Amanda Jeffery, Free Press
Anyone who is 55 years or older will soon be able to access a vehicle to get them to all of their appointments in town, and to some appointments outside of the community.
Drake’s Handi-Bus Services is now being contracted by the Town of Drayton Valley to help those who are older than 55 and those with mobility issues (at any age). Annette Driessen, the General Manager of Community Services for the Town, says they put an RSP out into the community, checking to see if there was anyone who wanted to operate the service, and Drake’s was the one who won.
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All Saints Anglican Church
Drayton Valley, All Saints Anglican Church participates in the Anglican Liturgy, which comforts and sustains us. Many have said that in such a busy and changing world it is important to come to a place that feels like home.
Valley Worship Assembly
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Drayton Valley Alliance Church
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“Providing accessible transportation in Drayton Valley has been a priority of Council and I am excited to see this important project come to fruition. Town Council remains committed to offering yearly grants to keep this service operating for the betterment of the community,” says Mayor Michael Doerkson in an email statement.
Amy Newberry, of Drake’s Handi-Bus Services, says the name has historical meaning for the community. “The Drakes were the people of our town that named Drayton Valley because of the Postal Code system, and they were also my great grandparents. It’s a form of leaving a legacy for me,” she said via email.
So I have been telling you to explore your backyard and check out places like Evansburg, Breton and Eagle Point Provincial Park. But what about Alder Flats? What the heck is there to do in Alder Flats? To answer this question I have visited Alder Flats five times since July to have a new experience, discover a new place and give you guys some actionable ideas.
To give a bit of context, I am no stranger to Alder Flats but most of my visits have been specific to spending time with family. In the early 1960’s my grandpa found himself raising a family on a well site in the middle of the bush, somewhere in the vicinity of Alder Flats. I say somewhere because after visiting the place several times I am at a loss on how to even give directions to get there. It is literally a labyrinth of lease roads that lead into thicker, thicker bush. No other neighbours for miles with bears, moose and deer being some of the most frequent guests. I have added my grandmother’s Spicy Moose Stew recipe below for your gustatory pleasure.
The trails are unmapped and shrouded in thick forest so good luck picking any sort of line on Google Maps.
Having been born in the area my dad would be considered an Alder Flats local although his family ties extended between there and Breton. My mom was a migrant from BC that somehow also landed in Alder Flats. Over the years these ties have led to frequent visits to Alder Flats to meet with extended family who still live in the area.Visit yes, exploration of the region? No.
At first glance the small hamlet leaves one truly wondering, “Okay I am in Alder Flats, now what?” Signage to attractions are few, so without a local to guide you may just decide to breeze past this community without a second thought.
Don’t do it. Here’s why.
Grey Owl Meadery – Distance from Drayton Valley 31 minutes
I am going to lead with my big card; The Grey Owl Meadery, a bona fide tourist attraction including; facility tours, flight samplers, and a beautiful pastoral setting overlooking the Rocky Mountains. If you are in the area you should really plan to stop in.
Coming off the mountain after a gruelling two-day 30 km hike near Nordegg my friend and I were famished. But, looking at our sad sack of “power” food we knew that as convenient as it was it just wouldn’t do. Standing by the car peeling off our sweat soaked attire, and removing my slightly too small but “they were the right price” hiking boots we ran through the 3-4 options that Nordegg had to offer. Although they were good, they just weren’t grabbing us. Then it hit me! “What about the Grey Owl Meadery?” The meadery is Located on Hwy 22 just south of Alder Flats. It is a local farm to glass story with their mead being made from their very own honey hives located in Buck Creek and Alder Flats.
I haven’t had mead before, but I like charcuterie, as did my hiking companion. Sold! We arrived at the Grey Owl, properly hungry and thirsty. We took our seats on the patio and ordered a sampler flight of mead to share and some charcuterie. The salty meats, and cheeses paired with sweet fruits and mead was just what we needed. Looking out the patio to the west was a picturesque pastoral setting that extended all the way to the rocky mountains.
We did not do a tour but tours are on offer and perhaps something I will sign up for at a later date. If this is not on your bucket list I suggest you add it. My friend and I took our time, chatted with other patrons and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Rose Creek Float
From camping in the mountains to camping in my aunt’s backyard AKA “Backyard Bumming”. Her acreage in Alder Flats is normally a nice place to take the kids, but this time we found ourselves in the grips of a mid-summer heat wave where the thermometer soared to the high twenties by mid-morning and we found that no amount of sprinkler water was going to put out that fire. So we packed up blow ups, snacks, water and sunscreen and rolled out to Rose Creek.
There are two access points to Rose Creek that I know of. The first is at the Rose Creek bridge straight west of Alder Flats and another about 15 minutes away navigated by a series of range roads and lease roads. Without a local guide I would have been lost a number of times as the roads got rougher and the trees got thicker. But luckily my aunt knew where to go so we found ourselves at what I have always known as “The Mouth of the Wolf. This designation was from the time when Rose Creek was “the creek formerly known as Wolf Creek.” This is where the creek meets the North Saskatchewan River.
Flat dry creek beds and a low flow creek was the perfect break from the summer’s horrendous heat and a great spot for my young kids to play in. But as noted to get here you will have to rely on a local or a mental map as roads are not signed. I think this adds to the overall ruggedness of the area.
Rose Creek Trails
Speaking of ruggedness there is another place to explore that has the Rose Creek namesake: The Rose Creek Trails, at the Rose Creek Educational Forest, just west of Alder Flats. The Trails were originally built for Nordic skiing. Remnants of the chalet, outhouses, and signage still exist. The trails have been taken over for multi-use purposes such as hiking, snowshoeing, and atving.
This November weekend we took the dirt bikes, to do a short exploration of the area before picking up the kids at my aunt’s. A quick walk over some of the trails proved to be a little too technical for my riding ability paired with the time crunch we were facing led us to decide to hike them instead. The trails are unmapped and shrouded in thick forest so good luck picking any sort of line on Google Maps. We were able to note several cut lines and my foggy memory of shoe showing the area with Linda McKinnon and her gals about eight years prior laid out a nice little 6km hiking loop.
Heading west out of town you will come to some signage noting the educational forest, to the north is a large parking area that will serve as your jumping off point. Being that these trails are shrouded in trees there is no particular viewpoint but if you take the time to get a bit more up close and personal with the area you will begin to appreciate the beauty surrounding you.
On our hike we came across a number of grouse, birch tree groves, deep ravines, and thick forests. With the right kind of snow fall the trails could definitely be snowshoed and possibly skied. I would love to get back to these trails and explore more, with some website posts noting 80 km of trails you could spend a whole weekend just exploring these trails.
Leaving the area the husband pointed out an eagle. I thought he was mistaken because a crow was also flying overhead. Well, I was wrong as we drove along the road. A huge golden eagle flew up out of the ditch just outside my passenger side window. It was absolutely majestic.
While you are in the area check out some other notable mentions: Seely’s General Store, and Maw Grub & Pub. Seely’s General store has a historic presence in the community started by one of the area’s long- time families; it has stood the test of time and if you head there you can have a peek of the visual history of the area from a mural on their store front. Seely’s has all necessary provisions for campers visiting in the area but one thing that interests a passerby like me are the five cent treat bags. All your favourite childhood candies, changed weekly, bundled nicely and whaddayaknow, five cents still holds its value.
Maw Grub & Pub is located right across from the Alder Flats School. As a side note the school playground is a really good one, and one we visit often. This is the local restaurant, with a wood facade and farm signage on the outside it harkens back to the heritage of the area that was once a homesteaders’ haven, and at the apex of the Alberta logging boom. A nice place to stop and refuel with comfort food menu selections.
Winter time at Buck Lake
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Two small town fairs you won’t want to miss
Small town summer fairs in Drayton Valley and Evansburg are a must do this summer.
Try these DV100 training routes
Just beyond the western borders of Drayton Valley is a series of township roads and secondary highways that creates an amazing training ground for anyone looking to tackle the DV100, DV60 or the DV40, this September.
To market, to market: Shopping downtown Drayton Valley
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Tips for beginner mountain bikers
Rocks, berms, extreme pitches, however you slice it, mountain biking is not for the faint of heart. But with a little can-do attitude and grit it can become a fun pastime during any age or stage of life. This summer Rae and Bell decided that they wanted to try something new. Although they were no strangers to road cycling, the purchase of a e-mountain bike got them off the asphalt onto the trail.
Three trips for your winter wonder list
Snowshoeing is a fun way to get outside, stretch your legs and add a little interest to your snowy winter walks. With the Eagle Point Provincial Park and Provincial Recreation area right on our doorstep there are endless places to explore by snowshoe. But for those of you who are just getting started here are three of my favourite places to get you going.
Youth between the ages of 16 and 18 are being invited to learn about the Rotary Club’s International Youth Exchange program on October 14 at the Rotary House.
Elaine Tamboline, the chair of the youth services committee, says the Rotary Club has sent more than ten students to other countries with this program since it was founded in 1995. Each student lived with a family in another country for the duration of a school year, from the end of August to the beginning of July.
Emmaus Lutheran Church
A community of faith passionately walking the road of life with the Lord Jesus. Phone: 780-542-5101, Drayton Valley Alberta
Life Church Drayton Valley
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Ralcomm Communications
The Ralcomm Group provides communication devices for individuals and businesses. We specialize in technology that
All Saints Anglican Church
Drayton Valley, All Saints Anglican Church participates in the Anglican Liturgy, which comforts and sustains us. Many have said that in such a busy and changing world it is important to come to a place that feels like home.
Drayton Valley Community Church
DV Community Church. Located at Affinity Funeral Services, officiated by Dwayne Henley.
She says the point of the program isn’t for the students to pass the grade in another country. The club understands it would be difficult for someone to travel to a foreign country and expect to pick up on the school work easily.
Instead, this is about students experiencing other cultures around the world.
“They have to be willing to learn about another culture and learn another language,” says Tamboline.
The student will get to live with four or five different hosts during their stay.
“We want them to be good representatives of the Rotary Club, Drayton Valley, their family, their communities and of Canada,” says Tamboline. She says the students need to give the experience their all. This includes volunteering, learning customs, trying food, and working hard in school.
The term empty nester has been around for about 110 years and is used to describe the lonely feeling parents have when their children grow up and leave the house.
I’ve spent a lot of time over the years thinking about what it would be like to be on my own. I have never lived by myself. When I was a single mom, there were definitely moments when it felt that way, but most of my choices were made with my children in mind. I didn’t feel free to just do whatever I wanted.
Having been a parent since I turned 20, I always kind of dreamed about what it would be like once my kids were grown. I would only have to clean up after myself. I didn’t have to listen to YouTubers screaming about video games anymore or listen to Ariana Grande’s voice in Sam and Cat.
No more parent-teacher interviews. No more non-urgent emergencies that I have to drop everything and attend to just in case. No more refereeing and enduring my children’s consequences when their electronics were taken away.
I love my children more than anything else, but I have to say, it honestly sounded fantastic.
Well, that day has come, and I’m afraid all the hobbies that I have developed in preparation for this day might not be enough.
There was a point when my kids were little and my parents lived a flight away, and sometimes they would go stay with my parents for a few weeks. I would be excited to clean their rooms and put everything away. After it was cleaned, I would close the door because it was weird to see the room so clean.
I imagine it’s going to be like that again. I will keep myself occupied, of course. I still have my work, I still have my dogs, and I have friends and family that I will spend time with. It will just be weird to come home and not be able to interact with another person.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m comfortable being by myself, and sometimes I really need it to recover from having my time occupied with social events. It’s my way of recharging my battery.
I also know that people who avoid any socialization have a 30-60 percent higher chance of developing dementia. So as much as spending time with others can exhaust me, it’s a matter of health and well-being.
But let’s be clear.. I’m not only spending time with people so that I don’t have cognitive issues in the future. I really enjoy spending time with the people I love, and I’m often excited to do so. I just need some recovery.
With the kids gone, every day will be my recovery period, and I think I’m going to be spending more time out and about just to get that fix. Getting that human interaction will be very important for me health wise and for my sanity.
I think I’m going to have to change my perspective on the term empty-nester. It’s not necessarily something to dread or be sad about. It’s an opportunity to create a unique, peaceful space that you can rest in after a day of spreading your wings and learning who you are in this next part of your life.
The new CAO for Drayton Valley brings with him experience in a municipal leadership role. He also brings many years of military experience to the position.
Troy Grant was appointed CAO at a special council meeting held on July 8. On a municipal level, Grant worked at Sturgeon County as the General Manager of Public Services.
During his time with the military, Grant earned the Canadian Forces’ Decoration for his years of service.
He originally started at the Town in March 2026, acting as the Town Services Manager. Getting a promotion this early on was not something he had anticipated.
“I didn’t come to the town anticipating becoming anything more than the general manager of town services,” says Grant.
Now that he has stepped into the new role, Grant says he’s excited to work with the staff he’s come to know.
“This is an opportunity that lends itself nicely to my classic training through the military… I’m super excited about it.”
One of the skills needed for the position of CAO is leadership, which is something he developed as a logistics officer in the military. Grant was responsible for organizing supply chains, personnel, finances, and transportation to ensure Canadian troops around the world had what they needed to operate smoothly.
“The CAO ultimately needs to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their team and then employ those things with reinforcing those strengths and weaknesses to achieve the objectives that council and the people of Drayton Valley need,” says Grant. “That’s exactly what army leaders do.”
One of the first things Grant wants to handle is the Town’s organizational chart, with the goal of making it more clear to staff, council, and the public. Council will also have the opportunity to give feedback, says Grant, because he plans to run it by them before making it official.
He says he’s really enjoyed working with council over the past few months.
“Our current council is so open to innovation and creativity,” says Grant. “I think something we all need to wrap our heads around is that we have a new council. They’ve been in place for less than a year, but they’ve already demonstrated flexibility of thought, creativity, and aggressive policy changes.”
Another project that they have been working on is reviewing the way they handle contracting. Grant says he wants to be sure that it’s being done properly and is beneficial to the community, rather than costly or a hindrance.
At the end of the day, this position is about service for Grant, which is something he’s proud of.
“I’m fundamentally a service guy. I’m about serving people; serving Canadians. My whole career has been that. I guess for me, it’s the next chapter in service to Canadians, so I’m excited about that,” says Grant.
Another area that excites him is “moving the yardsticks progressively” for Drayton Valley.
“Being part of figuring out the path forward in a meaningful way, in a leadership way, with this council and the team that we have,” he says.
He says he would like the municipality to be seen as a place where people want to work. Where they are respected and know that the work they do matters.
One of the questions council had for Grant was how long he imagined he could stay in his role as CAO. Given the turnover of the past ten years, one of their concerns was the stability of the role.
Grant says he plans to stick around as long as they will have him. He will eventually retire, though, and he says he will be putting together a succession plan with the hope that the next CAO can come fully qualified from in-house.
“It’s a real privilege to be able to support the town and become the leader of a team that I already believe in,” he says.
Carol Vowk, the chair of the board for the Drayton Valley Community Health Foundation, said when they first heard about the opportunity for the eSIM lab, they were in the middle of a project for a room in palliative care. She said the foundation decided to table the idea, keeping it in mind for the future once they had completed the renovations.
However, when the Town initiated the Grow Your Own program, they decided to go for it.
“The future came upon us really, really quickly,” said Vowk.
While they were planning for the eSIM lab, they completed their renovations for the palliative care room. The space now includes a wheelchair accessible shower, which they didn’t have previously.
“We can accomplish great things when our community comes together,” said Vowk.
Following the speeches and ribbon cutting, attendees were able to watch a demonstration of the lab put on by RN students and hospital staff.
What do I like? Thanks for asking. I like loads of things.
I like beer. I like wine, especially if there’s some fresh bread and a nice piece of cheese to go with it. I like playing golf. I like holidays somewhere sunny.
One feature those things have in common is that they cost a bit. So one of the things I like the most is money, because it makes all the other stuff possible.
And this ought to be a good time for folks like me, because as of now (yes, right now) the provincial government is giving a $100 energy rebate to each and every Albertan who meets some fairly loose criteria. I tick all the boxes. You probably do too.
Over 18 (check)
Alberta resident (check)
Filed taxes in 2025 (check)
Annual income less than $225,000 (you’re kidding, right?)
So far so good. But that’s the easy part. You have to have one of those MyAlberta online accounts to apply. I do have an account, but I have no idea whatsoever what the password might be. And as for my user name? Well, if I could remember stuff like that I’d probably be working in a circus somewhere as Mysterio the Memory-Man. On top of that, so far there have been reports of a number of hiccups in the application process, so that things are neither tickety nor boo. I mean, I can probably figure something out, but it starts to feel like quite a lot of work for not much reward.
Now I don’t want to complain about free money. Because free money is the best kind of money there is. Back when I was a lad you could feed a family of eleven on steak and lobster every day for a week on a hundred bucks and still have enough left to buy a small airline.
But those days are gone. It feels like $100 doesn’t go that far these days, because it doesn’t. Just yesterday I filled up with gas (we have a fairly small car) and then bought a couple of bottles of wine and bam! Just like that, 200 bucks gone. So that was the rebate for my wife and I taken care of before it even hit our bank account.
Don’t get me wrong. Getting an extra hundred bucks is a lot better than not getting an extra hundred bucks. And it’s orders of magnitude better than, for example, losing a hundred bucks. Still, as cash bonanzas go, this one feels like a bit of an anticlimax. You cannot make $100 into a huge pile and roll around in it naked. And if you try you’ll probably look pretty stupid.
This is all a bit of a downer, but hope springs eternal. And happily there are things that I like that don’t cost money. Things like sitting on the deck in the sunshine or going for a walk, both of which I have already done today.
Perhaps I should focus on things like that for the next little while. At least until I can remember that damn password.
Change is on the way to Drayton Valley’s arena.
The facility, which was rebranded as the Team Auctions Centre last year, will see upgrades valued at $1 million thanks to a contribution from an anonymous donor.
In recognition of the funding, the Total Works Gym will be renamed as the Thunder High Performance Centre.
Changes within the building will see the installation of new safety glass around the main ice surface and the addition of a four-panel digital video board. Additional upgrades will include drillable net pegs to improve safety and Alberta Junior Hockey League standards compliance, removal of side netting to enhance sight lines and improve the fan experience, an upgraded camera system to support game presentation and broadcasting and replacement dasher boards, coordinated alongside planned board repairs.
The upgrades were announced last week in a joint statement from the Drayton Valley Thunder, the Town of Drayton Valley and the Drayton Valley Community Foundation.
“The Team Auction Centre is where our community comes together,” said Kevin Young, President of the Thunder. “This project reflects what we can accomplish through partnership. These upgrades will create better opportunities for our athletes and fans and a stronger experience for everyone who walks through these doors.”
Mayor Nancy Dodds said that the $1 million contribution, along with the renaming of the gym, would leave a lasting legacy in the community.
“The much-needed upgrades to the facility will not only enhance opportunities for residents and visitors, but also strengthen a space that brings our community together. We are incredibly proud to stand alongside the Drayton Valley Thunder and the Drayton Community Foundation in recognizing this transformative moment.”
Nothing in the last 50 years has quite matched the feeling I got waking up one July morning in 1976 and realizing I wouldn’t have to so much as think about simultaneous equations for the next six weeks.
Life’s had its ups and downs since then, but I’ve never quite recaptured that burst of excitement you get when school’s out for summer and, with the entire holidays ahead of you, it feels as if it might as well be out forever.
All this week I’ve been watching kids walk down our street making their way between the twin attractions of the skatepark and 7/Eleven. Some are tall, some are short. Some are in groups, others in pairs or alone. The main thing they have in common is that they all seem pretty happy.
And they should be. But I wonder if they realize this is as good as it gets. They’re young, they’re healthy, it’s the first week of summer vacation. It’s all downhill from here.
What with bullying, the pressure to conform and the potential horrors of social media, it would be foolish to assume that teens don’t have problems of their own, because some of them quite obviously do. But for the happy majority it’s a question of perspective. It’s not that your teenage years are completely carefree. I know this because I am a former teenager. When I was that age my main concerns were wondering if I’d have enough money to buy the new ABBA album when it came out, trying to catalog my stamp collection and wishing I could figure out how to talk to girls without sounding like an absolute numpty. I’m still working on that last one as it happens. Meanwhile my brother, who’s a couple of years older than I am, spent most of the mid-1970s in front of the mirror trying to make sure his hair was perfect and becoming increasingly furious when it failed to remain exactly in place. It’s all fallen out now, so the joke’s on him.
So anyway, I want to wish all the kids who are off school a long and happy summer. I hope they have the chance to make memories that will last a lifetime. It’s a horrible cliche to say that your school days are the happiest days of your life. And like most cliches, it’s not always accurate. But as Ferris Bueller once said, life moves pretty fast. So it’s important to make the most of things right now, before they are gone forever.
I never did get that ABBA album. My stamp collection is still stuffed haphazardly into a couple of fading envelopes. My school days are the best part of half a century behind me. If I was to tell one of those kids who walk past our house how quickly the time has gone they’d think I was delusional, or bonkers, or both. But it’s no exaggeration to say that sometimes 1976 seems like yesterday. And yet here we are. Half a century later and I’m still not entirely sure what you’re supposed to do with simultaneous equations.
Have a great summer kids, and take time to enjoy the ride.
Off-highway vehicles are not allowed on public municipal property in Drayton Valley, whether they are electric or not.
Cody Rossing, the senior manager of community safety for the Town, says that there have been some complaints about e-dirt bikes being used in town and he wants to educate the public about the legislation surrounding electric micro-mobility devices.
“At the end of the day, these e-dirt bikes are considered by the Province of Alberta to be an off-highway vehicle,” says Rossing.
Like other OHVs, owners have to follow the regulations around ownership and use of the vehicle, and the rules don’t change if the vehicle happens to be electric.
“There is a minimum age of 14 to operate any off-highway vehicles. You need registration and you need insurance if you are operating on roadways,” says Rossing. “You do need a helmet if you are on the roadways as well.”
Along with provincial legislation, residents are required to follow the Town’s bylaws. Like many municipalities, OHVs are not permitted to be used within Drayton Valley’s public areas. This includes roads, sidewalks, walking trails, green spaces, and any other publicly accessible areas. The only exception is if it is being used on private property, such as an acreage within town limits.
Rossing says that while many people are only learning about e-dirt bikes now, the Province has had legislation in place for more than 15 years.
“It’s not something that all of a sudden the provincial government or the municipal government has come up with in the last couple of months. It has been very well established several years ago,” he says.
One issue that has come up when these micro vehicles are used in town is the lack of noise. E-dirt bikes and other micro vehicles don’t make a lot of noise, so residents don’t hear them coming. While this might happen with regular bicycles or scooters if someone isn’t paying attention, the real danger lies in how fast the vehicles can go.
Most e-dirt bikes have a top speed that ranges from 50 kph to 130 kph. It’s dangerous enough to have an accident with an e-bicycle, which can get up to speeds between 32 kph and 45 kph, but an accident with an e-dirt bike could be deadly.
“There are huge safety issues that come with that,” says Rossing. “It’s one of those things where we want adults and we want kids to have fun, but it’s got to be done safely.”
He says that enforcement services have been responding to complaints and have spoken to a few individuals about the rules, and they will continue to do so.
Rossing says those who are not happy with the legislation surrounding OHVs can either write to the Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, the Honourable Steve MacKinnon, or their local MLA.
Currently, the Drayton Valley club has a student in Austria. The club has also brought in a student from Belgium, who is currently attending the Holy Trinity Academy for Grade 12.
“We are recruiting for the 2023/2024 school year,” she says. There will only be one student who gets to participate in the program, says Tamboline.
The information session, held on Friday at 6 p.m., will give families a better idea of how the program works, says Tamboline.
“Interested students and their parents must attend together,” she says. “Applications will be available at the session and there will be a closing deadline of October 21. The students who get their applications the earliest are more likely to get the country of their choice.”
She says there are many things for students and parents to consider before committing to the program.
Those eligible for the trip must be aged 16 to 18 while they are away. They cannot go if they are still 15 in August 2023, and they can’t go if they will be turning 19.
The age requirements are for safety reasons, says Tamboline. In some countries, 19-year-olds are considered adults, and the laws could be different for adults.
Students also have to complete Grade 9 before they can apply. They also have to have the full support of parents and the school. This may mean having higher marks, so the student doesn’t struggle as much when they come back.
There are also some costs associated with the trip. Tamboline says the Rotary Club splits the costs with the parents. She says there are several things for families to consider besides the costs of flights.
This includes insurance, passports, visa, and special events in the other country. The Rotary Club covers the cost of language lessons, which can cost $800 for two weeks, and the hosting family will provide food, and housing. The hosting Rotary Club gives an allowance to the student to cover costs like cell phones and other incidentals.
Tamboline says there are always emergency plans in place should anything arise. The club also chooses the countries to travel to closer to the departure date so they don’t send students to an unstable country.
“The students should know by April which country they were going to,” she says.
Anyone who is looking for more information before the information session can contact Tamboline at 780-514-4509 or by email at btandes@telus.net.
An empty nest is bittersweet
The term empty nester has been around for about 110 years and is used to describe the lonely feeling parents have when their children grow up and leave the house.
Town CAO looks ahead
The new CAO for Drayton Valley brings with him experience in a municipal leadership role. He also brings many years of military experience to the position.
Troy Grant was appointed CAO
These are a few of my favourite things
What do I like? Thanks for asking. I like loads of things.
I like beer. I like wine, especially if there’s some fresh bread and a nice piece of cheese to go with it. I like playing golf. I like holidays somewhere sunny.
Donation leads to arena upgrades
Change is on the way to Drayton Valley’s arena.
The facility, which was rebranded as the Team Auctions Centre last year, will see upgrades valued at $1 million thanks to a contribution from an anonymous donor.
Opportunity Home’s first Spring Shaker was a success, says executive director Danna Cropley.
“The event sold out within the first few weeks,” says Cropley. “Beyond that, the event went absolutely amazingly.”
The evening had a dance, a catered dinner, and silent auction items to help raise funds for the rehabilitation centre. Cropley says it wouldn’t have been possible without the volunteers who helped put the event together. About 230 people attended.
“Jen Winter, Janice Kupsch, and their crew organized the event. The room was full of energy and community; it was so great,” says Cropley.
One of the reasons for the event, along with raising funds to help run the facility, was to educate the public about what the facility does and how it helps those in need. Opportunity Home opened its doors in February 2023, and has seen numerous people complete the 90-day program during its three years of operation.
Earlier in the week, Cropley also spoke to town council with the same goal in mind.
“Because the council is fairly new… we just wanted to update them on Opportunity Home’s mission, vision, and values, [as well] as the value our project brings, not only to the municipality but also our provincial community and out to our country.”
Cropley says the facility has offered beds to people from across the province, British Columbia, and some from the United States. She says she wanted council to see the reach that they have now and how they are supporting Recovery Alberta’s response to the current opioid crisis.
In her presentation to council, Cropley touched on the community, social, and economic value the centre brought to the community. This included the volunteer work the clients provided, homelessness and poverty prevention, as well as reducing taxpayer costs for emergency, health, and justice services.
She says community investment is a crucial part of the success of the centre, not in terms of dollars, but in terms of interest from the community, volunteers, and feedback.
“I just really wanted to make sure that town council was aware of who we are and what we do,” says Cropley.
Opportunity Home is hosting another event on June 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. that is open to the public: a memorial tree planting ceremony, along with a barbecue and tour of the facility. Cropley says they will also have different resources and services at the event for people to connect with if needed.
She says the tree-planting ceremony will be in honour of some community members who have recently passed away. Members of the public are welcome to donate to plant a tree in memory of someone they have lost.
Drayton Valley hospital’s cancer clinic is closed, but the move is not permanent, according to Heather Kipling, the Communications Officer for the Central Zone of AHS.
The closure happened late last year due to staffing issues.
“The temporary closure was originally initiated in mid-December due to an unexpected gap in physician coverage, which has been compounded by vacancies among RNs more recently,” says Kipling.
Drayton Valley Community Church
DV Community Church. Located at Affinity Funeral Services, officiated by Dwayne Henley.
Breton Dental Clinic
Facebook Email LinkedIn WhatsApp Brighten your smile Breton Dental Clinic is located in the heart
St. Anthony Catholic Church
St. Anthony’s Parish Drayton Valley. Weekend mass Saturday and Sunday
Calvary Baptist Church
Sunday Worship Service 10:30am We meet every Sunday at 10:30 AM for a Scripturally-based message,
“It’s definitely been a topic of interest in the community, for sure.”
Kipling says the reason for the closure was the loss of staff to run it. She says AHS is currently working to replace the oncologists needed.
“Not unlike some other rural areas, there are unexpected staff shortages that have impacted the ability to keep the centre open, but we’re hopeful that with successful recruitment it can be reopened in the next month or so,” she says.
The goal is to have the centre reopened in May 2022.
The term empty nester has been around for about 110 years and is used to describe the lonely feeling parents have when their children grow up and leave the house.
I’ve spent a lot of time over the years thinking about what it would be like to be on my own. I have never lived by myself. When I was a single mom, there were definitely moments when it felt that way, but most of my choices were made with my children in mind. I didn’t feel free to just do whatever I wanted.
Having been a parent since I turned 20, I always kind of dreamed about what it would be like once my kids were grown. I would only have to clean up after myself. I didn’t have to listen to YouTubers screaming about video games anymore or listen to Ariana Grande’s voice in Sam and Cat.
No more parent-teacher interviews. No more non-urgent emergencies that I have to drop everything and attend to just in case. No more refereeing and enduring my children’s consequences when their electronics were taken away.
I love my children more than anything else, but I have to say, it honestly sounded fantastic.
Well, that day has come, and I’m afraid all the hobbies that I have developed in preparation for this day might not be enough.
There was a point when my kids were little and my parents lived a flight away, and sometimes they would go stay with my parents for a few weeks. I would be excited to clean their rooms and put everything away. After it was cleaned, I would close the door because it was weird to see the room so clean.
I imagine it’s going to be like that again. I will keep myself occupied, of course. I still have my work, I still have my dogs, and I have friends and family that I will spend time with. It will just be weird to come home and not be able to interact with another person.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m comfortable being by myself, and sometimes I really need it to recover from having my time occupied with social events. It’s my way of recharging my battery.
I also know that people who avoid any socialization have a 30-60 percent higher chance of developing dementia. So as much as spending time with others can exhaust me, it’s a matter of health and well-being.
But let’s be clear.. I’m not only spending time with people so that I don’t have cognitive issues in the future. I really enjoy spending time with the people I love, and I’m often excited to do so. I just need some recovery.
With the kids gone, every day will be my recovery period, and I think I’m going to be spending more time out and about just to get that fix. Getting that human interaction will be very important for me health wise and for my sanity.
I think I’m going to have to change my perspective on the term empty-nester. It’s not necessarily something to dread or be sad about. It’s an opportunity to create a unique, peaceful space that you can rest in after a day of spreading your wings and learning who you are in this next part of your life.
The new CAO for Drayton Valley brings with him experience in a municipal leadership role. He also brings many years of military experience to the position.
Troy Grant was appointed CAO at a special council meeting held on July 8. On a municipal level, Grant worked at Sturgeon County as the General Manager of Public Services.
During his time with the military, Grant earned the Canadian Forces’ Decoration for his years of service.
He originally started at the Town in March 2026, acting as the Town Services Manager. Getting a promotion this early on was not something he had anticipated.
“I didn’t come to the town anticipating becoming anything more than the general manager of town services,” says Grant.
Now that he has stepped into the new role, Grant says he’s excited to work with the staff he’s come to know.
“This is an opportunity that lends itself nicely to my classic training through the military… I’m super excited about it.”
One of the skills needed for the position of CAO is leadership, which is something he developed as a logistics officer in the military. Grant was responsible for organizing supply chains, personnel, finances, and transportation to ensure Canadian troops around the world had what they needed to operate smoothly.
“The CAO ultimately needs to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their team and then employ those things with reinforcing those strengths and weaknesses to achieve the objectives that council and the people of Drayton Valley need,” says Grant. “That’s exactly what army leaders do.”
One of the first things Grant wants to handle is the Town’s organizational chart, with the goal of making it more clear to staff, council, and the public. Council will also have the opportunity to give feedback, says Grant, because he plans to run it by them before making it official.
He says he’s really enjoyed working with council over the past few months.
“Our current council is so open to innovation and creativity,” says Grant. “I think something we all need to wrap our heads around is that we have a new council. They’ve been in place for less than a year, but they’ve already demonstrated flexibility of thought, creativity, and aggressive policy changes.”
Another project that they have been working on is reviewing the way they handle contracting. Grant says he wants to be sure that it’s being done properly and is beneficial to the community, rather than costly or a hindrance.
At the end of the day, this position is about service for Grant, which is something he’s proud of.
“I’m fundamentally a service guy. I’m about serving people; serving Canadians. My whole career has been that. I guess for me, it’s the next chapter in service to Canadians, so I’m excited about that,” says Grant.
Another area that excites him is “moving the yardsticks progressively” for Drayton Valley.
“Being part of figuring out the path forward in a meaningful way, in a leadership way, with this council and the team that we have,” he says.
He says he would like the municipality to be seen as a place where people want to work. Where they are respected and know that the work they do matters.
One of the questions council had for Grant was how long he imagined he could stay in his role as CAO. Given the turnover of the past ten years, one of their concerns was the stability of the role.
Grant says he plans to stick around as long as they will have him. He will eventually retire, though, and he says he will be putting together a succession plan with the hope that the next CAO can come fully qualified from in-house.
“It’s a real privilege to be able to support the town and become the leader of a team that I already believe in,” he says.
Carol Vowk, the chair of the board for the Drayton Valley Community Health Foundation, said when they first heard about the opportunity for the eSIM lab, they were in the middle of a project for a room in palliative care. She said the foundation decided to table the idea, keeping it in mind for the future once they had completed the renovations.
However, when the Town initiated the Grow Your Own program, they decided to go for it.
“The future came upon us really, really quickly,” said Vowk.
While they were planning for the eSIM lab, they completed their renovations for the palliative care room. The space now includes a wheelchair accessible shower, which they didn’t have previously.
“We can accomplish great things when our community comes together,” said Vowk.
Following the speeches and ribbon cutting, attendees were able to watch a demonstration of the lab put on by RN students and hospital staff.
What do I like? Thanks for asking. I like loads of things.
I like beer. I like wine, especially if there’s some fresh bread and a nice piece of cheese to go with it. I like playing golf. I like holidays somewhere sunny.
One feature those things have in common is that they cost a bit. So one of the things I like the most is money, because it makes all the other stuff possible.
And this ought to be a good time for folks like me, because as of now (yes, right now) the provincial government is giving a $100 energy rebate to each and every Albertan who meets some fairly loose criteria. I tick all the boxes. You probably do too.
Over 18 (check)
Alberta resident (check)
Filed taxes in 2025 (check)
Annual income less than $225,000 (you’re kidding, right?)
So far so good. But that’s the easy part. You have to have one of those MyAlberta online accounts to apply. I do have an account, but I have no idea whatsoever what the password might be. And as for my user name? Well, if I could remember stuff like that I’d probably be working in a circus somewhere as Mysterio the Memory-Man. On top of that, so far there have been reports of a number of hiccups in the application process, so that things are neither tickety nor boo. I mean, I can probably figure something out, but it starts to feel like quite a lot of work for not much reward.
Now I don’t want to complain about free money. Because free money is the best kind of money there is. Back when I was a lad you could feed a family of eleven on steak and lobster every day for a week on a hundred bucks and still have enough left to buy a small airline.
But those days are gone. It feels like $100 doesn’t go that far these days, because it doesn’t. Just yesterday I filled up with gas (we have a fairly small car) and then bought a couple of bottles of wine and bam! Just like that, 200 bucks gone. So that was the rebate for my wife and I taken care of before it even hit our bank account.
Don’t get me wrong. Getting an extra hundred bucks is a lot better than not getting an extra hundred bucks. And it’s orders of magnitude better than, for example, losing a hundred bucks. Still, as cash bonanzas go, this one feels like a bit of an anticlimax. You cannot make $100 into a huge pile and roll around in it naked. And if you try you’ll probably look pretty stupid.
This is all a bit of a downer, but hope springs eternal. And happily there are things that I like that don’t cost money. Things like sitting on the deck in the sunshine or going for a walk, both of which I have already done today.
Perhaps I should focus on things like that for the next little while. At least until I can remember that damn password.
Change is on the way to Drayton Valley’s arena.
The facility, which was rebranded as the Team Auctions Centre last year, will see upgrades valued at $1 million thanks to a contribution from an anonymous donor.
In recognition of the funding, the Total Works Gym will be renamed as the Thunder High Performance Centre.
Changes within the building will see the installation of new safety glass around the main ice surface and the addition of a four-panel digital video board. Additional upgrades will include drillable net pegs to improve safety and Alberta Junior Hockey League standards compliance, removal of side netting to enhance sight lines and improve the fan experience, an upgraded camera system to support game presentation and broadcasting and replacement dasher boards, coordinated alongside planned board repairs.
The upgrades were announced last week in a joint statement from the Drayton Valley Thunder, the Town of Drayton Valley and the Drayton Valley Community Foundation.
“The Team Auction Centre is where our community comes together,” said Kevin Young, President of the Thunder. “This project reflects what we can accomplish through partnership. These upgrades will create better opportunities for our athletes and fans and a stronger experience for everyone who walks through these doors.”
Mayor Nancy Dodds said that the $1 million contribution, along with the renaming of the gym, would leave a lasting legacy in the community.
“The much-needed upgrades to the facility will not only enhance opportunities for residents and visitors, but also strengthen a space that brings our community together. We are incredibly proud to stand alongside the Drayton Valley Thunder and the Drayton Community Foundation in recognizing this transformative moment.”
Nothing in the last 50 years has quite matched the feeling I got waking up one July morning in 1976 and realizing I wouldn’t have to so much as think about simultaneous equations for the next six weeks.
Life’s had its ups and downs since then, but I’ve never quite recaptured that burst of excitement you get when school’s out for summer and, with the entire holidays ahead of you, it feels as if it might as well be out forever.
All this week I’ve been watching kids walk down our street making their way between the twin attractions of the skatepark and 7/Eleven. Some are tall, some are short. Some are in groups, others in pairs or alone. The main thing they have in common is that they all seem pretty happy.
And they should be. But I wonder if they realize this is as good as it gets. They’re young, they’re healthy, it’s the first week of summer vacation. It’s all downhill from here.
What with bullying, the pressure to conform and the potential horrors of social media, it would be foolish to assume that teens don’t have problems of their own, because some of them quite obviously do. But for the happy majority it’s a question of perspective. It’s not that your teenage years are completely carefree. I know this because I am a former teenager. When I was that age my main concerns were wondering if I’d have enough money to buy the new ABBA album when it came out, trying to catalog my stamp collection and wishing I could figure out how to talk to girls without sounding like an absolute numpty. I’m still working on that last one as it happens. Meanwhile my brother, who’s a couple of years older than I am, spent most of the mid-1970s in front of the mirror trying to make sure his hair was perfect and becoming increasingly furious when it failed to remain exactly in place. It’s all fallen out now, so the joke’s on him.
So anyway, I want to wish all the kids who are off school a long and happy summer. I hope they have the chance to make memories that will last a lifetime. It’s a horrible cliche to say that your school days are the happiest days of your life. And like most cliches, it’s not always accurate. But as Ferris Bueller once said, life moves pretty fast. So it’s important to make the most of things right now, before they are gone forever.
I never did get that ABBA album. My stamp collection is still stuffed haphazardly into a couple of fading envelopes. My school days are the best part of half a century behind me. If I was to tell one of those kids who walk past our house how quickly the time has gone they’d think I was delusional, or bonkers, or both. But it’s no exaggeration to say that sometimes 1976 seems like yesterday. And yet here we are. Half a century later and I’m still not entirely sure what you’re supposed to do with simultaneous equations.
Have a great summer kids, and take time to enjoy the ride.
Off-highway vehicles are not allowed on public municipal property in Drayton Valley, whether they are electric or not.
Cody Rossing, the senior manager of community safety for the Town, says that there have been some complaints about e-dirt bikes being used in town and he wants to educate the public about the legislation surrounding electric micro-mobility devices.
“At the end of the day, these e-dirt bikes are considered by the Province of Alberta to be an off-highway vehicle,” says Rossing.
Like other OHVs, owners have to follow the regulations around ownership and use of the vehicle, and the rules don’t change if the vehicle happens to be electric.
“There is a minimum age of 14 to operate any off-highway vehicles. You need registration and you need insurance if you are operating on roadways,” says Rossing. “You do need a helmet if you are on the roadways as well.”
Along with provincial legislation, residents are required to follow the Town’s bylaws. Like many municipalities, OHVs are not permitted to be used within Drayton Valley’s public areas. This includes roads, sidewalks, walking trails, green spaces, and any other publicly accessible areas. The only exception is if it is being used on private property, such as an acreage within town limits.
Rossing says that while many people are only learning about e-dirt bikes now, the Province has had legislation in place for more than 15 years.
“It’s not something that all of a sudden the provincial government or the municipal government has come up with in the last couple of months. It has been very well established several years ago,” he says.
One issue that has come up when these micro vehicles are used in town is the lack of noise. E-dirt bikes and other micro vehicles don’t make a lot of noise, so residents don’t hear them coming. While this might happen with regular bicycles or scooters if someone isn’t paying attention, the real danger lies in how fast the vehicles can go.
Most e-dirt bikes have a top speed that ranges from 50 kph to 130 kph. It’s dangerous enough to have an accident with an e-bicycle, which can get up to speeds between 32 kph and 45 kph, but an accident with an e-dirt bike could be deadly.
“There are huge safety issues that come with that,” says Rossing. “It’s one of those things where we want adults and we want kids to have fun, but it’s got to be done safely.”
He says that enforcement services have been responding to complaints and have spoken to a few individuals about the rules, and they will continue to do so.
Rossing says those who are not happy with the legislation surrounding OHVs can either write to the Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, the Honourable Steve MacKinnon, or their local MLA.
In the meantime, they have put together a Cancer Centre Transition Team to help move patients. She says they have been working with oncologists and patients to ensure they are being moved safely to a facility that can give them the treatment they need. Many residents are being sent to Barrhead or Edmonton for their treatments.
Kipling says that as far as she’s aware, the departure of the staff at the centre was not due to their vaccination status.
“[There was] no indication that it was related to vaccination requirements,” she says.
Replacing oncologists can be a challenge, says Kipling. However, they have been actively searching for replacements since the oncologists left.
“We know this news is less than ideal for our patients who live in the Drayton Valley area and that it can be extremely frustrating,” says Kipling. “We appreciate the community’s patience as we work through these unexpected challenges.”
An empty nest is bittersweet
The term empty nester has been around for about 110 years and is used to describe the lonely feeling parents have when their children grow up and leave the house.
Town CAO looks ahead
The new CAO for Drayton Valley brings with him experience in a municipal leadership role. He also brings many years of military experience to the position.
Troy Grant was appointed CAO
These are a few of my favourite things
What do I like? Thanks for asking. I like loads of things.
I like beer. I like wine, especially if there’s some fresh bread and a nice piece of cheese to go with it. I like playing golf. I like holidays somewhere sunny.
Donation leads to arena upgrades
Change is on the way to Drayton Valley’s arena.
The facility, which was rebranded as the Team Auctions Centre last year, will see upgrades valued at $1 million thanks to a contribution from an anonymous donor.
Local resident Dawson Shannon has hit the big time as a bull rider as he qualified for the Canadian Finals Rodeo being held in Red Deer.
Qualification for the event is based on the amount of winnings a person makes. Only the top 12 earners will make the CFR. The rodeos that counted toward the earnings took place all over Western Canada.
All Saints Anglican Church
Drayton Valley, All Saints Anglican Church participates in the Anglican Liturgy, which comforts and sustains us. Many have said that in such a busy and changing world it is important to come to a place that feels like home.
Life Church Drayton Valley
We know that exploring a new church can be an overwhelming experience. To help you
Valley Worship Assembly
Please take your time and discover what is happening at Valley Worship in Drayton Valley.
Emmaus Lutheran Church
A community of faith passionately walking the road of life with the Lord Jesus. Phone: 780-542-5101, Drayton Valley Alberta
“There was probably close to fifty rodeos. I went to every rodeo I could make,” says Shannon, who qualified with more than $17,000 in earnings this year.
Currently, Shannon works the rodeo circuit full-time during the summer months. The season starts in May and goes up until November, with the CFR. He says he lives off his winnings and trains for the rodeos in between events.
The training consists of working with a coach to ensure he’s getting in the proper workouts. He also has to pay attention to the food he’s eating and listen to his body. If he’s getting too sore, he’ll go to a sports clinic in Edmonton to address any issues.
Shannon says this is his first time at the CFR. “I’m really excited. There’s a lot of money to win,” he says.
The term empty nester has been around for about 110 years and is used to describe the lonely feeling parents have when their children grow up and leave the house.
I’ve spent a lot of time over the years thinking about what it would be like to be on my own. I have never lived by myself. When I was a single mom, there were definitely moments when it felt that way, but most of my choices were made with my children in mind. I didn’t feel free to just do whatever I wanted.
Having been a parent since I turned 20, I always kind of dreamed about what it would be like once my kids were grown. I would only have to clean up after myself. I didn’t have to listen to YouTubers screaming about video games anymore or listen to Ariana Grande’s voice in Sam and Cat.
No more parent-teacher interviews. No more non-urgent emergencies that I have to drop everything and attend to just in case. No more refereeing and enduring my children’s consequences when their electronics were taken away.
I love my children more than anything else, but I have to say, it honestly sounded fantastic.
Well, that day has come, and I’m afraid all the hobbies that I have developed in preparation for this day might not be enough.
There was a point when my kids were little and my parents lived a flight away, and sometimes they would go stay with my parents for a few weeks. I would be excited to clean their rooms and put everything away. After it was cleaned, I would close the door because it was weird to see the room so clean.
I imagine it’s going to be like that again. I will keep myself occupied, of course. I still have my work, I still have my dogs, and I have friends and family that I will spend time with. It will just be weird to come home and not be able to interact with another person.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m comfortable being by myself, and sometimes I really need it to recover from having my time occupied with social events. It’s my way of recharging my battery.
I also know that people who avoid any socialization have a 30-60 percent higher chance of developing dementia. So as much as spending time with others can exhaust me, it’s a matter of health and well-being.
But let’s be clear.. I’m not only spending time with people so that I don’t have cognitive issues in the future. I really enjoy spending time with the people I love, and I’m often excited to do so. I just need some recovery.
With the kids gone, every day will be my recovery period, and I think I’m going to be spending more time out and about just to get that fix. Getting that human interaction will be very important for me health wise and for my sanity.
I think I’m going to have to change my perspective on the term empty-nester. It’s not necessarily something to dread or be sad about. It’s an opportunity to create a unique, peaceful space that you can rest in after a day of spreading your wings and learning who you are in this next part of your life.
The new CAO for Drayton Valley brings with him experience in a municipal leadership role. He also brings many years of military experience to the position.
Troy Grant was appointed CAO at a special council meeting held on July 8. On a municipal level, Grant worked at Sturgeon County as the General Manager of Public Services.
During his time with the military, Grant earned the Canadian Forces’ Decoration for his years of service.
He originally started at the Town in March 2026, acting as the Town Services Manager. Getting a promotion this early on was not something he had anticipated.
“I didn’t come to the town anticipating becoming anything more than the general manager of town services,” says Grant.
Now that he has stepped into the new role, Grant says he’s excited to work with the staff he’s come to know.
“This is an opportunity that lends itself nicely to my classic training through the military… I’m super excited about it.”
One of the skills needed for the position of CAO is leadership, which is something he developed as a logistics officer in the military. Grant was responsible for organizing supply chains, personnel, finances, and transportation to ensure Canadian troops around the world had what they needed to operate smoothly.
“The CAO ultimately needs to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their team and then employ those things with reinforcing those strengths and weaknesses to achieve the objectives that council and the people of Drayton Valley need,” says Grant. “That’s exactly what army leaders do.”
One of the first things Grant wants to handle is the Town’s organizational chart, with the goal of making it more clear to staff, council, and the public. Council will also have the opportunity to give feedback, says Grant, because he plans to run it by them before making it official.
He says he’s really enjoyed working with council over the past few months.
“Our current council is so open to innovation and creativity,” says Grant. “I think something we all need to wrap our heads around is that we have a new council. They’ve been in place for less than a year, but they’ve already demonstrated flexibility of thought, creativity, and aggressive policy changes.”
Another project that they have been working on is reviewing the way they handle contracting. Grant says he wants to be sure that it’s being done properly and is beneficial to the community, rather than costly or a hindrance.
At the end of the day, this position is about service for Grant, which is something he’s proud of.
“I’m fundamentally a service guy. I’m about serving people; serving Canadians. My whole career has been that. I guess for me, it’s the next chapter in service to Canadians, so I’m excited about that,” says Grant.
Another area that excites him is “moving the yardsticks progressively” for Drayton Valley.
“Being part of figuring out the path forward in a meaningful way, in a leadership way, with this council and the team that we have,” he says.
He says he would like the municipality to be seen as a place where people want to work. Where they are respected and know that the work they do matters.
One of the questions council had for Grant was how long he imagined he could stay in his role as CAO. Given the turnover of the past ten years, one of their concerns was the stability of the role.
Grant says he plans to stick around as long as they will have him. He will eventually retire, though, and he says he will be putting together a succession plan with the hope that the next CAO can come fully qualified from in-house.
“It’s a real privilege to be able to support the town and become the leader of a team that I already believe in,” he says.
Carol Vowk, the chair of the board for the Drayton Valley Community Health Foundation, said when they first heard about the opportunity for the eSIM lab, they were in the middle of a project for a room in palliative care. She said the foundation decided to table the idea, keeping it in mind for the future once they had completed the renovations.
However, when the Town initiated the Grow Your Own program, they decided to go for it.
“The future came upon us really, really quickly,” said Vowk.
While they were planning for the eSIM lab, they completed their renovations for the palliative care room. The space now includes a wheelchair accessible shower, which they didn’t have previously.
“We can accomplish great things when our community comes together,” said Vowk.
Following the speeches and ribbon cutting, attendees were able to watch a demonstration of the lab put on by RN students and hospital staff.
What do I like? Thanks for asking. I like loads of things.
I like beer. I like wine, especially if there’s some fresh bread and a nice piece of cheese to go with it. I like playing golf. I like holidays somewhere sunny.
One feature those things have in common is that they cost a bit. So one of the things I like the most is money, because it makes all the other stuff possible.
And this ought to be a good time for folks like me, because as of now (yes, right now) the provincial government is giving a $100 energy rebate to each and every Albertan who meets some fairly loose criteria. I tick all the boxes. You probably do too.
Over 18 (check)
Alberta resident (check)
Filed taxes in 2025 (check)
Annual income less than $225,000 (you’re kidding, right?)
So far so good. But that’s the easy part. You have to have one of those MyAlberta online accounts to apply. I do have an account, but I have no idea whatsoever what the password might be. And as for my user name? Well, if I could remember stuff like that I’d probably be working in a circus somewhere as Mysterio the Memory-Man. On top of that, so far there have been reports of a number of hiccups in the application process, so that things are neither tickety nor boo. I mean, I can probably figure something out, but it starts to feel like quite a lot of work for not much reward.
Now I don’t want to complain about free money. Because free money is the best kind of money there is. Back when I was a lad you could feed a family of eleven on steak and lobster every day for a week on a hundred bucks and still have enough left to buy a small airline.
But those days are gone. It feels like $100 doesn’t go that far these days, because it doesn’t. Just yesterday I filled up with gas (we have a fairly small car) and then bought a couple of bottles of wine and bam! Just like that, 200 bucks gone. So that was the rebate for my wife and I taken care of before it even hit our bank account.
Don’t get me wrong. Getting an extra hundred bucks is a lot better than not getting an extra hundred bucks. And it’s orders of magnitude better than, for example, losing a hundred bucks. Still, as cash bonanzas go, this one feels like a bit of an anticlimax. You cannot make $100 into a huge pile and roll around in it naked. And if you try you’ll probably look pretty stupid.
This is all a bit of a downer, but hope springs eternal. And happily there are things that I like that don’t cost money. Things like sitting on the deck in the sunshine or going for a walk, both of which I have already done today.
Perhaps I should focus on things like that for the next little while. At least until I can remember that damn password.
Change is on the way to Drayton Valley’s arena.
The facility, which was rebranded as the Team Auctions Centre last year, will see upgrades valued at $1 million thanks to a contribution from an anonymous donor.
In recognition of the funding, the Total Works Gym will be renamed as the Thunder High Performance Centre.
Changes within the building will see the installation of new safety glass around the main ice surface and the addition of a four-panel digital video board. Additional upgrades will include drillable net pegs to improve safety and Alberta Junior Hockey League standards compliance, removal of side netting to enhance sight lines and improve the fan experience, an upgraded camera system to support game presentation and broadcasting and replacement dasher boards, coordinated alongside planned board repairs.
The upgrades were announced last week in a joint statement from the Drayton Valley Thunder, the Town of Drayton Valley and the Drayton Valley Community Foundation.
“The Team Auction Centre is where our community comes together,” said Kevin Young, President of the Thunder. “This project reflects what we can accomplish through partnership. These upgrades will create better opportunities for our athletes and fans and a stronger experience for everyone who walks through these doors.”
Mayor Nancy Dodds said that the $1 million contribution, along with the renaming of the gym, would leave a lasting legacy in the community.
“The much-needed upgrades to the facility will not only enhance opportunities for residents and visitors, but also strengthen a space that brings our community together. We are incredibly proud to stand alongside the Drayton Valley Thunder and the Drayton Community Foundation in recognizing this transformative moment.”
Nothing in the last 50 years has quite matched the feeling I got waking up one July morning in 1976 and realizing I wouldn’t have to so much as think about simultaneous equations for the next six weeks.
Life’s had its ups and downs since then, but I’ve never quite recaptured that burst of excitement you get when school’s out for summer and, with the entire holidays ahead of you, it feels as if it might as well be out forever.
All this week I’ve been watching kids walk down our street making their way between the twin attractions of the skatepark and 7/Eleven. Some are tall, some are short. Some are in groups, others in pairs or alone. The main thing they have in common is that they all seem pretty happy.
And they should be. But I wonder if they realize this is as good as it gets. They’re young, they’re healthy, it’s the first week of summer vacation. It’s all downhill from here.
What with bullying, the pressure to conform and the potential horrors of social media, it would be foolish to assume that teens don’t have problems of their own, because some of them quite obviously do. But for the happy majority it’s a question of perspective. It’s not that your teenage years are completely carefree. I know this because I am a former teenager. When I was that age my main concerns were wondering if I’d have enough money to buy the new ABBA album when it came out, trying to catalog my stamp collection and wishing I could figure out how to talk to girls without sounding like an absolute numpty. I’m still working on that last one as it happens. Meanwhile my brother, who’s a couple of years older than I am, spent most of the mid-1970s in front of the mirror trying to make sure his hair was perfect and becoming increasingly furious when it failed to remain exactly in place. It’s all fallen out now, so the joke’s on him.
So anyway, I want to wish all the kids who are off school a long and happy summer. I hope they have the chance to make memories that will last a lifetime. It’s a horrible cliche to say that your school days are the happiest days of your life. And like most cliches, it’s not always accurate. But as Ferris Bueller once said, life moves pretty fast. So it’s important to make the most of things right now, before they are gone forever.
I never did get that ABBA album. My stamp collection is still stuffed haphazardly into a couple of fading envelopes. My school days are the best part of half a century behind me. If I was to tell one of those kids who walk past our house how quickly the time has gone they’d think I was delusional, or bonkers, or both. But it’s no exaggeration to say that sometimes 1976 seems like yesterday. And yet here we are. Half a century later and I’m still not entirely sure what you’re supposed to do with simultaneous equations.
Have a great summer kids, and take time to enjoy the ride.
Off-highway vehicles are not allowed on public municipal property in Drayton Valley, whether they are electric or not.
Cody Rossing, the senior manager of community safety for the Town, says that there have been some complaints about e-dirt bikes being used in town and he wants to educate the public about the legislation surrounding electric micro-mobility devices.
“At the end of the day, these e-dirt bikes are considered by the Province of Alberta to be an off-highway vehicle,” says Rossing.
Like other OHVs, owners have to follow the regulations around ownership and use of the vehicle, and the rules don’t change if the vehicle happens to be electric.
“There is a minimum age of 14 to operate any off-highway vehicles. You need registration and you need insurance if you are operating on roadways,” says Rossing. “You do need a helmet if you are on the roadways as well.”
Along with provincial legislation, residents are required to follow the Town’s bylaws. Like many municipalities, OHVs are not permitted to be used within Drayton Valley’s public areas. This includes roads, sidewalks, walking trails, green spaces, and any other publicly accessible areas. The only exception is if it is being used on private property, such as an acreage within town limits.
Rossing says that while many people are only learning about e-dirt bikes now, the Province has had legislation in place for more than 15 years.
“It’s not something that all of a sudden the provincial government or the municipal government has come up with in the last couple of months. It has been very well established several years ago,” he says.
One issue that has come up when these micro vehicles are used in town is the lack of noise. E-dirt bikes and other micro vehicles don’t make a lot of noise, so residents don’t hear them coming. While this might happen with regular bicycles or scooters if someone isn’t paying attention, the real danger lies in how fast the vehicles can go.
Most e-dirt bikes have a top speed that ranges from 50 kph to 130 kph. It’s dangerous enough to have an accident with an e-bicycle, which can get up to speeds between 32 kph and 45 kph, but an accident with an e-dirt bike could be deadly.
“There are huge safety issues that come with that,” says Rossing. “It’s one of those things where we want adults and we want kids to have fun, but it’s got to be done safely.”
He says that enforcement services have been responding to complaints and have spoken to a few individuals about the rules, and they will continue to do so.
Rossing says those who are not happy with the legislation surrounding OHVs can either write to the Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, the Honourable Steve MacKinnon, or their local MLA.
For Shannon, the traveling involved in the rodeo circuit is one of the perks. He has some friends who also bull ride, and they attend many of the same rodeos.
“You get to travel all around with your buddies and ride bulls,” he says.
Shannon, now 23, says he’s been bull riding since he was 15 years old. “My dad’s always been a great supporter,” he says.
His dad was a bull fighter, so he grew up around rodeos. However, he decided it would be more fun to ride the bulls than fight them.
Another inspiration for Shannon was Don Johansen, a bull rider named the Cowboy of the Year for the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association in 1986.
The CFR runs November 2-6 at the Centrium in Red Deer.
An empty nest is bittersweet
The term empty nester has been around for about 110 years and is used to describe the lonely feeling parents have when their children grow up and leave the house.
Town CAO looks ahead
The new CAO for Drayton Valley brings with him experience in a municipal leadership role. He also brings many years of military experience to the position.
Troy Grant was appointed CAO
These are a few of my favourite things
What do I like? Thanks for asking. I like loads of things.
I like beer. I like wine, especially if there’s some fresh bread and a nice piece of cheese to go with it. I like playing golf. I like holidays somewhere sunny.
Donation leads to arena upgrades
Change is on the way to Drayton Valley’s arena.
The facility, which was rebranded as the Team Auctions Centre last year, will see upgrades valued at $1 million thanks to a contribution from an anonymous donor.
It looks like there will be Alberta Junior Hockey League action in Drayton Valley for the foreseeable future. The Drayton Valley Thunder has come to a multi-year agreement with the Town regarding use of the Omniplex.
“I’m thrilled that the Thunder will continue to play in our facility,” said Mayor Nancy Dodds. “We are fortunate to have such an exceptional and exciting hockey team in our hometown, and I’m so pleased that a successful agreement was met.”
St. Anthony Catholic Church
St. Anthony’s Parish Drayton Valley. Weekend mass Saturday and Sunday
Life Church Drayton Valley
We know that exploring a new church can be an overwhelming experience. To help you
Breton Dental Clinic
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B.D. Lock and Key Ltd.
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Details of the agreement are not available. Previous deals between the Town and the hockey club have covered areas such as cost for ice time and changing rooms, and revenue from advertising in Omni 1.
The Thunder have been in the community and a part of the Alberta Junior Hockey League since 1998 and were league champions in 2002. In the just completed 2022-2023 season the team finished last in the north division and did not make the playoffs. A release from the Town said the municipality recognizes “the benefits the team and its players have brought to Drayton Valley over the last 25 years, including its various volunteer efforts, local economic spin-off and positive role model positions that support the next generation through their annual kid’s camp, and the Jr. Thunder Kids Club.”
The Thunder’s annual Kid’s Hockey School is set for August 14-18. The 2023-2024 AJHL season is expected to get underway in mid- September.
The term empty nester has been around for about 110 years and is used to describe the lonely feeling parents have when their children grow up and leave the house.
I’ve spent a lot of time over the years thinking about what it would be like to be on my own. I have never lived by myself. When I was a single mom, there were definitely moments when it felt that way, but most of my choices were made with my children in mind. I didn’t feel free to just do whatever I wanted.
Having been a parent since I turned 20, I always kind of dreamed about what it would be like once my kids were grown. I would only have to clean up after myself. I didn’t have to listen to YouTubers screaming about video games anymore or listen to Ariana Grande’s voice in Sam and Cat.
No more parent-teacher interviews. No more non-urgent emergencies that I have to drop everything and attend to just in case. No more refereeing and enduring my children’s consequences when their electronics were taken away.
I love my children more than anything else, but I have to say, it honestly sounded fantastic.
Well, that day has come, and I’m afraid all the hobbies that I have developed in preparation for this day might not be enough.
There was a point when my kids were little and my parents lived a flight away, and sometimes they would go stay with my parents for a few weeks. I would be excited to clean their rooms and put everything away. After it was cleaned, I would close the door because it was weird to see the room so clean.
I imagine it’s going to be like that again. I will keep myself occupied, of course. I still have my work, I still have my dogs, and I have friends and family that I will spend time with. It will just be weird to come home and not be able to interact with another person.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m comfortable being by myself, and sometimes I really need it to recover from having my time occupied with social events. It’s my way of recharging my battery.
I also know that people who avoid any socialization have a 30-60 percent higher chance of developing dementia. So as much as spending time with others can exhaust me, it’s a matter of health and well-being.
But let’s be clear.. I’m not only spending time with people so that I don’t have cognitive issues in the future. I really enjoy spending time with the people I love, and I’m often excited to do so. I just need some recovery.
With the kids gone, every day will be my recovery period, and I think I’m going to be spending more time out and about just to get that fix. Getting that human interaction will be very important for me health wise and for my sanity.
I think I’m going to have to change my perspective on the term empty-nester. It’s not necessarily something to dread or be sad about. It’s an opportunity to create a unique, peaceful space that you can rest in after a day of spreading your wings and learning who you are in this next part of your life.
The new CAO for Drayton Valley brings with him experience in a municipal leadership role. He also brings many years of military experience to the position.
Troy Grant was appointed CAO at a special council meeting held on July 8. On a municipal level, Grant worked at Sturgeon County as the General Manager of Public Services.
During his time with the military, Grant earned the Canadian Forces’ Decoration for his years of service.
He originally started at the Town in March 2026, acting as the Town Services Manager. Getting a promotion this early on was not something he had anticipated.
“I didn’t come to the town anticipating becoming anything more than the general manager of town services,” says Grant.
Now that he has stepped into the new role, Grant says he’s excited to work with the staff he’s come to know.
“This is an opportunity that lends itself nicely to my classic training through the military… I’m super excited about it.”
One of the skills needed for the position of CAO is leadership, which is something he developed as a logistics officer in the military. Grant was responsible for organizing supply chains, personnel, finances, and transportation to ensure Canadian troops around the world had what they needed to operate smoothly.
“The CAO ultimately needs to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their team and then employ those things with reinforcing those strengths and weaknesses to achieve the objectives that council and the people of Drayton Valley need,” says Grant. “That’s exactly what army leaders do.”
One of the first things Grant wants to handle is the Town’s organizational chart, with the goal of making it more clear to staff, council, and the public. Council will also have the opportunity to give feedback, says Grant, because he plans to run it by them before making it official.
He says he’s really enjoyed working with council over the past few months.
“Our current council is so open to innovation and creativity,” says Grant. “I think something we all need to wrap our heads around is that we have a new council. They’ve been in place for less than a year, but they’ve already demonstrated flexibility of thought, creativity, and aggressive policy changes.”
Another project that they have been working on is reviewing the way they handle contracting. Grant says he wants to be sure that it’s being done properly and is beneficial to the community, rather than costly or a hindrance.
At the end of the day, this position is about service for Grant, which is something he’s proud of.
“I’m fundamentally a service guy. I’m about serving people; serving Canadians. My whole career has been that. I guess for me, it’s the next chapter in service to Canadians, so I’m excited about that,” says Grant.
Another area that excites him is “moving the yardsticks progressively” for Drayton Valley.
“Being part of figuring out the path forward in a meaningful way, in a leadership way, with this council and the team that we have,” he says.
He says he would like the municipality to be seen as a place where people want to work. Where they are respected and know that the work they do matters.
One of the questions council had for Grant was how long he imagined he could stay in his role as CAO. Given the turnover of the past ten years, one of their concerns was the stability of the role.
Grant says he plans to stick around as long as they will have him. He will eventually retire, though, and he says he will be putting together a succession plan with the hope that the next CAO can come fully qualified from in-house.
“It’s a real privilege to be able to support the town and become the leader of a team that I already believe in,” he says.
Carol Vowk, the chair of the board for the Drayton Valley Community Health Foundation, said when they first heard about the opportunity for the eSIM lab, they were in the middle of a project for a room in palliative care. She said the foundation decided to table the idea, keeping it in mind for the future once they had completed the renovations.
However, when the Town initiated the Grow Your Own program, they decided to go for it.
“The future came upon us really, really quickly,” said Vowk.
While they were planning for the eSIM lab, they completed their renovations for the palliative care room. The space now includes a wheelchair accessible shower, which they didn’t have previously.
“We can accomplish great things when our community comes together,” said Vowk.
Following the speeches and ribbon cutting, attendees were able to watch a demonstration of the lab put on by RN students and hospital staff.
What do I like? Thanks for asking. I like loads of things.
I like beer. I like wine, especially if there’s some fresh bread and a nice piece of cheese to go with it. I like playing golf. I like holidays somewhere sunny.
One feature those things have in common is that they cost a bit. So one of the things I like the most is money, because it makes all the other stuff possible.
And this ought to be a good time for folks like me, because as of now (yes, right now) the provincial government is giving a $100 energy rebate to each and every Albertan who meets some fairly loose criteria. I tick all the boxes. You probably do too.
Over 18 (check)
Alberta resident (check)
Filed taxes in 2025 (check)
Annual income less than $225,000 (you’re kidding, right?)
So far so good. But that’s the easy part. You have to have one of those MyAlberta online accounts to apply. I do have an account, but I have no idea whatsoever what the password might be. And as for my user name? Well, if I could remember stuff like that I’d probably be working in a circus somewhere as Mysterio the Memory-Man. On top of that, so far there have been reports of a number of hiccups in the application process, so that things are neither tickety nor boo. I mean, I can probably figure something out, but it starts to feel like quite a lot of work for not much reward.
Now I don’t want to complain about free money. Because free money is the best kind of money there is. Back when I was a lad you could feed a family of eleven on steak and lobster every day for a week on a hundred bucks and still have enough left to buy a small airline.
But those days are gone. It feels like $100 doesn’t go that far these days, because it doesn’t. Just yesterday I filled up with gas (we have a fairly small car) and then bought a couple of bottles of wine and bam! Just like that, 200 bucks gone. So that was the rebate for my wife and I taken care of before it even hit our bank account.
Don’t get me wrong. Getting an extra hundred bucks is a lot better than not getting an extra hundred bucks. And it’s orders of magnitude better than, for example, losing a hundred bucks. Still, as cash bonanzas go, this one feels like a bit of an anticlimax. You cannot make $100 into a huge pile and roll around in it naked. And if you try you’ll probably look pretty stupid.
This is all a bit of a downer, but hope springs eternal. And happily there are things that I like that don’t cost money. Things like sitting on the deck in the sunshine or going for a walk, both of which I have already done today.
Perhaps I should focus on things like that for the next little while. At least until I can remember that damn password.
Change is on the way to Drayton Valley’s arena.
The facility, which was rebranded as the Team Auctions Centre last year, will see upgrades valued at $1 million thanks to a contribution from an anonymous donor.
In recognition of the funding, the Total Works Gym will be renamed as the Thunder High Performance Centre.
Changes within the building will see the installation of new safety glass around the main ice surface and the addition of a four-panel digital video board. Additional upgrades will include drillable net pegs to improve safety and Alberta Junior Hockey League standards compliance, removal of side netting to enhance sight lines and improve the fan experience, an upgraded camera system to support game presentation and broadcasting and replacement dasher boards, coordinated alongside planned board repairs.
The upgrades were announced last week in a joint statement from the Drayton Valley Thunder, the Town of Drayton Valley and the Drayton Valley Community Foundation.
“The Team Auction Centre is where our community comes together,” said Kevin Young, President of the Thunder. “This project reflects what we can accomplish through partnership. These upgrades will create better opportunities for our athletes and fans and a stronger experience for everyone who walks through these doors.”
Mayor Nancy Dodds said that the $1 million contribution, along with the renaming of the gym, would leave a lasting legacy in the community.
“The much-needed upgrades to the facility will not only enhance opportunities for residents and visitors, but also strengthen a space that brings our community together. We are incredibly proud to stand alongside the Drayton Valley Thunder and the Drayton Community Foundation in recognizing this transformative moment.”
Nothing in the last 50 years has quite matched the feeling I got waking up one July morning in 1976 and realizing I wouldn’t have to so much as think about simultaneous equations for the next six weeks.
Life’s had its ups and downs since then, but I’ve never quite recaptured that burst of excitement you get when school’s out for summer and, with the entire holidays ahead of you, it feels as if it might as well be out forever.
All this week I’ve been watching kids walk down our street making their way between the twin attractions of the skatepark and 7/Eleven. Some are tall, some are short. Some are in groups, others in pairs or alone. The main thing they have in common is that they all seem pretty happy.
And they should be. But I wonder if they realize this is as good as it gets. They’re young, they’re healthy, it’s the first week of summer vacation. It’s all downhill from here.
What with bullying, the pressure to conform and the potential horrors of social media, it would be foolish to assume that teens don’t have problems of their own, because some of them quite obviously do. But for the happy majority it’s a question of perspective. It’s not that your teenage years are completely carefree. I know this because I am a former teenager. When I was that age my main concerns were wondering if I’d have enough money to buy the new ABBA album when it came out, trying to catalog my stamp collection and wishing I could figure out how to talk to girls without sounding like an absolute numpty. I’m still working on that last one as it happens. Meanwhile my brother, who’s a couple of years older than I am, spent most of the mid-1970s in front of the mirror trying to make sure his hair was perfect and becoming increasingly furious when it failed to remain exactly in place. It’s all fallen out now, so the joke’s on him.
So anyway, I want to wish all the kids who are off school a long and happy summer. I hope they have the chance to make memories that will last a lifetime. It’s a horrible cliche to say that your school days are the happiest days of your life. And like most cliches, it’s not always accurate. But as Ferris Bueller once said, life moves pretty fast. So it’s important to make the most of things right now, before they are gone forever.
I never did get that ABBA album. My stamp collection is still stuffed haphazardly into a couple of fading envelopes. My school days are the best part of half a century behind me. If I was to tell one of those kids who walk past our house how quickly the time has gone they’d think I was delusional, or bonkers, or both. But it’s no exaggeration to say that sometimes 1976 seems like yesterday. And yet here we are. Half a century later and I’m still not entirely sure what you’re supposed to do with simultaneous equations.
Have a great summer kids, and take time to enjoy the ride.
Off-highway vehicles are not allowed on public municipal property in Drayton Valley, whether they are electric or not.
Cody Rossing, the senior manager of community safety for the Town, says that there have been some complaints about e-dirt bikes being used in town and he wants to educate the public about the legislation surrounding electric micro-mobility devices.
“At the end of the day, these e-dirt bikes are considered by the Province of Alberta to be an off-highway vehicle,” says Rossing.
Like other OHVs, owners have to follow the regulations around ownership and use of the vehicle, and the rules don’t change if the vehicle happens to be electric.
“There is a minimum age of 14 to operate any off-highway vehicles. You need registration and you need insurance if you are operating on roadways,” says Rossing. “You do need a helmet if you are on the roadways as well.”
Along with provincial legislation, residents are required to follow the Town’s bylaws. Like many municipalities, OHVs are not permitted to be used within Drayton Valley’s public areas. This includes roads, sidewalks, walking trails, green spaces, and any other publicly accessible areas. The only exception is if it is being used on private property, such as an acreage within town limits.
Rossing says that while many people are only learning about e-dirt bikes now, the Province has had legislation in place for more than 15 years.
“It’s not something that all of a sudden the provincial government or the municipal government has come up with in the last couple of months. It has been very well established several years ago,” he says.
One issue that has come up when these micro vehicles are used in town is the lack of noise. E-dirt bikes and other micro vehicles don’t make a lot of noise, so residents don’t hear them coming. While this might happen with regular bicycles or scooters if someone isn’t paying attention, the real danger lies in how fast the vehicles can go.
Most e-dirt bikes have a top speed that ranges from 50 kph to 130 kph. It’s dangerous enough to have an accident with an e-bicycle, which can get up to speeds between 32 kph and 45 kph, but an accident with an e-dirt bike could be deadly.
“There are huge safety issues that come with that,” says Rossing. “It’s one of those things where we want adults and we want kids to have fun, but it’s got to be done safely.”
He says that enforcement services have been responding to complaints and have spoken to a few individuals about the rules, and they will continue to do so.
Rossing says those who are not happy with the legislation surrounding OHVs can either write to the Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, the Honourable Steve MacKinnon, or their local MLA.
Downtown Drayton Valley summer pub crawl: A girls’ night to remember
An empty nest is bittersweet
The term empty nester has been around for about 110 years and is used to describe the lonely feeling parents have when their children grow up and leave the house.
Town CAO looks ahead
The new CAO for Drayton Valley brings with him experience in a municipal leadership role. He also brings many years of military experience to the position.
Troy Grant was appointed CAO
These are a few of my favourite things
What do I like? Thanks for asking. I like loads of things.
I like beer. I like wine, especially if there’s some fresh bread and a nice piece of cheese to go with it. I like playing golf. I like holidays somewhere sunny.
Donation leads to arena upgrades
Change is on the way to Drayton Valley’s arena.
The facility, which was rebranded as the Team Auctions Centre last year, will see upgrades valued at $1 million thanks to a contribution from an anonymous donor.
She also feels strongly about the seniors in the community, who have contributed so much of their efforts to make Drayton Valley the town that it currently is.
“I felt that it was past due for our town to give back to our seniors and help them out as much as possible. Without them we wouldn’t have had a town to call home.”
Driessen says the project has taken a while to put together. “It’s been in the works for quite a few years and we have to thank [many] for their contributions. It’s been a community collaboration without a doubt.”
Newberry says she is also grateful for the generosity and hard work of community members, including one local hockey team, that were able to ensure the project was a success.
Driessen says this service isn’t just for medical appointments. She says in some cases that means getting groceries, going to the pharmacy, or sometimes, the polls for an election.
“We will be providing a special in town service every Wednesday, so that our seniors can go shopping and get their groceries or medications along with their senior discounts,” says Newberry.
There will be a fee for the service, says Driessen. The Town researched and found a reasonable cost comparison with cab services in the community. Driessen says it will be comparable to cab services. “It does, of course, give a bit of a break,” she says.
In the future, Driessen says they would like to see some public funding allotted to the service to help lower the cost for those who need it.
Newberry says that paying for the service is set up with a digital payment service, allowing family members to easily help out their loved ones.
“It will work on digital payment service program where a family member or the person (senior or disabled) can purchase a prepaid visa gift card. Every time a person needs a ride the card will be debited the amount of the ride. Until the card is used up. Then it’s a matter of reloading it with money at that time. Could be a great Christmas gift from family to a loved one,” she says.
Those who are interested in registering their family for the service can contact Drake’s Handi Bus at 780-542-8706.
