River Valley News - Apr 3/25

Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” still rings true in conservation today

Tony Russell photo

55 years ago this month, Joni Mitchell released the song “Big Yellow Taxi”. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Joni, she is a widely loved singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and painter born in Fort Macleod, Alberta. 

Big Yellow Taxi was written by Mitchell while she was on vacation in Oahu. She was staying at a skyscraper hotel, from which you could see green mountains and white birds in the distance. However, while looking out the hotel window, Joni noticed that she was surrounded by parking lots as far as the eye can see. 

In the documentary “When Hippies Ruled the World”, Joni shares that Big Yellow Taxi asks the age-old questions that continue to plague us when it comes to conservation: Which will win, nature or the concrete jungle? Are we going to pave everything over? Or will we leave the parks be?

These are the sorts of questions that Edmontonians are faced with when thinking about the future of the North Saskatchewan River Valley. The hope is that we don’t need to lose this vital part of our city in order to finally realize what we’ve got.

https://www.facebook.com/jonimitchell/videos/joni-shared-her-inspiration-for-big-yellow-taxi-and-the-impact-the-lyrics-contin/243315278154550/

Fungi a hot commodity for plants looking to form deep relationships

Jason Teare photo

If you have been walking through Edmonton’s river valley or natural area parks, you have probably noticed mushrooms growing along the walking trails. They come in many different forms and colours and often the most interesting ones are hidden in the underbrush on rotting tree trunks. Here are some other cool facts on fungi:

Fungi were once classified as plants but are now recognized as a separate kingdom. Unlike plants, fungi do not contain chlorophyll and are unable to produce their own food.

The mushroom is the fruiting body of the fungus. The vegetative part of the fungus is found in the soil and is made up of a mass of threadlike filaments called hyphae, collectively known as mycelium. Mycelium can cover a huge area, with the largest known continuing mass estimated at 2400 acres in size.

Fungi break down plant wastes through their mycelium. During this process nutrients and organic matter enrich the soil. Without fungi to break down these wastes, we would be up to our neck in plant debris.

Some plants form beneficial relationships with fungi to help them grow. These fungi are called “mycorrhizae” and attach to plants roots making some nutrients more accessible for plant growth.

Many foods that we consume can be attributed to fungi. Bread, some types of cheese, soda pop, beer, and even chocolate all depend on fungi in the process of being made.

Finally, if you have ever taken Penicillin to treat an infection, you can thank fungi. Penicillin is derived from fungi known as Penicillium. https://natureedmonton.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/fungi-in-edmonton/

NatGeo on why Edmonton should be everyone’s next Canadian getaway

Explore Edmonton photo

National Geographic released a travel article on March 27 covering 7 reasons why folks should visit Edmonton, the gateway to Canada’s North. Unsurprisingly, the number one reason why was to explore wild landscapes in the North Saskatchewan River Valley.

The article states that Edmonton’s proximity to the vast, untouched wilderness of Northern Canada places it right on urbanism’s final frontier. The city is an approximately three-hour drive from the entrance to the expansive Jasper National Park and the Canadian Rockies; yet, you don’t have to leave Alberta’s capital to find crowd-free, tree-lined trails and an abundance of wildlife.

The article goes on to say that the RV is accessible from various points around Edmonton and offers plenty of outdoor activities — from hiking and mountain biking in the summer to snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter. With more designated green space than any other city in North America, Edmonton’s urban parkland offers access to the Canadian woodlands within mere minutes of the city’s lively downtown.

Other reasons to visit Edmonton included the city’s hands-on Indigenous cultural experiences, local arts and culture festivals, sporting passion, and food scene. The entire article can be read here https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/paid-content-7-reasons-to-visit-edmonton-alberta

The 2025 Beaverhill Lake Snow Goose Festival is quickly approaching

What had 4,000 people searching for thousands of Snow Geese in two days near the town of Tofield, Alberta? The Beaverhill Lake Snow Goose Festival, launched in 1993 and held near the end of April for 10 years. This year, the Snow Goose Festival will occur on April 26 & 27 based out of the Tofield Curling Arena.

The festival is a celebration of spring bird migration. It’s an opportunity for nature enthusiasts, bird watchers, and interested members of the general public to view many species of birds that stop in Beaver County on their migration northward.

This family-oriented celebration provides transportation and tours and hikes around Beaverhill Lake and Beaver County led by naturalist volunteers. In the town of Tofield, a trade fair and numerous activities provide additional options for visitors.

In the 1990s, the Snow Goose Festival was one of the most popular and successful events of its kind in Canada, if not all North America. An estimated 3,400 people attended the first festival, and over 6,000 people participated in its last year (April 20–21, 2002). More information and tickets are available here https://www.snowgoosefestival.ca/

March 27 Issue

Geoff writes “Thanks for the weekly updates. I read and enjoy everyone.”

龍的傳人 Descendants of the Dragon by Paul Reimer, Quarters LRT Stop https://www.edmontonarts.ca/public-art/descendants-of-the-dragon

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

Forward this link to anyone you think may want to sign up for this newsletter https://www.edmontonrivervalley.org/newsletter-signup

River Valley News - Mar 27/25

Hardisty residence home to international figures, Richard and Esther

Brandon Lynch photo

Prominent Edmontonians Richard George Hardisty and his wife Esther Kelly Hardisty played a role in important events in Canada and abroad. Their Westmount home, built in 1913, has been declared a Municipal Historic Resource.

The Hardisty Residence is an early example of a Foursquare-designed house with wood clapboard siding, a low-pitched roof with projected eaves and a front-facing gable dormer. It is the 191st property to be designated as a Municipal Historic Resource in Edmonton since 1985.

Richard George Hardisty was born in 1871. His father, Richard Charles Hardisty, was the Chief Factor at Fort Edmonton and the first Métis person to be appointed to the Senate of Canada. His mother, Elizabeth McDougall, was the daughter of George McDougall, an early Methodist missionary in the region.

Richard George served as a scout and dispatch rider for government troops during the 1885 Northwest Resistance. He helped organize Edmonton’s first hockey club in 1896 and played on its Edmonton Thistle team. From 1897 to 1898, Richard George was part of the North West Mounted Police expedition to find an all-Canadian route to the Klondike gold fields. During the First World War, he served in France as a Major in the 49th Battalion (Edmonton Regiment) of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He died in Vancouver in 1943.

Esther was a unique woman for her time. She worked in New York as an advertising manager for Borden’s Milk and edited two medical journals before marrying Richard George. During the First World War, Esther served overseas in the nursing service.

During the Second World War, Esther was a publicity executive with the National Selective Service of Canada, which found workers for factories and other war-related efforts. The National Selective Service encouraged significant numbers of women into paid employment, which had lasting effects on female labour force participation in Canada. Esther died in 1947. https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/edmonton_archives/historic-resources

Northeast river valley park closed Wednesday for controlled burn

Edmonton firefighters spent Wednesday morning lighting a fire, instead of putting one out. The Northeast River Valley Park was closed by Edmonton Fire Rescue for a prescribed burn, meant to clear grass and weeds in the park. The preventative fire is a recent addition to the city’s fire protection plan.

“We’re seeing more and more fires around so we just want to use different techniques to prepare different areas and mitigate the risk and hazards that are out there on the landscapes we have,” said Darren Grove, the acting general manager for the city’s open space operations.

“We have seen a couple fires over the years in the valley,” said Chris Szydlowski, who owns River Valley Adventure Co. In April 2023, one of those fires even damaged a downtown hotel, not far from Szydlowski’s business. He believes that a fire prevention plan is essential to protect the green space where he makes his living. https://globalnews.ca/news/11100063/edmonton-fire-prevention-prescribed-burn/

How do you enjoy Edmonton’s river valley parks during the winter?

The City of Edmonton invites residents’ input into projects, policies and initiatives that grow communities, establish government services and prepare the city for the future. Below is a current opportunity for Edmontonians to shape decisions about the river valley.

The Winter Park survey was created because Edmonton is proud to be a WinterCity and values resident input as they continue to enhance winter offerings. They are inviting folks to share their experiences and insights about how they enjoy Edmonton's River Valley Parks during the winter months.

Your feedback will help them to understand how visitors utilize these spaces, what activities they enjoy during winter and more opportunities to be explored in the future. This survey will take 8-10 minutes to complete and will close on April 7 at 11:59 PM.

Complete the survey here https://cityofedmonton.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e36YPzg87UVs08m

March 20 Issue

Victoria shares “I think that we should no longer name parts of the city for individuals - it's too controversial. E.g. - we used to have a park named after "May" and it was changed, e.g. change Gretzky Drive? Surely we can honour individuals by photos, etc. in the City Hall where it becomes a permanent part of our history.”

Gerry Wright a key player in bringing LRT to Edmonton

Louise says “I'm curious why you didn't mention that Gerry was also a City Councilor?”

Answer provided by Editor, “It was difficult formatting Gerry's story as there was just so much that could have been added. However, we want to make sure that the newsletters remain concise and easy to digest. We always make sure to include links to the original source though, so that folks can learn more and catch some of the interesting facts that we didn't get to include.”

Platanos (Plantains) by Michelle Campos Castillo, Belvedere LRT Station https://www.edmontonarts.ca/public-art/platanos-plantains

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

Forward this link to anyone you think may want to sign up for this newsletter https://www.edmontonrivervalley.org/newsletter-signup

River Valley News - Mar 20/25

Gerry Wright a key player in bringing LRT to Edmonton

Gerry Wright was born in Toronto, Ontario on March 11, 1929 and raised in Montreal, Quebec. In 1963, Gerry was recruited to work for the University of Alberta as an assistant professor. In 1972, he became an associate professor in Community Development and Public Affairs and worked in this position until his retirement in 1992.

As a passionate and active professor, Gerry developed programs on and off campus that helped individuals take action on civic issues while working to develop social welfare policies with the City and the Province. He was also a vocal proponent of the benefits of Light Rail Transit and played a key role in bringing the LRT to Edmonton.

Gerry was involved in protecting the river valley and preserving historical districts, notably protesting against a planned freeway through Old Strathcona. He was a founding member of the Society for the Protection of Architectural Resources in Edmonton, Urban Reform Group of Edmonton, and the Old Strathcona Foundation where he served as president in 1982. 

On July 1, 1995, the Old Strathcona Foundation paid tribute to Gerry Wright by naming the lookout at the End of Steel Park in his honor. The plaque reads, “His vision for Strathcona was to call a halt to the deterioration of the neighbourhood and to gather around him a committed group of citizens to work together to revitalize this historic community.”  He was named as an Edmontonian of the Century in 2004.

Gerry Wright passed away on March 27, 1996. His vision to create a vibrant city has inspired many individuals to take action and continue to be passionate about transforming Edmonton. https://www.edmonton.ca/public-files/assets/document?path=pdf/gerrywrightofficialpkg.pdf

Upright prairie coneflower used to extract snake poison from bites

Kiarra13 photo

The upright prairie coneflower is also commonly referred to as mexican hat or long-head coneflower. It is scientifically referred to as Ratibida columnifera. The species name “columnifera” means column, as these flowers have long, cylindrical center disks.

Prairie coneflowers are found throughout North America, from Canada to Mexico. It can be found and is native in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan.

To identify the prairie coneflower, look for a tall center cone (2 inches) surrounded by 3 to 11 drooping yellow petals that each contain a notch at their ends. The flowers are found at the end of an erect stem that can be up to 3 feet tall. The leaves are blue-green in colour. The prairie coneflower typically grows in groups of itself.

Prairie coneflowers are drought tolerant and prefer sunny and dry conditions. The bright yellow colour is attractive to pollinators including skippers, checkered beetles, miner bees, bumblebees, honeybees and other bees.

In addition to its benefits for pollinators, the prairie coneflower also has medicinal benefits. These include treating poison ivy rashes, headaches, stomach aches and fevers. It has also been used to extract snake poison by the Cheyenne, who boiled the leaves and stems then applied the solution to the bite. https://inaturalist.ca/posts/97641-plant-of-the-month-upright-prairie-coneflower-ratibida-columnifera

Garneau residents oppose proposal for a new apartment in historic block

Shaughn Butts photo

Members of Garneau community are pushing back against a proposal for an apartment building in the neighborhood. They are arguing that an up-to four-storey tall building isn’t wanted or needed in the middle of a historic block of homes.

The property owner at 10948 89 Avenue NW wants the city to allow a building up to 16 metres tall from the current 10.5 metre limit — and up to 15 small apartments — with an optional business on the bottom floor. The location itself is fuelling the community’s consternation. The lot is 10 metres wide in the middle of a block surrounded by historic homes built in the early 1910s.

To the west is the Cecil S. Burgess Residence, a registered municipal historic resource. Two homes to the east are on the city’s historic resources inventory, and there are three more across the street. “We’re just asking you to preserve the 1920 block. These homes are over 100 years old, and I feel the community is amazing,” neighbour Sheryl Stephens said during the public hearing. “There are not many homes like this left.” 

City staff recommended council approve the rezoning, arguing it will allow for more housing density near busy transit hubs and because it fits with the future vision for the area outlined in a district plan. Ryan Eidick, director of Eins Development Consulting, said “the university is growing, much like the broader city, and the supply of accommodations in the immediate area is not keeping up with demand.”

Council is expected to debate the new zoning next month. https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/edmontons-garneau-community-pushes-back-on-mid-block-apartments-in-historic-area

“Between the City and the River” project brings together RV histories

Jeanette Spencer art

Celebrated by many as a beautiful and placid “ribbon of green,” the river valley park system winds its way through the city and offers an urban oasis that seemingly brings the wilderness into the heart of the city. As one Edmontonian put it, “Our river is often remote from the hustle and bustle of the city through which it flows.”

“Between the City and the River” is a research project premised on the opposite view. The group, which formed in 2017, states that for all its serenity and beauty the river valley has never been remote from the city and that the historical processes that created it are understood poorly.

This project believes that the dominant civic narrative of Edmontonians, past and present, describes the historic transformation of the river valley from industrial commercial use to contiguous public green space in highly congratulatory terms, using keywords like “renewal,” “redevelopment,” and “revitalization.”

However, the above narrative neglects that Edmonton’s river valley parks have been contested landscapes of exclusion and privilege since at least the fur trade era. Indeed, settler colonialism has erased the river narratives of the area’s Indigenous inhabitants—Cree (especially the Papaschase), Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Nakota Sioux, and Métis.

Beyond this, the parks were also created by other continuing processes of expropriation and dislocation that have been brought to bear on the city’s urban poor and homeless or transient populations. This history of dispossession and expropriation is one that many Edmontonians are unaware of when they walk, hike, cycle, picnic, and play in the “peaceful” river valley.

The primary goal of “Between the City and the River” is to build understanding of the complex and conflictual histories of Edmonton’s river valley. Although it is difficult to find what this platform is up to now a days, you can read more about its origins here https://niche-canada.org/2017/03/08/whose-ribbon-of-green-hgis-and-the-histories-of-edmontons-river-valley-and-ravines-system/#_ftn2

Rossdale rezoning, renewal, and green economy projects need your input

Jan says “I was disappointed you did not provide more information about the significant ecological and environmental risk associated with the Rossdale Rezoning to better inform your readers. Instead, quoted a Taproot article that raises no concern with how a 17 storey development that is 3-5x higher than the approved current DC1 zone would increase the number of dwellings over 80% and is within the boundaries of the Floodplain Protection Overlay. If this rezoning is approved, it would set a precedent for more intensive high-density development in other communities or natural areas with the Floodplain Protection Overlay making this zoning regulation ineffective in mitigating risk and protecting natural areas.”

Kathleen Andrews, First Lady of Transit by Daphne Côté, Kathleen Andrews Transit Garage https://www.edmontonarts.ca/public-art/kathleen-andrews-first-lady-of-transit

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

Forward this link to anyone you think may want to sign up for this newsletter https://www.edmontonrivervalley.org/newsletter-signup