Edmonton’s City Council vote to close the Edmonton City Centre Airport and set the vision to make sure the site is redeveloped into a leading, sustainable community.

City Council approves the vision for Blatchford: “Blatchford will be home to up to 30,000 Edmontonians living, working and learning in a sustainable community that uses 100% renewable energy, is carbon neutral, significantly reduces its ecological footprint, and empowers residents to pursue a range of sustainable lifestyle choices.”

The last plane flies out of the site at the very end of 2013. Now that the airport is closed, the work to get the site ready for construction can begin.

City Council approve the business case that will guide the development of the community. In partnership with leading industry consultants, the City of Edmonton continue to evaluate options for energy systems that could help to achieve the community’s vision.

After City Council approves the utility business plan, the City of Edmonton moves forward with building the business case and framework for the creation of Blatchford Renewable Energy, including the utility’s governance model, bylaws and fiscal policy. Work also begins to design the first phase of the District Energy Sharing System.

Blatchford Renewable Energy starts and finishes construction on two parts of the system – installing the network of piping under the roadways for the first stage of the community and building the first geoexchange field. Construction also begins on the first community energy centre.

Blatchford Renewable Energy completes the construction of the first energy centre and has an operational system.

Blatchford Renewable Energy starts to provide service to our first customers!

Planning and design work also begin for the Sewer Heat Exchange system, which will use the heat from wastewater to provide another source of renewable energy for the District Energy Sharing System.