Ron Evinou is stepping down as chair of the Yorkton Airport Authority after holding the position since the Authority's inception in 2008.
"I want to see somebody else taking over championing the Yorkton Airport Authority," he told Yorkton This Week last week.
Evinou said he wants to see a new chair with renewed enthusiasm taking over.
"We need more passion. We need more youth," he said.
Evinou said he would prefer to leave the chair and board to others.
"When I'm gone I think I should be gone," he said, adding he doesn't believe in staying on a board as a sort of shadow over whoever takes the position. But he said others have suggested he should stay for a year as a time of transition. "If they want me to I will."
Evinou said he feels he has been involved with the airport long enough, with his efforts dating back to 2004 when he joined the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce, and through that organization came to work with the Good Spirit REDA. At that time a report on the economic benefits of the airport was an unfinished project of the REDA.
"I said I'd do it," he said, adding 200-300 hours later he had a report which would eventually be presented to the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce.
Evinou said the report suggested the City take title to the airport, previously in the hands of federal authorities.
The process with the City led to the creation of the YAA with Evinou becoming its Chair.
Progress at the airport in the ensuing years has been slow but steady.
"I thought it was going to take time," said Evinou, adding money to do upgrades is hard to access.
"The biggest reason is the Saskatchewan government doesn't allocate a whole lot of money for small regional airports," he said, adding it is $700,000 annually for 140 facilities.
But over the last five years the YAA has received more than $500,000, matched by the city, and with money from other sources has meant near $2 million invested at the airport.
Long term Evinou said the YAA must be able to access federal dollars but that requires 500 scheduled passenger departures and 500 arrivals for three consecutive years.
"That's why Perimeter (Air) is so important," he said.
The Winnipeg-based company was in Yorkton in May to take a firsthand look at offering passenger service at the airport.
Evinou said the YAA perhaps made a tactical error, noting Perimeter tends to be a company ready to try new locations, but the local group suggested surveying local interest. He said the company did a survey, but advertised it poorly and did not get it in everybody's hands.
The result was only 247 responses.
"They were expecting 1000," he said, adding the result "threw a little bit of cold water on their enthusiasm."
That said Evinou remains the optimist.
"They're still coming. They say they're coming in January, and I think they will," he said, adding he believes passenger service is an integral element of local business and city growth.
