New Funding From Building Canada for Highway Project Near Kamloops

KAMLOOPS, BRITISH COLUMBIA - The governments of Canada and British Columbia are pleased to announce $42.8 million in funding for a highway project near Kamloops, British Columbia under the Building Canada infrastructure Plan.

"This announcement shows that the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia are working together effectively to help move people and goods in British Columbia," said the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety. "This funding will not only help promote economic development in this province but will contribute to the safety and efficiency of the highway system in British Columbia and the National Highway System as a whole."

This project consists of upgrading a 10.5 kilometre, 2-lane segment of the Trans-Canada Highway running through the Monte Creek to Pritchard area, 30 kilometres east of Kamloops. The upgrading to 4 lanes will bridge the gap between two existing 4-lane sections.

Of the total cost of the project, $42.8 million, approximately $16.7 million is being provided from the Building Canada Fund, a key component of the plan, and approximately $26.1 million is being provided from the Province of British Columbia.

"The Government of Canada is committed to improving transportation safety. Highway 1 has long been identified as a priority for upgrades, and this investment will complement the other important highway improvements that have been announced since the signing of the Building Canada agreement in B.C.," said Betty Hinton, MP for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo.

"This priority project reflects our government's commitment to infrastructure investments and fosters a stronger economy and a cleaner environment," said the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. "As part of Building Canada, we are investing in infrastructure that enhances safety, improves the flow of goods and people across the country, reduces congestion and cuts commuting times."

"This project is an excellent symbol of our strong partnership with the federal government on key infrastructure projects across the province," said the Honourable Kevin Falcon, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure of British Columbia. "These Trans-Canada Highway upgrades will improve traffic flow, safety and efficiency through this important corridor, benefiting local residents, commercial traffic, and tourists."

"Converting this segment of the Trans-Canada Highway to 4 lanes will greatly enhance traffic flow," said the Honourable Kevin Krueger, MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson and Minister of Small Business and Revenue of British Columbia. "Having a continuous four lane highway will benefit all vehicles travelling though the area, increasing safety and reducing delays."

"Expanding this stretch of highway will ensure safe and efficient travel for commercial transport through the area," said Claude Richmond, MLA for Kamloops. "This project addresses the growth in passenger vehicle and heavy truck traffic through this corridor, preventing future traffic congestion."

Federal funding for this project comes from the Building Canada Fund under the $33-billion Building Canada plan. Funding approval is conditional upon the Province of British Columbia completing an environmental assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and undertaking federal aboriginal consultations pursuant to Section 35 of the Constitution Act.

Through its unprecedented Building Canada plan, the federal government will provide long-term, stable and predictable funding to help meet infrastructure needs across Canada. Building Canada will support a stronger, safer and better country. On November 6, 2007, the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia signed an Infrastructure Framework Agreement under Building Canada worth $2.2 billion for infrastructure projects from 2007 to 2014.

IMMEDIATE ACTION FOR HIGHWAY #1 IMPROVEMENTS

Victoria, BC- An accelerated investment of $61.6 million for Highway #1 improvements will create jobs, stimulate the economy and improve road safety, announced Cathy McLeod, Member of Parliament for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo, Kevin Krueger, MLA of Kamloops-North Thompson and Claude Richmond, MLA of Kamloops.

The funding will allow for two significant highway improvements:

The Pritchard to Hoffman’s Bluff project will widen 3 Kilometres of the Trans-Canada Highway from two lanes to four lanes and upgrade an intersection of Stoney Flats Road. This $19.5 million project is expected to create almost 200 direct and indirect jobs.


The Hoffman’s Bluff project will realign and widen 3.1 Kilometres of the Trans Canada Highway through Hoffman’s Bluff. This $42.1 million project is expected to create over 400 direct and indirect jobs.


“I have seen firsthand the tragedies that have occurred on this stretch of the Highway. As a former nurse, many times I was called out to attend to those who were involved in major car accidents. These significant improvements will save lives,” said MP Cathy McLeod.

“Our governments are actively investing in infrastructure improvements and expansion to support economic development in the Thompson Valleys,” says Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger. “I am pleased to see this project benefiting our communities by providing much needed highway improvements.”

“This investment in the Trans-Canada Highway is good news for Kamloops,” says Kamloops MLA Claude Richmond. “Not only will this project bring jobs to the area, it will ensure a safe and efficient transportation network to serve industry, visitors and residents travelling through the region.”

The Government of Canada is accelerating and expanding recent federal investments in infrastructure with almost $12 billion in new infrastructure stimulus funding over two years. The Government of Canada has identified these projects as a priority for infrastructure funding consideration.

These highway projects are part of an overall $14-billion capital infrastructure program supported by the Province to create jobs and vital public infrastructure in every region of BC

Hillside Drive Extension

Starting May 5, 2008 contractors began earthworks and later blasted for phase one of Hillside Drive extension. Phase one is preparatory work for a road that will traverse the slopes north of Thompson Rivers University, from Summit Drive at the Guerin Creek Estates intersection to the north end of McGill Road. Opening of phase one of Hillside Drive extension to traffic is scheduled for 2009.

http://www.city.kamloops.bc.ca/streets/images/hillside-phase1.gif

The City has notified residents in the area and Thompson Rivers University about the earthworks and blasting. At certain points in the construction, there may be traffic delays on the Summit Connector in the vicinity of the Guerin Creek intersection, and on McGill Road.

The project also includes relocation of the McGill Road composting and recycling depot, but the depot will remain in the vicinity of its current location. Signs at the McGill Road depot will explain the project.

In the interest of public safety, please note that the construction area is strictly off-limits to the public during the earthworks and blasting, May-October.

When will that road be complete? And how wide is it going to be, it looks like it could be 6 lanes.

4 at the least and its supposed to be in June, I cant wait. The drive the new canyon will be really cool!!

Any pictures of the alignment for Phase II of the extension? I couldn't find any mention of it on the Kamloops city website.

Kamloops AirPort


The construction mayhem, in all of its dusty, noisy, temporary-arrivals-area-inconveniencing-passengers glory began on July 25, 2008.

Kamloops airport manager Fred Legace throws the date out with an air of fatigue mixed with please-make-it-stop-soon hopefulness. A year of managing a $20-million-plus construction/renovation project will do that to you.

The light at the end of the tunnel is still hard to visualize; construction workers are buzzing throughout the terminal, building walls, painting, tiling, drywalling, wiring and finishing.

On the outside, the expanded areas of the terminal still await their sage-coloured Swiss Pearl cement composite panels.

But there is a shape to the expanded building now, a perimeter that sets the boundaries of what’s left to be done and where.

It’s not as simple as saying tear this out, put this here, make a wall there, add washrooms in this area. Throughout the renovations, the terminal building has seen the arrival of WestJet, the departure of Horizon Air and a rate of passenger use that has defied airline industry trends.

Take the latest airport-use statistics that Legace released Wednesday. They showed that for the month of April — typically a slow month for airlines — 18,917 people came or departed via Fulton Field. That’s up 11 per cent from April of last year.

“That’s in contrast to every other airport in B.C.,” he said.

Some of that is new passengers enticed by the seat sales that come with WestJet trying to generate customers and Air Canada Jazz trying to compete.

The reaction of those who haven’t been through the terminal before is one of irritation at the construction and inconvenience, while the seasoned travellers who are familiar with the building are happy to see it getting an upgrade, he said.

By July 1, most of the work should be done, except for some of the Canada Border Services space on the east side of the building, Legace said. By Aug. 1, everyone with a hammer or drill is supposed to be done.

So what does that $20 million buy you?

Well, on the tarmac side of the terminal, it gets you a longer runway able to handle direct flights to and from Toronto, particularly planeloads of skiers headed for the slopes in the region.

“The No. 2 resort in Canada is sitting here,” he said of Sun Peaks Resort. And Revelstoke’s new ski resort, while still a relative unknown, is getting rave reviews from those who’ve tried it, he said.

The tarmac improvements also included lighting, navigation aids and ripping up lawn to create an area where WestJet can park its staircases and ramps. A scattering of plugs was tidied up into four upgraded electrical boxes with varying voltage plug ins that can service the planes and related equipment along the tarmac.

But the big show is inside the terminal.

Arriving passengers disembark from their plane and follow signs into a temporary trailer where they will pick up their baggage. Then they travel along a plywood tunnel into the main building.

“It’s gotta be gone,” Legace said of the trailer, noting that to keep it secure, the windows are closed and there’s no air conditioning. That’s OK for now, but when the normal Kamloops heat arrives, it’ll be suffocating if it’s still in use.

Inside the building, they will get funnelled to domestic or international arrivals areas. The international area has its own baggage carousel and space for Canada Border Services staff to interview, search and even detain people if necessary.

In showing off what’s going on at the terminal, Legace looked down at the old cream and brown tiles laid in a precise herringbone pattern that still remain in the central area of the terminal.

He tried to find a match for them, but failed. Cutting tiles to the same size would leave sharp edges and just wouldn’t fit.

Unfortunately, those old tiles will go.

Legace regrets it because of the exactness with which the Italian man he was told laid them was able to put them in.

That kind of craftsmanship is hard to find.

But the old has to make way for the new, and with growth and expansion there sometimes comes loss.

Throughout the interior, thick glue-laminated beams of fir create architecture and warmth. The ceiling, when it gets put up, will consist of grids of stained mountain-pine-beetle wood. Both are made in Penticton.

Departing passengers will find themselves going through security and ending up in a bright new waiting area that, when completed, will have a place where laptops can be plugged in and put to work until planes are ready to take off.

The secure waiting area now features 200 new, light-blue seats and two wheelchair accessible washrooms, each with a $3,500 Dyson Airblade hand dryer that boasts turbine power to dry away dampness in 12 seconds. Vending machines offer drinks and packaged snacks.

And there will soon be two gates instead of one to lead out to the tarmac.

Not all that was old in the terminal was as attractive as the tile floor that Legace admired. The wide steel facade around the top of the exterior that one architect called “the Pizza Hut roof” will remain in some areas, but on the new parts is being mimicked with a more updated, streamlined style.

For some local finishing touches, Legace consulted with the Kamloops Indian Band. They are providing a dugout canoe and fish trap to be hung over the baggage carousels — Legace’s not sure how that will work yet.

And as if having 50 or so construction workers milling about the building working on different phases of a mutli-milliion-dollar project for a year wasn’t enough, the airport restaurant Toast closed down and Bread Garden is moving in.

Yet more renovations are going on there, with hardwood floor, paint and brown leather furniture being assembled inside. The restaurant is also adding an outdoor patio which has the cab drivers who line up out front quite pleased.

By the time it’s all finished, Legace said, the airport will be at the end of its 10-year plan. That means it’ll be time to create another plan to span another decade.

And he already has some items on that list: parking is maxed out for cars and planes, the maintenance building dates back to the 1960s, and the water and sewer will need updating.

At the same time, he noted, you don’t want to build infrastructure before it’s needed.

“It’s all part of growth,” he said.

Noticed signs up for the Sing street improvments today.

When is the official opening of the new terminal?
Kamloops
Notification of Localizer Replacement
NAV CANADA, the country’s provider of civil air navigation services, wishes to inform its
customers that the Localizer facility at Kamloops Airport, British Columbia, will be replaced during
the fall of 2009, as part of the ILS Replacement Project.
The current Localizer supports instrument procedures at the Kamloops Airport. As a result of the
replacement project, the Localizer/DME and the Localizer/NDB C approaches will be unavailable
for approximately one month. During this period all other navigation aids at the airport will remain
operational to maximize airport accessibility.
The planned outage period for the Localizer is from 09 September to 24 September 2009.
Dates are subject to change depending upon weather conditions and contractor availability.
Actual dates of scheduled outage will be published via NOTAM. Pilots should carefully monitor
the NOTAM before and during the construction period for specific dates of the outage or other
related disruptions.
NAV CANADA regrets any inconvenience to its customers; however, the importance of this
navigation aid is recognised and every effort will be made to restore the Localizer facility at
Kamloops Airport as quickly as possible.
For further information, please contact:
Brian Stockall
Manager, Level of Service and Aeronautical Studies – West
NAV CANADA
Edmonton ACC
PO Box 9867
Edmonton International Airport
Edmonton, AB T5J 2T2
Phone: (780) 890-3024
Fax: (780) 890-4341
Email: stockab@navcanada.ca

So its safe to say the official opening might be in October then.... sweet.

AIRPORT PROGRESS
STRONG PASSENGER NUMBERS AT FULTON FIELD WILL HAVE A FRINGE BENEFIT. 34-PERCENT MORE PEOPLE FLEW THROUGH THE KAMLOOPS AIRPORT LAST MONTH THAN IN AUGUST OF 2008. AIRPORT MANAGER FRED LEGACE SAYS ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE PAYING THE 10-DOLLAR AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT FEE, WHICH IS GOOD -- BECAUSE THE AIRPORT NEEDS THE FUNDS FOR FUTURE UPGRADES. LEGACE SAYS AIRCRAFT MOVEMENT WAS UP 88-PERCENT LAST MONTH - YEAR-OVER-YEAR - MOSTLY DUE TO AIR TANKER ACTION ON INTERIOR FOREST FIRES.

*With the interior construction set to wrap up this week, I wonder if the Air Port is thinking about another expansion ? Maybe some new hangers?

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more photos at www.flickr.com/photos/32031427@N03/sets/72157621720694951/

so , 5 days untill the new Canyon at Guerin Creek is opened! Im quite excited about this and I imagine everyone else is too. So was anyone else somewhat disapointed with the Sing street completion? I expected more. Also has anyone heard about the new pedestrian bridge over the south Thompson on East Victoria Street, and when its going to begin?

five days? wow only 2.5 months late. too bad its only 2 lanes. thats just dangerous. a grade that steep should be at least 4 due to winter conditions.

i hated singh street at first. ive been complaining about it since they tore it up since i used it daily. now i still dont like it, but its not as bad as i thought. main complaint is in the winter when snow builds up the street will be too narrow for 2 cars to pass. before there were wide shoulders and now there are not.

the city claims although the lanes arent any thinner, they appear so and this will reduce speeding. well, the lanes effectively are, because before vehicles would have to use the shoulder, and now there isn't one. plus, since they leveled out the street and took away the natural speed bumps, its possible to speed as fast as you want. good job, city of kamloops!

havent heard anything about a proposed bridge, unless you mean the pedestrian bridge through the valleyview interchange.

Thats the one in Valley View. I have been looking forword to this and I was thinking about starting a petition to the City to have funding saved to get the pedestrian bridge completed over Lorne St.
I was told it would only cost $3.5 Million to do it, And I believe it needs to be done.

Connector Opens!
THE FIRST PHASE OF A MAJOR NEW ARTERIAL ROAD IN SOUTH KAMLOOPS OPENS ON THURSDAY. THE HILLSIDE CONNECTOR IS NOW COMPLETE FROM THE WEST END OF MCGILL ROAD - TO HILLSIDE DRIVE BELOW TRU. MAYOR PETER MILOBAR SAYS THE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR PROJECT IS PART OF THE CITY'S LONG TERM PLAN - AS GROWTH IN ABERDEEN IS EXPECTED TO SURGE. THE OPENING OF THE CONNECTOR WAS INITIALLY DELAYED BY PROBLEMS INSTALLING UTILITIES.

Fulton Field First ( YKA )

THE MANAGER OF THE KAMLOOPS AIRPORT IS BEAMING TODAY, AFTER THE FIRST OFFICIAL USE OF NEW NAVIGATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AT FULTON FIELD. FRED LEGACE SAYS THAT AFTER PROBLEMS CO-ORDINATING RUNWAY APPROACHES INTO THE AIRPORT WITH A NEW LOCALIZER - IT WAS USED FOR THE FIRST TIME SUNDAY MORNING. AN AIR CANADA FLIGHT LANDED WITH THE AID AT 8AM. PROBLEMS BETWEEN NAV AND TRANSPORT CANADA HAD DELAYED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LOCALIZER. MORE DISCUSSIONS ARE PLANNED FOR MONDAY TO ADDRESS A LONG-TERM SOLUTION.


* Just for all of us that dont know what this is, its actually a really important thing, and makes flying into and out of Kamloops much safer then before!

An instrument landing system (ILS) is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), such as low ceilings or reduced visibility due to fog, rain, or blowing snow.
http://members.cox.net/firestation51/alssf.gif


Localizer
Modern localizer antennas are highly directional. However, usage of older, less directional antennas allows a runway to have a non-precision approach called a localizer back course. This lets aircraft land using the signal transmitted from the back of the localizer array. This signal is reverse sensing so a pilot may have to fly opposite the needle indication (depending on the equipment installed in the aircraft). Highly directional antennas do not provide a sufficient signal to support a backcourse. In the United States, backcourse approaches are commonly associated with Category I systems at smaller airports that do not have an ILS on both ends of the primary runway.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Whiteman_localizer.jpg/800px-Whiteman_localizer.jpg




------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Interim Airport Approach approved

NAV CANADA, TRANSPORT CANADA AND OFFICIALS WITH THE KAMLOOPS AIRPORT HAVE MADE SOME PROGRESS IN ESTABLISHING SUITABLE RUNWAY APPROACHES THAT CO-ORDIANTE WITH THE AIRPORT'S NEW LOCALIZER. AIRPORT MANAGER FRED LEGACE SAYS AN APPROACH OVER KAMLOOPS LAKE WAS APPROVED ABOUT MID-AFTERNOON TODAY. BUT THE APPROACH IS AT A MUCH HIGHER ALTITUDE THAN ANYONE ANTICIPATED. LEGACE SAYS THE GOAL IN COMING WEEKS IS TO WORK WITH NAV CANADA TO REDESIGN THE APPROACH AND GET A MUCH LOWER ALTITUDE APPROVED. LEGACE SAYS THE GROUP WILL RECONVENE MONDAY TO ESTABLISH AN APPROACH OVER THE CITY. HE SAYS THAT WILL LIKELY BE AT A HIGHER ALTITUDE THAN DESIRED AS WELL - AND A LONG TERM GOAL IS TO CONVINCE THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES THAT A LOWER ALTITUDE APPROACH CAN BE ACHIEVED AND STILL BE SAFE. LOWER ALTITUDE APPROACHES WERE SET TO BE PUBLISHED YESTERDAY, BUT WERE PULLED AT THE LAST MINUTE.


* So does this mean the days of watching jets comming in just over the river are gone? And will this also alow for a new height restriction to the N/S if air craft is forced to land from a higher altitude?

FRUSTRATING , after all that planing still we have the government dragging their feet. This is the time we need the navigation aid the most, so let's get on with it!!!!!

Amen, its been a gong show for far to long now.

So I take it no one has found out what is being built at the top of the Mcgill canyon eh?

Phase two of the road construction will see the new connector road extended and it will come out beside Home Depot, which will open up a large chunk of develop-able land.

So , is this going to run on the left hand side of Home Depot then? Thats the only place I could see that happening. There is a lot of things it would have to go around too, like the sunmore ginseng building and the B.C. Hydro building.

it will run around the base of kenna cartwright park., parallel to mcgill through the industrial area, but on the other side of home depot, the brewery, sunmore, city of kamloops public works etc.

get it?

How about the new reliability? Today low ceiling and cancelled flights!

An instrument landing system (ILS) is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), such as low ceilings or reduced visibility due to fog, rain, or blowing snow.

After some checking i realized that the weather was to much even for the new system.
source:[URL="http://flightaware.com/resources/airport/CYKA/weather"]

our airport needs more flights at night, its such a bitch trying to fly from east to kamloops, i always have to stay the night in calgary or vancouver and this is at like 10 pm. does our airport shut down at 9 or something?

I agree, and now west jst is pulling its Vancouver service soon too, saying its a seaonal service. But they are doing this at the same time as they add a flight to Edmonton....

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Airport use soars above the rest
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As the economy taxis for takeoff, air travel in Kamloops has been soaring, airport director Fred Legace reported Friday.

Airport use during December rose 22 per cent over the same month in 2008 — from 22,000 people to almost 27,000. Overall, the airport served 15 per cent more travellers last year than in 2008.
And that was in the midst of a recession.

“We’re the only airport to show that kind of growth,” Legace said. “Essentially we’re No. 1 for growth in the province. We’ve been at double-digit growth pretty much the entire year.”

The increased traffic dovetails with airport improvements completed over the past year, but runway and terminal enhancements don’t fully explain the increase. Seat sales — reflecting the stiff competition between Air Canada and Westjet — are more likely a major contributor to the growth, Legace said.

“We’re seeing visiting friends and relatives kind of traffic, a price-sensitive part of the market, that we don’t normally see here,” he said.

Keeping tabs on usage, Legace has also noticed an increase in tourists arriving for golf in the summer and skiing in the winter. Tourism Kamloops’ marketing appears to be paying off, he noted.

Even in the face of a recession, business travel has held its own.

“Kamloops is not seeing nearly the effect of the recession that other parts of the country are seeing, not the extent they’re seeing in the rest of North America.”

Some airports back East, particularly in country’s industrial heartland of southern Ontario, have suffered traffic declines of 40 to 60 per cent over the past year. American carriers are also grappling with the blow.

“We are definitely an exception to the trend.”

There were some ups and downs in the trend, Legace noted. The ongoing problem with aircraft approach procedures in using the new NavCanada landing system has caused some concern and cancelled flights.

Legace said it is up to NavCanada to resolve the problem. He expects to see improvements in airport usabililty in the next few months.


* does anyone remember when the last time our airport had a bad month?

Good news!
Just a correction. this is not the waiting room at YKA.
this one is. (my photo)
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opps. thanks for the pic. Man I feel dumb now. lol.

We have been discussing Horizon Airlines for direct US flights but what about Delta?

Delta Air Lines will fly to Canadian Rockies International Airport for the 2009/2010 Winter season. Jet air service between Cranbrook and Delta’s western hub at Salt Lake City begins December 19, 2009 and will run until March 28, 2010.

Delta Air Lines winter service offers Easy Access to the Canadian Rockies - with one stop service from over 45 airports in the US via the Salt Lake City (SLC) to Canadian Rockies International Airport (Cranbrook YXC) Easy and convenient access to Fernie Alpine Resort, Kimberley Alpine Resort and many other resorts and heli/cat ski operators in the region

RMR into Kamloops Six consecutive days a week

http://www.rockymountaineer.com/en_CA/template_images/rmv/header_logo.png

Rocky Mountaineer is changing its schedule starting in April, bringing a steadier flow of tourists through Kamloops.

James Terry, the rail tour company’s executive vice-president and chief operations officer, will discuss the change this evening in a presentation to the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association’s AGM. The meeting takes place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Plaza Heritage Hotel, 405 Victoria St.

Instead of simultaneous departures from Calgary and Vancouver arriving in Kamloops at the same time, the company will stagger departures. This means Rocky Mountaineer trains will be pulling into Kamloops six consecutive days a week, excluding Saturdays, instead of three times a week.

“Obviously we’re marketing and selling like crazy to get back to where we were prior to last year’s challenges,” Terry said. “We see better opportunities for growth.”

Although visitor numbers won’t necessarily change overall, the experience should be enhanced with only half the passengers arriving at the same time, he noted.

February 10,2010 Kamloops Daily News

Maybe this will fuel the fire for a new Hotel downtown. Not a disapointment like whats being planned already.

I think a direct connection of flight to Vegas would be a no-brainer. If Westjet won't do it, try to coax Allegiant Air or someone company who would do it.

I'm surprised at Delta going into.... CRANBROOK????!!



We have been discussing Horizon Airlines for direct US flights but what about Delta?

Delta Air Lines will fly to Canadian Rockies International Airport for the 2009/2010 Winter season. Jet air service between Cranbrook and Delta’s western hub at Salt Lake City begins December 19, 2009 and will run until March 28, 2010.

Delta Air Lines winter service offers Easy Access to the Canadian Rockies - with one stop service from over 45 airports in the US via the Salt Lake City (SLC) to Canadian Rockies International Airport (Cranbrook YXC) Easy and convenient access to Fernie Alpine Resort, Kimberley Alpine Resort and many other resorts and heli/cat ski operators in the region

YKA... totally agree, a Kamloops to Las Vegas flight would be a no brainer... see the development thread, it was one of my many predictions for 2010 :) Even a twice a week schedule would work. Flights outbound and inbound on sundays and wednesdays would fit those wanting to go to Vegas for 3 nights or 4 nights.

If we do this before Kelowna, we might be able to draw business from the Okanagan as well.

Salt Lake to Cranbrook is no surprise.

They are both very heavy Mormon enclaves are they not?

I remember a few years ago there was talk of a Kamloops Mexican flight. What happen there?

YKA Airport Numbers
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ANOTHER MONTH ANOTHER INCREASE IN PASSENGER TRAFFIC AT KAMLOOPS AIRPORT. NUMBERS SHOW JUST UNDER 25-THOUSDAND-500 PEOPLE USED KAMLOOPS AS PART OF THEIR TRAVEL PLANS -- THAT'S A HIKE OF 6%, OR ABOUT 16-HUNDRED PEOPLE, OVER MARCH LAST YEAR. COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, NUMBERS FOR THE YEAR TO DATE ARE UP 5% -- FROM JUST UNDER 71-THOUSAND 300 LAST YEAR TO OVER 74-THOUSAND-660 SO FAR THIS YEAR. AIRPORT MANAGER FRED LEGACE SITES SPRING SKIERS AS A BIG REASON, AS WELL AS LOW AIR FARES, AND A GOOD BUSINESS TRAVEL NUMBERS.

Westjet Takes Off to Edmonton
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A LONG-AWAITED FLIGHT HAS TAKEN OFF FROM THE KAMLOOPS AIRPORT. WESTJET'S INAUGURAL DIRECT TO EDMONTON FLIGHT BEGAN SUNDAY AFTERNOON. FULTON FIELD MANAGER FRED LEGACE SAYS KEEPING THE RUN WILL DEPEND ON DEMAND. IT RUNS THREE DAYS A WEEK.

Sun Peaks to upgrade road


Sun Peaks Resort Corp. has applied to Front Counter B.C. for a permit to improve a forest service road to McGillivray Lake.

The 3.5-kilometre extension is intended to remove beetle-infested wood that threatens the community with fire and to improve an emergency route of escape in case of wildfire.

“At this point it’s a fire protection scenario,” said resort general manager Darcy Alexander.

Front Counter B.C. oversees approvals for works and permits on Crown land.

The project would widen and bring the road up to a higher standard. It also involves altering and moving some cross-country ski trails.

On the long term, Sun Peaks wants to see a second, paved route to the mountain from the Trans-Canada Highway near Chase.

Alexander said the section the corporation wants to improve is intended to eventually form part of that route.

Airport Numbers Continue to Rise
AS HAS BEEN THE CASE FOR YEARS NOW, KAMLOOPS AIRPORT PASSENGER NUMBERS REMAIN ON AN UPWARD TRAJECTORY. 11% MORE PASSENGERS TRAVELLED THROUGH FULTON FIELD LAST MONTH THAN IN APRIL OF 2009. MANAGER FRED LEGACE SAYS AS LONG AS THE KAMLOOPS TOURISM SECTOR KEEPS GOING STRONG AND THE LOCAL ECONOMY KEEPS AN OUTWARD VISION, HE DOESN'T SEE THE BUSINESS SLOWING DOWN. LEGACE ALSO REPORTS THAT TWO MORE CAR RENTAL BUSINESSES WILL SET UP PERMANENT SHOP IN THE TERMINAL BUILDING, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO THREE.

WestJet Cans Flight To Edmonton
For years, Kamloops lobbied for a direct flight to Edmonton from Kamloops, supposedly to make it easier for people to connect with the Alberta capital and the oil fields beyond. It's obvious after a month that the route isn't drawing the support, and WestJet, who implemented the three times a week flight earlier this month, is pulling the pin as of July 4th. Airline spokesman Robert Palmer says the advance bookings just aren't there to make the flight profitable. It's the second WestJet route to end this spring. The run between Kamloops and Vancouver also failed to attract sufficient traffic, though Palmer reiterates that flight was always meant to be seasonal. Palmer says the route between here and Calgary is doing well, and isn't a problem. But he says since the Edmonton flight was announced in December, there was lots of time for passengers to buy seats, but the traffic just wasn't there.

Kamloops Airport Debt Financing


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THE KAMLOOPS AIRPORT SOCIETY HAS LESS THAN TEN MILLION DOLLARS LEFT TO PAY AFTER A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR EXPANSION TO FULTON FIELD. THE 25 MILLION DOLLAR EXPANSION THAT INCLUDED EXTENDING THE RUNWAY -- RENOVATING THE TERMINAL AND UPGRADING THE NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM WAS MOSTLY PAID OFF WITH GOVERNMENT GRANTS AND AN AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT FEE. THE REMAINING 9-POINT-8 MILLION DOLLARS WILL BE FINANCED OVER 15 YEARS BUT THE AIRPORT SOCIETY SAYS THE MONEY TO PAY THE LOAN OFF WILL COME FROM PASSENGERS THROUGH THE CURRENT IMPROVEMENT FEE. MORE THAN 1-POINT-3 MILLION DOLLARS IN IMPROVMENT FEES ARE COLLECTED ANNUALLY. THE AIRPORT SOCIETY HAS ALSO PUT OUT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TO EXPAND THE PARKING LOT AT FULTON FIELD TO DEAL WITH GROWING NUMBERS AT THE AIRPORT

New Beacon Improves Landing Reliability
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NavCanada is testing a new beacon this week that could vastly improve the reliability of service in bad weather. A new agreement between the Tk'emlups Indian Band and has provided the opportunity for a new beacon to be set up on band land. Airport Manager Fred Legace says the new beacon will allow aircraft to come into the city at a much lower level than they ever have before. They could come in on the beam at a level of somewhere around 400 feet. That will mean 99 percent of flights will be able to land here, as opposed to the current rate of 93%. Legace says it will vastly improve the reliability of landing procedures at the airport.

Hey Rhino, how did the new system deal with all the smoke last weekend?

Also, there was a plan a while back to reroute the TCH around the south of Valleyview east of the Yellowhead bridge. Any ideas whatever happened to that?

Thanks,

Trece

sorry, I check this so rarely I never saw your post. Im really sorry.

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Another slight increase in passenger numbers at Kamloops airport

Another very slight increase in passenger numbers at Fulton Field last month. Kamloops Airport Manager Fred Ledgace says totals were up about 5%compared to October 2009.
Legace says business traffic tends to pick up at this time of year. He also predicts good winter numbers with early reports of strong sales at Sun Peaks resort.

Fulton Field ( YKA ) lands aviation award
The $22-million investment in upgrades to the Kamloops airport have paid off in an unexpected way.

Kamloops Airport Society president John O'Fee said Friday the major renovation and improvements won the airport the William Templeton trophy from the B.C. Aviation Council Thursday night.

"This is for outstanding initiative and achievement in a community airport in B.C.," said O'Fee, who attended the awards in Richmond.

The main trophy was too big for him to bring back, but it will be shipped to Kamloops to be shown off for a while in the near future.

In the meantime, the City gets a smaller plaque as permanent proof that the airport has merited the honour.
"It's nice to be recognized," O'Fee said. Airport manager Fred Legace said the council consists of people from all sides of the aviation industry, so the award is about more than just beautification of the terminal building.

"You get that affirmation from people who are pilots, airline operators, mechanics. They represent quite a wide group of people who are part of this industry," he said.

"I was quite surprised. I thought we were just moseying on, doing things that were good for our community." The criteria is to further the aviation in a community airport in B.C. "So it's not just passengers in the terminal building, it's cargo, safe options for people to fly in, instrument landing systems, etc.," said Legace.

Congratulations! Well deserved ,it is great little airport and i have used it several times and enjoyed the larger and brighter waiting room. Also with increased passengers numbers month over month the reno will be paid off sooner.

AIR CANADA EXPAND KAMLOOPS MARKET AGAIN
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As of today, there are seven daily Air Canada flights from Kamloops to Vancouver. Kamloops Airport Manager Fred Legace says the new flight is certainly needed, especially at this time of year. He says it's a great addition to the service and gives travellers a wide range of choices when they're trying to connect up with other flights to holiday destinations. Legace says he doesn't know how long the service will be in place. The airline will likely evaluate demand in the spring.

Meanwhile, Legace says ground crews had to do some fast work Saturday night to keep a flight from having to turn back to Vancouver. He says a snowfall caused severe icy conditions for a short time, and the plane was about two minutes away from having to go back to the coast

Vegas still on the table at Fulton Field
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Despite the promising news Fulton Field could be in line for regular flights to Sin City, airport officials admit it’s been no easy task to get service off the ground.

Fred Legace, Kamloops Airport’s managing director, said it’s been difficult to attract new investment in routes — including one to Las Vegas.

He said it’s not so much a problem with the Kamloops market as it speaks to the general struggles in the airline industry during the last few years.

Legace said the idea has been pitched to existing carriers at the airport, but Air Canada and WestJet have taken a pass.

Despite the lack of initial interest, he said it’s a matter of approaching the right people to make it happen — and the airport has a few carriers in mind.

“I think we’re optimistic that it’s possible,” Legace said.

Earlier this year, officials with Venture Kamloops and the airport confirmed they were eyeing a charter service that would offer a direct flight to the desert city.

Venture Kamloops said one of its top priorities is to secure a direct flight to a sun destination — and Las Vegas is the frontrunner.

The organization believes there is demand in Kamloops for a sun destination and would have ideally liked to see service begin this winter.

Roxanna Ferguson, owner of Advantage Travelwise at 456 Victoria St., told KTW in the summer the Nevada gambling capital is a logical choice.

“It’s a far more realistic endeavour than perhaps going to a further destination, like Mexico,” she said.

Ferguson noted when Reno was the hot spot two decades ago, a charter service from Kamloops at the time was always full.

However, if a vacation package is priced at more than $300 per person to fly out of Kamloops, she said people are more likely to drive to Vancouver.

Securing service to a sun destination is just one of the initiatives Venture Kamloops, along with Tourism Kamloops and the Kamloops Airport Authority Society, are working on to increase service at Fulton Field.

Despite millions of dollars in recent upgrades, the airport suffered a major setback this year when WestJet announced it was cancelling its direct service to and from Edmonton after only a few weeks.

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Highway standstill means 'we are at risk'
Regional district politicians expressed concern Thursday that lives may be lost this summer due to a standstill in the proposed four-laning of a deadly stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway east of Kamloops.

The project has been stopped for more than two years in talks between the B.C. Liberal government and Shuswap Indian bands.

John Sternig, a Thompson-Nicola Regional Director who represents residents from the area east of Kamloops, said he's worried about the potential loss of life from lack of progress on any deal.

"There's been a number of accidents and fatals… . At this time, and as days go by and summer approaches, we are at risk. We have to start sooner than later. The delay has been excessive."

John Taylor, a director with the TNRD in the Monte Lake-Pritchard area, said he's seen little progress since he attended a meeting last year with then-highways minister Shirley Bond.

"I'm worried the money will disappear to other projects," Taylor said in an interview with reporters. "With the federal deficit that money may not be available."

In early 2009, archaeologists working for the province discovered ancient human remains in a knoll beside the Trans-Canada Highway, about 1.5 kilometres east of the Monte Creek interchange — and directly in the path of the proposed four-laning.

Soon after, Shuswap bands together declared the grounds sacred, held a ceremony on the site and stated the remains could not be moved.

Little work, beyond planning, has happened since. The Ministry of Transportation declined to provide comment on the state of the project Thursday.

The proposed four-laning is the first of two stages that will see the road widened to four lanes between Kamloops and Chase. Within that stretch is the notorious Hoffman's Bluff, the site of frequent and fatal motor vehicle deaths during the peak summer tourist season.

"Everyone is concerned," said Chase mayor Harry Danyluk. "My community is certainly concerned why it's taking so long."

Danyluk said residents consistently ask him about the stillborn project.

"I keep getting asked and I don't have an answer."

The regional district board also asked the province to direct recycled asphalt during the eventual reconstruction to be used at nearby rural road in Pritchard. It also wants spraying with calcium carbonate in the short term.

Any new info on this?

Hey Rhino, how did the new system deal with all the smoke last weekend?

Also, there was a plan a while back to reroute the TCH around the south of Valleyview east of the Yellowhead bridge. Any ideas whatever happened to that?

Thanks,

Trece
Not gonna happen. Too many "cons" to make such a project worthwhile. If it was "me", I'd put the existing TCH underground along the current alignment. Entrance/exit ramps could be placed at Vicars, or, more preferably, Oriole where the highway would enter a tunnel. At the east end, the entrance/exit ramps would be at Grand Blvd., where the east portal would be located.

That frontage road is the biggest joke. It gets so backed up and takes forever to get onto the highway because there is an intersection on top of an intersection basically getting onto the highway. They need to elevate the highway, with full on on ramps and off ramps.

Interesting. If you've been to Playa del Carmen in Mexico, you can see the same idea applied to a city with the same population. Basically, they left the frontage roads in place, but built an elevated structure to take through traffic off the streets. I realize that there is a lot more tourist traffic there, but the city itself has roughly the same population as Kamloops. No idea what the AADT numbers would be like for comparison, though.