It is gaining a reputation as the little village that could.
Nestled between Midale and Estevan, the community with a population of about 170 and growing, showed another edge to its civic spirit on Saturday afternoon with the official unveiling of its new administration offices on Main Street.
It was a project that was long overdue, said Macoun Mayor Stu Sovdi, pointing to the previous tiny quarters that once housed the nerve centre of the village's administrative network, barely 300 square feet and without any bathroom facilities.
"If you were working in the office and you needed to go to the bathroom, you had to lock the doors and go visit the Co-op store across the street or go down a few doors to the seniors' centre, if it was open," said Sovdi with a chuckle. "It was ridiculous."
But now, with the major assistance of the provincial Municipal Economic Enhancement Program grant of $18,000, a major renovation was made to the former fire hall which now gives the administrator Carmen Vicary and village councillors a little bit of room in which to work. The new office which measures over 750 square feet, allowed them to build a modest reception area, administrator's office and conference room plus a bathroom.
The old administrative quarters were attached to the water treatment plant and while the plant is still there, the materials from the old office will be moved a few feet south to the new freshly carpeted, painted and restored fire hall.
The economic enhancement grant, said MLA Doreen Eagles, who was present to cut the ribbon, was based on a per capita application and mandated as an economic stimulus program.
"What the people liked about this program was the minimal red tape that came with it. The application process was simple and the government let the local administrations decide what to use it for since they were the best judges of what they needed," said Eagles.
It was almost a no-brainer for Macoun since the village is growing in population.
"There were no directives from government other than the money couldn't be used to pay debt or things like that. It had to be used to provide jobs and infrastructure," Eagles said.
Long-time Councillor Gary Neb and others attending the opening day barbecue noted that in the past, some council meetings were held in a local resident's kitchen, rather than subject the councillors to the village's cramped, no toilet corridor.
Sovdi said the village didn't need to add much to the grant allocation to make the new offices ready for occupancy. He said it was a big step, and just one of several that have taken place in recent years. Some of the dollars left over went into renovations in another building which is the new fire hall.
The work took just three months to complete.
Macoun boasts of an active school for K to Grade 6 students, plus a mini spurt in residential construction. They have added two more places at the council table, giving them five councilors. Sovdi said it was not fair to ask a council of three members to do all that was necessary in terms of committee work.
He pointed to the still quite new water treatment plant as another feather in the local cap.
"But this council doesn't take any credit for that. The previous administration with Mayor Lisa Kuntz was responsible for getting that in place," said Sovdi, referring to the $100,000 project that the village took on about two years ago.
"Clean, good water is here. It's a sand and carbon filtration system. We can pump up to 20,000 gallons per day. Current use is around 12,000 gallons per day, so we're prepared for growth," Sovdi added.
Village employees Arnie Feser and Dallas Neb tend to the water plant details and one is certified to operate the water treatment aspect of the service.
The council consists of Sovdi and Neb along with Jeff MacDougall, Jim Warner and Rene Bellavance.
"We also had some garbage collection issues around here, but now we have a contract with Regens Disposal out of Estevan and that seems to have solved the problems there," said Sovdi.
He then pointed to a new all-purpose tractor with a front end loader which the village can use to mow, dig or remove snow when required. That was obtained through a little cash injection from the taxpayers along with a number of generous donations from local and regional businesses who appreciate what the village is doing in terms of moving forward. There is the new package for the administration offices, new and improved water system, more efficient garbage pickup, an addition to the maintenance equipment and a conference room. And oh yes, let's not forget that new bathroom.
"When Regina heard about our proposed project and they heard that we didn't have a bathroom in the old place, they pretty well assured us that our grant application was a shoo-in," said Neb.
So as children rolled up on their bicycles to the new office and picnic area set up on the lawn outside, and tours were made of the facilities, as a train rumbled by on the tracks that run parallel to nearby Highway 39, things looked pretty promising for the little village that could and would.
Warner and Sovdi, two relatively new arrivals to Macoun and its unique lifestyle, say they love living there.
"Couldn't have picked anywhere better," said Warner when asked about his decision to move from Estevan to new digs in the village.
A succinct response to a question concerning lifestyle choices. Macoun obviously, has a lot to offer.
