Meetings on Tuesday, October 23, between Gaoshi (Canada) Holdings general manager Victor Gao and City of Powell River were held to show the site plan for a new aviation centre at Powell River Airport.
A sign depicting architectural drawings of what the facility will look like has also been installed at the airport.
“We finished the master plan and we wanted to modify it in more detail and, in the meantime, we’re looking for engineering companies,” said Gao. “It’s moving forward.”
Initial work will include fencing around the 4.6-hectare parcel of land, according to Gao. In September, city council approved Gaoshi’s offer of $600,000 for a 99-year lease and a tax revitalization bylaw.
According to city director of planning services Thomas Knight, the development permits will be brought before council in December.
Knight said with a project of this size and scope, council needs to approve the style and design.
Transport Canada might also need to issue approvals, according to media relations senior advisor Marie-Anyk Côté.
“When a construction project causes temporary or permanent changes to the airport’s air-side environment or to their airport operation manual, a plan of construction operations must be approved by Transport Canada,” said Côté.
Pending necessary permits, once the area is secured by fencing to ensure the development does not interfere with airfield safety, the site will be cleared of trees, brush and overgrowth, and surveyed in detail.
“The area is surveyed but only the boundary and a little detail,” said Gao. “In order to develop this area, we're going to have to clean everything and have a very detailed survey before Christmas.”
He added that fencing will be in place early in 2019, if not sooner.
Phase one of the project will include two buildings: one for mixed use and the other for a hangar that will fit two commuter planes, similar in size to those used by Pacific Coastal Airlines (Beechcraft 1900C or Saab 340A).
Gao said plans for the two-storey mixed-use building include a comfortable lounge area for passengers and a cafeteria.
“We’re going to have a few office spaces for airline companies, shipping companies and charter companies,” he said, as examples of future tenants.
Gaoshi hopes to have the majority of contracts and workers go to local people, according to Gao, but might have to go outside of Powell River because of cost competitiveness and the complexities and technology necessary for the project might not be available here.
“It's very exciting,” said Gao. “Many thanks to mayor [Dave] Formosa and his team. They've helped us a lot, pushing the project forward to help the growing community. It's real. It's going to happen. Give us some time. It's going to happen.”
