One of Central Alberta’s largest employers, Nova Chemicals today announced that they plan to spend upward of $900 million to increase their Joffre chemical plant production by as much as 40%. This is welcome news for Red Deer and Central Alberta, as the construction of this facility will create as many as 500 construction jobs, while the plant expansion is being built, as well as an estimated 150-250 additional full-time skilled trade employees will be needed to operate the production facility, once construction is complete.

Construction is to begin in 2013 and will be completed and in operation by 2016.

This announcement from Nova is sure to put additional strain on employers in the oil & gas sector who are already facing a shortage of skilled trades people to fill vacancies in the oil patch. Red Deer continues to be a hotbed of economic activity and job creation, while much of the rest of the country is suffering from a decrease in employment opportunities due to the weakened global economy.

Red Deer could very well be set to take another population leap, as workers move to the area looking to take advantage of our many employment opportunities. This should be good for all of us who call Red Deer and Central Alberta home as the increase in population and incomes will be sure to have a positive impact on our local economy.

Let’s hope that our provincial politicians and city Councillors are ready to provide the funding necessary to keep up with the increase in demands that additional population will bring with it. We don’t want to find ourselves behind the eight ball in terms of infrastructure, schools, community centers, and hospitals.

Good on you, Nova Chemicals!

As a parent of a young child, I am somewhat disappointed in the lack of places that cater to children. Once, long ago, there was “Moonwalkers” which was a large indoor playground. Kids loved it for the maze of tubes, netting, ball pit, video games, and party rooms that were perfect for birthday parties. Unfortunately, there was a lack of adult supervision, the food was somewhat poor quality, and there was the general consensus among the parents that would gather that the equipment was dirty and in need of repair and cleaning. But, at least it was there, ready to be enjoyed by the kids who didn’t pay much notice to those kinds of details. If you were to ask my son, he wouldn’t be able to tell you what happened outside of the jungle-type apparatuses. As a kid, he loved it, as did all his friends.

So it was a bit of a shock to see it disappear when it did a few years ago.  As a parent, I feel there is a void to be filled in this city. There absolutely needs to be more things to do and places to go with young children. Red Deer is a vibrant, thriving, wealthy metro area with many young families. At this point, one of the most popular places to go with kids is to the McDonald’s on  the north end of Geatz Ave. There are always kids there climbing up and down the indoor jungle gym. I have no idea who the original owners of  “Moonwalkers” was, nor do I have any idea why they pulled the plug on the business.

Conversations with other parents make me believe that there is a serious need for child friendly facilities, that would allow kids to just run, jump and play for hours. If you are wondering what type of small business to open in this city of ours, please consider one that is 100% oriented to kids. The people of Red Deer will love you for it! Run correctly, I cant imagine such a place being anything but a resounding success.

Discuss your ideas, opinions and suggestions below.

Just a quick reminder that one of Red Deer’s premiere annual summer family events, the Westerner Days Parade, is going to take place on July 20, 2011. Parade start time is 9:30am. It’s recommended to get to the parade route a bit early as the sidewalks fill up fast with excited children and adults alike. Even more so if the weather cooperates and the sun is shining upon us!

The Westerner Days Parade is the official kick off event to Red Deer’s Westerner Days Fair and Expo, which runs 5 days starting July 20 thru to July 24. Most of the official events including a large midway, concerts, food stands, and other scheduled events will be taking place at the Westerner Grounds on the south end of Red Deer, just off the QE2 highway. The official website with complete details on all the festivities is at www.westernerdays.ca.

But in addition to the fair grounds, the local businesses of Red Deer really do a great job of getting into the spirit of the event by decorating their businesses, doing window paintings, dressing up in traditional western wear, as well as many of the businesses and community groups host pancake breakfasts for all to enjoy!

See you at the parade!

To drive through Red Deer’s industrial areas, one thing stands out. Help wanted!  Everywhere you look, there are sandwich boards, billboards, bumper stickers, decals on trailers, signs in windows, etc. all saying  they are looking for employees. Many of the businesses are advertising several positions available. Apprentices to journeymen, inexperienced to fully experienced, they need people.The great thing is that these are all high paying, rewarding career opportunities that many cities across Canada would love to have.

What is interesting to note is that this hiring blitz is going on during spring breakup. Traditionally, spring breakup is a time where companies in the oil and gas industry are slow. Here in Alberta, the ground gets too soft during spring thaw for oilfield equipment to move in and out of the field safely, or without causing significant environmental damage. So, to see this amount of hiring going on is exciting for those of us that live here.

This definitely bodes well for the economy of our city in the near future. With the surge in open employment opportunities will come with it an increase of people moving to Central Alberta to fill these jobs. This will undoubtedly mean a boom in the construction industry, additional stress on our schools, hospitals, and other infrastructures.

We may well be poised once again to see tremendous growth to our city. We have weathered such storms before, we’ll rise once again to the challenges and the opportunities that it brings.

For those looking for work in Red Deer, the following are a list of online resources to help you on your search. Though you will find many jobs posted by visiting the following websites, many times you are better off to find the websites of individual companies that operate in Red Deer and visit their website directly as many employers tend to not advertise every time they have a job opening. One way to know what companies are in Red Deer is by searching our Red Deer Business Directory.

Monster.com

Canada Job Bank

Kijiji Job Postings

Workopolis Red Deer

Red Deer Advocate Newspaper Classifieds

Reddeerjobshop.ca

Wow Jobs

City of Red Deer Job Postings

Indeed.ca

Jobsserve.ca

Red Deer Hospital Jobs

We hope you find these links useful on your search for employment in Red Deer. Best of luck in your search!

Red Deer has a new place to get a great cup of coffee in the downtown area. The new business venture called Cool Beans is located at 4619 49 Ave. (Gaetz Ave), behind Mr. Lube. Parked near the back of an otherwise empty parking lot, the large red double-decker has been transformed from passenger carrier to an eclectic coffee lovers oasis.

The bus itself is old, having obviously been decommissioned as a people carrier some time ago. But that’s not to say it is without charm. It is one of the few places in Red Deer that is not ordinary, in a good way. I have always said that Red Deer needs more identity and this is the type of thing I consider to be of unique character.

The outside is painted in stop sign red, then adorned with whimsical flower paintings, hippy-ish in style. The drink menu is attached to the side of the bus and the windows are marked with window paint telling of the daily food offerings. The business owners have built a wood patio a few inches off the ground, with an access ramp for use by people in wheelchairs and parents pushing strollers. There are few outdoor patio sets with tables, umbrellas and chairs, all of which are anchored by some potted Juniper trees to add a little greenery to the otherwise vivid reality that you are sitting just a few meters off of one of Red Deer’s busiest streets.

Inside the bus, there is a small area near the cash register to stand and order. Ordering can also be done through a side window, but if the weather turns nasty, I can see myself wanting to get out of the elements and there is just enough room inside to stand and order, in such an instance. The aroma of the bus is very non-old-bus like. There is only the strong odor of fresh ground coffee beans and is very pleasant to take in, especially if you are as much of a coffee snob as I have become over the years. The top deck of the bus is under renovation and is not yet open to the public, though having a peek is permitted. Once renovations are completed, there will be a few closely positioned tables with bench seating for customers to use. The seating will be limited and the tables will be close together so it will be an intimate setting and should lead to some great conversations amongst those that stay for a while. Though I wouldn’t want to sit up there if the sun is out, as the heat would quickly become unbearable, it would serve as a great place to sip a cup of coffee or have a bite to eat, if the weather is less than ideal for sitting outdoors.

Menu wise, they focus on brewing fresh coffee one cup at a time. Mine was ordered and I watched through the window as they poured hot water through freshly ground beans by hand. The coffee then filters directly into the cup which frankly, is the best way to brew a coffee if you are trying to maximize the flavor. You simply cannot beat a coffee that is brewed this way. If you have never tasted coffee brewed like this before, you will be amazed at how intense the flavor is. My coffee had a few loose coffee grains floating in the cup, but that is both common and acceptable when brewing java in this fashion. I was asked if I wanted a medium or dark roast coffee and I chose a dark. Simply delicious! Also on the menu was loose leaf tea, Italian sodas, smoothies with or without yogurt, in a variety of  flavors.  Also available are kids’ sizes.

For food, they offer panini sandwiches which I did not try personally, but I do intend to, some day in the near future. I would say if the food is anywhere near as good as the coffee, I’ll be very happy indeed. There was also a selection of fresh baked cakes and other assorted goodies.

I must also comment on the fact that when I went there, I had 3 kids in tow with me and when we ordered, I payed with cash. It came to $16 for our 3 smoothies and 1 large coffee. When I was handed my coffee, I was also given a toonie. The person who took my order told me that he had charged me an extra $2 by mistake. I love honesty and this alone makes me hope that Red Deerians embrace this new place and make it successful.

Food trucks are a huge deal in some places. In fact, there are entire websites dedicated to locating and following the movements of them. Though this bus is in no way suited to be moving around the city, it may spur a surge of others to try it, as the trend seems to be quite strong and many successful restaurants have started by offering unique food and drink to an audience that has grown weary of the typical chain restaurants that dominate the landscapes in nearly every city across North America.

I for one, welcome the change of pace and appreciate the imperfect atmosphere. It’s just right the way it is!

The annual Canadian Cancer Society fundraiser, Relay For Life is being held the first weekend in June 3 & 4 at the Cross Roads Church, located on the west side of the QE2 HWY in Red Deer. Things will get under way at 7:00 pm Friday night and go until 7:00 am Saturday morning.  The relay goes all night as a reminder to us that cancer never sleeps.
To participate in the relay you need to be part of a team. You collect donations. Prizes are awarded for top teams raising the most money, as well as for individual money raisers.

Supper, breakfast and a midnight lunch is supplied. Throughout the night, there will be coffee, tea and hot chocolate set up in the main hall, to help you stay warm and awake.

One person on your team will need to be on the track at all times. Walking in pairs helps to keeps us motivated and passes the time more quickly. The main stage will have music for most of the night, or some other form of entertainment. In years past, the Relay For Life coordinators have put on fashion shows. Pretty amusing at 2 am!

Almost everyone has been touched by cancer in one way or another, either personally, through family, friends, or co-workers.  All participants in the relay lend their support for different reasons. Myself, I have lost family members and friends to cancer, and know many that are cancer survivors. Anyone can get cancer and with functions and fundraisers like the Relay For Life, may more are able to beat cancer as well. Of course the end goal is to find a cure so that nobody else will have to deal with the tragedy of fighting this terrible disease.

The most amazing, heart warming and very emotional time of the night is the “survivors lap”. The very first lap on the track are cancer survivors and some still fighting. It’s very heart breaking to see the children having gone through, or still going through cancer treatments. It serves as a strong reminder why we need to battle this disease with all of our might.

It is almost surreal to be a part of  it. This will be my fourth relay and I look forward to it.  Of course, we are hoping for some nice weather this year. The last couple have been pretty cold and wet (but worth it considering the cause). Great place to be, it filled with hope and optimism a lot of thing we all seem to be missing in our day to day lives.

I’m very happy to be a part of it, everyone should experience it at least once. There are many around the province to participate in. Please consider joining in this year. Your participation will make a difference!

Check out the Relay For Life website for more details.

Most of us in Red Deer, Alberta are winter weary and welcome the warmer weather that May brings. As such, May is also a perfect month to kick things off right by being the official “bike to work” month.

All across Canada and the USA, communities are encouraging people to leave their cars at home and pedal themselves where they need to go. I Find it hard to argue with the concept as  have done more than my share of sitting at home over the winter months, only venturing out to go to work, run errands, or the odd outing for a skate around Bower Ponds. It’s easy to notice the number of bicycles out on the roads, paths and sidewalks. It’s a good thing!

So if you are also winter weary and only drive to work out of convenience, rather than necessity, then you too should do yourself a solid and try to bike to work. The exercise and fresh air is completely worth it.  I will say that I notice things much more when I remove myself from the cocoon-ish confines of my SUV and ride my self-powered mode of transport. The sounds, the sights, the freshness, all bring feelings of calm, connectivity and accomplishment.

For those of you who have a need for a bicycle, or who need a tuneup done to your existing steed, I recommend you head downtown to Wipe-Out. The folks down there have bikes for any level of rider, regardless of age. Sunday cruisers, x-country mountain bikes, downhill mountain bikes, road bikes, kids bikes, ladies specific bikes, you name it, you need it, they have it. In addition they have all the critical gear you will need to keep yourself safe as you power yourself around our wonderful city. Tell them Kirk sent you.

Red Deer has many km’s of pristine paved bike trails to explore, in addition, there are many off-pavement bike trails that are located in natural wooded areas around the city. To find the off-road paths, you will have to get out on your bike and explore. Some of the better areas to go to find these trails are Heritage Ranch, The Pines, Canyon Ski Area, Red Deer College, and of course, the Red Deer Mountain Bike Park.There is also a local group dedicated to the advocacy of dedicated bike lanes called Better Bicycle Commuting. I’m sure they would love some additional supporters. Sign up for their Facebook page and lend your voice to the call for more bike lanes in Red Deer!

But I am falling off topic here so I will address these activities at a later time in another post.

So to bring it on home, let’s remember that we can all stand to get out and enjoy the weather, ride a bike to work, save a bit of gas, feel good about ourselves, and maybe most importantly, get a little healthier in body, mind and spirit.

Now if only that nasty wind would go away…Ride On!

Slave Lake, AB Fire

We are all very sad over the tragedy that is currently being played out in Slave Lake, AB today. Wildfires, fanned by high winds that have been felt all over the province for the past few days, have engulfed the town and have forced officials to evacuate all 7000 residents from their homes.

Many residents are trapped in the town as the fires have blocked off highway exit routes. Large parking lots and open fields are playing host to the displaced residents as a means to keeping people out of harms way.

At this point, it appears that the situation is completely out of control as water bomber planes are unable to fly into the area due to the 100km/h wind gusts and thick smoke covering the skies above the town.

Many homes and major town facilities have been lost already to the flames and time will tell how extensive the damage will be in then end. Buildings can be replaced, lives cannot. May the people of Slave Lake be safe and may the province, it’s government and it’s people rise to help our fellow Albertans in the days to follow this natural disaster.

It seems that our city is a market suitable for successful, rapidly expanding franchises. It was recently announced that Five Guys Burgers & Fries will be making it’s debut in Red Deer sometime in the Fall of 2011. Slated to open in a new retail location being developed to the south of Home Depot on Red Deer’s south end of Gaetz Ave.

Coming Soon To Red Deer!

If you have never heard of Five Guys Burgers, don’t despair, neither had I up until a few weeks ago. As is what happens with these types of things, I heard a friend talking about Five Guys Burgers on Facebook and how he had tried to stop to eat at the place in Airdrie as he was driving through one day. But, the place was lined up out the door. There were several others who joined in on the conversation and stated they had experienced the same thing while trying to get one of their elusive burgers. To me, that means the place makes a decent burger. Or as is the case with places like Peters’ Drive-In in Calgary, or even the famous In-N-Out Burger, found throughout California, Nevada, & Utah, they offer a ton of decent food for a very thrifty dollar.

Mmmm...burger!

According to those “in the know”, Five Guys burgers are made with fresh ground meat (not sure if that’s a selling feature or not since it’s doubtful that any other burger place would serve “un-fresh” ground meat), allows you to dress your burger any way you like it. It’s menu seems simple enough, burgers, cheeseburgers, hotdogs, fries. Plus you can top your meat with any of the following:

• Mayo
• Relish
• Onions
• Lettuce
• Pickles
• Tomatoes
• Grilled Onions
• Grilled Mushrooms
• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Jalapeno Peppers
• Green Peppers
• A.1.^® Steak Sauce
• Bar-B-Q Sauce
• Hot Sauce

So of course the hair on the back of my neck is standing up in anticipation! I mean, there is nothing quite as satisfying as a well made burger. I would say that Red Deer is perhaps one of the best places on the planet to open a customized burger place. We do love our meat!

Apparently I will have to indulge in these meaty morsels alone as the chain has a thing about making unshelled peanuts available for people to munch on and throw the remaining peanut shells on the floor. My son is allergic to nuts, so there is zero chance that we will be taking him to eat there. They claim it’s been a part of their business for too long to remove the peanuts to accommodate people with allergies, as is their prerogative. They know they are missing out on a part of the market and they seem to be okay with it. All the power to them. Allergy sufferers be damned!

Between the opening of Five Guys Burgers and Fries, and the soon to be opened Swiss Chalet, Red Deer is quickly becoming a fast food foodies favorite place to eat. This place just get’s better and better.

See you there!

I wake up every day wondering if winter has in fact given up it’s grip on our little city. I open the curtains to stare at the ground and sky and hope to not see any more whiteness. This scenario plays out daily for me, until enough time has passed that I am confident that in fact, spring has officially arrived.

This past winter (2010/2011) has been brutal, to say the least. We received our first major snowfall in early November, followed by some of the coldest temperatures I can recall in my 20 years of living in Red Deer, from December all the way through to March. April also had it’s fair share of snowfall, which may not be unexpected, but is certainly not welcome.

There were several snow piles left along the cul-de-sac where I live, with a monster pile, towering a solid 15feet in the air at the end of the crescent. Today, there is no sign of any remaining snow, except for a very dirty chunk of ice, less than a foot thick, where the monster once stood. Good riddance.

Spring is here to stay. Let’s all hope for a warm summer!