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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
June 2009 Part
1
June 15, 2009
Trail Feet Photos to Assist in Trail
Building
At the annual general meeting of the Central Alberta Regional Trails
Society on Saturday, photos were taken of attendee's feet on the trail
behind the Kerry Wood Nature Centre in Red Deer as a means to obtain
additional funds for trail development in Central Alberta. Keen Canada
will donate $5 for every pair of feet photographed on Canadian trails as
part of their Boots Across Canada campaign. Funds raised in Central
Alberta will be sent to Alberta TrailNet for regional trail building.
Two guest speakers, Carol Kelly of the Medicine River Wildlife Centre
and Debbie van Berkel of Leave No Trace, provided information to
attendees. There was also a progress report on planned trail linkages
between Ponoka and Penhold.
Plans for Aviation Museum Revealed at Air Affair
The
Harvard Historical Aviation Society revealed its plans for an aviation
museum in northwest Springbrook at its Air Affair held on Saturday.
Attracting over 1,000 people, the event featured hot air balloon rides,
biplane rides, a classic car show and shine, vintage aircraft displays,
a pancake breakfast, BBQ lunch, and participation in the national relay
celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first powered flight in Canada.
The dedication ceremony for the proposed $5 million museum revealed
plans that include an indoor theatre, Link
Trainer training simulator and replica of an air control tower. The
facility will also house restored aircraft significant to the former Penhold base
including an Airspeed Oxford trainer used during World War II, a Harvard
trainer used for NATO pilots in the 50s and 60s, a Tiger Moth and
glider. Although the museum will celebrate the various roles the base
played from 1939 to 1995, the primary focus will be on the NATO years
between 1953 and 1965.
June 13, 2009
Lacombe County Explores
RV Resort
Controls
In its effort to prevent over-development of proposed RV resorts,
Lacombe County council is exploring the effects of other similar
developments in the region. Photos of resorts at Pine Lake and Gull Lake
were examined and plans are underway for councillors to tour other
resorts including those at Glennifer Lake before making changes in
county bylaws. There are currently a number of proposed RV developments
in the county including the 423-lot Skyy Country next to Sunbreaker Cove
on Sylvan Lake, the 500-lot DeGraff Builtgreen Resort and the 1,500-lot
Sandy Point resort and 27-hole golf course on Gull Lake. One of the
objectives is to control and maintain the seasonal nature of the
proposed developments.
June 12, 2009
Eco Business Park Proposed Near City
College
Red Deer Regional Economic Development (RDRED) is proposing the Eco
Innovation Park, a leading-edge business park along Highway 2 west of
Red Deer College that would showcase environmental protection and energy
efficiency. Limiting vehicle access and no connection to the electrical
grid, water and sewer are part of the group's strategy to create the
estimated $20 million project over the next few years. The concept plan
includes the creation of a not-for-profit corporation that would own and
operate the park. The RDRED partnership includes the City of Red Deer,
Red Deer County, Red Deer College and Red Deer Chamber of Commerce.
New Housing
Construction Expected Next Year
Housing industry officials in Red Deer were recently presented a local
market outlook that showed that conditions are improving and that a new
cycle of residential building is expected in 2010. In May there was an
inventory of 66 new single-detached houses, expected to be absorbed by
the market in less than two months. There were only 7 new semi-detached
housing units, a decline of 73% from May of last year. With lower
inventories, stable house prices, low interest rates and narrowing of
the price gap between new houses and rental units, the conditions are
right for renewed housing construction.
Red Deer College Budgets for Growth
The Board of Directors for Red Deer College has approved a balanced
$88.5 million budget for the upcoming school year providing for
significant increases in enrolment, new programs and the resulting
increase in costs. The new Four Centres building, housing trades and
technology, applied research, visual arts and corporate training, is
completed and set for its official opening. The next phase of
construction growth will include the health education and sports and
wellness centres. The enrolment target for fall is just under 3,700
full-time equivalent students, increasing to 4,400 in 4 years.
June 11, 2009
Vacancy Rates Up in Regional Centres
The spring rental market report from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC)
indicates that, in Red Deer, average vacancy rates in April are up to
3.9% compared to 3.2% a year earlier but rents remain essentially the
same. Although apartments with three or more bedrooms have a lower
vacancy rate of 1.6% compared to 2.9% last year, two-bedroom apartments
are more plentiful at 4.6% compared to 3.2% a year earlier. The average
monthly cost for rent in the city is about $800, unchanged from last
year. In Sylvan Lake, the vacancy rate stood at 4.0% compared to 0.7% a
year earlier with average rent at $705, down from $757 in April 2008. In
Lacombe, the vacancy rate stood at 2.8% compared to 1.2% a year earlier
with average rent at $713, up from $679 in April of last year.
June 10, 2009
Potential Sylvan Lake
Boat Launch Sites
Added
Lacombe County has indicated that it is committed to providing improved
access to Sylvan Lake in order to take pressure off Sunbreaker Cove. It
has added two potential sites for boat launches where the county has
road access that will be examined by consultants. The county is also
considering having separate launch sites for motorized and non-motorized
watercraft. A site near Kuusamo Krest has been considered but residents
have expressed reservations about increased traffic.
June 6, 2009
Historic RCMP Station Opens in
Hobbema
Canada's first RCMP station designed, built and funded by a First
Nations community was opened yesterday in Hobbema. The 13,100 sq. ft.
building represents a modern fulfillment of an historic Treaty 6 promise
to provide policing and protection for the four nations of the Maskwacis
community -- Samson, Ermineskin, Louis Bull and Montana. The new
detachment building will house 55 officers and 6 support staff.
June 5, 2009
Former Downtown Hotel to Get Two More Storeys
The former Rancher's Valley Inn in downtown Red Deer has recently been
purchased by Potter's Hands in order to provide affordable housing
suites. The new owners plan to add two storeys to the building which
would bring the number of available suites to 70-85 from the current 26.
The $5 million project will take a year and a half to complete and
includes renovating the outside of the former hotel. The former bar and
liquor store have been closed and will become retail space. The
restaurant will remain open. The Valley is the last of four hotels that
once existed downtown originally built to serve customers of the
railroad. Potter's Hands purchased the Buffalo Hotel for the Housing
First project, the Windsor Hotel burned down a number of years ago and
the Arlington Inn was recently demolished by the city.
June 4, 2009
Regional Wastewater Route Determined for
City
Red Deer city council has approved the location of the new south
regional sewer line to go along the right-of-way of the future 20 Avenue
and Northland Drive with construction expected in 2010 and 2011. In the
meantime, some of Innisfail's wastewater will be added to the existing
Waskasoo regional trunk that runs along 30 Avenue with construction of
the line between Innisfail and Penhold to commence this year. The line
will extend to Bowden and Olds in the next few years.
June 3, 2009
Local Chamber Policies Adopted by Alberta
Group
At the annual gathering of the Alberta Chambers of Commerce being held
in Grande Prairie this year, the president of the Red Deer business
group presented two policy resolutions that were both adopted. One urges
the province to consider cyclists, pedestrians and transit when planning
and developing highways in urban areas. The other seeks government
action against country of origin labelling requirements in the United
States as it increases costs without addressing food safety. The Red
Deer Chamber also co-sponsored four other resolutions that originated
with other chambers.
Lakefront Prices Ease in Sylvan Lake But
Still High
A Re/Max report released yesterday indicates that lakefront property
prices in Sylvan Lake have declined but are still the third-highest
among the more than 50 resort areas in the country. Only Vernon and Lake
Windermere, B.C. were higher with lake properties in both communities
valued at $1.2 million. The starting price for a 3-bedroom winterized
home on a standard-sized lot in Sylvan Lake is estimated at $1.125
million, compared to $1.25 million in 2008, $1 million in 2007 and $0.8
million in 2006.
June 2, 2009
City Council Supports Ring Road
Expressway Plan
Red Deer city council has unanimously thrown its support behind a 6-lane
expressway along the east side of the city at 20 Avenue south to
McKenzie Road. It is to be built as part of a ring road in stages over
the next 30 years. Proposed as far back as 1996, the most recent study
suggests that 20 Avenue be built initially as a 2-lane road in 2018 at a
population of 115,000. It would then be upgraded first to a 4-lane road
and then a 6-lane when the population reaches 188,000. In the meantime,
the Northland Drive Highway Connector will be the first phase of the
project set to begin next year and open in 2012. At a projected cost of
$128,000 million, it will include a bridge across the river and link up
with 30 Avenue at 67 Street.
City
Single Family Housing Permits Improve
The number of single family housing
permits in Red Deer during May modestly rose to 32 at a value of $4
million from the 27 issues a year earlier at a value of $2.9 million.
Overall, residential permits were down slightly at a total value of $6.4
million compared to $8.8 million in May 2008. Total permit value in all
categories stood at $10.2 million compared to $11.9 million for the same
month a year earlier. Commercial and industrial permits were down from
last year but public projects were up substantially. The largest permit
was $2.2 million for an addition and renovations to Aspen Heights
School.
June 1, 2009
Work
to Start Soon on Lacombe Athletic Park
Construction should begin in a couple of weeks on the new $3 million
Lacombe Athletic Park that will include a new fieldhouse, artificial
turf and rubberized running track. Once completed, expected this fall,
the facility will be a showcase for field sports, capable of hosting
provincial tournaments regardless of weather. The athletic park will
replace existing sports fields and the used shipping containers that are
currently being used as makeshift locker rooms. It is estimated that
3,600 people in the town are under the age of 20.
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