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Edmonton:
Gateway to Jasper National Park, the Oilfields and
Northern Adventures
by
Jerry W. Bird
 Grant
MacConachie
the Edmonton aviator who founded Canadian Pacific
Airlines and established an Air Highway to the
Orient is one of my heroes and has been for years,
long before I read the book about him. We were good
friends with his PR man, Leo McKinnon, who told us
many stories about this famous aviator that didn't
get into print. For the complete story of his
remarkable achievements read "Bush pilot with a
briefcase."
As
a rookie with The Edmonton Journal, my ear was
glued to the radio for what many feel was the
greatest football game of the century. With seconds
to go, James Dickerson (Jackie) Parker scooped up a
Montreal fumble and ran the entire field for a
touchdown. Those few seconds kicked off Edmonton's
amazing string of Grey cup victories. Never have I
seen such a spontaneous eruption of civic pride as
during my seven years in Alberta's capital. The
cool, crisp air is a healthy tonic for body, mind
and spirit -- and the work ethic was second to
none. Most Edmontonians I knew were optimists - and
I got to know some great ones, from hockey coaches
like Bud Poile, to Mayor Bill Hawreluk, media
moguls and captains of industry. In the years
since, little has changed - Edmonton continues to
amaze and to capture its share of victories in the
arenas of sports and business. With the North
Saskatchewan River flowing by, the Yellowhead
Highways at its doorstep, a glorious Indian Summer
that stretches the outdoor season, lakes galore and
savory Ukrainian food, few places can match it as a
healthy vacation spot and gateway to adventure."
Read more about Edmonton when you finish this first
page
 "City
of Champions" .. a feeling that's
contagious
At
the Edmonton Journal Daily Newspaper, my old
stomping grounds on the Banks of the North
Saskatchewan River, we rubbed shoulders with many
unique characters that made up the fabric of the
city. It will also be my pleasure to tell you about
some of Edmonton's superstars, from aviation icons
Grant McConachie, Wop May and Max Ward to football
and hockey legends by the score in coming editions
of Air Highways Magazine. How can one help but love
the city that jump-started his career, was home for
seven years and a second home for much longer. No
place I know has such energy, or capacity to seize
the moment.
NAFTA's
Northern Gateway is a magnet for tourism
Edmonton's
aviators and bush pilots were famous for opening up
Canada's north, and the city played a prominent
role during World War II. With high frequency
year-round service by both major Canadian Airlines
to London-Heathrow, the world's most international
airport, Edmonton is very well-positioned. It has
the best all weather airport in Canada, being
closed four hours total in the past ten years. At
the crossroads of Canada's
Yellowhead Highway,
and the main route to Alaska, Circle Tour
development is flourishing to Jasper National Park
returning via the Columbia Ice-fields Parkway and
Banff-Lake Louise.
Edmontonians
have always been a cocky lot, from their sports
dynasties and oil czars, to politics. Even the
location is cocky ... perched regally on the North
Saskatchewan cliffs; its Upper Level bridge
reaching from Alberta's Legislature to the
University area. And who else has the audacity to
build a shopping Mecca that rates seven mentions in
the Guinness Book of World Records?
Speaking
of highs and lows, Edmonton's river valley, from
Old Fort Edmonton to the Conservatory and beyond,
is a tourist destination all by itself; golf
courses and picnic spots. Get out and stretch your
legs; this is the largest greenbelt of any major
Canadian city.
Edmonton
as a boomtown? - its archives tell of fur traders,
riverboats, a Klondike boom, a railway boom, a land
rush, and black gold that blew things sky high in
'47.
Legendary
bush pilots, who opened up the North live again at
Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame. By the way, if you
love to shop, or hanker for genuine Alberta Prime
Rib; there's no provincial tax. And if I recall the
jingle, "Your credit is fine with Irving Kline."
Beyond the outskirts is Lake Wabamun (try saying
that with your mouth full), a popular camping spot.
Edson and Hinton are major stops en route to Jasper
National Park. East of Edmonton are some great
places to visit.
Nonstop
scheduled services:
Overseas-
London. Seasonal- Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Warsaw,
Mazatlan, Puerta Vallarta, Los Cabos, Manzanillo,
Varadero, Cuba, Acapulco and Ixtapa. USA: Chicago,
Denver, Seattle, Salt Lake City, St. Paul,
Portland, Oregon, Las Vegas, Laughlin, Nevada, Los
Angeles, Honolulu. Maui and Phoenix.
As
the gateway to Canada's high growth northern
territories products, eco tourism and fly-in
fishing, the future has arrived. The city's
impressive location on the high banks of the North
Saskatchewan gives visitors to its Conference
Centre Complex a spectacular view of the river
valley. Likewise, vacationers enjoy the largest
parkland area in all of Canada, and a retail center
that not only leads the nation, but still boasts no
provincial sales tax. West Edmonton Mall ranks in
the Guinness Book of World Records as a key
attraction.
"Open
Skies means that Edmonton's position as NAFTA's
Northern Gateway is bound to strengthen over the
years." That is how Dave
Frank
of International Commercial Centres reads the
situation. Dave expects new nonstop flights from
Edmonton to Seattle, San Francisco, Las Vegas,
Denver and Chicago developing over time, as well as
a continued strengthening of Delta Airlines service
to their Salt Lake City hub, Northwest Airlines to
their Minneapolis- St. Paul hub, and American
Airlines to Dallas- Forth Worth. Strong, growing
charter services will originate in Edmonton to
European centres like Amsterdam and Warsaw, with
domestic charters to Palm Springs, Phoenix, Las
Vegas and Reno.
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Air
Canada: 1-800-222-6596
Local Res: (780) 423-1222
Info.: (780) 423-1101
Web Site: www.aircanada.ca
(includes partners AirBC, NWT Air
and Central Mountain Air)
Alberta
Citylink: 1-800-222-6596
Local Res: (780) 423-1222
Air
Transat: (780) 890-7099
Contact a travel agent for
reservations.
Athabaska
Airways: 1-800-667-9356
Contact a travel agent for
reservations.
Canada 3000: (780) 890-4590
Web Site: www.canada3000.com
Canadian
Airlines: 1-800-665-1177
Info.: (780) 890-4290
Web Site: www.CdnAir.CA
(includes partners Canadian Regional and
Canadian North)
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Horizon
Air: 1-800-547-9308
Web Site: www.horizonair.com
(includes partner Alaska Airlines)
Lot
Polish Airlines: 1-800-668-5928
Web Site: www.lot.com
contact a travel agent for
reservations.
Martinair
Web Site: www.martinairusa.com
Northwest
Airlines: 1-800-225-2525
Web Site: www.nwa.com
Royal
Airlines: 1-800-361-6674
Contact a travel agent for more
information.
Sky
Service
Contact a travel agent for more
information.
SunWest
International
Contact a travel agent for more
information.
WestJet
Airlines: 1-800-538-5696
Info: (780) 890-8040
Web Site: www.westjet.com
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West
Edmonton Mall http://www.westedmall.com/
A
wonderfull Hotel only 11 blocks from the West Ed.
Mall . Details at www.westharvest.com.
Contact: Deborah Donick, Director of Sales &
Catering. WEST HARVEST INN. PH 780-484-8000, Fax#
780-486-6060
For
details contact: Edmonton Regional Airport
Authority
(403) 944-6830 Fax (403) 425-0575. http://www.edmontonairports.com/
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