The Town of Bashaw hosted a public meeting in council chambers on June 26, to discuss the future of the Bashaw Municipal Airport.
The town was seeking ideas for how to reduce vandalism, fund raise to repair damages and keep the facility viable, as well as information on how much the airstrip is currently being used, and discussed possible ramifications of closure.
While the facilities have been the target of vandalism and the upkeep has been a drain taxpayers, the general consensus from fire Chief Michael Andriatz, pilots and others in attendance was the landing strip, building and washrooms is a great piece existing of infrastructure that would be a shame to lose.
Mayor Rob McDonald said the two main issues are the burden on Bashaw taxpayers and vandalism of the building, which has been "quite discouraging."
"So it was time to start looking at the future of (the airport)," said McDonald, adding council was asking attendees their opinions about why the airport should stay open, and suggestions on how to do so.
It was noted implementing some kind of digital logbook would be helpful, so the town could track how many people are using the airstrip and when, so they could use that data to inform their decisions.
Yvonne King said little airports like Bashaw's allow people to become interested in aviation as smaller facilities tend to have more affordable pilot training.
"It would be nice to be bale to have those options for people," said King.
According to Andriatz, keeping the airstrip open is essential from a safety perspective, as there have been at least seven emergency landings by STARS air ambulance helicopters there in last few years.
While their "top-notch" pilots are able to land on highways or other tight spaces, using the airstrip for landings means the fire department doesn't have to set up a landing zone, and the pilots already know where they're going, as the airport is a registered, known landing site.
"If we were to lose that resource, as a fire department, that would limit us dramatically," said Andriatz.
It was stated the grass strip is nearly 3,000 feet long and when it was made, it was likely contoured with the intention of paving it in the future, and as there are no soft spots after a rain, making it rather unique.
Pilots who attended the meeting said the airstrip was the nicest they've been to, and it's a landmark that many pilots may include in their diversion plans in the event of emergencies. A couple other pilots joined the meeting via Zoom.
"I come to Bashaw three to four times a months, circle the lake, land at the beach ... It's a great runway for training, not a lot of traffic, you can come here, spend some time and go back to your business," said one gentleman at the meeting.
During discussions about the town's draft 2024 operating budget, it was noted the airport building had sustained some damage after the door had been left open and a sink tap had been left running. It was unknown if the incident was intentional or not.
At the previous meeting about the airport on May 7, administration provided information about the operational costs of maintaining the airport.
READ MORE: Town of Bashaw council wants smaller draft 2024 operating budget
In 2023, there was a $2,862.43 budget deficit that was offset by taxes. This year, that number increased to $4,853.97. Those numbers don't include the cost of cutting the grass or snow removal.
Administration stated a local club or committee was needed in order to "propel forward" and provide sustainability for the airport.
"As a user you should be looking at what the value of this is and what you're willing to contribute," said chief administrative officer Theresa Fuller.
Some suggestions brought forward during the meeting to raise funds for the upkeep of the airport included a Father's Day fly-in, incorporating an event at the airport into Bashaw Hometown Days, starting a local club with an annual membership fee, soliciting donations, and possibly approaching Camrose County for funding.
It was also suggested to partner with Alberta Air Tours to host a fly-in from other clubs.
"There's no debate that it's a great facility," said McDonald.
The next meeting is to be held in late August.
