The City of Kelowna will name a future road connecting Kelowna International Airport (YLW) and Rutland after a man who contributed so much to both the airport and Rutland over the years.
It will be called Al Horning Way, after the former city councillor, MLA and MP, who Mayor Tom Dyas called “the epitome of a community building.”
“Serving his community in many ways – from Parliament Hill to the ball diamonds of Rutland – Al has spent his entire life working to improve his neighbourhood and his city,” Dyas noted.
The road, which is part of Kelowna's 2040 Official Community Plan, will provide secondary access to YLW from Rutland, where the Horning family has called home for decades.
Horning’s long-term impact on YLW was cemented in 1990 when he successfully lobbied for federal approval and funds to extend the airport’s runway 7,300 feet from 5,300 feet, making it the longest in the Interior.
“Al was a tremendous supporter of the airport and one of those political leaders who did not take no for an answer,” said Airport Director Sam Samaddar.
“WestJet started service in Kelowna in 1996 because of that longer runway, which resulted in phenomenal passenger growth and put YLW on the trajectory to becoming the 10th busiest airport in the country.”
When not working, Horning was a valued member of the local snowmobile and baseball communities and was inducted into the Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.
A graduate of Rutland Secondary School and the University of British Columbia, Horning served the Central Okanagan at three levels of politics before retiring in 2009.
If you get value from KelownaNow and believe local independent media is important to our community we ask that you please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter.
If you appreciate what we do, we ask that you consider supporting our local independent news platform.
