Alex Balych was born on Nov. 21, 1924 at Mudare, Alta. to Michael and Natalia (Pylypchuk) Balych, six months after his parents arrived in Canada from the Ukraine. He enjoyed a life of extraordinary success and community involvement.
The diversity in Alex's long life was reflected in his many successful business ventures. These included farming (southwest of Meadow Lake), a welding and machine shop in Meadow Lake and, with his brother Bud, a farm implement business also in Meadow Lake.
In 1949, Alex and Bud were the youngest Massey Harris dealers in the province. In 1951, Alex also partnered with his brother to form Meadow Lake Air Services, the first commercial air service in Northern Saskatchewan. This remarkable business venture supplied goods and services to uranium mines and fishing camps in the north. After Alex and his family moved to North Battleford, he was a newspaper, radio and television reporter, involved in commercial photography and commercial real estate.
In addition to providing some interesting stories of a historical nature, Alex's memoirs reflect his resolute and adventurous character. One of these stories began in the mid 1950s. Martin Semchuk, a general merchant and Alex's good friend, and Art Porter, a trucker, both from Meadow Lake, and Jonas Clark, the only northerner of the three, set out to locate and mark a winter road to Uranium City on the south shore of Lake Athabasca - a daunting challenge to say the least. Alex had flown this route many times as a commercial pilot. He was convinced of its importance to the province. The findings of these stalwart men were not acted on until 1971 when the government cleared, levelled and graded 360 kilometres of road to accommodate heavy trucks north of LaLoche. In 1980, Alex, in the capacity of commissioner for the Battlefords Chamber of Commerce, organized a group of businessmen to make the overland historic trip by car, SUV and light truck to Uranium City - a distance of 1,000 kilometres. Eighteen people made the trip on March 3, 1980.
During this historic trip, snow, -35 temperatures and fog were some of the hazards encountered. The cavalcade travelled through Meadow Lake, Green Lake and Buffalo Narrows to LaLoche on the first day. On the second day, they headed north on the road through the boreal forest, muskeg and swamp. They passed Department of Highways construction camps, the Cluff Lake mine, finally making it to Lake Athabasca. From there they were escorted by the Department of Highways across 83 kilometres of ice, arriving at Uranium City after dark.
That evening, Alex and his group enjoyed a hot meal and a meeting with the Hon. Eiling Kramer, Minister of Highways, and the mayor of Uranium City. They were given a tour of the mining operation the following day. Alex's group stayed another day to enjoy the hospitality of their northern hosts while he made the trip back with the minister in a government aircraft.
This was Alex Balych - talented, adventurous, and with both feet in the real world. It is little wonder that he had so many stories to tell his grandchildren.
Alex's community involvement was as impressive as his career in business. He served eight years on the Western Development Museum Board, was a founding member of the Battlefords Community Cable Television Board (on which he served for 20 years) in 1975, was a charter member of the North Battleford gun club, and was a charter member of the Heritage Travel Trail Association. In addition, Alex was commissioner of the North Battleford Chamber of Commerce (he also organized the funding and construction of a permanent Battlefords Chamber of Commerce), was president and director of the Battlefords District Multicultural Council and served as the president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. In 1967 (Canada's Centennial), he was also responsible for the building of a replica of a typical Ukrainian pioneer house at the Western Development Museum.
In recognition of Alex's remarkable achievements and community service, he received many awards and citations. These included the Saint John's Serving Brother medal which was awarded by governor-general Roland Michener in 1979, the order of St. John in 1982, the Canada 125 commemorative medal in 1993, and an induction into the Frontier Mall Wall of Fame in 2000. In 2006, the centennial year of the Chamber of Commerce, both Alex and his wife Pearl were honoured by the Chamber in renaming its meeting room the "Balych Mural Meeting Room." Finally, in 2012, Alex was awarded the Saskatchewan Aviation Council's Distinguished Airman award.
Alex and Pearl (nee Maksymchuk) were united in marriage for 57 wonderful years. Their life together was a true romance from beginning to end. They had three children - Lesya, Elaine and Maurice. They also had four amazing grandchildren - Nina, Ty, Marco and Coren. Despite the time required for his business ventures and volunteerism, Alex put his family first. His children and grandchildren were the joy of his life and they relied on him to guide them through both the good and difficult times in life.
After a long, productive and selfless life of community service, Alex passed from this life on Oct. 30, 2012 at the age of 87. On the occasion of North Battleford's centennial, it is incumbent upon us, its citizens, to honour this gifted man for his remarkable life and service to our city. (sources: Balych family, Battlefords News-Optimist).
