1. Terriers win it all (tie)
Yorkton burst with community pride in May when the Yorkton Terriers captured the Royal Bank Cup as Junior ‘A’ champions.
The Terriers led the RBC final against Carleton Place (ON) only once, but it was when it mattered most — overtime.
A goal by Derek Falloon, hero in a round-robin overtime to advance the Terriers into the playoffs, 15:01 into the first overtime frame propelled the Terriers to their first national title in five visits to the RBC.
“I don’t even know what to say,” said Falloon, immediately after the game. He said the goal was easily the biggest of his Junior career.
Falloon said when the puck came his way he just sort of shoved it toward the Carleton Place goalie and it went between the netminder’s pads.
Terrier head coach Trent Cassan said the Terriers realized going into the third it was the last time they would be on the ice as a team, and the team responded.
“The boys just dug in in the third period,” he said.
Cassan said the Terriers had found ways to battle back into games all season, and through the playoffs, and the RBC was just another example.
“The guys never quit, just like they have all year,” he said. “…. We had a good push in the third. We needed to play that way earlier. We almost left it too late.”
The Terriers were in their fifth national finals tournament, but the win was the first in club history.
1. Fifty residents displaced in historic building fire (tie)
On December 2, a fire broke out in a storage room in the basement of the Yorkton Manor Apartments under what was the original building of the Queen Victoria Hospital.
The blaze moved quickly and within a few short hours it had claimed the historic building and left 50 tenants homeless.
The community responded in myriad ways before the fire was even out to help the displaced residents rebuild their lives.
The story made the national news.
For the fact that so many people were affected, that the city lost an historic building and that the community response was so swift and broad, this was our top story of 2014.
2. Explosion shuts down canola plant
On October 24, a shockwave spread through Yorkton rattling windows and shaking buildings. It was felt in all directions in at least a seven-kilometre radius.
Many downtown residents feared there had been a train derailment.
The blast started in a meal loadout tower at the Louis Dreyfus Commodities (LDC) canola crushing plant on Hwy 16 and spread via tunnel to a meal pellet storage shed.
The latest update from LDC states the investigation is ongoing and, in addition to rebuilding they are taking the opportunity to test their controls, procedures and processes.
The plant remains closed.
3. Lesann found not criminally responsible
Three-and-a-half years after Tammy Kulaway died at the hands of Richard Lesann, a Queen’s Bench justice in Yorkton issued a decision that he was not criminally responsible.
During the lengthy proceedings it came to light that Lesann believed his former girlfriend was the devil. Witnesses, including experts in psychology, testified to his bizarre behaviour leading up to and at the time he stabbed her four times in the chest and back with a kitchen knife.
As Madam Justice J. Dawson read the verdict, Kulaway’s sisters sobbed. Afterward, they said the felt justice had not prevailed in the case.
4. State of emergency declared during flood
In 2010, the flood that wreaked havoc on Yorkton was called a one in 100 year event. Flooding in late June of this year called into question whether the definition of 100-year flood needs to be changed.
The rain started on Friday, June 27 and by the time it stopped on Monday, June 30, had dumped 120 millimetres of water on the already saturated city.
Roads were closed, hundreds of basements were filled with water and the mayor declared a state of emergency.
As bad as it was, Yorkton fared better than many other places. Melville received 127 and had to evacuate the hospital. Moosomin was hammered with 200 mm of the wet stuff and was hit again on July 11 with 120 mm while they were still trying to recover from the first one.
5. Maple Farm Equipment changes hands
In February the corporate structure of Maple Farm Equipment saw a major change announced.
Jim Pattison Group (JPG) is now a partner in Maple Farm Equipment. The new partnership allows the local dealership network to continue offering service to its customer base.
“We’re just business partners here with Kevin (Hitchings),” offered Jim Pattison, when he met with local media at the John Deere dealership at the time of the announcement.
David Cobb, Managing Director, Corporate Development with the Pattison group explained the company was looking to invest in agricultural implement dealership.
“We started looking at the market,” he said, adding as part of that process they met with John Deere officials, who ultimately “connected us to Maple Farm Equipment.”
So why enter the farm equipment market?
“Because of what we believe, that the population of the world will continue to grow,” said Pattison. He added as population grows the need for food will add importance to the farm sector which is served by implement dealers.
6. Ottenbriet named to cabinet
Sept. 24, was a big day for Yorkton MLA Greg Ottenbriet as he was appointed as the Minister Responsible for Rural and Remote Health.
Ottenbreit said as an MLA he always had a voice for constituents.
“I don’t know how other governments run, but we’re pretty open. Everybody has significant input,” he said.
But a seat at the inner table with cabinet puts Ottenbreit in all the final decision making process.
“I’m in on that final decision making process,” he said.
It is a final opportunity to voice local constituent interests and concerns, he offered.
“It’s nice to be right then when the final decisions are made,” said Ottenbreit.
7. Arson charges laid in gym fire
For four years, there were nothing but suspicions about a fire that claimed a building at the corner of First Avenue and Smith Street that housed Heiser’s Health & Fitness gym, Shear Bliss Salon, Wax Pot Esthetics, and The Pumphouse.
Now the RCMP and Crown believe they have the evidence to convict Chancey Heiser with arson. In late November, he was charged with arson with disregard for human life, arson for fraudulent purposes and fraud.
Heiser is currently in the federal penitentiary at Prince Albert serving four years and six months for sexual assault.
8. Yorkton doc suspended for threatening texts
Dr. Cornelius Spies, a Yorkton gynocologist received a suspension and reprimand in November from the Saskatchewan College of Physicians and Surgeons.
The college stated Spies had sent two text messages to another physician that were “reasonably interpreted” as racist and threatening.
Spies has until the ides of March to complete the two week suspension.
This story may not have made our Top 10 on its own merit, but it appears here because it was the most read story at www.yorktonthisweek.com and generated the most Facebook and Twitter traffic, by a very large margin, over any other story.
9. Curling’s best compete in Yorkton.
As curling events go, it does not get much bigger than the Canadian Open, one of five Grand Slam of Curling competitions.
The open came to Yorkton December 9 to 14 with 16 each of the best men’s and women’s teams in the world.
On the men’s side, hometown hero Steve Laycock battled former Olympic champion Brad Gushue for the trophy coming up just short in the eighth and final end.
It was the first time a women’s bracket was included in the championship. Scotland’s Eve Muirhead bested reigning Scotty’s champion Rachel Homan of Ottawa.
Yorkton did itself proud turning out in huge crowds from day one of the event. Curlers, broadcasters and national organizers raved about the spiel on Facebook and Twitter praising the city and local committee.
10. Yorkton business wins top provincial award
For the first time the Saskatchewan Awards for Business Excellence Business of the year award went to a Yorkton company.
Yorkton Plumbing and Heating went up against some of the biggest businesses in the province and came out on top for its growth, innovation, comittment to employers and customer service.
Jason Yawney, the company’s owner, has also won an ABEX award as Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2011.
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