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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
April 2009 Part
1
Apr. 15, 2009
County to Spend More on Roads This Year
Red Deer County will spend $8 million on a road paving program this year
to take advantage of lower asphalt and contractor pricing. The county's
10-year asphalt maintenance program will be accelerated by eight years
with contractors placing asphalt overlay on 70 km of roads. Since the
county only had about $1 million in its road paving budget, the
remaining $7 million will be taken from reserves and then replaced over
the next 7 years.
County Approves Glennifer Reservoir Plan
Red Deer County council approved the Glennifer Reservoir Shorelands Area
Structure Plan yesterday in spite of fears of some landowners in the
area that the plan doesn't go far enough to protect the reservoir from
future development. The plan includes a 300-metre buffer against
development around the man-made lake. Multi-lot subdivisions are
restricted to a maximum of 199 lots and no more than 32 per quarter
section of land. Built in the early 1980s, Dickson Dam and its reservoir
were meant to insure stable water supplies for communities in the Red
Deer River basin.
Nova Shareholders Approve IPIC Acquisition
Nova Chemicals Corp. shareholders have approved the US$2.3 billion
takeover by Abu Dhabi's International Petroleum Investment Co. (IPIC).
Nova's operations include ethylene and polyethylene plants at Joffre,
east of Red Deer. The IPIC acquisition, which needs U.S. and Canadian
regulatory approvals, is expected to close in late May or early June.
Nova Chemicals was spun off from Calgary-based Nova Corp. in the late
1990s after its former parent was acquired by TransCanada Pipelines.
Apr. 11, 2009
Top 10 Priorities for Future Downtown Endorsed
The first steps to develop Red Deer's riverfront and downtown core over
the next several decades were endorsed by city council earlier this
week. The top 10 priorities for putting the Greater Downtown Action Plan
into effect will begin this year. In the Riverlands district, the
priorities include zoning review and design guidelines, planning and
transportation studies to help connect the downtown core to Riverlands,
a tourism study for a major attraction, environmental assessment of the
old civic yards, relocation of high voltage lines and a feasibility
study on relocating the Public Market to the former city bus barns. In
the downtown core, priorities include design work on a civic plaza at
city hall park, pedestrian improvements, streetscape upgrading and
placement of a sculpture at the corner of Gaetz and Ross.
Apr. 10, 2009
Valhalla Outfitters to Double Store Size
Valhalla Pure Outfitters are relocating to the premises next door,
previously occupied by XS Cargo, in south Red Deer, doubling its size to
7,500 sq. ft., allowing them to display boats and canoes year round and
bring in more accessories for family camping, such as bigger tents,
stoves and coolers. When the business started ten years ago, it focused
on technical clothing for outdoor enthusiasts but later expanded to
include watercraft and skis.
Apr. 9, 2009
City Acquiring Land For New Road and Park
Red Deer city council is supporting expropriation if necessary in order
to acquire 58 acres of land for the construction of the Northland Drive
major roadway and regional sewer system, 13 acres of land for a storm
water detention pond and 64 acres for natural areas and expansion of the
popular Waskasoo Park system. The roadway is the first part of a plan to
build a ring road expressway on the east side of the city connecting
Highways 2, 2A, 11, 11A and Delburne Road along the future 20th Avenue.
The South Red Deer Regional Wastewater line will serve Bowden, Innisfail,
Penhold, Red Deer County, Mountain View County and the east side of the
city. Parkland preservation along the river has long had strong
community support for recreation opportunities as well as to protect
wildlife corridors and prevent river pollution.
City Ethanol Plant Receives Federal Funding
Permolex Ltd., a grain fractionation plant in Edgar Industrial Park in
northwest Red Deer, will receive up to $23.2 million through Canada's
ecoEnergy for Biofuels program to boost ethanol production and explore
new market opportunities. One of 22 companies in the country to receive
funding under the program, the company plans to almost double its
production of ethanol, develop co-products like bread flour, gluten and
livestock feed and improve efficiencies. The federal government has
mandated a 5% renewable fuel blend in gasoline by 2010. The Red Deer
plant has been producing ethanol since 1998 but operated as API Grain
Processors before Permolex assumed ownership in 2003.
Modest Number of City Housing Starts
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. is reporting that housing starts in
Red Deer during the first three months of the year numbered 58, roughly
half the starts for the same period last year, 50 of which are
single-detached. In March, there were 20 housing starts of which 16 are
single detached. Last March, the tally was 29, all single-detached.
Westerner Adding Parking, Entrance, Green Space
Work is ready to begin on the next stage of the Westerner Park strategic
development plan that will result in 400 more parking stalls, a second
entrance onto 49 Street, a new storm water retention lake with a
fountain and new landscaping. Brush and trees being removed north of the
Harvest Centre will be replaced by 255 new trees and 1,200 new shrubs
throughout the site.
Apr. 8, 2009
Skyway Professional Centre Moving Forward
The proposed eight-storey Skyway Professional Centre at the former
Central Alberta Florists site north of the Red Deer Hospital Centre is
gaining interest among medical professionals and health services. Red
Deer's six orthopedic surgeons and the Central Alberta Knee and Hip
Clinic previously announced plans to locate in the 112,000 sq. ft.
building. Recently general practice doctors with a walk-in clinic, X-ray
facilities, a cast clinic, pharmacies and other health-related
professionals have expressed interest in locating in the project. Work
is expected to begin this summer with a completion date of the fall of
2011. A pedway link to the hospital is contemplated and may be developed
in the first phase of construction. The building has been planned to
accommodate four additional floors in the future. A group of local
investors is behind the project.
Downtown Arches to Depict Regional History
Eight arches are being installed in an arc in the green space around a
park fountain in downtown Red Deer along 52 Avenue near 45 Street. Plaques will be mounted on the
upright columns depicting the history of Red Deer and Central Alberta.
The project is being directed by the Central Alberta Historic Society.
Apr. 7, 2009
Historic
Arlington
Hotel to be Demolished
Despite the pleas of several hundred petitioners seeking to save the
110-year-old Arlington Inn, Red Deer city council decided yesterday to
proceed with plans to demolish the building that it purchased last fall.
Mayor Flewwelling argued that the building is on an extremely high
valued piece of property with not much possible use for it. Salvageable
historical elements will be removed and preserved. City council passed a
motion last fall for the city to buy the building for $1.2 million, with
the intent of redeveloping the site.
Transit Terminal to Move for Parkade
Red Deer's downtown transit terminal will temporarily move a few blocks
east to a parking lot in order for the city to build a three-storey
parkade above the existing terminal. Improvements costing about $600,000
will be made to the gravel parking lot on 48th Street between 47 Avenue
and 47A Avenue including paving and improved lighting to accommodate the
transit buses while the parkade is being built.
Apr. 4, 2009
Tree Sculptures Being Carved in Rimbey
Oilfield worker Darren Jones is carving 16 tree sculptures with
chainsaws from a line of spruce trees that needed to be cut back for
safety reasons along the eastern boundary of Pas Ka Poo Park in Rimbey.
The Rimbey Historical Society has assigned a theme to each tree. The
first is dedicated to all the volunteers who have helped build Rimbey
over the past 107 years. Another will be dedicated to explorer Anthony
Henday, who name has a permanent link with the town, the nearby Blindman
River and the park itself. The story goes that Henday had gone snowblind
one winter and members of the Cree Nation who had been helping him
started calling the area Pas Ka Poo -- valley of the blind man.
Red Deer Olympian on Cereal Box
Deidra Dionne, 27-year-old aerial freestyle skier and two-time Olympian,
is one of 16 aspiring Canadian Olympians selected to be displayed on the
back of various General Mills products. Each box has four different
athletes shown in action with a brief resume. Red Deer's Dionne is on
Reese Puffs. She won a bronze medal in the Salt Lake City Winter
Olympics in 2002 and competed in the 2006 Turin games in spite of
suffering a major setback in 2005 when she seriously injured her neck in
a fall in a competition in Australia. Deidra's run for the 2010
Vancouver games begins with competitions in October.
Apr. 3, 2009
Canadian Tire Expands to Sylvan Lake, Stettler
Canadian Tire expects to start building a 45,000 sq. ft. 'Smart' store
in the northeast corner of the SmartCentres shopping centre in Beju
Industrial Park in east Sylvan Lake by late summer. The project, that
will also include automotive service bays and an 8,000 sq. ft Marks Work
Warehouse, is tentatively expected to be open in late next spring.
Meanwhile, construction could start soon on a 14,000 sq. ft. Canadian
Tire store in Stettler on the town's west end. That project will also
include a 5,000 sq. ft. Marks Work Warehouse and is expected to be open
in the fall.
City's Newest Seniors Complex Opens
The new four-storey, 151-unit Masterpiece Inglewood seniors residential
complex in east Red Deer is now accepting tenants. Both independent and
assisted living options are available with the latter including help
with medication, bathing and dressing. Amenities in the complex include
a bistro and dining room, a games area, bowling alley, a movie theatre,
an arts and crafts studio, a woodworking shop and fitness centre.
Masterpiece also developed the nearby Aspen Ridge seniors complex.
Apr. 2, 2009
Proposed Sundre Sports Centre Presented
A meeting of local sports and community groups was held on Saturday in
Sundre where organizers were looking for input on a proposed $45-$65
million sports training centre that would include Olympic size ice
surfaces and indoor soccer pitches. The Sundre Fitness Development
Centre would be designed to put the community on the map as a go-to
destination for serious and recreational athletes and their teams. The
facility would also include running tracks, lacrosse boxes, multi-use
space, weight and training rooms, accommodations and food services. The
society is meeting with Mountain View County next week and the Town of
Sundre the following week to discuss the proposed facility.
City Building Permits Remain Sluggish
In March, the city of Red Deer approved 74 building permits with a
combined value of $5.7 million. This compared to 113 permits the
previous March worth $33.3 million although the 2008 figures had
included several major projects including $16.5 million for a
condominium project, $3.3 million for the new Brick store, $2.5 million
for Golden Circle renovations and $2.5 million for a car dealership.
This year's permits included 52 for residential valued at $2.5 million
and 18 for commercial valued at $2.4 million. For the first quarter of
2009, the city issued 242 building permits worth $17.2 million compared
with 358 permits during the same period last year worth $58.4 million.
Residential permits for the January to March period totalled $6.9
million this year, down from $39.3 million for the same period last
year.
Wal-Mart Considering Supercentre for Red Deer
Wal-Mart Canada is considering an expansion of its south Red Deer store
in Southpointe Common and converting it into supercentre that would
result in a full range of food products being sold there including fresh
produce, meat and baked goods. It would involve increasing the size of
the 130,000 sq. ft. building by 30,000 sq. ft. The chain opened a
115,000 sq. ft. supercentre in Sylvan Lake last summer.
Apr. 1, 2009
Report Suggests Arlington Demolition Premature
In a report to Red Deer city planners and council, an architectural firm
suggests that the city's decision to demolish the Arlington Inn is
premature as the condition of the historic building hasn't been fairly
established. The report says that if the newer stucco and timber was
stripped off, there may be original brick and carved stone construction
underneath. Red Deer resident Tim Lasiuta, who asked the architects to
create the report, will ask council on Monday to consider the building
as a historic resource. City officials maintain that it would be too
difficult and costly to restore the building to its original character
and there isn't sufficient original elements and integrity to warrant
restoration.
Sundre Flood Threat Requires Solution
A group of Sundre citizens, called Save Our Sundre, is sending an SOS to
local, provincial and federal governments, asking for a permanent
solution to a potential major flood threat to the town from the Red Deer
River. In 2005, a 1-in-200 year flood changed the course of the river
causing severe erosion problems which increases the threat of future
flooding. The residents are proposing that the river be forced into its
previous channel by dredging the river.
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