Tag: edmonton

Edmonton Notes for 1/3/2016

Happy New Year! Here are my first weekly Edmonton notes of 2016:

Headlines

Edmonton New Year 2016
Edmonton New Year 2016, photo by IQRemix

Upcoming Events

Edmonton Skyline
Edmonton Skyline, photo by IndustrialAndrew

Edmonton in 2015

In last year’s recap, I wrote:

“I would like for Edmonton in 2015 to capitalize on the energy and momentum that we all can sense in our city. Maybe it needs a bit of structure, maybe it needs a bit of shepherding, or maybe we simply need to better define what “it” is, but whatever approach we take, we cannot let this opportunity pass us by!”

Looking back, I don’t think we succeeded in that. To me at least, 2015 very much felt like an “under construction” year and our city’s story may even be less clear and coherent than it was. The cranes mostly went up in 2014 or earlier and they’re nearly all still up, busily working to complete a growing list of projects. And while lots of energy was spent on defining what Edmonton is all about (or not about), it doesn’t feel like that work is over (maybe it never will be). I think there’s still a sense of optimism present in Edmonton, but it has certainly diminished compared with the past couple of years.

One Chance
One Chance, photo by Jeff Wallace

I generally dislike when commentators wrap Edmonton’s transformation up with the Oilers, yet I find myself thinking along similar lines. For most, Rogers Place is a proxy for all of the physical change taking place in Edmonton while Connor McDavid represents youth and opportunity for the future. If all goes well, both will be unleashed in 2016. Will Edmonton?

I think 2016 will feel similar to this year, thanks in no small part to the economic downturn. But hopefully at least a few projects get completed successfully and perhaps we’ll even see a shift in our thinking.

For my recap this year I’ve decided to share some brief highlights and photos from 2015. Below that you’ll find a list of year-in-review articles and posts from around the web. I’ll keep adding to the list as I find more. Enjoy!

2015 in Review

Tonight’s fireworks will again be launched from the roof of the Stanley Milner library, so be sure to get to Churchill Square early to get a good view. Remember that ETS is free from 6pm to 3:30am tonight!

Happy New Year 2015!

The year started off with some sad news, as the historic Roxy Theatre was destroyed by fire on January 13. Later in the month, Edmonton took another step forward in embracing winter by hosting the Winter Cities Shake-up Conference and Festival.

Winter Shake Up

In February we dropped out of the running to host the Commonwealth Games in 2022. There’s some speculation that we’ll put in a bid for 2026 instead.

In early March we successful hosted the Red Bull Crashed Ice finals which saw roughly 70,000 people downtown to take in the festivities. It was a big, flashy, confidence-boosting event for our city. Before the month was over though, #girdergate happened resulting in additional delays for the 102 Avenue Bridge over Groat Road. The project is now expected to be completed in 2016, assuming nothing else goes wrong.

Red Bull Crashed Ice
Photo by Al Girard

Things got worse for the City in April when it announced that the Walterdale Bridge project would also be delayed until late 2016. When we weren’t talking about the provincial election in April, we were talking about Edmonton’s entrance signs. At the end of the month, the “City of Champions” slogan was removed, but a redesign was put off to another day.

Edmonton Entrance Sign

On the sports front in April, the Oilers finally cleaned house with new CEO Bob Nicholson appointing Peter Chiarelli as President & GM. The Oilers also won the first overall pick in the NHL Draft Lottery, the fourth #1 pick in six years.

Of course the big story in May was the NDP victory and Rachel Notley becoming the 17th Premier of Alberta.

SwearingIn23
Rachel Notley being sworn in, photo by Premier of Alberta

On May 23, we had our first What the Truck?! event of the season, and it was bananas! So many people came out to enjoy the fantastic weather and unofficial kick-off to summer!

What the Truck?! at Churchill Square

On June 5, the Edmonton Rush capped off an amazing tenth year in the NLL by winning the Champions Cup. Then in July, the team announced it was moving to Saskatoon. I’m still disappointed they couldn’t find a way to stay in Edmonton.

Edmonton Rush win NLL Champions Cup

Sports fans also celebrated the kickoff to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 in June. Just over 53,000 fans packed Commonwealth Stadium to take in the opening match featuring Canada vs. China. And no surprise here – the Oilers selected Connor McDavid first overall in the NHL Draft at the end of the month.

FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 - Edmonton
Photo by IQRemix

There was sad news in June too. On June 8, Constable Daniel Woodall was shot and killed while executing an arrest warrant in the west end. He was the first EPS officer killed since Constable Ezio Faraone was shot on June 25, 1990.

In July, the Oilers unveiled the name of the area surrounding Rogers Place: Ice District, drop the “the”.

Scott McKeen, Darren Durstling, Bob Nicholson, Glen Scott

They also opened a presentation centre so that fans could get a look at what the inside of Rogers Place will be like when it opens in time for the 2016-2017 NHL season.

Rogers Place

Lots of Edmontonians enjoyed the new Centennial Plaza at the redeveloped Federal Building throughout the summer, thanks in large part to the colorful fountains. It’s just too bad the space isn’t more winter-friendly. Maybe in 2016?

Federal Building Plaza Fountains

We also had some water activities with Slide the City on the weekend of July 18-19. Look what fun can be had when you close down a street!

Slide the City

The Metro Line LRT dominated the discussion in August, and it finally opened on September 6! It still isn’t working completely as planned, but it’s better than not running at all.

NAIT LRT Station

In early September, Mayor Iveson and City Council made the decision to fire City Manager Simon Farbrother. They said it wasn’t because of the bridge and LRT debacles, but that had to be a key factor. Change at the City continued throughout the fall, and there’s more to come in 2016.

Simon Farbrother

We wrapped up our successful year of food truck festivals on September 11 with the final What the Truck?! event of the season. That day was also proclaimed food truck day in Edmonton to celebrate!

What the Truck?! at Churchill Square

Also in September, our city came together to support Spider-Mable, probably the feel-good story of the year.

Justin Trudeau became our new Prime Minister in October, and in early November Amarjeet Sohi was named Minister of Infrastructure & Communities. It was a big loss for Council, but great news for municipal representation in the federal government.

The new 41st Avenue SW interchange will help grow exports and benefit the local economy 185
Photo by Premier of Alberta

At the end of November, the Edmonton Eskimos won their 14th Grey Cup, defeating the Ottawa RedBlacks. Just over a week later, head coach Chris Jones jumped ship for Saskatchewan.

Eskimos win the Grey Cup
Photo by Edmonton Eskimos

Edmonton said goodbye to the current Royal Alberta Museum on December 7. The new building isn’t expected to open until late 2017, though construction seemed to progress swiftly this year.

Goobye, Hello RAM

And just a couple weeks ago, the EndPoverty Edmonton strategy was unanimously approved by City Council. There’s a lot of work still to do, but this is a positive step forward.

Other 2015 Recaps

Here are some other 2015 recaps I’ve found:

Have a link to add? Let me know! You can check out my 2014 recap here.

I’ve been thinking about the year ahead for Edmonton and what it might look like. I’ll have more on that in an upcoming post. For now, let me say Happy New Year and all the best in 2016! Thanks for reading!

Edmonton Notes for 12/27/2015

Merry Christmas! I hope you’ve been having a relaxing and enjoyable holiday season thus far. Sharon and I have really enjoyed a few days off, pretty much just watching TV and eating unhealthy food. Compared to her I’m definitely a scrooge, but I do really like this time of year. That said, I’m looking forward to not hearing Christmas music everywhere!

Edmonton's FreezeWay
Edmonton’s FreezeWay, photo by Jeff Wallace

This is my final Edmonton notes of 2015, and it’s a light edition to reflect the holiday week:

Winter Walk

All the best in 2016!

Media Monday Edmonton: Update #183

Small-ish update this week with the holidays fast approaching. Merry Christmas everyone! Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

Unknown Studio Ends

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 12/20/2015

Just five more sleeps until Christmas! Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

101A Ave
101A Avenue, photo by Jeff Wallace

Stay safe this holiday season! The Province has a reminder about the numbers you can call or text to get help over the holidays,.

Upcoming Events

Ice District - December 2015
Ice District – December 2015, photo by Jeff Wallace

Poor Jasper Avenue, Rossdale Land Sale, Star Wars in Edmonton

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!

A new vision for Jasper Avenue

Back in May 2009, I attended the first open house for the Jasper Avenue New Vision project. Then in November of that year, a more in-depth open house was held at Enterprise Square. Six years later, only a tiny portion of that vision has come to life between 100 Street and 102 Street. The original project was meant to cover Jasper Avenue between 97 Street and 111 Street. In theory that work will still get done, but don’t hold your breath! Already the City is conducting public engagement on the rest of Jasper Avenue, west of 109 Street. I guess that makes sense, given how long it has taken them to get to this point, but wouldn’t it be nice if we could finish the original project first?

Cyclist, Jasper Avenue, March 22. 2015
Cyclist, Jasper Avenue, March 22. 2015, photo by More Bike Lanes Please

Here’s what a recent Edmonton Journal editorial said about our city’s main street:

“Pity poor Jasper Avenue. It has always been the canary in the recessionary coal mine in our city — it can go downhill very quickly when the economy softens. The signs are there already, bringing back echoes of Edmonton’s bad old reputation as Deadmonton.”

In general I agree with Paul who wrote in response that “the sense of doom and gloom is overstated and unhelpful.” Yes there are empty spaces along Jasper Avenue that badly need to be filled, but there are plenty of examples of positive changes to the street too.

Filling those spaces is important but it’s not enough. What Jasper Avenue could really benefit from is a reduction in traffic lanes and wider sidewalks throughout, not just around 101 Street. Here’s what I wrote back in 2009:

“Almost every feature of Jasper Avenue is geared toward vehicle traffic. Any redevelopment needs to shift the focus to pedestrian traffic.”

Sadly, not much has changed.

Rossdale land sale to the Province

Council voted this week to move forward with negotiations to sell a block of land in Rossdale to the Province for about $13 million. The land, located southwest of 96 Avenue and 105 Street, is considered “surplus to municipal requirements” and is currently vacant park land with just four houses. The Province wants the land so that it can “restrict development on these lands to protect the view corridor to the legislature from the bridge crossing.”

The problem is that the City’s West Rossdale Urban Design Plan aims to “create a complete, mixed-use, highly liveable, walkable, and sustainable community” that could be home to 4,500 people. Council feels that the money isn’t the problem anymore (the $13 million is apparently market rate) but they are concerned about fit with the urban design plan. If the Province won’t allow any development on the land, that could be an issue.

The West Rossdale plan does include a recommendation to “reserve and enhance view corridors” so that part is aligned at least.

Star Wars in Edmonton

Forget Christmas, Star Wars is what everyone is talking about right now. And that means the media are looking for local angles to basically tell the same story as every other news organization in the world right now: people are excited for this movie! And why not, the reviews sound incredibly positive.

South Edmonton Common’s Cineplex theatre is one of six across Canada offering a Star Wars movie marathon where fans can watch the original six films before seeing the new one. Good luck getting tickets though, as well over 6000 tickets had already been sold at the southside theatre by Monday. Still, five of the theatre’s sixteen screens will be showing the new Star Wars movie. On Friday, The Force Awakens will play 103 times in Cineplex theatres throughout Edmonton.

So we know it’s going to be a big deal. If you’re going to wait a few days to watch it, then you can read about it in the meantime. Here is 5 ways to “find the Force” from an Edmonton Star Wars superfan, and of course there are interviews with lots of other Star Wars superfans. Here’s a sneak peek at the movie from an official Star Wars artist who lives right here in Edmonton. Even Paula decided to write about Star Wars this week! If you’re looking for a primer on what happened after Return of the Jedi, read this.

May the force be with you!

Media Monday Edmonton: Update #182

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

  • The latest radio ratings for Edmonton are now out, for the period of August 31 to November 29. Once again Now 102.3 FM is on top, but their lead has shrunk. In second place is 630 CHED, swapping places with CBC Radio 1. Still at the bottom but with a slight increase is iNews 880. You can see some demographic breakdowns here and there’s lots of additional discussion here.
  • I mentioned this last week, but David Climenhaga has more on the four CTV Edmonton staffers that left recently. He also suggests the cuts have gone much deeper than that, with some mid-level managers losing their jobs and even Lloyd Lewis being shown the door after more than ten years (his LinkedIn says: “exited industry in October 2015 as part of large management restructuring at Bell Media”). David writes, “your Edmonton station will now be run out of Calgary, insiders say, sort of like the way the Edmonton Sun for years had a managing editor based in the former Cowtown.”
  • As Tina noticed recently, the Journal is advertising website design services. Expect more of this experimentation as Postmedia tries to diversify its revenue sources. The risk of course is that they might dilute the brand equity the Journal has built up over the years (though cynics will likely point out they’re doing a good job of destroying that with or without new product offerings).
  • Congrats to Global Edmonton’s Jen Crosby, named “Pretty Much the Greatest Gift Wrapper in Edmonton” in a recent competition at Kingsway Mall.
  • Baillie Scheetz has left Capital Ideas as of Friday.
  • Janet French has joined the Edmonton Journal. She was most recently in Saskatoon at the StarPhoenix. Welcome to Edmonton!
  • Here’s Jim Matheson on Glen Sather: “Sather liked the media more than he ever let on. He liked the TV cameras. He liked the back-and-forth kibitzing between half a dozen media of folks on the topic of the day, an unlit stogie in his mouth and a Styrofoam cup of coffee in hand.”
  • Here’s an interview with CBC Edmonton’s Min Dhariwal on Saskatchewan’s hiring of Chris Jones. “For years and years the locker room in Edmonton was open to media and that’s where you would go after practice to get your interviews and what-not and one of the things he did right away was he shut that down.”
  • From Seen and Heard in Edmonton, here are the latest blog and podcast roundups, the final ones of 2015. Episode 22 of the podcast features Colin MacIntyre, creator of the Long John Index.
  • The next Edmonton Podcasting Meetup is taking place on January 24, 2016. Save the date and RSVP here.
  • What do the local media want for Christmas? Paula wants more Facebook follows. Chad wants to avoid relatives who have gone all digital. What do you want?
  • Edmonton’s new writers-in-residence for 2016 are Wayne Arthurson and Marty Chan. Congrats!
  • I know I always criticize the Goose Cam and other fun media feeds, so I can’t explain why I love the Shaw Fire Log. But I do. I had no idea it has been going for nearly 30 years though!

Former CityTV studios, downtown Edmonton
The now deserted CityTV studios at Enterprise Square, here’s a look at thew new digs

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 12/13/2015

Less than two weeks until Christmas, if you can believe it! Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

Hyatt Place - Under Construction
Hyatt Place, photo by Jeff Wallace

Upcoming Events

ETS
Central Station, photo by Dave Sutherland

High Street Lawsuit, Glen Sather Arena, Adult Colouring Book Nights

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!

High Street going to court over the 102 Avenue Bridge

Springwood Developments, the company that owns High Street, is planning to file suit against the City of Edmonton and Graham Construction over the 102 Avenue Bridge project. They’re seeking damages for all tenants for sales lost between October 1, which is roughly when the bridge was supposed to open, and the date the bridge eventually opens, currently expected to be Fall 2016.

I’m no lawyer, but after looking at the Municipal Government Act (specifically sections 23, 25, 534) and looking through past Council decisions on similar matters, I can’t really see how such a lawsuit could be successful. Municipalities generally cannot be held liable for this sort of thing unless they were extremely negligent, and there’s no evidence to suggest the City of Edmonton was. Furthermore, the “injurious affection” they’re probably going to cite must result in a “permanent reduction” in the value of appraised land in order for a claim to be available.

102 ave bridge girders
Photo by SphinxTerrific

Apparently the City of Edmonton has been receiving $11,500 a day in penalties from the contractor to compensate for not opening on time, and many feel that at least some of those funds should go to the businesses affected. But I agree with Councillor McKeen, who called that “a pandora’s box”. It’s not a precedent the City should be setting.

This isn’t the first time that Council has had to deal with the suggestion either. Back in April 2013, Council denied a request for partial tax cancellation for a convenience store and tailor shop affected by the Central LRT Station renovations. In that case the owner was seeking a 70% tax reduction, which would have only amounted to $742.77, but Council agreed with Administration that granting the request “would create a precedent for future requests.”

I personally think the City is already walking a fine line in supporting the Cash Mob that will take place in the 124 Street area tomorrow. In addition to Mayor Iveson and Councillor McKeen’s attendance, the City is running Park & Ride service from Hawrelak Park and Stadium. It’s great to show support, but at what point does it become perceived as an admission of guilt?

Not to mention that I find the hyperbole around the Cash Mob a bit off-putting. News releases about the event have consistently said that “businesses may not survive the winter” and one even said “this may literally be the last chance to help these businesses stay afloat”. I don’t think that’s helping the situation, and may in fact be feeding growing skepticism about the impact of the bridge on the businesses.

I’m reminded a bit of You’ve Got Mail with Meg Ryan and her character’s independent book store, The Shop Around the Corner. Facing the prospect of closing, a media campaign is launched to “save the shop around the corner!” But it doesn’t work. “Don’t tell me. Not the slightest difference?” exclaims Kathleen Kelly. “How can that be? All this publicity and not one bit of difference?”

To be clear, I think what organizer Tommy Kalita has done with Cash Mobs in Edmonton is fantastic and I have no doubt he’ll continue to have a positive impact on our community in the future. And both Sharon and I are fans of many of the businesses in the area and have and will continue to spend money there. It would indeed be sad to see the independent shops go. But if they do, should all the blame fall to the bridge? No, I don’t think it should.

Glen Sather Day in Edmonton

The architect of the Oilers dynasty, Glen Sather, is being recognized in Edmonton tonight with a banner raising ceremony at Rexall Place before the Oilers take on the New York Rangers. Mayor Don Iveson proclaimed today Glen Sather Day, and Daryl Katz announced a million dollar donation to the community arena which will now be named in Sather’s honor.

“To do this in Glen’s name is fitting and it’ll serve as a lasting tribute to his tremendous legacy in Oil Country,” said Bob Nicholson, the head of the Oilers Entertainment Group.

The money donated by the Oilers Community Foundation and Katz Family will be used to create a fund “to have programs for all the underprivileged kids so that hockey continues to grow in this city,” said Nicholson. “We’ll make sure that kids from all parts of this city get to use this community rink.”

The name “Downtown Community Arena” was given to the rink back at the January meeting of the Edmonton Naming Committee. If that sounds like a placeholder name, that’s because it likely was. With a high profile building like this, it’s not surprising that naming rights would be up for grabs.

The City will own and operate the community arena, and all revenues and costs will go to the City. The originally estimated cost to build the community arena was $23 million, with $14 million to come from the Federal and Provincial governments, $7 million to come from the Downtown CRL, and $2 million to come from MacEwan University. But now the bulk of the cost is going to be covered by the CRL, with $7 million coming from the Federal government.

Adult Colouring Book Nights at EPL

Colouring books for adults are all the rage right now. Walk into nearly any book store or gift shop and you’ll see them. They’re regularly in Amazon’s list of best selling books. I haven’t gotten into the trend myself, maybe because every time I flip through one I get overwhelmed just thinking about colouring the large, complex scenes! But plenty of people enjoy the activity and have even been bringing their own colouring books into the library, which is why EPL decided to host an event for adults to colour together:

“One of our goals is just to create fun program and connect people in our space,” said Stanley Milner associate manager Kate Gibson. “It’s a chance to take a break from the stress of life and relax, and come in and just calm down for a bit.”

For now it’s only happening at Stanley Milner downtown, but it could expand to other branches if it proves popular enough. The next event is slated to take place on December 21 at 7pm in the program room on the main floor.

Sharon pointed out to me that this isn’t the first event for colouring books in Edmonton. Audrey’s has hosted some very popular all-ages colouring parties this year. Who knew?!

Goodbye, Hello at the Royal Alberta Museum

More than 35,000 Edmontonians visited the Royal Alberta Museum over the weekend to say goodbye to the building that has seen more than 14 million visits since it opened back on December 6, 1967. The numbers from this weekend speak to the impact the museum has had on the community:

“The museum saw 16,290 people in the first 24-hours alone, eclipsing the previous single-day attendance record of 13,212, which was set in 1974 with gear from the Apollo moon landings on display.”

Goobye, Hello RAM

In addition to one last look at the bug room, visitors had the opportunity to visit the “Goodbye, Hello” exhibit in the feature gallery where they could share a memory or write a message for the new building. They could also see a video overview of the new building that is currently under construction downtown.

The new building will be roughly twice the size, with more than 82,000 square feet of exhibition space. It is being built to the LEED Silver standard at a cost of $375.5 million, $253 million of which is coming from the Province with the rest coming from the Federal government. Construction began on February 7, 2014 and is expected to finish in mid-2016. The goal is to open the new museum to the public in late 2017.

Goobye, Hello RAM

While the new building will certainly be an exciting addition to the downtown arts district, it does raise the question of what will happen to the current building. There’s nothing wrong with it, aside from being too small to share the museum’s growing collection. Here’s what the FAQ says:

“There has been no decision on the future of the Royal Alberta Museum building when the existing museum closes. When determining the future use the general process is to first see if government still has a use for the building/property. If government doesn’t require the property then the municipality is consulted to see if they have a use for it. The building is offered to the public if neither levels of government have a use for the property. Although the museum will be closing its doors in December 2015, the building will still be occupied with staff and collections until likely Fall 2019, as it makes the massive move to its new location.”

So while there’s still time to determine its fate, it’s an issue we’ll have to address as a community soon. To learn more about the history of the museum, have a look at Then & Now feature and check out this article by Janet Vlieg:

“The first two decades of the museum’s existence saw new exhibits added in keeping with the original goals of preserving Alberta history. No admission fees were charged and the museum relied almost completely on provincial funding. Help for extras came in 1982 with a new fundraising support group, now known as Friends of Royal Alberta Museum.”

On Monday evening, the final day the museum was open, Sharon and I were able to attend the RAM: A Moving Tribute event as guests of the Friends of Royal Alberta Museum Society (FRAMS). It was an “evening of fond farewells to a beautiful building.” A well-dressed crowd gathered to hear some speeches, visit the galleries, and reminisce about their previous visits to the building.

Lieutenant Governor Lois Mitchell, Minister of Culture & Tourism David Eggen, and City Councillor Scott McKeen were among those who brought greetings and reflected on their experiences in the museum. Guests could then explore the museum one last time, stopping perhaps to learn from the experts that were stationed throughout.

Goobye, Hello RAM

I didn’t grow up in Edmonton, so I don’t have the same memories of visiting as a kid. But I have enjoyed visiting in recent years and look forward to spend lots of time at the new building. Sharon does remember visiting as a child and was quite eager to visit the Wild Alberta Gallery one last time! We had fun exploring and adding our own messages to the wall in the feature gallery.

Goobye, Hello RAM

Thanks to FRAMS for having us! We look forward to visting the new museum when it opens on (or around) December 7, 2017. Can’t wait!