ATHABASCA – 2024 was a year to remember for Athabasca; from the loss of the Grand Union Hotel to the return of Athabasca University’s (AU) convocation ceremony, there was something going on in town, or just over the horizon.
Town of Athabasca Mayor Rob Balay weighed in on the events and accomplishments he felt made 2024 a good year for the community, starting with convocation.
“That was a big thing for the community, and the result of a bunch of community and municipal work to lobby to make it happen,” said Balay.
The celebration of AU’s graduating students was well attended, and the town and university both agreed that the day was special. Last year’s ceremony included seven local graduates, six from Athabasca and one from Boyle, and a local leader, Mike Gismondi, was recognized for his decades-long contributions to the community.
“We’re looking forward to AU’s convocation being the steadfast event for our community for years to come,” said Balay.
“It was great, it was very uplifting for both the community, and for AU staff.”
Healthcare has continued to be a major focus for all three of Athabasca County’s municipalities, with Athabasca hosting six internationally educated nurses (IEN) who will be working in the Boyle Healthcare Centre once they’ve completed their training.
“That’s hopefully going to once and for all solve the problem in Boyle, and that will take a load off our Athabasca emergency, which has been strained for a number of years as a result of that,” said Balay.
“On that same line, the collaboration between the town and county in setting up the transitional house was a major step. Right now the IENs are staying there, and hopefully in the future when we get doctors or a nurse practitioner, that can be another tool we use to attract and retain them.”
New Business
Dairy Queen’s arrival in the early fall was another landmark event for the town; its opening day drew a large crowd, and the appeal of frozen treats has continued to draw in Athabascans even as the temperature plummeted.
A local family also extended their business interests in town — Lewis and John Semashkewich presented their plan to turn the New Western Inn into extended short term housing units.
“That was a really positive sign as well. Once that project gets completed, that will help address our housing needs for ’25-’26 and beyond,” said Balay.
For the first time in half a decade, new housing permits were also granted in the town, meaning new homes are in the stages of being built.
“It’s not a huge step, but we’re trending in the right direction,” said the mayor.
Balay summed up his year with a more recent story that’s still underway — a late November announcement from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) had Athabasca as one of the four possible names for the first ever Canadian lunar rover, and Balay said it gave the town a nice boost going into the holiday season.
“It was an a nice little unexpected shot in the arm that helped boost community spirit,” said Balay, who spoke with national media about the story.
“That was a highlight for me for sure, it got the community quite engaged and excited.”
The voting period has closed for the naming rights, but the official name hasn’t been announced yet. The CSA will be releasing the winner in early 2025, so stay tuned.
Overall, Balay said the year was a positive one for the town, despite some challenges. As the mayor and his council move into the final year of their term‚ he said he was proud of the work they had completed in 2024, and the collaboration with neighbouring municipalities.
“I’m optimistic about 2025 and some growth happening in our area,” said Balay.
“I’m more optimistic at this point then I have been in the previous seven years that I’ve been on council, and that’s a good sign. Communities need to continue to grow to succeed.”
