Building a Legacy: Edmonton’s Architectural Heritage is a celebration of the landmark structures in Edmonton that have been protected through the City’s historic resources management plan.

“We’re happy to have such an attractive memento that captures the city’s built heritage,” said Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel. “These iconic buildings provide an important link to our past and reinforce a sense of shared cultural history.”

Building a Legacy tells the story of the historical structures that define our cityscape, through lively narrative penned by well-known Edmonton historian Ken Tingley.

These stories span the ages, ranging from the first settlements along the North Saskatchewan River right to modern day architecture. Readers will get a glimpse of architectural styles than define generations: from early fur trading posts and the original Fort Edmonton, to the grand style of the Flatiron-Style Gibson Block and the Princess Theatre, to memorable modern buildings such as the Hudson’s Bay Company Store and the Garneau Theatre.

“Preserving and adapting historic resources are ways to give citizens a sense of character and pride in their city,” said Tingley. “These storied structures are an important reminder of the influences and events that shaped modern-day Edmonton.”

Former Edmontonian and Edmonton Heritage Council contributor Lawrence Herzog provided photography for the book.

Building a Legacy: Edmonton’s Architectural Heritage is available for purchase at Tix on the Square and Audreys Books.

The final piece of funding for the downtown arena has been approved by City Council, paving the way for the project to move ahead and contribute to the revitalization of Edmonton’s downtown.

Council approved the following capital profile (see backgrounder) for the arena project and associated infrastructure:

• $279-million from Community Revitalization Levy (CRL) and other incremental revenues (increased parking revenue, reallocation of existing subsidy paid to Northlands and new taxes from business in the arena)
• $125-million from ticket surcharge on all events in the new arena
• $137.81-million from lease revenue for the Arena 
• $23.68-million in cash from EAC
• $25-million from other government sources

An important development in today’s discussion was Council’s agreement to rescind a previous motion that drew on the increase in Municipal Sustainability Initiatives funding to service $45-million in debt; the CRL will be used to cover these costs instead.

“This is an outstanding day for Edmonton’s downtown and our city. This project is without a doubt the most significant investment that we have made in our downtown in the last decade,” says Mayor Stephen Mandel. “This building will become a beacon in our downtown and will foster a new sense of energy that will spark further development and investment in the heart of our city.”

On May 9 members of the Capital Region Board representing 95% of the population served by the board supported Edmonton in applying for its allocation under the provincial Regional Collaboration Program. The City will submit the application as soon as the program’s guidelines are defined.

Council also approved first reading of the Borrowing Bylaw, the mechanism that will allow the City to borrow the money necessary to build the arena. Money will not be borrowed until it is required for the project.

The City will repay its share through the CRL and other sources that do not include property tax increases (new parking revenues, reallocation of current subsidy paid to Northlands).The Katz Group’s portion will be repaid through an annual lease payment while revenue from the ticket surcharge will be used to cover $125-million and associated interest.

Council’s decision also means the Master Agreement, that outlines the terms and conditions of the arrangement, between the City and the Katz Group can now be finalized and signed.

"This is a great day for Edmonton. It's been a long road for everyone involved, but the result is a landmark agreement that will drive investment in our city, help revitalize the downtown core and put the Oilers right in the heart of our community where they belong," said the Chair of the Katz Group, Daryl Katz. "I want to thank Mayor Mandel, City Administration and Members of Council for the extraordinary time and effort they have given to get this project over the goal line, and the Capital Region Board and the people of Edmonton for their support."

The arena project team continues to advance the building’s design and anticipates having a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) ready to take to Council in early 2014. Once the GMP is approved, construction on the site will begin. The facility is slated to open in September 2016.

This evening concert is an opportunity to see the colourful pyramid lights from the inside. The event has limited capacity, so visitors are advised to arrive early.

More music will be coming to the Muttart Conservatory this fall.

PKN 16 features presentations on local ideas, projects and musings in the 20 slides at 20 seconds per slide format made popular worldwide by Klein Dytham Architecture. More than 150 presentations have been given at Edmonton Pecha Kucha Nights to date on wide-ranging topics, from lighting up Edmonton’s bridges to in vitro meat and everything in between.

Edmonton’s NextGen is proud to partner with Guru Digital Arts College on a unique video projection art installation designed especially for PKN 16. Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria will also be handing out gift cards for all ticket holders.

Join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #yegpkn.

Deadline for PKN 16 presentation submissions is May 17, 2013. Interested applicants should read the 10 steps to a great Pecha Kucha presentation and then email their presentation submission to present@edmontonnextgen.ca.

Pecha Kucha Night 16 is sponsored by: Capital Power Corporation, City of Edmonton, Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria, Graphos, Klein Dytham and Northlands.

What is Pecha Kucha?

Drawing its name from the Japanese term for “the sound of chit chat,” Pecha Kucha Night was devised by Tokyo’s Klein Dytham Architecture in February 2003 as a venue for young designers to meet, network, exchange ideas and discuss their work in public. It rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds, for a total  presentation length of six minutes 40 seconds. Why this format you ask? It keeps presentations concise, fast-paced and entertaining.

About Edmonton’s NextGen

Formed in 2006, Edmonton’s NextGen, an initiative of the City of Edmonton, is focused on creating a city that attracts and gives a voice to the next generation in the life and growth of Edmonton’s communities. NextGen is a hub for connecting people, places, community and ideas. Through events, leadership opportunities and professional development, NextGen fosters young leaders and supports initiatives of interest to the next generation.

For more information, visit www.edmontonnextgen.ca.

Citizens are invited to get involved in the new Edmonton Food Council. The Food Council will advise the City of Edmonton on issues around food and urban agriculture.

The Edmonton Food Council is the first step in implementing fresh, the food and urban agriculture strategy approved by City Council in November 2012.

“We are looking for energetic people who will have an active role in supporting the implementation of fresh,” says Hani Quan, Principal Planner with Sustainable Development. “We are looking forward to working in partnership with our community to achieve the goals of fresh.”

The Edmonton Food Council will have 15 members representing a diverse range of experience, skills, knowledge and cultural backgrounds. Membership of the Council will also be made up of those involved in the various dimensions of the food system including: production, processing, distribution, buying and selling, eating and celebration, waste and recovery, education and governance.

Edmonton joins a growing number of municipalities with food councils in Canada including: Toronto, Vancouver, Kamloops, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Ottawa.

Nomination forms for the Edmonton Food Council can be downloaded at www.edmonton.ca/foodandag.

In the winter, graffiti can be difficult to remove because products and water used in cleaning freeze, making them ineffective. With the warm weather now here, graffiti vandalism can be effectively cleaned and removed from all surfaces using cleaning products and paint.  

If you require assistance cleaning your property, contact Capital City Clean Up’s Professional Graffiti Cleaning Program. Both business and residential property owners can qualify to receive a professional commercial cleaning on their property up to $500 in value. Free graffiti clean-up kits are also available.

Remember, you can help the City of Edmonton and Edmonton Police Service fight graffiti vandalism by reporting it to 311. If you see graffiti vandalism in progress, call 911.

A memorial bench was unveiled outside the park’s Fire Hall #1, a reconstruction of the city’s first fire hall, and a ceremonial flag-raising took place using one of the department’s ladder trucks. Several of Day’s family members, including wife Margaret, were on-hand to help mark the occasion and celebrate his legacy.

“When Louis was a kid he used to hang around the fire halls, running errands and what not. He just always wanted to be a firefighter and he gave 42 years of life to the department,” said Day. “This memorial means a lot to the family and I hope it reminds people about his contributions to the city.”

Day joined Edmonton Fire Rescue in 1942, and rose through the ranks to become Fire Chief in 1972 and held that position until his retirement in 1984. He passed away in March 2012 at the age of 91. Current Fire Chief Ken Block attended the ceremony and spoke of Day’s inspiration and lasting contributions to the department.

“Chief Day was an innovator and he was highly respected across Canada for introducing fire safety education programs and the development of provincial fire and building codes,” said Block. “His work and legacy is still felt in the department today.”

Members of the public will get a first glimpse of the memorial bench when Fort Edmonton Park opens for the season on Saturday May 18th, 2013.

“There hasn’t always been a lot of room for heritage in the city’s boom-and-bust cycle. Connecting people to the city’s history makes for more engaged, committed citizens and a city with memory is more than infrastructure – it has soul, personality, and confidence. This grant program will have positive social, cultural and economic ramifications.”

Administered by the EHC the grant program is funded by the City of Edmonton, through the Community Investment Grants program. One stream of the grant program will provide operating support for eligible not-for-profit heritage organizations. A project stream will fund up to $15,000 for innovative community heritage projects that research, document, preserve and present Edmonton's heritage.

The Edmonton Heritage Council is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2009 to connect people with Edmonton’s story and support Edmonton history and heritage organizations. EHC exists as a voice for the city’s memory and an active link connecting citizens, historians, educators, artists, philanthropists, government, and entrepreneurs.

Edmonton is currently home to 20 museums, 10 archives and 10 historical societies.

Public information sessions have been announced for May 16 and 24, 2013 at the Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre. More information on the Edmonton Heritage Council and the Heritage Community Investment Grant is located at www.edmontonheritage.ca, including eligibility requirements and application forms. 

But don’t delay, as this Saturday will be the last time farmers’ market patrons can visit City Hall to shop for locally-produced goods until the fall. The City Market Downtown will move to its outdoor location on 104 Street on May 18, 2013.  

City Hall has hosted the City Market Downtown for the past 2 winters, enabling it to operate year round. Every Saturday, dozens of vendors set up under the beautiful, sunny, warm glow of the pyramids of City Hall as thousands of Edmontonians shopped and enjoyed the atmosphere that only a farmers’ market can provide.

Keeping the community connected with local food producers supports “fresh” the City’s Food and Urban Agriculture Strategy.

The market will return to City Hall on October 19, 2013.

Getting there

City Hall is easily accessible by bus and LRT. Visit TakeETS.com for route and schedule information.