Former Mayor Walter Gray says one of the most pivotal efforts by any Kelowna council came long before his time. It was back in the 1940's when a vote to purchase the airport land was decided by a mere six votes.
446 votes to 440 and Kelowna could go ahead and purchase 320 acres of farmland for $20 thousand for what would initially be referred to as Ellison Field. "It was almost as close as a Peachland Mayoral election," joked Gray. The purchase was made in 1946. The airport opened the following year.
The runway got 5,350 feet of pavement in 1960 at a cost of $321,054.
But it was that purchase in 1946 that was the most important moment in time. "If we had not got that airport, Kelowna would not be what it is today," said Gray.
Gray also recalls with glee how his own council got around Ottawa's reluctance to have it called an international airport. He remembers asking the airport manager at the time, Roger Sellick, "What would prevent us from putting a sign up there saying 'Welcome to Kelowna International Airport'? And he said 'Nothing'. And I said 'Let's do it!' And we did."
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