September 14, 2023 Digital Issue

Martensville Summer Market Still Has Three Weeks Left to Operate This Season

Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

School is back in session and summer holidays are over, but the Martensville Summer Market is still in action until the end of September. Each Saturday, the Market is held in the parking lot of the Martensville Corner Store on the corner of 3rd Street North and Centennial Drive North from 10am-2pm.

There are eight regular vendors that attend the Market each week and some occasional vendors that make an appearance when they are able to. Items available include things such as; fruits and vegetables, baking, crochet, handbags, coffee cup holders, crystals, leggings, springrolls, noodles, and more.

Customers that visit and purchase items are entered into a draw to win a $25 gift certificate to spend at the market.

This summer, there have been several special attendees at the Market, which included the local Fire Department, who held a bicycle helmet clinic and a car seat clinic, as well as KidSport volunteers selling raffle tickets. In August, there was a Kid’s Day held, which saw seven youth vendors attend to sell their goods, as well as a face painter and a balloon artist.

According to Market Coordinator Marjan Petter, the beginning of the season was quite busy with customer traffic; however, in recent weeks, they have seen a decline in attendance, which Petter believes is due to the fact that people don’t realize the Summer Market is still operating.

This year, a name change took place, which moved from the Martensville Farmer’s Market to the Martensville Summer Market to allow home-based vendors a chance to sell their items, rather than limit it to home-grown or home-made items only.

“It is always nice to bring in new vendors, and more vendors means more customers,” Petter said.

Plans for the 2024 season are already in works, and Petter stated that they hope to open again in June of 2024.

“We are open for suggestions from the public on what they would like to see at

Culture Days Fun at Northridge Community Centre

Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger

Culture Days starts on Monday, September 25th where participants will be learning how to make the holiday favorite, the Scuffle, which is cinnamon sugar dough rolled up and baked to perfection!

On October 2, part one of a holiday trinket class starts where the class will be using air dry clay to make the trinkets. The class will be creating a tea-light holiday house, a spooky tea-light ghost, and a holiday tree ornament.

Part two of this class will complete their projects by assembling and painting the creations!

They will also be offering a ravioli class on October 3, and All About Charcuterie on October 6.

All events are currently full and have waitlists so if you are interested, you can add your name to the waitlist by calling the MAP at 306683-5576

This program is possible because of the Community Engagement And Development Program –Framework in Action Grant!

“A big thank you to Sask Lotteries, Prairie Central District for Sport, Culture and Recreation, and Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association,” said Jamie McCulloch, Recreation and Program Coordinator II.

the Market. It is a challenge for the Market organization to get and keep steady vendors,” explained Petter.

For more information about the Martensville Summer Market, contact Martensvillemarket@gmail.com, or visit them on Facebook at ‘Martensville Summer Market’.

ABOVE: The Martensville Summer Market will continue operating until September 30th and runs every Saturday until then from 10am-2pm on the corner of Centennial Drive North and 3rd Street North.

A&W Show & Shine Draws

Large Crowd

Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

This past Saturday, the sun was shining and Centennial Drive was glistening with shining classic cars and trucks for the annual A&W Show n’ Shine, which was followed by the Martensville A&W Valley Street Stock Race at Sutherland Automotive Speedway, The Show n’ Shine took place from 11am-3pm and car enthusiasts of all ages lined the street to take in one of Martensville’s most anticipated events of the summer.

Several businesses took part in the event as well with Lakeview Insurance hosting their annual Banjo Bowl Customer Appreciation Day, which also saw Nourish Canada, Dahlia Salon and Spa and Saskatoon Dog Rescue participate. There was bouncy castles, face painting, car seat demonstrations, an adoption event and numerous specials and surprises throughout the afternoon.

RIGHT: A&W owner/operator Rachelle Buffin with the A&W Root Bear during the annual A&W Show n’ Shine on Saturday, September 9th.

Cleaning up After our Pets

It is not just a mess, it can potentially be harmful to other pets exposing them to illnesses such as parvovirus. Let’s keep pathways and parks clean and safe for everyone and their pets. Bring a baggy or find one in the many stations throughout the City along our pathways or in the dog park.

September & October 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.

September 19th – Regular Council

October 3 - Regular Council

October 10 - Committee of the Whole

October 17 - Regular Council

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 Property Taxes are Due!

- Tax Notices were mailed out on April 28h. 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 etransfers; for payments: payments@martensville.ca.

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

Council Discusses Budget Surplus, Canadian Tire Expansion and Proposed Private Crossing Bylaw

Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

Martensville City Council held their monthly Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, September 12th, which began with a budget variance report provided by Leah Bloomquist, Director of Corporate Services. Due to higher interest revenue and roadway project savings, the City of Martensville is projecting a $730,000 surplus. The full report can be viewed at www.martensville.ca.

“As with past practice, we would expect to transfer the under-spend in Roadways to the Infrastructure Replacement Reserve for future years with Council’s support. The remaining surplus will be continent on our cash levels remaining at a similar level for the rest of the year, as well as whether we have any significant snowfall/snow clearing events,” Bloomquist noted in her report to Council.

Another item on the agenda was regarding a request from Martensville’s Canadian Tire location requesting parking in-lieu for an upcoming expansion. This addition will include additional retail space, more warehouse space and a dedicated e-commerce pic-up entrance and parking.

Currently, there is a City Bylaw that requires one space for every 28m2 of gross floor area. In 2022, Council amended the zoning bylaw for parking inlieu requirements for shopping centres with a minimum site area of 4600m2, in order to provide more flexibility in the design of large parking lots.

“The site could hold the required parking spaces, but they would not all be in the most optimal place. To forgo the additional spaces, Canadian Tire is required to pay $5000/space for the first five spaces. These spaces cannot exceed the 5% maximum parking spaces that could be waived in the bylaw,” Mayor Kent Muench explained.

Council also discussed a proposed private crossing bylaw, which was brought forward due to concerns about driveway widths and driveway locations. The report, provided by Director of Infrastructure and Planning Matt Gruza, noted that there are instances where driveways extend over the entire frontage of a property, which leads to a reduction in on-street parking, as well as creating operational constraints for snow removal. In addition to this, there are concerns about the location of some driveways and their proximity to intersections. The proposed bylaw would address the widths of driveways and their proximity to intersections.

The next Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 19th at 5pm in City Hall. More information about upcoming meetings and to view past and present agendas can be found by visiting martensville.ca.

Keeping our Lanes and Properties Clean, Fall Back Lane Clean-up Coming in September!

Placing garbage, materials or waste in our lanes is unsightly, can attract pests, be unsafe and impede maintenance or access to properties.

Property owners along a boulevard or lane are responsible for ensuring these areas are cleaned up. Key points under the Nuisance Abatement Bylaw include:

- The owner or occupier of property along a boulevard or lane shall ensure that the portion of the boulevard or lane next to the property, up to the centre line of the lane, is kept free and clear, at all times of weeds, uncontrolled growth of grass, plants and tree/shrub overgrowth.

- Dumping or placing any garden, vegetation, waste materials or tree branches along the boulevard or lane is against the municipal bylaw and subject to enforcement

- Use of lanes or boulevards for the dumping of household furniture, building materials or tires is not permitted.

Questions about Boulevard or Lane Maintenance can be referred to City Hall or consult the Nuisance Abatement Bylaw at Martensville.ca

The City of Martensville conducts an annual back lane and general clean-up once a year with this year’s dates being:

September 25th-28th for neighbourhoods North of Main Street

October 2nd -5th for neighbourhoods South of Main Street

Items may be placed for pick-up one week before the scheduled pick-up. There is only one pass so please have your items out no more than one week prior to your neighbourhood’s scheduled start date.

In the interim please utilize the Loraas Landfill. Waste placed in lanes before scheduled back lane pick-up times remains regulated under the Nuisance Abatement Bylaw and is subject to enforcement.

Recreation Program Update

The Fall Program Guide is now available. View the guide online to see what programs and events are coming up this Fall.

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. Some unique opportunities to learn to make our favorite dishes and holiday items:

• Monday, September 25th – All about Scuffles, 6:30 PM North Ridge Centre

• Monday, October 2nd and 16th Holiday Trinkets, 6:30 PM, North Ridge Centre

• Tuesday, October 3rd – All about Ravioli. 6:30 PM, North Ridge Centre

Watch for more updates around the Culture Days schedule.

Halloween @ the MAP. Come out on October 27th from 6:00pm-8:00pm for an evening of spooky fun at the MAP. Dress up and enjoy some Halloween themed games, crafts and activities.

$5 a person or $15 for a family.

New this year: Toddler Time - This is for families with kids 5 and under to come and enjoy the festivities from 4-5:30pm!

Your City; Your Newspaper

Box 333, Martensville, SK S0K 2T0

Phone: 306-668-1093

advertising@martensvillemessenger.ca

Deadline for submissions is MONDAY at NOON.

www.martensvillemessenger.ca

Published Thursdays • 48 issues/year

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

Local Curlers Dominate at Sask Cup #1

Martensville had some local talent hitting the ice for the Saskatchewan Junior Tour’s Sask Cup #1, which took place at the Sutherland Curling Club in Saskatoon from September 8th-10th.

The Martensville Curling Club acknowledged local curlers Lindsay Miller, Dylan Derksen, Tyler Derksen, Gavin Martens, Lydia Zukewich and Melissa Remeshylo, as well as Team Derksen Curling, Team J Pomedli Curling, Team Semeniuk Curling and Kessel Curling as they headed into the weekend bonspiel.

ABOVE: Team Pomedli had a first place finish at Sask Cup #1 this past weekend. (Team J. Pomedli Curling)

In the end, Team Drewitz and Team Derksen went head-to-head and Team Beausoleil was matched up against Team Pomedli where team Drewitz came out with a second place finish and Team Pomedli came out as the Sask Cup #1 Champions.

Royals Take the Win in First Game of the Season

Not only is it a new season for the Martensville Royals this year, but it is a new format for the high school team as they move from a 9-man league to a 12-man league this year.

The team, which used to consist entirely of players from Martensville High School, now has 16 players that stem from Warman High School, as well as other surrounding communities who will now play in the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association (SHSAA) 5-A North Saskatchewan League.

The team was forced to change leagues due to an increase in numbers, and for the next three years, will be in a joint partnership with Warman High School to add bodies, and provide an opportunity for more local youth to participate in high school football.

The first game of the season took place on September 7th against the Bethlehem Stars at SMF Field in Saskatoon, where the Martensville crew came out on top with a score of 41-14.

The next Royals game will take place on September 14th in Prince Albert against PA Carlton, with their first home-game of the season taking place on Friday, September 22nd against North Battleford Composite.

Maddogs Start the Season

The Martensville Maddog football team is part of Saskatoon Minor Football that is divided into leagues, with the Maddogs falling under the Kinsmen Football League (KFL). This minor tackle football league has been operating in Saskatoon for 55 years. There are two age groups in the KFL for both males and females: the peewee age group is for Grade 6 & 7 players, while the Bantam age group is for Grade 8 & 9 players. The Peewee league is Canadian 9-aside football rules (new in 2017), and the Bantam league is Canadian 12-aside football rules.

The Martensville Maddogs Peewee and Bantam teams hosted their first games at the Maddogs football field on Saturday, September 9th.

The Peewee team started off the morning playing against the Holt Bulldogs winning 51-13. The Bantams followed with a 14-6 loss against North Battleford Junior Vikings. Their season starts the end of August up until the beginning of November with games played at the Maddogs football field as well as the Saskatoon Minor Football Field (SMF).

They will be hosting their next game which will be celebrating Maddogs Football Community Day on September 23rd with the Peewee starting at 10am and the Bantam team at 1pm. There will be raffle tables and bouncy castles, so be sure to come out and cheer on your Maddog Football Team!

For a schedule of upcoming games go to saskatoonminorfootball.com.

Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger

ABOVE: Maddog Max Munro with Marty the Maddog. Submitted

Brighter Future Golf Tournament Fundraiser

to Sustain Possibilities Recovery Center and Martensville Youth Connection

Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger

The first ever Brighter Future Golf Tournament fundraiser is being held at The Legends Golf Club in Warman on Friday, September 15th.

This 18 hole ‘best ball’ golf tournament starts with a 1pm tee time in support of Possibilities Recovery Center youth mental health programs. The golf package includes 18 holes of golf, dinner, banquet with live entertainment, and a silent auction. A dinner package was also offered for those who were unable to golf.

“Possibilities Recovery Center offers an Intensive 16-week mental wellness program for youth, and a drop-in mental wellness education program called Martensville Youth Connection. Both programs are available 100% free of charge for youth thanks to people and organizations like yourselves!” said Youth Connection Manager, Katharine Carter.

Proceeds go towards keeping mental health programming for youth in the Saskatoon & Martensville community free & accessible

They are also offering a Silent Auction which will be live online until the end of Possibilities Recovery Center Bright Futures Golf Tournament on September 15th. Winners will be announced at The Legends Golf Club that evening.

Check out their silent auction here; https://www.32auctions.com/ organizations/112332/auctions/149761?r=1&t=all &fbclid=IwAR0VAT3M_BCO8VNrVjdOj94yM_ hIQ3czUAC4AkXTewcMzD5K67a7xY8UdnA

Local Chamber of Commerce Offering Workshop to Help Settle into Routine Following Summer

Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

The Prairie Sky Chamber of Commerce is hosting an engaging and informative Mental Health Workshop that will be delivered by Carter’s Counselling Services, created to help people get back into the swing of things as summer comes to an end.

The ‘Getting Back into the Routine of Work After Summer’ event will take place on September 28th from 1pm-3pm at the Warman Arts Centre, located at 101 Klassen Street West, Unit 1 in Warman.

“Our expert speakers will provide valuable insights to help you re-enter the workplace with renewed energy and focus. Whether you’re a business owner, professional, or simply looking to enhance your productivity, this event offers valuable tools for success. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain essential skills for a productive and fulfilling return to work after the summer break,” was stated in an email provided by PSCC Executive Director Angela Steiert.

Topics covered during this event will include; setting realistic goals, effective time management and maintaining a positive mindset. Other upcoming workshops that will be taking place in upcoming months include ‘The Impact of Poor Sleep and How to Improve It’ this October and ‘Setting Boundaries for Effective Time Management: Balancing Work and Home Events in November. Visit prairieskychamber.ca for more information, or to register for this event and other upcoming events that the PSCC is offering.

Today’s Politics Pushes Sask. Party to the Right

It’s questionable whether the Saskatchewan Party was ever a true coalition of Liberals and Progressive Conservatives. If you look at the original founding Liberals back in 1997 - Rod Gantefoer, June Draude, Ken Krawetz and Bob Bjornerud - none of them really ever struck you as anything close to traditional dyed-inthe-wool federal Liberals. For example, Bjornerud had served as a constituency assistant to one-time Progressive Conservative MLA Walter Johnson in the Grant Devine government.

If anything, the eagerness of the Liberals to join a new party seemed almost as driven by personality conflict with then-Liberal leader Lynda Haverstock than it was by any overriding philosophy. And the entire notion that this was about a single right-wing alternative keeping the NDP out of office always had the taint of political opportunism to it. Nevertheless, Liberals were instrumental in keeping the new Saskatchewan on a path towards winning.

Few recall calls at the first Sask. Party convention in November 1997 for boot camps for young offenders, chain gangs for prisoners and stricter anti-abortion rules; all being pushed by religious or special interest groups.

Nevertheless, the Sask. Party survived and began capturing a few suburban seats and then eventually established a solid city base with urban MLAs like Don Morgan, Gord Wyant, Mark Docherty and Tina Beaudry becoming fixtures in cabinet and government.

Critical to this was former premier Brad Wall; a rural MLA from Swift Current who clearly recognized the final importance of oil, gas, mining and especially agriculture; understanding and not forgetting the need to appeal to city voters, too, but then came Wall’s departure after 10 years of leading this province and 2017-18 Sask. Party leadership that came down to a race between two rural-based contestants in Scott Moe and Alanna Koch who had worked exceedingly hard at securing farm-based votes within the Sask. Party.

Moe emerged victorious, and his first words were “just watch me” take on the Justin Trudeau Liberal government.

At that time Wyant, then, a leadership candidate disavowed his Liberal roots. Today it’s impossible to find any of those Liberal roots in the Sask. Party. It certainly can be argued that this is having much of an effect of today’s Saskatchewan politics for two very important reasons.

The first is that today’s Liberals in Saskatchewan; that are a non-entity federally and no longer existence, provincially; are in no way a right-of-centre vote-splitting threat.

The remnants of the provincial Liberal; not that there is much; has become the Progressive Party of Saskatchewan. If they are to be a factor at all, they most likely will be one compete with the NDP for urban votes.

The second factor is that this province has steadily shifted to the right; a shift that’s become more pronounced during and after the pandemic. This accounts for the modest political success of the Buffalo Party in the 2020 election and now the Saskatchewan United Party that is clearly now having its impact on Sask. Party government policy. Clearly, the Sask. Party’s political threat is coming from the right.

So the first order of business after the summer byelections for Moe and the Sask. Party was to ignore the message of the two losses on Regina and focus on the message sent by voters in Lumsden-Morse where Sask. United finished a distant second.

Perhaps it’s the Sask. Party doing what it’s always done; adjust to the political realities of the day, but there might also be the danger of it moving too far away from its Liberal/centre roots and losing even more support in the cities like it did in the Regina Coronation Park and Regina Walsh Acre by-election. As such, maybe Sask. Party will find itself in a bit of politically precarious position.

Province Adds 4,600 Jobs Over Last Year – 2,800 Over Last Month

Labour Force Hits All-Time High, Unemployment Rate at 5.4 Per Cent

Saskatchewan continues to demonstrate strong labour force growth, with 4,600 new jobs year over year according to newly released labour force figures from Statistics Canada with the labour force climbing to 632,800 an all-time high. Monthly job gains showed 2,800 jobs created, ranking 3rd in the country

“With each month of growth, Saskatchewan gets closer to achieving its Growth Plan goal of adding 100,000 jobs by 2030,” Immigration and Career Training Jeremy Harrison SAID. “Investment in Saskatchewan is driving our economic growth, but our strong labour force is critical to Saskatchewan’s continued advancement on our goal of making Saskatchewan the best place to live, work and raise a family.”

Saskatchewan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.4 per cent, which is the third lowest amongst the provinces.

August 2023 saw all-time historical highs (aged 15 and over), with Saskatchewan’s labour force reaching 632,800andSaskatchewan’s full-time employment reaching 504,000.In addition, August 2023 also set a record high for the month of August (aged 15 and over) for off-reserve Indigenous full-employment, which reached 56,300.

Saskatchewan’s largest cities also saw year over year growth in August, with Regina’s unadjusted employment up 9,500, an increase of 6.7 per cent, and Saskatoon’s employment was up 3,700, an increase of 1.9 per cent when compared to August 2022.

Major year-over-year gains were reported for:

• Transportation and warehousing, up 5,700, an increase of 22.2 per cent;

• Business, building and other support services, up 5,400, an increase of 50.5 per cent; and

• Professional scientific and technical services, up 4,900, an increase of 16.1 per cent.

Saskatchewan continues to demonstrate its economic strength through other recent indicators, including having it’s Aa1 (stable) credit rating reaffirmed by Moody’s Investor’s service on August 1, 2023. In addition, housing starts showed year-over-year growth according to figures released by Statistics Canada in August, increasing 50.7 per cent from July 2022 to July 2023, the second-highest growth in the nation compared to other provinces. Saskatchewan also led Canada in GDP growth last year at 5.7 per cent.

Training Course Provides Local Firefighters Opportunity to Train Fellow Members on Survival Techniques

Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

This past May, two members of the Martensville Fire Department (MFD) had the opportunity to take part in a unique four-day training course in Saskatoon. Deputy Chief Dean Brooman and Firefighter/Paramedic Dustin Hollman participated in the Fire Ground Survival Train-the-Trainer Course, which was taught by Master Instructors

through the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) at the John Deere Building, a location utilized by the Saskatoon Fire Department for training.

Through this course, Brooman and Hollman not only learned skills and techniques to help them on calls, but they also had the chance to become certified to train those same skills to their fellow MFD members.

Prior to participating in this course, firefighters were required to complete an online section of the course. Throughout the four-day training session, a variety of evolutions were held, which included numerous self-rescue techniques. On the final day, firefighters had the opportunity to go through the skills they had been taught and operate as though they were teaching it.

The first three days those attending worked through each evolution, with things like going through an 18-inch hole, learning how to maneuver their way through with equipment and then learning how to coach others that may have different body types on that same thing. Another lesson was how to do a ‘windowhang’ in situations where firefighters may be trapped in a building above the ground floor and after calling ‘Mayday’, they hang out of a window with only one hand and foot remaining inside the building until help arrives in the form of a ladder.

Some of the other lessons included using a window repelling system; ladder bail outs where they go down a ladder head first out of a window; entanglement, where firefighters have to crawl through a bunch of wires that they can very easily get snagged on and learning how to remain calm and get untangled, and more.

“At the end of it all, there was a big confidence maze, which included all of the things that we had learned at some point or another and we had to test ourselves to see if we could stay calm. Not getting frustrated is a huge thing because if any of these situations ever happened in real-life, one of the biggest things is to stay calm,” Firefighter Hollman explained.

Hollman, who has been a member of the MFD for the past seven years and a full-time firefighter in Saskatoon for the past three years, also noted that one of the biggest benefits to this particular course is the chance to share these lessons with the other members of the MFD.

“This was a life-safety training course to help prepare us for those ‘just in case’ moments that could potentially come up on a call. If something goes wrong with one of our guys, or ourselves, we need to know how to self-rescue, or rescue our partners. To be able to pass these skills along is huge,” Hollman said.

The MFD is constantly working on training their members, and Hollman added that when it comes to firefighting and medical calls, there is always new information coming out and research being done, so they work hard to always be learning and to never become complacent.

“A driving force for many of us is that desire to help others on one of their worst days and we all have families and people that we care about that want to see us come home at the end of the day. Just because we have that gear on doesn’t make us invincible, so constantly learning new skills is such an important part of this job. I am really grateful that I was able to take part in this course and look forward to more opportunities in the future,” Hollman said.