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Finalizing new agreement

Agreement to keep Heritage Ranch open ends today

Oct 6, 2025 | 5:09 PM

An agreement between the City of Red Deer and the operator of Heritage Ranch to keep the site open through the summer ended on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025.

As a result, the facilities at Heritage Ranch are now temporarily closed.

Back on May 26, the city announced it was seeking a new operator to replace Joel Martens, who’d ran the show at Heritage Ranch since 2010.

That includes a restaurant, equine-related excursions, drive-in movies, wedding hosting, and bigger events such as the Spartan Race.

However, on June 6, the city announced they agreed to keep Heritage Ranch open through the summer. The city had said Martens and his company were no longer meeting the requirements of the contract.

According to the city, the request for proposal selection process for a new contract to operate Heritage Ranch closed on July 11.

City officials say the selection committee is now in the process of finalizing an agreement with the successful proponent.

The city says it will share more information once the new agreement is finalized.