I am always surprised when local residents are amazed after being apprised of the following information. They are not secrets, they are widely known in national news stories, human interest articles and polls, and used in marketing tools by other cities and corporations.
One third of Red Deer’s residents live north of the river and they have the G.H.Dawe Community Centre developed in the 70s and built in the 80s.
Two thirds of Red Deer’s residents live south of the river and they have the Downtown Recreation Centre, Michener Aquatic Centre, Downtown Arena, Centrium, Collicutt Recreation Centre, Pidherney Curling Centre, Kinex Arena, Kinsmen Community Arenas, Red Deer Curling Centre, and the under-construction Gary W. Harris Centre. The city is also talking about replacing the downtown recreation centre with an expanded 50m pool.
One third of Red Deer’s residents live north of the river and there are no high schools current or planned.
Two thirds of Red Deer’s residents live south of the river and there are 4 high schools currently with 2 more high schools planned.
Alberta has the poorest air quality in Canada, and Red Deer region has the poorest air quality in Alberta. Given there are pockets like downtown Edmonton and Calgary that may show poorer readings and there are times like during a forest fire when Fort McMurray will show poorer readings but as a whole and chronically for years that Red Deer region has the poorest air quality.
Red Deer has an unemployment rate that is 10% higher than the provincial rate and 43% higher than the national rate.
Red Deer is the second most dangerous city in Canada after Grande Prairie.
Red Deer population shrank between 2015-2016. The population north of the river shrank by 777 or 2.4% and the population south of the river shrank by 0.25% according to the city’s municipal census. While communities all around Red Deer grew with Blackfalds being one of the fastest growing communities in Canada.
Lethbridge is only marginally smaller than Red Deer but they grew by 2% during the same period. Does anyone believe that they would not use that fact when trying to attract families and businesses to relocate to Lethbridge.
Our crime is up, and recently the province announced a new much larger courthouse will be built in Red Deer, but when it comes to our health care our hospital has been forgotten. Money is going to a health care facility in Sylvan Lake, (a growing community), and if you need to see a specialist or need surgery do not be surprised if you are referred to the Olds hospital, for example.
Red Deer has become complacent, often times smug. Our politicians are content to be big fishes in a small but still shrinking pond. Seldom do you see our elected officials on the provincial, national or international stages. We worry about appeasing the few without expanding the base. A community cannot grow without accommodating the diverse groups beyond the basic group. Without growth a city shrinks as seen by the last 2 municipal censuses.
October 16 2017 is the next municipal election and the next opportunity to hold the mayor, the 8 councillors and the school board trustees accountable. I have heard that some incumbents will not run again but there are subtle hints that they may all run again. So ask the incumbents questions like the following questions.
Why is our unemployment so much higher than the provincial average?
What role did you play in keeping all high schools south of the river?
What have you done to mitigate the poor air quality in Red Deer?
Why are all the recreation centres, indoor ice rinks and indoor swimming pools being built south of the river? Will you commit to building the next indoor swimming pool/recreation centre north of the river?
What role did you play in building the school destined for Johnstone Park, north of the river, to be actually built south of the river?
What root causes have you addressed that increased our crime rates to current levels.
We need to ask because the media outlets do not hire investigating journalists who ask hardball questions they have just reporters/stenographers quoting the politicians. News medias need advertising dollars and the city spends big bucks and carry this big stick effectively.
So we should not be surprised if someone in Vancouver mentions our crime rates or someone in Toronto acknowledges our poor air quality. We should start questioning the decisions and actions taken.
Does having all 6 high schools in one area, 5 along 30 Ave. forcing one third of the students to commute across the whole city twice a day during rush hour traffic, really help our air quality ? Probably not?
Does having all but the one recreational complex on one side of town, increase juvenile delinquency and increase crime rates? Probably, does need asking.
The election is only 6 months away. Questions need to be asked. Complacency and the status quo are not options. Issues are abundant, questions need to be asked and new candidates need to come forward, but most importantly residents should not allow these issues to be ignored or shoved into the back corner.
I will keep asking.