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Last updateThu, 14 Nov 2024 9pm

Downtown Plaza design revealed

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The much-anticipated downtown plaza design was revealed during the Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday, February 14 to Drumheller town council.
Engagement with downtown businesses started in early 2021 with two online sessions and 11 in-person visits.
“The plaza is conceived as a multi-use space that can change its function based on different needs – and adapt to Drumheller’s strong seasonal cycles,” shares manager of Economic Development Reg Johnston. “Part of the space is imagined as temporarily expandable for events – like markets, outdoor movies, and music. On a regular day, much of the plaza space will provide parking for local businesses and their employees.”
Two formal letters of support from Travel Drumheller and the Chamber of Commerce have also been received for this project.
“The downtown area has an important and unique role in the economic and social development of Drumheller. Carefully developed downtown areas create a critical mass of activities. This concentration facilitates business, learning, and cultural exchange. Drumheller's downtown is on the cusp of this critical mass and the plaza would assist the area in developing to its fullest potential,” stated Travel Drumheller’s letter of support.
The current plaza design consists of a stage design based on a dinosaur skeletal structure, paver surface and lighting. The plaza stage will have anchors to allow for temporary wind barriers for performer safety. Public washrooms were not obtainable in this phase of the project due to budget constraints.
Johnston also noted, “The current design estimate is within the budget of the MSP grant funding, however, if we are able to obtain additional funding, we will pivot to a more expansive design. We are actively applying for additional grant funding opportunities and fundraising opportunities.”
Drumheller was awarded $940,000.00 for the downtown plaza through the provincial Municipal Stimulus Program (MSP) in early 2020, with the intention of the project to be completed by the end of 2021. The Town received an extension to the deadline for the project to be completed by the end of 2022.
The tender package will be available on the Town of Drumheller’s website for bid.


Overnight break-in at Freson Bros.

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Freson Bros. market in Drumheller was the target of a break-in during the early morning hours of Tuesday, February 15.
Drumheller RCMP received a call at approximately 4:30 a.m. for a break-in alarm and discovered a considerable amount of damage to the main and interior doors of the building.
“The store opened for business at 8 a.m. after the staff cleaned up following an early morning illegal entry,” says Freson Bros. store manager, Dale Goulder.
Mr. Goulder notes the thieves “made off” with the store’s ATM, though is grateful there were no injuries.
Drumheller RCMP Staff Sergeant Ed Bourque tells the Mail it is believed there are two suspects involved, though no description is available at this time as police are still investigating and reviewing security camera footage.
It is believed an early 2000 model burgundy Ford pick-up with an aftermarket front bumper was involved and, considering the extensive damage to the building it is believed the vehicle was used and could show signs of a collision.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Drumheller RCMP at 403-823-7590. If you wish to remain anony.mous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477(TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com, or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store.

Girl in the white Cadillac

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Doug Lubinski was in his early 20s when he came to Drumheller in about 1981 to work for Don Ostergard seeding.
After living in the area for a couple of years, he would see a certain girl driving around town in her mother’s white Cadillac. He was determined to meet her somehow, someday.
“I would see her because I used to work at the Curling Club and she worked at the dealership, and she was driving around all the time,” he recalls.
He hatched a plan. One day he went to the florists and grabbed a couple of roses, and hoped to meet up with her on the street, stop her, and ask her to dinner. It was a romantic plan, the only hitch was making sure he caught her eye.
“I drove around town the whole day, and she was nowhere to be seen. The roses were beginning to wilt already, so I was going by the post office and thought if there’s someone there I’ll just give them the roses,” he recalls.
The plan looked like a failure, and he ended up making another girl’s day with the gift of flowers.
“I pulled away from the stop sign and there she goes right past,” he says.
Undeterred, he goes to the florist the next day and begins his quest again. This time he sees her coming down the street in the Cadillac, but she has a guy with her. Despite this, he took his shot.
“I stopped her, gave her the roses and asked her out for dinner and she accepted,” he said.
The guy? Turned out to be her cousin.
There began the courtship of Doug and Barb. This was the 1980’s and while her mom took a shine to Doug, her dad was a little less impressed with the long-haired bearded fellow dating his daughter. He quickly won him over and Barb and Doug were engaged two years later and moved in together.
He recalls when making arrangements for the wedding with the pastor, and earlier that year he had been hired on with PanCanadian. This meant shaving his beard and trimming his locks. He arranged to meet the pastor, who came to his in-laws to meet. They stood around for a bit when the pastor said ‘as soon as Douglas gets here we’ll get started, not recognizing the cleanly shaven groom to be.
The couple was married at the Dalum Church in 1988. At the wedding, the pastor told a story about the importance of forgiveness, and how Doug had forgiven him for not recognizing him.
“We couldn’t take a honeymoon because I had just gotten this job. We had planned an East Coast motorcycle trip. I had bought a Honda Apencade touring bike,” he remembers.
While they couldn’t make it to the East Coast, he did manage to get a four-day weekend and they took a motorcycle trip through the pass and to Kalispell, Whitefish, and home.
Over the last 33 years, there have been more road trips than you can count on both hands. They also have two grown children.
When asked what the secret to 33 years is, he replies, “Never argue, talk it out. In all the time we have been together, I don’t believe there was once where we raised our voices to each other.”


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