Mayor Chris Peabody,
Friends of the Saugeen Municipal Airport and COPA 54 (Canadian Owners and Pilots Association Flight 54) members are seeking clarity on the position of Brockton council regarding the Saugeen Municipal Airport. Most of our membership are taxpayers in the Municipality of Brockton; some own hangars and some own other properties in your municipality.
Comparing a public airport to a private gun club or hockey team is ridiculous. I do not ever recall a medevac flight coming or going to a hockey game or to our local gun club. I have, however, seen lots of them at the airport. Any municipal airport serves as vital infrastructure to a community that is trying to keep its citizens safe. Remember, if you will, the important role of the airport during the Walkerton Water Crisis. Does critical infrastructure cost money? Of course It does. We all expect to pay our share of taxes to support roads and bridges, as well as recreation centres and libraries, etc.
Any municipal council should be looking forward to a growing and prosperous future. We are certain that a viable airport is crucial to our regional growth and prosperity. We do not wish our council to squander the opportunity it has to support our airport. It will be almost impossible for a future council to establish an airport to correct a short-sighted decision made today.
In the spirit of working together to improve our community, we ask that you attend our regular monthly meeting on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 9:30 a.m. to answer questions that we may have and to work co-operatively going forward. We are planning for you to make a presentation to us followed by a short question and answer session. We will place this on our agenda for the meeting.
Please confirm that you will be able to attend on Feb. 10. If not, we can accommodate any other time before or shortly after that date that better fits your schedule.
Best regards,
Friends of the Saugeen Municipal Airport
President Jack Zeinstra
Editor’s Note: Mayor Chris Peabody was contacted for comment, and said he has a previous commitment on Feb. 10. He’ll be representing Bruce County at the Chinese New Year’s celebration at the Grey Roots Museum in Owen Sound. He also said the letter will be included in the agenda of the next meeting of Brockton council on Feb. 6.
