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The Courtenay Airpark (CAH3) is a small public-use registered aerodrome located in the city of Courtenay, on the east coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
The runway lies on the south bank of the Courtenay River and the facilities include ramp access to the river for float plane operations.
Courtenay Airpark is owned by the city of Courtenay and is operated by a volunteer Board of Directors drawn from the association's 100-plus members. There are approximately 65 light aircraft based at the airpark, including several amateur-built aircraft, ultralights and a helicopter
The financial cost of that early effort was $1000, donated by a handful of far-sighted businessmen. Much volunteer labour and donated services.....graders and other machinery.....had also gone into the construction of that modest 1000-foot gravel strip. The goal was immediately set to raise another 1000 dollars to lenghten the runway by 800 feet and make other improvements.
Below is a copy of the newspaper article of the time. It is interesting to note that the Airpark fathers foresaw public park areas and children's playground alongside the airfield proper; visions which are now indeed reality with the completion of the 'Skypark' play area in 2010.
2014 marked the 50th. Anniversary of the first flight at the Courtenay Airpark, as the first aircraft to land here was on Sep. 20th. 1964.
The runway lies on the south bank of the Courtenay River and the facilities include ramp access to the river for float plane operations.
Courtenay Airpark is owned by the city of Courtenay and is operated by a volunteer Board of Directors drawn from the association's 100-plus members. There are approximately 65 light aircraft based at the airpark, including several amateur-built aircraft, ultralights and a helicopter
A brief history of the Courtenay Airpark
In the early afternoon of September 20, 1964, a small group of dedicated volunteers realized their dream when the first aircraft landed at the new Courtenay Airpark. The men were members and supporters of the Airpark Committe, formed by the Courtenay and Comox Chamber of Commerce, to create a community airfield on a strip of land hacked out of the brush on the banks of the Courtenay River.The financial cost of that early effort was $1000, donated by a handful of far-sighted businessmen. Much volunteer labour and donated services.....graders and other machinery.....had also gone into the construction of that modest 1000-foot gravel strip. The goal was immediately set to raise another 1000 dollars to lenghten the runway by 800 feet and make other improvements.
Below is a copy of the newspaper article of the time. It is interesting to note that the Airpark fathers foresaw public park areas and children's playground alongside the airfield proper; visions which are now indeed reality with the completion of the 'Skypark' play area in 2010.
2014 marked the 50th. Anniversary of the first flight at the Courtenay Airpark, as the first aircraft to land here was on Sep. 20th. 1964.
No events were held to mark the occasion but an article about the early days of the Airpark was written by Judy Hagen and published in the Comox Valley Echo newspaper on Sep. 30th. 2014. The article can be viewed here
