Drumheller residents still have a chance to stand up and be counted as the Town has received an extension in conducting its census.

The effective date of the census is still June 2, 2008, how ever the Town has has received permission from the Minister of Municipal Affairs Ray Danyluk to extend the deadline to complete the census by one month to July 31.

According to Bill Wulff cencus coordinator at the Town of Drumheller, the change was made through a Ministerial Order, and it was due to a number of factors that made it difficult for numerators to complete census and a short survey.

He says inclimate weather played a role as well as a delay from people making callbacks.

The Town undertook the count following the federal census. Many felt the Town was under-represented in the national count. Many provincial grant programs are divvied out on a per capita basis, meaning the greater the population, the greater the funding.

The Town issued a press release asking residents for continued patience if their neighbourhood has yet to be enumerated.

Those who have been missed, and would like to participate in the census, and the community facility questionnaire, can call 403-823-6300, and Town staff will conduct the short interview.

Helicopter lifts injured hiker out of Horseshoe Canyon

A Mountain View Helicopter pilot swooped down to help a hiker in Horseshoe Canyon who had been injured hiking.

On Wednesday, July 2, shortly after 1 p.m the Badlands Ambulance were dispatched to Horseshoe Canyon for the call of a hiker who had possibly broke her ankle.

They called the Drumheller Fire Department for a possible assist, not knowing where in the canyon the injured hiker may be.

Mountain View Helicopters, a company that has been doing tours of the Horseshoe Canyon for about five years offered assistance to the hiker who was about a quarter of a mile into the canyon.

Pilot Slade Smith circled around and managed to find a safe spot near the hiker to set down. Emergency responder Bruce Coad accompanied the patient as they brought her to the top of the canyon and into the waiting ambulance, which took the patient to the Drumheller Health Centre.

Staff of Mountain View Helicopters said in the time they have operated at the canyon they have not heard any other pilot assisting in a medical rescue.