The Birch Hills Airport is going to be getting some upgrades soon. (submitted photo/Bryce Meyer)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

Lighting up the runway

Area airport set to see improvements

May 15, 2019 | 1:48 PM

The Birch Hills Airport will be able to make some valuable upgrades with new funding from the provincial government.

Last week the Government of Saskatchewan announced nine municipal airports in the province would receive funding for improvements through the Community Airport Partnership Program.

Bryce Meyer, president of the Birch Hills Flying Club said the amount will cover 50 per cent of the cost of fixing runway lights.

“We haven’t been able to have flights coming in after dark here, so we’re finally hoping to get that fixed with this grant here in the next few months,” he said. “There’s probably a dozen people here that would like fly in and out at night and [that] hasn’t really been an option. Kind of limits your travel options, so it’d be good for the local flying club and those who come in from out of town in small aircraft.”

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The Town of Birch Hills and the local flying club will cover the remaining cost. In total the repairs are expected to cost around $20,000.

Meyer, who has been with the airport for the last four years, said it offers a variety of services ranging from a spray service to aircraft maintenance.

“As far as a small rural airport we’re as busy as they come,” he said.

The work to get the lights back on involves replacing above-ground wiring. Meyer said they expect to start the work later in the summer or early in the fall. The late start is due to upcoming crop spraying flights.

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MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn