Sept. 24, 1980
Mr. Norm Cummings, acting on behalf of the chamber of commerce, attended a meeting on Aug. 13 with Sid Vollmin and two representatives of the Alberta Transportation department, Mr. Tom Watt, director of aviation, and Mr. D. Brownridge, manager of airport development. The meeting’s purpose was to discuss the possibility of a new airstrip for the Town of Sundre. The municipality had already agreed in principal to the proposal, which, if approved, would be built and financed by the Transportation Department. Operation of the airstrip would then be turned over to the Town. Plans were already being drawn up for the 3,000-foot airstrip, which if built would be designed to accommodate almost any type of aircraft. The runway would also be paved and lit, running northwest to southeast south of the existing strip on land owned by J. Morgan, or on Crown land, or both. Provincial grants were also available for a control tower, but it was not known at the time to what stage the airstrip would be developed. Cummings was enthusiastic about the project’s potential, and said such an airstrip — which had a 1983 completion timeline — would be a big plus for Sundre.
Sept. 27, 1995
Construction of the Allied Arts Centre in Sundre was reported to likely begin in the spring of 1996, according to the Sundre and District Allied Arts Society president Bill Lough. Work had originally been expected to start that fall, but poor weather combined with a number of revisions had pushed groundbreaking back to the following spring, he said. “When we set out to build the Art Centre, we had an objective of raising $135,000,” he said. “We succeeded in that objective and are now sitting with about $155,000 by way of cash or materials donated. Unfortunately, because of redesigns, the cost of the Arts Centre has been pushed to $195,000.” The centre, today known as the Sundre Arts Development Centre, was envisioned to provide a showpiece for local art and music groups, and included plans for a large stage as well as dressing rooms and a seating area. “The community has been supportive, and it continues to be so,” said Lough. “It says something about the strength of Sundre that they have been able to support us in this way despite the uncertainty of the times.”
Sept. 28, 2010 Round Up file photo
Investigators were attempting to piece together what caused a Cirrus SR-22 to crash into a cattle pasture several miles northwest of Sundre roughly half an hour after taking off, killing all three occupants, who were from Calgary, Spruce Grove and Edmonton. Although the cause of the crash had not yet been determined, investigators had said weather conditions did not seem to be a factor and had ruled out an in-flight fire. The goal of the investigation was not only to identify the cause of the crash but also to determine whether there were any safety deficiencies that might lead investigators to issue recommendations to agents of change, including regulators and manufacturers.
