By RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff Jul 08 2007 Vernon Morningstar
There is some interest among regional politicians in taking on airport activities, just not the existing one in Vernon. On Wednesday, the North Okanagan Regional District board turned down a request from the City of Vernon not to take on the city-owned airport as a function. “We should look at a regional facility but the physical location of the (current) airport is restricting for expansion,” said director Rick Fairbairn. The board, though, did indicate that it will continue to consider future potential sites for a regional airport in conjunction with future industrial land use strategies.
Director Wayne Lippert, who is Vernon’s mayor, made a pitch for the regional district to become involved. “The airport serves a lot of businesses that aren’t in the city,” he said. “We don’t have a problem with hanging on to it but it serves the region.” Lippert pointed out that no other sites are currently being sought for the airport. Pressure also came from director Patrick Nicol, who sits on Vernon council. “The regional district should have some consideration, given economic development,” he said. The airport used to be part of NORD’s mandate but the City of Vernon took it over in the 1990s.
---------------------------
Don Quixote Note:
I wonder how the Airport lands at present are treated under our upcoming OCP and if any other lands are being contemplated and planned for in a long term Airport strategy? Is it possible that industrial lands might one day be located on our present Airport Site. What is the long term vision of our long term planner? Was this the purpose of Community Services Minister Ida Chong and Mayor Lippert's helicopter ride on Thursday; were they mapping out a new place to land ?
No comments:
Post a Comment