River Valley News - Apr 18/24

Keeping mosquitoes under control begins at home

Komarno, which means “mosquito infested” in Ukrainian, Manitoba photo.

“We know that everyone is itching to get outside and Spring is looking pretty dry at the moment, so we're not anticipating a lot of mosquito activity early in the season. The main driver of mosquitoes in Edmonton typically is rainfall,” said Mike Jenkins, Senior Scientist. “Our team is monitoring and adapting our 2024 mosquito forecast as temperature also plays an increasingly important role.”

The City begin the annual ground control efforts this week, with ditches and areas around Edmonton monitored for development. Last year, increased biological methods to control mosquitoes, such as using copepods as biocontrol methods, were implemented and will continue this year.

Edmontonians can help keep mosquito populations under control. Stagnant pools of water are places where mosquito larvae can develop. To prevent them from becoming nesting ground for biting mosquitoes, you should clear out standing water in yards or eavestroughs, cover rain barrels with lids to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs and replenish birdbaths, fountains, fishponds and pools so they do not become stagnant.

When mosquitoes do emerge, you can avoid bites by avoiding outdoor activities during dawn and dusk when the insects are most active, covering up with long pants and sleeves, using an effective repellent, and running an oscillating fan when out on your deck as moving air is more effective at discouraging them from coming near you than chemical products like mosquito coils. https://www.edmonton.ca/programs_services/pests/mosquitoes

Brief history of Edmonton from 12,000 BCE to 1904

First Nations peoples and their ancestors have lived in this area since the close of the last glacial period, as early as 12,000 BCE. 200 Indigenous campsites and tool making sites have been found by archaeologists within the region.

The region’s dense forests, open plains, and lakes offered many resources for different Nations to rest and replenish their stores through hunting, gathering and fishing. The abundance of rich resources in the region made it an important place to rest during long voyages between the hills and the prairies, which happened each spring and fall.

The North Saskatchewan River and its tributaries were the main modes of transportation for thousands of years. The river leads all the way to Lake Winnipeg and the Hudson’s Bay region. The voyage from the Edmonton region to Hudson’s Bay has been made many times over, particularly during the fur trade.

By 1795, many trading posts had been established around the present metropolitan area, and by 1801 they had all moved to the current site of Edmonton. Fort Edmonton became the main centre for trade in the area after the 1821 merger of the Hudson’s Bay Company and the North West Company.

Edmonton lies in Treaty 6, which was first signed on August 23, 1876 at Fort Carlton and Fort Pitt in Saskatchewan between the Nehiyawak, Dene Suliné, Nakota Sioux, and the Crown. Today, Treaty 6 encompasses 17 First Nations. Edmonton was incorporated as a town on January 9, 1892 and became the City of Edmonton on October 8, 1904. https://www.ealt.ca/indigenous-connections-blog-list/amiskwaciy-wskahikan-edmonton-history

North Saskatchewan River and YEG not immune to lack of moisture

Karen Hosier photo

Edmonton has a fairly dry climate. Precipitation is heaviest in the late spring, summer, and early autumn. The wettest month is July, while the driest months are February, March, October, and November. The five driest years of Edmonton weather during the past century have all occurred since the year 2000.

Entering 2004, the snow pillow, a device used to measure snowpack, between the North Saskatchewan River and the Athabasca River is far worse than last year. That snow pillow is recording just over 139 millimetres of water equivalent in the snowpack, which is well below average for this time of year and is even below the lowest quartile.

Even more concerning, things would be looking a lot worse in northern Alberta if it wasn't for the impact of another climate catastrophe in the making, according to John Pomeroy, a University of Saskatchewan water scientist. "Parts of northern Alberta were quite fortunate last year because glacier melt helped keep the North Saskatchewan River higher than other rivers in the province.”

The record melting, along with some big rainstorms in early June, impacted the headwaters of the Athabasca as well as the North Saskatchewan, raising water levels in rivers, streams, and other sources of groundwater. But that's not a sustainable solution, Pomeroy said. Some of Alberta's glaciers will be gone in a decade, which means some parts of the province won't have that drought security net.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/the-prairies-are-heading-into-another-drought-here-s-why-we-re-more-vulnerable-this-time-around-1.7121596

Snow Goose Festival in Tofield is April 27 & 28.

Gerry Beyersbergen photo

The Snow Goose Festival is a celebration of spring migration through the Beaverhill Lake area. Everyone is welcome from first-time attendees to experienced birders. You will experience a grand wonder of nature as thousands of migrating snow geese, Canada geese, various shorebirds, cranes, and swans return to Beaverhill Lake and area.

There will be a free shuttle to the Festival each day, courtesy of Strathcona County Transit. Buses leave from Bethel Transit Terminal in Sherwood Park. Festival activities include a trade show, banquet and three different tours: a 2-hour bus tour, a 3-hour bus tour and a 3-hour field hike. All tours depart from Tofield Arena. Tour cost, schedules and festival information at www.snowgoosefestival.ca

Why the magpie should be Edmonton’s official bird

Jane writes “Totally agree with the writer re: magpies. They are terrific birds, very smart, very organized, very attractive and very personable. Great choice for Edmonton’s official bird!

High Level bridge postcard photo

Ron emailed “The postcard refers to the Parliament Building, which is what it was called when I was young. Then it became the Legislative Building. Speaker Gerard Amerongen insisted it be called the Legislature Building and that name has stuck.”

untitled by Norman Yates, Stanley A. Milner Library. Created by Alberta artist Norman Yates in 1967, the 160- square foot untitled mural is the only known surviving artwork in Edmonton’s Public Art Collection commissioned for Canada’s Centennial. https://www.edmontonarts.ca/public-art/untitled-6

Comment or Contributions

Please note articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley.

Email river valley photos, event information, comments, or questions to nsrivervalley@gmail.com

River Valley News - Apr 11/24

Why the magpie should be Edmonton’s official bird

In 2023, the Pileated Woodpecker became the official bird of Strathcona County. In 2022, the Black-capped Chickadee was adopted as Calgary’s official bird. Edmonton does not have an official bird, but Dustin Bajer has 11 reasons why the Magpie should be YEG’s official bird. Here are three of his reasons.

Magpies are industrious. It is one of the only birds in North America that makes an elaborate domed nest that takes up to 40 days to construct, way longer than most birds require. What’s more Edmonton than taking forever on a construction project?

Magpies are community minded. They live in loose communities, pairs mate for life, construct their nests together and share responsibility caring for the young. Magpies know they’re better off working in cooperation than alone. Edmonton has a history of community building and was one of the first cities in Canada to adopt the community league model.

It is the bird we love to hate for the city we love to hate. Despite the redeeming qualities mentioned above, we still complain about Magpies. Magpies are polarizing and like Edmonton, they are underrated, under appreciated, and underestimated. It’s the underdog of the birds for the underdog of cities.

The Magpie is the bird we’re hesitant to embrace because it feels like there should be a better bird out there for us. But this is home. Edmonton is the Magpie of cities. https://dustinbajer.com/edmonton-magpie-should-be-edmontons-offical-bird/

Effects of the 2023 wildfires in Alberta

Last year’s fire season was historic. While fire is a natural part of Alberta’s forest ecosystems, the 2023 wildfires burned nearly 3.3 million hectares, or 6.6% of the province’s forested area. This was equivalent to the area burned in the previous 11 fire years combined. 7,468 km2 or 20.6% of Wood Buffalo National Park burned, an area larger than Banff National Park.

All forest types and ages were affected, with the greatest area burned in northern and west-central parts of Alberta. Average forest age declined across the province and dropped substantially in the most affected regions. Many older-forest species lost moderate amounts of habitat in localize areas, while a few fire-specialists will thrive in the newly burned areas.

For burn specialists, recent fires are helping to restore habitat that was reduced for decades by effective fire suppression. The Black-backed Woodpecker is a burn specialist. The highest densities of this woodpecker are in young burned stands where it feeds on insects that live in fire-killed trees. Bicknell’s Geranium is a pretty, purple-flowered plant that thrives in burned areas. Its seeds can remain in the soil for decades, germinating when a fire clears away competing plants.

Species associated with old forest lose habitat. Boreal Chickadees live year-round in Alberta forests. These resilient birds were predicted to have lost 4.3% of their Alberta habitat due to the 2023 fires. Clasping Twisted Stalk, a plant that produces its distinctive red berries in productive old forests, was predicted to have lost 5.8% of its habitat across Alberta.

The Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute has produced a science letter, where you will find an analysis of the ecological changes resulting from the fires, including metrics on the extent of area burned, the percentage burned by habitat type, the shifts in average forest age, and the impacts on various wildlife species.

https://abmi.ca/home/publications/601-650/642?mc_cid=24971c61e7&mc_eid=b02c6f60ed

Researcher found and studied 120 coyote dens across Edmonton

Coyote Watch Edmonton is a Facebook page created to educate, inform and keep Edmontonians aware of coyote movements within the city limits. It does not condone harming wildlife and asks people to contact the city if they have a problematic coyote in their area. It is an interesting place to see photos and comments posted from residents from all over the city. https://www.facebook.com/groups/700356163928797/

With prairie grasslands to the south and boreal forest to the north, and a river valley cutting across the city, Edmonton has long been home to a large population of urban coyotes. Between 500 and 1,000 are believed to roam the city. 

Sage Raymond, a graduate student researcher at the University of Alberta and the Edmonton Urban Coyote Project, used her tracking skills to locate 120 coyote dens in Edmonton. Raymond tracked the dens exclusively in winter when they were vacant.

As spring's pup-rearing season begins, her research demonstrated that, in urban landscapes, coyote dens are closer than expected. The animals are hiding in plain sight, rearing their pups surprisingly close to homes and other buildings, but under dense cover on steep slopes to conceal their young from people and their dogs.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/edmonton-coyote-den-selection-research-conflict-1.6803397

Should the City reconsider the use of river valley land for golf courses

Ron wrote “Golf courses are used more intensively than the piece suggests. That is not a huge number of people, given the size of the courses, though the city operated courses are relatively busy by Canadian golf standards. How many people per hectare typically occupy other city parks or the river valley?

Yes, golf is predominantly white and mostly male. But does that make it socially divisive? If cricket in Edmonton is mostly played by non-whites, I don't see that as socially divisive. 

Mayfair certainly is exclusive; it costs a lot to play at that private club. Although the City requires it to admit non-members, in practice Mayfair makes it difficult for non-members to get decent tee times. I do believe that the 60-year leases given to the private clubs are outrageous, and their effect may be that the City will first demolish the more financially accessible city operated courses, while leaving the privately-operated ones alone.

This issue invites simplistic ideology but it begs for dispassionate analysis: What is the City's current profit or loss in owning each golf course? What would it cost to convert a course to other uses? What would be the usage of the new facility? Would the new facility particularly benefit people who cannot afford the luxury of playing golf? What profit or loss would the city incur in operating the new facility.”

Lucie commented “I absolutely agree with Kaur and Janz on their stance toward city golf courses. Golf courses are an ecological nightmare requiring watering, fertilizing and herbicides. In addition, there are the greenhouse gasses generated by constant mowing and upkeep of the huge expanses of lawn. Extensive plantings of tree and native shrub beds would help absorb more carbon, slow runoff from heavy downpours while at the same time providing habitat for wildlife as well as a place for humans to connect with nature. Golf courses have no place in the city, especially along our river valley!”

New Valley Line West LRT bridge crosses Groat ravine and road

Jennifer emailed “Someone inadvertently dissed the High Level Bridge when they wrote: ‘This new LRT line [will have] a new bridge that will carry pedestrians, cars and the LRT, the first of its kind in Edmonton.’ The High Level Bridge was built to carry cars, pedestrians, streetcars (the LRT of the day), as well as trains. You can see a streetcar and train on the top deck in this old photo. It was quite a feat in its day. Happy we will soon have a new link in our transit chain!”

Untitled by Lloyd Pinay, Dr. Anne Anderson Park

https://www.edmontonarts.ca/public-art/untitled-2

Comment or Contributions

Please note articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley.

Email river valley photos, event information, comments, or questions to nsrivervalley@gmail.com

River Valley News - Apr 4/24

Should the City reconsider the use of river valley land for golf courses

The City owns six courses, three of which are municipally run, Victoria, Rundle and Riverside, and three which are leased out to third parties, those are Royal Mayfair, Mill Woods and Highlands. According to a paper by the University of Alberta’s Arshdeep Kaur, the city-owned courses take up 364 hectares of land. Kaur writes that the City should reconsider its use of that land.

Not only are there environmental questions, but public-use ones, as well. It takes hours to complete a game of golf, and each hole can take on a maximum of four golfers at a time. So, the land doesn’t serve a lot of people at one time. It’s an expensive game to play, and, as Kaur writes, the membership skews very white, and very male.

“The ultimate goal should be to see the public land taken by golf courses revert to the public as a part of the River Valley parks system, easements, or used by another inclusive sport which is open to everybody in the city.” It’s not that Kaur is anti-golf; it’s that he is against using publicly owned space for a sport that’s socially divisive.

Coun. Michael Janz echoes those thoughts; he said, if the courses were turned into bike paths, green spaces or soccer fields, it’s not like golf is being taken away from the public. There are plenty of private courses in the region. In his mind, this is a case of the City duplicating a service that is already widely available.

“We’re not talking about taking away three courses, but instead of there being 80 golf courses in the area, there now may be 77. The sport is still very well-served. It’s not just ‘should the City be in the golf business,’ but what is the opportunity cost of using all of this land in the river valley in this way?” https://urbanaffairs.ca/edmonton-ish/should-edmonton-get-out-of-the-golf-business/

Jasper House a prime example of 1960s modern design building

Overlooking Victoria Park and constructed between 1961-63, Jasper House was one of the first residential towers built west of downtown Edmonton. Drawing its name from a Hudson’s Bay Company trading post, Maclab Developments spared no expense on their $818,000, 125 suites project, and the tower featured a host of fine finishes and novel features.

Marble floors, murals, red leather furniture, and dark oak panelling defined its common areas. Two Otis elevators provided quick service between floors and access to a furnished rooftop suite accessible to all residents. Speakers pumped in ambient music, provided by Muzak, to each suite, which all featured expert soundproofing, carpeting, and intercom door controls. Utilities were no extra charge.

Adding a punch of colour to the tower’s stark form is a four-storey art piece precariously hanging off its west wall. Standing sixty-feet tall, the Robert Oldrich-designed sculpture is constructed of coloured porcelain enamel plates joined by rods. “The whole concept,” Oldrich explained, “is to create a loose, joyful and playful result with forms suggested and shapes resolving in each other. Changing light changes the character as well as the relative movement of the observer.” https://www.forgottenedmonton.com/blog/the-jasper-house-apartments

New Valley Line West LRT bridge crosses Groat ravine and road

This new LRT line will connect Lewis Farms to downtown Edmonton. A defining moment in its construction was the demolition in 2023 of the Stony Plain Road Bridge over Groat ravine and road, in preparation for a new bridge that will carry pedestrians, cars and the LRT, the first of its kind in Edmonton.

Girder installations for the new bridge took place over three days, with crews working around the clock. This resulted in the work finishing 12 hours ahead of schedule. Groat ravine and the road are named after Malcolm Groat, a former Hudson’s Bay Company employee who settled in the present-day Groat Estates area in the 1880s.

On June 12, 1928, the Supreme Cout of Canada, ruled on an appeal made by Malcolm Forbes Groat and Walter S. Groat against the City of Edmonton for polluting the waters flowing through a ravine which traversed or bounded their land. The city had constructed a large storm sewer having its outlet in an arm of the ravine above plaintiffs' land.

Its purpose was primarily to carry off the surplus water from streets in the vicinity, but as found on the evidence, through it discharged into the stream in the ravine, not only surface water, but all filth from the streets; also a mass of dirt was allowed to form and accumulate during the winter in the sewer, and in the spring the rush of water washed this into the stream. https://transforming.edmonton.ca/building-connections-construction-milestones-on-valley-line-west/  

Jan Reimer Park honours YEG’s only female mayor

Jan Reimer Park was named in 2021 to honour the achievements of the first female mayor of Edmonton. Formerly known as Oleskiw River Valley Park, this 193-acre park was renamed to honour Reimer’s commitment to the preservation of Edmonton's River Valley. Accessible only through active modes of transportation, this park connects river valley trails between Terwillegar Park and Fort Edmonton Park.

In 1913, the Edmonton Country Club opened the lower golf course holes in the present-day park. The golf course remained on the land until 1930, after which the field was farmed by Curtis and Edith Munson, who called the land Wolf Willow Farm. The couple operated the farm until 1970.

In 2002, the City of Edmonton acquired the property after public outcry halted private development on the land. Traces of these recent land uses are still visible in the landscape, in the form of the field and the forest, and contribute to the layered history of the site.

Reimer served two terms as Edmonton's first female Mayor in 1989-95 after serving three terms as Councillor in 1980-89. She was selected as an Edmontonian of the Century in 2004 and received the Governor General's Award in 2006. https://www.edmonton.ca/activities_parks_recreation/parks_rivervalley/jan-reimer-park

River Valley News shortlisted for the 2024 Emerald Awards

Michael “Congrats on the nomination for the newsletter for an Emerald award!!”

Patrick “Congrats on the Emerald Award. I always enjoy reading this newsletter.”

Mark “Congrats on the Emerald Award nomination. The nomination is well deserved, and good luck in the final selection process!”

Ria “Congratulations on being shortlisted for an Emerald award. I look forward to your news every week.”

Edmonton riverboat looking for a new owner

Margriet emailed “I live in Belgravia and often walk by the location where the Edmonton Queen river boat was located while being worked on. I wonder what will happen to this large empty space. Wouldn’t it be lovely if it was made into a natural area with a walking path and a sitting area to enjoy it? I am thinking of native shrubs, native flowers and native grasses with always some in bloom from spring to fall.”

Henri by Craig Le Blanc, Terwillegar Recreation Centre

https://www.edmontonarts.ca/public-art/henri

Comment or Contributions

Please note articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley.

Email river valley photos, event information, comments, or questions to nsrivervalley@gmail.com