By Roy Wood, Special to the Times Chronicle

Ten years after its creation, the Osoyoos Airport Development Society (OADS) will take over operation of the local airstrip with visions of turning it into a bigger, better and more modern facility.

At a meeting early this week, Osoyoos council agreed to enter into a management agreement with OADS, under which the society becomes the operator of the airport.

According to a report to council from CAO Rod Risling, members of OADS have reviewed the agreement and agree with its terms.

OADS was formed in 2015 by a group of local businesspeople and aviation enthusiasts with a view to revitalizing and modernizing what was a modest rural airstrip, turning it into a driver for local business and tourism.

Wrote Risling: “The OADS has done a significant amount of volunteer work over the years and has improved the airport from an infrastructure perspective.

“Administration has also previously indicated that limited resources have been dedicated to the airport. Having a group manage the airport as well as filter potential development opportunities will reduce staff time that has been allocated to unsuccessful inquiries.

“The intent of the agreement is to also have dedicated volunteers ensure the airport remains safe, and meets federal regulations.”

Risling pointed out that the agreement is a “first attempt” and that there may be growing pains. For that reason, the initial agreement is limited to just one year.

While seconding a motion to approve the management agreement, Councillor Johnny Cheong said: “We … have to remember the spirit of this agreement is we don’t have the staff resources to manage an airport, especially one where there’s a group that is passionate about developing it. And OADS is our solution to supplementing that manpower.”

Council unanimously approved the motion.

Under the agreement, OADS agrees to:

  • Manage and operate the airport in a safe, efficient and responsible manner;
  • Ensure that the airport is open and available to the public or others as designated by the town;
  • Deal with required notices from federal or provincial governments or local authorities regarding airport operations and safety;
  • Develop appropriate safety protocols in cooperation with the town and the fire department;
  • Carry out and record daily, weekly and monthly inspections;
  • Hire and administer all necessary personnel;
  • Administer leases and collect rents, fees and other revenues; and
  • Meet with prospective hangar or aviation business owners and vet potential user groups.

Under the Public Communications section of the agreement, the OADS agrees to acknowledge in public communications that it is a contractor of the town in the running of the airport and avoid any public criticism of the town or its personnel.

For its part, the town agrees to perform certain maintenance services, including:

  • Replacing the windsock when necessary;
  • Snow removal;
  • Grass cutting;
  • Crack sealing and line painting of the runway; and
  • Weed removal, tree trimming and the like to minimize safety hazards.

In addition to taking on the day-to-day operation of the airport, OADS is the driving force behind an ambitious master plan.

Unveiled to council in May, the 10-year project envisages a major expansion, including several hangars, an expanded and paved taxiway, dozens of additional tie-downs, a 14,000-litre aviation fuel station and washrooms.

Such an expansion would have been but a dream to the local volunteers who worked together to build the airport in the early 1960s.

An Internet search reveals the Osoyoos airport officially opened in 1962 as a small general aviation airport with a 750 metre (2,460 foot) paved runway intended to support agriculture, tourism and emergency services in the South Okanagan.

Use of the facility remained moribund through the remainder of the 20th and into the 21st century. Some studies recommended closure or repurposing of the site.

Risling pointed out that council has been talking for many years about what to do with the airport. There have been proposals for developing businesses on the airport lands, “but none have come to fruition.”

There have also been discussions about closing the airport and converting the land to industrial use. However, he said, the “reverter clause” in the agreement with the province that gave the land to the town in the first place restricts the town’s ability to introduce such a change in use.

A couple years after the creation of OADS, the town funded a feasibility study on the future of the airport.

Then, in 2021, the town entered an Airport Project Management Agreement with OADS. It included a commitment to negotiate the management agreement that council approved on Tuesday.