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Downtown

BrettB said:
Interesting report going to Executive Committee March 22 outlining uses for the downtown CRL and future opportunities.
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With all of this, you would think our downtown would be booming, but it sure doesn't look like it.

I'm not sure what the city is doing is really as helpful as they might think. All the ongoing construction and delays has been quite disruptive to a lot of retail and commercial businesses in the area.
 
Downtown report: it looks like the city actually did street sweeping!?

Not seeing the usual piles of sand and crud all over the curbs in the DT core. Wow.

New banners on the light standards make a difference.

Lots of people out and about.

Did not see any overflowing garbage cans.

Maybe we actually do know how to maintain winter city streets? Why can't we do this every day, not just for the junos?!
 
With the temperatures set to rise above freezing, I hope the city can start plowing some of the priority areas,, including the snow piles on the side of the road.
 
Noticed how busy downtown was this weekend.
Was at the Winspear Saturday night. Besides Junos, the Citadel was busy as well as the Winspear.

Helped out directing a couple of Families from Fernie and Cranbrook to the Winspear. They all wanted to experience a Symphony and picked the ESO. I would have liked to find them after and ask how they liked it. The Pops concert was actually quite good and the Symphony looked like they were having fun. (would not have gone to a POPS concert, I'm more Masters. But we wanted to hear 2 pieces that my wife had a chance to practice with the ESO on Monday).
I did notice a couple of busses picking up people after the concert so I wonder how many people come in to town for the Symphony.

There was just a buzz in the air .
Ended up at Kellies for a bite after.

And yes downtown seems less grungy.
 
Have been taking in a bit of Junos stuff over the weekend. Ran into to two ladies (mothers of a band) from Toronto, first time this far west. Were impressed with Downtown, walkable, food offerings. Having a casual good time. In terms of disorder said no different than TO and one ladies daughter doesn't want her to take Toronto transit but she does and it's fine.

Downtown is on close to it's 'A' game right now -- saw multiple street sweepers, extra sidewalk cleaning from Local Good, most wayfinding signs were fixed, lots of Juno posters, clean sweep of graffiti, and attention to safety. Also the EDBA/Explore Edmonton ambassadors have been doing a good job at hotels to direct people. I think this will be a good lesson in what to do not just during big events, but all the time Downtown.

Yesterday lots of places were full for brunch and coffee mid Sunday afternoon and that's never usually the case. It's not busy on the street but it has a vibe that there's more people around. As the industry calls it, looking forward to the 'broadcast' tonight (most of the Juno awards were given out on Saturday night at the industry gala).
 
occidentalcapital said:
Maybe we actually do know how to maintain winter city streets? Why can't we do this every day, not just for the junos?!
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No kidding!

Good ol’ City of Edmonton. There are lots of people doing (or trying to do) great things with a high level of care for this city working for the CoE, but even more people whose entire goal working for the City is do the absolute minimum that doesn’t get them in any sort of trouble and avoid any and every single instance where accountability could fall to their feet. In my experiences, Parks and Road services have a lot of folks that fall into the latter group—especially those working downtown spaces which is basically the pulling the short straw. When you have a downtown site on your route/job list, it is an endless overflowing garbage cans that have been rifled through with trash everywhere, a constant threat of being poked by a recklessly discarded sharps and having to be on high alert for being harassed by unsavoury individuals—so you do the absolute bare minimum to get in and get out (and back behind the Save-On on 112th and 82nd until your shift is over).
 
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