Happy Valentine’s Day! Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:
Headlines
- Monday is Family Day, and the City of Edmonton is encouraging you to “turn off your devices and treat yourself to some face time with loved ones by pledging to share at least 2 hours technology-free.”
- A total of 3,721 residents cast a ballot in the Ward 12 Advance Vote this week. Election Day is February 22.
- Covenant Health issued “a fiery statement this week, in opposition to the Supreme Court’s rulings on physician-assisted death.” Paula Simons argues that if they aren’t going to obey the law, they shouldn’t get public funds to run public hospitals. I agree.
- Details are expected to be released this week for Vision 2020, the Northlands plan to redevelop the entire 160 acre site including Rexall Place. Council has seen the “Ice Coliseum” concept and Mayor Iveson called the plan “creative”. I’ve seen the plan too, and would describe it as ambitious. Realistic? Maybe not.
- Hundreds of newcomers to Edmonton, including many from Syria, were welcomed on Saturday at a big event at Rundle Park featuring Mayor Iveson, Oiler Andrew Ference, Deputy Premier Sarah Hoffman, and many more.
- Nine new schools are slated to open in September 2017, and EPSB is looking for help naming each school. The deadline for suggestions is February 28.
- “From a single small power plant in 1891 to a power and water company in more than 100 communities today.” EPCOR is celebrating 125 years in 2016.
- This is pretty cool: “The City of Edmonton and Enoch Cree Nation announced the renaming of 23 Ave between Anthony Henday and 215 Street to Maskêkosihk Trail, pronounced ‘Muss-Kay-Go-See’.” There’s more in the news release here.
- From OilersNation: Could the Edmonton Oilers survive a $4MM drop in the salary cap?
- The University of Alberta’s Sexual Violence Review Group has released a report that contains 46 recommendations to enhance the campus community’s response to sexual assault.
- Avenue Edmonton’s Best Neighbourhood Survey is back for 2016. The survey closes April 30 and you can fill it out here.
- Here’s a feature on the energy downtown, including a video featuring Mayor Don Iveson racing the Big E.
- ICYMI: Here’s my look at what’s coming up at Council in the week ahead.
- For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.
Stand With Ghosts, photo by Jeff Wallace
Upcoming Events
- If you haven’t yet visited the Ice Castle at Hawrelak Park, you may want to do that soon! The warm weather means the castle may not be around for much longer. They wrote on Facebook: “We plan to be open through Silver Skate Festival. Beyond that remains uncertain, due to the changing weather conditions. We will stay open as long as we can.”
- Of course tomorrow is as good a day as any to visit, being Family Day! There are also activities at City Hall and at the Legislature.
- The Silver Skate Festival started on Friday and continues at Hawrelak Park through Sunday, February 21.
- The Oil Kings host the Tri-City Americans at Rexall Place on Family Day!
- The Wildfire Festival continues starting Tuesday at the Citadel Theatre.
- The Oilers host the Ducks on Tuesday evening, the Wild on Thursday, and the Avalanche on Saturday.
- EEDC is hosting an International Trade Seminar on Friday at the Mercer Warehouse.
- On Friday the Bellevue Social Club presents Old Wives & Gateway Boulevard.
- The Hypothermic Half Marathon takes place again on Sunday at the Highlands Golf Club.
- For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.
Lunar New Year in Chinatown with Councillor McKeen, the God of Fortune
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