New terminal rising at Winnipeg airport
State-of-the-art facility to open in 2010
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/09/2009 (5848 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The sparks are flying, power tools are whirring and workers in hard hats are scurrying around.
Even though the new terminal building at the Richardson International Airport is just two-thirds complete, it’s easy to see how it will be a drastic change from the one it’s replacing.
Much of the glass that will serve as the front and back walls of the $585-million project has already been installed, an architectural feature that not only lets in an abundance of natural light but will let travellers see the nose of their plane from the time they park their vehicles.
"We often get asked if there will be an observation lounge. The whole place will be an observation lounge. You’ll be able to observe landings and take-offs from anywhere in the building, regardless of whether you’re a passenger or a meet-and-greeter," said Christine Alongi, a Winnipeg Airports Authority spokeswoman, during a tour of the terminal building construction site.
The state-of-the-art facility is scheduled to open sometime in 2010.
Some areas, such as the concourse area in the west side of the building, are already finished. In the meantime, between 450 and 500 workers, many of them subcontractors handling electrical, mechanical, steel, glass and other duties, will descend on the site every day.
The building they’re erecting will be 70 per cent more energy efficient than the current terminal.
That’s because of unique features such as radiant floor heating, which uses pipes carrying hot liquid to heat the floors, and holes that will circulate air in passenger areas to create an "air curtain" about 1.8 to two metres high but which won’t extend to the high ceilings.
"We only want to heat the spaces where the passengers are," Alongi said.
Perhaps the biggest difference passengers will notice is the departure area, which will be on the second floor and completely separate from the arrivals area on the floor below.
"The customer flow won’t be as confusing. Today they’re both on the same level and you often have passengers bumping luggage," she said, noting the departures roadway is nearing completion.
Another major change will be common-use gates.
Instead of Air Canada and WestJet having their own dedicated check-in and baggage drop-off areas, gates will be shared by whichever carrier needs it at the time. Signage will be dynamic and the logos and messages will change depending on which carrier is at the gate.
The breakdown of concessions will be reversed from the current setup, where 70 per cent of food and beverage providers and retailers are pre-security and 30 per cent are after you’ve had your carry-on luggage X-rayed. That’s to conform to post-9-11 security regulations.
And for the first time, international passengers will have a view of downtown Winnipeg and nearby landmarks such as Canad Inns Stadium.
Alongi said the current terminal building will be demolished sometime in 2010 or 2011 once the new one is up and running. She said the WAA has received a number of suggestions for a send-off, including a concert, a social or even use it as a movie set.
geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca
Plenty of work to go around
The new terminal building at Richardson International Airport is two-thirds complete and on schedule for a 2010 opening. Here are some facts about its construction:
It will require 4,500 metric tonnes of steel, more than 12,000 cubic metres of concrete and 10,000 square metres of glass.
Up to 500 workers are on site every day. Construction passed the 195-million-hour mark last month.
It is generating about 6,500 person-years of employment with an economic output of more than $1 billion.
Thus far, one kilometre of electrical conduit has been laid in cable trays for security and telecommunications, with more to come.
***
THE biggest difference passengers will notice is the departure area will be on the second floor and completely separate from the arrivals area on the floor below.
‘The customer flow won’t be as confusing’ — Christine Alongi, a Winnipeg Airports Authority spokeswoman