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City and Games Host Society offer update on Celebration Plaza

Sep 8, 2017 | 11:31 AM

The Central Elementary School Revitalization Project in downtown Red Deer is on time and on budget.

The City and 2019 Canada Games Host Society offered that as part of an update Friday morning at site which will become the Canada Games Celebration Plaza.

The update also stated the school will become the new home for the City’s Cultural Services department following the Games.

We are preserving a heritage building in Red Deer’s downtown with the intent to re-purpose it into a vibrant community and cultural centre that is possible as a result of a partnership between the 2019 Canada Winter Games Host Society and Red Deer Public School to save this heritage resource,” said Mayor Tara Veer.

Currently, the building is being utilized by the Host Society as its headquarters ahead of the Games.

Soon, consultations will take place with nearby residents on the vision for the plaza, with 5,000 to 10,000 people expected in that part of the city each night of the Games, according to Lyn Radford, Board Chair.

“We look forward to working with the City and the Red Deer community to fully realize the opportunities that the revitalization of Central Elementary School and Canada Games Celebration Plaza will create for the downtown core,” Radford adds.

City council also recently approved the burying of the powerlines along 48 Avenue. This will result in a wider sidewalk, improved lighting and more attractive landscaping from the plaza to the area of downtown surrounding City Hall.