Moment with the Mayor

As Mayor, I receive many requests or inquiries. They arrive in different ways; most come by mail, email or phone. The invitations are often to bring greetings or a welcome on behalf of City Council and the City of Lloydminster. At other times, I am invited to be a guest at a gala, banquet or celebration. All these events are great opportunities for our community’s hospitality to shine brightly.

We have the pleasure to celebrate our small businesses who serve us each and every day. Small businesses range from restaurants to automobile dealerships to specialty shops and beyond. 

Once again, we look to make sure that we’re prepared in case of an emergency. This year, cooking fires is the focus of the Fire Prevention Week campaign, October 8-14. There are many aspects to fires and cooking, and some I would encourage you to think about include barbecues, stovetops, ovens, toasters and the like. Always ensure the cooking device is not touching something that may light on fire. 

I regularly have the opportunity to meet people who have recently moved to Lloydminster. There are local farmers and ranchers retiring, those leaving the big cities looking for a slower pace of life and housing that is more affordable. Lloydminster is also home to those who have moved from somewhere far off to answer the call for employment opportunities. Thank you for choosing Lloydminster.

It can be said that some things are a blessing and a curse all at the same time. We receive many benefits when it comes to being a community served by Canada’s two railway companies. Increased economic development is a direct benefit; the offset is the increased traffic on the rails and more time waiting at railway crossings.

Welcome back from a great summer as we start the transition to fall. I had the pleasure to connect with many of you at a number of summer events and gatherings. The city was fortunate to host a number of great events throughout the summer across the city and our surrounding area. Please plan to join us and our sponsors at Bud Miller All Seasons Park for Fall Fest on Saturday, September 16, from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free for All. I hope to see you there!

We always look forward to summer! We’ve had some great weather already and some much-needed rain. I am sure the children are all ready for the school year to be over, as are the teachers.

One of the services we all depend on and hope we only need once an emergency arises is emergency medical services (EMS). Depending on where you live in the city or around us, you will see trained professionals who answer the call for help. These individuals work for private or public ambulance providers who serve us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Conference and trade show in Toronto. I was joined by councillors Aaron Buckingham and Jonathan Torresan and around 2,500 elected officials from coast to coast to coast.

As the sun really starts to shine and we all make our way to a cool spot – perhaps the lake or a pool. Wherever we happen to go, my thoughts turn to water safety. For sure, water brings relief and comfort for some but also fear for others. Often these reactions to water have some basis on whether you learned how to swim. Swimming is an excellent sport and a great opportunity for increasing our health and well-being.