Support sought for airport authority

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 6, 10 July 1984, Page 12

Support sought for airport authority

The possibility of establishing an Airport Authority in the Waimarino is to be taken up by the Raetihi Borough Council. The site for the proposed airport is understood to be the existing Ward's airstrip on Raetihi's Valley Road about 5kms north of the town on SH4. This existing airstrip, which is used mainly by topdressing and private aircraft as well as a gliding club, has a coriipressed metal runway which would have to be i eplaced with an all-weather bitumen runway before it could be rated for commercial flights. It would also have to be provided with a beacon and other improvements made

in order to become an airport. At the Raetihi Borough Council meeting last month, Mayor Garrick Workman, said that with the potential development of tourism in the area at Pipiriki, the new Wanganui River National Park and the skifields on Mount Ruapehu, the time was ripe for a local airport. Mayor Bill Taylor, who was attending the Raetihi Borough Council meeting to present his views on the Wanganui United Council, said he thought this was a prime example of where the Wanganui United Council should get involved as part of their brief to promote regional planning.

Cr Andrew Cornwall warned councillors that no approach should be made until a unanimous agreement had been prepared by all local authorities and interested parties before any formal approach was made to the Airport Authority. "Unless it was a unanimous decision there would be little chance of its success as the

Authority would tend to exploit any differences so that the decision could be delayed." It was agreed that a meeting be called between the Raetihi Borough Council, the Ohakune Borough Council and the Waimarino County Council in early August to discuss the project.