ONE YEAR AGO
• Swine flu had not struck children at Central Alberta summers camps, including the Penhold cadet camp. Ontario had confirmed more than 225 children at several summer camps had H1N1 virus symptoms. Dr. Martin Lavoie, medical officer of health with the central zone of Alberta Health Services, said there were no cases at local camps. “We don’t have anything linked with H1N1 right now,” Lavoie said.
• A controversial $3-billion transmission project that will run through Central Alberta is back on track. The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) released a letter to stakeholders on Wednesday confirming that the province’s transmission system needs to be upgraded to reliability problems.
FIVE YEARS AGO
• Central Alberta hockey fans felt relieved after NHL owners and players signed a new collective bargaining agreement. The ugly labour dispute wiped out an entire season and lasted 310 days.
• After weeks of flood cleanup, most Central Alberta campsites reopened for the long weekend. A few campsites remained off limits, including the North Ram River Provincial Recreation Area, which closed after the river changed course and ran through the area.
10 YEARS AGO
• Prime Minister Jean Chrétien visited Pine Lake to survey the damage left by the tornado of the previous week. Survivors were allowed to return the next day to look through what little was left of their camping sites and salvage what they could.
• The Westerner grounds emptied as twister fears struck in the midst of the fair. After storm clouds moved in and several people reported what they thought were funnel clouds, Westerner officials moved everyone from the fair grounds into the Centrium to wait out a hail and rainstorm.
25 YEARS AGO
• Red Deer’s controversial paramedic service officially went to work. Paramedic supervisor Dan Osborne said three paramedics were on duty at the city’s three firehalls. “We have two fellows stationed at two firehalls and myself,” said Mr. Osborne, who reported the paramedics had not received any calls as yet.
• Central Alberta would lose a potential historic site if an old trestle bridge eight km southwest of Red Deer was torn down at county council’s urging. Red Deer museum archivist Michael Dawe said enquires were made in 1983 to have the bridge designated an historic site, but that suggestion was still hanging. Mr. Dawe said he would hate to see it turned down, but “I can certainly sympathize with the county when it comes to concerns about public safety. You don’t want to have people seriously injured or killed on the bridge.”
50 YEARS AGO
• Considerable hail damage in the districts to the north, northwest and northeast of Red Deer was caused in a wild erratic system of storms that swept toward the city from the north and northwest. Farmers east of the city thought crop damage might be 30 to 40 per cent.
• It was a hot session for council, an unusually hot one for City Fathers in Red Deer or anywhere else — not temperature-wise or word-wise, but rather weather-wise. Faced with the heaviest agenda in months — it consisted of 26 foolscap sheets filled with singe-spaced typing, not including any new business, bylaws, land sales agreements and such like. Mayor J.M. McAfee, four of his six aldermen and the various department heads found the temperature in council chambers a sizzling 90 when they opened their fortnightly meeting at 5 p.m.
90 YEARS AGO
• “A live committee are working hard to make the Sylvan Lake Regatta on Wednesday, July 28, the biggest day of sport and entertainment ever held in the district. The sports will commence at 10:30 sharp in the morning and will continue all day and end with a grand dance in the evening and there will be something doing all the time. There is a big list of motor boat races, swimming and diving events. Mr. H.W. Wilson has donated a silver cup to be competed for over a three year term for an Evinrude motor launch race.”
• “A big U.F.A. picnic will be held at the old picnic grounds on Mr. G. Domoney’s farm on Wednesday, July 21st, at 12:30 p.m. A great, free for all picnic. Come one, come all, and bring your baskets. An up-to-date booth on the grounds. The sports are in the hands of a very able committee. This will be the event of the season at Horn Hill. Don’t forget — July 21, at Horn Hill.”