Everyone’s favourite pass-time in Churchill (and most small towns) is criticizing the Mayor and council for not doing enough, doing too much, etc etc… This ranges from snow clearing to VIP visits to garbage handling – and I will admit, it usually makes for good blogging.
But this summer the Town Council has spearheaded two very nice community projects. The first was the unveiling of ‘Cookie Lady Park’. Now this may seem like a bit of a strange name, at first, until you realize that Churchill’s very own Cookie Lady, Joyce Urbanovitch, lives next door to that park.
For many years, she has been one of the anchors of this community, not only providing cookies for any kids (and several adults) who find themselves in dire need of a cookie but also sharing a pretty good story while she is at it. Over the years, she and her late husband raised several foster children as well as their own. They also ran a little riding academy in Churchill, bringing up some ponies from the south and keeping them in a corral right in town. She has influenced many lives in the north and this park is a nice way to honour her.
The town is also asking for opinions on a recreational trail for locals and vistors to use. They are seeking ideas for a safe way for people to hike, walk, run, bike, snowshoe, rollerskate, etc in polar bear country. The goal is to encourage physical activity in a place where you’re not overly encouraged to walk out on the tundra alone. I think the meeting is in Churchill tomorrow night but you can always get a survey emailed to you if you want to provide an opinion.
Aside from that, the Port of Churchill is on its sixth ship of the season with several more queuing up in the bay. A few bears are moving around now, replacing the geese that have pretty much all gone south. And Joe Stover is not impressed with the NHL lockout.
