Snippets from Dec. 21 and 22 Lakeside Leaders
1977
The Town of Slave Lake announced a semi truck route to enter the industrial area (see map). East of Slave Lake, trucks were asked to turn off Hwy. 2 and go north on Hwy. 67 (now called Hwy. 88). At Eighth Ave. NW, they turned left to head west into the industrial area. The road (now called Caribou Trail) is described as going behind the Slave Lake Native Friendship Centre and C.J. Schurter School. Looking at the map, Eight Ave. Appeared to end four blocks west of Main St.
The route was to stop big trucks driving on Main Street and residential streets.
A ring road had been cleared from the end of Eighth Ave. south across the railway tracks to meet up with Hwy. 2.
The writer of the article on a recreation survey was not happy. The article says, “It would serve these people right, if all they got for recreation were courses in turnip identification or archery with your feet.” ‘These people’ refers to the 1,201 people who didn’t fill out the recreation survey.
Apparently, 1,243 were sent out, but only 42 were returned.
Two-thirds of people surveyed thought Slave Lake should have a swimming pool and almost half wanted outdoor natural ice rinks built.
Recreation was handled by the Recreation Committee – two committee members were mentioned: a town councillor Bill Smith, who chaired the meeting, and a high school student. The reason this came up is that the high school student wasn’t allowed to vote, but the chair thought that was unfair. The high school student was given the right to vote.
Prior to 1977, Slave Lake had only one convenience store – Glen’s News. In 1977, two new convenience stores were opened in Slave Lake – Leo’s Speedee-Mart and Red Rooster. There was an inconvenience, however, as both had a floor plan of over 1,000 square feet, which was larger than what a bylaw allowed for a convenience store.
The issue was bouncing back and forth between town council and the municipal planning commission (MPC) – first to the council, then to the MPC, and back to town council sitting as an appeal board.
The RCMP stopped by The Leader office to show off the RCMP’s breathalyzer. This was a new enough invention that the Editorial included a description of the whole process. In preparation or possibly at a Christmas party, seven adults had finished a bottle rye whiskey. Five people were tested. Three failed, one passed, and one hadn’t had a drink, so also passed.
The ‘Smith and area news’ included the information that ‘Mr. and Mrs. Sid Reay’ were retiring from running the Smith Post Office. Mrs. Reay’s first name is never mentioned. They met in Nottingham, England, when Sid was in the Canadian armed forces in WWII. They started at the Smith Post Office in 1962.
Al’s TV and Electronics was renting out televisions. (In 2022, this business was still alive and kicking in Slave Lake. Along with technology, it sells an eclectic supply of items from toys to musical instruments to Bibles to crystals to yarn and art supplies).
1994
A local landlord was worried that his tenants would call him a grinch when he passed on a tax increase from the town to his renters as a rent increase.
Santas Anonymous was coming close to its goal of $12,000 to provide food hampers and toys for kids who otherwise wouldn’t get anything for Christmas.
In other Slave Lake Native Friendship Centre news, proposed funding cuts from the federal government were likely to be in the area of five per cent, but rumour had it 75 per cent was expected.
A 75 per cent cut would have meant the Friendship Centre would have had to close. (As of 2022, the Friendship Centre still exists and provides programs in Slave Lake, including Santas Anonymous, so the cut likely ended up being in the lower range).
The Hospital Auxiliary had a tree in the hospital and was asking community members to donate by ‘purchasing’ an ornament for $3 apiece.
Joy James was the Auxiliary spokesperson. She said the money raised would go toward another electric bed for the hospital.
Robbers broke into the Smith Hotel on Dec. 12. They stole $2,700 worth of coins, cash, and credit card statements. They got in by the front door.
In hockey, the women’s team – the Slave Lake Kodiaks – beat the Swan Hills Wild Ones. The Kodiaks were number one in the Northwest Alberta Female Hockey League.
2005
Gas prices were front page news. At the time, gas was $.83.9/l in Slave Lake, which was 14 cents more than in Athabasca.
A Slave Lake man was charged with manslaughter for the death of a 34-year-old woman in Grande Prairie on Dec. 14.
M.D. #124 Reeve Danny Garratt received an Alberta Centennial Medal, which were given to people who provided outstanding service to their communities.
A representative from the Alberta Conservation Association presented at an M.D. #124 council meeting
He proposed the idea of making a video survey of the lakeshore, to record whether it is ecologically healthy or not. He also said that a lot of shoreline development that happened was illegal.
