The Ontario government is making northern communities safer, protecting forest resources, and enhancing effective resource management through a $2.1-million reconstruction of the apron at the Ministry of Natural Resources’ aviation facilities in Dryden, Natural Resources minister David Ramsay announced Friday.
“By investing in an improved new apron at the Dryden airport, we’re strengthening emergency response and forest fire management services essential to the well-being of northern communities and economies today and into the future,” said Ramsay.
“It’s part of our commitment to build stronger, sustainable northern communities and ensure the safety of Ontarians,” he added.
Construction of the new apron is scheduled to begin this month and be completed by October.
The existing asphalt apron beside the airport runway has deteriorated over time and requires major reconstruction.
It will be removed and a new, slightly larger 20,725 square metre asphalt apron will be constructed in the same location.
The strategically-located Dryden facility is home base to CL-415 heavy waterbombers and specialized aircraft used to detect and fight forest fires, conduct search-and-rescue operations, and facilitate evacuations, enforcement, and aerial wildlife surveys.
The reconstruction project is part of “ReNew Ontario,” the McGuinty government’s five-year, $30-billion plus plan to upgrade Ontario’s infrastructure.
“The McGuinty government’s ‘ReNew Ontario’ and other, more recent, investments have created nothing less than an infrastructure renaissance in Ontario,” said Public Infrastructure Renewal minister David Caplan.
“With projects like the apron reconstruction at the Dryden airport, we are building a better Ontario by modernizing our public infrastructure,” he added.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
