First, thank you to Kevin for distributing the information on how to contribute rocks to this project. I hope you are all making plans.

Next, Parm Sidhu, our always helpful Airport General Manager, has approved the proposed location. We want the cairn to be visible, in front of the clubhouse. That is the whole point of a monument. It needs to be visible to anyone passing, and also in a place that is safe to stop and take a look. We did the whole ‘Call Before You Dig’ thing and learned a couple of things.  One is that it needs to be at least as far back from the road as is the fire hydrant. Also, it is best not to be directly in front of the building.  So the location will be off to the west side of the building, towards the bus stop, and far enough away from the building that it won’t get in the way of the shower trailer used by campers during the airshow.  It will give bus passengers something of interest to look at while waiting.   And it will provide another place to sit. The picture is only meant to show the location. The cairn will look a lot better than that. The location is not actually on our lease.

Potential location of the AFC centennial cairn

It will also be moveable – with the right equipment. The structure will form a solid unit, made of stone, concrete and rebar. It will sit at ground level, on a bed of compacted aggregate, and surrounded by pavers. Built-in channels will provide for forklift access from the back by a decent sized loader.  This moveability is key to being able to locate it on airport land. No-one knows where it, or the club-house, will be forty years from now; ie in 2061 when its internal time capsule is set for opening during the club’s centennial.  Remember, the AirShow Cairn has already been moved three times, and will have to move again with the next phase of Terminal expansion. We don’t expect to be moving this monument very often, but when the time comes, it will be ready. 

We hope to do the basic concrete work fairly early in the summer. Then add the collected rocks in August and September. And finish it with plaques, bearing appropriate inscriptions, for unveiling at whatever event is being planned for our 60th anniversary. 

Steve and Lorenzo