Port Hawkesbury votes to rename airport after MacEachen

CTV Atlantic: Port Hawkesbury airport to receive new name The airport in Port Hawkesbury will soon be named the late Allan J MacEachen. CTV’s Ryan MacDonald has more.

The airport in Port Hawkesbury may soon have a new name, one that will honour the man best known as the 'Laird of Lake Ainslie'.

Port Hawkesbury town council has voted unanimously to rename the airport after Allan J. MacEachen, the former Deputy Prime Minister who died in September at the age of 96.

"He really was so good to the Strait region, and it certainly will be an honour to have our Port Hawkesbury airport named after such a wonderful political figure," says Port Hawkesbury Mayor Brenda Chisholm-Beaton.

In a political career that spanned five decades and eight Prime Ministers, MacEachen was on his fair share of planes.

As some point out, MacEachen had a big influence in the aiport being built in the first place.

"The airport wouldn't be here unless it was for him. So it only makes sense that it would be named after him," says Wendy Embree of Celtic Air Services.

In fact, many of MacEachen's trips all over the world as a cabinet minister and senator began by flying out of the Port Hawkesbury airport.

With a new company, Celtic Air Services, taking over operations and marketing of the airport in July, the Mayor says traffic has been busy of late, and she's optimistic the name change will help the airport build even more momenteum.

"I believe that the name change is going to lend more toward the sense of the airport being a regional airport," says Mayor Chisholm-Beaton.

There are still a few details to be worked out, but the plan is for the new name to be debuted in the New Year.

"I'm assuming, probably correctly, that we will have a renaming ceremony and invite all kings of people and citizens to attend," says Mayor Chisholm-Beaton.

If all goes according to plan, new signage will e in place as soon as spring or next summer.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Ryan MacDonald.