The annual Sundre Pro Rodeo Parade is recognizing the commitment of big and small businesses that have over the years remained a vital part of Sundre's economic backbone through thick and thin.
The annual Sundre Pro Rodeo Parade is recognizing the commitment of big and small businesses that have over the years remained a vital part of Sundre's economic backbone through thick and thin.
The theme for this year's parade, which takes place Saturday, June 24 at about 10 a.m., is Saluting Our Alberta.
The parade marshals are among Sundre's long-standing employers who have remained dedicated to the community as well as supporting local events even through the tough times, said event co-organizer Moe Fahey.
This year's parade marshals are as follows: Rick Martin, who owns Rick Martin Trucking; Mark Crouch, who owns Mark Crouch Backhoe Services; Darren Vancuren, who manages local Shell Canada operations in the area; and Bruce Alexander, general manager of Sundre Forest Products, which is owned by West Fraser Mills.
"It's an honour to be included as one of the parade marshals for the rodeo this year," said Alexander.
"Sundre Forest Products is proud to be a part of the community and surrounding area."
Although somewhat new to the community having moved to the area in recent years, Alexander called the town's biggest annual weekend "second to none…Other small communities have rodeos, but I haven't lived in a place where the participation is as evident as it is here in Sundre."
As much as the community benefits from having a major employer like Sundre Forest Products, which employs some 250 people from town as well as the surrounding region, the relationship is a reciprocal two-way street, he said.
"We depend on a stable local workforce" as well as services from other local businesses, he told the Round Up.
"It's nice to be able to depend on the local community."
When Sunpine, the original owners of the mill operation, established the business decades ago, the decision was made based on access to not only resources but employees as well, he said.
"I don't think any of that has changed today even though it's Sundre Forest Products."
Martin, who has worked in Sundre to keep his business going for about 35 years, told the Round Up the town has treated him well and that he has every intention to stay in the community.
"We're quite content here," he said.
"I've never had to worry about work. It's been good to me," said the 52-year-old employer of about 40 people.
Even during harder times, Martin said he has been fortunate to not have to lay off many workers, although there has occasionally been cutbacks in staff hours, he said.
"I'm very lucky," he said, expressing gratitude for all the support he's received over the years.
Crouch, who has about two dozen staff, said that employers such as him commit themselves not only to employees but their families as well.
"You have to be able to adapt to the times to keep going."
As long as people keep their sights on the future and come together to plan a vision, Sundre has no shortage of potential for the future. This town is not just a good place to do business, it's also a great place to raise a family, he said.
"The kids and my family are a big part of my life. I wouldn't want to do it any other way."
During the first 15 years of running the business, he said his time was largely consumed by work, but that he has since been able to make more time for his loved ones.
"Now that I have grandkids, it's a real blessing to be involved in their lives."
He wasn't expecting to be invited as a parade marshal, but said he was pleasantly surprised when asked.
This year, a new parade route will see the procession of floats follow a slightly different course to accommodate the residents of Sundre's supportive living facility. The former route was designed with a consideration to accommodate seniors at the Foothills Lodge. But organizers wanted to adapt the route now that the building sits vacant since last summer's opening of the new campus of care in the southwest part of town, event co-organizer Heidi Overguard previously informed Sundre's council.
Whereas the eastbound parade once turned north off of Main Avenue onto Second Street North before winding around First Avenue North back down south on First Street North, the new route will now lead the procession to instead turn south off of Main Avenue onto Second Street South, and loop its way around to Fourth Avenue South headed west to get roughly back to the starting point.
Organizers looked at trying to get the parade route to go around by the new Mountain View Seniors' Housing facility, "but it's logistically impossible at this point," she said, adding the procession will nevertheless come close to the new lodge.
"If we do it this way, then we'll have an area set up for the seniors at the new facility," she said.
Otherwise, the rest of the parade remains par for the course.
"Setup is the same — everything else is the same — it's just we're not going to be turning at Swamp Donkeys there where we normally did," she said.
"It also is great because it frees up the traffic lights," which should to an extent facilitate the flow of traffic, she said.
"It makes a lot of sense."
With the participation of groups including the Calgary Round Up Band, the Red Deer Royals, as well as the Innisfail Marching Band and many others, this year's parade promises to be bigger and better than ever, said Jim Bowhay, the rodeo and race association's vice-president.
"It's shaping up to be a really great parade and we're pretty excited," said Overguard.
