Just a week to go until Christmas! While I hope it snows, this tweet pretty much sums up the weather right now. Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:
Headlines
- The 2016-2018 supplemental budget adjustment was officially approved by Council this week. “The 2.9 per cent tax rate increase is down from 3.1 per cent originally proposed at the November 29 Council meeting.”
- City Council has approved the Winter Design Guidelines and a new policy aimed at “making Edmonton more comfortable and beautiful during the winter.”
- Yellowhead Trail is going to receive a $1 billion upgrade that will turn it into a proper freeway, but construction won’t begin until 2021 and won’t be complete for another 10 years after that.
- Don Braid on the big provincial rivalry right now: “The truth of 2016 is that Edmonton is not only running nearly everything, but that Calgary really needs the government to do it with exceptional skill and sensitivity.”
- The City is putting together a committee “operating at arm’s length” to “examine the opportunities and challenges of pursuing large-scale single and multi-sport events” for Edmonton. The group is expected to submit a report by June 2017.
- Councillor Bryan Anderson suggested at Council this week that naming officials reconsider the use of Indigenous names, asking “if we look through a usability lens, can we accomplish the same kind of acknowledgment with a more usable name?” He rightly received a lot of criticism for the remarks, including a petition asking him to change his name to something more usable.
- Scott Messenger wrote in The Guardian about West Edmonton Mall. Love it or hate it, the mall is still a big part of Edmonton.
- I haven’t read this one yet, but it came out around the same time: The American Dream Mall Is a Nightmare for New Jersey. It’s about the Ghermezians and the $5 billion project that has been in the works for 15 years.
- Here’s more on the EndPovertyEdmonton Action Plan that Council chose to support in the latest budget updates.
- ETS Stuff a Bus had another great year! “In 2016, 25,669 kilograms of food and $19,846 in cash were collected from participating Save-On-Foods, transit centres and on the LRT.” Now underway is the 2017 Donate A Ride campaign.
- Mayor Iveson looks like he’s having some fun in the latest Edmonton Tourism campaign! I look forward to seeing it unfold.
- The next Pecha Kucha Night is going to be winter themed and will take place on February 16, 2017. If you want to submita presentation you have until January 13, 2017.
- I missed the Best Bar None tour last month, so I was glad to see Jerry’s write-up. “If an establishment is willing to meet these requirements, then I think they are worthy of our patronage because they take our safety seriously,” he wrote.
- Make Something Edmonton was on CTV Edmonton recently to share some Edmonton Made gift ideas!
- Yesterday was the unique graffiti-themed send-off for the Stanley Milner library downtown. It will close on December 31 for upgrades that won’t be complete until 2020.
- For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.
City of Edmonton logo now up on the Edmonton Tower
Upcoming Events
- The warm weather might make a stroll down Candy Cane Lane or through the Legislature grounds to enjoy the holiday lights a little more comfortable!
- The longest night of the year is coming up this week! Wednesday, December 21 is the winter solstice. Be sure to share how you spent it with #YEGlongnight.
- Friday night at Metro Cinema there’s a Die Hard double feature! Best Christmas movie ever.
- Be sure to check out my Winter 2016/2017 Festival & Event Guide for even more holiday & winter related events!
- Get a jump on your New Years Eve planning with Linda’s great listing of events!
- Save the date! The Ice Castle in Hawrelak Park will open December 30. Assuming this heat wave does’t last too long, that is.
- Sunday is of course Christmas. Happy holidays everyone!
- For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.
Make Your Mark on Milner, photo by jasonwoodhead23
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