By Chad Klassen

Leaving behind a Legace at the Kamloops Airport

Sep 8, 2017 | 1:44 PM

KAMLOOPS — Fred Legace is savouring every minute of his final day at the Kamloops Airport, a job he says is the best in the city. 

“It’s really exciting. It’s one of those necessary community infrastructure pieces,” said Legace, who’s been there for 14 years. “And when everything comes together, there’s no better feeling. It’s like a well-orchestrated symphony.”

Legace is stepping down as the maestro, a position he’s held since 2003. He came to Kamloops from Winnipeg then at a time — two years after 9/11 — when the airline industry was still rebounding. 

Over 14 years as airport manager, Legace oversaw major growth with new flights and the expansion of core flights to Vancouver and Calgary — and with cheaper airfare than when he started.

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“That’s enormous progress. It gives people opportunities for choices on when they want to fly, but it gives people opportunities for making the choice to fly over driving easier,” noted Legace. “Where we are now is that we’ve got a robust aviation market at a cost to the individual passenger, individual traveller, that’s significantly less than what it was in 2003. It shows in the number of people we serve every month here.”

From 2003 to last year, passenger numbers have tripled — from 137,000 to 330,000 coming through YKA.

During Thursday’s introduction of new airport manager Heather McCarley, when Legace handed over the keys, it was emotional for him thinking of all the people who helped him make the airport a success.

“It’s about the people and that’s what I’ll miss,” said Legace. “Somebody like our office staff just walking through the terminal building and seeing somebody that looks obviously distraught, and trying to find out why. We’ve had literally people that have wound up here at the wrong airport, and thinking they’re somewhere completely else. In the moment it can be a bit of a struggle, but when you’re done it’s this really intense feeling of satisfaction.”

Satisfaction is getting people to their destination, but for Legace some of the pinnacle moments have included Olympic athletes returning home like Catharine Pendrel did last year with her bronze medal. 

“That is so cool. Just to see one person come through the door and just this absolute shock and amazement ‘oh my God, the community’s here.’ Those are really cool days,” said Legace. “I think the arrival of one of the first Syrian refugee families was another cool day.”

As Legace leaves his role, the Kamloops Airport now generates $38 million for the local economy. He will miss it, but is looking forward to the next chapter in commercial insurance. 

“It’s a case of trying to get this 60-year-old brain back into a learning mode again,” joked Legace. “But at the end of the day, I think it’ll be interesting to go off in a new direction and just find some new challenges and enjoy the ride.”