What a year it’s been for Outlook and the Lake Diefenbaker area.
Now I know that I’ve written these year-end retrospective pieces for a long time, and I tend to say the same thing every time about how the past year was “so iconic and newsworthy”, but I feel that I have to make a special note in this particular one. I’m going to go out on a ledge and share my belief that 2017 will go down in the record books as being perhaps the most memorable and historic year in Outlook and the surrounding region in a long, long time.
While it’s true that every year brings its own memories and moments that people will look back on and reminisce about, I firmly believe that the time period of the past twelve months has stood out all on its own. The year that was 2017 brought news that ran the entire gamut of emotions; headlines that revealed times of happiness, community togetherness, and fantastic economic progress, but also times of tragedy, sadness, and shocking loss. Mix in some intriguing local politics and main street happenings, and you certainly have a recipe for a truly historic year.
If you’re reading this introduction and nodding your head in agreement, then I’ll assume that as a local resident, you keep your eyes glued on what’s happening in your own backyard. If you’re perhaps a bit sceptical on what made the past year so memorable – whether the news was good, bad or ugly – then you’re about to receive a bold reminder.
With that, I hope you enjoy the following piece that highlights the biggest headlines from each month in ‘2017 – The Year in Review’.
JANUARY
- The annual Christmas gala held by the Small Steps Early Learning Centre in Outlook raised $11,000 for the child care facility. At the time, the daycare had 140 children registered, translating to roughly 90% full on a day-to-day basis.
- The Outlook Kinsmen Club handed a sizable cheque over to the New Pool Committee in the amount of $15,000, with President Kyle Seymour presenting the funds to Teresa Weldon of the committee.
- The provincial government announced the move to a singular health authority, consolidating all 12 existing authorities into one entity to represent Saskatchewan. The launch of the singular health authority took place at the beginning of last month.
- Brandon Cordick and Breanna Hyatt, an Outlook couple, launched their own sober driving service to provide safe rides home for local residents and try to curb intoxicated driving.
- Conservative MP Kelly Block, representative for people living in the Carlton Trail-Eagle Creek constituency, spoke about the issues important to the public on her New Year Tour, where she held open house events in a number of small communities.
- Tragedy struck a local farm family when the home of the Martens family burned down, calling out the Outlook and Hanley fire departments to the scene east of Outlook just off of Highway 15. Sadly, the blaze not only claimed the house, but it also took the life of family patriarch Gordon Martens, aged 70.
FEBRUARY
- New RCMP Sergeant Mark Langager spoke to this reporter about being posted back to his hometown area (Langager is originally from Strongfield) and his time on the police force, and shared his vision for providing police services to the area and his goals as a leader on the force.
- The winning team of the annual Rick Johnson Classic basketball tournament at LCBI was the Middle Lake Avengers, who bested Rosthern to take the win. The hosting LCBI Bisons lost a 3rd place game to the Kindersley Kobras during the action.
- An open house event hosted by the Gensource Potash Corporation over in the village of Tugaske brought out over 100 people, who heard a presentation on the Vanguard One project; a 250,000-tonne per year potash mine being developed in the area that would have an economic impact on the fringes of the Lake Diefenbaker area.
- A benefit silent auction and potluck supper event held for the Martens family was held at the Outlook Civic Centre, attracting roughly 120 people and raising just under $9,000. At the time, an online crowdfunding campaign had also raised around $25,000 for the family, who lost their farm home and loved one Gordon in a fire near the end of January.
- Data from the most recent Canadian census population report was a mixed bag for communities and rural municipalities in the area. In the case for the town of Outlook, local officials contended that the reported population number of 2,279 – an increase from 2011’s reported 2,204 – was far off from the actual number, stating that Outlook had grown much more in the past five years.
- The Outlook’s Shelley Luedtke wrote a piece spotlighting the debilitating disease of dementia, speaking with Dorothea Pehl about the journey that she and her husband Arnold have been on since Arnold was diagnosed.
- The downtown area of Outlook was a hotbed of activity after a black Dodge Ram pickup truck had driven over the sidewalk and smashed into the southeast side of the post office building, caving in some of the brickwork. RCMP labeled it as an accident and no charges were laid.
- The Outlook newspaper celebrated the re-launch of its official website at TheOutlook.ca, where readers can catch up on all the news from the print edition, as well as breaking news when it happens.
MARCH
- A semi rollover on Highway 15 just west of Outlook, at the junction of 15 and 45, called emergency crews to the scene. A tractor trailer unit had rolled onto its side while carrying livestock in the form of 196 pigs. In the aftermath, traffic had to be rerouted for upwards of six hours, and 45 of the animals had to be put down due to injuries. The cause of the rollover was due to driver inattention, according to RCMP.
- A structure fire that broke out on a farm west of Outlook brought out fire crews from both Outlook and Conquest. The flames were contained to a building ten yards from the main residence, and the cause of the blaze was said to be a wood stove.
- The Outlook and Macrorie branches of the Royal Canadian Legion teamed up with the Outlook & District Health Foundation to cover the $10,000 cost of a blanket heating system being used at the Outlook Health Centre.
- Old Man Winter wielded his frosty power in the first week of March, blowing a cold blast of frigid winds and temperatures through the region and knocking out power in some areas, including Outlook.
- A daylong event called Talking To Youth Live (TTYL) was aimed at educating kids about mental health and addictions. Taking place at the Outlook Alliance Church, the event brought together students from Outlook, Loreburn, Kenaston and Davidson, and the day consisted of games and activities, as well as guest speakers who spoke of their troubles with addiction.
- A particular RCMP vehicle being used in Outlook on loan from Rosetown was equipped with an ALPR device, which stands for Automated License Plate Reader. The device allowed for quicker data collection and compared plates with a database of stolen vehicles, disqualified drivers and unregistered vehicles.
- Kenaston School hosted a learning expo where parents and the public were witness to the shifting dynamic of education in the ever-digital 21st century, seeing how students were utilizing technology to take in their daily learning and schoolwork.
- A number of people were honoured in Outlook with the 7th annual Community Appreciation Awards banquet. Put on by the local Chamber of Commerce, the event was held at the Civic Centre and spotlighted the newest Citizen of the Year (former longtime mayor Bob Stephenson), Youth of the Year (Matthew Hogan), Business of the Year (Jacq’y Jaye’s Boutique & Espresso Bar), and Group of the Year (New Pool Fundraising Committee).
APRIL
- Students at Loreburn Central School showed off their leadership skills both in and out of the classroom with their event known as Leadership Day, where they showed the public how they practice the Seven Habits of effective skills and learning activities.
- The Outlook’s Shelley Luedtke won 1st Place at the Better Newspapers Competition held in Saskatoon, winning the award for Best Health/Healthcare Coverage for her series of stories on autism awareness.
- The Town of Outlook launched its new website at http://townofoutlook.ca, giving residents an updated and refreshed look at all the amenities that the community has to offer and contact information for businesses and organizations.
- The Outlook Community Library was just one of those affected by the cuts to funding for public libraries across the province, and a profile on the local outlet provided a look into what goes on behind the scenes of a crucial and necessary facility such as a library.
- The Outlook Scouts, Beavers and Cubs met outside the Outlook Elementary School to commence with their annual community clean-up service of the area and accept a cheque from RBC Royal Bank for $1000.
- There was a local connection to Team Canada’s world championship win in men’s curling, as teammate Mark Nichols is married to Colette, whose maiden name is Lemon and originally hails from Outlook.
- Two of Outlook’s most well-known business buildings were no more after a late-night fire ravaged the old Outlook Electric and connected office space over the Easter long weekend. The blaze kept the local fire department busy throughout the night and the entire morning, and the aftermath meant a temporary closure for the neighbouring business of Jacq’y Jaye’s Boutique & Espresso Bar, as well as a relocation over to an open space on Franklin Street for Mann Agencies.
- Students at Dinsmore Composite School received an eye-opening presentation on genocide, including a look at the Holocaust by educator Larry Mikulcik that included authentic Nazi uniforms and other items from one of history’s most horrific time periods. The program also offered insight and education into the Holodomor genocide that wiped out generations of people in the Ukraine.
MAY
- Outlook resident Ian Robertson spoke to this reporter about living with Parkinson’s disease, and the long-time owner and operator of the Bird’s Nest motel was also trying to spread the word of a Parkinson’s support group that he was planning to form in town, including meetings and get-togethers to discuss the disease and coping with it in daily life.
- The end of the Steve Nash Youth Basketball skills and training program commenced in a weekend tournament at Outlook High School, bringing together players from Outlook, Davidson, Rosetown, Loreburn and Lucky Lake.
- Brad Harris of Mann Agencies in Outlook spoke to this reporter about his business needing to relocate to Franklin Street in the wake of April’s massive downtown fire that ended up shuttering the business’s original location.
- Two local RCMP officers were recognized for their courage by the Lieutenant-Governor of Saskatchewan, Vaughn Solomon Schofield. Constables Elliott Chubak and Kyle Lakinger each received the Royal Lifesaving Society’s Rescue Commendation Award for acting with courage in order to help someone in distress; Chubak having pulled a person out of the river in need of urgent medical care, and both Chubak and Lakinger having pulled men out of the water after their canoe capsized in the RM of Maplebush.
- A colossal bale fire that broke out at the Elcan Forage-Ontario Dehy processing plant just outside of Broderick kept local fire crews very busy, and the high winds and dry temperatures made for a potent and dangerous combination. The blaze continued to smoulder and dwindle down in the days that followed, and it was estimated that there were 1000-1500 bales that were lost, with estimated damages amounting to $100,000.
- A couple of drink stands organized by some local Outlook kids helped benefit the new swimming pool project in town, with the youngsters raising over $500 combined. The entrepreneurial efforts of Delilah and Michael Drury, Lily and Freya Farden, Morgan Chabot, Sheann McLeod, Nathan Chabot and Jocelyn McLeod were commended for their dedication to a community cause.
- The BridgePoint Center for Eating Disorders in Milden marked its 20th anniversary with a program and celebration held in the basement of the Milden Alliance Church.
- The late Blake Lyons, a long-time teacher and coach at Outlook High School, was honoured in a ceremony that saw the school’s track & field location named after him, with the facility now baring the name ‘R.B. Lyons Track and Field’. Blake’s widow Loretta was on hand for the ceremony; a solemn yet joyous event that paid tribute to her late husband’s contributions and legacy.
- Direct care workers at Variety Place in Outlook found themselves locked out of their place of work over the May long weekend amidst tense negotiations with management over wage increases. The lockout spurred the workers to hold a number of rallies and set up shop in a vacant space on the corner of McKenzie Street and Saskatchewan Avenue, gaining substantial support from the public.
JUNE
- A meet-and-greet evening held at the Harbor Golf Club in Elbow and organized by the Lake Diefenbaker Tourism organization put a focus on the amenities of the lake area and what the group is trying to do to put a bigger spotlight on the regional area, as representatives believed that there is so much untapped potential as it relates to both the lake and the surrounding communities that benefit from the economic impact.
- Former Saskatoon city cop Ernie Louttit, or ‘Indian Ernie’ as many called him on the streets, spoke to the public in Elbow about his long career in law enforcement and his books that detail his trials and tribulations as an officer trying to keep peace in a troubled part of a major Canadian city.
- The Loreburn/Elbow branch of the Royal Canadian Legion honoured their fallen brethren with a rededication of Loreburn’s recently-refurbished war memorial. The ceremony included words of remembrance and music from Loreburn students, and the date of the event was poetic, as it was held on June 6 – the 73rd anniversary of D-Day.
- A spectacular fireworks display that drew a sizable audience lit up the prairie sky and capped a night of Canada 150 celebrations in the village of Milden, which included games of horseshoe, kids’ activities, live music and a pulled pork supper at the Milden rink.
- More than 700 people converged onto the football field at Outlook High School dressed in red and white t-shirts. After some careful choreography and placement, the massive crowd formed into a moving, breathing Canadian flag, and the iconic moment was captured via aerial photography as part of Outlook’s Canada 150 celebrations.
- Welding students at Outlook High School, under the tutelage of Keith Theoret, were busy contributing to Canada’s 150th birthday by crafting some nifty metal maple leaf yard ornaments that proved to be quite popular with the public.
- A special and solemn ceremony held at the Outlook cemetery by the Outlook branch of the Royal Canadian Legion recognized local veterans and their sacrifices. Metal maple leaf markers dotted the landscape when all was said and done; a uniquely Canadian tribute to those who fought for all that we enjoy today.
- The Dinsmore Health Care Centre unveiled their gorgeous backyard project that included a gazebo and updated walkway and garden features.
- The town of Outlook was preparing for a major influx of up to 600 workers living in the community and surrounding area as Enbridge’s Line 3 Replacement Project was getting underway in the region.
- A massive turnout for the grand opening of Western Sales’ new facility in Outlook were treated to a free BBQ lunch, giveaways, product demonstrations, and words from company higher-ups during the landmark celebration for the long-time local business.
