Edmonton Notes for June 24, 2018

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Flair Airlines is moving its headquarters to Edmonton and will use the Edmonton International Airport as its main transfer hub. “As such, that makes us Edmonton’s hometown airline,” Flair executive chairman David Tait said at the announcement Tuesday morning in downtown Edmonton.
• The northeast corner of Jasper Avenue and 108 Street could look very different if a plan to build two high-rise towers atop retail podiums goes ahead. “With so many different downtown highrise projects in the works right now, it remains to be seen if there’s a market to support them all,” wrote Paula Simons.
• Accidental Beach is back, and this time the City says it is prepared with “security, parking restrictions, dog laws and booze bans.”
• Overall ridership on ETS fell about 3% from 2013 to 2017 according to a new report. “ETS spokesperson Tarra Kongsrude said the ridership drop between 2014 and 2016 was a reflection of an economic slowdown.”
• The City of Edmonton is launching a solar grant program to incentivize homeowners to increase the energy efficiency of their homes. “The program offers homeowners a $0.15/watt incentive to help install solar systems and produce renewable energy. This incentive, when combined with the $0.75/watt incentive available to Edmontonians through Energy Efficiency Alberta, helps homeowners cover up to one third of the installation costs.”
• Edmonton could ban right turns on red lights at certain intersections to help the city move closer to achieving Vision Zero. According to the City’s Gerry Shimko, “downtown and Whyte Avenue are some of the locations where turning left or right is causing some of the major collisions.”
• Tim Querengesser makes the case for an urban growth boundary for Edmonton. “Our planners and thinkers treat land like it’s endless, free and easy – and they seem unbothered when it sits empty, idle and unused. And we pay the price for all this.”
• Starting Monday morning, the 242 randomly selected applicants for cannabis stores can submit their development permit applications. “A Liquor Depot employee was granted 26 permit application appointments, while Fire and Flower Inc. has 10.”
• How a law student accidentally became the unofficial ambassador of K-Days. “Bachewich now feels compelled to attend K-Days this year, where his cousin suggested he should go shake hands with attendees and ask them if they’re having a good time.”
• Neighbourhood renewal is coming up for Old Strathcona and it could look quite different from previous renewals, with “a new mix of sidewalks and streets designed to slow vehicles to 30 km/h.”
• The deadline to nominate a front yard in bloom is June 30. “A yard can be a source of food, a public gathering spot, or even a sky high balcony.”
• A local grade 12 student who is relocating to Waterloo, Ontario has created a ‘Cool Places in Edmonton Guide’ to show the places he will miss most. Let’s hope with his passion for the city he returns to make an impact here at some point!
• ICYMI: The #yeg hashtag turned ten years old this week!
• The Mill Creek Ravine Pedestrian Bridges “officially reopened June 22, 2018, on budget and four months ahead of schedule.” The $7.7 million rehabilitation project involved three trestle bridges and two glulam bridges. “In recognition of historical significance, and largely as a result of public feedback, 20-25% of the original wood was used in the rehabilitation of the trestle bridges so as to maintain their authentic look and feel.” We went to see them today – worth the visit! Here are my photos.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Upcoming Events

• There are a bunch of festivals still underway this week, including the Edmonton International Jazz Festival, The Works Art & Design Festival, and the Freewill Shakespeare Festival.
• The Oilers are hosting their 2018 Development Camp this week at the Downtown Community Arena.
• Kaleo is performing at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium on Monday evening.
• MacEwan is hosting a pop-up workshop at Roundhouse on Tuesday to “envision a temporary animation on one of MacEwan University’s parking lots along 105 Ave.”
• The Feats Festival of Dance kicks off on Wednesday.
• Vance Joy is performing at Rogers Place on Wednesday evening.
• Sand on Whyte starts in Old Strathcona on Friday.
• If you’re a fan of The Bachelor, you’ll want to know that Arie & Lauren will be at Knoxville’s Tavern on Friday evening.
• The Eskimos host the BC Lions on Friday night at Commonwealth Stadium.
• Downtown Discoveries is running free bike lane tours downtown on Saturday. The meeting point is Alex Decoteau Park.
• Sunday is Canada Day! The Legislature grounds will be packed throughout the day I’m sure. The big fireworks finale takes place at 11pm.
• Also Sunday is the Blues on Whyte Block Party.
• Save the date: the next What the Truck?! event takes place at the Valley Zoo on July 6. Here is the lineup.
• Congratulations to Linda and Brittney on the super-successful Instagrammable Walls photo tour! For future dates, join the Facebook Group.
• Note that due to construction around Churchill Square, a number of festivals have relocated for 2018.
• Plan your calendar with Taproot Edmonton’s 2018 guide to summer festivals and events! It includes 75+ happenings you can look forward to this summer in and around the city.

High Level Bridge, photo by Viktor Push

Thanks for reading! Want to support my blog? Buy me a coffee!