The Election of 2017 is now 100 hrs old and the issues are developing.
Out of left field we hear that the public high schools in Red Deer are getting tight. We just opened a new Catholic high school in Red Deer, south of the river. They are hoping to build the next public high school beside it, unless the next school board decides to build it elsewhere.
Two points come up. Red Deer lost 975 residents or 390 families last year according to the 2016 municipal census accepted by city council April of this year. 777 of those residents or 311 families who left Red Deer were living north of the river. Simultaneously, 700 people or 280 families moved to Blackfalds. Guess where the next high school is expected to be built beginning in 2018? Blackfalds is looking at sites, now.
Red deer lost 1% of their population last year and the population north of the river declined 8 times faster than the south side while at the same time, Blackfalds enjoys being one of the fastest growing community in Canada. What do you think will happen when Blackfalds gets their first high school while Red Deer concentrates building all their schools and facilities south of the river?
The last school built north of the river was in 1985 and the only recreational facilities, Dawe, was built in the 1970s.
Red Deer south of the river declined last year also, while Penhold grew. Red Deer lost 198 residents or 39 families south of the river last year. We added 375 new homes but declined in population.
We have plenty of new neighbourhoods, Evergreen, Timberlands, Clearview Ridge, Garden Heights, Southbrook, and expanded new subdivisions like Vanier and they all offer new homes, and we announced Capstone at Riverlands last month.
Empty and expensive streets, transit, power, installation and maintenance borne by the citizens but we still declined in population. The new neighbourhoods may have increased but 25 neighbourhoods decreased. Let us look where the population left their neighbourhoods in the last 4 years;

Waskasoo—————————2016=474—-2013=486
Woodlea—————————–2016=553—-2013=606
Downtown————————–2016=3,197–2013=3283
Parkvale—————————–2016=795—-2013=813
Westpark—————————-2016=5430—2013=5514
South Hill West——————–2016=1582—2013=1712
South Hill East———————2016=1302—2013=1410
Bower——————————–2016=1953—2013=1991
Sunnybrook————————-2016=1411—2013=1430
Grandview————————–2016=950—-2013=1023
Clearview—————————2016=2547—2013=2754
Rosedale—————————–2016=3386—2013=3482
Morrisroe—————————2016=1274—-2013=1279
Morrisroe Ext.———————2016=1643—2013=1782
Anders Park————————2016=2967—2013=3101
Anders South, Aspen Ridge—–2016=3884—2013=3911
Deerpark—————————-2016=3986—-2013=4072
Inglewood—————————2016=4334—2013=4481
Kentwood ————————– 2016=4,267—2013=4,280
Glendale ————————— 2016=4,288—2013=4,393
Normandeau———————— 2016=3,530—2013=3,565
Pines ——————————- 2016=1,718— 2013=1,823
Highland Green ——————- 2016=3,920 —2013=3,979
Oriole Park————————- 2016=5,244 — 2013=5,308
Fairview————————— 2016=710 —– 2013=770
The city as a whole grew 2.8% in 4 years but it was up to 3.8% before last year’s 1% decline.
Building new neighbourhoods did not help, building schools and facilities south of the river slowed the south side decline but ignored the north side.
Candidates; A real issue, hurting real people, any suggestions?
Let us know. Thanks. It would be appreciated.