report for city council november 16, 2004...

Agenda Item No.: E.1.a.

Corporate Wins Fall 2004

Recommendation:That the October 13, 2004, Corporate Services Department report 2004COCO14 be received for information.

Report SummaryThis report presents the Fall 2004 Corporate Wins.

Report Corporate Wins had been reported to

Council quarterly until the end of 2003. Starting this year, the Wins are reported twice a year.

City of Edmonton employees continue to demonstrate their commitment to citizens, as shown in the attached report.

The report includes examples of innovations, cost savings, service improvements, partnerships and external recognition.

These examples are useful for speeches, letters, reports and other City Council communication activities.

Wins also appear in other corporate reports such as the City of Edmonton’s annual financial statements, are posted to the City’s Web site and are frequently picked up by the local media.

Background Information Attached1. Corporate Wins Fall 2004

Routing: City CouncilDelegation: J. Tustian/D. SchneiderWritten By: L. Yanish October 13, 2004 Corporate Services Department File: 2004COCO14 ( of 1)

E1a

Attachment 1Corporate Wins Fall 2004

E D M O N T O N

FALL 2004 WINS Corporate Wins are initiatives selected by staff to demonstrate ongoing commitment to achieving corporate goals and providing value to Edmonton citizens. Included are examples of innovations, cost savings, service improvements, partnerships and external recognition.The report is also available on the City’s Web site:

http://www.gov.edmonton.ab.ca

Or call (780) 496-8196

The City of EdmontonLiving the vision

Quality, best value services

Satisfied customers

Valued employees

GOAL: Planned growthManage land use and development in mature neighbourhoods, business areas and new suburban areas, and maintain quality of the environment.

1. Provincial awards recognize two leading-edge planning projects The City’s Planning and Development Department received the only two provincial awards given out in 2004 by the Alberta Association of the Canadian Institute of Planners. Both award winners are leading edge planning projects. The 2004 Award of Excellence was given to the Fort Road Old Town Redevelopment Project, a bold, cost effective approach for redeveloping an area of northeast Edmonton that for the past 20 years has been suffering the effects of serious economic decline. The Award of Merit was given to Edmonton’s Industrial Land Strategy, which will ensure that Edmonton continues to have the industrial land needed to accommodate the growth of existing industrial business and attract new businesses.

Contact: Bob Caldwell, Planning and Development, [email protected]

Attachment 1 - Page 1 of 15

http://www.gov.edmonton.ab.ca/


2. Mapping EdmontonWhat is transparent, fractions of a millimetre thick, and stretches the distance of Whyte Avenue from 75 St. to the University Hospital? This is the amount of laminating film (5.4 km) used to ensure that firefighters and paramedics have detailed city maps at their fingertips. In a constantly growing city, complete with new subdivisions and complexes every year, it is vital to have the most up-to-date information on emergency vehicles at all times. This summer, the Emergency Response Department hired two summer students to create, update, site-check, laminate, trim and distribute the various maps that are found on the City’s fire trucks and ambulances. These detailed maps ensure that paramedics and firefighters will arrive at a residence or business by taking the quickest and most appropriate route.Below are some of the summer students’ accomplishments:

2520 copies of map zones (21 zones in total) updated, plotted, laminated and distributed

1400 copies of river valley map zones (16 zones in total) plotted, laminated and distributed

1400 map zones plotted to create new map zone sets for various units 530 complex cards that have either been created or updated

Contact: Karen Carlson, Emergency Response Department, [email protected]

GOAL: Economic developmentTake a leadership role in creating a positive, dynamic business climate and expanding the business base within Edmonton and the Edmonton Capital region.

3. Partnership boosts strength of major event bidsMajor event organizers from around the world now have a one-stop resource for bringing their events to the Edmonton area thanks to a new partnership named Edmonton Events International (EEI). This collaborative program will position Edmonton as a premier host city for significant events that create an economic, social and cultural legacy for the region. The partnership was created by the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation (EEDC) and the City of Edmonton and includes key stakeholders such as Northlands Park, the Edmonton Arts Council, Edmonton Sport Council, University of Alberta, West Edmonton Mall and the tourism industry. EEI provides free consultation, bid assistance, site inspections, accommodation coordination, information services and a host of other specialized services through staff in EEDC.

Contact: Candice Stasynec, Office of the City Manager, [email protected]



4. City entrance signsMajor events in Edmonton are now getting better publicity through an innovative signage program. The idea was initiated back in 2001 to promote the IAAF World Championships in Athletics. At the time, eight temporary signs were erected in Edmonton and another eight put up across the province to promote the event. When the games ended all of the signs were removed except one on Gateway Boulevard. The Gateway Boulevard location was used to promote major events in 2002 with an interchangeable sign panel.In 2003, four highway entrances were selected and new signage was designed. These signs now depict the downtown skyline and are capable of having changing message inserts to promote various upcoming major events. Major event organizers are now able to apply to have their message on all four signs. (To apply, contact Don Belanger at 496-8254.)

Contact: Larry McCormick, Transportation and Streets, 496-2666

[email protected]

GOAL: Services to peopleProvide quality, best value services that contribute to the safety, security, well being and enjoyment of Edmonton’s citizens.

5. City crews respond to 200-year storm eventStaff in Asset Management and Public Works went beyond the call of duty to respond to citizens after the severe storms of July 2 and 11. Drainage Services was quick at work cleaning catch basins, replacing manhole covers and responding to pump station alarms. Drainage also had the daunting challenge of responding to many of the 45,000 calls logged by the City’s call centre and inspecting over 3,800 flooded basements. Waste Management coordinated a massive operation which saw 200 dumpsters averaging 30 cubic yards of garbage collected, and over 3,000 hours of special curbside collection – resulting in 4,000 tonnes of garbage collected from the areas hardest hit by the storm.

Contact: Kurt Sawatzky, Drainage Services, [email protected]

Roy Neehall, Waste Management, [email protected]



6. City provides quick service to support flood aid programWhen citizens were faced with millions in uninsurable damage to their homes after the floods in July, the City of Edmonton helped the provincial aid compensation get rolling quickly. The day after the provincial government announced an aid plan, the City of Edmonton opened reception centres to start the claims process. City staff recorded claims information, Drainage staff were available to answer flood-related questions and City Chaplains helped ease residents through the process by providing a sympathetic ear. Residents who visited the centres widely praised the prompt, well-organized services. In eight days, staff processed 5,000 claims.

Contact: Bob Black, Office of Emergency Preparedness, [email protected]

7. Independent voting for the blind and visually impairedElectronic voting machines were used for the first time in 2004 to enable people with low vision to vote independently at advance polls. In past civic elections all blind and visually impaired voters required assistance to mark their ballots. The new machines use headphones and scripted instructions to give voters complete privacy. This technology ensured the democratic right to a secret ballot for at least 3,000 Edmontonians. The machines were selected in consultation with representatives of the Canadian Council of the Blind and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and the Advisory Board on Services for Persons with Disabilities.

Contact: David Edey, Office of the City Clerk, [email protected]

8. Adult Outreach Worker for Whyte Avenue: one year laterIn early 2002, a commitment to address the issue of panhandling and homelessness in the Whyte Avenue area resulted in a meeting with community stakeholders and of all levels of government. The City of Edmonton contributed funds towards supporting an Adult Outreach worker. Stakeholder groups in the community, including the surrounding leagues, Old Strathcona Foundation, Old Strathcona Business Association and area churches matched these funds. The Boyle Street Co-op acts as a partner in the initiative, overseeing the supervision of the Adult Outreach Worker and acts as a financial agent. An Outreach Worker was hired on July 21, 2003. For more than a year the Adult Outreach Worker has been connecting homeless adults to the resources and supports they require, including finding stable housing for some. Her red jacket with “Adult Outreach Worker” embroidered in large letters on the back is now readily recognizable. OSACC members agree that the efforts of the Adult Outreach Worker have made a significant difference on Whyte Avenue. Funding for a continued and sustainable full time position is being explored through grants and other financial supports. The City of Edmonton continues to support this initiative in 2004-05.

Contact: Norm Dueck, Community Services, [email protected]



9. ETS Trip PlannerThe ETS Trip Planner is a new on-line tool available through www.takeETS.com that calculates transit trip plans in a matter of seconds. It’s easy to use and is available at any time for the customer’s convenience. The Trip Planner was custom-developed by staff from Edmonton Transit and the Corporate Services Department. Since June of this year, it has calculated more than 112,000 trip plans, and numbers are increasing daily. ETS Information staff also use the Trip Planner to help with telephone trip planning requests.

Contact: Lorna Stewart, Transportation and Streets, 496-2849

[email protected]

10.BuslinkThe ETS automated telephone information line, BusLink (496-1600), has taken over 10 million calls since 1994. Promotional activities in 2004 focused on celebrating the 10-year service milestone and raising awareness and use of BusLink. During the busiest promotional period this fall (late August through early September) there was a 27 per cent increase in BusLink calls over the same periods last year.

Contact: Lorna Stewart, Transportation and Streets, 496-2849

[email protected]

11.Special event Web pageThe Civic Events Implementation Team (CEIT) was established to share information between civic departments, review event proposals, resolve issues, and make recommendations to the Civic Events Management Team. One of the issues facing CEIT was the need to provide consistent information to event organizers including the rules, guidelines, and contact information for holding special events in the City of Edmonton. A Special Events web page was developed in March, 2004. It’s benefits include:

identification of a single point of contact, requirements of all civic departments listed in one place, information such as frequently asked questions and checklists to aid in event

planning, and a Special Events Evaluation form which makes the application and approval

process simpler and more efficient. Contact: Larry McCormick, Transportation and

Streets, [email protected]


mailto:[email protected]


http://www.takeETS.com/


12.New permanent skateboard parks for EdmontonYouth in Edmonton have a new skateboard park in Mill Woods and will soon have one in Kaskitayo and another in Castle Downs. Community Leagues, Area Councils, recreation associations, parents, youth and Community Services staff have worked hard for more than three years to plan, design and raise funds for these facilities. These projects are made possible through shared non-profit sector, municipal and provincial funding. The cost to build all three facilities is $1.7 million.

Bonnie Austen, Community Services, [email protected]

Elaine Betchinski, Community Services, [email protected]

Susan Berry, Community Services, [email protected]

13.Corporate Social ResponsibilityIn order to be an active contributor in the Edmonton community, the Community Services Department has assessed a range of corporate social responsibility (CRS) issues in the context of its business. Since January 2004, the Recreation Facility Services branch has helped the charitable sector achieve its goals by making more than $50,0000 in donations to Edmonton’s not-for-profit sector. We realize that corporate social responsibility is not just about charitable giving; therefore, we hosted an educational session for our staff, the not-for-profit and private sectors on “Making a Business Case for Corporate Social Responsibility.” Participants were educated on the values and behaviours that encompass CSR. The Recreation Facility Services branch will strive to embrace additional CSR principles as it continues its business throughout 2005.

Contact: Rhonda Flores, Community Services, [email protected]

14.Lynnwood July 11 rain storm follow-up meetingThe community of Lynnwood was severely impacted by the July 11, 2004 rainstorm with numerous flooded basements and substantial damage and loss of property. At the request of the Community League, Lynnwood’s Community Recreation Coordinator quickly arranged to have representatives from Drainage Services and Emergency Preparedness attend a meeting on August 11, 2004. More than 160 people from the community attend the meeting to learn why flooding occurred, the Provincial Government recovery program, insurance claims and other issues. Residents left informed and appreciated the ability to speak directly with individuals from the City departments.

David Saunders, Community Services, [email protected]





15.Waste Management open houseOn September 18, Asset Management and Public Works hosted its first open house at the 200-hectare Edmonton Waste Management Centre. Close to 1000 people attended the event and took part in 2-hour tours of the composting facility, the recycling plant and many other operations. It was the public’s first opportunity to see the inside of the composting facility.

Contact: Connie Boyce, Asset Management and Public Works, [email protected]

16.Churchill Square FundraisingA committee of Council raised nearly $4 million in private contributions toward the Churchill Square Renovation Project with support from the Corporate Services Department. The department also coordinated the grant applications to the provincial and federal governments to secure contributions for the redevelopment. In total, the value of the renovation project was $12.6 million – with less than a third of that amount coming from the City’s budget. Well over 1,000 individuals made contributions ranging from one dollar to $100,000. All the donors will be acknowledged on a wall of honour in the square.

Contact: Chris McLeod, Corporate Services, [email protected]

17.City centennial celebrationThe City of Edmonton’s year-long centennial celebrations reached a high point on Friday, Oct. 8 with a day-long civic birthday party. Nearly 80,000 Edmontonians visited the new Churchill Square and took in the entertainment and festivities surrounding the big day. The party was a highlight in a year of community-based events and celebrations all designed to celebrate Edmonton’s centennial. The day concluded with one of the largest fireworks displays ever hosted in this city.

Contact: Chris McLeod, Corporate Services, [email protected]




GOAL: Infrastructure and physical environment

Develop and maintain infrastructure, maintain the quality of the environment, develop and use communications and information technology.

18. New overpass opens two months ahead of schedule and on budgetThe City of Edmonton’s Transportation and Streets Department opened a new interchange at 184 Street and Yellowhead Trail on August 9, 2004, about two months ahead of schedule and on budget. The $54.9 million interchange is dramatically improving traffic flow in the area, especially since it is moving vehicles over the railway tracks that previously crossed 184 Street at street level, just south of Yellowhead Trail.The project was initiated in 2000 with the construction of detour roads, grading and utility work, which was completed in 2002. Construction of the interchange structures began in the spring of 2003.

Contact: Byron Nicholson, Transportation and Streets, [email protected]

19.LED conversion project reduces energy consumptionOn January 1, 2004 the Transportation and Streets Department commenced the Traffic Signal LED Retrofit Program. This program consisted of the conversion of all RED, GREEN and WALK/WAIT incandescent bulbs to energy-efficient light emitting diodes (LED). Over the next 2 years, 810 signal locations will be converted to LED, with a completion date of December, 2005. To date, 265 signal locations have been converted. The estimated cost of the project is $4.3 million, financed by a five-year interest-free loan arranged through Alberta Capital Finance Authority and Alberta Municipal Affairs.LED traffic signal fixtures will reduce power consumption by estimated 80 per cent when comparing LED fixtures with incandescent bulbs. LED signal fixtures will also enhance public safety by providing a brighter, more concentrated light source and improved visibility.

Contact: Don Macdonald, Transportation and Streets, [email protected]





20.Centennial Legacy Mural ProjectA stretch of Whyte Avenue is now a part of artistic history thanks to another partnership involving the City’s Transportation and Streets Department. Staff helped co-ordinate the “Centennial Legacy Mural Project,” which led to approximately 40 traffic control and secondary electrical cabinets being turned into works of art. A youth group requiring life skills and work experience chose local artists for the project, co-ordinated the artwork, and worked with our staff members to arrange which traffic control and secondary electrical cabinets would be involved. The newly painted cabinets can be seen along Whyte Avenue between 99 St. and 109 St. For a brochure describing the murals along Whyte Avenue, contact the Old Strathcona Business Association at 437-4182 or visit their Web site at www.oldstrathcona.ca.

Contact: James Rockey, Transportation and Streets, [email protected]

21.Street light upgrade on Whitemud DriveDriving down a stretch of Whitemud Drive is now more pleasant. The Transportation and Streets Department has completed an upgrade of the existing street lighting along Whitemud Drive from 99 St. to 75/66 St. Rusted light poles have been replaced with new galvanized poles. Old style cobra-head street light luminaries have been replaced with full cut-off, flat lens luminaires. The new luminaires drastically reduce the driver glare, distribute the light more uniformly and emit far less light pollution up into the sky. The luminaire wattage was also reduced from 400 to 250, which will result in a reduction of energy consumption along this corridor. The portion of Whitemud Drive from 122 St. to 99 St. was previously upgraded in 2003.

Contact: Don Macdonald, Transportation and Streets, [email protected]

22.Tree assessmentIn 2004 the City’s more than 270,000 boulevard, roadway and park trees were assessed. This was the third year that this assessment occurred. Trees showing any signs of stress were put into one of two categories:

tree has no chance of survival and will be replaced; trees put into levels of sick and wait list to be monitored.

The staff has worked together effectively to collect the data required to assess Edmonton’s urban tree canopy. They have responded to numerous calls from the public regarding the assessment. With the data collected, staff can develop and determine the best and most cost effective approach to deal with the trees under stress and the trees that require replacement.

Contact: Wayne Edgerton, Community Services, [email protected]

23.Tree replacement


http://www.oldstrathcona.ca/


In the third year of the three-year drought tree replacement program, 2,700 trees were planted throughout the city, primarily on city boulevards. Staff has achieved amazing results. Community Services staff accomplished replacement plantings through respectful communication and by developing and implementing a well polished, coordinated work plan. The team dealt with countless customer inquires regarding the tree replacement program and have strived to meet customer needs and requests.

Contact: John Jong, Community Services, [email protected]

24. Information on energy choices for homeownersOn October 1, the City of Edmonton and CO2RE (Carbon Dioxide Reduction Edmonton) launched the Home$avers Program to encourage Edmonton residents to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. A joint venture with Home Depot and many other partners, the program is the first step of a long-term plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Edmonton.

Mark Brostrom, Asset Management and Public Works, [email protected]

GOAL: Organizational effectivenessAchieve excellence in management of the City’s resources: financial, people and assets.

25.Employee links City of Edmonton to international best practicesRecords Management Advisor Gisele Crawford has just completed a one-year term as President of ARMA International, an association of more than 10,000 information management professionals. During the term, Gisele addressed records management conferences across North America and around the world, discussing Edmonton’s practices and their evolution since the 1980s. She was also able to bring back the best records management practices from many different kinds of organizations. She will continue to develop these international connections during her one-year term as past president. Gisele will continue to make the City’s records management processes better and more response with the knowledge and experience she gained on the ARMA executive. The better our records are, the more effective our organization will be.

Contact: Steve Thompson, Office of the City Clerk, [email protected]

26.Emergency Operations Centre has eyes on the scene




Emergency coordinators will now have direct visual contact with major emergency sites, thanks to a partnership between the Northern Alberta Radio Club and the City’s Office of Emergency Preparedness.This group of amateur radio operators has provided closed-circuit video cameras they will be taken to the incident site during a major emergency. The video will be sent directly into the Emergency Operations Centre, which is the central coordination point for disasters and major emergencies. Responders at the centre include emergency personnel, staff from City departments and other agencies such as ATCO and Epcor. Their coordination efforts will be greatly enhanced by their ability to see the incident site.

Contact: Bob Black, Office of Emergency Preparedness, [email protected]

27.Purchasing simplified while City earns rebateIn December 1999, the City of Edmonton embarked on the Corporate Procurement Card program (CPC). In essence the CPC is a credit card issued to employees of the Corporation to be used for their low value purchasing requirements of less than $5,000. It replaced the bureaucratic process of obtaining a purchase order for low value goods and services but maintains adequate controls to mitigate financial risk to the City. The agreement between the City and the credit card provider allows for a rebate if the volume of purchases exceeds a certain value and if the credit card statement is paid within a specified time period. For the period of December 2002 to November 2003, the City of Edmonton received a rebate of $20,000.

Contact: Ernie Mulyk, Corporate Services, [email protected]

28.User-friendly facility descriptionsDrainage Services has many complex facilities that have very detailed user manuals many inches thick. These manuals contained too much information for operators to manage while dealing with stressful situations such as pumps not functioning and basements in danger of flooding. To meet this concern, staff have completed over 100 new site summaries with basic and emergency information geared to meet operator needs.

Contact: Sid Lodewyk, Asset Management and Public Works, [email protected]



29.Saving $3.4 millionOn the direction of City Council, Senior Management Team led an initiative to save $3.4 million from the 2004 operating budget. Over the first nine months of the year, departments pursued a range of strategies to save the targeted dollars. The savings were achieved through a combination of activities, including:

Rationalized photocopier and printer equipment Changes in employee salary budgeting Renegotiated licenses for computer software

Not only was the $3.4 million target achieved, but these savings initiatives will provide benefits to the corporation on an on-going basis.

Contact: Roger Rosychuk, Corporate Services 496-5120Roger. [email protected]

30.Print and photocopy savingsOrganizations around the world are discovering that significant savings can be made by paying very close attention to the way information is printed and managed. The City completed the first year of a three-year print strategy designed to cut $1 million out of the City’s annual operating budget. Through efficiencies in paper use, employee education and a new contract for printing and photocopying hardware, the first year’s target of $150,000 and next year’s savings of $300,000 have already been achieved.

Contact: Dennis Thomson, Corporate Services, [email protected]

31.BlackBerries improve productivityTo help busy City managers become even more efficient, the Corporate Services Department introduced BlackBerry hand-held computing to the corporation. A BlackBerry device allows employees to access and send e-mail and documents from any location, at any time. By keeping managers constantly in touch with their offices and their network computers, their ability to respond to inquiries and issues is dramatically improved. Managers can now fill any spare or waiting time by instantly logging in and reviewing e-mail and documents.

Contact: Kate Rozmahel, Corporate Services, [email protected]





32.River Valley Mapping ProjectThe River Valley Mapping Project was initiated in 2002 in response to a growing need to respond to emergency situations in the Capital City Parks Area. The project required gathering information from sources such as Community Services, Transportation and Streets, and the Emergency Response Department to obtain data on accesses, barriers, terrain, infrastructure, and amenities in Edmonton’s river valley.The final products were 29 different map zones that cover the river valley system from 17 St. to 184 St. as well as Mill Creek and Whitemud Creek ravines. Each map is detailed with the orthophoto, as well as roadways, hydrants, pathways, assembly areas, longitude/latitude markings, and accessible routes for emergency vehicles, indicating barriers such as bollards, stairways, and bridges.Each emergency response unit now has a copy of each map zone, making this new tool indispensable to Fire Rescue, EMS, EPS and the River Valley Park Rangers in providing a timely response to the citizens of Edmonton in an emergency situation.

Contact: Diane Folkins, Emergency Response, [email protected]

33.Process improvements in warehouse saves time improvements in warehouse saves time

Changes to the way mechanics order and receive parts has made for a much better system. Mechanics no longer fill out a requisition form, hand it to a parts staff who then keys the information into the computer, and then finds the part. Now mechanics pick the part they need off the shelf and scan it at a “check-out counter.” What used to take 30 minutes now takes less than 10. Mechanics and parts persons can now spend more time doing other work.

Contact: Ross Dobson, Corporate Services, [email protected]

Edmonton Public Library Living the vision

Edmonton Public Library connects the people of Edmonton to the knowledge and cultures of the world.




34.Sprucewood Branch re-opening celebrations A tree seedling was planted by Lt. Governor of Alberta, the Hon. Lois E. Hole, Deputy Mayor Ed Gibbons, Councilor Janice Melnychuk, Library Board Chair Dawn Fargey, and Director of Libraries Linda C. Cook, to commemorate the grand re-opening of the Sprucewood branch library on September 13. The ceremonies marked the completion of a major renovation and expansion project at Sprucewood branch, the first in 46 years, and provided an additional, fully wheel-chair accessible 1,100 square feet of space to expand reading and study areas, to add five more public computers to a total of 20, to re-design a program room for library programming as well as meetings for the community. The branch serves a population of 30,000 residents of diverse cultural backgrounds and nine area schools. More than 10,000 flyers were sent to households in the area to announce the 20 per cent additional space and hours to provide service, generating positive response and increased visits and usage from area residents.

Contact: Adrienne Canty, Edmonton Public Library, 496-7099

35.Library-spearheaded centennial projects make bestseller list Two books published to celebrate the City’s Centennial, Edmonton In Our Own Words (adult) and Kidmonton: True Stories of River City Kids (children), are on the bestseller list in Edmonton’s bookstores. Edmonton: A City Called Home project, comprising the two books and an interactive Web site, was a project undertaken by the Centennial 2004’s Education Subcommittee to celebrate the City’s Centennial. The Library was one of the lead partners of the project. The Stanley A. Milner Library played host to the project, and writer, Linda Goyette, and researcher, Carolina Roemmich, who worked with hundreds of Edmontonians and their families or descendents to transform their stories into the books and the Web site. A gala evening of stories was held on September 30 in the theatre of the Stanley A. Milner Library to launch Edmonton In Our Own Words. It was attended by several hundred readers, including many luminaries from LitFest 2004, as well as dignitaries and Edmontonians involved with the project.

Contact: Linda Cook, Edmonton Public Library, 496-7050.

36.Library Director wins national Outstanding Library Service awardLinda C. Cook, Director of Libraries, was the 2004 recipient of the Outstanding Public Library Service Award, presented at the Canadian Library Association conference held in Victoria B.C. in June. Sponsored by the Canadian Association of Public Libraries and Brodart International, the award recognizes an individual whose contribution to Canadian public librarianship has been outstanding and who has had a lasting impact on public library service. The Edmonton Public Library system is ranked among the best among Canadian libraries in delivering excellent library service. Edmontonians consistently rate library service as one of the best public services they receive for their tax dollars.

Contact: Linda Cook, Edmonton Public Library, 496-7050.



37.Teen Survivor a resounding success The Library’s online summer reading club for teens, “Teen Survivor,” returned for the second year this summer by popular demand. Participation tripled, with more than 1,000 votes cast compared to last year’s participation. Wendy Gronnestad-Damur, the Library’s first Teen Services Librarian with Centre for Reading and the Arts at the Stanley A. Milner Library, worked with other staff to develop the program and Web site that appealed to teens. Ten books started and participants voted books off the island in a five-week program. The surviving book was Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman, a Canadian author who published his first novel when he was a teenager. The Library recognizes teenagers as an important group that actively uses library services. Library Teen Advisory Boards are developed in different branches to work with teenagers in getting suggestions on selecting books, graphic novels, music, programs and services for teens.

Contact: Wendy Gronnestad-Damur, Edmonton Public Library, 944-7960.

WINNING WAYS

38.Wes Black Trophy for regional excellenceThe Edmonton chapter of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) was awarded national honors for its work in promoting public service. The group, comprising all three orders of government, was praised for its efforts in programming, membership recruitment, member participation, financial performance and governance. The Edmonton-region group has won this prestigious award three times in the past six years.

Contact: Deryl Kloster, Emergency Response and Community Services, [email protected] Award15The Materials Management Section of

the Finance Branch has been successful in earning the prestigious 9th annual Achievement of Excellence in Procurement award from the National Purchasing Institute. This is the 5th

consecutive year that Materials Management’s dedication in providing quality services has been recognized with this award.14Contact: Gwen Barr, Corporate Services, 496-2779,

[email protected]


report for city council november 16, 2004...

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