Red Deer Playgrounds opening with these guidelines

From the City of Red Deer

Phased reopening of playgrounds starts today

The City of Red Deer has begun a to reopen playgrounds with a phased approach between now and May 29, 2020.“We know the closure of playgrounds has been difficult for some families with young children. We are re-opening playgrounds and fitness parks while continuing to align with recommendations from the Chief Medical Officer of Health, but caution the public that these structures are high touch and high contact surfaces,” said Karen Mann, Emergency Operations Centre Director.A phased approach is necessary to ensure maintenance and inspections are completed in advance of reopening any playground or outdoor fitness structures. New signage and removal of caution tape will signal citizens as to when respective playgrounds are officially open. Crews will work in the north and south simultaneously to open playgrounds as quickly as possible across the entire city.Citizens are asked to refrain from using playground or outdoor fitness structures until crews remove the closed signs and caution tape.

Although playground reopenings are happening in alignment with all public health orders and restrictions, citizens are still encouraged to exercise caution and do what is necessary to continue to help prevent spread of COVID-19.

Equipment will be inspected prior to opening. The City is not washing or sanitizing structures and families are encouraged to bring their own hand sanitizer to the park with them, limit contact with others, and visit playgrounds within their own neighbourhoods.

Users are reminded of and must follow public health guidelines including:

Maintaining 2 metre physical distance;
Gathering in groups of 50 or fewer;
Only sharing common equipment with members of the same family or cohort;
Staying home if you feel sick;
Washing and sanitizing your hands before and after using these areas.

“Due to the diligence and commitment of our residents throughout this pandemic to complying with all orders and recommendations from health officials, we are now in a position to begin re-opening a number of our amenities in a phased manner,” says Mann, “While we are as pleased as you are to see playgrounds and fitness parks starting to re-open, we know it will take the continued support of all residents to keep each other safe and healthy through this relaunch.”

Residents can call the City’s call centre at 403-342-8111 if they have questions regarding the playground reopening or any City services. More information on the City’s response to COVID-19 can be found at www.reddeer.ca/COVID.

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#RedDeerStrong – Former refugee expressing gratefulness to Canada through donation to front line health care workers

Published on May 12, 2020

cityofreddeer

From We Are Red Deer at RedDeer.ca

Esmat Bayat knows his way around a sewing machine.

“I have lots of experience,” he chuckles. “Maybe 26, 28 years. A long time.”

Bayat grew up in Afghanistan, working as a tailor and shoemaker since the age of 12. He opened his own business in Kabul making custom suits and dresses. In the years following 9/11, Bayat’s homeland became war-torn and dangerous, so he packed up his family and fled to Iran.

“We were refugees in Iran. The government of Iran is not good with refugees and immigrants. And Afghanistan was war. We had to move.”

After brief stops in Pakistan and Turkey, Bayat’s dream finally came true three years ago. On April 26, 2017, his family was granted refugee status in Canada. Bayat, his wife, and their four kids headed for a little city on the prairies they knew nothing about, named Red Deer.

Today, the Bayat family has settled into their new Canadian life and Esmat runs a tailor shop downtown. All was well… until COVID-19 hit.

“Right now I don’t have any customers,” he says. “Our community needs medical masks and protective suits. I am able to make them.”

Instead of closing up shop and waiting for the pandemic to pass, Bayat is using his skills to help the country that welcomed his family warmly. He ordered special waterproof fabric and is sewing five-hundred medical masks and one-hundred protective suits. He plans to donate them to Red Deer’s front-line health care workers.

“I like to help Canada because Canada helped me. The Canada(ian) government helped bring me to Canada and now I and my family are safe,” he says. “I wanted to help the government, help the Canadians. This is how I can do that.”

When COVID has passed, Bayat plans to start sewing clothes again and maybe one day open a small garment factory in Red Deer. In the meantime, he’s focused on giving a helping hand to those who are working hard to keep Canadians safe and healthy.

“Everything is not money, not dollars. Sometimes people just need to help each other.

Business

Secondary runway at Red Deer Regional Airport to be refurbished

Published on May 11, 2020

Duane Rolheiser

From Red Deer Regional Airport

Airport Awards Runway Refurbishment

The Red Deer Regional Airport is pleased to announce that they are ready to begin the refurbishment of their secondary runway (#12/30) at the beginning of June. The tender has been awarded to locally owned and operated Border Paving, who are set so support nearly 50 jobs with the project, keeping funds within Central Alberta, creating local jobs and supporting the businesses who call YQF home are all important factors to consider when planning any projects at the Red Deer Regional Airport.

“Runway 12/30 is a vital part of our existing infrastructure and currently supports more than 12,000 takeoffs and landings annually.” says Red Deer Regional Airport’s CEO Graham Ingham. This project, like all other airport projects is being completed per the airport’s 10-year capital plan, which is updated annually. The runway refurbishment project comes with a 1.8 million dollar price tag and will take approximately 8 weeks to complete. The project will be staged to alleviate to the greatest extent possible any impact on our local and transient businesses.

The Red Deer Regional Airport continues to see growth and success as they plan to the future. As an affordable alternative to Calgary and Edmonton, YQF remains a cost-effective solution to many aviation and aviation-related businesses looking to gain that strategic business advantage. “With key partnership agreements in place with the likes of the Rice Group, EFC Developments and Tucana Aviation, the future of the airport has never looked so bright and it’s only a matter of when, not if, the airport will enter its next phase of rapid and sustained growth.” says the Airport’s Director, Business Development, Communications and Marketing Nicole Holinarty.