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The Martensville Farmer’s Market is available each Wednesday from 10am to 2pm in the parking lot of the Martensville Corner Store until the end of September. Be sure to swing by and pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables and a whole lot more. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

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Page 2 - SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 - martensville messenger

Martensville’s Local Government Election Call For Nominations Begins September 22nd Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

Now that September is officially here, Martensville’s 2020 local government election is fast approaching. Election Day will be taking place on Monday, November 9, where a mayor and 6 councillors will be elected for a four-year term.

Call for Nominations will begin on September 22nd, with Nomination Day taking place October 7th. Those interested in running are required to fill out a nomination form, which will be available online, or at Martensville City Hall as of September 22nd. In addition to the nomination form, they are also required to include five resident’s signatures of support and a public disclosure statement.

Due to COVID-19 precautions, the City of Martensville has been working on safety precautions, as well as a new option for voters – a mail in ballot. “Council passed a mail-in ballot bylaw, which is something that we have not done in the past. Typically, something like this is available for people that will be out of town, or aren’t able to vote during the advanced polls or regular Election Day, but this is an option that is open to anyone this year,” City Clerk Carla Budnick explained.

To utilize the mail-in ballot, voters are required to apply at City Hall, online or via email and make a request. Once nominees are finalized and ballots are ready, they will be sent to those that registered for a mail-in ballot. Ballots are required to be returned by Election Day on November 9th before 8pm. “We are happy that this is an additional option we can provide residents,” Budnick added.

Once again, the Prairie Sky Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a Candidate’s Forum, where residents can learn more about the nominees. This will be taking place virtually on Thursday, October 15th. More information will be provided on this in future issues of the Martensville Messenger.

Budnick also noted that they are seeking individuals to work at the election in various areas including; poll clerks, deputy returning officers, assisting the public and more. Anyone interested can contact her at (306) 931-2166.

Budnick added that there are still some things that are being worked out, such as how they will be setting up the polls, if they will limit how many people are in at a time, one-use pencils, screens for workers, etc. “It has definitely been a little more challenging to plan everything, but it will all work out.”

martensville messenger - SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 - Page 3

September 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.

Still Plenty to Do! – Fall Registration Open / Monster Garage Sale Registration Open

Regular Council Meeting – September 1st Committee of the Whole- September 8th Regular Council Meeting- September 15th

Fall Registration is now open! There are a variety of programs to register for but limited space in each, so register as soon as you can! Visit the City or Martensville Program Registration page, or phone us at 306-683-5576 for more information!

The Regular Council Meetings are located at Martensville City Hall Council Chambers.

Martensville City Hall - 37 Centennial Dr. S. All meetings commence at 5PM.

We missed the spring garage sales this year, but don’t miss out on the fall Monster Garage Sale! September 18th and 19th . Register your house over the phone, or in person at the MAP or City Hall!

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.

Outdoor Family Fun kits are still available to borrow! Our Giant Games Kit is rented for the remainder of the summer, but there are still other great kits to choose from! To secure your kit email specialevents@martensville.ca

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

City Hall has reopened to the public, 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.

Current Status of Public Facilities as of August 20th: Martensville Athletic Pavilion - Open, with occupancy limits City Hall - Open Aquatic Centre - Open, with occupancy limits Northridge Centre - Open for Bookings with Provincial gathering guidelines Heritage Centre - Open for bookings with Provincial gathering guidelines Sports Centre - Opened as of August 30th Wheatland Regional Library (located in the Civic Centre) - Opened as of August 31st 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.

Residents and Customers are requested 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.

After Hour Water and Sewer Emergencies - should still be directed through the Emergency line at City Hall, (306) 931-2166, ext.1.

Protective Services - There are no changes in duty or status to Protective Services such as the RCMP, Martensville Fire Department, and Ambulance Service.

Water and Sewer - These services remain unimpacted and unchanged, including water quality testing. Meter reading will continue to take place under the Read/Estimate schedule; however, staff will not be doing reads of meters located inside of homes or occupied buildings. In these cases, estimates will be taken or reads can be provided into City Hall. In respect to water and sewer emergencies, city staff may not be able to enter resident homes at this time and private contractors should be considered.

Water Meter Read/Estimate Schedule - Normally the Read/Estimate Schedule that takes place from October-April would be completed and the entire City would have water meter reads completed by City of Martensville Meter Readers. However due to the COVID-19 crisis, the Water Meter Read/Estimate schedule continues to be extended into foreseeable future Garbage and Recycling - Services remain in place and on schedule with no anticipated service delays at this time. Organics collection has also commenced.

Road Maintenance - will continue as required and is not expected to change at this time.

Playgrounds and Sports Fields - Playgrounds are currently open. The Spray Park is open.

Sports Fields have reopened but users should continue to follow activity guidelines as may be provided under the Provincial Re-Open plan.

Trails and passive park spaces remain open for use, but we continue to urge residents to incorporate safe practices.

Utility and Property Tax Updates - The City has implemented a number of measures to assist property owners and businesses during the pandemic, currently in place: • Interest charges on utility bills will be suspended until November 1, 2020.

• Water service will not be discontinued due to non-payment or overdue account status.

• The deadline for property tax payments will be extended from July 31 to October 30, 2020.

• All interest charges on property tax owing will be suspended until November 1, 2020.

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.

Animal Control Bylaw

Owners are reminded that it is not permitted to allow your animal to become a nuisance by barking or howling to the annoyance of neighbors at any time of the day or night. In addition, Fines to the Animal Bylaw have increased: • Unlicensed Dogs or Cats fines are now as follows: First Offence $250.00, Second Offence $300.00 and Subsequent $350.00 • Annual licenses are only $20 and permanent (micro-chipped) license fees are only $30.

(Make sure if you’ve moved here that you register your chip number with the city).

• Dogs or Cats causing a nuisance – First Offence $200.00, Second Offence $300.00 and subsequent $400.00.

To view the bylaw in its entirety, please visit Martensville.ca. Questions can be directed to City Hall.

Help Keep Our City Clean, a Reminder in Respect to Boulevard and Lane Maintenance

- The owner or occupier of property adjacent to a boulevard or lane shall ensure that the portion of the boulevard or lane adjacent 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.

- No owner or occupier of property adjacent to a boulevard or lane, or any other person, shall deposit or cause, suffer or permit the deposit of any garden, vegetation, waste materials or tree branches on or upon a boulevard or lane adjacent to the property, up to the centre line of the lane.

- No owner or occupier of property adjacent to boulevard or lane, or any other person, shall deposit or cause, suffer or permit the deposit of household furniture, building materials or tires on or upon a boulevard or lane adjacent to the property, up to the centre line of the lane.

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

Local Coaches Excited to ‘Return to Hockey’ Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger

Trevor Hanley of Martensville the Open Sask Plan for mini-leagues which, is a familiar name with the Minor Hockey if things go well, may mean an exhibition Association (MHA). With 13 years of game or two along the way which I know coaching experience would be welcomed by at the U18 level, he the players.” is excited to begin

Hanley is very the AA camp which excited to be joined starts the weekend of

by Brett Boehm and September 11, with the Brennen Bosovich intent to have a team who have signed on selected by September as Assistant Coaches.

16.

“Both are great hockey

The SHA guys who played (Saskatchewan right in Martensville Hockey Association) growing up and both has been working went on to play some with the Sask very competitive Health Authority hockey in the SAAHL ABOVE: Trevor Hanley and the Provincial and SJHL. I actually Government and have had the pleasure of released their return to hockey memorandum coaching Brennen in '07 so it's pretty cool to earlier in August. Hanley states that this now have an opportunity to coach alongside Return to Hockey Plan outlines many of him.” the parameters and intentions in place

Having a lot of passion for the today. “We are moving ahead with camps game, Hanley knows both Boehm and and towards selecting our teams; however Bosovich are going to be great mentors for there are no games being sanctioned at this the boys. “Both jumped at the chance to give time by Sask Hockey. Tentatively it looks back to minor hockey through coaching so it like November 1, 2020 is the expected start speaks volumes about their character too.” of games being allowed. Tournaments

According to Hanley, they have a have been set back to January 1, 2021 as a lot of talented players signed up for camp tentative start date.” and he is looking forward to seeing them

The Saskatchewan AA Hockey all compete and show their skills. “We're League (SAAHL) teams are made up of all excited to get on the ice and get to work players living in the “AA” community or and right now it looks like every player at nearest to that community. Four major cities camp has a desire to play at the next level, cannot draw players from outside their with many having attended AAA U18 cities; Regina, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert camps already. As coaches we're going to and Saskatoon for male; Saskatoon and do everything we can to get them prepared Regina for female. to make that jump.”

Hanley’s focus for this season will

For more information on the be on skill development for the players as rules and guidelines for the upcoming a team and preparing as best they can for hockey season go to https://sha.sk.ca/news/ when they will be allowed to play games archives/return-to-hockey-saskatchewanagain. “There are some allowances within hockey-association LEFT: Brett Boehm and Brennen Bosovich, both with an extensive knowledge of hockey and their own impressive careers, have signed on as Assistant Coaches alongside Trevor Hanley.

Council Approves Bylaws For P4G and Discusses Installation of Cameras at Skatepark Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

The first day of September marked the first Council meeting of the month for the City of Martensville. Held virtually, as they have been done since March of this year, the meeting included a variety of items, beginning first with two bylaws regarding the Saskatoon North Partnership for Growth (P4G) Regional Plan.

P4G has been a collaboration between Saskatoon, Martensville, Warman, Osler and the Rural Municipality (RM) of Corman Park for the past several years to create a planning region that will prepare for population of 700,000 and then one million people.

The first bylaw to be presented to Council was the District Planning Bylaw and the second was for the P4G District Official Community Plan. The approval of these bylaws was required by all communities involved in P4G prior to an online joint all-council meeting that will occur on September 24th. “The plan will form the foundation and guidelines to ensure growth is sustainable and thoughtful into the future,” Mayor Kent Muench explained. During the meeting, Muench also noted that this is a “major step” for P4G.

To learn more about P4G, there will be a Public Information Session regarding the District Official Community Plan taking place on Wednesday, September 9th at the North Ridge Community Centre from 2pm-7pm. Precautions will be in place due to COVID-19; however, you can view the session materials on the Saskatoon North Partnership for Growth website at https://partnershipforgrowth.ca/ from September 9th until September 23rd.

The next item on the agenda was regarding a valve and hydrant replacement at 1st Avenue South, 2nd Street South and at Pump Station #2. Scott Loyns, City of Martensville Infrastructure Manager, noted that communication has already been made with the residents and businesses that will be affected during this replacement.

Council then discussed the installation of illuminated Pedestrian Crosswalks at Mike Sands Blvd & 3rd Street North and at 10th Street North & Parr Hill Drive. Council was unsure if the two recommended locations would be best utilized for the installation of the crosswalks and therefore, will be doing more research to determine intersections with the most need and bring that information back to an upcoming meeting.

The last item was regarding the installation of security cameras at the Kyle Syrenne Skatepark and at North Ridge Community Centre. As part of the 2020 Capital Plan, $10,000 was budgeted for this project; however, quotes came in above the budgeted amount at $12,948, due to the directional drilling to the poles that will support the cameras. The over-expenditure would be able to be offset by savings on the community garden capital project. Council had some questions as to who would have access to the camera footage, which Ted Schaeffer, City of Martensville Director of Recreation & Community Services, noted would be available to the City and the RCMP when requested if an incident did occur. Otherwise, the footage from the Kyle Syrenne Skatepark would be streamed live through the City website.

The monthly Committee of the Whole meeting for the City of Martensville will take place on Tuesday, September 8th. The public is invited to attend meetings, and can contact the City Clerk at (306) 931-2166 to get information on how to do this.

LAND USE Agriculture

FUTURE URBAN GROWTH AREAS Growth to 700,000

P4G District Boundary

Agricultural Research

Existing Urban Municipality

Country Residential

First Nations Land Holdings

Urban Residential Neighbourhood

First Nations Reserves Potential Expansions

Rural Commercial/Industrial

(Airport, Wanuskewin, etc.)

Urban Commercial/Industrial

Wanuskewin Viewshed

Urban Mixed Use Node

Major Roadways

Corman Park - Osler Agri-Food Node

Saskatoon Freeway Alignment

Green Network Study Area

Railway

Regional Infrastructure

Potential Interchanges

Regional Institutional Facilities

Key Location

Rge. Rd. 3050

Page 4 - SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 - martensville messenger

Recreation, Parks and Culture Water

Rge. Rd. 3060

Twp. Rd. 390

Twp. Rd. 380

Submit your stories to The Martensville Messenger news@martensvillemessenger.ca

Twp. Rd. 360

Rge. Rd. 3050

HEARD ANY GOOD NEWS LATELY?

Rge. Rd. 3060

Twp. Rd. 380

ble, ble, e,able, , s., s.re, ds. lso lso also o

martensville messenger - SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 - Page 5

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Things Look a Little Different As the Beginning of the 2020/2021 School Year Approaches

Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

As the beginning of the 2020/2021 school year fast approaches, many parents are feeling nervous about sending their children back, as COVID-19 still remains a threat.

On August 24th, Prairie Spirit School Division (PSSD) sent out a letter to parents notifying them of the “soft start” that will begin on September 8th. Students will be divided into two cohorts or groups, with the first attending school on Tuesday, September 8th and Thursday September 10th and the other attending Wednesday, September 9th and Friday, September 11th. All students will begin attending school starting September 14th.

PSSD noted that having the smaller groups of students will provide both students and staff the opportunity to; practice new routines in classrooms, hallways, playgrounds and buses; establish patterns of movement within the school and provide opportunities to acknowledge; and support a variety of emotions.

While this provides a template of how the school year will start, each school determines what their own “soft start” will look like. I had a firsthand opportunity to see one of the Martensville schools in action as they prepare measures to ensure that all children are safe while at school.

Extra precautions are already in place, as upon entering Venture Heights Elementary School (VHS), I was required to sanitize my hands, sign in, and fill out a COVID form. Staff could be seen wearing masks and the main office had a protective barrier installed.

The teachers and administration at VHS took advantage of the week before the first day of classes to run through their new system of students entering/exiting the school and came together for a collaboration where they went through numerous scenarios such as recess, snack time, if a child is feeling sick, and more.

The walkthrough that VHS did was for Grade 5 teacher Garett Soparlo’s class, where Soparlo demonstrated how his class will meet in their own designated area of the school yard and stay two metres apart from one another while donning their masks.

Students will enter the building in a line, with one student being in charge of holding open the door to limit how many people are touching surfaces. As students enter the classroom, they will each be required to sanitize their hands. Different grades will be utilizing their own doors to get into and out of the school, limiting contact between students.

Students are each given a number, which aligns to a numbered desk, locker and whiteboard. When in the school, students will be required to wear masks, unless they are within a designated safe area where they are able to take a break from wearing their mask.

Although class sizes will be remaining the same size, classrooms have been rearranged to provide as much space between desks as possible and limit exposure to shared surfaces. Extra measures will be taken with hand sanitization and cleaning measures. This particular walkthrough showed an example of what the grade 5 classroom will look like; however, each grade will be dealt with differently, as masks are required for Grades 4-12 within the Prairie Spirit School Division (PSSD), whereas Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 3 students are encouraged to wear masks. PSSD staff members will be expected to wear masks when social distancing is not possible.

As the staff at VHS met, everyone had a chance to ask questions and discuss a solution as a team. Following the meeting, topics that were still being looked into included the handling of paper, procedures for taking attendance and looking into the option of including hand washing stations within the halls.

VHS Principal Ron Biberdorf explained that he has had teachers coming to him with their own questions; however, opportunities like this one, allow them to come together and discuss their concerns. “We come out of these things with more stuff to figure out because not everyone has heard all of the questions, so it is a good opportunity for them to talk amongst themselves and brainstorm.”

“Things are going to look a little different, but it is a challenge that we know we have to do and I am so thankful that we have an awesome team coming together for this. There is no point fretting, it is something that we have to do, so let’s get it done,” Biberdorf said.

RIGHT: Venture Heights Elementary School Grade 5 teacher Garett Soparlo demonstrates how each student will be required to apply hand sanitizer prior to entering the classroom.

BELOW: Staff at Venture Heights Elementary School did a walkthrough of how students will now be required to enter the school to limit contact and exposure to shared surfaces.

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Government

Nancy Heppner MLA Martensville-Warman

mail@nancyheppner.com www.nancyheppner.com 306-975-0284

Page 6 - SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 - martensville messenger

Provincial Politics with

Murray Mandryk

O’Toole May Be Taking Better Approach

They say religion and politics don’t mix, but nobody really ever explains why. It’s really because there isn’t much compromise in our religious views, which is perfectly fine.

Politics, however, is all about compromise - not only just a need to compromise religious beliefs, but also a need to make concessions on a whole variety of views to fit the needs of a society that encompasses a lot of different views.

It’s early in the tenure of new Conservative Party of Canada leader Erin O’Toole, but it does seem he may be getting this concept in a way that Andrew Scheer perhaps didn’t. In a free democracy, we are all entitled to our private religious beliefs. Frankly, we are all still entitled to our private beliefs on most anything.

It’s only when individuals spout their private views on personal matters - often, for the explicit purposes of converting others that they should share that view - that such views become a problem and they especially become a problem for politicians who either promote specific views because they sincerely believe them or because they see some political advantage in promoting them.

This has become a significant problem for the Conservative Party; a problem that O’Toole needs to address.

Since the demise of the old Progressive Conservative party that re-emerged without the “progressive” aspect in their title, some have questioned whether they can form a national government.

Well, clearly they can, as we have seen the past couple decades. Stephen Harper; who will be seen as the father of the modern-day Conservative party; certainly held many social conservative views, but that didn’t prohibit him from leading the then very new party to 10 years in power (albeit, only one of his four elections produced a majority government).

For Harper and his era Conservatives, it was a matter of re-focusing on other things like the economy. It was also a matter of being able to address social issues when they come up, as Harper clearly did when he issued an apology to First Nations and Metis survivors of residential schools.

That the CPC, itself, would force Scheer to resign after just one election in which he forced the Justin Trudeau Liberals into minority government territory and secured the most votes was an admission of something that was right.

For whatever qualities Scheer demonstrated as a family man who was personally likable, there was uneasiness both inside and outside the party that he could not be seen to separate his personal beliefs from party policy.

Whatever Harper’s personal views were on social issues, he defined himself as a fiscal conservative who would not change laws on issues involving things like women’s reproductive choice or protection of those in the LBGTQ community. (And make no mistake that there was considerable pressure on those inside and outside caucus to do so.)

Scheer, struggled in these areas. Coupled with the fact that many Canadians were looking for a leader with serious environmental policies, Scheer faced an erosion of trust.

O’Toole seems to be determined not to make the same mistake and is perhaps better positioned to not repeat errors. For starters, his voting record as an MP and minister in Harper’s government was one of pro-choice and supportive of LBGTQ issues.

In other words, he did not come to the helm of the Conservative party beholding to the social conservatives, although it was evident social conservatives were more comfortable with them than they were with rival Peter MacKay.

O’Toole has also sent out strong early signals his priorities will be Western alienation and support of the oil, gas and agriculture sectors. This is critical not just for the CPC but also for the good of the country as a whole. In his early days, O’Toole is demonstrating he gets it.

MLA Report With Nancy Heppner Safe Schools Plan Update

As summer starts to wind down, students, teachers and school staff are preparing to get back to the classroom. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has ensured that the coming school year will be unlike any other. The Government of Saskatchewan, alongside our Chief Medical Health Officer and education officials, is focused on providing more information, more time, more testing and more resources to ensure a safe return to school in September.

Recently, it was announced that an additional $40 million will match and complement $40 million that school divisions have realized in savings, making for a total of $80 million available to divisions for a safe return to school. This funding will cover pandemic-related costs such as staffing and sanitation supplies, non-classroom options like distance learning to help ensure immunocompromised and medically fragile students, as well as the procurement of masks, PPE and other supplies.

School-specific operation plans are being finalized, posted online and communicated to parents and students.

Working within provincial guidelines and public health guidance provided in the Safe Schools Plan, school divisions are implementing initiatives like block scheduling, cohorting, and considerations for alternating school days. Additional staff to reduce class sizes in exceptional circumstances will also be considered.

Students will not be returning to the classroom until Tuesday, September 8. This extra time will provide an opportunity for teachers and staff to return to schools across the province to get training on new protocols, properly reconfigure classrooms and, where possible, hold virtual meetings with parents to discuss new procedures.

The province is also working toward daily testing capacity of 4,000 tests and will continue to offer universal testing for anyone who wants it. Regina and Saskatoon will be introducing drive-thru testing sites which will require only a health card, not a referral. All teachers and school staff are being encouraged to seek testing prior to returning to school and at frequent points throughout the school year. Priority access to testing will be established for teachers and school staff, with referrals available through 811.

Targeted school testing is a key focus of expanded testing plans which include targeted monitoring, testing of students with parental consent, and priority testing for teachers and school staff. Participating schools will be selected based on a number of factors such as number of students in the school and if the community is experiencing a recent surge of new cases. Inschool public health visits for routine childhood vaccinations will now include COVID-19 testing, where parental consent is granted.

As part of the school specific plans, parents will receive detailed information that includes instructions about what to do if a child tests positive, and what a classroom and school would do to follow up and protect others.

W h i l e there is uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, Saskatchewan’s Safe Schools Plan takes the necessary steps to ensure students, teachers and school staff can return to the classroom safely.

You can learn more at Saskatchewan.ca.

And as always, if you have questions or concerns, please contact my constituency office.

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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306-244-4950

Martensville, SK

KEEPING YOU SAFE & ON THE ROAD

Harvest Requires Patience on Saskatchewan Highways

Harvest is either underway or just on the horizon for many farmers in the province – and that means drivers may be seeing more farm equipment on Saskatchewan highways in the coming weeks.

Although collisions with farm equipment are rare, now is the time of year that they are most likely to happen.

Yes, you may be hitting the road to make the most of these last few weeks of warm and sunny weather. While many of us are enjoying summer, our agricultural producers are working hard to get their crops off the field. The work farmers do puts food on our tables and contributes to the provincial economy. And they need everyone’s help to keep safe.

Some things to keep in mind when driving around farm equipment: Be patient – farm equipment is very slow-moving. If you find yourself behind a big piece of machinery – be patient, and pass when it is safe to do so.

Again, be patient – Farmers are usually only transporting their machinery from one field to another, so they won’t be on the road for long. Even if you don’t get an opportunity to pass safely, you won’t be behind them for a long distance Give yourself some space – farm equipment can be wider or longer than sometimes expected.

Make sure to give yourself plenty of room to pass and pull back into the lane safely.

And give the farmer some space too – The operator of the farm equipment has plenty of blind spots, and may not be able to see you if you’re following too closely behind or cut in front of them. When everyone can see each other on the road, we’re all safer.

Stay alert – Depending on the farm equipment, the farmer may not be able to signal their intent to turn or slow down. Anticipate sudden movements, and keep your focus on the road.

Bonus tip: Farmers will also take steps to ensure their safety and yours. Equipment that travels slower than 40 km/h, must be equipped with a rear/center slowmoving-vehicle sign, and machinery that extends more than 1.2 meters should be equipped with reflective devices to alert drivers.

Feel free to call for an interview, for more information, or for collision and traffic safety statistics regarding farm ABOVE: Farmers take advantage of the dry weather and get an vehicles. early start to taking off their crops. (Jeff Puetz)

POLICE

BEAT

Members of the the Warman Detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police responded to 366 complaints during he week of August 5, 2020 to August 19, 2020 and a total of 40 criminal code charges and 88 Provincial traffic charges were laid.

• There were nine impaired drivers reported with six being charged. There was one charge of dangerous driving and two roadside suspensions given.

• 63 speeding tickets were issued as well as two charges of failing to wear a seat belt. There was also a charge of failing to remain at an accident and six written warnings given out.

• There were 10 reports of mischief, two assaults reported, three reported motor vehicle thefts, one B&E reported as well as two reports of theft over $5000 and three reports of theft under $5000. No charges were laid in any of these reports.

• There were two reports of drugs with one being charged, and one sexual offence charge.

If you have information regarding these or any other crimes, please contact Warman/Martensville RCMP at 306-975-1670/306-975-1610 or if you have information and you wish to remain anonymous in your reporting, please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a tip via their website: http://saskcrimestoppers.com/ or text in a tip: TIP206 + your tip to CRIMES (274637).

ABOVE: A view of the float. (Dean Johnston)

Martensville SK 306-244-4950

Floating on the Lazy River Submitted by Dean Johnston

Kingsmere Lake is a large, clean and quiet lake in Prince Albert National Park.

While Waskesiu Lake offers a full service townsite, beach, golf and a myriad of terrific cheesesticks, Kingsmere is mainly known as the gateway to Grey Owl’s Cabin, historic home of the famous pioneer and environmentalist. A less wellknown attraction, however, is the Lazy River Float, as it is known, a scenic, relaxing water journey down the Kingsmere River that can be enjoyed by all ages, from grandparents lounging in comfortable dinghies to boisterous children bobbing along in nothing but a lifejacket. As a fun, free outdoor activity, the Kingsmere River is perfect for families looking for new ways to enjoy the pristine wilderness and make themselves cold despite the outstanding summer weather of northern Saskatchewan.

How do you get there?

- Kingsmere Lake has a 40hp ABOVE: The Kingsmere River float is fun for all ages.

(Dean Johnston) limit for boats but is also very popular for canoeing and kayaking. The Kingsmere River flows south from Kingsmere Lake to Waskesiu Lake and about halfway between the two is a parking lot and boat launch used by fishermen and campers looking to cross between the two. This spot is about half an hour drive from the Waskesiu townsite, which is about an hour north of Prince Albert.

Where do you start? - There are two launch points. The first is at the river portage, about a 10-minute walk from the parking lot. This is where watercraft headed for Kingsmere Lake are loaded on a hand trolley to portage past the slippery and shallow rapids farther up. Most people carry their various floatation devices to this spot, jump in the (admittedly frigid) water to start the 15-minute float back to the boat launch. However, more adventurous types can continue on another 10 minutes or so to the other end of the trolley. From here the float takes 30-45 minutes and involves some wild rides through narrow channels and over shallow rapids. You shouldn’t take small children or delicate vases on this section.

What should you take? - The beauty of the Lazy River Float is that you can do it just about anyway imaginable. Along with the previously mentioned dinghies and lifejackets, we have seen people using inner tubes, boogie boards, inflatable loungers, or even just treading water as the current softly sweeps them along. Although anyone considering the longer version should take something fairly sturdy and cushioned (a large inner tube works well) because things can get a little rough scraping over rocks and bouncing off encroaching trees. You should bring at least one dry bag to hold flip flops and anything else you don’t want getting wet, although it is possible to make the walk barefoot if you watch your step.

How much time do you need? - Even though the basic float is fairly short, once you factor in driving, walking and repeating the process at least 3-4 times (depending on how many energetic kids are hounding you for another go), you should allow at least 3 hours. Adults who have had enough of the chilly water after a couple tries can volunteer to stay back at the viewpoint along the trail to take photos. Also, keep in mind that you’ll need to bring any food and water (and bug spray) you’ll need as there are no facilities out there (except a basic outhouse). And, just a heads up, there have been bears spotted in the area, so don’t let kids run ahead and be sure to make plenty of noise (usually not a problem).

4 Things to Combine with Your Lazy River Float

1. The walk to Kingsmere Southend campground is less than 4 km return and it is a great place for an afternoon picnic.

2. Hardcore hikers rave about the classic 20 km one-way trek to Grey Owl’s cabin. Most people camp in one of the several sites along the way to break up the trip. It is also possible to mountain bike out and back in a single day but make sure you’ve got full suspension and prepare for your arms to take a beating on the rough, root-covered trail.

3. A 2 - or 3- night canoe loop from Kingsmere to gorgeous little Bagwa Lake is a relaxing and memorable undertaking offering isolated camping, wonderful sunsets and good fishing.

4. Just before you reach the river parking lot when driving out from Waskesiu you’ll pass the Narrows Peninsula trailhead. This easy 3 km loop is our favourite short hike in the area, offering surprising diversity with dense forest, marshy boardwalks, placid ponds, narrow ridges overlooking the lake and even a few small sandy beaches.

Dean Johnston is the author of three travel books, including Roam: The 9 Greatest Trips on Earth. He is currently getting lightheaded from blowing up an inflatable popsicle, but while you wait you can read about all his travels at routinelynomadic.com.