During the 2007 Municipal Election candidates heard from Re-think Red Deer about the concerns of citizens and the need to focus on needs of the pedestrian.  It was a superb effort by citizens to bring focus and attention to this very important issue.  Quite frankly it helped to swing the pendulum from an extreme interest in facilitating vehicle movement back to a position where the pedestrians needs are front and centre.  

Over the last few years we have seen a similar effort by Better Bicycling Red Deer and others to promote commuter bike lanes.  I think the message has been heard and we will move in this direction.  If we want people to make choices other than vehicles we need to make it possible first!  When we work together we can make these things happen.

A shift has begun where people are  now beginning to  see roads as public spaces for the use of people regardless of mode.  We need to encourage people to make choices for our health and our environment.  The city has to facilitate those choices.  We need to make bike lanes a reality and look for ways to increase the number of people choosing cycling.

Red Deer has been fortunate to develop with a strong focus on Recreation. Most urban municipalities have Police and Fire department budgets as their number one and two budgetary expenses. Red Deer actually spends far more on Recreation and Culture than on Police or Fire. This is not to say we're not spending enough on Police or Fire as we are continually adjusting for their increased needs but rather this reflects the values this community places on Recreation and Culture.

As a Councillor from 1995 through 2007 I was pleased with the investments we made in Recreation and Culture. We have a trail system envied across the province and country, we have Recreation centers that are top notch and can be utilized year round. Thanks to a joint project between the City and the Red Deer Primary Care Network we now have fitness equipment throughout the city.

For all new development there is a requirement of developers to provide sidewalks and trails as part of the development and approximately 8 years ago the City asked our planners to consider the needs of pedestrians and cyclists in the design of our road network. Red Deer soon will be 100 years young as a city and redeveloping from a car based focus to pedestrian friendly city will take time. Each year the City adds new trails and sidewalks throughout the city to retrofit development which occurred prior to being required. There is a new plan that had its inception about 5 years ago to link the Rotary Park area through the Recreation Park area to Alexander Way and extend that pedestrian friendly atmosphere all the way to Bower Ponds. The idea is to have a safe and inviting route for cyclists and pedestrians to utilize and provide access to our trail and park network.

I support these initiatives and would welcome new ideas on how we can make this city a greater city than it is now. I have been to cities which have very nice pedestrian systems; Portland, OR comes to mind as an excellent example but the biggest hindrance we have to cycling and walking is our climate. Perhaps we can mitigate this drawback by adding snow removal to our trail system but I would need to see the costs of such a move before saying that I would commit to such an initiative. Another option we should consider is a bike friendly lane on Gaetz Ave, the main one way routes and other major roadways without a trail beside it. Much of Taylor Drive for example already has a trail adjacent and would not need a bike lane.

I myself walk often throughout Red Deer and except for a few locations feel that we do a good job already accommodating pedestrians and cyclists and have plans in place to further enhance that system. We can do more and I look forward to investigate new ideas.

As your representative on City Council I have and will always make myself available for your ideas, suggestions and comments.

Visit electdawson.com for more about my ideas.

Jeffrey Dawson