Council Roundup - May 16, 2012

May 16, 2012

New downtown arena designs presented to Council

City Council was presented with a new set of designs for the downtown arena and related facilities, including the winter garden and community rink. Public consultation on these designs will begin May 22, 2012. Edmontonians can provide feedback online, in person and by contacting 311 and requesting a package be mailed to them. Go to www.edmonton.ca/downtownarena for full details.

Plan for City Centre Redevelopment project approved

Council approved the Area Redevelopment Plan for the City Centre Redevelopment project. This provides clear direction to move ahead with redevelopment of the site and achieve Council’s vision of building a world-class, sustainable community.

City Council greenlights emergency vehicle pilot

Edmonton Fire Recue Services and Traffic Operations received the go ahead to pilot a GPS-based technology designed to improve public safety and response times for emergency crews. The technology, called a traffic light pre-emption system, automatically triggers green lights at intersections as emergency vehicles approach, giving them the right of way. Work on the system will begin during the summer of 2012.

Edmonton’s new Historian Laureate named

The City of Edmonton introduced its new Historian Laureate, Shirley Lowe. The role of Historian Laureate is to promote Edmonton’s heritage through research, writing and public appearances. Lowe is the City of Edmonton’s second Historian Laureate, succeeding Ken Tingley.