KAMSACK — A Kamsack woman, who is a former town councilor and has always had a keen interest in the community’s revitalization and its physical appearance, is upset with the recent decision to remove the ornamental lighting on main street.
Helen MacFarlane is most concerned when she recalls that her late husband Ken had done so much work around year 2000 to install the ornamental globe lighting, including cutting sidewalks to install the required wiring and refilling the cement with bricks.
That lighting was one of the things the revitalization committee did to help make the town look nicer, MacFarlane said recently, as she discussed conversations she has had with town staff and elected officials regarding the situation.
“Most recently I was told that the lighting had to be removed because the standards were in poor condition,” she said. “I was told the light standards were taken into the town shop and will be painted and repaired and then replaced, but probably not this year.
“We raised $67,000 for Kamsack revitalization, and not a penny of that was with tax money,” she said, adding that she had been among the members of the committee who had spent much time on the phone requesting donations.
“It wasn’t easy to go and beg for money,” she said, remembering that among fundraisers held to help enhance the appearance of the community was when former Kamsack residents living in Calgary held events to raise money for Kamsack revitalization.
In addition to the lighting, the revitalization committee did many other things, she said, explaining that Ken would wake up early in the morning to water plants growing in public places. He took it upon himself to begin clean-up of the former Northern Petroleum property, he helped with establishing Broda Park and assisted her work with Gloria Hunter when they were upgrading the CN garden to become the Trackside Garden.
Those ornamental lights were placed on the street for aesthetic reasons, MacFarlane said. “I want those lamps back up this year!”
