-Jerry

I think a simple change in tone would have been good, well said. I also think they should have been a bit more organized. No one on the platform really knew what was going on or where to go, there was a lot of confusion all morning. It’s amazing that everyone made it to South Campus together!

Glad you got to celebrate a little!

Those of us who walked to McKernan/Belgravia and who live in the neighbourhood and plan to use the new LRT were told that we were not allowed to stay on the platform – we had to stand on the multi-use trail out of the way of the “dignitaries.” I can tell you that several local residents were NOT happy about this. The weather was miserable, local residents had put up with noise, dirt, disruptions and traffic for years and STILL came out to celebrate but were moved out of the way. The tone was all wrong!

Hearing that the media was supposed to “drive and park” at South Campus is also disappointing. We were so excited to take Andy (our 3 1/2 year old son) to watch the opening ceremonies – it is his LRT and after listening to the interview with the woman (who was celebrated at the opening – Marion?) on CBC radio, I started thinking about how this new station in our neighbourhood would change Andy’s life – his ways to get around to school, friends’ homes, city events, etc. I was thinking that he would be able to be on CBC in 80 years and talk about the LRT opening and how the city has changed just like that delightful woman from McKernan did.

So we bundled up and went off to celebrate with him. Too bad, he couldn’t get close enough to actually see the train arriving and that we weren’t actually welcome at the station – but could stay downstairs in the underpass or far away from the dignitaries.

We were lucky enough to find a spot on the train to South Campus – but were told to move to the rear of the train so as not to be near the dignitaries – not so great PR all around.

Just a simple change in tone – “Thank you so much for coming to the McKernan/Belgravia opening. We are so glad the local community has come out to celebrate. We would like you to gather HERE and HERE to welcome the train. There will be a lot of cameras and people getting on and off and we don’t want anyone to get hurt.” AND THEN “The first few cars are full of people and the media but there is still a lot of room for you to travel to South Campus at the end of the train. Once again, thank you so much for joining in the celebration.”

We sat with a man who lives half a block away and has lived in Belgravia for his whole life. He was also disappointed with the tone but still excited to be on the train and being part of the whole experience – as we were.

There weren’t that many of us so it was a shame that there couldn’t have been a different tone set for those that came out to celebrate. I understand the need for the dignitaries to be on the first train but I think there could have been a better approach with those that came to celebrate.

We did take a shuttle bus back to McKernan School and there were community people working in the school gym so that the children could play with balls and celebrate. It was advertised as being child-friendly and there were lots of other families with young children enjoying the popcorn, cupcakes, and music in the underpass at the McKernan/Belgravia Station as well as the gym.

Anyway, enough of my rant.

On the Linda Duncan comment by Jamie: from the composition of the platform group in the picture, it appears that those elected officials are representing the various levels of government that contributed funding to the LRT expansion (Rona Ambrose – Federal Government; Gene Zwozdesky – Provincial Gov; Stephen Mandel – City of Edmonton).

Dave

Also, I wonder how adminstrators, staff and students at the Alberta School for the Deaf feel about his comments “that [they] need to find a better location for the Alberta School for the Deaf.” That’s been a controversial issue, and last I heard they (and the U of A) were telling folks there are no plans for them to move. IMO, I think it would be ideal if they could move to a location that has the space they require and access to transit. The areas around transit centres should be developed into high-density residential and commercial nodes.