Airport renovations to begin this fall.

First-time visitors to a city get an immediate impression of how progressive a community is from the appearance of its airport.

Bob Johnston, the City of Greater Sudbury director of transportation services, wonders what goes through the minds of air travellers landing in the "Nickel City" after taking in the outdated amenities of its air terminal building.

That is why plans are afoot to give the city's unofficial reception room its first facelift since the facility was built in the early 1970s.

"We're going to give this building more flair and make it a lot more comfortable for passengers using it, (adding) more amenities," says Johnston.

Tenders are expected to go out this fall for a $4.9-million renovation of the existing 15,800-square-foot building which will include a two-storey, 8,800-square-foot addition.

Designed by Castellan Luciw and James Architects Inc. of Sudbury, Johnston says the architect's theme is to generate a sense of "intrigue and excitement" around the activity at the airport with better sightlines, and to convey a sense of the story of Sudbury.

One of the striking features figures to be the glass-enclosed elliptical holding area placed in the centre of the building, representing the imprint of the meteor impact that carved out the Sudbury basin 37 million years ago. The terminal will also include an expanded restaurant on the upper floor, a redesigned baggage and handling area, new ticket counters and office space for airlines.

Johnston says the bland reception area is "not endemic of a progressive city" and the overall functional space in the terminal just "doesn't fit the bill" anymore for airport administration and the close to 200,000 passengers that frequent the facility every year.

After tendering, construction could begin as early as November. The construction period would last a year.

Airport manager Richard Dixon says financing of the project was included in an agreement with Transport Canada as part of the lengthy transfer process to the airport's community development corporation, with money having been set aside over time for terminal expansion.

Besides the expansion, airport officials are awaiting the final report of a consultant's commercial plan now being polished up to suggest what new business opportunities might work best at the facility. It is expected to be tabled in September.

Among the early recommendations by LPS Aviation Inc., Johnston explains, is the concept that rather than attempt to go head-to-head against other northern airports in stealing some businesses away, Sudbury should strengthen its role as a regional passenger hub for a low-cost air carrier.

For example, while North Bay has carved out a market niche for itself as an emerging aerospace manufacturing and aircraft maintenance base, Timmins has established itself as a supply centre for the far north remote communities. LPS suggests Sudbury might be best positioned for a third airline.

WestJet, the Calgary-based no-frills airline which flies into Thunder Bay and Hamilton, announced in early September it is adding service to Sudbury beginning Dec. 10.

WestJet will offer one non-stop flight from Sudbury to Hamilton each business day, with connections to other WestJet destinations.

With the addition of Sudbury to its flight destinations, WestJet now serves 18 Canadian cities.

Since scheduled air service began in 1954, and the city formally gained ownership in March 2000, the airport remains one of the busiest in the North, Dixon adds.