Latest news with #RedDeer
CTV News
20 hours ago
- CTV News
Francis the Pig statue will return
Red Deer's infamous Francis the Pig statue will be reinstalled in August. The porcine icon has been gone for nearly two years after the metal rods that hold the sculpture in place were damaged.
CTV News
a day ago
- Business
- CTV News
Demolition of abandoned building in downtown Red Deer postponed
The Empire Building in Red Deer in June 2024. (Google Street View) An abandoned building in Red Deer's downtown that was slated for demolition starting Friday will remain standing for now. The city announced earlier this week that crews would begin tearing down the Empire Building at 4909 48 St. starting Friday. On Thursday, officials announced the demolition had been put on pause. 'Due to some unexpected circumstances and an abundance of caution, the demolition will be postponed while the contractor proceeds with investigation and preparation work,' the city said in a news release. 'When a new timeline is determined, we will provide an update.' The building has sat empty since a fire in October 2021 despite calls from residents to demolish it.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
‘It's just one more pressure': Red Deer hospital workers fed up with parking issues
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) says Red Deer hospital workers have had enough with parking issues after receiving relentless tickets over the years. 'We're seeing parking issues just overwhelming staff,' said Darren Graham, an AUPE vice president. Many hospital staff are forced to park in non-designated parking stalls where they have to pay, said Graham. Because staff are often asked to extend their workday and sometimes don't get breaks, they don't have the ability to move their vehicles or feed the meter while on shift. But Alberta Health Services (AHS) says workers don't lose parking privileges if they work overtime. 'If an employee is required to work overtime and needs parking privileges during that time, they don't incur additional parking fees either,' said a statement from the health authority. If workers get enough tickets, they can get their parking privileges revoked so they can't use the parkade at all. Graham said there is a waitlist for hospital staff at the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre parking but it would take 10 to 12 years to get a spot. 'It's just one more pressure,' said Graham. 'We're already seeing issues with staff compensation and being overworked.' Hospital workers are still waiting for a collective agreement and are making wages that were set years ago, said Graham, making tickets another financial burden for staff to deal with. 'When you get a $50 ticket, that can be the make-or-break.' The hospital is also under construction as it undergoes a $1.8 billion redevelopment. Red Deer Regional Hospital design drawing A preliminary design showing the aerial view of the the south courtyard of the Red Deer Regional Hospital redesign, released by the Alberta government March 15, 2024. (Source: The Government of Alberta) AHS said it has to protect access for patients, families and visitors. 'When public parking stalls are used for extended periods by staff or others, it can reduce availability for those coming to a hospital for care,' said AHS. There are designated staff parking areas and short-term parking stalls for patients and visitors at all AHS facilities. Staff are to register their vehicle for parking privileges in designated staff parking spots. If workers are unable to register because the spots are full, they're on their own. The health authority said citations may be issued when staff park in patient-designated zones, use accessible stalls without a placard or fail to register their vehicle properly—even if they pay for parking. Citations are handled by AHS Parking Services, which is self-funded and operates independently of the health care budget.
CTV News
4 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Empire Building in downtown Red Deer to be torn down nearly 4 years after fire
The Empire Building in Red Deer in June 2024. (Google Street View) A building in downtown Red Deer described by many as an eyesore will be torn down this weekend. Fire forced tenants out of the Empire Building at 4909 48 St. in October 2021. The building has been vacant and boarded up ever since. Starting Friday, crews will be demolishing the building and cleaning up and restoring the site. The work is expected to last until Sunday. To protect the public during the demolition, on-street parking and sidewalks in front of the building will be closed for the duration of the work. The south alley behind the building will be closed to through traffic from Friday until July 7, but access to nearby parking lots will remain open. The city says the work zone will be fenced off and secured, and after hours security will be on scene.
CTV News
5 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Edmonton weather: Clearing and cool after stormy morning
Thunderstorms ripped through the Edmonton region early this morning, producing some small hail in parts of the city. But skies are clearing and we'll see some sunshine for midday and this afternoon. Temperatures hit highs of 16 C Saturday and 18 C Sunday in the city and we'll end up in the mid to upper teens again today. Warmer air moves in starting tomorrow as daytime highs jump into the low to mid 20s for the rest of the week. Thunderstorms are likely in eastern and southern Alberta later today, with the potential for some severe storms east of Calgary. There's also a risk of funnel clouds in east-central Alberta this afternoon (those cold-core funnel clouds don't pose a huge risk of touching down and becoming a tornado, but the low risk doesn't mean a zero risk). A mix of sun and cloud for Tuesday/Wednesday in Edmonton and area with a slight chance of a midday or early-afternoon shower or thunderstorm over or near the city. We're expecting some showers and thunderstorms to develop in NW Alberta early Tuesday morning, some of that may move SE into the Edmonton region around lunchtime or early in the afternoon. The best chance for thunderstorms Tuesday will be in the Peace country in the morning and again late in the day and in the Red Deer region late in the day Tuesday. The possibility of a scattered shower or thunderstorm near the Edmonton area Wednesday isn't zero, but it's a fairly low risk. Areas around Slave Lake east to Lac La Biche/Fort McMurray, as well as southern Alberta look to have the best potential for thunderstorms on Wednesday. Here's the forecast for Edmonton and area: Today - Clearing this morning. Sunny with a few clouds this afternoon. High: 16 Tonight - Mainly clear. 9pm: 13 Tuesday - Mix of sun & cloud. Slight risk of a shower or thunderstorm midday or early-afternoon. Morning Low: 6 Afternoon High: 23 Wednesday - Mix of sun & cloud. Morning Low: 12 Afternoon High: 25 Thursday - Mostly cloudy. 30% chance of late-day showers or thunderstorms. Morning Low: 12 Afternoon High: 24 Friday - Mix of sun & cloud. Morning Low: 13 Afternoon High: 22 Saturday - Mostly cloudy. 30% chance of late-day shower. Morning Low: 13 Afternoon High: 23
