Airport Closing? Make a video!
If you like videos filled with civic information (and who doesn’t?) you’re going to want to hit up the City of Edmonton’s “City Centre Airport Review” website.
The Review website has not gone away, even though the “review” is now done. The site has shifted gears to highlight the newest information on plans for the Edmonton City Centre Airport (ECCA) and they even have a sweet video all about closing the City Centre Airport.
I just want to download that great music they have in the video. It’s peppy, but puts me at ease.
Letter from the Editor – Jeff – July 13/09
This is my airport. (Alright, alright, I'll let it go...)
I’m out of Edmonton this week (on assignment?) so go easy on Sally, Edmonton. While she can certainly do everything by herself (don’t reinforce that though, I want a place to write) maybe this is a good time to send her a few photos, stories and story ideas. Again, not too much stuff, because I need to come back to a job.
It was great to see that, in even a small way, this website inspired our friend Ryan to muse about his Edmonton pride, the things he doesn’t quite like about the city and some ideas to make things better.
Something that struck me in Ryan’s writing (and in mentions from one or two people I’ve talked to about this website) is that I should point out the edmontonian is not a “booster” site. I don’t love this city through all faults. It’s got problems and I always fear it’s going to handcuff me to the bed and leave with my wallet and clothes.
I do see that Edmonton’s got some great attributes (and great people!) and we’ve already been talking about some of the fun events around town. We’re going to keep pointing you in the direction of cool places and interesting ideas. But when there’s something we think needs addressing, or fixing, we’re going to point that out too.
As Ryan’s blog highlights, you don’t have to be on one side or the other. You can like Edmonton but point out things that require changing.
The idea of the edmontonian is to show you all the neat things and interesting people of #yeg, but also talk about what could be better. It’s not about loving or hating outright. It’s about enjoying AND lamenting, while ultimately creating a larger discussion to make the “City of Champions” truly that. But I suppose mostly just metaphorically…since there aren’t a lot of banners being raised these days…
Letter to the Editor – July 7/09
Re: “Close the City Centre Airport,” July 6
This park has an amazing glow. Photo: Janine Edwards
While visiting one of my fast-becoming-favourite Edmonton-based websites, I was surprised to find an editorial on closing the Edmonton City Centre Airport. I think everyone is missing the big picture here in all this debate.
Letter from the editor – Jeff – July 6/09
While I’ve now posted an opinion piece on the Edmonton City Centre Airport (ECCA), I put up a brief update last week that sent you off into the Internet for lots and lots of information.
I hope you’ve taken the time to read up on the airport debate and have sent off an e-mail (or letter, or even a fax) to your city councillor. They need to know what you want to do with that land.
At first I wanted to write a big, wordy, story about the issue. It was going to have history of the airport, and the debate, and lots of information on who wants to keep it open and who wants to turn it into a new neighbourhood. But why waste your time when a few websites had already provided that information?
I would have written a lengthy story if still employed by a media organization that had to prove to advertisers it had all the information its audience could want. But let’s be honest, sometimes those other sources do it first and/or better. Sometimes newsrooms just use the story from the other guys anyway. (Usually through newswire services.)
The great thing about the Internet is that I can check my ego at the (virtual) door and point you to information. Sometimes that’s better than waxing poetic anyway. the edmontonian doesn’t need to be the only website you read, it just has to be part of your Internet checklist for Edmonton stuff.
Thanks for already Bookmarking us. We hope to keep it worth your while.
Opinion: Close the City Centre Airport
This is not my airport.
I’m one of the many who will be watching Edmonton City Council. They’ve got one vote coming, before they break for the summer, that will impact the city for years to come. No matter which way it goes, there will be fallout. Who knew having two airports could be so contentious?
I didn’t live here when Edmontonians voted to shift all passenger air traffic to the International, in a plebiscite back in 1995. Even when I moved here in 2005, I didn’t even think there was much ado about the Edmonton City Centre Airport (ECCA), also known as the “Muni.” Maybe that’s because I, like most people in the city, have never flown on a private or charter flight from the ECCA, taken flight lessons there, or (thankfully) had to be brought in on STARS or a medical flight.
I didn’t even pay much attention when city council asked the administration to give them some ideas of what to do with the airport land, or when the public was first asked for input. I think I first took interest when the mayor gave his State of the City address. He questioned the future of the airport, and challenged Muni users to provide a vision for it in Edmonton’s plans.
That’s where the debate got interesting.
Do something about your airport
The fight for City Centre is on!
This WAS going to be a long, drawn out story about the history of the Edmonton City Centre Airport (ECCA) and the debate around its closure.
But instead, I’m just going to point you in the direction of a couple of websites that have all the information you’ll need to make an informed decision. Granted, it’s the decision of Edmonton City Council – but it’s your council and you tell them what to do.
So…poke around the “Save Our Airport” website to find out who wants to keep the municipal airport open, and why…then check out “Not My Airport” for more information, including opinions from those who want the land developed into a medium to high-density neighbourhood.
You can also follow (or participate) in a live debate on the City Centre Airport on Twitter. Jump into conversations with people using the #ecca hashtag, or search #ecca to find out what people are saying.
On July 8 Edmonton City Council meets to decide the fate of the City Centre Airport. It could be their final vote on the matter, ever.
