It’s tough to imagine another year in Drumheller that has been filled with such change, politically, socially and economically. In The Mail’s Year In Review we will look at the stories this year that shaped the valley and its people.
January
The year started with incredible and unprecedented provincial political upheaval. Literally hours after the December session of the legislature closed, nine of the Wildrose Opposition crossed the floor to join the Progressive Conservative Party. This included leader Danielle Smith, who said that the political values of the Wildrose and then Premier Jim Prentice’s values were similar. Along with her up and coming cabinet stars Rob Anderson and Bruce McAlister also crossed over. Not on the list was Drumheller-Stettler MLA Rick Strankman. It was a field day for political scientists and pundits as they tried to predict the political future of the province.
February
February in Drumheller began with the end of a chapter, that was Reptile World. The Mail reported in its February 4 edition that the area reptile zoo and attraction was facing imminent closing as the facility was in dire need of repairs. That week a search warrant was executed at the facility and the SPCA seized 142 animals, and a number were euthanized. On February 12, the last of the animals were taken. A number of crocodilians were re-homed in sanctuaries in the United States. Dave Bethel, owner of Reptile World, was charged under the Animal Protection Act. In October of this year, he pleaded guilty to three charges and was fined $2,000. The loss of the attraction is still felt in the downtown core.
February also saw the opening of the Charmont Bilingual Academy. The valley’s involvement with the poorest of the poor in Roatan began with the Morgan Jayne project, and culminated with the opening of a K-9 school for children whose families have been affected by AIDS.
March
Hockey Fever was still alive and well in March, thanks to Drumheller Dragons. The team was heating up down the stretch and finished the season in fourth place in the Viterra AJHL south. In the first round, they swept the Olds Grizzlies and then battled the Camrose Kodiaks in round two. The run ended in a double overtime loss in game 5. It was not without controversy however, as during the first overtime period it appeared the puck was destined for the Kodiaks’ net, but there was a power outage in the arena. The possible goal did not count and play continued.
March Madness continued in the valley as the DVSS Senior boys hosted the 2A Boys Basketball Provincial Championship. While the Dynos fell early and competed for 11th place, they showed character right to the end. Stirling School won the provincial title.
April
Gotcha! While The Mail had a chuckle with its April Fools story about eradicating seagulls from the Drumheller landfill, the headlines saw provincial political jockeying on the path to a May election. The Drumheller Chamber of Commerce also revived the Spring Expo, which brought in dozens of exhibitors and thousands of browsers.
A tragic chapter closed on April 22. Wade Calvin Laughlin was found guilty of manslaughter in the death of Neil McMaster. The victim was discovered on a boulevard in Nacmine on May 2, 2011. He died two days later in hospital. Testimony from medical examiner Dr. Bernard Bannach pointed to blunt cranial trauma as the cause of death. Laughlin represented himself during the trial. On June 30, Laughlin was sentenced to five years in jail.
May
Change was in the air leading up to the May 5 provincial election, but very few predicted just how dramatic it would be. While earlier in the year, many counted the Wildrose out after the floor crossing, they fared very well, returning as official opposition behind the leadership of former federal Tory Brian Jean.
The biggest change came however as Rachel Notley led the NDP to power for the first time in Alberta. She also did it handily, winning 54 seats with 42 per cent of the vote. The ruling PC party, while they still had the second highest percentage of popular vote, were trimmed to just nine seats. While Prentice was elected, he quickly resigned as PC leader and disclaimed his seat.
June
This may have been one of the busiest June's in Drumheller in many years as it prepared for the summer season. The valley was booming construction wise, as TELUS, ATCO and AltaGas were busy on projects to upgrade the valley’s infrastructure. Knibb Development was also back on track working on Drumheller’s cast iron replacement program. The new waterslide at the Drumheller Aquaplex was installed as well.
Many expected a busy summer tourism season, especially with the release of Jurassic World. To fully capitalize, Travel Drumheller partnered with Travel Alberta, the Royal Tyrrell and the Newell Regional Association to produce a 45 second commercial to be played in theatres across Canada in advance of the film.
The valley saw the iconic world’s smallest church get a remodel and Fossil World announced it would be bringing an animatronics family of dinosaurs to its attractions, all exciting developments.
July
The world’s media in July focused on the little berg of Delia. Its council, in a bid to create a buzz and hopefully add to its population, offered a subdivision of residential lots for sale at just a $10. Of course, there were some stipulations. Potential buyer had to put a $1,000 deposit down and were required to begin construction in 90 days. Despite this, the village had over 650 expressions of interest in the lots coming from all over Canada, the United States and even Europe. In the end, they sold two lots, out of the possible five.
August
This month ended with one of the brightest spots of the year for the valley. The new Drumheller Skatepark was officially unveiled. Drumheller Area Skateboard Enthusiasts (DASE) led the charge on the project, and after years of planning and fundraising, were able to cut the ribbon. Designed by New Line Skateparks, the park includes a variety of street skating obstacles as well as a two-stage bowl, all coped and ready to grind. The park is a family friendly space open to skaters, BMX and scooters, as well as a strong contingent of spectators. It is located beside the outdoor pool.
September
September was another busy month in the valley, kicking off with the coldest and soggiest Tough Mudder to date. Despite the weather, it was still well attended.
This September was back to school, but for some it was back to school for students who graduated 50 years ago. The Place to Be Since ’63 opened its doors to a reunion. Oscar Leske and David Lehn worked hard to track down and invite alumni from 1964 and 1965 back to the valley for a weekend of fun and reminiscing. They had a fantastic turnout. Not only did many reacquaint themselves with fellow former students, but also with all the valley has to offer.
October
On the front of the October 14 edition of The Drumheller Mail, the headline was “Federal election too close to call.” As the ballots were tallied on the evening of October 19, the writing was on the wall. The Liberal Party built momentum on the East Coast, and as the ballots were counted there was no question they would form the government. This was one of the longest campaigns in Canada, with the writ being dropped on August 4. Virtually every day, the parties were within a couple points of each other. In the end, the Liberal Party captured 184 seats, the PCs dropped to 99. In Battle River-Crowfoot, MP Kevin Sorenson’s popularity did not wane and he captured 81 per cent of the popular vote.
November
With provincial and federal elections out of the way, the first session of the 29th legislature sat. The new government passed its new budget as well as many other initiatives that provided fodder for numerous stories. While there were positives in relation to maintaining education budgets and investing in infrastructure, there were real concerns about spending and debt as well as additional taxes. Some of the controversial legislation that passed included its Climate Change Strategy. It was an ambitious agenda coming at a time of economic uncertainty.
December
Of all the legislation that was introduced at the most recent sitting of the Alberta Legislature, Bill 6 dominated the headlines. The government’s stated goal of the legislation was to ‘ensure Alberta’s farm and ranch workers are kept safe and treated fairly.’ What it became was a threat to the way of life on the family farm. The opposition was effective in mobilizing its grassroots, and a number of rallies were held at the Legislature and throughout the province. Missteps on the rollout of the legislation were glaring, forcing the governed to refocus its messaging efforts. Much of the criticism came from passing legislation before introducing regulations, leaving dozens of questions unanswered. Despite the opposition, Bill 6 passed.
