The Village of Carbon has seen increased lot sales in the Diamond Estates subdivision on the village’s eastern boundaries due to a change to the land use bylaw in August 2020 which now allows modular and manufactured homes.
With the bylaw change drawing renewed interest and an increase in lot sales, council has been hard at work strategizing how to further attract new residents to the quaint village in the valley through beautification projects.
“This is a great opportunity for the village,” Carbon Mayor Bryan Peever told the Mail. “As more and more people are able to work remotely, we want to attract potential new buyers to our village.”
Between 2009, when ground first broke in the subdivision, and 2020 only two of the 19 lots in Phase One had sold. Since the bylaw changes passed in August 2020, a total of 14 lots have sold and Mayor Peever says construction is expected to begin shortly.
Although only three lots remain unsold in Phase One, no decision has been made yet on starting Phase Two of the subdivision development as development costs are estimated close to $1 million according to Mayor Peever.
The Diamond Estates subdivision is not the only area of the village with sales; there has also been an increase in home sales throughout the village, which has renewed council’s attention to beautification projects.
A strategic planning “war board” was developed by administration staff and council members in 2018, with four major areas of focus: recreation, housing, tourism, and infrastructure. The war board was available to the public at the village office, and a total of five public meetings were held to gather input from residents on what they would like to see for the future of the village.
Further in-person meetings and public engagement were put on hold due to COVID-19 restrictions which closed the village office to the public and prohibited in-person meetings.
Despite these challenges, there have been several improvements made throughout the village.
Walking paths, which were damaged due to overland flooding in 2018, were repaired and the Carbon Centennial Swimming Pool also received a new mural during its closure in summer 2020.
Renovations are anticipated for the pool to meet COVID-19 regulations, including no-contact payment method and one-way entry and exit from the changing rooms, and would allow the facility to reopen to the public according to Mayor Peever.
Council has also allocated a portion of the Municipal Operating Support Transfer (MOST) funding to upgrade to touchless washroom facilities at the municipal campground. Mayor Peever noted some previously unserviced sites at the municipal campground were upgraded to serviced sites to help accommodate additional serviced units due to limitations on tent camping and increased campsite bookings.
Although not part of ongoing beautification projects, a recreational nine station Frisbee golf course was installed at the Lions Park prior to the 2021 Easter long weekend.
Mayor Peever adds further strategic planning meetings will be held and the war board available to the public as COVID restrictions allow. Other beautification projects, including construction of a new park or playground, will be up for discussion and deliberation at future council meetings.

The Dinosaur Patrol has made it back to the valley, and local Masons and volunteers are making sure they are ready to celebrate.
Darwin Durnie, member of the Masons, tells the Mail the Dinosaur Patrol, a collection of miniature driving dinosaurs has its roots in Caveman Days, around 1969.
“Right about that time, Jack Durnie and Tig Seland started Prehistoric Park and built a lot of the wire-framed dinosaurs, some of which are still around downtown,” explains Durnie.
After Prehistoric Park opened, they moved their shop from the current Image Crafter building to a Quonset on the site in what is now the Hy-Grade Industrial Park.
The idea of the Dinosaur Patrol came from local Masons and Shriners.
“What is significant about that is 150 years ago, the Shriners started the horseback patrols around the country because we didn’t have cars then,” he said. “The mounted patrol was a big thing in Calgary.”
This local group of Masons thought it would be fun to replicate the patrol, but with dinosaurs.
Some of the instigators included Seland, Al Rutz, Ken Lowen, and Ralph Pallesen. Pallesen had the John Deere dealership, and they purchased lawn tractors. The dinosaurs were made with the same wire-frame technique as the dinosaurs at Prehistoric Park. They took care to put reins and

saddles on the dinos, just like the mounted patrol they were replicating.
All the creators have since passed, and it has been years since dino patrol has been in the parade. The Big Country Shriners Club, which encompasses an area from Hanna to Brooks, Strathmore, and Drumheller, took over the patrol and continued to appear in parades.
This group has been aging and not been as active. Durnie inquired about the patrol, and he learned they were being stored in a trailer at the Bassano airport.
“They are octogenarians, and they said, ‘hey that’s great, you guys can take this over, but we still get to ride them in the parade,’” said Durnie. “We hope to get them rolling for the July 1 parade.”
The ownership will remain with the Shiners, but the Drumheller Mason Lodge #146 and Symbol Lodge #93 and local Shiners are going to take care and operate them. Other locals are also working with them to get them ready.