An apron and taxiway rehabilitation project slated for Powell River airport could be on course for a much smoother takeoff than expected due to $369,787 in additional funding and a deadline extension from Transport Canada.
Supplemental funding for the project was approved earlier this month, increasing the amount from $1,631,541 to $2,001,328. According to a report presented by Tor Birtig, manager of operational services for City of Powell River, at a special council meeting on July 26, the cost includes design, construction, project management and a construction contingency. The contribution will be funded in full by Transport Canada’s Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP).
At the meeting, councillors passed a motion to direct staff to enter into an agreement with Transport Canada for the supplemental funding and authorized the mayor and chief administrative officer to sign the agreement on the city’s behalf. A deadline extension was also approved and will give the city until May 24, 2013 to complete the project.
After putting out a call for bids on April 16, the city received just one for the construction of the apron pavement rehabilitation project, submitted by BA Blacktop. The bid exceeded the original ACAP contribution agreement amount and so the city worked with the bidder to find potential areas where project costs could be decreased.
By reducing the number of staging areas and locating excavated material to the east end of the airport grounds, estimated construction costs were decreased by $170,000. However, the project remained over budget and in early July the city requested additional ACAP funding to cover the shortfall. That funding was approved by Transport Canada on July 17, along with the deadline extension.
A new Plan of Construction Operations (PCO) was required following the reduction in construction costs. It has eliminated the need to temporarily relocate the runway to Taxiway Bravo, the area in front of Oceanview Helicopters and Westview Flying Club. Instead, alternating portions of the main runway, Taxiway Alpha, will be used during construction and Taxiway Bravo will be rehabilitated as a separate item using $32,000 from the city’s airport reserve fund.
Councillors indicated that while they were happy the city’s request for an increase in funding had been approved, they wished Taxiway Bravo could have qualified for federal funding as well. ACAP assistance only applies to improvements affecting commercial carriers and Powell River’s secondary runway does not qualify under Transport Canada rules.
“Councillor [Debbie] Dee and I worked with our staff and with our MP John Weston on [this issue],” said Councillor Chris McNaughton. “John Weston did the best he could in advancing our concerns with the minister and we had a number of meetings with staff from Transport Canada.”
“We could have done more with the same amount of money and not had to ask for more if they would have included Taxiway Bravo,” said Dee. “However, that box didn’t get ticked and therefore in the end it’s the taxpayer that pays but we’ll get the work done.”
Under the old PCO, the airport was facing a potential 14-day closure during construction, but Birtig said he now expects that runway closures will be limited to only one or two partial days. “The contractor will be working into the evenings to minimize the impact so that it is negligible,” he told council.
A detailed construction schedule has not yet been finalized between the city and contractor.
BA Blacktop was formally awarded the construction contract at the meeting and although council expressed satisfaction in seeing it awarded to a local company, the question did arise as to why the project had received only one bid.
“At our pre-tender meeting on site we actually had five companies that were interested in bidding,” said Birtig. “We had one from Vancouver, two from Vancouver Island and some other local players as well. In the end, only one of them submitted.” Birtig suggested various reasons for the lack of bids such as the community’s isolated location, the number of phases the job would need to be done in, and out-of-town contractors’ ability to compete with in-town firms.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2012.
