Photo by Whitehorse Star
Emily Tredger
MLA wants clarification on runway project
Emily Tredger, the NDP MLA for Whitehorse Centre, is calling on the Yukon government to release more details about its plan for Puckett’s Gulch ahead of a Sept. 12 public hearing.
Emily Tredger, the NDP MLA for Whitehorse Centre, is calling on the Yukon government to release more details about its plan for Puckett’s Gulch ahead of a Sept. 12 public hearing.
The government has requested that the City of Whitehorse rezone a parcel of land on the eastern edge of the Whitehorse airport to accommodate a 150-metre extension of a runway to comply with new Transport Canada regulations.
“Government has not done their homework,” Tredger said in a statement last Thursday.
“Expecting citizens to speak to a project at a public hearing when so little detail has been provided is unreasonable.”
The airport trail near Puckett’s Gulch is a treasured recreational trail for downtown residents, tourists, and commuters from across Whitehorse, Tredger noted.
The information provided to the public only shows a 2D overhead view of the area to be rezoned.
It makes no mention of what rerouting the Whitehorse Airport Trail would look like, Tredger said, nor what would happen to the two commuter trails up and down the clay cliff.
“Downtown residents have been coming to me, asking ‘what will happen to the trail, to the gulch and to the stairs?’” Tredger said.
“YG needs to be clear with citizens and with Whitehorse city council about what they intend to do with the area before coming to council with a zoning request. Show us the plan.”
The City of Whitehorse will hold a public hearing on Sept. 12 as part of their rezoning process.
Tredger is calling on the government to release more details ahead of the hearing so residents can ask informed questions.
The Star approached the government for a response to Tredger’s concerns. Cabinet staff emailed this response last Friday:
“The proposed work on Puckett’s Gulch will not impact or close access to the current paved airport trail or the Black Street stairs.
“About 200 metres of the walking trail that surrounds the perimeter of the airport fence will be temporarily closed as construction takes place,” the statement added.
“The trail that is impacted will be paved after construction is completed, improving the trail for all users.”
The government will host an information session at the Yukon Transportation Museum from 4-7 p.m. Aug. 31.
“This will be an opportunity for the public to ask any questions they may have, ahead of the Sept. 12 hearing,” said the cabinet staff statement.
On Aug. 8, city council approved first reading of the zoning amendment required to allow for the extension of the Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport runway.
The current property boundary does not leave sufficient room for the addition of a runway end safety area.
Federal regulations stipulate that once an airport reaches a certain volume of passengers, runways require a runway safety area.
Once extended, the runway would meet Canadian Aviation Regulations, and would be able to serve as an alternate to the main runway for handling Boeing 737 jet traffic.
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Comments (13)
Up 13 Down 18
Oya on Aug 18, 2022 at 11:12 am
@ MITCH I'm pretty sure Matthew was being sarcastic when he asked Who voted for her. Also, she is a Yukon politician, part of the Yukon Lib/NDP sellout; this is not about a Federal election at all.
And yes, these questions should have been asked years ago... about the time the Libs asked the Dippers to get into bed with them. I guess Ms Tredger had other things on her mind at that time.
In my humble opinion, no more money should be spent on the airport in the location it is. It should be moved out of the core of the city where it has room to expand and expand and expand to accommodate Canada's and the Yukon's ever-growing population.
Up 9 Down 0
moe on Aug 17, 2022 at 6:55 pm
"The Star approached the government for a response. Cabinet staff emailed this response:
“About 200 metres of the walking trail ... will be temporarily closed as construction takes place,”
“The trail that is impacted will be paved after construction is completed, improving the trail for all users.”
The government will host an information session at the Yukon Transportation Museum from 4-7 p.m. Aug. 31.
Up 12 Down 0
moe on Aug 17, 2022 at 6:53 pm
From what I'm reading it's a temporary closure while they do construction, then they are going to open it up again and pave it. That's what the article seems to be saying. Is this true?
Up 20 Down 3
A rainbow of pots & kettles on Aug 17, 2022 at 5:41 pm
“Government has not done its homework.” All pride, no shame. It was your homework, too, Ems. Maybe you could have thrown a few calls or emails of inquiry around on behalf of your constituents who live beside Puckett’s Gulch instead of just grabbing a photo opp & a chance to call the Libs your party is in bed with lazy.
Up 7 Down 2
Patti Eyre on Aug 17, 2022 at 4:03 pm
Who the heck is Puckett?
Up 18 Down 9
MITCH on Aug 17, 2022 at 2:45 pm
@ Matthew - Nobody "voted" for her, NDP/LIBERAL was not an electable option in the last so called "federal election". I do not recognize the authority of a false federal government.
Up 19 Down 13
Virgil on Aug 17, 2022 at 12:18 pm
NDP-MLA, Emily Tredger wins Yukon’s prestigious, Top Gun Award (TGA). The first recipient of the TGA was none other than Eric Nielsen, the name sake of the Whitehorse airport and brother to comedic actor Leslie Nielsen who starred in those funny Airplane movies.
Yes, the Whitehorse Airport has a rich history of being involved in high drama; 911 fighter jets, repeated assaults by Mother Nature against the wisdom of a government leadership who built an airport on a mound of clay… They knew better then, as they know better now.
Anyway:
Put your name in the ledger to support Tredger as the inquiry unfolds… We want gondola service from each of the neighbour hoods to downtown Walmart. Tredger has our backs let’s get Tredger’s… Here are some suggestions to help with the ‘cause’ of people management (aka - distractions / placations / narrative-spin):
1) With laser like precision, target and destroy all rules, principles, and norms giving order to the commons.
2) Favour groups of individuals based on the precepts of race, gender, and other.
3) Isolate and target dissenters in the open, and with prejudice, to serve as a warning to others who may dare dissent.
We could be more creative though:
1) We could gondola everything
2) We could build both water and dry slides tunnelling under the airport extension or,
3) We could build human body sized suction tube routes…
Where’s Ralph? ‘Don’t know, he just sucked off…’ Perhaps the L-NDP communion can do the same?
Up 37 Down 10
Dallas on Aug 17, 2022 at 4:37 am
Or you are gonna do what Emily…. support the government more, prop up a failing government, tromp on the constitutional rights of Yukoners,,. you and all your NDP colleagues and your supporters are a disgrace to democracy. Ps I don’t want your NDP flyers in my mailbox, I get propaganda from you one more time I’m going to return it to you personally at the ledge.
Up 39 Down 7
Lynx on Aug 16, 2022 at 10:26 pm
Ah yes, some of the NDP's finest. Thank the good lord this crew lead by Kate White didn't get elected. Literally nothing would get built if they were in power. Aside from more injection sites in the downtown core of course. And a new building for their Union masters perhaps.
Up 31 Down 6
Matthew on Aug 16, 2022 at 9:44 pm
Who voted for her!?
Up 15 Down 11
Olav on Aug 16, 2022 at 8:10 pm
The 2nd runway project is well underway.
No stopping it!
Talk about getting on a soapbox grand standing!
The questions should have been asked 2 years ago.
The real question should be - how long will it be before the secondary runway starts sloughing as the clay cliffs continue to erode.. 10, 20 or 50 years from now?
Sooner or later it will happen!
Up 39 Down 14
bonanzajoe on Aug 16, 2022 at 4:08 pm
Yeah, we're very impressed with your concern.
Up 43 Down 9
MITCH on Aug 16, 2022 at 4:05 pm
It's a gulch that houses a creek, apparently no one has done their homework or dare I say, even gone to school. My astonishment at the stupidity is not bridled by partisanship - give me my money back!