The Town of Okotoks is giving their say on the recent announcement and eventual closure of the Okotoks Airport.

Residents of the Air Ranch community and those using the airport were notified that they would have just 12 days to vacate the facility.

 

Concerned users of the airport and airport management stated their frustrations and reasons for the closing of it.

The main cause for the temporarily closure was safety violations discovered by Transport Canada including wildlife and construction hazards.  

Mayor Bill Robertson says the Town would like to have a closer look at the situation.

"If there are alleged potential safety concerns at the Okotoks airport then I believe the Town needs to be aware of those because it sits in the middle of our community and we need that information regarding that," he says.

Robertson says there's a rising concern by residents on the closure.

"There are a number of businesses that have been located at the Okotoks airport not necessarily in Air Ranch but moved into not just Air Ranch or other parts of Okotoks because there was an airport within our town for private plane usage."

Residents have asked for council to step in help in anyway they can, Robertson says they feel for the those who are affected by the closure but can't jump into the situation with both feet.

"If we're talking about an extensive expenditure of tax payer dollars that's not probably not going to happen. I can't speak for the rest of council but it is a private amenity and it seemed to be operating for a number of years quite well but apparently they've run into some hiccups so to speak and we're wondering what all of those are."

CFXO2 will voluntarily shut down for 180 days starting Monday at 6 p.m.

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