Red Deer Minute: Application Appeal, Agency Day, and a Media Panel Event

Red Deer Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Red Deer politics

This Week In Red Deer:

• Today, there will be a City Council regular meeting at 10:30 am. The meeting will begin with a closed (secret) portion where Council will discuss negotiations with Alberta Health Services and receive a verbal report on the homeless shelter. During the public portion, Council will discuss “vehicles for hire principles” (last time this was discussed, the City made it particularly difficult for Uber to operate in Red Deer) and updates to the pet ownership bylaw. There are also bylaws to be passed pertaining to the new tax rates and the loan to Westerner Park.
  
  
• The Audit Committee will meet on Wednesday at 1:00 pm. On the agenda are the 2022 Financial Statements and the December 2022 Variance Analysis. Another meeting of City Council is scheduled for Thursday at 1:00 pm. This time, it’s Agency Day. Council will hear reports from the Red Deer Watershed Alliance, the Red Deer River Municipal Users Group, the Waskasoo Environmental Education Society, and the Parkland Airshed Management Zone.
  
  
• The Alberta Institute and Alberta Proud are holding the next event on the “Can’t Stop Alberta Tour” in Red Deer. On Thursday evening, two expert panels will discuss the economy, affordability, inflation, jobs, and our energy industry, as well as the media, censorship, and the future of journalism. Our very own Chad Krahn from Common Sense Red Deer will be speaking on the first panel. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by clicking here.

Last Week In Red Deer:

• Fabricland announced the closure of the Railyards store after ten years downtown. The store’s ownership pulled no punches and said that they are leaving because of the crime and disorder caused by the Overdose Prevention Site and temporary shelter, which led to their customers being harassed, an increase in theft, and needle debris. Fabricland has not yet found a new location for their store and June 22nd will be their last day downtown.
  
  
• Alberta Health Services said that Red Deer’s Overdose Prevention Site will remain in its current location for now. While alternate locations may be considered in the future, AHS said that decision will be made with input from the municipality. As of May 31st, AHS will take over operation of the site from Turning Point. They are hiring registered nurses, paramedics, and client care assistants and have said that existing Turning Point staff with relevant qualifications are welcome to apply.
  
  
• The owners of the Red Deer Resort and Casino (formerly the Cambridge Hotel) decided to appeal the decision to deny their application for a proposed 2,000-person event center. The Planning Commission nixed the plan due to it being 26 parking spots short of City bylaw requirements - they also deemed that building a parkade across the street was an insufficient resolution. The decision was downright baffling for a city that wants to be a major events destination and has previously noted the lack of mid-sized venues - you have to wonder if City Hall realizes the message this sends to other would-be developers.

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