March tidbits
A couple of updates: a project I’ve been working on called the Edmonton Learning City Initiative became an official Council Initiative today. More on this to come in May and June. Here are the terms of reference.
The mayor has put speculation to rest an announced that he will run again. The pundits are already reading the entrails to see what impact it will have on this fall’s elections. I am glad the question is settled. Everyone seemed to be in a much calmer state of mind at Council today.
Also the province announced further changes to Municipal campaign finance reform via Bill 9. It proposes to fix some of the implementation issues with the previous bill, but it also relaxes limist on contributions per person/corporation/union to $5000 per year instead of $5000 per campaign period (which is three years). Might as well not have a limit. I have a motion establishing a $5000 contribution limit for Edmonton that was postponed until we get an update on Bill 9.
Last week I was able to take a tour of two of our fleet facilities – the Westwood transit garage and the Davies garage where most of the rest of the fleet gets fixed. There are more than 4000 vehicles in the city fleet and they all need tires, oil changes, and sometimes a whole lot more than that. Got some neat pics with the iPhone.
These buses will be back on the road for afternoon rush hour.
I was impressed with how much our staff can handle. This bus was in a head on collision and is being rebuilt. Insurance will cover the cost above the deductible.
We have 150 trucks that can swap out sander units (silver) for dump truck bins (white, lower right), and water trucks and asphalt hauling bins – Transformers-style. Designed and custom built by the city’s own fabrication shop.
Tomorrow I will be doing a site visit of Quesnell bridge to see construction progress. Did I mention I love field trips? Have since elementary school.
DON, your link to the Edmonton Learning City Initiative terms of reference is down – please fix.
Does this have anything to do with EPSB’s Sector Reviews, which threaten to remove local learning opportunities for thousands of children living in mature neighbourhoods? Look out, this is going to be a huge campaign issue, for both the Trustees (Public and Catholic) and Council.
Of course, the Province must get dragged into it too. Your leadership on that front would be much appreciated. ~Rob
Fixed the link. The Initiative is not directly related to the sector reviews or school closures – you’ll see from the Terms that the work is focused on program collaboration. Plus, we’ve defined learning very broadly and while it includes formal education it spans far beyond that.
So I take your point that school funding, usage, and closure issues as they relate to city planning will be a big issue both in the campaign and hopefully beyond. I don’t see this initiative as the battleground for reconciling those larger issues. The point has also been made that if some schools do close there are opportunities for those facilities to be used for other community learning initiatives; I would certainly prefer that those activities compliment a viable operating school, but that’s my opinion.
As you know, Don, I’m also very concerned with what is happening in the inner city and Hardisty, where half of public schools are being closed.
How strong is the planning relationship between the city and the EPSB? Council seems to be reinvesting in established areas, through major projects such as the Quarters and on a smaller-scale with initiatives such as Great Neighbourhoods. At the same time, the Board of Trustees seems to be deinvesting: for example, closing McCauley School, which would serve not only the Quarters, but also the Boyle Renaissance and Stadium Stadium projects.
When I talk to EPSB planners, they tell me sprawl in Edmonton is perpetual, making school closures inevitable. City planners tell me the next generation of parents will prioritize sustainability and that signs of revival are already evident in older parts of Edmonton.
What will it take to get various levels of government working together as a team to accomplish the best possible future for our children?