Red Deer

Red Deer, Alberta's third-largest city, is in the Central Corridor between Calgary and Edmonton.

Understand

Red Deer (pop 100,800, 2021) sits 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. There is a large commercial district/business park called Gasoline Alley 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".

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.

Get in

By car
  • The Queen Elizabeth II highway (Highway 2), allow about 1 hr 20 min to drive from either Edmonton or Calgary main airports.

By plane
  • Red Deer Regional Airport does not have scheduled airline service (as of June 2020). It serves charter flights and general aviation. The nearest commercial airports are Edmonton and Calgary.

By bus

Get around

By public transit

By taxi

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.

See

Do
  • Biking – Red Deer Mountain Bike Park. At 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, 6300 Cronquist Dr, ☏ +1 403-347-4977, fax: +1 403-347-7794. 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 skiing. Cross-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, in Great Chief Park. 
  • Canoeing, Blindman or Red Deer rivers. Plenty of launch/recovery sites near the city. 
  • 🌍 Red Deer Rebels, Westerner Park Centrium, 4847A 19th Street, ☏ +1 403-341-6000. The Rebels are a Western Hockey League junior ice hockey team. (updated Jun 2020)

Buy
  • 🌍 Bower Place (Bower Place Shopping Centre), 4900 Molly Banister Drive. More than 120 stores and services including Hudson's Bay, H&M, Toys "R" Us and Shoppers Drug Mart. (updated Mar 2019)
  • 🌍 Parkland Mall, 6959 50 Avenue (Gaetz Avenue (Hwy 2A) & 67 St (Hwy 11)). (updated Mar 2019)
  • 🌍 Southpointe Common (19 St (both sides) between Gaetz Ave and Taylor Dr). (updated Mar 2019)
  • 🌍 Gasoline Alley, Red Deer County (Highway 2, just south of Red Deer city limits). Tourist services on both sides of Hwy 2; big box retail on the west side of Hwy 2 (accessed from Mackenzie Rd) 
  • 🌍 Downtown Red Deer. More than 75 stores. (updated Mar 2019)
  • 🌍 Village Mall (Gaetz Avenue (Hwy 2A) & 67 St (Hwy 11)). Powercentre, across from Parkland Mall. 
  • 🌍 Gaetz Ave Crossing (22 St between Gaetz Ave and Taylor Dr). (updated Mar 2019)

Eat

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

Asian
  • 🌍 Blue Dragon, 7611 49 Ave, ☏ +1 403-309-9906, . M-Th 11:30AM-8PM, F 11:30AM-9PM, Sa 2:30-9PM. Hidden away in an industrial area, but well worth the hunt. Authentic Cambodian cuisine. Many dishes are spicy, so ask to make them mild. (updated Nov 2019)
  • 🌍 China Ben, 7464 50 Ave, ☏ +1 403 343-2760, . Daily 11AM-10PM. Chinese food, good buffet, fast delivery, always a coupon on the menu. (updated Nov 2019)
  • 🌍 Le Chateau Restaurant, #101D 5212 48 St, ☏ +1 403-347-7555. Chinese. (updated Nov 2019)
  • 🌍 Momo Sushi, 4819 48 Ave, ☏ +1 403-347-2099. M-Sa 11:30AM-2:30PM, 4:30-8:30PM. Very good sushi, inexpensive combination specials. (updated Nov 2019)
  • 🌍 Mongolie Grill, #101B 5212 48 St, ☏ +1 403-986-9990. M Tu Th 11AM-8:30PM, W F 11AM-9PM, Sa 11:30AM-9PM, Su noon-8AM. Mongolian restaurant. (updated Nov 2019)
  • 🌍 Noodle House Vietnamese & Chinese, 4815 48 Ave, ☏ +1 403-340-1891. (updated Nov 2019)
  • 🌍 Pho Thuy Duong (The Vietnamese Restaurant), #4 5108 52 Street (in strip mall near city centre), ☏ +1 403 343-2720. 11AM-9PM (closed Sundays). 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. $6-9 per dish. (updated Nov 2019)
  • 🌍 Red Deer Buffet, #35 6320 50 Ave, ☏ +1 403-342-5555. Lunch and dinner buffet, good selection of Chinese and Western food. Daily 11AM-9PM. (updated Nov 2019)
  • Shiso Japanese Restaurant (on Gaetz near downtown). Decent 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, 4909-49 Street. OK sushi. OK price. Better places out there. 

Western
  • Dino's Family Restaurant, 4617 Gaetz Avenue (downtown). Awesome pizza and pasta, 2 for 1. 
  • Hickory Smokehouse, 4909-48 Street. 
  • Las Palmeros. Mexican. 
  • Saro's Greek Restaurant, 4914-52 Street. 
  • Velvet Olive, 4924 Ross Street. Tiny venue for misc artists as well. 

Drink

Cafés
  • Café Noble & Bakery, 5005-50 Ave. 
  • City Roast Coffee, 4940 Ross Street. 
  • Mia's Café, 4929 Ross St.. 
  • Stella's Riverside Café, 5012-58 Street. 

Pubs and taverns
  • Albert's Family Restaurant, 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, 4720-51 Ave (Downtown near the clubs). Patio, dinner and drinks. 

Microbreweries

Like much of Alberta, Red Deer is experiencing a thirst for local craft beer.

Sleep

Hotels

Motels

Bed and Breakfast

Connect

Most phone numbers in Red Deer are in the 403 area code (+1 403). but numbers are now being assigned in three other area codes—587, 825, and 368. Since Alberta has required 10-digit dialing since 2008, advertising signage should include the area code. If an older sign lacks an area code, assume 403.

Go next
  • Sylvan Lake. About a 20 minute drive west, this is Central Alberta's summer playground with a relaxed beach town atmosphere and fun on the water.
  • Lacombe. To the north, this town features charming well-preserved brick buildings and a popular microbrewery. Nearby Gull Lake also has pleasant beaches.
  • Rocky Mountain House and David Thompson Country. Alberta's Rocky Mountains, but far less busy than the national parks.
  • Stettler. To the east on the dry prairie. Features a heritage railway with steam locomotives, and beaches at nearby Buffalo Lake.
  • Calgary. The gateway city to Banff and the Rocky Mountains.
  • Edmonton. Alberta's capital city, variously branded as the 'festival city' and 'winter city'.
Routes through Red Deer
Edmonton ← Lacombe ←   N  S  → Innisfail → Calgary
Wetaskiwin ← Lacombe ←   N  S  → Innisfail → Olds
Rocky Mountain House ← Sylvan Lake ←  W  E  → Alix → Stettler via


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