Objections raised over possible restaurant closure from airport expansion
GILLIAN SLADE
gslade@medicinehatnews.com Twitter: MHNGillianSlade
The Medicine Hat Airport expansion plans could result in the restaurant being closed and some Hatters are signing a petition asking the city to reconsider.
"The restaurant makes the best breakfast and the best homemade hamburgers in the city," said Dallas Bewley, who is a ramp agent at the airport. "The restaurant does not only serve the flying public. We just want to keep what we already have."
The expansion plans are still in the design phase and various options are being considered, said Abdul Khan commissioner of development and infrastructure for the city.
"There will still be an opportunity for public consultations too," said Khan.
Bill Robertson, owner/operator of Willy Gees Catering at the airport, has been running his restaurant there for 11 years.
"There were a bunch of restaurant operators here before I took over," said Robertson who has a petition on the counter that 120 customers have signed in the last five days.
Robertson's 747 hamburgers are legendary and he says when he arrives at the restaurant on Saturdays there are 15 to 20 customers already waiting for him.
"I feed the firemen, the police officers, seniors from Sunnyside, and people who work at the airport too," said Robertson. "Many passengers regularly come early for their flights and have a meal while they're waiting."
Kelvin Lanz, the Air Canada manager, says they would really like to see the restaurant stay because if flights are delayed they are able to give passengers vouchers for a meal.
Robertson says the consultant that has been drawing up plans for the airport expansion told him no airport with less than 100,000 passengers can support a restaurant.
"What he is not considering is the local population who come here just to eat at the restaurant," said Robertson. "Some people bring their children to watch the air planes and often people with disabilities are brought here to have a meal and enjoy watching the airplanes."
Khan says consideration has to be given to the cost of having a restaurant.
"The restaurant is not even making enough money to cover costs let alone bring in revenue," said Khan. "The city pays the utilities and maintenance costs too."
Robertson says he is willing to pay market rent and the utilities.
"I have told Jeff Huntus, the city's airport manager, every year to raise the rent. They've never raised the rent and in fact once they reduced it," said Robertson. "I also pay about $1,100 every year in property taxes."
Every summer Robertson feeds the air cadets who are doing their training at the airport and he'd like to know what they'd do if there was no restaurant anymore.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com Twitter: MHNGillianSlade
The Medicine Hat Airport expansion plans could result in the restaurant being closed and some Hatters are signing a petition asking the city to reconsider.
"The restaurant makes the best breakfast and the best homemade hamburgers in the city," said Dallas Bewley, who is a ramp agent at the airport. "The restaurant does not only serve the flying public. We just want to keep what we already have."
The expansion plans are still in the design phase and various options are being considered, said Abdul Khan commissioner of development and infrastructure for the city.
"There will still be an opportunity for public consultations too," said Khan.
Bill Robertson, owner/operator of Willy Gees Catering at the airport, has been running his restaurant there for 11 years.
"There were a bunch of restaurant operators here before I took over," said Robertson who has a petition on the counter that 120 customers have signed in the last five days.
Robertson's 747 hamburgers are legendary and he says when he arrives at the restaurant on Saturdays there are 15 to 20 customers already waiting for him.
"I feed the firemen, the police officers, seniors from Sunnyside, and people who work at the airport too," said Robertson. "Many passengers regularly come early for their flights and have a meal while they're waiting."
Kelvin Lanz, the Air Canada manager, says they would really like to see the restaurant stay because if flights are delayed they are able to give passengers vouchers for a meal.
Robertson says the consultant that has been drawing up plans for the airport expansion told him no airport with less than 100,000 passengers can support a restaurant.
"What he is not considering is the local population who come here just to eat at the restaurant," said Robertson. "Some people bring their children to watch the air planes and often people with disabilities are brought here to have a meal and enjoy watching the airplanes."
Khan says consideration has to be given to the cost of having a restaurant.
"The restaurant is not even making enough money to cover costs let alone bring in revenue," said Khan. "The city pays the utilities and maintenance costs too."
Robertson says he is willing to pay market rent and the utilities.
"I have told Jeff Huntus, the city's airport manager, every year to raise the rent. They've never raised the rent and in fact once they reduced it," said Robertson. "I also pay about $1,100 every year in property taxes."
Every summer Robertson feeds the air cadets who are doing their training at the airport and he'd like to know what they'd do if there was no restaurant anymore.
Comments
-1 # 2013-02-18 12:38
Enjoy the free advertising, airport restaurant. I'd bet any money that in her next opinion article, Gillian Slade will renew her ridiculous call for millions in spending so people can "sip on coffee and wine" at an airport few people fly out of. I laughed so hard when I saw -- printed in the MH News as gospel --someone's OPINION that a restaurant makes the best hamburgers and breakfast in the city. Learn how to do your job or quit and find a new hobby, like playing bridge at the Veiner Centre.
-1 # 2013-02-18 12:53
I travel enough to know that having that airport restaurant kept open makes a big difference. It's wonderful to sit down and relax with a coffee and/or a meal after your bags have been checked in. It doesn't cost "millions in spending so people can "sip on coffee and wine" at an airport few people fly out of." It's obvious you've never travelled out of the airport or else you'd know they don't serve wine there at all. You sound like a bitter individual who has nothing better to do than to criticize something you know nothing about. They do make a great breakfast and their burgers are good !!
Abdul Khan commissioner of development and infrastructure for the city of medicine hat. maybe he has a problem with and does not understand security at any air structure. I think this man should be checked out; not now but right now.
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