The Region of Queens won’t give the South Shore Flying Club a break this year on its lease fee at the South Shore Regional Airport in Greenfield. (South Shore Flying Club)

The South Shore Flying Club’s request for a break on its rent at the South Shore Regional Airport had a rough landing at regional council on Tuesday evening.

Region of Queens councillors voted down a motion from District 6 Coun. Stewart Jenkins to forgive the flying club its $4,000 lease fee for 2025/26.

Jenkins was the only councillor who supported the motion.

“The club is more than just a club. They’re stewards of the airport,” he told councillors. “Years in the past, this region used to pay somebody thousands of dollars a year to sit at the airport just in case there was a plane come in.”

The municipality owns the small airport in Greenfield, but two years ago, it planned to sell it. 

Instead, the region signed 20-year leases in 2023 with the flying club and the Nova Scotia Drag Racers Association. The racing group pays $9,000 a year to lease the property for its events.

Under the flying club’s lease, it has access to the large hangar, but it also agreed to maintain the property for the region.

The club says now that it can no longer afford the annual fee. President Peter Gow wrote the newly elected council last October looking for the rent waiver.

He could not be reached Wednesday for an interview.

Jenkins said the club’s 34 members spend a lot of their own money maintaining the airport, terminal building, hangars and grounds. Three of the club’s members are also on call to respond to any problems at the airport, or to refuel a plane that’s landed.

“So we still have a viable airport. … But it’s also an asset that this region should be looking at seriously. And it’s also an asset that we pay very little to maintain. Everything else there is done by the club at their expense.”

According to the club’s financial statements, it recorded a loss in 2024 of $2,639.48. As of Dec. 31, it had a bank balance of $15,562.64.

Other councillors pointed to the club’s bank balance and its $25 annual membership fee, and said they could do more to raise revenue.

The club also spent $2,245 on clothing last year, as well as $1,241 on a new highway sign. Councillors said the club likely won’t have those expenses this year.

District 2 Coun. Maddie Charlton said she appreciates what the club does for the airport, but they also have a whole year to fundraise to help cover their costs.

And with budget talks coming up, she said she doesn’t want to commit to the rent waiver, especially with other groups in the region like the Queens County Food Bank asking for help.

“We are going into this budget process right now completely blind. We don’t know what our bottom line is. … I think it’s probably fair to say there will be some surprises there. We know we have huge infrastructure challenges. When I think about our strategic priorities, food insecurity is one of them, I think that would be an easy one (to assist) the food bank with the rent, but I don’t necessarily feel the same way with this ask at this time.”

After the meeting, Mayor Scott Christian said the club may be able to offset some of its operating costs through its application to the region’s Community Investment Fund.

The region usually announces the recipients of those grants later in the spring.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Region of Queens Administration Building. Photo Ed Halverson

A surprise announcement during the public comments portion of their latest meeting has Region of Queens council buzzing.

Deborah Spartinelli, vice-president of the Queens County Aquatic Association informed council her organization had received a $3 million anonymous donation to be put towards the construction of a new outdoor pool.

Mayor Darlene Norman says the group is interested in discussing a potential partnership arrangement with the region.

“Because we all know that we have an outdoor pool in Milton that has been bandaged together and really needs replacement.”

Norman anticipates the group will make a presentation to council at their next meeting to explore a partnership.

The public comment section also brought to council’s attention that there are issues with people being able to properly hear what’s being said in council chambers.

Council had looked at upgrading sound and video in the room last year, but the effort was shelved when the public balked at spending over $100,000 to solve the problem.

Norman says she’s now heard from several public and staff sources that people are struggling to hear and it’s time to address the issue.

“I know of someone who sits on one of our committees. He wears a hearing aid, and he has become so frustrated with his inability to hear in that room,” said Norman. “If the sound quality is so poor in that room, we have to fix it.”

Norman says a quick poll of councillors showed most are in favour of prioritizing solving the sound issues over the video issues.

She says money has been set aside to fix the sound problems in this year’s draft budget.

Council also approved flying the Autism Acceptance flag and the Ukrainian flag on the special purpose pole outside the Liverpool Cultural Arts Centre.

The Astor Theatre, located in the Arts Centre, asked to have the rent charges waived for the months of January and February.

Norman says council was understanding that despite the theatre’s best efforts they couldn’t open during that time.

“COVID rules and protocols shut the door on them again,” said Norman. “So, we approved that we would waive their rent which is a $1,000 loss.”

In conversation with QCCR, Norman provided a peek into the ongoing budget process and says the news is good.

“Due to all kinds of unexpected monies coming in from federal government, the province doubling their funds, deed transfer flying way higher than anyone ever thought, we are projected a very large surplus at the end of March to the tune of probably $3.2-$3.4 million.”

Norman will discuss the budget in more detail later this week.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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