A longtime defender of Stephenville airport's new owner, the mayor is now worried about the future
Carl Dymond bought the Stephenville airport in 2023
Stephenville Mayor Tom Rose says Carl Dymond's big plans to invest and reinvigorate the town's airport are looking unlikely to come to fruition.
After years championing the efforts to make the airport fly again, Rose says he doesn't have confidence in the man behind it.
"It's a privately owned airport and it's in the courts. Like for us as a municipality, we're just sitting by and waiting to see what's going to happen here," Rose told Radio-Canada.
Ottawa businessman Carl Dymond bought the airport in 2023, and had promised to bring back commercial flights, invest hundreds of millions of dollars, create jobs and launch a futuristic drone production facility.
However, the Stephenville Dymond International Airport was recently changed to aerodrome status and the airport is facing a $2.4-million lawsuit filed by Tristar Electric over allegations it hasn't been paid for its work to install a new runway lighting system. Recently, the airport's lawyer requested to be removed from the case because of non-payment.
Rose had been a staunch supporter of Dymond's plans, but now says he no longer believes that Dymond has the track-record to run the airport.
"He hasn't demonstrated that he has the capital," Rose said.
Rose says Dymond has owned the airport for more than a year and a half, but hasn't fulfilled any of his promises.
CBC News has asked Dymond for an interview.
Downgrade no surprise
Last week, CBC News reported that the airport is now designated as a "registered aerodrome," which means it is not subject to ongoing inspection by Transport Canada, but is inspected periodically to verify compliance with regulations.
Rose said he wasn't surprised to learn the airport had its status changed.
"The downgrading happened because of a non-compliance of standards when it comes to line painting and a requirement under Transport Canada's regulations that ensures that the airport is safe to land for commercial flights," Rose said.
Airport's future
Rose's current stance contradicts comments he made last month, when CBC News reported Dymond owed nearly $500,000 in property tax to the town.
"There is still property taxes owing, but I'm confident that this year that will be taken care of," said Rose in a previous interview.
While Rose said at the time that he still had faith in Dymond's plans, other people's patience had worn thin.
"I can't listen to any more false promises…. Show me some action and then I'll believe it," said Bay St. George Chamber of Commerce president Debbie Brake-Patten, who served on the airport's board before Dymond bought the facility.
"We were never supplied with a financial plan that would support what [Dymond] had intended on doing."
Rose expects people will react with disappointment to how Dymond's plans have so far failed to develop.
"Mr. Dymond, basically, he over-promised and under-delivered on what he was planning on doing with the airport," Rose said.
"And to take over a facility, you better have capital and cash flow to run a facility like Stephenville airport, because it takes a lot."
Rose says he's wondering about the future of the airport.
"At the end of the day, the airport's not moving. The airport is going to still be in Stephenville," he said. "The question is, what's its long-term sustainable, viable future?"
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With files from Patrick Butler
