NORTHWEST REGIONAL Airport officials say they need to increase passenger fees to pay for new asphalt and runway lights among other items.
Topping the list is tucking away $450,000 which would be the airport’s share to resurface its runway, says airport manager Carman Hendry.
That’s 15 per cent of the anticipated bill and the federal government would cover the rest, he added.
“We’re coming up to the time when Transport Canada recommends in its guidelines that it be done,” said Hendry of the asphalt project. “It’s a 10 to 15 year replacement plan.”
This would apply to 5,000 feet of the main runway. An extension won’t need to be resurfaced until at least 2018, Hendry continued.
Also on the replacement list is the airport’s runway lighting system which, said Hendry, is so old that parts are hard to find.
“Other airports have taken these lights out of service and we’ve been getting replacement parts from them,” he added.
The lighting system dates back to 1989.