2018 photo by Rene Rondeau

By Troy Gillard

-30-

Thanks for a memorable decade

Jun 30, 2021 | 8:00 AM

After more than 10 years working in this newsroom, and 15 years covering the local news and sports beat, today is my final day at rdnewsNOW. I don’t want to take up too much of your time, but I do want to share a few words on my way out.

Earlier this month I was announced as the new Director of Broadcasts and Media for the Red Deer Rebels. It’s an incredible opportunity I’ve been blessed with and I’m very much looking forward to it.

That being said, it’s still bittersweet for me to be leaving the newsroom life I’ve known for so long. I say it often, even if it is rather cliché, but it really is a case of “never a dull moment” and “no two days are the same” in the news biz (though sometimes it feels like it when you’re moderating Facebook comments lol).

I joined BIG 105 and 106.7 REWIND Radio (then The Drive) newsroom in 2011 and on July 4, 2016 we launched our website, rdnewsNOW. Since then we’ve grown to having over 300,000 unique visitors each month. It’s this that inspires us to work as hard as we can to bring you the best credible local news coverage. Thank you all so much.

While I’m in the thanking mood, I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank Josh Hall and Sheldon Spackman, two people who work their tails off to bring you great stories each and every day. They’re the engine that drives our content and I have no doubt they’ll continue doing an amazing job going forward.

charges pending

Red Deer RCMP arrest two individuals following ramming of police vehicle

8h ago

Riverside Drive & southbound 67 Street

Red Deer temporary road closure of street ramp on Saturday

9h ago

breach

Town of Ponoka gives cybersecurity update: investigation ongoing

9h ago

Thanks to all of my former colleagues in the newsroom for putting up with me as well. I’ll miss someone if I try to name them all, but I do need to thank Tracy Kennedy for hiring me all those years ago as the sports guy before I hijacked the news desk, Leanne Murray for all her incredible work (and putting me in my place whenever it was needed), Rene Rondeau for his passion and creativity, and Gary McKinnon whose wisdom and wit always shined brightest when it was needed most.

I also want to thank Bryn James, our General Manager at Pattison Media in Red Deer. His belief in local news and confidence in me to lead our coverage has been invaluable.

Last but certainly not least, thank you to my wife, Kaelyn, for putting up with my grumpiness after so many tough days at the office and supporting me in this next journey we’re about to embark on.

Be good to each other, folks.

Troy