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News of the Red Deer Region
snippets and
summaries of news from local resources including media, press releases
and personal knowledge
February 2009 Part
1
Feb. 14, 2009
City Has Too Much Topsoil
The city of Red Deer has the awkward problem of having too much high
grade topsoil and as a result, is using it to fill a storm water pond
under construction in the Timberlands area being developed in the
northeast part of the city. Only Russia, Ukraine and the Canadian
prairies have such rich dirt. The city needed to excavate the pond in
order to access clay that is needed for the Northland Drive construction
north of the project area. The topsoil is coming from new development in
the area that requires developers to extract half a metre of soil prior
to construction. Some is used for landscaping and berms but much of it
is not used but is too expensive to haul to areas that need it.
Lacombe County Wants Guidelines for Sylvan Lake
Lacombe County plans to undertake an area structure plan for close to
8,000 acres on the west side of Sylvan Lake. The current Sylvan Lake
Management Plan updated in 2000 is considered too vague for future
development. More specific details on the appropriate types and density
of development, public access to the lake, roads and servicing needs are
required. The plan is expected to be completed by September.
Lacombe County Likes Revised Buffalo Lake Plan
An earlier version of the intermunicipal development plan being
developed by five municipalities around Buffalo Lake has been revised to
allow some future development along the shore in Lacombe County. The
plan had previously favoured shoreline development in Stettler County
and Camrose County with the land bordered by Lacombe County kept
agricultural reserve making it unclear whether any kind of development
could occur in the future. The revision will allow small residential
proposals. Lacombe County council approved the new plan and it will now
go to the other municipalities, including the summer villages of Rochon
Sands and White Sands, for approval.
Feb. 13, 2009
Proposed Gull Lake RV Resort Scaled Back
A proposed 750-acre RV resort project that includes six km of lakefront
on the west side of Gull Lake with 3,000 lots has been scaled back to
1,600 to 1,700 lots due to the original concept being too big and too
dense a development for the area. The number of daily rental lots has
also been reduced to 165 from 194. One of two marinas has been dropped
and a commercial area cut back. However the 18-hole golf course has been
increased to 27 holes. Lacombe County council supported the changes and
will now be taken to the management plan committee that includes Ponoka
County and the Summer Villages of Parkland Beach and Gull Lake. A
wastewater treatment plan needs to be developed before the project can
proceed. Once all approvals are received, the first phase of the project
will take about two years to complete.
No Slots for Lacombe Horse Racing Track
A proposed racing entertainment centre featuring up to 150 slot machines
at the $8-$10 million Alberta Downs horse racing track currently under
construction near Lacombe, will not proceed as a result of Alberta
Gaming and Liquor Commission deferring all new gaming applications until
a general review of the province's gaming industry is completed. Lacombe
County council gave approval for administration to renegotiate a deal
with the developer concerning road improvements since less traffic is
expected without the entertainment centre. Council also approved two
bylaw amendments to rezone the land from agricultural and to allow for
the project at the corner of Highways 2 and 12. Alberta Downs will
become a B-circuit track with racing starting as early as mid-April.
There will be stabling for 400 horses and an indoor arena in addition to
the two outdoor tracks. Construction on a two-tiered grandstand building
with food and beverage services is expected to begin this spring.
Feb. 12, 2009
Agriculture Could Mitigate Difficult Future
At the AgChoices conference in Red Deer yesterday, John Oliver, a
well-known biotechnology consultant, stated that agriculture is uniquely
positioned to minimize the severity of the coming 'perfect storm' of
climate change, diminishing fossil fuels, a growing population that is
either undernourished or overfed, a growing scarcity of fresh water and
a health care crisis. It can help control greenhouse gases, collaborate
with the health and food industries to develop a preventive health
agenda, participate in the production of alternative energies and
promote responsible stewardship of water resources. Oliver said the
industry must invest in science and technology, and partner with health
and environmental scientists. It must also focus on a triple bottom line
of social, economic and environmental responsibility, commit to
long-term sustainability and accept a leadership role.
Caroline Natural Meat Products Store Wins Award
Ravenwood Farm Fresh Meats of Caroline received one of three Best
Practices Awards at the AgChoices 2009 conference in Red Deer yesterday
for innovation in development of agricultural businesses. Ravenwood
Ranch, located on the Raven River near Caroline, has about 75 beef cows,
80 pigs and 65 goats, all raised grain-fed outdoors with no additive
hormones or antibiotics except when necessary to treat injury or
illness. The natural end products are sold out of the 3,000 sq. ft.
Caroline store, opened last year, that includes a cafe and butcher shop.
The business attracts customers from Calgary and Edmonton as well as
Central Alberta.
Concerns Remain for Sylvan Lake Project
A proposal to develop 15 lots on the shores of Sylvan Lake near the
Summer Village of Jarvis Bay has met with environmental concerns in
spite of recent changes to the plan. Plans now include a 15-metre buffer
along the lakeshore and 15-metre environmental reserve easements to
restrict shoreline development. Lots narrower than required in the
municipal development plan, boat access and ongoing environmental
concerns drew considerable interest at a recent public meeting where
about 40 area residents attended. The nine-acre subdivision was once a
wetland that dried up and was filled in. Zoning and municipal statutes
would need to change for the proposal to proceed.
Feb. 11, 2009
Funding for College Expansion Phase 2 Gets
Boost
The second component of the expansion of Red Deer College, estimated to
cost $70 to $90 million, got a boost recently with a $250,000 donation
by Quinn Oilfield Supply, bringing the $35 million fundraising effort
past the $15 million mark. The money has been earmarked for the Centre
for Sport and Wellness and the Centre for Health Education, the next
major projects in the college's $170 million Building Communities
Through Learning. The Centre for Sport and Wellness will have about
140,000 sq. ft. of gym space with seating for 1,500 people, two
full-size basketball courts, a track, fitness facilities, labs, a 40,000
sq. ft. fieldhouse that will feature soccer, tennis, sports testing,
fitness and health, an administration centre and an Olympic-size rink.
The $80 million first component of the expansion project is nearing
completion.
Feb. 10, 2009
2008 Regional Building Permits Down 40%
After a record year in 2007, building permits for towns in the Red Deer
region stood at $300.3 million, a 40% decrease from the $499.8 million
recorded in the previous year but down much less from the $379.1 million
recorded in 2006. Residential permits were down 35% at $206 million in
2008 compared to the $314.9 million in 2007. Two communities, Lacombe
and Rimbey, increased in 2008 while one, Stettler, remained unchanged.
Sylvan Lake again recorded the greatest value of permits at $62.9
million although down by 50% from the previous year. Olds remained in
second place with $60.4 million, down 48% from 2007. Lacombe was in
third with $42 million, Blackfalds fourth at $37.2 million. Rocky
Mountain House followed at $20.2 million, followed by Stettler at $15.1
million and Rimbey at $13 million. Ponoka recorded $11.1 million,
Innisfail $9.4 million, Sundre $5.7 million, Penhold $5.6 million, Three
Hills $5.1 million, Eckville $3.7 million, Bashaw $3.7 million, Bowden
$2.6 million, Bentley $1.6 million and Trochu $1 million. The regional
drop in construction was similar to that of Red Deer which had a drop of
39%. Officials in most of the towns are not overly concerned as 2007 was
a very exceptional year for permits.
Downtown Action Plan Adopted by City Council
Red Deer city council adopted the Greater Downtown Action Plan yesterday
as the city moves toward developing the riverfront and downtown core
over the next several decades. Council also approved that further
studies and detailed design be co-ordinated through the Greater Downtown
Implementation committee.
Swerve Development to Proceed Quickly
The Red Deer municipal planning commission gave site approval for a
proposed downtown 6-storey eco-friendly building that will have 5
commercial bays on the ground floor and 36 residential units, of which
22 would be affordable housing units, on the upper floors. The
developers hope that construction will start in early spring and be
completed relatively quickly. The building will have no natural gas
connections and will rely entirely on purchased energy produced through
wind and solar generation. Residents are not expected to be
vehicle-owners so the commission relaxed the parking requirements. Some
changes to the original plan include the elimination of a central common
area and rooftop garden as well as the addition of five residential
units.
Sundre World Wildlife Museum Getting Attention
About 6,000 visitors from around the world were attracted to the Chester
Mjolsness World of Wildlife at the Sundre Museum during the first nine
months of 2008. It is one of the largest museum collections of animal
trophies in the world, numbering about 140 specimens from every
continent except South America and Antarctica. Mjolsness started big
game hunting globally in 1986 and all trophies were shot legally. Only
the rhino, hippo and elephant on display are man-made recreations of
African animals as they could not be shot legally. Visitors have
included art groups, school groups and television producers.
Feb. 9, 2009
Innisfail Hosts National Toboggan Race
The 35th annual Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race, put on by the
Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary, was held on
Saturday at the Innisfail Ski Hill, west of Innisfail along Highway 54.
Hundreds of engineering students from post-secondary institutions all
over Canada dressed up in various costumes. Teams of five propelled
themselves down the hill in concrete toboggans weighing up to 136 kg
(300 pounds) without passengers and up to 454 kg (1,000) fully loaded.
The fastest run was 12.16 seconds with a top speed of 38 km/hr by a
University of Calgary team. The overall winner however was the
University of Manitoba. The event originated in Red Deer at the Canyon
Ski Hill.
Red Deer County Expands Riparian Conservation
Red Deer County is offering local landowners partial funding for any
riparian conservation projects implemented before the end of the year.
Riparian areas are lands immediately adjacent to water bodies including
lakes, wetlands, rivers and streams. They're identified by the variety
of plant life living nearby and act as natural storage and purification
sites for water running off crops, lawns, parking lots and pastures.
They are home to 80% of Alberta's wildlife. Options to protect these
areas from damage include fencing, off-stream watering systems, building
bridges or planting new trees and native shrubs.
Feb. 7, 2009
Funds Awarded to Airport for Equipment
The Red Deer Regional Airport has been awarded $851,025 under the
federal Airports Capital Assistance Program for a new snowblower and new
plow truck and sweeper. The existing snowblower dates back to 1969 and
the truck is 30 years old. The new equipment could be on site in six to
eight months. The authority will continue to apply under the program for
runway and taxiway overlays and expanded buildings to house the new
equipment. ACAP funding is not available for other major projects
planned for the airport such as a runway extension and a new terminal
building. The airport is the only one in Central Alberta that remains
operational 24 hours a day.
Marketing Workshop Held for Tourism Operators
Alberta Tourism recently hosted the largest workshop ever in Central
Alberta for tourism operators. The central region covers a wide area
from Elk Island National Park to Rocky Mountain House up to Edson with
Red Deer its hub. Attendees at the Red Deer workshop heard that the bulk
of money spent at tourist facilities in the central region in 2007, the
most recent year of available statistics, came from people who live in
Alberta, followed by residents of Saskatchewan and British Columbia,
followed by residents of the United States. In addition, Alberta
continues to outperform the national average.
Feb. 6, 2009
Plans Underway for Olympic Torch Run
Red Deer's Olympic Torch Relay Community Celebration Committee has begun
the process of organizing the torch run and community bash to be held at
Westerner Park on January 15, 2010. Red Deer is one of 187 Canadian
communities chosen to host a free event as the Olympic torch passes
through 1,000 communities across Canada on its way to Vancouver. The
Vancouver Winter Olympics run from Feb. 12 to 28 next year.
Feb. 5, 2009
Consultant Suggests Shedding of Frontier Image
A consultant hired by Red Deer Regional Economic Development to conduct
a study on attracting foreign direct investment to the area, addressed a
luncheon of the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce yesterday, suggesting that
it is time for the city to shed its image of a frontier town. An
image-improving marketing initiative is one of the strategies
recommended to the region. Sectors that could attract investment include
manufacturing and distribution targeting innovative agri-food
production, oil-related products and services, machinery, logistics,
tourism, logistics and transport. Red Deer Regional Economic Development
(RDRED), a partnership involving the City of Red Deer, Red Deer County,
the Red Deer Chamber and Red Deer College, presented its annual report
to the audience.
Feb. 4, 2009
Red Deer County Restricts Glennifer
Development
Red Deer County council approved first reading of the Glennifer
Reservoir Shorelands Area Structure Plan that will restrict further
development around the 'lake'. No new development will be allowed within
300 metres of the shoreline and existing resorts will not be permitted
to expand. A permanent open space to serve as a wildlife habitat
corridor will be required for new developments. Only 199 new
conservation residential lots in the 30 square kilometres covered by the
plan will be permitted with a maximum of 32 per square kilometre. The
plan is a compromise between those who wanted no new development
whatsoever and those who wanted significantly more development. Instead
of resorts, bed and breakfasts and guest ranches will be encouraged. The
reservoir was created in the 1980s when the Dickson Dam was built. It's
purpose is to regulate the river and maximize the benefits to downstream
users. Recreational potential was considered secondary. The plan removed
the term 'lake' to reinforce the intended use of the reservoir.
Riverview Park Residents Halt Water, Sewer Plan
Red Deer County council has had to cancel a local improvement plan to
connect city water and sewer lines to residents of Riverview Park along
Cronquist Drive near Heritage Ranch, an area that will likely be annexed
by the city later this year. A petition representing 75% of the 24
owners opposed the average $45,000 that would be charged by the city to
each owner for the hookup to city services. Another attempt to charge a
local improvement levy cannot proceed for at least a year and by then,
the area is expected to be part of the city.
County Passes Lease Bylaw for Future Museum
Red Deer County council yesterday gave second and third reading to a
bylaw authorizing the lease of up to 10 acres of municipal reserve land
in Springbrook to the Harvard Historical
Aviation Society for the construction of a future aviation museum. The
land is part of a 21.23 acre parcel identified in the Springbrook
Heritage Urban Design Plan for a future museum,
school site and recreation building. As the former Penhold base lands develop over the next several years as a mixed use town
centre, public spaces will express the area's heritage.
Garbage-Free February Promoted
Rene Michalak, co-ordinator of ReThink Red Deer, has teamed up with the
Kerry Wood Nature Centre and Community Information and Referral Society
to promote Garbage-Free February, an effort to dramatically reduce the
amount of waste produced by businesses and households. Part of the
purpose is encourage people to become more aware of where products come
from and where they go.
Catholic Schools to Eliminate Junk Food
The Red Deer Catholic Regional School Division is looking at eliminating
junk food from vending machines as part of the healthy initiatives being
organized by the division. It is also studying food sold at school
canteens and cafeterias. The division was recently one of only two in
the province that were awarded $50,000 through the Alberta Healthy
School Community Wellness Fund.
Feb. 3, 2009
Display Upgrade Planned for Nature Centre
About $60,000 will be used to turn the Discovery Room of the Kerry Wood
Nature Centre into an exciting, cohesive and interactive classroom and
upgrade the static displays in the main display area into a more dynamic
exhibit. New panels will contain up-to-date information about local
fossil finds in the Joffre area and new information about where early
mammals came from. Changes include temporary elements that will be
changed out periodically to keep the displays fresh and current. The
areas have not been changed since the centre opened in 1985. The work is
expected to be done over the summer and completed by fall.
Stettler Joint Building Project Scaled Back
An innovative joint school and town administration building in Stettler
is being cut back from its original plan due to increased costs and a
lack of funds to cover those costs. Originally pegged at $4.6 million,
construction costs rose to $5.2 million. Revisions to the 18,000 sq. ft.
building have reduced the cost to $4.9 million. The town and school
division have been planning the project for several years and hope to be
in the new building by August.
Habitat for Humanity to Build Five Homes
Red Deer's chapter of Habitat for Humanity is preparing to build five
more homes in the near future and has started looking for new families
to place in those homes. A recent meeting attracted 50 potential
candidates. The organization currently has three homes underway and has
purchased five lots for the next round. Habitat uses grant money,
donations and volunteer labour to build homes for successful applicants
who are required to donate 500 hours in labour.
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