Edmonton Notes for 5/22/2011

Hope you’re all enjoying the long weekend! There are so many headlines and events this week that I’ve broken my list into two. First, the news:

• The situation in Slave Lake dominated the headlines this week, and rightly so. Check out the Edmonton Journal’s page for a good selection of articles and interactive features. The City issued a partial fire ban on Tuesday, but apparently the air quality here in Edmonton is still fine. Later that day the Alberta government issued a province-wide fire ban. The City has been supporting Slave Lake evacuees all week.
• It was a big week for the arena. Late Wednesday evening, Council voted behind closed doors to move ahead with an agreement framework, paving the way for the project to continue. You can see video of the announcement here. Reaction seems mixed. Some are happy that progress is being made, while others feel that the process is not transparent at all. Councillor Sloan and Lorne Gunter have both weighed in against the decision recently. No one really knows what is going to happen to Rexall Place and Northlands, but Daryl Katz thinks they won’t be an issue.
• It was also a relatively big week for the City Centre Airport redevelopment project. The winner of the competition was supposed to be announced on Wednesday, but instead the five finalists were reduced to three on Thursday. The winning team is expected to be announced on June 22.
• Facing a $31 million deficit, the City is considering one-time spending cuts.
• Council narrowly defeated the gravel pit proposal from Kanata Métis Cultural Enterprises on Tuesday. They voted 7-6 against rezoning a 34-hectare parcel of farmland in the river valley.
• The southeast corner of 101 Street and Jasper Avenue is getting a major, long-overdue makeover. The new project has been dubbed First & Jasper (archive) and is slated to be finished by early 2013.
• The City mailed out more than 300,000 property tax notices this week.
• You’ll be paying more for events at Commonwealth Stadium starting next year. Ticket prices are going up 5% to help pay for new seats.
• Edmonton’s Federation of Community Leagues launched a new project this week aimed at increasing participation from different cultural groups.
• The Edmonton Public School Board voted this week to move its Tuesday evening meetings to afternoons, starting with the 2011-12 school year.
• Apparently there are a few community groups unhappy about the LRT expansion. It’s important for them to be heard, but we shouldn’t let it hold things up. Council is discussing the issue on Wednesday.
• The City Market returned to 104 Street yesterday! Sharon has a great recap here.
• EEDC’s latest quarterly report was released Friday.
• It sounds like there won’t be a Canadian pavilion at this year’s Heritage Festival.
• Gig City broke the news Monday that local weeklies VUE and SEE are merging.
• The provincial government pledged $3 million to the new Jerry Forbes Centre for Community Spirit this week. Brittney covered the news here.
• A new series of maps will help Edmontonians and visitors navigate more than 160 kilometers of river valley trails. The maps were developed by the City of Edmonton, Alberta Health Services, and the River Valley Alliance.
• A redevelopment plan for the City of Edmonton’s golf courses would cost around $30 million and would result in Rundle and Victoria being shut down for a year.
• Have you been attacked by mosquitoes yet? They’re back in full force.
• The Edmonton Police Service is reminding residents that you can sign up for newsletters and crime alerts.
• For more headlines from the past week, check out theedmontonian.com.

Overhead shot of the City Market on 104 Street.

Here are some events coming up this week:

• Jimmy Eat World is at the Edmonton Event Centre tomorrow night, Death Cab for Cutie is at the Shaw Conference Centre on Tuesday.
• The latest edition of TED Talks @ Lunch takes place on Wednesday at Enterprise Square.
• Edmonton’s newest farmers’ market – the Southwest Edmonton Farmers’ Market – takes place on Wednesday evening in the Lillian Osborne School parking lot.
• There’s another Transit Oriented Development open house this week, Thursday evening at Queen Elizabeth School.
• Also Thursday evening is the May edition of artsScene Nights, a casual gathering for Edmonton’s next gen crowd.
• M.A.D.E. is hosting Ken Lum at the Art Gallery of Alberta on Thursday evening. He’ll be talking about the Walterdale Bridge replacement, among other things.
• Social Media Breakfast Edmonton #6 takes place Friday morning at CBC Centre Stage in City Centre.
• NextGen’s Edmonton Community Challenge is back, with the Photo Scavenger Hunt starting at noon on Friday.
• Friday evening at the Shaw Conference Centre is the Alberta Party’s Big Idea Night.
• Also Friday evening is Merge Magazine’s re-launch party, out at Sherwood Park Toyota.
• Saturday is going to be a busy day! There is the City Market and the Old Strathcona Farmers Market of course.
• Also Saturday is Royal Bison, one of Edmonton’s favorite art and craft fairs. It runs Sunday too, at the Old Strathcona Performing Arts Centre.
• The ETS Community Fair is taking place at West Edmonton Mall on Saturday.
• Edmonton’s Food and Agriculture Policy Project is officially launching on Saturday morning at Dr. Wilbur McIntyre Park, right next to the market.
• Century Hospitality’s Top Chef Finale takes place on Saturday evening at Lux downtown. I’m really looking forward to the sold-out event!
• Edmonton’s seventh Zombeers takes place on Sunday evening at Original Joes Varsity.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

I took this from the Walterdale Bridge, looking at the High Level Bridge.