One of the perks of working at a magazine is reading the mail we receive in response to the stories we write. Some letters take issue with an editorial stance, some are in praise of the work of a reporter or a photographer, some contain a reader’s personal experiences in the North. And some letters outline a grand vision of the North—replete with a meticulously crafted map.
In our July/August issue, we printed some schematics for Northern row housing, submitted by reader George Bryson from Calgary. He also sent us a map with his ideas to develop Northern infrastructure, which included a rail-line running north from Winnipeg to Somerset Island and an increased military presence along the Northwest Passage.
We also received a letter from Kelvin Purdy, leader and founder of the Beaver Party of Canada, which included an ambitious plan to connect Canadian communities via new transportation technologies, including magnetic rail and sky-hook. The magnetic rail (Mag-Rail) lines would allow train travel at speeds of +600 km/h. (Passenger trains on a maglev line in Japan can travel at upwards of 500 km/h.) The cost of the project, Purdy estimates, would be roughly $425 billion.
We always appreciate your feedback, your thoughts and especially your maps. Thanks for reading and keep the letters coming.
