Edmonton Notes for June 19, 2016

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

Weekend Strolling
Weekend Strolling, photo by IQRemix

Upcoming Events

New Pedway Bridge
New Pedway Bridge connecting Manulife Place & the Kelly Ramsey Building

Edmonton Food Council Recruitment, What the Truck?!, Metro Edmonton’s Future

Here’s the latest entry in my Edmonton Etcetera series, in which I share some thoughts on a few topical items in one post. Less than I’d write in a full post on each, but more than I’d include in Edmonton Notes. Have feedback? Let me know!

Edmonton Food Council Recruitment

The Edmonton Food Council is seeking four new members for three-year terms beginning in September 2016:

“As a volunteer committee of the City, the Edmonton Food Council’s primary role is to advise and act on matters related to the ongoing implementation of fresh: Edmonton’s Food and Agriculture Strategy. The Edmonton Food Council aims to engage with the community on relevant and timely issues related to food and urban agriculture.”

Open Farm Days 7005
Open Farm Days 2015, photo by Premier of Alberta

I think we’ve had a difficult few years since the council was first established in 2013 but I am excited about the year ahead! We have agreed to focus on food security, have setup a website, and have established a few committees that have been working well together. There have been some big successes over the last couple of years including hens, bees, and the urban agriculture zoning changes, and I think there are lots of great opportunities ahead.

If you think you’d like to join us, you can apply online here. You’ll need your resume and two letters of reference to go along with the application form. The deadline to get everything in is 5pm on Monday, June 20, 2016.

What the Truck?! at Blatchford Tower

After a very successful first event of the season a few weeks ago at Northlands, we’re ready for round two! Our next What the Truck?! event takes place on Saturday, June 18, 2016 from 4-8pm at Blatchford Tower! You can see the event and RSVP on Facebook and you can check out the lineup and menus here.

CYXD - Edmonton City Centre - Last Day of Ops
CYXD – Edmonton City Centre – Last Day of Ops, photo by Jeff Wallace

The event takes place along Airport Road right in front of the old City Centre Airport control tower (see it on Street View here). There won’t be any snow thankfully, but check out that view! This is going to be a fun location because in addition to learning more about the City’s plans for Blatchford, if you bring a donation for Edmonton’s Food Bank, you can go up inside the tower to get a unique look at downtown Edmonton’s skyline.

Admission is free as always, and there’s lots of parking at either the Ramada Hotel on the west side or Aviation Museum on the east side. I hope to see you there!

Metro Edmonton’s Future

Last week the Advisory Panel on Metro Edmonton’s Future released its report. This new group was convened in September by the Metro Mayors Alliance which itself was only formalized over the summer last year. Here are the advisory panel members:

  • Don Lowry – Former President & CEO of EPCOR Utilities
  • Carman McNary – Managing Partner of the Edmonton office of Dentons Canada LLP
  • Stanford Blade – Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Alberta
  • Phyllis Clark – Vice President, Finance and Administration, and CFO at the University of Alberta
  • Salima Ebrahim – Executive Director of the Banff Forum
  • Linda Hughes – 19th Chancellor of the University of Alberta
  • Reg Milley – Former President & CEO of Edmonton Airports
  • Liz O’Neill – Executive Director of Boys and Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters Society of Edmonton & Area
  • Tim Reid – President & CEO of Northlands
  • Andrew Ross – Executive Vice President, Northern Operations, for Clark Builders
  • Brad Stelfox – ALCES Group Founder
  • Paul Whittaker – President & CEO of the Alberta Forest Products Association

The Alliance was established “to support the global competitiveness and future prosperity of communities in the Metro Edmonton area” and the Panel was intended to “provide insight on matters for the region to further consider.” The cost of the panel was $600,000 which will be shared by the nine member municipalities which include Edmonton, Strathcona County, St. Albert, Sturgeon County, Fort Saskatchewan, the City of Leduc, Leduc County, Spruce Grove, and Parkland County. As Paula Simons noted in her column today, that group “represents nine municipalities with 95 per cent of the regional population, and 96 per cent of the regional tax assessment base.”

The report, called Be Ready, Or Be Left Behind, “provides a roadmap for creating a globally competitive, future-ready Edmonton Metro Region.” It highlights three critical systems for the region: economic development, public transit, and land use and infrastructure development. Can’t get much broader than that! At least they said public transit and not simply transportation. The report makes these recommendations:

  • Recommendation 1: Affirm the Metro Mayors Alliance by developing and signing a Memorandum of Understanding that spells out a commitment to plan, decide and act as one Edmonton Metro Region.
  • Recommendation #2: Formalize the commitment to think, plan and act as an Edmonton Metro Region through a legally binding Master Agreement.
  • Recommendation #3: Consistent with the signed Master Agreement, establish the structures needed to create the three key cornerstones of a globally competitive Edmonton Metro Region.
  • Recommendation #3a: Establish and mandate a new entity responsible for regional economic development in the Edmonton Metro Region.
  • Recommendation #3b: Establish and mandate an entity responsible for planning, decision-making and delivering core public transit across the Edmonton Metro Region.
  • Recommendation #3c: Establish a structure with the capacity and authority to facilitate and act upon regional land use planning and regional infrastructure development in the Edmonton Metro Region.

Paula noted that this could become a major election issue next year. And she notes the potential impact of this group on the Capital Region Board:

“The 24-member Capital Region Board, created, somewhat forcibly, by then-premier Ed Stelmach back in 2008, isn’t nimble enough to give metro Edmonton the leadership it needs.”

Now that the report is out, it’ll be up to the nine mayors to do something about it.

You can follow this on Twitter using the hashtag #YEGMetroRegion and/or the shorter #yegmetro as adopted by the local media.

Media Monday Edmonton: Update #207

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

Cameras Ready

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

You can follow Edmonton media news on Twitter using the hashtag #yegmedia. For a great overview of the global media landscape, check out Mediagazer.

I’m working with Karen on a new approach to local journalism and we’d love for you to join us by becoming a member of Taproot Edmonton.

You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here.

Edmonton Notes for June 12, 2016

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

Walterdale Bridge
The new Walterdale Bridge

Upcoming Events

On the Edge
On the Edge, photo by Dave Sutherland

From intervention to rejuvenation: Michael Phair Park

The little pocket park on 104 Street was given an official name recently. Located behind the former Sobeys just north of Jasper Avenue adjacent to the Icon towers, the park is now known as Michael Phair Park! I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this honor than Michael Phair.

Michael Phair Park Unveiling

It was Michael who convened a group of Edmontonians known as Edmonton on the Edge to “examine, challenge and suggest what it takes to rejuvenate public spaces.” They decided to focus on the alley between Beaver Hills House Park and 103 Street, which came to be known as the Alley of Light. “Inspired by similar alley interventions from other cities around the world, we hope to revitalize the space by making it more engaging, accessible, safe and sustainable.” The group organized pop-up events like IllumiNITE, open houses and workshops to imagine what the space could be, and even painted the roadway in 2011. They showed the forgotten space the love it needed.

Michael Phair Park Unveiling

The decision to name the park was championed by Ward 6 Councillor Scott McKeen last year. The following motion was carried unanimously at the March 10, 2015 meeting of the Edmonton Naming Committee:

“That the Naming Committee approves the naming of a park, located on 104 Street and north of Jasper Avenue legally described as Lot 130A, Block 4, Plan 7823267 within the Downtown Neighbourhood, as ‘Michael Phair Park’.”

The space was previously known as Devonian Park1, though most just called it the 104 Street pocket or strip park. The new sign was not installed until last month and until May 26 it was covered up with blue tarp. Finally on that beautiful Thursday, with more than 100 friends and fans of Michael Phair present, the name was unveiled.

Michael Phair Park Unveiling

The park has changed quite a bit since Michael and the EOTE folks took an interest in it. After years of drawing attention to the alley, work began on finding a way to pay for improvements to both the alley and park. Michael’s knowledge of how to navigate the bureaucracy of the City was especially helpful in that effort, and as a result the park was included in the Downtown CRL. I had my doubts about the approach, but Michael was persistent and never gave up and it paid off. Improvements were made to the alley in 2013 and the park renovations were made in late 2014, transforming the dark, neglected space into a usable park.

Michael Phair Park Unveiling

As a resident of 104 Street I very much appreciate having the park nearby. It has made that park of my ‘hood much more attractive and welcoming and I actually enjoy walking through there now. It will continue to improve when new permanent artwork is installed too, including a new mural by Destiny Swiderski.

Michael Phair Park is also a daily reminder for me that with a little collaboration, persistence, and flair you really can make a difference in your city.

  1. And I think it is actually Lot 192A as I am fairly certain that 130A is Beaver Hills House Park. I understand the space was registered as an easement in 1977. I’ve seen reference to the land having been gifted to the City at some point, but I haven’t been able to find any confirmation of that. The Award of Merit page for Cecil Place also references ‘Devonian Park’. ↩

Media Monday Edmonton: Update #206

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

Edmonton Pride Parade
91.7 The Bounce in the Pride Parade, photo by Richard Le Sueur

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

You can follow Edmonton media news on Twitter using the hashtag #yegmedia. For a great overview of the global media landscape, check out Mediagazer.

So, what have I missed? What’s new and interesting in the world of Edmonton media? Let me know!

You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here.

Edmonton Notes for June 5, 2016

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

Michael Phair Park Unveiling
Michael Phair and Mayor Don Iveson take a selfie at Michael Phair Park

Upcoming Events

Edmonton Pride Parade 3743
Edmonton Pride Parade, photo by Premier of Alberta

Learning about photography for #3SkillsYEG

I’ve had a digital camera (many, actually) for as long as I can remember. You know those really old Casio digital cameras that produced super grainy, low resolution photos? Yep, had one. Today my primary camera is a Canon 6D, which is a full-frame DSLR. It produces incredible photos, technically speaking. But as any “intro to photography” book or course will tell you, it’s not the gear that produces great photos, it’s the photographer. The hardware has changed an incredible amount since the advent of digital photography, but the principles of taking better photos have changed much less. Like most people, I never really learned those principles. I picked some stuff up by watching other photographers of course, like my Dad whose work I really admire. But mostly my strategy has been “spray and pray”. Take lots of photos and hope for the best. I decided to change that for the “Creativity & Expression” theme during #3SkillsYEG.

Cloverdale Footbridge
Me taking a photo on the Cloverdale Bridge last summer

Obviously there are dozens and dozens of resources for learning more about photography through EPL. I decided to narrow it down to digital resources, and it wasn’t long before I stumbled across the amazing content available through Lynda.com. It’s truly amazing that Edmontonians have free access to this incredible resource with a free library card. I still can’t get over it, to be honest!

Photography is one of the top-level categories at Lynda.com so there’s definitely a lot of content to choose from. There are 643 courses and 28,488 video tutorials related to photography, to be exact.

“Whether you want to be a photographer or just love taking pictures, learn what you need with our in-depth courses in photography: how to shoot photos that tell a story, choose the right gear, create a photo book, and more. Get tips on photo editing, studio photography, and lighting, too.”

Here are the courses I completed:

I also skimmed through parts of a course on Lightroom, which I am using to edit and organize photos. Even with just those five courses, I learned a ton. I now have a good idea of how much I don’t know! I especially enjoyed the videos with Ben Long and was very happy to see that he has a weekly show on Lynda.com called The Practicing Photographer. I found his style very approachable and well-paced. At one point he shares that he used to get asked a lot what type of photos he likes to take – landscape, portraits, etc. He reflected on it and decided that he likes to photograph light. That really stuck with me.

Here are some of my favorite photos that I took while working through the videos:

Spring Snow
One of the first photos I took with my new 50mm prime lense

Peace Bridge
Always love the Peace Bridge in Calgary

Sunset Reflected Downtown
Experimented with stitching photos together here, using ICE

Morning Sunlight
I had Ben Long’s comment about shooting light in my head for this one

Victoria Promenade
An example of crouching down to get a better shot

Flying over the old Molson Brewery
Good timing, but also I like the color contrast

High Level Bridge
Another example of changing my perspective to get a different shot

I have started on my next course already, Foundations of Photograpy: Composition. After that, I’ll move on to the other videos in the Foundations of Photography series, including Black and White, Night and Low Light, and Flash.

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time you’ll know that I am a sucker for gadgets. So it was a little dangerous to dive further into a topic like photography where you can spend thousands of dollars on gear! I did pretty well though, and ended up only making a few purchases. The biggest was the Canon 50mm f/1.8 STM, my first prime lens and a great deal at just $170 or so. I also picked up a lens cleaning kit, and a few accessories from Peak Design to go with my messenger bag.

I have really enjoyed learning more about photography and working to improve my skills and I look forward to continuing it with the resources available through EPL! The #3SkillsYEG campaign is over for 2016 (I’m way behind on posting this) but that shouldn’t stop you from learning about something that interests you! If you need an excuse, remember that we’re a City of Learners!

Media Monday Edmonton: Update #205

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

  • Karen and I announced Taproot Edmonton last week, and we’re pretty thrilled with the initial response! Taproot is our attempt to figure out what the future of local journalism looks like. We’d love for you to join us by becoming a member!
  • At the CAJ conference last week, it was mostly doom and gloom for local news. “I think local news is so screwed,” said one panelist. Obviously Karen and I disagree!
  • Trish Audette-Longo and Brian Gorman wrote about the importance of journalism to a community, as demonstrated by the Fort McMurray wildfires. “Journalists are storytellers, and that is very important work. It involves more than just gathering facts and repeating them. It is about selecting, organizing and interpreting those facts so they make some kind of sense.”
  • Reporters from Fort McMurray Today left their home on May 3 but haven’t missed a single day of printing. “With the help of our generous hosts at the Edmonton Journal, Sun and Examiner offices, we have been able to carry on with our jobs and bring some sense of normalcy back to our daily life.”
  • “A baby girl, born just days after her parents were forced to flee a wildfire in Fort McMurray, Alta., will forever bear the name of a CBC reporter who helped document the disaster from the front lines.” Baby Briar was named after CBC reporter Briar Stewart.
  • Sportsnet is donating $400,000 to NAIT to fund “scholarships as well as support multimedia and digital media training, development and production.” More details will be announced tomorrow afternoon.
  • If you missed last week’s Journalist Interrupted panel, here’s a liveblog from J-Source.
  • Sam Brooks is moving on from Capital Ideas. His next adventure will be revealed later this summer, and it appears it’ll be with a startup of some kind!
  • Congrats to Capital Ideas on winning the “Best New Concept to Incubate Products or Ideas” category at the INMA Global Media Awards.
  • Episode 41 of the Seen and Heard in Edmonton podcast features Jess Holt, “the wry wit and graphic designer by trade who offers a raw, insightful look at life as the mother of twins on Grace & Champ.”
  • Marty Forbes was in New York City recently and caught up with former Edmontonian Pat Kiernan.
  • Edmonton-based Allarco Entertainment owes creditors $115 million and has been granted bankruptcy protection. The company owns Super Channel and Shine FM.
  • Stanley Burke died of a heart attack Saturday at the age of 93. Early in his career he worked for the Edmonton Bulletin. “His biggest scoop was applying for and receiving driver’s licences for a dog, a goat and a duck (the province reformed its licensing law after that embarrassment).”
  • Bell Media is looking for a part-time casual writer/web reporter. The deadline to apply is June 3.
  • CKUA is looking for a Digital Content Editor “to participate in planning, creating, coordinating, monitoring and evaluating CKUA’s web and social media content.” The deadline to apply is June 8.

Edmonton Tower Topping Off
Mayor Don Iveson getting ready to scrum

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

  • Here are Linda’s latest social media notes. She linked to Buffer’s blog post which shares some lessons from studying over 16 million posts on social media.
  • At the CAJ conference last week, “a new fellowship aimed at improving the skills of Indigenous journalists” was announced. Full details on the program are expected within the next few months.
  • Albertans will soon have an alternative to Telus and Shaw when Ontario-based VMedia launches in Edmonton and Calgary on June 15.
  • Huffington Post Canada celebrated its fifth birthday last week. “We’re now publishing 1,500 pieces of content a day in 10 languages on our platform, and we have more than 35 million followers globally on Facebook. Here in Canada, we’re the most popular digital news-brand with Canadian readers.”
  • HuffPo aren’t the only ones publishing a crazy amount of content per day. The Washington Post posts an average of 1,200 things per day, and even the New York Times and Wall Street Journal post quite a bit.
  • This video shows you the “most complete and functioning Gutenberg Press in the world.” Neat!

You can follow Edmonton media news on Twitter using the hashtag #yegmedia. For a great overview of the global media landscape, check out Mediagazer.

So, what have I missed? What’s new and interesting in the world of Edmonton media? Let me know!

You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here.