3 things to watch for at city hall

Some familiar issues are coming back before councillors this week. We'll get an update on some of the most popular city hall stories of the last month.

Welcome to Edmonton... or not?

The now infamous signs that welcome people into our city have been mocked and scrutinized ever since the well known “City of Champions” was changed by vandals last year.

One was changed to “City of Speed Traps,” while another welcomed people to “Road Construction City.”

The cynical vandals sparked a city wide debate about what Edmonton’s slogan should be.

Oshry called the signs outdated and not relevant to Edmonton. He wants the public to be able to vote on what the new sign will look like.

The issue will go before council on Wednesday, with some feedback from administration.

Street for sale, get your street here!

Councillors approved closing 103rd Street between 104th and 103rd Avenues so the Katz Group could buy it and make it part of the downtown arena district, but they won't be part of the sale negotiations.

Coun. Scott Mckeen asked administration to return to council with an update on the negotiations. Although councillors won't get a final say, he said he wants to be kept in the loop.

There was some hesitancy from councillors about agreeing to the closure without getting a say in how the Katz Group will run the street.

One issue that concerned councillors was the number of days Katz will be able to close the street to traffic for special occasions.

Administration says the street will be sold at market value.

Also, if you're looking to purchase a street of your own, check out this feature by CBC reporter Trisha Estabrooks.

Bringing back the mailman

City Council is trying to save door-to-door mail service. Last week, councillors even held a brainstorming session during a community services committee meeting.

To start, the mayor will write a letter to Canada Post outlining the importance of door-to-door delivery and having that extra pair of eyes and ears on the street.

Councillors came up with another idea that will go before council on Wednesday. Coun. Mike Nickel suggested having mail carriers report potholes and other issues they find along their route using the city's 311 app.

Coun. Michael Oshry opposed the idea, calling it a make-work project. Coun. Bryan Anderson suggested having paid city staff who are out in the community using the app before bringing Canada Post workers into the mix.

What are your thoughts on these stories? Share in the comments below.