Red Deer Minute: Aviation Updates, Artwork Rehoming, and Urban Chicken Amendments

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

This Week In Red Deer:

• There will be a meeting of the Council Agenda Review Committee today at 10:00 am. The Committee will set the agenda for the April 15th Council meeting and the April 18th Agency Day meeting.
  
  
• There will be some road closures and traffic disruptions starting today. Ross Street will see reduced lanes from 42 Avenue to 43 Avenue, with westbound traffic rerouted onto eastbound lanes for construction access, lasting until 5:00 pm on April 10th. Additionally, a section of 47 Avenue between 53 Street and 55 Street will be closed to northbound traffic for underground infrastructure work, lasting until June 12th. Of course, completion dates are weather dependent.
  
  
• The large ceramic wall sculpture at Hunting Hills High School has yet to find a new location after being removed due to renovations. The City's Public Art Commission declined to accept it, citing concerns about its size, maintenance costs, and suitability for municipal buildings. The sculpture, considered "site specific" to the school, remains without a home as neither the City nor Red Deer Polytechnic plan to house it. Red Deer Public Schools are exploring options to find a suitable location for the artwork.

Last Week In Red Deer:

• Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston and Red Deer County Mayor Jim Wood announced plans to travel to Chicago for Aviation Week, showcasing Central Alberta's aerospace sector and economic opportunities. Facilitated by the Government of Alberta and in collaboration with Red Deer Regional Airport, the trip aims to engage with government officials, industry leaders, and potential investors, highlighting Central Alberta as a premier business destination with future potential for growth.
  
  
• Speaking of aviation, the Province announced funding for some of Alberta’s regional airports to study potential service expansion. Red Deer Regional Airport is set to receive $120,000 to support an airside land development strategy aimed at leveraging the airport's assets for economic growth. Red Deer Regional Airport is already undergoing significant developments this year, with a $3.5-million terminal addition slated for completion in July. Additionally, a taxiway expansion project is currently underway, and preparations are underway for the construction of a new north access road and link to C&E Trail, set to commence in a few weeks.
  
  
• Council gave first reading to amendments to the Chicken Bylaw. Proposed changes include removing the cap on the number of licenses for urban chickens, increasing the fee per license, and introducing fines and penalties for nuisance concerns. The current cap of four hens per license and one license per household will remain. Red Deer is currently unique among municipalities that allow chickens in having a cap on licenses. While there were discussions about a broader Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw, that bylaw is delayed pending budget approval.

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