Vol.114 No. 42 - Weyburn, Saskatchewan
weyburnreview
Wednesday, October 16, 2024 - 10 Pages
Weyburn Eagles wrap up season
WCS Eagles advance to semi finals against Moose Jaw.
Page 7
Robillard’s photos featured
Marianne Robillard’s photos were selected for the WCU 2025 calendar. Page 10
Breaking ground for ‘Spark Cinema’ project
Members of the Weyburn Theatre Co-operative committee gathered with shovels in hand for a ground-breaking ceremony on Thursday to officially start construction on Weyburn’s new theatre. From left are Laila Bader, Sean Purdue, Ryan Janke, Corey Morrissette and Brett Ferguson.
Ground-breaking held for new theatre project
The board of directors of the Weyburn Theatre Co-operative, along with representatives of the Weyburn Oilwomen, Weyburn Credit Union, the City of Weyburn and DSI Contracting all gathered at the future site of Weyburn’s new theatre on Third Street on Thursday for a ground-breaking ceremony.
The co-operative’s board members have been working diligently with their design and construction team and engineered drawings are nearing
completion. Once engineered plans are complete, the construction team will be seeking bids from subtrades to finalize costs.
With the ground-breaking held, work crews will proceed with the foundation work, which includes a significant number of concrete piles. The committee wants the public to realize there is a good chance they will have to pause after this stage is complete until funds are in place to proceed with the rest of the project.
“What we do know is
that construction costs are going to be meaningfully higher than what we originally estimated nearly three years ago,” said Sean Purdue, treasurer of the board. “While we don’t have the updated figures, we are anticipating that we will need to raise an additional $1 million before this project can be completed.”
Those wishing to donate can e-Transfer weyburntheatre@gmail.com or contact the group at that address. PayPal payments are also an op -
tion by visiting www. weyburntheatre.com and clicking on the ‘donate now’ button.
There is a display at the Weyburn Credit Union of one of the reclinerstyle theatre seats which will be in the new theatre, and there is information on donating towards the project.
Weyburn Theatre Community Service Cooperative is a non-profit organization, formed with the exclusive goal of bringing the movies back to the City of Weyburn.
Candidates discuss issues at Weyburn Chamber forum
By Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Four of the five candidates running for the seat of Weyburn-Bengough presented their stance on a variety of issues, at the Weyburn Chamber of Commerce’s election forum on Wednesday evening at the Weyburn Legion.
Taking part in the forum were Mike Weger for the Saskatchewan Party; North Hunter for the Saskatchewan Green Party; Rose McInnes for Sask. United Party, and Andrew Shanaida of the Buffalo Party. Seth Lendrum of the NDP did not attend.
A number of questions were posed from the chamber related to business and the economy, and some presubmitted questions from the public were posed, some related to youth interests.
The Chamber started taking questions from the floor, but ended at the previously determined cutoff time of 8:40 p.m. with a number of people lined up wanting to pose questions.
Moderator Monica Osborn noted they ran out of the allotted time, which upset a number of people waiting to ask questions. She said the public had until 9 p.m. to talk one-on-one with the candidates if they wished.
Among the chamber’s questions were issues of nuclear and alternative-energy power sources, and where the various parties stood.
On nuclear power, Weger noted that Saskatchewan has one of the world’s largest deposits of uranium, and they have plans to introduce small modular nuclear reactors.
McInnes said Sask. United has a “Sask first” policy for businesses, and said nuclear energy development is still a long way from reality in Saskatchewan.
Hunter said the Greens are very concerned about the impact nuclear reactors would have in using up water supplies, which would in turn be a problem to agricultural producers in this province if their water supply was put in jeopardy.
Shanaida said Saskatchewan needs to be smart about nuclear energy, particularly for products that can’t be produced in this province, and planning where the reactors are to go is also critical.
In regard to other forms of energy, Hunter said, “It’s time for a new green deal for Saskatchewan,” and one aspect of this is to make sure all vehicles in this province are hybrid, with a goal to having them all be electric. She also feels that resurrecting public transport modes, such as train service and the STC bus service, would also help provide transportation and people won’t need to worry about rising gas prices at the
pumps. For the Buffalo Party, Shanaida said they would question where the push is coming from towards such energy sources as wind and solar energy.
“I’m not saying all these options shouldn’t be looked at, but we have a lot of resources that are being suppressed,” he said.
Weger pointed out that the Clean Electricity policy of the federal Liberals and NDP is unrealistic for Saskatchewan, as they want all current electricity-generating plants that use coal and natural gas to be shut down by 2035. He noted the severe economic hurt this would cause this province, with losses of billions of dollars and thousands of jobs. Currently 86 per cent of the electricity generated is by coal and hydro, and SaskPower is working with independent power producers to produce electricity through wind and solar projects, Weger added.
McInnes said wind farms, for one, are detrimental to the environment and are not efficient, as can be seen in Alberta where they ran into a lack of power in their grid because of a reliance on wind energy.
“I’m an environmental technologist, and I find wind and solar is the largest farce,” she said, noting wind in particular takes out valuable farm land to put up “monstrosities” wind turbines.
In discussing how to attract economic investment to the constituency, Weger touched on issues related to Weyburn’s proposed wind turbines.
“Your local MLA must have the ability to look at all options, and they can’t be influenced by those who yell the loudest. You have to do the work and research the facts. An MLA has to be willing to compromise and put their beliefs aside when they are committed to represent all residents,” he said.
McInnes said the Sask. United Party wants to establish a Sask First Bank that would encourage investment in developments, and support agriculture and oil and gas without relying on Ottawa.
Hunter replied that the emphasis should be on education and health care, to ensure there are educational opportunities to train and learn here and to have good health, and lower high school dropout rates.
“A healthy worker leads to a healthy economy,” she said.
The Buffalo Party would work to create jobs and foster economic growth, by reducing red tape that keeps businesses and industries away, said Shanaida, and thereby make Saskatchewan the best place to invest and do business with.
Photo – Sabrina Kraft
Northern Lights highlighted by a meteor
The display of Northern Lights had a surprise visitor on Thursday night, as a meteor streaked to the ground, in this view taken from the bridge on the Weyburn Golf Course road, looking towards the city. The meteor was near enough for the photographer to hear it crackling as it fell.
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
RSO Chamber Players perform
The chamber players from the Regina Symphony Orchestra performed at the Weyburn Public Library on the upper level on Thursday evening. This was part of the Weyburn Culture Days, and the orchestra performed a variety of classical music for the capacity audience.
Former arts director running for Weyburn city council
By Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
A former arts director for the City of Weyburn, Lorri Wiberg, is running for Weyburn city council in the upcoming municipal election, after returning to the city recently.
Wiberg, a native of Fillmore, worked for six years in Weyburn, first as a programmer then as arts director in the 1980s, before she then moved to Prince Albert to be an arts and culture director in that city.
She worked with their museum and for many volunteer agencies, and
for that city’s new theatre 12 years ago. Wiberg also worked with PA’s downtown business association for a year and a half.
As she took retirement, she decided to move back to Weyburn, where she has friends and family in the area, including her mother, and a brother who lives in Tyvan.
“I don’t like sitting still and I looked into being involved in the community,” said Wiberg, explaining why she wants to run for city council, noting her knowledge and experience with municipal govern -
ment will serve her well in that position.
“I don’t think that municipal government is so much politics as making policies in the best interests of the community, and monitoring the budget. I’m very aware of provincial and federal politics, which is a whole different ball of wax,” said Wiberg.
“It’s dealing with local matters, like funding for construction and new developments in the city. I do have a really good understanding of municipal government operations,” she said, noting she was very
involved in interactions with the higher levels of government.
In addition, said Wiberg, “I love people and talking to people, and hearing what their concerns are. That doesn’t scare me in the least, even when we obviously have different opinions.”
She took university in Calgary, and graduated with a four-year diploma in fine arts in 1983, worked in Weyburn until heading to PA in 1989, and retired from her work there after 25 years.
As a candidate for city
council, Wiberg said she has an interest in being more aware of how things are budgeted in Weyburn, and has a strong interest in caring for seniors, and for the upkeep and promotion of the Weyburn Public Library.
“I’m retired and I very much enjoy working with people. I really would welcome this opportunity to spend the next number of years to work with people and community development. If I’m elected, I would be very proud to work with my fellow citizens,” said Wiberg.
Weyburn actress wins award for feature film ‘Kittytown’
By Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
A Weyburn actress, Bernadette Mullen-Hennig, won an award for “Best Actress in a Feature Film” for her role in the post-apocalyptic movie, “Welcome to Kittytown”, at a film festival held recently in Montreal.
A longtime actress who has appeared on TV, on the stage and in film productions, she had a supporting role as “Charlotte” in the movie, which was shown at the Montreal Requiem Fear Fest, which specifically featured the horror genre in TV and feature films.
“It’s an endearing film with lots of humour. This film has dark moments, but nothing is seen. It’s not like ‘Friday the 13th’,” said Mullen-Hennig. “A dark comedy is a better description of it, but unfortunately we don’t have any dark comedy film festivals.”
She was surprised by this award for two big reasons: one, she does not have a lead role in the movie, and “best actress” awards usually go to a leading character. Secondly, “Welcome to
The funny thing about the award, she said, is that she does not consider it a horror movie in the traditional sense of gore and slash flicks, but is actually more a dark comedy that is a buddy movie.
Kittytown” was not an official selection of this film festival, but when it was shown, it had a great reception by the audience.
Explaining about her role, she said, “You hear my voice for the first two-thirds of the film, and you don’t meet me until the last 20 or 25 minutes of the film – but she comes on strong. She comes on in a big way.”
Her character, Charlotte, has a safe haven in the town of Kittytown in a postapocalyptic world, and the two leading characters, Vern and Ted, go on a journey to meet her, “and they are in for a surprise,” said MullenHennig, laughing.
“You don’t even see me in a trailer, because if you did, it would give the film away.”
The film itself had a bit of a journey, as they began shooting it in 2019 just before COVID hit, shot on the prairies between Saskatoon and Humboldt, and two years ago they thought they had a finished product. It began to tour the film festival circuit, and caught the attention of a distribution and production company who thought this film had potential to be better, said Mullen-Hennig. They took the film off the festival circuit and it went back to post-production, and ended
Laura Morrissette and board chair Ron McCormick; new deputy chief Shane St. John and police chief Brent VanDeSype.
up deleting about 15 minutes worth of film which made it a tighter and better movie in the end.
“There are thrilling moments in it, and that was missing in the first version. It makes everyone’s characters much stronger, and the final cut is much better, for sure,” she said.
The film will next be seen on Oct. 16 at the Austria Fright Night festival, and then there will be a screening in Regina on Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Kramer IMAX Theatre for a matinee showing. Tickets are $20 each, and there will be prizes and swag available for those who take it in.
The film was directed by Doug Luciuk, the founder of the Recording Arts Institute of Saskatoon, and was cowritten by Darren Zimmer and Robert Bryn Mann, who also play the two lead roles of Vern and Ted.
The movie has won a number of other awards on the festival circuit, noted Mullen-Hennig, including three acting awards for Mann, and it won as Best Horror Feature at the Arizona International Film Festival in September. Mullen-Hennig had worked with Zimmer before, and said of him, “He’s a seasoned actor who plays a fantastic lead role. He has since moved to Vancouver to pursue his acting career.” She has been recognized for her acting work in the past as well, winning the Best Actor award in 2021 at the Saskatchewan Independent Film Awards, for her role in a short film, “Far From Me”. She was also nominated at the Saskatchewan International Film Festival for best actress for this film, and in 2015 was nominated for “Dr. Bennett” at the Independent Film Awards.
Deputy police chief, board member officially sworn in
The City of Weyburn held an official swearing-in ceremony for the new deputy police chief, Shane St. John, and the newest member of the Weyburn police commission, Coun. Laura Morrissette.
The ceremony was held on Thursday morning outside council chambers at City Hall.
The appointment of St. John marks a significant step in the ongoing leadership of the WPS.
Chief of police Brent VanDeSype praised St. John’s promotion, saying,
“Shane St. John has shown exceptional leadership and commitment throughout his career with the Weyburn Police Service. I have full confidence that, as deputy chief, his leadership will play a pivotal role in strengthening our team’s efforts to ensure a safe and secure community for all.” Coun. Morrissette was sworn in as the newest member of the Weyburn Police Commission. Her appointment will further strengthen the commission’s oversight of police operations and strategic direction.
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Deputy chief, board member sworn in
A ceremony was held on Thursday morning to swear in the new deputy police chief and the newest member of the Weyburn Police Commission. From left are board members Barclay Charlton, new member Coun.
Photo – Kyle Hertes, City of Weyburn
Lorri Wiberg
‘Flavours of Fall’ event attracts large crowd
Weyburn guitarist Pat Acton played his acoustic guitar for the patrons of the Flavours of Fall fundraiser on Saturday evening, hosted by the Weyburn Ag Society. He was followed later in the evening by the band Wildfire, with vendors providing samples of food and drinks in the Weyburn Exhibition Hall.
Student achievement in Holy Family schools celebrated by board
By Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Holy Family school principals and vice-principals, along with the superintendent of Student Services, presented the results of academic achievement by students from the 2023-24 school year, at the Holy Family board meeting for October.
A number of achievements were celebrated, and each school’s principal shared a particular area where their school is focusing their efforts to help students improve.
The overall results for each area of achievement were shared by Terry Jordens, superintendent of Student Services, followed
by a principal relating how the results impacted their schools, and what actions were being taken.
The areas of study included the graduation rates of students, their transition from Grade 9 to 10, readiness of Kindergarten students moving in to Grade 1, reading for all grades, as well as goals for mental health and well-being.
For Holy Family students who went on to graduate, 95 per cent of their students graduated in five years or less from high school. Jordens pointed out that as Holy Family has no high schools, these rates were for students who transitioned from Grade 9 into 10 at area high schools,
Notice of Abandonment of Poll
The Village of Goodwater Municipal Elections 2024
Whereas Greg Collins, nominated for the office of Mayor Brad Ernst nominated for the office of Councillor and Elsie Tilley nominated for the office of Councillor were the only candidates nominated, I hereby give notice that no voting for these offices will take place on November 13th 2024
I hereby declare: Greg Collins elected by acclamation for a 4-year term as Mayor Bradley Ernst elected by acclamation for a 4-year term as Councillor
Elsie Tilley elected by acclamation for a 4-year term as Councillor
Dated this 10th day of October, 2024.
Aleshia Underwood, Returning Officer
Notice of Abandonment of Poll
The Rural Municipality of Lomond No 37 Municipal Election 2024
Whereas Brad Irwin nominated for the office of Reeve, John Tosczak nominated for the office of Councillor for Division One (1), Blake McLeod nominated for the office of Councillor for Division Three (3), and Derrick Baer nominated for the office of Councillor for Division Five (5), were the only candidates nominated, I hereby give notice that no voting for these offices will take place on November 13th, 2024.
I hereby declare:
Brad Irwin elected by acclamation for a 4-year term as Reeve, John Tosczak elected by acclamation for a 4-year term for Division One (1), Blake McLeod elected by acclamation for a 4-year term for Division Three (3), and Derrick Baer elected by acclamation for a 4-year term for Division Five (5)
Dated this 10th day of October, 2024
Aleshia Underwood, Returning Officer
with the number graduating in three years 8.4 per cent higher than the provincial average, and the number graduating in five year 12 per cent higher than the provincial average.
Tracking how well Holy Family students did in transitioning into Grade 10, 92 per cent of Grade 9 students earned eight or more credits in their Grade 10 year, which is well above the provincial average, said Jordens.
In Holy Family, there were 189 students in Grades 1-9 who were learning English as a new language, which is up 45 from the previous year. Of those, 32 spoke Ukrain -
ian as their first language, and there were 21 different first languages, with 77 students needing intensive supports, up six from the previous year.
There were also 22 students who self-identified as indigenous students, which is 1.5 per cent of Holy Family’s overall student population.
In the area of readiness, the target was for 90 per cent of kindergarten students to be considered “ready” for entering Grade 1, and they found that 77.6 per cent of Holy Family students were ready. This number saw 17 per cent positive growth from the fall to spring, a
Notice of Abandonment of Poll Village of Lang Municipal Election 2024
Whereas the following have been nominated for the office of:
Mayor: Michael Saip Councillor: Paige Knouse Councillor: Wally Fraser Councillor: Brooke Tollefson Councillor: Michael Williams
As the only candidates, I hereby give notice that no voting for the office will take place on November 13, 2024.
Da te d at 4: 00 p. m. th is 10t h day of Oc to ber, 20 24.
Shelly Verbeurgt Returning Officer
NOTICE OF ABANDONMENT OF POLL
Whereas a poll is not required pursuant to The Local Government Election Act, 2015 for the office of:
Board Member: South East Cornerstone Public School Division No 209
No voting for the said office will take place and that the following persons are elected by acclamation:
SCHICK, Megan HEWITT-LENDRUM, Norma
Board Member: Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division No 140
No voting for the said office will take place and that the following persons are elected by acclamation:
TUCHSCHERER, Bruno SIDLOSKI, Jerome
Dated at Weyburn, this 10th day of October, 2024.
TINA CLAY RETURNING OFFICER
one-per-cent improvement, noted Jordens.
“Students coming into kindergarten had more readiness skills than in the previous two years. We’ve been putting much effort into ECIP,” she said.
Reading levels were tested in all students, with
Grades 1-3 targetted in this assessment. The Grade 5-8 students are achieving above the provincial target in reading of 80 per cent students reading at or above their grade level, while Grade 3 students are achieving at the provincial average level.
NOTICE OF POLL
Public notice is hereby given that a poll has been granted for the election of:
Mayor (1): City of Weyburn Councillor (6): City of Weyburn and that except where noted, voting will take place on Wednesday, November 13th, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at one polling place, which will be Credit Union Spark Centre at 540 5th Street, N.E.
NOTICE OF ADVANCE POLL
Public notice is hereby given that provision has been made for an advance poll for electors and voting will take place as follows:
• Thursday, November 7, 2024 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Credit Union Spark Centre – 540 5th Street N.E.
• Saturday, November 9, 2024 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Credit Union Spark Centre – 540 5th Street N.E.
MAIL-IN BALLOT
Mail-in Ballot option is available for voters who anticipate not being able to vote on Election Day or the dates of the Advance Polls. In person applications will be accepted until 4:00 p.m., November 12th, 2024 at the Returning Office at City Hall, 157 3rd Street N.E. or by 4:00 p.m., October 31st electronically by emailing the Returning Office at election@ weyburn.ca. Voter ID required at time of application.
SPECIAL ADVANCE POLLS
Special Polls will be held at the following locations and times:
• Weyburn General Hosptial: November 13th, 2024 –1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Weyburn Special Care Home: (Special Mail-In Poll)
• Tatagwa View Care Centre: November 13th, 2020 –Special Mail-In Poll)
For details of identification requirements or any other information, visit our website at www.weyburn.ca.
Dated at Weyburn, this 10th day of October, 2024.
Photos – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Many residents attended the Flavours of Fall fundraiser on Saturday evening, hosted by the Weyburn Ag Society.
4 agriculture, oil &business
Harvest operations wrapping up in southeast region
Harvest is wrapping up in the southeast area, with 98 per cent of harvest complete, and province-wide it’s 97 per cent done. In the Weyburn region, which is Census Division 2, harvest is 100 per cent done.
In addition to combining, producers are busy with fall spraying and field work, including harrowing and discing, baling and hauling bales.
For crops, winter and spring cereals and pulse crops are all done, and of the remaining crops to be harvested, canola is 97 per cent complete, followed by flax at 92 per cent, and soybeans are the furthest behind at 74 per cent.
Rain was variable throughout the region, with most RMs in the Weyburn region getting no precipitation in the past week.
Topsoil moisture dropped within the region, and currently cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 56 per cent adequate, 40 per cent short and four per cent very short.
Hayland is rated as 48 per cent adequate, 45 per cent short and seven per cent very short. Pasture topsoil moisture is rated as 46 per cent adequate, 41 per cent short and 13 per cent very short.
Once harvest is done, producers are hopeful for more rain prior to freezeup, to help with topsoil moisture replenishment. Overall, producers are indicating adequate feed supplies moving into winter.
Current winter feed supplies are estimated to be as follows: hay is 13 per cent surplus, 84 per cent adequate and three per cent short; greenfeed is 16 per cent surplus, 80 per cent adequate and four per cent short.
Silage is nine per cent surplus, 89 per cent adequate and two per cent short; straw is 22 per cent surplus, 76 per cent adequate and two per cent short; and feed grain is 11 per cent surplus, 88 per cent adequate and one per cent short.
Crop damage over the past week was due to strong winds that caused extensive shelling damage to standing canola. Additionally, the wind blew swaths of hay and canola around, which will cause harvest challenges for producers in the region on these fields. Minor crop damage was also reported from migratory birds.
Theatre seat display for ‘Spark Cinema’
This display, showing one of the seats destined for Weyburn’s
Credit Union, where donations are being taken to help with the costs of construction
ground-breaking ceremony for the theatre was held on Thursday on the
Weyburn Leisure Centre to stay closed till 2025
Weyburn Leisure Centre to stay closed till 2025
The Weyburn Leisure Centre will remain closed for the remainder of 2024, with no date as to when it will reopen, as there are “significant issues” in the pool basin and related structures.
The City of Weyburn issued an update on Thursday, noting that Ground Penetrating Radar analysis
was conducted on the pool structure, and the findings showed failures in the pool basin, hot tub and pool deck areas.
“As a result, the indoor portion of the Weyburn Leisure Centre will remain closed for the remainder of 2024, with no definitive timeline for reopening as we work through the necessary repairs,” said a statement from the City.
The City has been in discussions as to what the next steps are, and further updates will be provided as they move through the process.
In response to community feedback, the City will extend the operating hours for the Credit Union Spark Centre, starting on Oct. 15, with hours to begin with opening at 6 a.m.
“This adjustment is aimed at accommodating patrons who previously used the Leisure Centre
Infrastructure work for new theatre to close Third StreetThe City of Weyburn is advising residents and businesses of the closure of Third Street from Coteau Avenue to the MNP parking lot.
The closure will go from Tuesday, Oct. 15 to
for early morning swims,” said the City’s statement. There will be some options offered for WLC pass holders to support them through this extended closure.
Memberships can be paused until the facility reopens and members can transfer their memberships to the Credit Union Spark Centre.
A pro-rated refund can be obtained if patrons wish, for the remainder of their membership term.
Thursday, Oct. 17, to accommodate underground infrastructure work needed for the construction of the new theatre. In addition to the road closure, the sidewalk from the Legion to Ann’s Nail Salon will also be closed during this time.
“We understand the situation is far from ideal, and we are exploring all available options to address the issues,” said Andrew Crowe, leisure services director.
“Unfortunately, this will be a lengthy process, as the necessary repairs are extensive. We appreciate the community’s patience as we work through these challenges to bring an indoor pool back to Weyburn as soon as possible,” he added.
Pedestrians are encouraged to obey all posted signage and use alternative routes when necessary. The construction will affect access to both the Legion and City Hall, and the city asks for the public’s patience and understanding during this time.
Concert Series sponsors honoured
As autumn marks the breeding season for both moose and deer, these animals are on the move, actively seeking mates and exploring new territories. This increase in wildlife movement significantly raises the risk of vehicle collisions, particularly during the fall months.
The Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation is urging all drivers to remain vigilant and take extra precautions while travelling this season.
Over the last five years, an average of 376 injuries and one fatality per year
have been linked to vehicle collisions involving wildlife. In 2023 alone, there were 8,955 wildlife-related collisions, resulting in 426 injuries and three fatalities. These incidents also result in substantial financial costs, with wildlife collision claims averaging $98 million annually over the last five years, and collisions involving deer accounting for the majority of those claims at $82 million.
Darrell Crabbe, SWF executive director, stressed the importance of exercis-
ing increased caution in areas known for wildlife activity, particularly where wildlife crossing signs are posted.
“By slowing down and staying alert, especially at dawn and dusk, we can significantly reduce the risk of collisions, injuries and even fatalities,” he said. To prevent wildlife collisions, the SWF recommends reducing speed in high-risk areas, scanning roadsides for movement, and being cautious during low-light conditions when wildlife are the most
tive.
“Spark Cinema” theatre, is at the Weyburn
for the new theatre. The
site of the old Soo Theatre.
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
The Weyburn Concert Series honoured their 2024-25 sponsors, prior to the first concert of the season held at the Cugnet Centre on October 9. From left are Yvonne Jones, Old Fashion Foods, box office sponsor; Shelby Proznick, DiscoverWeyburn, AM1190, Magic 103.5, Country 106.7, gold sponsor; Stella Swertz, Prairie Sky Co-op, silver sponsor; Linda Aitken, president of Weyburn Concert Series; Sabrina Kraft, Weyburn Review and Weyburn This Week, gold and box office sponsor; Kim Klassen, Weyburn Credit Union, silver sponsor; and Brooke Ward, ReFINEd, platinum sponsor. Missing from the photo were representatives from Barber Motors, gold sponsor; and Pumpjacks, gold sponsor.
Photo – Sabrina Kraft
editorial opinion review weyburn
Consider the issues, and the candidates
This provincial election could result in a new look in the Legislature, depending on how some of the ridings go on voting day, on Monday, Oct. 28.
One thing voters need to keep in mind, when considering their vote preferences, is that firstly, polls do not determine the outcome of an election, and secondly, neither do election ads or rhetoric at a news conference.
Each party is going to do, and say, whatever they think it takes to earn your vote - but the electorate need to be levelheaded and clear-thinking about the issues.
If a voter happens to be in the category of the undecided, they need to consider who the candidates are, who they think is the best suited to represent this riding in the Legislature, and what their stances are on the top issues that matter to them.
Don’t dismiss the campaigning out of hand, look into what matters to you. If it’s education, or health care, or affordability and the level of taxes, then find out what the parties are truly saying.
The candidates forum held in Weyburn on Wednesday night gave an excellent opportunity to hear what four of the five parties are saying on some of the issues raised. Unfortunately, the NDP candidate was not there, so one either has to meet him or take in what the party leader is saying on the news each day.
The forum is being rebroadcast by Access Communications, so if you weren’t able to be present, you should watch that and listen to what the candidates said.
For the Weyburn-Bengough riding, there is no incumbent MLA, as Dustin Duncan decided to call it a day, and end his provincial political career.
The candidates to consider include Mike Weger for the Saskatchewan Party; Rose McInnes for Sask United; Seth Lendrum for the NDP; Hunter North for the Green Party; and Andrew Shanaida for the Buffalo Party.
In this era of social media and getting everything on one’s phone, it’s easy to get distracted by the posts of individuals and parties, or to get into online arguments on various websites.
The best way to navigate one’s way through the forest of opinions and views is to find out what the party platforms are, and also to call or meet with the candidates you think you might like to support, and find out where they stand.
You may raise questions they don’t know the answers to, or they may make points you hadn’t thought of. If your major concern is for health care, or education, ask about those issues in particular and see if their answers line up with what you can support as a voter.
This is an election where voters need to make informed, intelligent choices on the ballot, and send the best representative possible to the Legislature. — Greg Nikkel
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The spirit of giving is still alive
MY NIKKEL’S WORTH
By Greg Nikkel
From time to time, one will hear the lament, “Where have all the volunteers gone?”
There are service groups and volunteer organizations that are trying to get by and carry on with their activities.
Some are doing quite well, others are struggling and are finding it difficult in trying attract new members or new warm bodies who can pitch in and help with a couple of volunteer hours.
The fact is, there was a huge reset button pushed when we were all locked down for the pandemic, and some groups haven’t been able to recover from that very well.
It was almost like all the volunteers who were formerly part of an organization decided, “Nope, not doing that any more ...”
This may have happened in some cases - the but the heart of giving and generosity is still beating very well in Weyburn and the surrounding region.
What may be happening is that there are more events and needs than there were before, and people are just spread thin if they are involved with more than one event or cause.
People do still care, but with other factors, like the economy, high prices and pressures
on one’s time schedule, it’s more of a challenge to do things like in the days before COVID struck us down and hurt many more people than just those infected with the virus.
Groups like the Young Fellows Club, the Weyburn Oilwomen, the YF Wives and the Rotary Club are all continuing to try and meet needs as best they can.
Then there are organizations that run on volunteers or need the help and manpower that volunteers provide, such as the upcoming Communithon on Friday, Oct. 25, or the Weyburn Humane Society, or the Weyburn Arts Council, the Salvation Army, or the Weyburn Theatre co-operative — all manned by volunteers.
If anyone finds themselves with extra time on their hands, or would like to donate items or dollars or other things that are needed, they should consider stepping up to provide whatever help they can.
In most instances, these groups are working to help people and families who are in need, and they help out wherever they are able.
The Weyburn area has proven how generous they are, even with recent events and fundraisers, so we know the giving spirit is still alive and well.
Letter: Chamber addresses concerns about All Candidates forum
To the Editor:
I would like to address a recent misunderstanding regarding the timing of the provincial all-candidates forum organized by the Weyburn Chamber of Commerce.
It has come to our attention that some have voiced concerns over the forum ending abruptly, suggesting it was cut short without allowing for sufficient questions.
I would like to clarify these points.
Prior to the event, all candidates were informed of a strict time line. The schedule was set so that questions and final statements would conclude by 8:40 p.m.
This was intentional, allowing time for the public to approach the candidates directly with any further questions or concerns.
The Chamber rented the facility until 9 p.m., and after allotting time for questions and to allow those in attendance to have one-on-one time with each candidate and exit the venue before the expiry of our rental, it was not pos-
sible to offer an extended question period.
To be clear, the main goal of this forum was to provide our Chamber members with an opportunity to hear the positions of each candidate. However, we also welcomed the general public, offering them a chance to engage with the candidates.
As always, if a member of the Chamber or the public wishes to ensure their question is posed to all candidates, they are welcome to provide us with their question in advance of the event, and we will do our best to accommodate them.
If you wish to provide input respecting future Chamber events or to volunteer with the Chamber, we would invite you to contact our office and purchase a membership.
We hope this clarifies any confusion, and look forward to continuing our efforts to foster open and constructive dialogue within our community.
Monica Osborn, executive director
Weyburn Chamber of Commerce
Covering up the puck
Red Wings goalie Angelo Zol covered up the puck as the Yorkton Terriers pressed for a goal, during SJHL action on Saturday night at Crescent
won this game 6-4 to extend their win streak to four games, after also defeating the Notre Dame Hounds on Friday by the score of 7-1.
Weyburn Red Wings post back-to-back weekend wins
The Weyburn Red Wings have improved their record to four wins in a row, after winning both of their weekend games.
Hosting Yorkton on Saturday night, the Red Wings came away the vic-
tors by the score of 6-4, including a hattrick for both Jaxson Ruthven and Ethan Dekay, and in a neutralsite game in Assiniboia, Weyburn defeated the Notre Dame Hounds 7-1, and Liam Fitzgerald had a hattrick.
In the home game, Ruthven was first on the board with a goal in the first period, assisted by Jerome Maharaj. The Terriers tied the game 13 seconds later, then made
it 2-1 when former Red Wing Keenan Ingram scored in the second period.
Ruthven got his second goal of the night a minute later, assisted by Maharaj and Dallen Oxelgren,
won this game 6-4, with two players getting hattricks, after also winning 7-1 over Notre Dame on Friday night at a neutral-site game in Assiniboia.
then Ethan Dekay scored, assisted by Ruthven and Simon Martin.
Yorkton tied the game again, then Ruthven completed his hattrick near the end of th second period, assisted by Martin and Maharaj once more.
Dekay scored twice more in the third period, both times assisted by Maharaj, and once by Ruthven and Martin.
Angelo Zol was in goal for the full 60 minutes, stopping 45 of the 49 shots made on net.
In the game held in Assiniboia, the first period was all Red Wings, with Liam Fitzgerald getting a hattrick, and the goal came from Dekay. In the second period, Jase
McNichol, Max Chakrabarti and Drew Molde all scored, and Notre Dame scored the last goal of the period for their lone mark on the scoreboard.
Assists on the night included three by Lucas Schmid, and singles by Chakrabarti, Martin, McNichol, Dekay, Josh Karman, Oxelgren and Ryder Rommelaere.
Zol was again the goalie for the full game, making 31 saves on 32 shots on net.
The next action for the Red Wings will be a road trip, first stopping in Nipawin to take on the Hawks tonight, Oct. 16, and on to Flin Flon for a pair of weekend games on Oct. 18-19.
Weyburn Gold Wings go 2-2 at Showcase tournament in Ontario
The Weyburn Gold Wings were in Ontario to take part in the 2024 North American Showcase tournament, and the team went 2-2 on the weekend with some very tight games.
They began the tournament with a 5-2 win over the Stockton St. Mary’s Hs.
Kadence Dansereau scored the first goal, assisted by Adison Warren, followed by Maicy Groenewegen, assisted by Liv Peck.
Kinley Dammann, a Weyburn product, scored her first AAA goal, assisted by Makenna Sumners. Kamryn Kish scored twice, once was unassisted, and the second goal was assisted by Madelyn Sittler.
The Gold Wings went on to post a 2-0 win over the East Ottawa Stars.
Captain Kiah Shields scored, with an assist by Scarlett Lindsay, and Jade Oszewski scored unassisted.
In a game to decide first place in their pool, the Gold Wings were edged out 2-1 by the Durham West Lightning.
Hallie Parada scored Weyburn’s lone goal of the game.
Their final game was also tight, a 2-1 loss to the Brampton Canadettes, with Olszewski scoring Weyburn’s goal, assisted by Shields and Dammann.
The team went on a tour of Toronto before returning home to Saskatchewan.
Weyburn Comp athletes take in prov’l cross-country finals
Several Weyburn Comp athletes took part in the provincial cross country running on Saturday in Humboldt, with the following results. In the Intermediate Girls category, with 98 runners, Lily Penner placed 58th with a time of 15:51. For Intermediate Boys, with 109 runners taking part, Ajax Longman came in 29th with a time of
12:18. In Junior Boys, with 98 runners in the race, Camden Husband came in ninth with a time of 15:46, and Oren Nicolay was 59th with a time of 19:10. In the Senior Girls category, with 110 runners taking part, Jyllian Payak placed 58th with a time of 21:10. In Senior Boys, with 112 runners in the field, Stuart Dunn came in 70th with a time of 18:46.
Point Place. The Wings
Photo
– Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
WCS cross-country team at prov’s
The runners and coaches from the Weyburn Comp gathered following the provincial cross-country meet held on Oct. 12 in Humboldt. From left are coach Emily Pokletar, Lily Penner, Jyllian Payak, Stuart Dunn, Camden Husband, Oren Nicolay, Ajax Longman and coach Kristy Gall.
Photo courtesy Kristy Gall
Big traffic jam at the net
The referee was ready with his whistle as the Weyburn Red Wings and Yorkton Terriers had a big traffic jam in front of the net. The Red Wings
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
sports
Kicking for the point-after
Weyburn Comp Eagles kicker Tace Odima booted the point-after to a touchdown, in their final regular season
will now prepare for the high school playoffs as the defending provincial champions.
The WCS Eagles football team entertained the ECS Elecs in the final regular season game of the season on Saturday, the Eagles with a 4-1 record and the Elecs with an 0-5 record.
Pre-game there was a graduate ceremony where the graduating players from each of the teams were introduced along with their families and acknowledged for their contributions to their respective programs.
The Eagles established an early lead with touchdowns from Spencer Bell, Vaughn Wendel, Haydin Buehler and Nolan Uhren.
Estevan answered with a kickoff return touchdown by Jayden Smith to cut into the lead, but the Eagles responded with a touchdown from Max Vennard before the half.
The Eagles used the opportunity to get some game experience for the younger players in the second half. Estevan took advantage and scored twice with Preston Mc -
guire and Dorian Sifton scoring for the Elecs, but before the end the Eagles scored one more time with Brody Walter getting the touchdown and lifting the Eagles to a 46-22 victory.
The Eagles now look to the playoffs where they will host the Moose Jaw Central Cyclones on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 1 p.m. at Darold Kot Field. This is the league semi-final, and the winner will take on the winner of the other semifinal where Balgonie is hosting Yorkton.
In other sports at the Weyburn Comp this weekend, the WCS Senior B Girls volleyball tournament starts Friday and goes all day Saturday.
The Senior Girls soccer regional tournament will also be held at WCS on Saturday. The WCS girls will play at 11 a.m. in a semi-final, and the winner will play at 3 p.m. for the chance to advance to provincials. The WCS Boys soccer team is heading to Moose Jaw for their regional event
in Weyburn is on Oct 23rd, starting at 5:30 p.m. in the Eagles gym. The boys play at 5:30 p.m. & the girls play at 7:30 p.m.
Leaping for the interception
WCS Eagles player Jarret Hayward leaped high in an attempt to intercept a pass from the
ing their final regular season game on Saturday afternoon at Darold Kot Field.
Weyburn Falcons win, Ravens lose over weekend
The Weyburn U14 Youngfellow Falcons hit the road on Thanksgiving Monday to Swift Current in a do-or-die Turkey Bowl game against the Steelers. The final score was 19-17 for the U14 Falcons.
The Falcons showed the Steelers that they weren’t there to mess around by scoring early in the first quarter with a touchdown by Caleb Duhamel, with a beautifully kicked convert by quarterback Finn Clark.
The offensive game ball went to Corbin Dyck, who got a taste of offence last game and proved himself enough to stay there by earning two touchdowns
for the Falcons.
The defence proved they were a force to be reckoned, with Brenden Hope trading in his offensive role to lead the defensive cavalry with eight solo tackles, followed closely by Zion Siwale with six and Titan Seghers and Preston Walter both with four.
The defensive game ball went to Hudson Lawrence who broke through the offensive line to pick up a pivotal fumble recovery. The Weyburn U12 West Country Ravens marched in to the Moose Jaw hot gates to face the Spartans head-on in a pre-thanks -
giving day melee.
The Ravens found themselves in a bit of a hole following the first half of play. The Spartans came out strong on both sides of the ball and were able to capitalize on their mistakes.
The team came out looking strong in the second half and the defense brought the boom and began to create turnovers. Mac Hillstead jumped on two fumbles, tipped a pass (which was intercepted by Nash Metz and returned for 20 yards) added to a handful of tackles, and he earned defensive player of the game.
Nate Cornish continues to impress and was a menace on the D with 6.5 tackles. Mayhem Haider and Connor Metz added a handful of tackles each. The defensive play trended stronger as the game went on.
The offence had a tough time getting a foothold against the strong play of the Spartans defence. Landon Leroux found the end zone early on in the third quarter for the lone score of the game. They played with heart and character to the final whistle in a 52-6 loss. The Ravens will have one more game this season.
Whereas the following have been nominated for the office of: Reeve: Jason Watson
Division 3 Councillor: Brice Marshall
Whereas Schenley Borys, nominated for the office of Reeve, Whereas Sarah Leguee, nominated for the office of Councillor for Division 1, and Whereas Brett Gaube, nominated for the office of Councillor for Division 3, are the only candidates, I hereby
game versus the Estevan Elecs on Saturday. The Eagles
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Estevan Elecs, dur-
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Call/Text: 306873-0481 Email: sales@agproseeds com
in Gosport England on October 13 1931 to Charles and Dorothy White She spent much of her childhood evacuated to the country and was raised by her Aunt Lizzie and Uncle Wag due to the war Mary married William Schofield in 1956 She was widowed in 1964 and raised her daughter Veronica as a single parent
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brother Paul (Glynis) White of Isle of Wight England as well as other relatives and friends At the request of Mary a Private Family Service & Interment has taken place at Green Acres Memorial Gardens, Weyburn, Saskatchewan In lieu of flowers donations in memory of Mary may be made to the
community lifestyles 9 &
Inclusion Award for Travelodge charity golf
The volunteer committee for the Travelodge charity golf tournament was given an award of recognition by Inclusion
mittee members Brad Wheeler,
George
Travelodge
Art collection marks a half-century of connecting artists together
By Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
An exhibit of works from the City of Weyburn’s Permanent Art Collection opened with a reception on Friday night in the Weyburn Art Gallery, showing a tight network of connectiveness that includes Weyburn artists.
The exhibit, entitled “Zero Degrees of Separation”, is marking the 50th anniversary of the collection with a selection of 38 art works, including 12 Weyburn artists.
Each piece, from paintings and drawings to pottery pieces and sculptures,
has lines of tape between them, with notes explaining how an artist is connected with other artists whose works are on display.
Curator Regan Lanning explained she spent a lot of time during COVID doing the research on the Permanent Art Collection, and in researching the background of the various artists found there was and is a tight network of connectivity in Saskatchewan’s art community.
In her comments at the reception, Lanning noted the collection began in 1974, with the Weyburn Arts Council buying be -
tween one and four pieces a year, building it up to over 300 pieces by over 150 artists today.
“The main purpose of the collection was to preserve visual arts created primarily in Saskatchewan, and to establish a record of our artistic heritage,” said Lanning, noting the collection was kept for years in a temperature-controlled storage room in the basement of City Hall, until the Credit Union Spark Centre was built.
The new facility includes the Weyburn Art Gallery, and a vault attached housing the Permanent Art Col-
lection in a temperature and humidity-controlled environment.
Lanning began the research on the pieces in the collection as they had very little information on a number of the artists in it, and they wanted a record of who they were and the record of exhibition history for the pieces.
as one of the early major artists of this province.
Lanning also pointed out that this year also marks the 60th anniversary of the Weyburn Arts Council, the first one in the province, and the first chair of the council, James Weir, went on to chair the Saskatchewan Arts Board in 197274.
fluenced and connected to a lot of other artists,” she said. “In a province like Saskatchewan, these connections between artists is tight.”
She invited viewers to take a look to see how the Weyburn artists were connected with each other and with many other artists in the province.
during the reception held at the Weyburn Art Gallery for the exhibit, Zero Degrees of Separation.The exhibit is marking the 50th anniversary of the City of Weyburn’s Permanent Art Collection.
She noted one piece is by artist Inglis SheldonWilliams, produced in 1926, and had spent most of its existence in a private collection, and this exhibit marks the first time it’s being publicly shown. Sheldon-Williams is recognized New Weyburn
Strong group to hold retreat for women diagnosed with cancer
A new initiative has started in Weyburn, WeyStrong, that evolved due to the need for support for women living in Weyburn and surrounding communities who have been diagnosed with various types of cancer.
This includes women who are at various stages in their cancer journey. With cancer numbers on the rise, Saskatchewan will see approximately 780 women diagnosed with breast cancer alone in 2024.
The group’s first event is an all-day women’s retreat to be held on Sunday,
October 20 at the Weyburn Travelodge. The retreat will start at 9:30 a.m. with registration. The day will include a couple of movement sessions, an information session with a nurse, hands-on crafting activities and an opportunity to socialize with women who have all been diagnosed with cancer. Nutritious snacks and lunch will be provided as well. The retreat is free to attend and open to all women in Weyburn and surrounding communities that have ever received a cancer diagnosis. It doesn’t matter if you
have been cancer-free for 10 years or just a few months, organizers would love to have you attend the retreat.
“We want woman of all ages and stages to join us, as the more diverse group we have the more knowledge can be shared,” said organizers in a release.
If you are interested in attending or know someone who would benefit from attending, please email weystrong2024@ gmail.com
There will be additional spaces for caregivers if one is needed for an attendee to be able to join us.
She was inspired to introduce the connectiveness of the art and artists in part from a game she and her friends used to play as teenagers, called “Seven Degrees of Separation with Kevin Bacon”, as he was seen in many movies and TV shows at the time.
“Relationships are integral in the art world, as every artist is inspired, in-
She and fellow art instructor, Asmara Riaz, spent a week and a half carefully measuring and laying down the tape between the various art works laid out in the Weyburn Art Gallery. The exhibit will be up from now until Jan. 3, 2025, at which time the James Weir People’s Choice Exhibit will go up for viewing and voting.
WeyStrong has longterm plans as well. Future plans include ongoing learning events, movement events and raising funds to eventually equip the oncology unit in the new hospital, and just building a strong group of woman supporting woman here in Weyburn.
If you have questions or would like to support the retreat with a financial or inkind contribution, message the group on their Facebook page, or email to weystrong2024@gmail.com to learn how you can support women diagnosed with cancer in the community.
Weyburn on Friday morning. From left are com-
John, Harry and
Siourounis of
Weyburn, Jackie Wilson of Inclusion Weyburn, Gary Anderson, Grant Marinos and Marga Cugnet.
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Weyburn artists connect at art reception
Longtime Weyburn artists Roland and Lois Olson, left, connected with fellow artists Jaynie and Max Himsl,
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Weyburn
By Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
The 2025 calendar for the Weyburn Credit Union will feature the photography of Marianne Robillard, with scenes of wildlife and landscapes caught in and around the Weyburn area.
While she has photographed at a number of events in the community, primarily her photography is a hobby that she loves as she scouts around constantly while out with her dog or her husband.
Robillard first started into the hobby in high school when she became the yearbook photographer, and the school’s shop teacher taught her how to use a 35mm film camera, and then to do darkroom
photographer’s images featured in 2025 calendar
work to print her photos.
“From that, I bought a camera and went backpacking on a six-month trip. It was a Pentax ME Super, and I shot for six months straight with that camera and I loved it,” said Robillard. “That’s when I really got rolling with it.”
She took a hiatus from photography as her career and family became very busy, but once she retired from her job, she got back into photography when she was given a 35mm digital camera as a Christmas present.
Robillard took workshops from a number of well-known photographers, such as Greg Johnson, Lori Maxim and Colin Chatfield, and she began scouting around for pos -
sible photos anytime she was out for a walk or a drive in the country.
A number of the photos in the calendar show wildlife on the Tatagwa park trails, or on farms nearby, such as one image of a cat in the window of a barn, a young fox backlit by the sun, or a pronghorn antelope with a fawn.
“As much free time as I have, I try to spend time out scouting. I like event photography, but other than that it’s more of a hobby, the nature and wildlife photography,” said Robillard.
Asked what she enjoys most about the craft, she said, “I think it’s a combination of so many things. One is art, the other is nature and wildlife, the
outdoors – it’s kind of a combination of all those things. It’s like unwrapping a Christmas present, coming home and downloading my photos to see what I’ve got. It really excites me every time I do it, and I don’t think it’ll ever get old for me.”
To have her photos now featured in the Weyburn Credit Union’s calendar, which goes out to customers and anyone who wants it, she said, I’m really very humbled and honoured that Tana sought me out. It’s really an honour to share these with somebody other than my family and friends. I hope people enjoy them as much as I enjoy taking them, and make the effort to do it.
That’s the bonus for me.”
Featured in 2025 calendar
Marianne Robillard holds one of the 2025 calendars for the Weyburn Credit Union, featuring her photos. Ryan Janke of the Credit Union, presented her with a cheque. Robillard’s photos are of wildlife and nature in and around the Weyburn area.
Credit Union gathers for ‘Spark Cinema’ ground-breaking Staff from the Weyburn Credit Union gathered with committee members of the Weyburn Theatre Co-operative on Thursday for the ground-breaking ceremony of the “Spark Cinema”, on the site of the former Soo Theatre on Third Street.
Photo – Sabrina Kraft/Weyburn Review
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca