Michael James
The Drumheller Mail

    Residents in Hanna are being asked to give their two cents on how to improve their aging Community Center through a new survey.
    The goal of the Town is to take the feedback and use it to renovate the building in the future.
    “We just started the ball rolling on the process to see what the community wants,” said Mayor Mark Nikota. “We don’t have any renovations or upgrades planned for at least another year.”
    The Community Center was opened in 1986 and is one of the Town’s most used facilities. It hosts everything from theatre productions, to weddings, to community group meetings.
    “We haven’t gotten any results back, but I have been involved in a lot of the groups who use the center. The kitchen has been a major people want to see changed. It has never been designed to host big catering events, so there is room for upgrades there. The stage area could use some work. There is a little bit of everything that could use work,” said Mayor Nikota. “It’s a good, solid building, but it’s probably the most used place in town.”
    Considering the high volume of use of the building, it may be some time, a year or more, before any renovations can begin. During the renovations, the Community Center would be closed.
    “Scheduling is something we’re going to have to look at. People book events a year in advance, so we’re going to have to plan ahead and book off how ever many weeks or months it will take,” said Mayor Niktoa.
    Surveys can be downloaded from the Town of Hanna website and delivered at the Town Office until April 15.

The Dino Art Committee’s latest installation stands head and shoulders above the rest with the Tyrannosaurus rex bust in the Badlands Community Facility (BCF).
    The Dino Arts Committee has been a success story, working tirelessly and continually to make sure the concrete dinosaur statues throughout Drumheller are maintained and repaired. They were also successful in purchasing a new downtown dinosaur. One of their initial projects came to fruition in January when a gigantic Tyrannosaurs rex bust was installed at the community centre.
    Member of the Dino Arts Committee Roxanne Clark explained that when they formed in 2011, they were approached by the Royal Tyrrell Museum about the bust they were willing to donate. This was the first acquisition by the committee.
    At the time, they had no idea what to with the gigantic head. At one point, there were plans to put it near the intersection of Railway Avenue and Centre Street, but the BCF seemed like a natural fit.
    “Once the BCF was complete, the lobby of the facility seemed like the perfect place to mount the head.  As part of an in-kind donation with the town, they did the installation this past January,” said Clark.
    Last summer the committee was successful in installing their bench at the corner of 3rd Avenue and Centre Street. They are aiming for June for the installation of their latest project.
    “It will be exciting to unveil this new project, the design of which is being kept under wraps,” she said.
    While these latest installations are exciting, it doesn’t take away the bread and butter responsibilities of the committee.
    “With spring also brings repairs, the old cement dinos are in need of new paint and repairs caused by both age and vandalism.  If you are willing to paint a dinosaur for the association, please contact John at 403-823-2983,” said Clark.
    She adds that the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce match donations to the committee for supplies to refurbish the dinosaurs.
 “Every little bit helps,” said Clark.