Oliver pilot Bill Michael takes off from the Oliver Aiport on the afternoon of Dec. 10. The Town of Oliver is hoping to develop a new vision for the airport and Osoyoos wants to get on board. Photo by Paul Everest – Click on picture for larger image
Town council makes it very clear no final decision has been made on future of airport
A developer from Abbotsford, who spends much of his time in Osoyoos, has made a proposal to the Town of Osoyoos to purchase and repurpose the land where the Osoyoos Airport now stands.
During the regular meeting of Town of Osoyoos council Monday afternoon, Mayor Sue McKortoff announced that council wanted to make public information discussed during an in-camera session held earlier that morning.
McKortoff then announced that John Mathews, the owner of Mathews Enterprises Inc. out of Abbotsford, would be very interested in purchasing land at the current airport site and starting up a business.
“A lot of people in town know about it already, so we thought we would make it public,” said McKortoff.
Mathews plans on retiring in Osoyoos and would love to expand his business to this area, she said.
“He’s interested in opening up a business in Osoyoos and would like to retire here,” she said. “The fact he wants to open a business in town is quite exciting.”
McKortoff made it clear that town council has not made any final decision on whether or not to close the Osoyoos Airport and repurpose the land to expand the town’s industrial base.
Members of the Osoyoos Airport Development Society made a presentation to town council two weeks ago urging them to keep the facility open and consider all options, including an upgrade and expansion of the airport to attract more airplane owners and charter flights.
The members of the society, which include local dentist Dr. Jason Bartsch, developer Glen Harris and Air Canada pilot Rob Rausch, have asked council to consider allowing them to volunteer their time to have a detailed business plan prepared to look at all options with Osoyoos Airport.
During his presentation to council, Rausch said the only reason the Osoyoos Airport isn’t busier is because of the lack of proper facilities.
A $1.5 million upgrade that would include runaway expansion, improved lighting and infrastructure improvements would allow Osoyoos Airport to expand its runway and attract a significant increase in charter flights, he said.
Society members argued strongly that any decision to permanently close the Osoyoos Airport would mean this community would lose its airport facility forever.
Coun. C. J. Rhodes said council is going to have to make some very important decisions relating to the Osoyoos Airport in the next several months.
He knows that a lot of people in the community have strong opinions about whether or not to close the airport and he would like to hear from as many of them as possible, said Rhodes.
“One of the things I really value in the decision-making process is input from our citizens,” said Rhodes. “If you have ideas about the airport, please get in touch with me.”
All of his contact information is available on the town’s website and he would be more than willing to talk about options for the airport with any local citizen moving forward, said Rhodes.
Town council announced late last year that it was strongly considering closing Osoyoos Airport and repurposing the land to increase åthe town’s industrial base.
Following the presentation by the Osoyoos Airport Development Society, council made it very clear no final decision has been made.
McKortoff said public hearings will be held before council makes any final decision on whether or not to close the facility or agree to an expansion plan.
The airport society assured council that any expansion plan would not involve local taxpayer dollars and the money needed would be generated from private investors and the sale of adjacent land near the airport.
McKortoff said council will have to make a final decision on the airport in the coming months and it’s not going to be an easy decision.
“We choose to deal with issues like this because they are easy, but we deal with them because they are difficult,” she said.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
