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Fair weather Pedestrianism

Being a pedestrian isn’t as glamorous as this blog makes it sound. There are some days, in early September, when you look outside and see things like this: And you just wonder where the summer went, immediately regretting not taking full advantage of warmer days. “It’s over”, you think to yourself. It happens around the…
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You gotta keep em separated

I’m a private person, especially with my home life. It’s not that I’m living a criminal life, cooking meth in my bathtub at night like I’m Heisenberg. It’s just that I like to do my thing (write, crush Breaking Bad episodes and talk both to and on behalf of my cat) in solitude sometimes. Maybe…
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As I walk (up from) the (River) Valley

Coolio was the best. When I was looking at my current apartment for the first time, I walked over from the place at which I was living at the time, thinking to myself “that hill will be a tough commute every morning”. ‘That hill’, of course, is 103 Street, one of many steep access points…
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Living the High (Line) life

I was in New York last week for the first time in my life. My trip was only four days and I feel like I only saw 1% of the city. I think I always assumed, being the small city bumpkin that I am, that New Yorkers were on another level in terms of their…
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Falling Water

Incorporating public art into public spaces isn’t anything new. Hell, in the 16th Century during the Renaissance, artists were basically celebrities. They received massive commissions to produce pieces of art that enhanced public spaces. Now although the themes and styles have evolved; I mean Copenhagen basically has a statue dedicated to a military, royal or…
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The Law of 90%

Have you ever started a project that you’re jacked up about, work on it for awhile, get it to a certain point and then either abandon it or let it fade out when you’re about 90% done? Yeah……..me neither. My brother and I joke about the Law of 90% because we have a very predictable…
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Bridge over the River North Saskatchewan

The Walterdale Bridge replacement project was a shitshow. Over budget, Korean steel delivered a year late, and contractor squabbles somewhat tarnished the project. When it opened, there were more than a few “finally”‘s and snide, side-of-mouth opinions being broadcast by Edmontonians. And for good measure, of course. It’s a major artery connecting south Edmonton with…
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Precipitation – not just a Middle English word whose origin goes back to 1425

It rained today. Edmonton is surprisingly dry compared to other major cities. All precipitation we get here seems to come in big dumps rather than spread out over a longer period. It’s kind of cool, I remember as a kid really being into the big storms. The ones that would circle, where you’d count (with…
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Plan View is sexy

In my day job as a Planner, that I certainly won’t be quitting unless this blog really takes off, I do a lot of work in Plan View. Looking at things from 10,000, 5,000 or 1,000 feet above ground level is just what planners (and birds) do. It’s supposed to give an overall picture of…
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