2007 Winter-Spring Corporate Wins
2007 Winter-Spring Corporate Wins
Recommendation:That the August 15, 2007, Corporate Services Department report 2007COCO15 be received for information.
Report Summary
This report presents the Winter-Spring 2007 Corporate Wins summary.
Report
· The reporting of corporate success stories was initiated in response to a need identified in a November 1999 report to Executive Committee entitled Initiatives to Provide Cost Effective Services.
· Corporate Wins is reported to Council twice a year, in spring and fall.
· City of Edmonton employees continue to demonstrate their commitment to citizens, as demonstrated in Attachment 1.
· The report includes examples of innovations, cost savings, service improvements, partnerships and external recognition.
· In alignment with the City Council-approved strategic planning framework, the Wins are categorized according to Council focus areas.
· These examples are useful for speeches, letters, reports and other City Council communication activities.
· Wins also appear in other communications such as the City of Edmonton’s annual financial statements, the Edmonton this Week radio show, Progress Edmonton and the City’s web site.
Attachments
- 2007 Winter-Spring Corporate Wins
Page 2 of 2
2007 Winter-Spring Corporate Wins
EDMONTON2007 Winter-Spring Corporate Wins
Corporate Wins are City of Edmonton achievements which demonstrate ongoing commitment to providing value to Edmonton residents. Included are examples of innovations, cost savings, service improvements, partnerships and external recognition.
EnvironmentEdmonton provides a quality environment through a healthy ecosystem, diverse communities and balanced infrastructure management.
Healthy Ecosystem
New centre puts household goods back to work
The Waste Management Branch debuted its new Reuse Centre in downtown Edmonton in July. In its first two weeks of operation, the centre received 117 drop-offs and re-distributed material to 150 people. The centre accepts a wide variety of household items that can be reused by non-profit groups, teachers and the public. It is modeled on the community-based Reuse Fairs which have been operating since 1992.
Connie Boyce, Asset Management and Public Works, 496-5407
Wetland restoration a City first
A unique partnership to restore and preserve the Maple Ridge Wetland near 18 St. and 63 Ave. was announced in July by the City of Edmonton and PCL Construction. The company donated $50,000 to the Office of Natural Areas project, marking the first time a corporation has come forward to help preserve a natural area. Restoring an urban wetland includes preserving existing vegetation, replanting native species, and other related conservation activities to return the area to its original form.
Grant Pearsell, Asset Management and Public Works, 496-6080
2007 marks third annual Bike Month
Bike Month is put on by a group of dedicated volunteers from the City of Edmonton, Edmonton Bicycle Commuters, Mountain Equipment Co-op and Rainbow Bridge Communications to encourage cycling by providing free, fun activities for citizens throughout the month of June. By proclaiming June as Bike Month, the City of Edmonton is standing by its commitment to encourage Edmontonians to get active, make sustainable choices and help make Edmonton an active community.
Claire Ellick, Transportation, 496-2615
Diverse Communities
Discounted transit pass program proves popular
Eleven Edmonton companies have signed on for the Employ-E Discounted Transit Pass Program since it launched in February 2007, . The innovative program gives employers the opportunity to purchase regular monthly passes for their employees at a discounted price. To participate, employers must match or better the 12% discount Edmonton Transit offers participants in the program.
Companies that have adopted the program including Workers’ Compensation Board, Stantec Consulting, Convergys, Aramark Ltd., Alberta Blue Cross, Sutton Hotel, All Weather Windows, Economic Development Edmonton, McBain Camera, YMCA and Focus Corporation. This includes more than 650 employees, 30 per cent of whom are first-time transit users.
Another 50 companies have expressed interest in the program.
Dawn-Louise Wiens, Transportation, 496-1747
Balanced Infrastructure Management
‘Gazebo Park’ reno a community affair
The Parks Branch worked closely with the community, special event organizers and park users to plan a redesign of Wilbert McIntyre Park in Old Strathcona. The park design incorporated rubber blocks made from recycled tires and was eligible for more than $70,000 of grant funding from the Alberta Tire Recycling Association. As well, the Parks Branch supplied design and construction services for the Strathcona library renovation project, integrating an outdoor reading space and landscaping for the park and library users.
Julie Alcock, Asset Management and Public Works, 496-4974
Social and Cultural
Edmonton promotes vibrant, inclusive and safe communities.
Vibrant Communities
Library launches city-wide ‘book club’ to get people reading
Edmonton Public Library proudly launched a high-profile community book project in June called Edmonton Reads: One City, One Book. EPL invited Edmontonians en masse to read the same book and to attend a related series of free public events – including films, book discussions, lectures and cultural activities. The aim is to engage Edmontonians in a city-wide dialogue about the themes of an exceptional work of Canadian fiction, while promoting literacy and building community. Librarians picked the provocative novel De Niro’s Game, by Canadian author Rawi Hage, based on the strength of its brilliant prose and unflinching realism. iCopies remaining in high in demand over the summer. The program runs until October.
Anna-Marie Klassen, Edmonton Public Library, 496-7032
Valerie McNiven, Edmonton Public Library,496-7063
Youngstown community gardens revitalizes community
The City of Edmonton Community Gardens Network has helped families in the Youngstown Capital Region Housing Complex revitalize their area and feel a greater sense of community. Approximately 25 families are involved in container gardening, which brings together neighbours to learn how to grow plants in an urban setting. A sense of community is evolving, with neighbours of different cultures helping and getting to know one other. Residents are enjoying a bumper crop of good will, community involvement, a visible crime prevention presence, and of course, tasty vegetables.
Jane Molstad, Community Services, (780) 944-7596
Library voted city’s best cultural institution
Readers of SEE Magazine chose the Edmonton Public Library as the city’s Best Cultural Institution in the weekly magazine’s 12th Annual Readers Poll (June 7th issue, 2007). The library was gratified by this show of support from Edmontonians who enjoy its programs, services and collections.
Linda C. Cook, Edmonton Public Library, 496-7056
Library ‘Hogwarts Party Central’ for last Potter book
EPL encouraged reading and helped fans young and old celebrate the July 21 release of the last book in the wildly popular Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The Library hosted “Hogwarts Graduation Parties” at all 16 branches on the day of the book release, and developed an entertaining website which received 10, 528 external visits. The site counted down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until the book release, and featured contests, Harry Potter-related polls, forums and other activities. More than 650 people cast 1,984 entries to win a video iPod. The online polls received between 900 and 1,800 responses each week, and hundreds of comments were posted to the Harry Potter forum. The Toronto Public Library was impressed with the EPL site and chose to link to it.
Kathleen Pine, Edmonton Public Library,496-7040
Peter Schoenberg, Edmonton Public Library,496-1855
Victoria Varga,
Edmonton Public Library,496-1838
Downtown library home of new Edmonton Writers Centre
Edmonton writers finally have a place to call their own! EPL teamed up with local author Wayne Arthurson to create the Edmonton Writers Centre in the downtown Stanley A. Milner Library. Writers of all genres and abilities will be able to gather in the southeast corner of the main floor to share ideas and ply their craft.
Judy Moore, Edmonton Public Library, 496-7062
EPL Director named finalist for national literacy award
Linda C. Cook, EPL’s Director of Libraries, was named in July as a finalist for a major,national literacy award – the 2007 Canada Post Community Literacy Awards. The library celebrated this achievement, considering that Canada Post received hundreds of nominations from across Canada. In total, 24 finalists were named in Ms. Cook’s category of literacy educator; she was the only one to come from Edmonton. At the time of this submission, the winner had not been announced.
EPL’s submission to Canada Post was based on the following premise: by being relevant, innovative and responsive to the needs of Edmontonians, the Edmonton Public Library under Ms. Cook contributes greatly to the advancement of literacy and learning, enhances the quality of life and enjoyment of individuals and contributes to the economic well-being of the community. The award submission also noted that Ms. Cook has demonstrated a long-term commitment to building a literate community throughout her career as a library chief executive and educator, and in her many professional activities and affiliations.
Linda C. Cook, Edmonton Public Library, 496-7056
Inclusive CommunitiesEPL hires Alberta’s first aboriginal community development librarian
Edmonton Public Library implemented a key component of its Aboriginal Services Strategy in July by hiring its first Aboriginal Community Development Librarian, also the first such position in the province. The goal of the Aboriginal strategy – which forms part of the Library Board’s strategic plan – is to better serve Edmonton’s Aboriginal communities by ensuring their cultures are reflected in the Library’s collections, services and programs. The new librarian comes to EPL after working for many years as a professional teacher-librarian on the Onion Lake First Nation.
Jody Crilly, Edmonton Public Library, 496-6298
Provincial award for library’s teen services
The Edmonton Public Library received the Award of Excellence in Library Service in April from the Library Association of Alberta in recognition of its commitment to bringing teens into the library by enhancing its activities, collections and services for young people.
Starting with its Year of the Teen, held in 2005, EPL has carried through with teen initiatives in several areas. Branches set up designated areas with “teen friendly” furniture to make them feel welcome. A teen-services librarian was hired to act as a system-wide resource person. EPL went a step further by creating a special, new collection of music CDs and movie DVDs called Flicks & Tunes To Go, especially targeted to its teen customers. Non-fiction collections of interest to teens were gathered and displayed together in many locations to make it easier for young people to find such material and the Library’s graphic-novel budget was increased to meet demand. Library statistics show that these efforts have paid off – circulation of young adult materials was 225,816 in 2004; in 2006 that number jumped by 118 per cent to 491,624.
Other popular programs included, the Teen Gamers Palace, in which youth between the ages of 12 and 17 were invited to selected branches to “take over the library” for an evening,and a wide variety of programs and events including urban legends, murder mysteries, duct-tape crafts and The Teen Survivor online reading club In another campaign to raise its profile with teens, the Library ran a promotion last September called “Back to Cool,” in partnership with 91.7 The Bounce radio station.
Wendy Grønnestad-Damur, Edmonton Public Library,944-7960
EPL designates 2007 the Year of the Older Adult
Edmonton Public Library designated 2007 as the “Year of the Older Adult” in keeping with one of the Library Board’s strategic directions – to look at how certain library services, programs and collections can better meet the needs of this segment of Edmonton’s population.
New initiatives dedicated especially to serving our older population include:
• Establishing a seniors’ advisory committee comprising members of the community to advise staff regarding programs and services.
· Having library staff work with local seniors groups.
· Promoting the library as a service provider and community meeting place for older adults by implementing specialized programming including senior-friendly computer training and Internet literacy.
The library is also reviewing its collections to ensure the needs and interests of older people are supported in the areas of health and wellness, retirement, entrepreneurship, lifelong learning and leisure.
Connie Hargreaves, Edmonton Public Library,
496-1054
Judy Moore
Edmonton Public Library,496-7062
DATS wait times halved
DATS, in partnership with the City’s IT branch, took care of wait times caused by unpredictable delays in picking up other customers. In May, DATS successfully implemented IVR (Interactive Voice Response) software that telephones customers to notify them their DATS ride is on the way. DATS Operators initiate the call when they are five to 10 minutes from the customer’s pickup address. Initial customer feedback has been positive with 76 per cent of those surveyed rating customer service to be good to excellent and 57 per cent reporting that IVR has helped them plan for their ride. The new system has cut wait times in half, to 1.04 minutes from 2.19.
Lorna Stewart, Transportation, 496-4553
Charlene Jackson, Transportation, 496-5627
DATS satisfaction up 10 per cent
800 DATS registrants and care-givers were surveyed February 2007 to rate customer satisfaction. This is the first customer satisfaction survey since the implementation of the new service delivery model. The customer satisfaction rating has increased almost 10 per cent since March 2004 when 84 per cent of customers reported being satisfied or very satisfied.
Survey results found:
· 93 per cent of customers are somewhat or very satisfied with DATS overall
· 99 per cent reported booking staff are usually or always courteous
· 97 per cent reported drivers are usually or always courteous
· 98 per cent of respondents feel safe while travelling on DATS.
· 85 per cent are satisfied with the amount of time spent travelling on the vehicle
· 90 per cent find the service is usually or always on time
· 93 per cent are satisfied with the process to become registered for DATS
· 96 per cent responded drivers provide assistance to and from the vehicle
· 98 per cent said drivers ensure mobility aids are secure
Lorna Stewart, Transportation, 496-4570
Efficiency yields more DATS trips
By streamlining internal work processes and implementing quality improvement initiatives in the core business areas, DATS provided more than 7000 additional trips to customers during April-June 2007 compared to the same period during 2006.
Sandy Allen, Transportation, 496-4563
Henry Korthuis, Transportation, 496-8392