Brian Smith Steps Down as Chair
From an operational perspective, 2006 was a very good year! With over 137,000 passengers moving through the Airport, revenues reached an all time high, while expenditures for operations and facility maintenance were well contained. But that was only part of the story.
Early in the year, David Hunter, our Chief Executive Officer, left the Commission to pursue other interests. After a nation-wide search and competition, the Commission hired Mike Hooper as its new President and CEO. Mike had already served as the CVRD’s nominated director for a year, had exceptional qualifications, and was keen to assume the challenge. The Commission could not have made a better choice! Mike brought unusual vigour and skills to the position and has gained the complete confidence of the Board. We are fortunate to have him as CEO.
2006 was all about trees! By far the most difficult challenge that the Commission faced in 2006 was the removal of the trees that were encroaching into the protected approaches to our runway. A great deal of time and effort (not to mention money!) was spent in identifying the encroachments, negotiating with landowners and finally, removing the trees. The overall success of this project was in no small measure due to the leadership and organizational skills of the CEO and to the hard work done by Reg Brady, the Manager of Operations and Maintenance. The good news is that the runway can now be upgraded to allow non-precision approaches (thus affording better reliability). The not-so-good news is that the cost of the project (over two million dollars) has completely depleted the capital reserve that we had so carefully accumulated over the past several years.
Significant progress has also been made in the plans for an extension to the runway. The Commission completed its due diligence process this year and is presently working with consultants to prepare a business plan in support of funding to extend the runway 1600 feet. Based on extensive studies, the Commission is confident that the strong local demand for direct service to Calgary and Edmonton, coupled with a longer runway, will attract more carriers serving an expanded route structure. However, the final decision whether or not to proceed with this project will depend on the Commission’s ability to raise the necessary funds.
The Commission gained a new director in the fall when Mike MacDonald was nominated by the Cowichan Valley Regional District to replace Mike Hooper. Director MacDonald’s experience with government and public relations will be extremely valuable as we move forward with the expansion of the airport.
This will be my last “Message from the Chair”. I will be stepping down in March 2007 after eight years on the board, six of which were served as Chair. During these years I have had the pleasure of working closely with a dedicated and hard working group of Directors and staff who share a common vision of what the airport can become. I take this final opportunity to thank them for the support and encouragement they have given me. It has been an interesting challenge, one which Jerry Pink, the new Chair, will fully embrace.
And finally, I wish to acknowledge the continued support of our stakeholders– the City of Nanaimo, the Town of Ladysmith, the Regional Districts of Nanaimo and Cowichan Valley and the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce - who fully appreciate the economic benefits of a nearby airport that meets the growing needs of the communities they represent.
Brian L. Smith
Chair
Nanaimo Airport Commission