Every year, The Yards brings you a list of great things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the core. But with the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve all been staying home, ordering in, and overall living a lot differently in 2020. So we’ve decided to do the Best in the Core a little differently, too.
This year, we are bringing you the things we loved this year—unique stories of the people, places and activities that inspired us through the pandemic. These are the businesses that give back, the people that create community, and the places that brought us together safely. It’s our physically-distanced high-five to those who made the pandemic days a little brighter in the core.
If we’ve missed anything or you want to share something inspiring with us from your 2020, we’d love to hear from you. Tell us on social media and keep the good vibes going.
CATEGORY: Best Community Helpers
(Miranda Herchen)
Camp Pekiwewin: Held together by volunteers, elders, organizers and experienced frontline workers, Indigenous-led Camp Pekiwewin is a place of safety, security and visibility for the houseless community in Edmonton. Since July, Camp Pekiwewin, which is nêhiyawêwin for coming home or in-bound, has provided tent homes, food, clothing and other donations to its residents, as well as 24/7 access to life-saving harm reduction supplies. Not only was this much needed in the wake of the pandemic, but the group has had an impact on forwarding the conversation on the need for government funding for supportive housing.
Grass do-gooders: Local condo owners put the community in community garden this spring when the City of Edmonton reduced the areas where it mowed due to the pandemic. The anonymous good samaritans rallied together to mow the grass around Peace Garden Park, which doubles as Oliver’s only community garden and a public park space for neighbours to come together safely.
Linda Hoang: The Edmonton blogger and ambassador for Edmonton and Alberta eats is always the first person to give a shoutout to local businesses. In the spring, she created ‘Spin the Wheel of Local: Edmonton Edition,’ a virtual randomizer that includes more than 100 local businesses to support. Hoang also used her influence on social media to spur food mobbing for struggling businesses and to showcase all our city has to offer and for that she deserves a nod.
LoveGood Food Exchange Box: Beatrice, a food exchange box at Paul Kane Park, has seen more than 10,000 non-perishable food items come and go since May as community members take what they need and leave what they can. The brainchild of Quinn Wade, or Harry Schnitzel of the Lovegood drag family, the box is a response to the community’s growing need for food support throughout these challenging times.
CATEGORY: Best Community Jams
(Christopher Sikkenga / online edition)
Christ Church Garden Grooves: Visitors to Paul Kane Park were serenaded by saxophonist Quinn Wade throughout the days of summer. Footsteps away, musical salvation was heard every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Christ Church’s beautiful gardens. Reverend Sue Oliver and music director Dr. Joy Berg created the lawn concerts for the local community to congregate at a safe distance. Audiences were treated to folk, opera, and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. “By a small miracle,” Rev. Sue added, “none of the concerts were rained out.”
Downtown Business Association Beats: The summer of COVID-19 was especially hard on local restaurants. One effort to allow safe distancing was the addition of new patios. The Downtown Business Association stepped up and created the Downtown Live series. Offering promotional support and grants up to $750 to businesses hosting performers, the Downtown Live series brought jazz to The Common, DJs to Central Social Hall, and much more. The tunes continued all over town as winter approached with more than 40 events in total.
ESO Outdoor Concerts: A silver lining during the uncertainty of the pandemic was music accessibility for everyone. The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra performed hundreds of shows outdoors throughout the summer. From curling rink parking lots and playgrounds to the Edmonton Ski Club and a cul-de-sac jam session with Martin Kerr, the ESO spread joy throughout the city.
Virtual Dance Parties: The uncertainty in March left many of us disconnected and alone in our bubbles. In order to rekindle connection, Blair McFarlane, aka DJ Junior Brown, organized a livestream of his “House Night.” More than 8,000 fans from around the world and Edmonton united to listen to electronic house music and chat during the first night alone. DJ Junior Brown (also co-owner of Red Star and The Bower) and friends delivered live music online from March to August.
CATEGORY: Best for Bringing Us Together
(Josh Pruden)
Al Fresco: When the nice weather hit, we were all feeling a bit stir-crazy. This summer, the 104 Street Action Committee made being outdoors with others safe and fun by introducing Al Fresco on 4th. Extended patios for local restaurants and food trucks, a one-way directional open-air market, and live performances helped us follow public health guidelines while staying connected to our community.
Photo Credit: Gallican Buki
Black Owned Market YEG: This pop-up style market launched this summer with the goal of providing a space for Black-owned businesses to showcase their products to the greater community. Not only have they hosted their own markets at Habesha African Market (10418 107 Ave), but they also hosted a tent at 124 Street Grand Market featuring black-owned vendors and products. Watch for future markets at facebook.com/bomyeg.
Great Downtown Sweep: Hundreds of volunteers came out to show pride in their community as part of the Great Downtown Sweep on October 23. The event was organized by the Downtown Edmonton Community League, Downtown Business Association and partners on the Downtown Recovery Task Force. The first 200 to register received vouchers to try out winter patios at select restaurants. It was a win-win-win: help spruce up the community, visit with some neighbours, and get a voucher to support local businesses.
November Project: November Project Canada started up in Edmonton seven years ago and is all about accountability and inclusion. Although the format has (necessarily) been modified to include online workouts, that means that even more people can access programming. And throughout the summer and beyond, November Project Canada added socially distanced 6 km runs and scavenger hunts on holiday Mondays. It was a great way to keep moving and keep in touch with our fellow runners.
CATEGORY: Best Way to Get Outside
(Sydnee Bryant)
Balcony Bliss: Having your own little slice of the outdoors, away from crowds and COVID-19, became the most coveted apartment trend of the year. No backyard? No problem. Sinking into a lounge chair on your private balcony was a means of escaping, if only for a few minutes. And if your neighbours happened to treat you to an impromptu guitar solo or Italian aria, all the better.
City of Edmonton’s Shared Streets: In April, the City of Edmonton closed lanes to vehicle traffic to allow people to safely get outside while physically distancing, modifying more than 30 stretches of road in high-density areas. A study done in partnership with the University of Alberta found that this initiative reduced physical distance violations by 52.4 per cent on Saskatchewan Drive and 24.5 per cent on the Victoria Promenade. We give this initiative a thumbs-up for great urban design and allowing us to safely stretch our legs during the pandemic.
Into the Wild: Did you know there are eight parks in Oliver and seven in the downtown core? That’s in addition to the 20 major parks in the wild, luscious River Valley. With some of the city’s recreation centres still closed, and indoor play time at a minimum, Edmontonians rediscovered their love for the city’s amazing parks this year, as well as more than 160 kilometres of maintained trails in the gorgeous river valley.
Photo Credit: Mack Male (Flickr)
Scootering: Cruising down the Oliverbahn was one of our favourite COVID-friendly activities this year. With two vendors offering shared e-scooters in Edmonton, anyone can take a scenic trip from Oliver to Downtown. Download the app to locate and pay for your scooter time. It doesn’t matter if it’s a one-way trip—leave your scooter where another weary traveller can find it and carry on.
SIDEBAR: How can you make a difference in your community this winter?
(Benjamin Hollihan)
Have the long nights started to get to you? The depressing cold seeping into your soul? As Charles Dickens said, “no one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” To warm your heart (but not your hands), here are three ways to make a difference this winter.
- Winter makes it harder for some to get around, and the pandemic makes things worse. Consider volunteering to be a driver in the downtown area for Edmonton’s Food Bank. Visit their website for more information or call 780-425-2133.
- Edmonton’s winters can be freezing, and to those sleeping outside it’s a lot colder. Contact Boyle Street Community Services at 780-424-4106 to make a monetary donation for winter clothing.
- When the white stuff flies, become everyone’s favourite neighbour. Shovel someone else’s sidewalk or driveway!
CATEGORY: Best Innovators in Business
(Josh Pruden)
Earls: One of the activities most fraught with anxiety since the pandemic hit has been grocery shopping. Which aisle is up and which is down? What do I do if the apple I pick up to inspect is bruised? Am I supposed to bring my reusable bags or not? Well, Earls took the angst out of shopping by offering grocery and dinner kits. From fresh produce to frozen meat, they’ve got our back. Thanks, everyone’s favourite chain restaurant.
El Beso: If you haven’t experienced the culinary delights of gourmet tacos, you need to try El Beso (10432 Jasper Ave). Not only is El Beso creative in the kitchen, but they also got creative during the pandemic. They started offering take-home taco kits, custom margarita and cocktail kits, and even allowed a peek behind the counter with Instagram Live lessons from their bartends.
Food Bike Tour: Food Bike Tour started in 2016 to support local restaurants and cafes, all while getting some cardio in during Edmonton’s more mild months. During the pandemic, Food Bike Tour came up with a safe alternative to their usual indoor events: Chef’s Kits and Cocktail Kits. Order your meal kit and optional drinks/cocktails, and they will ship all the fresh, prepackaged ingredients to your door along with an instructional video from local rockstar chefs.
Photo Credit: Curtis Comeau
Hoot Company: Hoot Company is a restaurant group made up of Japonais Bistro, Dorinku Tokyo, Dorinku Osaka, DOSC Restaurant, and Seoul Fried Chicken. Back in April, the five restaurants made it easy to please everyone by offering “family sets” on Sundays and Wednesdays for delivery or take-out. That meant you could order ramen, fried chicken, sushi, and steak all in one meal. They also eliminated the need to make a trip to the beverage store by adding sake, wine, beer, and various imported Japanese drinks to their delivery services.
Uproot Food Collective: Uproot Food Collective (10552 114 St) makes it easier and more cost-effective to support local. Along with their three anchor brands—Honest Dumplings, South Island Pie Co., and Natural Kitchen Delights—you’ll also find a myriad of other local gems. If you love the idea of a farmer’s market but don’t want to line up social distance style outside in the freezing cold, then you’ve got to check this place out.
CATEGORY: Best Outdoor Eats
(Miranda Herchen / online edition)
Furry friends and kiddos: Patios were the fan favourite this summer, even for your small or four-legged companions. Dog treats made in-house, water bowls and puppy-loving staff—sister companies Cask and Barrel and Rocky Mountain Icehouse welcome you and your furry friends to enjoy a drink and a comfy seat, no matter the season. If you want to take in patio season but have the little ones with you, Craft Beer Market and its rooftop patio welcome kids until 9 p.m. and have a ‘Half Pints’ menu with all the classics.
Patio Parties: These were a highlight of summer, and patios will continue to be a core staple even as the seasons change. Some special shout-outs: Baijiu’s 80-seat outdoor patio is ready for a socially distanced party with heaters, firepits, live music, a DJ, and booze and bao, of course. Glowing string lights, wooden tables and surrounding greenery make Odd Company Brewing’s patio the perfect place to drink a local craft beer. The parking lot turned ‘Beer Arena’ at Campio Brewing Co. was the go-to patio to cheer on the Oilers with your friends while social distancing.
Picnics: One of the best ways to enjoy food during this pandemic has been picnics, and there were some local restaurants that made it even easier to pack up and enjoy an outdoor meal. Brio Bakery offers a lineup of specialty breads and pastries to choose from each day of the week. Culina to Go has individual or family-sized meals, which showcase local ingredients and vendors, and are ready to eat. Every Wednesday, get that home-cooked-meal feeling with a full plate of dinner, complete with dessert, from Kitchen by Brad’s rotating Kitchen to Go menu.
CATEGORY: Best at Giving Back
(Justin Bell / online edition)
Edmonton Tech Companies, for an hour’s wage to Edmonton Food Bank: A penny for your thoughts? Or maybe an hour’s wage for the Food Bank? Edmonton’s tech sector, many of whom are located in the downtown core, banded together earlier this year to ask employees to donate one hour’s wages per month to Edmonton’s Food Bank. Many businesses matched employee contributions, making for some impressive donations. The idea was started by Edmonton-based We Know Training, and expanded to include more than 20 companies.
Hoang Long, for free Thanksgiving meals: Hoang Long Casual Fare (10037 109 Street) donated and dished out 350 pounds of Thanksgiving food on October 10, including chicken, mashed potatoes, vegetables and gravy. Those who needed it could visit their storefront to be served, and the restaurant also delivered food to local agencies for distribution. What a great way to give back during a time when many are struggling.
Love Pizza, for delivering pizza to frontline workers: Working through the late shift or toughing out a busy day is so much easier with a fast and easy snack. Love Pizza, one of the newest pizza parlours in the core, decided front line workers should be rewarded for their hard work during the global pandemic. In March, they started delivering pizzas to front line workers, along with notes of encouragement. When they asked for donations from the public to help their initiative, they raised $1,000 in less than 48 hours.
Oodle Noodle, for donating 10 per cent of takeout and curbside orders: The downtown lunch crowd will be familiar with Oodle Noodle, the noodle flingers with multiple locations. The company has a long history of donations and working with local charities, so it should come as no surprise they would do the same during a global pandemic. In mid-April, they donated 10 per cent of all takeout and curbside pickup orders to local charities in the city, an initiative that lasted through the summer.