Less than two weeks until Christmas, if you can believe it! Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:
Headlines
- The first of the 25,000 Syrian refugees Canada has pledged to accept by February have arrived in Edmonton (they’re not the first Syrian refugees our country or even city have accepted, they’ve actually been coming for years). Here’s a statement from Premier Rachel Notley, and here’s a statement from Mayor Don Iveson.
- The brand new Victoria Park Pavilion is now open to the public! “Victoria Park Pavilion will serve as a centre for outdoor activities and skating, provide public amenities, and be a gathering space in the Edmonton River Valley.”
- The cost of the second phase of remediation at Blatchford was $1.3 million, far less than the $2.5 million that was budgeted.
- The City and the River Valley Alliance are looking for your input on the Touch the Water initiative. Fill out the online survey until December 22. The budget for the project is $10.4 million.
- With snow on the ground and freeze-thaw temperature swings causing icing conditions, both the City and the Province are reminding Edmontonians to be safe. Don’t be a Peephole Driver says the City, while the Province is launching its 2015-2016 Safer Winter Highways campaign.
- Here are six perspectives on how Downtown Edmonton is changing for good. The six-minute video was produced by the City, EEDC, and the DBA.
- Here’s a statement from Ed Hervey on the loss of Chris Jones: “I thank Chris Jones for his work over the last two seasons. This is an opportunity for him to grow professionally and I wish him well in his future endeavours.”
- Matthew Dance has taken a look at building permit data to examine the impact of gentrification in core neighbourhoods. Interesting stuff!
- The northeast corner of 108 Street and Jasper Avenue could look very different in a few years if the four residential towers planned by developer John Day and others go ahead.
- Here are the latest urbanism headlines from Spacing Edmonton.
- Coming soon to a shelf near you: Canyon Creek soups, which have been made in Edmonton since 1996! They’ve just done private label sales since they began, but now they’re gearing up for an expansion.
- The new director of operations for Edmonton’s Waste Management Centre is Dean Wyman. He comes to Edmonton from Guelph and starts his new role in mid-January.
- Donate A Ride will be accepting donations in January, the 20th year for the initiative! You can donate here.
- I saw Adam post this earlier in the week: Edmonton Mayor Song.
- For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.
Hyatt Place, photo by Jeff Wallace
Upcoming Events
- Get outside and enjoy the holiday season with Candy Cane Lane and Celebrate the Season at the Legislature grounds.
- And while at the Legislature, there’s still time to check out the Magna Carta!
- Still have some Christmas shopping to do? Come down to 104 Street on Thursday for the annual Customer Appreciation Event.
- This year’s edition of the Edmonton Christmas Singing Tree starts Thursday at the Jubilee.
- Also Thursday is the Culture Collective’s Holiday Arts Market at Yellowhead Brewery.
- Christmas Reflections at Fort Edmonton Park starts on Friday. “Step back in time to a Christmas past. Celebrate winter the way Edmontonians did over a century ago.”
- If you’re shopping in Old Strathcona on Saturday, watch for the Horse-Drawn Sleigh Shuttle!
- For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.
Central Station, photo by Dave Sutherland
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