Tensions over a community airport on mid-Vancouver Island were kicked up a notch this week after false claims about it closing spread on social media.

The Town of Qualicum Beach, B.C., released a statement on Tuesday saying it was aware of online posts that claimed the council would vote on whether to close the airport the following day.

“There is no intent to close the airport,” the statement said.

More than 100 people showed up at the bi-annual council meeting, many to give feedback on airport actitivites.

“We heard … noise complaints, we heard also from airlines and pilots about restrictions,” Mayor Teunis Westbroek told CBC News.

“We’re looking forward to, in the end, a business plan to accommodate and try and address all these concerns.”

The Qualicum Beach Airport hosts a flight school, a flying club for private owners of small aircraft and runs a handful of commercial flights.

Some residents have said noise from low-flying planes is decreasing quality of life in the otherwise-quiet seaside town.

But pilots and aviation enthusiasts insist the airport is an important community resource.

Stephen Wilcox, chair of the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association, said these conflicts were common for small communities with airports.

“As we’ve seen growth across the country, around communities, they tend to encroach or start to move closer to the airport and the issue of noise comes up,” he said.

‘We came here to enjoy the nature’

Todd Provost, head of the Qualicum Woods Residents Association, was at the council meeting.

He said noise from frequent low-flying planes had become unbearable.

“We came here to enjoy the nature and the peace and the charm of Qualicum Beach … constantly we’re having airplanes fly over at different times of day, and repeatedly.”

He said he would like the to town to restrict times for the flight school so he and his neighbours could enjoy their backyards once more.

‘A fantastic place to learn to fly’

Gordon Dyck, a member of the Qualicum Beach Flying Club and former gliding instructor, said there were already rules and regulations in place.

The town’s Good Neighbour Program includes guidelines on flight paths, circuit times and rates of climb.

“The next generation of pilots grows up at an airport like this,” Dyck said. “And this is a fantastic place to learn to fly.”

The mayor said the town had applied to Nav Canada to increase noise sensitive areas and limit where pilots could fly.

He said flight school staff were also considering limits on circuit training.

“It’s a vital local airport, and we want to make sure that we are fair to everybody,” he said.