Community Development - Blatchford - Page 14

Policy Wonk · #**261** Posted **Aug 27, 2010, 7:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrOilers

"Continued operation" as opposed to what?

It is a binary question, yes or no. Your talking about a push poll. In which case... "Would you vote in favor of closing the City Center Airport in order to give developers a sweetheart deal so they can build condos you will never be able to afford for wealthy Calgarians knowing full well that thousands will die in ambulances stuck in traffic on the QE2"

MrOilers · #**262** Posted **Aug 27, 2010, 7:23 PM**

"In favor of continued operation" is just as much a push as anything.

"Do you support Edmonton City Council's decision for phased closure of the City Center Airport"

Is a binary question that would likely get different responses as well.

This is one reason I hate plebiscites. The question is usually more important than the results. And everyone uses the results to support their own cause (i.e. Envision Edmonton stating that the majority voted in 1995 to keep the airport open - which wasn't even the question).

rapid_business · #**263** Posted **Aug 27, 2010, 7:30 PM**

Which is why I was saying before, it is very important what the question is, and what the resolution of said question will be in the end.

Policy Wonk · #**264** Posted **Aug 27, 2010, 8:14 PM**

If your fishing for bias, the guys who commissioned that survey are of the "just get it over with already" perspective, the damage is done no matter what happens now. Nothing will bring Edmonton Airports victims back from the dead.

DAVEinEDMONTON · #**265** Posted **Aug 27, 2010, 10:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by feepa

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/...279/story.html

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/opini...289/story.html

Great articles about the downtown airport. Much more informative then the string of half-truths written in the editorial in the Globe and Mail today.

S_B_Russell · #**266** Posted **Aug 28, 2010, 7:42 PM**

Cleanup of City Centre Airport soil ‘very minor’

Early tests welcome at city hall dept. responsible for cleanup bill

By Andrea Sands, edmontonjournal.com August 28, 2010

http://http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Cleanup+City+Centre+Airport+soil+very+minor/3452675/story.html

feepa · #**267** Posted **Aug 28, 2010, 10:16 PM**

Policy Wonk is making stuff up. There's no survey. Nice try.

Either come out with your source, and provide a link, or its just conjecture and hearsay, which seems to be your forte.

Policy Wonk · #**268** Posted **Aug 29, 2010, 3:21 AM**

It was a private survey commissioned by a group evaluating if they should take a public position on the matter, nothing more. I don't much care what you think. Your with the real estate developers and that is fine.

DAVEinEDMONTON · #**269** Posted **Aug 29, 2010, 4:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by S_B_Russell

Cleanup of City Centre Airport soil ‘very minor’

Early tests welcome at city hall dept. responsible for cleanup bill

By Andrea Sands, edmontonjournal.com August 28, 2010

http://http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Cleanup+City+Centre+Airport+soil+very+minor/3452675/story.html

It sounds like the latest tests have confirmed what has been expressed by the city in the past on this issue that there is not much in terms of clean up required.

240glt · #**270** Posted **Aug 29, 2010, 6:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Policy Wonk

It was a private survey commissioned by a group evaluating if they should take a public position on the matter, nothing more. I don't much care what you think. Your with the real estate developers and that is fine.

LOL. What a joke. That's the big push for discrediting the closure... the supposed 'fact' that the city is somehow in bed with developers.

Anyone who has paid attention to city politics knows that's not the case. Why don't you come clean and disclose who you really represent ?

Policy Wonk · #**271** Posted **Aug 29, 2010, 7:30 AM**

Show me a city, anywhere on earth with the possible exception of Pyongyang where the city isn't in bed with developers. Show me a city anywhere on earth where developers are not themselves highly represented among the elected city government.

and I don't believe I have been evasive about that, I am somebody with a transportation (predominantly rail) and planning background who doesn't believe transportation infrastructure should be sacrificed for development just because developers see every airport, railyard and harbour as a wasteland. Further I believe the case against YXD is generally ridiculous as it has never played much of a role in the fortunes of YEG and that YEG is not a suitable replacement for the role YXD has played in the modern history of Edmonton.

Xelebes · #**272** Posted **Aug 29, 2010, 7:34 AM**

The main problem I have with the Muni is that it is in the wrong location. On the other side of the tracks or at the old Mayfield site and we probably wouldn't be having this discussion. As it stands, it completely fails to serve the city.

feepa · #**273** Posted **Aug 29, 2010, 2:24 PM**

Policy wonk is it cp your with? Because it would make a whole lot of sense on your position id you were.

Policy Wonk · #**274** Posted **Aug 29, 2010, 9:06 PM**

No, I am not an employee of CP Rail.

MrOilers · #**275** Posted **Aug 30, 2010, 12:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Policy Wonk

YEG is not a suitable replacement for the role YXD has played in the modern history of Edmonton.

If you refer to YXD making things more convenient for everyone except most of the people who actually live in Edmonton, then I would agree.

You said yourself, at least twice in this thread, that you wish you could still use it.

Policy Wonk · #**276** Posted **Aug 30, 2010, 1:14 AM**

Of course I wish I could still use it, as does anyone else who has ever used it.

Most things are perceived to be useless if the extreme majority of people are forbidden from using it.

oiler-dude · #**277** Posted **Aug 30, 2010, 4:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Policy Wonk

Of course I wish I could still use it, as does anyone else who has ever used it.

Most things are perceived to be useless if the extreme majority of people are forbidden from using it.

The citizens of Edmonton voted to not use it. In 1995.

Policy Wonk · #**278** Posted **Aug 30, 2010, 4:30 AM**

They didn't vote for closure and redevelopment and they didn't vote for the organized harassment by Edmonton Airports of its remaining users.

Xelebes · #**279** Posted **Aug 30, 2010, 5:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Policy Wonk

They didn't vote for closure and redevelopment and they didn't vote for the organized harassment by Edmonton Airports of its remaining users.

Wouldn't be harassed so much if they didn't organise and launch the political campaigns of Koziak and Caterina to reverse the 1995 plebiscite.

bulliver · #**280** Posted **Aug 30, 2010, 5:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Policy Wonk

Of course I wish I could still use it, as does anyone else who has ever used it.

Most things are perceived to be useless if the extreme majority of people are forbidden from using it.

Wrong. I flew in and out of there pre-consolidation. Unlike some, I'm more than willing to give up convenience for what's best for the city as a whole.