2021 was a big year for the small Village of Hussar, from overcoming challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, major infrastructure projects and planning, and a new council.
The annual Summer Daze event faced a second year of cancellations due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions; however, the village is looking forward to a bigger and better event in 2022, as restrictions permit. While this event was cancelled, other events were permitted to go ahead, though some faced some changes. Hussar Stag Auction moved to a virtual format once again and raised over $30,000 to help arena operations; the arena is currently open and has been busy. The seventh annual Light up the Night also gave residents the opportunity to enjoy Christmas light displays; among the attendees were RCMP and the local fire department, Santa, and Chestermere-Strathmore MLA Leela Aheer and family, and the village is looking for ways to increase community involvement.
Hussar’s campground also saw its best year ever, and the village hopes the increased use will continue in the coming year. There has also been increased interest in the snow goose migration that comes through the village to Deadhorse Lake just north of the village.
The village has partnered with the Strathmore Wheatland Chamber of Commerce as part of the Tour 564 video series by Rocket Grid Studio which highlights various businesses in the Wheatland County and Strathmore Area to promote tourism to the community.
Grounds at the former Hussar School, which closed in 2016, are in the process of being annexed by the village and a letter of intent has been sent. Volunteer members of the Hussar Fire Department, including Chief Mike Hager, are planning to build an outdoor skating rink this winter on the school grounds.
Along with this project, the village also completed a paving project at the intersection of Centre Street and 2 Avenue, and 3 Avenue West and 1 Street West; water and sewer upgrades are planned for 2023 and the village is in the process of completing a full review of its strategic plan and Land Use Bylaw which is anticipated to be completed by early 2022.

Following nomination day the three-person council was acclaimed with two incumbents--Les Schultz and Tim Frank--and newcomer, Coralee Schindel; Mr. Schultz, who had previously served as Deputy Mayor, was appointed as the new Mayor, and Ms. Schindel was appointed as Deputy Mayor.
Council would like to thank former Mayor Corey Fisher for his many years of dedicated service on council.

The Village of Rockyford has set Monday, March 14 as the by-election date for village residents to return to the polling stations following the regular Wednesday, January 12 council meeting.
A by-election was called in mid-December 2021 after it was discovered an ineligible voter who is not a resident of the village cast a ballot in the October 2021 municipal election. Council-candidate April Geeraert challenged the results of the election in court following this discovery after losing in a tie-breaker to fellow candidate Kathleen Morin; residents will vote between Geeraert and Morin in the March by-election.
Council also had to choose alternative representatives to fill four different committee and board appointments due to the vacant seat on the five-person council.
“These (appointments) could change in October with the organizational meeting, with the exception of the (Assessment Review Board) because that one requires training,” Rockyford Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Elaine Macdonald tells the Mail.
Councillor Tyler Henke was appointed to the Marigold Library Board and Rockyford Library Board for a one-year term; Councillor Bill Goodfellow was appointed the alternative on the Rockyford Community Centre Board during the organizational meeting and will attend these meetings until after the by-election; and Deputy Mayor Leah Smith was appointed to the vacant position on the Joint Assessment Review Board.