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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
July 2009 Part 2
July 31, 2009
Gull Lake Community Lots Available Soon
Grading work has begun on a 55-acre development in the Summer Village of
Parkland Beach called Aspen Rise that will consist of up to 75 homes.
The subdivision is not on Gull Lake but is connected to the beach by an
existing trail and many homes will have a lake view. It is expected that
most of the buyers will be families from the Central Alberta and Calgary
areas.
July 30, 2009
County Transit Service to Begin by Late
August
A couple of weeks behind schedule, Red Deer County and Red Deer Transit
are anticipating that regular bus service between the city and Gasoline
Alley and Springbrook will be in place by the end of August. The
Springbrook service will run during morning and afternoon rush hour
periods only while the Gasoline Alley service will run daily from early
morning to late afternoon Monday to Wednesday, later on Thursday to
Saturday and during the day Sunday. The service will link to the city
system at Bower Place Shopping Centre.
Electric
Transmission Plans Revealed at Olds
At one of a series of 20 scheduled open houses across the province, the
Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) revealed at Olds College the
need and general plans for major improvements to the province's electric
transmission system over the next 10-20 years. Electricity consumption
in Alberta has grown by 28% since 2000 and yearly peak demand growth is
forecast to average 3.4% over the next 20 years, growth equal to adding
two cities the size of Red Deer to the power system annually. Growth in
renewable generation is also expected to increase using wind and solar
but power transmission needs to be improved to connect with those
sources of power.
July 29, 2009
Historic City Commercial Building Being
Restored
Red Deer's oldest standing
commercial building, the 2-storey historic Greene Block on the southwest
corner of Gaetz Avenue and Ross Street downtown, is being restored by
the current owner to the way it looked when it was built in 1901. The
current white paint is being removed from its sandstone exterior, stone
will be repaired or replaced as needed, a sealant will be applied to
protect the finish and metal trim will be placed along the top of the
building. The colour will revert back to its natural grey hue. The
original builder was lawyer George Wellington Greene who let town
council meet there. The first floor was leased to the Merchants Bank,
followed by the Canadian Bank of Commerce and real estate and insurance
firm Latimer and Botterill. More recently, it was occupied by Mitchell
Jewellers, followed by Holmes Drugs, then The Good Food Company. The
current owner is a master goldsmith who bought the building in 1999 and
opened as Artistry in Gold in 2000.
Summer Country Drive Provides 22
Attractions
This year's Summer Drive set for this coming weekend is one of four
self-guided tours Country Drive will offer this year, a significant
increase from the one that originated in 2005. There will be 22
attractions in a rural region that extends from Didsbury to Prentiss but
the highest concentration of sites is around Innisfail, Bowden and
Glennifer Lake. Visitors can purchase produce and other wares at some
sites or tour the rural facility at others. The next tour is the Harvest
Drive in October.
Four Outdoor Gyms Under Construction in
City
Four new outdoor fitness facilities are being constructed in various
parts of Red Deer including Victoria Park in Anders, Glendale Park,
Oriole Park and Barrett Park. The effort by 63 Central Alberta family
doctors and the City of Red Deer is to encourage physical activity among
adults.
July 27, 2009
Bowden Wastewater and Highway Get Funding
The town of Bowden will share in a three-way split of $1.9 million with
the federal and provincial governments for a project to improve sanitary
and water systems in the town by replacing the old-style clay pipes with
new plastic piping. In addition, Bowden will benefit from $2 million in
federal and provincial stimulus funding to improving Highway 2 adjacent
with the town.
CentreFest Street Festival Draws
Thousands
The seventh annual CentreFest street festival in downtown Red Deer on
the weekend drew thousands of spectators from around Central Alberta to
watch more than 20 street performers from different parts of the world
including jugglers, dancers, comedians, magicians, sword swallowers and
other entertainers.
'Green'
Condos for Downtown Set to Proceed
A 36-unit downtown Red Deer condo building with five commercial bays,
called Swerve Living, designed to be friendly to the environment, people
and community, is set to start construction in the next few weeks and
take 16 to 18 months to complete. The building is to be heated by solar
and wind power, will have extra insulation and energy-efficient windows
as well as have three cars available for residents.
July 25, 2009
Historic Designation for City
Cenotaph
Sought
Red Deer's Heritage Preservation Committee is recommending to city
council that the downtown 3,175-kg Tyndall limestone cenotaph be
protected as a Municipal Historic Resource. Facing toward the CPR
station from which most of the soldiers left Red Deer for the war, the
statue of an unknown soldier was erected in the middle of Ross Street,
the city's busiest at the time, in 1922 to be a constant reminder of the
sacrifices made by service personnel. Two westbound lanes north of the
cenotaph, which have been closed during construction of an office tower,
will not be reopened but will become part of a plaza linking it to the
sidewalk.
July 24, 2009
Olds College Gets Millions for Upgrades
The federal government has announced that it is providing Olds College
with $2.9 million through its Knowledge Infrastructure Program which is
being matched by the province. The funds will go toward a number of
deferred maintenance projects that have been accumulating over the years
in various older facilities within the college complex that will include
upgrades to heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting and
electrical systems.
Downtown Park Design Concepts to be
Unveiled
Some new design concepts for Rotary Recreation Park on the east side of
Red Deer's downtown will be unveiled August 19 after feedback from
public forums over the past several months, surveys and a visioning
session. The area stretches from the outdoor speedskating oval to the
Red Deer and Kinex Arenas and includes the Golden Circle senior citizens
centre, the Red Deer museum, Heritage Square, Recreation Centre
including an outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts and the Red Deer
Curling Club as well as being home to the weekly summer public market.
There is general support for enhanced aquatic facilities, expanded
museum, improved tennis courts and additional lighting as long as the
general character of the park is retained.
July 23, 2009
City's Only TV Station to Close
Canwest Global Communications has announced that CHCA-TV, Red Deer's
only television station for the past 52 years will be closing on August
31. The station has been part of the E! network since 2007. CHCA was
founded by Fred Bartley in 1957 as a CBC affiliate. In 1965, its call
letters were changed to CKRD-TV. In 1976, the station was purchased by
Monarch Broadcasting and in 1989 it became part of Allarcom which merged
with WIC Western International Communications in 1991. Canwest purchased
the station in 2000. The station had carried CBC programming until 2005
when the call letters were changed back to CHCA to become part of the CH
television system. Approximately 25 people will be affected.
College Access Realignment Progressing
A project that eliminates the existing Red Deer College Boulevard
entrance and realigns the main college access to connect at the 57th
Avenue and 55th Avenue intersections creating a one-way and one-way out
access as well as new traffic signals at both intersections is well
underway and expected to be completed by mid-August. In addition, 32nd
Street is being widened to accommodate longer and additional turning
lanes and pedestrian access is being improved. In the next couple of
years, an additional entrance will be constructed on the east side of
the college from Taylor Drive.
July 21, 2009
Westerner Days Enjoyed Strong Attendance
The first three days of this year's five-day Westerner Days attracted
more fairgoers than last year but the final two days attracted fewer
people due to less than ideal weather, bringing total attendance this
year to 88,061 compared to last year's record attendance of 90,757. With
scorching heat during the day and severe winds in the evening,
Saturday's attendance was almost 5,000 lower than the all-time
single-day record set on the Saturday of 2008. Officials heard several
favourable comments on this year's entertainment and the relocation of
the family area.
Southpointe Urban Village Gets First
Approval
The Red Deer municipal planning commission has unanimously approved a
major commercial-residential-recreational development proposed for a
large parcel in southwest Red Deer and is recommending that city council
approve the Southpointe Area Structure Plan in order for it to proceed.
The plan was developed by Qualico Developments, Red Deer College and the
Bower family who currently owns much of the land. About 95 acres is
slated for a half-million sq. ft. of commercial and office space, 700
multi-family units of residential development and possibly a
hotel/convention facility. Another area of the parcel owned by Red Deer
College is expected to become an eco-innovation business park. About 30%
of the plan area will be preserved as open space including constructed
wetlands, a dry pond, a natural area along Waskasoo Creek and 17 acres
of the original 21-acre Bower Natural Area which will have its pathway
system maintained and expanded. The objective of the plan is to create a
live, work and play community.
RV Dealership Gets Approval for Giant
Guitar
The Red Deer municipal planning commission has approved a giant eight-metre
long illuminated guitar-shaped sign for Western RV Country along Highway
QE2 in spite of proposed future guidelines that would not allow such a
sign. It was originally located in Michigan, trucked to Red Deer and
will be erected nine metres high on a 30 cm diameter post.
City Seeking Proposals for
Arlington Site
The site formerly occupied by the 110-year-old Arlington Inn is being
marketed to developers as a prominent bridge between the existing
downtown and two areas slated for redevelopment in the future,
Riverlands and the Railyards District. The city bought the site last
fall explicitly for that purpose and demolished the building after
determining that it wasn't worth saving. The site is zoned to allow a
mix of commercial space on the ground floor with office and residential
uses above.
July 20, 2009
Historian Honoured by Veterans Affairs
Red Deer historian Michael Dawe is one of 11 Western Canadians receiving
a commendation from the Minister of Veterans Affairs for his
contribution to the remembrance of veterans' contributions, sacrifices
and achievements. Dawe is well known in the area for his efforts in
public education on the history of the Red Deer area and its residents
including authoring books, speaking to various local groups,
volunteering and as city archivist. He has a special interest in
remembering the sacrifices of Canada's military effort as several
members of his family were involved in the First and Second World Wars.
July 18, 2009
Power Transmission
Project Needed for Reliability
The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) has confirmed that a
controversial $3 billion transmission system through Central Alberta is
necessary to avoid future reliability issues. Two high-capacity
500-kilovolt lines from Edmonton to Calgary are planned. The exact
routing has not been established but one would run west of and more or
less parallel to Highway 2 while the other would be on the east side of
the region. In addition to reliable power service, the lines would
accommodate more renewable and low-emission energy sources such as wind
farms. Construction would take about two years once stakeholders are
consulted and detailed plans are completed with a target completion of
2013. It would be the first major upgrade to the corridor system in 20
years. Public open houses are scheduled for several communities in the
next few weeks.
Westerner Days Experiences Record
First
Day
In higher than normal temperatures, the annual Westerner Days Fair and
Exposition reached a record first-day attendance Wednesday with 13,193
people. The previous first-day record was set in 2006 with 12,598
visitors attending. Thursday's attendance at 22,373 was higher than the
same day last year when 21,708 people took in the event.
Commercial Building Planned for
Riverlands
The Red Deer municipal planning commission has given site approval to a
new two-storey commercial building on a prominent site at the entrance
to Riverlands on the southwest corner of Taylor Drive and 45 Street. The
21,000 sq. ft. building, tentatively called Riverlands Centre, is
expected to be under construction this fall with completion next spring.
It will consist of professional office space with the potential for
retail space on the main floor.
July 17, 2009
International Aircraft Convention Held at Airport
About 120 members of the American Yankee Association from several
Canadian provinces, U.S. states, Great Britain and Germany attended their
4-day 33rd annual convention at the Red Deer Regional Airport. It is
only the third time the convention has been held in Canada. The group is
named after the Yankee, Grumman American's first trainer but several other small aircraft manufactured by Grumman
were represented. The attendees enjoyed visiting with others who have a
common interest, attended seminars on maintenance and plane appearance,
and participated in a number of flying and
skill-testing events.
July 16, 2009
City Gives Two Sites Historic
Status
Red Deer city council has given support for two sites to be protected as
Municipal Historic Resources. St. Luke's Anglican Church in the city's
downtown was constructed between 1898 and 1906 of locally quarried
sandstone in the Gothic revival style with a prominent 'castlegated'
tower, trinity windows and a high pitched gable roof. The interior
features exposed ornate wood roof trusses, stained glass windows and
wooden pews. North Cottage School in North Red Deer built in 1911 was
designed to be a temporary structure until a bigger school could be
built and continues to be used as a school. An identical school was also
built south of the downtown. Council also gave first reading to a bylaw
to include the buildings within the city's Historical Preservation
Overlay District.
Home Sales Up
Over Last Year
The Central Alberta Realtors Association has reported that home sales in
the region were up 2% in June over the same month last year and up 4.4%
in the city. It was the first time since September 2008 that sales
increased year over year. June sales were the third highest ever for
that month, 2007 and 2006 being higher. In the region, 460 homes were
sold through MLS while in the city, 213 were sold. The average selling
price was down from $285,000 in June 2008 to $270,000 this year. The
number of listings have also gone down bringing balance to the market
and prices may start to go up again late this fall.
Westerner Parade Attracts Thousands
The annual Red Deer Westerner Days parade wound its way through the
downtown area yesterday with 150 entries attracting thousands of people
along the parade route. Entries included antique cars, horse-drawn
wagons, colourful floats, commercial displays, dignitaries, the RCMP,
military vehicles and two bands. The parade kicked off the annual 5-day
Westerner Days at Westerner Park with various events throughout the
city.
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