LETHBRIDGE – After the long-awaited fence construction began in summer 2015, the fence project, aimed at preventing any unauthorized entry onto the airfield, is reaching its conclusion.
“It is very crucial to keep out all wild animals, and also there are a few people who, from time to time, have wandered out there and got on the grounds,” Lethbridge County Reeve Lorne Hickey explained.
With no fence, anyone, or anything, could access the airfield, prompting Lethbridge County to apply for government funding in 2013 (to build the perimeter?). It seems deer are the animals that wander onto the airfield most, but there have been incidents with other wildlife as well.
“We’ve had cases where domestic bison have jumped the fence and came in previously,” Airport Manager Scott Butchart said. “We’ve had mule and white-tailed deer coming onto the airport, as well as one moose.”
The airport describes the need for the fence as urgent, even though there weren’t any specific incidents that directly placed an aircraft in danger. The erection of the fence is more protocol than anything, but Butchart still admits it’s helped him sleep better at night.
The fence is three metres in height, but it doesn’t reach that height everywhere, namely where the airport has to set up gates for runways. However, where it is at full height, it does its job, keeping out not only deer, but smaller animals too.
Construction is set to be complete by March 31.
Comments