News | DrumhellerMail

RCMP to apply for additional policing

    The Drumheller RCMP detachment is making an application through a provincial program for a new police officer to serve in the valley, although there is no guarantee they will receive one.
    At the February 16 Drumheller Town Council Meeting, council gave the RCMP direction to make an application for a new officer. The provincial commitment is to provide 300 new frontline police officers over three years. Last year the Drumheller RCMP was successful in securing a new officer. In 2010, there will be another 100 officer positions made available. Of these, 20 will be allocated to RCMP detachments who have a policing contract with a municipality, such as the set up in Drumheller.
    Staff Sergeant Art Hopkins says he does not know if all 42 RCMP detachments with municipal contracts have applied to the program, however of those, so far in the last two years, all but seven detachments have been successful in attaining a new frontline officer. He says it stands to reason if these seven detachments make an application, there is probably 13 allotments to be filled.
    “There is the opportunity to get funding for another policeman and there are many different duties we can have that policeman do,” said Hopkins.
    The province has provided $30 million to provide the 300 new officers. Of these positions, 123 officers have been added in Calgary, 105 in Edmonton, and 60 have gone to RCMP detachments. According to a release, to qualify for additional police positions, police agencies had to demonstrate where and how the new officers will be used, and that all its frontline police positions were filled.
     “Police agencies and Albertans told us they wanted more police in their communities,” said Frank Oberle, Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security. “We are delivering those resources and making it harder for criminals to operate in this province.”

Badlands Railway Company notifies CN of intent

    The newly formed Badlands Railway Company has officially notified CN Rail it wishes to begin the negotiation process to acquire the rail line from Oyen to Lyalta.
    The company has been working hard to raise the needed commitment and capital from area producers to be in a position to make that offer. While it did not reach its initial goal, the company feels it is in a good position to start the process.
    “Our initial goal was to reach a shareholder base of 200 and a seed capital base of $300,000. As of February 5, we were half-way to that goal,” said interim president Dwayne Marshman. “As a board we feel we have sufficient support from the producers, businesses and communities to move forward and notify CN we are in a position to begin negotiations on an offer.”
    He says if the company can come to an agreement with CN on the purchase and or partial lease and establish a final offer, the company will have to restructure and develop a share offering and structure that it feels best enables the company to raise the capital necessary to complete the deal.
    While the company is ready to start the negotiations, it continues to solicit additional Class A shareholders, and will be scheduling meetings in the near future. Marshman encourages those interested to come out and take advantage of these initial shares.
    “Once we have reached our goal for raising seed capital, we will have to cut off sales of these shares. In our new structure, if the board and shareholders so desire, we could and should makes these Class A shares convertible and transferable into our new structure,” he said. “There could be a slight reward for the initial investors at the discretion of the shareholders.”

Hamlet growing as Rosebud Centre construction underway

    Rosebud School of The Arts has wasted no time in going ahead with the start of construction of the Rosebud Centre.
    In October of last year, after many years of planning and lobbying, the school received federal and provincial money to work on the planned Rosebud Centre. The plan is for a two-storey 10,000 square foot development that will expand the theatre’s dining area, gift shop, and add a tourist information centre, withflexible teaching space for Rosebud School of the Arts.
    The streetscape of Rosebud is in flux as construction has begun. A barrier has been set up on the south corner of the main intersection in the hamlet beside the Mercantile Dining Room. Krawford Construction Inc. of Calgary is the main contractor. The architects are Riddell Kurczaba of Calgary.
    Bob Davis Executive Director, Rosebud Theatre says they began to break ground on the Rosebud Centre right after the cheque presentation last October. After some redesigning of the basement to meet new codes, they have continued and are close to finishing the foundation, and are almost ready to start framing up walls.
    “We are still targeting a spring 2011 opening,” said Davis. “Even though we have gotten off to a slower start than we planned, we are looking at reaching our target.”
    The Mail reported in its October 7, 2009 edition the federal government has committed $2 million to the project through the Community Adjustment Program. This is a two-year $1 billion national program that is part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan. According to a release, it is designed to provide an economic stimulus by supporting projects that create jobs and maintain employment in rural communities.
    The provincial government also stepped up to the plate contributing $450,000 through the Community Facility Enhancement Program. They have also received contribution through the private and corporate community.
    He says, while the construction has begun, the fundraising will continue.
    “We have set a target of $1,000,000 to raise to bring the project to completion, but we are able to do a substantial amount of the construction with the money we have,” said Davis.
    The Rosebud Centre is not the only change to the vibrant hamlet. Right across from the Rosebud Centre is the newly refurbished Rosebud Museum. The Rosebud Fire Department is in the midst of its own project, a new fire hall just north of the main intersection.
    “Those three buildings have been key projects for the community and they are all coming together,” said Davis. "One thing it is doing is giving Rosebud the capacity to grow. The fire hall can now house the appropriate fire equipment. As the community grows so does the need for infrastructure.”
    “On the museum side, with the number of tourist who come through, it is important for the museum to have more space to display, washrooms for the public, and opportunities to engage the public with another a piece of the Rosebud experience.”
    Akokiniskway has also expanded its campground, and the High Eagle RV Resort (at the site of the former Lions Campground) is now a fully serviced RV site.

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