The Pulse: Sept. 21, 2023

A chef with more than 20 years of experience just opened the first restaurant of his own in the former Three Boars space in Garneau.

"This space had this magic to it, where we didn't have to leave Edmonton to get a more global dining experience," Little Wolf Restaurant proprietor Shaun Hicks told Taproot of his new digs at 8424 109 Street NW. "My first experiences here really gave me a place to go to be excited as someone who worked in the industry."

This is Hicks's first time owning a restaurant, but he is far from green. He ran the Sugarbowl when its first ovens went in around 20 years ago. Since then, he's worked at Woodwork and did two stints at Three Boars (including opening its now-closed sister restaurant Wishbone). Most recently, he served as chef at La Petite Iza.

Hicks said Little Wolf will be "adjacent" to the Three Boars experience he loved. He is focused on internationally inspired small plates on an ever-rotating menu, plus great beer and cocktails.

"The menu itself is based on its ability to be transient," he said. "I haven't really spent too much time getting incredibly attached to anything in particular, but I do really want to make something along the lines of white beans and tomatoes that are roasted with peppers and a fried egg."

Three Boars closed in 2020 when COVID-19 lockdowns began, partly because its concept wouldn't translate well to delivery. Owners Brayden Kozak and Brian Welch pivoted to Detroit-style pizza under the banner of High Dough. That concept began in the Three Boars space but now stands alone at 7341 104 Street NW.

"A lot of people who would come here late at night after they finished their shifts across town," Hicks said of Three Boars's industry-folk clientele. "That feeling of loss of community is what excited me to investigate the space and come back to it."

While Hicks doesn't foresee a pandemic-forced closure for Little Wolf, he wants to make sure it is financially resilient — while still being delicious.

"I feel like there's some insulation that I'm bringing to the table with this space. Some of it is working with a different style of farmer," he said. "Going more for vegetarian, going more for pulses and grains, and looking for things that are really affordable and raw ingredients that we can turn into something here."

• Thousands of Canadians participated in protests and counter-protests related to sexual orientation and gender identity education in schools on Sept. 20, with arrests reported across major cities. The protests were organized under the banner "1 Million March 4 Children," which is related to a growing "parental rights" movement that is increasingly targeting inclusive public education. In Edmonton, the rally happened outside the Alberta Teachers' Association and was met with a counter-protest organized by United for Change Edmonton. ATA president Jason Schilling said the location suggests a misunderstanding about who writes the curriculum, adding the protest was an effort to intimidate teachers and students. Premier Danielle Smith made a statement about the protests that neither condemned nor supported them.
• The Edmonton Police Service is launching the Commercial Vehicle Alternative Resolution Program, which allows commercial drivers who receive a ticket for their first safety infraction to attend a free education session instead of paying the fine. It is aimed specifically at drivers of smaller commercial vehicles not associated with large companies that have training in place. The program will roll out in October.
• The Infill Development in Edmonton Association and Alair Edmonton are partnering to launch the #BuildingARTyeg award to recognize innovation and excellence in infill and urban development in Edmonton and surrounding areas. The winning initiative will receive $7,500. Association members have until Sept. 22 to nominate projects, and the shortlist will be announced Oct. 12.
• Neena Ahluwalia and Sam Malmberg, a mother and son from Edmonton, will be competing on the newest season of Lego Masters, trying to outperform 22 other Lego enthusiasts for a prize of up to $100,000. The season begins Sept. 28. They are the only Canadians competing on the television show this season.
• Edmonton Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have been preparing for months in the off season after the team was booted from the playoffs by the Vegas Golden Knights in May, general manager Ken Holland told reporters. Training camp began Sept. 20, but McDavid called the team to Edmonton two weeks early to get a head start. The team's regular season starts Oct. 11 in Vancouver.
• Former Edmonton Oilers fan favourites Charlie Huddy and Doug Weight will be inducted into the team's hall of fame on Oct. 26, bringing the membership to 14.
• The Edmonton Elks are looking to win their third consecutive home game at Commonwealth Stadium when they face the B.C. Lions on Sept. 22. The team's fortunes have turned around since Tre Ford took over as starting quarterback. Running back Kevin Brown and wide receiver Eugene Lewis have also shown strong performances.
• The federal government announced a $150,000 investment to support three active transportation projects in Alberta, including addressing gaps in Alberta's section of the Trans Canada Trail and planning parts of the Athabasca Landing Trail that connects Fort Saskatchewan to Athabasca.

Here are some opportunities to offer your input on civic issues, including a proposed redevelopment of Griesbach, traffic safety solutions in Bonnie Doon and Idylwylde, and Sturgeon County's broadband strategy. (Please ensure you live in affected areas before completing surveys.)

• Sturgeon County Broadband Strategy — Sturgeon County and a private sector partner are implementing a phased broadband strategy, starting with a pilot in the Villeneuve area. Businesses and residents who participated in Phase 1 of the Sturgeon County Broadband Fibre Network are invited to complete a short survey by Sept. 29.
• Griesbach: Proposed Redevelopment — The City of Edmonton has begun public engagement around a proposed amendment to the Griesbach Neighbourhood Area Structure Plan to allow the redevelopment of 160 acres. The proposal, made by B&A Planning Group, includes a mix of housing, including low- and medium-density residential and commercial development. A public open house is scheduled for Sept. 21. Residents are invited to ask the project manager a question or share their thoughts on the city website until Oct. 2.
• Bonnie Doon Traffic Diversion — The City of Edmonton is considering installing traffic diverters at three location in Bonnie Doon to address safety concerns. The solution is part of the city's ongoing Vision Zero Street Lab. Residents of the area are invited to share their thoughts on the proposed solutions by completing a survey before Oct. 2.
• Idylwylde Street Lab — The City of Edmonton is considering launching a Vision Zero Street Lab in the Idylwylde neighbourhood. Residents can take a survey to share their insights on street safety or use an interactive mapping tool until Oct. 3.

More input opportunities

• By Sept. 23: 2024 Budget Planning in Beaumont
• By Sept. 24: Environmental Plan Update (survey) in Leduc
• By Sept. 29: Proposed Off-Leash Dog Park Questionnaire in Leduc
• By Sept. 29: Vibrant Streets Art Contest in Edmonton
• By Oct. 1: Pop-up Dog Parks Program Evaluation in Edmonton
• By Oct. 8: Gariepy Neighbourhood and Alley Renewal (refine-level engagement) in Edmonton
• By Oct. 23: Animal Licensing and Control Bylaw Renewal: Phase 1 of Public Engagement in Edmonton
• By Oct. 31: Transit Master Plan in Strathcona County
• By Dec. 31: Public Washroom Survey in Edmonton
• By Dec. 31: Public Engagement Feedback Survey in Edmonton

Photo: A row of houses in Griesbach. (City of Edmonton/Neighbourhood Profile)

Tax increases or service cuts seem inevitable in light of the $73.8-million deficit the City of Edmonton is projecting by the end of this year, noted the city hall watchers at Speaking Municipally.

In a financial update to city council on Sept. 12, city manager Andre Corbould said administration will continue to curb discretionary spending. But it has already been doing that under a budget amendment called OP12, and the hole seems deeper than minor restraint can fill, co-host Mack Male observed on Episode 233 of Taproot's civic affairs podcast.

"There's definitely going to be some challenges," Male said. "Taxes are going up, or there's going to be some more substantial cuts than what we were anticipating with OP12."

Meanwhile, the rainy-day fund is not enough to bail the city out.

"We cannot fund that entire deficit with the financial stabilization reserve if we want to have anything left in there for its purpose," Male added. "So that's pretty concerning."

A big chunk of the budget shortfall is related to salary settlements that were higher than expected, including the recent Edmonton Police Service contract, which was not included in the police funding formula.

Co-host Troy Pavlek wondered whether Edmontonians are getting value for money on that front in light of the Safer Public Spaces announcement on Sept. 11. Chief Dale McFee promised a crackdown on open-air drug use, violence, and disorder. But it wasn't clear to Pavlek and Male what the police were going to start doing differently, nor could they understand why the police service hadn't been dealing with these things before.

"If what they have said they're about to do is a meaningful change, then this is an embarrassing press conference," Pavlek said. "This is an admission of guilt for the past decade of extreme budget increases with no results."

Hear much more from our municipal-affairs commentators on these issues, as well as the Boyle Street closure, a surprising discovery about downtown parking lots, and an update on affordable housing on the Sept. 15 episode.