Club worried over fate of drag races

The Kambusters Car Club went before Yorkton Council Monday to seek support in their efforts to sign a new contract with the Yorkton Airport Authority (YAA) to facilitate continued use of the airport for the club's annual weekend drag racing event.

Kambusters president Frank Pohozoff said the club "celebrated 10-years of drag racing in Yorkton" this summer, and are operating under a contract with the YAA and the City which is "coming due in 2015."

In order to facilitate planning down the road, Pohozoff said his Club approached the YAA regarding a new contract.

"They (the YAA) forwarded a letter to us," he told Council. "In the letter they stated they do not want to re-sign a lease.

Pohozoff said the YAA suggested they seek an alternate location for the drag races, adding "with what we do it's not as simple as moving a few feet over, or a few blocks down."

In appearing before Council Pohozoff, said "we're asking, 'can we come up with something?' It doesn't have to be another 10-years, but work with us on it."

Armed with a number of letters of support, including MLA Greg Ottenbreit, Tourism Yorkton, and the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce, Pohozoff said the weekend of drag racing is good for the community.

"It brings a lot of people to our city," he said, adding that is positive in terms of tourism.

Pohozoff said the races are also an economic stimulant with Kambusters themselves spending some $20,000 annually to host the races.

Councillor Les Arnelien questioned what objections the YAA had put forward?

Pohozoff said one concern was the impact of rubber build up on the runway used for races. He said Kambusters is in regular consultation with airport maintenance and when "an excess builds up, we remove it."

The YAA also noted concerns over how the use of the runway for one weekend a year might impact air ambulance in an emergency situation, said Pohozoff.

"The airport is not completely shutdown. There is another runway in use," noted Pohozoff, adding with helicopter air ambulance service in place now it is is even less of an issue.

There are also concerns around future growth needs at the airport, said Pohozoff, adding that is "understandable.

"But where we are now. Where we are in the next five-years it's not an issue - maybe not the next 10-years."

Coun. Randy Golden questioned the Kambusters on what they have put back into the airport in terms of investment.

"We spent $40,000 on runway improvement. We resurfaced the runway," said Pohozoff, adding " we're willing to do something like that again."

Coun. Larry Pearen sits on the YAA Board. He said when the letter was sent to Kambusters the Authority was anticipating some things which have simply not happened.

"We were expecting some scheduled (air) service," he said, adding there was also an expectation BHP Billiton was going to announce construction of a new potash mine near the city. Both things would have changed airport usage significantly.

Pearen said with scheduled service no longer imminent, nor a BHP mine, he suggested it would be "a good time" for Kambusters to once again submit a request for a new contract.

To facilitate a contract happening, Mayor Bob Maloney suggested referring the matter to City Administration with the understanding he and City Manager David Putz would be in contact with the YAA to help "things move forward."