Thank you to everyone who came out to Designing Downtown activities on October 5, 2013!

This inspiring day of activities, fostered and made possible by the vision of the Designing Downtown movement, is a testament to the incredible people, organizations and businesses committed to conversations around the development of urban cores.

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Ignite presents Ideas for Edmonton, a crowd funding model with a twist! Community members who are passionate about making Edmonton a better place to live are encouraged to post their project on the Ideas for Edmonton website – backers throw their support for projects with votes rather than donations. Edmonton’s NextGen, and a host of sponsors, kick-in the financial backing with $10,000 in funding available.

“Have you ever wanted to make a difference in your community but didn’t know where to start? You are not alone,” says Sherman Tsang, Ignite Co-Chair. “Ideas for Edmonton is a local social incubator, a tool to help turn thoughts into actions. Any city resident, looking to make Edmonton a better place to live, can submit a single idea that could be turned into reality!”

Ideasforedmonton.com is an easy-to-use on-line portal where the public can register ideas, search out interesting projects, discuss opportunities and cast votes.

Voting is tallied in three ways:

• A single vote is counted when an individual comments on an idea (a single vote per user, not per comment);
• A single vote is counted when an individual clicks on the +1 Give Vote link on an idea page;
• Two votes are counted when an individual clicks on the +2 Give Time link on an idea page.
•  Individuals that click this option will be contacted by NextGen following the competition to connect with fellow voters for potential volunteer opportunities to make a specific project move forward.

Idea submissions and Round 1 votes are accepted until April 21^st.  The top 10 ideas, as calculated by total votes, will go on to Round 2 where a panel of judges will select one or two ideas to receive funding, volunteer support (as sourced through the +2 Give Time voters) and additional mentoring from established makers in the community. Edmonton’s NextGen is proud to foster the success of a variety of community projects and lend its planning expertise to the winning projects. Final winners will be announced in early May, 2013.

Timeline

Round 1: Voting

• March 21st, 2013: Launch, Submissions open for ideasforEdmonton.com
• March 22nd, 2013 (Noon): Winners for the Blue Plate Diner gift certificates + New Balance Acupuncture treatment are drawn
• March 24th, 2013 (11:59PM): Top Voted Idea by this point is automatically selected as 1 of 10 Top Voted Ideas going into Round 2
• April 21st, 2013 (11:59 PM): Voting Stops, end of Round #1

Round 2: Judging

• April 23rd, 2013: Top 10 Voted Ideas Announced, Round 2 Forms provided
• Round 2 Forms to be provided to Top 10 by Ignite. These forms serve as your application for funding and support from Edmonton’s NextGen Ignite. Completed forms must be completed by deadline to qualify for consideration.
• April 28th, 2013 (11:59 PM): Deadline for filling in Round 2 Forms/Documents
• May 2nd, 2013: Winner(s) Announced!

Ideas for Edmonton is proud to be a Make Something Edmonton project! #makesomethingyeg = a show & tell of cool projects #ideas4yeg = funding & resources to help make cool projects reality.  Visit our project page at www.makesomethingedmonton.ca.

It’s MEÆT time!  Edmonton’s NextGen and the Ignite Working Group present MEÆT 3.5: The Amphitheatre at 5:30 pm on December 10, 2012 at the Citadel’s Tucker Amphitheatre, 9828 101A Ave.  In addition to the awesome project/idea/cause pitches, food will be provided by Normand’s Bistro (88% on Urbanspoon!), tunes will be spun by DJ Polyesterday, and we will enjoy performances by our hosts, Rapid Fire Theatre!  Tickets are expected to go fast, so RSVP on Eventbrite!

This is your chance to:

Share a meal.
Connect.
Enjoy performances.
Cast your vote.
Make a difference now.
Become a philanthropist.

There are 2 ways you can enjoy a MEÆTing:

You can (1) apply to have a project funded and come enjoy dinner, and present your project or (2) come enjoy dinner, experience the presentations, vote for your favourite, and donate $10 to fund something awesome.

The best presentation (as determined by the votes) receives the night’s funding.

MEÆT is an event designed to bring us together for a meal and together fund home-grown projects. By getting together and pooling our wealth we can avoid bureaucracy, get right down to the meat of an idea and make it happen.

Visit www.meaet.com for more information and to submit proposals!

Click here to watch a great promo video for this weekend’s event! http://vimeo.com/42743780

Edmonton’s NextGen, in collaboration with the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues, announces the 3^rd Annual Edmonton Community Challenge (ECC).  The ECC is a volunteer-driven, collaborative event, promoting community spirit through friendly competition between community leagues throughout the City of Edmonton. In 2012, ECC changes format to a year-round, seasonally-based events competition; in each 3 month season, teams are encouraged to participate in best-of-Edmonton events to collect points towards earning a series of community enhancement prizes. For more information, visit http://ecc.edmontonnextgen.ca/.

ECC Season 1 | May – July 2012

• Event 1: Mitsubishi City Chase Powered by Goodlife | Team Registration via ECC
  • May 26th, 2012 | Secret locations all over the city.  Start/End point at Churchill Square.
  • The Mitsubishi City Chase Powered by GoodLife Fitness is a unique urban adventure that requires participants to exhibit teamwork, resourcefulness, determination and the ability to make decisions on the fly as they search for ChasePoints scattered in unknown locations throughout the city.  Think Hard. Play Hard. Laugh Hard. It’s seriously the most fun you can have in your city…without getting arrested!
  • Read more about a special promotional discount code for City Chase here: http://ecc.edmontonnextgen.ca/2012/05/ecc-at-city-chase-2012/

• Event 2: Pedal-Powered Smoothies
  • June 16, 10:30 AM – 2:00 PM | Sobeys Pocket Park (104^th Street & Jasper Ave)
  • Hop on a bicycle, pedal away and make your own eco-smoothie! Presented by Edmonton on the Edge, Bikeology and People-Powered Parties.

“The Edmonton Community Leagues are extremely important for connecting and empowering Edmontonians in shaping the future of our city. The EDMONTON COMMUNITY CHALLENGE is an opportunity to connect young Edmontonians with the rich history and ongoing impact that our unique community league system has in making the City a great place to live, learn and work, now and in the future,”  ShermanTsang, Edmonton’s NextGen Committee Member & ECC Organizer.

For full details on the EDMONTON COMMUNITY CHALLENGE, visit www.ecc.edmontonnextgen.ca.  Teams and individuals are encouraged to visit the website prior to May 26, 2012, for full Spring Season ECC event details.

NEW FOR 2012: No prior registration is required! All team points will be collected and reported by ECC volunteers at each event, look for the Edmonton’s NextGen banner to identify ECC volunteers and check in.

June 18, 2012 – UPDATE:

Edmonton’s NextGen is thrilled to received the award for “Best Overall Float” in the 2012 Pride Parade, presented by the Edmonton Pride Festival Society. A HUGE thanks goes to our more than 40 volunteers who walked, danced, and cheered along the parade route to help NextGen celebrate Edmonton’s diverse LGBT community.

Our float would not be possible without the support of our generous sponsors:  City of Edmonton, Allstar Show Industries, interVivos, Progress Unlimited, Ampersand Grey, Regency Developments, Bottom Line Productions, Notables, Gateway Press, and Broadway Across Canada.

Saturday, June 9, 2012 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM (MT)

Join Edmonton’s NextGen for its second time in the Edmonton Pride Parade on Saturday, June 9, 2012. We’re thrilled to participate in one of the best parties of the summer and celebrate Edmonton as a diverse and welcoming community for the next generation.

First 50 to register receive a limited edition NextGen t-shirt to wear during the event. Register today at http://nextgeninprideparade2012.eventbrite.com/.

Parade Staging will be between 11:00 am and 11:30 am on 108 Street between Jasper Avenue and 102 Avenue.  Upon arrival, please find someone in a NextGen t-shirt to check-in and sign a waiver.  Please be on time so that we can get lined up.

The Parade route starts on 108 Street and 102 Avenue and travels east on 102 Avenue to 99 Street. The parade will take up both lanes of 102 Avenue.

After the Parade all participants are encouraged to gather with us at Churchill Square to continue the festivities. Celebration on the Square includes the main stage, beer gardens, business and community information booths, merchandise and food vendors, and various forms of entertainment.

For more information on the Edmonton Pride Festival, visit http://edmontonpride.ca.

Here’s a gallery of great pictures of NextGen at Pride in 2011.

Edmonton’s NextGen would like to thank all of our hard-working volunteers! They truly make NextGen a hub for connecting people, places, community and ideas.

2011/2012 Volunteers

*Our sincere apologies if we have missed anyone off this list. If your name is missing and you would like to be included, please email .And the dedicated members of the NextGen Committee (updated profiles coming soon!)

In celebration of our volunteers, we’re thrilled to partner with Volunteer Alberta on its upcoming Volunteer Fair.

11 AM – 4 PM | Saturday, April 14

West Edmonton Mall | Centre Stage – Level One, Phase One

Edmonton’s NextGen hosts its second monthly social on April 5, 2012, at The Artery (9535 Jasper Ave). Presented by Jam Union, the Art House Party and NextGen Social features collaborative performances by F&M, Mae Anderson, and Martin Johann Kloppers a.k.a “The Cellotaur”.

In addition to musical performances, the Art House Party and NextGen Social includes a silent art auction to benefit the Youth Emergency Shelter Society, featuring art from Randee Armstrong, Kevin Green, Malorie Shmyr, Darren Bolz, and Chantel Fortin. These artists will also be performing interactive art installations throughout the evening.

Since 2007, Edmonton’s Jam Union podcast has connected people to some of the best local music, arts and current events in the City of Champions. Through blogging and social media, Jam Union is a creative community of artists, performers and activists. For more information, visit www.jamunion.net

Doors for the April Art House Party and NextGen Social open at 7:00 p.m., with performances beginning at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door / $8 in advance from YEG Live and Blackbyrd Myoosic (10442-82 Avenue.) This is an 18+ event, no minors.

Purchase your tickets on-line at http://yeglive.ca/events/f-m/apr-5-2012/artery.