Finding the perfect shot

Jason Kerr
-
0
Finding the perfect shot

Dennis Chamberlain didn’t need years in a New York art school to develop an eye for photography.

All he needed was decades of experience living and working in Northern Saskatchewan.

As a youth, he spent months and months fishing and trapping in north. As an adult, he worked as a commercial fisherman, and then helped build roads, bridges and trails in and around the resort community of Candle Lake.

Those experiences gave him a love and appreciation for the Saskatchewan landscape, and it stayed with him the rest of his life.

“A lot of times, what I felt was happening was I was looking at God’s creations,” he said. “What I really wanted to do was capture them the best I could, and then share them with people, and that’s a very big step.”

Despite his devotion to photography, Chamberlain originally started out as a painter. His early years were spent sketching and making water colour paintings, and although he loved the medium, he wanted a new challenge. Photography provided it.

“Painting can take two months to do one piece of work,” he said. “In one five-hundredth of a second, you had to accomplish the same thing in photography, so it’s very much harder to do. Very much harder.”

That love led to thousands of photographs, many of which cover the walls of the Timberland Gallery just outside Candle Lake. While a few photos focus on oceans and mountains, the vast majority picture animals and landscapes within a 50-mile radius around Candle Lake.

For the rest of this story, please see the May 20 online or print edition of the Daily Herald

A future worth fighting for

Jason Kerr
-
0
A future worth fighting for

Twilah Smallchild’s first reaction when she was diagnosed with diabetes was denial.

The Beardy’s and Okemasis First Nation resident has two sons, and was concerned about what would happen to them if her health slipped. As a result, she did everything she could to avoid acknowledging there was a problem.

“I didn’t want it,” Smallchild remembered. “I was in denial. As soon as I was told by my doctor, I walked out and said, ‘no, I don’t want it.’”

Smallchild quickly found out she was part of a fairly large group. First Nations people are three to five times more likely to suffer from diabetes, according to Diabetes Canada, and struggling with acceptance is a major issue.

“When you find out you have something like (diabetes), it does something to you,” Smallchild explained. “For me, it made me feel like I had a death sentence almost. I wasn’t whole. I was broken.”

“Death-sentence” is a word Smallchild hears a lot when the topic of diabetes comes up in aboriginal communities, and there is some reason for concern.

Canadians with diabetes are three times more likely to be hospitalized with cardiovascular disease, 12 times more likely to be hospitalized with end-stage renal disease and more than 20 times likely to have a non-traumatic lower limb amputation.

It’s particularly bad for Canada’s First Nation’s population. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, 17.2 per cent of First Nations who live on reserve suffer from diabetes, along with 10.3 per cent who live off reserve. Only five per cent of Canada’s non-aboriginal population suffers from the disease.

For the rest of this story, please see the May 18 online or print edition of the Daily Herald.

Positive ticketing campaign seeks to promote safe driving practices

Jason Kerr
-
0
Positive ticketing campaign seeks to promote safe driving practices

With the May Long Weekend on the horizon, MADD members and a few Prince Albert police officers took time out of their day to help promote safety to the next generation of drivers.

Representatives from both groups were at Carlton Comprehensive Public High School on Thursday, handing out an assortment of free prizes for good driving behavior as part of their positive-ticketing campaign.

The campaign runs in conjunction with National Road Safety Week, and with the May Long Weekend just days away, organizers said it was a good time to get their message across.

“Grad season is coming up. May Long Weekend is coming up. Their summers are about to begin, so it’s just one last effort to give them that reminder to stay safe and not drive impaired,” MADD president Trina Cockle explained.

The positive ticketing campaigns were first held in 10 different Saskatchewan schools in October 2016, as part of a joint initiative by SGI and local law enforcement groups. The event was so well received it was brought back for 2017.

Sgt. Travis Willie with the Prince Albert Police Service said they wanted to develop positive interactions, rather than just lecture students about the dangers of driving while drunk or distracted by cell phones.

While most students are a little surprised to spot flashing lights in front of their school, Willie said the initiative has allowed them to develop good relationships.

“They don’t just see the uniform at that point,” he said. “It gives us a little bit of a human face, and we’re able to break the ice.”

It’s difficult to know how effective events like the safe ticketing initiative are, because it’s almost impossible to measure the effect on decision making.

According to Statistics Canada, Saskatchewan had the highest rate of impaired driving convictions in the country, with 575 incidents per 100,000 people. That’s almost double second place Albert, which had an impaired driving rate of 314 per 100,000 people.

While all provinces have seen drinking and driving rates decline since the mid-‘80s, Saskatchewan’s decrease has been the slowest.

Despite the challenges, both Cockle and Willie remain hopeful that their message is getting through to students.

“We can’t put a number on how many people we may have helped, but you know the old saying: if we can help one person, then it’s worth it, and it really truly is,” Cockle said.”

“We hope the visibility and the interactions make people think about having that cell phone on while they’re driving, or drinking and driving,” Willie added. “I certainly hope that this makes a difference. Unfortunately, there’s no way to capture that.”

@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca

Exciting day for historical society

Jason Kerr
-
0
Exciting day for historical society

It was originally intended to be a $100,000 donation, but by the end, the Prince Albert Historical Society had received the largest donation in its history.

Dignitaries were on hand at the Prince Albert Historical Museum on Wednesday for the presentation of a $145,000 check to the society, thanks to the late Lenore Andrews.

The donation was a welcome one for the museum, which is in the process of expanding operations.

Michelle Tayolor, the museum’s manager and curator, said they were overjoyed to receive the donation, which comes at an important time.

“We are at the stage now of some pretty intense growth within the museum, with the exhibits themselves and with the storage capabilities that we have,” Taylor explained. “This money will help us to develop those internally (and) to allow the public and the museum workers better access to our collections.”

The original donation was made in 1997, after Lenore Andrews’ passing, and held in trust by the City of Prince Albert until 2017.

Lenore and her husband, Dr. Herbert Andrews, were longtime Prince Albert residents. Lenore was president of the Prince Albert Women’s Liberal Association, as well as the Saskatchewan Women’s Liberal Association, running in the Liberal candidate in the 1965 federal election. Dr. Andrews practiced medicine in Prince Albert until he retired in 1978.

The donation was contingent on developing an online virtual museum exhibit in honour of both Lenore and her husband, as well as creating a display room dedicated to Dr. Lestock Reid.

Reid grew up in Prince Albert and attended Trinity Medical College in Toronto. He then returned to his hometown, where he was an acting surgeon for the RCMP, and a founding member of the Victoria Hospital.

Taylor said the museum was happy to meet those conditions, as well as three others, to receive the money, which had accumulated $45,000 worth of interest since 1997.

“It’s part of what museums do,” said Taylor, when asked about honouring the three Prince Albert residents. “We really try to focus on those people who have made a difference to the community. It’s not always as people specific as Dr. Reid’s section, but it’s definitely for important pieces of history.”

In addition to covering the financial costs of setting up the two new exhibits, the funds will also help pay for a redesign to the museum’s front entrance, which ideally will make it more accessible and welcoming to visitors. Funds will also be directed to build a new storage system, as well as updating museum computers and hardware.

Historical society president Connie Gerwing called the it “an exciting day,” and praised the generosity that made the new exhibits possible.

“It is the single largest contribution we have ever accepted from an individual,” she said in a media release. “We are grateful for the funds and for the investment made in our local history. The generosity of the contribution will allow us to preserve our history for future generations.”

@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca

Eye on derelict properties

Jason Kerr
-
0
Eye on derelict properties

The City of Prince Albert is looking at updating the bylaws surround rental properties, with the possibility of creating a licensing agreement.

On Monday, Ward 3 Coun. Evert Botha brought forward a motion asking the city to “establish a Rental Property Licensing Program to ensure maintenance and minimum health and safety standards, along with property maintenance standards by individual rental units.”

Evert said derelict and poorly kept properties are a major problem in Prince Albert, and it’s time the city took action.

“Don’t get me wrong, we have good, responsible landlords in Prince Albert, but we also have a number of absentee landlords and, dare I say, slumlords, who really don’t care much for the upkeep of their rental units as we are not holding them accountable,” he said during Monday’s meeting.

Currently, any residents found in violation of the city’s Property Maintenance Bylaw, which covers everything from walls and ceilings to electrical and plumbing facilities, face fines of up to $10,000 for individuals, or $25,000 for corporations.

The city can also fine landlords up to $2,500 per day for continuing offences. Unpaid fines can result in up to a year in prison.

However, Botha said the current laws and penalties aren’t doing enough to dissuade landlords from neglecting their duties.

“Our police and bylaw are called to deal with the same properties on a continual basis, and at great cost to the City of Prince Albert,” he said. “I do feel that an aggressive, progressive, fining process plan should be explored as part of this initiative.”

Botha added that improving the city’s rental market would help with overall quality of life in Prince Albert, while also cutting down on the cost of policing, and potentially creating new job opportunities.

The motion received support from most city councillors, although there were concerns from Mayor Greg Dionne about local landlords whose properties are being destroyed by careless tenants.

“I know some landlords who will get out of the market,” Dionne said. “They’re already thinking about it because of the damage they get.”

Botha acknowledged that landlords do face difficulties of their own, but said the city’s planning department should determine where it would be best to begin tackling the problem.

This isn’t the first time the City of Prince Albert has tried clamping down on derelict or unsightly buildings in the community. In 2015, the city made changes to the property bylaw to make it easier for bylaw officers to deal with vacant and boarded up buildings.

The city’s planning department is currently working on an updated proposal, which should come before city councillors sometime in June.

@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca

Bring on the Lobster

Jason Kerr
-
0
Bring on the Lobster

Prince Albert residents may have enjoyed an evening seafood, but the real winner was Project Triple Play.

On Saturday, the Prince Albert Rotary Club raised more than $30,000 for the project at their annual LobsterFest fundraiser.

The money will go towards renovating the baseball diamonds at Prime Minister’s Park in preparation for the 2018 Junior Men’s World Softball Championships. The Prince Albert SPCA will also receive funds from the event’s VIP table.

The final total will be even higher since the last few donations won’t come in until the end of the week. Overall, Rotary Club members say they’re pleased with the result.

“The community really stepped up to the plate to help us raise some money for Project Triple Play and the SPCA,” event chair and Rotary Club member Dave Fischl said. “It was just so nice to see the community and the businesses step up to the plate.”

This year’s event was sold out, as residents packed the Ches Leach lounge in the Art Hauser Centre for a helping of lobster, mussels and other seafood.

Rotary Club president John Doucette said the annual event is one of their most popular fundraisers, and this 2017 version was no exception.

For the rest of this story, please see the May 16 online or print edition of the Daily Herald.

SPCA garage sale provides big boost

Jason Kerr
-
0
SPCA garage sale provides big boost

In his seven years of volunteering at the annual Prince Albert SPCA garage sale, Dan Troupe has seen a lot of donations.

This year, however, might be the biggest ever.

Troupe, who is a former board chair of the SPCA, was one of more than a dozen volunteers who took part in the three-day fundraising event at the Archie Anderson Pavilion, and even he was a little surprised by what he saw.

“This is up there with one of the busiest garage sales for the SPCA,” he said during a brief interview on Saturday. “In my seven years, I have never seen as much donated as this year. It just goes to show the passion the public has for the SPCA.”

The increase in donations has also led to an increase in sales. The result was a fundraiser that surpassed its 2016 totals by the end of the first day. In total, more than $10,000 was raised for the SPCA, with a few more donations set to trickle in.

For the rest of this story, please see the May 16 online or print edition of the Daily Herald.

From humble beginnings

Jason Kerr
-
0
From humble beginnings

In 1887, the Prince Albert Catholic School Division began as a single log cabin schoolhouse in the vast District of Prince Albert.

Today, it encompasses eight different schools and roughly 3,200 students.

On Saturday, current and former teachers, students and trustees gathered at St. Mary High School to honour that achievement, as the division celebrated its 130th anniversary in the city.

“Through those years there’s been a lot of trials and tribulations, and we’ve had some obstacles along the way, but I’m very proud to say that we’re a still a strong organization,” current school board chair George Bolduc said.

Although Father Alexis Andre established Prince Albert’s first Catholic school in 1883, the actual school division didn’t take shape until four years later.

Originally dubbed “Catholic Separate School Division No. 6 of the North-West Territories,” the new school system received its first students nearly two decades before Saskatchewan joined confederation, making it the oldest school division in the province.

“From the humble beginnings of a rustic little shack on the riverbank to where we are now, it’s just amazing,” said Bolduc, who has served on the school board for roughly 20 years.

Bolduc and others in attendance were quick to credit the teachers and support staff for the success of Catholic education in Prince Albert.

Current trustee Maurice Chalifour first joined the division as a Grade 6 teacher at Ecole St. Anne School in 1970. He said it quickly became apparent that he was joining a high quality organization.

For the rest of this story, please see the May 16 online or print edition of the Daily Herald.

“Touching Smoke” brings a lifetime of experience

Jason Kerr
-
0
“Touching Smoke” brings a lifetime of experience

After a lifetime of songwriting, touring and teaching, Jim McKillop found himself with a book full of songs and some free time.

For years, the Prince Albert musician brought his musical talents to a number of bands, playing on weekends and writing songs during his spare time. When he retired, he decided to finally start recording.

“I’ve played music all my life, played in bands and weekend stuff … and all along the way I’ve written (songs),” McKillop said during an interview on Saturday. “Now I’m not playing in so many bands, I’m retired from my day job as a schoolteacher, and it was time to put them down somewhere.”

The result was “Touching Smoke,” McKillop’s inaugural album, which was officially released on May 6 at the Rock Trout Café.

The name comes from the album’s title track, which McKillop wrote after visiting the Gila cliff dwellings. The album features a wide variety of musical styles and themes, but they all have a connection to something in his past.

“It’s just trying to capture that (experience),” he said. “It’s kind of an observer role. Some things make you shake your head and some things make you angry and some things make you happy that you’re here.”

Getting into the studio and recording the album was a long process. It began roughly 20 years ago when he played on a few recordings for one of the bands he performed with. A decade later, he was back in the studio, this time recording one of his own songs.

For the rest of this story, please see the May 10 online or print edition of the Daily Herald.

Trek for MS taking off

Jason Kerr
-
0
Trek for MS taking off

While taking part in a Terry Fox Run last fall, Jackson Lepage had an idea.

The École St. Anne School Grade 5 student admired Fox’s commitment to raising funds for cancer research, and wanted to do something similar.

Lepage wasn’t living with cancer like Fox was, but he did have two godparents, both of which were living with multiple sclerosis (MS).

“I thought about my godparents, and I thought, ‘maybe I could walk to raise money for them,’” he said.

He took more inspiration from “The Little Red Wagon,” a movie about a young boy who walks across the United States to try and help the homeless, and began putting a plan into action.

But having an idea was one thing, but getting it off the ground was another. Initially, Lepage wanted to walk across Canada, like Terry Fox. However, his mother Christine and the MS Society of Canada’s Saskatchewan branch convinced him that it would be safer and more practical to walk in Saskatchewan.

Now, he’s planning to raise $4,000 for MS research by walking and biking nearly 400km before his 12th birthday on Nov. 8.

“His original plan was to walk along the highway, and then the MS Society talked him down from that idea,” Christine explained. “After a couple of meetings with the society he decided to do it in smaller treks.”

For the rest of this story, please see the May 10 online or print edition of the Daily Herald.

1...203204205...216Page 204 of 216