Edmonton City Council has decided to put the Prairie Sky Gondola project on hold for now.
On Monday, councilors voted 12-1 to receive the land agreement with the company offering the gondola as information only and not to approve leasing city land for the project.
Count. Karen Principi was the lone vote against receiving the proposed Prairie Sky Gondola land agreement as information only.
Prairie Sky may reconsider the proposal, but will need to submit additional information to assuage councilors’ concerns about the project.
The company wanted to build a 1.5-mile gondola from downtown to Old Strathcona without taxpayer money involved in the project.
Several community members told council last week they were concerned about the project’s potential impact on the river valley and land held sacred by indigenous people in the Rossdale Flats.
Jeffrey Hansen-Carlson, CEO of Prairie Sky Gondola, said in a statement that the company was “not deterred” by the council’s decision.
“Maybe it’s time for the Edmonton project to be revived,” Hansen-Carlson said. “The city needs more big ideas that people believe in and more empowered city builders who dare to make them happen.
“We’re proud of what we’ve done and excited to explore what we can do next.”
A NEW STANDARD FOR LOCAL CONSULTATION
Count. Ann Stevenson moved to receive the land agreement proposal for information only.
Stevenson said she was initially skeptical of the project, but saw it as an “exciting idea” and a “homegrown Edmonton initiative.”
“However, as we went through this process it became clear that there were much wider considerations and implications to this project, particularly given the importance of the local population at the Rossdale site,” she added.
After hearing from concerned community members about Rossdale’s history and significance to Edmonton’s Indigenous people, Stevenson said the city needs to do work to accelerate reconciliation there and on other projects.
“It’s up to us to hold ourselves to the same standard that we’ve discussed regarding the gondola,” she said.
For Ch. Sarah Hamilton, there are still other ways to experience the city and river valley intimately, like the high-level tram.
“The city doesn’t need to have another infrastructure project that doesn’t meet the expectations of the public, private or publicly funded,” Hamilton said.
“I think we also have a transit system that we’re trying to live up to public expectations, and I’ve always thought that I’ve been concerned that this conversation (about the gondola) has detracted a little bit from the necessary improvements that we need to make to our transit system,” he added. she.
Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said there was a “lack of clarity” about the project’s business case and risks to the city, including the environmental impact on the river valley and what would happen to the gondola infrastructure if Prairie Sky went bankrupt.
“I think maybe this could have been resolved if we had moved on to the next stage (of the project),” Sohi said. “But one thing to me is fundamental, which is the key to this, which is the lack of authentic engagement with local communities.”
Sohi added that while the city has not given approval for the project at this time, Edmonton is still open for business for innovative projects.
“I know a number of companies and a number of projects that have progressed with very significant consultation with local communities,” he said. “If anyone thinks that meaningful consultation is an obstacle to business development, business growth, that’s absolutely not the case.”
“Having this for input clarifies for future investment that this expectation here from Edmontonians that we want to live out our value on reconciliation with local communities.”
Hansen-Carlson said Prairie Sky is “unequivocally committed to Edmonton and all its residents.”
“Truth and reconciliation are not just words,” he added. “We wholeheartedly believe that these words should be a priority. And that was our intention all along and it will be forever.”
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