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Letter: Are thirtysomethings falling out of love with Red Deer?

Increased traffic along 30 Ave. makes 30-something parents frustrated with after school commute.

Are Thirtysomethings falling out of love with Red Deer?

The 30s are the new 20s. Young people are waiting longer to get married and start families. At one time being 30 and single was not cool, but now it is the accepted norm. Has the city of Red Deer changed with the times?

Red Deer has several areas of the dreaded “rush hour” disease, like bigger more metropolitan cities – 32 Street at 7:45 a.m. is horrible, Gaetz Avenue, at 5 p.m. is nightmarish, but if these thirtysomethings were looking for the big city metropolitan lifestyle, they would move to Calgary and Edmonton. One thirtysomething mother from Calgary, mentioned her love of Red Deer while in her 20s, and early 30s starting a family, but now in her mid-30s, she loves her neighbourhood, but has fallen out of love with the city.

Another thirtysomething parent, has found it distressing, having to be commuting all the time. There is seldom enough time to pick up and drop off her school age, sports playing children. It no longer takes only five minutes to go to the school, go home and have supper and then another five minutes to drive to a sports facility. Collicutt Center is off 32 Street, one of the worst streets for rush hour traffic, downtown is notorious for traffic after school and games.

These thirtysomething parents live on the southside of the river, and on paper it looks like short distances and easy commutes, but in reality it has the issues of the big city traffic.

When the city completes all five high schools along 30 Avenue, expands Collicutt Centre, especially after finding the Dawe Centre too old to twin, and after all the shopping centres along 30 Avenue are completed the residents living in the southeast will think they are living along the Deerfoot in Calgary.

What every young family wants to look forward to.

​Garfield Marks​, Red Deer