Finlayson Island north-span pedestrian bridge had a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the re-opening ceremony in July. Town of Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie, bottom left, and Justine Meyers of Associated Engineering, bottom right, at the opening address. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Year of change

Year in Review: Town highlights include re-opening of Finlayson Island bridge

Dec 25, 2023 | 8:00 AM

As 2023 draws to a close, battlefordsNOW is taking a look back on some of the most important and impactful stories of the year.

The Town of Battleford had a busy year with many changes and developments.

July was an exciting month when the Town of Battleford held an official re-opening of its north-side truss bridge, that extends from North Battleford to Finlayson Island. The significant upgrade project was funded jointly through the Town of Battleford, the province and the federal government, and came in under budget. The north-span bridge is open for foot and bicycle traffic only, while the south-span bridge can accommodate vehicular traffic.

In January, the Historic Battleford Lions Club gave an update to council about their work. Some projects the volunteer organization has invested in over the years include the ball diamonds in the Battleford Flats ($10,000), and the Lions arena ($50,000 to $80,000). They also contributed to the Alex Dillabough Centre ($50,000 to $80,000), the curling club ($20,000), the walking trails and amenities ($100,000), and several other initiatives.

In June, the town welcomed new Community Planner Ryan Mackrell who moved over to the town from his role with the City of North Battleford.

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In April, the town’s current executive assistant, Noreen Hoffart, was appointed interim CAO when the previous CAO, Ash Alam, was absent for an extended period. Alam, who was on a temporary leave of absence for a family matter, was eventually let go from his position in June after he missed some return-to-work deadlines. Alam was reported in the Bangladesh Post news outlet to be one of the alleged suspects in the death of Canadian expatriate Afroza Begum, who was found deceased in the South Asian country on May 31, after previously being reported missing. The town later hired Landon Chambers to fill the vacant CAO position. Chambers started in the new role on Sept. 1 after serving as the CAO of the Resort Village of Cochin since 2021.

In March, the town’s mayor, Ames Leslie, spoke to battlefordsNOW about his hopes for the provincial budget. Leslie said he would like to see the province’s budget be more mindful of municipalities’ needs. “My big one would be the PST on municipal construction,” he said. “I know it’s been in the media a lot lately… But it’s something I’ve actually brought forth to Premier [Scott] Moe and our MLAs at the time for the last three or four years.” Leslie said it “really puts a hard impact on the town’s taxpayers” when the town also has to raise funds for the PST on a project.

In an unusual story in June, a Battleford resident, who was choosing to let his lawn grow naturally rather than cut it, came to council. Nathan Anderson questioned the Town of Battleford’s order he received asking him to cut his grass. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” he said. Council later determined the overgrown grass contravenes the town’s bylaw and must be cut, as per the Tall Grass Order.

In October the Fred Light Museum in Battleford announced it would host the 2023 “Honour Our Veterans” banner program, showcasing banners in both the Battleford and North Battleford programs. “The North Battleford Legion and their banner supporters are joining us this year. With this being the fifth year, all families and friends who have honoured a loved one are invited back,” Fred Light Museum manager Bernadette Leslie said. The Alex Dillabough Centre in Battleford saw a full house for the unveiling ceremony.

In December, the town passed its budget for 2024, which will see a zero per cent tax increase as positive news for the year ahead.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @battlefordsnow