YLW NEWS ICE PILOTS TRAIN IN THE OKANAGAN
It’s hard to confuse the Okanagan with the Great White North, especially as we get ready to enjoy what has been predicted as a warmer than average summer, but for the Easter weekend YLW was the training site for some of the favourite characters of the History Channel documentary series “Ice Pilots NWT”.
Chief pilot Justin Simlie brought his crew of CL215 pilots to Kelowna for water bombing practice. Originally planning to train in Red Deer, Alberta where ice was still covering the lakes, Simlie chose
Kelowna for its open water and beautiful landscape.
For those that haven’t seen the series, Ice Pilots NWT follows the adventures of renegade
Arctic
airline Buffalo Airways pilots, engineers and crew who put it all on the line flying vintage warplanes across the last frontier on Earth. Rookie pilots defy bone-chilling temperatures, blizzards and breakdowns to fly cargo and passengers, to northern communities cut off from the
The statue, which was carved from a two- ton block of limestone, was presented to the City of Kelowna on May 14, 2011 by The British Columbia Dragoons in honour of the Regiment’s centennial celebrations.
The British Columbia Dragoons is a Reserve Armoured Regiment based in the Okanagan Valley, BC which has a long, honoured past and plays an active role in today’s military. The Regiment has earned a total of 28 Battle Honours during the two World Wars and since then has continued to provide individual members for UN and NATO operations. The Regiment also played an important role in fighting the Okanagan Mountain Park Fire in 2003.
COMING HOME
Next time you arrive at YLW, pause to take a look at the latest addition to our public art collection as you come down the ramp from your aircraft to the Arrivals area. Depicting a scene that has been repeated in this airport as well as airports across the country, “Coming Home” is a statue of a solider embracing a child.
Frances Keifer Bezeau is a realistic Canadian artist who specializes in portraits with personality and has pieces on display across Canada. Bezeau, who until last year lived in the Okanagan before relocating to New Brunswick, works in all media, though her principal interest and major work is stone sculpture. “The military has always played a big role in my life,” explains Bezeau. “My father, my husband Vince, our two sons and now our grandson have served Canada through the military. So when Vince asked me, over four years ago, if I could think of
rest of the world during the long, harsh winter. Without such services, many of these communities would not receive essential food and other supplies for much of the year.
something to do for the 100th anniversary of the BC Dragoons I said I would think about it. I went to my drawing board, sat down, and thought of all the soldiers I had known in my life time. I decided then that I did not want to do a heroic stance for a soldier. I wanted to show the gentle, loving side of them that I knew.”
B.C. Dragoons Honourary Colonel Doug Walton says while the statue is for all, it will hold a special meaning for the B.C. Dragoons. “It’s absolutely superb and I think it’s the right thing. You’ll notice by the hat badge he’s a soldier from our Regiment,” says Walton. “Our Regiment has provided a number of augmentees to Afghanistan.” Walton says given the dangerous nature of operations in Afghanistan, our Regiment has been very fortunate to have only had one soldier wounded while serving there.
“The statue is a reminder of how precious the homecoming is. I don’t think there’s any better place for it.”
Kelowna International Airport was proudly chosen as the placement for display and Coming Home is listed in the City’s Public Art collection.
SUMMER 2011 | 27
Rick Montagnon
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