The city will be looking into the possibility of taking over the Brantford Charity Airshow.
At a meeting on Tuesday, councilors directed city staff to prepare a report that will include information about how to get the popular airshow off the ground this year and into the future.
The direction came after an email was sent from Sherry Kerr, who has been co-chair of the airshow, to the city’s airport board stating she hasn’t be able to secure a non-profit agency to take on sponsorship.
From 2017 to 2019, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum partnered with the Rotary Club of Brantford to put on the free airshow at the Brantford airport on the Wednesday before Labor Day. Prior to that, the event was organized by the Brant United Way.
There were no shows in 2020 and 2021 because of pandemic restrictions.
“There was indication there were challenges getting the necessary sponsors and trying to resurrect it after absences during the pandemic,” said Mayor Kevin Davis.
“We’ll have our staff look into it and find out what’s happening and if there is anything we can do to help the Rotary Club put on the airshow. And if they can’t do it, what we as a city can do to keep the tradition alive, if not this year, then next year.
“It’s really about being proactive. If it becomes apparent, say in June, that the airshow isn’t going to come off because of the challenges the groups have, then it’s almost too late for the city to do anything. We can stand away from it and not do anything but I don’t think the community would expect us to do that.”
An airshow that was to be held last June to mark the 50th anniversary of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum was cancelled.
Al Mickeloff, marketing manager of the warplane museum, said at the time the cancellation was due to several factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and the “logistical, financial and operational challenge of running an airshow.”
He said expenses include the airshow acts, their accommodations, and fuel, along with insurance, safety protocols, crowd control, security and staffing.
About 13,500 spectators turned out for the 2019 airshow, which featured vintage aircraft and a performance by the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, filling the airport grounds almost to capacity.
Aaron Wallace, the city’s acting general manager of community services, said there have been early discussions about some of the challenges in organizing this year’s event but “nobody has said directly that the airshow will not happen.”
Davis said there has been recent precedent set when the city took over operation of last year’s Santa Claus Parade when the Brantford JCI, which had been running it for more than 40 years, was no longer able to do it.
count. Greg Martin said there may still be time to book acts for this year’s Brantford airshow because it’s held mid-week and most shows in other communities are held on weekends.
“It’s a signature event and, more importantly, it’s a free event to families in the City of Brantford,” said Coun. Dan McCreary. “A lot of folks in our community don’t get access to a lot of good stuff to do.”
count. Linda Hunt questioned whether city staff would have the capacity to operate the airshow and the Ontario 55+ Summer Games, which also will be held in August.
count. John Sless, who is the council representative on the summer games committee, said much of the work for the event, which is being hosted by the City of Brantford and the County of Brant, is being done by volunteers.
“I think we should do everything we can do to get something going in 2023,” said Sless of the airshow. I think everybody is crying for some normalcy in their lives pre-pandemic. This is one more step to doing that.”
Wallace said a full report on the airshow will come back to councilors in March.