CFN – With talks about the expansion of the Cornwall Regional Airport failing again maybe it’s time to start to consider some new ideas and think outside of the box?
The airport, located in South Glengarry clearly does not serve the goals and economic development needs of the City of Cornwall if it is hoped to attract industry and business to the area.
For nearly a decade now our MP has failed to deliver expansion while local politicians fiddle their thumbs and raise municipal taxes.
Perhaps the solution would be to look for a whole new parcel of land and create a new airport within Cornwall boundaries? The City recently purchased 270 acres to expand the Industrial Park; why not a few more for an airport?
According to reports the current airport expects the City to cough up 85% of the costs of upgrading the runway and building new facilities; why not just up the budget and put the whole project on City land?
What do you think viewers of CFN? You can post your comments below.
If an airport was feasible (potentially profitable), the private sector would have been engaging itself towards achieving such a goal.
Darcy that’s kinda retarded. If profit were the only factor we’d have no streets; no sewage, no public transport….
Perhaps what we really need is a helipad at the CN Station parking lot to fly people to Montreal or Kingston to catch the train. 🙂
Jamie
As the father of a learning disabled son wish you would change the fourth word in your story
pls
LOL LOL. ROLF! Jamie you are a lot of fun and would be great at a party about this thing with making an airport for Cornwall when Cornwall cannot fix its electric wires, signs, streets, water, sewer, and I can go on and on. So many people are unemployed and need jobs desperately and not only that but there is no bus system that goes out like the Voyageur or any other like before and the train system is the pits as well and you are talking about an airport. I can’t help but laugh my head off here about an airport in Cornwall. If that doesn’t beat all. LOL LOL. That is a good joke Jamie.
We have several private air landing strips in Eastern Ontario and South-western Western. There is a landing strip near the lock at Iroquois, at the golf course at Morrisburg, at St Lazare QUE and at Les Cedres (between the CN Rail line and Hwy 40). As well, there is provision for float planes along the Ottawa River and St Lawrence River.
Toronto has made provision for float planes that fly in from the Muskoka area. The low density of boat traffic along the eastern area of Cornwall’s waterfront between the city’s eastern boundary and St Lawrence College would allow for float planes to touch down and also to take off. They could taxi into and out of the Cornwall Marina . . . or into the little inlet near the RCAF building.
Float planes could fly between Cornwall and numerous other locations that include Toronto harbour.
Kingston (pop 117,000) has Norman Rogers airport with a subsidiary of Air Canada providing service.
If there is any prospect of a 35-seat aircraft carrying enough passengers to/from Toronto, attracting people from SW Quebec, federal politics will ensure that it will fly from an airport located on the Quebec side . . . with St Lazare being the prime candidate.
You may want to re-think your reply to Darcy Neal..
We get so caught up in political correctness and being sure everyone gets a ribbon for participation that it takes away from the argument some days…..my comment here for example is retarded -meant to delay the development of this thread.
re·tard [ri-tahrd, for 1–3, 5; ree-tahrd for 4] Show IPA
verb (used with object)
1.
to make slow; delay the development or progress of (an action, process, etc.); hinder or impede.
verb (used without object)
2.
to be delayed.
noun
3.
a slowing down, diminution, or hindrance, as in a machine.
4.
Slang: Disparaging.
a.
a mentally retarded person.
b.
a person who is stupid, obtuse, or ineffective in some way: a hopeless social retard.
5.
Automotive, Machinery . an adjustment made in the setting of the distributor of an internal-combustion engine so that the spark for ignition in each cylinder is generated later in the cycle.
Compare advance.
Origin:
1480–90; < Latin retardāre to delay, protract, equivalent to re- re- + tardāre to loiter, be slow, derivative of tardus slow; see tardy
The airport in South Glengarry is more than enough. It is rather close. A bus could be organized. With minimal expansion it could take bigger planes coming in. Let’s face it, Cornwall will never attract the likes of the big jetliners. Air Ontario, or something is about all that would potentially be needed around here. The airport in Massena could be of issue to use for people that have criminal records attempting to cross the border.
Let’s use the resources that we have available at a minimal of cost. Right now I am in agreement with the airport. If Cornwall wants to expand the local airport to be able to bring in bigger planes, then they should foot a good part of the expansion bill. The airport as is operates perfectly fine for the amount of traffic that comes into it. Why should they pay the bill to expand to bring in bigger planes? and why should Cornwall pay millions more than expansion costs in order to build another airport? It doesn’t make sense to do that.
As others have mentioned, there are plenty of other little airports around. That one in Quebec on the 401/20 is scary to use, full of holes, etc. It is hardly kept up well. That little airport near Summerstown is actually very well kept. Used it many times. And they have the area to be able to expand around it at a minimal of cost.
The airport in Iroquois, is only a grass landing strip, there are a few others too, even one near Alexandria. But those are mostly just for little planes, and mostly used for special weekends and little shows. Again, to put millions into putting a tarmac there would be needlessly wasted money when the Summerstown airport is much closer and already has a small tarmac.
Many years ago, a small carrier known as Pem-Air offered flights between Cornwall/Brockville and Toronto Island airport. Patronage was low and the service closed down.
There have in recent years, been new developments in STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft, including a technology from the UK that includes rollers on the top side of the wing . . . it gives the craft extreme STOL capability. Transport Canada personnel are well aware of these developments . . . which is probably why they’re holding off re providing funding to extend the runway at Cornwall Regional Airport.
There are also advances occurring in Wing-in-Ground effect craft that ride about 0.5-metres above a water surface. Some models could operate between the Long Sault marina and Toronto marina . . . and they can ‘fly’ at speeds of up to 200-km/hr. If the Iroquois locks remain open, the craft could operate a Toronto – Long Sault service a few times per week.
Perhaps area politicians may have to plan for the day when Cornwall Regional airport gets sold to the private sector.
Perhaps there may be the possibility that a Mohawk entrepreneur may be willing to consider a private airstrip on Cornwall Island, east of the international bridge.
Jamie I can honestly tell you that I haven’t stopped laughing since I read that and the first thing that came to my mind was that maybe Bare Ass poured an extra dose or two of fluoride down your tap water. LOL LOL. ROLF! Or maybe you were dipping your beak into the good stuff or smoking the funny cigarettes or something. That made me have the giggles and couldn’t get over it. Even the regular bus system in Cornwall is for the pits let alone no more Voyageur, no more regular train service and now you would like to see an airport for whom? I can’t get over this at all – it is too funny.
So, why is all the hate going towards South Glengarry these days? First Cornwall won’t expand the water now complaining about the airport. Not impressed. I don’t really think people in Cornwall will want planes flying any lower over head.The airport is where it is for a reason.
Can the regional airport become feasible serving private airplane owners? The idea of the airport attracting business executives has been around for decades. Due to the prevailing business environment, most big corporate businesses have sold off their executive jets and their top management now flies on commercial carriers.
Very few business jets landing at the regional airport.
Given the river is outside of municipal jurisdiction, I would suggest a meeting with an owner of a float plane . . . . and invite the owner to do a business plan about providing service to and from Cornwall’s waterfront. If council chooses to be disagreeable, no problem . . .a little marina along the north side of Cornwall Island near the international bridge would be fine.
With a float plane, the operator would save on landing fees and the ‘runway’ will never have holes. The could offer waterfront to waterfront service between Cornwall and many other destinations.
Good grief an airport now… It is bad enough the noise of the train at night so bad that cannot sleep with windows open..
Many years ago, the provincial government proposed to built a Highway 438 between Highways 401 and 417. The north end of Brookdale Avenue was supposed to be the southern end of Hwy 438 . . . it was supposed to pass to the west of St Andrews West and merge into the Hwy 138 right-of-way to the north of Bonville.
Except that at the time, there was serious discord between Cornwall City Council and the Council of Cornwall Township, that vetoed Hwy 438 passing through their jurisdiction . . . . they quite literally gave the upward pointed middle finger salute. There is long history to discord between the city and the townships.
Some of the nastiness began during the late 1950’s when Cornwall City Council initiated action to annex part of Cornwall Township. At the time, the major employers such as Courtaulds, the paper mill and the docks were all located inside Cornwall township . . and NOT inside the city. While many people lived in the city at the time, the best jobs were located immediately outside the city limits.
The population of Cornwall has barely changed since 1970 . . . except that the size of the city administration has tripled . . . the result of city council giving high ranking administration people too much latitude to increase staff. Instead of saying “NO”, council members invariably approve of increases to expenditures suggested by administration.
Prevailing economic conditions across Ontario, across Canada, across North America and most of the world requires that governments at all levels curtail expenditures. The City of Detroit, once America’s leading industrial city, has declared bankruptcy . . . and many other cities are quite literally on the fiscal brink. I am of the view that Cornwall City Council will cut back on nothing . . . brutal economic conditions will have to do it for them . . . and it may be ugly.
When economic conditions compel cost-cutting inside Cornwall, the regional airport may become history . . . . and that means float planes as the alternative.
Different newspaper..same old error prone columns
OOOOOOOPS…DIDN”T that guy in the flashy trashy suit at the John Wensink roast last night…look a lot like don cherry?????
MAC’S MUSINGS: Star-studded NHL night to benefit treatment centre
Published on September 05, 2013
Of course, the icing on the cake for the night would have been Cherry but he doesn’t make public appearances these days, not even in his hometown of Kingston, but even without the legendary Grapes on hand, it’s an all-star lineup.
Mr. Valentine you are absolutely right in what you wrote in your last blog and yes Detroit was the prime manufacturing area of the US and it is now bankrupt. Even California is bankrupt and people are moving out of that state as well as others.
Like what Mr. Finnerty once said on a video that CFN has is that Cornwall has not grown since 1956 since he came to Cornwall and the only difference is that the corruption and theft is a great deal worse than ever before. All the jobs are given towards “patronage” and who is who and everyone else is left behind. There are no cuts in Cornwall’s corrupt and ridiculous management but instead for a very tiny town that should be no more than 5 councellors they are 10 and sucking the life out of the town and they have no vision at all whatsoever.
Jane Doe spoke about the noise of the train at night and where I live it is the noise of the traffic day and night here in Ottawa. We have the big jumbo aircraft but we only hear it sometimes since the noise mostly is in the west end of the city for air traffic. Cornwall is not big enough to have an airport whatsoever and whatever the surrounding areas have is more than enough for Cornwall. There is no more Voyageur, no more real train service like before and all that died so who would want more and more taxes thrown on to themselves by bringing in things that they cannot handle. Kingston is not Cornwall by any chance at all and if Cornwall were like Kingston it would have improved but instead Cornwall went backwards. Industries and captains of industries went overseas and are not coming back at all or not for a mighty long time to come. Do something to Cornwall to attract businesses and high taxes make businesses go elsewhere. Cornwall is way too small and too many taxes that are choking the lifeblood out of the people as it stands.
Aeroplanes were only a very minor part of intercity public transport services between Cornwall and other cities. Buses and trains carried far more riders. Delaney is providing good commuter service for people who live in Cornwall and work in Ottawa. They have made provision in the form of electrical plugs so that people can open their laptops and actually do some work on their computers as they commute to and from work. There is some possibility of Delaney expanding their Cornwall – Ottawa service . . . perhaps to serve people to stay in Ottawa during the week and travel to/from Cornwall on weekends to visit family.
Later this year after VIA closes the Cornwall ticket office. People with no access to a computer or a printer will need to visit a travel agent to book their tickets.
Several years ago, there was a car-pool network called ALLO-STOP operated in Ontario. . . the still operate in Quebec. For a small fee, they connected people who were offering rides with people who wanted rides.
Except that Ontario shut them down for allegedly pulling riders off the intercity buses (the assertion was B.S.). Cornwall could do with a version of ALLO-STOP to provide mid-morning, mid-day or late evening transportation to/from Ottawa. Greyhound leaves too early and from the wrong location to attract travellers on the Cornwall – Ottawa service.
There should be the train service between Cornwall to Ottawa and Cornwall to Montreal and this exists all over in the US. Canada is way behind and getting more like the third world if things continue to deteriorate the way they are. Just a while ago while doing my ironing I was talking about the same thing with my husband about no more Voyageur Bus in Cornwall, no more train service and how do they expect people to get around.
I would like all of you to go over to the Civic Complex for a good laugh. Go to the back door where the restaurant used to be and look up on the wall closest to the ceiling where the doors are located that heads to the river and on the plaquard you will read “YOU D’ONT HAVE TO BE RICH TO LIVE IN CORNWALL” well with everything gone and continuously disappearing you have to ask yourselves what is left in Cornwall. I had so many laughs this morning and I can’t get over Jamie’s article because Jamie is always a very intelligent man and right on the button of everything. With those planes that would land in the water reminds me of the outpost areas of Canada where the very rich Americans would come here to fish and taking private planes to get there in places that are extremely isolated.
Even if Cornwall becomes a retirement town so much would be taken away from people who need transportation to other centres even for medical treatment that does not exist in Cornwall. People better think all this over because things are getting a great deal worse as we speak. Bare Ass has been a jinx for the town.
Some 25-years ago when South Glengarry was preceded by Charlottenburgh Township (also Lancaster Township and Village of Lancaster), a councillor representing Charlottenburgh Township named Bob Roth (who also had a column at Seaway News . . . and terminated as a commentator by Rock Shaver) suggested in one of his commentaries that Cornwall Regional Airport was a WHITE ELEPHANT.
In the years that followed, many corporations gave up the corporate executive jets and had senior management fly on the commercial airliners . . . mainly due to increased fuel prices being passed on to the consumers. Over the years, transportation economic analysts at Transport Canada, that would need to provide funding to expand Cornwall Regional Airport, have consistently found ways to put the funding requests ‘on the back burner’.
While same day return train service from Cornwall to either Toronto or Montreal is problematic, the same day return service from either of Toronto or Montreal to/from Cornwall is actually quite convenient for business types . . . from Montreal, arrive at Cornwall at 8:00 AM every weekday morning with a 6:50 PM departure back to Montreal . . . and there is a shuttle bus between Dorval station and Trudeau Airport. So ‘out-of-town’ business executives do have easy and convenient access to/from Cornwall, via Montreal . . . and the Transport Canada economic analysts are well aware of that.