All posts by Tara de Ryk

Hanley’s access road to receive upgrade

HANLEY—It will soon be smooth sailing into the Town of Hanley.

Thursday, Saskatchewan Highways announced it intends to cover a 0.61-kilometres stretch of the bumpy road with hot-mix asphalt concrete.

The province awarded the project to contractor HJR and it is tied to an asphalt concrete project on Highway 11.

The access road from Highway 11 into Hanley, was built years ago as a thin-membrane surface. It is in poor condition and has been for years. It handles an average of 1,050 vehicles per day.

The Hanley project is one of several similar projects Highways and Infrastructure announced it intends to tackle this construction season.

The funding is coming from the Small Community and Tourism Access Roads Program and so far is spending $10.3 million to upgrade access roads to Dinsmore, Sun Valley, Verwood, Kennedy, Prelate, Dodsland and Margo.

The roads will be built to a standard that may accommodate secondary weight truck traffic and RVs.

Criteria considered under the Small Community and Toursim Access Roads program includes: construction work on adjacent highways, traffic volume, collision statistics, the highway’s condition and annual maintenance costs, community population and employment and/or tourists visits.

Good Samaritan stabbed

OUTLOOK—A Good Samaritan asked one too many questions while helping a stranger change a flat tire.

A 66-year-old man was stabbed last Wednesday, receiving non-life threatening wounds, said RCMP Corp. Rob King.

The man, it is alleged, was helping a 22-year-old man with the flat tire when the 22 year old attacked him with a knife.

Another man at the scene helped stop the knife attack by pulling the accused off the victim, King said. The suspect then stole the truck of the man who helped and fled from the scene.

Outlook RCMP was called and while searching for the stolen truck, they found the truck in a ditch and set up a large perimeter and called for a police dog from North Battleford. The suspect was located and arrested.

Thursday, Ryan Dalton Kelly Bear made his first court appearance in Saskatoon. He is charged with attempted murder.

The whole incident occurred around mid-morning on a road about 5 kilometres north of Outlook.

King said the suspect had a flat tire and went to a nearby residence seeking help. The resident gave the suspect a ride back to his vehicle to help change the tire. Then the 66-year-old man arrived on scene and started asking questions, suspicious of the stranger.

While the man was asking questions, the 22-year-old man is alleged to have attacked the 66 year old.

Town grants extension to development contract

DAVIDSON—Last Tuesday Davidson town council gave the developer of East Sellers Crescent another year to complete servicing of the proposed subdivision.

Morsky Industrial Services Inc. of Regina has until April 30, 2013 to complete the servicing of the 18-house residential development.

The new subdivision has been in the works since 2009, but little progress has since been made.

Town administrator Gary Edom said council agreed to amend the original service agreement to give Morsky more time to install the services.

He said the lots were re-staked and that Morsky is working on getting SaskTel and SaskPower to install the ground services on the outside of the proposed development.

Besides giving an extension, the servicing agreement amendment also contains other provisions including:

• council agreed to forego the $500 per day penalty to date per Morsky’s request, but it will take effect again May 1, 2013 if progress has not been made;

• council supported paving the road after 75 per cent of the lots are developed or two years from the date of the first house being built to ensure builders and residents that the road will be paved in a timely manner;

• Morsky will undertake an aggressive renewed marketing plan;

• the amount of performance bonding, or letter of credit, is adjusted to $90,000; and

• Morsky will give favourable consideration to builders in order to get initial house construction started.

All previous provisions in the original service agreement apply to construction and development standards remain in place.

Racers to make mad dash around Davidson

DAVIDSON—The Amazing Race is coming to Davidson.

On June 16 teams of local folks will be racing around town deciphering clues and doing odd jobs as they compete in what’s sure to be a fun-filled day of adventure.

The community event is loosely based on CBS’s popular reality television series that pits teams of two people against one another as they try to make out clues and master unique tasks in an epic race towards the finish line and $1 million in cash.

Davidson’s version will vary a bit.

Rather than racing around the globe, here competitors will crisscross the town.

The prize money is also smaller. First place wins $500 and second place earns $200.

The Davidson Kinette Club is taking on the challenge of organizing the event.

All proceeds will go to the new swimming pool, says organizer Brenna Siroski.

They intend to make the race so that all people aged 14 and up and varying abilities are able to participate.

The race will start and finish at the Kinsmen Room at the Communiplex. Here all teams will be given their first clue that they must figure out so they may find the first venue. When they arrive, they’ll be given a task to complete. Once it’s successfully completed, teams will receive their next clue and then off they race to the next stop.

There will be nine stops along the racecourse featuring a variety of tasks each team must perform in order to advance. At some stops competitors will have a choice between two tasks. Some tasks must be completed by both teammates. Others require one team member to perform the challenge. Some tasks will be physical in nature and others will be a mental challenge. Each partner must complete an equal number of challenges.

Unlike the TV show, no one in Davidson’s Amazing Race will be eliminated.

“Community support has been really good,” Siroski said, adding that businesses have gotten onboard by either loaning their locations as stops on the race or by contributing volunteers.

“It shows what a great community we have that businesses are willing to open their places for us to use,” she says.

Siroski encourages people from around the region to participate.

“Out-of-town people won’t be at a disadvantage if they want to join. They may ask anybody to help if they need it to decipher the clues.”

Siroski says there will be lots of walking involved, so she advises people to wear running shoes and to carry a backpack and water. No automobiles and bicycles are allowed.

Anyone interested in participating in the race has until June 1 to get their forms in. Registration forms are available at Stedmans, on facebook or by contacting Siroski at 567-3159.

She urges people to get their forms in soon so they may order T-shirts for participants. As well, it helps them know the number of people they’ll need to prepare for.

Volunteer crew cleans up

DAVIDSON—Members of Prairie Spirit Trefoil Guild were out by the Coffee Pot last Wednesday spring cleaning.

Each spring, members of the Guild have been picking up garbage from the rest stop area and ditch along Highway 11, from King Edward Street down to the Communiplex.

Bonnie Jean Low, Lana Johnsson, Mary Lynne Golphy, Gladys Junop and Trudy McCreary spent a few hours on the cleanup.

They use it as a service project for the Guild, on behalf of Davidson’s Communities in Bloom organization.

This was their sixth year cleaning the area.

“The first year we did it we had Bonnie Jean’s half-ton full of garbage,” Junop says.

Last year they only filled four or five black garbage bags, which is good because Low now drives a Honda Civic.

Junop gives some credit to the decrease in trash to conscientious people who aren’t littering as much as they used to, or it could be that since they first started tending the area from the rest stop to the rink, they’ve managed to keep pace with the litterbugs.

Cigarette packaging, beverage containers and serviettes make up the bulk of the garbage.

If they find anything big or bulky such as vehicle parts, they call the Department of Highways to have them remove it.

Tim Horton’s sponsors the Guild’s cleanup efforts under its Community Cleanup campaign.

The Trefoil Guild is part of the Girl Guides of Canada. It is an adult-only women’s group that allows women to keep the spirit of Guiding alive and to give service to the community.

Schmiedge, Kirk Dale

May 9 (5:36 P.M.), 1971 – May 9 (5:36 P.M.), 2012

It was with great courage, strength and determination that Kirk (Target) crossed the finish line of this leg of his race on his 41st birthday at 5:36 p.m., the same day and time he entered this world in 1971.

The memory of Kirk “Target” will always be cherished by his loving wife and best friend Cindy (Aiello) of Calgary and their children Markus and Taiya; his mother, Arlene (Ray) Pelletier of Sherwood Park; his father, Dennis Schmiedge of Surfside, Costa Rica; sister Dana (Scott) Seebach and nieces Samantha and Madison Seebach of Sherwood Park; and his grandmother, Jean Schmiedge of Vernon, B.C.  He will be remembered forever by his in-laws, Ronald and Denise Aiello, sisters and brothers-in-law, aunts and uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.

Kirk lived life with no regrets and always honored what was important to him. He was an incredible husband and father who enjoyed sharing his love of sports with his family. Target was a national water polo player, an avid cyclist and a passionate hockey goalie. He was an inspiration to not only his many teammates but also his family, friends and fellow Calgary Police officers. Kirk dedicated, loved and took great pride in being a respected member of the Calgary Police Service. It was a blessing that he found a true calling in so many areas of his life.

We will never forget how he touched our lives. In lieu of flowers, Kirk established a sports fund for his children to be able to continue his legacy. Donations can be made through The Kirk Schmiedge Fund at Calgary Police Credit Union (5111 – 47 Street N.E., Calgary, Alta. T3J 3R2)

Those wishing to pay their respects were able to do so at McInnis & Holloway’s Crowfoot Chapel (82 Crowfoot Circle N.W.) on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

Funeral Services were held at RockPointe Church (Corner of Lochend Road and Hwy 1A) on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. Condolences may be forwarded through www.mcinnisandholloway.com.

In living memory of Kirk Schmiedge, a tree will be planted at Big Hill Springs Park Cochrane by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Crowfoot Chapel, 82 Crowfoot Circle N.W. Telephone: (403) 241-0044.