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Rat Creek Volume 6 Press Issue 11 Your Community Paper November/December 2004 The People Have Spoken What the Heck’s contributed to the surprise the new trustee for Edmonton Going On Mayoral win of Stephen Mandel, Public in Ward D. The Catholic Big changes at RCP Page 2 who was originally seen as the School trustees in ward 2 and 3 New Guy in Town: underdog and not a serious con- were both re-elected; Janice Sports Coordinator for all tender. Sarich and Mark Razzolini Community Leagues Page 4 The councillor results were respectively. Get out the Vote Page 4 predictable; all incumbents were Our role in "civic politics" The Inside Scoop on re-elected including Ron Hayter did not end with marking lines (Ward 2) , Ed Gibbons (Ward3) on the ballot. It is our job to Play Indoor Gym Page 4 and Janice Melynchuk (Ward 3). hold our representatives A Life Long Struggle A new councillor, Kim Krushell, accountable. We need to remem- A personal history Page 6 was elected in Ward 2 to replace ber who they are and what Allan Bolstad who stepped they've said. Eastwood AGM Dec 4 alling snow and slushy, polls. Voter turnout was 42% down. Spruce Ave AGM Nov 16 slippery streets didn't that's up considerably from 35% Voters also selected school Page 7 Fkeep people from the last civic election This certainly board trustees. Dave Colburn is (continued on page 3) Year of the Vote ctober 18th marked the and campaigning has already Avenue said, "During our door based on updated census data. Voter Turnout second time in less than started for the provincial one. knocking campaign, we found For Edmonton, the changes Ofour months that Are people welcoming this that many people don't feel mean losing one of its 19 seats, Federal(Canada) Edmontonians headed to the participation in the democratic informed enough [to vote]. the riding of Edmonton Best 79% in 1958 polls to exercise their right to process? According to voter Voting's not just a personal Norwood. Portions of the Worst 61% in 2004 vote. And it's not over yet. turnout, a large percentage of responsibility, it's also a commu- Norwood and Highlands ridings Premier Ralph Klein announced a people are going anywhere but nal responsibility, and that com- are being amalgamated to form a Provincial (Alberta) November 22nd Provincial the polling station on Election munal responsibility has been riding called Edmonton Best 82% in 1935 Election. Day. The June Federal Election lost over the years." Highlands-Norwood. The new Worst 47% in 1986 In June, Canadians elected a had the lowest voter participa- At the provincial and feder- dividing line on the west is 97 Last 53% in 2001 minority Liberal government. tion ever at 61%. Municipal elec- al levels, decision-making can be Street, so now two of the North (Well actually Ontario did, the tions always receive less interest made easier by the presence of Central Edmonton communities Municipal majority of the West voted with a little over a third of eligi- political parties. On the other (Spruce Avenue and Westwood) (Edmonton) Conservative.) There was a short ble voters casting a ballot. hand, the voter can be torn will fall into a different riding - Best 84% in 1918 reprieve over the summer and Ironically, it is at the local between the candidate they like Edmonton-Calder. Worst 10% in 1956 then we were back in the midst of level that your vote can have the best and the political party they Whether you like it or not, 35% in 2001 political discussions, this time most impact. Justin Harder, a would like to support. we will be inundated with more talk of politics, candidates, 42% in 2004 around mayoral and councillor local Community Organizer who When Albertans go to the candidates. Now we've just helped organize a "Get Out the polls in November there will be issues, and political parties for at wrapped up the civic election Vote" campaign in Alberta revised electoral boundaries least another few weeks. By Karen Mykietka Norwood's Beat On the Street any of us have comfortable in approaching the OUR PARTNERS noticed the presence beat officers; it's good for us to get Mof "Beat Police" in to know our local residents," says Alberta Avenue Norwood since May, but after Constable Pearce. Community League speaking with my neighbors, I Part of their job is liaising realized that we weren't at all with community groups and Youth Eastwood sure as to their role. Programs, but generally they look Community League There are two Beat Officers at how to make the neighbour- assigned to patrol the Norwood hood safe. Since they have been Spruce Avenue area, Constables Brad Pearce on the job, they have shut down Community League and Kurt Martin. Initially it was close to a dozen derelict houses. a three-month assignment, but "We're pro-active in looking six months later, they haven't for potential things that will affect Norwood heard anything official regarding the community, when we're not Neighbourhood their length of tenure here. responding to calls”, says Association Meeting with Constable Pearce, Constable Piece. I asked him about the service. We're interested in any type of PAAFE "I'm glad to be in the com- criminal activity that affects the munity of Norwood. I volun- quality of life of the residents of Success by Six teered to come here and I did it Norwood. because I know the area. There's a great sense of community here.I'd like the residents to feel continued page 5 Rat Editorial: Creek What the Heck's Going On? volunteering on the paper in Eastwood neighbourhoods. Our Photographers - People will- M.I.A. 2000. As volunteers dwindled, lives and our interests do not ing to go to community events Press our community paper- she ended up managing and end at our community league or around the neighbourhood the Rat Creek Press has - producing the paper on her boundaries. So, ideally all North and take pictures. Anyone with Ybeen missing-in-action own. Partner representatives, Central Community Leagues good pictures of people in the Volume 6 Issue 11 the last few months. I heard busy with their own affairs, did- will participate in the paper and community or community hap- some of you noticed and were n't take an active role. While get- have it delivered in their area. penings is invited to submit even upset about its absence. ting the paper put together and them (prints or high-resolution November/December 2004 VOLUNTEERS Good! This means someone was printed was quite a task, so was digital files). This newspaper will not reading the paper. Both July and getting the printed copies to have a future unless more peo- Ad Rep - Someone interest- The Rat Creek Press is a non- August issues were printed; your mailbox. For over two ple support it with their time, ed in finding new advertisers profit community newspaper unfortunately, a big distribution years, Arlene Kemble worked energy and business. While peo- and managing advertiser supported by local community mix up in August resulted in the hard coordinating delivery to ple from outside North Central accounts including invoicing organizations. majority of homes not receiving businesses and block carriers. Edmonton may think this area and collection. We first of all a copy. The paper was shut On behalf of the community I want to promote desirable local Partners: is poor, I know differently. Our down in September and thank Jackie Ryan and Arlene businesses and then other busi- Alberta Avenue Community League community is rich with history. October as the partners dis- Kemble for their time, persever- nesses or services that would be Eastwood Community League It is also rich with people-people cussed the future of the paper. ance and commitment to this of interest to residents. Norwood Neighbourhood with diverse skills, people with But before we look at the future, paper and their community. Association vision, and people with hidden Distribution Coordinator - I'd like to talk about the past. PAAFE UNDER CONSTRUCTION potential. A handful of residents Coordinate delivery of the paper Spruce Avenue Community League HISTORY Back to the present. It was are already involved in numer- to businesses and organizations The Rat Creek Press started time for the paper to get an ous activities and organizations and oversee residential delivery. We will not publish articles or in 1999 as a joint initiative of overhaul, from its look and con- in the community. There are Other Contributions - ads detrimental to the commu- five community organizations. tent to its management and many more of you who are not. Send us any informational tid- nity. We reserve the right to The first year the paper paid a organization. Restructuring and Here is a chance to give to your bits, interesting facts, quotes or choose our advertisers. managing editor. Since 2000 it reorganizing take time, but the community; share your skills or sayings, stories, opinions, letters Opinions expressed in the has been run by volunteers who partners couldn't afford to wait. develop new ones. to the editor, sketches, cartoons, newspaper are not necessarily sometimes received an honorari- They need a regular means of Start by giving us feedback graphics, etc. those of the partners. um. In the six years the paper communicating with the com- on the paper. What do you NEXT ISSUE has been running, the partners munity. Therefore, the partners think of the new design? What All writers and would be January 2005 Theme "In have changed.