Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• A proposed city charter was released Thursday that contains 38 regulations intended to clarify laws and improve efficiency. “What it actually talks about is positive benefit for generations of Calgarians and Edmontonians,” Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi told a news conference. Mayor Don Iveson said: “This agreement fundamentally changes the dynamic between our governments and establishes a more mature working relationship. Edmonton and Calgary are being entrusted with more flexibility, more accountability.” The draft is open for public comment until October 10.
• The Edmonton Metropolitan Region’s new regional economic development entity will be known as Edmonton Global. It was incorporated as a separate Part 9 not-for-profit company in June of this year.
• Here is my latest roundup of Edmonton Election news. We’re publishing it regularly right through to Election Day on October 16.
• Thanks in part to the record-breaking crowd at the Heritage Festival, the Edmonton Food Bank surpassed its fundraising goal of 50,000 kg of food.
• The City is looking to establish citizen working groups along the Valley Line West corridor and is hosting a series of public meetings over the next two weeks to select the representatives. “Public input has played, and continues to play, an essential role in shaping the Valley Line LRT, from the identification of the corridor in 2009, through the development of the concept plan, to the completion of preliminary design in 2013.”
• The Edmonton Folk Music Festival decided to evacuate the grounds on Thursday night due to high winds and safety concerns. Here are the refund procedures, if you were affected.
• Four Edmonton-area restaurants made the list of Canada’s Best New Restaurants for 2017: Alder Room, Cafe Linnea, Chartier, and Bar Clementine.
• With a 27-20 win on Thursday evening, the Edmonton Eskimos remain undefeated with a 7-0 record this season! Should the team change its name though? “What better moment for us to lead on a different field of play,” wrote Paula Simons.
• The Edmonton Prospects are playing Swift Current for the league title for the second year in a row. Go Prospects!
• The City of Edmonton’s Youth Council is now accepting applications for Edmonton’s Youth Poet Laureate. “This position invites poets to share their distinct and creative voice to Edmonton for a one-year term.” The deadline to apply is September 5.
• Edmonton’s NextGen is accepting presentation submissions for Pecha Kucha Night 29 until September 17.
• This is very exciting news: Red Bull Crashed Ice will be returning to Edmonton next year on March 9 and 10!
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Edmonton Bike Lane Construction, photo by More Bike Lanes Please

Upcoming Events

• Edmonton Ghost Tours is running a series of tours in Old Strathcona from August 14 through 31. They’ve also organized a few Haunted Pub Walks!
• The Edmonton Career Fair & Training Expo takes place at the Shaw Conference Centre on Tuesday.
• VA Angels is celebrating its history and unveiling its new brand and direction on Tuesday afternoon at the Art Gallery of Alberta.
• Movies on the Square is back on Tuesday evening with a screening of Guardians of the Galaxy 2.
• Thursday is Pixar Adult Access Night at the TELUS World of Science.
• The Edmonton International Fringe Festival kicks off on Thursday evening! Get prepared with Taproot’s #YEGFringe Daily Digest. Check out today’s edition here.
• The Edmonton Rock Music Festival takes place on Friday and Saturday.
• Head down into the river valley on the weekend for the Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival.
• This year’s edition of the Edmonton Airshow takes place on Saturday and Sunday at the Villeneuve Airport.
• Edmonton Ribfest takes place this weekend at Victoria Park.
• Also taking place Saturday and Sunday is the Edmonton Latin Festival and the Edmonton Marathon.
• The 88th and final running of the Canadian Derby at Northlands Park takes place on Saturday.
• Alberta Open Farm Days runs Saturday and Sunday throughout the province. The annual event “is about farmers and ranchers inviting their urban and rural neighbours to stop in for a visit to share stories, see demonstrations, and learn more about the farmers who grow their food.”
• Be sure to check out Taproot’s summer festival guide for even more great summer events!
• Save the date for the 2017 EPL Gala, an evening with Rex Murphy, taking place on September 14. All proceeds from the event will support the revitalization of the Stanley Milner library downtown.

Flow and Boundaries, photo by Jeff Wallace

Happy long weekend! Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Edmonton’s unemployment rate rose to 8.5% last month, up from 7.9% in June, as our city lost 4,000 mainly part-time jobs.
• The Globe and Mail wrote about Blatchford this week, noting that despite delays the heavy equipment is now at work. The City’s Mark Hall says the first residents of Blatchford could be moving into the community as early as winter 2018, and the entire neighbourhood, housing 30,000 residents, built out by 2037. Builders will be selected in the next couple of months.
• The City announced it has been posting photo radar locations to the Open Data catalog since the beginning of July. “The City of Edmonton reminds you that automated enforcement locations are subject to change due to weather, construction, and other circumstances.”
• Northlands CEO Tim Reid told Global Edmonton that he is “more confident than ever before that there is a great future for Northlands.” K-Days attendance was up again this year to 816,250 (it was 803,087 last year).
• A proposed amendment to the Municipal Government Act would give the City the power to tax derelict non-residential properties. This would be a really useful tool!
• The Edmonton Eskimos are now 6-0 with a 33-29 victory over Hamilton on Friday night!
• Our latest Taproot Edmonton story takes a look at the challenges of building a new home in an old neighbourhood. Often when we talk about infill people think about rowhouses or lot-splitting, but single-family housing that replaces aging housing stock is a key part of Edmonton’s infill strategy.
• I would certainly agree that Edmonton could benefit from more free public wi-fi! The City says an average of 11,000 people connect to Open City Wi-Fi each day. I do think networks like Shaw Open and Telus Wi-Fi diminish the need for the City-owned network, but not everyone can access that.
• AGLC is changing the rules to allow farmers markets to sell beer and spirits, but only at markets approved by Alberta Agriculture.
• Bathrooms at Rogers Place are being expanded to help alleviate the lineups that fans saw this past season.
• ETS has launched a new campaign called Let’s Keep Each Other Safe that “encourages riders to report unusual, suspicious or unsafe activities that could impact themselves or others.” It will run through September 30.
• Researchers at the U of A are developing a new walkability app for downtown Edmonton.
• If you’re unable to vote in person during the 2017 municipal election, you can now request a special ballot from Edmonton Elections.
• That was quite the summer storm yesterday! A severe thunderstorm caused localized flooding, knocked out power in a couple of areas, and started at least one fire.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Upcoming Events

• There’s one more day left for the Heritage Festival at Hawrelak Park! We had fun today, though it took a long time to get in – apparently we were among the record 147,000 who took a bus to the site between 10am and 4pm. You can see a neat visualization of the various booths and menu items here.
• Kurios by Cirque du Soleil continues at Northlands through Sunday.
• Movies on the Square is back! The first film is Moana on Tuesday evening.
• Alberta Women Entrepreneurs is hosting a two hour introductory workshop on the life of an entrepreneur on Tuesday evening.
• Wednesday evening is International Coworking Day and Homestead is using the opportunity to celebrate and to mark its first birthday!
• The second Downtown Sustainability Stroll takes place on Thursday at 4pm. Meet inside City Hall.
• The Edmonton Folk Music Festival kicks off on Thursday.
• The 2017 Sturgeon County Bounty Culinary Cookout takes place on Friday evening at Cardiff Park in Sturgeon County.
• Animethon takes place from Friday through Sunday.
• Cariwest also takes place on the weekend, and the parade starts at noon on Saturday.
• There’s an Instagrammable Walls of Edmonton Photo Walk taking place on Saturday in Chinatown.
• MADE for PETS, Edmonton’s first market for animals, takes place on Sunday at the Edmonton Humane Society.
• Sunday’s Chinatown Walking Tour is “sold out” so the organizers have added another date on August 27!
• Plan the rest of your summer with Taproot’s 2017 guide to summer festivals & events!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Smoke Midway at K-Days, photo by Kurt Bauschardt

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• After a number of heat warnings this week it’s no surprise that Alberta has set a new summer record for power consumption, at 10,852 megawatts. The previous record, 10,520 megawatts, was set just a few weeks ago on July 9.
• The Hope Mission’s Herb Jamieson Centre has been given the green light to be torn down and rebuilt in the same location at a cost of $16 million. “Instead of saturating one neighbourhood, we should be building transitional housing and long-term supportive housing throughout the city,” wrote Paula Simons. I agree, but that’s not what the Herb Jamieson Centre is – it’s an emergency shelter. There’s no easy answer here, but I think rebuilding in the same location is probably the right thing to do.
• Andrew Small writing for CityLab on Edmonton: “I wandered around Edmonton feeling there was something missing from my experience in the city: people.” Also: “People in Edmonton still clearly love their cars, and the city has the sprawl to prove it.”
• The federal government has delivered the first of two annual $109.5 million federal Gas Tax Fund installments to Alberta. Of the $220 million allotted to our province for 2017, Edmonton will receive nearly $49 million.
• According to a new Bloomberg survey of economists, Alberta’s GDP will rise by 2.9% this year, faster than any other region in Canada. “It’s a huge comeback from Alberta’s last place finish in each of the last two years when oil prices plummeted below $50 a barrel, triggering layoffs and an investment freeze that shrank GDP by about 4 percent.”
• The Eskimos are having a great season so far – they’re 5-0 after another win on Friday evening! In fact, the Eskimos have “now won 10-1 in the last 11 regular season games.”
• Let’s hope the Esks’ success isn’t a season too soon as the 2018 Grey Cup will be played in Edmonton!
• The City has recognized employees from five departments for their environmental efforts at the 9th annual Charles Labtiuk Awards. In the news release, City Manager Linda Cochrane said: “Our employees understand the importance of reducing the impact of the City’s work on the environment, and they look for new and creative ways to do that. I’m proud of all of them.”
• Edmonton Police seized 130,000 fentanyl pills with an estimated street value of $3.9 million recently, the largest in Canada.
• Elise has the scoop on Mayor Don Iveson’s re-election campaign launch. “Iveson said next to the economy, transportation and redevelopment will be a key focus for his campaign.”
• Here’s the City’s statement on safety measures at stormwater ponds: “The City has 183 stormwater ponds which undergo routine inspection and maintenance to ensure they meet all current safety and operating standards. Stormwater ponds on average are inspected 12 times a year. Water levels, quality, bank erosion, operation assets and signage are inspected during these site visits.”
• Archaeologists are uncovering Edmonton’s hidden industrial history at the former site of Vogel’s Meat Packing Company in the Mill Creek Ravine.
• It was originally supposed to open this fall but the Premium Outlet Collection near the Edmonton International Airport is now slated for a spring 2018 opening. It will reportedly feature more than 100 stores.
• Tails of Help, a charity that helps pay for the treatment of pets, is feeling the pinch of a tight economy.
• Nominations are now open for the 2017 Urban Design Awards. You have until August 15 to nominate an individual, organization, or project. There’s also an online people’s choice award this year, and voting for that will open in September.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Ice District Construction, photo by Kurt Bauschardt

Upcoming Events

• Rust Magic, the international street mural festival, wraps up on Monday.
• Kurios by Cirque du Soleil continues at Northlands Park through August 13.
• Canadian Pacific is celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday with the CP Canada 150 Train on Monday evening. Learn more here.
• TEC Edmonton is hosting a session on valuation on Tuesday at Enterprise Square in the new TEC Innovation District.
• The Edmonton Data Science Meetup takes place on Wednesday evening at Startup Edmonton.
• Poppy Barley’s new flagship store at Southgate Centre opens on Thursday!
• Lady Gaga is performing at Rogers Place on Thursday evening.
• Want to learn more about bike camping? The Bike Library and Workshop at the University of Alberta is hosting an introduction to the topic on Friday evening.
• The Heritage Festival is coming up at Hawrelak Park from August 5 through 7, on the long weekend.
• Watch out on Sunday – the Color Run 5K takes place at Capilano Park.
• Movies on the Square returns in August! The first move is Moana on August 8.
• There are still plenty of great events to enjoy this summer – check out Taproot Edmonton’s guide!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Edmonton Triathlon, photo by Stephen Maunder

What a hot weekend! Edmonton had a heat warning in effect for most of it, but Environment Canada says “there will be some relief from the heat on Monday.” There’s a severe thunderstorm watch in effect for tonight, too.

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• The City and Homeward Trust released Edmonton’s Updated Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness this week. “The updated plan sets priorities to 2026” and “is founded on three key goals: eliminating chronic and episodic homelessness by 2022; preventing future homelessness; and developing an integrated systems response to homelessness.” The report calls for an extra $30 million per year to fund operations and homeless interventions, in addition to more spending on housing.
• DeepMind has opened its first ever international AI research office right here in Edmonton in collaboration with the University of Alberta. “Our hope is that this collaboration will help turbo-charge Edmonton’s growth as a technology and research hub, attracting even more world-class AI researchers to the region and helping to keep them there too.”
• Connor McDavid signed an eight-year, $100 million extension with the Edmonton Oilers this week. That contract will have an average annual value of $12.5 million.
• Edmonton builder Sandy Mactaggart died this week at the age of 89. Paul Simons wrote that his passing “should be an occasion for us to reflect on how different Edmonton might have been if he had not adopted this city and made it his home.”
• I missed my update last week, so I wanted to link to this: Edmonton and Leduc County reach agreement on annexation. They’ve also signed a cooperation accord with the City of Leduc “to form a new partnership aimed at helping the EIA reach its full potential as a key economic driver” for the Edmonton region.
• Vix Technology has won the contract to develop the Smart Fare system for the Edmonton region. “Customers will be able to use their credit cards, debit cards, other compatible smart cards and smart devices.” It’s still going to take until at least 2020 until we see this, though.
• Up to 40,000 eligible Edmontonians can now begin applying for a subsidized monthly ETS transit pass at a rate of $35/month. It’s part of a pilot program called Ride Transit that will run through 2018.
• Edmonton’s latest rebranding discussion caused quite a stir at Council this week. “EEDC and city officials believe the words that describe Edmonton are: inventive, open, courageous and co-operative.” Jason Markusoff called us the Land of 1,000 rebranding efforts in Maclean’s. David Staples wrote in the Journal that our city’s “new strategy to market itself to the rest of the world is perfect for us, even if takes some getting used to.”
• Global has a recap of the 2017 Growth Monitoring Report that was released this week. “The report offers a snapshot of growth, demographics, land use and development, development patterns and trends, non-residential growth and housing in Edmonton.”
• The City’s new ambassador program “has exceeded expectations so far,” according to a new Journal article. I’m downtown all day every day, and this is the first I’ve heard of them, nor do I recall seeing them on the street.
• Walk Edmonton has released a new map of the Central River Valley. Get out there and enjoy!
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

“Firebrand Glass” on Capital Boulevard

Upcoming Events

• The Edmonton International Street Performers Festival is underway at Churchill Square!
• Fresh MEAET is a fundraising event for local food projects and it takes place on Tuesday evening at the ATB Entrepreneur Centre.
• The City is hosting a public engagement session on the Centre LRT Study at the Bonnie Doon Community League on Wednesday evening.
• Lawn Summer Nights takes place on Thursday evening at the Commonwealth Lawn Bowling Club.
• Head over to Northlands Park on Friday evening for Park After Dark.
• Matchbox Twenty and Counting Crows are playing Rogers Place on Friday, the latest stop on the A Brief History Of Everything Tour.
• Progress Alberta is hosting an event called Stop carding in Edmonton! on Saturday at the Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science at the U of A.
• Put your dancing shoes on and head over to the Legislature on Saturday for Dancing in the Park with Toy Guns Dance Theatre and Let’s Swing Dance.
• If you’re interested in urban agriculture, don’t miss the Northlands Urban Farm Tour on Sunday at 9:30am.
• For more great summer events, check out Taproot’s listing of happenings.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

The future Valley Line LRT tunnel down from The Quarters

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• A draft plan for the new transit strategy was released on Thursday. “The new approach to transit will have a network of high-frequency routes in the core of the city with new crosstown routes and rapid-bus commuter routes for the suburbs,” wrote Elise. The strategy will be discussed by Council on July 5 but still has a long way to go until it becomes reality. Already some drivers are worried about losing their jobs.
• The City has hired structural engineers to look into whether or not the High Level Bridge can be widened for cyclists and pedestrians. The same study will also look at the feasibility of putting an LRT connection across the bridge.
• The Downtown Bike Network (south of 105 Avenue) is now open! “A grand celebration event, Cycle in the City, will take place Saturday, August 26.” New bike lanes are great, but how about some new bike parking to go along with them?
• Edmonton’s unemployment rate fell from 8.1% in April to 7.9% in May “as the number of new jobs outweighed ongoing growth in the labour force.” The inflation rate is also down from 1.7% to 1.3%.
• The Edmonton Police Service celebrated its 125th anniversary this week. “Edmonton council under mayor Matthew McCauley signed Bylaw 15 on June 20, 1892, which provided “for the appointment of Special Constables” to keep order in the town of 700.” You can learn more about the milestone here.
• Edmonton’s new Chinatown plan calls for funding to deal with the 97 Street Bridge, to relocate the Harbin Gate, and to reconfigure Mary Burley Park.
• The June construction update from Blatchford says that “crews have made major progress installing the underground utilities that will service the first residential stage.”
• Poppy Barley is opening a new flagship store at Southgate Mall this August! Stay tuned for grand opening details.
• Paula has some news on the weed debate that is sure to heat up here in Edmonton in the months ahead. The City has a draft zoning bylaw that will be debated at a public hearing this week.
• The West Edmonton Mall transit centre has reopened after closing for a year to undergo “a massive transformation.” The larger heated waiting area now features 80% more seating space, and there’s improved sidewalks, upgrade lighting, and other improvements. The upgrade cost $3 million and the City says it was completed on-time and on-budget.
• EPCOR and Landis+Gyr have completed deployment of their new “advanced metering infrastructure and grid management” in Edmonton.
• It was a fairly big off-season week for the Oilers: Connor McDavid won the Hart Trophy, Jordan Eberle was traded to the New York Islanders for Ryan Strome, Kris Russell signed a four-year contract, and the team picked Kailer Yamamoto 22nd overall in the NHL Entry Draft.
• Paths for People is looking for an Executive Director. The deadline to apply is June 30.
• The last day to nominate a Front Yard in Bloom is June 30.
• You can share your thoughts on the Valley Line West LRT until July 7 by filling out this online form.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Edmonton Skyline, photo by Kurt Bauschardt

Upcoming Events

• Homeward Trust is celebrating the grand opening of a new FIND Store at 123 Street and Jasper Avenue on Monday.
• Head over to Hawrelak Park for the Freewill Shakespeare Festival which continues through July 16. We went to see the Merchant of Venice on Friday night and really enjoyed it!
• Also continuing through the week is The Works Art & Design Festival and the Edmonton International Jazz Festival.
• Discuss the elephant in the room re: Canada 150 on Tuesday evening at Urban Tavern YEG with a special #MakeItAwkward event hosted by Jesse Lipscombe. See also: 4 Indigenous people share why they won’t be singing O Canada on July 1.
• The Feats Festival of Dance is on from Monday through July 9.
• Infill Edmonton is hosting Refill with Infill at the Sherlock Holmes Pub on Rice Howard Way on Wednesday evening. Have a drink and talk about infill!
• I am looking forward to the Entrepreneur Speakeasy taking place on Wednesday evening at the ATB Entrepreneur Centre.
• Blues on Whyte takes place Thursday through Saturday.
• Sand on Whyte kicks off on Friday and runs through July 8. Their new presenting partner is Boardwalk Rental Communities.
• Park After Dark takes place again on Friday evening at Northlands Park.
• Saturday is Canada Day, and this year it’s the big 150 celebration! There’s a lot going on around the city, so enjoy!
• Canada Day also marks the start of the Historic Festival & Doors Open Edmonton.
• Don’t miss Taproot’s 2017 guide to summer festivals & events for even more great events to check out!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

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

Headlines

• Bike lanes are what everyone is talking about this week now that three sections of the Downtown Bike Network opened on Friday afternoon. The majority of the network will open by July. Learn about how to use the network here and provide feedback to the City using this online survey.
• I saw a lot of people using the new bike lanes on Saturday and plenty of excitement on social media. Not everyone is in favor of the new lanes though, as according to CBC some motorists are upset with the changes. On the other hand, when are drivers happy about anything? The new rules will take some getting used to, but this bike network is a great thing for our city. And you know, a mass bike ride for infill awareness isn’t such a bad idea 🙂
• The other great thing about the bike lanes is that they make it safer to be a pedestrian, especially important as we are clearly still a long way from achieving Vision Zero. A woman and her dog were struck and killed in a marked crosswalk by a driver on Saturday.
• I am very excited for Edmonton’s first no-car event being organized for next summer by Paths for People. “It creates a bridge so all Edmontonians can go out an enjoy our streets,” said Anna Ho. They’re looking at using the High Level Bridge for the event.
• One year after safety barriers were installed on the High Level Bridge, the number of suicide attempts from the bridge has dropped by 50%, according to the City.
• Dandelions cramping your style? The City says it is “balancing safety, environmental, financial and social costs and benefits with new measures to address this year’s proliferation of dandelions.” They’re going to be applying two treatments of iron chelate, first in late June, then again later in July.
• Curious about Edmonton’s sister city relationships? Jacquie DuVal looked into the issue for Taproot’s latest story.
• It’s the debate that just won’t die. Two of NAIT’s marketing instructors have weighed in on the “City of Champions” slogan and signs.
• Some Edmontonians continue to protest against the proposed safe injection sites. “The city is hoping to open the new safe injection centres by next year.”
• EPS is reassuring citizens that Edmonton is “a safe city” has partnered with an associate professor at MacEwan University to study 196 homicides in the city between 2007 and 2012. “The research shows that in almost 75 per cent of cases, the victims knew their killers” and that “substance abuse was a factor in most cases and 84 per cent of the killers were ‘criminally active’ beforehand.”
• Aurora Cannabis held a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday for its new production facility near the Edmonton International Airport. “Once marijuana is legalized and the facility is running at full capacity, the company expects to produce more than 100,000 kg of marijuana per year.”
• It’s the end of the End of the World as we know it. The City has released new designs for the popular lookout point that aim to increase safety.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Downtown Bike Lanes are now partially open!

Upcoming Events

• This year’s edition of the Freewill Shakespeare Festival kicks off on Tuesday! A number of other annual festivals start this week as well, including the Summer Solstice Festival, The Works, the Found Festival, and the Edmonton International Jazz Festival.
• The City is hosting a public open house on Tuesday evening at the Old Timers Cabin to discuss PlanWhyte, a plan for the future of Whyte Avenue.
• Running for office in this year’s Municipal Election? Don’t miss an information session being held at the Elections and Census Office on Wednesday from noon until 2pm.
• Please join us on Wednesday night at the Sugar Swing ballroom for the first Taproot event where we’ll discuss urban planning ideas like a highline on the High Level and a “nature bomb” to one of our city’s busiest corridors. Get your tickets here!
• Wednesday is National Aboriginal Day and the City and its partners are hosting a series of events all week long.
• Make Music Edmonton takes place on Wednesday at venues all along 124 Street.
• The Yards is launching its summer issue on Thursday evening at CKUA Radio.
• The Foodie Bike Tour is back again on Saturday!
• Celebrate the 90th anniversary of Blatchford Field at the Alberta Aviation Museum on Saturday.
• Pets in the Park takes place on Sunday at Hawrelak Park!
• Symphony in the City takes place on Sunday at the Legislature grounds!
• Be sure to check out Taproot Edmonton’s guide to summer festivals & events for more upcoming events!

I’ve been in Seattle on vacation with Sharon for the last week! I’m still here actually, attending a Microsoft conference for the next couple of days. It was a nice break from the computer, but I’m ready to get back down to business.

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Edmonton’s annual Pride Parade took place this weekend along Whyte Avenue. From the Journal: “For the first time in the event’s 37-year history, the region’s two-spirit community served as grand marshalls of the Edmonton Pride Parade.” Here’s more from CBC.
• Council decided to move ahead with plans for 30 km/h speed limits around all playgrounds and some sports fields and parks throughout Edmonton. The final vote is expected to take place in September.
• EPCOR is pitching a 60 hectare solar farm near the Cameron Heights neighbourhood. The farm would generate 12 megawatts of energy with only 5% anticipated lost efficiency “during the winter from snow cover.”
• The City is looking to establish a Coliseum ARP Community Stakeholder Committee to “provide advice and share insights about the development and potential implementation of this exciting, city-building project.” The deadline to apply is July 4.
• You can now borrow one of twenty AirBeam Air Quality Monitors from the Edmonton Public Library to test the air in your neighbourhood. “The handheld monitors can be put on hold and checked out from library branches for three week periods.”
• Edmonton is the first city in Canada to launch a voluntary Large Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure program (LBERD) “aimed at transforming Edmonton’s large buildings.” The program is part of our city’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Should we upgrade Edmonton’s drainage systems to handle a 1-in-100 year storm? That would cost $2.6 billion, so some argue it might be cheaper to simply pay for disaster assistance after the fact.
• The Edmonton Queen riverboat has been renovated over the last year but is awaiting a permit from the City to fully re-open to the public. Apparently the application is “complicated and multi-jurisdictional.”
• A company called Aurora Cannabis is building a $100 million production and processing facility near the Edmonton International Airport that could make the Edmonton region a centre for Canada’s marijuana industry. The facility is expected to be complete and operational in time for the legalization of recreational marijuana in July 2018.
• Edmonton has made another list! This time Conde Nast Traveler included Edmonton in its list of the seven best places to visit in June 2017. As ridiculous as that sounds, at least Edmonton is getting included in these things now.
• Hangar 11 at the old City Centre Airport has made the National Trust for Canada’s list of the most endangered historic places in Canada. “Hangar 11 is listed on the city’s Inventory of Historic Resources, but is not protected by formal designation.”
• It looks like the first of a series of Chinatown tours was a big success this weekend! The next one is coming up on July 9.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Councillor Scott McKeen and Premier Rachel Notley, photo by Premier of Alberta

Upcoming Events

• Indulgence is taking place on Monday evening at the Delta Edmonton South.
• Improvaganza kicks off on Wednesday!
• The City is holding an open house on Thursday to discuss a proposed rezoning in Jasper Park that would allow for the development of up to nine row housing units.
• City Hall School’s annual Citizenship Fair takes place on Friday afternoon at City Hall.
• WWE Live returns to Edmonton on Friday at Northlands Coliseum.
• The Africa Centre is hosting its 2017 Africa Day Gala at the Shaw Conference Centre on Saturday.
• Head over to 104 Street on Saturday for the Mercer Summer Super Party or to Highlands for the Highlandia Festival.
• ZooFest takes place at the Edmonton Valley Zoo on Saturday evening to raise funds for the Valley Zoo Development Society and the Zebra Child Protection Centre.
• We are having our first Taproot Edmonton event on June 21 discussing a couple of exciting urban planning ideas! It’ll be kind of like doing one of our stories, but live. We hope you can join us!
• Be sure to check out Taproot Edmonton’s guide to summer festivals & events for more upcoming events!
• The City has released some details for this year’s Canada Day celebrations. “It is anticipated that 300,000 people will attend the celebrations throughout the day.”
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Mayor Don Iveson, photo by Don Voaklander

I can’t believe it’s nearly June, but I am enjoying how green everything has become around the city! Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Fifteen regional municipalities have voted to create a new entity “to promote the Edmonton Metropolitan Region to the world.” The budget for the first year will be $1 million and an organizational meeting is slated for June 8.
• The City has mailed your annual property tax notice. All taxes are due by June 30, 2017. “This year, a typical single-family home, assessed at $397,000, will pay $3,378 in property taxes.”
• If you missed Mayor Don Iveson’s State of the City address, you can read his remarks in PDF here. He officially announced he will seek re-election as mayor in the municipal election in October. “Edmonton is on the verge of something extraordinary and I’m inspired by the opportunity to make change ours,” he wrote.
• New data from Statistics Canada shows the median income plunging 15% in Calgary but surging 13% here in Edmonton to $88,900 (in 2015).
• The latest Taproot story looks at synchronizing traffic lights and why we so often run into red after red, as drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
• MacEwan University president David Atkinson is stepping down in June and will take a year off before returning to teach English. “When I arrived here, there was a blue thing out on that wall that just said MacEwan and now it says MacEwan University.”
• An interim report from the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission proposes creating three new urban ridings (one each in Calgary and Edmonton, plus another near Cochrane) by consolidating rural ridings. “We have ridings drawn to disproportionately favour rural voters — and parties with strong rural bases,” wrote Paula Simons. Thing is, nearly 75% of Albertans now live in urban areas. The final report is expected in October.
• Hockey Canada and the City are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding to pursue a new Hockey Centre of Excellence where Northlands Coliseum currently stands. But will it require a new building? It may be the most cost-effective option.
• Edmonton Fire Rescue Services installed dual-sensing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in approximately 250 homes this weekend. Last year firefighters responded to 107 fires in homes with missing or non-functioning smoke alarms.
• Burrow Cafe in the Central LRT Station is closed for equipment repair and a rethink as business has not been as brisk as other Elm cafes. I only ever make it in the afternoon, and when it’s open, the place is usually deserted. I always thought rush hour would be busier though.
• Sounds like the new Snow Valley Aerial Park is off to a strong start.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Upcoming Events

• This week is Reconciliation Week in Edmonton with events taking place all over the city. For instance, learn about the history of the segregated Charles Camsell Hospital on Tuesday at the River Cree Casino & Resort.
• Happy 1st birthday to Situation Brewing! They’re celebrating with brewery tours, dinner & beer pairings, and more on Monday evening.
• The International Children’s Festival runs Tuesday through Sunday.
• There are a series of pop-up events taking place this week to allow citizens to provide feedback on the new 20-year Recreation Facility Master Plan.
• Nextfest kicks off on Thursday and runs through June 11!
• Edmonton’s Foodie Bike Tours return for another year with the first opportunity taking place on Thursday.
• Also taking place Thursday evening is Pecha Kucha Night 28 at the MacLab Theatre.
• Head over to the Edmonton Expo Centre on Friday and Saturday for the Edmonton Craft Beer Festival.
• Park After Dark returns for another season at Northlands on Friday evening!
• Couple of big concerts coming up at Rogers Place: Def Leppard and Poison play Friday night, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill play Saturday night.
• Saturday is going to be an extremely busy day in the city! Here are some of the things taking place: Oliver Community Festival, 100in1Day Edmonton, Bonnie Fest, Root for Trees Fest, Afro Fest, Heart of the City Festival, and the Sprouts New Play Festival for Kids.
• To celebrate Environment Week, the City is offering tours of the Edmonton Waste Management Centre on Saturday and next week on June 6, 7, and 8.
• Be sure to bookmark Taproot’s 2017 guide to summer festivals & events in Edmonton!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Lifelines, photo by Jeff Wallace

Happy long weekend! Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Edmonton startup Jobber has expanded to Toronto with a new office “to support the rapid growth of its global customer base.” Congrats to Sam, Forrest, and the team!
• The downtown office vacancy rate in Edmonton has nearly doubled in the past year to 15.3%. That compares to 23.9% down in Calgary.
• David Staples spoke with Councillor Michael Oshry about his decision to not seek re-election.
• Dave has updated his list of candidates intending to run in the 2017 Municipal Election. The list now includes school trustees too.
• Congratulations to the recipients of the 2017 Mayor’s Awards who were recognized for “making Edmonton a more inclusive city for persons with disabilities.”
• Now that we’re into grass growing season, the City is encouraging residents to go bagless and leave grass clippings on the lawn. I love the video they made to promote this! Don’t feed the grass monster!
• The Art Gallery of Alberta has announced that admission is free on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and hours have been extended to 8pm.
• Ledcor is donating $250,000 to the University of Alberta’s new David and Joan Lynch School of Engineering Safety and Risk Management.
• A public hearing will take place on May 29 to discuss new rules for residential development in Edmonton’s Mature Neighbourhood Overlay.
• The World Indigenous Nations Games are taking place at Enoch First Nation in July but organizers are still trying to secure $25 million in funding from all three orders of government.
• Heads up if you’re driving in Oliver: beginning Tuesday, May 23, 102 Avenue will be permanently closed to westbound traffic from 116 Street to 121 Street.
• Chad Huculak perfectly captured the meme-ories from the Oilers’ playoff run this season!
• Michael Jenkins, the city’s “bug guy”, says we can expect fewer mosquitoes and other pests this season thanks to the relatively cold, dry weather we’ve been seeing.
• Looking to enjoy a patio with your pooch this summer? Linda has a list of dog-friendly patios and markets in Edmonton.
• Edmonton’s Front Yards in Bloom program has kicked off for another season. “This year, citizens can nominate their neighbours’ yards in one of five categories: General, Edible, Natural, Public Spaces and Uniquely Canadian.” That last category was added to celebrate Canada 150.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Upcoming Events

• Opera NUOVA’s 2017 Opera & Music Theatre Festival started this weekend and runs through the end of June.
• Mayor Iveson will deliver his 2017 State of the City Address on Wednesday at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• On Wednesday evening at City Hall the Edmonton Heritage Council is hosting its 2017 AGM. See you there!
• Also Wednesday evening is Fresh MEAET, a micro-fundraising event in support of food & urban agriculture initiatives in Edmonton. Tickets are just $15.
• Martin Kerr is performing at the Winspear Centre on Wednesday evening!
• The TALES Storytelling Festival takes place Thursday through Sunday in Old Strathcona.
• MADE is hosting an event featuring Bryan Lee of Design Justice at the Chvrch of John on Thursday evening.
• The second annual In Her Shoes Gala takes place Friday evening at the River Cree Casino & Resort.
• The City Market Downtown returned to 104 Street this weekend!
• The University of Alberta’s Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry is hosting the Festival of Health on Saturday at the Edmonton Clinic Health Academy. Registration is free!
• IDEA is kicking off a speaker series on Saturday with an event called The Future of Infill in #YEG taking place at the Boyle Street Community League.
• Reconciliation Week kicks off on Sunday!
• Pecha Kucha Night 28 is coming up on June 1 and tickets are on sale now.
• Be sure to check out Taproot Edmonton’s summer festival & event listing for more great events!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Nagar Kirtan Edmonton, photo by Premier of Alberta