Edmonton has a certain something that captivates people who live here. But what?
For me, it is the animated sounds, cheerful colours and sumptuous smells that come with the multitude of festivals that invigorate the city season by season—putting a spring in my step as I take full advantage of what each one has to offer.
However, I am just one voice among the 817,498 people who live here.
The State of the City report, released earlier this year, captures multiple voices that express how people have built their lives in this city and what it is that transforms the daily grind of everyday living into a wonderful, vibrant mosaic:
- a transit system that opens up a teenager’s world,
- fitness fanatics taking full advantage of new recreation centres,
- a passion for parks that augments the accessibility and enjoyment of Edmonton’s renowned river valley,
- forward-thinking grants to assist in the construction of energy-efficient homes, and
- a community kitchen that offers tasty learning and creates lots of laughter and a stronger social fabric.
The heart-warming stories capture citizens’ experiences of the civic services and programs that have been and will continue to transform Edmonton through our progress in working toward citizen-driven goals set out in The Ways.
In tandem with the report, an online State of the City competition aims to further discover how City services and programs impact the daily lives of Edmontonians.
The competition—promoted by the City’s twitter and Facebook pages—asks citizens to submit via email a well-explained photo, short story or video to illustrate how civic services and programs have impacted their lives this year.
The prize? One of two iPads—one given away in July and the other in November.
What is it about City services or programs that makes a difference in your life?
Do you take advantage of your local recreation centre? Do you escape road rage in your daily commute by taking the LRT to work? Do you practise your swing at one of the City’s golf courses? Or is your child going to one of the City’s summer camps?
Entries must be submitted via email to stateofthecity@edmonton.ca. Submission deadline for the first iPad closes at midnight on Sunday June 30, 2013.
The full citizen stories along with details of the competition can be found at edmonton.ca/stateofthecity.