Moose Jaw Express, July 19th, 2023

The Moose Jaw Health Foundation has announced the date for this year’s Festival of Trees will be Saturday, October 21, a month earlier than usual, in support of 2023’s goal to raise funds for specialized breast cancer treatment equipment at the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital.

“There is no event quite like Festival of Trees, and no charitable event has enhanced health care for generations more than the Festival of Trees,” said Ryan Hrechka, chairperson of the Moose Jaw Health Foundation (MJHF) board, during the announcement at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.

“Over 31 years, thousands of people

have been saved and helped by our doctors and health care professionals in Moose Jaw, and over those years our community has raised nearly $5 million through Festival of Trees.”

The theme of Festival of Trees is ‘Home for the Holidays,’ and even more changes have been made. of Trees] is moving to Saturday, October 21,” said Kim Waldo, chair of the Festival of Trees committee. “October is Breast that the foundation will be raising funds for Breast Cancer Detection and a Lymphatic Navigator for Breast Cancer Surgery].

“We want more people to come to Festival this year, so we are lowering the price of the tickets from $175 per person to $125 per person. ... The festival auction is evolving to meet the needs and lifestyle of festival guests. This year, the festival live auction will be shorter and more interactive. ... Festival guests will also be able to preview auction items on their phone and bid on silent auction items through their mobile device.”

Waldo said that the Festival of Trees

committee had been listening closely to community feedback from guests and volunteers in order to determine what changes should be made this year. Another difference she was excited about is that the festival committee will work to source this year’s meal as locally as possible.

“The festival team are looking forward to working with many local suppli-

ers to create a meal that highlights Moose Jaw’s culinary gems,” she said.

As usual, dancing will follow the auction portion of the gala, with music this year provided by local rockers The Uncoolas.

The Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital Auxiliary will once again host the Festival of Trees Sunday Family Brunch the morning after the festival.

Lastly, this year’s emcees will be a father/daughter team: Camron Howe is a board member of the MJHF, and his daughter Dr. Caitlyn Howe works at the hospital.

Dr. Howe said she was happy to be part of the announcement and praised the work of the foundation in supporting the hospital. She noted that everyone in theal hospital that is “second to none,” and a “game-changer.”

Tickets for the Festival of Trees will go on sale on Sasktix.ca in mid-August, but those wishing to book full tables can contact MJHF executive director Kelly McElree without delay at 306-694-0255 and by email at kmcelree@fhhr.ca.

Camron Howe, Dr. Caitlyn Howe, Ryan Hrechka, and Kim Waldo at the Festival of Trees announcement (photo by Gordon Edgar)

Change of Command ceremony sees new commander take over

at 15 Wing

Col. Dan Coutts assumes command from Col. Jonathan Bouchard during special ceremony at O.B. Philip Complex

There’s a new commander in charge of 15 Wing Moose Jaw.

the position during a change of command

Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

Coutts started his career as a helicop-

commander of the Canadian Aerospace

of new challenges.

operations again… that was all a challenge Coutts said.

“It was an immense challenge for

mense amount of training and professional

around helping 15 Wing continue to get

ment of training programs.

also want to focus on setting the conditions for the future of the air crew training

as helping where I can through cultural

Incoming 15 Wing commander Col.

Oh Clark’s

I couldn’t

live without my grasshopper...

Brenda Reilly at Murray GM turns sales into lasting friendships

Brenda Reilly talks about her career and the bonds formed over 26 years as a salesperson

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

Brenda Reilly is one of the three longest serving individuals at Murray GM, next to Sheldon Lautamus and owner Charles Vanden Broek, who all started around the same time back in 1997.

Reilly talks about her sales career and the bonds she has formed over her 26 years at Murray GM. Now semi-retired, she continues to help her new and existing clients on an appointment-only basis.

When asked about her retirement, she smiled and said Vanden Broek had other ideas. He said her clients still need her, so she agreed to continue helping.

She got into sales, thanks to a good opportunity, and was inspired by her father’s successful career in a GM dealership. “My dad was a gold grand sales master with GM for 45 years,” she explained. Once she started her career, her dad was there to teach her the ropes.

She didn’t expect to land the role [in car sales] and wasn’t pressured into it either. “I didn’t grow up to be a car salesman, but I wouldn’t change a thing [after all these years]. I’d do it all again if I had to; it’s been a lot of fun!”

It was when she met Vanden Broek that the opportunity presented itself.

“I was in furniture sales for a long time. I met Charles on the golf course and he encouraged me to come work for him. Actually, he persuaded me to come work with him,” she added, noting that Vanden Broek treated her as an equal and supported a healthy team environment at Murray GM.

Vanden Broek looked past her level of experience at the time and recognized the potential she had.

“I remember him asking me to open a hood on a vehicle while he was doing an appraisal — I had no idea how to open the hood,” she recalled, noting that a lot of her knowledge was acquired on the job.

Reilly recognized the opportunity she was given and extends her gratitude to both Charles and Caroline for all they’ve done for her along the way.

“The opportunity has been outstand-

ing for me as an individual. It provided a very successful life for my family. He [Charles] is very energetic, but of course his wife Caroline is of the same breed. They really go hard,” Reilly said.

Reilly said the best part of her job is neither the awards nor the recognition, but the people she gets to meet and form relationships with. Her favorite part of the job is the people requesting to deal with her.

“It has been such a pleasure to work with someone who was just getting going in life, and then still able to help them (several) years later. That’s a real bouquet, and that’s wonderful,” she said. “And now we’re getting into the next generation by selling their kids a car.

“I’m getting into the third generation with some of my customers, which is fun,” said Reilly.

Reilly keeps in touch with her customers and many of them still come to her for advice.

When she started, she said she was GM and in the local industry.

“It was pretty scary to be a woman in a man’s industry to start with,” said Reilly. “But the support I’ve had from the male

employees here has been amazing.”

This support was even more appreciated, Reilly said, because she started off without an extensive knowledge of vehicles.

owned vehicle to a gentleman that I’ve known all my life, when we got back from putting plates on it… he asked me what engine was in it. I replied, ‘I don’t know, what are you hoping for?’”

Reilly has seen numerous changes in the industry since starting 26 years ago, down to new technology.

“The new Cadillac Escalade, you don’t even have to hold the steering wheel. It will take you down the highway handsfree,” she explained.

Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday. com asked Reilly what advice she would give a salesperson just starting out.

“It’s looking after people; that’s what it’s all about,” she said. “Look after people; listen to what they came to get, and

help them get it.

“At the end of the day, it’s about people.”

Through her career, Reilly has developed a loyal customer base. Her clients appreciate her willingness to listen and her genuine concern for each individual person.

“They’ve all become my friends. A lot of my senior ladies, if they come in for an oil change, they will call me or text me and I’ll come in for a coffee.”

Reilly currently works by appointment only since she is now semi-retired, but she says she will never turn down an opportunity to meet up with a past client or get to know someone new. She said she would happily schedule an appointment and meet up for coffee and a good talk.

“Any of my past clients, if they contact me, I’m happy to come in and look after them,” she said.

Brenda Reilly can be reached on her cell at 306-631-5994.

Premier Scott Moe has called three provincial byelections to be held August 10.

in Regina Coronation Park, Regina Walsh Acres and Lumsden-Morse.

In Lumsden-Morse, Blaine McLeod from Caronport will represent the Sask. Party and Kaitlyn Stadnyk from the Lumsden area will represent the NDP.

While the three byelections will be held on Aug. 10, there will be polls open throughout Voting Week, which will run from Aug. 3 to 10. According to a news release from noon to 8 p.m. on Aug. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8, and from 9 am to 8 p.m. August 10.

“Voters in these three constituencies will have a chance to decide which candidate will ensure Saskatchewan’s strong growth continues and that it’s growth that works for

everyone,” Moe said in a statement.

“I expect to see a strongly contested campaign by all parties and candidates.”

Premier Moe was scheduled to meet reporters later this morning while NDP leader Carla Beck was scheduled for a media event in the afternoon.

Both the Sask Party and NDP have candidates in place in all three ridings while the Saskatchewan United Party has one candidate nominated so far, in Lumsden-Morse. All three seats had previously been held by the Sask Party.

Mark Docherty, who held Coronation Park, and Lyle Stewart, who held Lumsden-Morse, resigned earlier this year. Regina Walsh Acres became vacant when MLA Derek Meyers died from cancer earlier this spring.

you are always there whenever i call... you

meet all my needs!

Premier calls three byelections for Aug. 10, including in Lumsden-Morse riding

Phone: 306.694.1322 Fax: 888.241.5291

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Send your stories, events and pictures to: jritchie@moosejawtoday.com

Joan Ritchie

Joyce Walter

Ron Walter

John Kreutzwieser

U of S prof helps Square One organize Point-in-Time homelessness count

Gordon Edgar - Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com

zation that is working to reduce the number of individuals in Moose Jaw experiencing homelessness. One of their most important goals is to have reliable, timely data —

Gordon Edgar Jason G. Antonio

Aaron Walker

I’m not sure I know what’s going on with Mother Nature; this morning in the middle of July, the temperature was a bone-chilling six degrees. We are not accustomed to having to wear fall clothing in the middle of our usually hot summer mornings.

We love to get up with the birds and enjoy a few cups of coffee on the deck before we gear up to work, but this year the opportunities to do that early in the morning have been very few-and-far-between.

I’m also a little skeptical at putting any iota of conthe forecast more often than they change their underwear. What a difference a few days makes…

On the weekend, the forecast for Sunday morning was supposed to be nine degrees, not too much warmer than this particular Monday morning I’m writing this. When I got up shortly after 8am on Sunday, I was pleasantly surprised that it was sunny and warm and 14 degrees; those few cups of java went down nicely as we gazed at the lake.

I also noticed recently that some of the poplar trees are changing colour and I’m not sure why…whether it is seasonal aging or from too much moisture. Whatever the reason being, it’s too early for fall to come this soon. Do you hear me, Mother Nature?

One thing is for sure, we absolutely don’t have any control over external weather.

“Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.” -

John Ruskin

I admire the hutzpah in this guy, because just as much as his statement is true, the weather one enjoys is not necessarily a favourite to others. It’s just like beauty, “it’s in the eye of the beholder.”

“When all is said and done, the weather and love are the two elements about which one can never be sure.”

Mother Nature can’t please everyone all the time few more quotes to contemplate:

“The storm starts, when the drops start dropping When the drops stop dropping then the storm starts stopping.”

“Just for the record, the weather today is calm and sunny, but the air is full of bullshit.”

“I’ve found that it’s of some help to think of one’s moods and feelings about the world as being similar to weather…In the same way that one really has to accept the weather, one has to accept how one feels about life sometimes, “Today is a really crap day,” is a perfectlytal umbrella… there’s nothing I can do about it, but sit it out. But the sun may well come out tomorrow, and when it does I shall take full advantage.”

Fry

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university co-director,” Findlay explained in an interview with MooseJawToday.com. “I learned a lot … Since then,

simultaneously, I do housing research, because in order to have any answers to homelessness, you not only need to study those experiencing it, and listen to their concerns and issues and needs, but you also need to look at the housing sector.”

conducted correctly, they can provide crucial information on, for, and from people experiencing various forms of homelessness.

their past, such as Indigenous survivors of residential

ployable, live with disabilities? What impact do changes population, and/or housing availability have?

versation forward. This count, with Findlay’s help, will include a community survey portion that anyone can provide answers for, giving Square One a snapshot of the

dinate between agencies, increase access to services and resources, and secure sustainable funding through grants, which often require hard data for eligibility.

supporting you. You need literally hundreds of volunSaskatoon, but you can imagine what they need in Vancouver, Toronto, or Montreal.

“But the volunteers also need to be trained carefully so the data quality can be assured. So, they need to understand lived expertise as well as academic expertise. …

In Saskatoon, the city and the university are involved in support, and the history of doing them. I was very glad to help when Moose Jaw reached out, because I know it can be quite overwhelming, even with the national co-ordination standards.”

Findlay said that Saskatoon’s numbers have gone up every time the count has been conducted. While part of that is the improvement in research methods over time, she said there’s no doubt the problem is getting worse. than ever. -

a fully exhaustive count in every area of every city. … I don’t want to underestimate the impact of strategies like some communities.

“So, yes, there are all sort of efforts and plans to end homelessness, but the larger structural factors, such as racism, social exclusion, marginalization, and system failures, I mean, we still have people transitioning out of the justice system with nowhere to go, out of the health system with nowhere to go. These are big issues that we are still not addressing as effectively as we could.” -

from homelesshub.ca/solutions/monitoring-progress/ point-time-counts.

Eyebrow Fair attracted from surrounding communities

Ron Walter - For Moose Jaw Express

The annual Eyebrow Fair was one of the most active in its 25 year plus history, as folks from Eyebrow and surrounding communities gathered to visit and participate.

The morning started with a real farmer-style pancake breakfast – three pancakes, two slices of ham, and two fried eggs for only $5. The special breakfast was courtesy of the folks at nearby Tugaske in appreciation of sup-

beer garden with a horse trailer acting as the bar revolved -

equestrian events still had 25 horses in various classes.

Teams competed for supremacy in the slo-pitch tournament.

Youngsters hustled in a straw bed looking for hidden

candies, while others played in the bouncy castles or had faces painted like their favourite cartoon character. A parade of vintage vehicles came down the streets. The pie booth was busy. Some visitors came more than once for pie.

The afternoon ended with a beef supper, dancing to

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net

Joan Ritchie EDITOR

Volunteers listen to Della Ferguson, chair of the Square One board, at the start of the Walk for Warmth in March, 2023 (photo by Gordon Edgar)

Area RM holds grand opening to celebrate new $1.4M public works shops

Construction vehicles have grown bigger during the past 40 years, so to ensure it can store all its equipment indoors, the Rural Municipality of Moose Jaw has constructed two new public works building.

To celebrate these structures — located in Boharm west of Moose Jaw — the organization held a grand opening on July 11 that saw in attendance several area residents, city and provincial dignitaries, and RM council members and employees.

In particular, MLA Greg Lawrence brought greetings on behalf of the province, and Ray Orb spoke as president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM). Afterward, the reeve and councillors cut a ribbon to open

Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

“This is awesome. These 35 years have gone by pretty fast,” said McLaren, 53, who started as a summer student at age 16 before becoming full-time at 18.

Compared to the previous smaller public works shed, the new building is a great state-of-the-art venue that can store everything inside, he remarked. However, he never worked in the new building because he retired in March, although he did help paint and install shelves.

In retirement, McLaren plans to continue farming north of Moose Jaw.

4,000 square feet in size — on Norwood Avenue in Moose Jaw in 1986, explained administrator Mike Wirges. The organization grew over the next four decades and added more employees — from three to six — and equipment, which prompted the RM in 2019 to review its space needs since it was storing valuable equipment outside.

It considered purchasing land in or near Moose Jaw, but costs were expensive, so it looked further away and found four hectares (10 acres) in Boharm on the former one-room school site, he continued. This was suitable since it allowed the RM to continue expanding.

9,600-square-foot propane-heated build-

ing and an adjacent smaller 3,200-squarefoot unheated storage building that can hold equipment the RM uses at certain times of the year.

The entire project cost about $1.4 million.

The public works building can store the two graders, a wheel loader, a bobcat and smaller vehicles. It has a giant wash bay on one side, while all the doors fold open in accordion style.

“It’s quite unique to this area … ,” said Wirges, noting it would have taken six months to bring in regular overhead doors, so the organization selected the agricultural-focused FINDOOR product.

the buildings. They give us the opportunity to expand and grow. The location is well worth it. It’s better than elsewhere.”

Wirges added that there are still some

natural gas line and installing cement columns to protect the outdoor propane tank.

Attending the grand opening was Cyril McIntyre — a grader operator with the RM from 1970 to 1980 — and his wife, Maria.

“It’s exciting. This stuff makes me excited,” McIntyre said about the event and surrounding equipment.

The couple lived in Boharm for 54 years, even when McIntyre worked for the RM, where he worked shift work the hired a second grader operator. He drove into Moose Jaw daily for a decade because the organization stored its equipment at

two locations along Highway 1.

The rural municipality had no shop then, so McIntyre and fellow grader operator Richard (Dick) Stewart serviced their machines outside year-round. With a chuckle, he noted that the graders were good then but not as fancy as today.

“They’re quite the machine now,” McIntyre added. “I probably would now (have trouble operating one).”

During the grand opening, the RM honoured employee Todd McLaren, who retired after 35 years. The reeve and a councillor presented him with a metal silhouette featuring the symbol of his property, Golden Grain Farm.

268 Mulberry Lane Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, S6J 1N1 306-693-4550

Rod Brisbin Ernie Schock

Donna Schock

The new 9,600-square-foot public works shop. Photo by Jason G. Antonio

Ron Brumwell, reeve of the RM of Moose Jaw (centre), cuts a ribbon to of-

Photo by Jason G. Antonio

The bigger public works shop can now hold all the RM’s equipment. Photo by Jason G. Antonio

Jason G. Antonio

By Patricia Hanbidge

Maples – Part II

Last week we focused on some of the wonderful trees and shrubs in the Maple Family. Read on for more great maples you can grow!

One of the nicest maples to grow is the Amur Maple (Acer ginnala). It is a tree of smaller stature and only grows to about 18’ (5.4 metres) high and is multistemmed with a nice rounded form. Amur Maple is an 1930’s in North America. It is best planted in full sun and is graced with red samara (seed structure). This is a great tree that is truly beautiful that is perfect for smaller landscapes.

The Tartarian Maple (Acer tartaricaum) is a close relative to the Amur Maple but is slightly taller and has a wider, rounder canopy making it a great shade tree for smaller landscapes. Hence they are about 20 feet (6 me-

tres) tall and can be 25 feet wide (7.6 metres). Both the Tartarian and Amur Maple have wonderful fall colours when the weather permits and showy samaras (seeds). Hot Wings® Tartarian Maple (Acer tartaricum ‘Garann’) is an amazing small maple to grow. In 1993, it was discovered in Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery as a tree that stood out more than all the others on site. The tree demonstrated breathtaking beauty for six weeks each summer with scarlet red samaras that contrast beautifully with the rich green foliage appearing like the tree is in bloom. It also has strong branch unions so is less prone to limb breakage in windy areas. It also has great fall colour ranging from a deep orange red on the outside and more yellow on the inside of the canopy.

The Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) is the only maple which is not susceptible to aphids and thus for that reason alone is a good choice for our landscapes. It is a large tree with an oval crown and is also quite fast growing.

The striped maple (Acer pensylvanicum) is an understory tree which is distinct because of its green and white striped bark that allows the tree to photosynthesize better in the

shade and even before the leaves appear in spring. It also has a common name of moosewood as both moose and deer like to browse the twigs in winter. The autumn colour is yellow.

The Norway maple (Acer platanoides) was introduced from Eurasia in the mid-1700’s as an ornamental from southern Ontario to Newfoundland. It is considered a threat to other maples as it leafs out earlier, retains its and germination. It grows in dense stands and the leaves release toxins that will affect the soil fungi and microbes and easily out competes trees like the sugar maple and red oak.

The Japanese Maple is not only a beautiful landscape tree, but for those of us who are living in more severe climates it is an option for an indoor/outdoor environment. One of the classic Japanese Maples has deeply cut, feathery red-purple leaves that turn a brighter crimson in fall. Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum Atropureum’ or Lace Leaf Japanese Maple is a great selection for your backyard in the summer and the solarium in the winter. There are a host of different Japanese Maples that you may try and for sure they will each bring much to your landscape.

Hanbidge is the Lead Horticulturist with Orchid Horticulture. Find us at www.orchidhort.com; by email at info@orchidhort.com; on facebook @orchidhort and on instagram at #orchidhort. Tune into GROW Live on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/orchidhort or check out the Youtube channel GROW... https://www. youtube.com/channel/UCzkiUpkvyv2e2HCQlFl0JyQ?

Visit Duck Mountain Provincial Park This Summer

April Meersman - Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com

Duck Mountain is an interprovincial park bordering Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It is the southernmost tip of the boreal forest covering about 150 square km. Found 14km east of Kamsack, the park is the transit point into the aspen parkland.

Duck Mountain Provincial Park is a family-friendly park offering guests a wide range of activities to satisfy their outdoor cravings. If you’re an angler looking for a quiet spot, then catching pike, perch, or walleye at Madge Lake (or one of the various other lakes found in and around the park) is what is calling you. If you are a nature enthusiast, the park provides an abundance of wildlife viewing opportunities such as following the mi-

speeding through the trees is what you crave then bike a section of the Trans Canada Trail or sample one of the other self-guided or interpretive trails. Whatever the case the loons on the lake as the sunsets. It all waits for you! Madge Lake, the largest body of water in the park, serves as its central tourist attraction. Seasonal recrehunting, hiking part of the Trans Canada Trail, bicycourse and mini, skiing in every form including water,

downhill and cross-country skiing, sledding, tobogganing, and snowshoeing.

There are multiple campgrounds throughout the park that have varying levels of services, including electrical hook-ups, potable water, laundry, sani-dumps, washrooms, and showers. Fern, Sellwood, Poplar, Spruce (on Madge Lake), and Birch A, B, & C Campgrounds are set up as individual sites. Most of the individual sites can accommodate larger vehicles, such as RVs and trailers. On the other hand, Moose, Elk and Deer Campgrounds are group camping sites that have camp kitchens and covered areas.

Duck Mountain Lodge operates as a year-round resort hotel in the park. Summer seasonal campground and cabin rentals are also available. Over 300 private cottages can also be found around the lake. There are two public swimming beaches Ministik Beach and Pickerel Point

From resort hotel to wild wilderness camping, Duck Mountain offers the park up for every season. Choosing full amenities or no amenities, your stay is sure to leave you with warm memories and long-lasting experiences.

For more information go to https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/ and search for “Duck Mountain Provincial Park.” For reservations contact https://parks. saskatchewan.ca/

Email: duckmtn@gov.sk.ca

RCMP Heritage Centre a must-visit day trip from Moose Jaw

Gordon Edgar - Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com

Visitors to Moose Jaw looking for an engaging and informative day trip should look no further than the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Heritage Centre, only an hour’s drive away and open year-round.

The RCMP Heritage Centre provides a state-of-theart, immersive exploration of the history and culture of Canada’s national police force, and the role of the RCMP in shaping the country’s identity.

The Centre is located on the grounds of the RCMP Academy “Depot” Division at 5907 Dewdney Avenue, Regina. The RCMP Academy was established in 1885 and remains the exclusive training facility for all RCMP cadets. The Centennial Museum, precursor to the Heritage Centre, opened in 1933. In 2006, the Centennial Museum closed permanently, and the Heritage Centre opened in 2007.

Upon arriving at the RCMP Heritage Centre, visitors are greeted by staff and volunteers who provide an overview of the facility’s offerings and can answer any questions. The centre is open year-round, with operating hours from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For the most up-to-date information on the centre’s schedule, visit their website at www.rcmphc.com.

Visitors can choose between self-guided and guided tours. To ensure a spot on a guided tour, it is recommended to book in advance through the centre’s website or by contacting the RCMP Heritage Centre at (306) 522-7333, toll-free at 1-866-567-7267, or by email at info@rcmphc. com.

The centre features a variety of exhibits, including the popular “March of the Mounties,” which showcases a chronological timeline of the RCMP’s development, “Creating a Mounted Police,” which delves into the trainwhich invites visitors into hands-on interactive exhibits to examine a scene and help solve a crime.

Before leaving the RCMP Heritage Centre, visitors can stop by the gift shop, which offers a wide range of RCMP souvenirs, clothing, and collectibles. Unfortunately, the centre has not had a café on-site for many years.

The Heritage Centre is currently completing a yearslong quest to become a National Museum. National museums are Crown Corporations with their operating costs federally funded. If they can succeed in 2023, the achievement will coincide with the 150th anniversary of the RCMP.

meant a shift in direction for the Heritage Centre. The

Centre’s executive team, with the full support of RCMP leadership, has created a strategy to address the full history of the force, including its impact on and relationship with marginalized populations in Canada.

The focus on current issues such as Truth and Reconciliation and positive changes in the RCMP’s relationship with 2SLGBTQ+ communities has coincided with increased resources toward outreach and education. Innovative new programs for high school students, for example, have engaged with thousands of youths so far in across the country to answer questions and share experiences.

The RCMP Heritage Centre is the best place in Canada to learn about the legendary red-coated Mounties, including the force’s fascinating roles in both World Wars, Cold War-era espionage, and current status — recognized worldwide as an elite modern law-enforcement organization.

Image: https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com

Image: https: // www.tourismsaskatchewan.com

Image: www.rcmphc.com.

Reflective Moments

By Joyce Walter - Moose Jaw Express

Wheeled walkers versus potholes on

There’s been considerable talk lately, and before that, about the state of Moose Jaw’s roads.

The talk has been almost 100 per cent in the negative vein, relating to the number of potholes one has to dodge to get from Point A to Point B. Some streets are worse than others and drivers have been learning the least pot-holed routes and telling fellow motorists.

There has been evidence provided that vehicles are being damaged by hitting the holes and drivers are naturally enraged at what it is costing them in repairs just to drive in Moose Jaw. So far we haven’t heard of the city paying for any of the damages and I don’t think we should hold our breath in anticipation that that will happen.

It wasn’t until Sidewalk Days that the potholes took on a different and more interesting connotation. Prior to that date,

Main Street

our interaction with the potholes on Main

our respective motorized vehicles.

But suddenly on that weekend, we got that is known as Main Street. Both of us were making use of our wheeled walkers to assist with long-distance walking and to have our personal resting seat if required. We had not anticipated how challenging the walk up and down the street would be.

The crowds parted congenially when we approached and those who were abthemselves for impeding our progress.

But Holy Cow, the wheels on our walkers were not built to withstand the bumps to which they were subjected. We must certainly have looked like we had imbibed in many alcoholic beverages before starting our Sidewalk Days adventure.

I’d swerve to miss a hole and another

attacked. And then I was forced to reverse a larger one in my path. I don’t think continually lifting the walker out of the pavement depressions was recommended for my back’s good health

Housemate’s walker is larger thanbles with the wear and tear on his steering and wheels.

Other patrons of the event laughed at our dilemma and shared our bemusement that our own Main Street would be in such rough shape.

Someone suggested we should have stuck to the sidewalks instead of walking on the street. Possibly, but we didn’t go downtown to see the back ends of the food trucks and vendors. Walking on the road is what the event is all about.

I’m wondering what response we’d receive if we sent a bill to the city for a

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and dosition of this publication.

wheel alignment and balance on our walkers. Do walkers actually need alignments and balancing? I should dig out the warranty information and see if after almost two years the warranty is still valid and ifnicipal infrastructure.

With the recent approval given to a bylaw allowing e-scooters on city streets, I can’t help but hope users wear shoulder have personal injury insurance.

I can’t imagine scooter riders enjoying Main Street, or heaven forbid, crossing the Fourth Avenue Bridge or traversing parts of 13th Avenue Northwest. Meanwhile I think I’ll get someone to check our walkers for loose screws.

Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net

The Military Police National Motorcycle Relay makes stop in Moose Jaw

On July 10th, the MPNMR group stopped by the Legion as part of their Canada-wide relay to support the Military Police Fund for Blind Children Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

The Military Police National Motorcycle Relay (MPNMR) is once again mobilizing on a cross-Canada motorcycle ride to raise funds for children with visual impairment. On June 10th, they arrived at the Royal Canadian Legion in Moose Jaw after a breakfast stop at the Pit Stop Diner in Mortlach.

“We are the primary fundraisers for the Military Police Fund for Blind Children (MPFBC),” said event organizer Joel Armstrong. “It’s a charity administered by the military police, which is kind of odd as the federal government doesn’t administer a lot of charities.” The MPFBC is the only military-administered charity in the country.

“Today we started in Swift Current, and we visited Mortlach and Moose Jaw. We’re going to Weyburn, Estevan, Stoughton, and we’ll spend the night in Carlyle.”

It all started with Colonel James Riley Stone, who was the founder of the MPFBC. Back in 1957, he was the Canadian Army Provost Marshal (MP) when his daughter Moira was diagnosed with cancer of the eye, leading to her sudden blindness.

Colonel Stone was introduced to other organizations struggling to help children with blindness. The plight of these children affected him deeply.

Colonel Stone wanted to do everything he could to help others in the same situation. He began canvassing Military Police members and asking for a voluntary yearly donation of a few dollars. He was able to establish a fund and in 1977 the MPFBC was founded.

Over the past 14 years, MPNMR volunteers have been riding across Canada to help support the charity.

“We ride from Victoria, BC, to St. Johns, Newfoundland. Over the past 14 years, we’ve raised over $850,000 and this year we’re over $26,000 so far from Victoria to Moose Jaw. We’ll be in St. John’s on July 26.”

Everyone in the group is a volunteer, and supporters can ride any distance they are able to.

In Saskatchewan, a few locals joined in. “We have Terry who served us breakfast in Mortlach this morning and came with us; we have Owen we’re going to meet in Weyburn, and he’s going to ride the rest of the day with us.”

Volunteer riders are motivated by the same spirit as Colonel Stone to help others in need.

ciaries of the charity, which has really opened my eyes to the struggles of people with visual impairment,” said Armstrong.

One girl he met, Katrina who is blind, as well as othhas uncontrollable shaking and has a hard time eating.

“So, the charity bought her a sewing machine that she can operate blind. She makes adult bibs for people like her who struggle with spilling food… it gives her a sense of purpose as she is giving back to the world.”

Isaac is one of the children whose life was changed by the charity. “He got connected to the charity when his

mother was at her wits end as a single mom… (and) diagnosed with breast cancer. He was born with a neuroworking properly.

“As a newborn he couldn’t swallow and was choking on everything. His visual impairment was that his eyes were physically okay, but they didn’t work with his brain properly.

“They (MPFBC) helped out with treatment and a $6000 pair of glasses.

“By the time he joined us he was 12, and he was able to read his story when we stopped… and on receiving his that what you look like?’

“We had a charity baseball game against the Castlegar Fire Department, and Isaac hit the baseball for the the only home run of the game, thanks to a few fumbled him.

“What happened in 2020, of course with COVID, was the national event didn’t go ahead,” Armstrong said. “So, this year has been about restoring the national ride and restoring contacts across the country.

“The relay’s goal is to get us up to $1 million in total. I think that’s ambitious for this year, but we’ll see how it goes!”

To learn more about the MPFBC charity or to make a donation, you can visit their website at mpfbc.ca. The MPNMR group can be reached at the site or through their separate Facebook page.

“Anyone who is aware of us is welcome to join and ride with us.”

Volunteers with the Military Police National Motorcycle Relay stop at the Royal Canadian Legion in Moose Jaw on July 10, 2023. Photo by Ellen Armstrong

Photo by: Aaron Walker

Photo by: Aaron Walker

red chests so colourful.

Ron

Walter - For Moose Jaw Express

The birds seem to understand we mean them no multiple blossoms.

fore they could mature into berries. branches.

Then the tree started to produce lots of berries. Now them.

TRADING THOUGHTS

By Ron Walter For Moose Jaw Express

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necthis publication.

about this new source of tasty food.

a spot beside the house then disappeared. We hoped it robins.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net

Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners Notes

The next police board meeting is Thursday, August 10

Fentanyl, other hard drugs continue to plague the community, police say

evidenced by the three overdose deaths in early June and busts.

The Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) handled 21 tocent year-over-year increase — and 31 such incidents two

The data for 2023, 2022 and 2021 shows: year-over-year increase

Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

out the alert about the tainted fentanyl on June 12, he continued.

rectly to the hospital by family or friends for treatment. Furthermore, sometimes the police service records data

will continue to do so, the deputy chief added. The presence of fentanyl in Moose Jaw concerned

ed by that public service announcement, she continued.

tanyl-related deaths, we will certainly have to wait for the certainty that it was, in fact, a fentanyl overdose.”

Theft of expensive vehicles, tools, bicycles pushing up crime stats, cops say

Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

Police have recorded more thefts of items over $5,000 this year than last year, which they believe is partially due bicycles.

Humane Society

Pet of the Month GYPSY

Now accepting applications for Gypsy! If you are interested in meeting sweet Gypsy, literally the SWEETEST! Please go to our website at www.mjhs.ca and click the Adopt tab, then Adoptable Animals and scroll to her beautiful face to submit your application. Once your application has been approved, we will contact you to come spend some time with Gypsy to be sure she is the right t for you. If you don't think Gypsy is the girl for you, there is no obligation to

complete the adoption process. We look forward to hearing from you! Gypsy is 1 -2 year old boxer mix. She seems social with other dogs. We aren't sure how she is with cats. She is a big snuggle bug once she gets to know you. She can sit and shake a paw and just wants to please! Gypsy's adoption fee is $300 she is spayed, started on her vaccination schedule and micro-chipped. Can't adopt Gypsy yourself but still want to help? You can make a donation toward her care by clicking the following link or by sharing her post. Thank you for your support! https://checkout.shelterluv.com/donate/mjaw

For more info contact t Bring

There were 17 incidents of theft over $5,000 from same period last year — an 88.9-per-cent year-over-year a report that the Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) pre-

The police service continues to see trends in the data,

such incidents, but instead, the value of the items is worth the differences.

Stolen vehicles are the most common items recorded valued items thieves steal include contractor equipment

Crimes against property 2023, 2022 and 2021 show:

over-year increase

Other crimes

Crimes against people 2023, 2022 and 2021 show: increase

Year-to-date data for other types of crimes for 2023, 2022 and 2021 show:

From The Kitchen

By Joyce Walter - Moose Jaw Express

Recipes provided to respond to readers’ requests

In the past few days, several readers have been in touch about certain recipes that appeared in previous columns.

I am happy to offer them again this week, providing ways to make use of the abundance of seasonal fruit now available.

• • •

SASKATOON PIE

pastry for a 2-crust, 9 inch pie

1 -1 1/4 cups sugar

2 1/2 tbsps. quick cooking tapioca or 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

4 cups ripe berries

2 tbsps. butter

2 tsps. granulated sugar

Sort berries to remove leaves and twigs. Place in a large bowl.

and mix well. Pour over berries and mix gently.

Pour into pastry-lined pie shell. Dot top of berries with dabs of butter. Place top crust in place, pastry. Sprinkle top with 2 tsps. granulated sugar. Bake in a pre-heated 450 degrees F oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 40-45 minutes or longer, until berries bubble.

Let cool before slicing. Serve with ice cream.

• • • PEACH FILLING

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla

4 cups peaches, pitted, peeled and sliced

In a large saucepan, whisk sugar, water, cornstarch and lemon juice. Boil over medium heat, stirring often.

Cook 3-5 minutes until thickened. Removevouring. Stir to coat peaches. Cool completely. Place in freezer-safe containers and freeze. When needed for pies or puddings, thaw the peach cobbler as per usual recipes.

• • •

FRUIT COBBLER

5 cups fruit of choice (apples, peaches, apricots, rhubarb, cherries)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp. quick cooking tapioca

1 tbsp. lemon juice

2-3 tbsps. butter

Topping:

1 large egg

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/8 cup molasses

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsps. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tbsps. melted butter

Combine fruit, 1/2 cup brown sugar, tapioca and lemon juice. Stir to blend then pour into a well-buttered large baking dish. Dot with butter and bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes until fruit bubbles.

For the topping, beat the egg with the sugars, buttermilk and molasses.

Sift the dry ingredients and stir into the liquid ingredients. Melt the butter and stir into mixture.

Pour over the baked fruit mixture. Bake another 30-40 minutes. Serve warm or cold. Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel. net

Province gives city nearly $40K to upgrade crosswalk on Wood Lily Drive

The provincial government is providing nearly $2 million to more than 100 Sassafety projects, including nearly $40,000 to Moose Jaw for crosswalk upgrades near Thatcher Drive.

The province has approved funding for 114 projects in 106 municipalities Communities will receive grants ranging from $1,024 to $80,824 for a total of $1.72 million.

This is the highest amount the province has given since it started the program in 2019.

Important intersections, school zones this funding with the installation of new signage, lights, crosswalks and other traf-

The province is providing $36,750 to the City of Moose Jaw to install a signalized crosswalk on Wood Lily Drive. It is also providing the Village of Caronport with $15,900 for new crosswalk lights at

Centre Street and First Avenue and $7,566 for a new speed sign on Larch Street.

“Through this funding, we’ll see 114ince, all with the intention of improving safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians in our communities,” said the Honourable Don Morgan, minister responsible for SGI. “Thank you to the communities who applied for these grants and for taking (the) initiative to improve safety in your neighbourhoods”

Proceeds accumulated from photo speed enforcement fund the provinawarded to communities twice a year.

The program is now accepting applications for the next round of funding. The application deadline is Sept. 30. For more information, visit https://sgi.sk.ca/community-grants-programs. -

sues like speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, occupant protection or intersection safety may be eligible for grant funding.

Provincial Court Report:

Judge adjourns man’s six-year-old theft charge for 25th time

Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

It was September 2017 when police charged Jordan Philp with allegedly using a stolen credit card, so after nearly six years and 24 adjournments, a provincial court judge wants the matter resolved.

Philp’s matters — including two failto-attend charges — were in Moose Jaw Provincial Court recently, with his mother appearing for him by phone because he was working in Alberta.

When Judge Daryl Rayner informed the woman about the charges and when they arose, she said, “Wow, that’s crazy.”

“That’s more than crazy, it’s ridiculous … ,” the judge replied, noting Philp had also failed to repay the money he allegedly stolen. “He’s got to get these moving forward.”

Crown prosecutor Monique Paquin explained that the court had referred Philp,

30, to alternative measures three times in the past, but he had failed to complete that work.

Meanwhile she spoke with him two months ago, where she told him what the Crown’s position was with his sentencing. He told her that he would take time to think about her proposal.

“I will indicate for the record (that) the Crown’s ready to proceed on these matters (and) ready to resolve them,” said Paquin, “and has been for quite some time.”

Judge Rayner told Philp’s mother that she needed to explain to her son that the judge wanted this situation to move toward a speedy resolution and that there would be no more delays allowed.

Rayner then adjourned the matters — for the 25th time — to Wednesday, Sept. 6.

Applications are reviewed by a committee made up of representatives from the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, the Prince Albert Grand Council, the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police, the Min-

istry of Justice, the Ministry of Highways and SGI.ty projects have been funded, totalling more than $8.9 million, since the provin2019.

CITY HALL COUNCIL NOTES

THE NEXT REGULAR COUNCIL

MEETING IS MONDAY, JULY 24.

SaskTel plans to build a new 5G communications antenna in southwest Moose Jaw to address population growth — including a new school — and increased demand for cellular service in that area.

During its July 10 regular meeting, city council voted 6-1 to approve the Crown corporation’s discretionary use application to replace a “communication antenna support structure” near the corner of Coteau Street West and William Avenue as long as the engineering department approved the site grading plan as part of the overall development permit approval.

Coun. Doug Blanc was opposed.

SaskTel wants to build a 45.7-metre telecommunications tower and a small, 3.6-metre by 3.6-metre equipment building on a municipal reserve parcel several blocks northwest of the new joint-use school.

As part of the application process, the company held public engagement activities throughout May for properties within 139 metres of the proposed tower to notify them of this project, a council report explained. The business informed city hall in early June that it had received

SaskTel to erect 5G antenna in city’s southwest to enhance cellular service

Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

no comments from area residents.

The property where SaskTel wants to build the antenna is in the P (parks) district, and under the zoning bylaw, communication antenna support structures are listed as discretionary uses in all districts and require council approval, the report continued.

The purpose of the parks district is to control and protect city-owned lands — primarily public, municipal or environmental reserve — that residents use for active or passive recreational purposes.

While the tower is 34.7 metres taller than allowed in parks districts — the maximum height is 11 metres — the zoning bylaw provides exemptions for structures like these from adhering to building height standards, the report added.

Council reaction

“5G is coming. I’m happy that SaskTel is proceeding with this,” said Mayor Clive Tolley. “There is no cost to the City of Moose Jaw. In fact, we’ll get the $500 development fee (from the Crown corporation).”

Coun. Blanc had some concerns with the tower’s

proposed location, considering a nearby property to the north has been reserved for housing. He noted that he conducted research online about the safety of 5G-related cell towers and discovered half the sites say there are no health concerns, while the other half say the technology causes major problems.

“You can’t get an accurate feel for it,” he stated. “I’m a little bit concerned by that. It’s a 50/50 gamble.”

Blanc understood that most of society needed 5G technology, especially since more than seven billion people worldwide used a smartphone or related device. Meanwhile, some residents have complained to Blanc about the site line with the new tower. They developed their backyards to ensure they had good views and will soon see a tower behind them. That concerned him, while he wondered if other nearby locations were more suitable.

Jim Dixon, manager of economic development, acknowledged that there were other locations where the new tower could have gone.

City could add 1,300 more housing units if Ottawa approves funding application

Making the former Union Hospital site a residential area and redeveloping the Town ‘n’ Country Mall to include homes are just two housing initiatives city hall could pursue if it acquires federal funding.

Since May, consultant Wallace Insights has been preparing an application on behalf of the City of Moose Jaw for the federal government’s housing accelerator fund (HAF), which helps municipalities remove barriers to housing and develop “affordable, inclusive, equitable and climate-resilient” communities.

Ottawa announced it would provide $4 billion for the HAF program. Communities applying must have populations of over 10,000 people.

Municipalities can use the money to create HAF action plans; on affordable housing initiatives such as construction, repair or modernization, or acquiring land or buildings; on housing-related infrastructure such as drinking water, wastewater, disaster mitigation or public transit; or community-related infrastructure that supports housing such as roads and bridges, sidewalks, bike lanes,

Wallace Insights presented the housing needs assessment and action plan to city council during the July 10 regular meeting; council later voted unanimously to approve the document and direct city administration to apply to the HAF program.

The program is now open and closes in September.

Housing initiatives

The document lists 11 initiatives that the municipal-

Library receives

ity could pursue if it received federal funding, including:

- Preparing the former Union Hospital site for residential use

- Building a mixed market townhouse project at Westheath

- housing at 15 Wing Air Base

- Pursuing a feasibility study for student housing near Saskatchewan Polytechnic

- Analyzing whether the downtown can support more housing

- Creating a new priority rezoning policy

- Assessing whether four school sites on South Hill can be used for residential development

- Creating an infrastructure servicing plan and housing feasibility report for Caribou Street East

- Redeveloping the mall to include housing

- Working with the Gabriel Housing Corporation

- Creating a support plan to implement these projects

- The report says the municipality could develop more than 1,300 dwelling units if it pursued all 11 initiatives. City hall estimates it could start half of these projects before 2027, while several projects could be locations.

- However, due to capacity issues and the fact only half the projects can be started before 2027, the documentport from the HAF program — versus only 129 units without that money.

Housing challenges

“We feel that the proposal here we have (and the) initiatives (in the plan) are very, very sound. We are in a tough, competitive environment because it’s (for) communities 10,000-plus,” said Jim Dixon, manager of economic development.

Moose Jaw faces several housing challenges becausetional students attending Saskatchewan Polytechnic, almost 800 more workers working on big projects, and 130 participants from a Rural and Northern Immigrant Nominee program pilot project relocating here, he remarked. Furthermore, the housing action plan has reviewed the municipality’s housing stock and found an imbalance in single-family residences versus multi-family residences, Dixon continued. The provincial average is 60 per cent/40 per cent, but in Moose Jaw, it’s 70 per cent/30 per cent.

Dixon added that the report is well done and “speaks for itself.” He commended Wallace Insights for being a great partner and bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to this project.

“Anytime we get an opportunity to get federal money, we must be quick and get our application in and … hopefully, we’ll receive some needed funding,” said Mayor Clive Tolley. “I know the report shows us behind the rest of the province in developing housing. We’ve al-

“This is (the) right move at the right time.”

$24K gift to help upgrade theatre equipment

The Moose Jaw Public Library is receiving a little help from its friends in the form of a $24,000 gift as it works to upgrade the equipment in its theatre.

The library has been planning for several years to upgrade the theatre’s failing sound system and projector, which were installed in 1992 when the city last renovated

the library, art gallery, and museum.

The organization budgeted $8,000 last year to purchase a new projector and $23,000 this year for the sound system. However, after reviewing the available technology, staff realized they would be short money to make these purchases.

So, The Friends of the Library stepped in to cover the shortfall with a donation of $24,000. Half of the donation will support the purchase of a projector — now worth $20,000 — and the other half will go toward the sound system, now valued at $35,000.

Therefore, the total cost of the purchases is $55,000, a jump from $31,000.

Head librarian Gwen Fisher brought the budget adjustment request to the July 10 regular city council meeting and spoke about how The Friends of the Library has supported the organization over the years. Three members were also in attendance.

Council later voted unanimously to approve the updated budgets for the sound system and projector.

Supporting the library

The Friends of the Library was formed in 1989 and is their importance to communities, Fisher explained. The and acquisitions that are not part of the library’s annual budget. Its members determined helping refresh the 135seat theatre met that goal.

stimulates community awareness and use of the building, creates public support for the venue and promotes the library regularly. Furthermore, it co-ordinates and runs the library’s annual used book sales, with 100 per cent of the proceeds helping the library fund projects and enhance collection services.

Some recent initiatives The Friends has funded include a 3D printer, annual book club kits and summer reading kits for children and adults.

Fisher pointed out that besides the library and art gallery, other organizations — such as the Festival of Words — regularly use the theatre. With the equipment there 31 years old, replacing it “is long overdue.”

“We’re really grateful to The Friends for their commitment to make the library a gem of our community (and) we’re really excited for this purchase … ,” she added.

Council approval

Coun. Dawn Luhning commended The Friends of the Library for its good work in supporting the venue now and in the past. She thought it was wonderful to see community organization that operates in a city-funded building.

“I think it’s fantastic,” said Mayor Clive Tolley. “We’ve got to improve the sound. The facility is used lots, and the better experience for the patrons, the better for all of us.”

Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

CITY HALL COUNCIL NOTES

City hall is hoping it can acquire federal funding to upgrade the Crescent View Lift Station, a project where the costs have “ballooned” by nearly 150 per cent since last fall.

The department of engineering services had estimated in November 2022 that the project budget would be $26,655,000, with costs spread out from 2023 to 2025. It also received approval from city council to issue and award a tender to construct the sewage-related structure.

However, over the next eight months, the cost skyrocketed to $66,410,000, a jump of $39,860,000 or 149.6 per cent.

The engineering department returned to council during the July 10 regular meeting and asked members to approve an application to the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF) through Infrastructure Canada to help fund the Crescent View Headworks project.

DMAF’s objective is to strengthen the resilience of communities at risk of infrastructure failure, which could result in threats to health, safety, critical infrastructure and interruptions to essential services, disruptions in econom-

Sewer project’s 150-per-cent cost increase forces city to seek federal funding

Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

ic activity, and higher costs for recovery and replacement.

Council unanimously agreed to support the petition, while it also agreed that the City of Moose Jaw would meet legislative standards, meet the terms and conditions of DMAF, conduct an open tendering process, manage the project, fund the project’s municipal share, fund ongoing operation and maintenance costs and follow any federal or provincial environmental mitigation measures.

DMAF will provide funding up to 40 per cent of the project cost — or $26,564,000 — leaving the city to cover the remaining $39,846,000.

Since the engineering department had budgeted $26,655,000 for this initiative, that leaves $13,191,000. However, because council in April deferred the South Hill Reservoir Pump project upgrades, that freed up $3,950,000, leaving the city to cover the overall shortfall of $9,241,000.

Finance director Brian Acker acknowledged during the meeting that the initial project costs had “ballooned” and increased more than expected. However, if the municipality acquired the federal grant, it could likely cover

the shortfall.

“The Crescent View Lift Station replacement is a critical project for the City of Moose Jaw. We going to at a cost of $66.4 million, I’m not sure how we are going

“I would view this probably as our No. 1 priority for

The fact the project has jumped to $66.4 million is “fairly disheartening and daunting” and may force counhow to pursue this initiative, said Coun. Heather Eby. She hoped they were successful in acquiring this grant since it was unlikely these high prices would ever decrease.

“We have a lot of other projects that are also pressing. We’ll have some hard decisions to make, which is a place where we’re willing to make hard decisions to

Cops say they’ll help catch dangerous dogs but won’t shoot nuisance raccoons

Dogs can make great pets and raccoons look sweet and cuddly, but sometimes they can become a nuisance and require the police to capture or neutralize them.

The topic of bothersome animals arose during the Board of Police Commissioners’ July 6 meeting.

Commissioner Doug Blanc explained that he recently read online about a loose dog that attacked another dog in its own backyard, something about which the homeowner has contacted police regularly. He wondered if the Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) had noticed an increase in calls about such off-leash animals causing disturbances.

“We do routinely get a number of dog-related calls, whether it be barking dog, dog running at large or potentially dangerous dogs. We tend to respond to the dangerous dog ones rather promptly for the safety of the public,” said Deputy Chief Rick Johns.

Meanwhile, the police refer all dogs-at-large calls to the Saskatchewan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

Johns added that he hadn’t heard whether there had been an “unreasonable increase” in calls about dangerous-dog incidents.

Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

from a homeowner who had captured raccoons in her attic and didn’t know what to do with them, explained Commissioner Clive Tolley.

The homeowner initially called the police and asked

in the city.

was unsuccessful in capturing the animals, forcing the woman to purchase traps and capture them herself.

“And she’s yelling at me on the phone (saying), ‘Well, what am I supposed to do with these raccoons?

loose,’” Tolley said with a chuckle.

I mediate them. But I didn’t know what to tell (the homeowner).”

Raccoons can quickly go from being cute baby pets to acting like destructive pests, he remarked. He recalled how his father-in-law once shot an adult raccoon and adopted the three baby kits as pets, before they eventually grew up and became disruptive, forcing him to take them to a farm.

Tolley then wondered if the police service could offer people advice when handling such situations.

weapons in public, they must inform the Saskatchewan Police Commission and write a report about why they did across a wounded animal on the highway and must euthanize it.

of Moose Jaw and has the authority to “dispatch animals that are a nuisance,” he continued. There are also private exterminator companies, while veterinarian clinics may help homeowners as a last resort.

“It’s an unusual situation. Maybe not so unusual in the rural communities, but a little more so in the city,” Johns added with a smile.

CITY HALL COUNCIL NOTES

THE NEXT REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING IS MONDAY, JULY 24.

Millions of bison roamed the Prairies centuries ago, and while few remain today, a new sculpture by a well-known community artist aims to honour the animals and their contributions.

During its July 10 regular meeting, city council voted unanimously to approve the metal bison sculpture’s inadministration to sign an artist’s agreement with Bill Keen for the acquisition and installation of the artwork, and au-

City hall will install the artwork by late August; the Keen approached city hall in 2021 about fabricating public spaces and highlight the land’s heritage, a council report explained. In June 2022, he presented the project to the public art committee and offered to donate his labour while a contractor would install the artwork for free.

The artist estimated that the 800-pound metal sculpture’s value was more than $50,000.

In mid-October 2022, city council agreed to purchase the artwork for $14,300, with $8,800 for the acquisition, $3,300 for its installation and $2,200 to install recognition plaques and pedestals.

This past March, the public art committee held several engagement sessions with community groups — inlocations, the report said.

The participants discussed the pros and cons of sev-

Tourism Moose Jaw site to be new home for life-size metal bison artwork

Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

eral places, including the tourism centre, Crescent Park, Blackfoot Bridge, Kiwanis Pavilion, and “The Turn” in Wakamow Valley. They liked the bridge and tourism centre spots, while they also liked incorporating native plants around the sculpture.

Derek Blais, the director of parks and recreation, met with Keen in mid-April to review the feedback, and after considering the options, the artist thought the Tourism Moose Jaw site was best because:

ism

It’s city-owned property

The sculpture would eventually be surrounded by native plants and possibly a Red River cart

There’s less opportunity for vandalism

Keen plans to help city hall install the sculpture, while the municipality will landscape the area with native plants and create a small pathway to connect to the existing trails network, said the report.

Furthermore, the public art committee will work with Keen, historians and knowledge keepers to create an interpretive plaque highlighting the history of the bison in theing Keen’s contributions.

During the council meeting, Coun. Heather Eby — the rep on the committee — praised Blais for his behindthe-scenes activities working with the committee on this project, including meeting with community groups and helping determine where to put the artwork.

“The committee is paying $8,295 for this sculpture, but we have been told that it is really worth between $70,000 and $100,000, and it is absolutely incredible,” and it is going to be a great addition to the Tourism Moose Jaw site.

“We’re excited to get it installed, and Mr. Keen is very excited to get it out of his possession and into the possession of the City of Moose Jaw.”

Other business

Council approved the public art committee’s midJune meeting minutes, during which the group handled other topics.

The group donated $2,217.87 to the Project 104 High funding for a mural project at 35 Ominica Street West.

The Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery has several steel sculptures in storage and is looking for locations for them. One place could be the Yvette Moore Gallery yard. Discussions about re-locating the “Stormin’ Main Street” mural from 44 Fairford Street West are ongoing, with the artwork possibly being re-painted on vinyl. location to install a Ukrainian sculpture that Keen created.

The committee plans to contact a Chinese group about where to possibly re-locate a Chinese mural that was on the west wall of the Gina Jewelry building on High Street West.

Residents now allowed to legally use e-scooters on city streets and pathways

kick scooters — e-scooters — on city pathways, which means it’s no longer illegal for residents to operate the devices here.

During their July 10 regular meeting, councillors votamendment to accept e-scooters in the City of Moose Jaw. Councillors Heather Eby and Jamey Logan were opposed.

According to the updated bylaw, everyone who operates an e-scooter must obey the rules in the bylaw and allowed to operate the machines on trails and pathways or a highway if the highway has a speed under 50 kilometres per hour, while they must also wear a helmet.

Meanwhile, no one is allowed to operate an e-scooter:

· On a public highway with a speed over 50 km/h

At a speed above the provincial maximum speed limit of 24 km/h

· On a sidewalk or in a marked crosswalk, unless the

Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

person is walking the machine Recklessly or negligently at a speed or in a manner dangerous to the user or the public Fines will range between $125 and $230 for those who disobey the law.

During the June 26 meeting, Logan said, “I’m just worried about the legalities and insurance aspect of it more so than anything, with SGI almost washing their hands of it. It feels to me like because they’re doing that, all the liability will then land on this city.

“I’m also worried about having these things on public pathways, for those folks that perhaps have sight, hearing, or mobility issues … ,” he added. “I just feel like if we could wait, there’s a couple of communities in Saskatchewan that are trying a pilot program, and from my perspective, I would like to wait and see how (those pilots) pan out.”

Said Eby, “I’m also not in support of this motion for many of the reasons, which Councillor Logan just spoke

on. … As we just heard … 2,339 potholes have been

“I also think it’s too early to jump into this — it wouldn’t mean we couldn’t do it later. But anyways, it’ll

Said Coun. Doug Blanc, “Because I sit on the police commission, I did ask some of the staff there how they felt about it. They said, ‘Well, the e-scooters are going to come anyways. Whether you approve a bylaw or not, they’re here.’ … They said in some aspects, it’s better to have the bylaw, because then (they can say), ‘Look, this is the bylaw, these are the rules, you have to follow them.’”

Said Coun. Kim Robinson, “We have bicycles that have smaller wheels (and) we have a lot of skateboards that have tiny little wheels. As far as the liability and risk, I don’t see a heck of a lot of difference from a bicycle or any of the other things that go around. … I’m sure there street.”

City to spend nearly $230K to purchase new aerial bucket truck

City hall will purchase a new aerial bucket truck worth $229,500 because its current machine is over 18 years old, has 71,497 kilometres on it and is experiencing a major oil leak.

City council voted unanimously during its July 10partment to award the replacement contract for unit No. 92 to American company Altec NUECO. The department will use $172,184 in accumulated depreciation and

Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

$56,686 in other savings to acquire the vehicle.

The 2017-made machine has 25,750 kilometres on it and will reach 20 feet higher, while the parks and rec department expects it to last another eight to 10 years, a council report said.

The supplier has inspected the unit and will deliver it The unit comes with a 30-day bumper-to-bumper warranty, so if anything breaks, Altec NUECO mechanics will come to repair it for free.

visors, purchasing a brand-new unit would cost roughly $400,000 and take six to eight months to arrive.

The current bucket truck is facing a major oil leak again, while it is scheduled for replacement in 2026, Scott Osmachenko, acting director of parks and rec, said in his report. City hall expects repairs to take two to three weeks and cost $24,000, although that could increase depending end.

The municipality has spent $59,489 since 2020 to repair this unit, averaging almost $20,000 per year to keep the machine operating, he continued. Investing another $25,000 in repairs would be a waste because of the unit’s non-existent parts.

Purchasing a newer machine — the current one will be sold — would ensure the city can restore services sooner than if the current machine were repaired, while there would be major savings in repair costs and less service

downtime in the future, the acting director pointed out.

The city would be negatively affected by not having a bucket truck because it uses the machine year-round, mainly for tree pruning, tree removals and addressing safety concerns and residents’ requests.

“Without this truck, the city is limited in its ability to address emergency safety concerns in a timely mannerlog of forestry work that is required,” said Osmachenko. Emergency forestry work includes storm clean-up and removal of trees and limbs that block roads, paths, when they need trees removed or pruned during emergency infrastructure work.

Furthermore, with the annual Dutch Elm Disease program underway, city crews use the truck to sample Elm trees showing signs of the disease, he continued. Crews have the disease.

Dutch Elm Disease spreads quickly through the root system, which means municipal employees should remove infected trees speedily.

Besides forestry duties, city crews use the aerial

With the current truck unusable until repaired or replaced, the city has contracted out emergent tree removals and has rented a lift to complete lighting repairs, both of which are expensive compared to performing the work in-house, added Osmachenko.

COMPLETE AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE & MAINTENANCE

BOOK ONLINE MJMINUTE.CA OR TEXT 306-691-0667/306-631-4376

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306-693-1288

CITY HALL COUNCIL NOTES

Street East

Piece of hayland in Wakamow Valley could be rezoned into one district

TAX TITLE PROPERTIES FOR SALE

Tenders will be received by the Town of Rouleau Municipal Office, 111 Main Street, Rouleau, SK up to 4:00 p.m. C.S.T. on Thursday, August 17, 2023 for the following properties:

Civic Address: 106 Wetmore Street N.

Legal Description: Lot 18 -19, Block 16, Plan T3933

Parcel Size: 100 ft x 120 ft

Description: Residential land with Improvements

Zoning: Residential Mobile Home District

Civic Address: 206 Drysdale Street

Legal Description: Lot 18, Block 6, Plan 58411

Parcel Size: 50 ft x 120 ft Description: Residential land with Improvements

Zoning: Residential District

The Town of Rouleau reserves the right to reject any or all offers.

For further information call: (306)776-2270 or email: townofrouleau@sasktel.net

Apiary tour at Bar over HC gives the buzz on bees, honey, and pollination

Bar Over HC Honey, a division of Howe Coulee Charolais Livestock, gave MooseJawToday.com a tour of their apiary to showcase the amazing productivity, pollination powers, and organizational behaviour of their honeybees.

“We’ve had hives here since 2016, but my uncle, my grandfather, and my great-grandfather all had hives,” said owner Julie-Anne Howe. Howe, with her husband Kelly and their three young children, runs Howe Coulee Charolais. She is a consulting agrologist with a master’s degree in ruminant nutrition and biology. Honey forms the third revenue stream of their business after cattle breeding and agricultural consulting.

Gordon Edgar - Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com

They have been observed relating detailed food, but about potential threats, weather conditions, diseases and parasites threatening the colony, and more.

They vary in temperament, too, Howe noted.

“You do get some queens that are just nasty, and then you get an aggressive hive, and... off with her head. Yeah, you have tonitely genetics where some colonies are far more docile than others. They all have personalities.”

“This year, I’m running about 26 colonies. Last year, I had over 40, but I had said. “I’m a very small honey producer. To be considered a commercial honey processor, you have to have at least 100 colonies ... But a lot of the commercial beekeepers would be in the order of 300 to 3,000 colonies.”

So, how much honey can a very small producer expect? Howe estimates her hives produce around 5,000 kilograms of honey each year.

Bees are famously productive, and honey is one of nature’s miracles. It is nutritious, never spoils, and has antibacterial and antioxidant properties, leading to a long history of use treating wounds and infections. Honey has been a valuable commodity for many thousands of years.

But even if there was no honey, bees are also incredible pollinators and a valuable part of agricultural production.

“Most times, you have agreements

with other landowners to put your bees out,” Howe explained. “I have my yard here, and then I have another one three miles away, and as I expand I expect I’ll have more. If you put a number of colonies on, say, a canola quarter, 40 hives on a quarter of canola will give an estimated 10 to 20 per cent yearly increase because of the pollination.”

Landowners are usually so happy to have honeybee hives, she noted, that there’s no rent for the agreement — they receive a share of the honey, which everycrop productivity.

“That’s one of the reasons that we like having the honey operation for our farm business, as well, because we have a fair

canola, and they see an increase in their yield as well.”

Once colonies have started, and if grow and split in a process called swarming. Swarms can be more aggressive than usual — honeybees are typically gentle, depending on weather, health, and the season — so beekeepers split hives early. Once a hive is ready to expand, Howe can just move a third to a half of the bees to a new set of boxes. The bees take it from there.

There are also businesses that specialize in breeding friendly, productive bees that they then sell to honey producers.

Bees are highly organized and able to communicate with each other. Each bee has a job that changes as they grow. There are foragers, undertakers, cleaners, defenders, nurses, scouts, and more.

Howe does a wellness check on her colonies at least once a week. Keepers can help their bees cope with threats from fungus to parasites to cold weather. In the fall, they receive medical treatments designed to cut down on communicable diseases, and then they are wrapped for the winter and given a jug of sugar water for nutrition.

Bees maintain their own hive temperature, have high hygiene standards, and are adaptable. With the partnership of a dedicated and knowledgeable keeper, they can thrive in many conditions and be an

This hive, a relatively small one still recovering from winter, nevertheless contains at least 25,000 bees.

Can you spot the queen. As the centre of the colony, she can lay 1,200 eggs every day, each of which has a purpose within the

Beekeeping in Saskatchewan is regulated by the provincial Apiaries Act. Keepers must register with the Provincial Apiarist and are encouraged to be members of a local club and complete a recognized beekeeping course before they start actively keeping bees.

To learn more about beekeeping, go to Saskbeekeepers.com.

Artist overwhelmed by community enthusiasm for front lawn mosaic

Gordon

Express/MooseJawToday.com

When local artist Erin Zimmerman decided to apply one of her landscapes to her front lawn using leftover tile, she imagined the reactions would range from eye-rolling to confusion — instead, her neighbourhood has enthusiastically pitched in and even started wondering about making their own.

“I’m a landscape painter who absolutely loves to create, and we had a bunch of tiles around the house,” Zimmerman explained. “I thought my paintings might work as mosaics, because many of my landscapes are shape-oriented.”

Zimmerman’s particular style stems partly from a medical issue that caused her to become visually impaired. Thankfully, that turned out to be a temporary and treatable condition, but her relationship with light and colour were changed. Her work is blocky and uses many solid colours, yet remains bright and dynamic, able to convey movement and life: Perfect for a mosaic.

“I started off with my own tile, but after I put it on Facebook I was very lucky that lots of friends and family and neighbours went into their basements and found old tiles supplies. They were just going to throw them out, get rid of them eventually,

but now I can use them for my mosaic in front of my house.”

The mosaic, still in the planning stages, has inspired curiosity, enthusiasm, offers of support, and even some envy (in a

positive sense).

“I have been absolutely shocked, bemap on my lawn, people were like, ‘What are you doing?’” Zimmerman said. “But as it progresses, so many people have come by. Neighbours, and people from the community, I’ve had tourists, even from the States, that have just been walking around and have stopped to watch me breaking tile and piecing and gluing out the pattern.

“And a lot of kids in the area have helped with smashing tile, and I’ll do the eye protection and gloves and all, but they have been having a blast.”

Digging, smashing tiles, asking questions — Zimmerman has been delighted with all the engagement. And, people have been asking about one for themselves, whether that’s how to get started personally, or whether she can help them.

“On our street, we really struggle with maintaining our grass. We’ve been trying all kinds of things, like planting clover, but it’s hard. So, having an art piece there instead has gotten people really excited with thinking they might be able to do something for their own yards. Which they can, because it’s really not super complicated.”

The response has inspired Zimmerman to wonder if there isn’t an appetite in Moose Jaw for mosaics in other places. Parks and public spaces could be a possibility, and could be a way to unite a community around art and creating.

“I never saw it until I started creating it,” she added. “It just brings the community together and it’s amazing how many people want to be part of it. Tile and mo-sue.”

Edgar - Moose Jaw

An example of Zimmerman’s landscape style, with its solid blocks of colour (Erin Zimmerman/Instagram)

Erin Zimmerman’s idea for a permanent tile mosaic on her front lawn has attracted enthusiasm and support from the neighbourhood and beyond (Erin Zimmerman/Facebook)

Julie-Anne Howe and her daughter Avery next to a few of their hives. Photo by Gordon Edgar

Julie-Anne and Avery in their honey-warming room, where honey boxes sit at a temp between 27 and 32 Celsius to make them more liquid before harvesting. Photo by Gordon Edgar

Photo by Gordon Edgar

Julie-Anne and Avery prepare the smoker, which calms the bees and signals them that a beekeeper is incoming, helping them stay calm. Photo by Gordon Edgar

organization. She is marked with a white dot. Photo by Gordon Edgar

Minimize damage this pothole season with advice from Panda Tire

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

Moose Jaw is notoriously known for Mac the Moose, murals, and… potholes.

The folks at Panda Tire can’t make the potholes go away, but they can offer advice to help the damage to your repairs, the experts at Panda Tire can make things right.

Potholes are not just a Moose Jaw problem — they are a cold-climate issue. They are caused by the freeze-tuate in the spring, water from melting snow and ice can pothole is formed.

Vehicles then drive over these cracks all day long.

Since it’s impossible to avoid potholes altogether, Panda Tire offers some advice to help mitigate the risk potholes cause and help you avoid unnecessary damage to your vehicle.

Lorrie Moggey, the service manager at Panda Tire, offers some advice.

The best advice for potholes is straightforward: “Don’t hit them,” she chuckled.

One simple thing you can do to save your vehicle is get a wheel alignment.

“Because of the potholes, if your alignment is out, you’ll wear the tires but not notice this until months later,” Moggey said.

“But avoiding them is (still) your best course of action.”

carefully hurdling over them on your daily commute can cause damages to your vehicle and it all depends on how fast you were driving and how big the crater was.

One of the most common repair issues is a broken strut or shock. Moggey mentioned a few of the most common issues encountered at Panda Tire this season: “Broken struts or shocks, bent rims, cracked rims sometimes, blown tires if you hit it hard enough.”

hole-related damages, but that number will vary each season. “This year we’ve had several, but I’d say it was under a dozen (so far).”

MooseJawToday.com asked who comes up with the material for the sign along Main Street in front of the store? “It’s a combined effort,” said Moggey, noting that everyone working there helps with new ideas.

This brings a new life to the workplace, as the material is fun and takes a good-natured approach to some current events such as pothole season or Sidewalk Days. It also makes the drive down Main Street that much more enjoyable. -

tine maintenance, the expert staff at Panda Tire and Auto are there to help you. They can also help prioritize repairs and provide a peace of mind inspection.

Stop by their location at 888 Main St. N. across from Tim Horton’s, or call to book your appointment at 306691-0080.

Remember to be careful on the roads this pothole season!

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Making the most of the situation. Photo

Hitting a large pothole or even just

You can mitigate some of the risk to your vehicle by keeping in mind some better driving habits. Keep your the road, and slow down. It’s important to maintain a safe following distance to give yourself time to react.

It’s also good practice to report new or large potholes to the city so they can prioritize repairs.

The Besant Show and Shine happened on a hot day, under the shade of the trees planted in the park by volunteers some 70 years ago.

The Tired Iron Car Club of Moose Jaw registered 133 vehicles of all sorts for the Sunday show just west of Moose Jaw. Vehicles ranged from motorcycles to muscle cars, foreign models to vintage units.

An atypical car was Blair Mowchenko’s 1964 Austin Mini with the factory

Built to Canadian standard,s the Mini was advertised as “the traveller you can afford.”

The 1960s car featured front-wheel drive and four-wheel independent suspensions.

Larry Dickinson had his 1975 gullwing door Bricklin at the show.

Barb and Randy Roman had their 1969 Caprice — a top of the line Chevy. 327 HP engine.

Alex Rockey had his restored 1978

Winner of the Panda Tire 2023 pothole picture contest. Photo by: Panda Tire

Panda Tire and Auto located at 888 Main St. N. Photo by: Aaron Walker

by: Panda Tire

Plymouth Arrow, an import from Mitsubishi of Japan built for Dodge.

A 1966 Chev Impala SS, one of only

281, was brought by Robert Heron of Cabri.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net

Ron Walter - For Moose Jaw Express

Sask Festival of Words begins: Workshops on character development, vulnerability

Gordon Edgar - Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com

a trans woman, giving her an uncommon insight into the balance each writer must strike between authenticity and personal boundaries.

https://www.festivalofwords.com/

The Saskatchewan Festival of Words got started on Thursday, July 13 with workshops by authors Casey Plett and Michelle Good on the writing skills of character development, and the delicate tightrope walk between personal privacy and public vulnerability.

“It was an excellent group of people, because they were all really engaged and interested in exploring the idea of character development as the real foundation of writing a story,” Good said about her session. “I think they got the picture. I put them to work, I made them write, and I made them read, and they did a great job, it was fun.”

Good shot to national and international stardom following the publication of her debut novel, Five Little Indians (2020), which won Canada Reads 2022, the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction, the Amazon Scotiabank Giller Prize.

Michelle Good is the daughter and granddaughter of residential school survivors and a member of Saskatchewan’s Red Pheasant Cree Nation. She earned a law degree in her 40s, a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing in her 50s, and published her debut novel in her 60s – after nine years of writing and editing. Her novel guide readers and shows the trauma they endured and how that damage

lingers through lifetimes.

“The workshop was all about breathing life into your characters, and we really got a sense of how important character is, not just to tell a story, but to drive the story forward,” explained Cat Abenstein, one of the participants. “We learned that plot can sometimes be secondary, or even a restriction on your stories, and how when you’re writing from your experience and from your areas of knowledge, you can create something that is truly inspiring.

“Michelle is a fabulous facilitator and just an incredible presence and role model to writers, regardless of their identity or experience.”

writers face with potential exposure to their readers. Plett’s work has often centered around her experience as

“She talked about how to be vulnerable and how to deal with that idea of people one day reading my writing and, you know, ‘How do I feel about that?’” said Sara Grimes. “The idea of making your writing public can really bring it to a standstill, and she said you don’t have to share what you’re writing with anyone if you don’t want to. So, I think that’s such a beautiful and refreshing way to look at it ... Kind of bringing it back to why you wanted something that’s published, or maybe not, and that’s OK.”

tributor to the The New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar, The Guardian, The Globe and Mail, and many others. Her latest novel, A Dream of a Woman (2021), is published by Arsenal Pulp Press.

Thursday’s Festival of Words events also included a Great Big Book Club session with Suzette Mayr, moderated by Angie Abdou, and a session by journalist, researcher, and author Tamara Cherry on the relationship between media and trauma.

driven inside the Cultural Centre lobby by rain and strong winds. However, the show went on, with food and drink and readings from Jeanette Lynes, Ted Barris, Ken Carriere, Ali Hassan, and S.C. Lalli. Thursday evening also included picture book illustration crafts with Miriam Körner, and the Festival concert featuring Diyet & The Love Soldiers.

The Festival will go through Sunday the 16th. The full schedule of events and presenters is at www.festivalofwords.com/schedule

Friday’s Festival of Words featured packed readings, trivia, and the spoken word

Gordon Edgar - Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com

The Saskatchewan Festival of Words’ Fridays feature some of the most popular events of the weekend, including Trivia Night at Bobby’s Place and the Spoken Word Showcase in the Mae Wilson Theatre, drawing participants and competitors year after year.

The Festival is now in its 27th year, bringing authors, fans, volunteers, and more together across Moose Jaw. Venues for the weekend range from the Moose Jaw Public Library, amplifying its role as an educational, cultural, and community hub, the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre, and the Moose Jaw Events Centre.

The weather was not co-operative for Festival events for some of the weekend, with strong winds and rain driving the inaugural Street Fair inside the Cultural Centre on Thursday evening. Nevertheless, organizers felt things were going well, with strong attendance driven by another excellent lineup of authors.

time we’ve done it and unfortunately, there was kind of a huge rain that hit us, so we went inside,” commented Amanda Farnel, executive director of the Saskatchewan Festival of Words. “But it turned out to be really nice in-

side! So, we had a number of people go through, and then we had a full area for readings. I think it was a success,

and I think we’ll be repeating it next year.”

The Street Fair was followed by a concert from Diyet and The Love Soldiers in the Mae Wilson.

Friday morning featured readings in the Moose Jaw Public Library from a long list of authors, writers, poets, and TV and radio personalities including Bob McDonald, S.C. Lalli, Lauren Klassen, Ali Hassan, Rita Bouvier, and more.

In the afternoon, Tamara Cherry, Michelle Good, Norma Dunning, Kim Fu, and Janice Jo Lee.

“The author readings were great, I keep hearing feedback from different sessions about how much people enjoyed themselves,” Farnel said. “There was one session with Casey Plett and Kim Fu where they decided to read

the kind of interaction that’s so interesting to me when you just get two authors together and something amazing happens.”

A 4 p.m. interview with Suzette Mayr was moderated by Angie Abdou. Mayr’s most recent book, The Sleeping Car Porter, won the 2022 Scotiabank Giller Prize. Dr. Abdou is a Moose Jaw-born author and professor of creative writing who is a long-time presence at the Festival.

The Trivia Night at Bobby’s Place Olde World Tavern was won (again) by Word Crimes, a local team out to

“They also had Angie Abdou and Ali Hassan on their team, so they won again, and they hoisted the trophy and that was really fun,” Farnel said. “And the poetry showcase is one of my favourite events of the whole weekend,

“The poets are always so good, and you just don’t know what’s going to happen. There are so many ways to write and express poetry. Some people did spoken word, and some people read their poetry, and Janice Jo Lee brought a trumpet and was doing looping during her

The Festival of Words continued Saturday with more author readings, signings, and interviews, including a 4 p.m. interview with Guy Gavriel Kay, moderated once more by Dr. Abdou. At 5 p.m., a University of Regina Press event will celebrate 10 years of publishing, with appearances by authors James Daschuk, Dale Eisler, Bev-

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Michelle Good is a lawyer, award-winning author, ‘60s scoop survivor, and a member of Saskatchewan’s Red Pheasant Cree Nation (Michelle Good/Facebook)

Amanda Farnel, executive director of the Saskatchewan Festival of Words, stands in the festival’s temporary bookstore in the MJMAG basement

https://www.festivalofwords.com/

One of the biggest draws at the Saskatchewan Festival of Words are the author readings, which feature festival presenters speaking about their own work, and question periods providing a chance for participants to interact directly.

If you’re a fan of Guy Gavriel Kay, Casey Plett, Kim Fu, Bradley Somer, and/or Nicholas Herring, read on for the highlights of their Saturday reading sessions.

Kay, Plett, Fu, Somer, Herring:

Author sessions at the Festival of Words

Express/MooseJawToday.com

no did anything for you?

even one of the most important ones. I thought about this,tered our abilities. Stop reading and think this through. Why, right now, are there armed guards laying their lives down to protect these beasts from poachers? Why are huNicholas Herring

from Prince Edward Island. His debut novel, Some Hell-instant acclaim. In awarding the prize, the jury compared prose, and the deep philosophical thought behind its darkthis is so very cool to be here, and yeah, it’s overwhelm-

ing at me.

Guy Gavriel Kay

Kay is one of Canada’s greatest writers of historical the fantastical, Kay is fond of saying, a phrase coined by a literature review. He is a member of the Order of Canada, the author of 15 internationally bestselling books, and one volume of poetry. On Saturday morning, he read from a memorial poem he wrote for his dear friend Eddie Greenspan, who died in 2014.

Kay, 68, noted that as authors grow older, elegiacal themes become more and more prominent in their writing due to the inevitable loss of friends and family. From the

Journal:

I talk to you all the time. Even give you the last word now, though we battled over that for almost forty years. It’s painful to make a joke but I’ll leave it here, because joking was one

like that will shape a reputation: In a courtroom, a cafe, on a stage.

People don’t look past.

No one mourns very deeply or for long

Casey Plett -

nerability and the mundane commonalities of human beGiller Prize.

something like yours, and you try to reach out, but you’re on guard, because what if you hate each other, or what if she sucks? Plus, what if somebody clocks the two of you together when, on your own, you would’ve gone undepartly because of gatekeeping bullshit and partly because of good reason.

of future forms of immortality raising uneasy questions about the ultimate moral boundary:

how to spend the time. I could clean the house, as a show at the shining kitchen island, knick-knacks in place on dusted shelves, a pot of soup on the stove, we might not the printing, which still fascinated me, the weaving and webbing of each layer of tissue, the cross-sectional view of her internal workings like the ringed sections of a tree

Bradley Somer

Somer is an archaelogist and an anthropologist who pre-history, cultures, and how people have changed and

a 27th-story balcony.

tinction is about a park ranger attempting to protect the last living grizzly bear in a future where climate change

com:

vasive noise of ideological bias and the West’s besotted When you arrive at your answer, don’t say it, not even in a whisper; actualization may sully your resolve.

speech ever. So, that was very humbling. ... It’s a funny thing, like, you write a book, and if you’re lucky enough to be published, which I was, then people sort of assumelaughing, nodding and immediately posing several ques-

was almost religious.

Kim Fu

Fu is the author of two novels, a book of poetry, and a

Gordon Edgar - Moose Jaw

Casey Plett reads from her book “A Dream of a Woman” as co-presenter Guy Gavriel Kay listens.

Photo by Gordon Edgar

Kim Fu reads from her critically acclaimed short story collection “Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century” as co-presenters Bradley Somer and Nicholas Herring listen.

Photo by Gordon Edgar

Guy Gavriel Kay speaks to an audience at the Moose Jaw Public Library as co-presenter Casey Plett listens.

Photo by Gordon Edgar

offering a free day trip on July 21 to attend the Back to Batoche Days festival, held ondian history — the 1885 Battle of Batoche. “The Batoche site was, of course, the their land and to be able to practice their culture. The British came out with their the fairgrounds there. traditions.”

Métis Local 160

Gordon Edgar - Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com

The Back to Batoche festival is a joy-jigging, square dancing, traditional food, teachings, voyageur games, chuck wagon racing, sports, contemporary games, and Indigenous language. It also serves as a yearly reunion to reconnect with friends and family and meet new friends.

ing free transportation and gate fees, as up for the trip, taking place Friday, July 21, on day two of the four-day festival.

“We’re taking a group of interested people from Moose Jaw, people who are a motor coach ride up to Batoche for a day. We’ll be coming back the same day.

“One of the interesting things about

Genealogy – Fun and Informative

By Richard Dowson

Batoche is that there was a British gunship, so it’s the only naval incursion in Saskatchewan history. They tried to circumvent the

chain across the river and stopped them. So, it’s a very interesting site for people who like to get into the history of things at all.”list.

“We still have a few spots, although hope people accept our invitation and come heritage, because this is our homeland.” Learn more about the festival at metisgathering.ca/back-to-batoche.

We all love to complain about how badly we’ve been treated but if you want to see bad treatment, have a look at the ancestors of most Canadian immigrants. Whether war, economic depression, disease, pandemics, drought – all faced tough times. If they came from Europe, Eastern Europe – Britain – the U.S.A. – Africa, South Asia or Asia; they all faced challenges.

Today we live in relative comfort. That was not the case for most of our ancestors.

The study of Genealogy sheds light on family history and, in the end, helps us understand the challenges and successes –and failures – that confronted our ancestors who migrated to Canada.

Genealogy is more than just who was born where and when. When cross-referenced with historic events it becomes vibrant. Take the settlement of Hungarians in Saskatchewan. Cross-reference that with the history of Europe and one understands why they left. Same for Ukrainians from the Galicia Region. They didn’t want to be forced into the Austro-Hungarian

Army. Or like the Jewish settlers in Wapersecution.

Today many South-Asians come from Gujarat State or the Punjab in India. Like so many immigrants who came before them, they are looking for opportunities not available in their country of origin.

Opportunity

The common denominator for migration is opportunity. The Irish, like my Montgomery side, along with 2 to 3 million others, left Ireland during the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s. Starvation was the order of the day – exacerbated by the wealthy British land owners who put Family Branches

Within any family, there are branches. A recently search of another Irish side from Parry Sound District in Ontario, led back to Irish immigrants who came in 1770 and fought for the King in the American War of Independence. They lost and were put on ships and expelled from the Unit-

Brunswick. (Sound like what happened to the Acadians? Or what happened to those sent to Australia against their will?)

A search of a cemetery in the Parry Sound District indicated that my Great-Grandmother and several of her children died in the diphtheria epidemic in 1908.

My Great-Grandfather’s sister, Great Aunt Jemima married a dude by the name of Frederick French. She died at age 27 –probably of TB. Fred didn’t sit around. He married, one assumes, a charming lady. After surviving the diphtheria epidemic of 1908 and they headed West.

They settled at Simpson, Saskatchewan, had some children; life was good until 1918 when almost the entire family died in the Spanish Flu Pandemic. died in childbirth and children often died young. This is some of my Great Aunt’s crew.

Family Folklore

Family Folklore is also fun. In the -

Tom Cruise and I, and Dyslexia

By Richard Dowson

covered my mother’s cousin was the last man hanged in the jail in Sault Ste. Marie.

got it – to Saskatchewan, where they were captured.

Is Genealogy more fun than Golf?

During a Saskatchewan winter it is. The Genealogy Society meets at the Moose Jaw Library once a month – during the cold season. Check it out.

It’s not everyday that you learn you are just like your favorite Movie Star hero. But both Tom Cruise and I are Dyslexic. basis now) interviewed last Sunday. When asked how he overcame his Dyslexia he said, “Hard work.”

That’s how I overcame mine.

seemed to know what Dyslexia was or cared to investigate. If you couldn’t learn to read you were considered ‘as dumb as a stick’.

The girl next door was in my Grade 8 class. She loved calling me dumb. When people tell you, you are dumb because you can’t read, you begin to believe you are dumb. With that comes a lousy self-image.

As a condition of passing Grade 8, I in Toronto, an hour and a half city bus ride away. The smart kids went to Earl Haig

are dumb, you make the best of it. In my case, comedy in the classroom became my routine. (I later taught Improvisational Theatre) I made up stuff and entertained fellow students – and some teacher.

Education decided they had enough of my entertaining and disrupting class. They had no sense of ‘ha-ha’. I was expelled. Fifteen was too young to be out of school so my dad signed a paper saying I was needed to work to support the family. It was either that or I would be sent to a ju-

venile detention centre.

So, it was out of the house and off to live with an aunt and uncle in Sudbury, Ontario, where I found a job operating a marina.

I did try and get back into school – but Ontario felt they had enough entertainers and didn’t need me for a return engagement. The Canadian Army wasn’t interested in me either. They wanted people who could read. I was functionallyiIlliterate.

To make a long story short – and to show how Tom and I used hard work to succeed – at age 17, I moved to Alberta –got into high school.

The high school principal lived two doors up from where I was staying. I was out of work by the end of August

and asked if I could go to his school. I explained what had happened in Ontario and and we’ll get you started.”

The principal was ‘Mouse’ Taylor. He’d been a bomber command navigator during the war. Like most Prairie Canadians of his generation, he was willing to give everyone a second chance.

The teachers were great. They did not mind that I could not spell my own name (I kept leaving the ‘e’ out of my middle name).

All these people at the school and the families I lived with expected me to succeed. I had to work four times harder than the smart kids. But like all Dyslexics, I had great observational skills, looked for patterns and had great story telling skills.

And since the principal, the teachers and the families I lived with were so good to me, I didn’t want to disappoint them. I worked and worked and worked at teaching myself how to read. I practiced reading for hours. I’d go on the roof and read out loud or I’d read to my 2-year-old niece who I babysat. She was never critical. I put in a lot of hard work! I could not disappoint the people who had shown

the rest – and you can overcome the challenges of Dyslexia.

The following is from the University of Michigan dyslexia website:

“Cruise spent his childhood trying to hide his dyslexia from his peers. Diagnosed at the age of seven, Cruise describes his younger self as a “functional illiterate”. He could barely read in high school or through his earliest roles.

the age of 19. As he started to embrace his love of acting, Cruise realized that his inability to read would hold him back if he didn’t work hard at it.

““I had to train myself to focus my attention. I became very visual and learned how to create mental images in order to comprehend what I read,” said Cruise.”

SEE: Tom Cruise | Dyslexia Help at the University of Michigan (umich.edu)

Tom’s latest Movie is playing in Moose Jaw.

A Métis students hoists the Métis procampus in honour of Louis Riel Memo-

Miller Express well represented at Western Canadian Baseball League All-Star Game

Seven players, including late addition Nate Mensik, make trip to Okotoks for annual showcase of best in WCBL

Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

The Moose Jaw Miller Express were well represented at the 2023 Western Canadian Baseball League All-Star Game on Saturday afternoon in Okotoks. And then some.

Dougie DelaCruz, catcher Wyatt Tweet,er Nate Mensik -- were joined by head coach Eric Marriott and assistant coach Michael Gonzalez at the annual showcase of the best-of-the-best in the WCBL.

Things didn’t go as well as the local crew hoped, though, as Team East dropped a 10-4 decision to Team West in front of over 6,000 fans at Seaman Stadium.

Five members of the Express were in the starting line-up, as Dawson Tweet batted second and played third base, Gurney played catcher and hit sixth, DelaCruz Villar got the start on the mound.

ning as the East took a 4-1 lead, but the bottom half of the frame saw the West hit a pair of home runs and build a 6-4 edge they’d never look back from.

Run Derby and sent seven out of the park

ond behind Swift Current’s Ethan Murdoch’s eighth homers as best in the East.

Kalem Haney of the Lethbridge Bulls was named the All Star Game MVP.

How the seven Miller Express reached

the All Star Game most certainly wasn’t a mystery.

Second-year veteran Tweet has been a hitting machine since the start of the season, carrying an average above .500 the campaign. Tweet currently boasts a

league-best .478 average while also leading in hits (64), doubles (12) and triples (three).

Younger brother Wyatt Tweet was hitting .409 to go along with three home runs heading into the Game despite seeing action in only 18 games due to injury.

DelaCruz cracked the line-up after runs and 15 runs batted in through 33 games.

Gurney earned his spot after hitting .269 with two doubles, two triples, two home runs and 19 RBI.,

On the mound, Villar has been among the league leaders all season with a 2.42 earned run average, having allowed only 22 strikeouts and only six walks.

Reliever Haldon Craig has made 14 appearances, allowing only six earned and 28 strikeouts among the best among league relievers.

Mensik -- also an All Star in 2022 -- was a late addition thanks to missing a month of the season due to injury. He’s and is hitting .343 with two home runs, 11 RBI and four doubles in 20 games.

Moose Jaw takes 6-4 win over Okotoks before seeing streak snapped in 11-5 loss, rebound with 4-1 and 9-6 wins in Lethbridge Randy

Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

The Moose Jaw Miller Express might have seen their win streak snapped this past week, but the last seven days of Western Canadian Baseball League action was successful

After taking a 6-4 win over the Okotoks Dawgs in Okotoks on Tuesday, the Miller Express saw their nine-game winning streak snapped with an 11-5 loss one night later. That was of little concern, though, as Moose Jaw picked up 4-1 and 9-6 victory over the Lethbridge Bulls on Thursday and Friday to get right back in the win column.

The Express are now 26-11 on the campaign, good enough for a 9 ½ game lead over the Medicine Hat Mavericks.

Miller Express 6, Okotoks 4

Things looked good for the hometown Dawgs as they built a 4-0 lead through four innings, but Moose Jaw would get all a pair of runs in the seventh to secure the win.

Austin Gurney came through with the big hit this time around, with his two-out single in the seventh bringing home Nate Mensik with the go-ahead run and Luke Lachance with an insurance marker.

That would be more than enough for toss four innings of relief and hold Okotoks to a single hit in the process while striking out four.

Kellan Voggesser got the start and allowed a run on three hits over three innings before Jake King surrendered three runs on two hits and three walks while getting aished off the inning and tossed a scoreless with two runs scored, while Dougie DelaCruz, Bobby Pokorney and Wyatt Tweet were all 2-for-4 with a run scored,

Okotoks 11, Moose Jaw 5

The Express got off to a great start, putting up four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Thing is, the Dawgs were just as effective at the plate in the bottom of the

Moose Jaw starter Matt Vasquez. Okotoks tacked on another pair of runs in the second off reliever Kaleb Waller, who would settle down from there and hold the Dawgs scoreless over the next two innings, scattering six hits.

That set the stage for the return of Andrew Barger to the mound for the Express, as the Fresno City College sophomore tossed two innings and allowed a single hit while striking out a pair.

appearance of the season for Moose Jaw, going 2-for4 with a double, run scored and run batted in.

The Dawgs carried a 7-5 lead into the seventh inning, where they put up a run on two hits off reliever Ethan Merk. Okotoks then struck for three runs on three hits off

off, allowing a single hit in his fourth appearance of the season.

The Dawgs, meanwhile, had a busy bullpen -- eight relievers would hold Moose Jaw to a single run on four hits walking one in the process.

Barrett was the only Moose Jaw batter with more than a single hit, but Austinning and Luke Lachance sent a shot out of Seaman Stadium in the fourth.

Moose Jaw 4, Lethbridge 1

All four Millers pitchers turned impressive showings Thursday night, led by start Gabe Soto. The Express rookie went

out three. His relievers were just as solid -- Julian Gonzalez allowed a single run on two hits and struck out three over the next two innings before WCBL all-stars

things off with a scoreless inning apiece.

Julio Acosta led the way at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a run-scoring double in the ninth inning. Dawson Tweet was 2-for4 with a run scored, while Nate Mensik and Austin Gurney crossed the plate with Moose Jaw’s other runs.

Moose Jaw 9, Lethbridge 6

Barrett put together a 4-for-4 night that included three doubles as the Express went on to a back-and-forth victory. The Texas Wesleyan senior is now hitting .545 with four doubles and four RBI over his It certainly didn’t hurt Moose Jaw to have the rest of the top of the order going off as well.

Dawson Tweet hit lead-off and wasple to go along with two runs scored and two RBI., while Mensik hit second and went 2-for-4 with a double and three runs scored.

DelaCruz also had a pair of hits for the Express, while Acosta knocked in a pair of runs.

Moose Jaw got off to a good start Bulls would put up three of their own in the fourth to take a 4-3 edge. The Express took control of things in the sixth, though, would get things done the rest of the way. Merk got the start and allowed four

sixth and Cameron Dunn allowed two runs in the seventh, but Gonzalez and Sigmon

The Miller Express were back in action Monday and Tuesday when they travelled to Medicine Hat to take on the Mavericks. Next home action is Wednesday when they host the Swift Current 57’s.

MIller Express continue run of success with wins in three of four games

The Moose Jaw Miller Express 2023 All Stars, including one new face: late ad-

assistant coach Michael Gonzalez.

The Moose Jaw Miller Express won three of four on the road during the past week of Western Canadian Baseball League action.

The Moose Jaw Ice might not have won the Softball Sask U15 AA provincial championship on Sunday afternoon at Optimist Park, but they still picked up a consolation prize.

With their silver medal showing at the provincial tournament, the Ice are off to the Softball Canada championship in Brandon during the Aug. 9 weekend, thanks to a showing that saw the local crew drop a single game all weekend.

Unfortunately, that game happened to City Angels, who would go on to an 8-3 victory and will be the top Saskatchewan seed at nationals.

“That was our goal from day one,” Ice coach Dale Garthus said of landing the Canadians berth. “I was just joking with the girls, winning provincials wasn’t on our goal list anyway, but going to nationals was, so we have to be happy with that.”

The Ice had reached the gold medal game thanks to an undefeated round robin record that included a 2-1 win over the An-

The Ice then rolled to an 8-1 win over up the rematch with Twin City -- named for the combination of players from Warman and Martensville.

The difference this time was Emma Frisky, with the Angels ace and defacto best pitcher in the province making it difIt wasn’t for a lack of trying, though, as a small ball strategy would see the Ice rack up 10 hits on the day.

Unfortunately for Moose Jaw, Frisky’s teammates saw to it she would be able to get into a groove early as they put up four runs and took a 4-1 lead out of the

“They’re a very good team, they got off to an early lead on us and we couldn’t battle back,” Garthus said. “With that kind of pitcher going for them, it’s pretty tough to claw back. We put the pressure on them, though, using a lot of small ball stuff and we had lots of baserunners, but we just couldn’t get the key hits at the right time.”

Blake Maltais had a 2-for-3 showing that included a triple to open the game and a pair of runs scored. Charlize Hillmer scored Moose Jaw’s other run, while Gracelyn Blanchard had a 3-for-4 game at the plate.

Avery Garthus started for the Ice and

had a rare rough outing, allowing the four

gle out in the opening inning. Kensington Demassi took over and allowed three runs

Frisky, meanwhile, pitched the complete game and allowed three runs on 10

hits and struck out 12.

“We played them last weekend and she had 17 strikeouts, where today we were able to force them to make plays, so it was a lot better,” Garthus said.

Of course, you don’t get to the goldend, and Garthus was especially proud of his team and what they accomplished.

“We played really well the whole time, we basically had great pitching and hitting and defence and did little things right,” he said. “Then the girls had such great energy all weekend, the girls were on a mission to get here and I was really impressed with how they competed all weekend.”

Twin City and Moose Jaw will be joined in Brandon by the bronze medalist Lumsden Cubs.

Now it’s off to Nationals and a chance to face the best Canada has to offer -- aing forward to.

“There are obviously going to be some really good teams there, but if we play our game and do the things we can do, I think we’ll be really competitive with whoever we play,” Garthus said.

win away from playing for a gold medal during the Baseball Sask 11U AA Tier I provincial championship this past weekend at Bell Park.

Alas, the local crew dropped a 19-14 Sunday morning, with their lone loss of the event knocking them from contention. Things had gone swimmingly for the Canucks up to that point, as they rolled to a 12-2 win over Balcarres in their opener on Friday before taking back-to-back wins Saturday -- 10-7 over the Saskatoon A’s and 11-4 over the Muenster Red Sox -- to The Swift Current 57’s edged the Sas-

katoon Cardinals Chaos 7-6 in the other on to win gold with an 11-1 win over the White Butte Broncos.

The Canucks also hosted the 15U AA Tier III provincial tournament this past weekend, but didn’t have as much luck as their younger counterparts.

Moose Jaw opened with a tough 5-4 loss to the White Butte Broncos, a defeat

With

that would have longer-term consequences. After a close 10-7 loss to the Regina Expos in their second game, the Canucks would take a 15-4 win over the Esterhazy Cyclones to cap round robin play with a 1-2 record.

As a result, had they found a way to scrounge an extra couple runs in their opening game, the Canucks would have made the playoff round.

The Nipawin Giants would defeat on to take a 9-5 win over the Regina Expos for gold.

Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

The Moose Jaw Ice with their Softball Sask U15 AA provincial championship silver medals.

Taryn Friesen delivers for the Ice in the

Moose Jaw Ice catcher Blake Maltais hauls in a swinging strike during the championship game.

Twin City pitcher Emma Frisky in the circle, the Moose Jaw Ice used a bit of small ball to create opportunities, like this bunt by Charlize Hillmer.

Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

Action from the Baseball Sask 11U AA Canucks and White Butte Broncos.

Action from the Baseball Sask 15U AA Tier III round robin game between the Moose Jaw Canucks and Esterhazy Cyclones.

Back-to-back: Moose Jaw Ice repeat as provincial U17 fastball champions

Ice go undefeated on way to claiming gold for second straight year, to compete at nationals in August

Randy

The Moose Jaw Ice didn’t leave much to chance when it came to defending their Softball Sask provincial Under-17 girls fastball championship on the weekend of July 8th and 9th. .

-- a 6-5 barnburner against Regina Royals -- it was nothing but winning the rest of the way, and the Iocal crew would go unas provincial champions.

Following their win over the Royals, the Ice took a 9-6 win over the Melfort Spirit and 9-1 win over the Saskatoon robin pool. They followed with a 10-0 winvictory over the Regina Saints in the gold medal game.

“It was incredible,” said Ice head coach Paul LItzenberger. “We had a core group of 10 girls and they just busted their butts the whole time and we couldn’t be prouder of how they played all weekend.”

While team games require team wins, there’s little question who the standout of the tournament was for Moose Jaw. Vetergames -- including four complete games -- to lead her team to the provincial title.

“Ava Unser, I’m not even sure what to say,” Litzenberger said. “She ended up pitching every game, starting four of the amazing. We kept asking her every game how her arm was feeling, but it worked

out well because the games were spread enough apart that she had time to recover.”

Unser had only one game where the opposition was a real threat in the openseven hits and led until the bottom of the seventh, when Aubrey Clarke and Macy Litzenberger scored runs to give Moose Jaw the win.

Melfort and scattered three hits while struck out nine in the win over the Hustlers, put up a one-hitter while striking out runs on seven hits, six walks and struck

Of course, having her teammates push double-digits in offence most games certainly didn’t hurt the Ice ace, and that production came from up and down the line-up.

Clarke and Ashley Breitkreuz each hit a pair of home runs during the tournament, but it was Mallory Tendler’s round-tripper against the Hustlers that showed just how much everyone contributed throughout the tournament.

“Four of (the home runs) were from girls we expected because they have some power, but one of them was from our nine hitter who just puts the bat on the ball,” Litzenberger said of Tendler’s home run. “It was great for her, because she played

‘B’ last year and we’ve been working on for her to get a home run was just awesome.”

Seeing the team’s overall unity was also a positive, especially when it came to sorting through any kind of adversity.

“Even if we were down in an inning or a mistake was made or things weren’t going our way for a while, nobody went after anybody, they just rallied,” Litzenberger said, adding that the players themselves often took ownership when it came to in-game situations.

leaders, Aubrey Clarke, said ‘girls come got together in a circle on their own, chatplan and went from there.

“As coaches, we worked with them, and now it’s just steer them in the right direction and go. It’s really cool.”

The Ice will now be one of four Saskatchewan teams competing in the Softball Canada U17 National Championship looking improve on their showing from

“This team had to overcome a lot more adversity than last year, when they had to discover that they could win,” Litzenberger said. “This year, they knew they could do it, and they just had to prove it... It’s always going to be tough at nationals, but we’ll see what happens and hopefully things go really well.”

Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

The Moose Jaw U17 Ice went unbeaten on their way to winning the Softball Sask provincial AA championship for the second year in a row.

Lynbrook holding Ace the Hole Challenge special fundraising tournament

Event to see all 18 holes turned into par threes, with close to $120,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs

Palmer

The Lynbrook Golf Club is hoping someone will come away from their Ace the Hole Par 3 Challenge with a couple thousand dollars in their pocket.

And if things go really well, much, much more than that.

In the tournament, the Ace the Hole Challenge will offer over $120,000 in cash and prizes to successful players when the tournament takes place Saturday, July 29 at the Lynbrook.

The event format sees all 18 holes converted into par threes, ranging from 160 yards to 165 yards for male players and 145 to 150 yards for female players, with cash prizes for a hole-in-one.

That’s where the real money comes in -- a hole-in-one can range from $4,000, with three holes offering $8,000 prizes, two holes hitting $10,000 and the 17th hole offering a $20,000 prize for an ace.

That’s on top of the $200 on offer for the closest to the pin on each hole.

All proceeds from the event will go to the replacement of the green on the third hole at the Lynbrook.

“We’ve talked about this for three or four years, building a new green, and

we could try something like this,” said Lynbrook ladies club captain Bev Arnold.

“If it goes well, hopefully it’ll continue on as a regular fundraiser every year.”

The tournament format will be a four-person team scramble, with a lim-

it of 36 teams. The cost to enter is $100 for Lynbrook members and $125 for non-members, with the entry deadline on Wednesday, July 26.

Players must be 18 years of age or older and hold amateur status.

“We’re hoping there will be some

buzz,” Arnold said. “It’s only three weeks away and we’re hoping we’ll get some players from other courses, too,”

will also be held.

The entry fee includes supper, and a breakfast buffet for $10.99 will be available in Ortley’s Lounge prior to the 10:30 a.m. start.

And if you’re wondering whether or not winning one of the big cash prizes is a real possibility, well…

“That would be so exciting,” Arnold said. “A friend (Heather Pearson) has actually got two in the last 10 years, one was for $10,000 and another for $4,000, so it can happen.”

To sign up for the tournament, contact the Lynbrook pro shop at (306) 692-2838 and to sign on as a hole sponsor, contact Arnold at (306) 690-4240 or men’s club captain Mark Mann at (306) 631-7271.

For regular updates on the Lynbrook, be sure to visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/lynbrookgolfmoosejaw.

Kayak for Kidsport another success for local charity

Event features folks testing out canoes and kayaks on Plaxton Lake before wrapping up with popular Corporate Challenge races

The Kayak for Kidsport fundraiser might be only be a few years old, but word has certainly gotten about about how much fun the annual event is.

Well over 100 participants took part in the event at the Kiwanis River Park pavilion in Wakamow Valley on Sunday morning, taking advantage of the opportunity to try out a kayak or canoe on Plaxton’s Lake and enjoying a barbecue lunch afterwards.

The highlight of the event was the Corporate Challenge canoe races which saw businesses and organizations from throughout Moose Jaw compete on two-paddler teams for the right to call themselves the Kayak for Kidsport Corporate Champion.

All told, 22 teams would take part in 2023, with the Moose Jaw Fire Department duo of Josh Striaha and Bob Halsall

Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

All in all, another wildly successful event with plenty of funds raised.

“I’m really happy with the participation level and we couldn’t have asked for a better morning,” said Kidsport Moose Jaw chair John Eberl. “They were spirited canoe races again, they were a lot of fun to watch… it was just a really successful day for us.”

The Challenge itself has seen continued growth and corporate support over the years, with an increase in entries each time around. A total of 15 took part in 2019 and 19 took to the course last year, with the increase naturally a welcome sight.

Eberl also sent out thanks to the Moose Jaw Canoe and Kayak Club for their help throughout the day.

“They really stepped up and helped

out a lot more, they basically ran the races,” Eberl said. “They set the course up and had everything going tickity boo, so the races all went really well and were well organized.”

All told, Eberl hopes to see around $15,000 raised by the time everything is counted up.

“The importance of this fundraiser is huge,” he said. “Our budget is $66,000 but this is almost 20 per cent of what we raise full-time sports program for half the year.” Now, it’s on thinking about 2024 and ideally an even bigger and better Kayak for Kidsport.

“I’ve heard a lot of positive feedback already and it’s grown every year, so we hope it’ll keep doing the same next year,” Eberl said.

Randy

- Moose Jaw Express

The Lynbrook Golf Club will be holding a special Par 3 golf tournament to raise funds for green replacement on the third hole.

Some of the action from the Corporate Challenge canoe races during Kayak for Kidsport on Sunday morning.

The Moose Jaw Fire Department team of Josh Striaha and Bob Halsall would win this heat and go on to victory in Kayak for Kidsport Corporate Challenge

Third Burns & MacDonnell charity golf tournament raises $42k for Homestand ‘23

Representatives from the Burns & McStation site presented a cheque for $42,000 their third annual charity golf tournament, from individuals, businesses, and community organizations.

The announcement took place at Ross success of Burns & McDonnell’s previous tournaments.

& McDonnell golf tournament to support Homestand ‘23, that’s going to be heldber 9,” said Brad Butcher, B&M’s project manager. “That’s a great event to support

ple, subcontractors, and vendors, Burns & McDonnell is happy to present the Homestand ‘23 team a cheque for $42,000.

absolutely thrilled.”

Hamilton said the amount of the domental health projects for schoolchildren in the province.

Amanda Olson, superintendent ofthis fall, including conferences and symposiums supporting students, teachers, divisions.

“We’re a very diverse school division, so every school has unique needs relatedtions dollars help that out.

“We appreciate you letting us be a

ing it.”

and received increasingly generous support.

“So much support from different suppliers, vendors, and local businesses, prohad all kinds of challenge holes throughout the course. I think everyone had a re-

there. Overall, I think everyone had a great

“This means a lot to us at River Street to receive this gift from Burns & McDonAndy Hamilton. “This relationship start-

“It’s great to see the community come together and support such a great and Holy Trinity for those funds.”Woodlily Drive.

come.

Woodlily Drive. Admission is $10, and free.

“All the money raised by the fund-

er group activities, like small businesses such as recycling or paper shredding. We can use those smaller rooms for education-

one of their ideas.” several events such as face painting, aing, and a dunk tank.

“We’re having the Blue Beach Band is a highly rated magician, and he soundsvices event.

entertain around the province. Based in high-energy playlist.

some of our staff in the dunk tank; there’s by the end of that!”

been in operation since 1967. We support

individuals — it’s a day service for individuals. We do vocational, recreational, and educational programs, and help indi-

viduals in the community.

community-based, customer-driven service that adapts and is responsive to the needs and choices of the people it serves,” according to their vision statement.

nicest people you’ll ever meet!”

and limited seating is available. be reached by email at ccossette@diversi-

Gordon Edgar - Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

Representatives from Burns & McDonnell, Prairie South School Division, and River Street Promotions met at Ross Wells Park on July 14 for the cheque presentation: (l-r) Jared Mathieson, Mark Novecosky, Jami-Lee Cuthbert, Brad Butcher, Amanda Olson, Jamie Logan, James Murdock, and Andy Hamilton (photo by Gordon Edgar)

(right) help promote the festival. Photo by: Aaron Walker

on July 21. Photo by: Aaron Walker

If you would like your notice or event added to this list, contact us at: jritchie@moosejawtoday. com

28th Annual Concerts in the Park in Crescent Park Amphitheatre on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m.

July 19 TBA/July 26 Bonnie & the Jets

Aug 02 Heritage Fiddlers/Aug

09 Scott Heatcoat and the Entertainers/Aug 16 Timothy Eaton’s Jam Band/Aug 23 Derald Busse & Friends (6:30 – 8:00 pm)

Moose Jaw Lawn Bowling Club scheduled play is Tuesday and Saturday @9:30am and Mon,Tues, Weds, Thur @7pm. www.moosejawlawnbowling. com or Call 306 690 8739 for additional times.

Assiniboia Polkafest will take place on Friday July 21 from 7pm-midnight and Saturday July 22 from 2pm-11pm. Music by Leon Ochs and Len Gadica. Contact Lynn or Grant at 306.642.3191. The event will be held at 201 – 3rd Ave W, Assiniboia.

Seventh Highway to Heroes Car Show will take place Saturday, July 22 on the Moose Jaw Exhibition Grounds. The show is sponsored by Friends of the Forces Fellowship, with proceeds going to assist military families, veterans, cadet organizations and other community charity projects. Show car gates open at 8:30 a.m. and spectator gates open at 10 a.m. All vehicles of interest are welcome to participate. Prizes will be awarded in six categories, ranging from modern and classic cars and trucks, best custom built vehicle and best in show. The day will include a miniature horse show, cart classlent auction, food concessions, military displays and music by Noise Complaints from 15 Wing. Admission fees will be $10 for adults, $5 for children 6-12 years, and free for preschool age. Cash only please. Further information is available by calling 306-692-7357.

Living Springs Church Mooseings – 303 Coteau Street invites anyone interested to attend Griefshare groups. The meetings take place on Thursdays at 7:00 pm. GriefShare is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk alongside you throughriences. You don’t have to go through the grieving process alone. It hurts to lose someone. Find help at GriefShare. To register, go to www.giefshare.org or contact Isaac Nadarajah at isaac@livingsprings.life and attend as many meetings as you like.

Nar-Anon Meetings every Monday 7—8pm (Moose Jaw Nar-Anon Family Group) is a twelve-step program for relasomeone else’s drug use and

Upcoming Events in Moose Jaw

guarded.

Toastmasters clubs utilize communication skill components to create the smorgashave potential to provide.

Big Country Toastmasters club meets on Wednesdays at 7pm. Regular training opportunities have resumed with in-person @ saskpolytech in addition to virtual experience.

For more information textcers-3418@toastmastersclubs.

org

TAP Toastmasters (TAP) meet every Tuesday at 7 pm. Email cathymorrell@gmail.com

Church of Our Lady Bingo tales place at the Church of Our Lady Community Centre, 566 Vaughan Street on Tuesday evenings. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Bingo begins at 7:00 p.m. -

bly) weight loss support group meets every Wednesday evening at the Alliance Church, 14 Neslia Place. (Corner of Thatcher Drive W. & 9th Ave.W.) Please enter through the west-facing door, turn right and go to end of the hallway by the library, to room 105. Weigh-in takes place from 6:30-7:00 pm. Meeting to follow. TOPS can help you reach your weight loss goal by providing you with tools, information and support to be successful. The group shares friendship, weight loss tips and another. New members are very welcome. Our scale weighs up to 500 lbs.

The Moose Jaw Stamp Club will not be meeting during the summer months. The next meetings will be the second and fourth Wednesday nights in September.

Moose Jaw Camera ClubInterested photographers are welcome and invited to join and Be Focused With Us! For more information: Wanda - 306-6937440 or Len - 306-693-7685. themoosejawcameraclub.com

Line Dancing every Wednesday from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. at St. Andrews Church. Call 306.692.7365 for more information.

Moose Jaw Public Library, 461 Langdon Cres. Phone 306.692.2787; visit their website at https://www.moosejawlibrary.ca/ Summer Library Hours MONTHU 9:30 AM-9:00 PM FRI-SAT 9:30 AM-6:00 PM SUN 1:00 PM-5:00 PM

Have you tried Creativebug?

Did you know that you have free access to Creativebug with your library card? Enjoy guiltfree inspirational screen time, nurture your creative soul by learning new skills, and learn easy ways to practice your craft every day.

Access Creativebug now!

The library would also like to remind patrons that Regional Park Passes are available to borrow if you have a Saskatchewan li-

Needlework Night

Tuesday, July 25 in the Herb Taylor Room at 6:30 p.m.

All ages and skills levels are welcome and snacks are provided.

Family Movie Night

Wednesday, July 26 in the MJPL Theatre at 6:30 p.m.

This month’s feature is The Road to El Dorado (2000).

Family Movie Matinee

Saturday, July 29 in the MJPL Theatre at 2:30 p.m.

The library will be showing Jungle Cruise (2021) with Emily Blunt and The Rock.

MJPL Adult programs in July

Tech Time

By appointment only, call 306692-2787 to book a personalized one-on-one session with a tech wizard who can help clients learn how to use their devices and apps.

Magic the Gathering

For ages 13 and up, all experience levels welcome, drop-in program.

Saturdays, July 22 and 29 at 2 p.m. in the Reading Room.

Digital Literacy for Android devices

Bring your own or borrow one from the library and learn how to comfortably operate devices based on the Android ecosystem.

Tuesday, July 18 and Thursday, July 20 in the South Meeting Room at 2 p.m. Comprehending Cryptocurrency

With guest speaker Kris Knutson, Wednesday, July 19 in the South Meeting Room at 7 p.m.

MJPL Youth programs in July

Teen D&D and New Adult D&D

Teen D&D, for ages 12 to 16, takes place Thursdays in the MJPL Archives at 6:30 p.m.

New Adult Digital D&D, for ages 15 to 22, takes place Fridays at 4 p.m. on the library’s Discord channel. Both programs require registration. Register by emailing youth@moosejawlibrary.ca.

Teen “I Made This” Art Program

Wednesday, July 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the Herb Taylor Room, for ages 12 to 19. More Information on MJPL programs, including the schedule of Children’s Programs in July, is at www.moosejawlibrary.ca.

The Royal Canadian Legion – Branch 59 Moose Jaw, 268 High St W Moose Jaw; Contact: 306-692-5453. Facebook @ ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION-Branch 59 Moose Jaw. Instagram: @Royalcanadianlegion59. SHA restrictions in effect at all Legion events. Bingo every Monday evening in the Lounge. Play starts at 6pm, Paper goes on sale at 5pm. Playing ten regular games with 2 parts each and 3 extra games, all games are cash prizes. Please invite your friends for a fun night out.

Dart League every Thursday starting at 6pm. $25 to enter for the season. No membership required.

Cribbage every Tuesday at 1:30pm. Registration at 1pm. Cost $2 and please pre-register your team by calling 306.693.9688.

ing Saturdays numbers. For current listing of events online visit: Monthly Calendar | Royal Canadian Legion Branch 59- Moose Jaw (royalcanadianlegionbranch59moosejaw.ca)

Moose Jaw and District Seniors: For more information Call: 306-694-4223 or Email: mjsenior@shaw.ca . The centre is now open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 8am – 8pm.

Fitness Level & Indoor Walking

Track open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Friday’s 8am4pm

Wood working area – Monday to Friday 8 am – 4 pm

Timothy Eaton Cafe open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.

– 4 p.m. Cinnamon Buns are on Thursday’s. Tuesday is pie day.

Kitchen is open Monday to Friday. Everyone is welcomed.

Billiards open daily from 8 a.m.

– 4 p.m. as well as Monday & Thursday evenings from 4:30 –

8 p.m.

Pickle Ball – Monday & Thursday mornings @ 10 a.m.

- Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday

afternoons @ 1 p.m.

- Monday & Thursday evenings @ 7 p.m.

- Wednesday @ 6pm

Fitness- Chair/Low Impact Fitness Mondays & Thursdays @ 1:00 p.m.

Cribbage – Wednesdays @ 1 p.m.

Hand & Foot Card Game for Beginners – Thursday @9:30 am.

Mah Jong – Wednesday @1

p.m. 500 Cards – Thursdays @ 1 p.m.

New – Full Body Work Out Monday at 9:30am and Wednesday at 9:30 am

Scrabble – Monday’s at 1pm

New – Spades Tuesday and Friday at 1pm Line Dancing – Tuesdays @ 10 a.m.

Intro to Line Dancing – Wednesday’s @ 11am Table Tennis – Monday Afternoon 1pm

Art & Crafts – Monday, Tuesdays & Wednesdays @ 1 p.m.

Thursdays @ 1 p.m.

Paper Tole – Tuesdays @ 1 p.m.

Nickle Bingo – Fridays @ 1 p.m.

Quilting – Every Friday 9am to 4pm Lounge – Friday’s from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Jam and dancing (New Name Change) – Friday’s 9 a.m.

Texas Hold’em - Thursday @ 6:30pm

Garage sale on Friday July 21 from 6-9pm and Saturday July 22 from 8 am – 1pm. $10 chili & Biscuit On Saturday July 22. There is something for everyone!! (Cash, Debit, Credit Card Accepted)

Cosmo Senior Citizens’ Centre Weekly Activities – 235 3rd Ave. N.E. Phone 306.692.6072 or email cosmo@sasktel.net. Check them out on Facebook.

JULY 27, BBQ from 5pm-6pmCOST $15pp

Weekly Activities for JULY, 2023

For this month only there will not be any Dances or Jam Sessions

Monday: 9:30am - Pickleball /

Wednesday: 8:30 am - TOPS / 9:30am-Pickleball/1pm-PONYTAIL Canasta/1pm-Floor Shuf-

Thursday: 10 am - Line Dance / 1pm-Pickleball

Friday: 9:30 am - Beginner Pickleball/1pm-Regular Pickleball

Mulberry Estates Seniors Living – 220 Mulberry Lane, Moose Jaw, Sk. Family Day at Mulberry Estates on July 22nd from 1pm-4pm. There will be a fun afternoon of fun for the whole family with a BBQ from 1pm-2pm/Live Entertainment from 2pm-3pm/ Bouncy Castle/Face Painting/er for donations to the Humane Society/Ballet Box Basket for guests to enter. There will be something for everyone! Call Tricia at 306.684.0202 if you are able to make it!! Bring your friends and family!

Moose Jaw ANAVETS: Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans Unit #252 – 279 High St. W, Moose Jaw. 306.692.4412 or anaf252@sasktel.net

Friday Evening Fun Pool and Darts at 7 pm.

Saturday at 4:30 pm Meat Draws, 50/50 and gift cards. Everyone including non-members are welcome to join in. ANAVETS #252 Membership Drive until November 11th.

Half year memberships will be $22.50 for ages up to 64 and $17.50 for 65 years and older. Only those who have never been members of the Association in the past are eligible to apply.

Check us out on Facebook.

FRATERNAL ORDER OF EA-

EVERY THURSDAY: Ladies

Auxiliary “Meat Draw” – ticket sales start at 5:30 pm, draws start at 6:00 pm – Meat Draw, 50/50, “Chase the Ace”

EVERY SUNDAY: Aerie “Meat Draw” – ticket sales start at 2:30 pm – Meat Draw, 50/50, Mystery Draw, “Chase the Ace” MONDAY THRU SATURDAY –DROP IN POOL – 1:00 pm to 1:30 start time. Singles and Doubles. Partners draw from those attending to play.

JULY 28, 2023 – DETOUR DUO – playing in the Eagles club Lounge starting at 8:00 pm

AUGUST 19, 2023 – BRANDON AND COMPANY – playing in the Eagles Club Lounge starting at 8:00 pm

SEPTEMBER 22 & 23, 2023 –

ORIGINAL COVERS – playing in the Eagles Club Lounge starting at 8:00 pm

Western Development Museum; 50 Diefenbaker Drive, Moose Jaw. Please call for more information (306) 6935989.

You can read more about the upcoming sessions and how to sign up for the free Virtual Coffee Club talks at: https://wdm.

· July 23: Summer Pop-Up #4: Canadian Creativity

· July 29 and 30: Brickspo

· August: Yellow and Green Seek and Find

August 6: Summer Pop-Up

Vehicles of all kinds at Highway to Heroes Show.

Classic and modern vehicles and miniature horses at Highway to Heroes Car Show

Moose Jaw Express

Club show is taking place indoors at the Golden Mile Arena, beginning at 8 a.m.. The show is expected to attract exhibitors from across the Prairie provinces and Britlast year.

Sponsored

A day of sights, sounds and activities for all ages will be offered at the seventh Highway to Heroes Car Show to be held Saturday, July 22 at the Moose Jaw Exhibition Grounds.

The car show is sponsored by Friends of the Forces Fellowship, with proceeds to assist military families, veterans, cadets and other community projects.

All vehicles of interest are welcome at the show, with prizes to be awarded to best modern car and truck, best classic car and truck, best of show, and new this year will be the best custom built award. The commemorative dash plaques.

two entrances off Thatcher Drive East.one six to 12 years; and free for pre-schoolers’ uniforms.

Wing and other military agencies will be

and the Canadian Armed Forces.

Musical entertainment

the musical entertainment for the day. The band Noise Complaints will perform at exhibitors and spectators a variety of rock band rock ’n’ roll.”

The band for the car show will include: Stefan Jellsen, student pilot, on drums; Mike MacMillan, IT, on rhythm guitar; Tony Hill, student pilot, on rhythm and lead guitar; Jesse Starko, student pilot, on rhythm, lead guitar and piano; and James Stokes, captain at 2CFFTS, on piano and vocals.

The original lineup for what would become The Noise Complaints was changed with each member getting to select a name. The Noise Complaints eventually took hold, based loosely on the noise of the jets.

Miniature horse show

A different sort of conveyance will be highlighted at the car show with an outdoor parade of miniature horses and their carts between noon and 1 p.m. Prizes will be awarded by a panel of judges.

The Saskatchewan Miniature Horse

Horses accumulate points based on the number of horses they defeat in a variety of classes, from halter or in-hand classes, driving or cart classes. In the obstacle classes the handler manoeuvres the horse through obstacles either by leading the horse or driving the cart through the pattern. Some of the show’s winning horses will advance to national shows usually held in the United States.

Spectators are welcome to view the indoor classes on July 22 and are invited to return to attend the July 23 classes that

Other attractions

The car show committee will welcome Rod Dagnean of Saskatoon with his extensive collection of military memorabilia, said to be the largest in Saskatchewan. His display will be set up in the Exhibition Convention Centre and he will be on hand to answer questions from visitors. It is also hoped to have banners relating to veterans on display.

Other static displays will be featured throughout the grounds, including a bullet-riddled Hummer from the Bosnian War; a collection of specialized motor bikes; and cars from the NextGen Car Club.

There will be face painting by Nicole show. She will be painting from 11 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 2 p.m. in a shady, grassed area of the grounds.

several vehicle-related prizes including a framed Ford F series evolution poster and another featuring the Camaro evolution. There will also be a Studebaker-brand portable radio and a Volkswagen portable drink cooler.

Among the dozens of silent auction items will be a Saskatchewan-themed metal sculpture created by Bill and Laurette -

cheted wheels blanket. In addition car show sponsors have also donated a number of items from art work to gift baskets, suitcases, gift cards and vehicle-related merchandise.

to 4 p.m.

The show is made possible through the support of local businesses and the efforts volunteers. Further car show information can be found on the Fellowship’s Facebook page or by calling

Face painting with Nicole

Miniature horses will be on parade at the car show. Submitted photo

Vehicles of all kinds at Highway to Heroes Show.

Noise Complaints Band from 15 Wing. Submitted photo

2 4 7 6 5 1 3 9 7 5 2 9 7 3 1 7 1 2 8 7 4 1 2 5 9 1 2

CLASS, CONSERVATORY, CONTRACTION, CONTROL FORT, FOUND. GIFT, GRACE, GRAVID, LEAN, LENGTH, LEVEL, MACHINE, MINUTE, MYSELF, NEGATIVE, NIGHT, NOTE, PATIENT, QUESTIONS, RECEDING, REPORT, SEVERAL, SMILE, SPEED, STOLEN, THEFT, THOUGHT, TOOLS, TUNNEL, VIAL, VITAL, WINE, WINNER

D ’t let the fact that y can’t do all y want to do keep y d ng what y can do.

Moose Jaw Truck Shop

we

AUTOS

2006 Dodge Ram 1500

Sport HD Trailer Package. Hemi engine, Auto Tow Package. 237,820 KM. Fresh oil change, new HD battery, new windshield, 5th wheel brackets and hitch, new paint, 2-sets of chrome rims and tires, brake control, running boards. $8600.00 Call Byron @ 306-692-0465

AUTO PARTS

Two used 5 ft. tractor tire tubes - $50 each 306630-7796

RV’S & MARINE

2003 Prowler 5th Wheel (1 slide) 24 ¼. 30 #propane tanks full, micro-wave, roof air/heater combination, electric and propane furnace, propane stove with over (like new), electric/propane extra large 2 dr. fridge, 7ft slide out with

sofa and matching dimanuals for all appliances, queen size bed, power front jacks. $8600.00 Call Byron @ 306-6920465

MISCELLANEOUS

Firearms, I am paying cash for guns in the Moose Jaw and surrounding area. Any condition, parts, ammunition or anything pertaining to unwanted, gas operated lawn, garden, snowblowers, recreational, chainsaws, generators, boat engines, etc, as well as smaller farm equipment, Moose Jaw and surrounding area. Call or text 306-641-4447

HOUSEHOLD ITEMS

2 dozen quart sealers with glass tops and metal rings - $20/dozen. Separate glass tops - $2 each. Steamer trunk with assorted Christmas decorations - $125.00 306630-7796

asking $350.00 Central Vac with accessories $500.00. call 204-5721024

Need work done? Contact Bill at 306-6302268. Interior/exterior, renovations, formwork, painting and all con-

no job too big or small. Reasonable rates, 30 years experience.

Moving jobs done reasonably: appliances, furniture, dump runs. Call to do it all. $45.00 a load. 306-630-2268

HELP WANTED

Earn $150.00 - $400.00 weekly for wrapping your vehicle with our ad. Contact ad.hr@adexec.com

Macerator toilet- $360.00 cash or 3 payments of $120.00 each. Walkin tub $660.00 cash or 3 payments $220.00 each. Phone 306-694-0675 leave message

NOBLE, SHIRLEY MARJORIE (nee McGowan)

December 30, 1930

-

June 2, 2023

Shirley transitioned on June 2 after a brief hospital stay to join the great adventure beyond. Born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan to her parents Archie and Lottie McGowan and big sister to brother Donald McGowan and sister Janet Farquarson she had a wonderful family that set the tone for the rest of her life. She was predeceased suddenly by her loving husband Jim Noble in 1989 and since then showed us how to move forward with grace and class. Along with her beloved children Janet Boeckx (Grant, Paris) and Bruce Noble (Ilda, Josh) she created a life of adventure, fun, laughter and comfort. Truly the matriarch of our family, she was deeply loved, loving Shirley was vital and curious until the very end at the young age of 92. She was a career woman with CIBC well before it was the norm for women to work outside of home or to be in a management position. After she retired, she travelled with her dear friends, enjoyed regular get-aways at her condo in Whistler and spent time with her kids and grandkids. Shirley was a true gem. She lived in the house she and door was always open and she believed in “the more the merrier.”

She created beauty and fun wherever she went. She was a true creator with her extraordinary talents as a seamstress and knitter. After a day in the garden, a cold beer was her treat. She was known for her earrings to match every occasion and wore a different pair every day. She loved fashion and design but also had a good business mind and a head for numbers.

Shirley will be remembered fondly by all who knew her as a good friend, a curious soul and mostly a loving mother, grandmother and aunt.

A real class act until the very end... Shirley, surely will remain forever young in our hearts.

A celebration of Shirley’s life will be held Friday, September 1st at Riverway Golf Course, Burnaby 1:003:00 pm

WIRGES, KENNETH

Kenneth James Wirges passed away on July 6, 2023, at St. Joseph Hospital in Gravelbourg, SK. Ken was born on December 12, 1942, in Moose Jaw, SK. He attended Castlereigh School and later Coderre School. On July 10, 1965, he married the love of his life, Betty Johnson. They were married for 57 years. They were blessed with three girls: Jackie in 1966, Lori in 1969, and Kendra in 1972. Ken loved his farm and cattle. Together, he and Betty worked side by side to build a great life for their family. He loved the land and his pets, especially dogs. Over the years, he was never without a dog by his side. Throughout his life, Ken belonged to the Parkland Kinsmen in Parkbeg, SK, was a member of the Coderre History Book Committee, and served on the Coderre Courval Community Centre Board. He was also a councillor for the R.M. of Rodgers for many years. Ken is survived by his beloved wife, Betty (Betsy), daughter Jackie, granddaughter Janelle (Jake) and greatgrandchildren McCoy and Bronson, granddaughter Makayla (Jason)and grandson Blake; daughter Lori (Trevor), grandsons Logan and Jaron. Ken was predeceased by his daughter Kendra in 1991 and greatgrandbaby Marchessault in 2023.

A Celebration of Kenneth’s Life was held on Wednesday, July 12, 2023 @ 2:00pm at the Coderre Community Centre. Memorial donations in Ken’s memory were greatly appreciated to St. Joseph Hospital/Foyer d’Youville, Box 810 Gravelbourg, SK S0H 1X0.

SCHULTIES, JENITA THOMSLEY

The Schulties family sadly wishes to announce the passing of our beloved sister Jenita on July 9, 2023 in Regina hospital with her family at her bedside. Jenita worked at Zellers for many years, and at Santa Maria rest home in Regina and ended her working career as a caregiver at Extendicare in Moose Jaw. Along with her partner of many years, a city award for the most beautiful residential yard. Their home was the gathering place for family where guests were always warmly received. Many games of cards were played in the kitchen. She was predeceased by her parents Maria Schulties and David Schulties. Also predeceased by Schulties brothers Walter, Gordon (Clara), Elmer (Gladys), and Kenneth (Sharon), and sisters Julia (Allan) Baldwin, Ruth (George) Sawchuk, Martha (Art) Gorrigsen, Frances (Harry) Lohr, Doris (Carl) Anderson, Shirley (Edwin) Parker, and Betty (Chuck) Learned, and an infant Great Granddaughter Frankie Sturm. She will be sadly missed by her loving partner Ernie Stadnyk and her children — son Todd Sjoberg, daughters Heather Sjoberg, Kim (Garth) Palmer , Dawn (Glen) Dutchak; and son Scott (Tiffany) Fryklund and his three children. Also left to mourn are sisters Dorothy (Wayne) Hall, and Donna (Kevin) Widenmaier, brothers Doug (Carola) Schulties, and Charles (Carol) Schulties. Jenita will be fondly remembered by nine Grandchildren, numerous Great Grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Also by her tiny four legged companion Haven. No service was held as per her request. Cremation.

SCHULTIES, JENITA

March 12th, 1940July 9th, 2023

With saddened hearts we announce the passing of our grandmother, Jenita Thomsley Schulties. Jenita leaves to mourn her partner and best friend, Ernie Stadnyk of Moose Jaw, SK; son, Scott Fryklund; grandchildren: Kristin Wolfe (Sean), Brittany Fryklund, and Blaine Fryklund; and great-grandchildren: Kaden, Lucas, Callum, and Beau. Jenita also leaves her family: Dorothy (Wayne), Doug, Chuck (Carole), and Donna (Kevin); as well as numerous friends and family. We love you and will miss you forever, Kristin, Brittany & Blaine

In keeping with Jenita’s wishes, no Funeral Service will be held, rather please celebrate her life with your memories of her. Arrangements are entrusted to Moose Jaw Funeral Home, 268 Mulberry Lane. Cara Ashworth Funeral Director 306-693-4550 www. moosejawfuneralhome.com

My thanks and appreciation to all who came from far and near to make my 100th Birthday a very joyous occasion. Special thanks to my son, Craig, for organizing such a grand party and to Michelle Gallagher and her group of ladies for piping to the great applause of the guests and the C.W.L. Ladies who served a superb lunch. My heartfelt thanks for the numerous gifts and cards and bouquets of flowers, especially the one with 100 beautiful roses in it.

May God bless you and “Long May Yer Rum Reek” Marie V. Gibbs

Moose Jaw, SK. He graduated with a doctorate degree in 2006 from the Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies in Florida.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not this publication.

Euphemism

The Adventures of Pinocchio was written in 1883 by Carlo Collodi, an Italian writer. The story begins in a village near the city of Florence, where a wood carver named Geppetto, makes a wooden marionette which he calls Pinocchio. The puppet becomes animated, and Pinocchio turns out to be a rascally rogue whose nose grows when he acts disobediently. Geppetto would like Pinocchio to work, be good, and study, like a good boy should do. But Pinocchio continually gets himself in trouble and his nose keeps on growing larger. Following the pattern of many literary heroes, Pinocchio descends into hell, has a transformation, and is reborn into a new life. At the end of the adventures Pinocchio becomes willing to provide for

Geppetto and begin a life of work, being good, and studying. Pinocchio is turned into a real boy. It is a story of moral transformation through personal growth.

In the Disney version, the Blue Fairy says to Pinocchio, “You will only be a real boy once you have proved this metamorphosis Pinocchio needs some guidance. In the Disney movie Jiminy Cricket [who is really a grasshopper] becomes his comical and wise conscience. Pinocchio ignores all Jiminy’s advice and, paying for his sins, is transformed into a donkey. Then Pinocchio drowns in the act of saving Geppetto from Monstro the whale and Blue Fairy raises Pinocchio from the dead and turns him

The original book and the Disney movie both imply that eventually a good conscience with personal growth can lead into a transformed life. Jiminy Cricket, the conscience of Pinocchio, is a euphemism, as Jiminy Cricket [J.C.] really stands for Jesus Christ [J.C.]. If you pay attention to J.C. eventually you will transform your life into having a good moral character.

Euphemism is the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant. The word has been used in the English language since 1681.

Euphemisms can take different forms. The substituted word might be viewed as a less coarse choice, as when someone may say dang or darn instead of damn or damned. Or it might replace a word viewed as insulting or gee, jeepers, jeez for Jesus. A euphemism may also consist of an indirect softening phrase that is substituted for the straightforward naming of something unpleasant.

one who has died as having “kicked the bucket,” “passed away, “given up the ghost,” or “joined one’s ancestors.” Euphemism comes from the Greek word euphemos, which means uttering sounds of good omen or auspigood. The second part is phemos, meaning speech. This word.’ Euphemism is borrowed from Medieval Latin eu, borrowed from the Greek word euphemismos meaning substitution of an auspicious word for an inauspicious one.

Here are a few other common euphemisms. The car under the weather. He’s not poor, he’s economically disadvantaged. He didn’t break up with her, he needed some space. She’s not a liar, she’s just creative with the truth. I hear lots of things on the golf course, some of them euphemisms. But I also hear the unadulterated version of swearing and cursing. I’m not sure it really makes any difference.

Columnist John Kreutzwieser loves to research words and writes this weekly Word Wisdom column for Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com. He has an interest in the usage, origin, and relevance of words for society today. Greek and Latin form the basis of many words, with ancient Hebrew shedding light on word usage.

John would like to know if anyone has a sincere interest in a relevant word that he could possibly research for an upcoming column. If so, please send your requests to wordwisdom2021@gmail.com . Words will be selected according words will be used.

International Harvester show at Sukanen well attended

Ron Walter - For Moose Jaw Express

-

Collectors of International Harvester Company equipment gathered for a two-day show at the Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village and Museum grounds.

The Chapter 38 IHC collectors show was well-attended by some of the 250 members across the four Western provinces. Each day featured a parade of IHC vehicles and a tractor pull using collectors’ units. To attract young people and families the show also had numerous craft sessions during the two days. IHC was founded in 1902 through mergers of McCormick Harvester and Deering. The IHC brand had a cult following as the company dimilking equipment.

farm implement division with Case in 1984 to form Case-IH. The truck division became Navistar in 1985 and still produces IHC trucks.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net

Local resident, golfer, and Bridge guru Mickey Gower celebrates 104th birthday

Friends gather to celebrate 104th birthday at the Deer Ridge Golf Course on July 13th.

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

Local resident, golfer, and Bridge guru Mickey Gower celebrated her 104th birthday on July 13. Her celebration took place at the Deer Ridge Golf Course and included some of her closest friends.

She was born and raised in Central Butte, and when she was 16, she moved to Moose Jaw to train as a nurse. After meeting her husband, who was then studying to be a pharmacist at the University of Saskatoon where she lived for four years, she returned to Moose Jaw to begin her career. “That was the 1950s,” she said. “That was just like yesterday!”

During her career, she was a registered nurse and she worked at the Union Hospital, which was known as the Moose Jaw General Hospital at the time.

Her birthday celebration at Deer Ridge Par 3 Golf Course was chosen because of her many years spent golfing at the course. “I golfed for 100 years,” she said. One highlight of her career was a hole in one at the Hillcrest Golf Course, on hole 9 (which is now hole 18).

Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com asked Gower what the secret to her longevity is. “Sports,” she “live a clean and healthy life.”

to run and jump and da da da. So, then I played tennis at school, and I got into golf and curling. I curled until I was 100.” Gower said she no longer curls because she possibly could slip on the ice.

“I like to play Bridge and [do] crossword puzzles. It

keeps me mentally alert,” she added.

Some of her friends wanted to add that she is a bit too good at Bridge in particular and always seems to win. Nobody seemed willing to bring a deck of cards to the party to disprove this.

She wanted to give some advice to young people.

“My adage is: never say anything to people that hurts people. If you say something, make it something positive or don’t say anything at all.”

“It’s just great to be here with all my friends, and I’m glad I have so many, and that I can still attend these functions,” she said.

Happy Birthday Mickey! NO

Rev. Dr. John Kreutzwieser is a retired pastor from Emmanuel Lutheran Church,

Mickey Gower celebrates her 104th birthday on June 13, 2023. Photo by: Aaron Walker

MOTORCYCLE RACING

Sunday

AUTO RACING

Friday 4 p.m. FSR ARCA Menards Series Pocono.

BASEBALL

Thursday

7:30 p.m. NET MLB Baseball

Houston Astros at Oakland Athletics.

Friday

8 p.m. NET MLB Baseball Toronto Blue Jays at Seattle Mariners.

Saturday

8:30 p.m. NET MLB Baseball Houston Astros at Oakland Athletics.

Monday

8 p.m. NET MLB Baseball Toronto Blue Jays at Los Angeles Dodgers.

Tuesday 8 p.m. NET MLB Baseball Toronto Blue Jays at Los Angeles Dodgers.

Wednesday 8:30 p.m. NET MLB Baseball Oakland Athletics at San Francisco Giants.

FOOTBALL

Saturday

5 p.m. TSN CFL Football Saskatchewan Roughriders at BC Lions.

Sunday

5 p.m. TSN CFL Football Ottawa Redblacks at Calgary Stampeders.

HORSE RACING

Saturday

3 p.m. WDIV Horse Racing Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.

5 p.m. FSR Motorcycle Racing Canadian Triple Crown Series, Motocross: Moncton, NB.

SOCCER

Friday

7:45 p.m. TSN FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 United States vs. Vietnam.

Sunday

11:45 p.m. TSN FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Italy vs. Argentina.

Tuesday

10:45 p.m. TSN FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Japan vs. Costa Rica.

Wednesday

4 p.m. TSN FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Match of the Day: Teams TBA.

6:45 p.m. TSN FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 United States vs. Netherlands.

TSNWorld

20 NET (4:30) Baseball MLB Baseball Houston Astros at Oakland Athletics (N) (Live) Misplays

25 EDACC Big Bang etalk (N) Rookie Blue Walker Rookie Blue "What I Lost"

26 W < One December Night ('21) Eloise Mumford. < Christmas at the Golden Dragon ('22) Kara Wang

29 ENCAV (6:50) <+++ Philadelphia ('93) Tom Hanks. Nurse JackieNurse JackieWeeds Weeds

33 CMT Raymond Raymond The Office The Office Frasier Frasier Cheers Cheers

35 TLC Dr. Pimple Popper (N) Sex "Pump and Go" Sex "Bedroom Eyes" Dr. Pimple Popper

38 DISC Impractical Jokers Tracy Morgan Bones Bones

41 COM Sheldon 'Til Death Friends Friends Friends Friends Big Bang Big Bang

42 TCM (:15) <++ Passport to Destiny ('44) <++ British Intelligence (:45) <++ Curtain Call ('40) Barbara Reed.

47 AMC (5:00) <+++ Jurassic Park <++ The Lost World: Jurassic Park ('97) Julianne Moore, Jeff Goldblum

48 FSR Motorcycle Racing Motorcycle Racing Motorcycle Racing Dangerous Border Patrol

CRV1 (:10) <+ Superintelligence ('20) Melissa McCarthy Just Like (N) (:50) Warrior (N) (:50) Full Circl

CRV2 (:20) <++ Easter Sunday ('22) Jimmy O. Yang, Jo Koy < The Minute You Wake Up Dead ('22) Movie

CRV3 (:20) Office (:45) Office (:10) Parks (:35) Parks Hacks Hacks (:10) Thunder "The Hive"

HBO Movie (:25) < Wig ('19)

TCM (6:00) <++ A Star Is Born ('76) <+++ Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore ('74) < Sounder

47 AMC (6:00) < National Lampoon's <+ Vegas Vacation ('97) Chevy Chas e. < National Lampoon's Euro

48 FSR (6:00) NASCAR ARCA Menards Series Pocono NHRA Dangerous Highway Patrol

55 CRV1 (:10) < Moonshot ('22) Cole Sprouse, Zach Braff. <++ Clerks III ('22) Brian O'Halloran. (P) (:45) < Clerk

CRV2 (:10) < New Corporation: Unfortunately Necessary Sequel RuPaul Drag Race (N) (SF) (:10) Drag Race France (N)

CRV3 (:20) Office (:45) Office (:10) Parks (:35) Parks Mr. A "Episode One" Mr. A "Episode Two"

HBO Movie < Reopening Night ('21) Project (:50) Sarah Silverman

EVENING MOVIES SPORTS SPECIALS

PM 7:30 8 PM 8:30 9 PM 9:30 10 PM 10:30

3 CBKFT Les enfants de la télé Pour "Patrice Michaud" (N) Après (N) TJSask/ Le TJ (:35) Humanité

5 CFRE Border Border Private Eyes Ransom "It's a Ravenzo" News (N) Salvage Ki

6 CKCK W5 < Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: An Inheritance to Die For Heavy "Moment of Truth"

7 WEATH Nature Nature/ July Nature Nature/ July Nature Nature/ July Nature Nature/ July

8 WDIV America's Got Talent "Audit ons 3" News (N)

Top 10 SC

20 NET (5:00) MLB Baseball Sportsnet MLB Baseball Blue JaysPlays Week

25 EDACC Amazing Race Forensic "A Deadly Affair" Fear Thy Neighbor Fear Thy Neighbor

26 W < When I Think of Christmas ('22) Shenae Grimes. < A Fabled Holiday ('22) Ryan Paevey,Brooke D'Ors ay

29 ENCAV (5:50) <+++ King Kong ('05) Jack Black, Naomi Watts. <+ Speed 2: Cruise Control ('97) Sandra Bullock. (P)

33 CMT Cheers Cheers Man-Plan Man-Plan Man-Plan Man-Plan Frasier Frasier

TLC (6:00) 90 Day: Other (N) 90 Day: Other "More to Love: Long Distanc e Medium " (N) 90 Day: Other

DISC CSI: NY "Dead Reckoning" CSI: NY "Battle Scars" CSI: NY CSI: Miami "Bone Voyage"

COM Friends Friends Friends Friends Friends Friends Big Bang Big Bang

TCM (6:00) < Philadelphia Story <++++ The Red Shoes ('48) Anton Walbrook, Moira Shearer. <++ Julie

AMC (5:30)

AUDL: Carolina Flyers at Atlanta Hustle Dangerous Drives

55 CRV1 (:05) <+++ Missing ('23) Storm Reid. <++ Clerks III ('22) Brian O'Halloran. ComingHom

56 CRV2 (6:25) < Brian and Charles < Moonshot ('22) Zach Braff. (:50) < The Humans ('21) Richard Jenkins.

57 CRV3 (:20) Office (:45) Office (:10) Parks (:35) Parks Station FlagMeans (:20) Our Flag Means Death

58 HBO (:15) <+++ 4 Little Girls ('97) The Golden Boy Part II (:05) Barry OnlyYou

WEDNESDAY EVENING MOVIES SPORTS SPECIALS 7 PM 7:30 8 PM 8:30 9 PM 9:30 10 PM 10:30

3 CBKFT Question (N) L'épicerie Dr Sébast La vie (N) Bonsoir bonsoir! (N) Le téléjournal (N)

5 CFRE LA Fire "Three Alarm" (N) Crime Beat Family Law "Acting Out" Global News at 10 (N)

6 CKCK Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang etalk (N)

7 WEATH Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature 8 WDIV Chicago Fire Chicago "The Bleed Valve" News (N) (:35) Tonight Show (:35) Meyers 9 CBKT Coronation Gags Pretty "Bare Naked Ladies" SkyMed The National (N) 11 WWJ Big Brother: 25th (N) CSI: Vegas "In Harm's Way" News (N) (:35) Late Show-Colbert (:35) Corden

12 WXYZ Wonder (N) Abbott The $100,000 Pyramid News (N) (:35) Jimmy Kimmel Live! (:35) Nightline

13 CTYS Judge Steve Harvey (N) Hudson "Rexit, Stage Left" Mom Mom Food Paramedics: 19 TSN (6:45) World Cup United States vs. Netherlands (N) (Live) TSN World Sports (N) SportsCentre (N) (Live) 20 NET (5:00) MLB Baseball Sportsnet Baseball Oakland Athlet ics at San Francisco Giants (N) Sportsnet

25 EDACC Big Bang etalk (N) Goldbergs Goldbergs Flashpoint

Ready to Sell Your Home and Move On? We Can Help, Call Us!

306-694-4747

Home sales this year have dropped 22% compared to 2022, data shows

Home sales in Moose Jaw in June declined by nearly two per cent year-over-year, while sales year-to-date have declined by almost 22 per cent compared to 2022, new data shows.

There were 67 home sales last month in Canada’s Most Notorious City, a decrease from 68 units — a 1.5-per-cent drop — from June 2022, data from the Saskatchewan Realtors Association (SRA) shows.

detached homes, one sale of a semi-detached home, one sale of a townhouse, three sales of apartments and two sales of mobile homes.

There were 112 new listings, an increase from 91 units — a jump of 19.1 per cent — from last June. Further, there were 200 units in inventory, which was a jump from 152 homes — a 24.2-per-cent increase — from the year before. Also, there were 2.99 months of supply compared to 2.21 months last June and homes stayed 38 days on the market.

The benchmark price was $226,100, a decline from $232,900 — a drop of three per cent — year-over-year, the data showed. Meanwhile, the average home

price was $286,570, an increase from $217,793 — a jump of 24 per cent — compared to last June.

location. Average and median prices are easily swayed by what is sold in that time frame,” the SRA explained.

“As a benchmark price is based on a typical home, price changes more accurately represent true price changes in the market as it is an apples-to-apples comparison.”

The report indicated that the 10-year average for June shows there are usually 61 home sales, 104 new listings, 305 homes in inventory, 5.34 months of supply, 55 days for homes on the market, a benchmark price of $220,820 and an average price of $239,174.

Meanwhile, year-to-date (Jan. 1 to June 30), there have been 265 homes sold, 449 new listings, 151 homes in inventory, 3.42 months of supply, 46 days of homes on the market, a benchmark price of $213,517 and an average price of $254,160.

The year-to-date sales have declined 21.6 per cent compared to the same period

Building permit values no comparison with last June’s data

Ron Walter - Moose Jaw Express

Building permits issued by city hall during June amounted to $731,000 and represented a sharp decline from June of last year.

In June 2022, building permit values hit just over $58 million as the SPC co-generation plant took out permits.

For the year to date. building permit values are down about 85 per cent, as a result.

Permits for dwellings are down by $5.3 million year-to-date as value of only three permits issued in the last six months was recorded. During June four new hous-

es were started but the values were not shown on the city building repot.

Last year by June 30 there were 16 houses were started with value of $6.15 million.

Major commercial permits in June were $265,000 for a retail outlet at 400 building at 36 Athabasca Street West, and $65,000 for a special purpose building for the Humane Society at 1755 Stadacona Street West.

Five demolition permits were issued.

last year, the report said.

The 10-year year-to-date average shows by this point in the year, there are typically 271 home sales, 567 new listings, 261 homes in inventory, 6.06 months of supply, 61 days of homes on the market, a benchmark price of $214,620 and an average price of $245,337.

Provincial housing sales

There were 1,691 sales reported across the province in June, a year-overyear decline of six per cent, the SRA said. While year-over-year sales were down, Saskatchewan again reported sales levels above long-term, 10-year historical averages.

challenge in certain regions, but despite a slight increase, inventory levels were nineper-cent below levels last year and over 30-per-cent below the 10-year average. Inventory challenges continue to affect the market’s more affordable segments, with homes priced below $300,000 reporting a 17-per-cent decline in inventory in June.

“While higher lending rates are im-

pacting sales activity, continued employment growth and Saskatchewan’s relative affordability advantage are preventing a Chris Guérette.

strong sales despite persistent inventoryable segment of our housing continuum.” The slight increase in monthly inventory did support a modest gain in the months of supply. However, with just under four months of supply, conditions remain lower than traditionally seen in June, the SRA said. Tighter conditions again resulted in month-over-month price gains, as Saskatchewan’s benchmark price reached $331,500 in June, up from $329,600 in May.

resilience amid interest rate hikes, ongoing a national recession,” said Guérette. “We continue to keep a close eye on inventory levels and how tighter market conditions may impact prices moving forward.”

On July 11, the ribbon was cut to announce that Buffalo Pound’s new Visitor’s Centre

tended by Park Manager Dave Bjarnasonvery aggressive face-lift over the last few

The new Visitor’s Centre

Bjarnason said the facility adds value

to what we’re doing… to create a hub for

“Sitting on the deck watching the 18th green at the club house when you are

the backside of the hill, so it creates its

“Check out those chairs along the deck,” she added, noting that several are chairs like that? Well, we do here at Buf-

and nearby facilities were concluded last

“All I know is when I was here last

Interpretive Centre

can be on the track, and you can sit down

catering to your event and can book out-

cause you’ve seen growth in the use of

you’re not sitting on a lawn chair in the

It was a big success, drawing nearly 3,000 visitors over two days to see all-original creations including recreated historical and fantastical Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, detailed

es with challenges like using one’s original builds, and other innovative Brickspo 2023

White Track

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

Dave Bjarnason and The Honourable Laura Ross tour the Interpretive Cen-mony on July 11, 2023. Photo by: Aaron Walker

upper level of the new Visitor’s Centre. Photo by: Aaron Walker

A view of the new Visitor’s Centre, which is wheelchair accessible and has been newly renovated. Photo by: Aaron Walker

area and a connection to the Trans-Canada Trail. Photo by: Aaron Walker