The Town of Ponoka is about to start negotiating with a group of businesses that wants to front the money needed to extend the Ponoka airport runway.

It was Coun. Teri Underhill’s motion that passed in a 4-3 vote last night.

“Enter into negotiations with them. Bring it back to council so we can consider it and then either send it back or approve it,” Underhill said.

Dr. Hilgard Goosen represents the Aviation Business Owners Group of Ponoka (BOG), a collection of five businesses who operate out of the Ponoka Industrial Airport.

They want the runway extended sooner than later, and they’re willing to put money down for it.

At last night’s town council meeting, Goosen pitched BOG’s proposal – to pay for the estimated $500,000 project up front, and then receive an equal-sized discount on the airport lots BOG members would buy.

“We are willing to pay for it now as a group of business owners,” Goosen said.

“Once the town makes the lots available for sale, whatever we have spent … we want a credit when we buy a lot.”

In BOG’s proposal, if the lots are not put on sale by the end of 2019, the town would reimburse business owners for the project cost.

Underhill sits on the airport development board and has been working with BOG on their proposal since September. She said BOG has already spent money on engineering and that their offer is fair.

Goosen said a longer runway is needed for aircraft that carry more fuel and larger payloads; as well, it would give pilots more room to stop, should they encounter problems during takeoff.

According to BOG, that would help retain existing businesses operating out of the airport, as well as attract new ones.

“We’re competing with 4,000 feet in Wetaskiwin; 8,000 feet now in Red Deer. That’s why it’s a priority for us,” Goosen said.

Underhill said there could be many small businesses seeking space in smaller airports like Ponoka’s in the future once large airlines buy up lots in Red Deer.

“I want us to be ready to go and I’m grateful to the business owners that they’re willing to put money forward in order to allow us to do that runway extension,” she said.