Estevan Mercury 20210602

Watkins extracts & flavorings

contain high quality ingredients and are backed by the same expertise that has made Watkins Vanilla the choice of generations.

HENDERS DRUGS

They made it.

Oxbow business celebrates 10 years of serving the community.

PAGE A7

1220 - 4th Street, Estevan • 306-634-3666 Mon - Fri: 9am - 9pm • Sat: 9am - 6pm Sun & Holidays: 12pm - 4pm

SEE US AT THE NIGHT MARKET EVERY THURSDAY!

ESTEVAN MERCURY

.CA

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021

City council to further look at options for reconciliation with Indigenous peoples A major investment.

Ceres announces $350M project at Northgate.

PAGE A8

Stories from the mines.

Mercury’s special marks Mining Week.

PAGE A10 - A15

Children’s footwear has been placed around the tree in front of city hall to honour the 215 children whose remains were found near a former residential school site in Kamloops, B.C. Photo by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

By David Willberg

2021 Graduates Congratulations!

Lampman and Midale Schools celebrate graduates.

PAGE A16- A17

Oil and golf.

Estevan OTS is to host a big golfing event.

PAGE A19

2021 F-150

There is a growing local tribute to the recent discovery of the remains of 215 Indigenous children, some as young as three, near the site of a former Indian residential school in Kamloops, B.C., and the issue came up during Monday night’s meeting of Estevan city council.

Dozens of children’s shoes and boots were placed in front of city hall since the remains were discovered Friday. The tiny footwear has become a symbol for the lives lost. Similar tributes have been happening across the country.

The shoes and boots have been relocated to the evergreen tree in front of city hall, so that people won’t have to risk tripping over them, and so that they won’t be damaged by the city’s sprinkler system.

The flags in front of city hall will be at half-mast for 215 hours. They will return to normal on June 8.

While several council members spoke about the tragedy at Monday’s meeting, the strongest message came from Councillor Rebecca Foord, who said the news should have brought Canada to its knees, but she hasn’t seen that happen yet. Many have avoided or whispered about the issue, because it’s hard to talk about.

Foord would like to see more happening in Estevan.

“There are people in our community and our surrounding area who were residential school survivors or are residential school survivors. They have children and they have grandchildren that live and work in our community, and these schools created generations of traumas for families, including mine,” said Foord.

She suggested the city should start to have a conversation with Indigenous peoples in the area to find a way to collaborate with them in sharing their stories, their history and their culture, so they can continue on

this path of education and reconciliation.

“Where reconciliation is concerned, I don’t think we’ve scratched the surface of it,” said Foord.

There will be tough conversations, questions and answers, but she believes it’s time to do better.

Foord asked for council’s blessing to spearhead this and to begin the conversation as a city. It would also involve working with cultural groups such as the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum and the Estevan Arts Council to display the Indigenous history in the community and educate others.

Mayor Roy Ludwig voiced his approval to Foord’s request, while other council members clapped and supportively banged their desks after Foord’s speech.

The mayor suggested a mural in the community to pay tribute to Indigenous peoples, and offered council’s support for any assistance Foord needs.

Also at Monday’s meeting, Estevan city council received the audited financial statements for the year ending Dec. 31, 2020. Gisele Bourgeois from accounting firm MNP presented the document.

The financials show that the city had a net debt – the total excess of liabilities versus assets – of $18.3 million, down from $19.6 million at the end of 2019.

The city has been working to reduce its net debt for nearly a decade.

Assets were at $14.16 million, down from $14.80 million the previous year. Cash and temporary assets were at $7.45 million as of the end of 2020, up from $6.12 million to end 2019. Restricted cash accounted for $5.64 million in the cash total.

Bourgeois noted that taxes receivable increased from nearly $1.6 million to $2.22 million, and she said a lot of that is due to the impact of COVID-19.

“Many people aren’t paying their taxes as quickly as they would have in the past,” said Bourgeois.

As for liabilities, the biggest one for the city remains long-term debt, which stood at $21.1 million

at the end of 2020, compared with $23.70 million at the end of 2019.

Accounts payable increased $1.5 million to $2.2 million, as there were various lingering expenses for capital projects.

Revenues for last year were at $33.23 million, up from $33.16 million the previous year. Taxes and other unconditional revenue stood at $21.25 million, and fees and charges accounted for a little more than $9.8 million. Bourgeois noted there would be an expected reduction in money coming in from fees and charges due to the closure of recreation facilities during the pandemic.

The city did receive grants for the safe restart from the COVID-19, along with funds for the ongoing coal transition.

Expenses were at $30.90 million, down from $31.69 million in 2019. Protective services ($6.37 million) and recreation and cultural services ($6.36 million) accounted for the largest share of expenses, followed by general government services ($5.60 million), transportation services ($5.42 million) and utility services ($5.30 million).

The city recorded a surplus of revenues over expenses of $2.32 million, and after provincial/federal capital grants of $3.47 million, that surplus grew to $5.80 million.

Ludwig said he is pleased to see that the city has been able to reduce its long-term debt and net debt.

“We’re continuing to go in the right direction, we’re continuing to pay down debt, we’re continuing to get the needed infrastructure work done, and that’s a very positive sign. This was started a few councils ago and I’m so happy to see that the new council is on the same path,” said Ludwig.

Bourgeois applauded the city for getting its finances into better shape in recent years.

ALWAYS INNOVATING Turn Your Truck Into a Mobile Generator with Available Pro Power OnboardTM^^

PURCHASE FINANCE FOR FACTORY ORDER BONUS

1.49%

APR*

72 $1,000**

Months

on all new 2021 F-150 models Ends June 30, 2021 118 Souris Ave. N., Estevan Find out more at FINDYOURFORD.CA

306-634-3696 www.senchuk.com

A2 June 2, 2021

www.estevanmercury.ca

Upward climb

Alex Vansevenant was among the people enjoying the equipment at Fresh Air Fitness on Thursday. He made quick work of the climbing rope. The outdoor exercise area, located at Woodlawn Regional Park, is among the popular outdoor attractions in the Estevan area. Photo by David Willberg

Pro-Life gets chance to appear before council The issue of whether Pro-Life Estevan and Area should be allowed to sponsor benches in Estevan’s parks resurfaced at Monday night’s meeting of Estevan city council.

The issue was discussed at the May 3 meeting, when council denied pro-life’s request to sponsor three benches within parks. They suggested that the benches be placed elsewhere in the community, possibly in front of businesses.

Bridget Bittman, the organization’s president and office co-ordinator, spoke to council about the issue. She reiterated the benches would not mention pro-life by name, but would have the message of “Always Loved,” and a symbol of two feet within a heart.

“Always Loved, that should be the message. It should be our focus, and not

the messenger,” said Bittman, who described the benches as neutral and respectful.

Pro-Life didn’t add their name on purpose, because they didn’t want them politicized, she said.

She pointed out that Mayor Roy Ludwig, city manager Jeff Ward and parks manager Rod March were happy with the benches and approved them. Pro-Life spent close to $900 on the benches, at a discount from KRJ Custom Fabricating.

S ince the publicit y, six other families have approached Pro-Life to see if they could donate the same memorial bench in the parks they enjoy visiting because of the “Always Loved” message; in most cases, they have had some kind of family experience. She has also been approached about a bench for the park in Hitchcock.

Bittman said this is not

precedent-setting, because the city has many memorial benches in its parks, and pro-life just wants to address a need, since many benches need to be replaced.

After Bittman finished her speech, council members had their chance to give their thoughts and explain why they denied the request.

They pointed out that they received calls from the public after it was first announced by pro-life in April that three benches would be added in city parks.

Bittman eventually said she would be happy to put the name of the donor on each one, saying it was sponsored by an individual or family.

That suggestion seemed to resonate with council, but the members decided they want to wait until a new policy for sponsorships, naming rights and fundraising for cityowned amenities and sites.

Chamney Crushing is now expanding into Landscaping and Irrigation.

Mayor Roy L udwig shouldered some of the blame. When it was brought f o r w a r d p r e v i o u s l y, h e thought any business could put up a bench, and if a prochoice group wants to put up a bench, he would also be in favour of it.

“I do understand, of course, there are people who draw the line in the land on this issue,” said Ludwig.

Council eventually held off making a final decision until the new policy and procedure is finished on naming rights and fundraising.

Bittman told council she has had people come forward to say they would like to have the benches on their property, but the benches were manufactured to be donated to the city.

A three-step plan to gradually lift the current public health orders as Saskatchewan reaches significant vaccination levels.

STEP 1

STEP 2

Sunday, May 30th

Sunday, June 20th

40 AND OLDER

TARGET

70%

VACCINATED

• Restaurants and bars open, maximum six at a table

Decorative Rock • Paving Stones • Hunter Brand Irrigation Systems & Parts

Let Chamney Construction help you with your next project!

Now available for Saturday AM pick up or deliveries.

Call 306-634-3900 chamneycrushing.ca

Every Tuesday is

Senior’s Day

• 30% capacity or 150 people (whichever is less) at places of worship • Group fitness classes can resume, with three metres between participants • Limit of 10 people at private indoor, outdoor and household gatherings • Limit 30 people at public indoor gatherings • Limit 150 people at public outdoor gatherings • Measures for youth and adult outdoor sports will be lifted NEW

at

10% off in the Parts, Service or Collision Center

The issue of benches sponsored by the Estevan and District Pro-Life Association was discussed at Monday’s council meeting. File photo

• All long-term care and personal care home residents may welcome 2 visitors at a time indoors and 4 visitors at time outdoors NEW

30 AND OLDER

*disclaimer – discount not applicable to tires, cannot combine with other offers

VACCINATED

• No capacity thresholds on retail and personal care services, must maintain physical distancing • No table capacity for restaurants and bars, must maintain physical distancing or barriers between tables • 150 person maximum capacity at event facilities, casinos, bingo halls, theatres, libraries and recreational facilities • Limit of 15 people at private indoor gatherings and household gatherings • Measures for youth and adult indoor sports will be lifted NEW • All long-term care and personal care home residents may welcome 4 visitors at a time indoors and 9 visitors at a time outdoors NEW

Hon. Lori Carr

MLA for Estevan 306-634-7311 loricarrmla@sasktel.net 311 Kensington Ave. • 306.634.3661 • www.murrayestevan.com

TARGET

70%

StickltToCOVID.ca

STEP 3 Three weeks after 70% of people 18+ have received their first dose, and three weeks since beginning Step 2

18 AND OLDER

TARGET

70%

VACCINATED

• Most remaining restrictions will be lifted • Guidance on gathering Sizes and indoor masking is still being developed • Public health orders from Step Two on gathering sizes and indoor masking will remain in place until that guidance is finalized • The Chief Medical Health Officer will Continue developing ease visiting restrictions for long-term and personal care homes NEW

*Updated May 25, 2021

Your LocaL Hearing impaired Hearing SpeciaLiSt

Landon Woodruff

COMMUNITY g

g

A3

| Wednesday, June 2, 2021

g

Full Hearing Tests

g

Hearing Aids And Repairs 60 Day Trial Period

Batteries And Assistive Listening Devices

g

Third Party Billing

1-306-634-0193 #130-1175 Nicholson Road dunlophearing@gmail.com

Estevan artist creates a unique card game

By Ana Bykhovskaia A local family has found a way to share their passion for games with the rest of the world.

Photographer Monique Willms developed the game named Dig from scratch, and now the new product is available for others to try out. The pandemic played a role in the process, forcing the family to stay home more and thus also stimulating them to be more creative.

"We are a family that loves to play games, and I homeschool my kids. We do use games a lot in our learning.

And so it's something that we do a lot. And because we found ourselves home a lot more in the last year, we had been playing games and I was like, 'You know what, I think I'd like to try and create a game,'" recalled Willms.

While games were always a big part of family time, Willms didn't know much about creating one. It took her about eight months filled with research, sketching and thought-tossing to transform the idea into a printed product.

"I didn't really know anything about what that process looked like. So I just sat down with a notebook and I started making a list of all of the different types of mechanics that I like to see in games, like how games work, what types of strategies can be involved in card games versus board games, building versus different competitive things, co-operative things. So I just started listing all

of that, and then started fleshing out a theme with the digging, and then took it from there," Willms said.

She went on to explain that their family is really into science and that's what gave the direction to the theme of the game. Besides, they spend a lot of time learning history, so she decided to put the best of the two together in a game. Some of the roles Willms included, such as geologist and archeologist, were known and obvious, but others she had to dig out first.

"I didn't know that astrogeologists existed, but I needed another role, type of an ologists and found out that there are astrogeologists. They're probably pretty rare. They are interested in studying different extraterrestrial things, something like asteroid bits or moon rocks," Willms said.

The game allows learning along the way in a fun and exciting way. Willms has a background in education, so she put a lot of thought into laying out rules, breaking things down and explanations.

The strategy came together fairly quickly. After researching some scientific details, Willms made a prototype to try it out.

"We made a prototype just out of cardstock and drew on it.

And we played that a lot before I started digitally designing and illustrating the game just because I wanted to work out the kinks. So my kids had a big part in that … There's a lot of fun, critical thinking and testing

it out before I went to illustrating," Willms explained.

All illustrating was done by hand with an iPad and Apple pencil. It took a while and didn't go without a hiccup. But that wasn't it for learning. The most research came when Willms was trying to figure out how to actually manufacture the game, something she's never done before. The trial and error method brought her to a print-ondemand option, which allowed her to keep the game price at an affordable mark. She passed all learning curves and the entire experience not only proved that creating a game is possible but also inspired Willms' 11-yearold daughter Hannah to start producing her own game.

Willms' work didn't go unnoticed. The game became available on May 18, and within the first week, she had so much support and interest in the new product that she even received recognition for her success.

"It's a tiny little accolade, but it has received the Redstone seller. So that's when you hit a certain threshold of sales, and the website says only 3.6 per cent of the games on the site have reached that threshold.

So definitely, I had so much support from people who know me and from strangers who thought it looked interesting and were willing to give it a try.

So it's exciting and a little bit nerve-wracking," Willms said.

The game is available for pick up in Estevan through Willms personal website at www.moniquewillms.com or

Card and board games are a big part of the family time for Kai, Hannah, Dean and Monique Willms. Photo submitted

The Dig game offers players the chance to choose the role of one of the specialists that explore the Earth's depth and find treasures that can be dug out.

Photo submitted through www.thegamecrafter. com for delivery worldwide.

There is also a 12-minute video run-through available at Willms' website that explains how to play the game, which

Willms said makes it really easy to understand all the rules.

The experience was inspiring, and Willms already has two other games in the works. Also, they are also

going to produce the game developed by Hannah called Race to the Ring, which is focused on who one may marry. It will become available in about a month.

Estevan again proves its generosity through unbelievable support for Radiothon for Life

By Ana Bykhovskaia The Radiothon for Life for the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation wrapped up just shy of $160,000 – a number that nobody expected to see in the times of tightened financial belts.

The foundation’s big fundraiser generated $159,077 in just 12 hours on May 26.

The money will cover the expenses of opening a new outpatient care centre at the hospital.

“We felt so grateful for that total. We did not go into it thinking that we’d raise that much money. The community of southeast Saskatchewan completely blew us away,” said foundation executive director Breanne Van De Woestyne. “That money will be used completely in our outpatient centre that makes it fully funded, actually, in terms of all the funding that we committed to that new centre.

“And again, that just shows how strong our community truly is, our business community and our individual donors … We're just really, really excited to bring this new service and new centralized location for the services that we already offer in Estevan to our community.”

The foundation’s theme for the year is We are the Story, and they kicked it off with the radiothon.

“We really just wanted to feature the stories of so many different people in all of the southeast Saskatchewan that use our hospital, whether that is staff, or patients like Wanda Stang, who have experienced so many different things within the walls of our hospital.

We just wanted to give them the opportunity to share that and to really thank the staff and the community support because without the

Donors dropped by Golden West Broadcasting’s Estevan location to support this year’s Radiothon for Life to support the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation. Photo

by Breanne Van De Woestyne. community support for us that would not be what it is today. And so we thought this would be a great opportunity to just share the story of our entire community within our hospital,” Van De Woestyne said.

The day was steadily busy with donations starting to come in as early as 6 a.m. With money from all the community fundraisers, they started the day with about $10,000, and by the end of the first hour they were at the $20,000 mark. With CP Rail matching the donations made between 6 and 7 a.m., after an hour their total was $40,000.

Many people, including Dennis Moore, Mayor Roy Ludwig, Bruins team members and others stopped by to make a donation and

also to challenge their groups to match or beat their donations.

“It does work on our end, and it just again creates a lot of fun for people to really get involved with the event,” Van De Woestyne said.

She added that such challenges created more action and allowed for a steady flow of support.

“Usually, there's ups and downs throughout the day. But this year, we had constant support coming in either online or over the phone or in person throughout the entire day.

So that was something that was a lot of fun. It kept us going throughout the entire day. And the momentum just kept building until the end,” Van De Woestyne said.

For the second straight year, the Radiothon for Life was held outdoors as opposed to inside the hospital. They were located by the Golden West Radio office, which worked well for their purposes. While it wasn’t the foundation’s first choice, Van de Woestyne said it did work for them, but they still hope to get back to their traditional location one day.

“The location itself is great. We're downtown, we could really join forces with the Downtown Business Association this year as well. And that's a lot of fun, we get a lot of foot traffic with that location,” Van De Woestyne said. “But we do miss having it at our hospital.

It's something that's a true event with the staff here at St. Joseph's Hospital. And we can't wait to be able to offer our event again at the hospital just to really celebrate with our staff throughout the day.”

The online auction, showcasing many local activities and entertainment options, closed on the day of the radiothon. It was successful as well. Van De Woestyne said it really built momentum on the broadcast day.

“It just gives us the opportunity to feature local businesses, local experiences that we can do right here at home and really just have another aspect of celebrating our community,” said Van De Woestyne.

“A huge thank you to every single person that supported our radiothon, whether they're a business owner or a donor or just a member of our community. It was a true example of why our community in the southeast Saskatchewan is so strong. We're just so proud to be a part of it and very, very grateful for the support.”

The event aired on Golden West Broadcasting’s three radio stations in Estevan.

why not a new laptop!

We repair all makes and models of computers NOW OPEN Saturday • 10am-3pm Monday to Friday • 8am-5pm

1217 4th Street, Estevan, SK • 306-634-3613

EDITORIAL A4

| Wednesday, June 2, 2021 | estevanmercury.ca

Staff SERVING CANADA’S SUNSHINE CAPITAL Publisher / Sales

Deanna Tarnes - dtarnes@estevanmercury.ca

Sales

Daralee Kittelson - dkittelson@estevanmercury.ca

Editor

David Willberg - dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca

Editorial Staff Ana Bykhovskaia - abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca

Production Manager

Ana Villarreal - avillarreal@estevanmercury.ca

Administration

Vaila Lindenbach - vlindenbach@estevanmercury.ca

EDITORIAL

Thank a miner during Mining Week Volume 116 Issue 2 Contact us: (306) 634-2654 68 Souris Avenue N. Estevan, SK S4A 2M3 www.estevanmercury.ca @Estevan_Mercury facebook.com/EstevanMercury

Subscription Rates:

In Saskatchewan - $80.75 In Canada - $90.75

Estevan has long been known as the Energy City, and coal mining is a big part of our moniker.

Sure we have the oil that plays such a big part in Saskatchewan’s economy, but without coal mining, we wouldn’t be the Energy City to the same degree that we are now.

The loss of coal would not only mean the demise of the mines, but it would mean no coalfired power generation, which means no Boundary Dam or Shand Power Stations.

This week is Mining Week in Saskatchewan.

For the second straight year, we don’t have all of the Mining Week events that we typically see in the province, such as the annual Mine Rescue Competition that wraps up Mining Week, and serves as a showcase of the skill and dedication that mine workers possess.

But regardless of what’s happening, Mining Week should be viewed as an opportunity for people everywhere to say “thank you” to an industry that is indispensable to the southeast and to Saskatchewan.

We owe so much to mining. Those of us who are in southeast Saskatchewan know how valuable coal is for our community and our province. It’s still the most reliable source of baseload power out there. It’s stable, it’s cost-efficient and it’s plentiful. Coal still provides the fuel source that powers electricity for so many homes and businesses, and thanks to carbon capture and storage technology, there’s a new-found level of

environmental friendliness.

Coal mining is obviously the type of mining that we’re most familiar with. It’s been a big part of life in the Estevan area long before Estevan became a city or even a town. Many wish coal mining would go away, despite the advancements in technology that can make coal clean and environmentally-friendly.

People who don’t know mining don’t realize how proud miners are of their jobs, whether they be coal miners or workers dealing with other minerals. Those outside the industry talk about retraining and finding other jobs for coal miners, but those jobs might not bring the same sense of satisfaction.

And the odds are good that these new jobs won’t bring the same level of income. Miners are well-paid.They don’t work for peanuts.They work hard, and are deservedly well-compensated. They spend their income in the communities where they live.

Mining creates a considerable number of jobs, and a large economic spinoff. Take coal mining out of Estevan’s equation, and you’ll see a lot of people, other than miners and SaskPower employees, looking for work.

It would also impact enrolments at our local schools, property values and so much more.

We’re not the only region that has a heavy emphasis on mining. Pay a visit to the Coronach area. They’ll tell you about the impact that coal

mining has on that community. Travel to Esterhazy. You’ll hear about the impact of potash mining. Visit northern Saskatchewan. You’ll hear testaments to the value of uranium mining.

Mining companies are a big part of the community as well. We see it locally during the United Way Estevan’s annual telethon. The members of the United Mine Workers of America Local 7606 and Westmoreland Mining LLC have donated more than $80,000 each of the last three years.

That money is then directed to the United Way’s member agencies, providing assistance to so many people in the Estevan area.

The United Way and its member agencies are not the only organizations that can attest to the generosity of Westmoreland and the employees who work there.

Other mining companies make big contributions to charities throughout the year. Many people known about Mosaic, Cameco, Nutrien and more because of the contributions these companies and their employees make to charities.

Mining matters to Saskatchewan. In so many different ways.

So during Mining Week, take time to thank a miner. Tell them that you appreciate the work that they do, not only this week, but throughout the year. Their contributions are vast.

It’s about creating jobs and economic spinoffs and making great contributions to the province.

Wounds need to be uncovered for a chance to be healed 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.

When a child dies a universe perishes.

When a young life is taken, thousands of lines of lives break, and those who are still alive, those who loved that child, can never fully heal. But the healing doesn't start if parents don't even know what happened to their child.

The scale of the news about the remains of 215 children found on Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc on the site of the former Kamloops, B.C., Indian Residential School, is crushing.

The darkest pages of Canadian history are brought to light. Many people come together in sorrow. The discovery brought up collective pain and the long-standing trauma of Indigenous communities across the country and continent.

Flags at the city hall in Estevan and all other federal buildings across Canada were flying at half-mast. More than 50 pairs of small shoes have been brought to Estevan City Hall to never be taken back in memory of those and other lost Indigenous children, who've never returned to their families. The same was happening in many other communities.

While all these gestures are to honour those children, they are not enough to heal the gaping wound created by the federal residential school program.

When I hear someone saying "all that" is a long-gone history, I feel almost physical pain. The last citadel of this violent oppressive system inflicted upon Indigenous peoples – the Gordon Indian Residential School, located in Punnichy, closed in 1996.

That's only 25 years ago. It's not history – it's present. We all know people who made it out, or who had relatives, friends or community members in that system. And it's blind and

Ana Bykhovskaia Twenty Lines About… foolish to think that this page is turned over.

According to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), between 1831 and 1996, more than 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children were taken away from their families and placed in residential schools, often far away from home, in an effort to assimilate them into Canadian society of European descent.

Subject to physical and sexual abuse and malnutrition, forced to convert to Christianity, not allowed to speak native languages and often violently punished for breaking those rules, at least one in every 50 children died in that system. The death rate in residential schools was comparable to the number of Canadian prisoners of war that died in Nazi camps during the Second World War. In 2015, the TRC called the residential school program a "cultural genocide," but when I hear stories of survivors and testimonies about the living conditions in those schools, which were supposed to be homes for children, I feel that it wasn't just cultural.

Disease, and tuberculosis, in particular, was the main killer, fortified by lack of even the most rudimentary medical care. Other research has found that in some schools students were a part of long-term unethical nutrition experiments, in which many were starved and denied adequate nutrition.

Accidents, which happened often due to the absence of basic safety standards, took

a lot of lives as well. A devastating number of children froze or drowned when trying to escape schools and return home. No one was in a hurry to look for runaways, and it was usually too late when they were found.

That is a dark and shameful page in Canadian history. Those lives are lost and should never be forgotten. And the wounds are nowhere close to being healed.

With all that said, being a person of a different background, what I appreciate about Canada is the ability to recognize the committed historic crimes and try to find ways to first, reconcile, and second, ensure to never repeat them again. As far as I know, not too many countries in the world have the guts to not only face the past but also to own it.

Here, I can see the potential in people and in the government to make the right choices to help the trauma heal.

So what can we all as private people or as groups or communities do in response to this news? Recognize the truth and acknowledge it. Do something that fits to remember the lives that were taken.

There are many survivors who made it out of the residential school system. Hear their stories, learn in ways acceptable to them, treat them with respect and acknowledge their strength.

What can be done at the government level? Past can't be rewritten, but in the present, the right choices need to be made. I believe, the only way to potential healing is knowledge. The research of undocumented deaths and burials in residential schools all across Canada needs to be funded. Be it federal money, provincial or local, we need to learn the truth, find it, talk about it, mourn and create space for gradual healing.

OP-ED A5

Delivering the Gold Standard in real estate & property management services

LYNN CHIPLEY, Associate Broker Cell 306.421.0100

1339 Fourth St., Estevan, SK S4A 0X1 Office 306.634.1020 lynn.chipley@c21.ca www.century21.ca/lynn.chipley

| Wednesday, June 2, 2021 | estevanmercury.ca

Each office is independently owned and operated.

David Willberg Willberg’s World

Sign blunder should be a teaching point The most recent Saskatchewan lesson in the importance of optics came from the Grade 5 class at the Outlook Elementary School.

Students in the classroom had been learning about the impact of farming on oceans, and they were given the chance to apply what they learned to the sign at the front entrance of the school. It seemed innocent enough.

But rather than send a message about sustainability, they opted for the following statement: “Farming affects oceans; chemicals hurt habitats and species; they also decr (decrease) oxygen levels.”

If you’re going to go after an industry in Saskatchewan, farming should be at the bottom of the list, especially if you’re a school in rural Saskatchewan.

My guess is that at least one student in that Grade 5 class lives on a farm, and that more than one student has strong agricultural roots, whether it be through their grandparents, or an aunt and uncle. Six degrees of separation? For most of us in Saskatchewan, it would likely be two or three degrees of separation when it comes to farmers.

Perhaps the only surprising part about this story is that the outcry took as long as it did.The massive social media backlash didn’t begin until the following day. But once it started, it was unstoppable.

There was no spinning this situation. No claims of misinterpretation when it comes to the statement above.

The school division was quick to apologize and tried to rectify the flap.The critical statement was yanked and replaced with a quote from George Washington that praised farming as the “most useful and most noble employment of man.”

But there’s another perspective for this issue: the need for better education about the agriculture sector – the work it does, the impact it has and the efforts it makes to respect the environment.

Farming hasn’t always done a great job of informing the public. This is not a complaint that’s unique to Saskatchewan or even Canada; farmers everywhere have often lagged behind the information spread by Internet trolls.

Nor is farming the only industry that’s faced with this issue.

So many different professions, from energy to healthcare to law enforcement to hospitality, have to fight the never-ending battle of contending with online liars.

And there’s no shortage of people out there who will believe (and share) anything when it fits their agenda.

So it’s important for agriculture to get its truths out there, not only in the schools, but to the public as a whole. Yes, school students need to hear this message, and have it reinforced constantly, but there are so many others out there who need to know what really happens in farming.

After all, when you talk to a farmer about the food they grow, you’ll realize a simple truth: they won’t grow anything for us that they wouldn’t serve to their families.

And when we talk about essential services and employers, you won’t find many that are more important than those who grow the food we eat.

There are a lot of great organizations out there who are doing great things to educate the public about modern farming practices.

But when you see a situation surface like the one in Outlook, it’s clear that a lot of work remains.

It’s time for critics to realize that the modern farmer is working with cutting edge, modern technology, using the most advanced business practices out there, and doing all that they can to be effective stewards of the land and water. And they do it all with a razor-thin margin of error.

Yes, there are those who are incapable of shelving their preconceived notions about farming, but most fair-minded and reasonable people are willing to learn.

Some used this controversy as a chance to take shots at teachers, but most teachers I’ve encountered are fair-minded and reasonable.

The sign at Outlook elementary is also a reminder of the need for common sense. Schools, like everyone else, need to be cognizant of their regions. You can’t be based in a rural community and take a shot at farmers. If you’re based in southeast Saskatchewan, then don’t go after farming, mining, or oil and gas.

We shouldn’t have to have policies about the messages we post on school signs, or about school plays, or about social media posts. We should have an understanding about common sense and optics of situations.

Just remember your surroundings, think through the situation and remember that most farmers are great.

Thankful for the foundation and the community’s support The editor: On behalf of St. Joseph’s Hospital’s local council and Emmanuel Health, I would express our appreciation for the hard work and dedication of the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation, under the guidance of chairperson John Billesberger, the foundation board members, executive director Breanne Van De Woestyne and Lori Gervais in finance.

They have accomplished wonderful

things for our community.

This year’s Radiothon for Life for the foundation was held last Wednesday.

It spoke to the future.

The proceeds are dedicated to the needs of our existing and new specialty services within the new outpatient unit at St. Joe’s.

All this can only be accomplished with the generous support of the citizens and businesses within our com-

Drewitz School of Dance finished a unique and exciting year

School director and owner Lorie-Gay Drewitz-Gallaway, middle, is wishing farewell to the 2021 Drewitz School of Dance graduates, from left, Lyssa Strilaeff, Shayna Fichter, Madison Hrywkiw and Brielle Wakely. Photo submitted

By Ana Bykhovskaia Another year has come to an end at the Drewitz School of Dance.

The pandemic made it look different, but students were still able to have all the exams, and the school's director and owner Lorie-Gay Drewitz-Gallaway found a way to make the year-end memorable.

By the beginning of April, the dance school staff knew that they wouldn't be able to have a traditional recital again this year.

But after consideration, Drewitz-Gallaway decided to go forward with preparing the program to later record the bubble performances in the studio. The costumes were made but never worn last year, and students, their parents and staff needed some kind of end-of-year closure.

"The kids were ecstatic. They were excited about getting the recording done, putting on their makeup and costumes and dancing even though they were just dancing for me in front of a camera. But I put up a big backdrop, curtained up the studio and put up wings to make it look like a stage. So it all went good," Drewitz-Gallaway said.

The year-end picture time became emotional for Drewitz-Gallaway – for the first time in a long time, for a brief moment when pictures were taken, she got to see students' faces without masks.

"I've seen their eyes, and they learned to perform with their eyes. The eyes are the mirror of the soul. And it's so true. You could tell how much they loved (dancing) because you could see it from their eyes.

But when I actually saw the whole face,

it was like, 'Oh my goodness,'" DrewitzGallaway shared.

Four students graduated this year.

Lyssa Strilaeff, Shayna Fichter, Madison Hrywkiw and Brielle Wakely passed all their exams, had their solo dances, and their awards and presentations night was held on Victoria Day. "They remember coming in, it was such a big deal remembering what the next step was because it was a hard one when they were little. And then when they're graduating, they're remembering, oh, it doesn't matter about the step, I just could not have felt better the way I danced my solo, I just feel so good about myself. And basically, that confidence is something that they can take with them wherever they go in whatever they do. To me, that's a goal in itself," Drewitz-Gallaway said.

The safety of students and staff remained the number 1 priority. So throughout the year, classes were split into bubbles of eight and those subgroups would take turns coming into the studio, while the rest of the class would practise at home with the help of pre-recorded lessons. This changed the choreography. But even though it wasn't a perfect way, Drewitz-Gallaway was happy to have students dancing.

"The highlight of the year for me is actually getting the children back in dancing … They could still see each other even though they were social distanced. And they still could push each other to be just as good and improved. And we did all the exams, we got all the exams done, four sets of exams, which was very, very exhausting,

HIT A BUCKET at

munity. It is their continued trust and conviction that St. Joseph’s Hospital plays an essential role in the lives of community and families, and make this possible.

“We Are the Story.” Thank you.

Don Kindopp, Chair St. Joseph’s Hospital of Estevan Local Council

at

(306) 634-7744 hiddenvalleygolfandrv.com

because the rules change with each one," Drewitz-Gallaway said.

Some exams this year were recorded and sent to examiners, others took place over Zoom. One way or the other, they got them done. Drewitz-Gallaway went on to explain that exams mean a lot to students as they allow them to progress to the next level. With no performances possible this year, getting credentials for the exams was one of the biggest goals for the students.

And all of them moved up.

"That to me was a huge undertaking to get done. So I was really happy that was completed."

Drewitz-Gallaway added that she let students work on their own, asking them to practise and keep growing their stamina.

If there are any opportunities for performances this summer, they may still get a chance to get on stage. In the meantime, at the school, the preparation for the next year will start soon. The hope is that one day in the near future students will be able to dance together again, and Drewitz-Gallaway wants to put the bubble groups all together and create new dances out of separate puzzle pieces they've been practising this year. She also hopes that next year they will have more opportunities to perform in the community.

"My push for next year is to maybe do more dance-outs with them, maybe go to more nursing homes and things when it opens up because I think the children really missed that communication with the audience," Drewitz-Gallaway said.

She also thanked her staff for all their help and hard work last year.

' BALLS

Large Basket - $7 Small Basket - $6 Child Basket - $2 30 Basket ge n punch card Ra g $120 in v i Dr

A6 June 2, 2021

www.estevanmercury.ca

McIntyre Family and Friends “overwhelmed” with community support

21061SS0 21063SS0

McIntyre Family and Friends participated in the virtual Walk to Make CF History.

Photo submitted Even though they were participating in a virtual walk for the second straight year, Team McIntyre Family and Friends received record-breaking support from the community for the Walk to Make Cystic Fibrosis (CF) History this year.

“We are actually overwhelmed with the support we’ve received from our friends, family, neighbours and businesses,” said Kasey McIntyre, whose son Liam has CF. “Everybody did so much to want to help this year.”

The 15 team members brought in $7,429 in donations, as of Sunday afternoon, but that total is still climbing. Much of the money was through a bottle drive that the team held, which received excellent support.

Bottle drive donations were accepted until Sunday.

“We are so grateful for anyone and everyone that helped in just doing that in itself,” said McIntyre.

People also contributed online pledges to the team members.

McIntyre’s brother Cole Dunville rode his bicycle 22 kilometres on Saturday as part of his own virtual challenge. Last year he biked from Estevan to Bienfait, but in keeping with this year’s theme of Go Further for CF, he travelled a greater distance.

Then McIntyre’s aunt Gloria Threinen biked from Estevan on Bienfait on Sunday.

“It seemed like everyone was so generous for us this year,” McIntyre said. “It was just

mind-blowing. I wish so much that we could see people like we normally would at the walk. Other teams. Other participants. And I gratefully look forward to that next year.”

Team McIntyre came together for the virtual walk Sunday at Woodlawn Regional Park. They watched the kick-off for the Prairie edition of the virtual walk together, and then walked along the park’s trails in small groups.

“We normally do two kilometres if we do the regular walk, but we ended up doing four kilometres instead. That was our way of going further for CF.” Team McIntyre Family and Friends started its fundraising with a goal of $3,000, and so McIntrye was thrilled that they more than doubled their objective.

A total of $7,854 was raised from Estevan participants for the walk this year, but as McIntyre noted, that figure will continue to grow.

“We’re very happy to help other families that are going through the same thing that ours does, with the challenges that cystic fibrosis creates every day for them, and not just the CF warriors, but their families and friends who just want them to have the best quality of life,” said McIntyre.

Their efforts will continue until a cure is found, and she’s confident that they are getting closer than ever to finding something to make CF history.

Xplore 50/10* UNLIMITED is here.

up to

True unlimited data

50

Mbps1

Download speed up to

10

9999

$

/month2

Mbps1

Upload speed

2-year price guarantee

Download speeds 50 Mbps to: • Watch Netflix™ on multiple devices3 • Scroll through social media fast • Stream music and videos • Download games and files faster Upload speeds 10 Mbps to: • Video conference for school and work • Back up data to cloud storage • Upload and share videos and photos

*Where available. $49 installation fee applies. 2-year term required. $109.99 starting in month 25.

Get Xplore 50/10 UNLIMITED today and your price is guaranteed for 2 years!

Call 1-866-207-5855. xplornet.com Yes, this product is available to existing customers. Yes, your Internet data is truly unlimited. There is no soft cap! 1Speeds vary based on your technical configuration, traffic, servers, and other factors. Traffic management policy applies, see xplornet.com/policies. 2Offer expires May 31, 2021. Includes rental cost of equipment, except optional Xplornet Wi-Fi router. 3A router is required for multiple household users. NetflixTM is a trademark of Netflix Inc. Xplornet® is a trade-mark of Xplornet Communications Inc. ©2021 Xplornet Communications Inc.

IT TAKES MORE THAN A SIGN.

BUSINESS A7

Josh LeBlanc

| Wednesday, June 2, 2021 | estevanmercury.ca

REALTOR ® 306.421.6778

Oxbow business to celebrate 10th anniversary

By Ana Bykhovskaia Oxbow Timber Mart has made it through 10 diverse years and they are happy to celebrate their anniversary together with their customers.

A lot may have changed in a decade, but the experience in the field and the understanding of the needs of customers just kept growing.

Ten years ago, when Cory Mercer, the business owner, was looking ahead and seeking new opportunities, his background in construction made him turn towards building supplies.

"I was looking to transition into a job that I can continue doing as I got older, and maybe wanting to work a little less physical, but still in the same basic field of my expertise. So that seemed to make a good fit coming from construction, going into a lumberyard, home renovation type centre. And it just seemed to be a natural fit," explained Mercer.

Starting his first retail business was different from previous experience. This adventure had a lot of learning curves along the way.

"There was a lot to learn.

We made a few mistakes

early on. It's a lot different than I had anticipated from construction. Although we're using similar products, and the same principle, applying it to running a retail business is entirely different than to a construction company. So we had a lot of learning lessons early, early on. The first few years were a little difficult, to say the least," Mercer said.

During the early years of Timber Mart, the economy was still booming. The later decline brought in new challenges. The business had to optimize their expenses and Mercer had to take on more work and learn more, which allowed him to better understand all the fine points of the industry.

"This is 10 years now.

I have a pretty good understanding of the business and what needs to happen and how things work. And I still get overwhelmed a little bit once in a while. But for the most part, we manage. And hopefully, once we get done with all these COVID restrictions and start to get back to normal, we could start to hire more people and get the workforce back up," Mercer said.

The slowdown also had its positive effects on the

business.

"Slowing down forced us to really evaluate how we ran the business, procedures and policies, and our inventory levels and all that boring stuff. But what that allowed us to do was decide on how many people we needed, what jobs they needed to do, and how it needed to be done," Mercer said.

A building supplies business requires strong planning skills. The store manager has to decide what to have in the store in winter by late spring or early summer, and the other way around. Eight months in advance they need to forecast what customers will want in the next season, while still keeping in mind everything happening at the store at the moment. COVID-19 made this task even harder, with supply chains often being interrupted and things taking longer to arrive. Mercer said that the advance demand forecasts weren't that easy to get a handle on, but they got better with time and now, even despite all the challenges, the business keeps slowly but gradually growing.

"I'm very proud of the fact that in the last four years, we have grown small percent-

Oxbow Timber Mart has a wide selection of building supplies. Photo submitted

Oxbow Timber Mart is located at 11 Prospect Ave. Photo submitted ages each year. Every year we're growing on sales numbers. That's good. And we're doing more with fewer people.

We have a more streamlined operation, which has given us the ability to expand a little bit, just on our product selection. And this year has been a little challenging on inventory levels because things are really hard to get. But we've been, I think, better on our overall inventory numbers than we've ever been just because of our efficiency."

They were able to bring in new products in different categories to ensure that any customer would find what they need to accomplish their building or gardening projects.

At Oxbow Timber Mart, a lot of work is done by a few people, and Mercer said that the efficient system they have in place now helps them to keep progressing despite all the challenges.

"My team here, we do

an awful lot of work for a few people just because we are pretty efficient. So I'm really proud of that. It's been a hard, hard lesson learned.

And it's been a lot of work to get here. But now that we're at this point, it's very rewarding to see that we're actually getting somewhere. And if the economy gets a little stronger, then it will be even better for us. But if it stays exactly as it was right now, we would be just fine," Mercer said.

While COVID negatively affected many things, there were some positive effects as well. The demand for Timber Mart's products went up and the foot traffic significantly increased. Mercer said they were happy to see people doing projects that they probably wouldn't do if not for the pandemic.

"That's been exciting because you get to see a whole bunch of new people.

And it's always fulfilling from our side of things when

you see somebody take on a project that they were maybe a little unsure of, but when it's all set and done and complete, they're over the moon thrilled that they were able to do it themselves. And that's satisfying to be part of that, to see somebody's end product. If there's renovations, they sometimes will come in and share pictures with us.

And that's really satisfying from our side of things because you really feel like you help somebody get what they want," Mercer shared.

The business will celebrate their anniversary on June 9 with food trucks serving smoked meats, coffee and treats in front of the store. There will also be some good deals for the customers.

Also, they will run a charitable event where a portion of sales from June 9 will be matched by a donation by Timber Mart and will go towards the Souris Moose Creek Wildlife Federation.

Celebrate with us!

WEDNESDAY JUNE 9 2021 BETWEEN 9AM-5PM

Be A Hairstylist!!

Hairstylist is a certificate program. Hairstylists who want to work in the trade are legally required to first complete a 1500 hour pre-employment program. You will learn how to perform techniques on hair, wigs, hairpieces, skin, and nails. You will also develop artistry, salon management, and customer service skills. This program provides an apprenticeship period of up to two years.

Program Prerequisites: • Grade 11 or GED

• English language requirement

• Course includes one week of safety training; exact safety courses to be determined.

Fall 2021 Program Intake Information

Location: Weyburn Program Dates: September 12, 2021 – August 6, 2022.

Tuition: $8260 (Estimate based on 2020 tuition, subject to change without notice) Materials: $2570 (Materials price is estimated, subject to change without notice) For more detailed information, please call our toll free registration line at 1-866-999-7372 or email

registration@southeastcollege.org

OXBOW TIMBERMART PARKING LOT 11 Prospect Avenue, Oxbow EACH VENDOR WILL BE SERVING THEIR SPECIALTY ITEMS VARIOUS PAYMENT METHODS AVAILABLE - RAIN OR SHINE *ALL GOV’T RESTRICTIONS APPLY *

THANK YOU FOR YOUR VALUED SUPPORT! SERVING SOUTHEAST SASK SINCE 2011

A8 June 2, 2021

www.estevanmercury.ca

Ceres Global Ag. announces a $350 million canola crushing plant at Northgate facility The Ceres Global Ag Corp. Northgate Terminal is about to get a big addition.

Ceres announced plans on

May 25 to build a $350 million integrated canola processing facility at its Northgate terminal to help meet the current and

growing global demand for canola products.

The state of the art facility will have annual capacity to pro-

Our local advisors are in your corner

You’ve worked hard to build and maintain your business, but the path ahead may not be clear.

With roots in the community, and access to a national network of business advisors, we’ll work with you to find the way forward.

Contact us today!

Weyburn 206 Hill Avenue T +1 306 842 8123

grantthornton.ca

cess 1.1 million metric tonnes of canola and refine over 500,000 metric tonnes of canola oil, for both food and fuel.

Robert Day, the president and CEO of Ceres Global Ag., said there is a lot of canola in the southeast region, and an opportunity exists to increase canola acreage around the Northgate location on both sides of the border.

There also isn’t a canola crush plant in the immediate area.

“Because we’re connected directly to the BNSF Railroad, we have more cost-competitive access to U.S. destinations, where we believe the majority of the demand is coming from today and in the future, and so Northgate makes an excellent destination,” said Day. Also a factor is the success of their existing terminal at Northgate, which has been operating for six years and is a shipping hub for agriculture and crude oil products, among others.

Ceres started with a transloader at Northgate, and added a high-speed elevator and a fertilizer warehouse.

“Just the grain and canola merchandising activity has allowed us to establish strong relationships with the grower community, and really increase our confidence in our ability to pull off a project like this,” said Day. Some work for the crush plant is already underway. Ceres has been drilling for water on the site, and they are going through all of the environmental permitting. Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2022, and the facility is expected to be operational in 2024.

More than 50 full-time jobs are expected to be created once the canola crush plant Dakis & Associates Inc. is open.

Ceres will leverage Danforth Avenue the 1521 existing infrastructure at Toronto,to ONbuild Canada 5C3 Northgate thisM4J plant.

T 416.516.7335 It will require increased capacity at the grain and canola receiving CLIENT: elevator.

Grant Thornton “We’ll make some adjustPUBLICATION: ments, so that we can continue Weekly the Estevan business that we’ve been running, but then also add this NAME: canola crush component to it,” Our local advisors said Day. Ceres owns a soybean SPECIFICATIONS: crush facility inwsouthern Trim: 4.83” x 10” h ManiColours: colour

The Ceres Global Ag terminal at Northgate is going to have another addition – a $350 million integrated canola processing facility that should be operational in 2024. File photo toba, and Day said the executive team at Ceres has a lot of canola crush experience with Day, along with the company’s head of business development, head of operations, commercial director and chief financial officer. But this is the first time the company has constructed and operated a crush facility.

“We are working with outside consultants and vendors that have built canola crush plants in the past, and have years and years of experience in doing that. We are making sure from the beginning to be working with experts in all levels of this project to ensure that from the construction, all the way to the commissioning and running and operating the business, that we do this as seamlessly as anyone in the industry would.”

Estevan Mayor Roy Ludwig was among those who quickly welcomed the announced project.

“The ongoing partnership with Ceres has been great for the community of Estevan and surrounding rural municipalities. As Estevan’s canola crush facility, we are excited that Northgate will support families for years to come with added jobs and grain delivered to a premium market.”

Day noted Ceres consulted with the Estevan Economic Development committee on this project, and Ceres has been working with the different levels of governmentas well.

“Adding value to agriculture products right here in Saskatchewan will help us reach the goals set out in our Growth Plan,” said Saskatchewan Pre-

mier Scott Moe. “We welcome Ceres Global’s investment in Northgate to support and provide southeast Saskatchewan growers with a unique and valuable option for marketing their canola. With its direct connection to the BNSF railroad, Ceres can offer Saskatchewan growers access to a variety of markets in the United States.”

This is the latest announcement for a canola crush facility in Saskatchewan this year. Viterra says it intends to build the world’s largest canola crush facility in Regina, while Cargill announced it is also building a plant in Regina.

Richardson previously unveilled plans to double the capacity of its plant in Yorkton.

Day said there is interest in Saskatchewan because of the increased demand for renewable diesel in North America.

“There have been a number of projects announced where capacity is going to be coming online. The feed stack to produce renewable diesel is going to need to be vegetable oil for the most part, and so the market is looking to areas where there’s an opportunity to build a crush plant, where there’s enough production of an oil seed, where they can fill a plant to capacity.”

Renewable diesel development is transformational for agriculture in North America, and Day predicted it will be as significant as ethanol.

Saskatchewan is an area where there is more canola than crush, and Day expects there might be further announcements for companies in Saskatchewan.

© 2021 Grant Thornton LLP. A Canadian Member of Grant Thornton International Ltd. All rights reserved.

21063GE0

ENERGY A9

• Gasoline • Diesel • Bulk Fuel • Propane • Fuel Tanks & Pumps • Lubricants & Grease • Lubrication Storage & Equipment Solutions • DEF • Solvent www.girardbulk.ca • (306) 637-4370

| Wednesday, June 2, 2021 | estevanmercury.ca

Estevan area residents show they care Estevan area businesses, groups and individuals showed how much they care about others during the United Way Estevan’s Day of Caring on May 26.

A total of 22 projects were completed by more than 120 volunteers during the annual initiative. Committee member Shelly Veroba said the number of projects completed was down from previous years, but that was to be expected, because outdoor projects were the only ones completed.

Veroba noted several businesses and non-profits in the community allowed their employees to spend the day assisting with projects.

She believes it was important to have a Day of Caring this year. Last year’s event had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have a lot of seniors in the community who need help throughout the year,” said Veroba. “The United Way Estevan does this Day of Caring every year in May … but we would like to see the community carry it forward throughout the year.

“If you see a neighbour in your area, or you see someone that you think needs some help, just reach out to your neighbour and give them some help. It’s just amazing how even mowing someone’s lawn, picking up some leaves, doing a bit of raking for a senior or for someone who’s not able to do that themselves, can help

Dena Bachorcik from Kingston Midstream was among the volunteers at the Day of Caring this year. make their day that much better throughout the year.”

Some of the sites in the community were not cleaned up last year due to the lack of a Day of Caring, which meant extra leaves and branches had to be cleaned up.

A few of the projects, particularly those that involved painting, had to be called off as well, but that was due to weather conditions in the Estevan area prior to the Day of Caring.

The United Way had a couple of new concepts for this year. The first was encouraging people to perform random acts of kindness.

“The concept behind that was when a volunteer was done, if we didn’t have a project for them, they could look around and see if there was somebody else, a neighbour

or a community person that they knew of, or somebody who they could reach out to and give them a hand.”

Also new for this year were 15 Sunshine Baskets,

which were filled by board members and delivered to people who lived alone. Some were on the project list for the Day of Caring, while others just needed an emotional lift.

“That was an idea that was developed by the board of the Estevan Day of Caring committee, and it was a really nice idea. The concept was well-received,” said Veroba.

Sunshine Baskets included a variety of gifts and handmade cards completed

by United Way first vicepresident Becca Anderson.

The people and organizations who had a project completed were very appreciative, not only because they had work to be done, but they received social interaction.

“People are ready to see people. People need to have their neighbours interacting

with each other, and that’s what the Day of Caring is, is people giving back to their neighbours.”

All of the public health measures were followed during the Day of Caring, she said.

The traditional barbecue lunch could not be served at the Estevan Alliance Church, but the United Way found an alternative by providing volunteers with a meal voucher to one of four restaurants:

McDonald’s, A&W, Dairy Queen or KFC. “We really appreciate that kind of support from the restaurants in Estevan, and we just are overwhelmed by how many businesses reach out to support us,” said Veroba.

Together, it was a great Day of Caring, and Veroba looks forward to seeing the initiative return to normal next year.

CommerCial Sand BlaSting & Painting

• Industry leader since 1968 • Small jobs to large-scale contracts • Abrasive blasting • Industrial coating • Lining services • Servicing western Canada

306-931-2820 • www.csbp.ca

• • • • • Serving Southeast Saskatchewan for 38 years • • •

CRANES & TRUCKING

All types of hoisting-tip heights to 350’ 15 – 245 Ton Mobile & R.T. Cranes 27 – 45 Ton Pickers 15 Ton Carrydeck - 3.2 Ton Mini Crawler Tractor Trailer Units Pile Drivers, Telehandler Office Trailer Rentals Manbaskets & Concrete Buckets

Call today for a quote or book an appointment for your A/C check up!

thrutubing.com | 306.634.4001

Drilling Licenses 8 new licenses issued to Monday, May 31, 2021 189065 Tundra Oil Hz.................................................... 9-31-4-4 186013 Crescent Point Hz........................................... 5-25-3-34 185744 Crescent Point Hz........................................... 5-22-1-16 186195 Crescent Point Hz........................................... 5-22-1-16 188932 Crescent Point Hz........................................... 5-24-6-11 188947 Crescent Point Hz........................................... 5-24-6-11 188759 Anova Resources Hz...................................... 13-31-6-6 188782 Crescent Point Hz........................................... 4-34-5-25

Rig Report 179211 Precision Drilling.....Crescent Point......................... 2-24-8-6 180100 Tempco Drilling.....Vermilion Energy.....................5-11-1-31 179894 Precision Drilling.....Crescent Point.

4-28-7-5.

1037 - 5th Street Estevan 306-634-5172

Frontier Place, Estevan

54

306-634-5555

www.skyliftservices.com

YEARS Since 1967

• Souris Valley Pipeline Limited operates a High Pressure Carbon Dioxide Pipeline in Southeast Saskatchewan, a component of the gas is Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S).

• As a member of Sask 1st Call, Souris Valley Pipeline would like to remind you to call Sask 1st Call at 1-866-828-4888.

• Statistics show that a significant cause of pipeline ruptures is due to third party damage.

Midale

• Fire Extinguisher Sales, Services & Rentals • Gas Detection Sales, Services & Rentals • Breathing Air Refills & Hydro Testing • SCBA/SABA Equipment Sales & Services • Rentals • Fit Testing • Safety Air Trailers & Safety Personnel • Calibration Gases & Accessories Sales • New & Reconditioned Equipment • First Aid, Eyewash & Burn Kit Services • Signage • Safety Glasses, Gloves & Hearing Protection • Gastec & Rae Pumps/H2S Detection Tubes

For pipeline safety concerns or emergencies call toll free 1-866-PIPELINE (1-866-747-3546) Before excavating call Sask 1st Call at 1-866-828-4888 for a free locate. www.sask1stcall.com

SOURIS VALLEY PIPELINE LTD. 24 HOUR PHONE SERVICE 1-866-747-3546

Authorized Sales & Service & Warranty Centre for:

SOURIS VALLEY PIPELINE LIMITED 617 Government Road S Weyburn, SK S4H 2B3 Phone: 306-848-0206 Fax: 306-848-0293

AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTOR

Troye Carson • 306-421-3603 tcarsonsafety@sasktel.net

Preston Majeran • 306-421-6609 pmajeransafety@sasktel.net

Highway 361 West (South Yard), P.O. Box 518, Lampman, SK, S0C 1N0

• Collision Repair • Frame Repair • Glass Repair • Glass Replacement • Custom Paint • Sikkens Paint • Camper/RV Repair • Complete Autobody Repair & Painting • Courtesy Cars Available • Journeymen Technicians

You Bend ‘Em, We Mend ‘Em Lance Mack & Yansey Hagel

1010 6th Street, Estevan Phone: 306-634-6060

A10 June 2, 2021

www.estevanmercury.ca

SASKATCHEWAN MINING WEEK

MAY 30 - JUNE 5, 2021

City of Estevan celebrating Mining Week The City of Estevan's economic development board is celebrating Saskatchewan Mining Week by showcasing the largest working carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility in North America, which is right in Estevan’s backyard.

Because of the impressive technolog y at SaskPower's Boundar y Dam Unit 3, more than four million tonnes of carbon dioxide have been captured since it opened in October 2014, which is equivalent to one million passenger vehicles taken off the road for a year.

This technology works, and with advancements, it is continually improving. "CCS is worldclass technology with environmental and economic benefits," said Mayor Roy Ludwig, chair of the economic development board.

"Government officials and industry leaders from across the globe have toured and researched this facility; it's been the blueprint for other CCS

projects in the world.

“Coal is not a twilight resource. Shand and Boundar y Dam Unit 6 should not be shut down; they should be retrofitted with CCS and provide low-carbon, baseload power for years to come."

As part of Saskatchewan Mining Week, which runs from May 30 to June 5, the city has released information that contains data to support the future direction of coal. Its findings include: • Coal is not a dirty fuel source, thanks to CCS science and engineering expertise; • Coal is the most efficient fuel source for producing electricity in Saskatchewan; • The value-added features of coal can't be replicated by any other power generation sources; and • The coal industry is an established driver of the economy.

Fo r m o r e o n t h e report, please see pages A14-15.

The City of Estevan is highlighting the importance of mining in the Estevan area. File photo

Mine employees constantly show generosity The generosity of the coal companies that have operated in Estevan, and the employees who work for the mines, is well documented.

The members of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Local 7606 and the other employees at the mines are big supporters of life in the Estevan area.

The companies have changed over the years, but they’ve always been there for the community.

Westmoreland Mining LLC, who purchased the Estevan area mine sites in 2014, have continued that tradition.

The United Way Estevan and its annual telethon have long been among the biggest beneficiaries.

Over the last five years, the

total contribution from UMWA Local 7606 and Westmoreland is $379,557.89. Employees donate to the United Way Estevan through voluntary payroll deductions and other initiatives; the company then provides a matching grant.

In each of the last three years, the contribution has exceeded $80,000.

Danny Ewen, who is the president of the United Way Estevan for 2021, said it can’t be understated how crucial the mines are to the success of the United Way, the telethon and the member agencies.

“What has become a common thing to see at telethon is Saturday afternoon … when we get both the Westmoreland Mining company as well as SaskPower presenting their cheques,” said Ewen.

SaskPower is the only donor to surpass the mines and its employees each year. Some years Westmoreland and UMWA present first; other years SaskPower and its employees have the honours. In many years, one of those donations will push the United Way past its fundraising goal.

“The numbers that they provide to us every single year knock our socks off and blow us away.”

There is a sense of relief when the mines come in with their donation each year and push the United Way close to their goal or above the objective, and Ewen looks forward to when the mines visit the telethon, which will be Oct. 15 and 16 this year. “ Watching from a board member’s perspective over the past

several years, you always notice the president with a 10-pound weight or possibly a 50-pound weight going off their shoulders when it gets around 2 o’clock on Saturday (afternoon) because the mines come in and there’s a big cheque associated with it, and when we’re trying to reach our goal every single year, it’s usually resulting in a big sigh of relief,” said Ewen.

The United Way telethon is a big community event and every single donation counts, but the mine employees and Westmoreland make a big difference.

The employees and the management of Westmoreland Mining LLC are members of the community, Ewen said. They work here, they live here, they spend money here and they enjoy activities. Some

of them have undoubtedly accessed the services of at least one member agency, whether it’s themselves or their families.

“The people who work at the mines are people who are affected by the United Way and our telethon, so I think everyone recognizes, and I think it’s probably a no-brainer for almost 100 per cent of employees who decide to take off some money from their paycheques to give to the telethon because they understand the importance of the United Way in Estevan and how we support the community.”

Ewen has seen other examples of the mines’ generosity in Estevan.

They support a number of different non-profits in town, and the mines employees support and volunteer with a variety of causes.

Delivering Premium Value

Committed to our communities, devoted to our employees and responsible stewards of the environment.

Today, tomorrow, always.

For over 150 years, Westmoreland has been part of the fabric of the energy industry, navigating significant challenges and continually emerging as an industry leader. We provide jobs for hard working folks, invest in local schools and community enhancements, and provide a valued resource to generate power for homes and businesses. Westmoreland has demonstrated a commitment to sound safety and environmental stewardship practices at our mines, and continues to position itself to be an integral part of the multi-faceted energy future. www.westmoreland.com

www.estevanmercury.ca

June 2, 2021 A11

Estevan to mark the anniversary of the strike that set off Saskatchewan labour movement

By Ana Bykhovskaia It will be 90 years this year since three miners – Peter Markunas, Nick Nargan and Julian Gryshko – lost their lives in an effort to improve harsh and often inhumane work conditions for themselves, their fellow workers and, as it turned out, thousands of other mineindustry employees all across Canada and the rest of North America.

"Those names and that grave represent heroes, not only to the United Mine Workers of America but to the rest of the labour movement throughout North America," said Jody Dukart, international auditor/teller with United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Local 7606.

September will mark the anniversary of the 1931 Estevan Riot, which paved the way for the union movement and also shaped the Bienfait and Estevan communities.

The Estevan Riot, also known as Black Tuesday Riot – a confrontation between the RCMP and striking Bienfait miners, took place on Sept.

29, 1931. Miners who'd been

striking since Sept. 7 were demanding an improvement in wages and working conditions.

"It was a pivotal moment in Saskatchewan labour history," Dukart said. "The miners' goals were to set daily working hours, better working conditions, to end the company store monopoly and wage increase."

On Black Tuesday, to gain support, miners and their families organized a solidarity parade in Estevan which was deemed illegal. As they walked from Beinfait to Estevan, they were met with lines of police officers. And as they entered the city square, the RCMP confronted rioting miners and tried to stop the procession.

Shortly afterwards the RCMP opened fire on the strikers, killing the above-mentioned three and injuring numerous others.

The next day 90 RCMP officers raided miners back home. Thirteen strikers and union leaders were arrested on charges of rioting. RCMP members involved with the death of the miners were not charged.

On Oct. 6, the coal company agreed to strikers' key

Bienfait miners, including Peter Markunas, left, Charles Perles, third from left, Charles Grigalis, second from right, and Adam Uza, right. Markunas was shot dead and Grigalis was arrested, tried and sentenced to jail after the strike. Photo copied from Bienfait. The Saskatchewan Miners’ Struggle of ’31

by Stephen L. Endicott

demands. The minimum wage went up to $4, the company switched to eight-hour workdays, reduced rent and put an end to the company store monopoly. That agreement put an end to the strike but it was also was just the beginning of the development of the labour movement in Saskatchewan.

The work started by 1931 striking miners and union leaders continued throughout the following 90 years.

"They paved the way to lives we all live today. And that's another reason why it's so important to us. It was the start to better working conditions, better wages, better family time, because of reduced working hours, and freedom, really. Back in that day, they had shopped at the company store. They got their cheques, and then any money that they made in the mine, they had to spend at the company store.

They weren't free to go to local communities to spend money," explained Dukart, who lives in Bienfait and grew up about 1 1/2 kilometres from the three miners' grave.

He added that remembering the events of 1931 and the individuals who were strong and brave enough to stand up for their rights is key to understanding the contemporary working conditions.

"We get people that start at the mines, and they see the collective agreements, and they just think the company gave us all that, all those items in that collective agreement. But it stems back to 1931, to these guys actually going on strike and sticking up to their rights.

That's what started collective agreements," Dukart said.

"Slowly over the years, we just keep improving those collective agreements. It isn't a company that gives you that stuff, that's the individuals, they negotiated that and that's obviously how a union is. It's work. You form a union, you negotiate contracts, and you get solidarity

The UMWA local 7606 members will refurbish the grave of miners Peter Markunas, Nick Nargan and Julian Gryshko, killed during the 1931 riot. and power, the more members you have."

Those miners striking and losing their lives in 1931 changed it, not only for the generations of miners to come but for everybody else in the area and probably in many other communities.

"It goes a long way because when we improve working conditions and wages in a site, everybody in the surrounding area has to compete to keep the good workers," Dukart noted.

UMWA L ocal 7606 doesn't plan on having any big events for the anniversary of the strike this September. Usually, when they celebrate something of this importance, they try to get the U.S. union members to come over and deliver speeches.

Besides, they would get the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour and Canadian Labour Congress involved, and with all these guest speakers flying in with the pandemic and borders remaining closed, it wouldn't be realistic to get it organized.

However, they are proceeding with refurbishing the grave of the three miners in Bienfait.

"We would redo the grave, it needs some attention. So we thought we'd redo the grave and then get a nice plaque made up with the 90th year anniversary recognition on it," Dukart said.

The plan is to start working on the grave in June and have it completed before the date of the strike anniversary in September. There is a little bit of concrete patching that needs to be done and the headstone needs to be fixed up and painted.

Bienfait Mayor Ken Bonokoski stepped up to the plate and said he wanted to help with the project. Other union members will also donate their time and the union

will cover the costs.

"We owe it to them three individuals," Dukart said.

The last recognition of the deceased miners took place during the 75th anniversary, and the plaque was put on the railing then. It got some moisture inside, and the union plans on fixing it and keeping it where it is. The new plaque will go on the other side of the railing.

Last year, the UMWA local also completed the refurbishment of the coal car, located at the Miners' Corner by the courthouse in Estevan – the historical scene of the 1931 riot. Dave Dukart spearheaded the project.

Coal: Keeping the lights on in Saskatchewan Proudly serving our Mining Industry

We recognize the importance of the mining industry 6th Street, Estevan • 306-634-2312

Thank you Mining Industry

Thankful for the mining industry and the contributions it makes to our community.

Serving all of S.E. Sask All types of Road & Parking Lot Surfacing, Repairing & Maintenance

Call us today!

306 634 8001 • 306 421 1952 Carstar Estevan 445 - 4th Street • (306) 634-2815

www.gencoasphalt.ca

88 Devonian Street, Estevan, SK Ph: 634-4041 (24 hr) Fax: 634-4040 www.samstrucking.ca

Saskatchewan's Critical Minerals Essential to Global Supply Chains

saskmining.ca @SaskMiningAssoc

A12 June 2, 2021

www.estevanmercury.ca

Reclamation remain a big part of Westmoreland

By David Willberg Reclamation is a pivotal part of Westmoreland Mining LLC’s operations and commitment to the environment.

It’s also a complex, lengthy process that requires a lot of work behind the scenes.

Clayton Stenhouse, a senior environmental planner with Westmoreland Mining, said even before they start digging in the pits, the reclamation process begins, as all of the suitable soils are salvaged. Cover soils are split from subsoils, and will be hauled to areas already undergoing reclamation, or will be put into stockpiles for future use.

“It all works together,” said Stenhouse. “Before we start excavating our next pit, we keep in mind that the back-end, the reclamation part, is to follow, so everything works in unison and at a very large scale.”

The dragline removes the overburden, which is placed in the adjacent, mined-out cut.

“The bulldozers will come in and recontour the overburden removed by the dragline,” said Stenhouse. “This is another part of the first stages of the reclamation process. On the backend, the dozers will be levelling those piles that were placed there by the dragline.

They’ll start reclaiming the land that way, and there are slopes that we’re required to meet and reclaim, according to the regulations that are put out by the Ministry of the Environment.

“That’s kept in mind as the dozers are doing the reclaim.

They’re reclaiming our ramps and our end cuts to a certain per cent slope that is a requirement by the industry.”

Once the levelling is complete, Westmoreland will start covering the levelled areas with the cover soil.

“The suitable soils that we’re salvaging, then, at the same time, they’ll be hauled on the backend and dumped on areas where we have finished levelling. Those areas are then

levelled with dozers covering the recontoured land,” said Stenhouse.

Once the cover soil is in place, then they will use an approved seed that they use that will meet end land use criteria.

“Part of the whole mine process is determining what our end land use is going to be once we are done. We base our seed choices on that fact, so if we said we’re going to use a native seed blend in a particular area, then that’s what we seed it to. If our end land use is going to be native, that’s what we do. Or if it’s livestock grazing, then we’ll seed it to a grass blend. It’s all in efforts to meet our end land use requirement.”

A lot of engineering and design work goes on as well, because they have to factor in the different slopes to make sure they attain the proper slopes based on regulations.

Weekly meetings take place at Westmoreland regarding reclamation, and they execute their plans on a

daily basis.

“It’s a big undertaking, but we all work together as one big unified unit as we progress in the direction we’re heading,” said Stenhouse.

For example, one older pit area where they’re finishing up reclamation consists of three sections of land, which would be just under 2,000 acres. It would be one of the smaller pits they’re touching up.

The length of time for reclamation is dependent not only on the size of the site but also the different types of soil textures. In one area they might have a rocky soil where they have a suitable soil depth of 10 centimetres or less, and other areas they have at least 40 centimetres of silty clay soil.

Reclamation efforts also happen throughout the year, which presents a challenge.

Trying to put cover soil down in the middle of winter can be a challenge, as they have to contend with snow and limited daylight hours.

Once Westmoreland finishes mining an area and it’s been in use for non-mining purposes for a while, the company applies for a reclamation release. Since 2018, the company has managed to release just under 4,000 acres of land.

“We do environmental studies on it, so there’ll be a vegetation assessment and wildlife assessments,” he said.

If the land is leased out and grazed, the mines will consult the lessee about the land. They’re usually the best resource, Stenhouse said.

An official application will be submitted to the Ministry of Environment, who reviews the report and the scientific data that has been collected. The ministry conducts an extensive review that includes reports and walking kilometres on the land to ensure everything checks out.

If everything looks good, the final approval is given.

“We’re excited and proud of that fact, that feat that we’ve accomplished,” said Stenhouse.

People are often surprised at how much goes on with reclamation, not just the work itself, but with planning, legwork and engineering for the designs.

“What a lot of people see is the end result, and we’re always hoping that the reclaimed mine lands are more attractive than they were prior to mining,” he said.

Some people will like the flat surface that existed before mining, while others prefer the rolling topography left behind.

Westmoreland Mining wants to be an effective steward of the land. Reclamation is completed safely and efficiently, with the goal of returning the land to a better state than when it started.

They always try to incorporate waterfowl habitat, bodies of water and other amenities at the end of the process. If the land was used for livestock grazing before mining began, Westmoreland wants to see it used for pastureland again.

CRESCENT POINT WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND

THANK THE MINING INDUSTRY. Your hard work and dedication is greatly appreciated Crescent Point is proud to be part of your community.

crescentpointenergy.com

S ’ T T

SH A A M W

.

LTD

Thankful for the mining industry.

CAR

• High Pressure Spot Free Rinse • 9 Car Bays • 2 Truck Bays • Computerized Timers • Loonie, Toonie & Quarters SELF SERVE WATER DISPENSER

306-634-8255 128 Souris Avenue N.

With over 40 years experience to give you the wash you want!

Acknowledging

Proud to serve the MINING INDUSTRY!

Mining Week!

EXPERT

VAC

306-421-9576 or 306-421-2244 Equipment Sales Gravel, & Rentals,and GravelHotshot & Hot ShotTrucking Trucking Fresh Water,

CANADA NEEDS TO RECOVER OUR

NATURAL RESOURCES

IN ORDER TO RECOVER

Estevan 306-634-2522 Oxbow 306-483-2599, Weyburn 306-842-7111 Toll Free 1-888-677-2522

Recognizing

Mining Week

OUR ECONOMY

DR. Robert Kitchen MP Souris-Moose Mountain

1-866-249-4697 • www.drrobertkitchen.ca

Lance Mack & Yansey Hagel 1010 6th Street, Estevan • 306-634-6060

kids speak Why is mining important?

Raymond Coleman

Age: 12 “I think it’s important to mine because you get resources to help the world.”

Kale Allen Friess

Age: 12 “In my opinion, mining is important because you get coal, and coal you can turn into electricity and electricity is very crucial.”

421 King St #3, Estevan, SK I 306-634-3244

www.scotsburndental.com

www.estevanmercury.ca

HERE ARE 4,071,284 REASONS WHY CLEAN COAL IS GOOD.

June 2, 2021 A13

#SASKMININGWEEK

That is how many tonnes of carbon have been captured at Boundary Dam Power Station in Estevan since it went online in October of 2014.

That is equivalent to taking 1,000,000 passenger vehicles off the road for a year.

The retention of coal with CCS as a viable fuel to use in the production of electrical power in Saskatchewan in 2021 and beyond is the right decision for our environment, our economy and our future.

Read our report at estevaneconomicdevelopment.ca

*source SaskPower press release, March 31, 2021

A14 June 2, 2021

www.estevanmercury.ca

Transitioning to coal is the preferred future direction Editor’s note: The following article is a study from Estevan Economic Development regarding the future of coal power and carbon capture and storage technology.

In honour of Mining Week, the Mercury is publishing a portion of this piece. For the full version, please visit www.estevaneconomicdevelopment.ca This study has been compiled and composed to make, what we trust, will be a compelling argument in favour of the retention of coal as a viable fuel to use in the production of electrical power in Saskatchewan in 2021 and beyond.

Our study was extended to include environmental, economic and political arguments for coal-based power production and will by natural course, obviously address a few social issues.

We have learned over the past six-plus years the carbon capture and sequestration model implemented at Boundary Dam’s Unit 3 (BD3) has performed beyond original expectations that had been placed upon it as a pilot project. It has set the table for expansion to other facilities, with the nearby Shand Power Station being the foremost target.

This covering document is simply meant to support the fact that sundry arguments have already been made and succinctly delivered to interested parties in the past. These educated parties have studied and commented on various factors surrounding

a proposal for a second generation of CCS at the Shand Power Station and beyond.

In some instances, we will be restating the obvious advantages of a second generation program while perhaps bringing some fresh perspectives and proposals to the table for a current round of discussion.

Contrary to some beliefs, coal does not have to be a dirty fuel source for electrical power production. That has been an established fact for several years, although we recognize there is still a sturdy faction within our population and throughout North America that are still trying to convince themselves and others there should be no coal for evermore. We expect they see coal as a substantive commodity used to power our future as a non-starter.

They are hindered by history. Cutting edge technology, economics, environmental science and engineering expertise have proved otherwise and this expertise is in full force at BD3.

It has also been shown that once built, industrial ingenuity takes place on the mechanical as well as the scientific side.

Regarding the economic and environmental aspects of this presentation, we must reiterate that for starters, coal in Saskatchewan, to all intents and purposes, belongs to the people of Saskatchewan, so is a nearly free fuel. It can be used for decades providing technology advances in lockstep with

The CCS facility at SaskPower’s Boundary Dam Power Station has captured more than four million tonnes of CO2 since it came online in October 2014. File photo environmentally correct mining practices. The major cost factors are found in the mining and transportation. But, no other commodity or process can surpass coal in terms of low-cost certainty, if we care to use it.

The continued use of, or a major expansion of, the existing Shand Green House could become an economic, environmental and political power point for public consumption.

The Shand nursery could provide that service using a profit-orientated business model if desired. Other greenhouse

Acknowledging the Mining Industry for their contribution to our economy.

percy h. davis limited • Custom Brokers • Forwarders & Consultants

production models could be injected to add untold advantages if Shand is retained as a viable power producer.

A CCS power plant is capable of producing cost competitive electrical power; again, that is a proven fact that can be found within various studies and annual reports. Subsidization by senior government(s) can be reduced or eliminated.

Power production for renewable power generation has been, and will continue to be subsidized for a period of time, so we draw your attention to that fair and level playing field. It is expected that by the time a third generation of carbon capture projects takes place, subsidization will not be required or desired.

Cost comparisons for CCS at Shand versus BD3 are easily found within the Second Generation CCS Shand Study provided by the International CCS Knowledge Centre, so we will not belabour those particular points that favour expansion using carbon and sulphur capture processes. We trust SaskPower and others use a series of price ranges for comparisons with natural gas et al, and not just one set to use to compare when gas is at its

lowest price range, but would deploy a one or two-year average pricing regime so that fairness is established.

In the meantime, we rest assured the smoke rising from the stacks at these CCS units will be mostly steam that will not carry toxic materials to be released into the air streams.

Natural gas plants without C02 removal capabilities will.

Basic mechanical/chemical problems that surfaced early on in the BD3 model were addressed quickly and a second generation capture system that uses steam to run the capture unit leads to an improved efficiency rating.

It also should be noted at this juncture there are at least 17 carbon capture projects currently operating or under construction worldwide including five using coal for front end use.

Shand already has infrastructure in place to accommodate a carbon capture unit since it was originally built to welcome future expansion.

Cost and use comparisons with present and future natural gas plants or a potential agreement to procure future electrical supplies from Manitoba’s hydro system also needs to be

addressed.

It is understood that a natural gas plant, built with a higher cost factor than a Shand II project, could be operated efficiently with a personnel base of 30-60 people compared with coal-fuelled plants that also have mining personnel costs to factor in.

These are facts that appear to score a solid point for natural gas. However, the counter argument should be raised that 300-800 well-paid miners and power plant employees are major contributors to the province’s gross domestic production figures. They are taxpayers, consumers, volunteers and valuable contributors to their respective communities. If they are drummed out of their current positions, what are their chances of becoming equally valuable when subjected to lesser paying jobs or, they remove themselves from the province altogether?

We also keep in mind the continuing reduction in costs in operating a CCS unit since materials keep getting better, early problems are overcome and techniques improve. Those improvements carry cost efficiencies.

A15» CCS

• Export/Import Specialists

Head Office North Portal (306) 927-2165

www.percydavis.com

Estevan (306) 634-3434

CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE

is proven technology that advances using coal as an energy source to the forefront of today's power needs on a global scale. Boundary Dam Unit 3 was the first of its kind filling the gap between transitioning between renewable energy and reliable base load electricity.

It is proven, successful technology.

We support carbon capture & storage.

#SASKMININGWEEK

Recognizing the importance of the Mining Industry.

306.634.7311 loricarrmla@sasktel.net

Lori Carr, MLA Estevan Constituency Office

SALUTING

THE MINING INDUSTRY IN ESTEVAN!

www.estevanmercury.ca

June 2, 2021 A15

CCS has great value for power production « A14 Natural gas power plants will, most likely, not meet the carbon reduction levels required in the federal government’s Phase 2 or Phase 3 carbon tax (price) regime. This means they too, will be required to install carbon capture elements to their production base, or face abandonment deadlines.

It is now proven fact that CCS has the most significant impact on GHG emissions than any other process. Not using it means a predicted 138 per cent increase in climate mitigation costs for provincial taxpayers. Once CCS hubs are established, then demonstration models are out there to attract further investment. We must also point out here that this can be the quickest solution to meet climate goals while retaining competitiveness.

We admit there is now an ample natural gas supply to feed power plants for decades and the price model will probably not exceed US$3-$3.50 for some time to come.

But there is still some volatility in that market so prices will fluctuate and if Saskatchewan decides to procure the gas from elsewhere then it becomes beholden to other provinces, states or corporations.

We must also be cognizant of the fact our frontline politicians are, by design, not generally tuned to make long-term, far-reaching business decisions since their jobs are continually on the line in fouryear cycles and a desire/need to be elected or re-elected usually supersedes more careful long-range master plans and thoughts.

At this point, we remind our political friends that if Shand II is seen as non-viable, then by extension, the BD3 project will be forevermore seen as a failure. The social economic impact could be significant. Political opponents and some environmentalists will point to this section of the province

with derision and ridicule. There is that old adage we will trot out here that simply states that when you mix science with politics, you get politics. This is an opportunity where science can serve politics, and vice versa.

Moving back to the practical side again, there is another option we are certain the provincial government is contemplating and that is procurement of hydro-fuelled power from Manitoba.

Again, we understand variables are at play and they may not come into play at all as long as Manitoba retains a contract to supply hydropower to the state of Minnesota.

There is a belief, however, that Minnesota might attempt to capitalize on the currently less expensive natural gas sources from North Dakota to power their electrical grid. We expect that would take time and lead to some significant expenses, but that is not our call to speculate on here.

What does enter the picture, however, is, if that happens then Manitoba will come looking for a buyer for this excess supply of power and Saskatchewan could well become their major target. The offer will be submitted, at a bargain basement rate to save Manitoba’s government and power plants and the traditional bi-pole DC/AC power grid currently available could be expanded to Saskatchewan at a reasonable opening cost and would, of course, result in fewer men and women being required to serve the industry in Saskatchewan. It would also mean a lessened control of Saskatchewan power production and grid system.

Fewer people on the payroll should translate to larger profits for the Crown.

True.

However, Saskatchewan then loses 300 mine workers earning on

Salute to the Mining Industry 342 5th Street, Estevan 306-634-3601

average $100,000 annually, paying a 14.5 per cent provincial tax equalling approximately $4.35 million yearly. We then also lose several hundreds of indirect jobs, wages and corporate structures that cater to the mining and coal production processes. Using a traditional 4X multiplier index, that amounts to an additional economic loss of $17 million (modest assessment) or more per year, every year, not temporarily. And, this is only factoring in lost mining jobs. The lost SaskPower jobs only add to that negative scenario and SaskPower will do that mathematical equation and we do not know what spin they would put on the subject and decision.

If BD3 is left as an orphan power producer, what is the expected life span? If BD3 is eliminated by politically motivated environmentalists they most certainly will be defying and denying the economic and environmental facts of efficiency. What will decommissioning costs be for Boundary Dam and/or Shand?

We expect, however, one decommissioned plant would come with a price tag of at least $30 - $40 million in today’s dollars.

There is another item we raise on the lost opportunity topic if Shand II and other similar projects are rejected. That is the sale of CO2 to the oil industry and fly ash sales to the concrete/cement producers who prefer it for the more efficient use of their product, thus reducing their toxic waste factors. Is this positive environmental fact to be dismissed without proper assessment? The cement production industry relies on this product. They have no immediate alternatives. Without it, what type of jeopardy do they face? We will have placed them in a dilemma. Do we want a world without cement, or, more likely, higher cost, higher

GHG cement?

C02 is regarded as a valuable property for enhanced oil recovery systems already deployed in southeast Saskatchewan and elsewhere.

The C02 captured at BD3 has been used by the oil industry for 20 years and has proven to be successful.

There are buyers for this product for decades in the future in adherence with Canadian fuel standards.

So we must place that fact in the value added file. On the federal scale of putting a price on carbon, there is the possibility of placing a price on permanently stored carbon and another for the utilization of captured carbon for EOR or other eligible criteria.

Currently, a major oil company is using BD3’s C02 to enhance oil recovery for 43 per cent of its 23,000-30,000 barrels of oil per day production. A North Dakota gasification outlet provides the rest.

This company’s officials are seeking more C02 that will keep the existing oilfields they own and operate, on a continuing path of production and expansion. That company currently employs 55 people in the immediate region to carry on the work of enhanced oil recovery and environmental stewardship. Without the C02, production would be lowered to approximately 5,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

That would require a reduction in personnel.

At present, this company has sequestered two million tonnes of C02 on a permanent basis. On the offsets side of the file, this sequestration represents 100 per cent of their emissions target. As the company noted, they have 34 million tonnes of C02 in their reservoir now.

Solar and wind power along with natural gas require cost structures for 24-hour standby. If solar or wind power ever reach the point

where the power can be stored, what will those costs be? What will be the additional costs when subsidies are applied to the bottom line? It is said that with the notion when true comparisons are carried out, the faults associated with all manners of power production, are eventually unveiled. All power production systems come with environmental cost, including renewables. It was also noted that a Shand II project would come in with a bulk CO2 gathering system at a financial and operating basis that would be about 30 per cent more efficient than BD3.

This makes this one of the less expensive ways to go if we compare evenly across the board. We must also keep in mind that a diverse power system is desirable. We have extreme weather shifts and our system needs to retain flexibility to answer the sudden calls for power and the continuing calls for growth.

How do we want our future to read? How do we present ourselves to the rest of the world? Will we be saying this particular solution to the greenhouse gas problem was made in Saskatchewan, or, the solution to the problem – was purchased by Saskatchewan?

Do we prefer control, market recognition, economic and job stability and leadership? Or, do we become another follower subjected to the political and economic whims of others?

We suggest that when we see something isn’t right, we must stand up.

When we see and hear false information being spread about the use of coal as a viable fuel source, or, when there is a lack of education regarding the carbon capture process, it is not the time to give up. We must do the right thing for our citizens, our economy and our environmental wellbeing.

We have to speak up.

Proud to serve the Mining Industry with Steel & Aluminum Fabrication!

Office: 306-634-9955

Randy Franke: 306-421-2244 • Estevan, Sask.

Thank you

SUPPORTING THE MINING INDUSTRY

Proud to be your supplier of heavy duty truck parts

• Fire Extinguisher Sales, Services & Rentals • Gas Detection Sales, Services & Rentals • Breathing Air Refills & Hydro Testing • SCBA/SABA Equipment Sales & Services • Rentals • Fit Testing • Safety Air Trailers & Safety Personnel • Calibration Gases & Accessories Sales • New & Reconditioned Equipment • First Aid, Eyewash & Burn Kit Services • Signage • Safety Glasses, Gloves & Hearing Protection • Gastec & Rae Pumps/H2S Detection Tubes

for keeping our Air Conditioners running this summer!

Authorized Sales & Service & Warranty Centre for:

306-636-6320 CERVUSEQUIPMENT.COM/PETERBILT #1 Frontier Street, Estevan, SK

We salute the mining industry

for heating our homes and powering our economy

AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTOR

Troye Carson • 306-421-3603 Preston Majeran • 306-421-6609 tcarsonsafety@sasktel.net pmajeransafety@sasktel.net Highway 361 West (South Yard), P.O. Box 518, Lampman, SK, S0C 1N0

Thank you to the mining industry for providing us with power, jobs and economic stability. We support you.

RM OF RM OF

COALFIELDS COALFIELDS NO.4 NO.4

Serving our community since 1966 industrialcommunicationsystems.com

89 King Str. East 306-634-3783

423 Main St., Bienfait, SK • 306-388-2323

A16 June 2, 2021

www.estevanmercury.ca

Lampman 2021 Graduates Lampman is to celebrate 2021 graduates

By Ana Bykhovskaia Lampman School will say farewell to 17 graduates on June 26.

The administration decided to postpone the big day in the hopes to see a better epidemiological situation and fewer restrictions. And so far their hopes are justified.

Principal Annemarie Rosner said that while it's been a challenging year for everyone, now that there's some light at the end of the tunnel, it looks like Grade 12 students are going to have a real grad ceremony to celebrate the great individuals leaving the school

behind and entering the big world.

"They're a very diverse group.

They've got a wide range of interests and strengths.They are a light-hearted group. And they've got a good sense of humour," Rosner said.

"I'm excited to see what the future holds for this group."

The graduation day will still be a bit different from what other classes had before, but 2021 students and their parents definitely will have a way to celebrate their achievements this year.

"Our school purchased banners for the graduates that are posted along Highway 361 by the school

... Traditionally, Lampman School's grad would have been celebrated last Friday, May 28. However, earlier in the year, we had been advised to postpone our grad celebration to later. So we chose Saturday, June 26, in hopes that restrictions would lessen as the year went on," Rosner explained.

The Grade 12 graduation theme is Sweet Ending to a New Beginning.

The school chose silver, gold and black colours for the big day.

"Lampman School, including staff, students, and parents, truly feel thankful that we can give our 17 graduates a ceremony to celebrate the graduation milestone. The ceremony

itself will strictly follow the ministry's graduation guidelines. And as a result, the ceremony will incorporate some Lampman School traditions. But of course, some traditions are put on hold," Rosner said.

On the day of the graduation, traditionally parents' bios would be read as each grad enters the stage.

Some moments were modified, but students will still have a chance to give their parents a rose – Lampman School's traditional way of paying tribute to parents. There will be a principal’s message, a parent’s speech and a reply, and a handing out of the diplomas. Rosner noted that the

ceremony will be significantly shorter than usual, as requested by the parents and the grads.

"We are excited that we are able to put something on. It'll definitely take thoughtful planning in terms of making sure that everything is following the safety measures. But I have a really great team behind me.

And I'm confident that we can put together something really memorable and wonderful for our Grade 12s," Rosner said.

The school will put on an official ceremony, but anything else the graduation class does afterwards will not be a part of the school’s plans.

Class of 2021

Aaron Kim

Alyssa McLeod

Amryn Nobert

Bohden Smyth

Brandon Veroba

Diezel Raynard

Grace Christensen

Isaiah Hinz

Jacob Kautz

Jenna Schlamp

Congratulations LEVI HIRSCH We are so proud of you

HIRSCH CONSTRUCTION LTD.

Congratulations to all the

2021 LAMPMAN GRADUATES

CLASS OF 2021 BOX 123, KISBEY, SK S0C 1L0 (306) 462-2130 nankivelltrucking@sasktel.net nankivelltrucking.ca

and best wishes for your next adventures!

109 Main Street Lampman 306-487-7746

Celebrating the

Graduating Class of 2021

“

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.

- Helen Keller

WAY TO GO ALL

2021 LAMPMAN GRADUATES! We salute you, Class of 2021!

Your hard work and dedication set a great example, and we’re very proud of your accomplishments.

Congratulations!

“

DR. ROBERT KITCHEN MP

Souris-Moose Mountain

Toll Free 1-866-249-4697 • www.drrobertkitchen.ca

Congratulations

Class of 2021!

Enjoy the summer; I wish you success on your next adventure.

Daryl Harrison, MLA

canningtonconstituency@sasktel.net 306-443-4402

RM of Browning No.34

Town of Lampman

Box 40, Lampman, SK (306) 487-2444

Box 70, Lampman, SK (306) 487-2462

TNT Oilfield Services Ltd. 306-487-2729 • 306-421-1945

Congratulations

Class of 2021

www.estevanmercury.ca

June 2, 2021 A17

Lampman 2021 Graduates Class of 2021

Jeremy Green

Keara Christensen

Levi Hirsch

Shailyn Johnson

Jewelee Morris

Trinity Niebergall

Honoring Our Grads

Congratulations, Graduates!

Congratulations Class of 2021!

Years of hard work have led you here today, and we’re honored to celebrate with all of you.

We wish you the best as you take the next step.

Thanks for making us proud!

From your Saskatchewan Party MLA

Saskatchewan Party Caucus

Class of 2021

With these ever changing times, Congratulations on this Milestone achievement, Graduates. We salute your hard work and dedication!!

Grimes Sales & Service.

Ph: 306-487-2525

Bus: 306-487-2608 • Fax: 306-487-2296 www.huttstrucking.ca

Congratulations to e

The Best Is Yet to Come

Enjoy the summer; I wish you success on your next adventure.

Sierra Klassen

Graduating class of 2021!

We’re proud of you, graduates.

Good luck and best wishes in all of your future endeavors!

306-487-4127 www.carsonsafetyservices.ca

PO Box 1824 Estevan, Saskatchewan, S4A2X8, Canada www.dexeco.com

Midale 2021 Graduates Class of 2021

Congratulations to the

Kole Scrupps

Dalis Prawdzik

MIDALE GRADUATES!

Celebrating the

Graduating Class of 2021

“

Kordel Duncan

Congrats 2021 Grads F CLASS O

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.

- Helen Keller

“

DR. ROBERT KITCHEN MP Souris-Moose Mountain

204 Main St. Midale, Saskatchewan S0C 1S0

1-306-458-2449

Toll Free 1-866-249-4697 • www.drrobertkitchen.ca

Class of 2021

5TH STREET AUTOBODY

SPORTS

Don’t Cuss! Call US

306-634-7101

A18 | Wednesday, June 2, 2021 | estevanmercury.ca

601 - 5th St. • Estevan, SK

Speedway opens season with lots of Sask. talent The Estevan Motor Speedway held the first regular race program of its 22nd season on Sunday night, providing an evening of entertainment for the fans who were present.

Due to restrictions that have kept the Canada-U.S. border and the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border closed, the five classes offered – the slingshots, and the IMCA hobby stock, sport mod, stock car and modified classes – were almost entirely made up of Saskatchewan drivers.

Fifty-nine drivers entered between the five classes.

Ryder Raynard, who has won the slingshot entry level class the past three seasons, began his quest for a fourth straight championship by winning the feature on Sunday night. Eli Turnbull finished second despite starting in the seventh spot on the grid, and Ty Blackburn was third. All three drivers are listed as being from Estevan.

Lampman’s Landon Runge won the hobby stock race, working his way up from fifth on the starting grid. Connor Hansen of Torquay, who won the track

championship last year, was second in the feature. Manor’s Michael Wilson came in third.

Another defending track champion, Lampman’s Leevi Runge, continued his mastery of the sport mod class by winning that feature race. He started ninth in the 11-car field. Two other Lampman drivers, Kyle Scholpp and Rylan Raynard, finished second and third, respectively.

Estevan drivers swept the top three spots in the stock car class. Jeremy Swanson started from the pole and took the checkered flag. Gregg Mann was second and Chase Davidson was third.

Long-time driver Ed Turnbull of Estevan was the victor in the IMCA modifieds, finishing ahead of a couple of other Estevan favourites, Kody Scholpp, who was second, and Les McLenehan in third.

The next program is a doubleheader slated for June 11 and 12. Races begin at 7 p.m. each night.

All of the scheduled regular programs for the rest of the season are Friday and Saturday night double-headers.

Landon Runge, middle, was the winner in the hobby stock class at the Estevan Motor Speedway on Sunday night. Photo by Byron Fichter Fotography

Minor football not giving up on U18 varsity season Penta Completions Estevan Minor Football won’t be part of a 12-man under-18 varsity league that looks like it is now forging ahead.

But that doesn’t mean the concept of a local spring U18 varsity team is finished.

Speaking after a Zoom meeting Sunday night with representatives of other football associations, EMF president Kevin Mortenson said they have 23 players who would be fully committed to playing on the team, which would be enough to play nineman football, but not with 12 players on the field at a time.

They would likely need at least 30 players.

Another 16 players want to play, but can’t because of previous commitments with another sport, graduation and/or work. Almost half of the committed players are in Grade 8 or Grade 9, which is a good sign for a couple of years from now.

Moose Jaw, Yorkton and Weyburn have committed to being part of the 12-man league. A few Estevan athletes are expected to travel to Weyburn to be part of their spring varsity team.

Mortenson is now holding out hope to be part of a spring nine-man league that would involve Melville and Moosomin; the latter invited

Estevan to be in that circuit. It would be a four-game season with a home and away game against the other teams.

“I’ve been texting Moosomin since it was decided that Estevan couldn’t compete,” said Mortenson. “I’m hopeful that we could start, just like the Moose Jaw minor football schedule that would have started around the 10th of June.”

If they do start around June 10, that would allow the football season to be finished in early July, which would give everybody a month off before the high school football and the other minor football seasons begin.

He wants to see both players and coaches get some time off in July, and he doesn’t want football to ruin summer plans.

There is a measure of disappointment that they won’t be in the 12-man

league, because the players on the Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs football team won’t get to play 12-man football this school year. “ But I ’m also optimistic that we can play in those nine-man games,” said

Mortenson.

The players for the U18 Estevan varsity team have still been practising. A meeting was slated to happen following practice on Tuesday night to discuss the direction they want to take.

The 2021 edition of the Rafferty Reservoir Walleye Classic (RRWC) attracted dozens of anglers to Rafferty Dam during the Victoria Day

long weekend.

The team of Louie Bakopolous and Christina Bamberg came in top spot with a cumulative length of 529.8 centimetres for their five largest fish each day. They caught five fish that measured 264.9 centimetres on May 22, and five more fish that also had a combined length of 264.9 centimetres on May 23.

Paul Skoczylas and Rene Sehn were second. They had five fish that measured 266.7 centimetres the first day and five more fish at 250.5 centimetres the following day, for a total length of 517.2 centimetres. Skoczylas also had the longest fish at 70.8 centimetres.

Rounding out the top five were Don Planedin and Brad Degelman (502.3 centimetres total, 250.1 centimetres the first day and 252.2 the second); Ryan and Ken Englot (498.6 centimetres total, with 260 centimetres the first day and 238.6 the second); and Mike Strandlund and Ron Carswell (496.5 centimetres total, 250.4 centimetres the first day and 246.1 centimetres the second).

Twenty-four teams were entered this year. The number was down from previous editions of the event, as some teams couldn’t make it into Saskatchewan due to border restrictions, while others dropped out due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fish that were caught

were measured using the MyCatch by Angler’s Atlas app.

In a Facebook post, James Turner with IOMPresents – the organization that organized the fishing derby – said that in a year when tournaments all over the country have been cancelled due to COVID-19, putting on the walleye cup was a challenge.

To ensure that the tournament ran as safely as possible, Turner made the decision to switch the classic from a weigh-in-based competition to a catch-photo-release (CPR) tournament, powered

by MyCatch.

There wasn’t a lot of experience with this kind of shift amongst the stakeholders, including the anglers.

There were some issues with using the technology and with the very unique rules written for this event, he said, especially on the Saturday.

The technological issues were reduced for the second day.

Turner also missed the social element that is usually associated with the fishing derby.

The RRWC will return to Mainprize Regional Park as a weigh-in tournament May 21 and 22 of next year.

IOM Presents also organizes the Boundary Bass Classic, which is scheduled for June 19 at Boundary Dam Reservoir. Turner said there will be changes in how the fish are measured, but exact details have yet to be finalized.

Rafferty Reservoir Walleye Classic attracted anglers

GRAIN STORAGE & FARM EQUIPMENT

ONLINE TIMED AUCTION

DOUD’S REPAIR LTD COLGATE, SASKATCHEWAN 306-869-7058

SALE OPENS: MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 @ 8 AM SALE CLOSES: FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2021 @ 10 AM DIRECTIONS FROM COLGATE, SASK GO 16 KMS WEST & 3.2 KMS SOUTH

WATCH FOR SIGNS TO VIEW, REGISTER & BID VISIT www.mackauctioncompany.com 0r Phone 306-421-2928 or 306-487-7815

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK

PL. 311962

WHILE YOU ARE AWAY, HE IS IN GOOD HANDS .

FENCED PLAY YARDS SOCIALIZE YOUR DOG ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES STRUCTURED, INTERACTIVE PLAY TIME AIR CONDITIONED/HEATED INDOOR PLAY SPACES

Auto Collision, Body Repair and Painting, SGI Accredited Elite Bodyshop • Factory Scheduled Maintenance • Tune Ups & Oil Changes • Servicing all makes & models.

• SGI Appraisals • Courtesy Vehicles Available

118 Souris Ave. N. Estevan • 306-634-3696 • www.senchuk.com

www.estevanmercury.ca

June 2, 2021 A19

U13 Brewers learn from a former pro pitcher Members of the Estevan TS&M U13 Brewers baseball club had the opportunity to learn from a former professional baseball player on Saturday.

Shane Dawson Jr., who spent six seasons as a pitcher in the Toronto Blue Jays organization and won a gold medal for Team Canada at the 2015 Pan-Am Games in Toronto, came to Estevan to offer tips to the Brewers as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Dawson’s father, also named Shane, is a coach for the Brewers.

Brewers head coach Darcy Henry said the younger Dawson helped players work on a lot of pitching techniques, including their fastball, curveball and changeup, as well as pick-off moves.

And Dawson provided tips

on hitting, base-running and outfield work.

Games such as two-ball, which saw the Brewers divided into groups of three, added to the fun of the day.

Dawson was impressed with what he saw from the kids in terms of their work ethic, attentiveness and ability to make adjustments.

“It’s good to see. If they can take one thing away from this weekend, then that’s one thing that will help them get better,” said Dawson.

A native of Fort McMurray, Dawson now works at a junior high and a baseball academy in Spruce Grove, Alta. Since his dad is a coach with the Brewers, Dawson decided to come to Estevan. It was his first clinic since 2019.

“I’ll help grow the game as much as I can, as long as people give me the opportu-

nity,” said Dawson. “They’ve been pretty gracious hosts to me, making me feel pretty comfortable.”

Henry believes the advice that Dawson brought will be helpful for the upcoming season. “ These kids are like sponges and they’re willing to learn, and we’re starting league right away next weekend, and I can’t wait to put all the stuff we learned today into play,” Henry said on Saturday.

They should have a good team, too, as 10 of their 12 players are back from last year’s squad.

The Brewers will be in a nine-team league in the Regina Baseball League. Henry hopes they can get a full season in.

Provincials are scheduled for Aug. 20 at a location to be determined.

Caden Dorrance was among the Estevan Brewers who participated in a clinic run by former professional baseball player Shane Dawson Jr. on Saturday.

64th Annual

June 4-5

Welcome to the Estevan OTS Annual Golf Tournament

Estevan OTS Golf Event remains a big part of the community The final preparations are coming together for the Estevan Oilfield Technical Society’s (OTS) annual Oilmen’s Golf event, scheduled for June 4 and 5 at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course.

The competition will see golfers play an 18-hole round on either the first or the second day. Ash Domes, who is the chairperson of the golf event’s committee, said the entrants are excited to play in the oilmen’s this year.

“We have lots of support.

We have lots of sponsorships and donations and prizes coming in,” said Domes.

The OTS had an enjoyable trap shooting event back in April, and now they’re looking forward to continuing the momentum with the golf competition.

“It’s a staple event,” said Domes. “It allows us to be able to give back to the community for other things that come up … with different things that we’ve worked on over the years. When we have successful events and we get a good buy-in, it helps with the economy and the circumstances that have been going on.”

In a normal year it would be the biggest fundraiser for the Estevan OTS, but right now the focus is trying to break even.

It’s essential to keep fo-

cusing as a group to make sure these events go on, he said.

The golf event is also good for socializing and networking. People who would normally not get a chance to meet will get to connect.

“It’s a good way to focus the industry together to be able to create new relationships and things like that,” said Domes.

And it is a big weekend for the golf course. Traditionally the tournament would be held over three days, and would have 18-hole and 36hole events. It would also feature a steak or lobster supper at the end of the second day that would serve as a social night for the golfers.

Still, the number of golfers entered isn’t a significant decrease from normal.

Domes said the OTS is grateful to Woodlawn head pro and general manager Amanda Minchin and the rest of the staff for all of the work they have done.

The four par-3 holes on the course will each have a $10,000 hole in one prize during the event. More than 40 local and non-local sponsors have stepped forward with support, and Domes highlighted Wil-Tech Industries for sponsoring the Oilmen’s for more than 20 years.

Approximately 300 golf-

GOOD LUCK

TO ALL GOLFERS!

ers are expected to register, which means there will be 150 golfers making their way through the course each day.

The deadline to register was on May 23, and organizers have been working hard to book and confirm tee times.

The OTS accepted late entries until the 300 available tee times were booked.

A meal will be served to each golfer once they complete their round.

It will be a similar format to last year’s competition, which was an 18-hole event that was held on just one day.

Domes noted there will be a photo booth and other attractions that will follow COVID-19 restrictions. While there have been Rick Hallberg accepts the OTS championship trophy for 2020 from Tony Sernick, changes to the guidelines for who was the OTS vice-president at the time and is now the president. File photo outdoor team sports, Domes said they are following the “Some of the guidelines there’s a little bit of relaxing establishment. They won’t advice of the golf course for with how guys will converse on that, being able to use the have as many restrictions and the event. and meet up during the event, golf clubhouse as a normal guidelines there.”

Welcome Golfers to the

64 Annual Tournament th

Smart Power| Smart Rentals

Oxbow (306) 483-2848 • Pipestone (204) 854-2231 Waskada (204) 673-2284 • Halbrite (306) 458-2344

WELCOME GOLFERS

#10 Frontier Street, Estevan SK 306-634-5555 • www.skyliftservices.com

Good Luck Have Fun Be Safe

#92 Highway 39 E, Estevan, SK (306) 634-6549

Best of luck to all golfers

Good Luck Golfers!

Welcome Golfers!

GOOD LUCK GOLFERS

Welcome

GOLFERS GOOD LUCK

GOLFERS!

A20 June 2, 2021

www.estevanmercury.ca

Bike and Brew brings friends together for exercise and socializing

CLUES ACROSS 1. Female deer 4. Unfashionable people 8. Entranceway 10. Courteous 11. Level 12. Deli meat 13. Details 15. Stole 16. A genus of bee 17. Expressed as digits 18. Your child’s daughter 21. __ and flow 22. Small amount 23. Revolutions per minute 24. Criticize 25. Snake-like fish 26. Cooling mechanism 27. Inquiry 34. Engage in political activity 35. The lowest adult male singing voice 36. Endings 37. Irises 38. The highest parts 39. Kimono sashes 40. Bewilders 41. Mentally healthy 42. Used to traverse snow 43. Inflamed

CLUES DOWN 1. Adventurous 2. Deliverer of speeches 3. Skin condition 4. Widened 5. James Cameron film 6. The 3rd letter of the Hebrew alphabet 7. Moved along a surface 9. Pharmacological agent 10. Charity 12. Seeing someone famous 14. Not happy 15. Farm animal 17. Give a nickname to 19. Uses up 20. Type of missile (abbr.)

23. Criticizes 24. Midwife 25. Entwined 26. Supervises interstate commerce 27. A way to convert 28. Female sibling 29. TV network 30. Tropical Asian plant 31. Line on a map 32. Denotes songbirds 33. Made publicly known 34. He devised mud cleats for football 36. Trends

It’s become another opportunity for people to come together safely while enjoying some outdoor exercise during the spring and summer months.

The Bike and Brew is held twice a week, departing at 7 p.m. from The Beef Bar on Monday nights and Willy’s The Tap House on Thursdays.

Once they finish, participants are able to socialize, again safely.

Jeff Pierson from the Beef Bar said this is the third year the program has been offered. Pierson had seen similar programs in the U.S., and so he approached Pete Sereggela with the Tap House and Joe Lingelbach with JL’s Bike and Skate about bringing it to Estevan.

Most weeks they will get 10 riders, but on the nice weeks, they have had as many as 20 cyclists.

“We’ve had good turnouts so far this year. The weather’s been fairly co-operative for us. But we’re always looking for more to come out,” said Pierson.

Participating in the Bike and Brew carries a lot of benefits. People get to be outside and get some exercise, encounter new people and make some friends. It’s also an activity that can happen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“All of it’s done outdoors, and I think it’s one of the safer things to do right now during

The Bike and Brew departs every Monday at the Beef Bar and every Thursday at Willy’s The Tap House.

COVID,” said Pierson.

This year marks the first time they have had a Thursday night ride, and so far it’s proven to be as popular as the Monday sessions.

The bike ride is 15-20 kilometres each week, which sounds like a lot, but they’re usually finished within an hour. They don’t ride at a fast pace, and cyclists are able to ride at their own speed. It attracts cyclists of different abilities as well, from the novice rider to the very experienced.

Participants as young as 10 years old have been involved. Pierson said there are

some misconceptions with the Bike and Brew because of its name, but there’s no obligation to have a beer or stick around for the social element.

“It’s just really meant for any level of rider,” said Pierson.

The Thursday night rides will typically take them down to Woodlawn Regional Park.

They have a few different routes within the city, and they hope to have a ride that will take them out of town during the summer months.

If someone wants to participate, they need to show up and join the group, Pierson said. Helmets are encouraged but are optional.

Happy 91st Birthday, Henry!

TODAY’S YOUR SPECIAL DAY! TIME TO CELEBRATE! As the years have passed, we realize just how lucky we are to have a father and grandfather as wonderful as you.

We are sad that we cannot celebrate another milestone birthday with you in person and look forward to the day when we can get together again.

Until then, we wish you a day filled with joy and happiness.

LOTS OF LOVE, HUGS AND KISSES PAT, KATHY, GLEN AND NEVADA

PRESENTS YOUR

COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD Estevan Gymnastics Club Eddie Websters The Market Case Lot Fundraiser 30% of all profit will be donated! order online at eddiewebsters.com/shop, enter fundraising code ESTEVANGYMNASTICS Product is sold by the case, perfect to stock the freezer or share with family & friends. Orders are placed every Sunday, pickup Tuesday 3-6pm.

Order until June 6, 2021.

Chicken, steak, ribs, shrimp & more!

Estevan Royal Canadian Legion

5th Annual Truck Raffle 1st prize: 2021 Ford F150 XLT 2nd prize: $10,000 cash 3rd prize: $5,000 cash 5 Early Bird Bonus Draws of $1,000 ea Draw date: Dec 31, 2021 @10 pm Early Bird Draw: Oct 2, 2021 @ 8 pm Tickets: $100.00 ea purchase at Senchuk Ford Sales or Legion Office

ARE YOU A NON-PROFIT WITH A FUNDRAISER OR EVENT COMING UP? Email details to dtarnes@estevanmercury.ca

✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿

Ardene Dollarama Eclipse Marks Money Mart Nutters

✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿

Peavey Mart Pet Valu Sask Liquor SaskTel Sobeys SportCheck

✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿

Estevan Golden Eels

CASH RAFFLE 1st Prize - $500 sponsored by The Floor Store 2nd Prize - $250 sponsored by Murray GM 3rd Prize - $100 sponsored by Great Canadian Oil Change Buy tickets @ www2.rafflebox.ca/raffle/goldeneelssc

The Catholic Women’s League

#30 Wylie Mitchell Air Cadets SSC Booze Survivor

Win SLGA Vouchers in the amount of $1500, $1050, $825, $600, $375 and $150, Enter as a team of 5, or individually!

Entry Fee - $30/person Entries accepted until June 11 @ noon.

Find out more at www.boozesurvivor.ca or email boozesurvivorssc@gmail.com

ESTEVAN FARMERS MARKET

St. John the Baptist, Estevan 50/50 Raffle Up to $5,000 to be won Draw Date: October 5, 2021 Ticket Price; $10.00, each E-transfers accepted. Call Anita at 306-421-7538

every Saturday from 8:30am - 1pm in the Estevan Market Mall parking lot.

Penta Completions Estevan Minor Football

Win a Daniel Boone Prime Smoker with $1000 meat pckg For tickets go to estevanfootball5050.ca Tickets: 1 for $5, 3 for $15, 5 for $25, 10 for $50 • Draw date July 1, 2021 @ 12:00 am

Studio C Fitness The Brick The Source Tim Horton’s Warehouse One The Co-Operators

“Where Community Happens” 400 King Street 306.634.2444

CLASSIFIEDS A21 | Wednesday, June 2, 2021 | estevanmercury.ca In MeMorIaM

Obituaries Susan (Sue) BERGEN Sue passed away peacefully with her husband by her side after complications, from a fall at her care home, on Tuesday, May 11, 2021 at the age of 69 years.

She was predeceased by her parents Al and Jean Miller; and father-in-law and mother-in-law John and Eileen Bergen.

Sue will be lovingly remembered by her husband Blair; son Wayne and his son Prestin; daughter Tammy (Jeremy) and their family Sophie, Trinity and Ryan; brother-in-law and sisters- in law Bernice (Bryan), Brian (Nancy) and Belinda (Don); as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Thank you to the staff of the Regina General Hospital 5A and the Pasqua Hospital 3A for the wonderful care shown to Sue. A Private Memorial Service will be held at a later date. Donations in memory of Sue may be made to Estevan Humane Society, Box 1095, 1 Jenson Road, Estevan, SK S4A 2H7 or the Hospitals of Regina Foundation, #225 - 1874 Scarth Street, Regina SK S4P 4B3. Family and friends are invited to view the online obituary and tributes page at www.reginafuneralhome.ca.

Arrangements entrusted to Regina Funeral Home and Cemetery (306) 789-8850.

Anton Schaff 1933 – 2021 Anton Schaff, late of Lampman, SK passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Thursday, May 20, 2021 at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Estevan, SK at the age of 88 years.

Anton is lovingly remembered by his family: wife Stella; daughter Darlene Schaff, sons, Dwayne Schaff and Kevin (Kim) Schaff (grandchildren, Daria (Logan Hertes) and Dawson; 2 sisters, Mary Wanner and Pauline (John) Mickel as well as numerous nieces and nephews as well as Stella’s family.

Anton was predeceased by his parents, Anton Sr. and Lily Schaff; brother Peter Schaff, Pauline and Margaret in infancy, niece Kara Jacobs and brother-in-law Lawrence Wanner.

The Funeral Mass for Anton was held on Monday, May 31, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Seven Sorrows R.C. Church, Lampman, SK with Rev. Nestor Gregoire, OMI presiding. The private family interment took place following the service at the parish cemetery.

If friends so desire, memorial donations may be made to Heart & Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan, 1738 Quebec Ave., Saskatoon, SK S7K 1V9 or to the Canadian Diabetes Association, 917 A Albert St., Regina, SK S4R 2P6 in memory of Anton.

Hall Funeral Services in Estevan provided care for Anton’s family- Yvonne Clark, Funeral Director.

Gladys G. Stropko 1932 – 2021 Gladys Stropko, late of Estevan, SK passed away on Saturday, May 22, 2021 at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Estevan, SK at the age of 89 years.

Gladys will be lovingly remembered by her children and their families; daughter Sharol (Brett) Lansberry (grandchildren: Tyler Barabash, Brandi Mack and their families), son Ron (Jewel) Stropko (grandchildren: Kylie Stropko, Romni Stropko and their families), son Blaine Stropko (Pam Franko) (grandchildren: Layton Stropko, Danielle Franko), daughter Lois Bolen (grandchildren: BJ (Michelle) Bolen and Kenzie Bolen); daughter June Frijouf (Lyle Schmidt) (grandchildren: Kelsie Frijouf and Connor Frijouf) as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Gladys was predeceased by her parents, Walter and Hedwig Engelke; husband Nick Stropko; grandsons, Brady Stropko and Talon Franko; sister Margaret (Neil) Byers; brother Alex Engelke; sister-in-law Marie (Pete) Dukart and brother-in-law Reg Reidel.

In keeping with Gladys’s wishes, there will be a private family graveside service held at a later date this summer.

If friends so desire, memorial donations may be made to a charity of one’s choice.

Hall Funeral Services provided care for Gladys’s family - Yvonne Clark, Funeral Director.

Stuart Edward Good July 18, 1944 - May 14, 2021 Stuart was raised in the Pense area and passed away in Estevan on Friday, May 14, 2021 due to complications from diabetes. He was predeceased by his parents Jack and Vivian; brother Patrick in infancy and his sister June. He is survived by his children Rhonda (Darrel), Natalie (Jason), Stony Todd and their mother Dianne (Gerry); granddaughters Lindsey (Andrew), Brittany and Bronte; siblings John (Pat), Bruce (Bertie), Earl (Marilyn) and Beverly (Grant); as well as many extended family members. Stuart was a farmer, land speculator and recently worked at JJ Trucking in Arcola, Carson Welding and Maintenance in Lampman, Prairie Western Reclamation & Construction in Beinfait, Turnbull Excavating and Genco Asphalt in Estevan. Stuart had farming in his blood and never felt complete unless he had some land to call his own. Over the years he operated farms in the Francis, Regina, Indian Head and Estevan areas.

Stuart was a strong character who lived his life on his own terms. Interment will be at Cottonwood cemetery near Pense. A family gathering will take place at a later date. The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses who cared for him in the Regina General Hospital, the St. Joseph Hospital and Estevan Regional Nursing Home. We would especially like to thank his friends, Dave Leggatt and Scott Birnie for the friendship and support given to Stuart these last years. Family and friends are invited to view the online obituary and tributes page at www.reginafuneralhome.ca.

Arrangements entrusted to Regina Funeral Home and Cemetery (306) 789-8850.

In Loving Memory of Jean Ann Matchett August 1, 1932 May 26, 2012.

Sadly missed along life’s way Quietly remembered every day No longer in our lives to share But in our hearts your always there.

Remembered and loved each day by - Husband Dave and children Brenda (Marvin) Olson, Robert (Joan) Matchett, Richard (Janice) Matchett: Grandchildren Heather Olson, Ryan (Lise) Olson, Alison (Brad) Seipp, Ashley Olson, Caitlin and Riley Matchett, Luke and James Matchett.

Great grandchildren Clara Jean Seipp, Chace Olson, Emmerly Olson, Emmett Robin Seipp, Liam Olson

Notices / NomiNatioNs Advertisements and statements contained herein are the sole responsibility of the persons or entities that post the advertisement, and the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association and membership do not make any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness or reliability of such advertisements. For greater information on advertising conditions, please consult the Association’s Blanket Advertising Conditions on our website at www.swna.com.

PROVINCE-WIDE CLASSIFIEDS. 51 local community newspapers, distributing to over 450 communities, including 14 cities. Reach over 550,000 readers weekly. Call 306-649.1405 or visit www.swna.com for details.

LAND FOR SALE

FARMLAND WANTED I am currenlty PURCHASING single to large blocks of land.

Police make a few arrests Members of the Estevan Police Service (EPS) are investigating two suspected incidents of impaired driving by drug that occurred on May 27.

In the two separate traffic stops, a roadside screening device for drugs was used and the drivers tested above the legal limit for impairment by drug. The motorists were taken for further testing and police are awaiting the results of these tests.

As a result of the preliminary positive tests, the drivers had their licences suspended and vehicles impounded. The matters remain under investigation.

In other recent police news, members arrested a 36-year-old individual just after 11 p.m. on May 24.

He has been charged with impaired driving, operating a motor vehicle while over .08, obstructing a police officer, driving while disqualified and excessive speed. The accused is

wanted in Newfoundland and Saskatchewan for a variety of other offences. He was held in custody and appeared in court the following morning.

The EPS is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying individuals responsible for throwing eggs at several residences throughout the city during the evening of May 27.

If anyone has any information, they are asked to contact the EPS or Crime Stoppers.

Police received a report of fraud May 28 after an individual noticed money missing from their account.

The matter remains under investigation.

A disturbance call resulted in police responding to a business in northeast Estevan. The matter is under investigation.

Members executed a warrant for the Regina Police Service. A female was arrested and later released by a justice of the peace for court in Regina at a later date.

Feed & Seed

Career OppOrtunities HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS REQUIRED:

CERTIFIED SEED Wheat

AAC Goodwin, AC Andrew, SAdASh, Go eArly, PintAil. Oats AC JuniPer, AC MorGAn, AC MuStAnG, derby, So1 SuPer oAt.

Barley

CdC AuStenSon, CdC MAveriCk, CervezA, Sundre.

Peas AAC PeACe river (very eArly yellow), CdC horizon (ForAGe), PoliSh CAnolA, SPrinG tritiCAle mastinseeds.com 403-556-2609

NO FEES OR COMMISISONS Saskatchewan born and raised, I know land, farming and farmland and can help you every step of the way.

Doug Rue, for further information 306-716-2671 saskfarms@shaw.ca www.sellyourfarm land.com

ApArtments/Condos for rent For Rent Large suite with three appliances Close to the Affinity Credit Union Gas, electricity and water paid 1100.00/month Call Steve @ 1-306-897-7288

ApArtments/Condos for rent INDEPENDENT ADULT LIVING apartments in Martensville, SK. Spend your retirement years in a community close to family/friends in the Saskatoon area that has large city services and small town safety and charm. 2 bedroom suites available. More information at www.chateauvilla.ca, 306-281-4475 or chateauvilla@sasktel.net.

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 ARE you an experienced Flat or Steep Roofer or trainee looking for an exciting opportunity? Community Roofing Ltd. is a company that has been in the roofing business for over 30 years. Qualifications and Skills: Previous experience preferred installing, repairing, and replacing flat and steep roofs, including Torch -On (single and 2 ply), laminate shingles and cedar conversions as well as TPO, safely and correctly on new/used residential and commercial roofs.

Wages TBD Drivers License an asset. Dependable and reliable. In house Fall Protection training WE also require labourers and non-experienced trainees. Call Today Ray 250.308.0157 HJR Asphalt LP. Heavy Equipment Operators and Truck Drivers Wanted in Saskatchewan. Loaders, pavers, rollers, 1A and 3A drivers. Valid license required.

Send resume & references to: resume@hjrasphalt.com

Farm ServiceS

1A TRUCK DRIVERS REQUIRED:

Dennis J. Gosselin “Goose” 1952 – 2021 Dennis passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 16, 2021 at St. Joseph’s Hospital, SK at the age of 68 years.

Dennis is survived by his sisters, Jean Paul, Faye Goudy, Gloria (Dan) Kroeker, and Pat Keen; sister-in-law Kathy and best friend Kevin Keating; 14 nieces and nephews and their children.

Dennis was predeceased by his parents, Mae and Ernest Gosselin; brothers, Jack and Rick Gosselin; brothers-in-law Henry Keen and Lawrence Goudy as well as nephew Gerry Keen.

The private family Prayer Service will be held on Friday, June 4, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. at the Chapel of Hall Funeral Services, Estevan, SK with Marian Huber officiating. The Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, June 5, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. St. John the Baptist R.C. Church with Rev. Sathiadas Antony presiding. ** Please note that the number of people permitted will be dependant on COVID-19 restrictions. ** Please call St. John the Baptist R.C. Church at 306-634-2190 to reserve your seat.

The family wishes everyone could attend his funeral service, but due to current Covid restrictions we appreciate your understanding of this situation. The family invites you to join them virtually, via live stream. Please visit Dennis’s tribute page at www.hallfuneralservices.ca for details.

The live stream will begin at approximately 10:25 a.m. If you are unable to join at that time, a recording of the service will be available afterwards, via the same link.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Estevan Humane Society, Box 1095, Estevan, SK S4A 2H7 in memory of Dennis.

Hall Funeral Services in Estevan is caring for Dennis’s family - Yvonne Clark, Funeral Director.

motor scrapers, dozers, excavators, graders, rock trucks. Lots of work all season.

Camp job; R & B provided. Competitive wages. Valid drivers license req’d.

AGPRO SEEDS is BUYING: HEATED CANOLA #1 BUYER, TOP PRICE PAID IN SK. On farm pickup! Call: 306-873-3006 or email: sales@agproseeds.com.

Check out prices @agproseeds.com

Integrity Post Frame Buildings SINCE 2008

Built with Concrete Posts Barns, Shops, Riding Arenas, Machine Sheds and More sales@ Integritybuilt.com 1-866-974-7678 www. integritybuilt.com

FORAGE SEED FOR SALE: Organic & conventional: Sweet Clover, Alfalfa, Red Clover, Smooth Brome, Meadow Brome, Crested Wheatgrass, Timothy, etc.

Star City, SK. Birch Rose Acres Ltd. 306-921-9942.

Late model winch trucks and trailers; dump trucks and pups. Hauling heavy equipment, gravel, and camp shacks.

Wage negotiable.

Clean drivers abstract a must.

Send resume and work references to: Bryden Construction Box 100, Arborfield, Sk. S0E 0A0; Fax: 306-769-8844 Email: brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca www. brydenconstruction andtransport.ca

Notice to Creditor In the Estate of William E. Williamson, late of Lampman, formerly 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 15th of June, 2021.

Barry K. Gillies 308 – 701 Henry Street Estevan, SK S4A 2B7 Executor for the Estate

A22 June 2, 2021

www.estevanmercury.ca

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the Rural Municipality of Coalfields No. 4 for the year 2021 has been prepared and is now open for inspection in the office of the assessor, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, from June 7th, 2021 to August 13th, 2021.

A bylaw pursuant to section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.

Any person who wishes to appeal against his or her assessment is required to file his or her notice of appeal with: Aileen Swenson, Secretary of the Board of Revision, R.M. of Coalfields No. 4, 31 Wilkie Road, Regina SK, S4S 5Y3, by the 13th day of August, 2021. The appeal must be accompanied by a cheque made payable to the R.M. of Coalfields No. 4, in the amount of $30 per $200,000 of assessment value to a maximum of $500.00, which will be returned if the appeal results in a change to the assessment.

Dated this 1st day of June, 2021 Holley Odgers Assessor

TENDER Tenders will be received by SaskPower for the sale of hay. The successful bidder will be required to cut, bale and remove bales by 2021 September 01. There will be one cutting only and it must be completed by 2021 August 15.

Several parcels of land are included, mainly located southwest of Boundary Dam Power Station.

Two lots are southeast of Boundary Dam Reservoir.

Bids will be lump sum for each parcel. Prints showing the lot numbers and their extent are available from the guardhouse at Shand Power Station.

For further details contact Neil Worsley at (306) 421-8042.

Written tenders contained in a sealed envelope marked HAY TENDER on the outside will be received until 4:00 p.m., Thursday, June 17, 2021, c/o Neil Worsley, Shand Power Station, Box 1310, Estevan, S4A 2K9.

Highest or any tender will not necessarily be accepted.

Payment terms: Receipt by SaskPower of certified cheque within 5 working days of bid acceptance by SaskPower.

Note 1.

SaskPower does not guarantee any tendered hay to be free of noxious weeds or poisonous plants and is not responsible for any damage caused by insects or other wildlife.

Note 2.

The bidder shall ensure that they operate with due consideration for the condition of the property and not enter or run equipment if field conditions are such that damage to the land will occur (i.e. wet or soft field conditions).

Note 3.

Bales still on the ground after 2021 November 01 will be assessed a fee of 50¢ per bale per month, payable in advance.

Creighton Lodge’s dining room and common areas are open after being closed for more than a month The common areas at Creighton Lodge in Estevan are open again for the first time in over a month – marking a return to more normal living for the lodge’s residents.

The dining room, the lounge and other areas opened up May 26.

Residents were greeted by balloons and other gestures to welcome them back when they arrived in the dining room for breakfast.

“That has really brought a lot of smiles to the residents today, because they were so happy to be able to get back together and eat a meal together,” manager Shelly Veroba said that day.

“This has been tough.”

The common areas were shut down in mid-April after several cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed. A total of 10 residents at the enriched living facility had the virus.

Since the common areas were closed, the residents had meals in Styrofoam containers delivered to their rooms.

Residents have still be able to come and go from the lodge during the past few weeks, but couldn’t gather within the lodge.

“Even though they’ve been able to go outside and do all of that, they’ve

missed eating a meal with a friend and a peer,” said Veroba.

Activity programs, which have also been shut down since mid-April, did not resume last week. Veroba said they plan to start small activities this week.

Meanwhile, Creighton Lodge residents who are eligible have been receiving their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Twelve people received their second dose on May 27, and 12 more had theirs the following day. Others have been receiving their second dose at locations in the community.

The majority of eligible residents now have their second dose.

Firefighters ran an emergency scenario at Estevan Comprehensive School Fire trucks could be seen by the Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) Tuesday evening.

While emergency vehicles always grab the public’s attention, fortunately in this case there was no emergency

occurring.

The Estevan Fire Rescue Ser vice (EFRS) was working on their drills, which differ in cases when an emergency would indeed occur in such a big building as ECS.

NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL R.M. of Estevan No. 5 Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the R.M. of Estevan No. 5 for the year 2021 has been prepared and is open to inspection from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.,on the following days: Monday to Friday, May 28, 2021, to July 30, 2021, excluding holidays.

A bylaw pursuant to section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.

“This type (of a building) is actually quite a bit different than your standard single-family dwelling house, just due to the size and the special fire suppression equipment that's installed and engineered into the building itself,” explained Estevan Fire Chief Dale Feser.

Fire crews participating in the training were coming in and catching the hydrants and then staging up on the front side. Then they had to run supply lines to the sprinkler systems, and then the aerial truck came in.

“We're doing some precision planning to find an

Any person wishing to discuss the notice of assessment or potential appeal may contact the assessor at the R.M. of Estevan No.5, #1, 322 - 4th Street, Estevan, SK S4A 0T8.

A notice of appeal, accompanied by a $100.00 appeal fee which will be returned if the appeal is successful, must be filed with the Secretary of the Board of Revision, Aileen Swenson, #1, 322 - 4th Street, Estevan, SK, S4A 0T8 by the 30th day of July, 2021.

Dated this 28th day of May, 2021.

Michelle Dickie Assessor

Public Notice

ESTEVAN MERCURY.CA

SOUTHERN PLAINS CO-OP

CALL FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Southern Plains Co-operative Ltd. invites nominations for the position of Director.

The 3 year terms for the following directors have expired: Scott Kienlen • Frances Boutin • David Murray Nominees must meet the qualifications and requirements specified in the Co-op’s Bylaws. Details on the qualifications and requirements can be picked up at the Administration Office.

Nominations must be submitted in writing, no later than June 7, 2021 to: 826 4th street, Estevan, Sask. S4A 0W1 Questions Can be directed to the Nominating Committee: James Lainton: 306-461-3411 • Darcy Calder: 306-461-7728 Rhonda Huish: 306-685-4702

optimal stage point for that truck. So that way, when we fly the area on the platform, we can reach a good majority of the roof,” Feser said.

Once the aerial truck was deployed, the engine crews were running a supply line to provide water to the truck as well.

“We had the opportunity to do it a few times, and then we switch the crews out on each truck so that they are proficient in each skill set.”

The EFRS tries to run such drills at ECS at least once a year, so if an emergency does occur their skills are sharp and they know exactly what to do.

CROSSWORD ANSWER

Notice of Preparation of Assessment Roll Rural Municipality of Coalfields No. 4

Rural Municipality of Estevan No. 5 Notice of Discretionary Use Application Pursuant to Section 55 of The Planning and Development Act, 2007, the Council of the Rural Municipality of Estevan No.5, gives notice that a discretionary use application has been received and the details are as follows: Discretionary Use: Agricultural Industry Blk A, Plan 101519119 in the NW 28-2-8-W2 Intended Discretionary Use: Installation of two 7,270 grain tanks for grain storage.

Public Hearing : Council will hold a public hearing to receive any written or verbal submissions on the proposed discretionary use application at 11:00 a.m. (local time) on Wednesday, June 9, 2021, in the Council Chambers of the R.M. of Estevan No. 5, #1, 3224th Street, Estevan, Saskatchewan. Those wishing to make verbal representation are required to register with the municipal office due to limited space in Council Chambers and COVID-19 social distancing requirements. Please contact the municipal office at (306) 634-2222 for details prior to Friday, June 4th, 2021. Written submissions will be presented to Council and can be sent by mail, email or fax.

Dated at Estevan, Saskatchewan this 1st day of June, 2021.

Michelle Dickie, Administrator

BUSINESS SERVICES LEGAL

AUDIOLOGIST

REAL ESTATE

Terry L. Germain Barristers & Solicitors

Paul Elash Q.C. Aaron Ludwig, B.Sc., LL.B. Genevieve Schrader, B. Mgt., J.D. 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

“Your ears deserve an audiologist” #5 - 418 Kensington Ave. (Across from Walmart)

306-636-EARS (3277)

JACQUIE MVULA M.S., R. Aud. Audiologist/Owner

www.suncountryhearing.com

Serving Estevan & SE Sask for 30 years.

Put the knowledge and experience to work for you!

Text/Talk To Terry for all of your real estate needs.

Each office independently owned & operated

306.421.2021

Seriously GREAT flooring.

Seriously GREAT flooring people.

CHEERS & JEERS

306-634-5588 104 - Hwy. 47 S. Estevan, SK

A23 | Wednesday, June 2, 2021 | estevanmercury.ca

Cheers

www.floorstoreestevan.ca

306-453-2519 Bay #1 - Hwy. 13 Carlyle, SK

Flashback – Wednesday, June 1, 1988

Cheers to the volunteers who were part of the United Way Estevan’s Day of Caring last week.

Those who benefitted from a Day of Caring project were very appreciative. The Sunshine Bags were a welcome treat, too.

Cheers to everybody who supported the Radiothon for Life for the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation. It’s pretty incredible that the community could raise $159,000 in 12 hours.

Cheers to the people who donated empty cans and bottles to Team McIntyre’s fundraising efforts for the virtual Walk to Make Cystic Fibrosis History.

Team McIntyre had their best year yet thanks to everybody’s support.

Cheers to the provincial government for finally easing restrictions on outdoor team sports, and allowing baseball, softball, soccer, football, field lacrosse and other athletes to enjoy some competition.

Cheers to the teachers in southeast Saskatchewan for the way in which they have persevered through this school year. It’s been particularly tough during the past two months with the frequent changes between in-person and remote learning.

Cheers to everybody who has purchased tickets for the Chase the Ace Draw in Oxbow. The money will make a big difference for recreation facilities in Oxbow.

Jeers Jeers to those who think that COVID-19 is strictly about a one per cent death rate. The percentage of people who survive, but with permanent lung, heart, kidney or liver damage, or with cognitive or mental health problems, is much higher.

Jeers to the motorists who have been speeding through the detour areas now that the 800-block of Fourth Street is closed to the public.

If you’re driving on Third Street, please remember it’s a residential road.

Jeers to those who take their frustrations on COVID restrictions out on staff members at local businesses. They aren’t the ones who set the regulations.

To submit a cheer or a jeer, please email it to dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca, or visit www.estevanmercury.ca.

Repeat winner of the Great Race of Estevan was this Beaver Lumber entry piloted by Kelly Ribling, driver, and guest navigator Marie Hoffort. The pushers, from left, Jody Heidinger, John Davis, Shelly Penney and Larry Elash. On the extreme right is Mark Walliser, the chairman of the 1988 version of the Estevan Great Race.

Remembering what we have The prayers found in the New Testament contain some of the most precious reminders in scripture.

Take 2 Corinthians 13:14 for example: “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all”.

Paul begins by focusing on the grace that is found in Christ. Sometimes, churches shy away from talking about grace because they worry that if it is too prominent then people will not take discipleship seriously. There is a concern that people will, “Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving” (Romans 6:1).

While that danger does exist, we face an even greater problem if we try to alter the

Tim Pippus of the Estevan Church of Christ

message and that is we have nothing else to offer. Grace is our message. The grace of Christ is the only entry point into the blessings of God ( John 14:6). It is the attractive part.

Grace must always be the centrepiece of our teaching. “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

Paul then prays that they

ESTEVAN MOTORS Family Owned Since 1937

Great Products....Great Service Our Sales Team is dedicated to your satisfaction

Spend it all in one place: SK. Dustin Sands Sales Manager

306.421.3669

Mike Keating Sales Consultant

306.461.6457

Member deposits fuel the local economy.

SALES | SERVICE | FLEET | AUTOBODY | PARTS EXPERT SERVICE & REPAIR | AUTOBODY SERVICE QUALITY PRE-OWNED CARS & TRUCKS | RV PARTS

Weekdays 8 am - 5:30 pm | Saturdays 9 am - 3 pm

Corner of 4th & Souris

1.866.863.6237 | affinitycu.ca

www.estevanmotors.ca 21ACU020_Branding 2021 Print

would know the love of God. In my experience, it is easier for people to believe that God forgives them than it is for them to believe that God loves them. We can imagine God being coerced to forgive because of the cross, but it is harder to believe that he delights in us.

However, that is exactly what scripture says: “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who

saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17).

Lastly, Paul prays that they would know the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit connects us to God and to one another in ways that are deeper and more meaningful than any earthly connection.

There is a reason that we are called God’s family (Ephesians 3:15).

This past year has been difficult, and it is easy to think about what we have lost.

Maybe it is time to refocus on what we have and what can never be touched by our ever-changing circumstances.

A24 June 2, 2021

www.estevanmercury.ca

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

2021 WATERMAIN FLUSHING SCHEDULE

A Message From The Mayor With Mining Week comes the opportunity to thank all of our hard working individuals who work in the mines but also at the power plants. These are great jobs which we hope we can sustain well into the future.

The City of Estevan will be flushing watermains to ensure good water quality for all users of City water. This work includes the turning of main water valves around the City and flushing large quantities of water from various hydrants in each area. During this process you may notice a substantial drop in pressure, this will be brief. As well, discoloured water is possible during the days your area is scheduled for this work (see schedule below), please run a faucet, (bathtub is best), for a few minutes until the water is clear again. Please contact City Hall at 634-1800 if issues persist. Thank you for your understanding during this important maintenance!

Pursuant to subsection 187 (1) of The Cities Act, notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the City of Estevan for the year of 2021, has been prepared and is open to inspection April 21, 2021 to June 21, 2021.

Notice of Assessment

(1) Thursday, and Friday- June 10-11 Area bounded by Perkins Street and Luscar Park on the North, Water Treatment Plant on the South, Woodlawn Ave on the West, and Hwy 47S Service Road on the East (Includes Luscar Park, City of Estevan Public Works yards, and businesses on Hwy 47S Service Road)

The Assessment Roll can be viewed on our website www.estevan.ca, as well assessment information can also be obtained by calling 306-634-1811. Please note due to the current situation regarding COVID-19 the assessment roll will not be available for viewing at City Hall at this time.

Any person having an interest in any property who wishes to appeal the assessment of that property to the Board of Revision is required to file a notice of appeal in writing to: The Secretary of the Board of Revision, 1102 Fourth Street, Estevan, SK S4A 0W7 on or before the 21st day of June, 2021.

Dated this 21st day of April, 2021

(2) Monday – Friday- June 14-18 Area bounded by 6th Street on the North, Valley Street, 1st Street, and Westview Place on the South, Alice Road and Woodlawn Avenue on the West, and Souris Avenue on the East (includes Westview, Central, and downtown regions) (3 Monday- Friday June 21-25 Area bounded by 6th street on the North, McDonald Road and Perkins Street on the South, Souris Avenue on the West, and Kensington Ave on the East (includes the Eastend, Bay Meadows, and Valley view regions, and Jubilee Place)

Trina Sieben Tax Assessor

(4) Monday –Friday June 28-July 2 Area Bounded by City Cemetery on the North, King Street on the South, Sister Roddy Road on the West (formerly Woodlawn Avenue), and Souris Road (Hwy 47N) on the East (includes Dominion Heights, Pleasantdale, and Royal Heights regions, as well as Cundall Drive, Woodend Place, Chinook Bay and Hwy 47N Service Road)

2021 Storm and Sanitary sewer main jetting Beginning Monday, June 14, 2021 and continuing to Friday, August 27, 2021, the Public Works Service Division will be carrying out a Domestic Sewer Main Flushing/Jetting Program between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with the occasional carry over to 6:00 p.m. During the periods of jetting, residents are advised to securely cap basement floor drains.

(5) Monday – Friday July 5-9 Area bounded by Spruce Drive and Princess Street on the North, King Street on the South, Souris Avenue on the West, and Kensington on the East (includes Hillside and Scotsburn regions)

2021 Program Area will encompass all streets North of 6th Street, and East of Souris Ave within City limits including:

(6) Monday -Friday July 12-16 Area bounded by King Street on the North, CPR Railroad on the South, 14th Ave on the West, and Kensington on the East (includes 7th Street, 8th Street, 9th Street, Centennial, Trojan, and Soo Industrial regions)

Hwy 47 Service Road Drader Street Princess Street Edward Street Albert Street Isabelle Street Eva Street Henry Street George Street King Street Smith Street Souris Avenue Victoria Avenue Alexandra Avenue Arthur Avenue Dufferin Avenue

(7) Monday- Friday July 19-23 Area bounded by Kensington on the West, Sawyer Road on the East, North and South City Limits (includes Glen Peterson Industrial Park, East Industrial, Southeast Industrial regions, and properties along Hwy 39E Service Road)

FITNESS

ESTEVAN LEISURE CENTRE - 2021

SCHEDULE Monday

SPIN

6:10 am - 6:50 am *NOT ON MAY 24

SPIN

9:10 am - 9:50 am

SPIN

10:10 am - 10:50 am

GRIT

9:10 am - 9:50 am *NOT ON MAY 24

EASY STRETCH

10:10 am - 10:50 am

Tuesday

Wednesday

GRIT

SPIN

6:10 am - 6:50 am

6:10 am - 6:50 am

SPIN

CORE BARRE ABOVE

9:10 am - 9:50 am

SPIN

9:10 am - 10:15 am

10:15 am - 10:55 am

CORE BARRE ABOVE

10:30 am - 11:10 am

Thursday

SPIN

6:10 am - 6:50 am

SPIN

9:10 am - 9:50 am

SPIN

10:15 am - 10:55 am

Friday

PROGRAM RENTALS

GRIT

GRIT

9:10 am - 9:50 am

SPIN

12:00 pm - 12:45 pm

SSES NO CLA 4TH MAY 2

FAMILY SWIM

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

PUBLIC SWIM

3:15 pm - 4:45 pm

PROGRAM RENTALS

SPIN

5:30 pm - 6:10 pm

SPIN

RED CROSS LESSONS

5:30 pm - 6:10 pm

SPIN

LANE SWIM

12:00 pm - 12:45 pm 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm * 1pm START NO MAY 24

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm 3:15 pm - 4:45 pm * ONLY MAY 24

SURF & SWIM 3:00 pm - 3:45 pm * NO MAY 24

PROGRAM RENTALS

OPEN

6:00 am - 10:00 pm

6:00 am - 6:45 am 7:00 am - 7:45 am 8:00 am - 8:45 am

AIS

6:00 am - 6:45 am 7:00 am - 7:45 am 8:00 am - 8:45 am

AIS

6:00 am - 6:45 am 7:00 am - 7:45 am 8:00 am - 8:45 am

AIS

9:00 am - 9:45 am

9:00 am - 9:45 am

PRESCHOOL LESSONS

SURF & SWIM

PRESCHOOL LESSONS

SURF & SWIM

LANE SWIM

LANE SWIM

LANE SWIM 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm

10:00 am - 11:00 am

LANE SWIM 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm

AIS

11:00 am - 11:45 am

Saturday

PROGRAM RENTALS

10:00 am - 11:00 am

12:00 pm - 12:45 pm

1:00 pm - 1:45 p m

SURF & SWIM SURF & SWIM

12:00 pm - 12:45 pm 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm

AIS

1:00 pm - 1:45 p m 3:00 pm - 3:45 pm

3:00 pm - 3:45 pm

SURF & SWIM SURF & SWIM

3:00 pm - 3:45 pm

LANE SWIM 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm

PUBLIC SWIM

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm 3:15 pm - 4:45 pm

3:00 pm - 3:45 pm

DEEP WATER POWER 8:00 pm - 8:45 pm

5:30 pm - 6:10 pm

OPEN

6:00 am - 9:00 pm

OPEN

6:00 am - 10:00 pm

OPEN

6:00 am - 9:00 pm

OPEN

6:00 am - 9:00 pm

OPEN

9:00 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.

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

PROGRAM RENTALS

PROGRAM RENTALS

PROGRAM RENTALS

PROGRAM RENTALS

RED CROSS LESSONS

RED CROSS LESSONS

RED CROSS LESSONS

RED CROSS LESSONS

LANE SWIM

LANE SWIM

LANE SWIM

PUBLIC SWIM

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

LANE SWIM 9:00 pm - 9:45 pm * NO MAY 24

WEIGHT ROOM 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

Friday

LANE SWIM

9:00 am - 9:45 am

PUBLIC SWIM

5:00 pm - 7:30 pm

SPIN

6:30 pm - 7:10 pm

OPEN

Thursday

LANE SWIM

EVENING

*NOT ON MAY 24

*NOT ON MAY 24

AIS

Wednesday

LANE SWIM

9:00 am - 9:45 am

11:00 am - 11:45 am

LANE SWIM

12:15 pm - 12:45 pm

5:10 pm - 6:10 pm

ESTEVAN LEISURE CENTRE - 2021

AFTERNOON

SPIN

8:00 pm - 8:45 pm

6:00 am - 6:45 am 7:00 am - 7:45 am 8:00 am - 8:45 am

AIS

9:10 am - 9:50 am

EASY STRETCH

AFTERNOON / EVENING

6:00 am - 6:45 am 7:00 am - 7:45 am 8:00 am - 8:45 am * NO MAY 24

Tuesday

LANE SWIM

9:00 am - 9:45 am * NO MAY 24

10:10 am - 10:50 am

GRIT

Monday

LANE SWIM

Saturday

6:10 am - 6:50 am

11:10 am - 11:50 am

SPIN / CORE

AQUATIC SCHEDULE Sunday

*NOT ON MAY 24

DEEP WATER POWER

Brooks Road Clasky Drive Abbott Bay Frehlick Bay Symons Bay Rooney Road Ross Court Wahba Court Seregella Place Sillers Street Matchett Bay Kensington Avenue Nesbitt Drive Bourquin Road

EFFECTIVE - May 10 - June 27, 2021

EFFECTIVE - May 10 - June 30, 2021 Sunday

Bannatyne Avenue Pine Avenue Poplar Bay Spruce Drive Phillips Place Garner Place Edward Place Garrish Place Maple Bay Willow Bay Yardley Place Hastings Place Milne Crescent Holmgren Bay Petterson Drive Heritage Drive

Don’t see what you are looking for?

Do you have an idea for something we should try?

Please contact the Program Manager at 306-634-1880.

We would love to hear your ideas!

8:15 pm - 9:00 pm

?

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

9:00 pm - 9:45 pm

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

8:15 pm - 9:00 pm

Schedule Subject to Change. Please visit www.estevan.ca for updates on closures and cancellations. Proper footwear and exercise wear is required to participate. Please note during school breaks, (Teachers convention, Spring Break and Christmas Break) Fitness, Aquatic Centre and arena schedules may vary. Please visit our live schedules at www.estevan.ca

PROGRAM RENTALS

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

WIBIT PUBLIC SWIM 7:15 pm - 8:45 pm