Edmonton Notes for 9/25/2011

Hope you enjoyed Free Admission Day! Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

• This article by David Thompson, Director of Sustainable Communities for Sustainable Prosperity, was widely retweeted and read this week. The article very plainly lays out the price of sprawl: “Suburban sprawl will cost the City of Edmonton and its taxpayers much more than it provides in revenues.”
• I love this thought from Todd Babiak, writing about the GoMedia Conference that took place in our city: “The opportunity, for a city like Edmonton, is that it doesn’t yet suffer from 100-year-old stereotypes. We haven’t yet invested much in our story, though others in Canada have had a jolly time telling it for us: industrial, mall-oriented, car-oriented, unimaginatively conservative.” Sounds like opportunity to me!
• Small business owners: you have until September 30 to enter the City of Edmonton’s Small Business Eco Challenge. First prize is $500 cash!
• The Edmonton Valley Zoo announced the birth of a new red panda this week. Qiji was born on August 1.
• Here is Sharon’s latest City Market Report. It’s cool to see how many other things happen around the market.
• A new report released by Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Association recommends busing construction workers to work sites in the northeast of Edmonton.
• WMC Digital Media Inc. is installing three video walls on the City Centre bridge. The largest is 2.5 metres tall and more than 4 metres wide. I find this hard to believe, but the Canadian Out-of-Home Measurement Bureau says that pedway bridge sees more than 4.5 million pedestrians a year. Maybe Sharon’s right – that Tim Horton’s must be the reason! For more on the bridge, check out this post.
• TD Canada Trust has opened a swanky new concept branch in Southgate. Have you checked it out yet?
• The Charrette is still keeping an eye on bike lanes.
• Could a funicular railway between Jasper Avenue and Rossdale be just what that area needs for redevelopment?
• City Council’s Executive Committee decided this week that councillors will continue to sit on the Edmonton Police Commission, despite raising concerns about time commitment.
• I still have an Atari with a bunch of games. Cool to see local company Fluik Games working with Atari to bring Asteroids to the iPhone.
• Plans to raise the franchise fees charged to Edmonton power and gas companies will cost the average resident $22 next year, a new report says.
• In case you missed it: the new EPCOR Tower light up took place this week, with the open house set for Tuesday.
• The Brintnell Park Society is looking for your help in the Picnic Anywhere competition! “Embracing the Schneiders Country Naturals vision, we are targeting Brintnell Park to be the first Eco-Friendly park project in Edmonton. From sidewalk to playground to picnic tables, environmentally friendly materials & equipment will be used to build the park!”

Here are some upcoming events:

• The City of Edmonton is hosting a series of public consultations on the 2012 Budget Process. There are three this week – Monday evening at Clareview Arena, Wednesday evening at Lessard Community Hall, and Thursday evening at Ukrainian Youth Complex.
• The Oilers have another preseason game at Rexall Place on Tuesday, against the Phoenix Coyotes.
• TED Talks@Lunch returns on Wednesday at Enterprise Square.
• The fifth Tower Renewal Summit is being held on Thursday at lunch time. I wrote about the last event here.
• Western Canada Fashion Week wraps up on Thursday at the TransAlta Arts Barns.
• DemoCamp Edmonton 15 is happening on Thursday evening at the Telus Centre. I’m demoing!
• We’re already at #10?! Social Media Breakfast Edmonton #10 takes place on Friday morning. Note the location has changed to D’Lish.
• Alberta Arts Days is getting underway on Friday! There’s lots to do, such as a Winspear Centre Tour.
• The Handmade Mafia returns on Saturday at the TransAlta Arts Barns, first from 10am until 4pm, and then again from 6pm until 11pm.
• On Saturday night, Kings of Leon are at Rexall Place.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Here’s the latest Community Crime Update from EPS:

Fall is definitely upon us, despite the heat wave we had this week.