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Badlands develop closer ties with Tourism Minister

   

    The Badlands of Alberta were front and centre on the agenda of Alberta’s Minister of Tourism last week in the hopes of developing a closer working relationship with Badlands attractions.
    Minister Christine Cusanelli  was invited by Canadian Badlands for a tour of the area. Indications are the tour went well.
    “I think it went very well. We were lucky to receive from the minister a three day commitment to really get to know the entire Canadian Badlands region,” said Bob Davis, executive director for Canadian Badlands. “It was a good opportunity to showcase everything the region has.”
    The tour started on Wednesday, August 15 in Drumheller, with tours to sites such as the Royal Tyrrell Museum, World’s Largest Dinosaur, Fossil World, a helicopter ride, and a tour of the Badlands Community Facility.
    The tour is the first time Minister Cusanelli has visited the Badlands in an official capacity.
    “She was very receptive and she seemed to enjoy herself,” said Mayor Terry Yemen, who gave the tour of the Community Facility. “She was very impressed with it and said Drumheller should be proud, as a community of 8,000, to have built such a facility. It’s great because she’s a player in an industry we’re really involved in.”
    The tour also gave an opportunity for the people who run the area’s attractions to meet the minister face to face. During a luncheon at the Royal Tyrrell Museum, many attraction operators visited and were able to talk with Minister Cusanelli.
    “The other key element was to meet the people who run the tourist attractions. You can’t negotiate things until you meet the people involved,” said Davis.
    After Drumheller, the tour proceeded to places such as Dinosaur Provincial Park, Medicine Hat, and Blackfoot Crossing.
    The tour was meant to be an informal showcase of what is offered in the Badlands. Davis hopes the potential spin off is a closer working relationship with the minister and her office.
    “It was a good way to get to know us, because we know in the future we’ll have those targeted discussions. We wanted to increase awareness from the minister, so when we need signage improvements, new attractions, investments, or any opportunities that come along we can go to the minister or one of her colleagues,” said Davis.
    “For example, one of the keys to tourism is good signage. Signage is governed by Alberta Transportation. So what we need is the Minister of Tourism to see where signage is good and where it’s needed. When we go to her and say we need improved signage, she can help achieve that goal. The future benefit is being able to tackle challenges down the road with her support.”


Motorcyclist killed in single vehicle collision on Highway 21

At 6:37 pm on Monday, August 20th, 2012, Beiseker RCMP and Three Hills RCMP responded to a single vehicle collision on Highway 21 near Township Rd. 291a. Initial reports from witnesses are that a single motorcycle driven by a 58 year old Craig Lyall, from High River was travelling south bound on Highway 21 when the bike started to wobble causing him to lose control and drift into the opposing lane. A F-350 truck hauling a 5th wheel trailer observed the motorcycle come into his lane and attempted to brake. The motorcycle struck the passenger side of the truck and trailer and the sole occupant was thrown from the bike.
 
Multiple other motorists, including some other motorbike drivers who were driving with the male, stopped and attempted to provide first aid to the driver of the motorbike. STARS air ambulance was dispatched as well as Carbon Fire department. The male was pronounced deceased on scene.
 
Police do not think alcohol was a factor and are not investigating any criminal charges. No other motorists were injured in the collision. Lyall was travelling with his son and a friend on a casual drive when the collision occurred.

Staying cautionary while enjoying water activities this summer


    There is nothing better on a hot summer day than to cool off by taking a swim,  a cruise on a boat, or a float down the Red Deer River as many locals do.
    However, caution needs to be kept in mind to stay safe around water, any water for that matter. Every year Albertans die from drowning. Here are some tips from Alberta Health Services and Canadian Red Cross on how to stay safe and enjoy the water during the warmer months:
1. Wear a life jacket or PFD
    All boats are required to have lifejackets or personal floatation devices (PFD) for every single passenger on board. Wearing a lifejacket or PFD will significantly reduce the risk of drowning should an unexpected or unintentional entry to the water occur.
2. Know your environment
    Many drownings are the result of people not being aware of water temperature, currents, and wind conditions or changing weather factors. The presence of cold water, wind, waves, and darkness make recreational activities much more dangerous.
3. Check water depth
    Diving headfirst into water should be avoided unless the individual is properly trained and the water has been checked for depth.
4. Supervision is key
    Children should always be supervised when swimming, and consider requiring all non-swimmers to wear a life jacket.
5. Don’t mix alcohol and boating
    Consumption of alcohol while boating is a major factor in many boating-related incidents that result in a drowning.
6. Staggering Statistics
    Here are some common factors from the Canadian Red Cross examining drowning fatalities over a period of 10 years:
    Children ages one to four and men ages 15 to 44 are at the greatest risk of drowning.
    Drowning is one of the leading causes of unintentional death for Canadian children ages one to four.
    It only takes a few centimetres of water to drown - enough to cover the mouth and nose.    
    Factors for adults in water-related fatalities included water current and alcohol consumption.
    These are just a few of the suggestions and statistics given by Alberta Health Services and the Canadian Red Cross regarding water safety.


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