Prairie Sky Gondola | 76.2m | ?s | Prairie Sky | DIALOG

What do you think of this project?

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  • Prairie Sky Gondola announced a Cree name for its project on Aug. 12, saying that âsowahonân — which translates to “crossing of the river” — was chosen in a traditional naming ceremony last April. Coun. Aaron Paquette was critical of the announcement over the weekend. “Today I witnessed a corporation take advantage of what is normally considered a sacred ceremony, a ceremony that many Indigenous people do not have access to due to the impacts of colonization, in the most cynical way possible and without certain permissions,” he tweeted. “It is unsettling.” Proposed land agreements between the City of Edmonton and Prairie Sky Gondola will be considered after executive committee heard from dozens of speakers last week about the project, many of whom spoke in opposition.
 
Anyone know what time discussion happens today? Wondering if it's a time specific item.
 
In my experience, having worked with multiple indigenous communities on various projects, there is often significant differences between FN perspectives on most projects. Not to say they cannot be overcome and we usually find a pathway forward that most can agree upon.
 
They could build the gondola station inside or on top of the power plant eliminating any worries about disturbing the bodies.
I feel that enough commemoration (plaques, ceremonial grounds etc.) has been given to the burial ground to consider the debate resolved.
We shouldn't be worrying about unknown bodies lying all over the place otherwise we will be freaking out about everyone that died since the ice age.
 
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EdmTrekker said:
Not through the EPCOR site. Maybe East of it through skunk hollow and then beside the old ice plant that Dub owns and up to the convention centre.
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The folks who live in Skunk hollow would be big fans of that I'm sure! 😅

That route would also go through alot more parkland... 🤷🏼‍♀️
 
TAS said:
Anyone know what time discussion happens today? Wondering if it's a time specific item.
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Not time specific, they had 2 time specific in camera meetings though. The 2nd one is now (1:30pm). Then they are back to talking about the Chinatown community policing project so I don't expect it now until after the afternoon break. 3:30-4ish.
 
TAS said:
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There have been reports about how much the coliseum costs per year to keep it in its present state.

Does anyone know what yearly costs are for the power plant and what the city has spent thus far on it?
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Not sure on spending to date. I expect it's a lot. I know the City has tried to find a partner for years because of how costly it is.

Here's the current assessmemt & priority rehab project. https://building.edmonton.ca/projects/eB-10670?categoryId=all:&tab=list
 
itom987 said:
They could build the gondola station inside or on top of the power plant eliminating any worries about disturbing the bodies.
I feel that enough commemoration (plaques, ceremonial grounds etc.) has been given to the burial ground to consider the debate resolved.
We shouldn't be worrying about unknown bodies lying all over the place otherwise we will be freaking out about everyone that died since the ice age.
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Given the amount of archeological work already done in the area and the site location I really doubt there will be remains. The power plant goes ~4 stories under ground. And there are catwalks & other infrastructure that expands past it under ground as well. This is the part I really don't understand with all the uproar. Between the power plant building itself, what it must have required in terms of excavation to build it & the extensive archeological work done in the area (24 historic resource impact assessments) I think the Indigenous archeologist knows what he's talking about re: likelihood.

Chief Darlene Misik also mentioned that her community is on-site with Epcor regularly whenever they are doing any work that involves soil disruption etc. She was instrumental in the efforts ~20yrs ago to get the cemetery recognized & protected including filing an injunction. She knows the area very well.

I don't think discounting the possible presence of burial sites is appropriate. It's a very significant prehistorical & historical site. But the likelihood is so low in the location they chose. For that reason I suspect.
The importance of this site is a part of why we should treat it as such & invest in it as PrarieSky is doing. It needs to be done with Indigenous leadership & very thoughtfully, but I think turning this down today would actually undermine that.
 
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