Hometown girl rescues heritage building
JOAN JANZEN
joanjanzen@yahoo.com
Residents in Eston were excited to see a sign go up at 205 Main Street announcing Dr. Nickey Knight’s dental office will be opening soon. Dr. Knight has been practicing in Kindersley for many years, but Eston is her hometown, and the building she chose for the dental clinic has sentimental value to herself
and many others in the community.
“It was my hometown’s most beautiful structure, and it made me sad to think it would be destroyed. I bought the building for sentimental reasons,” Dr. Nickey explained. “Other properties were available for a new clinic, where the work involved would have been far less, but I decided I was up for the challenge.”
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Dr. Nickey Knight transforms historic building into dental office
CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
The project has been more of a rescue project than a renovation project, since the building was slated for demolition as a result of it being empty for the past twenty years and falling into extreme disrepair.
It was built in 1925 as the original RM of Snipe Lake headquarters, and became Hughes Law Office in 1979 before being abandoned in 2000, when ownership went back to the Town of Eston. However its value and significance did not go unrecognized, as it was a declared a municipal heritage building in 2010.
Dr. Nickey also recognized the building’s value. “I have been renovating it for over a year and a half. The work has been tremendous! A huge hole in the roof left everything inside wet and rotten, and it had to be gutted to the four outer walls. But the bones were good: brick walls, a concrete floor and 18 inch foundation walls,” she explained.
Dr. Nickey attributes all the credit for the building’s restoration to her father, Larry Andrew. “He has done the lion‘s share of the work, and he’s extremely fussy and precise; as a result his work is stunning,” she noted.
As they worked on the building, they tried to salvage everything they could from the original structure, including the safe, doors, sinks and picture windows. “I was able to secure the original front desk from Brian Proudlove, the former pharmacist, who had it tucked away in a shed on his farm,” Dr. Nickey said.
Dr. Nickey went to a great deal of effort to ensure the building would be as close to its original design as possible. “I did a lot of research to keep the details period appropriate. The lighting, switches, knobs, and furnishings have been the result of a year long quest at antique stores,” she said. “I found photos of the building in the 30s, and changed the frontage back to its original appearance.”
The clinic is slated to open September 24th, when Dr. Nickey will be there to serve in her hometown. “I will work in Kindersley Monday to Wednesday, and in Eston Thursday and Friday,” she said, but added she would be happy to do more days in Eston if the response merits it.
“The community has given me nothing but support and praise, for which I am grateful,” Dr. Nickey said. Everyone in Eston will be grateful to have a dental clinic in their town, but they’ll also be grateful for Dr. Nickey’s labour of love in restoring Eston’s municipal heritage building.
Investment attraction portfolio is Kindersley Chamber’s latest project
KATE WINQUIST
kate@yoursouthwest.com
The Kindersley Chamber of Commerce has been busy working on creating an investment attraction portfolio for the community.
The Chamber hopes to use a drone to create video to show the attractiveness of living in Kindersley. They are just waiting to get a license for the drone so they can start the project. Chamber President Rick Miller explained.
“We will be using the drone to do some embellishment of the town: show the golf course, show our parks, we need to get a license to fly that drone over non-residential areas. That’s the embellishment part of the attraction portfolio. Not only are we selling our town to businesses and people that can work from home. We are looking for families to move here, and
we need to show them everything that we’ve got.”
Miller says that Kindersley bats way above its average when it comes to what the community can offer. “People who will be moving in the next little bit (over the next two years) want a change of scenery. COVID has caught up with them, and they want to get someplace where they can social distance just by osmosis. A traffic jam is two vehicles at a stoplight. You can be at work at 3:45 and be teeing off at 4:00, that’s what we need to do. Kids that want to play hockey don’t have to play at 5 am because we have enough ice time. That’s the kind of stuff that we want to make sure people know about our town. We are open for business.”
Looking after the digital aspect of the project has been Jeff Soveran.
“Our digital layout is just about ready to go. We have to update factual information, like population,
RU Recovery Program offers encouragement and support
JOAN JANZEN joanjanzen@yahoo.com
Everyone has experienced challenges during the last six months, but Scott Holloway from the RU Recovery Program - Kindersley Chapter has seen first hand the impact the shut down had in the community. RU Recovery is an addiction support program that has operated since October, 2018.
“There’s been a lot of challenges with everything that’s happened. A big one has been the anxiety, being out of work and financially stressed. There’s definitely frustration where there’s not any end in sight, and some want to give up on things,” Scott said.
“From my perspective, the last few months have taken a toll on people’s mental health. We’ve taken all these steps to preserve our physical health, but how it’s affected our mental health has not been given a voice.” Scott said.
Scott ran the RU Recovery Program online during that time, partly on Zoom and facebook live. “We recognized that it wasn’t an option to stop, and this worked well. Since June, we’ve been running the program in person as well as online.” The group meets at 419 - 5th Avenue West. “We’ve had some guys from out of town whose support group shut down, so they’ve become part of the program, and they’re fairly regular online. It’s sort of expanding a bit beyond what we expected. We certainly welcome people who want to find out
about our program,” Scott noted. “Definitely the in person interaction can’t be replaced. Being able to come together makes a difference for our guys.”
Scott emphasizes the need to be proactive, encouraging people to find ways to stay connected, and finding ways to keep active and doing something productive. He also said it can be an opportunity to take advantage of extra time to deal with things, like being aware of your thoughts. “You can get in a bad place with your thoughts of fear and hopelessness,” Scott said. And that’s why the RU Recovery program is here to offer help.
Scott advised people to fill their minds with things that are positive, try learning new hobbies, go fishing, or maybe take a course online. “If you’re feeling lonely, then you know you need to find ways to reach out. When we’re struggling, we tend to withdraw, but we need to find ways to push ourselves the other way,” he said. “You want to come out of this a better person.”
How can this be made possible? Well, Scott suggests taking time to cheer up someone else who is struggling. “Thinking about what you can’t do puts you in a discouraging place, but thinking about what you can do is encouraging. I think a big part in the whole thing is we don’t have to sort it out all alone; God is with us and will help us. With Him we can have hope; we don’t have to be afraid,” Scott concluded.
Goose Festival cancelled
KATE WINQUIST kate@yoursouthwest.com
It looks as though the goose has been cooked for this year’s fall celebration in Kindersley.
The annual Goose Festival Days won’t be happening due to the COVID -19 pandemic.
The announcement was made at the Kindersley Chamber of Commerce meeting on August 11.
“Of all the emails I sent out, I have not re-
ceived one back that was positive. Businesses said they were not going to support it in any way, shape or form until
COVID was dealt with, Executive Director Kevin Martin said. Hopefully things will be bigger and better for next year.”
Please be advised that the RM of Kindersley No. 290 has issued a
FIRE BAN
Effective August 19, 2020 at 12:00 PM until further notice within the RM of Kindersley boundaries. All fires, including fireworks are prohibited. Failure to comply with the fire ban can result in a fine starting at $300.00 for the first offence.
number of restaurants, businesses, etc. That’s going to be all good to go,” said Soveran.
“We’ve got a brand new pool. We’ve got some other facilities like the Fire Department. It’s all going to fit in beautifully as our current town council continues to get our facilities in line and our whole town to be an attraction. It couldn’t come at a better time,” he added.
It has been a significant endeavour for the Chamber. The organization has been working on the attraction portfolio for a couple of months now.
“It’s been something that we’ve embraced. What started as a business attraction has moved to an attraction portfolio for everyone who wants to move. We’re not a small town. We’re the biggest town in Saskatchewan. And we have more here than people know, and we should be trying to move that,” said Miller.
Hot topics discussed with MP
MP for Cypress Hills-Grasslands, Jeremy Patzer, was in attendance at the Kindersley Chamber of Commerce board meeting earlier this month to discuss a variety of topics ranging from rural internet service, the Conservative leadership race, the Diefenbaker irrigation project, RCMP Super Hub concerns, COVID-19 restrictions and the Carbon Tax.
PHOTO BY KATE WINQUIST
JOAN JANZEN joanjanzen@yahoo.com
OPINION Australians are speaking up
Someone said, “I can totally keep secrets. It’s the people I tell them to who can’t.” Well, I’m about to share news from Australia that has been kept a secret.
“No one knew what was happening in Australia; the media is not reporting on it, and people are too scared to speak up,” said Kathy, a resident of the Victoria region of Australia. That changed
CHECK IT OUT
when she began speaking out on social media, describing the current stage four restrictions being enforced, which are unnecessary since there have been 361 deaths in Australia since January, ninety percent of which have been among the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions.
The government of Australia is conservative, but the Victoria region has a left wing government. “Our state leader said we will not return to any form
Covid
of normal, we will not be opening new businesses until every Victorian is vaccinated,” Kathy said.
“We’re allowed out alone, one hour a day for exercise. If you’re caught outside the house without a mask, you are given a $1600 fine and arrested,” she explained. “We can only go a limit of 5 kilometres from our homes and have a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Entire industries have been shut down, including manufacturing, but liquor stores are open, and supermarkets, pharmacies and post offices. There are police check points right across the state. You need to provide papers from the government website to say we are legally allowed to leave our homes and that our work is essential, or you receive a fine of $19,800.”
She said seniors in care facilities are not being seen by doctors, even if they are sick, 120 people a day aren’t going to urgent cancer screening, and there’s been 600 suicides in Melbourne alone since January, yet the government isn’t taking notice.
The fear is constantly everywhere: the radio, TV, the signs, the check points. Kathy’s 13-year-old daughter has a medical exemption from wearing a mask because of asthma, but she wears one anyway telling her mom that “otherwise everyone will hate me”.
Kathy explained that to get welfare in Australia, you must comply with the government medical directives. The Victorian government said they’d give $300 to everybody who was tested, and $1500 to everyone who tested positive for Covid, as a hardship payment. “Un-
still requires a smart,
According to an Angus Reid Institute survey early this month, Saskatchewan people are among the worst “cynical spreaders” when it comes to COVID-19.
It wasn’t a very nice way for the polling company to put it nor was it accurate. But it may serve as a good reminder of why we still need understanding and patience five months into this pandemic.
The online survey run by the Angus Reid Institute between Aug. 5 and Aug. 8 probed 1,500 Canadians on their habits and attitudes towards the pandemic. It then placed people in three categories: the “infection fighters”, the “inconsistent” and the “cynical spreaders”.
About 30 per cent Saskatchewan responders were deemed cynical spreaders, confessing to expanding their social circles, not practising the recommended six-foot physical distancing rules and maybe not washing hands and wearing mask as much as they should.
On average, only 18 per cent of all Canadians fell into the “cynical spreader” category.
Conversely, 47 per cent of overall Canadians were deem by the poll as“infection fighters” but only 32 per cent of
Saskatchewan people were designated as such. Another 38 per cent of Saskatchewan people were deemed as inconsistent.
Of interest is how these trends somewhat mirror voting patterns. Conservative votes were about four times more likely to ignore COVID-19 protocols than Liberals or New Democrats.
There are a lot more Liberals and New Democrats in a place like Ontario, where 55 per cent of those surveyed claimed that they adhere to rules. There again, it needs to be noted that Ontario hasn’t done as well as Saskatchewan in preventing the COVID-19 virus - either in total cases or deaths or on a per capita basis.
employed people were lined up, waiting all day to get tested,” Kathy said. “On the news the government said they are considering fining and jailing anyone for sharing theories that the government doesn’t agree with.”
“Police are smashing car windows and dragging people out for not obeying the rules. Most people are cheering them on saying it’s because of public safety,” Kathy said, “The indoctrination of people is strong.”
It’s illegal to protest in Victoria and the people handed over their guns to the government in the 1990’s. “I’ve always been anti gun, but if you asked me now, my views have changed,” Kathy said.
“Our industries have been sold to China. Our government signed a secret deal, after which planes were arriving from China bringing facial recognition technology, and five G towers were set up everywhere. Our parliament won’t respond to people’s questions and refused to answer any of the opposition’s questions.”
“Australia has always been the testing ground for the world. It’s time for people to stand up for their liberties. I think it’s going to take a lot of people to say they have had enough,” Kathy added, warning people in other countries to speak up now.
After hearing her cry for help, you think differently about restrictions such as masks being required indoors at all public places in Nova Scotia, even though they don’t have any cases of Covid 19.
consistent approach
account the logical notion that people are less precautionary if COVID-19 is not prevalent in their area.
Consider specific regions in Saskatchewan like the southeast (the Estevan/Weyburn area) where there has only been 11 cases in total and zero active cases right now or the Central East (Yorkton/Melville) where there have been only 33 cases and there is only four active cases.
MURRAY MANDRYK Political Columnist
Perhaps it’s here where we need a little more perspective … a whole lot more patience and understanding in this on-going battle.
Rather than unfairly label Prairie people as “spreaders”, perhaps it would better if Angus Reid surveyors took into
Even Regina has only had a total 131 cases and only 25 active cases.
It might be helpful if people were given credit for making common sense decisions rather than chastised for not adhering to standards that aren’t critical to their circumstances.
There’s something to be learned by those in this province who have quick to criticize those in rural areas for supposedly not following the rules.
But after more than five months of this pandemic hopefully teaching us a little bit more about the need for pa-
tience, we should realize that need for understanding flow sboth way.
Certainly, the outbreak in Hutterite communities - an estimated 390 of Saskatchewan’s 528 cases in the past month - has demonstrated that COVID-19 can and does happen anywhere. (There have been 207 cases in the Swift Current/southwest corner of the province) that now has 46 active cases.)
So while it’s good to have decisions made locally, this pandemic shows we also need to have consistent provincewide policies to combat outbreaks whenever and wherever they do happen.
This especially applies to school re-openings.
For example, Premier Scott Moe is right that a local school district like Chinook in the southwest that range from small Hutterite colony schools to large classrooms in Swift Current need to apply the right solutions for them. But shouldn’t that mean consistent provincial guidelines for all large schools and classrooms in the province?
Five months into this pandemic, we need to be patient, logical and smart.
Life, I love you, all is groovy.
KATE WINQUIST kate@yoursouthwest.com
Slow down, you move too fast. You got to make the morning last. Just kicking down the cobblestones
Looking for fun and feeling groovy.
One positive thing about the COVID-19 pandemic is that it forced me to slow down. I know what you’re thinking. Slow down? You started publishing a newspaper in the middle of a global crisis! Truthfully, when I became aware of the coronavirus’s reality, it helped me become more aware of who I was, and I had more time to spend on personal reflection. I can honestly say that I would not be in Kindersley today if it weren’t for the pandemic.
We get so accustomed to our everyday routine and our fastpaced lives that we forget that life used to be simpler. Technology has taken over our lives with its speed and efficiency. We call it progress.
In the days before smartphones, there was a way of communicating with no wires in between. I was lucky enough to witness this technology
growing up, as my Dad was an amateur radio operator, otherwise known as a “ham.”
Dad became interested in ham radio in the mid-late 60s. He had been quite ill with Crohn’s disease and had to have three operations. Dr. Penner from Kindersley introduced him to the hobby as a way for Dad to rest from farming until he recovered from his surgeries. I can safely say that if it weren’t for Dr. Penner and Dr. Cram (who performed the operations), my sister Carrie and I may very well not be here!
Dad set up his equipment in the farmhouse basement in what we just referred to as “The Shop.” Nowadays, I guess you could call it the man cave. It certainly wasn’t anything fancy. It was the room where the furnace and cistern were located. Still, Dad created a cozy corner for his broadcast studio: transmitters, amplifiers, radios, receivers, along with certificates, postcards and his call letters that he crafted himself out of wood, hung neatly and proudly on the cement walls. He had a large globe that would sit beside his desk and also a teletype machine.
Amateur radio operators have to identify themselves by their alphanumeric call signs. Dad’s call letters were VE5UT, which in the phonetic alphabet is Victor Echo 5 Uniform Tango. We often heard Dad say, “CQ, calling CQ. This is Victor Echo 5 Uniform Tango. That was the way that he would let anyone listening that he was available to chat. It was customary for the hams to exchange their information and then follow up with a postcard to add to their collection.
Dad had a huge collection of cards. The most famous being from King Hussein of Jordan, with whom he talked with briefly. Another famous person that Dad had contact with was an American film director and producer from Hollywood named Mel Shavelson, who had worked with Cary Grant, Sophia Loren, Danny Kaye, to name a few.
Amateur radio operators are often known for their ingenuity. Dad was no exception. He built his 1000 watt transmitter by himself, including the steel cabinet. He also had quite a few build-it-yourself items from a company called Heathkit, who manufactured electronic kits from 1947 until 1992. One of the most impressive things that Dad built was a 100-foot tall antenna pole that was necessary to transmit the radio signal. The antenna consisted of two poles. The first pole was about twenty feet high (which was also many feet below the ground). It had a hinge on the top that the taller attached to. Dad used an electric drill to raise and lower the antenna when he needed to make adjustments to it. There was an anchor with a locking pin at the bottom of the shorter pole for securing the main taller pole. There were a few wind storms that would cause that pole to sway quite a bit. There were guy wires on the pole to help keep it stabilized, but one time one of the cables broke, and Dad was very concerned about the antenna crashing into the side of the house, which
thankfully never did happen. I don’t recall the antenna ever being struck by lightning during many thunderstorms. Still, Dad assured us that it was better if the lightning struck the antenna rather than anything else on the farm as it was well-grounded.
There are plenty of great memories of Dad and “The Shop.” My siblings and I were reminiscing over email this past week. I’d be amiss if I didn’t thank them for their contributions to this column, especially my brother Garth, who has a fantastic memory for recalling things.
One thing that we all remembered was the fascination that we all had with Dad’s teletype machine. Dad created some pretty cool pictures with it - Alfred E Neumann, Marilyn Monroe, Mickey Mouse and a basset hound. Then there was the risque nude woman pic that hung on the back of Dad’s shop door. Pretty tame by today’s standards! My sister, Valarie, recalls getting off the school bus and checking to see if there were any new teletype pictures. I was able to find a couple of these pictures on
www.RTTY.com.
My sister Carrie remembers watching the tiny little screen and how slowly (very slowly) it took to produce a photo. She would quietly sneak in behind the furnace area to watch Dad and listen to him on his radio. Sometimes when Dad was talking on the net and having a beer, Carrie would ask for a sip, which Dad would let her have. She says it’s funny, to this day she doesn’t like beer, but she always enjoyed a sip from Dad’s bottle. Our sister Kristine also used to ask for a sip of beer. Unlike Carrie, she liked the taste then, and she still loves it now!
If Dad were still alive today, I’m sure he’d be up-to-date with all the latest technology, but I can’t help but think that he’d rather be back to when life seemed more straightforward and at a slower pace, just like the old teletype photo scan. Instead of rushing off to work in a frenzy, I think I will try to slow down my pace. It will lead to a greater appreciation for life and a greater level of happiness.
Life, I love you, all is groovy. - KW
My Dad, George Drummond, sitting at his Ham Radio broadcast studio. Photo was taken sometime between 1968-1971.
Twins claim 2020 NSRBL championship
kate@yoursouthwest.com
The Lloydminster Twins are the champions of the North Saskatchewan River Baseball League.
The Twins defeated the North Battleford Beavers to claim the league title. Scores were 5-3 and 6-2 to complete the two-game sweep.
Lloydminster advanced to the finals after defeating the Kindersley Stallions 6-2 in the league semi-finals back on August 9. The two teams had split their two previous contests. It was the Stallions first season in the NSRBL.
Through league voting, Braden Polreis of the Unity Cardinals was selected the 2020 West Division NSRBL MVP. Braden had a batting average of .520, collecting 13 hits in 25 plate appearances.
Cooper Olson of the Standard Hill Lakers was named the 2020 East Division NSRBL MVP. Cooper led the NSRBL with a 4-0 pitching record with a 0.00 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched. Cooper also had a batting average of .444.
Honourable mentions went to Jayden Gartner of the Lloydminster Twins, who finished second in league voting in the NSRBL West Division. Damon Schaefer of the North Battleford Beavers was second in league voting in the NSRBL East Division.
Team MVP’s
East Division
Mervin Flyers - Drew Nelson
Standard Hill Lakers - Cooper Olson
Battlefords Trappers - Bob Hudec
North Battleford Beavers - Damon Schaefer
Meadow Lake Sox - Nathan Dancy
West Division
Unity Cardinals - Braden Polreis
Unity Junior Cardinals - Tanner Huber
Border City Jays - Colby Field
Lloyd Twins - Jaydon Gartner
Kindersley Stallions - Blake Robertson
Iron Horse Klippers season delayed
kate@yoursouthwest.com
The Iron Horse Kindersley Klippers will have to wait a little longer for the start of the SJHL season.
The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) announced a 2-week delay to the regular campaign. The original start date was slated for September 26, but it was pushed back to October 9.
Bill Chow, President of the SJHL, says that the safety of the people of Saskatchewan is the government and health’s top priority.
“We’re very hopeful and waiting for approval. We’re waiting and waiting and being as patient as we can, and obviously when you’re in this situation, a lot of times, there’s more questions created than answers.”
The announcement was made to the 12 teams in the league through a letter from the SJHL.
So far, so good: Bubble working for NHL
BRUCE PENTON
brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca
So, how are the National Hockey League playoffs working out, as teams battle for Lord Stanley’s cup in two no-fan ‘bubbles’ — one in Toronto, the other in Edmonton?
There’s only one word for it – bubbleicious.
Other words, far scarier ones, hovered over the situation before the hockey got under way Aug. 1. ‘Precarious,’ for one. How could approximately 400 people — players, executives, trainers, equipment personnel, not to mention a handful of media — stay isolated for possibly up to two months and avoid someone contracting the coronavirus and having it spread? How about ‘risky’? Yes, that too.
Through three weeks, it turns out the best word to describe the situation is ‘ingenious’. All games have been played without incident; no positive cases have been reported, despite widespread testing; and it appears as if the 2019-20 NHL season will determine a Stanley Cup champion after all, despite huge odds.
The NBA is following the NHL’s ‘bubble’ lead and reporting similar success, but
other sports aren’t as lucky. U.S. college football has basically thrown in the towel on the fall season. Major League Baseball has cancelled or postponed dozens of games due to the spread of COVID-19. Miami Marlins at one point had 19 members of their team — players and non-players alike — with a positive test. St. Louis Cardinals were also victimized. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred laid down the law: Either the players, who agreed to accept 37 per cent of their contractual compensation for this season, conform to the strict rules of virus avoidance or run the risk of the season being abandoned.
Still to come: The National Football League, which has billions of TV money at stake, has gone to great training-camp lengths to try to start the 2020 season on time and complete it. Empty stadiums are likely, although some teams are talking about a ‘pod’ system, where a few hundred (or thousand) fans would be allowed to attend games in a stadium where every other section is closed off.
Still, with NFL teams planning to travel, it’s hard to imagine a virus-free season as the NHL has so far — fingers crossed —
managed to accomplish with its playoffs-in-a-bubble.
As for the Canadian Football League? No definitive news yet, although Commissioner Randy Ambrosie and fans across the country are still hopeful. Junior hockey plans to restart in the West around Dec. 1. Without an NHL-style bubble system, however, the fate of all sports is perhaps described in one word: Doubtful.
Patti Dawn Swansson, aka the River City Renegade, on broadcaster Elliotte Friedman’s major whisker growth: “Friedman’s epic chin whiskers are so thick and unruly that O.J. plans to make them his next stop in the search for the real killers.”
Comedy writer Alex Kaseberg: “Giants cornerback De-
Andre Baker was charged with four counts of robbery with a firearm in Florida. As it was Florida, Baker’s attorney will defend him by pointing out he was not naked, he was not on meth and it did not involve relations with an alligator.”
Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: “Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts was listed as day to day with a swollen middle finger. ‘We feel your pain,’ said fans in Philadelphia.”
Bob Molinaro in the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot: “Sarcasm ahead: I don’t know how baseball people were able to judge the greatness of Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays without knowing the launch angle and exit velocity of their home runs.”
Craig Calcaterra of NBCsports.com, via Twitter, on Nationals catcher Tres Barrera’s 80-game suspension for testing positive for Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone: “If he can spell it on the first try, they should reduce his suspension to 40 games.”
Comedian Argus Hamilton, via Facebook: “How can we trust the people in Washington, D.C., to run this country when they can’t even come up with a name for their football team?”
David Brandt, on Twitter: “The AP’s @Steve_Wine sums up 2020 baseball in one sentence. MIAMI — Scrambling for replacements following a coronavirus outbreak, the Miami Marlins are adding a Moran, a Morin, two pitchers named Josh Smith and a former Olympic medallist in speedskating.”
Jay Hart of yahoo.com, on a possible ‘pod’ plan for NFL stadiums, where every other section will be empty to allow fans proper social distancing: “It’s basically the plan the Cincinnati Bengals have employed the last few seasons, albeit unintentionally.”
Dan Daly of @DanDalyOnSports, on Indians pitcher Zach Plesac violating health and safety protocols by leaving the team hotel in Chicago and going out with friends: “You’d think a sport that’s so big on Unwritten Rules would do a better job of following written ones.”
Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com, on Plesac breaking quarantine: “Even Nuke Laloosh would think that was stupid.”
Tim Hunter of Everett’s KRKO Radio, on other COVID-19 victims, Big Ten
KATE WINQUIST
The Lloydminster Twins - 2020 NSRBL Champs! PHOTO COURTESY NSRBL HOMEPAGE.
KATE WINQUIST
Ka-Chow!
PHOTOS BY KATE WINQUIST
Flatlanders Speedway was the place to be on August 15 and 16. Races were held on both Saturday and Sunday afternoon under near-perfect conditions. The temperature was hot and the action was even hotter on the track! Maybe a little too hot for local racer, Mike Dionne, whose engine caught on fire on Saturday.
R.M. of Deer Forks No. 232 FIRE BAN
Effective August 12, 2020, due to dry conditions, no burning of any kind will be allowed in the R.M. of Deer Forks No. 232. The Fire Ban will be in effect until further notice. - R.M. Council
Saskatchewan
Cattlemen’s Association Board of Directors Elections
Each year, the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association (SCA) holds board elections in alternating districts. The terms of the representatives in districts 2, 3B, 5, 7 and 9A are all up for renewal in 2020.
The Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association nomination period for the board of directors closed July 31. Several incumbents are acclaimed and there will be an election in district 7.
The acclaimed incumbents include:
District 2 - Leigh Rosengren
District 3B - Keith Day
District 5 - Levi Hull
District 9A - Arnold Balicki.
In District 7, William Coventry and Joleen Shea are the candidates with the election taking place in Kerrobert on October 20th. Location TBD. Producers from District 7 who have not taken check off refunds in the last two years are eligible to vote at the meeting that
evening.
“In my time involved with the SCA, we have been fortunate at the quality of board members stepping forward. We have a good balance of turnover and stability. Whoever wins in district 7 has big shoes to fill as Paula Larson has always been a conscientious and thorough board member,” SCA Chair Arnold Balicki said.
SCA’s 11 districts are up for election on alternating years as directors serve two year terms. For more information including the district maps, other fall meeting times and places and more check out saskbeef.com.
The SCA is the provincial check-off agency for Saskatchewan beef producers. It exists to promote the well-being of all production sectors of the Saskatchewan beef cattle industry through effective representation from all regions of the province.
PUBLIC NOTICE – VILLAGE of COLEVILLE
Public notice is hereby given that the Council of the Village of Coleville intends to adopt a bylaw under The Planning and Development Act, 2007 to amend Bylaw No. 3-94, known as the Zoning Bylaw.
INTENT: The proposed Zoning Bylaw amendment is to rezone the lot described below from the Central Commercial District to the Residential District.
AFFECTED LAND: The affected land is legally described as Lot 2 of Block 7 Plan G765 as outlined in bold dashed line on the map below:
REASON: The reason for the amendment is to accommodate proposed residential development on the lot.
PUBLIC INSPECTION: Any person may inspect the bylaw at the Village of Coleville office located in Coleville, SK during regular office hours. Copies of the bylaw will be made available.
PUBLIC HEARING: Council will hold a public hearing for the Zoning Bylaw amendment on Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 7:30 p.m.at the Village of Coleville office in Coleville, SK. The purpose of the public hearing is to hear any person or group that wants to comment on the proposed bylaw. Council will also consider written comments received at the hearing (or delivered to the undersigned at the municipal office prior to the hearing).
Issued at the Village of Coleville on August 24, 2020 Gillain Lund, Administrator
How to measure canola losses out the combine
need to know its square footage.
The Canola Council’s goal is for an average threshing loss of two per cent – or less – of total yield across the Prairies. But what is an acceptable amount of canola combine loss for your farm? Every farm will have a different answer, striking their own balance between capturing as much of the crop as possible while also maintaining harvest productivity.
To answer that question for your farm, you must first figure out the level of losses out the back of the combine. You might decide that one bushel per acre (bu./ac.) is an acceptable amount of loss, but what if your combine is throwing over three bu./ac. throughout most of the harvest day? You have to check to find out. And then you can decide whether to keep going or start making adjustments.
You need three tools to accurately measure losses:
• A drop pan. You can get pans that attach to the bottom of the combine and drop by activating a switch in the cab. These pans usually match closely to the discharge width of the combine sieves. For a lower-tech option, someone can toss a throw pan or use a pan on a stick while the combine goes by at normal operation. No matter what pan you use, you
• Some way to separate the seed from the chaff. This can be done by hand, but it can be time consuming. Canola screens or an airstream to lift chaff is best. Bushel Plus produces a screening device for this purpose.
• A weight or volume measure. Measure the clean collected sample in grams or millilitres, dividing by the square footage of the pan to get a result in millilitres or grams per square foot. Plug your combine dimensions (header and discharge width) and the amount of loss into the conversation tables to get loss in bu./ac. For the tables, print off the Combine Seed Loss Guide. A link to the guide is in the “Measuring actual losses” section of the Harvest Management chapter at canolaencyclopedia.ca.
Once you’ve made a few loss measurements, the next part of the process is to determine how to reduce those losses –if you decide they’re too high. The Combine Optimization Tool at canolacalculator.ca is an excellent resource, showing step by step adjustments to align combine losses with your harvest goals.
In 2019, Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI) visited 31 farms across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and measured canola threshing losses from 50
machines. These included 40 models from six combine manufacturers. The survey found no connection between combine model and the amount of loss, but weather was a major factor. This emphasizes the need to regularly adjust and test throughout the day and harvest season. Temperatures greater than 23°C, relative humidity less than 45 per cent, and low cloud cover all contributed to lower losses.
Once you become familiar with a machine, you will start to recognize ideal settings for those harvest afternoons that are warm and dry and for the evenings when the straw starts to toughen up. But you can’t get familiar without putting in the time and measuring losses from field to field and with changing weather conditions.
You will have in your mind what kind of loss you’re willing to accept, but you can’t know whether the combine is on target unless you check. And by measuring losses, you have a better idea how the combine performs and can be reassured that the combine is doing exactly what you want it to do.
–Angela Brackenreed is an agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada and serves central and eastern Manitoba. Email brackenreeda@canolacouncil.org.
RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF WINSLOW NO. 319 PUBLIC NOTICE
Pursuant to The Planning and Development Act, 2007, public notice is hereby given that the Council of the Rural Municipality of Winslow No. 319 intends to adopt a bylaw to amend Bylaw 7-2016, known as the Zoning Bylaw.
INTENT
The proposed bylaw amendment will:
• Add a new definition for “Bin Yards”;
• Add Bin Yard as a discretionary use with appropriate development standards in the AR –Agricultural Resource District; and
• Add new general regulations for road setbacks.
REASON
The reason for the amendment is:
• To provide for clarity in the bylaw; and
• To provide for the development of Bin Yards in the AR – Agricultural Resource District.
PUBLIC INSPECTION
Any person may inspect the bylaw at the R.M. of Winslow’s Municipal Office, located at 135 2nd Ave, Dodsland, SK, between 8.30 a.m. – Noon and 1:00 p.m.4:30 p.m from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. Bylaw copies are available at cost.
PUBLIC HEARING
Council will hold a public hearing on September 9, 2020 at 8:30 am at the R.M. Office in Council Chambers to hear any person or group that wants to comment on the proposed bylaw. Council will also consider written comments received at the hearing or delivered to the undersigned at the R.M. office before the hearing.
Issued at the RM of Winslow No. 319, this 24th day August of 2020. Regan MacDonald Administrator
ANGELA BRACKENREED Canola Council of Canada
PHOTO BY KATE WINQUIST
Classifieds
rade to start at 12:00 PM. Poker Run to follow. Kindersley, Kerrobert, Luseland, Coleville, the scenic route. Pig Roast back at Kindersley Legion Hall (thanks to Kindersley Packers). Poker Hands must be purchased at each stop. $30.00 includes supper. For more info call Al 306-463-7222.
CARD OF THANKS
We would like to thank everyone for the messages, cards, prayers, visits, food and gifts and especially the outpouring of support and kindness at our time of loss. Betty, Kristen, and Cameron; the family of Murray Giles, thank you very much.
COMING EVENTS
4th Annual Legion Poker Rally and Toy Run (new toys only please). All toys donated to West Central Crisis & Family Support Centre. 60% payout for Poker Hands 1st, 2nd & 3rd. “All Bikes Welcome” SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5th, 2020. Registration, Kindersley Legion Hall 11:00 AM. 118 - 2nd Ave. East, Kindersley, Saskatchewan. Toy pa-
Wheatland Regional Library Online Workshop - Perfect Trees for SK - presented by Communities in Bloom. When: Tuesday, August 25, 6:30 - 8:30 PM. Where: Online via Zoom. Who: For anyone thinking of planting trees this fall or next spring. Participation will be limited to 25 and Wheatland Regional Library residents will be given priority, so please register in advance by sending an email to ProgramManager@ wheatland.sk.ca
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
full-time heavyduty mechanic needed in Brandon MB. Diagnostic and engine repair experience required. Benefits and pension plans offered. Wages based on experience. Call Jason: 204-571-1531 Email Resume: jlaboissiere@ luckystarservice.ca Online Application: www.luckystarservice.ca
Heavy Duty Mechanics, Heavy Equipment Operators and 1A Drivers required:
Late model, clean CAT, JD equip: winch, dump, gravel trucks and trailers. Both camp and shop locations; R & B provided. Wage negotiable. Clean drivers abstract a must. Send resume and work references to: Bryden Construction Box 100, Arborfield, Sk. S0E 0A0; Fax: 306-769-8844
Email: brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca www. brydenconstruction andtransport.ca
FEED & SEED
PINTAIL WINTER WHEAT. Extremely hardy, very high yielding, Awnless. Excellent for Forage or Grain. Low Inputs - High Profits. Call 403-556-2609 or text 403-994-2609; mastinseeds.com.
FOR SALE
Some of the items for sale at: Andrea’s 3R’s Shop, Unique Second Hand Shop, 138 Railway Avenue W, Eston, Sk. 306-962-4270. Granite vanity top with sink, vanity sink, child’s desk and chair, vehicle mats and much more.
PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR HOUSE IS
Advertise Local shines a spotlight on local businesses. Newspaper advertisers can submit their business for free Join the
Advertiser List and help keep your community thriving. Visit advertiselocal.ca
FOR RENT
Rooms for rent. $500. Includes all utilities. Call Tim Schuh 306-4609292.
NOTICE
CLASSIFIED RATES (based on 20 words or less). $8.95 plus GST. Additional words are 20¢ each. Deadline is Thursday noon. CALL 306-671-0242.
Advertisements and statements contained herein are the sole responsibility of the persons or entities that post the advertisement, and the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association and membership do not make any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness or reliability of such advertisements. For greater information on advertising conditions, please consult the Association’s Blanket Advertising Conditions on our website at www.swna.com.
PROVINCE-WIDE
CLASSIFIEDS. Reach over 550,000 readers weekly. Call this newspaper NOW or 306649.1405 for details.
HEALTH
In loving memory of Joan Adams, born September 18, 1927; passed away August 22, 2015.
If we could hear your voice Or see your smile, Sit with you and talk awhile: To be together in the same old way. Would be our greatest gift today.
Deeply missed by Jim, Louise, John, Ken, Susan, Carol, Rob, Doug & families.
Notice to Creditors IN THE ESTATE OF OLIVIA SYLVIA RADIES, LATE OF KINDERSLEY, SASKATCHEWAN, DECEASED
All claims against the above estate verified by statutory declaration and with particulars and valuation of security held, if any, must be sent to the undersigned before the 7 day of September, 2020.
ARD LAW OFFICE
Robert J. Ard Q.C. Barrister & Solicitor 116 Main Street Box 1898 Kindersley, SK S0L 1S0 Phone: 306-463-2626 Fax: 306-463-4917
E-mail: ard.law@sasktel.net
FARMLAND WANTED NO FEES OR COMMISSIONS!
PURCHASING: SINGLE TO LARGE BLOCKS OF LAND. PREMIUM PRICES PAID WITH QUICK PAYMENT.
Great References Available a total of 613 QUARTER SECTIONS SOLD across saskatchewan
RENT BACK AVAILABLE Call DOUG 306-716-2671 saskfarms@shaw.ca
Rose City Memorials Ltd.
Family Owned with Pride since 1961
CHRISTEL HANKEWICH
Memorial Specialist 306-463-9191
Christel has helped families with their monument needs for over 30 years.
Granite Monument Specialists Dedicated to Quality Craftsmanship and Service
Serving Families Since 1933
Community Owned, Full-Service Funeral Home • Pre-planning • Monuments • Grief Support • Only crematorium in the west-central area
Eston Branch 615 Main Street S. 306-962-4442
Kindersley 801 - 9th Street West 306-463-2659
Kerrobert Branch 440 Pacific Avenue 306-834-2411
E-mail: kcfh@sasktel.net Fax: 306-463-2650 www.kindersleyfuneralhome.com
LEORA SCHMIDT thelivingword@mail.com
French-Canadian
Roger Morneau, in searching for spiritual meaning, became involved in Satan worship. Surrounded by powerful, rich, refined, influential people, he responded favourably to the electric atmosphere that drew him in. These suave worshippers allured him with promises of the great wealth and success that they enjoyed as Satan worshippers. After months of experiencing this warm and stimulating experience, he agreed to set a date to be initiated as an authentic Satan worshipper. A few days before this solemn ceremony a new worker was assigned to the workstation next to him. They immediately struck up a conversation. This man even studied his Bible as they ate lunch together. Having been turned away from the church and God years previously, Roger had developed much resistance. His hostility broke down when his fellow worker seemed to have reasonable, logical answers from the Bible. After work, Roger met at this new friend’s house and studied one Bible subject after another late into the night for several nights, soaking up Bible truth like a starving man. He felt compelled to find answers without delay before he committed himself to the devil,
Public notice is hereby given that the Council of the Rural Municipality of Chesterfield No. 261 intends to adopt a bylaw under The Planning and Development Act, 2007 to amend Bylaw No. 1-2019, known as The Zoning Bylaw.
INTENT: The proposed Zoning Bylaw amendment will amend Section 6.3.2Site Standards to provide a minimum site area for Historic and Archaeological Sites.
REASON: To allow the municipality to preserve historical and archeological with a site regulations.
PUBLIC INSPECTION: Any person may inspect the bylaw at the Rural Municipality of Chesterfield No. 261 office – 304 Main Street, Eatonia, SK between 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday, excluding statutory holidays. Copies are available at cost.
PUBLIC HEARING: Council will hold a public hearing in conjunction with the regular meeting at 8:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on September 8, 2020 at the Rural Municipality of Chesterfield No. 261 Council Chambers – 304 Main Street, Eatonia, SK to hear any person or group who wishes to comment on the proposed bylaw. Council will also consider written comments received at the hearing or delivered to the Municipal office to the undersigned prior to the hearing.
Issued at the Rural Municipality of Chesterfield No. 261 this 11th day of August, 2020.
Tosha McCubbing, Administrator
Ghosts ... Spirits!
Satan. He became convinced that God and the Bible were trustworthy. When he came to believe that Satan was the opponent of all good, whose end was annihilation, and that his own future would be secure for eternity as a follower of Jesus Christ, he rejected Satan worship, was baptized, and joined the church. He paid a price for his decision. For many months, frightening paranormal occurrences tormented him in his home. He realized that the devil was trying to intimidate him to force him to turn away from Jesus, but he prayed and read his Bible ever more fervently. He spent the remainder of his life sharing Jesus with all who would listen. He wrote his life’s story, as well as several other books recounting miracles of prayer. (A Trip into the Supernatural by Roger Morneau).
(e.g. 1 Samuel 28: 1; Chronicles 10:13). They are not connected to God. In fact, God calls it abomination, and expressly forbids all involvement with familiar spirits, wizards, witches, charmers, necromancers (alleged communication with the dead), etc. (see Leviticus 19:31; 2 Kings 23:24; Deuteronomy 18:912).
The clearest depiction of the devil’s schemes and plots is detailed in the gospels when Jesus was alive on earth. The devil relentlessly harassed Jesus’ in every possible way, especially as He healed and delivered people from Satan’s hold. Jesus didn’t change what he was doing; he kept on casting out unclean spirits and gave that deliverance power to His disciples. (e. g. Matthew 8:16; Mark 1:27; Acts 5:16).
Friends, the Bible discloses that angels, both good and evil, walk the earth interacting with humans. Many times, holy angels have appeared to humans to assist and bless them, both in Bible times, and even today. On the other hand, the devil, changed from Lucifer, a holy angel, to a rebellious, evil angel, and one-third of his sympathizing angels were cast out of heaven. (see Revelation 12: 4, 7-9; Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:1419). Henceforth, all that is holy has been counterfeited by the devil and his fallen angels. The fulltime work of demons is to allure, entrap, deceive and destroy the souls of men, women, and even children.
The Bible repeatedly states that the dead don’t know anything, and have no part in earth’s affairs. This means that the claim that ghosts are the dead re-appearing must be a lie. (see Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6; Psalm 115:17; Job 14:1, 2, 21). What then, or who, are ghosts? Those who actually appear to be the “ghosts” of former living humans are evil angels, demons masquerading as deceased humans.
nal hold of evil spirits on us, or opening up to any of Satan’s glamorous, inviting charms that deceptively allure his culprits on the path to hell. So how will Jesus help us escape the grasp of evil spirits and ghosts?
• First of all, the devil hates the name of Jesus, his arch-rival for dominion. Whisper Jesus’ name in prayer and evil spirits will flee. Remember, Satan is a defeated foe because of Jesus’ death on the cross! We are powerless, but Jesus is all powerful to deliver from evil.
We are now in a time of increased activity of the spirits of devils creating chaos, trying to drown out all moral values. Evil spirits are frantically trying to dupe the human race through the allurements of mystery and fascination with the forbidden unknown. Should we be afraid of Satan and evil spirits? Not at all. The Bible gives us a way to test the spirits. (1 John 4:1-3). Our only fear would be to choose to allow the potential, infer-
• Second, as our perfect example, Jesus resisted the most trying temptations when the devil came to him personally in the wilderness. Multiple times Satan presented alluring temptations, inviting Jesus to worship him, but each time Jesus replied “It is written,” quoting Scripture that defeated the devil’s schemes. (Matthew 4:4, 6, 7, 10). We can follow Jesus’ example by quoting God’s word when we are tempted. Here is godly counsel and a promise of divine protection: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). “The angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear him, and delivers them“ (Psalm 34:7). Let’s choose eternal life in Jesus and shun all the devil’s deadly, deceptive wiles, including the lure of ghosts and evil spirits.
Effective August 11, 2020, due to dry conditions, no burning of any kind will be allowed in the R.M. of Happyland No.
The Fire Ban will be in effect until further notice. - R.M. Council
Extra fire water is in the field
JOAN JANZEN joanjanzen@yahoo.com
Trevor Aylward from Rosetown has been busy lately, but he’s not taking credit for the new idea that’s kept his portable metal fabrication business, ILL Beads Metalwork busy. “It wasn’t my idea,” Trent said. “A friend of mine from Beechy gave me the idea. Some farmers got the idea to put a platform in the back of their grain cart, and place a water tank, pump and hose on it.” And Trent’s friend wanted one installed.
The installation takes a day to complete, and so far Trent has been the only welder installing the units. It’s a good way to have extra water in the field, which is necessary for most farmers who aren’t close to a local fire department. It’s a welcome addition to the water trucks that are also kept on the field during harvest. “I think it’s peace of mind for the farmers. The more water you have in the field, the better,” Trent said.
“When we got the first one done, I put a couple of pictures on twitter and now I’m doing it everywhere. I can’t keep up. People think it’s a good idea, and a lot of people are phoning, inquiring about pricing.”
One of Trent’s posts said, “Fire water tank on grain carts season continues! Another fire water deck built and installed on the back of a grain cart. Something like this is a great idea to have in the field at harvest time. Let’s hope he never needs to use it!”
Nevertheless, farmers will be happy to have the extra water on hand, since the recent wave in Saskatchewan has caused it to be dry in the field this harvest season.
“The grain cart has a lot of wasted space, so it makes sense, and it’s in the field all the time, anyway,” Trent said, adding that he wished he would have been told about the idea earlier in the spring, but he’ll be sure to be installing more this winter.
TOWN OF EATONIA PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notice is hereby given that the Council of the Town of Eatonia intends to adopt a bylaw under The Planning and Development Act, 2007 to amend Bylaw No. 4/16, known as the Official Community Plan and Bylaw No. 5/16, known as the Zoning Bylaw.
INTENT
Rural Municipality of Chesterfield No. 261 ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT POSITION
The Rural Municipality of Chesterfield No. 261 located in Eatonia Saskatchewan invites applications from qualified persons to fill the position of Administrative Assistant providing coverage for a maternity leave.
The Administrative Assistant is to provide support to the RM Administrator in the daily management of the municipality operations. This includes, but not limited to the following duties: accounts payable and receivable, assessment and taxation, dealing with public in person and on the telephone, and general office duties.
The preferred candidate will possess a minimum Class “C” Certificate but will also consider applicants who do not currently possess a Class “C” Certificate. Candidates should be able to demonstrate:
• Excellent oral and interpersonal communication skills
• Excellent customer service skills
• Excellent telephone manner
• Ability to manage multiple tasks effectively and efficiently
• Effective time management skills
• Accuracy and proficiency in computer and keyboard skills (Excel, Word, Outlook, internet)
The Rural Municipality offers a comprehensive benefits package. Salary is dependent upon qualifications and experience. Interested candidates are invited to submit a covering letter, copy of certificate(s) and a resume. These must include education, experience, certification held, expected salary and current references.
Applications for this position will be received until the position is filled. Please forward your application package to:
RM of Chesterfield No. 261 Box 70 Eatonia SK S0L 0Y0
Email: rm261@sasktel.net
We thank all applicants for their interest in this position. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
The proposed Official Community Plan amendment will: Redesignate NW 14-26-25-3 Ext 9 Parcel Number 202976590 from “Proposed Residential” to “Proposed Industrial”, as indicated on Sketch “A” below.
The proposed Zoning Bylaw amendment will: Rezone NW 14-26-25-3 Ext 9 Parcel Number 202976590 from FUD – Future Urban Development District to IND – Industrial District, as indicated on Sketch “A” below.
Sketch “A”
REASON
To provide for future industrial development.
PUBLIC INSPECTION
Any person may inspect the bylaws at the Town Office, located at 202 Main Street, Eatonia, SK between the hours of 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. Copies of the bylaws are available at the Town Office at a cost.
PUBLIC HEARING
Council will hold a public hearing in conjunction with their regular meeting at 7:00 p.m. on September 8, 2020 at the Town of Eatonia Council Chambers – 202 Main Street, Eatonia, SK to hear any person or group who wishes to comment on the proposed bylaws. Council will also consider written comments received at the hearing or delivered to the Town office to the undersigned prior to the hearing.
Issued at the Town of Eatonia this 17th day of August, 2020.
Cheryl Bailey
Cheryl Bailey, Town Administrator
Pipeline reclamation nears completion
In western Saskatchewan, small crews will be conducting ‘deficiency-warranty work’ along the Line 3 project right-of-way
Enbridge’s newly constructed Line 3 replacement pipeline (L3RP) runs for 1,070 kilometres in Canada, through parts of the three Prairie provinces from Hardisty, Alberta to the Manitoba-North Dakota border near Gretna. It crosses nearly 2,200 parcels – encompassing farm and pastureland, numerous creeks and wetlands, and larger water bodies like the South Saskatchewan and Souris rivers.
The Canadian portion of the new pipeline has been in service since December 2019 and most of the land along the project right-of-way (ROW) has already been returned to a pre-construction state.
From east-central Alberta to southeast of Regina around Vibank and Odessa, task-specific crews are conducting what Enbridge refers to as ‘deficiency-warranty work’ – repairing ditches, fences, gates and signs, re-seeding areas of slow growth and adding straw crimping for erosion control in areas where the previous covering had seen stress with a strong spring wind. General ‘housekeeping’ activity will continue in the region through the season.
“We are always monitoring the rightof-way, particularly during and after spring breakup,” explains Sawatzky. “If there’s an issue because of our activities, we’ll come out and make the repairs necessary. We have much respect for all landowners. We are guests on their land.”
This monitoring involves keeping an eye out for any new weed infestations along the ROW, in which case, with landowner approval, Enbridge will launch vegetation and weed management to control the spread of new weeds.
Meanwhile, in southeastern Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba (construction spreads 5, 6 and 7), final reclamation/topsoil replacement is well underway over a stretch of some 110 kilometres that could not be completed last year before the arrival of early wet and cold weather conditions. Most reclamation occurs within the first year following construction. However, it can take longer, depending on weather and other environmental conditions.
Banister Pipelines is overseeing a crew of about 280 workers for the final reclamation, which began in mid-June and includes grading, replacing topsoil and final cleanup, out of a main base in the town of Moosomin and a satellite of-
fice in Brandon.
“Our promise is to restore the pipeline right-of-way to as good or better condition than it was before construction, and to minimize the long-term impact to the land along our pipelines,” says Allen Sawatzky, Manager of Construction for the L3RP. “We continue to do what we said we would do.”
A critical component of right-of-way reclamation involves working with landowners, from the outset of a project, to reach agreement on property-specific items that will be addressed during and after construction.
During excavation for the Line 3 replacement pipeline, topsoil was separated from the subsoil to ensure the land remains productive for agricultural purposes after construction. The land was re-contoured to maintain drainage patterns, hay land and native prairie areas reseeded, cultivated land prepared for planting, and wetlands and watercourses stabilized and revegetated to prevent erosion and ensure habitat is restored for the many plants and wildlife along the line.
“Segregating topsoil during construction enhances restoration by returning the nutrients and seed back to the ground surface after construction,” says Sawatzky. “We also straw crimp, seed, and monitor the right-of-way until vegetation is re-established. In some cases, we also work with landowners and environmental agencies to enhance restoration, such as planting trees along streams or managing invasive species.”
Although most temporary workspaces will be allowed to grow back, Enbridge generally maintains the permanent right-of-way free of structures, trees and shrubs so the pipeline is visible during aerial inspections and accessible in the case of an emergency.
As of mid-July, both the warranty work and final reclamation were proceeding smoothly, thanks to cooperation from Mother Nature. Weather permitting, the work is expected to be completed in the fall.
“We’re above ground now with the remaining works, not below,” says Sawatzky. “The pipe install work has been completed; there are very few issues now until completion – only weather,” says Sawatzky.
“The weather affects us just like it does for farmers,” he adds. “As I like to say: ‘If you can’t combine, you probably can’t pipeline.’”
WORKING SAFELY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
During the COVID-19 pandemic, both federal and provincial governments have recognized energy infrastructure and agriculture as essential services. The final L3RP reclamation work will ensure the return of farmland to productive use as soon as possible.
To execute the reclamation work safely and efficiently, Enbridge is following a robust COVID-19 Pandemic Protocol which sets common expectations and new ways of working and includes a digital worksite inspection tool that supports proper social distancing, deep cleaning, hand hygiene, site-access health assessments and other key activities.
“We’re operating across North America at a heightened level of emergency response preparedness and staying closely connected to recommendations from public health authorities and medical experts,” explains Sawatzky. “We know that COVID-19 has had a deep impact in the communities where we operate and we’re committed to ensuring the health and safety of our contractors and employees, as well as the communities near our projects.”
Groomed ROW is ready for straw to be laid down.
Crimped straw
A fully reclaimed portion of the ROW with canola crop.