Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:
- It was a big week for the downtown arena. After meetings in New York on Tuesday and Wednesday, Council received an update on the status of the negotiations on Friday. The Katz Group agreed to drop its requirement for a non-compete clause with Northlands, and Council voted to purchase the land for the proposed arena. The issue will be back before Council next week.
- Alison Redford has been busy making people happy lately, announcing $18.6 million in new money for Edmonton’s school boards on Friday.
- Solid piece by David Staples: Listen up, Ottawa: Transit is our No. 1 need. Great quote from Councillor Iveson: “There’s no freeway in the world that gets less congested. They all get more congested over time.”
- John Rose, our city’s Chief Economist, says that “looking throughout North America, one would be hard-pressed to find a jurisdiction doing as well as Edmonton.” He says our economy continues to do very well.
- Todd Babiak wants you to call Anthony Henday Drive by a nickname: “The Tony”.
- The City Market moved to City Hall this weekend, where it will remain throughout the winter. Sharon’s recap is here.
- Congratulations to Randy Marsden, CEO of Cleankeys Inc. and one of the recipients of last week’s Manning Innovation Awards.
- Just a reminder that parking at the Belvedere LRT station may be limited while landscaping takes place over the next few weeks.
- Daryl Katz is the only Edmontonian to make the list of the wealthiest people in Canada. He landed at number 18 with a net worth of $2.8 billion.
- It’s clearly a marketing piece, but it’s nice to see something pro-Edmonton in the Globe and Mail for a change!
- I have to agree with the Mayor on this one: $60 million to transform the Hawrelak Park lake into a filtered swimming pond with a beach is “ludicrous.”
- Red Arrow is launching a new cheaper alternative called ebus this week. They start taking reservations Monday, and the coaches start running Thursday.
- Khosla Ventures has closed a new $1.05 billion fund, one of the biggest new funds this year. Edmonton-based Alberta Investment Management Corp. (AIMCo) has invested in the new fund.
- A new report says that while installing turnstiles at LRT stations would cut down on free rides, the devices still aren’t worth the expense.
- Occupy Edmonton took place on Saturday, with hundreds of Edmontonians marching in protest. More than 1400 cities across the globe took part in Saturday’s movement. It must have been cold this morning, as some protesters spent the night in tents.
Occupy Edmonton marches down 102 Street. More photos here.
It’s another busy week coming up for events:
- The Anti Graffiti Symposium is at The Westin this week, hosted by Capital City Clean Up.
- This week is Small Business Week, and it kicks off Monday with an after business mixer. The Small Business Owner of the Year Awards Luncheon takes place on Friday.
- Thursday is the Downtown Business Association’s AGM and Luncheon. There’s a focus this year on the Downtown Vibrancy Task Force, of which I am a member.
- The first annual Edmonton Comedy Festival starts on Wednesday evening at the Citadel.
- Halloween is fast approaching! This year’s Farm of Fear starts on Thursday evening.
- Guru’s fall party takes place on Thursday at Yellowhead Brewery.
- The Oilers are in action at home twice this week – Thursday against Minnesota, and Saturday against The Rangers.
- Edmonton Opera’s Storm the Stage takes place on Friday evening. Cavalleria Rusticana / I Pagliacci begins its run on Saturday evening.
- The Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival is taking place on Friday and Saturday at the Shaw Conference Centre.
- For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.
Premier Alison Redford’s Cabinet is sworn-in at Government House, in Edmonton, Alberta, on Wednesday, October 12, 2011.
Great weather, great colors.
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