Tompkins Mile 54 Airport

The specific reason for closure is not publicly documented, which is common for small, private aerodromes. However, the evidence points to a change in land use. The closure was not due to a major accident or military conversion. It was likely an economic or personal decision by the landowner to cease maintaining the strip for aviation and repurpose the property, a common fate for private airfields when the owner retires, sells the land, or the cost of maintenance and liability becomes prohibitive.

The site is no longer an active or usable airport. Satellite imagery of the coordinates (56.309947, -121.006106) shows the faint outline of the former runway, which is now significantly overgrown with grass and vegetation. The runway is physically obstructed, having been bisected by a new dirt access road. The surrounding land appears to be used for industrial or agricultural purposes, possibly as a storage or staging area for equipment, which is consistent with the resource-based economy of the region. The airfield is in a state of disrepair and is completely unsuitable for any aviation operations.

Tompkins Mile 54 Airport was a private aerodrome that served the general aviation community in the Fort St. John area. Its name is derived from its location at Mile 54 of the Alaska Highway (BC Highway 97). When active, it featured a single turf/gravel runway, estimated to be approximately 2,800 feet long. It would have accommodated light single-engine aircraft such as Cessna 172s, 185s, and Piper Super Cubs. Its significance was purely local, providing a convenient landing area for the owner and likely other pilots with permission. It supported private transportation and potentially local industries like agriculture, ranching, or oil and gas survey/support, which are prevalent in the Peace River region.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Tompkins Mile 54 Airport. Given that the land has been repurposed and the runway is physically obstructed and unmaintained, reopening is highly improbable. It would require significant investment to clear the land, remove the intersecting road, rebuild the runway surface, and complete the official process to re-register it as an aerodrome. The current land use indicates the owner has moved on from aviation activities at this location.