The Town of Blackfalds is moving forward on twinning their multiplex to the tune of $12 million. This is three years after opening the Abbey Centre.
The City of Red Deer is delaying discussing building an Aquatic Centre, 16 years after opening the Collicutt Centre. Blackfalds has the fastest growing population in Canada.
Red Deer is declining in population.
Red Deer needs to build an Aquatic Centre with a 50-metre pool. Red Deer is in need of a new multiplex. Red Deer has a shortage of recreational facilities north of the river. Red Deer is in need of an identity.
Red Deer is afraid of investing on itself. The price of $100 million is high and can be lowered.
Red Deer is abdicating its leadership role in Central Alberta. Penhold, Sylvan Lake and Blackfalds have all invested in their recreational facilities in recent years and have maintained population growth while Red Deer has ceased investing in new facilities, and seen a decline in population.
I would suggest that we bite the bullet, proceed with an aquatic centre that can hold provincial and national competitions and attract tourist and investment dollars. Build it north of the river by Hazlett Lake and offset the costs with sponsorships, like we did with the Collicutt Centre.
Or we can just welcome mediocrity and obscurity.
Just saying.
Garfield Marks, Red Deer