If Dryden was just a small community along the Trans Canada Highway before, that clearly isn’t the case anymore.
Dryden was very well represented at the Olympics in the form of Chris Pronger of the men’s Olympic gold medal hockey team, in the presence of the police force and local O.P.P. officers and even a mention at the opening ceremonies for having the whole community out to celebrate the Olympic Torch Relay.
Most Drydenites cheered, watching their big screen T.V.s at home, wishing they could be part of the melee that was downtown Vancouver.
Dryden fans were, however, also represented at the Olympics in the form of the Lang family.
Emma and Kaden along with their parents, Erik and Adi bought tickets last July and got into some of the top events at the Games, including the ladies halfpipe, ski-cross and of course hockey and curling.
And not just any hockey. They got to see up close and personal Team Canada beat out Sweden 13-1 in the round robin.
Adi says the atmosphere in the UBC Thunder Place was too contagious to ignore.
“The vibe in the whole arena was awesome. We did the wave and everyone was cheering. You couldn’t help but stand up and cheer.”
The team also enjoyed the bronze medal game in women’s hockey between Sweden and Findland and added that even though Canada wasn’t playing, the arena was a sea of red except for the occasional yellow or blue.
Emma and Kaden were also lucky enough to be spectators in the women’s curling gold medal game between Canada and Sweden.
The family also took part in the events downtown for spectators, including the sponsor’s pavilions that were set up and even toured exhibits set up by the Hockey Hall of Fame.
When asked what their favourite part about being at the Olympics was, little Kaden had an amusing story to tell.
“I liked the Canada versus Sweden hockey game. Number 23 shot the puck [during warmup] and hit the goalie in the face.”
Adi adds that the goalie was okay and they still won the game.
The family said it was a once in a lifetime experience to be able to go to the Winter Olympics in Canada.
Transportation was amazing to and from the events and volunteers were everywhere if anyone needed any help.
The weather was gorgeous and the only snow in sight was on the mountains for the skiing.
Adi says that there were people everywhere and every once in awhile, someone wouldn start singing O Canada.
“Even if you were there and didn’t go to any of the events, it was awesome. Everywhere was red. Everyone had their Canada stuff on all the time.”
Emma adds that it was great to be able to see Canada participate in the Winter Olympics at home because they’re not going to go all the way to Russia to see them in 2014.

For photos, see this week’s edition of the Dryden Observer

In the interest of public safety, the Dryden Police Service is issuing a warning about a violent offender who is now residing in Dryden.

Edward Hamel, age 37, was released from Saskatchewan’s Regional Pyschiatric Centre where he served three years for two counts of uttering threats to cause death /harm to a police officer and a correctional officer.

Hamel — who is Caucasian, 5’6” (168 cm), 207 lbs with shaved brown hair and a goatee — is considered by police to be a violent offender who has a history of violent offences and poses a risk of significant harm to the community.

The Dryden Police Service is issuing this information and warning after careful deliberation of all related issues, including privacy concerns, in the belief that it is clearly in the public interest to inform the members of the community about Hamel.

Members of the public are advised that the intent of this process is to enable citizens to take suitable precautionary measures. Releasing this information in not intended to encourage people to engage in any form of vigilante action.

It may be a case of bureaucracy moving slower than the speed of business.

British Columbia-based based wooden utensil manufacturer Aspenware, the new anchor tenant for the City of Dryden’s Norwill Subdivision, told a regional newspaper this past week that plans to build a 50,000 square foot facility in Dryden in the fall of 2010 are being pushed back pending provincial government approval for loan guarantees and fibre supply.

The City of Dryden has made site preparation for the North Dryden industrial development a top priority in 2010.

In September of 2009, The City of Dryden received close to $3 million in provincial and Fednor funds to assist in the development of their Norwill and Centennial Business Park projects, just north of the Trans-Canada.

The issue of Dryden’s lack of kidney dialysis services has again been raised with the Board of Directors at the Dryden Regional Health Centre.
A petition, featuring over 1200 signatures in support of acquiring local dialysis units has been brought forward.
Dryden resident and dialysis patient Darlene Pollard started the petition before Christmas.
Pollard travels to Sioux Lookout three days a week for treatment as part of the satellite program set up by the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Pollard is in a wheelchair and says traveling back and forth every week is taking its toll.
“It’s a long day for me. If it were closer, it wouldn’t be so hard on us. It kind of ruins your whole week. You haven’t got time to do anything and you don’t have much of a social life.”
Pollard says she was offered a home-based treatment unit but is unable to operate the machine on her own. With no one able to be trained to use the machine, she is forced to continue her out-of-town trips for treatment. Her suggestion is to bring treatment to Dryden to make life easier for those who have to travel out of town.
Wade Petranik CEO of the DRHC and Secretary of the Board of Directors says it’s not a matter of bringing in the unit, it’s all about the finances.
“It’s not about the equipment, the equipment is the most minor part of the service. It’s actually establishing the staffing costs. You need specially trained nurses to staff a unit and deliver the dialysis treatment. The reason Dryden doesn’t have one is that we just don’t have enough patients in our catchment area to make it economically viable.”
In order to set up a unit, 24 patients are needed to establish the service. Currently, Dryden has only three patients who require the in-clinic treatments.
Doug Bergman has been following the debate for years. Travelling to Sioux Lookout three times a week for dialysis, he says the issue is complex. As Dryden patients play a big role in dialysis programs in Sioux Lookout and Fort Frances, he says those health care centres would likely oppose the establishment of services in Dryden.
“I can still do the driving,” said Bergman. “But when you look at all the patients who have had to move away because they can’t do the driving anymore. I’d like to see a machine or two here — it would serve all of us. Time will tell.”
Petranik adds that the centres in Sioux Lookout and Fort Frances are satellite units based and monitored in Thunder Bay by a nephrologist (kidney specialist) and support for another program is impossible due to a shortage of specialists and the current work load put on the nephrologists in Thunder Bay.
The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care has established the Ontario Renal Network to assess the current situation and to ensure timely services no matter where the person lives, promote home treatment where available and support for the patients.
Petranik says that although the Board of Directors has no authority to establish a unit, they understand the situation dialysis patients are dealing with in the area.
“We certainly sympathize with patients that have to travel. There’s no doubt it’s a tremendous hardship for them and their families but really, it boils down to a numbers game.”
He adds that hopefully, the newly established Ontario Renal Network can make new alternatives available for dialysis patients in Dryden in the future.

- Sarah Madussi

Riverview Lodge donates to wheelchair curlers
Jamie Railian, centre, and Danielle Scherban from the Riverview Lodge present to Chester Draper, Mark Wherrett, left, and Cindy Hoffstrom of the wheelchair curling team to help fund their trip to Kelowna for Nationals this month.
The three are also being honoured with a spaghetti dinner Friday, March 5 at Eagles’ Landing to help fund their trip to Kelowna.
Dinner starts at 5 p.m. and everyone wishing to help these three represent Dryden at the Nationals are encouraged to attend.