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Estevan’s debt continued to decline By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca
The financial picture for the City of Estevan continues to improve, according to audited financial statements released at Monday night’s council meeting. Gisele Bourgeois and Ashley Rushton were at the meeting to present the indepth, annual picture of the city’s fiscal situation. It shows that for the year ending Dec. 31, 2019, the city had financial assets of $14.8 million, and liabilities of $31.6 million, leaving the city’s net debt at $16.8 million. The net debt was at $18.8 million at the end of 2018. The city had $6.12 million in cash and temporary investment as of Dec. 31, which was down from $7.17 million the previous year. A little more than half, $3.15 million, was tied up in restricted funds for initiatives such as the water intake project that received federal and provincial support to shift the city’s primary water source from Boundary Dam to Rafferty Dam. The water source switchover occurred Monday.
“I consider it really positive news when we reduce another $2 million from the net debt, and you refer to it each year about the need to keep going on that, because in my belief, we operate in the one industry where there is no need for debt,” said Councillor Greg Hoffort. “It’s truly my hope that this will keep going in that direction.” When Hoffort asked about council’s effort to drop the net debt by about $2 million a year, the auditors expressed their support, saying the city can only do so much every year. If there’s a number the city wants to get to zero, Hoffort said it is net debt. As for the liabilities, the long-term debt dropped from a little more than $28 million to approximately $23.7 million as the city continues to work on that number. It was noted during the meeting that the city did not borrow any money for capital projects in 2019, choosing instead to wait for January 2020 to borrow its annual $2 million for larger capital projects. “Whenever we can save
the interest on a term borrowing limit, we do. So, because … with the intake project, the large expenses didn’t happen until December, January and February, we decided to delay our borrowing until January,” said city manager Jeff Ward. Another $2 million will likely be borrowed in the fall, due to the way the city managed expenses for the water intake project. Also, the provincial government front-end loaded the municipal operating grants this year to assist municipalities facing challenges associated with COVID-19. In recent years, the city has paid down $4 million in debt while taking out $2 million for capital. Taxes and other unconditional revenues accounted for the bulk of the city’s income last year at a little more than $21 million. Fees and charges generated approximately $10 million and conditional grants $1.14 million. Total revenues were at approximately $33.17 million. Operating expenses came in at $31.53 million, with general government services (nearly $6.2 million), protective services ($6.05 million), transpor-
tation services ($5.91 million), recreation and cultural services ($7.25 million) and utility services ($4.84 million) accounting for most of the expense. The overall surplus of revenue over expenses before capital contributions was approximately $1.63 million. The city also received $5.19 million through provincial federal capital grants and allocations. Ward pointed out that when he looked back on audited financial statements from December 2013, the net debt stood at $35 million, so that figure is now less than half of what it was. “I applaud council’s decisions on tax rates and borrowing to make sure that we can keep all that in mind so we continue to do larger projects,” said Ward. Ward said there weren’t any surprises in the document for 2019. The current approach allows the city to complete those large scale projects. COVID-19 will have an impact on the city’s finances, he said. When the pandemic hit, the city announced utility disconnections due to arrears would be suspended until Sept. 1, late payment charges for utility bills would be suspended
until Sept. 1. As for property tax bills, the city provided a two-month grace period to provide people with additional time to pay their 2020 property taxes, with the deadline to pay property taxes pushed back from July 30 to Sept. 30. Revenues from fees and services will be down because the Estevan Leisure Centre was closed for several months, and recreation and other facilities, such as Affinity Place, couldn’t be rented out. On the flip side, the city and other communities across the province received support from the Municipal Economic Enhancement Program (MEEP). Estevan used the money for the expansion of the Estevan Police Service building. And, as mentioned before, the municipal operating grant funding was paid up-front in June. “We’re monitoring our cash right now, and we part of a group that’s lobbying the federal government that’s doing something,” said Ward. But the city won’t be looking to dip into the bank overdraft or short-term borrowing because of a cash shortfall caused by the pandemic.
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Safety and quality Catholic education are top priorities for Holy Family school division By Ana Bykhovskaia abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca
Following the release of the provincial back to school protocol, school divisions started preparing for the return of school Sept. 1. The Mercury talked to director of education Gwen Keith at the Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division about their plans and priorities for the new school year. “Safety is of the big focus in our school division as we start the year off,” said Keith in the interview on Aug. 6. “Our theme for the year is ‘Live Mercy … Be Holy.’" Since March, the priority for the division was “working safely, teaching safely and learning safely,” and that’s what they plan to continue doing, led by the provincial guidelines. “For us, there are two key objectives … One is to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 by employing proactive measures, protocols and processes … Reducing
the risk we can’t guarantee 100 per cent safety, but we are doing everything to reduce the risk of the transmission. And secondly, to continue to provide a quality Catholic education to our students with sensitivity to employee contract and workload,” said Keith. While the government’s intention is to get back to school as close to normal as possible, there still will be quite a few changes comes September. And the schools have to be ready to react quickly if needed. “We have secured direct involvement with the health experts so that the evaluation of our health and safety measure has been adjudicated by experts,” said Keith. The school division went deep into analyzing the cleaning and sanitizing procedures and will bring in the product and practices that are the safest and the most effective. They also plan to have tight communication with the communities and the local health authorities to be able
to efficiently problem solve in case of an outbreak. Keith pointed out that each school will have a different experience in creating the new normal with physical distancing, sanitizing and other measures in place in a student-friendly manner. The teachers were participating in co-planning of the back to school processes since last spring. The adults’ safety was one of the key priorities and the division tried to keep in mind different environments they have in schools and individual suggestions from employees. In preparation for the new school year, the division also looked into potential emotional issues they may run into with the safety measures in place. “We’ve hired additional staff in the emotional and behavioural area just to be able to work in more detail and with more sensitivity to that living of mercy and how it is that we can support people as we resettle and reset,” said Keith.
The division tried to build the plan on an idea that they have to be able to quickly pivot if the Ministry of Education directs them to move to another level of operation as outlined in provincial guidelines. And while a lot of work is already completed, a significant part still needs to be done as the schools will need to educate staff, parents and then students to the best of their knowledge about the spread of the virus and the best practices that would allow reducing the risks. “There is certainly lots of work to do, but our pathways are clear, other steps are in place. We just need to get this job done through people,” said Keith. “And we have to be significantly aware of the diversity of how people’s mindsets are, what is their view of what this is, what are their confidence and worries about it and seek to understand them.” Holy Family had fairly robust feedback in the spring from staff and parents, and Keith said they plan to prog-
ress keeping this close communication going. However, if some parents don’t feel safe to bring their children back to school, Holy Family has a few options in place to accommodate them. “We have four or five different modes of instruction that we have available … We certainly can move from the direct instructions with all of the safety procedures, knowing that it’s a complex challenge in itself, to using technology in a variety of different ways. And at the other extreme if parents feel that they want to homeschool there is that opportunity as well,” said Keith. “We have lots in a toolbox. There will be another deeper resource available for staff and parents just on the instruction side alone. But we are really glad that we have spent a lot of time on innovation and trying to look at how to leverage technology,” said Keith. “But most of our parents from the last survey that we did certainly want to see kids in school and getting the
Cleaner water now on tap for Estevan The City of Estevan has changed over its water intake source from Boundary Dam Reservoir to Rafferty Dam. This change is expected safeguard the environment and improve the quality of water for residents who access city utilities. Residents were asked to chec k their water starting Monday. The city said in a news release the water might not be clear for several days. Discoloured water is common when switching water sources and is due to the changeover and flushing of lines. If you notice a change in your water, please run taps for 15-20 minutes to flush the line. If the problem persists, contact city hall at 306634-1800. Residents will also note that water will be
considerably less hard, which will reduce wear on water heaters, faucets and plumbing. Settings on home water softeners will need to be changed to a 250 milligrams per liter or 17 grain per gallon hardness level. If you are unsure of how to adjust your softener, please check your manual or contact a plumber. The switch to Rafferty Dam is also expected to improve the quality of drinking water, and reduce trihalomethanes. Estevan’s trihalomethane count was typically above the regulated standards when Boundary Dam was the primary source. The city received support from the provincial and federal governments through the Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component – National and Regional Projects Program.
Gwen Keith instruction from the teachers in the most normalized way possible that we can provide.” She added that COVID brought in some changes into the faith aspect of education, opening new avenues. For example, they had some key religious events live-streamed with archbishop participating and the response was great. And as they open up the school year they plan to continue with online options for some religious events, but they still will do their best to keep the community spirit.
Rafferty Dam is now the primary water source for the city of Estevan. File photo
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Renovations for addictions centre underway at hospital A renovation of the home care building is also currently underway. The provincial government announced in March that it was re-establishing the addictions treatment centre in Estevan. The 20-bed inpatient treatment centre will specialize in crystal meth, with 15 of the beds dedicated to meth, and the remaining five beds for other drug addictions. The treatment of addictions was a fixture at St. Joseph’s for many years, first at the hospital’s old location on First Street and then at its present home on Nicholson Road. Stripping the flooring in what will be the addictions area started late last month, said St. Joseph’s Hospital executive director Greg Hoffort, and a construction start-up meeting was held on Aug. 5. “It makes it very real,” s a i d H o f f o r t . “ We h ad planned to start it a lot earlier, but with the COVID restrictions, necessitated by the health authority and the government, we did have to
By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca
The renovations have started at St. Joseph’s Hospital to accommodate a new addictions treatment centre, and it’s not the only project currently underway at the hospital. The renovations started last week to accommodate the 20-bed centre, which will hopefully be open in September. The area had been used for an addictions treatment centre until 1996, when it was closed by the provincial government of the day. The area where the new addictions centre will be located had recently been housing primary health services offices for the Saskatchewan Health Authority, such as mental health, public health, home care and ambulatory care. Those services are being relocated to the former Estevan Area Home Care building, which used to be the sisters’ residence back when the hospital was operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph’s.
Renovations are also happening for the Estevan Area Home Care building to accommodate primary health services.
put it on hold for a while.” They had initially hoped for a July opening, but now September is the projected opening date. “This is something that we have been working towards for a number of years. It’s been on our radar to try to get the addictions centre open again. But truly in the last 12 months, our management team has put in an enormous amount of work into putting the plans together to give the government something they could buy into, and something where we could give them the confidence we could deliver a program that is going to meet their needs.” Hoffort said to have 12 months of hard work pay off with the start of construction is something they’re proud of. The centre will have three beds to each room, but there will be circumstances in which they might have to stray from that system, depending on individual care needs. Rooms are large enough to accommodate three patients. “The model of addictions is that the programs are tailored to the individual needs of each client who enters the recovery program. So there will be some variables for each client.” The clinical manager has already been hired. The hospital has formed a partnership with Cedars at Cobble Hill, which is a renowned treatment centre out of B.C. that has been in this line of work for many years. “They operated private and public,” said Hoffort.
“They serve all sorts of different demographics. So they’ve got the clinical expertise that we will be utilizing to start up.” All of the staff will be St. Joseph’s Hospital employees. Some of the counsellors have been hired already, and some will be selected in the coming weeks. The hospital is in the process of posting and hiring addictions attendants. And they will be increasing nursing capacity. About 15 employees will be added to the staff through the treatment program. Once the opening date is established, the hospital will start the process of choosing the residents. While they will have patients from the Estevan area, there will also be patients from other parts of Saskatchewan. “Obviously there is no shortage of demand for addiction treatment in the area and in Saskatchewan,” said Hoffort. “So that’s something where we’re not going to have to spend a great deal of effort. The patients will be there and there will be referrals as soon as we nail down the exact opening date.” The centre won’t have all 20 beds filled right away. As f or the pr imar y healthcare services, adult patients will go to the former sisters’ residence, while an area adjacent area will be where youths come for those services. “It ’s a renovation to our facility, requested by the health authority, to provide a great deal of patient convenience, and better accessibility for both patients and staff
A renovation is underway to accommodate the addictions treatment centre at St. Joseph’s Hospital. It is expected to be finished in September. to one another.” The new primary health centre area will bring staff closer to each other, so they will be together in one place rather than five or six different places in the hospital. The affected staff members have been very co-operative, as have the patients, and they have worked with the hospital to make this happen. The primary health centre renovation is also expected to be finished in September. Hoffort noted that all of the work for both renovations will be completed by local contractors. “It was something we really worked hard at achieving was to keep that local. Our hospital is 100 per cent supported by our community, and it was important for us for these projects to keep
them local.” The primary health facility and the addictions centre renovations will be fully covered by the Ministry of Health, while the furnishings for the addictions area will be paid for by the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation. “They’re busy raising funds for that,” said Hoffort. “We’re busy putting in 20 beds, equipping living spaces with 20 comfortable chairs, dining spaces with seating for 20, office spaces for counsellors and attendants, all sorts of different requirements,” said Hoffort. He expects there will be $80,000 for furnishings, and another $80,000 for the renovations. The renovations for the primary healthcare facility have a budget of about $500,000.
St. Joseph’s welcomes new physician to Estevan A new physician has arrived in Estevan to work at St. Joseph’s Hospital, and he brings a number of accolades with him to the Estevan area. Dr. Daniel Garcia started his practice last week with the South East Medical Group in the hospital foundation building attached to St. Joseph’s Hospital. Garcia will practise with Dr. Ryan Cormier. Greg Hoffort, executive director of St. Joseph’s Hospital, said Garcia is a physician who had his first exposure to Estevan during the Sask. Medical Association’s Roadmap Tour, which annually brings medical students to communities such as Estevan to show them opportunities in rural Saskatchewan. The hospital has been in discussions with Garcia for a couple of years, and they are extremely pleased that he has chosen this community to start his medical career. Garcia attended medical school in Ireland and is a Canadian-trained resident who completed his two-year residency in family medicine in North Battleford, where
he was the recipient of two prestigious awards. The first accolade, the Alanna Danilkewich Resident Award in Rural Family Medicine, recognizes academic achievement, including knowledge, skills and attitude, in rural and remote family medicine in Saskatchewan. The second award was for the Best Overall Resident Project at the 30th annual Resident Research Day through the University of Saskatchewan Department of Academic Family Medicine for his project, An Evaluation of the BuprenorphineNaloxone Treatment Protocol, initiated at the Battlefords Union Hospital Emergency Department. Hoffort pointed out the arrival of Garcia will bring the number of physicians practising in Estevan to 14, with 13 of those focusing on family medicine. He credits a collaborative effort between the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation and St. Joseph’s Hospital for their success in regards to recruitment and retention of physicians.
Dr. Daniel Garcia, middle, is welcomed to Estevan by Dr. Ryan Cormier, left, and St. Joseph's Hospital executive director Greg Hoffort. Photo courtesy of St. Joseph's Hospital
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Published weekly by Prairie Newspaper Group Limited Partnership, 68 Souris Avenue N., Estevan, SK S4A 2M3.The Estevan Mercury is owned and operated by Prairie Newspaper Group Limited Partnership, a subsidiary of Glacier Media Inc. Advertising rates are available upon request and are subject to change without notice. Conditions of editorial and advertising content: The Estevan Mercury attempts to be accurate in Editorial and Advertising content; however, no guarantee is given or implied. The Estevan Mercury reserves the right to revise or reject any or all editorial and advertising content as the newspaper’s principals see fit. The Estevan Mercury will not be responsible for more than one incorrect insertion of an advertisement, and is not responsible for errors in advertisements except for the space occupied by such errors. The Estevan Mercury will not be responsible for manuscripts, photographs, negatives and other related material that may be submitted for possible publication. All of the Estevan Mercury’s content is protected by Canadian Copyright laws. Reviews and similar mention of material in this newspaper is granted on the provision that The Estevan Mercury receives credit. Otherwise, any reproduction without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. Advertisers purchase space and circulation only. Rights to any advertisement produced by The Estevan Mercury, including artwork, typography, photos, etc., remain the property of this newspaper. Advertisements or parts thereof may not be reproduced or assigned without the consent of the publisher. We acknowledge financial support of the Government of Canada. Nous reconnaissons l'appui financier du gouvernement du Canada.
The maps that we’ve been waiting for Since the first presumptive case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in Saskatchewan back on March 12, many in Saskatchewan have been clamouring for more information as far as where the cases were located. The provincial government divided its reporting into six regions: the Regina area, the Saskatoon area and four vast territories. The south region, which included Estevan and the rest of the southeast area, appeared to be about the size of Nova Scotia. It extended from the Alberta border to the Manitoba border, and in western Saskatchewan, it extended north of the Trans-Canada Highway. So when you found out about a case in the south – there were only 15 in the first 10 weeks of the pandemic – people would be alarmed, but for all you knew, it could be in Swift Current or Maple Creek. Finally the provincial government has succeeded in giving us more specifics on the cases. The solution they have provided isn’t going to go as far as some would like, but this is likely as good as it’s going to get. The south region has now been broken up into the southwest, south-central and southeast regions. Furthermore, the southeast is broken up into four different zones. If you’re wondering, Estevan is in Zone 4, as is most of the southeast corner. Midale and Macoun are the only com-
munities in close proximity to the Energy City to be in another zone. They’re grouped in Zone 3 with Weyburn’s area. You have to wonder why it took so long for the province to take this step, but the good news is they’ve made this move. And what did we find out with these maps? We’ve been doing a pretty damn good job over the past five months. As of Aug. 4, the day the maps were first released, the southeast region had 11 cases. That’s it. There are only two jurisdictions that have had fewer: the far north’s central region, which is very sparsely populated, and the far northeast. The only area with a case count to rival the southeast is the east-central region, which has 30 cases. When the maps were released, five cases in the southeast were active. That number was down to two as of Monday. We saw late last month when the Saskatchewan Health Authority had to issue an advisory over a person who tested positive for COVID-19 who visited the Bar Bar in Kenosee Lake. The government hasn’t disclosed whether that led to further positive tests, and it didn’t reveal any other affected businesses, but people were obviously concerned. While there have been some instances in which people have let their guard down, we’ve been responsible in the southeast. We’ve been
smart. Maybe other jurisdictions could learn from our outstanding example. But we need to give ourselves a pat on the back, rather than having other people pat us on the back. We should be proud of the work we’ve done, but we can’t be complacent. We need to keep thinking about all the things we’ve been focused on in the past five months, such as social distancing and hand washing. The rest of the province, and other jurisdictions across the country, should be turning to us and wondering why we’ve been able to do so well over the past five months. Let’s give them reason to keep asking what we’ve done right. Some would like to see a further breakdown for the maps. We’d have no problem if the government were to disclose case locations in Estevan or Weyburn, for example; you could release some details for cases in the small cities without harming privacy. But if they were to close a 50-something man from Frobisher or even Midale had tested positive, that could be viewed as an infringement of the privacy of the patient. So let’s be happy with the steps that the government has taken to provide more information, and hope that our numbers continue to be the lowest in the province outside of the far north.
Why garbage piles up instead of fitting back into the ground? I recently was cleaning my make-up stocks that I’ve been piling up for years, trying to get rid of anything that was expired, outdated or just too weird to use. And there was a little bottle with dried-up nail polish. I tried to liquify it using Google's wisdom, and once it didn’t work out, I put it in the garbage bin. Then it went like in movies: I unlinked my fingers and the bottle started slowly falling, attracted to the bottom of the bin by gravity. And while that was happening my thoughts slowly started turning around an idea if I was supposed to recycle the glass. If so, how do I clean out the nail polish from the inside? And even if I do flush it with water, won’t it make even more damage floating somewhere under the ground and then in the rivers? And if it is just going to the dump and being buried, how long it will take for this bottle to decompose? And again, what about the nail polish? Ever since being a kid, I was worried about the world around. Dad often got into trouble for throwing cigarette butts out of the car window (back then everybody did it, there hardly were any garbage bins on the streets, people smoked everywhere and garbage was a big part of the landscape). But I sincerely didn’t like it, so when I was giving dad hard times for littering, he would call me GreenPoop (the name of the organization wasn’t translated into Russian and was just transliterated, which in Russian the version pretty much sounded the same with GreenPiss, excuse my language). The amount of garbage we produce always worried me. I found it ridiculous that to make a cup of tea I often produce at least two pieces of garbage – teabag and a little plastic bag it’s packed into. Plus, there is a box or a tin all bags
Ana Bykhovskaia Twenty Lines About… are packed into. On top of that, there is plastic that the box is covered with. And my tea is pretty much just water with leaves. How come I needed so much garbage to have a cup of tea? So, when I got to a point of conscious decisions, I started moving towards decreasing the number of one-time-use things in my life. Bags, cotton pads, cups and glasses, bottles, etc., I replaced them all with reusable ones. I’m still learning the science of separating garbage and I’m trying to grow my healthy and happy compost pile in the back yard (I think a bunny eats all the veggies he can find there before they decompose, but I hope that whatever is left will still make good dirt one day). While that little glass bottle was still heading towards the bottom of the bin, I also suddenly came across a boring school-time knowledge buried in my head. This glass is pretty much melted send, I remembered. And the nail polish inside it is just a mixture of different chemical elements all of which originally existed on the planet before they turned into this bright sticky liquid. So did every piece of what ends up being garbage. We pick it up or dig it out of the ground, transform and use, then put most of it back into the ground. We are no gods, and we don’t really create matter out of nothing. Once the bottle finally made it to the bottom of the garbage bin, I looked the topic up. The results of the inquiry were as I expected.
Even though all polymers that we came up with consist of what we originally obtained from the surrounding world, we mess their nature so much that they don’t decompose, pretty much at all. And while animals’ and humans’ bones don’t affect the mass of the Earth, turning into a different matter, our creations quickly form ugly garbage piles that surround the cities, and trash fed seagulls complete industrial sights. According to the 2017 research by Dr. Geyer and colleagues, humanity produced about 8.3 billion tonnes (it’s equivalent to 92 million Mac the Moose statues) of plastic in 65 years. There is enough plastic garbage to fill such a country as Argentina. And instead of becoming a natural part of the system again, simple elements turned into new matters like polymers keep trying to reach the skies. The Earth just doesn’t know what exactly to do with them. Like us when we come across a new food and don’t know how exactly to eat it. I hope eventually, the planet will figure its way around our creations and will adjust, but it’s taking much longer to blend our new-time garbage into the soil in comparison to the original ingredients. In the meantime, we are getting pretty close to building cities out of the garbage that doesn’t fit back into the soil. (Have you seen pictures of people living at enormous garbage dumps? It’s scary, but it might be something that’s ahead of us all.) So I dove into my garbage bin and fished my nail polish bottle out. I’m not sure what’s the best thing to do with it, but the perspective of living in the house, made out of garbage, was so scary that I didn’t want to just bury it at the landfill. P.S. It’s still sitting on my table, so any suggestions on what to do with it are welcome.
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Part of King Street closed due to water main replacement
Don’t mask my surprise I was in the pit grandstand for the Estevan Motor Speedway’s program on Aug. 1. A woman who was at the races with one of the drivers expressed her surprise that she hasn’t seen many people wearing masks since she arrived in Estevan. In her hometown, masks are much more common. I asked her where she was from. She replied Swift Current. That answered any follow-up questions I might have had. As we all know, the southwest region has been hit much harder by COVID-19 than southeast Saskatchewan, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that you’ll see more people wearing masks. The debate of whether masks should be mandatory has been raging for weeks. Many think it should be a requirement when out in public, regardless of whether you’re indoors or outdoors, and even if you’re in a smaller market like Estevan, Weyburn or Carlyle. Others think it should still be optional. Regardless, you don’t see many people wearing masks in the southeast region. While it seems the majority, or close to it, want to see masks made mandatory, there’s a small fraction of us covering our noses and mouths when among the public. I’ve worn a mask on just a handful of occasions. I’m not opposed to mask use. If masks become the requirement for the duration of the pandemic, I’m going to wear one. If I have to wear a mask to do my job, to access a building or cover an event, I’ll wear the mask. If I have to wear a mask to get groceries or eat at a restaurant or shop for clothes, I’ll wear a mask. If I don’t have to, I probably won’t. Some people are complaining about how the mask infringes on their rights. They say they have the right to not wear a mask. Well, business owners have the right to ask them to leave, or to not serve them, if they don’t have a mask. And the rest of society has the right to snub them for their obstinance. The mask debate in Saskatchewan was fuelled last week when the Ministry of Education released what it called the plan for a safe return to school for Saskatchewan students in September. It offered more specifics that what we saw from the government with its plan in early June. The bottom line is that students will be going back to school Sept. 1, the government hopes to have it as close to normal as possible, and students and staff won’t be required to wear masks. If the provincial situation regarding COVID deteriorates, then masks will become mandatory. A lot of people aren’t happy. It’s not just the opposition and the union members panning the government on this one. For those who were debating whether to send their kids back to school Sept. 1, this could give them more reason to think their kids should stay at home. The provincial government has spent recent months extolling the benefits of wearing masks. So has every health expert on the planet. And we’ve seen other provinces come forward with their requirement that at least students in higher grades will have to wear masks. So you can imagine people’s amazement when the province said no masks. And if they do decide to require masks during the school year because the pandemic worsens, will they have enough supplies to get masks to the students, teachers and staff members? This is a situation that will be closely monitored in the final weeks of summer vacation, and once school returns in September. Getting back to my own selfish stories, by the time you read this column, I’ll be on a much-needed (and some would say deserved) holiday with my parents. Our plan is to holiday through Saskatchewan, Alberta and southeast B.C., giving me the chance to see some areas that I haven’t seen in 20-30 years. Obviously there’s a risk with travel at this time, but we’re avoiding areas that have been COVID hotspots. These are locations that many from this area have been to this summer, and have been just fine upon their return. I hope my holiday will have the same story. But my folks have made it clear: when we’re out in public, we’re wearing masks. And once I get back from my holiday, maybe wearing a mask will be second nature to me, kind of like looking for directional arrows at a grocery store. Or maybe it will be something I will continue to do when I need to.
King Street between Cundall Drive and Hudson Road is closed for traffic and pedestrians. Photo by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia A portion of King Street between Cundall Drive and Hudson Road is closed for traffic and pedestrians. A water main replacement project for King Street, through the valley, began July 30 and will continue for approximately three weeks pending weather conditions. The City of Estevan released a traffic accommodation plan:
• No through traffic on King Street from Cundall Drive to Hudson Road for east and westbound traffic. This closure includes the north sidewalk for pedestrian traffic. Pleasantdale Valley pathway King Street access will be closed periodically throughout the duration of the project. The public is asked to watch for posted signage for access to the
pathway system. • There is no access to Hillcrest Drive from King Street. Motorists are advised there is no left turn on Hudson Road. Local traffic only from Nicholson Road to Hudson Road, no through traffic. • Traffic from Sister Roddy Road travelling on King Street is marked for no through traffic.
• For north and southbound traffic the public is advised to use Wellock Road to access the hospital. The public is asked to use alternate routes until the project is completed. “It is important to remember this closure is in effect 24 hours a day. We thank you for our patience during this time,” says the announcement.
A serious wildland/field fire occurred southeast of Estevan on Saskatchewan Day By Ana Bykhovskaia abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca
Saskatchewan Day turned out to be really busy for the Estevan Fire Rescue Service (EFRS), as well as for the Bienfait and North Portal Fire Departments and for several farmers located southeast of Estevan. At about 3 p.m. on Aug. 3, the EFRS was alerted to the report of wildland/field fire. They responded instantly and could see a significant plume of smoke well before they made it on location. “Once crews arrived on scene and found that there was a fairly large fire, they immediately called for mutual aid resources from Bienfait Fire Department as well as North Portal Fire Department to assist with this fire so we wouldn’t leave the city unprotected,” said Estevan Fire Chief Dale Feser. The home and several other structures were threatened, but fortunately, crews were able to sufficiently suppress the fire and prevent it from destroying most of the property. However, one small outbuilding used as storage for 16 older vehicles and a baler was lost in the fire. “The cause of the fire was deemed that there was a malfunction of the bailing device, which started the field on fire. But the extremely hot temperatures and wind conditions really spread the fire quite quickly,” said Feser. The fire chief praised the landowner for keeping the grass around the property fairly short. “This really helped out in the suppression efforts and saving the actual home itself from being taken out by the fire.” He also extended their gratitude to all
people involved in the operation. “The Estevan fire department would really like to extend a huge thank you to everybody that assisted us (on Aug. 3) with all the local farming and ranching community. They always pull together in times like this and assisted with fire suppression activities with some older fire trucks that farmers had purchased as well as some other trucks that they have for water pumping. It was a really big group effort, and I’m sure that the homeowners are very happy that we were able to save as much as we did,” said Feser. Particularly at the early stages of fire, visibility was very low, and the EFRS had to pull out the firefighting crews several times due to serious safety issues. “They regained their bearings, found a better anchor point and proceeded through with offensive firefighting tactics in order to knock the leading edge of the fire down to prevent it from consuming the home,” said Feser. The operation was successful but took firefighters a considerable amount of time. They were able to return to the station after about nine hours spent on the scene. Fortunately, no injuries occurred as a result of the incident. In other recent fire department news, crews were called to a report of a possible structure fire. The call came in on Aug. 1 at about 9:30 a.m. It was reported that the fire was occurring to the southeast in the RM of Estevan. There was a bit of heating and smoke in the garage area on the property. Firefighters entered the building and found that an electrical outlet caught on fire. The power was quickly isolated, and the fire damage
was kept to a minimum. “Good, quick thinking on behalf of the homeowner that called 911 right away to get crews out there and troubleshoot what exactly has gone wrong,” said Feser. “All the damage was contained to the plug area with some minor sootings up the wall there.” Crews advised the homeowner to contact the electrician and fix the problem and returned to the station. However, it wasn’t the end of the day for the EFRS. Another residential fire alarm went off at about 10:30 p.m. Once on the scene, specialists couldn't find any smoke or flame. Firefighters contacted the homeowner and it turned out that he was changing the batteries in the alarm system, which triggered the alarm. “No emergency was occurring. The homeowner was reminded to ensure that he contacts the monitoring agency prior to changing batteries or tampering with any equipment regarding the fire alarm system,” said Feser. Firefighters were also called the report of a strong smell of smoke and something burning inside one of the homes in Estevan. Once on the scene, crews encountered the described smell. “It was found that it was a bathroom fan, ventilation fan that has overheated,” said Feser. The power was isolated for the particular item. Firefighters waited for the temperature to drop back to normal, ensuring that everything was safe, and advised the homeowner to call an electrician. A crew of four firefighters was also out at the Estevan Motor Speedway to be ready to provide fire, rescue and extrication services during the doubleheader on Aug. 1-2.
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A&A Jewellery knows all about the best gems, accessorize and gifts for any occasion By Ana Bykhovskaia abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca
No wonder people who have been to Estevan’s downtown A&A Jewellery store often admire the refined and very welcoming atmosphere. With a background in social work, Laurel Buck, who owns and operates the downtown business, knows a lot about people, but she knows not less about the jewellery industry, which was her dream since her young years. “I just always loved jewellery. And my parents were actually looking into buying a store when I was in high school. And I always said, ‘Oh, you should have done that.’ Because I’d love to work there. So, when the opportunity came up, we just decided to do that,”
recalled Buck. Buck, along with her aunt and uncle bought the business back in 2006, and a couple of years later, her relatives moved back to Alberta to open another jewellery store and she took over. The jewellery store has always been located at 1226 Fourth Street in Estevan, and for 48 years, it was familyowned and operated. When Buck took over, she continued with the traditions, keeping the spirit but also bringing in variety. She described the atmosphere in her store as “happy,” and a lot of it is created by the great, "personable" staff. Being a people-oriented person, Buck finds joy working with customers on a daily basis. “I love the people. I love
Family-run jewellery store has been welcoming customers down on Fourth Street for 48 years.
interacting with customers. I love selling an engagement ring and having the girl come in and say, ‘Oh, I absolutely loved it!’ I love that,” shared Buck. But A&A Jewellery is not only about jewellery. The store has a significant collection of giftware and has claimed a reputation as a go-to gift place for every occasion and every budget. Buck said it’s always very special for her to bring in the new gift items. “I love the buying. The jewellery is fun buying, but the giftware is (my favourite). I love the gift shows.” A&A Jewellery has a great variety of various giftware that can’t be found anywhere else in town. Buck does a lot of research when trying to find those special pieces that will be of interest to people in the Estevan area. They also watch the trends and know which way the wind will be blowing every new season. And the experience suggests that what’s popular in Toronto or at shows in Vegas may not become a thing in southeast Saskatchewan. “Sometimes you just keep customers in mind. You have certain customers that keep coming back and they tell you what they like and what they don’t like, so you go with that too,” said Buck. The flexibility and the ability to sense and understand customers’ preferences helps the
From left, Jamie Daniuk, Theresa Zieglgansberger, Noel Unger and Laurel Buck are ready to help customers at A&A Jewellery. business successfully navigate through the storms. “Trying new things (helps us to be successful). For example, during COVID (lockdown) we did Facebook live sales. It was the first time we ever did it, and we did actually really well,” said Buck. And while the store is now open to the customers, Facebook live sales were so successful that Buck decided to keep running them every month. “I think you’ve always got to be trying different things and finding new ways to get your name out there.” The buying world has temporarily moved online, but Buck believes that as soon as
it’s possible the shows will get back to an in-person format, allowing the buyers to see and touch what they will then offer to their customers. And while the shows are still virtual, the customers can already come into the store, and the A&A Jewellery team always does their best to accustom any wishes. “We always go the extra mile, we try to take care of everybody,” said Buck. “We just want everybody to come in, see it and leave happy.” The store offers the jewellery repairs and their goldsmith definitely knows his trade. At this time, they just ask the clients to put their items that need
to be fixed in one of the special dishes at the front to be sterilized first. They also offer private engagement ring showings, which can be done after hours. Not only does A&A Jewellery have great products and services, but they also do their best to ensure that customers get great deals. The rewards cards come with any purchase of $50 or more and give about 10 per cent in points that can be used towards future purchases. They are currently offering discount coupons through the Estevan Mercury's coupon book, and are getting ready for the 25 and 25 and 25 sale. All that while working on bringing in the new collections.
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City Hall: 1102 4th Street 8 am to 4:30 pm | (306) 634-1800 Leisure Office: 701 Souris Avenue 8 am to 4:30 pm | (306) 634-1880
CONSTRUCTION BULLETIN
Message From
KING STREET The City of Estevan is undertaking construction for the Watermain replacement The affected area includes King street between Hudson Rd. and Cundall Drive. Property access and parking restrictions are to occur. This work will commence August 4, 2020 and will take approximately six (6) weeks to complete (subject to weather) City of Estevan will perform this work within the current Bylaw regulations and specifications. Safety Construction site could be dangerous. If you have children, please ask them to keep a safe distance from the site. We will take every precaution to ensure public safety, but we need your assistance to constrain the natural curiosity of younger children. Please DO NOT attempt to go close to areas affected. Theft or Vandalism If you see any act of vandalism, theft or anyone suspiciously tampering with equipment, signage or barricades please contact 306-634-1800, or after hours call Police. Questions and Concerns The City of Estevan, Engineering Services apologize for any inconveniences that this work may cause and thank you in advance for your cooperation and patience. If you have any question or concerns, please call at 634-1800 or approach the supervisor or foreman on site.
The Mayor There is still plenty of summer left, get out and enjoy the parks while continuing to social distancing to stay safe!
FITNESS
ESTEVAN LEISURE CENTRE - 2020
SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE - AUGUST 4 - 31, 2020 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
SPIN
SPIN
SPIN
SPIN
GRIT
Saturday
6:10 am - 6:50 am
6:10 am - 6:50 am
CORE BARRE ABOVE
9:10 am - 9:50 am
9:10 am - 10:00 am
Friday
Thursday
SPIN
6:10 am - 6:50 am
9:10 am - 9:50 am
Wednesday
SPIN
GRIT
9:10 am - 9:50 am
9:10 am - 10:15 am
9:10 am - 10:00 am
FOAM ROLLER
POWER BLAST
11:10 am - 11:50 am
11:10 am - 12:00 pm
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
AFTERNOON / EVENING CARDIO BLAST
POWER BLAST
1:10 pm - 2:00 pm
1:10 pm - 2:00 pm
Public notice is hereby given that the Council of the City of Estevan, pursuant to Section 24 of the Planning and Development Act, 2007 and the City of Estevan Community Engagement Policy Bylaw No. 2020-2027 will consider adoption of Off-Site Development Levy Bylaw No. 2020-2030.
CARDIO BLAST POWER BLAST 1:10 pm - 2:00 pm
SPIN
1:10 pm - 2:00 pm
SPIN
5:30 pm - 6:10 pm
5:30 pm - 6:10 pm
The intent of the Bylaw is to provide a framework to recover capital costs for municipal services and facilities through new development within the City of Estevan. The Bylaw may be accessed through the City Clerk’s office or by contacting Land Development Services.
WEIGHT ROOM OPEN
OPEN
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9:00 am - 9:00 pm
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OPEN
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9:00 am - 9:00 pm
6:00 am - 9:00 pm
Must be 16 years of age to participate in fitness classes and have a completed Par-Q Questionnaire prior to participating in classes. The questionnaire lets our fitness instructors determine abilities and needs of each participant.
To discuss the proposed bylaw in detail, please contact Land Development Services to arrange for an appointment. Prior to further consideration of this Bylaw, a public hearing will be held:
!AUGUST AUGUST 2020 2020 AUGUST 2020
PLAY PLAY PARKS PARKS PLAY PARKS
PLEASE NOTE - Due to the pandemic-related protocols fitness registration has moved to a PRE-Registration process. Users must pre-register online or by calling the Information Desk. Patrons will be screened upon arrival and asked a few questions as per the Operational Health and Safety Guidelines. Drop in is available for the weight www.estevan.ca www.estevan.ca room. Space between workout stations have either increased or a machine has been put into 'not in use.' Water fountains are not available.
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Rusty Duce Park | 1400 RustyNicholson Duce Park Road | 1400 Nicholson Road Hillcrest Park| 265 Hillcrest Rooks Road Park| 265 Rooks Road Rusty Duce Park | 1400 Nicholson Road Hillside Park | 825Hillside George Street Park | 825 George Street Hillcrest Park| 265 Rooks Road For concerns or questions For concerns please contact or questions Playpark please Coordinator contact Playpark Cassidy Reich Coordinator at 306-634-1880 Cassidy Reich at 306-634-1880 Hillside Park | 825 George Street Your play park leadersYour are:play Nylapark Dyck, leaders Madison are:Flaman Nyla Dyck, andMadison CharlotteFlaman Andristand Charlotte Andrist For concerns or questions please contact Playpark Coordinator Cassidy Reich at 306-634-1880 Your play park leaders are: Nyla Dyck, Madison Flaman and Charlotte Andrist
to Change. PleaseThursday visit www.estevan.ca Monday Monday Tuesday Schedule TuesdaySubject Wednesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Friday Saturday Saturday Don’t Sunday see what you areSunday looking for? for4updates on closures and cancellations. Proper footwear 2 2 3 3 4 5 5 Thursday 6 6 Friday7 7 Saturday 8 Sunday Tuesday Wednesday Do you have an idea for something we Monday should try? and exercise wear is required to participate. Please note Please contact the Program2Manager 3 4 breaks, (Teachers Convention, 5 7 8 during school Spring Break and6 at 306-634-1880. Christmas Break) Fitness, Aquatic Centre and Arena schedules We would love to hear your ideas! may vary. Please visit our live schedules at www.estevan.ca 9
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10:00 - 12:00 pm 29 am10:00 29 am 30- 12:00 pm 30 CRAFTS, GAMES CRAFTS, 10:00 - 12:00GAMES pm 29 am 30 & ACTIVITIES & ACTIVITIES CRAFTS, GAMES 1:00 pm& -ACTIVITIES 1:00 5:00pm pm- 5:00 pm SWIMMING 1:00 pmSWIMMING - 5:00 pm OPEN MON-FRI EXCEPT OPEN ONMON-FRI DESIGNATED EXCEPT DAYS. ON DESIGNATED DAYS. SWIMMING OPEN MON-FRI EXCEPT ON DESIGNATED DAYS.
The public hearing is your opportunity to make presentations directly to Council. Those unable to attend may submit written comments to the City Clerk.
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City Clerk, cityclerk@estevan.ca City Hall, 1102 – Fourth Street, Estevan,
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SPLASH PADS IN THE CITY ARE OPEN DAILY FROM 10AM TO 7PM Royal Heights Veterans Memorial Park Padwick Park Dennis Moore Centennial Park Please note Washrooms at Padwick and Royal Heights will not be open until noon. #ThisisEstevan #ExperienceEstevan #EstevanNice
ESTEVAN’S SOURCE FOR LOCAL & REGIONAL NEWS
A8 August 12, 2020
www.estevanmercury.ca
Local runners join the Big Canada Run challenge By Ana Bykhovskaia abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca
Running across Canada from St. John’s, N.L., to Victoria, B.C., in a year might be quite a bit of a challenge for individual runners. But for a team, this task turns into a fun and exciting adventure, especially if runners don’t actually have to go anywhere far and instead can run wherever and whenever they like. The Big Canada Run, which is a virtual team run across the country covering 8,000 kilometres, offered such an opportunity to anyone in Canada and even outside of it. And 25 members of the Estevan Road Runners club, led by captain Audrey MacMurchy, decided to take on the challenge. Big Canada Run started July 1, 2020, and will end on July 1, 2021. Running, walking, hiking, skipping, galloping, trotting – anything completed on foot counts towards the team’s distance. Each runner has committed to 308 kilometres a year or .84 kilometres per day. But there are no limits. “Some people are doing 10 kilometres a day or 14. I’m doing five a day, but at the minimum, we have to do .84, that’s what we’ve committed to,” explained MacMurchy. There are 259 teams, ranging from two to 28 members, who registered in the Big Canada Run. Each team or individual runner logs in their daily kilometres online. They can see their progress and also watch how other teams are doing. The website also offers a lot of
information about the landmarks they would see along the route if the teams were actually running through particular areas. “Even though we put in our individual stats, we are doing it as a team, and we are not really running against other teams. Everybody is doing the same route all across Canada,” explained MacMurchy. As they progress, participating teams pick up digital badges at cities along the virtual way. Each badge has some symbolic Canadian value. Thus, the first badge teams received as they logged in their first 80 kilometres, which symbolized that they made it to St. John’s, was a maple leaf. In Sydney, N.S., 400 kilometres away from the start point, teams receive a moose, and in Halifax – a sorry badge. Other badges are beer in Moncton, lobster in Charlottetown, poutine in Quebec City, hockey in Montreal, maple syrup in Ottawa, Caesar in Toronto, donut in Sault Ste. Marie, goose in Thunder Bay, polar bear in Winnipeg, Mountie in Regina, bacon in Calgary, Ogopogo in Kamloops, Inuksuk in Vancouver and totem in Victoria. On Aug. 3, Estevan’s team already received the poutine badge, gained as they collectively ran 2,650 kilometres from the start, and they decided to celebrate the achievement with a nice poutine supper at Black Beard’s Restaurant. At that point, MacMurchy was positive that they will reach the destination way ahead of
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schedule. “We’ll be in B.C., we hope by November-December. And then we’ll decide what we are going to do, if we are going to go back across Canada virtually or (something else),” said MacMurchy. The hockey badge for covering 2,900 kilometres was reached just a few days later on Aug. 6. When the team logs in the total required distance they will also receive a finisher’s medal and swag. MacMurchy said that for her this challenge is a great way to keep active, learning something along the way. Besides, it allows people to do something together during the pandemic. “(It offers) to continue to be active, to participate with a group, group fun, support, something fun, local, active to do during COVID. A lot of runners are missing out on their runs now because lots of them have been cancelled. So to do the virtual run is awesome. And we are still going to get a medal in the end,” said MacMurchy.
From left, Fred Sheldon, Tracey Stepp, Karla Van den Schaaf, Shannon LaCoste, Peggy Rohatyn, Audrey MacMurchy, Jennifer Kuchinka, Tina Longney and Michella Prokop met for poutine supper to celebrate their Poutine badge, marking 2,650 kilometres into the Big Canada Run. There is a private Facebook group for all the teams across Canada and a separate one for the Estevan team, in which runners share interesting photos, places and other information they come across on their individual runs wherever they are running. MacMurchy said that
A tornado that was observed west of Estevan last week captured lots of attention from storm chasers and those who are fascinated by severe weather. In a tweet issued on Aug. 5, the Saskatchewan office for Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) reported that a tornado was observed to the
west of Estevan at about 5 p.m. on Aug. 4. The agency received multiple reports and photos of the tornado, but there were no reports of damage. The tornado has been given a preliminary rating of EF0. Environment Canada meteorologists are seeking pictures of damage the
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Other areas suffered from strong winds and hail. A severe thunderstorm warning was issued earlier Tuesday afternoon, but it was lifted when the tornado warning was issued. This is the fifth confirmed tornado in Saskatchewan this year. Many photos and videos were posted online through social media from the storm, attracting the attention of the public. To view some of the photos and videos, please visit www. estevanmercury.ca.
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photos, accomplishments, support and "lots of love and laughs." Participants also use the group to arrange runs or walks in various picturesque areas of the southeast. Anyone interested in becoming a part of the Estevan Road Runners can join their Facebook group.
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there is a woman who runs for one of the teams who is currently in South Africa. On her run, she saw a mama and baby zebra, which she also shared with other participants. There is also a Facebook group specifically for Estevan Road Runners featuring
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Wednesday, August 12, 2020
A9
The work continues Construction is ongoing for passing lanes on Highway 39 between Estevan and Weyburn. This set of passing lanes is currently being built southeast of Midale. Several sets of passing lanes on the national highway are slated to be completed this year.
Canadian Natural Resources to acquire Painted Pony Energy Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL) has announced it has entered into a definitive arrangement agreement with Painted Pony Energy Ltd. to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Painted Pony, for a cash consideration of $0.69 per share. CNRL will also assume Painted Pony’s total debt of approximately $350 million. This transaction value represents approximately one per cent of CNRL’s enterprise value and does not materially impact the company’s balance sheet strength or liquidity position. Painted Pony ’s land and production are located
within Canadian Natural’s core area, providing opportunity to leverage synergies with a significant amount of pre-built infrastructure and transportation available. Current production, before royalties, acquired by Canadian Natural, is approximately 270 million cubic feet per day of natural gas and 4,600 barrels per day of natural gas liquids (NGL). The assets include properties in the northeast British Columbia areas of Blair, Daiber,
Kobes and Townsend. “This acquisition further strengthens Canadian Natural’s natural gas assets and production base in key operating areas and complements the company’s diversified portfolio,” said CNRL president Tim MacKay. “This transaction also allows us to further insulate against natural gas costs in our oils sands operations and has minimal impact on the company’s low overall corporate decline rate. “ We look forward to
working together with the staff currently employed by Painted Pony.” The transaction is targeted to close in late third quarter or early fourth quarter of 2020, subject to normal closing conditions. Canadian Natural is a senior oil and natural gas production company, with continuing operations in its core areas located in Western Canada, the U.K. sector of the North Sea and offshore Africa.
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Senchuk Ford continues to meet customer needs while looking forward to 2021 models W hile the last few months have been a challenging time, Senchuk Ford has still been selling vehicles, and now they’re looking forward to the arrival of the 2021 models. The Estevan dealership, located on Souris Avenue North, has been able to remain fairly busy in the past few months, busy enough, at least, to keep its staff members going despite the challenges that have been facing the Estevan area. “Sport utility vehicles and trucks, we’re selling them,” said dealer principle Randy Senchuk. “It’s surprising that the next dilemma we seem to be facing is a shortage of product, because the factories were closed down for a few months,
and sales have been good enough that there seems to be a shortage right across the country.” Those factories are up and running again, and the vehicles are on their way, but they can’t get to Estevan quick enough. Senchuk’s customers have been very understanding. They recognize the challenges facing the dealership, not only with the precautions the business has to take because of COVID, but also with the delays in getting vehicles to Estevan. “We’re just trying to weather the storm and be smart about everything,” he said. The service department and the auto body shop have been steady. When COVID
Senchuk Ford is well known for the trucks and other vehicles that they sell. Photo submitted
first started, it slowed down quite a bit, but people still need to get their oil changed and their vehicles repaired.
Senchuk Ford in Estevan has a variety of vehicles available to suit the needs of customers.
“People haven’t been driving as much, so (they aren’t in) probably as much as they would be normally, but the business goes on,” said Senchuk. “ We were considered to be an essential service, so we tried to make it as normal as possible.” Staff members have done their part of navigating the uncertainty, and they adjusted to all of the new protocols, the social distancing and sanitizing. Estevan is fortunate that there haven’t been as many cases as elsewhere in the province, he said. As for the 2021 models, Senchuk said people can look forward to the
arrival of Ford’s usual product standbys, such as the Ford F-150, with a whole bunch of improvements and enhancements, the 2021 Bronco sport, which should be here before Christmas, and a full-sized Bronco that should arrive in the new year. “There’s lots of stuff that they’re talking about, and lots of really good changes coming up,” said Senchuk. M o s t f a c t o r i e s a re clearing out their inventory of 2020 vehicles, causing the delays with 2021s, but once they do come, Senchuk said people will be excited. He has seen the vehicles
online, since the automotive shows and conventions were cancelled. “The Bronco has a legacy that goes back to the 1960s. We haven’t had it the last few years, but it’s coming back, and there’s a lot of excitement. We already have people who have gone online and done pre-orders with us, and we have people lined up for them already. So there’s a lot of excitement for them.” Senchuk has a base of loyal customers, and the dealership appreciates the support from those who have long made Senchuk’s their destination when buying a Ford product.
FROM THE DESK OF LORI CARR SAFE RETURN TO SCHOOL A safe return to school has been the top priority of your Saskatchewan Party government ever since our in-school programs came to a halt this past March. Recently, our government released a plan that will allow for our staff and students to return safely to school this fall. We have evaluated best practices and emerging research that has been provided by public health and have worked alongside our Chief Medical Health Officer to develop this plan. Our government has developed an eightstep guideline for general operation. All steps will be tailored by their school division to fit the needs of local students and staff. We trust local autonomy, as we understand that a cookie-cutter plan will not work across our province. By laying out the foundation, school divisions will develop plan that is practical for their area. In close consultation with public health officials, the Education Response Planning Team has reviewed and approved each plan to ensure alignment with Saskatchewan’s Safe Schools plan. Safe attendance and safe classrooms are part of these new operational guidelines. All staff and students are encouraged to stay home if they are feeling unwell. Protocols will be put in place for a staff member or student who falls ill while at school. In the classroom, procedures to limit physical contact and promoting hygiene will be implemented. The third priority within the guidelines is safe transportation. Where possible, parents are encouraged to transport their own children to and from school. Recognizing this isn’t an option for many, there will also be protocols in place for those who will utilize transport such as: • Assigned seats and a record of this seating plan on school buses; • Students who live in the same household should be seated together; • Partitions around drivers can be considered; and • Cleaning and sanitation of buses or other vehicles used to transport students is required between each run. The fourth and fifth priorities are safe access and safe facilities. Safe access will focus on the daily flow of students and staff within the building. Safe access includes school-level considerations such as dedicated entrances, staggered start times and controlled flow of students and staff in common areas.
Lori Carr, MLA Estevan Constituency Office
Safe facilities will focus on the cleaning and sanitation of school buildings. Each school has been asked to increase sanitation measures and continue to promote proper hygiene practices. This includes the availability of hand sanitizer wherever possible and establishing clear protocols for bringing supplementary school materials such as backpacks and school supplies in and out of schools. If needed, the ministry will provide Personal Protection Equipment, or PPE to students and teachers at the request of the Chief Medical Health Officer. The sixth guideline focuses on safe classrooms. This measure will ensure the safe sharing of space in the classroom between students and staff. Safer classrooms will include increased personal sanitation measures and proper hygiene practices, as well as minimizing contact among students and staff as much as possible. Many students and teachers across our province are missing their classrooms and classmates, so we must ensure that they are able to return to these spaces as safely as possible. The seventh guideline includes safe supports. Our physical health has been threatened by this pandemic, but we understand that our mental health has taken a toll as well. This measure will ensure that support for our staff and students mental health is readily available when needed. Support for the learning needs of intensive needs or immune-compromised students will also be put in place. I encourage you to read through your school divisions tailored plan to become familiar with the various supports that will be available in this area. The eighth guideline focuses on safe activities. This protocol focuses on policies governing group activities including:
• Level 2: will involve mask usage as determined by the Chief Medical Health Officer. • Level 3: will involve reducing classrooms capacity. This may include establishing cohorts and hybrid learning models as considerations. • Level 4: would take us back to suspending in-class learning and moving back to a similar model we saw this past spring, with divisions working at the local level to ensure learning continues. In this model school would continue to be mandatory, albeit remotely. As it stands our government is planning on our classroom return to be at a Level 1. As the situation with COVID-19 in Saskatchewan is evolving, plans may be updated and adjusted as needed. Again, our government is trusting the advice and direction of our Chief Medical Health Officer and we will monitor our provinces potential outbreaks closely. Through increased investment in our 2020 Budget, initial estimates show school divisions are planning to hire more than 225 additional staff. School divisions were able to save about $40 million due to the in-school suspension earlier this year. Divisions have indicated to our government that they will use their savings for costs associated with a safer return to school. While the costs may not be finalized yet, divisions have identified over $3 million in expenses so far. No school division has identified the need for funding outside of their savings at this time.
Our plan includes four levels of safe alternatives that focus on our province’s contingency plan at the advice of our Chief Medical Health Officer. These four scenarios may be activated regionally or provincially.
For parents with questions or concerns regarding your child’s return to school we encourage you to first contact your local school division as they have created the detailed guidelines and protocols for local school. Our government has given our local school divisions autonomy to tailor their return to school plan to the best interest of their students, and we thank them for their cooperation during these unprecedented times.
• Level 1: Primary and Secondary Educational Guidelines – as close to ‘normal’ as possible, with some additional measures.
For more information please contact your local school division or www.saskatchewan.ca.
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A11
Jace Carlisle wins final golf event as a junior By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca
Jace Carlisle’s final golf event as a junior proved to be a memorable one. Carlisle, who is one of numerous talented golfers to come out of the Estevan Junior Golf program in recent years, was the victor at the RE/Max Blue Chip Realty Classic that was held at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course Thursday and Friday. The event was Estevan’s stop on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf tour. He defeated fellow Estevan golfer Chase Gedak and Saskatoon’s Josh Nagy in a two-hole playoff. All three golfers shot a 2-under-par 142 over two rounds. “I putted well. I made a lot of good putts and I made a lot of birdies, which is key to eventually winning. I was hitting my driver well and hitting lots of fairways,” said Carlisle. Carlisle and Nagy were tied for the lead after the
first round after each shot a 69. Gedak was third after shooting a 72. “It was a little windier the second day. At the end of our round, it was always gusting 50 kilometres an hour, so it’s a big difference from when you’re playing the first day, when it was pretty keen conditions out there for golf and it was pretty easy scoring,” said Carlisle. Gedak shot a 70 in the second round, while Nagy and Carlisle notched 73s in Round 2. The playoff started on the 10th hole, which all three golfers parred. Carlisle birdied the next hole, the par-4 11th, while Gedak and Nagy managed pars. “I hit a good shot to the fringe, and I had 15 feet for eagle, and the other guys hit it left and had some struggles, and then I two-putted for a birdie and won,” said Carlisle. He noted it was a fun group for the final round and the playoff, as he plays
with Gedak regularly, and Nagy is a good friend. “It’s pretty easy to play well when you’re playing with those guys and they’re shooting low scores, too,” said Carlisle. Estevan’s Jayden Dudas was fourth in the junior boys event at 148 (75-73). Logan Chernoff of Estevan (74-78, 152) was sixth. Drew Fenwick was 10th in junior boys (74-78, 152) and Hudson Chernoff was 13th (81-79, 160). In juvenile boys, Ryan Chernoff was tied for sixth (79-79, 158) and Conner Spencer was 13th at (7787, 164). Koen Turner was eighth in bantam boys (8684, 170) and Jayden Chernoff was fourth in peewee boys (91-90, 181). Sarah Grieve of Saskatoon was the top female golfer with a two-round total of 153 (79, 74). She was competing in the girls’ 15-19 division. Autumn Neiszner of Saskatoon was second with a 163 total (83-80).
Nearly 60 golfers were entered. Carlisle said he’s not surprised that the local contingent did so well, thanks to the strength of the junior program. “ We all love having competitions and me and Jayden (Dudas) and Chase play together all of the time, and play match play against each other and love being competitive.” He credited Woodlawn’s head pro and gener al manager, Amanda Minchin, for helping kids find their love of the game. Car lisle expects to play in the men’s classic e vent at Golf Kenosee this coming weekend. He has transferred from Lake Superior State University to Post University in Connecticut for the upcoming school year, but the conference Post plays in has cancelled its season, so now he’s hoping for a spring season. He’ll be studying on- Jace Carlisle won the Maple Leaf Junior Tour stop that line from home this fall. was held in Estevan last week. Photo by Hannah Battersby
Minor football getting ready for upcoming season Penta Completions Estevan Minor Football is optimistic it will have games for its teams this year, and the squads have been getting ready for the upcoming season. President Kevin Mortenson said everything is still a go for 2020. They have been talking with Moose Jaw Minor Football, and all minor football organizations affiliated with those leagues – Estevan, Weyburn, Swift Current, Assiniboia, Moosomin and Moose Jaw – want to play. “We’re excited to get some sort of a normal season going with everything that’s going on in the world,” said Mortenson. The two older teams – the Estevan Lions Club U15 Steelers and the Estevan U18 female Viragos – have been meeting on Tuesday nights. The younger Estevan Century 21 U13 Chargers and the Estevan U11 Power Dodge Cudas are on Thursday nights. Non-contact drills and cardio workouts have been taking place. The evenings have been
warm, so that has helped the kids get in shape. Equipment pickup is scheduled for Aug. 13, and the following week, teams will likely start practising in equipment, unless they’re told otherwise by Football Saskatchewan or the Saskatchewan Health Authority. The Cudas will have six players on the field at once, while the other teams will have nine players at a time. Minor football could use more players, because people have been hesitant to sign up due to the uncertainty associated with COVID. They expect there will be a lot of late registrations, and minor football is asking that anyone who was part of minor football in 2019 to register now. “We want to concentrate on getting the kids on the field and practising … once we get the equipment on, not sitting in front of a keyboard getting everybody entered and registered.” Minor football is also looking for assistant coaches for
the upcoming season. The Oilers have the best numbers right now with 26 kids. The Chargers have around 18 and the Cudas have 15. There’s enough players for each time, but they would be in trouble with injuries. There are about 13 for the Viragos, but earlier this year, when they held an information meeting at the Estevan Comprehensive School, 20 prospective players were present. The Cudas play mini games on short fields, while the Oilers and Chargers make use of the full field over four 10-minute quarters. Mortenson said minor football has been sanitizing more than ever. They have sanitizing equipment on the field, and they’ve been cleaning everything else. “We ordered spit guards. Basically it’s a full shield underneath the cage of the football helmet, just so they’re not sneezing or spitting on anybody on the field inadvertently. We ordered them because we
Penta Completions Estevan Minor Football is hopeful it will have games in 2020. File photo thought there was going to be a shortage of them,” said Mortenson. Minor football is trying to go over and above to keep kids, coaches and officials safe on the field, and specta-
tors safe off of it. W hile there will be changes, he hopes youth football in Estevan will closely resemble what they played last year as much as possible. Minor football has also
purchased four skid shacks from Campbell Oilfield Services, and they have been refurbished. Those buildings will be relocated to Chow Field, which is minor football’s practice facility.
Twins sweep weekend series with Swift Current The Southeast U18 AAA Twins won both games they played Sunday against the host Swift Current 57s. The first game, an 8-5 Twins victory, saw the Twins score twice in each of the second, third, fourth and fifth innings to lead 8-1. Swift Current managed three in the fifth and one in the seventh to make the score respectable. Dallen Oxelgren scored twice and had three hits to pace the Twins offence, and Kaiden Lyons brought in two runs. Jayke Smolinski gave up four runs, but only one earned, in 4 2/3 innings. He also struck out six.
Ethan Ernst surrendered one run in 1 1/3 innings, and Kaiden Lyons didn’t give up a run in an inning of relief. The second game was a 19-7 rout in five innings. Swift Current led 2-0 after the first inning, but then the Twins scored two in the second, seven in the third and eight in the fourth to blow the contest wide open. Every hitter who had an at bat for the Twins had at least one hit and one run. Smolinski and Bryson Andres each notched three runs and three hits, and Ernst, Ty Nikolejsin, Dallen Oxelgren and Zach Price brought in three runs each.
Mason Fichter gave up seven runs and struck out six in five innings of work. The Twins, whose record is 6-8, will be back on the field Saturday, when they host the Regina Athletics at Lynn Prime Park. Games will be at 1 and 3 p.m. Then they will visit the Parkland Expos Sunday in Yorkton. • • • The Estevan U18 AA Brewers are now riding a four-game winning streak after a pair of lopsided wins at home over the White Butte Broncos on Sunday. Estevan scored seven times in the bottom of the fourth to
break open a 2-2 game, and then added three in the fifth to invoke the mercy rule in an 11-1 victory. Kaleb Poole had three hits to lead the attack, while several players had multiple runs in the game in what was a balanced attack. Riley Niven pitched all five innings, and gave up two runs, one unearned, and struck out three. The second game was over in 4 1/2 innings, as the Twins raced out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning, and then added two in the second, eight in the third and three in the fourth. The game was called after the Broncos were shut out in the fifth. The Twins managed 21 hits in
the game, with Cade Bendtsen and Daylen Babyak each getting four. Babyak also scored four times and had four runs batted in. Tayce Miller started and allowed one run in four innings, and struck out three. Logan Romaniuk struck out three and didn’t allow a base-runner in an inning of relief. The Brewers (9-2) next action will be Aug. 12 when they host the Weyburn Beavers at Lynn Prime Park. Then they will host the Lumsden Cubs on Aug. 15 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at Lingelbach Field at Mets Stadium, and the Regina Blue Jays on Aug. 16, again at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at Mets Stadium.
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Cheers Cheers to Tara and Mae from the Estevan Medical Group. They do a wonderful job and they conduct themselves with professionalism. It means a lot to the patients. Cheers to the arrival of another new physician to the community. With each new physician, it makes life easier for the doctors we already have in the community. Cheers to the Estevan Mercury for the 101 Things to Experience in Estevan this summer promotion. It reminds us how much there is to do in this area, and even teaches us a few things that we didn’t know about before. Cheers to the Estevan Car Club for the parade they held through the community during the August long weekend, and for continuing to bring their vehicles to Canadian Tire at the end of each month Cheers to the Estevan Fire Rescue Service and other emergency crews for the time they spent fighting a field fire outside of the city on Saskatchewan Day. While we’re enjoying the beautiful August weather, they’re trying to save someone’s home. Cheers to the provincial government for expanding the maps for COVID-19. It’s nice to see how many cases we have had in the southeast, and how we’re doing so much better than everyone else.
Jeers Jeers to the provincial government for the back to school plan released last week. It’s too close to the old normal. If kids aren’t required to wear a mask, they won’t do it. Jeers to the Estevan Shoppers Mall for not properly marking all of their handicapped stalls. It’s hard to know which stalls are for handicapped people, and the ticket for parking in one is very expensive. Jeers to those who aren’t obeying the 60 kilometre per hour speed limit in work zones on Highway 39. Obey the signs and the speed limits, so that we don’t have another accident. To submit a cheer or a jeer, please email it to dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca, or visit www.estevanmercury.ca.
This paper is proudly printed locally in Estevan.
The Estevan Slowpitch League held an eight-team tournament early August 1982. The Estevan Bruins team won the A side final against Advance Lumber. Pictured here is the Bruins team. From left, front row, Glen Nickell, Tammy Murray, Melodye Pierson, Brad Pierson, Kathy Kvamme, Patty McGrath, Joanne Nickell and Bruce Firth. Back row, Lloyd Dobrescu, Bert Pierson, Pat Gerwing, Terry Curzon, Berry Firth, Bill Adams and Darcy Kvamme.
Calder has found 21 families of plane crash victims for tribute book Marie Calder’s quest to find family members from all 21 people who died in a plane crash south of Estevan nearly 75 years ago is complete. Calder and a committee has been working to track down the families of the 20 pilots and one crew member who died in the tragedy at the former Estevan Airport site south of the city on Sept. 15, 1946. The final three members were tracked down on the same weekend a few weeks ago. “For the longest time, we only had seven,” she said. It was the creation of the committee that accelerated the process of finding
many of the families of the victims. The final families they tracked down were Henry (Harry) Hugh Cowan, Robert (Bob) Cowan McRoberts and Raymond Avard Brandser, who was from the tiny south central Saskatchewan community of Glen Bain. Calder thought she was never going to track down Brandser’s family. “It was the most amazing weekend, because it was the same person that found all three of them. They gave me the contacts for two of them on Saturday and the third one on Sunday.” One of the people on the team is from Alberta Calder has never met. There
are two local people and a woman from Regina. Calder has being working on a book named Together Forever in the Clouds, and it shares the story of the 21 men who died in the plane crash. She started working on it after the completion of the Forever in the Clouds monument, on display at the current Estevan Regional Airport north of the city. “I had been able to acquire military records, that sort of data and factual information, but what I really hope this book will turn out to be is more a stor y of their lives, and therefore the families’ input is imperative,” she said. A draft of the book is
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already prepared, but she is looking for more of the human side of the victims. “Each of these drafts goes off to the family member I’m most in touch with. In some cases, I’m in touch with a number of people for any one family,” Calder said. She wants the family members to find errors and omissions, but she also wants them to add thoughts, memories and stories. “In some cases, I don’t get much of that, but in many cases I do,” said Calder. There will also be a chapter on Darren Jones, the Alberta chainsaw sculptor who carved Forever in the Clouds and the Estevan Soldier’s Tree monument. Two separate families sent all of their photos in the mail, because they didn’t have the ability to scan the pictures. A private Facebook page has been created for the families to interact. “ We’re trying to encourage them to interact on Facebook, and then eventually they will meet in person, and they will get to know each other.” She expects the book will be out next spring. It’s been a fascinating process that has seen her bounce from one story to the next and back to the original person, but she has been working on material as she has received it. “I have it put together very loosely, and I really do feel now that I know where I’m going with it.”
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August 12, 2020 A13
Nutters Everyday Naturals has foods, and much more, that people of all ages need to live healthy lifestyles Nutters Everyday Naturals has all sorts of products that people need, regardless of whether they’re looking to boost their immune system, lead healthier lives or address food allergies. The long-time local business, located in the Estevan Shoppers Mall, has what people need to boost the immune system. With students expected to return to in-classroom learning when school starts Sept. 1, owner Lesa Seipp said students, teachers and others within the schools should start looking for ways to enhance their immune system now. “You only think of people getting sick because of the flu, but it can be … not eating well. So there’s the stress of going back to school, the stress of COVID in general and the stress of nobody’s really in a pattern anymore.” When holidays come, there’s no structure in what
people eat, either. “Unfortunately, by not eating healthy, that can also cause you to get sick.” Products that can boost your immune system for antiviral purposes include elder berries and zinc, which Seipp said are the most effective. Other people will look for Vitamin C or Vitamin D. “Elder berries are a fruit that grows on a tree. It’s a fruit that they dry, and it’s no different than oranges or Vitamin C,” said Seipp. “Elder berries have their own benefits that help with viral infections.” Regular customers at Nutters would know about these types of products. When COVID first hit, Seipp said customers were coming in for products such as zinc. Now that children will be back in school in a few weeks, she’s also encouraging parents to think about healthy snacks,
such as those that are lower in sugar. They have some snacks that offer a sweetness alternative that will not spike sugar levels. “We have healthier options for snacks,” said Seipp. “And if people need any ideas for snacks, my staff are here to help people pick out what’s going to suit them.” Nutters has a new line of sugar free products that are sweetened with xylitol. Double D is another great sugar-free alternative. Nuts and dried fruit also make for great snacks. Herbaland Gummies are low-sugar treats that Seipp said are great for kids. “They’re very popular. And it’s cool because some of the parents that are bringing their kids in are gravitating to it. So they don’t get that sugar rush. And then after you get that sugar rush, you feel like a nap? They don’t get that with these products.”
Seipp said there is a growing awareness and acceptance of these items, as people find out how much sugar is in much of the food they consume through better labelling. “If you look almost all labels, they all have some type of sugar in them, and a lot of them don’t even need that in there. It’s just what they’ve done.” Nutters is more than just food. They have healthy alternative to bug sprays, and health and beauty products have higher sales, with people going cleaner with fewer additives. “That can be anything from soap to deodorant to body washes to makeup, the whole line. We have some of everything,” she said. Nutters was able to remain open during the pandemic because its status as a grocery store meant it was deemed an essential service.
From left, Olha Sylchuk, Lesa Seipp and Jolene Waddel at Nutters Everyday Naturals are knowledgeable and always ready to assist the public. “We’re holding our own thanks to our customers … and thanks to Estevan and the surrounding area,” she said.
The business continued to offer its array of products, and people have been excited to come back.
Local woman wins $1,000 through Mercury promotion Deanna Tarnes, the publisher and sales manager for Estevan Mercury Publications, presents a cheque for $1,000 to Maureen Duncan, who was the July winner of the Mercury’s summer cash promotion. The Mercury gave away $1,000 for July and will do the same for August to a lucky person who enters to win at one of the 28 participating businesses, or by submitting a form on the Mercury’s website. Duncan entered to win at Estevan Furniture and Appliances (also known as HomEstevan), and is looking forward to spending her earnings locally. The summer promotion is an effort to celebrate the local business community, showcase the different products and services available in Estevan, and give people chances to win cold, hard cash.
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Daily Specials AUG 12 - 1 Piece Fish & Chips AUG 13 - Soft Taco served AUG 14 - 3 Mini Burger Sliders AUG 15 - Pork Chop smothered in mushroom Gravy served with mashed AUG 16 - Smothered Chicken Alfredo AUG 17 - The Works Poutine (tomato, onion, chives, ground beef, cheese) AUG 18 - Monte Cristo served with fries AUG 19 - Philly Cheese Melt AUG 20 - Sweet & Sour Meatballs AUG 21 - Chicken Rice Pilaf served with tossed salad AUG 22 - Pulled Pork Pizza with caramelized onions
999
$
AUG 23 - Picnic Plate (Corn on cob, wings and potato salad) AUG 24 - Hot Hamburger AUG 25 - Chicken Fajitas served with rice pilaf AUG 26 - Beef Dip AUG 27 - Trio Sliders AUG 28 - Beef Stew Served with baguette AUG 29 - Taco Wrap AUG 30 - Chef Salad AUG 31 - Ham & Swiss Croissant served with fries
Or choose from our menu.
Fresh, home made food. Call us for details and information!
306-634-2017
WWW.ESTEVANGOLF.COM
A14 August 12, 2020
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Campers and golfers have enjoyed Hidden Valley this year Whether it ’s been in the campground or on the golf course, people have been flocking to the Hidden Valley Golf and RV Resort this summer. The golf course has been open since May 15, while the campground officially opened June 1. Owner Brad Dutton said he’s not surprised the tourist attractions have been popular, since golf and camping are two things that people have been able to do during the pandemic while respecting social distancing. Many people haven’t been able to go elsewhere this summer, so they’re spending their time at sites like Hidden Valley. The campground, which has 135 sites, has seen pretty steady traffic. “We’re seeing people that are first-time campers. We’re seeing people that are firsttime Hidden Valley campers. And we’re seeing a lot of repeat business.” Hidden Valley has been keeping pace with the increased business. With more campers, there is more maintenance work to do, and cleaning
standards have to be met. “We keep rising to the task. My staff has done the most wonderful job. I’m pretty proud of my staff, and they have been working very, very hard.” About 10 people are employed at Hidden Valley during the summer months. The campground has yet to be at full capacity, but they have been nearly full on a number of occasions. “I think, for the most part, there has been 100 per cent satisfaction. If there has not been, and if there has been any dissatisfaction, it has not been brought to my attention,” said Dutton. The campers and the golfers alike have been very patient when they’ve been in the pro shop/office, and they have done a good job of grasping the protocols for sanitation and social distancing. As for the Hideout Golf Course, which is nine-hole executive length course, Dutton said “a lot of people have finally discovered the Hideout.” “It’s been busy and at times it’s been a … challenge trying to maintain the course because there’s people on it at
By Greg Nikkel of the Weyburn Review
sociation decided to try and keep at least part of their annual summer tradition alive, in spite of the impact of COVID-19 on nearly every
An overhead view of the Hidden Valley Golf and RV resort in Estevan. The attractions have been very busy so far this year. Photo by Jeff Mosley all times,” said Dutton. The golf course has been close to capacity throughout the year. Dutton noted that the executive length course, with several par 3s over 200 yards and the Souris River coming
into play on several holes, can’t be parred. “It’s been a pretty busy year, but we have risen to the task, and we’ve pretty much accommodated everybody,” said Dutton. The course is in very
good shape after the rain that the Estevan area received last week. It was drying out in a few places, but it has been receiving excellent reviews from golfers in the community. Meanwhile, the driving range, which was voted as Es-
tevan’s favourite by the readers of the Estevan Mercury through the Readers’ Choice Best of Estevan promotion earlier this year, has been busy as well, with golfers looking to brush up on their skills so they’re ready to golf.
Bringing the summer tradition to Midale residents Members of Midale’s Souris Valley Antique As-
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summer celebration. The association normally hosts the Pioneer Echoes event each year, including opening the Heritage Village for tours, and holding an antique tractor parade and old-time threshing demonstration, but this celebration was cancelled, along with the fairs and other events held in nearly every town and city in Saskatchewan. As the antique tractors in the association’s vast collection need to be started up and kept in running condition, the members thought it would be nice for the residents of Midale if they could take those tractors around the town on a parade, since the town couldn’t come to them as they normally would. Thus they arranged for a town-wide parade of antique tractors on Saturday afternoon, and the group was
Members of the Estevan Car Club rolled through the streets of Midale during the parade. Photo by Greg Nikkel of the Weyburn Review joined by classic and vintage cars and trucks from the Estevan Car Club. The car club drove up from Estevan, after having a
Seniors Suites
Trinity Tower 737 - 2nd Street Estevan, SK Trinity Tower has been proudly serving the community of Estevan by providing a friendly, senior living community for over 30 years! Enjoy retirement in a friendly, senior living community with an active tenant association offering social and recreational activities. Suites are now available to accommodate your individual needs through a one bedroom and den life lease with guaranteed buy-back or government subsidized rentals.
Call 306.634.7307 for further details or to book your personal tour.
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parade through the Energy City, and timed it so that they were the lead vehicles of the parade. Then they then made their way to Mainprize Regional Park for a showand-shine. The tractors made their way from the fair grounds, led by the town’s fire truck, across to Mainprize Manor so the residents there could view the parade, and then the parade wound its way down Main Street before ending back at the fair grounds. A small threshing dem-
onstration was held later on, but it was not advertised as it was meant for the association members to be able to run the equipment and make sure it’s all kept in running order. As one member, Glen McGregor said, normally they want to attract large crowds to come out and see their tractors and thresher demo, but this year they didn’t want the crowds — so they brought the tractors to the town so they could enjoy them in a physically distant and safe way.
Spend a day getting pampered! Hair, nails, lashes, massage… Have your spa day in Estevan!
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August 12, 2020 A15
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Wednesday, August 12, 2020
Card of Thanks
Feed & Seed
Thank You The Tannas Family would like to thank the Estevan, Bienfait and North Portal Fire Departments and all the friends and neighbours that assisted in saving our home and shop from the fire threat. We can’t express how appreciative we are to everyone who worked so hard to save our home and very glad there were no injuries as a result.
HealtH ServiceS
ApArtments/Condos for rent
PINTAIL WINTER WHEAT. Extremely hardy, very high yielding, Awnless. Excellent for Forage or Grain. Low Inputs - High Profits. Call 403-556-2609 or text 403994-2609; mastinseeds.com.
LAND FOR SALE
Auctions Lots & AcreAges for sALe Macoun Lot For Sale Lovely secluded 140’ x 50’ lot for sale on the edge of town. It’s located at 621 John St. in Macoun. The perfect place to build a retirement home or to raise a family but still have the feel of the country. Septic tank can be included. The lot is approved for water and sewer hook ups. Make us an offer by emailing jaelynpenner@gmail.com or reach Jenee @ 204.621.8095 via text or phone.
Farm ServiceS
AUCTION SALE for CLAIRE & NORM REED Sunday, August 30, 2020 11 AM 715 Main St. Oxbow, Sk. includes: Solid Maple made by Nadeau dining table w/ 6 chairs & 2 leaves; Solid Maple made by Nadeau hutch and china cabinet ; maple serving cart (Ethan Allan); occasional maple chair (Vilas) ; 2- octagon tables (Vilas); maple rocking chair; closed bottom & upper shelving units (Vilas); queen size mattress, box spring and frame; walnut bookcase; assort. “Pinwheel” crystal includes butter dish, cream/sugar; honey container; champagne, water, brandy and wine glasses; sewing machine; antique cylindrical record player; misc. household items SHOP & YARD Craftsman riding lawn mower c/w bagger, loader and dethatcher push lawn mower; table and band saw; drill press; B&D workmate; Craftsman tool box; 1800 w. generator;winch; walk behind snow blower; power and hand tools; garden tools FIREARMS 30-30 Winchester model 94; 22 Winchester long rifle; 25 cal. Cooey rifle; 410 shotgun; air rifle; reloading equipment; gun cabinet THIS SALE WILL BE CONDUCTED UNDER SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS KEY “M” AUCTION SERVICES Dellan Mohrbutter 306 452 7847 www.keymauctions.com
Auctions ANTIQUE, HOUSEHOLD & HARDWARE SALE MANOR, SK. Saturday, August 29, 2020 10 AM Manor Rink, Manor, Sk includes: ANTIQUE/COLLECTIBLES WW2 war badges; misc. military items; Browning wasp bow; CPR lamps; White Rose, Esso, misc. pails; hand built wood chest; 100 year old post cards; vintage barber items; machete; cream separator; cream cans; enamelware; hockey cards; large selection of history books from the 4 western provinces CURRENCY COLLECTION British coin sets 1957 full year; uncirculated 1967 full year; 1986 United Kingdom Royal Mint Proof set HARDWARE & SHOP socket sets; 2- parts cabinets; Snap On compression tester and air scraper; rolling cabinets; locking storage cabinet; swivel table to fit 2008 van MUSICAL GK acoustic guitar model 300; MJV electric guitar; Gretsch guitar case; Fender amplifier; HOUSEHOLD fine Irish linen; one of a kind Scottish kerchief; assort. silver serving sets; 2- church pews; old glass paperweights; assort. figurines; dishes; crocks; pottery; cast iron MODEL TOYS Peterbuilt truck; D6 crawler tracks; LTD edition Ford Texacodie cast fuel truck’ 2- die cast stationary engine replicas; several JD tractors; 4- dash cameras TRACTORS & MISC 3- Ford tractors 8N, 9N, Jubilee; 3 PTH balde/2 furrow plow; 3 PTH mower and misc equipment; ; gate panels LIVESTOCK “Rosie” a 20 year old mare still full of spunk THIS SALE WILL BE CONDUCTED UNDER SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS KEY “M” AUCTION SERVICES Dellan Mohrbutter 306 452 7847 www.keymauctions.com
MOVING SALE for ANDY & LORNA SYLVESTRE Saturday, August 22, 2020 10 AM Wauchope, Sk sale held approx. 1/2 mile East of Wauchope, Sk. on #13 highway partial listing includes: 44 six cylinder MH tractor {purchased new in 1947 by Andy’s father}; IHC sickle mower; antique dresser and wash stand; assort. antique radios; antique oil jar; lamps; collectible cans-lard, snake oil, etc; Coca Cola sign; crocks; antique baby carriage; Elvis records; misc. shop tools THIS SALE WILL BE CONDUCTED UNDER SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS KEY “M” AUCTION SERVICES Dellan Mohrbutter 306 452 7847 www.keymauctions.com
Online Farm Auction 1969 Dodge 500 w/double cylinder hoist, 16 ft1984 International 1480 axel flow combine w/810 pickup header International 500 self propelled swather, 24 ft 14 ft haybine header (to be sold separate) 2100 bus Westeel Rosco hopper bin w/full skids 2 - 1800 Westeel Rosco hopper bins w/Nordeen hoppers 1350 bus Westeel bin on wood floor www.rosstayloraction.com bidding closes August 19/2020 Questions or to view in person contact Arol Phair(306) 482-7443
Barristers & Solicitors
Paul Elash Q.C. Aaron Ludwig, B.Sc., LL.B. Genevieve Schrader, B. Mgt., J.D.
In Memory of Loretta Marie Lovett (Bonokoski) January 8, 1952 to July 22, 2020 Loretta was born in Estevan, SK and passed away in Edmonton, AB at the age of 68. Loretta was predeceased by her father Martin Bonokoski, brother Norbert Bonokoski, Great Grandson Liam, Peppard, mother and father-in-law George and Grace Lovett, brother-in-law Michael Lovett, Neil Goldsmith and Micheal Martin, Ron Hodgins and niece Jenny Lovett. Loretta is survived by husband Lee Lovett, mother Marie Bonokoski, sons Lorne (Kim Hruska), Michael, grandchildren Celena Peppard (Tyler Foley), Aneleise and Michael, great grandchildren Jacqueline, Adelyn and Austin, siblings, Don (Ana), Ken (Suzanne), Tim (Donna), Terry (Irene), Kathy (Ken) Hoehn, Rita Foord, Louise Hill (Vince Anderson), Charlene (Laurie) Tessier and Maureen (Trevor) Leptich, sisters-in-law Carol Lovett and Anne Goldsmith and many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. Those so wishing may make a donation to the Canadian Cancer Society in Loretta’s memory.
Maurice Isadore Dube 1940 - 2020 Maurice Isadore Dube, age 80 years, passed away on August 1, 2020 at the Peter Lougheed Centre in Calgary, AB with family by his side. Maurice was born on April 30, 1940 in Lampman, SK. to Ziphere and Harriet (Wismer) Dube. Maurice grew up in Lampman and attended school at St. Joseph’s Academy in Forget, SK, then Wilberforce School closer to home, until grade 8 when he was needed to help out on the farm. He moved to Alberta in 1961, where he worked at numerous farm jobs and drove gravel truck for a few years. Maurice met the love of his life Helen McMaster in 1969 and married June 29, 1974 in Drumheller. Maurice and Helen moved to the Dalum area south of Drumheller from Calgary in 1976, where they lived for many years before moving into town. He was a member of the Dalum Fire Department for a number of years. Maurice was predeceased by his parents, Ziph and Harriet; and nephew Nolan Dube. Maurice is survived by his wife of 46 years, Helen of Drumheller; two daughters Wendy Oliver of Edmonton and Angela (Kerry) Booth of Drumheller, one son Robert Dube of Rowley, AB, his brothers and sister, Rosemarie of Regina, SK, Leslie (Shirley) of Lampman, SK, Dennis (Diane) of Cold Lake, AB, Murray (Marg) of Medicine Hat, AB, Alvin (Mary) of Regina, SK, his grandchildren, Devon, Cody, Nasya, Samantha, Stephanie (Justin), Tamara, Tayten, Adam (Amber), Randy, Toni, and Hunter, his great grandchildren, Austyn, Sean, Karleigh, Maci-Lynn, Star, Tatum, Kylie, Kayden, Lucas, Serenity, Emma, and Liam, as well as numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and their families. Due to Covid restrictions a Celebration of Life will be held at a later Date. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to S.T.A.R.S. Courtney-Winter’s Funeral Homes are in care of the arrangements.
Vera A. Milford (nee McBain) 1936 - 2020 It is with great sadness we announce the passing of our dear wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother on Sunday, August 2, 2020. Vera was born on December 7, 1936 in Sylvania, SK with the family later settling in Wilmar, SK. It was in this rural area she met Stan. They married on May 11, 1957 and they had 63 wonderful years together. They went on to have 5 children. Vera and Stan enjoyed many years together travelling to chariot and chuckwagon races. Later in retirement, they began their love of Morgan horses and attended Morgan horse shows winning many awards and ribbons. Vera is survived by her husband Stan and their children, Clint (Barb) Milford, Jerry (Lorraine) Milford, Sandra (Marv) Engene, Judy (Doug) Bottrell and Robert Milford. She will be dearly missed by her 14 grandchildren, Sheldon, Jody, Janna, Travis, Tyler, Trina, Corey, Larry, Kayla, Nathan, Brandon, Kendall, Jasmine and Kelsey; 20 great grandchildren; 2 brothers, Angus (Ruth) and Hughie ( Evelyn) McBain; 2 sisters, Dorothy “Margaret” Leach and Velma Hoffman as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Vera was predeceased by her parents Dorothy and Robert McBain; 2 brothers Cameron and Murray McBain; sister-in-law May McBain; Stan’s parents, Beatrice and Harvey Milford; and brother and sister in law, Ralph (Osa) Milford and Gwen (Bob) Doty. The Memorial Service for Vera was held on Friday, August 7, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. at Stan’s Farm with Sandy Dalziel officiating. Lunch followed the service. Career OppOrtunities If friends so desire, memorial donations may be made to the Estevan Regional Nursing Home Auxiliary, 1921 Wellock Road, Heavy Duty Mechanics, Estevan, SK, S4A 2B5 in memory of Vera. Heavy Equipment Hall Funeral Services is cared for Vera’s family - Yvonne Clark, Operators and Funeral Director. 1A Drivers required:
Career OppOrtunities
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.
Hiring 1 cook, Duties: Prepare and cook complete meals or individual dishes and foods, work for Jenny K Restaurant at 117- 4 Street, Estevan, wage: $14.5/hour, 2-3 years experience as cook, no education required, language of work: Chinese only, email your resume to jennyk8889@icloud.com, contact person: Jason Fang.
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
Gainsborough: Thursday a.m. Carnduff: Thursday p.m. 1312- 4th Street, Estevan, SK S4A 0X2
P. 306-634-3631 • F. (306) 634-6901 • www.kohalyelash.com
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Obituaries
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306-636-EARS (3277)
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306.634.7311 loricarrmla@sasktel.net
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August 12, 2020 A17
Salvation Army’s backpack program is underway and most operations are as usual By Ana Bykhovskaia
abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca
The Estevan Salvation Army has navigated the storm caused by COVID-19’s arrival, and now is slowly getting back to its regular pace. With the new school year just around the corner, they continue to accept applications for their backpack program until Aug. 14. This program is to help offset the school-related costs for parents in lower-income families during this time of the year. The Salvation Army cannot provide all needed school supplies, but they do their best to give families a good start. Those who apply for the program receive a backpack filled with the necessities ready for pick up on a designated day. Depending on the grade in their backpacks students will find loose leaf paper, one or two-inch binders, white erasers, rulers, pencils, pens, crayons, markers, duotangs, exercise books, dividers, glue sticks and pencil cases.
Jane Anne Ireland, who is responsible for community services, said that people can fill out applications at the Salvation Army’s family services office from Tuesdays-Fridays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. They just need to ask for Ireland or Lynn Rosso. Ireland noted that they expect to see more people applying as so far, they are lower than in previous years. “We are a little bit lower right now, which initially surprised me. But maybe it’s because kids have some supplies left over from last year because for part of their year they weren’t in school.” The backpack content provided by the Salvation Army will be the same as before. Since the end of June, the demand for the Salvation Army’s food bank service went back to regular. In July they supported 39 families, which is on par with last July. However, despite the significant rise in demand for their service in late spring and
early summer, the food bank’s shelves remain quite full. “We’ve had very good support through food donations and monetary donations. Estevan is a very generous community to help keep the food bank going to help those who are in need,” said Ireland. Nevertheless, there are some items that the Salvation Army’s food bank needs on a regular basis. The list of high demand, non-perishable items includes spaghetti sauces, peanut butter and jam, juice boxes, baking items, tea, pudding cups, Jello, canned meat, soda, crackers, boxed potatoes, rice, pasta and Hamburger Helper. “As hampers go out, these (items) deplete on a fairly regular basis,” explained Ireland. Not only have their numbers gone back to normal, but also the general procedure of getting hampers to patrons returned to how it was before March. “We just have to sanitize
The Salvation Army keeps the food bank shelves pretty filled, thanks to the generosity of the community. a little bit more, in between every person that comes in I spray everything down and wipe everything up,” said Ireland. The regular Canada Post food drive, which had been in June the past couple of years,
was postponed until further notice. There were also a few other fundraisers in development, but COVID put a hold on those initiatives as well. However, Ireland said that the generosity of the community helped offset the needs.
Ireland also added that from 10-11 a.m. MondayFriday, people can come in for free bread, buns and sometimes sweet treats donated by the Southern Plains Co-op and Sobeys at the food bank door.
What am I talking about? I’m referring to how Jesus suffered with such intensity that it caused him to shed tears of blood even before experiencing the agony of Calvary. Because of His pain on our behalf, we have access to heaven’s healing. While meditating on this truth, in between all that was going on, I found myself praising God for peace. I knew
he was with me and even more, when life finally does end here on earth, I will be with him forever and ever. There’s so much more I could say but here’s what Peter said: “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” Another benefit: I snuck in a lot of hours of extra sleep and you can’t beat that.
Peace found in the midst of pain Linda Wegner Words of Worth I spent another few but painful hours in hospital last week. It turned out to be relatively easy to deal with this
time and a shot of morphine helped dull the agony. But these episodes, as unpleasant as they are, always
NOTICE TO CREDITORS In the estate of Roger James Huber, late of Estevan, Saskatchewan, deceased. All claims against the above estate, duly verified by statutory declaration and with particulars and valuation of security held, if any, must be sent to the undersigned before the 26th of August, 2020. Bridges & Company LLP 1329 Third Street, Estevan, SK S4A 0S1 Solicitors for the Executors
provide me with cause for great gratitude. That gratitude is in response to the excellent care I receive in our local hospital and even more, for the wonderful offers of help and encouragement that I receive from friends and neighbours. Be assured, then, this is not about whining but rather about praising God for peace. Peace in the midst of pain. Looking around me, both
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Get it fixed in Estevan!
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ERCURY .CA
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ESTEVAN NEWS MERCURY .CA
ESTEVAN MERCURY .CA
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
In the estate of DENIS LEROY JOHNSON, late of Lake Alma, Saskatchewan, deceased.
In the estate of SPENCER MARTIN MINCHIN, late of Estevan, Saskatchewan, deceased.
All claims against the above estate, duly verified by statutory declaration and with particulars and valuation of security held, if any, must be sent to the undersigned before the 31st day of August, 2020.
All claims against the above estate, duly verified by statutory declaration and with particulars and valuation of security held, if any, must be sent to the undersigned before the 31st day of August, 2020.
TROBERT GILLISS LAW FIRM Barristers & Solicitors 1339 4th St Estevan, Saskatchewan S4A 0X1 Phone: (306) 634-2616 Fax: (306) 634-9881 Email: tglaw@sasktel.net
TROBERT GILLISS LAW FIRM Barristers & Solicitors 1339 4th St Estevan, Saskatchewan S4A 0X1 Phone: (306) 634-2616 Fax: (306) 634-9881 Email: tglaw@sasktel.net
Public Notice Rural Municipality of Estevan No.5 Notice of Intent to Amend Zoning Bylaw
Fender Bender?
close to home and around the world, I am convinced that the current pandemic is second only to universal pain of every kind. We all know folks who suffer great distress of all kinds: mental, spiritual, emotional, physical and who knows what else. But unlike the pandemic for which there’s not yet a proven antidote, we can find relief from these other sources of pain.
Pursuant to Section 207 of The Planning and Development Act, 2007, the Council of the Rural Municipality of Estevan No.5, hereby gives notice of its intention to amend Zoning Bylaw 5-2014 as follows: Bylaw 2020-10: Map Change: Map Change: To rezone Parcel M in the SW 35-0208-W2M from Agriculture Resource District (AR) to General Commercial District (COM1) as indicated in bold on the plan of proposed subdivision map below:
Intent: To rezone 5 acres within Parcels A and B from Agriculture Resource District (AR) to General Commercial District (COM1). Reason: To accommodate the subdivision of a parcel for commercial purposes. Public Inspection: Any person may inspect the proposed bylaw at the R.M. of Estevan Municipal Office at #1 – 322 - 4th Street, Estevan, Saskatchewan between 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. Copies are available at cost. Public Hearing: Council will hold a public hearing to receive submissions, written or verbal, on the proposed bylaw at 11:00 a.m. (local time) on Wednesday, August 26th, 2020 in the Council Chambers of the R.M. of Estevan No. 5, #1-322 - 4th Street Estevan, Saskatchewan. Dated at Estevan, Saskatchewan this 11th day of August, 2020. Michelle Dickie, Administrator
CAREER JOB POSTING
Job Title: Superintendent, Operations East Location: Carlyle/Alida/Cromer/Virden Closing Date: August 14, 2020
Job Overview Reporting to the Vice President of Operations, the successful candidate will be accountable for the leadership, safety, reliability and operational management of approximately 1200 km of our east (Cromer, Carlyle and Alida) Gathering Systems, Cromer terminal, Alida terminal and the West Cromer butane terminal that includes major block values and truck unload facilities. This position will be responsible for the management and development of six direct reports, oversee the Operations East team of approximately 30 staff and provide indirect leadership to supporting departments such as maintenance. Position Responsibilities • Develop and align the Area Operations goals and objectives with Pipeline Operations and Corporate strategies. • Provide input into strategic direction of Pipeline Area Operations based on area growth strategies. • Provide leadership, management and technical guidance of daily operations. • Review Area LRP capital, maintenance, and expense spending to meet financial targets with consideration to the risk matrix. • Facilitate the performance review process with direct reports and indirect reports. • Develop and maintain positive relationships with external stakeholders and internal stakeholders including producers. • Liaise with Asset Management and Business Development to review customer growth opportunities and enhancement strategies. • Maintain an efficient communication conduit between pipeline operations, field operations, midstream operations and corporate departments. Skills and Qualifications • Minimum 10 years of progressively increasing responsibility in pipeline operations, upstream oil and gas sector or other related area. • Bachelor’s degree or related technical/trade qualification from an accredited postsecondary school. • Located within the Estevan or surrounding communities with the ability to make frequent visits to field sites in the Carlyle/Alida/Cromer/Virden operational areas. • Strong practical knowledge of Pipeline and Terminal Operations methodologies and practices. • Strong internal customer focus. • Proven ability to lead, initiate and manage change. • Strategic thinker with an ability to innovate, problem solve and negotiate. • Strong interpersonal, organizational and communications skills. • Excellent computer skills. We thank all interested candidates; however, only qualified candidates will be contacted, please submit your resume to Careers@kingstonmidstream.com
A18 August 12, 2020
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