Dear Editor:
This is an open letter to Town of Osoyoos Mayor Sue McKortoff, councillors C.J Rhodes, Carol Youngberg, Jim King and Mike Campol as well as the town’s chief administrative officer Barry Romanko.
What a disappointment it has been to hear that our town council is considering discontinuing the use of our airport in Osoyoos.
This seems like a very short-term decision.
If this land is developed for other purposes, it effectively makes it impossible for Osoyoos to ever have a commuter airstrip in the future.
The airstrip we have now has served us well for years for things like medical emergencies, for residents who work out of town and to bring tourists to enjoy our beautiful beaches, fruit and wine industries.
It has also helped serve the whole hospitality industry, which is a huge part of our town’s employment and income. The airport does not need a lot of money spent on it to keep it as it is for many more years.
But the smart plan would be to keep the space available for larger air-service as our town grows.
I sincerely hope council will reconsider its decision.
As for the need for industrial development lots, the present industrial park still has space available. There are at least six spaces (buildings and/or lots) that can be rented or purchased, plus a few more that can be redeveloped.
Also, the town has an area of commercial/industrial property on the east side of town that is under-utilized or vacant.
These properties front on Hwy. 3 East and Lakeshore Drive.
Also the airport land is large enough to accommodate airport-related industrial lots to compliment the airport.
With this amount of industrial/commercial development space readily available, it seems counter-productive to eliminate the airport, which is a great asset for our town.
For the future of our town, please re-consider your plan to eliminate our airport.
Virginia Cook
Osoyoos, B.C.
