Canada Day celebrations stretched across the West Boundary beginning with a party in Rock Creek and ending with fireworks sponsored by the Greenwood Board of Trade in Lions Park at dark.
The Rock Creek party was a testament to the old adage, “many hands make light work” as five groups and many individuals came together to make it happen.
For some the activity probably began the day before, such as the Women’s Institute who provided the salads and desserts. Others had to be early risers on Canada Day; these were the people slicing onions and tomatoes and helping to set up at the Rock Creek Health Centre grounds.
Still others were decorating bicycles, cars, farms tractors and trailers—even a wheelbarrow and two fire trucks for the parade (sponsored by Discover Rock Creek).
The parade went from the Rock Creek Store to the Rock Creek Health Centre where the Kettle River Lions provided the skills on the grill to cook hundreds of hamburgers and hot dogs that had been provided by the medical society.
The Boundary C 4-H club took part in the parade and later ran carnival game stations in the health centre playground.
“We really appreciate that everybody came out and had a great day,” said Rock Creek Community Medical Society (RCCMS) president Terry Keough. “It’s nice to see more and more every year coming from Midway and Greenwood too.”
RCCMS sponsors the annual Canada Day party as a way to raise their profile in the community and Keough spent a few minutes in an interview with the Times.
He said the society has a few projects going on this summer, in particular painting and an upgrade to the trails that will see a four-station exercise area put in for seniors and those who are working off injuries. New signage was put in the day before the Canada Day party and that brings the announcement that the name of the facility has been changed from the Rock Creek Medical Clinic; it will now be known as the Rock Creek Health Centre.
“This better reflects what the building does,” said Keough.
“We have a lot of stuff that is not just formal, westernized medicine. We have a chiropractor, massage therapist, seniors program, playschool and CAP-C. It is more about community health as a whole, so the name health centre is a better fit.”
“Dr. Ajaero is leaving at the end of August and we have the opportunity to put a locum doctor in place. We probably will do that, but whether there is a doctor or not, we need the facility here. The centre does a lot and we employ six people here. We have over a $30,000 salary budget each year. That helps people stay in the area.”