LISSA ALEXANDER
reporter@pqbnews.com
The restaurant at the Qualicum Beach Airport has been reopened with new owners, and people may notice another bright, new addition.
Layne Collinson has been creating stained glass art for nearly 40 years and her newest creations are 18 historic, and eye-catching airplanes adorning the windows of the restaurant.
Collinson made planes like the iconic Canadian Silver Dart, Chuck Yeager’s rocket plane, credited as the first one to break the sound barrier in 1947, and the Canadian Avro Arrow. There’s also a blimp, the Wright Brother’s first plane, a concorde, a Cessna model, a glider and a plane from the KD Air fleet, among others.
People have already taken notice of the art pieces at the restaurant, called The Final Approach, and Collinson has heeded some good advice.
“Since we’ve been open pilots have been coming in going, wow!” she said. “I’ve had pilots telling me which ones I had to do.”
Layne is also a server, and works at the restaurant. She also works two other jobs and raises a family. She completed the planes in nine days, so they would be ready for the opening day of the restaurant.
“They say if you want something done give it to a busy woman,” she laughed.
The Final Approach has been re-opened by Ian McLaughlan and Adam Potter, who were looking to decorate with an airplane theme and were delighted with Collinson’s idea.
Although she’s never had a great interest in airplanes before, she said, she does now.
“Once I get into something I get obsessed, so now it’s going to be hard for me to stop making airplanes.”
The glass planes at the restaurant are for sale. Visit The Final Approach at the Qualicum Beach Airport, at 1000 Ravensbourne Lane.