Times may change, but the issues faced by local government seem to stay the same. Pat Milligan, who was mayor of Okotoks from 1968 to 1977, opted not to run again in the 1978 election. An editorial in the Western Wheel at the time said installation of storm sewers, rising taxes, planning problems, land re-zoning and administration upheavals had taken their toll on the mayor of nine years. “In the 70s, that’s when a lot of planning was put in place for areas such as Hunter’s Glen and Woodhaven, because that all started being built in 1978,” said Okotoks museum specialist Kathy Coutts. “But all that planning, the foresight into growth, was during his terms as mayor. “A lot of change happened at that time. I imagine those council meetings would have been fascinating because of that desire to maintain the small town versus growth and the cost of it.” Milligan had served nine years as a town councillor prior to becoming mayor, beginning his first term in 1959. At that time, new councillors were given the job of taking care of the skating rink, which meant managing rentals, making up schedules, spending hours at the rink and on the telephone and generally taking care of the ice. “Can you imagine that responsibility today to become a member of council?” said Coutts. “What a responsibility. And in those days it was a few Okotoks Minor Hockey teams, the Okotoks Oilers and the Okotoks Figure Skating Club. That was about it.” That wasn’t his only involvement with the rink. The Milligan family was one of many who helped install artificial ice in the skating rink and curling rink, working through the night pouring cement for the base. Milligan’s dedication to the town resulted in a lasting legacy as a main thoroughfare in town bears his name: Milligan Drive, which runs east to west connecting 48 Street to Northridge Drive. Eighteen years with town council also made enough impact to warrant the Pat Milligan Roast, which took place on March 18, 1978. It was hosted by the Lions Club, and at the roast he received gifts and well wishes from the community. According to a Wheel article from March 22, 1978, among those who spoke were Jack Brown as master of ceremonies and John Fraser, who kicked off the evening with the first speech, which was “the funniest and smoothest speech of the evening.” Milligan’s wife, Jean, penned the family’s memoir for the Century of Memories book published in 1983, and said the roast evening, during which she was reportedly referred to as the First Lady of Okotoks, was the highlight of retirement. “We had a beautiful dinner, with approximately four hundred people in attendance,” Jean wrote. “Pat received wonderful gifts from the Lions Club, the Elks Club, The Western Wheel, Chamber of Commerce, and The Town of Okotoks. What a wonderful and thrilling evening it was, and one that shall never forget. Thank you, Okotoks!” Milligan was also a businessman. He originally came to Okotoks as an agent for the Midland Pacific grain elevator, but his entrepreneurial spirit shone through. In 1956, he partnered with young Bill Hebson to establish the Okotoks Feed Service, which was located where the current parking lot for the Okotoks Public Library sits. It’s a close connection for Coutts, who is Hebson’s daughter. “My dad was just this young kid who went into partnership and built the Okotoks Feed Service,” said Coutts. “He was I think 19 at the time. How many 19-year-olds do you know who go into partnership and open up a business, even in those days?” Hebson didn’t stay in the business long though, as he couldn’t tolerate the dust that came with processing feed. The Milligans bought him out, she said. Milligan was also an active member of the Elks, and was the exalted ruler from 1964-965 while Jean, who was involved with the Royal Purple Lodge, was the Honoured Royal Lady for the same year. “They were very busy,” said Coutts. “You would have to be in those days, with so much change and fundraising various town projects. It was a different time.”
