Navigating the road ahead: Addressing local concerns for Twinning Hwy 3

Commentator/Courier Photo submitted

By Nerissa McNaughton
Commentator/Courier

The twinning of Highway 3 may come with many benefits, but for Premium Sausage Inc., a family business operating out of Seven Persons and Medicine Hat, concerns are equally prevalent. While supporting the twinning of the highway, citing it “is necessary for the safety of our local community, local travelers, and tourists that come through this area,” the owners and team are looking for a solution “in favour of a twinned highway where the highway currently runs.”

Premium Sausage has been in business for more than 30 years. It was opened in 1990 by Ralph and Elaine Erb. Mark, who was an employee since 1990, and Debbie Penner officially bought it in 2009. It remains family owned and operated with the Penners looking forward to passing the business to their sons, in the future.

“Our business has served as a place of employment, meat and sausage shop, local convenience store, tourist stop and postal outlet. We are pleased that our business has convenient items for our locals like meat, bread, milk, eggs, vegetables, water, and other grocery items. We rely heavily on our community, hunters, ranchers, highway traffic, and out of town/province customers equally. If the highway moves, we lose our highway customers and that is very significant for our business,” the Penners say.

In Seven Persons, the unique building design of a grain elevator catches people’s eyes from the highway and encourages travellers to stop and explore. This leads them into town where they often enjoy additional products and services from a variety of local businesses. 

“We have hot food, ready-to-eat food, drinks, and washrooms available to travelers. We also have a lookout spot at the top of the elevator with antiques and pictures and the history of our little town,” the owners say. “If the highway is moved, our business is not visible and travellers might not consider stopping. It is very much a situation of ‘out of sight out of mind.’ We all know that when traveling, if a stop is not close or convenient, people will wait for the next more convenient stop.”

They have a very viable point; one based on evidence. In 1974, the highway moved position, affecting Seven Persons to such an extent that the impact was felt for years.

“It took almost 20 years to fully recover, though the town has never been the same since. We now see more businesses opening in Seven Persons besides our store. The moving of the highway will set our town back again and put these businesses at risk.”

Premium Sausage is not just a local place for goods and services. It is a local employer – which is very important in rural Alberta.

The Penners note, “Premium Sausage currently employs 20 staff and 18 of them are right from our town and close surrounding areas. These people’s jobs are in jeopardy. Would they stay in a small town or in the area if there are no job opportunities?”

“A hamlet with no work opportunities and no convenience shopping is not attractive to those looking for the quieter small-town feel,” they continue. “Because of highway visibility and traffic, we have a smokehouse restaurant (The Que-Bickle), an ice cream shop, Seven Skies Observatory, a stake and lath business, and our sausage shop. These businesses attract people to our town and these businesses give back to the community. We help fund school programs, church programs, local fundraisers and we give jobs and opportunities to local people. If the highway moves and these amenities leave as well, house prices and land prices could also drop significantly.”

Two drop-in public information sessions will be hosted by the Government of Alberta regarding this issue, and those with concerns are encouraged to come forward and voice them respectfully.

• September 10, 4 pm to 7 pm: Medicine Hat College, Big Eagle Room (299 College Drive)

• September 11, 4 pm to 7 pm: Seven Persons Community Hall (426 Drinnan Street)

“Local people are the best resource to give information on what the needs are,” the owners conclude. “Twin the highway; we need that for the safety of all travellers. But we are asking that it be done in a fiscally responsible way, keeping our town and businesses intact and accessible, and keeping our land and houses valuable.”