Strathmore

Nash Wassing is lighting up the back of the net.

Wassing, originally from Strathmore, plays with the Grand Forks Border Bruins of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL).

"It's where I first learned to play. It's where I made all those first connections with all my friends playing hockey," he said of his time in Strathmore.

He was recently named one of the league's three stars of the week.

"I've got good linemates, got good teammates, and they're just helping me out and I've been able to put the puck in the net," Wassing said.

The Strathmore Silver Sharks Swim Club raised more than $5,000 through its annual Swim-A-Thon fundraiser.

The event took place on Wednesday, Apr. 2, during the club's regular practice. The group had set a goal of $10,000, which would go towards funding equipment, coaching, and pool time.

More than 35 members participated in the fundraiser, with many of them reaching their personal goals, which ranged between $100 and $500.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the group has raised $5,115 as of Wednesday afternoon.

The top three fundraisers were:

The Strathmore Venom Lacrosse Club has moved its practices back to town.

The team has been running a winter camp in Calgary since the start of the year. After crews cleared the ice from the Strathmore Family Centre's Blue Arena, the Venom returned home.

"It's really nice because we have a draw zone all the way out to Siksika, Standard, Hussar, Rockyford, so it's a bit of a jaunt in," said head coach Travis Gauthier. 

With the regular season beginning on Apr. 14, the team will be training hard in anticipation of its first game.

The City of Chestermere is set to receive two new schools.

"As one of Alberta’s fastest-growing communities, this investment is a significant step in ensuring our students have access to high-quality education close to home," the city said in a release.

Construction funding has been approved for a Kindergarten to Grade 9 school, which will be built in the community of Dawson's Landing.

"The site is already nearly prepared, and our administration is working diligently to finalize access and services to ensure a smooth construction process," the city added.

Firefighters in Chestermere have received new training and equipment.

In late March, the city announced that the Chestermere Professional Firefighters Association (CPFA) is now training its firefighters with Basic Life Support (BLS) skills.

"In 2023, the city decided to up our level of service," said Matthew Relf, a firefighter in Chestermere who played a part in bringing the program forward. "It means that we operate to a primary care paramedic level of training."

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she expects some major industries, including those in her province, won't face new tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Smith told reporters Tuesday that things could change, but she thinks food production and oil and gas won't be targeted under Trump's new tariff plan, which is set to be announced Wednesday.

Hype for Hospice is returning to Strathmore.

The event will take place May 4 at Kinsmen Park which also extends to Grey's Lake Park.

"This is our eighth year of running this, so it's a wonderful event and it always takes place the first week of May to celebrate the Canadian National Palliative Care Week," explained Dr. Joni Mcneely, chair of the Wheatland & Area Hospice Society.

Although the event has ran for nearly a decade, Mcneely shared that most of the planning is done on the fly.

Scotia Place, the new events centre for Calgary, has announced that the final structural pile has been installed.

Crews have been working on the facility since the first pile was put in place in September 2024.

Now, six months later, the final pile, marked with the Calgary Flames logo, has been installed.

The project involves more than 1,100 piles.

According to workers, the first foundation is now complete.

The centre will feature over 18,000 seats, dining options, a Calgary Flames store, and an arena for the community.

The regular season for the Strathmore Spartans senior boys' rugby team begins in just a few weeks.

According to head coach Curtis Reid, the Spartans first league game is on April 16 at the field next to Strathmore High School.

"We started practicing a couple of times a week in the third week of February," Reid said. "Once the weather got nice enough, we got out on the field."

The team recently held their first exhibition game against Calgary club Father Lacombe.

With the weather warming and spring coming to the prairies, producers have been going through calving season with plenty of work for them. 

Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan Vice-President Chris Procyk says that, from what he's heard, it's been a decent season in the province.