The Pulse
July 27, 2023

Edmontonians are clamouring to become electric-bike users, says Coun. Michael Janz, but they'll need more secure parking to keep their pricey pedals safe.

"We'll need more safe, easy lockup facilities," said the councillor from Ward papastew, who is hosting an e-bike information session geared toward seniors on July 28. "An e-bike is much more expensive. You're much more worried about bike theft. If you don't have a parkade or a clear, visible, solid place to lock it, that's concerning."

That's not to say that no secure parking options exist in the city. Century Park Transit Centre launched its secure bike-storage pilot this year. Bike Edmonton is partnering with the city for a bike valet pilot, not dissimilar to one happening in Calgary, to roll out in August.

"It's light infrastructure. We'll be setting up some fencing, and we have some bike racks that we use for different events and programs across the city," said Bike Edmonton's executive director, Greg Glatz. "We'll bring our bike racks, and then we're hiring staff to provide some light tuneup services and monitor parking."

The bike valet will be located on 102 Avenue between 102 and 103 streets, adjacent to Edmonton City Centre mall. More details are forthcoming, but it will be open Thursdays through Sundays at "busy times," said Glatz.

"They've done this in Calgary, Victoria, etc. You bike up, you hand over your bike — and boom — somebody's watching it, and you know it's safe," Janz, who has a page dedicated to cycling in Edmonton, told Taproot.

It's important when expanding secure parking facilities to design bike racks effectively. Lisa Brown, an avid e-bike user who lives in Oliver, said many existing racks are flawed — including those originally installed at Century Park.

"The bike racks that they use are really terrible design," she told Taproot. "It's not easy to fit most normal bikes in there. If you've got a basket and a (storage) rack on your normal bike, you're not going to be able to park your bike on those bike racks and have two points that you can secure a lock to the frame and wheels."

• Edmonton Centre MP Randy Boissonnault has been moved from the tourism portfolio and is now the minister of employment, workforce development, and official languages. The change is part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet overhaul on July 26, which dropped seven ministers and shuffled most portfolios. Boissonnault remains the only cabinet minister from Alberta.
• The odds of the Edmonton Elks winning the Grey Cup are listed at +25,000, far longer than any other team in the CFL. That means a $10 bet on the Elks would pay out $2,500. The team is winless this season and is heading into its July 29 home game against the B.C. Lions with a 20-game losing streak at Commonwealth Stadium. "We want to do better. I expect us to do better. The coaches expect us to do better. This is what we've got to deliver," said CEO Victor Cui, who remains optimistic despite upset fans.
• The CBC's Taylor Lambert explored whether the private sector should develop critical infrastructure like high-speed rail. In recent years, the province has signed memoranda of understanding with Prairie Link to cooperate on a high-speed passenger rail between Edmonton and Calgary and with TransPod in support of its plan to build a hyperloop. Public transportation advocate James Wilt dismissed the hyperloop idea as experimental and said he has "very little faith" that the project would be completed on time and budget. The Rail for Alberta Society, an advocacy group, prefers conventional rail options over high-speed rail, which would add costs and require significant construction.
• Lt.-Col. Kurt Grimsrud of CFB Edmonton will return to Alberta next week after completing a training and capacity-building mission for Ukrainian soldiers. Grimsrud has been overseeing more than 300 Canadians leading training across five missions in the U.K., Latvia, and Poland.
• The Edmonton Pride Float will return to the North Saskatchewan River for a second year on Aug. 12. The float ride will last two hours and feature music, mermaids, and drag queens. Event organizers Elizabeth and Michael Magnussen appeared on Global News Morning to share details. Tickets are available online.
• The annual Edmonton Corn Maze has opened for the 2023 season. Operators chose to carve the maze into a pattern honouring the 150th anniversary of the RCMP. The attraction, which is on the southwest edge of Edmonton, will be open until Oct. 22.
• A Barbie pop-up store has opened inside the Indigo in West Edmonton Mall to align with the Barbie movie that opened in theatres last week. It is one of only two such pop-ups in Canada. It will close on Dec. 31.

Here are some opportunities to offer your input on various civic issues, including downtown revitalization projects in Edmonton as well as housing and tourism in Strathcona County. (Please ensure you live in the affected area before answering surveys.)

• Secondary Suite and Garden Suite survey — Strathcona County is seeking feedback about policies to encourage secondary suites and garden suites in Sherwood Park and nearby hamlets, which is intended to improve housing affordability through gentle densification and housing diversity. The survey is open until Aug. 14.
• 103A Avenue and 99 Street Streetscape and Pedway — The City of Edmonton is seeking feedback on its designs for upgrades to sections of 103A Avenue and 99 Street, which are intended to improve pedestrian and cyclist experiences as part of downtown revitalization. Upgrades to 99 Street include a new underground pedway from Churchill LRT Station to the Station Lands development. In early 2022, council voted 10-3 to uphold its pledge to fund the pedway. Residents can submit a comment to the project team until Aug. 21.
• Strathcona County tourism survey — Strathcona County issued a survey to learn more about how its residents support and engage with local tourism initiatives. The survey comes as the county prepares to host L'Etape Canada by Tour de France, an amateur cyclist event, on Aug. 13. The survey doesn't indicate a closing date.

More input opportunities

• By July 30: Zoning Bylaw Renewal Initiative (advise-level engagement)
• By July 31: Griesbach Rezoning
• By July 31: Arc Pilot Recruitment for Seniors in Edmonton and Strathcona County
• By Aug. 2: Allard Street Lab
• By Aug. 2: Orchards at Ellerslie Street Lab
• By Aug. 2: Webber Greens Street Lab
• By Aug. 8: Laurel Street Lab
• By Aug. 8: Newton Street Lab
• By Aug. 31: Edmonton Business Census
• By Oct. 1: Pop-up Dog Parks Program Evaluation
• By Dec. 31: Public Engagement Feedback Survey

Photo: Rendering of the proposed 99 Street underground pedway, facing north. (City of Edmonton)