Staff Sergeant Art Hopkins is hoping to make after school pickup at St. Anthony’s as smooth and safe as possible.
    This comes as issues associated with traffic around St. Anthony’s School resurface.

RCMP are asking parents picking up students after school at St. Anthony’s to arrive at about 3:25 p.m.,  after buses have left, to curb congestion.

    “No one is happy with parking around the school and stopping on the road is creating a traffic hazard,” said Hopkins.
     He explains problems are typically at the end of the school day when all the busses are loading and blocking off access to the West Parking lot.  Many parents come early to pick their children up but there is only room for a half dozen. Vehicles then end up stopping on the access or stopping along the road.
    “This in turn causes problems for the bus drivers and trying to leave and puts many people and children at risk,” he said.
     The current practice is the school dismisses the bus students early so they can load and leave usually by/before 3:20 p.m.  The other students do not exit the building until 3:20 - 3:25 p.m.  Once the busses leave there is ample parking.
    The easiest solution to the parking problem is for parents not to arrive until approximately 3:25 p.m. or after the busses leave.
    Should parents want to pick their children up earlier they should do so before 3:00 p.m.
     “There will be increased patrols and vehicles / operators stopped on the road are subject to be ticketed. Please attend after 3:25 p.m. and everyone will be much happier and everyone will be able to leave in a safer manner,” said Hopkins.
    “We cannot move the school so we have to come up with actual solutions, and everyone is open to make suggestions.”

    The  Drumheller RCMP has filled out its roster welcoming Corporal Rod Guthrie to the detachment.
    Corporal Guthrie is a 10-year RCMP veteran. Originally from south western Ontario, he has  spent most of his career in British Columbia, in Squamish and most recently Fernie.
    Guthrie arrived in Drumheller at the beginning of September and so far, is enjoying Drumheller. He said Drumheller is a similar size to Fernie, and appears to have similar policing responsibilities.

Corporal Rod Guthrie arrived in Drumheller earlier this month. This is the 10-year RCMP veteran’s third posting.

    “It is kind of the same pace, has the same number of members,” he said. “The calls seem similar.”
    Missing the skiing opportunities afforded to him in Fernie, Corporal Guthrie is comforted it is still a day trip to the mountains from the valley. He is also an avid  mountain biker and is looking forward to exploring the valley.
    While it might be different from Fernie, Guthrie said the landscape surrounding the valley is similar to his home in the Sarnia area.
    “The climate and the topography are pretty much the same as here, flat and hot in the summer,” he chuckles.
    With the transfer, comes a promotion to corporal. While he will still be in service doing general duties, he will also play an administrative role at the detachment.
    “I will kind of be doing the same thing I have done, only more supervising. I like the front line work,” said Guthrie.