Edmonton Briefs - February 2013

Numbers were up for meals served at the annual New Year’s Day dinner hosted by the Bissell Centre.

Number of meals served for New Year’s Day up

Bissell Centre served 1,600 meals on New Year’s Day, up by 400 over the previous year. But that number doesn’t necessarily represent an increase in mouths fed, said Kristen Clark, manager of marketing and communications, with the centre. Some people went up for seconds, while others took food for people who couldn’t attend or for second meals for themselves. “I think the numbers are increasing, too, because the meal is getting more popular. More people know about it,” she said. While many organizations serve meals over Christmas, Bissell Centre is the only organization to serve on New Year’s Day. Food was cooked by the Palace Banquet and Conference Facility, which has been cooking on and off since 1997. Between 40-50 volunteers helped set up the venue and serve the meals.

AGA exhibit includes work by Indigenous artists

Work by Indigenous artists Faye Heavy Shield (Standoff), Bruno Canadien (Black Diamond), Jewel Shaw (Red Deer) and Terence Houle (Calgary) have been included in the Art Gallery of Alberta’s exhibit The News From Here: The 2013 Alberta Biennial of Contemporary Art. The exhibit opened on Jan. 26 and features 36 artists from nine communities. Guest-curated by Alberta-based award-winning art critic and curator Nancy Tousley, this exhibit is one of the AGA’s most diverse Biennials to date, featuring painting, sculpture, installation, photography and animation, as well as a film, video and performance program. The exhibit runs until May 5.

Work monitored at Rossdale Flats

As groundwork for construction on the new Walterdale Bridge gets underway, an archealogy team is paying special attention to Rossdale Flats, the site of the first trading posts in Edmonton in the 1800s. Nothing of significance is expected to be found because the area has been previously disturbed and falls outside the bounds of the cemetery. However, the city will be reimbursing the costs of First Nation members, including some from the Samson Cree, Enoch, Papaschase, and Kainai, who are overlooking the work.

Second consecutive homeless count down

The 2012 homeless count shows there are about 200 fewer homeless Edmontonians than two years ago. The number now stands at 2,174. It is the second consecutive count that has shown a decrease in the city’s homeless community. In 2010, the number was 2,400 which was a 21 per cent reduction from 2008. 2010 was the first decrease since Homeward Trust Edmonton began conducting the homeless count in 1999. The latest number represents a 30 per cent decrease in homeless Edmonton residents since 2008. One-third of the homeless counted are under 30 years of age and 13 per cent are children. The Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness holds that the count is not an indication of decreased homeless, but an indication of improved methodology resulting in less duplication.

Recognition for contribution to tackling homelessness

Habitat for Humanity Edmonton and Karen Bruno are the nominees in the Outstanding Service for the Aboriginal Community category of the ROOPH awards. This category recognizes an organization or individual who has made a positive impact on housing and/or support services for Aboriginal peoples in Edmonton. The other categories for the annual awards are Larry Shaben Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Housing Sector, Partnerships for Success, Excellence in Building Design, and Exceptional Volunteerism in the Housing Sector. The 7th annual ROOPH (Recognizing Outstanding Organizations and People in Housing) awards, sponsored by Homeward Trust Edmonton, will be handed out March 7.

Sustainability, infrastructure to be addressed at conference

The Sustainable Buildings Consortium will be hosting its second annual First Nations conference on Sustainable Buildings and communities on Feb. 27 and 28 at the River Cree Resort. The conference, which will bring together a diverse group of delegates to continue the conversation about sustainability, is in response to the ongoing crisis regarding infrastructure in First Nations communities. Keynote speaker is Wab Kinew, former host of CBC’s 8th Fire and currently the University of Winnipeg’s Director of Indigenous Inclusion. Last year’s inaugural conference attracted over 150 delegates.

Compiled by Shari Narine

Compiled by Shari Narine

Education symposium examines MOU
Treaty 8 hosted its first annual education symposium Nov. 13-14. Shawn Atleo, Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, was keynote speaker, along with lawyer Lesra Martin. Martin is best known for his involvement in the release of boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter. Included in discussions were the Memorandum of Understanding for First Nations Education in Alberta signed in 2010, the Indigenous Knowledge Centre, and the challenge of school retention.

Compiled by Shari Narine