Update: City to deactivate the Emergency Operations Centre

Friday at noon, The City’s Emergency Operations Centre demobilized as flood concerns for our community have subsided.

Since Thursday afternoon, water levels on the Red Deer River and tributaries have stabilized, as well as outflow rates from Dickson Dam. However, the Red Deer River remains under a high streamflow advisory by Alberta Environment and boat launches into the river remain closed.

“We continue to urge people to stay off of the river and the shore while the high streamflow advisory remains in effect,” said Ken McMullen, Director of Emergency Management. “The river has risen significantly this week, and we are seeing natural debris in the river such as fallen trees which pose a significant safety concern to anyone recreating on the river.”

The Lion’s Campground, which was closed on Tuesday, re-opened to campers Friday at noon.

For more information, visit www.reddeer.ca/flood.

—————

From Thursday

Red Deer River levels peaked

Water levels on the Red Deer River have begun peaking, however the river remains under a high streamflow advisory.

“This afternoon we received information from the Dickson Dam and Alberta Environment that water levels have begun to peak on the Red Deer River, which is positive news and one factor we use when assessing flood risk,” said Ken McMullen, Director of Emergency Management. “Other factors we consider in addition to the level of the Red Deer River, is water levels on the Little Red Deer and Medicine rivers that feed into the Red Deer River downstream of the dam, how quickly snowmelt is occurring in the mountains, as well the precipitation our city and region are experiencing.”

Since Monday, the Red Deer River has risen approximately one and half meters. Some low-lying areas of the McKenzie Trail area saw isolated flooding, however no trails were closed or damage to park infrastructure occurred.

Residents are asked to continue to stay off the river and away from the shore while the high streamflow advisory remains in effect. All boat launches into the river remain closed, and barricades are in place.

The following amenities remain closed at this time:

• All boat launches into the Red Deer River
• The Lion’s Campground

The following amenities have reopened:

• Great Chief Park (both ball diamonds and Setters Place),
• The Outdoor Pool at the Recreation Centre
• The Capstone Fountain
• The Blue Grass Sod Farms Central Spray & Play
• Outdoor sports fields

For more information, visit www.reddeer.ca/flood.

Related Topics:#CityofRedDeer #HighStreamFlow #RedDeerRiver #RedDeerRiverLevel feature

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Pop-up Spray Parks – City bringing family fun to your neighbourhood this summer

City of Red Deer / 2 days ago

City Council grinding out a solution for the site of a permanent homeless shelter

City of Red Deer / 2 weeks ago

Dawe pool and gymnasium opening this weekend!

City of Red Deer

Pop-up Spray Parks – City bringing family fun to your neighbourhood this summer

Published on July 6, 2022

City of Red Deer

Pop-up spray parks are back this summer

Pop-up spray parks are gearing up again in Red Deer, set to visit eight neighbourhoods across the city this summer. The first pop up is set for this Thursday, July 7 at Barry Wilson Elementary School.

Families and friends are invited to join Red Deer Emergency Services, Municipal Policing Services and the Red Deer RCMP to beat the heat at pop-up spray parks every Thursday this July and August.

Each spray park will run every Thursday from 6:30 – 8 p.m., visiting neighbourhoods across the city as follows:

Date	Location	Address
July 7	Barry Wilson Elementary School	300 Timothy Drive
July 14	G.H. Dawe School	Holt Street & 59 Avenue
July 21	St. Francis of Assisi School	321 Lindsay Avenue
July 28	Anders Park	Ayers Avenue & Anders Street
August 4	Kentwood Park	Kendrew Drive & Kent Street
August 11	Don Campbell Elementary School	99 Irving Crescent
August 18	Joseph Welsh Elementary School	4401 – 37 Avenue
August 25	Johnstone Park	Jordan Parkway & Jennings Crescent

Events are weather dependant and will be cancelled if weather warnings are in place. The City will provide updates on social media each week if events are in question due to weather.

Information and schedule are available online at www.reddeer.ca/PopUpSprayParks.

For more information, please contact:

Corporate Communications
The City of Red Deer

City of Red Deer

City Council grinding out a solution for the site of a permanent homeless shelter

Published on July 5, 2022

City of Red Deer

Council approves Shelter Site Evaluation Matrix

A site criteria evaluation matrix will help guide the site selection process for the future shelter in Red Deer after being approved by City Council today. During Council meetings held on June 24, 27 and July 4, Council worked through multiple exercises to determine five criteria, 22 sub-criteria and the weighting assigned to each – making up the Shelter Site Evaluation Matrix as follows:

SITE CRITERIA	SUB-CRITERIA	POINTS	PERCENTAGES
Ability to acquire site		20
Cost		40%
Zoning		15%
Timing		40%
General		5%
Adequate size		20
Adequate land size (outside/inside)		30%
Can accommodate purpose built/dignified spaces		20%
Can accommodate on-site/integrated services		30%
Future flexible/expansion opportunity		10%
General		10%
Broad community impact		24
Operational and Budgetary Impacts		17%
Alignment with Community Vision (Strategic Plan/Downtown Vision/Vision 2040)		25%
Impact to City Reputation		13%
Economic Impact		25%
Safety Impacts		17%
General		4%
Impacts to surrounding area		26
Impacts to businesses		23%
Impacts to downtown		19%
Impacts to Parks, Trails and Greenspaces		19%
Proximity to Schools		12%
Impacts to Residential Neighbourhoods		23%
General		4%
Access to services & supports		10
Access to transit and transportation		10%
Distance/proximity to supports/services		20%
Foot Traffic Patterns		20%
Enables delivery of 24/7 integrated service		20%
Enables delivery of basic amenities/services		20%
General		10%

Council approves Shelter Site Evaluation Matrix

In the above matrix, the sub-category identified as general under each criteria represents the remaining points allocated to the overarching site criteria.

“The site criteria evaluation matrix approved today will be utilized by administration and City Council to inform decisions about the future site of an integrated shelter in Red Deer,” said Lisa Perkins, Acting City Manager. “The process of developing this matrix has been all about our commitment to consider what we heard from the public, honouring the voice of the City Council in the development of the matrix and selecting a site for the future integrated shelter.”

Along with the criteria and weighting, Council adopted a resolution outlining conditions upon which City Council developed site criteria for the Shelter Site Evaluation Matrix. Ultimately, the site criteria within the matrix are the right criteria “if” the following are true:

Shelter is for those who need short stay emergency housing. There are other services/facilities along the housing spectrum.
Shelter is one site.
Funding may limit scope.
New services have potential to change outcomes.
The permanent shelter will be a housing focused delivery model [(Per Council resolution Nov – 21) – GOA confirmed Jan 22]
Shelter with wrap around services may not necessarily eliminate the need for those requiring shelter to access external services, to connect with community.
There are innovative alternative delivery/service and systems that need to address the diversity of clients and impact on community.
The shelter will operate 24/7
The shelter will be designed to provide adequate spaces for short time stays that honour the dignity of each person
There is a recognition and advocacy for the ongoing housing (eg. PSH & Affordable Housing) needs.
Council will continue to have discussions with the Provincial Government on future Overdose Prevention Services/Supervised Consumption Services.
A good neighbour policy will be developed.
Community agencies are supportive of an integrated model and willing to work collaboratively towards this.
The shelter would integrate or operate as many related services on site as reasonably possible.

These statements will be utilized to inform City Council’s advocacy position around the integrated shelter going forward.

“While the decision in front of City Council in the immediate future pertains specifically to site, we also know there are many conversations to be had with the Province of Alberta about other aspects of shelter including, but not limited to, shelter design, operations and service delivery,” said Mayor Ken Johnston. “We look forward to continued collaboration with our provincial colleagues as we work in partnership to ensure a safe place for our vulnerable citizens to access required services on their journey to permanent housing, which is beneficial for the whole community.”

In addition to the resolutions about the shelter evaluation matrix criteria, City Council resolved that administration will begin preparing a list of possible sites alongside a commercial realtor with Mayor Johnston and the Deputy Mayor providing Council perspective.

Administration will come back to City Council on July 18 to share an update with City Council about the site selection process.

For more information on the shelter project process, please visit www.reddeer.ca/shelter. Citizens and community partners wanting to receive updates on the shelter project by email can subscribe here.