Special Areas Board announced on Friday, March 21 it has appointed a new Chair.
Shaune Kovitch, who has been part of the Special Areas team for more than 20 years, was appointed to the role of the Board Chair; he most recently served as Director of Municipal Services.
“Shaune brings a proven track record of delivering complex, challenging projects at an extremely high level,” shared former Chair Jordon Christianson. “More importantly, he has a genuine interest in connecting with people. This means he understands what makes Special Areas so great–the people we employ and the communities we serve. I look forward to seeing Shaune excel in his new role.”
Recruitment for a new Board Chair began in late 2024 and was managed as an open and competitive process. Current Board members worked closely with the Alberta Public Agency Secretariat on this recruitment, ensuring local priorities and knowledge were strongly represented throughout the process.
“I am very excited for the opportunity to lead this organization and continue the tradition of exceptional service to our ratepayers and region,” says Mr. Kovitch. “I want to thank Jordon for his leadership over the last 10 years. Jordon always stressed how important people are to our success, and I look forward to building on that in my term as Chair. Jordon was always calm and collected, no matter how difficult or challenging the situation was. His ability to find the best path forward for both Special Areas and the entire region is one of many things I will miss.”
Mr. Christianson will remain in an advisory role until June 2025 and will continue to provide support on key regional projects like the MD of Acadia and Special Areas Irrigation Project. This will allow for a substantial transition period for this change in leadership at Special Areas.

Travel Drumheller plans to submit a grant application to the Alberta Real Estate Foundation for a proposed project which will explore transit options within the Town of Drumheller, and has received support from neighbouring Kneehill County.
Kneehill County council approved a request for a letter of support during its regular Tuesday, March 11 council meeting.
“This initiative is a key component of the 2025 Action Plan and part of the ongoing implementation of our community’s tourism strategy, the Destination Development Plan (DDP),” shares Travel Drumheller marketing manager Keri Looijen.
She tells the Mail this will be a multi-year project and will include a feasibility study as well as a shuttle pilot. These elements will help determine how transit options in Drumheller could “improve the visitor experience” while also tackling some challenges some residents may have with transportation throughout the Drumheller Valley.
Travel Drumheller hopes that offering alternative transportation options to visitors, especially to popular visitor destinations may encourage them to “explore without relying on personal vehicles.”
This could reduce traffic and parking congestion concerns, especially during peak times at popular locations, and potentially lead to the opportunity to offer commercial bus services.
The pilot could also benefit residents living and working in the Drumheller Valley by offering an accessible and affordable option for getting around the community.
At this time the project is in the grant funding phase and no municipal funds have been requested at this time.
Ms. Looijen notes project timelines and community outreach plans are anticipated to be shared later this year, and encourages those interested in following or getting involved in the project to review the 2025 Action Plan and sign up for the DDP newsletter on the Travel Drumheller website.