At 8:10 a.m. on Oct. 1, 1957, Roy Brett landed his Fleet Canuck CF-DGP airplane at the not yet completed Sechelt/Gibsons municipal airport. Five years later, on May 9, 1962, Lt.-Gov. G.R. Pearkes officially opened the airport in a simple ribbon cutting ceremony.
It's been 50 years since that ceremony, and to help mark the occasion, the Sechelt Airport Users Group held a small celebration last Saturday morning, May 5.
On hand were members of the Elphinstone Aero Club, politicians from Sechelt and Gibsons, current airport user groups such as Fly, the many volunteers who have worked hard to keep the airport running as it is today and one of the original builders of the airport, Clarence Sicotte.
MC Hammy McClymont recalled the first landing on the gravel airstrip.
"Clarence Sicotte, together with partner Bob Ritchie, identified this spot and cleared the original 800-foot [260 metre] strip, which is where Roy Brett landed on Oct. 1, 1957," McClymont said.
McClymont then went on to recognize Audrey Broughton, who lived on the property in her mobile home with her husband Alex Swanson from 1978 to 1992. He was the airport manager at the time. She, along with Sicotte, shared a lot of memories with McClymont that allowed him to prepare for the anniversary celebration.
Along with Broughton and Sicotte, Ann Watson, archivist from the Sechelt Archives, and Matthew Lovegrove, curatorial assistant from the SC Museum and Archives, were also instrumental in providing more history on the airport - a history that was on display inside the Elphinstone Aero Club for everyone to reflect on during the morning celebration.
"Elaine Mitten [Roy Brett's daughter] sent her regards in an email," said McClymont. "The author of Oh Dem Golden Slippers, she married Chuck Mitten, who was Brett's partner, and the two of them got the contract in 1960 to expand the airport to the configuration that you see today."
Dennis James, current owner of a Fleet Canuck, was also on hand with his wonderful aircraft to help mark the occasion.
In her email, Mitten said: "It would have been a wonderful sight to see the airport now transformed into a successful operating airport from what I remember as a patch of trees, rocks, gravel and mud. I hope you and the committee have a successful celebration."
Sechelt Mayor John Henderson said the airport is a key part of the development of Sechelt and of the economic foundation of Sechelt.
"We [council] are really focused on working with the airport committee to restart the project, to make this a business in itself and make it the cornerstone for the economic well-being of Sechelt," Henderson said. "We have to make this airport work. It's important for economic development, it's important for safety, and we deserve it."
The celebration wrapped up with refreshments and more memories of the airport and looking towards to 50 more great years of flight.
