It seems like the past year was a total blur, and now we’ve flipped the calendar on 2019 and we’re now into 2020.
It’s been a memorable year for so many reasons, from the stories that have occurred to the events that have taken place to the people that we have encountered. And while there are challenges that loom on the horizon, there are certainly reasons to be excited for 2020.
We’re excited for the start of not only a new year but a new decade. The mood in the region is certainly different from what it was 10 years ago, but we need to look forward, and think about what kind of community we will have in 10 years from now. Certainly Estevan and other southeast communities will be very different when we write about why we’re looking forward to the 2030s.
Hopefully this decade will be the roaring ‘20s at some point in the Estevan area.
We’re looking forward to election fever. Due to the timing of the next provincial election, we’re going to have provincial and civic elections within a few months of each other later this year. The provincial government could have pushed their election back to the spring of 2021, and allowed the much larger civic and school board election to continue in October 2020. But they didn’t. So we get two elections this fall.
While there might not be much suspense in ridings like Estevan and Cannington for the provincial election, it will be interesting to see how the civic election in Estevan plays out.
Hopefully some of the keyboard warriors who have taken non-stop potshots at Estevan city council will stand up and let their name stand in 2020. If they don’t, then maybe they should be viewed as social media losers.
We’re also interested to see how the leadership race for the federal Conservative Patty plays out. If the Tories’ supporters play their cards right, then the person they elect as leader should be the next prime minister of this country. But to do that, certain factions within the party will have to ask whether they want someone whose political beliefs align with theirs, or if they want someone who actually has a shot at getting elected prime minister.
We’re hopeful the work of local economic development employees and committee members starts to pay dividends for Estevan. This is a very important group of people who are looking to chart the direction of the city moving forward, as we prepare to enter what will be a new normal for the city.
We’re looking forward to some really exciting events in this community, such as in early June, when the Estevan Fair and the Estevan Rodeo will be held on the same weekend for the first time in more than two decades. Coupled with a country music concert that weekend featuring Gord Bamford and Jess Moskaluke, it’s going to be one of the biggest weekends in Estevan this year.
Speaking of big events, we’re looking forward to a second installment of the Rafferty Rumble. The return of the Rumble was one of the top events of 2019.
We’re looking forward to the host of great community events and fundraisers that silence those who say there’s nothing to do in Estevan (or other communities in southeast Saskatchewan for that matter).
We’re looking forward to seeing how the Estevan Bruins build for the 2022 Centennial Cup national junior A hockey championship.
Finally, we’re looking forward to bringing you all of the stories of Estevan and area, and keeping you informed of life in the community.
