A presentation at Tuesday’s council meeting offered a rosy picture of the future of the Vernon Regional Airport.From the economic impact of more than $14 million to the more than 100 jobs at the airport on the surface everything seems to be operating effectively. However, Ian Hawes of the airport corporation says the runway needs to be extended to ensure it stays viable and therein lies the problem. The estimated cost for stretching the tarmac to 4,000 feet tops out at $4
million. (Not including additional money to cover the rising cost of construction.) This proposal is just the latest in a series of big ticket ventures that passed through city hall in the past year. Among them are multi-million dollar plans to expand the museum, library and art gallery. Coming soon are proposals for potential affordable housing projects, as well as projects to upgrade or alter Polson Park along with the construction of more athletic facilities at an undetermined location. With all of these multi-million dollar projects floating around that the city can’t afford it’s hard to see where the airport might fit in. But I think there is one project I am forgetting. Right, the $103 million Greater Vernon master water plan. The plan that is designed to bring clean, clear drinking water to all Greater Vernon Water customers by 2015 is continuing apace fueled by $13 million in loans. So far just $4.5 million in grants has been squeezed from the more senior levels of government with phase one now expected to cost $42.9 million (up from $35 million). Given the expected rising costs of construction over the next decade, Greater Vernon is on tap to spend millions just to complete the water infrastructure upgrades along. So how does the airport corporation propose to raise money seeing as how local coffers are being poured into the water system? According to Hayes the corporation has already applied for some provincial grants. In other words they’ve applied for money to the same level of bureaucracy from which barely a trickle has gone to the master water plan leaving Vernon taxpayers carrying a major tax burden for years. If the airport can attract some grants from the province I say good luck to them. On the other hand the extending the runway and building a terminal for Vernon’s resort-bound visitors is just the kind of high profile project that leaves the provincial government weak at the knees. Recent months have seen major spending on the Olympics and related projects, convention centres, athletic centres and other tourism related ventures. Essentially, the funding falls on any spot where the government can plunk another “Best Place on Earth” placard. I don’t see one of those signs appearing at Duteau Creek anytime soon. If local government has any say in the matter let’s hope they focus on providing all citizens with water before they worry about making sure CEOs and tourists can land in their Learjets.
million. (Not including additional money to cover the rising cost of construction.) This proposal is just the latest in a series of big ticket ventures that passed through city hall in the past year. Among them are multi-million dollar plans to expand the museum, library and art gallery. Coming soon are proposals for potential affordable housing projects, as well as projects to upgrade or alter Polson Park along with the construction of more athletic facilities at an undetermined location. With all of these multi-million dollar projects floating around that the city can’t afford it’s hard to see where the airport might fit in. But I think there is one project I am forgetting. Right, the $103 million Greater Vernon master water plan. The plan that is designed to bring clean, clear drinking water to all Greater Vernon Water customers by 2015 is continuing apace fueled by $13 million in loans. So far just $4.5 million in grants has been squeezed from the more senior levels of government with phase one now expected to cost $42.9 million (up from $35 million). Given the expected rising costs of construction over the next decade, Greater Vernon is on tap to spend millions just to complete the water infrastructure upgrades along. So how does the airport corporation propose to raise money seeing as how local coffers are being poured into the water system? According to Hayes the corporation has already applied for some provincial grants. In other words they’ve applied for money to the same level of bureaucracy from which barely a trickle has gone to the master water plan leaving Vernon taxpayers carrying a major tax burden for years. If the airport can attract some grants from the province I say good luck to them. On the other hand the extending the runway and building a terminal for Vernon’s resort-bound visitors is just the kind of high profile project that leaves the provincial government weak at the knees. Recent months have seen major spending on the Olympics and related projects, convention centres, athletic centres and other tourism related ventures. Essentially, the funding falls on any spot where the government can plunk another “Best Place on Earth” placard. I don’t see one of those signs appearing at Duteau Creek anytime soon. If local government has any say in the matter let’s hope they focus on providing all citizens with water before they worry about making sure CEOs and tourists can land in their Learjets.
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