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City of Red Deer

Dawe pool and gymnasium opening this weekend!

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Construction closure at the Dawe ends Sunday

Following an eight-week construction closure, the existing G.H. Dawe Community Centre will re-open on Sunday.

This construction was part of the overall G.H. Dawe Community Centre project, with the full facility expected to open in early 2023. Effective June 26 at 10 a.m., the facility will re-open. Most amenities will be available, including the pool and gymnasium. Drop-in schedules are available here.

Some exciting changes were completed during the closure. A fully accessible change room, a pool deck party room, updated steam room and sauna and a washroom for the pre-school area were added. We’re putting the finishing touches on these amenities and they will soon be available for use. We also added new acoustical paneling and an improved air handling system in the pool area. A significant amount of “behind the scenes” work was also completed to provide the required utilities and services for future arenas and fitness spaces.

As we continue to transform our spaces, construction will continue until full project completion in early 2023. We anticipate the impact will be minimal, but please note changes to these amenities:

  • The Fitness Room will not be available; some larger pieces of existing fitness equipment will be temporarily moved to the “mall area” until the grand opening of our new health and wellness spaces in 2023. Use of this equipment will require a daily admission or monthly pass.
  • Playing surfaces in the arena will not be available until construction is complete, which is expected to be early 2023.

Here are just some of the changes visitors will see when the facility is complete:

  • Two NHL standard ice surfaces
  • Expanded fitness area, with running track and two fitness studios
  • Outdoor spray park with washroom facilities
  • Additional north entrance + site access from 67 Street
  • Additional parking

For more information about the Dawe project and the closure, please visit reddeer.ca/DaweProject.

City of Red Deer

City of Red Deer Employee Honoured with Bob Stollings Memorial Award for Outstanding Contributions

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Annette Scheper, Community & Program Facilitator in the Safe & Healthy Communities Department is The City’s 2025 recipient of the Bob Stollings Memorial Award.

The Bob Stollings Memorial Award is given out each year to a City employee who displays outstanding performance in alignment with The City’s RISE cornerstone values – respect, integrity, service and excellence. Nominations for the award are submitted by fellow coworkers detailing the employee’s achievements professionally and interpersonally, along with letters of support. The award is considered a great honour among City staff.

With an impressive 22-year career, Annette has played a pivotal role in shaping Red Deer’s cultural and special events landscape. Her leadership and innovation have brought thousands of successful events to life, creating lasting traditions that enrich the lives of residents. Her commitment to excellence and resourcefulness has ensured that community initiatives are inclusive, accessible, and impactful.

One of Annette’s most notable achievements is the development of the Community Loan Program, which provides essential resources for local groups, contributing an annual value of $86,778.95 back into the community. In addition, she has successfully led and executed a variety of large-scale events, demonstrating remarkable problem-solving skills and a dedication to sustainability. From creating elaborate event designs with repurposed materials to managing complex logistics, she continuously sets the standard for excellence.

“Annette exemplifies the best of our organization,” said City Manager, Tara Lodewyk. “Her unwavering dedication, innovative thinking, and ability to bring people together has made a profound impact on our city. This award is a testament to her hard work and passion for creating meaningful experiences for our community.”

The Bob Stollings Memorial Award was first established in 1985 and is presented every year to honour Robert (Bob) E. Stollings, a loyal and dedicated City employee from 1960-1984.

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City of Red Deer

Red Deer will choose a new Mayor as Ken Johnston decides to step away

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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.

 

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