Red Deer

Red Deer (pop 100,000, 2016) is located in aspen parkland, in a region of rolling hills. The city is a centre for oil and natural gas extraction and related industries and also for agriculture and agricultural services. It is also a regional centre for administration with a courthouse and provincial building. A large commercial district/business park called Gasoline Alley has developed in recent years just south of the city limits.
The Cree peoples called the river on which Red Deer stands Waskasoo Seepee, which translates to "Elk River". However, British traders translated the name as "Red Deer River", since they mistakenly thought elk were European red deer. Later, the settlers of the area named their community after the river. The name for the modern city in Plains Cree is a calque back from English of the mistranslated, mihkwâpisimosos, literally "red type of deer", while the name of the river is still wâwâskêsiw-sîpiy or "elk river".

• Tourism Red Deer

  phone: +1 403-346-0180
  address: #101 4200 Hwy 2

History

Prior to European settlement, the area was a gathering place that was inhabited by Aboriginal tribes including the Blackfoot, Plains Cree and Stoney. European fur traders began passing through the area in the late 18th century. Into this ethnic mix, the Métis peoples also emerged.
A native trail ran from Montana in the south across the Bow River near Calgary and on to Fort Edmonton. About halfway between Calgary and Edmonton, the trail crossed the Red Deer River at a wide, stony shallow used by First Nations peoples and bison, commonly known as buffalo, since ancient times. The shallows, now known as the Old Red Deer Crossing, are about 7 km (4.3 mi) upstream from the present City of Red Deer.
With the establishment of Fort Calgary by the North-West Mounted Police in 1875, traffic increased along what was by then known as the Calgary and Edmonton Trail. After the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in Calgary, traffic along the C & E trail increased substantially. A trading post and stopping house were built at the Crossing in 1882 and a permanent settlement began to develop around it.
During the 1885 Riel Rebellion, the Canadian militia constructed Fort Normandeau at the Crossing. The fort was later taken over by the North-West Mounted Police who used it until 1893.
With the decimation of the bison by hunters, the Aboriginal tribes who relied on them for food, clothing and shelter were also in decline. The fertile lands around the Red Deer River were attractive to farmers and ranchers. One early settler, the Reverend Leonard Gaetz, gave a half-share of 1,240 acres (5.0 km²) he had acquired to the Calgary and Edmonton Railway to develop a bridge over the river and a townsite. As a result, the Crossing was gradually abandoned. The first train from Calgary to Edmonton passed through Red Deer in 1891.
Red Deer had a massive influx of settlers in the early 1900s. Because of its location midway between Edmonton and Calgary and the fertile land that supported profitable mixed farming, Red Deer developed primarily as an agricultural service and distribution centre. A further boost came in 1907 when it was chosen as a major divisional point for the Canadian Pacific Railway. Two other railways, the Alberta Central Railway and the Canadian Northern Railway, entered the community in 1911. Red Deer underwent a large land boom.
World War I brought a sharp end to the boom. Red Deer emerged as a small, quiet, but prosperous, prairie city.
Growth returned to the city with the outbreak of World War II. Red Deer was chosen as the location of a large military training camp, the A-20 Camp which was located where Cormack Armoury, the Memorial Centre and Lindsay Thurber High School are now. The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan built two air bases to the south of the city at Penhold and Bowden.
By roughly 1991, the Canadian Pacific Railway had been removed from the inner city; the track now runs parallel to the city outskirts. The most prominent landmark of the railway remaining is the CPR bridge spanning the Red Deer River, converted to a walking trail shortly after the track removal.

• The Queen Elizabeth II highway (Highway 2), allow about 1 hr 20 min to drive from either Edmonton or Calgary main airports.
• Air Canada flies to Red Deer Regional Airport with onward connections in Calgary.
• A Red Deer Shuttle Service (+1 403 318-0795) offers door-to-door service to/from Calgary or Edmonton.

• Red Arrow and sister brand Ebus offer direct service from Edmonton or Calgary.

The Bus is the only form of public transportation and is a good way of getting around the city.
A couple of taxi companies (Alberta Gold and Associated Cab) operate in the city. They can get busy during rush hours or Friday nights, but are usually fast.

• Alberta Sports Hall of Fame

  phone: +1 403-341-8614
  address: 30 Riverview Park
  Over 6,000 square feet with more than 7,000 artefacts of Alberta sports history. Interactive hockey rink, baseball pitching field and alpine skiing machine.

• Kerry Wood Nature Centre and Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary

  phone: +1 403-346-2010
  address: 6300 45 Ave
  A nearly 300 acres of federally-protected migratory bird sanctuary with 5 km of trails, a bird blind and viewing decks. No skiing, jogging, pets or cycling are permitted in the Sanctuary.

• Historic Fort Normandeau

  phone: +1-403-347-7550
  address: 28054B Range Road 382, Red Deer County

• Red Deer Museum & Art Gallery

  phone: +1 403-309-8405
  address: 4525 47A Ave

• Biking – Red Deer Mountain Bike ParkAt the north end of Red Deer, east of Gaetz Avenue and west of Riverside Drive between 77 Street and Chiles Industrial Park. Features many cross-country trails, and trails designed for stunts.

• Horseback riding at Heritage Ranch

  phone: +1 403-347-4977
  address: 25 Riverview Park
  Part of the Waskasoo Park system, Heritage Ranch's equestrian centre is open year round, offering horse drawn wagon rides, trail rides, and pony rides. Coffee shop on site.

• Cross Country skiingCross-country trails throughout the town, including around Heritage Ranch, Great Chief Park and Red Deer College. Riverbend also has a large set of trails, but a ski pass is required - call +1 403-343-8311 to obtain a daily or season pass.

• Ice skating at Bowers Pond

  address: in Great Chief Park

• Canoeing

  address: Blindman or Red Deer rivers
  Plenty of launch/recovery sites near the city.

• Bower Place

  address: 4900 Molly Banister Drive
  More than 120 stores and services including Hudson's Bay, H&M, Toys "R" Us and Shoppers Drug Mart.

• Parkland Mall

  address: 6959 50 Avenue

• Southpointe Common

• Gasoline Alley

  address: Red Deer County
  Tourist services on both sides of Hwy 2; big box retail located on the west side of Hwy 2 (accessed from Mackenzie Rd)

• Downtown Red Deer75+ Retail businesses

• Village MallPowercentre, across from Parkland Mall.

• Gaetz Ave Crossing

As the hub of Central Alberta, Red Deer has a lot of great places to eat.

Asian

• Blue Dragon

  phone: +1 403-309-9906
  address: 7611 49 Ave
  Hidden away in an industrial area, but well worth the hunt. Authentic Cambodian cuisine. Many dishes are spicy, so ask to make them mild.

• China Ben

  phone: +1 403 343-2760
  address: 7464 50 Ave
  Chinese food, good buffet, fast delivery, always a coupon on the menu.

• Le Chateau Restaurant

  phone: +1 403-347-7555
  address: #101D 5212 48 St
  Chinese.

• Momo Sushi

  phone: +1 403-347-2099
  address: 4819 48 Ave
  Very good sushi, inexpensive combination specials.

• Mongolie Grill

  phone: +1 403-986-9990
  address: #101B 5212 48 St
  Mongolian restaurant.

• Noodle House Vietnamese & Chinese

  phone: +1 403-340-1891
  address: 4815 48 Ave

• Pho Thuy Duong

  phone: +1 403 343-2720
  address: #4 5108 52 Street
  Popular Vietnamese dishes like pho (large bowls of soup) and bowls of cold vermicelli noodles topped with meats and vegetables. Friendly and professional, food appears quickly (even at lunch) and prices are pretty good.

• Red Deer Buffet

  phone: +1 403-342-5555
  address: #35 6320 50 Ave
  Lunch and dinner buffet, good selection of Chinese and Western food.

• Shiso Japanese RestaurantDecent sushi. Good lunch buffet on weekends with long line-ups after 12:30 or so. If you can't wait, a restaurant next door serves fairly authentic Chinese dim-sung with a lounge offering Western food.

• Sushi Sushi

  address: 4909-49 Street
  OK sushi. OK price. Better places out there.

Western

• Dino's Family Restaurant

  address: 4617 Gaetz Avenue
  Awesome pizza and pasta, 2 for 1.

• Hickory Smokehouse

  address: 4909-48 Street

• Las PalmerosMexican.

• Saro's Greek Restaurant

  address: 4914-52 Street

• Velvet Olive

  address: 4924 Ross Street
  Tiny venue for misc artists as well.

Cafés

• Café Noble & Bakery

  address: 5005-50 Ave

• City Roast Coffee

  address: 4940 Ross Street

• Mia's Café

  address: 4929 Ross St.

• Stella's Riverside Café

  address: 5012-58 Street

Pubs and taverns

• Albert's Family Restaurant

  address: 5020-47 Ave
  Also pretty fun to drink at, kind of a banger/old timer atmosphere. $1 draft and free pool on Sundays.

• Original Joe's Restaurant & Bar

  address: 4720-51 Ave
  Patio, dinner and drinks.

Hotels

• Best Western Inn & Suites

  phone: +1 403-346-3555
  address: 6839 66 Street

• Black Knight Inn

  phone: +1 403-343-6666
  address: 2929 50 Avenue

• Comfort Inn & Suites

  phone: +1 403-348-0025
  address: 6846 67 Street

• Days Inn

  phone: +1 403-340-3297
  address: #1000 – 5001 19 Street.

• Holiday Inn Express

  phone: +1 403-343-2112
  address: 2803 50 Avenue

• North Hill Inn

  phone: +1 403-343-8800
  address: 7150 50 Avenue
  Quality Inn, Lion's Den Pub, Wild Bill's Sports Bar

• Ramada Red Deer

  phone: +1 403-358-7722
  address: 4217 50 Avenue

• Red Deer Lodge

  phone: +1 403-346-8841
  address: 4311 49th Avenue

• Sheraton Red Deer

  phone: +1 403-346-2091
  address: 3310 50 Avenue

• Super 8

  phone: +1 403-343-1102
  address: 7474 50 Avenue

Motels

• Aladdin Motor Inn

  phone: +1 403-343-2711
  address: 7444 50 Avenue

• Econolodge

  phone: +1 403-342-6969
  address: 4124 50 Avenue

Bed and Breakfast

• Apples and Angels Bed & Breakfast

  phone: +1 403-346-9394
  address: 288 Lampard Crescent

• Dutchess Manor Spa & Guesthouse

  phone: +1 403-346-7776
  address: 4813 54 Street

• La Solitude B & B

  phone: +1 403-340-0031
  address: RR #4

• McIntosh Bed & Breakfast

  phone: +1 403-346-1622
  address: 4631 50 Street

• Poplar Ridge Bed & Breakfast

  phone: +1 403-347-1188
  address: RR #1, Site 2, Box 47

• Rolyn Hills B & B and Guest Ranch

  phone: +1 403-342-5843
  address: RR #2

• Springbett Bed and Breakfast

  phone: +1 403-347-3610
  address: 4445 Springbett Drive

• Fawn Meadows Bed & Breakfast, Cabins & RV Park

  address: 2201 - 18 Avenue, Delburne