Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:
Headlines
- On Friday the City announced that the Metro Line LRT will open on September 6, just in time for the start of the school year. It’s a modified service and approach, but I guess it’s better than nothing. I wrote a bit more about the news in my review of what’s coming up at Council this week.
- We’re about halfway through the 2015 construction season (cue the jokes) and the City says 92% of the 176 projects underway are “either already complete or on track to finish on time and on budget.” Road projects in 2015 are receiving $451 million in investment.
- The City held a ground-breaking ceremony on Wednesday at Blatchford. Construction began on August 8 on the first phase of residential development and part of the new district park. It is hoped that the first residents could be living in Blatchford by late 2016/early 2017.
- Congratulations to all of the winners of the Apps for Alberta competition. The award for Best Overall App went to Make the Grade, by Edmonton’s own Darkhorse Analytics. You can check out all the apps here.
- Festivals that need police services could be facing a 50% increase in fees by 2016. Apparently EPS had not raised rates since 2007.
- Congratulations to Gene Smith and everyone else at nForm on the acquisition by fellow Edmonton-tech company iomer. Great to see two local companies getting together.
- Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan has won the federal NDP nomination for Edmonton-Centre.
- The North Saskatchewan River is at its lowest levels since 2009, which is affecting wildlife and river-users and has forced the Edmonton Queen to end all sailings this season.
- The Golden Bears and Pandas tennis teams both finished with silver medals in today’s national championship games. This was the first year that titles were awarded for both men’s and women’s teams.
- I doubt it would affect attendance much, but the idea of celebrating New Years Eve a few hours earlier seems wrong. It’s not the new year until midnight!
- For its second entry in a series on ethical eating, The Local Good interviewed Slow Food Edmonton members Chad & Thea Moss.
- The possible birthplace of the green onion cake, Happy Garden Restaurant, is closing its doors in October because the landlord has given them notice to vacate.
- This video called Town Facts: Edmonton by Dopestick Tv made the rounds recently. Kinda funny.
- Jay Smith says Edmonton should plan around the new car-less youth.
- Here’s a feature on the “Big E” that has popped up around downtown.
- Here are the latest urbanism headlines from Spacing Edmonton.
- For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.
Downtown at 6am, photo by Rogie 09
Upcoming Events
- Sharon and I took in our first Fringe show of the year today! SupercaliFRINGEilistic continues all week at venues throughout Old Strathcona and elsewhere in the city.
- The next Movies on the Square event takes place on Tuesday with a screening of Big Hero 6.
- Tuesday evening at The Common is interVivos’ #girlbossyeg event.
- Capital Ideas Edmonton’s next event takes place on Wednesday at the Edmonton Journal on forming strategic alliances.
- On Wednesday evening, Rocks and Fossils is the theme for Family Nature Nights.
- Thursday is the final patio at Latitude 53 of the season, don’t miss it.
- The Edmonton Blues Festival kicks off on Friday at Hawrelak Park.
- The Edmonton Eskimos host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Friday at Commonwealth Stadium.
- The 23rd Edmonton Marathon takes place this weekend!
- Also taking place Saturday and Sunday is the Edmonton Airshow, out at Villeneuve Airport.
- Alberta Farm Days takes place throughout the province on the weekend.
- 4th Street Promenade is hosting Al Fresco on 104 Street downtown on Saturday.
- I hope to see you on Saturday evening at TELUS Field for our next What the Truck?! event. Here are the menus.
- If you’ve got some large waste items to get rid of, the City is hosting another Big Bin Event on the weekend at Terwillegar Rec Centre.
- FC Edmonton hosts the Fort Lauderdale Strikers on Sunday at Clarke Stadium.
- For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.
Murder, photo by Kurt Bauschardt
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