November 24, 2022 Digital Issue

The

Special

effort! Also, thank you to the management and staff at the Martensville Athletic Pavilion

For the girls, it ends a great run as Venture Heights Knights, but now they move on to play club volleyball for the winter season. Great job Knights, and best of luck!

by VHS Principal Ron Biberdorf

up with Warman High School in the finals. Martensville High School wound up winning the bronze medal and things look very promising for the future of volleyball in Martensville. The high school program has been consistently competing at the provincial level and the current group of grade 8 and 9’s are going to keep that trend going!

thanks to all of the Venture Heights staff and parents who volunteered and helped out all season long – it was a full team

The Venture Heights grade 8 girls volleyball team capped off a fantastic season on November 19 with a Central Valley Athletic Association championship win right here in Martensville. It was the fourth tournament win of the season and capped off a long journey starting in grade 7.

VHS squad beat Rosthern and Martensville High School in round robin play, then handled Valley Christian Academy before

for accommodating our very busy schedule this season.

Reminder Property Taxes are Due!

-Tax Notices were mailed out on April 29th. If anyone has not received their notice, they should contact City Hall. Ensure all contact information is up to date.

- Starting on August 1st, interest penalties on outstanding amounts begin to accrue.

Ways to Pay

- Taxes can be paid by cash, cheque, or debit at City Hall.

- Taxes can also be paid online through Banking Bill Payments, or by E-transfers; for payments: payments@martensville.ca.

Please include address &/or roll number in the comment section along with an indication the payment is for taxes.

December & January Council Meeting Dates

Please Note: Council Meetings may be attended in-person but guests must wear a mask and should practice social distancing 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.

Committee of the Whole - December 13th Regular Council - December 20th Committee of the Whole - January 10th Regular Council - January 17th

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 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.

POLICE BEAT

Rosthern RCMP Request Public Assistance Locating Leslie Peesker, Last Seen In October 2021

Rosthern RCMP continue to search for Leslie Peesker and ask members of the public to report any information on his whereabouts.

Leslie was reported as missing to police on December 22, 2021. He was last seen riding his bicycle near a gas station on Highway #11 near Rosthern on October 14, 2021. Family reported he was traveling to Prince Albert.

Leslie is known to camp outdoors for periods of time, but it is out of character for him to have no contact with his family.

Leslie is 48 years old and described as 5'10" and approximately 190 lbs. He has brown hair and hazel eyes.

Investigators ask residents that live along Highway 11 from Rosthern to Prince Albert to check their properties, particularly outbuildings, for any signs of Leslie and/or clothing or items that seem out of place.

Anyone with information on Leslie's whereabouts should call Rosthern RCMP at 306-232-6400. Information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1‐800‐222‐TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

assistance in locating Leslie Peesker. (RCMP)

Recreation Update - Sip n’ Shop Coming!

Play n Skate with Santa, Twinkle Tours

Lazy Man Triathlon: Registration is open! Can you complete a Triathalon over the course of a month?

Sip N Shop: November 24th - Registration for local vendors is open and look forward to a day of local products and crafts.

Play & Skate with Santa: December 11th

Twinkle Tours: December 12th-16th

Contact the MAP, visit Martensville.ca or Facebook for information on registration and what is coming up.

The Winter Program Guide is Coming! The Winter Program Guide will come out on-line on November 24th and be in mailboxes December 8th.

Snow Removal this Winter – What you need to know

The Snow removal program aims to reduce hazards in the community, ensure roadways for emergency vehicles, and provide access to goods and services in the community.

Our crews strive to deliver excellent service, however sometimes weather can be unpredictable, and snow and ice control activities may vary. Every reasonable effort will be made to promptly remove snow and ice and create safe driving and walking conditions. There are ways you can help to ensure to keep streets clear and safe

- Do not shovel, blow, or push snow from private property onto the street – this causes snow ridges on your driveway when our plow cleans our street.

- Do not plow or pile snow on streets or hydrants – this can block access to manholes, water valves, and access to water in case of emergencies.

- Clear your driveways in advance of the city’s snow clearing operations - this helps our operators clear your street more efficiently as well as more clearly see driveways to avoid ridging.

- Do not park your vehicle in an area where it could obstruct snow removal procedures - this hinders our operations and could result in a snow ridge blocking your vehicle in place.

- Do not leave large piles of snow at the corners of driveways – this snow can be caught by a raised snow-gate blade and topple over into your driveway or the street.

-Prevent snow from piling up on the front of your driveway by moving it near your tree/lawn areas behind your walkway.

Watch for posted areas for Snow Removal - In case of snow and snow removal, crews need to have roads cleared of all vehicles on posted streets. If you are going out of the City over the holidays, please have your vehicles off City streets. Vehicles left on the street per the traffic bylaw are ticketed and towed (to a non-posted area).

Stay Clear of Sanding Trucks - Crews apply a mixture of salt and sand on our streets and intersections to ensure safer driving conditions. If you are near or behind the sanding truck you are reminded to stay back 15m to allow the truck to disperse materials and to prevent materials from potentially hitting your vehicle.

Information on general program procedures and the City’s Priority Map is available online at Martensville.ca.

Editor/Office Manager: Shanine Sealey ssealey@martensvillemessenger.ca

Editor/Ad Design: Jocelyn Ottenbreit jottenbreit@martensvillemessenger.ca

To Contact Us About Advertising: advertising@martensvillemessenger.ca Want to Share News?: news@martensvillemessenger.ca

ABOVE: RCMP are asking for

Affinity Credit Union Celebrated at National Philanthropy Day Luncheon

Con-Tech General Contractors Provides $10,000 For Prairie Spirit Literacy Initiative

Submitted

On November 17th, over 400 guests, 25 sponsors and over 30 charitable organizations gathered at Prairieland Park to celebrate National Philanthropy Day at an awards luncheon. Affinity Credit Union was among those that were celebrated as they received the ‘Honoured Supporter’ category. “The Martensville Community Recreation Project appreciates Affinity Credit Union’s support over the years and their generous contributions to the MCRP’s fundraisers. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition,” the MCRP stated.

SAS Home & Floral Boutique Celebrates Annual Christmas Extravaganza

Teresa Helperl and Joelle Ward, owners of SAS Home & Floral Boutique, held their annual shopping Christmas Extravaganza on Friday, November 18th where they had a huge display of 2022 Christmas collections in the store.

Snacks and wine were offered while browsing all the beautiful holiday items! A 15% discount was offered with a $50 purchase, as well as many amazing draws to enter.

Members of Prairie Spirit Schools Foundation and Prairie Spirit School Division were pleased to meet with Mike Lawton, Chief Financial Officer for Con-Tech General Contractors to thank them for their continued support of the Foundation and their investment of $10,000 into the Foundation’s Division-wide literacy initiative.

Prairie Spirit Schools Foundation, in working closely and in agreement with the Prairie

a new Division-wide literacy

Grades 1 - 3. As shared in the

3

levels are considered a leading indicator of future student performance. A high proportion of students reading at grade level in Grade 3 means that more students are ready to learn in Grade 4 and beyond.

“Prairie Spirit classrooms have a strong focus on literacy and reading. We want to support students to read for pleasure, learning and growth and to cultivate a lifelong love of reading,” said Darryl Bazylak, Director of Education. “The Prairie Spirit Schools Foundation literacy program to enhance classroom libraries in our Grade 1 - 3 classrooms will be a strong support for student literacy in the early years.”

There are approximately 256 classrooms in grades one to three in Prairie Spirit School Division with an estimated 2,800 students. With an overall program cost of $135,000, the Foundation is confident in the continued support from its business partners, donors, schools and communities to help fund this new Division-wide literacy initiative.

“What a fabulous way to recognize National Philanthropy Day,” said Kari Dean, Executive Director, Prairie Spirit Schools Foundation. “A day that celebrates the charitable work that everyone does to make a difference and create impact in their communities. We cannot begin to thank Con-Tech for their ongoing commitment to the Foundation and their significant support of our newest initiative. It is always a pleasure to formally acknowledge our partnership and thank them for their investment.

We are also excited to announce that Con-Tech will be the title sponsor of our annual golf tournament which will be returning to The Legends Golf Course in Warman on Tuesday, June 6, 2023.”

“To say we are pleased with our partnership with Con-Tech would be an understatement. Their commitment and dedication to the Foundation continues to support student success, and we just can’t thank them enough,” said Michael Collins, Acting Board Chair, Prairie Spirit Schools Foundation. “We know Con-Tech’s generous investment in our literacy program is a great start and with the support of many of our valued community partners we plan to reach our goal of enhancing all grade one to three classroom libraries in the Prairie Spirit School Division.”

More information on Prairie Spirit Schools Foundation and how you can help support enhanced, enriched & engaged learning opportunities for students and educators in Prairie Spirit School Division can be found on the Foundation’s website at www.prairiespiritschoolsfoundation.ca.

ABOVE: Movement has been taking place on the west side of Highway 12 where Martensville’s new recreation facility will be located. Last week an announcement was made that the Community Recreation Facility will receive $17.8 million from the Government of Canada, $14.8 million from the Government of Saskatcheawn and $11.8 million from the City of Martensville. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

Spirit School Division, are pleased to officially announce

program to enhance and enrich classroom libraries for

Division’s 2020/21 Annual Report, Grade

reading

ABOVE: Joelle Ward & Teresa Helperl

ABOVE: Con-Tech invested $10,000 into the Prairie Spirit Schools Foundation literacy initiative.

Local Curling Duo Earns Spot in Canada Winter Games

Martensville curling duo, Melissa Remeshylo and Dylan Derksen participated in the Canada Winter Games Mixed Doubles Trials this past weekend at the Sutherland Curling Club in Saskatoon.

The local team went up against Team Hoag/Bryden in the final and came out on top with a 7-6 win, which earned them a spot in the 2023 Canada Winter Games, which take place in Prince Edward Island from February 18-March 5.

LEFT: Team Remeshylo/ Derksen earned a spot in the Canada Winter Games. (CurlSask)

Gymnasts From Martensville Invited to Compete in 2023 Sask Winter Games

Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

Two young ladies from Martensville received news last week that they would be participating in the 2023 Saskatchewan Winter Games, taking place in Regina from February 19-25.

Atley Mathies and Adelyn Janis, both twelve years old, have been doing gymnastics for the past nine years. The two first began their training and competing together at Tumblers Gymnastics in Martensville; however when that club was shut down throughout the pandemic, the girls ended up at different Saskatoon Gymnastics Clubs, with Adelyn at Taiso Gymnastics and Atley at Can Am Gymnastics.

They will once again have a chance to compete together as they both made the team for the Prairie Central District in the Saskatchewan Winter Games.

“I am excited to be able to compete at this level of gymnastics and have the opportunity to meet new friends,” Atley, who trains four days a week at Can Am, stated.

Both girls have competed in other competitions in the past; but the news of participating in the Saskatchewan Winter Games together was the icing on the cake.

“I first started doing gymnastics with my best friend and I discovered that I like training at the gym and learning new skills, so I continued to do that, and now I get to have a new experience in the Saskatchewan Winter Games. I am happy that I get to participate in something that I have never done and I get to have a fun time showing off my creativity and talent to other people,” Adelyn said.

Congratulations to both Atley and Adelyn on this incredible achievement.

RIGHT: Atley Mathies and Adelyn Janis will be competing on the Prairie Central District Team together in the 2023 Saskatchewan Winter Games. (Submimtted)

ABOVE: The Martensville Marauder U15B Pirates returned from Dalmeny as silver medalists this past weekend.

Osczevski 7th in the World

Jackie Osczevski from Martensville competed November 11-13th in Daytona Beach, FL at the Official Strongman Games World Championship. The event which was originally supposed to be a threeday spectacular was condensed into two days due to Hurricane Nicole.

Day one consisted of the original four events all crammed into a 13-hour day. All 400 athletes both male and female had to compete for a shot at the top ten and a berth in the finals. In the Open Women’s Weight Class there were a total of 32 athletes which was 13 more athletes than the previous 2021 Worlds Championship. Osczevski did very well on day one with all four events.

The first event was a 235lb Viking Press with the apparatus loaded with Kegs to get the appropriate weight. Osczevski finished in a tie for 13th after completing three repetitions, compared to last year’s Worlds where she zeroed the event.

The second event was a 270lb per hand farmers carry for 100 feet. Osczevski finished the run in 20.21 seconds which was good for 4th place.

The third event was a 480lb axle deadlift for reps. Every competitor had 45 seconds to complete as many reps as possible. Osczevski was able to get a personal record on this event with six reps and another top ten finish in an event at 9th.

The fourth event was a sandbag to shoulder medley where competitors had 45 seconds to lift four sandbags ascending in weight to their shoulder and show control before getting a down command and able to move onto the next bag. Open women had 200lb, 225lb, 250lb, and 275lb bags. Osczevski was able to get three out of four bags before running out of time cleaning the final bag up. This event was a huge hurdle for Osczevski as during training she suffered a neck injury, but with the help of local physiotherapy and chiropractor treatments, she was able to overcome this injury and finish 4th and punch her ticket to the finals tied for 6th.

The finals consisted of three events on the second day with the entire athlete roster being trimmed to the top 10. With less people, the ability to move up and down is harder as these are the best in the world and every second counts even more.

The first event in the finals was a 700lb car walk for 50 feet similar to a yoke, but the weight is placed differently and this caused Osczevski to have some balance issues, however, was able to finish the walk in 33 seconds which scored her 9th in the event.

The second event in the finals was a circus dumbbell medley with ascending weights, where athletes had to clean a 10” to 12” dumbbell up to their shoulder and then press it with one hand. There were four dumbbells in the medley weighing 100lbs, 120lbs, 140lbs, and 160lbs. Osczevski’s goal for this event was to press and lock out the 140lb dumbbell but managed to get two of the four and placed 6th in the event.

Finals event three was the famous Atlas stones, which consisted of six stones on a descending platform with ascending weight. The stones weighed 200lbs, 225lbs, 250lbs, 275lbs, 300lbs, and the final stone weight was 325lbs. Athletes had 60 seconds to complete this run. Osczevski stated that her all-time best was a 295lb stone before this contest and managed to get five out of six stones onto the platform when the whistle blew while trying to lift the final stone. This solidified her for 7th place in the world and put Martensville and Saskatchewan on the map.

“All in all, what an amazing experience! I am so excited for Worlds next year! I have no doubt I will be climbing that placing and I have my eyes set for top 5 or the podium. As an athlete, I think I’d be really happy with both,” said Osczevski. When asked what was next for Osczevski she stated, “I have a few events lined up in the next four months. I have a handful of clients looking to max out their main compound lifts on New Year’s Eve. I am hosting a Rookie Strongman competition at the end of February, and I am competing at the Pro Arnold Strongwoman Stage in Columbus Ohio the first weekend of March!!”

“I am so thankful for the love and support of the community that helped fundraise and get me to Worlds this year! You guys have no idea what that meant to me. I was blown away by the love and support Aaron and I were given: a chance to represent Canada, and our small city of Martensville, on one of the biggest Strongman stages in the entire world!”

Submitted

ABOVE: Jackie Osczevski celebrates her win. (Submitted)

Politicians Need to ReFocus on Working Together

It would seem reasonable for any government today to support an examination or why consumers are getting hammered by inflationary food costs and in a ruralbased, agricultural province like Saskatchewan, it would seem especially reasonable to support any such an exercise where there’s further questions like why farmers and ranchers aren’t seeing any benefit from an estimated 30- to 50-per-cent increase in the grocery shelf price of beef.

Yet we watched in the Saskatchewan legislature last week a rural-based Saskatchewan Party government reject an NDP motion to examine food pricing that would have included exploration of factors related to supply chains, manufacturing, transportation and anti-competitive corporate practices” and “meat processing and packaging that increase prices for consumers and decrease prices paid to livestock producers.”

Of course, there’s a natural penchant for a government to reject anything coming from the opposition - especially during a legislative sitting in which a duly elected government is trying to pass its own agenda, but one might think the rising cost of everything is what every politician is hearing about these days. They should make this issue a priority.

The problem, however, is that the food cost story didn’t completely and neatly fit the government’s current political narrative.

While Agriculture Minister David Marit in the assembly last week didn’t dispute that both consumers and farmers are struggling right now, his response followed the patented line about the real problem for farmers and everyone in the province is the price of the carbon tax.

Marit is not completely wrong. The carbon tax does add to inflationary costs at both the producer and consumer levels. And any fair-minded examination of the issue like the one proposed by the NDP should have made that a key point of discussion if it wanted a thorough review, but that’s not how we do things in politics these days.

Even when politicians mostly agree on things, they tend to make the issue in which they disagree the most.

It’s really why we seem to be spinning our wheels these days, producing more and more anger but fewer and fewer solutions. Consider the recent visit by federal Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson to Saskatchewan.

There to celebrate the opening of Cowessess First Nation’s 21 megawatt Awasis Solar Energy project on the outskirts of Regina, Wilkinson was asked about the Sask. Party government’s Saskatchewan First Act and push for constitutional changes.

Wilkinson - who worked in Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Justice 30 years ago and was part of the team that worked on Charlottetown Accord — was quick to agree Saskatchewan should assert provincial rights over resource development as Allan Blakeney and Roy Romanow did when they were Saskatchewan premiers and while the current federal government’s own agenda is pushing for things like the end of coal-fired electrical generation, the federal minister insisted we can sit down and work out a better plan.

"Let me be clear: Nobody - nobody - is going to let (Saskatchewan) people freeze in the dark," said, Wilkinson, who talk about using natural gas as a bridging option and met with SaskPower Minister Don Morgan earlier to talk about developing small modular reactions.

If you found Wilkinson’s co-operative tone surprising, then consider we later heard from Premier Scott Moe.

"We're all Canadians first," Moe told reporters later that day. "We need to come back together as Canadians to support one another and to reinvent the great nation I believe we once were and most certainly can still be."

It's the kind of approach political leadership should always take, but, of late, are not taking. Yes, there are policy matters where politicians won’t agree, but what has always worked best in Canada is addressing the issues most important and immediate and find agreement where we can. We need to get back to that in this country.

MLA Terry Jenson’s Report from the Legislature

Health HR Action Plan Already Seeing Results

Your Saskatchewan Party government is using the benefits of our strong economy to increase investments in essential programs and services. In health care, we will see investment to expand our workforce, perform more surgeries and improve services to rural areas.

Our Health Human Resource Action Plan has already seen success as we work to recruit, train, incentivize and retain health professionals. The positive response started immediately following the announcement of adding over 1,000 professionals to the healthcare system. In the following weeks, we received hundreds of international applications alongside resumes from locally trained professionals. Over 125 new, full-time frontline positions were created, with another 50 part-time spots enhanced to full-time. These new opportunities will support 49 communities across the province.

The recruitment plan also includes local students as the Saskatchewan Health Authority continues to promote the benefits of a healthcare career. HealthCareersinSask.ca has listings for hundreds of jobs from all corners of the province, while recruitment professionals host career fairs to speak to potential graduates.

In support of these efforts, our government has organized a targeted recruitment mission to Manila, Philippines. The team will promote healthcare employment opportunities through workshops and information sessions. As part of this initiative, a new webpage on Saskatchewan.ca/hhr will help potential candidates preregister for sessions with the delegation, learn about other Filipino healthcare workers in Saskatchewan and apply for opportunities.

More frontline staff will directly support our ability to perform more surgeries. This fiscal year we have set an aggressive target of performing 97,000 surgeries which would be the highest number of surgeries ever completed in one year. To help reach this target, we are increasing the surgical capacity in Regina, Saskatoon and at regional hospitals. In addition, we will continue to work with public hospitals and partner with publicly funded private surgical providers.

Improving Supports for Youth

Our government was pleased to announce the selection of The John Howard Society of Saskatchewan (JHSS) to coordinate and integrate services that will meet the needs of youth aged 12 to 25. Integrated Youth Services is an international reimagining of how youth and their families access the resources, services and support they need. JHSS will create a one-stop shop that provides rapid access to youth-targeted supports with a focus on prevention and early intervention. Services will include mental health support, substance misuse information, peer support, primary care, education, employment and training and social and community services.

Flu Shots Available

The colder weather is now upon us, and residents are encouraged to take steps to support their health this winter. Flu shots are still available through public health clinics, pharmacies and some local health offices. All vaccinations are voluntary, with the ability to receive the COVID-19 shot or booster in one visit. Visit www.4flu.ca to make an appointment or call 1-833-SASKVAX (1-833-727-829).

In just a few short weeks, we’ll flip the calendar to 2023. The last year has been anything but ordinary; we have faced challenges and celebrated successes. We have an influx of private investment, more jobs than ever, and an economy making news around the world. This success is thanks to folks and businesses who believe in our potential. We are proud of Saskatchewan and look forward to the unlimited potential the future has in store for our great province.

Be Ice Smart This Winter

With the arrival of snow and colder temperatures, the Water Security Agency is reminding the public to ensure that ice is thick enough to safely walk, drive or snowmobile on.

"As people get ready to enjoy another season on the ice, their safety is always top of mind for the Government of Saskatchewan," Minister Responsible for the Water Security Agency Jeremy Cockrill said. "We recommend checking ice thickness each and every time you venture on our provincial waters to ensure you are safe this winter.

Ice thickness can be deceptive and unpredictable at times. It does not freeze at a uniform thickness and its strength can vary considerably from one area to another.

To be sure, check the ice thickness before you travel on it. As a guideline, you need at least 10 cm (four inches) of ice to walk on, 20 cm (eight inches) to drive a snowmobile or ATV on, 30 cm (12 inches) to drive a car or light truck on, and more than 30 cm (12 inches) to support a heavy truck.

Guidelines are provided to help individuals decide whether to venture onto the ice. Thickness is just one consideration when

evaluating ice safety. Clear, hard ice is the only ice recommended for travel.

Ice should be re-evaluated on every date visited, even if it was safe on a previous date. The date that ice becomes safe at a site varies year-over-year requiring the verification of the thickness each year as opposed to relying on past experiences.

Also avoid ice that: looks slushy; has thawed, then froze again; is near moving water; is layered, caused by sudden temperature changes; or has structures on it, such as pressure ridges.

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 333Martensville, SK S0K 2T0.

This Holiday Season, Give the Gift of Sport

Sealey, Martensville Messenger

Participating in sports and recreation programs can change a child’s life, and that is why KidSport is such an important charity. Through KidSport, children, ages 5-18 of families facing financial obstacles can receive funding to help them participate in community sport programs.

Through KidSport, children can receive grants of up to $750 per calendar year, with applications available at the Martensville Athletic Pavilion.

In 2021, Martensville’s KidSport chapter received over 40 applications, for a total of over $12,500 and so far, for 2022, that number has seen considerable growth, with over 60 applications coming in for a total of over $25,000 in funding provided to local youth.

“Each year, we are seeing more applications come in, and unfortunately, we aren’t able to fully fund each of the applications. We are so grateful for all of the support that we have received over the years from the community and local businesses, and look forward to their continued support as the need continues to grow in the community,” Angela Reddekopp, Martensville KidSport representative, stated.

Throughout the year, there are numerous fundraising events held, with proceeds going towards supporting KidSport in Martensville, and donations can be made to the program as well. Tax receipts are provided for any donation over $25.

During the holiday season, you can give a “Gift of Sport”, which will be used to help local youth participate in sports. Donations can be made online at https:// kidsportcanada.ca/saskatchewan/ and to ensure your donation is given to support locally, choose Warman and Area KidSport TM as the chapter name. Donations can also

be dropped off at the MAP, and if using a cheque, please make it payable to Warman, Martensville and Area KidSportTM.

“Put a smile on a child’s face this Christmas and allow them to see the numerous benefits that are possible through participating in sports. Every little bit helps and is appreciated more than you know,” Reddekopp added.

Shanine