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A Review of Current and Future Issues
that will impact Springbrook, Red Deer County and the Red Deer Region
 
Although I support many of the initiatives, proposals and plans in principle that have been put before Red Deer County Council over the past while, the implementation of these initiatives will take scrutiny and strong guidance from County Council to assure that they benefit the citizens of the County both in the short term and in the long.
 
Those and new proposals could have far-reaching impacts on County residents.
 
In addition to the economic benefits of some of the plans, it is important to balance them with a strong sense of preservation of prime agricultural land and natural areas.
 
As the county moves toward clusters of urbanization, we must take care that the historical and cultural values of an essentially rural community are respected and honoured.
 
To maintain the economic viability of agriculture, strategies must be explored that encourage sustainability in the long run. Industries that provide more value to agriculture, organic operations and agri-tourism are examples of such strategies.
 
An industry that promises to provide economic benefit to grain farmers is the proposed $400 million Dominion BioFuel Plant north of Innisfail. It's a world-class, relatively clean and efficient facility that will produce bio-diesel fuel and ethanol and include a canola seed crushing plant.
 
One of the challenges created by the plant will be the upgrading of road infrastructure in the area.
 
The reconstruction of Highway 2A between Penhold and Innisfail will take on even greater urgency than already exists.
 
Improvements need to include turning lanes for the efficiency of truck traffic at the plant and well designed access points onto Highway QE2. The County will need to apply some pressure to Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation to assure the safety and efficiency of all users of that highway.
 
Another area that the County will need to take an active role is the upgrading of the Red Deer Regional Airport by supporting and assisting in applications for funding from the provincial and federal governments.
 
Infrastructure improvements including the creation of another access road from the north to the airport lands would help to encourage airport-related industrial development.
 
One of the landmark initiatives that is currently underway is the Springbrook Heritage Urban Design Plan.
 
Springbrook has been designated by the County a major future growth area and is already the largest community in the County. The plan identifies how the hamlet can grow without losing its small town charm, celebrate its military heritage, become a major tourism attraction and fill the urgent need for gathering points in the community.
 
One of the most urgent needs of the residents of Springbrook is a community-controlled centre that can act as a focal point for youth activities, community events and social gatherings. Springbrook is currently the only residential area in the county that does not have some kind of community hall.
 
Options for a centre should be explored where it could be constructed either as a stand-alone building or in conjunction with a school or other civic facility such as a library or field house.
 
An urgent need for Springbrook for some time has been an elementary school. Chinook's Edge School Division had a K-6 school set as a priority in previous capital plans but the priority for the school division has recently shifted to Gasoline Alley. The county needs to convince the school division that that shift needs to be readdressed immediately.
 
Another priority for Chinook's Edge is the replacement of River Glen School in Red Deer that serves the area between Poplar Ridge and Penhold. No location has been announced for the new 7-12 school other than it would be west of Highway QE2, likely somewhere between Gasoline Alley and Penhold.
 
Red Deer County should take an active role in determining that location and encourage that it be located close to a community rather than as a stand-alone facility along a highway. The proximity to air, motorcycle and hockey training as well as the potential for future development of a heritage centre and sports fields make Springbrook a likely choice for such a facility. However it is far from a sure thing.
 
An additional urgent need for Springbrook is the rehabilitation of the underground infrastructure that was announced two years ago. Rising costs have put the project on the shelf but the deterioration of 50-year-old water and sewer lines could be more costly if put off. And the residents deserve a reliable water and wastewater system.
 
That reliability becomes even more important as the County negotiates with the provincial government and local municipalities about regional water and sewer systems that would connect various communities within the county as well as outside to centralized treatment facilities on the Red Deer River.
 
Also on the utility front is an interesting proposal to turn garbage (solid waste) into carbon dioxide gas, electricity and a byproduct that can be used for construction materials with few emissions and no methane gas.
 
If successful, it could totally eliminate the need for landfills. The County is spear-heading a regional commission that includes the city and several Central Alberta towns. The most likely location for the proposed facility is near the Horn Hill Waste Transfer site.
 
Improved or alternate access to Springbrook and the Red Deer Regional Airport is an issue that requires the attention of County Council in the near future. As the community's population expands with the simultaneous growth of the town of Penhold, the intersection of Highway 2A and Airport Drive will become increasingly dangerous. Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation has no immediate plans to upgrade the intersection so it is only a matter of time before a serious collision occurs there.
 
As the only current viable access to Springbrook, Airport Drive is also crossed by the CPR tracks creating risk of the access being closed, not only to residents and airport users, but also to emergency services. There is a plan to upgrade Range Road 280 from Springbrook to the C & E Trail near 32 St. at Red Deer. That plan needs to be fast-tracked for the safety of residents and to implement the potential of the airport.
 
An alternative mode of transportation as well as a safe, fun and economical way of staying fit is walking and bicycling along recreational trails.
 
A trail linking Penhold and Springbrook is particularly needed as there are children and youth using the shoulder of the increasingly busy Highway 2A to get back and forth. As the two communities continue to grow and a wider range of facilities become available, the need for a trail linking the communities has become urgent.
 
The County is currently determining where the best routing would be. Alternatives include along the old Highway 2A right of way parallel with the railway, the west side of the railway and along Range Road 281.
 
There is also a need for a trail linking Springbrook with Red Deer as a healthy and economical alternative to travelling to the city without using the highway. The proposed route is along the improved Range Road 280 to 32 St., across Highway QE2 and connecting with Waskasoo Park.
 
The Penhold to Red Deer trail has already been registered to become part of the TransCanada Trail and local community groups have already indicated a willingness to build and maintain it.
 
An increasingly urgent issue is the management of off-road vehicles, such as quads, mini-bikes and snowmobiles, on both public and private land. The County needs to encourage user groups to develop standards and practices that don't harm the environment and the peace of residents and yet allow for the enjoyment that such activity attracts. Facilities or dedicated safe trails may be possible solutions.
 
Several studies will be completed this fall that could have a significant impact on the division and the area around the division. The Recreation Needs Study, the Open Spaces Master Plan and the Transit Feasibility Study will all be presented to Council for approval and implementation.
 
The Transit Feasibility Study will determine if there is a viable way of providing some kind of transit service linking the city with Gasoline Alley, Springbrook/Airport and Penhold. Other potential transit corridors may also be identified. Difficult decisions will have to be made as such a service will likely require some form of subsidy.
 
 
The Recreation Needs Study will recommend what kind of regional recreation facilities should be provided by the County. One of the possible outcomes of the plan is to create a facility that could be used by residents of other municipalities in return for county residents using theirs.
 
The Open Spaces Master Plan will provide an overall picture of what types of open spaces are important to residents. It is expected to provide strategies for the preservation or maintenance of areas of natural, environmental, recreational, historical and cultural value.
 
It will also identify trail corridors for future development linking sites that have particular historical, natural or recreational significance. It will include already announced corridors between Springbrook and Penhold, Spruce View and Dickson and some river access.
 
Protection of the Red Deer River itself and safe access to it will become an increasingly important issue as more and more people want to use the asset for recreational use.
 
Celebration of our heritage and protection of historical sites has taken on more importance in recent years with the potential to create tourist destinations and corridors throughout the County as economic drivers.
 
Of particular value in the division would be the historical impact of transportation to the growth of the County.
 
The airport as a military training facility, the C & E Trail, Gasoline Alley and the building of the Canadian Pacific and Alberta Central railways all played a major role in the economy and heritage of the area. I strongly support any initiative to preserve and celebrate that history.
 
A new growth area just north of the division will provide opportunity and challenge for the County for many years to come. The development of Gasoline Alley and Liberty Crossing on the south gateway to the city will create a new dynamic to the region.
 
The Gasoline Alley West Urban Design Plan envisions a mix of highway commercial, light industrial, big box stores, entertainment venues, offices, a themed automotive retail strip, natural green corridor, an automotive museum, civic buildings, schools, a town centre and a range of urban-style housing for up to 8,000 residents.
 
Although the new Liberty Crossing will act as a compliment to Springbrook, it may also be a competitor for educational and recreational facilities.
 
Even though Gasoline Alley is no longer a candidate for city annexation, the city is absorbing 50,000 acres of County land over the next 10 years that includes a large chunk of the County's industrial tax base west and north of the city.
 
That includes Burnt Lake, Belich, Blindman and Chiles Industrial Parks as well as Ipsco.
 
Negotiations with the city over compensation for the annexed land will need to include the loss of that tax base as well as the value of land and infrastructure.
 
Difficult choices will need to be made over the future development of Pine Lake. A proposed area structure plan suggests a hamlet-style town centre be created as well as a few more residential nodes. Landowners around the lake are insisting that the lake has already reached its development and recreational capacity.
 
The rapid growth of the Calgary-Edmonton corridor has resulted in a corresponding rapid increase in traffic on Highway QE2.
 
All uncontrolled access to the highway is being eliminated and major improvements to interchanges are planned to bring it up to freeway status. It will also have to be widened to six lanes unless an alternative can be found.
 
One such alternative is a proposed high speed rail line between Calgary and Edmonton with one stop at or close to Red Deer. Such a train could be built anytime between 5 and 50 years down the road but a right-of-way and location of a terminal would likely be decided on within the next several months.
 
Various alignments have been discussed with one running immediately west of the airport and another between Highways QE2 and 2A. A terminal could be located anywhere between Springbrook and Poplar Ridge including a possible location near the current Red Deer County Centre. County Council will likely be involved in those decisions.
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