SAMBAA K'E/TROUT LAKE - Three projects simultaneously underway in Trout Lake mean jobs for virtually everyone in the community.

"Everyone who wants to work can work," said Rick Phaneuf, the general manager for the Sambaa K'e Development Corporation.

Elder David Jumbo clears trees to create room for the new airport in Trout Lake. The airport relocation is one of three projects underway in the community. - photo courtesy of Clinton Betthale

The projects include the relocation of the airport, upgrades to the winter road and improvements to Northland Utilities' tank farm. Out of a total population of 97 people, 25 adults are working for the Development Corporation, which has the contract for the three projects. Phaneuf said he's had to import people from Fort Simpson, Hay River and Jean Marie River to supplement the workforce.

The largest of the projects is the relocation of the existing airport.

"It's going to be bigger, better and perpendicular to the one we have now," said Phaneuf.

The reconstruction is addressing the problems with the current airport, said Earl Blacklock the manager of public affairs and communications with the Department of Transportation.

The airport is close to Trout Lake and is impeding the community's expansion so the local leadership asked for it to be moved, said Blacklock. The airstrip will also be realigned to take advantage of the prevailing southwest winds. The winds currently sweep across the airport, creating crosswinds.

The new airport will also have a longer runway that will allow scheduled flights and pressurized medevac flights to land in the community, said Blacklock. The total project cost, including the relocation, access road and new passenger waiting building, is $7.2 million. Funding is on its way from the Provincial-Territorial Base Funding Agreement - a cost sharing initiative with the federal government.

Work on the project began on Sept. 3. The access road to the new location has been cleared and work is underway to clear the nearly 65 hectares of land for the new apron and the runway, said Phaneuf. Additional benefits to the community from the project will include the free firewood that everyone will have access to this year courtesy of the Development Corporation, he said.

Phaneuf is already making plans for the gravel haul portion of the project, a contract that is also expected to be awarded to the corporation. At least 70,000 cubic metres of gravel and pit run will have to be moved by trucks during the winter season.

"The biggest traffic jam Trout Lake has ever seen will be this winter," he said.

Trucks are already hauling pit run, the name for the raw material from the community's local quarry, for another project. Approximately 15,000 cubic metres of material is being applied to the winter road route.

The corporation has a $375,000 contract with the Department of Transportation to lay the material over the road extending 2.5 km from the community as far as Island River, the first river the road crosses. Work started on Aug. 4 and is expected to last into November, said Phaneuf.

The upgrades to the winter road are designed to prolong the road's travelling season, said Blacklock.

The third project began in mid-October and is also expected to last into November. The corporation has a contract worth more than $100,000 to rebuild the Northland Utilities' tank farm, which was the site of a diesel fuel spill in May 2008.

The project includes positioning the fuel tanks on new pads constructed from concrete blocks to prevent them from shifting and laying down new gravel around the site, said Phaneuf.

With all three projects underway the Sambaa K'e Development Corporation is currently the largest employer in Trout Lake, Phaneuf said.