Webpaper 15

Page 1

Vol. 106 No. 15

THURSDAY, APRIL 9,, 2015

Box 40, 122 Main Street, Biggar, Saskatchewan S0K 0M0

email: tip@sasktel.net

20 pages

Phone: 306-948-3344

$1.25

www.biggarindependent.ca

Loss of Biggar’s roundhouse is devastating Where once stood a proud building of brick, now there is nothing but rubble. The Biggar Roundhouse

Officer saves baby’s life

was deconstructed in February and this has caused some concern for Ray Sadler who says we have lost a valuable piece of our heritage. Roundhouses were built by the railways to service their trains. Typically built in a circular pattern of different sizes depending on the servicing needs. The turn table in the centre would allow the locomotive (usually steam) to be moved from one stall to another and then return the correct way to the tracks. When roundhouses were built steam engines needed to be serviced every 100 miles so that is where they were built along the lines, along with water towers and coal decks. As diesel engines replaced steam in the 1950s roundhouses were no longer needed. GTP roundhouses were valued for being a key part of Western Canada’s transcontinental history. They were built by Carter-Halls-Aldinger, a Winnipeg contract firm responsibile for many buildings throughout

Western Canada. Besides the Biggar roundhouse the firm constructed roundhouses in Watrous and Wainwright. GTP didn’t skimp on the buildings using only good quality materials. Historical information could be gleaned from the foundations themselves. This often refl ected the original association of the roundhouse with its landscape through their physical location, thickness, shape, detail and varying heights relative to the existing grade of the land. Biggar’s Roundhouse was built in 1909 by the Grand Trunk Pa c i f i c R a i l wa y. T h e GTP was absorbed by Canadian National. As the roundhouses became obsolete CN stopped using them and many were torn down in the 1970s. Biggar’s became a turkey farm operated by the Kuruluk family until 2007. The roundhouse was slated for demolition at that time. A petition was circulated in Biggar to save the building. Over 2,500 signatures were

gathered. In 2008, Carol Skelton, the Member for Parliament for Saskatoon-RosetownBiggar presented the petition in the House of Commons. “ To d a y, o n b e h a l f o f Saskatoon-RosetownB i g g a r c o n s t i t u e n t s, Member of Parliament Carol Skelton tabled a petition in the House of Commons calling on the Government of Canada to designate the historically u n i q u e G r a n d Tr u c k Pacific (CNR) Locomotive Roundhouse in Biggar, Saskatchewan a National Historic site. “The Mayor of Biggar as well as many people within the community and surrounding area are mobilizing to save the CNR locomotive roundhouse because of its unique structure and historical value to the community and I wholeheartedly support their campaign,” said MP Carol Skelton. The 1990 Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act (HRSPA) was enacted by Parliament to protect heritage railway stations

by ensuring that these stations and features that represent their heritage are preserved. Th i s e n s u r e s t h a t n o railway company may in any way alter, demolish or transfer ownership of a designate station without the authorization of the Governor in Council following a recommendation from the Minister of Environment. However, this Act does not extend protection to locomotive roundhouses. “The Biggar locomotive roundhouse was rescued from demolition in the early 1970’s and again in 1974. Over the years it has received routine maintenance by the long term leaseholders. However, their lease runs out in 2009 and now because of a clause in the lease, it is once again slated for demolition,” explained Skelton. Although the CNR station in Biggar was designated a Heritage Railway Station in 1995, this did not include the CN locomotive roundhouse in Biggar. Thousands of people are rallying in support of this …see Roundhouse, pg 3

On March 18 Constable Cory Winslow of Biggar RCMP received the Saint John Life Saving Award at a ceremony in North Battleford. The award was presented by Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, Vaughn Schofield and Commanding Officer of F Division, Assistant Commissioner Brenda Butterworth-Carr. (Submitted photo)

On October 2, 2013, near Kinley, Cst. Winslow used his first aid skills to save the life of an infant child. Cst. Winslow was on duty when he responded to a call for assistance from the parents of an unconscious baby. Arriving at the scene, he quickly assessed the baby boy and realized that he had a pulse, but was not breathing. He began

administering artifical respirations and continued until emergency services arrived. The baby was taken to hospital where he made a full recovery. Without this life-saving intervention, the baby may not have survived. Cst. Winslow’s quick actions and knowledge and use of first aid saved the baby’s life.

Sharp turn . . . This corner was perhaps a little too sharp for this semi as it slid off the road while trying to negotiate a turn into Parrish and Heimbecker. Definitely not a good day. (Independent photo by Daryl Hasein)

For those on the go . . . Biggar Central School seniors Mazie Hooper dumps a cola while Tiara Keith adds a touch of yogurt while teacher Kim Johnson, right, awaits her fate. Johnson was paying up on a Telemiracle promise, betting students couldn’t raise a certain level of cash for

the worthy cause. They did, and she was now forced to down a Happy Meal, blended to an inch of its fast-food life. See page 2 for more on the auspicious day. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)


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