Airport receives top beautification award

Keep Michigan Beautiful, Inc. (KMB) bestowed Oakland County International Airport (OCIA) in Waterford with its President's Plaque award last Friday, Oct. 21, at its annual awards and meeting program at Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids. The award recognizes OCIA's efforts to maintain a beautiful natural landscape throughout the airport grounds. "Oakland County prides itself on a great quality of life," said Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson. "Maintaining beautiful surroundings throughout the county - including at the airport - helps make Oakland County among the best places to live, work, play and raise a family." The President's Plaque is KMB's highest annual award. It is among a series of awards that recognize programs and activities in Michigan that substantially contribute to environmental improvement, clean up, beautification, site restoration and historical preservation. Shirley Richardson, a member of KMB and the Waterford Chamber of Commerce, nominated OCIA for the award. Accepting the President's Plaque on behalf of Oakland County was J. David VanderVeen, director of Central Services for the county, who oversees the county's three airports. "We thank KMB and Shirley Richardson for this honor," VanderVeen said. "The groundskeepers at the airport have invested a lot of sweat equity into keeping it beautiful." OCIA is Michigan's second busiest airport. In August, it opened the nation's first LEED-certified general aviation airport terminal which features leading-edge green technology such as solar power and water heating; wind power; geothermal heating and cooling; LED and fluorescent lighting; a living wall; and many other energy efficient technologies. Other improvements at the airport in recent years include the world's first aesthetic ground run-up enclosure to reduce airport noise; fuel-water separator to prevent aviation fuel from leeching into groundwater; and a runway extension that allows aircraft to reach the west coast of the United States, Mexico, Asia and Europe without refueling. "This terminal is the gateway to Oakland County," said Patterson. "There's a 'wow' factor about the terminal that will give travelers a positive impression of our region." During the course of a year, nearly every Fortune 500 company lands at OCIA. It has a $150 million economic impact on the region. For additional information about OCIA, visit www.oakgov.com/aviation. Published: Mon, Nov 14, 2011