Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
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Volume 62 • Issue 46
Airport buys Ford winter weather testing facility
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
Thompson Citizen photo by Ian Graham Thompson Regional Airport Authority CEO Curtis Ross tells conference participants Nov. 17 about his organization’s new venture into the winter weather testing industry. the driving of piles in the proximately 11:30 p.m. and way up to Anchorage, AlLindsay Moore of Air- ernment and by us really spring, there is potential 5 a.m., seven days a week. aska is a little bit more dif- market, a company focused exceeded expectations in The winter weather test- for the amount of facilities The city’s location in a re- ficult,” said Ross. “We can on developing ways to track severely cold temperatures.” ing industry in Thompson available to winter weather mote and sparsely populated get that vehicle from point the number of drones in a From the airport’s peris undergoing a significant testers to increase substan- region is also an advantage, A to point B to Point C. You particular section of airspace spective, becoming the change this week, with the tially from what the former conference attendees heard can see the economics of it that was working with Spexi owner of winter weather airport finalizing its pur- Ford facility has, which from virtual presenter Alec makes so much more sense last spring, said that climate testing facilities is not only chase of Ford’s testing fa- includes a cold chamber Wilson of Spexi Geospatial, than trying to get to Fair- change could mean more good for the local economy, cility, becoming not only the where different sections a company that provides banks, Alaska.” companies in Canada do- but for the airport’s viability site of assets to testers but can be cooled to different software to help capture and More than anything, ing work further north than as well. also an access provider. temperatures as well as use imagery from drones Thompson’s biggest selling they have in the past, and “COVID taught us a lot Curtis Ross, CEO of the meeting rooms. Once the and came up to Thompson feature is its temperatures, also increase efforts by the of things,” he said. “One is Thompson Regional Airport new airport is open, the old last spring, performing tasks Ross said. But that might government to ensure Can- diversify.” Authority, which runs the terminal’s parking lots will such as helping investigate not mean exactly what you ada’s Arctic sovereignty in Ross also said he is imNickel Belt News photo Graham airport north of the city, says be available and eventually how the Hudson Bay Rail- think — for example, that its very sparsely inhabited pressed with by theIangrowing the purchaseFoundation of Ford’s assets the current access way could drones to about the number of reallygrowing cold near north in andChurchill. far north. number of partnerships Addictions of Manitoba northernairport director Gisele deMeulles hasuse written a book her experiences up, mostly will be completed Dec. 1. road will be cut off from the monitor the condition of its days is the most important “I think companies as a connected to winter weathBYRoss IANspoke GRAHAM all thethat harsh write things youtohave just as The bad,Pas right?’ not a very safe thing swallow when about the air- to highway once that a road the ‘Oh, tracksI’m between and was factor. whole have to people be ablesay to er For testing areweather being EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET have all these stories and to Jordan figure out. It’s prettywhich clear IChurchill. do but Ilot I jumped it. I that Churchill the dangers of polar port authority’s entry into to new terminal is built, of the at GLAunderstand what residents does that and established. now written I get through.” capture them for thought was exciting find somewhere bears, it theThough wintershe’s weather testing when will create a closed loop I need “It’s to relatively unpopuCIER jetthat engine testing should mean tojust them.” “ThedeMeulles networkingsaid in a if few a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would business with the Thomp- for testers to use without lated,” said Wilson of the facility south of Thompson As Wilson and his months that’s happened ces in Churchill, book, titled Whispers theyarea. will be lost is if they started throwing “To say, ‘Those moved back to Churchsongrowing Citizenupand confer- her encountering other traffic.in because Thompson “This just off Highway 6 told the the counterparts at people Spexi have and the connections that Addictions Foundation of the“They’re Wind: Stories from the don’t.” off andthat I realized, ‘Holy choose live spring, there. They a heartbeat. ence attendees at Sub Zero all going to Ireally good for testing be- fuel conference that facility, learnedtolast it’s ill areinbeing made, we’ve got Manitoba northernweather director North - Life inasChurchill for cause She also has a reputation I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, North’s winter be marketed part of the it provides a safe cats, for the most part, doesn’t often people who have the Transport, Canada, the Na-I Gisele deMeulles said writa couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disremiss the rock, I miss testing conference, which winter weather testing and environment. There’s not a need to test engine icing hardest time standing up tional Research Council,the all ing wasn’t something “I justchange sort ofand thought, had a varied his- below Another that spectful. If we were in the polar bears are even though began in Winnipeg Nov.she 15 climate things ton“Iof airsuch traffic out there. about thing -23 degrees to harsh winter conditions, those players wanting to always thought know and I would people her on was the same in another very dangerous and and wrapped up she withwould tours you like that thatwhat, peoplethis canhisuse tory For drones this istell very use- spurred Celsius for safety agencies while boat equipment can area per- they’re embed themselves in some do. this stuff that’s in my stories facing Churchill think we would scream Iway, really miss the Hudson they would go, hard and presentations in Thomp- tory, for testing,” Ross said. ful, notand to worry as much in thetimes United States or -27 Iform better than expected, shape or form and test never head, it’s going to be gone not true, is it?’ go, since the Hudson BayHowRail- about that soitwhy they Bay,” says. “When I go son“In on my Nov.youth 17. TheI airport Physical facilities are ‘That’s about safety, and we I’d don’t for some in Europe. even when isn’tdon’t sub-zero here,”she he said. felt at writing,” I don’tto write down,” and she ‘Yeah They’d go, way the option to possibly do that? back home, standing on the CEOgood is familiar with she the if needed helpit regrow really it’s havetrue.’ to worry about ever,suspended with tests operations at temper- have temperature rated, In the future, Thompson said. “But when I moved ‘You didn’t do all that, did said. “My kids are not gonorth of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on business, having worked for eventually expand the local the safety of people on the atures up to about -3 degrees because it hasn’t been tested could be a source not only to Thompson to get into ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an many years in his capacity winter weather testing in- ground.” also required, the sheer to determine its ability to of suitable winter weather the of social work, and it’sRoss something I was being like, ‘No, actually a politicalthe game and that’s incredible sense. You feeland so as anschool independent business dustry, said, butI’ve onealof old.’ Despite eight hours thriving number oflarge dayscommunity below zero in withstand cold. testing temperatures at thatwith pointcompanies I had to write wanted mom to Iaway did all that I was it’s just dwindled down really sadof forthe them because I small and you owner such ways Thompson’s realmy advantages from thebefore nearest big and is important. Much equipment facilities, but feel evengreat.” of exfor university and realized, do. My mom’s an elder and 27,’ and they went is ‘What?’” such a not small population the people of he ChurchNow Ross thatbelieves. she’s got as Honda. is providing a place for comcities, Thompson not as to “We’re looking for a think they were using, said, pertise, ‘Holy, not badinto at this, she’s got so farLooking deMeulles bookmoving under from her belt, back, of now,” want to only thrive. “TheI’m airport’s the she’s paniesan toartist, test their products away from themsome as other large number of says. -40 days, ill wasreally recommended for one “We’re just right?’ I certainly developed wonderful stories be- those are things we’re Though she’sfor nota there their worlds deMeulles sheassets may try winter weather testing busi- many in real-world conditions. testingexperiences centres, like Yellowlooking good They’ve operationbuilt in temperatures supplying says people to a lot all of of skill in university shetest always not do again. longer, her parents and there. How we Celfeel to another. ness a sudden in a big cause ‘We’ll it uptells hereher in she knifemight or Fairbanks, Alaska, any spread,” he said. “Thompson down to zerowould degrees testproduce to maybe being involved and came of there with stories at conditions,” Parks Canada in said “I Ross, did some pretty bizarre sister and other family if someone came-10. to you and in “I another bookand in way,” Rossout said. real-time said which makes test- her gives us some variability, sius, or perhaps thehave testing industry a very skill in my Churchill and that I’ve always like fuel hauls into the members ‘I’msoftware sorry, youhandled have to me,” she technical says. “It’s apeople darker are. With strong the long-awaited Ross, noting winter stuff ing here logistically more which we still need, and a good said, “Our having writing and confi denceexin hounded her, ‘Please, just high Arctic at -35,” said early “My cousin owns and the leave your home community more in about personnew airport terminal weather testers can even sensible. start to the testing it extremely well,” Wilson story, employed Thompson my writing. I write very put it on tape, I will write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn hardware store there,” she and we’re going to displace al growth and struggles. pected to actually begin the make use of the airport’s “To get a vehicle from a fairly long extended tail in said. “The hardware that and working on testing and clear and that’s it. It’s there. you because your story me until after. Thatall was you else all Maybe thedata,” next fihe ve said. years construction process with for runways between ap- on Detroit, Michigan thea says. the spring.” was somewhere provided by theand govsendinginthe BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
Some people say it’s kind of blunt or direct. I don’t tend
is going to be lost,’ and she’s never done it and I thought,
very dangerous thing to do. Being on a plane full of fuel
Because of that, deMeulles finds it hard to
your loved ones and your history is gone?’”
it’s something I’ll focus on doing.”