HUMBOLDT — From the announcement of a multi-billion dollar mine to a new playground at Water Ridge Park, 2021 was a busy year. Here's the top stories of the year, in no particular order, as chosen by the Humboldt Journal's staff.
BHP going ahead with first phase
BHP said it will invest $7.5 billion (US$5.7 billion) for the first stage of the Jansen potash mine.
The mine represents BHP’s first foray into the potash business.
“This is an important milestone for BHP and an investment in a new commodity that we believe will create value for shareholders for generations,” said Mike Henry, BHP’s CEO, in a Aug. 17 media release.
“In addition to its merits as a stand-alone project, Jansen also brings with it a series of high returning growth options in an attractive investment jurisdiction.”
BHP said the first stage is expected to produce approximately 4.35 million tonnes of potash per annum. The mine is expected to operate for 100 years.
Construction of the mine is expected to take around six years, with the first ore targeted to come from the ground in 2027. That will be followed by a ramp up period of two years.
Michael Behiel, Humboldt’s mayor, said he’s very happy and excited to hear the announcement.
“I think it’s going to be a superbly exceptional move forward,” he said. “I know that both sides will reap many benefits in the years to come. I’m very excited about the potential for this to increase our economic tax base and the resulting increase in size and benefits for the community.”
The mayor added that BHP’s been an outstanding community member, contributing to a number of causes.
Campaign for a Broncos tribute facility unveiled
A facility to honour the 2017-18 Humboldt Broncos could include a second ice surface, fitness centre and tribute gallery.
A nationwide campaign to raise money for a Humboldt Broncos Tribute and Memorial Centre was launched on the front steps of the Elgar Petersen Arena on April 5 by representatives of the Humboldt Broncos Memorial Committee and the City of Humboldt.
“If we don’t find a way to inspire others and create something positive for the community, the families and the nation, then that would be a tragedy,” said Christina Haugan, the wife of 2017-18 Broncos coach Darcy Haugan.
The project is in its initial conceptual stages. To be built at the Uniplex site, features to the facility could be added or removed depending on the success of the campaign. The second ice surface could be a smaller rink for minor hockey or a bigger one that could become the main home of the Broncos. The tribute gallery would display some of the items donated after the April 6, 2018 collision.
“Although we are far from the final design, we are looking forward to working with our residents and other stakeholders,” said Coun. Rob Muench.
“We will do the best we can to fulfill our responsibility to pay it forward by telling the story of how in 2018 the world came to a standstill to express the love for the 29 families and for Humboldt.”
Early estimates place the cost of the facility in the $35 million range.
DCG Philanthropic Services of Saskatoon has been hired to help conduct the campaign.
Funding for wastewater upgrades
Humboldt’s capital project to upgrade the wastewater treatment system has received a total of $24,971,065 in combined government funding through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.
The project seeks to upgrade the wastewater treatment system to meet effluent limits to be compliant with provincial and federal regulations, as well as expand treatment capacity.
In January, the federal government gave the city conditional approval to hire a consultant for the project, after the city applied for funding under the program. Catterall and Wright Consulting Engineers was chosen for the $897,000 contract.
Now approved, the federal government is paying 40 per cent of total project cost, at approximately $13,600,000. The province has already committed more than $11 million. The municipality will be responsible for the remaining $9,081,935.
New playground at Water Ridge Park
A citizen group in order to install a play structure and a pickleball court at Water Ridge Park.
Breanna Landry, the president of the Water Ridge Playground Committee, said having a playground at the park was something she was thinking of for the past few years. The park has green space, walking trails and the local spray park.
“Now that I have a little one – I’m on mat leave – a bunch of us young moms have been walking through that park and I had brought it up a few different times, so then we just decided to take the idea to the city and see if they’d be open for a new structure there.”
The original goal of the project was $150,000. The fundraising campaign raised $200,000.
Federated Co-operatives Limited’s Co-op Community Spaces program donated $90,000 to the project. The City of Humboldt committed to match up to $75,000.
The pickleball opened in August, while the playground opened in September.
The playground is designed to have something for all ages. The site designed for younger ages has a playhouse, slides, climbing structures, before gradually building up to equipment for older children and up which has monkey bars and swings.
“The community is super excited to have this coming here,” Landry said.
“This is a park that’s used by the community the surrounding towns, and it’s going to be a park that people are going to want to come to in Humboldt, with the water park here plus the pickleball court and now the play structure.
A citizen group is also raising money to replace the playground at Bill Brecht Memorial Park.
Ball Development Board reveals concept plans
A set of preliminary concept plans has been released for a new multi-use facility at Centennial Park that will serve the city’s ball community.
The Humboldt Ball Development Board released the plans on Feb. 3. The facility features two batting cages, a concession, washrooms, meeting rooms and storage for the city’s community and leisure services department.
“It’s been a long wait,” said Trent Ries, president of the board. “We’ve been waiting kind of patiently for the last year with this COVID and stuff kind of went a little sideways, but I think for the most part, I think we’re finally getting rolling.”
Early Years Family Resource Centre For Humboldt
The future Early Years Family Resource Centre in Humboldt is planned to begin offering programming in fall 2021 for families with children up to the age of five.
Kevin Garinger, director of education for the Horizon School Division, said the four pillars the Early Years Family Resource Centre will focus on are early learning, parents in education, family wellness and support, as well as information and referrals.
“Those are really the four big pillars that exist. It’s really a centre based on play and exploration of course, but there are programs that are set up throughout the day,” Garinger said.
“We need to value the family dynamic and support families in this, that’s really what it’s about, and giving children and families the opportunity to be engaged in a way to provide timetabled opportunities as well as drop-in opportunities that can support the early year’s growth and readiness for school.”
Entry level Horizon School Division tests in readiness for school in the 2019-20 year scored 28 per cent of self-declared First Nation, Métis & Inuit students as ready, 54 per cent of non-declared students, and 51 per cent of students overall.
Garinger said that in having the Early Years Family Resource Centre, they expect it will lead to more preparation for the children and result in continued growth.
A feedback event was held on Aug. 12 at Water Ridge Park in an effort to hear from parents in the community about what services they would like the upcoming Humboldt Early Years Family Resource Centre to have.
First set of rainbow crosswalks
One of Humboldt’s busiest crosswalks is about to get more colourful.
At its May 25 meeting, council voted to paint the crosswalks on the east and west sides of the Main Street and Fifth Avenue intersection, near the post office, in rainbow colours for the duration of 2021. The request for a temporary rainbow crosswalk was made by the Humboldt and Area Pride Network.
“I like this for several reasons,” Michael Behiel, Humboldt’s mayor, said during council. “Anything we can do to beautify our city even further and make it more vibrant is always welcome to me. It gives us a little bit more of a stand out in our downtown core.
The mayor said it also supports a diverse and inclusive community regardless of any differences that citizens may have amongst themselves.
Humboldt Pride was also pleased with the approval.
“Thank you, City of Humboldt and the Public Arts Committee for your enthusiastic support this year, previous years, and in years to come,” Humboldt Pride said on their Facebook page.
Broncos renovate dressing room
After undergoing significant renovations, the Humboldt Broncos’ dressing room is definitely “Home Sweet Home” for its players.
“I loved seeing it for the first time,” said Broncos goaltender Rayce Ramsay, who returned to the team this season after a couple years away. “I think it keeps a lot of the character from the old room but adds a more modern twist on it. It’s awesome to have, just gives the boys one more reason to get excited to come to the rink.”
The project’s cost was about $150,000, said Rona Humboldt Lumber Mart Ltd.’s Evan Pronych, who was a key figure in the renovation. He said, “What we pretty much did is we gutted the whole room and made it new again.” This included an HVAC system, all new lockers and flooring, a new sound system, and adding televisions as well as renovating the coaches room.
Other funding for the project came from such sources as the Humboldt Broncos Fan Alumni with Brian Stewart leading the way, the Humboldt Broncos Memorial Golf Tournament, the team, and the City of Humboldt.
Block wins with commanding lead
With a commanding lead over her competitors, Kelly Block was reelected as MP for Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek in the Sept. 20 federal election
Block, the Conservative candidate, received 68.6 per cent of the vote.
“I’m very grateful to the voters of Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek for once again putting their confidence in me and, I would say, in our Conservative platform, knowing that we introduced it as early on as we did,” she said.
“We worked very hard. We got out there, we were connecting with voters in every corner of the riding, and it paid off.”
Block received 28,192 votes. Her nearest competitor, Shannon O’Toole of the New Democrats, received 5,608.
Provincially, the Conservatives retained control of all of 14 Saskatchewan seats. Nationally, the numbers were similar to the 2019 results. The Liberals got 160, the Conservatives 119, the Bloc Quebecois 32, the NDP 25 and the Greens 2.
Grand re-opening for Englefeld School
Englefeld School has celebrated their renovated school with a grand re-opening streamed to the community and unveiled their “natural playscape” style playground plan to the public.
Around $440,000 has been spent on the facility’s upgrades, with $40,000 being provided in emergent funding through the Ministry of Education for the work.
The Horizon School Division plans to spend another $100,000 to complete the work through a second phase, which has yet to go through the tender process.
Corinne Harcourt, Englefeld’s principal, said that throughout the last few years surveys were given to the students based on what they wanted to see in the school, and each year the students gave similar results.
“There has always been a lot of love in this school regardless,” Harcourt said. “Did we need some changes? Absolutely we did. The changes that have been made have brightened up the classrooms, the lighting has been tremendous. Teachers started commenting lots on how beautiful and bright it is. We have spaces now that we did not have before.”
Harcourt described it “like Christmas” for the staff.
SPCA receives $377,000 for building fund
A $377,000 donation to the Humboldt SPCA will be invested in the organization’s future building fund – which will be named after the donor.
The late Carol Lee Streeton, a former Plunkett resident who lived in Alberta, willed the money to the organization.
The Humboldt SPCA have been renting their current facility since 2007, which the board said lacks proper water plumbing for grooming animals and general cleaning.
Their goal with a new facility would be to provide pet services that could provide operational income, as well as fill the needs that they feel are lacking.
Lake Lenore Agro Co-op finishing fertilizer plant
The Lake Lenore Ag Co-op put the finishing touches on their 1,600 metric tonne $2.5 million dry fertilizer plant.
Tom Viczko, Lake Lenore Agro Co-op’s general manager, said that with a 16 ton scale and blender, it is expected to triple the speed and capacity from what they had a mere year ago.
“It’s pretty much a state of the art delivery and storage plant and it’s going to provide producers in the area close and easy access to the latest cutting edge fertilizer products,” Viczko said.
“With the demand for fertilizer and more technologically advanced products growing year after year the investment makes Lake Lenore Ag sustainable going into the future.”
Lake Lenore Agro Co-op’s old plant was deconstructed in June to replace it with the modern upgrade on the site. The new facility is expected to last at least two decades.
