Archived Springbrook and Area News
June 2007

June 26, 2007
International Airshow Grounded Indefinitely
The Red Deer International Airshow has been postponed for the forseeable future due to insufficient committed volunteers for the huge undertaking and increasing costs. The last show, held August 2 & 3, 2003, attracted 40,000 spectators and featured the Canadian Forces Snowbirds and several other high-ranking aerial performances. Revival of the show would require a central committee of at least 15 dedicated people for 2 years as well as several volunteers and sponsors.

June 21, 2007
Area Structure Plan Biggest Ever
The city of Red Deer and Red Deer County are embarking on a major area structure plan involving 100,000 acres around the city that includes 40,000 acres that the city plans on annexing over the next 10 years. Springbrook, Gasoline Alley, the future Liberty Crossing, county industrial areas south of the city and a no-growth zone will not be included in this plan but will be in the county's Springbrook Gasoline Alley Major Area Structure Plan. The city-county plan will also include land outside the proposed Intermunicipal Development Plan that should end the conflict between the two municipalities over the past several months. This is the largest such plan ever initiated by either municipality and is one of the largest ever conducted in Canada. Meanwhile another study is being conducted to determine fair compensation to the county for future annexations that will take into consideration the loss of a considerable amount of tax base for the county.

June 20, 2007
Red Deer County Studies Transit Service
People who live or work in the Gasoline Alley area and business owners would like to see some kind of transit service to connect the area with the city, either as an extension of the city transit service or a separate service that connects to it, according to those that attended a public meeting on the subject. Red Deer County is undertaking a study to determine if such a service would be feasible, not only for Gasoline Alley but for other areas of the county as well. One corridor that shows promise would run between Penhold, Springbrook/Airport, Gasoline Alley and Red Deer. Another open house is expected in late summer or early fall before going to county council for consideration.
Biofuels Plant Clears Another Hurdle
Red Deer County council has given third reading of a rezoning bylaw and approved a building permit for the $400 million biofuels plant proposed north of Innisfail. The next step is to get Alberta Environment approval. A new company has been formed to run the complex -- Dominion Energy will be replaced by Alberta Ethanol and Biodiesel GP Ltd. At capacity the plant, the largest of its kind in North America, would consume an estimated 33 million bushels of canola and 40 million bushels of wheat per year. It is estimated to create 90 direct and 200 indirect jobs. It is hoped that construction can start by the end of summer and take 18 months to complete.
Red Deer County Appoints New Manager
Town of Ponoka chief administrative officer Curtis Herzberg will become Red Deer County's new manager on August 20. He was Ponoka's CAO for five years and was previously CAO in Slave Lake. The position became vacant in April when the previous manager, Rob Coon, left for the Municipal District of Rocky View near Calgary. In the meantime, Ric Henderson, Director of Community and Protective Services, has taken on the role of Acting County Manager.



June 19, 2007
City Joins Regional Gasification Study
The city of Red Deer will join several other Central Alberta municipalities including Red Deer County, Lacombe County, Sylvan Lake, Eckville, Bentley, Penhold, Innisfail, Bowden, Delburne and Elnora in the Central Waste Conversion Commission. The commission will investigate the viability of a gasification process that turns solid waste into carbon dioxide and other byproducts in order to keep more garbage out of landfills.

June 16, 2007
Historic Harvard Mounted at Airport
The last Harvard trainer to fly an official mission both at CFB Penhold and for the Canadian Forces was lifted onto a pedestal at the parking lot of the Red Deer Regional Airport this morning. When the base was decommissioned in 1994, the aircraft, Harvard 20370, was donated by the city of Red Deer to the Red Deer Flying Club to maintain. It had been purchased by the city in 1967 but no suitable location could be found to display it so it was presented to CFB Penhold for display. After sitting at the main entrance for 4 years, it was relocated to the main gate of the base from 1971 to 1994. The plane was used for training of NATO pilots from 1953 to 1965. A re-dedication ceremony for the mounted trainer will likely take place in the fall.


June 13, 2007
Heritage Urban Plan Workshop Begins Process
A preliminary workshop to start the process of developing a new heritage urban design plan for Springbrook attracted about 40 people last night. Preserving both the aviation history and the friendly small-town character were high on the priority list of most of the residents who participated. Ideas for future development included an elementary school, a second primary access to the community, improved access to recreational facilities, construction of walking/bicycle trails, establishment of a natural park and the creation of a heritage aviation centre/museum. The $79,000 project is headed by Calgary-based T/Six consultants and directed by Red Deer County. They will take the ideas generated from the workshop to produce a draft plan that will be presented, examined and modified during a series of design charettes to be held between August 20-23. Local residents and stakeholders, including the Airport Authority, developers, Bear Training Centre and Harvard Park are expected to participate in drafting the final plan. That plan will then proceed to county council for approval in October.
 
June 11, 2007
Park Furniture, Summer Festival, Youth Program Discussed
The Springbrook Community Association discussed several items at its monthly Board of Directors meeting tonight. A maximum of $5,000 will be spent on new low-maintenance, vandalism-intolerant park furniture to be placed at the Mynarski Park and Oak Street turnaround playgrounds. Concrete park benches, picnic tables and litter cans will be purchased and installed, hopefully this summer. An all-day summer family festival is set to be held at the all-purpose pad/Oak St. turnaround playground in August. The Association is partnering with Bear Training/Hockey Academy to provide an after-school youth program twice a week this coming September. It was also reported at the meeting that a stakeholder survey has been submitted to Red Deer County as part of the Recreation Facilities Study currently underway.
Transportation/Transit Study Currently Underway
Red Deer County is holding a public open house to discuss a possible public transportation program for county residents, especially between Red Deer and Penhold, on Tuesday, June 19, 5 pm at the Chalet at Westerner Park in Red Deer. The Public Transportation Feasibility Study is assessing whether some kind of public transit system, possibly tied in with the Red Deer, would have sufficient support to be economically feasible. Although a system between the city, Gasoline Alley, Springbrook/Airport and Penhold is the most likely possibility, other routes are also being considered including Red Deer-Sylvan Lake.

June 6, 2007
Airport Authority Plans Cross Canada Flights
The Red Deer Regional Airport Authority indicated to Red Deer County Tuesday that plans are underway to offer direct flights from the airport to Vancouver and Toronto by the spring of 2009. The airport could also offer flights to U.S. destinations like Palm Springs or Las Vegas. The main runway will need to be extended from about 1,600 metres to 2,100 metres to handle larger planes at a cost of $2.4 million. A funding proposal was pitched to the provincial government earlier this year. The main terminal will also have to be enlarged. A survey conducted earlier this year indicated that there was a strong desire for residents to be able to fly to Vancouver, Toronto and a select few U.S. destinations.

June 2, 2007
New City-County Intermunicipal Plan Revealed
The City of Red Deer and Red Deer County have revealed their new joint Intermunicipal Development Plan. The document replaces the current one that initiated several disputes over the past couple of years. The new plan ensures that each municipality has enough land for economic opportunities for residential, commercial and industrial growth for at least the next 10 years. About 40,000 acres has been identified for future city growth to the west, north and east of the current boundaries while county growth will occur in the Gasoline Alley and Springbrook areas. A no-growth agricultural zone will be established between Gasoline Alley and Springbrook. The plan also includes the expansion of linear parks along the Red Deer and Blindman Rivers and Waskasoo and Piper Creeks in both municipalities. Gasoline Alley would be permitted a maximum population of 8,000 and one office building of 12 storeys with three other buildings of eight storeys or less. A more efficient dispute mechanism has also been established.
 
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