Square Butte Community – Sep 2022

The SBCA has had a quite summer with a few weddings and events. The board has hired Prime Painting – Maria Vanderham to paint the main floor of the hall. By September 1st the job should be done and the hall will look fresh and inviting. The hall was looking rather shabby after many different colors and patch ups over the years. A small group of volunteers got together and did the paint-prep so that the painting could get underway immediately. More good news the Handicap parking, area at the north end of the hall will be paved before September rolls around. Yeh!

Upcoming Square Butte Hall Events:

Sunday, September 18th, 4:00 pm. Annual Family Potluck, Games, and Quilt Raffle Draw put on by the Square Butte Ladies Group

September, 24th. Country /Western dance. Live Band, “Spur Crazy” $15.00 each for members and $20.00 each for non-members, including a evening lunch, a licensed event with door prizes and a 50/50 draw.

Sunday, October 2nd, 1:00 pm -5:00 pm Pie Making Class with Mary Ann Watson. Learn how to make pastry or improve your existing skills. It is a dying art, so come join in a fun afternoon of learning. To book a spot call 403 931-2098.

September 10th, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm Final market date at Millarville Racetrack. Great baking at reasonable prices.

Sept. 12th, 7:30 pm Business meeting at the SB Hall.

A Moment in History! Johnny Nylund 1938 – 2020. Left behind are his wife Marie, children Leo (Shelley), Nancy-Lee (Bill) and Guy (Hannah).

Johnny’s family were our neighbors living on the Jim Ward place (corner of Hwy. 549 and Hwy. 762.) We shared many wonderful times together as we grew up. The Nylund kids went to Square Butte School, riding on horseback the 2 miles west. Johnny gained excellent horsemanship skills having spent countless hours on horseback while hunting, chasing wild horses or simply enjoying the country west of Millarville. For many years he worked for John and Isamay Ballachey at the Chinook Ranch at Square Butte. He and his wife Marie (Merryfield) lived at the ranch for 4 years before moving to Lake Louise where Johnny had accepted a job with Parks Canada on Trail Crew, a job that took him and his horses over many backcountry trails and mountain passes in Banff National Park. He also worked his winters as a Snow Cat operator at Lake Louise and later as a speed plow operator on Hwy. 93 north for Parks Canada. He accepted a position with Banff National park as Barn Boss in 1977. He also took care of the Buffalo Paddock herd. Many times he would say, “I have the best job in the park.”

In 1996 an opportunity came to manage the Ya Ha Tinda Ranch. He and Marie moved to the ranch and remained there for 7 years. Johnny’s time there was the highlight of his career with Parks Canada. He took great pride in the ranch and managed it as if it was his own. The ranch is located west of Sundre, bordering Banff National park. It was established to raise horses for the Parks Canada, a spectacular oasis of a sort with a large open valley sweeping towards the west, with a backdrop of majestic mountains. Johnny retired in 2003 after 30 years with Parks Canada. They retired to Bergen and Water Valley where they spent 14 years enjoying retirement and building several log buildings, an art he acquired while in Lake Louise. In 2017 they moved to Turner Valley where they were close to the special places that they had grown up enjoying.

There are so many stories of very close bear encounters, horse wrecks and personal mishaps along the way. There are hair raising stories of a group of Millarville cowboys that ended up having carreers in the National Parks. In those days a degree in Higher Education was not required, only skills learned in the back country were required to work for Parks Canada. This group of young men were known as the Millarville Mafia, and they were Johnny Nylund, Perry Jacobson, Donny Mickle, Keith Foster and Bob Haney. Wouldn’t you love to sit around the campfire with this group and listen to the stories. Many of them have been told a hundred times but they still bring laughter and memories of a time gone forever.

Information provided by Marie Nylund.
Submitted by Mary Ann Watson