Archived Springbrook and Area News
June 2009

June 27, 2009
Springbrook-Red Deer Bus Service Behind Schedule
Bus service connecting Springbrook and Gasoline Alley to Bower Place Shopping Centre in Red Deer, originally planned to start early in July, is running behind by about a month. The full-size bus purchased by Red Deer County has arrived but the bus bays in Gasoline Alley are not completed as yet. In addition, final authorization from Alberta Transportation to extend service from one municipality into another has yet to be received. Once started, buses will run to Springbrook only during the morning and evening rush hours. Service to Gasoline Alley will run all day Monday to Saturday with limited service on Sundays. The exact service times are expected to be released once the start date has been determined.

June 24, 2009
Airport Needs Infrastructure Funding
The Red Deer Regional Airport needs large amounts of infrastructure funding to prevent deterioration of the facility, according to airport officials. The top five infrastructure needs for the airport are overlaying the cross runways and taxiways, expanding the main ramp, maintenance to the main runway, building new taxiways to allow for more traffic and upgrading the parking lot and roadways leading into the airport. In 2001, the airport received $1 million from the province to overlay the main runway. Normally, neither the provincial or federal governments directly fund airport capital projects. However, there is a federal Airport Capital Assistance Program that is only available if the airport has at least 1,000 passengers on regularly-scheduled flights for three consecutive years. The airport received $2.5 million last year to replace the runway lighting and $850,000 this year for new snow removal equipment. The airport hopes to get $6.8 million over the next 4 years from the program.

June 19, 2009
Regional Sewer Line to be Constructed This Year
The first stage of a major regional wastewater system, a line between Innisfail and Penhold, is expected to start construction in July and be completed by year end. The new line will tie into the existing Waskasoo line from Penhold through Springbrook to Red Deer where upgrading of the treatment plant is underway. The $32 million project, which includes the construction of a multi-million dollar lift station, is the first stage of a system that will include upgrading the line between Penhold and Red Deer and a new line between Olds and Innisfail. The awarding of contracts for the 25-km Innisfail to Penhold pipeline has come in $2 million lower than the $18 million estimate, due to a sluggish economy and competitive bidding.

June 17, 2009
Air Canada to Consider Regional Service in 2010
In the quarterly report to Red Deer County council, Red Deer Regional Airport Authority CEO Liam O'Connell indicated that although the current economic situation has stalled Air Canada Jazz regular passenger service from the airport this year, the airline is seriously considering service in 2010. Of nine other regional carriers approached by the authority, three are showing serious interest in a Red Deer route to Kelowna and Vancouver/Victoria and to Saskatoon/Regina. Meanwhile, Northwestern Air, which runs twice-weekly flights to Fort McMurray, has seen its passenger load drop from 696 last year to the end of May to 394 this year due to the economic slump but signs indicate that business will pick up as the year progresses. There has also been a lower number of aircraft movements this year. About 65% of the airport's revenue comes from landing fees, facility fees and terminal fees.

June 14, 2009
Plans for Aviation Museum Revealed at Air Affair
The Harvard Historical Aviation Society revealed its plans for an aviation museum in northwest Springbrook at its Air Affair held yesterday. The event featured hot air balloon rides, biplane rides, a classic car show and shine, vintage aircraft displays, a pancake breakfast, BBQ lunch and concession run by the Springbrook Community Association, national relay celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first flight in Canada and a dedication ceremony for the new museum. Due to the various events and no admission fee, an estimate of attendance was difficult but one official guessed at around two thousand. At one point, approximately a hundred people were lined up for the balloon ride.
The proposed new $5 million museum will feature an indoor theatre, Link Trainer training simulator and replica of an air control tower in addition to restored aircraft significant to the former Penhold base including an Airspeed Oxford trainer used during World War II, a Harvard trainer used for NATO pilots in the 50s and 60s, a Tiger Moth and glider. Although the museum will celebrate the various roles the base played from 1939 to 1995, the primary focus will be on the NATO years between 1953 and 1965. Fundraising for the building will begin in earnest this fall.
Regional Trails Society AGM Features Speakers, Feet, Progress
The Central Alberta Regional Trails Society held its annual general meeting Saturday at the Kerry Wood Nature Centre in Red Deer. Debbie van Berkel provided a fun workshop on Leave No Trace outside and Carol Kelly from the Medicine River Wildlife Centre gave a presentation on the development of the rehabilitation facility. Pictures of attendees' feet were taken for the Boots Across Canada fundraising campaign for trail development in which Keen Canada will donate $5 to Alberta TrailNet for every photo of feet taken on Central Alberta trails. The annual progress report indicated that several new trails and trail bridges will be underway shortly, including the section between Springbrook and Penhold. The executive for the coming year was elected with Debbie Olsen of Lacombe returned as president, Paul Pettypiece of Springbrook as vice-president, Bev Haines of Red Deer as treasurer and Danielle Klooster of Penhold as secretary. Additional directors include Grant Johnson of Red Deer County, Larry Pimm of Red Deer, Wayne Rempel of Lacombe and Jim Woychuk of Red Deer. Members of the society also include people from Ponoka, Blackfalds and Sylvan Lake.

June 4, 2009
Regional Wastewater Route Determined for City
Red Deer city council has approved the location of the new south regional sewer line to go along the right-of-way of the future 20 Avenue and Northland Drive with construction expected in 2010 and 2011. In the meantime, some of Innisfail's wastewater will be added to the existing Waskasoo regional trunk that runs along 30 Avenue with construction of the line between Innisfail and Penhold to commence this year. The line will extend to Bowden and Olds in the next few years.

June 3, 2009
Air Affair to Celebrate Aviation History
The Harvard Historical Aviation Society is celebrating 100 years of powered flight in Canada with an all day event at the Red Deer Regional Airport and the future site of their planned museum in northwest Springbrook. Several displays including vintage aircraft and classic cars are open all day at no charge. There will be a Canadian Forces F-18 flyby and an air cadet parade. Featured will be open-cockpit biplane and hot air balloon rides. A pancake breakfast starts the day and the Springbrook Community Association is offering a BBQ lunch. The event ties in with the Back to Baddeck national relay celebrating the first flight of the Silver Dart in Baddeck, Nova Scotia in 1909. The relay arrives from Calgary with a Stampe biplane around 11 am and departs with a Harvard trainer to Wetaskiwin. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place around 1:30 pm at the site of the future $5 million aviation museum.

June 1, 2009
Annual Spring Fling Attracts Lots of Kids
The Springbrook Community Centre was the venue that hosted this year's annual Spring Fling Supper and Dance yesterday. The event, co-sponsored by the Springbrook Community Association and Red Deer County Division 3 Recreation and Culture Board, attracted about 100 people, almost half children, from the area. Several door prizes were handed out and music was provided by Manz Entertainment of Springbrook.

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