Red Deer Reality Rant #28 - Give Thanks, A List of Gratitude
Hello fellow Red Deerians. Hope everyone is doing just fine on this Thanksgiving Monday. I certainly am, the weather has been great although it does cause me to worry a bit about what this winter will be like, and even more so, the next summer. Otherwise, life is good, and that is the focus for today’s Rant: the good things in Red Deer and the gratitude I have for my life in Red Deer.
Thanksgiving is traditionally a time to give thanks and show gratitude as the name implies. Many people are spending time with their families and friends and most likely having a meal together. I do know many people who do not have these things, and while family and friends are important and something definitely to be grateful for, there are many other things that make living in Red Deer great. Here is a list, in no particular order:
#1 - Parks. Red Deer is loaded with parks and trail systems like you don’t even see in B.C. All of the city’s parks are well maintained and beautiful. I lived in the Kootenays and in the small city I graduated high school in there was only one park, very small, that was also the campground. Dawson Creek also only had one park and it was mostly used by the middle school. Vancouver has Stanley Park, but as in Red Deer, you don’t go there at night!
#2 - Music scene. Especially on Ross Street, and venues like the Velvet Olive. I know several local bands and musicians and they are all down to earth good people with many talents. Red Deer really could use more venues, and people really need to get out of the house and attend these shows! Life is about experience, attending live shows and showing support for local musicians is both good for Red Deer and a fun experience.
#3 - Arts scene, of course. Red Deer has a small Arts scene but I am grateful to be a part of it. Places like A+ Art Gallery, the MAG and Red Deer Arts Council offer opportunities for local artists and display wonderful pieces. There is also Viewpoint Gallery at the City of Red Deer Culture services building by Central Middle School of which I have applied for an exhibition. An amazing opportunity, but I am sure that the competition is stiff. Red Deer has some awesome artists!
#4 - Small size, but with plentiful shopping and restaurants. I very rarely have to go to Edmonton or Calgary for shopping. If I went to West Edmonton Mall, it would only be for a mini vacation and touristy type things. Red Deer has everything I need to live comfortably along with some extras for my entertainment and hobbies.
#5 - Education opportunities. I am very grateful for RDP and all of the classes I took, the scholarships I received, the awesome instructors, the friends I made, and really, the whole experience. I have a diploma in Media Studies and Professional Communication, but sadly, it’s not offered at RDP anymore. I was very lucky to have graduated in 2019 before the plague and the transition of the college into a polytechnic, but I have at least one classmate who works for RDP. Kudos to them.
These are only a few things that I am grateful for. There is so much more, far too much to list. I suppose that I could write a book of my gratitude, but that would likely be a memoir and not very entertaining. I hope that you enjoyed this post today or at least found some useful information. On this day of thanks, try to think of five things that you are grateful for and share the sentiment. Thanks for reading, I will be back next week for more ranting!
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