Hasty Tear-Down Leaves Arrivals At A Loss

IN December last year with great haste, before loans have been secured to upgrade the airport, the Upper Hunter Shire Council demolished the airport terminal building.

Kay Cumberland, well known Sconeite and taxi driver said she is now ferrying pilots and passengers into town to use a toilet or take shelter.

The airport terminal was torn down before Christmas, now pilots are often left without access to shelter and toilets.

“Since the little building has come down they don’t have any shelter from the rain or the sun and often just want to use a toilet,” said Ms Cumberland.

“I’ve been picking pilots and passengers up from the airport and some helicopter pilots have had to climb fences after hours when gates are locked,” she said.

“They’ve usually got luggage and paperwork that they have to carry with them and after a long day fighting fires they don’t look forward to it.

“I usually try and get their before they land, so that they are not waiting for me in the weather,” she said.

“It’s not a great way to be treating people flying into Scone and what will happen when the races are on and there is bad weather?” she questioned.

“It’s just wrong it doesn’t paint Scone in a good light,” said Kay Cumberland.

Cr Sue Abbott said several concerned residents have spoken to her about their concerns, which she will be raising at Council.

“I’ve been advised since the terminal was demolished, Council are renting space at the Scone Aero Club, but residents are telling me these facilities aren’t always available for people using the airport,” said Cr Abbott.

Torn-Down: Cr Abbott questions why the haste and at what ongoing cost to ratepayers?

“I will be asking how much we are spending to rent space at the Aero Club each week, why facilities are not always accessible to pilots and passengers and why the building was torn down in such haste before Christmas?” she said.

“If Council are spending $1,000 a week to rent space that can really add up over the 42 weeks projected, which could be longer and I have to ask is that the best spend of ratepayers money?” she said.

“A lot of people were sad to see the building bulldozed, it was a memorial airport and the community raised much of the money for it to be built, but why bulldoze it so quickly leaving pilots and passengers unable to find shelter or use a toilet?” she questioned.

“The operating costs continues to worry me and I’m worried about how it will affect ratepayers, because it seems to me the public often wear the costs,” Cr Sue Abbott said.

ONLINE PETITION: A petition for an independent review of the airport is now available online:Sign the online petition. Hard copies of the petition are also available click here for the full list.

Related stories: Scone Airport Development

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• Conflict Questioned: Mayor “Personally Affronted!” – September 30, 2019.
• Letter: Airport – Can’t Walk Past This One – October 15, 2019.
• Conflict: Clearing the Air – October 16, 2019.
• Letter: Council Rebukes Dutton on Airport – October 16, 2019.
• CASA Confirms: Scone Airport Won’t Close – October 16, 2019.
• Airport: Some Good News! – October 17, 2019.
• Letter: Consultant Supports Upgrade – October 21, 2019.
• Letter: Call for Independent Review – October 23, 2019.
• Council’s Critical Emergency Claims Challenged – October 28, 2019.
• Letter: Plan Flawed New One Needed – October 28, 2019.
• DA for Museum and Terminal Approved – November 6, 2019.
• Letter: GM Criticises Pinfold’s Letter – November 7, 2019.
• Editorial: Enough of the Emergency Spin – November 7, 2019.
• Letter: $10.8 Million Reasons To Question – November 14, 2019.
• Paradice Has Advice on Airport – November 18, 2019.
• Emergency Services: Council’s Creative Counting – November 19, 2019.
• Airport: Cr Abbott Calls on Residents to Speak – November 23, 2019.
• Airport Review Motion Lost – November 25, 2019.
• Johnsen Tells Council to Get to Work – November 26, 2019.
• Public Speak Out at Council Meeting on Airport – November 26, 2019.
• Editorial: No Plan for Tourists – November 28, 2019.
• Airport Motion: Hear the Meeting for Yourself – November 28, 2019.
• PETITION: Airport Development Review – December 5, 2019.
• Delay on Airport Regulations – February 13, 2020.