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Tag: ets
Coming up at City Council: February 15-19, 2016
It has been a couple of months since my last "Coming up at City Council" update – time to get back into the routine. Thanks to everyone who has provided positive feedback on this series!
Photo by City of Edmonton
Here's my look at what Council will be discussing in the week ahead.
Meetings this week
Feburary 16 at 9:30am – City Council Meeting
February 17 at 1:30pm – City Council Public Hearing
February 19 at 9:30am – Council Services Committee Meeting
February 19 at noon – City Manager Recruitment Committee Meeting
February 19 at 1:30pm – Audit Committee Meeting
You can always see the latest City Council meetings on ShareEdmonton.
Infrastructure Report Card
Every year the City compiles an annual inventory of its infrastructure. The report for 2014 is now available while the 2015 inventory is still under development. The 2014 Report indicates that the City's replacement value for all of its infrastructure assets is $42.8 billion. Of that, $29.4 billion is drainage and road right-of-way, hence the phrase "roads and pipes".
The average state and condition of the City's assets are as follows:
57% of the City's assets are in good or very good physical condition, 30% in fair condition and 13% in poor or very poor condition
65% of the City's assets have very good demand/capacity, 19% have fair demand/capacity and 16% have poor or very poor demand/capacity
79% of the City's assets have good functionality, 9% have fair functionality and 12% have poor or very poor functionality
How does that compare to other municipalities? "In comparison to national averages in the 2016 Canadian Infrastructure Report Card, the City of Edmonton generally has fewer assets in good and very good physical condition and more assets in fair condition."
There are lots of charts and other information in the report, which you can read here (PDF).
ETS Bus & LRT Review
Well this report from the City Auditor is just depressing. I use transit and want to support ETS, but this just makes it extremely difficult to do so. The auditor found that "the reliability of service has been declining" and worse that "actions being taken to address reliability issues (i.e., on-time performance and overcrowding) are not improving the overall system performance." Combine that unreliability with the cost of transit (which just went up yet again) and the value proposition isn't very appealing. The single cash fare in 2011 was $2.85 and today it's $3.25.
This chart shows that:
"Adherence to service schedules has declined from 2012 to 2015."
"The best overall performance period was in the June to August period. In 2012, 74% of service was on-time. In 2014, performance declined to 69%."
"The worst performance was experienced in the December to January period. In 2012, 60% of service was on-time. In 2014, performance declined to 58%."
"The 90% performance target for arrival was not achieved in any time period measured."
Why is the performance so bad? ETS says it is "a reflection of an increase in the number of persons with mobility devices and strollers, construction activity, and increased traffic congestion on city streets." Sounds like a lot of excuses to me. On top of that, they suggest that operating budgets did not include funding to address these issues.
Capacity issues are also a problem. "In total there were 1,328 pass-by incidents reported in 2014," the report notes. "Bus Operators estimated that more than 21,700 customers were affected." While the current ETS fleet meets "the majority of ridership capacity needs" the report notes that "35% of customers rated overcrowding as unsatisfactory."
Here are the auditor's three conclusions:
ETS services are generally delivered in an efficient and economical manner when compared to other public transit organizations.
Service reliability expressed in terms of on-time performance was lower in 2014 than in prior years.
A lower percentage of ETS operating expenditures are funded by revenues than for comparable public transit organizations, single ride cash fares are comparable to that of other public transit organizations, and monthly pass prices are below average for comparable organizations.
You can find the auditor's report here and Administration's response here.
Designating the Molson Brewery as a Municipal Historic Resource
Bylaw 17507 "is to designate the Edmonton Brewing and Malting Company Ltd. Building as a Municipal Historic Resource and to allocate financial incentives for its restoration." This bylaw is ready for three readings.
Photo by Connor Mah
"The heritage value of the Edmonton Brewing and Malting Company Ltd. Building, built in 1913, consists in its association with the formation of the brewing industry in Edmonton and Alberta, its functional, yet artistic design, and its association with Chicago architect Bernard Barthel."
"The Province has initiated the process to designate the building as a Provincial Historic Resource."
"A payment of $417,550 annually over a ten-year period will be made to the owner to encourage the designation of the Edmonton Brewing and Malting Company Ltd. Building as a Municipal Historic Resource in accordance with City Policy C450B."
"Annual rehabilitation grant payments of $417,550 will be made from the Heritage Reserve Fund to the owner starting in 2016, and will extend to 2025. However, the owner will be required to complete the identified rehabilitation work to the building by December 31, 2021."
"The total estimated cost of the restoration portion of the project for the Edmonton Brewing and Malting Company Ltd. Building is over $8,350,999. Other non-heritage work is estimated at another $3,590,462."
Great to see this moving forward!
Other interesting items
A review of the City's Debt Management Policy finds that it "is consistent with debt management practices in other Canadian cities." I wrote about Edmonton's debt back in 2013 during the municipal election.
Executive Committee has recommended that the funding agreement between the City and EEDC for the Edmonton Film Fund be approved. They also voted on February 2 to have Administration, the Edmonton Arts Council, EEDC, and industry work together to develop "a preferred model to replace the Film Commission."
Bylaw 17527 is an amendment to the Zoning Bylaw to "add Urban Gardens, Urban Outdoor Farms and Urban Indoor Farms to additional zones." Council approved the three new classes back on October 19, 2015 as well as the zones they apply to. Additionally, they asked for special area residential zones like Terwillegar to allow Urban Gardens and for Commercial Shopping Centre zones to allow Urban Farms, which is what this bylaw will allow, among other minor changes.
As of February 4, there are 34 recommendations from the City Auditor outstanding, 10 of which are overdue. Administration has completed 13 recommendations since November 2015 and has provided an update on recommendations that are more than 6 months overdue.
The Coin Processing Audit report suggests that "the City's coin processing operations are effective in mitigating the risk of mismanagement of City cash" and that "the services Coin Processing Operations provides are economical compared to other municipalities."
Council's furniture budget remains unchanged for 2016 at $11,278. Only $3,073 of last year's budget was spent.
You can keep track of City Council on Twitter using the #yegcc hashtag, and you can listen to or watch any Council meeting live online. You can read my previous coverage of the 2013-2017 City Council here.
Mack Male	City Council 2013-2017	Leave a comment February 12, 2016 5 Minutes
#3SkillsYEG, Edmonton Tool Library, LRT operators like pilots
Here's the latest entry in my Edmonton Etcetera series, in which I share some thoughts on a few topical items in one post. Less than I'd write in a full post on each, but more than I'd include in Edmonton Notes. Have feedback? Let me know!
3SkillsYEG – what three things will you learn?
Today the Edmonton Public Library launched a new City of Learners campaign called #3SkillsYEG:
"#3SkillsYEG invites Edmontonians to create their own version of Robinson's adventure by learning, teaching and sharing three new things with each other in 2016. By declaring to learn a skill related to "Personal Growth & Well-Being" in February; "Creativity & Expression" in March; and "Making Our City Better" in April, and sharing it on social media, participants will be entered to win an iPad, $200 towards Metro Continuing Education and tickets to the Telus World of Science."
You can learn more about #3SkillsYEG here. Participating is simple – just pick three skills you want to learn and commit to learning one each month. You don't have to follow the monthly themes, but that's potentially a good way to stay on track. There's going to be events related to each one too. You can enter the contest by declaring the skills you're going to learn here.
Me learning to make a better burger at Farmfair back in November
I really like this initiative, so I agreed to be a Learning Champion. What that means is that I'll be participating and sharing my progress and encouraging others to do so as well. My list of "things to learn" is far longer than I'm able to tackle, but I will pick three for #3SkillsYEG and will be writing about each one in the coming months.
Edmonton Tool Library
Here's a great idea that's long overdue that two Edmontonians are finally doing something about. Leslie Bush and Robyn Webb are starting the Edmonton Tool Library, which will let you borrow tools just like you can currently borrow books and other items from the public library. There are tool lending libraries all around the world, including in many Canadian cities. Here's the news from CBC Edmonton:
"The plan is to open the new tool library downtown, where many residents don't have the room to store many tools. The group doesn't yet have a firm opening date in mind, but is hoping to be up and running later this year. Edmontonians who sign up for an annual membership will be able to borrow tools for limited periods of time."
For now they have a Facebook page and an idea. Sometimes that's good enough to get something going. If you want more information or to find out how to get involved, sign up for their mailing list here.
Vancouver's Tool Library launched in 2011, photo by Richard Eriksson
This idea has come up dozens of times in recent years, especially after Make Something Edmonton launched, but to my knowledge no one has actually tried to make it happen. There are some related initiatives that have been very successful in Edmonton, like ENTS which does provide access to a variety of tools including drills, saws, and more for use in their space. But to be able to borrow a power tool for use in your home, that's pretty interesting.
The other obvious initiative that comes to mind is EPL's Makerspace. Like ENTS, there are some tools there you can use on-site, including a couple of 3D printers. There's no tool library though, at least not yet. With the revitalization of the Stanley Milner library downtown gearing up there's a related effort called "Makerspace 2020" to determine how the Makerspace should evolve. I know for a fact that tools have come up in consultations on that project, and I wouldn't be surprised to see EPL itself offer something in the near future.
The LRT driver who sounds like a pilot
If you've been a passenger on the LRT recently, you might have heard Jon Morgan. He's an LRT operator who entertains passengers by giving them updates on connections, the weather, nearby attractions, and more. I heard him recently and was amused, and judging by the smiles, it seems my fellow passengers were too. Here's what he told Global Edmonton:
"I love our city and I like to learn as much as I can about our city, relay it across to the people. I just like to brighten people's days as much as possible."
I'd say he's doing a good job of that!
If this all seems oddly familiar, that's because it is. Back in 2010, essentially the same story was written about Tim Mireault. And then again in 2012. Good stories are worth repeating, I guess!
Mack Male	Edmonton Etcetera	Leave a comment January 21, 2016 3 Minutes
LRT is about more than speed
If you're angry about the Metro Line LRT, then you'll love Tristin Hopper's article in today's National Post. He's a self-described "fervent – almost fanatical – supporter of public transit" and he doesn't hold back on eviscerating Edmonton's latest addition to the LRT network:
"In short, it fails on every single possible justification for why cities should build light rail."
It's a colorful piece, complete with a comparison to "a candy company releasing a new chocolate bar called Herpes Al-Qaeda." But while it's clear the City of Edmonton made some mistakes and that it would indeed be bad to see them repeated elsewhere, Hopper's arguments are clearly coming from a place of frustration rather than fact, and he comes off sounding more like a supporter of car culture than the transit booster he claims to be.
Before I get into that, let me say that I'm just as frustrated and disappointed as many of you are with how the Metro Line LRT was handled and how it is still not fully operational as promised. I've written a lot about it over the last year, and I'm sure there will be much more to come in the year ahead. There's no question that the City of Edmonton screwed up on the Metro Line LRT, but Council didn't do itself any favors by ignoring the project until it was too late either. People have been fired, lessons have been learned, and there's undoubtedly more fallout to come.
But, let's not make a mountain out of a molehill, mmkay?
Hopper is right to point out how unacceptable it is that the line breaks down so regularly. And he's right that due to the signalling system issues, the trains aren't running as fast as planned. But his article also makes some pretty specious arguments about emissions1 and the impact on ambulances2. Hopper has some nerve adding up the amount of time wasted by drivers waiting for the Metro Line LRT trains to go by, as if those drivers had never before run into rush hour and gridlock. How much "human existence" has commuting by car, a much more dangerous, stressful, and expensive mode of transporation, extinguished? Easier to pick on LRT, I guess.
"The chief problem is that the train was built at grade and cleaves through several major intersections," Hopper writes. This leads to delays for passengers and a "traffic apocalypse" for everyone else. "I've personally clocked a six-minute wait," he complains. I get it, I hate being made to wait as much as anyone (thank goodness Sharon is a much more patient person than I am). But this is just as silly to highlight now as it was four months ago when the Metro Line LRT opened.
The only reason this extra-six-minutes argument has any appeal at all is that there's something to blame. Probably every driver has spent far longer than six minutes stuck in traffic on many occasions, but without a train to complain about, those delays are just chalked up to the realities of driving. Over time drivers become oblivious to them. Sure people complain about traffic from time-to-time, but no one is crucifying the City over it like they are with the Metro Line LRT.
Also wrong is complaining about how slow the train ride itself is, especially given that the Metro Line LRT isn't operating at full-speed yet. Even if it were, LRT isn't supposed to be faster than other modes of transportation. It can be, in some cases, but it doesn't have to be and that isn't the reason to build it in the first place. LRT is primarily about capacity, not speed. And transit is about the network, not a single line.
It's not the speed that matters
We need not look any further than the existing Capital Line LRT to see that speed isn't why it has been successful. What if I wanted to get from my house on 104 Street downtown to Southgate Centre? Here's a look at the trip by mode at three different times for today, according to the fastest option suggested by Google Maps:
Cycling 30-34 minutes 30-34 minutes 30-34 minutes
Vehicle 16-20 minutes 16-22 minutes 16-40 minutes
Bus 38 minutes 38 minutes 41 minutes
LRT 24 minutes 24 minutes 24 minutes
And here's the reverse trip, going back downtown from Southgate:
Depending on the time of day, direction of travel, your speed, and lots of other conditions that you have no control over (traffic, weather, etc.), driving is actually the fastest mode of transportation. LRT is pretty quick, but more importantly is consistent and predictable. My travel time in the real world is far more likely to match the prediction for LRT than it is for a vehicle. Not to mention taking the LRT means you can do something productive or enjoyable while you ride, and you don't have to pay for parking.
That particular example, downtown to Southgate, makes the time to take the bus seem quite unappealing. Again, that's to be expected given ETS' approach of having buses feed into the LRT network, something that will also happen with the Metro Line LRT once it is fully operational. If we look instead at an example where there isn't LRT, we see that the bus can actually be competitive and maybe even faster than travelling by vehicle. Here's my place to West Edmonton Mall:
Cycling 37 minutes 37 minutes 37 minutes
And here's the reverse trip, going from WEM to downtown:
In this example there's an express bus that travels between WEM and downtown. Again travelling by vehicle could be faster, but it depends greatly on time of day, direction, and unforeseen circumstances like accidents and weather conditions. The bus would also be subject to some of these considerations, so it's not as reliable as LRT, but it is still a much more viable option in this example. And you can see how an express bus could potentially be a better way than LRT to achieve a fast trip, especially if it were afforded some of the right-of-way and separation advantages of the LRT (the express bus to WEM shares the road with vehicles and follows all existing signals).
This is all just to show that speed isn't the driving factor behind LRT. If it were, we'd look at those times above and be complaining that it wasn't always the fastest option. The negative impacts of LRT on traffic are easy to see, at some point vehicles have to wait for trains. But there are positive impacts of LRT on traffic too. More people riding the train means fewer people driving which means (in theory) less traffic than there would otherwise be. That speeds up commute times for everyone.
But the real reason you build LRT is for the capacity. Here's what the City of Edmonton's LRT for Everyone PDF highlights:
One four-car train can move as many people as 600 typical cars. And let's be honest, you could probably cram even more people onto those trains if you really wanted to. That potential capacity has a real, positive impact on the transportation network as a whole. It makes getting around the city better for everyone.
There are other reasons to build LRT of course. Accessibility, convenience, transit-oriented development, more efficient use of infrastructure, reduced energy use and environmental impact, and much more. But enabling more people to travel more efficiently throughout the city is the big benefit of LRT.
And when you consider it as part of the overall network, with a mix of bicycles, vehicles, buses, and trains, the capacity benefits of buses and trains make an even bigger difference. That's why shifting Edmonton's transportation mix to rely less on vehicles is such an important part of The Way We Move.
Hopper seems to suggest that fast LRT that doesn't impact traffic is the only kind of LRT to pursue and that "don't let idiots build your transit" is the only lesson to be learned from the Metro Line LRT project. But both of these things are off the mark. You don't build LRT for speed and you can't avoid idiots, they're everywhere.
So yes policymakers of Canada, come to Edmonton and learn from the Metro Line LRT. There are clearly things you can do better and a real-world example to examine is better than a theoretical one. But don't follow Hopper's lead in setting the wrong expectations for the "decent, right-thinking people" in your cities. LRT is about much more than speed.
For instance, he says the Metro Line LRT "is almost certainly increasing Edmonton's net amount of carbon emissions." I guess we'll have to take his word for it, as he doesn't provide any evidence to back the claim up. ↩
Noting that the Metro Line is next to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, he suggests that "any Edmontonian unlucky enough to have a heart attack in one of the northwestern quadrants of the city must wait as paramedics wend a circuitous route through downtown." This smacks of fearmongering to me, and we've already been-there-done-that-tyvm with medevac and the closing of the City Centre Airport. Although he expressed concern with the delays associated with the partial Metro Line operation, AHS' chief paramedic said that dealing with traffic is not a new problem for paramedics. "We run into these situations all the time," he told CBC. And as Transportation GM Dorian Wandzura noted in that same article, presumably AHS had already made some operational adjustments, given that the plan was approved and the route defined way back in 2008. ↩
Mack Male	Uncategorized	18 Comments January 5, 2016 7 Minutes
TransEd selected for the Valley Line LRT, interVivos turns 9, changes at Startup Edmonton
I'm trying something new, where I share some thoughts on a few topical items in one post. Less than I'd write in a full post on each, but more than I'd include in Edmonton Notes. I'll organize them here. Have feedback? Let me know!
TransEd Partners selected as Valley Line LRT partner
Today the City of Edmonton announced that TransEd Partners has been selected "to design, build, operate, maintain and finance stage one of the Valley Line LRT." TransEd is a consortium comprised of: Fengate Capital Management, Bechtel, Ellis-Don, and Bombardier. Additionally, TransDev, ARUP, and IBI Group are described as "other key team members." TransEd was selected after an 18 month procurement process "that saw comprehensive proposals from three international teams."
Acting City Manager Linda Cochrane said the City, the LRT Governance Board, and the fairness monitor were all "quite comfortable" with the bids that were received, but felt the TransEd bid offered the best value for taxpayers. She repeated what Mayor Iveson and other City officials have highlighted in recent months, which is that the P3 model "by its nature transfers risk" to the partner. It's pretty clear everyone is nervous because of what happened with the Metro Line and Thales. I have no doubt the issues that were encountered with the Metro Line will not be repeated with the Valley Line. But the reality of a $1.8 billion project, the single largest infrastructure project in Edmonton, is that something else will go wrong. What's important is how the City will handle it.
And that's the other key thing that Linda talked about today – communication. She noted that the City is still responsible for the project and is the entity to complain to if and when things go wrong. And she acknowledged that the City has room to improve when it comes to communication. But they are committed to being "as transparent as possible" throughout the entire project.
The next step is to finalize the contract with TransEd, which will involve a deeper dive into all of the financials. That is slated to be complete by February 2016 and if all goes well, construction will begin in the spring. The new 13-km line from Mill Woods to Downtown would be complete in 2020, with service starting by the end of that year.
interVivos turns 9
Last night I had the pleasure of serving as emcee for interVivos' latest mentorship networking event. It's the second time I have hosted the event, so I was thrilled to be asked back!
"The mentorship program helps achieve the mandate of interVivos by "bringing together young professionals and students with Edmonton's business, political and community leaders to develop the relationships and the skills required by young people to assume positions of positive leadership within our community"."
The mentorship program began in 2012 and has been running twice a year ever since. I've had the opportunity to be a mentor in the past as well, and I had a very positive experience. The way it works is interVivos brings together sixteen proteges and sixteen mentors, and they meet in a speed networking format. Proteges get four minutes to meet each mentor, and then at the end of the evening they all rank their top five preferred matches. interVivos makes the matches within a few weeks, and then each protege and mentor pairing is responsible for communicating at least three times over six months. You get out of it what you put into it, but the relationships that are formed can be quite meaningful.
Rene Ziorio & Zohreh Saher
interVivos launched back in November 2006 making it nine years old this month, which is quite an achievement! Zohreh and the team should be very proud of what they've built. In case you were wondering, interVivos is a Latin word that means "from one person to another". You can follow interVivos on Facebook and on Twitter.
Changes at Startup Edmonton
The secret is out now: Ken Bautista resigned last month from Startup Edmonton and EEDC. He wrote:
"After eighteen months since our acquisition, I came to realize that it was the right time to leave Startup Edmonton in a place where it could continue to be a platform to grow our community beyond my leadership."
There's still a great team at Startup Edmonton, including co-founder Cam Linke and COO Tiffany Linke-Boyko, but Ken's resignation is a big loss for EEDC. The energy, creativity, and vision he brought to the organization will surely be missed.
Frankly this news leaves me wondering about EEDC's ongoing culture change. Ken is not the kind of person you want to lose, and if he was frustrated by bureaucracy or other internal impediments then that's concerning. I'm sure we'll learn more about how things are going at EEDC during the budget process over the next couple weeks (and potentially at the IMPACT Luncheon in January).
As for Ken, I have no doubt he'll be positively impacting Edmonton with his next project (whatever that might be) in no time.
Mack Male	Edmonton Etcetera	Leave a comment November 25, 2015 3 Minutes
The Metro Line is open: Edmonton's LRT now extends north to NAIT
Today the oft-delayed Metro Line LRT extension from Churchill Station to NAIT opened. The 3.3 km extension adds a second operational line to Edmonton's LRT Network Plan, and features the first new stations in four years. But today's launch was very different than the two most previous extension openings, to South Campus in 2009 and Century Park in 2011. Those extensions opened with great fanfare featuring politicians making speeches and shaking hands. The Metro Line opened quietly this morning with no ceremony.
Train to NAIT leaves MacEwan Station
The Metro Line features three new stations: MacEwan, Kingsway/Royal Alex, and NAIT. The extension is expected to add 13,200 weekday riders to the system, and ETS says it has "capacity for considerable growth" once the line eventually extends into St. Albert.
The service that launched today isn't exactly what was planned, of course. The line has been repeatedly delayed, ostensibly due to issues with the signalling system. The Metro Line was planned to open in April 2014, but here we are in September 2015 with what the City is calling a "staged approach" to bringing it into service. Here's what that means:
Metro Line trains will run every 15 minutes between Century Park and NAIT.
They will also occasionally run between Health Sciences/Jubilee and NAIT (weekdays after 10pm, Saturdays after 7pm, and all day Sundays).
Every third train running between Churchill and Century Park will be a three-car Metro Line train (most of the time).
Trains are operating with "line of sight" which restricts the speed of trains between MacEwan and NAIT to 25 km/h, half the planned speed.
This means travel time between Churchill Station and NAIT is approximately 14 minutes.
Sharon and I decided to check out the new extension this afternoon, starting our journey from our home station at Bay/Enterprise Square. It's been chilly and raining all day (and still is as I write this) but that didn't stop us!
The Metro Line was designed to operate between NAIT and the existing Health Sciences Station, so both the Metro Line and Capital Line share the stations in between (and actually will share stations all the way to Century Park as part of this interim service). That means you need to pay attention to the destination of the train you're boarding.
On the train!
Though there are clear announcements, this is going to be an issue for new riders. As our train was leaving Churchill Station, another announcement was made and a couple in front of us realized they had gotten on the wrong line. I expect this'll happen quite a bit over the next few weeks.
It's just a few moments after the track returns above ground that you arrive at MacEwan Station. I would not be surprised at all if it is renamed MacEwan/Rogers Place at some point in the future. The new arena is such a major part of the station that it almost seems inappropriate that it's not reflected in the name!
MacEwan LRT Station
This station we had previously explored as it's just a short walk from home. Thinking about it now, it would have been much faster to walk and catch the train there than waiting for a Metro Line train to take us from Bay/Enterprise Square.
Future walkway to Rogers Place (and 104 Street) from MacEwan Station
MacEwan Station is just a short walk across 105 Street to MacEwan University. The landscaping and park around the station is quite attractive, though it can be a little confusing at first where to enter and exit the platform (at least from the west side).
MacEwan Station
Upon leaving MacEwan Station you immediately notice the reduced speed of the train. It feels comically slow at times. Still, riding the train to NAIT or Kingsway is certainly convenient, even if it takes a few minutes longer than expected.
Aside from being close to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, the Kingsway/Royal Alex station is also adjacent to the relatively new bus terminal. If you're a transit rider, the new station is going to be great. If you're a driver though, be prepared to wait.
The longest wait seemed to be for cars turning east onto 111 Avenue from 106 Street. There wasn't much traffic today, so the waits probably weren't too bad, but during rush hour I could see a 10 minute or longer wait being very realistic. The rumor flying around this weekend is that waits will last 16 minutes or more, but the City says this won't be the case. "To be clear — the City does not expect the Metro Line to cause 16 minute traffic delays at these intersections all the time," they wrote.
Trains pass each other at Kingsway/Royal Alex Station
I really like the design of the station, with its enclosed, heated waiting areas and very attractive wood features. Oddly though, it's probably faster to walk to Kingsway Mall from NAIT Station than it is from Kingsway/Royal Alex Station. That's because you have to cross two roads to get to Kingsway Mall, not to mention waiting for trains to go by (which are slower than normal, remember). So this will probably be the station I use least, unless I need to make a bus transfer.
Once the train very slowly makes its way up 106 Street and across Princess Elizabeth Avenue, you arrive at NAIT Station. This is going to be a big win for students and means that all of our major education institutions are now more or less connected via LRT (with NorQuest getting even better connectivity when the Valley Line LRT opens).
NAIT Station with Kingsway Mall to the left
As mentioned it's just a short walk across Princess Elizabeth Avenue to the Sears side of Kingsway Mall. Unfortunately the sidewalk ends almost as soon as you get to the south side of the street, and you're left dodging vehicles racing in and out of the parkade. That's one improvement that could definitely be made.
The current end of the line at NAIT
NAIT Station is currently the end of the line, but if you look northwest you can see what will eventually become Blatchford (which will have its own LRT station).
Selfie at NAIT Station!
Even though this "staged approach" is not ideal, it's very exciting to have the Metro Line open at long last. Our experience today was very positive, but the real test will come Tuesday morning as students are back to school and everyone else is back to work. You can learn more about the Metro Line opening at the Transforming Edmonton blog.
Lincoln Ho of Yegventures rode the very first train this morning – watch his YouTube feed for the video. You can see more photos from our trip today here.
Mack Male	Uncategorized	1 Comment September 6, 2015 4 Minutes
Edmonton needs to keep pushing for LRT funding
With major funding announcements over the last few weeks for public transit in Toronto, Ottawa, and Calgary, many Edmontonians are wondering when our election handout will appear. Some are even suggesting that Edmonton is being shortchanged by the federal government when comparing previous funding commitments to the most recent ones. Mayor Iveson tweeted "no worries" and promised that City Council is "not done asking" for more LRT funding.
Photo by Mark Iocchelli
Let's recap the funding announcements
The total cost of Stage 1 of the Valley Line LRT (Mill Woods to Downtown) is about $1.8 billion, with $800 million coming from the City, $600 million coming from the Province, and $400 million coming from the federal government.
The first federal contribution of $250 million from P3 Canada was made back in March 2013. Nearly a year later, the new Building Canada Fund was introduced which is expected to cover the additional $150 million needed from the federal government. Then in March 2014, the Province committed its $600 million contribution to the project. It consists of $250 million in GreenTRIP funding, $200 million in an interest-free loan, and $150 million to match the federal government's Building Canada contribution.
In April 2015, the federal government unveiled its budget, called Economic Action Plan 2015. The budget included a new Public Transit Fund that would provide $750 million over two years starting in 2017-2018, and $1 billion annually thereafter.
"Large cities in Canada depend on public transit infrastructure to facilitate the mobility of people and goods and support economic development. Strong and efficient public transit networks help get people to their jobs, students to class and all citizens out in their community to see family and friends. Public transit also helps to reduce overall urban congestion, which helps to get goods to markets faster and supports productive and growing cities."
Further details were released in June:
"In order to be eligible for support under the PTF, projects must have a minimum of $1 billion in total estimated eligible costs. Federal contributions under the fund will be up to one-third of the total eligible costs and will lever the expertise, ingenuity, and financing of the private sector and alternative funding mechanisms."
They also announced that federal support provided through the P3 Canada Fund "will increase from 25 to 33.3 per cent of eligible project costs on a go forward basis." This is why some feel that Edmonton is being shortchanged compared to other cities – the funding commitments we received were made before this change took place.
At the same time, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that the federal government would contribute one third of the costs of Toronto's SmartTrack proposal, which equates to about $2.6 billion.
On July 22, the federal government announced a pledge of $1 billion from the new Public Transit Fund for Ottawa's "Stage 2" plan. Like Edmonton's plans, the $3 billion project anticipates each level of government covering a third of the cost.
And then most recently, on July 24, a $1.53 billion contribution to Calgary's $4.6 billion Green Line LRT was announced, also from the new Public Transit Fund, and again covering one third of the total cost.
Public Transit Fund: strings attached
Canadians should be disappointed that it takes an election to prioritize funding for public transit. City Councils across the country have made it clear that public transit infrastructure is critical for dealing with growth and congestion. According to the Canadian Urban Transit Association, $3 of economic activity is generated for every $1 spent on transit. And they say that from 2006 to 2013, public transit ridership increased by 21% in Canada.
Are the Conservatives just trying to buy votes? "The sudden spending announcements across the country merely highlight the total inadequacy of funding for public projects in non-election years," said Joel French, Director of Communications and Campaigns for Public Interest Alberta, in a statement yesterday. "Rather than reducing our cities to the role of simply hoping for electioneering handouts, we absolutely must fund our urban centres in ways that will allow them to meet the growing needs of city residents in a fair, just and sustainable manner." Some say it's this sporadic approach to funding public transit that has caused Canada to fall behind on public transit.
Another concern is that the Public Transit Fund is being administered by P3 Canada. That means that any public transit project funded through the program will need to be a P3, whether it suits the project and context or not. Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi has previously stated that "the real problem is that the only dedicated federal funding at this moment is through P3 Canada" and felt that a P3 didn't make sense for Calgary's transit expansion plans. Evidently that's no longer the case.
And you can't blame him – he's going to take what he can get. Whether we like it or not, the Valley Line LRT extension here in Edmonton will be a P3 project because that's the only way we could secure the required federal funding.
There's a lot more LRT left to build
While the Public Transit Fund is a step in the right direction, it's not the solution to Canada's transit infrastructure needs. Cities across the country have plans for LRT that will require billions of dollars of investment and they need to be able to plan for that.
Here in Edmonton, the Valley Line LRT is just one part of the long-term LRT Network Plan which will require significant investment over the next 35 years. A full build-out is going to be required if our population forecasts prove to be accurate, with 2.2 million people living in the Edmonton region by 2044 and daily ridership of nearly 500,000 passengers.
I hope the federal government does top up its contributions to the Valley Line LRT, bringing their portion to the same one-third that other major cities are now getting. But even if they do, we're not done. We need to keep pushing for stable LRT funding.
Mack Male	Uncategorized	1 Comment July 28, 2015 4 Minutes
Metro Line LRT delayed again until Spring 2015, maybe, hopefully
The City held a press conference late this afternoon to provide an update on the Metro Line LRT extension to NAIT. They should have waited until February 2, because once again we learned that the opening of the new line has been delayed. The new target date is May 2015, more than a full year after the extension was originally slated to open.
MacEwan LRT Station in December 2014, photo by Darren Kirby
Today's news release thanked Edmontonians for their patience and used much more careful language than previous delay announcements:
"Based on the most recent testing schedule provided by Thales Rail Signalling Solutions Inc., the City of Edmonton is cautiously optimistic the Metro Line LRT will open to public service in spring 2015."
Cautiously optimistic is a long way from confident. The reason for the delay is the same thing we've heard since the project was first delayed – the contractor is having problems with the signaling system:
"Thales appreciates the patience of everyone in Edmonton as we work to complete the signaling system for the Metro Line," says Thales Vice President Mario Peloquin. "We understand how important this essential transportation infrastructure is for the people of Edmonton, and we remain committed to delivering an outstanding product that is safe, efficient and reliable, and that will serve the city for generations to come."
The signaling system is responsible for controlling train traffic. It tracks train movements and keeps them on schedule. Part of the challenge is that with the Metro Line, the City is changing the signaling system from a traditional fixed block system to a more modern communications-based train control system, or CBTC. It's this new signaling system that will enable trains on the Metro and Capital lines to share the same tracks.
Even though construction completed on time and $90 million under budget, the Metro Line still isn't open. The project has been delayed numerous times over the last year or so:
In September 2013, everything seemed on track for an April 2014 opening.
In December 2013, the opening was delayed a few months until Spring 2014.
In the Spring of 2014, the opening was further delayed until the end of the year. That schedule was reaffirmed over the summer.
In October 2014, the opening was delayed again, with February 2015 identified as the earliest possible date.
Now, in January 2015, the opening has been delayed until May 2015.
Needless to say, there's very little confidence in the latest target date.
MacEwan LRT Station next to the new downtown arena, September 2014
It was in October 2014 that Mayor Iveson called the delays "unacceptable" and asked the City Auditor to review how the project had been managed. Since then, the City has held back $20 million from the $55 million contract with Thales, and the auditor has been investigating.
Now the City says that the latest schedule from Thales would have the handover of the signaling system take place by March 23, 2015. If by some miracle Thales is actually able to meet that date, the City would need approximately 6 weeks to evaluate the system and complete staff training.
"We are very concerned with the ongoing delay of the Metro Line and will continue doing everything we can to hold Thales to their new schedule. Our goal remains the same: to open the Metro Line for safe, reliable public service as quickly as possible."
On the Metro Line LRT site, the City has made available a slide deck and an FAQ, both in PDF.
The FAQ tries to explain what has happened and attempts to provide some confidence that the City is providing "increased" project oversight to ensure it gets done. After the number of delays this project has experienced, you have to wonder if sticking with Thales is the right approach, but that's what the City is doing:
"At present, our best option is to continue supporting Thales to deliver the signaling system. Our expectation is that Thales will meet its commitments. The City has strict project oversight to ensure they do so. If they fail to meet a milestone or if testing does not proceed according to schedule, the City will hold Thales to account."
Let's hope the sunk cost fallacy isn't at play here.
The City says they are "tracking milestones on a daily basis" and have increased resources on the project. "We're working diligently to help Thales deliver the signaling system by March 23, 2015." The FAQ even says the City has explored the option of using people to manage train movements in an effort to get the new line open more quickly, but they ultimately decided that approach did not meet requirements for cost, safety, reliability, or efficiency.
Curiously, the final question in the FAQ is, "are you feeling badly about the delay, City of Edmonton?" Here's the answer:
"Everyone involved with the Metro Line project regrets the delay of this exciting transportation project. We ask for your patience and hope you'll continue to bear with us as we work towards bringing the Metro Line into service in spring 2015."
So we'll have to wait until late March before we can be sure the Spring 2015 opening is actually going to happen. In the meantime, we'd better make sure the same problems aren't going to plague the Valley Line LRT extension.
Mack Male	Uncategorized	2 Comments January 21, 2015 3 Minutes
Another small step forward for Edmonton's Southeast LRT extension
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today introduced the new Building Canada Plan, "the largest long-term infrastructure plan in Canadian history, providing stable funding for a 10-year period." The highlight of the new plan is the $14 billion New Building Canada Fund, a potential source of funding for projects like Edmonton's planned Southeast LRT extension.
Known as the Valley Line, the Southeast to West LRT extension would run 27 km from Mill Woods to Lewis Farms. The City hopes to construct the expansion in phases, starting with a $1.8 billion leg from Mill Woods Town Centre to 102 Street downtown. The City has already committed $800 million to the project, and now needs the federal and provincial governments to contribute their share.
Despite some opposition, City Council approved the use of a public-private partnership to build the extension, enabling the City to access funding through P3 Canada. In March last year, P3 Canada awarded $250 million toward the project.
Though many details about the new Building Canada Fund are still to come, Mayor Don Iveson held a press conference this afternoon to discuss how it might help the City with the LRT expansion. In the ideal case, the City would receive another $150 million for the project, taking the total federal contribution to $400 million. Mayor Iveson said:
"That shows the federal government is seriously committed to investing in transit, maybe to not the level that mayors across the country would like, but it's an opening to further discussion about the importance of national investment in transit infrastructure."
Though he praised the efforts of the federal government, he also shared his thoughts on what he'd like to see in the future:
"Long-term, I would like to see a dedicated federal investment in rapid transit, over and above these baseline Building Canada commitments."
Here's the audio from Mayor Iveson's press conference today:
If the City were to receive the funding it hopes to from Building Canada, that would bring the funding gap down to $365 million (the City has $235 million left over from Stelmach's fund for green transit that mostly went to the North LRT to NAIT). The Government of Alberta needs to come to the table, and Mayor Iveson sounded optimistic that could happen:
"We'll keep on talking to ministers and MLAs and we've been having a lot of those conversations lately and they're very receptive. They're working within their own constraints, and their own competing priorities, but I believe they're trying to find a way."
I'm much less optimistic. Both Calgary and Edmonton have made it clear that rapid transit is their top priority, but Premier Alison Redford's government has consistently avoided making any commitments. Sooner or later, the province is going to have to either come to the table on LRT funding, or as David Staples wrote last month, "we need to elect a government that can make it happen."
If the funding were secured by the spring, construction on the Southeast LRT could begin as early as 2016 with the extension opening by 2020.
Mack Male	Uncategorized	1 Comment February 13, 2014 2 Minutes
We need to improve public transit between downtown and Old Strathcona
Living downtown, I have excellent access to public transit. The Bay/Enterprise Square LRT stop is just down the block, and major bus routes like the 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, and 9 are all just a short walk away. As a result, I try to take transit whenever I can. While most of my activities and appointments are downtown, the other two key areas for me are 124 Street and Old Strathcona. Travelling to 124 Street or nearly anywhere in-between is quick and easy, but the same cannot be said for getting to Old Strathcona.
If I want to meet with someone who is on the southside, Old Strathcona is an ideal location. It's also a popular spot for evening events, and of course the unique shops and restaurants along Whyte Avenue are a draw. But I always dread travelling to the area from downtown because it's almost always easier to drive. Given that Old Strathcona is very central and not very far from downtown, I find that hard to swallow.
If I want to go to High Street, I have a number of options. Google Maps tells me that getting from the Sobeys on Jasper Avenue at 104 Street to the Mountain Equipment Co-op at 124 Street and 102 Avenue should take about 5 minutes to drive (it's about 2.6 km). If I wanted to walk, which I have done in the summer, it takes about 35 minutes. The bus falls in-between those two, at anywhere from 13 minutes to 21 minutes, depending on the route. More importantly though, I have a number of options, and never have to wait very long. Here are two scenarios.
Let's say I wanted to get there by 2pm on a weekday. There are many options to choose from:
Route 135 departs at 1:35pm and takes 14 minutes
Route 111 departs at 1:40pm and takes 7 minutes, followed by a 5 minute walk
Route 5 departs at 1:42pm and takes 14 minutes
Route 2 departs at 1:47pm and takes 6 minutes, followed by a 5 minute walk
And if I miss those, I'm not waiting around forever. At that time of day, route 135 comes every 15 minutes. So does routes 1 and 2. Route 5 and 111 run every 30 minutes.
Let's say I wanted to get there by 7pm instead. Again, on a weekday, we have a number of options:
Again, both routes 1 and 5 run very frequently (actually less than 15 minutes according to Google Maps).
Now let's compare that with travelling to Old Strathcona. According to Google Maps, the trip from Sobeys on Jasper Avenue at 104 Street to Starbucks on Whyte Avenue at Calgary Trail should take about 9 minutes to drive (it's about 3.9 km). I haven't actually tried it (at least not directly) but walking should take about 45 minutes.
Now how about taking transit? Here are your options:
Route 52 departs at 1:19pm and takes 20 minutes, followed by a 3 minute walk
LRT to University departs at 1:32pm and takes 7 minutes, followed by a 6 minute ride on route 57, plus 1 minute to transfer
LRT to University departs at 1:42pm and takes 7 minutes, followed by a 6 minute ride on route 4, plus 1 minute to transfer (gets you there 4 minutes late)
Route 57 departs at 1:44pm and takes 17 minutes, preceded by a 9 minute walk (gets you there 1 minute late)
Two of those options include a transfer from the LRT to the bus, which is less than ideal. But the real issue is that these routes do not run that frequently. If you miss the 7, you're waiting half an hour. Same thing with the 52. And those two routes are only 1 minute apart from each other, which means you really are waiting another half hour.
For completeness, let's look at 7pm again. Here are the options:
LRT to University departs at 6:23pm and takes 7 minutes, followed by a 6 minute ride on route 4, plus 1 minute to transfer
Route 7 departs at 6:39pm and takes 22 minutes (gets you there 1 minute late)
Aside from route 7, which only runs every 30 minutes, you basically have to take the LRT and then transfer.
The numbers only tell part of the story. There's also the actual experience of taking both trips. Going from downtown to High Street is a breeze – with so many routes running down Jasper Avenue, you don't have to wait long until a bus comes that you can get on. Going from downtown to Old Strathcona is the opposite, especially if you decide to wait at the main stop across from Hotel MacDonald – you see sometimes half a dozen route 8 buses go by before your bus ever comes. It's depressing.
I definitely feel that travelling between downtown and Old Strathcona on public transit should be better. Is ridership an issue, is that why we don't have more options or more frequent service? It does seem like a route that could be popular, and it certainly seems like a route that should be easier to travel.
Tomorrow a report on the LRT Central Area Circulator is going to the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. The Circulator would essentially cover the route I'm talking about – downtown to Old Strathcona. Here's a look at the map:
The highlighted section would extend from the current Health Sciences Station west to the Bonnie Doon Station on the Southeast LRT line. The alignment for this extension has not been identified yet, but it looks from the map as though it might run slightly south of 82 Avenue. The report highlights the importance of this segment:
Lack of clarity regarding this segment of the LRT network creates public uncertainty. Developing an alignment in full consultation with community stakeholders will improve public understanding around the network, particularly regarding the alignment through the Strathcona and University areas and how the line will cross the river near 109 Street. Designation as a future LRT connection to the Southeast and West LRT line would clarify land use expectations and improve the likelihood of densification and other transit oriented development.
While the recommendation is simply to receive the report, it sounds like funding may finally be coming to allow Administration to move forward:
In order to complete this planning exercise, a one-time budget request is included in the 2013 Operating Budget as an Unfunded Service Package. This budget would be used to retain a consultant to develop an alignment recommendation for the Central Area LRT Circulator.
I think this extension to the LRT would make a lot of sense, but it's still a long way off. In the meantime, I think either more frequent bus service or additional bus routes between downtown and Old Strathcona would be welcome.
There are two other options worth mentioning. The first is that you could cycle the trip from downtown to Old Strathcona, which Google Maps estimates would take 18 minutes. That's less than ideal in the winter, but it could be done. Cycling is definitely something I'd like to do more of next year, and it's exactly this kind of trip that cycling would be perfect for.
The second option is the High Level Streetcar. From the May long weekend until Labour Day, it runs daily every forty minutes (between 11am and 3pm, except during the Fringe when it runs until 10pm). I think the Edmonton Radial Railway Society does a great job running the line, but perhaps we should operationalize it. The track is already there, and while there's not much in the way of stops along the way, the route is great for getting from downtown to Old Strathcona and back again.
It shouldn't be so hard to take transit across the river!
Mack Male	Uncategorized	17 Comments November 6, 2012 5 Minutes
The Downtown LRT Connector should run along 102 Avenue
Today City Council is scheduled to vote on the recommendation from the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee to shift the route of the Downtown LRT Connector from 102 Avenue up to 102A/103 Avenue. I'm opposed to this change for a variety of reasons. Here's what the Journal's Editorial Board wrote on February 2:
Responsive government is indeed a positive thing, but Edmonton's city council has done far too much listening at the expense of decisive action on the LRT file. Councillors approved the current east/west downtown leg along 102nd Avenue in 2010 – yes, two years ago – but on Tuesday the smaller transportation committee voted to recommend a route shift and other changes that could increase the project's cost by $115 million and delay construction by at least a year to entertain more discussion and allow for further planning.
We know that LRT is our top priority, we know that LRT is vital for our city's future as an enabling technology for our urban centre, and we know it will only get more expensive to construct over time. Further delaying this important infrastructure is not the correct course of action.
I am certainly not a fan of the way the City does public involvement (though there have been some more positive signs lately) but they did do a lot of consultation on this project. It is disappointing to see that if one group screams loud enough, they can render the rest of the consultation process irrelevant. It sets a dangerous precedent for future LRT construction too.
The route that Transportation officials recommended back in 2010 makes the most sense to me. Here are some of the reasons you can find in the report:
102 Avenue is already more developed than 102A Avenue, which means ridership potential is greater along 102 Avenue.
Related to that – all of the destinations are along 102 Avenue! The City notes there are 10 activity centres along 102 versus just 3 along 102A. Churchill Square, the Stanley Milner Library, the Citadel, the Winspear Centre, City Centre, the YMCA, Norquest College, the City Market in the summer, the Edmonton Chinatown Multicultural Centre, etc., are all along 102 Avenue.
102 Avenue is closer to Jasper Avenue, and therefore closer for riders to make connections to other routes. 102 Avenue can connect directly to Churchill Station. I also like that 102 Avenue is half-way between 104 Avenue and Jasper Avenue, which will aid connections to MacEwan, the Arena & Entertainment District, etc.
Any option other than 102 Avenue will require an amendment to the Transportation System Bylaw and an amendment to the Capital City Downtown Plan. This would further delay any construction on LRT.
There are three key reasons that Council should vote against changing the route from 102 Avenue:
102 Avenue is more developed, has more people living and working along it, supports connections to existing transit best, and supports the Capital City Downtown Plan best.
The 102A/103 Avenue route would add significant cost and further delays to the construction of this route.
Changing course now sets a dangerous precedent that could negatively impact further LRT construction.
I strongly urge City Council to vote against the recommendation to change the route from 102 Avenue to 102A/103 Avenue.
UPDATE: Well that was a quick meeting! Council voted to keep the route along 102 Avenue as originally proposed. Excellent news!
Mack Male	Uncategorized	3 Comments February 15, 2012 2 Minutes


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Population and fertility by age and sex for 195 countries and territories, 1950-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.
GBD 2017 Population and Fertility Collaborators None.
BACKGROUND: Population estimates underpin demographic and epidemiological research and are used to track progress on numerous international indicators of health and development. To date, internationally available estimates of population and fertility, although useful, have not been produced with transparent and replicable methods and do not use standardised estimates of mortality. We present single-calendar year and single-year of age estimates of fertility and population by sex with standardised and replicable methods. METHODS: We estimated population in 195 locations by single year of age and single calendar year from 1950 to 2017 with standardised and replicable methods. We based the estimates on the demographic balancing equation, with inputs of fertility, mortality, population, and migration data. Fertility data came from 7817 location-years of vital registration data, 429 surveys reporting complete birth histories, and 977 surveys and censuses reporting summary birth histories. We estimated age-specific fertility rates (ASFRs; the annual number of livebirths to women of a specified age group per 1000 women in that age group) by use of spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression and used the ASFRs to estimate total fertility rates (TFRs; the average number of children a woman would bear if she survived through the end of the reproductive age span [age 10-54 years] and experienced at each age a particular set of ASFRs observed in the year of interest). Because of sparse data, fertility at ages 10-14 years and 50-54 years was estimated from data on fertility in women aged 15-19 years and 45-49 years, through use of linear regression. Age-specific mortality data came from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2017 estimates. Data on population came from 1257 censuses and 761 population registry location-years and were adjusted for underenumeration and age misreporting with standard demographic methods. Migration was estimated with the GBD Bayesian demographic balancing model, after incorporating information about refugee migration into the model prior. Final population estimates used the cohort-component method of population projection, with inputs of fertility, mortality, and migration data. Population uncertainty was estimated by use of out-of-sample predictive validity testing. With these data, we estimated the trends in population by age and sex and in fertility by age between 1950 and 2017 in 195 countries and territories. FINDINGS: From 1950 to 2017, TFRs decreased by 49·4% (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 46·4-52·0). The TFR decreased from 4·7 livebirths (4·5-4·9) to 2·4 livebirths (2·2-2·5), and the ASFR of mothers aged 10-19 years decreased from 37 livebirths (34-40) to 22 livebirths (19-24) per 1000 women. Despite reductions in the TFR, the global population has been increasing by an average of 83·8 million people per year since 1985. The global population increased by 197·2% (193·3-200·8) since 1950, from 2·6 billion (2·5-2·6) to 7·6 billion (7·4-7·9) people in 2017; much of this increase was in the proportion of the global population in south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The global annual rate of population growth increased between 1950 and 1964, when it peaked at 2·0%; this rate then remained nearly constant until 1970 and then decreased to 1·1% in 2017. Population growth rates in the southeast Asia, east Asia, and Oceania GBD super-region decreased from 2·5% in 1963 to 0·7% in 2017, whereas in sub-Saharan Africa, population growth rates were almost at the highest reported levels ever in 2017, when they were at 2·7%. The global average age increased from 26·6 years in 1950 to 32·1 years in 2017, and the proportion of the population that is of working age (age 15-64 years) increased from 59·9% to 65·3%. At the national level, the TFR decreased in all countries and territories between 1950 and 2017; in 2017, TFRs ranged from a low of 1·0 livebirths (95% UI 0·9-1·2) in Cyprus to a high of 7·1 livebirths (6·8-7·4) in Niger. The TFR under age 25 years (TFU25; number of livebirths expected by age 25 years for a hypothetical woman who survived the age group and was exposed to current ASFRs) in 2017 ranged from 0·08 livebirths (0·07-0·09) in South Korea to 2·4 livebirths (2·2-2·6) in Niger, and the TFR over age 30 years (TFO30; number of livebirths expected for a hypothetical woman ageing from 30 to 54 years who survived the age group and was exposed to current ASFRs) ranged from a low of 0·3 livebirths (0·3-0·4) in Puerto Rico to a high of 3·1 livebirths (3·0-3·2) in Niger. TFO30 was higher than TFU25 in 145 countries and territories in 2017. 33 countries had a negative population growth rate from 2010 to 2017, most of which were located in central, eastern, and western Europe, whereas population growth rates of more than 2·0% were seen in 33 of 46 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2017, less than 65% of the national population was of working age in 12 of 34 high-income countries, and less than 50% of the national population was of working age in Mali, Chad, and Niger. INTERPRETATION: Population trends create demographic dividends and headwinds (ie, economic benefits and detriments) that affect national economies and determine national planning needs. Although TFRs are decreasing, the global population continues to grow as mortality declines, with diverse patterns at the national level and across age groups. To our knowledge, this is the first study to provide transparent and replicable estimates of population and fertility, which can be used to inform decision making and to monitor progress. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Birth Rate, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Global Burden of Disease, Global Health, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Maternal Age, Middle Aged, Mortality, Population Density, Population Growth, Young Adult

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
William Przystup
No. 17 Iowa's rally deals Huskers another heartbreaking loss
By Eric Olson Nov. 26, 2021 05:23 PM EST
'Punting Is Winning' shirts symbolize No. 2 Hawkeyes' season
By John Bohnenkamp Oct. 12, 2021 05:33 PM EDT
Cornhuskers start fast in 56-7 rout against Northwestern
By Eric Olson Oct. 02, 2021 11:05 PM EDT
Finding new ways to lose, Cornhuskers keep 'Nebraska-ing'
By Eric Olson Sep. 27, 2021 03:13 AM EDT
No. 20 Michigan State aiming to sustain success Nebraska
Sep. 23, 2021 12:10 PM EDT
Nebraska at Purdue 12/5/2020
Huskers meet Illini looking to finally break through on road
Salem taking over as Michigan State offensive coordinator
By Noah Trister Jan. 10, 2019 06:52 PM EST
Michigan State scores late TD, beats Rutgers 14-10
By Noah Trister Nov. 24, 2018 07:58 PM EST


text:
ANCHOR'S ROOTS
The rich history of Anchor Brewing can be traced all the way back to the California gold rush, when German brewer Gottlieb Brekle arrived in San Francisco with his family.
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OUR FIRST BREWMASTER
Gottlieb Brekle bought an old beer-and-billiards saloon on Pacific Street near Russian Hill for $3,500, transforming it into the American brewery that, twenty-five years later, would be renamed Anchor.
ANCHOR IS BORN
German brewer Ernst F. Baruth and his son-in-law, Otto Schinkel, Jr., bought the old brewery on Pacific (the first of six Anchor locations around the City over the years) and named it Anchor. No one knows why Baruth and Schinkel chose the name Anchor, except, perhaps, for its indirect but powerful allusion to the booming Port of San Francisco.
A SERIES OF
UNFORTUNATE EVENTS
In an uncanny year of misfortune, co-owner Ernst Baruth died suddenly in February. Two months later, the devastating fire following San Francisco's great earthquake consumed Anchor Brewery. In January 1907, just as Anchor Brewery was opening at its new location south of Market Street, Otto Schinkel, Jr., was run over by a streetcar. Fortunately, German brewers Joseph Kraus and August Meyer, along with liquor store owner Henry Tietjen, were able to keep Anchor going.
THE PROHIBITION YEARS
Prohibition effectively shut Anchor down in 1920. There may have been a few "activities" during Prohibition and the era of bootlegging, but there is no record of Anchor Brewery doing anything—legal or illegal—during this time, other than waiting with the rest of San Francisco for the return of Anchor Steam® Beer.
REPEAL: HAPPY DAYS
ARE HERE AGAIN
After Prohibition ended in April 1933, owner Joe Kraus began brewing Anchor Steam® Beer once again after a hiatus of thirteen years. As luck would have it, his newly reopened Brewery went up in smoke the following February. He re-opened Anchor in an old brick building with a new partner, Joe Allen, just a few blocks from where the historic Brewery is today.
THE ERA OF MASS PRODUCTION
Kraus and Allen valiantly and lovingly kept Anchor afloat until Kraus's death in 1952. By late 1959, America's—even San Francisco's—new-found "taste" for mass-produced, heavily marketed lighter beers had taken its toll on Anchor's already declining sales. In July of that year, at the age of 71, Joe Allen shut Anchor down for what would, thankfully, be a brief period.
SURVIVING ANOTHER CHALLENGE
Lawrence Steese bought and re-opened Anchor in 1960 at yet another nearby location, retaining Joe Allen to carry Anchor's craft brewing tradition forward. But one of Anchor's oldest accounts, the Crystal Palace Market had already closed its doors. And Steese had an increasingly difficult time convincing loyal Bay Area establishments to continue serving Anchor Steam. By 1965, Steese—like Allen six years before—was ready to shut Anchor down.
THE MAYTAG ERA BEGINS
During a meal at the Old Spaghetti Factory, a North Beach restaurant known more for its eclectic décor and Anchor Steam® Beer than its spaghetti, a young Stanford grad named Fritz Maytag learned that the makers of his favorite beer were soon to close their doors forever. Despite its primitive equipment and financial condition, Fritz rushed to buy 51% of the historic little San Francisco craft brewery —for a few thousand dollars—rescuing Anchor from imminent bankruptcy.
A BREWING RENAISSANCE
100 years after Gottlieb Brekle founded the historic American brewery that became Anchor, Fritz began bottling Anchor Steam® Beer – the first bottled Anchor Steam® in modern times. By 1975, Anchor had produced four other distinctive beers, Anchor Porter®, Liberty® Ale, Old Foghorn® Barleywine Ale, and the first annual Christmas Ale. Though the terms "microbrewing" and "craft brewing" had yet to be coined, it was clear that Anchor was leading a brewing revolution in San Francisco.
By 1977, Anchor had five products, a dozen employees and had nearly outgrown its most recent Brewery on 8th Street. After a long search, owner Fritz Maytag purchased a wonderful old coffee roastery, built in 1937, on nearby Potrero Hill. On August 13, 1979, Anchor brewed its first Steam® Beer at its new Mariposa Street home, which remains our home today.
In 1984, Anchor celebrated its fifth anniversary at its new home by brewing a special wheat beer, the first wheat beer in America since Prohibition, and now known as Anchor Summer Beer.
ANOTHER SHAKEUP
In 1989, Anchor's pioneering spirit and reverence for classical brewing led to its Sumerian Beer Project and Ninkasi, a beer made according to a 4,000+-year-old recipe. Later that same year, the Brewery was rocked but not damaged by the Loma Prieta earthquake, out of which Anchor's "Earthquake Beer" was born.
A NEW IDEA IS DISTILLED
In 1993, Anchor Brewing became the first brewery in the world with its own in-house distillery. Anchor Distilling, doing for microdistilling what Anchor Brewing had done for microbrewing nearly thirty years before, began making Old Potrero® rye whiskey as it might have been made by George Washington. And then, in 1997, Anchor Distilling began making its unique pot-distilled gin, Junípero®.
ANCHORED IN THE FUTURE
After 45 years, Fritz Maytag, having inspired thousands of top craft brewers, announces his retirement with the sale of Anchor Brewing to Keith Greggor and Tony Foglio. Anchor's new owners make plans to preserve and expand the iconic brand's operations and cement its position as a leader in craft brewing and artisan distilling.
ANCHOR TODAY
Today, Anchor Brewing remains one of the most traditional breweries in America, a pioneer of the craft brewing movement. Though its top beers—especially Anchor Steam® Beer—are known throughout the world, they are all still handmade in Anchor's handsome copper brewhouse in San Francisco, California.
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The Act - Season 1 Watch in HD - Fusion Movies!
It is a series of horrific events that we live with the Blanchard Roma. The series begins with that girl, a girl who is trying to escape the poisonous relationship she has with her mother. It seems that Blanchard finds her life with her mother impossible and that the relationship must end with that excessive arbitrary woman who turned everything upside down.
The series is so cleverly layered and edited that there are a few moments when one could be tempted to feel sorry for this terrible mother.
The scripts by Dean and Antosca and the performances by the two leads do a fine job exploring the murky power dynamic between mother and child... Both actors are terrific, but King is more likely the one people will be talking about after.
Arquette's performance is one for the mother-as-monster chronicles.
Even with some lags in pacing, each time I thought the story was running out of juice, it found a different gear and a different genre, all anchored by King and Arquette.
The Act remains oddly fascinating, perhaps especially so as the strange, sad relationship between the needy Gypsy and disturbed Nick (Calum Worthy) develops.
I don't know quite how to feel about The Act, about the discomfort of seeing childhood abuse dressed up on screen, even if I know it's not for gawking, even if I recognize the pull the Blanchard story has on me anyway. Perhaps that is the point.
The show captures the level of fascination that was present in the Buzzfeed article... It serves as a great piece of additional insight into the events that transpired.
It's as weird as any David Lynch drama, only true, and Arquette disappears into her role with absolute conviction.
In large part, the success of The Act so far comes down to one person: Joey King.


text:
(Overnight optional)
10am – Clara Bog National Park and Visitor Centre
We begin with a step back in time at Clara Bog, one of the best remaining examples of a relatively intact raised bog in Western Europe. It has been said that you can experience ten thousand years of history in the ten square kilometres that accommodate Clara Bog and its surroundings. The visitor center is a good place to start before heading out to experience what a raised bog should really look like. The Boardwalk is open all year round. The visitor center is open seasonally so please check in advance. 2019 season was open from March -Dec 20, Mon - Fri, 10am - 5pm.
12am – Saint Manchan Shrine, Boher
Just a short drive from Clara, Boher's Roman Catholic Church has a most extraordinary shrine associated with Lemanaghan on permanent public display. The shine is a 12th century gabled box of yew wood and bronze, which contains the relics of Saint Manchan. It is a very fine example of Irish Christian art rarely seen outside of the National Museum – but the shrine has always been kept in this community and the tradition continues. This shrine has close parallels with another Irish Christian cross - Cross of Cong. Other features of Boher Church are the Harry Clarke studio stained glass windows. Their use of deep rich colours, elongated figures and wide deep expressive eyes leave a lasting memory of beauty. The detail is remarkable and eminently photogenic for those holiday snap shots.
1.30pm Hennessys, Ferbane
You are in the real heart of Ireland now, as you make your way through the faithful county. A pit stop at Hennessys Gastro Pub, a beautiful thatched postcard pub of Ireland, is a must and will allow you to fill your belly with some good food.
2.30PM Clonony Castle
Clonony Castle, built in the 1490's by the Coghlan Clan, was seized by Henry VIII during the war of dominion by England. He ceded it to Thomas Boleyn, making him the Earl of Ormond, his daughter, the ill-fated Ann, a countess and marriageable by a king. When Henry tired of Ann and the Boleyns fell from grace, two ladies, Mary and Elizabeth, were sent back to Clonony and remained for the rest of their lives. Their tombstone lays beneath a tree in the castle bawn. The castle is open to the public casually from 12 to 5 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through summer and anytime by appointment on 0877614034.
5.00PM- Explore the Heritage town of Birr
The picturesque heritage town of Birr, developed around the Birr Castle estate of the Parsons family, the Earls of Rosse. With its handsome ensemble of Georgian architecture, there's a lot to like about Birr. The tree-lined malls and avenues of elegant houses dating from the 1800s tell a fascinating story. Heaving with history, Birr is one of Ireland's premier heritage towns and proud of its unique character spanning many centuries.Its most famous landmark, Birr Castle Demesne, has been the seat of the Parsons family - the Earls of Rosse - for fourteen generations. Today the Castle Gardens & Science Centre attracts tourists throughout the year, captivated by the stunning formal gardens, the Great Telescope and the grandeur of the castle itself. The town is also home to the renowned Birr Theatre – an essential regional stop-off for all major drama, dance, opera and comedy performances doing the national circuit. A great way to explore the town is to take either the Birr Town Trail or Riverbank Walk, with both routes starting from Emmet Square and covering a distance of just over 1km each. Birr also has a rich monastic heritage and was home in the 6th century to St.Brendan, one of the "twelve apostles of Ireland". The original monastic site is probably close to the castle in William Street, behind wrought-iron gates of the old church and graveyard of St.Brendan
7.30pm - Eat in a Thatch House
Journey a short distance outside of Birr town and you'll find this gem in Crinkle. From the outside, this 200 year old thatch cottage looks like it came from the set of The Quiet Man! But there's nothing old-fashioned about the cuisine on offer in this award-winning Heritage Pub. Choose from a selection of traditional Irish favourites with a contemporary twist, or go for one of the daily-prepared Chef Specials. There's an ample wine list on offer too, though you might decide to stay old-style and opt for a glass of Guinness with your meal instead!
Later – The Chestnut, Birr
Those who visit this Victorian-style bar with its cosy turf fires and dark polished wood for "just the one", tend to stay a while longer! And in warmer weather, the pub's walled Rose Garden becomes the focal point for open-air movies and BBQs. Whatever the season, and whether it's a strong coffee, a refreshing peppermint tea or a pint you're after, The Chestnut won't disappoint!
Overnight Stay – County Arms Hotel, Birr
Proudly billed as celebrating "over 50 years of Loughnane Family Hospitality" the County Arms Hotel in the heart of the heritage town of Birr, is a four-star hotel that offers guests elegant accommodation with warm and friendly service. You can rest assured, you will get a goods night sleep that will relax and rejuvenate you for the following day.
9am – Leap Castle, Coolderry
Stray close to the Slieve Bloom Mountains from Birr and you may stumble on this castle, with its turbulent and bloody history, that was used as a fortress, a home and a tomb. Leap Castle is home to many fascinating and sometimes horrific spirits. Sean Ryan of Leap Castle, insisted that he doesn't fabricate when telling the story of what he and his wife see and hear at their home. Where most would refer to these apparitions as ghosts, Sean prefers to call them spirits. He describes the regular visions as people with a haze around them. The remarkable thing Sean told us was that this experience never seems to alarm his guests, rather they always remain very calm, something that surprises them! Sean doesn't regard his home as haunted and, as far as he is concerned, the spirits he sees and hears have as much right to live there as he does. Sean is happy to continue to live alongside them as he has done since 1994, when restoration on the castle began. You won't regret visiting and hearing his story so make sure to call ahead to arrange a visit.
11.30am – Lough Boora Discovery Park
You are now going to take a trip, to one of the oldest human settlement sites in Ireland. You really can get away from it all by exploring the unique beauty of Lough Boora Discovery Park. Transformed from its previous incarnation as a commercial bog where peat was harvested to heat homes around the country, today Lough Boora Discovery Park is home to countless species of birds and wildlife, fish-filled lakes and a permanent exhibition of huge outdoor sculptures. The Park is also home one of the most important archaeological finds in Ireland. Prior to its discovery it was thought that the first human settlements were near to the coast and that the midlands remained uncolonised. The discovery of the Lough Boora Mesolithic site has proven this to be inaccurate and pushed the accepted date for the colonisation of the midlands back by over 3,000 years! Explore this unique landscape by foot or by bike and at your own pace.
3.00PM - Lunch and tour of the Old Bonded Warehouse of Tullamore Dew
Travel the short distance to Tullamore town and enjoy one of County Offaly's most famous exports is Tullamore D.E.W., a blended Irish whiskey originally produced by William Grant & Sons in Tullamore. A tour of Tullamore D.E.W. Visitor Centre takes in every step of the artisan craft of whiskey making. Meet the Tullamore D.E.W. Distillery Ambassador, explore the production process from still house to warehouse and even create your own unique blend of whiskey in the blending room. The old warehouse setting is also a really cool location to sit and eat, with a brilliant menu available from Mon - Sat: 9.30 - 18.00
Sun/Bank Holidays: 11.30 - 17.00
For more details or ideas on your visit to Offaly, please make sure to check out our website visitoffaly.ie
The Visit Offaly tourist information center is located at O' Connor Square, Tullamore.
Or contact the Visit Offaly team by emailing info@visitoffaly.ie
We look forward to welcoming you to Offaly, Irelands hidden gem.


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Exploited Pacific migrant farm workers settle significant case
Aug 4, 2019 | News | 0
Dozens of migrant farm workers from Vanuatu have won an important settlement after taking legal action for gross underpayment and mistreatment.
The settlement comes after The Sunday Age revealed in May 2018 that 50 workers from Vanuatu had worked in shocking conditions on a farm near Shepparton, while earning a pittance under the Federal government's Seasonal Worker Program.
Some workers reported bleeding from the nose and ears after chemical exposure while picking tomatoes at the farm and said they earned as little as $8 an hour
The legal claim was backed by the National Union of Workers and brought against Brisbane-based labour hire company Agri Labour Australia.
As part of the settlement the workers who brought the claim released a brief statement saying they took legal action because they had been underpaid and threatened by an agent from Vanuatu.
"While Agri Labour does not admit the allegations, the applicants have settled these claims on acceptable monetary terms and also achieved rights to return to work in Australia at a future date under the Seasonal Worker Program," the statement said.
Financial details of the settlement were not disclosed and the NUW and Agri Labour declined to comment further.
The original claim for repayment and penalties had been worth up to $10 million. It was expected any settlement would be significantly less than that.
The workers had been employed at MCG Fresh Produce farm west of Shepparton, for just four months.
The case was significant as the claim was brought against Agri Labour under the Protecting Vulnerable Workers amendments to the Fair Work Act.
Those amendments were introduced by the Turnbull government in response to a series of wage scandals in Australia, and they allow for massive penalties for breaches.
There has been ongoing litigation between the NUW and Agri Labour, and the company settled an earlier claim involving five workers at the same farm for a total of $150,000.
One of the workers who led that claim was Tulia Roqara who had spoken out publicly about conditions on the farm.
In that earlier claim – settled last year – Ms Roqara alleged she was underpaid as much as $11,000 for four months work through underpayment and unlawful deductions from her pay by Agri Labour.
"The most important thing, it's not all about the money," she said at that time. "[It's] that we have the same rights Australians have."
The case has drawn attention to the federal government's Seasonal Worker Program, an important part of Australia's outreach in the Pacific and Timor-Leste.
It provides farms with access to labour while workers earn award wages far beyond what they could earn at home, providing an important economic boost to small Pacific countries.
The Agri Labour workers were paid piece rates, where payment is based on how much you pick.
The horticulture award says an average competent employee should earn 15 per cent more than the minimum hourly rate in the award for piece work. That should be more than $25 an hour for a casual. Instead the workers allege, they received far lower pay rates.
The Fair Work Ombudsman separately took action against Agri Labour. As part of an enforceable undertaking Agri Labour was required to pay $50,823 to 19 workers.
The federal government's Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business confirmed that Agri Labour had been terminated as an approved employer under the seasonal program.
The department spokeswoman said it made that decision as it took "matters concerning breaches of laws and the correct payment of seasonal workers very seriously."
SOURCE: SMH
PreviousShefa Spelling Bee "Bee the Change."
NextVanuatu to benefit from IPPF and PDF partnership
Vanuatu wins the Oceania Beach Volleyball Championship women's title
UN Women meeting with recently elected Pacific Civil Society Advisory Group
'NO RESERVED SEATS NEEDED'
Malampa Health improves access to Family Planning


text:
package net.sourceforge.plantuml.ugraphic.eps;

import java.awt.geom.Point2D;

import net.sourceforge.plantuml.eps.EpsGraphics;
import net.sourceforge.plantuml.graphic.HtmlColor;
import net.sourceforge.plantuml.graphic.HtmlColorGradient;
import net.sourceforge.plantuml.ugraphic.ClipContainer;
import net.sourceforge.plantuml.ugraphic.ColorMapper;
import net.sourceforge.plantuml.ugraphic.UClip;
import net.sourceforge.plantuml.ugraphic.UDriver;
import net.sourceforge.plantuml.ugraphic.UParam;
import net.sourceforge.plantuml.ugraphic.UPolygon;
import net.sourceforge.plantuml.ugraphic.UShape;

public class DriverPolygonEps implements UDriver<EpsGraphics> {

	private final ClipContainer clipContainer;

	public DriverPolygonEps(ClipContainer clipContainer) {
		this.clipContainer = clipContainer;
	}

	public void draw(UShape ushape, double x, double y, ColorMapper mapper, UParam param, EpsGraphics eps) {
		final UPolygon shape = (UPolygon) ushape;

		final double points[] = new double[shape.getPoints().size() * 2];
		int i = 0;

		for (Point2D pt : shape.getPoints()) {
			points[i++] = pt.getX() + x;
			points[i++] = pt.getY() + y;
		}

		final UClip clip = clipContainer.getClip();
		if (clip != null) {
			for (int j = 0; j < points.length; j += 2) {
				if (clip.isInside(points[j], points[j + 1]) == false) {
					return;
				}
			}
		}

		if (shape.getDeltaShadow() != 0) {
			eps.epsPolygonShadow(shape.getDeltaShadow(), points);
		}

		final HtmlColor back = param.getBackcolor();
		if (back instanceof HtmlColorGradient) {
			eps.setStrokeColor(mapper.getMappedColor(param.getColor()));
			eps.epsPolygon((HtmlColorGradient) back, mapper, points);
		} else {

			eps.setFillColor(mapper.getMappedColor(back));
			eps.setStrokeColor(mapper.getMappedColor(param.getColor()));
			eps.epsPolygon(points);
		}
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Osrednja prekodonavska je regija Madžarske, ki ima središče v Székesfehérváru.

Obsega naslednje županije: Komárom-Esztergom, Fejér in Veszprém.

Ima površino 11.237 km², kjer živi 1.114.000 prebivalcev; povprečna gostota prebivalcev je tako 99 prebivalcev/km².

Glej tudi
 Upravna delitev Madžarske

Regije Madžarske

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Today in the New York Times, Timothy Egan posed the question, "Can Poets Save the Parks?" Nice concept! Terry Tempest Williams gets a plug for her new series on Parks callend "The Hour of Land" and Torrey House Press's own Red Rock Testimony also gets mentioned and quoted from. Good job Kirsten Johanna Allen and Steve Trimble and all the contributors.
As luck would have it at this moment, Torrey House Press is laying low as the publisher AND we have a brand new website. We did not mention Red Rock Testimony on the old site and the new site perhaps has yet to be crawled by the search engines. The new site does have a lovely banner piece talking about the Red Rock Testimonies project and mission.
Egan is right, there is nothing like a book to promote conservation. All the great conservation movements were preceded and inspired by literature. Will a Bears Ears National Monument be granted by President Obama? Will Torrey House Press play a part? Will poets again, indeed, save the land?
This entry was posted in Bears Ears National Monument, Nature Writing, Public Lands, Publishing, Uncategorized and tagged Red Rock Testimony on June 24, 2016 by Mark Bailey.
This entry was posted in Conservation, Environment, Local Legislators, Rob Bishop, Nature Writing on November 9, 2011 by Mark Bailey.
This entry was posted in Grazing, Nature Writing on November 3, 2011 by Mark Bailey.


This agreement is put in place to ensure everyone's safety and confidentiality of personal information within the group.
1. The "Employee" is currently or may be employed as an Employee with the Employer for the position of: Resident Rock Star or Metal Maidens staff / Street Team / Member / Representative. In addition to this responsibility or position (the "Employment"), this Agreement also covers any position or responsibility now or later held with the Employer.
2. The Employee will receive from the Employer, or develop on the behalf of the Employer, Confidential Information as a result of the Employment (the 'Permitted Purpose').
i. 'Customers' means names of customers and their representatives, contracts and their contents and parties, customer services, data provided by customers and the type, quantity and specifications of products and services purchased, leased, licensed or received by clients of the Employer.
2. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Employee must keep the Confidential Information confidential.
3. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Confidential Information will remain the exclusive property of the Employer and will only be used by the Employee for the Permitted Purpose. The Employee will not use the Confidential Information for any purpose that might be directly or indirectly detrimental to the Employer or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries.
4. The obligations to ensure and protect the confidentiality of the Confidential Information imposed on the Employee in this Agreement and any obligations to provide notice under this Agreement will survive the expiration or termination, as the case may be, of this Agreement and those obligations will last indefinitely.
iv. the Employee agrees to be responsible for and indemnify the Employer for any breach of this Agreement by her personnel.
6. It is understood and agreed that any business opportunity relating to or similar to the Employer's current or anticipated business opportunities coming to the attention of the Employee during the Employee's employment is an opportunity belonging to the Employer. Accordingly, the Employee will advise the Employer of the opportunity and cannot pursue the opportunity, directly or indirectly, without the written consent of the Employer.
b. directly or indirectly, engage or participate in any other business activities which the Employer, in its reasonable discretion, determines to be in conflict with the best interests of the Employer.
d. solicit, entice, or hire away any employee or contractor of the Employer.
This obligation will be limited in scope to those persons that were employees or contractors of the Employer at the same time that the Employee was employed by the Employer.
9. Other than through employment with a bona-fide independent party, or with the express written consent of the Employer, which will not be unreasonably withheld, the Employee will not, during the continuance of this Agreement or within two (2) years after the termination or expiration, as the case may be, of this Agreement, be directly or indirectly involved with a business which is in direct competition with the particular business line of the Employer that the Employee was working during any time in the last year of employment with the Employer.
10. For a period of two (2) years from the date of termination or expiration, as the case may be, of the Employment, the Employee will not divert or attempt to divert from the Employer any business the Employer had enjoyed, solicited, or attempted to solicit, from its customers, prior to termination or expiration, as the case may be, of the Employment.
c. does not: I. relate to the business of the Employer, ii. relate to the Employee's actual or demonstrably anticipated processes, research or development or iii. result from any work performed by the Employee for the Employer. 14. The Employee agrees to immediately disclose to the Employer all Confidential Information developed in whole or in part by the Employee during the term of the Employment and to assign to the Employer any right, title or interest the Employee may have in the Confidential Information. The Employee agrees to execute any instruments and to do all other things reasonably requested by the Employer (both during and after the term of the Employment) in order to vest more fully in the Employer all ownership rights in those items transferred by the Employee to the Employer.
15. The Employee agrees and acknowledges that the Confidential Information is of a proprietary and confidential nature and that any failure to maintain the confidentiality of the Confidential Information in breach of this Agreement cannot be reasonably or adequately compensated for in money damages and would cause irreparable injury to the Employer. Accordingly, the Employee agrees that the Employer is entitled to, in addition to all other rights and remedies available to it at law or in equity, an injunction restraining the Employee and any agents of the Employee, from directly or indirectly committing or engaging in any act restricted by this Agreement in relation to the Confidential Information.
b. is connected with or derived from the Employee's services to the Employer.
17. In the event that the Employee is required in a civil, criminal or regulatory proceeding to disclose any part of the Confidential Information, the Employee will give to the Employer prompt written notice of such request so the Employer may seek an appropriate remedy or alternatively to waive the Employee's compliance with the provisions of this Agreement in regards to the request.
18. If the Employee loses or fails to maintain the confidentiality of any of the Confidential Information in breach of this Agreement, the Employee will immediately notify the Employer and take all reasonable steps necessary to retrieve the lost or improperly disclosed Confidential Information.
21. In providing the Confidential Information, the Employer makes no representations, either expressly or impliedly as to its adequacy, sufficiency, completeness, correctness or its lack of defect of any kind, including any patent or trademark infringement that may result from the use of such information.
22. This Agreement will automatically terminate on the date that the Employee's Employment with the Employer terminates or expires, as the case may be. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, all rights and obligations under this Agreement will terminate at that time.
24. This Agreement may only be amended or modified by a written instrument executed by both the Employer and the Employee.
25. This Agreement will be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Colorado.
27. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts.
28. Headings are inserted for the convenience of the parties only and are not to be considered when interpreting this Agreement. Words in the singular mean and include the plural and vice versa. Words in the masculine mean and include the feminine and vice versa.
29. The clauses, paragraphs, and subparagraphs contained in this Agreement are intended to be read and construed independently of each other. If any part of this Agreement is held to be invalid, this invalidity will not affect the operation of any other part of this Agreement.
30. The Employee is liable for all costs, expenses and expenditures including, and without limitation, the complete legal costs incurred by the Employer in enforcing this Agreement as a result of any default of this Agreement by the Employee.
31. The Employer and the Employee acknowledge that this Agreement is reasonable, valid and enforceable. However, if a court of competent jurisdiction finds any of the provisions of this Agreement to be too broad to be enforceable, it is the intention of the Employer and the Employee that such provision be reduced in scope by the court only to the extent deemed necessary by that court to render the provision reasonable and enforceable, bearing in mind that it is the intention of the Employee to give the Employer the broadest possible protection to maintain the confidentiality of the Confidential Information.
32. No failure or delay by the Employer in exercising any power, right or privilege provided in this Agreement will operate as a waiver, nor will any single or partial exercise of such rights, powers or privileges preclude any further exercise of them or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege provided in this Agreement.
33. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, as the case may be, of the Employer and the Employee.
34. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and there are no further items or provisions, either oral or otherwise.