Masset council has approved improvements to the airport's equipment storage area to help protect municipal vehicles and machinery from corrosion caused by coastal weather conditions.
At its Oct. 26 meeting, council approved a proposal from Public Works to construct a non-structural curtain wall along the western, runway-facing side of the airport's covered equipment storage area.
According to the staff report, the airport's primary equipment, including the fuel truck, dump truck and other operational vehicles, is stored under a roofed structure that is open on both the front and back. Prevailing winds from the west carry salt-laden air directly into the storage area, resulting in significant corrosion to equipment.
The report identifies ongoing electrical problems, including low-voltage bridging, grounding failures and intermittent activation of electronic control modules and instrument clusters. Continued exposure could increase maintenance costs, reduce equipment reliability and shorten the service life of essential airport vehicles.
Public Works considered installing large sliding or swing-style doors to fully enclose the western side of the structure. However, the proposed doors would require specialized hardware and structural reinforcement to span an opening approximately 30 feet wide. High winds could also create operational hazards.
Instead, staff recommended a simpler curtain wall constructed with lumber framing and plywood sheathing, extending approximately four feet below the roofline.
Materials are estimated to cost approximately $5,000, with construction requiring about 60 hours of Public Works labour.
Council approved the project with an expenditure limit of $10,000.