Edmonton Notes for February 10, 2019

If you can believe it, the temperature could be -6 C on Wednesday. That would be a welcome change! Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• NAIT and the City of Edmonton announced this week that NAIT has acquired 13.27 hectares on the Blatchford development site as well as the City’s former Westwood Transit Garage, nearly doubling the size of the main campus. “The new land will allow the polytechnic to plan for future growth to meet the needs of students and industry partners for decades to come. A student residence is expected to be one of the first developments on NAIT’s Blatchford land.” The terms of the deal were not disclosed “because it could undermine ongoing negotiations.”
• Councillor Jon Dziadyk was planning to use $44,000 of taxpayer money to pay for his Executive MBA at the University of Alberta, but after a public outcry he apologized and said he’ll repay the $11,000 already spent. In addition to the cost, completing an MBA takes considerable time.
• Former mayor and Alberta Party leader Stephen Mandel has been deemed ineligible to run as a candidate or serve as CFO in the 2019 election, apparently because of missed deadlines or improperly submitted paperwork. Mandel is challenging the decision, saying “we think this was a big mistake that was made and the court will correct it and we’ll move on.”
• TransEd, the company building the Valley Line LRT, has proposed temporary shutting down 95 Avenue to speed up construction, but many in the community are opposed saying local businesses would be negatively affected.
• In the latest episode of Speaking Municipally, Troy and I discuss Dziadyk’s flip flop, LRT stations as refuge from the cold, and business owners’ chilly response to closing 95 Avenue.
• The City of Edmonton is now considering replicating the Harbin Gate instead of resurrecting the old one, based on a recommendation from the Harbin design team. The new location for the gate will be on 97 Street at 101A Avenue, to commemorate where the original Chinatown was located. “The earliest the gate would be in place at the new location is October 2020.”
• Peters’ Drive-In is planning to setup shop in Edmonton near Gateway Boulevard and 51 Avenue. “The popular burger joint first opened shop in Calgary in 1962 by Gus Pieters, who immigrated from the Netherlands eight years prior.”
• Edmonton Transit has implemented mid-winter bus schedule adjustments. More than 30 schedules have been modified!
• “Maybe we have to start thinking about a life after oil,” says the City of Edmonton’s Chief Economist John Rose. He said Edmonton should focus on exporting brain power, technologies, and intellectual property.
• Michael Phair has been reappointed as chair of the University of Alberta Board of Governors for a second three-year term.
• The Edmonton Heritage Council is looking for expressions of interest to join the board of directors! The deadline to apply is Feb. 25.
• Get the latest on Media, Tech, Health Innovation, Music, and Council with Taproot Edmonton’s latest roundups. Here’s what you need to know about the discussions coming up at City Council.

Hoth LRT, photo by Kurt Bauschardt

Upcoming Events

• Thursday, Feb. 14 is Valentine’s Day. Sunday, Feb. 17 is Random Acts of Kindness Day. Monday, Feb. 18 is Family Day!
• The Silver Skate Festival is on at Hawrelak Park! Also there is Ice Castles Edmonton.
• EMP FEST is “an interdisciplinary Employment Festival” taking place at the University of Alberta all week long.
• Anita Sarkeesian is speaking at the Myer Horowitz Theatre on Monday evening about the costs of online harassment.
• The Struggle is Real Edmonton: Just Hit Pause takes place Monday night at Work Nicer Beaver House.
• The Alberta Regionals of the Canadian Improv Games run Tuesday to Saturday this week at the Wildfire Teen Improv Festival.
• Cirque du Soleil: Crystal starts Wednesday at Rogers Place and runs through Sunday.
• Learn about the Reconciling Edmonton project on Wednesday night at the Art Gallery of St. Albert.
• Edmonton Opera’s Valentine’s Gala takes place Thursday night at the Edmonton Convention Centre.
• Winefest runs Friday and Saturday at the Edmonton Convention Centre.
• Terry Crews has been announced as a special guest speaker for the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters upcoming event on Feb. 20 at the Edmonton Convention Centre.
• The Edmonton Arts Council is hosting Swingin’ City Sundays at City Hall every Sunday in January and February.
• Plan your winter calendar with Taproot’s guide to festivals and events taking place in the Edmonton area this 2018/2019 winter season!

Ice Castles Edmonton 2019

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