YEGmonton

Musing on My City

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A Winter Walk in Mill Creek Ravine

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2019/01/05
Posted in: parks, River Valley, winter. Tagged: bark, berries, bridge, Mill Creek, photography, reflections, snow, trees, trunk, winter. Leave a comment

Today (January 5th) I went for a walk in one of my favorite areas of the city, but someplace I hadn’t got to yet this winter.

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I love all of the little (and a few not so little) bridges. The Mill Creek always keep flowing offering a wonderful reflective contrast to the white snow.

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Another thing which fascinated and is in abundant in the ravine in a variety of colors, textures and forms are the tree trunks and their bark:

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Beside the yellow/green and orange colors of the bark, with moss and lichen, there are little splashes of red berries.

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Now that I’ve reminded myself of the beauty of this part of Edmonton in the winter, I’ll be back sooner than later.

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A bend in Edmonton’s Mill Creek (January 2019)

Edmonton 2018 – a Photo Summary

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2019/01/04
Posted in: architecture, autumn, downtown, River Valley, spring, Summer, winter. Tagged: 2018, architecture, autumn, photography. Leave a comment

In this post I take a look back at the year 2018 in Edmonton, through my photos of Edmonton landscapes and landmarks – a couple of photos selected for each month.

January: The year started off rather frosty and cool. Photos: suspended wires crossing the river near Dawson Bridge and the Fairmont Hotel MacDonald

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February: Notably longer, sunnier days but still the snow on the ground wasn’t going anywhere yet (other than piled into windrows in the middle of the road. First photo is Jasper Avenue east of 97th Street. The second photo is the old (but not that old) Bank of Montreal building (on 101 St. at 102 Ave.) being demolished.

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March: Winter persisted and the Crashed Ice event returned to Edmonton’s river valley in Louise McKinney Park. The second photo is looking south on 108th Street, past one of the intriguing pieces of art on that street, towards the Alberta Legislature.

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April: Finally winter (and the ice on the North Saskatchewan) broke. Unfortunately a rapid snow melt lead to flooding of paths like shown in the second photo from Rundle Park.

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May: This month brought the explosion of green that I so look forward to. The first photo is in Mill Creek Ravine; the second looking east over the river valley from the top of Edmonton’s funicular site.

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June: More downtown construction, on 102 Avenue for the new LRT line and around City Hall, forced the festivals, normally centered on Churchill Square to more elsewhere. The Works festival, with its musical stage was at the plaza north of the Alberta Legislature grounds.

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July: This month brought more festivals and celebrations, starting with Canada Day and a delightful program of band music in Borden Park. July also brought some typical mid-summer stormy weather with the dark, ominous skies that typically roll in from the west.

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August: The skies of mid-August were filled with choking smoke (from not-so-nearby forest fires). I noticed that the sun-blocking smoke really stalled by garden in what should have been a prime part of the growing season. By the end of the month the smoke had dissipated and the sky was relatively clear (save for the occasional rainbow)

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September: As is typical for this month, it starts with the hint of autumn colors and ends with a blast of yellow and red (with the lingering green) in the river valley. (Not shown is the first significant dump of snow that occurred mid-month)

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October: By the tenth month the days are noticeably cooler and the days shorter. The first photo is of the top of the riverbank in the glow of the rich late-afternoon sunlight. The second photo is of Edmonton’s new Walterdale Bridge, that in October I finally had a chance to get down close to (even though I think it had been operational for around a year.

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November: The Edmonton landscape continues to cool and dullen in November and ice begins to form from the edges of the North Saskatchewan River. This November was special in Edmonton as the City played host to the Grey Cup game and celebrations. Part of that fun is shown in the second photo – a couple of guys on a zip line, down into the river valley from high above Jasper Avenue.

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December: The final month of 2018 brought more dullness, a bit more snow and continued freezing of the river, but from what I can remember the temperature were relatively mild and we didn’t get hit with a typical early-winter cold snap that can drop temperatures to -20C for a week – so we can’t complain.
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Catching up with Landmarks

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2018/10/03
Posted in: architecture, autumn, parks, photo, River Valley. Tagged: Chinese, history, Kinsmen, landmark, Louise McKinney, Queen Elizabeth, Rossdale, Walterdale. Leave a comment

These have been some major projects in Edmonton in the last few years and one in particular that I hadn’t explored (and photographed) up close. So today (2018 October 3)was the day. I went for a good long walk on this cool but sunny early-October day. The main landmark that I wanted to photograph was the new Walterdale Bridge in Edmonton’s river valley.

DSC_9578-1The arches of this bridge make it an instant landmark but the adjacent pedestrian/bicycle bridge has some striking lines and form too:

DSC_9575-1A few hundred meters west of the bridge on the south side of the river is Kinsmen Park is the newish outdoor Queen Elizabeth Pool. I think its been open since 2011 but with all of the construction in the river valley in recent years it has not been very accessible to me. The pool is closed for the season but I walked by and took a photo of the unique around-the-corner name:
DSC_9585-1Back on the northside of the Walterdale bridge is the old Rossdale Power Plant building. I’ve heard various proposals for redeveloping the space but I don’t believe any decisions have been made. The building is a landmark so I sure hope it is not knocked down.
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On the other (north) end of Rossdale and leading into Louise McKinney Park is the bottom of the funicular development, with an elevator and set of stairs. This structure was opened in early 2018.
DSC_9565-1At the other end of Louise McKinney Park is the Chinese Garden which has been a landmark for a number of years already:
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EIJF 2018

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2018/07/06
Posted in: Events, Music. Tagged: EIJF, Jazz Fest, John Sweenie, Sauna Sessions, Slide Zone. 2 Comments

The TD Edmonton International Jazz Festival took place June 22  to July 1. This year I attended nine events including 4 as a volunteer and one as a performer (in one of the Big Bands playing in the Big Band Bash).

Aside from the music I also enjoy taking photos of the performances at the free noon hours concerts on The Works Stage (which this year was relocated to the plaza at the Alberta Legislature Grounds due to ongoing construction around the usual Churchill Square location). Here are a few of my favorite photos from those concerts.

From the Slide Zone performance on Sunday June 24th – four of Edmonton’s top trombonists: Audrey Ochoa, Allen Jacobson, Remi Noel and Ken Read, with Josh McCann (bass) and Jamie Cooper (drums)

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From June 28th, the Finnish-inspired but Edmonton-based group, Sauna Sessions with Stephanie Urquhart (piano), Derek Plunkie (guitar), Joel Jeske (drums), Fred Mack (sax) and Aretha Tillotson (bass):

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and from June 30th, the John Sweenie Group – John Sweenie (tenor sax), Chris Andrews (keyboards), Jamie Cooper (drums) and Rubim de Toledo (bass):

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I also had the opportunity to catch performances by : The Heavyweights Brass Band, Vincent Herring Quartet, Audrey Ochoa Quartet and Al Muirhead’s Canadian Quintet, but unfortunately didn’t have an opportunity to capture any photos of these.

 

 

January Ice and Snow

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2018/01/28
Posted in: photo, River Valley, winter. Tagged: Edmonton, Hotel MacDonald, ice, January, North Saskatchewan, path, picnic table, river, Riverdale, snow. Leave a comment

January 2018 in Edmonton was not very snowy but finally in the last week around 15cm fell. This snow freshened up the landscape, smoothed out the bumps of ice on the river, and inspired me to get out and explore (especially down by the river).

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Favorite Photos of Edmonton in 2017

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2017/12/30
Posted in: autumn, downtown, parks, photo, River Valley, spring, Summer, winter. Tagged: 2017, black and white, Edmonton, photo, Randall Talbot, river, river valley, sculpture, snow, Top 10, trees. Leave a comment

In this post, I countdown my 10 favorite photos of Edmonton* that I took in 2017:

Number ten:

 

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Convention Centre

 

9:

 

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Churchill Square

 

8:

 

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Dawson Park

 

7:

 

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Edmonton City Hall

 

6:

 

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North Saskatchewan River by Dawson Park

 

5:

 

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Rowland Road

 

4:

 

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108 Street

 

3:

 

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ATB Tower

 

2:

 

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Dawson Park

 

and finally my favorite (at the moment) for 2017:

 

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Forest Heights Park

 

*I should further qualify that these are from just among the photos I took with my DSLR and each has some recognizable Edmonton viewpoint.

 

Bonus, a few other photos that made the shortlist (but not Top 10):

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Uncommon Perspectives

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2017/10/20
Posted in: autumn, parks, photo, River Valley. Tagged: 50th Street bridge, autumn, Capilano Bridge, colors, Dawson Park, fall, island, Jasper Avenue, mud, North Saskatchewan, photography, rapids, river bank, river valley. 2 Comments

Yesterday I was out for a walk in the Edmonton river valley. That in itself is pretty common but on this day, I strayed from the usual path and discovered views of my City which were refreshingly different.

These photos were taken from the south side of the river (North Saskatchewan), west of the Capilano Bridge. While I walk the path/ bike trails frequently, this day I made an effort to get right down to the water’s edge. Here, beside the little island near the south bank I discovered what may be the only rapids on the North Saskatchewan River as it winds its way through Edmonton as a big, slow waterway.

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From the water’s edge I was also able to see the layers of mud making up the lower river bank.

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Looking across the island and gravel bar, and across the river to the east end of Dawson Park on the north bank.

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A bit of subtle but striking, color from the few leaves that remain on the trees and shrubs in mid-October:

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I’d never before noticed this view of the 50th Street footbridge, under and beyond the Capilano Bridge.

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Bonus image:

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Looking up at the east end of Jasper Avenue from down beside the south bank of the North Saskatchewan River

Mid-October in the Valley

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2017/10/16
Posted in: autumn, parks, photo, River Valley. Tagged: autumn, color, Dawson Park, fall, leaves, path, photo, river, river valley. Leave a comment

Mid-October in Edmonton – we are past the peak of autumn foliage color and in fact a good swath of the river valley has taken on the grey color of bare trees. However there are still a few trees fulled enrobed in gold or red and a few (somehow) holding onto green leaves. What I like best about this season though, is how my senses get attuned to more subtle colors. I see and appreciate things besides colors (like lines and textures) which I would not have even noticed just a few weeks back.

Here are a few photo taken while I was out walking in Edmonton’s river valley (in Dawson Park) on the morning of 2017 October 16th.

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Edmonton International Jazz Festival 2017 – Brett Hansen Trio

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2017/06/27
Posted in: downtown, Events, Music, People, photo, Summer. Tagged: Brett Hansen, Churchill Square, guitar, Jamie Cooper, jazz, Jazz Fest, Murray Wood, The Works, trio. Leave a comment

Today (Tuesday June 27, 2017) I did something I really enjoy doing during the Edmonton Jazz Fest – going to Churchill Square at noon and taking in the free jazz performance  on The Works stage. These events are especially delightful on warm, sunny early summer days. Alas, today was not one of those days. It was cloudy, cool and a bit of rain came down (at least during the first set).

However, the jazz performance put on by the Brett Hansen trio, made putting up with the elements, worthwhile.

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The Brett Hansen Trio

The trio comprises Brett Hansen on guitar, Murray Wood on bass and Jamie Cooper on drums.

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Brett Hansen

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Murray Wood

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Jamie Cooper

October Arrives (part 2)

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2016/10/09
Posted in: autumn, photo, River Valley. Tagged: autumn, bridge, Dawson Park, kayak, North Saskatchewan, October, path, puddle, reflection, river, river valley, sun. 1 Comment

Te first day of October 2016 was gloomy, wet and cool (see part 1 post) but on Sunday October 2nd, the sun was out, shedding a whole new light <groan> on the autumn beauty in Edmonton. Here are a few shots from that day:

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Houses on the North Saskatchewan River bank on the east end of Jasper Avenue

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“Red Kayak” – some enjoyed the beautiful day on the North Saskatchewan River

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Path in Dawson Park

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“Path and Puddle”, in Edmonton’s River Valley

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The north bank of the river valley (over the east end of Dawson Park)

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