Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:
Headlines
- Elise Stolte has been writing all week about harassment experienced by nearly one-fifth of City employees at work. She has received lots of emails from former and current City employees expressing “how voiceless they feel.” The City is overhauling its workplace complaints process as a result.
- The Journal’s editorial board wrote: “If there’s one employer in the city that should set the bar for a workplace, it should be the City of Edmonton.”
- Elise also has the story on poor morale in the City’s communications branch. She reports on the results of the City’s employee engagement survey, which found “those selling the city’s vision are the least likely to have any faith it will come true.”
- Shocking no one at this point, the City says a full resolution to the Metro Line LRT debacle might not happen by the end of the year after all.
- Calgary-based Cidex Group has purchased the gaping hole in the ground at the corner of 95 Street and Jasper Avenue for an undisclosed price. Hopefully this means development in The Quarters will pick up.
- A new project called Paint the Rails will feature murals by local artists at six different LRT stations. It’s one of the City’s Canada 150 legacy projects.
- David Staples says the new citywide 30 km/h speed limits on roads next to playgrounds and fields is “another wrong step in the war of the roads.”
- The Eskimos lost the West Final today against Calgary. Terry Jones says a questionable coaching decision cost them dearly. Head coach Jason Maas says he doesn’t regret his decision.
- The commercial half of the new Stantec Tower was officially topped on Friday “after crews poured a giant slab of concrete that will support the upper condominium development.” Now the tower will rise another 37 stories for condos. The building is slated to be finished in 2019.
- The Enerkem Alberta Biofuels facility being built at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre is receiving $3.5 million from the Government of Canada.
- The Government of Canada also announced $1.16 million in funding for four anti-discrimination and inter-cultural understanding projects here in Edmonton.
- The proposed development at Holyrood Gardens continues to be a contentious issue at Council, with those in the community questioning the public engagement process.
- Costco is opening a new store at the Edmonton International Airport late next year.
- Here are 7 ways to support Bissell Centre this holiday season. “With your support this holiday season, we can make a big impact in the lives of people struggling with poverty in our community.”
- For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.
Edmonton Skyline – Before 6pm, photo by Jeff Wallace
Upcoming Events
- Head over to Mile Zero Dance on Monday night for the launch of #YEGCanvas, “A City-Wide Billboard & LRT Station Based Transitory Art Exhibition.”
- The Edmonton Career Fair & Training Expo takes place at the Shaw Conference Centre on Tuesday.
- Carolyn Campbell, Deputy City Manager for Communications and Engagement, is speaking at NextGen’s upcoming speaker series event on Wednesday night at the Edmonton Tower.
- ATB’s BoostR live pitch event returns on Wednesday evening, this time at Allard Hall (the new MacEwan building).
- The 13th annual Innovation and Entrepreneurship Dinner, hosted by Entrepreneurship@UAlberta and eHUB takes place Thursday night at Lister Centre on the U of A campus.
- The Oil Kings host the Kootenay Ice on Friday night and the Portland Winterhawks on Saturday night, both at Rogers Place.
- Edmonton Creates is a two-day, hands-on conference “to support local entrepreneurs in growing and launching creative businesses.” It takes place Saturday and Sunday at NAIT with a kickoff keynote on Friday night.
- This is shaping up to be the weekend for local Christmas shopping in Edmonton. Make It! runs Thursday through Sunday at the Edmonton Expo Centre. The Silver Bells Winter Market takes place all weekend in Sherwood Park. Royal Bison‘s first weekend takes place at the usual spot (the Old Strathcona Performing Arts Centre) from Friday through Sunday. The Hand2Hand Christmas Market is happening on Saturday at the Terwillegar Community Church. And Shop the Hall takes place Saturday at the Westmount Community League.
- All is Bright returns for another year on 124 Street. The event runs from 4-8pm.
- Also taking place on Saturday, at Emily Murphy Park, is the 3rd annual MEC Great Sweater Run.
- For more great winter festivals and events, check out Taproot Edmonton’s guide to the season!
Santa’s Parade of Lights
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