Happy Thanksgiving! I am back in Edmonton after a nice vacation to the Okanagan with Sharon. I’ll write something about that once I upload all of our photos. And once I warm up, as it was a bit of a shock to come back home and immediately have non-stop snow and below-zero temperatures!
Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:
Headlines
- In case you missed it: the City of Edmonton launched a redesigned website a couple of weeks ago. It’s responsive and features more self-service capabilities. I’m thrilled that all of my existing knowledge of the structure of the website still applies. Well done folks!
- The 2016 Vital Signs Report “focuses on social inclusion with a look toward newcomers in Edmonton.”
- Employment in the Edmonton region decreased by 8,500 jobs in August 2016, according to the latest Economic News newsletter from the City.
- The slumping economy is having an impact on charities, many of which are facing increased demand even as donations drop.
- Edmonton’s office vacancy rate rose slightly from July to September and that could be the start of a long-term increase according to a new report by real estate service firm Newmark Knight Frank Devencore.
- The Oilers made it official this week: Connor McDavid is the team’s newest captain. They also signed Kris Russell to a one-year contract.
- I think the recent upswing in positive tourism-related coverage of Edmonton has more to do with Travel Alberta and Edmonton Tourism finally doing something to cultivate attention rather than any major changes in our city, but I welcome it just the same.
- The City has provided $4 million in Cornerstones grant funding to Habitat for Humanity to build new homes for 75 families in the Edmonton area.
- For the second year in a row, the City of Edmonton has been named Canada’s most open city among 68 municipalities.
- Mayor Don Iveson has won the 2016 Urban Libraries Council Urban Leader Award for championing, promoting, and elevating Edmonton’s public library system.
- Congratulations to Phyllis Clark, Tim Fell, and Chris LaBossiere, who were appointed to the TEC Edmonton Board of Directors on September 29.
- “Pillars of the Community” is a piece of public art outside Rogers Place that features portraits of those who work at and use Boyle Street Community Services.
- The City is looking to develop programs to help reduce household food waste and they want your imput via an online survey that is open until October 11.
- The snow is here now, but if you’d like to enjoy the fall colors a little longer be sure to check out The Edmonton River Valley Panorama Project. Just beautiful.
- If you are ready for winter though, you’ll be happy to hear that the Edmonton Freezeway is expected to return with a possible expansion. Also, get prepared with 11 reasons to look forward to winter in Edmonton from I Heart Edmonton.
- For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.
Upcoming Events
- This week is Fire Prevention Week. Check the expiry date on your smoke alarms!
- Sir Salman Rushdie is speaking at the Chateau Lacombe on Tuesday.
- The Edmonton Oilers kick off their regular season on Wednesday evening at Rogers Place as they host the Calgary Flames. They finished the pre-season with a 5-3-0 record.
- Learn about Marketing for Creatives on Wednesday at the Made Local Society.
- LitFest starts on Thursday and runs for 11 days featuring more than 50 presenters. You can see the full schedule here.
- Thursday evening is the final 124 Street Grand Market of the year!
- This year’s Hoofbeats & Heartbeats Gala takes place on Friday at Fort Edmonton Park.
- The inaugural Alberta Open Data Summit takes place on Friday and Saturday at the Stanley Milner Library downtown.
- The City Market moves indoors to City Hall until the spring starting on Saturday!
- DECL is hosting an e-waste collection event on Saturday for downtown residents. Good idea!
- Head over to Transcend Coffee in the Mercer Warehouse on Saturday for the Edmonton Coffee Week-themed Cash Mob!
- The Edmonton Woman’s Show runs Saturday and Sunday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
- Celebrate World Food Day on Sunday with the Edmonton Food Council at a screening of the new film SEED: The Untold Story.
- Edmonton Coffee Week runs a little longer than a week this year, from October 14-22.
- Get ready: Edmonton Startup Week and Small Business Week both run October 17-21!
- For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.
Premier Notley reads to students at McKee School during READ IN Week, photo by Premier of Alberta
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