The Development of a Community --
Evolution of the Springbrook Community Association

The Community Association formed in November 1995 shortly after the Department of Defence had sold Mynarski Park to developers Securfund Penhold. Securfund had renovated some of the houses and put them on the market. Several committees were set up including a Teen Club, Block Parents (chaired by Lorelei O'Brien for several years), Social Committee, Historical Committee, School Committee, Fund Raising Committee and membership in the Community Advisory Council.
 
A community newsletter, The Babble, started publishing in early 1996 with Lorraine Kilfoyle as editor, assisted for awhile by Lynne Warner. In late 1996, the Association received its official registration from the province giving it the ability to raise funds for community projects. In late 1996, the Association organized the first of several annual Children's Christmas parties and New Year's Eve events.
 
During the following summer the Association received their casino and raffle licenses and applied for grants to upgrade the playgrounds that were no longer considered safe. The bingo license arrived in the fall and the Association received their first grant in December that required matching funds or labour to qualify for specific improvements to the community. The first bingo was held January 1998 after two years of paperwork to get everything in order. Barb Hall, Barb Lewin and Gordon Wegner were particularly instrumental in getting this done.
 
In 1997, the Association initiated an annual Community Garage Sale, set up a food booth at the Red Deer International Airshow, and organized a house decorating contest for Halloween. That winter a New Years Dance and Winterfest were held.
 
An Infrastructure Liason Committee (chaired by Paul Pettypiece) was set up in response to a Red Deer County Study and news article suggesting massive increases in taxes to replace the aging water, sewer and road infrastructure. Community meetings were held with County officials about the Infrastructure Study and a proposed Area Structure Plan. The County indicated that they favoured a utility surcharge to cover part of the cost of the new infrastructure.
 
In June 1998, the first of three playgrounds was reconstructed on Willow Crescent (Mynarski Park), the first fundraising Casino was held in August and a volunteer appreciation BBQ was held in the fall. Halloween and Christmas parties were held for the children and there was a house decorating contest in December. A skating rink with boards was developed each year with several volunteers building, maintaining and clearing snow.
 
Funding was received for the Oak Street turnaround playground in early 1999 and it was built around the end of May with fewer than expected volunteers so it took three days to complete.  However in October, the Condo playground was built in one day because of the large number of volunteers. The Association worked with Red Deer Search & Rescue with a mock training exercise in Springbrook in April and the Youth Group was active with several activities.
 
Over the next several years, a lot of residents volunteered to work bingos, casinos and raffles. Organization, construction and maintenance for these projects were provided by many Springbrook residents.
 
A general meeting in June 1999 featured Red Deer County Director of Operations Michel Savard re water and sewer rates, George Gehrke County Councillor and Sherry Cooper of the Airshow. At the same meeting, a Bylaw Amendment Committee was formed and Lorelei O'Brien became chairman of the Casino and Bingo Committee.
 
That same year, the County distributed a questionnaire in the community about new boundary changes in Springbrook and whether a name change was favoured. The community consensus was yes for boundary, no for name change. An infill development between the condos and the regular housing, proposal by Securfund, met with considerable community resistance due to the density and, as a result, plans were modified. There was also considerable support for the proposed Trans Canada Trail on the Hwy 2A right of way once the new highway was built the next year. Moms and Tots was organized by Sherri Struss. New By-Laws were adopted at the General Meeting that fall. Jodi Smith became editor of the Babble in January 2000.
 
In 2001, a multi-purpose pad was constructed in time for use as a skating rink, again with many volunteers and funds generated by bingos and casinos. A Winter Carnival was held in February 2002 and a Spring Fling dance in April.
 
That spring, Mynarski Park Recreation Centre was handed over by Securfund to Mynarski Park Recreation Board (The complex was later purchased by a private company). Springbrook became part of the Waskasoo Recreation Board with Jodi Smith as the Springbrook representative.
 
In the spring of 2003 Tara Lind became editor of the Babble. A Winter Carnival was held in April. A community Safety Awareness campaign was organized by Tracy McBeth in the fall and a Welcome sign erected at the Oak Street entrance. Some By-Law changes were made at a special meeting in April 2004. And in the fall, the Willow Crescent playground was renamed Mynarski Park at a special dedication to A.C. Mynarski in September.
 
The Association celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the hamlet and the community in September 2005 with a chili cookoff, children's games, food, bakesale, dance and prizes.
 
Red Deer County announced a $10 million infrastructure rehabilitation plan to replace aging water and sewer lines that was to be started in 2006. That plan was postponed when tenders came in too high and expected grants didn't materialize.
 
In 2006, the Association partnered with the Penhold Lions Club, Central Alberta Regional Trails and the Trans Canada Trail Foundation in the planning for a 3.2 km trail between Penhold and Springbrook along the old Highway 2A right of way. The plan was delayed when Red Deer County failed to approve the route and embarked on an Open Spaces Master Plan, in part to determine trail routes and responsibilities.
 
In 2007, Red Deer County initiated a Regional Recreation Study and a Springbrook Heritage Urban Design Plan, both of which the Association participated in. The Association stressed the need for a community drop-in activity centre, a paved trail through the municipal reserve along the creek, youth activities and facilities, better access to inexpensive recreation and improvements to the all purpose pad.
 
In 2008, the Association installed new park furniture in the Mynarski Park and Oak St. turnaround playground areas. A 3-year lease was signed for the former theatre in the Trinidad Training and Fitness Centre for use as community centre. As a result, several community events were made possible.

In 2009, a shelter for the all-purpose pad was installed.

In 2010, the association conducted a strategic planning workshop that included the board of directors and several residents of the community. One of the key goals that came from the workshop was planning for a new multi-use community centre.
 
website for Springbrook Community Association
 

 

 
Springbrook Community Centre
 located in the recreation and commercial complex
 
Community Events
Room Rental
 excellent facility for
Receptions, Weddings,
Parties, Banquets,
Meetings, Seminars

operated by
the Springbrook
Community Association
 

 

 
a celebration of the Red Deer region as a major distribution and transit centre in the economic development of Central Alberta

a bold vision
for 2 multi-venue visitor magnets
for the Red Deer area with
4 unique attractions
 
The Forth Junction Project
 

 

Central Alberta Regional
Trails Society
 

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