From city projects to fundraisers, celebrations to elections, and economic development to a pandemic, there was a lot that happened in Estevan in the past 12 months. Here are our choices for the top 10 stories of the year:
1. COVID’s impact:Nobody can deny the impact that COVID had on life in southeast Saskatchewan or around the world.
While there were concerns about the virus early in the year, those concerns exploded on March 11, when a member of the Utah Jazz basketball team tested positive. Professional sports leagues suspendeded their seasons at that point, and within days, a virtual lockdown across the continent had occurred.
It seemed like the pandemic touched every aspect of our lives in some way over the next nine months, affecting both physical and mental health, the econony, education, government and so much more.
But there were plenty of positives that emerged locally due to the pandemic, with people showing support for health care workers and first responders. Others did what they could to help others.
2. Economic development: The previous item leads into this one. While economic development has been a point of emphasis for the City of Estevan and other communities for a number of years, there was an even greater emphasis in 2020.
We saw several exciting developments amid the tough times. The Estevan Shoppers Mall became the Estevan Market Mall, and also announced a renovation that would modernize the building and bring in a food court.
A couple of intriguing projects were announced as well. One was a polygeneration facility through a partnership with the City of Estevan, Buffalo Potash and the Ocean Man First Nation.
The facility will be an industrial complex consisting of separate, yet integrated modules that will use southern Saskatchewan’s coal, potash, natural and inert gases, brines and other raw materials to make high-quality synthetic fuel, generate power through co-generation, and other value-added products such as potassium-based fertilizer, hydrogen syngas, battery materials, and pitch for carbon fibre.
The other came in mid-December, when Tomahawk Energy, whose CEO is long-time southeast Saskatchewan entrepreneur Derrick Big Eagle, announced that it was looking to bring an indoor agriculture facility to Estevan. (See Page 3 story for more on this project).
The city announced in March that Richard Sadick had been hired as the coal transition co-ordinator, and in November, it revealed it had hired Doug Griffiths of 13 Ways Inc. to develop a strategy and action plan that identifies new economic opportunities and how best to attract businesses and new residents to the city. Griffiths, the author of 13 Ways to Kill Your Community, was in Estevan and November, and was impressed with what he saw from the community.
3. Coal transition: Estevan was dealt a stiff blow in February, when Westmoreland Mining LLC announced that it was laying off up to 25 people from its Estevan mine site. Ultimately 23 people would lose their jobs, including some who took early retirement or voluntary layoffs.
The company cited coal sales that have been impacted by the availability of low-priced natural gas, as well as the imposition of carbon taxes as reasons for the layoffs.
Ironically, nine days after the announcement, Premier Scott Moe was in Estevan for the signing of the Coal Transition Fund, a $10 million investment of which Estevan will receive $8 million over a three-year span.
The $8 million given to Estevan from the province is part of a $10 million commitment from the province. The other $2 million will be sent to Coronach, home of the Poplar River Power Station.
The city will have to allocate some of its $8 million to the RM of Estevan, the Town of Bienfait and other affected municipalities.
4. Grad Cruise: Perhaps there was no better example of rethinking an event during pandemic times than the Grad Cruise that was held in Estevan on June 12.
The pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 grad ceremony at the Estevan Comprehensive School, and it appeared that the Class of 2020 would be left without a celebration. That’s when Mike Keating, whose son Jamison was among this year’s grads, stepped in with an idea based on a classic activity.
A Grad Cruise was held through the streets of Estevan. It started at the site of the Derrick Motor Inn and made its way down Fourth Street, 13th Avenue/Souris Avenue North and Isabelle Street before making a loop back to the hotel.
“The biggest thing was getting people on board with what I envisioned. And what happened (on Friday) was a million times bigger than my vision,” Keating said at the time.
The community was in the spirit of the occasion. Business that were along the streets of the cruise were decorated for the occasion, with supportive messages for the grads. Many residences were decorated, too. Signs with the grads’ photos lined Souris Avenue North.
And a large crowd lined the parade route to salute the grads, who honked horns on their vehicles.
As an added tribute to the class of 2020, there will be a sculpture constructed in Torgeson Park.
5. Civic election:Voters were back at the polls for the civic election on Nov. 9. Elections were held in many Saskatchewan urban and rural municipalities, including the City of Estevan.
Roy Ludwig was returned to a third term as Estevan’s mayor, defeating Ray Walton. Ludwig received 1,632 of the 2,314 votes cast, or about 70.5 per cent of the popular vote, while Walton took 682.
Diversity and new faces were the story of the councillor race. Shelly Veroba and Travis Frank, the two incumbent councillors in the field, were both re-elected. They were joined on council by newcomers Rebecca Foord, Lindsay Clark, Kirsten Walliser and Tony Sernick.
There are three female members of council for the first time since 2009, and three of the councillors – Foord, Frank and Walliser – are under the age of 35.
“I look forward to working with the new council,” Ludwig said on election night. “I think they’re a bright bunch of local people that will do their very best. They have their hearts in the right place, along with a couple of veterans, Shelly and Travis.”
Due to the pandemic, the city had a mail-in ballot for the first time, and a drive-thru polling station at the Estevan Fire Rescue Service building that proved to be popular. The pandemic did reduce the availability of the advanced poll, and kept the city from having special polling stations.
As for the RM election, Terry Keating was acclaimed as reeve. Elected were Lorne Jahn (Division 1), Kevin Daoust (Division 3) and Ramona Dukart (Division 5). Elections in Divisions 2, 4 and 6 will be held in 2022.
6. Addictions Treatment Centre Returns: An addictions recovery centre returned to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Estevan in 2020 after an absence of 23 years.
The provincial government announced the facility would be returning to Estevan when it released spending estimates in March.
The 20-bed inpatient treatment centre specializes in crystal meth, with 15 of the beds dedicated to meth, and the remaining five beds for other drug addictions. Patients are coming from throughout the province.
There are also four beds for pre-treatment and six for post-treatment.
The treatment of addictions was a fixture at St. Joseph’s for many years, first at the hospital’s old location on First Street and then at its present home on Nicholson Road. The service was discontinued in Estevan by the former New Democratic Party government in 1997.
The treatment centre is in the same part of the hospital as it was before.
A grand opening ceremony was held Sept. 10, and it officially opened in late September. The centre is now full with fully-trained counsellors. St. Joseph’s partnered with Cedar’s at Cobble Hill on the centre, which has a lecture area, a lounge and a kitchen where patients can get snacks any time of the day.
7. Provincial election results: It was a busy fall for elections in Saskatchewan. The provincial election was first, happening Oct. 26.
The Saskatchewan Party was elected to a fourth straight term as a majority government, capturing 48 of the seats in the Saskatchewan Legislature. The New Democratic Party, once viewed as Saskatchewan’s natural governing party, won 13 to remain the official opposition.
The Sask. Party also captured at least 60 per cent of the popular vote for the third straight election.
It was the first election victory for Scott Moe as premier.
In the Estevan constituency, Lori Carr of the Saskatchewan Party captured 4,409 of the 7,090 votes cast, or 62.43 per cent of the popular vote to earn a second term as MLA. Her share of the vote was the lowest for a Sask. Party candidate since Doreen Eagles received 51.32 per cent in 2003.
Carr’s drop in support can be attributed to the sudden rise of the Buffalo Party (formerly WExit Saskatchewan), which was founded earlier in the year. WExit’s Estevan candidate, Phil Zajac, finished second locally with 1,713 votes, or 24.26 per cent. He had more votes than any other Buffalo Party candidate.
Two weeks after the election, Carr was named the new minister of social services.
The provincial election was contested during the pandemic, which resulted in considerable change to the way in which candidates campaigned.
8. A generous region: The pandemic left many unemployed, and cut into the hours of others. Many fundraisers in the initial weeks of the pandemic had to be called off.
But some were able to proceed later in the year, and thanks to some adjustments and adaptations, they were able to succeed.
The United Way of Estevan held its annual telethon in October, but many changes were needed for the fundraiser to happen, with limitations on the number of people allowed in the main hall and the small hall. Many of the entertainers performed virtually.
In the end, it raised $347,711, more than the goal of $320,000.
Other fundraisers enjoyed success.
The Rotary Club of Estevan took its popular Lobsterfest and revamped it into Lobsterfest to Go, with 1,000 people taking home a fresh, whole Atlantic lobster. Normally the event would draw about 800 to Affinity Place.
The St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation raised more than $101,040 in its Radiothon for Life in September, and it held its Festival of Trees, with the theme of There’s No Place Like Home, in the fall. Several different activities raised money for the foundation.
With the pandemic restrictions extending into the new year, it’s expected that fundraisers will continue to adapt to raise money and support the community.
9. A powerful explosion: It was the explosion that rocked Estevan.
Emergency crews were called to fires and explosions at the Regens Metals yard in southeast Estevan on April 8.
When they arrived on the scene, they found a fire was occurring, and they learned that explosions had occurred shortly before they arrived.
One worker suffered burns to his face due to the explosion. The individual was transported to hospital for assessment and treatment, and was released about an hour later. None of the other workers were injured, according to Fire Chief Dale Feser, who viewed it as fortunate that just one person was injured.
“I don’t think we could have asked for a better situation considering the events that unfolded,” Feser said at the time.
Footage of the explosion was captured by Connor Barnstable, who works at Precision Machining about 200 yards to the west of Regens Metals. He filmed two of the explosions that occurred before fire crews arrived and posted them to his Facebook page. The videos went viral on social media.
10. Water intake project complete:Estevan’s primary water source officially switched over from Boundary Dam to Rafferty Dam on Aug. 10, and residents noticed an immediate improvement in the water.
The day had been a long time coming. It wasn’t always an easy process; the city had to rework the tenders for the project early on, and there were challenges during the construction process.
But a celebration was held in July and the switch-over occurred in August.
Not only has the water quality improved, with fewer trihalomethanes, but the water is not as hard as it used to be, which will reduce wear and tear on water heaters, faucets and plumbing.
Water testing results showed that the water THMs were at 69.1 micrograms/l (ug/l) for Rafferty, as opposed to 147.5 ug/l from Boundary. This differential is expected to grow even more in the winter months.
All other minerals, chemicals and organics are coming in at least half or lower than what they were for the Boundary Dam water source.
The city received support from the provincial and federal governments through the Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component – National and Regional Projects Program.
