The hard-working folks at the Save Edmonton’s Downtown Footbridge advocacy group have put together a comprehensive report regarding the proposed Southeast LRT expansion route into the river valley, presented to newly elected Ward 6 representative Scott McKeen, November 13th, 2013. Included in this report: an overview of the project to date, possible bylaw transgressions, misleading and missing environmental impact statements, and as I have personally observed, disingenuous public consultation forums. It concludes with recommendations for ‘five alternate routes that protect the North Saskatchewan river valley and established pedestrian/cycle corridors in the city core, and make use of an existing vehicle corridor.’

Read the full report: North Saskatchewan River Valley and LRT Expansion: Preservation and Sustainability

I have been writing about this for years in one way or another, sometimes publicly in the form of letters to the Edmonton Journal or to city councilors, but mostly it is in these posts, where I bear daily witness to the beauty of Edmonton’s river valley, ravines, and trails. My gratitude to the Save Edmonton’s Downtown Footbridge group for coalescing our collective concerns in this report. We do not deserve this beautiful oasis in our downtown core, but deserving or not, we have it, so let’s protect it.

***There will be a rally in support for the Cloverdale footbridge and river valley preservation at Edmonton City Hall November 14th 4:30PM