Airport master plan forum anticipated for April

Those interested in the local airport for one reason or another, especially those representing organizations, can anticipate a meeting in April to discuss the Grand Coulee Dam Airport’s draft master plan.

At their Jan. 30 meeting, Grant County Port District 7 commissioners discussed wanting to bring in people from various entities, such as the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Bonneville Power Administration, the Colville Tribes, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Army Corps of Engineers, the hospital, local cities, and more, to participate in a forum tentatively scheduled for April 7 at the Banks Lake Golf Course clubhouse.

The district, working with J-U-B Engineers, has been developing their new master plan which outlines a vision for the future at the airport.

Some of the ideas discussed for the future of the airport include making fuel available at the airport, installing helicopter pads, lengthening the runway to accommodate other types of planes and jets, the possibility of building new hangers, lighting the runway, providing tie-ups for seaplanes, and more.

The master plan is anticipated to be finished in either late 2020, or early 2021.

District Commission Chair Jim Keene said that pilots who fly in people for the BIA or USBR, or those involved with fire fighting aircrafts, would likely have good insights about the master plan.

“We’d like their input, we’d like them to come,” Keene said

Steve Marshall from J-U-B will likely make a presentation at the forum to orient those attending with the plan, Keene explained.

April 7 is being looked at as a tentative date for the forum.