Skydive company approved for new landing site

The newly rebranded Skydive Clearview has been cleared for landing.

The company, formerly known as Skydive Wasaga Beach, has been granted permission to use a township- owned property at 1585 Klondike Road in Stayner as a parachute landing area.

At the time of the council discussion on April 27, the Township of Clearview was in the process of finalizing a five-year lease with owners Melanie Case and Leslie Farkas who are already operating in Clearview from a base at the Edenvale Airport.

The annual lease structure begins at $4,000 in the first three years and increases to $5,000 in the fourth and fifth year.

The month prior, they had made a presentation to council and it was thought that a rezoning would be required but staff is now satisfied that the use is consistent with the intent of the current rural zone, even though a parachute landing area is not specifically defined within the zoning bylaw.

The site, which will accommodate a 100-by-100- metre drop zone and adjacent gravel parking lot, is the location of the Klondike Park reservoir.

In the application, the skydiving company indicated the parachute landing area will be active from May 1 and October 31, with up to 10 flights per day during peak summer months.

With 4,000 annual visitors, proprietors project an economic spin-off of more than $700,000 per year.