LINDSAY -- If the
financial picture continues to develop, the municipal airport will
actually be in the black for the first time in many years.
That
was the news shared with City council during a special meeting on
Thursday (June 26) by Carolyn Daynes, deputy treasurer and manager of
accounting for corporate services,
Ms Daynes said the airport was
actually making money during the latter part of 2013 - much in part due
to a considerable increase in fuel sales courtesy of the installation
of a state of the art self-service card-lock dispensing unit that
provides both LL100 and JETA-1 fuel - but was hit hard by unexpectedly
high amounts of snowfall. As a result, the airport ended 2013 with a
$2,671 deficit.
“We were actually budgeting for a surplus in
2014,” said Ms Daynes, noting the airport has rebounded and is already
seeing an operating profit of roughly $10,000.
Ms Daynes added
parking and facility rentals have increased dramatically in the past two
years increasing from $19,199 and $36,854 for parking and rents in 2011
to $27,950 and $78,063 for the same in 2013. Parking revenue for this
year has been estimated at $30,000 with $109,000 projected for facility
rental.
“There’s a definite demand out there,” said Ms Daynes,
attributing part of the airports growing success to investments made by
the City for such 2013/2014 capital projects as rehabilitating the main
apron, paving the south hangar parking lot and constructing new apron
parking and new accessible washrooms.
The Airport Restaurant also
underwent major renovations and, recently, the City committed $626,000
to an airport hangar expansion project, scheduled to begin in July with
completion slated for early fall.
In response to Ward 14 Coun.
Ron Ashmore query on the impact of a proposed provincial fuel hike -
four cents per litre phased in over four years - airport board member
and Ward 5 Coun. Steve Strangway said airport manager Tom Savage is
continually in contact with other airports in order to ensure the local
service remains competitive. Fellow member, Ward 9 Coun. Andy Luff added
the closure of Buttonville Airport will result in an increase in
traffic here.
Story and photo: http://www.mykawartha.com
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