News articles about recent rail-related line-side
projects and downtown Red Deer former CP rail yard redevelopment:
Agriculture
GrainsConnect opens Huxley terminal
October 2, 2019, The Western Producer (Jeremy Simes)
GrainsConnect Canada has officially opened an inland storage
terminal in east-central Alberta, helping add capacity to its
growing network. At full operation, the terminal near Huxley, Alta.,
will load more than 130 rail cars in less than 14 hours, bringing
what the company says will be efficiency and reliability to farmers.
"Our mission at GrainsConnect Canada is to help the family farm,"
Warren Stow, company president, said in a
(more)
Downtown
Red Deer Former CP Railyard Redevelopment
Work ramping up this spring in Red Deer's Capstone
Work continues on Canada 150 Square
April 30, 2019, Red Deer Advocate (Susan
Zielinski)
Next week, Alexander Way will shut down in Capstone at Riverlands
and construction will move forward this season on river walk trails
and Canada 150 Square. Cory Edinga, Riverlands project manager, said
work started in April in front of Carnival Cinemas and Sentinel
Storage and will continue on Alexander Way. He said Alexander Way
will close on May 8 for the season to allow for roadway work.
"There's still a significant amount of
(more)
Agriculture
Terminal
to load grain bound for B.C. port and beyond
Paterson Grain terminal welcomes public to grand
opening
August 30, 2018, Red Deer Advocate (Susan Zielinski)
Paterson Grain wowed the farming community with its new terminal in
Bowden Wednesday. Customers, officials, staff and the public were
invited to the grand opening of Foothills terminal located off of
Hwy 587, about 1.5 km west of Hwy 2. Construction of the $25-million
facility started in May 2017, and it's Paterson Grain's fourth
inland export terminal in Alberta. "Buzz from the farming community
today was just how massive it was
(more)
Downtown
Red Deer Former CP Railyard Redevelopment
Red Deer's Capstone at Riverlands 20 years in the
making
August 30, 2017, Red Deer Express (Erin Fawcett)
After 20 years in the making, the City of Red Deer unveiled its
newest neighbourhood in the Riverlands District - Capstone at
Riverlands. This new urban community will be located along the banks
of the Red Deer River and next to the City's downtown core. Capstone
at Riverlands, one of three districts to be redeveloped in greater
downtown Red Deer, will be a landmark mixed-use neighbourhood. The
neighbourhood is located west of
(more)
Downtown Red Deer Former CP Railyard Redevelopment
Riverlands taking shape
Construction slated to begin soon
Riverlands to be unique neighbourhood bringing
commercial, recreational and residential together
April 19, 2017, Red Deer Advocate (Paul Cowley)
Red Deer's marquee Riverlands is beginning to take shape. A busy
summer of construction is planned in the area west of Taylor Drive
south of Gaetz Avenue. While much of the activity scheduled for this
year is for work like replacing aging water lines, as well as
stormwater structures, sewers and utility infrastructure, the vision
for Riverlands is coming into focus. Riverlands project manager Cory
Edinga said work will get underway along
(more)
Agriculture
Bowden grain terminal a go
Paterson Grain finalizes all necessary
agreements
Mar. 14, 2017, Innisfail Province (Johnnie Bachusky)
Paterson Grain is all in for a springtime build in Bowden.
All the regulatory approvals are done, deals are signed, land is
purchased and the shovels will soon be in the ground. "We are full
steam ahead. All the necessary approvals are now in place with the
county, Alberta Transportation, and we're closing the deal on the
land purchase," said Shane Paterson, the grain handling company's
corporate development officer. "We are
(more)
Agriculture
Innisfail grain terminal put
on the back burner
Sept. 14, 2016, Red Deer Advocate (Paul Cowley)
A proposed GrainsConnect Canada terminal near Innisfail is on the
back burner.
In February, the company announced plans for a $30-million handling
facility just north of Innisfail at Niobe, where the company already
has grain elevators through its ownership of Canada Malting. The
35,000-tonne capacity terminal would offload a 135-car train in 10
hours.
Construction was to have started in April.
GrainsConnect president Warren (more)
Agriculture
Niobe grain terminal project in trouble
GrainsConnect Canada redirects focus to Saskatchewan while
local plans put in limbo
Aug. 23, 2016, Innisfail Province
(Johnnie Bachusky)
The highly anticipated high-throughput grain terminal planned for
Niobe is now in jeopardy of being derailed. The $30 to $40 million
project, a kilometre north of Innisfail, was announced by
GrainsConnect Canada last winter. Construction for the massive
inland grain terminal was originally scheduled to start this year,
with the project going online in 2017. However, GrainsConnect, a new
player in the grain handling industry, has put the
(more)
Agriculture
Bowden snares $25M export terminal
March 18, 2016, Red Deer Advocate (Paul
Cowley)
Agriculture is providing some welcome good news in Central Alberta.
Winnipeg-based Paterson Grain has just announced its plans to build
a $25-million export terminal near Bowden with 55,000 tonnes of
capacity and a high-speed unloading system that can empty 150
railcars in seven hours. It is the second grain terminal
mega-project unveiled in a month. GrainsConnect Canada is proposing
to build its own giant grain-handling
(more)
Agriculture
News of Niobe grain terminal earns big
applause
Feb. 23, 2016, Innisfail Province
(Johnnie Bachusky)
Mayor Brian Spiller says it will be just like the good old days.
Innisfail will once again see regular faces from the farm stopping
in town for a coffee or to shop after dropping off grain at the
massive grain terminal at Niobe, a facility that will open before
the harvest of 2017 with a promise to dramatically improve the
fortunes of regional farmers, as well as for local merchants. "That
was back when mom and dad and the kids would come in by
(more)
Oil & Gas and Petrochemicals
Nova settles concerns over rail yard expansion
June 20, 2013, Red Deer Advocate (Harley
Richards)
Concerns about the impact of Nova Chemicals Corp. expanding the rail
facilities at its Joffre complex appear to have been addressed. A
March 14 decision by Lacombe County's municipal planning commission
to allow the petrochemical company to add new track and rail car
storage facilities to the site was upheld by the county's
subdivision and development appeal board on Wednesday. The
commission's approval had been appealed
(more)
Downtown
Red Deer Former CP Railyard Redevelopment
Commentary
The Greater Downtown Action Plan
progress and potential
May 1, 2013, Red Deer
Express (Craig Curtis, City Manager)
The changes to Red Deer's downtown over the last 30 years are due to
a number of major catalyst initiatives. These include the relocation
of Westerner Park to its current home at the south end of the City
and the relocation of the downtown railway line and yards (to)
adjacent to Hwy. 2.
Following the relocation of the railway line it was recognized that
the Riverlands area west of Taylor Dr. presented potential for
(more)
Oil & Gas and Petrochemicals
Rail traffic to jump
Rail yard being added at Nova Chemicals at Joffre
Feb. 15, 2013, Red Deer Advocate
(Paul Cowley)
Rail traffic at the Nova Chemicals complex in Joffre will be boosted
by about 30 per cent as part of a proposed polyethylene plant
expansion. A rail yard with room for 450 cars will be added on the
west side of the existing yards, which will also be expanded to make
room for almost 100 more cars. The additional rail traffic created
means Nova will have to drop a self-imposed 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew
in its rail yards. The curfew was (more)
Agriculture
Rahr Malting announces $6M expansion to Alix
plant
Nov. 1, 2011, Red Deer Advocate
Rahr Malting Co. has announced a $6-million addition to its Alix
plant. The expansion will boost Rahr Malting's storage capacity to
1.2 million bushels of barley, up from 400,000 bushels. That will
allow the company to accept more barley from farmers during the
year, reducing the risk of grain deteriorating while in producers'
hands. Rahr Malting president Willie Rahr said increasing the
plant's storage is a necessary step before
(more)
Downtown
Red Deer Former CP Railyard Redevelopment
Red Deer City Council
Riverlands development
ready for debate
Sept. 3, 2011, Red Deer
Advocate (Laura Tester)
A plan of how best to
develop Riverlands into a vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood over the
next 20 years is going forward to Red Deer city council on Monday.
Elected leaders will be asked to give first reading of the 2011
Riverlands Area Redevelopment Plan. The plan area is defined by the
Red Deer River on the west, Taylor Drive on the north and east and
the West Park neighbourhood on the south.
The area redevelopment plan was
(more)
Oil & Gas and Petrochemicals
Dow takes on feedstock in $41 million
expansion
Dow Chemical Canada Inc. is planning a $41-million expansion at
its Prentiss polyethylene plant
April 29, 2011, Red Deer Advocate (Paul
Cowley)
The project to be built over two years will see new rail lines added
and additional equipment installed to produce new grades of
polyethylene using butene as feedstock. Construction is expected to
begin next month and the first phase will wrap up in October. A
second phase will be built between May and October next year.
Construction will create 25 to 50 temporary jobs this year and 150
to 200 similar jobs next year. Once (more)
Downtown
Red Deer Former CP Railyard Redevelopment
Railyards -- City 'too late' on
railway lands: citizen
Open house on a 20-Year
Plan for Downtown
June 15, 2011, Red Deer
Advocate (Lana Michelin)
The City of Red Deer is two
decades too late in planning for the redevelopment of the downtown
railway lands, says a Red Deer citizen concerned about preserving
the city's rail history.
Paul Pettypiece, a member of the local Forth Junction Society
dedicated to keeping alive the city's railway heritage, attended an
open house Tuesday that starts the ball rolling on a 20-year plan
for the region around Superstore. While the area northwest
(more)
Downtown Red
Deer Former CP Railyard Redevelopment
Riverlands
Strong turnout for open house
March 30, 2011, Red Deer
Advocate (Laura Tester)
The potential for turning
92 acres of prime land near the Red Deer River into a thriving
mixed-use downtown area over the next two decades is huge, a public
open house heard on Tuesday.
More than 100 people packed a building in Cronquist Business Park to
listen to presentations on the latest plans for the Riverlands area
in the southwest sector of the downtown area.
They heard more details on what this area could look like under
(more)
Downtown Red
Deer Former CP Railyard Redevelopment
Our View (Editorial)
Time for downtown vision
July 20, 2010,
Red Deer Advocate (John Stewart)
Does the strength of a
downtown rest with its human element or its construct?
In Edmonton, the debate rages over the proposed $450-million
downtown arena complex and all that it represents to a downtown that
in many ways is socially bereft, culturally diminished and
economically deprived.
Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz is expected to lay the foundation
for the project with $100 million of his own money.
He wants the city to (
more)
Oil & Gas and Petrochemicals
Rail link needs rezoning
March 24, 2010, Red Deer Advocate
Parkland Refining Ltd. wants to rezone nearly 14 acres to build a
rail spur to its refinery and tank farm just north of Bowden.
Red Deer County council granted first reading to a bylaw to adopt a
proposed area structure plan necessary to make way for the project
to build a rail spur off the nearby Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd.
line.
To prepare for the tracks, 14 acres of Parkland-owned land must be
rezoned to heavy industrial. The project, (more)
Downtown
Red Deer Former CP Railyard Redevelopment
Our Opinion (Editorial)
New idea for Riverlands worth
an Olympic cheer
Feb. 24, 2010, Red Deer
Express (Johnnie Bachusky)
While Olympians continue
their quest for glory this week in Vancouver, there are those in
this city and region quietly moving forward with dreams of their
own.
Before the recession dropped like a bomb in late 2008 Red Deer was
positioning itself for an exciting and prosperous future with
ambitious Olympian-like plans for the Riverlands that featured a
canal-driven development concept with an ultimate goal of making the
city a major
(more)
Downtown Red
Deer Former CP Railyard Redevelopment
Our View (Editorial)
One-time
opportunity
Feb. 8, 2010, Red Deer
Advocate (Greg Neiman)
Let's set aside throne speeches, Parliaments, taxes and frozen
windrows of snow for a while and think about something really
important: a model rail museum and theme park for Riverlands.
The first time you hear of a tourism-themed idea like this, the
normal reaction is: "What the heck are you thinking about?"
If the idea cannot climb over that first reaction, it is dead.
Witness the proposal for a set of canals running through the
(more)
Downtown Red
Deer Former CP Railyard Redevelopment
Commentary:
Happy to hear more talk on
large scale attractions
Feb. 5, 2010, Red Deer
Advocate online blog (Leo Pare) & print edition Feb. 10, 2010
Since the canals project dried up in late 2008, there hasn't been
much talk around Red Deer's future as a tourism destination.
The Advocate recently posted an online poll which revealed readers'
dismal evaluation of our tourism appeal. Online commenters fiercely
debated Red Deer's ups and downs. Some touted amenities like camp
sites, rec facilities, and natural landscape -- all of which are
tremendous community assets to be sure --
(more)
Downtown Red
Deer Former CP Railyard Redevelopment
Tourism
proposal facing obstacles
Transportation
theme park must capture attention of public
Feb. 5, 2010, Red Deer
Advocate (Paul Cowley)
The toughest task facing a group trying to develop rail- and
transportation-themed tourist attractions for the Red Deer area will
be getting the proposal moving, predicted a local businessman who
previously pitched canals to put the city on the map.
"They're very difficult," said Ken Mandrusiak of ambitious tourist
concepts. "It's like starting a train. Once you get going, you can
create some momentum." A local group called Forth Junction
(more)
Downtown
Red Deer Former CP Railyard Redevelopment
World-class attraction proposed
for Riverlands
Forth Junction idea as theme
park based on model train village
Feb. 4, 2010, Red Deer
Advocate (Laura Tester)
World-class attractions focused on railway and other ground
transportation are being promoted for sites in downtown Red Deer and
Red Deer County by a group that has been working quietly for a year
on the vision.
Forth Junction Heritage Society hopes to turn Red Deer into a major
tourist destination that would include shops, a children's theme
park and a ground transportation museum in the heart of Riverlands.
Visitor
(more)
Downtown
Red Deer Former CP Railyard Redevelopment
Big expectations for
downtown
Red Deer
June 8, 2009,
Red Deer Advocate (Laura Tester)
Over the next 20 years, Red
Deer's downtown is set to become a thriving zone of cultural
attractions, pedestrian-friendly streets and mixed use residential
and commercial development.
Community leaders are keen to see that vision happen.
For more than a year, the City of Red Deer worked with consultants
and gathered public input on how to invigorate the core. The end
result -- an updated version of the 2000 Greater
(more)
Downtown Red
Deer Former CP Railyard Redevelopment
Chance of a lifetime
Jan. 23, 2009,
Red Deer Advocate (Paige Aarhus)
City councillor Cindy
Jeffries hopes Red Deer residents will get on board for a "once in a
lifetime" opportunity to completely redevelop the city's riverfront.
Jeffries presented an update on the Greater Downtown Action Plan (GDAP)
at city hall Thursday. She and Lorne Daniel, a head consultant for
the project, described a dramatically different downtown Red Deer.
"This will be and is one of the highlights of my council career so
far," said (more)
Downtown Red
Deer Former CP Railyard Redevelopment
The Big Wow is still in play
Nov. 19, 2008, Red Deer
Express (Johnnie Bachusky)
A consultant's report obtained by the Express shows a full-fledged
canal concept for the Riverlands would cost up to half a billion
dollars, including more than $50 million to compensate private
landowners. City manager Craig Curtis said the findings were the
primary reasons why the Greater Downtown Action Plan (GDAP) steering
committee will recommend to city council either next month or in
January to adopt a scaled down concept
(more)
Downtown Red
Deer Former CP Railyard Redevelopment
Red Deer - Alberta's next great city
July 2, 2008,
Red Deer Express (Erin Fawcett)
Internationally recognized
planner Michael von Hausen said he believes Red Deer is the next
great city in Alberta.
He, along with planner Michael Gellar were in Red Deer last week to lead
the community in shaping a vision for downtown.
Over the course of the week they led an evening workshop on the
future of downtown and prepared key urban design concepts for
downtown Red Deer.
Concepts were then displayed for input June 24 and
(more)
News
articles about the vision and progress of the Forth Junction Heritage Society
News articles related to the railway
heritage of Central Alberta
News articles about green transportation:
transit, biking and high speed rail
News articles about recent
rail-related development projects in Central Alberta
News articles about related regional heritage,
history and culture
News articles about regional destinations, tourism
and miniature worlds
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