History waits for no man, but a group of dedicated volunteers is assembling the last five decades of Morrin history for a second book for the village.

  The original Morrin history book, “Blooming Prairie:  A History of Morrin and District” was published in 1970. A lot of history has happened since then and the committee wants to put it down on paper for the ages.

“We are progressing fairly well. We have been contacting people who have been in or around the community since 1970, we are just waiting for stories,” said Diane Wolf of the History Book Committee.

They are asking for stories from the last 50 years of life in Morrin. These could be family history or histories of businesses, sports teams, organizations or simply fun oral anecdotes that ought to be written down.

She says the committee wants to reach out to anyone who may have played a role in the community over the last 50 years, who they haven’t contacted. While the book focuses on the last 50 years, they certainly wouldn’t turn down something that predates that era.

“We are looking for people who had a business in Morrin, lived in the community, worked at the school or were teachers at the school, if they want to submit something we would very much appreciate it,” said Wolf. “It doesn’t have to be a lengthy thing, you can just tell us where you have been and what you have done, or what your family has done.”

The district includes Morrin, Sunbeam, Lloyd George, Hillsgreen, Anthill, Golden Grain, and Lake McKee School Districts.

The committee has set a deadline for content for the end of December of this year. Those wishing to submit can email morrinhistorybook@gmail.com. Hard copies can be mailed to Diana Wolf at Box 202 Morrin, AB T0J2B0.

The hope is to launch the book at the 2020 Morrin Homecoming on July 31, 2020. Books can already be preordered.

For more information contact committee president Daryl DeMille at 403-321-0235 or any committee member.

The risk of spreading Prussian Carp to area lakes has promoted the province to suspend diversion licenses from the Red Deer River to Buffalo Lake and Gull Lake.

In an email from Alberta Environment and Parks, the suspension is for five years and comes  after a study of the potential risks associated with pumping,

“In March of 2018, the Operations Infrastructure Branch of Alberta Environment and Parks submitted a study to the Water Act regulator to notify them of the potential risks associated with diverting water from rivers contaminated with Prussian Carp into uncontaminated lakes,” states the email.

“If pumping were to occur, the lakes’ ecosystem health would be at a significant risk because of the potential for a direct transfer of Prussian Carp into both lakes.”

Prussian carp have made their way into waterways in Alberta and Saskatchewan. They are hardy fish that can adapt to many different habitats and are a prolific breeder. They have the potential to out compete native species for food and habitat. The Mail reported in September of this year that fisherman Gregg Blanchett had discovered the carp in the Michichi Creek and fears it may spread to other local water bodies.

Buffalo Lake is about an hour north of Drumheller and in 1985 began on a multiphase project to stabilize water levels and in 1992, an interim license was granted for the diversion of water to Buffalo Lake. This was under the Don Getty government.

While Alberta Environment notes this is a concern, water has not been pumped into Buffalo Lake since 2010 and Gull Lake since 2011. This was due to “naturally high lake levels well above the trigger elevations for pumping. With the license for pumping now suspended, water levels at both lakes will fluctuate naturally based on local conditions, as is common in lakes across Alberta.”