Just a few last-minute details to work through and then it’ll be all systems go for a morning visit from the CPKC Holiday Train on Dec. 12 at Pincher Station.
“Things are coming along very well from an organizational point of view and we’re really looking forward to the arrival of the train at 10:35,” says committee member Alice Wagenaar.
“We have a couple of good musicians that will perform from the train, and it’s the first time in four years, so we’re excited. It’s going to be a fun event.”
This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the festive locomotive’s trip across the country.
“We will have hot chocolate at the event and Santa Claus will make an appearance,” fellow committee member Rose Murfin adds. “We could still use a couple of volunteers.”
While RCMP and Pincher Creek Emergency Services will handle traffic on the roadway, the group is looking for one or two bodies, with some traffic control knowledge, to help with on-site parking.
If you can lend a hand, email Rose at rmurfin@gmail.com.
Speaking of parking …
“We’re asking anyone coming down to arrive between 10 and 10:20. Give yourself time to park and gather by the train,” Alice suggests.
“And, with this event being a fundraiser for our food bank, if you’re able to make a donation of a non-perishable food item, or a cash donation, there will be someone there to collect it.”
A 30-minute show featuring former Calgarian Kiesza and Vancouverite Tyler Shaw will begin on the rail-car stage at 10:45 before it moves west to its next stop in Crowsnest Pass.
The train is expected to arrive in Coleman at 12:40 p.m., stopping on the railway crossing south of 17thAvenue between 69th and 70th streets, for a 12:45 concert start.
The Pincher Creek Filipino Community’s entry was chosen as the best float at this year’s Parade of Lights, not only for the colourful decorations but also for the fabulous karaoke entertainment provided to the crowd gathered along the route. Belting out some holiday favourites are, from left, Babes, Lynelle and Aya Lomitao. | Photo by Dave Lueneberg
Thirteen-year-old Avery Croft, a member of 859 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Cadets, stands guard at the Coleman cenotaph during Nov. 11 ceremonies. | Photo by Dave Lueneberg
As Canadians across the country take a moment Saturday to honour our fallen heroes, and those who have served our country, several local Remembrance Day services are planned to allow us to remember.
In Pincher Creek, a ceremony will be held at Community Hall beginning at 10:45 a.m., followed by a reception at the Legion.
Three separate commemorations will be held in Crowsnest Pass. A full community service will take place at Crowsnest Consolidated High School, beginning at 10:30 a.m. The Coleman Legion will hold a service at the cenotaph at 12:30 p.m. The Bellevue branch is set to begin at 2 p.m.
Twin Butte Community Hall will also host its own service for residents in the Waterton Lakes area. It begins in the hall at 10:30 a.m., before moving out to the cenotaph at 10:45.
Piikani Nation is holding its Remembrance Day service a day earlier, on Friday morning at 10:30, in the Piikani Nation High School gymnasium.
Organizers ask those attending services to arrive early and be seated at least five minutes before the start time, to accommodate the colour parties entering the building.
Pte. Jack Price, a member of the 54th Kootenay Battalion, was the first Coleman man to give up his life in defence of his country. He was killed in action somewhere in France on May 7, 1916, at the age of 39.
Jack was born in the north of Ireland and came to Canada when he was eight years old. His people settled in Nova Scotia, where Jack remained until about 1906, when he came to Coleman. He was employed in the mines until the outbreak of the war.
He enlisted for active service with the 54th Kootenay Battalion in Fernie, B.C., on May 13, 1915, and served with his battalion a few days less than one year.
Jack was one of the first English-speaking married men from Coleman to enlist. That he took this step from a sheer sense of duty was clearly indicated by a conversation he had with a local professional man a few days after he signed on.
“What on earth possessed you, a man with a large family, to enlist, Jack?” was the query put to him by this man.
“Well, I’ll tell you. If we married men wait here for some of these unmarried men to go first, we are going to lose this war.”
So, he followed the path of duty as he saw it, and the shock which the news of his death must have brought to his wife and family here may have been softened, to some extent, by the knowledge that if any man was ever entitled to have it said of him, Jack Price would certainly be remembered by all who knew him as a man who did his duty for his country.
He was survived by his wife and a young family of six children.
Jack Price is buried in Chester Farm Cemetery in Belgium along with 87 Canadian soldiers, 306 from the United Kingdom, 21 from Australia and four German prisoners. Another five soldiers from the U.K. and one from Canada are commemorated as buried, or believed to be buried, in the cemetery, although the graves cannot be found.
Pte. Jack Price made the supreme sacrifice — he made it for us all.
Tyler Thomas Trodden, wanted in connection with a Crowsnest Pass home invasion, has been arrested by Vulcan RCMP.
The 39-year-old Pincher Creek man was arrested without incident, and a shelter-in-place advisory issued earlier today for the village of Champion has been lifted.
Trodden was the subject of an arrest warrant for charges including aggravated assault, break and enter, robbery, and firearms and weapons offences.
Five armed men forced their way into a residence where two men and one woman were assaulted. Police allege the suspects had firearms and other weapons in what they believe to be a targeted attack
Trodden will remain in custody until a judicial interim release hearing determines if bail will be granted.
RCMP arrested Garett Adam Ouellette, 41, on Sept. 21 and remanded him in custody until his next court appearance on Sept. 28 in Pincher Creek Provincial Court.
Robert Russell Dwyer, 37, and Aaron John Thompson, 40, remain at large along with a third unidentified man.
Authorities believe Robert Dwyer is in the Pincher Creek area. He is 6’ tall and 165 pounds. He has brown eyes, brown hair and a light complexion.
Aaron Thompson may also be in or near Pincher Creek. He is 5’10” and weighs 294 pounds. He has brown hair, hazel eyes and a light complexion.
If you have information about the whereabouts of Dwyer or Thompson, or if you know the identity of the fifth suspect, please contact Crowsnest Pass RCMP at 403-562-2867 or your local police.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com, or the P3 app available through the Apple App orGoogle Play stores.
One man is in custody and Crowsnest Pass RCMP are seeking three others after a Sept. 16 home invasion in the community. RCMP have charged four Pincher Creek men with aggravated assault, break and enter, robbery, and firearms and weapons offences.
RCMP arrested Garett Adam Ouellette, 41, on Sept. 21 and remanded him in custody until his next court appearance on Sept. 28 in Pincher Creek Provincial Court.
Tyler Thomas Trodden, 39, Robert Russell Dwyer, 37, and Aaron John Thompson, 40, remain at large. The identity of a fifth suspect is unknown.
Charges stem from a Sept. 16 event at a Coleman residence. Crowsnest Pass RCMP responded to a report of a home invasion at 5:15 p.m. after the incident spread to the street.
A statement released today by Alberta RCMP says five men armed with weapons forced entry into the home and assaulted one male and one female resident. During the incident, the attackers also targeted a second male resident who had returned home.
Police allege the suspects had firearms and other weapons.
Based on evidence gathered and interviews conducted, investigators believe the home invasion was a targeted attack, The investigation is ongoing.
While Ouellette is in custody, Crowsnest Pass RCMP seek public assistance in locating the other suspects.
Tyler Trodden is 6’3” and weighs 213 pounds. He has brown eyes, brown hair, and a light complexion. RCMP believe Trodden is in the Vulcan area.
Authorities believe Robert Dwyer is in the Pincher Creek area. He is 6’ tall and 165 pounds. He also has brown eyes, brown hair and a light complexion.
Aaron Thompson may also be in or near Pincher Creek. He is 5’10” and weighs 294 pounds. He has brown hair, hazel eyes and a light complexion.
If you have information about the whereabouts of Trodden, Dwyer, or Thompson, or if you know the identity of the fifth suspect, please contact Crowsnest Pass RCMP at 403-562-2867 or your local police.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com, or the P3 app available through the Apple App orGoogle Play stores.
The best seat in the house is always one’s own. Those wishing to lay claim to their own spot at Coleman’s Roxy Theatre can do so with a donation.
Crowsnest Cando recently launched its Roxy seat recognition campaign, which is intended to raise funds for the theatre by giving the general public an opportunity to donate to the revival cause.
Not only does the campaign provide a chance to make a significant contribution to this local project, it allows participants to have their names etched in the history of this iconic theatre.
In exchange for a one-off donation, seat recognition donors can choose between having their own name engraved within the theatre, dedicating it to a current family member or recognizing passed loved ones.
A $500 contribution claims a seat in rows 11 to 15, $1,000 lands the donor in rows 5 to 10, $1,500 grabs a seat in rows 1 to 4 on the sides, while $2,000 nets a centre seat in rows 1 to 4.
“It’s just a great opportunity to support the Roxy project, so I’d encourage the community as a whole to support this campaign,” says Tim Juhlin, president of Crowsnest Cando.
“Let’s get all those seats sold and then we’ll look at other ways to continue to raise funds for the Roxy!”
Seat recognition donors will have their names placed on an early notification list for events, providing the opportunity to purchase tickets before the general public and reserve the seat they donated for.
Names will be etched on a wall rather than directly on the seats, which could be an option at a later time.
Money raised by the campaign will go toward interior atmosphere enhancements such as chair, theatre and foyer renewals.
“We have a large number of people that are in support of this that understand how the community will benefit from this theatre in many ways,” says Tim.
“Lots of local arts groups are showing their full support and donating towards the theatre, which is going to be a performing arts centre, and it’s going to be developed into something pretty fantastic.”
As Crowsnest Cando continues to fundraise for interior renovations and modifications, work on the exterior of the Roxy is expected to begin sometime in July.
Together with the Crowsnest Historical Society, Crowsnest Cando is working to restore the historically and culturally significant Roxy Theatre, long a staple of downtown Coleman.
To donate to the seat recognition campaign, or to learn more about the theatre’s restoration and transformation into a multi-use community performing arts centre, visit the Crowsnest Cando website.
Significant snowfall – 30 to 50 centimetres (12 to 20 inches) — is expected in southwestern Alberta, prompting Environment Canada to issue a winter storm watch for Pincher Creek, Crowsnest Pass, Piikani Nation, Waterton and surrounding area.
The storm will hit with heavy snow falling early Monday morning. It is anticipated to slow down in the afternoon, but will intensify again later in the day and snow will continue to fall through. Tuesday.
The highest amounts are currently expected in the Waterton area.
Be prepared!
Share your weather photos with us by email or text.
The winter storm watch was issued at 3:50 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 for the MD of Pincher Creek near Beauvais Lake Provincial Park, Cowley, Burmis, Maycroft and Twin Butte; the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass including Coleman and Frank; Piikani Nation; Waterton Lakes National Park and Blood Reserve; and MD of Ranchland.
The Revive the Roxy project has received a tremendous leg up. With the support of Montem Resources and Heritage Crowsnest, the former Montem office building, an adjacent property to the theatre site in Coleman, will be incorporated into the plans and infrastructure for the theatre restoration project.
With the additional space, the Crowsnest Culture and Recreation Society (Crowsnest CanDo) hopes to accommodate certain requirements for the theatre, including additional space for guests, backstage needs and, should there be enough space, food services.
“When Montem approached us asking if we were interested in acquiring the old Montem building, it was a no-brainer on our end,” says Howard Vandenhoef, communications director for Crowsnest CanDo.
The organization has spent roughly two years working vigorously with the community to push forward the Revive the Roxy project. The primary goal is to re-establish and restore the historic Roxy Theatre into a regional performing arts centre for southwestern Alberta.
The Roxy was once a staple of the town of Coleman. Built in 1948, the quonset-style theatre was home to film showings as well as musical performances and special events.
In 2003, the Roxy closed its doors and the building remained in limbo until Crowsnest CanDo purchased it in 2021 with the intention of creating a performing arts centre.
“It is wonderful that we are able to help out the Revive the Roxy project and see our former office space in downtown Coleman transformed into an important piece of this community project,” Peter Doyle, managing director and CEO of Montem Resources, said in a press release.
The takeover of the Montem building would not have been possible without Heritage Crowsnest, a newly formed organization that aims to preserve the stories and sites that make Crowsnest Pass such a unique, history-rich area.
The group’s goal is to act as a social enterprise for culture and heritage in Crowsnest Pass, to preserve, restore and share local history.
With the aid of Heritage Crowsnest, it is expected that the addition of the Montem building will save the Revive the Roxy project an estimated $400,000.
“You revive the Roxy and you change Coleman. The impact that it would have on the main street would be extraordinary,” says Chris Matthews, CEO of Heritage Crowsnest.
“Ultimately, Heritage Crowsnest came in and we said we’d purchase the building for the purposes of the Roxy project and secure it for them so that their fundraising efforts don’t get bogged down by the financial strain.”
The addition of the Montem building will significantly help the project along, but there is a lot of work still to be done. The project is currently in the planning and design phase as those working diligently to revive the theatre begin renovating and reshaping the Roxy.
To learn more about Revive the Roxy and how you can help the project, visit www.crowsnestcando.ca.
A handshake sealed the deal. From left are Crowsnest CanDo chairman Tim Juhlin, Heritage Crowsnest CEO Chris Matthews, Nathan Archer, Montem Resources manager of exploration and field operations, and Karlie Stella, Montem’s manager of administration, human resources and treasury. Photo courtesy of Chris Matthews
Notorious Crowsnest Pass bootlegger Emilio Picariello was hanged in 2022 for murdering APP constable Stephen Lawson.
When Alberta outlawed the importation of alcohol in 1918, Emilio Picariello excavated a room under the Blairmore Hotel (which he owned) and dug a tunnel leading to the road so he could smuggle liquor directly into his cellar.
The Alberta Provincial Police set up checkpoints throughout Crowsnest Pass to search for illegal liquor, but Emilio had ways to avoid getting caught.
At times, he would load his vehicles with what appeared to be sacks of flour. The sacks on the outside of the car, which were most susceptible to being searched, contained actual flour, which threw officers off the trail of the liquor inside the sacks in the vehicle.
Though it was widely known he was a bootlegger, Emilio was respected in the community. He gave his sacks of decoy flour to needy families, bought $5,000 in victory bonds during the First World War, and contributed money to the families of coal miners who were on strike in 1918.
Things started to go downhill for Emilio in 1921, when he was fined $20 by the APP after officers found four barrels of alcohol in his warehouse.
In 1922, APP officers recovered a whopping 70 barrels of beer from a railway car. The bill of lading had Emilio’s name on it and he was subsequently fined $500.
Emilio Picariello Photo courtesy of Crowsnest Museum and Archives
Later that year, officers received a tip that Emilio’s son, Stefano, was bringing a carload of whiskey to Blairmore from Fernie. Police met him outside the Blairmore Hotel, but Stefano attempted to escape with the whiskey.
A chase began in Coleman, with Const. Stephen Lawson firing shots in an attempt to stop the car. One of the bullets struck Stefano in the hand, but he was not seriously injured. When word of his son’s injury made it to Emilio later that evening, he and his housekeeper, Florence Lassandro, confronted Const. Lawson in front of the APP barracks.
An argument ensued between the two bootleggers and the constable. Shots were fired, and Const. Lawson was killed in front of his young daughter.
It’s not known for certain whether it was Emilio or Florence who pulled the trigger and killed the constable, but both were eventually convicted of murder and hanged. Florence is the only woman to ever be hanged in Alberta.
The APP Barracks, restored a few years ago by the Crowsnest Historical Society, are open to the public. The exhibit can be explored by going to the Crowsnest Museum at 7701 18th Ave. in Coleman.
Here, you can explore where Const. Lawson lived, worked and was killed. You will learn more about Alberta’s Prohibition history and can decide for yourself who murdered the constable.
In Pincher Creek, Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village will host a day of family activities starting at 10 a.m. There will be a bouncy castle and traditional picnic activities, including a three-legged race, a sack race and an egg race.
Blue Rock Entertainment will DJ the event and Noel Burles will perform live music. Admission is free, and burgers and ice cream will be sold. A beer garden will also be available.
Farley Wuth, curator of Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village in Pincher Creek, and museum staff look forward to welcoming a big crowd on Canada Day.
The day will finish with DJ Stu broadcasting live from the agriculture grounds on 103.5 FM, starting at 9 p.m. Families can gather to enjoy the music and fun at the outdoor venue that will conclude with a fireworks display at 11.
Organizers request that dogs be left at home.
The duck race along Pincher Creek and the Legion’s afternoon market have both been cancelled.
Canada Day events in Cowley
Cowley hasn’t held a Canada Day celebration since the country’s 150th anniversary in 2017.
“It’s been a long time since people have had the opportunity to actually come to a public open event,” says Mayor Barbara Burnett. “I think it’s long overdue.”
A large turnout is expected, with some people coming from as far as Claresholm and Taber.
“There has been a lot of interest in the village,” says Mayor Burnett. “Recent house sales have gone immediately. Within two weeks they sold. One even sold for $30,000 over market price.”
“We’re just trying to make the village visible,” she says, adding that the desire to make Cowley more attractive to outsiders, and to give the community more of a regional spotlight, were primary motivators behind the decision to host the event.
The festivities will start with a pancake breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. at Cowley Community Hall, where MLA Roger Reid and MP John Barlow will make an appearance.
From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., car enthusiasts can display their classic cars at a show and shine by the railway tracks across from the post office.
They will also have an opportunity to take part in the parade that will begin at 11 a.m. at the corner of First Avenue and Highway 510 and circle around the northwest end of the village past the railway tracks. Parade preparation will begin around 10:15 a.m. and registration is not required.
Mayor Burnett says the event committee extended parade invitations to the Cowley Boat Club, to a provincewide gun group known as the Alberta Black Powder Association and to all Cowley residents aged 75 or older.
The community hall will be filled with a variety of activities, including a market that will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and a heritage display with historic photos of the village. Locals will have the opportunity to play cards and Rene Desjardins will provide musical accompaniment, likely country and classic rock.
There will be plenty of family-friendly activities, including face-painting, soccer and equipment demonstrations from Cowley Fire Department. The fire crew will also be flipping hamburgers starting at noon.
Children are encouraged to set up their own lemonade stands, and Cowley resident Norm Walker has arranged for free ice cream.
Canada Day events in Crowsnest Pass
Pre-pandemic events are making a comeback in Crowsnest Pass and Canada Day will start with breakfast and a parade.
From 8 to 10 a.m., folks can head over to the Coleman Legion for pancakes — $8 for anyone 13 or older, $5 for children aged five to 12, and free for children under five.
The parade will depart from Flumerfelt Park at 11 a.m. and pass through downtown Coleman. Entry applications are still being accepted.
The Coleman Community Society, which puts on Canada Day activities in Crowsnest Pass, with its float in a past Canada Day parade.
From noon to 4, Flumerfelt Park will be a hub of activity, complete with a bouncy house, a splash pad and inflatable bumper balls. Guitarist Kevin Smith will perform live music and Harvest Spoon and Snacknhand will sell burgers, pizza cones and fries.
Cake will be passed around at 1 p.m.from 8 to 10 a.m.
The mini heritage railway train will be making rounds near the Canadian Pacific Railway line junction off 133rd Street, and children can take a free ride any time in the afternoon.
Crowsnest Cando has arranged for live musical entertainment in front of Roxy Theatre, located on Coleman’s main thoroughfare.
The lineup includes Tynan Groves, Larry Whan, Lani Folkard, Sarah Lillian,the Big Beat and On the Rox, with music starting at 1 p.m.
Raffle tickets will be on sale for a chance to win Roxy merch and a Canada Day cake.
Everyone is invited to visit Crowsnest Pass Museum to check out the newly updated exhibits on the second floor, or to stop by the Alberta Provincial Police Barracks to take part in Escape the Barracks, its latest attraction, launching July 1.
Share your Canada Day photos for potential publication to publisher@shootinthebreeze.ca.
