Black Diamond man dies at feedlot

By Pamela Roth
Staff reporter

It was not the Father’s Day the Chandler family had planned.
Kevan Chandler, a 37-year-old Black Diamond man, died in hospital after he was buried in a silo by a pile of grain while on the job.
The accident occurred west of High River at Tongue Creek Feeders while the man was reportedly inside the silo shoveling grain, when the grain suddenly shifted on top of him.
A co-worker managed to pull Kevan Chandler from the silo and administered CPR until paramedics arrived at the scene.
Despite efforts to revive him, Chandler was pronounced dead at the High River Hospital.
“Similar things have happened in the past,” said High River RCMP Cpl. Dave Gawthrop.
“I wouldn’t call it a freak accident. There are hazards that go along with silos.”
The matter continues to be investigated by High River RCMP and Occupational Health and Safety.
Tongue Creek Feeders owners and employees said they would like to extend their deepest to Chandler’s family.

Crime - Heritage Pointe grow-ops busted

Three homes in lake community raided by police last Wednesday

By Pamela Roth
Staff reporter

Sporting air masks and white jumpsuits, members of the Southern Alberta Marijuana Investigate Team (SAMIT) raided three homes that contained grow-operations at Heritage Pointe last Wednesday.
Several neighbours gathered on their driveways to watch investigators remove a total of 571 plants from a three-stage sophisticated grow-op at 12 Heritage Harbour, worth an estimated street value of $750,000.
A few blocks away at 71 Heritage Cove, another 1,265 marijuana plants were recovered and removed from the basement of the home, worth close to $950,000.
A third grow-op was discovered around the corner from 12 Heritage Harbor the following day and contained 373 plants, worth nearly $280,000.
Robert Erb, 24 and Patricia Davis, 20 of DeWinton, both face charges of producing a controlled substance and production for the purpose of trafficking.
RCMP confirmed there had been signs of a previous harvest at the home on Heritage Harbour, with nearly half of the crop being starter plants and the other half listed as mature.
Fortunately, neither of the homes sustained a significant amount of damage from the operations since much of the moisture was vented into the garage.
The news that a grow-op had been discovered in their neighbourhood came as no surprise for residents living nearby.
Dianne Scherbinski lives kitty-corner to the home at Heritage Harbour and has had suspicions about the young couple who occupied the home since they moved in six months ago.
According to Scherbinski, the couple didn’t work, lived in an expensive home and drove expensive vehicles. The pair would often flush out large amounts of water out of their garage, which was occupied by two large guard dogs.
During the several months they had lived at the residence, Scherbinski had only met the couple on one occasion.
“We had our suspicions. We were just waiting for it to happen,” said Scherbinski. “It was pretty evident. We are not that stupid. It’s good this one was brought down, but I’m sure there are more going on around here.”
A few doors down from 71 Heritage Cove, Bev, who did not want to give her last name, said a young couple had also occupied the home, but moved out almost one week prior to the bust.
Bev became suspicious about activity at the home after the couple immediately put up blinds in the basement when they moved in shortly before Christmas, and eventually blacked out the windows altogether.
Four large dogs would also come and go from the home, along with numerous visitors driving expensive vehicles.
Around 11 a.m. last Wednesday Bev’s suspicions were confirmed when members of SAMIT stormed the home.
“I wasn’t surprised. We were hoping something would get done soon,” said Bev. “Everybody was watching them. They kept to themselves and never spoke to anybody. They just didn’t fit into the neighbourhood.”
The triple pot bust marks the first time a grow-op has been discovered in the up-scale community north of Okotoks, but not the first time a sophisticated grow-op has surfaced in a prestigious area.
A number of grow-operations have been taken down east of Calgary in the community of Chestermere — a lake community similar to that of Heritage Pointe.
At the SAMIT office, another 200 tips from residents about grow operations in various communities in and around Calgary remain on file.
“They are in residential areas throughout the City of Calgary and rural areas,” said Calgary RCMP Cpl. Peter Ross, who noted the average grow-op now averages 550 plants. “It’s just a matter of us finding them.”

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Eye on the prize

Ralph Cartar, president of the Bragg Creek Environmental Coalition, stands by some of the trees that may be harvested by Spray Lakes Sawmill. Residents in Bragg Creek are trying to stop a proposal for clear-cutting in Kananaskis Country.
photo by Darlene Casten

Bragg Creek - Residents oppose more logging

Coalition fears clear cutting will destroy tourism industry

By Darlene Casten
Staff reporter

Members of Bragg Creek’s business and environmental community say the answer to proposed clear cutting in Kananaskis Country is clearly no.
More than 300 concerned residents and users of Kananaskis packed the Bragg Creek community centre to discuss the proposed logging plan for the eastern portion of the popular recreation area.
Another meeting is planned at Mount Royal College in Calgary on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Members of the Bragg Creek Environmental Coalition and other speakers will discuss the proposal at tonight’s meeting. Organizers hope the meeting will encourage more Albertans to write letters to Alberta Sustainable Resources, Community Development and their local MLAs, opposing the plan.
Spray Lakes Sawmills has spent three years developing a plan for its forest management area, which includes land from as far east as Nanton and west to Kananaskis.
Ralph Cartar, president of the Bragg Creek Environmental Coalition (BCEC), said the logging planned for Kananaskis will destroy the beauty of the foothills for visitors and will likely taint the water supply in the Sheep and Elbow Rivers.
“There will be a change in both water quality and quantity,” Cartar said.
Increased runoff of organic materials will result in higher amounts of phosphorous and nitrogen in both rivers and Jumping Pound Creek, which flows into the Bow River, Carter said.
“When heavy rain hits it runs off much quicker and it is much easier to have flood events,” he continued.
Carter hopes that preserving the natural habitat for wildlife and visitors will take precedence with the provincial government. The BCEC is proposing the land be declared a wildlife parkland, a move that will allow recreation such as hiking, biking, camping and horseback riding to continue, but will block industry, including forestry and oil and gas, to operate in the area.
Bragg Creek businessman Doug Sephton said the area should be kept intact to preserve area businesses.
“There are 150 jobs at Spray Lakes Sawmills, but I believe, although it is hard to know, that there is a 150 jobs in jeopardy in Bragg Creek,” Sephton said. “They can go log somewhere else and keep their jobs.”
According to Sephton, the proposed clear cutting will drive visitors to other areas.
“Bragg Creek relies on people who visit Kananaskis for their livelihood,” Sephton said. “If they say this is ugly and go to Banff we will suffer.”
Areas near Elbow Falls, specifically Allenbill Pond, and Gooseberry Campground will be most affected from a tourism point of view, Sephton said.
“Allenbill Pond is a premier attraction,” he said. “It is very popular with Calgarians who come out to picnic and paddle around and fish.”
Sephton said Bragg Creek is not the only community that will suffer economically. Other gateway communities to Kananaskis like Turner Valley, Black Diamond and Okotoks could also feel the pinch.
Information on the local response to the plan can be found at www.braggcreek.ca
Ed Kulcfar, forestry manager for Spray Lakes Sawmills, said it has taken three years to create a responsible harvest plan for their forest management area, including the areas west of Bragg Creek.
“We have a broader assessment of our forest management area that includes Kananaskis,” Kulcfar said. “It included wildlife biologists and a hydrologist looked at the water flow.”
Kulcfar said a stakeholder group that included Sephton has been kept up to date on the plans.
Community members have until June 23 to provide written submissions to Spray Lakes Sawmills. The letters will be included in the company’s proposal for sustainable resources.
Kulcfar said members of the Bragg Creek Environmental Coalition can also contact Spray Lakes Sawmills directly to discuss the plan.
Information on Spray Lakes’ plan can be viewed at www.spraylakesawmills.com or at the Sheep River Library in Black Diamond.