When you look at a picture of a gondola, it seems like such a happy thing: locals would love it, tourists would line up. We could party at the power plant.
When you ride on one to go skiing or sightseeing, it’s a lot of fun. But in just discussing the possibility of a gondola for Edmonton, you don’t see much happiness on city council.
I can understand the fear of causing taxpayer wrath if we get stuck with the bill for something else that doesn’t work like it should. We’ve already been there. There were the light rapid transit problems we thought would never end.
There were the twisted girders on the much-delayed 102nd Avenue bridge, and the list goes on.
I can understand they don’t want to add to the list with a gondola that turned out to be what some are already referring to as pie in the sky.
The developers say they’ll pay for it, but Coun. Mike Nickel is not convinced. He’s seen corporations come and go and he says it’s a bad idea.
Coun. Aaron Paquette would rather residents made the decision in a referendum.
I hope council is not just afraid that from up high, on a gondola, you could see all the potholes we still haven’t fixed.
Bob Layton is the news manager of the Corus Edmonton group of radio stations.
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