The Pulse: May 25, 2022

After a year of significant expansion, the Edmonton Urban Farm continues to grow, as staff plan to add infrastructure, further diversify its community of farmers, and open its doors to the public on a regular basis.

Established in 2014, the Edmonton Urban Farm is made up of two acres at 113 Avenue and 79 Street. In addition to garden plots, it is also home to a beehive and six egg-laying hens. The farm's goal is to connect people to food and farming within the city, said Jessie Radies, a director with Explore Edmonton.

"The urban farm is a community hub for urban agriculture, education, and sustainability," Radies told Taproot. "It's also a thriving example of how surplus urban lands can be used to build connections and enhance local food security."

For the first time, the Urban Farm will be open to the public from 10am to 4pm every Saturday until Oct. 8. Visitors can opt for a self-guided walk or join scheduled activities.

With the dissolution of Northlands in 2021, Explore Edmonton took over the management of the Urban Farm. That same year, the farm doubled in size thanks to grants from the United Way and the Butler Family Foundation. Last month, Prairies Economic Development Canada announced the Urban Farm would receive nearly $100,000 to further enhance the property.

"This project encompasses the expansion that happened last year, which expanded the urban farm by 30,000 square feet," said Radies. "It will also allow us to add infrastructure to extend our growing season and provide a shaded area for visitors to protect from heat and rain."

The Urban Farm allocates plots to partner community groups, and this year, it will involve over 300 people from 20 different groups, including Homeward Trust, Right at Home Housing Society, and the Student Association of MacEwan University. Many newcomers to Canada have been connected to the farm through Multicultural Health Brokers, said agriculture education specialist Patty Milligan.

"Some are experienced gardeners or farmers, some are brand new to gardening in general, and some are brand new to gardening in Alberta," said Milligan. "We'll be helping gardeners become familiar with the unique requirements of Alberta's climate."

• Hundreds of citizens packed into council chambers on Tuesday to press for action on community safety in Chinatown. Among them was the daughter of Hung Trang who, along with Ban Phuc Hoang, was killed in unprovoked attacks in Chinatown on May 18. "(If) there was one thing that he would hope for now," she said, it would be that "his death can open up everyone's eyes to see how out of control things are there now." Council approved the Community Safety and Well-Being Strategy and funding for recommended actions at the meeting, as well as $300,000 in one-time funding "for the purpose of addressing the immediate needs of Chinatown."
• The federal government announced $10 million in funding for Explore Edmonton to ensure that K-Days "remains a key part of Edmonton's cultural tapestry years to come." The funding will support turning Klondike Park into a year-round destination, generating new revenue streams, and creating inclusive programming for Indigenous, newcomer, Francophone, and LGBTQ2S+ communities. "The roots of K-Days go back 142 years to 1879, with the first Edmonton Exhibition," said Arlindo Gomes with Explore Edmonton. "(We) are excited to steward this event into the future and ensure it meets the needs of our community today and for the next 142 years."
• Some Alberta Avenue residents say they are living in fear due to a string of property fires in the area going back several months. Erick Estrada, treasurer of the Alberta Avenue Community League, said the community has "high hopes" for city council to address the issue. Ward Métis councillor Ashley Salvador, who spoke about the fires on Episode 173 of Speaking Municipally, said she is optimistic the Community Property Safety Team pilot approved in April will alleviate the issue by addressing "problem properties" and holding landowners accountable for buildings that pose fire risks.
• Omar Yaqub and Cheryl Whiskeyjack have been named Edmonton's historian co-laureates for the next two years, taking the torch from Amber Paquette, Whiskeyjack announced on Twitter. "Together we want to explore treaty in the present day, beautifying our city, build relations & bring community together through shared stories and heritage," tweeted Yaqub. The new laureates appeared on Senator Paula Simons' podcast Alberta Unbound last June to talk about what Indigenous and immigrant Albertans can accomplish together.
• From November 2021 to April 2022, the city's 311 line received around 7,900 complaints about snow on the sidewalk, which is 80% higher than in previous unseasonably warm winters, Postmedia reports. The Chappelle Area and Holyrood communities were each the subject of over 200 complaints.
• Local taxi drivers are struggling and the number of active permits is declining due to a drastic depreciation in plate value, competition with ride-sharing services, increased operating costs, and taxi fares that have not increased since 2007, CBC reports. Edmonton was the first Canadian municipality to legalize Uber in 2016 and is now conducting its first comprehensive review of cab fares in 15 years.
• A team of academics and lawyers have launched the Alberta Police Misconduct Database, a searchable directory of roughly 400 disciplinary actions taken against Alberta police officers since 1992, including criminal charges. Paralegal Devyn Ens, who led the project, said lawyers have been circulating the information for years through "whisper networks" and added the project is only "scratching the surface of misconduct in this province."
• EPCOR shared an infographic illustrating the peaks and valleys in water consumption throughout the Oilers' May 22 game against the Flames, with consumption spiking at the end of each period.

On this day in 1987, the Edmonton Oilers were one win away from their third Stanley Cup.

But clocking that final win wouldn't come easily. The playoffs always have a few nail-biting moments that can shake even the most veteran Oilers fan. But even compared to other Cup runs, the '86-'87 post-season was a rollercoaster. No one wanted to repeat the previous season, where the Oilers' hopes of three straight Stanley Cups were dashed by losing in seven games to the rival Calgary Flames. Least of all defenceman Steve Smith, whose infamous pass attempt bounced off the goalie's skate into the Oilers' own net, sealing the win for Calgary.

The '86-'87 playoff run started on a sour note for the Oilers, losing their first game 5-2 to the L.A. Kings. However, rather than being demoralized, Edmonton came back with a dominating 13-3 win in the second game. It was the first of eight straight wins that would knock out the Kings and then the Winnipeg Jets. After defeating Detroit, the Oilers met the Philadelphia Flyers for the final series.

It was a showdown between two powerhouses — for the past three seasons, both teams had held either the best or second-best regular-season record in the league. The Oilers took a quick lead, winning the first two games in Edmonton and the fourth in Philly. While they were only one win away, the Flyers made them work for it by pushing the series to the seventh game.

The game started on the wrong skate for the Oilers after Philly's Murray Craven scored less than two minutes in. But Edmonton rallied quickly. Mark Messier responded to tie it up in the first period, and a Jari Kurri goal assisted by Wayne Gretzky in the second put the Oilers ahead. With a little over two minutes left in the game, Glenn Anderson scored — sealing Edmonton's third Stanley Cup win and soothing the pain of the previous spring.

With the game over, the Oilers met on centre ice to receive the Stanley Cup. First, Wayne Gretzky held the trophy up in front of a jubilant hometown crowd. And then he handed it over to Steve Smith.

It has been more than 30 years since that emotional playoff run, and again the Oilers are reaching for the Stanley Cup. They'll have to win the current Battle of Alberta and two more rounds to do so. Game 4 is in the books, and Game 5 is at the Saddledome on May 26.

This is based on a clipping found on Vintage Edmonton, a daily look at Edmonton's history from armchair archivist @revRecluse — follow @VintageEdmonton for daily ephemera via Twitter.