Kelowna community leader and politician Al Horning dead at 83

Former Kelowna city councillor, MP and MLA Al Horning died in hospital on March 20. He was 83 years old.

Just last month, a future road near Kelowna International Airport was named Al Horning Way in his honour.

READ MORE: New road at Kelowna airport named after long-time politician Al Horning

“Al Horning is the epitome of a community builder, serving his community in many ways – from Parliament Hill to the ball diamonds of Rutland,” Mayor Tom Dyas said in a news release at that time. “Al has spent his entire life working to improve his neighbourhood and his city.”

Horning was a long-time director for the Black Mountain Irrigation District and remained on its board up to his death.

He graduated from Rutland Secondary School and attended UBC. He worked in real estate and was first elected to Kelowna city council in 1980 where he served until he was elected as MP in 1988.

Horning served as an MP until 1993 and was re-elected to city council in 2002. From there, he went on to serve as Kelowna-Lake Country MLA from 2005 to 2009.

In 1990, Horning was instrumental in getting the runway extended at Kelowna airport which was key to WestJet coming to the city.

“Al Horning was someone who got things done – whether it was fighting to what we needed to get bigger planes into Kelowna, or getting federal contracts for Kelowna companies like Western Star, or getting ball diamonds built, he always brought dogged determination to his work,” Kelowna city council said in a news release issued yesterday, March 21. “He represents the epitome of community service. To honour that service, the city’s flags will be at half-mast on the day of his service.”

No date for that service has yet been announced.

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