Mayor wants airport fuel station

Powell River’s mayor wants aviation fuel to be sold at Powell River airport again.

At the Thursday, August 7, City of Powell River Council meeting, Mayor Dave Formosa said it was a real eye-opener for him when the Fraser Blues Formation Demonstration Team came to this community to perform during the Pacific Region International Summer Music Academy (PRISMA) Celebration of the Senses at Willingdon Beach in July.

“We had the airshow and it came my attention from Councillor [CaroleAnn] Leishman that the pilots wanted to come to Powell River a night or two early, practice here in Powell River, then head back,” Formosa said. “Subsequently, they couldn’t. They had to show up the day of the event. They then had to leave right after and stop at the Lower Sunshine Coast to get fuel to make it home.”

Formosa said the big issue for him is that Powell River airport does not have fuel, which is “a big no-no” in light of the work being done to spur on economic revitalization and resident attraction.

“How are you a city,” he added, “when you can’t put fuel in an airplane?”

The mayor thanked Leishman for the tip then looked into the logistics of having fuel sales at the airport. He spoke with senior city staff in the finance and economic development portfolios and met with the owners of the airport’s dormant fuel station on the issue.

“I reiterated that as much as I’d like to see us make a profit, even if we can’t make a profit, we need to have fuel available,” Formosa said. “I would like to direct council to direct staff to do a report to get fuel back at the airport.”

Formosa said the chief financial officer knows what needs to be done but he thinks he requires formal direction from councillors.

Council then directed staff to proceed with working on the airport fuel issue.

“We still get planes landing at the airport and people walking around going ‘Where’s the fuel?’” Formosa said.

He said the worst part of the current situation is that pilots do not come to Powell River.

“I heard on Savary Island about people who were interested in leaving West Vancouver and moving to Powell River, but you’ve got to get here to fall in love with it,” Formosa said. “We’ve got enough problems with BC Ferries. We don’t need to create more at the airport.”