Red Deer Minute: Debt Limit, Neighbourhood Playground, and Potential Capstone Development

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

This Week In Red Deer:

• There are no Council or Committee meetings this week. The next City Council meeting will take place on July 10th.
  
  
• Now that summer is in full swing, the City is offering Rip ‘N Rec passes for youth. The passes provide unlimited rides on Red Deer Transit and unlimited access to City recreation facilities all summer long. Passes are $50 and can be purchased at any City recreation facility.
  
  
• Speaking of recreation, the City’s seasonal neighbourhood recreation program, Meet Me At The Park, is back for another year. Games like soccer, basketball, tennis, pickleball, badminton, and baseball, in addition to arts, crafts, and nature-focused activities, will be offered in rotating local park locations. The program runs Monday to Thursday, from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm,  from July 4th to August 25th. A full list of dates and locations is available on the City’s website.

Last Week In Red Deer:

• A local developer, Sorrento Homes, has put in an application to buy a lot in Capstone from the City at below market value, taking advantage of the financial incentives that Council recently put in place. The application, which isn’t yet approved, is for a five-story, 62-suite building west of Carnival Cinemas. As you are probably aware, Capstone has been completely vacant since the plan for the area was completed in 2016. Red Deer has a vacancy rate approaching zero - no new multi-residential projects have been built in almost 10 years.
  
  
• Council agreed to maintain the City’s self-imposed debt limit of 75% of what the Province will allow. The City is currently carrying roughly 56% of the provincial allowance, comparatively more than other cities in Alberta. Calgary carries 33% of its provincial debt limit, Lethbridge comes in at 32%, and Medicine Hat is at 40%. Council noted that it was prudent from a risk management perspective to allow some room for emergencies or other priorities.
  
  
• The Waskasoo Community Association hosted a groundbreaking event to celebrate the third and final phase of their playground project. The first and second phases of the project included the creation of a community garden and a gazebo. Now, construction will begin on “natural playground features” that include an elk head structure made of logs and footholds for kids to climb.

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