward to practicing outpatient family medicine and obstetrics.

Dr. Schaab is joined in Martensville by her husband Matthew and 18-monthold daughter and are looking forward to establishing themselves in the area. Dr. Schaab said, “After so much time away, we are looking forward to putting down roots and finding our forever community. We knew we wanted to be back in Saskatchewan, near friends and family and upon meeting the team at the Martensville clinic we knew this is where we wanted to be, so thanks to Dr. Adamus and the City of Martensville for helping bring us here”.

Mayor Kent Muench is pleased to see another doctor come to the community and wished the best to Dr. Schaab and her family as they arrive back in the Province.

Muench noted, “We were excited at the opportunity to work with our local clinic to add a doctor who considers Saskatchewan home. Doctor recruitment is a challenge, but we will continue to do what we can and work with our health providers and the SHA to continue to enhance healthcare in our community and region”.

Dr. Allison Adamus is pleased to have Dr. Schaab join the team at Martensville Collective Health and Wellness, “We are grateful to the City of Martensville for working alongside us to bring Dr. Schaab back to her home province, and more importantly, to our community. In addition to Dr. Schaab, we are also pleased to formally announce that Dr. Brigid Von Dewitz and Dr. Vanessa Leung Shing will be joining our team in August. Both Dr. Von Dewitz and Dr. Leung Shing have worked with us in the past and we are honored to have them both choose our clinic and our community as their workplace”.

The new doctors will join Dr. Amanda Walker and Dr. Lanre Okunola to bring the total to five practicing physicians by fall at MCHW, with Dr. Adamus overseeing the clinic and business operations and providing intermittent medical services, while maintaining her role with the Saskatchewan Health Authority as co-Area Department Lead of Family Medicine for the Saskatoon Area.

Upcoming announcements around the intake of patients and additional services at MCHW will be provided to the public at a later date.

Summer Market Offers Variety of Vendors

Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger

The Farmer's Market was busy Saturday, July 29th, with a variety of vendors, such as fruit trucks, vegetables from Petter Farms, Elaine’s Glass Art Creations, Roadhouse Knife and Tool, and Collectic Crystals by Cindy Hogan to name a few.

The Martensville Fire Department also made an appearance from 12 – 1 to promote bike helmet safety. Anyone who came down with their bikes to the market wearing a bike helmet was given free coupons from members of the Martensville Fire Department that were donated by local businesses in Martensville.

Each week when you visit the farmer’s market, you get a chance to win $25 to spend at the market when you enter your name in their draw. Make sure you follow their Facebook page – Martensville Summer Market, to see the vendors that come out each Saturday, from 10am – 2pm at the corner of 3rd Street North and Centennial Drive (beside The Medicine Shoppe).

ABOVE: Collective Crystals by Cindy Hogan

Residential Fire - Related Regulations

Martensville Fire Department would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to take care and be mindful of the regulations for Residential Outdoor Fire Pits, Barbeques, and Fireworks to ensure the safety of themselves and others in our community.

Regulations include:

Fires must be contained within a non-combustible fire box constructed of material such as cement, brick or metal and covered with a heavy gauge screen and be at least 3m from combustible materials (fences, buildings etc)

- The burning of rubbish, leaves or clippings is prohibited

- Outdoor fires must be supervised and should be extinguished when finished

Keep a garden hose, pails of water or a source to extinguish a fire nearby

No permit is required for private fireworks display but those fireworks must be set off in a manner that would not create danger or nuisance to neighbors

- No person under the age of 18 shall set off fireworks

- Ensure you have the civic address of your residence prominently displayed in the event of fire or emergency; this is to ensure responders can clearly identify your home

For a complete list of regulations please visit martensville.ca or contact the Fire Department.

Organics/Green Bin Program is Underway

The City of Martensville offers a Green Bin program through Loraas Organics. This service is by subscription.

Pick-up of the Green Bins will have regular scheduled bi-weekly collection alternating between North/South Martensville and commenced in May and runs until the end of October

Pick-up takes place on Tuesdays.

The pick-up schedule can be viewed at Martensville.ca

For information or to sign up for this program contact the Utility Clerk at City Hall.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day – August 19th

The City of Martensville will be holding a Hazardous Household Waste (HHW) Collection Day on Saturday, August 19, 2023, from 9:30am to 3:30pm in the parking lot of the Martensville Sports Centre.

This event will give residents of Martensville the opportunity to dispose of a variety of hazardous household waste and chemicals that cannot be disposed of in the regular garbage or recycling collection. Improper disposal of hazardous household waste can result in contamination of the environment, including waterways and greenspaces within the City. Visit Martensville.ca, under waste and recycling for a full list of items that can be disposed of at HHW Collection Day.

Landscaping or Working on your Property this Summer?Things You Should Know

To eliminate damages to public properties, the City has created the Access to Private Property Through Open Spaces Bylaw.

Permit required - Any person or business that will be driving a vehicle or equipment over city open space to access private property are now required to apply for a permit before gaining access. A permit is also required if the work will require storage of material or equipment in an open area.

If you require access to your property through a public space, buffer or park, please contact City Hall before doing so.

Please consult the Bylaw for more information or contact City Hall if you have questions before starting your project.

August Council Meeting Dates

Please Note: Council Meetings may be attended in person, guests may wear a mask if desired within Council Chambers. Those still wishing to attend but would wish to do so virtually should contact the City Clerk or visit the online agenda for the link to attend.

August 8th – Committee of the Whole August 15th – Regular Council Meeting

All Meetings are located at Martensville City Hall Council Chambers - Martensville City Hall - 37 Centennial Dr. S.All meetings commence at 5 PM.

Those wishing to address or do a presentation to Council must be placed on the agenda. To be placed on the agenda please contact the City Clerk’s office at City Hall or visit the website for details.

The full Council and Committee of the Whole Schedule can be obtained at martensville.ca

Reminder to Clean-Up after Our Pets

Please be reminded to clean up after our pets on the pathways and the off-leash dog park. The mess can be potentially harmful to other pets, exposing them to parvovirus and these public spaces are for everyone to enjoy. Remember to bring along a baggy or use one of the baggy stations located along the pathways and dispose of the mess properly.

Recreation Program Update

The Fall Program Guide is now available on Martensville.ca and will hit local mailboxes on August 11th. View the guide to see what programs and events are coming up this Fall.

Warman

RCMP Ask

Public for Assistance in Locating Theft Suspect

On July 29, 2023 at 2:45am, a lone male entered a business on the 300 block of Central Street in Warman and walked out with a community charity donation box and a confectionary item. This incident was captured on security camera and the still shots are attached. Warman RCMP are looking to identify this male and are asking anyone with information to contact them.

The Fall Monster Garage Sale takes place on September 15th -16th. The registration fee is $5 and includes your address listed on the flyer along with the map of Martensville, balloons, and a Monster Garage Sale sign. Flyers will be available for pick up at gas stations, the MAP, and City Hall.

Culture Days is September 22-October 15th. Culture Days is FREE to attend, and offers fun and engaging activities – both in-person and digital - suited to all ages and abilities.

Full schedule of Culture Days events will be coming in August.

$50 Million Passing Lanes Project Complete on Highway 16

Major safety improvements on Highway 16 have been completed. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held to commemorate completion of the final set of passing lanes which have opened near Saltcoats.

"The Yellowhead highway is a major transportation corridor that is used to move people and goods across the province," Highway's Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “With the expanding canola crushing facilities in the area, there are a lot of large trucks traveling through the area and we’re taking steps to move that traffic safely and efficiently. These passing lanes allow drivers to pass slower moving vehicles safely.”

The multi-year passing lanes project extends from Clavet, east of Saskatoon to the Saskatchewan/Manitoba border, east of Yorkton. This highway safety project was a key investment in Saskatchewan's $2 billion stimulus program during the global pandemic to help drive economic recovery. In all, 26 passing lanes and multiple intersection upgrades were constructed.

"As representatives of Saskatchewan truck transport, we are pleased to see investments in the highway network that assist the movement of trucks and most importantly ones designed to improve the safety for our professional drivers," Saskatchewan Trucking Association President Susan Ewart said. "The passing lanes and intersection enhancements will be welcome by our members."

Passing lanes are typically a minimum of two kilometres (km) and allow drivers to pass slower moving vehicles safely.

If you're planning to travel, check the Highway Hotline at https://www. saskatchewan.ca/highwayhotline , which provides up-to-date information on construction, emergency road closures, the status of ferries, barges and other road activities. Information is also available by calling 5-1-1.

The Government of Saskatchewan is improving 1,000 km of provincial highways this year. This keeps the province on track to meet the Growth Plan goal to build and upgrade 10,000 km of highways over 10 years. The Government of Saskatchewan has invested more than $12 billion in highways infrastructure since 2008, improving more than 19,400 km of Saskatchewan highways.

ABOVE:The Sask Five Giants U13 AAA team placed second in the city championship finals this past weekend, which took place in Saskatoon at Geoff Hughes Diamond. The team had a successful season, placing first in the Sherwood Park and Saskatoon AAA Open Tournaments and second at a the Melville tournament, earning them the first place position in the league. They are now preparing for provincials. (Sask Five Giants U13 AAA)

Great Western Brewing Company Contributes $300,000 to the Martensville Recreation Centre

Great Western Brewing Company (GWBC) announced its $300,000 contribution to the Lace ‘Em Up Campaign for the new Martensville Recreation Centre.

City of Martensville Council, along with representatives from the Martensville Community Recreation Project (MCRP), gathered to celebrate this contribution and thank GWBC for its support of the new $44.5 million facility that will provide space for recreation, community and cultural gatherings in the region.

“Great Western has a strong history of community involvement,” said Michael Brennan, CEO. “A contribution of this size demonstrates our support while also giving our employees a sense of pride in what we do and who we support.”

“A number of our employees call Martensville home, so showing support for their community is important,” added Scott Henbury, V.P. Sales, SK & MB at Great Western.

Now thanks to their support, Great Western will be a bigger part of the community and a part of those good times: the spectator lounge, a key feature in the new centre, will be named the O16 Founders Lounge.

This is fitting, given the nature of Great Western’s ‘Original 16’ determined employees in 1990 who made the brewery possible, is echoed by the MCRP: the group of determined volunteers who engaged the community over 8 years to fundraise for the new recreation centre.

“We were drawn to this campaign because of how the community pulled together to take on such a large-scale project to improve the sporting opportunities within Martensville,” said Brennan. “Facilities that allow communities to gather and engage are critically important. The Martensville Recreation Centre will have an impact for generations to come.”

ABOVE: Great Western Brewing Company recently announced that they would be donating $300,000 to the Martensville Community Recreation Project’s Lace ‘Em Up Campaign for the new Martensville Recreation Centre. From L to R: Bartt Timms, Co-Chair, Lace ‘Em Up Campaign, Mayor Kent Muench, City of Martensville, Michael Brennan, President & CEO, Great Western Brewing Company, Scott Henbury, V.P. Sales, SK & MB, Great Western Brewing Company, Ahlana Ehalt, Co-Chair, Lace ‘Em Up Campaign, Darren MacDonald, Councillor, City of Martensville, Jesse Reis, Chair, Martensville Community Recreation Project (MCRP) Board. (Submitted)

Maddogs Football Registration Open to All Skill Levels

Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger

The Maddogs Football team is looking for players to join this popular, fun sport this fall. They are calling all Martensville, Langham, and Dalmeny football players Peewee age (Grade 6&7) and Bantam age (Grade 8&9) to join the Maddogs family.

Whether you are new to the sport, or a seasoned vet, football is a game for all sizes and talent levels.

If you are interested, you can register on Saskatoon Minor Football’s website at https://registration.saskatoonminorfootball.com/ index.php. Registration is filling fast so don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity.

“The Prairies are full of stories similar to the Original 16 Founders: stories of grit, of community, and of connection to build something stronger,” said Jesse Reis, Chair of the MCRP. “The MCRP is grateful for Great Western coming alongside the City and the MCRP to create this new centre, together, that will benefit generations.”

“We’re grateful for Great Western Brewing Company understanding the vision of this regional recreation centre, with a contribution that further connects communities in the region,” said Kent Muench, Mayor of the City of Martensville. “We thank them for their investment and for wanting to play a leadership role.”

In December 2022, the Martensville Community Recreation Project (MCRP), together with the City of Martensville, launched the Lace ‘Em Up Campaign. The campaign goal of $4 million was set to complete the MCRP’s community fundraising goal. Over $3.6M has been raised to date.

“Great Western sees how the new centre will be the heartbeat of the community, where people will gather together,” said Ahlana Ehalt & Bartt Timms, Co-Chairs of the Lace ‘Em Up Campaign. “We are truly grateful.” There is still time to donate. The MCRP continues to accept donations for naming rights for various facility amenities. There are many ways to give to the campaign. Pledges can be made over five years and can include gifts of appreciated securities. For example, for a gift of only $17 per month for five years, your name can be included on the facility’s donor wall. All donations received may qualify for a charitable tax receipt.

Donations can be made at www.mcrp.ca/donate or dropped off at City Hall. For more information on the Centre, visit Martensville.ca.

Martensville Library a Hub of Activity This Summer

This summer has been a hub of activity at the Martensville Library, with a wide array of activities and events taking place. The local library is participating in the TD Summer Reading Club for kids up to 12, where participants can track and log their reading minutes on a sheet which they can bring to the library to earn prize ticket entries for end of summer prize draws.

For adults and teens, there is the Summer Reading Bookmark Challenge which is taking place throughout July and August. “As of July 31, our local readers have logged 218,000 reading minutes for the branch on Beanstack. The branch wants to see if they can reach 500,000 minutes by the end of the summer,” Marla Skomar, Martensville Library Librarian, stated. In July, there were plenty of fun events held; including, classes to make a tissue paper lantern, a succulents night where participants made unique succulent holders out of old books, Curious Kids Science where they made dissolving rocks, Storywalks in Veterans Square, I Spy in the Park games, drop-in Lego, Magformers & Ozobots, Dr. Seuss week, large games & board games week and more. “In addition, there have been weekly story times in Andrea’s Park on Thursday at 10:30am which has been very well attended and weekly

Shanine

Sealey, Martensville Messenger

Take & Make craft packages handed out,” Skomar added. On Wednesday, July 26th, the Martensville Library held their first-ever Stuffed Animal Sleepover, where kids were invited to drop off a stuffed animal at the library and have it spend the night there. “When kids arrived with their toys, a picture was taken with Hootie, the library owl mascot, and kids filled out an ID information sheet and made a beaded name tag for their toy. There were 52 stuffed animals brought to the library to sleepover,” Skomar explained.

Throughout the sleepover, library staff took pictures of the fun activities the animals partook in after hours and the next day, the kids returned to pick up their stuffed animals and were given two photos to commemorate the sleepover.

Park on July 31 – Aug 7 and Aug 21-26. There will also be plenty of different weekly drop-in activities – Harry Potter Week, Osmo Games and Take & Make crafts, Story Time in the Park.

August will be another busy month at the library with more activities planned, including; Saskatchewan Science Centre will be at the library on August 1 with their Go Science program, Secret Garden Craft program on August 2, Curious Kids Science programs on Aug 8 & 23, Scratch CD Art on Aug 18, Regional Kids First will be in Veterans Square for the Great Outdoor Play for ages 1-10 day on August 9 from 10AM-12PM, Family Bingo is happening on Aug 11 from 10:30

11:30, I Spy in the

ABOVE: A total of 52 stuffed animals spent the night at the Martensville Library for the first ever Stuffed Animal Sleepover. Photos were taken of the stuffies throughout the night so the owners could see all of the fun that took place. (Submitted)

ABOVE: One of the activities held at the Martensville Library in July was a tissue paper lantern class. (Submitted)

Demise of Sask. Liberals Should be Food for Thought

The Saskatchewan Liberals are no more, voting to officially change their name to the Saskatchewan Progress Party.

It ends a long political history for Saskatchewan’s first elected party that ran the province for 34 of its first 39 years after our 1905 entry into confederation and 41 years in total.

One can understand why most today aren’t interested in a party that hasn’t formed a Saskatchewan government in more than half a century and hasn’t elected a single MLA this millennium.

The Liberals only garnered .08 per cent of Saskatchewan’s popular vote in the 2020 general election and only ran three candidates, suggesting they weren’t much more interested in you than you were interested in them.

Finally, the old Liberal party was associated with the federal wing now running Canada under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership. Perhaps no more needs to be said as to why people in Saskatchewan; especially, rural Saskatchewan; would care little about what’s happening to their provincial party.

In reality, the announcement by former Saskatchewan Liberal leader and now Saskatchewan Progress Party leader Jeff Walters of the change didn’t grab much attention. If you heard about it all, it’s likely because the old Saskatchewan Progressive Conservative party; another party that faded into the oblivion after the last four MLAs it elected emerged with four of the last Liberal MLAs elected to form the Saskatchewan Party; took umbrage with the name “Progress”. They insisted that it’s too close to their “Progressive” name and it deliberately creates confusion.

Frankly, one suspects the name “Progress” or “Progressive” was chosen because it signals a leaning to the left that appeals to younger voter that can neither relate to the historic Liberal party in this province or the current NDP under Carla Beck that some on the left complain has become too close to the centre.

As often happens in politics, what drives these changes is the ego of a person or a small group of people who are absolutely convinced they can offer something better. One suspects this might be at least part of the motivational force behind why Walters would take a party that he claimed a year would be “a much different and reinvigorated party” from owning this historic brand to a rebranding into something different, but whether people realize it or not, there may be some importance in all this.

For starters, it’s always better, democratically speaking, to have more choices on the ballot than less choices.

In the three current byelections in the province, there are candidates from six different parties running (although only the Sask. Party, NDP and Green Party are running candidates in all three ridings).

This partly explains why we have seen the rise of so many new parties or the re-emergence of old ones in this province; the Buffalo Party, the Saskatchewan United Party and the attempts to revise the old Progressive Conservative Party. If there wasn’t interest in having these right-wing parties, they wouldn’t exist, but this is the very reason why we need to pay at least a little attention to what’s going on here.

There is a game seemingly being where the existence is largely based on how they influence other parties. For example, the Buffalo Party, Saskatchewan United Party and old PCs seem all about sending the Sask. Party a message.

Essentially, the Green Party and “new” liberal Progress Party are doing the same thing to the NDP. Again, there’s nothing wrong with this. Democratic choice is a good thing especially, in what’s become a two-party system in this province. The problem, however, is vote splitting results in fewer getting what they want in our winner-take-all system. For that reason, it’s worth paying attention to these new parties — even if we might never vote for them.

Economic Momentum Continues

Saskatchewan continues to receive great news on its economy. The province’s AA (low) credit rating and stable outlook was affirmed in a recent release from DBRS Morningstar. When ratings from three major rating agencies (Moody’s, DBRS Morningstar and S&P) are considered, Saskatchewan has the second highest credit rating among all provinces.

The province’s wholesale trade for May 2023 was up 89.8 per cent from May 2022, for a total value of $7 billion. This is also an increase of 47.9 per cent above April 2023. This record wholesale trade growth is proof that Saskatchewan’s economic momentum continues.

Investments for People

Our province’s strong and growing economy allows our government to invest in the programs and services that matter most to Saskatchewan people. The Seniors Income Plan (SIP) benefit has increased to $360 per month fulfilling our government’s three-year commitment to better support seniors across Saskatchewan. SIP provides seniors with financial assistance to help meet their basic needs, in addition to income they receive through the Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement. Eligible seniors automatically receive this benefit based on the filing of their most recent income tax return. This $3 million investment will support 14,500 seniors and marks the eighth increase to SIP since 2008 when the maximum benefit was just $90 per month.

Our government just announced an investment of $530,000 to provide bursaries for students and recent graduates joining Emergency Medical Services (EMS) here in Saskatchewan. You can learn more at www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2023/july/25/saskatchewan-now-offering-large-trainingbursaries-to-support-future-paramedics.

Support for Agricultural Producers

As Saskatchewan’s economy continues to grow, we celebrate the industries that create this economic growth. August 5 is Canada Food Day, an opportunity to celebrate Saskatchewan’s world-class, environmentally sustainable products that feed people all over the world. Canada Food Day highlights the farmers and ranchers who grow the products served at consumers’ dinner tables.

This year, as those agricultural producers are facing many challenges due to dry conditions, our government is supporting them in many ways. The Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) has doubled its low yield threshold for this year to allow additional acres of low yielding crops to be diverted to feed. For more information, call 1-888-935-0000 or visit scic.ca.

Agriculture Minister David Marit requested the federal government conduct an AgriRecovery assessment to determine what assistance could be provided to livestock producers. The province also requested an early designation of the federal Livestock Tax Deferral Program to provide producers facing potential feed shortages with more options as they consider if they need to liquidate part of their herd. Our government is committed to supporting our farmers and ranchers to lessen the impact of these challenging conditions.

Our government also continues to urge the federal government to do everything within its power to facilitate a resolution to the BC port workers’ strike. We are deeply concerned about the impact on our province’s export-based industries. The efficient and reliable delivery of goods through these ports is key to maintaining Saskatchewan’s reputation as a dependable trading partner.

As summer continues, there are many opportunities to enjoy what Saskatchewan has to offer. It will soon be Saskatchewan Day on August 7 and I wish everyone a safe and fun long weekend!

If you have questions, concerns or feedback, please contact my office at office@terryjenson.ca or 306242-2111.

MLA Terry Jenson’s Report from the Legislature Letter

Trap, Neuter, Release, Manage (TNRM) Program Planned to Help Manage Cat Population

Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

The City of Martensville recently partnered with SCAT Street Cat Rescue to help control the stray cat population within the community by working together to manage a TNRM (Trap, Neuter, Release, Manage) program.

With the TNRM program, colony cats are taken in and get fixed, vaccinated, dewormed and microchipped before returning them to their colony where they are looked after by a caretaker.

“Colony cats are un-owned cats within the community. By fixing these cats, we reduce the feline overpopulation issue, fighting between cats, spraying, and roaming. Having colony cats micro-chipped makes for easy identification if picked up by a community member and they can be placed back in the colony,” Jessica Reese, SCAT Street Cat Rescue Secretary, explained.

For Reese, the past experience with TNRM programs was helping with the wide scale TNRM program that was done in rural communities around Saskatoon.

SCAT partnered with SOS Prairie Rescue to ensure there was a strong volunteer base and fundraising was done in advance to help support the programs initiative.

“We successfully vetted and released over 110 cats. This week-long project was a wonderful experience and learning opportunity for future TNRM programs going forward,” Reese said.

In order for this program to be successful, SCAT

is looking for community members that are already feeding a colony of cats to come forward, so they can then help that individual fix and vet the cats and then SCAT will help ensure the caretaker has adequate shelter for the winter months in order to guarantee the safety of the cats.

Other communities within Saskatchewan are already utilizing the TNRM programs; however, Reese noted that many cities and towns have bylaws that restrict programs like these from existing. “We would love to implement these programs in all communities in and around Saskatoon to continue to reduce the feline overpopulation issue.”

The benefits of this program have been proven in helping reduce feline overpopulation over time without causing harm to the cats.

“Removing cats from the problem area only allows for other cats to move into this area. TNRM gets to the root of the problem by stopping the continuous breeding cycle,” Reese stated, adding that cats can get pregnant as early as 4-5 months of age, and their gestation period is only 63 days. Cats can also produce up to three litters per year, which average 4-6 kittens.

Community members should continue to contact Bylaw or Paws Republic Centre for Pets in regards to stray cats, in case they are a lost cat. All cats will go through a stray holding period to ensure they are truly un-owned before becoming a part of the TNRM program.

“If you or someone in your area is willing to be a caretaker to the cat(s) you find in your area, please contact Paws Republic (at (306) 934-7297), so we can ensure you are set up with the necessary tools and information.”