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 may 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 is long overdue but finally well underway.
Improvements on 2A will include turning lanes for the
efficiency of truck traffic at the proposed plant. Improvements to Highway QE2
in and around Innisfail are also well underway.
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 awaiting council approval 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
its own 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.
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.
A need for Springbrook
that is long overdue but finally being started is the rehabilitation
of the underground infrastructure that had been announced three years ago.
Federal and provincial grants totalling more than $6 million have put
the $11 million project back on track.
That reliability is 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 finalizing where the best routing would be but
the preferred location is along the gravel Range Road 281.
Alternatives include along the old Highway 2A right of way (the original
planned routing), the west side of the railway and half way between the
tracks and 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 original proposed route is along an 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/or 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 County studies have been completed that could have a
significant impact on the residents of the County, including the
Recreation Needs Study, the Open Spaces Master Plan and the Transit
Feasibility Study.
The
Transit Feasibility Study recommended some regular transit service linking the city with
Gasoline Alley and Springbrook/Airport. Alternate forms of transit
for other areas of the county were also identified.
The
Recreation Needs Study recommended a hierachy for providing regional
recreation facilities to communities of various sizes. Overall, it
suggested that most indoor recreational facilities could be provided by
municipalities while the county look at more outdoor facilities.
The
Open Spaces Master Plan provides an overall picture of what
types of open spaces are important to residents. It is recommending strategies
and priorities for the preservation or maintenance of areas of
natural, environmental, recreational, historical and cultural value.
It also identifies major trail corridors for future development
linking sites that have particular historical, natural or recreational
significance. It includes the already announced corridors between Springbrook and Penhold, Spruce View and Dickson and
a short section of 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 would be the historical impact
of transportation to the growth of the County and the region.
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.
The
new growth area of Gasoline Alley and Liberty Crossing
on the south gateway to the city will create a new dynamic to the region providing
opportunity and challenge for the County for many years to come.
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 also 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 should 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.
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. 
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. 
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.
One
of the challenges created by the plant will be the upgrading of road
infrastructure in the area.
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.
One
of the landmark initiatives that is awaiting council approval is the
Springbrook Heritage Urban Design Plan. 
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
its own community hall. 
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.
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. 
A need for Springbrook
that is long overdue but finally being started is the rehabilitation
of the underground infrastructure that had been announced three years ago.
Federal and provincial grants totalling more than $6 million have put
the $11 million project back on track.
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. 
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. 
An
alternative mode of transportation as well as a safe, fun and economical
way of staying fit is walking and bicycling along recreational
trails. 
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 original proposed route is along an improved Range Road
280 to 32 St., across Highway QE2 and connecting with Waskasoo Park.
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.
The
Transit Feasibility Study recommended some regular transit service linking the city with
Gasoline Alley and Springbrook/Airport. Alternate forms of transit
for other areas of the county were also identified. 
The
Recreation Needs Study recommended a hierachy for providing regional
recreation facilities to communities of various sizes. Overall, it
suggested that most indoor recreational facilities could be provided by
municipalities while the county look at more outdoor facilities. 
The
Open Spaces Master Plan provides an overall picture of what
types of open spaces are important to residents. It is recommending strategies
and priorities for the preservation or maintenance of areas of
natural, environmental, recreational, historical and cultural value.
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. 
Of
particular value would be the historical impact
of transportation to the growth of the County and the region. 
The
new growth area of Gasoline Alley and Liberty Crossing
on the south gateway to the city will create a new dynamic to the region providing
opportunity and challenge for the County for many years to come.
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. 
Difficult
choices will also 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. 
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 should be decided on
within the next several months. 