NE fire kills one, sinkhole opens, K-Days incoming

Hi Edmonton,

It's 27 and sunny today, the hottest day we've had since late May, so if you've got a patio nearby, use it. On the heavier side, a fire in Killarney last night killed one person and sent five more to hospital. On the fun side, K-Days lands this Friday and I'm already planning my mini-donut strategy.

— The Edmonton Edit

⚡ Quick Hits

Today's a scorcher by our standards: 27 and sunny, the hottest day since late May. Wednesday climbs to 28 with a chance of thunderstorms mixed in, so keep an eye on the sky if you're out and about. Thursday holds at 29 and stays sunny. Environment Canada has us pushing 30 by Friday, with a decent shot of overnight showers this weekend. Sunscreen today, maybe an umbrella by Wednesday.

A vehicle crashed into a north Edmonton apartment building late Monday night. It ruptured a gas line, sparked a fire, and the fire killed one person and sent five others to hospital.

The fire broke out around 9:19 p.m. near 132 Avenue and 82 Street in Killarney. It was serious enough to pull a second-alarm response, meaning eleven fire crews showed up. The five people taken to hospital are in stable condition.

82 Street is closed between 137 Avenue and Yellowhead Trail while crews keep working the scene.

This is the kind of story that's a real gut check. A vehicle collision turning into a fatal fire in a residential building is about as bad as these things get, and it's a reminder of how much danger sits under our streets in gas lines we never think about. The road closure will likely stick around for a bit as crews finish up.

Weekend storms tore through Edmonton, and one of them left behind a sinkhole in Lauderdale that's as deep as a three-storey building.

It opened near 130 Avenue and 107 Street after a 45 km/h storm on Friday and a 60 km/h storm carrying tornado risk on Saturday. EPCOR says the city's wastewater system got pushed to its limits during the back-to-back storms. The road there is closed.

The storms also flooded several other city facilities over the weekend, so this wasn't an isolated hit.

A sinkhole that size is a pretty stark sign of how much strain our stormwater system is under lately. The road near 130 Avenue and 107 Street stays closed while the city and EPCOR figure out repairs.

Starting July 15, 102 Avenue between 107 Street and 102 Street shuts down to vehicles, and it's staying that way for the rest of the 2026 construction season. This is Phase 2 of Valley Line West work, running through the end of the year. North-south access holds on 104 Street, except Saturdays when the Downtown Farmers' Market takes over. For anyone driving downtown, that's your detour season starting now.

→ Full announcement on edmonton.ca: https://www.edmonton.ca/projects_plans/transit/valley-line-west

2026 Municipal Property Tax Increase Finalized at 6.9%

Council finalized a 6.9% property tax hike back in April. For a household with a $492,500 assessment, that works out to about $318 a month. The money's going toward things like $11.0 million ongoing for Explore Edmonton, $9.3 million one-time for Whitemud Drive improvements, $5.8 million for peace officers, and $1.6 million for the River Valley trail strategy. In plain terms: your tax bill went up, and it's funding transit, safety, and infrastructure across the city.

→ Full announcement on edmonton.ca: https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/budget-and-finances

Busy off-season for the Oilers. They traded Darnell Nurse to San Jose for Shakir Mukhamadullin and Zack Sharp, then turned around and signed goaltender Frederik Andersen, fresh off a Stanley Cup win with Carolina, to a one-year, $2.8 million deal. They also locked up Ryan Shea for five years at $4 million AAV and re-signed Kasperi Kapanen and Max Jones. On top of that, they picked up goaltender Devon Levi from Buffalo, and Mukhamadullin signed a two-year extension.

That's a lot of movement, and it points to a genuinely different-looking roster and a new-look goaltending tandem heading into next season. Worth watching how the new pieces mesh once camp opens.

This is year 42 for Taste, with over 200 menu items from 50+ restaurants and food trucks. There's also a 30+ vendor artisan market, live music, a kids area, and guided food bike tours if you want to make an afternoon of it.

→ Tickets / Info: https://tasteofedm.ca/

Admission gets you the free K-Days Music Fest, with Ty Dolla $ign, Mother Mother, Peach Pit, Pennywise, and The Beaches on the bill. There's also SuperDogs and a Ninja Warrior Experience for the rest of the family.

→ Tickets / Info: https://www.k-days.com/schedule

This is an 18+ outdoor comedy fest, with a lineup reported to include Matt Rife, Adam Ray, Hasan Minhaj, and Jimmy O. Yang. Bring a lawn chair and prepare for some late nights in the park.

→ Tickets / Info: https://greatoutdoorscomedyfestival.com/cities/edmonton

It's the inaugural year for this one, with Conan Gray and Natasha Bedingfield playing Friday and Kesha closing it out Saturday. If you're into pop shows downtown, this is a new one to watch grow.

→ Tickets / Info: https://icedistrict.com/event/neon-skies-july-17-18-2026/

Zach Top rolls through with Lukas Nelson as his special guest. Solid pick if you're after a proper country night without leaving the Ice District.

→ Tickets / Info: https://www.rogersplace.com/zach-top-july-16-2026/

This touring production is based on the 1985 film and the Hasbro board game, with Jennifer Allen and Donna English in the cast. Fun pick if you grew up playing the game on rainy afternoons.

→ Tickets / Info: https://www.jubileeauditorium.com/edmonton/clue

This Tony Award-winning musical has a relaxed, closed-caption performance scheduled for July 25. Good option if you want live theatre that's a little lighter and funnier than most.

→ Tickets / Info: https://www.edmonton.events/calendar/on-stage-the-25th-annual-putnam-spelling-bee

This is community theatre's take on the musical about an unlikely romance built around a music scene. Worth it if you like supporting local stages over the big venues.

→ Tickets / Info: https://www.edmonton.events/calendar/on-stage-once-at-walterdale-theatre-2h4cp

Two weeks of short dance pieces, a tri-city collaboration, and dance intensives, bookended by opening and closing parties. If you've never been to a dance festival, this is a low-pressure way to try one.

→ Tickets / Info: https://www.edmonton.events/calendar/the-magpie-collection-a-dance-festival

The Elks come into this one at 3-1-0 after beating Ottawa 40-17 on July 9. If the team keeps this up, Commonwealth's about to get a lot louder.

→ Tickets / Info: https://www.ticketmaster.ca/edmonton-elks-tickets/artist/891207

This is the first-ever Ukay-Ukay thrift market partnership between Letters to New Grads and Drty Ice Cream. Thrifting and ice cream in one stop is a pretty easy sell.

→ Tickets / Info: https://www.edmonton.events/calendar/ukay-ukay-market-at-drty-ice-cream

Live music and local businesses spill onto the street every Saturday, plus a People's Choice Food & Drink Competition running through the end of August. Easy, free way to spend a Saturday afternoon downtown.

→ Tickets / Info: https://www.edmonton.events/calendar/summer-block-party-on-rice-howard-way

This is a small room doing omakase, just 10 seats, with chefs who've got over 20 years of experience behind them. If you want a proper sushi counter experience without leaving the city, this is worth booking.

→ More info: https://www.instagram.com/sushibargoshen_yeg/

Vancouver's mochi donut shop has landed here, open at 11am daily until they sell out. Get there early if you actually want to try one.

→ More info: https://www.instagram.com/mochido.ca/

This smoothie bowl spot has been doing markets around the city, and now it's got its first permanent home on Whyte. Good option if you're after something lighter after a patio afternoon.

→ More info: https://www.livebowld.com/

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That's it for today. Take care of yourself out there, and take care of someone else while you're at it.

See you Friday!