NEWS of the Red Deer Region - November 16-30, 2006

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

Nov. 30, 2006
Final Tally of Festival Breaks Record
This year's proceeds from the Festival of Trees raised for the David Thompson Health Region Foundation almost doubled last year's, partly as a result of a dream home live auction. Final tally for the event was $957,000, significantly higher than the target of $600,000 and last year's proceeds of $492,000. The previous fundraising record set in 2005 was $505,000. About 1,400 volunteers contributed to the success.

Nov. 29, 2006
Red Deer Waste Water Treatment Upgrades Continue
The third and final phase of a $34 million upgrade of the waste water treatment plant in Red Deer that started in 2002 is set to proceed. An additional bioreactor and a secondary clarifier is part of the $15 final phase that will have the capacity to serve a city of 100,000. Construction will take 2 years to complete.
Airship Base Considered for Ponoka
The Ponoka airport is being considered as a base for a U.K.-based manufacturer of hybrid air vehicles, helium-filled airships capable of carrying 20 or more tons of cargo and travelling at speeds of about 100 km/hr. With its highway and rail connections, the town could be the staging area for shipments of equipment and materials to northern Alberta. The company could also operate passenger trips for tourists flying over the mountains or other scenic areas.

Nov. 28, 2006
Urban Corridor Proposed Between Lacombe and Blackfalds
Lacombe County, along with the towns of Blackfalds and Lacombe, are looking at a long-term plan for urban-style development along Highway 2A for the 15 km stretch between the two towns. If the three municipalities approve a joint area structure plan, a variety of residential, commercial, industrial and open space uses could be created to urban style and density over the next several years. A draft plan is expected by next April with final approval expected in June.
Research Grant for Olds College
The Canada Foundation for Innovation has announced a $1.1 million grant to Olds College to support expansion, modernization and improve the college's School of Innovation, particularly for research into transforming biotechnology concepts into marketable products such as lubricants and nutraceuticals. The college hopes to have a fully functioning facility within 18 months.
Practical Arts Building Approved for Spruce View School
Chinook's Edge School Division has announced the approval of a practical arts building to be added to Spruce View School. The facility, to open next fall, will be used for woodworking, metal working/welding, automotive and computer assisted design programs. The provincial government has contributed $500,000, the school division $150,000 and another $100,000 will be raised by the community.
Snow Plow Added to Big Valley Historic Rail Display
A 1928 railway snow plow has been added as a display to the historic collection of the Canadian Northern Society and the Big Valley Historical Society, on behalf of the Rocky Mountain Railway Society. The plow, in service until recently, will be painted with the Canadian Northern herald.

Nov. 27, 2006
Penhold Developing Social Vision and Development Plan
About 40 people gathered on Saturday to hash out a vision statement for a future social development plan for the town of Penhold (pop. 1,800). Once feedback is received on the vision statement, a plan will be developed to create a community that is more active and healthy. Also in the planning stages is a multiplex that would include an arena and gymnasium.

Nov. 25, 2006
City to Hold Information Meeting on Annexation
Due to a lack of serviced industrial land within city boundaries and a lack of progress negotiating with the County on annexation, the City is filing an application for the provincial Municipal Government Board to hold a hearing in the spring. As part of the process, the City is holding a public information meeting on December 5 at 7 pm at the Holiday Inn at 67th St. as community input is required. The County has opposed the annexation as the land wanted by the city is in an area that was not identified in the Intermunicipal Development Plan and the County wants the plan updated prior to annexation. The city wants to annex 8 quarter sections of land west of Highway 2 and south of Highway 11A.
Cost of College Expansion Escalates
Due to inflationary pressures, the first phase of Red Deer College expansion will cost about $10 million more than anticipated. Efforts will be made to make up the shortfall from government and community resources. The first phase, originally pegged at $50 million, includes a new Centre for Trades and Technology, Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing, Centre for Business Enterprise and Centre for Visual Arts and is expected to be completed in 2008. It is part of a $110 million 5-year plan to expand the college to double its present size.
Foundation Develops Environmental Legacy Fund
The Red Deer and District Community Foundation has developed the Environmental Legacy Fund to provide funding for Central Alberta charities involved in projects supportive of the environment. Paul Harris and Terry Werke of Sunworks have boosted the project by promoting 1% For the Planet, an alliance of companies around the world committed to donating 1% of their annual revenues to environmental initiatives, to community foundations across Canada.

Nov. 24, 2006
Festival of Trees Kickoff Auction Exceeds Target
Exceeding the target of $600,000 by 10%, the 13th annual Festival of Trees gala fundraiser dinner and auction for the David Thompson Health Region Foundation, was considered an outstanding success. About 840 people attended the event. A house valued at $400,000 contributed to the total raised in the auction, the winning bid being $480,000. The proceeds will go to operating equipment and supplies at the Red Deer hospital.
Rocky Mountain House Fundraiser Doubles Expectations
A recent fundraising gala and associated donations has raised $200,000 for 15 new beds for the Rocky Mountain House hospital. The goal had been $100,000 and the extra money will go toward a baby warmer and new stretchers.
Short Flight Golf Course Approved for Springbrook
Red Deer County has approved a 9 hole short flight golf course for an area once occupied by a military bunker at the corner of Highway 2A and Airport Drive near the entrance to the hamlet of Springbrook. The project will include club house, parking, landscaping and fencing. The developer dropped an earlier proposal to include RV storage.

Nov. 23, 2006
Balzac Project Raises Concerns About Red Deer River
Two packed public information meetings yesterday informed area residents about the plans for a $1 billion major commercial project at Balzac, just north of Calgary, and its impact on the Red Deer River. The project developers plan to build a massive commercial and entertainment mall, hotel, major horse racetrack facility and industrial area that would pipe water from the river near Drumheller. It was explained by a representative of the M.D. of Rockyview that piping water from the Red Deer River was necessary because the Bow River has been closed by the province for new water allocations, the city of Calgary wouldn't transfer water to the project and promises were made to the developers that sufficient water for the project would be made available by 2008. A community planner, Bill Shaw, outlined the history and implications of taking water from one river sub-basin to another. The Red Deer, Bow and Oldman sub-basins are part of the South Saskatchewan river basin. The project would take out almost 2 million cubic metres per year.
Final Fire Truck Manufactured at E-One
After 33 years, fire equipment manufacturing has come to an end in Red Deer. The final pumper truck bound for Halifax will be completed next week. The company originally started by three local businessmen in 1973 as Superior Emergency Equipment which became the largest builder of fire-fighting apparatus in Canada. It was purchased by Florida-based E-One in 1991, employing up to 175 workers. The company decided last spring to consolidate its operations in Florida. Most employees have found employment elsewhere. The building has been sold to Copper Core.
Century 21 Declares Red Deer One of Canada's Hottest Housing Markets
Compared to 39 housing markets across the country, Red Deer is 2nd only to Edmonton as being Canada's hottest housing market with house prices increasing by 19% over the six months from spring to fall, declared Century 21 recently.

Nov. 22, 2006
Schools For Tomorrow Plan Includes New Schools For Region
The provincial Education Minister has released the long awaited Schools for Tomorrow 5-year $3.1 billion capital strategic plan for the building of new schools throughout the province. The recommended plan has yet to be endorsed by the provincial government and could be revised. Recommended new schools in the document for Red Deer include a new K-5 Aspen Ridge school, a new K-5 Timberstone school and modernization of Aspen Heights elementary school. In the Catholic school division, a new K-9 school in Olds, a new K-5 school in Red Deer and modernization of St. Thomas Aquinas school are recommended. In the Chinook's Edge school division, recommendations include a new K-8 school for Sylvan Lake, modernization of K-5 C.P. Blakely school in Sylvan Lake and expansion of K-4 Carstairs School. Additional school recommendations for Chinook's Edge include a new K-4 Springbrook school and replacement of the 7-12 River Glen School currently located in Red Deer. Already announced projects not part of the plan include a new 9-12 Olds Community Learning Centre, a separate Our Lady of Rosary School in Sylvan Lake, modernization of Lacombe and Ponoka Composite High Schools, Father Lacombe Catholic School, Waverly School and William Hay Composite High School in Stettler.
Proposed Civic Yard Relocation Irritates Dog Owners
An area zoned for industrial development for several years but has been used as an extension of the nearby Three Mile Bend park, is being promoted as the best place to relocate the civic yards that are currently located just west of downtown in the Cronquist business/industrial area. An open house held last night attracted several dog owners who would like the area to remain as parkland characterized as an off-leash zone. The city purchased the 70 acres of land in 2000 for civic yard relocation as the current yards need to be expanded to accommodate the city's major growth of recent years. The vacated land would be used for a proposed residential, business and cultural redevelopment close to the river. The proposed plan will go to city council for approval within the next few weeks.
Development Plan for Medicine River Initiated by County
Red Deer County has decided to create a sub-regional concept plan for the Medicine River, especially the area near Markerville. The plan would guide future development in the area and is expected to be completed by next June. The Medicine River flows into the Red Deer River.

Nov. 20, 2006
Sylvan Lake Tourism Worth About $50 Million Annually
A recent study to determine the economic impact of tourism on Sylvan Lake (pop. 8,500) revealed that the town is likely one of the top three or four tourist destinations in Alberta and tourism is worth approximately $48.5 million per year to the community. Visitors spend $33.5 million on accommodations, food and other activities with a trickle-down effect accounting for another $15 million. The economic impact includes 425 full-time jobs that cater to visitors. The study determined there were 907,000 individual visits in 2006, of which one third came from within 60 km and 90 per cent from Alberta.

Nov. 18, 2006
Central Alberta May Get Giant Biofuel Refinery
A massive $400 million integrated biorefinery capable of producing 379 million litres each of ethanol and biodiesel annually will be built in the southern half of Alberta, quite possibly in Central Alberta. Three U.S. based companies, who announced the project that will also include a canola crushing plant, hope to start construction in early 2007 and start production in 2008 so a location should be announced before the end of the year. The refinery would require 33 million bushels of canola and 40 million bushels of wheat per year to produce the biofuels. An existing ethanol plant in Red Deer, Permolex, is currently expanding to produce 40 million litres per year.
Rocky Historic Park Redevelopment Includes Bison
A $2.9 million enhancement program to upgrade the 575-acre Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site is well underway and much of the work is expected to be complete prior the 2007 season. The site includes walking trails, interpretive centre and interpretive media. The redevelopment project includes a new washroom building, restoration of archeological resources damaged during flooding in 2002, redevelopment of the interpretive centre and a new herd of plains bison from Elk Island National Park. A new long term management plan is also being drafted.
Regional Promotion Focus of Economic Partnership Plan
A new three-year strategic plan has been launched by the Red Deer Regional Economic Development partnership that includes the City of Red Deer, Red Deer County, Red Deer Chamber of Commerce and Red Deer College. The strategy includes investment attraction, business retention and expansion, communications and marketing, and attraction and retention of labour to the region.
Energy Firm Plans to Drill 100 Sweet Gas Wells in Region
Anderson Energy, a Calgary-based oil and gas company, is planning to drill approximately 100 shallow sweet gas wells between Buck Lake and south of Bowden, primarily in the Sylvan Lake and Glennifer Lake areas. The company describes the area as its primary production growth area.

Nov. 16, 2006
Red Deer and Olds College Expansions Get Provincial Funds
The provincial government handed out $10.3 million to Red Deer College and another $10 to Olds College for expansion of facilities as part of a $162 million in major post-secondary capital projects province-wide. This is in addition to $29 million forwarded by the government for the $110 million Red Deer College major expansion. The contribution to Olds College is for the Canadian Equine Centre of Innovation expected to be built over the next couple of years and includes a satellite campus at the proposed Equine Centre at Balzac.
Sylvan Lake Hopes to Build New RCMP Station in 2008
Options are being investigated by the town of Sylvan Lake for the replacement of the RCMP building, including building on the current property or building elsewhere. A space planning study will be done by the RCMP to determine what size the building should be. The current police detachment is using overcrowded and outdated facilities. The project is expected to cost $5-6 million and construction should start in 2008.
Equipment Manufacturer Branches Out to Build Wireline Trucks
Lee Specialties, a Red Deer designer and manufacturer of pressure control equipment, production logging tools, logging systems and wireline service equipment, is branching out to manufacture wireline trucks for the oil servicing industry. Each vehicle will be customized to the customer's specifications, a service unique within the industry. The company has about 90 employees, 15-20 who will work in the new truck division.
Symposium on the Future of Farming Held at Westerner Park
The Alberta Institute of Agrologists organized a symposium to discuss options, opportunities and directions of the agriculture industry held at Westerner Park on Wednesday. Future farmers may grow crops, not just for food, but for fuel, fibres, medicines, health products and plastics.

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