Updates to fly high at Lethbridge Airport

A facelift is in store for the Lethbridge Airport. During a recent Lethbridge County council meeting held Mar. 5, council passed a few motions in regards to repairs at the Lethbridge Airport.
Council passed first reading to Bylaw #1442, being a borrowing bylaw for installing Precision Approach Path Indicating (PAPI) System Lighting at the Lethbridge Airport.
The total borrowing for this capital project, a report submitted to council stated, is $32,500. The annual payments, according to the report, of principal and interest will impact the property tax requirement and has been included in the 2015 Operating Budget.
The 2015 Capital Budget was approved by council in 2014 and included the amount of $650,000, to be funded with ACAP funding and debenture. The Municipal Government Act states, “A municipality may only make a borrowing if the borrowing is authorized by a borrowing bylaw.”
“This project is for the PAPI lighting on the runways,” said Tracy Anderson from Corporate Services, during her report to council.
Coun. Ken Benson asked if this would make the landing strip lighted for airplanes coming in at the airport?
Anderson said PAPI is the airport’s approach lighting used for pitch, as planes are coming in, to gauge if the plane is coming in at the correct angle.
Another project in the works, according to a report submitted to council, is airport roof replacement. The recommendation submitted to council was to approve first reading of Bylaw #1444, being a borrowing bylaw for roof replacement at the Lethbridge Airport. The motion was passed to approve first reading of the bylaw.
Total borrowing for this capital project, the report stated, is $30,000, which is also the estimated cost to complete the project. According to Anderson, the second floor of the Lethbridge Airport is constantly dealing with leaks.
“This is primarily the second roof and the overhang on the first floor,” she added.
Council also passed the motion for first reading of Bylaw #1443, being a borrowing bylaw for replacing the underground fuel storage tanks at the Lethbridge Airport. The motion was passed for first reading of the bylaw.
A report stated, the total borrowing for this capital project is $65,000, which is also the estimated cost to complete the project. “This bylaw is to remove the current tanks that are out at the airport and replace them with above ground fueling systems and paving over the sites, once those tanks are removed,” said Anderson.
Another bylaw first reading was approved by council.
Council approved first reading of Bylaw #1441, being a borrowing bylaw for constructing an oversize vehicle bay at the Lethbridge Airport maintenance garage.
The report stated, the total borrowing for this capital project is $70,000, which is the estimated cost to complete the project.
“This is to accommodate the snowblower that we purchased. It doesn’t quite fit,” said Anderson, in regards to the current state of the bay.
Reeve Lorne Hickey said $70,000 was an unbelievable price for just work on a door.
Coun. John Wilms added it sometimes is amazing how much it costs government to complete various projects.
“If we were doing that privately. It wouldn’t cost $70,000. I’m sure of that. It just floors me,” said Wilms.