Public meetings to discuss major Inuvik Airport projects

Inuvik residents are invited to two public meetings this week ahead of an expected three-year project to redevelop Mike Zubko Airport’s terminal. runway, and drainage.

The airport is set to receive a new, larger terminal building and longer runway alongside work to improve drainage, which will help to counteract the effects of change in permafrost.

The federal government is paying for much of the redevelopment.

The drainage work, first announced in June last year, involves $16.5 million from Ottawa and $5.5 million from the NWT government. The runway lengthening project is backed by $150 million from the Department of National Defence, announced in September.

The NWT Department of Infrastructure’s Delia Chesworth told NNSL: “There’s quite a bit of money probably going to be invested in Inuvik in the next couple of years in three major projects.”

The newspaper said the new terminal building would be almost 50-percent larger than the current terminal. The terminal is expected to be complete by 2023 and the runway extended from 6,000 ft to 9,000 ft by 2024.

The work will be discussed at two public meetings held by the NWT government this week.

“This is an opportunity for the public to learn more about the improvements coming to their local airport, provide insights and ask questions,” said the territorial government in a statement.

The first meeting, on the subject of airport repairs and improvements other than the new terminal building, will take place on Tuesday at 7pm in the Inuvik Community Corporation’s hall.

The second meeting, about the new terminal, will be a day later – Wednesday at 7pm in the same location.

If you can’t make it in person, the NWT government asks for questions or comments to be sent to Delia Chesworth by email before February 27.