Airport plan set: No chance of runway extension, no business compensation
There are no plans to extend the main runway at Medicine Hat Regional Airport, and compensation for businesses affected by the closure of the airport for 24 days in May is not on the cards, says the mayor.
While this airport will close to rehabilitate the runway, Charlottetown Airport lengthened one runway to 7,000 feet first so it could remain operational while work takes place on the other.
The longest runway at Medicine Hat Airport is 5,000 feet, and the only way to extend it would require repositioning Highway 3.
About nine years ago the provincial government talked about changes to Highway 3, and extending the runway was a possibility. Real-estate prices were increasing, and to avoid having to expropriate land, a decision was made to purchase property such as a service station on the highway near the end of the runway, said Mayor Ted Clugston. The province then changed its plans and that brought a halt to plans for the runway.
The new provincial government has been talking again about twinning Highway 3, and there is the possibility it will start in Medicine Hat.
“They actually have been talking about it being in the capital budget coming out in the spring, I think,” said Clugston. “They may move on this but will we be extending the runway? No. Not in the foreseeable future.”
A 5,000-foot runway precludes some larger aircraft — such as 737s — from using the airport.
“A longer runway would give the airport more viability,” said Terri Super, president of Super T Aviation.
Clugston is not convinced. WestJet recently announced it will be flying out of Medicine Hat from the end of May, and the aircraft it will use can manage with the 5,000 foot runway.
“We can accommodate what the city can handle right now,” said Clugston. “There is nobody knocking at our door saying we need a longer runway.”
It is unlikely there will be any call for 737s to fly out of Medicine Hat any time soon, he added.
An international air ambulance service that operates Learjets wanted a base in the west and considered Medicine Hat, but the 5,000 foot runway was not long enough, said Super. That Learjet is now based in Lethbridge instead.
Years ago BATUS talked about flying large aircraft into Medicine Hat transporting troops but the runway length was too short for that as well, said Super.
The Medicine Hat airport will be closed completely for 24 days from May 7-31 to rehabilitate the main runway. The airport runway was built in 1964 and has not had a major resurfacing in more than 20 years.
The decision to close the airport completely was predicated on the shortest possible disruption for the broader community, said airport manager Jeff Huntus.
The other option would have been to use only 2,800 feet of one runway while work took place. Air Canada and the contractor that will soon operate the fixed-wing air ambulance indicated that length was unworkable for them.
Super suggests the closure of the airport could be reduced to a weekend while work takes place where the two runways intersect.
“Air Canada has been extremely clear they will not have any safety risk and they will not fly until the construction is done,” said Clugston.
Super T Aviation and Integra Air, which operate at the airport, have expressed concern about the financial impact on them during the closure.
Coun. Phil Turnbull told the News recently he believes compensation to these businesses should be considered.
“It is not under discussion. It is unlikely,” said Clugston.