GRANDE PRAIRIE NEWS - 2005

January 2005: Esquires is almost ready to open on the west side of Grande Prairie, 10635-West Side Drive. Michelle Brick is the new owner.
January 2005: Joeys Only Seafood Restaurant has moved. Now open daily 11-9 across from the Co-op Gas Bar near Royal Oaks. (along the Highway by-pass).
January 2005: The Wedding Show will be at the Bowes Family Crystal Gardens Sunday January 30. Many exhibits again this year. Doors open 10am, Fashion Show at 11:30am and 2:30pm. The Grande Prairie Home Show takes place March 11,12,13 at Crystal Gardens. It is "One Big Show Under One Big Roof". Also the Agri-Show is scheduled for March 10, 11,12 to be held at Evergreen Park. This will be the 20th Anniversary of this show.
February 2005: A Special page called "Events of the Peace Country" has been added to DiscoverThePeaceCountry.com. It includes a listing of events and concerts of Grande Prairie and County of Grande Prairie, plus northwestern part of Alberta (Fairview, Peace River etc) and the northeast part of BC (Dawson Creek, Fort St John etc.)
Events of the Peace Country

February 2005: The ATB bank will be opening the doors to their new location at West Side Plaza on March 14.

February 2005: The Commonwealth Credit Union is now open in their new building at the corner of 100 Street and 99 Avenue.
February 2005: The Grande Prairie Auto Show will be held March 4 to 6 at the Canada Games Arena and Crystal Centre featuring 13 dealers.
February 2005:- The Rotary Club of Grande Prairie keeps you posted on the progress of an 8 day road trip to Mazatlan, Mexico delivering 3 donated firetrucks and a school bus. The donation was made by the Grande Prairie Rotary and Swan City Rotary Clubs. 5 Grande Prairie businessmen, 2 Edson businessmen plus one Grande Prairie Firefighter will make the journey starting February 19. Pictures posted on www.gprotary.com.
February 2005: Additional website information: Each week, a special feature on Parks and Lakes of the Peace Country have been appearing in the Grande Prairie Daily Herald Tribune newspaper each Friday, as well as the Peace Country Sun newspaper each Friday. (total of 20 features in each newspaper) The features were written by Ken Connors with information from DiscoverThePeaceCountry.com.
March 2005: Ainsworth Lumber announced it will be expanding its Grande Prairie plant. It will become the world's largest producer of OSB and creating up to 300 more full-time jobs.
The $200 Million Expansion will increase annual production capacity by approximately 600 million square feet. The expansion will include the construction of a hardwood sawmill in Valleyview.
The project is hoped to be completed by early 2007.
March 2005: The new CreekSide Manufactured Home Subdivision is now selling homes and lots at their east-end location, 92 Ave & 92 St. Also on the east side, another new subdivision will start up this year called Crystal Landing. (East of Ivy Lake). Two new developments in the north and two more in the northeast corner of the city will also come on board this year.
March 2005: The Grande Prairie Home Builders Association will be hosting a Fall Home Improvement Show (besides the Spring Home Show) and is slated for Oct 21-23, 2005.

March 2005: Thousands attended the Grande Prairie Agri-Show at Evergreen Park, Grande Prairie March 10,11,& 12, 2005. There were many interesting displays including the colorful Peace Country SUN newspaper booth. (pictured left are Sharlyn Carter and Ken Connors representing the Peace Country SUN which is published at the Daily Herald Tribune.)
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March 2005: The new St Joes Catholic Church is now under construction along 102 Street and 104 Avenue (banks onto Bear Creek). Estimated opening is set for March 2006.
March 2005: City has approved a $16.6 million new Library/Art Gallery project for the former Montrose Junior High School location at 98 Street and 103 Avenue, Grande Prairie. The Library would serve the City of Grande Prairie, County of Grande Prairie and the MD of Greenview.
March 2005: Also a $4.75 million upgrade to 108 Street is underway near the Canfor Site. Upgrading from a 4 lane undivided road to a 4 lane divided road which will include widening of the road that will include turning lanes.
March 2005: Construction will begin on the new Brick location as soon as the ground dries located just west of Home Depot along 100 Avenue and 113th Street, Grande Prairie. The new Brick will have a showroom of 30,000 sq ft when completed.
March 2005: Spilchen's Country Fever will take place July 1-3 at Evergreen Park, Grande Prairie. Some of the big names include Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, John Anderson, Restless Heart, Uncle Kracker, as well as Karla Crawford, The Cruzeros, Tracy Millar, Duane Steele, The Poverty Plainsman, Corb Lund Band, George Canyon, Dr. Hook, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Tracy Millar & Duane Steele.

April 24, 2005: The Imperial Motors Esso Gas Station on 100 Avenue and 102 Street is now demolished. The gas station had been in operation for more than 50 years when it closed its doors in August of 2004. (west of 214 Place
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April 24, 2005: Quiznos Sub will be opening up a new location at the corner of 97 Avenue and 100 Street, next to the soon to be 2nd location of Pita Pit. Also to open at this newly constructed building is another liquor store.
April 24, 2005: Peace River MP Charlie Penson announced he would not run in the next federal election.
Penson was part of the Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 2005. Previous to that he was a member of the Canadian Alliance (2000-2003) and Reform Party (1993-2000).
April 24, 2005: The Rotary Cleanathon is scheduled for May 7. The Rotary & Rotaract Clubs of Grande Prairie in conjunction with the Grande Prairie Downtown Association and Grande Prairie Chamber of Commerce and Communities in Bloom each year help beautify the City of Grande Prairie. Bins will be located at all Elementary Schools within the city for residents to drop off their items on May 7th.
April 24, 2005: Warrington's Country Store, (also known as Warrington's China and Gift) located for years next to Zellers in the Prairie Mall will be closing after 34 years. Orm Schultz and wife Sylvia opened the store and then later opened Warrington's Jewellers and Jonathan's Gold and Diamonds that were also located in the Prairie Mall in Grande Prairie.

April 24, 2005: Just opened is Grande Prairie Hyundai in their new building on the west entrance to Grande Prairie in the Gateway Power Centre. It won't be long til the Grande Prairie Chrysler Superstore opens it doors next to this location.
April 24, 2005: World Gym Fitness Centre is scheduled to be opening in a new building in September at 10629-Westside Drive, just south of the new ATB. (west part of city)
May 2005: Work is underway to have the Canadian Hot Air Balloon Championships held in Grande Prairie on the long weekend in September. (Sept 2-5) It is hoped to have at least 20 balloons participating.
May 2005: End of the Roll, opened its new store in Royal Oaks Plaza, north of City Furniture along the Highway By-Pass, 110530-117 Avenue.
May 2005: Living Light Home Decore also opened a Grande Prairie location at 9901-116 Avenue, just south of the Prairie Mall.
May 2005: Long time Grande Prairie business Pats Auto Parts celebrated its 50 years in business with Dan Gorman and father and founder Pat Gorman, located at 10530-117 Avenue.

May 2005- Holroyd Drugs closed its doors after being in business since 1958. The store was located at 9923-100 Avenue.
(enlarge picture) Shoppers Drug Mart has bought out the business with the inventory and prescriptions being transferred to the Aberdeen Centre location.
May 2005: Ken Truhn, general manager of Big Country along with Brian Nash of Marlin Travel have hopes on starting a new rock radio station in Grande Prairie called Bear Creek Broadcasting Ltd. This fall the CRTC will determine if this application gets approved.

May 2005: The Grande Prairie Museum had its ribbon cutting ceremony on May 1st, for its Grand Re-opening after additions and renovations.
May 2005: Ken Norman, morning man of Big Country XX has become the new station manager of that radio station.
June 2005: Northridge Village will be a new residential seniors community to open along 102 Street, west of the Prairie Mall. The 4 storey building will have one & two bedroom suites.
June 2005: The Canadian National Railways will re-open the 74 km of rail line from Hythe to Dawson Creek. This will be a great benefit to the entire Peace Country.
June 2005: GP Chrysler has moved to its new building and location on the westside of Grande Prairie at 11448-Westgate Drive.

June 2005: Drag Wars Thrill Many
Drag Wars was held at the Grande Prairie Airport June 10-12, 2005. Thousands of people attended the competitive bracket racing and exhibition drag racing along with the more than a 150 cars were on display for the Show n' Shine. MORE PHOTOS: Picture 1:
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July 2005: New updated pictures have been added to DiscoverThePeaceCountry.com to the pages of Wanham, Eaglesham, Falher, Nampa, Peace River, Grimshaw, Brownvale, Berwyn, Fairview, Hythe, Beaverlodge, Wembley, Clairmont and Sexsmith. New feature pages have and 108 Street, also been added to this website: One Island Lake, BC and the Hamlet of St. Isidore. Lesser Slave Lake has now been added as well.
