Red Deer’s seniors celebrate their contributions to the city at this year’s Mayor’s Garden Party

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Red Deer City Mayor Ken Johnston at the Mayor’s Garden Party on Tuesday at Westerner Park’s Harvest Centre. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

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One group, the Red Hat Ladies, agreed with that statement.

The club, made up of 12 senior women, get together at least once a month to “just do stuff” as friends, explained group member Joyce Acciaroli, like go out for breakfast, watch the theatre and are known to play lots of Frisbee golf.

“I agree with the mayor; we did build this country. I grew up in southern Alberta and I remember when Lethbridge and Red Deer were about 16,000 people. That was a long time ago and look at them now; they’re both 100,000 people. They’ve grown a lot and we were part of that,” said Linda Liptack, member of the group and Board Chair for the Golden Circle.

The Mayor’s Garden Party is right up their alley as a group, added Acciaroli, as they can get to speak with many people they know but haven’t seen in a while.

The Mayor explained the event has been taking place in the city even before he moved to Red Deer in the mid-1990s.

While traditionally held at downtown’s City Hall Park (4914 48 Ave.), he said last year’s rainy weather caused the party to be moved inside. However, it was to their benefit as many vocalized their enjoyment of the location, abundance of parking and bus transportation options, accessibility for those with mobility issues and proximity to washrooms.

These are just some of the reasons why Red Hat Ladies’ member Anne Staal never made it to a Mayor’s Garden Party in the past. She expressed how happy she was to have come this year for the first time.

The mayor joked that they may need to change the name from “Garden Party” in the future if the event continues to be held indoors.

Over 270 people at the Mayor’s Garden Party on Tuesday at Westerner Park’s Harvest Centre. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)