Edmonton Notes for April 30, 2017

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• City Council set Edmonton’s property tax rates for 2017 to reflect a 2.8% municipal budget increase. Taking everything into account, it works out to “a 3.3% overall increase for the typical single-family home and a reduction of about 2.6% to apartment buildings” while the “average overall increase to commercial and industrial (non-residential) property is 2.9%.” Tax notices will be mailed to all property owners on May 23 with the deadline to pay being June 30.
• Council voted 7-5 this week to approve the proposed 80-storey tower known as the Aldritt tower. Mayor Iveson voted against the project and wrote about his rationale. Councillor Walters also wrote about the decision saying the project is “out of scale with the river valley and out of sync with the Quarters’ ARP.”
• Councillor Ed Gibbons confirmed on Wednesday that after fifteen and a half years on Council, he will not stand for re-election in October which means we have an open race in Ward 4. “I leave council, but I remain a proud Edmontonian,” Gibbons said.
• I think as a community we messed up with the closure of Dollarama at Edmonton City Centre. Staff “received 3,000 calls from people wondering when the discount store would return,” according to a recent article. Lots of people shop there, from all walks of life, but the store is vital for those just scraping by. I’ll be very glad to see the larger store re-open.
• A total of $241,672 was raised during this year’s DONATE A RIDE campaign. “To date, the program has distributed nearly 1.4 million transit tickets valued at more than $2.8 million.”
• Tim submitted a FOIP request on MacEwan LRT Station and found it “was not designed or built to handle large crowds, despite being right next door to an arena and despite featuring prominently in the Ice District’s marketing campaign.”
• The City says the last steps in the Infill Roadmap were put into action in January, so they’re looking for Edmontonians to get involved in what comes next for Evolving Infill. Mayor Iveson says “our next big challenge is to deal with the cost and availability of infill.”
• Don Braid wrote recently that “Edmonton is crazed with excitement these days” while “Calgary is losing some of the old drive”.
• Edmonton is among the seven finalists for a global Intelligent Community of the Year award. You can check out some highlights on the City’s Instagram account.
• “Be a Good Fan” and “Make Good Calls” are a few of the messages the City has for fans celebration the Oilers playoff run. Remember there are parking bans and no-stopping zones in effect along Jasper Avenue and Whyte Avenue for both home and away games.
• Spring service changes for ETS went into effect today with frequency of service “reduced for post-secondary routes, school specials and 22 bus routes.”
• Urban Pedal Tours is a new business launching in May that will take guests on a 15-seat bicycle beer tour of downtown and Old Strathcona for $40 per seat. Cool!
• The City of Edmonton Youth Council is now accepting applications for youth between the ages of 13 and 23 by August 31. The deadline to apply is June 4.
• The Edmonton Arts Council is now accepting nominations for Edmonton’s seventh Poet Laureate.
• Looking for a great place to eat duck in Edmonton while the Oilers play Anaheim? Linda has the definitive list.
• Amazon.ca has expanded its free one-day delivery for Prime members to Edmonton and Calgary.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Edmonton – Oiler Country, photo by Jeff Wallace

Upcoming Events

• The Mayor’s Celebration of the Arts takes place on Monday evening at City Hall. Get your tickets here!
• Amazing Agriculture returns to Northlands this week from Tuesday through Thursday.
• The Alberta Business Hall of Fame Gala is taking place on Wednesday at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• The Oilers host the Ducks at Rogers Place on Wednesday evening for Game 4 then they’re off to Anaheim for Game 5 on Friday night.
• Head over to the EPL Strathcona branch to learn more about 100in1Day at the workshop taking place on Wednesday evening.
• Public Information Sessions being held by the City to share improvements to public engagement start on Wednesday this week.
• The Gateway Association’s Mayors Luncheon 2017 takes place Thursday at the Delta Edmonton Centre Suite Hotel.
• The 2017 VenturePrize Awards are taking place at The Westin on Thursday evening.
• Northern Lands is taking place at the Shaw Conference Centre from Tuesday through Saturday.
• Saturday is Free Comic Book Day!
• Homeless Connect Edmonton returns to the Shaw Conference Centre on Sunday.
• Our first What the Truck?! event of the year is coming up on Sunday, May 14! Also, we’re making some changes for this season.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Edmonton Oilers 2017 Playoff Scene, photo by IQRemix