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

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Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• The Province announced it will spend $100 million to widen to six lanes an 18-kilometre stretch of the southwest leg of Anthony Henday Drive between Whitemud Drive and 111 Street. “Completing the Henday has made a huge difference to commuters and goods movement. But with all freeways, they tend to become their own worst enemy and attract a lot more traffic,” Mayor Don Iveson said Monday.
• “Edmonton built only 25 units of housing for the chronically homeless last year.” That’s far less than the 916 units still needed.
• Issues with the Metro Line LRT are still not resolved, and now the next deadline is “tied up in legal wrangling.” Mayor Iveson is asking for patience, saying “we’re as frustrated as anyone.”
• FIFA picked the North American bid, known as United 2026, to host the 2026 World Cup which means Canada could host around 10 games. Here is how Edmonton stacks up against other bid cities.
• A new group calling itself Prosperity Edmonton has sent a letter to City Council asking for tax relief. “If Edmonton businesses struggle, Edmontonians struggle,” they wrote.
• “On Monday, the United States Conference of Mayors endorsed the so-called Edmonton Declaration, a locally created document that asks municipalities to take a stand on rising global temperatures.” The three-page document spearheaded by Mayor Iveson calls on all levels of government to recognize targets set under the Paris Agreement.
• Congratulations to all the Edmontonians recognized in the City’s Salute to Excellence awards for 2018. Allan Scott, former CEO of EEDC, was recognized for his work on behalf of the Art Gallery of Alberta.
• Tim Adams shares that after starting Free Footie here in Edmonton 10 years ago, the free soccer league has now grown to 100 teams!
• Want to cycle across the Groad Road Bridge? You could get a $100 fine if you don’t dismount.
• Here is Paula Simons on the proposed superlab parkade in South Campus: “It’s silly to have four such powerful actors — the province, the city, the university and AHS — acting at cross purposes, without decent communication.”
• Graham Hicks wrote about the 747 bus service to the Edmonton International Airport. “Any city worth its salt has user-friendly, inexpensive and modern public transit between its airport and downtown,” he wrote, before listing all the issues with Edmonton’s service. “I cannot imagine making a worse initial impression on economy-minded tourists.”
• Friday, June 15 was proclaimed World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in Edmonton. “Elder abuse can happen in any place and any culture,” said Councillor Scott McKeen. “Together, service providers, community partners, government and professionals can support our seniors to help them be healthy and safe by identifying barriers and reducing isolation.”
• The Minchau Blacksmith Shop building in Old Strathcona has been saved from demolition, at least for now.
• Starting in 2019, the league the Edmonton Prospects play in will be known as the Western Canadian Baseball League. Edmonton will host the league’s all-star game on July 8, 2019 and again in 2020.
• Have your say on the Jasper Avenue New Vision by filling out the online survey by June 29.
• The goats are back! A herd of 200 goats returned to Rundle Park this week as part of the City’s GoatWorks project.
• For all the latest news in Edmonton tech, check out Taproot Edmonton’s Tech Roundup.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Upcoming Events

• The Summer Solstice Music Festival starts on Monday and runs to June 22.
• The Freewill Shakespeare Festival kicks off on Tuesday and runs through July 15.
• Learn about Alberta’s Economic Outlook with Todd Hirsch during the lunch hour on Wednesday at The Westin Edmonton.
• Edmonton’s NextGen presents MEAET powered by Pecha Kucha Night on Wednesday evening at Kingsway Mall.
• Thursday is going to be a busy day with Make Music Edmonton, the Edmonton Indigenous Peoples Festival, and the kickoff to The Works Art & Design Festival.
• The Writers’ Guild of Alberta and Visual Arts Alberta present A Celebration of Edmonton’s Visual and Literary Artists on Thursday evening at CKUA.
• The City of Edmonton is hosting an Idea Review for the Exhibition Lands on Thursday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
• A launch event for Age Friendly Edmonton 2.0 takes place on Friday at City Hall at noon. “Join us for storytelling and refreshments as we reflect on the past 5 years and usher in a new era with Age Friendly Edmonton 2.0.”
• Celebrate the Shaw Conference Centre’s 35th anniversary on Friday with a patio party!
• The Edmonton International Jazz Festival starts Friday and runs to Canada Day.
• Fashion Fest takes place Friday and Saturday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
• The first Instagrammable Walls of Edmonton Photo Walk of the season takes place from 2-4pm on Saturday. Meet at the Alberta Avenue Community Centre!
• Kinsmen Park is where the Soundtrack Music Festival takes place on Saturday.
• The Africa Centre’s Africa Day Gala Dinner takes place Saturday evening at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
• Sunday is Vintage Day and the Friends Ukrainian Music Fest at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village.
• Pets in the Park takes place on Sunday at Hawrelak Park.
• Save the date: the Out of this World Opening Reception takes place on June 26 at the Muttart Conservatory. The sculpture exhibition will be on display until September 5.
• Save the date: What the Truck?! at the Zoo takes place on July 6!
• 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.

A new plaque in the Brewery District for the Edmonton Brewing & Malting Company building

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Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• The Edmonton Pride Parade was very well attended yesterday even with a bit of rain! The parade was interrupted briefly by protestors demanding that police and military be prohibited from marching in future parades. Organizers agreed and have banned them from future parades “until the community feels that they have taken the necessary steps for all community members to feel safe with their presence.” Though many think of the Pride Parade as a big party nowadays, it has always been about activism and political struggle. It started in 1980 and “many people who took part wore paper bags on their heads because they were afraid of losing their jobs.”
• The Province introduced changes to support transgender and gender-diverse Albertans this week by enabling all Albertans “to choose Female, Male or “X” on their driver’s licences, ID cards and vital statistics records, such as birth certificates and death certificates.”
• Ward 11 Councillor Mike Nickel announced this week he is seeking the United Conservative Party nomination in Edmonton-South. “I want to go some place where I can keep pushing that agenda, where we are going to measure what we are going to do. I want results,” he said.
• Edmonton will be launching a pilot project in October with the Pacific Western Group of Companies to test electric autonomous vehicles manufactured by EasyMile (Calgary is doing one in September). “The pilot will give Edmontonians the opportunity to ride in the autonomous vehicle and provide feedback to the City of Edmonton.”
• Councillors Sarah Hamilton and Bev Esslinger wrote an opinion column in the Edmonton Journal arguing for the implementation of the GBA+ program, “an internationally recognized analytical tool used to examine how the diverse needs of citizens are served by policies, programs, services and initiatives.”
• Here’s the latest on the City of Edmonton’s harassment investigations from Elise Stolte: “Since November, when Edmonton was forced to hire an external company to take complaints and investigate them, more than 400 of the city’s 14,000 employees called with allegations. Sixty of those required a formal investigation.”
• It’s official: FC Edmonton will play in the Canadian Premier League when it debuts next spring. “FC Edmonton is owned and operated by the Fath Group headed up by Tom and Dave Fath. Jay Ball will lead operations of FC Edmonton as General Manager.” The club has also introduced a new brand identity with updated colors and a new crest.
• City Council decided this week not to go ahead with the proposed moratorium on raves. Instead, they’ll receive a report in October on harm reduction strategies and other safety plans.
• A new report suggests around 1,100 intersections need upgrades to support smart technology. It could cost $150 million to upgrade them all.
• The City of Edmonton has partnered with IFTTT for a new light installation at City Hall that translates air quality data into colour. “The light installation uses open-source code first developed by the City of Louisville. Jan Mußenbrock, an Edmonton developer with BetaCityYEG, used IFTTT to turn code into a bridge between Wi-Fi light bulbs and the Province of Alberta’s air quality health index data. The index is updated every five minutes.”
• Liz Nicholls has all the details on the 31st annual Sterling Awards nominations. The awards will be presented on June 25.
• Nearly 600 bicycles have already been stolen this year, so police are reminding cyclists “to take the time to ensure their bikes are properly locked up.” Last year, 2,171 bikes were stolen.
• Edmonton will study what other cities are doing to get rid of plastic straws and facilitate other plastic-reduction strategies. Councillor Henderson says “there’s an awful lot that still goes into landfill and there’s an awful lot that still goes into our water stream.” We did a story on plastic waste at Taproot back in September.
• Bill 10: An Act to Enable Clean Energy Improvements passed 3rd reading this week. “The City of Edmonton advocated for this tool since 2011,” tweeted Mike Mellross, Program Manager of Energy Transition at the City of Edmonton.
• “That’s right, sometimes in Edmonton we order you to wear a fanny pack,” tweets Jana Pruden. Haha!
• As of Thursday, only 4,000 tickets were left for the 2018 Grey Cup taking place here in Edmonton.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Premier Notley celebrates Edmonton Pride, photo by Premier of Alberta

Upcoming Events

• Indulgence takes place on Monday evening at the Delta Edmonton South.
• The 2018 Salute to Excellence Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony takes place at the Winspear Centre on Monday night.
• The McCauley Garden Crawl is hosting its first event on Tuesday! They are doing one crawl per month through the summer.
• Eats on 118 returns with its first food tour of the season on Wednesday evening.
• Improvaganza starts on Wednesday and runs to June 23.
• Olympic athlete Jen Kish is speaking at the ATB Financial Arts Barns on Thursday evening.
• The ESO presents The Lord of the Rings Symphony at the Winspear Centre from Thursday to Saturday.
• This year the Night Market Edmonton takes place at the Alberta Aviation Museum on Friday and Saturday.
• Pure Spec 2018 runs Friday and Saturday at the Alberta Avenue Community Hall!
• The Beaumont Blues & Roots Festival takes place Friday to Sunday.
• They don’t call it “Super Saturday” for nothing! This year you can check out the Mercer Summer Super Party, Porkapalooza, WTS Kids of Steel, the Highlandia Festival, the 40th anniversary of LRT in Edmonton, and much more!
• IDEA’s 2018 Edmonton Infill Tour takes place on Saturday at various locations around the city.
• ZooFest, a fundraising event in support of the Valley Zoo Development Society, takes place on Sunday evening at the zoo.
• Save the date: Edmonton’s NextGen presents MEAET powered by Pecha Kucha Night on Wednesday, June 20 at Kingsway Mall.
• 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 City Hall School Citizenship Fair

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Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Edmonton is one of five finalists in the federal government’s $50 million Smart Cities Challenge. “As a finalist, Edmonton will get a $250,000 grant to complete Phase 2. This Phase will focus on building a plan to support connectedness to the community, decrease loneliness and increase a sense of belonging.”
• Congratulations to City Hall School teacher Linda Hut on receiving a Certificate of Achievement in the Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence. “Each year, Linda Hut teaches 600 students from 25 classes who participate in a week of hands-on, inquiry-based learning at Edmonton City Hall.”
• After two years as the Deputy City Manager in charge of Communications and Engagement, Carolyn Campbell is leaving the City of Edmonton to pursue a doctorate in board governance of major museums. Congratulations to Mary Sturgeon who will be stepping into the position.
• Tickets went on sale Friday for the 106th Grey Cup taking place here in Edmonton and in short order more than 47,000 of the 55,819 tickets were sold. The last time Edmonton hosted, tickets sold out in six days.
• Elise Stolte: “Edmonton has narrowed what it wants to achieve in the next 10 years to four goals and one overarching principle: connectedness.”
• The City is advising that changes are coming to Park & Ride at Century Park and Stadium stations. The stalls at Century Park are gradually shifting from the City to private operation, while 50 spots are being closed at Stadium to allow for construction of the new Muttart Crossing road.
• Don’t expect any more updates on the Metro Line LRT until the fall. Apparently Council will get private updates, but due to “contractual mechanisms” there will not be any public updates.
• Incredibly, the Edmonton Transit System Advisory Board says a gondola would help with the “very large challenge in getting people directly from Whyte Avenue to downtown.” You know what else would help? Bus schedules that don’t suck.
• EPS Chief Rod Knecht says his relationship with the Edmonton Police Commission became “caustic” last year. “I felt like I was in a little bit of purgatory there for a while,” said the chief. He’ll be retiring in October.
• Mayor Don Iveson was reappointed as chair of FCM’s Big City Mayors Caucus this week, extending his term to 2020.
• WinterCity Edmonton has won a national award for the winter design guidelines from the Canadian Institute of Planners.
• EPS has asked the City for an immediate moratorium on raves because of too many recent drug-related incidents. “The main concern at these events is the prevalent drug use, drug-facilitated sexual assaults and resulting public safety issues,” the report reads.
• Congratulations to the accessibility leaders and advocates recognized at the 22nd annual Mayor’s Awards.
• The month of May was a warm one in Edmonton, with 23 days of temperatures 20°C or higher. Now that summer is here, look forward to Edmonton’s Hottest Days.
• Thanks to some much needed rain this week, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services was able to lift the fire ban. “Everyone is reminded to exercise fire safety caution at all times.”
• Wondering what those oatmeal-looking things are all over the ground? Seed production from elm trees! “This is indication of seasonal abnormalities, not of tree stress or death,” says YEG Parks.
• Edmonton-area mayors and members of the Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Board made a collective statement in support of the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion at City Hall on Monday. Later in the week, the federal government announced it would buy the pipeline for $4.5 billion.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Jasper & 96, photo by Kurt Bauschardt

Upcoming Events

• Nextfest continues throughout the week at various locations.
• The first full week of June is Alberta Seniors’ Week.
• The United Way’s Each One, Teach One program is hosting a financial literacy workshop on RESPs on Tuesday evening at the Idylwylde library.
• EPCOR and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra are hosting the Road to Joy fundraising concert on Tuesday evening at the Winspear Centre. All donations made “directly support the YONA-Sistema program”.
• Wednesday is Clean Air Day, “an annual occasion for celebrating clean air and reflecting on how our individual and collective actions contribute to air quality.”
• The City is celebrating Canadian Environment Week 2018 with free tours of the Edmonton Waste Management Centre from Wednesday to Saturday.
• The Infill Development in Edmonton Association (IDEA) is hosting its AGM at Homestead Coworking on Wednesday evening.
• Automated Vehicles 2018: Planning for Urban and Rural Transitions is taking place at the Shaw Conference Centre on Wednesday and Thursday.
• REACH Edmonton is hosting its AGM and community showcase on Thursday evening at the Central Lions Recreation Centre.
• Edmonton’s NextGen will kickoff NextGen Month on Thursday evening at Cartago.
• Sustainival takes place at the Edmonton EXPO Centre from Thursday to Sunday.
• Join Linda Hut and the kids of City Hall School on Friday afternoon for the annual Citizenship Fair at City Hall.
• MacEwan University’s Office of Sustainability is giving tours of the school’s urban beehives on Friday.
• This year’s Edmonton Pride Festival kicks off on Friday and runs until June 17. The Pride Parade takes place on Saturday starting at 11am.
• Bryan Adams is performing at Rogers Place on Friday night.
• The Edmonton Native Plant Group and the Edmonton Bicycle Commuters Society are hosting a Native Plant River Valley Bike Tour on Saturday, starting at Dawson Park.
• Kevin Hart is performing at Rogers Place on Saturday night.
• The 124 Grand Market is now running on Sundays in addition to its usual Thursday time!
• 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.

104 Avenue

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Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Edmonton Transit is making transit free for children 12 and under. “Effective June 1, children can ride any ETS bus or LRT free of charge if they are accompanied by a fare-paying adult. A family of four with two children will save $13 when they take a round trip.”
• Property tax notices were sent out this week. “A typical single-family home, assessed at $399,500, will pay $3,470 in property taxes this year, an increase of $62 a year or $5 a month compared to last year.”
• A three-month gap was all that separated Police Chief Rod Knecht from a contract extension. “It was a peculiar and messy ending for a police chief whose years in office were largely devoid of peculiar mess,” wrote Paula Simons.
• City Council has agreed to move forward with a new plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030. It is expected to cost $67 million over the next three years “but would save $76 million within 12 years.” The plan does not involve carbon offsets and instead relies on buying green energy.
• The Edmonton Public School Board has voted unanimously to support an inclusive guideline for dress codes.
• Troy Pavlek has looked at the numbers and found that the year after the new bike grid opened there was a 92% increase in cyclists. “Every cyclist on the downtown bike grid is one less potential car driver being traffic,” he wrote.
• The City has launched a summer information campaign designed to help everyone share the road safely. “The Bike Education Street Team will be out this summer talking to cyclists, pedestrians and motorists about how to safely navigate the new protected bike lanes.”
• City Council has given approval to move forward with expropriation proceedings against nine landowners for the Valley Line LRT West extension. “The lands include dozens of businesses, including two block faces on Stony Plain Road.”
• The 93-year-old A. Minchau Blacksmith Shop building is at risk of being lost as the current owner has applied for a permit to demolish it.
• If ETS was to have a celebrity voice for stop announcements, Mayor Don Iveson would want it to be Patrick Stewart. “ETS employee Janis Noble has been the voice of the local transit system for the past 24 years, lending her golden tones to recording messages for BusLink, the LRT and smart buses.”
• The Edmonton Eskimos won their first pre-season game tonight, defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders by a score of 35-12.
• From OilersNation (yesterday): “Thirty years ago today, the Edmonton Oilers started a Stanley Cup tradition.” This week the Oilers hired assistant coaches Glen Gulutzan, Trent Yawney and Manny Viveiros.
• The provincial government is accepting comments from the public as it decides what to do with the old Royal Alberta Museum building.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Upcoming Events

• The RISE Reconciliation Film Festival continues this week until Saturday.
• The Downtown Business Association is hosting a panel on the future of work at Yellowhead Brewery on Tuesday evening.
• I will be at City Hall on Wednesday evening for the Edmonton Heritage Council’s AGM.
• Nextfest gets underway on Thursday and runs until June 10.
• artsVest, a program that aims to spark sponsorship opportunities for small and mid-sized arts organizations, is taking place at the Prince of Wales Armouries on Thursday and Friday.
• Thursday evening is Servus Free Family Access Night at the Alberta Aviation Museum.
• Edmonton is hosting the Grey Cup this year and the CFL is kicking things off with the ‘Bring the Heat’ breakfast at the Shaw Conference Centre on Friday.
• The Edmonton Craft Beer Festival takes place on Friday and Saturday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
• Bonnie Fest is back for another year at the Bonnie Doon Community Hall on Saturday.
• Elk Island National Park’s Bison Festival takes place on Saturday.
• This year’s Heart of the City Music & Arts Festival takes place on Saturday and Sunday at Giovanni Caboto Park.
• Another season of the Foodie Bike Tour starts on Saturday. Sharon and I went last year – read about our experience here!
• The Residential Infill elective in the City’s Planning Academy takes place on Saturday at the Edmonton Tower.
• The Edmonton Oilers Locker Room Sale will take place from 11am-2pm on Sunday at Rogers Place.
• 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.

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Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• The City’s Office of Traffic Safety has published Motor Vehicle Collisions 2017, “an annual account of collisions and related deaths and injuries of people who use the streets in Edmonton.” From 2016 to 2017: total collisions rose 3.3%, fatal collisions rose 23.8%, injury collisions rose 2%, pedestrian collisions fell 7.5%, bicycle collisions fell 16.4%, and motorcycle collisions fell 19.4%.
• The federal government has committed $39.8 million toward a road improvement project aimed at improving traffic flow along 50 Street between 76 Avenue and 90 Avenue by widening the road to 6 lanes and “addressing traffic delays related to the current at-grade Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway crossing north of Sherwood Park Freeway.”
• “Due to prolonged dry, hot and windy conditions and a lack of rainfall,” a fire ban was issued for Edmonton this week. There are currently 16 fire bans across Alberta.
• Another $4 million in joint federal-provincial funding was announced this week for the revitalization of the Stanley A. Milner Library downtown, bringing the total raised to $80 million out of a total budget of $84.5 million.
• I haven’t been down to see it yet myself, but “an internationally loved pixel art installation” known as “Happy Wall” has been installed in Churchill Square to help keep it “a hub of activity for people while it is impacted by Valley Line LRT development and other rehabilitation projects.” Created by Copenhagen artist Thomas Dambo, the Happy Wall will remain in place until May 2019.
• The Edmonton Police Service has said the total cost of policing pot in 2018 will be $1.4 million, about $300,000 of which will be for roadside saliva testing.
• Edmonton is better positioned than Calgary for economic recovery and growth thanks to “a more diverse economy, a massive downtown rejuvenation, a growing health tech cluster and throngs of young grads streaming from its colleges and universities.”
• On the other hand, new figures show that inflation in Edmonton is above the national and provincial averages at 2.5%, thanks to increasing gasoline prices and the rising cost of utilities.
• The City has flagged six sites as potential permanent urban beach locations, including last year’s Accidental Beach in Cloverdale (if it reappears this year, the City plans to put more garbage cans, portable toilets, and bike racks around the area). Incredibly, Louise McKinney Riverfront Park is not one of the six locations.
• A total of $238,412 was raised in this year’s DONATE A RIDE campaign. “As a result, 71 social agencies in Edmonton will receive 93,330 Edmonton Transit Service tickets to distribute to Edmontonians who require assistance to get to and from school, work, social services and other appointments.”
• The Edmonton Journal reports that the Oilers Entertainment Group has laid off 30 workers as it aims to focus on its existing sports & entertainment operations rather than build toward global expansion.
• Summer is here! The Fred Broadstock and Queen Elizabeth outdoor pools opened this weekend, with three other outdoor pools set to open in June.
• The City has announced it is already tackling dandelions by applying iron chelate and increasing mowing.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

NAIT, Kingsway LRT Stations

Upcoming Events

• Looking to volunteer at an upcoming festival? The Edmonton Festivals Volunteer Fair takes place on Monday at the ATB Financial Arts Barns.
• The Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton’s 5th annual fundraising and awareness gala will take place on Wednesday at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• Visual Arts Alberta-CARFAC is hosting Re-Imaging Normal on Wednesday, a panel discussion that “will address aspects of LGBTQ+ history in Alberta and foster a re-evaluation of what ‘normal’ can mean in the 21st century.”
• Walterdale Theatre will launch its 60th anniversary season on Wednesday evening!
• Head over to MacEwan University’s new Allard Hall on Wednesday evening for a screening of the documentary Bag It.
• The Mayor’s 2018 State of the City Address takes place on Thursday at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• The Thousand Faces Festival starts on Thursday.
• Both the NUOVA Opera & Music Theatre Festival and the TALES Storytelling Festival kick off on Friday.
• The first annual UFest Edmonton Ukrainian Festival takes place on Friday and Saturday.
• I hope to see you at What the Truck?! on Saturday, May 26 from 3-8pm at Capital Boulevard! Here are the lineup and the menus. You can RSVP on Facebook.
• Also taking place on Saturday is the Edmonton International Cat Festival from 10am-5pm at MacEwan University!
• This year’s Festival of Health takes place at the Edmonton Clinic Health Academy at the University of Alberta.
• The second annual Edmonton Fibre Frolic takes place Saturday at the Terwillegar Community Church.
• The RISE Reconciliation Film Festival starts Saturday and runs to June 2.
• The Alberta Fire Chiefs Annual Conference & Trade Show starts at the Edmonton EXPO Centre on Sunday.
• The Edmonton Eskimos will play their first preseason game at home on Sunday against Saskatchewan.
• 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.

Ice District Edmonton, photo by jasonwoodhead23

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Happy Mother’s Day! This one is special.

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Thales Canada fired back at the City of Edmonton this week saying “a big challenge is education, fundamentally.” Thales vice-president Dave Beckley said “it’s at all levels of the organization.” They have submitted a new schedule for review, which the City is evaluating.
• City of Edmonton Chief Economist John Rose says Edmonton’s economy should continue growing as long as the Province avoids deep spending cuts. “We have already seen the leader of the UCP (Jason Kenney) talking about significant reductions in provincial expenditures, so that could be very negative in terms of the outlook, but right now, modest growth.”
• The City received 12 formal submissions and 50 ideas on developing the Northlands Coliseum lands. The next step is to review the submissions and explore “a list of viable, innovative ideas that best realize the project’s potential and guiding principles.”
• Clare Drake, “the legendary University of Alberta coach known as the winningest college hockey coach ever,” died today at the age of 89.
• The City of Edmonton’s proposal in the $50 million Smart Cities Challenge has been officially accepted by Infrastructure Canada. “Edmonton’s proposal makes the case for an innovative Healthy City Ecosystem of residents, post secondary institutions, research organizations and governments united to provide meaningful and efficient health services to people.” You can read the submission here.
• Joy Lakhan is the City of Edmonton’s new GoatWorks coordinator. “I’m both humbled and excited to work in this position,” she said. You can look forward to “Meet and Bleat” events this summer!
• Edmonton’s Borden Park Pavilion won a Governor General’s Medal in Architecture and is another example of how architecture in our city is improving. “I think the whole culture of architecture in Edmonton is really … frankly, it’s become interesting to the rest of the country,” Pat Hanson said.
• Jay Esterer, who bought the Edmonton Queen riverboat two years ago, has received regulatory approval to operate for the next two summers. “I think it showcases the river valley. It gets more people down on the river and it’s really beautiful here.”
• Could colorful crosswalks enhance safety in our city? The idea came up recently from Child Friendly Edmonton and Councillor Aaron Paquette thinks it could really make a difference.
• Organizers for the 2018 Grey Cup Festival, taking place right here in Edmonton in November, are looking for 1,000 volunteers to help out with activities like the zipline, which is coming back, bigger and better than last time!
• Edmonton Fire Rescue Services planned to visit 350 homes in Eastwood and Alberta Avenue over the weekend to install combination carbon monoxide/smoke detectors. “Since the Smoke Alarm Program began in 2007, EFRS has provided close to 7,000 smoke alarms.”
• ICYMI: Here’s my recap of the topping off ceremony for the new JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District.
• Mark Messier was among the 45 Canadians invested into the Order of Canada this week.
• From Explore Edmonton, here are your Summer Must-Dos in Edmonton. They made a video too.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Upcoming Events

• Edmonton Crime Prevention Week kicks off with a launch event on Monday afternoon at Giovanni Caboto Park.
• Governor General Julie Payette will visit Edmonton on Tuesday as part of her first official visit to Alberta.
• Two concerts this week at Rogers Place: the Eagles are on Tuesday, Queens of the Stone Age are on Friday.
• The Volleyball Canada National Championships start on Wednesday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
• Learn about selling to the City at an information session on Wednesday evening at City Hall.
• The City is hosting an information session on the proposed rezoning of Bonnie Doon Centre on Wednesday evening at La Cite Francophone.
• The DBA Spring Luncheon takes place on Thursday at the Chateau Lacombe and will feature a presentation on the Valley Line LRT, described as “a game changer for Downtown when the first phase is completed in 2020.”
• Friends of the Royal Alberta Museum Society is hosting Connections Through Collections: The Future of Museums on Thursday evening at Allard Hall, MacEwan University.
• Rainforest Alberta’s next Connector networking event takes place on Thursday afternoon at the Advanced Technology Centre (Edmonton Research Park).
• Head over to the ATB Entrepreneur Centre on Friday morning for Entrepreneurship 101.
• The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald is hosting a royal wedding viewing party early Saturday morning.
• Etsy is hosting the Made in Canada Spring Market on Saturday and Sunday at the Alberta Aviation Museum.
• Save the date: Waste Free Edmonton, Boomerang Bags, and MacEwan’s Office of Sustainability are hosting a free screening of the documentary “Bag It” on Wednesday, May 23.
• The City is hosting a series of Big Bin Events this month and throughout the summer to help you clean up.
• 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.

Edmonton Playground, photo by Kurt Bauschardt

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Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Air Canada launched non-stop daily flights between Edmonton and San Francisco this week. “This new route highlights Air Canada’s confidence in the Edmonton Metro Region and our community is pleased to work with them to add more flights to more places,” said Tom Ruth, President and CEO of Edmonton International Airport.
• Mayor Don Iveson and a large contingent of local entrepreneurs and business leaders took the flight to San Francisco on a trade mission. There, EEDC unveiled its participation in the brand new Canadian Landing Pad, “which is providing desk space in a San Francisco co-working space to Canadian companies looking to do business, network and make connections in Silicon Valley.”
• “Enough is enough,” said Mayor Iveson. The Metro Line LRT deadline that City Council set came and went on April 30, so the City has issued a Notice of Default to Thales, the contractor of the Metro Line CBTC signalling system. “This is a process within the contract,” said Adam Laughlin, the Deputy City Manager of Integrated Infrastructure Services. “It is frustrating. We, along with Edmontonians, are frustrated. Today is an important step but it is not the final step.”
• Beg buttons are the absolute worst, and now the City is going to be reviewing them starting this summer.
• The stretch of road along 107 Street NW between 120 Avenue NW and 123 Avenue NW has been named Hugh Bolton Way, in honor of the well known Edmonton volunteer, philanthropist, and retiring Chair of EPCOR’s Board of Directors.
• Project Welcome Mat, a trial solution “crafted out of community engagement and research” to improve urban wellness in Boyle Street has opened at Boyle Street Community Services Centre.
• Holryood’s contentious Holyrood Gardens project “remains just that.” The latest designs did not impress upset residents.
• Edmonton will be one of six cities included in the new Canadian Elite Basketball League launching in August 2019. Our team, which doesn’t have a name yet, will play at the Edmonton EXPO Centre. “The CEBL plans to have fans help pick names for each team.”
• The naming rights for the Shaw Conference Centre are set to expire on December 31, so EEDC is accepting submissions until May 25 for a new naming deal. Shaw bought the naming rights for 20 years in 1997 at a cost of $5.5 million.
• City Council’s Urban Planning Committee approved an $8,100 startup fee for “each recreational cannabis store, cultivation facility and cannabis processing facility.”
• The Development Incentive Program is back, and the City is encouraging property owners with empty or underused sites to apply by June 15.
• “Are you passionate about parking?” No, but I know there will be some get-off-my-lawn types who will jump at the opportunity to help the City “crowdsource information about how on-site parking allocated for apartments, condos, townhouses and businesses is being used.”
• EPCOR is expected to submit a rezoning application to turn part of Gold Bar Park into a parking lot, and a community organization called the Save Gold Bar Park Alliance has cropped up to oppose it.
• Be advised that starting today, “the first major traffic shift takes effect to accommodate preparation work for the next phase of construction on the Groat Road Bridges and Road Renewal project.”
• The Premium Outlet Collection at EIA is now open and the airport is encouraging travellers to “give yourself extra travel time” due to increased traffic.
• A transit link between Edmonton and Enoch is a “no-brainer” according to Michelle Wilsdon, an Enoch Cree Nation councillor. Edmonton councillor Scott McKeen said it would be “a minor act of reconciliation.”
• Who knew? Pinball machines increasingly popular with Edmontonians, reads a recent CBC Edmonton headline.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

JW Marriott Hotel and Stantec Tower, photo by Kurt Bauschardt

Upcoming Events

• RECOVER, Edmonton’s Urban Wellness Plan, is hosting a prototype showcase on Tuesday evening at Allard Hall, MacEwan University.
• Poppy Barley is launching its Summer 2018 collection on Wednesday evening at their Southgate store.
• ECVO’s AGM will take place on Wednesday afternoon at the Royal Glenora Club. Guest speakers Graham Thomson & Brookes Merritt will share their perspectives on Alberta’s political landscape.
• Cannabis Let’s Talk Alberta, in partnership with REACH Edmonton and the City of Edmonton, is hosting a cannabis information session at The Orange Hub on Wednesday evening.
• Beverley Theresa will be discussing #OwnYourBrand on Wednesday evening at 99ten, part of the NextGen Speaker Series.
• The Edmonton Heritage Council is hosting a workshop for creators on Wednesday evening at the Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre.
• The 2018 Edmonton Real Estate Forum takes place on Thursday at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• I love the idea behind ATB Financial’s tech time event, taking place at the Entrepreneur Centre on Thursday evening. “There are 2 kinds of people in this world: 1. Those who know how to use their electronic devices effectively and 2. Those who don’t. This session is for BOTH OF YOU!”
• The 124 Grand Market’s season opener takes place on Thursday night at 108 Avenue and 124 Street.
• SpotlightYEG, hosted by the City of Edmonton Youth Council, takes place at City Hall on Friday evening and will be exhibiting art pieces to promote mental health and/or stigma reduction.
• Humanities 101 is celebrating its 10 year partnership with Community Service Learning on Friday afternoon at the University of Alberta.
• The Royal Bison Art & Craft Fair returns to the Old Strathcona Performing Arts Centre on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
• Get Ready in the Park takes place on Saturday at Hawrelak Park.
• Sunday is Mother’s Day, but the City Market is celebrating on Saturday at City Hall! The first 150 mothers will receive $5 in market bucks, a handcrafted chocolate, and a potted pansy.
• Child Friendly Edmonton and the City of Edmonton are hosting a Mental Health Week Block Party on Saturday at Wilbert McIntyre Park in Old Strathcona.
• Save the date: Connections Through Collections – The Future of Museums is coming up on May 17 at Allard Hall, MacEwan University.

LRT Construction at the Harbin Gate

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Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• City Council has approved the property tax rates for 2018, “which resulted in a 1.8 per cent increase for the typical single-family home and a 2.3 per cent increase for non-residential properties that realized an average market value change.” Tax notices will be mailed May 22, and the deadline to pay is June 30.
• The names of the stations along the Valley Line West LRT were announced this week. Thankfully, they were “primarily chosen based on location to support passenger wayfinding.” So you’ll see names like “124 Street” and “West Edmonton Mall”. We’re still at least six years from the line opening.
• Unfortunately, City Council voted to delay a decision on lowering speed limits to 30 km/h until March 2019.
• Here’s the news release from the Airport Accord partners on “enhanced transit connections” for the Edmonton International Airport. Among other things, starting June 1, “UPass holders will be able to access ETS Route 747 with their UPass, and Leduc Transit customers will be able to transfer between Route 747 and Leduc Transit with no additional fare.”
• The City has identified 659 dangerous crosswalks and says that at the current rate of investment – $2 million a year – it’ll take 29 years to deal with them all.
• Malcolm Bruce, currently CEO of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board (EMRB), will step into the role of CEO for Edmonton Global starting July 1.
• Edmonton-born Monique Ganderton is Marvel Studios’ first-ever female stunt coordinator and she worked on Avengers: Infinity War!
• The small commercial building at 10344 Jasper Avenue is going to be turned into a 10-storey, 34-unit residential building called The Wedge. Construction could begin as early as next spring.
• The Province has committed $2.5 million to help revive the Roxy Theatre. “The new building, slated to open in 2020, will go up on the original site.”
• Council unanimously agreed this week to develop an information campaign to make the case for more affordable housing in Edmonton. “Council also agreed to make permanent supportive housing a priority over the next six years.”
• David Climenhaga: If there was ever a time for the U of A to stick to its guns and welcome David Suzuki to Edmonton, this is it!
• From Raising Edmonton, here are four local playgrounds with ziplines! And from Hannah at Honey & Betts, here are the 7 Edmonton mom bloggers you need to know.
• The Edmonton Oilers made some coaching changes this week. Todd McLellan will remain the head coach, but assistant coaches Ian Herbers and Jim Johnson have been fired. Additionally, Jay Woodcroft will be the head coach for the AHL’s Condors.
• The Oilers will be selecting 10th in the 2018 NHL Draft. “They only had a 5 percent chance of capturing the first pick, but it didn’t seem likely that would be the case.”
• The second annual Mean Tweets featuring Mayor Don Iveson raised more than $10,000 for the United Way.
• I think Accidental Beach should remain a fond memory and not return, though it did nicely demonstrate what a missed opportunity we have with the current Louise McKinney Riverfront Park. Council will be discussing the long-term feasibility of the beach on May 24.

Downtown Edmonton

Upcoming Events

• The Fever International Dance Championships are taking place at the Edmonton EXPO Centre this week.
• The 2018 Dig In Horticulinary Festival takes place from Tuesday to Sunday at the Enjoy Centre in St. Albert.
• The Alberta Business Hall of Fame awards event will take place on Wednesday at the Shaw Conference Centre. This year, Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk, co-founders of BioWare, will be among those recognized.
• The 2018 Capital Regional Rotary Integrity Awards will take place Wednesday evening at the Double Tree by Hilton in the west end.
• The final Green Drinks of the season takes place Wednesday at the Yellowhead Brewery.
• Taste of Stony Plain Road is taking place on Friday night.
• The spring edition of the Butterdome Craft Sale takes place Friday to Sunday at the Butterdome!
• There are a series of Jane’s Walks taking place throughout the city on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
• Students from grades 4 through 9 will head over to the Prince of Wales Armouries on Saturday for the Edmonton Regional Heritage Fair.
• The Shaw Conference Centre is hosting Dinner with Canada’s Top Chefs: Spring Edition on Sunday evening.

Urban Barn, photo by Kurt Bauschardt

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Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• According to a new report, “Edmonton faces a $3.8 billion funding gap for capital projects when the province’s Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) runs out in 2021.” The City estimates it’ll need $18.8 billion between 2019 and 2028 for a range of infrastructure projects.
• The City has announced it will begin street sweeping “near the end of April, weather permitting”.
• Back in December, City Council set a deadline of April 30 for all of the Metro Line LRT issues to be sorted. That date is fast approaching “but everyone from the politicians, to city administration, to Thales – the signals contractor – is not saying much.”
• Former City Councillor Ron Hayter died on Saturday at the age of 81. He served from 1971 to 2010, minus a short break from 1995 to 2001 to service on the National Parole Board.
• FC Edmonton, which suspended operations in November and left the NASL, says it could join the Canadian Premier League if the City was willing to invest in Clarke Stadium. Apparently so many people showed up at City Hall to speak in support of professional soccer that the committee meeting was moved to Council chambers.
• Speed limits on all local, residential roads in Edmonton could soon be reduced to 30 km/h. “City officials said 72 per cent of residents they surveyed want speeds reduced on local roads, and support for that reduction was consistent, from mature neighbourhoods to suburbs.”
• Starting May 1, a single fare on bus Route 747 (which travels from Century Park to the Edmonton International Airport) will revert to $5 thanks to $333,000 in funding from Leduc County. The route will also extend service to the new outlet mall.
• AHS is expanding its investigation into the source of a recent E. coli outbreak in Edmonton after 1 person died and 11 others were sent to hospital.
• Will Edmonton become the hub of a cannabis industry worth up to $100 million annually? Probably not.
• The Muttart Conservatory will close for up to 18 months starting in July 2019 to undergo extensive renovations.
• Edmonton police chief Rod Knecht says he expects to confirm “any day” if he will stay on past the expiration of his current contract on October 31, 2018.
• From the Edmonton Public Library, here are 13 things you didn’t know you could do with a library card.
• The Edmonton Food Council is looking for new members! The deadline to apply is April 30.

105th, photo by Kurt Bauschardt

Upcoming Events

• The Edmonton Poetry Festival started today and runs through Sunday.
• I will be at the Shaw Conference Centre on Tuesday for AccelerateAB, Alberta’s “annual flagship event that brings together leaders, investors, influencers and supporters of Alberta’s fast-growing startup community.”
• Head over to the Shaw Conference Centre on Wednesday afternoon for the next Edmonton Job Fair hosted by Jobs Canada.
• The City is hosting a River Crossing Business Plan Workshop on Wednesday evening at the Old Timers Cabin.
• Alberta Women Entrepreneurs is hosting its AWE Awards Reception on Wednesday at the Sutton Place Hotel.
• Rapid Fire Theatre is hosting Mean Tweets with Mayor Don Iveson on Wednesday evening at the Citadel Theatre.
• The Roast of Jason Strudwick in support of KidSport takes place on Thursday evening at The Westin Edmonton.
• It seems like there’s an awful lot of cannabis/smoking events lately. Canada’s Vape Expo runs Friday to Sunday at the Edmonton Expo Centre, while the Cannabis & Hemp Expo takes place Saturday and Sunday.
• The YESS Gala for Youth takes place in Hall D at the Shaw Conference Centre on Friday evening.
• The Edmonton Tattoo & Arts Festival takes place at the Edmonton EXPO Centre from Friday to Sunday.
• Also taking place all weekend long at the Edmonton EXPO Centre is the Edmonton Gem & Mineral Show.
• Eat Alberta takes place on Sunday at NAIT.
• Homeless Connect takes place on Sunday at the Shaw Conference Centre.

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