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Synopses and Snippets of
Red Deer Regional News
that would be of interest to residents and visitors, with focus on business, municipal and community development as well as heritage, culture, attractions, transportation, recreation and parks, from a variety of resources including local media, news releases and personal knowledge.
 
Feb. 13, 2010
Live-Work Units Proposed for South Development
The proposed new Southpointe Junction neighbourhood development on the south end of the city west of an existing major commercial area and south of Red Deer College will include 10-15 townhouse units that would allow the operator of a business to both work and live there and employ up to 2 people. To accommodate the new concept, Red Deer city council has given first reading to a bylaw that would change the zoning to Direct Control District. When fully developed the neighbourhood will house up to 1,655 residents.

Feb. 12, 2010
Tennis Club Plans to Build New Facility
As a direct result of the Red Deer Curling Club deciding to drop its plans for a new facility and overhaul its existing building, the Red Deer Tennis Club, which had originally planned to move into the curling club's current facility, is now looking to build its own. The club became all-season this year with the opening of the new bubble at the north end of their Recreation Centre courts. A new building would likely cost between $3 and $5 million which is more than was planned to renovate the curling facility but a new building would be more suitable and fit in better with the city's plans for the Recreation Park area.

Feb. 11, 2010
Red Deer Now on Google Street View
Google announced this week that Red Deer is among 130 additional cities and towns added to Street View, a free feature on Google Maps, and is now one of 150 Canadian communities on the service. A viewer can type in an address and Google will show a panoramic view that can be magnified, rotated and viewed from different angles from the street. Identifiable licence plates and faces are blurred.

Feb. 10, 2010
Red Deer Royals Band Looking For New Facility
The award-winning 130-member Red Deer Royals community marching band is embarking on a capital campaign to raise funds for a new facility to rehearse in. The group would ideally like to partner with another local user group that also requires a large space. Westerner Park has been giving free space but that facility is getting busier and therefore can no longer accommodate the band. School gymnasiums are not adequate for the full band and plans for other cultural facilities would not meet the band's requirements. The current campaign hopes to raise $1 million towards a facility in three to five years. The band was started in 1969 as a city council initiative and has since won competitions all over the world including the top prize at the Calgary Stampede.
Subdivision Expansion Proceeding in Sylvan Lake
Phase 4 of the Ryders Ridge subdivision in west Sylvan Lake has received first reading by town council and the developer hopes to proceed with servicing of 100 narrow lots later this year. The first three phases included 325 single-detached lots with many homes already built or under construction. Ultimately 600 to 700 lots could be developed in the subdivision.
Two City Hotels Change Brands
The south downtown Red Deer 86-room Ramada Inn is changing its brand to a Super 8 and will maintain its high standard of operation. Meanwhile the Service Plus Inns & Suites on the west side of the city is taking on the Ramada brand.
Highway 22 Upgrades Planned North of Rocky
The federal and provincial governments are providing $19.8 million for upgrades to a 45-km stretch of Highway 22 from Rocky Mountain House north to Highway 53 that is expected to be underway this year.

Feb. 9, 2010
City Commits $1 Million to Curling Centre Upgrade
Red Deer city council has decided to redirect $1 million from municipal reserves to renovate and expand the existing curling centre southeast of the city's downtown rather than towards a new facility on the east side of the city. Originally a new 12-sheet curling rink, community centre and multi-sport facility estimated at $14.4 million was planned. Upgrading and expanding the existing curling centre is estimated to cost $4 million and fits in better with the city's long-term plan to turn Rotary Recreation Park, of which the curling centre is part, into a multi-facility recreation hub. The plan also includes the tennis club staying in its present location as well. Construction could begin in April and be completed by January 2011.
City Drafting Accord with Aboriginal Community
A draft agreement between the City of Red Deer and its urban aboriginal community is being developed to open up the lines of communication and promote collaboration. The idea grew out of a provincial pilot project called Common Ground: Aboriginal Relationship Framework by the Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association and the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association.

Feb. 8, 2010
Red Deer Tourism to Study Economic Impact
The economic impact of tourism in the city and surrounding area is being studied for the first time by Tourism Red Deer in cooperation with Alberta Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sports. Until now the Red Deer region has been part of a much larger area in terms of tourism statistics. It is known that the region is a major player in the meeting and convention industry but no one knows how much the dollar value is. The study will also determine how many jobs are tied to the tourism industry. Funding for the study is being provided by the City of Red Deer. It is expected to be completed as early as May or June.
City Downtown Parkade to be Ready by June
The new $21.3 million 3-storey 400-stall city parkade under construction in downtown Red Deer is on track to be completed by June. Once ready, the transit terminal will be moved back to the site and the temporary terminal on 48 Street returned to its original state. The facility features two elevators with two green roofs, a coffee kiosk and provision for a future skywalk leading to a proposed new civic centre.

Feb. 6, 2010
Red Deer Chamber Adopts Nine Policies
The Red Deer Chamber of Commerce has announced that it has adopted a record nine policy positions, four of which relate to agriculture including support to the hog industry for long term sustainability and the promotion of equity investment in farmland. Environmental policies include having the province adopt a zero waste strategy, minimizing the environmental impact of energy production and consumption and the promotion of renewable energy. Other policies relate to changes in the Canada Health Act, redefining registered savings plans and support to small and mid-size businesses engaged in inter-provincial trade. The policies were developed by various committees and most will be presented at upcoming provincial and national Chamber of Commerce policy conferences.
Snowbirds to be Featured at Rocky Airshow
The Rocky Mountain House Airshow will feature the Canadian Forces' Snowbirds aerobatic team on August 11 at the Rocky airport. The show, held every two years, is also expected to attract a CF-18 jet fighter and several civilian acts. In 2008, a record crowd of 9,000 people attended the show.

Feb. 5, 2010
Curling Club Opts To Overhaul Current Facility
The Red Deer Curling Club has decided to expand and overhaul its current 57-year-old 8-sheet facility on the southeast edge of downtown instead of building a new one. For some time the club has been planning a $14.4 million 12-sheet building on the east side of the city. Part of the reason for the change relates to the city's plan to transform Rotary Recreation Park into a major recreational hub of which the curling facility would be a significant component. In addition, renovating the existing facility would cost considerably less, be completed much sooner and be less costly to maintain. The club is now hoping that a $4-$5 million expansion and renovation project will add 2-4 ice sheets and be completed by the beginning of 2011.

Feb. 4, 2010
Major Attractions Proposed for Red Deer Area
The Forth Junction Heritage Society is proposing two major visitor and community attractions based on a theme of railways and other ground transportation. One attraction would be located in the new Riverlands area of downtown Red Deer and the other a railway station heritage and family nature park on the fringe of the city. The downtown complex would include a retail-entertainment-heritage centre that would include a large retail component, theme park, trail-train-transit heritage centre, community gathering place, observation restaurant, heritage tour terminal, a replication of a famous steam locomotive that once served the Calgary-Edmonton corridor and Canada's largest historical model railway museum. The railway station park would consist of replicated railway stations that were once the centres of several Central Alberta communities and would be rented out as accommodation or other uses. The transportation theme would continue with miniature train rides for kids, restored railway equipment, some kind of lookout tower, a replication of a railway garden park, connections to a future recreational trail network and an interpretive centre celebrating the history of the Mintlaw trestle and the Alberta Central Railway.
Chamber Hears Progress Report by RDRED
At a luncheon yesterday the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce heard the annual report from Red Deer Regional Economic Development (RDRED) that included details of a foreign direct investment project to attract at least two new companies to the area within a year. Three under-developed sectors including manufacturing, agri-food and transportation and logistics are being pursued from twenty of the most promising in an original list of 115 companies. The project is in collaboration with Central Alberta Economic Partnership (CAEP), a regional municipal alliance involving 41 members. There are currently 210 foreign-owned companies in the Red Deer region employing close to 5,000 people.
New Video Promotes Central Alberta
A new 8-minute promotional video describing the appeal of Red Deer and area was unveiled at the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce luncheon yesterday. Several newcomers to the area praise local recreation, shopping, scenery, diversity, hospitality, economy and other amenities. The video will soon be available on the RDRED website and other online venues.

Feb. 3, 2010
Red Deer County Heritage Plan Approved
Red Deer County is being credited with being the first rural municipality in Alberta to approve a detailed heritage management plan designed to identify, preserve and protect historical buildings and sites throughout the county. During the process, 88 potential historic sites were surveyed and 27 have been included in an initial inventory. The county has already designated two sites as historic resources -- the Holy Trinity Anglican Church at Pine Lake and the Markerville Lutheran Church. Recently the county agreed to purchase the Mintlaw railway trestle as a future historic resource. The province has already designated a number of sites as historic, including Markerville Creamery, the Stephansson House and the Dickson Store. The report recommends that a heritage advisory board and heritage officer be created. It also suggests that historical zones could be developed.
Seniors Transportation Issues Discussed
The City of Red Deer presented its seniors transportation study to about 100 seniors yesterday at a Central Alberta Council on Aging meeting at the Golden Circle. Long-term goals of the plan include making all 550 bus stops in the city wheelchair accessible, making sidewalks and paths more senior-friendly and collaborating with service providers to increase options. The city's senior population is expected to grow from about 9,000, or 10% of the city's population to 14.5% by 2026.

Feb. 2, 2010
Ronald McDonald House Approaching its Goal
The Central Alberta Ronald McDonald House campaign to build a $12 million facility in Red Deer has reached $5.7 million. The organization hopes to reach $8 million by mid-March so construction can begin while the earth is still somewhat frozen.
Arts Groups Encouraged to Collaborate
The provincial minister of culture and community spirit is encouraging arts groups to collaborate on projects in order to weather the storm of project budget cuts in the range of 10-15%. Pooling resources and having a collective voice will likely result in better accessibility to the public of arts programs.
Public Input Sought for Electricity Delivery Plans
A series of public meetings around Central Alberta beginning in Innisfail by AltaLink is the second of four stages in building a new 330-400 km multi-billion dollar power line between Genesee near Edmonton to Langdon near Calgary. The purpose of the meetings is to get public feedback on proposed routes. As a result of previous public input, the company now proposes a direct current (DC) line with a capacity of 500 kilowatts that will result in shorter towers than the original proposal.
City Restaurant and Sports Lounge Approved
The Red Deer municipal planning commission has approved a proposed 2-storey, 5,279 sq. ft. building in the northwest part of the city that will include a Tom's House of Pizza and a sports bar and lounge to be called Brad's Pit. An original proposal included a 40-suite hotel on the property but that has been postponed until economic conditions improve. Construction is expected to begin this coming spring.

Feb. 1, 2010
Central Alberta Theatre Turns 40
One of the oldest community theatre companies in Canada, Central Alberta Theatre is celebrating its 40th year in a Fabulous at Forty gala in March. Its range of entertainment includes splashy musicals, comic dinner theatres, one-act plays and realistic dramas. The theatre group is currently in the process of a $1.5 million renovation of the Memorial Centre.

Jan. 30, 2010
Economic Groups Partner to Attract Investment
Red Deer Regional Economic Development (RDRED) and Central Alberta Economic Partnership (CAEP) are collaborating in a campaign to diversify and strengthen the regional economy by attracting foreign businesses from the United States and Western Europe. Analysis has identified four sectors would create the greatest benefit to the region -- manufacturing, transportation, logistics and agri-food processing. The goal is to attract two companies from interviews with 20 of the most promising leads to expand their businesses into Central Alberta. RDRED is an economic partnership consisting of the City of Red Deer, Red Deer County, Red Deer College and Red Deer Chamber of Commerce. CAEP is a regional economic development alliance involving 41 member municipalities and 13 associate organizations that promotes rural economic development and diversification.
Travelaire Manufacturing Plant Closes
Glendale International Corp., parent company of Travelaire Canada, has filed for bankruptcy, and as a result, has closed the Red Deer manufacturing plant. Travelaire has operated in Red Deer since 1966 manufacturing recreational vehicles and more recently products like portable office trailers, medical campers, industrial skid shacks and park model homes. The plant has had as many as 275 employees but had around 60 at the time of the closure.

Jan. 29, 2010
Regional Trail Bridges to be Completed by March
Two pedestrian bridges that will form part of the Central Alberta portion of the Trans Canada Trail are expected to be finished by the end of March. Footings for the Battle River bridge at Ponoka were placed last fall and the five sections are expected to be erected in early February. The trail from Ponoka to the Lacombe County boundary will be ready for use as soon as the bridge is completed. The Ponoka project has received $185,000 from the National Trails Coalition, $85,000 from Trans Canada Trail, $100,000 from Alberta TrailNet and donations of private and public land. Meanwhile the Blindman River bridge south of Blackfalds and north of Red Deer will have the decking built by military engineers from reserve units in Calgary and Edmonton in March. The Blindman project has received $50,000 from the National Trails Coalition, $100,000 from Alberta TrailNet, $51,000 from Trans Canada Trail and $50,000 from Lacombe County. The two bridges are part of a plan to build a 70.6 km trail between Ponoka and Penhold.

Jan. 28, 2010
Dawe Centre Project on Time, on Budget
The $29.9 million G.H. Dawe Community and Recreation Centre revitalization project on the north side of Red Deer is expected to open July 1 on time and on budget after more than 18 months of construction. The more modern and spacious facility will feature a children's play pool, leisure pool, spray pool, large hot tub, an updated 4-lane lap pool, two water slides, a sauna, steam room, 3 multi-purpose rooms, a multi-use gym, fitness area and food services. The renovated and expanded Dawe branch of the Red Deer Public Library will have a large area for programs for children, teens and adults with a lounge area including a fireplace and computers for internet access. The project is being constructed to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.

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