Edmonton Notes for 8/9/2015

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Folk Fest took place this weekend and as usual it seemed to take over the city. Here’s a taste from Gigcity and here’s a history of the festival, which “came close to the brink of failure a number of times.” There were dozens and dozens of photos posted this week, but perhaps my favorite came from Mike Morrison (aka Mike’s Bloggity).

• With the federal election now officially underway, Edmonton candidates say they’re ready for the long campaign. Councillor Amarjeet Sohi will be stepping away from City Hall while he runs in Edmonton-Mill Woods.
• EPCOR has announced that Stuart Lee has been appointed as the company’s new President and CEO. He was most recently a Senior Vice President at Capital Power Corporation. His term at EPCOR officially begins on September 1, 2015.
• The Edmonton Public Library is the first Canadian library to become a global chapter for littleBits, which makes easy-to-use electronic building blocks.
• The City is piloting a new traffic technology system called Advisory Driving Speed on Whitemud Drive which uses signage to inform drivers about the recommended speed they should be going. The pilot will run for four weeks between 111 Street and 159 Street starting Tuesday.
• Last year hundreds of volunteers worked to plant Edmonton’s first river valley food forest and on August 15, you can help expand it!
• The president of NAIT’s Students Union has called the Metro Line LRT delays a “growing disappointment”.
• There has been a lot of discussion lately about public art and cultural appropriation. Here’s Paul Giang’s take on the issue.
• Linda has contributed a Top 10 list of restaurants in Edmonton’s Chinatown to YellowPages Canada.
• If you have feedback on land use and zoning in McKernan-Belgravia, fill out this online survey which will be open until August 21. You can learn more here.
• From Make Something Edmonton: Make your city, don’t just live in it.
• Here’s a literary city guide to Edmonton, courtesy of Eat This Poem.
• Be advised the City now has a zero-tolerance policy when enforcing the pet license bylaw. The fine for having an unlicensed pet is $250.
• Urban beekeeping is now allowed in Edmonton, so the City has launched a campaign to dispel some of the myths surrounding bees!
• Just another Edmonton mommy reminds us that our city has a Telephone Historical Centre at the Prince of Wales Armouries.
• Sarah Chan is helping to build an army of young people to end poverty in Edmonton.
• Can’t wait for hockey season? The Oilers and Sportsnet have revealed broadcast details for the upcoming campaign, which will be all about “Connor, Connor and more Connor.”
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

City of Edmonton tower rising, photo by Jason Woodhead

Upcoming Events

• The next Movies on the Square night is Tuesday: Cinderella!
• The Edmonton International Fringe Festival kicks off on Thursday! This year’s theme is SupercaliFRINGEilistic.
• Really unique event taking place on Wednesday night at Commonwealth Stadium called Feast on the Field.
• There are just three Fridays left for Night Market Edmonton.
• The Edmonton Rock Music Festival kicks off at Hawrelak Park on Friday evening! The lineup includes Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo.
• Also taking place this weekend is the Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival, down at Louise McKinney Park.
• The City is hosting a Big Bin Event for household items that are too big for regular waste collection on Saturday and Sunday at Commonwealth Stadium.
• The Edmonton Latin Festival takes place at Churchill Square on Saturday and Sunday.
• On Sunday FC Edmonton hosts the Carolina RailHawks at Clarke Stadium.
• Save the date for our next What the Truck?! event: August 22 at TELUS Field! Here’s the lineup.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Animethon 22, photo by IQRemix