The Pulse: Dec. 13, 2024

The holiday season is always the busiest time of year for charities, but challenges, including the Canada Post strike, make this year even more critical for Edmontonians to donate their money, time, or effort.

"It really is that seasonal giving we rely on," Sonja Zacharko, executive director of Edmonton Meals on Wheels, told Taproot. "Over half of our donations come in this time of year. And we generally do a direct mail campaign, which even in this day and age people look for."

Taproot has assembled several ways you can give back to our community over the holidays and beyond.

Ways to offer support during the holidays

Edmonton's Food Bank is facing unprecedented demand and is calling on Edmonton residents to "foodraise" 300,000 kilograms and to fundraise $4.5 million by Jan. 10. "There's no words to express how difficult it has been for our organization," executive director Marjorie Bencz told Postmedia, adding she's never seen the food bank busier in her 30 years with the organization.

Afro-Caribbean Food Bank is a new food bank in Edmonton that collects culturally appropriate foods for those with Afro-Caribbean roots. "Food is comfort, food is culture, food gives you identity. We want to be able to give (users) that little comfort," program director Ranti George told CTV.

Given the shocking number of people without housing in Edmonton, Bissell Centre is a critical organization to support. It has launched its Become a Bissell Elf campaign, which offers opportunities to help with tasks such as gift wrapping, loading and unloading, event staffing, and food preparation.

The Bissell Centre also has an opportunity to spread holiday cheer at Hope Terrace, a residence for people living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. You can either purchase a gift suggested on a resident's wish list or donate money for staff to spend on a gift. The deadline to participate is Dec. 15.

Boyle Street Community Services has launched a Share the Joy campaign, offering individuals, families, and businesses a number of ways to help Edmontonians experiencing poverty and homelessness this winter.

• Premier Danielle Smith has appointed outgoing Edmonton police Chief Dale McFee as Alberta's most senior civil servant, about three weeks after he announced his resignation from the Edmonton Police Service. McFee will step down as police chief on Feb. 21 and will become head of the Alberta Public Service and deputy minister of executive council on Feb. 24. "With his wealth of leadership experience, he will bring a fresh perspective to our government's work and will help us deliver on our priorities for Albertans," Smith said in a release.
• Edmonton Elections is running an online information session from 12pm to 12:30pm on Dec. 17 for anyone interested in running for the municipal election and people who want to support a candidate. A recording will be available afterward. Nomination packages will be accepted beginning Jan. 2.
• Coun. Andrew Knack appeared on Global News at Noon to talk about recent developments at Edmonton city hall, including the budget process and challenges the next city council might face. Knack has announced he won't run in the 2025 municipal election. Speaking Municipally co-host Troy Pavlek is keeping a list of candidates who are running or expected to run.
• Former Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley announced that she will step down as MLA for Edmonton-Strathcona, a seat she has held for nearly 17 years, effective Dec. 30. In a social media post, Notley said her announcement comes with "mixed feelings," adding that new NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi "represents a tremendous opportunity" for Albertans wanting affordability and improved health care. Notley's resignation will trigger a byelection, which could give Nenshi the chance to run for a seat in the legislature.
• ArtsHub Ortona in Edmonton's Rossdale neighbourhood has reopened after the City of Edmonton completed rehabilitation work on the Ortona Armoury. The building, a designated Municipal Historic Resource, is now operated by Arts Habitat Edmonton, which is licensing 19 studios to professional artists and providing rooms for community bookings.
• Edmonton businesses are calling on residents to shop local this holiday season, especially in light of the Canada Post strike. Jacek Chocolate Couture owner Jacqueline Jacek said a six-week stretch over the holidays makes up half her business for the year, but this year is challenging because of the strike, an incoming GST hiatus, and a global chocolate shortage. For every $100 spent at a local business, $68 stays in the local economy, compared to $43 of every $100 spent at a large chain, said Laura Kinghorn with the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce.
• Edmonton's Jasper Place outdoor tennis courts will receive $1.5 million from Alberta's Active Communities Initiative to build an air-supported dome, allowing year-round public use. The project, part of a $4.2-million provincial investment across 12 sport and recreation facilities, will more than double public access to the courts, which is currently limited to five months annually.
• Stantec, which has its corporate headquarters in Edmonton, was selected by the City of Toronto to support rehabilitation work on the Gardiner Expressway, one of Canada's busiest corridors. Stantec has supported previous work on the Gardiner Expressway and has helped deliver multiple transportation projects in the Toronto area.
• The Alberta government notified 1,350 Alberta Health Services workers that they will be transferred as of Feb. 1 to Primary Care Alberta, one of four new organizations created through the province's health system overhaul. The workers include staff with Health Link, primary care networks, provincial midwife services, some primary care clinics, and a surgical referral service called FAST. Union leaders expressed frustration with the restructuring, saying it could disrupt the workforce, cause staff extra stress, and affect retention. More than 10,000 staff have already been moved from AHS to Recovery Alberta, and 120 from AHS to Alberta Health.
• Premier Danielle Smith announced the province is spending $29 million to create a patrol unit for the 298-kilometre border between Alberta and Montana, which is 3.3% of the Canada-United States border. The unit is expected to begin operations next year and will include about 50 armed sheriffs, 10 drones, and four drug-sniffing dogs. Within a two-kilometre zone, sheriffs will be able to arrest people believed to be crossing illegally or trafficking drugs and weapons without needing a warrant. The announcement comes after incoming U.S. President Donald Trump threatened 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico unless the countries end illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

On this day in 1945, one of Edmonton's oddest downtown office buildings was sold.

The Agency Building was just 25 feet wide, making it an instantly recognizable landmark downtown, nestled beside the Capitol Theatre on Jasper Avenue. Despite its narrowness, the building was six storeys tall and about 150 feet deep.

There was a specific reason for these odd proportions: Money. When plans were drawn up in 1911, Edmonton was growing rapidly, and the real estate market was booming. Land along Jasper Avenue was reaching exorbitant prices, and prices were calculated by how much frontage a building had along the avenue.

By building narrow, tall, and deep, the Northern Investment Agency was able to save a lot of money. The result was a building made of reinforced concrete, faced with both grey and plain bricks. The skinny skyscraper took advantage of its height by painting its name on both of its exposed sides, where it loomed above all the other buildings on the street.

Inside, there was only room for about 30 offices running down one side of the building, connected by a single hallway on the other side. The design wasn't exactly safe. Since there was only room for a fire escape on the office side, it could blocked if certain offices were locked.

Despite the questionable safety, the building soon housed a number of different companies and professionals, including insurance agents, stock brokers, and architects. In 1923, the Northern Utilities gas company opened its offices on the third floor. Within a few years, they would make the building even harder to miss by erecting a giant neon sign to advertise their services, creating a bright beacon that stood out from the rest of the street. Later, it would be replaced with a Shell Oil sign.

Eventually, tenancy in the building declined, and taller towers began to spring up downtown. In 1972, the Agency Building was torn down, along with the Capitol Theatre, to make room for a 20-storey tower.

The Agency Building harkens back to a time when a six-storey building could loom over Jasper Avenue. Today, more than a century after it was built, much taller towers now dominate the skyline, with several more in various stages of development. This fall, Edmonton city council approved the zoning for a 31-storey tower on Jasper Avenue and 120 Street.

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 this weekend in the Edmonton area.

• Dec. 13: Community Christmas Gathering and Round Dance starting at 1pm at Creating Hope Society of Alberta
• Dec. 13: Writer in Residence Gala starting at 7pm at St. Albert Public Library
• Dec. 13: Justice4Reel Film Festival: Manufacturing the Threat starting at 7pm at CKUA Performance Space
• Dec. 13: Food Inflation with Professor Shahidul Islam starting at 7pm online
• Dec. 14: Glow Without Limits starting at 10am at Edmonton EXPO Centre
• Dec. 14: Justice4Reel Film Festival: Los Colonos starting at 3pm at CKUA Performance Space
• Dec. 14: Justice4Reel Film Festival: Principles of Resistance: The Gordon Hirabayashi Story starting at 5:30pm at CKUA Performance Space
• Dec. 14: Full Moon Birkie starting at 6pm at Cooking Lake - Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area
• Dec. 14: Meat, Cheese, and Wine Extravaganza starting at 7pm at Fort Edmonton Park
• Dec. 14: Home Alone in Concert starting at 7:30pm at Jubilee Auditorium
• Dec. 15: A Christmas Past starting at 1pm at Rutherford House
• Dec. 15: Justice4Reel Film Festival: My Friend the Terrorist - A Story of Love and Revolution starting at 3pm at CKUA Performance Space

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Dec. 22: Brunch with Santa at Sherbooke Community Hall
• Dec. 31: Family Fest at Heritage Park Pavilion
• Until Jan. 1: Zoominescence at Edmonton Valley Zoo

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