Red Deer

Red Deer's first residents were the aboriginal tribes, like the Plains Cree, Blackfoot, and Stoney. It was just during the late 18th century that fur traders from Europe began to pass through the area. Amongst the first settlers, Reverend Leonard Gaetz, gave half-share of 1,240 acres he obtained to the Edmonton and Calgary Railway to be able to develop a bridge over the river and town site. As a result, the first train from Calgary to Edmonton went through Red Deer during the year 1891. Red Deer was incorporated as a town during 1901, and it developed mostly its agricultural service and distribution centre. It became more developed during 1907, when it was chosen as the divisional point for the Canadian Pacific Railway. During 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, 1913.

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

In the city of Red Deer, there are many interpretive centres and museums consisting of the Red Deer & District Archives, Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery, Sunnybrook Farm Museum & Interpretive Centre, Tourism Red Deer, Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, Kerry Wood Nature Centre, and Fort Normandeau. Working so as to create a more memorable experience for its tourists, the Red Deer Museum + Art aims to to help them understand the history, culture and people of Central Alberta. Sunnybrook Farm Museum celebrates the early days of Alberta farming. The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is a hands-on, interactive celebration of Alberta's sporting history. It likewise provides an education program, group activities, meeting room rentals and party/reception facility rental. The Kerry Wood Nature Centre is Red Deer's year-round home of entertaining nature activities, exhibits, and information-giving.

Red Deer City has a growing manufacturing trade, while still retaining a strong base in oil, petrochemicals, agriculture, wholesale and retail distribution and service trade. In Red Deer, the service and manufacturing businesses are lucrative, with metal fabrication being the biggest sector, while food processing, machinery and wood cabinetry are the second biggest sectors in the manufacturing business. Distribution is likewise a strong component, since Red Deer's site makes it an ideal distribution centre for businesses in Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. The most reputable company under this particular industry is Daimler Chrysler Canada, that has always won efficiency awards under this category. Agriculture and food processing is also a profitable endeavor, with Olymel and Nossack Fine Meats leading the business. Tourism is likewise a highlighted sector, as Red Deer boasts of several hotels which differ in price range and size. Wholesale and retail services are also doing very well, and numerous new malls are opening, like for example: Michael's Arts & Crafts, Winners, Future Shop, Chapters and Wal-Mart (two sites) to Red Deer, as well as London Drugs and Home Depot.