Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

• This was the week the arena deal got done. Well, “done” in the sense that there’s still $114 million missing but everyone all of sudden seems cool with that. Councillor Iveson was one of the three who voted against the deal – he shared his thoughts here. Meanwhile, Northlands has announced it will be competing in the concert business and will renovate Rexall Place.
• The results of the 2012 Homeless Count were released this week, and they’re down again. A total of 2,174 homeless Edmontonians were counted, 247 fewer than in 2010. In related news, the Edmonton Police Service has a new plan to target the 50 heaviest users of Edmonton’s emergency services.
• Edmonton International Airport released its 2012 figures this week. Turns out last year was the busiest year in EIA history, with 400,000 more passengers served than in 2011.
• For some reason, three articles about Edmonton made the rounds online this week. They’ll make you angry, they’ll make you cheer! Start with The Edmonton Oilers Are A Useless Franchise, move on to Oh Edmonton, You Beautiful Swirling Mass of Contradictions, and then finish with Deadmonton: There is no such thing.
• The Financial Times of London has issued its list of the top business schools, and the U of A comes in at #100 globally and #6 here in Canada.
• The City is hosting a couple of information sessions this week on designing streets and neighbourhoods. This is part of the Complete Streets project.
• Public School Trustees voted this week to spend $3.2 million to purchase six new modular classrooms to expand space at some of the most overpopulated schools.
• Thankfully, a plan to make entrance requirements for Victoria School stricter (which may have forced students living around the school to go elsewhere) was defeated.
• Here’s the latest Council Roundup.
• Looks like the new Jasper Place Library is going to be quite an attractive building when it opens at the end of February!
• It may be a ways off still, but the City is doing more prep work for the new Walterdale Bridge.
• Elise reports that the City has heard complaints about suburban-style front garages coming to mature neighbourhoods – new wording discourages them.
• The Province is in a bit of a pickle at the moment with a slump in oil revenue, and health care may feel the effects as Premier Redford looks to make spending cuts.
• From Dave: Alberta’s new federal ridings have been released.

Edmonton Landscape (winter) by Brennan.

Here are some upcoming events:

• International Week 2013 kicks off on Monday and features more than 50 free presentations all week long. Check out the blog post for a great overview.
• The Oilers host the Avalanche at Rexall Place on Monday evening.
• The next Edmonton Girl Geek Dinner is taking place on Tuesday.
• The Oil Kings host the Kootenay Ice on Wednesday, and the Swift Current Broncos on Friday.
• There’s another Way We Green lunchtime speaker series event taking place on Wednesday, this time on food cultures for sustainability.
• Edmonton Opera’s Les Contes d’Hoffman kicks off on Friday.
• The Edmonton Rush will take on the Calgary Roughnecks on Saturday at Rexall Place.
• Looking for some outdoor fun? Ice on Whyte continues all week! And nearby, be sure to check out the Canoe Theatre Festival.
• Fork Fest continues this week at participating restaurants.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Justin Piercy says he has been “eyeing this shot up for literally a few years” and finally went for it. I’m glad he did!

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

• New estimates from the Capital Region Board suggest that our population could grow as high as 2.3 million people by 2047. That’s nearly twice as many people as was previously predicted.
• In case you missed it, here’s my take on the news that Executive Council gave Administration the go-ahead to look into Dave Mowat’s project to light up Edmonton’s bridges. Here is EPCOR’s statement on the project.
• The University of Alberta’s Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry celebrated its 100th anniversary this week. A great milestone for such an important part of our community!
• Is it too soon for Mayor Mandel to retire? Well, no one is going to beat him if he runs again.
• A new report recommends that the City allow Internet voting for advance and special ballots in October. Bring on the online voting!
• Ever wonder what its like to be an officer on patrol in the winter? EPS Cst. Christine Debienne provides some insight:

• You have until Friday to enter The Tomato’s prize draw – simply tell them about your favorite thing to eat or drink. Stay tuned for their list of the 100 best things to eat in Edmonton.
• Here are three acts to watch on Edmonton’s music scene. And here are five rising Edmonton theatre stars.
• Starting February 5, the City will collect garbage and recycling on the same day every week.
• Here’s a heads up from ETS: the Customer Services Centre will be moving from Churchill Station to City Hall in late February.
• Apparently Rexall Place is the third busiest concert venue in Canada and the 26th busiest in the world.
• The NHL returns to Edmonton this week. Could it also be the week the arena deal finally gets done?

Great nighttime skyline shot by Dejan Galetic. Here’s another one.

Here are some upcoming events:

• Monday night is the big night – Oprah is at Rexall Place!
• The Oilers host San Jose on Tuesday for their home-opener. On Thursday evening, Los Angeles will be in town. They kicked their season off tonight in Vancouver with a 3-2 SO win.
• Head over to the Edmonton Journal on Wednesday for the next Capital Ideas luncheon, this time on family business.
• Or if opera is more your thing, head over to the City Centre pedway to see the launch of Edmonton Opera’s 2013/2014 season.
• This looks like a great event taking place on Wednesday evening: Soapbox, Suds, and Wings: Reinvigorating Alberta Politics.
• Edmonton NextGen’s next DIYalogue event takes place on Thursday evening at The Billiard Club. Tickets are just $10 and the theme is “quality play”.
• Ice on Whyte gets underway on Friday at End of Steel Park! They’ve partnered with the Canoe Theatre Festival too, which gets underway on Thursday.
• On Friday evening the Rush take on Washington at Rexall Place.
• Come on down to the Stanley Milner library on Saturday for the Human Library. I’ll be one of the living books!
• The Oil Kings are in action on Saturday against Brandon and Sunday against Lethbridge.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

The Dawson Bridge, by oudzo.

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

• Bus route snow windrow snow removal begins tomorrow and the list of locations is now available. Temporary ‘no parking’ signs will have been posted, so make sure you move your vehicles!
• Here are some thoughts from Brittney about how Edmonton is a big city and small town at the same time.
• Lighting up Edmonton’s bridges could cost up to $2 million. Now the question is how to pay for it. Or perhaps, who pays for it.
• The moratorium on school closures has ended, and that could mean that a number of older schools may soon be closed. However, a new school could be built in a mature neighbourhood to replace those closed schools.
• Edmonton could become the training centre for nearly all of Canada Basketball’s 10 teams if a proposed deal moves forward. The City would need to contribute $500,000 a year for four years.
• Apparently there have been increased sightings of coyotes within residential neighbourhoods, so the City has released a list of tips “to help prevent conflicts with coyotes.”
• The battle is heating up in Greenfield about the proposed cellphone tower. Residents are concerned about radiation, Rogers says it complies with Industry Canada and Health Canada requirements.
• Here are some thoughts from John Mahon on how how Edmonton is seen as a leader in embracing the arts.
• The number of homes sold in 2013 here in Edmonton is expected to inch up by just 3%. That’s slower growth that we saw last year. “John Rose, chief economist for the City of Edmonton, said a tight labour market will put Edmonton on pace for slower economic growth of about four per cent, compared to about 4.5 per cent in 2012.”
• There are still people out there fighting to save the City Centre Airport (ain’t gonna happen).
• About 1500 fans braved the cold this afternoon to check out the Oilers playing a game of shinny at Hawrelak Park.
• Meanwhile, at West Edmonton Mall, thousands packed the halls for an Idle No More protest.
• Know an Edmontonian you think should be recognized? Nominations are open for the Salute to Excellence Awards, and don’t forget about the Yeggies!

Idle No More at West Edmonton Mall by Paula Kirman

Here are some upcoming events:

• The 50th annual Quikcard Edmonton Minor Hockey Week kicked off on Friday and runs until January 20. The tournament was recognized in 2003 by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest ice hockey tournament!
• EEDC’s big Economic Impact Luncheon takes place on Tuesday at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• Startup Edmonton has a couple of information sessions taking place this week: Preflight & Flightpath on Tuesday evening, and Web Developer & Interface Design Labs on Wednesday.
• Tuesday night is the next YEGRB Meetup.
• Head over to the Haven Social Club on Thursday evening for Nerd Nite Edmonton #3.
• Also Thursday is Pecha Kucha Night St. Albert at the Enjoy Centre!
• The Oil Kings are in action on Friday against Medicine Hat and on Sunday against Prince George.
• The Oilers will open their season on Sunday in Vancouver against the Canucks. You can see the full schedule here.
• Pet lovers take note – the annual Edmonton Pet Expo takes place Saturday and Sunday at the Edmonton Expo Centre!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Great shot of the High Level and Dudley B. Menzies bridges by Brian Truscott.

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

• Effective December 31, 2012, the 2013 compensation increase for the Mayor and City Council is set at 3.22%. Mayor Mandel has decided to end three years of self-imposed salary freezes and will accept an increase of nearly $30,000. Some think that means he won’t run again later this year, others think it means he will. We’ll know by the end of March.
• Could Alberta’s keno lottery be the solution for the missing $100 million for the downtown arena? Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith thinks so.
• On Thursday, the City started clearing trees on both sides of the North Saskatchewan River to make way for construction of the new Walterdale Bridge. And starting tomorrow, trails will be closed until construction is completed in 2015, but a detour will be in place.
• Some good news today for hockey fans – a tentative deal has been reached between the NHL and NHLPA, which means the Oilers could be back in action as early as January 15.
• Here’s a look at the Idle No More Flash Mob Round Dance that took place at Kingsway Mall.
• You’ve probably heard by now about the bylaw prohibiting vehicles from idling in front of schools and hospitals for more than five minutes per half hour when the temperature is above zero degrees, but there are some other changes taking effect his year too.
• The police are reminding citizens to stay alert and not open their door to strangers. Seems obvious, but some folks have apparently let a suspect into their homes recently.
• This has come up a number of times of the years, but it seems the City is now looking for bidders to design, build and operate a funicular that would make it easier to get into the river valley from downtown.
• Opening the Potential is a program that aims to boost the number of female politicians in Edmonton.
• In 2012 there were 29 traffic fatalities resulting from 28 fatal collisions and 49 serious injury collisions. Of those, 57% involved speed and 35% involved an impaired driver.
• The Journal reports that there were 29 homicides in Edmonton in 2012.
• Just a reminder, nominations for The Yeggies are open until the end of the month! Three new categories have been added too: Best in Family or Parenting, Best in Non-Profit, and Best in Business.
• Here is probably the best photo you’ll see of Edmonton’s big New Year’s Eve party.
• In case you missed it, here’s Edmonton as seen by Chris Hadfield aboard the International Space Station!

Here are some upcoming events:

• Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival is taking place on January 12 and 13 on Alberta Avenue. They’re still looking for volunteers if you’re interested!
• Tuesday night is Edmonton’s 20th DemoCamp! The following day, Startup Edmonton is hosting a lunch & learn on the power of relationships.
• Blue Rodeo is playing at the Jubilee on Tuesday and Wednesday!
• The Exchange.js January Meetup takes place on Thursday evening at Startup Edmonton.
• Like basketball? The Harlem Globetrotters are at the Expo Centre on Wednesday.
• On Friday night the Oil Kings host the Lethbridge Hurricanes at Rexall Place.
• The Edmonton Rush kick off the 2013 season on Sunday when they take on the Toronto Rock at Rexall Place.
• The Edmonton Motorcycle Show runs all weekend at the Edmonton Expo Centre.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Beautiful Muttart/Skyline shot by Darren.

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

• Why Edmonton? Because if you have the courage to make something, Edmonton is your city.
• John and Barbara Poole certainly had that courage. I was sad to hear that Barbara passed away last week at the age of 83. She did great things for our city.
• Have some extra warm clothing you can donate? With icy temperatures this week, the shelters can use your support.
• While I am generally opposed to the use of a P3 to fund it, I’m happy to hear that expanding the LRT is Mayor Mandel’s top priority going into 2013.
• If our population and economic growth continue at their current pace, the Edmonton region could hit 1.5 million people within a decade. That has the promise of some real opportunities, but also major challenges.
• One such challenge? Debt. Municipal debt in Alberta has more than tripled since 2004. Edmonton is currently at 48% of its debt limit.
• Housing prices are expected to rise 2% next year, while sales are expected to grow 2.5%.
• I just can’t get enough of this headline: “Toronto’s best new retailer is gravitypope, and it hails not from New York but Edmonton”
• Who would you nominate as the Edmonton’s Person of the Year? GIGCITY wants to know: “There will be no boundaries, no “top 40 under 40” restrictions. Any local who made waves in 2012 is eligible.”
• Also from GIGCITY, here are Edmonton’s top 10 albums of 2012.
• Here’s some great news for those of you looking to travel to New York City! United will launch non-stop service between Edmonton and Newark in May. That brings the number of US non-stop flights from EIA to 13. Speaking of EIA, Friday and Saturday were the busiest days of the year.
• Do you have Deadmontitis, the plague of the second coldest place on earth? “Deadmontitis is a contagious endemic that targets Edmontonians and long-term visitors to the city.”
• From the Journal’s Gary Lamphier, here is a look at the winners and losers in local business in 2012.
• Some great news for the Downtown Edmonton Community League this week:  the federal government has provided funding of $16,264 to support the creation of a community league centre for the downtown.
• David Staples took a closer look at that Numbeo ranking on quality of life that Edmonton fared so well in.
• Ah, you gotta love it when the mayor is all fired up: “Danielle Smith will probably yell and scream. Brian Mason will yell and scream. They really don’t care about the City of Edmonton, I guess, but I would hope they would be wise enough to see it’s about Edmonton.”
• If you haven’t already seen it, check out this CBC feature on Edmonton’s neon heritage.
• Looking to check out City of Edmonton facilities this week? Check the holiday hours first.
• Metro asked some familiar Edmonton faces for their favorite holiday traditions. Thanks for including me!
• Did you know that Edmonton is full of doppelgängers? Well in name, at least.
• Though there are not currently any plans for a parking ban, the temperature isn’t going to budge much over the next week and we’ll continue to see some snow. Stay safe out there!

Frosty Sunset by Ian McKenzie

Merry Christmas!