We know we say this every year, but it seems like just yesterday we were talking about the end of a year, and the start of another one.
That was 12 months ago.
Twelve months ago, we were bidding a fond farewell to 2020, and looking forward with optimism to 2021. After all, 2021 couldn’t be any worse than 2020 for society in general, right?
Now we’re at the end of 2021, and while we’re not going to be quite so eager to see this year end, there’s still a lot of people who will be excited when Jan. 1, 2022, arrives.
We’ve learned a lot in the past 12 months and we’ve experienced so much.
Remember the anticipation due to the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine? It was supposed to be the beginning of the end of the pandemic, and it was to usher in the return to normal.
Here we are, a year later, and thanks to lower than expected vaccination rates in many areas, and the premature lifting of restrictions in the summer, we had to encounter the worst wave of the pandemic Saskatchewan has experienced thus far. Now, with the Omicron variant on the radar, we are talking more and more about booster shots.
Still, with the vaccine, we’re in a better position than we were a year ago, and we’ve been able to have get-togethers this Christmas season and enjoy greater freedoms.
If you’re weary of wearing masks, or you’re hoping to see the vaccine passport come to an end, they’ll be here for a while yet.
Thankfully, this year was about so much more than the pandemic, the pros and cons of abandoning restrictions, and the rise and fall of case numbers.
We have an interconnected pathway and sidewalk system in Estevan. Walking in Estevan has never been easier or safer.
Remember the days when you would take your life into your hands if you had to walk on Kensington Avenue? Those days are mercifully over.
Other areas that weren’t so safe to walk now have a place to stroll. And you can walk around the city, giving even long-time residents the chance to see things around the perimeter of Estevan that they maybe haven’t seen before.
We look forward to seeing lots of people out on the pathways and sidewalk of Estevan in the future.
This is a project that wouldn’t have happened without federal and provincial support, and we’re thankful to have received that money. It’s not every day we get to thank this federal government for a decision they make.
We certainly weren’t thanking the feds for calling the federal election. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the snap election in an effort to secure a majority government. It cost $616 million to wind up with essentially the status quo.
On a better note, we’ve had constant reminders about how awesome this region is and how generous the people are. We talk about it a lot, but there are so many organizations that benefit so much from support of the community, and they’re able to offer great programs that enrich the lives of others.
And if there’s a family in need, we’re there to support them as well.
We were excited to hear that planning work would begin on a new regional nursing home. There’s still a lot that needs to happen before our new nursing home is built, but at least this was a glimmer of hope after waiting for more than six years for the government to come to the table.
It’s also been encouraging to hear talk about economic development and downtown revitalization, and there is reason for optimism for our economy thanks to the price of oil being at its highest level in nearly seven years.
It’s been a year filled with triumphs and tragedies, joy and tribulations, excitement and dread. Some people went through some incredibly difficult times and others had their resolve tested. We have some fresh faces in important roles in town.
We’ve accomplished a lot. We’ve been through a lot. The Mercury has been able to share a lot with you, our readers. And we look forward to sharing more stories with you next year.
