$1.50 Vol. 59 No. 46 • Friday, February 26, 2021 Crime stats Crime down )RUW 4X·$SSHOOH 5&03 6WDII 6JW 'HDQ/HUDWUHSRUWHGWKDWWKHRYHUDOO FULPHUDWHLQWKHFRPPXQLW\GURSSHG drop in Fort DERXWSHUFHQWODVW\HDUSULPDULO\ GXHWRWKH&29,'SDQGHPLF7KH ODUJHVWGHFUHDVHZDVLQWKHIWZKLFK ZDVGRZQSHUFHQW ALAN HUSTAK | GRASSLANDS NEWS from COVID By Alan Hustak Grasslands News The overall crime rate in Fort Qu’Appelle was down by about 20 percent last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But traffic offenses in 2020 al- most doubled as the result of a strategic crackdown on impaired driving in the area. “COVID has slowed things down considerably,” RCMP Staff Sgt, Dean Lerat informed council. “A major factor contributing to the decline was everyone spent more time indoors, and because we were able to patrol more, the police were more visible.” As a result there was a 60 per cent drop in thefts, a 30 per cent decline in break and enters and a 10 per cent drop in the number of assaults reported to the local detachment. The number of incidents of public mis- chief remained the same, but Lerat attributed that to a “core group of certain individuals known to po- lice,” offenders who “do things over and over again,” and wind up regularly in police cells. “We’re trying to help them by referring them to drug and alcohol treatment centres, but we need more help with that. We have a harder time finding shelter for men than we do for women.” Lerat is especially pleased with the work of com- bined traffic services aimed at reducing impaired driving. “That was our priority last year, a strategy to increase the number of patrols on the roads. The initiative worked. I am very proud of the members of the Fort Qu’Appelle detachment and the work they put into it,” he said. “We had 165 occurrences, compared with 98 in 2018. Lerat said any fines col- lected by Regina police patrolling the area remain in the municipality. Councillor Ron Shordee wanted to QVCA and Town at odds over agreement know whether the police will implement bike patrols in the summer and Staff Sgt. Lerat replied, “It is always a balancing act. I would like to have the re- By Chris Ashfield town control over the QVCA assets, merely a tenant of a Town-owned sources, but we don’t have the money. We are doing Grasslands News right-to-evict, and numerous other property.” the best we can.” changes which the QVCA described After about three months of dis- Lerat said the detachment’s priority this year is as “questionable.” cussion and various draft agree- to get drugs off the streets. The Qu’Appelle Valley Centre “This partnership began in 2010 ments between the two sides – all of The incidents of drug possession and trafficking for the Arts (QVCA) and the Town by a group of local citizens prevent- which were rejected by the QVCA increased 50 per cent during the pandemic. “Opiates of Fort Qu’Appelle are at odds ing the damaged and dilapidated for not being based on the exist- and fentanyl and the abuse of prescription drugs re- over the renewal of a collaborative ‘Old Central School’ building from ing agreement, or following the main a problem. The dealers are in Regina and they agreement between the two which being demolished. These citizens renewal process, but instead tried send people here to sell drugs,” Staff Sgt. Lerat ex- details the continued operation created the non-profit QVCA with to impose an inappropriate lease, plained. “We are trying to develop intelligence to find of the Old Central School as the this agreement: if the town keeps landlord or occupancy “template” out who the players are.” community Centre for the Arts. the building, the QVCA will repair, – the QVCA obtained a legal opin- Deaths from fentanyl in Saskatchewan doubled Initially signed six years ago, the renovate, restore, upkeep, and op- ion from lawyer George Morris. In last year; 377 people overdosed on the drug in 2020. agreement expired in November erate the building as a community his findings, which he addressed “The question is – did COVID speed that up? Hard and has yet to be renewed. arts centre. Since 2011, both QVCA in a letter to the town on Nov. 2, to say,” observed community clinic doctor Morris The dispute began last August and the Town of Fort Qu’Appelle Morris emphasized that the orig- Markentin, a physician who specialises in substance when the QVCA requested to have have kept their ends of the bar- inal agreement states the QVCA abuse. “Maybe, but we knew it was coming. We saw the agreement renewed, which was gain,” said QVCA member Brian has “the right to renew a similar the tidal wave of fentanyl coming.” one of the terms within the origi- Baggett in a letter to Grasslands agreement” and that the agreement The detatchment wants to start a Citizens on Pa- nal agreement. What the town pre- News. “The QVCA has raised over “is a contract in law and as such trol Program (COPP) in Fort Qu’Appelle and will sented to the group however, was a $250,000 for renovations, most enforceable by the parties thereto be looking for volunteers to act “as another pair of new agreement that saw the QVCA achieved with volunteer labour. and capable of amendment only by eyes,” for the community, and patrol the streets in listed not as operators of the facil- None of these funds would have mutual consent.” their own cars to help identify “suspicious or con- ity but instead tenants, giving the been possible if the QVCA was -SEE QVCA, 12 cerning behaviour.” 2 February 26, 2021 0HOYLOOH$GYDQFH:KLWHZRRG*UHQIHOO+HUDOG6XQ)RUW4X·$SSHOOH7LPHV Grasslands News Totally tubular fun at Mission Ridge By Alan Hustak Grasslands News This young daredevil disappeared head first down the tube slide at Mission Ridge when the park reopened for business last weekend. All the runs were closed for six days because of bitter cold, nasty weather. When temperatures began to return to normal, hundreds anxious to be out- doors took advantage of the mild conditions on the weekend to return to the slopes on their skis, snowboards and tubes. “It is just so awesome to be able to get out of the city,” said one enthusiastic boarder, “There’s nothing like this in Regina.” Because of the pandemic, Mission Ridge has in- troduced a mandatory Lift Pass reservations sys- tem which limits the number of people who can ski each day. It has also opened an outdoor ser- vice for Punch Card holders, Pre-purchased tube park passes and guests who require a day pass. Crowd control and social distancing is in effect and monitors on site instruct visitors to wear their masks properly. “All lift passes and tube park passes must be reserved in advance,” said the park’s business manager Anders Svenson. “An overwhelming ma- jority of our visitors know the rules and respect the protocols we have in place. The majority are very happy that we are here. I’d say 99.9 per cent appreciate the amount of work we have put in to keep the place safe. It’s the one per cent who are loud and obnoxious that can ruin your day.” De- pending on the whims of Mother Nature, the park is scheduled to close at the end of March. Cool cat is fundraiser mascot for animal shelter By Alan Hustak Hack said there are at least 100 res- Grasslands News cue cats in the shelter, as well as other animals. Because of COVID the group hasn’t been able to hold its usual out- Each year for the past decade or so door fundraising activities, like hot-dog residents in Melville look for the new- sales. est creation at Queen Street and Ninth Avenue west to see what snow sculpture “Even though pet food is donated, it Scott Miller has created. Miller has been is always a struggle,” said Hack. making the icy sculptures since he was Getting the 2-1/2 metre tall cat fin- a kid and normally shuns media atten- ished was a bit of a challenge for Miller tion. He comes by his talent naturally, too. “I don’t know how much time I both his mother and a sister are artists. spent working on it; I didn’t keep track, “I do them for me, but if people ap- but it took a lot of hours,” he said. “The preciate them, I’m happy,” Miller told cold snap didn’t help.” Grasslands News. This year, however, When asked if he has a name for his he created a really cool cat in his front creation, Miller shook his head. “No. yard as a fundraising mascot for the But now that it is starting to melt, let’s local animal rescue shelter. call it the ghost cat.” “If people like the cat and want to Paws n’ Claws provides a variety show their appreciation, they are asked of options for donors; contributions of to make a donation to Paws n’ Claws,” more than $20 are tax deductible. To said volunteer fundraiser Donna Hack. support the group, go to www.pawsand- “All the money we get goes to pay our clawsyorkton.ca or check the shelter’s veterinarians.” face book page. Broadview council Well repairs estimated at $12,500 By Sarah Pacio mittee could look at the tain financial assistance Grasslands News damaged wells, and until to hire two summer stu- the town receives KGS’s dents in 2021. next Lagoon Monitoring Due to provincial Broadview town coun- Report scheduled for 2022.