The Alberta Aviation Museum says it is about to begin negotiations with the city on the future ownership of Hangar 14.
The hangar at the former Edmonton Municipal Airport, which is owned by the city, has been home to the museum for more than three decades, but the future of the building has been unclear since the city launched a study to assess the maintenance and upgrades needed to maintain the hangar.
A report released by city administration in 2022 found $41 million would be required in the immediate future to maintain the building, and the decision was made to put the hangar up for sale.
After the decision, the museum collaborated with its own architects and engineers. It says those experts found the building to be in better shape than indicated in the city report.
On Thursday, the city’s executive committee passed a motion to work with the museum on the future of the hangar.
“This decision marks a crucial step in the museum’s future, as we now have a clear path forward, without the uncertainty a third-party owner might bring,” the museum said in a Friday news release.
“While there is a lot of work ahead of us, including further engineering studies, significant fundraising efforts, and government lobbying, we are relieved and eager to enter this next stage of the process.”
The building was designated as a historic place by the provincial government in 2004.