City of Powell River councillors have been presented an update report on the Powell River Airport runway rehabilitation project.
At the June 20 city council meeting, manager of transportation Cam Reed said construction commenced on April 8 and the city was pleased that by June 8, the runway was reopened for daylight use.
“It was a significant thing to have done in two months,” said Reed. “We are pleased with that.”
Reed showed councillors several aerial photos of the runway construction taken the day of the runway opening. He pointed out the fresh asphalt and the new pavement markings.
Pointing out a photo from runway 27, the east end of the airport, Reed showed the new threshold area.
“This is something we didn’t have at each end,” said Reed. “It’s a requirement to meet this edition of the regulations and it’s basically the gravel portion that is a 60-metre safety area to support aircraft if they were to overshoot the runway. That was a significant thing we were able to bring to this project.”
All the ditching around the runway was revamped, according to Reed, and was moved further away from the runway itself to get outside of the strip to meet the new regulations.
Reed said Pacific Coastal Airlines and the company’s larger Saab 340 aircraft is now able to use Powell River Airport, which is wonderful to see. The Saab, which had previously serviced the airport, was restricted from using it for a period of years when the gradient of the runway was found to exceed the regulations for the aircraft.
The city is anticipating daylight use only for the airport until probably mid-July, according to Reed.
“We are awaiting some electrical components to come in,” said Reed. “One of the benefits of having done the project when we did is to have it up and functional. If this was later in the season, it would have curtailed things a great deal as far as useability of the runway.
“We’re in the final stages and the big worry is behind us. We’re feeling good but there’s still more to do.”
Councillor Cindy Elliott asked if the project was on budget.
Reed said the chief administrative officer and the engineering department had been handling that aspect of the project but all indications he was aware of is that it is on budget.
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