Red
Deer now has a legitimate leading issue to drive the civic elections
this October.
It's
not the formation of Red Deer First (a candidates group with a common
platform, not a party — you guess the difference). It's interesting
enough that a corps of fiscal conservatives wants to hold every seat
on council, but the real prime issue will affect Red Deer's
future long past the time anyone remembers Red Deer First.
The
300-odd acres of Michener Centre land just above the escarpment of
the Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary are as vital to our future as the reclaimed
land of Edmonton's former (or soon to be) municipal airport is to
that city.
Couple this with the redevelopment of the Riverlands area on the other side of downtown, and it gives Red Deer the opportunity to re-invent
itself in a way no other city in Canada will ever have.
And
we will only have one chance to do this right.
The
first order of business is for this city to see that the 125 aging,
frail and vulnerable residents remaining at Michener find secure,
comfortable and supported places to live.
That
won't be easy. Just recall the growing pains in relocating 200
seniors in long term care. This job will be harder; I really cannot
see the government accomplishing this task in one year.
No
doubt a vigorous, detailed plan has already been set.
A
whole string of government ministers and MLAs swore on stacks of
Bibles that the remaining Michener residents would be able to finish
their years where they were, in an environment they could understand
and cope with. That alone would indicate the writing was on the wall
for Michener.
But
no government minister would abruptly announce the centre's closure in a year's timeframe without having a complete, detailed plan for the residents. Right?
Even
so, unless they have been secretly building community capacity for
people who need an awful lot of personal car and support, I can't see
how they can be adequately relocated under the announced timeline.
Very
little that government does happens on time. So that gives us some
breathing space, and time for community groups to organize, and to assure
that people we have sworn to take care of, are indeed properly cared
for.
Only
after that will anything change on the landscape. But those changes
need to be planned, and planning requires policy.
For
instance, will a new city council, with a majority vote of hard-core
fiscal conservatives, decide the city will not exercise its option of
first refusal and buy the land? Will a new council decide the entire
area should simply left to the mercies of a free market?
Will
we then fill the Central Alberta's most parklike urban area with
homes on scenic closes with nearby shopping centres?
Or
will we take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to include ideas
that can create a legacy, something other cities will envy and even
copy?
For
instance, early on, a future city council could designate space for
the cultural centre that Red Deer's Native Friendship Society is
planning to build. If it's in the plan, potential neighbouring home
buyers will be able to make decisions based on the plan.
Early
on, the city may wish to designate a supported housing project for
homeless people, which is away from the downtown core, but still
easily accessible to the downtown services this group of people
needs.
Red
Deer also needs a new major performance centre. There are parts of
the Michener grounds that would be an excellent environment for that.
Would that be a priority for a new city council?
Rethink
Red Deer already has plans for an urban homestead at the old
cottage-style home sitting on about six acres of land between the
north and south campuses of the Michener Centre.
They
have already begun training people in techniques of sustainable urban
agriculture and natural landscaping, which will be demonstrated at
the Michener property for all to come and see.
They
plan to refurbish the house, with its wrap-around veranda, for which
I can foresee no sweeter place on earth for an afternoon coffee or
tea. I plan on taking their 2.5-day course myself, which is being
offered at the end every month until August.
If
this plan is derailed by the minister's closure of Michener, it would
be grounds for revolt.
The
whole Michener Centre area is ripe for building a community with
close physical ties to the downtown. There is room for thousands of
new residents who will not have to drive a car for every conceivable
family errand — some of whom may not need (or could afford) a car
at all.
It
also has proximity to the proposed ring road, making travel in an out
of Red Deer very simple indeed.
But
we have decide what it is we want our city to be generations from
now, over and above a commendable place to live and to work.
And
we have a sacred commitment to fill, to 125 current Michener
residents, their families and their caregivers.
That
should be meat for any number of election forums.
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