The month of September was certainly event filled and in this issue of the newsletter I would like to highlight three of them.

Official Opening of the Millennium Exhibition Centre – September 13

The Arena Sale combined with the opening of the Millennium Exhibition Centre brought a lot of people into Town during the weekend of September 12 & 13. The vendors involved in the arena sale spoke of having a lot more people than usual inquiring at their booths and the community space was packed for the opening ceremonies. The pancake breakfast drew some 500 people, the Maroons Minor Hockey Soup & Pie at noon was well supported and the Altona Curling Club “Fish Fry” set a new record. Many people also enjoyed other events throughout the day such as a puppet show, Sears Fashion Show, Legends Car Show, Low German Skit by the New Hope Performers, a family dance and the Maroons dance. Comments from guests that came to view the Millennium Exhibition Centre were very positive. Thank you to the volunteers and staff for making this a successful event.

Street Upgrades

Our Public Works staff will be busy during the next few weeks as they work with Maple Leaf Construction and their asphalting crew. Our parking lot at the Millennium Exhibition Centre has been completed and work is presently in progressing on straightening out Main Street from 6th to 10th Avenue N.E. Hard surfacing is also being carried out in the Industrial Park on 11th Avenue N.E. Our sidewalk program for 2003 is also allowing a portion of Centre Avenue to be upgraded. Re-surfacing of Westwood Crescent and 2nd Street S.E., will be completed by the end of October.

Communities in Bloom

This past year the Town of Altona was again involved in the “Communities In Bloom” program. In the categories of: tidiness, environmental awareness, community involvement, urban forestry and landscaped areas, we scored very well. The judges felt that we needed to spend more effort in the area of: floral displays and natural and architectural heritage conservation. Meaning that they would like to see us do more in the area of acknowledging our history or maintaining an up to date museum. Thanks go to Grace Braun for her efforts in coordinating this program, our Public Works staff and all the volunteers and businesses who took such pride in maintaining their flowerbeds throughout the Town.

Mayor Mel Klassen 

Councillor David Wiebe

Halloween is just around the corner and as in past years the streets are full of costume wearing Trick or Treaters. Please utilize extra caution while operating your motor vehicle on October 31st.
We remind parents to encourage the use of makeup rather than masks, if masks are used please ensure that they have large eye holes, this is in order to facilitate better vision.

Timely reporting of incidents are an essential part of CRIME SOLVING, if you see or hear something that you feel is not right or you are a victim of a CRIME please contact the Altona Police Service at

324-5353 - 24 Hour line
324-5373 - Administration
In case of an emergency 911

Consider Becoming a Block Parent

The program involves filling out some forms and then you simply put the Block Parent sign in the window when you are home just in case a child or senior is in need of help and requires some assistance from you. Register at the Altona Police Service office.

Hours are from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.

Attention Pet Owners

Please make sure to register your cat(s) and/or dog(s) at the Altona Town office. All cats and dogs must have a new licence every year. Please keep your pets on a leash and respect other people’s property by cleaning up after your pets.

Town Of Altona By-Law
Responsibility of the pet owners:

THAT NO OWNER SHALL:

• Permit his/her animal to defecate on any private property;
• Permit his/her animal to defecate on property other than the property of its owner without causing such excrement to be removed immediately.

If you see any infractions against the above by-law contact the Animal Control Officer Jerry Ginter at 324-4644.

The Altona Incubator Mall has two - 1250 square ft units that are available for rent.

Rent subsidies are available for qualifying businesses.

For more information contact the Altona Community Development Corporation office at 324-8190.

The Altona/Rhineland Fire Department
Invites you to attend the
34th Annual Firefighters Ball

Saturday, November 1st, 2003

Happy hour — 6:00 p.m.
Dinner — 7:00 p.m.
Dance — 9:30 p.m.

At the Rhineland Pioneer Centre
Reserved Table Seating Available
Music by Short Circuit

For more information or tickets contact any member of the Altona/Rhineland Fire Department

• Betty Crocker 4-Ingredient Dinners
• Chicken Soup for the Grieving Soul
• Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover’s Soul
• Chicken Soup for the Working Woman’s Soul
• The Rolling Stones: an Oral History
• A Prison Diary by Jeffrey Archer
• 50 Wonderful Ways to be a Single-Parent Family

NEW! Non-Fiction

• Lies of Saints: A Nick Barrett Mystery by Sigmund Brower
• Popped: A Regan Reilly Mystery by Carol Higgins Clark
• Without a Trace by Colleen Coble
• The Accusers by Lindsey Davis
• Hoot to Kill by Karen Dudley
• Kilter: 55 Fictions by John Gould
• Chat Room by Linda Hall
• Bleachers by John Grisham
• Dune: The Machine Crusade by Brian Herbert
• Fallen Angels by Patricia Hickman
• Return by Karen Kingsbury
• The Loved One by Catherine Palmer