Red Deer
Red Deer Advocate will print just twice a week starting next month
Evolution coming to Red Deer Advocate print publication
The Red Deer Advocate is evolving. To better serve residents of Central Alberta, we’re transitioning to a new publishing schedule. Starting the first week of October, we’ll print the Advocate on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Our commitment to daily news coverage remains strong, and you can continue to stay updated online every day at www.reddeeradvocate.com.
“We’re making this change to focus our efforts on providing more in-depth local news, insightful analysis, and engaging stories,” said publisher Daria Zmiyiwsky. Our Tuesday, Thursday and Friday edition will be discontinued, effective October 2.
Moving to a bi-weekly paper is the biggest change in the Red Deer Advocate’s 117-year history. The decision is a strategic move to maximize the sustainability of the current newspaper and ensure it will continue well into the future.
For over a century, the Advocate has been a steadfast voice for Central Alberta, covering local, provincial, and national news. We’ve witnessed and documented history’s highs and lows, from world wars to economic shifts. We’ve held those in power accountable, championed transparency, and celebrated the incredible achievements of our community. As well, we have shared personal and collective tragedies and triumphs.
With the continued support from the people of our communities, the Advocate will continue to celebrate our rights and expose the wrongs, cheer for our teams, honour our citizens, and support our communities, local businesses, organizations, and non-profits.
“While we’re saddened to end our daily print edition, our news team is excited to focus on providing even deeper coverage of Red Deer and the surrounding area,” said Managing Editor, Byron Hackett.
“We’ll continue to deliver comprehensive news daily online and twice weekly in print, ensuring we remain your trusted source of local information.”
Readers can expect the same great coverage of local news, sports, entertainment, leisure, obits, and classifieds, event announcements, and much more.
Zmiyiwsky is committed to the community and our loyal readers.
“It’s the people of Red Deer and Central Alberta that drive the Advocate,” she said. “We are simply a vessel to carry those stories to our dedicated readers and we will work diligently to grow and ensure the Advocate remains an integral voice in our community.”
Regards,
Byron Hackett
Managing Editor, Red Deer Advocate
Daria Zmiyiwsky
President – Black Press Media Prairies
Publisher – The Red Deer Advocate
Alberta
Clark Builders awarded construction manager contract to build patient tower, expand and renovate Red Deer Regional Hospital
Site preparation work is underway now that a construction contract has been awarded for the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre redevelopment project.
The redevelopment of the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre has been a priority infrastructure project since 2019. Over the last five years, significant work has been undertaken, including the development of the business case, extensive planning and coordination with multiple partners, public consultation, design and early site preparation. Following a competitive procurement process, Clark Builders has been awarded the construction manager contract to build the new patient tower and expand and renovate the existing hospital building in Red Deer.
Clark Builders will complete early site preparations such as demolishing the existing Annex building and surface parking lot. By early 2025, construction will begin on the new patient tower. Renovations will also begin in specific locations of the existing facility, with a focus on minimizing any disruption to hospital operations.
“This construction contract award is a significant milestone in moving the Red Deer Hospital project forward. To this point, all the work – planning, design, and procurement – propelling the project forward has been behind the scenes. Now, everyone will see the physical work as contractors set up offices, equipment, fencing and signage on site. I am excited to see progress on this project and for the people of Red Deer.”
Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring residents of the Red Deer region can access the care they need, when and where they need it. This project will not only expand and modernize the space, it will provide significant upgrades to services throughout the hospital, such as adding add 200 inpatient beds, increasing the size of the emergency room and adding six new operating rooms. Additionally, the redevelopment will add a new Medical Device Reprocessing department, new cardiac catheterization labs and a new centralized power plant.
“The Red Deer Regional Hospital redevelopment project is a priority for our government. We recognize there is an urgent need to increase capacity and expand services in central Alberta, and the awarding of this contract signifies progress being made towards ensuring patients can receive the health care they deserve close to home.”
“I am pleased to see this vital project advancing with the awarding of the construction manager contract to Clark Builders. This is good news for Red Deer and improving access to healthcare. With site preparations underway and visible construction on the new patient tower beginning soon, there is a strong future ahead for our city!”
A new ambulatory building will also be constructed as part of the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre redevelopment, but as a stand-alone project to be delivered using a public-private partnership delivery method. A contract with the successful organization is expected to be in place by May 2025 and construction will begin shortly thereafter.
Quick facts
- Over the next three years, Alberta’s 2024 Capital Plan is providing $810 million toward a $1.806-billion investment for redevelopment of the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.
- Initial site preparation is currently underway with a separate construction management team (Shunda Consulting and Construction Management) that was engaged in June 2024 to complete early construction activities.
City Council reviews Automated Traffic Enforcement program
At Tuesday’s Council meeting, City Council received a report reviewing the current operation of The City’s Automated Traffic Enforcement (ATE) program.
Mobile photo speed enforcement, commonly known as photo radar, is one component of the ATE program that has been an important tool in capturing speed violations on city streets. On Tuesday, administration provided a report on the effectiveness of the current program, as well as identified opportunities to optimize resources and enhance public safety through conventional enforcement.
“The ATE program’s number one goal has always been to prevent accidents and increase motorist and pedestrian safety by identifying speeding violations,” said John Ferguson, Manager of Municipal Policing Services. “However, after conducting a thorough review, we have found the current photo speed enforcement program has limitations in achieving our public safety goals.”
Identified limitations of the Mobile Photo Speed Enforcement program included a range of issues, including the inability to capture all traffic and safety violations, a lack of positive change in speeding compliance over time, limited consequences to drivers, and inability to provide targeted enforcement that responds promptly to evolving community needs because of a reliance on external guidelines set by the Government of Alberta’s ATE program.
Conversely, the report found that Community Peace Officer-led enforcement could offer a number of advantages, including the ability to address a wide range of traffic and safety violations, engage directly with drivers, have the flexibility to adapt to emerging community safety needs, and have a greater impact on changing the immediate behaviour of drivers with the stopping and ticketing process.
“Most importantly, Community Peace Officers can identify and remove dangerous driving issues that go beyond speeding, such as stopping uninsured or suspended drivers, impaired or distracted driving, and seatbelt use,” said Manager Ferguson. “This report explores the value or striking a better balance between automated and conventional enforcement that fosters a stronger sense of safety, reassures residents and deters potential offenders.”
Municipal Policing will return in the fall to propose a comprehensive approach for traffic safety enforcement that replaces the use of mobile photo speed enforcement with Community Peace Officers.
For more information about the current ATE program, visit www.reddeer.ca/ATE.
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