ELK POINT – Communities in Bloom judges Marie Wenger of Edmonton and Bob Cote of Bruderheim wound up an Alberta series of visits in Elk Point last Tuesday with a day that took them everywhere from the Peter Fidler statue, to the riverside campground on the North Saskatchewan River, along with side trips taking them on the Iron Horse Trail and to the recreation park and golf course.
Their day started at the Town of Elk Point Public Works shop where they enjoyed coffee and doughnuts as they were introduced to the town’s new CAO Darrell Lessmeister, Manager of Operations Jay Duffee, Economic Development Committee chair Terri Hampson and member Jennifer Van der Hoek, STEP representative Baylee Jeffery, Historical Society representative Marvin Bjornstad and Community Gardens representative Sue Campbell.
Lessmeister and Duffee gave the visitors a rundown on the town’s operations that keep it looking its best and provide a safe and healthy environment for its residents.
Outside the Public Works shop, a horse-drawn wagon with Morris Irvine and Dwayne Vogel at the reins was ready to take everyone on the first half of their tour of the town. First stop was the Peter Fidler statue, where Bjornstad provided history of the surveyor and fort builder and the fur trade that took place in the area in the late 1700s, and the park that was created in 1992 as one of the Peace Parks Across Canada honouring Canada’s 125th birthday.
The wagon ride continued through the town’s north residential subdivision, past the spray park, arena and schools, turning west to travel past Parkview Extended Care, Buckingham House seniors home, Heritage Lodge and Elk Point Healthcare Centre before drawing to a halt on the lawn between the Laverne Wilson Public Library and the community gardens.
That stop came just in time for the riders to head onto the library’s outdoor deck for coffee, tea and cookies as a series of showers moved across Elk Point. Sue Campbell provided the judges with information on the creation and improvements to the community gardens and historical mural creator Billie Milholland to tell the story of its creation and the people and activities pictured on its panels.
Fortunately, the rain moved off just in time for Elk Point Chamber of Commerce president Brianne Greening to lead the group on a downtown walking tour, imparting the history of the buildings as they passed the recently opened hair salon, stopped in at the new Coffee Club and its neighbouring Knotty Boyz store before enjoying lunch at Magic Pizza.
The downtown tour continued with stops at Golden Loaf Bakery and at a newly renovated building before heading across Railway Avenue to the former snowmobile cabin, where Marvin Bjornstad spoke about Elk Point Historical Society’s many projects as well as on the creation and development of the Iron Horse Trail.
Then it was back on the wagon as it travelled the trail east to its intersection with 50 Ave., then back into the industrial park and up to the Public Works shop.
A tour of the Allied Arts Centre wound up the afternoon, before the judges took a break before their informative drive to the riverside campground, the Lions fish pond, ball diamonds, campground and golf course, where they were joined by the rest of the day’s group to enjoy a windup supper.
The judges had an opportunity to ask a few last questions, before heading home with notebooks full of their findings during the day. A report on their findings will be forthcoming at a later date, with the judges assuring the committee that they had ample information from their busy and memorable day in Elk Point.
