Lacombe Flying Club is asking Lacombe County for help funding airport improvements.
The club is embarking on a major upgrade of its facilities, including the replacement of a 40-year-old terminal building expected to cost $150,000 to $225,000.
As part of the project, the flying club also wants to pave an apron area at a cost of about $90,000.
In a presentation to county council recently, flying club member Dave Scott said the group is asking the City of Lacombe for help with the building while approaching the county for assistance on the paving work. The paving will be done on the west side of the airport where three new hangars are to be built.
About 40 per cent of the club’s members live in the surrounding county, he said. There are 36 privately owned hangars at the airport, which is mostly used for recreational flying and hosts a weekly fly-in breakfast. The airport is just northeast of Lacombe off Hwy 2A.
Flying club president Ellery Doerksen said it’s possible the county could look at an in-kind donation. For instance, the paving could be added onto the county’s planned paving projects to save money.
As well as municipal funding, the club hopes to work with the city, which owns the airport property, to apply for provincial grants.
The city gives the airport an annual operating grant of $8,500 and the county provides $5,000 each year.
County council referred the paving request to administration for a report and recommendation.