The 2021 Municipal election brought the City of Brooks a new Mayor, and he is a Midland boy through and through.
The mayor’s seat was up for grabs as former Mayor Barry Morishita left the seat vacant to become the leader of the Alberta Party. Former Midland resident John Petrie was elected to be the next mayor. He had lots in Drumheller cheering for him.
“The feed I got from direct messages, on Facebook and Twitter, I was surprised by the support I got from people in Drumheller. People I had not heard from in a long time,” Petrie tells the Mail.
Petrie grew up in Midland and was the middle child of six kids. His father was a miner, and his mother was from Carbon.
“It was typical at that time, it was sort of a big boomer family, not a heck of a lot of money in those days, so there were basically eight of us in a two-bedroom house in Midland,” he said.
He went to the Midlandvale cottage schools, until Grade 5. And then to Central School and continued on to the high school.
“I tell people Drumheller was a great place to grow up. We got to explore for dinosaur bones and petrified wood before it became popular. At that time when I was growing up, there were a few abandoned mines, because they were closing down. But as kids we would climb the fences and sneak into the mines and do a little exploring,” he said. “With the hot weather, we would spend a lot of time playing in the river jumping off the black bridge.”
He recalls his first foray into politics was in Grade 6, when he ran for class secretary. Mrs. Fitzpatrick was the teacher.
Bill Schaffer grew up in Midland and remembers the Petrie family well. One of their traditions was Christmas caroling. The whole family would get dressed up and go door-to-door singing for their neighbours spreading joy on Christmas Eve.
“That just goes to show what kind of family they are. They were all really good people,” said Schaffer.
He had an interest in radio and grew up listening to Jim Fisher and Dennis Siebel doing hockey with the Miners. He applied for a job in Rosetown, Saskatchewan, which was also owned by Stan Solberg. He worked there for a couple years before heading to Yorkton, then Calgary, and finally Brooks for the last 41 years. Eventually, he went into sales and management.
He recently retired from radio and served on Brooks City Council for one term, before he ran for the mayor job.
Connie Campbell and Patti Naegeli grew up across the alley from the Petrie family. They were excited to see John running for office, and followed his progress.
“John is a very community-minded man and he was always interested and involved in community happenings in Brooks,” said Campbell.
Patti adds, “He’s a wonderful guy and a real family man, I think he is going to do well as mayor.”
Petrie said there is a synergy between Brooks and Drumheller, including the Badlands, Dinosaur Provincial Park, and a hockey rivalry.
“I know Heather (Colberg), I grew up with her, although she was more my sister’s age, but I was quite familiar with the Kohuts. I have been to conferences with her and I think there are interesting connections with Drumheller,” he said.
“Like for most people you always have a connection with home, and an insatiable need to go back home, and Drumheller has always had a special place in my heart.”
