Red Deer

Red Deer's first people were the aboriginal tribes, like for instance the Stoney, Plains Cree and Blackfoot. It was only in the late 18th century that European fur traders started to pass through the area. One of the first settlers, Reverend Leonard Gaetz, gave half-share of 1,240 acres he obtained to the Edmonton and Calgary Railway to develop a bridge over the town site and river. As a result, the very first train to Edmonton from Calgary went through Red Deer during the year 1891. Red Deer was incorporated as a town in the year 1901, and it developed mostly its agricultural distribution and service centre. It became more developed during 1907, when it was selected as the divisional point for the Canadian Pacific Railway. In 1911, two other railways joined Red Deer: Alberta Central Railway and the Canadian Northern Railway. Red Deer was incorporated as a city on March 25, the year 1913.

Waskasoo Park in Red Deer, gives the city an alternate name of the "Park City." The most popular parks and attractions are the Waskasoo Park, Collicutt Centre, Canyon Ski and recreation Centre, Recreation Centre, Westerner Exposition Grounds, Enmax Centrium, Greater Red Deer Visitor Centre, Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and G.H. Dawe Community Centre. It is an 80 kilometer multi-use trails used for biking, rollerblading, cross-county skiing, walking, snowshoeing, horseback riding, and rollerblading. The park has is perfect for bird and wildlife watching, and it even has various attractions, such as: Fort Normandeau, Heritage Ranch, Bower Ponds and Cronquist Heritage Centre, Great Chief (Maskepetoon) Park, Coronation Park, Great Cheif Athletic Park, Kin kanyon, Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary, Three Mile Bend, Lions Campground, Kiwanis Picnic Ground, Discovery Canyon, Great West Adventure Park and BMX track. The Collicutt Centre is a huge, state of the art facility which has swimming pools, indoor running track, a hockey rink, field houses, gymnastic centre, basketball courts, climbing walls, lacrosse and fitness and training rooms.

There are several interpretive centres and museums within the city of red Deer. They comprise: Red Deer & District Archives, Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery, Tourism Red Deer, Sunnybrook Farm Museum & Interpretive Centre, Fort Normandeau, Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Kerry Wood Nature Centre. Red Deer Museum + Art aims to create memorable experiences for its visitors to be able to help them understand the culture, people and history of Central Alberta. Sunnybrook Farm Museum celebrates the early days of Alberta farming. The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is an interactive, hands-on celebration of Alberta's sporting history. It likewise provides group activities, an education program, meeting room rentals and party/reception facility rental. The Kerry Wood Nature Centre is Red Deer's year-round home of entertaining nature exhibits, activities, and information-giving.

Red Deer City has a growing manufacturing business, while still retaining a strong base in oil, petrochemicals, agriculture, retail and wholesale service and distribution business. In the city of red Deer, the manufacturing and service industries are lucrative, with metal fabrication being the biggest sector, while wood cabinetry, food processing and machinery are the 2nd biggest sectors in the manufacturing business. Distribution is likewise a strong part, as Red Deer's location makes it a perfect distribution centre for companies within Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. The more reputable company under this particular industry is Daimler Chrysler Canada, that has always won efficiency awards under this particular category. Agriculture and food processing is likewise a profitable endeavor, with Olymel and Nossack Fine Meats leading the business. Tourism is likewise a featured sector, because Red Deer boasts of various hotels which differ in size and price ranges. Retail and Wholesale services are also doing very well, and a lot of new malls are opening, such as: Winners, Michael's Arts & Crafts, Future Shop, Chapters and Wal-Mart (two sites) to Red Deer, as well as Home Depot and London Drugs.