10 Dec 2006 @ 14:12, by swanny
Dec. 10, 2006
Alberta, Canada
Sunday
Dawn
RED DEER REPORT
well figured it was about due for one of these again.
Hmmm when was the last one? Well couple years I guess or not?
Hmmmm when shes right near winter, days short, nights long.
The cold has set in though the weather seems rather flipant.
Although this is Alberta, seems more flipant than usual.
Generally speaking. Overall, its perhaps a mite warmer but
I'm from up North a ways so that may just be latitude or is it
longitude. Yikes (kicks foot to start up memory).
Anyway, seems quiet as it is Sunday, and people have the weekend
off and sleep in and a few trudge on to Church, although some Churches
now offer a Saturday evening service. Not sure what the basis of it is.
Seems more of an accomadation thing of peoples busy lives.
Peoples lives seem busy. Red Deers growing, no rentals, housing start waits,
employee shortages, growing working homeless problems, service sectre closing
because of lack of staff, staff shortages all around though and it seems to be easier
to hire a VP then a secretary. Fast Food places trying to maintain price but giving
premium wages. Trying to attract untypical job sectors, ie: seniors, natives, disabled,
although thats what the media reports, seems that they just are having less luck in
getting the usual sort and are diversying thier standards. Does that translate into jobs
for the jobless though? Seems not exactly just a redistribution or boardening of the
usual pool.
Museum plan got shelved after a couple years of debate. Seemed the plan was somewhat
divisive and political. An emergency housing plan has been revised to accomadate the
changing demographics.
Many people and families who have jobs just can not find places to live
and the cost of rent has gone through the roof, with a vacancy rate of less that 1%.
The birds are awfully quiet. Most migrated on south for the winter. Saw the flocks of
geese and ducks aheaded that way. The magpies and sparrows stick around but the recent
cold spell even had them hiding out. I put out a bit of seed for them but only once a week
so as not to spoil or tame or concede to their whining. Seems if you give them to much
some folks take offense to the "mess" their presence engenders.
Fair amount of snow and rain a happenin. The crops were fair to good this year anyway.
The river didn't flood and the talk of pipin water 90 miles south to calgary
has generated a firestorm of sorts of debate.
A proposed power line also has generated concern as some figure it will only generate
dollars for some and pollution for locals.
The net zero housing market has started with a few folks optin for solar heat and power
although whether the added cost and hence reduced quality will justify remains to be seen.
They are air tight though and efficient though I don't reckon they're really built to last
but to sell at this point. Its a tough and expensive call sometimes doin the right thing.
Art and music scene is ......well we won't go there.
The flowers in city hall park were nice this year again, not overly spectacular but nice.
And the farmers market came and went. They created Alexandar Way, a new showy historic
street to honor something or other.
Did I mention the river didn't flood which is good. Seemed about normal height.
They've put some modern sculptures arounds about and intend more. Somewhat novel and
interesting and they made a nice water fountain pond for looks and some to cool off
on some hot days we get in summer.
Stores are expanding and new construction happenin and I guess they may be plannin a biofuel
plant near abouts although I hear biofuel though good is somewhat over rated and subsitized.
Ozone levels seem a bit high.
The new mayor seems to have a fair handle on things in what is probably a tough job with the
growth and all. Taxes well they'll probably go up as usual although the fed GST went down 1%
although it would be hard to say it was noticed in the pocket book anywhere.
Gas was outrageous at the pumps over a dollar a litre in the summer and what with a station
or two with bad pumps, driving was at a premium.
The cold spell had both a crunch for the homeless and the stray dogs and cats. Everyone
tryin to stay warm in near 40 below weather and there's probably more to come.
Anyway, fruit and vegies seem expensive, though gas has come down but heating gas is goin up
so it will probably square off. Nothing gettin any cheaper though it seems. Haircuts goin
for about 20 bucks and computer repair about $65 an hour.
Anyway thats probably enought till again fingers crossed.
take care
This report brought to as a public service by a memeber of the planet Earth
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