A beautiful stained glass window dedicated to 19 Wing Comox and the Canadian Armed Forces now welcomes passengers to the Comox Valley Airport, thanks to a donation from BMO Bank of Montreal.
“The Canadian Forces have a major presence in the Comox Valley and have been an important part of this community for more than 70 years,” said Stephen Gardner, regional vice-president, personal banking, central and northern Vancouver Island for BMO Bank of Montreal. “This window is a wonderful way to recognize the contribution of the military to the Comox Valley and BMO’s long standing tradition of supporting our troops.”
“19 Wing Comox has called this Valley home for more than 70 years. This is where our members live, where we work and where our children go to school,” said Colonel Tom Dunne, Commander 19 Wing Comox. “This window is an excellent reminder of our commitment to the Comox Valley and the excellent working relationships that exist between the Wing, the airport and our local governments.”
The window was created by local glass artist Jan Lindstrom and features the 19 Wing/Canadian Forces Base Comox coat of arms, which depicts a thunderbird - a powerful First Nations symbol. A giant supernatural bird, with great power and intelligence, the thunderbird is believed to help the weak and the poor. The thunderbird also represents the carrying out of law and protocol.
“The Comox Valley Airport could not exist without the support of 19 Wing Comox,” said Comox Valley Airport CEO Fred Bigelow. “Our positive relationship with the men and women of 19 Wing allows us to offer our airlines access to the longest runway on Vancouver Island and 24-hour emergency services. We remain ever appreciative of the integral role 19 Wing plays in our operations.”