Corporate Canada attends playground opening

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On September 22, Cold Lake First Nation not only celebrated the grand opening of a community playground and two ball diamonds, but also acknowledged the generous sponsorship and support of local businesses and individuals who helped make it possible.

The opening was held to coincide with the signing of a business deal between the First Nation and Alberta Energy Company Oil & Gas-Eastern Region. The SAGD project (for Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage) will take place in the vicinity of the Primrose air weapons range north of Cold Lake.

About 100 people attended the playground opening, many of them companies and contractors involved in the commercial project who contributed money, materials or services to provide recreation for the youth.

Chief Joyce Metchewais gave a formal welcome in which she said "all these oil companies and contractors who work on our traditional lands contributed to the building of our ball diamonds and playground." The money raised not only purchased playground equipment, but purchased shale, and built dugouts and fences around the ball diamonds.

"The ground work was started about two years ago by band member, Ade Lard Jacko," said Judy Ness, the band's economic development officer. "There was a lot of community planning and volunteered time involved." That included the efforts of band councillor James Blackman and their recreation director Randy Metchewais, she said.

"The name of the core area, community playground, is named 'Go Play' and the playground equipment only took two days to put it into place." Ness added the children were using the playground before actual construction started.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony officially commemorated the opening of the community playground so the children could "Go Play" and it acknowledged the long-anticipated accomplishment of businesses and a community working in partnership.

The event kicked off with a barbecue consisting of buffalo burgers, which were supplied by E-Can Oilfield Services. The other companies represented and provided with plaques of acknowledgement were Alberta Energy Co.; Blackrock Ventures Inc., Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.; Cougar Construction; Shellbar Mechanical Ltd.; Primrose Oilfield Services; CLFN Social Development; H M Enterprises; Barrington Petroleum Ltd.; Bonavista Petroleum Ltd.; Opti Canada Inc.; Bison Trucking; and Access Overdoors.

During the evening, Harbir S. Chhina, vice-president of thermal recovery for the North East business unit of Alberta Energy, announced "the first phase, out of two and three, will produce approximately 25,000 barrels per day, which will be on stream by the end of next year."