The Pulse: Sept. 18, 2024

The three creators of the new docuseries Eating Edmonton used food, the people who make it, and their experiences as second-generation immigrants to tell richer stories about Edmonton communities.

Co-hosts and producers Jessica Truong, Salvador Garcia (a.k.a. food reviewer Fat Sal), and Cynthia Lo received $10,000 from TELUS's STORYHIVE Voices division to make the show. In the 10 episodes, the hosts interview restaurant operators, diners, and advocates about food and its relationship to their lives in Edmonton. The series explores food stories in Chinatown, southeast Edmonton, Sherwood Park, Old Strathcona, Garneau, west Edmonton, the north side of the city, downtown, and Alberta Avenue. It premieres in full on TELUS Optik TV on Sept. 24, though the episodes will be staggered for release on STORYHIVE's YouTube page starting the same day. The first three episodes will screen at an event the creators will host on Sept. 23 at Double Dragon.

"We all grew up in different areas — Jess grew up on the north side, Cyn grew up in Sherwood Park, and I grew up in Mill Woods in southeast Edmonton, so it was kind of a no-brainer that we'd have to feature those places," Garcia told Taproot. "For some of the other communities, I think we decided more on featuring a different kind of cuisine, so we branched out to include other places."

The co-hosts feature restaurants and interview people about them in the episodes. Notable appearances include Irie Foods (where butter chicken adventurer Ramneek Singh makes a cameo); reinvigorated bánh mì shop Van Loc; Pei Pei Chei Ow, which closed shortly before its owners started a new restaurant called Bernadette's; and Little Wolf Restaurant, the newest occupant of the former Three Boars space. A few more are Hanjan, Roasti Coffee Co., Aloha Hawaiian Poke and Grill, Coliseum Steak & Pizza, and Dynasty Century Palace Restaurant.

The spots have family links for the co-hosts. "Before I started school I spent every day (at Dynasty Century) with my grandparents enjoying dim sum," Lo told Taproot. "When I got older, it was every Sunday with my family, so it became ritualistic. I have very, very fond memories of spending time with my family there, and I got to interview my mom there."

Family memories were a source of inspiration for all three hosts. For Truong, memories of food and places were part of processing grief that led to inspiration.

"After my dad passed away I found myself reflecting on my memories with him whenever I was in a certain part of the city — whether (in the) north, or in Chinatown, or even the southside," she told Taproot in an email. "Posting about these memories opened up conversations with others about their stories of their loved ones and experiences of being in different Edmonton neighbourhoods; this led to the idea for Eating Edmonton."

Each of the hosts is a second-generation immigrant to Canada. Each used their unique experiences to examine food and community.

"Being second generation, you are kind of fiddling throughout your youth and childhood as to what your identity is, because you're brought up a certain way," Lo said. "Your parents have different influences and have a different upbringing. When you listen to different interviews across the episodes, it'll vary. We have first-generation, second-generation (guests), and guests who speak differently to their experiences."

• Edmonton Public Schools could reintroduce police officers in some schools before the end of the current school year, superintendent Darrel Robertson told a board meeting last week. The division ended the School Resource Officer program in 2020 due to community concerns, but trustees voted in April to bring the officers back. The school board says it is still in discussions with the Edmonton Police Service to determine how the new program will operate. Robertson said it could take several years to fully implement the program.
• City council's urban planning committee reviewed a proposal during its Sept. 17 meeting for a pilot program to install fare gates at two LRT stations to improve transit safety and reduce fare evasion. The pilot, which would have significant upfront costs, would be in effect at Churchill and Belvedere stations for two years. Amalgamated Transit Union Local 569 president Steve Bradshaw raised concerns about the cost and effectiveness of fare gates, arguing funds would be better spent elsewhere, including increased service hours. The committee deferred its decision on the proposal to the Oct. 2 city council meeting.
• Valley Line West LRT construction in Edmonton will close access roads into the Meadowlark Park neighbourhood until Oct. 31. Access to 156 Street using 93A Avenue from the west is closed beginning Sept. 18, while access to Meadowlark Road from 88A Avenue will be closed beginning Sept. 20. Drivers should use 92 Avenue or 95 Avenue as alternatives, and pedestrian access on the east side of 156 Street and Meadowlark Road will remain open, with some detours. Construction will happen from 7am to 9pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and from 9am to 7pm on Sundays.
• Edmonton International Airport has launched the second phase of its commercial drone project, expanding the route of the Canary drone to the Akamihk Medical Clinic in Leduc. The project aims to enhance the delivery of time-sensitive products, support sustainable transportation, and reduce road congestion, the airport said in a release. YEG became the first airport in Canada to introduce drone delivery operations in 2021.
• The Canadian Finals Rodeo will celebrate its 50th anniversary when it returns to Edmonton from Oct. 2 to 5. To mark the event's return to the city, Edmonton will host Rodeo Week from Sept. 28 to Oct. 6, featuring a variety of events and activities. The rodeo is expected to generate millions of dollars in economic activity.
• Premier Danielle Smith announced an $8.6-billion school construction plan to address the strain caused by rapid student enrolment growth, with plans to create 50,000 new student spaces in Alberta over the next three years. The School Construction Accelerator Program, announced during a pre-recorded television address, aims to create a total of 200,000 student spaces within seven years. Smith said the program will allow the province to buy modular classrooms while new schools are built, and includes incentives for private and charter schools to accommodate more students.
• Animal rescue organization WILDNorth is reporting an increase in bat sightings in Edmonton, particularly big brown bats migrating into urban areas. The organization says the animals should be left alone unless they're found on the ground. Residents are urged to exercise caution because the bats can carry rabies and a fungus called White-Nose Syndrome that affects other bats. Those needing assistance with grounded bats can contact WILDNorth at 780-914-4118.
• The Edmonton Oilers announced they have agreed to "mutually part ways" with assistant general manager Brad Holland. Holland joined the team as a scout in 2019 and was promoted to assistant general manager in the 2022-23 season. He is the son of former Oilers general manager Ken Holland, whose contract with the team ended at the end of last season.
• Sportsnet announced its 77-game broadcast schedule for the Edmonton Oilers 2024-25 season. The games will feature play-by-play from Jack Michaels, analyst Louie DeBrusk, and host Gene Principe. The Oilers kick off their season at Rogers Place on Oct. 9 against the Winnipeg Jets.

On this day in 1968, Edmonton was celebrating its community leagues.

While there are various forms of neighbourhood councils, recreational societies, and other civic groups across the world, the city's community leagues are unique. And they owe their existence to how Edmonton grew in the early 1900s.

Edmonton's population and prosperity were exploding in this period. New residents, who were flooding into the fledgling city, needed a place to live. This led to a frenzy of new construction and land speculation, as well as to infrastructure being built. New subdivisions sprang up on both sides of the river, with dozens more planned.

But the growth didn't last. By the early 1910s, the economic fervour and population boom began to cool. Many of the planned subdivisions never graduated beyond a map in a planner's office. As a result, several of the neighbourhoods built during this time were separated from the city proper by tracts of undeveloped land. Meanwhile, the city tightened budgets to maintain the infrastructure that had been built in anticipation of more people who never came. The city looked fractured, and many neighbourhoods felt ignored by the city's leadership.

It was in this environment that the first community league was formed in 1917, largely through the efforts of Jessie Montgomery, a university librarian, and George M. Hall, who had moved to Edmonton from the U.S. Dubbed the 142nd Street District Community League (later renamed the Crestwood Community League), and inspired by the City Club movement in the U.S., the new organization aimed to create a united voice for the community to advocate for better infrastructure. Soon, it widened its mandate and began holding social events and working to meet the recreational needs of its residents.

Of course, the 142nd Street District Community League wasn't the first social organization in Edmonton. But many of those existing organizations were dedicated to a particular interest, like horticulture, or separated by social class. One of the most striking features of Edmonton's first community league was its openness: Membership was available to anyone living in the district, not restricted by class, religion, or ethnic background. The league was also open to both men and women, which was still uncommon at the time.

Other neighbourhoods watched the 142nd Street District Community League and saw how effective it was. Within three years, eight other neighbourhoods established their own community leagues. All had their own unique needs, but all found that the model Crestwood had developed was an effective way to advocate.

So effective, in fact, that there was concern about the leagues starting to compete against one another. To avoid that, the nine original leagues joined together to create the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues in 1921. While the leagues themselves remained independent organizations, the federation allowed them to better share resources and work together on city-wide projects.

Edmonton's community league network has grown over the past century — there are now more than 160 leagues. All are non-profit, volunteer organizations that hold social events and advocate for their individual communities. Many of the city's recreational and youth sports organizations got their start as community league programs. What started as an idea in one neighbourhood has grown to have an immeasurable impact on Edmonton's history. And leagues continue to be a force in the city. Most recently, they voiced opposition to the proposed relocation of the Camrose casino to south Edmonton.

This clipping was found on Vintage Edmonton, a daily look at Edmonton's history from armchair archivist @revRecluse of @VintageEdmonton.

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Fibre Studios tour starting at 10am at the Alberta Craft Council
• Best Practices for Solar Employers in Alberta starting at 10am online
• Selling to the City information session starting at 1:30pm online
• Good Cop, Bot Cop: AI Partners on Patrol starting at 2pm online
• CPRS Edmonton Brews and Views starting at 5:30pm at Brewsters (Unity Square)
• Energy Talks starting at 7pm at the Edmonton Public Library (Strathcona)
• Valpolicella Masterclass starting at 7pm at the Canadian Liquor Store
• An Evening With Martin Kerr starting at 7pm at the Food Bank Annex
• Book Launch: Kathy Toogood & Johanna Pagonis starting at 7pm at Audreys Books
• Edmonton Story Slam starting at 7pm at 9910

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Sept. 27-28: 2nd Annual Art Walk at iHuman Youth Society
• Sept. 29: Newfoundland's Ennis Sisters' Fall Tour at the Arden Theatre
• Oct. 2-5: Canadian Finals Rodeo at Rogers Place

Visit the beta version of the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.