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2017 Year In Review – January

Dec 25, 2017 | 9:00 AM

As we prepare to say goodbye to 2017, battlefordsNOW is taking a look at some of the top news items that made headlines and newsmakers over the past 12 months.

January was a huge month for curling fans in the Battlefords. The Pinty’s Meridan Grand Slam of Curling converged on the Twin Rivers Curling Club in North Battlefords drawing record crowds for the event. An estimated 25,300 seats were sold for the event, which topped the previous tournament high of just 20,000 in Yorkton in 2015. Russ Brown said the organizing committee estimates to roughly $2 million to the city’s coffers.

Later in the month, the entire region was glued to their televisions and radio to follow North Battleford’s Robyn Silvernagle and her team of Cristina Goertzen, Dayna Demers and Kara Thevenot play in the Viterra Scotties Provincial Women’s Championship in Melville. The foursome finished the round robin with a 7-1 record however lost a heartbreaking 10-7 decision to Penny Barker of Moose Jaw in the final.

Calling it “transformational change” the provincial government announced that based on the recommendations of a three-member advisory panel that reviewed the provinces 12 health regions; it would amalgamate under one provincial “super board”. David Fan, CEO of the Prairie North Health Region which encompasses the Battlefords, Meadow Lake and Lloydminster areas said he wasn’t really surprised at the announcement, adding that he did not see major changes coming to health services to the area over the next year.

It was not the only restructuring that the provincial government considered in 2017. With the government facing a $1 billion deficit and looking to save money wherever possible, the 18 existing school boards believed they would be next on the provinces radar. Light of Christ board chair Glen Gantefoer said now was not the time to play politics with the education system and hoped the government would keep the status quo. In March, the Wall government announced it would not amalgamate the school boards, however changes to The Education Act including changes to governance and administrative structures of the divisions would be made.

A bed bug issue at the Valleyview Towers Two building in North Battleford was announced to have been finally brought under control at the local senior housing unit. The property, owned by the North Battleford Housing Authority, was first introduced to the outbreak before Christmas 2016. Executive director of the housing authority Dianne Baird said the authority took precautions after learning of the problem. Baird said bed bugs have been a problem in Canada for about 10 years and in Saskatchewan for the past five years.

 

roger.white@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @RJWtheReporter