INNISFAIL – By the end of the year the town will have its heliport back in operation, an upgraded facility for air ambulance service that will be compliant with the highest regulatory standards, and on the same site it has been for almost 23 years.
With a motion at its regular meeting on Feb. 22, town council agreed in “principle” to move forward with the rehabilitation of the heliport at its current location across from the Innisfail Health Centre.
Council also passed other motions to invest $10,000 from general reserves to develop the heliport operations manual, and to direct administration to develop the tendering process for the pricing of site design and engineering drawings for project, which is expected to cost around $500,000.
That overall project expense, which is higher than first estimated, includes an annual cost of $81,000 for training and operations of the facility. There was discussion at council about reaching out to the community with a fundraising initiative to help cover that annual cost.
“I think what it’s going to take is for the town to take the initiative to go ahead and say, ‘OK, we are going to do this’ and then you can sit down and say, ‘do you want to work with the community on a cost sharing situation? I think we can work things out,” said Mayor Jim Romane.
“I think our next step is to make the commitment that this is our preference to go ahead with this project and look into further steps as to how we can make it happen and afford it.”
The heliport’s operations were suspended last June for at least a year as it was not in compliance with numerous Transport Canada regulations.
A risk assessment of the heliport identified numerous deficiencies, including the need for resurfacing, new fencing, lighting and navigation markers.
It was also determined there was risks with the facility's proximity to major sports and recreational spaces, as well as the aquatic centre’s parking lot, and nearby public roads.
Since the heliport’s closure, the town has moved air ambulance service outside the town to Big Bend Airport.
During subsequent online community engagements with the public and stakeholders, the idea was advanced at looking at alternative heliport sites in the community. Administration presented a list of several sites to council in January.
“The general feedback was, ‘If its not going to be right beside the hospital maybe that’s not the way to go,” said Meghan Jenkins, the town’s director of community services, who presented council with a full report outlining the process for the rehabilitation of the heliport.
“All of the (alternative) sites would have had an added land purchase cost, and then all of the sites would also require an ambulance transfer from the hospital to the site, where sometimes from the Innisfail hospital they are able to make that transfer directly to the heliport without utilizing the ambulance.”
Following her formal presentation to council she asked council whether further public engagements were needed before making a final decision, and how should the project’s capital costs be funded for the heliport’s rehabilitation.
The mayor and other council members said they were satisfied there had been sufficient public engagement on the heliport issue.
“I am not hearing many people say anything but let’s figure out how to do it,” said Coun. Gavin Bates of the public support to get the heliport operational at the existing site.
Jenkins said staff will be meeting internally to get the operations manual and site design and engineering moving forward.
Her plan to council called for construction to begin this coming fall with the re-certification of the heliport later in the winter.
As well, she said there will be conversations about how to approach service clubs, and how they foresee community fundraising taking place as there has been “definite” community interest.
“And then we will come back to council with our game plan is for approaching and managing that component of the project,” she said, adding council will be presented with a report later this month.
