FORT NORMANDEAU DAYS
BLUE JAYS RACKING UP RUNS
Celebrating the founding cultures of Red Deer
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Red Deer Advocate MONDAY, AUG. 24, 2015
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BUCCANEERS PLAYOFFS
BATTLE AT THE BEND BRINGS REMOTE CONTROL CARS FROM ACROSS WESTERN CANADA BY MURRAY CRAWFORD ADVOCATE STAFF The hard work of redesigning the track at Three Mile Bend and testing it finally paid off on the weekend. Chris Coulter, president of Red Deer Radio Control Car Club, has been involved in getting the track ready for the Battle at the Bend, a weekend long remote control car race that featured cars from all over Alberta and parts of Western Canada. Coulter estimated about 100 vehicles, of varying classes and sizes, were on hand for the races. The event was to start on Friday night with practice races, but they were washed out by rain. On Saturday, there were qualifying heats and it concluded early Sunday afternoon with the final races. “We take turns going between cities,” said Coulter. “Every three weeks, there’s a race that goes on in Alberta. “We started the Battle at the Bend last year, we figured we’d need something catchy, and we’ve kept running with it.” Although they just took the catchy name, races have been taking place for about 10 years. The club has 65 to 70 members. Coulter was at work leading up to the event building the new track.
Please see BEND on Page A2
Agricultural disaster declared DROUGHT
EDMONTON — The Alberta government has declared that the hardship to agriculture from this year’s drought constitutes a disaster. Agriculture Minister Oneil Carlier quietly approved the decision on Friday. Agriculture department spokesman Renato Gandia says in an email that it allows the province’s Agriculture Financial Services Corporation to access more funds for insurance compensation. Gandia says the dry weather and hail in 2015 has resulted in a “significant increase” in the number of claims across the province. Many Alberta counties and municipal districts have already declared local states of agricultural emergency due to heat and drought and are seeking government assistance. Earlier this summer, Alberta’s Progressive Conservative agriculture critic Wayne Drysdale said crop insurance isn’t enough and that the provincial NDP government should establish a disaster recovery program to address this year’s drought and grasshopper infestations. “While we agree that insurance provides a solid safety net most years, there are times when it isn’t enough. It is pretty clear that 2015 is such a case,” Drysdale said in a statement on Aug. 14. A spring and summer with insufficient rain has withered crops in many regions of Western Canada, including hay used by livestock producers to feed their animals. Producers worry they may have to reduce their herds due to the price and lack of availability of hay, and the federal government has agreed to grant tax deferrals to western livestock producers in regions hit by drought. The Alberta government has responded by cutting rental fees for a program that helps farmers pump water to fill their dams and dugouts, and is also helping municipalities identify additional public lands for grazing. Saskatchewan announced a similar measure last month to help its producers. Rick Strankman, the agriculture critic for the Opposition Wildrose party in Alberta, said Saturday that he’s still sifting through the details of how the province-wide disaster designation will affect producers.
WEATHER Sunny. High 25. Low 8.
FORECAST ON A2
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Sylvan Lake takes first step toward securing water supply Those kinds of big-ticket projects can only happen with significant provincial investment. Alberta government’s Water for Life Strategy bankrolled up to 90 per cent of previous projects, including the Sylvan Lake has enough water to serve a popula- recently completed $132-million Red Deer-to-Olds tion of 20,000 — a threshold not so far away consider- sewer line. But how much funding will be available in the ing the community’s popularity. After that, either the community will have to add new government’s budget is anyone’s guess. Commission chairman Thom Jewell said the city’s to its eight water wells or — the preferred option — support was an important step. be hooked up to Red Deer and its treatment plant. “We’re pleased that the city has looked at and are The first step in that process was cleared recently when Red Deer city council agreed to provide working with our regional collaboration.” The province has also a water supply to Sylvan been supportive of the Lake on a number of conditions, most importantly ‘WE’RE LOOKING AT SECURING OUR initiative and funded that municipal members SHORT-TERM SUPPLY FOR THE THREE- early technical studies. The next step is to line of the Sylvan Lake ReTO-FIVE YEAR TIME FRAME. MOVING up cash for detailed engigional Water/Wastewater neering and get Alberta Commission foot the bill. BEYOND THAT, INTO THE LONGER Transportation approvTown of Sylvan Lake TERM, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO BE al to run the water line public works direcdown the Hwy 11A righttor Dave Brand said the ABLE TO SOURCE SOME SUPPLY of-way. town has recently drilled OTHER THAN JUST INDIVIDUAL Jewell, who is mayor of a new water well. ComBirchcliff, said they have bined with seven other SHALLOW WELLS.’ had no word yet on what wells, plus a backup, there should be enough — DAVE BRAND funding may be coming PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, TOWN OF SYLVAN LAKE or when. water to sustain a comThe cost of the engimunity of around 20,000. “We’re looking at securing our short-term supply neering work has not been determined. The line for the three-to-five-year time frame,” he said. “Mov- itself will likely be in the $20-million to $30-million ing beyond that, into the longer term, we definitely range. Alberta Transportation oversees the province’s need to be able to source some supply other than Water for Life Strategy and spokesman Bob Mcjust individual shallow wells.” Considering Sylvan Lake’s population is 14,310 Manus said the department continues to “evaluate and growing at roughly five per cent a year, the town specific proposals on an ongoing basis and work with has a few years before it must look for more water. municipalities to address local water and wastewaThe province doesn’t allow communities to draw ter needs. “We understand that reduced funding for this imfrom the lake. If Sylvan Lake and the other members of the com- portant grant program means that a number of projmission, which includes Red Deer and Lacombe ects in some communities haven’t proceeded,” says Counties and five summer villages, wants to pursue McManus in an email. “This is something that we’ll be looking at as our water line to Red Deer, the work must begin well in government develops a new budget for the fall.” advance. Both Lacombe and Blackfalds are in the queue, “Generally speaking, the process itself typically takes a number of years from approval through to ac- lobbying hard for a $40-million regional sewer line tual construction, being hooked up and operational,” connecting their communities to Red Deer. That would be the second leg of a regional syshe said. The idea of connecting Red Deer to communities tem, with a Red Deer-to-Sylvan Lake sewer line the around Sylvan Lake by water and a matching sewer third leg. line has been tossed around for more than a decade. A regional water line from Red Deer to Ponoka went into operation 10 years ago. Please see WATER on Page A2 BY PAUL COWLEY ADVOCATE STAFF
BY THE CANADIAN PRESS
Please see DROUGHT on Page A2
Photo by ASHLI BARRETT/Advocate staff
Brett Lapointe of the Central Alberta Buccaneers misses a tackle by Trevor Cordeiro of the Edmonton Stallions during AFL playoff action on Saturday evening at the ME Global Athletic Park field. The Buccaneers won the game 20-17. See full story on page B4.
Preparing for extreme weather Canadian municipalities are unprepared for ‘weather whiplash’ according to a top meteorologist. Story on PAGE A3
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