From Penticton Herald – link to source story
DALE BOYD/Local Journalist Initiative
The Osoyoos Airport is getting some upgrades with the help of an economic recovery grant from the province.
Osoyoos Airport Development Society announced $524,174 in funding with support from the Town of Osoyoos, Osoyoos Indian Band, Destination Osoyoos and the RDOS through the Province of B.C.’s Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program.
The upgrades follow development spanning 30 years at the airport, with over $600,000 invested in the facility thus far.
The grant will fund six projects that were identified in the 2018 Osoyoos Airport: Strategic Plan and Opportunity Assessment including a 300-foot extension to the southern end of the runway to provide a “balanced-field length” as required by Transport Canada for aircraft that provide charter flights. The airport, which provides a space for the local model plane club and a space for drag racing events in non-COVID years, does see some small aircraft coming through. However, with the new grant funding, planes will be able to take advantage of a fuel tank and tie downs to keep aircraft at the facility overnight.
Other airport projects funded by the provincial recovery grant include an apron expansion to enable aircraft to have an area to park, which will allow for larger aircraft and more than one aircraft at a time; aircraft tie-downs; a parallel taxiway which will allow aircraft to position for takeoff without backtracking; completion of the perimeter fencing and the installation of a fuel tank.
The Times-Chronicle