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Last updateThu, 14 Nov 2024 9pm

Rockyford bids farewell to last payphone

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The last payphone in the Village of Rockyford will be removed from its location at the Rockyford Exchange in early April.
Rockyford council was presented with a letter from WiMacTel Canada Inc during the regular Wednesday, March 9 council meeting stating the payphone will be removed April 5 due to declining use.
“It’s one of the transitions of time,” Rockyford Mayor Darcy Burke says.
Days before receiving the letter from WiMacTel, Mayor Burke says he saw a group of children looking at the payphone and puzzling over what it was.
“They thought it was the funniest thing; they didn’t even know what it was,” he laughed.
The letter stated alternative solutions could be discussed with Telus Business Solutions to continue offering a public phone to the community.
Mayor Burke says this is not something council is interested in. He doubts many in the community even realize there is a payphone and adds, in an emergency, there are numerous residents and local businesses who would be willing to help call 911.


Additional funding secured for Drumheller's downtown plaza

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The Town of Drumheller has secured additional funding for the Downtown Triangle Plaza through the Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF).
The Town has received $408,000 in federal funding to go toward the Downtown Plaza, a staple project in the Downtown Area Revitalization Plan (DARP).
“This funding will help our community thrive as we reinvent the outdoor spaces and continue to fortify our downtown area,” Drumheller Mayor Heather Colberg shares.
The Triangle Plaza is a new multi-use public space located in the heart of downtown Drumheller. This flexible space will allow year-round day-to-day use for a variety of events and activities. The central attraction aims to draw Drumheller residents to downtown Drumheller to reconnect with friends, families, and enjoy the cultural spirit of the Drumheller Valley.
“Our local markets and artists can use this space for their needs as well,” says Economic Development manager Reg Johnston. “Another focal point is the Plaza is within short reach of many retailers, which will help local businesses attract tourists during the peak season to shop in their stores, dine in their restaurants and further enjoy their experience in Drumheller.”

New Midland outdoor rink looking for community support

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Midland Community Hall Association is planning to update their aging outdoor community rink and is looking for support from the Drumheller community to make this a reality.
Updates will also make the outdoor rink fully accessible to all community members and will be the second fully accessible outdoor rink in Alberta.
“When the idea of making a new rink a reality first came about, the volunteers all agreed we needed to dream big,” Association volunteer Cindy Sereda told the Mail.
Ms. Sereda was inspired to make the rink a fully accessible space after searching online for building materials and expenses and stumbling upon the Parkdale Community Association in Calgary. The Parkdale association had recently completed the first fully accessible rink in Alberta, and Sereda says she felt this was something needed in Drumheller, too.
“It was said during our video chat once you start to recognize how inaccessible spaces are, you can never unsee it,” Ms. Sereda says.
The new rink will be built next to the Midland Community Hall, on the site of the former Midland School. It is estimated to cost some $630,000 and the Midland association is hoping to raise about $300,000 of this by May 1 when they become eligible to apply for provincial funding through the Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP) grant.
A total of $41,290 has been raised towards this goal and the association has some ongoing and upcoming fundraisers, including a Las Vegas fun night, bottle drive, and fundraiser barbecue. The project has also received letters of support from various community organizations and members, along with the Town of Drumheller and Drumheller-Stettler MLA Nate Horner.
For more information, contact midlandvalehall21@gmail.com or Cindy at 403-820-6454.


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