Wetaskiwin Tomorrow

Featuring some of the best photos from our ‘What does your Wetaskiwin look like?’ photo contest — they make a great addition to any home. Or desk. Pick up your very own calendar at locations throughout the City — including the Library, the Chamber of Commerce and, of course, City Hall.

On November 18, 2009 Craig and Layla Baird (Our Green Year) came to Wetaskiwin City Hall to talk about their year-long experiment to reduce their carbon footprint.

It was a fascinating and inspiring look at what it means to ‘live green’. From creating a solar cooker, to recycling show water, the Bairds tried 365 different eco-activities. Some were basic (shorter showers), others more involved (making their own butter) but each highlighted the powerful impact that few (relatively) simple lifestyle changes can make in both your budget and your carbon footprint.

Congratulations to Janice Chau who, in an extremely close vote and final decision, was named winner of the “What does your Wetaskiwin look like?” photo contest.

In winning the grand prize, Ms. Chau will receive $500 and any of the fame and glory that come from winning the photo contest.

Join us on November 18 at Wetaskiwin City Hall (4705 – 50 Avenue) to hear Craig and Layla Baird talk about about their year long experiment in green living.

For 365 days, the Bairds wrote about what it’s really like living green — from coffee-ground body scrubs to clothes washed with shower water. Their blog Our Green Year, was read around the world and in 2009 Alberta Venture listed the Bairds in Alberta’s 50 most influential people list.

The event kicks off at 7:00 pm, upstairs at the newly renovated Wetaskiwin City Hall. In addition to the Bairds, there will also be eco-giveaways, cookies and a brief update on the Wetaskiwin Tomorrow initiative.

The Wetaskiwin water tower stood unconnected and unused for a year and a half following construction, as the town’s water and sewage system didn’t actually reach it until 1909. Today it primarily serves the western end of Wetaskiwin – now a city of 12,285 inhabitants – drawing water from Coal Lake. Formed on the Battle River roughly 13 km east of the town, the lake has served as Wetaskiwin’s municipal water supply since 1968, and had its level regulated for this purpose by an earthen embankment and dam in 1972.