WATCH ABOVE: An article is bashing our city as the host of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. As Lisa Wolansky tells us, a lot of people here are outraged.
EDMONTON – An Edmonton radio host is firing back with his own “love letter” after a Toronto columnist slammed Edmonton, saying Toronto should have been chosen to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup opening match.
“Dear Cathal Kelly. I love you,” said 630 CHED’s Reid Wilkins. “I love you despite the shoddy research you did on your piece yesterday. Oh sorry, I shouldn’t say shoddy research because that would imply you actually did some research.”
Wilkins, the host of 630 CHED’s Inside Sports, penned the letter to The Globe and Mail’s Cathal Kelly Friday after Kelly wrote what he called a “love letter” to Edmonton.
In his column titled: ‘Kicking off the World Cup anywhere but Toronto is a mistake,’ Kelly criticized Edmonton and Commonwealth Stadium, calling the venue “actively ugly.”
“The world is going to tune in on Saturday expecting Toronto because that’s the city that matters. It may hurt to hear it, but it doesn’t make it less true,” the article read in part. “It should be in Toronto, where there is a very expensive, purpose-designed structure of which its proper name is the National Soccer Stadium (BMO Field).”
The column drew outrage in Edmonton, with many people taking to Twitter to vent their frustrations with the piece, including Mayor Don Iveson.
In his piece Friday, Wilkins said his letter would be his last words on the topic.
“It’s just plain sweet how you demonstrate complete ignorance about Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium; how it’s a proud legacy of the 1978 Commonwealth Games; how it’s been regularly upgraded so it can host big events just like tomorrow’s game,” said Wilkins.
“I know it must have been a hard trip for you from Toronto because you apparently forgot to pack your intellect, your integrity and any hope of ever having your work read by anyone in Edmonton ever again.”
To listen to Wilkins’ entire letter, visit 630 CHED’s website.
The opening match of the FIFA Women’s World Cup goes Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. at Commonwealth Stadium.
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Global News reached out to Kelly for a comment Friday, but he declined.