The results of the community survey for decorative streetlights are in from the City of Edmonton and the results are:
Total votes. 264
Yes. 158 59.8%
No. 106 40.2%
The next question is about the "blades" that indicate the street and avenue.
Ken
Seniors Virtual Forum
Age Friendly Edmonton™ is an initiative co-led by the City of Edmonton and the Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council. Age Friendly Edmonton together with Sage Seniors Association are hosting a “Virtual Seniors’ Forum” on November 18 through 21 that will have speakers on topics like:
Living well with frailty
Supportive and facility living options
Identifying and combatting ageism
Resources available to seniors during COVID-19
Managing mental health during the pandemic
and more!
All sessions are available online or by phone - for more information and to register, please visit www.seniorsforum.ca. Tech support is available - to request assistance with accessing the forum via Zoom, please call Sage at 780-423-5510 and leave a message.
Ken Hemmerling
President, Malmo Plains Community League
Meet Heather McPherson
Hello neighbours,
Our MP Heather McPherson will be visiting the community league this Saturday outside the Community League hall between 1:30 and 3:00 PM. Please feel free to come down for some physically distanced ice cream.
Ken Hemmerling
President, Malmo Plains Community League
Clarification on decorative street lights
The City of Edmonton asks the Community League for a single recommendation for decorative street lights - that’s what we did this week (June 18th specifically). The City then takes that recommendation and surveys all the property owners in Malmo to see which they prefer: The no-cost plain galvanized street light or the extra cost decorative option.
This means the decision to move forward with the decorative street lights has not been made.
For Malmo to get the fancy street lights, the City needs 20% of the property owners to respond to the survey *AND* 50% plus 1 of the responses must be in favour of the upgraded light.
For more information see: https://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/on_your_streets/decorative-lighting.aspx
Ken Hemmerling
President, Malmo Plains Community League
Back To School 2020
Hello Neighbours,
Public School Trustee Michael Janz has created a signup form to help him keep parents of school age children up to date on developments regarding the 2020 Back To School. Please see the link below.
Ken Hemmerling
President, Malmo Plains Community League
Decorative Street Light Option
Hello neighbours,
Earlier this year I asked for opinions about which option the Community League should put forward to the City as an option for an upgraded streetlight as part of the neighbourhood renewal. The most popular choice was not the least expensive option of the zero dollar galvanized plain light pole nor was it the most expensive option of fluted light pole with the Renaissance light fixture but was a reasonable middle ground of a black painted octagonal pole, with a regular light fixture. At that time some people commented that the colour choice of either green or blue could quickly date the look of the new lights so the choice was to select black as the colour.
The one option not included in the initial discussion was the selection of decorative arm. Last night (Tuesday June 16th) during the Community League monthly meeting and AGM, the options were discussed and, after a healthy debate, a vote was taken which selected the “Heritage” style decorative arm.
The official recommendation from the Community League is: Black octagonal poles, heritage decorative arms, and regular light fixtures.
I recognize that the idea of facing an additional tax burden during a pandemic is a tough choice for some but I ask for your support to set the long term character of the neighbourhood that will last beyond the current COVID-19 situation.
Ken Hemmerling
President, Malmo Plains Community League
June Newsletter
The June Newsletter can be found here.
Mental Health
Hello neighbours, I recently received some useful information from the Canadian Mental Health Association that I wanted to share regarding our isolation due to COVID-19. The attached PDF has additional information on these best practices:
Gather info from trusted sources
Adopt personal hygiene protocols
Establish a routine
Make self-care a priority
Keep in contact with others
Reach out for mental health support
Acknowledge your anxiety
Ken Hemmerling
President, Malmo Plains Community League
COVID-19 update and business availability
Hello everyone,
I just wanted to provide an update on various nearby facilities and businesses that neighbourhood residence likely use. It’s not an exhaustive list, just something I threw together this afternoon.
Ken Hemmerling
President, Malmo Plains Community League.
In the community
Malmo Community League Hall is closed until further notice. As per the Government of Alberta:
"Albertans are prohibited from attending public recreation facilities and private entertainment facilities.
This includes gyms, swimming pools, arenas, science centres, museums, art galleries, community centres, children’s play centres, casinos, racing entertainment centres and bingo halls."
Royal Alberta Museum and the Provincial Archives of Alberta are closed. (https://www.rexall.ca/covid-19/news)
All University of Alberta fitness facilities including the Saville Community Sports Centre are closed. (http://www.savillecentre.ca/default.aspx?p=article&id=132636) For people with memberships:
“We have put all memberships on hold as of March 15, 2020. This means if you have a continuous membership with us, no monthly membership payments will be charged until further notice.
Term memberships will be extended from the time period of March 15, 2020 until we reopen facilities. We will then add the appropriate number of days to the end of your membership. “
Miscellaneous
Alberta Pensions Services has closed their building and staff are working remotely. The call centre continues to be open for business. (https://www.apsc.ca/news/APS_Situation_Monitor.jsp)
Edmonton Federation of Community League is cancelling any in-person meetings and replacing them with virtual online meeting until further notice.
Esso gas stations remain open but they recommend installing the Speedpass application on your phone so that you can pay without having to insert a credit card or touch the key pad.
MEC (Mountain Equipment Coop) stores are closed and plan to reopen on March 30.
Petro Canada gas stations remain open with increased cleaning and disinfecting. (https://www.petro-canada.ca/en/personal?modalUrl=%2Fen%2Fpersonal%2Fcovid-19-measures)
Real Canadian Superstore remains open with reduced hours of 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM (https://www.realcanadiansuperstore.ca)
Rexall drug stores are open 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Mon to Fri and 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sat and Sun. They are also launching a dedicated shopping hour during the first business hour of the day to help support the needs of customers fifty-five years of age or older and individuals with disabilities. Finally, they will not accept any returns or refunds of any purchase made on or after Saturday February 15th until further notice. (https://www.rexall.ca/covid-19/news)
Royal Bank has closed several branches however the Southgate Mall branch continues to remain open. (https://www.rbc.com/covid-19/index.html)
Safeway grocery store in Southgate Mall remains open but will have reduced hours from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. (https://www.safeway.ca)
Save-On Foods remains open (8:00 AM to 8:00 PM) and has reserved the hour from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM for seniors and others who are at risk to do their shopping. They have also banned reusable bags and bottle returns. Single use plastic backs will be provided at no charge. (https://www.saveonfoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Media_Release_Save-On-Foods_Bottle_Returns_Reusable_Bags-1.pdf)
Servus Credit Union remains open but has reduced hours. https://servus.ca/news/alerts/covid-19.
Southgate Mall remains open but with reduced hours. (https://www.southgatecentre.com/covid-19-information/) Note that some stores in the mall have closed temporarily.
Swiss Chalet has implemented a new contactless delivery and curtsied pickup to minimize contact. For more information see https://www.swisschalet.com/en/covid19.html
Walmart has also implemented reduced hours of operation: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. (https://www.walmart.ca/en/customer-memo?icid=home%20page_HP_Sliver_Customer_Memo_WM)
Neighbourhood Redevelopment Update
A writeup from the information sessions held on January 28th at the Malmo Community League has been released by the City and can be seen here.
Ken Hemmerling
President, Malmo Plains Community League
Royal Alberta Museum - Free on Family Day
Hello neighbours,
FYI: The Royal Alberta Museum has free admission on Family Day, February 17th, 2020 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Plan your visit
Ken Hemmerling
President, Malmo Plains Community League
For parents of 3-5 Year olds
Hello Neighbours,
Madison Predy, Research Coordinator at the University of Alberta Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation reached out to me asking for help contacting parents of children 3-5 years for a study on “physical activity with your preschool child to build their physical literacy”.
Ken Hemmerling
President, Malmo Plains Community League
Neighbourhood Renewal
Hi neighbours,
The Malmo IRC (Infrastructure Redevelopment Committee) has been working with the City and our architectural consultant to revisit our hall redevelopment plan. We will be joining the Building Great Neighbourhoods renewal public engagement event next Tuesday, January 28th to show what our project team has been working on. Please come to share your thoughts and feedback! All information to register for the event is on the postcard you received in the mail for the neighbourhood renewal event, as well as the link below...
Natalie Goulet-Sorenson
Malmo Infrastructure Redevelopment Committee
Edmonton Community Leagues
Hello everyone, I thought you might be interested in seeing a map of all the Community Leagues in Edmonton courtesy of the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues.
Ken Hemmerling
President, Malmo Plains Community League
Winter items, This & That
Hello neighbours,
Here is some information you might find interesting...
City of Edmonton New Year’s Eve Celebration
Celebrate the arrival of 2020 at this fun-filled, alcohol-free, family-friendly event. Tuesday December 31st, 7:00 to 9:00 PM, Alberta Legislature grounds. For more information check out https://www.edmonton.ca/attractions_events/schedule_festivals_events/new-years-eve-downtown.aspx
New Year’s Day Levee at Government House
Wednesday, January 1, 2020 from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Each year, the Lieutenant Governor and spouse host the popular New Year’s Day Levee at Government House (12845 102 Avenue). The levee is a tradition in Canada dating back to the 1600s, based on an older tradition in Europe that saw subjects visit the monarch to pay their respects and pledge allegiance. Today, the Levee at Government House is a chance for Albertans of all ages to meet the Queen’s representative in a relaxed social setting. Levee guests can enjoy light refreshments, tour Government House, send a postcard to Canadian troops serving overseas, and join in celebrating the start of a new year. The event is free of charge and advance booking isn’t required.
For more information check out https://www.alberta.ca/government-house-events.aspx
Kids Map of Edmonton: Winter Edition
Although the temperature may drop during winter, children’s activity levels don’t! Use the Kids Map of Edmonton: Winter to find a variety of child-friendly activities to do across the city. Everywhere you look, Edmonton has indoor and outdoor activities that will help you make the most of winter, and keep your kids active!
For more information check out https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=75b246995edf47fc99d736c697686bce
Snow Removal Help for Seniors and Persons with Low Mobility
Is it difficult for you to maintain your sidewalks due to age or restraints on your mobility?
Do the winter months make it unsafe and difficult to leave your home?
Seniors Home Supports Program gives seniors referrals to vetted service providers (businesses, community groups and individuals) offering these types of services. Seniors are not charged for referrals but they will pay a fee to the service provider for completing the work.
For more information check out http://www.seniorshomesupports.com
Also related to senior citizens:
The Seniors Financial Empowerment Network (SFEN) provides free financial literacy information sessions in the areas of personal finance, protection of assets, housing, legal considerations, areas of fraud or abuse, communication and self-esteem. There are seven core education modules that can be presented as stand-alone sessions or as a complete series. The modules are delivered by senior volunteers. Please contact me at President@malmoplains.com if you are interested. If we get enough interest, I'd be happy to book a session at the Malmo Community League hall.
Front Yards in Bloom: Winterscapes: Jan 12 - Feb 17, 2020
A winterscape is a way of decorating your wintry yards and landscapes using snow, ice, natural objects and lights. Winterscapes help beautify our Edmonton neighbourhoods. Get tips from some creative locals in the WinterCityEdmonton blog at https://www.wintercityedmonton.ca/whats-in-a-winterscape/. The Front Yards in Bloom: Winterscapes contest is held in January and February each year. Visit https://edmonton.ca/winterscapes/ for ideas, see past entries, and get details about this winter’s contest. Year-round landscaping often starts in the summer. Consider adding trees and shrubs, herbaceous plants, grasses, and vines. For more ideas, read our blog post https://www.wintercityedmonton.ca/spring-gardening-for-winter-beauty/ by a local landscape architect.
Finally, do you have questions about how the City of Edmonton handles snow removal?
How the City responds to snow on major roads and in your neighbourhood
Seasonal parking bans
Windrows
Where to find the community sandbox in your neighbourhood.
For more information check out https://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/on_your_streets/snow-faq.aspx
Phishing
Hello everyone,
For those of you not aware of the phrase "phishing" (pronounced fishing), it's a scam where someone tries to fool you into giving some personal information such as your SIN, birth date, or some username and password information. Some of these scams don't ask you to simply email the information as that would be too obvious. Instead, they take you to a web site that can look very much like the actual site for a bank or for, in the example below, Microsoft.
Below is a screen capture of a phishing example I recently received. It came to my President@malmoplains.com email and I almost clicked on the link because we've recently moved to O365 at my work. It was only when I noticed the details in the diagram that I realized it's a scam. Please pay attention to stuff like this to make sure you don't get fooled.
Ken Hemmerling
President, Malmo Plains Community League
AMA volunteer cleanup
This is very belated but I wanted recognize a group of volunteers from the Alberta Motor Association for helping clean up our little corner of Edmonton last July. People like this help make our neighbourhood, and our city, the great place it is for our families. Thanks.
Michener Park Open House
Hello Neighbours,
I had an interesting conversation with Emily Ball from the University of Alberta who wanted me to share the following with you:
The University of Alberta will be holding a public open house that will provide information on the amendment of land use plans (Long Range Development Plan) for the South Campus - Michener Park area.
University of Alberta
South Campus – Michener Park
Long Range Development Plan Amendment
Open House
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Saville Community Sports Centre
Classroom #4
11610-65th Ave
Your participation is important and we hope to see you at the open house. If you have any questions, please contact Emily Ball at 780-492-4345 or by email at emily.ball@ualberta.ca. If you are unable to attend, the information presented at the open house will be posted online on November 28, 2019 until December 19, 2019 at www.uab.ca/community.
Sincerely,
Emily
City of Edmonton Security Survey
Hello Neighbours,
Councillor Walters has asked that I share a survey about security with the community. This is certainly a hot topic for Malmo and encourage everyone to complete the survey to ensure our voices are heard by the City.
The survey can be found here.
Ken
Hall Modernization Survey - Until November 8th
Hello neighbours,
The Infrastructure Renewal Committee has a survey about the community league hall renewal. We’d really appreciate if you could take some time to give us some feedback.
Thanks