Comments on: Edmonton City Centre Airport Decision: Phased Closure

By: JEgH

JEgH — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:53:45 +0000

What a bunch of dick heads !!

A total waste of a great airport. I loved flin in to good ol cyxd.
Did the mayor and the rest of his cronie retards even think of all the medivacs that go through there ??
Just to put up a bunch of pos condos !?
To all those who voted no.. thank you. you fought the good fight. to those who voted yes…

up yours ya bunch of !@#$% fu@# stains !!
fu#$ you !!
fu#$ you long time !

EFM

By: Limo Service Alberta

Limo Service Alberta — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:09:04 +0000

I hope it was the right decision. As businessman who travels a lot though, this brought me anxiety.

By: Edmonton Travel

Edmonton Travel — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:33:38 +0000

Anytime and airport expands I think it’s a good thing!

By: KG

KG — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 07:14:35 +0000

I think it is a horribly short-sighted decision. I would agree that the tourniquet has once again tightened on the strategically planned death of the airport. Losing a key link to downtown and a crucial link for Medevacs to the Royal Alex Hospital when it is so close will surely cost someone their life someday. I wonder if they will ever study that. Last I heard, NAIT said that they would expland sometime in the next 20-50 years. Of course with 16-34 closed some prime condo land overlooking the Yellowhead and the Railway yard will become available. In their wisdom, they have closed the instrument rated runway at the airport. Sure they will have a GPS approach created, likely with high minimums which again may affect a Medevac flight from landing where they could be at a hospital in minutes. ERAA has not lived up to the contractual agreements and are getting away with doing so. I would agree with previous posts that something as important as this should go to a referendum.

By: Jim Rahn

Jim Rahn — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:32:57 +0000

On the 100th anniversary of the first powered flight in Canada, Edmonton’s city council decided to close the first civil airport in Canada — some legacy.

The City Centre Airport played a huge role not only for Canadian aviation but in world history.
To suggest that now, when Edmonton’s population is substantially larger than in World War 2, the airport no longer has a role to play is ridiculous.

Anyone who thinks that the airport is being closed for any reason other than some land developers have finally gotten their hands on some prime real estate is mistaken. The city will gain NOTHING from the closure of the airport. Land developers need not have the best interest of the city of Edmonton at heart, but rather a return on their investment. Our city tax rates will not go down because the airport is closing.

Air safety will become a greater hazard as a result of the closure. A 747 on final approach will not see a small Cessna 170 which might happen to be it’s way due to an air traffic control snafu.

To think that city council is doing what is best for the city is foolish. They have done nothing except let snow pile up in the winter, raise taxes (and their own salaries) and make excuses. They sold Epcor and now they’re selling another asset. It’s hard to escape the conclusion that some councillors might not have a personal finacial stake in the outcome.

Lorne Gunter might not feel it’s his airport, but its history belongs to every Edmontonian whose family fought Germany in the World War 2 and served in Bomber Command, Air Commonwealth Training, or on the Northwest Staging Route.

Edmontonians should have the right to vote clearly on a question of closure for the airport.
Sure, it will open up the whole question again, but so what? We owe it to ourselves as Edmontonians, and we owe it to our history.

By: RN

RN — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 06:16:59 +0000

The people of Edmonton will remember this day in history as the day the Mayor and 9 Councillors effectivily destroyed one of the most valuable assessts in this City. The City Center Airport is good for buisness, medivac flights and one of the most important historically parcels of land we have. To bad the future of our region have become so blind to you Mack. The voters who care most of about this city will remember to vote out these 10 clowns in the next election.

By: Will Kuzminski

Will Kuzminski — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:03:14 +0000

Having heard both sides of the argument, I feel the decision city council made was the correct one. I think it would have been catastrophic for business if it were instantaneously shut down; the decision made seems to help address both sides of the argument in a way that I am happy with. The phased closure allows businesses time to transition to the change, but also addresses the long term needs of the city. I am in full agreement that it should be closed, and have felt that way for a long time… before the issue was even publicly evident. Much like Mack said, world class transit oriented communities don’t develop overnight, and require a great deal planning and careful consideration over time. Since the development plans will obviously take time, it makes little sense to me to disrupt business, and leave the land vacant during the planning phases. The phased closure is a good thing, since development plans won’t be complete for some time to come; and the phased closure allows the airport to continue to operate until the plans come forward and are finalised. I feel this phased decision makes most effective use of the land, and allows it to gradually switch from being an airport to a fully developed community in planned stages; rather than eliminating the airport leaving it to sit there useless until actual development takes place, which could take a while.

Just my .02 cents

By: Hugh Logie

Hugh Logie — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:21:23 +0000

As they say, you never realize what you have until it’s gone. In this case, Edmonton city council and the ERAA have decided to ignore the city’s history and close the historic airport from which Wop May flew his mercy flight in 1928, and which helped open up the north. Blatchford Field is a gem in my opinion, and I am saddened to see that those who dislike airplane noise appear to have won.

Let’s be clear; the ERAA has for some time now had its sights set on closing CYXD in order to force air traffic to use the white elephant Edmonton International, which is located too far from the city to be viable. The success of the International is largely contingent on the elimination of more convenient alternatives. As a pilot, I am acutely aware of the limitations of air transport, the biggest of which is that ground transportation is necessary once the aircraft lands. In the case of Medevac flights, which are time-sensitive, it is not appropriate to subject a patient to a 35+ minute ambulance ride after the flight, particularly if their condition is deteriorating.

Helicopters, despite their versatility, can’t cover the distances involved and can’t match the speed of fixed-wing aircraft. At some point you just need a runway, as close to a hospital as practical.

I also wonder how the Government of Alberta types will enjoy the long cab (or limo) ride from the International to the Legislature. Or businesspeople for that matter. This so-called “underutilized” piece of land is part of Edmonton’s economic engine, whether you like aircraft or not, and its closure WILL have a measurable effect.

In one sense you are correct, Mack. City council’s compromise could be called “gutless” and is certainly a half-measure. Outright closure of the airport right now would immediately prove how short-sighted the decision is and subject the councillors involved to the direct consequences of said action. The staged closure could be seen as a protective measure.

The day that CYXD closes for good will be a sad one indeed. Mark my words: the city will one day look back with regret at what it has lost.

By: Richard Bunky Bell

Richard Bunky Bell — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:36:38 +0000

Mack, thanks very much for your coverage and reports of this and other important local issues.

From my perspective your tweets, re-tweets and blogs etc, helped to present a more complete and reasonably balanced view of the Muni issue than any other single media news source in the city.
Your passion even created an opportunity for all of us to participate in a meaningful way.

You have served the City of Edmonton well and I know you will continue to do so.
Outstanding work young man and thank you again.

By: mark fremmerlid

mark fremmerlid — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:53:44 +0000

It must be a very sad day for a large number of people who will be losing their jobs when the airport starts shutting down. I think its very unfortunate that Edmontonians are unaware of how valuble their services have been or how good this airport is to have.

By: Mack D. Male

Mack D. Male — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:15:37 +0000

I agree with you completely Chris. I thought Reg Milley and the City’s counsel (can’t remember his name) were both very respectful in the way they handled her remarks. She made some very inappropriate statements.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:12:49 +0000

Thoughout the entire debate I was irked by Clr Sloan’s whispered cries of conspiracy and dirty dealings. It’s easy to spread innuendo, it’s a lot harder to come up with fact. Her suggesting that ERAA has no authority to even look at closing a runway is laughable; not only does it fulfill the “efficient operation” mandate of ERAA, it’s a business decision that they could have made even if the issue wasn’t in front of Council.

By: Chad

Chad — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:13:18 +0000

Well, I think this is going to make it very difficult for businesses that depend on the airport to continue business, so in the short run the city will be impacted. Flying small aircraft out of EIA just doesn’t seem feasible to me.