Red Deer 1913 — 2013 Create Celebrate Commemorate
COMFORT FOOD
FAIRMONT, A YEAR LATER
B.C. resort reflects on effects of mudslide
B1
Recipes that will lift your spirits A11
CENTRAL ALBERTA’S DAILY NEWSPAPER
BREAKING NEWS ONLINE AT WWW.REDDEERADVOCATE.COM
TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013
Development edict too vague LACK OF COMMUNICATION ABOUT PROVINCE’S PLANS TROUBLES MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS BY MURRAY CRAWFORD ADVOCATE STAFF Central Alberta municipalities say a provincial edict to alter development in flood plains is vague in scope and implications. Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Doug Griffiths said in a Sunday press release that a portion of the provincial disaster recovery program fund would be used for homeowners to rebuild or relocate to new locations, outside of the flood risk area. Homes requiring major repairs or complete re-
WESTERNER DAYS
Fair could pump $7M into economy
FLOOD PLAINS SEVERAL MUNICIPALITIES AFFECTED A2 construction will be given extra funding to implement approved flood mitigation measures. “Frankly, we’re not at all sure what it does mean,” said Red Deer city manager Craig Curtis. “The level of consultation has not happened. We’ve seen these announcements in the same way the public does — it seems the communication is somewhat lacking.”
New provincial legislation regarding development in flood plains is expected this fall. Consultations are expected to take place over the next few weeks. “We have to study the information more because we have not been directly communicated with,” said Curtis. While there hasn’t been the necessary consultation yet, Curtis likes the government’s idea to align flood mitigation and disaster recovery with other Canadian provinces like Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec.
Please see EDICT on Page A2
Photto by ASH Pho ASHLI LI BAR BARRET RETT/A T/Ad dvocate t staf taff ff
A group of workers piece e together one of the rollerr coasters on Monday a fternoon in time for the e W esterner Days Fair & Exhibition. Westerner Dayss kicks off on Wednesday, July y 1 7, at 9:30 a.m. with the e Westerner Days parade, while e the Westerner grounds open n at noon.
BY CRYSTAL RHYNO ADVOCATE STAFF Westerner Days Fair and Exposition is expected to inject more than $7 million in Central Alberta’s economy over five days. Last year the family-fun event set a new cumulative record of 102,265 attendees, up 9.25 per cent from 2011. And 46 per cent were visitors from outside of Red Deer. The estimated economic impact was around $7.3 million. Jonathan Seib, Red Deer Chamber of Commerce policy co-ordinator, said the large influx of visitors are not just entering the gates to Westerner Park. Seib said they are filling the local restaurants, booking hotel rooms and spending money in downtown businesses and at the malls. “It’s just a major economic driver that means a whole lot for these retailers,” said Sieb. “When we have things like the parade brings a huge influx to our downtown businesses. It means a lot to our downtown.”
Please see FAIR on Page A2
Discover Wildlife Park roared to aid of Calgary Zoo during flood BY SUSAN ZIELINSKI ADVOCATE STAFF Discovery Wildlife Park staff helped evacuate 12 lions and tigers when flood water threatened the Calgary Zoo in June. And the Innisfail park is not finished assisting its fellow zoo and animals. Discovery is going to raise money for the flooddamaged zoo by donating all gate proceeds to its park on Saturday to the Calgary Zoo. Calgary Zoo representatives will also be at Discovery on Saturday to talk to visitors about the destruction, estimated at $50 million. Discovery Wildlife Park owner Doug Bos, said it was a privilege and an adventure to help the Calgary facility during the flood. Discovery received a call late on the afternoon of June 20 for assistance and animal crates. “We got down there about 8 o’clock Thursday night and we started helping sedate the lions and tigers and loading them into crates and moving them up to their quarantine facility off the island. We had until 2 o’clock in the morning. That was the deadline everyone had to be off the island. We got the last cat
PLEASE RECYCLE
off the island at 1:30 in the morning,” Bos said. The cats weighed on average 180 kg (400 pounds) and eight people were needed to move each big cat on a stretchers in and out of crates. “When we moved the last lion out of the lion house, the water was still 10 feet from the lion house door. It was rising about a foot an hour. It ended up there was probably four or five feet of water in the lion house after the flood ended.” Discovery Wildlife Park was the only other zoo that helped Calgary with the big cats. Since the flood, Discovery has also been honouring Calgary Zoo season ticket holders and hosted three school groups scheduled to visit the zoo. “We’ve had over 700 show up so far. People like animals. They have to get their animal fix.” Discovery Park will continue to accommodate people with Calgary Zoo passes until that zoo reopens, which is anticipated to be July 31. On Saturday, the park will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. with animal shows that include tigers at 11 a.m., bears at 1 and 4:30 p.m. and jaguars at 2:30 p.m. For more information call 403-227-3211 or visit www.discoverywildlifepark.com. szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
WEATHER
INDEX
Sunny. High 22. Low 9.
Two sections Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A7,A8 Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B8-B11 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A9 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A12 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B5-B7
FORECAST ON A2
CABINET SHUFFLE
MP Sorenson named a minister of state FIRST CENTRAL ALBERTA MP TO JOIN HARPER CABINET BY ADVOCATE STAFF Central Alberta MP Kevin Sorenson was one of eight fresh faces to join Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s cabinet on Monday. As minister of state for fiance, the Crowfoot MP NEW FACES IN HARPER’S takes over the post from CABINET OVERHAUL A6 fellow Albertan Ted Menzies, who announced he would not seek re-election in 2015 earlier this month. Sorenson joins a cabinet featuring four other Alberta MPs, along with Harper. They are Michelle Rempel, who is also new to cabinet, and Jason Kenney, Rona Ambrose and Tim Uppal.
Please see SORENSON on Page A2
BUSINESS
SPORTS
LOBLAW BUYING CESPEDES WINS SHOPPERS DRUG MART HOME RUN DERBY Two of Canada’s biggest retailers have struck an agreement to combine their operations, with Loblaw Companies Ltd. buying Shoppers Drug Mart Corp. for $12.4 million in cash and stock. A7
Yoenis Cespedes won baseball’s Home Run Derby on Monday night, becoming the first player left out of the All-Star game to take home the crown. B5