Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Pick up a book and go

By Lisa Goudy


Library staff are aiming to get more kids reading this summer.

“It’s basically to encourage a level of literacy between parents and kids and for kids to want to explore reading on their own,” said Moose Jaw Public Library children’s librarian Tina Dolcetti. “What we’re trying to do is offer a fun way for to stay involved throughout the summer.”

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Lisa's Corner: Dealing with stress

By Lisa Goudy


Some things have a tendency to sneak up on you.

As a student, deadlines for assignments, projects and tests are suddenly there. As an employee, deadlines still can sneak up you if you’re not prepared.

But what I think is really dangerous is how stress can sneak up on you — sometimes without you even knowing it. It varies for everyone how stress manifests, but it negatively affects your health. We need to recognize stress, relax and learn how to better manage stress. I too need to listen to my own advice more often. I’ve always known my neck and my shoulders get sore easily. I do my best to sit in proper posture when I’m at a desk or looking at a computer, but after a day of work, particularly a long one, I often still feel the sting in my shoulders and neck. The case was the same when I was in school.

So I go back home and relax, even using a neck pillow. When I started doing yoga almost a year ago, I found it really helped me relax and become less tense in my neck and shoulders. After every yoga practice any pain I might have had is released.

Naturally when I had the chance to get a massage the other day I requested a neck and shoulders massage. It felt really good, but what I didn’t expect was just how bad the knots in my neck and shoulders really were.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Expansion planned for nearly full landfill

City says recycling program would help

The city landfill is approaching capacity.
It is seen here on May 30, 2013.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


Give it a few years and the landfill will be at capacity.

“We are reaching capacity within the next few years,” said Carolyn Bowler, engineering technologist with the city. “We are just about at our limit.”

The city landfill, located on Caribou Street East across the Trans-Canada Highway, serves residents of Moose Jaw, commercial businesses and other people living in the rural municipality.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Movie musicals coming to Mae Wilson

Moose Jaw Cultural Centre hosting movie musicals week

By Lisa Goudy

It’s time to say “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and go Singin’ in the Rain.

The Moose Jaw Cultural Centre is putting on a movie musicals week at the Mae Wilson Theatre from June 11 to 15, at 7:30 p.m. each night. The doors open at 7 p.m. and admission is $5 at the door for each movie. It is cash only and general seating.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Award recipients for local air cadets at 15 Wing annual review

Lt.-Col. Lyle Johnson reviews the Moose Jaw air
cadet youth organization unit No. 40 Snowbird
Squadron at the annual ceremonial review on
Tuesday in the Snowbird Hangar at 15 Wing. The
event was the final parade for the training year for
the18 cadets between the ages of 12 and 18.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


On Tuesday, the local air cadet youth organization unit No. 40 Snowbird Squadron held its annual ceremonial review in the Snowbird hangar at 15 Wing. The 73rd annual review featured Lt.-Col Lyle Johnson reviewing the 18 cadets. As well, a number of awards were presented during the ceremony.

The following is a list of awards and winners as provided by Lt. Ronley Arnold, unit public affairs officer of the squadron:

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Sharing Moose Jaw’s story nationally

Coun. Patrick Boyle attending FCM conference this weekend

By Lisa Goudy


One Moose Jaw councillor is attending the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) conference this weekend.

“It’s a knowledge-sharing form,” said Coun. Patrick Boyle, the only councillor attending the conference. “It’s an opportunity to also bring Moose Jaw’s concerns to the table and share Moose Jaw’s story and so it’ll be interesting to hear the conversation.”

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Noise bylaw under review

Executive committee discusses the noise
bylaw at the May 27, 2013 meeting.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy

The noise bylaw is under review for amendment.

At Monday’s meeting executive committee voted for city administration to prepare a new noise bylaw and for that report to come back to executive committee. Executive also voted to allow requests for exemptions to the bylaw to come before council for consideration. Currently the bylaw doesn’t include any way for council to grant exemptions to the bylaw.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Dancing Bollywood style

Dance Images by BJ year-end recital this weekend

By Lisa Goudy

Dancers from age three to 20 will show the community what they’ve been working at this year.

The dance school Dance Images by BJ will hold their year-end dance recital on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the auditorium at Peacock Collegiate, 145 Ross St. E. The event is open to the public.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Alternative option for CPR dam

Executive hears a pre-design report and presentation

The CPR dam is pictured on Monday.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy

The damaged CPR Dam is flowing, but a replacement is still in talks.

City-hired consultant Albert Engel presented a summary pre-design report and an information presentation to executive committee at Monday’s meeting. Executive voted to receive and file the report and presentation.

The city hired Engel, an expert on water resource engineering, to do an overall review of the project and identify a new option for replacing the dam within the approved budget of approximately $4.66 million.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: A cross-country cycling quest for the community

Student stops in Moose Jaw as part of tour to inspire pledges for positive change

Kilderic Moroy stands with his bicycle in Moose
Jaw on Friday. He is cycling across Canada
in support of Be The Change Earth Alliance.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy



A Vancouver university student is encouraging Canadians to take action.

Kilderic Moroy, 23, is biking across Canada in support of Be The Change Earth Alliance. He made a stop in Moose Jaw on Friday on his 24th day of his route.

“I wanted to do something to make the world a better place,” said Moroy.


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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Weekend Extra: Recovery and creativity through music

Jack Gude and music therapist Laurel Downey-Desjarlais
sing an Elvis Presley song at the Valley View Centre.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


A large grin spread across Jack Gude’s face as he sang Blue Suede Shoes.

Along with his music therapist Laurel Downey-Desjarlais, Gude also sang Elvis Presley’s song Treat Me Nice in Downey-Desjarlais’ office at Valley View Centre (VVC).

“Playing music together helps us connect and trust each other. Besides just us having our relationship from talking, playing music together helps us connect and trust each other,” said Downey-Desjarlais. “It bonds the client to the therapist and makes us feel safe.”

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Lisa's Corner: A clean city shows you care

By Lisa Goudy


I like having a clean street.

I don’t consider myself a neat freak in the extreme sense. But I do like to keep things reasonably clean. So after a long winter, particularly this past one, when spring comes and the annual street cleaning comes around, my car is never on any specific street on its cleaning day.

This past week, crews have been cleaning streets in our city, with the last of the cleaning schedule taking place today. I know every car will be moved and there could very well be several people out there who just don’t care if their street is clean or not.

But we should care about the cleanliness of our city, from roads to garbage and anything else in between.

When the street I live on was being cleaned, not everyone moved his or her car. I understand how some, or maybe even all, of those people probably forget to move their car on the right day. Despite being signs on the street informing people when the street cleaning day comes, it’s still pretty easy to forget.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Runners to Jawg for charity

Annual Moose Jaw looking for volunteers, registrants

By Lisa Goudy

Runners are encouraged to step up again for the annual Moose Jawg Charity Road Race, in support of the local health foundation.

“We had such a long winter that I think a lot of people weren’t thinking about doing any races right away until the snow went away, which was only about a month ago,” said Dawn Luhning, director of the race, which is now in its 12th year.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Council notebook

Coun. Candis Kirkpatrick listens as Coun. Don Mitchell
speaks about the minutes of the housing advisory
committee at Tuesday's regular council meeting.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


In this month’s update on Mosaic Place and YaraCentre, a total of $281,492 remains in the project contingency.

The report presented to council at Tuesday’s meeting said that contingency money is to “resolve outstanding issues in the facilities.” The same amount was in the contingency as in April’s update. 

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Celebrating parks and recreation in June

By Lisa Goudy


This June will officially be known as recreation and parks month.

Council passed the proclamation request from Norm Campbell, CEO of Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association Inc., at Tuesday’s regular council meeting. Councillors also voted in favour of encouraging citizens to celebrate the benefits from public parks and recreation services locally, provincially and federally.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Federal employment in Moose Jaw declining

Coun. Patrick Boyle, Mayor Deb Higgins
and Coun. Candis Kirkpatrick are seen at
Tuesday's regular council meeting at city hall.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


The number of local federal employees has seen a steady decrease, according to a recent report.

A federal government employment review done by Angela Markel was presented to the recent meeting of the economic development commission. While no approval of council was required, Mayor Deb Higgins presented an overview of the report to council at Tuesday’s meeting.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Moving closer to added high-density units

At Tuesday's council meeting, the majority
of council votes in favour of executive
committee’s amendments to the agreement between
the city and Civic Centre Plaza Inc. because of the
unregistered water easement under the property.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

Council approves financial settlement with Blanchard Holdings Inc.

By Lisa Goudy


The city is closer to completing the rezoning of a piece of land to allow for the development of high-density residential units.

At Tuesday’s regular council meeting, council approved executive committee’s decision for a $75,000-financial settlement with Blanchard Holdings Inc. because of granting a nine-meter sanitary sewer easement.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: WDM honouring 70th anniversary of Dam Buster Raids

By Lisa Goudy 


In 1943 30 Canadians, including two from Moose Jaw, took part in the famous Dam Buster Raids.

Now, 70 years later, the Moose Jaw Western Development Museum (WDM) is commemorating the raids on Sunday with a ceremony and flag party from 15 Wing at 2 p.m.

“Not only is it important to commemorate the event, but the fact that out of the 30 Canadians taking part two of them were from Moose Jaw,” said Shirley Stenko, museum operations officer at the Moose Jaw WDM.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Lisa's Corner: Looking at Star Trek and its warp speed

By Lisa Goudy


“Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.”
— Star Trek opening narration

Star Trek is a franchise with six unique television shows and, as of today, 12 feature films. Star Trek Into Darkness is J.J. Abrams’ much-anticipated sequel to his franchise prequel/reboot Star Trek in 2009 featuring an all-new young cast from the original series. The film stars Chris Pine as Capt. James T. Kirk and Zachary Quinto as alien officer Spock.

I’ll admit with pride that I am pretty much a die hard Trekkie. I know I’m not nearly as fanatic as other Star Trek fans out there, but I truly do love many of the series and movies. I will definitely be seeing the latest film in theatres this weekend.

Over the years, the series has given us pure entertainment for science fiction lovers. Digging a little deeper into messages in the series, it’s easy to find good examples of the value of friendship, loyalty, diversity and equality. Star Trek really has its own culture.

The Star Trek universe was created 47 years ago when the first episode of Star Trek aired on television on Sept. 8, 1966, starring William Shatner as Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as Spock. It featured a multicultural cast, a daring move in the 1960s.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: SaskPower testing wooden power poles

Annual maintenance program starts to extend life of poles

By Lisa Goudy


This week SaskPower started the 2013 wooden pole-testing program.

“It is definitely an important piece of our annual maintenance cycle,” said SaskPower spokesman Tyler Hopson. “It can definitely cause problems if any one of our poles is out of service. It can create a broken link in the chain I guess is a good comparison as far as getting power delivered to customers. So they’re all important.”

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Festival filled with choral sounds of glee

Four-day band and choral festival finishes on Thursday

The Esterhazy Junior Glee Choir performs Foggy 

Birthday Shuffle at Zion United Church on Thursday at 

the 64th annual Moose Jaw Band and Choral Festival. 

Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy

Dressed in shirts with the logo of the television series Glee, the choir members performed actions as they sang a song from Ghana.

“We do a spring tour and we’d never been to Moose Jaw. We’ve always heard about this wonderful band and choir festival,” said Esterhazy Junior Glee Choir director Kathy Stokes on Thursday after the choir’s performance at Zion United Church.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Dog park and humane society issues linked

Higgins: Dog park stalled pending humane society negotiations

By Lisa Goudy

The dog park and the humane society are different issues, but have a bit of a connection, said Mayor Deb Higgins.

“One of the initial proposals that has come forward it that there would be a $2 increase on dog licences and that $2 would go towards maintenance at the dog park,” said Higgins. “But also there is an agreement (within) the agreement with the humane society … (that) anything over and above a certain benchmark on the dog licence piece of it goes as additional funding to the humane society.”

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Jazzing it up at music festival

Directors, students learn from adjudicators

Co-director of the Brandon West Side Grade 8
Jazz Band Graydon Cramer applauds after a
student finished a solo at Mosaic Place on
Wednesday. The group performed as part of the 64th
annual Moose Jaw Band and Choral Festival.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy

The swinging, jazzy tune of the song Listen Here filled Mosaic Place on Wednesday.

“Really, I love this (Moose Jaw Band and Choral) festival. There’s really not another festival like it that I know of within six or seven hours of where we live,” said Graydon Cramer, co-director of the Brandon West Side Grade 8 Jazz Band from Brandon, Man.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Addressing youth unemployment, immigrant workers program

RBC group head says Sask. economy is doing well

Rob Johnston, regional president of the Royal Bank
of Canada (RBC) listens as David McKay, group
head with the RBC, (right) speaks about the economy at 
a Moose Jaw and District Chamber of Commerce
luncheon at the Heritage Inn on Wednesday.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy

The Saskatchewan economy is doing well, but youth employment is a concern, according to David McKay, group head of the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC).

“You’re going to lead the country for sure. But the rest of central Canada, particularly in Eastern Canada and B.C., (we’re expecting) modest growth,” said McKay. “We’re not creating as many jobs as we need among the youth. So if there’s one area of the economy that we’re most concerned about is youth unemployment.”

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Short Line 101 rolling in for inaugural run on Saturday

By Lisa Goudy


Saturday is International Museum Day and the local Western Development Museum (WDM) is having its inaugural run of its Short Line 101.

“We thought combined that with the fact that it’s the May long weekend it’d be a great day to start the short line,” said WDM manager Kathy Fitton.


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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Bringing out the inner artist in children

Museum and art gallery to hold summer art programs

By Lisa Goudy


Kids of all ages will have the chance to cultivate their art skills this summer.

“There are a lot of kids who love art and don’t really have the means to pursue that, especially as a child, other than doing crafts on their own,” said Keyanna Burgher, summer student in charge of the 2013 Summer Education Program at the Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Cypress Paving given contract for city paving

Executive committee listens as Mahabub Zaman, director
of engineering services, discusses the sole source contract
to Cypress Paving at Monday's meeting at city hall.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


Major roadway repairs will be contracted out because of the high volume of work to be done.

“This would be at least the third year in a row where our funding for roads and pavement rehabilitation does not keep up with the cost of supply,” said Coun. Brian Swanson. “So (it’s) at least the third year in a row we will be doing less pavement rehabilitation than the year before.”

Executive committee voted to award local company Cypress Paving Ltd. a sole source contract to supply and place asphaltic concrete and have hot mix asphaltic concrete for pickup.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Identifying key issues in South Hill

Executive hears update on local area planning process

Lenore Swystun, director of planning with Prairie Wild
Consulting, provides an overview and update on the
South Hill local area planning process to executive
committee at Monday's meeting at city hall.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


The South Hill local area planning process included a discussion with executive committee at Monday’s executive committee meeting.

Lenore Swystun, director of planning with Prairie Wild Consulting, a comprehensive community-based planning organization, gave an update on the pilot project and opened it up for questions.

“We (hadn’t) met with council as a whole yet and so this (was) our time to just give them an update on the process,” said Swystun. “Because housing is an issue that’s come up as a pretty critical issue to people we (also asked) council what they see as some of those critical issues for South Hill as well.”

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Motif is back for another year

By Lisa Goudy


Motif is on for 2013.

“We were looking at Motif as it is and it takes a lot of volunteer support to put it on and we actually weren’t sure this year if we’d have enough support,” said Motif festival co-ordinator Alba Zhou.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: YMCA recognizes volunteers at luncheon

Warren Miller, recipient of the Moose Jaw YMCA's volunteer
 of the year award, poses with Christine Boyczuk, co-ordinator
of the Regional Intersectoral Committee (RIC) at the YMCA's
volunteer appreciation luncheon at the Heritage Inn on Friday.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


Warren Miller didn’t expect to receive the Moose Jaw YMCA volunteer of the year award.

“I’m flattered … We’ve got some great people on the team,” said Miller. “I was nominated in a couple of categories. I hadn’t actually had any idea that I was nominated in more categories. So it’s a very pleasant surprise.”

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Lisa's Corner: Stop parking in disability spots without a valid permit

By Lisa Goudy


There is a reason disability parking signs exist.

Those familiar wheelchair signs exist on parking spaces or hang from vehicles’ rearview mirros for a reason. People who have a disability or need a wheelchair either can’t walk at all or have trouble walking and can’t walk very far. Parking spaces are designated closer to the front of buildings to accommodate those people.

And yet I’m amazed at how many people without a permit park in a spot for people with disabilities. To be fair, most people do not park in wheelchair spots without a permit. If only all people would follow that example.

The parking areas are created because there are limitations that accompany certain disabilities. They just can’t walk as far or at all. When people who can walk further take advantage and park in a spot designated for people who can’t, that isn’t fair to the disabled (if they remembered their permit.)

According to the Saskatchewan Abilities Council website, the parking program for people with disabilities issues permits for “designated parking spots to individuals with specific mobility challenges.”

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Student pilot hopes to help dogs and people

Student pilot 2nd-Lt. at 15 Wing Dave
Price stands with Muppet, Moose Jaw
Humane Society promotions and fundraising
co-ordinator Karla Pratt's dog. In addition
to his plan Pilot for Pets: Helping dogs, help
people to help dogs in Costa Rica, there are
also T-shirts for sale to support the local shelter.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy

After seeing the state of dogs in Costa Rica, 15 Wing student pilot 2nd-Lt. Dave Price decided to give back.

“I experienced it and it was sad. My dog gave me a second chance in my life and to see them and the state that they’re in, my heart sunk,” said Price. “So I want to try and give back to them, repay them basically and give them the second chance my dog gave me … (My dog) saved my life literally on one occasion.”

He came up with his plan, Pilots for Pets: Helping dogs, help people.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Getting Moose Jaw on the Move

By Lisa Goudy


An upcoming workshop is aiming to get Moose Jaw on the Move.

“(It’ll be) looking at how it might be possible to make the community more walk-able and bike-able,” said workshop facilitator Michael Haynes, an active transportation planner and director of TransActive Solutions in Canada.


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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Fewer building permits in April, but higher worth

By Lisa Goudy


The single largest building permit in the amount of $12,500 the city issued in April was to the Five Hills Regional Health Authority to build the $2.5 million foundation of the new hospital at 55 Diefenbaker Dr.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Free household, garden waste disposal until Tuesday

By Lisa Goudy

This week is the city’s Community Clean-Up Week.

At Monday’s regular council meeting the majority of council voted to endorse the Masonic Lodges of Moose Jaw’s Clean-Up Day initiative scheduled for Sunday.

An engineering department report stated the city’s program is to encourage residents to clean yards and neighbourhoods. 

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Spotlighting safety at 15 Wing fair

15 Wing Sgt. Albert Doucette (right) uses Moulage
makeup to create a wound on Pierre Brassard's
cheek at the base's safety fair on Wednesday.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy

During a fair at 15 Wing on Wednesday, the question was asked, “are you as safe as you think?”

“It’s to bring (safety) to the forefront because sometimes, work, employees (and) people at home just start getting in to their lives and daily routines and they forget,” said Carla Forester, 15 Wing general safety officer. “We want safety to become such a habit it’s like putting your seatbelt on before you drive away.”

The base held a day-long public fair as a way to mark, North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) week.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Recital Thursday night part of pianist’s thesis

By Lisa Goudy


When pianist James Coghlin isn’t playing piano, something is missing.

“It’s been kind of my primary hobby for 12 years,” said Coghlin who is from Assiniboia. “I am still looking forward to going to the piano every day. I do realize as well that if I haven’t been playing for a few days I notice the absence. So I think that means I’m addicted.”

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: More alarms and fewer complaints in first quarter

By Lisa Goudy


The Moose Jaw Fire Department responded to more alarms in the first quarter of 2013 compared to the same period in 2012.

During Monday’s council meeting council received the city manager’s city department quarterly reports for the first quarter of 2013 from Jan. 1 to March 31.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Debate at council over tax policy items

Coun. Brian Swanson speaks about the proposed tax
policy at Monday's regular council meeting at city hall.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


Despite lengthy discussion on three items in the proposed tax policy for 2013, council passed all of them on Monday as it did in executive committee.

The majority of council voted for the city to be revenue neutral with respect to the residential and commercial property classes and for assessment appeals for commercial properties to be set at five per cent for 2013. Council voted against a motion to treat the condominium class the same in comparison to single-family residential class in 2012.

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