Here are some Edmonton-related things I found interesting this week:
- Edmonton was named the most sustainable city in Canada in the third-annual ranking published this week. We’re also the first city in the world to implement an ecoMobility project with the Global Alliance for EcoMobility.
- NAIT hosted a pretty cool event this week featuring Chef Rob Feenie. Here’s a video showing a behind-the-scenes view of the media blitz. Feenie will be back late in February for the chef-in-residence program at NAIT, and again in the spring to open a new Cactus Club Cafe location at West Edmonton Mall.
- On Monday, CBC reported that some panhandlers in the city make as much as $400 per day. This set off a ton of discussion and prompted a number of follow-up articles, including this interview with Newf, a former panhandler who now lives on welfare. He calls Edmontonians “the most kind-hearted in the world”.
- Three new LRT cars went into service early Tuesday morning! I previously wrote about the new LRT cars here and you can see some photos here. In a related story, Bay LRT station was renamed Bay/Enterprise Square this week. The U of A is spending about $25,000 to replace the old signage.
- On Friday, city council approved plans for cooperation on GIS and transit with other local municipalities. Could a regional transit commission be in our future?
- From February 2nd until the 6th, Mayor Stephen Mandel will be answering questions on Connect2Edmonton. This is apparently the first of many “Ask” forums the site is working on.
- On Thursday, Mayor Mandel’s hand-picked Committee to End Homelessness released its report, A Place to Call Home. The Journal has a good overview of the plan.
- Finally, a couple plugs for things I’m involved in. Help us grow Edmonton’s Free WiFi Project by purchasing and hosting a router! Curious about Twitter? Already a user? Join us on February 12th for Edmonton Twestival!
MasterMaq's Blog 
– I’m psyched that Cactus Club will be opening in WEM!
– I can’t believe a panhandler can make so much. I was beginning to have sympathy for homeless people when I started reading the Edmonton Journal series on the problem of homelessness. I never give panhandlers money anymore because once I have a guy $2, and he asked me for more! The nerve.
– I like the new LRT cars because they are less screechy than the old ones.
Mack, mayor Steve just cost residents, in Strathcona County over $500K. Fees spent to defend the county’s development plan that Edmonton opposed. Edmonton lost the appeal. So much for cooperative regional government.
Stephen has also refused to implement bus service to the Airport. Edmonton Airport coughed up lots of dough, as did Leduc. Stephen won’t sign off.
Playing tough bully short sighted politics on regional planning is not condusive a cooperative regional effort.
Bruce – I admit I’m not up-to-speed on all the issues you’ve mentioned, but I know there are two sides to every story. Maybe someone will ask him about the things you listed this week on the forum!