Taproot Edmonton Logo

Headlines: July 11, 2024

· The Pulse
By
Comments
  • Temperatures in the Edmonton region climbed as high as 37°C on July 10, with extreme heat expected to continue into next week. Edmonton, St. Albert, and Sherwood Park remain under weather warnings. The heat can be unsafe for pets, with dogs especially vulnerable to heatstroke and sunburn. Pet owners are advised to monitor their animals for signs of distress. Anyone who sees a pet in a hot car is asked to record the vehicle's information and location and call 311, or 911 if the animal is in distress.
  • Edmonton is experiencing an urban heat island effect, which makes some parts of city up to 12°C hotter than surrounding rural areas, researchers say. Neighbourhood design and the North Saskatchewan River both affect temperatures, with concrete and a lack of trees leading to more captured heat, while ravines and vegetation keep things cooler. "The best way to mitigate the effect is to protect trees," said University of Alberta urban planning professor Sandeep Agrawal.
  • World-renowned artist Alex Janvier, whose work is known for blending Indigenous and modern art elements, has died at the age of 89. Janvier was born in what is now Cold Lake First Nations northeast of Edmonton, was sent to the Blue Quills Residential School near St. Paul when he was eight, and studied art after high school to become a full-time painter in 1962. A member of the Indian Group of Seven, Janvier has had his work widely collected and displayed across Canada, including at the Art Gallery of Alberta and in Rogers Place, which showcases his large mosaic piece Tsątsąke k'e (Iron Foot Place).
  • The City of Edmonton, the federal government, and the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium announced a combined $1.29-million investment to help Edmonton with analysis and planning activities related to zero-emission public transit. The money will go toward an examination of fuel cell hydrogen propulsion technologies and help plan for a transition to a zero-emission bus fleet, a press release says.
  • Intuit, the California-based company that makes TurboTax and QuickBooks, announced plans to close its offices in Edmonton and Boise, Idaho as part of a company-wide reorganization to focus on AI-powered software and products. The company says it will lay off 1,800 workers, about 10% of its workforce, and hire 1,800 other workers with different skills. Together, the Edmonton and Boise offices have more than 250 employees, some of whom will be relocated.
  • Wîhkwêntôwin, formerly called Oliver, emerged as one of Canada's top neighbourhoods for liveability in RE/MAX's 2024 Liveability Report. The neighbourhood made the list for its "friendly atmosphere and unique environment, architecture, and the river valley," while an "abundance of condos in the area make it a hotspot among first-time homebuyers." The report also found neighbourhoods in Edmonton were popular with retirees and health and wellness seekers.
  • The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra is holding a series of free outdoor concerts in August as part of the ESO Outdoors program. The Edmonton concert will be in Castle Downs Park on Aug. 16 at 7pm, with other events happening in Devon, Fort Saskatchewan, Beaumont, and Stony Plain.
  • Nine Edmonton public and Catholic schools were awarded the City of Edmonton's School Bike Parking Grant, which launched earlier this year to help schools make active transportation more convenient. A total of 39 schools applied for the grant.
  • The Globe and Mail published an editorial about parking in Canadian cities, highlighting Edmonton's efforts to address an oversupply of parking. In 2020, Edmonton was at the "vanguard of change" when it eliminated parking minimums, having previously discovered it had 50% more parking than needed. Regina and Vancouver have also eliminated parking minimums, citing benefits to economic development, affordable housing, and simpler development processes, the editorial board wrote.
  • The 35th Brick Invitational Hockey Tournament, one of the "most distinguished" minor hockey tournaments in the world, took place at the Ice Palace in West Edmonton Mall from July 1-7. Seven Canadian and seven American teams took part in the competition, with the Detroit Jr. Red Wings taking home the championship title.
  • Edmonton-raised swimmer Emma O'Croinin appeared on Global News to talk about representing Team Canada in the women's 4x200m freestyle relay at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. O'Croinin currently swims for the UBC Thunderbirds and has international competition experience, including at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.