Sunday, October 28, 2012

Good Bye Gerry

Yesterday, Beiseker said good bye to one of its special people.  Gerry Wilkinson had passed away a few days before.

Gerry was our postmaster for many years, but he was much more than that to Beiseker!  Gerry (or Wilky as he was know to many) was a Community Catalyst!  He was the one who started this project or raised funds for that project here in Beiseker!

When Stage East came along in the early 1980s, Gerry was there.  He played three roles to perfection.  He mastered the role of the kooky judge in a skit called "The Trial Of Mrs.Westfall," and another role of a hillbilly pappy in one called "Passing Wind"!  But his most memorable role was that of one unborn twin conversing with its sibling about their pending birth.  The skit is called "Prenatal Twins,"  and it's a Gerry Wilkinson classic!  If you get a chance to watch it, don't miss the opportunity!

Gerry was a member of the Lions Club here in Beiseker and organised aspects of the Beiseker Country Fair for many, many years.  This past summer he and his wife Vera were chosen as Honorary Parade Marshals for this year's Country Fair Parade!  I think Gerry was very proud of that. 

It was good to see hundreds of Beiseker folks there to celebrate Gerry's life.  I hope Gerry's family was comforted to a small degree by seeing and hearing all those folks remember him for what he was; a true Beisekerite and a Community Catalyst!

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Trash Talk

I've heard from a few of you wanting more information on Beiseker's garbage, composting, and recycling program, so here's the scoop.

Garbage All of our garbage is is placed in a large container called a Transtor, then trucked to Drumheller by the Drumheller and District Solid Waste Management Association.  We are a member of that association.  Once it reaches the Drumheller site, it is buried in a highly regulated and fully monitored landfill site.

Each residence is allowed three green garbage bags full of garbage per week,  These are picked up each Friday morning and dumped into the two Transtors at our waste management site behind the Public Works building.  A large specially built semi shows up after Garbage Day and hauls it all to Drumheller.

What people throw out in those three green garbage bags is their own business.  As long as it weighs less than 50 pounds (23 Kg.), it's good to go.

We do encourage composting and recycling, but we cannot force folks to do that.

By the way, if you want a fourth or fifth green garbage bag picked up, you must buy a garbage tag for each of them at the Village Office.

Recycling Many years ago, I created Beiseker Recycling.  We collected just cardboard, newspaper, and metal.

Since that time, Councillor Fred Walters has advanced our recycling program to include many other products.  Most of these are trucked into Calgary and sold to recyclers.

Beiseker has a very successful blue box program.  Blue boxes full of recyclables are picked up every Friday morning from every residence in the village. We recycle:
  • Cardboard
  • Newspapers
  • bond paper
  • metal food cans (washed)
  • plastic
  • Plastic grocery bags
  • glass (washed)
  • tires*
  • car batteries*
  • electronics*
  • used oil*
  • mattresses and sofas**
  • appliances**
The fine print:
* You will have to arrange to have it hauled down there.
** You will have to arrange to have it hauled down there and there may be a fee to dispose of it.

Composting This is all those grass clippings, leaves, garden trash, and kitchen scraps (not meat). You have four choices here:
  1. You can compost in your yard using one of a number of different methods.  Most have no odor and produces great fertilizer for your gardens.
  2. You can haul your composting material down to the community composting pile at our waste management site.  You simply throw onto the top of the pile.  If you need composted material, go aroud to the bottom of the pile and collect yourself some next spring.
  3. You could create a garden waste pile at the back of your yard.  Public Works will pick it up twice a year.
  4. You could throw it into one of those three green garbage bags and have it sent to Drumheller.  Definitely the least favourable choice and one we discourage. 
So, there it is; the scoop on our waste management.

If you have further questions about Beiseker's waste management programs, the folks at the Village Office can probably answer them.  Give them a call (403) 947-3774

Monday, October 22, 2012

Stage East 2012 Now History

Wow, what a fantastic weekend!  Stage East played to a huge crowd on Friday night (the biggest ever Friday night crowd) and to a sold out crowd on Saturday!  From where I stood, everyone had a great time and many laughs and giggles!

I feel most privileged to work with this zany group of actors, stage hands and set builders each fall.  We lost a few actors this year, but we gained some, too.  Everyone worked so hard to make this weekend a huge success!

Our volunteer group would first like to thank our many, many sponsors and donors.  Without their support Stage East would not exist.

Another key to making Stage East possible is the Village of Beiseker, who provide the Beiseker Community Centre to us when they can.  And, of course, we thank those in the audience who come out to support us every year.

An extra special "Thank-You" goes to singer Alex Allary from Strathmore who stepped up to perform after one of our singers pulled out two days before our performances!

Well done everyone!  Watch for Stage East 2013 coming to the Beiseker Community Centre near you!

Sunday, October 14, 2012

The New Firehall

Today I had the pleasure of attending the Beiseker Fire Department's Fire Prevention Week free Breakfast.  It was held in their new firehall! 

The building is almost complete.  There are a few little things which still have to be corrected, but overall the building is done!  It's a great facility for the village with more meeting room area and bigger parking bays for the village's fire apparatus. 

Today the trucks were parked outside to make room for tables and chairs.  Pancakes, scrambled eggs, and sausages made for a great breakfast.  The firefighters were giving tours of their new digs and I think everyone was impressed.  When they're all set up in there, we'll have an official opening, possibly near the end of next month. 

If you're interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter for the Village of Beiseker, visit the new hall during the Fire Department's regular practices -- they're on Tuesday evenings, at 7:00 p.m.!

Update on the Bassano Station

Progress is being made, albeit very slowly, on the Bassano Station since its spectacular arrival here in the village

Those in charge of placing the building on its new foundation have found that the new foundation was built to the wrong specifications.  It is not the same size as the building.  Changes are being made to change and reinforce the foundation now. 

Once those are made and the engineer and building inspector have declared them safe, the building will be moved onto it.  They're hoping that can happen yet before the snow flies.

Even though the Village of Beiseker and the Beiseker Station Museum have nothing to do with the Bassano Station Project, its location within the village has us involved by default.  I have met with the building inspector and the current contractor.  I have sent out letters to those involved in the project offering what assistance we can provide, however Council is not willing to provide any funding to the project at this time!

All of us hope that this project can come to a successful conclusion in the very near future.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Triple Booked & the C.O.P.S meeting

You've heard of folks being double booked? Well tonight, I'm triple booked!  I hate when that happens!

I have to attend an Aero Space Museum meeting tonight at the Calgary International Airport, but I  should also be at our Stage East rehearsal at the Beiseker Community Centre.  I would also like to attend the Citizens On Patrol (C.O.P.S) meeting at the Village Office at 7:00 p.m. tonight.

Obviously I won't be able to attend them all.

If you are concerned about vandalism in the village, I do urge you to attend the C.O.P.S meeting at the Village Office tonight.  These programs have been very effective in other communities with similar problems.  Get the full scoop tonight.

If I don't make it to that meeting, thank you for going and thank you for making Beiseker an even better community!

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Rumours, Rumours!

I caught wind of a rumour that Stage East is not going ahead this year! 

Big time rumour!  Stage East is definitely going ahead with its performances on Friday, October 19 and Saturday, October 20 at the Beiseker Community Centre! 

Tickets are going fast, but there are some still available at the Mountain View Credit Union in Beiseker and at Simply Food For Thought also in Beiseker!

We guarantee a great roast beef supper and many, many laughs and giggles!

Friday, October 5, 2012

Fire Hall Ready!

After months of waiting, our new fire hall is very, very close to being done! 

There a couple of things we're waiting on but they're no big deal.  I suspect our volunteer fire department will start the move-in process at any moment.  Council and I will be touring it in the next few days. 

I'll give a more detailed report (with photos!) after that happens.