SASKATCHEWAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE: 2026 Awards of Excellence – The Hub, Pettyjohn to be honoured

Posted on October 15, 2026 by Ryan Dahlman

By Marcus Day

Maple Creek News

Maple Creek and the surrounding communities feature heavily in the 2026 Saskatchewan Economic Development Alliance (SEDA) Awards of Excellence.

Winners  include the Southwest Saskatchewan Tourism and Investment Attraction Hub (The Hub), Royce Pettyjohn, Lindsay Alliban, and Eastend and Shaunavon.

The awards recognize outstanding achievements in community and economic development, from bold local leadership and innovative initiatives to collaborations that create lasting impact.

They will be presented at the 2026 Paths to Prosperity Provincial Summit, which runs from Tuesday, October 27 to Wednesday, October 28 in Saskatoon. Pre-summit forums begin on Monday, October 26.

The theme, “Connecting the Dots”, is about turning ideas into initiatives by linking communities, innovators, funders, & community builders.

There are multiple award categories.

Local winners, whose names were announced by Councillor Betty Abbott at the September 23 Town Council meeting, are:

• The Hub – Economic Development Project (for a population of over 5,000);
• Royce Pettyjohn – Community Influencer of the year;
• Eastend and Shaunavon – Marketing Initiative; and
• Lyndsay Alliban – Professional of the Year;

The Hub, formerly a visitor centre, just north of Maple Creek, has been described as the front counter and sales office to the region. Its aim is to showcase regional tourism and investment opportunities. Travellers can stop in off the Trans-Canada Highway, buy products from local entrepreneurs and find out what business opportunities are available in the southwest.

Partners in the venture are the Town of Maple Creek, Three Points Economic Partnership (Abbey, Cabri and Hazlet), City of Swift Current, Village of Frontier, Town of Shaunavon, Town of Gull Lake, Town of Eastend, Cypress Hills Provincial Park, and Town of Leader, who work with the Cypress-Hills-Grasslands Destination Area.

The Hub started life as a pilot program, with Community Futures Southwest receiving funding from Prairies Economic Development Canada through the Rural Opportunities Fund (ROF).

Now the pilot project is over, the Hub’s landlord continues to be the Town of Maple Creek. The manager is Corrine Collura, a Maple Creek Town Councillor, who will be receiving the award on behalf of the organization.

This year, the Hub opened on May 1 and will close in October.

Pettyjohn, who grew up on a cattle ranch in the Cypress Hills area southwest of Maple Creek, is the park manager at Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park Saskatchewan.

His work in heritage, tourism, and economic development has been recognized with the “Economic Development Professional Award” from the Saskatchewan Economic Development Alliance, Tourism Saskatchewan’s prestigious “Tourism Builder” Award, the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal, and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

A former Citizen of the Year, he has played a role in the rehabilitation / construction of the Log Museum complex, the rehabilitation of the W.R. Orr Building, the rehabilitation of the C.M. Glascock Building, efforts to save the Maple Creek Armoury, the designation of the Maple Creek Heritage District, the launch of the Maple Creek Heritage Festival, the re-opening of the Trans-Canada Visitor Reception Centre, Maple Creek winning the Communities in Bloom National Championship, the implementation of the Maple Creek Main Street Program, and Maple Creek being awarded the Prince of Wales Prize for Municipal Heritage Leadership.

Alliban is the Economic Development Officer for the town of Gull Lake, Saskatchewan. She is widely recognized for her leadership in community growth, public markets, and regional preservation. Notably, she has headed major local initiatives, including the Gull Lake Property Development Co-op’s fundraising efforts to restore and repurpose the town’s historic commercial buildings. Outside of her local municipal work, she offers coaching resources and strategy blueprints for rural community development through her professional platform, Lindsay Alliban Consulting.