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Last updateFri, 29 Nov 2024 4pm

Trochu Housing Corporation breaks ground on new facility

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The long-awaited Trochu Seniors Housing facility has ceremoniously broken ground. In the middle of a field west of the Arboretum, dignitaries and guests gathered on a breezy September 9th morning to welcome the beginning of project construction.
Trochu Mayor Barry Kletke emceed the short ceremony, noting that during his 20-year stint as mayor, this is the third try at constructing this project.
The first proposal came in 2007, and another in 2010, but both fell through. It has been a community effort long in the making to get to the place where construction can proceed. Kletke noted that he shed tears of joy when the first grant of $11.5M was received from Alberta Health on October 15th, 2023. Another grant of $9.5M was received from Alberta Seniors on January 4th, 2024, and Kletke notes they’ve had community buy-in from just about everyone, including the life-lease purchasers who will be contributing $4M to the project.
The project is estimated at $41M and is projecting being operational by April 2027. Covenant Health will be the health care provider, as they are with St. Mary’s. Kletke unveiled the road names for the new subdivision surrounding the facility; Doctor’s Way will be the main road, with joining roads named after prominent local doctors of the past. Long-time former doctor, Dr. O’Neill, for whom a road will be named, attended the ceremony.
Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills MLA and Speaker of the Legislature Nathan Cooper brought greetings, highlighting the thousands of hours of work to make this sod-turning possible, and that has brought the many communities of the County together. “Never underestimate the power of a small group of well-meaning individuals…to outperform government every day of the week.” While the Provincial Government provided grant money, it was the many local individuals working hard to make it happen.
Ken King, Reeve of Kneehill County, brought congratulations on behalf of the County. He noted that this project has been the result of dedication, perseverance, and commitment from many individuals, and thanked his fellow Councillors for seeing the need and lending support. “Rural Alberta means lending a hand, helping each other over the rough places and celebrating together. Today we celebrate, but work is far from over. Today we celebrate, tomorrow we continue to work to bring the project to light.”
The CEO of Covenant Health, Patrick Dumelie, also brought remarks, noting that Covenant Health began 115 years ago, and they look forward to continuing the legacy of providing care, for another 115 years and beyond. This project is a true collaboration.


Area schools raise over $25K for Terry Fox

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Fly on the Wall at DVSS Terry Fox Run

Students at DVSS have worked hard to make a difference for those fighting cancer through their annual Terry Fox School Walk Run.
The school has been building on the event year after year and this time raised over $5,500.
One of its flagship fundraisers for the Terry Fox Foundation leading up to the event is its annual Cake Auction. This year was a record-breaker. Justin Morse, Landon Armstrong and Joel Wilton created this year’s top-selling cake, which fetched a whopping $1,140 at auction.
Other fundraising activities included a bake sale, students collecting pledges and online donations. Last week they also did a Taco in a Bag fundraiser.
Another initiative was the Fly on the Wall. Teacher Mr. Lauridsen spent a period of Wednesday, September 25 defying gravity, being held to the wall with tape.

St. Anthony’s tops $15K at Terry Fox School Run

The students at St. Anthony's School once again out did themselves showing support for the Terry Fox Foundation, smashing their goal.
The school held its Annual Terry Fox Run on Wednesday, September 25. They raised over $15,000, and counting for the cause.
“We couldn’t be more proud of our kids, our parents and our staff, our entire school community,” said one of the organizers, Gavin Makse.
The Running Room came from Calgary and donated a starter arch for the run, and a representative from the Terry Fox Foundation came and addressed the school.
The Drumheller Dragons were also on course with students for the annual walk. Students from every grade participated.
Leading up to the event the student body undertook a number of different fundraising activities including selling freezies, collecting pledges and online donations. Classrooms challenged each other and there were also mystery bags for raffles and prizes.
St. Anthony’s is consistently one of the top fundraisers for the Alberta and Northwest Territories district.

Greentree raises $5,250 for foundation

Greentree School held its annual Terry Fox School Run on Wednesday, September 25, and set a goal of raising $1,500. Organizer Penny Messom tells the Mail, that the school raised $5,250, smashing their goal. Grade 4 students Chet James and Kylee Jeffrey take on the run.

Tyrrell on track for record breaking year

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    The Royal Tyrrell Museum is on track for another banner year, with visitation continuing to rise.
     As of September 15, the Tyrrell has welcomed close to 415,000 visitors in 2024, which is up about half a percent from last year to date. While the increase is modest, they are on track for another breaking year.
     Executive Director for the Royal Tyrrell Museum Lisa Making, tells the Mail, the museum has a broad attraction.
    “The Museum continues to be an affordable family destination that offers a little something for visitors of all ages, she said, noting that other events and attractions may play a role.
    “Add to that experience, some of what may be driving more people to the museum is the diversity of additional activities and services in the Valley – the museums, historic sites, adventure parks, cafes, restaurants, etc. all help encourage people to view Drumheller as a complete package. You can visit the Royal Tyrrell Museum, rent a bike and explore the riverside, grab lunch, take in another attraction, and camp overnight," said  Making.
    With the rising numbers, they have adapted to make sure it has the capacity to serve everyone.
    “When the Museum opened in 1985, it offered free admission, it wasn’t designed to accommodate admission desks, kiosks, queues, etc. So, on busy days (which we are experiencing more frequently), our lobby can be exceptionally crowded,” she said. “One of our strategies, which we adopted while navigating attendance restrictions during the pandemic, was to implement timed ticketing. This allows us to manage the visitor flow a lot more effectively. Eventually, I would love to expand and redesign our front entrance and some of the key gallery spaces; this will allow for a more comfortable visitor experience and share more of our collection.”
    For almost 40 years, the museum has continued to be an attraction that hosts the province and the world.
    “Alberta has some of the richest fossil deposits in the world – ranking alongside Mongolia, China, Argentina, and the U.S. Then I would add in our landscape. When people talk about their visit to the museum, their story often begins with “dropping into the valley…” Seeing the stratigraphic layers, which create an other-worldly landscape, adds a unique element that just can’t be duplicated anywhere else,” she said.
    Another factor is that the museum is not just an attraction but a centre for research.
    “Of course, being an active research facility is also a huge factor. When we have a significant discovery, we often see an uptick in our attendance, especially if the specimen is on display. That brings me to our dynamic exhibits. Our galleries are what drive half a million visitors through our doors, so we strive to ensure there is always something new for visitors to experience and learn."


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