Terrace, CA 🇨🇦 Closed Airport
CA-1013
-
195 ft
CA-BC
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 54.519201° N, -128.628016° E
Continent: NA
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: BW5 CBW5 CBW5
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The exact date of closure is not publicly documented. However, based on historical aviation records and the state of the helipad markings, it is estimated to have been officially decommissioned sometime in the early to mid-2000s. The heliport is no longer listed in the Canada Flight Supplement (CFS), the official guide for Canadian aviation.
The closure was due to a change in the operational requirements of its owner, BC Hydro. Reasons likely include:
1. **Consolidation of Services:** It was more efficient and cost-effective for BC Hydro to consolidate its aviation operations and charter services from the nearby and much larger Northwest Regional Airport Terrace-Kitimat (CYXT), which offers comprehensive fuel, maintenance, and hangar facilities.
2. **Redundancy:** The specific need for a dedicated heliport at this downtown administrative site may have diminished as major construction projects in the immediate vicinity were completed or as maintenance strategies evolved.
3. **Urban Development & Safety:** As the city of Terrace grew, operating a heliport in a central, increasingly developed area could have raised safety and noise concerns, making a move to the main airport a more prudent choice.
The site remains an active BC Hydro administrative office and operational depot for ground vehicles and equipment storage. Satellite imagery of the coordinates confirms the location is the BC Hydro yard at the corner of Kalum Street and Greig Avenue in Terrace. The original concrete helipad, a circle with a very faded 'H' marking, is still visible in the yard. However, the area is now primarily used for parking fleet vehicles and storing materials, with no infrastructure (like windsocks or modern markings) to support active aviation. The heliport is defunct, and the land has been fully repurposed for BC Hydro's ground-based operations.
The Terrace / BC Hydro Heliport was a private, special-purpose heliport owned and operated by the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro). Its primary and sole function was to support BC Hydro's operations in the rugged and remote terrain of northwestern British Columbia. Helicopters based at or using this facility were essential for:
- **Power Line Patrol:** Conducting aerial inspections of high-voltage transmission lines to identify damage or potential issues.
- **Construction & Maintenance:** Transporting crews, tools, and materials (such as insulators, hardware, and even sections of towers) to remote transmission towers and substations that were inaccessible by ground vehicles.
- **Emergency Response:** Rapidly deploying personnel to repair storm damage and restore power during outages.
The heliport was a critical logistical hub that played a direct role in maintaining the reliability and integrity of the region's electrical grid.
There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the CA-1013 heliport. Given the operational efficiencies of using the main regional airport (CYXT) and the likely safety and noise considerations of a downtown location, it is extremely unlikely that BC Hydro would ever reactivate this site for aviation purposes. Any future helicopter requirements for BC Hydro in the Terrace area will continue to be served by charter companies operating out of the Northwest Regional Airport.
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