Seen And Heard In Edmonton

Meet David Rauch, the strategic planner, open-data enthusiast and onetime journalist who makes connections through Beta City YEG, Edmonton's civic technology meetup. David is the kind of guy who radiates enthusiasm. It's that energy that has animated and incited all kinds of interesting projects, such as the Open Piano project that brought music to city streets; ArtTourYEG, a guide to Edmonton's public art; the LinkYEG app to connect Edmontonians in need with services; and a map of historical Edmonton photos, among many other projects. Beta City YEG convenes citizens, public employees and members of Edmonton's tech community on the fourth Wednesday of the month at Startup Edmonton. They work to apply the power of data and technology to address challenges in our city and region. And, as David notes, baked goods are often involved. The next one, on Sept. 28 at 6:30 p.m., features presentations on the CommonGood web app and the Edmonton Shift Lab. Like many of my recent guests, David came to see me at the Makers