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MARTENSVILLE PHARMACY

Your City; Your Newspaper February 25, 2021

VOLUME NO. 15 - ISSUE 8

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King of the Hill Tobias Bray (4) took some time after participating in the City of Martensville’s Fire & Ice event on Saturday, February 20 to get a bird’s eye view at the top of a nearby snow pile.

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Civic Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic - What You Should Know!

City Hall is Open, however with some guidelines currently in place. Continue to utilize online and contactless options when possible. Please do not visit City Hall if you are feeling unwell, experiencing flu-like symptoms or have been in contact with someone who is presumptive or tested positive for COVID-19. Residents and Customers are encouraged to carry out transactions electronically such as online banking, preauthorized payments or TIPPS. Cheques may also be dropped off in the drop slot at City Hall. The City had implemented a number of measures to assist property owners and businesses during the pandemic, including extending the Property Tax deadline from July 31st to October 30th. Property Taxes are now due with interest charges on overdue accounts now accruing. Stay Informed! - The City of Martensville has created a dedicated webpage to provide information, updates, and additional resources around the COVID-19 pandemic. This page is accessible through the homepage at Martensville.ca. Please continue to follow us, media sources and information from the Province of Saskatchewan for the most current information around updates or new measures for the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 Use of Masks are Mandatory in Saskatchewan - Residents are required to wear nonmedical masks in indoor public spaces to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. This is a Public Health Order and is subject to enforcement and fines. Health officials strongly recommend wearing a non-medical mask anywhere outside the home. Current Status of Public Facilities as of February 12th, 2021 Martensville Athletic Pavilion - Open; however, Drop-in and Pick-up programs are cancelled in accordance to the Saskatchewan Re-Open Plan North Ridge Centre - Provincial gathering guidelines Heritage Centre - Provincial gathering guidelines Sports Centre - Open Wheatland Regional Library (located in the Civic Centre) - Open City Staff are available to work with the public via phone or email. Questions or inquiries can be directed to City Hall via phone (306-931-2166) or inquiry@martensville.ca during this time. After Hour Water and Sewer Emergencies - should still be directed through the Emergency line at City Hall, (306) 931-2166, ext.1.

Water Line Freeze Ups- Service Interruptions

If you have an interruption of water service to your home, you may have a waterline freeze up. If you experience a waterline freeze‐up, or any other interruption in service, please call (306) 931‐2166 to report your issue. If this happens outside of regular business hours, please follow the prompts to be transferred to the emergency after‐hours contact. Thank you for your co‐operation!

Recreation Program Update- Cupid’s Quest and More!

Cupid’s Quest: Running until February 28th, Cupid’s Quest is a family fun activity for everyone in Martensville. Take a walk around Kinsmen park and try to find all of Cupid’s lost arrows. Cupid has three different types of arrows- pink are activity arrows which have QR codes and images for families to scan and try either on their walk or at home! The yellow arrows represent the Prairie Spirit School Foundations and focus on learning. Lastly, the red arrows are about our local Kinettes Club.

Lazy Man Triathlon - Coming March 1st

This event runs through the month of March where people register and try to complete a triathlon…within a month! It includes a 180km bike, 3.86 km swim (or exercises) and a 42km run/walk. To register, people can download from the City of Martensville Facebook event page (Lazy Man Triathlon: Martensville) or contact the MAP. There are 3 packages to choose from: Option 1- $50 gets you access to the MAP for the month, t-shirt and tracking sheet. Option 2: $20 gets you the t-shirt and tracking sheet. Option 3: Free- gets you the tracking sheet

March Council Meeting Dates

Please Note: The upcoming Council Schedule or location may be subject to change based around any potential new developments or ease of restrictions around the COVID-19 Pandemic. Anyone interested in attending is strongly encouraged to contact the City Clerk prior to planning to attend. Regular Council Meeting- March 2nd Committee of the Whole Meeting- March 9th Regular Meeting March 16th The Regular Council Meetings are located at Martensville City Hall Council Chambers in Martensville City Hall at 37 Centennial Dr. S. All meetings commence at 5PM. 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.

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RCMP Veteran With Martensville Ties Facing Child Pornography Charges Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

According to a February 8 news release from police in London, Ontario, members of the London Police Service Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit received information from the National Child Exploitation Crime Centre (NCECC) in relation to an individual sharing videos of suspected child pornography through a social media application in early January, 2021. On January 29, 2021, members of the London Police Service Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit, with the assistance of the Digital Forensic Unit, executed a search warrant at a residence on Mulberry Street and seized computers and electronic devices. The investigation revealed evidence of the alleged sharing and possession of child pornography material. As a result of the investigation, on February 5, 2021, Christopher Cisecki, 41, of London, was charged with unlawful possession and unlawfully making available child pornography. The accused, who is expected to appear in London court on April 26, 2021 in relation to the charges, is a veteran Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer and currently suspended from duty. Information regarding Cisecki’s career was not made public; however, Cisecki was stationed in Martensville in previous years. Anyone with information in relation to this incident is asked to call the London Police Service at (519) 661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222TIPS (8477). Information can also be sent in on-line anonymously to www. londoncrimestoppers.com

It's Time To Celebrate Telemiracle TeleMiracle Week Runs February 21 to 27 Promoting the 45th Annual Telethon

The Minister Responsible for the Provincial Capital Commission, Don McMorris and Kinsmen, Kinettes and Kin Clubs of Saskatchewan are excited to announce that this is TeleMiracle Week in Saskatchewan, culminating this Saturday, February 27 when the 45th edition of the annual telethon kicks off. “TeleMiracle is a distinctly Saskatchewan event, reflecting the kindness and generosity of our province's people,” McMorris said. “With a population of nearly 1.2 million people, we can all be proud that more than $140 million has been raised since 1977. I urge everyone to support this extraordinary fundraiser by tuning into the telethon and encouraging your family, friends and neighbours to 'ring those phones' with donations to TeleMiracle 45, helping people right here in our province.” TeleMiracle is organized annually by the Kinsmen, Kinettes and Kin Clubs of Saskatchewan with the proceeds going to the Kinsmen Foundation, which provides specialized mobility and medical equipment to people and organizations throughout the province, as well as travel assistance for residents in need of medical treatment outside their community. Last year's telethon raised $5,523,472.

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“Saskatchewan people have given generously to TeleMiracle for the past 44 years and this year, we need their support more than ever,” TeleMiracle 45 Chair Brian Angstadt said. “Thanks to our donors, TeleMiracle will continue to touch the lives of people in every corner of the province. We are grateful for the honour of having TeleMiracle Week declared in Saskatchewan, which helps raise awareness in advance of this important telethon.” TeleMiracle 45 will take place at Prairieland Park in Saskatoon without an in-studio audience. The hosts will be on stage live but, for safety reasons, the majority of the musical entertainment and donor presentations will be pre-taped or linked live from other locations. The preshow, Countdown to TeleMiracle, will be live-streamed on www.telemiracle.com beginning at 6:15 p.m. Saturday night. At 9 p.m. the 20-hour television broadcast gets underway on Saskatchewan's CTV stations. The telethon will continue to air around the clock until 5 p.m. on Sunday, February 28. While the annual event has been occurring in Saskatchewan for 45 years, the week was first officially recognized in legislation in 2006 with The Recognition of TeleMiracle Week Act. For more information, visit www. telemiracle.com.

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Saskatchewan Pharmacists Key Partner In The COVID-19 Immunization Plan

The Government of Saskatchewan is pleased to announce that Saskatchewan pharmacists are formally on board to play a key role in the delivery of the largest mass vaccination campaign in provincial history. Pharmacists will be delivering COVID-19 vaccine through community pharmacies in Phase 2 of the provincial immunization plan. The participation of Saskatchewan pharmacists will significantly increase public access to the vaccine, improving the rate of vaccination. “We appreciate that Saskatchewan pharmacists are ready to step up and deliver the COVID-19 vaccine,” Health Minister Paul Merriman said. “The Government of Saskatchewan is working hard to make sure COVID-19 vaccine is safely delivered into the arms of Saskatchewan residents through all possible avenues.” Details of the plan for pharmacy delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine are currently under development, including which community pharmacies are participating. “We are proud to join other health care professionals in providing safe, timely access to COVID-19 vaccinations for Saskatchewan residents,” Pharmacy Association of Saskatchewan Board Chair George Furneaux said. The government has negotiated a tentative new pharmacy Proprietor Agreement with the Pharmacy Association of Saskatchewan on behalf of all Saskatchewan pharmacies. The Agreement establishes the fee for pharmacist delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, along with increases in prescription dispensing fees and influenza vaccine fees. It is for a one year term, beginning March 1, 2021. For further information on the COVID-19 vaccine delivery strategy and clinic announcements, please visit www.saskatchewan.ca/COVID19-vaccine.

CONTIUING THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID

COVID Vaccinations Continue Across Province Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

As of February 22, Saskatchewan has administered a total of 61,730 vaccines, with 81 per cent of residents living in long-term care homes across the province having received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 43 per cent being fully vaccinated after having received both the first and second dose of the vaccine. Currently, the only thing slowing down the administering of vaccines is the shortage that is currently taking place from the federal government. “When we get enough doses, we will be able to quickly finish vaccinating all the residents and staff in our long-term care homes. We look forward to having our seniors in longterm care fully vaccinated as soon as possible so they are protected from the threat of COVID-19,” Health Minister Paul Merriman said. Currently, we remain in Phase One of the vaccine delivery, which targets residents and staff of long-term and personal care-homes, identified health care providers, residents 70 years and older and residents aged 50 and older in remote/Northern Saskatchewan. Those eligible will be contacted directly. Once Phase Two is anticipated to begin in April-June of this year and once started, will operate 230 clinics in 180 communities across the province. According to www.saskatchewan. ca, Martensville will include a mass immunization clinic, as well as a drivethru clinic. More information about the COVID delivery phases can be found at www.saskatchewan.ca under COVID 19 – Vaccine Delivery Phases. This past January, doctors at Martensville Collective Health and Wellness (MCHW) received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Earlier this month, everyone that received the first dose, received their second with even less side effects than expected.

For Martensville, Dr. Adamus of MCHW, noted that although she does not receive specific numbers on cases within the area, she has not been receiving any further updates specific to the region because our region has not been standing out from amongst the rest of Saskatoon area. “This is good news because there are things you want to stand out for, and there are things you don’t. This is one that we don’t want to be standing out for. I am very proud of how our community responded. They took the news as unwelcome as it was and they made it matter. They acted on it and that has made such a difference for our community and we are so lucky to have people in the community who are willing to band together to make these sorts of things happen,” Adamus said. Prior to receiving her vaccination, Dr. Adamus did research, which she recommends for everyone. “People are approaching this vaccine with a lot of caution, which is completely fair. I tell my patients that it is ok to feel uncomfortable in this situation right now. This is new, but just because it is new, doesn’t mean it is bad,” Adamus explained. “For me, I feel as though I have been so blessed to be able to raise my children in a world where I have not been afraid of lifealtering and debilitating diseases like Polio and Smallpox. The reason I could do that is because generations before mine went through very similar situations as to what we are facing now. They were also the first group of people to receive a new type of vaccine – a vaccine that for their times was fantastic technology, which is no where near our current technology. I am looking forward to generations down the road not having to fear this virus the way that we have had to because we did the same for them as our ancestors have done for us,” said Adamus. For a listing of first and second doses in Saskatchewan administered by geographic zone, visit https://www.saskatchewan.ca/ covid19-vaccine-update.

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ABOVE: According to www.saskatchewan.ca, Martensville will have a mass immunization clinic, as well as a drive-thru clinic available to residents once Phase Two begins. See more information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine at saskatchewan.ca.

Winter Wonderland Providing Family-Friendly Fun

martensville messenger - FEBRUARY 25, 2021 - Page 5

Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

The City of Martensville hosted a Fire & Ice Creations Workshop on Saturday, February 20th at the Martensville Ball Diamonds. This family-friendly event was through registration only and provided a wide array of activities for all ages to get out and take part in, including; kick-sledding, snow-shoeing, ice carving and ice blocks. There were three one-hour long sessions, with each session allowing 30 people to participate. The ice carving portion of the event provided an interactive 20-minute workshop for children and adults to learn about ice carving from one of the carvers from Fire & Ice Creations – a local company that creates one-of-a-kind sculptures and structures. Typically, the City hosts the annual Winter FunFest; however, due to COVID guidelines, that was ABOVE: Families had the opportunity to take part in ice-carving at the Fire & Ice Creations Workshop on February 20. no longer a feasible option for this year. Instead, Winter Wonderland was planned, which includes an array of activities available throughout January, February and March – all of which are safe to do under the current COVID guidelines. “We wanted to try something that even within the guidelines could help bring families together and have some fun outside,” Jamie McCulloch, City of Martensville Recreation Program Coordinator, said. So far, there have been snowshoe rentals and cross country ski rentals available, as well as the Fire & Ice Creations Workshop. This March, there will be ice-fishing available that families can register for and participate in with the City of Martensville providing all of the required equipment. “We have heard nothing but good things about Winter Wonderland. People are really enjoying having the option of renting equipment to get out and enjoy the fresh air. For the Fire & Ice event, everyone was happy that there was something they could go and do as a family that had lots of variety and provided lots of fun,” McCulloch added.

ABOVE: Kick-sledding, which is always a popular addition to winter events, was available for all ages to take part in.

ABOVE: Kids had fun playing with coloured ice blocks at the Fire & Ice event this past weekend.

It’s Triathlon Time Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

From March 1 to 31, the City of Martensville will be running the Lazy Man Triathlon challenge. “We have been looking at new ideas to get people active and moving. Basically, this is exactly what is sounds like. Instead of taking the typical time to do a triathlon, you spread it out over 31 days,” Jamie McCulloch, Recreation Program Coordinator with the City of Martensville, explained. The Lazy Man Triathlon will consist of a 3.86km swim, 180km bike and 42km run/walk. “It is all about doing the full thing, but just at your own pace,” McCulloch added. There are three ways to participate in this challenge. The first option gains you access to the Martensville Athletic Pavilion (MAP) for the month of March, a Lazy Man Triathlon T-shirt, entry into the grand prize upon completion as well as the tracking sheet and swimming exercises. “With this option, you can use the track and weight room at the MAP to help you accomplish your goals,” said McCulloch. This option has a cost of $50. Those preferring to complete the Lazy Man Triathlon exercises elsewhere, or from home can utilize Option 2 for $20, which will get you a T-shirt, swimming exercises and the tracking sheet, or there is Option 3, which has zero cost and provides you access to the tracking sheet and the swimming exercises. “We wanted to have something available for everyone, that way if you have access somewhere else, or you are not comfortable being out in public at this time, you can still be involved. One of the goals of this is to help motivate and push one another, so we hope that everyone has fun getting involved.” Registration is currently open and will remain open until March 1. To register, visit the ‘Lazy Man Triathlon Martensville’ page on Facebook and download the form, then either email the form back and call the MAP to pay, or drop it off with payment at the MAP.

Save The Dates Sask Parks Campsite Reservations Set For April

Reservations for the 2021 camping season at Saskatchewan's Provincial Parks are set to begin April 12 for seasonal campsites and on April 14-23 for nightly and group campsites. “With the recent cold snap across the province, many folks are anticipating summer and this year's camping season,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Laura Ross said. “Our provincial parks provide many options for safe and local summer vacations, with so much to see and do. Sask Parks staff are looking forward to welcoming visitors and their families back to the parks for another memorable year.” In early 2020, Sask Parks launched a competitive process for a vendor that could provide an enhanced reservation and campground management system. Aspira was selected as the vendor and comes with more than 30 years of experience providing reservation platforms for government park agencies across North America. Prior to reservations opening, customers should plan to create a new account once the site is available in April. Online tutorials will be offered to help guide users through this process. Customers will also want to note that reservations will begin at 7 a.m. each day - there is no longer a need to log on at 6:40 a.m. in order to be placed in the queue. The complete reservation schedule is as follows: • April 12 - Seasonal campsites for all parks offering seasonal camping • April 14 - Pike Lake, The Battlefords, Narrow Hills, Blackstrap • April 16 - Bronson Forest, Meadow Lake, Makwa Lake, Lac La Ronge • April 19 - Saskatchewan Landing, Douglas, Danielson • April 20 - Buffalo Pound, Rowan's Ravine, Echo Valley, Crooked Lake • April 21 - Cypress Hills • April 22 - Duck Mountain, Good Spirit Lake, Greenwater Lake • April 23 - Candle Lake, Great Blue Heron, Moose Mountain Fee changes for 2021 include a $1 increase in nightly electric sites, now $33 a night, and a $1 increase in full-service nightly sites, now $43 a night. The new full-service seasonal sites offered at Greenwater Lake and Meadow Lake provincial parks are $3,400. All other fees remain the same from 2020. For information related to this year's campsite reservations, visit www.saskparks.com.

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martensville messenger - FEBRUARY 25, 2021 - Page 7

Provincial Politics with

Murray Mandryk

Moe’s Decision to Extend Restrictions a Tough One

Politicians seldom get enough credit for making the tough decisions they don’t want to make or that they know people won’t like. So perhaps Premier Scott Moe deserves more credit than he’s getting for his decision to prolong current restrictions to fight COVID-19 another month to March 19. Those fed up with not seeing hockey in their communities or not being able to freely go to bars and casinos will not be happy that Moe decided not to lift any more restrictions. In many cases, it’s unhappiness less based on personal selfishness than a legitimate fear of more job losses for friends, family and neighbours. You may see the current measures as completely unnecessary because of low case counts in your area. Unless you are involved in the health system, it is pretty hard to see the impact of something that hits in pockets and is most deadly to the elderly; however, those opposing lockdowns or further restrictions do not have the monopoly on fear and frustration in this debate. Those watching Saskatchewan’s daily new case count hover in the triple digits as a more infectious strain of the virus hits this province and elsewhere also have reason to be scared and frustrated. They view Moe’s unwillingness to impose stricter restrictions as political stubbornness stemming from his stated position at the end of the provincial election campaign last October that he would not lockdown the province again. They argue that had Moe and his government simply imposed more stringent lockdowns earlier, we would not have had the prolonged restrictions we are currently enduring. They further argued its worse that businesses like bars and restaurants have been allowed to stay open under circumstances where it is exceedingly difficult for them to make any money because of limitation of the number of customers they can seat. That Moe does badly want to re-open Saskatchewan seems obvious. So about the best he could do last week is put a brave face on things, urging Saskatchewan people to “stick it out”. "We’re in the final stretch,” he told reporters in provincewide broadcasted press conference. “There is some hope on the way.” Moe again held out hope that “vaccines are going to ramp up in later March”. That should ease the decision to open up the economy. “I think things are going to start happening quite quickly in the months ahead,” the Saskatchewan Premier said. Whether Moe is making the exact right decision with what seems to be a middle-ground compromise is questionable. Certainly, it won’t make either extreme in this debate very happy, but as such, it might be helpful to add a little perspective. For starters, Saskatchewan people are not the only ones suffering through restrictions. It can be argued we’ve had fewer restrictions that were imposed much later. Take mandatory mask wearing not imposed provincewide in Saskatchewan until Nov. 27. People in Winnipeg have been forced to wear masks since late September. Manitoba and Alberta were already prohibiting all indoor gatherings and limiting outdoor gatherings long before we were here in Saskatchewan. Similarly, Manitoba and Alberta closed bars and limited restaurants to takeout - something we haven’t done here since the spring. And restrictions to store capacity in those provinces also came much more quickly in a more severe way. One can argue based on total per capita cases and total deaths; we have faired better than our immediate neighbours. At mid-month, Saskatchewan had 354 deaths compared with 871 in Manitoba and 1,722 in Alberta. Yet by further comparison, Nova Scotia (with 979,115 people) has had just 65 deaths and only 1,597 cases compared with Saskatchewan’s 26,829 total cases. It’s food for thought for those quick to criticize Moe for either doing too much or too little.

MLA Report with Terry Jenson Meeting COVID-19 Challenges More than a year has passed since Canada’s first COVID-19 case was confirmed. Since that time, the pandemic has presented challenges few of us could have imagined. Thank you for your patience, understanding and observance of public health orders to keep our friends, families, and communities safe. I offer endless gratitude to all health professionals, emergency responders and service providers, as well as the business owners and employees who have worked tirelessly to adapt and continue serving us through a difficult time. I ask that you continue to do your part to ensure that our province emerges from this pandemic stronger than ever. On the advice of Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer, the current public health order will remain in effect until March 19. We understand the impact and inconvenience this may cause but these restrictions are necessary to keep COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations down in the weeks ahead. Vaccinations Move Ahead Saskatchewan’s vaccination program continues to move ahead despite a limited number of vaccines. We soon hope to deliver to Swift Current and southwest Saskatchewan, an area that has not yet received vaccine due to the reduction in delivery from the federal government. Our province remains ready to receive and administer vaccine with Saskatchewan Health Authority clinics scheduled to take place in 181 communities. After reviewing our delivery plan, the Ministry of Health has added 11,000 additional health care workers to the priority sequencing previously established for Phase 1 of the Vaccine Delivery Plan. This includes those who will be part of our vaccination teams, homecare or direct care providers, and other critical care areas. The goal of the immunization program is to protect the most high-risk and vulnerable in our communities. We have seen that the older an individual is, the greater the risk, and we are confident that this approach will help reduce illness and minimize deaths. Phase 2 of the vaccination sequencing will focus on the general population in 10-year increments, starting with ages 60-69. Phase 2 will also target adults and staff in group homes for persons with intellectual disabilities, shelters, and clinically vulnerable adults as priority. Depending on the vaccine supply arriving in our province, this is scheduled to begin in April. An information campaign throughout the province will take place to keep the public informed. Positive Business and Trade Indicators On the economic front, our province has been able to weather this storm better than most others in Canada. Right now, we have the highest percentage of small businesses operating as well as the lowest unemployment rates in the country. Saskatchewan also had the highest wholesale trade growth among other provinces in December 2020. Compared to the previous year, wholesale trade is up by 18.1 per cent, where the national increase was just 4.8 per cent. This is an important indicator of our economic recovery and shows there is great confidence in the goods sector here in the province. This will put us in a favourable position as we emerge from the global pandemic. Funding for Municipalities and Highways Municipalities are on the front lines meeting the challenges of growth and the challenges brought on by COVID-19. Recently, our government recommitted its support for municipalities with more than $275 million as part of Municipal Revenue Sharing. This unconditional funding provides municipal leaders with flexibility and adaptability to invest into their communities. Our government continues to invest in our recovery with a $2 billion stimulus program for highway construction. This economic booster included targeted projects such as upgrades to thin-membrane surfaces and passing lane projects. Not only will our roads be safer and more efficient but many in Saskatchewan will be employed and back to work. Disappointing Federal Gun Legislation It is disappointing to see the federal government’s ineffective approach to achieving its stated goal of reducing gun violence and building safer communities. While few would disagree with efforts in this regard, the federal government is introducing new legislation that, among other things, would allow municipalities to ban handguns. So, in addition to arbitrarily penalizing law-abiding firearms owners, this new legislation seems to encourage criminals not to possess, store or transport handguns they already couldn’t legally possess. Saskatchewan has passed legislation to restrict municipalities from passing bylaws on handgun ownership; we do not need a patchwork system across our province. We have also appointed a new chief firearms officer from Saskatchewan instead of allowing the federal government to appoint one. The federal government should be targeting the real problem: crimes involving stolen, smuggled, and illegal guns. Instead, they are targeting Toronto voters, with law-abiding firearms owners the victims of bad legislation.

Letter to the Editor

The Martensville Messenger welcomes letters to the editor for publication. Letters must be signed and a phone number and/or email address included so the writer’s identity can be verified. ALL letters are the opinion of the writer and NOT the Martensville Messenger. We reserve the right to edit letters for length, clarity or compliance with the current standards of public taste. Submit your letter to news@martensvillemessenger. ca or mail to Box 333 - Martensville, SK S0K 2T0.

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Martensville Arena Now Offers Live-Stream Option Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

SPORTS

At the November 23, 2020 Martensville City Council meeting, Director of Recreation and Community Services Ted Schaeffer brought forward a report regarding a request that was made for live video streaming at the Martensville Sports Centre. Because of COVID restrictions, the number of spectators allowed within the facility was limited and the City of Martensville received a request from Martensville Minor Hockey to have a live video streaming system installed for people to view online. “Unfortunately, family members and friends were unable to watch because of the limited amount of people allowed within the facility, so we wanted to find the best way for these people that can’t view, an opportunity to view,” Angie Reddekopp, City of Martensville Program Coordinator, stated. From here, a partnership was formed between Ainsworth Inc., Eecol Electric and the City of Martensville, which resulted in the installation of camera equipment at the Martensville Sports Centre earlier this month. This partnership has enabled a live-stream view of the Martensville Sports Centre ice surface for viewers – free of charge. “One thing that we didn’t want to have was a subscription service where people would be required to register and pay a fee to view it. This way, anyone can go online and be able to watch at no cost to them,” Reddekopp explained. To ensure uninterrupted quality, the City of Martensville upgraded their internet service at the Martensville Sports Centre for a stronger connection. “When we initially installed it, we were having some challenges with regards to it stopping and starting and freezing, so we upgraded and that has helped immensely,” Reddekopp added. Currently, Minor Hockey practices can be viewed via the live stream, while other groups such as the Martensville Figure Skating Club will have access available during special events. Live streaming is currently scheduled beginning 4:30pm on Monday and Wednesday, 6:00pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and available all day on weekends. To view the live-feed, search ‘Martensville Arena’ on YouTube.

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ABOVE: Live stream of hockey practice on Monday, February 22. (Martensville Arena/ YouTube)

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