jasper avenue banners and flags

[kcantor]

is it just me or is it a shame that the banners and flags along jasper avenue for the fifa games are still up a month after they are over? what about the lpga this weekend for those that are here for the fringe? what about the fringe this weekend for those that are here for the lpga? heritage days might have been nice too but i suppose it's too late for that.

this is just one of those little things that makes so much difference in how we feel about our city and about how we see ourselves and how others will see us. these kinds of things are not expensive but they are a d***mn site more important than the attention they sometimes seem to get.

pride and attention to some of the little things (like having the streets cleaned and flowers out in may instead of july or cutting our median and boulevard lawns etc.) would go a lot further than calgary envy or a lot of the other whining and complaining we hear so much of. maybe we could start with our own front yards and alleys as a city, not just as citizens?

[Barry N]

While we are on the subject of " things not removed"..take a drive down The Whitemud Freeway. There must have been some sort of construction in the vicinity of the Quesnell Bridge recently. But now the construction has ended,and the barricades are still sitting on the shoulder [some standing...some tipped over]. Come on guys,when you're finished pack up ALL your tools,and leave the area presentable. It's just a small thing,but enough to make a difference.

[DebraW]

No, it is not just you. I too have noticed those FIFA banners on the medians and wondered just how long they were going to be around. A month after the (Great!) event they just look sad and desperate…

[IanO]

funny you mention this, my GF and i noticed them this week as well...and said the same thing:

LPGA, FRINGE?????


little things like this make Edmonton look like a small, dont care town when it is quite the opposite.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS!!!!

[ridgeman]

Agree 1000%. This makes us look so "small town cheap". Come on Edmonton get your S... together and we can do so much better.

Since we are on the topic of signage, the signs leading into the city promoting some of the years major events are a great, BUT when they are still up 6 months after the event ???

[newfangled]

Ridgeman, I was just going to complain about that big sign on QEII as you're coming into town just north of Gateway Park.

It's for major events, but since major events can be somewhat infrequent sometimes months and months will go by without being updated.

I think that it started for IAAF? And the IAAF might have been significant enough that it deserved to be up for a year.

Generally though, the sign should either tell people what's on right now, or it should be a legacy sign - as in "Host of the 78 commonwealth games, 2001 IAAF..."

Too often it starts as a right-now sign, but then it becomes a legacy after it hasn't been changed in 6 months.

[Casa]

I agree the banners are sad.

It also makes me wonder how long the 630 CHED banners that were put up along the fence at the Royal Mayfair will be there after the LPGA event is said and done.

IMO though the CHED banners are tacky along the fence for such a world class event regardless of how long they stay posted or not.

[DebraW]

Now a "Welcome to Edmonton's Worlds Fair 2017" would have staying power ("legs")!

[ridgeman]

djgirl: Now that one I would support and like to see. When can we put it up?????

[kcantor]

Originally Posted by ridgeman

djgirl: Now that one I would support and like to see. When can we put it up?????

maybe our guerrilla graffiti artist supporters could arrange it over the weekend?

[Doug]

I could not agree more. The attention to detail is certainly missing at times in this city.

[Barry N]

STAR DATE 2007/08/17
TIME 12:35 PM

Phoned City Councillors office inquiring about who is responsible for removal of banners. The helpful lady put me on hold,and came back and said she thought it was not the cities responsiblity for erection and removal of banners. She said that no one was in the office who could help and so took my phone number and promised to call me back. She said that if the city was not responsible,that perhaps the organizing committee of the event might be the ones to talk to.

The current time is 3:21 p.m. and still no return call. Stayed tuned for further details.

[DebraW]

Great follow-up, thank you!

[Doug]

Great follow-up on this. The more the city is held accountable for errors like this the better job they will do in the future.

[MylesC]

You know how many potholes the price of all these silly banners would fill?!?!?!?!

[Barry N]

Saturday Update:

I never did recieve a return call from the city on Friday. I did find a number for the FIFA organizing office in Edmonton. Of course now the event has been over for almost a month,the number is no longer in service. I will wait until Tuesday A.M until I make my next phone call. I'll post my results as they become available.

Barry N

[MylesC]

I'd be surprised if the individual events handled this. I thought it would be some central festival committee or some arm of the City that changed them depending what was going on.

After all, they were originally put up for the Centennial, were they not?

[Barry N]

Originally Posted by MylesC

I'd be surprised if the individual events handled this. I thought it would be some central festival committee or some arm of the City that changed them depending what was going on.

After all, they were originally put up for the Centennial, were they not?

Myles:

Those were my thoughts also. But when I asked the woman I talked to in the Councillors office,she seem to think that each individual festival was responsible for them. To me, this doesn't make any sense. They still have to get permisssion from the city to put them up,otherwise anybody can just go out and buy some flagpoles and stick up their banners on any street. I am going to continue to chase this on Monday & Tuesday,and make a few more calls.

Barry N

[DebraW]

^ Much appreciated!

[Barry N]

Monday Morning Update..August 20

Just got a return phone call from receptionist @ city councillors office. After many phone calls she tracked down the proper department. The Civic Events Dept is responsible for banners etc. So I phoned them and they told me that they have had other complaints about these FIFA banners. Apparently the cities contractor was told to remove them the day after the FIFA event ended {June 22},but due to a 'labour shortage' it took a month to start removing them.
[color=red]They are being removed today.[/color]

I asked why no banners for LPGA Tournament or Fringe & the organizers of these events did want to pay the expenses. I suggested to the woman I talked to @ Civic Events that perhaps the city should have some generic banners made up to use during the transisitional times when no actual event promotional banners are in use, rather than leave empty flag poles around the city.

So I guess,it's mission accomplished.

Barry N

PS.. If anyone wants the phone number & contact name in Civic Events,please send me a Private message and I will pass it along.

[DebraW]

Originally Posted by Basil Fawlty

Monday Morning Update..August 20

Just got a return phone call from receptionist @ city councillors office. After many phone call she tracked down the proper department. The Civic Events Dept is responsible for banners etc. So I phoned them and they told me that they have had other complaints about these FIFA banners. Apparently the cities contractor was told to remove them the day after the FIFA event ended {June 22},but due to a 'labour shortage' it took a month to start removing them.
[color=red]They are being removed today.[/color]

I asked why no banners for LPGA Tournament or Fringe & the organizers of these events did want to pay the expenses. I suggested to the woman I talked to @ Civic Events that perhaps the city should have some generic banners made up to use during the transisitional times when no actual event promotional banners are in use, rather than leave empty flag poles around the city.

So I guess,it's mission accomplished.

Barry N

PS.. If anyone wants the phone number & contact name in Civic Events,please send me a Private message and I will pass it along.

Barry,

Great initiative in following up on this matter.

I am getting so sick of having “labour shortages” used for everything especially when many times it is simply an excuse for poor management and lack of planning.

[Barry N]

Originally Posted by djgirl

Barry,

Great initiative in following up on this matter.

I am getting so sick of having “labour shortages” used for everything especially when many times it is simply an excuse for poor management and lack of planning.

That's me Mr. Initiative. I think you & I are on the same wave length. When I hear 'labour shortage' I start to bristle. To my way of thinking it is poor managment. The thing that just blows me away is that it has to take the citizens to point out this kind of stuff,be it poor road conditions or something as simple as common sense.

[glasshead]

Originally Posted by Basil Fawlty

Monday Morning Update..August 20

Just got a return phone call from receptionist @ city councillors office. After many phone call she tracked down the proper department. The Civic Events Dept is responsible for banners etc. So I phoned them and they told me that they have had other complaints about these FIFA banners. Apparently the cities contractor was told to remove them the day after the FIFA event ended {June 22},but due to a 'labour shortage' it took a month to start removing them.
[color=red]They are being removed today.[/color]

I asked why no banners for LPGA Tournament or Fringe & the organizers of these events did want to pay the expenses. I suggested to the woman I talked to @ Civic Events that perhaps the city should have some generic banners made up to use during the transisitional times when no actual event promotional banners are in use, rather than leave empty flag poles around the city.

So I guess,it's mission accomplished.

Barry N

PS.. If anyone wants the phone number & contact name in Civic Events,please send me a Private message and I will pass it along.

Thank you so much for your initiative and update. I think your actions are a great example and inspiration for Edmontonians wanting change to model.



Cheers!

[DebraW]

Originally Posted by Basil Fawlty

That's me Mr. Initiative. I think you & I are on the same wave length. When I hear 'labour shortage' I start to bristle. To my way of thinking it is poor managment. The thing that just blows me away is that it has to take the citizens to point out this kind of stuff,be it poor road conditions or something as simple as common sense.

^ Yup, I start to more than bristle I am getting more to the point of boil.

Maybe I am getting too cynical in my old age but is it not funny how things are being done "today" whenever you call about an issue with the city. (Once you can find someone that is…)

Reactive only as there is little proactive thinking in the bureaucracy of much of the city services these days.

[Barry N]

[quote]Maybe I am getting too cynical in my old age but is it not funny how things are being done "today" whenever you call about an issue with the city. (Once you can find someone that is…)



Amen to that. It is almost impossible not to get cynical when we see like this happen over & over again,and it's left to the taxpayer to point them out. What are these people getting paid for? If I were driving the ship,those banners would have been down within 36 hours of the last person leaving the closing ceremonies, and replaced with a colourful generic banner that reads "Welcome to Edmonton".

[DebraW]

[quote="Basil Fawlty"]

Maybe I am getting too cynical in my old age but is it not funny how things are being done "today" whenever you call about an issue with the city. (Once you can find someone that is…)



Amen to that. It is almost impossible not to get cynical when we see like this happen over & over again,and it's left to the taxpayer to point them out. What are these people getting paid for? If I were driving the ship,those banners would have been down within 36 hours of the last person leaving the closing ceremonies, and replaced with a colourful generic banner that reads "Welcome to Edmonton".

^ I would be right beside you.

Why does the city not have generic (but durable) banners that can go up on the poles?

The cost would not be that onerous and what a “welcoming” sight it would be to show city pride, much better than empty or the worse never taken down long after the event banners that are now displayed.

This is a call out to our booster and tourism organizations, why do you not do something like that instead of just profiling major (read heavily corporate sponsored) events.

[Barry N]

Why does the city not have generic (but durable) banners that can go up on the poles?

The cost would not be that onerous and what a “welcoming” sight it would be to show city pride, much better than empty or the worse never taken down long after the event banners that are now displayed.

This exactly what I suggested to the woman I talked to @ Civic Events,and of course I got the usual rhetoric that they just happened to be looking at this exact topic at their last meeting.
Hopefully The Head Fromage will give their blessing to it.

[DebraW]

^ Yup, yup...always re-inventing the wheel but no one to steer.

[kcantor]

Originally Posted by djgirl

^ Yup, yup...always re-inventing the wheel but no one to steer.

c2e seems to have done a pretty good job steering this one - just goes to show what getting involved instead of ignoring can accomplish... maybe c2e should have a general "things to do" or "things to do better" thread (in addition to securing the world's fair) rather than just the "rant" section?

[DebraW]

^ I like it!

About the WF... "Welcome to Edmonton...Host of the 2017 World Fair" has a nice cachet and would look GREAT on banners...no need to go generic!

[ChrisD]

Originally Posted by Casa

I agree the banners are sad.

It also makes me wonder how long the 630 CHED banners that were put up along the fence at the Royal Mayfair will be there after the LPGA event is said and done.

IMO though the CHED banners are tacky along the fence for such a world class event regardless of how long they stay posted or not.

I bet you not long since it's owned and maintained by the Royal Mayfair Golf Club.

Great push and follow-ups. We have to keep the heat on people.

[Barry N]

Great push and follow-ups. We have to keep the heat on people.

It's a shame that we have to hold their feet to the fire. Doesn't part of their job description require them to be organized,and have follow-up skills?

[DebraW]

Originally Posted by Basil Fawlty

It's a shame that we have to hold their feet to the fire. Doesn't part of their job description require them to be organized,and have follow-up skills?

^ Funniest (and saddest) line I have read on C2E in a long while.

Along with the so-called labour shortage seems to be a shortage in common sense and courtesy which is all follow-up and follow-through is. Alas, this is not something that can be taught and the best job description in the world will not change that sad fact.