This is going to be a two-part column focusing on two completely different things. Airports and thank-yous.
Lately in the news, there has been an uproar in the media about Toronto’s Pearson Airport, after retired NHL player Ryan Whitney posted a video sharing his disappointment regarding the airport. This post led to many verbalizing their issues with Canada’s largest airport.
Back in 1972 (50 years ago), Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau felt that there was a need for another airport and the ‘Pickering Airport’ plan was brought to life. For the airport, 18,600 acres of Pickering land were acquired by the government and the purpose of this project was to lighten up the load for the Pearson airport (a problem being brought up today).
There have been many doubts about the project for a long while, as most of the farmland is thought to be Class 1 soil, which means it’s some of the richest and best farmland, along with the other environmental issues and how it personally affects the citizens of the area. For instance, those who owned homes or other properties on the airport’s land had to surrender ownership and rent back the space instead.
On the 18,600 acres of acquired land, there were about 815 properties and around 126 farms.
Speaking of homes, in 2012 Transport Canada announced that 32 vacant buildings were demolished in 2011, and 44 were planned for 2012, with many more homes being demolished years previous.
If taken care of, the old buildings and homes could have been beautiful and usable homes – especially when there was a housing shortage.
With that being said, there also are the opposing views, offering economic values and developing job opportunities through the airport.
The Pickering Airport expropriation affected more areas than just Pickering, including bits of Markham and Uxbridge and does wrap around to some local roots. This is in part to many farmers moving to Listowel and purchasing their own farms, instead of sticking around and renting.
As of right now, there has been no construction on this airport, although it hasn’t been completely called off either. Every once in a while, there seems to be a new announcement saying it’s going to happen, or to be turned into a park, or just left, and it typically results in the land being left alone – good or bad, I’m not so sure, since it’s been 50 years and the original and possibly historical buildings are mainly gone and things have really changed since then.
The second portion of this column will be totally off topic, giving my thanks to everyone who was a part of my co-operative placement experience since this will be my last column here as a co-op student.
Over the span of just under five months, I have been given the opportunity to work at the Banner and the Ranch radio station (conveniently in the same building). This allowed me to get a feel for writing and broadcasting, for which I am very fond of both!
At the Banner, I would like to specifically thank Mike, Kelsey, Dan and Connor, for giving me the chance to write to my heart’s content and the freedom to report on any topic. Allowing me to not only write but also publish what I do, supporting me and answering any question I may have. As well as giving me new tasks to keep myself occupied and teaching me new things like photography and all that goes into the newspaper.
Next, I would like to say thank you to Roland from the Ranch.
Although I have been at the Ranch for less time, Roland has shown me the ropes of broadcasting, how to do a bit of the social media work, given me the experience of being on the radio over a handful of times, and similarly to the Banner, teaching me the behind-the-scenes of radio. Roland has continuously supported me anytime, especially the times when I have made a mistake while recording, and I really appreciate it!
My gratitude goes out to everyone in the building too who I have encountered, as my co-op experience wouldn’t have been the same without them!
Overall, I thank both businesses for taking me on as a co-op student – it’s been a blast.
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Bea Todd is a LDSS co-operative education student with Midwestern Newspapers; for question or comment contact her at co-op@midwesternnewspapers.com.
