What a difference a week makes.

Black Diamond's Mayor Ruth Goodwin said last week STARS wasn't able to use the helipad at the Oilfields Hospital because of their newer, bigger helicopters.

But Friday, June 11th, they got word Alberta Health Services is providing $1 million for a new helipad.

"From what I understand shovels in the ground this fall and hopefully it'll be completed this year and if not early next year," Goodwin says.

Design for the heliport has begun and construction will begin in the coming months.

More detailed construction timelines will be shared once the project is underway.

Goodwin expects the new helipad to go on AHS property very near the hospital while a temporary landing site is set up.

"We have acquired a piece of land that our fire department and STARS have negotiated with the landowner to be able to use and in the next week or so I understand that that specific area is going to be fenced off and continue to be used until the new heliport is built," she says.

A fence is being built to keep cattle away from the site which is just on the south edge of town about three minutes away from the hospital.

The Fire Department, along with EMS and STARS cover a wide area.

"Black Diamond has a Mutual Aid Agreement with Foothills County and Turner Valley," Goodwin says. "We also through our volunteer fire department, we look after and respond to calls, not just with-in the immediate Black Diamond area but south, further east and a little bit north, so our area that has been etched out is quite extensive and of course since we're so close to Kananaskis Country and our Canadian Provincial Park, tends to be location where we get a lot of calls."

In early 2019, to ensure all AHS heliports meet standards appropriate for air ambulance helicopters, AHS hired a consultant to do a provincial heliport review to ensure heliports were compliant with all Transport Canada safety standards.

The review identified major safety concerns with the heliport at the Oilfields General Hospital that required a new heliport built further away from the hospital but still on the grounds.

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