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Greenspace said:
Don't know if anyone else was Downtown last night but it was pretty hopping. Between Al Fresco 104 Street (during the day), PrideFest, Garth Brooks fans and multiple grads, it was busy everywhere.

Certain amount of visible disorder that needs to be addressed, but when it's busy no one seems to really mind.
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Agreed. Very busy and nice to see. It's too bad the city hall water fountains/wading pool get completely cut off when there are events like Taste of Edmonton last year and Pridefest this year. The pools were so busy but you couldn't see it and if you were at the pool you couldn't see the huge crowd at Churchill Square. If it could somehow be opened up without all the vendors set up in front of it and more relocated to the sides I think it would create a better scene.

Ice District was pretty quiet. Fairly steady stream of people walking along 102 Avenue corridor because of the 104 st event at the same time as Churchill.

It was actually nice running along River Valley Road Saturday morning with no cars, too, as it was closed for the cycling event.

What a beautiful weekend. Seriously, when looking at our river valley on days like this, not many cities can compare to this level of natural beauty in the heart. River valley is amazing right now.
 
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Al Fresco is back!
FWHdesaUUAEbUDF

https://twitter.com/x/status/1540756071903424512
 
Churchill fountains were busy this afternoon, but pretty quiet elsewhere. In some ways, our quietness makes downtown quite pleasant and peaceful though. More people would be nice, but the low number of vehicles is awesome vs the loudness of a Vancouver/Toronto.

The fountains sure remind me how much life comes from kids and families being DT. We need more playgrounds and kids spaces in the core.

Also, anyone know how sidewalk work is done DT? Aside from a big project like Jasper Ave or repairs, do they do different stretches each year? Or try to get developments to take them on? 103st is so rough. 106st. And a lot of random spots just have major issues with crumbling, broken chunks, big cracks, etc. I actually think the sidewalks and gravel are a key part of our image problem.
 
TAS said:
Agreed. Very busy and nice to see. It's too bad the city hall water fountains/wading pool get completely cut off when there are events like Taste of Edmonton last year and Pridefest this year. The pools were so busy but you couldn't see it and if you were at the pool you couldn't see the huge crowd at Churchill Square. If it could somehow be opened up without all the vendors set up in front of it and more relocated to the sides I think it would create a better scene.

Ice District was pretty quiet. Fairly steady stream of people walking along 102 Avenue corridor because of the 104 st event at the same time as Churchill.

It was actually nice running along River Valley Road Saturday morning with no cars, too, as it was closed for the cycling event.

What a beautiful weekend. Seriously, when looking at our river valley on days like this, not many cities can compare to this level of natural beauty in the heart. River valley is amazing right now.
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I was out and about between downtown and Whyte this weekend. Definitely a buzz created from garth, pride, bomfest, national cycling, street markets, etc. It's been a long time since I have noticed that many tourists in our city. Walking downtown last night around midnight, the vibe was good and the security of other people being around eroded the usual uneasy feeling. Overall great weekend in the city.
 
thommyjo said:
Churchill fountains were busy this afternoon, but pretty quiet elsewhere. In some ways, our quietness makes downtown quite pleasant and peaceful though. More people would be nice, but the low number of vehicles is awesome vs the loudness of a Vancouver/Toronto.

The fountains sure remind me how much life comes from kids and families being DT. We need more playgrounds and kids spaces in the core.

Also, anyone know how sidewalk work is done DT? Aside from a big project like Jasper Ave or repairs, do they do different stretches each year? Or try to get developments to take them on? 103st is so rough. 106st. And a lot of random spots just have major issues with crumbling, broken chunks, big cracks, etc. I actually think the sidewalks and gravel are a key part of our image problem.
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DT sidewalk renewal has bene exceptionally hodgepodge in nature with many beyond disrepair.

I reported a bunch of them two or three years ago and they responded by asphalting over top.
 
Few care and many of those spots are either the property owner's responsibility or they fall between the cracks.

The various community/business led cleanups were smaller than in past years as well.
 
Yes and no.

The shear number of private properties that barely clear snow, let alone sweep and clean in the spring or I dunno wash their frontage and plant some flowers maybe... so this doesn't surprise me.

We simply don't have a high enough standard of care, high enough desire for a city/place of work/home that is clean and inviting and want for a city that looks the best that it could.
 
thommyjo said:
Churchill fountains were busy this afternoon, but pretty quiet elsewhere. In some ways, our quietness makes downtown quite pleasant and peaceful though. More people would be nice, but the low number of vehicles is awesome vs the loudness of a Vancouver/Toronto.

The fountains sure remind me how much life comes from kids and families being DT. We need more playgrounds and kids spaces in the core.

Also, anyone know how sidewalk work is done DT? Aside from a big project like Jasper Ave or repairs, do they do different stretches each year? Or try to get developments to take them on? 103st is so rough. 106st. And a lot of random spots just have major issues with crumbling, broken chunks, big cracks, etc. I actually think the sidewalks and gravel are a key part of our image problem.
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106 street and 107 Streets will mostly be getting new streetscaping when the Warehouse Park is being constructed.

Streetscaping is part of the 3 year (4 year?!?) Capital Budget cycle which Council will debate this fall. Right now we have 5 different streetscapes on Jasper Avenue 96 st to 124 st, hoping some more of that gets done.

In terms of minor repairs, if EPCOR comes and, say, rips up the street and does a temporary asphalt repair, it can take the City 2-3 years to repair it properly they're so far behind.
 
'In terms of minor repairs, if EPCOR comes and, say, rips up the street and does a temporary asphalt repair, it can take the City 2-3 years to repair it properly they're so far behind.'

Or never.

It's disturbing how we just spent a ton of money on 100-102st and yet it looks AWFUL and part of that is from the multiple asphalt patches from other work.

I met with the COE and asked about this in 2018. They have 1-2 crews to do this work and are 'years' behind, but I kept tract of a few spots on Jasper, 102st near Commerce and on 100st and these have been left for 5+ years.

Again, a system without accountability, proper resourcing and no real system of any kind in place it seems.
 
It is better coordinated now, but really relying on the community league and BIA to report issues.

We have half the sod up at Alex Decoteau Park yet Green Shack Programming is supposed to start July 5. They took out all the chips in Michael Phair Park even though the park had been booked for Al Fresco this past Saturday. I get it's a large beaurocracy but it's like one arm isn't talking to the other sometimes.
 
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