Hard to believe Christmas is just a week away! This will likely be my last Edmonton Notes of the year – thanks for reading along. See you in 2018!

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• This weekend was likely the final opportunity to visit Northlands Coliseum, with one last hockey game and some emotional goodbyes as part of the farewell.
• Local elves helped deliver toys to more than 24,000 children in need in our city this weekend as part of the 62nd annual Santas Anonymous campaign.
• The Mayor’s Economic Development Summit took place this week at NAIT with “discussions centred on sectors such as artificial intelligence, logistics, advanced manufacturing, health innovation, green building technologies, food and agricultural technology.”
• A proposal from the City to replace the City Hall pool with granite and much shallower water was met with quite a bit of pushback from both citizens and Councillors. The issue will be discussed in the new year.
• The latest Taproot Edmonton story takes a look at the issue of food waste.
• On a related note, the City is once again promoting its Wasteless Holidays campaign. “Create memories not garbage!”
• EEDC is supporting Airbnb-style “space matchmaking” service Thisopenspace “that connects people to empty office and retail spaces.” Local listings are set to launch in January.
• The City is inviting Edmontonians to submit ideas “that use technology and information to improve livability and opportunities for the City and its people” as part of Infrastructure Canada’s Smart Cities Challenge.
• The results of the 2017 Capital City Cleanup Litter Audit show “a continued trend towards less litter on Edmonton’s streets” with a 35% reduction in large litter and 26% reduction in small litter compared to last year.
• Flair Airlines has added daily flights between Edmonton and Toronto, with direct flights running multiple times a week between Edmonton and Vancouver, and Edmonton and Kelowna.
• The City has installed new signs to help cyclists turn from a protected bike lane into the street.
• Metro News did an end-of-year interview with Mayor Don Iveson on the Metro Line LRT, Northlands, Accidential Beach, and more.
• Speaking of the mayor, he’s running a photo of the year contest. You’ve got until December 31 to enter!
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

View from the funicular

Upcoming Events

• Zoominescence continues at the Valley Zoo until the end of the month.
• Fort Edmonton Park’s Christmas Reflections is on now until December 23.
• Christmas at Bob’s, located at 7421 108 Street, is on until January 7. It’s a great spot to see Christmas lights!
• Candy Cane Lane is on until January 2 along 148 Street between 92 and 100 Avenue.
• This sounds like a lot of fun: Metro Cinema is hosting a Quote-A-Long screening of Die Hard on December 23.
• Shumka’s Nutcracker, “Clara’s Dream”, takes place at the Jubilee on December 29 & 30.
• This year, the New Year’s Eve fireworks are taking place at the Federal Building near the Legislature, and they start at 9pm.
• Be sure to check out Taproot Edmonton’s guide to winter festivals and events for more!

A final look at Northlands Coliseum, photo by Jason Woodhead

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• City Council approved the Supplemental Operating Budget Adjustment for 2018 this week, approving a property tax increase of 3.2%. “Council also approved the $1.4 billion capital budget for 2018 projects that includes new fire stations, upgrading libraries, a police division and transit garage, and other infrastructure.”
• Edmonton’s new $24 million funicular opened on Saturday, providing “an accessible connection from Edmonton’s downtown to the scenic River Valley trail network.” The funicular is free and functions like an elevator. Here are some other tips for your visit.
• Thales Canada has until April 30 to get the Metro Line LRT running properly or they’ll face “serious consequences” thanks to a new ultimatum issued by City Council this week. The Metro Line was originally scheduled to open in April 2014.
• City Council has enacted a temporary moratorium on new licenses or event permits for combative sports, in effect until the end of 2018. “This bylaw was added to Council’s agenda following a verbal, in camera update to City Council on the status of an independent, third-party review into the death of professional boxer Tim Hague, who died after a sanctioned boxing match in Edmonton on June 16, 2017.”
• The City has released its year-in-review for Blatchford: “Over eight thousand metres of water mains, storm and sanitary sewers, and distribution piping for the District Energy Sharing System were installed and 1,400 metres of curb and gutters were constructed.”
• According to new figures from Statistics Canada, the median net worth of Edmonton families was $230,200 in 2016. That compares to $295,100 nationally, and $290,500 provincially.
• Moshe Lander, an economics professor at Concordia University, wonders why Edmontonians are on the hook for demolishing the Coliseum. “Fleecing the taxpayer for another $20 million is a terrible epitaph to a wonderful building.”
• According to AHS, more than 1 million Albertans have received the flu shot so far this season. Here in the Edmonton region they’ve administered 338,000 doses and there has been 91 flu-related hospitalizations and 1 flu-related death.
• The City and Oilers Entertainment Group announced this week that Rogers Place has received LEED Silver certification, the first NHL facility in Canada built to that standard.
• If you’re thinking about building a garden suite, be sure to check out the City’s new how-to guide.
• Described as “Canada’s token middle child”, Edmonton has made Travel + Leisure’s list of the 50 best places to travel in 2018.
• Christmas at Bob’s, the Queen Alexandra home decorated with more than 150,000 lights, is back for another season.
• I hope you’re enjoying the heat wave that seems to be on in Edmonton right now because it could last for a couple more weeks!
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Alberta Legislature Holiday Lights

Upcoming Events

• It’s probably not as cold as they thought it might be, but the Valley Zoo is hosting Frozen Yoga on Monday evening. It’s yoga inside an igloo! Their popular Zoominescence Festival of Light also continues through the month.
• The 21st annual Stollery Snowflake Gala is happening at the Shaw Conference Centre on Monday evening.
• Metro Cinema is screening National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation on Tuesday evening.
• The Oilers host the Predators on Thursday evening at Rogers Place.
• The Edmonton Singing Christmas Tree runs Thursday through Sunday at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.
• Northlands is hosting a Farewell Weekend for Northlands Coliseum on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The weekend features “a charity hockey game between Ryan Smyth’s Spruce Grove Saints and the Okotoks Oilers, public skates on the Northlands Coliseum ice and a Multicultural Round Dance presented by Candora Society.”
• Yule Ave: A Merry Christmas is happening on Alberta Avenue near 92 Street on Saturday.
• The City Market Downtown is hosting a Gingerbread House Workshop led by Jon from Meat Street Pies!
• Head over to St. Albert Place on Saturday for the final St. Albert Indoor Christmas Market of the season.
• Canada’s National Women’s hockey team will play the U.S.A. in a pre-Olympic face-off at Rogers Place on Sunday.
• For more upcoming events, check out Taproot’s guide to winter festivals and events in Edmonton.

Premier addresses Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, photo by Government of Alberta

Just three weeks to go until Christmas! Where has the time gone?

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• The City released four reports for Council related to the Exhibition Lands on Friday. “These reports bring together completed work and next steps to attract the most innovative, sustainable and economic ideas for the future of the area.” Council will be discussing the reports on Tuesday, one of which says the cost of demolishing Northlands Coliseum could be as high as $25 million.
• Council will also be discussing the Metro Line LRT, which has encountered 6 major malfunctions and 44 signaling mishaps since 2015. “Should we be alarmed? I am,” said Councillor Mike Nickel.
• Of course the big focus of the week for Council will be the 2018 budget. You can learn more about the budget at YEGCityBudget.ca.
• The contentious Holyrood Gardens project was sent back to the drawing board on Monday. “Councillors Michael Walters, Moe Banga, Jon Dziadyk, Sarah Hamilton and Tony Caterina voted against the referral motion.”
• ETS Route 747 will likely be saved, but the price is going up to $10. Council is hoping for a regional solution to keep transit to the airport viable.
• Air Canada wil start flying direct between Edmonton and San Francisco on May 1. “The year-round Air Canada Express service using 76-seat Bombardier CRJ-705/900 jets will be Edmonton’s first direct connection to San Francisco since United Airlines cancelled its service there and to Chicago in May 2016.”
• The Harley Court building at 10045 111 Street is going to be converted to a residential building if the planned $40 million renovation by owner Strategic Group goes ahead.
• Toronto developer Brad Lamb has cancelled plans to build the Jasper House condo building on 106 Street north of Jasper Avenue citing “unfortunate economic circumstances”.
• According to a new report from TransUnion, the average Edmontonian carries $25,149 in non-mortgage debt, an increase of 2.74% over last year.
• Congratulations to all the Edmontonians recognized in this year’s Salute to Excellence Awards.
• DynaLife has signed a new lease for its downtown space to March 2022, which will keep its 700 employees working in the core. “It’s great news and will give everyone time for sober second thought,” said Coun. Scott McKeen, a vocal opponent of a provincial plan to create a new super lab facility outside of downtown.
• The Oil Kings’ annual Teddy Bear Toss broke records again this year with more than 14,000 bears collected for Santas Anonymous.
• In case you missed it, this is a pretty cool photo of Edmonton’s skyline.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

High Street Lights

Upcoming Events

• ECVO is celebrating Edmonton volunteers at the 150 Volunteer Voices event taking place on Tuesday at the Garneau Theatre.
• Head over to Yellowhead Brewery on Wednesday evening to help The Local Good celebrate 10 years with a fundraiser. “In order for our volunteer organization to be able to continue offering resources and events to like-minded, locally-focused Edmontonians, we need financial support.”
• The Oilers host the Flyers on Wednesday at Rogers Place.
• Alberta Premier Rachel Notley is speaking at the Shaw Conference Centre on Thursday. Notley “will deliver her government’s priorities to create economic growth, and move our province forward at a time of challenge and opportunity for Alberta.”
• The TEC Venture Angels December Forum takes place Thursday at TEC Edmonton.
• They’re turning the lights on at the Alberta Legislature grounds on Thursday evening!
• The Oil Kings host the Warriors on Thursday night and the Broncos on Sunday.
• The City’s next and final Engage Edmonton event takes place at the Edmonton Tower on Thursday.
• Candy Cane Lane kicks off for another season on Friday night.
• Leefield Community League’s annual Gift & Craft Sale takes place on Saturday.
• The NAIT Ooks are taking on the University of Alberta Golden Bears on Saturday night in what is being called “the last competitive hockey game” played at Northlands Coliseum.
• From Explore Edmonton, here are things to do in Edmonton in December.
• For more great winter and holiday events, check out the festival and event guide for 2017/2018 from Taproot Edmonton!

Edmonton River Valley

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• FC Edmonton has decided to shut down operations, telling CBC Edmonton, “we would need 8,000 or 9,000 people to be sustainable.” Here is the organization’s official statement. The decision to cease operations and leave the North American Soccer League (NASL) is effective immediately.
• The federal government’s national housing strategy was unveiled on Wednesday, promising $40 billion over the next decade to help with affordable housing. “This is what we’ve been looking for,” Mayor Don Iveson said. “This is a phenomenal day for cities and for housing and especially for people in need.” Not everyone is so optimistic though, with worries that the funds will take years to be available.
• Should the City raise fares to keep operating the bus service from Century Park to the Edmonton International Airport? That’s one of the options on the table in a new report that says it will cost about $1.9 million to operate the service in 2018.
• Edmonton’s Chinatown and Area Business Association has filed a court application to overturn approval of three inner city safe injection sites.
• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley are “the latest prominent voices to urge a public discussion about renaming the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos out of respect for Inuit people.”
• The City has published a new map that identifies skating, tobogganing, and other winter-friendly locations throughout the river valley. Here is the PDF copy.
• Canadian North is investing $3.3 million per year for a new maintenance facility at the Edmonton International Airport set to open by the spring.
• Edmonton was 7th on CBRE Canada’s second annual ranking of top markets for tech workers and employers, one spot behind Calgary.
• Local food truck Hola la Taco was featured in a recent Netflix video that featured a few of the stars of Stranger Things!
• The University of Alberta has opened a new Commuter Study Hostel that features “14 single rooms for students to rent out for a rest or a late-night study binge.”
• #BundleUpYEG says it has collected more than 600 bags of warm clothing and delivered them all to homeless shelters in Edmonton in 23 days. They’re collecting from November 1 to December 18.
• The ETS Stuff a Bus campaign is back and runs Wednesday through Saturday. “Look for ETS buses parked in front of your favourite Edmonton Save-On-Foods store and donate non-perishable food items to support Edmonton’s Food Bank.”
• Here’s an update on ICE District from Property Biz Canada.
• Jordan Eberle did an interview recently about his time in Edmonton and as an Oiler. “When you read the articles every day about how much you suck, its tough,” he said.
• With warm daytime but low overnight temperatures, there’s a lot of melting and freezing going on. The City is reminding Edmontonians to “keep sidewalks, walkways and waste collection areas free of ice and snow.” You can find a community sandbox near you here.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Edmonton Skyline + Telus Christmas Trees, photo by Jeff Wallace

Upcoming Events

• The City’s Salute to Excellence Performance & Citation Awards will be handed out on Monday night at City Hall.
• Catherine MacLean is the next speaker in the Lougheed College Lecture Series taking place Monday night at the Tory Theatre.
• The Oilers are back in town to host the Coyotes on Tuesday night and the high-flying Maple Leafs on Thursday.
• The Oil Kings are also in action at Rogers Place this week hosting the Wheat Kings on Wednesday, the Raiders on Saturday, and the Hurricanes on Sunday.
• The City of Edmonton is hosting an event on Wednesday night at City Hall called Let’s Talk Small Business.
• The Festival of Trees runs Wednesday through Sunday at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• Head over to the Butterdome at the University of Alberta for the Butterdome Craft Sale on Wednesday through Sunday.
• The Disney on Ice show Follow Your Heart starts on Wednesday at Northlands Coliseum and runs through Sunday.
• This year’s edition of A Christmas Carol kicks off at the Citadel Theatre on Friday night.
• Luminaria takes place at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden from Friday through Sunday.
• Winterfest is on at Snow Valley on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
• Get outside and enjoy a patio on the weekend with the Winter Patio kickoff!
• EFCL is running a workshop on Saturday morning on the Basics of Urban Planning.
• This year’s Santa Shuffle Fun Run & Elf Walk takes place on Saturday at Hawrelak Park.
• For more upcoming events, check out Taproot Edmonton’s guide to winter festivals and events!

Dudley B. Menzies Bridge

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Elise Stolte has been writing all week about harassment experienced by nearly one-fifth of City employees at work. She has received lots of emails from former and current City employees expressing “how voiceless they feel.” The City is overhauling its workplace complaints process as a result.
• The Journal’s editorial board wrote: “If there’s one employer in the city that should set the bar for a workplace, it should be the City of Edmonton.”
• Elise also has the story on poor morale in the City’s communications branch. She reports on the results of the City’s employee engagement survey, which found “those selling the city’s vision are the least likely to have any faith it will come true.”
• Shocking no one at this point, the City says a full resolution to the Metro Line LRT debacle might not happen by the end of the year after all.
• Calgary-based Cidex Group has purchased the gaping hole in the ground at the corner of 95 Street and Jasper Avenue for an undisclosed price. Hopefully this means development in The Quarters will pick up.
• A new project called Paint the Rails will feature murals by local artists at six different LRT stations. It’s one of the City’s Canada 150 legacy projects.
• David Staples says the new citywide 30 km/h speed limits on roads next to playgrounds and fields is “another wrong step in the war of the roads.”
• The Eskimos lost the West Final today against Calgary. Terry Jones says a questionable coaching decision cost them dearly. Head coach Jason Maas says he doesn’t regret his decision.
• The commercial half of the new Stantec Tower was officially topped on Friday “after crews poured a giant slab of concrete that will support the upper condominium development.” Now the tower will rise another 37 stories for condos. The building is slated to be finished in 2019.
• The Enerkem Alberta Biofuels facility being built at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre is receiving $3.5 million from the Government of Canada.
• The Government of Canada also announced $1.16 million in funding for four anti-discrimination and inter-cultural understanding projects here in Edmonton.
• The proposed development at Holyrood Gardens continues to be a contentious issue at Council, with those in the community questioning the public engagement process.
• Costco is opening a new store at the Edmonton International Airport late next year.
• Here are 7 ways to support Bissell Centre this holiday season. “With your support this holiday season, we can make a big impact in the lives of people struggling with poverty in our community.”
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Edmonton Skyline – Before 6pm, photo by Jeff Wallace

Upcoming Events

• Head over to Mile Zero Dance on Monday night for the launch of #YEGCanvas, “A City-Wide Billboard & LRT Station Based Transitory Art Exhibition.”
• The Edmonton Career Fair & Training Expo takes place at the Shaw Conference Centre on Tuesday.
• Carolyn Campbell, Deputy City Manager for Communications and Engagement, is speaking at NextGen’s upcoming speaker series event on Wednesday night at the Edmonton Tower.
• ATB’s BoostR live pitch event returns on Wednesday evening, this time at Allard Hall (the new MacEwan building).
• The 13th annual Innovation and Entrepreneurship Dinner, hosted by Entrepreneurship@UAlberta and eHUB takes place Thursday night at Lister Centre on the U of A campus.
• The Oil Kings host the Kootenay Ice on Friday night and the Portland Winterhawks on Saturday night, both at Rogers Place.
• Edmonton Creates is a two-day, hands-on conference “to support local entrepreneurs in growing and launching creative businesses.” It takes place Saturday and Sunday at NAIT with a kickoff keynote on Friday night.
• This is shaping up to be the weekend for local Christmas shopping in Edmonton. Make It! runs Thursday through Sunday at the Edmonton Expo Centre. The Silver Bells Winter Market takes place all weekend in Sherwood Park. Royal Bison‘s first weekend takes place at the usual spot (the Old Strathcona Performing Arts Centre) from Friday through Sunday. The Hand2Hand Christmas Market is happening on Saturday at the Terwillegar Community Church. And Shop the Hall takes place Saturday at the Westmount Community League.
• All is Bright returns for another year on 124 Street. The event runs from 4-8pm.
• Also taking place on Saturday, at Emily Murphy Park, is the 3rd annual MEC Great Sweater Run.
• For more great winter festivals and events, check out Taproot Edmonton’s guide to the season!

Santa’s Parade of Lights