The Badlands Community Facility has now been open for just over a month, but one area has remained off limits during that time, the new location of the Drumheller Public Library.
    On Saturday, April 14, the Library will open its doors to the public during their grand opening.
    The event will be the first chance for residents to check out the new Library. During the day, residents can be given a tour, there will be childrens crafts, coffee, muffins, and a cake cutting at 1:30 p.m. to celebrate.
    The move for the Library has been drawn out longer than had been originally planned. The plan prior to the facility being opened, was that the Library would open with the rest of the building.
    “We had shelving complications and it’s hard to control that,” explained Melissa D’Onofrio-Jones, director of library services. “Without shelves, we couldn’t unpack. But, the new shelves look good.”
    The shelves had to be painted and shipped to the Library, but delays pushed back unpacking. Some of the shelves only arrived on Monday, April 9.
    With the delays, library staff only began shelving the massive collection of books on Monday. By the next day, the majority of the books had already found their homes on the shelves.
    This is the first time D’Onofrio-Jones had been involved in moving an entire library collection.
    “I’ve never moved a library before. This was an interesting experience early in my career,” said D’Onofrio-Jones.  “It’s been as good as can be expected, it’s been a big move. I think the end product is great. It’s a library Drumheller can be proud of.”
    Library staff had packed most of the collection at the end of February and then Town of Drumheller crews began moving boxes over to the new facility in the beginning of March.
    Since the move began, the Library has been running partial service out of the Civic Centre. Rougly 300 books remained and residents were able to order books in from other libraries.
    “It went smoothly. I think the public appreciated being able to order anything from 200 plus libraries. I’m glad we did it, because we would have been closed if we didn’t have partial service,” said D’Onofrio-Jones.
    D’Onofrio-Jones went on to explain the downside was that programs had to be halted while the move was happening.
    The new location has a lot to offer, improving markedly beyond the Civic Centre location.
    “Come and see the new Drumheller Public Library,” said D’Onofrio-Jones. “It offers a lot of opportunities with the programs rooms, larger space, and reading areas. We’re excited to settle in and provide regular service.”

There may be hope that Fields in Drumheller will not close after all.
    inSide Drumheller reported in its February 17 edition that the discount department store in Drumheller would be closed by its parent company HBC by this fall.
    There have been reports the Fields in Drumheller has been saved by a buying group who is looking at purchasing some of the stores in Western Canada. 
    Spokesperson for Fields Holding Company (FHC) Rebecca Johnston says there is a group looking at purchasing some of the Fields stores, however the deal has yet to be signed, and as far as the Drumheller store being included, it has yet to be determined.
    She explains there is a tentative agreement between HBC and FHC for the company to purchase the rights to the assets of about 59 stores in Western Canada.
    “About 37 of those stores are confirmed, and another 22 are under consideration as part of the agreement,” said Johnston.
    “There is a goal for a deal in a month or two.”
    She adds that it appears the Drumheller store is on the list of the 22 stores that has yet to be confirmed.
    “It is the intent to keep the Drumheller store going, but that is still what is being negotiated, and that is with landlords and alike,” said Johnston.
    Fields has had a presence in the valley for 28 years at the same location. Earlier this year HBC announced they would be closing the stores across Canada. This was shortly after it purchased the American Department store chain Lord and Taylor. 
    Tiffany Bourre, external communications manager for HBC confirmed they are working on deal and that Drumheller is one of the 22 stores under consideration.
    Johnston said the FHC is a group of Canadian investors eager to see the Fields chain returned to B.C. from Ontario.  Businessman Jason McDougall is part of the group. He heads up Mcfrugals stores in B.C. and is founder of Bargain Warehouse.