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| NEWS - July 27, 2010 |
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| County council votes to re-establish airport authority |
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Keith Lacey
Leader Staff
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Barrhead County council has thrown its support behind once again establishing an airport authority to investigate the possibility of expanding facilities and opportunities at the Johnson Regional Airport.
After a presentation by business analyst Cheryl Sanderman-Gergatz from Community Futures Yellowhead East to council on July 20, council threw its unanimous support behind forming a new airport authority – which was disbanded several years ago – to look at potential expansion in the short and long term.
The authority would be made up of members of Town of Barr-head council, the Barrhead and District Chamber of Commerce, Barrhead Flying Club, Community Futures Yellowhead East and county council.
The Johnson Regional Airport is operated under the authority of Barrhead County.
The bottom line is there are commercial operators interested in building a few more hangars and technicians showing interest in setting up shop at the airport, said Sanderman-Gergatz.
Down the road, if there were to be expansion of the runway and other facilities, the potential for a great increase in aviation traffic also exists, she said.
Sanderman-Gergatz was asked by county manager Mark Oberg to appear before council after hearing she had prepared a preliminary report about the airport’s potential as part of a work project at Community Futures Yellowhead East.
As part of an "assignment" she started "looking at resources that I felt had an opportunity to be developed" in and around Barrhead, where she was spent most of her life, said Sanderman-Gergatz.
After reading numerous media reports about the imminent closure of Edmonton’s City Centre Airport, which many believe will close in the next two years, she concentrated her report on the Johnson Regional Airport, located three kilometres from downtown Barrhead, she told council.
After meeting with members of the Barrhead Flying Club and the regional economic development committee, Sanderman-Gergatz began doing research on current usage at the small regional airport.
"I went to do this as a project with my employer ... if the county and town were interested, I would forward a copy of my report," she said. "That’s why I’m here today."
One small charter airline company is interested in operating out of the Barrhead airport to fly workers to and from Fort McMurray, she told council.
There is ample room to build several more hangars and interest from private investors to use their own money to lease the land from the county, she said.
"The airport site itself can accommodate additional hangars and air traffic, and lends itself well to the establishment of commercial aircraft serving ventures," she said in her report.
Like any business, the details would have to be worked out, but the interest is there, she said.
"I can see potential here," Sanderman-Gergatz added.
The airport would need a minimum of $100,000 in private investment before the town or county would even be eligible to apply for grants to go towards small or large-scale expansion, but she’s confident that kind of investment would not be a problem, she said.
Coun. Darrell Troock thanked Sanderman-Gergatz for her hard work on the report and said it was clear to him the time has come to re-establish an airport authority and look at all options.
"It’s time we start working on our airport again," said Troock. "Edmonton’s City Centre airport is closing, there’s no doubt in my mind about that. There might be some great opportunities out there for us."
If Barrhead’s airport were to significantly increase commercial or charter traffic, some significant changes and big investments would have to take place, said Troock.
The new airport authority can look at every option and possible funding and expansion potential and go from there, he said. |
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