The Pulse: April 17, 2026

This week's batch of calls for public engagement includes a survey about Rossdale neighbourhood renewal, several budget surveys around the region, and drop-in sessions in Parkland County.

The draft design for neighbourhood renewal in Rossdale includes reconstructed or new sidewalks, narrower streets, a new protected bike lane, and the potential closure of one intersection that administration calls confusing.

An online survey will be open until May 3, and there will be a drop-in event at ArtsHub Ortona on April 21. Administration said the feedback will be used to refine the design. The neighbourhood renewal process is intended to bring the infrastructure of a neighbourhood up to current city standards, with the capacity to serve for the next 30 to 50 years.

Rossdale is one of the most historic places in Alberta — it was a gathering place for trade, celebration, and ceremony for Indigenous people for thousands of years pre-colonization, and it was the site of some of the area's first fur trading posts for the Hudson's Bay Company and North West Company. Today, the area has portions of dense residential development along with several empty lots, bisected by large arterial roads. The neighbourhood has a greater-than-average share of residents who rely on walking to get around.

The scope of the project includes local roads in the Rossdale neighbourhood, not arterial and collector roads such as 97 Avenue and Rossdale Road. The project aims to connect pedestrian and cycling routes, as there are some streets that don't have sidewalks. There will also be a new protected bike route for just over a block along 97 Avenue that connects to shared-use paths.

Administration has proposed closing vehicle access to Rossdale Road from 102 Street and 98 Avenue. "The current intersection configuration results in overlapping driving and crossing movements that are unclear and unpredictable for people driving, walking, and biking," the design booklet said. It's not the first time that access to Rossdale Road has been restricted — the city reduced part of the road to one-way only and converted the former vehicle lanes to green space in 2023. The design also includes narrowing some roads and adding traffic-calming measures to discourage shortcutting.

The changes are meant to prepare Rossdale for increased development, the draft said. The first phase of another project in Rossdale got the green light on April 15 — council approved $15 million to start the River Crossing Community Redevelopment plan, which will see part of the parking area north of Re/Max Field serviced, subdivided, and sold so that up to 300 units of medium- to high-density housing can be built there. The River Crossing Community Redevelopment plan also calls for the rehabilitation of the road directly north of the field, and the creation of a new road just east of the parking area, with construction set to begin in 2027.

Administration said it is continuing to engage with partners on a plan for a potential heritage interpretive park, and it is still seeking possible partnerships for the adaptive reuse of the Rossdale Power Plant.

• BILD Edmonton Metro published a 22-point plan to reset the public conversation around infill development in Edmonton. The plan aims to address public backlash, including recent arsons, by proposing clear regulations, streamlined approvals and permitting, and improved communication with residents and businesses. Jan Hardstaff of the Residential Infill Working Group welcomed the commitment to considering residents as stakeholders. It intends to accelerate infill development to 50% of new housing, aligning with Edmonton's City Plan.
• The City of Edmonton's yard waste collection for curbside residences begins April 20, with two collection days until June 15. All pickups will happen on Mondays. Waste must be in clear plastic or double-ply paper bags. Residents can also use Eco Stations or add yard waste to food scraps carts. An elm tree pruning ban is in effect until Sept. 30 to prevent the spread of Dutch elm disease. The spring waste collection schedule begins April 28. The City will begin collecting food scraps weekly. Garbage collection remains on a biweekly schedule and recycling is collected weekly. Waste collection schedules are available through the WasteWise app.
• The Edmonton Police Service recorded fewer overall reports of hate crimes in 2025 compared to previous years, but said that violent incidents increased, comprising nearly 75% of cases. Police attributed the rise to "Alberta's evolving sociopolitical environment," including protests and online rhetoric. The 2SLGBTQIA+, Black, South Asian, and Arab communities were most targeted. On April 16, the Edmonton Police Commission directed police to investigate under-reporting of hate crimes and identify ways to remove barriers.
• The City of Edmonton is welcoming golfers back to municipal courses for the 2026 season. The Victoria Driving Range opens on April 17, operating 9am to 8pm, extending to 9pm starting May 1. Opening dates for the Riverside, Rundle, and Victoria golf courses will be announced soon. Beginning in June, Riverside Golf Course will undergo irrigation upgrades and infrastructure improvements, leading to one hole closure each weekday, with all greens available on weekends and holidays.
• Dozens of vehicles required repairs after fuelling up between April 14 and 15 at the Esso station at Ellerslie Road and Summerside Drive in south Edmonton. Drivers reported vehicles stalling or not starting due to gasoline contaminated with water. Michael Bauman of Mike the Mechanic said water contamination can cause damage that can cost more than $1,000 to repair. The station's pumps were shut down on April 15, and Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally encouraged affected drivers to contact the consumer protection unit for an investigation.
• The Edmonton Police Service has paused its investigation into the April 8, 2025, arson that destroyed the Plaza 34 strip mall at 34 Avenue and 92 Street in south Edmonton, citing a lack of information. A year later, no arrests have been made, frustrating business owners. The fire caused millions in damages, affecting 25 units. Police previously released an image of a person of interest.
• Several Alberta municipalities, including Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Camrose, and Calgary, are urging the province to pause changes to disability benefits under the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program. Set for July 1, the changes will automatically transfer recipients to the Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP), reducing monthly payments by $200. Edmonton city council passed a motion in January seeking a pause, citing concerns about lack of consultation and effect on people who are unable to work. The province said it won't pause the change.
• Alberta's United Conservative Party government wants to create a special legislative committee to redraw provincial electoral boundaries, aiming to increase the legislature to 91 seats. This motion to create the committee rejects the boundaries proposed by the independent Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission, which recommended 89 seats. Brandon Lunty, UCP MLA for Leduc-Beaumont, will chair the committee, which includes three UCP and two NDP members. The committee, which will not hold public hearings, will receive advice from an advisory panel and submit a report by Nov. 2. Elections Alberta expressed concern about the tight timeline before the fall 2027 election.

On this day in 1919, one of Edmonton's oldest movie theatres was showing a silent film starring Mildred Harris, Charlie Chaplin's first wife.

At the beginning of the 20th century, movies were a big deal in Edmonton. The city's first movie theatre was the Bijou, which opened in a converted storefront in 1908, offering hard wooden seats and a hand-cranked projector. But audiences were hooked, setting off a small boom of theatre construction on and around Jasper Avenue. Within five years of the Bijou's opening, Edmonton was home to a dozen cinemas.

The Dreamland Theatre was one of the best known. It was built in 1910 on 97 Street and Jasper Avenue, on the site of a live theatre that had burned down the year before. For many, it served as a gateway both to Edmonton's downtown and its growing cinema district.

In 1920, the Dreamland was purchased by Alex Entwhistle, adding to his growing network of cinemas in the city. Entwhistle's company, run by him and his two sons, was a major force in the city's entertainment industry, also managing the Empress, the Pantages/Strand, and the Princess (which has since fallen on hard times).

Movie theatres have always been a fast-moving business. Especially in the early years of the industry, cinemas were in a continual race with their competitors to offer the latest technology and luxuries to their audiences. That was especially true in a competitive market like Edmonton. Over the years, the Dreamland would see several upgrades. In 1929, a few months after the Princess played the first "talkie" film in Edmonton, the Dreamland added its own sound system. The Edmonton Journal noted that the upgrade meant all of the city's movie theatres were now wired for sound, spelling the end of the silent movie era in Edmonton.

In 1938, the Dreamland was closed for what was called a renovation, but it was more like a complete rebuild. The original wooden structure was replaced with a brick-and-steel construction. The rebuild added new sound equipment, new projection technology, as well as air-conditioning and modern heating. And a bright neon marquee sign would continue to make the theatre a beacon on the eastern edge of Jasper Avenue.

The Dreamland would be an anchor of the city's cinema industry for decades. But by the 1960s and 1970s, Canada's historic movie theatres were being pushed out as audiences shifted to larger complexes with multiple screens. The Dreamland continued to show first- and second-run movies up until 1971, when its projectors were finally shut down. The building sat largely empty for the next seven years, until it was eventually torn down to make way for the new Edmonton Convention Centre.

While the old Dreamland is now gone, its six decades as the "brightest spot on Jasper Avenue East" cemented it in the memories of many. The theatre was the inspiration behind the Dream.big art installation alongside the convention centre. It also served as a central setting in Edmonton author Laurel Deedrick-Mayne's wartime novel, A Wake for the Dreamland.

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

Correction: This file has been updated to indicate that 1919 was in the 20th century, not the 19th.

Here are some events happening this weekend in the Edmonton area.

• April 17: Artisan Market starting at 10am at Edmonton City Centre
• April 17: Housing is a human right starting at 2pm at University of Alberta (Tory Building)
• April 17-18: Stage Struck! One Act Play Festival at Workshop West Playwrights' Theatre
• April 17-19: Canadian Wheelchair Basketball League Finals at Saville Community Sports Centre
• April 17-19: The Ukrainian Film Festival at Garneau Theatre
• April 18: Art Hive Open Craft Studio starting at 10am at The Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse
• April 18: Civic Social Night starting at 12pm at CO*LAB
• Until April 18: Tiny House Concert Series at John Walter Museum
• April 19: Hardisty Leisure Centre Open House starting at 1pm at Hardisty Fitness and Leisure Centre
• April 19: Pitch-In to help Strathcona County shine kick-off event starting at 1pm at Broadmoor Lake Park
• April 19: Melissa Penney: A Playground for Birds starting at 2pm at St. Albert Public Library (Downtown)
• April 19: Sounds of YEG starting at 7:30pm at Winspear Centre

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• April 23: YEG Trivia Night with ECAMP and Taproot at The Canadian Brewhouse (Downtown)
• April 25: Summer Camp in the City: All Ages Fundraiser & Silent Auction at Evolution Wonderlounge
• May 5: Climate Cafe at Earth's Refillery Coop

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

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