City officials are hoping to add new T-hangars to Brantford Municipal Airport to meet a growing demand.
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Plans call for 14 new hangars, used at general aviation airports to house smaller aircraft to be built this year. A further 16 would be built next year provided a source of funding for their construction can be identified.
City councilors, at an Aug. 6 committee meeting, recommended for approval a plan to have staff identify a source of funding to build 16 new T-hangars at the airport.
Councilors also asked staff to come back with some suggestions by the Aug. 27 meeting of council.
“If we don’t move ahead now, it will push this project back further,” said Ward 3 Coun. Greg Martin. “It’s important that we move quickly on this.”
Martin said council approved 30 additional T-hangars last year. However, more than half were removed due to financial constraints.
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Martin and city officials are hoping that 14 will be constructed soon but are waiting on Brant County to issue a building permit for the project.
The airport is owned and operated by the city but the land is under the jurisdiction of Brant County.
Martin said there is an increase in demand for T-hangars because some regional airports have closed and others are moving in other directions. There are 47 T-hangars at the airport at present.
Councilors were told the new T-hangars could be funded by debentures or with money from existing reserves. They were also told that the hangars would generate revenue to cover the costs of the project and boost local economic development.
City officials are reviewing a report presented to council earlier this year calling for changes to the airport. The report recommends a new terminal, additional hangars and more commercial and industrial development on the property.
The report also recommends creation of Municipal Services Corporation to govern and manage the airport. The airport is now governed by an airport commission.
The staff review of the report is scheduled to come back to council within the next 30 to 60 days.
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