Edmonton Notes for April 17, 2016

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• The Government of Alberta unveiled Budget 2016 this week, saying it “moves Alberta forward by supporting families and businesses through a tough economy, promoting job creation and economic diversification, and carefully controlling government spending.” Mayor Don Iveson wrote a reaction to the budget here. “Budget 2016 reminds us that the current roller coaster approach the Province takes to funding isn’t effective and makes long-term planning difficult for us,” he wrote.
• On Wednesday the City removed Edmonton’s last coin parking meter at a small ceremony on Rice Howard Way. I wrote about the news here.
• Dorian Wandzura, former head of the City’s transportation department and current GM of City Operations, has announced he will leave his job at the end of April.
• Door-to-door census workers began visiting Edmonton homes on Friday. Remember you can fill out the census online this year.
• Another milestone for the new Walterdale Bridge was reached this week as the arch was lifted into place. “The new Walterdale Bridge is scheduled to open to traffic by the end of 2016, with overall project completion by fall 2017.”
• “Six artworks symbolizing Edmonton’s rich Indigenous history were unveiled” this week at the new Indigenous Art Park located within Queen Elizabeth Park. Here’s more on the art and artists from the Edmonton Arts Council.
• The parking employees that Northlands terminated back in October have sued the organization for wrongful dismissal and defamation and are seeking $9.7 million in damages.
• EPSB Chair Michael Janz says it is time to end the Province’s subsidy to private schools. “Times have changed, 30 years ago there was not the same choice in the public system that there is now,” he told Metro Edmonton.
• Installation of the deck panels on the new Terwillegar Park Footbridge has begun. Construction on what will be the second longest stressed ribbon footbridge in the world is expected to complete this fall.
• The Oilers have put out the call for nominations for the Al Hamilton Scholarship Award. The deadline to nominate a prospective college and university student is May 27.
• With beautiful weather comes motorcycles. The City is reminding everyone to look twice to keep our roads safe.
• Registration is now open for the City’s spring Planning Academy courses. And from Transforming Edmonton, here’s a feature on zoning.
• Leon Draisaitl will join fellow Oilers Connor McDavid, Taylor Hall, Cam Talbot, Patrick Maroon, Matt Hendricks, and Andrej Sekera at the IIHF Wold Championship in Russia.
• The Province has penciled in some dates for the Municipal Government Act summer engagement sessions. Edmonton’s is scheduled for June 13.
• From Raising Edmonton: 5 Best Indoor Pools for Bigger Kids and 5 Best Indoor Pools for Toddlers.
• Have you taken the 1-Day-a-Week Pledge? “Beginning today I will choose a sustainable form of transportation at least 1 Day a Week so I can feel healthier and keep my world green.”
• Looking for U-Pick Farms around Edmonton? Just another Edmonton mommy has you covered.
• Downtown is full of cranes right now, so I’m a little surprised this hasn’t already happened. A man climbed up a 25-storey crane tonight because “he just wanted a selfie”. He was arrested as soon as he came down. Turns out the photo was blurry!
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

A Whole Mess o’ Concrete, photo by Dave Sutherland

Upcoming Events

• Canadian Federation University Women Edmonton is celebrating 100 Years of Women’s Suffrage on Tuesday afternoon at the Alberta Legislature.
• 100 Women Who Care are holding their Spring 2016 Meeting at Lexus of Edmonton on Tuesday.
• The next Capital Ideas Edmonton event takes place Wednesday at the Edmonton Journal on creatively funding your business.
• Also Wednesday is NAIT’s annual Digital Media & IT Expo, showcasing students from the DMIT program and their work.
• The 2016 VenturePrize Awards Celebration takes place on Thursday evening at The Westin.
• Postmedia is hosting the Alberta Employment & Education Show on Thursday at the Delta Edmonton South.
• JCI Edmonton is hosting a pub night on Thursday at Central Social Hall.
• The Edmonton Cottage Life & Cabin Show takes place Friday through Sunday at the Edmonton Expo Centre.
• Head over to the Edmonton Humane Society on Saturday for Cat Yoga!
• The next Cash Mob Edmonton takes place Saturday at the Mercer Warehouse, as does the Change of Clothes swap and repairathon.
• ICYMI: We announced the 2016 What the Truck?! season a couple weeks ago! Save the dates!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Why did the Canada Goose cross the road? To get to the Edmonton Public Library!