Calgary Citizen Newsletter Tuesday Dec. 19

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Good morning, there!

Oops! We finally did it—we accidentally sent our Insider Weekend Edition to our entire mailing list. Let’s face it, with Krista at the helm, it was inevitable. But we are kind of glad it happened because if you like what you saw—and there is more planned for the New Year—then we encourage you to sign up for just $49 a year right now. On Saturday, our Insiders will get a peek at our year-end interview with Mayor Jyoti Gondek, which we will run in the regular newsletter after our holiday break.

Krista Sylvester, Managing Editor

👀 In today's edition:

• An early Christmas gift for motorists

• Father of 3 falls to death

• Five ways to explore YYC this Christmas

Today’s read time: Approx. 4 minutes

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WORTH KNOWING

☁️ Today: High -1C, Low -2C. See the 7-day forecast.

🚗 Driving today? Check the current traffic situation, and find the city’s traffic report and road closures.

⚠️ Here’s the current smoke forecast / check Calgary wildfire and fire restrictions and the Alberta Wildfire Dashboard.

Decades in the making, Calgary’s ring road finally connects around the entire city

It took decades of planning, debates, controversy and construction, but the city’s long-awaited 101-km ring road is finally complete. Premier Danielle Smith, Mayor Jyoti Gondek, and Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen made the joint announcement on Monday.

As CTV reports, the ring road will save drivers about 20 minutes of driving time and reduce traffic on the city’s other main routes. About $4 billion went into the completion of the ring road and it was opened 10 months ahead of schedule.

As Global reports, Dreeshen said the work started in 1999 and he credited former premier Peter Lougheed with the “foresight” to earmark the land for a utility corridor.

The entire route will be open by noon today.

Need to know

💔 A family is mourning after a father of three children was killed in a fall from a building in Chestermere.

📱 Telus battles a 400% increase in copper wire thefts as thousands are left without phone service.

🚓 Police are investigating the suspicious deaths of a man and woman found dead in a southwest home.

💸 'Boggles the mind': city councillors set to discuss local access fee formula after high electricity prices.

📱 Friends are mourning the death of an 18-year-old Calgary woman who starred in a film about Indigenous women.

💰 A once-tiny Calgary microbrewery is quadrupling output with a nearly $10M Labatt investment.

🔥 Last week’s fire hit close to home for a detox worker whose relative was among the victims.

🚗 'All for it': A Calgary car dealer reacts to an expected emissions announcement from the federal government.

❄️ A little bit of snow is expected Tuesday before temperatures are expected to warm up again this week.

THE CHRISTMAS IN CALGARY GUIDE

Take the planning out of the equation and check out this guide to holiday-themed adventures

Christmas is just a week away, but don’t panic yet. Our friends over at Parks of Calgary know that the holidays tend to creep up each year, and before you know it, it’s Christmas Eve and you didn’t get to enjoy all of the great holiday excitement our city has to offer.

From local shopping and festive light displays to outdoor activities and tasty food & drink, we’ve teamed up with Parks of Calgary by gifting you this free pre-planned adventure date guide. Happy exploring!

RELATED STORY

Things to do

🎟️ A Jann Arden Christmas: If you find yourself with your night free, Jann Arden’s Christmas-themed concert takes over Arts Commons tonight and tomorrow night.

🎟️ Sippin' Santa Pop-Up: There are less than two weeks left to enjoy this festive event at Ricardo’s Hideaway featuring Christmas-themed cocktails and a mouthwatering menu.

Have an event suggestion? Message us and we might share it!

Where to eat & drink

🍴 Lakeview Bakeries: This bakery with two locations carries traditional, low-carb, gluten-free, and vegan goodies for every dietary need.

🍴 Chungchun: With hundreds of locations across the world, this Korean-inspired hot dog chain offers an extensive selection of eccentric hot dogs.

Have a food or drink suggestion? Message us and we might share it!

Local specials

💸 Calgary Parking: Exciting news for all downtown drivers! Until Dec. 31, drivers can park at selected lots on weekdays for just $10/day between 6am and 6pm.

💸 Theatre Calgary: There are a limited number of $25 rush tickets for some performances based on availability. Check out the link for more info!

Know of any hot specials or deals? Message us and we might share it!

That’s it! Thanks for reading. If you have a hot story tip you want to share, feel free to reply back anytime.

We’ll see you back here on Thursday, same time, same place 🫡

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