Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:
- The election is really dominating the headlines lately – you can see my latest #yegvote update here. The race is starting to heat up! You’ll be able to cast your vote as early as Tuesday when advance voting begins.
- Even though new voter identification requirements mean you need to have something with your name and current residential address, the City and service agencies are working together to ensure the homeless can vote.
- Another hot topic of discussion this week was the welcome sign prank. It’s unfortunate that some damage was caused to City property (estimates peg the amount at $14,000), but I have to admit it’s pretty funny.
- For the third year in a row, the City of Edmonton has received an AA+ credit rating from Standard & Poor’s.
- Vital Signs 2013 was launched this week by the Edmonton Community Foundation and the Edmonton Social Planning Council. This year’s report focuses on Food Security.
- Student achievement results for EPSB were released this week. Growth in the five year high school completion rate continued with a 2.8% increase.
- The Parkland Institute released a report called “Wrong Turn” this week, calling the plans for a P3 to build the southeast LRT a mistake. Here’s what I wrote about the issue back in March.
- P3’s were also a major topic of discussion at the Province’s most recent economic summit.
- Have a library card? Great! Now upgrade it to a ME Card, which entitles you to borrow items from any library in Metro Edmonton.
- A voluntary buyout program at the University of Alberta will see 121 staff members, including 77 faculty members, leave next summer. It’s part of efforts to find $56 million over two years to deal with budget shortfalls.
- ETS commemorated 20 years of accessible bus service and 35 years of LRT operations at a celebration at City Hall this week.
- Employees at Superstore locations across Alberta went on strike at midnight, so shopping there will mean trying to get past the picket lines, at least until the strike is eventually resolved.
- Here’s a look at the Kelly-Ramsey block demolition currently taking place downtown. It’s fascinating to see the building torn apart.
- As the temperatures continue to drop, EPS is asking Edmontonians to winterize their homes against crime.
Benches have been installed on Jasper Avenue. Why some face traffic, I’ll never understand.
Here are some upcoming events:
- There are lots of forums this week, starting with the next mayoral forum at lunchtime Monday at the Shaw Conference Centre. The third and final mayoral forum organized by Edmonton Elections will take place on Thursday night at the Italian Cultural Centre.
- There will be lots of other opportunities to see the mayoral candidates though, including the Housing & Homelessness Forum on Tuesday at lunch, and the Your City, Your Vote forum on Tuesday evening.
- There are forums for Ward 2 and Ward 5 candidates Monday night as well. On Tuesday night there are forums for candidates in Ward 4 and Ward 10. Candidates in Ward 12 and Ward 6 will have their forums on Wednesday.
- Fruit Loop returns on Friday evening at the Yellowhead Brewery downtown.
- The Mercer Collective Makers Market is back on Saturday!
- Saturday is also the final outdoor date for the City Market Downtown – it’ll be in City Hall for the winter.
- There’s a cool new music festival taking place on Saturday and Sunday called Up+Downtown.
- Head over to Wunderbar on Sunday for Beer n’ Politics, yet another opportunity to chat about the municipal election.
- For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.
It’s probably time to update this map…
