Edmonton Notes for October 15, 2017

Monday, October 16 is Election Day! Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• For the latest on the election, check out Taproot Edmonton’s election microsite. Here is our latest roundup of news from Wednesday. Bookmark our results dashboard to see how it all plays out Monday night!
• A total of 26,198 citizens marked a ballot in advance voting, which is a 13% increase over 2013. “This total includes votes cast at ward-based advance stations, senior accommodation facilities and post-secondary schools throughout the city.”
• There hasn’t been much to consider in the mayoral race, aside from the memes and funny forum moments. But that hasn’t stopped Don Iveson from running flat out. “I am programmed for one speed in these things, which is flat out, seven days a week,” Mr. Iveson said in an interview with the Globe & Mail.
• A group of Edmontonians recently launched a design proposal called High Level Line which “proposes a future where diverse neighbourhoods in central Edmonton are stitched together.” You can learn more in Elise Stolte’s article about the idea.
• Brent Oliver and Trevor Belsher are “two major players in Edmonton’s music scene” who say “the city isn’t doing enough to support musicians or venues in the downtown area.”
• Food Bank usage has been up in Edmonton every single month except April this year compared to 2016. Between 20,000 and 24,000 people have used the service each month.
• Edmonton Fire Rescue Services opened the city’s 30th fire station in Pilot Sound last week. “The new station is expected to serve the city for 50 years.”
• Deborah Saucier began her term as MacEwan University’s new president just a month or so before the large phishing scam that happened over the summer. “It was absolutely shocking to me that it happened,” she said last week.
• For the third year in a row, “Edmonton has secured the top spot in a comprehensive evaluation of open data programs in 61 Canadian municipalities.”
• The University of Alberta has received $18.6 million in funding through the Canada Foundation for Innovation for research on permafrost, nanotechnology, and other projects.
• I meant to link to this one previously, by CBC Edmonton’s Janice Johnston: In downtown Edmonton, Rogers Place marks dividing line between ‘different worlds’.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Upcoming Events

• Monday is Election Day! The polls are open from 9am until 8pm. Then check out our dashboard to see the results as they come in.
• LitFest is underway! There are events taking plce throughout the city all week. The festival wraps up on Sunday.
• Edmonton Startup Week takes place all week with events at various locations. Check out the schedule.
• Also taking place this week is Small Business Week.
• An event called Connect is taking place on Tuesday at the Shaw Conference Centre. It’s “a timely discussion on trade, investment and our future in the global economy.”
• John Rose, Chief Economist for the City of Edmonton, is speaking at the Economics Society of Northern Alberta’s next luncheon on Wednesday at the Art Gallery of Alberta.
• Launch Party 8 takes place on Thursday evening inside Ford Hall at Rogers Place.
• AUPE is hosting its 41st annual convention at the Shaw Conference Centre from Thursday through Saturday.
• The Edmonton Rock & Gem Show is taking place at the Alberta Aviation Museum from Thursday through Sunday.
• If you hate networking but reocgnize the benefits of building social capital, check out this workshop featuring Nadine Riopel which takes place on Friday.
• DECL’s Urban Kids group is hosting its next event on Friday night “where kids can play, explore and make friends in their neighbourhood.”
• UX Edmonton’s UX Camp 2017 takes place on Friday and Saturday at MacEwan’s brand new Allard Hall.
• Leftovers for Dinner takes place on Saturday evening at Ernest’s at NAIT. “Student chefs will be cooking using only leftover food and event attendees will have a chance to tour the kitchens and watch the entire process.”
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Giant Arches, photo by Kurt Bauschardt