Beyond ECCA
This post follows up my previous ‘Leaning Toward Closure‘ post from two weeks ago. In the end I did support the phased closure motion from Cllr. Gibbons along with nine of my colleagues (I’ve pasted the full motion at the bottom for your convenient reference).
I wanted to paraphrase a sentiment I put forward in my closing arguments about the business impacts, which is that there are many reasons why the North does business with Edmonton, and as many reasons why Edmonton does business with the North. Just about all of those reasons are still in play without the ECCA. There may be some bruised relationships after this decision, but they will heal. Some business leaders may indeed follow up on their threats and take the rash step of relocating their business, or even moving away from Edmonton. Confidently, we can hope that these overreactions will be few.
With regards to Medevac, now there are years to make the alternate arrangements that will ensure that comparable service is offered to patients coming in to Edmonton. ERAA will begin to install ILS at Villeneuve to make it an eventual all weather alternate to Edmonton International (EIA), and in the meantime they will install a GPS landing aid on the remaining runway at ECCA.
Regarding public transit to EIA, I put the following motion forward after the vote on the main motion:
That Administration and the Mayor advocate to the Capital Region Board, the benefiting municipalities, the Province and the Edmonton Regional Airport Authority to jointly develop rapid public transit service to the Edmonton International Airport, and bring a progress report on this work to Transportation and Public Works Committee in November 2009.
It passed 11/1. I am hopeful that we can at the very least achieve a bus link to EIA from Century Park LRT station by the time it opens next spring, but I’m not betting the farm on it. I should say that I do not expect our LRT system to reach EIA for many years if ever. It’s not really the preferred technology, since it tops out at 80km/h and you would ideally want to go faster, and perhaps from a more central point of origin in the city than the southern terminus of LRT. But I do think a rapid transit link of some type is an important part of improving the convenience of EIA. Cllr. Sohi also successfully put forward a motion aimed at dealing with the vexatious taxi deadhead situation at EIA, which I supported.
This was a fractious decision, but much has been made of the fact that young Edmontonians mobilized, using a new suite of communications tools, and took this issue head on. Few of the 13 members of council will be around long enough to see this decision through to its end result, but I’m sure that some of the passionate advocates for an urban vision of the ECCA site will wind up living there, doing business there, as proud Edmontonians.
The full ‘phased closure’ motion as passed on July 9th:
Phase 1 Closure of Airport Lands
1. That a phased closure of the Edmonton City Centre Airport be approved, and the City Manager negotiate with the Edmonton Regional Airport Authority to immediately amend the lease agreement to entrench the following activities as part of Phase 1 of closure:
- Immediately undertake to close runway 16-34 and adjust general aviation business activities to accommodate a one-runway airport, with Medevac service to be maintained at this time.
- Determine the parcel of lands adjacent to runway 16-34 which can, once air services on this runway cease, be surrendered to the City.
- Conduct a Phase 2 environmental analysis on these lands as well as a remediation plan.
- Work with ongoing users to mitigate impacts, ease immediate transitions and work with users to develop a suitable business plan to operate Edmonton City Centre Airport as a going concern until final closure date is determined, and ensure that upon the expiry of the current licenses in regards to scheduled air service that no renewals are negotiated.
Development of Airport Lands
2. That the City Manager immediately begin to undertake the following activities:
- Immediately begin negotiation with Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and the Province of Alberta regarding Northern Alberta Institute of Technology expansion on-site.
- Position the City of Edmonton as developer of the airport lands, with Administration to immediately begin to set out long-term visioning plans for the airport lands in their entirety, including plans for community consultation, and for an international design competition for an ecologically-advanced, transit-oriented, medium- to high-density, mixed-use development (business and residential). Provide process plan to Council by November 2009.
Realignment of NW (NAIT-LRT)
- Administration to submit plans for realignment of NW(NAIT)-LRT based on available access to lands currently impacted by 16-34 runway, and report to Council no later than September 2009.
Removal of Overlay Impact over Downtown
- Administration to make adjustments to the downtown plan in anticipation of immediate removal of the overlay impact over the majority of downtown, before finalizing the Municipal Development Plan/Transportation Master Plan in November 2009.
3. That prior to a final closure date being determined and as part of a Phase II, Edmonton Regional Airport Authority to have completed work with Alberta Health Services on long-term system design to facilitate Medevac operations at Edmonton International Airport (or other regional airports).
4. That a date for full and final closure of the airport will be determined by City Council during Phase II, with input from Edmonton Regional Airport Authority, at a point at which the lands are required to support the long-term land development plan and the needs of the City.
5. That once the final closure date is set in Phase II, final environmental remediation of the remaining airport lands will occur followed by the final surrender of lands to the City following complete decommissioning of the airport.
6. That Administration immediately develop a communications strategy to inform and include relevant public audiences (including external audiences) about the impact of this decision, timelines, milestones, land development and transit impacts, as well as things that do not immediately change in order to ensure citizens, stakeholders and current airport users have easy access to complete, accurate information.
7. That the City Manager further negotiate with Edmonton Regional Airport Authority to negotiate mutually acceptable lease amendments to entrench Phase II and all aspects of the intent of this motion.
I want to know who was the lone councillor who voted AGAINST the motion for rapid transit to EIA… that councillor needs to be voted out of office.
Karen Leibovici, but I haven’t a clue why.
Thank you for your thoughtful analysis and courageous decision. I am a 46 year old high school science teacher who was among the young Twitterers advising City Council to vote to close the Muni for many of the reasons that have been already stated, sustainable development of the downtown with a public transit oriented community being high on the list. I have lived in Edmonton since the tornado of ’87 and made a very careful decision in the plebisite in 1995 to move things to the International. It was logical to me then, looking at the information, and logical now, emotional attachment to the Muni by some folks aside.
Please do not regret your decision in light of the recent backlash in the Edmonton Journal Letters to the Editor or from some disgruntled sounding MLA’s (who are perhaps seeing their jaunts from the Leg to Calgary & elsewhere from the Muni curtailed?)or by some callers to Radio programs such as this morning’s CBC Radio One “Talk to the Mayor”.
Change is going to take time and so there may not be much to show the nay-sayers in a year or two, but further down the road, we should have something to be proud of. That said, doing something immediately will go a long way to putting finality to this decision. Work that can be done on the LRT should be fast tracked if possible. Runway 16-34 should be closed as soon as possible and a firm date announced as soon as possible. The Environmental clean-up should start immediately, so that citizens can perhaps glimpse the future possibilities should a plebiscite come forward at the next election.
Again, thanks for your efforts. (By the way, I am also in favour of the motion to develop a high-speed public transit link to the International ASAP).
Sooooooo, we’re going to make the taxpayers make-up for the lost economic activity for the years when the entire site is being dug up for cleanup, and pay for the cleanup itself. We’re gonna make the taxpayers pay for the roads, the sewers, the utilities, the developers are going to want in there. The taxpayers are going to have to pay to deal with the traffic problems when the “world-class” strand board developments start being slapped up. And of course there’s the bill to keep the snow plowed, and the pot holes filled when the site is eventually developed. All the while whistling happilly with our fingers in our ears and our eyes closed, assuming that the medivac and issues will automagically be resolved because they’re all someone else’s problem.
Explain to me again how we’re gonna make out like bandits with $500 million in the bank. Or should we all just pack up and move to Leduc or Calgary?
Councillor, is there a report among those paid for by the city and offered during the public hearings that provided voters with an alternative plan? One that would see sustainable development, transportation and growth happen while keeping the ecca intact and operational for comparison? Also, is there a CoE bylaw that specifically addresses height restrictions that you are aware of? Thanks.
Walter: the city-generated reports did not contemplate any expansion of activity at the airport, given the ERAA and lease restrictions it operates under. So no to your question, but it’s not clear how that would be feasible, much less who would pay for it.
The height restrictions are embodied in the city’s Zoning Bylaw under the section 810, the Airport Protection Overlay.
It’s really a cool and helpful piece of information. I am happy that you simply shared this useful
info with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.