Edmonton Notes for March 4, 2018

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• The new YEG Culture Map website launched this week, “to celebrate our past and build our 10-year community plan for Edmonton’s Arts and Heritage.” On the website there’s a map where you can place a lobstick. “Rooted in Indigenous tradition, lobsticks were used to mark significant locations.”
• At Open Data Day on Saturday the City launched HealthHack, a competition in support of Edmonton’s Smart Cities Challenge that invites “proposals on improving our four health indicators of mental health, physical health, social health and economic health.” Submissions open March 5 with proposals due March 9.
• There were 168 Fentanyl-related deaths in Edmonton last year. Here are all the numbers behind the impact of opioids in our city.
• It took longer than promised to arrive, but the snow did eventually fall this weekend. As a result, a seasonal parking ban has been declared on collector roads and bus routes starting Monday, March 5.
• So much for being a winter city: our new funicular can’t handle the cold and snow! Since opening on December 9, it has been “out of service for three days due to extreme cold or blowing snow, challenges not foreseen during the design.” Right?! I mean, who could have foreseen weather in Edmonton!
• City Council approved the permanent closure of the Coliseum this week. “One of the options is to demolish the Coliseum, which could cost the city between $15 million and $25 million. It costs about $1.5 million annually to keep the facility heated, lit and secure.”
• Former mayor Stephen Mandel was chosen as the new leader of the Alberta Party. “Mandel does not have a seat, but said he has no plans to seek one until the 2019 election.”
• City Council voted to remove the temporary restriction on combative sports events, effective immediately. The ban had been in effect since December 9, 2017.
• The City is seeking comments on a proposed land use framework for cannabis retail stores. Comments will be accepted until March 21, 2018.
• A five-foot tall paper lantern that changes colors based on the Air Quality Health Index will be installed at City Hall this summer.
• Council began discussing a wide-ranging new policy “covering everything from accepting gifts, to negotiating on behalf of council without permission, to rules of decorum in meetings.” Should they be on their phones during meetings?
• The Province announced this week that it will spend up to $1 billion to spur construction of partial bitumen upgraders.
• City crews have filled nearly 5,000 potholes since the start of the year, getting a head start on the more than 400,000 that will be filled in 2018.
• Matthew Dance: Releasing open data on road collisions could save lives.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Upcoming Events

• Edmonton is hosting the Cities and Climate Change Science Conference this week at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• Avenue Edmonton will celebrate its Best Restaurants list for 2018 at the Edmonton Expo Centre on Monday evening.
• The Local Good is hosting Green Drinks: YEG Climate on Wednesday night at Yellowhead Brewery.
• Thursday is International Women’s Day. There are plenty of events celebrating the day, such as interVivos’ #girlbossyeg.
• This year’s SkirtsAfire Festival takes place from Thursday to Sunday.
• eHUB’s next Spark pitch event takes place on Friday night in HUB Mall.
• Red Bull Crashed Ice takes place in Louise McKinney Riverfront Park on Friday and Saturday.
• Head over to The Mercury Room on Saturday afternoon for a panel on green onion cakes recorded live for the Let’s Find Out podcast.
• The Alberta Cheerleading Association’s Cheerleading Championships take place on the weekend at the Edmonton Expo Centre.
• The 2018 Mom, Pop & Tots Fair will take place at the Edmonton Expo Centre on Saturday and Sunday.
• Also at the Edmonton Expo Centre on the weekend is the Edmonton Golf Show 2018.
• TEDxUAlberta 2018 takes place Sunday afternoon at the ATB Financial Arts Barn.
• Edmonton’s NextGen presents Pecha Kucha Night 30 on March 16 at NAIT. The event will feature past presenters for encore presentations, and tickets are on sale now!