(Submitted photo)

By Nigel Maxwell

Looking back

Year in review for Shellbrook: hits and misses from 2021

Dec 28, 2021 | 5:00 PM

With the calendar about to flip over to 2022, the Mayor of Shellbrook is reflecting back on the past year’s highlights and challenges.

One of the more obvious highlights for Amund Otterson, is the discussion around a new water treatment plant, east of the town. The $52 million project meant the town abandoning its current plan, which would have been a more expensive route for local ratepayers. This new project represents a joint venture between six municipalities including the Rural Municipality of Shellbrook and the Town of Shellbrook.

“It looks favorable for us to be involved,” Otterson said.

Explaining that construction is still likely a couple of years away, Otterson explained the big challenge will be financing. He acknowledged there has been a great deal of buzz from within the community.

“People ask where it’s at and we try to communicate,” Otterson said, adding a number of interviews have been done with multiple media outlets.

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Another highlight for Otterson this past year was completion of the rink project, and adjoining solar panels. While the initial cost of the project was predicted to be over $2.1 million dollars, the steering committee came in under budget at just under $1.9 million. Otterson acknowledged the rink was unfortunately a casualty of COVID.

“We took a big hit there in terms of active community involvement. Those rinks are the hubs of communities,” he said.

The old CN rail station was a hot topic in 2021, but as Dec. 31, its future is even more uncertain. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

Along with the renovations to the rink was the construction of a new solar panel system, which Otterson credited with saving the town a lot of money.

Also announced during 2021, was new passing lanes between Shellbrook and Prince Albert, which the town had previously called for to address safety concerns, with an expected increase in heavy truck traffic.

The $9.1 million project was officially announced by the government in the spring of 2020.

What’s ahead in 2022

Otterson said he is very excited about the expansion work being done at Lake Country Country Co-Op.

A new state-of-the-art Shellbrook Agro Centre will consolidate Ag services, in order to provide enhanced innovative agronomic solutions to local farmers. The new development will house the sales team and include a warehouse complex, hardware, fertilizer facility, bulk seed offering, equipment, and feed sales.

Construction is now underway for the fertilizer plant with the rest of the groundwork and site development to begin in the Spring. Also expected to open next year, is the town’s first cannabis store, which Otterson explained adds more retailers to the town

“Our other retailers provide as some people have said everything you need. On your way to work [in Prince Albert] and then back home to Shellbrook, you don’t need to stop elsewhere to supply yourself with fuel, groceries or hardware,” he said.

While there was discussion about both in 2021, the future for the old CN rail station and the nearby Rayside school remains uncertain. As of October, the historic rail station building had lost its heritage status, and despite some offers for new tenants, nothing has been finalized. The town has discussed plans to move the old school closer to the highway, and use it as a visitor information centre, but talks are still in the preliminary stages.

Noting a new physician will also starting work in the town next year, Otterson noted one of the challenges at the local hospital is a lack of nurses, which he explained has caused a lot of grief.

“So I hope that comes around in the new year,” he said.

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell