Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• For the second time in as many months, a pedestrian was killed by an ETS bus in a marked crosswalk this weekend. This time it was a 13-year-old girl. Here is the statement from the City of Edmonton. Edmonton Police are investigating: “Police believe the ETS bus unknowingly struck the pedestrian; the bus did not stop and wait at the scene following the collision.” This has to stop.
• The City anticipates a surplus of $28.4 million in spending this year. The forecast surplus will be presented to Council on Tuesday.
• The Government of Alberta has approved Beaumont’s request to annex 580 hectares of contested Leduc County land. Mayor Don Iveson says, “we’re talking about 100 years worth of land for Beaumont, which is unprecedented.”
• Fort Saskatchewan, Leduc, and Spruce Grove are joining the U-Pass program as of January 1, 2017. “Post-secondary students who live in the new partner municipalities will now have access to all partner transit services without having to purchase separate fares.”
• The Katz Group has purchased the MacDonald Lofts. “The 102-year-old building next to Boyle Street Community Services was named a historic site by the city in 2003.”
• Matt Gibbs, who is credited with the original concept for last year’s popular Freezeway, says the City has “steamrolled” him out of the project. A new version of the Freezeway will return this year, under the name IceWay. Now the mayor has asked for clarification for how the City gives credit for ideas like this one. While I think it’ll ultimately be a good thing for the City to explore this and perhaps set some consistent rules, it seems like this whole issue was blown way out of proportion. I’ll just leave this here.
• Here is an update on the new Municipal Government Act. Albertans are invited to share their feedback using this online questionnaire until January 31, 2017.
• Congratulations to Ian O’Donnell who will take over for Jim Taylor as Executive Director of the Downtown Business Association. He starts on December 8.
• David van Belle and Richard Van Camp are the 2017 Metro Federation Writers in Residence. Partners Edmonton Public Library, Fort Saskatchewan Public Library, St. Albert Public Library, and Strathcona County Library will each play host to a writer in residence over the next year.
• Here’s a feature on #bundleupyeg which is now into its fourth year of bringing winter clothing to our city’s homeless community. You can donate here.
• Congratulations to the 2016 Performance & Citation Award recipients. “Salute to Excellence is celebrating 65 years of honouring outstanding individuals and groups whose work in arts, culture, community service and sports has improved the quality of life in Edmonton.”
• Get ready for more bridge work on Groat Road – the City is planning to rehabilitate three bridges during the summer of 2018.
• From the Edmonton City as Museum Project: Edmonton’s South Asian Community.
• November is carbon monoxide awareness month – make sure you have a working CO detector on each floor and near every sleeping area!
• PSA: The skating rink at City Hall is already open!
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Stop Kinder Morgan Vigil, Alberta Legislature, photo by 350.org

Upcoming Events

• The next installment of the Amiskwaciy History Series, which aims to “build awareness around the often untold Indigenous history of the Edmonton area,” takes place on Tuesday at the EPL Whitemud Crossing branch.
• The Oilers host the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, the Ducks on Saturday, and the Wild on Sunday.
• This year’s edition of the So This Is Christmas musical kicks off at C3 Church on Wednesday.
• Join Let’s Talk Heritage at City Hall on Wednesday evening for a look at the River Crossing Heritage Interpretive Plan.
• The Butterdome Craft Sale kicks off on Thursday and runs through Sunday at the Universiade Pavilion.
• Ready to enjoy the holiday lights at the Legislature? The kickoff is on Thursday and you can take in the grounds through December 23.
• Grab a blanket and head to a patio – the Winter Patio Kick-off takes place on Friday at venues around the city.
• The ever popular Luminaria takes place this weekend at the Devonian Botanic Garden.
• Head over to the Old Strathcona Performing Arts Centre from Friday through Sunday for the first of two weekends for the Royal Bison Craft & Art Fair.
• Old Strathcona is celebrating the season with horse-drawn sleigh shuttles on Saturday from 1-5pm!
• Happy 9th Birthday to Smudge! You can help her celebrate at the Edmonton Humane Society on Saturday.
• Be sure to check out my Winter 2016/2017 Festival & Event Guide for even more holiday & winter related events!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

CN Christmas Express, St Albert, photo by Jeff Wallace

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Gail Hall touched so many Edmontonians with her love of food and all things local, including myself and Sharon. Sadly, Gail died early Wednesday at the age of 65 after living with breast cancer for eight years. We’re going to miss bumping into her at the market or at Credo but will always remember what she taught us about eating local and cooking simply. Liane wrote a wonderful piece on Gail in the Journal this weekend.
• The proposed 2016-2018 operating budget adjustment holds the property tax increase expected in 2017 to 3.1%. That includes 1% for base budget programs and services, 1.5% for the Neighbourhood Renewal Program, and 0.6% for the Valley Line LRT. Council will receive the details at its November 29 meeting with a public hearing scheduled for December 8.
• Mayor Don Iveson has filed his papers to run in next year’s municipal election. Along with the mayor, 25 other Edmontonians have expressed interest in running for Council.
• Progressive Conservative MLA Sandra Jansen crossed the floor this week to join the governing NDP cacus. Her switch gives the NDP 55 of 87 seats in the legislature which resumes its fall sitting tomorrow.
• Slowly but surely winter is arriving here in Edmonton and our city’s love of winter is getting noticed. Check out the latest issue of Canadian Geographic Magazine!
• NIMBYism against turning an old church into a daycare in Westmount is just too much. Some residents appealed to the SDAB and lost so now they’re taking the issue to the Alberta Court of Appeal in January. “So what’s the basis for an appeal to our over-burdened Court of Appeal? Parking, of course.”
• The Eskimos lost their bid to advance the Grey Cup today against Ottawa losing 35-23 in an extremely snowy game.
• Connor McDavid scored his first career NHL hat-trick against Dallas on Saturday! You can listen to Jack Michaels call it on 630 CHED here.
• The Edmonton Police Commission and Edmonton Police Service have release the Third Quarter Report to the Community. Online crime reporting was launched in 2013 and usage continues to increase. So far this year, 6,122 online crime reports have been processed, a 61% increase over 2015. “By the end of the third quarter of 2016, property crimes increased by 14.6 per cent and violent crimes decreased by 2.7 per cent compared to the same time frame in 2015.”
• The latest economic update from the City says “employment in the Edmonton region was essentially unchanged in October 2016.”
• I love the idea of EDMojis – Emojis for Edmonton. Congrats to Sandra and Lucas on reaching their fundraising goal already! Here’s a feature on the project from CBC Edmonton.
• Bike Corrals in Old Strathcona are now going to be available throughout the winter. “Year-round bike infrastructure is an important step as the City provides more connectivity and options for cyclists.”
• On October 19, the City of Edmonton’s Disabled Adult Transit Service (DATS) set a record for the highest number of passengers in a single day, carrying 3,802 people to their destinations. Last year, DATS provided a total of 946,335 trips.
• The City of Edmonton has been recognized as a finalist for the 2016 Customer Experience Visionary Award from Vision Critical for its work on the Edmonton Insight Community. Congrats! The Insight Community is closing in on 6,500 members.
• More than 30 intersections are now safer according to the City of Edmonton thanks to recent upgrades made as part of Vision Zero. Upgrades included improvements to pedestrian crosswalks and more than 50 new driver feedback signs to tell drivers their speed, among other things.
• Here are the ten acts on the shortlist for the Edmonton Music Prize. Three finalists will be announced in mid-December.
• EPL has opened the call for book submissions for the 2017 Alberta Readers’ Choice Award. Authors can submit their titles until December 31, 2016.
• Eat Alberta’s first video is up and focuses on the Organic Master Gardener Program available in Stony Plain.
• From YEG Date Night: 5 places you need to eat Mac & Cheese in Edmonton.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Edmonton ATC, photo by Jeff Wallace

Upcoming Events

• The Oilers host the Blackhawks on Monday and the Coyotes on Sunday at Rogers Place.
• The 2016 National Housing Day Luncheon takes place on Tuesday at the new Hyatt Place hotel.
• Food blogger Karlynn Johnston has written a book about baking and is launching it at Audreys Books on Wednesday evening.
• The Festival of Trees kicks off on Thursday at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• Support the Edmonton Tool Library at their fall fundraiser taking place on Friday at the Bellevue Community Hall.
• There are quite a few holiday/winter markets taking place this weekend. Indie Handmade runs Thursday through Sunday at The Enjoy Centre. Make it Edmonton takes place Thursday through Sunday at the Edmonton Expo Centre. And on Saturday you can check out Hand2Hand Christmas Market, Silver Bells Winter Market, and Shop the Hall.
• The Great Sweater Run takes place on Saturday Emily Murphy Park.
• Support adult literacy in Edmonton at An Afternoon of Jazz at Yellowhead Brewery on Sunday. Proceeds support the Learning Centre Literacy Association.
• Be sure to check out my Winter 2016/2017 Festival & Event Guide for even more holiday & winter related events!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Edmonton’s economy “took a hit in the third quarter of 2016” says the City’s latest Economic Update report. Our city’s unemployment rate is expected to be in the range of 7.5-8.0% in the coming month, but economic growth is expected to pick up next year.
• Thanks to Elise Stolte‘s work, the City has released preliminary neighbourhood flood risk maps. Here is Elise’s latest story based on the data. The Journal argued in an editorial that releasing the maps was good policy.
• It was a bit too close for comfort but the Edmonton Eskimos defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats today 24-21 to advance to the East Division final against Ottawa next weekend.
• EEDC is getting $3 million total from the Provincial and Federal governments to support a “major investment attraction strategy.” The funding will be used over two years to encourage companies to locate in the Metro Edmonton region.
• Our city’s municipal flag turns 50 in 2017 and there’s a push on to redesign it. Mayor Iveson made a motion asking the City to collect public input on the current flag. And here are 11 reasons that Edmonton is a magpie, from Dustin Bajer who designed a magpie-flag for the city.
• Make Something Edmonton has won the City Nation Place Award for Best Expression of a Place Identity. Congrats!
• Northlands is teaming up with the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association to host the K-Days Summer Rodeo in July 2017.
• The City has won the Communities in Bloom International Challenge in the very large community category.
• At the 2016 GTEC Conference & Exhibition, the City received a Medal of Distinction for its work on Open City. Congrats! Edmonton will host the 2017 Canadian Open Data Summit.
• What will happen to the Legislature annex building? The previous provincial government wanted to tear it down and now the Notley government has retained architects and planners to come up with a feasibility study for the property.
• The Journal reports that MacEwan is finalizing a $3.5 million deal to guarantee its sports teams preferential ice time at the new community rink.
• The Shop-Easy Grocery building, built in 1948 in Calder, has been formally designated as a Municipal Historic Resource.
• ICYMI: Here is Premier Rachel Notley’s statement on the U.S. election.
• There have been some absolutely stunning sunrises in Edmonton over the last week! Unfortunately, the weather looks to be headed downward now.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Supermoon, St. Albert, photo by Jeff Wallace

Upcoming Events

• You can learn about the Circular Economy Business Toolkit at City Hall on Tuesday during lunch.
• The next Capital Ideas event takes place on Wednesday. The theme this edition is marketing.
• The City is looking for input on transforming Northlands Coliseum on Wednesday and Thursday this week.
• MADE and the Edmonton Arts Council are hosting the Indigenous Art Park Panel Discussion on Wednesday evening at the Art Gallery of Alberta.
• The next Dark Matters event, themed around DIY, takes place Thursday at the TELUS World of Science.
• The Green Industry Show & Conference takes place at the Edmonton Expo Centre on Thursday and Friday.
• The Taboo Naughty But Nice Sex Show takes place at the Edmonton Expo Centre from Thursday through Sunday.
• A discussion on “rethinking the impact, use, and health of water in Canadian and global society” is being hosted by The Walrus on Friday at the Royal Alberta Museum.
• The Fine Art of Schmoozy takes place at Latitude 53 on Saturday.
• Head over to La Cite Francophone on Saturday for the Make it Awkward Concert in support of the Centre for Race and Culture.
• All is Bright on 124 takes place on Saturday from 4pm-9pm.
• The family friendly I Heart YEG Winter takes place on Sunday at the Alfred H. Savage Centre.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Remembrance Day, photo by Premier of Alberta

Happy Halloween! Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• City Council this week approved metal detectors and bag searches for Council Chambers at City Hall, and also voted to build a half wall with a glass partition to separate themselves from the public. The Journal’s editorial put it bluntly: “Our elected officials don’t belong behind glass.” Even worse, the decision was made in private. Councillor Mike Nickel said Administration has “been obstructionist” about releasing information to the public. I think less should be done in camera at Council but am reasonably happy with initiatives like Open City that are pushing the City to be more transparent with citizens.
• In other Council news this week, they voted to no longer sit on the Northlands board citing a conflict of interest.
• The proposed 2017-2018 Utility Budget calls for a rate increase of $1.90 per month for waste services and $1.00 per month for drainage services for typical residential customers. That’s less than was expected based on the three-year budget Council passed last year.
• Smart Bus Technology has now been installed on all 928 buses in the ETS fleet. That means you can get real-time route information for every bus in the city through an app, or in the Open Data Catalogue.
• You probably saw the New York Times feature on the Edmonton Oilers and Connor McDavid. It’s really not about our city at all, but that ddn’t stop the inevitable “back on the map” comments. I’m with Stacey Brotzel on this one.
• The doors are finally open at the brand new Hyatt Place Edmonton on 96 Street in The Quarters. The hotel has 255 rooms and 32 suites.
• Fixing Edmonton’s back alleys could require a 1.27% tax increase. There are 1,175 km of back alleys in the City.
• Alex Prior is the new chief conductor of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. At 24, he’s less than half the age of the 51-year-old Bill Eddins, who he is replacing.
• The YMCA of Northern Alberta has announced it will be closing its downtown Edmonton housing complex next year, forcing about 120 people to find new homes.
• Bernie Kollman has been appointed Board Chair with Travel Alberta for another year. Congrats Bernie! It’s great to have such a respected Edmontonian in that position.
• The City has released a new app called WasteWise, to help you sort your recyclables and trash. Get in in the app stores or at edmonton.ca/waste.
• Michael Ross has taken a look at gender quality during the last municipal election. “There was absolutely no chance of there being anywhere from 9-13 women on council, as 5 races were contested solely by men.”
• Thursday was Curb the Danger day in Edmonton to celebrate “10 successful years of intercepting and removing impaired drivers from Edmonton streets.”
• Eat Alberta is looking for new volunteers to join their organizing team. “Eat Alberta is a non-for-profit organization, run entirely by volunteers, based in Edmonton that focuses on helping Albertans learn about food through a mix of small events, classes, multimedia content, and our annual flagship Conference event.”
• Now that the food truck season is largely over, we’re thinking about 2017. You can help us plan – please fill out the quick What the Truck?! 2016 Season Survey.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Brick and the Blues, photo by Jeff Wallace

Upcoming Events

• Lots of Halloween events took place this week but there are still a few to check out – here’s Linda’s listing. And here’s a bonus Halloween post from Linda – how to make your own Snapchat filter costume!
• Edmonton’s NextGen is hosting a volunteer recruitment event on Tuesday at City Hall.
• The next Green Drinks event takes place on Wednesday at Yellowhead Brewery. The theme this edition is Good Business.
• Rodeo Week kicks off on Friday! The annual Chili Cook-off takes place at Churchill Square on Friday during lunch.
• Learn all about the historic Mercer Warehouse at L.I.T. on Location taking place on Friday afternoon.
• Head over to the Shaw Conference Centre on Friday and Saturday for the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival.
• Method Man & Redman are performing at Union Hall on Friday.
• The Alberta Ballet’s Dracula takes place at the Jubilee on Friday and Saturday.
• Winter City Footie Fest takes place on Saturday at Churchill Square. Go cheer on FC Edmonton!
• The Eskimos host the Argonauts at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday.
• Chicago and Earth Wind & Fire are playing Rogers Place on Saturday.
• The Writer’s Union of Canada is hosting a YouthWrite Fundraiser on Sunday at Latitude 53 featuring Marilyn Dumont, Minister Faust, and others.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Elevate Food Fair opens in City Centre on Tuesday

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• The new Terwillegar Park Footbridge officially opened on Friday. “Construction of the $24.5 million Terwillegar Park Footbridge began in August 2014 and construction of the $3.5 million West End Trails began in July 2015.” The new bridge is one of the longest stressed ribbon footbridges in the world at 262 metres in length.
• The City is planning to reduce the minimum parking requirement for all low density residential units from 2 parking spaces to 1.
• Congratulations to the winners of Edmonton’s first Infill Design Competition! More than 80 submissions were received.
• A survey on draft updated regulations for the Mature Neighbourhood Overlay (MNO) is now online and will remain open until November 4. The review is action 17 on Edmonton’s Infill Roadmap.
• As the vacancy rate rises downtown, Councillor Andrew Knack wants to see if those empty spaces can be used in new ways, such as art studios or startup space.
• Edmonton’s 29th fire station opened Saturday in Lewis Farms. The $12.4 million project achieved a LEED silver rating.
• From the latest issue of Monocle: “The city formerly known as ‘Deadmonton’ has been reanimated – and its vital signs are good. With an entrepreneurial spirit that’s as strong as any, it seems the Big E is coming alive.”
• The Edmonton Police Service has received the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Human and Civil Rights Award for its Emerging Communities Framework. “Last fall, as Syrian refugees began to arrive in Edmonton, the EPS Equity, Diversity and Human Rights Section developed a plan to reach out to this emerging community.” That plan was developed into the framework.
• Uber Edmonton announced that uberX prices are now an average of 13% cheaper. You can sign up here.
• The Purrfect Cup will be Edmonton’s very first cat cafe! They have an Indiegogo campaign with a goal of raising $40,000 to make it happen.
• Brad Simons owns a recording studio called Velveteen Audio and he wants to use it to help Edmonton musicians succeed in Edmonton.
• The City is looking for input on the Heritage Interpretive Plan for the River Crossing Project in West Rossdale. There’s an open house scheduled for November 8.
• Feedback received by the Province as part of its Municipal Government Act Review has been summarized and posted online.
• A new pilot project called Incline to Include is taking place on Whyte Avenue until November 15. Accessible ramps have been installed at selected storefronts in an attempt to make Whyte Avenue an inclusive and accessible place for all.
• A number of Edmonton projects, including the Federal Building and the City’s new Edmonton Tower, are finalists in the 2016 Alberta Construction Magazine awards.
• Check out the latest renderings and floor plans for the Stanley Milner Revitalization project here.
• Liz Nicholls hsa the scoop on the end of the Douglas Udell Gallery which closed its doors on 124 Street this summer.
• Looking for an indoor trick-or-treat location for Halloween? Here are some options from Raising Edmonton. Plus, here are 9 haunted houses in Edmonton and area from Just another Edmonton mommy.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Edmonton Skyline, photo by ALLEN QIAO乔谦之

Upcoming Events

• Enjoy fashion in support of the United Way and All In For Youth at the Art Gallery of Alberta on Monday evening.
• Startup Canada will present its Regional Awards for Alberta on Tuesday evening at The Westin Edmonton.
• Concert in the Dark takes place on Wednesday evening, supporting CNIB.
• The Oilers, fresh off a win in Winnipeg at the Heritage Classic today, host the Washington Capitals on Wednesday and the Ottawa Senators on Sunday.
• The sequel to URBAN YEG’s For the People by the People takes place on Wednesday evening at Yellowhead Brewery.
• The Amiskwaciy History Series presents former UN delegate Ron Lameman on Thursday at the Stanley Milner Library.
• You can learn more about MacEwan University’s beekeeping project on Friday at lunch.
• The new Elevate Food Fare in Edmonton City Centre is launching on Friday afternoon!
• Check out ghost tours of Garneau and the University of Alberta at Halloween Haunt at Rutherford House taking place all weekend.
• The AGA’s latest Refinery event – Danse Macabre – takes place on Saturday evening.
• The City of Edmonton’s Planning Academy started this weekend and continues on Saturday with the second class on Urban Design.
• Halloween is on Monday this year. Don’t miss Linda’s Halloween event listing for Edmonton! And here’s another great listing from YEGDateNight.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Pedway Construction between Enbridge Centre and Manulife Place

The winter weather hit us hard this week! There’s still a fog advisory in effect for Edmonton and freezing rain is expected overnight, so drive safely tomorrow. On the plus side, temperatures are expected to hit double digits again by the end of the week! Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Former Alberta Premier Jim Prentice was among four who died in a plane crash this week. Here’s a statement from his family, a statement from Premier Rachel Notley, a statement from interim PC leader Ric McIver, and a statement from Mayor Don Iveson. The Journal’s editorial board wrote that “there was still a lingering sense that the 60-year-old had more to offer his province and his country.” Paula Simons wrote “I’ll always be sorry we never really had the chance to see what a Prentice premiership could have been.”
• The City says its winter roadway crews are “ready to plow into action.” You can check out the Major Roads Plow Map to see the progress of snow plows on major routes. Remember that sidewalks must be cleared within 48 hours of the end of a snowfall.
• City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to build a network of bike lanes downtown next summer. The $7.5 million grid will run along 100 Avenue, 102 Avenue, 99 Street, 103 Street, and 106 Street. It’s a start!
• This is bad news for downtown: the Province is moving 450 of its employees to other locations. That won’t help downtown’s growing vacancy rate, which currently sits at 13%. That figure should not be a surprise, given the large towers that are coming online now. Still, it would be nice to see the Government of Alberta lend its support.
• One of those new towers was Enbridge Centre, also known as the Kelly Ramsey Tower, which opened this week. “Enbridge Centre is downtown Edmonton’s first new Financial District Tower in 25 years.” Here’s a feature on James Ramsey, Edmonton’s Merchant Prince, from the Edmonton City as Museum Project.
• In case you missed it, this is a pretty amazing photo of Rogers Place (and here on Twitter) just before the first Oilers home game.
• Outside the bowl, it seems the beautiful Alex Janvier public art was covered up with garbage cans. Thankfully that didn’t last long and it is clear once again, hopefully for good.
• The City is reminding everyone to respect the rules for parking in business areas and residential neighbourhoods around Rogers Place.
• I’ve already commented on my issues with these two stories on Twitter, but here they are in case you didn’t see them: Tristin Hopper wrote in the National Post about the lack of parking at Rogers Place while Graham Hicks wrote in the Edmonton Sun about the impact of Rogers Place on downtown Edmonton’s nightlife.
• The Edmonton Public Library welcomed its first ever Illustrator in Residence this week, Dianna Bonder.
• More than 3,200 tickets were handed out during Operation 24 Hours this month, 2,645 of which were for speeding.
• Here’s a recap of the Alberta Open Data Summit from Troy Pavlek. “We have the opportunity to pave the way and shape exactly how we think a modern-era open city should look,” he wrote.
• The winners of the 2016 Edmonton International Film Festival were announced this week!
• The Edmonton Valley Zoo has been chosen to host a Canada 150 Celebration Garden.
• The next Municipal Election will take place a year from today, on Monday, October 16, 2017. Let the games begin!
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Premier Jim Prentice signing the City Charter framework agreement in 2014, photo by Government of Alberta

Upcoming Events

• This week is Small Business Week and also Edmonton Startup Week. There are dozens of related events to check out!
• You’ll need to stay caffienated to attend all of those events so you’ll be happy to know it is also Edmonton Coffee Week!
• LitFest continues this week at venues throughout the city. I’m looking forward to CANADALAND Live tomorrow night!
• The Oilers host the Hurricanes on Tuesday and the Blues on Thursday at Rogers Place. Sunday they are off to Winnipeg.
• Ready for Her: Edmonton is all about women in politics and it takes place Tuesday at the Lister Conference Centre at the University of Alberta.
• The Edmonton Career, Education & Settlement Immigrant Fair takes place at the Shaw Conference Centre on Wednesday.
• The next Capital Ideas Edmonton event takes place on Wednesday at the Edmonton Journal with the theme of running lean.
• Head over to City Hall at lunch on Thursday if you want to learn more about Edmonton’s Community Development Corporation.
• The next public meeting of the Edmonton Police Commission takes place on Thursday evening at City Hall.
• Chefs will be completing at the Gold Medal Plates on Thursday night at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• I hope you’ll join me and Karen on Thursday evening at the EPCOR Tower for Launch Party 7! We’re looking forward to showcasing Taproot Edmonton.
• Note the City Market Downtown has moved indoors now to City Hall for the winter.
• SkirtOberfest, a fundraiser for SkirtsAFire, takes place on Saturday at Holy Trinity Anglican Church.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Opening Night – Rogers Place, photo by Jeff Wallace

Happy Thanksgiving! I am back in Edmonton after a nice vacation to the Okanagan with Sharon. I’ll write something about that once I upload all of our photos. And once I warm up, as it was a bit of a shock to come back home and immediately have non-stop snow and below-zero temperatures!

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• In case you missed it: the City of Edmonton launched a redesigned website a couple of weeks ago. It’s responsive and features more self-service capabilities. I’m thrilled that all of my existing knowledge of the structure of the website still applies. Well done folks!
• The 2016 Vital Signs Report “focuses on social inclusion with a look toward newcomers in Edmonton.”
• Employment in the Edmonton region decreased by 8,500 jobs in August 2016, according to the latest Economic News newsletter from the City.
• The slumping economy is having an impact on charities, many of which are facing increased demand even as donations drop.
• Edmonton’s office vacancy rate rose slightly from July to September and that could be the start of a long-term increase according to a new report by real estate service firm Newmark Knight Frank Devencore.
• The Oilers made it official this week: Connor McDavid is the team’s newest captain. They also signed Kris Russell to a one-year contract.
• I think the recent upswing in positive tourism-related coverage of Edmonton has more to do with Travel Alberta and Edmonton Tourism finally doing something to cultivate attention rather than any major changes in our city, but I welcome it just the same.
• The City has provided $4 million in Cornerstones grant funding to Habitat for Humanity to build new homes for 75 families in the Edmonton area.
• For the second year in a row, the City of Edmonton has been named Canada’s most open city among 68 municipalities.
• Mayor Don Iveson has won the 2016 Urban Libraries Council Urban Leader Award for championing, promoting, and elevating Edmonton’s public library system.
• Congratulations to Phyllis Clark, Tim Fell, and Chris LaBossiere, who were appointed to the TEC Edmonton Board of Directors on September 29.
• “Pillars of the Community” is a piece of public art outside Rogers Place that features portraits of those who work at and use Boyle Street Community Services.
• The City is looking to develop programs to help reduce household food waste and they want your imput via an online survey that is open until October 11.
• The snow is here now, but if you’d like to enjoy the fall colors a little longer be sure to check out The Edmonton River Valley Panorama Project. Just beautiful.
• If you are ready for winter though, you’ll be happy to hear that the Edmonton Freezeway is expected to return with a possible expansion. Also, get prepared with 11 reasons to look forward to winter in Edmonton from I Heart Edmonton.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Upcoming Events

• This week is Fire Prevention Week. Check the expiry date on your smoke alarms!
• Sir Salman Rushdie is speaking at the Chateau Lacombe on Tuesday.
• The Edmonton Oilers kick off their regular season on Wednesday evening at Rogers Place as they host the Calgary Flames. They finished the pre-season with a 5-3-0 record.
• Learn about Marketing for Creatives on Wednesday at the Made Local Society.
• LitFest starts on Thursday and runs for 11 days featuring more than 50 presenters. You can see the full schedule here.
• Thursday evening is the final 124 Street Grand Market of the year!
• This year’s Hoofbeats & Heartbeats Gala takes place on Friday at Fort Edmonton Park.
• The inaugural Alberta Open Data Summit takes place on Friday and Saturday at the Stanley Milner Library downtown.
• The City Market moves indoors to City Hall until the spring starting on Saturday!
• DECL is hosting an e-waste collection event on Saturday for downtown residents. Good idea!
• Head over to Transcend Coffee in the Mercer Warehouse on Saturday for the Edmonton Coffee Week-themed Cash Mob!
• The Edmonton Woman’s Show runs Saturday and Sunday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
• Celebrate World Food Day on Sunday with the Edmonton Food Council at a screening of the new film SEED: The Untold Story.
• Edmonton Coffee Week runs a little longer than a week this year, from October 14-22.
• Get ready: Edmonton Startup Week and Small Business Week both run October 17-21!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Premier Notley reads to students at McKee School during READ IN Week, photo by Premier of Alberta

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Congratulations to all those recognized in Vue Weekly’s 2016 Best of Edmonton! I am thrilled to have been named Best Local Affairs Blog again this year. Thank you!
• City Council passed the Edmonton Suicide Prevention Strategy this week. The advisory committee behind the strategy will now work on an implementation plan.
• The Mechanized River Valley Access project, better known as the funicular, is on schedule and on budget according to the City. Construction is expected to be completed next fall and the project actually consists of a few elements – the funicular, a staircase, a promenade and grass lawn, a bridge, an elevator, and a river lookout.
• Falling further behind schedule though is the new Walterdale Bridge, freshly delayed until the middle of 2017. Apparently it remains on budget thanks to daily penalties incurred by the contractor.
• The Downtown Community Arena officially opened its doors today. The $25 million project is located on the northeast corner of Rogers Place.
• Edmonton Made, a new pilot program “designed to profile and enhance local businesses and entrepreneurs” was launched on Monday by the City and EEDC. I missed the event but am hoping to get my hands on the Edmonton Made stickers this week.
• Alberta honored the 100 men and women who have died since 1876 protecting Albertans at the annual Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Day ceremony today at the Alberta Legislature.
• I’m finding it difficult to get excited about redesigning our city’s flag. I bet most people don’t even know we have one. I like Dustin Bajer’s design but if we’re going to do anything with the flag, I think it should acknowledge Treaty 6.
• What should happen to the old Royal Alberta Museum building? Mayor Iveson thinks it could be a national museum for Canada’s Indigenous people.
• Bill Eddins has announced he will step down as music director for the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra next June. He joined the ESO in 2005.
• From 5-10am this week all trips 30 minutes or under are just $3 or less with Pogo. Could be a good chance to try the local car sharing service? I’m a happy member!
• EPS is urging motorists to slow down on the High Level Bridge. A number of drivers have been caught going more than twice the speed limit in recent nights.
• The early bird deadline for the Caritas Dream Life Lottery is fast approaching! Get your tickets before September 29 for a chance to win. Proceeds support the Grey Nuns, Misericordia, and Edmonton General hospitals.
• Congratulations to members of the EPS Air-1 Crew on receiving two awards recently: the Captain ‘Gus’ Crawford Memorial Aircrew of the Year Award and the Tactical Flight Officer of the Year Award.
• The deadline for submissions for the City of Edmonton’s Canada 150 Legacy Projects application is October 17. “The committee will consider capital, cultural and social legacy projects (or a combination of these focus areas) and projects that will to help build and strengthen community over the long term.”
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Shedding Yellow, photo by Kurt Bauschardt

Upcoming Events

• The Oilers host the Flames on Monday evening at Rogers Place for the first pre-season game of the 2016-2017 campaign. I’ll be there!
• Alberta Boostr is holding another pitch event on Tuesday evening at NAIT! One of the companies pitching is Sugared & Spiced Baked Goods Inc. They have already raised an impressive $31,934 (as of Sunday evening) to help fund their new storefront.
• Have your say on the future of Whyte Avenue at a planning workshop on Wednesday evening at the Roots Community Building. You can learn more about the project here.
• The 2016 RISE Awards take place on Wednesday evening at City Hall.
• Thursday morning is the first of two workshops on strengthening public engagement.
• Pecha Kucha Night 26 takes place on Thursday at the Garneau Theatre.
• Head over to the Edmonton Expo Centre on Friday and Saturday for Edmonton Oktoberfest.
• Alberta Culture Days runs Friday through Sunday at historic sites, museums, and other locations around the province.
• Time is running out to visit the City Market Downtown – just two weekends to go!
• 104 Street is hosting a picnic on Sunday at Michael Phair Park to officially welcome the art installation by Destiny Swiderski.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Alberta’s Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Day, photo by Premier of Alberta

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• This ad has got to rank near the top of bad ideas from the City of Edmonton. Encouraging pedestrians to wear reflective tape? Really?! Why not encourage the people operating large weapons to slow down and pay attention? This ad is another example of our city’s car-oriented perspective. The onus should be on the driver, not the pedestrian. What a ridiculous ad. Troy wrote about this too.
• Earlier in the week, the City launched a new mobile app to warn drivers of school zones, speed-limit changes, and high-collision locations. It did not receive a warm welcome. Once again, here’s Troy.
• Sounds like the FISE World Series Edmonton event that took place in Hawrelak Park this weekend was a big success! The event will return to our city in 2017 and 2018.
• The Province is looking for input on the Big City Charters being developed with Calgary and Edmonton. Two information sessions will be held in Edmonton on October 3 and 4.
• The City is being sued for more than $3 million over a death at the 2014 World Triathlon championships. The victim’s “widow and two daughters are suing the city for negligence, arguing there were not enough competent spotters or lifeguards.”
• The City has launched a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of pet licensing. “The fine for having an unlicensed cat or dog in Edmonton is $250 and failure to display a pet’s licence tag could result in a fine of $100.”
• Here’s a timelapse of the construction of Rogers Place – 80 seconds of 4K video. Pretty cool to watch it rise up.
• The Oilers announced the roster for the 2016 Rookie Camp and Young Stars Classic earlier this week. The Rookie Camp wraps up on Wednesday.
• A safety blitz focused on commercial vehicles this week resulted in more than 40% failing inspections. “There were 502 violations noted by inspectors and 111 provincial statute violation tickets issued for a variety of commercial vehicle infractions, including overweight loads, faulty equipment, load dimensions and load securement.”
• The only Canadian-led experiment at the Large Hadron Collider celebrated its first published results this summer. MoEDAL is led by University of Alberta professor James Pinfold.
• Tickets are on sale now for Pecha Kucha Night 26, taking place on September 29.
• Interesting thoughts about the stories we’re losing along with the Cloverdale Bridge.
• Here is part 3 of ECAMP’s look at Edmonton’s Italian Community, this time from 1949 to the present.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Harvest Moon, photo by Jeff Wallace

Upcoming Events

• Western Canada Fashion Week continues this week at the ATB Financial Arts Barns.
• If you want to learn more about Edmonton’s Community Energy Transition Strategy, head down to City Hall on Tuesday for lunch.
• Drake plays Rogers Place on Tuesday and Wednesday this week!
• The next Capital Ideas Edmonton event takes place at the Edmonton Journal on Wednesday.
• DemoCamp Edmonton 32 takes place on Thursday evening at CCIS on the U of A campus. We’re going to be demoing Taproot!
• Only a few market weeks left – don’t miss the 124 Street Grand Market on Thursday evening!
• Martin Kerr is playing his first big concert on Thursday at Festival Place in Sherwood Park. Only a handful of tickets left!
• The Edmonton Comic & Entertainment Expo kicks off on Friday at the Edmonton Expo Centre.
• September 22 to 25 is Alumni Weekend at the University of Alberta. Friday is Green & Gold Day, so wear your colors proudly!
• The Eskimos host the BC Lions on Friday night at Commonwealth Stadium.
• Petite Nuit takes place Friday and Saturday evenings at Beaver Hills House Park downtown.
• Head over to the Shaw Conference Centre on Saturday for the big Etsy Made in Edmonton market.
• The next Big Bin Event takes place Saturday and Sunday at the City’s Southwest District Yard.
• The second annual Festival of Faiths takes place on Saturday and Sunday at the Stanley Milner Library downtown.
• I hope to see you at Churchill Square on Sunday for our final What the Truck?! event of the season! You can check out the truck lineup and menus here.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

FISE World Series Edmonton, photo by IQRemix