Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services
Inuvik (Jun 08/01) - The Swimming Point lease may be expanded, starting this August.
Last week a small crowd attended a community meeting at Ingamo Hall, where Jim Guthrie, president of Arctic Oil and Gas Services Ltd. (AOG), outlined the proposal.
AOG, which is leasing the facilities to Petro-Canada, is applying to increase the lease from 17.74 hectares to 45.10 hectares.
One reason for the extension is to develop a 5,000-foot runway.
Currently the site has a 600-foot runway, and Guthrie said this existing runway would be used strictly for taxiing if the expansion goes through.
Guthrie said the extended runway would allow more local planes to land there.
"I don't want you to think this is unsafe, but we're going to make it safer," Guthrie said.
He explained the gravel for the runway will be taken from a location right on site.
As well, the expansion is to allow room for four more bulk fuel tanks (500,000 litres each) to increase the fuel storage capacity of the site.
The expansion is also to allow room for more storage space at the site.
The Swimming Point site is situated on Inuvialuit private 7(1)(a) lands within the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, about 87 kilometres northwest of Inuvik.
Guthrie said the project will cost roughly $250,000.
