The District of 100 Mile House is moving forward with their Airport Master Plan.
During the March 11 District of 100 Mile House Council meeting, council approved two applications to the BC Air Access Program Minor Project stream: one for $75,023.44 for the 100 Mile House Airport Perimeter Fencing Project, and the other for $18,463.19 for the 100 Mile House Airport Runway Safety Improvements. The District will be covering $30,009.38 for the fencing project and $4,615.80 for the runway safety improvements.
"Both of the grant applications were related to projects that were recommended in the Airport Master Plan," Tammy Boulanger, the chief administrative officer of the District of 100 Mile House, said.
The fencing project aims to remove existing post and wire fencing and the installation of around 580 metres of six-foot tall chain link perimeter fencing and two unpowered vehicle gates to provide access to Apron I.
The rationale as to why the fencing project had been undertaken, according to documents attached to the March 11 agenda, is that the current condition of the fencing "varies, with numerous areas in disrepair" while adding that "the effectiveness of the perimeter fencing and access controls for it's intended purpose (wildlife management, security and safety) is limited by the low fence heights, numerous areas of unimpeded access, and routinely left open gates." The perimeter fencing's construction is estimated to begin in June 2025 and conclude in October 2025.
The runway safety improvements on the other hand, aim to apply a TP312 5th edition taxiway centreline - an enhanced taxiway centreline and runway holding position mandatory instruction signs, as well as four frangible-mount retroreflective runway holding position mandatory instruction signs, the removal of existing designation markings for Runway 08 and 26 and reapplied as Runway 09 and Runway 27, and four low-flying aircraft roadway warning signs being installed before the extended runway centreline at Wrangler Way and on private lands to the west.
The rationale for the improvements is the regulatory requirements from NAV CANADA as the airport had recently submitted a change in January 2025 over the correct classification of the asset being Runway 09-27, as opposed to Runway 08-26 which had been designated in the 1980s - as well as low-flying and taxiing aircraft posing a hazard to pedestrian and vehicle traffic, as well as recommendations from the Airport Master Plan. Like the fencing project, the airport proposes to begin the project in June 2025, however, unlike the fencing project, it aims to complete it by August 2025.
Both projects are being supported by HM Aero, which formulated the Airport Master Plan, as well as the 100 Mile Flying Club.
Tammy Boulanger, the chief administrative officer with the District of 100 Mile House, says that the District is "very hopeful that we will be successful and awarded both of the BCAAP grant applications" in an e-mail to the simplymastery. She adds that the District had to "process the applications quickly in order to meet the intake deadlines."
Boulanger says that the District is not planning on applying for any further applications at this time.
