Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

• And you thought Daryl Katz was done making headlines! It came to light this week that he may have donated as much as $430,000 to the PC Party of Alberta during the recent provincial election. The maximum contribution limit allowed during an election is $30,000. Maybe he really was just worried about the Wildrose.
• The public hearing for the Food & Agriculture Strategy will continue on Friday morning. Elise has a good breakdown of what happened so far.
• Just ahead of the snow this weekend, the City of Edmonton wrapped up its 2012 construction season, with $146 million invested in bridges, paving, and other infrastructure projects.
• The President of CUPE Alberta is joining the fight against Council’s decision to move ahead with the SE LRT line as a P3 project. “Edmonton Council is giving up without a whimper," said Marle Roberts. "Instead, the Mayor and Council should be raising hell about what the Harper government is up to.”
• There’s an effort afoot to recognize, preserve, and enhance Edmonton’s corridor of churches, which runs along 96 Street between 105 Avenue and 111 Avenue.
• Is a better alignment of money really the problem hampering Edmonton’s image problem? I’m not so sure.
• Syncrude has invested $250,000 in MacEwan University’s Bachelor of Science in Engineering Transfer program. The investment underscores the need for highly skilled workers in our province.
• Voting in the 2012 Jellybean Internet Voting Election opened on Monday. You have until Thursday to register, and until Friday to vote.
• Congratulations to the winners of the Muttart Conservatory’s Shutterbug Contest.
• Suburban-style front garages could be on the way for mature neighbourhoods if a series of bylaw changes are approved.
• Eight local teachers were among 94 educators across the country honored with the 2012 Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence.
• Bring on smart fares for transit! If it happens at the regional level, all the better.
• I haven’t been over there yet, but a pop-up Microsoft Store opened at West Edmonton Mall on Friday.
• Don’t miss Sharon’s recap of Mercury Opera’s Fiamma.

Food & Agriculture Public Hearing

Here are some upcoming events:

• Marianas Trench plays Rexall Place tomorrow evening!
• The inaugural Exchange.js meetup is happening on Thursday evening at Startup Edmonton.
• Food Secure Canada is holding its 7th National Assembly here in Edmonton from Thursday through Sunday at NAIT.
• The Eskimos lost to Montreal today, which makes their next game against Calgary on Friday night their last chance to make the playoffs.
• The Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival takes place on Friday and Saturday at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• River City Round Up kicks off this weekend! On Friday, head down to Churchill Square for the 22nd Annual Chili Cook Off. All day Saturday, the square will be full of activities for the kick off party.
• Farmfair International gets underway on Sunday.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Fall sure didn’t last long, did it?

Don’t forget to fall back next weekend! Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 4 at 2:00 AM.

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

• Katz refused to show up at City Hall on Wednesday which made Council’s decision to cease negotiations on the downtown arena and to explore other options that much easier. Administration is expected to come back with a report outlining alternatives to working with the Katz Group, including have the City build the arena itself. Here’s the brief statement from Daryl Katz in response. See also: How to build an arena in Edmonton.
• Perhaps the bigger story of the week was the decision to build the Southeast LRT using a P3 model. As if that wasn’t enough cause for concern, they’re also hoping to have the private entity operate the line too, despite plenty of evidence that such a move would not result in the desired benefits (more on that this week). Council also announced the newly-formed LRT Governance Board to oversee construction on the Southeast to West LRT line.
• On Thursday, the City’s strategy for transforming Edmonton into a world-leading winter city was released with a small event on 104 Street. The WinterCity Strategy is slated to be presented to the Community Services Committee on Tuesday.
• Rating agency DBRS has confirmed our city’s high credit ratings of R-1 and AA.
• A new report from TomTom ranked Edmonton number one out of twenty-six cities in the U.S. and Canada when it comes to tackling traffic congestion, with an overall 7% decrease over the last year.
• Congratulations to the winners of the City of Edmonton’s Small Business Eco Challenge!
• Our city’s urban tree canopy has received national recognition with the Urban Forestry Award, part of the Communities in Bloom Awards. The City maintains about 309,000 ornamental trees.
• The French Quarter and Area is the city’s newest BRZ after receiving an $85,000 grant from Council to cover startup costs. That’s just one of the things Council was up to this week.
• Negotiations between ETS and the U of A over the price of the next U-Pass have stalled.
• Three Edmontonians were honored with the Alberta Order of Excellence this week: Rosaleen Zdunich, Irving Kipnes, and Robert Westbury.
• With roughly a year to go until the next municipal election, talk about who’s running is starting to heat up. It’s all speculation though until Mayor Mandel announces his plans early next year.
• It sounds like the first Edmonton Expo was a big success, with upwards of 12,000 people attending. In comparison, Calgary’s first Expo sold 2500 tickets.
• Uh oh, looks like smog is becoming a problem in our city, at least downtown and in the east.
• Did you enjoy the first snowfall accumulation of the year? There’s not much out there right now, nor is there much more in the forecast. It is feeling quite a bit cooler outside, however!

Lovely shot of the Muttart Conservatory with the skyline in the background. Photo by Funtographer.

It may be controversial, but the Talus Dome at night looks pretty impressive:

Photo by Sean Gordon.

Here are some upcoming events:

• Cavalia has been extended again and now runs until October 28.
• Edmonton Opera’s Aida kicked off on Friday, with two performances remaining on Tuesday and Thursday.
• Looking to get into the Halloween spirit? The Farm of Fear started this weekend with more opportunities to attend starting Thursday.
• A reminder that the non-statutory public hearing on the Citywide Food & Urban Agriculture Strategy takes place on Friday at City Hall. I hope to see you there!
• The Edmonton Ski & Snowboard Show takes place on the weekend at the EXPO Centre.
• Don’t forget, the City Market Downtown has moved to its winter home inside City Hall!
• This Saturday is the Sturgeon Valley Food & Wine Festival at The Enjoy Centre.
• Still no NHL to watch, but the Oil Kings are in action at home twice this week. Saturday they host Kelowna, and Sunday they host Vancouver. The Oil Kings have won seven of their thirteen games so far this season.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Down the Fall Path. Photo by RandallTT.

Happy Thanksgiving! Here are my weekly notes:

• Wondering why it smelled smoky in the city today? The most likely cause was forest fires in BC.
• According to a new study, the University of Alberta’s impact on the Alberta economy is estimated to be $12.3 billion.
• The deadline to complete the survey on the draft Food & Agriculture Strategy is tomorrow. That’s right, just a week for a 94-page document.
• Fire Prevention Week kicked off today. Between 2009 and 2011, there were 973 home fires reported in Edmonton resulting in 173 injuries and 18 fatalities. Be prepared!
• If you can get 60% of the residents in your neighbourhood to agree, you can get the speed limit lowered by 10 km/h. If every community took advantage of the opportunity, it could cost the City about $12 million.
• “If you have the courage to make something, Edmonton is your city.”  Great stuff from Todd Babiak.
• Parking fines could go from $35 to $50 if you stay past the expiry time. That’s on top of the fourth highest parking fees in Canada.
• Here’s the latest Council Roundup.
• The Hope Mission’s #TweetForHope challenge raised $5400 in just an hour and a half. Nice work everyone!
• It was a busy week for the Edmonton Rush. They have named Dave Jamieson as the new Team President, and in the draft they had the first overall pick and three of the top fifteen picks. The Rush selected consensus top pick Mark Matthews with the No. 1 overall pick.
• Yesterday was the final day of business for Greenwoods’ Bookshoppe. The end of an era.
• Edmontonians affected by flooding during severe storms in July 2012 can apply for assistance under the Government of Alberta’s Disaster Recovery Program.
• This is pretty funny: Original draft of Katz apology letter revealed.
• The Edmonton Valley Zoo has been awarded the top honour for outstanding achievement among Canada’s accredited zoos and aquariums for the new Arctic Shores exhibit.
• EPSB continues to see growth in its five-year high school completion rate. From 2006-2007 to 2010-2011, the District saw a 2.3 per cent increase in this rate, rising from 73.8 per cent to 76.1 per cent.
• Pottery Barn opened its first store in Edmonton yesterday at West Edmonton Mall.
• Voter registration for the 2012 Jellybean Internet Voting Election opens tomorrow!
• Wednesday’s forecast calls for flurries. Let’s hope it is wrong.

Foggy Morning in Edmonton by Darren Kirby.

Here are some upcoming events:

• Edmonton’s first Nerd Nite is happening Wednesday evening at the Gogo Lounge.
• Don’t miss TEDxEdmonton Education, taking place all day Saturday.
• This year’s edition of the Scarecrow Festival runs from Friday through Sunday at the Edmonton Expo Centre.
• Very cool event coming up on Friday evening: The Subsequent Fall.
• The Eskimos host the Roughriders at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
• The third annual Bossy Mama Flaunt happens on Sunday at the Enjoy Centre.
• The next Refinery late-night art party is coming up on November 17: The Monstrous Baroque Refinery.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Rainbow Ramp by trav

Our trip to Portland was great – a little time away was exactly what I needed. That said, it’s great to be back in Edmonton! And I’m glad we made it back in time to catch the river valley turning yellow and orange. It’s a really beautiful time of year.

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

• I have to say, given all of the other PR blunders he has made, I didn’t see this coming: an apology from Daryl Katz to “the People of Edmonton, Northern Alberta and Oilers Fans Everywhere”. I guess he realized the trip to Seattle was not such a good idea after all. Mayor Mandel has set October 17 as the deadline by which the Katz Group must make its arena demands clear.
• Standard & Poor’s affirmed its AA+ credit rating for the City of Edmonton this week.
• Uh oh. “Wasps are more aggressive than usual during fall, they are hungry, tired and food is tighter,” says Mike Jenkins, Biological Sciences Technician for the City of Edmonton. They’re going to get worse?! They’ve been pretty bad already this year!
• Two films split the win in the very first Edmonton Film Prize. Niobe Thompson’s “The Perfect Runner” and Trevor Anderson’s “The Man That Got Away” will each take home $5000. More than 20 Edmonton filmmakers were nominated this first year of the prize.
• Corso 32 and Tres Carnales were the only two Edmonton restaurants to make Macleans’ list of the 50 best restaurants in Canada.
• Whyte Avenue is home to the 9th addition to the Giants of Edmonton mural program.
• The Way We Green has been honored with the Government of Alberta’s 2012 Minister’s Award for Municipal Excellence in the category of Outstanding Achievement.
• Check out this fly-thru video of the design concept for the new Courtyard by Marriott hotel at the Edmonton International Airport.
• A report on patios came back from City Administration this week. It’ll be discussed by Executive Committee on October 10.
• I’m not 100% certain what the money is being spent on, but the Government of Canada says it is investing to help youth in Edmonton get jobs.
• Here’s the presenter lineup for Pecha Kucha Night Edmonton #14.
• About 10,000 people took part in today’s CIBC Run for the Cure, raising $1.7 million for cancer research and education.
• The City of Edmonton took part in the 2012 Alberta Employment & Career Fair this weekend. Learn more about working for the City here.
• There’s a new baby seal at the Valley Zoo. Nika was born on July 20.
• A new report suggests the City of Edmonton could save millions with a new office tower.
• If you haven’t already been reading Todd Babiak’s new blog, you should be.
• In case you missed it: Vue Weekly’s Best of Edmonton 2012. I’m planning to write a separate post, but thank you for naming me Best Twitterer and Best Blog!

Fall is here! Photo by Jeff

Here are some upcoming events:

• The draft of the City Wide Food and Agriculture Strategy is slated to be released Monday afternoon. There will be two open houses this week to learn more: Wednesday at City Hall, and Thursday at the TransAlta Arts Barns. The public hearing has been scheduled for October 26.
• The 26th Edmonton International Film Festival is on now until Saturday!
• The next Green Drinks takes place on Wednesday evening and the topic this time is food!
• As far as I know, Thursday is the final 124 Street Grand Market of the season. Don’t miss it!
• Dragonette is at the Starlite Room on Thursday evening.
• The Eskimos host the Tiger-Cats on Friday night at Commonwealth Stadium.
• There may be no NHL this year, but the Oil Kings are in action! They host Prince Albert on Thursday and Saskatoon on Saturday.
• Don’t forget TEDxEdmonton Education is coming up on October 13!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

4th Street Promenade hosted the Alberta Culture Days kickoff party in Edmonton. Photo by Darren

Sharon and I are in Portland right now, enjoying a nice break away from everything (though I have been keeping up with some news and stuff). We’re back on Thursday evening, but if I get some time I may post a few photos before we leave Portland. There’s a lot to love about this city!

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

• Octane Motorsports has pulled out of the 2013 Edmonton Indy, and with the City deciding it will not pursue another promoter, the event is effectively dead. I wrote some thoughts about the news here.
• The Indy was not the only thing coming to end this week: Winter Light announced it will not return next year. While I loved the Mill Creek Adventure Walk and last year’s Illuminations, I have long thought that Winter Light was far more expensive to produce than it should have been (though it is nothing compared to Metropolis). Other festivals seem to accomplish far more with a lot less.
• The truly bizarre PR moves kept coming from the Katz Group this week, with Daryl himself making the rounds at his selected local media organizations. Mayor Mandel basically said enough is enough and invited the Katz Group to clearly explain their demands before City Council. The Katz Group responded with a “thanks but no thanks” statement, which means…well, I guess it means we’re back to square one.
• Executive Committee voted to move ahead with the expropriation process at the City Centre Airport (with a total cost of about $80 million). If Council ratifies the decision, all airport-related activities will come to an end by next fall.
• This is very exciting! The City is exploring the use of Internet voting for upcoming elections. A mock election will run from October 22 until November 2, and there will be many opportunities for public involvement. Learn more about the initiative here.
• Hundreds of Edmontonians took the streets this past week to celebrate the demolition of the Cromdale Hotel.
• The City of Edmonton is the first Canadian city to be accepted as a partner city with the Council for the Parliament of the World’s Religions.
• Great to see Edmonton included on this list of overlooked technologies that could change the world. Our innovation is turning waste into biofuels.
• The Conference Board of Canada predicts that Edmonton and Calgary will be the fastest growing census metropolitan areas for the next four years.
• FC Edmonton’s season ended today with a tie.
• The AIDS Walk took place here in Portland today, and it looked like a really impressive turnout! Edmonton’s walk raised $112,000 for HIV Edmonton programs.
• Read this: “The choice is between two futures: one which paves over virtually all the prime foodland remaining in Edmonton and one which protects a significant amount of that land to build a resilient food economy that can withstand and adapt to sudden global changes.

Lovely shot of Victoria Promenade by Jelena K.

Here are some upcoming events:

• Alberta Culture Days runs from September 28-30, with the big Edmonton kickoff event taking place on 104 Street from 4:30pm until 9:30pm.
• The next Southeast to West LRT consultation takes place tomorrow evening.
• Also Monday evening, a REACH Community Safety Conversation is taking place in Ward 12.
• Head over to Queen Alexandra Hall on Tuesday evening for a Cyclist Town Hall Meeting.
• There’s a public meeting on the Northwest LRT connection being held early Wednesday evening.
• Wish I could make it to 3 Designers Series event on Thursday evening.
• This year’s Taste of Old Strathcona takes place on Friday at the TransAlta Arts Barns.
• Made in Edmonton presents Coast Modern, a film playing at Metro Cinema from the 27th until October 2.
• Change for Children has a Development Dinner coming up on Friday at the Chateau Louis.
• Churchill Square is going to be packed on Sunday for the CIBC Run for the Cure.
• Also Sunday – it’s Free Admission Day at City of Edmonton attractions and recreation facilities!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

The Edmonton skyline as seen from the Strathcona Science Park. Photo by Dave Sutherland.

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

• Former premier Peter Lougheed passed away in Calgary on Thursday. “Alberta owes its strength to Peter Lougheed, a political titan unlike any this province has ever produced.” Flags are being flown at half-mast at all City of Edmonton buildings to pay tribute.
• The downtown arena was back in the news again this week, with the Katz Group asking for several new concessions, including a $6 million annual subsidy. Council voted to reaffirm the previous agreement, and that means the project is now very much on the rocks. Here is the Katz Group’s letter to City Administration, and here is the organization’s statement made after City Council voted against changing the terms of the deal.
• The Canadian Infrastructure Report Card was released this week, and Edmonton actually did pretty well. We received the same ratings as the national assessment: roads are in “fair” condition, wastewater systems are in “good” condition, and storm water systems are in “very good” condition.
• Lynden Dorval, the teacher at the centre of the no-zero grade controversy, was fired Friday afternoon by Edmonton Public Schools. “I was still hopeful this wouldn’t occur, but I believe the superintendent had made it clear long ago that his mind was made up,” Dorval said Friday. “I tried to steel myself for this outcome but I had some hope it wouldn’t come to this.”
• The City unveiled Edmonton’s first bike box at the intersection of 116 Street and 87 Avenue this week. Learn more here.
• EEDC’s board of directors will now be joined by two youth interns, Brad Williams and Christel Hyshka. Christel will also serve as the new EEDC-NextGen liaison.
• City Council approved zero lot line homes this week, which means homes in new suburbs can be as little as 1.5 metres apart on lots that are 7.6 metres wide.
• A new survey of employers by Manpower showed that 40% of Edmonton-area employers plan to hire in the upcoming quarter, the hottest hiring climate in the country.
• I’m really glad to hear that construction is set to begin on Station Pointe, but “Edmonton’s first family-friendly community in 30 years”? Really?! How does crap like that get published?
• This is pretty cool: EIA opened new sport-themed baggage carousels in the domestic-international arrivals area! There are Oilers, Eskimos, and Oil Kings-themed carousels.
• The NHL lockout began yesterday. Here’s a message from the Oilers “to our fans and partners”.
• The High Level Bridge will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year, but it may be without the Great Divide Waterfall.
• Check out this profile on GamrCred, a new startup based here in Edmonton!

Great shot by Nelson Webb of the lamps on 124 Street!

Here are some upcoming events:

• I’m on the Mobile Monday panel tomorrow evening at Startup Edmonton. Hope to see you there!
• Join us Tuesday evening at the Telus Centre for DemoCamp Edmonton 19!
• Guru Digital Arts College is hosting an open house in the new space on Wednesday evening!
• The Mile Zero Dance Wedding Crasher Party takes place on Friday evening!
• There are new public meetings on the Southeast to West LRT taking place this week and next. Find your area and times here.
• This weekend is Alumni Weekend 2012 at the University of Alberta! The Alumni Recognition Awards kick things off on Thursday evening.
• The BC Lions are in town to take on the Eskimos on Saturday.
• There’s another Big Bin Event on Saturday and Sunday in Ellerslie.
• Sunday is the Scotiabank AIDS Walk For Life.
• Also Sunday, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers are here to take on FC Edmonton.
• Cavalia continues this week at the City Centre Airport.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Premier Alison Redford and former Premier Peter Lougheed at the Peter Lougheed tribute dinner, June 6, 2012, Calgary. Photo by the Government of Alberta. See the In Memory of Premier Peter Lougheed set for more.

Thanks to everyone who came out to What the Truck?! in Churchill Square yesterday!

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

• In the dumbest news of the week, a City Council committee has decided to add “Fort Edmonton Park” to the end of the South Campus LRT station name. You know, because it is close to Fort Edmonton Park (if you consider 3.4 km close).
• Don’t miss this fantastic feature on local beer, inducements, and the AGLC.
• According to a new survey by Edmonton’s Trend Research, Premier Alison Redford’s leadership has the approval of 62% of Albertans.
• Do we need a museum of the city? This idea is very persistent.
• A group of organizations in Leduc have launched 1 Calendar, the official event calendar for Leduc. Great idea, though I’m not crazy o the very generic, phone-book-era name. Hopefully it is updated regularly and evolves!
• Some rather surprising news: Oil City Roadhouse and Vinyl have closed for good.
• Want to get involved? City Council is looking for volunteer board members for a variety of agencies, boards, and commissions. You have until September 28 to apply.
• Oh look at that, the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce wants to see the downtown arena built and warns of a “massive setback” if we don’t get it done. But are they willing to do anything to help move the project forward? Nope.
• If you want to be a firefighter, the annual recruit information session takes place on September 29.
• There was a big Lotto Max win in our city last week! Eighteen workers at the Suncor refinery in Sherwood Park will share a $20 million prize.
• A family farm near Lacombe has received a certificate for their corn maze, certified as the world’s largest QR code.
• Interesting political situation to keep an eye on: Edmonton and St. Albert voted against a Villeneuve plan to make critical sewer upgrades at the local airport.
• In case you missed, here’s my interview with new EEDC President & CEO Brad Ferguson.

The Pearl continues to rise in Oliver.

Here are some upcoming events:

• With banners throughout the city and ads everywhere, it has been hard to miss that Cavalia kicks off this week. They have added more shows, so you now have until October 7 to see the show.
• Head down to Churchill Square on Tuesday during lunch to support all the guys Walking a Mile in Her Shoes.
• One tiny squirm for wormkind! Edmonton Girl Geek Dinners returns on Tuesday evening at Lux.
• You have two opportunities to have your say on a proposal to rezone surplus school sites. For those of you on the north side, the meeting takes place on Wednesday evening at the Central Lions Senior Recreation Centre. For southsiders, your meeting is Thursday evening at Confederation Leisure Centre.
• The Carolina Railhawks are in town to take on FC Edmonton on Wednesday evening.
• Nerds Night Out, Edmonton’s monthly designer and developer beer meetup, is happening on Wednesday evening at Brewsters.
• On Thursday evening I am excited to be moderating a panel at the Art Gallery of Alberta discussion called Closing The Food Gap. Organized by The Way We Green, we’ll be talking all about local food, food policy, and more.
• Saturday is Community League Day throughout the city! For those of us downtown, that means CornFest!
• There was supposed to be another Handmade Mafia on Saturday, but it appears that after three years the market has retired.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Jasper Avenue from the roof of the Empire Building on 101 Street, looking west.

I didn’t get back into the city until late last night, so decided I would finish my notes and post them today instead. Here are my latest Edmonton notes:

• The provincial government released its first quarter results on Thursday and projected a $3 billion deficit. In other province-related news, Dave took a look at what candidates spent in the 2012 election.
• There are 15 new schools opening across the province in 2012-2013, including four here in Edmonton: Bessie Nichols School, Mother Margaret Mary Catholic High School, Michael Strembitsky School, Major General Griesbach School.
• The Hamptons has more kids under 15 years old than any other neighbourhood in Edmonton, the Journal reports. The neighbourhood is located in the southwest, outside Anthony Henday Drive.
• Here is the latest Council Roundup from the City.
• Last week it was Hall, this week it was Eberle. The Oilers star has signed a six-year, $36 million contract extension.
• The Downtown Business Association released a new report this week that estimates the downtown area could see new development worth up to $4.8 billion over the next five years.
• We learned last week that Edmonton Transit’s Smart Bus initiative would finally be getting underway next year, and now we know that the contract has been awarded to Trapeze Group.
• Homeward Trust is looking for 400 volunteers to assist in the 2012 Homeless Count, taking place on Tuesday, October 16. Volunteer applications must be received prior to October 1.
• Guru Digital Arts College has moved into its new home alongside Startup Edmonton in the Mercer Warehouse.
• Today is the final day to enjoy the City of Edmonton’s outdoor pools.
• Has anyone seen the new “Ghost Rails” sculpture in Hazeldean that commemorates the Edmonton, Yukon and Pacific Railway that once ran through the area?
• A mock chemical attack on an LRT train took place last weekend, with 60 volunteer passengers. Sounds like it was a success.
• Strathcona County has been selected to host the Canada 55+ Games in 2014.
• Wednesday is the first day of classes for the 2012-2013 academic year at the University of Alberta. “The U of A will begin its 104th year of classes with more than 39,000 students—the most the university has ever had—walking the five campuses that make up the institution.”
• Happy 100th Birthday to the Alberta Legislature building! Glad to hear the weather turned out ok for the big party after all!

Alberta Legislature 100 Anniversary by Darren Kirby

Here are some upcoming events:

• Among other things, City Council’s Transportation & Infrastructure Committee will be talking about the Smart Bus initiative on Tuesday.
• On Wednesday, Executive Committee will be discussing a wide range of items, including the Stadium TOD, family-oriented development initiatives, and the naming of South Campus LRT station.
• Very cool event taking place on Wednesday evening: A Streetcar Named Rapidfire. Then on Friday, head over to the Citadel for Rapid Fire Theatre’s first Theatresports in their new home.
• Avenue Edmonton is hosting the SCTV Retrospective with Joe Flaherty on Thursday at the Garneau Theatre.
• This should be entertaining! Bowl-Off 2012: Downtown vs. Oliver, takes place on Friday evening.
• The Eskimos host the Stampeders on Friday night at Commonwealth Stadium.
• The Kaleido Family Arts Festival gets underway on Friday and runs all weekend on Alberta Avenue!
• Head over to Victoria Park on Saturday for the Edmonton Gorilla Run.
• My least favorite children’s movie of all time , Dumbo, is playing at the Garneau Theatre on Saturday afternoon. Seriously that movie freaks me out.
• Another great fundraiser takes place on Saturday afternoon: Edmonton’s Finest vs. Eskimo’s Greatest.
• Join us on Saturday evening for What the Truck?! at Churchill Square! With three new trucks and twelve total, it’s going to be a great time!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

B-Boy Dancing by Ian McKenzie

Thanks to everyone who came to Blink: Urban Picnic tonight! Sharon and I will write something up soon, but you don’t have to wait – Brittney already has a recap posted!

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

• The 31st Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival wrapped up today and this year’s edition smashed all previous records. A total of 680,000 people visited, and a total of 112,006 tickets were sold marking the first time that sales generated more than $1 million in revenue for artists!
• Finally: GPS and automated stop announcements will be added to 45 buses next year as part of an ETS pilot project.
• I was really pleased to see the Farming in the City tours full of Edmontonians today, all wanting to get a first-hand look at the agricultural land in the northeast. Global covered the tours here.
• In a surprise announcement this week, Concordia High School announced it is closing permanently.
• The EPS has added six more beat officers along Jasper Avenue. They’ll be proactively working with the community instead of just reacting to crime.
• The Petroleum Club has a new general manager, and he wants to turn the club around. Charles Rothman says “sadly, the handsome building has been a little neglected over the years and we have plans to restore its charm and modernize in some areas.”
• Taylor Hall and the Oilers have agreed on a new seven-year contract extension with an average annual value (AAV) of $6 million. Let’s hope there’s hockey this season!
• Don’t miss this: ETS, the Edmonton Arts Council, and Edmonton’s First Nations community unveiled 15 panels of original art created for the South LRT.
• Edmonton has a new neighbourhood and it has been named in honour of the founder of Edmonton’s Fringe, Brian Paisley.
• You might have heard that Travel Alberta and Edmonton Tourism decided to pay for former Bachelorette Ashley Hebert and her fiancé JP Rosenbaum to visit our city. The primary reason presumably was to drum up media coverage in other markets, but so far that strategy has failed miserably. The only organization that has written about the trip is the Edmonton Journal. Worse still, the couple came all the way here and ended up eating at Joey’s. So much for promoting Edmonton’s growing food scene!
• Check out these locally made iPhone cases called knottycase.
• Despite an increase in calls due to an infestation found in Medicine Hat, no rats have been found in Edmonton.
• Great piece by Tony Cashman on the High Level Bridge.
• Good question from Dave: Is Edmonton’s former Capital Health board being targeted by a Calgary-led witch-hunt?
• There’s still time to nominate a Scotiabank Game Changer – a program to help uncover local community heroes.

We have had some crazy weather lately. There was so much hail on Thursday it looked like it was snowing!

Here are some upcoming events:

• Crafting Type runs all week at the Robbins Health Learning Centre.
• I was going to write that this week was the final Tuesdays on the Terrace event at the Art Gallery of Alberta, but it has been extended until September 18!
• Edmonton’s City Hall turns 20 on Tuesday, so stop in to celebrate with free cupcakes and guided tours. Fun fact: this is our third city hall.
• The next Capital Ideas Edmonton event takes place on Wednesday, this time after work. Join other local business owners for a mixer at Yellowhead Brewery.
• Another favorite summer festival coming up – Symphony Under the Sky kicks off on Friday!
• Looking for something fun to do outside on the weekend? Get Lost For Hunger at the Edmonton Corn Maze!
• Weather permitting, the next Movies on the Square evening is Friday.
• On September 8, the Rock Skipping Open will take place at the Laurier Park Boat Launch at 3pm. There’s a $20 entry fee, 50% of which goes to prizes and 50% of which goes to support the Edmonton Food Bank. For rules, details, and to register, email rockskipopen@gmail.com or get in touch with David.
• The Parkdale Cromdale Community League is hosting a Cromdale Hotel Demolition Party on September 16.

Goodbye Cromdale Hotel by Darren Kirby

Apologies for missing a couple of weeks of Edmonton notes, time to get back on track! It has certainly felt like one event after another this summer for Sharon and I, and we’re not done yet. Our next event is Blink: Urban Picnic, a pop-up restaurant taking place in Louise McKinney Park next Sunday. I’m really excited about it – read Sharon’s post for more details. Tickets go on sale tomorrow morning!

Here are my weekly notes:

• Summer break is over for City Council, with committee meetings resuming this week at City Hall. Check out the upcoming meetings and agenda items here.
• I was very happy to see this piece from Graham Hicks. I too have been in touch with EEDC about Edmonton’s absence from The Economist’s annual report on the world’s most livable cities. The reason – that we are too close to Calgary – is ridiculous. If that’s the case, include us as a megaregion, don’t just pick one!
• Yes I realize that Avenue’s Best Neighbourhoods of 2012 came out a couple of weeks ago, but I’m going to tell you what I think anyway! First let me say that I love that Avenue has started this list. I think recognizing areas of our city and perhaps even encouraging the branding of those areas is a good thing. We need to do that. That said, with readers expressing “the highest desire for pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods”, I fail to see how Windermere made the list. Look at the ten neighbourhoods on the list and play “which of these things is not like the others” – Windermere stands out like a sore thumb. It is not pedestrian-friendly.
• I did not realize the City’s Percent for Art program could be used to design attractive garbage collection trucks, but I’m glad it can!
• Kasian Architecture and Edmonton-based HIP architects are merging. “We are committed to maintaining a large presence in Edmonton, the birthplace of our company. This merger allows two excellent organizations to better leverage their collective talents and address significant market opportunities” noted Don Kasian, President of Kasian.
• While I definitely like to see praise for downtown, let’s not forget the focus on residents. A dozen new commercial buildings will mean nothing if we don’t attract new residences too.
• No surprise here: Alberta will lead the country in economic growth this year and employment in Calgary and Edmonton is “expected to strengthen through 2016 with the addition of 120,000 new jobs…”
• Congratulations to all who were recognized in this year’s Edmonton in Bloom Awards!
• Good question: what do celiac patients in Alberta Health Services eat?
• The second round of public consultation on the future of Queen Elizabeth Park is now underway. You have until August 31 to complete the online survey.
• This is pretty cool: about a week and a half ago, archeologists uncovered the footprint of an old fur trading fort at the Rossdale Flats.
• Check out a sneak peek at the new Domestic International Departures Lounge at EIA.
• From a few weeks ago but worth linking to anyway: “When a city like Ottawa has fallen behind Edmonton, it ought to be a wake-up call.”
• Here is the latest Weekly Update from the Edmonton Real Estate Blog. Here is the latest housing start data from CMHC.
• Mark your calendars for the Edmonton Expo taking place in October. Our very own “Comic-Con”!
• In case you missed it: the winner of our Pulled Pork throwdown was The Act. The event raised more than $1800 for the Edmonton Public Schools Foundation!
• There are four new on-street bike parking corrals located in Old Strathcona as part of a three-month pilot project. Walking around today, they all looked full. More of this please!

Here are some upcoming events:

• The Fringe is on! Head over to Old Strathcona to experience The Village of the Fringed!
• Don’t miss Tuesdays on the Terrace at the Art Gallery of Alberta.
• Thursday is the final Summer Rooftop Patio Series event at Latitude 53!
• The annual Blues Festival kicks off on Friday at Hawrelak Park.
• The East Meets West festival takes place this weekend in Chinatown and Little Italy!
• Blink: Urban Picnic takes place on Sunday evening at Louise McKinney!
• Also coming up on Sunday are the Farming in the City guided bus tours of the northeast.
• It’s slightly more than a week out but I am going to plug Crafting Type because I think it’s totally awesome that this kind of an event is happening here in Edmonton. It’s a five-day workshop that teaches absolute beginners how to create a typeface (or font, though technically they are not the same thing). As you might expect, their website is beautiful.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

The Fringe grounds were packed tonight!

For my previous Edmonton Notes, click here.