Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• A groundbreaking ceremony for the Valley Line LRT was held this week. Construction-related disruptions began April 18. You can read more in this Bechtel news release or check out the TransEd partners website.
• According to CBC Edmonton, former City Manager Simon Farbrother made 52 trips during his last 3.5 years on the job at a cost of nearly $140,000. That may not be unreasonable given his position actually, but I’m happy to see that the investigation has led to positive change – all future City Manager expenses will be posted online.
• Council will be discussing the priority of future LRT construction this week using a list from Administration as input. That list puts the west leg of the Valley Line LRT on top, followed by the Metro Line extension from NAIT to Blatchford.
• The Edmonton Queen is up for sale! CBC Edmonton reports that bidding is up to $38,000 and closes on May 2.
• Capital City Clean Up is running its 15 to Clean Challenge from April 24 to 30. Do your part to help our city clean up for spring and save the date for the River Valley Clean Up – May 1! Be sure to bring large items and hazardous household waste to the Eco Station.
• ECAMP took a look back at Edmonton’s coin parking meter history and recalled the time they were used as “charity meters”. “Thirteen brightly-coloured former parking meters were placed up and down Whyte Avenue inviting coins from Edmontonians, coins that would be passed onto social service agencies in the city.”
• The City will soon be reviewing the Mature Neighbourhood Overlay so now’s the time to give your input.
• Over 100 Edmontonians gathered at the Cloverdale footbridge yesterday to protest its planned demolition. I’m sad to see the bridge go too, but I wish the “Save the Footbridge” group would transition its energy into a “Ensure the New Bridge is Beautiful for Pedestrians and Cyclists” effort. That’s what I care most about.
• Singer-songwriter Lucas Chaisson leads the pack with seven nods for this year’s Edmonton Music Awards.
• From OilersNation, here’s a year-end review of the Edmonton Oilers season. My short review would be the same as the last ten years: better luck next year?
• Due to Rogers Place and Ice District construction, vehicular and pedestrian traffic on 101 Street will be disrupted until early September.
• Starting May 1, traffic will be disrupted for about three months on 127 Street between 118 Avenue and Yellowhead Trail due to road reconstruction.
• Do you have an idea for Pecha Kucha Night 25? The deadline for speaker applications is May 12. The event takes place on June 9 at the Garneau Theatre.
• Some communities in the Edmonton region have issued fire bans, though the City of Edmonton itself has not. Still, Edmonton Fire Rescue services is stressing caution due to the dry, hot, windy weather.
• Spacing Edmonton took a look back at Edmonton’s City Beautiful Plan. Ah the glorious grid!
• The William Lowes Residence and Cameron Block have been added to the City’s list of designated historic resources, bringing the total of protected properties to 128.
• Operation 24 Hours handed out 2,940 violations this week including 2,608 for speeding.
• From Michael Ross, here’s a look at land in Edmonton zoned residential, commercial, or industrial.
• The spring schedule changes for ETS took effect today so check for new departure times and potential route detours.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Springtime Skyline Sunset, photo by Dave Sutherland

Upcoming Events

• Mayor Don Iveson will deliver his annual State of the City address on Monday during lunch at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• The City is hosting a workshop for the Transit Strategy on Tuesday at City Hall. This is a really important initiative, so make sure you have your say!
• The next InterVivos event takes place on Tuesday with the theme of Returning to a Prosperous Alberta.
• AccelerateAB returns to Edmonton this year, taking place Wednesday at the Art Gallery of Alberta.
• The City of Edmonton, the Alberta Professional Planners Institute, an the Institute of Transportation Engineers are hosting the Edmonton Walkability Symposium on Thursday at the Sutton Place Hotel.
• Learn about storytelling and time management on Thursday at this workshop hosted by Karen Unland and Ashley Janssen.
• The Edmonton Heritage Council is hosting another Weaving City Narratives event on Thursday at the Edmonton Intercultural Centre inside McCauley School.
• The 2nd annual Edmonton Resilience Festival takes place Friday through Sunday at the Boyle Street Community Centre.
• Head over to the Butterdome on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for the Butterdome Spring Craft Sale.
• Cat Yoga continues at the Edmonton Humane Society on Saturday! And be sure to save the date for the Edmonton International Cat Fest, taking place on May 28.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

21 Minutes, photo by Jeff Wallace

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• The Government of Alberta unveiled Budget 2016 this week, saying it “moves Alberta forward by supporting families and businesses through a tough economy, promoting job creation and economic diversification, and carefully controlling government spending.” Mayor Don Iveson wrote a reaction to the budget here. “Budget 2016 reminds us that the current roller coaster approach the Province takes to funding isn’t effective and makes long-term planning difficult for us,” he wrote.
• On Wednesday the City removed Edmonton’s last coin parking meter at a small ceremony on Rice Howard Way. I wrote about the news here.
• Dorian Wandzura, former head of the City’s transportation department and current GM of City Operations, has announced he will leave his job at the end of April.
• Door-to-door census workers began visiting Edmonton homes on Friday. Remember you can fill out the census online this year.
• Another milestone for the new Walterdale Bridge was reached this week as the arch was lifted into place. “The new Walterdale Bridge is scheduled to open to traffic by the end of 2016, with overall project completion by fall 2017.”
• “Six artworks symbolizing Edmonton’s rich Indigenous history were unveiled” this week at the new Indigenous Art Park located within Queen Elizabeth Park. Here’s more on the art and artists from the Edmonton Arts Council.
• The parking employees that Northlands terminated back in October have sued the organization for wrongful dismissal and defamation and are seeking $9.7 million in damages.
• EPSB Chair Michael Janz says it is time to end the Province’s subsidy to private schools. “Times have changed, 30 years ago there was not the same choice in the public system that there is now,” he told Metro Edmonton.
• Installation of the deck panels on the new Terwillegar Park Footbridge has begun. Construction on what will be the second longest stressed ribbon footbridge in the world is expected to complete this fall.
• The Oilers have put out the call for nominations for the Al Hamilton Scholarship Award. The deadline to nominate a prospective college and university student is May 27.
• With beautiful weather comes motorcycles. The City is reminding everyone to look twice to keep our roads safe.
• Registration is now open for the City’s spring Planning Academy courses. And from Transforming Edmonton, here’s a feature on zoning.
• Leon Draisaitl will join fellow Oilers Connor McDavid, Taylor Hall, Cam Talbot, Patrick Maroon, Matt Hendricks, and Andrej Sekera at the IIHF Wold Championship in Russia.
• The Province has penciled in some dates for the Municipal Government Act summer engagement sessions. Edmonton’s is scheduled for June 13.
• From Raising Edmonton: 5 Best Indoor Pools for Bigger Kids and 5 Best Indoor Pools for Toddlers.
• Have you taken the 1-Day-a-Week Pledge? “Beginning today I will choose a sustainable form of transportation at least 1 Day a Week so I can feel healthier and keep my world green.”
• Looking for U-Pick Farms around Edmonton? Just another Edmonton mommy has you covered.
• Downtown is full of cranes right now, so I’m a little surprised this hasn’t already happened. A man climbed up a 25-storey crane tonight because “he just wanted a selfie”. He was arrested as soon as he came down. Turns out the photo was blurry!
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

A Whole Mess o’ Concrete, photo by Dave Sutherland

Upcoming Events

• Canadian Federation University Women Edmonton is celebrating 100 Years of Women’s Suffrage on Tuesday afternoon at the Alberta Legislature.
• 100 Women Who Care are holding their Spring 2016 Meeting at Lexus of Edmonton on Tuesday.
• The next Capital Ideas Edmonton event takes place Wednesday at the Edmonton Journal on creatively funding your business.
• Also Wednesday is NAIT’s annual Digital Media & IT Expo, showcasing students from the DMIT program and their work.
• The 2016 VenturePrize Awards Celebration takes place on Thursday evening at The Westin.
• Postmedia is hosting the Alberta Employment & Education Show on Thursday at the Delta Edmonton South.
• JCI Edmonton is hosting a pub night on Thursday at Central Social Hall.
• The Edmonton Cottage Life & Cabin Show takes place Friday through Sunday at the Edmonton Expo Centre.
• Head over to the Edmonton Humane Society on Saturday for Cat Yoga!
• The next Cash Mob Edmonton takes place Saturday at the Mercer Warehouse, as does the Change of Clothes swap and repairathon.
• ICYMI: We announced the 2016 What the Truck?! season a couple weeks ago! Save the dates!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Why did the Canada Goose cross the road? To get to the Edmonton Public Library!

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• The City has kicked off its spring roads and parks maintenance program, which is great news for those of us suffering from all the dust! “Approximately 60,000 tonnes of sand mix were applied to roads to make them safe over the past six months.” Now crews will do their best to remove it. The City has also begun its annual offensive against mosquitoes.
• With spring in mind, the City is encouraging Edmontonians to get involved with Capital City Clean Up. Do your part to keep our city tidy!
• Edmonton’s fourth Historian Laureate is Chris Chang-Yen Phillips. His two-year term began April 5.
• Tom Mulcair lost the national NDP leadership today at the convention here in Edmonton. Don Braid argues that Rachel Notley should “formally split with the federal party” as a result.
• Edmonton’s unemployment rate was up slightly in March to 6.9% from 6.8% in February, but that’s still quite a bit less than Calgary at 8.6%. The overall unemployment rate in Alberta dropped though, from 7.8% to 7.1%, just slightly below the national average.
• The Oilers finished the 2015-2016 season in 29th, with only Toronto faring worse. It doesn’t matter though, because tickets are still selling! The team announced this week they are increasing the limit on season seats by 1,000 for the 2016-2017 season due to demand. “The Oilers will continue to offer Power Packs and individual game tickets in Rogers Place, though Season Seats are the best guarantee of tickets to the biggest games of the season.”
• Should anyone wear the C next season for the Edmonton Oilers? Ryan Batty thinks that Taylor Hall should, and I agree.
• ICYMI: Here’s my recap of the Farewell Rexall Place celebration that took place in Churchill Square.
• Congrats to the 38 high school students that graduated from EPS’ Youth Recruit Academy, a three day event offering a glimpse into a career in law enforcement.
• Expect to see reminders on Twitter about how to use 911 appropriately. “The Edmonton Police Service is taking to social media for the next several weeks to educate the public about when to call 911 and when to call the non-emergency line.”
• 403, 780, 587, and now 825: Alberta’s new area code went into effect this week.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Farewell Rexall Place, photo by Jeff Wallace

Upcoming Events

• The Edmonton Career Fair takes place Tuesday at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• Make Something Edmonton and CITYlab have teamed up to launch 100in1Day Edmonton on Tuesday evening at the EPCOR building.
• Jennifer Cockrall-King is launching her new book “Food Artisans of the Okanagan” on Wednesday evening at Audrey’s Books.
• Also Wednesday evening is the first edition of Equal Voice’s #YEGparity speaker series.
• This year’s Global Woman of Vision celebration will take place Thursday evening at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• Urbanist Gil Penalosa will be in Edmonton on Friday evening to speak about his vision for a healthier, happier Edmonton at A City For Life.
• Friday is Meet the Media Tweetup 6, taking place at The Pint downtown.
• There’s more Cat Yoga on Saturday at the Edmonton Humane Society!
• The 2016 Edmonton Volunteer Fair takes place Saturday at West Edmonton Mall.
• The Spring edition of the Edmonton Woman’s Show takes place Saturday and Sunday at the Edmonton Expo Centre.
• The Edmonton Poetry Festival kicks off on Sunday!
• Here’s an early heads up on two workshops for the Transit Strategy. The first takes place April 26. There’s also an online survey you can fill out.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• The City is conducting another municipal census this year and you can count yourself in online. You have until the end of the month to fill out the census. All you need is a Secure Access Code that will come in the mail. The door-to-door census will begin April 15 and for the first time, will be completely paperless.
• Limitless sprawl is not only expensive for Edmonton it also means we’re losing farmland “at a rate three times as fast as the Calgary region.”
• You’re going to hear a lot this week about the end of Oilers hockey at Rexall Place. “The circular concrete rink in the city’s north end hosts its final Edmonton Oilers hockey game Wednesday.”
• Paula Simons wrote about MacEwan’s new Centre for the Arts and Culture this week. “At $180 million, it’s a genuine bargain, compared to the bloated $850-million price for the proposed downtown Galleria,” she wrote.
• The City has published two new discussion papers as part of a series supporting the development of The Way We Finance. The plan is slated to be approved by Council later this year. One idea put forward is to introduce distance-based fares and tolls for LRT and roads.
• As if things couldn’t get worse for the Walterdale Bridge project, it turns out that “Capitol Steel Corporation, a subcontractor on the $155 million project, is suing the prime contractor Acciona / Pacer Joint Venture (APJV) for more than $16 million claiming the company delivered steel that was inadequate to the job.” The City says that despite the lawsuit, they are confident in the new bridge’s construction.
• Thanks to some gorgeous weather, bike corrals are returning to five Old Strathcona locations, with a sixth to be added in the coming months.
• The Government of Alberta has appointed Stan Magidson as Chair and CEO of the Alberta Securities Commission. He will begin in his new role in July.
• Edmonton Events announced this week that our city will host an event in the FISE World Series 2016 in September. More details are expected on Thursday.
• ICYMI: It seems that Edmonton was featured as the backdrop in a recent episode of the anime series “Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans”. We’re on the map now!
• Connor McDavid was named the NHL Rookie of the Month for March as he “led all rookies with 11 assists and 16 points in 15 games.”
• As of April 1, new development permit notification signs are now required in mature and established neighbourhoods for infill projects.
• There is just under a month left to nominate someone for the 2016 Top 40 Under 40.
• The Edmonton Police are warning car buyers to “look out for stolen cars masquerading as legitimate vehicles for sale, which are also known as ‘car clones.’”
• If you like maps and Edmonton, you’ll want to check out the two new interactive building age maps that have recently been developed.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Edmonton At Night – Building Up and Over, photo by Jeff Wallace

Upcoming Events

• Mayors from across the country will be in Edmonton this week for the Cities Reducing Poverty conference, taking place at the Chateau Lacombe.
• Rapid Fire Theatre’s Bonfire Festival gets underway Tuesday at the Citadel theatre.
• Learn about Naming Edmonton and Open Data on Wednesday at lunch at the Stanley Milner Library.
• Wednesday is going to be a memorable day in Edmonton! A tribute to Rexall Place will take place during the lunch hour at Churchill Square. The Oilers have said that “over 100” alumni will be there. That evening, the Oilers will host the Canucks for their last ever game at Rexall Place.
• Also Wednesday evening is Green Drinks: Local Resilience taking place at Yellowhead Brewery, and a tribute to the print edition of The Gateway, taking place at the Telus Centre.
• The Edmonton Motorshow kicks off on Thursday and runs all weekend at the Edmonton Expo Centre.
• The next Culture Collective Arts Market takes place Thursday evening at Yellowhead Brewery.
• I am looking forward to the latest installment in the Last Lecture series at the University of Alberta, taking place Thursday evening.
• Make it Edmonton takes place Friday through Sunday at the Enjoy Centre.
• Head over to Variant Edition Comics on Sunday afternoon for the next Edmonton Podcasting Meetup.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Happy Easter! Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• A new study by Statistics Canada shows that betwen 1971 and 2011, more land was developed in the Edmonton region than in any other major Canadian urban centre.
• The City is trying to encourage infill as one way to combat sprawl but it hasn’t been easy, especially with homeowners organizing to oppose infill plans.
• The new eplGO location in McConachie is now open at 16607 50 Street NW and it includes a mini Makerspace!
• Paula Simons wrote about the death of Sylvancroft tonight as the historic building was knocked down this weekend. Meanwhile, residents are trying to figure out how to save the 50 year old El Mirador on 108 Street downtown.
• The Province has launched a formal review of Alberta’s Workers’ Compensation Board. “The last comprehensive review was conducted more than 15 years ago.”
• Forge Hydrocarbons, a spinoff of the U of A, has received a $4.2 million federal grant to build a new facility here for converting animal fat and grease into fuel.
• MEC has announced it is opening a second store in Edmonton at South Edmonton Common, expected to open by next spring.
• André Costopoulos has been appointed the new vice-provost and dean of students at the University of Alberta.
• Will the derelict Blue Chicago building finally be redeveloped into something useful?
• The University of Alberta’s Nursing Program has been ranked 4th best in the world by QS World University Rankings.
• Raising Edmonton has a guide to geocaching in Edmonton with kids. Fun!
• The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’s 2016/2017 season will feature “the mercurial 24-year-old British star Alexander Prior.”
• Don’t miss the latest Edmonton blog roundup from Seen and Heard in Edmonton.
• OilersNation asks, “Who other than Connor McDavid plausibly deserves the Calder Trophy?” They also took a look at the Oilers and their neutral zone data.
• There are just a few hours left to support the Cats of Edmonton photo book!
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Spring Snow

Upcoming Events

• Western Canada Fashion Week continues for a few more days at the ATB Financial Arts Barns.
• Just three more home games left for the Oilers this season. They host the Ducks on Monday night, the Flames on Saturday, and the Canucks on April 6.
• Metric & Death Cab for Cutie are in town at Rexall Place on Tuesday evening.
• Edmonton Opera is hosting Opera 101 for Gaetano Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda on Wednesday.
• The Edmonton Job Fair takes place on Thursday at the Westin.
• Edmonton’s International Beerfest returns to the Shaw Conference Centre on Friday and Saturday.
• The Fire and Ice Farewell to Winter Patio Party takes place on Saturday at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald.
• Head over the Edmonton Humane Society on Saturday for more Cat Yoga!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Edmonton Tower Lights

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• ICYMI: Linda Cochrane is Edmonton’s new City Manager.
• Edmonton’s energy use decreased by 2.5% during Earth Hour yesterday. I’m not sure what that is compared to, but last year our energy use decreased 6.3% over the week prior.
• The Greyhound station is moving to 123 Avenue and 121 Street just south of Yellowhead Trail alongside the VIA rail station. Their lease on the current downtown space expires in May and the station will be moving sometime before that happens. Apparently routes will still pass through downtown with drop-off and pickup points, so hopefully the less central location works out.
• A group called Access to Medically Supervised Injection Services Edmonton is working to establish the city’s first supervised injection sites. I think such a service in Edmonton is long overdue and I hope they’re able to make it happen.
• After sitting empty for nearly three years, it seems we’re no closer to a solution for what to do with the old Remand Centre. The Province wants to dump it on the City but the City says it doesn’t want to be burdened with the cost of retrofitting or demolishing it.
• The City promises that you’ll hear much more about its commitment to Vision Zero (which is zero traffic fatalities and major injuries) in the coming months.
• The Edmonton International Cat Festival is coming up on May 28 and this year Linda and her team are creating a Cats of Edmonton photo book which you can support here. They need to raise $13,000 by March 27 in order to print it in time for the festival.
• I didn’t know the hand-painted signs you sometimes see on old buildings had a name but they do: ghost signs. I’d like to see them protected as much as possible.
• Nominations are now open for Alberta’s 2016 Heritage Awards honouring outstanding contributions to heritage preservation. The deadline for nominations is July 15.
• A total of 2,363 traffic violations were handed out during Operation 24 Hours last week, 512 of which were speeding tickets.
• It’s Fraud Prevention Month and EPS is reminding you to be aware of cyber-crimes like phishing, ransomware, and other online scans.
• Here’s a recap of Open Data Day, which took place on March 5 at the EPL Makerspace.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Above the Blue, photo by Dave Sutherland

Upcoming Events

• Council has Committee meetings on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday this week. Here’s my overview.
• The City is hosting a public consultation event for the Imagine Jasper Avenue project on Monday from 4:30pm to 8:30pm at Oliver School. There will be formal presentations at 5pm and 7pm. If you can’t make it, an online survey will be available soon.
• Have you ever wanted to learn more about neutrinos? There’s a lecture with Art McDonald, a 2015 Nobel Laureate in Physics, taking place at the U of A on Monday night on that very topic.
• I am looking forward to the Alberta BoostR live pitch event at NAIT on Wednesday evening!
• Wednesday is the opening reception for ArtSmash, taking place at the Faculty of Extension Gallery in Enterprise Square.
• Western Canada Fashion Week gets underway on Thursday at the ATB Financial Arts Barns.
• Karen Unland is speaking at the IABC luncheon on Thursday on pitching media in the changing landscape.
• Head over to Churchill Square on Saturday for The Downtown Defrost, taking place from 2-10pm.
• The next IGYEGWALK for local Instagrammers takes place on Saturday with the theme of “Bridges with Balloons”. Meet at 1pm at the Alberta Legislature.
• On Wednesday, March 30, EPL is launching the book In This Together: Fifteen Stories of Truth and Reconciliation to help kick off a series of Exploring Reconciliation events taking place in 2016.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Walterdale Bridge, photo by IQRemix

Are you feeling robbed of time today? It’s too bad daylight savings isn’t in the mayor’s jurisdiction. Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• The Edmonton region gained 1,300 new jobs in February. Our CMA has added approximately 25,000 jobs over the last year, which means “slightly more than 20% of all net new jobs generated in Canada over that period” were created here in Edmonton. It’s not all positive though – our unemployment rate rose from 6.5% to 6.8% last month (Calgary is at 8.4%). You can learn more in this PDF and you can see the latest labour force data here.
• The City is conducting another Municipal Census this year and is looking for Edmontonians who want to serve as census workers. Door-to-door collection of census information will begin April 15.
• Lower than expected personnel costs in 2015 have resulted in a $27 million surplus for the City.
• I would be very surprised if the Royal Alberta Museum building is ever demolished, especially after the response that greeted an RFP to turn the building into a green space. I hope it can continue to serve Edmonton long into the future.
• There’s some controversy in Old Strathcona right now over the proposed Mezzo building, which would be 16 stories tall and therefore somewhat out-of-place in the heritage area where everything else is six stories or less.
• Edmonton Events, a partnership between the City and Edmonton Tourism, received the Sport Tourism Organization of the Year Award at the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance’s 2016 awards ceremony in Ottawa this week.
• This is a great video feature on the Mercer Warehouse, “a one hundred year old building” that “has become an entreprenurial hub.”
• Here’s an update on Reconciling Edmonton from Anna Marie Sewell.
• Transforming Edmonton has a feature on the funicular that will be constructed near the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald. The stairs are now closed.
• There’s not much snow or ice left outside, but be sure to do your part to keep Edmonton’s waste collectors safe.
• The Province has proposed legislation called An Act to End Predatory Lending that will “strengthen consumer protection in Alberta so that a short-term loan in a time of need does not lead to a vicious cycle of debt.”
• Dr. Karen Grimsrud has been appointed Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health following a national search to fill the position. She has held the position previously, from 2007 to 2008. She starts April 18.
• TappCar is set to launch in Edmonton on Monday. They hope to have 200 cars on the road.
• If you haven’t already seen it, check out the new Edmonton weather nerdery blog. Great stuff.
• Here is the latest blog roundup from Seen and Heard in Edmonton.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Colourwall, photo by Dave Sutherland

Upcoming Events

• The Oilers host the Nashville Predators on Monday, the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday, the Vancouver Canucks on Friday, and the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.
• On Tuesday evening the Edmonton Heritage Council is hosting Weaving City Narratives, an open conversation about the stories that connect us to Edmonton.
• Head over to Little Brick on Tuesday for JCI Edmonton’s latest cafe event.
• The next Capital Ideas Edmonton event on how you do business differently takes place at the Edmonton Journal on Wednesday.
• On Wednesday evening the City is hosting a public meeting to discuss the overpass on 50 Street over the Sherwood Park Freeway.
• Ticket to Ride is a fundraiser organized by YESS, EndPoverty Edmonton, and the City of Edmonton Youth Council to bring accessible transportation to Edmontonian youth at risk. It takes place Wednesday at Latitude 53.
• The Oil Kings host the Red Deer Rebels on Thursday at Rexall Place.
• The Serca Festival of Irish Theatre begins Thursday at the Alberta Avenue Community Centre.
• Head over to the Edmonton Expo Centre from Thursday through Sunday for the Edmonton Home + Garden Show.
• The University of Alberta’s eHUB is hosting its first hackathon from Friday through Sunday.
• Refinery en Vogue takes place Saturday evening at the Art Gallery of Alberta.
• The 37th Annual ACE Awards take place on Saturday at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• Edmonton Seedy Sunday takes place on Sunday at the Central Lions Senior Recreation Centre.
• The Canadian Multicultural Education Foundation’s 19th annual Harmony Brunch takes place Sunday at the Chateau Nova Yellowhead.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

High Level in the Fog, photo by Kurt Bauschardt

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Construction of the Mechanized River Valley Access project, better known as the funicular, begins Monday. That means the stairs beside Hotel Macdonald will be closed and there will be temporary traffic disruptions on Grierson Hill and McDougall Hill Road. Construction is slated to be complete in the fall of 2017.
• Edmonton’s first ever infill design competition is now open for registration and is “intended to showcase design innovation and best practices that improve the quality of infill development in the City.” Registrations will be accepted until May 31, 2016 and the deadline for submissions is August 31, 2016. Up to $15,000 in prizes may be awarded! You can learn more about the competition here.
• As I mentioned earlier in the week, the new Vehicle for Hire Bylaw came into effect on March 1 with six licenses issued to PTPs. Here are some things to know before catching a ride from Transforming Edmonton.
• An economic impact study done for Northlands by Nichols Applied Management suggests that Alberta would see a benefit of between $680 million and $1 billion in the next 20 years if Vision 2020 goes ahead.
• The Police Commission and EPS have released the 2015 Fourth Quarter Report to the Community. “By the end of the fourth quarter of 2015, property crimes increased by 20.4% and violent crimes increased by 9.61%, compared to the same time frame in 2014.”
• What do you think should happen to the old Royal Alberta Museum building and site? I like Brittney’s suggestion of turning it into a civic museum.
• The Edmonton Galleria Foundation announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Edmonton but the project still needs provincial support to move forward and that doesn’t seem likely.
• The Edmonton Oilers will face off against the Winnipeg Jets in Winnipeg for the next NHL Heritage Classic on Sunday, October 23, 2016.
• Here are 15 date ideas under $10 in Edmonton, from YEG Date Night.
• March is National Fraud Prevention month so “Edmontonians can expect to hear from EPS and our many partners about how to avoid falling victim to a seemingly endless plethora of scams.”
• Michael Ross has taken a look at the results of the 2015 Federal Election and has produced a handy map of how each pill in Edmonton voted. It’s very blue.
• During the last Operation 24 Hours event, EPS handed out 2,295 traffic violations, 1,922 of which were for speeding.
• Due to the lack of snow, the City has closed its snow storage facilities for public use. “The snow storage facilities will remain closed until a significant snowfall warrants re-opening.”
• The City of Learners’ #3SkillsYEG campaign continues! The suggested category for March is Creativity and Expression. What will you learn?
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

State Funeral for Don Getty, photo by Premier of Alberta

Upcoming Events

• The Oil Kings host the Saskatoon Blades on Monday and the Calgary Hitmen on Friday.
• Tuesday is International Women’s Day and there’s a conference taking place at the Matrix Hotel to celebrate.
• The Oilers host the Sharks on Tuesday and the Coyotes on Saturday.
• The next Dark Matters takes place on Thursday at the TELUS World of Science. The theme this time is Robots.
• The multidisciplinary arts festivals SkirtsaFire kicks off on Thursday and runs through Sunday with the kickoff hosted at the Nina Haggerty on 118 Avenue.
• The 2016 ROOPH Awards finalists will be celebrated at a luncheon at the Shaw Conference Centre on Thursday.
• The Edmonton Boat & Sportsmen’s Show takes place at the Edmonton Expo Centre from Thursday through Sunday.
• The Winter Warrior Challenge takes place Saturday at The Ranch Golf & Country Club.
• Saturday is Startup Edmonton’s Student Developer Conference, taking place at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• Latitude 53’s annual winter fundraiser Parka Patio takes place on Saturday with a “FUTURE CITY” theme “inspired by downtown Edmonton’s changing skyline.”
• Looks like Slide the City will indeed return to Edmonton this summer on July 23.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Stairs closed for Mechanized River Valley Access project

Happy Leap Year! Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Former Alberta premier Don Getty passed away this week at the age of 82. The funeral will be held Saturday at All Saints Cathedral. Books of condolence have been set up at the Legislature, or you can share your condolences online.
• The results are now official and Moe Banga was officially sworn in as the councillor for Ward 12 on Friday afternoon at City Hall. Here is some analysis by Michael Ross, and here’s my look at what he and the rest of Council will be considering this week.
• Former city councillor Michael Phair was appointed to the chair of the Board of Governors of the University of Alberta this week. This is such great news, congratulations Michael!
• Paul Giang argues that we need to make downtown more friendly for families. Despite a few positive steps in the right direction, there’s still a lot of work to do.
• Former Vancouver city planner Brent Toderian was in Edmonton this week and says that we have the same problem Calgary had recently: “nice visions, award-winning plans, tough follow-through.”
• Avenue Edmonton has launched its Best Restaurants list for 2016. Congrats to all, and happy eating!
• ETS has launched Thank You Thursdays, “a year-long campaign that uses positive reinforcement” to encourage things like “removing backpacks, giving up a seat, keeping music volume at a reasonable level and treating transit staff with respect.”
• The Oilers Entertainment Group has announced that Live Nation Canada will be the Preferred Promoter for Rogers Place and the Winter Garden. Paula has more on the OEG’s entertainment ambitions.
• And speaking of Ice District, a milestone was achieved this week when the first seat was installed at Rogers Place.
• This is pretty cool: the Cloverdale Footbridge is featured in the new music video for the Skrillex & Diplo song “Mind”. Nice find Robin!
• Edmonton Fire Rescue Services will be accepting firefighter applications from March 1 to 31.
• The Oilers traded Anders Nilsson, Justin Schultz, and Teddy Purcell away on Saturday, and they may not be done yet. Will the team be big sellers by Monday’s trade deadline?
• Last weekend more than 70 bus shelters were damaged in a mischief spree that also resulted in damaged homes and vehicles. Get in touch with police if you have any information on these crimes.
• Nominations are now open for Vue Weekly’s Golden Fork Awards for 2016. You have until March 31 to suggest your favorites.
• Should you have questions about your property assessment notice, the deadline to file a formal complaint is March 11. If you think there’s an error call 311.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Rogers Place, photo by Darren Kirby

Upcoming Events

• The Oil Kings host the Victoria Royals at Rexall Place on Monday night, and the Medicine Hat Tigers on Friday night.
• Monday evening is the screening of Recruiting Hell. You can learn more about the film here.
• Mark Tewksbury is speaking about the ethical and moral dimensions of leadership on Monday night as part of the Lougheed College Lectures series.
• I’ll be at the food themed Green Drinks on Wednesday at Yellowhead Brewery. Hope to see you there!
• Pecha Kucha Night 24 takes place on Thursday at the Garneau Theatre.
• Check out ballroom dancing at The Snow Ball on Friday at the Prince of Wales Armouries.
• Saturday is Open Data Day! Join in the fun at the Makerspace.
• Cat Yoga continues at the Edmonton Humane Society on Saturday.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Mayor Iveson, Councillor Nickel, and new Ward 12 Councillor Banga

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Monday is Election Day for Ward 12! If you live in Ward 12, you can vote in the by-election from 9am to 8pm. You can find out where to vote here. I wrote about the issues candidates care about here, and ultimately endorsed Danisha Bhaloo. If there’s a tie, it’ll be solved by pulling a piece of paper from a jar.
• Northlands unveiled its Vision 2020 plan this week. Paula Simons called it a fantasy while Graham Hicks argues that maybe Northlands should shrink its operations, not expand them. You can fill out the Northlands survey on the plan until March 7.
• According to the Journal, Edmonton Public Schools is on track to accumulate a $1 billion backlog of school repairs within a decade.
• Monday is the final day that visitors will be able to check out the Ice Castle at Hawrelak Park, thanks to the warm weather. Looks like Sharon and I should have made an effort to visit sooner! Maybe next year – nothing is official, but the company is talking with City officials about a return in 2017.
• Lisanne Lewis has been appointed as the new General Manager of the Shaw Conference Centre. She has been the Director of Business and Community Development at the SCC since 2011. She wrote on Facebook about her vision for the facility: “where builders, makers and creatives come together, the Edmonton Way.”
• Mayor Iveson shared his thoughts on the latest City reorganization. “By no means have we solved all the problems just yet, and there are undoubtedly more challenges ahead. But Council is strongly committed to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of your local government.”
• EPS is back at Council, hat in hand, asking for another $2.7 million for the new chopper that Council previously approved $3.5 million for. We’ve been through this before.
• Policing costs are going up considerably this year which is having an impact on some festivals. Should the City have a contingency fund to help festivals deal with this sort of thing?
• Looks like Uber is going to have a new local competitor called TappCar. Watch for them to launch in March.
• Nominations are now open for the Edmonton Historical Board’s Historical Plaques and Recognition Awards. You can nominate an individual, group, or building online until April 15. The awards will be presented in February 2017.
• Drizly, a liquor-delivery app, has partnered with Liquor Depot and launched in Edmonton this week. “The service is currently offered anywhere within the Anthony Henday ring road.”
• The Province is reminding employers they can apply for STEP until February 29.
• Bob Nicholson, CEO and Vice Chair of the Oilers Entertainment Group, has been selected as a 2016 Distinguished Honouree of the Order of Hockey in Canada. “This year’s honourees will be celebrated as part of the 2016 Hockey Canada Foundation Celebrity Classic, June 20 and 21 in Halifax.”
• I was very sad to see that the Italian Bakery on 118 Avenue was destroyed by fire this weekend. I hope they are able to rebuild!
• Learn about the history of EPCOR’s founding facilities in this infographic.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton. STEP is the Summer Temporary Employment Program, which provides employers who hire students with a $7/hour wage subsidy.

The Rush Home, photo by Jeff Wallace

Upcoming Events

• Councillors Ben Henderson and Scott McKeen will join Global Edmonton’s Jennifer Crosby to choose the 2016 Winter Signature Drink winners at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald on Monday at 4:30pm. You can learn more about the conference here.
• Adster is hosting a Think With Google Seminar at the World Trade Centre on Monday.
• The Oilers host the Senators on Tuesday evening and the Islanders on Sunday.
• The next Capital Ideas Edmonton event takes place on Wednesday at the Journal on social media strategies that work.
• On Wednesday evening the Oil Kings take on the Portland Winterhawks at Rexall Place.
• Don’t miss the 9th and final installment of Jerry’s skating fundraiser Beards on Ice, taking place at City Hall on Friday evening. I hope the weather gets a bit colder!
• Mont Thirty, a new local photography magazine, is launching Friday at Latitude 53.
• The Local Love Wedding Pop Up takes place Saturday at the Foundry Room.
• The next Edmonton Podcasting Meetup takes place on Sunday at Variant Edition.
• Edmonton Collector Con takes place on Sunday at the Italian Cultural Centre!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Talus Dome