A glimpse into the last 40 years of the Athabasca Advocate’s archives reveals a diverse collection of stories; many of which remain relevant today. This Week in History will highlight the most noteworthy headlines published at this time in each decade.
10 years ago
This week in history, a Calling Lake man pleaded guilty to two counts of breaking and entering and was sentenced to one year of jail time for a crime that made national headlines in 2014. After the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, the man broke into a motel room occupied by gold medallist Canadian curler Brad Jacobs during his stay in Boyle for the Brian Mudryk charity golf weekend. The man stole a ring that was given to the gold medallist after his Olympic victory months before, along with other items of worth. The ring would soon be returned to Jacobs.
20 years ago
In 2004, Athabasca’s town council approved the development of a Supported Independent Living Program (SILP) for Alberta’s youth. The focus of the program was to establish a home for 16- to 20-year-olds who struggled to support themselves which included children who outgrew foster care. A crucial goal of the SILP was to provide young adults with the opportunity to develop skills required for independent living while continuing to attend school or work.
30 years ago
In July of 1994, Stuart (Toby) Tyler, the manager of the Union Hotel at the time, claimed that Athabasca’s liquor business was drying up. Tyler attributed this to Athabasca’s abundance of cops who he said were bordering on harassment and driving away customers by consistently parking outside the building. Despite the RCMP denying any biases against the Union, Tyler stated that a plan of action to save his business would be necessary. This plan would entail a designated driver program with the aid of other general business managers. During these early stages, Tyler acquired funding for his program from the RCMP along with other local businesses.
40 years ago
Athabasca County’s original economic development committee made big moves in July of 1984. With newly elected chairman Ron Lewis, the committee aimed to address many of the same issues that Athabasca’s current committee faces. The two committees both put emphasis on the importance of creating employment for the local population while building relationships with citizens. The original committee set out to put the town’s natural resources to use by establishing an industrial base for clay and lumber, as well as increasing tourism and expanding the region’s tax base.
