People in Sundre and the surrounding area seem to have largely celebrated Canada’s birthday safely, with emergency services reporting no major incidents.
“It was totally uneventful,” said Kevin Gamble, Sundre Fire Department’s deputy chief.
“We had one EMS call,” said Gamble, adding there were no motor vehicle collisions or structure fires responded to.
The local RCMP detachment also reported a safe weekend.
“We had no major incidents,” said Sgt. Jody Achtymichuk.
A few checkstops were set up throughout the weekend at locations including immediately east of the Red Deer River Bridge on Highway 27 near the Visitor Information Centre, as well as on Rig Street leading into the West Country and also on Highway 584, said Cpl. Joe Mandel.
“We pulled in resources from outside detachments,” said Mandel, adding an additional four members from neighbouring jurisdictions bolstered each night the Sundre detachment’s regular weekend complement of two to three officers.
With new impaired driving laws in place that give police authority to demand drivers provide a breath sample, officers did sporadic mandatory alcohol screening tests, he said.
“We throw that in now with the checkstops.”
Police also patrolled on quads in the West Country, and the corporal reported that “everyone was playing safe” and there was “nothing out of the ordinary.”
Serving Sundre for about four years, Mandel said the local RCMP in his experience has not had major issues over previous Canada Day long weekends.
“This one lines up with that,” he said.
“Everyone was safe and enjoying themselves.”
The weather — rain fell throughout most of the weekend and “it was a little gooey at times” — might have contributed to a quieter weekend, he said.
From Friday, June 28 to Monday, July 1 the RCMP received 34 calls for service, he wrote in a followup email.
“There were five impaired investigations, several complaints about the traffic lights being too slow, a complaint about grizzly bears spotted near Westward Ho, a couple of break and enter files as well as other traffic complaints.”
