Sign In Subscribe Now Become a free member today and receive top local stories right to your inbox Staff at a Rocky Mountain House medical clinic are "heartbroken and devastated" over the death of a young physician and her mother in a fatal collision on Monday Sarah Walton was working at Rocky Medical Clinic as part of her family medicine residency training and was pursuing a career in emergency medicine she touched the hearts of many with her warmth and unwavering joy," the clinic posted on its Facebook page on Tuesday "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Walton family during this difficult time We will remember her kindness and the light she brought into the lives of her patients and co-workers." Walton worked as a nurse at the local hospital "before bravely pursuing her dream of becoming a physician," says the clinic died at the scene of a two-vehicle collision on Highway 11 at Range Road 35 Two other people from a pickup were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.  Walton had also been involved with Community Health International Health and Learning Development (CHILD) a non-profit society that helps children in Haiti CHILD said Walton had worked as a registered nurse in Edmonton before joining the organization where she used her interest in nutrition children's education and global health to help others Walton was one of four recipients of the RhPAP (Rural Health Physicians Action Plan) 2020 Rural Medical School Award which provided $5,000 to help them with their studies towards rural practice Her RhPAP profile said she grew up in Rocky Mountain House and while working for three years as a registered nurse at Rocky Mountain Health Centre decided to become a doctor and enrolled in University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine she enthusiastically described her experiences as a physician-in-training in her home community you are the [Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit] team I think this inevitably leads to more growth and confidence as a practitioner.” RCMP are continuing to investigate the collision Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines Two people died in the motor vehicle collision on Highway 11 on April 28.  Sylvan Lake RCMP responded to the incident that took place on Highway 11 at Range Road 35 West of Sylvan Lake at 2:13 p.m.  emergency responders located two women from Rocky Mountain house Two other individuals from a pick-up were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.  RCMP remained on scene for several hours conducting an investigation.  the RCMP is continuing to investigate.  Sign In Register MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - Provincial officials elevated the wildfire danger rating to extreme across the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area Saturday after five new wildfires ignited in the area in recent days.   Parts of Mountain View County are included in the forest area covering Coal Camp and Bearberry west of Range Road 60 from Township Road 312 to the north boundary of the county "The wildfire danger is now extreme in the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area," the province said in its May 3 update for the forest protection area "Dead and dry vegetation continues to be a major concern as it is highly flammable and provides an easily available fuel source for wildfires." With warm temperatures expected to continue over the next few days the wildfire danger is expected to remain elevated "Significant precipitation will be necessary to help reduce the wildfire danger," the update noted two wildfires were discovered in the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area while three more were discovered on Friday extinguished all of them except for one -- RWF029 -- that was discovered yesterday.   "This wildfire is currently 0.30 hectares in size and is classified as under control meaning it has received sufficient suppression action to prevent further spread," the province noted in the May 3 update 2025 there have been 29 wildfires in the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area strong winds and an excess of dry vegetation have created ideal conditions for new wildfires to start," the May 3 update noted A fire advisory was issued for the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area Thursday new permits will be issued on a case-by-case basis The following activities are still allowed:  • safe wood campfires on private land including provincial campgrounds with a designated fire ring • propane fire pits and natural gas-powered appliances Another portion of Mountain View County is in the Calgary Forest Area namely west of Range Road 54 from Township Road 310 to the south boundary of the county west of Water Valley.The wildfire danger in the Calgary Forest Area was elevated to high on May 2 More SPOTLIGHT > Try our new Search AI tool as an alternative to the search below to improve your experience on Alberta.ca using artificial intelligence. See the AISearch fact sheet for more information Find all of the Alberta government services and information you need Help shape the future of government policies Priority Government of Alberta initiatives and action plans The wildfire danger is currently high in the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area While cooler temperatures are present today persistent winds continue to elevate the wildfire risk.  Some precipitation passed through the region overnight but it was not enough to reduce the wildfire danger and more is needed to significantly lower the risk Dead and dry vegetation remains a major concern as it is highly flammable and provides an easily available fuel source for wildfires.  2025 there have been 30 wildfires in the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area meaning that under given current weather conditions and resources the wildfire is not anticipated to grow past existing boundaries A fire restriction is in effect for the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area all outdoor wood fires are banned on public lands This fire restriction will remain in effect until conditions improve or further escalation is required. For more details, please visit Alberta Fire Bans.  all burning activities in the Forest Protection Area Prevent wildfires by checking on winter burn sites.  Winter burns can smoulder underground and often reignite in the spring 780-420-1968[email protected] Your submissions are monitored by our web team and are used to help improve the experience on Alberta.ca Rocky Mountain House and Clearwater County RCMP officers will soon be getting body-worn cameras RCMP announced in November 2024 they were rolling out the distribution of body cams to its officers nation-wide Central Alberta detachment officers began receiving the cameras in January with Sylvan Lake officers being the first detachment to get them Other area detachments have followed and last month Red Deer RCMP began outfitting its officers with the cameras RCMP's goal is to have 90 per cent of its officers camera-equipped nationally by November Stephanie Lefsyk told Clearwater County council this week that some public engagement is planned to show people what the cameras which will be available for officers next month "This is not anything about trying to spy on people," said Lefsyk adding the camera initiative is about strengthening accountability and transparency Lefsyk also provided an update on a new RCMP emergency line that was rolled out earlier this month Albertans can make non-emergency police reports to the new number — 310-RCMP or 310-7267 “The new function is designed to streamline the reporting process and reduce unnecessary calls to 911,” said Alberta RCMP in a news release announcing the number Besides taking some of the load off 911 operators the new system is designed to reduce confusion over what detachment to call in non-emergency situations Alberta RCMP also offers online crime reporting for non-emergencies at rcmp.ca/en/alberta Rocky Mountain House RCMP debuted a new Facebook page in mid-February public alerts and "good news stories," said Lefsyk Recent posts included information on phone scams and links to Alberta Forestry wildfire advisories Join your fellow Red Deer neighbours and subscribe to the community's #1 source for local news MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY – A fire advisory was issued Thursday effective immediately for the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area which includes portions of Mountain View County the provincial government reported that spring conditions are increasing the risk of wildfires in the area “Wildfire danger is expected to rise as temperatures continue to increase and ground conditions dry out With warm temperatures and strong winds in the forecast a wildfire can quickly start and spread,” it reads in part.  The fire advisory is expected to remain in effect until conditions improve Officials are reminding outdoor enthusiasts and those planning to get some yard work done who are looking forward to making the most of the forecast for warm dry weather in the region to keep fire safety in mind can increase the risk of wildfire this time of year.”   Campers are reminded to choose a safe spot for a campfire where it can easily be controlled and to thoroughly extinguish it before leaving by soaking Those who are planning to ride their OHVs are advised to remain on designated trails where possible as well as to avoid driving through tall dry grass and make sure their machine is free of debris that could spark a fire Officials say early detection is crucial to keeping wildfires small and manageable and anyone who sees smoke in the forest or signs of wildfire is asked to immediately report it by calling 310-3473 (FIRE) by extension reducing the chance of wildfires spreading Rocky Mountain House is losing surgeons because they cannot get permission to perform operations at the local hospital Clearwater County and Rocky Mountain House councils have joined forces to send a letter to the provincial government calling for an independent probe into how Alberta Health Services doles out operating room privileges in the region "We need to be able to attract physicians in this community and if they're continually denied privileges we're never going to get them here," said county Coun Genny Mehlhaff during a council meeting earlier this month "We've lost now a handful of them in the last several months because they can't get privileges," she said "The same person can get privileges to do surgeries in Drayton Valley Mehlhaff said the Alberta College of Physicians and Surgeons ensures that doctors have the right credentials but Central Medical Affairs determines where they have privileges Neil Ratcliffe said the community raised $1 million to equip one of the best surgical suites in the province yet doctors have not had permission to use it "Our own surgeons cannot get privileges to use this new operating theatre or perform emergency services for our residents and visitors," said Ratcliffe "I just find this ongoing thing to be absurd." County council voted for an investigation into the issue and to enlist the support of Rocky Mountain House Town council voted unanimously last Tuesday to support the call for an inquiry who had proposed a notice of motion on the issue said privileging problems have led to the community's difficulty in attracting and retaining doctors "This motion is about doing an independent study as to what is going on "What can't we do that Stettler can do or Drumheller can do or other hospitals in our region The list is significantly different for our hospital We have new equipment in our operating room "It seems like maybe somebody doesn't like us here." Alberta Health Service officials who deal with hospital privileges have agreed to meet with Rocky representatives to explain how decisions are made and the rationales Shippelt still wants an inquiry into why Rocky Mountain House hospital is being treated differently than others "There is no question we have had surgeons leave our community because of the privileging concerns," said Acting Mayor Len Phillips "There are not enough doctors here to cover our needs and we're spending the time bring them into the town only to have them leave for somewhere else where they can get privileges." "I  think it's time that council gets directly involved with this because this is a concern that affects all of our residents "We still get the emails on our ER being closed for periods of time which we were being assured that wasn't going to happen anymore but it's still happening." it's time that AHS is put on the spot and (we) get some answers as to why these decisions are being made and how they're being made "I think it's just time that we asked the question because these questions haven't been asked in the past We're the ones who are losing out and or residents are losing out because the doctors aren't here and are going elsewhere Dave Auld suggested the committee that was set up locally to lead doctor recruitment and retention effort be asked to join the call for an inquiry to "put more teeth" into the request A second operating room was opened at Rocky's hospital in April 2024 Three months later,  the Physician Group of Rocky Mountain House publicly complained that a general surgeon left because AHS had reduced his operating time in favour of orthopedic surgery by visiting surgeons.  AHS's then-president and CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos denied there had been changes to the general surgery program at the hospital Mentzelopoulus was fired earlier this year and has filed a $1.7 million wrongful dismissal lawsuit against the province Benefits include a bonus subscription for someone in your household for as low as 2.10 Data centres are potentially a $100 billion opportunity Rocky Mountain House wants to get in on the action Council's governance and priorities committee voted this week to invest $20,000 in hiring a consultant to undertake a feasibility study for a local data centre "this is something we should move forward on now and not wait… "The province is very committed to looking at AI (artificial intelligence) data centres and we don't want to be falling behind We want to be on the leading edge of that and take advantage of when the province announces new things and new projects that we potentially get in the mix and have them come to our area as opposed to someone else's area." Len Shippelt pointed out the province's own data centre strategy says that municipal collaboration will be key "I think that if we've identified that we can handle it we will move to the top of the list for the provincial government to say "I'd be in favour of it moving forward and doing the study so we are ready to help with the Alberta government's assistance if they come knocking on municipalities' doors Shippelt said the initiative fits with the town's and council's goal of promoting development Dave Auld said having a feasibility study ready could help ensure the community is not overlooked by the provincial government "If we're not pushing this to get into the smaller municipalities I don't think the government is ever going to look at a place like Rocky to create something that's going to be feasible for us," he said Don't miss out on your local headlines Rocky Mountain House has launched an online survey to gather public feedback on policing a move encouraged by a senior RCMP officer Town council voted to spend up to $90,000 to conduct a review of policing options and get a sense of how the community feels about local policing and public safety. A provincial police transition grant program has provided $60,000 for the study and council approved up to $30,000 more in its 2025 budget Join our community to access exclusive content and additional perks Homeless Rocky Mountain House residents will soon have a place to shelter from the cold this winter Town council voted to provide $300 a day in funding to bankroll a warming shelter that will operate out of The Lord's Food Bank in town Shelter supporters hope to keep its doors open every day including a representative from The Lord's Food Bank a pastor from the First Christian Reformed Church and the interim chair of the Clearwater Regional Housing Foundation appeared before council earlier this month Rocky Mountain House is taking a deep dive into policing The town has commissioned an in-depth study of how the municipality is policed and what other options are available RCMP provides policing for Rocky Mountain House through a Municipal Police Service Agreement which costs the town about $2.4 million a year in a 2025 operating budget of $28 million Acting mayor Len Phillips stressed that the initiative is in no way a suggestion that the town feels their RCMP detachment is deficient or lacking The provincial government has been touting data centres as a major economic development opportunity Rocky Mountain House wants to see if it is positioned to get in on the action Ken Moesker proposed a notice of motion that was supported by council last week directing administration to investigate and put together a report on whether Rocky Mountain House area could be marketed as a data centre location Rocky Mountain House residents can expect to see their property taxes increase around two per cent in 2025 Town council passed its $28 million operating and $5.8 million capital budgets on Tuesday Property taxes are expected to go up about two per cent although tax rates vary slightly depending on assessment class Residential tax rates will go up 1.91 per cent Bryce Henderson travels from Red Deer to perform total joint arthroplasty (TJA) surgeries in the new Rocky Mountain House operating room say they’re grateful for the dedication and donations of local residents in the creation of a second OR for their community Story by Jonathan Koch | Story & photos by Heather Kipling ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE — A second operating room is up and running at Rocky Mountain House Health Centre due in large part to the dedication and donations of local residents The first procedures in the new operating room took place on June 3 According to site manager Jessica Moncrieff a second OR brings many benefits to patients in Rocky Mountain House and Clearwater County “Having two ORs is a big win for the site and for our area,” says Moncrieff “Many patients will be able to receive care closer to home without having to travel or be away from family we have the space to accommodate it while other procedures are taking place “The ability to expand services provided within our community will also benefit our region,” she adds In addition to supporting the site’s existing surgical offerings the new OR has enabled the expansion of services to now include knee-replacement surgery Bryce Henderson of Red Deer is one of the surgeons who come to Rocky Mountain House to perform TJA surgery scheduled procedures undertaken in a smaller community are free from the interruptions and other complicating scenarios surgeons may encounter in larger centres where emergency and trauma cases can impact OR availability “It’s been a long time coming and is a necessary use of resources to help address wait lists,” says Henderson “This puts resources exactly where the wait list data says we should.” He adds that a successful program will also help attract health professionals to the community “There are people who want to be an OR nurse but don’t want to go to Red Deer or somewhere bigger Same with people who want to do anesthesia,” says Henderson and with a good environment and good people The Government of Alberta first announced a $10-million funding allocation to build the new operating room (OR) at Rocky Mountain House Health Centre in 2021 Originally intended to be a room for minor surgical procedures the room was upgraded to an OR in response to lobbying efforts spearheaded by the Rocky Health Foundation “I’m very pleased to see the second OR up and running in Rocky Mountain House” says Jason Nixon “It’s an exciting addition to Rocky and the surrounding communities and will benefit many patients as we continue to work towards ensuring Albertans get their surgeries more quickly and closer to home “I also want to recognize the amazing generosity from the community through the Rocky Health Foundation who have come together to support this project since it was announced.” The foundation later launched their fundraising campaign Operation Healthy Hospital — Enhancing our new OR build with a pledge to raise up to $750,000 to buy equipment for the new operating room a former facility site lead and a driving force behind the development of a second OR says support from donors has surpassed expectations “We’ve had incredible support from the community for our OR campaign,” she says “We put out the request in November to create awareness about what we were up to and within about three weeks we raised $750,000.” Hope says the foundation continues to fundraise to meet additional equipment requests that have been forwarded by the OR team there are things you don’t know that you’re going to need or things you’ve forgotten so we continued to fundraise to support purchasing new equipment,” Hope adds having his procedures done close to home makes a huge difference “Not having to travel far is really nice,” says Scott and the nurses and the surgeon took really good care of me today It was a really good experience.” Jane Smyth came from Bowden for her surgery Everyone was kind and efficient,” says Smyth “The OR is bright and new — what a great bonus for Rocky.”   Our work takes place on historical and contemporary Indigenous lands Treaty 7 & Treaty 8 and the homeland of the Métis Nation of Alberta and 8 Métis Settlements We also acknowledge the many Indigenous communities that have been forged in urban centres across Alberta © Alberta Health Services 2025 Terms of UsePrivacy Statement The 3 1/2-year old brewery and taproom just south of Rocky Mountain House is putting the finishing touches on its crokicurl surface Crokicurl was invented in Winnipeg in 2016 and combines the board game crokinole with curling Players get to test their curling stone-aiming skills on a giant circular crokinole ice surface with painted lines and bumper posts A plan to twin Highway 11 through Rocky Mountain House is being updated but no commitment has been made to do the work Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors began twinning 66 kilometres of Highway 11 between Sylvan Lake and Rocky Mountain House in 2022 A stretch from Sylvan Lake to Benalto has been twinned so far Next up is a short stretch from the south end of Rocky Mountain House to the Highway 11 and Highway 22 intersection CalgaryNewsRocky Mountain House RCMP turn to public for help in search for missing manBy CTV News CalgaryPublished: December 06, 2024 at 11:03PM EST Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved The Rocky Mountain House Health Centre's surgical program is 'a vital resource' for the community and Central Alberta Last month, the Rocky Mountain House doctors expressed concern over the surgical program stating the provincial health authority and local physicians are "committed to supporting and growing local healthcare Leadership from AHS' central zone has recently met with local physicians and site representatives These conversations "underscored a shared desire to see the surgical program in Rocky Mountain House grow and serve the needs of the patients from the community and surrounding area," states the media release AHS states it is prioritizing recruitment and retention efforts to support the surgical program full-time general surgeon as soon as possible Outreach with interested candidates is underway — it's possible the position will be filled with one full-time general surgeon or two part-time surgeons “I am pleased that Alberta Heath Services has heard our community’s concerns and reassured Rocky Mountain House that they remain fully committed to preserving the surgical program currently available at the Rocky Mountain House Health Centre," said Jason Nixon "The surgical program is critical to health care in Rocky Mountain House and the surrounding community and I am glad that AHS is taking the community’s concerns seriously and is recruiting a general surgeon to support this program.” AHS also says it is in agreement with the local physicians that together with the local gynecologist at least three days of general surgery per week will allow for growth of the local surgical program AHS is eyeing for it to be a robust and sustainable program that encompasses multiple surgical disciplines and fully utilizes Rocky Mountain House’s new OR for the benefit of patients Recruitment efforts continue for an additional general practitioner with anesthesia training and for a physician with obstetrical surgical skills who can support c-sections Both of these positions will further support not only the surgical program AHS is also recruiting for a family physician and a family physician with basic obstetrics for the community to complement the existing physician group AHS continues to recruit for additional nursing staff in collaboration with community and RhPAP partners – while working to retain existing talent This work includes securing new Internationally Educated Nurses engaging with our existing staff to help inform new schedule rotations adjusting full- and part-time positions to meet interest and demand and increasing development and education supports to help with retention “I am delighted that Alberta Health Services is working to ensure the Rocky Mountain House Health Centre remains operational to patients in the community and surrounding areas," said Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange "The recruitment of specialized physicians and nurses to the health centre will provide added skills and services to support and meet the needs of the growing region.” Further redevelopment of the Rocky Mountain House Health Centre will also be completed next year which will support the growth of the surgical program when combined with additional staffing and physician resources will enable the site to run endoscopies and surgeries A Rocky Mountain House mayor found to have breached a code of conduct policy has resigned 13 after an independent investigation into a Dec 2023 complaint found she breached a section of the code of conduct that requires council members to keep in confidence matters discussed in private until they are raised at a public meeting Alberta Health Services' president says there are no plans to decrease general surgery at Rocky Mountain House Health Centre contrary to claims by the town's doctors released a statement on Thursday that said it was important for her to provide clarity and correct comments made about the program's future "No limits have been placed on the general surgery program and no changes have been made to the way the site supports the community’s surgical needs," Mentzelopoulos said Rocky Mountain House was given permission to opt out of a regional policing committee and Innisfail wants to do the same The Police Amendment Act was passed in December 2022 and included measures the government says were designed to increase transparency accountability and civilian involvement in local policing The legislative changes created a number of different governance bodies linked to a community's size A suspected murderer cornered by RCMP at a Rocky Mountain House-area oilfield site in 2021 texted a friend that he was going to die moments before being shot and killed by police the cops are going to kill me," the 39-year-old man texted a friend shortly before he pointed a shotgun at police officers who fired back and fatally wounded him in the early hours of Aug Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines.