Bentley town council and three representatives from Atco Gas recently celebrated a long-time working relationship.
Atco Gas treated Bentley town council and some administration to a catered noon meal in the Bentley Drop-In Centre done up by the local Cross-Eyed Giraffe.
In recognition of 50 years of service in Bentley, Monte Vickerson, supervisor of district operations for Atco Gas in Wetaskiwin, presented council with a framed print by Edmonton artist Joan Healy.
According to Atco’s records, the first three installations in Bentley, by the then-Northwestern Utilities Limited, were done May 19, 1960. A service was installed for the Atlas Lumber Co. at the furthest west end of main street on the north side, and to two private residences at that time.
Northwestern Utilities became Atco Gas in the early Eighties, according to Vickerson.
On the gas company’s installation map there are names for many of Bentley’s streets, as well as the numbers. One of those names was Vickerson Avenue for 49th Avenue, Vickerson noted. Town council was interested in seeing the names the company has on their map for other town streets as it is a part of the town’s history.
The council of the day when Northwestern Utilities made the first installations in 1960 would have been Mayor C. W. Hergott, with councillors E. A. Calkins and I. D. Leach, and town administrator Claude Summers.
Each town attendee was also presented with a complimentary Atco Blue Flame Kitchen cookbook