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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
October 2009 Part
1
Oct. 15, 2009
High Speed Rail
Needs Political Will for Realization
About 65 people, many of whom were political and business leaders,
attended a symposium yesterday on the possibility of a future high speed
rail link between Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton. After several short
films, a historical perspective on the Calgary-Edmonton corridor by Paul
Pettypiece and presentations by advocacy group High Speed Rail Canada
founder Paul Langan, Alberta High-Speed Rail Inc. president and CEO William Cruickshanks and train builder Alstrom Transportation vice-president
Ashley Langford, a general discussion continued on the concept with
several questions from the audience. It is estimated that it would cost
the Alberta government $2.4 to $3 billion to acquire the land and build
the infrastructure with private enterprise providing the trains and
operating the system. The presenters admitted that the concept is
visionary and needs political will backed up with public pressure to
bring it to reality. The meeting was co-sponsored by the City of Red
Deer, Red Deer County and the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce.
Women of Excellence Honoured at Gala
Hazel Flewwelling was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the
2nd annual Women of Excellence gala yesterday. A teacher for more than
30 years, she was recognized for her tireless fundraising, endless
volunteering, and for offering a powerful voice on behalf of those with
chronic and mental illnesses. One of 22 women in several fields
recognized at the event, she was supported by her husband, Mayor Morris
Flewwelling, and her children.
Olympic Torch Run to Feature Children's
Parade
When the Olympic torch arrives in Red Deer on January 15, a featured
part of the celebration will be a multicultural children's parade.
School children will make their own international flags and symbols,
then parade through Westerner Park where an evening of entertainment,
family activities, kids' games and snow sculptures will take place.
Airline Inaugurates Passenger Service at
Airport
Swanberg Air inaugurated its first scheduled passenger flight into the
Red Deer Regional Airport yesterday. Initially, the airline will fly to
Calgary, Edmonton and Grande Prairie. In November, it is expected to
expand service to Swift Current, Regina and Estevan.
Oct. 14, 2009
Federal Funding Announced for Trail
Bridges
The federal government has announced funding for two pedestrian bridges
that will be part of the Trans Canada Trail in Central Alberta. Lacombe
County will receive $50,000 from the recreational trails portion of the
Economic Action Plan for a bridge across the Blindman River north of Red
Deer and south of Blackfalds. Previously announced for the Blindman
bridge was a $100,000 contribution from Alberta TrailNet, $51,040 from
Trans Canada Trail Foundation, $50,000 in building materials from
Lacombe County and volunteers from the military Corps of Engineers to
build the bridge deck and install the handrails. The Town of Ponoka will
receive $185,000 from the same program for a bridge across the Battle
River. That project has received a matching amount from the National
Trails Coalition, $100,000 from Alberta TrailNet and $86,000 from Trans
Canada Trail Foundation.
Oct. 10, 2009
Housing Prices Conversely Tied to Demand
In communities such as Red Deer, Sylvan Lake and Blackfalds, housing
prices have gone up but sales have gone down whereas in Lacombe,
Innisfail and Stettler, housing prices have gone down but sales are up,
according to statistics from the third quarter of the year. In Red Deer,
298 single family homes were sold, down from 400 homes in the same
period last year. However the median price of those homes was up to
$320,000, an increase for the third consecutive quarter and approaching
the record high of $330,000 in 2007. However the median price is still
lower than in Calgary and Edmonton where the average is closer to
$400,000. The median price in Sylvan Lake was $333,000, in Blackfalds
$295,000, in Lacombe $294,000, in Rocky Mountain House $284,000, in
Innisfail $266,000 and in Stettler $208,000.
Oct. 8, 2009
Economic Corridor 'Tiger' Expected to
Roar Again
A near-capacity crowd at a Red Deer Chamber of Commerce luncheon heard
TD Financial Group's chief economist Don Drummond indicate that the
Calgary-Edmonton corridor 'tiger' will roar again. Although the
recession is over, employment numbers likely won't improve significantly
until well into 2010 meaning a slow recovery, he said. He continued that
there would still be growth and there are positive signs including the
rebounding housing market and the likelihood of an increase in
manufacturing and the oil industry. In 2003, TD had referred to the
Calgary-Edmonton corridor, including Red Deer, as Canada's economic
roaring tiger and Mr. Drummond addressed the chamber in 2007 stating
that the growth in the corridor had been unprecedented.
Federal Grant Helps With Museum
Renovations
The Red Deer Museum and Art Gallery is receiving a $1.4 million grant
from Canadian Heritage Canada Cultural Spaces Fund that will cover about
half of the cost of renovations currently underway. The gallery and
reception area are being upgraded. Moveable walls will be installed to
allow for hosting of small and large exhibitions. The museum is expected
to reopen early in the new year.
Oct. 7, 2009
Stettler Wind Power Project a Go for 2010
Construction of the $350 million Greengate wind power project east of
Stettler is set to begin in 2010. The 150-megawatt Halkirk project would
see 100 wind turbines erected on 25,000 acres of private land.
Transmission lines necessary to hook up the turbines to the provincial
grid are already in place. Other wind projects are anticipated for Radar
Hill east of Penhold and southeast of Red Deer, and areas near Lacombe,
Ponoka, Drumheller and Lethbridge.
Oct. 6, 2009
Poll Says Red Deer a Great
Place to Live
An Ipsos Reid survey of 300 Red Deer residents asking their feelings
about quality of life, value from taxes and local issues indicated that
94% think the city is a great place to live. Respondents were also asked
about the quality of city services, alternate means of raising funds for
city projects, the city's ability to provide information and the number
of times the city's website was visited.
City Committed to Adding
Affordable
Housing
Red Deer city council yesterday endorsed EveryOne's Home, a 5-year
community plan towards ending homelessness from 2010 to 2015 developed
by several local individuals and organizations. The plan is expected to
cost $48.6 million in operational expenses and $44.7 million in capital
expenses. Funding is expected from various levels of government plus
local sources including the United Way and the Red Deer and District
Community Foundation. The four goals of the plan include ensuring
sufficient housing options, having access to support services,
increasing community awareness and having reliable data. Of the 500
additional affordable housing units to be attempted under the plan, 40%
would be new while the remainder would be conversion of existing units.
Highway 11A Interchange Improvements
Begin
Construction has started on a major improvement project at the
interchange of Highways 2 and 11A. The $24 million project will see the
interchange transform from a cloverleaf design to a more modern diamond
design. The median will also be widened north of the project. A similar
project was recently completed at Innisfail.
Local Jeweller Celebrates 90th
Anniversary
Mitchell and Jewell, a well-known Red Deer jewellery store that is
believed to be the oldest locally-owned retailer currently operating in
the city, is celebrating its 90th anniversary. The store began as A.B.
Mitchell Jewellers in 1919 and the partnership with Bob Jewell began 60
years ago. Third generation customers are common for the business.
Oct. 5, 2009
New Lacombe Athletic Park
Delayed
Construction of the $3 million Lacombe Athletic Park will be delayed
until the spring while waiting for a $1 million federal grant. The
facility will include the Encana field house with dressing rooms, a
concession, washrooms, equipment storage and a tower for officials,
coaches and media. A rubberized running track and artificial turf field
should be installed sometime next year. The delay will also allow time
for fundraising efforts to continue.
Oct. 3, 2009
Former Rail Line to be Rebuilt for
Tourism
The 30-km (20-mile) former rail line between Stettler and Donalda will
be rebuilt as a result of a $3.2 million federal grant to the East
Central Alberta Historical Society provided the group can raise $250,000
on its own. It is hoped that the line will be completed in time to run
Alberta Prairie Steam Tour railway excursions in 2011. APST has already
agreed to lease the line as a northern extension of its very popular
tourist train between Stettler and Big Valley. In addition the heritage
society received a grant of $732,000 to create two linear parks along
the railway in Donalda and Big Valley provided it can raise an
additional $60,000. The society owns a total of 99 miles (150 km) of
railway right-of-way between Edberg and Morrin purchased from the former
Central Western Railway in 1998 but, at the time, could only preserve
the Stettler to Big Valley rail. The line was originally built by the
Canadian Northern Railway (later Canadian National). The funding was
secured as part of an overall $6.2 million grant to the Canadian
Badlands Tourism Development Centre.
Westerner Administration Building
Officially Opens
The new 13,000 sq. ft. Donald Administration building at Westerner Park
officially opened yesterday bearing the names of Jack and Joan Donald,
past Westerner presidents who donated $1.5 million toward the new $3.1
million facility that has multiple meeting rooms and offices. For many
years, the old administration building consisted of a double wide
trailer that had been added to over the years. The new building is the
first phase of a long-term expansion called the Gateway Project, that
will include realignment of Pioneer Park and relocation of the Chalet.
Oct. 2, 2009
Olympic Medalist Dionne
Retires from Competition
Deidra Dionne, bronze medalist in aerials at the 2002 Winter Olympics in
Salt Lake City, has decided to retire from competition due to health
challenges and injuries sustained over the past few years. In her
15-year freestyle ski career, the 27-year-old Dionne also competed in
the 2006 Olympics and has won two third-place medals at the World
Championships as well as four silver and four bronze on the World Cup
circuit. She suffered a broken neck in 2005 and fought to compete in the
Olympics the following year. This year, a benign brain tumour was
discovered and she decided to move forward with her life planning to
attend law school in 2010.
City Residential Permits Continue Rise
For the third consecutive month, the value of residential building
permits in the city of Red Deer have increased over the same period last
year. In September, residential permits accounted for $9.7 million
compared to $8.1 million for the same month in 2008. Total permits
amounted to $12.2 million last month compared to $35.5 million last
September when several large permits were approved including $23 million
for the new RCMP detachment and $2.9 million for the Westerner
administration building. For the first nine months of 2009, the city has
approved $105.9 million worth of permits including $57.3 million for
residential construction compared to $221.3 million for the same period
in 2008 including $84.2 million for residential work.
Ethane Extraction Project Completed in Rimbey
A $30 million value-added project at the Rimbey Gas Plant will allow the
Keyera Facilities Income Fund facility to extract up to 5,000 barrels of
ethane per day from the natural gas it processes there. It will be
transported to Dow Chemical Canada for conversion into ethylene at its
plants in Prentiss and Fort Saskatchewan.
Oct. 1, 2009
Region Led 5-Year Provincial
Population Growth
ATB Financial has commented that the Red Deer Region led the province in
population growth between 2003 and 2008 at 16.8% compared to Calgary at
16% and Wood Buffalo (Fort McMurray) at 14.6%. The large increase
occurred as a result of expansion of manufacturing, growth in oil and
gas servicing and gains in retail and personal services. Although energy
has been the key to the region's prosperity and that sector is in a
slump continues the report, the region has potential for continued
growth due to other economic sectors including agriculture and its
location half way between Calgary and Edmonton.
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