Red Deer
Red Deer Polytechnic’s Jenica Swartz named ACAC Indoor Track Runner of the Year
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Jenica Swartz named Indoor Track Runner of the Year, Ethan Duret picks up an All-Conference Award
Red Deer Polytechnic and the Athletics department are pleased to recognize Jenica Swartz of the Queens Indoor Track Team as the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Female Runner of the Year and Ethan Duret of the Kings Indoor Track Team as he was named an ACAC All-Star.
Swartz was a crucial part of the Queens team winning their first-ever championship title in Indoor Track. Duret picked up multiple top-five finishes on the men’s side at the ACAC championship.
Jenica Swartz (Queens Runner)
What a year it was for Jenica Swartz. It all started way back in August when she started training with the Queens Soccer and Cross-Country team. She was able to earn a gold medal in soccer and a bronze medal on the same weekend at the ACAC Soccer and Cross-Country Championship. Capping off the 2022 season, Swartz competed for the soccer team at nationals before flying to Medicine Hat for cross-country nationals where she ran the 6 km race that same morning and placed fourth. A few months later, she would help the Queens win the first-ever championship in program history in Indoor Track after picking up three individual golds, one silver and first place in both the relay events at the ACAC Championship held in Edmonton at the Butterdome this past weekend.
Head Coach Douglas Spicer explained that Swartz is an outstanding athlete and teammate.
“She leads by example in her training and competing in both cross-country and indoor track, along with being an integral part of the Queens Soccer program. It was a great pleasure working with Jen this year and watching her dominate the competition in her quiet, humble way.”
Last season, Swartz broke her ankle and she had to have pins put in to repair the damage. Between the 2022/2023 cross-country and indoor track seasons, she had the pins removed and in the end, she came out on top in the 300m, 600m and 1000m events at the championship.
Swartz is a second-year student-athlete at Red Deer Polytechnic and is enrolled in the Bachelor of Science Pre-Med program. She was also named to the All-Conference team.
Ethan Duret (Kings Runner)
Ethan Duret is a second-year student-athlete with the Kings Indoor Track and Cross-Country team. He is from Red Deer and went to high school at Notre Dame Ecole Secondaire where he ran for their cross-country and track team before moving over to the Polytechnic. He is a five-foot-nine runner and is enrolled in the Bachelor of Commerce program.
Earlier in the Indoor Track season at the Grand Prix hosted by Red Deer Polytechnic, Duret earned himself two first-place finishes and a gold and bronze medal in both relay events. At the Championships, it was a much different story, Duret could not find the podium in the individual events but helped his team to a bronze finish in the 4x200m relay. He ended his weekend with two fifth-place finishes in the 300m dash and 600m run.
Spicer said he is a terrific athlete who is well-suited for indoor track, as he has natural speed, along with the endurance that he developed during the cross-country season.
“Although he did not finish in the top five in cross-country, he trained hard and developed a solid aerobic base which we refined during indoor track. This added more speed and endurance which suited his 600m and 1000m races in particular. Ethan is a goal-setter who asks a lot of himself and works hard to achieve his goals.”
Duret will also be graduating from the program following the end of the academic year.
Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team
Alleged Human Traffickers arrested in Red Deer, Montreal, and Edmonton
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Human trafficking suspect arrested in Red Deer, July 2024
From Alert, the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team
Three human traffickers arrested in Project Endgame
Three men have been arrested and stand accused of running a human trafficking operation that stretched across Canada; operating throughout Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Quebec.
Project Endgame was a year-long investigation led by ALERT’s Human Trafficking unit, and also relied on the assistance of the Edmonton Police Service, RCMP, and the Quebec joint forces Anti-Pimping team known as EILP.
Arrests and search warrants had taken place in Edmonton, Montreal, and Red Deer. A total of 23 charges related to human trafficking offences have been laid against Clyde Elien-Abbot, 31, Kevin Dorcelus-Cetoute, 31, and Jean Rodnil Dubois, 31. Elien-Abbot was arrested on January 31, 2025 in Edmonton, while the other two accused were arrested on July 23, 2024.
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Peavey Mart Centrium
Westerner Park Reflects on the Impact of Peavey Mart’s Closure
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Westerner Park acknowledges the recent announcement of Peavey Mart closing all its locations across Canada, and the significant impact this will have on our community.
Peavey Mart has been the naming sponsor of the Centrium since 2021, a partnership that has helped create lasting memories for thousands of Central Albertans. Their support extended beyond their name on the building—Peavey Mart embraced our community by participating in activities during Westerner Days and supplying essential items that brought these events to life.
“Our partnership with Peavey Mart exemplifies the kind of meaningful relationships that can have a lasting impact,” said Shelly Flint, CEO of Westerner Park. “While their closure is undoubtedly a loss for the community, we are grateful for the support they’ve provided over the years and remain committed to finding the right partnerships to continue serving Central Alberta.”
As Westerner Park navigates this transition, the organization remains as a hub of Central Alberta. This includes not only hosting more events and attractions on the park but also finding new ways to connect with the community. “Whether it’s collaborating on events outside of our grounds or encouraging our team to participate in local initiatives as volunteers, our focus remains on strengthening our ties with the people and organizations that make this region so vibrant,” Flint added.
Westerner Park is actively seeking businesses and organizations that share a vision of fostering growth and connection within the community. Any parties interested in exploring partnership opportunities are encouraged to reach out.
ABOUT WESTERNER PARK
Westerner Park is Central Alberta’s largest tradeshow, agricultural, sports, entertainment, and convention facility. A not-for-profit organization and agricultural society, Westerner Park typically generates $150 million annually in economic activity, hosting over 1,000 events and 1.5 million visitors each year.
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