NEWS of the Red Deer Region - October 27 - November 30, 2005

 
News of the Red Deer Region
snippets and summaries of news reports from local media (primarily Red Deer Advocate and Red Deer Express)
November 2005

Nov. 30, 2005
Subdivision Approved on West Side of Sylvan Lake
Lacombe County approved another subdivision on the west end of Sylvan Lake yesterday for 16 residential lots bringing the total to 82 of 238 proposed. Due to fears of damage to lake ecology and environmental issues and the controversies around those issues, 28 development conditions have been applied to all new applications.
City and Red Deer County Working on Landfill Agreement
Red Deer County is negotiating with the City to continue using their landfill until a better solution is found. The County closed its landfill near Pine Lake in 2003 as it couldn't comply with stringent development permit conditions. The City is concerned that, at the present rate of growth, it will run out of landfill space well before it planned. Meanwhile the County is studying ways of using waste to produce biogas, which in turn, would be used to generate power and steam heat.

Nov. 28, 2005
Flood Repair Costs May Exceed $8 Million in Clearwater County
Rebuilding the James River Bridge and other repairs to roads and infrastructure as a result of the June floods will likely exceed eight million dollars. One of the challenges is that the river changed course as a result of the floods. Red Deer County and the City of Red Deer also suffered considerable damage.

Nov. 26, 2005
City Looking at Michener Facilities
Michener Centre's decision to close the swimming pool and other recreational facilities to the general public has caused some concern with local residents. The problem is that the government funding isn't covering the cost to keep it open. Compounding the problem is that the City's Recreation Centre Pool is closed until early 2007 for repairs and renovations. The City met with the Michener Centre Board to collect information to see if it's feasible to take over the facilities. A decision will be made at a later date.
Local Municipalities Want Access to Greater Share of Red Deer River Water
Several municipalities close to the Red Deer River have taken exception to the provincial government's plan to increase the allocation of water for municipal use to 38% of the flow (about 600 billion litres). Currently, about 18% is being used. But with future growth, the need will likely exceed that amount. The municipalities are recommending 40%. Other rivers in the South Saskatchewan River Basin, the Bow and Oldman, have allocations closer to 70%. However, an agreement is in place that at least 50% of the basin flow must go to Saskatchewan.
Erosion Study Delays Glennifer Development
Engineers will study soil erosion at Glennifer Lake before any large-scale housing can go ahead. The man-made lake was created 20 years ago as a reservoir for the Dickson Dam. Shoreline erosion concerns from local residents plus possible erosion from the June floods prompted the study in light of interest expressed in developing around the lake. Currently there are around 1,500 lots for recreational vehicles, trailers and tents, some permanently.

Nov. 25, 2005
$18.5 million Proposal to Overhaul Waskasoo Park
The Special Gathering Places Master Plan has been revealed outlining the next 20 year plan for Waskasoo Park. Recommendations include two new river-spanning foot bridges, a new Bower Ponds spray park, a canoe-kayak circuit at Three Mile Bend and a new ecological interpretive centre replacing the horse paddock at Heritage Ranch. The proposed improvements were gleaned from three community involvement forums that drew about 200 people. Almost half the cost of the proposals are for the pedestrian bridges across the river. The most controversial is replacing the horse paddock at Heritage Ranch.

Nov. 23, 2005
City Downtown Study Touts Economic Boost From Redevelopment
The City and the Downtown Business Association have released a study that suggests that downtown Red Deer offers plenty of restaurant potential and Riverlands redevelopment close to the river (current site of several city departments) could provide a major economic boost. The study found local opportunities for pharmacies, gas stations, accountants, physicians, day care operators and others. There is plenty of real estate capacity for professional services and other retail and commercial potential.

Nov. 21, 2005
Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame Relocated to Red Deer
The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, located along Highway 2, is now the new permanent home of the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame started in 1982. Photos and memorabilia were first located and displayed in Edmonton, then Stettler, and finally negotiations were completed to establish its permanent home. The 35 inductees are all at the amateur level.

Nov. 19, 2005
Danish Museum Receives Tourism Award
The Danish Canadian National Museum located in Dickson in Red Deer County has been awarded the 2005 David Thompson Tourism Award. The museum compliments other tourist sites in the area including the Dickson Store, Markerville Creamery and Stephansson House. Previous winners include the Westerner Exposition Association in Red Deer, the Reynolds Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin and the Alberta Prairie Steam Tours in Stettler.

Nov. 18, 2005
Red Deer College Announces Multi-Million Dollar Expansion Plan
An expected increase in student enrolment to 10,000 from the current 6,500 in the next five years plus the future probability of granting degrees has prompted Red Deer College to launch an ambitious plan to expand the facility. The plans include a $60 million Healthy Communities Complex, a new on-campus health clinic and possibly a jointly developed art gallery-museum with the City. The first phase will be the Healthy Communities Complex which will include trades, research, visual arts, health, a sports complex and a business and manufacturing training centre.

Nov. 9, 2005
Horse Racing Complex Proposed
Owners of a horse racing track in Lethbridge has applied for a provincial licence to operate a race track in the Red Deer area. Recently the Westerner Association in Red Deer decided not to pursue a similar plan due to the financial risks involved. However, the new applicants are optimistic that Red Deer's location half way between Edmonton and Calgary make it a perfect spot for a growing industry that has tremendous economic spinoff benefits.

Nov. 8, 2005
New Hotel Announced For South of City
Holiday Inn is planning a $10 million 100-unit hotel in Gasoline Alley on Highway 2 south of Red Deer. It will include banquet facilities, meeting rooms, a restaurant and a water slide and is expected to be completed by summer 2007.

Nov. 5, 2005
County Turns Down Offer to Purchase Abandoned Rail Right of Way
Red Deer County recently decided not to purchase land owned by Canadian Pacific Railway that extends from Red Deer across the Red Deer River to Benalto and beyond that was once the Alberta Central Railway. The cost would have been $300,000 but the railway wanted to retain some utility rights and the County would have been responsible for the environmental cleanup. However there is sufficient community interest in the land that the County is exploring options.

Nov. 4, 2005
Olymel Now Largest Hog Processing Plant in Canada
Able to cut and bone more than 55,000 hogs per week, Olymel in Red Deer has virtually eliminated the need for hog producers to export live hogs to the U.S. This is as a result of a $35 million expansion to the plant. When the construction is completed, capacity will increase to 90,000 hogs per week. There are currently 1,800 employees, including workers from other countries including San Salvador and the Phillipines.

Nov. 3, 2005
Red Deer County Opens Up More Industrial Land
Rezoning from agricultural to light industrial is in process for a quarter section of land south of Red Deer's landfill. Due to the scarcity of serviced industrial land in the area, the County has already issued a permit for pre-grading work to occur. The lots could range from 1.5 to 40 acres in size and would be well suited for oil and gas servicing businesses.

Oct. 29, 2005
Calgary Edmonton Corridor Growing Faster Than Expected
TD Bank Financial Group issued an update saying that high energy prices have pushed the region's economic growth even faster than was expected two and a half years ago when it referred to the Corridor as the 'Western Tiger'. The report anticipates this growth to continue especially with the combination of high energy prices and the reopening of the border to cattle.

Oct. 27, 2005
City Wins Parks Award
The Alberta Recreation and Parks Association has awarded Red Deer the Parks Excellence Award. It recognizes the city's efforts since 1970 to develop green areas and planning a healthy environment in an urban setting.

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