Edmonton Notes for June 16, 2019

Happy Father’s Day! Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Fixing just one fifth of Edmonton’s missing sidewalks is expected to cost $10 million over the 2019-2022 budget cycle. "For literally billions we spend on roadways, we should be allocating some small percentage of that to make sure that people can actually walk," said Councillor Aaron Paquette.
• The City says that ridership on transit to the airport has doubled from 12,000 per month to more than 25,000 per month thanks to service changes made a year ago.
• Executive Committee recommended lifting the moratorium on non-market housing in five core neighbourhoods. Council will discuss and make it official on Tuesday. It’s private owners’ “badly run slums” that are the epicentre of crime and disorder in the city, Mayor Don Iveson said.
• EEDC has launched The Future of YEG to solicit input for Edmonton’s next economic growth & resiliency strategy. They’re asking what Edmonton’s economy needs to growth and thrive, and what Edmonton’s ideal economy should look like a generation from now.
• From CBC Edmonton: How Edmonton’s most uber Uber drive lost his perfect score. I hope I get this guy one day!
• Twelve Edmontonians were named to the City of Edmonton Hall of Fame last week "for their dedication to making Edmonton a better place to live."
• If approved, the proposed Edmonton Nordic Spa would be located near Fort Edmonton Park on what is currently an overflow parking lot. "It’s not exactly pristine river valley land," said Coun. Tim Cartmell, who is in favour of the spa and sits as the council representative on the Fort Edmonton board.
• What a great tweet from the City of Edmonton: "400 goats arrived in Rundle Park today to weed the north!"
• A reminder that the intersection at 100 Street and 102 Avenue is closed which means buses are being re-routed, either down 101 Street or down 97 Street.
• The drainage work being done along 105 Street downtown is expected to be complete by the end of September. It was supposed to be done by April 2018.
• In Episode 42 of Speaking Municipally we discuss the nordic spa, West Edmonton Mall footbridge, and sidewalks.
• Get the latest on Media, Tech, Food, Health Innovation, Music, Business, and Council with Taproot Edmonton’s latest roundups.

Walterdale Bridge, photo by Jim Hoffman

Upcoming Events

• Rapid Fire Theatre’s Improvaganza continues until Sunday!
• The Canadian Gaming Summit runs Tuesday to Thursday at the Edmonton Convention Centre.
• Avenue Edmonton is host The Innovation Event on Tuesday afternoon at the NAIT Productivity & Innovation Centre.
• Alberta Music presents the DOWNLOAD YEG Safer Spaces Panel on Tuesday evening at The Almanac.
• Edmonton Global is launching a new regional narrative at NAIT on Thursday afternoon.
• Oprah Winfrey is at Rogers Place on Thursday evening.
• Bountiful Farmers’ Market is celebrating its grand opening from Friday to Sunday! They have more than 100 vendors and have lined up plenty of entertainment for the weekend.
• Corey Hart performs at Rogers Place on Friday evening.
• The Rust Magic Street Dreams Gala takes place Friday evening at EPCOR Tower.
• Just a Little Night Market returns to the Alberta Aviation Museum on Friday and Saturday.
• The Eskimos host the BC Lions at Commonwealth Stadium on Friday night.
• Make Music Edmonton is on Friday night along 124 Street.
• Fashion Fest is on at the Edmonton EXPO Centre on Friday and Saturday.
• The 2019 Pure Speculation Festival is Friday and Saturday at the Alberta Avenue Community Hall.
• The Soundtrack Music Festival takes place on Saturday at Kinsmen Park. This year the festival features Boyz II Men, Shaggy, Ludacris, Ashanti, and more.
• Pets in the Park is on Saturday at Hawrelak Park.
• Edmonton’s Indigenous Peoples Festival runs all day Saturday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.