Edmonton Minute: Theatre Lease, Boyle Street, and Entertainment District Proposal

Edmonton Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Edmonton politics

This Week In Edmonton:

• This morning, at 9:30 am there will be a meeting of the Utility Committee. There are several reports on the agenda, including one regarding a review of EPCOR Water Services’ Performance Measures and another regarding the Waste Services Spring 2024 Supplemental Capital Budget Adjustment.
  
  
• On Tuesday, at 8:30 am, there will be a meeting of the Agenda Review Committee, followed by a meeting of the Council Services Committee at 1:30 pm. At the latter meeting, the Committee will discuss procedures concerning invitations extended to Councillors for events. There is also a private item on the agenda, involving a review of Councillor Staff classification and compensation.
  
  
• On Wednesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a non-regular meeting of City Council. On the agenda is a verbal report entitled “Alberta Municipalities Protocol Meeting with Council”, as well as a private discussion entitled “Intergovernmental Updates”. Also on Wednesday, at 1:30 pm, there will be a Special Meeting of City Council. The meeting will be held almost entirely in-camera and the lone agenda item is a Strategic Planning Session. The item cites the potential for “disclosure harmful to intergovernmental relations” as the reason for the in-camera discussion. Finally, on Friday, at 3:00 pm, there will be a meeting of the City Manager Recruitment Committee. The Committee will elect a Chair and Vice-Chair before discussing City Manager Recruitment Procurement Options.

Last Week In Edmonton:

• The Executive Committee approved a new lease between The Citadel Theatre and the City of Edmonton. The Theatre's current lease with the City of Edmonton, signed nearly 50 years ago, is set to expire in September, and the City will take over responsibility for building maintenance and repair costs. Negotiations between the non-profit and the City for a new lease have been ongoing, with a proposed agreement where the Citadel would focus on operational aspects like janitorial duties and utilities while the City would handle capital renewal and maintenance. The anticipated costs for the City include $375,000 for initial operational items and an annual expenditure of $1.36 million for repairs and maintenance. Council as a whole still needs to approve the agreement.
  
  
• The Community and Public Services Committee considered a proposal to designate Rice Howard Way as an entertainment district on Saturdays during the summer. This initiative, if approved, would involve closing a section of the avenue to vehicles and allowing alcohol sales within specified hours, aiming to boost vibrancy, support local businesses, and attract visitors to the downtown area. The Edmonton Downtown Business Association would collaborate with the City to organize events. Council as a whole will discuss the proposal again on May 14th. What do you think? Does Edmonton need an entertainment district?
  
  
• Boyle Street Community Services' new multi-service support center in downtown Edmonton received a funding boost with a $21 million contribution from the federal government, part of $45 million in total funding. This investment will help the organization to open a 75,000-square-foot facility named okimaw peyesew kamik (King Thunderbird Centre), in June 2025, aimed at helping those dealing with poverty and homelessness. The Centre will also prioritize energy efficiency, anticipating a reduction of up to 99% in energy consumption and 709 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually.

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