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Sechelt unveils plans, new name for airport

OPEN HOUSE
Airport sign
Sechelt Coun. Chris Moore, left, and Mayor John Henderson unveil a sign with the new name for the airport during a community open house last Saturday, Sept. 13.

About 150 guests gathered at the Sechelt airport on Saturday, Sept. 13, to hear about plans for its expansion, what it will cost and why council is in favour of the move.

Mayor John Henderson began by talking about what’s available now at the airport at the top of Field Road in Wilson Creek.

He pointed to individuals and companies leasing land for use at the site and the fixed wing and helicopter charter flights as pluses for the small airport with a runway of 800 metres.

“Of course the key component that’s missing is we have no scheduled flights, and unfortunately this is something that requires us to spend some money and make an investment in the future of Sechelt,” Henderson said.

“Simply put, we do not have the infrastructure that we need to promote the prosperity and well being of Sechelt.”

The District is proposing three daily scheduled flights of medium-sized aircrafts like Dash-8s, which can seat about 40 passengers, to serve the Coast. In order for larger planes to land, however, the airport needs a runway extension to 1,225 metres, upgraded lighting and tower capabilities and much more security at the site, as laid out in the new Transport Canada guidelines.

The cost for those changes “rounds up to $12 million” according to Sechelt councillor and airport development advisory committee chair Chris Moore, who proposed the federal and provincial governments would each pay a third, leaving Sechelt to come up with $4 million for the upgrades.

“But how do we get $4 million? The sad news is I can’t tell you. I wish I could, but it’s still locked up in the vault and it will be coming out shortly. This is an in-camera discussion that we’ve had at the municipal level,” Moore said.

“But what we can do is we can generate $4 million and I can promise you it’s not coming from the coffers of the municipality. We have a plan that this airport can fund itself.”

The District of Sechelt has spent more than $100,000 to date on reports and studies to show the validity of Sechelt’s plans for expansion.

Moore said two major benefits to Sechelt highlighted in those reports are increased tourism and more local jobs.

“What would an airport of this level generate to the bottom line of the District and the whole Sunshine Coast? It is significant. When you read the reports, which are online, just in the tourist industry alone, you’re talking 85 new jobs minimally, just in the tourist industry. You’re talking 6,000 more tourists per year on the Coast, buying something, looking around. Who doesn’t like that? I do,” Moore said.

Guest speakers Tim Cole of the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association and Barry Lapointe, president and CEO of Kelowna Flightcraft, spoke about the importance of municipal airports with Lapointe noting there’s money to be made if an airport is set up properly.

“There’s a tremendous financial impact to any community that has a successful airport,” Lapointe said.

Henderson said the airport had great potential to grow and that the growth could happen with the continued use of the runway for the Sunshine Coast drag races a few times a year.

“You’ve heard today from a few people about the potential that the airport has. I think we very much agree with Barry that the opportunity is here if we want it. The airport development advisory committee and the council certainly embrace that,” Henderson said.

“We’re convinced that this is the right thing for Sechelt and it’s the way to build Sechelt and make it even more prosperous.”

At the conclusion of the event, Moore and Henderson unveiled a new name for Sechelt’s  airport in an effort to signify that it will “benefit everyone” in the future. It’s now named Sunshine Coast Regional Airport.