(City of Red Deer)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

YEAR IN REVIEW, PART 1

Mayor Veer says there’s work to do after divisive year in Red Deer

Dec 19, 2020 | 10:12 AM

Red Deer’s mayor says she looks forward to never again having to speak about “unprecedented times” or ask someone on Zoom to mute their microphone.

Calling 2020 “a year unlike any other,” Tara Veer says it’s important for citizens to recognize how mightily our neighbours have suffered this year – from losing loved ones, struggling with mental and physical health, living in fear, and suffering the financial consequences at home and work.

A self-proclaimed optimist, Veer says there is reason to believe good things are on the horizon on the heels of a year we’ll never forget for a variety of wrong reasons.

“I think we had an awakening in terms of what we take for granted in our normal lives and in community life when we realized how quickly things can change,” Veer said during her year-end chat this week with local media.

“With the circumstances we were forced to contend with, I think The City had a responsibility to still make the most of it and try to at least respond of course to the pandemic while making sure community safety was and is a top priority, but also to recalibrate and position our city for a return to life as we once knew it.”

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THE RIPPLE EFFECTS OF COVID-19 AND THE AUSTERITY ERA

Veer says The City of Red Deer used the pandemic as a catalyst to revisit its “antiquated” land use bylaw and streamline building and development processes in a bid to become a community that is not just ‘business and development-friendly,’ but competitive on a local and national scale.

“From the onset of the pandemic, regular business was completely overhauled because we had to completely recalibrate what we were doing,” said the mayor.

Unfortunately, changing operations on the fly meant approximately 200 lay-offs, largely from within rec facilities in the spring, and then when The City restructured its corporate leadership team in the summer.

“2020 was fraught with challenge,” Veer adds, but notes the City made momentous progress on long-awaited infrastructure projects, the most important being phase one of hospital expansion.

Shovels also hit the ground on the new Red Deer Justice Centre – anticipated to open in 2023 – as well as reaffirmation of $7 million for a homeless shelter, new money for a drug treatment court and a recovery community project.

“One outstanding challenge we continue to advocate for, and I hope the premier hears our appeal on, is with respect to ambulance dispatch,” she says. “We’ve yet to hear an answer from the premier’s office on this (as of Dec. 17). There is still time for the premier to do the right thing.”

Veer expresses pride in the way Red Deerians have “come to the table” and respected voluntary health guidelines regarding COVID-19, and applauds the ability of the City’s emergency operations centre to swiftly adapt to changing and often conflicting provincial and federal information.

Red Deer’s caseload was relatively low until recent weeks, she notes, so the City is working to ensure this community and Central Zone remain a high priority for the provincial government.

“It’s absolutely critical that we are all treated equitably as Albertans. It’s imperative that the health and safety and protection of all Albertans matters and obviously vaccinations are a critical component to our return to life as we once knew it.”

“OUR CITIZENS HAVE PULLED TOGETHER TO RECOGNIZE WE TRULY ARE IN THIS TOGETHER” – MAYOR TARA VEER

To those who disagree with that statement, the 16-year city council veteran admits 2020 has indeed tested our unity, but she believes Red Deer can find a way back.

“We still are a united community and I refuse to allow the actions of a few to characterize our community,” says Veer, citing the need to find a common purpose.

“There has been division as witnessed with violent incidences at protests and online, but when I’m out and about, that community spirit is still alive and well. The actions of a few cannot and will not define us.”

Veer says it also isn’t for her to judge the motivations of people who feel differently about the pandemic or any other issue.

“As a leader, my responsibility is to look after all citizens, so trying to find the best balanced approach with the information we have to make decisions for the citizens we serve is very difficult,” she says. “We can’t politic and always appease every divisive voice.”

In June, three protests were held in downtown Red Deer at the same time as Black Lives Matter events in larger cities. Those events spurred further protests throughout central Alberta in the months that followed, including one in Red Deer in September where agitators showed up. Two people were later charged as a result of what took place.

Veer received criticism for a perceived lack of response to that event and towards racism in Red Deer.

“As a city and personally, our unequivocal position is that we denounce and condemn racism. Reflecting back to a couple of the unfortunate circumstances Red Deer experienced, one of the challenges as a political leader is when we have knowledge that there’s an investigation underway, we can speak in generalities but we cannot prejudice that investigation,” she explains.

“At The City of Red Deer, we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive community. It’s imperative we model that in our words, actions and interactions. As an organization we’ve taken great strides with our staff in terms of living what we speak, and I do agree with the sentiment that as a community we need to do more. As leaders, I believe we set the tone for that. There’s still work to be done.”

WATCH FOR PART TWO OF OUR YEAR-END INTERVIEW WITH MAYOR TARA VEER IN THE COMING DAYS!