Town of Osoyoos council has thrown its support behind the local volunteer organization attempting to upgrade the Osoyoos Airport.
Rob Rausch, a founding member of the Osoyoos Airport Development Society (OADS), made a presentation to town council on Monday asking and receiving a letter of support for four separate applications the Society has made to being what members hope will be a massive upgrade of the airport property in Osoyoos.
The OADS applied several weeks ago for $30,000 in funding through the B.C. Rural Dividend Fund to create a master development plan for the Osoyoos Airport property.
On Monday, Rausch told council the OADS has until Dec. 16 to apply for funding for four separate projects through the BC Air Access Program (BCAAP).
This program provides capital cost-sharing contributions to airport infrastructure projects that will result in significant, incremental economic benefit, safety upgrades or the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure at community airports.
Guidelines stipulate that a separate application form must be completed for each project and each will be evaluated on an individual basis, said Rausch.
The four projects the OADS will be applying to receive funding for include:
– Upgrades to runway markings and general site cleanup.
– Installation of security perimeter fencing.
– Cleaning the airport apron and installing new tiedowns for aircraft.
– Funding for upgrades to the current runway.
The total amount of funding being applied for in the four grants is $210,000 and Society members have committed to providing $70,000, said Rausch.
Society members have accepted the town’s offer to make a presentation relating to future funding support as part of the 2017 budget process, he said.
In 2004, the Town of Osoyoos was successful in receiving funding from the British Columbia Infrastructure Canada Program to assist the community in paving the existing gravel runway.
The improvements to the airport were broken into phases and the first three phases are complete with close to $520,000 having been spent.
The security fencing is phase four.
Installing commercial grade perimeter fencing with automated entry gates would prevent unauthorized access to airport lands, thus providing security for visiting as well as resident aircraft.
The fencing will also assist in keeping roaming animals such as deer off the airstrip.
The tiedowns would provide safety and security for private aircraft owners. Currently, aircraft left at the airport are not secured from wind damage and owners are not willing to leave their aircraft unsecured on airport property.
There is approximately $8 million available through the BCAAP and applications from other small airports in Princeton, Nelson and Vanderhoof have been successful and the OADS is confident its current applications for funding will get a positive response, said Rausch.
“I don’t see us being unsuccessful,” he said.
Rausch mentioned the Society is also interested in exploring an option to extend the current runway to the south “as it could be paved very easily” and could then be used for larger aircraft like a medical helicopter to land.
However, Barry Romanko, the town’s chief administrative officer, told Rausch it was his understanding there has never been any discussion about possibly extending the current airport lands for development south of the existing site.
In the OADS application to the BCAAP, it’s stated “that an expanded/secured Osoyoos Airport would make an important contribution to the local economy.
“Tourism, agriculture, real estate industries would all benefit through the provision of services such as transportation of staff, visitors and clients and aerial surveys and photographs. In addition, general aviation airports are often home to aviation-related industries, including flight-training services, aircraft charter services and aircraft maintenance services.”
The application further states having an operating general aviation community airport results in direct impacts by the airport operator and the airport tenants and the value of the direct impacts is the total of all operating and capital expenditures made in the local community.
Indirect impacts may include spending on lodging, food and transportation and the level of indirect impacts depends on the utilization of the airport and consumer spending patterns.
Induced impacts include wages and salaries from direct and indirect activity and these wages are spent and re-spent in the community on food, clothing, housing and other local goods and services.
The Town of Osoyoos has development objectives for the community, which includes attracting tourism development, light industry and manufacturing enterprises to take advantage of the great climate, recreational activities, quality of life and transportation links, says the application.
“The development of the airport will service local recreational aviation with additional business opportunities and tourist traffic,” it says.
“As the industrial and business base of the community increase with development in the adjacent industrial park, it is expected there will be a corresponding increase in demand for a runway to handle more high performance single and light twin-engine corporate and chartered aircraft.
“Interest in this regard has been expressed by some of the potential purchasers of industrial lots and tourism development.
“One of the single largest economic opportunities that exist in leveraging the foregoing qualities of Osoyoos, that Destination Osoyoos markets our community on, will draw high income commuting workers and their families to this area.
“It is believed that families will put their roots down where they have access to. Currently that opportunity is being provided in Penticton and Kelowna. We want to provide those families the choice of Osoyoos to live.”
With the application deadline rapidly approaching, Romanko said he would draft the support letter ASAP.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
