Latest news with #K-Days
Global News
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
Residential parking problems arise during Edmonton summer events
Some central Edmonton residents say major events in the city are causing major problems for residential parking. People living close to festival venues in and around the city's core say they're having trouble navigating their own neighbourhoods, especially this past weekend with several events taking place. There was the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival in Kinsmen Park and nightly Riverhawks baseball games at the nearby Re/Max Field, and The Weeknd held a concert which drew nearly 55,000 people to Commonwealth Stadium northeast of downtown. That's all in addition to the annual K-Days at the Edmonton Expo Centre grounds, which leads to people parking in the surrounding Highlands, Virginia Park and Cromdale neighbourhoods. Virginia Park resident Lallie Loucks says each year, there is a growing number of vehicles parking on her street when events like K-Days get underway. Story continues below advertisement 'Did I say musical vehicles? I park my car and hold the spot. And then, when my daughter comes home, I move my car to the garage,' Loucks explained. Loucks said she sees empty parking lots near her, such as at Concordia University, so she questions whether it comes down to affordability. 'Maybe they need to offer more discounted parking for people, or a park and ride,' she suggested. 1:47 Edmonton city council mulling possible changes to parking enforcement While no Edmonton resident owns the street in front of their home and anyone can park there, outsiders parking in the area takes away from space residents or their own visitors might use. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Virginia Park isn't part of parking restrictions during major events like other central neighbourhoods such as ones near Commonwealth Stadium are. Loucks feel there is not enough parking enforcement by the city. Story continues below advertisement She's worried for what the neighbourhood could look like when the Edmonton Heritage Festival takes place in the nearby Borden Park next month. In the Rossdale neighbourhood, located between the downtown core and the North Saskatchewan River, Todd Paskall described his street as a zoo, as people parked there to attend either the Riverhawks game or the Great Outdoor Comedy Festival. 'We've had some cars going around, jamming both lanes. It could potentially be a problem for the firetruck at the end of the neighbourhood to get out,' he said, in reference to Edmonton Fire Station 21 at the end of 101 Street beside the river. 1:32 Great Outdoors Comedy Festival on this weekend at Kinsmen Park Paskall is a fan of the Riverhawks, and loves to see the popularity of the team grow. However, he'd like to see more communication with its patrons about respecting the surrounding neighbourhoods. Story continues below advertisement 'We're fully supportive of it. Just manage the parking a bit better. Give patrons another option. Give them more information,' Paskall said. 'On the website and on their ticket, it tells you where to park. It doesn't tell you where you can't park.' Residents living in the MacCauley neighbourhood also told Global News their roads were packed with parked vehicles on the night of The Weeknd concert at Commonwealth Stadium, making it challenging to get around. Packed roads around 90 street and 112 avenue during The Weeknd Concert at Commonwealth Stadium. The city said enforcement officers were dispatched to Rossdale andthe neighbourhoods surrounding Commonwealth over the weekend. 'While there was no parking at Commonwealth Stadium and parking restrictions in neighbourhoods around the stadium, seven dedicated parking enforcement officers issued 167 tickets and towed 30 vehicles,' a City of Edmonton spokesperson said in a statement. Story continues below advertisement Near the baseball stadium, 43 parking tickets were issued on Saturday and Sunday for the Riverhawks games. 5:18 Lots of fun at the ballpark this weekend As for K-Days, the city said it received three parking complaints from the Viriginia Park neighbourhood. 'An officer has been assigned to patrol this area for the remainder of K-Days. We ask residents or visitors in Virginia Park and other surrounding areas to continue contacting 311 using the app if there are any parking or traffic safety issues during the event,' the spokersperson said. Staff at K-Days are also reminding people that there are options to park, including paid parking lots at the EXPO Centre's East Parking Lot, Bellevue Community Centre, Concordia University, and the shuttered Coliseum arena. 'Additionally, we encourage folks to make use of the public transit options, including park & rides at the Belvedere, Clairview, Davis, Eaux Claires, Stadium and Lewis Farms Transit Centres; as well as the Coliseum LRT and bus stations,' a spokesperson for K-Days told Global News in a statement.
Global News
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
2025 Calgary Stampede narrowly misses attendance record
The Calgary Stampede came to an end on Sunday, following 10 days of rodeo, rides and for the most part, decent weather. The Stampede was about 130,000 people shy of breaking the existing record heading into the final Sunday, and while it was close, the stampede just fell short of breaking last year's record. 121,704 people passed through the gates on Sunday, bringing the total attendance to 1,470,288 — about 7,000 fewer than in 2024. 7:46 The Calgary Stampede's cultural significance When asked once again about capping daily attendance, Stampede CEO Joel Crowley said at this point, that's still not needed since even on days where families can take advantage of free admission, they typically leave in the afternoon — replaced by those taking in the evening's entertainment. Story continues below advertisement He said there are plans for expansion, but those will have to wait until after the Saddledome arena is demolished. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Now the focus shifts to planning for next year's stampede while the midway is packed up, with much of it headed north to Edmonton's K-Days that kicks off on Friday.
Calgary Herald
10-07-2025
- Climate
- Calgary Herald
Braid: Calgary Stampede tops other Canadian summer events by a country mile
Crowds are flocking to the Calgary Stampede. What's new? It's business as usual, a familiar summer week around here. Article content Many veteran Calgarians, I suspect, are so familiar with the annual festival that they don't realize just how big it has become. Article content Article content Stampede is the most successful summer bash in Canada by a huge margin. Article content For popularity in a relatively small market, there may be nothing anywhere to top the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. Article content Article content The Stampede attracted 1.48 million from a metro population of 1.6 million, for a shorter 10-day event. Attendance looks to be even higher this year. Article content Article content Two more comparisons: Article content Edmonton's K-Days, which started oddly as Klondike Days, drew a respectable 742,000 last year. (Edmonton has other excellent summer festivals as well.) Article content K-Days easily outpoints Vancouver's Pacific National Exhibition, which had a 2024 attendance of 638,000 (from a local population twice the size of either Calgary or Edmonton.) Article content Article content Toronto and Vancouver nonetheless call their shows 'national.' Maybe we should rename ours the Calgary National Stampede. Article content Article content Even for Calgarians who never go to the midway and the rodeo, Stampede is a larger symbol of the city's identity, style and resilience. Article content In June 2013, floodwater swamped the city's downtown. Article content The damage was devastating to neighbourhoods and businesses. The Stampede grounds and facilities appeared to be out of commission for many months. Article content Water three metres deep covered the rodeo infield. The Saddledome was submerged up to the eighth row of seats. Food facilities were wrecked and power supply to the grounds was threatened.
