Estevan Mercury 20230927 - 120th Anniversary

our community. Celebrating your newspaper.

Estevan has a rich and unique history since its inception. And the Estevan Mercury has been there virtually every step of the way.

The Mercury is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year. And we're proud to bring this special publication to you, our readers.

How long has the Mercury been around? We're Estevan's oldest business – a fact that has long been a source of great pride in this office. (In many Saskatchewan communities, the newspaper is the oldest business).

When the Mercury was first printed in 1903, Saskatchewan was still a part of the North West Territories. Saskatchewan didn't become a province until Sept. 1, 1905.

We were there when Estevan became a town and the Estevan Police Service was formed in 1906.

We've been there through the First and Second World Wars, the Spanish influenza and the Great Depression. We've documented the most important events in local history.

We believe that if a business or an organization has been around for 120 years, then they must be doing something right. Or a lot of things right. If a business doesn't deliver a quality product that people can depend on, then it won't last 120 years.

We are proud to present this special section that pays tribute to the past of both the Mercury and Estevan. We have been able to find the front cover from our first paper back in 1903. And as you flip through the pages, you'll see articles from our past that chronicle some of the most notable moments in our city's history, and some of the changes that have occurred over the year. There are some stories that are rather obvious selections, such as the Estevan Riot of 1931, the plane crash south of the city in 1946, or Es-

tevan becoming a city in 1957, but we think we've brought together a strong variety of stories from Estevan's past.

And while we don't want to completely ignore our recent history, we've made sure that we have included articles from further back to show off our past. Not only is it an effort to educate and remind, but it also gives us a chance to show how much things have changed.

We've done our best to keep the stories as they were when they ran in the paper. We've made changes when

necessary, but they've been kept to a minimum.

A milestone like this allows us to reflect on the men and women who have served as publishers, editors, reporters, sales manager, sales representatives, production employees, administrative professionals, proofreaders, typesetters and others who have helped make this paper possible for 120 years.

We're especially grateful to those who launched this paper in 1903.

Our success also wouldn't have been possible without the

people who have worked hard to ensure the paper is printed each week, and the carriers who have braved all sorts of weather to ensure the Mercury is delivered on a weekly basis.

There's a lot of people who have worked very hard over the years to make the Mercury what it is – the best weekly newspaper in Saskatchewan.

And of course, we need to be thankful for you, the readers, for continuing to place your trust in us each week, not only by reading this publication, but by trusting us when bringing in

an ad or by coming to us with a story idea.

As with any industry, there has been a lot of change over the years, but we like to think that we have kept pace, and now offer a quality product, both in print and online. We're a leading contributor to our provincial news hub at sasktoday.ca.

It's been our pleasure to be here since 1903. Our duty of informing the public is one that we have taken seriously, and it's one that we will continue to fulfill as Estevan's No. 1 and most trusted source of news.

1928: Few cases for hearing when court opens

District Court will open in Estevan on February 14, and, as becomes the festal day when love should be the one and only impelling impulse, there will be a light docket presented to His Honor Judge Wylie.

Five cases only are listed

for trial, as follows: William Byerly vs. John McGinnis. Kale Berday vs. Louis Siggelkow. David Olikyfski vs. Stephen Ceglowski. Joseph Audet vs. August Wetsch

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One of the cases is an appeal against a former judgment. Another arises out of an auto collision and the remaining two are disputes over debt. There are no criminal cases. The slimness of the docket is unusual, for, in

a district such as Estevan where settlement is developing fast over a wide area, the rule is that litigation is varied in character and heavy in volume. The

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1929: Estevan first town of its size to have the “Talkies”

Determined to keep in the van of moving picture houses in the west, manager J.A. McKenzie of the Orpheum Theatre, Estevan, recently installed complete Western Electric Sound Equipment, and theatregoers of the town and district have this summer enjoyed an excellent run of the latest releases, both Vitaphone and Movietone. Estevan enjoyed special distinction in connection with this advance, being the first place of its size in Canada to have the "talkies."

A notable array of outstanding sound productions has already been lined up for the fall and winter season, and, although bookings are not

yet completed, the following talking pictures will be seen here: Broadway Melody; Fox Movietone Follies; Show Boat; Singing Fool, the well-known Al Jolson picture; Desert Song; Hollywood Revue of 1929; College Love; Broadway; Madame X; Last of Mrs. Cheyney. Announcement of further signups will be made from time to time. At a cost of $12,000, the Orpheum Theatre has been equipped for the "talkies.''

Last year an optometric expert pronounced the seating and lighting arrangements in the Estevan picture house to be practically perfect. This summer the installation engineer of Northern Electric, when

testing the theatre for sound equipment, declared that the acoustics surpassed those of many city houses in the West. With these "natural" advantages, the Orpheum, a commodious, comfortable building, lays fair claim to the name of the "best theatre in the West outside of the cities.”

The three years that have elapsed since the premiere of Don Juan have seen the revolution which struck the film industry on that occasion sweep the country. Other producers were forced, in spite of themselves, to make pictures with sound and dialogue; exhibitors of the country clamored for sound picture equipment; the revolution reached across the

oceans until now 27 foreign countries have sound projection installations.

More than a fourth of the picture theatres in America have been equipped with sound devices. Ninety-nine per cent of wired theatres capable of showing sound pictures have booked Warner Brothers' feature length Vitaphone pictures and the Vitaphone Corporation's short subjects or "presentations.'

During the three years Vitaphone Corporation has made more than 650 short subjects, including presentations by famous artist from the opera, concert, stage, vaudeville, musical instrument, and motion picture fields.

1931: 13 strikers are committed for trail

Thirteen of the fourteen strikers arraigned before him were committed for trial by D.A. Wynne-Jones, J.P., at 2.40 o’clock this afternoon, on charges of rioting arising out of the bloody conflict waged on Estevan’s main thoroughfare

Tuesday afternoon.

One prisoner, Harry Michelowsky, Bienfait, was released. The Magistrate did not take the suggestion of Crown Counsel that three others, Joe Leptack, Andy Levie, and Mike Pulhauriski, also be set free. Bail in the case of R. W. Dixon, M. & S. Mine, was set at $2000; the recommendation of the Crown that Metro Uhyrn be allowed out on bail was refused by the magistrate.

H.E. Sampson, K.C., of Regina, and W. J. Perkins, Estevan, Crown Prosecutors, conducted the case during the preliminary hearing, which was held in the courthouse. R.D. Newsome, Estevan appeared in behalf of the strikers.

Two men were killed, three more are not expected to live, and a score of miners, police and citizens were injured by stray bullets and flying missiles when 400 strikers and their wives fought a grim battle against local and Mounted Police in front of the town hall Tuesday. Although a special meeting of the Town Council in the morning had refused them permission to parade through the streets, the strikers attempted to do so in defiance of the edict.

Although complete calm has prevailed over the strike sector since the riot, police vigilance has not relaxed for a moment. Reinforcements of 45 officers under Inspector Carnock arrived in a special train from Regina over the C.N.B. at midnight on Tuesday, joining the detachment which had repulsed the strikers under Inspector Moorhead and swelling the total number of R.C.M.P. to 85.

Patrols thread the mining areas

incessantly through the night, the officers armed with rifles and revolvers. Three machine guns are mounted in readiness for an outbreak. Extra policemen do sentry duty on the streets of Estevan. The district engineer and the engineer and the general staff officer of Military District No. 12 reported to be in town late last night, making arrangements for billets in case militia has to be moved in from Regina.

At ten minutes after midnight on Tuesday, while the nerves of the police and public were still on edge following the bitter reign of terror of the afternoon, a pistol shot cracked the stillness of the night. It was believed to have been fired in the vicinity of the railway tracks. Officers stationed at the moment on Fifth St. made an immediate search of the street and lane, but the source of the mystery shot was not discovered and remains unknown.

1945: The war is over

On Tuesday afternoon, the announcement was made by President Truman from Washington that Japan had accepted allied surrender terms and brought to an end to the second great war.

It is expected that the unconditional surrender terms will be signed today. Estevan awaits the signing to determine the date of its celebration for which plans have been fully made.

Estevan staged a noisy, happy, orderly celebration on Tuesday night following the news of the capitulation of Japan. A long stream of cars passed up and down the streets with their greatest concentration on Fourth, flags waving from the windows and horns going full blast. Included in the parade was the new town fire engine, which shortly after its appearance became loaded with cheering youngsters. At one stage a line of pedestrians carrying Union Jacks took the street to march up and down with shouting and cheering.

The sirens of the new fire truck and McNeil & Lee ambulance added to the clamor while boys darted in and out of the bicycles which they had hurriedly and effectively decorated.

A block of Twelfth Avenue was roped off just south of Fourth for a street dance with music supplied by a jukebox with the compliments of Ideal Cafe. Mr. Coxen of the bus depot kindly allowed the use of electrical facilities at his garage for the running of the machine. Further along on Fourth Street,

another dance was started, this one being in front of Allan Pyper's Radio Shop which also supplied the music. This continued for several hours and finally died away about 11:30 when tired and happy people gradually dispersed to their homes. It was an orderly crowd and there was

no willful damage. When the news came through just about five o'clock that peace had been declared, the fire sirens gave the expected

signal. Stores were immediately closed and flags and bunting appeared quickly along the streets and on business places.

While all this was going

on, the members of the Victory Celebration committee were meeting at the town hall to round out arrangements for the V-J Day celebration.

1946: 21 RCAF airmen die in Sunday crash at airport

20 RCAF pilots and one ground crew man were killed at the Estevan airport Sunday morning when a Dakota transport aircraft crashed and burned near a runway in the northwest corner of the landing field. Considering the death toll, it is western Canada's worst flying tragedy and the second most serious fatal flying accident in Canadian aviation history, with the “human factor,” known and recognized as the cause of the great majority of flying accidents, being indicated by air force headquarters in Ottawa as the main cause of the crash.

The tragedy occurred a few minutes after 10 o'clock Sunday morning and the field was closed immediately by RCAF officials to everyone except ambulances, fire trucks,

doctors and air officials. A guard was placed on the charred remains of the aircraft and no unauthorized person was allowed inside the boundaries of the airport.

Information released by the RCAF on Monday indicated that one possible cause for the crash might have been the fact that the starboard stabilizer lock had not been removed prior to the start of the fatal flight. From this bit of evidence, gleaned from the burned wreckage of the twin-engine transport, air force officials and former airmen were able to piece together a probable picture of the flight.

An official Air Force court of inquiry was held on Monday and Tuesday with Wing

Commander J.J. MacDonald, DFC, Squadron Leader Underhill and Squadron Leader Kirkcaldy, all of No. 2 Western Air Command headquarters, Winnipeg, in charge.

A full investigation of the tragedy is underway, but the official statement made clear the main factor in the crash:

“The aircraft was seen to approach the airport normally with its wheels lowered. For some reason the pilot decided not to land on his first approach and opened up the engines to go around again. During this maneuver the pilot apparently lost control and the aircraft crashed.

“A technical examination of the wreckage has shown that the control lock on the starboard elevator was in posi-

tion and had not been removed before the flight commenced. Standard procedure as laid down before take-off requires

1957: Estevan becomes a city

In a relatively simple, but still impressive ceremony, involving the affixing of half a dozen signatures to a few copies of two documents, Estevan was raised to the status of a city – Saskatchewan’s ninth and youngest – at noon today in the office of the Premier of Saskatchewan in the provincial Legislative buildings.

The actual time of the historic event, both in Saskatchewan and Estevan history, was 11:30 a.m. Mountain Standard Time.

On hand for the ceremony were His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor of Saskatchewan, Hon. W.J. Patterson; Premier T.C. Douglas; Mayor Harry Nicholson and members of the Town (City) of Estevan Council: Miss Norah Mather, now City clerk; Kim Thorson, MLA; Thos. McLean, vice president of the Estevan Board of Trade and about 30 interested Estevan residents.

The ceremony involved first the signing and approving of an Orderin-Council requiring the issuance of a Proclamation to incorporate

the Town of Estevan as the City of Estevan.

The Order-in-Council had been passed by the Executive Council of the Province of Saskatchewan who had empowered Premier T.C. Douglas, as president of that Council to sign it in their behalf.

Premier Douglas, prior to signing the Order-in-Council, explained the necessary procedure and as he picked up a pen to sign his signature, commented, “this is indeed a pleasure.”

Several copies of the Order were signed by the Premier who then rose from his chair behind his desk and asked the Lieutenant-Governor to approve the Order.

Hon. Mr. Patterson formally dressed for the occasion, sat down in the chair, picked up a pen, turned and smiled at Premier Douglas and said, “it was many years since I have sat behind this desk to sign my name to official papers.”

After Hon. Mr. Patterson had signed the documents, they were

transferred to a smaller desk facing the Premier's desk where the approved Order-in-Council was signed by the Deputy Provincial Secretary Leo J. Beaudry and the Deputy Attorney-General, J. L. Salterio.

The signatures of these two officials were necessary to continue the legal action of the Order started when the Premier first signed.

With the Order-in-Council thus continued as a properly legal document, the Proclamation, declaring Estevan to be City of the Province of Saskatchewan, was presented to the Lieutenant-Governor who signed two copies.

One of those copies was then presented to His Worship Mayor Harry Nicholson for the City of Estevan. The other copy will remain in the possession of the Province of Saskatchewan.

As he presented the copy of the Proclamation to Mayor Nicholson, Premier Douglas said “at this exact moment, the city of Estevan comes into existence.”

positive evidence of removal of all the control locks. In view of the fact that all members of the crew of the aircraft lost

their lives, it appears doubtful that a full explanation of this regrettable error will ever be ascertained.”

1957: Estevan’s Auditorium gets official opening

The Estevan Agricultural Society and reduced attendance of community residents, as a result of bad weather conditions, opened the new Agricultural Auditorium Tuesday in Estevan, with an afternoon and evening program that featured cornerstone and ribbon-cutting ceremonies.

Last-minute changes to the program were required when weather conditions made it impossible for some of the expected dignitaries to attend, but these changes did not affect the effectiveness and importance of the ceremony.

Originally it had been planned to place the cornerstone of the building in its proper location, but the wintry weather forced this to be changed to a ceremony of unveiling the stone, and its accompanying copper “capsule”, inside the auditorium.

Similarly, it had been planned to cut an entrancebarring ribbon across the front entrance and this had to be

changed to the large gates across the end of the arena area.

E.P. Rae, president to Estevan Agricultural Society, spoke briefly at the start of the afternoon program and after reviewing the effort that had been made by Estevan community citizens in building the auditorium, read a list of the materials enclosed in a copper box that will be sealed behind the cornerstone.

He then proceeded to remove the orange, black and white drape materials from the cornerstone and capsule. T.A. Torgeson, past president of the Estevan Agricultural Society who served in that position for 10 years, cut the gold and black ribbon across the doors.

Speaking briefly, he said “this auditorium is the outstanding example of community teamwork in the entire area served by the Estevan and District Agricultural Society.” He added “under the leadership of President Ed Rae and his associates, many organizations and individuals

have co-operated in the building of this auditorium worth a third of a million dollars at a cost of $250,000.”

Dealing with financing of the project, Mr. Torgeson said “the grants by the federal and provincial government

were made because of the fine exhibitions of livestock and other agricultural products by the farmers of southeastern Saskatchewan and because they recognize the need for a building that will accommodate the large gatherings of

young agriculturalists of this part of the province.”

He added “the people outside Estevan have helped greatly in the building of this fine auditorium.”

As he cut the ribbon, Mr. Torgeson said, “this sym-

bolizes the official opening of this magnificent agricultural auditorium; may we take pride in this great result of the community teamwork; may young and old enjoy it for many, many years to come.”

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1970: Estevan elects First Lady of Sask. cities

Mrs. Ida Petterson scored a decisive victory and the City of Estevan scored another first on Wednesday evening as the local civic election results were made known.

Mrs. Petterson defeated incumbent Mr. Gregg Trout for the position of Mayor of the City of Estevan. Mrs. Petterson's victory will make her the first female mayor ever to take office in a Saskatchewan city.

The victory was termed a landslide as Mrs. Petterson took the lead from the early polls and maintained a steady pace throughout the various poll divisions as she ousted Mr. Trout from the city's number one office.

Although still somewhat "taken-up", Mrs. Petterson stated that one of her first objectives as mayor of the City of Estevan will be to take a serious check into the possibilities of creating or inducing more

industry to the city. "The number one problem," she said, "is to get industry. We need industry to pour money into the community."

She mentioned she was hoping to hear from Mr. R.R. Southam (MP for the Moose Mountain constituency) soon and she would be checking into the possibility of incentive grants that are available from the senior governments.

In a closely contested battle for the six aldermanic seats, incumbent Mr. Joe Mack paced the group of 11 with 2,040 votes, followed by newcomer Mr. Cliff Hawkes, who picked up 1,742, a mere 27 votes ahead of incumbent Mr. Frank Mather. Next on the council list were incumbent Mr. Russ Brown and Mr. Walter Ropchan with an oddity … both men drew 1,587 votes each.

The sixth man on the list and therefore

owner of the final council seat was Mr. Phil Attrill, a former alderman who will be returning to council chambers.

Of the five incumbents, Mr. Don Perry was the only unsuccessful candidate, as he polled 1,212 votes, ninth on the list behind Mr. George Gelmich at 1,371 and Mr. Earl Branford at 1,293.

The only actual newcomer to the council chambers will be Mr. Hawkes, with Mrs. Petterson and Mr. Attrill having served on previous councils.

There was one bylaw to be voted on, concerning the allowance of certain stipulated sports on Sunday. The bylaw approval was passed with a heavy 2,185 in favour and only 785 opposed. The bylaw has to receive third and final reading from council before it can be passed. Approximately 62 per cent of the eligible voters cast their ballots.

1980: Summer Games a successful story

A successful story with everyone a winner was how Culture and Youth Minister Ned Shillington brought an end to the 1980 Saskatchewan Summer Games Saturday night at the exhibition grounds.

A successful story, indeed, as more than 1,100 volunteers and about 1,500 athletes were on hand to pull off the third summer games and fifth games overall.

This was the first time the games were awarded to a small centre.

“I think we pulled off the best Saskatchewan Games to date,” said chairman Ed Komarnicki while relaxing at a volunteers’ party Saturday night at the curling rink, which was attended by about 1,500 persons.

“I always wondered if Estevan could put together a group to do a good job. As I look around I see they [the volunteers] carried their commitment right to the end.”

Saskatoon, representing Zone 6, didn’t surprise anyone as they captured their third consecutive summer games title. The host zone, Zone 1, accomplished what they set out to do and that was to win the Joe Griffiths award. It is awarded to the zone showing the most improvement in their final standing at previous Saskatchewan Games, with comparison being made on a winter to winter and summer to summer basis.

Zone 1 finished in the basement in 1976.

Lt. Gov. C. Irwin McIntosh, in his address at the closing ceremonies, said the games close, but the spirit moves on until the next games.

The lieutenant-governor presented the Joe Griffiths Award to track and field athlete Janice Lendvoy of Estevan and swimmer Doug Munn of Oxbow, both gold medal winners.

The improvement of 24 1/2 per cent helped the zone, from the Estevan-

Weyburn area, move from eighth to fifth in the overall points standing.

Komarnicki, who spent 2 1/2 years preparing for the games, said he’s relieved that it’s over but at the same time, felt saddened at the fact there’s not something else to look forward to, such as working towards the games. “It’s over, period,” he said.

Komarnicki expressed surprise at Zone 1 being the most improved.

“it puts a cap to the whole week. It was just as if it was written into the script,” he said. “It just makes me feel great.”

On the financial side, Komarnicki said he is of the opinion the games were on budget. However, because so much happened during the six-day period, he said it won’t be until sometime in September that a true picture will be available. He said many people who worked on the various committees will be gone on holidays.

1992: Shand station commissioned

According to SaskPower president and chief executive officer Jack Messer, the official commissioning of the Shand Power Station near

Estevan was a celebration of engineering and science technology.

Shand, he said, is Canada's most environmentally

advanced coal-fired power station. It will add 300 megawatts of power to the province's electrical grid system, or enough to light up three

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million 100-watt light bulbs.

The plant, which has been performing at near peak load capacity for about a month, was officially launched with not a lot of fanfare, but good exposure to the general public who were invited to tour the facilities along with the various government and company officials following the brief commissioning ceremonies.

About 600 people viewed the unveiling of the Shand commissioning plaque by Messer and Dwain Lingenfelter, minister responsible for SaskPower.

"Shand is a Saskatchewan success story, and is viable evidence to the efforts and achievements by those who worked to get this power plant up and running. The fact the plant came in on time and on budget is a credit to those people," said Messer, who also served as master of ceremonies for the occasion.

"Shand stands as a testament to a new era in environmental responsibility. It is evidence of SaskPower's commitment to the sociallyacceptable production of electrical power," he said.

Pointing to these envi -

ronmentally responsible components, Messer said that the time injection system, which captures acids that cause sulphur dioxide before it enters the atmosphere, was just one move toward environmental protection.

Air and temperature controlled burners reduce the nitrogen oxides which produce acid rain, and a closedloop, zero-discharge water management system prevents water used at the plant from being discharged into the environment, except through normal evaporation.

An electrostatic precipitator captures in excess of 99 per cent of the flyash particles before they leave the station's stack, and in addition, the Shand Greenhouse produces up to one million seedlings

annually for reclamation of land and for wildlife habitat and conservation purposes. The plant cost $516 million and was constructed over a four-year period. Lauren Carlson, vicepresident of major projects for SaskPower, was singled out a couple of times for the contribution his department made to the Shand construction process.

The citizens of Estevan were also cited as having had a great deal of patience and understanding during the construction period. It was noted that although many of the workers involved in the construction process were not originally from Estevan, the city made them a part of the community very easily and made them feel comfortable.

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2002: It’s gone

One of Estevan's landmarks, and what used to be the tallest building in the city, was destroyed during a spectacular fire Sunday night.

The former Saskatchewan Wheat Pool wooden elevator, one of the few Prairie icons still remaining in the province, burned to the ground. The empty elevator, which was purchased earlier this year by two local farm families, was destroyed within a few short hours.

Foul play is suspected and an investigation is being conducted by the Estevan Police Service and the provincial fire com

missioner's office.

Estevan police Chief Peter MacKinnon told The Mercury that major crimes investigator Staff Sergeant Del Block and Randy Ryba of the fire commissioner's office are working together to determine the cause and origin.

"The circumstances of the origin are

highly suspicious. We consider it a crime scene and I have had our major crimes investigator initiate an investigation," said MacKinnon.

Mayor Tim Perry declared a state of emergency Sunday evening and it was lifted at 2:30 p.m. Monday.

Because of the potential dangers, a 10-block area between Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Streets was evacuated by the fire department.

"I had no choice because I knew we couldn't fight the fire," said Deputy fire Chief Ron Tocker. "The majority were cooperating and some were not."

An evacuation centre was set up at St. Paul's United Church. However, most of the people who were evacuated went elsewhere until they were allowed to return to their homes later in the evening.

Emergency officials said the fire could have been much worse, especially had there

been a north wind.

Tocker said the firemen were lucky with the conditions and that they worked in the department's favour.

The burning embers spread for several blocks, keeping fire crews busy wetting down buildings in the exhibition grounds.

Work crews from CP Rail were on the scene Monday morning cleaning up the debris and repairing the railway tracks, which were damaged because of the extreme heat from the fire. Several of the damaged tracks and ties had to be removed and replaced.

Dangers existed throughout the fire, forcing the fire department to water down tanker cars and Prairie Mud Services Ltd. buildings, a few yards south of the empty burning elevator.

The elevator was owned by the Estevan Grain Company. The 60,000-bushel facility was built in 1966 with a 103,000-bush annex added in 1976.

2011: The year of the flood

Water, water everywhere. If there were a phrase to sum up the spring and summer of 2011, that would have to be it. Without question 2011 was the year of the flood.

Although the flood first hit during the spring, the first sign that there may be trouble came as far back as January when the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority announced that for the first time since Rafferty Dam was created they would be conducting a winter release of water, citing the high level of the dam and anticipated spring runoff as the reasons why.

It was clear then that were concerns of a spring flood and it became obvious as the year went on those worries were well founded. In April, the SWA announced it would be increasing the flows out of Rafferty and Boundary to 140 cubic metres per second. Not surprisingly, the release of the water led to flooding in the Souris River valley in areas of south of Estevan and to the east.

Unfortunately, as it would turn out, the April flood was just the first

of many. Just as things appeared to be calming, a freak snowstorm in late April that dumped inches of heavy, wet snow on the area, threw things back into chaos and again forced the SWA to bump the flows out of Rafferty to 211 m3/s in mid May which again led to more flooding in the valley. Despite the best efforts of local volunteers, a number of homes suffered significant damage and other areas such as the Woodlawn Regional Park were hit hard.

Those incidents proved to be a precursor of the troubles that were lurking around the corner. Midway through June, a rainstorm that dumped anywhere from seven to eight inches on Weyburn in just hours once again turned things upside down. While Weyburn suffered significant damage in the immediate aftermath of the storm, the runoff took a couple of days to reach the Estevan and once it did, life was never the same again for many.

The watershed was forced to bump the flows out of the local dams to over 750 m3/s which was not only

a record but a level that many thought they would never see. The devastation that would follow was incredible.

After fighting the good fight, the residents of Roche Percee were forced to admit the obvious and evacuate just prior to June 19 when the village was overcome by the water leading to the destruction of more than 75 per cent of homes.

In Estevan, emergency services personnel were forced to evacuate the residents of the Willow Park Greens mobile home park as the flood waters made it to the southern edge of the park. Fortunately, there were no injuries or significant damage to the park.

The flood also led to some worries about the City's water treatment plant. The rising waters turned the plant into an island but did not make it inside due to the tireless work of City employees and local emergency services workers.

Unfortunately the flooding was not restricted to areas along the river. Overland flooding caused major damage throughout the RM of Estevan and other areas such as Macoun, Benson

and Lampman. The two biggest areas of concern were Lampman and Benson as a stream of water placed both communities into states of emergency. If there were any positives to take away from the devastating floods, it was the way people in the area stepped up to

help those in need. Along with the hours of volunteer work, individuals and businesses donated thousands of dollars to help those in need while others supplied whatever items they could spare for those who lost almost everything.

2014: Clean coal project in Estevan is online

SaskPower’s most expensive project ever is now in full functioning flight.

Clean coal is no longer an oxymoron, said Saskatchewan’s Premier Brad Wall Thursday morning as he and other provincial officials cut a ribbon to officially declare the Boundary Dam carbon capture plant, attached to the Unit 3 power unit, open.

In fact, the island that captures 90 per cent of the unit’s noxious carbon dioxide and 100 per cent of the sulphur dioxide had been functioning since Sept. 14 when the full-court press on the test runs were initiated.

On the Wednesday afternoon prior to the Oct. 2 official launch, Cenovus Energy Inc., the recipient of the CO2, picked up the gas right from the plant when it entered their pipeline that is attached directly to the capture plant, sending it to their nearby well sites to be used for enhanced oil recovery systems.

“It was 2,300 hundred tonnes, and we’re being paid for it,” said SaskPower president and CEO, Robert Watson, after stating to an applauding audience of about 250 invited guests, that “It works. It’s working.”

“We started picking the CO2 up at 3 p.m. yesterday,” said Cenovus

spokeswoman Jessica Wilkinson who made the trip from the company’s Calgary headquarters to attend the celebration and who spoke with the Mercury following the official launching ceremonies.

“No glitches, the quality is very high.”

The carbon capture capabilities at Saskatchewan’s largest power production plant, now provides SaskPower with another option in which to address greenhouse gas emissions and emerging environmental regulations.

Wall said the province’s quest for balance with regards to doing what’s best for the economy and the environment led them to this particular project and this specific day of celebration.

“We had a choice of low-cost energy versus higher cost but better for the environment decisions … until today,” said Wall, noting that 1,200 new coal fired plants were being planned around the world as he spoke. “That’s why coal is still part of the mix. There is reason for hope as of today. The message is that maybe there is more choice after all.”

Wall said the message has been sent that technological solutions can be found, noting that the new capture

system includes zero fly ash emissions, too, as well as nearly eliminating all the CO2 and all the SO2.

“This is the first generation of this technology and it has received a lot of media coverage,” the premier said, thanking the federal government for its $240 million cash injection into the $1.4 billion project at the early stage of development, in 2010.

Greg Rickford, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, was also on hand, noting that the federal government was on board as early as 2008. It was also noted that Souris-Moose Mountain MP Ed Komarnicki had been championing the project since its inception, said the company’s leader.

“Saskatchewan’s resource economy is becoming a powerhouse, an energy super power and it’s on the leading edge of clean technology,” said Rickford. “Sorry Mr. Obama, we’re leading the way. This project represents a major step forward for clean technology,” he added. With Saskatchewan now in a position of global leadership in the removal of carbon dioxide in a commercial-sized generating unit, there was speculation as to what the next steps would be.

Carnduff, Sk. • (306) 482-3244