Marilla Arifield

The specific reason is not publicly documented, which is common for small, private airstrips. The closure was most likely due to the private owner/operator ceasing operations. This can be for a variety of reasons, including economic non-viability, the high cost of maintenance and liability, a change in land ownership, or the owner no longer being an active pilot. There is no evidence to suggest it was closed due to a major accident, environmental issues, or military conversion.

The airport is permanently closed and the site is no longer used for aviation. Recent satellite imagery shows the single grass/gravel runway is still clearly visible but is unmaintained, significantly overgrown with grass and shrubs, and unusable for aircraft. The land is part of a larger private property, and the former runway area appears to be a fallow field. The associated residential buildings and sheds remain on the property.

Marilla Arifield was a private aerodrome that served the small, remote community of Marilla, located on the south shore of François Lake in British Columbia, Canada. Its identifier, CA-0222, was a non-standard, privately assigned code used in publications like the Canada Flight Supplement, not an official ICAO code. The name 'Arifield' likely refers to the name of the private family or individual who owned and operated the strip. Its primary role was to support general aviation. It handled small, private aircraft, such as bush planes, which are essential in this region. The airstrip provided vital air access for residents, recreational flying, and potentially support for local industries like forestry or ranching, in an area where ground transportation can be challenging.

There are no known plans, discussions, or prospects for reopening Marilla Arifield. As the land is privately owned, any initiative to reopen would have to come from the current landowner and would require significant investment to bring the runway back to a usable condition and to meet modern regulatory and insurance requirements. Given its private nature and the availability of the larger, public Burns Lake Airport (CYPZ) across the lake, a reopening is considered highly unlikely.