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Red Deer County
Deals with
Rapid Growth
Background
Reports:
City & County
Enter New Era
of
Co-operation
Dynamics of
Competitive
Growth
Maps:
City of Red Deer
Red Deer Area
Red Deer Region
Future Growth
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Jan. 2007
(updated Nov. 2007)
Vision includes residential
component built out in 20-30 years
County consults with
businesses to develop innovative community plan for Gasoline Alley West
--
urban design concept approved in principle
 Red
Deer County Council approved in late 2006 a concept plan for the future
development of Gasoline Alley West, south of Red Deer and west of
Highway QE2. The urban design plan includes industrial, commercial, residential,
institutional and green space.
It represents the
culmination of several months of workshops and a couple of drafts
putting together a vision that business owners, school officials,
Alberta Transportation and other interested parties could agree on and
support.
 The plan includes specific character areas including 'The
Strip' (existing highway commercial), 'The Cruise' (auto related
retail), 'The High Street' (mix of commercial and residential), the
Hamlet (residential core) and the Working Core (light industrial and
commercial).
The concept is unique in that a community is being planned
around existing business rather than the usual sequence of residential
first with commercial and industrial developing later.
In addition to the theme commercial areas, highway commercial, big-box
commercial and light industrial, the plan includes parks, trails, schools, a
car museum, a large amount of green
space around Waskasoo Creek, a pedestrian-friendly environment and the eventual building of
a medium-density hamlet, tentatively called Liberty Crossing, that could one day support a population of 5,000 to
8,000 people.
The plan was a result of consultation and consensus with
several diverse interested parties including developers, existing
businesses, environmental groups and area residents. Build out of the
plan could take 20 to 30 years.
 The
concept is anchored by car dealerships, existing big-box stores,
restaurants, fast-food outlets, motels, gas stations, specialty stores,
other existing businesses and a
multi-screen movie theatre that is under construction and will open in
late 2007.
The area of the concept plan consists of the land between
Highway 2 and 2A from the southern limit of Red Deer to McKenzie Road.
The area is part of the Springbrook-Gasoline Alley Area Structure Plan
that is currently being disputed by the city of Red Deer which has
concerns about such a large development being created on the fringe of
the city.
A
similar plan could be developed on the east side of Highway 2 in the
future.
Red
Deer County Profile
Red Deer Plans Strategy for a City of
300,000
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RED DEER COUNTY
A Great Place to Live, Work and Grow
Population 19,108
(2006)
Population including all municipalities 125,000
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