Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:
Headlines
- ICYMI: Linda Cochrane is Edmonton’s new City Manager.
- Edmonton’s energy use decreased by 2.5% during Earth Hour yesterday. I’m not sure what that is compared to, but last year our energy use decreased 6.3% over the week prior.
- The Greyhound station is moving to 123 Avenue and 121 Street just south of Yellowhead Trail alongside the VIA rail station. Their lease on the current downtown space expires in May and the station will be moving sometime before that happens. Apparently routes will still pass through downtown with drop-off and pickup points, so hopefully the less central location works out.
- A group called Access to Medically Supervised Injection Services Edmonton is working to establish the city’s first supervised injection sites. I think such a service in Edmonton is long overdue and I hope they’re able to make it happen.
- After sitting empty for nearly three years, it seems we’re no closer to a solution for what to do with the old Remand Centre. The Province wants to dump it on the City but the City says it doesn’t want to be burdened with the cost of retrofitting or demolishing it.
- The City promises that you’ll hear much more about its commitment to Vision Zero (which is zero traffic fatalities and major injuries) in the coming months.
- The Edmonton International Cat Festival is coming up on May 28 and this year Linda and her team are creating a Cats of Edmonton photo book which you can support here. They need to raise $13,000 by March 27 in order to print it in time for the festival.
- I didn’t know the hand-painted signs you sometimes see on old buildings had a name but they do: ghost signs. I’d like to see them protected as much as possible.
- Nominations are now open for Alberta’s 2016 Heritage Awards honouring outstanding contributions to heritage preservation. The deadline for nominations is July 15.
- A total of 2,363 traffic violations were handed out during Operation 24 Hours last week, 512 of which were speeding tickets.
- It’s Fraud Prevention Month and EPS is reminding you to be aware of cyber-crimes like phishing, ransomware, and other online scans.
- Here’s a recap of Open Data Day, which took place on March 5 at the EPL Makerspace.
- For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.
Above the Blue, photo by Dave Sutherland
Upcoming Events
- Council has Committee meetings on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday this week. Here’s my overview.
- The City is hosting a public consultation event for the Imagine Jasper Avenue project on Monday from 4:30pm to 8:30pm at Oliver School. There will be formal presentations at 5pm and 7pm. If you can’t make it, an online survey will be available soon.
- Have you ever wanted to learn more about neutrinos? There’s a lecture with Art McDonald, a 2015 Nobel Laureate in Physics, taking place at the U of A on Monday night on that very topic.
- I am looking forward to the Alberta BoostR live pitch event at NAIT on Wednesday evening!
- Wednesday is the opening reception for ArtSmash, taking place at the Faculty of Extension Gallery in Enterprise Square.
- Western Canada Fashion Week gets underway on Thursday at the ATB Financial Arts Barns.
- Karen Unland is speaking at the IABC luncheon on Thursday on pitching media in the changing landscape.
- Head over to Churchill Square on Saturday for The Downtown Defrost, taking place from 2-10pm.
- The next IGYEGWALK for local Instagrammers takes place on Saturday with the theme of “Bridges with Balloons”. Meet at 1pm at the Alberta Legislature.
- On Wednesday, March 30, EPL is launching the book In This Together: Fifteen Stories of Truth and Reconciliation to help kick off a series of Exploring Reconciliation events taking place in 2016.
- For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.
Walterdale Bridge, photo by IQRemix
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