June 5th City Hall E-news: Events, Share your Feedback, and News

June 5th City Hall E-News:

  • EVENT: TBD - Ice Cream on YOUR block/Condo Patio hosted by YOU with your City Councillor. (Date and time TBD)

  • EVENT: 6PM June 24th: Will Tech Save Us? Technology, climate change, cities, and transportation. An evening with techwriter and host of the fantastic "Tech won't save us" podcast and author of the book: Road to nowhere: what Silicon Valley gets wrong about transportation.

  • EVENT: 6PM June 29th: Better Buildings, Better Communities: An evening with Seattle Architect and green building expert Michael Eliason
  • EVENT: 6PM June 7th, Bike Month: Join us mid-route! Bike Mill Woods to Downtown with Clr Tang and Janz
  • EVENT: 1-3PM June 18th, Bike Month: Bike fix/chat with Clr. Salvador at Tawatina Bridge
  • EVENT: June 8th: SDGs and sustainable, equitable transportation? Together | Ensemble 2023

FEEDBACK:

The Zoning Bylaw Renewal Initiative. Edmontonians are invited to continue sharing feedback on the draft Zoning Bylaw until July 30, as the project enters a newly added “Advise Phase” of engagement before the draft Zoning Bylaw is presented at public hearing in October 2023. Visit engaged.edmonton.ca/ZoningBylawRenewal to share your thoughts by filling out an online survey, using the 'Ideas' tool or emailing [email protected].

 

NEWS:

  • Public Pools are open!
  • Sprayparks are open!
  • The High Level Streetcar is open!
  • Waterparks and Washrooms are open!
  • Take-a-ways from the "Ending Violent Crime" evening with Dr. Waller...

And as always... Provocations from around the internet....

 

Learn more about Cargo Bikes, Biking in Edmonton, or Active Transportation

Do you want to learn more about cargo bikes, cycling, or making a happier, healthier city for everyone? You probably landed on this page from a QR code on my bike. There are so many wonderful bikes to choose from as you can see at the videos below.

Start here first with these stories of Edmonton families who have gone car-less or car-free with Electric Cargo Bikes:

https://urbanaffairs.ca/edmonton-ish/park-the-vehicle-use-a-cargo-bike-instead/

Avoiding the gas pumps. Being able to take the family from place to place, while seeing the city at the same time.

On Monday, Ward Papastew Coun. Michael Janz and a group of cargo bike enthusiasts met at the Garneau Lamp, just to the south of the High Level Bridge, to show off their two-wheeled treasures.

And, over and over, these riders told me that saving money in the time of high fuel prices, plus the ability to make their journeys part of their family adventures, were the reasons that they’d integrated cargo bikes into their lifestyles.

These bikes offer the ability to haul major items — some up to 440 pounds. Most of them have battery-assisted power. They can handle large loads of groceries or multiple kids. One person told me she hauled a Christmas tree home on her bike.

BikeEdmonton

In Praise of Point Access Blocks - Better Architecture for Better Development

What if we could make our developments more livable, climate adaptive, family-friendly, community-oriented, more affordable, like other countries?

Everywhere I go it seems architecture and urbanist spaces are talking about Point Access Blocks. Last week, Architecture Newspaper featured this article by Seattle Architect and green urban leader Michael Eliason (LarchLab) which highlighted how we were being held back compared to Europe and other jurisdictions:

https://www.archpaper.com/2023/03/why-does-american-multifamily-architecture-look-so-banal-heres-one-reason/

More specifically, it is the peculiar anomaly that requires multifamily buildings to include a second staircase with a connecting corridor for buildings with more than 3 stories. Outside of the U.S. and Canada, this requirement is largely non-existent. It is this regulation that causes our multifamily housing to vary dramatically from the rest of the world. It results in significantly larger buildings with units that are less livable, less climate adaptive, less family friendly, less community-oriented—and potentially much more expensive—than most other countries.

This is not a new topic and has garnered discussion in other jurisdictions, but with emerging conversations about municipal Zoning and Federal building code changes on the horizon in Canada/Alberta, it makes sense to continue the conversation in Edmonton. I am working with a few partners to bring Michael up to Edmonton for a special talk about Point Access Blocks, Green Eco-Districts, Co-housing and many other fascinating topics this June (with potentially a second event in Calgary). Reach out if you would like to engage or support this event...

 

In Praise of Edmonton Tourism

Next week (April 24th to April 30th) is Edmonton Tourism Week in Edmonton and we have a number of things to celebrate.

I still remember my first tourist trip to Edmonton as a bright-eyed teenager on a family summer vacation. We were doing a pilgrimage up to my fathers musical Mecca (the CKUA record library on Jasper) and decades later, a few things still leap out for me. First, the abject chaos and energy of the Fringe festival. Second, the Barqs Root Beer street teams, which dates the trip, and third seeing firsthand the classic Carnegie-style historic architecture of the Strathcona Public Library. My story is like so many in this town - Tourism first brought me here, the University of Alberta kept me here.

My challenge to you this week: 1) be a tourist in your own city, and 2) shop local...

Transit Camp 2023 Videos

In case you missed it, the videos from Transit Camp 2023 are now available for free online (https://www.michaeljanz.ca/transitcamp2023). Please give them a watch and share with other interested folks!

The three videos really do offer a "public transit 101" for anyone interested in transportation opportunities and challenges!

I also wanted to offer that I have a few copies of James Wilt's book "Do Androids Dream of Electric Cars?" that are available on loan if you didn't nab a copy.

 

 

Premier must provide real action on public safety In Alberta

With a few weeks until the provincial election, rumours are circulating that Premier Danielle Smith may announce temporary Sheriffs this week for public transit in Calgary and Edmonton. Temporary because they are likely to leave RIGHT AFTER THE ELECTION, just like the other 12 temporary Sheriffs sent into Chinatown. 

While some may welcome a few more temporary security personnel, to "solve" these problems, (many of which have been caused by the provincial government cuts, freezes, or neglect over the last 4 years)... More of the disorder we are seeing on the Southside is a result of displacement from downtown. We need ACTUAL action on mental health, addiction, poverty and disorder.
Band-aid announcements are not enough. I will share a few of the actions we are taking as city council, and try to provide you a deeper overview into the complexity of the issue.

Transit safety is really important to me, and I'm tired of pre-election gimmicks. Let's unpack the safety issue a bit further...

March 12th City Hall E-News

March 12th City Hall E-News:

  • FAIR DEAL: Edmonton's not asking for a special deal, just a fair deal. Data shows Edmonton is receiving inadequate support compared to Calgary.
  • NEXT STOP: TRANSIT CAMP: What if taking transit was the FIRST CHOICE for your children or neighbours? Over 300 have RSVP'd to spend Saturday at Transit Camp to dig into building better transit for everyone!
  • BOOK LAUNCH: I'm certainly not a prohibitionist, but reading James Wilt's book was startling. Let's talk about alcohol policy, monopolies, corruption, public health, drugs, relaxation, and celebrate working class joy...
  • ROLLIE MILES REC CENTRE SPECS: Check out the new design and share your feedback.
  • AWAITING JUSTICE: CITYNEWS notes, two weeks later, still no answers. Edmonton Police Brutality caught on video. Officer duty status "under review". 🧐 
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: Taproot notes police officers are leaving, but why? The EPS spokesperson in this story has stains. Individual and systemic challenges.
  • OSBA CELEBRATIONS: Exciting news around District Whyte!

And as always... Provocations from around the internet....

 

March 5th City Hall E-News

March 5th City Hall E-News:

  • REMINDER: Over 250 of our neighbours will be joining Transit Camp 2023. We need your RSVP by March 15th for our catering.
  • REGRET: to inform you that Hawrelak park is closing on Monday, March 13th.
  • CELEBRATE: International Women's Day with discussion and dinner Wednesday March 8th ($25/sponsored)
  • FRUSTRATIONS: the UCP provincial budget: Edmonton deserves a fair deal
  • ENGAGE: West 240 & Old Strathcona Public Realm Strategy
  • SHOVEL: Learn more about the City's Snow and Ice Strategy (hat tip to Councillor Tang) 
  • WARNING: Edmonton Police Brutality caught on video. Officer duty status "under review"

And as always... provocations from around the internet... and online links to the films from our Love in The Time of Fentanyl event!

 

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