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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
August 2009 Part 2
August 29, 2009
Red Deer TV Station Closes For Good
Local television news and weather has come to an end after 52 years. The
final local broadcast of CHCA-TV, owned by Canwest Global
Communications, was aired Friday and the station will shut down
completely on Monday. Several broadcasters started their professional
careers at the station including host of Hockey Night in Canada Ron
McLean who started at CKRD Radio in 1978, moved to CKRD-TV (the former
call letters of CHCA) and was hired by CBC in 1986. Diane Finstad, an
award-winning agricultural reporter, worked at the station for 25 years.
August 28, 2009
New Trail Bridges to Get Military
Assistance
The Canadian Armed Forces have agreed to donate their time and expertise
in the construction of two pedestrian and bicycle bridges that will
become part of the Trans Canada Trail. One will be built by Lacombe
County over the Blindman River at the site of the former C&E Trail road
bridge demolished several years ago and the other by the town of Ponoka
over the Battle River north of the town. The military engineers will
install the decking and handrails valued at $50,000 for the $300,000
Blindman bridge expected to start this fall and be completed by spring.
Lacombe County will donate $50,000 worth of materials. Other funding
includes $100,000 from Alberta TrailNet, $50,000 from Trans Canada Trail
Foundation and $50,000 from the National Trails Coalition. Trail links
will be built to Red Deer and Blackfalds over the next year or so. The
$400,000 Battle River bridge is also nearing readiness for construction
with most of the funding in place from trail associations, public
donations and the town. The trail will eventually be continuous through
the counties of Red Deer, Lacombe and Ponoka between Innisfail and
Ponoka and beyond.
August 27, 2009
Red Deer County Transit Service Begins
Soon
Starting August 31, daily transit service will connect Red Deer's
transit system at Bower Place Shopping Centre to Gasoline Alley
businesses and the hamlet of Springbrook south of the city in Red Deer
County. The new route includes 40 bus stops with 11 in Springbrook.
Buses will run hourly six times a day weekdays to Springbrook initially
along a temporary route until sewer and water rehabilitation projects
are completed. In addition, an action bus service will be available to
those with transportation challenges or who otherwise qualify in
Springbrook, Waskasoo Estates near Gasoline Alley, Woodland Hills and
other areas within 2 km of the city limits. Both buses were purchased by
the county, much of the funding coming from the provincial government.
August 26, 2009
Supportive Living Housing Complex
Underway
Ground preparation is underway for a new 210-unit 4-storey supportive
living complex in northwest Red Deer. The Gardens at Highways 2 & 11
will also contain a Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, open to both residents
and the public. Amenities will include an exercise room, a library with
computers, a lounge and TV rooms. Each unit will include cooking
facilities and a washer and dryer. Some will be rental units, others
available for sale to residents while others will be available as
life-lease. The $23 million first phase consisting of 110 units and the
restaurant is expected to be completed by the spring of 2011 and the $20
million second phase will be completed when demand warrants.
'Save Sundre' Committee Awarded Federal
Grant
The federal government will provide $84,400 to the Save Our Sundre
committee of the Sundre Chamber of Commerce for a study to determine
whether the Red Deer River can be moved back to the channel where it had
run prior to extreme flooding in the late spring of 2005. The new study
will include a detailed description of the area that would be affected,
a fish habitat study, an environmental review of the design and
construction methods and creation of a process for mitigation and
compensation. Funding will come from the Community Adjustment Fund, part
of the federal economic stimulus package.
Timberstone Park Phase 2 Rezoning
Proceeds
Red Deer city council has given first reading to rezoning 18 acres of
land on the northeast corner of 30 Avenue and 55 Street (Highway 11) so
that several lots including 39 low-density, 16 narrow, three public
utility and one municipal can proceed by Laebon Developments in phase 2
of Timberstone Park. Once built out, the subdivision will have about 700
homes. The area will eventually feature 83 single-family innovative
condos built to a gold environmental standard. A public hearing on the
land use bylaw amendment will be held in September.
August 25, 2009
Plan to Transform Older Neighbourhood
Revealed
Red Deer city council had its first look at a proposed area
redevelopment plan and residential design criteria for one of the city's
oldest neighbourhoods, now called Riverside Meadows, home to 3,700
people on the north side of the Red Deer River. One potential
redevelopment is the site of Valley Park Manor, a long term care
facility that will be phased out. The plan to transform the area over
the next 10 to 15 years addresses community safety and enhances
historical, social and cultural aspects of the neighbourhood. Council
and administration will review the plan prior to first reading.
August 24, 2009
High Speed Rail
Symposium Coming to City
High Speed Rail Canada, the City of Red Deer, Red Deer County and the
Red Deer Chamber of Commerce are jointly sponsoring a public symposium
on the possibility of high speed rail in Alberta. Speakers from two rail
manufacturers, Alstrom Transport and Siemens Canada, as well as Alberta
High Speed Rail Inc. and advocacy group High Speed Rail Canada will
participate. A study released in July for the Alberta government
suggested huge benefits from a high speed line between Calgary and
Edmonton with a stop in Red Deer. Similar symposiums have been held in
Toronto, London and Kitchener this year.
Plenty of Support for Off-Leash
Dog Park
The city of Red Deer recently revealed its plans for a second off-leash
dog park in the south part of the city at a recent public open house at
Three Mile Bend where the only current such park exists. The new 35-acre
$400,000 park will be located at the city's old landfill and will
include fencing, picnic areas, rain shelters, a water source for
drinking, a dog agility area, amphitheatre and pet waste bag
receptacles. The nearby Piper Creek area will be off-limits. The park is
expected to be completed next spring and eventually link up with the
city's trail system.
August 22, 2009
Lacombe Gathers Historic Building
Inventory
Town of Lacombe staff along with consultants are gathering an inventory
of historic buildings more than 50 years old. It's estimated that
between 400 and 500 buildings in the town need to be examined for their
historic value. The project will be done over three years with the first
year collecting data, the second year evaluating the data and the third
year writing the bylaw providing protection for those deemed to be of
historic value. However, no property can be given a historic designation
without the owner's consent.
Regional Towns Get Government Funding
The federal and provincial governments have jointly announced funding
for projects in four Central Alberta communities. The town of Blackfalds
received $1.6 million from each level of government for a $4.7 million
new lift station to improve the town's water system. The village of Alix
received $820,000 from each government for a $2.5 million project to
replace aging infrastructure on two of the town's main streets and
create a green corridor. The town of Ponoka received $240,000 from each
level of government to upgrade an existing wastewater treatment
facility. The village of Delburne received $200,000 for a new spray
park.
August 21, 2009
Power Transmission
Upgrade Deemed Necessary
The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) claimed at its final open
house held in Red Deer yesterday that even if new power generators are
built and alternate sources of power developed, there still is a major
need for transmission infrastructure upgrades, especially in the
Calgary-Edmonton corridor. Power demand in the province is growing at a
rate of adding two cities the size of Red Deer per year but upgrades to
the transmission system have not occurred since the 1980s. AESO is
proposing two high-capacity 500-kV lines, one along the Highway 2
corridor and the other further east. A report on the consultative
process that involved 20 open houses that only attracted 400 people
across the province will be compiled this fall, followed by detailed
studies to determine the exact routing of the lines. The body hopes that
construction can begin in 15 months and take two years to complete.
Cyclists Lobby for Dedicated City
Bike
Lanes
Local cyclists want to take the inconvenience and danger out of cycling
commutes by incorporating bike lanes into the city's road network. A
bicycle master plan was passed in 2000 by city council recommending
dedicated lanes be created on major streets but virtually none have been
created so far. Other recommendations in the plan were plowed winter
bike paths, wider sidewalks and bike parking areas in every new
subdivision. The city has been concentrating on improving the trail
network instead and establishing bike routes on busy streets in hopes
that motorists will accept sharing space with bicycles.
August 20, 2009
Visionary Plan
Unveiled for Downtown Park
What is now Rotary Recreation Park on the eastern edge of Red Deer's
downtown could be transformed into a major landmark jewel that combines
recreation, culture, heritage and plenty of green space. The area is
currently the home of the Golden Circle seniors centre, Red Deer Museum
and Art Gallery, a major indoor and outdoor aquatic centre, Heritage
Square, speed skating oval, tennis courts, lawn bowling, two arenas,
curling rink, public market and skateboard park. The visionary and
ambitious plan revealed yesterday by Group 2 Architects and Michael von
Hausen Urban Planning, would reorganize or expand existing facilities,
add new ones, create a pedestrian boardwalk linking those facilities,
reorganize parking and expand the open green space for community
activities. Various zones would be created including the water zone, ice
zone and youth zone. One of the ambitious facilities proposed would be a
large aquatics centre featuring a 50-metre indoor pool, relocated
outdoor pool and spray parks. It was estimated that the plan could take
up to 25 years to fully implement. The area was once used for the
Canadian Northern Western Railway right of way, the exhibition grounds
and a green area as far back as 1904 called Alexandra Park, a name that
may be resurrected in the new plan. The final report is expected in
November as the plan is revised with recent public input.
August 19, 2009
Wildlife Centre Hosts Famous Expert
Wildlife expert and TV host Jack Hanna visited the Medicine River
Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre near Spruce View Tuesday as part of a
tour of Alberta to film some episodes for his television show 'Into the
Wild'. While at the centre, Hanna filmed the release of two great grey
owls that had been rehabilitated. There were more than 200 animals and
birds at the centre at the time. Staff and volunteers nurse between 800
and 1,300 birds and mammals back to health each year.
August 18, 2009
Wal-Mart Expansion Gets Commission Okay
The Red Deer municipal planning commission has given its approval for
the proposed south Wal-Mart expansion that would include the conversion
of the store into a supercentre that would provide a full range of
groceries as well as interior and exterior upgrades. However the 29,400
sq. ft. addition isn't expected to get under way for at least a year.
One of the conditions for approval is the widening of the sidewalk along
the south side of the store.
Resale Home Market Dips Slightly
The Central Alberta Realtors Association reports that 426 homes were
sold through the Multiple Listing Service in July throughout the region
compared to the 450 sold in the same month in 2008. Of those, 179 homes
resold in Red Deer last month compared to 208 in July last year. The
median price of homes sold was $266,000, about 5% lower than during July
of 2008. The organization expects that sales in September will be strong
with favourable prices and low interest rates. At the end of July, there
were 2,696 active listings in the region, 10% fewer than at the same
point in 2008.
Nordegg Historic Site Gets Funding
The Nordegg Historical Society has received $75,000 in matching funds
from the provincial government through the Alberta Historical Resources
Foundation for restoration and stabilization projects at the Brazeau
Colleries coal mine national historic site. In addition, Clearwater
County provides an annual $25,000 grant. The town was abandoned in 1955
when the coal mines closed but has since become a tourist service
centre. Restoration of the mine site began in the mid-1980s and it
became a national historic resource in 2002.
August 17, 2009
Music Festival Attracts Small
Enthusiastic Crowd
Less than ideal weather was likely responsible for a smaller crowd this
year at the Central Music Festival held over the weekend in a grassy
natural amphitheatre north of Red Deer. A couple hundred enthusiastic
music lovers enjoyed a wide variety of 26 local, national and
international acts including The Amos Garrett Trio, Dick Damron,
Mongolian throat singing, Mississippi Delta blues and classic country.
Lacombe County to Update Red Deer
River
Plan
Lacombe County is proceeding to update an area structure plan that
covers 100 quarter sections north of the Red Deer River and south of
Highway 11 beginning about 15 km southwest of Joffre to 20 km southeast
of Haynes. It will be smaller than the previous plan done eight years
ago that extended to Buffalo Lake. The plan could go to county council
for approval in mid-2010.
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