This week, we continue our recap of all the biggest headlines, stories and events that encapsulated the year that was 2022 with Part Two of our annual Year In Review!
JULY
- The Dinsmore Composite School's senior mixed curling team was recognized by the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association, as they were awarded the Sask-Milk Sportsmanship Banner for Curling. The team earned the recognition because of their positive attitude at the Senior Curling Provincials in March that were held in Swift Current.
- Canada Day celebrations in Outlook were luckily held under blue skies and sunny temperatures, as a large crowd attended the events that were held in the Outlook & District Regional Park. Kicking the day off was a lively parade through the community, and for once, The Outlook's Derek Ruttle was actually a participant as opposed to being behind the camera!
- Leaders of the province and a sizable amount of the public gathered in the village of Elbow to take in the construction progress of the lakeside community's new Line 19 Multiplex. Premier Scott Moe, MP Fraser Tolmie, and MLA Dana Skoropad were among the invited guests who marveled at the work being done to bring the brand-new facility to life.
- Touching on the previous highlight, Scott Moe and Dana Skoropad ventured from Elbow to the town of Davidson to host an evening Q&A forum, welcoming the public to speak their minds and ask questions in the open town hall-like atmosphere. Premier Moe was candid and perfectly honest in his views on where the province currently was and where it was headed, hopeful for continued positivity for Saskatchewan residents.
- Part Five of our special spotlight series on workers with the Town of Outlook focused on Chantelle Segovia, manager of the Van Raay & Community Swimming Pool. A homegrown 'Outlooker', Segovia found herself in other communities before a chance meeting with someone from the town staff resulted in her returning to Outlook.
- Motorists in Outlook had noticed that street work being carried out that summer had been vastly improving local roadways. Local contractors DLN Construction were tasked with fixing and updating neighborhood roads, including along Railway Avenue. This was in addition to work done on McKenzie Street North, Hearn Street, and Cedar Place.
- The Outlook's Shelley Luedtke looked at upgrades that had been done at the Heritage Centre in Outlook, with a series of enhancements that resulted in a space that looked bigger and brighter. Leo Whyte, President of the Heritage Centre, was very happy with the work that was done, and he was also hopeful that the renovations would result in more rental requests of the space.
- While thousands of people enjoyed the inviting waters of Lake Diefenbaker every summer, six women decided to challenge themselves by swimming across the entire lake. Adrien van Dyke, Kelsey van Dyke, Dionne Tatlow, Elise Truscott, Megan Chisholm, and Nichole Robinson were all experienced swimmers, and were up to the challenge of the 'Diefenbaker Dip' in order to raise money for two organizations. The experience was something that none of the women would ever forget.
AUGUST
- They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and that appeared to be just the case when the third edition of the Outlook Riverbank Rodeo made its return to large, sprawling crowds who were eager to take in some bull-riding and steer-wrestling action. The event had been shelved in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID pandemic, but now, people were happy to see it return in all of its dirt-flying glory.
- Little by little, it was starting to look like the once-iconic Bounty Theatre hall was on the verge of making a comeback as the exterior of the building was seeing noticeable upgrades that had been made, including updated roofing, new windows, concrete laid along the walking ramp, and new splashes of paint. The facelift was starting to bring the legendary venue into the modern age.
- The Outlook Bakery's annual 'Donuts by Donation' event, in which boxes of the sweet treats are sold by donation to the STARS Air Ambulance service, was another success. The fifth edition of this unique fundraiser ended up raising an incredible $2,567.68, making for a combined five-year total of $16,600 raised for STARS by the local bakery.
- Lauren Vye, who had just returned from Finland to compete with Team Canada in the International Federation of American Football Women's World Championship, was all smiles as she recapped her incredible journey to The Outlook's Derek Ruttle. Vye said the experience was one in a million, and a great learning opportunity that inspired her to shoot for a return to the international stage one day.
- The snack shack located in the Outlook & District Regional Park had been a staple for most kids growing up, with the best assortment of candy, chips and ice cream that added to enjoyable summer days in the park. While the building had stood the test of time, the paint had not, so Richards Home Hardware of Outlook decided to donate $500 worth of paint and update the shack to a striking beige colour.
- A fish species that's known to be invasive had been discovered in the waters of Lake Diefenbaker. The Saskatchewan Sportfish Research Group, headed by Dr. Chris Somers of the University of Regina, made the discovery of Prussian carp in the eastern part of Diefenbaker, and more were found in the southern end of the lake.
- For 27 years, the arts scene in Outlook had been enhanced by the presence of the Equinox Theatre performance group, which had brought 40 productions to the community. Now, as the group recently made its return to the local stage after two years back in the spring, they were now moving out of their rental space in the Outlook mini-mall and into the back of the Outlook Printers office building.
- The 3rd annual Vintage Tractor Pulls were held in Glenside with an excellent turnout of spectators, with 300 paid adult admissions that saw twenty tractors entered for the competitions. Winners of the day included Tyson Derenoski, Ernie Neustaeter, Dallas Bartel, Trenton Dillan, Frank Bartel, Tim Winterholt, and Bill Ivan, with Bernie Niska taking home the People's Choice Award in the Show n' Shine event.
SEPTEMBER
- The world stood still and nations proceeded to mourn after the official word had come down that Queen Elizabeth II had taken her last breath, bringing an end to a remarkable reign over the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms of more than 70 years. The Queen started her service on February 6, 1952, and her reign was recognized as the longest ever recorded by any female head of state in history.
- The future of the SkyTrail walking bridge in Outlook was being explored, with a few options on the table from the town concerning the aged but loved tourist attraction. Closed since October 2013, the option to repair and reopen the bridge seemed to be the most attractive and desired route, but it would take north of seven figures to see that come to fruition.
- A nighttime blaze that broke out on Highway 11 ended up calling out the Kenaston Volunteer Fire Department as well as an ambulance crew from Outlook. A semi fire that broke out one kilometer south of Kenaston saw a tire that had ignited and ended up lighting a load of wood on fire, enveloping the rear of the second trailer.
- The late Larry Warwaruk, a celebrated author from Outlook, had one more story to share in the form of his final book, 'To Find Myhailo'. It was compiled and completed by his children, and in a change of pace from Larry's usual works of fiction, the story was very much a true one as Warwaruk looked to uncover the story of his earlier relatives.
- Dylan Herron, Outlook's landfill manager, spoke to Derek Ruttle for the next installment of the town spotlight series. In a change of pace from everyone else interviewed for the series, Herron said his job didn't see much difference from one day to the next. He also said that what the town was doing with its landfill location was setting itself apart from others around the province.
- One resident of Outlook tragically lost her life after a massive fire broke out in a residence on Park Avenue. Two trailers were discovered to be engulfed in flames during an early morning blaze, and by the time the fire was cleared, it was discovered that a woman named Julie Facca, found to be the lone occupant of one of the trailers, had sadly been killed.
- Perhaps matching the mood of the day that was being felt around the world, the skies above Outlook were grey and rainy during a special service held by members of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #262 to honour Queen Elizabeth II on the day she was laid to rest. Held at the Veterans Memorial Park, words were shared by Outlook mayor Maureen Weiterman and the public paid respects by laying poppies in front of a portrait of The Queen.
- It was a day of celebration at the Luther Place seniors residence in Outlook as the facility marked its 25-year anniversary. With a BBQ lunch, cake, and appearances by Gabe Lafond, CEO of LutherCare Communities and Kelly Peevers, Director of Housing, both residents and the public came together to enjoy the day's festivities.
- Nuclear power was in serious talks for the province of Saskatchewan, and one of the sites being explored to possibly hold a small modular reactor (SMR) was the village of Elbow. Though an official decision on whether or not to move forward on the project won't be made until 2029, SaskPower started its beginning stages of work, including open house events to discuss the project with the public.
- Outlook was one of many communities across the country to host events geared towards repairing the wounds that were reopened as a result of the dark past that Canada had in relation to First Nations people. On National Truth & Reconciliation Day, a number of events did their part to recognize the significance of the day, including a presentation by guest speaker Lyndon Linklater, a traditional knowledge keeper who spoke of his own connection to the residential school system.
OCTOBER
- Melissa MacQueen, brought into the Outlook court room in handcuffs by RCMP officers, learned her fate as a result of charges against her, including manslaughter in the death of Milden resident Randy Garrett in March 2021. She was sentenced to 36 months, and having already served 19 months on remand, she was also given credit for an extra 10 months due to the time being considered time and a half (1.5 days). However, MacQueen was also sentenced to 30 months behind bars on a charge of sexual assault against a minor for incidents in 2019.
- The Outlook Blue Bisons football team traveled to Rosetown to play the hosting Royals in a special 'under the lights' game played at night. Try as they did, the Outlook squad faltered and ended up losing at a score of 64-27, but the perseverance of the Blue Bisons was seen in the game. The new team name was a reflection of the combined roster made up of the Outlook Blues and LCBI Bisons.
- A 25-year old man from Hawarden was arrested and charged with arson stemming from a fire that was started in the Outlook & District Regional Park. While fighting the flames, crews determined that the blaze had been deliberately set, and after the suspect was seen near the fire, the RCMP were called. Working together with the neighbouring fire crew from Conquest, the fire was contained at 8:00 in the evening.
- Just northeast of Outlook, the River Plains Growing Project had wrapped for another successful year, completing another harvest that would benefit the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, an organization that works to meet the food needs for many people in many nations around the globe. Approximately 160 acres of local land is harvested each year for the global initiative.
- With electric vehicles becoming more and more relevant, a local business decided to make the move into accommodating such popular cars and trucks. Riverbend Co-op announced that it would be implementing two electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in 2023, with one in Outlook and the other in Davidson.
- Reeve Dennis Fuglerud of the RM of Rudy and Mayor Maureen Weiterman of the Town of Outlook formally announced the creation of Outlook-Rudy Fire and Rescue, a newly-combined department that serves the municipalities of the RM of Rudy and Town of Outlook, as well as the village of Broderick and Glenside. Long-term fire and rescue protective service agreements were signed with both villages.
- History was made in Saskatchewan that week in a First Nations community located not far from the town of Outlook and surrounding area. Members of the Whitecap Dakota First Nation voted in favor of their community becoming the first self-governing Indigenous nation in the province. Chief Darcy Bear was extremely proud of his community, and the new arrangement is expected to take effect this fall.
- People in Outlook and area got into a spooky state of mind when the attended the Halloween party hosted by the Small Steps Early Learning Centre held at the Civic Centre. With the popcorn flowing, the candy being enjoyed and the drinks being poured out, everyone had a great time, especially when magician Matt Gore took to the stage to show off his skills in exhibiting some eye-raising magical feats.
- Part Seven of our special look at Town of Outlook employees had Derek Ruttle speaking with Ray Ames, a facilities technician who keeps a watchful eye on the maintenance of key buildings such as the town offices complex, the former recycling depot, and the cottages overlooking the regional park. Coming from Calgary, Ray said he much preferred the pace and environment that Outlook provided.
NOVEMBER
- The LCBI Bisons senior girls soccer team had reason to celebrate following the 3A Provincial Soccer Championship hosted at their school. The team ended up claiming the bronze medal after being matched against the team from Chief Little Pine, winning at a score of 6-1.
- The newly-opened Harbor Golf Community Center in Elbow, formerly known as the Line 19 Multiplex, was already starting to turn heads after a large turnout of people showed up for a public walkthrough. With multiple meeting rooms, a state-of-the-art kitchen, an exercise room, and a large gymnasium and stage, the new venue seemed to blow away the expectations of local residents.
- Jerry Haigh, a globe-travelled author of several books related to wildlife around the world, gave a special presentation at the Outlook Public Library to an interested audience. The Scotland-born Haigh spoke of his many interactions with moose over the years, highlighting their important place in our ecosystem.
- Jeremy Cockrill, Minister Responsible for the Water Security Agency, officially opened a new head office located at Gardiner Dam. This marked the first major construction to the office site at Cutbank since Gardiner Dam was built in the 1960's. The new office location signified an investment of $6 million.
- In our last spotlight profile of the year, Owen Redlick spoke with Derek Ruttle about his role as the Town of Outlook's recreation supervisor. In a job that sees him wear many hats and many different hours of the day, Redlick said he enjoys what the job has him do on a daily basis and emphasized that people are often seeing the results of a team effort by everyone on town staff.
- The community of Outlook has a lot that it can proudly proclaim, but the findings of Saskatchewan ghost hunter Curtis Riersgard led him to determine that the Jim Kook Rec Plex was the most haunted location that he'd ever visited in the time since he started his YouTube series, Purgatory Adventures. Riersgard and his uncle Nathan stayed overnight in the rink, which led to all sorts of questionable interactions with things that may or may not have been ghostly.
- The Outlook Ice Hawks took a little bit of time before their home game against Rosetown to commemorate last season's provincial championship victory. Before the puck was dropped, a ceremony at center ice saw the Provincial Senior B Championship banner raised high above in the Jim Kook Rec Plex, and then-coach Bob Stephenson touched on several key moments of the previous season.
- The latest three-show run by Equinox Theatre may have been the recipe that audiences were looking for in Outlook. 'Five Alarm' proved to be a snappy, funny production that starred Stephanie Guebert, Phil Guebert, Jill Lee, Heather Peardon, Lee Genereux, and Jordan Davies, who more than earned the audience's applause by the final curtain.
DECEMBER
- This was the year that Christmas went to the dogs in Outlook as Santa 'Paws' Day was enjoyed by many of those with both two and four legs at the Outlook & District Heritage Museum. Santa posed with many people as well as pups who showed up, and while kids left with candy and popcorn, the dogs left with a few bones of their own.
- Taebyn Tulp, a Grade 12 student at Outlook High School, spoke with Derek Ruttle about her years of dedication and commitment to the sport of wrestling. Tulp is a gold medal-winning athlete who was recently the recipient of $5,000 courtesy of the Glenn 'Keeper' McWhinney Scholarship. Tulp hoped to become something of an ambassador for the sport and see more girls become interested in wrestling.
- Another community open house event in Outlook at the Civic Centre brought out a sizable crowd of people who were interested in seeing what the town had to offer. When people weren't learning more about local businesses and organizations, they were getting caught up on current projects that were in the works, such as the expansion of the Small Steps Early Learning Centre.
- Twenty people representing Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Outlook and Bethel Lutheran Church in Elbow were at the airport in Saskatoon to greet refugee families as they arrived in Canada. One family seeking resettlement was large, with 19 people, and the churches worked to make sure the entire family was located near each other.
- SaskCanola announced its new board members, with one of them being from the Outlook area. Anthony Eliason, a fifth-generation farmer in the area with a growing family of his own, was one of four new members to the Board of Directors for a four-year term. Eliason previously served on the Board of the Irrigation Crop Diversification Corp in Outlook.
- It isn't every day that a rock band decides to shoot its latest music video in your community, but that's just what happened earlier in the fall when Saskatoon rock group Autopilot shot the video for their song, 'Feverish Dreams', in the old swimming pool location. At the time, the band had recently wrapped an American tour leg.
- The village of Elbow once again 'flipped the switch' on Christmas, with residents turning their holiday lights and decorations on and a rotating cycle of vehicles showing up at the Harbor Golf Club to receive treats and hot chocolate courtesy of the mayor, village council and Santa Claus.
- Not even the Grinch could take the smiles away from Outlook and area residents as people took in the third edition of the Winter Wonderland drive-thru exhibit down in the Outlook & District Regional Park. The popularity of the ten-night attraction seemed to indicate that it's definitely here to stay in the riverside community.
- A team of elves from Equinox Theatre were busy transforming the inside of the Outlook Civic Centre into a celebration of all things Christmas for a special three-night event. The exhibit would allow people to tour the building, visiting many different areas that shed light on the various aspects and the importance of the holiday season.
- The first concert experience that young Alex Keeler of Dinsmore had in Saskatoon would be one that he would never, ever forget. The ten-year old youth, a Grade 5 student at Dinsmore Composite School, attended the Kane Brown concert at the SaskTel Centre and actually found himself onstage with Brown, singing a duet with the popular country performer.
- Students at LCBI High School in Outlook kept people entertained throughout the day with a litany of events, whether it was the trade show held in the cafeteria or the Christmas concert that included sopranos, tenors, altos, as well as the men's chorus of Outlook. As well, LCBI's drama department hosted a very special performance of 'It's a Wonderful Life - A Radio Play', that was a hit with the large audience.
Those were among the biggest headlines, stories, and events that encompassed the year that was 2022, showing that it was indeed a very busy twelve months. What does 2023 have in store for everyone? Well, we hope you'll tune in with us each and every week and read to find out!
