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 Springbrook Alberta, Red Deer Regional Airport, Waskasoo Watershed, Gasoline Alley |
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Dec. 23, 2009 |
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 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 |
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Sustainable Future, Respectful Past  Rails and Trails Innovative Transportation Heritage Celebration Regional Rail History Paul Pettypiece Consulting, Research 403-886-2852 Contact Paul |
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Red
Deer County is expressing its satisfaction with the new transit service
in Springbrook and Gasoline Alley. The regular transit bus has about 150
customers per day Monday through Friday and about 50 daily customers on
the weekend. The handibus is picking up about 5 customers per day and is
making about 150 trips per month. The county purchased the two buses and
constructed 22 bus stop pads for the service that began at the end of
August. Red Deer Transit operates the service and integrates it with the
city system. The county has budgeted $600,000 per year to cover the cost
of operations but the better-than-expected ridership may reduce the
annual cost.
Red
Deer County council today unanimously agreed to purchase the former
Alberta Central Railway Mintlaw trestle west of Springbrook from
Canadian Pacific Railway for $1 in exchange for a tax receipt for $8.8
million, determined to be the current value of the structure.
The
bridge across the Red Deer River has been identified as a heritage site and an important landmark
in the county. It was built in 1911-1912, leased to Canadian Pacific in
1913, acquired by CPR in 1957 with the last train crossing it in 1981.
At 2,112 ft., it is the second longest CPR steel trestle bridge in the province.
In the
future, the County will determine if the bridge is suitable for
recreation use as a pedestrian bridge. The 2010 budget allows for the
acquisition of right-of-way on each side of the 32-span structure.
Earlier in the year, the County, in the Open Spaces Master Plan, had
identified the former Alberta Central Railway right-of-way between Red
Deer and Benalto as a future recreational and agri-tourism trail.
A
member of the Red Deer Pond Hockey organization has nominated the
Springbrook arena for Kraft Hockeyville 2010. The privately-owned
facility, used by the Alberta Hockey Academy, is in need of repairs and
upgrades. The pond hockey group rents the ice for kids who would
normally not have access to a fun opportunity to play hockey. The arena
was built in 1958 as a curling rink for RCAF Penhold air training base
and was used as such until 1995 when all the base facilities were sold
to private developers. Kraft Canada, in partnership with the CBC, the
National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players
Association, has sponsored the contest for the last four years. The
winning community receives $100,000 to upgrade an arena and will become
the site of an NHL pre-season game. An in-house panel will select the
top 12 communities in Canada, two from each of the four regions and four
wild cards. Public voting will start on March 15 and the winner
announced on April 3, 2010.
The
Division 3 Recreation and Culture Board is subsidizing several
activities for residents within the division. From December 20 to
January 3 inclusive, residents can get a free movie and pop at Carnival
Theatre in Red Deer with tickets available from Board members and at
three community Christmas events. Swimming at the Collicutt Centre is
available on two dates, Tuesday, December 29 and Saturday, January 23.
Skiing at the Canyon Ski Hill east of Red Deer is available at
approximately half the normal rate on Fridays from 5 to 9 pm in January
and February. A registration table will be available on site. More
details at the 
Swanberg
Air, in partnership with the Red Deer Regional Airport, is offering a
50% off seat sale during the month of December for all flights departing
eastbound from Red Deer to Calgary, Swift Current and Regina. Inbound
passengers are also eligible to take advantage of the sale. The airline
operates more than 40 weekly scheduled flights using Jetstream 31
twin-engine turboprop 14-passenger aircraft. Tickets are available from
Swanberg.
In
its quarterly report to Red Deer County yesterday, Red Deer Regional
Airport CEO Liam O'Connell is confident that the Swanberg Air seat sale
will boost the scheduled passenger count for the year to over 1,000, the
minimum required to be eligible for federal Airports Capital Assistance
Program funding. At the end of November, the count was 884. The airport
authority plans to apply for $4 million in ACAP funding in 2010 to put
an asphalt overlay on runways, taxiways and the main ramp. In addition,
$1.5 million in funding will be requested for more bays in the
maintenance shop for equipment storage and improved lighting for
low-visibility situations.
Little
or No Tax Increases Expected in County for 2010
