I watch the Edmonton CTV news mainly because they are the only ones who have Coronation on their weather map. I think we have the Coronation Weather Station to thank for that.
At one time the Coronation weather station was a large part of the town. It started small and kept growing.
When the airport was built it finally moved to a building there and became an important operation for the community.
Then the government went through some hard times and the age of the computer began.
January 26, 1988
“Cutbacks Felt At Weather Station
“Most government departments are feeling the pinch of cutbacks in spending and the Coronation Weather Office is no exception.
“Earlier in January Officer In Charge, OIC, Riley Workman was notified the Coronation Office would be reduced from three staff members to two.
“Riley said this will mean a shorter work period where the staff will be on duty, and a heavier reliance on the computer equipment to gather meteorological information.
“ The hours the Weather station will be manned will be reduced from 19 hours to 12 hours.
“To facilitate the public, the Federal Government will be installing a larger answering machine with weather information on it.
During the time the station is unmanned, from time to time, as the weather changes, it will be updated from Calgary.
“As to the future of the Coronation Station, Riley said he felt that eventually it will become a one man station.
He bases his conclusion on the fact that Pincher Creek was reduced this year from a two man station down to a one man.
“At one time in the not too distant past, the Coronation Weather Office was manned 24 hours a day, and had a working staff of six people.”
Now there isn’t even one man in the station. It is full of machines doing the job for us.
Just another example of how progress does not always result in growth.
Technology may give us more exact weather reports, but it took away another piece of the small town lifestyle.

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