Edmonton Notes for 8/17/2014

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Congratulations to the Art Gallery of Alberta on turning 90 today! The High Level Bridge was colored red, orange, and green tonight to celebrate.
• In case you missed it, here’s an extensive piece on the High Level Bridge and the long history of people jumping from it to their deaths.
• Northlands announced that Tim Reid is their new President and CEO. Here are my thoughts.
• The new boardwalk-style patio at Julio’s Barrio on Whyte is here to stay: the pilot project has been extended.
• The Apple commercial “Misunderstood” which was filmed in Edmonton has won a Creative Arts Emmy.
• Councillor Mike Nickel posted what appears to be a letter to Council from UDI Edmonton’s chair Jordan Davis which outlines the organization’s concerns with the MGA review the City conducted. UDI says the proposed changes would “impact affordability” after acknowledging that “developers or builders ultimately pass costs on.”
• Summer break is over for Council! They’re back at it this week, with Community Services Committee, Executive Committee, and Transportation Committee meetings, plus a public hearing. Let’s hope for good news tomorrow as they discuss an Urban Hens Pilot Project! On Tuesday they’re discussing the infill roadmap.
• Yes, the mosquitoes are bad right now. Likely record-breaking numbers. I should not have worn shorts to What the Truck?! on Saturday!
• Congratulations to the City of Edmonton on winning an international award from the Institute of Transportation Engineers for its Lego bike safety videos.
• Four local startups – SAM IO, Granify, Innovative Trauma Care, and LoginRadius – have received funding from the TEC Venture Angels, a private angel investors group that is just six months old.
• Don’t miss the latest urbanism headlines from Spacing Edmonton.
• The City has a goal of replacing all of its streetlights with LEDs by 2020, but until the end of the year, some neighbourhoods are still getting the old bulbs.
• Congratulations to Emerson Csorba and Kassie Burkholder who are representing Edmonton on the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community Advisory Councils for 2014 (PDF).
• Terence Harding thinks that City Council should have political parties. While I agree with his desire for increased transparency and accountability, think political parties are absolutely the wrong way to go about it.
• The Oilers are making news for something other than their lack of winning for a change! Their decision to hire analytics guru Tyler Dellow is controversial and could be the start of a big trend in the NHL. See also this discussion about the openness of NHL data.
• There’s nothing stopping you from taking your laptop out into the river valley to get some work done, but it could be more comfortable (and feature WiFi). Marissa Loewen is trying to get the City to create workstations in some City parks.
• Voting is now open for Vue Weekly’s Best of Edmonton 2014. You can nominate your favorites in just about every category but food (they save that for the Golden Fork Awards in May).
• Edmonton Next Gen has put out the call for presenters for Pecha Kucha Night 20 which is taking place on October 2 and the Royal Alberta Museum.

Edmonton Latin Festival, photo by IQRemix

Upcoming Events

• The 33rd annual Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival is well underway now! Check out the grounds and take in some shows – you have until August 24. Sounds like the opening weekend was a good one!
• The next interVivos event takes place on Monday night – check out #girlbossyeg at The Common.
• Capital Ideas Edmonton hosts its next event on how creativity feeds into business on Wednesday at lunch.
• Don’t miss the Latitude 53 patio on Thursday night!
• Also Thursday, check out Nerd [Game] Night at Iconoclast Koffiehuis.
• The Edmonton Marathon takes place on Saturday and Sunday. This is the 22nd anniversary of the event!
• I hope to see you in Chinatown on Saturday night for the 97 Street Night Market, taking place along 106 Avenue at 97 Street. Here’s more on the event from Sharon.
• Also that night, the Edmonton Eskimos host the Toronto Argonauts at Commonwealth Stadium.
• Viva Italia Viva Edmonton takes place on Sunday at Giovanni Caboto Park!
• We’re hosting our next Blink event on Sunday at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald. Tickets for the ImMACulate Garden Party are $40 and proceeds support the Edmonton Humane Society. Hope to see you there!
• Also this weekend, Beverly is celebrating 100 years since its corporation as a town in 1914!
• Stony Plain Road is hoping to become the YEG Market District with their first event on Sunday at 102 Avenue between 153 and 154 Streets, in the alley behind the Jasper Place Hotel.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

2014 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup: Canada vs. Germany, photo by Andrew Bates