This week marks the end of an era in broadcasting the Battlefords with the retirement of longtime CJNB/Q98/93.3 The Rock general manager David Dekker, ending a career spanning four decades in the radio industry and bringing to an end over 60 years of involvement in the local radio stations by the Dekker family.
With the recent change in ownership to the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group, Dekker believed the time was right to retire and spend more time with his family.
Tuesday was his final day on the job. Monday night, tribute was paid to Dekker at an emotional retirement gala attended by staff, dignitaries and VIPs from across the Battlefords, and by members of the Dekker family.
They paid tribute not only to Dekker’s radio career but his service to the community, including his involvement with Battlefords Trade and Education Centre, with the Battlefords Chamber of Commerce and its annual BBEX awards, and in the campaign to build the Credit Union CUplex, among others. Fittingly, the retirement event was at the Dekker Centre, named in honor of Harry and Chris Dekker, who hosted the Double Dekker Breakfast Club for years on CJNB radio. A photo of Harry and Chris with their young son David, from the magazine Canadian Broadcaster and Telescreen in 1956, was prominently displayed at the gala.
Among those who attended was Gordon Rawlinson, longtime owner of the local stations in partnership with the Dekker family, who announced a major contribution of $50,000 to the Dekker Centre in David’s honour.
