While there was a relatively small turnout of both constituents and candidates, the Ward 5 Civic Camp citizens’ forum turned up one big issue in particular.
Candidates Beena Ashar, Robert Guizzo and current alderman Ray Jones, who arrived an hour late due to prior commitments, discussed some of the issues presented by voters.
For many of the residents of Calgary’s northeast communities, access to the airport was high on the priority list.
“The airport tunnel,” said voter Betty Wiebe. “That’s the No. 1 concern here.”
Along with Wiebe, Temple Community Association president Natalie Gillanders agreed that was one of the hot-button issues for their ward.
“I drive to the airport twice a week,” said Sharon Berling, a Ward 5 resident for 27 years. “I’m not sure a tunnel is the answer, but I think we really need to look at access.”
When the question was posed, all three of the candidates present said they supported the idea of the airport tunnel.
“If they put that in, and they put the LRT in to it within the next seven years, the airport tunnel is a fantastic idea,” said Guizzo.
Jones said he’s supported the tunnel at council, but had concerns about the feasibility.
“Now we could be too late,” said Jones.
The next Civic Camp debate will be tomorrow, with the Ward 7 aldermanic forum at 7 p.m. at the Triwood Community Centre, then Ward 9 goes at it Friday at 7 p.m. at the Winston Heights-Mountview Community Hall.
