http://edmontonjournal.com/news/loca...de-on-edmonton
This is why this is important.
Better half and I went to the last ESO performance of the year a couple months back. We thought we'd walk around downtown a bit. It was the most disheartening thing I've done recently. Saturday night and Jasper Ave was deserted, except for a few extremely aggressive and questionable characters, and a few others who likely just wanted to appear that way. We talked to a couple from out of town who were clearly afraid and extremely uncomfortable. I was personally less afraid than sad, disgusted, and humiliated.
Enough with the negatives, though. We should go ahead with the idea of a weir to raise the level of the river. The weir itself is not something that would make for a pretty postcard, but perhaps the Edmonton Queen docked in front Ft. Edmonton or Rossdale would be. Or yes, the beach idea with the skyline in the background. A more usable river valley could allow a lot of other tourism-friendly ideas to sprout organically, and would necessitate more hotel rooms in the downtown core.... hopefully.