Sometimes it can feel like our communities are losing traction. But is that really the case, and where do we look for answers? Across the southwest, there’s been some talk lately about decline, disruption , and the idea that small towns need to be shaken up to survive. But when you look at what’s actually happening on the ground, a very different story emerges—one of adaptation, collaboration, and steady, community‑driven progress. The darkest period in my lifetime was the l

November 3, 1951 – February 25, 2026 (age 74) Opening Line With heavy hearts but deep gratitude for her life, the family of Shelley Jane Bryant announces her unexpected passing on February 25, 2026, at the age of 74. Shelley was born on November 3, 1951, in Gull Lake, Saskatchewan, the cherished daughter of Russell and Miriam Bryant. She grew up in the Carmichael area, attending school there before riding the bus into Gull Lake High School, where she graduated and formed frie

On a cool Friday evening in September 1968—a Friday the 13th, no less—a routine patrol on Highway 1 turned into one of the most dramatic moments in the history of the Gull Lake RCMP detachment. Two 18‑year‑olds from Waterloo, Ontario, Dennis Bonn and Brian McLennan, were hitchhiking west toward British Columbia. Near Whitewood, a new Mercury Cougar pulled over. The driver introduced himself only as “Knobby,” said he was heading for Calgary, and offered them a ride. He was fri

A viral video and a wave of outside commentary can travel far faster than the truth, and this week the Lyceum Theatre found itself at the centre of a story that doesn’t reflect who we are or how we treat one another. In that video, the theatre, its volunteers, and several local residents are spoken about in ways that are unfair, inaccurate, and unworthy of the place we call home. Gull Lake isn’t perfect—no community is—but we are not a town where people are reduced to insults

Drawn from the council minutes preserved in Gull Lake Memories: A History of the Town of Gull Lake , this account traces how our community weathered the hardest decade in its history—one coal delivery, one bread ticket, and one council motion at a time. When the Great Depression settled over Western Canada, it didn’t arrive suddenly. It crept into towns like Gull Lake—first as shrinking tax rolls, then as empty coal sheds, and finally as families appearing before council in s

A new youth space and a timely grant had Coffee Row wondering what kind of future Gull Lake is building—and who’s keeping the receipts. News of The Junction’s opening spread before the first pot finished brewing. Edna already had her For Posterity notebook open. “A youth drop‑in center,” she said, tapping her pen. “About time we gave kids somewhere other than the Co‑op aisles.” Hank settled into his chair—the only one he’ll use. “A place to unwind after school. That’s a brick