The Parkland County community south of Spruce Grove has started a petition to decertify the Parkland Airport that opened in 2013.
Community members say that the airport – where two air schools operate – is loud and the planes fly low and close to homes.
“I just live have a mile down the road,” Harriet Switzer said. “We hear planes all day long. At nighttime they have their little light on and off, so we get to see that. There’s a couple of helicopters that are residents there, so they fletcher back and forth quite loudly.”
Community members are rallying together to get a petition signed to give it to the federal government.
“We have created a petition to slow the airport down, so there will be no commercial, no flying schools,” Switzer said. “We want it decertified. Right now, it’s certified as an airport, and we want it to be decertified.”
In a statement to CTV Edmonton, Robert Gilgen, the president of the Parkland Airport Development Corporation, said:
“When starting, we had carefully selected the geographic area for the airport – being mostly rural with low population density, while being close enough to the City. As with most airports there are some neighbourhood complaints, and in response we’re working to minimize the impact of our operations with guidance from Transport Canada and in co-operation with Parkland County and neighbours. Several changes to the flight paths in the area are already being implemented and tested.
Parkland Airport Development Corporation does not believe that the objective of the petition will be for the benefit of the much needed pilot training in Canada or the economic development in the Edmonton Capital region. We’re continuing to be open for dialog with all parties and hope to maintain and develop our facility for the benefit of aviators and the public.”
But after three years of ‘hindrance’, these community members do not want to compromise any more.
“This is no place for an airport,” Switzer said. “We believe we need to use our voice … We’re gonna keep on going until we stop it.”
