Vernon, CA 🇨🇦 Closed Airport
CA-0846
-
1280 ft
CA-BC
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 50.32° N, -119.257° E
Continent: NA
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: Okanagan AR4
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The exact closure date is not officially documented. However, analysis of historical aviation database records suggests the aerodrome ceased operations sometime between the mid-2000s and early 2010s. It was likely officially delisted or simply fell into disuse during this period.
No single official reason for the closure is publicly available. It was likely due to a combination of factors common for small, private aerodromes:
1. **Redundancy:** The nearby and much larger Okanagan Lake hosts the official Vernon/Okanagan Lake Water Aerodrome (CBE2), which is better suited for seaplane operations.
2. **Economic Viability:** The aerodrome was likely a private-use or small commercial site with limited traffic. It may have been closed by its owner/operator due to a lack of business or for personal reasons.
3. **Environmental Concerns:** Swan Lake is a smaller, shallower, and more ecologically sensitive body of water compared to Okanagan Lake. It is home to the Swan Lake Nature Reserve, and increasing environmental regulations or concerns about motorized traffic may have contributed to the cessation of flight operations.
4. **Shoreline Development:** The shoreline in that area has been developed for commercial, light industrial, and agricultural use, leaving little room or demand for aviation infrastructure.
The physical location of the former aerodrome is the water surface on the southwestern part of Swan Lake. There is no longer any dedicated aviation infrastructure, such as docks, ramps, or hangars, at the coordinates. The adjacent shoreline is a mix of commercial properties (including a garden market), light industrial businesses, and agricultural land. The lake itself is used for non-motorized recreation like kayaking and bird watching, and a significant portion of its southern shore is a protected nature reserve.
Swan Lake Water Aerodrome was a minor aviation facility. It served as a designated landing area on the water for floatplanes and seaplanes. Its operations were likely limited to private, recreational flying and potentially very small-scale, local charter services. It did not have scheduled passenger flights (hence no IATA code) and was not a significant commercial or transport hub. Its historical significance is primarily as a footnote in the local aviation history of the Vernon area, representing one of many small landing sites that once operated in the region.
There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Swan Lake Water Aerodrome. The existence of superior, established aviation facilities nearby (Vernon Regional Airport - CYVK, and Vernon/Okanagan Lake Water Aerodrome - CBE2), combined with the environmental sensitivity of Swan Lake and the developed nature of its shoreline, makes a revival of aviation activities at this specific location highly improbable.
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