Working through 2021, and making the best of it as everyone could, saw Southport Aerospace Centre doing its best and making significant strides in the process.

CEO Peggy May outlines some of their challenges.

"Of course, 2021 continued to be kind of tough with all the COVID issues that everybody was facing," says May. "There were so many shutdowns at our recreation facility, but we're proud to say that our support staff are all 100 per cent vaccinated as are our suppliers onsite, as well. We've managed to get through the year okay, and we're back up and running, although 2022 is looking a little bit sad right now, but much of the year, our team has been working on Future Air Crew Training. or FACTS as we call it."

May says that's a program that assists the two qualified suppliers with their solutions for their upcoming RFP (request for proposal) that will bring another contract to Southport in 2027. She notes it's a long process, but it's very exciting.

She outlines some of their major accomplishments this past year.naire South units, bringing our total to 16. We have 16 more rental units that we upgraded, and we're incorporating electric furnaces into all of our rental units."

Corporate social responsibility commitments and supporting their community through donations and in-kind has not been something Southport has not been engaged in, and they continue to do their part. May says it's especially important to continue those efforts during these trying times when funding methods through events when possible.

"And another thing we're very proud of this year, we added a Four Winds Cultural Centre to our interpretive park," says May. "It includes a sweat lodge, a teepee, and a picnic shelter. We're hoping to welcome all kinds of celebration and healing events in that park in the coming year."

She adds they're always extremely proud of their team and the great work accomplished as well as all the work that they've done onsite.

"They've also had many personal accomplishments," notes May. "We had team members add credentials to their names. We have two yellow belts now onsite, three green belts were completed, and a commercial property management designation. We hired a bunch of new staff -- our facility management, airport operations and accounting professionals. So, I think that's a big list so far."

May adds they initially planned to expand their recreation facilities and would have loved to have had a bigger year in the golf area.

"But restrictions did hold us back, for sure," says May. "We're hoping that the coming year will improve and there won't be as many restrictions. Hopefully, everybody will get healthy, we can get back to living normal lives, and having enough events that we didn't get to hold the that we would have liked to have held there."

She notes they're in the midst of creating a business plan and working on all of the new initiatives.