Great moments in history came to be as forces converged at the opportune moment; when Eve bit an apple at the urging of a serpent, when Phil Esposito called out hockey fans and inspired his team at the Summit Series, when Bob Dylan unplugged his guitar at the Newport Folk Festival.
    For Peter Maher the forces were his journalistic integrity of treating teams alike when he would broadcast, a career defining misstep that resulted in the 1986 Oilers being eliminated from the playoffs and a Rod Stewart song.
    When these conditions met, the world changed. “Yeah Baby!” was born.
    The legendary broadcaster was not only a witness to some great moments in hockey, such as the 1989 Flames Stanley Cup, the cups run in 2004 and Canada’s gold medal performance at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, but was a part of it, calling the games from the booth. He was invited by the Drumheller Dragons to their annual awards dinner to wrap up the regular season.
    He regaled the captive audience with stories from his career with the Flames. One story that he shared was the birth of his most famous catch phrase.
    It happened in his sixth year with the Flames. Always a consummate professional, he treated teams with objectivity on the ice, however a phrase stuck out to him. He stumbled upon it listening to a Rod Stewart song, and it stuck in the back of his mind.
 At the time, the Flames and Edmonton were in full combat in the Battle of Alberta. The Flames were leading in the second round series, three games to two. Maher wanted to work the line into a broadcast, but on that night it was not to be because the Oilers tied up the series.
    At the next game, late in the third period, Oilers’ rookie Steve Smith attempted to clear the puck from the Oilers end, however it hit Grant Fuhr’s leg and bounced in to the Oilers net. The goal stood, the Flames advanced and Maher let out his first "Yeah Baby!"
    There were more throughout the years such as when Calgary won the Cup in 1989, or when a player would reach 50 goals. There was kind of a drought until the Flames’ 2004-cup run where it achieved legendary status.
    The voice that has propelled the Flames for years told the audience he never missed a game, although there were a few close calls, including at the Vancouver Olympics.
    Fighting a cold and calling two games, Maher’s voice was close to expiring, however Team Canada had advanced to the final. It was Friday night, and the game was on Sunday. Rather than celebrating with colleagues, Maher holed himself up in the hotel drinking water, so he would be on task for one more career highlight.
    One message he brought to the members of the Dragons was to work hard and be ready when your name is called.
    “Hockey, and other sports provide a great opportunity for men and women to prepare for the world of other types of careers and business as you go through life. Teamwork and unselfishness are big things to learn and you also have to be dedicated,” said Maher. “I always said when you are on the ice playing, to work as hard as you possibly can every night you are out there.”
    Maher’s son played for the Calgary Canucks, and his on-ice work ethic spilled over into the professional world when he interviewed for a job. The interviewer knew him from his hard work on ice, and this made him a shoe-in.    

   

    A civic leader in Beiseker has strong opinions about Drumheller not allowing geographical restrictions to be lifted for Rocky View County.
    Last week Drumheller Town Council voted to not amend its existing water agreement with Aqua 7. The deputy mayor of Beiseker, Ray Courtman, is an avid blogger and lashed out against Drumheller Council in its decision.
    In his posting entitled “Drumheller Throws Up Road Blocks,” he says, “This is very frustrating. Drumheller isn’t even a member of Aqua 7, yet they’re calling the shots! All they do is sell us water. What we do with that water should be our (Aqua 7’s) business! That’s sort of like me buying a new car and the dealer telling me where and when I can drive it!”
    He goes on to say that Drumheller is getting a “heck of a deal” by selling water, alleging that Drumheller is selling water at the same rate to Aqua 7 as it charges Drumheller residents.
    According to the Town of Drumheller, it is selling water to Aqua 7 at a rate of $.98 per cubic metre. This is bulk cost for water alone. It does not include capital contributions for upkeep of the system, as Aqua 7 owns and maintains the distribution system.
 Drumheller residents pay $1.32 per cubic metre of water. When adding the $10 flat charge based on meter size, it averages out to about $1.80 per cubic metre. This does not include wastewater treatment. Drumheller residents are charged $1.8001 per cubic metres based on consumption, plus an $11 meter charge.
    While water is sold to Aqua 7 at $.98 per cubic metre, residents, according to the most recent bylaw posted on the Village of Beiseker’s website, pay $75.24 every two months for 18 cubic metres of water. They also pay a flat rate of $27 bimonthly for wastewater.
    In comparing what customers pay in each community for 18 cubic metres, over two months for water and wastewater, residents in Drumheller would pay $91.68, while Beiseker residents would pay $102.24. The curve for Beiseker is steep with any more consumption beyond their minimum charge. Each additional cubic metre is $4.18.
    While Drumheller’s rates are based on full cost recovery, the Village of Beiseker is saddled with its share of the expenses and debt bore by Aqua 7. According to the Rocky View Weekly story, Aqua 7's debt is pegged at about $13 million.
    “We have to cover a lot of the other costs of our water through general revenue,” said Courtman.
    Recently Aqua 7 received a grant of $1.785 million. The funds are provided by Alberta Municipal Affairs and Alberta Transportation and, according to The Three Hills Capital, depend on a formal financial recovery plan, being revised to take into account the new funding. Courtman said it doesn’t go far enough.
    “That money has to be applied to restructuring our debt. It can’t be used to apply to the debt. We still have the same debt, we just now have been able to move it to a longer period of time to pay back,” said Courtman. “Our monthly payments are going to be smaller, the money will pay the penalty for that restructuring. It won’t lower the initial debt.”
    With Drumheller not agreeing to new terms in the contract, he sees it as a missed opportunity for Aqua 7 to sell more water which would benefit all members of the commission. He said when the commission was being created, the geographical restrictions were simply lines on a map.
    “We were all under the impression this line was arbitrary and could be moved very easily at any time at the wishes of the forthcoming commission,” said Courtman.
    He said there have been considerations by members to pull out of the commission.
    “Rocky View has every reason and right to pull out of the system, our mayor here in Beiseker has threatened to pull out,” said Courtman.