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The future of the iconic Canadian Snowbirds aerobatics team remains up in the air, but the feeling in Moose Jaw is already coming in for a hard landing.
With reports swirling that the iconic aerobatic team could be grounded in the coming years, people in the city said the prospect of losing the Snowbirds is hard to imagine.
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“I think that’s a big loss for the city,” said Neil Rampersad. “I’m originally from Ontario, and we don’t get planes doing loops in the sky. So moving here, it was pretty amazing to see that almost on a weekly basis.”
Rampersad said the Snowbirds have become part of what people associate with Moose Jaw.
“I hope that they can keep the Snowbirds here because it’s a part of Moose Jaw’s identity and heritage,” he said.
The uncertainty comes as questions continue around the future of the team’s aging CT-114 Tutor jets.
National Defence Minister David McGuinty is scheduled to visit Moose Jaw on May 19, where more information is expected about the future of the Snowbirds.
A spokesperson with 15 Wing Moose Jaw, where the Snowbirds are based, said they learned about the reports at the same time as everyone and are now preparing for McGuinty’s visit.
The premier’s office said on Friday Scott Moe was not in a position to comment on the issue, but may be better able to do so when more information becomes available.
Moose Jaw Mayor James Murdock released a statement on Friday, saying the city’s connection to the team runs deep.
“With 15 Wing Moose Jaw as their home, the Canadian Forces Snowbirds have inspired Canadians for generations,” Murdock said in the statement.
“Their longstanding and meaningful connection to our community is something we hold in great regard, and we hope it continues uninterrupted for generations to come.”
Murdock said no further comment would be provided until more information is available.
Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck penned a letter to McGuinty, calling the Snowbirds “an enduring symbol of Canada.”
“For decades, the Snowbrids have been an enduring symbol of Canada, and Saskatchewan people are proud to have the Snowbirds call Moose Jaw Home,” Beck wrote.
Beck said the pilots, technicians, and staff deserve safe and reliable aircraft, but governments have failed to properly plan for replacing aging Tutors.
“Losing the Snowbirds would be a tremendous loss for Moose Jaw, for Saskatchewan and for all Canadians,” Beck wrote.
Moose jaw resident Keith Schick said the news made him sad, though he was not entirely surprised.
“It’s been a possibility for quite a few years, so not a real shock,” he said. “It will happen at some point. But they’re great for the city, they’re great for the province, great for the country.”
Schick said he has fond memories of seeing the Snowbirds over the decades.
“Lots of them, because we would regularly attend the air show when it was out at the base,” he said. “I’ve been seeing them for 40 years.”
While he said new planes could mean better equipment and perhaps a better show, he said something familiar would still be lost.
“You’d lose something as well,” Schick said. “They’re used to seeing those red and white and yellow guys. That defines them.”
For Rampersad, the Snowbirds are also part of the tourism draw.
“This is a big tourism city in the province of Saskatchewan, for sure,” he said. “People come here. They want to see the tunnels, but they also want to see the Snowbirds. It’s an attraction.”
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