By ROY WOOD

The Osoyoos airport controversy continues apace as the high-profile parcel of land west of town may be destined to be the subject of competing business plans.

On Tuesday, town council rejected a request from the Osoyoos Airport Development Society for about $15,000 to pay for half the cost of a business case study for the expansion of the airport.

The society sees the airport as a potentially major economic and tourism asset for the town. In the long term it would like to see security fencing around the airport, an extended runway, artificial lighting and a new terminal building.

The business plan was requested by council earlier this year as the society sought to get the town onside for expansion.

The society attempted to write its own business plan, but found the task too daunting and decided to engage professionals. It received two bids for the business plan project, $25,000 and $30,000, of which it wants the town to pay half.

Council voted unanimously to refer the society to Destination Osoyoos to find economic development or other funding for the business plan.

In his report Tuesday, chief administrative officer Barry Romanko reminded council that earlier this year the administration had sought funding for a business case on the merits of getting rid of the airstrip altogether and re-purposing the land for industrial use.

That request was denied and the whole airport issue put on the back burner.

Several members of council pointed out that an objective business plan is vital to deciding what to do with the airport lands.

Raising the spectre of competing business plans, Councillor CJ Rhodes said that if the airport society’s case study is only from the perspective of airport expansion, “We (will) need a study on re-purposing” as well.