VOTE "Yes" For the Katama Airfield Hangar
Mar 26, 2019 | In The News
Dear Edgartown Voters:
The trustees of the Katama Airfield Trust and the Commissioners of the Katama Airfield hereby request your consideration of voting "yes" for the replacement of the hangar at the Katama Airfield at the Town Election on April 11th.
After the hurricane of 1934, Stephen Gentle collected scattered pieces of his Katama Airfield hangar along the South Shore to use them in rebuilding the centerpiece of his airfield.
On April 11th, Edgartown voters will be asked to re-trace Steve Gentle's steps and, once again, restore
the hangar.
Steve Gentle and his local friends learned to fly on the Katama plains. During WWI, he enlisted to teach young military aviators to fly. When he returned in the late 1930s, he set to work in assembling the land to create the Katama Airfield. In 1984, he and his wife Dorothy gave much of the value of this land to the Town of Edgartown by a discounted sale with the stipulation it remain a small airfield. The Town, together with the Nature Conservancy, developed a conservation plan to preserve 190 acres of south shore grassy plains where flora, fauna and small airplanes have a peaceful coexistence. This space probably wouldn't be what it is without this remarkable partnership. The Airfield is one of many Edgartown assets that makes our town so beautiful.
The hangar is long overdue for replacement. The roof leaks, the foundation is shaky and the wood support beams have lost their original strength. A new hangar will replace small storage structures that are unsightly. The Katama Airfield Trust has raised over $150,000 in recent years to assist the Town in replacing the hangar. The Katama Airfield Commission has previously applied for a Community Preservation grant that was awarded. This combined work has allowed the Town to
significantly reduce the amount of the warrant article this year from $1,200,000 to $950,000. Last year, there was a tie vote for the hangar reconstruction. This year, we hope to break the tie.
We ask for your help in voting "yes" for the Katama Airfield Hangar.
Learn more about Katama Airfield at katamaairfieldtrust.org
Trustees of the Katama Airfield Trust and the Commissioners of the Katama Airfield
12 Mattakesett Way
KATAMA AIRFIELD WEBSITE
Copyright © 2019 Katama Airfield
The Katama Airfield Trust is an endowed preservation fund recorgnized by the IRS under 501C3 Plan.
12 Mattakesett Way | Edgartown, MA 02539 | Martha's Vineyard
© 2019 Katama Airfield Trust