Will Fox Creek be getting its own helipad?

By Laura Bohnert

The topic of Fox Creek’s airport and helipad have been on the table for a while now — are they finally making progress towards the project’s approval?

STARS Air Ambulance and Alberta Health Services (AHS) were in attendance at the July 27 council meeting at the Town of Fox Creek. The topic for discussion was the current use of the airport and the potential installation of a helipad at the Fox Creek hospital.

The priority topic of conversation was Fox Creek’s airport which needs to undergo a series of updates in order to bring it up to standard including the fact that the current airport runway is too short for most planes to land. Problematically, even given these updates, fog, rain, and a snow-covered runway can still prevent AHS from landing.

The accumulation of issues amounts to a hefty renovation for the Fox Creek airport — a renovation which may prove too costly for the current budget.

One proposed solution to the issue is the closure of the airport in favour of the installation of a helipad at the Fox Creek hospital.

It was proposed that the airport could be closed, the land could be re-purposed, and a helipad could instead be built around the hospital.

According to STARS representatives, most rescues are done by fixed wing aircraft, but a helipad could be functional. Back in 2008, an assessment determined that an H2, non-instrument heliport could be installed in the recommended location.

Delegations on the subject, however, are still underway so stay tuned for further details.