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AND STRATEGIC PARTNERS VIBRANT HISTORY
for better service, the Department of Transport helped gravel the airstrip and pave the parking lot and aircraft parking apron in 1957. The next year Canadian Pacific Airlines introduced daily, scheduled DC-3 service from Kelowna to Vancouver which enabled the City to negotiate with the federal government for a longer, paved airstrip. The City bought the land needed for expansion and in 1960, extended and paved the runway to 5,350 feet and expanded the taxiway and apron. The $312,000 upgrade was spearheaded by Kelowna’s Mayor at the time, Dick Parkinson, an avid supporter of aviation and its economic benefits to the Okanagan.
How to continue to provide investment in airport upgrades and expansion became a key issue for local politicians and decision makers. A major turning point came in 1960 when the federal government offered to make ongoing funding available to Kelowna Airport in exchange for transfer of the land it was on for $1. The City of Kelowna retained its right to continue the long-term management of the airport.
The airport was endorsed for night flying in 1963 and aircraft and passenger traffic continued to build. Once again business leaders of the day were successful in attracting funding for expansion and a new air terminal building was officially opened at the south end of the runway in 1968.
Although CP Air’s flights to Vancouver had ceased to operate, in 1969 primary routes connecting Kelowna, Vancouver and Calgary were reopened through service by Pacific Western Airlines using B-737 and Convair 640 aircraft. The 70s were marked by the introduction of an air traffic control tower and an on-site weather office. In an effort to ensure the facility has consistently met the demands of the travelling public, upgrades and expansion to the airport have been ongoing for the past 40 years.
“Many strategic partners and visionaries have played a role in the history and growth of Kelowna Airport, from the businesses that have located on airport property, to the airlines themselves and successive City Councils”, says Kelowna Mayor Sharon Shepherd, Chair of the Airport Advisory Committee. The Airport Advisory Committee, established to ensure participation from local business and community stakeholders within the region served by the airport, have provided strategic direction in shaping the future of the airport. Committee members include representatives from Peachland, Vernon and Salmon Arm, regional business and tourism organizations, Westbank First Nation and the general public.
“This has provided a strong foundation for future growth that will continue to provide tremendous economic benefits to our City, our region and our province.”
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