The Okotoks Podcast

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Okotoks Podcast , Carlin Lutzer is joined once again by Brent Robinson , Executive Director of Lacrosse Alberta, and Curtis Armstrong , Publisher of The Western Wheel , for another round of fast-paced conversation on topics that are making people think in Okotoks and across Canada. With just five minutes allocated to each question, the conversation moves qui...

Send us Fan Mail Since our first conversation on growth in Okotoks, a lot has happened. If you'd like to share your thoughts with Town Council, please take a few minutes to reach out. Visit the link below and select "Mayor & Council" from the drop-down menu to send your comments or questions: https://www.okotoks.ca/form/contact-us-mayor-and-council Town Council has approved high...

Send us Fan Mail What happens to a community when a beloved local landmark is given a second life?  For years, many Okotokians worried that the Okotoks Air Ranch Airport (CFX2) might disappear into yet another housing development.  Carlin Lutzer sits down with airport manager Rob Grover, a lifelong aviator who soloed on this very field back in 2003, to explore the new ownership group's exciti...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take for a man to admit he's not okay…and what can a community like Okotoks do to make that conversation easier?  Carlin Lutzer sits down with Melanie Taylor, therapist and owner of Connected Therapy Services in Okotoks, Alberta, for an honest conversation about men's mental health.  Recorded for Men's Mental Health Awareness Month, this episode...

Send us Fan Mail What does responsible mining actually look like and is it even possible on Alberta's eastern slopes?  Carlin Lutzer sits down with Amanda Desjardins, a professional mining consultant who has called Okotoks home for 14 years and whose work spans mine projects across Canada and around the world.  Together they unpack one of Alberta's most contentious issues: the push to re...

Send us Fan Mail Why are Albertans paying so much more for insurance, and is there any relief in sight?   Carlin Lutzer sits down with local insurance broker Brayden Vellenoweth to unpack the complex forces driving insurance costs across Alberta. From devastating hailstorms, floods, and wildfires to rising litigation expenses and vehicle repair costs, Brayden explains why premiums continue to clim...

Send us Fan Mail What does it truly mean when a sports team becomes so woven into a community that you simply cannot imagine summer without it?  Carlin Lutzer sits down with William Gardner, longtime volunteer executive and community ambassador of the Okotoks Dawgs Baseball Club, to celebrate 20 extraordinary years of Dawgs baseball in Okotoks.  William shares the inside story of how a small group...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to fall in love with golf and what makes Okotoks one of the best places in Alberta to play it?  This episode dives into the fairways, Foothills, and philosophy of the game with David Robinson, head professional and VP of Operations at Heritage Point Golf Club and a 32-year member of the Canadian PGA.  Carlin Lutzer sits down with David for a wide-ranging c...

Send us Fan Mail Okotoks is growing fast, but is it growing wisely?  In this episode of the Okotoks Podcast, Carlin Lutzer sits down with Foothills County resident Paul Howarth to discuss the pressures, concerns, and civic responsibilities surrounding Okotoks’ rapid growth plans.  The conversation explores traffic congestion, emergency response delays, school capacity, infrastructure costs, densit...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really mean when we talk about "the cloud"… and what does that have to do with life in Alberta?  This episode pulls back the curtain on one of the most talked-about yet least-understood topics shaping communities across our province: data centers.  Carlin sits down with Matthew Guzdial, Associate Professor of Computing Science at the University of Alberta an...

Send us Fan Mail What does it actually take to grow a town without losing its soul?  That question sits at the heart of this episode, one of the timeliest and revealing conversations Carlin Lutzer has brought to the community.  In this episode, Carlin sits down with Jeff Greene, Director of Community Growth and Identity for the Town of Okotoks, the man overseeing planning, engineering, economic de...

Send us Fan Mail The dog park should be fun, not a free for all.  Carlin Lutzer welcomes Sam Burnett from Sheep River Dog Rescue for a practical and honest conversation about dog park etiquette, dog behaviour, and responsible ownership.  Sam explains why recall is nonnegotiable, how to spot fear based reactivity, why not every growl means aggression, and how owners often create or escalate the pro...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to face the world's brightest spotlight while quietly fighting battles no one can see?  Carlin Lutzer sits down with Canadian hockey icon Kelly Hrudey, former NHL goaltender for the New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks, and one of the most beloved analysts on Hockey Night in Canada…. for a conversation that goes far deeper than the game...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really mean to support local… and what happens when a business puts community savings above corporate margins?  Carlin Lutzer is joined by Ian McAteer, co-owner of Adanac Liquidation, for a conversation that will completely change how you think about furniture shopping in Okotoks.  Ian and his business partner Brian built something rare: a store tucked behind Home Har...

Send us Fan Mail What does healthy community conversation actually look like  and why has Okotoks been missing it?  This episode of the Okotoks Podcast marks both a milestone and a new beginning: the podcast's one-year anniversary and the debut of " Oko-Talks ," a brand new panel segment that Carlin Lutzer has been wanting to create for a long time.  Joining Carlin are two familiar...

Send us Fan Mail Every spring, shovels go into the ground across Okotoks for fences, decks, trees, gardens, you name it. But how many homeowners know what's buried beneath their feet?  Carlin Lutzer sits down with Mike Sullivan, President of Utility Safety Partners and the driving force behind Alberta's Click Before You Dig campaign, to talk about one of the most overlooked safety habits...

Send us Fan Mail Some places in a community carry more than just a purpose…they carry a story.  This episode pulls back the curtain on one of those places: D'Arcy Ranch Golf Club, a 35-year Okotoks landmark that was built, by design, to belong to everyone.  Carlin Lutzer sits down with Mattie D'Arcy, VP of Marketing and a member of the ownership family, to explore the legacy behind the c...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really mean to own the land beneath your feet?  Carlin Lutzer sits down with Cory Morgan, a Western Standard columnist and passionate Alberta advocate, for a wide-ranging conversation that hits close to home for anyone who cares about life in Okotoks and the surrounding Foothills County.  From the landmark Eddie Maurice case right here in our backyard, to Premier Dani...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to build not just a business, but a genuine gathering place that a whole town rallies around?  This episode takes us into the heart of downtown Okotoks for a conversation with Lisa Watts, co-founder of Hubtown Brewing. Carlin Lutzer sits down with Lisa to hear the remarkable origin story behind one of Okotoks' most beloved community institutions, a brewery t...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to keep a small-town newspaper not just alive, but thriving in the digital age?  Carlin Lutzer dives into that very question with Curtis Armstrong, the new publisher of the Western Wheel, Okotoks' beloved weekly newspaper, and the Cochrane Eagle.  The duo explore how the Western Wheel has remained one of the top community newspapers in Canada, what it's...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to build a thriving local economy from the inside out?  Carlin Lutzer sits down with Dawn LeMaistre, Executive Director of the Okotoks and District Chamber of Commerce, for an eye-opening conversation about the power of community commerce and local connection.  Dawn walks Carlin through why every business owner in Okotoks should be plugged into the Chamber, how i...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to turn 20 seconds of tragedy into a lifetime of purpose?  Carlin Lutzer sits down with Chris Cederstrand, a Foothills resident, retired Team Canada sledge hockey athlete, former firefighter, and founder of PX3 Hockey Academy, for one of the most remarkable conversations the Okotoks Podcast has ever hosted.  Chris's story begins in a small Saskatchewan town,...

Send us Fan Mail What if Alberta’s future isn’t in Canada at all? Carlin Lutzer sits down once again with Tanya Clemens, a passionate advocate for Alberta sovereignty, to unpack the momentum behind the Alberta separation movement.  With signature drives gaining steam and a referendum officially expected in October 2026, Tanya addresses fears about the economy, pensions, foreign relations, and the...

Send us Fan Mail Carlin Lutzer sits down with Brent Robinson — Former Town of Okotoks Councillor and now Executive Director of the Alberta Lacrosse Association — for a powerful conversation about leadership, community building, and the future of sport in Alberta.  Brent shares how his passion for lacrosse evolved and what it really takes to grow amateur sport.  Listen For: 3:25 How did Brent land...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a town’s biggest hearts meet its biggest talents?  In this Okotoks ‘Shorts’ episode, host Carlin Lutzer sits down with Meg Meints from the Okotoks United Way Partnership Committee to spotlight the return of Okotoks Got Talent…a high-energy, community-powered fundraiser making a real impact.  Since 2002, the committee has donated an incredible $1.7 million to loca...