By Irene Wegmann and Amelia Naismith
A huge appreciation for Rimbey’s community, people and services is being funnelled into the Rimbey Hospital Foundation.
Herman and Irene Wegmann, on behalf of the development group for Westlake Estates on Gull Lake, presented a $7,000 donation to Colleen Connolley, area manager for Rimbey Hospital and Care Centre, on July 22. It’s to be used for items on the foundation’s wish list.
The Wegmanns have been part of the lake communities since 1981 and have always taken an active role in local activities.
Herman serves as president of the Rimbey Curling Club, and often takes a leadership role in organizing community social activities. He can be observed frequently driving his red tractor in the development, cutting grass or clearing snow, and always welcoming visitors to the area.
Irene says Herman likes to be a friend to the community. “That’s just the kind of person he is.”
Irene plays accordion, performing regularly at Rimbey Extended Care with groups The Amigos and Mel Fisher and Friends. The Amigos play weekly at Ponoka’s Centennial Centre for Mental Health and Brain Injury, and monthly at the Gull Lake Golf Course. Irene also plays solo for the residents at Parkland Manor, and for other functions in the area.
“We appreciate the services and the businesses in Rimbey, (it) being the closest town to our development. We’re getting to that tender age where the hospital is more important,” said Irene.
Herman and Irene moved to the Rimbey area from Calgary, where they remember the life being more fast-paced and necessary services such as the hospital over-capacity with the greater population.
“When you come here and the services are so friendly and so available, we just really appreciate that,” said Irene.
Westlake Estates is a new development on the northwest end of Gull Lake where Parkland Beach Road meets Secondary Highway 771. The development features 1.5 to three-acre lots with stunning views of Gull Lake, across from the Gull Lake Golf Course, and minutes away from beaches and boat launches. The area has a strong sense of community, and appeals to young families and empty-nesters alike.
Westlake Estates also features a five-acre central park is surrounded by large evergreen trees. Within the park the developers are restoring the original farmhouse’s fireplace and when completed, it will include a plaque listing the names of all of the previous owners of the property. The original picturesque flower gardens are being rejuvenated and will carefully preserve several original plantings.
Also within Westlake Estates is The Tammy Lynn Wegmann Memorial Wildlife Preserve. This privately-owned 38-acre space is being preserved in its original, undisturbed condition by Herman and Irene as an on-going tribute to their daughter, Tammy, who passed away suddenly in 1999. Preservation of this space in this manner seems a perfect legacy for a young lady who aspired to become a veterinarian.
Westlake Estates is “dark sky” friendly, the goal being to reduce light pollution projecting upward in public space, minimizing the effects of unnatural lighting on the environments and conserving energy. Another advantage of this technique is that stars and various other heavenly items become more easily visible at night.