Taxes and Tourism

It’s no surprise that council meetings still begin with an hour behind closed doors—and unfortunately, that’s become a common practice. Even with a new council, nothing has changed. While these sessions are sometimes necessary, the ongoing mistrust in our City and Administration makes them stand out. Because they keep happening month after month, they continue to be talked about and don’t help build public confidence. I’ve heard from other municipal councillors that closed sessions can help ensure everyone is on the same page before sitting in front of the public. Whether that’s still the case today, we don’t know—but it adds another layer to public skepticism.
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The “Downtown boundaries” have been a problem for years—visitors often don’t know where downtown even is. I remember talking to a taxi driver who had recently moved here from Toronto. She said she wouldn’t take her family downtown because there’s nothing there; instead, they would go to Edmonton or Calgary. Driving down Gaetz Avenue, visitors are greeted by two large empty lots—the first impression of our downtown. Shops below and apartments above are a practical design, so why haven’t we encouraged development in these lots already?

Capstone and Downtown aren’t just different areas on a map—they function differently, attract different crowds, and have completely different needs. Treating them as one under a single, centralized structure doesn’t work. Two dedicated committees, each focused on their own district and communicating simply with each other, would allow each area to plan events, support local businesses, and coordinate schedules. Instead, the City funnels everything through one process, which slows things down and dilutes efforts.

I attended one of the final Capstone events this year, and it highlighted the problem. They had a stage and music, but nobody seemed to know who was performing or when. There wasn’t a posted schedule, and even vendors had no information. Simple communication and planning could have fixed this, yet it was left disorganized.

As I said during the campaign and in the RCMP survey, downtown needs two essential things—especially during summer. First, a visible on-street police presence, even if just peace officers walking around keeping things calm. Second, volunteer ambassadors, often high school or college students, who can greet visitors, connect with business owners, and create a sense of community—something with a friendly, mall-like feel, wherever our “downtown” actually is.

Beyond Downtown and Capstone, Gasoline Alley and Timberlands are two more potential anchor activity areas outside Westerner Park, Bower Ponds, and Heritage Ranch. Each area has its own character and audience and deserves tailored planning rather than being managed under a single city-wide approach.
While I support downtown in principle, I don’t think this is the right time to take $450,000 from taxpayers to do so. The priority should be addressing more pressing issues first—reducing crime, tackling drug activity, and supporting the lack of businesses downtown. Perhaps that’s exactly what this money is intended for, but there’s no clear explanation provided to the public beforehand. This feels like yet another request coming forward without transparency or context.

The 2025 Adopted Capital Cash Flow motion is essentially housekeeping—routine financial management to close out the year. It doesn’t solve the bigger issues, but it shows some motions are procedural rather than strategic.

As for the council meeting packet, I’d much rather listen to someone highlight the key points than dig through dense documents myself. Many feel the same. Having someone explain the important issues in plain language is invaluable. If any council member truly intended to communicate clearly with the public, they’d already be doing it. For now, these summaries are filling a gap that leadership hasn’t addressed.
All of this reinforces why I believe tourism and event management should be handled by a third party. The City should focus on core services while letting the right people handle these areas—ensuring each zone thrives and is self-sufficient, not dependent on taxpayer money.

Finally, thank you, Calvin Goulet-Jones - Community Voice: Red Deer & Area, for these updates and for keeping your campaign promise to prioritize communication. I hope more of our new councillors follow your example.
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