Council votes not to lease city land to gondola project
City Council has decided to halt the Prairie Sky Gondola project for the time being. On August 15, councillors voted 12-1 to receive the land agreement with the company proposing the gondola only as information and not to approve the lease of city land for the project.
Then, council unanimously passed a motion that Administration prepare a report to Committee that:
1. Outlines a potential governance structure that empowers Indigenous MOU partners and communities with historical and cultural connections to Rossdale to provide direct input on the implementation of the River Crossing Business plan, Touch the Water and future developments on the Rossdale flats location; and
2. Summarizes the City of Edmonton’s current approach to private development and land use on locations of special cultural, spiritual or historical significance.
Councillor Karen Principe was the lone vote against receiving the proposed Prairie Sky Gondola land agreement as information only. Prairie Sky could revisit the proposal but would need to present additional information to mitigate councillors' concerns with the project. More on the gondola vote at https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/edmonton-river-valley-gondola-project-halted-by-city-council-1.6028363
imeline of Indigenous history in Alberta
The Alberta Teachers’ Association has prepared a document to answer the question; What are the key historical events that have affected the past and current First Nations, Métis and Inuit populations living in Alberta? The events that occurred after Europeans arrived on Turtle Island have been documented in various forms and are therefore more readily accessible than the precontact history of Indigenous people.
The settler history begins with the 1452 papal letter known as the Doctrine of Discovery which was put into law by European monarchies after the Crusades in order to legitimize the colonization of non-Christian lands outside of Europe. This document was part of public discussion during the recent pastoral visit of Pope Francis to Canada in July.
The ATA document ends with the 2016 Canadian Human Rights Tribunal landmark decision on a case brought by Cindy Blackstock. The ruling states that the federal government of Canada has a longstanding practice of underfunding child and family services on First Nations’ reserves and failing to ensure that First Nations’ children can access government services on the same terms as other Canadian children. More at https://legacy.teachers.ab.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/ATA/For%20Members/ProfessionalDevelopment/Walking%20Together/PD-WT-16e%20-%20Timeline.pdf
Riverlot 56 Natural Area just outside of St. Albert
Riverlot 56 Natural Area is a 108-hectare oasis of public land located in Sturgeon County along the banks of the Sturgeon River, just outside the City of St. Albert, Alberta. It is one of the original parcels of land divided during the settlement of the region during the early 1900’s. The federal government owned and used the site for one of the first Indigenous residential schools before educational services spread to the northern districts.
Diverse habitat types are found within the Natural Area, from upland aspen forests to open and large meadows to stream bed aquatic plant communities. Patches of willow and cattails grow along the banks of the Sturgeon River. Riverlot 56 is populated with many bird species as well as mammals such as muskrat, beaver, deer and moose.
Alberta’s Natural Areas are special parcels of public land, containing natural features representing one or more aspects of the province’s biological and physical diversity. They fall in the middle range of conservation lands in Alberta, between strictly protected lands such as ecological reserves and those lands intensively developed for recreation such as provincial recreation areas. Park guide with map at https://www.albertaparks.ca/media/6496896/riverlot-56-brochure.pdf
Comment or contribution
Please note that articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the wide variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley. Email river valley photos, event information, comments, or questions to nsrivervalley@gmail.com
Sincerely yours,
Harvey Voogd
North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society
780.691.1712
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Comment or contribution
Please note that articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the wide variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley. Email river valley photos, event information, comments, or questions to nsrivervalley@gmail.com
Sincerely yours,
Harvey Voogd
North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society
780.691.1712