Red Deer Minute: Parking App, Business Awards, and Public Engagement Platform

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

This Week In Red Deer:

• On Tuesday, there will be a City Council meeting at 10:30 am. The meeting begins with a closed session to discuss the permanent homeless shelter. When the meeting opens up to the public, Council will receive an update on the Annual Policing Plan and on crime stats for Q1. Also on the agenda are the first new land sale in the Capstone neighbourhood (for a multi-family residential development), and a review of Council's progress in Q2 with regard to the Strategic Plan.
  
  
• There’s still time to register for the Harvest Run. Now in its 31st year, the Harvest Run is a family friendly, 8-kilometre run through Red Deer’s trail system. Hosted by the Red Deer Runners, there are already more than 220 registrations, and the run is on track to reach pre-pandemic participation numbers. Ages of the runners range from 5 to 75. The run takes place on September 10th, and you have until tomorrow to register. There’s also a 3-kilometre route if the full run sounds a little too ambitious.
  
  
• The 16th Annual Red Deer Fall Collector Car and Automobilia Auction takes place at Westerner Park this weekend. Doors open at 4:00 pm on Friday, 8:30 am on Saturday, and 10:00 am on Sunday. Tickets are $15 for the day or $25 for the whole weekend.

Last Week In Red Deer:

• The City announced a launch date for the new HotSpot mobile pay parking system. Over the next few days, parking meters will be removed and new signs will be installed ahead of the September 18th launch. Residents who work downtown or visit the area regularly are being encouraged to download the app and create an account in advance of the launch so they can get used to how it works. But, if you don’t want to create an account, there’s an option to just use the HotSpot website, or you can pay with old-fashioned cash. If you’re having trouble navigating the new system, the City says you can pop into City Hall and staff can provide assistance. There’s also plenty of information on the City’s website.
  
  
• The City introduced a new online public engagement platform. Engage Red Deer is designed to make it easier for residents to interact with their municipal government and contribute to Council’s decision-making. The platform will host surveys and virtual workshops, and keep residents informed about upcoming projects. Click here to check it out.
  
  
• The Red Deer Chamber of Commerce has unveiled the finalists for the Business of the Year award. The businesses were nominated by the public and judged by a committee made up of local business people. There are also other categories, including Small Business of the Year, Not-For-Profit of the Year, and Business Leader of the Year. The ceremony will take place on October 18th. We can't wait to see who takes home the honours. Congratulations to all the finalists!

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