Setting of the Sun on First Registered Municipal Airport in Canada

Rob Bernshaw and the Setting of the Sun on the Edmonton City Centre Airport

Rob Bernshaw, Comment

• Edmonton City Centre Airport (ECCA, Blatchford Field ) CYXD/YXD

Saturday November 30, 2013 the sun has set one more time as it has done countless times before on this iconic Alberta Airport. This day there is a difference though, no more will the sun rise and set on a open thriving working airport that has been part of the Alberta aviation landscape for generations. This historic airport was a great benefit to Edmonton, to everyone in Alberta, in Canada and was a pivotal player in contributing to world peace.

Edmonton City Centre Airport Control Tower a lonely Sentinel standing quiet now
R. Bernshaw photo

Due to the passion and drive of an Edmonton Mayor by the name of Kenny Blatchford(March 5, 1882 – April 20, 1933), a true visionary mayor, Edmonton would not have gotten the recognition and honors it currently has received because of this iconic and historic airport. Mayor Kenny Blatchford was the key player instrumental in getting Edmonton’s one and only airport registered as the first municipal airport in Canada.

Sun setting  on Edmonton City Centre Airport
R. Bernshaw photo

Blatchford Field now known as the Edmonton City Centre Airport was a key player in providing nearly half of the trained and confident pilots(along with navigators, bombardiers, air gunners, wireless operators and flight engineers) during the second World War.

ECCA (Blatchford Field at the time) was a pivotal part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) was a massive joint military air crew training effort between Canada, the United States, and the British Commonwealth between 1939 and 1945. We would not have the freedoms we enjoy today without airports such as the Edmonton City Center Airport contributing greatly to the cause of democracy and freedoms around the world. Great War heroes like Wop May(March 20, 1896 – June 21, 1952) made Edmonton a household name because of his contributions(not only in the war effort but back here at home in Alberta and Canada as well).

A closer view of Royal Alex Hospital Kingsway Garden Mall in  foreground shot from the Edmonton City Centre Airport Control Tower - R. Bernshaw photo

This intrepid individual along with Vic Horner put Edmonton on the map as “The Gateway to the North” during the amazing rescue of residents of the community of Little Red River(diphtheria outbreak)back in January of 1929. This heroic feat was accomplished in an open cockpit Avro Avian during sub zero temperatures to bring the much needed serum for the inoculations of the residents to stop the diphtheria outbreak. Because of their heroic efforts only one person was lost due to diphtheria. We were honored and privileged to have Wop May as a resident of Edmonton and Alberta.

Commonwealth Stadium SouthEast of Edmonton City Centre Airport taken from Edmonton City Centre Airport  Control Tower - R. Bernshaw photo

Because this airport was part of the military during a major upheaval in world peace, taps need to be played to honor the contributions and historic significance of such a great airport that will no longer be part of the aviation landscape here in Alberta, in Canada or even around the world.

Downtown Edmonton taken from Edmonton City Centre Airport  Control Tower
R. Bernshaw photo

This historic airport could still be a part of the aviation landscape if the governments of Alberta and Canada had the political will and stepped up to the plate when they were asked to. They had the opportunity and the means to stop the expropriation(essentially evicting long term lease holders off of and out of their businesses and their livelihood) they chose not to, so as not to offend the Edmonton City Council of the day.

Not For Profit Edmonton Flying Club normally full of planes now sitting bleakly empty
R. Bernshaw photo

Because of this lack of political will and the push by the Edmonton Regional Airport Authority to have an iconic airport closed(one less airport to compete with the International in Leduc). the sun will no longer rise and set on an open thriving airport that contributed much to the economic growth and prosperity of Edmonton and Alberta. Health advances and timely access to state of the art Health facilities were also attributed to the closeness of Blatchford Field, ECCA to hospitals in the area (no one could ask for better fixed wing medevac service access with The Royal Alex a major trauma hospital at the end of the runway)

One north west view taken from Edmonton City Centre Airport  Control Tower
R. Bernshaw photo

On a side note the Calgary Regional Airport Authority gets aviation and have two airports thriving under their austere leadership with the Springbank (general aviation) and the Calgary International Airport (a true hub international airport).

I highly recommend anyone in Alberta to take the time to fly out of a true International Airport(as I do on a regular basis) the Calgary International Airport. Their customer service is second to none (especially with their White Hatters helping passengers in a courteous and pleasant manner).

One View of Royal Alexandra Hospital short at end of runways at the Edmonton City Centre Airport
R. Bernshaw photo

Please take a moment out of your day to appreciate what we have now (or it may be gone after the setting of the sun) and do what we can to stand up for what is right in this great world we live in. No matter what the outcome of any fight for freedoms and democracy take the time wherever you may live to stand up and be counted as countless before us have done.

Rob Bernshaw Edmonton City Centre Control Tower with downtown Edmonton in the background

Now at the setting of the sun on an iconic airport that many fought to preserve in the Alberta of the day here is a you tube video of the origin of TAPS to commemorate and honor our fallen and a fitting piece for a fallen historic airport(equated to a soldier that provided the means for other soldiers to become participants in the fight for the freedoms and democracy we all enjoy today).

http://youtu.be/ABNPNcf5Buk

TAPS is a prayer that honors our fallen with a quietness and solemninity that all our fallen deserve. So with gratitude and honor I bow my head to respect and give tribute to a historic airport that was part of the Alberta fabric of my lifetime as it has been for many others and their lifetime.

Acknowledgement and appreciation goes out to

Todd Trischuk

Manager, Air Traffic Control Tower Edmonton City Centre Airport

for arranging and providing this writer the great opportunity to take some photos from a different perspective and height to add to this column and hopefully show the silence and bleakness of an airport that was at one time the busiest in Alberta. Now the runways lay bleak and empty the control tower radios and phones are silent as a tomb that for generations heard the chatter and banter of many pilots and air traffic controllers as pilots made arrangements for take off or final approach.

The final approach has now happened.There will be no more planes to take off or land from this Alberta Gem of an airport. Requiem is now the order of the day for this beautiful gem of an airport(ECCA) in the Alberta of 2013.

Related Links:
www.pinchercreekvoice.com/2013/02/big-calgary-cowboy-welcome-from-white.html
www.pinchercreekvoice.com/2013/02/leave-no-patient-behind.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Commonwealth_Air_Training_Plan
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Blatchford
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wop_May