New RDC Student Residence officially open for students

From Red Deer College Communications

Red Deer College celebrates grand opening of new Residence

It was a day of celebration at RDC Thursday, as the College’s newest building – the impressive five-story Residence – was officially opened at a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“Our newest Residence building is another important piece in the evolution of RDC as we transition to become a university,” says Joel Ward, President & CEO. “This Residence was created through collaboration with our team of experts and with feedback from current and past students, so every square foot was purposefully designed to meet the needs of students and guests living on campus.”

One of the major benefits is the studio suite design, which combines the privacy of independent living with the socializing and collaboration of a Residence environment. There are 145 studio suites, including 10 barrier-free suites, each with a self-contained kitchen and bathroom complete with a shower. The bright, five-story central atrium is at the heart of the building, and there are spaces throughout that will allow students to connect, socialize and study as they live and learn together.

“The Students’ Association is thrilled for the grand opening of Red Deer College’s new residence, primarily because of what it will provide for students during this university transition,” says Brittany Lausen, President of the Students’ Association of Red Deer College. “The new residence will be a fantastic resource for students seeking a more independent option and short-term tenants, such as our apprenticeship students, with its reduced weekly rate. This June, the Students’ Association is hosting the annual Alberta Student Executive Council conference at Red Deer College, and we are excited to share our new residence with other student leaders from across the province to showcase what an amazing facility Red Deer College has built.”

The Residence has been unique since its planning stages, as it was designed and created by an integrated project delivery team. This team, made up of representatives from 11 different companies, included a range of consultants and contractors required to complete the project. By working together, the group identified and solved potential issues during the design phase, which saved time and money throughout construction.

“Our team worked collaboratively on this hefty goal of creating a beautiful building with limited resources,” says Vedran Skopac, Project & Design Lead with Manasc Isaac. “The new student Residence design is focused on social interaction of students. The building offers seven distinct gathering spaces, which represent the sacred “Seven Stages” of personal growth in the life of a Red Deer College student. This concept is an optimistic effort to support the students’ well-being on all three levels: physical, spiritual and, especially, mental health.”

Construction was complete in January 2019, and the first guests to enjoy the thoughtfully designed spaces were athletes on campus for the 2019 Canada Winter Games. Students are currently living in the building, and it will be utilized by guests on campus – including those from Summer Camps and Series Summer Arts School – throughout the coming months. Moving forward, it will continue to be used by students, and it will increase RDC’s overall complement of student Residence units to 675.

“This building has been built to be innovative, with 545 solar panels that contribute to our Alternative Energy Initiative. And it was also built to be innovative for how people will live and connect with each other throughout the space,” says Ward. “It’s a beautiful, functional and flexible facility, and a welcome complement to our existing Residences on campus.”

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After 15 years as a TV reporter with Global and CBC and as news director of RDTV in Red Deer, Duane set out on his own 2008 as a visual storyteller. During this period, he became fascinated with a burgeoning online world and how it could better serve local communities. This fascination led to Todayville, launched in 2016.

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New Documentary “Cooking with Hot Stones” Explores History of Fort Assiniboine, Alberta

Published on February 14, 2025

Todayville Edmonton

February 14, 2025 – Alberta, Canada – A compelling new documentary, Cooking with Hot Stones: 200th Anniversary of Fort Assiniboine, is set to air on Wild TV, RFD TV Canada, Cowboy Channel Canada, and you can click here to stream for FREE on Wild TV’s streaming service, Wild TV+. This engaging one-hour feature will take viewers on a journey through time, exploring Fort Assiniboine’s rich history from 1823 to 2023.

Fort Assiniboine is a significant landmark in Alberta, playing a crucial role in Indigenous history, the fur trade, and the western expansion of Canada. This documentary captures the spirit of the region, illustrating how it has evolved over two centuries and how it continues to shape the cultural fabric of the province today.

Wild TV will make the documentary free to stream on Wild TV+ on February 14th so that it can be easily accessed in classrooms and other educational settings throughout the region, ensuring the historical significance of Fort Assiniboine reaches a wider audience.

Produced by Western Directives Inc., Cooking with Hot Stones: 200th Anniversary of Fort Assiniboine brings historical moments to life with vivid storytelling, expert interviews, and breathtaking cinematography.

“We are very excited to partner with Wild TV as part of our one hour documentary production. Based in Alberta, we respect the hard work and quality programming that Wild TV brings to a national audience. With the broadcast opportunity, Wild TV gives our production the ability to entertain and educate Canadians across the country on multiple platforms,” said Tim McKort, Producer at Western Directives.

Scott Stirling, Vice President of Wild TV, also expressed enthusiasm for the project: “At Wild TV, we are passionate about telling Canadian stories that resonate with our audiences. This documentary not only highlights a crucial piece of our nation’s history but also celebrates the resilience and contributions of Indigenous peoples, traders, and settlers who shaped the land we call home today. We are proud to bring Cooking with Hot Stones: 200th Anniversary of Fort Assiniboine to our viewers across Canada.”

Airtimes for Wild TV can be found here.

For airtimes on RFD TV Canada, click here.

For airtimes on Cowboy Channel Canada, visit CCC’s schedule.

Community

100+ Women Who Care Red Deer celebrates 10th season in 2025 with new leadership

Published on November 27, 2024

Todayville

L to R: Cindy Jefferies, Susan Knopp, Lane Tomalty, Bre Fitzpatrick
Photo credit: The SnapHappy Photographer

After a decade of leadership under Cindy Jefferies and Susan Knopp, 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer (100+ WWCRD) is proud to celebrate 10 years of supporting local charities and the announcement of Bre Fitzpatrick and Lane Tomalty as its new co-leaders. This marks an exciting new chapter for the group, which has made a significant impact on not-for-profit organizations in Central Alberta.

Cindy and Susan have led 100+ WWCRD with vision, dedication, and a commitment to empowering women to lead and inspire change. Under their stewardship, the organization has raised over $630,000 for local charities by hosting 4 annual 1-hour meetings. Since 2015, more than 36 local charities have received funding through the group.

Reflecting on their tenure, Cindy and Susan stated:

“Leading 100 Women has been an honour and a privilege. When we began this journey, we didn’t know where it would go – we simply loved the simple, elegant, and fun ‘100 Who Care’ concept and thought it was a great fit for our community. We are grateful to the many women who have stood with us. They are the magic of the organization! We are confident Bre and Lane will steward this leadership role well and we look forward to supporting it – just not from behind the microphone!”

Bre and Lane bring a dynamic energy and fresh perspective to the organization. Both have been involved with the group and have been mentored by Susan and Cindy over the past year. They are eager to continue the collaboration, connection, and local support this team of women have established in Red Deer.

In their joint statement, Bre and Lane shared:

“We are humbled to step into this role and build on the incredible foundation Cindy and Susan have laid. Many needs are at the doorstep of our community and in the hearts and minds of our members. We know a powerful, caring, and united group of individuals can play a huge role in driving change and breaking barriers.

To celebrate this milestone and leadership transition, the 100+ WWCRD hosted the final meeting of 2024 on November 25th at the Red Deer Golf and Country Club. The evening featured reflections from Cindy and Susan, the selection of the Salvation Army as the charity of choice, an opportunity for members to connect with Bre and Lane as they outline their vision for the organization’s next chapter, and a toast to 10 years.

For more information, please visit www.100womenreddeer.ca

About 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer

100+ Women Who Care Red Deer is a network of compassionate, empowered, and dedicated women who make a direct, immediate, and positive impact in Red Deer and area. We support local non-profit and charitable organizations that work every day to make our community a better place to live. 100% of funds donated go to the selected charities – there are no
administration fees, and all costs are covered by the generosity of sponsors. Collectively, we make a difference.

The group meets 4 times annually for 1 hour. Non-profit and charitable organizations are nominated by members. After hearing 3 randomly drawn pitches, the members vote to select their top choice. The group with the highest number of votes receives the members’ donations. Each member or team commits to donating $100 at each meeting. Since 2015, the average raised has been more than $15,000 per meeting.

Membership is open to all women In Red Deer and area. We invite you to join us! The first meeting of 2025 will be on Monday, February 3, 2025.

Founded in February 2015, the organization currently has about 150 members. We are committed to uniting this powerful group of 100+ women who care and lifting the amazing non-profits and charitable groups they support.