Well that was a busy weekend! Both the 97 Street Night Market and the ImMACulate Garden Party were fun, thanks to everyone who attended! For Sharon and I, there’s now just one big What the Truck?! event before our September wedding. Check out some engagement photos we took with Moments in Digital Photography here.

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• United Airlines is ending flights between Edmonton and New York as of October 24. The flight to Newark began in May 2013. EIA says we shouldn’t be too concerned, because United Airlines is “heavily invested in Edmonton” with other routes.
• The Great Neighbourhoods Capital Program is investing $15 million in 18 neighbourhoods this year. Stony Plain, Jasper Place, and Alberta Avenue are among the areas receiving upgrades.
• Whyte Avenue could become car free on Friday and Saturday nights at least for a few hours if a new pilot project goes ahead. You can fill out a survey on the idea here.
• 2015 will mark the 10th anniversary of the Edmonton Rush, and the club has announced a logo contest with the winning logo featured on all team jerseys next year. Hard to believe it has already been 10 years!
• On Tuesday the Oilers announced that the entire roster of the 1984 Stanley Cup Champion team will reunite on October 10 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of our city’s first Stanley Cup victory. Tickets sold out in less than one hour.
• Here’s a look at EPCOR’s service by the numbers. For example: “There are about 55,000 wood power poles in Edmonton, of which we inspect 11,000 each year. So, each pole is checked every five years for rot, damage, splitting or physical damage.”
• Justin Trudeau was in Edmonton speaking to supporters recently. David Climenhaga says you shouldn’t dismiss him.
• Four more bus routes are getting Smart Bus technology: 3, 10, 11, and 112. By the end of November, about a third of Edmonton Transit’s fleet will be equipped with the necessary technology.
• The C-Line has been replaced with an expanded and rebranded Leduc Transit service, which begins regular operation on September 2. The City of Leduc will pay 65% of the operating cost, with Leduc County contributing the remaining 35%.
• Officials from the rideshare app Uber reportedly met with City officials this week. Apparently Edmonton’s $75 minimum fare for limousine rides (enacted to prevent limos from competing with taxis) is currently preventing Uber’s expansion to Edmonton.
• Could Whyte Avenue be getting a late-night food truck alley? The idea has been proposed.
• This is a fun read: Avenue Edmonton sent correspondent Omar Mouallem to the year 2033 to report on the future of commuting.
• Also, Omar says the Walterdale Bridge preservation plan deserves a fair review.
• Here’s an interview with mayor Don Iveson about transforming Edmonton.
• From Linda, here are the top 26 Edmonton Instagram users you should follow!
• The Fringe wrapped up today and organizers are hopeful that great weather over the final weekend could put the final numbers over last year. We should know early this week! You can read about the holdovers here.

Edmonton City Centre, photo by IQRemix

Upcoming Events

• The World Triathlon Grand Final comes to town on Monday! The event runs through September 1. Here are the road closures and detours you need to be aware of.
• The 2014 Canada 55+ Games kick off in Strathcona County on Thursday.
• On Thursday evening, the Telus World of Science is hosting Dark Matters. The theme this time is Aliens & Cowboys.
• Friday is Bacon Day at LUX. The fifth annual event raises money for YESS.
• In place of Symphony Under the Sky this year, the ESO is hosting Symphony in the City at Churchill Square! Disney in Concert takes place on Friday and Saturday evenings, and Celtic Colours with The McDades takes place on Sunday evening. All concerts are free!
• The 2014 edition of SONiC BOOM kicks off on Friday and runs through Sunday at Northlands.
• The first ever Edmonton Reggae Festival takes place on Saturday at Louise McKinney Park from noon until 10pm!
• FC Edmonton hosts Minnesota United FC on Sunday at Clarke Stadium!
• Save the date for our final What the Truck?! of the year – our biggest ever, with 25 trucks, on September 12 at Churchill Square!
• From Frugal Edmonton Mama, here are 21 end of summer family friendly Edmonton activities!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

2014 Fringe Performers Parade, photo by Robert

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Congratulations to the Art Gallery of Alberta on turning 90 today! The High Level Bridge was colored red, orange, and green tonight to celebrate.
• In case you missed it, here’s an extensive piece on the High Level Bridge and the long history of people jumping from it to their deaths.
• Northlands announced that Tim Reid is their new President and CEO. Here are my thoughts.
• The new boardwalk-style patio at Julio’s Barrio on Whyte is here to stay: the pilot project has been extended.
• The Apple commercial “Misunderstood” which was filmed in Edmonton has won a Creative Arts Emmy.
• Councillor Mike Nickel posted what appears to be a letter to Council from UDI Edmonton’s chair Jordan Davis which outlines the organization’s concerns with the MGA review the City conducted. UDI says the proposed changes would “impact affordability” after acknowledging that “developers or builders ultimately pass costs on.”
• Summer break is over for Council! They’re back at it this week, with Community Services Committee, Executive Committee, and Transportation Committee meetings, plus a public hearing. Let’s hope for good news tomorrow as they discuss an Urban Hens Pilot Project! On Tuesday they’re discussing the infill roadmap.
• Yes, the mosquitoes are bad right now. Likely record-breaking numbers. I should not have worn shorts to What the Truck?! on Saturday!
• Congratulations to the City of Edmonton on winning an international award from the Institute of Transportation Engineers for its Lego bike safety videos.
• Four local startups – SAM IO, Granify, Innovative Trauma Care, and LoginRadius – have received funding from the TEC Venture Angels, a private angel investors group that is just six months old.
• Don’t miss the latest urbanism headlines from Spacing Edmonton.
• The City has a goal of replacing all of its streetlights with LEDs by 2020, but until the end of the year, some neighbourhoods are still getting the old bulbs.
• Congratulations to Emerson Csorba and Kassie Burkholder who are representing Edmonton on the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community Advisory Councils for 2014 (PDF).
• Terence Harding thinks that City Council should have political parties. While I agree with his desire for increased transparency and accountability, think political parties are absolutely the wrong way to go about it.
• The Oilers are making news for something other than their lack of winning for a change! Their decision to hire analytics guru Tyler Dellow is controversial and could be the start of a big trend in the NHL. See also this discussion about the openness of NHL data.
• There’s nothing stopping you from taking your laptop out into the river valley to get some work done, but it could be more comfortable (and feature WiFi). Marissa Loewen is trying to get the City to create workstations in some City parks.
• Voting is now open for Vue Weekly’s Best of Edmonton 2014. You can nominate your favorites in just about every category but food (they save that for the Golden Fork Awards in May).
• Edmonton Next Gen has put out the call for presenters for Pecha Kucha Night 20 which is taking place on October 2 and the Royal Alberta Museum.

Edmonton Latin Festival, photo by IQRemix

Upcoming Events

• The 33rd annual Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival is well underway now! Check out the grounds and take in some shows – you have until August 24. Sounds like the opening weekend was a good one!
• The next interVivos event takes place on Monday night – check out #girlbossyeg at The Common.
• Capital Ideas Edmonton hosts its next event on how creativity feeds into business on Wednesday at lunch.
• Don’t miss the Latitude 53 patio on Thursday night!
• Also Thursday, check out Nerd [Game] Night at Iconoclast Koffiehuis.
• The Edmonton Marathon takes place on Saturday and Sunday. This is the 22nd anniversary of the event!
• I hope to see you in Chinatown on Saturday night for the 97 Street Night Market, taking place along 106 Avenue at 97 Street. Here’s more on the event from Sharon.
• Also that night, the Edmonton Eskimos host the Toronto Argonauts at Commonwealth Stadium.
• Viva Italia Viva Edmonton takes place on Sunday at Giovanni Caboto Park!
• We’re hosting our next Blink event on Sunday at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald. Tickets for the ImMACulate Garden Party are $40 and proceeds support the Edmonton Humane Society. Hope to see you there!
• Also this weekend, Beverly is celebrating 100 years since its corporation as a town in 1914!
• Stony Plain Road is hoping to become the YEG Market District with their first event on Sunday at 102 Avenue between 153 and 154 Streets, in the alley behind the Jasper Place Hotel.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

2014 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup: Canada vs. Germany, photo by Andrew Bates

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Pretty hard to ignore all the provincial news lately. Former premier Alison Redford resigned her post as MLA for Calgary-Elbow just one day before the auditor general’s report found her government misused taxpayer money. For more, check out episode 50 of The Press Gallery.
• The City has shortlisted the three teams that will participate in the next phase of the Valley Line LRT project. The winning team will be selected by the end of 2015 with construction beginning in 2016.
• For the third year in a row, Strathcona was named top neighbourhood on Avenue Edmonton’s list of our city’s top 10.
• According to Pollstar’s Mid-Year Ranking for 2014, Rexall Place was the 2nd busiest arena in Canada, 5th busiest in North America, and 23rd busiest in the world!
• The Edmonton Heritage Council has launched a new walking tour of Churchill Square in a new app called Soundwalk Edmonton. If it is well received, they may expand it to other areas too.
• Residents in Queen Alexandra have formed a group called QA Crossroads, which aims to change 76 Avenue and 106 Street, major roads in the area. As the City is renewing the road, residents want to see more changes incorporated.
• In case you missed it, Leduc’s latest census results show the population is now 28,583, an increase of 4.9% over 2013. Edmonton’s latest municipal census results are expected by the end of the month.
• The conversation about infill housing and density continues, and Councillor Michael Walters wants it to apply to all neighbourhoods.
• The latest city report on the matter suggests that 62 new neighbourhoods approved on the fringes of Edmonton are expected to cost $3 billion in new infrastructure over the next 30 years.
• It sounds like the University of Alberta is interested in supporting Edmonton’s bid to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games. They could provide facilities, as well as people trained in coaching, training, physiotherapy, and more.
• Have you checked out the Edmonton City As Museum Project? It “tells the stories of the People, Places, Things, and Moments that make the city of Edmonton what it is.” Here’s one about Edmonton Folk Fest.
• There still isn’t anything there, but the Edmonton Arena District has a placeholder website.
• Corso 32 chef Daniel Costa has launched Tavola, an app featuring recipes, wine pairings, and playlists. Think of it as a modern take on the cookbook.
• If you’re looking for more food news, check out Sharon’s latest food notes. We also talked about some of the exciting food news of the summer in the latest episode of Mack & Cheese.
• The Oilers are planning a 30th anniversary celebration of the 1984 championship team, to take place for a few days in October.
• Check out Karen’s latest blog roundup for some great local reads.

Morning Commute by Dave Sutherland

Upcoming Events

• This week’s Make Something Monday event is focused on YEG Fashion.
• Head down to Churchill Square on Tuesday evening for The Lego Movie, one of the Movies on the Square screenings.
• Have you been enjoying the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Canada? There are another two games in Edmonton this week, plus a quarterfinal game.
• It’s finally here! The 33rd Edmonton International Fringe Festival starts on Thursday and runs through August 24. Get ready for Fringed and Confused!
• The Edmonton Blues Festival takes place at Hawrelak Park this weekend.
• Over in Louise McKinney, the Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival will be delighting spectators.
• Doing some summer cleaning? The City is hosting another Big Bin event this weekend at Bill Hunter Arena.
• The fifth annual Edmonton Latin Festival takes place on Saturday at Churchill Square.
• Please join us in Borden Park on Saturday from 4-8pm for our third big What the Truck?! event of the season!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Some of the cosplay at Animethon 21, photo by IQRemix

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Great news for downtown: Stantec is keeping their global headquarters in the heart of Edmonton, with a new building in the Edmonton Arena District.
• For a bunch of other exciting downtown news, see my post from Wednesday. And if you haven’t already done so, be sure to fill out the DBA’s downtown perception survey.
• Are you handy and willing to lend a hand? The Drawing Room is looking for people to help with the renovations at their new location between now and October.
• The City is conducting a survey on potential changes to the zoning bylaw to enable urban agriculture. You have until August 31 to fill it out!
• The new Prairie Urban Farm on the University of Alberta’s South Campus is “teaching urbanites that a solution to food insecurity lies in their own backyards.”
• The Reuse Centre has a new home, located at Argyll Road and 83 Street. Looks like a great building!
• Congratulations to Earth’s General Store on the successful launch of your new 104 Street location!
• Here are the latest urbanism headlines from Spacing Edmonton.
• In case you missed it, here is Karen’s latest blog roundup. Watch for another entry on Monday!
• The Edmonton Police Service Victim Services Unit celebrated 35 years of service to the community on Wednesday, July 23. Last year, volunteers donated 25,643 hours of service.
• Clifton G. Purvis, Q.C., has been appointed to the Edmonton Region Provincial Court, effective July 23.
• Design option 2 is narrowly in the lead in the Province’s new license plate design poll. Remember you have until August 19 to cast your vote. If you just can’t wait for a new plate, you now have the option to purchase a new “Support Our Troops” design.
• As expected, City Council will consider a pilot project on backyard hens next month. It’ll be similar to the urban beekeeping pilot in approach.
• Love meerkats? The Valley Zoo welcomed a family of eight this week.
• Festivals could be in for a rough couple of years when construction on the Valley Line LRT gets underway, impacting the use of Churchill Square. Hopefully a short-term solution can be found, because the long-term benefits are going to be huge.

Solar powered home in Larch Park, photo by David Dodge, you can learn more here

Upcoming Events

• The 2014 U15 & U17 National Basketball Championships continue at the Saville Sports Centre through Wednesday.
• The Edmonton Go Meetup takes place at Startup Edmonton on Monday evening. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the open source programming language.
• A fourth Rally for Palestine is being held in Churchill Square on Wednesday evening.
• As usual, there are great events to choose from on Thursday! For instance, you can check out the 124 Street Grand Market or Latitude 53’s patio series.
• If you’re downtown on Friday, check out Night Market Edmonton in Beaver Hills House Park.
• The annual Servus Heritage Festival gets underway on Saturday at Hawrelak Park and runs through Monday (long weekend!).
• FC Edmonton hosts San Antonio at Clarke Stadium on Sunday.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

K-Days, photo by IQRemix

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Edmonton’s road construction is getting a $16.3 million boost, thanks to a previous reallocation of funds by City Council. So far this year, crews have fixed 245,770 potholes and completed six road projects.
• Another step forward for Blatchford! City Council moved ahead with plans to borrow $80 million to get the project underway.
• Wunderbar is up for sale. Hopefully a new owner can step in to keep the popular music venue running.
• The Province is supporting Edmonton’s bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2022. Richard Starke, Minister of Tourism, Parks, and Recreation is in Glasgow, Scotland for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
• ETS and the Edmonton Police Service are teaming up officially now, with the launch of the Transit and Police Partnership. The trial program, which will run until mid-December, is intended to enhance security on the LRT.
• The University of Alberta is quite pleased that so many of Alberta Venture’s 50 most influential Albertans have ties to the school. “Five professors and 11 alumni and friends of the university made the vaunted annual list…”
• Half of the top 10 health facilities included in Alberta Infrastructure’s list of deferred maintenance are hospitals in Edmonton. Our city makes up a disproportionate chunk of the $637 million tab for delayed repairs to health facilities.
• The Edmonton Eskimos have an in-game app now for iOS and Android devices. You can learn more and download the app here.
• It’s the middle of summer, but Edmonton’s WinterCity Strategy has won another award, this time from the Canadian Institute of Planners.
• Perhaps more surprising than the news that the fire-breathing dragon at SilverCity is coming down is the fact that it hasn’t actually worked since 2010! I remember listening to Power 92 on location when it was unveiled.
• The Edmonton Arts Council is accepting submissions for this year’s Edmonton Film Prize. The deadline is August 15.
• A new report identifies which occupations are in high demand in Alberta. Some of the jobs expected to be in high demand over the next three years include chefs, civil engineers, heavy-duty equipment mechanics, crane operators, and telecommunications installation and repair workers.
• The Downtown Business Association is doing a survey on downtown Edmonton. Take a few minutes and let them know what you think!
• Calgarian Bob Dhillon sees a lot of opportunity in our downtown, and is acquiring land to take advantage of it.
• This is pretty scary: the south wall of the Westin Hotel partially collapsed on Sunday morning, forcing the evacuation of about 250 guests.
• Should the City ban smoking in Churchill Square? Smoking is currently banned near the fountain in front of City Hall, but not in the square.
• I’m not sure it is actually Edmonton’s first, but there is a new bike repair station in the basement of MacEwan’s Robbins Health Learning Centre. Apparently 35% of university staff ride their bikes in the warmer months of the year.
• In our 40th episode of Mack & Cheese a few weeks ago, Graham and I talked about the forthcoming Alberta Innovation Council. That effort was officially launched this week.

Diner en Blanc, more photos here

Upcoming Events

• Taste of Edmonton is now underway in Churchill Square! Sharon and I are planning to check it out on Wednesday evening.
• Also underway is K-Days at Northlands Park. We went on Saturday and ate way too much deep fried food. If you’re heading down to the midway, take the train, and avoid the vehicle theft that takes place.
• The Okotoks Dawgs take on the Edmonton Prospects at Telus Field on Tuesday. The Prospects host Moose Jaw on Friday.
• The Edmonton Eskimos host the Calgary Stampeders at Commonwealth Stadium on Thursday evening.
• Also Thursday evening, Latitude 53’s summer patio series continues!
• Edmonton is hosting the 2014 U15 and U17 National Basketball Championships. The tournament starts Friday and runs through July 30.
• Interstellar Rodeo kicks off on Friday in Hawrelak Park!
• If you’re downtown on Friday evening, check out Night Market Edmonton at Beaver Hills Park.
• Fruit Loop’s Summer Ball takes place at Latitude 53 on Saturday evening!
• On Sunday, FC Edmonton hosts Indy Eleven at Clarke Stadium.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

K-Days midway, more photos here

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Edmonton and Calgary are bending over backwards to find ways to fund critical LRT expansion, but the Province is “willing to resume planning” on an outer ring road that could cost $11 billion? I thought the idea of a second ring road beyond Anthony Henday was scrapped when the Capital Region Board decided it wasn’t a priority for the region back in 2012, but unfortunately a few mayors are still pushing for the idea. We need to be planning and building for 2040, not 1960.
• The Province wants to redesign our license plates. Have you voted for your favorite new license plate design yet? You have until August 19 to do so. A petition to keep the existing design currently has over 3,300 supporters.
• It’s still a common question whenever a discussion turns to the new downtown arena – what’s going to happen to Rexall Place? Northlands is working on a long-term master plan to answer that very question.
• Three new Albertans have been appointed to Travel Alberta’s board of directors, but none of them are from Edmonton and the only one from northern Alberta was a southerner until September.
• In June, EPS received 809 calls reporting impaired drivers which led to 65 charges, 25 license suspensions, and 60 warning letters. There have been 4,296 calls so far this year.
• EPS is looking to buy two new helicopters at a cost of $14 million over five years. Councillors will consider the request this fall.
• The City invites you to check out expanded facilities, a new cafe, and more educational opportunities at the latest Valley Zoo features called Entry Plaza and Wander Trail.
• Here’s an update on the second week of #31DaysOfYEG. Have you participated yet?
• Can’t wait for Earth’s General Store to open on 104 Street! Here’s an update.
• Province-wide library usage has been shrinking over the last five years, but membership and visitor growth at the Edmonton Public Library is bucking that trend.
• Read this OilersNation post about the history of the Oilers rebuild so you’re prepared when the conversation at your next summer BBQ turns to the Oilers.
• Look at that, even Premier Hancock is doing a weekly recap now! Anyone know if he actually writes anything on that blog?
• Council decided to move forward with 30 km/h speed limits for school zones around elementary schools, despite questions about how effective the change will be.
• I can get behind this: ETS needs more accessible signage.
• Wondering where the best burgers in Edmonton can be found? Phil tried them all, and narrowed it down to his top five.
• The Local Good highlights eleven local email lists that will keep you up-to-date on what’s happening in Edmonton.

High Level Looking Rad by Jeff Wallace

Upcoming Events

• The first Make Something Monday event takes place bright and early at Startup Edmonton. The theme this week is social entrepreneurship.
• Odysseo continues its run under the White Big Top this week.
• Dishcrawl is back with its latest event on Tuesday evening, this time in the 124 Street area.
• Head over to the Edmonton Journal on Wednesday for the next Capital Ideas Edmonton event, How do turn an idea into a business?
• Wednesday is when the Edmonton stop on the Five Hole for Food tour takes place. Check out all the action behind the library downtown in Centennial Plaza.
• The 2014 edition of Taste of Edmonton kicks off on Thursday in Churchill Square!
• Wear white on Thursday evening for Diner en Blanc, location TBA to attendees at the last possible minute!
• The annual K-Days Parade starts Friday at 10am at 99 Street and 102 Avenue. The gates at Northlands open immediately following the parade at noon to start another season of K-Days.
• If you’re looking to take in some baseball, the Prospects host the Saskatoon Yellow Jackets on Friday and Saturday at Telus Field.
• On Saturday, why not help to plant an edible forest in the river valley?
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Street Performers, photo by IQRemix

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• The 102 Avenue Bridge over Groat Road has started coming down. Unfortunately it won’t be cleared before Monday’s commute though, so expect delays. Here’s more on the demolition of Edmonton’s second oldest bridge and here is a related column from Paula Simons.
• On the plus side, Walterdale Hill is now open again, nearly a month ahead of schedule!
• Alberta Venture’s annual list of the 50 Most Influential People in Alberta is out. Mayor Don Iveson and Oilers owner Daryl Katz were among the prominent Edmontonians that made the list.
• In case you missed it, here’s my FAQ on the new High Level Bridge lights.
• Looking for some fun things to try this July? Don’t miss The Local Good’s #31DaysofYeg challenge!
• Locals Jim Carter and Irene Fraser were among those named to the Order of Canada this week.
• Sounds like TOD is getting a boost around Stadium LRT Station. About time!
• It was Canada Day in 2004 that Augustana University College became part of the University of Alberta. To celebrate the tenth anniversary, they’ve created a special website.
• Could bees be coming to a backyard near you? The City is proposing a pilot project to allow just that. Here’s an interview CBC did with Dustin Bajer on the news.
• The City is reminding you to park legally when attending football games, festivals, or other summer events. They are stepping up enforcement.
• Coin-operated parking meters: good riddance! The City is moving ahead with plans to replace all 3,000 parking meters with electronic ones. It’ll cost about $12 million upfront.
• Here are the latest urbanism headlines from Spacing Edmonton.
• In the latest episode of Mack & Cheese, Graham and I discuss the proposed urban beach, upgrades at Fort Edmonton Park, and more.
• A new website for Edmonton’s LGBTQ community has launched. Check out Gay Edmonton.

‘Willow’ at Borden Park

Upcoming Events

• Head over to Churchill Square for the 2014 edition of the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival!
• Also underway now, at locations throughout the city, is the Historic Festival & Doors Open Edmonton.
• The Freewill Shakespeare Festival gets underway on Wednesday with The Taming of the Shrew. The festival is taking place at the Myer Horowitz Theatre this year.
• Cavalia is back in Edmonton! Odysseo gets underway on Wednesday under the White Big Top.
• Thursday nights remain as busy as ever. Consider checking out Latitude 53’s Patio or the 124 Street Grand Market.
• Also Thursday, we’re hosting our second Truck Stop of the season, this time at Boyle Renaissance. Here’s the lineup!
• The Whyte Avenue Art Walk starts on Friday!
• On Friday evening, the Eskimos host the new Ottawa REDBLACKS at Commonwealth Stadium.
• Looking to check out a baseball game? The Prospects host the Medicine Hat Mavericks on Saturday at Telus Field.
• Sunday is the World Cup final. It’s also an FC Edmonton game against the Ottawa Fury.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Street Performers Festival in Churchill Square

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• The City launched a new site for public engagement this week called the Edmonton Insight Community (EIC). Have you signed up yet?
• Big news for the Oilers this week! With their third overall pick at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, the Oilers selected centre Leon Draisaitl. They also made five other selections. Today they traded Sam Gagner to Tampa Bay for Teddy Purcell. Here are some initial reactions to the trade.
• Less than half of the people asked about the Galleria project in a recent survey supported it. The project’s backers clearly have work to do.
• Former City Councillor Linda McCulloch (Sloan) has been elected Chairperson of Public Interest Alberta.
• If your commute involves a trip across the 102 Avenue Bridge over Groat Road, get ready for some delays. The bridge will be closed for 15 months starting on July 1.
• Trains won’t be running until December, but the new Kingsway/Royal Alex Transit Centre is now operational for bus riders. The new facility includes public washrooms, retail, and improved shelters and waiting areas. The old transit centre at Kingsway Mall is now closed.
• ETS is running a contest to promote shuttle service between South Campus Transit Centre and Fort Edmonton Park. You have until July 31 to enter!
• Four more routes – 33, 72, 78, and 79 – are being added to the Smart Bus fleet. Slowly but surely, I guess.
• The City is looking for feedback on traffic safety. You can complete their survey for the next four weeks. Shouldn’t this have been made available through the new EIC?
• They’re also running a survey on River Access Principles to guide the decision making process for new and refurbished river recreation infrastructure.
• Lactuca Urban Farm has a new home on a one-acre site at Northlands. Exciting to see urban agriculture in Edmonton growing!
• Speaking of which, here’s a feature on beekeeping in Edmonton.
• Edmonton Rush owner Bruce Urban has been named one of three finalists for the 2014 NLL Executive of the Year award. The winner will be unveiled at the NLL Awards on September 21.
• Here are the June Operation 24 Hours results. A total of 4,174 tickets were issued, up from 3,074 back in June 2013.
• The Edmonton Police Service has launched an interactive voice response (IVR) system to handle non-emergency calls. The non-emergency number is 780-423-4567 or #377.
• Have you checked out Mother’s Market yet? It’s Edmonton’s first three-day market. Sharon has the scoop.
• Matthew Dance explains why all Edmontonians should be interested in open data and citizen engagement.
• EEDC is looking to hire a Project Facilitator to work with Make Something Edmonton.
• Here are the latest urbanism headlines from Spacing Edmonton.
• The urban beach / sand park at Louise McKinney has been put on hold. The next Council will deal with it.
• I really need to get over to Borden Park to check out “Willow”, a beautiful sculpture that has been featured countless times on Instagram!
• Annoyed by horrible parking? There’s now Twitter and Facebook accounts for publicly shaming offenders.
• Have clothing to drop off for the Bissell Centre? Here are updated drop off locations and times.

High Level Streetcar, photo by Jamey M. Photography

Upcoming Events

• There are a ton of things happening for Canada Day! Check out this listing of more than 20 events taking place throughout the region. I’m looking forward to the fireworks of course, but also the Lighting of the High Level Bridge. There’s also the Heritage Chinatown Night Market.
• On both Monday and Tuesday evenings, the Edmonton Prospects host the Regina Red Sox at Telus Field.
• The next Exchange.js JavaScript Meetup takes place on Thursday evening at Startup Edmonton.
• The 2014 edition of the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival kicks off on Friday at Churchill Square!
• The inaugural BaconFest YEG takes place on Friday night at the ATB Financial Arts Barns. We’re running a bacon-themed Truck Stop in conjunction with the event, but no ticket is necessary. Just bring your cash and buy from the trucks!
• Also Friday, the Eskimos host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Commonwealth Stadium.
• On Saturday evening, the Royal Alberta Museum is hosting another #MuseumAfterDark event.
• The Historic Festival & Doors Open Edmonton starts on Sunday at locations throughout the city.
• The Edmonton International Track Classic takes place on Sunday (with an open competition Saturday) at Foote Field.
• Also Sunday is The High Street’s Summer Block Party from 10am to 4pm. Or if you’re south of the river, check out the 3rd annual Takin’ It To The Streets event on Whyte Ave. And if you’re in Sherwood Park, check out Savour Strathcona County.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Linda & Mike on hoverboards at the Yelp/Dark Matters event!

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• “What once was a city struggling with identity and self-esteem is transforming quickly into one filled with aspiration and conviction.” Here’s how you can help.
• The City of Edmonton broke ground on its new office tower on Thursday. Slated to open in the fall of 2016, the 27-story tower will allow the City to consolidate much of its staff into one location (the City will lease about 60% of the building).
• Congratulations to TEC Edmonton on being named “Incubator of the Year” at the 2014 Startup Canada Awards. Edmonton’s Randy Thompson was named Investor of the Year, and a number of other local organizations and individuals received honourable mentions.
• The City released its 2012/2013 Report on the Environment this week. Last year, approximately 15% of the City’s electricity came from green sources.
• From Frugal Edmonton Mama, here’s a list of the Top 10 Playgrounds in Edmonton.
• A new report shows a 4% drop in fatal and injury collisions in Edmonton between 2012 and 2013. Following too closely was the most common cause of collisions last year.
• The University of Alberta’s Board of Governors unanimously approved the establishment of a land trust to leverage land assets as a funding source for academic and research activities. There’s still a lot of work to do, but this decision paves the way for the U of A to follow in UBC’s footsteps.
• Former mayor Stephen Mandel and his wife Lynn were among the Edmontonians inducted into the City of Edmonton Hall of Fame for 2014.
• The Government of Alberta has released Alberta’s Economic Development Framework to outline our province’s future economic growth.
• Nominations are now open for the second Edmonton Music Prize. The deadline is September 29.
• A new report from KPMG shows that businesses pay lower taxes in Edmonton than in any other city in Canada.
• Edmonton Oilers captain Andrew Ference was named this year’s recipient of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, awarded to the NHL player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and office the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.
• Barry Travers is the new board chair at EEDC. Former chair Peter Silverstone is retiring from the board, and Angela Fong and Maria Holowinsky are joining.
• The Devonian Botanic Garden has been named Botanical Garden of the Year as part of the Canadian Garden Council’s Garden Tourism Awards.
• If you’re looking to learn more about the original plans for Blatchford, check out this radio documentary from Lana Cuthbertson.
• In the mood to create a video? Why not record a clip for Adam!
• The Oilers have announced their 2014-2015 season schedule. They’ll start the regular season at home against the Calgary Flames on October 9. They have also announced the 2014 Pre-Season Schedule.
• What are you doing on July 19? You could help to plant a food forest!
• I was very sad to hear that a fire has once again destroyed the Bissell Centre Thrift Shoppe.

Edmonton-Strathcona MLA Rachel Notley launched her campaign to become leader of Alberta’s NDP this week

Upcoming Events

• Edmonton is hosting the CityAge Western Cities Summit on Monday and Tuesday this week.
• The Works continues all week at locations throughout the downtown. The main festival site is Churchill Square.
• Also continuing this week is the Edmonton International Jazz Festival and Improvaganza. From The Local Good, here are the top ten reasons to check out Improvaganza.
• Join the Edmonton Food Council on Tuesday night at Northlands Park (in the Paddock Theatre) for a panel discussion on community gardens featuring Travis Kennedy, David Prodan, Rachel Feroe, Brad Armstrong, and Carla Meyer.
• The Edmonton Centre federal Liberals are hosting a Pints & Politics event at The Druid on Wednesday.
• Thursdays are always busy nights in the summer. This week, check Latitude 53’s Patio series, the 124 Street Grand Market, Dark Matters at the TELUS World of Science (plus the Yelp Party), and the Edmonton Grads International Classic, among other events!
• Kicking off on Thursday is the 2014 Found Festival.
• Head over to Beaver Hills House Park on Friday for Night Market Edmonton.
• Saturday is Family Day at Northlands Park from 1-4pm.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Cool shot of the train at Fort Edmonton Park by Paul

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

Headlines

• The Edmonton Public Library has been unanimously named the 2014 Library of the Year by Library Journal magazine, the first time a Canadian library has received the award. Congrats and well deserved!
• City Council approved the Blatchford redevelopment plan this week (you can read my take here). They also moved one step closer to creating an arms-length development company.
• Edmonton is mentioned in a new Fortune article called The New Metropolis: The New Urban Pioneers. It seems they like our approach to municipal planning (The Ways).
• You can catch up on all the other urbanism news in Edmonton at Spacing Edmonton.
• Congratulations to WinterCity on being recognized with a 2014 Award for Planning Excellence (a merit award).
• Sounds like Southgate Mall is getting a bike station. Still no word on a walkway from the LRT station into the mall.
• Don’t miss this episode of The Press Gallery podcast which focuses on The Wildrose efforts to target urban voters.
• Edmonton’s Pride Centre has received an injection of cash from the Province to provide mentoring opportunities to LGBTQ youth in Edmonton. Great news!
• A new report recommends that Edmonton spend $1.4 million on an urban beach in Louise McKinney Riverfront Park.
• A different report would have the City spending more than $150 million on upgrades to Fort Edmonton Park to better highlight the City’s past. I think Fort Edmonton Park is a great attraction, but I’m not sure I want to sink another $150 million into it.
• The Edmonton Oilers have brought Bob Nicholson on board as vice-chairman of the newly formed Oilers Entertainment Group. OilersNation tells us what it all means.
• The City finalized its submission on the new Municipal Government Act this week. This is really just the first step as the new bill isn’t expected until 2018.
• Have you seen the lights on the High Level Bridge? Testing is underway, with the Light the Bridge project on schedule for the official debut on Canada Day.
• Wondering what’s coming up for Taste of Edmonton this year? Liane has a preview.
• On the topic of food, it sounds like chicken bylaws are a popular research question at the City of Edmonton Archives.

Managed to catch a beautiful sunset on the way home tonight

Upcoming Events

• BoingBoing’s Mark Frauenfelder is in town Monday and Tuesday, and the EPL is featuring him at two events.
• On Monday evening, interVivos presents its second annual Citizen Edmonton event at The Common.
• Looking for a date? Rendezvous Club presents its next speed dating event on Tuesday.
• The next Capital Ideas Edmonton event takes place at the Edmonton Journal on Wednesday during lunch. The panel will be discussing the shift from freelancer to entrepreneur. Here’s a recap of their last event.
• Improvaganza kicks off on Wednesday at the Citadel!
• The Works Art & Design Festival starts on Thursday at locations throughout downtown.
• On Friday, the Edmonton International Jazz Festival gets underway.
• Edmonton Opera presents its annual Opera al Fresco on Friday night at the Devonian Botanic Garden.
• Want to have your say on the Evolving Infill plan? The next public meeting is Saturday at the Central Lions Seniors Centre.
• The Hershey’s Track & Field Games take place on Saturday at Foote Field.
• Saturday is an extremely busy day! There’s also the Travel Alberta Instagram Meetup, Zoo Fest, another Big Bin Event, the Highlandia Festival, and the Graffiti Run.
• Head down to Hawrelak Park on Sunday for Pets in the Park!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Thanks to everyone who came out to What the Truck?! on Friday!