Dear Editor:

I concur with former Mayor Stu Wells that the decision regarding the future of the Osoyoos Airport should be determined by a referendum.

As to the cost of the town – make that local taxpayers – paying half of the costs for a professionally prepared business plan, it is my suggestion that the town utilize funds from the Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) fund to cover the requested $15,000 from the town.

The RMI fund came about as a result of the longstanding “bed tax” now being collected by the hotels and motels in our community.

The fund started initially as matching dollar for dollar revenue generated from the bed-tax and has evolved into a application for grants process.

As pointed out, the RMI fund has greatly benefitted a number of tourist-related projects in our community over the past several years.

These include the off-street boat trailer park on South Main, the purchase of a beach cleaning machine and wonderful improvements to the town marina and Gyro Park.

Some would argue that the Osoyoos Airport does not qualify as a tourist-related project. In its present state, I would have to agree.

The best analogy I can think of, in regards to the airport, is that if you had a football-sized cow pasture and were expecting the B.C. Lions to come and play on it, you would be waiting a long time.

The proposed professional business development study would shed some light on what, if any, potential the Osoyoos Airport has as a tourism and or economic generator.

The provincial government has designated some 14 municipalities in the province to participate in receiving RMI funding.

The primary reason being that those communities derive most of their economic activity from tourism. Osoyoos is a good example of that.

We cannot elude the basic fact that, in spite of years of effort and expense, the development attracted to our community is primarily tourism based.

Watermark Beach Resort, Spirit Ridge Vineyard Spa and Resort and Walnut Beach Resort are prime examples of that.

There is nothing wrong with being a tourism-based community. Indeed we are the envy of many.

As Wells points out, the decision on the future of the Osoyoos Airport is too important to be guided by anything other than a referendum. Thank you for allowing me to express my views.

Derek Noske

Osoyoos, B.C.