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Join us for a coffee and chat with Shane Blakely, Edmonton’s "Eye in the Sky."

Shane’s career was deeply influenced by his father, the original "Flying Tiger," who pioneered the city's aerial traffic reporting. Growing up in cockpits, Shane developed a passion for both aviation and photography. Although he spent thirty years in the photography industry with Jostens and his own studio in Acheson, he eventually returned to his roots, taking over the helicopter reporting role his father had established.

Shane began his on-air journey at twenty-one, filling in for his father during vacations before becoming a staple of Edmonton media. By the 2000s, he was the primary voice guiding commuters through the Whitemud and Yellowhead traffic, while also capturing breaking news like fires, police chases, and Klondike Days parades. He famously recounts his father’s daring flight behind the 1987 tornado, a story that highlights the unique family legacy of documenting Edmonton from above.

An accomplished author, Shane has written four books that chronicle the city’s history and architecture, including deep dives into landmarks like the Hotel Macdonald and personal "stories from the sky" that never made it to the airwaves. Today, Shane remains driven by the adrenaline of being the first on the scene and a tireless passion for uncovering Edmonton’s forgotten history.

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