Exploring Lac La Biche’s rich history, reading to children at the library, sampling beer at a brewery, viewing the “beautiful” lake …
There was a lot for Municipal Affairs Minister Shaye Anderson to take in during his first visit to
the area last Monday, but he left with a favourable impression.
“It is a hidden gem,” he said, adding that communities like Lac La Biche should not be shy about promoting themselves.
Anderson spoke after meeting County councillors at McArthur Place. Among subjects discussed were tourism and economic development and Municipal Sustainability Initiative funding. Highway safety and maintenance was another topic, with Council concern expressed about highways 881, 63, 36, 55
and 858. Anderson believed he could act as a “facilitator” on behalf of County. He added he was very impressed with the make-up of the Council.
“It is a good mix of experienced people and new folks,” he said. “It’s great that they are rowing the
boat in the same way.”
Anderson’s first stopping-off point was the Stuart MacPherson Public Library, where he helped Joanne
Wicker, children’s programmer for Lac La Biche County Libraries, read to youngsters from the It’s All
About Play daycare centre. He was then shown around the library by Maureen Penn, director for Lac La Biche County Libraries, and Loraine Anderton, chairman of the library board. They told the Minister about the library’s extensive services, including early literacy programs and efforts to reach out to indigenous communities.
Last year, the Lac La Biche County Library Board was recognized twice by the Municipal Affairs – winning
the YOU Libraries Award and Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Library Service. In 2013, the library board won the Municipal Affairs Minister’s award for innovation in Public Library Service.
Beer after books
After a private lunch at Boston Pizza, Anderson, who was accompanied by his ministerial adviser Brock Bowman and Lac La Biche Mayor Omer Moghrabi, toured the Plamondon-based Fat Unicorn Brewery and met employees.
Next stop was Lac La Biche Mission Historical Site, where he was given a guided tour by site administrator Raymonde Arseneault. She told him how after the first church on the site was destroyed by a tornado in 1921, parishioners volunteered in the spring of 1922 to cut and transport lumber for a new church, which opened its doors on Easter Sunday, 1925.
Before leaving the site, Anderson was invited to write a comment in the visitors’ book.
He wrote: “The Mayor spoke highly of this beautiful place. He was on the mark. Love the history. Thank you for the tour.”
