The Mayor of Owen Sound hopes they will be able to benefit from the new name for the Toronto Island Airport.
While not official yet until February 2010 — the Toronto Port Authority has renamed the airport as the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.
It’s named after the Owen Sound native who was Canada’s top flying ace in the First World War and was awarded the Victoria Cross.
Owen Sound Mayor Ruth Lovell Stanners says the City should feel good that one of its native sons has been honoured in the way.
The Mayor was initially concerned about the confusion it would cause since Owen Sound’s airport is already named after Billy Bishop.
But Lovell Stanners feels it won’t be much of an issue since Toronto is also in the title of the airport.
The name change won’t cause any confusion with pilots and air traffic controlers as the island airport will continue to be designated as CYTZ and the Owen Sound airport CYOS.
Lovell Stanners says the controversy around the story has already put Owen Sound on the map.
She is also holding out hope they will be able to display brochures about Bishop’s boyhood home in Owen Sound at the Toronto Island airport.