There's a bit of info in this leader post article about the upcoming airport expansion:
REGINA — After nearly seven years at the controls of the Regina Airport Authority, Jim Hunter announced Tuesday that he’s relinquishing command as the authority’s CEO, effective April 30, 2015.
A former brigadier-general in the RCAF, who served as wing commander at 15 Wing (formerly CFB Moose Jaw) from 1995 to 1998, Hunter brought a lifetime of experience to the post when he took on the CEO job in 2008. Hunter oversaw a number of major projects at Regina International Airport, including the recently completed check-in hall and post-security area expansion.
But Hunter recently celebrated his 65th birthday, and with another major expansion project on the horizon, he felt it was time to vacate the captain’s seat for a younger CEO, who could see the next big project through to completion.
“I became a senior citizen a couple of months ago, so that weighed in on (my decision) of course,’’ Hunter told reporters at a news conference at the authority’s boardroom.
“You’ve heard in various AGMs and annual reports that we’re contemplating another major expansion at the terminal here. The board and I agreed this was a good time to perhaps get a new CEO in because it’s going to be a long-term project,” Hunter said.
In fact, a major expansion to the airport terminal has been on the drawing board since Hunter took over as CEO, when the airport’s 20-year master plan called for the airport to handle 1.5 million passengers per year by 2027. Last year, the airport handled 1.2 million passengers and is projected to handle 1.4 million passengers by 2018.
Hunter stressed the RAA’s board of directors hasn’t yet made a final decision on whether to proceed with another expansion, which could cost $200 million to $250 million. However, recent improvements and expansions of airport runways, aprons, terminal building and other facilities have been done to accommodate a major terminal expansion to be completed sometime around 2021.
“It’s a very capital-intensive industry, the airport business, and we have been able to do a lot of expansions in the check-in hall and post-security (areas). This was done to allow us the leeway then to get into a proper and considerate planning process for the major expansion that’s coming. So it’s given us breathing space.”
Ken Waschuk, chair of the RAA’s board of directors, said that the authority will use the next eight months to find a replacement for Hunter and move expansion plans along. “We grateful to Jim to giving us time to find a replacement. It gives us ample opportunity to search the country and look within as well,’’ said Waschuk.
“As far as trigger-pulling on the new expansion, we’ll involve the new CEO in that process as well.’’
Waschuk described Hunter as an “exceptional CEO for the past seven years. He’s brought a lot of stability to this organization that was desperately needed at the time.”
Hunter said he and his wife, Theresa, plan to retire to Edmonton to be close to family.
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Hopefully the higher speed limit seen on the portion of Arcola south of Vic is continued on the new stretch. It doesn't seem like there would be any direct property entryways through this new stretch of road that would dictate a 50kmh zone.
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