Edmonton Notes for February 24, 2019

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Oilers captain Connor McDavid was suspended two games for an illegal check to the head during Thursday’s game against the New York Islanders. McDavid scored the winning goal that night in overtime. “Obviously it was not a great check, not what I was trying to do. I was just trying to finish my check,” McDavid said after the game in Edmonton.
• Alexandra Zabjek looks at what to expect in the Alberta election. “If you haven’t received a phone call from a human/robot, you have likely been spammed with a political text message, seen party videos on your Facebook feed or watched old-fashioned campaign ads on television.”
• Former mayor and Alberta Party leader Stephen Mandel will find out this week if he will be allowed to run in the election.
• Len Rhodes, who recently stepped away as president and CEO of the Edmonton Eskimos, has been appointed the UCP candidate in Edmonton-Meadows.
• Pangman Development held an engagement session last week on its proposed two-tower project for Jasper Avenue and 108 Street. “It would create demand for services on the street, for restaurants, for all kinds of different retail opportunities.” It would also mean the loss of El Mirador which was “built in 1935 and has a Spanish colonial revival style not commonly seen in Alberta.”
• University of Alberta Golden Bears coach Barnaby Craddock will be the first ever head coach for the Edmonton Stingers. “It was an exciting opportunity, I mean one you can’t say no to,” said Craddock, who will continue to coach the Bears.
• The line may be “trending late” but TransEd has installed the two concrete spans for the Whitemud LRT Bridge on the Valley Line South LRT. “Each span weighs almost 600 tons and are more than 32 metres in length.”
• It’s still cold, but Edmonton Weather Nerdery says “the great deepfreeze of 2019 ended” on Feb. 18. “February wasn’t just “typically” cold – the first 18 days were right at the very bottom of the range of temperatures that we’ve seen in recent years, including 10 days with coldest-since-1996 temperatures.”
• A total of $24 million was raised during this year’s United Way of the Capital Region campaign.
• The City is looking for input on the future of waste management. In addition to drop-in sessions there’s an online survey open until April 15.
• The Edmonton Heritage Council is looking for expressions of interest to join the board of directors! The deadline to apply is tomorrow, Feb. 25.
• In Episode 26 of Speaking Municipally we chat about Transportation Minister Brian Mason’s attempts to put the “cash cow” (photo radar) out to pasture.
• Get the latest on Media, Tech, Health Innovation, Music, and Council with Taproot Edmonton’s latest roundups.

Comin’ in Hot, photo by Dave Sutherland

Upcoming Events

• The City is hosting a series of drop-in public engagement sessions this week to gather feedback on an updated accessibility policy.
• Learn about B Corps and Social Entrepreneurship on Monday during lunch at NAIT’s Mawji Centre.
• The Indigenous Women’s Business Panel takes place at the ATB Branch for Arts & Culture on Tuesday night.
• Wolf Pack YEG Talks Politics & Gender on Tuesday evening at Work Nicer Beaver House.
• What I Wish I Knew presents Crushing Imposter Syndrome on Tuesday evening at the Art Gallery of Alberta.
• The Greater Edmonton Teachers’ Convention is on at the Edmonton Convention Centre Thursday and Friday.
• Sherbrooke Liquor hosts Game Changers: Beers that Changed the World on Thursday evening.
• DECL is hosting a Pedway Pub Crawl on Thursday evening.
• The Alberta Business Awards of Distinction will be given out on Friday night at the Renaissance Edmonton Airport Hotel.
• The City of Edmonton Youth Council presents the YEGbyYouth Relaunch Event on Friday evening at La Cite Francophone. The event is focused on one question: “What is your favourite spot in Edmonton?”
• Ascension 2019, Canada’s national space conference, runs Friday to Sunday at the University of Alberta.
• The True North Cheer & Dance Championship runs Friday to Sunday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
• UrbanYEG’s InstaMeet 19 takes place on Saturday evening at the Alberta Legislature.
• Dinner with Canada’s Top Chefs is happening on Saturday night at the Edmonton Convention Centre.
• HempFest Cannabis Expo takes place on Saturday and Sunday 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!

Roundtable with NGOs, photo by Premier of Alberta

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