First phase to start this summer
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Baker Lake (Apr 25/01) - The wheels are finally in motion for a runway facelift at the Baker Lake airport.
Transport Canada has approved $1,815,200 for the resurfacing project through the Airports Capital Assistance program.
John Hawkins, facilities manager for Nunavut Airports, says the contract, which will soon be made public for tender, will be awarded to the most competitive bid, taking into consideration adjustments for local and Inuit content.
"You need gravel with very special characteristics for runways, so we make our own," says Hawkins. "We will begin crushing and stockpiling this year and tender another contract to start laying the gravel down next year."
Two contracts are being offered because crushing is a specialized operation requiring a large piece of equipment which has to be brought to Baker.
"Not many contractors have a crusher, which is sort of an entity onto itself. Typically, a southern contractor will do the crushing and a local contractor will conduct the actual overlay."
It is hoped a local training component will be included in the process.
Hawkins says the target date for having the first contract awarded and under way is tentatively set for this July or August, which would allow two or three months of crushing and stockpiling.
The overlay project is expected to begin around mid-July 2002, and would be completed before the cold weather sets in.
Hawkins says the runway surface is deteriorating and there isn't any material available to fix it.
"That's what makes the crushing aspect so important. Until we manufacture that material, the runway will keep deteriorating and it's at a minimal stage of acceptability right now."
