The Pulse
Oct. 5, 2023

A queer non-profit is bringing its annual Halloween bash to a historical building in the heart of downtown Edmonton.

The Fruit Loop Society of Alberta is hosting its Halloween Fun House event at the Pendennis Building on Oct. 28.

"We're trying to lean into its natural architecture of whimsy. There is such an encouragement to explore, to be surprised, and to give yourself over to a lens of discovery and curiosity," Joshua Wolchansky, Fruit Loop's director of entertainment, told Taproot.

The event takes place over five floors and features more than 50 performers, such as drag artists Cedar T and Karly Klimax, alongside magician Jay Flair. Some will be presented in conventional performance environments, but many others will be roving and popping up.

"We'll have 50 to 70 individuals who are contracted in a talent capacity," Wolchansky said. "That could be anything from a pole dancer … or a ghost-story teller, where you're roaming and immersive. It could be fortune typists. There's going to be all sorts of people who are lending their artistic expertise in making this show."

People have certain expectations about what a queer or Halloween event looks like, Wolchansky said. Fruit Loop wants to upend that, taking influence from immersive theatre experiences like Sleep No More and Queen of the Night.

"There's going to be things that you know and love, and there's going to be some things that might surprise you — will hopefully delight you," he said. "Then also, with the idea of what a queer party is going to be, there is again going to be things that we all know and expect, and there are going to the opportunities where we want to provide a spotlight for queer performance writ large. It doesn't need to necessarily be the conventional entertainment programming that you would see in a club, but we want to support queer art, centre queer art, and celebrate queer art."

One artist who will do so is CallMeKeeks. She does clown, drag, and "anything circus." While she didn't want to reveal too much, she told Taproot she will bring "very scary, sexy clown and demon stuff" to the event.

The Pendennis Building, a Municipal Historic Resource at 9660 Jasper Avenue NW, was built in 1911 and renovated by Pendennis Developments in 2019 and 2020. It serves as a commercial real estate building in addition to renting space for events.

• Council approved a new tax subclass that allows the city to apply higher tax rates to owners of derelict residential properties in mature neighbourhoods. The city said the subclass targets properties that "show serious signs of neglect, are dilapidated, are falling into significant disrepair, or are unlivable," and includes properties abandoned during construction or demolition. About 300 affected property owners will get a letter explaining the subclass this fall, and assessments will be sent out in January. The new subclass builds on the city's broader Problem Property Initiative, which targets properties that create risks related to fire, safety, public health, or repeated criminal activity, although not all "problem properties" are considered derelict.
• The city expects to have hundreds more shelter spaces available for people experiencing homelessness this winter, with most of the 1,727 funded spaces projected to be open by Nov. 1, administration told council during an Oct. 4 meeting. In contrast, the city had 1,280 available shelter spaces in January of this year. The additional spaces show "incredible progress" from the provincial government, which added funding for more permanent spaces, said Jennifer Flaman, a deputy city manager. Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said he hopes the increase in shelter spaces means people "don't have to seek refuge in public places where they're forced to do so now." Currently, 1,072 spaces are open. According to the Homeward Trust By Name List, 1,240 people were sleeping outdoors or in shelters as of Sept. 23.
• City council narrowly approved a motion from Coun. Andrew Knack to explore options for a financial relief program for businesses impacted by multi-year construction projects. Knack's motion was prompted by concerns raised by Stony Plain Road businesses, which have reported disruptions, falling revenues, and fewer customers caused by Valley Line West LRT construction. It was Knack's third time presenting the motion after it was previously rejected by council twice.
• Sandeep Agrawal, a professor in the University of Alberta Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, says the city's zoning bylaw renewal initiative can reverse the trend of pushing people to the suburbs and reduce barriers to multiple marginalized groups. Agrawal, who co-authored an article this spring to assess inequity in Edmonton's current zoning bylaw, argues limits on development in single-family zones can make certain areas unaffordable for newcomers and immigrants. There is a need for housing that can accommodate large families, said Omar Yaqub with the Islamic Family & Social Services Association, noting that many newcomer and Indigenous families live in extended family networks. An August 2022 city report projected Edmonton will need 30,800 new housing units by 2026 for households with an annual income under $45,000.
• Council gave final approval to two new affordable housing projects to support vulnerable people, newcomers, and people living with disabilities. The city-led Holyrood supportive housing project and the Right At Home Housing Society project in King Edward Park received $15.4 million through the federal Rapid Housing Initiative. The city also approved the sale of the Holyrood property to Homeward Trust, which will operate the housing project once it's completed.
• Alliance MJ Developments has purchased Ellerslie Rugby Park, a 10-hectare site near the corner of Ellerslie Road and 111 Street, for a mixed-used development. The project is in early stages, but the developer says its vision is to "create a vibrant urban village with amenities and services to meet the needs of current and future residents." The park was created in the 1970s as a regional rugby hub and hosted sports for 50 years, but it closed in 2022 due to financial difficulties.
• EndPovertyEdmonton is sponsoring a new podcast called the LiftEd Podcast, hosted by former city councillor Scott McKeen and EndPovertyEdmonton executive director Erick Ambtman. The podcast will be released twice monthly and aims to "live up to its name, LiftEd, by elevating many of Edmonton's most challenging social issues into the public consciousness." The first episode introduces the podcast, and the second features a conversation with former mayor Don Iveson.
• Nickelback is scheduled to perform during the NHL Heritage Classic at Commonwealth Stadium on Oct. 29. Tickets to the game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames are available on Ticketmaster. The rock band was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame during this year's Juno Awards in Edmonton.
• The Canadian Elite Basketball League gave a CEBL Business Award to the Edmonton Stingers in the category of "Community Champion." The league highlighted the team's initiatives of replacing 500 mesh nets around Edmonton, raising $500,000 to refurbish public school courts, and running high school programs. The club also launched the Stingers Foundation this year, which will run the team's community projects going forward.

Here are some opportunities to offer your input on civic initiatives, including Edmonton's district planning and animal policies, as well as the feasibility of a museum in Strathcona County.

• Museum & Archives Feasibility Study — Strathcona County council is expecting a presentation in 2024 on a new museum and archive. Partners such as the Strathcona County Museum & Archives, a non-profit run by the Strathcona County Heritage Foundation, are working on a feasibility study. Residents are invited to complete a survey to inform the project until Oct. 12.
• Animal Licensing and Control Bylaw Renewal: Phase 1 of Public Engagement — The City of Edmonton is working on a renewal of its Animal Licensing and Control Bylaw, which is more than 20 years old. An in-person public engagement session is scheduled for Oct. 14 at the Lauderdale Off-Leash Dog Park. Residents can submit online feedback about regulations around dogs, cats, bees, chickens, rabbits, and other domesticated animals until Nov. 5.
• District Planning Engagement Sessions — The City of Edmonton is hosting information and engagement sessions with the team behind the District Planning project, which aims to organize Edmonton into 15-minute districts, guide neighbourhood redevelopment, and simplify land-use policies. The 90-minute sessions aim to help residents understand what the project means for their neighbourhood, allowing them to ask questions and share thoughts. They are happening on Oct. 25, Oct. 26, Nov. 7, and Nov. 16.

More input opportunities

• By Oct. 6: Summerside Street Lab (evaluation) in Edmonton
• By Oct. 8: Athlone Rezoning (supportive housing, park space) in Edmonton
• By Oct. 8: Gariepy Neighbourhood and Alley Renewal (refine-level engagement) in Edmonton
• By Oct. 10: Carlton Street Lab (exploration) in Edmonton
• By Oct. 10: Beverly Heights Street Lab (evaluation) in Edmonton
• By Oct. 17: Parkdale Street Lab (exploration) in Edmonton
• By Oct. 31: Transit Master Plan in Strathcona County
• By Dec. 31: Public Washroom Survey in Edmonton
• By Dec. 31: Public Engagement Feedback Survey in Edmonton

Photo: A dog rests on the sidewalk in the sun. (Mack Male/Flickr)