Municipal District of Willow Creek prioritizes airport

By Mickey Dumont Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Above expected upgrades and necessary maintenance at the Claresholm Industrial Airport (CIA), the Municipal District of Willow Creek’s evolving plans shine a priority spotlight on the facility.
“We get frequent calls regarding potential development there,” says Derrick Krizsan, chief administrative officer, for the Municipal District of Willow Creek. “We are encouraged that the Claresholm region is on the map.
“The council has been focused on revitalizing the CIA. The properties there have access to both water and wastewater services, which is very unusual for a rural municipality to have that type of access in this type of setting.”
Krizsan explains developing and locating potential industrial commercial development in a central location out in the countryside helps reduce agricultural land fragmentation and potential nuisances. “They (M.D.) have looked at this area very favourably. When we do get business inquiries about companies looking to establish or locate, we have a location in the municipality where we can direct them to, in addition to our neighbouring urban communities.”
The council is applying for a grant to Alberta Transportation under its Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program (STIP) and its Community Airport Program (CAP). The grant would cover 75 percent of the Claresholm Airport Secondary Runway Renewal (Slurry Seal). The runway is currently not active.
“The users of the airport have expressed interest in opening a cross strip to help with landing when the wind is not going in a favourable direction,” said Craig Pittman, M.D. director of infrastructure. “Council passed a resolution to allow us to spend a bit of money. We will analyze this to know what it would take to bring the de-activated cross strip up to safety standards.”
The director will investigate what kind of surface repair and treatment the runway needs.”
Pittman believes the CIA was a Royal Canadian Airforce training centre and NATO base before it was privatized.
“As they moved out it wasn’t feasible to keep all of the runways active,” Pittman said. “There is just the one single runway that is active which isn’t uncommon. I believe that the only airports that have a suitable cross strip that’s active around here include Springbank west of Calgary, Lethbridge and Taber. Everything in between, to my knowledge, is just a single runway airport,” explained Pittman.
The CIA has useable, but old pilot-controlled lighting (PCL), also known as aircraft radio control of aerodrome lighting (ARCAL) or pilot-activated lighting (PAL).
“We’re going to have the airport specialists evaluate the system and provide a recommendation as to whether we can string it out for a bit longer or should it be replaced, and with what.”
The director said the M.D. also purchased a slurry seal. “That goes over the top of the taxi way then you cover it with a spec sand which is broomed into it, helping it to set up. It helps preserve the existing asphalt so we can extend the useful life of it.”
At half price, the M.D. was billed about $40,000.