Little Grand Rapids Water Aerodrome

The water aerodrome became redundant and was closed following the construction and operational improvement of the all-weather, land-based Little Grand Rapids Airport (CZGR). The land airport provides more reliable, year-round access for larger aircraft, making a dedicated, registered water aerodrome unnecessary for the community's primary transportation needs. This is a common reason for the closure of water aerodromes in remote Canadian communities as land-based infrastructure is developed.

The physical site is Family Lake, which continues to be used for transportation and recreation by the community. While the official registered aerodrome 'CA-0628' is closed, the lake itself is still accessible to floatplanes. Private and charter floatplane operators may still land on the lake as an unregistered body of water, subject to Canadian Aviation Regulations. Any dedicated docks or facilities specifically associated with the former registered aerodrome have likely been removed, repurposed, or have fallen into disrepair.

For much of its history, the Little Grand Rapids Water Aerodrome, located on Family Lake, was the primary point of access to the remote First Nation community of Little Grand Rapids during the ice-free months. It was a vital link for floatplanes carrying essential supplies, mail, medical services (medevac), and passengers. Operations were seasonal and handled by iconic Canadian bush planes (such as the de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver and DHC-3 Otter), which were critical for connecting the community to the rest of Manitoba before the land-based airport was established. The aerodrome was essential for the community's survival and connection to the outside world.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the registered water aerodrome. The community is now fully and more efficiently served by the Little Grand Rapids Airport (CZGR), which accommodates year-round flights. Re-establishing a formal water aerodrome would be redundant and offer no significant advantages over the existing land-based infrastructure.