Email (Letter) to GTAA and governments on funding/safety issues

Following contains a "Distribution List" and an "Email" that you can send it on-line to GTAA and our government representatives. When you are ready to send, do the following:

1. Copy and paste the Distribution List on the "To" box.
2. Fill in the subject with "Public Funding/Safety issues/Relocation of Buttonville Airport" or any wording you choose.
3. Copy and paste the draft email (letter) to the content of your email. Make any changes as you see fit.
4. Fill in your name, your address and date
5. Send the email.

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DISTRIBUTION LIST (GTAA and Government Representatives);

SendTo; Pickeringlands@GTAA.com; Bairdj@parl.gc.ca; Flahej@paral.gc.ca; john@johnmccallum.ca; wilfeb@parl.gc.ca; jbradley.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org; dmcquinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org;mchan.mpp.co@liberal.olg.org; hjaczek.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org; frank.klees@pc.ola.org; fscarpitti@markham.ca; officemayor@richmondhill.ca; glandon@markham.ca; twong@markham.ca; cohen@dlcohen.com; gchan@richmondhill.ca; dhorchik@markham.ca; jvirgilio@markham.ca; regional_chair@york.ca; ButtonvilleNoiseAndSafety@gmail.com

* Remember to delete the “SendTo;” after copying to the “To” box. You may also change/delete/add to the list as desired. *

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DRAFT EMAIL (LETTER)

To:
Dr. Lloyd McCoomb, president & CEO, GTAA
Mr. John Baird, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
Mr. Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance
Mr. John McCallum, MP, Markham/Unionville
Mr. Bryon Wilfert, MP, Richmond Hill
Mr. James Bradley, Minister of Transportation
Mr. Dalton Mcguinty, Premier
Mr. Michael Chan, MPP, Markham/Unionville
Dr. Helena Jaczek, MPP, Oak Ridges/Markham
Mr. Frank Klees, MPP, Newmarket-Aurora
Mr. Frank Scarpitti, Mayor of Markham
Mr. Dave Barrow, Mayor of Richmond Hill
Mr. Gordan Landon, Regional Councillor
Mr. Tony Wong, Regional Councillor
Mr. David Cohen, Richmond Hill Councillor, Ward 3
Mr. Godwin Chan, Richmond Hill Councillor, Ward 6
Mr. Dan Horchik, Markham Councillor, Ward 6
Mr. Joseph Virgilio, Markham Councillor, Ward 3
Mr. Bill Fisch, Regional Chair and CEO

Dear Sir/Madam:

I applaud and support the GTAA’s decision to stop the decade long public funding of the Buttonville Airport and GTAA’s conscientious effort to conserve taxpayer/airport users money during these difficult economic times. Over the years, various levels of government and agencies have pumped 10’s of millions of public money into this privately owned, for profit airport. Once again we are being asked to bail out a privately owned airport that has been struggling for decades. Any business that requires such long term public money is not a viable business.

I am against the continuation of public funds to support Buttonville airport. I believe that the users of this airport should pay instead of asking for public money.

It is frequently quoted by the airport owner and some of our politicians that the Buttonville airport has made major contribution to the Ontario economy. I question this assertion as it seems reasonable that should the airport close, the airport lands would be developed and we could increase the number of jobs, increase the tax base and revenues to Markham and area. Our politicians should be the ones to question the validity of this claim and challenge the need for public money.

As early as in 1991, people in the neighbouring community wanted Buttonville airport relocated because of aircraft noise. Nearly 100 per cent surveyed would like Buttonville relocated elsewhere and more than 80 per cent wanted its flying school banned from operating over residential areas. (Source: Brian Dexter Toronto Star. Toronto Star Toronto, Ont.:Sep 5, 1991. p. N2). If a survey is to be conducted today, there is hardly any doubt that the relocation of the airport and the banning of flying school will prevail with even more support to ban the flying school due to safety concerns with lack of open field for emergency landing. Do our politicians that support the airport care about the opinion and the safety concerns of the residents living in vicinity of the airport?

I am also in full support on the need for a relocation of Buttonville airport. Over the years, the areas surrounding Buttonville have changed significantly. What was once empty field are now thriving businesses, offices and homes, schools and playgrounds. There is now hardly any open field or unoccupied space for emergency landing of aircrafts. Perhaps the following statistics may help to explain the safety issues and the need to look for alternative location.
Buttonville had 163,994 aircraft movements in 2008 (aircraft take offs and landings as per Statcan, NAV Canada tower statistics), averaging 449 movements a day, composed of 80001(48.8%) Itinerant and 83993 (51.2%) local traffic. If we took the summer months from May to October, the average number was 552 movements a day with similar composition, and the peak was 112 per hour and peak day traffic about 1047. The frequency of these flights with the use of older single engine planes and few open fields for emergency landing is a disaster in the making. Accepting the increased risk of crash landings and fatalities as an inevitable part of our future is plainly irresponsible.

The call to action:
I request Mr. John Baird to seriously review the nature and frequency of these planes and their impacts to our present densely populated communities in terms of safety, noise and pollution.

I ask that our elected representatives at all levels of government ask the operators of Buttonville to stop training and pleasure flights as they increase the risk to our safety.

I request that our politicians refrain from interfering with the GTAAs decision regarding funding of the Buttonville airport.

I do not support any public funds being given to the Buttonville airport operators. This is a private, “for profit” enterprise. It should work within the free market system and not be depending on handouts from any level of government.
Thank you, all

Yours Sincerely,


Name/Address:
Date: