The Clairmont Ag Society is planning to break ground on the community’s new Adventure Park this July. Team Lead Leanne Braybrook says they’ve raised just over half the funds needed for the entire park so far.
“We still need $350,000 for the water park. We have just shy of the $400,000 we need for the skate park, so our next goal is to raise that remaining money.”
Braybrook says another exciting addition to the spray park is a 16′ tall shower tower, shaped like an oil derrick. She says the ag society was looking for a way to incorporate the importance of the oil and gas industry in the peace region to the adventure park.
Representatives from Travel Alberta will be in town tomorrow to meet with members of the local tourism industry. The Road Show includes 10 stops around the province to update local operators on the province’s new tourism framework, and their future marketing plans. GP Regional Tourism Director Ainsley Lamontagne says the province really wants to see and encourage collaboration between local operators.
“One of the things that Travel Alberta offers is a cooperative marketing funding program, so they will co-op marketing dollars for a tourism initiative, but to get that funding you really have to show that you are collaborating with other operators.”
The Travel Alberta Road Show is an all day event tomorrow at the Holiday Inn.
The County has awarded a contract to AECOM to carry out their air photo project this year. Reeve Leanne Beaupre says it is part of the assessment service that they provide for towns and villages within the County.
“Through the assessment that we do, we actually take photos of the area so that we can be able to aid in planning and different types of business units that the County of Grande Prairie does. Â So we update our photos on a regular basis.”
Total cost of the project is just under 157 thousand dollars. Beaupre says they are waiting to hear if any of the towns or villages will provide funding towards those costs.
As of 10am tomorrow morning, 24 hour road bans will be in place on all Country gravel roads. County public works director Herb Pfau says the restriction to 75 percent axle weight remains in place.
“Up to this point, you could run at night on the frost, but it is warmer now and we are not going to get to much cold weather at night so we are protecting the infrastructure by going to a 24 hour road ban.”
Pfau expects the 24 hour road bans will remain in place until the first couple weeks of May.
Local RCMP will begin the consultation process for their long term strategy later this month. Grande Prairie Detachment Superintendent Ray Noble says there are three steps to the consultation.
“One is focus groups with a lot of our partners and the agencies we work with. The second will be a telephone survey which we spent a lot of time making sure that we’re asking the right questions so that we can represent everybody, and the third is web based surveys.”
Noble says the web based surveys will be hosted by both the city and county of Grande Prairie websites. Focus groups will begin meetings on April 21.
This is national volunteer week, when we say thank you to the many community minded residents who give their time freely to organizations or events in our region. Communities throughout the County have a number of activities planned to recognize volunteers. A dessert evening is being held tonight at the Clairmont community school library beginning at 7 pm. Wembley is hosting a volunteer appreciation and community award banquet tomorrow night, beginning at 5:30. And three events are planned for Wednesday – a pancake supper in Hythe, a Mayoral Just Desserts event in Sexsmith, and a Volunteer Appreciation and Civic Awards night in Beaverlodge. Grande Prairie will host it’s Volunteer appreciation luncheon on April 24th, in conjunction with it’s Leaders of Tomorrow awards celebration.
Local fire fighters and Encana employees are getting ready to hit the streets of Wembley this Thursday for the 5th annual Lights and Sirens Food Drive.
The fire trucks will be going door-to-door starting at 7 p.m. to collect non-perishable food donations for the Wembley food bank.
Coordinator Jamie Querin says the food drive is the fire fighters’ way of saying thank you to the community for its support.
“It’s a really big deal for us because it’s a way for us to give back to the community that supports us throughout the entire year. They come out to our events, they stop and say thank you to us, even just little things like that people pull over and make way for us to get through the traffic.”
The event is held the weekend before Easter each year to help refill the food bank after Christmas.
Anyone who won’t be home at the time can leave donations on their doorstep to be picked up.
Last year, nearly 4,000 items were collected in less than ninety minutes.
Five U-15 hockey players from the Peace Region have been named to the northwest team at the 2014 Alberta Cup.
Grande Prairie forwards Logan Mazerolle, Dawson Paul, and Jory Simard will be playing in Strathmore at the end of April.
They’ll be joined by Reece Harsch of Grande Prairie on defence, and Linden Boulet of Clairmont in goal.
Four of the five played with the GP Bantam AAA Storm this season, while Paul played for the Notre Dame Bantam Hounds in the South Saskatchewan Minor Hockey League.
The ATB Financial Alberta Cup runs April 24th to 27th.
Grande Prairie RCMP is searching for a woman missing from the area since March. Police say 46 year Angela Mittelstadt could be vulnerable because of a risky lifestyle, and it’s important that they speak with her. She was last seen at the Prairie Haven Motel on March 15, and is now believed to be traveling or visiting the Beverly Crest area in Edmonton. Middelstadt is described as 5’2″ and petite, with a dark complexion and long dark hair. She also has a scar on her stomach, and a heart tattoo with the name Jordan on her right shoulder. Anyone who has any information about her disappearance is asked to get in touch with the Grande Prairie detachment (780-830-5701) or Crime Stoppers (1-800-222-8477).
An 18 year old male is dead after mechanical issues led to a single vehicle rollover near Cleardale Saturday morning.
Fairview RCMP believes he was not wearing a seat belt at the time, and passed away at the scene of the accident on Highway 64.
The other passenger, a 15 year old male, and the 17 year old male driver were wearing their seat belts and were only treated for minor injuries by first responders.
Alcohol and road conditions are not considered factors in the crash.
The trial for a man accused in the deaths of two women from the Falher area is set for this week.
Edward John Chomiak of Nampa is facing two counts of first degree murder in the 2010 deaths of his estranged wife Melody Perry, 45, and her 20 year old daughter Jerica Bouchard.
The women were found on December 15, 2010 when police responded to a 9-1-1 hangup.
Their causes of death have not been released, but the incident was being investigated as relationship violence.
At the time, Chomiak was under an ex-parte restraining order.
Members of the Copperwood Neighbourhood Association will be learning more about what’s next for the community at its spring general meeting this Wednesday.
The subdivision’s developer Unique Homes Concepts will be on hand to answer questions about phases two and three at Ivy Macklin School at 7 p.m
The association’s goal is to build a relationship with developer and to play a part in the area’s future.
All residents are encouraged to attend to learn more and get involved in upcoming events, including the annual City Scrub, a safety audit, and a barbecue..
RCMP in Beaverlodge believe they may have found the remains of an elderly woman missing since December.
The body of a female was found partially covered in snow by a Hythe resident out walking.
The woman was fully dressed, and police do not believe her death was suspicious.
Her remains have been sent to Edmonton for an autopsy to determine her cause of death and whether or not it is 64 year old Linda Donnelly, who was last seen on December 11, 2013 leaving Hythe Pioneer Home.
The Rexall in Valleyview was broken into in March, and RCMP is looking to the public for help in finding a suspect.
At around 3:40 a.m. on March 18th a lone male broke the store’s front window and mainly targeted the prescription medications.
It’s believed he knew the store’s layout, and may have committed similar crimes in the past. The suspect is described as Caucasian and in his mid-twenties, 5’7″ to 5’10”, 130 to 150 lbs., with glasses and no facial hair.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Valleyview RCMP at 780-524-3345Â or Crime Stoppers.
In the hopes of helping Grande Prairie residents and small business owners better understand their bills, a policy advisor for Alberta’s Utilities Consumer Advocate is paying a visit Tuesday.
In addition to helping decipher what’s on their electricity and gas bills, Rob Spragins says they’ll also explain the difference between regulated service and a competitive contract.
“Typically the difference between the two is that the regulated service varies each month, so that the price goes up and down, and in a competitive contract, consumers can select a fixed price option and that enables them to get rid of the volatility that they’re seeing each month in their bill.”
The UCA offers a list of retailers and their products on its website for consumers to look through.
The Public Library will play host to the session starting at 7 p.m.
To find out more and register for the free session, contact the library.
The end of April will officially mark the 100th anniversary of the Municipality of Grande Prairie being incorporated.
Peace River MP Chris Warkentin recently took time in the House of Commons to recognize the centennial, which is being celebrated locally through a series of events, highlighted by a homecoming celebration this summer.
In his tribute, Warkentin said Grande Prairie was built through the co-operative spirit of its early settlers, which he added carries through to today.
Warkentin said Grande Prairie has a hard working community spirit, adding that its successes can serve as an inspiration to all Canadians.
With a commanding 6-0 win over the County of Grande Prairie JDA Kings, the Blackfalds Wranglers are Alberta Junior B champions.
Game MVP Garrett Glasman scored two goals in the championship match, and says his team’s determination was the deciding factor.
“We played a complete 60 minutes; a great effort. We just outplayed them basically. They’re a tough team; they’re real rough and they’re a big team so it was a battle.”
Wranglers Captain Jordan Freake also credited the JDA Kings for being a tough team and hosting a great tournament with a loud crowd at the County Sportsplex.
However, after the game, the win hadn’t sunk in yet.
“It’s one of those things you can’t put in to words. It’s unbelievable; it’s so much fun. I mean, we work all year for this, we get here and we do this in this game. I couldn’t be more proud of the guys on the ice right now.”
There’s no question that goaltending played a big part in the win, and Blackfalds netminder Kyle Baumgardner got the shutout.
“We’ve got a great group of guys, everyone was working hard all weekend, and it worked out well for us. I think just all four lines were going. We’re so deep; we have so many players that are able to play each night that we just kept wearing them down.”
The Wranglers are next headed to the 2014 Keystone Cup in Abbotsford.
Freake competed at the western championships as a rookie four years ago, and can’t wait to return.
The JDA Kings earned their spot in the finals by beating the North Peace Navigators, who they lost to in the NWJHL championships.
The Navs beat the St. Albert Merchants three-one for the bronze medal.
A home in the Silverpointe neighborhood west of the city was destroyed in a fire earlier today. There is no word yet from RCMP or the Fire Department as to how much damage was done or what may have started the blaze.
The Harper government has tabled their long promised Victims Bill of Rights. The proposed legislation promises the right to information, protection, participation, and restitution. Peace River MP Chris Warkentin says the bill aims to make sure victims are not re-victimized by the criminal justice system.
“We finally have a piece of legislation that we think will revamp the system on a number of fronts. Number one, to ensure that victims are informed of the perpetrators whereabouts if in fact they are released from prison. We also think it’s important that people that are victims of crime are protected.”
Warkentin says the bill would ensure a victim’s security and privacy, and would protect them from any retaliation that might come as a result of pressing charges.
