City of Red Deer
City has to close all recreation facilities
From the City of Red Deer
City of Red Deer closes recreation and culture facilities amidst COVID-19
City facilities affected by the temporarily closures include:
- Collicutt Centre
- G.H. Dawe Community Centre
- Recreation Centre
- Michener Aquatic Centre
- Servus Arena
- Kinsmen Community Arenas
- Kinex Arena
- Setters Place at Great Chief Park
- Intermediate School Site (Culture Services Centre)
- All leased spaces within City operated recreation and culture facilities including food vendors, retail stores, and private recreation providers, will be closed. This does not include those spaces that have an external public access (i.e. Red Deer Public Library GH Dawe branch, Exalta Gymnastics and Red Deer Minor Hockey Association office).
In addition, Red Deer’s Northside Community Centre closed to the public today, Sunday, March 15, 2020, under direction from The YMCA of Northern Alberta. The City is in communication and sharing information with contractors operating City facilities (including Heritage Ranch, Bower Ponds, Red Deer Museum & Art Gallery and neighbourhood activity centres), however business decisions remain with the individual operators.
“This was a difficult decision, but it’s in the best interest of our residents and City employees,” said Karen Mann, Emergency Operations Centre Director with The City of Red Deer. “While we don’t know how long these closures will last, we want to assure residents and staff that our first priority is, and always will be, your health and safety. We will continue to be guided by the province’s public health officials in taking actions to protect the public.”
Other measures being taken by The City at this time include:
- Continued activation of The City of Red Deer Emergency Operations Centre
- Continued activation of The City of Red Deer call centre daily from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. for residents to make non-emergency inquiries about City services and policies (403-342-8111)
- Enhanced cleaning and janitorial services in high traffic areas
- Mandatory 14-day isolation period for City employees who are symptomatic and/or have returned from international travel after March 12, 2020.
- Notifying customers affected by program cancellations at City facilities including fitness classes, swimming lessons, educational and cultural courses and childminding minding services.
- Revised cancellation policies for passes, programs and room rentals. Details are posted at www.reddeer.ca.
Security and staff will remain on site at the closed facilities to support the management of the city assets.
In addition, the following City facilities remain open to the public at this time, however with potentially amended service levels.
- City Hall and Professional Building
- Sorenson Station and Red Deer Transit service
- RCMP detachments
“Our staff are the backbone of what we do at The City of Red Deer and we are dedicated to supporting them in this time of uncertainty,” said Allan Seabrooke, City Manager. “During the next several days, we will ask some employees to step outside their regular duties and provide support in other areas or departments to help with the increased workload COVID-19 has placed upon us.”
Residents are reminded not to attend City facilities or any public facilities if they are feeling ill. Call Alberta Healthlink at 8-1-1 for non-emergency health information about COVID-19 and 9-1-1 only in the case of a life-threatening emergency or crime in progress.
The COVID-19 outbreak remains a fluid situation and information can change quickly and often. The City of Red Deer is prepared to make additional changes to policies as required in order to keep residents safe and reduce the risk of spreading the virus. Residents are urged to visit the Alberta Health Services website at www.ahs.ca for the most up to date information.
“Dad, is the Coronavirus going to make humans extinct?” Time to talk to our children!
It’s a telling detail about the person who leads Red Deer City Council. Always putting the city’s needs ahead of his own, Mayor Ken Johnston has announced his intentions within days of the opening of Nominations for October’s municipal elections,
After 12 years on council, Mayor Ken Johnston has decided against running for a second term as Mayor this fall. Johnson shared his decision in front of colleagues and supporters in a touching announcement on Wednesday.
At 71 years old, Johnston remains vibrant, passionate and healthy. He says that’s exactly why he and his wife Carolyn have decided now is the right time to start their next stage of life together.
Mayor Johnston listed a number of highlights and achievements he can look back on, including his help advocating for the redevelopment of Red Deer Regional Hospital, the growth of Red Deer Polytechnic, and positive moves in Economic Development.
All these lead of a feeling of ease about the decision to step away, though affordable housing and a permanent shelter for the homeless remain pressing concerns.
With about 8 months remaining in his term, Mayor Johnston is planning to push hard to move the needle on these housing issues.
“We’re looking forward to some more work and we’ll be going to the community shortly about it. So I still have optimism that maybe before the term is out we can have an announcement.”
This is the second major political announcement in Central Alberta in the last number of days. Earlier this week Red Deer Mountain View MP Earl Dreeshen announced he won’t be running in the next federal election.
City of Red Deer
Council ends reduced fine option for early ticket payment, school and playground zones start at 7 AM
City Council approves first reading of updated Traffic Bylaw and General Penalty Bylaw
Red Deer City Council completed first reading of updated Traffic Bylaw (3707/2025) and General Penalties Bylaw (3036/A-2025) that will provide clarity and consistency in application of the bylaws as well as eliminate challenges in enforcement.
Key updates to the bylaws include:
- Ticket Pre-Payment:
- Removing the option to pay a parking ticket early to receive a reduced fee from the General Penalty Bylaw and adding it to the Traffic Bylaw.
- School and Playground Zone Start Times:
- Through investigating requests from schools to have school and playground zones start at 7 a.m., rather than 8 a.m., Administration determined that almost all school and playground zones in the city have students on the street prior to 7:30 a.m. To be consistent across the city, the start time is being moved to 7 a.m. providing an added measure of safety for all students.
- Salt on Sidewalks:
- Removing the provision prohibiting the use of salt on sidewalks as this provision was rarely reported and it is difficult and costly to enforce.
- Permits:
- More structure was added to the bylaw to clearly articulate conditions and requirements of Use of Streets Permits, as well as Excavation Permits and Alignment Permits.
- Lastly, fees for closures impacting on-street and off-street stalls have been adjusted to reflect the actual revenue in each parking zone rather than the flat fee.
- Penalties:
- Penalties have been reviewed and updated.
- During the last bylaw adoption, the penalty associated with vehicles being towed due to snow or street sweeping operations was inadvertently missed. This penalty has been added back in at a slightly higher amount due to an increase in the cost to tow a vehicle through The City’s contractor. This prevents the costs associated with towing vehicles during these operations from being subsidized by the tax base.
“These updates streamline the bylaws to create clarity for residents and administration,” said Erin Stuart, Inspections and Licensing Manager with The City. “They also help to eliminate regulations that are challenging to enforce and bring penalties in line with other City Bylaws.”
Second reading of both bylaws is anticipated for January 27, 2025.
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