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Newsletter |
The Development of a Community --
Evolution of the
Springbrook Community Association
Activities, Projects and a 15 Year History
 The Community Association formed in November 1995 shortly after
the Department of Defence had sold Mynarski Park to developers Securfund
Penhold. Securfund had renovated some of the houses and put them on
the market. Several committees were set up including a Teen Club, Block
Parents (chaired by Lorelei O'Brien for several years), Social
Committee, Historical Committee, School Committee, Fund Raising
Committee and membership in the Community Advisory Council. (see
Association Board of Directors
through the years.)
A community newsletter, The Babble, started
publishing in early 1996 with Lorraine Kilfoyle as editor, assisted for
awhile by Lynne Warner. In late 1996, the Association received its
official registration from the province giving it the ability to raise
funds for community projects. In late 1996, the Association organized
the first of several annual Children's Christmas parties and New Year's Eve
events.
During the following summer
the Association received their casino and raffle licenses and applied for
grants to upgrade the playgrounds that were no longer considered safe.
The bingo license arrived in the fall and the Association received their
first grant in December that required matching funds or labour to
qualify for specific improvements to the community. The first bingo was held January
1998 after two years of paperwork to get everything in order. Barb Hall,
Barb Lewin and Gordon Wegner were particularly instrumental in getting
this done.
In
1997, the Association initiated an annual Community Garage Sale, set up
a food booth at the Red Deer International Airshow, and organized a
house decorating contest for Halloween. That winter a
New Years Dance and Winterfest were held.
An Infrastructure Liason Committee
(chaired by Paul Pettypiece) was set up in response to a Red Deer County
Study and news article suggesting massive increases in taxes to replace
the aging water, sewer and road infrastructure. Community meetings were
held with County officials about the Infrastructure Study and a proposed
Area Structure Plan. The County indicated that they favoured a utility surcharge to
cover part of the cost of the new infrastructure.
 In
June 1998, the first of three playgrounds was reconstructed on Willow Crescent
(Mynarski Park),
the first fundraising Casino was held in August and a volunteer appreciation BBQ
was held in the fall. Halloween
and Christmas parties were held for the children and there was a house decorating
contest in December. A skating rink with boards was developed each year
with several volunteers building, maintaining and clearing snow.
 Funding was
received for the Oak Street turnaround playground in early 1999 and it
was built around the end of May with fewer than expected volunteers so
it took three days to complete. However in October, the Condo
playground was built in one day because of the large number of
volunteers. The
Association worked with Red Deer Search & Rescue with a mock training
exercise in Springbrook in April and the Youth Group was active with
several activities.
Over the next several years, a lot of residents volunteered to work bingos,
casinos and raffles. Organization, construction and maintenance for
these projects were
provided by many Springbrook residents.
 A general meeting in June
1999 featured Red Deer County Director of
Operations Michel Savard re water and sewer rates, George Gehrke County
Councillor and Sherry Cooper of the Airshow. At the same meeting, a
Bylaw Amendment Committee was formed and Lorelei O'Brien became chairman of
the Casino and Bingo Committee.
That same year, the County distributed a questionnaire in the community
about new boundary changes in Springbrook and whether a name change was
favoured. The community consensus was yes for boundary, no for name
change. An infill development between the condos and the regular
housing, proposal by Securfund, met with
considerable community resistance due to the density and, as a result, plans were modified. There was
also considerable support for the proposed Trans Canada Trail on the Hwy
2A right of way once the new highway was built the next year. Moms and
Tots was organized by
Sherri Struss. New By-Laws were adopted at the General Meeting that fall. Jodi Smith became editor of
the Babble in January 2000.
In 2001, a
multi-purpose pad was constructed in time for use as a skating rink,
again with many volunteers and funds generated by bingos and casinos. A Winter Carnival
was held in February 2002 and a Spring Fling dance in April.
 That
spring, Mynarski Park Recreation Centre was handed over by Securfund to
Mynarski Park Recreation Board (The complex was later purchased by a
private company). Springbrook became part of the Waskasoo Recreation Board
with Jodi Smith as the Springbrook representative.
 In the spring of
2003 Tara Lind became editor of the Babble. A Winter Carnival was held
in April.
A community Safety Awareness campaign was organized by Tracy McBeth in
the fall and a Welcome
sign erected at the Oak Street entrance. Some By-Law changes were made
at a special meeting in April 2004. And in the fall, the Willow Crescent
playground was renamed Mynarski Park
at a special dedication to A.C. Mynarski in September.
The Association
celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the hamlet and the community in
September 2005 with a chili cookoff, children's games, food, bakesale,
dance and prizes.
Red Deer County announced a $10 million infrastructure rehabilitation
plan to replace aging water and sewer lines that was to be started in
2006. That plan was postponed when tenders came in too high and expected
grants didn't materialize.
In 2006, the Association partnered with the Penhold Lions Club, Central
Alberta Regional Trails and the Trans Canada Trail Foundation in the
planning for a 3.2 km trail between Penhold and Springbrook along the
old Highway 2A right of way. The plan was delayed when Red Deer County
failed to approve the route and embarked on an Open Spaces Master Plan,
in part to determine trail routes and responsibilities.
 In 2007, Red Deer County initiated a Regional Recreation Study and a
Springbrook Heritage Urban Design Plan, both of which the Association
participated in. The Association stressed the need for a community
drop-in activity centre, a paved trail through the municipal reserve
along the creek, youth activities and facilities, better access to
inexpensive recreation and improvements to the all purpose pad.
In 2008, the Association installed new park furniture in the Mynarski
Park and Oak St. turnaround playground areas. A 3-year lease was signed
for the former theatre in the Trinidad Training and Fitness Centre for
use as community centre. As a result, several community events were made
possible.
2009 saw several enhancements to the community provided by Red
Deer County including several trails in the natural park
immediately west of Airport Drive, a $12 million rehabilitation
of the aging water, sewer and road infrastructure, the
initiation of transit service to Red Deer and Gasoline Alley,
the fencing of the municipal reserve, and new heritage street
signs and light standards. Improvements continued in 2010 with
the repaving of the roads, a new paved trail along Airport
Drive, the paving of the main trail in the natural park and a
new entrance sign.
The Association partnered with the Harvard Historical Aviation
Society in 2009 to host a lunch and evening dance as part of
their Air Affair. Another partnership that has provided
increased resources for community events is with the Division 3
Recreation and Culture Board.
In 2010, the Association, along with several other members of
the community, engaged in a two-day workshop to identify the
mission, vision, values and goals for the next three years in a
community visioning strategic plan. One of the main goals of the
plan is the creation of a new multi-use community centre.
History of the Penhold Base 1939-1995
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