North Red Deer residents get free transit to City recreation facilities

July 28, 2008

(Red Deer, Alberta) – The G.H. Dawe Community Centre may be closed, but people living in north Red Deer can still stay active at the Collicutt, Recreation and Michener Centre, and you don’t have to pay a cent to get there.

Free transit tickets are available for all residents living in north Red Deer who need transportation to any City recreation facility while the Dawe revitalization is underway.

“Recreation and leisure should be accessible to everyone in Red Deer,” said June Larson, Recreation Facility Supervisor. “The Dawe is an activity hub for Red Deer citizens living in the north, and closure of this facility has a significant impact on our community. We want to ensure everyone can still access recreation and leisure opportunities in our city.”

The G.H. Dawe Community Centre will close for about 18 to 24 months. Proposed plans include an expanded aquatics facility and leisure area, more programs and an expanded Dawe branch of the Red Deer Public Library. A full service delivery model will be phased in with plans for additional dryland space and activities and opportunities for child minding services to come in just a few years.

“It’s all about building a facility that will grow with our community,” said Larson. “We are working to build a better experience for those in the north and across our city.”

Residents living in the north who need free transit tickets can contact Recreation, Parks & Culture at 403-309-8537. Getting free transit tickets is easy. Residents must give their name, telephone number and address, pick up their free transit tickets at the Recreation Centre, and jump on any bus heading to the Collicutt Centre, Recreation Centre or Michener Centre.

For more information about free transit passes visit www.reddeer.ca/dawe.

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For more information contact:

June Larson
Recreation Facility Supervisor
The City of Red Deer
403-309-8429