News | DrumhellerMail

Gas leak forces evacuation of eight homes Monday

    The occupants of eight residences in Greenwood Villa Trailer Court in Drumheller were evacuated on Monday evening, May 24 while emergency crews dealt with a gas leak.
    The Drumheller Fire Department, Badlands EMS, Drumheller RCMP and AltaGas crews were called to the neighbourhood shortly after 5 p.m. after receiving an emergency call.
    Fire Chief Bill Bachynski said the residents of one of the homes were constructing a fence when a power auger ruptured an underground gas line.
    Residents on the south end of the court who were directly affected were evacuated. Bachynski said the crews had to dig up the line and pinch it to curb the flow of gas.
    He says there were no injuries, and the fire department was on scene for about an hour while the gas crew remedied the situation.
    Bachynski says the incident underlines the importance of employing the services of Alberta One-Call. This is a no-charge system for those planning to disturb ground, to have the underground utilities located in advance. To have the utilities marked, a person can call 1-800-242-3447 or go to www.alberta1call.com

Son of original bronc rider, 82, to open Handhills Stampede

    His father was bucking horses for fun with friends on Sundays, rode the first year of Alberta’s oldest consecutive stampede, and on June 5, Murray Johnson will be opening the 94th annual Handhills Lake Stampede.
    Johnson, 82, a longtime farmer in the Handhills area and son of Fulton Johnson, is honoured to be given the chance to pay respects to the stampede his father started almost a century ago.
    Though he himself has never taken part in the stampede, his father Fulton was a bronc rider who homesteaded their family farm in 1908.
    Fulton and his friends took their Sunday hobby and started what would become a long lived event for the Handhills area, east of Drumheller and south of Hanna.
    “I’m quite proud about that,” Johnson admits. His father rode alongside the original Dick Cosgrave, of which the Richard Cosgrave Badlands Dinosaur Derby got its namesake.
    Murray Johnson, now a Hanna resident, farmed alongside his father until he passed in 1960, and ranched and farmed until 2005. The farm celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2008, and is now rented.
    As to what Johnson will say to open an event that is close to his heart, he says he’ll pay respects to his father and the others who’ve made the event a consecutive success for 94 years.
    “I have lots of respect for the old timers who’ve been a part of it their whole lives. Almost everyone there has some sort of connection to it.”
    Day Lenfesty, an official with the Handhills Lake Stampede, said he and the board of directors are very excited to have Johnson open the stampede on June 4, 5, and 6.
    The rodeo, which features all pro chuckwagon and chariot races, kicks off at 12 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The trade show starts at noon on Friday, with a kickoff party at 9 p.m. and beer gardens until 1 a.m.

Hydrant flushing program continues

The Town of Drumheller Infrastructure Services Department, in conjunction with the Drumheller Fire Department, will be conducting a town-wide hydrant flushing program.

A good fire hydrant maintenance program will ensure operational reliability in the event of a fire. This program commenced on May 5th, 2010 and last for approximately four to six weeks.

Flushing hydrants is important to:

• To maintain the highest possible standard of drinking water set for the by Alberta Environment.

• Flushing the hydrant will ensure ease of operation and will allow staff to take necessary flow and pressure tests.

• Maintenance of hydrant parts are exercised at this time to ensure ease of operation for fire department personnel.

During the 2010 hydrant flushing program, there will be areas within Drumheller that may encounter discolored water for a short period of time. This is normal for the clarity to become somewhat disturbed.

However, this does not indicate that the water is contaminated or unsafe for consumption. In the event that you find your household or place of business with discolored water, just simply allow your cold water faucets to run for a minimum of five minutes and the problem should resolve itself.

The town of Drumheller apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.

Throughout this flushing program, if there are any questions or concerns, please contact the Infrastructure Services Department at 823-1330.

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