By Lexi McFarlane, Times Chronicle
Drag racing is set to continue at the Osoyoos Airport for a 19th year, minus overnight camping and despite the continued development of the airport for air services, following the approval of a new lease by Council.
The terms of the new lease with the Wine Country Racing Association (WCRA) were presented at Tuesday’s Regular Council meeting, by Director of Community Services Gerald Davis.
The lease terms remained unchanged from 2025, and comes two months before the racing season begins. It follows a resolution approved by Council on February 24, to authorize the notice of leasing the airport to the WCRA.
The lease renewal comes as the WCRA’s future at the airport remains uncertain. As of 2027, according to current timelines, the WCRA would have to begin negotiating its leases with the Osoyoos Airport Development Society (OADS), and halfway through the OADS’s master plan for the airport, it is forecast that drag racing activities would no longer be able to be hosted there.
For this year specifically, WCRA’s focus was getting a lease approved to continue their racing events in 2026. Their schedule, already put in place, would see their first event of the year at the Airport take place on May 2 and 3. Other events take place on May 30 and 31, June 20 and 21, September 12 and 13, and October 3 and 4, with a volunteer appreciation event on October 10.
Town administration posted the intention to lease through various public notice methods but only one response from the public was received, affirming that the airport would still be used for airport purposes.
The unchanged terms of the lease include the Town reimbursing WCRA for removal of puncture vine, WCRA required to have “comprehensive general liability insurance of not less than five million dollars”, and WCRA being responsible for maintenance and cleanup.
There was no discussion initiated by Council, which unanimously approved the lease and its terms.
