No budging on allowing new high school to open

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The new school will be ready to open this fall, but it doesn’t have road access or utility hook-ups due to disagreements between the province, city and the developer.

By Murray Green

The opening of Blessed Carlo Acutis High School this fall, with more than 400 students from Grades 9 to 12, is in jeopardy.

The province won’t give possession of the school to Elk Island Catholic School board because of the disagreement between the City of Camrose and area developer, Camgill Development Corporation.

The failure to pave a road and hook-up utilities was put on hold six months ago when the City and developer wouldn’t proceed with the project.

Both parties asked lawyers to get involved when a decision about who is supposed to pay for, build and install items is still at a stalemate.

In a closed special meeting at City Hall, council still did not determine or share their view who is responsible for providing a road and providing site servicing access.

The matter was discussed at the legislature on April 8.

In the oral question period, Calgary MLA Amanda Chapman brought the matter to the floor. “The project is left in limbo because the infrastructure minister wrongly assumed there were roads and utility hook-ups and it turns out that there were neither. The minister didn’t even know who the landowner was. Will the minister of infrastructure tell Camrose parents this is what passes for a compliant school build for this government,” questioned Chapman.

“The construction of the new Blessed Carlo Acutis Catholic High School is complete and ready for its 2025 opening,” replied Martin Long, minister of infrastructure. “The City of Camrose and the subdivision developer are in a disagreement over the responsibility of providing road and site service access. Because of that, we now risk a delay in opening the school that meets the demand of modernized schools that students can attend close to home. It is a shared responsibility, we have done our job. We now expect all parties to work together with us for solutions.”

“Even when this government manages to get a school built, they still can’t get it open. Given that the new Camrose high school doesn’t have an access road to it, given that Camrose parents want to know how this happened, who is responsible and why the school site was not serviced properly, will the minister of infrastructure tell Albertans why and what the cost will be to fix this embarrassing mistake,” asked Chapman, when she didn’t receive a satisfactory answer.

“Without road and service access, we can’t secure the occupancy permit and therefore we can’t hand the school over to the school board. We provided options to the City of Camrose to allow the school to open on time, but we have not received a firm commitment from them on following through with those options. The path forward is vital and required immediately to make sure the school is opened on time. Opening the school on time is a top priority for this government,” Long stated.

“Given that the government has neglected school capital for school boards submitting countless site ready projects that get passed over and given that school projects have recklessly been approved without adequate land use planning, even the superintendent in Camrose (Sherwood Park) is telling families not to get their hopes up and just this morning, the Camrose high school catastrophe is going to cost $1 million to fix; will the minister explain why school capital projects were being approved on land that the government didn’t even know who owned it,” said Chapman.

“The fact is that Camrose (City) committed to having the road in and the services in before the school was built. Camrose has not fulfilled their commitment. They are responsible. That is the facts. The City of Camrose made that commitment and the City of Camrose has not fulfilled that commitment, They are responsible,” pointed out Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver.

“We’re demanding that Camrose meet the commitment that they and only they made, to have the road to the school and have utilities there. As far as I’m concerned, they need to fulfil the commitment that they made,” McIver said, at the legislature.

What the province isn’t saying is that the school was built facing a different direction than what the City and developer believed it was going to be.

The City is required to provide a serviced site, but it claims it does not own the road in front of the school.

Camgill Development Corporation has not commented on the matter when asked by The Booster. In fact, the issue is being looked at by legal council on both sides.

Care-A-Van project receives a new van

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Flagstaff Family and Community Services (FFCS) executive director Stacey McLennan accepts the keys for the newest Care-A-Van from Wes Campbell, principal of Campbell-McLennan Chrysler in Killam.

By  Leslie Cholowsky

Flagstaff’s Informed Response Sharing Team (FIRST) took delivery of a new Care-A-Van, purchased through donations to replace the existing van, which is “miling-out.”

The Care-A-Van project was started back in 2013, with a big boost from local vehicle dealer owner Wes Campbell of Campbell-McLennan Chrysler. Campbell said the project was the idea of a former employee and the past FFCS director Lynne Jenkinson. “They brought it to me and together we just ran with it,” added Campbell.

In May 2013, Campbell and his staff culminated a very successful fundraising campaign by shaving their heads en masse as a kind of thank you to everyone who had contributed to funding the new van.

Campbell said, “I’ve been honoured to be involved since Day 1. This is a project we are really proud of.”

The Care-A-Van is specifically for Flagstaff residents to be used for medical appointments, whether in the region or beyond. The program is administered through Flagstaff Family and Community Services. (FFCS). For just the cost of fuel, any person can book the van, which comes with a driver.

Oftentimes people aren’t familiar with city driving, comfortable with city driving, or simply don’t have access to transportation. The Care-A-Van solves this issue. Since its inception in 2013, the program has gone through three vans, this most recent one is the third. The existing Care-A-Van will be now relegated to use within the county limits. FFCS executive director Stacey McLennan said that the Care-A-Van is very well used and is usually booked a month in advance. It runs five days a week.

Fundraising for this replacement van got started in a big way when Flagstaff County council voted to cover half of the cost of the new van.

“That was a huge boost, and very helpful in getting us started,” Campbell said.

McLennan added most of Flagstaff’s urban municipalities also support the Care-A-Van program through donations to the annual FIRST auction.

“This is really a community driven project,” she said, and added that, Campbell played a key part in soliciting the rest of the donations for the new van, over and above his own donation.

A grant was also received from the Battle River Community Foundation in support of the purchase of the replacement van. The van bears the logos of all businesses or organizations who donated $1,000 or more towards the program. Campbell also provides free services for the life of the vehicle. FIRST covers the cost of insurance and registration and drivers through donations and fundraising. McLennan said drivers operate on a volunteer basis, but do receive an honorarium.

“We can always use new volunteer drivers, too.” She said anyone interested can contact the FFCS office in Killam for details on how to become a driver.

Easter fun

Adan Shaikh, Camrose Booster

For families looking to make Easter a little extra special for their kids this year, there are many activities from which to choose.

Camrose Animal Alliance Rescue Society’s (CAARS) Easter Egg Your Backyard – CAARS volunteers will come and set up an egg hunt for you in your home. To register, fill out the form at https://rb.gy/l1sy0d.

CityLights Church is hosting a fun-filled Hare-raising Egg Hunt on April 19 from 12 to 3 p.m. Children can enjoy cool neon lighting as they look for glowing Easter eggs. There will also be a bouncy castle, glitter tattoos and much more. Families can drop in on the day or register at https://rb.gy/4954j8.

Resurrection Lutheran Brethren Church is hosting Camrose Community Easter Eggstravaganza on April 19 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Max McLean Arena. Kids can hunt for eggs in a sea of balloons and enjoy carnival games, an obstacle course and much more

Council rejects temporary school in Elizabeth Heights Park

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The residents around the Elizabeth Heights Park opposed this relocation very strongly.

By Adan Shaikh

A proposal to temporarily relocate École des Fondateurs to Elizabeth Heights Park has been struck down following significant public opposition during the April 7th Regular Council Meeting.

École des Fondateurs, Camrose’s Francophone school operated by Conseil scolaire Centre-Nord (CSCN), is currently located in a former dormitory building at the Keystone Centre. The existing facility is inadequate for student needs, which prompted CSCN to propose the construction of a temporary modular school in Elizabeth Heights Park. This arrangement was projected to last five to 10 years while the school board secures funding and constructs a permanent building.

“There is no gymnasium, no proper classrooms. The building was never designed to be a school. We can provide a better-quality school facility that includes real classrooms, which the school already owns, and this solution requires a temporary site to accommodate it,” explained Robert Lessard directeur général/superintendent of CSCN, in a conversation with The Camrose Booster.

“I want to mention this in case the community does not know, our school is in very close proximity to an Open Doors facility, it’s where the homeless and active drug users go to find resources and the help they need. Although it is an essential resource for the community, its proximity to the school is not ideal. We have had instances of drug dealers threatening the children, we have had individuals who are clearly under the influence of substances coming through our yard while the children are out playing there. We have also had instances of things getting stolen from the school. My family moved to Camrose from Ontario because of how safe the community is. I just want to provide my children with a safe learning environment where they can go to school without having to do constant checks for safety. I would like to see our school have the opportunity to relocate to another area which can provide a safe environment for the children,” said Emily Fontaine, a concerned parent.

Al-Terra Engineering, on behalf of CSCN, submitted an application to the City of Camrose requesting redistricting of the park site from Parks and Recreation (PR) to Institutional (I) to accommodate the temporary school. According to the Alberta Municipal Government Act, municipal reserve land like Elizabeth Heights Park may be used for public parks, recreation, or school purposes.

Administration supported the redistricting and emphasized that the reserve designation would remain intact and that the park would be restored to its original state once the temporary school vacated the site.

The need for a new location is evident and opposition from the public was not in regards to the building of a new school facility. The public’s only concern was the location chosen by the City for this project, where many residents have carefully picked their properties based on the location and amenities available in that area.

“We have carefully reviewed all feedback from the community and are well aware of the concerns with the proposed temporary school. We appreciate the extensive community feedback and are doing everything we can to mitigate these concerns while still providing the facility we require. We understand that any disturbance to the park is not desirable for many residents, and so we are working on detailed site plans that minimize the visual impacts of the school to make the integration of the school as seamless as possible. The site has been assessed by the City and our engineers as having appropriate municipal services and transportation access. Additionally, the temporary public school use will not enable future development of the site. The City remains the owner and the designation of this site as Municipal Reserve limits all future uses to park and school board uses only,” commented Lessard.

Even those who supported the need for improved facilities for the Francophone students acknowledged the validity of concerns raised by neighbours.

Several parents expressed support for the idea of a temporary school, but believed a different location would be more suitable, emphasizing a shared desire to avoid negatively impacting any part of the community.

“I live across the street from Elizabeth Heights Park. I would like to make it clear that I am not opposed to the establishment of a Francophone school, however, I am opposed to rezoning Elizabeth Heights Park from a parks and recreational land to institutional land for any reason. I understand that the Municipal Reserve (MR) designation will remain and the MR allows the use of this land for parks, recreation and school board purposes. After the proposed temporary school has been relocated to a permanent spot, how can we be assured that another school will not be interested in this space, temporarily or permanently? After all, this space will have already been rezoned and the services will have already been installed. How can we be assured that the MR designation will not be changed over time? I see this possible rezoning as a slippery slope and I am concerned that a precedent will be set, not only for Elizabeth Heights Park but other parks and recreation spaces in Camrose as well,” explained Carol Green, a concerned citizen.

She highlighted the lack of information the City has provided the property owners around the area and the lack of justification on why this specific location was selected for this relocation.

The park, which does not currently have any playgrounds or public amenities beyond a winter ice rink, was selected for its central location, existing municipal services, and minimal development constraints.

Those opposed to the project cited concerns over traffic congestion, noise, environmental impacts, loss of green space, and potential depreciation of property values. Many residents were also skeptical about the “temporary” nature of the school and feared the change in zoning could open the door to future permanent development.

Following these deliberations, Council voted against second reading of Bylaw 3363-25, effectively halting the plan to relocate École des Fondateurs to Elizabeth Heights Park. The City and school board will now consider alternative locations for the interim facility while continuing its pursuit of a permanent home.

BRWC hosting 14th annual Poetry Workshop

By Adan Shaikh

Battle River Writing Centre (BRWC) is hosting their 14th annual poetry workshop to celebrate April as poetry month. The workshop Where Poppies Bloom: Writing and Preparing Poems for Submission will take place at the Camrose Heritage Railway Museum and Park, located at 4407-47 Avenue, on April 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

At this event, participants will get to learn from accomplished and experienced writers, who will share education and inspiration.

“I think that poetry is life, poetry and humanity are bundled up in one exquisite. Poetry is nuance, it calls us to deep places in ourselves and other people. It puts life into a context that just makes it so gorgeous to encounter,” shared Jane Ross, founder of BRWC and community educator.

The facilitators will be Alan Richards and Alexina Dalgetty.

Alan is a former college English instructor, a writer and a former minister at Camrose United Church. Alan will lead the participants through writing exercises and share some beautiful words by Canadian poet, Lorna Crozier.

“For me, poetry is what helps us hang on to our humanity, the joys of it, the failures of it, the suffering of it, and just the wonderfulness of being human,” commented Alan.

Alan has had several poems published and is continually working on new pieces to share.

“People get scared of poetry, it’s just such an intense form of writing, because the poem tries to say something that can never be put into words otherwise. I think a poem is never finished, so it appeals to us on a very deep emotional level,” he continued.

Alexina is a published author and won the Cinnamon Literature Award in 2024. She will mentor budding writers and poets about getting their work ready for publication.

“I think that poetry is the canary in the mind, often things are voiced in poetry in a way that people can react to current events in a human way. Songs are also poems so in a way our world is wrapped in poetry. Poetry makes us think and question things. What I would like for people to take away from this workshop is the worth of their poetry, and to understand that it is good to share. We will also talk about different channels of sharing their poetry,” explained Alexina.

Attendees are invited to bring one or two of their poems-in-progress that they would like to develop further.

This workshop will provide a space for poets to share their work, get feedback, find inspiration and get ready for publishing. For more information on how to reserve your spot contact source21@telus.net or call 780-672-9315.

Boon restores Co-op delivery truck

8 boon 46 chev truck
Bob Boon restored this factory-ordered orange Co-op Chevrolet truck he found in Saskatchewan. He brought it to Alberta and completely rebuilt it. He tried to keep it as original as possible, right down to matching the Co-op colour.


By Murray Green

Bob Boon owns a 1946 Chevrolet model 1314 truck, a Co-op special.

“This truck came from just north of Swift Current, Saskatchewan. I really like the waterfall grille on the front. I was looking for a truck like that. Another thing I like is the headlights up on the fenders. This is the era of trucks that I learned to drive,” explained Bob.

“It took me 11 years to get it in this shape. I finished the truck about five years ago. It is original, except it has signal lights, I’ve upgraded the front brakes a bit, but other than that it is pretty much the way it came from the factory,” revealed Bob.

“This truck has a 216 six-cylinder stove bolt engine with 90 horsepower and a three-speed transmission. It came out of a 1952, but is similar to the original engine. The motor was long gone when I came across this truck. It had a rebuilt engine in it, but I put the 216 in it because that was the same era motor that was original to the truck,” shared Bob.

“I took the truck right down to the frame and brought it back up. The truck was covered in surface rust when I got it. We blasted it and a lot of repairs had to be done with the body work because they get beat up over the years. The box was in pretty sad shape when we got it, so we got a re-production box on it. The box floor is the same as original, southern pine,” added Bob.

“I found everything straight forward in rebuilding because I grew up on a farm with similar vehicles, so the mechanics of it are not a mystery to me. They are easy enough to work on. I can change plugs on this truck in 15 minutes,while my son’s new pick-up takes three and a half shop-hours to change,” laughed Bob.

“The truck is very close to the original colour. If you look under the ID tag the paint says SPC. That is a special order. So Chevrolet couldn’t tell me what colour it was. My understanding was that the truck was originally owned by Co-op Elevators in Saskatchewan. So the truck was painted Co-op orange and just after the war, they ordered a whole bunch when they could get them again,” stated Bob.

“Normally, these trucks have black fenders and the box was black or whatever the colour the truck was. But in this truck, everything was orange. When we took the headlights off, we saw the paint that was never faded. That is what we tried to match the colour up with. It is very close, maybe a touch shinier and lighter,” added Bob.

“A lot of farmers took off the back bumper because you couldn’t back up to anything or unload at an elevator with the back bumper on. The curve is very close to the front one,” Bob said.

“The code said the interior was brown, so that is what it is. It was in pretty sad shape as well, so I got a kit to replace that,” he said.

Bob put a trunk in the back of the truck. “I needed a place to put a little oil, a jack and some tools. If you put every thing in the cab it gets a little cozy. I can go down the highway at 50 miles per hour, it doesn’t really like to go much faster than that. It is slow and steady.”

 

Hang up your keys challenge

By Adan Shaikh

The Camrose Transit Advisory Committee (CTAC) has brought forth an interesting challenge for the community.

From May 26 to June 1, the CTAC is encouraging residents and the City council to consider different transportation options available to them in Camrose.

For one week, participants are recommended to leave their personal vehicles at home and explore the alternative forms of transportation, such as bicycles, community bus, taxis, e-scooters and walking.

CTAC’s chair Patricia Johnston hopes that this will raise awareness about transit accessibility within Camrose and highlight the barriers faced by those who do not have their own vehicles. She aims to start discussions on the gaps that exist around transportation in the community so CTAC can work on addressing them.

At the end of the challenge, CTAC will ask the council members about their experience and discuss areas of improvement. Work-related vehicle use is exempt from this challenge, but travelling to and from work is included.

This challenge is a chance for all community members to reflect on their transportation habits.

Camrose Interclub 4-H Show and Sale

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Troy Van De Voorde, left, member of the Bashaw 4-H Beef Club, has been in 4-H for eight years. He met with Jason Pidruchney from Fountain Tire (East End Highway 13) to make his sales pitch.

By Adan Shaikh

In Alberta, 4-H  Clubs have long been an important part of rural life. It’s more than just a youth club, it’s a community that teaches responsibility, resilience and pride in a job well done. For generations, children and youth in the Camrose area have been learning firsthand the value of hard work and dedication through hands-on projects.

One of the most interesting programs in 4-H is the Beef Club. In this program, children and youth raise calves from a young age, teaching children the practical skills that no textbook can teach. Every year, local kids pick out their calves, often baby bulls and begin their journey. They feed them, monitor their growth, and train them to be calm and show-ready. They deal with setbacks, celebrate small victories, and learn to care for a living creature rain or shine.

“We are happy to support the future leaders in this community and the agriculture industry,” said Jason Pidruchney, co-owner of Fountain Tire Camrose (Highway 13).

Jason is a longtime supporter of 4-H and buys a steer every year. He has also participated as a judge in the communications contests hosted by 4-H, where children practice their public speaking skills.

The experience teaches more than just cattle care. These young ranchers learn time management, budgeting, animal health, marketing and the importance of being present and responsible. They track feed, monitor weight gain and prepare their animals for the sale. The Camrose district has seen growth in enrollment and this year there are 70 steers available at the Show and Sale in Bashaw.

To prepare for the annual auction, the kids attended a marketing workshop led by Ron Pederson, a popular local auctioneer who has dedicated over 32 years of volunteering and support for the Camrose and District 4-H Clubs. Participants learned how to present a sales pitch to potential buyers in the workshop. This year, there is a greater focus on finding buyers because of rising costs which is why Ron’s workshop was a very essential part of the process. His teachings on how to market the animal have equipped the children and youth with the skills required to make a sale.

“Buying local beef supports the hardworking 4-H members and their farm families,  keeps your dollars in your community, helps reduce waste and emissions, gives your family real food you can trust and, let’s be honest, it just tastes better,” shared Chella Ross, owner of Redtail Ranch.

Chella has three daughters in the program, who have raised their own healthy steers right at their ranch.

Now, after months of effort, the kids are gearing up for their big event – the annual Camrose Interclub 4-H Show and Sale. The sale will take place on June 3 at the Bashaw Agricultural Society Grounds. The auction will begin at 6 p.m.

If buyers can’t make it to Bashaw for the sale, they can contact a 4-H family to arrange someone to bid on their behalf. If they buy an animal to show 4-H support but don’t want to keep it for meat, there’s a buyback program, where they can purchase a steer and resell it at market price. 4-H handles everything. The price is set before the sale and posted. Buyers need to pay within a week after the sale.

If buyers choose to keep the animal for meat, 4-H  helps with that too. They pre-book processing spots at Read’s Custom Butcher Shop in Bashaw, and Tofield Packers. The butcher will call the buyer two weeks after the sale to get processing instructions. They help the buyer choose ground beef and roast sizes and steak thickness. They’ll also split the meat into quarters for easier division.

For the youth, this isn’t just a day to sell their animals. It’s a celebration of everything they’ve learned and accomplished. Families, buyers and supporters from across the County come together to cheer them on, recognizing the dedication it takes to raise and prepare a market-ready steer.

“We are so lucky to live in a community that is aware of and appreciates the hard work and commitment that goes into 4-H Beef. Our clubs are so grateful for the support,” shared Chella.

For many children in the program, this is the start of a lifelong connection to agriculture. And for all involved, it’s a reminder that 4-H is about more than raising livestock, it’s about raising capable, confident young people ready to take on the world.
For more information about the event, contact Christy Peterson at 780-608-6197.
Sta chester ronning choral

Camrose and District Music Festival
excites participants and spectators alike

Adan Shaikh, Camrose Booster

Chester Ronning Grade 4F played “Au Claire de la Lune” and “Hot Cross Buns” for their wonderful performance.
Conductor Lori Lunty guided the children as they captivated the audience with their young talent.
 
Bonnie

Reflections

By Bonnie Hutchinson

The year of a noisy spring
 
Wow. What with the Canadian federal election, and up-and-down tariff wars from the United States, this spring season feels very noisy!

Seems like every day there’s a new outrage–or a new reason for either hope or despair, depending on your political leaning.

I’ve already decided I’m going to vote on one of the advance poll days, because I expect there will be long line-ups on election day.

Lots at stake in this federal election.

Who best to manage the economy? Who best to respond to attacks from our former friend and neighbour to the south?
 
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Lately I’ve been thinking about various political systems in our world. Democracies–when citizens vote on who will govern them. Oligarchies–when the richest and most powerful control how an area is governed. Dictatorships–when one powerful person is in control. In the olden days, there were monarchies–when countries were ruled by descendants of a previous monarch.

Each system has its strengths and limitations.
I prefer democracy. That might be only because I’ve been programmed to believe it is superior.
 
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Lately I’ve been thinking about a flaw of democracy. I don’t know how to resolve this flaw.

In order to win an election, you need skills and characteristics that make you the most popular and appealing candidate for the most voters.

In order to be good at doing the job–being an elected member of parliament, legislature or municipality–you ought to be good at making decisions that are best for the people you are elected to serve.

That means in a democracy, the skills you need to get the job are not the same as the skills you need to do the job. Could be a problem.
 
***

Many decades ago, in my brief but intense time as an elected member of a school board, I learned something else about being part of an elected body. To be effective, it’s useful to be good at convincing other elected members about what you believe is in the best interest of the people you serve.

At my very first board meeting, I made a blundering tactical error. I unintentionally antagonized the board chair. From that point on, if ideas came from me, they would be defeated because other board members didn’t want to offend the board chair. I gradually learned to work behind the scenes with other board members, so they would put forward ideas that I believed would best serve the schools and the community.
 
***

Lately I’ve remembered something else. In 1976, it was the 200th anniversary of the founding of the United States. In 1776, 13 colonies decided to band together as the United States of America–the world’s first official democracy. They defined democracy as “government by the people for the people.”

During 1976, the 200th anniversary, someone asked Chinese leaders what they thought about this experiment in democracy. The Chinese leaders said, in essence, “It’s too soon to tell.”

With several thousand years of various forms of governance (mostly in the dictatorship terrain), I suppose Chinese leaders were in a position to comment!
 
***

So–democracy, oligarchy, dictatorship, even monarchy–all have strengths and limitations.

One last thing. I have been told that in South Africa, people who intend to run for election must take courses. They learn what they should know in order to serve as an elected person. That seems like a good idea, no matter what form of governance is in effect!
 
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I’d love to hear from you. If you have comments about this column or suggestions for future topics, send an email to Bonnie@BonnieHutchinson.com. I’ll happily reply within two business days.