NEWS of the Red Deer Region - August 16-31, 2006

 
News of the Red Deer Region
snippets and summaries of news reports from local media (primarily Red Deer Advocate and Red Deer Express).
August 2006 Part 2

Aug. 31, 2006
Downtown Red Deer Mural Helps Fight Graffiti
A mural, called 'The Game of Life', has been created on the side of a downtown Red Deer building as part of the Downtown Business Association's graffiti education and abatement program. It features a bear playing checkers with a hummingbird symbolizing how people can work together. Aside from discouraging graffiti, the mural helps beautify the downtown and promotes the area as a cultural centre.
Society Offers Non-Profit Community Village Downtown
The Community Information and Referral Society (CiRS) is getting ready to open a community village in downtown Red Deer where small non-profit organizations dedicated to community service can rent space at an affordable rate and work together on achieving a stronger voice in the community. Renovations are currently underway for availability in November.

Aug. 30, 2006
Red Deer County Bypassed on Location of Police College
The provincial government has announced that the preferred location for the $50-100 million police college is Fort Macleod in southern Alberta. Officials cited its historical significance was one of the primary factors for locating there. Red Deer County had been in the top four communities in the province in the running for the facility that will train 400 police recruits and 1,000 peace officers annually. Other factors cited by the province for choosing Fort Macleod was its proximity to the city of Lethbridge and aboriginal policing as well as being located on a major highway. The County's location in Springbrook was considered a front runner due to its central location and its proximity to major highway corridors, a major regional airport, the city of Red Deer, Red Deer College, the remand centre, Bowden correctional facility and Innisfail police dog training centre.
Olds College Plans Horse Racing Training
A $9 million Canadian Equine Centre of Innovation is being planned by Olds College that would include both an expansion of the Olds campus and building a satellite campus at Balzac next to a new Calgary Race Track and Racing Entertainment Centre development. Horse racing, horsemanship, farrier science, rodeo and an Equine Canada training and certification program would be some of the programs offered by the project. It is hoped that the centre could be open in 2008.
Blackfalds Population Up 8% Over Last Year
The population of Blackfalds has increased by 368 people since last year to 4,741 from 4,373, an 8% increase, according to this year's local census. In the previous year, the population had jumped from 3,812, an 11% increase. Young families make up a large part of the population resulting in 24% of the residents being under 10 years old.

Aug. 29, 2006
Red Deer May Borrow $80 Million for Civic Yard Relocation
First reading of a bylaw that would allow Red Deer to borrow up to $80 million for the relocation of the civic yards was passed by City Council yesterday. The remainder of the estimated $105 million project will come from the Alberta Municipal Infrastructure Program. The city previously decided to relocate several departments from Cronquist Business Park to make room for the proposed Riverlands redevelopment project rather than renovate and expand existing facilities.
City Endorses County Rezoning North of Red Deer
Red Deer Municipal Planning Commission has endorsed the Red Deer County's proposal to rezone 88 acres of land north of Highway 11A and west of Highway 2A from agriculture to light industrial to accommodate Precision Drilling's plans to establish its west Central Alberta well servicing division on the site northeast of the Ipsco pipe plant. The area is expected to be annexed by the city at some future date. The rezoning is the first endorsed by the city on the fringe for some time.

Aug. 28, 2006
Management Plan Introduced at Buffalo Lake
Various agencies involved in managing Buffalo Lake met with property owners around the lake to discuss their plans. Alberta Environment has purchased a narrow tract of land around the lake to act as a buffer against flooding. The discussion involved possible uses of that tract and the shoreline that would protect the interests of all parties including farmers, boaters, residents and wildlife. The Buffalo Lake stabilization project pumps water from the Red Deer River to raise and stabilize the lake's level.

Aug. 26, 2006
Art Collection Growing at Red Deer College
About 450 pieces of art have been collected over the past 25 years at Red Deer College and the collection is growing. Works by college visual arts students were added beginning two years ago. Periodically pieces are displayed at the college or at the Red Deer Museum but a permanent climate-controlled art gallery is being sought. The college is interested in being a partner with the city in a proposed cultural facility that would include an art gallery, museum, archives and meeting rooms. The college collection is valued at $2.3 million.
Lacombe Centennial Centre Renovation Progressing
Construction is a little behind schedule but on track financially for the $7 million renovation and expansion that will triple the size of the former Lacombe Memorial Centre. The new 48,000 sq. ft. facility will have a variety of meeting rooms, a main hall, the Family and Community Support Services offices and will include the public library, doubling its current size. The exterior will feature Edwardian architecture and is expected to be completed by next spring.

Aug. 25, 2006
Airpark Proposed for Sundre
The Sundre Airport Commission is proposing a 75-lot residential and commercial airpark development next to the airport and has applied to Mountain View County for rezoning. Once built, residents of the development would be able to park their aircraft in a hangar behind their homes. The airport is in a scenic valley with a mountain view and is adjacent to a golf course. The county is requiring an area structure plan and public meetings prior to giving approval.
National Website Features Central Alberta Historical Sites
More than a dozen historical sites around Central Alberta are featured on a Historic Places in Canada website that could help attract tourists from across Canada and beyond. Places featured include the Old Court House, historic railway station, former firehall and armoury, the former CP rail bridge across the Red Deer River, Cronquist House, Parsons residence and former Canada Post building in Red Deer, as well as the Flatiron building and Roland Michener house in Lacombe.

Aug. 24, 2006
Construction Begins on Major Expansion of Red Deer College
The demolition of a portion of a wing of Red Deer College has marked the beginning of the construction of the first phase of a $110 million expansion. By 2008, the trades and technology area will almost double the capacity of students to 4,500 per year, helping to ease the pressure on the lack of skilled trades people in the province. The second phase, which will consist of centres of sports and wellness and health education, will start next year and be finished by 2010.
Housing Complex for Seniors Proposed in Stettler
A Drumheller development company is proposing a 104-unit, 3-storey, 100,000 sq. ft complex for senior tenants in Stettler called Renaissance Gardens. The complex will consist of a variety of suite sizes, a 1,300 sq. ft. glass atrium, and a crafts room, woodworking room, games room, recreation area, beauty salon and a library on each floor. Construction is expected to start in October and be ready in a year. It will be located near Highway 12, adjacent to the Ramada Inn, close to Wal-Mart and other amenities.

Aug. 23, 2006
Large Housing and Golf Project Proposed for Sylvan Lake
Meadowlands Developments has purchased 290 acres of land north of Highway 11, half of which contains the Sylvan Southlands Golf Course. A major project of 700 housing units and the redevelopment of the golf course is being proposed but will not proceed until the annexation of the land by the town from the county is finalized. An area structure plan will be developed and lots are expected to be ready to build by June 2007. The project is divided into five phases and it is expected that the project will be complete in seven years. The development will include a mix of housing, some commercial development in the northeast, a new golf club house and improvements to the golf course.

Aug. 19, 2006
Gasoline Alley Parcel Purchased by Credit Union
A high profile 11-acre site on the west side of Highway 2 (QE2) just outside Red Deer city limits has been purchased by Community Savings for $3.75 million. The Red Deer based financial institution has expanded in recent years to southern and eastern Alberta and is soon to have branches in Calgary. One option for the site is for its corporate headquarters although there are no plans to vacate its six-storey downtown office building. Over the next five years, Community Savings expects to add at least 12 new branches to its network. Currently located on the site is Repairs-Unlimited, an automotive recycling and repair business that has been in operation for decades. The business is in the process of liquidating and plans to relocate to another site in the future.
Red Deer County Starts Work on South Hills Water Plan
Work has started on a $1 million expansion of the South Hills Reservoir in Gasoline Alley that will double its capacity and a $2 million water pipeline from Springbrook to Gasoline Alley to move excess capacity to the expanded facility. Eventually, it is expected that both communities will tie into a regional water system.

Aug. 18, 2006
Testing Under Way for Red Deer's New Civic Yards
Drilling work to gather geotechnical information as well as potential for geothermal energy supply is being done at the site of the proposed new civic yards adjacent to Three Mile Bend in the Riverside Heavy Industrial Park across from Olymel. The current site of several city departments near the downtown and Red Deer River including public works, parks, transit, electric light and power and material management is proposed for a future residential, commercial and cultural centre called Riverlands. The $90-105 million relocation could start next year and be completed as early as 2009.

Aug. 17, 2006
Lacombe Meat Processing Plant Under Construction
A 31,000 sq. ft. $7.5 million custom slaughter and meat processing plant is under construction in the Wolf Creek Industrial Park in Lacombe. Canadian Premium Meats will do killing, cutting and packaging for a variety of non-traditional livestock producers including elk, bison, deer and possibly ostrich. The company hopes the plant will be completed by January and operating at a significant scale by spring. Forty employees are expected to be working once production goes into full swing.

Aug. 16, 2006
Urban Concept Plan for Gasoline Alley Presented to Red Deer County Council
The latest design proposal for the industrial, commercial, residential, institutional and green space vision for the Gasoline Alley west area was presented to Red Deer County Council yesterday. 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 building residential first with commercial and industrial developing later. Once approved, it is expected that a residential community of 5,000 to 8,000 would develop over 20 to 30 years.
Developer Proposes New Rural Town East of Red Deer
First reading of the Timber Rock area structure plan for the development of a new rural community  was passed by Red Deer County yesterday. Diamond Key Homes has spearheaded the proposed development located eight kilometers east of Red Deer on the Delburne Road that covers an area of 1,440 acres that could ultimately house 2,500 people. A public hearing will take place before the proposal proceeds. Several area residents have indicated a number of concerns about the project.

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