The Page

Construction season is heating up – not that it ever really stopped – as no doubt you’ve noticed. One of our spies reported site preparation on what the coffee shop boys are calling ‘Phase II’ (which is probably also its real name) of the cornerstone shopping development south of Hwy. 2. Then on top of that comes the rumour that a certain credit union is planning on setting up shop in our town.
What else? We haven’t heard, but we’ll be sure to pass it on when we do.
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Stan the man Ostapczuk was in the office the other day looking for photos of the Gilwood golf course for some magazine or other that’s doing a story on northern courses. We couldn’t help him much, but it’s nice to know somebody is paying attention. Gilwood will be expanding to 18 holes this summer, so that should be worth a fair bit of attention from outside the region. Come to think of it, just last week an Edmonton business magazine called ‘Venture’ was calling asking for a Gilwood photo for a story they’re doing on the golf course. It could add up to more visitors to Gilwood this summer. Now all Stan needs is enough employees to run the place!
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And in case you haven’t heard, here’s another reminder. Federal census day is May 16. That’s the day by which residents are supposed to submit their census info, either on line or by mail. If they don’t do it, we may never find out how much Slave Lake has really grown over the past five years. It’s important to know that for a few reasons. One of the big ones – as we’ve reported a few times already – is that funding for policing, infrastructure and other heavy duty municipal expenses, is doled out by the province and the feds based on a community’s population. So if Statistics Canada comes up with a figure showing Slave Lake hasn’t really grown since the last census in 2001 (which is pretty much what happened last time), then we’re stuck with a false figure and smaller grants than we need and deserve, but with the same bigger bills to pay regardless. The other option is for the Town to pay somebody to do a door-to-door count, which certainly would not be cheap.
Still, if people don’t want to be counted, what can you do? Unofficial stats show Slave Lake is already well over 8,000 in population (as compared to the official figure of 6,600).
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The Rotary Club’s two on-the-go projects are shaping up: Harry Bartlettt tells us that the NHL playoff hockey pool is 75 per cent sold out. Entries can be accepted up to the start of the first playoff game, which looks to be on Apr. 20.
The other project is the second annual poker night at the Sawridge, on May 13. It’s 50 per cent sold, Harry says.
To get tickets for either or both, visit Boston Pizza or call Harry at 805-0482.
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Fill ‘em up now!
Wholesale gas prices shot up five cents a litre last week. By Friday morning, retailers were paying 65.4 cents for gasoline and the average Edmonton pump orice was 99.9. 630 CHED says it will go higher; it takes time to climb up with a Jiffy marker and draw a big ‘1’ in front of the price.
The price in Slave Lake last Friday morning was still 94.9 cents but an upward spike is all but inevitable.
Wholesale low sulfur diesel was within two cents of the gas price. Did you happen to notice if there was a bigger differance at the pumps?
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Evelyn Norberg of Victim Services tells us that $2,508 was raised at The Night of Artists for Slave Lake Victim Services.
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We bumped into M.D. Councillor Tim Walmsley last Friday at the Extra Foods store in Westlock. He said that we should swing by the Pembina River bridge and take picture. The bridge is undergoing some construction.
So we did. There was alsolutely nothing happening at the time.
Also seen in our travels last Friday were bison on a ranch near Chisholm.
Look for pictures of the bridge and the buffaloes in next week’s edition of The Leader.
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The Pillars of Peace were in town last week. The Baha’i youth group gave up their semester break to shed light on topics like bullying, racism, and abuse through interpretive dance.
They delighted the Friday lunch audince at the Friendship Centre. See pictures next week.
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A recent study indicates that people who spend significant amounts of time with a cell phone stuck to their ear may be risking an increased chance of developing tumours of the head. The risk may be as great as 240 per cent. Perhaps it’s another reason to (perish the thought) put the phone down.