Edmonton Notes for 3/6/2016

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Construction of the Mechanized River Valley Access project, better known as the funicular, begins Monday. That means the stairs beside Hotel Macdonald will be closed and there will be temporary traffic disruptions on Grierson Hill and McDougall Hill Road. Construction is slated to be complete in the fall of 2017.
• Edmonton’s first ever infill design competition is now open for registration and is “intended to showcase design innovation and best practices that improve the quality of infill development in the City.” Registrations will be accepted until May 31, 2016 and the deadline for submissions is August 31, 2016. Up to $15,000 in prizes may be awarded! You can learn more about the competition here.
• As I mentioned earlier in the week, the new Vehicle for Hire Bylaw came into effect on March 1 with six licenses issued to PTPs. Here are some things to know before catching a ride from Transforming Edmonton.
• An economic impact study done for Northlands by Nichols Applied Management suggests that Alberta would see a benefit of between $680 million and $1 billion in the next 20 years if Vision 2020 goes ahead.
• The Police Commission and EPS have released the 2015 Fourth Quarter Report to the Community. “By the end of the fourth quarter of 2015, property crimes increased by 20.4% and violent crimes increased by 9.61%, compared to the same time frame in 2014.”
• What do you think should happen to the old Royal Alberta Museum building and site? I like Brittney’s suggestion of turning it into a civic museum.
• The Edmonton Galleria Foundation announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Edmonton but the project still needs provincial support to move forward and that doesn’t seem likely.
• The Edmonton Oilers will face off against the Winnipeg Jets in Winnipeg for the next NHL Heritage Classic on Sunday, October 23, 2016.
• Here are 15 date ideas under $10 in Edmonton, from YEG Date Night.
• March is National Fraud Prevention month so “Edmontonians can expect to hear from EPS and our many partners about how to avoid falling victim to a seemingly endless plethora of scams.”
• Michael Ross has taken a look at the results of the 2015 Federal Election and has produced a handy map of how each pill in Edmonton voted. It’s very blue.
• During the last Operation 24 Hours event, EPS handed out 2,295 traffic violations, 1,922 of which were for speeding.
• Due to the lack of snow, the City has closed its snow storage facilities for public use. “The snow storage facilities will remain closed until a significant snowfall warrants re-opening.”
• The City of Learners’ #3SkillsYEG campaign continues! The suggested category for March is Creativity and Expression. What will you learn?
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

State Funeral for Don Getty, photo by Premier of Alberta

Upcoming Events

• The Oil Kings host the Saskatoon Blades on Monday and the Calgary Hitmen on Friday.
• Tuesday is International Women’s Day and there’s a conference taking place at the Matrix Hotel to celebrate.
• The Oilers host the Sharks on Tuesday and the Coyotes on Saturday.
• The next Dark Matters takes place on Thursday at the TELUS World of Science. The theme this time is Robots.
• The multidisciplinary arts festivals SkirtsaFire kicks off on Thursday and runs through Sunday with the kickoff hosted at the Nina Haggerty on 118 Avenue.
• The 2016 ROOPH Awards finalists will be celebrated at a luncheon at the Shaw Conference Centre on Thursday.
• The Edmonton Boat & Sportsmen’s Show takes place at the Edmonton Expo Centre from Thursday through Sunday.
• The Winter Warrior Challenge takes place Saturday at The Ranch Golf & Country Club.
• Saturday is Startup Edmonton’s Student Developer Conference, taking place at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• Latitude 53’s annual winter fundraiser Parka Patio takes place on Saturday with a “FUTURE CITY” theme “inspired by downtown Edmonton’s changing skyline.”
• Looks like Slide the City will indeed return to Edmonton this summer on July 23.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Stairs closed for Mechanized River Valley Access project