Olympic silver medalist and first First Nations hockey player named on Canada’s National Women’s Team Brigette Lacquette shared stories of her hockey journey with students and staff at Hythe Regional School and Beaverlodge Elementary School on May 7th.

According to the Peace Wapiti School Division, Lacquette told her story from the first time lacing up her skates at five years old, to representing Canada at the Olympics, and becoming a professional scout for the Chicago Blackhawks, and students were described as being “entranced” by her many adventures throughout her hockey career.

The PWPSD says elementary students were eager to hear about her stick preference, the amount of NHL stars on her phone, and whether she likes chicken nuggets, and when she was asked about her personal hero, Lacquette shared that Jordin Tootoo has always been one of her favourites.

“When I was younger there wasn’t anyone who looked like me on the national team, representation matters,” Lacquette says.

Lacquette was given the opportunity to speak at Hythe Regional School and Beaverlodge Elementary as part of the Classroom Champions program, which aims to empower children to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Lacquette is scheduled to speak at a public event on May 8th at 5:30 p.m. in St. Joes’ High School’s gymnasium.

The County of Grande Prairie is implementing a fire ban that includes the towns of Beaverlodge, Sexsmith, and Wembley.

As of 1:00 p.m. on May 8th, all outdoor fires will be prohibited, existing burning permits will be revoked, and no new fire permits will be issued until the ban is lifted. Additionally, the county is requiring all fires currently burning to be extinguished immediately.

Officials say the ban comes due to the hot, dry, and windy weather conditions and lack of forecasted precipitation in the region.

Under the ban, recreational fire pits, barbeques that use charcoal, open pit burning, burning barrels, burning of refuse, brush piles, and fireworks are prohibited; however, propane appliances such as barbeques are allowed under the ban. Additionally, industry open pit flaring will be suspended.

The ban will remain in place until conditions change, and a full list of fire restrictions and bans in place across the province is available on the Alberta Fire Bans’ website.

The County of Grande Prairie is encouraging residents to sign up for the Voyent Alert notification system during Emergency Preparedness Week.

The MD of Greenview announced the launch of Voyent Alert in their community at the end of January and says the system provides notifications during emergency scenarios, and day-to-day affairs such as community events, facility hour changes, garbage and recycling pickup dates and times, and road closures.

In the county, the Voyent Alert system will serve as a multi-purpose tool to keep residents informed of a variety of subjects with an emphasis on “critical events” like fires or floods.

County officials say the service will provide a more direct and personalized way to provide crucial information to residents, which is especially important given the wildfire risk going into the summer.

According to the county, notifications for day-to-day communications such as road advisories, utility outages, and disruptions to public services will be added “in the coming days.”

Users of the notification system can opt to be notified by one or all of the different communication channels: text, email, voice call, or directly to their device through the Voyent Alert app. The county adds that most alerts will also be displayed on the county’s website and social media pages.

Interested residents can download the Voyent Alert app on the Apple App Store or Google Play. Email, text, or phone call registration can be completed online on Voyent Alert’s website.

After reports of a wanted individual on a Canada-wide warrant for alleged child pornography offences came to the Grande Prairie Special Investigative Unit, police have confirmed one man has been arrested and is in custody.

According to investigators, 65-year-old Grande Prairie resident Ronald Duivenvoorde was identified in Chilliwack and appeared to be attempting to flee the country. Members of the Chilliwack RCMP Serious Crimes Unit tracked the man down and were able to successfully execute the warrant.

Duivenvoorde was arrested and charged with allegedly accessing child pornography and three counts of failure to comply with the Sex Offender Information Registration Act.

Duivenvoorde was brought before a Justice of the Peace and remains in custody with a scheduled court appearance in Grande Prairie on May 8th.

Constable Michelle Jaszczyszyn from the Special Investigative Unit says the result of the investigation shows a dedication from a combination of individuals who are dedicated to protecting children against exploitation.

“We are grateful to our partner agencies in BC who assisted in our investigation and with the apprehension of the Accused.”

The investigation remains ongoing and police say an update is “anticipated” as more information comes forward.

The City of Grande Prairie is inviting local businesses, community groups, and organizations to submit parade floats for the upcoming Canada Day parade in downtown.

According to the city, Canada Day serves as the largest annual event in GP with nearly 20,000 residents in attendance each year to celebrate the patriotic occasion. The event includes a variety of all-ages festivities in Muskoseepi Park and a fireworks display.

Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says she is looking forward to working with community groups to add their own flair to this year’s parade.

“We encourage everyone to apply and take part in this opportunity to be part of Canada Day as it is collaborations like these that make our community such a vibrant, diverse, and bright place to celebrate,” she says.

This year’s parade theme is “Coast to Coast” and aims to highlight landscapes and communities from the Atlantic to the Pacific and everything in between. Floats can represent iconic landmarks, wildlife, and regional cultures to represent a miniature tour of the different backgrounds of Grande Prairie residents.

Registration is free for non-profits and costs $52.50 for other organizations. Applications for parade registration and community groups will be accepted until June 7th and interested organizations can apply online on the city’s website.

Following reports of a new drug seized in February 2024, the Grande Prairie RCMP issued a warning to Grande Prairie residents due to concerns about a Nalozone-resistant opioid on the streets of the city.

According to the RCMP, a large quantity of a drug containing Fentanyl analog, Fluorofentanyl mixed with Bromazolam (a benzodiazepine) was seized following a suspected fatal overdose in February, leading to a public warning on April 16th.

Police describe the drug as an oval-shaped pill, stamped with “20” and “SS” however, officials say the drug could take other forms.

Alberta RCMP Public Information Officer Corporal Mathew Howell says while neither Fluorofentanyl nor Bromazolam are new street drugs, the finding is still cause for concern.

“Because it [Fluorofentanyl] is a lab-based drug, its potency is still uncertain whether it’s more potent or less potent than normal Fentanyl, that being said, Fentanyl remains dangerous in any analog,” he says. “The issue now that we’re seeing is that it’s been mixed with Bromazolam, and in this case, it was the first instance where the Bromazolam was mixed in with an Oxycodone pill in that format and now we’re seeing that’s being mixed in a lot more, even with other types of opioids.”

Howell says police are concerned due to the fact that Bromazolam has claimed the lives of nine New Brunswick residents in 2022, and is simply unaffected by traditional life-saving drugs like Naloxone.

“The big issue we have here is that Bromazolam is not affected by Narcan or any other drug that would normally slow down or reverse an opioid overdose,” he says. “They’ll take their usual dose and then realize they maybe took too much, then when they try to use the Narcan to save their lives it will not take effect because there is too much concentration of Bromazolam that’s not countered by Narcan.”

Howell adds that the problems can be boiled down to the drug market itself when consumers choose the more readily available or cheaper option which can lead to an impure product that can result in increased risks for drug users.

“The reason they do this is because they go with whatever is more easily available or whatever’s cheaper, so it creates essentially the same feeling as a high that you would get with just Fentanyl, but it’s mixed with something that might be easier to buy, cheaper, or so on,” he says.

Currently, the RCMP is monitoring the situation to determine where the drug is coming from; however, police still remain unaware of the source.

“We’re always trying to gather information with regards to who might be putting this on the street, where it’s being created, is it being imported, we don’t know yet,” Howell says.

As a result, the RCMP is asking anyone with information about illegal activity related to Fentanyl or other substances to reach out to their local police department, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers.

Grande Prairie City Council joined their municipal colleagues across Alberta with the proclamation of Economic Development Week.

From May 6th to May 10th, economic developers from across the city were recognized by the city and Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says the event is an important reminder of the work organizations do every day to strengthen not only the city’s economy but the provincial economy as well.

“Really it’s a time to recognize the significant and important work that economic developers across Alberta do on a daily basis to create, develop, and strengthen the economy,” she says.

During Council’s May 6th meeting, Mayor Clayton recognized two development organizations by name- Invest GP and Economic Developers Alberta, which has been operating in the province for 50 years.

“We’re recognizing those community leaders, organizations such as Invest GP and Economic Developers Alberta, who through their work on a daily basis both provincially and municipally support growth by implementing jobs, implementing new strategies that improve the community and really foster growth,” she says.

Clayton adds that council’s continued “attraction and retention” mission is a significant part of the week as well, and says the valuable work being done by organizations like Invest GP and Economic Developers Alberta closely aligns with the city council’s goal.

“They, on a regular basis, work with central investors, current investors, current and new businesses to look at ways for attraction of new businesses, people, in regards to labour market analysis and really working with existing businesses to determine ways we can strengthen and support businesses in our community.”

Council was joined by representatives of both organizations at the beginning of their Monday meeting for the official proclamation.

Construction on Wembley Elementary School’s new playground will officially begin during the week of May 6th.

The $148,000 project was funded through the Wembley Community Society and donations from the County of Grande Prairie and Strathcona Resources and will feature significant upgrades for students to use upon its completion.

According to the Peace Wapiti School Division, Canadian playground manufacturer Blue Imp will be responsible for the installation of the new playground, and Wembly Elementary Principal Robyn Lieverse says everyone is “excited” about the new equipment.

“The old playground was 40 years old, so our students are very happy to get an upgraded play structure,” she says.

The Wembley Community Society has been fundraising to purchase a new playground for a number of years and will continue to do so for a replacement of the school’s larger playground which is estimated to cost around $400K.

Education charity “Classroom Champions,” the City of Grande Prairie, and the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships are set to host a community-wide event to hear from guest speakers to address themes among youth during the 2023 NAHC.

According to officials, St. Joseph’s school will open its doors for up to 1,3000 students, teachers, and families, alongside Indigenous athletes from across Canada competing in the tournament to hear from community leaders and Olympic silver medalist and prolific First Nations hockey player Brigette Lacquette.

Lacquette is a former longtime Classroom Champions mentor and is described as being “no stranger” to talking to kids about goal setting, perseverance, and what it takes to be a champion. She says she is proud to come back to the organization as it gives her the opportunity to connect with youth and let them know she believes in them.

“Being a Classroom Champions Athlete Mentor was a life-changing experience for me both personally and professionally,” she says. “I’m so proud to come back with Classroom Champions, the National Aboriginal Hockey Championship, and the city of Grande Prairie to this student-focused event where I’m able to connect with kids and talk about the impact they can have in their own backyard.”

The organization says community leaders from across the area have been invited to attend the event alongside all Grande Prairie schools, including those from Peace Wapiti, Kelly Lake, Horse Lake, Hythe, Beaverlodge, and others.

Additionally, Grade Three Cree Language students from Hythe Regional School will perform the Hello Song and National Anthem at the tournament’s opening ceremony on May 6th at the Design Works Centre.

Students will have the opportunity to interview Lacquette about what it takes to perform at the highest level both in athletics and daily life and the event is scheduled for May 8th from 5:15 to 7:00 p.m.

The number of properties on the market in March in the Grande Prairie region is said to be among the lowest reported since 2007.

According to the latest report from the Alberta Real Estate Association, in March there were 278 properties on the market, which is a 30 per cent drop from the same month in 2023. The area’s sales-to-new-listings ratio was 59 percent with 109 properties sold and 185 new listings put up, which has played a part in pushing the average price to day up three per cent to $321,512.

The majority of properties sold across the region in the first quarter of 2024, were detached homes, with the average price being $361,513.

May 6th will see the first Alberta-hosted National Aboriginal Hockey Championships since the tournament’s inception more than 20 years ago when the puck drops for the first time in Grande Prairie.

In response, Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton issued a statement calling the tournament a “significant milestone” for Indigenous hockey in Alberta.

“By hosting this event we celebrate both the athletic ability of the participating teams and the rich heritage and traditions of our Indigenous communities,” she says.

The Mayor credits the city’s state-of-the-art facilities like the Design Works Centre, and Bonnetts Energy Centre as a key factor in its ability to host national-caliber sporting events. Additionally, Mayor Clayton thanks the hundreds of volunteers and event organizers for making the tournament a reality.

“I extend our thanks to all those involved in organizing and supporting this remarkable event, including the athletes, coaches, volunteers, sponsors, host society, and community partners,” she says. “Together, we demonstrate the power of sport to unite us, inspire us, and create lasting memories.”

Mayor Clayton says she is encouraging all residents to celebrate the spirit of athleticism during the tournament by coming out to one of the games.

All of the games are free for spectators to attend and will be available to live stream on YouTube.

May 5th marked the first anniversary of the County of Grande Prairie’s declaration of a local state of emergency due to the wildfires that ravaged the area in 2023.

The lightning-caused blaze was controlled by crews from across the province including members of the Calgary Fire Department, local crews, and the Canadian Armed Forces in around ten days. At least four homes were lost during that time, and more than 984 evacuees sought refuge at Bonnetts Energy Centre.

Since then, wildfire mitigation has been a top priority for both the County and the City of Grande Prairie, with both entities applying for hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant funding from the province to establish fire breaks and support crews and equipment costs.

Most recently, the 30-kilometre-long firebreak southeast of the city was completed in April after construction began last May and was funded entirely through a $5 million provincial grant.

Alberta Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen says the province is preparing for the worst and hoping for the best when it comes to this year’s wildfire season, and the province is in a much “better position” in 2024 versus last year thanks to investments in additional resources and technology to support wildfire fighting efforts. According to the minister, more than a dozen crews will be on rotation providing 24/7 coverage this summer.

The most recent report out of Alberta Wildfire says 19 wildfires have been reported in the Grande Prairie Forest Area since January 1st of this year; however, of the 19 fires, 15 have been extinguished, two were turned over to the responsible parties and two are listed as “under control.” As a result, the wildfire danger in the Grande Prairie Forest Area has been categorized as “moderate.”

County of Grande Prairie fire crews are on scene, assisting Horse Lake First Nation with a grass fire that spread into the brush.

Officials have not confirmed the size of the blaze; however, crews have established a perimeter and the fire is classified as “being held.”

Crews are currently mopping up hot spots and reinforcing the perimeter.

After nearly seven years since the announcement of the project, the Maskwa Medical Centre has released a timeline for construction.

Maskwa Spokesman Ken Drysdale describes the moment as another milestone for the facility and the organization.

“Its a huge announcement, it really opens up the opportunity for our board to advocate for specialists,” he says.

The project’s inception comes from a place of need identified in Grande Prairie that has been a long-time concern for residents- access to critical healthcare at a local level. Drysdale says the establishment of the Maskwa Medical Centre could bridge the gap for patients in Grande Prairie who are sometimes forced to take time off from work, and spending money on transportation and accommodations in cities like Edmonton.

“We’ve got a ways to go on that yet, the province isn’t quite set up for that but we’re working with the current Minister of Health and the Alberta Government to change how that delivery is done,” he says. “Hopefully Grande Prairie can be a collector of difficult cases in the northwest and solve that instead of people travelling to Edmonton, everybody knows that early intervention saves money and lives.”

The three-floor, 100K square foot facility will house a teaching clinic on the ground floor, a restaurant, parkade, and an in-house pharmacy and medical supply store which Drysdale hopes will alleviate some of the pressure put on emergency staff at the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital.

“51 per cent of people that walk into the Emerge at Grande Prairie Regional Hospital should be seeing a clinic so they’ll be able to direct them across the street and take pressure off the staff,” he says. “When someone is released in the hospital or their loved ones are told they’re going to be released in the afternoon and there’s something they need whether it’s a brace or wraps or equipment, they can call over to the facility.”

As for construction, Drysdale says deadlines are rather tight as the facility hopes to be completed by 2026, meaning shovels need to be in the ground sometime in August/September of this year.

The City of Grande Prairie will begin road construction on numerous roads as part of its annual roadway improvements in May.

The City says crews will be operating Monday to Saturday throughout the project, beginning with the resurfacing of 102nd Street between 97th Avenue and 104th Avenue on May 7th, with an anticipated completion date sometime in “early June.”

Following the beginning of the resurfacing, two other projects are scheduled throughout the warm season including projects on 100th Avenue between 102nd Street and 105th Street and several Richmond Industrial Park area streets.

According to officials, the work will consist of asphalt milling, storm sewer repairs, concrete work, waterproofing, line markings, and landscaping.

Drivers can expect one-lane alternating traffic within construction zones, and the city is urging caution among commuters and reminds drivers to pay attention to directional signage to minimize traffic disruptions.

Temporary closures and detours will be coming and alternative routes will be in place to ensure safe navigation through the affected areas.

Transit routes and stops will also be impacted and residents are encouraged to visit the City Transit web page to plan for any trips.

A special proclamation ceremony at the Grande Prairie Sunrise House kicked off Youth Week 2024 on May 1st.

The kick-off event featured an appearance from Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton, and the unveiling of a community art project created during the City’s Youth Career Discovery Expo.

The art project was crafted by local youth, alongside an artist from the Centre for Creative Arts, and consists of sticker transparencies on large acrylic circles. Visitors to the Sunrise House can view the installation in person as it is prominently installed in the stairwell that connects the emergency shelter and transitional housing units.

A lineup of free activities for Youth Week has also been announced for youth aged 12-24 at Kickstand Connect in the lower level of the Sunrise House. Activities are scheduled throughout the weekend from May 3rd to May 7th and include a summer job resume workshop, escape room challenges, gardening, Q&A sessions, and an intro to Dungeons and Dragons/Cosplay workshop.

Additionally, daily prizes will be awarded throughout the week to build excitement among participants.

Residents interested in connecting with Kickstand Connect are encouraged to head to the Sunrise House for more information on how to participate and get involved.

Trail rehabilitation projects are scheduled to begin on May 6th across the City of Grande Prairie in an effort to improve accessibility and recreation for residents.

The 2024 program will see numerous sites reconstructed and rehabilitated throughout the summer, the first being on the West side of 102nd Street from 120th Ave to 124th Avenue on May 6th, followed by the West side of 101st Street from 111th Avenue to 115th Avenue on May 17th, the Utility lot trail leading to Maude Clifford School on June 27th, Cyril Clarke Park in O’Brien Lake on July 5th, and lastly on the Muskoseepi Park trails south of Michaelis Boulevard on August 21st.

The city says the trails identified will require “intermittent” closures as needed; however, signage and alternative paths will be used where possible.

City of Grande Prairie Capital Construction Supervisor Mark Hoseasson says keeping trails enjoyable and safe is his department’s “top priority” with the long-term goal of improving city trails that last for years to come.

“We appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation,” he says.

The work being done on trails will consist of reconstruction that addresses accessibility concerns, improved connectivity, and upgrades that hope to promote active lifestyles among residents and convenient access to amenities.