THURSDAY June 26, 2014 Vol. 29• No. 23 ••• $1.25 inc. G.S.T.
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Landing limits lowered at Comox Valley Airport
Heron-bearing trees no longer an issue Record Staff Great news for high fliers: Landing limits at the Comox Valley Airport have been brought down to 250 feet. “We are absolutely thrilled with this decision,” said Comox Valley Airport CEO Fred Bigelow, of the move announced by the Department of National Defence to adopt Transport Canada’s new standards on Monday. The announcement was made
after Tuesday’s edition of the Record went to print. “The Comox Valley Airport can once again offer the kind of allweather capability that travellers expect,” Bigelow said. “With a minimum instrument approach height of 250 feet, YQQ is now one of the most reliable and capable airports in B.C.” The minimum altitude was raised to 500 feet three years ago, which forced cancellation of numerous flights during adverse weather conditions. In the middle of the controversy were some tall trees near the airport, on private land, which the owners refused to cut.
The trees are a nesting habitat of the passengers that stood by for great blue herons, which have us and continued to use our serbeen identivices while fied as an we worked at-risk speto find a We would like to thank cies by the solution to BC Conser- all of the passengers that stood restore landvation Data by us and continued to use our ing limits at Centre. YQQ,” said W i t h services while we worked to Frank van the lower- find a solution to restore land- G i s b e r g e n , ing of the ing limits at YQQ. chair of the minimum Comox Valley CVAC chair Frank van Gisbergen Airport Comaltitude s t a n d a r d s, mission. “We the trees, would also and other obstacles, are no longer like to acknowledge our airline an issue. partners, who remained commit“We would like to thank all ted to doing business at our air-
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port while actively working with us on finding solutions.” The new TP312 Transport Canada standards, which are slated to come into effect at airports across the country later this year, were adopted early by the Department of National Defence in order to prevent unnecessary cancellations and diversions during poor weather conditions. Obstacles, such as the aforementioned ones, which previously penetrated the limitation surfaces around the Comox aerodrome are no longer an issue under the new standards.
Local establishments not high on new liquor laws
ABORIGINAL DANCE
Scott Stanfield Record Staff
PHOTO BY RENEE ANDOR
Jason Joe of Kwowutzun Tzinquwa, (Coast Salish Dancers), performs a Cowichan dance in K’ómoks First Nation’s Big House, in celebration of National Aboriginal Day. The local First Nations had festivities throughout the day, Saturday. PRICED TO SELL LOWEST PRICE EVER
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Liquor-primary establishments are allowed to have happy hours and — if they so choose — under-agers on the premises, as of last Saturday when various changes in provincial liquor legislation came into effect. Liquor policy changes are intended to reflect modern lifestyles and values, Attorney General and Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton said in a Saturday announcement. Families can now have brunch at a pub or a meal at a legion, if those establishments apply to accom-
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