BOYLE — Between budget deliberations on capital projects and service level priorities, a new playground, and the in-progress partnership with Redwolf Corporation, the community of Boyle has big plans for 2025, and they don’t stop at municipal development.
Thanks to the combined efforts of the Boyle Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Athabasca Community Foundation, Angels in Motion, the Boyle Ag Society, Legion, Youth Centre and Historical Society, the village is set to host one of the biggest names in Canada’s country music scene this summer.
Gord Bamford, Canada’s most decorated male country artist, will return to his rural roots with a show at the Millview Recreation Complex June 6 as part of his series of small-town shows started during the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Gord is from a small town,” said Corinne Szepesi, business manager with Cache Entertainment Inc. “He has those grassroots, that’s really what built his career, honestly; it’s where it all began.”
Treasurer of the Boyle and District Chamber of Commerce Connie Wlos said bringing the country headliner to the village started as a suggestion from a chamber member and has grown into a vision with support from all sides.
“We decided to have a chamber meeting and invite other groups within Boyle, and most of them were all for it,” said Wlos. “Most of them have agreed to help and thought it was a good idea to bring him to town.”
The most recent organization to throw their hat in the community cooperation ring was the Village of Boyle. Councillors reviewed and discussed the chamber's request for a no-cost rental of the arena for June 5, 6, and 7, and came to a consensus on the pros and cons quickly.
“Seeing a good portion of our groups working together and asking for a community centre, I don’t have a problem with it,” said Mayor Colin Derko during the Nov. 20 council meeting.
Councillors opted to waive the rental fee for the arena for three days, a decision that equates to approximately $1,000 in lost rental revenue for the municipality. But the income loss is a drop in the bucket compared to the potential boon a headliner like Bamford will mean for the village.
“Our community groups are getting together to better our community — to showcase us,” Derko added. “At the end of the day, it’s their building, and we’re here to make sure that finances are looked after, but what that’s going to bring into the village, it’s exponential.”
For the chamber and other community groups, receiving the village’s support in the form of the venue donation was a show of good faith from Boyle’s elected officials.
“That was awesome,” said Wlos. “It’s nice to know that the village is working with us to bring events into town and helping us out cost-wise. It’s nice to know they have our back.”
While details like a date for presale tickets and accessory events or initiatives to drum up traffic in the village for June 5, 6, and 7 are still being sorted out by volunteers, Bamford’s team said ensuring the success of the small-town show is a priority for them, as well as locals.
Szepesi and she and the team at Cache Entertainment Inc. will work closely with the community groups in the coming months to plan, organize, and sell the show to locals and beyond.
“I hope it’ll bring a lot of people together in the community,” said Wlos. “I think we’ll be able to sell out, I think we’ll have a full house, and it’s in June, so we’ll have lots of lake people around as well.”
Since starting his small-town show series, Bamford and team have partnered with 43 communities across every corner of Alberta and into Saskatchewan, and the shows have helped local organizations raise almost $500,000.
“It keeps our people working, and it’s also a win-win for both; the community groups are able to do their fundraising efforts, and also music brings people together and is a really fantastic way to get everybody out into the community,” said Szepesi.
Bamford’s stop in Boyle will land in the middle of a special milestone for the country star. With 26 Canadian Country Music Awards, 28 number one singles, and two global Country Music Awards Artist of the Year titles under his belt, the Australian-born, Lacombe-raised artist will be ringing in 25 years in the music industry with a celebration tour.
Szepesi said more details like dates and stops on the upcoming celebration tour, called Just Gettin' Started,will be released on January 6, and Wlos said further details on the June 6 Boyle show like ticket sales will be decided in the coming months.
“It’ll be a fantastic show,” assured Szepesi. “Gord always brings a party.”
