A new runway equipment storage unit was unveiled today at the Smithers airport.
The 7200-square foot building will house the expensive machines year round, allowing proper storage and maintenance to be done in a heated area.
Airport Manager Rob Blackburn says warming up equipment used to take up to an hour, and ice and snow build up wore down the equipment. Now, the airport is better equipped in an instant.
“Pieces of equipment can come in, they can be parked indoors in a warm environment, and they can melt off overnight. Staff can come in in the morning and do a full inspection on the vehicle, make sure there’s nothing leaking or broken and then it’s ready to go,” he says.
Also on display was over $800,000 of new equipment, including a tractor, pick-up, and plow snow removal machine.