Don't mess with our parks.
That was the message, loud and clear, of many who responded to a City of Red Deer call for input on proposed zoning bylaw changes.
"The proposed changes negatively impact all communities in the City of Red Deer as they will permit development and privatization of public lands and natural areas," said Parkvale Community Association.
Waskasoo Community Association said it was concerned that proposed changes would greatly expand permitted uses in park areas to include recreation facilities, churches, communities, auditoriums and convention centres.
"The proposed permitted uses include large, high-use facilities that will have significant impacts on the surrounding environment, wildlife, and nearby residents, and the revised purpose indicates an increase in private clubs and for-profit businesses in our parks," says the society.
The association and other groups, including the Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary Committee, also reiterated their opposition to the use of a lot next to Gateway Christian School to be used for large residential projects, such as seniors housing apartments.
Council rejected a 120-plus unit seniors apartment in 2022 but developer East Lincoln Properties still owns the land and groups and individuals opposed to a large development believe proposed zoning changes will make it easier to develop.
Former Red Deer city manager Craig Curtis was among the many Red Deerians who weighed in.
"I believe downgrading the protection of park spaces is a huge mistake. The city has ample land available for development. Council should abandon this plan and leave current protection in place."
A woman named Helen posted: "Parks do not need to be rezoned to add flexibility for other development. Once gone, they aren't coming back and no price negotiated will be enough to offset this loss."
Many of those who commented were critical of what they saw as a lack of consultation by the city.
Rod Trentham, of Red Deer River Naturalists, said the group plans to meet soon with city planners to voice their concerns and get a better understanding of the city's intentions with the zoning changes.
"We want to find out, what's your end goal here," said Trentham. "We want to co-operate with the city and help them on some of the things they can do."
City senior planner Christi Fidek said the consultation is in its earliest stages and residents will have more opportunities to comment in the coming months. What form that will take has not yet been determined. For instance, open houses were used in first phase of the zoning bylaw overhaul.
Before any bylaw changes are made, there will be a required public hearing before the council, which offers another opportunity for public input.
The request for input that closed on Monday is an exploratory phase meant to get a sense of the community's priorities to help guide more detailed consultation efforts, likely this spring, she said.
"This is just really early on in the process," said Fidek. "What's really important for people to understand is that this is an initial stage."
More than 100 comments were posted on the city's online engagement portal and others came in through other avenues. Staff have not had time to go through them and prepare a report yet.
Fidek said the concerns about parks were received loud and clear.
"Out of the comments that I did go through, the most prevalent theme is that people are passionate about Red Deer's natural places and parks," she said, which was not unexpected. "That's something that comes up again and again and again."
The city knows there is no appetite to open parks to development. "We're very much aware of that and our attention is not to change that."
Fidek believes some are under the mistaken belief that the proposed zoning changes are something that will be going to council soon. That is not the case. Recommendations are not expected to go to council and a public hearing until late this year.
Changes proposed at this point may not, after the public has had its chance to comment, be included in final recommendations.
