Above All, Yellowknife

Valentine's Day Desert Gala

Check this out, folks.  Looks like a great way to spend Valentine's Day in Yellowknife.  Allison and I will be there with bells on.  But be forwarned, if you're hoping to outbid me on the tiramisu, you'd better bring your vacation money.

 

New Business Opportunity - RV Turnaround Station

Please join Kimo Linders, General Manager of Fraserway RV LP, NWT Tourism, and Industry, Tourism and Investment for an information session on opportunities related to a turnaround station in Yellowknife.

For more info go to  tourismmembers.createsend1.com

You know a service is in demand when RV companies are traveling to Yellowknife to actively seek out entrepreneurs, and the GNWT is helping them.

Somebody needs to do this.

LJJ Volunteer Rally and Beard Growing Contest This Thursday, January 17th

Folks, the Long John Jamboree needs your help.  We're working harder than ever before to bring you a winter event worthy of Yellowknife, but as you can imagine, it takes a whole lot of people to make it happen.  If you're interested in helping out and having a ton of fun down on the ice, then join us this Thursday, January 17th at Javaroma between 7 and 10 pm.  There will be music! 

Also on the agenda will be the launch of our Beard Growing Contest.  Ain't no one-month beards around here!  This is a two-monther!  Prepare to be uncomfortable...and then to be admired by all the weak beard growers you just crushed!

See you this Thursday and make sure to shave for your "before" picture!

Below are two examples of beards.  One will surely get you into the top ten, and other will get you shipped out on the first slow bus to Southern Canada.  I'll let you guess which is which.

Yellowknife's Greatest Baker Contest

Check it out, folks.  Should be a ton of fun.  To keep up to date on all of our pre-Jamboree events go to  www.longjohnjamboree.ca.  Just over two months to go!

 

 

 

Yellowknife Traffic Flow Studies - Powerful Market Research Kung Fu

I'm reaching new lows.  This is a duplicate post from my city council blog.  Oh well, it worked for John Fogerty.

Have you ever wondered how many vehicles drive down Franklin Avenue during rush hour?  You have?  Well have I got something for you!

Some people will find this map boring, but this is exactly the type of thing people look for when they're contemplating opening a business.  It occurred to me today that the Department of Planning and Lands probably has all kinds of great traffic study info, so I wrote to the Director and he sent me a link to the Smart Growth Development Plan.  This map was in Part 1 of the Transportation Improvement Study.  There is a pile more information in the Appendices.  And apparently there are many more studies that have been done on specific intersections that can be accessed with the permission of the developers who paid the bills.

It's a gold mine, people.

Here are the links:

Smart Growth Development Plan

Transportation Improvement Study - Part 1

Transportation Improvement Study - Part 2

Transportation Improvement Study - Appendices

 

Great Snap Shot of Winter Life in Downtown Yellowknife

I really can't express how happy I am to see this kind of product coming out of Yellowknife City Hall.  I could cry.

Long John Jamboree 2013 and Other Updates

Hi Folks,

I know this blog has been pretty inactive for a while now, but I don't want to close it off just yet.  I was recently elected to Yellowknife City Council, which means I'm now in the thick of things when it comes to the topics that this blog has explored since I created it.  So although I may not post frequently, my posts should be very informative. 

In particular, I'm hoping to post about the following topics as soon as I get up to speed on the City's position and direction:

• A Business Improvement District for Downtown
• Downtown Parking
• Yellowknife Tourism Development
• Events and Festivals
• Old Town

So make sure you check back every now and then.  It should be interesting.

Also, just a quick word on the Long John Jamboree.  The dates are set for 2013, March 14-17.  We had our AGM on Saturday and we're poised to make some great improvements on last year's inaugural event.  But in order to turn the Jamboree in our City's premier tourism event, we need volunteers, and we need to build partnerships with other local organizations.  So please, if you're interested in getting involved, get ahold of our executive director Nancy MacNeill through our website or facebook page.

http://www.longjohnjamboree.ca

http://www.facebook.com/LongJohnJamboree?ref=ts&fref=ts

Have a great Christmas, folks.  I'll post again as soon as I have something interesting to tell you.

Adrian

P.S.  I also reserve the right to plug my business on this blog every now and then;) http://www.century21yk.ca

 

Election Day: Map of Polling Divisions

http://www.canstockphoto.com

Election Day in Yellowknife!

Well folks, it's Election Day!  I would like to thank all those who have helped with my campaign, as well those who have offered encouragement and taken the time to discuss their concerns with me.  I have one final favour to ask - please make sure you get out to vote!

If you're not sure where to vote, please Download Polling Division Map 2012.

Basically, the city has been divided up according to territorial ridings, so if you know which riding you're in the following list may be more useful that the map:

Poll 1 (Great Slave) - Ecole Sir John Franklin High School
Poll 2 (Weledeh) - Ecole St. Patrick's High School
Poll 3 (YK Centre) - Northern United Place
Poll 4 (Frame Lake) - William McDonald School
Poll 5 (Range Lake) - Range Lake North School
Poll 6 (Kam Lake) - Multiplex Arena
Poll 7 (YK South) - N.J. Macpherson School

As a final note, I'd like to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed the last month.  I've made many new friends and I've gained a new appreciation for Yellowknifers' commitment to this city.  I've also been very impressed with the tone of the campaign, and the hard work of volunteer groups like Alternatives North who organized a great all-candidates forum.

Thanks again for your support,

Adrian Bell

For more information on my platform, go to www.adrianbell.ca.

EDGE YK - Old Town Sound Walk

Janna Graham is a genius and a hero.  She has developed an audio walking tour to educate people about Old Town: its history, its mystery, its abundance of CBC employees (it's not really about that, but this is true and would make a good article).  Follow this link to see the latest edition of EDGE YK and check out her article on page 9.  You can also pick up paper copies of the mag, for free, at various places around town including Javaroma, the Co-op, the Black Knight, etc.

Great job, Janna.  And great job EDGE YK.

Yellowknife, NWT vs. Yellowknife, Mars | Spectacular Northwest Territories

Yellowknife, NWT vs Yellowknife, Mars Photo Contest

via spectacularnwt.com

Check it out - photo contest! Follow the link for info.

Business and RCMP join to plead for Gleichen bylaw | July 27, 2012 Strathmore Times

Times Contributor  

via www.strathmoretimes.com

Loitering and public drunkenness in downtown Yellowknife are likely going to be hotly debated issues in the upcoming municipal election. This article (click on the link above) provides valuable insight into these complicated problems.

Is There Life on Mars?

No there is not.  But there is Yellowknife on Mars - http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/story/2012-08-09/mars-panorama-curiosity-quad-51/56922978/1

So cool.

Someone Is Going to Have to Explain This to Me

Contemplate these pictures for a moment:

Now you may not have guessed this by looking at them, but these objects are intended to separate the new wheelchair ramp at the troubled YK Inn Mall from the sidewalk of our busiest street.  Or perhaps more accurately, the most high-traffic block of our busiest street. They were presumably designed to keep wheelchairs on the ramp and pedestrians off it.  Or, if we set aside that presumption for a moment, they were designed to facilitate both safe and easy railsliding and comfy lounging.  Not simultaneously of course, that would be reckless.  Or super-rad.  I can't decide which.

Now before we all completely lose our cool, let's keep in mind that these "barriers" may not yet be complete and that by next week they may be topped with six-foot-tall planter boxes and lined with chevaux de frise.

Mind you, that's some pretty smooth and shiny concrete on the top surface.  I don't know that you'd put in all that work just to cover it up.

Let's just wait and see, I guess.  Benefit of the doubt and all that.

If you happen to be walking by in the coming days, cast a glance in the Mall's direction and see for yourselves how these structures are being utilized.  It should be particularly interesting from mid afternoon to early evening.

 

 

Yellowknife Urban Farming Survey

The Following was posted at the request of Amy Lizotte, who is conducting research into urban farming in Yellowknife.

Would you buy locally grown food?

A local research project is investigating the viability of urban farming in Yellowknife as a food production solution.

Would you buy locally grown food? - What types of greens do you prefer? - How often might you buy them? - Would you consider negotiating some of your land to enable a backyard gardening business? - Would you like to purchase local food at a farmers market?

This research project is not possible without gathering the views of Yellowknife’s residents. The final report will be distributed widely. Your input is crucial. Consider taking just 5 minutes to provide your feedback through this online survey. You can access by clicking the link below, http://fluidsurveys.com/s/urbanfarmsurvey/

And please share this survey with your family, friends and colleagues!!

City of Yellowknife Eco-Housing Open House This Wednesday

Don't miss this Wednesday's informational open house on the upcoming Eco-Housing project.  The open house should be very interesting as there is quite a bit of confusion within the development community, and the city at large, about this project.  I believe it was originally conceived of as a  lower-cost housing option ("affordable home ownership" is the term used in the FSC Housing Affordability report) but that doesn't seem to be the focus of the following web release on www.yellowknife.ca:

The City of Yellowknife is proceeding with the Eco-Housing Project. Through an RFP process a Design Team, Guy Architects in association with Baird Sampson Neuert Architects, was awarded the Design, Modeling Construction and Marketing of a sustainable and eco-friendly 24-unit housing design in the Downtown area.

Interested members of the public are invited to attend an open house on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 in the Council Chamber, City Hall from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The Design Team will give a brief PowerPoint presentation starting at 12:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on the Eco Housing Sustainability Framework and what the project means for the community followed by open discussion. Refreshments will be provided.

Please contact Guy Architects at admin@guyarchitects.com or call 873-3266 for further information.

It may be that they've had a hard time combining eco-friendly construction with a low price point - which would be entirely understandable.  But whether the emphasis will be on affordability or environmentally-friendly building practices, this should be a fascinating project.  The only way to find out what's going on here is to attend one of the open house sessions.

I'll see you there.

Adrian

 

Volunteers Needed Today to Help Clean Up Downtown Yellowknife

It's that time of year.  The snow has melted, leaving behind an unwanted bounty of Bounty wrappers, among other things.  As in years past, the Yellowknife Trash Pick-Up Artists will be getting together on Wednesdays at 5pm at Javaroma to take on this perennial pest.  Today is our first session of 2012. 

The Pick-Up Artists have been around since about 2008 and were originally formed to bridge the gap between the annual melt and the launch of the City of YK's litter cleanup season.  The City tends to wait until every last drop of snow is gone before beginning their cleanup work and it was felt that this left our town in an unacceptable state for several weeks.  Although the entire city is in need of cleanup, we chose to focus on the downtown core, because of its visibility and its importance to the overall image of the town.  Several of the co-founders also happened to be downtown residents and business owners - cleaning up our own back yard, if you will.

There really isn't all that much to it.  We meet at Javaroma between 5 and 5:30 (where all volunteers receive free coffee or tea), pick up garbage bags, latex gloves and reflective vests, and then we spread out and attack the trash.  It can be cold and windy work, although today that doesn't appear to be likely.  We ask volunteers to work for as long as they feel comfortable.  You'd be amazed at what you can accomplish in a half hour.

The good news this year is that we likely won't have to do this more than once or twice.  Unless I'm mistaken, our downtown core looks a lot cleaner than it has in years past.  Furthermore, the snow melted rather quickly this year.  We won't have to revisit the same old snow piles numerous times waiting for the sun to tease out our targets.

So at any rate, I hope you'll join me at 5 p.m. today at Javaroma to practice your pick-up skills.  It is fulfilling work that truly does make a difference in our quality of life.

To keep an eye on upcoming events, join the facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/ykpickupartists/.

A huge thanks to our 2012 sponsors:

- Camco Construction
- UNW
- Javaroma
- Bellanca Developments 
- Wallbridge Law Office
- Capitol Theatre