2018 - The Year In Review (Part Two)

Part Two of our look back at the year that was 2018.  Check out Part One on our main page!

JULY

• Canada Day celebrations in the area were almost rained out, but luckily the weather gods cooperated just in time for Outlook to host its annual July 1 parade and afternoon activities that included a multicultural fair at the Rec Plex grounds, as well as a birdhouse design contest and silent auction.  Down in the village of Elbow, a massive crowd turned out for the annual fish fry at the rink, and there was a street dance held on the main street.
• The Outlook Regional Park began offering free family programming in the performance bowl of the park, starting with a presentation by the Saskatchewan Falconers Club, who brought along a couple of birds for people to check out up close.
• Rocky Mountain Equipment entered into a business deal to acquire John Bob Farm Equipment, including the location in Outlook.
• Former students from the old Queen Elizabeth High School that used to be located just south of Dinsmore got together for a special reunion, bringing together former classmates and teachers to reminisce about old times.  The occasion also saw a special monument unveiled that paid tribute to the former school, sitting on the site where the building used to stand.
• The fundraising committee for the new swimming pool in Outlook announced the date for a major fundraiser in the form of a charity auction, which is set for April 5 at the Outlook Civic Centre.
• Residents and business owners alike where none too pleased when numerous locations around Outlook were tagged with graffiti, including the Legion Hall, Kinsmen Park building, and a building at the museum.  The vandalism included bizarre markings as well as the signatures ‘TS’ and ‘Sask Prophets’, which led some to believe it may have been the work of gang members based out of Saskatoon and Prince Albert.
• The Outlook Bakery hosted a special ‘Donuts by Donation’ event that raised money for STARS Air Ambulance, collecting a total of $2,988.40, plus an additional $880 in separate donations.

AUGUST

• Recently installed out at the Outlook Cemetery was the new columbarium, which had been in the works for the town for some time.  A columbarium is a massive structure designed for the storage of cremated remains.
• The sport of rodeo returned to Outlook for the first time in many years with the first-ever outdoor event labeled the ‘Riverbank Rodeo’.  Held on some land just south of LCBI High School, the two-day event drew massive crowds and left organizers with the realization that Outlook was once again ready to embrace the sport.  In the months following the rodeo, organizers met with town council and worked out a deal to secure the site, announcing that the rodeo would be a yearly event held every summer.
• LCBI High School student Keely Anderson spoke to The Outlook about playing volleyball in British Columbia as part of Team Saskatchewan in the 2018 Canada Cup tournament, coming close to winning the bronze medal.
• A large crowd came out to AG Foods in Outlook for a special BBQ event that also featured the AHL’s Calder Cup that had been recently won by the Toronto Marlies hockey team, brought to town by Bruce Peter, the son of Tony and Betty Peter of Outlook.

SEPTEMBER

• The Town of Outlook’s newest administrator, Tina Douglas, spoke to The Outlook about her new role and her take on where the community may be headed in the future.
• With a new school year came a new season of high school football, and although the LCBI Bisons geared up to take to the field, there was no senior team from Outlook High School due to low numbers, with only eight players who could commit to playing on the team.
• A special open house event put on by the Small Steps Early Learning Centre in Outlook showed parents what young kids have been up to and what they’ve been learning at the facility.
• A struck power pole at the four-way intersection of McKenzie Street and Saskatchewan Avenue in Outlook caused traffic to be rerouted for several hours during a particularly busy Friday.  During the fix, a number of locations in town lost power for roughly two hours.
• Outlook RCMP were probing a case involving animal cruelty after a dying porcupine had been left on the school grounds of LCBI High School, along with a written note attached to it.  Later, RCMP would reveal that two youths were being charged in connection with the incident.
• An iconic photo from the Great Depression was the source of inspiration for two Alberta couples who made a road trip across the province in vintage antique vehicles, relying solely on the kindness of people for food and shelter along the way.  Bart & Lisa Campbell and Fred & Teri Holt stopped in Outlook on their journey and spoke to The Outlook about this very unique and attention-grabbing road trip.
• The weather managed to cooperate and give volunteers some sunny skies when a large group gathered at the Jim Kook Rec Plex grounds in Outlook to plant trees.  An initiative spear-headed by Richards Home Hardware, the volunteers consisting of members of the public, town workers, Home Hardware staff and LCBI students were joined by Kelvin Kelly, a community adviser with the Tree Canada organization.
• After both sides were unable to come to terms regarding an agreement to move into the Jim Kook Rec Plex, Outlook’s gym facility Riverside Fitness announced it would be closing at the end of the month.

OCTOBER

• Outlook’s new swimming pool facility reached a major turning point when testing began taking place, including the pool being filled in order to look for any leaks or imperfections.  A video of the pool shared to The Outlook’s Facebook page quickly got around and reinvigorated the excitement surrounding the long-time project.
• Past and present members of the Outlook Fire Department were recognized with the Saskatchewan Protective Services Medal at a ceremony held in Saskatoon.  The recipients included Larry Baxter, Calvin Clark, Hank Halseth, George King, Lyndon Larson, Robert Larson, Bob Reid and Ross Derdall.  The medal honors personnel with 25 years of service in the emergency services field.
• With National Newspaper Week taking place across the country, print news media was calling on its readers and supporters to let the federal government and big-business advertisers know that newspapers matter, now more than ever.
• The annual Homecoming festivities held at LCBI High School in Outlook were capped with a magnificent fireworks display that brought out a sizable crowd to the football field.
• Outlook High School challenged its older students to see if they had what it took to be the school’s best driver with its first-ever Best Driver Challenge.  Held on the grounds of the Jim Kook Rec Plex, teacher Keith Theoret designed a course for drivers to maneuver through that included a number of obstacles, as well as special points for pulling off key moves behind the wheel.
• RCMP were warning the public of a new phone scam in which scammers were trying to get people to pay for things such as taxes, debt collection, and hospital and utility bills using gift cards.

NOVEMBER

• A workshop organized by the West Central Literacy Committee and the Saskatchewan Literacy Network and held at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Outlook had volunteers putting together what’s called a ‘Storysack’; a bag that contains books, crafts, games and activities aimed at promoting reading and literacy among people of all age groups.
• LCBI High School announced a Go Fund Me online crowdfunding campaign as the school announced that it would be hosting a Lutheran Youth Convention in the spring.  The event signaled the need for renovations to the boys and girls dorm buildings totaling approximately $60,000.  To date, $3,430 has been donated to the campaign.
• Outlook’s annual Remembrance Day services included a very special and solemn ceremony held just before dusk at the museum, in which ten people tolled the bell ten times each in order to mark 100 tolls for the 100 years that had passed since the end of the First World War.  The ceremony was being held on behalf of the Royal Canadian Legion, with similar events being held around the region and across the country.
• Equinox Theatre’s latest production took audiences under the sea at the Outlook Civic Centre, bringing to life a fantastic adaptation of the Disney classic, ‘The Little Mermaid’.  With a talented young cast and perhaps the best costumes seen in a local play in some time, it was a major hit with crowds over its six-show run.
• In high school football action, the end of the season saw two local teams vying for the provincial title in their respective divisions, with the Hanley Sabres hosting the Hafford Vikings for the 1A 6-Man title, and the Delisle Rebels hosting the Indian Head Broncos for the 2A 9-Man title.  In the end, Hafford proved to be too much for Hanley and won the gold, while Delisle was able to claim victory over the Broncos to become provincial champs.
• The local agriculture scene had a substantial shakeup as it was announced that Gardiner Dam Terminal Ltd. had entered into an agreement to sell the business to Viterra, and from there, Viterra would sell all crop production assets owned by GDT AgServices to the Riverbend Cooperative Ltd.
• The senior girls volleyball teams from Outlook High School and LCBI High School had the support of an entire community behind them as they prepared to venture off to Clavet and Carrot River to play in their respective divisions for the provincial championship.  Prior to leaving, both teams met The Outlook for a special photo shoot in front of the town entrance sign, making for a unique photo op on our front page.
• Steve McLellan, CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce spoke about the potential that Outlook and the surrounding Lake Diefenbaker regional area has at a ‘Let’s Talk’ event hosted by the Outlook & District Chamber of Commerce at the Civic Centre.  McLellan noted, however, that it’s up to residents to grab the proverbial bull by the horns if that potential is to be realized.
• Grade 6 students at Outlook High School welcomed the public to their annual FolkFest event held in the school gym, putting a spotlight on different countries and highlighting their customs, cultures and traditions.
• Police were investigating after a tragic drowning occurred near the Danielson Provincial Park west-side boat launch at Lake Diefenbaker that took the life of a 46-year old Saskatoon man.  The man had been taking part in a scuba dive with friends when he appeared to lose contact with his fellow divers.  He was located a short time later and was unresponsive, and unfortunately, CPR efforts failed to revive him.

DECEMBER

• Outlook’s annual Santa Claus Day celebrations brought out families in droves to the Legion Hall, where St. Nick arrived in grand fashion to take photos and speak with youngsters about their Christmas wishes.  As well, there were games, family activities, refreshments, and sleigh rides outside the building.  Elsewhere around town, the Reel Theatre hosted two free screenings of ‘Home Alone’, and the Community Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony featured the community choir singing some classic holiday tunes.
• It was officially revealed that the Outlook Riverbank Rodeo would return to town the following summer, with dates set of August 24 and 25.
• RCMP were investigating after the post offices in the communities of Kenaston and Dundurn were broken into, with a large amount of mail and packages being stolen.
• SaskPower was slammed with calls and needs for service after heavy frost and rime ice did a number on much of the province on one particular Tuesday, knocking out power to almost half of the entire province.  By the afternoon, SaskPower had received over 33,000 calls in one day, equal to the total number of calls that had been received in the month of November.
• Shareholders of Gardiner Dam Terminal Ltd. officially approved the sale of GDT to Viterra at a meeting that was held to hold a vote.
• The Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Outlook became a living, breathing community of its own when it hosted a special ‘Night in Bethlehem’ event, turning a section of the building into the town of Bethlehem for two evenings.  People could have their passports stamped, visit different tradesmen and other shops, and interact with all sorts of characters.  As well, many people stayed for the community choir’s Christmas performance held inside the church on the same evening.
• Grade 4 and 5 students from Outlook Elementary School visited the Luther Place seniors residence to serve them lunch, an activity they had decided on as part of the school’s Environmental Club.  The scratch-made meal included soup, buns, cookies and muffins, as well as homemade jam, with enough made for everyone to take some home.
• The Outlook’s special Christmas section featured bold, colorful ads from local businesses and organizations, as well as stories of holiday memories from staff, ending the year 2018 with a joyous final issue that was also rife with news from all corners.