The Edmonton Indy looks safe for another year as city council voted Wednesday afternoon to keep the City Centre Airport open during the summer of 2010, so the race can be held.

Edmontonians at the 2009 Indy race at the City Centre Airport. (CBC) The future of the Edmonton Indy had been in question since councillors voted in July for a staged closure of the airport, with the east runway slated for permanent shutdown in April.

In the past, one of the two runways at the site was closed to accommodate the race track, but planes could still land and takeoff at the other.

Tying up the sole open runway for the race this July means the airport would have to shut down for a month to allow for setup and teardown of the event, making it hard for the race to continue.

The planned April shutdown of the east runway was also putting the fate of other events like Airfest, which takes place in June each year, into question.

'City saves money'

Tom Hendricks, the executive director of the Alberta Aviation Museum Association and Airfest organizer, asked council for the delay and he was happy councillors agreed.

"By delaying the closure of runway 16-34 until after these events, the city saves money, the Indy saves money, all the events run, [and] the businesses don't have to close," Hendricks said.

Since the 2010 Edmonton Indy is the last in the current three-year agreement between the city and the Indy Racing League, the temporary solution allows the city to meet its agreement obligations without having to construct a new track.

City manager Al Maurer said there are currently discussions about a longer term agreement with the Indy Racing League.

"If you entered into a longer term agreement, could it be relocated to another site in Edmonton? Could it be relocated on the airport? All of those things are going on," Maurer said.

A report outlining the future of the Indy and other summer events will be ready by the end of October, he said.