Edmonton Notes for 9/21/2014

Just a week to go until Sharon and I are married and on a plane to Asia! Can’t wait. Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Big week of provincial news. It’s being touted as a big change, but is it really? The new lineup of provincial ministers was unveiled this week, with former mayor Stephen Mandel serving as Alberta’s new Health Minister (he says he’s up to the challenge). You can also see the list of deputy ministers and other senior staff appointments. Later in the week, mandate letters for each cabinet minister were released. And then on Thursday, the Alberta Legislature was prorogued. The first sitting under Premier Prentice will begin November 17.
• Mayor Iveson thinks the mandate letters highlight numerous shared priorities between the Province and the City. There’s a lot of optimism coming out of the mayor’s office with respect to the Prentice leadership.
• Oh yeah, Prentice also cancelled the license plate redesign.
• The City was talking about bike lanes again this week, announcing that 83 Avenue and 102 Avenue are the top ranked locations for new bike routes. They’re hosting open houses on October 29 and 30 to discuss design options for the two routes.
• Our city’s growing population has prompted calls for a review of the ward boundaries, which could mean new City Councillors. I didn’t realize there’s a bunch of empty space at City Hall intended specifically for that purpose that has been unused since the building opened in 1992.
• We need more land for sidewalks along 104 Avenue if we want to make the area more pedestrian-friendly, says consultant Mark Reid of Urban Strategies. Shocker. You can learn more about the 104 Avenue Corridor Plan here.
• Leslie Chivers explains why Edmonton needs a Wolverine statue.
• Dr. Susan Minsos has been named MacEwan University’s 22nd writer in residence.
• Apparently a smart card plan for ETS is moving ahead. Awesome, but what does this mean for the proposed regional system?
• I had no idea the University of Alberta Golden Bears football team had not won a game since November 3, 2010. They took victory against the Regina Rams by two points on Saturday.
• In other U of A news, the institution’s endowment fund has now surpassed $1 billion. In her State of the University address, President Indira Samarasekera said the U of A has “transformed our university to the benefit of the public we serve.”
• In the 2014-15 QS World University Rankings, the U of A lands in the 84th spot, up from 96th last year.
• Here’s a recap of E-Town 2014 from Beverley Jackman.
• Omar asks if the two revitalizations in The Quarters can co-exist. Does it have to be developers vs. artists?
• Wondering what “Urban LRT” is and how it differs from Edmonton’s existing LRT lines? The Transforming Edmonton blog explains it.
• Londonderry Mall is the latest shopping centre to get a makeover. The $130 million project is already underway.
• Behind-the-scenes with Oilers captain Andrew Ference. Great thoughts on leadership and community involvement.
• Edmonton’s NextGen has unveiled the presenter lineup for Pecha Kucha Night 20, taking place on October 2.
• Hundreds of Edmontonians took part in the People’s Climate March today. Marches took place all around the world in an attempt to pressure leaders meeting in New York to discuss the issue.

Lovely fall colors downtown, photo by Grant C

Upcoming Events

• Western Canada Fashion Week is underway and continues through Saturday at the ATB Financial Arts Barns.
• At a public hearing on Monday, City Council will consider the request to close 103 Street between 103 Avenue and 104 Avenue for the arena district, among other things.
• Walking with Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular starts on Wednesday evening at Rexall Place.
• The Edmonton PHP User Group meets on Thursday at Startup Edmonton.
• The seventh annual Alberta Culture Days kicks off in Edmonton with a free concert and block party on 104 Street on Friday night!
• Also Friday evening, the Eskimos host the Roughriders at Commonwealth Stadium.
• The Edmonton International Film Festival officially kicks off on Friday at the Landmark Cinemas 9 City Centre.
• The Edmonton Comic & Entertainment Expo takes over the Expo Centre this weekend!
• Saturday is National Learn to Code Day!
• On Sunday, Social Media Breakfast Edmonton is hosting a field trip at Rundle Park! You can read more about it at The Local Good.
• Get out and enjoy some of that other football on Sunday when FC Edmonton hosts the NY Cosmos at Clark Stadium.
• Also that evening, the Oilers host the Blackhawks in another pre-season game.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Western Canada Fashion Week