What do you think of this project?


  • Total voters
    56
When Prairie Sky did a previous survey it asked people if they would be willing to pay for a $50 annual membership to use it (Edmonton residents), didn't they?

At $50 a year, would that even need to be incorporated into ETS for the annual pass holder? I would not expect to buy an annual gondola pass and have access to ETS for that rate.

Now for someone using it one time and paying perhaps $8 or more, I could see them wanting to use ETS as part of that fee and not have to pay another fee in addition if ETS was required beyond the area covered with the Gondola.

But an ETS monthly pass holder may be willing to spend an extra $50 per year ($4 per month) for the added convenience and benefit of this service. And if not, someone could continue to commute how they did previously before the Gondola perhaps?
ETS integration could also make it easier for commuters to use by incorporating the ARC payment system.
 
The new chatter this morning prompted me to go back to the website, and I hadn't noticed this statement on their website before:


Personally, I don't see the gondola being a major tourist draw (not in Edmonton and not in Red Deer), but if it can be properly integrated with transit, maybe it's a viable project that replaces a new LRT bridge across the river and gives people a way to commute through the valley without adding to congestion. I'm warming up to the idea.

I think the Gondola can become a tourist draw here, over time, with the potential it has to become a catalyst for the Rossdale Power Plant redevelopment. I also believe the that 2026 FIFA World Cup will mark a new era for Edmonton's tourism and the gondola will certainly benefit of that.
 
A Strathcona-U of A Gondola doesn't necessarily have to terminate in Old Strathcona. It could start at Ritchie Mill, go west along Saskatchewan Drive, with a stop at 109 Street, continuing west along 89 Avenue with stops at 111-112 Street and 114-115 Street.
 
Promoting both gondola lines at the same time interferes with each other. At least with Edmonton's line, charging a fee to use makes sense. The Red Deer government woud have to foot the entire operations bill because no individual will want to pay a fee just to go to a park across the river. Good luck in convincing Red Deer taxpayers.
 

Back
Top