Airport acres available
By Gillian Slade on November 1, 2018.
NEWS PHOTO GILLIAN SLADE Enhancing the approach into Medicine Hat from the west and improving the airport's profile is on the city's radar with the potential for a hotel and aviation-related office buildings nearer the terminal. Construction is taking place to install services such as water, sewer, storm sewer, gas and electricity across seven acres that could result in additional hangar development toward the west.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com @MHNGillianSlade Current construction activity at the airport is just one aspect of plans to enhance the whole approach into Medicine Hat from the west, with a larger profile that could include a hotel and business offices. Four acres of property next to the airport will be made a available for commercial purchase with the city starting to market this early in the new year, said Grant MacKay, manager of land and business support. This area could appeal to a developer who would like to build a hotel, a restaurant, other food services, office buildings for an aviation-related industry or car rental operations, said MacKay. It will appeal to anyone with a connection to air travel and passengers and travellers wanting the convenience of a hotel near the airport. The area directly in front of the airport terminal, the approach to the terminal building from the highway, will be addressed next spring, said MacKay. “We will develop probably about six acres to create some serviced commercial lots,” he explained. Landscaping will also be enhanced to create an entrance feature and a more inviting connection between the highway and the western access to the city and the airport. “Improve the gateway … to provide an exciting connection between the highway and the western access to the city,” said MacKay. There isn’t a waiting list of developers asking for this space yet but having it available could provide the incentive, said MacKay. “Now that we’ve sold the Strachan Road commercial site to Canalta, that was sort of our last major commercial site, we still have a couple neighbourhood commercial lots … but we are also recognizing the need to provide some more commercial space particularly on the western side of the city,” said MacKay. A flourish of construction activity has recently begun at the airport on what has been termed “the north node,” the area that sits between the fire hall and CanWest’s hangar — the fixed-wing air ambulance provider. It can be easily seen from Highway 3 between the airport and Holsom Road. “We are working on the extension of services and the roadways, extensions of water, sewer, storm sewer, gas and electric,” said MacKay. The service extensions will make it possible for CanWest to hook up to permit services, he said. It also means a total of about seven acres of serviced lots will be available and could appeal to someone wanting to develop additional aircraft hangar space, said MacKay. The construction work in this area is expected to be complete this fall with the possible exception of asphalt on the road that may have to wait for next spring. 16
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