Motion for Letter of support defeated

By Lori Larsen

During the City of Camrose regular council meeting held on February 27, a motion to send a letter of support to Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) for the relocation of the Camrose Casino outside of Camrose was defeated.

The matter came up during the earlier Committee of the Whole meeting and after council discussion with a split, for and against, the matter was moved to the 5 p.m. regular council meeting agenda for a vote.

During the Commttee of Whole Meeting on February 27, Mayor PJ Stasko explained, “They are looking for the City’s approval for a letter of support to relocate the Camrose Casino licence.

“At this point in time, I cannot support this letter of support.”

Councillor Lucas Banack said he cannot support losing jobs in Camrose.

Councillor Joy-Anne Murphy said she found the video (presented by Camrose Casino) compelling. “We are not looking at them keeping jobs here. We are looking at them folding here if they are not successful.

“They are trying to make a case that they would create something else here if they are successful in moving the casino portion of their business to Edmonton. I definitely got the impression if they could not move the Casino part of the business that nothing would exist here. I don’t think it is an either/or in that sense.”

Murphy continued, “We have very limited ways of fundraising for some of these organizations, and it does seem as though there is quite a discrepancy between organizations which are affiliated with major urban centres are able to raise versus these organizations with rural connection.”

Councillor Lana Broker agreed with Mayor Stasko and said she is not in favour of sending a letter of support (from the City).

Councillor Kevin Hycha stated, “After reviewing the documents and the online presentation, I am in favour with Councillor Murphy. I think if they don’t do something relatively soon, there won’t be anything to work with. I don’t want to see jobs lost, but I got the impression, too, that they are just moving the casino, they are not shutting down the business. The HandiVan has a casino coming up in April for a fundraiser and they have sent a letter of support.”

Councillor DJ Ilg said that after viewing the video and reading the documents, he would also be in support of the letter, however, felt that he didn’t see how a letter from the City would help the Casino’s cause with AGLC. “It is more of an Edmonton issue than Camrose,” said Ilg, further commenting that the City has had a neutral stance all the way through, but he wouldn’t be against sending a letter.

Mayor Stasko said that the City has remained neutral in the past. “I leave it up to the charities to send their letters of support or not support to the AGLC, more so than the City of Camrose.”

Councillor David Francoeur echoed councillor Ilg’s thoughts, “It is not a business going forward. It is a barren wasteland in there, so that is well noted. I do want to support nonprofits in our community, however, I cannot, as well, see how a letter will assist. I would rather stay neutral on it myself.”

Councillor Don Rosland expressed his non-support.

Lori Larsen, Camrose Booster

A larger crowd turned out on March 4 for the Camrose Seniors Dance Club’s monthly social dance, stepping out to the tunes of Sparkling Tones.

Dancing up a storm

By Lori Larsen

Put on your dancing shoes and come out the first Saturday of every month to the Mirror Lake Centre (5415-49 Avenue) for the Camrose Dance Club monthly dance.

The Club started out in 1984 as the Solo Dance Club, a singles only dance club, then evolved in 2008 to the Camrose Wildrose Dance Club, open to everyone, of all ages (primarily adults) and then most recently became the Camrose Dance Club, once again open to all people of all dance levels.

Since COVID we changed it to afternoons,” noted Club vice-president Hilda Tomaszewski. “Now it runs from 1 until 5 p.m.”

Lately, on average, the dances have ranged from 140 to 170 people attending, which Club president Lawrence Baker admits is a bit down from pre-COVID days. “It has been a little bit of a struggle since COVID, but the crowds are coming back.”

Recently the Club hosted over 210 dancers (February dance) from a large area surrounding Camrose, including many dancers from Edmonton, Devon, Delia, Stettler and Red Deer.

“Dancers travel,” smiled Hilda. “Lots of people will carpool to come to dances.”

The dance genre consists mostly of waltzes, polkas, foxtrots and mixers, which includes what is referred to as waterfalls, women and men randomly standing on either side, meeting in the middle then dancing down to the end where they meet up with another dance partner in the middle.

“If you happen to be having a good conversation you can continue to dance at the end together,” said Hilda. “But for the most part the dancers continue the waterfall effect having an opportunity to dance with and meet a variety of people.

“Everybody is really good about meeting and mingling,” said Hilda.

Skill levels vary but range from those who have very little skill to those, such as Lawrence and his wife Iris who have been dancing for years.

“So what if you aren’t doing it like anyone else, it is not a big deal, just come out and have some fun,” remarked Lawrence.

To keep the energy levels up from the benefits of getting up and getting moving, a lunch is served at around 3:30 p.m.

“There is the physical fitness aspect of dancing,” said Hilda. “We have a couple that are in their 90’s and they dance all the time. They are always on the dance floor.”

Lawrence explained that the music is provided by live bands, some local and some from surrounding areas. “And they are all good.”

The social aspect of the Dance Club speaks for itself. People coming together to sway to the music, laugh and just enjoy the company of others, no matter what their background is or isn’t in dancing.

“It is always a friendly place, here,” noted Lawrence. “Everybody that comes here are so friendly and happy. Even our bands say they love playing here because it is always so friendly.”

While there is no dress code per se, dancers tend to come in casual dress, keeping in mind that it can become quite warm and looser fitting, easy-to-dance-in clothing is more comfortable.

The Camrose Dance Club is a not-for-profit organization run entirely by volunteers. A minimal fee is charged to help offset the costs of the lunch and the band.

For more information on the Camrose Dance Club visit the website athttp://camroseseniorcentre.com/ dance-fest/ or telephone 780-672-7022.

BRSD offers Pre-K programming in Camrose and Tofield.

Registration for Fall 2023 is open now.

Pre-K Programs are tailored to children born between Januar y 1 and December 31, 2019.

Early Intervention Support (Program Unit Funding) may be available to support children with learning or languages delays or disabilities

March is nutrition month

By Murray Green

Prepare pasta in March, because it is nutrition month.

March is nutrition month and this year’s theme is Unlock the Potential. The potential of food is to enhance lives and improve health. It’s time to look beyond fad diets and food trends and consider the health benefits of our favourite foods.

Pasta is a fan favourite, so you don’t need much of an excuse to start cooking.

Pasta is a dependable addition to your meal planning and diet, as it provides significant nutritional value. It is a noticeably convenient option and allows for versatility in the kitchen. It is high in fibre and contains less than 200 calories per serving. This makes pasta a no-brainer staple of your lifestyle.

Pasta allows you to stay full much longer. Carbohydrates are a crucial part of any diet as they provide a slow release throughout the day.

Pasta is high in fibre and eating fibre helps the body through the digestion process. One cup of pasta contains around 2.5 grams of fibre.

You can add pasta to your weight loss journey. Recent studies have shown that if you incorporate pasta into your diet a few times a week, you can achieve lower levels of stomach fat.

Pasta keeps your blood sugar in check, and is a complex carbohydrate, allowing for extended digestion. This means that it takes sugar longer to get into the bloodstream, keeping it regulated.

BRSD Pre-K Programs are licensed, which means parents can access federal and provincial financial supports Check our website for program details and registration information: brsd.ab.ca

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