Police continue to investigate the events of early Sunday morning where RCMP received upwards of 13 complaints from residents of the valley related to theft and damage to property. 

The Mail reported on the theft of a truck  and trailer during this period of time, however, it appears on that evening the police had their hands full.

“We are looking into all of these calls and gathering all the evidence,” said Sergeant Kevin Charles. “We are plugging away on all of these files.”

Shortly before 4 a.m. on July 24, RCMP received a complaint of erratic driving in East Coulee. While police were responding to this initial call, five more calls for service were received. These were related to driving complaints within East Coulee and near the Hoodoo Campground. The suspect vehicle was reported to be speeding and spinning its tires. There were reports of loud noises and damages to property, possibly caused by collisions.

It is believed that this truck was the one stolen from Midland and found burning in a back alley near the Canalta Jurassic Hotel.

Over the next few hours, another five more calls for service were received regarding damage to property in the east part of the valley. There were damages to a gate, an oil and gas site and property at the Atlas Coal Mine. There was also damage to a vehicle at the Hoodoo Campground.

Charles tells inSide Drumheller, they are actively working on the file and believe the culprits may be just passing though.

“Of course we have our local criminals who make bad decisions but this isn’t a case of locals preying on locals. A lot of our property crime is travelling criminals,” he said.

Police are actively investigating all of these complaints and would ask anyone who witnessed any of these events to please call Drumheller RCMP at 403-823-7590 if you have not yet spoken with an officer.

Another prehistoric creature will soon find a permanent home at Rotary Spray Park in coming weeks as the Rotary Club has purchased a 14-foot pterodactyl re-creation to be used as shade in the busy park.

The pterodactyl, properly known as a pteranodon, was built by Dinosaur Valley Studios of East Coulee and will be installed on a pole just north of the fountain at the park.

Past Rotary president Doug Stanford said the idea was sparked from patrons of the park and the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Requests were made to the club to build a shelter for shade at the open park, and Stanford attended a speaker series at the museum on the subject of pteranodons.

“I kind of thought with a big wing span like that it could create shade and fit the theme of the park,” said Stanford.  

Pteranodons, which are not related to dinosaurs, included some of the largest known flying reptiles, with wingspans over 6 metres. 

Dinosaur Valley Studios’ Frank Hadfield said the piece will be stylized but basically the same anatomically as the real thing, as much as the fossil records shows. This particular pteranodon had no teeth, was covered with short hairs, and largely subsisted on fish which were caught from the water much like an albatross.

“There are more pteranodons portrayed in movies than any other species of pterosaur. They are the most common species found, and there have been fragments of the largest found here in Alberta,” Hadfield said. 

The installation will serve as a pilot project for the Rotary Club, with past president Stanford saying there is room for expansion later on with more pieces.

The project cost Rotary Club nearly $6,000. It is made from perforated metal with a spray armor coat which resists rust and fading as well as provides strength against wind and snow.