Category Archives: Davidson

The Davidson Leader wins Better Newspaper award

The Davidson Leader publisher Tara de Ryk (left) receives a 2012 General Excellence Award from Allison Squires, president of the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspapers Association. The Davidson Leader won the award in the Better Newspapers Competition for having the best front page in its class. The award was presented at the weeklies’ annual convention and awards banquet in Regina April 21. The Davidson Leader was ranked in the top five of best overall papers out of 20 papers in its circulation class. The award for best overall paper in the class was won by The Watrous Manitou. Former reporter Joel van der Veen earned an honourable mention, placing second for a story he wrote about Elbow’s sod house, which was entered in the best tourism story category.

Sacred Heart CWL host Saskatoon Diocesan convention

DAVIDSON—Months of planning and preparation by members of the Sacred Heart council of the Catholic Women’s League ended in success April 23.

The local CWL hosted the Saskatoon Diocesan Council of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada’s 77th Annual Convention.

The event attracted 200 attendees from the five regions within the Diocese of Saskatoon, who gathered at Davidson’s Community Centre for the organization’s annual meeting and biannual elections. The daylong program included national, provincial and committee reports as well as a mass celebrated Donald Bolen, Bishop of the Diocese of Saskatoon. The mass was followed by a banquet and then attendees returned home, likely tired after the long day.

It was a special event for local CWL members.

This was Sacred Heart CWL’s first time hosting the diocesan convention. Members began planning in the fall.

“It was a big job but it was worth it,” says Amber Greene, convention chair and Sacred Heart CWL president.

On Thursday, Greene said she had just received an email from the Saskatoon Diocesan Council of the CWL’s new president thanking Sacred Heart members for putting on such a good convention.

With more than 90,000 members in Canada, Greene says their numbers carry some clout with federal and provincial politicians.

She says CWL members will question politicians on policies and laws such as abortion, for example.

“They write lots of letters,” she says.

They also do charitable work to help the community.

CWL members visit with health centre residents and take Communion to Catholics who are unable to attend mass.

About $1,000 was collected at the convention mass held at Sacred Heart Church. Because the Sacred Heart Parish CWL hosted the convention, they get to keep the money, which they are donating to Davidson and District Health Centre.

The money will go towards buying an electronic blood pressure machine.

Plans for pool take shape

DAVIDSON—Davidson’s new swimming pool committee expects to meet this Thursday to review options and costs of building a new swimming pool.

They will also look at the pros and cons of possible locations including the current spot, the Communiplex and a third site that’s being considered.

Trevor Ouelette, Davidson’s rec. director, said he will present this third location at Thursday’s meeting.

This mysterious site has possibilities to enhance the pool’s visibility and increase traffic, Ouelette said as a teaser.

A pool is an investment in the community. Ouelette said a new pool may not be vital to the community, “but it makes it more inviting.”

He said amenities such as a nice rink, golf course and playgrounds help persuade people to move to a community, particularly people with young families who want places for their kids to play.

Last Wednesday Ouelette was working on his presentation for this week’s meeting where he will present the committee with some options.

He said there are three main types of pools they may consider. The first is a steel-framed pool with a vinyl liner, the style used for residential pools. This pool is economical to build, Ouelette said, but it cannot have a beach entry.

The second type is a zero-entry membrane liner. Ouelette said these pools are constructed using a very thick membrane with concrete flooring and steel-framed walls. These have many design possibilities and permit a beach entry.

The third, and most expensive option, is a zero-entry, spider tie concrete pool. This is the typical concrete outdoor pool. Because it is all concrete construction, it allows for full design possibilities.

With these options in mind, Ouelette said, “The next step is for the community to decide how much money do you want to raise or how much money do you want to spend? Do we try to fill our wish list or do we tailor our wish list to what we can afford.”

He said a pool with “beach entry into a paddling pool which leads into the main pool would be a dream.”

Ouelette recently met with a contractor from Pleasureway Sales in Saskatoon to go over various options.

He said they talked about a pool that is junior Olympic size with two diving boards.

In the meantime, Ouelette said he’s been researching current and prospective provincial and federal government grants.

He said there are many little grants that they can apply for and he has all those contacts.

“If there are any big $100,000 grants out there, they are hiding because I can’t find them,” he said.

RMs offer recycling to ratepayers

DAVIDSON—Ratepayers in the RMs of Arm River and Willner will have a place to take their recycling.

The councils of both RMs recently decided to rent a large bin from Loraas so they may provide recycling to their ratepayers on a trial basis.

The bin will be located behind the RM office on Lincoln Street in Davidson.

“We’re going to try it and if it doesn’t work, we’ll take it out,” Lorne Willner, Reeve of the R.M. of Arm River, said. “We’re happy to try it.”

The bin is there for the use of both rural municipalities’ ratepayers and residents.

The bin will be locked and will be accessible to ratepayers during office hours by signing for a key.

Willner said they will not accept any materials that may go to SARCAN including milk jugs and other beverage containers.

He’d rather see that people support SARCAN with these materials instead of the deposit money going to Loraas, which is charging rent on the bin.

The RMs have placed a notice in this week’s paper that explains the recycling bin policy as well as detailing acceptable and unacceptable material.

Willner said the spirit is to encourage people to recycle.

“We’re happy to still be using the landfill and will work with Davidson as much as we can,” he said.

Davidson School's Senior Drama Club took its play Ten Actors in Search of a Cell Phone to the Drama Festival in Rosetown April 20 and 21 where they competed in the regional competition.
Davidson School students hit the streets April 5 for their Day of Pink, to celebrate diversity and raise awareness to stop all forms of bullying. Students wear pink shirts as a show of solidarity that they will stand up against bullying.