More Recent News
Headline Summary
 
Archived News
 
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
 
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
 
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
August 10 Storm
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
 
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005

 
Springbrook and Area News
 
May 7, 2008
Residents Can Expect Average 8.5% Tax Hike
Enhanced programs, services and road improvements, as well as a high rate of construction inflation has resulted in a 14% increase in expenses this year and a 8.5% average increase in property taxes. The provincial school requisition was proportionately lower resulting in a tax rate lower than the increase in expenses. About $20 million of the budget was for road enhancements, representing almost half of the total budget. The actual tax will be determined by the relative increase in assessment.
Hockey Academy Applies for Alternate Use for Ice Rink
The Alberta Hockey Academy, located in the former Springbrook curling rink, has been given the option of transforming the building into an industrial training facility by the Red Deer County municipal planning commission. The ice needs to be removed and, in the process, may require major renovation prior to new ice being installed. In the past, the Academy ran a hockey school for Chinook's Edge School Division. Another option that the Academy is exploring is building a new facility. The Academy received approval as an alternative to remaining as a recreational use building.
Regional Wastewater System Endorsed by County
A $300 million regional wastewater system has received the endorsement of Red Deer County. The system would see a three leg pipeline and central treatment facility developed in stages over a five year period beginning this year. Participating municipalities include the City of Red Deer, Red Deer County (including Springbrook and Gasoline Alley), Penhold, Innisfail, Bowden, Olds, Sylvan Lake, the summer villages around Sylvan Lake, Blackfalds, Lacombe, Lacombe County and Mountainview County.
Airport Study to Update and Consolidate Previous Studies
A joint functional assessment study for the Red Deer Regional Airport has been endorsed by each of its major stakeholders. Both the City of Red Deer and Red Deer County have approved $40,000 for the study and the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce is contributing $10,000. The new study will review the five previous studies, combining and updating the information, and research new information to produce a comprehensive action plan for the airport by the end of the year. The outcome will include an updated master plan, an identification of capital needs, a financial and operational plan as well as an economic impact analysis of regularly scheduled passenger service and recommendations for phasing of the development.
Cadets to Continue Summer Training for Up to Another 10 Years
The Penhold Air Cadet Summer Training Centre has made arrangements with Harvard Park to continue the annual cadet camp in Springbrook for at least another seven years and up to 10 years. About 1,700 air cadets from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, NW Ontario and British Columbia attend one of the 15 courses offered during a six week period in July and August each year, complimented by 275 staff. Courses offered include basic training, leadership, rifle coaching, instruction, recreation, flying and music. Programs have been offered at the same location every year since 1966.

May 2, 2008
Community Association Signs 3-Year Lease for Community Centre
After five months of negotiations, the Springbrook Community Association has signed a 3-year lease with the Trinidad Training and Fitness Centre (previously Bear Training) for the former theatre in the recreation complex. The Springbrook Community Activity and Drop-In Centre will be available for several programs and functions planned by the association and at specified times, as a drop-in for residents. There is also an option to renew the lease for an additional two years, if necessary, while the association explores options for a permanent facility, either stand-alone or connected to another public building. In addition to hosting community events, the leased facility will be available for rent for a variety of functions including parties, receptions, meetings and training programs. An open house and community general meeting will be held in the new centre on Thursday, May 8 at 7 pm.
Bear Training Now Trinidad Training and Fitness Centre
The former recreation centre, built in 1953 for the RCAF Penhold NATO pilot training base, is now Trinidad Training and Fitness Centre. It was previously know as the Bear Training Centre. Several renovations have already been completed with the former bowling alley becoming part of an expanded cardio fitness facility. Classrooms are under construction to facilitate future industrial training programs. The lobby will also undergo some renovations over the next few months. The facility was purchased by Trinidad Drilling last year.

April 25, 2008
Airport Authority Seeks Jazz Flights to Vancouver
At its Annual General Meeting last night, the Red Deer Regional Airport Authority announced that it was making a presentation to Air Canada Jazz to encourage them to offer three flights per day from Red Deer to Vancouver, using 37-seat or 50-seat Dash 8 aircraft. They are also promoting the idea of Jazz flights to Saskatoon to connect with other Canadian destinations. A 2007 study showed Central Albertans bought 232,000 airline tickets but only 1,000 flew out of Red Deer, mostly due to the lack of full passenger service. The remainder flew out of Calgary or Edmonton. The destination preferred by the most passengers was Vancouver. As the patronage develops, a new or expanded terminal will be necessary. If a new terminal is built, it may be built at the north end of the runway, making it closer to the city and with easy access to Highway 2.
The employees at the airport and outgoing CEO Merv Phillips were praised for their efforts in creating a first class regional airport in spite of aging infrastructure. A major study being funded by the three primary stakeholders (Red Deer County, City of Red Deer and Red Deer Chamber of Commerce) is expected to be completed by November that will outline the options available for all aspects of the airport including passenger service, land development, leasing and employment opportunities. An area structure plan will be required in order to proceed with further development of airport lands.

April 19, 2008
New Springbrook Community Board Members Required
Due to a couple of resignations from the Springbrook Community Association Board of Directors, one or two more members of the Board are required. The community will have an opportunity to elect new members at an upcoming General Meeting and Open House to be held at the new Community Centre at the Trinidad Fitness and Recreation Facility (formerly Bear Training) on Thurs. May 8 at 7 pm. The event also provides an opportunity to see the new facility. Light refreshments will be available. The Board expressed their gratitude for the service provided by the two outgoing members -- Phil Heck and Jason Winters, both of whom resigned for personal and family reasons.
Date Set for Annual Springbrook Community Clean-Up
The Springbrook Community Association is asking residents to come out and help keep Springbrook beautiful with the annual spring clean-up of park areas, playgrounds, municipal reserve and sports fields. The event will take place Sat., May 10 at the Oak St. turnaround, where the playground and all-purpose pad are located, between 10 am and 2 pm. Garbage bags will be provided by Red Deer County and the Association will provide coffee, donuts and juice. Participants are asked to bring their own gloves and appropriate tools.
Playgrounds and Park Furniture to be Upgraded This Year
Red Deer County will be upgrading two of the community playgrounds this year -- the Mynarski Park (Willow) playground and the Oak St. turnaround. It's part of a program to upgrade all playgrounds in the county to meet current safety standards. In addition, the community association is replacing the benches and picnic tables with more durable ones.

April 16, 2008
Assessments Up, Taxes Up for County Property Owners
Average residential assessments are up 38%, non-residential up 29% and farm assessments stayed the same in 2007 compared to the year before, according to a report presented to Red Deer County council yesterday. Expenses for the county are up 14% ($3.9 million) this year, requiring a corresponding increase in revenues. Although the mill rate in all categories will be reduced, taxes will likely go up significantly this year. The actual mill rate will not be set until the county knows what the provincial education requisition is. Assessment notices will likely go out May 15 and taxes are due by July 31. Next year, taxes will be due a month earlier.
Red Deer County Councillors Get 15% Pay Raise
For the first time in 5 years, Red Deer County councillors have given themselves a 15% pay hike. The mayor's annual salary has risen from $48,427 to $56,000 and councillors' annual salary has risen from $35,387 to $41,000, effective March 1. In the future, an independent authority will review council salaries one year prior to an election.

April 13, 2008
Spring Fling Attracts Residents of All Ages
The annual Spring Fling supper and dance was held Saturday night at Harvard Loft with 115 residents of all ages attending. The event was co-sponsored by the Springbrook Community Association and Division 3 Recreation and Culture Board. All children received door prizes. Adult door prizes included gift certificates from Wal-Mart and Tim Hortons. Donors included Sky Wings Aviation and an anonymous donor.

April 7, 2008
Airport CEO Decides to Retire
The Red Deer Regional Airport Authority is seeking a new Chief Executive Officer after current 76-year-old CEO Merv Phillips announced he was retiring at the end of June. The airport has reached a critical turning point and Phillips says it's time for someone else to take the helm. A former chairman of the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce, Phillips became chairman of the authority when it formed in 1996. He became CEO in 2003 and oversees a staff of four. The airport recently received a $2.1 million grant to upgrade the runway lighting and Red Deer County will soon be upgrading the aging water and wastewater infrastructure. A presentation will be made soon to Air Canada Jazz for scheduled passenger service to Vancouver.

April 3, 2008
County Proposal for Springbrook-Penhold Trail Discussed
Representatives from Red Deer County Community Services and consultants from Urban Labs University of Calgary and Dillon Consultants (who also jointly developed the Open Spaces Master Plan and the Springbrook-Gasoline Alley Area Structure Plan) were available last night at an open house in Springbrook to determine the degree of area support for the County's preferred route of the Springbrook-Penhold walking and bicycle trail. A handful of people were on hand to look over the proposal to build the trail through the treed natural area south of the hamlet and then along unpaved Range Road 281 to Penhold. The trail, once built, will become part of the Trans Canada Trail system and will eventually connect with the popular Red Deer trail network. The open house did not address the routing of the trail through Springbrook or from Springbrook to Red Deer.
The original route, proposed by Central Alberta Regional Trails Society and the two communities, along the old Highway 2A right of way immediately east of the railway tracks, was determined to be undesirable by the County due to the possibility that the trail would be temporary and was controlled by Alberta Transportation. If adjoining landowners agree to the trail, it is expected to be built in 2009. Groups have been working toward getting the trail built for nine years, partly to discourage children from walking and biking along the busy Highway 2A or the adjacent railway tracks. At one time, the Penhold Lions Club was prepared to fundraise and build the trail but pulled out when the county decided to not support the original route.

More Recent News        News Summary

Archived News:  2008     March     February    January
                               2007    December    November    October     September      August     July     
                                            June      May      April      March     February     January
                               2006    December    November    October    September    August     August Storm     July  
                                            June      May      April      March     February     January
                               2005   December     November     October     September     August     July
 

Cardio
Weights
Gymnasium
Tanning
Dry Sauna
Showers

Payment Plans
Adult $34 monthly;
Family add. $15/person/mo.;
Sauna $25/mo.;
Tanning $15/mo.
Regular memb. $50 monthly;
Regular Sauna $50/mo.
Drop-in $8 per person
 
Trinidad Training & Fitness Centre
886-2234 Springbrook
M-Th 9am-10pm, Fri 9am-9pm,
Sat 10am-3pm, Sun Closed 

 
 
Diverse, Interactive, Educational - Plane History

A commemoration and celebration of the history of
the Penhold military base
 
Harvard Historical Aviation Society
 
403-886-5711
hhac@penholdbase.com

 

 

Springbrook-Waskasoo LIFE
is your source for
what's happening now,
what will happen
in the future and
what happened in the past.

Site Statistics:

Page Views/Hits:
1,278 in July 2006,
2,513 in August 2006,
1,028 in September 2006,
1,008 in October 2006,
801 in November 2006,
879 in December 2006,
1,564 in January 2007,
1,632 in February 2007,
1,829 in March 2007,
1,870 in April 2007,
2,032 in May 2007,
1,932 in June 2007,
2,317 in July 2007,
2,207 in August 2007,
1,742 in September 2007,
1,731 in October 2007,
1,585 in November 2007,
1,418 in December 2007,
1,825 in January 2008,
1,611 in February 2008,
1,895 in March 2008,
1,769 in April 2008.
 
Unique Visitors:
401 in July 2006,
961 in August 2006,
387 in September 2006,
455 in October 2006,
397 in November 2006,
325 in December 2006,
550 in January 2007,
615 in February 2007,
681 in March 2007,
728 in April 2007,
797 in May 2007,
700 in June 2007,
840 in July 2007,
896 in August 2007,
550 in September 2007,
655 in October 2007,
615 in November 2007,
528 in December 2007,
666 in January 2008,
754 in February 2008,
710 in March 2008,
732 in April 2008.
 
Returning Visitors:
102 in July 2006,
165 in August 2006,
92 in September 2006,
84 in October 2006,
67 in November 2006,
71 in December 2006,
109 in January 2007,
85 in February 2007,
100 in March 2007,
114 in April 2007,
132 in May 2007,
143 in June 2007,
121 in July 2007,
103 in August 2007,
79 in September 2007,
93 in October 2007,
115 in November 2007,
108 in December 2007,
94 in January 2008,
83 in February 2008,
144 in March 2008,
127 in April 2008.