Red Deer 1913 — 2013 Create Celebrate Commemorate
ROOM OILERS CILANTRO AND MINT TO IMPROVE HIRE A NEW The perfect herbs to add some zing to your COACH/B4 cooking B1 City not realizing its
full potential, according to a new draft report
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CENTRAL ALBERTA’S DAILY NEWSPAPER
BREAKING NEWS ONLINE AT WWW.REDDEERADVOCATE.COM
TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 2013
NOW THAT’S COMBUSTION!
DANDELIONS
Three-year war on weed launched BY BRENDA KOSSOWAN ADVOCATE STAFF Dandelions will die, say the people responsible for upkeep of Red Deer’s park spaces. Parks Superintendent Trevor Poth said Monday that funds are being diverted from roadside weed control to a three-year war on dandelions. Starting this year, parks staff will spray heavilyinfested areas with a 2,4-D to kill off the existing weeds, laying the groundwork for further controls in the next two years. Once the pesticide has done its job, new infestations will be held at bay by keeping the grass as healthy as possible through a program of aeration, top dressing, fertilization and overseeding, said Poth. The top dressing is a combination of soil, compost and grass seeds, with the compost made with materials gathered during cleanups in Red Deer’s park system. The dandelion program was developed after a number of residents complained that the weeds are an eyesore and a threat to their enjoyment of neighbourhoods and parks, said Poth. From a parks management perspective, there are areas in the city where dandelions have taken over from the grass, creating a hazard on playing fields because they are more slippery than the turf that they have destroyed, he said.
Please see DANDELIONS on Page A2
Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff
Normandeau Elementary School Grade 5 students look on as University of Alberta engineering student Courtney Handford blows air into what was a sealed coffee tin as she demonstrates combustion. Handford, along with fellow student Ross Cockburn working with DiscoverE visited each of four Grade 4 and 5 classrooms Monday to demonstrate a couple of exciting experiments and lead the groups in some hands on learning. DiscoverE is a student-delivered initiative run out of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Alberta, DiscoverE delivers programs about engineering, science and technology through high-impact classroom workshops.
City council approves site Wild chase ends for housing, cultural centre with arrest The Asooahum Centre has a home. Red Deer city council unanimously approved the rezoning of 4615 River- ACTION BUS side Drive to make way for the Red CHANGES A2 Deer Native Friendship Society’s long-awaited affordable housing and cultural centre. The 9-0 ruling Monday came after more than three hours of an emotional and passionate public hearing that drew 31 people to speak in council chambers. Those in support talked about the urgency and need for the project while others raised concerns about flooding, impact on nearby businesses and loss of green space. But in the end, councillors said they believed this was the best location out of the 20 sites looked at by a joint committee made up city representatives and aboriginal community members. Coun. Dianne Wyntjes said often the white person has told the aboriginal people where they should be on their land. She said this was an important collaborative process. “The aboriginal housing project will provide needed and multi-family housing and in the future a cultural space for our community. Cultural space will bring tourism. It will bring learning and understanding,” said Wyntjes. “We can’t predict what will happen with the flooding but I really hope if that happens no matter what side of the river we come together as a community. We’re taking a very impor-
PLEASE RECYCLE
tant step in Red Deer history.” Last November, city council rejected a site in Clearview North in light of backlash from the neighbourhood. A joint committee with members of the local aboriginal community and the city was tasked with finding another site. Worries over flooding was raised repeatedly throughout the hearing. Studies showed the 3.5 acre site is above the 2005 flood level. Coun. Tara Veer, who sat on the committee, said 20 sites were considered including Riverlands, Fort Normandeau and Red Deer College but were not selected for one reason or another. Veer said she has been given every reassurance that the site is not in a flood plain and in the fringe. Resident Shawn Moore spoke against the rezoning because he was worried about the impact that was already gone in the river valley with the Civic Yards and the North Highway Connector project. “I believe they could use the site for the expansion of the (Lions) campground,” said Moore. Liz Hagell, a local nurse, said an inclusive city is a healthy city and by approving the rezoning would send a message that Red Deer is an inclusive city. Hagel said she is concerned about trees too but she is also concerned about people. Nearby business owner Brian Rystra said he believed in the project but he has concerns about the impact a residential area would have on his business such as about loitering, vandalism and parking issues.
A man who attempted to shoot a Red Deer RCMP member was taken into custody early Monday morning after a wild night involving a shooting at police, chases and multiple car thefts. Early Sunday evening, at about 7 p.m., police were called to a report of an armed carjacking. Four hours later the vehicle was located by police in Creekside Trailer Park. City RCMP members attempted a traffic stop, but the driver fled from police. Police pursued the vehicle outside of the city. At one point gunshots were fired from the suspect vehicle at a police vehicle. The suspect evaded police pursuit, but the stolen vehicle was later located near Olds. At that point another vehicle was reported stolen, this time it was a black Dodge truck. Police investigation determined the black truck was stolen by the same suspect and had been driven back into Red Deer. When police next saw the suspect he was in the south end of Red Deer in the newly stolen truck. Police again attempted a traffic stop and the vehicle fled, with police pursuing. This time RCMP set up ahead of where the vehicle was travelling and deployed a spike belt. The spike belt caused the tires of the stolen truck to deflate and the suspect fled the vehicle. A foot pursuit followed and police apprehended the suspect.
Please see CENTRE on Page A2
Please see CHASE on Page A2
WEATHER
INDEX
Increasing cloudiness. High 16.
Four sections Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3,C4 Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D1-D4 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D5 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C5 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B4-B6
FORECAST ON A2
CANADA
BUSINESS
FAMOUS ASTRONAUT LEAVES SPACE AGENCY
HOUSING STARTS REMAIN BRISK
In a career filled with milestones, add this one to the list of achievements by Chris Hadfield: sending in a resignation notice from outer space. A6
Residential builders in Red Deer remained busy in May, with 53 starts on single-family houses in the city during the month, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. C3
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BY CRYSTAL RHYNO ADVOCATE STAFF
BY MURRAY CRAWFORD ADVOCATE STAFF