(waymarking.com)

By Josh Hall

work needed

Innisfail closes heliport with safety improvements pegged at $250,000

Jun 25, 2020 | 3:13 PM

Use of the heliport across the street from Innisfail Health Centre is being suspended for one year to address its future.

The Town announced its decision this week following a risk assessment, stating that it is taking steps to improve the safety of those both in the air and on the ground.

Who will bear the brunt of the estimated $250,000 repair cost is to be determined, but the Town says in order to achieve compliance with federal standards, rehabilitation work is required to address re-surfacing and fencing, lighting, navigation markers, and an updated operations manual.

There are also challenges caused by nearby outdoor recreational uses around the site, namely baseball diamonds and the new Innisfail skatepark.

The heliport is used jointly by Navigation Canada, STARS and AHS Air Ambulance. There are, on average, four to six outbound transfers made annually, the Town says.

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“Taking into consideration the condition of the heliport, council has decided to take this opportunity to move service from the current location to the Innisfail Airport,” says Mayor Jim Romane. “Having a year will allow us to evaluate transfer times and determine the costs involved in bringing the Heliport in line with Transport Canada standards.”

Romane also notes that moving service to the airport will alleviate the need for personnel to be on the ground when aircraft arrive. Currently, emergency staff are needed for pedestrian and traffic control.

However, the airport is also approximately 12 kilometres north on Hwy 54, as opposed to a walk across the road.

“Alberta Health Services expects no impact to patient care as a result of the suspension of this helipad’s operations,” the health authority says in a statement to rdnewsNOW. “STARS helicopters and fixed wing air ambulances will instead land at the nearby local airport for patient transfers. This is a safe and common practice in other communities across the province.”

In 1998, the Innisfail Rotary Club was a large contributor to the original conversion of what was tennis courts to the current heliport.