WESTLOCK – Westlock County, in conjunction with the Town of Westlock, has applied for $1.5 million in provincial Community Airport Program (CAP) funding to help pay for $2.2 million worth of proposed work at Westlock Municipal Airport that includes new lights and a fresh asphalt overlay for the runway.
At their Nov. 29 meeting, Westlock County councillors voted 7-0 to apply for $1,521,400 from the program, which is one of four under the provincial Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program (STIP), while on Nov. 14, town councillors also voted 7-0 to support the application.
The request for decision (RFD) to town councillors noted the airport runway “is in need of a complete overlay” while town CAO Simone Wiley said the two municipalities have unsuccessfully applied for this particular grant, although without the lighting component, for the last two years. The RFD states the runway lighting also needs to be replaced and “has been a continual issue for the last number of years, with repairs being made as needed” while Westlock County CAO Tony Kulbisky said Nov. 29 it’s “the most critical part of the project.”
In a follow-up interview Nov. 30, Kulbisky is hopeful they’ll receive approval as he got updated quotes for the work as “you need up-to-date quantities and pricing” and has been told “they hit every checkmark.” According to the CAP website, eligible projects include runway lighting and major capital rehabilitation, including pavement rehabilitation work, such as fog seals, slurry seals and overlays.
“We’re looking at a phasing option to make it fit within their (Alberta Transportation’s) available budget and I mean we still have to wait for formal approvals, but in our discussions with them it seemed quite hopeful that they would look at the Westlock Airport this time around,” said Kulbisky Nov. 30. “We just wanted to make sure we had the conversation with the folks that are reviewing the applications. I feel pretty confident that we’ll be successful.”
The request for decision to county councillors notes Phase 1 of the project includes new airfield lighting and related safety upgrades at an estimated cost of $1,215,362.50 — two thirds, $810,241.67, would be paid for by the province, leaving $405,120.83 to be cost-shared between the town and the county. Kulbisky recommended to council that the joint airport reserve will be used to fund the project, which would commence in 2023 if approved by the province.
Reeve Christine Wiese told councillors the current lighting equipment is “pretty much obsolete” as it requires 36 batteries and they’ve only been able to find eight batteries “looking high, low and everywhere.”
“The lights still work, but it’s getting harder and harder to find parts,” Kulbisky confirmed.
Phase 2, which would go forward in 2024, includes a complete runway asphalt overlay at a cost of $1,066,750. With the province kicking in $711,166.67, the town and county would be on the hook for of $355,583.33 —Kulbisky said the county's share of $178K would “likely be funded from the infrastructure reserve.”
Town debate
Previously, mayor Ralph Leriger said that the STIP grants are “very much oversubscribed by a long ways” so when it comes to finding the money to cover the town’s portion of the project “they’ll cross that bridge if and when we get there.” While councillors Murtaza Jamaly and Curtis Snell asked Nov. 14 if the town needed to commit the funding now, Wiley told them that if the application is successful and the project proceeds, they’d be borrowing the money to make their end, or taking it out of a reserve.
And while Jamaly asked if they could simply refuse the grant if they received it, Leriger replied: “Are you really going to walk away from two-thirds of $2.2 million? Probably you’ll find a way to find your share.”
“We’ll certainly need to have to have the discussion of how are we going to fund it should that eventuality arise,” the mayor added.
