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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
January 2010 Part
1
Jan. 15, 2010
Ice Marathon Event Returns to Sylvan Lake
The Sylvan Lake Ice Marathon is returning to the town on Family Day
February 15 after two years of not staging the speedskating event. A
recreated small Dutch village will be erected along the frozen lake.
During the heyday of the event between 2003 and 2006, the town attracted
up to 500 participants from the Netherlands. Due to the economic
downturn, fewer Dutch visitors are expected this year but around 200 are
expected from Alberta and B.C. The marathon will feature adult and youth
50-km and 25-km races. Next year, more European skaters are expected and
a 100-km race will be added.
Jan. 14, 2010
Red Deer Municipal Tax Increase Limited
to 3.3%
After several days of presentations by various city hall departments,
Red Deer city council held the municipal property tax increase to 3.3%,
the lowest tax hike in over a decade. The final operating budget was
approved at $232.7 million compared to $215.1 million last year. The
capital budget of $106.9 million was approved in December, much lower
that the $473 million in 2009.
New City SPCA Building Expected to Open
in March
The new $3.7 million, 12,300 sq. ft. Animal Welfare and Humane Education
Centre under construction next to the current facility by the Red Deer
and District SPCA is expected to open in March. The organization is
continuing to fundraise $800,000 in order to pay back a $1 million loan
from the City.
Another Movie Theatre Closes in City
Downtown
The Park Plaza Theatre is closing after 21 years of business on the east
side of downtown Red Deer. The owner Cineplex Entertainment opened the
modern 10-screen Galaxy Cinema in Gasoline Alley south of Red Deer in
March 2008. Three months after the opening of Galaxy, competitor
Landmark Cinemas closed the Uptown Theatre in the heart of downtown. The
only remaining theatre downtown is the discount Carnival Cinema in the
Riverlands area.
Jan. 13, 2010
Four Outdoor Gyms Completed, Five to Go
A network of 66 family doctors called the Red Deer Primary Care Network
is planning to install five more outdoor gyms during the coming summer
in partnership with the city. There are currently four gyms throughout
the city that are equipped with various pieces of exercise equipment in
the Glendale, Oriole Park West and Victoria Park residential areas as
well as at Barrett Park near the Kinex Arena. Each gym costs about
$75,000 funded by the network with the city providing the land and
maintenance. The new locations have not yet been confirmed.
Lacombe, Eckville Benefit From
Stimulus
Funding
The Town of Lacombe will be receiving over $365,000 from the Recreation
Infrastructure Canada program towards a new field house that will
include locker rooms, a storage facility, washrooms, a first aid station
and concession. The town of Eckville will be receiving $655,000 from the
federal Infrastructure Stimulus Funding program towards a stormwater
management program, lift station and force main upgrades.
Jan. 12, 2010
Junior
Achievement Celebrates 50 Years
Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta, with a regional leadership
council and regional co-ordinator in Red Deer, is celebrating 50 years
of providing free financial literacy and entrepreneurial programs to
schools. Programming is available for students from Grade 4 to Grade 12
including business basics, financial planning, the economics of staying
in school, leadership skills, investment strategies, personal finance
and operating a business. During the last school year, 105 volunteers,
including many prominent business people, conducted 68 classes in
Central Alberta to more than 1,600 students. Although many volunteers
have a strong business background, it is not necessary as training is
provided.
2009 Housing Starts Down From Previous
Year
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. reports that there were 497 housing
starts in Red Deer in 2009, down 13% from the 572 starts the previous
year. The agency also reported that all seven largest urban centres were
down, most more than in Red Deer. Of the 497, 333 were single-detached
homes and 164 multi-family units. Starts in Sylvan Lake and Lacombe were
also down but in both Red Deer County and Lacombe County, starts went up
in 2009.
Refuge Affordable Transitional Housing
Approved
Red Deer municipal planning commission has approved an affordable
housing project proposed by the Central Alberta Women's Outreach Society
as temporary and transitional refuge for women and children escaping
abusive homes. The $1.4 million project is not a women's shelter but a
10-suite apartment-style building for women who cannot find affordable
housing. Rents will be 20-25% below market levels. It will be called
Julietta's Place, named after Julietta Sorensen who, with her husband
Gordon, owned the house on the property from 1942 until 4 years ago. The
Sorensens owned the bus service in Red Deer that evolved into Red Deer
Transit. Work is expected to begin in March including demolition of the
existing house and be ready for occupancy in the fall.
Jan. 11, 2010
International Village Dream Not Forgotten
Some members of the Norwegian Laft Hus Society still dream of an
International Village in the Red Deer area as a tourist attraction some
day. In 1974, the society, along with other cultural groups, was
instrumental in creating the city's first International Folk Festival
and started planning the replication of a Norwegian log house as part of
a proposed international village. The Laft Hus was built in 1987 and
moved to its current location at Pioneer Village next to the Red Deer
Museum and Art Gallery as well as the downtown recreation centre. The
Laft Hus is now a recognized museum but the Pioneer Village is not big
enough to accommodate the international village concept. The original
idea of the multi-cultural village fizzled when most available resources
were put into the relocation of the historic Cronquist House literally
across the river in 1975. The Cronquist House next to Bower Ponds is now
the focal point of the expanded annual folk festival on Canada Day.
Jan. 9, 2010
Capri Centre to Undergo Major Changes
A multi-million dollar makeover is being planned for Red Deer's Capri
Hotel and Convention Centre. After 45 years, the four-star hotel was
sold by the Pasutto family for $40 million last year to Temple Real
Estate Investment Trust. The facility is expected to be rebranded as a
Sheraton hotel under the Starwood Hotels and Resorts system once
extensive renovations to the lobby and all rooms are completed. New
programs and service levels are also being contemplated. The $8 million
project is expected to be completed this fall with little disruption to
guests.
Jan. 6, 2010
City Residential Permits
Up in Second Half of 2009
The value of Red Deer residential permits issued from July to December
2009 was $13.1 million higher than for the same period in 2008
signalling renewed confidence in the housing market. During the whole of
2009, residential permits were valued at $81.5 million, compared to
$99.2 million in 2008 and $189.7 million in 2007. Commercial
construction was valued at $23.8 million, compared to $43.7 million in
2008 and $57.8 million in 2007. Industrial permits were worth $4.7
million in 2009, compared to $14.2 million in 2008 and $103.6 million.
And in public projects, there was $31.3 million in permits for 2009,
compared to $101.4 million in 2008 and $70 million in 2007. The
cumulative total in all categories for 2009 was $141.2 million, compared
to $258.4 million in 2008 and a record $421 million in 2007. However, as
recently as 2004, the value of permits issued by the city was lower than
it was in 2009. The record year of 2007 was highlighted by several
multi-million dollar projects including the $70 million civic yards
relocation, the $38 million Red Deer College expansion and the $27
million Executive Place office building.
Visitors to Red Deer Area Increased 4% in 2009
Tourism Red Deer reports that during the past year, a record number of
77,749 people went through the doors of the Visitor Information Centre
located in the same building as the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame on
Highway 2 next to Heritage Ranch. Officials credit a combination of
people staying closer to home due to the economic slowdown, a regional
marketing partnership and a provincial marketing campaign for the 4%
increase in visitors. Of the Canadian visitors to the centre, 76% were
from Alberta, an increase of 2% over 2008. International visitors
represented 13% of the total, a decrease of 3%. American visitors
comprised 5% compared to 9% for the previous year. Tourism is Alberta's
fourth largest industry.
$1 Million Donation to Ronald McDonald House
A $1 million private donation was received by the Red Deer Ronald
McDonald House project from the operator of number of businesses in the
Rocky Mountain House area, raising the total raised so far to $4.5
million. Before construction can start on the facility, $8 million will
need to be raised. The site has now been cleared of buildings and ground
work is expected to begin in March provided sufficient funds are raised
by then. The plan calls for 11 suites on three floors with five
full-time staff, supported almost entirely through donations. The
facility will accommodate families of children brought to the Red Deer
hospital for treatment from outside the city.
Former Benalto Railway Lands to be Developed
Red Deer County council has approved the subdivision of 10.6 acres of
former Canadian Pacific Railway lands in the hamlet of Benalto for office and retail
space as well as a park or other recreation facility linked to the
community with trails. The last train through the hamlet was in 1981.
The railway station was relocated and is now used as a residence. The
rail line was originally part of the Red Deer-based Alberta Central
Railway built in 1911.
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