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Connecting seniors
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Town of Strathmore Municipal Notices
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VOLUME 5 ISSUE 34 AUGUST 23, 2013
STRATHMORE
TIMES
Locally Owned & Operated
Look for your flyer inside!
SHARON MCLEAY
Times Contributor
Residents at Hidden Valley got their last look at their properties on Aug. 11. The entire resort has been reclassified as unfit for hu-man habitation by Health Canada and is scheduled for demolition.“We have been in touch with the provincial and federal gov-ernment and expect word very soon as to their responsibility for clean-up,” said Hidden Valley Homeowner Association Presi-dent Gary Nason. He said with the amount of damage at the site, it would be impossible for the homeowners to attempt clean-up themselves; however, he clarified that the as-sociation wants to be sure the site is left in an acceptable condi-tion for the Siksika Nation.Previous to the flooding, the association was hoping that rene-gotiations could occur with Sik-sika to enable residents to renew their leases.“It is obvious that the flood has changed things,” said Nason. “One thing is for sure, the way it is now, it won’t be rebuilt,” said Nason.He said there are a few salvage-able cabins, but owners will have to make an appointment with Health Canada to assess the con-dition before they will be allowed to move them offsite; he encour-aged homeowners to consider a building inspection for stability, before investing in a move. No one is allowed on-site without an appointment. Whether the residents would try to rebuild at another location was not certain. Upon initial investigation, Nason said there really wasn’t a site like Hidden Valley that could accom-modate that many residents. Fi-nancial losses were also discour-aging many of the residents.Nason said huge losses expe-rienced by many of the owners will follow them for many years to come.
Continued on Page 2
Final goodbye for Hidden Valley
Together, we made it!
The Strathmore Women’s Triathlon was held on Aug. 18. The race is more about empowerment than it is about being fast or finishing first. Finishing the race is a feat that makes anyone feel fabulous as these two ladies found out as they crossed the finish line.
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“The major thing is that the govern-ment will not compensate the non-pri-mary homeowners,” said Nason. “Many are blue collar workers and retirees.” The owners want to let the govern-ment know that they continue to feel discriminated against by the lack of support. There were a lot of members who had life savings and retirement money tied up in their buildings. With 305 dwellings, the resort was bigger than some town sites in Alberta.Nason said he is sad to see the site go; however, he hopes the community members will still keep in touch with one another. He feels the Facebook page will still be operational, long af-ter the resort site has been levelled. There have been a few get-togethers at Speargrass Golf Course. Many of the residents formed lifelong friendships that he hoped would transcend this tragedy. “It was a unique and wonderful community. Everyone must look ahead and go forward from here. I hope they will stay in touch. Friends just don’t go away,” said Nason.
Hidden Valley to be demolished
SHANNON LECLAIR
Times Reporter
On Aug. 15 the federal government officially announced a funding agreement for the New Horizons Seniors program. The program is designed to help ensure that seniors are able to benefit from their community, while contributing to the quality of life through social participation and active living. The grant, given by the government, gave Strathmore’s re-gional branch of Bow Valley College (BVC) an opportunity to be able to purchase laptops so that they may offer a Connect-ing Seniors program. “The reason we purchased laptops and not desktops is so that I would have the flexibility because the consideration was the isolation factor and that they often won’t leave…to come out to programming, so we brought the programming to them which was fantastic,” said Teri McKinnon, Regional Lead for education and business development for BVC Strath-more/Chestermere.Connecting Seniors encourages seniors to begin adopting technology into their daily lives. There are four classes in each session that are an hour and a half each. One session was already held in June and the following three sessions will take place at the Wheatland Lodge, BVC and at Sagewood. “One of the sessions that we have in the series is digital photography and Facebook and Skype, so they can commu-nicate to their grandkids,” said McKinnon. “Their kids usually buy them computers because they want to keep in touch but then mom and dad don’t know how to use them. It’s critical to keep them connected to their families especially in rural because when they have to go into a resi-dence it is far away from their family.” The other three classes include computer basics, introduc-tion to the Internet and digital photography. Thanks to the funding from the government, BVC was able to purchase 12 laptops and is able to offer the sessions free of charge to those interested. “The government of Canada, Canadian taxpayers and Ca-nadian citizens support every effort possible to enhance and enrich the lives of Canadian seniors including right here in Strathmore,” said MP Kevin Sorenson.“In communities large and small the New Horizons pro-gram for seniors helps to ensure that seniors are able to ben-efit from and contribute to the quality of life in their commu-nity through their social participation and their active living.“We’re very pleased as a government of Canada to be able to partner with good people like Bow Valley College and know that we’re making a difference, not just across Canada, but right here in Strathmore.” Among seniors, only 51 per cent ages 64 to 74 use the Internet. That number falls to 27 per cent for those over the age of 75. The session at Sagewood had six participants. Elizabeth and Ernie Gulka both signed up for the classes. “I wanted to learn more about computers, I had a basic knowledge but it’s so great to go into an in-depth (class) on what a computer can do for you,” said Elizabeth.“It intimidates you but I feel more comfortable now sitting down in front of the computer, I know what I am doing, and it can’t talk back to me, I can talk to it.”For Ernie it was to gain a little more knowledge and to not be scared of it. Irene Dougan’s older sister lives on Vancouver Island and had told Dougan that she needs a computer so that they would be able to communicate a little better. She kind of liked the idea, but said it’s one thing to think about it and another to actually do it. “I didn’t have a computer, so I thought yeah I’ll just think about it, but then when the course became available and I thought, hey you know that’s a good idea I should, the op-portunity is here,” said Dougan. Anne Crossan had used computers at times throughout her working life, but it has been years since she was last on one. She said it is like learning from the beginning for her, but she also took part in the classes because the opportunity is there.
Connecting seniors through technology
Shannon LeClair Photo
Th fdral govrnnt of
-
cally announcd fundng for th Nw Horzons Snors Pro
-
gra on Aug. 15. mP Kvn Sornson was at Sagwood to dscuss th fundng whch allowd Bow Vally Collg to brng n a Connctng Snors progra. Lft: mayor Stv Grajczyk (l-r) elzabth Gulka, mP Kvn Sornson, and ern Gulka dscuss what s bng taught. Right: Ann Crossan (l) and irn Dougan wr xctd to hav th opportunty to larn or about coputrs.
SHANNON LECLAIR
Times Reporter
Crowfoot Member of Parliament Kevin Sorenson was first elected to the House of Commons in 2000, and since then has filled many roles and duties. On July 15 Sorenson was sworn in as the new Minister of State for Finance.“I’m honoured, first of all that the Prime Minister would ask me to come into cabinet, but also that I get the privi-lege of working with Jim Flaherty,” said Sorenson.“So as we prepare for a budget, as we move towards balancing our budget, there will be consultations with stake holders and groups all across the coun-try. I will be coordinating a lot of that and meeting people as we prepare for the budget coming next spring.”Following his 2006 re-election, Soren-son was elected to the House of Com-mons standing committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. In 2008 he was elected as chair of the House of Commons special committee on the Canadian mission in Afghanistan, and chair of the standing committee on public safety and national security. Some of Sorenson’s new role will in-clude responding to questions during Question Period, taking legislation to the House of Commons and helping to shepherd finance bills and different pieces of legislation through the House of Commons. Sorenson will be the Min-ister of Finance’s voice when Flaherty isn’t in the House. Even though he will have a bigger voice at the House now, Sorenson says dealing with the constituents is his fa- vourite part.“The MP part is what I like the best, you’re in the constituency, always the constituency is the most important, these are the folks that put their trust in you in an election so we certainly want to still be as visible in the communities as we can be, so that part I still have,” said Sorenson.It’s been a few years since the econ-omy crash and though things are look-ing better now, the economy is still the main focus for the federal government. “For our government the economy remains the top priority. Many of the places around the world are still in very fragile recovery mode, whether it be Europe, or the United States or even parts of Asia, this was a global eco-nomic downturn. The economy is the big focus of our government and with that economy also is keeping taxes low, helping to build infrastructure and making sure that we create jobs,” said Sorenson.“Not necessarily that the government creates jobs but that we build an eco-nomic environment where the private sector can create jobs, the last thing that we want to do is just start hiring people to work public service, we want Strath-more to continue to be progressive like they have been under this mayor and others.”
August 23, 2013 • Strathor TimeS •
Page 3
Photo courtesy of Kevin Sorenson’s Office
Sorenson new Minister of State
Th Right Honourabl Stphn Harpr (cntr) Pri ministr of Canada and His excllncy th Right Honourabl David Johnston (r) Govrnor Gnral and Coandr-in-Chif of Canada with th nw ministr of Stat (Financ) Kvin Sornson (l) mP (Crowfoot) at th Swaring-in Crony, July 15,
2013.
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Four Strathor ara organic fars onc again opnd thir doors to th public on August 18. Local or-ganic producrs Wintr’s Turkys, Hritag Harvst Fars, Poplar Bluff Far and Ca’s Carrots hostd a bus load of approxiatly 45 popl fro Calgary who spnt th day touring ach opration and tasting th goods thy produc. At Hritag Harvst Fars (pic-turd) tour participants wr pro-vidd with a history of ach typ of what grown on th far, on dat-ing back 10,000 yars, and an up clos look at th quipnt usd in th procss right fro planting to producing our. At th nd of th tour, participants wr tratd to a barbqu faturing food fro ach of th fars thy visitd.
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