An original hangar at the Regina International Airport has been sold by the Government of Saskatchewan back to the airport authority.

The building goes back to 1929, with the provincial government owning the hangar for most of its existence.

The building sits on leased airport land. Now, the province has sold its planes and is turning over the building to the Regina Airport Authority at no cost.

“The provincial government who has been leasing for many years, decades in fact, a hangar at the corner of Regina Avenue and Airport Road, the lease has now come to completion,” James Bogusz explained, the CEO of the Regina Airport Authority.

“So the airport has now received this hangar back in a wonderful condition.”

Just over 16 years ago, the previous NDP government invested about $5 million refurbishing the hangar and added a passenger terminal.

The airport authority is considering a terminal expansion which may require demolition of the hangar for a new access road. These potential plans have made the building almost impossible to sell.

In the meantime, the airport authority has leased the hangar to the local Cessna dealer, Prairie Flying Services.

“Some of our plans call for the demolition of the building to make room for larger development lots at the front of the airport,” Bogusz said. “But we are also considering some revised plans to see if the building can be retained and used for airside uses.”

Going forward, the Regina airport authority has said the aircraft hangar may not be demolished right away after the end of its useful life.

Refurbishment is a potential option, although no decision have been made as the airport considers where future roads and building complexes will go.