Mascouche airport to close in November 2016

[CD]

Mascouche airport to close in 2 years

Jason Magder, Montreal Gazette
Published on: November 11, 2014Last Updated: November 11, 2014 5:41 PM EST

The city of Mascouche announced it will close the private airport that has been operating in the city.

The city-owned airport 30 kilometres north of Montreal has about 30,000 takeoffs and landings per year, primarily from the five flight schools and the recreational pilots based there. It is one of the busiest airports without a tower in the country, with 140 planes parked there.

Previous city administrations had tried to sell the airport’s land, since it’s sitting in a prime location for development: between two major highways (Highway 640 and Highway 25) and the future Train de l’Est terminus, which will begin service next month.

Current Mascouche Mayor Guillaume Tremblay had campaigned on promises to keep the airport alive.

However, in recent months, the mayor came under fire from residents because of a plan to move the airport north by two kilometres on land currently zoned agricultural. Tremblay wants to use the land the airport now sits on for a transit-oriented development of homes, shops and light industry.

On Monday, the mayor, and the head of the Corporation de l’aéroport de Mascouche, Rémi Cusach, announced the airport would close in November 2016.

Tremblay said the non-profit company managing the airport was not able to come up with $10 million to defray the cost of some of the infrastructure needed to build a new airport.

Tremblay said this doesn’t mean another airport can’t be built in the future. He said if the private sector wants to launch a project to build a new airport, the city would help by acquiring the land needed for such a project.

Cusach said he was disappointed, but blamed the airport’s inability to raise the needed money on the fact that it had been dogged by the threat of closing for the last 10 years, which scared away potential investors.

The city of Mascouche will continue with its plan to build a development on the airport’s land.

[davecessna]

Yep, I'm surprised it's lasted this long. Extremely sad news, and yet another blow to Quebec's almost dead GA scene.

[AirFrame]

Tremblay said the non-profit company managing the airport was not able to come up with $10 million to defray the cost of some of the infrastructure needed to build a new airport.

What a weasel. No sh*t they couldn't raise money. Who would contribute to an airport that's going to close? Blaming it on the operators' inability to raise money is the ultimate buck-passing.

[davecessna]

Tremblay said the non-profit company managing the airport was not able to come up with $10 million to defray the cost of some of the infrastructure needed to build a new airport.

What a weasel. No sh*t they couldn't raise money. Who would contribute to an airport that's going to close? Blaming it on the operators' inability to raise money is the ultimate buck-passing.

Regardless, they've been wanting to sh*t out some crappy condos on that land for at least 15 years now.

[timel]

Yes it is all about condos and the stupid city hall.

There was no plans for an other airport they would build?

[Hipster Exterminator]

Is there is a city in this god damn country that isn't proactively trying to blanket itself in slums? Leaving the displacement of aviation out of it entirely, It seems like every fifty years society has to re-learn this lesson.

[Rowdy]

So, theres a 5 page thread on bonds.. but 5 posts on the potential loss of an airport? Well.. now we know whats wrong with aviation….

[iflyforpie]

I think that just goes to show you where people's ambitions are. Bonds are more important than airport closures when you are flying shiny jets.

[Shiny Side Up]

Sad but true Pie, sad but true.

On a side note, that blue and white cherokee with the gold stripes looks identical to one I used to fly, I wonder if its the same.

[Pavese]

So, theres a 5 page thread on bonds.. but 5 posts on the potential loss of an airport? Well.. now we know whats wrong with aviation….

Rowdy, there's not much I can add to top your comment.

While we're at it, this thread got a lot of discussion didn't it. http://www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewtopi ... waterville.

Basically, same story, different location. 154 taxpayers out of work and $7.2 million GDP extinguished to satisfy the agenda of the elected representatives.

D

[benoits]

It's very sad to see it go. I just became a pilot over a year ago (western Canada CYBW) but my who family lives in Mascouche. Actually my parents house is a 20min walk. I was planning on going to visit (by airplane) "soon" and I guess soon better be sooner than later.
I guess I still have 2 years.

It's sad that a well used facility like this one closed. Politics s*ck.

BBT

[Pop n Fresh]

Let's buy a couple of sections of land in Saskatchewan and build a nice airport community.

...Maybe Central America.

[trampbike]

Problem with that is that you'd have to fly in Saskatchewan

[Pop n Fresh]

Certainly beats driving there but I could see how that might get old fast.

[xsbank]

Quebec builds all its housing right on the freeways so the new denizens get to listen to the Harley's and the Kenworths all night.

They did in Cartierville like they are planning for Mascouche. You should see the "Bois Franc" ghetto that exists there now. Horror show.

[FenderManDan]

No worries COPA will save it

NIMBY's are gaining in numbers. Tube and rag tail dragger out some farmers field is in the future.......

[davecessna]

Quebec builds all its housing right on the freeways so the new denizens get to listen to the Harley's and the Kenworths all night.

They did in Cartierville like they are planning for Mascouche. You should see the "Bois Franc" ghetto that exists there now. Horror show.

What the hell are you talking about ghetto ? Those townhouses run upwards of 600k$! Vaudreuil, now THERE'S your ghetto.

[davecessna]

Apparently I've heard through the grapevine that the airport will indeed be relocated further north. Take it with a grain of salt, however.

What's sad is that despite sharing the name, the Cargair branch at Mascouche had a completely different M.O. than the one at St-Hubert. ALM has a great reputation as well.