Corey Peebles wants to lead Drayton Valley forward over the next four years, and believes he has the vision to do so. Last week the two-term councillor announced that he’ll be running for mayor in the October municipal election.
Peebles moved to Drayton Valley as a child in the mid-1990s. He was first elected to council in 2010 and served for three years. He didn’t run in 2013 but returned and began his second term in 2017. After serving as a youth pastor for several years Peebles opened his first business in 2014. He is now co-owner of three gyms, including one in Drayton Valley.
After living in the community for 25 years he says he’s seen the town at both its “highest highs” and its “lowest lows.” Through it all Peebles remains a self-described optimist. As restrictions from the Covid-19 pandemic ease he’s keen to talk about what the coming years hold for the community.
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“I think the future is looking great in Drayton Valley again,” he says, citing returning strength in our traditional industries, along with a gradual diversification of the local economy. Peebles says he’ll always support the oil and gas industry, which has long provided the foundation of the local economy. He’d like to see the expertise garnered from oil and gas used to diversify and attract new industry to the area. That includes opportunities from the manufacturing sector rather than just the production of raw materials.
“We have so many trades in this community, and so many jobs can come out of value-added,” he says.
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.
Kiss me I’m Albertan
It seems that those pushing for Alberta independence have enough signatures to force a referendum on the issue. That put me in mind of something I wrote a few years ago that I think still holds water.
If Alberta’s going to ditch the rest of Canada we need to set a few rules. This is going to take a while, so it’s best to start talking about it now so we know where we stand if and when it comes to a vote.
First we have to figure out what an Albertan actually is.
There used to be a guy who lived down the street from me who had a bumper sticker that said, “Canadian by birth, Albertan by the grace of God.” It always struck me as a little odd. That was partly because it was on the rear bumper of the first Toyota Prius I’d ever seen with a gun rack. But it’s also because I’ve lived in this province for well over three decades, and I’ve never been able to figure out what makes an Albertan an Albertan.
OK, so an Albertan is someone who comes from Alberta. That’s according to no less a source than the Oxford Canadian Dictionary so I’m not about to start arguing. But the results of the most recent federal census suggest that’s a pretty broad group. If the number and variety of languages spoken in this province is any kind of a guide, Albertans come from all over the place, both within Canada and from every corner of the globe.
That’s true of other places too of course. Places like London and New York are breathtaking in their diversity. What makes Alberta different is that everything here is so new. We’ve been a province for not much more than a century and have evolved so rapidly in such a short time, with so many waves of immigration from so many parts of the world that it sometimes feels as if we’ve never developed a separate sense of ourselves. At least not in the way you’d find among the societies of Africa, Asia or Europe, or even in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia or Quebec.
So what do we have that binds such a broad group together and sets us apart from the rest of the country? There’s the Flames and the Oilers I suppose. And beef. We like beef and are justifiably proud of both the quality and quantity this province produces. I think it’s also fair to say that we work hard. Not me, obviously, but most of the rest of you. And perhaps most importantly right now, there’s a sense of frustration that we always end up with a federal government that most of us didn’t vote for. But even at the last election, when dislike of Ottawa was probably at its peak, more than a third of us voted either Liberal or NDP and a significant number of us didn’t vote at all. So things are not as black and white as they may appear.
Anyway, as far as things that set us apart from the folks in Toronto or Tuktoyaktuk, that’s about it. Don’t get me wrong. I love this province and I love the people who live here (most of you anyway) but it doesn’t feel like we’ve got much to build a country on. Albertans are good people and we have a lot to offer the world. But at the same time we’re an odd and interesting mixture that doesn’t seem quite sure of its own identity. Sort of like a Prius with a gun rack.
Drayton to host regional one act plays
The Eleanor Pickup Arts Centre will be hosting the Yellowhead Regional One-Act Plays Festival on April 10 and 11 this year.
Ashley Luckwell, the chair of the board for River Valley Players, says the regional festival will have five performances this year. Cast and crew from Leduc, St. Albert, Devon, Beaumont, and Drayton Valley will be participating in the event.
“There are five different groups from the Yellowhead Region that are coming,” she says.
Luckwell says the event is being put on by the Alberta Drama Festival Association (AFDA). This festival is one of several that are occurring across the province, with the winners from each heading on to the provincial festival in Leduc in May this year.
“We’re really excited to have it here,” says Luckwell. “It’s great to show off the EPAC; it’s great to have them come into our community.”
The festival will take place over two days, with each of the plays lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to about 45 minutes. RVP members Leah Sanderson, Sarah Chapman, Katherine De Varennes, and Jan Wright will be performing their play Overtones on Friday night.
Luckwell says the play is one she directed and was written by Alice Gerstenberg in the early 1900s. It was first performed in 1915 at the Bandox Theatre in New York.
The play highlights the difference between what people say and what they are actually thinking. Two of the actors will be playing characters having a conversation, and two younger actors will be playing a younger version of themselves giving voice to the first two character’s inner thoughts.
The other plays will be Steven Goes to Japan to Run a Marathon, Crystal Blue Persuasion, The Crimson Cab Ladies Hit the Beach, and Don’t Mention Hollywood.
Luckwell says there has been lots of support from local businesses for this event, with some giving discounts on food and others sponsoring the festival as well.
“It’s been really great,” she says.
Tickets for the event will be for sale at the doors for $15. Luckwell says cash is preferred as it is not the EPAC that will be taking the funds, but rather volunteers for the AFDA.
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Here come the cobra chickens
Doomscrolling is a terrible habit for sure, and it’s one that I’m guilty of from time to time. It mostly depends on my mood, energy levels, and whether I have to sit and wait for an extended period of time.
The videos that have captured my imagination the last little while are the ones where content creators from other countries react to all things Canadian. That means everything from trying ketchup chips to seeing some of the worst ice storms the Maritimes have experienced.
Some of my favourites are the ones about wildlife. It’s entertaining to listen to the narrator speak about how big a moose is for fifteen seconds while they show a five-second clip of a moose, then five of an elk, and five more seconds of several white tail deer bounding into the distance. No one will ever know which one is the moose.
Another favourite of mine is videos of the Cobra Chicken, or for those of you who don’t speak to teenagers on a regular basis, the Canadian Goose.
The moniker Cobra Chicken is a little odd, but I guess it’s because they’re a big bird with long necks. Thus parts of them look like cobras and the rest looks like chickens.
In any case, anyone who has ever been near a goose in the spring knows they aren’t birds to be messed with. These birds can weigh up to 12 pounds and can reach speeds of 80 km/h on a normal day. With tailwinds, they can reach speeds of 112 km/h or higher.
Last April, a group of college students in Waterloo, Ontario, had to get creative with entering and exiting their house when a pair of geese decided their front yard was the best place for their nest. For several weeks they had to be very careful about when and how they entered their house because they could be attacked.
Of course, calls to any groups who could help with the situation were no help. The Canadian Goose is a protected species, so people aren’t allowed to touch them or their nests, cause injury, or kill the birds.
While the videos are always good for a laugh, people can get seriously injured. Many of the injuries happen as people try to run away from the birds, but a downstroke from a goose can hit like a fist and leave you with some nasty injuries.
I’m saying all of this because the season of the cobra chicken is coming soon. We do have some geese that feel this area is a good place to bring up their goslings. It’s a good time to tell kids that geese shouldn’t be messed with and to start paying attention when we’re walking near any ponds.
I would hate to be the main character in one of the YouTube videos people come across while doomscrolling. I feel like that would be far less entertaining for me, though I’m sure it would give others a good laugh.
First funding for replacement school
Plans to build a replacement for Drayton Valley’s St. Anthony School took a step forward last week.
St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic School Division (STAR Catholic) received planning funding from the Government of Alberta to support the future replacement of the school.
The Province will pay $50,000 in value-scoping funding. The school division says the funding will support early planning to ensure readiness for a potential new school build. That includes conducting an initial investigation to confirm project readiness, identify key priorities, and ensure essential planning components are in place.
“This is very encouraging news for our division and for the St. Anthony School community,” said STAR Catholic board chair Henry Effon. “This funding reflects the board’s continued commitment to advocating for our students and allows us to take an important step forward in preparing for a much-needed new school.”
The replacement of St. Anthony School is identified as the number one priority in the STAR Catholic capital plan. Superintendent Laurie Cardinal said the division was grateful for the support received from the province.
“This further strengthens the step in supporting the high-quality learning experience students in Drayton Valley already enjoy,” she said.
The current school dates back to the 1960s and has an enrolment of about 430. The building last had a major renovation in the 1990s.
That increased economic strength is part of a broader vision which would see Drayton Valley continue to grow as people from other parts of the province learn the benefits of living in a small community that boasts good amenities and is relatively close to both an international airport and a major highway system, while having easy access to the kind of recreational activities found in and around this area.
“Here you can get 25 percent more house for 25 percent less money than in the city. We’ve got two brand new schools, the pool’s being built. There’s the pump track,” he says. “We’re creating the recipe for a community that is so great and so strong.”
An important piece of the puzzle is to get the message about what Drayton Valley has to offer out to the rest of the province and beyond. That means finding a way to let others know about the strengths of the community and the quality of life available here.
After a wait of several months, residents at the Wishing Well once again have a working elevator.
Since October last year the elevator has been out of commission while the province waited on parts for the repair. Brazeau Foundation CAO Denise Chesterman says some of the parts were coming from the United States, which only added to the wait time.
However, once they reported to the Province that the elevator wasn’t working, they were given approval right away to start the process. Chesterman says she was grateful for how well the Province worked with them to ensure it was taken care of as quickly as possible.
Though the elevators weren’t working, the staff at the Wishing Well and the Shangri-La Lodge were doing what they could to accommodate or help those who would typically need the elevators. They even went so far as to install a washer and dryer on the second floor to help residents easily access laundry services.
Once the parts came in and the elevator was repaired, the Alberta Elevating Devices and Amusement Rides Safety Association inspected the repair to ensure it was safe for use.
Chesterman says the Wishing Well’s elevator isn’t the first thing the Brazeau Foundation has had issues with. She says about ten years ago, one of the elevators in the Shangri-La Lodge had to be repaired, and while it wasn’t down for as long, it was not a quick fix, either.
Sylvia Angus-McConnell, the housing manager for the Wishing Well, says she’s been receiving a lot of comments from the residents, and they are all happy they can use it again.
Every building run by the Brazeau Foundation is owned by the Province, and the care and maintenance of the elevators has always fallen under provincial responsibility. However, Chesterman and Jeannette Vatter, a board member for the Brazeau Foundation, say the province has always been great about ensuring the elevators are inspected, kept in good condition, and repaired as quickly as possible if there is an issue.
Let’s start this week with a cautionary tale.
A long, long time ago there was a push to build a fieldhouse in Drayton Valley. It began as an idea to create a dedicated space for indoor soccer. That sounded just dandy. Then some other folks got involved and they added all sorts of stuff to the proposal, so the facility was going to include everything from athletics to archery. And then someone came up with the idea to add a banquet hall too, because why not?
The proposed multi-purpose fieldhouse began to look a lot like one of those tools they used to sell on late night television. You know, the kind of thing that’s a hammer, and a screwdriver and a spirit level and a wrench all built into one. The trouble with that kind of gadget is that it’s usually not a terribly good hammer or wrench or whatever, because it’s trying to do too much. So while trying to please everybody, the fieldhouse project collapsed under the weight of its own good intentions. Municipal staff had put a lot of effort into trying to make it happen. Volunteer groups had worked hard to raise money. So when the fieldhouse hit the skids the debacle left a bad taste in a lot of mouths. The only part of the project that came to fruition was the banquet hall, which evolved into the MacKenzie Conference Centre. The MacKenzie Centre is great, but you can’t play soccer in it. Well, you probably could, but it wouldn’t be a very good idea.
I mention this because I, along with everyone else in Drayton Valley and Brazeau County, am being asked for my opinion on the future of recreation in the community. In case you missed it, there’s a survey on the Town of Drayton Valley website.
I took that survey so you don’t have to.
Perhaps I’m not really the target audience. They start by asking which facilities you use. I’m not much of a swimmer – more of a sinker really – so I have used the new pool precisely twice since it opened. Mind you, that’s a dramatic increase from the old pool, which I used once in 20 years.
Skatepark? Nope. Outdoor rink? Nope. Soccer fields? Nope. Omniplex? I’ve popped in to use the washrooms a couple of times. Does that count?
As far as other facilities are concerned, I have been to Whitby Hall quite a lot. I even got married there once. But those visits, plus a couple to Easyford, have almost all been for weddings or funerals. Does that count as recreation? I suppose there’s dancing at some of them.
Anyway, in spite of the fact I don’t use those facilities, I can see the value of having them in Drayton valley/Brazeau. Good recreational opportunities add to the quality of life and they make the entire community a more attractive place to live and work. Just because my own preferred form of recreation is sitting on my deck drinking beer, doesn’t mean it’s that way for everyone.
Next on the survey was a page asking what kind of facilities I’d like to see in the future. There, right about the middle, was an option for a fieldhouse. My first thought was, are we really going to go there again? But my second thought was, why not?
The survey makes it quite clear that the list of possible future facilities are just ideas, and that each one would come at a cost. A fieldhouse would be a very expensive option and would take years to come to fruition.
But it’s something to think about, and I think there’s a conversation worth having.
It’s been close to 20 years since the proposed multi-purpose fieldhouse died on the drawing board. A lot of things have changed since then. Maybe it’s time to try again.
Due to a gap between provincial funding and actual transportation costs, the Wild Rose School Division will be charging busing fees for students beginning in the 2026/27 school year.
In a statement to the parents, WRSD superintendent Jodie Mattia explained that rising costs for transportation are the reason for the new fees. Since 2019, the division has been using contracted operators for busing to reduce costs associated with maintenance and replacement. Beginning in the 2024/25 school year, the division has been unable to stretch the grant funds from the province to cover all expenses.
“… bus contractors are experiencing rising costs in maintaining and updating the bus fleet, fuel and insurance,” says Mattia in her statement.
The decision on the fees was made at the January 20 board meeting.
“This is our second year in a row with a million dollars in deficit for transportation,” says WRSD board chair Daryl Scott.
The fees that parents will have to pay will depend on how far they are from the school their child is attending. Scott says students are divided into two categories for busing: eligible and ineligible, and the rate they pay depends where the students fall.
Eligible students are K-6 students who live more than 1.6 km from their school and 7-12 students who live more than 2 km from their school. The busing fees for these students will be $300.
Ineligible students are K-6 students who live less than 1.6 km from their school and 7-12 students who live less than 2 km from their school. The busing fees for these students will be $600.
The fee will be applied to every child using WRSD transportation services, with families getting a discounted rate when they have three or more children using the busing system.
Scott says the transportation funds they receive from the Province are separate from the funds they give for the students’ education. During the first year of deficit, the division used funds from their transportation reserve to cover the gap.
Rather than implementing these fees on parents without notice, the division will be covering the difference using funds meant for classrooms and instruction. In 2026/27, the implemented fees will be used for cost recovery of the transportation expenses incurred by the division above and beyond what the Province provides in their funding.
Scott says in many cases, the buses in the division aren’t being fully utilized by students. There are seats available for every registered child, but some of them are finding alternate means of getting to school.
Scott says in many cases, the buses in the division aren’t being fully utilized by students. There are seats available for every registered child, but some of them are finding alternate means of getting to school.
“The majority of our buses on paper are full, but people aren’t using the bus,” says Scott.
He says the fee may deter those who aren’t actually using the bus from holding onto a seat, which might allow the division to reduce some of the routes and save some costs as well. However, he says they still have to be careful with rerouting because they want to have students home at a reasonable hour.
Mattia says there will be payment options made available for parents who do not wish to pay the whole fee at the beginning of next year.
Parents who have questions or concerns about the fees are encouraged to call the Ward One trustees, Becky May at 780-514-6122, or Daryl Scott at 780-542-1945, or the Ward Two trustee, Holly Ekstrom, at 780-696-2065. Questions may also be directed to the division itself at 403-845-3376.
There is a little bit of a stereotype around newspapers. Some people think that the only people who read them are seniors. Our data shows otherwise. Typically as soon as you own property or enter the family phase of life, you get more involved in the community. And that includes reading the newspaper. So our range of avid readers tends to be 34 plus, not 65 plus. But, regardless, many business owners will decline to advertise in the paper because, “it’s only read by seniors.”
Even if that was the case, I am writing today to say; don’t dis-count seniors.
Seniors make up about 17.5 percent of Drayton Valley’s population according to the 2021 census. Census data states that in 2021 our community has a population of 6,970, and 1,040 of that is 65+. So why is this important information to know?
Boomers’ spending power is stuff of legend. In September 2025, Maclean’s Magazine featured a long form article titled “The Jackpot Generation.” The article explored the implications of the wealth transfer of approximately $1 trillion from boomer parents to their children or grandchildren that is expected to happen over the next 10-15 years.
Drayton Valley has typically been considered a young community with the bulk of our population being well under 65. However, as community founders, and boomers who moved here in the early days of the oil boom age in this community we are lucky to have a portion of our population who have strong community ties, some disposable income, and still favour the traditional ways of doing commerce – face to face.
While this population is on the rise in our community, I am not so sure our businesses have grown to include this demographic in their marketing mix.
Last Wednesday at 2:30 pm I went grocery shopping, and I was amazed at how packed the parking lot was. It was seniors’ discount day, and so on top of your regular shoppers you are now seeing an influx of seniors who are discount savvy and are looking to experience the community while doing so. This got me thinking. Why didn’t other retail locations piggy back on the success of the grocery store with a Wednesday seniors’ discount day? Or where are the early bird dinner specials to fill up the slow 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm time slots in the restaurants?
Seniors in 2026, are not shut-ins. They are active in the community, and in life. They have disposable income, and they still believe in traditional business transactions. If you think the newspaper is “only read by seniors,” you’re wrong. But even if it was, then choosing not to advertise because of this fact may mean that you are not reaching a critical demographic in this community and you are leaving money on the table.
The Drayton Valley Thunder players recently had the chance to see if their team-building skills held up off the ice.
Drayton Valley/Brazeau County Fire Services Chief Tom Thomson says the team has been getting to meet and exercise with fire services members for some time.
“We’ve done it for a couple of years now,” says Thomson. “It kind of came about after we did a fire prevention night with them.”
During the program at the fire hall, the players get to learn some of the basic skills that new recruits have to master, as well as work on team-building and bonding. Thomson says the event is as much fun for the firefighters as it is for the players.
“They learned how to do the skills, had a chance to practice the skills and then at the end, we had a relay group challenge,” says Thomson.
He says being a junior hockey player can be pretty stressful for some kids. Getting away from the rink and doing an activity outside of the sport can be really beneficial, says Thomson. The program at the fire hall helps the players work on skills that are needed in the game in a different, more relaxed setting.
“As the night went on, it was really interesting to watch how they would help each other accomplish the skill or the task, how they would try and find efficiencies to accomplish the goals,” says Thomson. “You really saw a lot of the newer players on the team come to the fore in terms of leadership.”
One of the benefits for the fire department is that they have the opportunity to spark an interest in a career with fire services. Thomson says hockey players are team-oriented, understand the chain of command, and are physically fit, all things that would work well with fire services.
“It’s been a positive thing for us and for them,” says Thomson.
Jeff Truitt, the general manager and head coach of the team, also believes in the importance of giving the players some time off the ice.
“We were excited to be there,” says Truitt. “It’s something different for the guys during a long hockey season.”
He says it’s important for the players to get out into the community and meet with different businesses and services that they can learn from.
“It’s a very noble occupation and there’s lots of different facets to that operation, what they serve, what they do,” says Truitt. “The pride they take with it rubs off on our team.”
Truitt says they do get invites from other organizations, but one of the challenges for the team is their packed schedule. Between school, volunteering, practices, and games, there isn’t a lot of time for the players to participate in group activities outside of the rink. He says there have been times in the past when they were invited out, but they weren’t able to make it work.
“We’ve had a few, and we enjoy doing it,” says Truitt.
Along with learning some firefighting skills, they’ve also taken some cooking classes recently, says Truitt. He says they try to focus on life skills the players will enjoy doing and can use later on in life.
“The firefighting night was a great time for our guys as a team builder, as an experience, and we thank the fire department for having us.”
Residents were lined up all the way out of the doors of the MacKenzie Conference Centre last week to sign the Stay Free Alberta petition, which aims to bring a referendum for Alberta separating from Canada.
Marlin MacDonald, the co-provincial lead for the area covering Drayton Valley, Devon, Beaumont, Leduc, Spruce Grove, and Stony Plain, says the petition only needs 177,000 signatures to be put forward to the province for a referendum on the question of separation.
The proposed question for the referendum is: Do you agree that the Province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?
Officially, the petition kicked off on January 3, and canvassers have until approximately May 2, to collect the signatures. Should they have enough signatories, MacDonald says the referendum could take place as early as the fall.
January 16 was the first time the petition was available in Drayton Valley as there were delays in getting the pages printed. However, more than 200,000 people had signed a letter of intent to help speed up the petition process, allowing canvassers or members of the organization to reach out to those individuals for signing the petition.
MacDonald says he’s not worried about the 465,000 signatures that the rival Forever Canadian petition garnered earlier this year.
“Their question is on policy, where ours is on constitution,” says MacDonald. “Their referendum was to… change policy so that we couldn’t have another referendum for five years.”
The petition ran from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and was located next to an information session about Alberta independence that ran from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Jason Lavigne was the emcee for the event and introduced attendees to Nadine Wellwood, a chartered investment manager, and Bruce Pardy, a law professor from Queens University, respectively.
About 200 people listened as Wellwood discussed the economic viability of separation and Pardy spoke about possibilities open to a new country with the chance to create a new constitution.
A similar event took place on Saturday afternoon at the Buck Creek Hall and drew a steady steam of people looking to sign the petition.
“We need to work on marketing to showcase the Drayton Valley you and I know exists,” he says. “I see a strong and diversified town that still has a real sense of community.”
Peebles says he believes Drayton Valley is looking for a mayor who will lead, rather than simply govern. For him that means listening to what people say and always having the best interests of the community at heart. He says it’s important for the mayor and council to understand the needs and wants of their residents and to make sure that their values align with the values of the community as a whole.
“The community needs to win. Not the mayor, not the council. The community needs to win,” he says.
“If we facilitate ideas that resonate with the community, that’s where we’re going to do some great things.”
Peebles joins Councillor Nancy Dodds in the race to become Drayton Valley’s next mayor. Election day is Oct. 18.
After a wait of several months, residents at the Wishing Well once again have a working elevator.
Since October last year the elevator has been out of commission while the province waited on parts for the repair. Brazeau Foundation CAO Denise Chesterman says some of the parts were coming from the United States, which only added to the wait time.
However, once they reported to the Province that the elevator wasn’t working, they were given approval right away to start the process. Chesterman says she was grateful for how well the Province worked with them to ensure it was taken care of as quickly as possible.
Though the elevators weren’t working, the staff at the Wishing Well and the Shangri-La Lodge were doing what they could to accommodate or help those who would typically need the elevators. They even went so far as to install a washer and dryer on the second floor to help residents easily access laundry services.
Once the parts came in and the elevator was repaired, the Alberta Elevating Devices and Amusement Rides Safety Association inspected the repair to ensure it was safe for use.
Chesterman says the Wishing Well’s elevator isn’t the first thing the Brazeau Foundation has had issues with. She says about ten years ago, one of the elevators in the Shangri-La Lodge had to be repaired, and while it wasn’t down for as long, it was not a quick fix, either.
Sylvia Angus-McConnell, the housing manager for the Wishing Well, says she’s been receiving a lot of comments from the residents, and they are all happy they can use it again.
Every building run by the Brazeau Foundation is owned by the Province, and the care and maintenance of the elevators has always fallen under provincial responsibility. However, Chesterman and Jeannette Vatter, a board member for the Brazeau Foundation, say the province has always been great about ensuring the elevators are inspected, kept in good condition, and repaired as quickly as possible if there is an issue.
Let’s start this week with a cautionary tale.
A long, long time ago there was a push to build a fieldhouse in Drayton Valley. It began as an idea to create a dedicated space for indoor soccer. That sounded just dandy. Then some other folks got involved and they added all sorts of stuff to the proposal, so the facility was going to include everything from athletics to archery. And then someone came up with the idea to add a banquet hall too, because why not?
The proposed multi-purpose fieldhouse began to look a lot like one of those tools they used to sell on late night television. You know, the kind of thing that’s a hammer, and a screwdriver and a spirit level and a wrench all built into one. The trouble with that kind of gadget is that it’s usually not a terribly good hammer or wrench or whatever, because it’s trying to do too much. So while trying to please everybody, the fieldhouse project collapsed under the weight of its own good intentions. Municipal staff had put a lot of effort into trying to make it happen. Volunteer groups had worked hard to raise money. So when the fieldhouse hit the skids the debacle left a bad taste in a lot of mouths. The only part of the project that came to fruition was the banquet hall, which evolved into the MacKenzie Conference Centre. The MacKenzie Centre is great, but you can’t play soccer in it. Well, you probably could, but it wouldn’t be a very good idea.
I mention this because I, along with everyone else in Drayton Valley and Brazeau County, am being asked for my opinion on the future of recreation in the community. In case you missed it, there’s a survey on the Town of Drayton Valley website.
I took that survey so you don’t have to.
Perhaps I’m not really the target audience. They start by asking which facilities you use. I’m not much of a swimmer – more of a sinker really – so I have used the new pool precisely twice since it opened. Mind you, that’s a dramatic increase from the old pool, which I used once in 20 years.
Skatepark? Nope. Outdoor rink? Nope. Soccer fields? Nope. Omniplex? I’ve popped in to use the washrooms a couple of times. Does that count?
As far as other facilities are concerned, I have been to Whitby Hall quite a lot. I even got married there once. But those visits, plus a couple to Easyford, have almost all been for weddings or funerals. Does that count as recreation? I suppose there’s dancing at some of them.
Anyway, in spite of the fact I don’t use those facilities, I can see the value of having them in Drayton valley/Brazeau. Good recreational opportunities add to the quality of life and they make the entire community a more attractive place to live and work. Just because my own preferred form of recreation is sitting on my deck drinking beer, doesn’t mean it’s that way for everyone.
Next on the survey was a page asking what kind of facilities I’d like to see in the future. There, right about the middle, was an option for a fieldhouse. My first thought was, are we really going to go there again? But my second thought was, why not?
The survey makes it quite clear that the list of possible future facilities are just ideas, and that each one would come at a cost. A fieldhouse would be a very expensive option and would take years to come to fruition.
But it’s something to think about, and I think there’s a conversation worth having.
It’s been close to 20 years since the proposed multi-purpose fieldhouse died on the drawing board. A lot of things have changed since then. Maybe it’s time to try again.
Due to a gap between provincial funding and actual transportation costs, the Wild Rose School Division will be charging busing fees for students beginning in the 2026/27 school year.
In a statement to the parents, WRSD superintendent Jodie Mattia explained that rising costs for transportation are the reason for the new fees. Since 2019, the division has been using contracted operators for busing to reduce costs associated with maintenance and replacement. Beginning in the 2024/25 school year, the division has been unable to stretch the grant funds from the province to cover all expenses.
“… bus contractors are experiencing rising costs in maintaining and updating the bus fleet, fuel and insurance,” says Mattia in her statement.
The decision on the fees was made at the January 20 board meeting.
“This is our second year in a row with a million dollars in deficit for transportation,” says WRSD board chair Daryl Scott.
The fees that parents will have to pay will depend on how far they are from the school their child is attending. Scott says students are divided into two categories for busing: eligible and ineligible, and the rate they pay depends where the students fall.
Eligible students are K-6 students who live more than 1.6 km from their school and 7-12 students who live more than 2 km from their school. The busing fees for these students will be $300.
Ineligible students are K-6 students who live less than 1.6 km from their school and 7-12 students who live less than 2 km from their school. The busing fees for these students will be $600.
The fee will be applied to every child using WRSD transportation services, with families getting a discounted rate when they have three or more children using the busing system.
Scott says the transportation funds they receive from the Province are separate from the funds they give for the students’ education. During the first year of deficit, the division used funds from their transportation reserve to cover the gap.
Rather than implementing these fees on parents without notice, the division will be covering the difference using funds meant for classrooms and instruction. In 2026/27, the implemented fees will be used for cost recovery of the transportation expenses incurred by the division above and beyond what the Province provides in their funding.
Scott says in many cases, the buses in the division aren’t being fully utilized by students. There are seats available for every registered child, but some of them are finding alternate means of getting to school.
Scott says in many cases, the buses in the division aren’t being fully utilized by students. There are seats available for every registered child, but some of them are finding alternate means of getting to school.
“The majority of our buses on paper are full, but people aren’t using the bus,” says Scott.
He says the fee may deter those who aren’t actually using the bus from holding onto a seat, which might allow the division to reduce some of the routes and save some costs as well. However, he says they still have to be careful with rerouting because they want to have students home at a reasonable hour.
Mattia says there will be payment options made available for parents who do not wish to pay the whole fee at the beginning of next year.
Parents who have questions or concerns about the fees are encouraged to call the Ward One trustees, Becky May at 780-514-6122, or Daryl Scott at 780-542-1945, or the Ward Two trustee, Holly Ekstrom, at 780-696-2065. Questions may also be directed to the division itself at 403-845-3376.
There is a little bit of a stereotype around newspapers. Some people think that the only people who read them are seniors. Our data shows otherwise. Typically as soon as you own property or enter the family phase of life, you get more involved in the community. And that includes reading the newspaper. So our range of avid readers tends to be 34 plus, not 65 plus. But, regardless, many business owners will decline to advertise in the paper because, “it’s only read by seniors.”
Even if that was the case, I am writing today to say; don’t dis-count seniors.
Seniors make up about 17.5 percent of Drayton Valley’s population according to the 2021 census. Census data states that in 2021 our community has a population of 6,970, and 1,040 of that is 65+. So why is this important information to know?
Boomers’ spending power is stuff of legend. In September 2025, Maclean’s Magazine featured a long form article titled “The Jackpot Generation.” The article explored the implications of the wealth transfer of approximately $1 trillion from boomer parents to their children or grandchildren that is expected to happen over the next 10-15 years.
Drayton Valley has typically been considered a young community with the bulk of our population being well under 65. However, as community founders, and boomers who moved here in the early days of the oil boom age in this community we are lucky to have a portion of our population who have strong community ties, some disposable income, and still favour the traditional ways of doing commerce – face to face.
While this population is on the rise in our community, I am not so sure our businesses have grown to include this demographic in their marketing mix.
Last Wednesday at 2:30 pm I went grocery shopping, and I was amazed at how packed the parking lot was. It was seniors’ discount day, and so on top of your regular shoppers you are now seeing an influx of seniors who are discount savvy and are looking to experience the community while doing so. This got me thinking. Why didn’t other retail locations piggy back on the success of the grocery store with a Wednesday seniors’ discount day? Or where are the early bird dinner specials to fill up the slow 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm time slots in the restaurants?
Seniors in 2026, are not shut-ins. They are active in the community, and in life. They have disposable income, and they still believe in traditional business transactions. If you think the newspaper is “only read by seniors,” you’re wrong. But even if it was, then choosing not to advertise because of this fact may mean that you are not reaching a critical demographic in this community and you are leaving money on the table.
The Drayton Valley Thunder players recently had the chance to see if their team-building skills held up off the ice.
Drayton Valley/Brazeau County Fire Services Chief Tom Thomson says the team has been getting to meet and exercise with fire services members for some time.
“We’ve done it for a couple of years now,” says Thomson. “It kind of came about after we did a fire prevention night with them.”
During the program at the fire hall, the players get to learn some of the basic skills that new recruits have to master, as well as work on team-building and bonding. Thomson says the event is as much fun for the firefighters as it is for the players.
“They learned how to do the skills, had a chance to practice the skills and then at the end, we had a relay group challenge,” says Thomson.
He says being a junior hockey player can be pretty stressful for some kids. Getting away from the rink and doing an activity outside of the sport can be really beneficial, says Thomson. The program at the fire hall helps the players work on skills that are needed in the game in a different, more relaxed setting.
“As the night went on, it was really interesting to watch how they would help each other accomplish the skill or the task, how they would try and find efficiencies to accomplish the goals,” says Thomson. “You really saw a lot of the newer players on the team come to the fore in terms of leadership.”
One of the benefits for the fire department is that they have the opportunity to spark an interest in a career with fire services. Thomson says hockey players are team-oriented, understand the chain of command, and are physically fit, all things that would work well with fire services.
“It’s been a positive thing for us and for them,” says Thomson.
Jeff Truitt, the general manager and head coach of the team, also believes in the importance of giving the players some time off the ice.
“We were excited to be there,” says Truitt. “It’s something different for the guys during a long hockey season.”
He says it’s important for the players to get out into the community and meet with different businesses and services that they can learn from.
“It’s a very noble occupation and there’s lots of different facets to that operation, what they serve, what they do,” says Truitt. “The pride they take with it rubs off on our team.”
Truitt says they do get invites from other organizations, but one of the challenges for the team is their packed schedule. Between school, volunteering, practices, and games, there isn’t a lot of time for the players to participate in group activities outside of the rink. He says there have been times in the past when they were invited out, but they weren’t able to make it work.
“We’ve had a few, and we enjoy doing it,” says Truitt.
Along with learning some firefighting skills, they’ve also taken some cooking classes recently, says Truitt. He says they try to focus on life skills the players will enjoy doing and can use later on in life.
“The firefighting night was a great time for our guys as a team builder, as an experience, and we thank the fire department for having us.”
Residents were lined up all the way out of the doors of the MacKenzie Conference Centre last week to sign the Stay Free Alberta petition, which aims to bring a referendum for Alberta separating from Canada.
Marlin MacDonald, the co-provincial lead for the area covering Drayton Valley, Devon, Beaumont, Leduc, Spruce Grove, and Stony Plain, says the petition only needs 177,000 signatures to be put forward to the province for a referendum on the question of separation.
The proposed question for the referendum is: Do you agree that the Province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?
Officially, the petition kicked off on January 3, and canvassers have until approximately May 2, to collect the signatures. Should they have enough signatories, MacDonald says the referendum could take place as early as the fall.
January 16 was the first time the petition was available in Drayton Valley as there were delays in getting the pages printed. However, more than 200,000 people had signed a letter of intent to help speed up the petition process, allowing canvassers or members of the organization to reach out to those individuals for signing the petition.
MacDonald says he’s not worried about the 465,000 signatures that the rival Forever Canadian petition garnered earlier this year.
“Their question is on policy, where ours is on constitution,” says MacDonald. “Their referendum was to… change policy so that we couldn’t have another referendum for five years.”
The petition ran from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and was located next to an information session about Alberta independence that ran from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Jason Lavigne was the emcee for the event and introduced attendees to Nadine Wellwood, a chartered investment manager, and Bruce Pardy, a law professor from Queens University, respectively.
About 200 people listened as Wellwood discussed the economic viability of separation and Pardy spoke about possibilities open to a new country with the chance to create a new constitution.
A similar event took place on Saturday afternoon at the Buck Creek Hall and drew a steady steam of people looking to sign the petition.
Working youth are suffering
Not too long ago, I heard a complaint about youth being too lazy to get jobs nowadays. That annoys me to no end because not only is it painting an entire generation with a broad brush, the blame for lower employment rates is placed solely at the feet of the youth, which is not right.
Drayton to host U11 finals
The Team Auctions Centre will be a busy place in March as it hosts the U11 A and B teams Division Finals on two different weekends.
Kara Westerlund, a member of the social committee for the event, says this community was selected after the Drayton Valley Minor Hockey Association put in a bid with Hockey Alberta.
How do I love thee? … Ummm
Close observers of current events, or anyone with a pulse for that matter, has probably noticed that the world is a pretty crappy place right now. How crappy? Well, it’s as crappy as it’s ever been as far as I can remember,
Elevator back in action
After a wait of several months, residents at the Wishing Well once again have a working elevator.
Since October last year the elevator has been out of commission while the province waited on parts for the repair.
