October 24 Township meeting on the Airport – WHAT HAPPENED

The Oct 24 meeting was supposed to be a Board discussion of the Airpark plan.  The meeting quickly changed when Board member Jan Steggerda made a motion to put a .1 mil property tax millage on the March 10, 2020 primary ballot to support operation of the airport for 10 years.  This could likely be less than $25 per year per property on average.  We believe Jan’s intent was to try to secure ongoing funding for the Airport for ten years.  The Board voted 7-0 to write a millage proposal.  It will ask residents to decide if the historic airport and all of the events and activities there are worth supporting.  A favorable vote for the airport would provide funds for improved appearance, safety, historic restoration, and more access for community events and activities at the airport.

If the vote on March 10 to support the airport fails, the Township Board said they will close the runways and not allow aircraft to land or takeoff at the airport. This essentially closes the airport.  Skip Keeter and Jan Steggerda were the only two board members that did not vote to close the runways. 

If you are a Park Township resident and enjoy the activities at the airport, IT IS IMPERATIVE for you to SUPPORT THE AIRPORT with your vote on March 10, 2020.  If you are going to be out of town, PLEASE get an absentee ballot and send it in.

Please forward this message, re-post, or forward a link to every Park Twp resident you know who will help support the airport.  This same message is also on the PTAHA facebook page.

If the vote fails, the airport closes.  The history, educational opportunities, and future potential of the airport are all destroyed.              Tell everyone you know.                     VOTE to SAVE the Airport!

 

 

Hope rockets draw a crowd at Park Township Airport!                                                                                                            

Check out the photos below and watch the videos at the PTAHA Facebook page. David Hallock and Owen Donahoe launched a few of their rockets Saturday to the delight of young and older enthusiasts. The big two stage vehicle went up over 3000 feet. Thanks to everyone that came out to see the rockets and fly the Historical Association flight simulator. Thank you for supporting the airport! If you enjoyed your time at the airport please tell the township Board of Trustees. Email them at board@parktownship.org. Your Airport Historical Association is working hard to keep the airport open.

       

       

EAGLE LANDS AT PARK TOWNSHIP AIRPORT!    Congratulations to Anderson Bloemers for earning the prestigious Eagle Scout rank. The presentation was Sunday afternoon in the Historic Hangar. Anderson’s Eagle project was the completion of the Jet Memorial planter and paver walk. A highlight of the event was Anderson giving the Mentor Pin to his grandfather Jim Ruth who has been involved in Scouting for 70 years! Anderson has been a great example to his fellow Troop 43 Scouts and a good friend to the airport.

                                                     

Last Night Sept 30, at 6:30 PM at the Harderwyk Church,  the Park Township Board of Trustees voted to CONTINUE AVIATION ACTIVITIES AT THE AIRPORT.  This is good news for the hundreds of township residents and visitors that enjoy, use, and support  the airport.  The Board also voted to pursue General Utility status, which will make the airport safer and enable the Township to apply for financial grants for runway maintenance.  THANK YOU to everyone that spoke up in support of the airport..  Please continue to email  the Trustees at board@parktownship.org or call the Township 616-399-4520 and voice your support for the Airport and the AirPark plan.  Next Township meeting is Oct 24 when the Board will discuss and vote on the AirPark Vision plan.

Rockets to blast off from Park Twp Airport!

The Hope College Rocketeers have moved their launch day to OCT 19. The weather this weekend will be too windy to enable a safe launch and recovery. Please change your calendar to OCT 19 and stop by in the morning to see the rockets soar! to see the Hope Association of Rocketry and Performance Aviation launch their rockets.  Meet David Hallock – Launch Director and Owen Donahoe – Safety Officer as they set up and fire their multi stage rockets.  Launches are scheduled between 9:30 and noon on Saturday Oct 12.  You never know what is taking off at the PARK TOWNSHIP AIRPORT!

HASMAT training at the Airport

The Park Township Fire Department chose the Park Township Airport to practice their emergency response skills today.  The exercise was set up as a mock fuel spill from the airport’s fuel tank. (Don’t worry, it’s a new tank and won’t be a problem…)  The crew made quick work of the drill and the hangar ramp got a nice rinse.  Thank you to our fire fighters and first responders.  We are in good hands!    

Helicopter drops in on Cadets

Major Gary Tallman, commander of the MI-135 Al Johnson Legacy Civil Air Patrol squadron based at the Park Township Airport, invited a friend to drop in with his sleek Robinson R-44 helicopter.  The cadets were invited to inspect the helo and get their questions answered by the pilot.  The Civil Air Patrol cadets and officers meet each Monday night at the Park Township Airport Historic Hanger.  The squadron has almost doubled in size since moving to Holland.  If you are between 12 and 18 years old and would like to be a part of the CAP, please email Maj. Gary at 4gtall1@gmail.com.  For more information about joining the Civil Air Patrol http://www.capli.com/faq.html.

   

West Michigan Aviation Academy held a teacher-student teambuilding event today in Holland.  Part of the event included rides from Park Township Airport in the WMAA’s two Cessna 172 airplanes and the Amway helicopter.  George Pavey in (blue shirt), Dean of Aviation at WMAA flew one of the 172’s while Josh Bakker flew the other plane.  Kevin Nelson (blue shirt white hat) of Nelson Aerodynamix flies the Amway helicopter.  All of the pilots spent time explaining the technical details and operation of their aircraft and then demonstrated these characteristics in the air above the Park Township Airport. Brian Jansen, WMAA Aviation Maintenance instructor, watches from the deck of the airport office.

You never know what will be flying at the airport!  WATCH THE VIDEO ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.

Check it out and please support the airport and AirPark plan! 

Photos and videos by PTAHA.

THANK YOU to everyone that attended the August 5 Township meeting to discuss the AirPark plan and the Aviation community input on the plan and preserving the airport.  People in support of the plan and the airport outnumbered the antagonists.  If you attended you also heard two of the Township Trustees adamantly opposed to ANY AirPark or Airport on the property.  Even though the results of the Township’s own survey showed a majority of residents’ support for the AirPark and Airport, these two board members, Steve Spoelhof and George Jacobs are determined to pursue their own agenda to close the airport vs the will and voice of the residents to develop an AirPark with an operating Airport.

PLEASE do your part.  READ the AirPark plan http://parktownship.org/wp-content/uploads/Park-Township-Airpark-Master-Plan.pdf .  Then contact the Board of Trustees with your support. 

Please email the Board of Trustees at board@parktownship.org  or call (616) 399-4520 and leave a message of support.   Keep in mind this is just a vision plan.  Any resulting plan will require feasible funding and considerable additional input from residents.  The most important element of the plan is the preservation of the Park Township Airport.  Preserving its history and protecting its future.  We need and want an operating airport!.  Thank you for your help and support!

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Selfridge Air Natl Guard Chinook CH-47 visits Park Township Airport!

Aug 8 – spectators were treated to the arrival, tour and departure of the 127th Selfridge Wing Chinook helicopter.  The crew was on a training mission from their Mt. Clemens base on east side of the state.  Everyone was encouraged to tour the helicopter and chat with the crew.   You never know what will be flying at the Park Township Airport!                                      WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW.

Please help support the Airport and the Airpark Plan.   The plan can be reviewed at:  http://parktownship.org/wp-content/uploads/Park-Township-Airpark-Master-Plan.pdf.  The plan is a “vision” and will undergo many changes before anything is decided by the Township.  A recent survey of residents showed a majority of support for the AirPark concept and the continued operation of the Airport.  PLEASE voice your support by emailing the Board of Trustees at:   board@parktownship.org  or call and leave a message at 616-399-4520.

TOWNSHIP SURVEY SHOWS 53% of PUBLIC SUPPORT the AirPark PLAN. 
On Thursday June 27 at the Park Township board meeting, the phone and online survey results were presented by pollster company EPIC-MRA. See the attached photos showing the survey results. Overall, 53% of residents support the plan to save the airport and create an AirPark. If you are a resident and did not take the survey, please email the Township Board of trustees at board@parktownship.org with your supporting comments about the airport and AirPark plan.

EPIC=MRA Survey Methodology

Phone Survey

• 300 phone surveys with live interviewer (over 9000 calls made to yield 300 responses)
• Calls made from May 13 through May 18
• +4% margin of error
• Summary of Results:

SUPPORT THE AIRPARK CONCEPT    53-54%

OPPOSE THE AIRPARK CONCEPT        29-39%

On-Line Survey

• Postcards mailed to 6,860 township addresses with qualified voters
• Surveys were accepted from May 17 through June 10, 2019
• Mailing yielded 839 useable responses
• +2 % margin of error
• SUMMARY of Results:

SUPPORT THE AIRPARK CONCEPT    48-52%

OPPOSE THE AIRPARK CONCEPT        41-47%

SEE  FOLLOWING CHARTS OF THE PHONE SURVEY AND ONLINE SURVEY RESULTS

 

BREAKING NEWS.….PTAHA representatives also talked with 255 township residents and asked them to sign a petition to save the airport. 241 SIGNED THE PETITION! It was presented to the Township Board of Trustees for the 6/27 meeting.

 Park Township Airport Historical Association Petition to Adopt the AirPark Plan

The PTAHA also talked to Township residents about the AirPark plan during the Airport Open house, at the Quincy Dog Park, and at a Waukazoo garage sale.  

PTAHA representatives talked to 255 residents at the three locations.

The Petition wording:

We, the undersigned, registered and qualified voters of the Township of PARK in the County of OTTAWA and State of Michigan, petition for the TRUSTEES of Park Township to approve of and implement the Vision Plan or suitable alternative plan for the Park Township Airport such that the airport is appropriately funded and maintained, and shall remain open and accessible for aviation flight operations and local residents for the foreseeable future.

Results of our PTAHA Petition interviews with residents:

•   255 residents were interviewed between June 8 and June 22, 2019
•   Only 22% of the residents knew anything about the AirPark Plan 
•   Only 43% of residents took the online survey

241 residents signed the Petition (94.5%) in SUPPORT of the AirPark Plan after having The AirPark plan explained by PTAHA representatives.

The 241 signed Petitions were presented to the Township in support of the AirPark plan and add confirmation to the results of the Township’s EPIC-MRA Survey.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE PARK TOWNSHIP AIRPORT!

The West Shore Aero Club flies at the Park Township Airport.   Mort Wright, Bob Kovacs, and Dave Jamrog were flying their large scale radio controlled airplanes at the airport RC field last weekend.  Keep your eyes on the sky when you are passing by the airport, you just may see them flying!