The City of Red Deer has reached a milestone as it is 20 years since the train bridge was converted to a walking bridge through volunteer efforts.
The site is visited regularly by people walking, cycling and so forth, but also it draws tourists to this area.
Many weekends, wedding parties head to the bridge to have pictures taken.
They use both the north end and the south end to access for parking.
When the bridge was being converted, the city said it would be putting 55th Street through within 10 years; now it is 20 years and there is no 55th Street and no proper access into the downtown.
Plus, the city in its need to recycle has placed dumpsters adjacent to the walking area, many times with garbage cans overflowing.
Because the city is going to redevelop this area, wouldn’t it be better to move the dumpsters to the landfill next to the entrance, allowing the people to do this for free still?
The people who recycle by going to the current site don’t walk there. They drive.
I can drive from my home to the current landfill area within 20 minutes. Many people who use this site also come from outside the city to recycle.
The city needs to move forward to clean this area up.
Riverside Meadows is trying very hard to do its part in cleaning up the neighbourhood; it is time that the city did its part to create proper access to the downtown and remove the garbage dumpsters from this area.
There has been some safety issue for people using the bridge: lighting is poor due to lights having been broken.
Also, areas on the north and south end — where criminal elements use trees and bushes to hide — create unsafe conditions for users of the area.
The train bridge is considered an important part of the Waskasoo trail system, so we as the people of Red Deer need to enhance the area and make it safe and appealing. With help from the city and the general public, I hope there will be changes and improvements to the area.
Shirley Hocken
Red Deer