Past, present and future of Capstone
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We all talk about the future—what will change, what will remain the same, what will make tomorrow better than today. It’s no different in Capstone, where we’re creating the future in a community that’s both close to nature and to city life, a place where working, socializing and recreating could happen on your doorstep.
Capstone puts the Red Deer River’s trails, open spaces and recreation—as well as the city’s Historic Downtown and gathering places—within easy reach. It’s truly a new way to live in Red Deer. Capstone has had a long and unique journey to where it is today, with prominent milestones being a First Nations meeting place in a spectacular river valley, a midpoint respite on the Calgary and Edmonton stagecoach trail, then a major divisional point on the rail line. Over the years, the city we now call Red Deer has always benefited from a superb location that gave it rapid, direct access to resources, beautiful landscapes and most of the province’s population.
Interestingly, the growth of the railway and the city seemed to leave the riverfront site that we know as Capstone relatively untouched. Originally a sandstone quarry built by Henry Reinholt, it was the first commercial-scale quarry in the region, producing stones used in the construction of some of Red Deer’s most prominent buildings and the capstones that adorned them. After the quarry shut down, the prime location and its legacy remained. The vision of Capstone as a vibrant, mixed-use community started in 2009, with the relocation of The City’s Civic Yards, which opened up the area to development. Since then, The City has invested in the foundation for future growth, focusing on upgrading utilities and services in the area, building a Riverwalk pathway, road improvements, landscaping, increased parking and reimagined gathering spaces.
Envisioned as a place where the next generation of Red Deerians can live, work and play, Capstone is a master-planned mixed-use community, centred on 91 acres of the city’s riverside with Red Deer River’s trails, open spaces and the city’s Historic Downtown a short bike ride or stroll away. Designed by globally-renowned planning firm Gehl, the community plan incorporates innovative “City Shaping Themes” that come together to create a people-first model for the neighbourhood. Every part of Capstone has been carefully planned to enhance connections and integrate residential areas and public spaces to create a cohesive and innovative community fabric with riverfront nature and trails just steps away.
