The Pulse
July 25, 2024

Artists and non-profit organizations will return to the 110-year-old Ortona Armoury Building in September following a $16.3 million rehabilitation project by the City of Edmonton that dates back to the building's closure in 2019.

Julian Mayne, executive director of Arts Habitat Edmonton, the non-profit that leases and operates the space, told Taproot the building had to be taken down to its bricks. There was asbestos to remove, uneven floors, and other problems you might expect in a century-old building. The reconstruction work, which set out to bring the building to current safety codes and to renovate the interior, began in 2022 and was mostly finished in June, but construction continues on the roof.

The building, now accessible with an elevator, has 19 studios on the second floor that range from 180 square feet to 400 square feet. On the main level, there is a gallery and offices for non-profit organizations. The studios on the second floor will rent for $1 per square foot per month, and the lower level offices will rent for $1.50 per square foot per month. Those rates are less than half the market rate for arts space, the building's general manager Raj Nigam told Taproot during a tour of the building.

Applications to rent space in the building were open until mid-July, and Mayne said Arts Habitat will allocate the studios in August. Previous tenants at the Ortona included the Film and Video Arts Society (FAVA), which has relocated to the Orange Hub, and the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, which is operating out of a nearby office.

The Ortona's courtyard has been converted to what officials call "the solarium" — a performance space that can hold audiences of about 150 people. Nigam said Arts Habitat will also hold artist markets in the space, potentially with food trucks in the adjacent parking lot.

With space for the performing arts, screen industries, visual arts, and music, Mayne said there's potential for multidisciplinary collaboration at the refreshed Ortona. "That's our hope, of course — to build a space where there is lots of diversity, and lots of different disciplines that can use the space and create in the space," he said. "That would be the best case scenario, that we have a really active arts hub that engages both professional artists and the community."

Artists and arts organizations have used the Ortona, located just south of Rossdale Road and close to Re/Max Field, since the 1970s. When the building closed in 2019 and the project to revitalize it began, some artists and historians were concerned the work would ruin the building's heritage value. Marlena Wyman, Edmonton's historian laureate, told CBC in 2019 that heritage buildings inspire artists. "They have nooks and crannies," she said. "They have interesting stories that you can feel behind the walls. You can almost feel the history of everyone who's been in that building and also part of it is because it's a character building."

But Mayne said municipal heritage experts worked on the rehabilitation project. Most of the rooms have a mix of original exposed brick and new stark white walls. Heritage elements were maintained on the floor of the mess room.

The Hudson's Bay Company built the red-brick structure in 1914 for use as a warehouse and stable for its delivery horses. It used the building for 10 years. Over the next 50 years, a butter company, the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve, HMCS Nonsuch, the Navy League Cadet Corps, and several other military groups, called the building home. The building was renamed Ortona Armouries while the Loyal Edmonton Regiment 3rd Battalion was its main tenant in the 1960s. It was designated as a Municipal Historic Resource in 2004.

The rehabilitation project is related to the City of Edmonton's River Crossing Business Plan, which envisions how the Rossdale neighbourhood might transform from a sparse, car-centric area to one with more residential, retail, and recreational uses.

• Wildfires in Jasper National Park, which have forced thousands of residents and visitors to evacuate, grew rapidly, reaching the townsite at 6:40pm on July 24, Parks Canada confirmed. First responders, who were not initially evacuated from Jasper, were relocated to Hinton, while firefighters remained to combat structure fires and protect critical infrastructure. The Alberta government has requested assistance from the Canadian military as the wildfire situation in the province worsens. Daily evacuation updates are available on the province's website.
• As of the evening of July 24, 87 evacuees from Jasper had registered at Edmonton's support centre set up in a building at the Kennedale Site, located at 12814 58 Street NW. The centre is working with the Canadian Red Cross and is open 24/7 to help evacuees coordinate support, including meals, water, clothes, health care, and pet care.
• The City of Edmonton's extreme weather response for poor air quality has been extended to July 25, and could be extended further if the poor conditions continue. City facilities, including recreation centres, pools, and libraries, remain available to those needing respite from the smoke. Facilities are also giving out N95 masks, including all Edmonton Public Library locations. Meanwhile, the City deactivated its extreme weather response for heat on July 24. Water stations attached to fire hydrants around the city will remain available until Sept. 30. An additional 24 water bottle filling stations are set up in LRT and transit centres.
• The Edmonton Oilers hired Stan Bowman as the new general manager and executive president of hockey operations. Bowman previously spent 20 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, including 12 as the team's general manager, and oversaw three Stanley Cup victories. In 2021, Bowman resigned as Chicago's general manager and was suspended from the NHL for two years after an investigation found that he and others in the organization mishandled sexual assault allegations. Although some people have vouched for Bowman, including Respect Group co-founder Sheldon Kennedy, his hiring was met with widespread backlash.
• The Edmonton Police Service has charged a 44-year-old Edmonton woman with criminal negligence causing death following an April dog attack that killed 11-year-old Kache Grist, who was visiting his father in the Summerside neighbourhood. Police arrived on the scene to find the boy severely injured by two large dogs, but despite their efforts and those of paramedics, he died of his injuries. The dogs were later seized by animal control.
• The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation announced $172 million in funding through the Affordable Housing Fund to help build and repair 4,257 affordable homes in Alberta, a press release says. Seven of the projects receiving investment are located in Edmonton, while Strathcona County, Stony Plain, and Morinville each have one.
• Senator Paula Simons hosted a series of discussions about municipal topics as part of Municipalities Unbound, a special summer series on her podcast Alberta Unbound. Edmonton Coun. Keren Tang and Lewis Cardinal, project manager at the Indigenous Knowledge & Wisdom Centre, appeared on episode three for a roundtable talk on social issues. Episode one focused on infrastructure, and episode two discussed emergency preparedness.

Here are opportunities to help inform municipal planning about gaps in active transportation, animals and pet ownership, and potential rezoning in identified growth areas. Please only answer surveys from municipalities where you are a resident.

• Missing Links 2024 — Paths For People is running its second crowd-sourced campaign to identify missing sidewalk and cycling connections across Edmonton. As in the inaugural 2019 campaign, results will be shared with City of Edmonton administration to identify where investments should be made. The group's director told CBC there is a need to update understandings of gaps because much has changed since 2019. The survey is open until July 28.
• Animal Licensing and Control Bylaw Renewal — Phase 2 (City of Edmonton) — The City of Edmonton is renewing its 20-year-old bylaw that regulates animal control. The aim is to make the bylaw reflect a variety of pets, including dogs, cats, rabbits, and reptiles, a city manager said. Administration is looking for feedback on pet limits, business permits for pet services, rules for noisy and aggressive animals, and more. Residents can share their ideas or complete an online survey until Aug. 11.
• Priority Growth Areas Rezoning — The City of Edmonton is planning to rezone five priority areas within the Anthony Henday ring road that are expected to experience near-term growth. An in-person workshop for the 156 Street and Stony Plain Road Corridors will take place Aug. 14; a workshop for the University-Garneau Node will take place Aug. 15; and a workshop for the Wîhkwêntôwin Node and 124 Street Corridor will take place Aug. 21. Digital engagement for all areas will be open until Sept. 2.

More input opportunities

• Until July 28: Kin Edward Park Rezoning — 8526 and 8530 81 Avenue NW (City of Edmonton)
• Until July 31: Agriculture Master Plan — Refine (Sturgeon County)
• Until July 31: 2025 Budget Engagement Survey (Parkland County)
• Until Aug. 11: Animal Licensing and Control Bylaw Renewal — Phase 2 (City of Edmonton)
• Until Aug. 11: Granville Rezonings — Winterburn Road and Glastonbury Boulevard (City of Edmonton)
• Until Aug. 11: Wedgewood Heights Surplus School Rezoning (City of Edmonton)
• Until Aug. 13: Accessibility for People with Disabilities — Survey (City of Edmonton)
• Until Aug. 7: Municipal Development Plan Update — Survey (Parkland County)
• Until Aug. 2: Transit Master Plan Update — Survey (Strathcona County)
• Until Aug. 18: Open Space Master Plan — Vision (Strathcona County)
• Until Aug. 18: Plan for Parks — Recreation and Conservation Strategy (Government of Alberta)
• Until Aug. 31: Business Census (City of Edmonton)
• Until Sept. 6: Submissions for Made in Leduc County cookbook — 2nd edition (Leduc County)
• Until Oct. 20: Naturalization Survey (City of Edmonton)

Photo: The City of Edmonton launched its renewal of the Animal Licensing and Control Bylaw in 2023. A comprehensive report based on Phase 1 and Phase 2 public engagement fundings will be presented to city council in early 2025. (Kevin Holowack)

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• In-Person Tour: Fire in her Hands starting at 12pm at the Art Gallery of St. Albert
• Open Doors starting at 12pm at Onlea
• How To Invest In Community Solar starting at 12pm online
• Historic Tours: Mission Hill tour starting at 3pm at Father Lacombe Chapel
• Lawn Bowling Networking Mixer starting at 5pm at Commonwealth Lawn Bowling Club
• Thirsty Thursday featuring Alley Kat Brewing starting at 6pm at Snow Valley
• Christmas Card Making starting at 6pm at the City of Edmonton Reuse Centre
• Litfest Presents: Dirty Dancing (1987) starting at 6:30pm at Metro Cinema
• Servus Séries Patio: Daniel Gervais starting at 7pm at Café Bicyclette
• Edmonton Jazz Alley — The Jim Findlay Trio starting at 7pm at the Carrot Community Arts Coffee House

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Aug. 7: Movies at the Mile at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino
• Aug. 8: Grants Uncovered: Your Chance to Ask Us Anything online
• Aug. 10: Ride to Reynolds at Reynolds Museum

Visit the beta version of the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.