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

What do you think of this project?


  • Total voters
    56
213991
 
Last edited:
214699

Phewph.​
Today we submitted our phase one feasibility report
to our friends at the City of Edmonton.​
We hired the brightest minds in the urban gondola industry and collaborated with the City and its agencies. We all worked diligently to gather the facts, figures, and data that would inform a GO or a NO GO decision on our project.

The feasibility work was initiated to demonstrate the economic and technical viability of the project. We were prepared, should something catastrophic be uncovered by the experts, to pull the plug.

The approach to arriving at a GO or a NO GO decision alongside our stakeholders was important to our investors, as well as the City and our elected officials. We have been steadfast with our intent to move forward in a way that maximizes public benefit. To achieve this, each and every stakeholder needs to be presented with the straight goods.

I am a very optimistic ‘anything is possible’ person. I was the first person to invest in Prairie Sky at a time when we had no plan and no real insight into whether the project could actually work. I just believed in it. And, so did many others.

Both technically in terms of infrastructure, and economically in terms of private industry’s capacity to get this done right, our phase one feasibility report tells a compelling story. It’s a GO.

Phewph.

I can’t thank the individuals, companies, and public agencies that rolled up their sleeves to enable us enough. Without the level of engagement we had during the last six months I would be left wondering about the quality of our feasibility work. Luckily, I’m not worried at all.

Every morning when I get out of bed I am excited by the real possibility that Edmonton could beat Burnaby, BC and Toronto, ON and be the first major Canadian city to have an urban gondola. It is not a matter of ‘IF’ the infrastructure is coming to the urban setting, it is a simple matter who will get there first.

Today we have a robust plan and the capacity to execute. We also have the straight goods.

We are looking forward to continuing the discussion with the City and Mayor and Council on next steps.

~ JHC​
 
@bobert moses

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Edmonton Deserves This

On the Agenda

On January 28th we are going before the City of Edmonton’s Urban Planning Committee. The outcome of our phase one feasibility work was that our urban gondola project makes sense, both technically and economically. At this meeting we have the opportunity to provide a thorough update and present the path forward. We are ready.

Prairie Sky creates a sustainable public benefit as innovative transportation infrastructure that better connects Edmontonians between Downtown and Old Strathcona through our river valley. The recreation and activation opportunities in and around West Rossdale, as well as a destination caliber tourism asset in our core, make the project attractive to those looking to invest in building our city.

We have worked very hard with public agencies and other stakeholders to outline what success looks like. Those that have been involved in our economic and technical assessment working group would echo the notion that Prairie Sky will contribute to our region in many valuable ways.

We have come a long way and we are very grateful for all the support we have received so far. There is still a long road - or should we say cable - in front of us, though. We are prepared to carry the necessary risk to make Prairie Sky a reality. However, the outcome of the Urban Planning Committee meeting on January 28th is of critical importance to us. So, we would like to ask for a favour.

Would you connect with the Mayor and your Councillor and convey to them your positive thoughts on our project?

We are ready to move forward without delay and now is the time for all of us to drive a simple message home. Edmonton deserves this.

If you think your sole voice doesn’t matter, consider this. One day, on behalf of a group of engaged citizens, I phoned City Hall and said we were serious about building an urban gondola.

We are serious about building an urban gondola...

You can find more information about the City’s current Ward boundaries here.

Here you can find the contact information for the Mayor and the Councillors.

~ JHC
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12 minutes with no wait time in their system. At peak hours, there will be a wait time given the cabin capacity of 10. I am on the fence with this. I don't like how they are presenting their information on timing. I used to take the #7 on a regular basis previous to living in Bonnie Doon. While sometimes I had to wait for the bus to arrive, I never had to wait for it due to capacity issues. Wait time on this would be low for sure, but moving 30 people will take one minute. If there is only two stops this side of the river, there will be lines at peak times with the closer stop having wait times - they would have to stagger the cars on stops, which then doubles the 20 seconds between vehicles and compounds the wait time. I'm not sure there is a huge improvement to be had at peak hours.

At the end of the day, if it is built with private money, I hope they succeed I guess, but I hope ETS never has to buy it for anything.
 
^ well said -- my sentiments exactly. I wouldn't count on it becoming a valid commuter system.
 
Mayor Don Iveson set out six conditions he’d need to see for the gondola that would run north from Whyte Avenue across the river to Rossdale and then up the hill to a station near Telus House and the ATB tower. The conditions include protecting city taxpayers from risks, access to financial information, an engagement plan, integration with public transit and minimized ecological footprint.

 

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