Week in Review - March 4, 2016
March 04, 2016
Last Friday saw the Mayor at the Art Gallery of Alberta, where he opened the third Let’s Talk Growth event. The event featured Vancouver's former chief planner Brent Toderian who spoke of that city’s growth challenges and the opportunities they presented. Mayor Iveson stressed in his speech the leadership Edmonton has shown in creating transportation choices that link residents to activity nodes and centres throughout the city.
City Council passed a number of motions and bylaws this week that will move some significant projects forward. The first was a motion approving the environmental impact study for the funicular in the River Valley, allowing construction of the project to begin on March 7th. Having mechanized access to the river valley will allow all Edmontonians the opportunity to enjoy one of our city’s greatest assets, no matter their mobility challenges. The $24-million allocated to the funicular is part of a larger package of funding provided by the provincial and federal governments in 2013 and is under the purview of the River Valley Alliance.
Another important report included the passage of a bylaw that designated McDougall Church as a Municipal Historic Resource. The 106-year-old church is a prominent marker and community gathering place in Edmonton’s downtown that is known for its outstanding acoustics. The new designation will go a long way in helping ensure the building is preserved and protected for use by future generations of Edmontonians. Mayor Iveson supported the designation as it will protect this iconic symbol of city heritage from demolition, protecting our past as the city continues to grow.
On Tuesday, the city’s new vehicle-for-hire bylaw came into effect - making the City of Edmonton the first Canadian municipality to have a legal framework that allows ride-sharing services. While one ride-sharing company decided to suspend service until it could obtain the proper provincially-approved insurance that day, other new ride-sharing companies are making their way into Edmonton. Five regional ride-sharing dispatchers have been issued licenses and one commercial dispatcher has been approved - next will be the registration of drivers. While embracing innovation in the vehicle-for-hire market was a prime motivator for the bylaw changes, so too was ensuring the safety of passengers, drivers and other road users. This new bylaw creates better enforcement mechanisms to ensure drivers have proper licensing and insurance in place before hitting the road.
Next Tuesday Mayor Iveson will be at the Prairie Wood Design Awards to welcome and congratulate the design and architect firms who have proven excellence in the use of wood in building construction. Then on Friday, watch out for him at the Kids with Cancer Society’s Beaded Journey Gala, raising funds to make the wishes of these children come true.
That wraps up another week in the Mayor’s Office. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful weekend in Edmonton, the city with the largest urban parkland in North America!
For More Information
Mayor Don Iveson
2nd Floor, City Hall
1 Sir Winston Churchill Square
Edmonton, AB
T5J 2R7
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