This development in Alta has restored my faith Albertans. I think this trend challenges the stereotype of Albertans being intolerant rednecks.

Kudos to you, Edmonton and Calgary for electing such progressive and awesome mayors and by landslides too. Toronto is jealous they got the intolerant redneck mayor instead..  

I might even like to visit there someday now

-- what a beautiful province!

I don't know much about the Calgary and Edmonton elections, but I know that I'm not impressed with the "old, white guy" that Lethbridge just voted in.  *groan*

Hilary, I didn't look at all the cities and towns, but I did notice quite a few of the smaller places kept their mayor when I scrolled through a list.

I thought it was noteworthy that High River's former mayor ran as a councillor (or whatevever term they use) this year - you don't see that often.  I'm not sure if they won or not.  They had a record turnout.

Some old guy whites are good too!

This is good. I like Nenshi. O hope the new mayor turns out well for Edmonton. What's up with all the suburban sprawl/ box stores in Edmonton? Will the new mayor take another look at that? Edmonton's kind of close to my heart and sad to see so much land that used to be farms and fields and stables being dug up for commercial development last I was there. It was one big construction zone.

Kimmio, it's not really an issue I've paid close attention to.  Edmonton feels much smaller to me than Calgary, but some of that is due to where I've lived.

I do live in the suburbs now, but it feels quite central to me.  I hav see the farmland being taken over in area while house hunting, and there are some older houses with large plots (not farmland sized) by my newish subdivision.

Here's a snapshot copy & paste from the main 3 candidates:

Karen Leibovici doesn’t believe the city has a problem with sprawl and says that if Edmonton doesn’t offer suburban housing, people will move to places like Sherwood Park, Leduc and St. Albert.

Her opponent Kerry Diotte opposes the city’s latest attempt to annex additional land but doesn’t believe the city has a problem with uncurbed growth.

He thinks there should be balance between development in new and mature neighbourhoods.

Don Iveson believes that the city should do more to encourage infill and has said that the proposed development on the City Centre Airport lands could turn into the Edmonton version of the hip New York borough of Brooklyn.

I think I like this new guy. I was thinking similarily when I was there visiting. I think they should spruce up the older neighbourhoods, preserving some heritage and quit building so many box store shopping strips. There was a lot of development on the roadsides heading to the outskirts. It all kind of looks the same, meanwhile some older parts could be really cool mix of old and new-with-character. Downtown seemed eerily quiet. But I only visit once in awhile, I don't live there. Just a tourist pov. The farms surrounding the city used to add character, but now it looks like it's turning into strip mall city, which is too bad. Maybe it's because when the weather turns 40 below people aren't too worried about esthetics, more about practicality, and just want to get their shopping done and get home.

I would actually prefer a closer mall than box stores.  I lived near a mall before, and it was convienent.

With the box stores, even in good weather there are only so many stores where it's practical to go from one to another crossing streets are not pedestrain friendly in those areas!  When it's cold it's worse.

I don't mind having a few stores - Costco, Walmart, Future Shop, Bed Bath and Beyond as separate stores.  Clothing and shoes would be more enjoyable if it was all in one building.

I can't think of a single new mall within Calgary or Edmonton city limits though.  It's all just shopping commons.

Congrats Edmonton and Calgary. I happened to be in southern Alberta on the day that Nenshi got elected for the first time and it was really cool to see people's reactions!

What are shopping commons? Strip malls with box stores? We don't really have that in Vancouver- some of the suburbs do, to a lesser exteng, but nothing like Edmonton. It's chalk a block with box stores. There are still a lot more independent businesses here. Although, near where I live it is like an outdoor mall- it's turning a bit too generic. All the stores you would find inside a mall line several blocks of the main drag- then you reach the downtown core, where there is a mall. But there are lots of small independent boutique stores, galleries and restaurants fairly closeby. Like Kensington Village in Calgary. I think Edmonton needs more of that! There's Whyte Ave. area- but they could do more like that but not just to appeal to the student crowd. Just my pov as an outsider. If I didn't have family reasons to go there, that would make me more likely to visit as a tourist- if there were more interesting things to look at. When I was young- the horses and farms around the outskirts of the city gave it a good unique feeling about the place, but that farm land is gone now (sad to me) and I got a feeling there was some cultural vitality gone missing in all the sprawl- but maybe their new mayor wants to address. But, since I don't live there, I don't know if that would be practical for their needs or what their biggest concerns are. I'm always just passing through.

I think I've heard that Edmonton is Canada's 2nd or 3rd fastest growing city.  All those people need places to live and places to shop.

I'm not thrilled about all the big box stores either, but I see them going up in Calgary, Whitecourt, Lloydminster, Red Deer, Winnipeg.

I don''t think shopping like Kensington and Whyte Ave would have enough payoff to make them financially feasible in new areas.

I don't know how BC does it with new areas in cities, it's been a long time since I've been there.  I don't know why new malls aren't generally built anymore.  Maybe they just require too much planning?  Walmart and some grocery stores start off an area first, nothing else shows up for a while and then everything else comes in later.  Maybe I should start tweeting and ask the mayor :)  I read twitter from time to time, but don't have an account.

I have seen some good strip malls in new areas though, one central parking lot set up with a one or a few main stores - a large grocery store, or a large pharmacy and then a bunch of smaller places.  My neighbourhood has this and it's nice.  I can park in one spot, get prescriptions, go to a liquor store, pick up something from the post office, go to the bank, go to the doctor, grab something quick for dinner etc.

They do tend to be all chains, but there are a few boutiques, restaurants, and various medical services that are not.  I doubt that there will ever be a superstore in one though.

As for central developments, the biggest election issue was the new arena.  It's not just an arena, they are trying to turn it into a whole entertainment district.  It was actually the former mayor's project.  He was really fighting for it, and had so many issues finding a compromise between the Katz group and the city.  One of the candiditie's main platform points was about what a horrible idea it was.

Chemgal: I think BC, on the coast generally doesn't need malls as much because we can spend more time outside with the climate being milder and not needing vehicles as much. I've seen some new "strip mall" equivalents being built to have more of the character of walk-about "villages" with an old towne feel, and some hip post modern looking shopping villages (like yaletown that used to be a warehouse area)- although some of them still have all the same chain retail stores that a standard mall would have. People I know here are generally anti-mall and anti box store, unless needed. More and more people are trying to support local businesses and avoid the big chains. Lots of people shop online. Dowtown Sears went out of business and that's a busy area. There is a big mall in Burnaby accessible by sky train and another upscale mall near the city centre, and one downtown, but I rarely go there. There are malls but I think they're dying, other than at Christmas time. I used to pass through on my way home from work and it was mentally exhausting- all the noise and people and advertisements everywhere (plus I was more apt to throw money away on things I don't need- I found I got my needs and wants mixed up too easily when having to pass through a mega-mall with money in my pocket. I could have easily become a shopaholic. That's what they're hoping, I think. ;) ).

The malls are kind of dying out. And the winter is horrible here. But no good stores are in the malls anymore. Its kind of sad.

I am very unhappy with the civic election locally. They are going to build a new omniplex and my taxes are going to go up $800. Think its time to move.

Ouch, that's a big increase!