The fourth annual residential schools victim and survivor memorial crosswalk painting saw its “best turnout ever” on June 7th.

Dozens of Grande Prairie residents including parents and kids, youth groups, and folks who just came by to support, flocked to the corner of 97th Avenue and 101st Street to dip their hands in orange paint and mark their support for those affected by residential schools.

Event coordinator Meghan Zatko says the turnout keeps growing every year, with some residents even making a sort of pilgrimage just to be a part of the occasion.

“There was a mom who walked blocks and blocks just to come to put her handprints on, which is so nice to see,” she says. “I could start crying this year, it’s so phenomenal to see the biggest turnout we’ve ever had. and there’s so many kids this year which is huge because they’re going to grow up knowing they matter.”

Zatko says she sees the annual affair as a recognition of the historic injustices so many Indigenous individuals have faced, and serves as an opportunity for residents to unite under one common goal.

“It’s a recognition of the injustices that happened to our Indigenous community, throughout centuries and is still happening today, and it’s bringing the community together to show unification and acknowledgment that these things are happening but we want to change it,” she says.

The crosswalk is strategically placed in front of the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre, which Zelko says she hopes will have a positive effect on the Indigenous youth involved in Friendship Centre programming.

Saddle Hills County has announced the highly anticipated Saddle Hills County Health Clinic will be opening on June 17th.

County Reeve Alvin Hubert describes the project as “a long time in the making,” and says he and his colleagues are “incredibly excited” to see the project come to fruition.

“From initial conception in 2021 to now, we have been incredibly excited about the opportunity to bring much-needed additional healthcare options to rural Alberta and our residents,” he says.

The hope among county officials is that the establishment of a new health clinic will relieve pressures on local emergency rooms and provide a healthcare option for residents who don’t have primary care physicians.

To mark the opening of the clinic, Saddle Hills County will host a meet and greet on June 17th to offer residents a chance to tour the clinic and ask questions.

Additionally, on June 17th, the clinic will begin taking bookings, with a potential first appointment date as early as the next day.

The clinic will operate from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. for residents of Saddle Hills County.

Traffic patterns in downtown Grande Prairie are scheduled to shift again on June 9th due to numerous construction projects around the city.

The city says the changes are necessary to accommodate deep storm infrastructure installation.

On June 9th, Northbound traffic on 100th Street, South of 116th Avenue will experience lane reductions, lane reductions will also occur on 116th Avenue at 99th Street for both East and Westbound traffic, and traffic between 100th Street and 102nd on 116th Avenue will shift to two-way traffic on the Westbound lanes early in the week.

City Capital Construction Supervisor Mark Hoseasson calls the adjustments “essential” to ensure the safe and efficient completion of the project.

“We appreciate drivers taking extra care and being patient as we implement these changes,” he says.

Message signs will be variable throughout this time and will be updated accordingly. The city is urging drivers to obey flaggers and all posted signage.

Additionally, commuters are encouraged to plan their trips ahead of time as the changes are expected to cause delays in transit routes.

The County of Grande Prairie is launching a public online survey for residents to voice their thoughts on an electoral boundary review.

Following the dissolution of the Village of Hythe in 2021, becoming part of the county as a hamlet within Division Seven, the provincial government requires the county to conduct an electoral boundary review before the 2025 municipal election.

Electoral boundaries are established and represented by councillors elected by residents of their respective divisions.

Currently, the county is divided into nine electoral divisions, each represented by a single councillor, and the county says the review is important for residents to express whether they feel represented equitably, especially as the population in the region continues to shift.

The process began with the recent municipal census, and the county says the data gathered will help give insight into any demographic changes and population distribution shifts.

The county says while the review may not result in any electoral boundary adjustments, the chance for residents to voice their opinions on the matter is still important.

An online survey will be available until June 23rd and can be found on the county’s website.

The Provincial Government is continuing to make investments in the senior care sector during Seniors’ Week. 

The most recent investment is a $30,000 funding bump for Beaverlodge FCSS to expand in-home services for seniors. Grande Prairie-Wapiti MLA Ron Wiebe says the investment comes through Healthy Aging Alberta and marks a significant step in community and home supports available for Beaverlodge seniors. 

“This funding will help give seniors the supports they need to live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their communities,” he says. 

Alberta’s seniors population now stands at 790,000 individuals, and officials suggest that as Albertans continue to age, seniors need to have access to health and social support and services that are necessary for them to live safely and independently for as long as they would like to. 

According to the province, seniors from around Alberta have told the government they want to live in their homes for as long as possible, leading to the investments being made in seniors living in communities throughout Alberta. 

“Investing in these supports will ensure that a rising number of seniors in Alberta will be able to successfully and safely age where they are most comfortable.” 

The province adds that prudent investments in Alberta’s seniors are crucial as the province’s senior population is expected to increase to more than one million individuals by 2035.

It’s going to be a busy summer as construction season ramps up across the County of Grande Prairie. 

Around $33 million is being invested in road and bridge projects across the county in response to feedback from residents who identified roads as a top priority during the 2023 Citizen Satisfaction Survey conducted by the county. 

The bold move to dedicate 30 per cent of the county’s $110 million capital budget will also see the wrapping up of carry-over projects from recent years, while moving forward with new projects. 

Projects scheduled for 2024 include more than 15 kilometres of road surface work, along with bridge replacement, and even road re-construction projects. 

Numerous projects are planned for the 2024 season including paving upgrades to Range Road 100 from Highway 667 to Highway 43, pavement overlay projects on Range Roads and Township Roads around the county, and bridge construction on Range Road 65 between Highway 59 and Township Road 742, Range Road 64 between Highway 59 and Township Road 742, Range Road 41 South of Highway 671, Range Road 74 between Highway 43 and Township Road 712.

During city council’s most recent Monday night meeting, the decision to list the City on 99 facility for sale was approved.

The facility will be listed for a maximum of five months, which Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says will give council ample time to see if there is any interest from potential buyers.

“It’s empty and there are potential uses for it; however, council is interested to see if anyone wants to buy it,” she says.

The decision was made in response to the recent purchase of Cedar Point, which now houses all of the city operations previously running out of City on 99 such as Enforcement Services, Community Social Development, and the Grande Prairie Police Service.

“We know it’s an incredible facility, it was something that was in consideration when previously council made the decision to purchase Stonebridge, which is now Cedar Point,” Mayor Clayton says. “Initially with the integrated approach of having housing, enforcement, Grande Prairie Police Service, and community social development in some of the spaces in Cedar Point, it meant that we moved staff out of City on 99.”

Should the listing go unpurchased, Clayton says the matter will come back to council after five months, to discuss different price options, and ultimately, if other considerations are necessary for the city to continue utilizing the space.

Pride Week in Grande Prairie just celebrated the long-standing tradition of repainting the rainbow crosswalk near Montrose Cultural Centre.

Grande Prairie Pride Society President Erica Fisher describes the day as one that the society looks forward to all year, as the painting marks an important reminder of inclusivity and celebration in Grande Prairie.

“This is done thanks to the help of so many volunteers, we have so many sponsors from the community who help sponsor the cost of the paint, we have volunteers who come by to roll the paint, and we have great city staff who help facilitate that for us,” she says.

This year is special as the Pride Society celebrates the eighth year of the tradition with a second rainbow crosswalk painting.

Fisher adds that the event is always well attended, which she describes as “wonderful to see” when so many residents come out to support pride in Grande Prairie.

“I actually don’t think I’ve painted at all over the past few years because everyone else does all the work, I just get to hang out and enjoy,” she says. “It’s really special to see so many people support the crosswalk.”

Additionally, Fisher says she sees the crosswalk as “more than just a rainbow,” as it acts as a symbol of inclusivity, diversity, and hope in Grande Prairie.

“It’s more than just a rainbow, it’s a symbol that our city is welcoming, inclusive, and diverse, everyone in our city matters,” she says. “It’s just a beautiful symbol here in our community.”

Last weekend marked the kickoff of Pride in Grande Prairie with two events- the Rainbow Bright Teen Dance, and the Party in White, and the festivities are scheduled throughout the rest of the week, finishing off with the Pride Family Carnival on June 8th at Eastlink Centre.

The County of Grande Prairie has donated the funds to purchase nearly 300 televisions for patient rooms, common areas, and the cancer treatment chairs in the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital.

The donation was part of a larger gift made to the hospital, and Grande Prairie County Reeve Bob Marshall says everyone will benefit from televisions at the hospital.

“Everyone in our region will be using Grande Prairie Regional Hospital for whatever their medical needs are,” he says. “From a mental health perspective, it’s a benefit for every patient and family member staying here.”

The Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation says patient comfort is a necessary part of medical treatment, and the move marks an “important step” in providing high-quality healthcare for the region.

During the initial rollout, TVs were mounted in most patient rooms throughout the hospital, providing patients with access to 49 cable channels. The Cancer Clinic saw a similar rollout, with specialized TVs installed beside every treatment chair.

Since the installation of the televisions, the GPRHF says feedback has been positive, with Director of Patient Care at the Hospital Greg Schmidt describing the reception as “fantastic.”

“In the days after the TVs were installed, almost every TV was on all the time, that’s fantastic,” he says. “It’s great to see donations being used and valued by patients.”

Additionally, the county says they have felt the gratitude as well, with numerous residents reaching out to thank Reeve Marshall and County Council for allocating funds to the project and improving the overall experience at the GPRH.

Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton has announced she will be running for a spot on the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Board of Directors.

The Mayor will be gunning for one of two Alberta urban seats on the FCM to represent the Peace Country at a federal level.

Clayton says having a seat on the FCM will not only benefit the city but the Peace Region and Alberta as a whole.

“Having someone on the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to share concerns of this region and really to have someone representing Alberta at that table with Canadian Municipalities I think is really important,” she says.

Mayor Clayton says federal issues that affect municipalities across the country such as housing tend to be one of the key topics discussed at the FCM, and through collaboration with other municipalities, Clayton says she can bring some of the traditionally forgotten concerns of the Peace Country to the table.

“I’ll be able to bring our conversation to the table federally, and sometimes our voice doesn’t get heard at a federal table,” she says. “This council has continuously strived to tell our story better and we’ve worked on telling that story at all levels of government and this is a piece of that as well.”

Mayor Clayton is not the first member of this council to voice the concerns of the Peace Country at a higher level. Councillor Dylan Bressey currently serves as a member of the Alberta Municipalities Association, and the Mayor says having another representative on a higher level will only serve to benefit the region even further.

“We’re very fortunate to have Councillor Bressey on the Alberta Municipalities Association, representing the concerns of our region and mid-sized cities,” she says.

The FCM election is scheduled for June 9th, and Mayor Clayton says she is “optimistic” she will be elected to represent the region at a federal level.

Alberta Health Services’ annual child safety initiative to mark Safe Kids Week is underway and AHS has issued a few tips for parents to stay aware of toy safety guidelines for children.

To start, AHS says parents should always check labels for safety warnings and test if a toy is a choking hazard. Officials say if a toy or toy part can fit through a cardboard toilet paper roll, it should be considered a choking hazard for children under three years old.

Additionally, parents are recommended to avoid purchasing toys with long strings or cords that could get caught around a child’s neck.

After buying a toy for a child, AHS advises parents to throw away any toy packaging and check toys for loose parts, broken pieces, and sharp edges.

If a child is injured during playtime, AHS says calling 9-1-1 during serious, life-threatening emergencies remains the first course of action. Additionally, children swallowing batteries remains a problem in Alberta, and AHS says taking a child to the emergency department immediately is recommended rather than inducing vomiting.

Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton proclaimed June 15th as the annual celebration of entrepreneurship among youth- Lemonade Day.

Lemonade Day has been a long-standing tradition in Grande Prairie for the past few years, and while lemonade stands tend to be overlooked as an education tool for youth, Mayor Clayton says Lemonade Day means so much more.

“Lemonade Day is a great day in our community,” she says. “Really it’s an opportunity for youth to learn about having a business, sourcing supplies, and potentially having staff, resources, and sponsorship and executing an operation for a day.”

During the event, participating youth will be in charge of developing their own recipes, decorating their booths, marketing their operation, and selling their lemonade. A team of judges will then go out and judge the youth based on a variety of criteria including their business plan, how their business looks, how their lemonade tastes, and what they plan on doing with their savings.

Mayor Clayton says residents will have the chance to go tour through the community while tasting different lemonade and see the creativity of Grande Prairie youth on display.

“It enhances the entrepreneurial spirit because it engages youth at a young age in the traditional lemonade stand approach,” she says.

In past years, the city has seen up to 20 different lemonade stands set up across the community and Mayor Clayton says she hopes to see everyone get out and support all of the participants.

A local Grade Five student has taken home the first prize in the Student Transportation Association of Alberta’s School Bus Safety Week art contest.

During the contest, Kindergarten to Grade Six students from around the province designed posters showcasing this year’s theme- “The Bus Rules.”

Brynley Dickenson, a student from Ridgevalley School placed first in the Grade Five category and is the first RVS student to win the contest. She says she is “very excited” about winning.

“As a bus rider I wanted to share a friendly message about bus safety,” she says. “It’s important for everyone to understand.”

Brynley’s poster, depicting a smiling school bus sports a quick and easy reminder for all to remember- “Stand back from yellow and black,” is now proudly displayed at her school.

PWPSD Ward Eight Trustee Millie Turner describes Brynley’s win as a “thrill” as she remembers her 30-year career as a school bus driver for RVS.

“It’s incredible to see Brynley being recognized for something so close to my heart.”

The annual contest is hosted by the STAA to raise awareness of bus safety among riders, and as this year’s winner, Brynley received her framed poster, $150 for her class, and a $50 Indigo gift card.

The Beaverlodge Municipal Hospital Emergency Department will be temporarily closed for a period of 48 hours due to the inability to secure physician coverage.

Between 8:00 a.m. June 5th and 8:00 a.m. June 7th, the ED will be closed to residents; however, AHS says nursing staff will remain on-site to provide triage, assessments, and referrals for patients to alternate emergency departments in surrounding communities.

In case of emergency, residents are asked to call 9-1-1 as EMS remains available, and will be re-routed to the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital. For non-emergencies residents are asked to call Health Link at 8-1-1, for 24/7 inquiries.

Additionally, patients seeking care at the ED are asked to remain aware that services could be available at local pharmacies depending on their needs.

AHS adds that if coverage is found, the disruption could be cancelled.

STARS Air Ambulance will be serving the province for another decade.

On Tuesday Premier Danielle Smith made the announcement saying that it is important Albertans have access to the “best-quality health care” regardless of where they are located.

“No matter where they are in our province, and STARS helps us provide that. Through STARS, we are better able to connect Albertans in rural and remote communities to critical health care services, improving patient outcomes and providing assurance to families,” Smith says.

Air ambulances play an important role in the healthcare system because they can serve as lifelines and bridge service gaps with those in emergencies in remote or rural communities. They also can provide quick response when it comes to transporting patients to medical facilities which can be the difference between life and death for some patients.

President and CEO of STARS Katherine Emberly says the support of the province is appreciated as it helps them provide life-saving care across the province for many years to come.

“Our roots run deep in Alberta, and for nearly 40 years, we’ve relied on the unwavering support from our government partners and the communities we serve to grow, evolve and deliver on our mission, every day,” Emberly says.

The new contract focuses on setting new standards for emergency medical response and improving patient outcomes by strengthening and stabilizing the province’s air ambulance services. STARS has bases in Calgary, Edmonton and Grande Prairie and STARS crews are made up of specially trained flight paramedics, flight nurses and transport physicians.

Ronald McDonald’s Calgary House is set to enjoy a $1.25 million donation from ARC Resources Ltd. and officials say the donation will have a “wide-reaching” impact on residents in communities across Alberta, including Grande Prairie.

Officials say as ARC operates in Calgary, Grande Prairie, and Dawson Creek, the organization is the largest donor recognized in the Energy Wing.

RMHC Alberta Chief Development Officer Denise Kinghorn says Ronald McDonald House Alberta saw families from more than 200 communities served in 2023, and now, thanks to ARC’s donation, families who would have previously been turned away due to lack of space, will have a “home-away-from-home” when their child is sick.

“ARC Resources has made a significant impact on the expansion of the Ronald McDonald House,” she says. “Their recognition of the essential service provided to families reflects their values and commitment to the communities in which they operate.”

According to the RMHC, houses across the province serve a large proportion of families travelling from Grande Prairie for pediatric care, and now, following the expansion, families travelling to both Edmonton and Calgary can take comfort in knowing there will be even more suites available when they are in need.

The celebration of ARC’s donation took place alongside the RMHC Alberta Charity Golf Classic in Grande Prairie, raising funds and awareness for the RMHC.

After a lengthy late-night council meeting that included a public hearing regarding the proposed changes to secondary suites in the city, Grande Prairie City Council opted to delay the third and final reading of the bylaw to their next meeting in two weeks.

Mayor Jackie Clayton describes the proposed changes as a “relatively quick fix” to the housing shortages experienced by potential renters in the city.

“When we’re looking to attract people to our region and rentals are not available it really can limit your growth,” she says.

According to the Mayor, building new multi-family living arrangements such as larger apartment buildings are simply not coming to Grande Prairie right now as developers face higher building costs due to inflation, and relaxing some of the requirements for a homeowner to build a secondary suite seems to be the most appropriate action at this time.

More than twenty residents attended the hearing to speak for and against the proposed changes, and by far, the number one concern among those against the changes was parking congestion.

Currently, secondary suites require one additional parking stall per bedroom in a secondary suite; however, the proposed changes would see one less stall per bedroom if passed, down to zero parking stalls for a one-bedroom or bachelor suite. As a result, council approved one amendment to the proposal, requiring at least one parking stall for a one-bedroom suite.

Despite the changes, some residents remain concerned regarding the potential parking congestion that additional secondary suites in a neighbourhood could cause; however, Mayor Clayton says parking remains a tough issue for city council to navigate, even without secondary suites.

“Concerns of parking can happen without secondary suites in your neighbourhood,” she says. “We live in a community where most families have at least two vehicles and so parking continues to be an issue, [and] finding ways to mitigate the impact in neighbourhoods is a constant struggle.”

The Mayor says the change in parking requirements will limit the areas where legal secondary suites can be added. She adds that despite their concerns, residents should also consider that not everyone can afford to install a secondary suite even if the proposed changes pass.

“Besides the fact that not everybody can afford to necessarily put a secondary suite in, not everybody wants renters in their house and so with those parameters and the amendment, you won’t get to the numbers that some of the residents were concerned about.”

Additional concerns surrounding issues like the impacts of redevelopment changes in a neighbourhood, and the removal of size restrictions for suites were also brought up during the meeting; however, those in favour cite the cost of living, affordable housing needs, and multi-generational housing as positives should the proposed changes pass in two weeks.

Ultimately, the consensus among councillors at the end of the meeting was one that more information is needed before making the final decision on the matter, and as a result, council will make their decision during their next Monday meeting.

The Grande Prairie International Street Performers Festival appeared in Council Chambers on Monday night.

According to festival co-chair Wayne Ayling, the festival is experiencing its first funding deficit in the festival’s 24 years of operation. Ayling cites the COVID-19 pandemic as a major contributor to the funding shortages being experienced by numerous not-for-profits around Grande Prairie.

“Many not-for-profits in our community have been negatively impacted by the lingering effects of COVID, and the Grande Prairie International Street Performers Festival is one of those,” he says. “We’ve never carried a deficit at all, and in fact, we’ve always been able to put a little bit of money aside for a rainy day up until last year.”

Ayling says in years past, the festival has been able to avoid funding issues by using it’s “rainy day fund;” however, due to rising costs between 2019 and 2023, along with sponsorship changes, the festival has no choice but to turn to the municipal government to cover expenses for the 2024 show.

“We paid everybody, and we had a balanced budget because of that; however, this year we don’t have a rainy day fund,” Ayling says. “We’re left looking for new sponsorship support and we’re in the process of redesigning our sponsorship ask so next year we won’t have to come before council.”

As a result, Ayling appeared before the city council as a delegation asking for $17,000 to cover costs for the upcoming festival, which council opted to provide in full from their Strategic Initiatives Fund, balancing the festival’s budget.

The festival is scheduled for numerous dates across the Grande Prairie region this summer, with stops in Wembley, Sexsmith, and Beaverlodge, and the three-day festival in the City Centre is scheduled for July 19th, 20th, and 21st.

Local summer camp “Camp Tamarack” has received its largest donation to date from Canadian Natural Resources.

Camp officials describe feeling “excited and grateful” to receive the $20,000 cheque from CNR and say the donation will support the camp’s efforts to ensure long-term sustainability and accessibility.

CNR has been a long-time supporter of Camp Tamarack, handling camp maintenance and building new amenities; however, the Camp says this sizeable donation came as a welcome surprise.

“It is so impressive to have them take a leadership position in addressing our fundraising needs also,” officials say.

Camp Tamarack has been conducting a significant fundraising campaign for a while now, but with the CNR donation, the camp says they will achieve their primary goal of securing the long-term sustainability of Camp Tamarack while keeping the camp accessible for youth of all backgrounds.

The donation will be utilized to enhance the facility’s eight-week summer camp program, support outdoor education for youth, and provide a wilderness environment for clubs and youth to use throughout the year.