The Pulse: Feb. 18, 2026

Paul Collis remembers a time when the Rossdale Power Plant was filled with steam, noise, and life.

"Rossdale was a family," Collis told Taproot, describing his job as "putting in time" instead of work. "I don't like that four-letter word with a W."

Nearly 40 km away from Rossdale sits the Edmonton Power Historical Foundation, a museum and archival centre in Leduc County that preserves the history of electricity in Edmonton. Collis, who worked at the plant for 30 years, is among the people who keep the foundation running and the memory of the plant alive.

Since the 1930s, the Rossdale Power Plant has been a landmark in the river valley. This was once the place that kept Edmonton's lights on, or, on at least one memorable occasion, needed some quick repairs to put them back on.

Collis, who worked as a power engineer, was there in 1973 when an explosion at Edmonton Power's Hardisty substation set off a chain reaction that blew out the transformers in Rossdale and knocked out the entire city's electricity for more than an hour.

"It was March the 17th, and I was at home, and I phoned down to the plant, and they said, 'Yeah, you get down here right now,'" Collis remembered. "So I spent my Saturday off down there, getting the lights back on."

Since the plant was decommissioned in 2012, it has sat gutted and empty.

In January, the City of Edmonton renewed its call for submissions for adaptive reuse of the building. Applications are open until April 30, and the decision-makers want to see a clear vision, secured funding, and a willingness to work with Indigenous communities.

Taproot went on a media tour of the facility in January, then asked Collis to share what used to be there.

• Edmonton city council voted 8-4 to maintain the maximum number of units for new infill developments at eight dwellings, rejecting a motion from Coun. Karen Principe to reduce it to six. Council also voted 10-3 to direct administration to prepare bylaw amendments that would limit new infill to 9.5 metres in total height, and voted 11-2 to instruct administration to draft a private tree protection bylaw. The bylaws will be debated and voted on at a public hearing. A feasibility study found that approximately 292 homes were issued permits to be redeveloped into six- to eight-unit buildings, amounting to 0.5% of the city's housing inventory.
• The City of Edmonton has declared a Phase 1 parking ban starting Feb. 18 at 7am, and has enlisted 100 private graders to assist with snow clearing as about 15 to 30 centimetres of snow has fallen across the region since Monday night. Spokesperson Valerie Dacyk said bringing in private contractors before the snow stops will help clear the roads faster. "As always, we just ask for residents to have patience and give our crews room to work," Dacyk said. "We want to get those roads clear and ready for use as soon as possible."
• An Edmonton Public Schools review of the school resource officer program found mostly positive feedback from staff, students, and families after the program returned to some schools last year. Officers have returned to 13 schools across Edmonton, with seven more schools getting SROs this month. Students surveyed generally appreciated the approachable, friendly, and visible presence of the SRO, though some community members expressed concerns about ensuring marginalized communities and youth are properly supported.
• Edmonton faces a $10-billion gap in funding for renewing roads, recreation centres, and other infrastructure over the next decade, according to a recent presentation. Even if the city allocates every unconstrained dollar toward refurbishment during this period, it will still be $10 billion short of what's needed. "There needs to be a dramatic rebalancing of infrastructure spending between new and old, understanding that there is painfully little room to add to the city's asset base," columnist Keith Gerein wrote.
• Chandos Construction said in a news release that okimaw peyesew kamik (King Thunderbird Centre), which opened in December, has achieved Zero Carbon Building Design v3 certification and features on-site renewable power generation through 360 solar photovoltaic panels and a geothermal energy system. The centre "is a space deeply rooted in Indigenous culture and practice," Diana Elniski, executive advisor at Boyle Street Community Services, said. "That means being good caretakers of the land we live on and honouring it as Treaty 6 people. The solar and geothermal energy systems allow us to provide a place for healing, dignity, and safety to everyone who enters while minimizing our environmental footprint."
• Olivia and Noah remained the most popular baby names in Alberta for 2025, with Olivia holding the top spot for 13 consecutive years, and Noah for seven years. More than 52,000 births were registered in Alberta in 2025, with parents choosing more than 14,500 unique names.
• Edmonton Oilers centre Josh Samanski received rave reviews at the 2026 Olympics, scoring a goal and an assist as Germany beat France 5-1 to advance to the quarter-final against Slovakia. The 23-year-old has turned himself into a two-way force and proved to be a capable third-line centre, columnist David Staples wrote.

Correction: This file has been updated to more accurately reflect what council decided on the height of infill developments and where bylaw amendments are in the legislative process.

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Tours for Tots | 20 Artists 1 Love starting at 10am at Art Gallery of Alberta
• The Rainforest Survey: Insights & Next Steps starting at 12pm online
• ASTech Awards Information/Office Hours Sessions starting at 1:30pm online
• Makerspace Cart starting at 3:30pm at Stony Plain Public Library
• Lunar New Year Wontons starting at 6pm at Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)
• Audreys Genre Book Club starting at 7pm at Audreys Books
• Writers' Guild of Alberta Pub Night starting at 7pm at Rooster Cafe & Kitchen

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Feb. 25: Roots & Routes at Fox Burger
• Feb. 28: Brunch For Ben at Matrix Hotel
• March 3: Let's Find Out: About The Whale Society of Edmonton at City of Edmonton Archives

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

Test your crossword prowess and deploy a little of your Edmonton knowledge. Complete the puzzle.

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