The prestigious Larry Wilson Scholarship program has returned this summer to assist deserving students hoping to pursue the fne arts with some of the funds needed to take the next step in what can be a challenging career path.
Five students were awarded scholarships worth $3,500 apiece during the last week of July.
This year’s scholarship recipients are:
• Brooke Zarubin: Sylvia Wilson Scholarship for Vocalists and the Gerald B. Wilson Scholarship for Musical Theatre
• Tague O’Bright: Kathleen Wilson Scholarship for Instrumentalists
• Presley McLeod: Gerald B. Wilson Scholarship for Musical Theatre
• Sophia Peters: Lawrence Wilson Scholarship for Drama
• Alicia Zarubin: Lawrence Wilson Literary Scholarship
The Larry Wilson Scholarship program is now in its 16th year and awards funding to deserving students within the South Central Enterprise Region. Eligible students must be over the age of 17 and planning to pursue post-secondary education at an accredited institution.
Wilson, who established the scholarship program, was himself a philanthropist and supporter of the arts.
In addition to his namesake scholarship program, Wilson purchased the former Capitol Theatre and donated it to the City of Moose Jaw. When the building was remodelled in 2004, it was renamed the Mae Wilson Theatre in honour of his mother who ran a local dance studio and encouraged the artistic abilities of her six children.
Wilson’s legacy then grew with the fnal addition of his scholarship program.
“He wanted to make sure that musicians and people in those felds received an opportunity to go and study,” Regina SagalHendry explained on behalf of Moose Jaw Arts in Motion back in 2021.
Before his death, Wilson was searching for a suitable way to continue supporting the arts. Utilizing funds from his personal estate worth more than $1 million, Wilson met with Gary Hyland — himself a longtime supporter of the arts and founder of
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Arts in Motion — to help administer the program.
Today, Arts in Motion continues to facilitate the scholarship program that’s funded and administered by the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation.
One former scholarship recipient of note is Amelia Mitchell, who recently had her flm nominated for Best Canadian Short Film at the Change the Script flm festival in Hamilton, Ont. on July 31.
Presley McLeod is the youngest recipient of this year’s scholarships and recently graduated from Central Collegiate. Her scholarship was awarded after adjudicators received a couple video submissions showcasing her past productions.
McLeod, in one example of her work, won the provincial title for musical theatre at the 2021 Saskatchewan Music Festival for her performance of “Not for the Life of Me” from the 1967 flm and 2005 stage musical Thoroughly Modern Millie.
“I was pretty excited…,” she said.
“It’s always fun when you get scholarships based on the things that you’ve worked hard at... I feel like musical theatre (has)…
been the main aspect of my life for the last four years.”
Thanks in part to the scholarship, McLeod is now registered in a oneyear program at the Sheridan College in Oakville, Ont. There, she plans to specialize in musical theatre and aspires to one day begin a diverse career in the fne arts.
“That’s defnitely the feld that I’m going to focus on because it’s what makes me happy,” she said.
After fnding inspiration through Paul McCorriston, her band and choir teacher at Central Collegiate, and Stella Salido-Porter, her vocal teacher for the past eight years, McLeod wished to thank them and Arts in Motion for empowering her to pursue her dream.
“It’s super heartwarming to know that, as someone who is interested in the arts, that there are other people out there that care… about the arts as much as you do,” she said.
To learn more about the Larry Wilson Scholarship and to apply for next year’s program, visit ArtsInMotion.ca. Applications open around April each year with a set deadline of June 30.
Presley McLeod, one of this year’s Larry Wilson Scholarship recipients, performs at the 2021 Saskatchewan Music Festival. Photo by: File photo
15 Wing holds ceremony to welcome new chief warrant ofcer
Air force offcer Micheline Bertrand has been in Moose Jaw for a short while and, based on a volunteer opportunity, believes working here over the next three years will be a great experience.
Bertrand became the new chief warrant offcer (CWO) at 2 Canadian Forces Flight Training School on July 19 during a change of appointment ceremony at 15 Wing headquarters. She is the school’s third CWO — and the frst female to hold the six-year-old position — after taking over from CWO Erik Keur, who retires after 34 years in the military.
Bertrand originally joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1996 and served until 1999. She took a few years off before returning in 2004 and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
In early 2019, Bertrand, an aerospace control operator, was named one of the Top 20 women in the defence by Esprit de Corps Magazine, which recognized her leadership.
The 23-year military veteran told the Moose Jaw Express that she arrived in The Friendly City a month ago and volunteered with other personnel to help clean the drive-thru windows at a Tim Hortons during its Camp Day charity drive.
“We got to talk to everyone as they were coming through, and I got to say that that little hour I was sitting there made me very excited to be part of the Moose Jaw community,” Bertrand said.
“This small community seems to have a lot of value, and I’m looking forward to getting to know more about the commu-
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nity and becoming more involved in the community here as well.”
The RCAF offcer is excited to become 15 Wing’s new CWO since it is a promotion, her frst offcial appointment, and unfamiliar and uncharted territory. Furthermore, she hopes to build on the foundation that her two predecessors have laid, although she knows that not all staff and students are aware of the CWO position or what the chief can do.
“So I’m looking forward to that opportunity in showing them how important a chief is in the school,” Bertrand said.
As the CWO, Bertrand will be part of the base’s command team, which includes advising the base commandant, Lt.-Col. Philippe Turcotte. She will also attempt to foster military excellence, professional development, morale, and overall quality of life — which is her target goal.
While there are skilled trained instructors who teach students how to fy, the new CWO acknowledged that she is not a pilot and cannot teach pupils how to operate an aircraft or tell instructors how to teach. Instead, she believes that she can use her background to offer a different
perspective on military life.
“I’d like to make them see that they are pilots, but they are also offcers in the military. And … there’s a high standard of offcership that embodies professionalism and leadership and community,” said Bertrand.
The RCAF offcer also believes that her background can contribute to mutual respect for everyone on base — regardless of their rank or role — and ensure pilots are ready to fy.
Bertrand is posted to a new base every three years and has served in seven locations during the past three decades, so she knows that she can take those experiences and apply them to her next post. Moreover, she always attempts to operate outside of her comfort zone when learning new things or receiving complex training so she can grow and become more resilient.
The new CWO may not possess pilot skills, but she pointed out that she does have people skills that allow her to relate to others, work with different personalities and leadership approaches, and absorb the best leadership qualities.
“So I feel very confdent that I bring a lot of this with me and I’m hoping to impart a lot of these skills and lessons learned … ,” Bertrand said. “We’re all on the same team (and) we’re all fghting the same fght.”
While 15 Wing is a smaller air force base than elsewhere, the RCAF offcer knows it’s also a tight-knight community that is welcoming.
DoMoreAg launches #TalkItOut campaign to support farmers in distress
The Do More Agriculture Foundation has announced the launch of its 2024 #TalkItOut campaign which seeks to help support agricultural producers who face mental health struggles across the country — and it all starts with a simple conversation.
The campaign began on Aug. 1 and will run through to the end of October.
“The #TalkItOut campaign really just outlines the importance of having a simple conversation,” explained Eugenie Offcer, the media relations contact for Do More Ag.
“We hope that by people just having a conversation with their neighbour or their friends or family members about something as simple as the weather… (it) can lead into something a bit deeper.”
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tal Health led by Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton at the University of Guelph recently found that 40 per cent of Canadian producers are hesitant to seek professional help out of a fear of being judged.
Among all Canadian agricultural producers, 58 per cent were found to meet the criteria for anxiety, and 75 per cent — three out of every four — report experiencing mid to high levels of stress, according to the same study.
These results suggest that farming communities across Canada have a strong need for a conversation on mental health and wellbeing.
The campaign is open to everyone ages 16 and older and provides a safe, anonymous space to connect, share, and support one another through a web-based platform called AgTalk. This platform is free to use, ensures a safe, open, and anonymous space in both offcial languages, and 24/7 clinical moderation is available to keep the discussion productive.
The National Survey of Farmer Men-
Research conducted by Jones-Bitton and post-doctoral researcher Dr. Briana Hagen found that a lack of accessibility to mental health supports and services, mental health stigmas, and a lack of anonymity were leading factors that prevent farmers from seeking support. This is what the #TalkItOut campaign seeks to address.
“None of us have to be alone with our thoughts,” said Lauren Martin, chair of the Do More Ag board of directors.
“There is power in connecting with each other, in fnding the right support, and it all starts with a conversation.”
The inspiration behind the campaign, Offcer explained, is the ongoing stigma that surrounds the topic of mental health within the agricultural community.
“And so, a lot of people associate… talking about what they might be dealing with mentally as, perhaps, a sign of vulnerability.”
Getting past that frst step, she said, can be both challenging and scary, but the outcome is well worth it.
“We’ve seen it a number of times, just how that frst conversation… can lead to a system of support that wasn’t there prior to the conversation.” Some, she said, have described the program as being “life changing.”
For those willing to take the frst step, Offcer said a good approach is to visit the Do More Ag website where you can fnd more information and details on how to reach out.
“The Do More Agriculture Foundation is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are in crisis, please visit your local emergency department or call 911 immediately,” a website disclaimer reads.
To access AgTalk, visit DoMore.ag/ AgTalk.
For the latest updates including recent program options, visit ‘Do More Ag’ on Facebook. You can fnd additional information and numerous resources online at DoMore.ag.
“In agriculture, especially, there’s… a sentiment that you need to be tough, you need to be strong, (and) you need to be resilient, because that’s a huge part of the role and the job description in and of itself,” she said.
15 Wing Airbase held a change of appointment ceremony on July 19 to welcome Micheline Bertrand (left) as the new chief warrant offcer and say goodbye to retiring CWO Erik Keur (right), while Lt.Col. Philippe Turcotte (middle) watches and authorizes the change. Photo courtesy 15 Wing Imaging
Ottawa confrms its commitment to keep the Snowbirds’ aerobatic team fying
The Government of Canada has confrmed its commitment to the Snowbirds’ aerobatic team and the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) air demonstration mission after concerns were raised about the team’s future.
Ottawa had announced that it was considering eliminating some older military equipment — including the Snowbirds’ 20 CT-114 Tutor jets — that had become costly and diffcult to maintain. However, the defence minister said he had not made any decisions and was waiting for advice from military leaders.
The CT-114 Tutor has more than 60 years of service as a trainer and air demonstration aircraft in the RCAF and is currently used by 431 (Snowbirds) Air Demonstration Squadron.
The military ordered the Tutor jets in 1961, while they began their demonstration career in 1967. They adopted the name Snowbirds in 1971 and were formally designated as the airshow team in 1975.
In an email to the Moose Jaw Express/ MooseJawToday.com, a spokesperson for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) confrmed that the federal government still valued the Snowbirds.
“We intend to continue with aerial demonstrations using the CT-114 Tutor for as long as is feasible and safe,” the spokesperson said.
CAF determined in 2021 that the CT-114 Tutor needed avionics upgrades, so it launched an upgrade and life extension project known as the CT-114 Tutor Life Extension Beyond 2020 (or CT-114 TLE2020+), the emails aid. This would ensure the feet with 431 Air Demonstration Squadron continued to meet North American airspace regulatory requirements and allowed the RCAF to continue its air demonstration mission.
On March 11, 2021, Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of the Department of National Defence, awarded L3 Technologies MAS Inc. a $12.7-mil-
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lion contract to commence design and engineering studies to extend the life of the CT-114 Tutor feet.
Ottawa subsequently increased the contract to $29.3 million to purchase the modifcation kits and complete the necessary engineering work to enhance the 20 aircraft.
The life extension upgrades include a new glass cockpit avionics package with a cockpit voice and fight data recorder, ADS-B transponder, and upgraded navigations and communications systems.
“The project is now in the implementation phase, with initial operating capability of four modifed aircraft currently scheduled for (the) end of 2024,” the email said. “Modifcations to all remaining aircraft are still expected to be completed by the end of 2026.”
CAF indicated in a recent social me-
City to begin paved roadways and sidewalks project this week starting Monday August 12
By Moose Jaw Express staf
The City of Moose Jaw has announced that a paved roadways and sidewalks project will begin in three high-traffc areas starting Monday, Aug. 12.
The locations selected will address two signifcant isolated settlements on Main Street North and correct defciencies on Thatcher Drive West. The city also expects to complete the project in one week in all three locations, weather permitting. The list of areas included in the project and their traffc accommodation plans are:
• Thatcher Drive West from Ninth Avenue Northwest to 11th Avenue Northwest: Westbound traffc will detour north through West Park, while eastbound traffc will have reduced speeds and have to squeeze right
• Main Street North at the Caribou Street intersection: Single-lane traffc will be diverted to the northbound
lanes, allowing for north and southbound traffc on Main Street. On Caribou Street, west of the intersection, traffc will squeeze left. All directions of traffc will have a reduced speed
• Main Street between Marlborough Street and Saskatchewan Street East. Northbound traffc will be detoured to 1st Avenue NE. Southbound traffc will squeeze right with a reduced speed and there will be no left turn permitted from Hall Street W on to Main Street during this time.
The City of Moose Jaw asks all drivers to obey signs and exercise caution in construction zones for the safety of everyone because it does not want any more #NotoriouslyCloseCalls.
If residents require assistance, they should use the “Report an Issue” feature on the city’s free app or website.
dia post that the CT-114 Tutor Life Extension Beyond 2020 project “marked a signifcant milestone” by receiving airworthiness approval, while the upgrades ensured that the CT-114 Tutor feet could safely and effectively operate.
The total upgrades that will equip the 20 aircraft include:
• Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system
• Combined Cockpit Voice Recorder/ Flight Data Recorder
• Large Electronic Flight Display System with Bluetooth and separate digital standby instruments
• Digital Engine-Indicating and Crew-Alerting System
• New VHF NAV/COM system and audio control panel
• New Distance Measuring Equipment
• Digital G-meter and digital clocks
The email said that three aircraft had been modifed with the support of the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment and 434 Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron, while the program will continue to deliver upgraded aircraft until 2026.
The project intends to support an estimated life expectancy to 2030, although the government has not yet made any decisions about the exact date of the aircraft feet’s retirement, the Department of Defence said on social media.
“As (Defence) Minister (Bill) Blair has stated, we remain committed to the Snowbirds, and we are beginning the process of examining potential options for aircraft for the Snowbirds’ mission once the CT-114 Tutor feet reaches its end of life in the coming years,” the spokesperson added.
Investing in Community Groups
The 431 Air Demonstration Team, also known as the Snowbirds, perform over Moose Jaw. File photo
JOAN RITCHIEMoose Jaw Express EDITOR
Editor’s Note
I could not believe my eyes when I saw the abhorrent spectacle in the name of sports that the Paris Olympic Committee deemed acceptable for public viewing.
I was absolutely disgusted and probably will never view the Olympics again. When did a world sporting event become so distorted? Sports is one thing and most enjoy competition in sports and within countries but this? Participants train for years to have the opportunity to compete against the world’s best in their feld of competition and then to see the focus change from sports to what it was is beyond comprehension. And the outrageous cost? Beyond words. And for those that had to compete and swim in the cesspool of crap in the river Seine in Paris really in my view is just part of the crap that was deemed the Paris Olympics. This is just my personal opinion…
And another hot topic top on the mind of many in Moose Jaw is the proposed site for the new Riverside Mission. As far as I am concerned, I personally do not have any answers so I cannot weigh in one way or another as to where the location should be, but I have been reading all letters to the editor and articles focused on the topic, as well as some other information regarding homelessness.
I do have a heart and have compassion for those less fortunate and also believe that God wants us to consider those but help can also come by using solutions that are logical and not based on emotions. Recently listening to a commentator I think was from London Ontario via a clip, he made some interesting comments. Unfortunately, I cannot cite the location of the clip because it was forwarded to myself by an individual who has also been listening to the conversation of homelessness in Moose Jaw and that information was not with the clip.
The commentator said that logic needs to be tied to solutions and not emotions to policies. He made comments stating that humans are given rights by authorities they live under; for example, rights can change from country to country but in light of the homeless situation, he said that the homeless do not have a right to defecate on the streets, set up their tents anywhere they like, and those addicted to fentanyl and other drugs should not be able to do their drugs in full view of children’s playground areas. He said that kind-hearted solutions do not bring change but enable the homeless and make it easier for them to live on the streets. He says people are hurting human beings because of ‘emotional’ policies and are keeping them at the 80% damage level. According to the commentator, he said we are hurting human beings by perpetuating homelessness and they have no survival instinct to get out of their situation.
And again I will say, these are not my comments but something to think about in the quest for a solution.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily refect the position of this publication.
Phone: 306.694.1322 Fax: 888.241.5291
468 High St. W., Moose Jaw SK S6H 1T3 www.mjvexpress.com
Publisher: Robert Ritchie - rob@mjvexpress.com
Editor: Joan Ritchie -joan@moosejawexpress.com
Sales: Wanda Hallborg - mjexpress7@sasktel.net David Klatt - david@moosejawexpress.com Kevin Ogle - kevin@saskpromo.com
Thank you to all the contributing writers, without your time and support, the paper would not look the same. Send your stories, events and pictures to: joan@moosejawexpress.com
Editor:
Eliminating gas tax and cutting PST could address economic issues, Sask.
United leader says
Saskatchewan United Party leader Jon Hromek believes that eliminating the provincial gas tax and cutting the provincial sales tax in half could address residents’ economic challenges.
Cost of living is the No. 1 issue that Hromek has heard during his town hall circuit this summer, with the second-biggest concern being the “total crisis” in health care.
Hromek’s summer tour came to Moose Jaw on Aug. 10. The event — with speeches and a question-and-answer period — happened at the Heritage Inn at 7 p.m.
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“We need to be thinking outside the box for some solutions when it comes to that (health care problem),” he told the Express. “Throwing money at it … only magnifes the problem. It doesn’t solve the problems.”
To address these two issues, Hromek says the Saskatchewan United Party (SUP) — if elected to government this October — would eliminate the 15-cent tax that the province applies to gas, diesel and propane.
To recoup the roughly $460 million that this tax generates, the party would use money from the province’s Output-Based Performance Standards program — the inhouse climate change-focused levy — that’s applied to large emitters.
Secondly, and “the most bold” idea, SUP would cut the PST in half.
“This is something we have to address because people are running out of money and being taxed right up the yin-yang … ,” said Hromek, who will be running in the Lumsden-Morse constituency.
To pay for this idea, SUP would review the province’s potash royalty program and make it more balanced because residents are not receiving their fair share even though they own those resources, he continued.
Thirdly, the party wants to reduce bureaucracy — especially middle management — within the government because it has grown by 37 per cent since 2007, which is higher than the population growth during the same period, Hromek said.
Moreover, salaries and benefts of those employees have increased by 23 per cent, which is higher than in the private sector, he continued.
“That’s $1.4 billion in incremental costs in the last fve years. So there are places for effciencies … ,” Hromek added. “It’s wild spending by the government
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and it’s unsustainable.”
SUP has a “broad vision” for the province based on two foundational points: the family is the building block for success in society and the economy, and responsibility must return to fnancial management and law and order, Hromek said. All the party’s policies and pillars fow through those components.
Those two points align with Hromek’s views, while “sound policy is sound policy” and should appeal to everyone. Those ideas, he noted, have been lost during the past 30 years, so the province must “get back to basics” — which means returning to responsible fscal management and solid family values.
Hromek disputed the idea of vote-splitting, saying rurally, the Sask. Party usually takes 65 per cent of votes and the NDP takes roughly 20 per cent, while in urban areas, the NDP usually has a solid 30 per cent of the vote.
Seventy per cent of voters in urban areas are “politically homeless,” with many telling the SUP leader that they want someone else to vote for other than the NDP because they’re “done with the Sask. Party.” Therefore, SUP will attempt to inspire those voters who are centre or centre-right.
SUP is different because it’s focused on fscal responsibility, whereas the Sask. Party — which should be providing tax relief —“is truly out of control” and “is breaking this province” with increased program spending, Hromek said. Meanwhile, the NDP wants to “throw money” at problems to resolve them.
“The people deserve better,” he stated.
Hromek — SUP’s frst-ever candidate — is new to the role of political party leader, having taken over in May. While the challenges have been new and different compared to the corporate world — he never expected to become the party’s leader — it has been exciting to speak with people and hear their stories.
“… I really enjoy going out and giving people hope and giving people a fresh view of something … ,” Hromek added. “Saskatchewan, with some course corrections here and with some fundamental problems being solved, I really think that our days ahead of us are going to be a lot better than those behind us.”
The Saskatchewan United Party has not yet named any candidates for the two Moose Jaw ridings but should by this fall.
Province announces K-12 ban on cellphone use in schools starting this fall
Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
The Government of Saskatchewan announced that it will be joining a growing Canada-wide trend with cellphones and other internet-connected devices to be restricted in K to 12 classrooms across the province starting this fall.
The new measures will apply to all elementary students from Kindergarten to Grade 8, and for high school students from Grade 9 to Grade 12, cellphone use will only be permitted when required for specifc classroom projects.
These projects, an offcial release said, must demonstrate an educational purpose.
“Technology has its place, but too often, cellphones are taking students’ attention away from what they should be learning,” explained Jeremy Cockrill, the provinces’ education minister.
“This new policy will allow students to be more engaged with their teachers and focused on learning the skills and knowledge they need to reach their potential.”
Cockrill said he’s observed that many Saskatchewan classrooms already have a restriction in place regarding the use of cellphones, and added that this new policy will simply provide “a consistent approach across the province.”
The call to ban cellphone use during class is intended to promote learning and seeks to lower distractions faced by students.
“Limitations of cellphones in our schools will reduce the amount of distractions in our classrooms which will allow our staff to focus on educating our students,” said Bernie Howe, chair of the Prairie Spirit Board of Education.
“It is important to take steps like these that work to improve our students’ mental well-being and academic success.”
Students who require an internet-connected device
or cellphone for medical or educational purposes will be granted an exemption in the new policy, it was clarifed.
To address concerns over the safety of students and staff — which the Government of Saskatchewan said continues to be an important priority — each school division is responsible for communicating with students and their parents in the case of an emergency.
Details on how to enforce the ban, Cockrill said during the announcement, is for each school board to determine independently.
Early critics of the new policy including Samantha Becotte, president of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF), said the announcement isn’t surprising but it fails to address larger classroom problems such as classroom complexity and underfunding.
Becotte also said the STF wasn’t consulted before the Aug. 6 decision by the provincial government. In reply, Cockrill did not specify how many individuals and organizations were consulted but said there were ongoing discussions with the Saskatchewan School Board Association.
The Saskatchewan NDP, who forms the offcial opposition to the Saskatchewan Party, agrees with the new policy — but with a caveat.
“Cellphones have certainly become a distraction in classrooms, but cellphones are not the number one issue in Saskatchewan schools — it’s lack of funding,” declared Matt Love, the offcial opposition education critic with the Sask. NDP.
The new cellphone policy will come into province-wide effect at the start of the 2024 – 2025 academic year.
Jon Hromek is the leader of the Saskatchewan United Party. Photo submitted
Collector eager to give well-known River Street-linked neon sign a good home
Collector Brad Wilson has acquired many interesting and odd items over the decades, including one item with connections to River Street’s glory days that he hopes can be restored.
Wilson, 54, was browsing on Facebook Marketplace several years ago when he discovered the neon sign that used to hang in front of the Bamboo Chop Suey Café, a popular hangout at 72 River Street West that closed in the late 1990s.
He contacted Doug Brentnell — the former owner of the café, a fellow collector, and someone who once lived on the same street as Wilson’s parents — and asked if he would sell the sign. Brentnell, who had saved the sign after the business was demolished around 2002, agreed.
Wilson said he and a friend had attempted to “steal” the sign after the café had closed. They knew somebody should save it since it would likely end up in the dump. However, their attempt failed because it was big, heavy and diffcult to remove.
“I grew up going to the Royal (Hotel) and the Brunny (Brunswick Hotel). I feel sad that River Street is no more considering there used to be 1,000 people most nights down there,” he remarked.
The two businessmen travelled to a storage yard on Ominica Street West, where Brentnell had kept the sign for more than 20 years. The neon billboard was in rough shape, but Wilson knew he could probably repair it.
“To me, it’s not just about the sign.
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You gotta have the story to go with the item because that’s what makes the item cool in my mind,” said Wilson. “It doesn’t matter what it is — where did it come from?”
The collector paid $1,800 for the neon sign, which he acknowledged “is crazy” but noted is normal in the collectibles’ world. Moreover, he heard that another collector had allegedly offered Brentnell $4,500 at one point.
Wilson is passionate about local history and has acquired many items with some connection to a former Moose Jaw business.
He expressed disappointment that the former Times-Herald newspaper neon sign wasn’t removed and given to the Western Development Museum after new owners took over the building. He had considered renting a crane but learned it would have been too expensive.
The collector has stored the café’s neon sign at his farm near Caronport but
believes it should be in Moose Jaw. He is looking for input from residents about what to do with it.
He has already received plenty of positive responses on social media about the sign, with many people discussing their love of the café or recalling the times they visited River Street and wound up under the sign.
“Let’s be honest, the City of Moose Jaw, they like to rip everything down and get rid of history. I mean, River Street is gone,” Wilson said.
Wilson has examined the sign and believes one side should be kept in its original state and the other refurbished. While
he’s unsure where it could hang, if there’s enough interest, he would like to see it suspended on River Street in its original spot — lit up one more time.
“I’m a little sentimental,” he remarked.
After restoring the sign, Wilson will see if the Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery (MJMAG) or the Tunnels of Moose Jaw will accept it as a loan. He noted that the MJMAG has a painting of the sign on display.
“I’d like to preserve (the sign) for future generations,” he added. “It’s one of the few items still left that people can remember.”
Rhonda Haukaas
Garry Downton
Rod Brisbin
Dave Foley
The lit neon sign of the Bamboo Chop Suey Café. Photo courtesy Brad Wilson
The café’s former sign sat in a storage yard on Ominica Street for more than 20 years before collector Brad Wilson bought it. Photo by Brad Wilson
From The Kitchen
By Joyce Walter - For Moose Jaw Express
Patience needed before enjoying homemade pickles
The sound of a crisp, homemade pickle being enjoyed after the required waiting time is an indication that the homemaker has again worked magic in the kitchen.
And there is no limits placed on what vegetable or fruit may be pickled for enjoyment into the off-seasons.
This week’s recipes offer three suggestions for making homemade pickles.
• • • DILLED CARROTS
6 qts. crisp raw carrots
10 cups water
3 cups vinegar
3/4 cup pickling salt
1/2 cup sugar fresh dill
3-4 cloves garlic per jar
Sterilize quart jars and lids. Place 2 sprigs of fresh dill with seeds and 3-4 cloves of garlic (or less) in each jar.
Clean carrots and cut into sticks to ft into jars. Baby carrots may be left whole. Fill jars with carrots. In a large saucepan, combine water, vinegar, salt and sugar and boil for 7-8 minutes. Pour boiling mixture over carrots and apply lids. Let contents mature for 3-4 weeks before serving. Makes
6 quarts.
MILLION DOLLAR PICKLES
4 qts. sliced but unpeeled cucumbers
8-10 medium-sized onions, sliced
3/4 cup coarse pickling salt
1 each red and green pepper, seeded and sliced in strips
1 qt. white vinegar
4 cups white sugar
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. turmeric
2 tbsps. mustard seed
1 tbsp. pickling spices
Use cucumbers that are not too big. Clean cucumbers and remove sharp points. Slice cucumbers and onions and place in a stainless steel bowl or crock. Sprinkle with salt and add enough water to just cover the vegetables.
Let stand 2-3 hours, drain and rinse with cold water.
In a three gallon enamel pot, combine vinegar, sugar and the spices that have been tied in a cloth bag. Let mixture come to a boil. Add the drained vegetables and pepper and let mixture come to a boil again, being sure not to boil more than 2-3 minutes.
Pack vegetables into hot sterilized jars. Apply lids and ensure a seal. Let stand 2-3 weeks before using. Makes 7-8 quarts.
• • • PICKLED CRAB APPLES
7 lbs. crab apples
1 qt. cider vinegar
3 cups, or more, white sugar
3 sticks whole cinnamon
2 tbsps. whole cloves
1 tsp. whole allspice
Wash crab apples. Leave on stem but remove the blossom end.
In an enamel or stainless steel kettle, combine remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Add crab apples to the syrup and boil for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand overnight.
In the morning, pack crab apples only into sterilized jars.
Strain syrup and then boil and pour over crab apples in the jars. Seal with sterilized lids.
Let stand for 2-3 weeks before serving. Makes about 5 quarts. Serve with turkey, pork chops or roast pork.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel. net
Old town of Shaunavon experience cool for us
Having chosen to not re-visit the Eastend Dinosaur Centre we headed for Shaunavon, some 20 minutes away.
Our goal was to visit the Grand Coteau Heritage Centre and then to dine at the renowned Harvest Eatery, just up the street. The two-story museum and art gallery was a pleasure to view.
Ron Walter - For Moose Jaw Express
Art works lined the gallery wall and the museum offers exquisite diaspora background galleries for taxidermy of local wildlife from bison to beaver to waterfowl and weasels.
In the basement was a section dedicated to wool spinning and weaving, a general store and a section on an old town baker. The display contained a huge metal
mixing tool, bagger and bread cutter.
An exhibit of tools had an old wooden,horse-pulled scraper once used to build roads and dams.
Shaunavon has been around since 1913 when $10 homesteads opened up along the new CPR train line and had 367 people when incorporated as a village in 1913.
The boomtown grew to 750 within a year and became a town. The town holds the distinction of being the fastest in Canada to grow from a village to a town.
In 1952 the discovery of oil saw population grow to 2,500.
Oil and ranching are still important but the boom has receded to 1,786 population in the last census.
History is embraced by this town by the centre, a walking tour of the downtown, and restoration of a theatre from silent movie days.
Two of Shaunavon’s oldest hotels are being restored.
The brick Grand Hotel, built in 1929 and vacant for 40 years, has had quite a lot of work done. It was the site of three murders.
The wood-framed three storey Shaunavon Hotel, built in 1925 in an incredible two months, is under restoration.
The main foor has had a bar and grille for years. The owner has put in new windows, painted the exterior of the main foor and keeps at the immense job.
The Shaunavon Hotel has also had a murder on the premises. This must have been a tough town once.
Volunteers at the museum encouraged us to make a reservation at the Harvest Eatery for 4 p.m, when it opens.
Good thing I took the suggestion. A request for a reservation shortly after four was greeted with — I’m so sorry.
The intense 34 degrees heat caused the place to postpone opening to 5:30 p.m.
We decided not to hang around in the heat and drove to Nash’s in Assiniboia for a nice meal. Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net
By Patricia Hanbidge For Moose Jaw Express
Pollinat Gardens –
Part II
Previously, we introduced some of the basic guidelines to creating a pollinator garden in your outdoor space. Pollinators are vital to our food sources and due to many factors, including loss of habitat, pollinator populations have experienced severe declines in recent years. It is important to choose a spot for your pollinator garden that has some sunshine as during spring and fall, these sunny areas warm more quickly so that the pollinators can make the most of each and every day.
Once your soil is amended and ready to go it is time to plant. Native plants are essential to a successful pollinator garden. Go for a walk outside of urban areas and see what is growing. Early in spring it is the pussy willows and then yes, the dandelions that show colour on the
prairies. Wild fax, sage, freweed, roses, monarda, goldenrod, Queen Ann’s Lace, and dogwood are just some of the native plants you could include in your pollinator garden. As far as other things to plant include any of the fruiting trees and shrubs, fowering herbs, any and all vegetables, lilacs, monarda, delphinium, fuschia, nicotiana, Joe Pye weed, columbine and some self seeders like calendula, cosmos, forget-me-nots and sunfowers. If self seeding annuals are of interest, watch for next weeks’ column that will be devoted to them. Do not forget about the night pollinators, moths and bats and plant some luminous white fowers like evening scented stocks, nicotiana, and the scented mock orange shrub.
shelter from the prevailing NW winds and create warmer microclimates in your garden.
It is important to supply some water sources in your pollinator garden. While your new plants are getting established, water regularly to ensure the formation of strong root systems that will withstand the hot summer weather. For the tiny critters, shallow bowls with some rocks sitting in the water allow them to safely hydrate without falling into deeper water and drowning.
Shade and shelter from the wind is also important. One of my favourite things to do in my pollinator garden is to quietly watch the hummingbirds fit madly about and then rest in the shade during the hottest part of the day. Some evergreen trees or shrubs will help to give
The sky’s the limit as to what you create in your pollinator garden. There are endless pollinator plants that come in many different colours and shapes so choose some of what you fnd most attractive. This will help you to pause and watch nature at its fnest. Mix various heights, textures and shades in the garden. Mother Nature has the ability to blend all colours, tints and shades together with no worries about clashing colour schemes. Once your garden is established the maintenance just gets easier. Self-sowing plants move around and grow where they choose. If their choice is not to your liking a few swipes with a hoe in spring will keep them where you would like them to grow. The sunny spots will evolve as well so you may decide to prune back some of your woody plants to open up the area again to the sun once a few years have passed.
Planting a pollinator garden is a lovely way to enhance your landscape and the surrounding environment. It also gives you and your neighbors lots of lovely things to enjoy and you never know – you might be starting a new trend!
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?
University student researching history of Ukrainian foods in Moose Jaw
Ukrainian immigration has infuenced food culture in Saskatchewan for 133 years, and to better understand this effect, a university student is collecting stories about how families have preserved their ethnic culinary heritage.
Margaret (Maggie) DeCoste, a Regina-born student at the University of Alberta, is pursuing her master’s thesis in anthropology by investigating what people cook and eat. She is in Moose Jaw this summer researching Ukrainian-Canadian food and recipes.
Specifcally, she is determining how people use written recipes in community and family cookbooks to preserve their Ukrainian culture. She has been collecting cookbooks that local organizations — such as churches, clubs and schools — have published throughout Saskatchewan and speaking to people who use these materials.
“Things are going OK … ,” DeCoste said recently about her project. “(I’ve learned) many interesting things.”
For her thesis project, the student wants to speak with 10 people, and so far, she has spoken with six. Four people are either living in or have connections to Moose Jaw, while the others live elsewhere in southern Saskatchewan.
DeCoste records the interviews, which last about one to two hours. Afterward, interviewees are encouraged to
comfort. Photo courtesy SaskToday.com
show her how they like to cook a recipe from their favourite cookbook. To show her appreciation, the university graduate gives a $25 Co-op gift card.
DeCoste chose to conduct her research in Moose Jaw because it’s a smaller community and she wasn’t familiar with it. Moreover, she needed to pursue her project objectively, which meant she couldn’t do it in Regina. She also focused on southern Saskatchewan because there is a strong Ukrainian presence in the area.
“I (also) noticed there has been quite a number of Ukrainian newcomers … who have come to Moose Jaw now. I thought that was interesting,” she said.
Before beginning her project, the university graduate created a list of guiding questions she wanted to ask. However,
Bumper crop hopes dashed by heat
Ron Walter - For Moose Jaw Express
The August long weekend ended with no more hope of a bumper crop in the province, but with a start to harvest.
Harvest was two per cent complete, on par with the long-term average.
Days of extreme heat in late July, early August took their toll on crop yields, according to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture crop report,
As one Eyebrow farmer put it:“The crops look good. There isn’t much in the heads. The heads didn’t fll out.’’
Rainfall was sporadic across the province for that week. While earlier crops can’t beneft from more rain, earlier seeded felds can still get better yields if it rains.
Moisture in the topsoil is far less than a month ago, with 29 per cent of topsoil good,
53 per cent adequate and 18 per cent very short.
Haying has pretty well wrapped up with alfalfa across the province averaging 2.13 tonnes per acre, dryland greenfeed at 2.63 tonnes, irrigated alfalfa at 2.46 tonnes and irrigated greenfeed at 3.21 tonnes.
Silage yields averaged 6.1 tonnes per acre in the province, 6.88 in the southeast and 6.1 in the southwest.
In the southeast alfalfa yielded 2.46 tonnes, greenfeed, 3.21, and tame hay, 1.02 . Yields were lower in the southwest with alfalfa, 1.3 tonnes, greenfeed, 2.64, and tame hay at 1.35.
Pastures in the southwest were 52 per cent very short with 50, per cent in the southeast, compared to 40 per cent province-wide.
from those conversations, she began developing further questions that she had not considered.
For example, she never thought to inquire about the variety of dishes people make, what is considered good Ukrainian food, whether people made all 12 traditional Christmas Eve dishes, why people cook certain dishes at specifc times of the year, or how people adapt recipes by substituting different ingredients.
Furthermore, a recurring theme was that of grandparents and great-grandparents who arrived in the early 20th century, lived in isolation on farms, struggled to survive, and worked hard to make their own food.
“Every family and every person’s got their own interpretation (of a recipe). So it’s learning about how people use cookbooks and recipes and whether you use (them) as a guideline or follow it to the
book,” said DeCoste.
“All of it’s very interesting. There’s so much … that it’s hard to sum up.”
DeCoste — who has no Ukrainian heritage — became fascinated by food and cookbooks after taking several courses in university that focused on these topics throughout the centuries. Furthermore, food has always been important in her family, even though they rarely ate any culturally related cuisines.
Her interest in Ukrainian foods also arose after speaking with wedding photographers, who pointed out that many couples have some related dish — perogies are popular — for supper.
DeCoste is interested in speaking with more people and learning about their Ukrainian heritage through cultural food dishes. She can be reached at 306-2097774 — text or leave a message — or mrdecost@ualberta.ca.
MOOSE JAW NORTH
CHEANTELLE FISHER
MOOSE JAW WAKAMOW
MELISSA PATTERSON
Moose Jaw Sask NDP Candidates
Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express
Cabbage rolls are a traditional Ukrainian dish full of favour and
U. S. election — promise of hope or turning back time
The outcome of the United States presidential election in November affects the entire planet.
The U.S. is one of the most infuential powers on global policy with the largest economy, technological advances and a role as global policeman.
That infuence could shift suddenly depending on who is elected president.
Former Republican president Donald Trump wants to withdraw military support for the free world, based on the U.S. paying too many of the bills.
Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris would be expected to retain that current role but expect calls for more support from other nations.
The outcome of that election will have crucial impacts on the rest of the world in trade as well.
After President Joe Biden’s awkward debate performance, Trump appeared a shoo-in to return as president. Biden’s withdrawal and the emergence of Vice-president Kamala Harris was an election changing shift in the race.
No longer will the race be between two old men.
Meet Charles, the lovable and resilient three-year-old rescue cat who has captured the hearts of everyone at SCRAPS (Stray Cat Rescue and Protection Society) Moose Jaw. His journey from being rescued to the hope of fnding his forever home is a testament to the power of second chances and speaks to the need for additional foster families.
“He’s just a lovely guy and (an) orange boy,” explained Anne Marciszyn, chair of the board for SCRAPS Moose Jaw. “They (orange cats) always have a reputation of being really lovable cats and he fts the description.”
Charles’ story began with a distressing situation last fall that SCRAPS Moose Jaw was called to investigate.
“He was rescued from a colony in a small community outside of Moose Jaw along with 20 other cats,” Marciszyn said. “He was quite ill; he had some upper respiratory issues and had trouble breathing, and we later discovered that he had a problem with his leg.”
Although successfully treated for his other conditions, the issue with Charles’ leg persisted. Marciszyn
Harris injected a relatively younger candidate, age 60, to age 78 for Trump with a fresh face for voters.
Seventy per cent of American voters didn’t care for Biden or Trump as presidential material, largely due to their age.
Voters now have a choice to make on age.
Harris has obstacles to overcome. She spent the frst two years of her vice-presidential term in Washington where she presided over tie votes and did not become as well known as most vice-presidents.
Two weeks after she joined the race, Harris had polled fve per cent better than Biden and held a narrow lead over Trump.
It seems the election is hers to lose, especially if Trump continues racist taunts.
The Republican vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance started the campaign with a plan of holding large corporations and their power to account. That policy should click with the voters.
Then he side-tracked his efforts with the cat lady comments about childless women, outraging voters and
dominating the headlines.
By Ron Walter For Moose Jaw Express
The Harris campaign offers a relatively new face and different vision of the future, somewhat like the 1960 campaign J.F. Kennedy won for the Democrats.
The Trump campaign urges Americans to step back in time to be what America once was, labelling the nation today as one with doom and gloom, similar to Richard Nixon’s campaign.
What will Americans choose?
Stay tuned for the next three months.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
for
said this was either due to arthritis or was the result of a previous injury. Either way, the problem kept getting worse.
“(The issue with his leg) just progressed and we ended up having to make the hard decision to amputate his leg,” she said. The cost for an amputation is around $1,000, and cases such as this add to the cost burden faced by the local non-proft.
“Once we (amputated), it gave him a new lease on life. He’s actually moving around really well, he is happy, and he purrs (again).”
Charles’ story ended with a happy outcome, but this isn’t always the case and organizations like SCRAPS Moose Jaw and the Moose Jaw Humane Society don’t have the resources needed to help every cat in similar situations.
“We… highly encourage people to please spay and neuter your pets,” Marciszyn said. This simple act is
something that all pet owners can do to help prevent situations such as the one Charles experienced earlier in life.
“I know the cost (to spay or neuter) can be diffcult…, but in that case, we encourage people to adopt from rescue,” she said. “For the cost of an adoption, they have an animal that’s fully vaccinated, microchipped, spayed or neutered, and basically healthy…”
SCRAPS cannot give every cat — Charles included — the individual love and long-term attention they deserve, and with around 160 cats in its care, the situation can get overwhelming. To help, Marciszyn is requesting the help of fosters.
There’s no cost to foster a cat and the temporary process helps them socialize before they get adopted. To qualify, a simple vetting process is required which involves references and typically a visit to the cat’s temporary new home.
Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the team at SCRAPS, Charles’ story ended on a positive note and now he has one fnal request — to fnd a loving human companion.
“He’s nicely healed and he’s ready for a home with somebody that loves lovable cats,” Marciszyn said. “(He wants) somebody that will be there for him no matter what. He’ll be right there as your buddy.”
SCRAPS Moose Jaw is a local non-proft run entirely by volunteers with the goal of monitoring and limiting the feral cat population in the city.
For more information about fostering or adopting a cat or kitten — especially at this overwhelming time of the year — call 306-684-9048.
You can also stop by the 9 Lives Boutique run by SCRAPS at the Town ‘N’ Country Mall or visit ScrapsMooseJaw.com or follow ‘Scraps — MJ’ on Facebook.
GoFundMe page started to support farmer accused of allegedly mistreating his animals
Jason
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support a Craik-area farmer who is facing signifcant legal fees and a week-long trial after being accused of mistreating his animals.
Thomas (Tom) Miller has been a cattle producer for more than 40 years and owns over 30 cattle on a quarter-section of land, according to the GoFundMe page. He is facing a trial in Moose Jaw Provincial Court from Aug. 12 to 16.
The provincial Crown has charged the cattleman with breaching sections 4 and 23 of The Animal Protection Act and with breaching section 445(1)(a) of the Criminal Code. Section 4 prohibits people from causing animals to be in distress; section 23 accuses people of failing to comply with a protection order; and section 445(1)(a) accuses people of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan declined to comment on this story, saying the matter would soon be in court.
No contact was able to be made with Miller for com-
ments and Miller’s lawyer also declined to comment at this time.
The accusations stem from May 24, 2023, when APSS descended on Miller’s farm to seize his cattle after alleging that he was mistreating them, explained Corey Kuemper, a friend of Miller.
“My friend is a good caregiver for the animals. He loves animals. Him and his … girlfriend, they go out and quite often buy bananas when they’re overripe because they’re cheap and the cows love them,” he said. “So they hand-feed these cows (the bananas).”
Miller’s legal fees are expected to be $63,000, which, combined with the other fnancial bills, means this situation has cost the man $98,000, says Kuemper. This, he says, prompted the producer’s girlfriend to start the GoFundMe page “Fight an unjust seizure of cattle” and Kuemper to start the Facebook page “Cattleman fghting injustice.”
Kuemper added that cattle farmers should monitor this court case closely, as it is important for the industry on the Prairies.
After a long and arduous journey, Charles is looking
his forever home. Photo by: SCRAPS Moose Jaw
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Meet some of the Lego creators who attended BRICKSPO ’24 in Moose Jaw
BRICKSPO, the annual mini-building-block extravaganza of all things Lego, returned to the Western Development Museum in Moose Jaw from July 27 to 28 to showcase some creative minds from across western Canada.
During BRICKSPO, the Moose Jaw Express spoke with a few of the creators to learn more about the inspiration behind their builds.
Christina Wilkinson
Christina Wilkinson lives in Medicine Hat, Alta., and was the creator of “Spider Lady,” a roughly fve-foot tall Lego fgure as well as a few smaller creations, “Red and Black Flowers” and a mosaic made entirely out of Lego spiders.
Her inspiration to create Spider Lady came from an interest in Lego minifgures, of which Spider Lady was her favourite. With the idea in mind, Wilkinson set out to create something she’s never tackled before for BRICKSPO ’24.
“I wanted to have something that you could take your photo in front of, so that’s why I wanted to do a giant mosaic,” she explained.
The project took two weeks to complete and involved as much of her spare time as she had available.
“The frst week I did it on baseplates and I made the pattern,” she said. “Then I decided I wanted her standing alone, so I had to make the bottom part and then transfer the pattern onto the base.”
Wilkinson, who uses the handle “Spooky Brick Lady” in Lego communities, is looking to return for her seventh year in 2025.
Shawn and Matthew Cooley
Sean and Matthew Cooley are brothers who aren’t new to BRICKSPO. After being featured in a collectable Star Wars book for their eight- by 18-foot “Battle of Scariff” a couple years back, they’ve set out to impress with their latest creation, “Star Wars Battlefront — Sullust: Walker Assault” for Sean’s fourth and Matt’s third
Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
BRICKSPO event.
Made from between 100,000 and 150,000 individual Lego bricks, “Sullust: Walker Assault” took around seven months from start to fnish.
“I’m going to be moving soon from Winnipeg to Calgary,” Sean said. “And then my brother, he works two weeks on and two weeks off at a time, (so)… we’re not always around to build.”
Their inspiration came from Sean’s favourite map in the game “Star Wars: Battlefront.”
“It was my favourite map to play in the video game,” he said. “I thought it was a really unique looking planet.”
Chris Abrams
Chris Abrams is from Morden, Man., and his Lego creation was called the “Great Ball Contraption” or, more colloquially, the “Quad Wheel.”
The moving wheels on Abrams’ contraption are powered by a 12-volt Lego train controller, and each wheel has its own XL motor and operates independently. Each wheel also contains a separate transmission to slow down the drive motor as required.
When operational, the device collects small orange Lego basketballs and lifts them one by one to the top and then drops them down a long slide to start all over again.
“The frst design (had) three wheels, and it took about nine months on and off (to complete),” he explained. “This winter I added a fourth wheel, and that added about two weeks (to the project’s total).”
Much of his time was spent making the device mobile, and the result is an ability to assemble the creation in three hours — if he doesn’t make any mistakes — and the whole thing fts nicely inside six plastic totes for transport.
Abrams’ inspiration comes from his career in trucking. “As I’ve said before, trucking is hard on the back but easy on the mind,” he said in good humour. “This gives me something mindful to do; it’s a challenge.”
The “Quad Wheel” has been to two past BRICKSPO events, six similar events in Manitoba, and two in Chica-
go. Last year, he said, it was a runner up for the show in Illinois.
“A lot of kids have trouble with math or science, and I love when they come here because I get to explain to them all the math and science that goes into this (Lego creation),” he said. “Then they’re excited; it’s a pretty cool STEM tool.”
To learn more about the Saskatchewan Lego Users Group who organizes BRICKSPO each summer, visit SaskLug.org.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice of Passing of an Interim Development Control Bylaw for the Village of Marquis Bylaw No. 1-2024
TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Village of Marquis passed an Interim Development Control (IDC) Bylaw No. 1-2024 on February 15, 2024, under the authority of Section 80 of The Planning and Development Act, 2007.
Bylaw No. 1-2024 received final approval from the Minister of Government Relations on March 7, 2024 and is to be in effect for two years from the date of approval. Any person who violates this bylaw is subject to the penalties as provided for in The Planning and Development Act, 2007.
THE PURPOSE AND EFFECT of Interim Control Bylaw No. 1-2024 is to control the use of land, buildings or structures for existing users and provide the Village with the opportunity to complete an Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw.
THE LANDS EFFECTED BY Bylaw No. 1-2024 are all those areas within the corporate boundaries of the Village of Marquis.
A copy of Bylaw No. 1-2024 is available on the Village’s website at https://www.rmofmarquis.com/bylaws-village/
For more information, please contact: Village of Marquis: Box 40, Marquis, SK, S0H 2X0 admin@rmofmarquis.com 306-788-2022
Dated this 14th day of August, 2024.
“Spider Lady” was the creation of Lego builder Christina Wilkinson (right), who many in the Lego community may know best by the handle “Spooky Brick Lady.” Photo by: Aaron Walker
“Star Wars Battlefront — Sullust: Walker Assault” was the creation of Winnipeg brothers Sean and Matthew Cooley. Photo by: Aaron Walker
Chris Abrams is the creator of the mechanized Lego creation “Quad Wheel” which was a runner up at last year’s Lego convention in Chicago, Ill. Photo by: Aaron Walker
Reflective Moments
By Joyce Walter - For Moose Jaw Express
Hammer throwing to be avoided by unskilled amateur
If I have to choose between Summer and Winter Olympics, my vote will always go in favour of the cold day sports undertaken during winter months. Thus I pick Winter Olympics.
I can sit for hours, cheering on the men’s and women’s curling teams from Canada: the Gushue, Jacobs and Martin men, the Schmirler and Homan ladies, even if necessary, the Jennifer Jones Team.
During the hockey competitions, I can be found on the edge of my seat in anticipation of Canada not being defeated by some obscure country, cheering the goals, muttering at the referee who surely needs glasses, and swelling with pride when O Canada is played.
I don’t understand that much about skiing and snowboarding and bobsledding but I trust the sports broadcasters and colour commentators to explain what’s happening and which country is favoured to win and why. Ditto for speedskating although I do know the basics because of explanations provided by the late Wally Boshuck who was the local expert in the sport.
And I know if a skater falls during fgure skating, marks are deducted, even though one of the judges might be having a bad day and messes up the scoring.
With all of that in mind, I determined I would not spend any summer hours indoors watching the Summer Olympics. Then Housemate called and said that the opening ceremonies were on and he sounded lonely so I went
Drug dealer
downstairs to watch the spectacle on the polluted Seine River. My favourites are still Vancouver and Nagano, but I applaud the French masterminds for their vision and inspirations.
Then the games began and I watched the National News every night to learn the medal counts and to fnd out that Canada’s swimmers are golden. A lurch in my heart for their efforts.
With Lorne Calvert’s holiday weekend close by (Saskatchewan Day) we decided to leave town, just to get away for a day or two. And thus, when the tourist activities were over, the gaming machines had given up a few dollars and we had eaten some calorie-heavy meals, we retreated to the motel room and the large-screen television, which was showing: The Summer Olympics.
Thus I watched more water sports than I cared to see; viewed the amazing muscle clature of men and women from around the world as they sprinted and jumped and hurled weapons that surely could be considered downright dangerous.
I was impressed by the gymnasts, especially in light of my own not-so-spectacular performance in elementary school PT (physical training). I could not do a headstand or a straight-up cartwheel, nor anything on the too-high pommel horse. I became a spotter.
While I have a ribbon or two for running broad jump, the high jump prevented my drooping body parts from
Provincial Court Report
not guilty
fully clearing the bar.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily refect the position of this publication.
One sport we did not have was the hammer throw, thus I was uncertain if participants used regular or special carpentry hammers, and once again I failed to know the rules.
After watching one woman complete her throw, I was convinced someone would be injured. How could one possibly control that ball on a rope so it landed where it was aimed and how did one judge the proper release after going round and round in circles so many times?
Kudos to the successful participants, especially the Canadian competitors who won the gold medals — without injuring themselves or any bystanders.
I am so glad that my school didn’t offer the hammer throw as a sport. I can say without doubt that I would have managed to wind that rope around my neck and thus likely knocking myself out when the ball bonked me in the head.
I am happy I chose to badly play hockey at recess, being a magnet in the net for slap happy older boys. Even being a referee without a whistle was no doubt safer than being anywhere near an athletic ball on a rope.
Good news: it is only two years until the next Winter Olympics in Italy.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
of attempted murder on fellow dealer, judge says
With drugs and $17,000 worth of cash in hand, drug dealer Mahamed Bashir Farah visited an apartment suite where two other dealers waited, wanting to combine their operations with his.
While Farah was friends with one man, he did not want to join forces with them since he did not like the third dealer. After learning about Farah’s hesitation, the third man attacked him, took his keys and left to steal any drugs or cash from his apartment, leaving the second man to guard Farah with a gun.
Eventually, the Somali-born Canadian wrestled the gun away from his friend, shot him, and fed.
Police arrived at the apartment building on the 200 block of High Street East on July 5, 2022, around midnight and arrested Farah, charging him with attempted murder, tampering with the serial number on the gun, possession of a prohibited or restricted frearm with ammunition, unauthorized possession of a frearm, possession of a weapon for dangerous purposes and breach of probation.
So, is what Farah, 36, did an act of attempted murder or one of self-defence?
That’s the question that Justice Catherine Dawson answered in Court of King’s Bench on Aug. 6. She spent 90 minutes reading out her 60-page decision, which was based on testimony and arguments she heard during a trial held months ago.
Case facts
“Mr. Farah admits that … he shot (the victim), once in the abdomen and once in the face with a frearm, specifcally, a loaded 9-millimetre Sig Sauer semi-automatic pistol,” Justice Dawson said, noting Farah “spontaneous-
SUICIDE HELP
Wigmore Hospital Mental Health & Addiction Services
Mon-Fri, 8-5 (except stat holidays): 306-691-6464
MJ Police and Crisis Team (PACT): 306-694-7603 or 911
Canada Suicide Prevention Service: 1-833-456-4566
Text: 45645 or Chat: crisisservicescanada.ca
Regina Crisis Line: 1-306-757-0127
Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868
Text: CONNECT at 686868
First Nations & Inuit Helpline: 1-855-242-3310
OUTSaskatoon Helpline: 1-800-358-1833
Trans LifeLine: 877-330-6366
The 2SLGBTQ community faces higher rates of suicide caused by discrimination and isolation. But you are not alone. Help is a phone call away.
Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com
ly” told police without being asked.
While one offcer arrested him, another went to the sixth-foor suite and found the victim sitting on the toilet covered in blood, while there were puddles of blood covering the apartment foors. The man was also holding a “wad of cash” in one hand and had another between his legs — which he was using to hide a bag of drugs.
The man had two gunshot wounds: one bullet entered his face, exited his neck, and fractured his jaw, while a second bullet entered his abdomen and caused “superfcial” damage.
EMS took the man to the hospital in Moose Jaw with “non-life-threatening” injuries before transporting him to Regina. Meanwhile, he refused to tell offcers what happened, but they could see drug-trade paraphernalia everywhere in the suite.
During a trial, a jury heard that after the third dealer took Farah’s money, drugs and keys, the friend stayed to guard him. Farah pleaded to be released — he knew he would be tortured if the third dealer returned — but was refused.
They later struggled for the gun before Farah gained control and shot the man, and during the trial, he testifed that he only intended to shoot the man in the thigh and then fee, while he only remembered one gunshot, Justice Dawson said.
Guilty or not guilty?
Justice Dawson said that after assessing the evidence, she considered Farah to be “credible and reliable,” noting he remembered the evening with clarity and gave “inherently plausible” testimony that matched what police found at the scene.
To convict Farah of attempted murder, the Crown had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he fred the gun at his friend and that he meant to kill the man, the judge continued.
While she was fully satisfed with the frst element, she thought the Crown had failed to prove that Farah intended to kill his fellow drug dealer. Therefore, the accused was not guilty of attempted murder.
Meanwhile, Justice Dawson looked at whether the Crown had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Farah did not act in self-defence. She noted that three elements contribute to the self-defence claim: the force used, the act’s motive and the response’s reasonableness.
Farah had “reasonable grounds” to believe that the two drug dealers would use force — violence — against him, she said. Secondly, his motive for using the gun was to defend himself and escape. Therefore, the Crown failed to prove both conditions beyond a reasonable doubt.
With Farah’s overall response, Justice Dawson looked at several variables that the Supreme Court had considered in similar self-defence situations. While she had concerns about Farah shooting the second man, she also had to consider how any other “reasonable person” would respond to unlawful confnement.
“Based on … the totality of the evidence, I am left in doubt that self-defence does not apply. In that respect, the Crown has failed to demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Farah’s conduct was unreasonable in the circumstances,” the judge said.
Therefore, Farah was not guilty of attempted murder, aggravated assault and assault with a weapon, she added. She then ordered his release, which occurred on Aug. 7.
gun to intimidate group of people
By Moose Jaw Express staf
The Moose Jaw Police Service has charged an 18-yearold male with several weapon-related offences following an incident on Aug. 2.
Police responded to a weapons call after learning that an individual was pointing a frearm at a group of people near Langdon Crescent.
The man had been concealing the gun — later identifed as a pellet gun — in a bag before taking it out and intimidating the group.
Police eventually arrested the male without incident. They also learned that the accused and the group knew each
other, and the incident was not random.
There were no injuries because of the incident.
Police charged the 18-year-old male with assault with a weapon, carrying a weapon for a purpose dangerous to public peace, pointing a frearm, and carrying a concealed weapon.
The male will appear in Moose Jaw Provincial Court at a later date.
Anyone with further information should contact CRIME STOPPERS at 1-800-222-8477 or the Moose Jaw Police Service at 306-694-7600. Man arrested for using pellet
Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners Notes
MJPS has investigated 11 more sexual assaults this year than in 2023, data shows
The Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) has recorded 11 more sexual assaults this year than last year, with some of those total incidents related to offences against children.
The agency presented the July crime statistics during the Board of Police Commissioners’ Aug. 7 meeting, with the data showing that there were 44 sexual assaults between Jan. 1 and July 31 of this year compared to 33 incidents during the same period last year.
Meanwhile, all other assaults — common, with a weapon, aggravated and against police — have together declined 12.7 per cent year-over-year, with 213 incidents recorded year-to-date compared to 244 during the same time last year.
The year-over-year increase in sexual assaults concerns the police service, which is why it works with the Victim Advocate Case Review Program to ensure those investigations are of a high standard, said Supt. Taylor Mickleborough. While the agency never likes to see increases in this category, it does put plenty of effort into examining these issues.
“I have looked into the numbers, and we are fortunately able to close a lot of the fles that we are investigating,” he continued. “We have a very high clearance rate either through charge or other means to close the fle and bring a level of closure to the victims.”
Besides adults, the sexual assault category also includes offences against children, although the police service has “an extremely high clearance rate” of resolving those issues, the superintendent remarked. With nine of the 44 fles, police have cleared eight and continue to investigate another.
Meanwhile, the police service encourages residents to report sexual assaults, considering research shows that “a good percentage of sexual offences” go unreported, Mickleborough continued. While those offence numbers look “alarming,” it’s still comforting knowing that people feel comfortable coming forward.
Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com
Crimes against people
The year-to-date data for crimes against people in 2024 versus 2023 show:
• Homicide: 0 / 0
• Attempted murder: 2 / 2
• Robbery: 9 / 7
• Total crimes: 331 / 342; a decline of 3.2 per cent
Crimes against property
The year-to-date data for crimes against property in 2024 versus 2023 show:
• Total crimes: 996 / 1,383; a decline of 28 per cent
Other violations
The year-to-date data for other violations in 2024 versus 2023 show:
• Impaired driving: 54 / 63
• Failing to comply with court orders: 518 / 214; an increase of 142.1 per cent
• Threats: 9 / 33
• Domestic dispute: 35 / 37
• Provincial liquor infractions: 83 / 87
• Vehicle collisions over $1,000: 162 / 117; an increase of 38.5 per cent
• Drugs (cocaine, marijuana, meth, other): 6 / 4
Also, year-to-date, police have received 11,913 calls for service compared to 11,464 during the same period last year, an increase of 3.9 per cent.
“It’s encouraging to see a decline in any crime statistics … . It means that we’re out in the community and we’re visible and we’re doing our job, and that the people who would potentially commit those crimes are aware they’re going to be held accountable,” said Mickleborough.
Ofcers have recovered 16 shopping carts since launching anti-theft initiative
Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com
Moose Jaw police launched a new initiative in July to address the theft of shopping carts from certain businesses, and since then, offcers have recovered nearly two dozen push-trolleys.
Police Supt. Taylor Mickleborough told the board of police commissioners during its Aug. 6 meeting that the shopping cart project has produced “some success” since beginning a month ago.
Offcers have seized 16 carts, which sounds minor but is impressive since each unit costs $300 and totals $4,800, he continued. Moreover, the agency has returned those four-wheelers to the respective businesses and saved them money.
“So, it’s good to see some early success there,” Mickleborough added.
The police service superintendent credited the agency’s offcers for doing a good job of informing certain businesses about the shopping cart project and how they can participate, while he also commended those businesses for agreeing to engage.
“The program is just getting started … so we’re encouraged by the results so far,” Mickleborough said. “And hopefully, we can continue to see an increase in the number of shopping carts that we can get back to the rightful owners and hopefully we see a decrease in the number of shopping carts going missing.”
The superintendent acknowledged that some low-income or homeless residents use the push-trolleys to trans-
port all their goods throughout the city. He noted that taking the carts from those people presents a problem for them, but it’s important to remember that those units belong to a business.
“I’m hoping that there are other means that the folks can obtain to transport their items, but we can’t offoad those costs onto local businesses,” he said, adding the Moose Jaw Police Service works with other social agencies and organizations in the community to address the needs of low-income residents.
Police leadership told the police board during the July meeting that the organization had noticed an uptick in abandoned shopping carts throughout the community, whether on streets, in parks, the river or in alleys. After recovering these push-trolleys, offcers have found stolen property like copper wire, alcohol, bike parts, bottles, knives, weapons and even garbage.
So, the strategic services unit created a new initiative to deter people from taking the merchandise carriers, with offcers speaking with businesses that use shopping carts about the initiative and convincing them to sign a document saying they do not lend or give out their carts for purposes other than shopping.
This eliminates any excuses people may have about why they possess a cart away from the store.
Besides recovering and returning this property to businesses, police can also prevent people from using the devices to transport stolen goods acquired through petty thefts.
The MJPS will continue holding its foot patrols and encouraging residents to report crimes while it will work to hold criminals accountable and either deter their actions or take them off the streets, which should lead to a decrease in numbers, he continued.
As for an increase in non-compliance with court orders, the superintendent added that those numbers refect proactive police enforcement in keeping people accountable.
Notice is hereby given by the Rural Municipality (R.M.) of Moose Jaw No. 161, pursuant to The Planning and Development Act, 2007, that Council intends to adopt a bylaw to amend Bylaw No. 6-2011, the Zoning Bylaw.
INTENT
The proposed bylaw would amend the following: Section 2, De nitions, by adding de nitions related to solar use; Section 4 of the General Regulations by permitting Solar Energy Systems structures at or below 100 KW; Section 5 of the Discretionary Use standards by adding Solar Farms which includes the standards for development; Sections 7 thru 16 inclusive by adding solar energy systems as permitted or discretionary use in the various zoning districts.
AFFECTED LAND
The proposed bylaw impacts all Zoning Districts in the Municipality.
REASON
The existing Bylaw does not have anything speci c to “solar” use including solar farms. In light of the increased demand for solar power in the province and the potential impact it could have in the municipality, Council wants to have the controls in place to e ectively deal with the installation, operation and decommissioning of solar farms while also recognizing the use of small-scale operations for residential and commercial use.
INSPECTION
The proposed Bylaw Amendment may be inspected at the R.M. o ce between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Monday through Friday, except holidays.
PUBLIC HEARING
Council will hold a public hearing to receive submissions on the proposed bylaw at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, in the Council Chambers of the o ce of the R.M. of Moose Jaw No. 161, 1410 Caribou St. W., Moose Jaw, SK S6H 7S9 to hear any person or group that wants to comment on the proposed bylaw. Council will also consider written comments received at the hearing (or delivered to the undersigned at the municpal o ce before the hearing). For further information, please call the Administration O ce at (306) 692-3446.
Dated at the City of Moose Jaw, in the Province of Saskatchewan, this 11th day of July 2024.
Mike Wirges Administrator
Riverside Mission temporarily closes so it can eliminate cockroach infestation
Residents who use Riverside Mission’s food and shelter services will have to look elsewhere for the next two weeks as the venue has temporarily shuttered to battle a bug infestation.
Souls Harbour Rescue Mission (SHRM), which oversees the Moose Jawbased charity, closed the building on Aug. 7 so it could professionally fumigate it and eliminate an outbreak of cockroaches. The organization expects to reopen the kitchen, dining room, and shelter on Tuesday, Aug. 20.
September 2022 was the last time SHRM closed the venue to fumigate.
No staff will be laid off during this two-week break.
Joe Miller, executive director of SHRM, explained that Riverside Mission’s building is more than 100 years old and has holes and cracks where bugs can enter. Furthermore, the charity has had challenges passing fre and health inspections because of the building’s state.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority recently told SHRM that it must treat the venue professionally to eliminate the cockroaches. Therefore, Riverside
Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com
Mission must suspend services so cleaners can fumigate twice to kill everything.
“We are closed for health reasons,” Miller said. “It’s bad because (bugs and cockroaches) can hide everywhere.”
Riverside Mission will have to restock its shelves because staff threw out all open bags of dry food — such as four and sugar — to ensure the cleaning was thorough. They also threw out old furniture where bugs could conceivably hide.
It’s unfortunate that Riverside Mission cannot provide food and shelter during the next two weeks — it offers 100 meals daily — but Square One Community Inc. has said it could help, said Miller. SHRM will determine how it can support Square One’s efforts.
The executive director pointed out that this situation shows how much Riverside Mission needs a new building
and that construction must begin soon. Moreover, it shows that the non-proft plays a vital role in Moose Jaw. However, there are some obstacles to that project.
“What (this) really (shows) is that certain members of the community don’t see the value of this (proposed) new facility and trying to serve these people,” he added. “Maybe, unfortunately, this is a bit of a taste of what it would look like if we weren’t there to do the services.”
Building permit issues
Miller wants the project to proceed but is experiencing delays in acquiring a building permit from city hall’s planning and development department.
He met with department staff about a month ago to discuss the application and was told this project was the only major commercial development in the queue, and SHRM should have the permit in three
weeks.
However, when his general contractor contacted the department recently, the tradesman was told engineering services was reviewing the permit for possible drainage issues. Making matters worse was there was no one from engineering to speak about the delays since staff was on vacation.
“It’s hard not to think you’re being stalled, but I have nothing defnitive to suggest that,” Miller said. “… you can’t help but wonder what’s going on behind the scenes.”
In an email to the Express, a city spokeswoman said the planning department is still reviewing the building permit for 212 and 218 River Street West. This process requires the city to engage with several of its departments and consult with external agencies.
This process typically takes three to four weeks for residential permits and up to six to eight weeks for commercial/larger applications, the email added. Summer vacation can also affect this timeline.
Several major businesses and organizations have allegedly asked Miller to move the proposed shelter to a different location, such as the former Boston Pizza location on Manitoba Street East. Moreover, others have taken a “back door approach” and contacted the general contractor to fnd a different location.
“We just need to get our building in the ground … . It’s got to get going. We can look at wraparound services after that,” Miller said.
The executive director added that while the delays are frustrating, he has received “a lot” of positive support — donations, emails and phone calls — from the community since his presentation to city council on July 8.
A dumpster behind Riverside Mission waits to be flled with garbage as part of the fumigation project. Photo by Jason G. Antonio
A sign on the front window of Riverside Mission explains that the venue will be closed for two weeks. Photo by Jason G. Antonio
RE: IN SUPPORT OF THE NEW BUILD/NEW MISSION ON RIVER ST – SOULS HARBOUR RIVERSIDE MISSION
We’ve been pleased to call MJ home for more than 30 years. This is a wonderful, caring place to call HOME.
There are many wonderful organizations which help vulnerable people in Moose Jaw. Special mention to 16 years(so far) of serving our community in outstanding ways: Riverside Mission ( on Manitoba St) next to Park Hotel. Since 2019, Souls Harbour(Regina) and Riverside Mission ( Moose Jaw) have joined forces to do humanitar-
RE: DEALING WITH POVERTY IN MOOSE JAW
Fred McMahon, then the Director of the Centre for Trade and Globalization Studies at The Fraser Institute, a right wing think tank, wrote an op-ed piece in the Vancouver Sun in August 2001 where he claimed “given all the opportunities each of us faces, poverty is now largely a voluntary choice.” He added, “Poverty in Canada could be virtually eliminated in a generation. The policy prescription is easy. End welfare. Reinstitute poorhouses and homes for unwed mothers.”
This is right out of Dickens and highlights a troubling aspect on the war on poverty which in practice is really just a war on the poor and this is what we need to avoid here.
And don’t look to the province for help. They are not coming. Moose Jaw North MLA Tim McLeod (was said to have) admitted to as much at a public meeting at the Event Centre (July 29) (from
RE
CITY TOWN HALL MEETING OF JULY
29, 2024
I am the same Vivian who a few weeks ago wrote the letter of concern when the location of Souls Harbour was put in jeopardy by a proposed petition from the Good Neighbours Group.
Just a few days ago, I attended the Council Meeting Town Hall on this issue. I was impressed with the number of citizens who attended and all who spoke voiced their opinions honestly. Unfortunately, citizens immediately involved – those that are unhoused or who may in the future use a shelter, could not register to speak because they had no fxed addresses. In other words, they do not have homes. So it was the privileged who spoke at this meeting.
Very soon, the absolute polarization of viewpoints among citizens who attended became very clear. I was thankful that many speakers pointed to
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ian work in our lovely city. Over 100 people are the average amount daily who have been going to Riverside Mission for free lunches and free suppers Monday to Friday. Contrary to some misinformation out there, they are guests who are able to sit down in community and enjoy hot and nutritious supper meals without judgement.
Plus 10 emergency shelter beds for men and all of these services are free, thanks to generous donations of many organizations and people of this city we love, Moose Jaw.
Since 2020, Souls Harbour Riverside Mission have purchased two lots on River St.
(They have) removed old run down buildings
what I heard). I wished I could have participated in that meeting, but circumstances led to my absence.
I recently read an article in the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix where it was suggested that without provincial help, which is not coming, that city’s choices to deal with their similar issues discussed in Moose Jaw’s public meeting, are raising taxes or starting a social services division at great cost, to cover the responsibilities the current provincial government has abdicated.
Ask the Moose Jaw Police Service about downloaded unsupported services including guarding prisoners at court, prosecuting provincial offences and funding the provincial 911 system, costing our police service hundreds of thousands of dollars annually when all the while the province can spend millions on a redundant provincial marshals service.
But here is where we are at. Help is not com-
ed and cared for no matter who they are or what their histories have been. Both sides must come together around this theme of Moose Jaw being our home, which was fnely articulated by some. It will be easier for one side of the polarized viewpoints to come together than the other, I suspect. For example, more than once, particular speakers mentioned that ‘a sandwich and a bed’ is not a solution to the problem Moose Jaw faces. However, a sandwich is not just a sandwich; nor is a bed just a bed. It is offered with respect and kindness to those who are hungry and for those who may have nowhere to sleep and, more signifcantly, to those who may need the dignity of acknowledgement and relationship in that moment with someone who is not prejudiced against them.
A number of persons from one side of this polarized issue spoke of being uncomfortable and full of fear around those on the street and said many they knew are afraid to venture downtown. To me, this showed a lack of sensitivity to what may be under the surface appearance of anyone ––priv-
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on those lots, cut down high weeds, had environmental studies done; also went thru approval of Moose Jaw city council to build a new mission on River St. Staff and volunteers deserve much credit and all those folks who donated money to this much-needed cause in our city.
To those opposed: This mission will get built on River St.
God’s work will continue in MJ through Souls Harbour Riverside Mission on River Street
Gail Donald
ing. It will take a made in Moose Jaw solution. Look at it like your couch is on fre. You can wait for fre fghters to arrive while you watch the fre spread, or you can be proactive, get a pot of water and limit the loss. Let’s be proactive.
I suggest forming a Social Action Committee of Council. Membership could be equally composed of members of the downtown business community, those who deliver social services and city staff. A dollar a year committee whose goal is more action than acrimony.
Hopefully, that new committee will formulate a plan incorporating fairness for all sides because we have to decide whether we are all in this together or if we embrace the Orwellian ideal that all are equal, but some are more equal than others.
Don MacNeil
ileged or not––whom we may encounter. Police Chief Bourassa presented data to show our city is doing very well compared with other cities on the crime index. I am sorry there is such fear from one group of citizens toward another group of citizens. Yes, we can move the unwell and unhoused away as is wanted by some. However, there always will be more unwell and unhoused. What is the source of this fear? I will not speculate.
May the needed “collaboration” that was spoken of by many be creative and useful for this complex problem and may the collaborations include those in our city who need help and who do use shelters and who have experience of being on the street. And may we remember that life takes many unexpected turns and who is not to say that any one of us in our city may not one day become unwell and unhoused.
Sincerely,
Vivian Darroch-Lozowski
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UPSET SPECIAL: MIller Express take WCBL East Divison semifnal sweep over Regina
Moose Jaw takes 4-3 and 7-6 wins over Red Sox to advance to East fnal against Saskatoon Randy Palmer - MooseJawToday.com
Whenever the Moose Jaw Miller Express were going through their struggles this season -- be it at the plate or on the mound -- there was always a sense that if they could just fnd a way to get both aspects of their game going at the same time, something very interesting could happen.
And wouldn’t you know it, two games into the Western Canadian Baseball League playoffs, something very interesting happened.
The Miller Express stunned the East Division regular season champion Regina Red Sox with a 7-6 victory at Ross Wells Park on Thursday night after winning 4-3 in Regina the previous game, taking a two-games-to-none sweep in their bestof-three semifnal series.
As a result, the Express advanced to face Saskatoon Berries in the East Division fnal after the Berries wrapped up their series with Medicine Hat in three games.
Moose Jaw 7, Regina 6
Much like Game 1 the night earlier, the Express wasted little time getting things going, scoring a pair of runs in the frst inning.
Austin Gurney got things started with a two-out single, and one batter later, Nate Mensik launched a ball into the outfeld trees for the quick 2-0 lead.
Regina got a pair back in the third inning, but Moose Jaw was able to reply in their half when Gurney knocked home Thomas Soto with a felder’s choice ground ball, putting the Express ahead 3-2.
The Red Sox didn’t fnish in frst place without being able to put together a quick comeback, and they did just that the next frame, putting up three runs to take
Miller
Miller Express infelder Austin Gurney -- here about to cross the plate after a home run earlier this season -- hit a grand slam in the series clincher on Thursday night.
their frst lead of the game.
Moose Jaw didn’t let it last long, and retook the lead in style the very next inning.
After Bobby Pokorney reached on an error, Thomas Soto hit a single and Robert Estrada drew a walk, Gurney cleared the bases with a grand slam home run to put Moose Jaw up 7-5, much to the delight of the 757 in attendance.
The Miller Express bullpen had their struggles with Regina’s bats during the regular season, but not on Thursday.
After Westin Walls gave his team a solid start by allowing fve runs on fve hits over fve innings, Ethan Merk took over and limited Regina to three hits before leaving after giving up a walk in the
Express have no
eighth. Drew Sorrentino was unable to prevent that baserunner from scoring, but got the job done in the ninth, picking up the save and touching off a raucous celebration on the feld.
Daniel Crabtree started for Regina and allowed seven runs, fve earned, on fve hits to go along with two walks and fve strikeouts. Ty Fortin fnished things off, giving up three hits over the fnal three innings.
Glenn Noronha had three of Regina’s nine hits on the night, crossing the plate twice and also knocking in a run.
Moose Jaw 4, Regina 3
Moose Jaw starter Adam Christopher looked sharp from the get-go in Game 1 and was able to hold the Red Sox scoreless
through the frst four innings, by which time he’d been staked to a 3-0 lead.
Christopher -- who had joined the Express in early July after his junior season at Reinhardt University in Georgia -- ended up with a quality start, going 6 ⅔ innings and allowing three runs on eight hits and striking out fve.
Moose Jaw wasted little time getting things going at the plate, scoring a pair of runs in the frst inning. Gurney got things started when he doubled home Soto three batters into the game, and Gurney would come around to score two batters later when Nathan Houston hit his frst of three singles on the night.
The Express then made it a threerun game with one swing of the bat in the third, and it was pretty much who you’d expect. Nate Mensik hit his frst home run of the playoffs with two outs in the inning, taking the fourth pitch he saw from Regina starter Colton Anderson over the fence.
Regina got one back in ffth when Matthew Fox hit a lead off single, stole second and third and scored on a Danny Gonzalez ground out, but Gurney made it 4-1 in the seventh when he scored on a bases-loaded balk.
Things got interesting when Jackson Syring and Justin Carinci came around to score in the bottom of the seventh, leading to Christopher leaving the game with two outs. Takeo Cookson took over from there and was lights out, shutting down the Red Sox over the fnal 2 ⅓ and striking out three along the way to earn the save. Anderson ended up going seven innings and allowing four runs on 10 hits, striking out 10. Kade Douglas fnished things off, allowing a hit over the fnal two innings.
answer for Berries in lopsided loss to open WCBL East Final
Saskatoon rolls out to 10-0 lead through six innings, go on to 14-1victory; Game 2 of best-of-three series Monday at Ross Wells Park Randy Palmer - MooseJawToday.com
It was another one of those games for the Moose Jaw Miller Express in the opening contest of the Western Canadian Baseball League East Division Final on Sunday afternoon.
The Express gave up 10 runs over the frst six innings and only once were able to hold the Berries scoreless in an inning in that span, eventually going on to drop a 14-1 decision at Cairns Field in Saskatoon.
As a result, Moose Jaw will need a win at Ross Wells Park on Monday night to keep their season alive, as the Berries can wrap up the best-of-three series and advance to the WCBL Final with a win. Nothing went right for Moose Jaw from frst inning on, and Saskatoon’s steady offensive production saw to it things were well in hand long before the seventh-inning stretch.
Matt Vasquez got the start for the Express and allowed three runs on fve hits
over the frst two innings before giving way to Jacob Quiles, who was unable to get an out while giving up three runs in the third.
Julian Gonzalez took over on the mound and was able to stop the bleeding, but gave up two runs on two hits over two innings. Cameron Dunn pitched 2 1/3 and allowed fve runs, four earned, on seven hits before Ty Thomson fnished off the seventh, giving up another run on two hits.
Moose Jaw Minor Baseball product
Nathan Pisio made his second appearance of the season on the mound in the ninth and was the only Express pitcher to re-
tire the side in order, getting through the eighth unscathed.
As one might expect, all that offence led to some gaudy numbers for Saskatoon hitters, led by outfelder Carter Beck. The Carnduff product -- who came into the game hitting over .600 through the frst round of the playoffs -- played a major role in the Berries’ start and would end up hitting for the cycle.
Beck’s impressive outing began with a lead-off double in the frst inning and continued with a two-run home run in the fourth, single in the ffth and triple in the seventh.
All told, Beck would go 4-for-5 with four runs scored and three runs batted in.
Grant Sommers also had a decent game at the plate with a 3-for-4 showing that included two runs scored and three runs batted in, while Jaden Lamothe was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and a pair of RBI.
The Berries racked up seven doubles on the afternoon and fnished with 19 hits.
Moose Jaw scored their one run in the eighth when Nathan Houston took a leadoff walk and eventually scored on a Nate Mensik sacrifce fy.
The Express had only six hits total, with no batter getting more than one.
The two will be back in action for Game 2 on Wednesday night, with frst pitch at 7:05 p.m. at Ross Wells Park.
Women Fore Women golf tournament raises close to $20k for scholarship program
Annual event draws 100 golfers to Hillcrest in support of scholarships for young female athletes of to post-secondary institutions
Another year, another wild success, and another round of thousands of dollars raised for their women’s scholarship charity.
A full feld of 100 golfers took to the Hillcrest Golf Course on Saturday, once again offering their support to the Women Fore Women Golf Tournament and the scholarship program for female athletes heading off to post-secondary institutions. And to say the event has grown into something special would be an understatement.
Earlier this summer, members of the Hillcrest Ladies League presented no less than six $3,000 scholarships to athletes, offering the latest example of the rapid growth and support the event has seen since their frst presentations in 2020.
“We have had an amazing event today, and I can’t say enough about our sponsors,” said event organizer Deb Negraiff, who by rough estimate expected $18,000 to $20,000 to be raised when all is said and done.
“If we don’t have that support, we don’t have a scholarship. And we have no diffculty in fnding sponsors, I show up someplace and it’s ’I’m back’ and they say ‘absolutely, because we believe in you’. A lot of business owners have daughters and they get that the girls deserve this support.”
It certainly doesn’t hurt that the tournament itself is a tremendous amount of fun, as by design. The event doesn’t take itself too seriously on the course, with
Randy Palmer - MooseJawToday.com
players this year gifted a ‘rescue bag’ that had a variety of implements to get themselves out of trouble on the course -- with an example being a rubber chicken that players could stretch and shoot off their thumb and play their ball from where it fell.
That, combined with the massive prize haul from their sponsors and a day flled with camaraderie, help make the Women Fore Women what it is.
But in the end, it’s all about fundraising. Before the event even started they had received a major donation, with the Moose
Jaw Kinsmen promising $3,000 a year for the next three years, basically adding another scholarship to the mix.
“The women in the league are stepping up and doing this, but the community is incredible,” Negraiff said. “The Kinsmen helping out really means a lot and we can’t say enough about their support.”
The tournament itself frst took place in 2019, with the goal of helping fll in the gap in scholarship opportunities for female athletes. Organizers back then pointed to the overall difference in scholarships for male and female athletes, with the lat-
ter often underrepresented in that regard. That sentiment holds true today, even as the gap has closed slightly in recent years.
“Women are always having to prove themselves,” Negraiff said, pointing to the ongoing Summer Olympics in Paris as an example of what female athletes are capable of. “They’re always behind the eight ball when it comes scholarships and whether women can do this and that. But women can do it and do a really good job, and these young ladies deserve our support.”
As for the competitive side of the event, the team of Regina’s Brenda Heibein and Lloydminster’s Eileen Chabot took frst place in the championship fight.
The next step for Women Fore Women will come early in 2025 when the call for applications goes out to local athletes. Once those are in, a committee will select the winners, which will be announced in the spring.
Athletes have put the award to good use, too, with winners having taken the feld, court and ice in a wide range of sports at universities and colleges across North America.
“Were spread all across Canada and now down into the U.S., it’s incredible to see and we’re so happy to be able to help give these athletes the opportunity.”
Be sure to keep an eye on www.hillcrestgolf.ca for updates on the 2025 Women Fore Women Golf Tournament in the coming months.
The team of Brenda Heibein and Eileen Chabot took frst place in the 2024 edition of the Women Fore Women Golf Tournament on Saturday at the Hillcrest Golf Club. Pictured are tournament organizer Deb Negraiff, Chabot, Heibein and tournament organizer Cheryl Templeton.
CHAMPIONS: Moose Jaw Ice win Western Canadian U13 Softball Championship
Ice slip into playofs after tiebreaker before winning three straight playof games and claiming Western title Randy Palmer - MooseJawToday.com
It took winning a handful of games with their backs against the wall and their most impressive win streak of the season, but the Moose Jaw Ice got the job done at the Western Canadian U13 Softball Championship.
After winning their fnal round-robin game to force a tiebreaker, the Ice would claim victory in three straight playoff games on a rain-delayed Sunday -- including an 8-2 win over the Eastman Magic in the championship fnal -- to claim the title out of the eight-team tournament in Brandon.
The victory makes the Ice the frst-ever Western Canadian U13 champions as well, as the 2024 tournament was the frst of its kind.
It wasn’t the best of starts for Moose Jaw, as they sat a 2-3 heading into their fnal preliminary round game thanks to a 10-0 win over the Tri-City Titans, 8-1 loss the B.C.’s Ridge Meadows Pride, 12-9 win over B.C.’s Langley XTreme, 9-6 loss to Manitoba’s Interlake Phillies and 14-5 defeat at the hands of the Eastman Wildcats.
That made their fnal round-robin game against the host Westman Magic a must-win, and they’d get the job done with a barnburner 21-14 victory.
With both the Ice and Westman fnishing tied at 3-3 for the fnal playoff spot, the two teams were right back on the feld for a tiebreaker Saturday night, with Moose Jaw taking a 15-8 win and advancing to the medal round.
There, the Ice started the Page Playoff with a 14-10 win over a familiar opponent in the Saskatoon Hustlers and then rallied for a come-from-behind 16-13win over Interlake to book their spot in the championship fnal against the unbeaten Eastman Wildcats.
That contest was as close as could be until the Ice put up fve runs in the sixth inning, setting the stage for an 8-2 win and the Western Canadian title
Here’s a look at how things came about during their playoff run.
Moose Jaw 14, Hustlers 10
The last time the Ice had faced their Saskatoon rivals, they took a 12-8 win in the provincial championship fnal. This time, there were a few more runs on the board, but the result was the same.
That’s not to say things weren’t close, though, as the game was tied 8-8 through fve innings. Moose Jaw put up three runs in the sixth to take an 11-10 lead coming home, and after putting up another three in the seventh, Kayleigh Winslow retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning -- including a double play to end the game.
Lily Kwasnicki got the start in the circle and despite battling an injury managed to go 1 ⅓ innings, allowing fve runs. Ziffe pitched four innings and allowed fve
runs on eight hits before Winslow fnished things off with her perfect seventh.
Evelyn Stokes continued an incredible weekend at the plate with a 2-for-4 showing that included a home run, two runs scored and fve runs batted in, while Ziffe went 3-for-5 was a home run away from the cycle, going 3-for-5 with a double, triple, three runs scored and two RBI.
Moose Jaw 16, Interlake 13
To say the least, things did not go well early for the Ice, as the provincial-champion Phillies put up fve-run innings in the frst and third to take a 10-3 lead heading into the fourth, all in support of two of the best pitchers Manitoba has to offer.
The Ice got two back in the fourth, though, and all of a sudden they couldn’t be stopped at the plate. A fve-run ffth tied the game 10-10, and they’d tack on another four in the sixth to lead 14-11 heading into the fnal inning. Moose Jaw made it a fve-run game heading into the bottom of the frame, and Interlake could only get a
pair, sending the Ice to the fnal. Stokes was at it again, this time going 5-for-5 with a double, triple, two runs scored and fve RBI. Ziffe went 4-for5 and scored four runs, while Winslow was 3-for-3 with a double and three runs scored. Ava Waldenberger-Evans had a pair of hits and knocked in two, Chloe Beliveau also had a pair of hits.
Kwasnicki gave it another go in the circle and allowed four runs in the frst before Ziffe took over and pitched the next 3 ⅔, allowing fve runs on six hits. Winslow fnished things off, giving up three runs on fve hits over the fnal three innings.
Moose Jaw 8, Eastman 2
The two teams found themselves in an epic battle through the frst four innings, with Eastman picking up a pair of runs in the third to lead 2-1 before the Ice came back to tie the game in the fourth. There things sat heading into the Ice half of the six, and fve batters later, they’d have their fve-run lead.
Winslow got things started with a single, Kamdyn Chute knocked her to third with a base hit, Madison Bauck knocked in Chute with another single and Beliveau loaded the bases with a walk. That brought Ziffe to the plate, and she took the second pitch she faced over the left feld wall for a grand slam and one of the biggest hits in Moose Jaw Minor Girls Fastball history.
One inning later, it was all over, and the Ice were the 2024 Western Canadian softball champions.
Winslow started and allowed two runs and fve hits over four innings, Ziffe fnished things off allowing a single hit over the fnal two innings.
Ziffe fnished the game 4-for-4 with two triples to go along with her slam, while Bauck was 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI.
When the 2023 fastball season started, there was always a sense it could be a special one for a handful of Moose Jaw Ice teams.
The ever-growing pool of talent the local minor girls fastball program has seen develop over the years was starting to pay off more and more, and it seemed extremely likely a few of the
local squads would have a shot at winning at the highest of levels.
And now the Moose Jaw U13 A Ice have done exactly that.
The Ice won the frst-ever Western Canadian U13 Softball Championship on Sunday evening, besting nine teams from Alberta, Manitoba, B.C. and Saskatchewan to claim gold.
It was a weekend flled with ups and downs with a bit of controversy mixed in, all resulting in the frst major national-level championship for a Moose Jaw team in recent years.
“Resilience would be the key,” said Ice head coach Jeff Bauck, who saw his troops win four straight games against the best the tournament had to offer on the way to claiming the title.
“These girls had their backs up against the wall multiple times, they never got down, their mental toughness and drive really showed through. There are tons of girls who had to make sacrifces in their roles to make this happen, and when they were asked to make the changes, they did so with no problem and really showed the kind of players they are.
What more can I say about them, they were the perfect team.”
To say the least, it had been a busy and successful season for the Ice heading into nationals -- with an emphasis on busy.
The Ice had played 43 games as a team in league and tournament play heading into Westerns, but house league and Sask Summer Games duties had pushed that total far, far higher -- with
Bauck estimating the majority of their crew had around 80 games under their belts before seeing a pitch in Brandon. Needless to say, with such a young group of players on the rise, things look very bright for the 2012 group going forward -- and that’s not even taking into account the U11 provincial gold and silver medalist Ice, or the U15 Ice who will be at Canadians this week, or the U19 Ice who just fnished up their appearance at Canadians this past weekend.
“About four years ago Pat Boyle said, ‘Hey, we should get these off-season camps going’, so we got a group of 10 friends together and these kids are all from that original group… we’re so blessed to have Sowden Flanagan and GAP (Gottselig Athletic Performance) and the Yara Centre,” Bauck said. “That frst year we had 10 kids, then more and more families wanted to get involved. Chad Topp, Deana Kempel, Robin Bushko, they were all like ‘we have to grow this thing’. So now, the basic talent in Moose Jaw is absolutely huge.
“The future is so bright, there’s a huge abundance of talent coming up, and there’s been a huge growth that’s going to continue.”
The Moose Jaw U13 A Ice won the Western Canadian U13 Softball Championship on Saturday night in Brandon.
Warriors’ Pavlik, Czechia fall to Canada in fnal of Hlinka Gretzky Cup
Moose Jaw Warriors prospect Dominik Pavlik will have a silver medal from Hlinka Gretzky Cup to his credit when he arrives in the Friendly City in a few weeks time.
Pavlik and his Czechia teammates dropped a 2-1 decision to Canada in the U18 summer world hockey championship gold medal game on Saturday night in Edmonton, giving Canada their third-straight Hlinka Gretzky title.
As the score would indicate, Czechia wasn’t that far off from victory either -- and with a few breaks, the gold medal could easily have ended up in their hands.
Czechia nearly opened scoring only 1:38 into the game when David Rozsival had a couple of cracks at the puck at the side of the net, but Canada goaltender Jack Ivanovic (OHL Brampton) would make a pad save to keep the game scoreless.
Five minutes later Canada was on the board.
Brady Martin (OHL Sault Ste. Marie) sent a pass cross-crease in front for LIam Kilfoil (QMJHL Halifax) and he’d make no mistake putting the puck into the open net for the 1-0 lead at 6:29 of the frst.
Seconds later, Czechia came inches from getting on the board when an Adam Benak power play shot from the point redirected in front and went off the crossbar.
Canada then made it 2-0 as time ran down in the frst, with Cameron Schmidt (WHL Vancouver) fnding Caleb Desnoyers (QMJHL Moncton) in front of the net with a pass from the corner that Desnoyers slammed home
Lynbrook Golf Club Championship
through Ondrej Stebetak’s fve-hole at 19:08.
The game turned into a goaltending duel from there, as both Stebatak and Ivankovic making big saves to keep the contest a two-goal game.
Pavlik hit the scoresheet with eight seconds remaining in the contest when he found Tomas Poletin in front of the net for a 6-on-4 power play goal, but Canada would
win the ensuing faceoff and send the puck into the Czechia zone to fnish things off.
Stebetak fnished the game with 24 saves, while Ivanovic had 18 stops to earn the win.
Pavlik -- the Warriors frst-round selection in the 2024 CHL Import Draft -- capped the tournament with a goal and three assists to fnish ffth in team scoring.
Team Canada gathers for the customary team photo after winning their third straight Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Moose Jaw Canucks see action at Baseball Sask provincial championships
Canucks just miss gold medal game in 15U AAA Tier II, post 1-2 mark at 13U AAA Tier I championship Randy Palmer - MooseJawToday.com
The Moose Jaw Canucks fnished a single win away from reaching the gold medal game at the Baseball Sask 15U AAA Tier II provincial championship during the Aug. 3 weekend in Regina.
The Canucks qualifed for the tournament after putting together a 9-19 record in the Sask Premier Baseball League and fnishing three games out of a spot in the Tier I provincial championship. That made them the second seed in the Tier II championship, though, behind only the ninth-place Regina Athletics.
The Canucks got off to a tough start to open their round-robin, dropping a 13-9 decision to the East Central Dodgers. They were able to rebound quickly in their second game, though, rolling to a 19-6 win over the Southeast A’s to get right back in contention.
Unfortunately for the local squad, a 10-6 loss to the Athletics in their frst game Saturday meant they’d need a lot of help the rest of the way to have a chance at fnishing in the top two and advancing to the gold medal game. Wins by Swift Current and East Central in the two games following that loss were the exact opposite of
what they needed, though, and Moose Jaw had been eliminated heading into their fnal preliminary round game.
The Canucks still went out in style in their fnal contest of the campaign, rolling to a 25-3 win over gold medal gamebound Swift Current.
Both the Dodgers and 57’s fnished with 3-1 records to land in the champion-
ship fnal, with East Central taking a 10-6 win on Sunday afternoon to claim the provincial title. **
At the 13U AAA Tier I championship in Regina, the Moose Jaw Canucks went into the event as one of the pre-tournament medal favourites but were unable to advance out of their round robin pool.
The Canucks had put together a solid season in the Baseball Regina RBI 13U AAA league, fnishing with 13-6-2 record and landing in second place, a mere two points back of the Swift Current 57’s.
It was a tough start at provincials, though, as Moose Jaw fell 12-6 to the Regina White Sox on Friday night and then dropped a 19-8 decision to the Saskatoon Cardinals in their frst game Saturday, falling from provincial title contention.
The Canucks managed to go out on a high note, though, taking a 12-8 win over the Yorkton Cardinals to cap provincials with a 1-2 record.
The White Sox -- fourth-place fnishers in the regular season in the Baseball Regina league -- took a 12-1 win over Swift Current in one semifnal, while the Saskatoon Cardinals upset the Saskatoon Blue Jays in the other.
The Cardinals then went on to win provincials with a 19-14 win over the Regina Red Sox.
Check out www.baseballsask.ca for scores from all the provincial championships over the last month.
Silently Working Stock - Sask Cutting Horse Association Show
A sport that has its origins in the frst cattle herds in North America was on full display on the long weekend as the Saskatchewan Cutting Horse Association held their annual show.
And although it’s a rodeo sport that is featured at events like the Calgary Stampede it’s an event that relies upon silence and as little stress as possible to succeed.
Moose Jaw’s event featured riders from novice right up to a hall of fame member who had won over $500,000 competing in the sport.
About 100 people participated in the annual event.
There is also a national cutting horse competition.
Here is the sport described with the help of the Calgary Stampede:
Photos and Story by Robert Thomas
In a cutting horse competition, each horse and rider faces a herd of cattle with two and a half minutes on the clock.
Working together the rider and horse are given a single cow to move out of or ‘cut’ from the herd.
Once the cow is cut the rider and horse
pair must then demonstrate their ability to keep the cow from returning to the herd.
The horse uses great strength and agility as it mimics the movements of the cow, always staying one hoof ahead.
Once the cow has lost interest and looks away, the team may re-enter the
herd for a fresh cow to cut.
Riders are awarded points for each run.
The event traces its roots to the time when people would share grazing land and in the fall the cattle would be cut from the communal herd and returned to their rightful owner(s).
The top cutting horses can be worth tens of thousands of dollars.
Here are some photos of the action from the event.
The Moose Jaw Canucks put together a 2-2 record at the Baseball Sask 15U AAA Tier II provincial championship over the Aug. 8 weekend.
‘Blow Of Some Steam’ event returns for another successful year at the WDM
The Western Development Museum (WDM) in Moose Jaw was once again transformed into a living tribute to steam-powered ingenuity with the return of its annual steam-based event, “Blow Off Some Steam,” featuring the museum’s fully restored 75 Case steam traction engine and the K+S Potash Canada Short Line 101 steam train.
Blow Off Some Steam took place on Aug. 10 and guests had the opportunity to witness some of the raw power behind steam-powered technology.
Each year, Blow Off Some Steam helps support the WDM in its mission to tell the story of Saskatchewan’s transportation history by showcasing the raw energy of steam power up close and in person.
The day’s events included a scavenger hunt for younger guests and a guided tour of the museum to learn more about the history of the railway and how steam trains operated during the province’s early days.
Guests were also able to take a ride on the museum’s Short Line 101 steam train which was up and running for the event.
This year’s summer student conductor was Alex Scidmore, who helped passen-
Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
gers experience the thrill of steam-powered locomotion.
“When I was young, I dreamt about working on a steam train and being a con-
ductor,” he said. “I never thought it would be possible, so when I was given the opportunity, I couldn’t contain my excitement!
“When I put on my conductor’s hat and stepped onto the platform for the frst time, it really felt like a dream come true,” he recalled. “It’s a feeling of pure joy and excitement, and one that I will always remember.”
Although the steam-based event has concluded, the Short Line 101 steam train will continue to run on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on both days.
Since the train’s operation is dependent on weather conditions, mechanical functionality, and the availability of volunteers, it’s always best practice to call the museum in advance to ensure your chance to catch a ride.
For more information about upcoming events at Moose Jaw’s branch of the WDM or to inquire about volunteer opportunities, contact the museum’s programs and volunteer co-ordinator, Alexis Jones at 306-693-5989 or by email at AJones@wdm.ca.
To learn more, visit WDM.ca/MooseJaw or ‘WDM Moose Jaw (Moose Jaw, SK, Canada)’ on Facebook.
The Western Development Museum is located at 50 Diefenbaker Drive in Moose Jaw.
Guests hitch a ride on the K+S Potash Canada Short Line 101 steam train during “Blow Off Some Steam” at the WDM on Aug. 10. Photo by: Aaron Walker
Alex Scidmore was this year’s student conductor with the K+S Potash Canada Short Line 101 steam train at the WDM. Photo by: Western Development Museum
WORDSEARCH
Can you fnd the hidden words? They may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards.
GAIN, AWAKEN,
ACROSS
1. Away from the wind
5. Rock
10. Urge (on)
14. Partiality
15. Fool
16. Cut back
17. Teetotallers
19. Colored part of the eye
20. C
21. Highly favored
22. Legislate
23. Melded
25. A group of concubines
27. Jerk
28. Arguers
31. Utilizers
34. Impales
35. Faucet
36. Colloids
37. Lack of innocence
38. French for “Head”
39. Fifth sign of the zodiac
40. Shrewd
41. Dismissed
42. Spiking
44. Observe
45. Black
46. Apparitions
50. Steamy
52. Beauty parlor
54. Lass
55. Mimicked
56. Lively Italian dance
58. Sharpen
59. Sugarcoating
60. Defeat decisively
61. Picnic insects
62. Glide over ice
63. Thorny fower
DOWN
1. Manila hemp
2. Besmirch
3. Artist’s stand
4. Estimated (abbrev.)
5. Grins
6. In shape
7. Minerals
8. Towards the arctic
9. N N N
10. Small piano
11. Measurable factor
12. Acid related to gout
13. Repose
18. Chasm
22. Ages
24. Paddles
26. Assist illegally
28. Accomplishing
29. Assess
30. Didn’t dillydally
31. Type of fruit
32. Appear to be
33. Running away
34. Big bag
37. Acquire
38. Stratum
40. Dolt
41. False move
43. Tolerates
44. Mooch
46. Bias
47. Snow house
48. Anklebone
49. A type of writing tablet
50. Laugh
51. On top of
53. Diva’s solo
56. Poetic contraction
57. Be mistaken
Moose Jaw Truck Shop
WANTED
Seeking Born Again Christian Business partner with potential ownership in Second Hand and Flea- Market business. Male, Female or Family must be interested in Salvation, Healing and Deliverance Outreach Ministry . Serious enquiries only please. 306-684-1084, 5 pm- 8pm ONLY (because of scam calls)
Wanted to buy, Volkswagen Beetle, air cooled rear engine. Please call 306-526-0016.
SERVICES
Moving jobs done reasonably: appliances, furniture, dump runs. Call to do it all. $45.00 a load. 306-630-2268
Need work done? Contact Bill at 306-630-2268
. Interior/exterior, renovations, formwork, framing, fnishing, tiling, painting and all construction, roofng/ siding- no job too big or small. Reasonable rates, 30 years experience. Cleaner with 20 years experience, professional and bondable, please call Rebecca at 306-9900348
AUTOS
1994 Crown Victoria, 216,000 miles, 4 door, bench seats, power windows and steering. NEW: fuel pump/flter, spark plugs, all-season tires with balance and wheel alignment, inner
and outer tie rod ends, windshield, wipers, wiper motor, heater, blower, and resistor. Asking $4000, please call 306-631-5206
HOUSEHOLD
Meat chopper, good condition $50. King Size foam clean and good condition $35. White mirror 29” by 19” $30. Call 306-692-5091
MISCELLANEOUS
For Sale, Sunset Cemetery Last Supper Cremation Plot #2, Asking $1600.00, Call 306-6932003 LOST & FOUND
Senior has lost remote start and my only mailbox key on Saturday, June 29th. Could be at Co-op, Superstore, Peavey Mart, Wal-Mart, either in the stores or the parking lot. First digit of mailbox key is 8. Phone 306-526-0016. AUTO PARTS
Four tires for sale. 245 x 75
Obituaries / Memorials
DUTCHAK
Elsie Dutchak (née: Scholpp) passed away on Saturday, May 25th, 2024. A Memorial Tea will be held on August 24th, 2024 from 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. in the Harvey Room at Moose Jaw Funeral Home. Arrangements are entrusted to Moose Jaw Funeral Home, 268 Mulberry Lane. Michelle Ellis, Funeral Director 306-693-4550 www.moosejawfuneralhome.com
I have personally read the above obituary and give approval for it to be submitted, as is, to the newspapers/ websites of my choice.
Edward J. Murphy
June 27/31 - August 16/22
Missing you each and every day, and wishing you were here
Love Rhoda, nephew Bob, Deb & Dave, Annie & Vic, & Families
Please include the Moose Jaw Health Foundation in your estate plan to help your community for generations to come.
The hot, unprofessional ‘medical’ topic today is ‘Risk Factors’ that may cause dementia. You can read about them everywhere.
Unfortunately, the discussion of ‘Risk’ takes the focus off people who are dealing with a loved one with Dementia. And dealing with someone with Dementia is overwhelming.
Defnition
What is Dementia? Wikipedia defnes it as a set of “… neurodegenerative diseases characterized by a general decline in cognitive abilities that affects a person’s ability to perform everyday activities.” (Wikipedia)
The Alzheimer Society of Canada points out that Dementia is “… a set of symptoms that are caused by disorders af-
however, is that it is often interpreted as plural. It makes sense to keep it in the plural form as other nouns relating to receiving praise are often in plural form. Examples are congratulations, accolades, awards, and honours.
Rev. Dr. John Kreutzwieser is a retired pastor from Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 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 necessarily refect the position of this publication.
Kudos
The other day I observed someone walking down the middle section of Main Street picking up garbage and depositing it in a bag they were carrying. Kudos to them for helping keep our city looking beautiful.
A while ago I saw a person in the ditch on 9th Avenue NW picking up trash and hauling it away. Kudos to them also.
When we went to Japan for the frst time in 2019, we were amazed at how clean the streets were, even in the city of Osaka (population over 6 million). Arriving back in Moose Jaw we were disappointed that our downtown streets were littered with garbage all over the place. I cannot dispense very many kudos to our citizens and visitors in downtown Moose Jaw when it comes to waste thrown down on the sidewalks and streets. We all have some work to do in that area.
Kudos is defned as giving praise for an achievement or receiving distinction for an act or special performance.
The word is derived from the Greek word kydos, meaning honour, glory or fame, especially in battle. Kudos have moved from the war arena to honoring someone for what they’ve achieved in any area of life, the effort they’ve put in, or for the character that they’ve shown.
Kudos is one of a number of Greek-derived English nouns ending in ‘os’, like pathos, ethos, mythos. They are mass nouns. What separates kudos from the rest,
TRINITY UNITED CHURCH
Kudos the mass noun was adopted as British university slang in the early 1800s. This isn’t the frst time English speakers have reinterpreted a mass noun as a plural. In Middle English one could only put some pease on a plate the way we put some butter on bread. Eventually the mass noun pease was understood to be plural, and a single pea could be enjoyed all on its own. Synonyms for kudos include acclaim, accolades, credit, glory, honours, laud, and laurels.
Acclaim means to applaud or praise. Movie critics acclaimed her performance in the recent flm. Accolades is a mark of acknowledgment or an expression of praise. She received the highest accolades of her profession. The movie has drawn accolades from both fans and critics.
Credit means recognition by name of a person contributing to a performance. His name was included in the credits in the information about the video game. It also implies recognition by a school or college that a student has fulflled a requirement leading to a degree. She earned 15 credits last semester.
Glory is praise, or distinction extended by common consent. The glory of her career was the moment of discovery of a black hole in the previously uncharted area of deep space.
Honours means a good name or public esteem. At the anniversary they gave honours to the founder of the company.
Laud denotes praise. There is an ancient hymn of Palm Sunday entitled “All Glory, Laud, and Honour to You Redeemer, King.” (Theodulf of Orleans 762-821 AD)
Laurels means a recognition of achievement. She won laurels for her work among the poor in the inner city.
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 to relevance and research criteria. We cannot confrm that all words will be used.
Dementia and Risk Factors
By Richard Dowson
fecting the brain.”
So, it is not just one medical ‘issue’, but many.
Dementia Risk Factors
A ‘Risk Factor’ does not mean if you do this or that or experience the risk factor you will develop dementia. It just means –well, it just means Maybe.
Warning people not to do this – or not to eat that – or do this and do that, may be confusing.
Here’s my thoughts gleaned from personal observation regarding Real Risk Factors for Dementia.
Age – The older a person gets, the more likely they are to develop Dementia.
Family Member with Dementia – If a family member develops Dementia the chance of other family members (blood
From 1890 – Credit Wikipedia
relatives) developing Dementia seems to increase.
The question of Dementia affecting several members of a family is interesting. In my unsophisticated observations I know of two families that ft the criteria. My question is Why?
• Is it Hereditary? – Genetics?
• Is it Environment and Exposure to the same Pathogen?
From what I’ve read – and I’m no expert – the Cause of Dementia is unknown.
Conclusion
It may be more useful to provide more help to families and individuals struggling to deal with a loved one with Dementia than talking about possible ‘risk factors’.
MJ Story Dementia Risks 20240806 02 fle
Kudos to all those who are involved in civic activities that improve and beautify our city. Thank you! Going
If you would like your notice or event added to this list, contact us at: joan@ moosejawexpress.com
Emmanuel Lutheran Church:15 Paul Drive (just off 9th Ave North)
Upcoming Events in Moose Jaw
Community Garage Sale on Saturday, August 24 from 9AM – 3PM. Inside, airconditioned space, wheelchair accessible. Hotdog & Drink Lunch- $5 (all food sales to Moose Jase Food Bank); Kids Activitie;Table Rental - $10. Call 306-6929078 or visit elcmj.ca/sale to book your table.
Superannuated Teachers of Saskatchewan: Moose Jaw Branch: Superannuated Teachers (STS) Moose Jaw, our newsletters go to your email account twice a month. Check your junk folder if you are not receiving them. Or go to our website STSmoosejaw.com, click About then Newsletter, and add your current email.
Superannuated Teachers of Saskatchewan: Moose Jaw Branch: HELL with the BELL Breakfast at the MJ Wildlife Federation. New and Old STS members are invited to celebrate the start of the school year on Tuesday, September 3 at 9AM Program: Introduction and Welcome to new members. Eating and Visiting. Cost: $5pp (Newly Superannuated Teachers and partners are free)
UPCOMING EVENTS: Mark your calendars!
2. LUNCHEON Meetings: All Meetings are at Masonic Hall, Main Street @ 10:30 AM
Wed. Sept 18, 2024/Wed. Nov 20, 2024/ Wed. Jan 15, 2025/Wed. March 19, 2025/ Wed. May 21, 2025
United Nations International Day of Older Persons: Theme “OUR PLACE” Recognizing the People and Places Important to Us Older Persons Symposium will be held on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 @ T. Eaton Center. Check website and newsletter for more information or Rosalie Marcil at 306.691.0696 or email stsmoosejaw@ gmail.com
Moose Jaw Lawn Bowling - The sport for ages 6-106. Often referred to as curling on grass. Regular scheduled play on Mon thru Thurs @ 6:30 pm. On Extremely hot days the time will be later. Tuesday and Thursday @9:30am (The Coffee League). Other days and times can be scheduled. Website is moosejawlawnbowling.com; Text 306690-8739 for more info.
Moose Jaw Camera Club Meeting on Monday, September 9 at 7pm at the Cosmo Senior Citizen’s Centre. Everyone is welcome to come and see what the club is about. Meeting details will be announced shortly. Meanwhile, photographic work of club members may be viewed at Carol’s Catering & Cafe Moose Jaw Camera Club Gallery at 820 N Service Road. “Be Focused With Us!” For more club information: Rachel 306-693-0159 or Betty 306-371-5220.
New Youth Pipe Band in Moose Jaw “The White Heather” for youth aged 8 to 12. Further information may be obtained by contacting Michelle Carline at mcarline@hotmail.com
Scottish Country Dance Classes for all ages on Thursdays at 7pm at 510 Main St. N (T. Eaton Bldg). No partner required. Call Val @306.630.5790.
Nature Moose Jaw will hold their meetings on a once-a-month basis to take place on the third Friday of each month.
Church of Our Lady Bingo takes 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.
Are you struggling with addictions? Do you know someone who is? Or do you want to learn more about overcoming addiction to help others? Pastor Cory Havanka and his wife Brenda will be offering an in-person, small-group, course that will explore how to overcome addiction that is based on Biblical foundations. For questions - Call or text Cory at 306-6841464 or email frmfoundationministries.inc@gmail.com
Firm Foundation Ministries provides other services as well:-Bible study - Monday evenings at 630 p.m/Prayer meetingsWednesday evenings at 7 p.m/Pastoral counselling. Check Facebook or Instagram for updates on services, events, bible study notes and words from the Lord. Nar-Anon Meetings every Monday 7—8pm (Moose Jaw Nar-Anon Family Group) is a twelve-step program for relatives and friends affected by someone else’s drug use and is in-person at Moose Jaw Alliance Church, 14 Neslia Place. Come in Main Doors – Meeting Rm 103. Your anonymity and what you say at meetings will be carefully guarded.
Toastmasters is an internationally recognized education program providing experiential communication and leadership training. For better listening, thinking & speaking skills Toastmasters myriad of programs can be utilized to facilitate your goals. Moose Jaw has 2 clubs. Summer programing will be: BIG COUNTRY club will meet in person Aug. 28; zoom meeting Aug 14. TAP club meets each Tuesday @7pm on Zoom. Contact 306-630-7015 or email lorna.e.arnold@gmail.com for more info
TOPS (Take off Pounds Sensibly) 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 offers encouragement to one another. New members are very welcome. Scale weighs up to 500 lbs.
Wednesday Night Ladies Business League (9 Hole) at Lynbrook Golf Course at (306) 692-2838 for more information or if interested in joining. Hours of play have to cross over within time frame of 4-6pm. Registration fee: $25.00 (cash or cheque) to be paid at Pro Shop; Sign-up sheet on bulletin board by Ladies bathroom.
Aug 14 – Fun Night Tournament- 5:30 pm - Shotgun (sign up sheet will be posted prior week)
Sept 11 – Year End Tournament – 5:00pm - Shotgun (sign up sheet will be posted prior week)
Sept 18 – Year End Banquet (cocktails 6:00 pm- supper 6:30 pm)
Moose Jaw Public Library (MJPL), 461 Langdon Cres. Phone 306.692.2787. Visit their website at https://www.moosejawlibrary.ca or visit ASK@MOOSEJAWLIBRARY.CA
Some library programs require registration by calling 306-692-8210 or emailing nsetter@moosejawlibrary.ca
MJPL BOOK CLUB Tuesday, July 30/
Time: 7:00 pm/Location: South Meeting Room/Ages: Adults Drop-in program/Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
ADULT PROGRAMMING:
TECH TIME Available by appointment/ Time: Open hours/Location: Main Library/ Ages: Adults
By appointment only - please call the Library at 306-692-2787 to schedule an appointment.
HOOPLA BOOK CLUB until August 31/ Check out hoopla’s spotlight title for
August Grey Dog by Elliott Gish. This title is available in eBook and audiobook formats.
DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH ON
KANOPY. Kanopy has curated a collection of thoughtful documentaries and narrative flms featuring those living with disabilities. You can access the collection for free with your Library card.
SUMMER READING CLUB FOR ADULTS 18 AND UP Read books…Audiobooks count too! Earn ballots towards weekly $10 gift card prizes for every book read (maximum 1 book/ballot per day). Earn an additional ballot for the weekly draw by completing a brief book review for our wall! Each ballot will also earn participants a chance to win the grand prize draw (valued at approx. $150). You can pick up your book review forms at the Library or download and print at home.
TEEN PROGRAMMING:
TEEN D&D: CAMP GOODBERRY Tue/Thu in August/Time: 6:30 pm/Location: MJPL Archives/Ages: 12 to 16/Registration required
DIGITAL D&D Fridays/Time: 4:00 to 6:00 pm/Location: MJPL Youth/Discord Channel/Ages: 16 to 25. Registration required/Email youth@mjlibrary.ca to inquire.
SUMMER READING CLUB FOR YOUTH AGES 12-19. Pick up your Summer Reading Club brochure at the Circulation desk in the Library. Participate in challenges, track your reading, attend Teen programs at the Library, and more. Receive scratch tickets for your participation and win prizes!
CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING :
BABY STORYTIME! Tues, until Aug 27/Time: 10:30 am/Location: Children’s rogram Room/Ages: 0 to 2 and their caring adults! Drop-in Program
STORYTIME IN THE PARK! Weds until Aug 28/Time: 10:30 am/Location: Children’s Program Room/Ages: 2 to 5 and their caring adults! Drop-in Program SUMMER READING CLUB FOR CHILDREN 0-12. Visit the Library to register at the Circulation desk. Use your clock bookmarks to track the number of minutes you spend reading or listening to stories over the summer! You can pick up your instructions and bookmarks at the Library or download them and print at home from the website. You can pick up your brochure and reading logs at the Library or download the brochure and print it at home.
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 SUMMER HOURS: Mon - 11am-9pm; Tues - 11am-5pm; Wed&Thurs - 11am5pm; Fri - 11am-8pm & Sat - 11am-6pm BINGO – Monday @ 6pm CRIBBAGE –Tuesday @ 1:30 pmPlease sign-in by 1pm MEAT DRAW & CHASE THE ACESaturday @ 3pm - Everyone welcome Legion Money Raffe Draw – Final Draw Dec 21 @1:30pm 3 Early Bird Draws Oct 5 @1:30pm for $1000each. 200 tickets available @$20each. 19+ to purchase tickets. Total retail prize $23,000. Tickets available at Legion. Call offce at 306.692.5453 or 306.693.9688 to pay Visa or Mastercard.
Moose Jaw and District Seniors: For more information Call: 306-694-4223 or Email: Email: mjsenior@shaw.ca The centre is now open Mon-Thurs 8am –8pm.
Fitness Level & Indoor Walking Track open M-T and Friday’s 8am-8pm/ Lounge – Friday’s from 8am-4pm. Wood working area – Mon- Fri 8am –4pm/Timothy Eaton Cafe open Mon-Fri, 8am – 4pm.
Timothy Eaton Cafe open Mon-Fri 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Cinnamon Buns on Thursday’s. Tuesday is pie day. Everyone is welcomed.
Nickle Bingo – Fridays @ 1 p.m.; New to the Centre is BINGO every Monday at 1:30pm
Quilting – Every Friday 9am to 4pm Lounge – Friday’s from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Jam Sessions – Friday’s 9 a.m. Texas Hold’em - Thursday @ 6:30pm Floor Curling – Wednesday and Fridays @1pm
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. Monday: 9:30am-Pickleball/1pm-Floor Shuffeboard/7pm-Camera Club – only on the 2nd Monday of the month Tuesday: 9:30am-Jam Session/1pmPickleball/7pm-Friendship Bridge/7pmBeginners Only Pickleball
Moose Jaw ANAVETS: Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans Unit #252 – 279 High St. W, Moose Jaw. 306.692.4412 or anaf252@sasktel.net
Every Wednesday – open 12-6 pm: Smear Every Thursday – open 12-7 pm: Regular Crib (ends June 13th) and Smear Every Friday – open 1-10 pm, 7 pm: Darts and Pool Every Saturday – open 1-7 pm: Meat Draw starts at 4:30 pm. 10 meat draws, 4 free draws, gift card and 50/50. Everyone welcome.
ANAVETS DANCE on August 23 at 8pm until closing. Put your dancing shoes on for Brandon + Company playing. No cover charge.
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES #3395
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.
FIRST AND THIRD SUNDAY – Aerie meeting – 11:30 am
FIRST AND THIRD TUESDAY – Ladies Auxiliary meeting - 7:00 pm
Western Development Museum; 50 Diefenbaker Drive, Moose Jaw. For more information, visit the museum’s website at WDM.ca/Moose-Jaw. Call 306-693-5989 or email ajones@wdm.ca
Call Wayne at 306-630-2516,
Home sales in Moose Jaw in July were up nearly 60 per cent year over year, while sales since the start of the year are up more than 20 per cent.
There were 81 home sales last month in Canada’s Most Notorious City, compared to 36 in July 2023, an increase of 56 per cent, data from the Saskatchewan Realtors Association (SRA) shows.
There were 88 new listings last month, compared to 63 units — an increase of 28 per cent — from last July. Furthermore, there were 146 units in inventory, a decrease from 185 homes — a drop of 27 per cent — from the year before. Also, there were 1.8 months of supply — a drop from 2.7 months — and homes spent 39 days on the market.
The benchmark price of a home was $247,600, an increase from $230,268 — a jump of seven per cent — year-over-year. Meanwhile, the average house price was $249,327, a decline from $279,246 — a drop of 12 per cent — last July, the report said.
“Benchmark price refects the price
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By Moose Jaw Express staf
of a typical or average home for a specifc 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 10-year averages for July show there are usually 57 home sales, 100 new listings, 299 units in inventory, 5.55 months of supply, 55 days of homes on the market, a benchmark price of $221,730 and an average price of $253,616.
Year-to-date — Jan. 1 to July 31 — there have been 384 homes sold, 533 new listings, 135 units in inventory, 2.47 months of supply, 43 days of homes on the market, a benchmark price of $239,557 and an average price of $258,508.
The 10-year averages for the yearto-date show there are usually 326 home sales, 655 new listings, 261 units in inventory, 5.8 months of supply, 59 days of homes on the market, a benchmark
price of $215,354 and an average price of $247,677.
Provincial stats
Saskatchewan reported 1,667 sales in July, a seven-per-cent year-over-year gain and over 20 per cent above long-term, 10-year averages, the SRA said. The 13th consecutive month of above-average sales contributed to year-to-date sales that were 10 per cent above July 2023 and 19 per cent above the 10-year average.
While new listings saw a modest year-over-year gain, this had little effect on inventory levels, which were down 20 per cent year-over-year and remain over 40 per cent below long-term trends, the report continued.
“Strong housing demand continues to support above-average monthly sales levels, preventing any signifcant inventory relief in many markets across the province,” said CEO Chris Guérette. “Limited
supply choice, specifcally in the more affordable segment of the market, is likely preventing even stronger sales activity in our province.”
Saskatchewan reported a benchmark price of $344,800 in July, up from $343,300 in June and nearly fve-per-cent higher than July 2023. Home prices trended up across all property types, with yearover-year gains ranging from over four per cent in detached to 11 per cent in row/ townhouse-style properties.
“With just over three months of inventory across the province — below two (months) in some of our larger centres — it remains a challenging time for prospective buyers right now,” added Guérette.
“Supply constraints, when paired with strong demand, continue to place upward pressure on prices — as evidenced by record benchmark prices in some communities for the second consecutive month.”
July construction slow again
Ron Walter - For Moose Jaw Express
Just as last year, July was a slow month for building permits in Moose Jaw.
Only $494,000 worth of permits were issued by city hall last month, a mere $6,000 more than in 2023.
Largest permit was $175,000 for an addition to a King Crescent house. Five garage permits were issued. No new houses were started in July compared with one home worth $258,000 in 2023.
Housing accounted for about half this year’s building permits with 14 single family homes and 42 units worth $9.75 million.
Last year by the end of July four single family units had been started. Permit values for the year to date of $18.42 million are about $4.9 million more than last year.
