Stornoway opens Airport at Renard Mine site

Stornoway Diamond Corporation officially opened the Clarence and Abel Swallow Airport at the Renard Mine site. The airport has been named in honour of two elder members of the Swallow family, the original "Tallymen" of the land upon which the Renard Mine is located. The opening where Stornoway also performed the naming ceremony was attended by community members, regional dignitaries and members of the Renard mine development team.

The Clarence and Abel Swallow Airport comprises a 1,497m long gravel landing strip with associated instrumentation, maintenance facilities and a passenger terminal.

The airport will serve as the principal access point for employees, contractors and visitors to the Renard Mine during its operation. Goods and services to the Renard Mine are delivered by road on the recently completed Renard Mine Road/Route 167 Extension.

Over 400 flights carrying 3,000 passengers have been processed during the early works and construction ramp-up at the Renard project site.

NAV Canada certification for the airport's LNAV assisted landing capacity is pending.

Matt Manson, President and CEO of Stornoway, commented "Today's naming ceremony of the Clarence & Abel Swallow Airport is an opportunity to reflect on the relationships between Stornoway and the people our mine development will impact. The construction of the airport has proceeded under the principals of sustainable development and social acceptability developed in our 2012 Mecheshoo Agreement with the Crees of the Eeyou Istchee. Cree businesses and contractors have been instrumental in its completion on budget and schedule.”