Edmonton Notes for August 26, 2018

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• City Council approved a new 16% target for affordable housing in all Edmonton neighbourhoods. “Council also approved in concept $1.5 million for a new five-year advocacy campaign to advertise the benefits of affordable housing in creating stronger, more complete communities.”
• Council also approved new regulations for secondary suites, “breaking with its tradition of only allowing two units per single family lot.” For more, check out the latest episode of Speaking Municipally and see the City’s news release.
• Edmonton is one of the first Canadian municipalities to join Startup in Residence, “a 16-week program that brings together government agencies and startups to co-create technology solutions for civic challenges.”
• The Chamber of Commerce wants City officials to consider having the YMCA and other private operators involved in Edmonton’s mega recreation centres. “The branch budget for community and recreation facilities has risen to $55 million in 2018, up 41 per cent from $38 million in 2013. Roughly one-third of the budget is for recreation centres.”
• The City of Edmonton has awarded a contract for 25 electric buses to California-based Proterra. The company “will initially supply the City with two electric buses for infrastructure and charging verification” with the rest put into service by summer 2020.
• Postmedia applied for a record of “non-conformance events” related to the Valley Line LRT but City officals ruled it could not be released because it would be “harmful to business interests of a third party.” Postmedia is appealing the decision to the provincial Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
• We are less than two months from the legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada. “While major players such as Aurora Cannabis have drawn attention for constructing massive growing facilities, Edmonton has other opportunities for profiting from the reefer bandwagon.” Here’s an overview from the Journal.
• EPCOR is planning to build a solar farm in the river valley for its local renewable energy operation, but the River Valley Conservation Coalition suggests they should pay for a new wind farm in southern Alberta instead.
• The City’s new Corporate Climate Leaders Program already has 18 members who will “take an inventory of their greenhouse gas emissions, then develop a plan to reduce them.” Other interested businesses have until October 12 to register.
• Local fashion designer Wedad Amiri’s designs “have attracted so much attention that her work will be featured at the Maarkah New York Fashion Week in September.”
• This summer has been full of wasps, to the City is reminding residents to help keep waste collectors safe.
• The $7 million Edmonton Soccer Dome was assembled and inflated recently. At 135,000 square feet and a height of 84 feet, it is the largest indoor soccer facility in Canada.
• From Taproot Edmonton, here are the latest Tech and Music roundups. Watch for new editions on Tuesday and Thursday!
• And here’s your crib sheet for the week ahead at City Council. One of the topics on the agenda is Hangar 11, “the only remaining structure on the Blatchford site that is on the Inventory of Historic Resources in Edmonton.” The building requires extensive rehabilitation but its unclear if Council is willing to spend the $14-20 million required.

Hangar 8 and Hangar 11, Blatchford Field, photo by Jeff Wallace in 2010

Upcoming Events

• The Fall Alberta Gift Fair is on at the Edmonton EXPO Centre until Wednesday.
• The second Eats on 118 Food Tour takes place Wednesday evening.
• Halsey is performing on Wednesday at the Jubilee Auditorium.
• Find out about The Future of Downtown Retail on Thursday morning at the Sutton Place Hotel with the Downtown Business Association.
• Child Friendly Edmonton has organized a Jane’s Walk in The Quarters for Thursday evening.
• Symphony Under the Sky starts on Thursday in Hawrelak Park.
• The Shaw Conference Centre is hosting a dinner with its award-winning team of 11 Red Seal chefs on Friday night.
• Heads up: The Good Fight‘s first conference takes place September 14-16. “The goal of The Good Fight is to build the local, grassroots capacity to counter fascism and white supremacy and grow a culture of justice, inclusivity, and equity in our diverse community.”
• 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.

2018 RCZC Zombie Walk, photo by Robert Antoniuk

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