Drumheller residents may have noticed AltaGas has been busy around town. The gas company has been replacing steel pipe mains in the valley.

“For the most case, the steel main lines in and around the valley have not been replaced since before 1957. It is just a good practice to replace those before they fail,” says Greg Johnston, president of Alta Gas. 

The current pipes in the ground are vintage polyethylene. Over time these pipes are subject to deteriorate or corrode. 

“The project has been going on since 2013. We believe  it will be finished at the end of 2016. Thirty kilometers of gas service mains will have been replaced and brand new.” 

Johnston told The Mail what some residents of Drumheller can expect while the project is being completed. 

“Some residents may not be affected while others will. Gas meters may be inside their house and we will bring it outside and replace it. Sometimes there could be digging on the property. We insure that any yard that will be disrupted will be as good or better than what we found it in.” 

The approximate finish date for this project is Friday, October 28, 2016.

            Three Drumheller youth who earned gold Duke of Edinburgh awards will be honoured in Calgary Friday by his highness Prince Edward himself.

            Madison Colberg, Raine McDougald, and Avril Wilson from Drumheller, and Moriah Ohlhauser from Carbon, and Lowell Nelson from Morrin will be among 150 other Albertans honoured for earning the highest level of the Duke of Edinburgh international award at Canada Olympic Park this Friday, where a number of guests including Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, will be on hand. The event will conclude with some award participants exhibiting talents in music, sport, arts, and science for Prince Edward.

            “To get gold is unreal,” previously said Constable Craig Nelson, who has helped coordinate the award program in Drumheller. “We are encouraging kids to volunteer, to be physically fit and active and to get out of their comfort zone on an adventurous journey and to learn new skills,” he said.

At an awards ceremony in Drumheller April 12, six area youth were awarded bronze level awards and the three gold level awards were handed out. They included Lucas Aulenback, Moriah Ohlhauser, Carmanah Olbrich, Mykenzie Toffan, Carmanah Olbrich, Charlese Gridley, and Karson Gridley.

“The award program is designed to encourage experiential learning and participation in physical fitness, volunteer service, cognitive skills, and outdoor adventure,” said Duke of Edinburgh regional executive director Candace Denison.

The award provides a significant scholarship or resume distinction for the recipients.

Drumheller’s involvement in the award began in 2011.