Community Development - Blatchford - Page 26

RockyinJapan · #**501** Posted **Feb 26, 2011, 4:14 PM**

Well,

It has been a very long time since I have posted on the Edmonton forum. Been busy here in Japan trying to build business.

I had a couple thoughts to this opportunity of the redevelopment of the airport lands:

1) Engage CN and redevelop a portion of the lands adjacent as well, to build a bridge to the north side, both transportation, utility and parkway, but most importantly build a decent train station that would be a gateway to the city and the development. Via rail's current station is less than desirable, it always reminded me of a bus station for a city the size of Leduc.
2) Bury the ROW, or line, for the LRT, it makes little sense to have a train line above ground when you have the opportunity to put it below ground. Although it does appear very European 'chic' to have a train line going through the streets, it is still far better to have a train line below ground and not to divide such a great development opportunity.

Knowing that the site plans were preliminary and I am not sure of CN has been engaged with or they are waiting on the sidelines. Just wanted to put my thoughts on here.

Best regards from Japan,
Colin

Coldrsx · #**502** Posted **Mar 2, 2011, 7:01 PM**

Nextgener's

Hello,

The City Centre Redevelopment info session has been rescheduled for March 21 at 5:30pm.

Phil Sande, the Executive Director of the ECCA Redevelopment Project will be speaking on the project and will update us on the opportunity for next gener’s to give input into the project after the design concept has been chosen.

When: Monday, March 21 at 5:30pm

Where: Heritage Room, City Hall, SE Corner

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to: Janet.Lewis@edmonton.ca by March 15.

For more info on ECCA: http://www.edmonton.ca/city_governme...ds-review.aspx

Best Wishes,
Christine

Christine Causing, BA, MES,
Next Gen Initiative Coordinator,

Kevin_foster · #**503** Posted **Mar 4, 2011, 11:17 PM**

Envision Edmonton's application for judicial review is dismissed. Court procedings in the group's attempt to stop airport development have been thrown out.
Link

Hallsy's Toupee · #**504** Posted **Mar 5, 2011, 1:14 AM**

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsaTElBljOE

Hallsy's Toupee · #**505** Posted **Mar 5, 2011, 9:58 PM**

http://www.630ched.com/Channels/Reg/...spx?ID=1375239

Quote:

Envision Edmonton not giving up
11:45am
Matthew Bisson
3/5/2011

Down, but not out.

That's how Envision Edmonton is feeling in light of the group's latest legal setback. Alberta's Chief Justice has dismissed the group's call for a judicial inquiry into their save the city centre airport petition.

Ed Schlemko with Envision Edmonton isn't ruling out an appeal of that decision. "That's something that could be on the table, but we have to discuss that with our legal counsel," says Schlemko. "We have to see why he ruled against us to see if there is any basis for an appeal."

Schlemko insists his group is as motivated now as it was when it first started the push to save the airport. "We really wanted to get a look at the signatures to see why they were disallowed. Unfortunately this becomes a roadblock to that because the courts had ruled we had to adhere to a sixty day rule before we could look at the signatures."

Envision Edmonton tried to argue the 92-thousand name petition should be considered. The city had rejected it, because it was too late, and didn't have enough valid signatures. (mb, ph)

mcc16 · #**506** Posted **Mar 6, 2011, 8:27 AM**

Holy crap, they just won't quit. It's getting really really sad now, lol.

The end of the city centre airport, will hopefully be the death of the small town mentality that is causing so many of us in the younger generation to flee the city of edmonton...Bring on the future already. Edmonton is becoming a big city people...If you want edmonton to be the same as it was 50 years ago, move to red deer. (not a shot at red deer, just saying if you want small town feel, MOVE)

MalcolmTucker · #**507** Posted **Mar 6, 2011, 4:23 PM**

I don't think your equation of city centre airport = small town feel really makes sense, but yeah the lawsuit is pretty pointless. Best avenue now is to organize to elect a different mayor and council while trying to preserve the most useful runway - which I would give give even odds to them trying.

bulliver · #**508** Posted **Mar 6, 2011, 4:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

Best avenue now is to organize to elect a different mayor and council while trying to preserve the most useful runway - which I would give give even odds to them trying.

They already tried (and failed) to do that.

MalcolmTucker · #**509** Posted **Mar 6, 2011, 4:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bulliver

They already tried (and failed) to do that.

They can keep trying until the runway is torn up. As time passes their incentive to act increases, this past election was only the first battle.

bulliver · #**510** Posted **Mar 6, 2011, 5:10 PM**

And their efforts would be sisyphean at this point. The number of pro-closure and anti-closure supporters will likely stay about the same, but as time goes on the number of indifferent/'make this tired issue go away' people will only increase. I think the recent election results show most Edmontonians are not interested in a one-issue municipal government.

hilman · #**511** Posted **Mar 6, 2011, 5:37 PM**

I don't see Novision Edmonton ever coming back, they had their chance and blew it. Their petition had too few names and was submitted far too long after the 60 day rule set out by the MGA. As time goes on, Edmontonians will forget the blue shirts harassed them at every public event in town and support for keeping it open will wane. As the City releases more and more information about the design competition, people will start to realize that this 536 acre wasteland can actually be used for something productive and useful to many more Edmontonians than it currently is.

mcc16 · #**512** Posted **Mar 6, 2011, 7:07 PM**

Well malcolmtucker, there is something called progress. So yes keeping the airport open does equate to small town mentality. "Keep everything the same just because thats the way it has always been." Closing the airport and building an arena will hopefully mark a shift in this thinking. If not, more people like myself will move to better cities who are capable of having bold visions for the furture. I'm sorry that old people and rich people want to see little airplanes flying in and out of the city centre airport because it incites feelings of nostalgia, but i personally would like to live in a city that is making progress towards sustainability and limiting sprawl while still encouraging growth.

MalcolmTucker · #**513** Posted **Mar 6, 2011, 11:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcc16

Well malcolmtucker, there is something called progress. So yes keeping the airport open does equate to small town mentality. "Keep everything the same just because thats the way it has always been." Closing the airport and building an arena will hopefully mark a shift in this thinking. If not, more people like myself will move to better cities who are capable of having bold visions for the furture. I'm sorry that old people and rich people want to see little airplanes flying in and out of the city centre airport because it incites feelings of nostalgia, but i personally would like to live in a city that is making progress towards sustainability and limiting sprawl while still encouraging growth.

We should tear now the University! Keeping old things is against progress! Doesn't matter that it is useful! We need vision and progress.

You know what the easiest thing would be to limit sprawl and encourage sustainability? If city council didn't force every application for upzoning to go back and consult multiple times. Building a subsidized, gentrified from day 1 playground for yuppies sure is progress!

With the pull out of the downtown rail yards the city sure got a gem of a neighborhood

all the while loosing the ability to run functional rail service to the suburbs without spending billions on LRT. That is what I call progressive vision: stripmalls.

The projects biggest problem isn't any of the above things however, it is that Edmonton is going to soon have it seems 4 or 5 tax supported special redevelopment zones and TODs that are going to try to attract density. Personally, I believe that is a recipe for 4 or 5 rather half built nodes. There is only so much demand you can spur with subsidy.

CMD UW · #**514** Posted **Mar 7, 2011, 3:59 AM**

I put it this way, they exercised their right to appeal to the courts, the courts decided that their appeal didn't hold, time to move on.

Policy Wonk · #**515** Posted **Mar 7, 2011, 6:46 AM**

If you guys are fed up with Envision Edmonton just wait for the Alberta Conservative leadership candidates.

240glt · #**516** Posted **Mar 7, 2011, 3:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

I don't think your equation of city centre airport = small town feel really makes sense, but yeah the lawsuit is pretty pointless. Best avenue now is to organize to elect a different mayor and council while trying to preserve the most useful runway - which I would give give even odds to them trying.

They tried & failed, End of story. Elections are done, Edmonton spoke, the airport will be shut down.

Believing anything else is delusional at this point.

MalcolmTucker · #**517** Posted **Mar 7, 2011, 4:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 240glt

They tried & failed, End of story. Elections are done, Edmonton spoke, the airport will be shut down.

Believing anything else is delusional at this point.

Future councils aren't bound to past councils, and there are elections every 3 years. When the last shutdown timeline approved in my recollection was in the decades, there is plenty of time for this group and others to turn it around.

240glt · #**518** Posted **Mar 7, 2011, 4:57 PM**

It will not be turned around. End of story.

By the time the next election rolls around the LRT will already be to the site, NAIT will be expanding onto it and the first stages of redevelopment will already be moving forward.

hilman · #**519** Posted **Mar 7, 2011, 5:11 PM**

^^ You must have drank too much of Charles Allard's Kool-Aid when you "volunteered" with EE, there is no way the next council reverses the decision. It is a done deal, time to move on, nothing to see here.......

MrOilers · #**520** Posted **Mar 7, 2011, 5:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

Future councils aren't bound to past councils, and there are elections every 3 years.

The last council voted for closure in a landslide 10-3 council decision. All of the councillors who ran in the last election only a few months ago were voted back in (despite a massive push by the pro-airport group for pro-airport candidates).

Reversing the closure decision politically is more than an uphill battle, it's pretty much impossible at this point. The vast majority of city councillors and voters in this city demonstrated that they just don't care to preserve that site as a functioning airport anymore.