If I, Alex Bellisle, were mayor of the City of Edmonton for a day, there are three things I would do to make the city a better place to call home.
- Make the city walkable.
I love walking. When I visit cities like Vancouver, I’m overcome with intense jealousy at all the people who don’t have to pay as much for gas and parking.
To achieve a walkable city utopia, I would improve lighting, widen sidewalks, and install heating elements beneath them. Then I would transform parking lots into vibrant parks. Speaking of nature, I would line the streets with trees and baskets of flowers. The trees would provide shade from the summer heat, and the planters would add beauty and food for the pollinators.
Because Edmonton’s core is so spread out, vehicles cannot be completely eliminated. That is why I would keep the major thoroughfares for cars, but turn many of the smaller streets into no-car zones. These areas would include large patio spaces for bars and restaurants, as well as public picnic tables and stalls selling coffee and pastries.
“If I, Alex Bellisle, were mayor of the city of Edmonton for a day, there are three things I would do to make the city a better place to call home”.
— Alex Bellisle
- Improving sustainability
Reducing carbon emissions is of the utmost importance today. During my time as mayor, I would do a few things to inch our city closer to carbon neutrality.
I would install solar panels on all public buildings and any privately owned buildings that allow for them to be installed free of charge. I would also install free electric bike stations to replace the current dockless e-bikes. Centralizing bikes around the city will not only look better but also incentivize people to use them.
Keeping with the theme of redesigning public buildings, I will add rooftop jungles, complete with trees that can survive year-round.
Limiting driving will also reduce emissions. To do this, I would improve public transit safety. Increasing security and adding more police to stations would help, but more importantly, I would place medical and addiction professionals in stations and around the city to give everyone the help they need.
- Pop machine corners
Are you ever walking down the street when a sudden craving for a crisp Diet Coke or Dr. Pepper just hits you like a truck, and you would do anything to have one in your hand immediately?
Just me? Okay, well, I’m sure if there were a way you could have the beverage, you would think this every day.
So, that is why in my short time as mayor, I would add in fountain pop machines on every street corner! It would be those ones with the big screen, where you pick the pop and the flavour, with endless options. The stations would be complete with cups and straws, but I would also start a reusable cup initiative. These cups could be used not only at the pop stations but at all cafes in the city.
I could go on, but I must be elected first before I reveal all of my master plans. I don’t want my competitors to copy my incredible ideas.
P.S. Do you have to live in Edmonton to be mayor? I live in Sherwood Park, so I don’t know.
Dude Alex, I wouldn’t really dream doing any of this. But yes your young. That’s ok. It’s just life. you know these political uprisings with US and China are getting more of an issue anyone will think and believe it as. Yea some of these concepts sound ok to implement generally speaking. Like a more walkable city and accessible bike services. Like community repair shops that are walk-in for free.
But anything with microchip or semi – conductor is a call for disaster. With some potential chance of a train – wreck.
Also now that I think about it. EV vehicles are a stupid idea. It’ll never work here in this climate and along these political concerns. Maybe in other places warmer elsewhere. Just not here in Canada. Cause it’s all just common sense. Also I have to agree with some commenting that Oil and Gas is what provides energy and gives yes jobs. But we have think as to we’re balance the concept of that and green sustainability.
Oh autonomous vehicles as of now is too paramount a problem with controversies of it’s own. There at least 20 or so those companies that are from looks of it sustaining it so far.
Here’s about how the industry operates. That I ask AI. Which do please do consider to be alittle skeptical of these sorts of matters. Is little more complex than just slice bread.
High Cash Burn: Most independent pure-play startups have either closed, merged, or narrowed their scope due to extreme development costs.Few Funded Survivors: Funding has concentrated heavily into a tiny group of heavily backed platforms like Alphabet’s Waymo and Amazon’s Zoox, which are still losing money despite scaling rides.
Mass Consolidation: The market has shifted from a broad field of 20+ independent tech hopefuls to a narrow landscape dominated by legacy automakers and mega-tech conglomerates absorbing the losses.
Also don’t get me to be manager. I’ve seen the headache. It’s not worth it. Only if you really want to manage people. Goes along with in life as follows: will, determination, and perseverance. So basically reality check.
P.S Oh I’m not putting my name anywhere seen online generally.
At least say Hana Matova, has common sense and has the credentials to prove it. So again it’s reality.
I’m just being prudent and fair to everyone.
That doesn’t mean I dislike your opinion or you as a person.