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 The Spectacular Art Gallery of Alberta Opens its Doors
 After years of planning, design and construction, the new Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA) opened its doors this week to sell out crowds and it was definitely worth the wait!
Our AGA is an outstanding example of Edmonton's vision and creativity. I am amazed at the attention to detail and artistic flow of the new gallery. The new gallery also adds to Edmonton's arts district. Along with Winspear and Citadel theatres, it makes this a very exciting part of our downtown.
The Art Gallery of Alberta needs to be seen inside and out to be truly appreciated. I urge everyone to take your families to experience this wonderful building - and the treasures it houses - for yourselves.
Long-term Plan for LRT Expansion
 City Council wants 2010 to be the year that we really get going on our LRT plan. After too many years of debate, we have approved new routes and now it's time to move forward.
Our new plan reaches towards all corners of our city and integrates planning for neighbourhoods and communities with planning for transit and LRT, based on Transit Oriented Development (TOD) principles. Simply put, this means we plan to bring it where the people are or where we project long-term growth, making transit an important component supporting growth and a more compact city. As the system design evolves, ongoing consultation with communities will be undertaken to ensure the desired impacts of a TOD-based system are achieved.
You can get a look at the system map at http://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/2009_LRTNetworkPlanReportAtt2.pdf
So what happens now?
The estimated cost of completing the south, west and base NAIT lines is expected to be close to $3 billion. So as much as we are pleased to know how and where we want to build, the next phase - funding - will be our most crucial.
To help move forward, we've asked administration to consider some key steps.
- What are the options for funding the system? What will Federal and Provincial partners contribute and what do our citizens think is reasonable expense?
- How we can gain efficiencies in our overall transit system, and increased revenue from riders, to ensure that the system pays its own way as much as possible?
- Finally, how soon can we build? Can we save costs by fast-tracking construction of all routes at the same time?
These questions and ideas from our communities, partners and administration will form the basis of an important conversation in the weeks and months ahead - one that aims to take the LRT network from plan to construction in the shortest path possible.
You can contact me for more information about the LRT plans, the Art Gallery or any other City issue at my office at 780-496-8100 or email me at stephen.mandel.@edmonton.ca.
Thanks for subscribing to this e-newsletter. Let me know if there are any specific issues you'd like me to address in our March issue.
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