Red Deer College officials recently held their annual report and unveiled new plans for the organization.

Joel Ward, president of RDC announced the need for new buildings that will strengthen the College into a well-rounded institution.

He described ways to complete the College with five pillars they believe will make it an institution that will meet the learning needs of Central Albertans and beyond.

One of the pillars is a new facility, which will house the health and wellness programs at the College and allow more health technicians to complete their training close to home.

“It is an educational miss and we don’t have that and we need it,” said Ward. “Support for that facility is in conjunction with the government so in order to move ahead on that project we need the go ahead.”

He added they already have the health and wellness facility designed, developed, programmed, and ready for blueprint. There is still six months of work to do, but he is confident they will have it ready to put a shovel in the ground, whenever the government gives the go ahead.

“As the economy improves and when the government is able to support a project like this we will be ready to move on it. But this is a decision the government will make with us,” said Ward. “This is critical. We have to get this done. There is a shortage of health care workers in Central Alberta and we need to be able to train them in Central Alberta and have the programs to train them with.”

The College has been talking with health care institutions and has been asking them to help with the submission and to help the government realize the need in Central Alberta.

Another facility in the works is a multiplex to house the athletics department and to provide an area for the community to enjoy as well as to add more student housing.

“Imagine Hockey Alberta running a summer camp for six weeks and staying in the student houses, just an example of how we can help the community,” said Ward. “We think we can make this happen. The multiplex and student residences we can do on our own and we have already been looking into partners and developers to help us and we believe we have the capacity to be able to have these facilities built without the government since they don’t fund things like this.”

Ward did not have an exact timeline on the projects, but he believes they can be well on their way within six months.

“We need to be able to offer what is needed in Central Alberta without sending our kids somewhere else. It means we need to have more and we are working on that.”

tsigurdson@reddeerexpress.com