Travel Article: Welcome to Red Deer: The Friendly River City

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	Canoeing the Red Deer River¹

Taking its name from the river that runs through it, Alberta's third most populous city sits in a gently rolling river valley on the prairies of Alberta's Heartland, halfway between Calgary and Edmonton. Red Deer is praised for its many beautiful park areas and is surrounded by picturesque countryside, making it a popular destination for outdoor activities like river fishing, rafting, hiking, snowmobiling and horseback riding. There is even a local ski area!

This friendly city also boasts a solid sense of community and an energetic urban atmosphere. An array of family-oriented events are held throughout the year, such as the Red Deer Highland Games and Central Alberta's Children's Festival. Red Deer's vibrant arts scene is nurtured and celebrated through various galleries and major annual events such as the Artwalk Festival and CentreFest. And there is plenty of fun to be had during the evenings at a bounty of restaurants, bars and casinos.

Visitors have a host of accommodation options, from deluxe hotel suites to charming bed and breakfasts and campgrounds.

HISTORY & ECONOMY

The Red Deer area was originally inhabited by Blackfoot, Plains Cree, Stoney and Metsis First Nations tribes. In 1882 a fur trading post was established at Red Deer Crossing, which shortly became Fort Normandeau during the North-West Rebellion of 1885 and was later occupied by the North West Mounted Police until 1893.

Drawn to the area's agricultural potential, settlers soon established homesteads here and Red Deer was incorporated as a town in 1901, becoming a major depot for the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1907. Red Deer continued to experience a rail and farming-fueled boom and just 12 years after gaining town status was incorporated as a city in 1913. When WWI hit, growth came to an abrupt stop as the city quietly rode through the hardships of both the war and the Depression. The population once again began to expand during WWII when Red Deer was designated as a large military training camp. From there, the oil boom supported prolonged growth and throughout the 1950s, Red Deer was regarded as Alberta's fastest growing city.

Today, as Alberta's third largest city by population, Red Deer's economy continues to focus on oil, agriculture (cattle) and grain production.

CLIMATE

Residents of Red Deer enjoy a moderate climate and lots of big blue skies year round. Summer is generally warm; July is the area's hottest month with a pleasant average high of 23ºC (73ºF) and a comfortable average low of 9ºC (48ºF). Winter temperatures are cold but bearable with January's average high at -7ºC (19ºF) and average low at -18ºC (0ºF). Red Deer is relatively dry with an average yearly rainfall of 357 mm (14 in), while the average annual snowfall clocks in at 125 cm (49 in).


Westerner Days²

FEATURED ATTRACTIONS

Red Deer's many first-rate attractions beckon out-of-towners throughout the year. Complementing the friendly vibe and scenic setting, the following attractions establish Red Deer as a worthwhile visitors' destination.

Westerner Days
The Westerner Days Fair & Exposition at Westerner Park is an event to get excited about, and almost one hundred thousand visitors do, every July. This mid-summer celebration of the city's rural heritage is one of Central Alberta's biggest and thrills fair-goers with chuck wagon races, midway rides, concerts and a grand parade through the downtown area. A five-day event, Westerner Days offers non-stop action with daily livestock shows, a street market, an on-site casino, kids' entertainment, food and exhibitions.

Alberta Sports Hall of Fame & Museum
Sports lovers cheer for the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in Red Deer's west. There's no better place to get the low down on Alberta's monumental sporting history, with more than 650 sq m (7,000 sq ft) containing fun interactive exhibits, a multi sport virtual system, a theatre and thousands of sports-related artifacts and memorabilia. Exhibits celebrate Canada's long and successful hockey history, honour Alberta's sports celebrities, and showcase the region's impressive range of winter sporting activities. Visitors invariably come away inspired and filled with admiration.

Fort Normandeau
Preserving Red Deer's intrepid past, the Fort Normandeau Historic Site is a replica of the original 1885 fort and stands on the site of Red Deer's original settlement at “The Crossing”, about 1.6 km (1 mi) south of the Highway 2 bridge across the river.

The original fort was built by the Canadian militia during the North-West Rebellion in resistance of the Metis uprising. Today, the site is surrounded by the scenic landscape of Waskasoo Park and is an appealing attraction to those both interested in the area's cultural heritage and development, and spending some time in a pristine natural setting.


	Discovery Canyon at Waskasoo Park³

Waskasoo Park
Red Deer's sprawling Waskasoo Park is home to much more than historic Fort Normandeau. Stretching across the city as it follows the Red Deer River, the park boasts a network of trails through diverse landscapes for strolling, hiking, biking and cross-country skiing. Visitors can also enjoy the 18-hole golf course, the Discovery Canyon water park, horseback riding at Heritage Ranch, the Kerry Wood Nature Centre, boating on the Bower Ponds and the Red Deer Mountain Bike Park, all located within this huge park's far-flung boundaries.

TRANSPORTATION

Getting There
Enjoying a central location, Red Deer is very easily accessible from all directions. It is just 145 km (90 mi) north of Calgary and 150 km (93 mi) south of Edmonton along Highway 2 (Alberta Queen Elizabeth II Highway). The David Thompson Highway 11 runs east-west through Red Deer.

Red Deer Regional Airport is Alberta's third busiest and offers scheduled and charter services within the region. From further afield, Calgary International and Edmonton International airports are the main gateways to the area, and from there, car rental companies and coaches such as Greyhound and Red Arrow Express provide transport to Red Deer.

Getting Around
The City of Red Deer Transit Department runs a city-wide public bus service. There are also various taxis and rental cars available.

Downtown parking is plentiful and and is free on weekends and public holidays. At all other times, the paid parking system accepts different payment options, from coins to credit cards to parking cards. There are numerous city-owned parking lots and plenty of on-street parking available.

If you enjoyed this feature, take a look at these great WorldWeb.com articles:
• The Best of Calgary
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

c/o Travel Alberta; Canoeing the Red Deer River; Red Deer, AB, Canada

c/o Travel Alberta; Westerner Days at Westerner Park; Red Deer, AB, Canada

c/o Travel Alberta; Discovery Canyon at Waskasoo Park; Red Deer, AB, Canada

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Welcome to Red Deer: The Friendly River City