The ribbon has been cut to officially open the new and improved Maidstone Airport.
RM of Eldon reeve Garry Taylor and Cut Knife-Turtleford MLA Larry Doke were on hand to officially open the airport with a ribbon cutting Saturday morning. Also on hand was Maidstone mayor Connie McCullough.
It had been hoped there might be a few planes on hand to fly in to the airport, including one from the STARS air ambulance fleet.
Unfortunately, the rainy weather did not co-operate and the fly-in show was a no-go. But that did not stop residents of Maidstone from enjoying the pancake breakfast at the big tent set up for the occasion next to the runway.
The Town of Maidstone and the RM of Eldon had jointly operated the Maidstone airport since 1954. In 2010 the town transferred their share to the RM, and that began the talks on the future of the airport.
The reason the RM retained the airport, Taylor said, was for crop dusting and spraying.
But looking to the future, Taylor said, they saw the need to upgrade and expand to accommodate other air traffic coming and going to the area.
They bought some land, expanded the runway to 3,610 feet from 2,732 feet, added aircraft radio control lighting, and "made it into what it is today."
The effort was done almost entirely by the RM with their funds. The total cost was $1,275,000.
However, the RM did apply for and received a Community Airport Partnership grant in 2014 of $16,250 for a GPS approach and weather tracking system to improve safety for the pilots when coming in to land.
The new airport will accommodate private planes, but will also allow for smaller twin-engine corporate jets. Commercial aircraft such as 737s are still too big for the runway, however.
Importantly, it will also accommodate the new STARS air ambulance service, which is critical given that Maidstone has a Collaborative Emergency Centre that opened in September of last year.
That was another reason it was built, as the old airstrip had deteriorated to the point where the air ambulance would not land there.
Since it began use, the paved runway has accommodated a fixed-wing air ambulance plane as well as four STARS helicopters.
Taylor said ratepayers commented of the airport that "all it has to do is save one life and it's all worth it. And it's already accomplished that. It's saved one of our local men's life."
There aren't hangars at the airport yet, though that could happen down the road.
The hope is the airport will be used by clients in the oil patch, transporting workers in and out. Taylor compared it to the movie Field of Dreams -- "if you build it they will come."
"We've tried to spare nothing, we wanted to do it right the first time," said Taylor.
MLA Doke was impressed with the new airport and with the fact that the RM of Eldon was able to "take the bull by the horns" and move ahead on their own with the project. He believes the airport will be a great asset in helping the economy in the region.
"The area is booming with the oil and gas industry for sure, but that being said, now there's a proper airport for STARS and the fixed-wing air ambulance to land. We've got oil companies that can land here now and bring people in, so it's very good. It's another great amenity for the community."
