River Valley News - Nov 17, 2022

Wolf Willow resident-only parking program trial ended
The vast majority of engagement participants, including a majority of those residing within the program area, were not in favour of the program. As a result, the resident-only parking program will not continue.

Resident-only parking restrictions will be lifted for the streets of Wolf Willow Crescent and Wolf Willow Point. Current parking permits will not be renewed, and in order to provide time for residents to adjust, bylaw enforcement will not ticket any vehicles displaying expired permits for the month of November.

The current two No Parking and accessible parking stalls and the three No Stopping Zones will remain near the Wolf Willow Stairs. All other restricted parking signage will be removed in the upcoming weeks. Complete information on the date collected and its findings is now available at https://engaged.edmonton.ca/wolfwillow?

Night Out on the North Saskatchewan 2022
This online event to honour, celebrate, and deepen our understanding of the North Saskatchewan River Valley is November 23, 2022, 7:00–8:30pm and hosted by the Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition. The evening will feature three speakers and attendance is by donation.

Caroline Nutter will talk about the history of saving Millcreek Ravine. In 1968, she bought a house a half block from the Mill Creek ravine. Shortly after they moved in, her family realized their entire block would be wiped out to make way for a freeway through the ravine. So, with some neighbours, they set out to disrupt those plans.

Sarah De Lano is a member of the Métis Nation of Alberta and has ancestral ties to River Lot 28, one lot over from where the Kinnaird/Rat Creek Ravine sits. She harvests plants and berries in the ravine with her daughter and has recently completed a community-based research project and recipe book on diversity in greenspace and urban agriculture. Sarah will speak about food and connection to land through food.

Catherine Shier is a professional biologist who works to conserve wildlife and wild places through her work with the City of Edmonton. Catherine will present on the important role our river valley has as a wildlife corridor and how the city works to protect it. She will share images from WildEdmonton, a joint wildlife monitoring project between the City of Edmonton and University of Alberta. Information and registration at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/night-out-on-the-north-saskatchewan-2022-tickets-433028669407?aff=ebdshpsearchautocomplete&keep_tld=1

Canada’s most prestigious science award goes to research on habitat fragmentation
Ecologist Lenore Fahrig has won Canada's most prestigious scientific award, the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council's Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal which is given annually and comes with $1 million dollars in research funding. Her 40-year career has been focused on how to balance humanity's growing impact on the landscape with the need to protect and conserve biodiversity.

According to Fahrig's research, preserving many small patches of natural habitat, whether they happen to be in big cities or scattered around industrial and agricultural areas, can work as well or even better than trying to preserve a few large chunks when it comes to protecting biodiversity.

“What we know now,” said Fahrig, “is that every bit of natural habitat is important in some way for biodiversity. What we need to do is not kind of say, well, this bit of habitat is not big enough. Every bit of habitat is big enough in the sense that if you add it together with other little bits of habitat together, that makes a big difference. What that means is that efforts to save small bits of habitat are really important.”

According to Fahrig, “We have a situation in in Canada where most of our threatened and endangered species are in the southern part of the country, where we have a lot of small patches of forest and or other habitats, and not very much in the way of large patches. And we tend to put our protected areas in the far north where we can have large, protected areas, but that is not actually helping the species in the southern part of the country, which are the most threatened and endangered species in Canada.”

More at https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/nov-5-socializing-between-chimps-and-gorillas-deer-and-daylight-savings-giant-asteroid-and-more-1.6639648/canada-s-most-prestigious-science-award-goes-to-research-on-habitat-fragmentation-1.6639650

JBJ McDonald Conservation Land opens to public
The JBJ McDonald Conservation Land is now open to the public. The 130-acre site is in Lac Ste. Anne County, about a 100km drive from central Edmonton. For easy access, visitors will find a parking area, pedestrian gates, and signs throughout the land for navigating the 2.7 km of natural trails.

This conservation land is the first site purchased directly by the Edmonton & Area Land Trust and was made possible by a generous donation of stock options from Joanne McDonald. Her proactive donation was the catalyst to influence other supporters and endowment funds to donate to the EALT Capital fund. JBJ McDonald is named after Joanne and her two children.

The land features a variety of habitats, from open meadows to an esker ridge, to lowlands around the Lily Lake shoreline. Vegetation includes coniferous bogs, birch stands, mixed-wood forests, and modified grassland. It is home to many species of wildlife, including moose, white-tailed deer, trumpeter swans, Canada jays, and boreal toads. Palm warblers, sandhill cranes, and many waterfowl species have been seen on the land during migration.

Cougars and black bears frequent the land throughout the year, and livestock may be at large. Information and visiting guidelines at https://www.ealt.ca/jbj-mcdonald

Turbulent by Jill Anholt (City of Edmonton public art collection) https://www.edmontonpublicart.ca/#!/details/216 Photo by Doyle C. Marko.

Comment or contribution
Please note that articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the wide variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley. Email river valley photos, event information, comments, or questions to nsrivervalley@gmail.com

Sincerely yours,
Harvey Voogd
North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society
780.691.1712

River Valley News - Nov 10, 2022

Presbyterian minister earned the military’s highest honour

Lieutenant George Burdon McKean earned the Victoria Cross, the military’s highest honour, while serving with the 14th Infantry Battalion near Gavrelle, France on April 27-28, 1918. The medal is awarded for the most conspicuous bravery, a daring or pre-eminent act of valour, or self-sacrifice or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy.

McKean lived in Canada for only 12 years before WWI, having emigrated as an orphan in 1902 from England. He worked on a cattle ranch before studying at Robertson College in Strathcona, then part of the University of Alberta, to enter the Presbyterian ministry. He became a pastor’s assistant at Robertson Presbyterian Church, now Robertson-Wesley United Church in Oliver.

When the war hit, the 27-year-old enlisted in Edmonton as a private. The Victoria Cross was not his only military honour. In 1917, McKean was awarded the Military Medal. And for outflanking 100 German soldiers in September 1918 and forcing them to surrender, all while severely wounded by shrapnel in his right leg, he was awarded the Military Cross.

McKean did not return to Canada after the peace armistice in November 1918. He married a local woman while still in England. Eight years after the war ended, McKean was killed in a freak sawmill accident in 1926 at the age of 38. He was struck in the head when a circular saw he was operating malfunctioned and flew apart. Read more at https://edmontonjournal.com/news/insight/hometown-hero-victoria-cross-winner-from-edmonton-honoured-a-century-later

Smith Crossing pedestrian bridge replacement work begins

The Smith Crossing pedestrian bridge, located along 23 Avenue, provides access to the MacTaggart and Larch Sanctuaries in Edmonton’s river valley system. The existing bridge was built in the early 1900s and has reached the end of its service life. The City of Edmonton is replacing the bridge, with construction anticipated to begin this month. The new bridge is expected to open in fall 2023.

The work zone will be closed to the public during construction, including the parking lot on the south side of 23 Avenue. Walking trails outside the construction zone will remain open. Access restrictions will be in place during construction. More information can be found in the project’s construction bulletin at https://www.edmonton.ca/sites/default/files/public-files/Construction-Bulletin-Smith-Crossing-Pedestrian-Bridge-Oct2022.pdf?cb=1666639002

Buildings that reflect YEG’s early years designated as historic resources

The Stone House and Summer Kitchen built around 1929 on the Keillor Farmstead, in an area now partially occupied by the Whitemud Equine Centre, have been granted designation as Municipal Historic Resources by Edmonton City Council. Dr. Fred Keillor, a city coroner and two-term Alderman, believed in the benefits of outdoor recreation and opened his property to the public for recreational uses as well as access to the river.

The Stone House and Summer Kitchen are unique in that they are built of stone rather than log, unlike the original 1918 Keillor Cabin, which sits immediately to the north of the buildings. This sort of construction is known as “parkitecture” and is common in National Parks in both Canada and the United States. The buildings are owned by the City of Edmonton and are leased by the Whitemud Equine Centre Association.

The other two buildings designated are the Figg Residence, a one-and-a-half storey house located in Bonnie Doon, and the Stein Residence built in 1912 in the Westmount neighbourhood. More about these buildings at

https://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-Release---Four-historic-buildings-that-reflect-Edmonton-s-early-years-designated-as-historic-resources.html?soid=1127191170163&aid=NNvHNQZ9Cs8

Former railway bridge upstream of Hwy 15 bridge

Rod writes “Thanks to Geoff for his comments and suggestions about how to provide habitat for endangered Barn and Bank Swallows in the River Valley. In addition to a physical place to live, these birds need sustenance, which is mosquitoes, lots of mosquitoes! To support dwindling populations of these birds, concerned Edmontonians need to lobby their City Councillors to support efforts to reduce the use of Bti to control mosquito populations, especially where Bank and Barn Swallows may congregate. With plans to declare Edmonton's River Valley a new National Park all mosquito spraying should be prohibited within planned National Park Boundaries. Edmonton should look to Germany as an example, where the control of mosquitoes with Bti is banned in all Conservation Areas.”

Comment or contribution

Please note that articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the wide variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley. Email river valley photos, event information, comments, or questions to nsrivervalley@gmail.com

Sincerely yours,

Harvey Voogd

North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society

780.691.1712

River Valley News - Nov 3, 2022

Chickakoo Lake Recreation Area one of the best hiking spots in Edmonton area
With over 480 acres of woodland and lakes, Chickakoo Lake Recreation Area is home to wildlife such as moose, deer, beavers, birds and so much more. In Parkland County, near Stony Plain, it is a popular destination for family-friendly outdoor adventures.

Enjoy 11 km of trails used for walking, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing. In winter months, trails are groomed and tracks set regularly for cross country skiing. There are washrooms, picnic areas, fire pits with firewood supplied, a gazebo, and playground. Dogs are welcome on leash.

The name Chickakoo first appeared on maps made by the original surveyors of the area, indicating potential origins in Indigenous languages. More information at https://adventurealberta.ca/chickakoo-lake-recreation-area/

Magpie creation story, the Greek version
Greek legend has it nine sisters once challenged the muses to a singing contest. Not wanting to appear threatened by lesser mortals, the goddesses of the arts agreed. What ensued was an epic battle of song and story from which the muses emerged victorious.

Enraged, the sisters rushed to attack the muses, as they stretched out their hands, they saw their nails turn to claws. Their shrieks became squawks and feathers sprouted from their arms. Their punishment for challenging the gods was transfiguration. And so, magpies were born.

Creation stories are staples in mythology. They explain the existence of pretty much anything you can think of: the sky, humans, magpies, even practices and values. More at https://www.ualberta.ca/newtrail/ideas/it-lies-in-the-making.html

Tips for living alongside urban wildlife
Towns and cities in Alberta were built on the home ranges of native wildlife. As human spaces continue to expand, wild animals are forced to deal with the consequences. While many species do their best to avoid development, and some take human presence in stride while continuing to go about their business, others have figured out how to thrive in these artificial environments.

According to University of Alberta professor Colleen Cassidy St. Clair, populations of wildlife that can exploit urban areas are increasing. It’s not just coyotes roaming our towns, either. “Bobcats, lynx, and even cougars are sometimes seen in Alberta’s towns and cities. Cougars pose the most significant risk of injury, but the probability of an encounter is extremely low.”

It's not only predators and scavengers sharing our spaces. Mule deer are a common sight in small-town parks and neighbourhoods as well as wooded urban areas like the Edmonton river valley. Even moose make themselves at home in these places, so it's something to keep in mind while on a hike along wooded urban trails

Access to food is a big factor in human-wildlife conflicts in towns and cities. Often this is unintentional, with unsecured garbage, compost, and fallen fruit making an easy meal for animals. “About ten per cent of coyote scats we've measured contain birdseed, making it a very significant supplement to coyote diets, even without all the rodents it attracts,” said St. Clair. Read more at https://www.albertaprimetimes.com/edmonton-news/tips-for-living-alongside-urban-wildlife-5735587

YEG schools prominent in 1918 influenza response
Epidemic influenza arrived in Edmonton in mid-October 1918 and raged through the city for weeks before slowing down (but not ending) in December 1918. During those two-and-a-half-months more than 10% of Edmonton’s population reported getting sick. The city’s Medical Health Officer estimated that there were hundreds more unreported cases.

Two weeks into the epidemic, Mayor Evans and the city’s clergy organized a community-care scheme which divided the city into 15 relief districts. Neighbourly help in each district was provided by volunteers, most of them women, and coordinated out of school buildings.

The city was divided into four nursing districts with headquarters in King Edward, Victoria High, Calder, and Oliver Schools. There were only a few trained nurses available in the city to help with district, rather than hospital, nursing care. They took charge and provided direction to countless volunteers.

Nursing headquarters were complex organizations: the centre at Victoria High boasted not only a linen room, supply store and dispensary which provided nurses with whatever they needed for visits, but also a laundry room run by high school girls, a disrobing room where outdoor clothes could be changed and disinfected, day and night dormitories for the nurses and volunteers, and a convalescent room for volunteers who were recovering from exhaustion or illness. Complete piece at https://citymuseumedmonton.ca/2022/10/28/heritage-schools-edmontons-surprising-1918-influenza-epidemic-legacy-2/

Learn about labyrinths and walk the Turtle Rock Effigy
Jane emailed "Thank you so much for the article on the Turtle Rock Effigy! Leah Dorian is such an interesting artist—she did the mural that was part of the Indigenous Canada course at UofA and we have one of her wonderful paintings! Today several of us visited the labyrinth and really enjoyed it!"

Former railway bridge upstream of Hwy 15 bridge
Geoff writes “The photo of the former railway bridge upstream of Hwy 15 has me wondering if this is potential nesting habitat for Cliff and Barn Swallows. These species like to nest on vertical surfaces. The bridge abutments would need a cap; a horizontal cover to protect the vertical surfaces from rain. The covers would have to extend at least 30cm, 45 cm would be better to provide the cover for nests. Something as simple as sheets of plywood secured to the top of the abutments to keep them in place. Maybe a slope to let water run-off and not pool on top. I am not an engineer so there are likely better options. Swallow populations have declined dramatically in the past 50 years. A new nesting area over a productive wetland would be a positive step to help these species.” (Editor note – original headline erroneously said railway bridge was downstream of Hwy 15 bridge.)

The Capital Hill area along MacKinnon Ravine, 1913

Comment or contribution
Please note that articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the wide variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley. Email river valley photos, event information, comments, or questions to nsrivervalley@gmail.com

Sincerely yours,
Harvey Voogd
North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society
780.691.1712