Residents of Moose Jaw say temporary loss of the Snowbirds will hit community hard

Moose Jaw residents aren't taking the loss of their beloved snowbirds lightly. Losing the snowbirds is devastating. Stabbing a heart. It's a loss. Even if that loss is only said to be temporary. You have these pilots that are going to move on to something else. You have all these ground crew techs and families that potentially could be disbanded into other bases and they probably won't even come back. For many Moosejawians, the snowbirds represent more than an air show. A lot of people don't understand for the community of Moose Jaw how emotional this was. They've become a symbol of hope and a sign of unity. Growing up in Moose Jaw, we had the privilege of seeing the air shows when they would have them and just... As a child, watching that, and it just lets you dream. Based at Moose Jaw's 15 Wing since 1971, the squadron has become woven into the fabric of the community. It's very representative of who we are. Few know the strength of that community connection better than the staff at Hopkins Dining Parlor. Hopkins has been a restaurant for 47 years, so we've had many snowbirds. Come and go, uh, it's kind of a central gathering place. Since the squadron's final home base performance in their iconic Tutor Jets last month, Hopkins owner Linda Lynn has been working to dedicate a room in the restaurant to preserving the snowbird's legacy. All the hallways will be old snowbird history, but newer ones. She says it will be finished in the coming weeks and plans to invite customers for free tours after they eat. When even people now even move into a different city or something, when they come back to Moose Jaw, they still will come back here. They want to, you know, bring their memory back. The hope is that the snowbirds will be back in the air with new planes in the early 2030s. They'll perform a final flyover in the Tudors at the Grey Cup in Calgary later this month. Camila Ferragalli, CBC News, Moose Jaw.