While the Town of Drumheller recovers from a spike in COVID-19 cases locally, the province of Alberta is battling a second wave of the pandemic, prompting further measures to be implemented with some restrictions coming into effect as of midnight on Sunday, December 13.
The province-wide restrictions have left some businesses scrambling to accommodate clients prior to four-week closures and implement further restrictions on occupancy capacity ahead of Christmas.
“Our small businesses need additional support, and they need them today,” said Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation Doug Schweitzer during the Tuesday, December 8 press conference.
These restrictions have meant most retail businesses must reduce occupancy capacity from 25 per cent under previous regulations, to 15 per cent as of Sunday, December 13. The reduced capacity also applies to places of worship, and virtual or drive-in services are encouraged where possible.
While some businesses are permitted to remain open, there are several which have had to close to the public, including hair and nail salons, and tattoo and massage studios.
Restaurants, bars, lounges, and pubs are closed for in-person dining, though are permitted to remain open for curbside pickup and takeout only.
Some entertainment venues, which had previously been permitted to operate under reduced capacity, such as libraries and museums, must also be closed. Director of Library Services for the Drumheller Public Library, Emily Hollingshead says the library has been given permission to remain open until Friday, December 18 for curbside pickup only.
After December 18 the library will remain closed until the Badlands Community Facility (BCF) is permitted ro reopen due to the new restrictions.
Indoor recreation at the BCF, Drumheller Memorial Arena, and Drumheller Aquaplex are also closed to the public. However, outdoor recreation is permitted and the outdoor skating rink at Midland is ready for use. The outdoor skating rinks in Nacmine and Rosedale are in the process of being prepared for skaters.
As of Monday, December 14, the Town of Drumheller has 18 active cases and 109 recovered cases of COVID-19.
There have been two deaths locally since the start of the pandemic.
In Kneehill County there are 24 active cases, one in Starland County, and Wheatland County has been placed back on enhanced status with 13 active cases.

Two cornerstone documents for the Town of Drumheller, the Municipal Development Plan (MDP) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB), passed third reading during the regular Drumheller council meeting on Monday, December 7.
Amendments were made to the documents following a first reading in August this year, followed by a series of neighbourhood engagement sessions in mid-to-late October to let the public provide input.
“They (the MDP and LUB) needed modernization, but more than that, they needed to acknowledge the single biggest threat to development in the community--the river--and address how that threat can be reduced,” Councillor Jay Garbutt said during the meeting. “Using flood program funds to bring these new documents forward is the best reflection, so far, on leveraging that investment.”
Some feedback from the neighbourhood engagement sessions requested the MDP protect the unique landscape of the Badlands and palaeontological areas.
Using this information, additional changes were made to the MDP, adding new regulations to protect the escarpment edge, a new analysis map, and stronger language to protect palaeontological resources.

Changes to the LUB will work with the MDP to further protect palaeontological resources and will streamline development by reducing the previous 21 land use designations down to eight.
New maps were developed to provide clearer and more detailed information, and additional information on the role of the Development Officer was defined based on feedback from the October engagement sessions.
“All the suggestions everyone made, all the comments, they’re not going to be stored on a shelf,” said Councillor Tom Zariski during the council meeting. “They are going to be reviewed and we will possibly use them in the future.”
Third reading was passed unanimously.
Changes to these two documents will come into effect in March 2021 and will receive ongoing evaluations, with the first estimated for June 2021.