Throughout the year, the Red Deer Downtown Business Association works to keep downtown clean by picking litter and maintaining waste and recycling receptacles throughout the business revitalization zone.

This week the association began enhanced seasonal cleaning.  Added staff and increased hours will allow the Downtown Business Association to concentrate on removing litter from public spaces and pressure-washing street furniture.  City crews will begin street-sweeping in the downtown core on Sunday, April 27th.  "There is always so much litter left behind when the snow melts, it really does require a community effort at this time of year to get our downtown clean again," says Laura Turner, Executive Director.

The DBA is asking downtown businesses to help clean-up their community, to sweep the sidewalk area in front of their businesses out onto the street so that it can be carried away during the street sweeping.

Over the next two weeks, the City of Red Deer's Green Deer campaign encourages individuals and groups to register to pick up litter in their neighbourhoods.  People should register so that Green Deer organizers can provide them with cleaning supplies, track areas that are cleaned and recognize the hard work of all volunteers.  Downtown Business Association members who register will also be eligible to win the DBA prize.

To register, call Suzanne at 309.8411.

Turner adds that the Community Standards Bylaw and the new Graffiti Reporting Hotline introduced as part of the graffiti abatement partnership between the Downtown Business Association and the City of Red Deer will also help to clean-up our community.

To report graffiti, call the hotline at 356.8908.

The new Rotary Citizen of the Year Clock will be officially installed at the NE corner of Ross Street and 49th Avenue, in front of the Old Court House on May 12th, 2008.   The clock is a majestic, custom-made, four-sided, 10 metre tall clock.  Four city Rotary Clubs conceived of the idea as a means to honour past and future Rotary Citizens of the Year.  A stately addition to an important downtown corner, the clock is sure to become another downtown landmark.

The new graffiti-reporting hotline is up and running today as part of an effort to abate graffiti in Red Deer.

“Graffiti is a crime,” said Fernando Paganelli, City of Red Deer Compliance Officer.  “We need people to recognize it, report it and remove it.”

The graffiti hotline comes after City Council put their stamp of approval on an amended Community Standards Bylaw that includes significantly increased fines for applying graffiti, and requires property owners to promptly remove graffiti when it is applied.

“We want to make it as easy as possible for people to report graffiti and help us reduce the incidence of graffiti in Red Deer,” said Paganelli.

Last summer, Red Deer RCMP and the Red Deer Downtown Business Association met to discuss the growing problem of graffiti.  As a result, other City stakeholders were included and a group – The Community Graffiti Control Group – was formed to look at what other cities had done to reduce graffiti and to develop a strategy for Red Deer.

The group recommended the establishment of the reporting hotline and amendments to the bylaw to promote a ‘zero-tolerance’ for graffiti, increase reporting of graffiti and other vandalism crime, encourage prompt removal of graffiti and deter offenders.

The City and Downtown Business Association continue to work to develop partnerships with other stakeholders and organizations, including City departments concerned about graffiti on their property with a goal to ensure prompt removal and to facilitate the provision of products and services related to graffiti removal and prevention.

These initiatives align with The City’s commitment to make Red Deer more nuisance free.

“Reducing the amount of graffiti in Red Deer will mean a cleaner, safer community for everyone,” said Paganelli.

For more information about the Community Standards Bylaw visit www.reddeer.ca, for information about graffiti visit www.downtownreddeer.com. To report graffiti call the graffiti hotline at 403-356-8908.