CALLING LAKE — It may have been raining and little cold, but residents in Calling Lake, specifically on the Jean Baptiste Gambler reserve, were all glowing with big smiles.
Every grand opening is an auspicious event and the opening of the J.B. Gambler 183 Store, named for Jean Baptiste Gambler, is important both for residents and visitors of Calling Lake who now have another option for gas, staple groceries and more, but on reservation land.
“First of all, it provides us with tax-free fuel and cigarettes. That's a service that is offered in Wabasca at the Band store there and so that extends that service here as well,” said Bigstone Cree Nation (BCN) councillor and president of the J.B. Gambler 183 Store board of directors, Loretta Gladue. “There’s no tax for those who possess a treaty card, but everyone is welcome to shop there.”
For BCN Coun. Lillian Anderson it is even more personal than that.
“The store is named J.B. Gambler 183 in honour of my late great-grandfather who originally formed the reserve of Jean Baptiste Gambler #183 in Calling Lake,” said Anderson. “He also had the honour to cut the ribbon for the Athabasca Bridge in June 1952. It was an honour to cut the ribbon for our new store on the reserve; initially my mother Mary Gambler-Gladue was to do it, but could not attend the event.”
The location is important as are the staff who are helping to keep their language alive.
“The walking distance for reserve residents is also a benefit because it's such a small reserve and also the interaction with Cree-speaking local staff offers a welcoming environment,” said Gladue.
And like any elected council, one council will start a long-term project and it is up to the next to complete it.
“(The previous council) applied for the funding and then when Lillian (Anderson) and I got on council three years ago, we continued with that,” she said. "There was a project manager that was already hired, and we jumped in on the project and completed the building and that's where we're at today.”
The funding came partly from the First Nations Development Fund Grant program (FNDF) which was developed by First Nations and the Alberta Government as part of the First Nations Gaming Policy and is funded by a percentage of revenue from government-owned slot machines operating in Alberta-based First Nations casinos.
Since its inception in 2006, the FNDF has provided over $1 billion for over 3,000 projects across Alberta ranging from housing, cultural programs, business start-up and expansion, and employment and now anyone can shop for everything from aspirin to zero calorie carbonated drinks, soup to nuts, and never leave the reservation to do it.
“I went the other day and got ice cream, they’ve got a nice selection and I got my favourite, cherry,” she said.
“The first spin-off obviously is jobs and right now we've created a full-time store manager position that's held by Joanne Hicks and then she's got two full-time clerks, and we have two part-time clerks and one part-time maintenance/security.”
There are three other convenience/gas stores in the area, but they are not on the actual reserve, whereas this one is, and the long-term goal is to one day use the profits to put money back into the Calling Lake community, even though Gladue is cautious in keeping reality close while still dreaming of what may come.
“We don't know yet what the gains in the future will be from this, it’s a business starting out for now and possibly with success we’ll be able to maybe assist the community, but that's something that's not decided yet or talked about yet,” said Gladue. "Of course, that's the wish of all our entities that we have as a Band, to be successful enough where we're able to do spin-offs and assist our community groups and our people with possibly supplemented programs and services.”
The short-term goal is figuring out what else may be needed, and when, as there will be changes based on the seasons.
"We're hoping to capture some of that (summer) business as well because a lot of people are driving through the reservation to go to the Ben Auger Memorial Park, which has the boat launch. So yeah, looking ahead we could probably have some bait and stuff like that available, fishing licences.”
Anderson is simply happy the long-time dream has finally come true.
“This is a wish that is now a reality for all our community members both on and off reserve to enjoy,” she said. “It was unfortunate that it had to be cold and raining on our special event, but I am hoping to see another day of celebration for our store, possibly in the summer months.”
