The co-hosts of Episode 319 of Speaking Municipally explored the insulting remarks a former Edmonton Police Commission chair reportedly made to city councillors, the unlikely ban for cars on 76 Avenue at the Mill Creek Ravine, and an ongoing push to hush vehicles. Here's a quick snapshot.
1. McDougall's campaign against councillors
The co-hosts discussed a Tyee story that reported ex-Edmonton Police Commission chair John McDougall has made personal insults to city councillors online and in text messages. McDougall has reportedly called Coun. Michael Janz an "awful human being" and Coun. Anne Stevenson a "colossal nightmare," while Coun. Erin Rutherford said in the story that McDougall's remarks frightened her. Though the Tyee reported that the relationship between city council and the police commission has improved since McDougall's departure, as well as the departure of former Edmonton Police Service chief, Dale McFee, it also pointed out that McDougall has made the comments during the lead up to the 2025 municipal election. The hosts said that McDougall, who announced he was moving to Europe last year and initially planned to keep his post with the commission, faces few repercussions.
"It's a little too bad that all this is happening after he's already retiring in Portugal and can't really face any consequences for his actions, other than a poor legacy," co-host Stephanie Swensrude said. "It's too bad that it didn't happen while he was in Edmonton."
2. Call to remove vehicles from 76 Avenue ignored
City council's urban design committee unanimously approved an environmental impact assessment on Aug. 12 that plans to allow drivers to cross the Mill Creek Ravine via 76 Avenue as part of a renewal and replacement project for the existing bridge. The decision follows a call from Paths for People to close the crossing to drivers, which Taproot reported on in January. It was an idea that the Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition and others supported. Council has yet to approve the assessment, Swensrude said, but added the vote to approve is a formality. Nathan Binnema told the committee that closing this part of 76 Avenue would only slightly increase existing traffic on 82 Avenue NW and 63 Avenue NW.
"(It would be) nothing crazy," co-host Mack Male said in agreement with Binnema. "That's a manageable increase in traffic to both of those routes, and as alternates, they're not that far away. It's not going to add that much travel time."
3. Decibels cause councillor noise
At the same urban planning committee meeting, Coun. Michael Janz issued a notice of motion calling for the city to spend $50,000 to acquire SoundVue technology to monitor excessive vehicle noise, which is subject to fines starting at $1,000. Janz said the measurement system is already used in New York City and London, England, that vehicle noise is sometimes a byproduct of speeding and dangerous driving, and that current enforcement efforts are not solving the problem. Janz stressed the tech would be deployed to issue warnings only, at least at first.
Male said he wondered if this is the same tune council has been singing since a two-year pilot that monitored traffic noise, which began in 2020, while noting that tech has become more sophisticated since then.
"The (prior) technology didn't do a great job. It couldn't tell the difference between different sources of noise or identify the vehicles … There was one instance of enforcement," Male said. "Maybe it's time to look at this again."
The Aug. 15 episode also includes discussion of people spreading love for Edmonton Transit Service, the financial struggles of community leagues, and Taproot's election project. Listening and subscription options are all right here.