Hythe’s annual Big Fish Derby Tournament is returning for the 5th year at Spring Lake.

Esther Penner, the organizer of the event, says the tournament presents a fun opportunity for families to get out and enjoy the beloved Hythe tradition of ice fishing.

“It’s a family event for people who want to have a family day out on the ice and just go ice fishing and things like that,” she says. “I’ve done it for about five years now, it’s a tradition [and] it’s quite popular, a lot of people like fishing in Hythe.”

Penner says each year, proceeds from entry fees go toward a worthy cause in the community, and this year is no different, with proceeds going towards the Hythe Fire Association.

“Each time I do it I get suggestions to donate to things like the fire association, or Big Brothers Big Sisters, and last year I donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters, so this year I’m doing it for the fire association,” she says. “What inspired me is I wanted to give back because I know they worked really hard during the wildfires so I wanted to give back for what they did for us.”

$3,000 in prizes are up for grabs during the event, and Penner says prizes include tents, fishing rods, children’s items, and gift cards to local businesses.

“We give prizes out at the end of each day so we have prizes for whoever catches the biggest fish on the 18th and whoever catches the biggest fish on the 19th gets a prize.”

Tickets to enter start at $20 for youth aged between 6-18 years old, $40 for adults, and kids under six get in for free. Interested individuals are encouraged to call Esther at (780)-605-0776 to register.

St. Catherine Catholic School Grade six students shot for the stars in a hybrid science project about colonizing our celestial neighbour put together by three passionate teachers at the school.

Kristie Lorenz, a Grade six teacher at St. Catherine says the project incorporated all four core subjects- Math, Science, Social Studies, and Language Arts, in an artistic setting to allow students to get hands-on with subjects that can sometimes feel quite linear.

“Three of us Grade six teachers got together and we wanted to do a thematic plan based on our sky science unit,” she says. “We thought about Mars colonization because its something that’s in the news sometimes, and we incorporated all of the four core subjects and art because we are an art school.”

Lorenz says the project allowed students to think outside the box and presented unique challenges for the kids to intermingle the five subjects into one cohesive plan.

“The benefit to doing thematic plans is instead of just compartmentalizing their learning into subjects, they see how everything works together,” she says. “Science is not just an anomaly by itself, so they can see how it all works together like how you can take your math into social studies, and how you can take your reading and writing skills to use them when solving problems in science.”

Additionally, Lorenz says working in groups was quite beneficial for her students, as it teaches them real-world skills that can be applied when they enter the workforce. She adds that “every single group” ran into frustrations; however, through working as a team, they managed to pull themselves out of those situations and remain on task.

“It’s a recognition that kids need to learn how to work in small groups and big groups in the workforce nowadays and so just coming up with ideas about how to get them up and moving and working in those groups so that they’re ready for their future.”

As a long-time teacher, Ms. Lorenz says she benefitted as much as the students did. She says developing new and innovative learning opportunities keeps her students engaged in the lesson, as well as herself.

“I feel like I have to keep evolving and keep working on my plans to make them more hands-on and more artistic and more STEM-focused to keep the kids engaged, and even me engaged because if you do the same thing over and over again it gets boring.”

Lorenz says the students not only met her expectations, but exceeded them during the process, and says plans to continue hands-on learning opportunities at St. Catherines are in place for the future.

Two people are facing charges in connection with several thefts from oil and gas sites in northern Alberta.

The RCMP says the investigation began last fall, as they were monitoring the suspects for involvement in crimes targeting oil and gas sites in the County of Grande Prairie, the MD of Greenview, Big Lakes County, Woodlands County, Parkland County and the Peace River District of BC.

On January 12th, the two accused 44-year-old Michael O’Bee and 41-year-old Denai Lanz, both of Grande Prairie, were arrested after the months long investigation wrapped up. Both accused are facing charges are facing charges including break and enter, possession of break in instruments and possession of a controlled substance.

The City of Grande Prairie is introducing a fee for no-shows at Eastlink Centre’s PlayCare, childcare for children.

Beginning on February 1st, the fee will be automatically placed on caretaker accounts who miss the attendance window and do not cancel a scheduled slot 30 minutes before the start time. According to the city, if the caretaker and child do not arrive in the first 10 minutes of a booked slot, it will be considered a no-show.

Booked PlayCare slots can be cancelled or altered any time up to 30 minutes before the scheduled time through Access GP at 3-1-1.

The use of PlayCare has increased steadily in the past year due to visitors using recreational amenities at Eastlink. The city says the fee “creates fairness” for everyone who wishes to utilize the service by encouraging visitors to only sign up for time slots they can attend.

Additionally, the implementation of the fees aligns with the municipal government’s commitment to ensuring caretakers can use PlayCare while they utilize Eastlink amenities.

A question from the City’s Youth Advisory Council sparked a discussion among councillors during Tuesday’s committee meetings.

According to the Youth Advisory Council, salting and sanding efforts by city snow removal crews have been seemingly not as high of a priority; however, Deputy Mayor Gladys Blackmore says the choice to avoid salting was a prudent one during the extreme cold.

“We have very good policies and procedures for putting sand and salt on the roads when it’s icy; however anyone from a grade eight science class could remember salt quits working at about 12-15 degrees below zero,” she says.

Blackmore says the choice to salt the roads during the extreme cold wave that blew through Grande Prairie in recent weeks would have simply been a waste of resources, but crews remained active and utilized sand instead of salt during the cold to ensure driver safety during the freeze.

“There’s really no point in putting that resource on the road when it’s not effective; however, our crews are still out there and they’re still sanding and doing everything they can to make our streets as safe as possible.”

City officials say crews are operational even in the worst conditions, but when temperatures drop to around -35°C, worker safety and equipment preservation become a top priority.

A shift to the City of Grande Prairie’s Stormwater Drainage Bylaw will leave residents with an adjustment on their tax bills from the city.

According to the city, discussion surrounding how the city handles stormwater utilities began with the previous council in 2019, and Deputy Mayor Gladys Blackmore says the current council has debated the topic heavily in the past two years.

“It’s a complicated issue that has taken a lot of conversation over particularly the last two years,” she says.

The city says the adjustment will be a “cost-neutral” one, meaning residents should not have to pay any more or less than they are already paying for the service. Currently, stormwater utilities are covered by municipal taxes, and Deputy Mayor Blackmore says there will be no visible difference to the services provided.

“The intent is the overall cost difference will be neutral, so we’re not making money on the stormwater utility, it will just be a better way to manage that process,” she says. “They [residents] will still get the same delivery of the stormwater utility that they’ve always gotten.”

Blackmore emphasizes that the switch is “not a money grab” for the city, and residents are encouraged to share feedback and learn about the changes and can review information resources regarding the proposal on the city’s website.

The Food Access and Security Taskforce has announced its findings from the 2023 Food Access and Affordability Survey.

2,188 Grande Prairie residents contributed to the initiative and provided insights into the challenges associated with food access in the city. The survey reported that 57% of residents said they find food expensive, and 19% of respondents say they frequently encountered challenges affording food.

Deputy Mayor Gladys Blackmore says the city is aware of the challenges residents are facing, and she says the problem could be chalked up to high inflation across the country.

“There is no doubt that inflationary costs at the grocery store are difficult for many families to manage and it’s impacting every single family, every single household in Grande Prairie,” she says.

Blackmore adds that she thinks the problem is one that falls on the reduction of transportation costs to get food to the north; however, she says city council is aware of the cost on residents, and talks are underway to look at potential solutions.

“Until we can reduce the cost of delivery services in Grande Prairie, and the cost of fuel to get food here, I don’t see that going away, but it is something that we talk about at council and that we are aware of.”

FAST says as a result of their investigation, the organization is aiming to develop a community-based action plan that addresses short and long-term objectives to combat food insecurity in GP.

Design Works Centre is going through another name change after the City of Grande Prairie and CDN Controls Ltd. signed a one-year naming rights agreement for the south arena at Design Works Centre.

The arena was formerly named the Design Works South Arena, and under the current contract, will be known as the CDN Controls South Arena.

Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says the partnership could open up further opportunities for the arena to offer programming for residents.

“The City looks forward to offering excellent access to health, wellness, and recreation activities with the support of our valuable community partners,” she says.

To celebrate, CDN Controls is hosting a free public skate for the community at Design Works Centre on February 25th from 2:25 to 3:30 p.m.

Additionally, the CDN Controls Arena is set to host a number of drop-in stick and puck, skating, and shinny times during the year. A full schedule of times and registration information is available on the city’s website.

Peace Country residents are encouraged to register for the upcoming provincial healthcare engagement sessions.

The provincial government announced the 40 in-person events back in mid-January, with the purpose of the events reportedly being to allow Albertans to have a voice when it comes to their health care. Sessions are expected to touch on topics such as challenges local communities and communities across the province are facing when it comes to healthcare, possible solutions and “innovations.”

According to Minister of Health, Adriana LaGrange, being able to work and collaborate with front-line healthcare workers, regional partners and residents is an important part of improving the provincial healthcare system. The input,

“Ensuring Albertans and their families have a health care system that is responsive and reliable is critical. That’s why it’s so important we have these face-to-face conversations with front-line workers, patients and caregivers about the challenges that exist and how we can build a stronger healthcare system that serves the current and future needs of Albertans,” LaGrange says.

Cabinet ministers who will reportedly be in attendance at these sessions when possible include LaGrange, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services Jason Nixon, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction Dan Williams, and Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health Martin Long.

The public engagement sessions follow the province’s announcement in November about creating four new healthcare organizations to ‘refocus’ the system. The four organizations will separately focus on primary care, continuing care, acute care, and mental health and addictions. At the time of the announcement Premier Danielle Smith said provincial healthcare would still be one single system, but the separate organizational focus is expected to streamline “management layers,” with the new organizations expected to be in place by the fall of 2024.

The first of the 40 sessions started in Lethbridge on Tuesday, January 23rd and was full with a waiting list for those wanting to attend. Peace Country communities these sessions are happening include Grande Prairie, Grande Cache, and Peace River.

The Alberta Canola Conference is coming to Grande Prairie for farmers in the canola industry to gather and share insights regarding the status of canola farming in Alberta.

According to Alberta Canola, the full-day event will include guest speakers from the Canola Council of Canada, National Canola Marketing Program- Hello Canola, and Farm Management Canada.

The event comes one day before Alberta Canola’s Research Symposium on January 25th, which hopes to give industry researchers the opportunity to discuss projects and potential new areas of research.

Additionally, Alberta Canola’s 34th AGM is scheduled the morning of the conference and is open to all attendees. The meeting will also be live-streamed to allow growers from around Alberta to participate and vote remotely. Anyone interested in attending the AGM virtually must register online on Alberta Canola’s website.

Both the AGM, and the conference are scheduled for January 24th and tickets are available online for free; however, pre-registration is required to ensure adequate seating and food for attendees.

The Grande Prairie Storm is holding a special game night to recognize accomplished Storm Alumni.

Nicole Menzies, Executive Director for the Storm says the event is significant as it recognizes Storm alumni who have gone on to other levels of hockey, and beyond.

“We have some really amazing alumni who have played for the storm and gone on to do some really cool things, played NCAA hockey, semi-professional and professional hockey,” she says. “Community members will recognize a lot of these men from their positions in the community as business owners, volunteers, and coaches, and I think it’s really sort of a full circle moment of this is kind of where they got their start.”

Menzies says it’s not uncommon for players to come back to the Grande Prairie region to live and work when their hockey careers come to a close. She says the event is important as it signifies the drawing power that the GP Storm has as a community organization.

“A lot of them come back to the Peace Country to live and work and raise their families here,” she says. “I think a lot of these guys that came before them have really paved the way in terms of the Storm in Grande Prairie and positioning the Storm as a community organization.”

Additionally, Menzies says the event presents the opportunity for current Storm players to recognize the work that those before them put in.

“Seeing these guys and thanking them for everything they did before them and also really seeing what Storm hockey can do for these young players.”

The night is packed with ways for attendees to engage, including former-player jersey auctions, a ceremonial puck drop, and special jerseys to be worn by the current roster during the game.

“It will be really cool to see a lot of those numbers back in Bonnett’s.”

20 alumni jerseys have been recreated and current skaters will wear them during warmups before the game and will be available for auction during and after the game for eager Storm fans.

The 2024 Woman of Influence Awards has announced this year’s keynote speaker for the upcoming awards luncheon on March 8th.

Heather Alexander, a clarity coach for high-achieving women and Grande Prairie local, is scheduled to present and speak on the journey from inspiration to impact while emphasizing the important role women play in bettering the world for others through business and influence.

Alexander says she is “deeply honoured” to have been chosen to be a part of the event, as it marks an important milestone for International Women’s Day in Grande Prairie.

“I am deeply honored to be chosen as a speaker and to be a part of an event that not only celebrates International Women’s Day but also recognizes and supports the extraordinary nominees and winners of the Women of Influence Award,” she says.

The award reception takes place on March 8th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The Bowes in Bonnett’s Energy Centre.

County of Grande Prairie snow removal crews are scheduled to begin snow clearing on January 23rd.

After beginning operations in Whispering Ridge, Westlake Village, and Hythe, crews will move on to Clairmont, Wedgewood, Taylor Estates, Maple Ridge, and La Glace neighbourhoods.

Digital “No Parking” signs will be posted at the entrances of the affected areas, and temporary parking restrictions will be in place, and street parking will not be permitted between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

The county says vehicles left on the street when a parking restriction is in place may be subject to ticketing and towing. Residents are also reminded that piling snow on roadways is illegal and could result in fines up to $100.

The snow removal process also includes temporary parking restrictions in neighbourhoods or communities with concrete curbs and gutters, and street parking.

County subdivisions with ditches along the road such as Carriage Land and Goldenrod Estates are on a separate schedule.

Parking bans are back for the city of Grande Prairie’s permanent snow routes, beginning on January 23rd.

The ban restricts parking on permanent snow routes from Monday to Friday between 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. until the ban is lifted. The city says the bans are necessary to ensure safe access to roadways during snow removal operations.

Residents are asked to remove parked vehicles from priority one and two roads, and a  map of priority routes is available on the city’s website.

Residential road clearing has also been declared and is underway in several neighbourhoods. Contractors are completing residential areas in a two-week rotation from Monday to Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

The city says a notice will be put out on the city website and social media once the bans are lifted and conditions improve.

Valhalla Community School is participating in a province-wide project that hopes to hatch a love for biology for students in a hands-on learning opportunity.

The Fish in Schools program gives kindergarten to grade nine students around Alberta the chance to experience the lifecycle of trout from eggs to young fish. Eggs are shipped from the Bow Habitat Station in Calgary to schools around the province and allow students to raise trout in the classroom over a several-month period.

Gina Shepelwik, a Kindergarten teacher at Valhalla and organizer for the program says the program is beneficial as it presents a unique opportunity for students to witness a lifecycle in person, instead of on a whiteboard.

“Being a part of it, the kids will get to see them today and it’s just these little orange eggs and as they change the kids get to see that and be a part of it, it makes it more personal I think,” she says.

Shepelwik says the undertaking marks the second for the school. Last year saw nearly half of the eggs hatch and released into the wild, but she says she is hopeful this year will see an even better turnover.

“Last year was kind of our pilot project so this year we’re hoping to get the kids more involved and it’ll be a different experience for us this year I think,” she says. “Last year we started off with 65 eggs and by the time we got to release them I think we had 20-25, so the goal is to have more to release this time,”

According to the timeline suggested by officials, the eggs are on track to hatch by March, and Shepelwik says if everything goes to plan, Spring Lake should be stocked up with fresh trout by May.

City of Grande Prairie crews are set to start residential snow clearing on Monday.

Clearing will be done in two-week rotations, following a Week A and B schedule. Crews will begin clearing the latest snowfall from communities on Monday, January 22nd following the Week A schedule, including the communities of Hillside, Mountview, Montrose, Crystal Heights, Crystal Landing and Ivy Lake Estates.

Snow clearing will be done from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, and during this time residents are reminded a parking ban is in place on residential roads on the assigned plowing days or when signs indicate.

More information can be found on the city’s website.

The Grande Prairie Intercultural Association and the Grande Prairie Public Library have announced there will be four events for the upcoming intercultural celebrations for Black History Month.

According to the library, four separate events are scheduled throughout the month leading up to a gala on March 2nd.

The festivities kick off on Saturday, February 3rd from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at a “historic kickoff celebration.” Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton will be in attendance as a “special guest” and is set to deliver an official Black History Month proclamation for the city.

The event marks the first of its kind for Grande Prairie, and Mayor Clayton says she encourages all residents to embrace the celebration.

“We’re immensely grateful for organizations such as the Grande Prairie Intercultural Association and their many valued partners for making these celebrations possible, supporting engaging relationships and an inclusive, caring community,” she says.

The event is set to begin with a blessing from an elder from the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre and the library says games, refreshments, and stories are set after the kickoff.

Residents are invited to submit stories, achievements, and contributions to the GPPL to be featured at various events throughout the month.

The Alberta College of Massage Therapy in Grande Prairie is donating a significant amount of sheets from their student clinic massage beds to Grande Prairie non-profits.

Nikki Surka, an instructor at the college says a recent change has opened up the opportunity for the college to support their community through donations at Wapiti House and the Bandaged Paws Animal Rescue Association.

“We have the fitted and flat sheets that we use in the student clinic but they’re moving away from having a laundry service and supplying the students with their own sheets to use and then take home and launder,” she says. “We have all the clinic linens that are no longer going to be needed and instead of just disposing them we thought maybe finding somewhere we could donate them would be more helpful.”

Surka says the timing worked out perfectly for the college as Bandaged Paws made an announcement on social media that they were in need of flat sheets for the shelter. She says the donation inspired her to search around the community for other non-profit organizations that had similar needs, which led her to the Wapiti House.

“For Bandaged Paws, I just happened to see a Facebook post just a few days before we got the notification that all the students got their sheets, and I thought well if they’re in need of sheets we have a ton,” she says. “I phoned around and found that Wapiti House was thrilled to take the sheets off of our hands and then we also had a huge number of just flat sheets and bandaged paws took them in.”

Surka says she has not made an official tally for the amount of sheets that have been donated but says she “guesses more than 50” went to Bandaged Paws, and more are on the way to Wapiti House.

December home sales saw a year-over-year bump, but a downtick in the average price according to the latest numbers from the Alberta Real Estate Association.

In December, 72 homes were sold in Grande Prairie up 41.2 per cent compared to the same month in 2022, but the average price was down 11.3 per cent at $291,377. The majority of residential properties sold throughout December were detached homes, which had an average price of $348,911 a 1.7 per cent increase.

Throughout all of 2023, sales in the city were down five per cent, but detached home sales were the only market that saw a year-over-year decline of eight per cent. Semi-detached homes, row houses and apartments all saw a boost in sales during the last calendar year, seeing anywhere from a three per cent to 28 per cent bump. The average price in 2023 saw a two per cent dip at $319,202, with both detached homes and apartment prices seeing a one per cent downtick. Semi-detached and row properties both saw a slight increase in average price.