Olney Airport Gets Grant For Expansion - KAUZ-TV: Newschannel 6 Now | Wichita Falls, TX

TxDOT's Aviation Facilities Grant Program has given Olney Municipal Airport $687,534 to expand.

Airport Manager Robert Stark said the funds will be used to build eight new hangars, to match the eight the airport has currently. "We have more aircraft that need hangars than we have hangars," said Stark.

The grant from TxDOT covers about 90-percent of the projected costs, and the City of Olney will have to make up the remaining funds. However, Stark said the costs will not fall on taxpayers.

"We have some entitlement money at the state and that comes from non-taxpayer money. So we're hoping to use that, plus the city will have to make up a share, and we have some reserve to do that," said Stark.

Stark said people are forced to store their aircrafts at other airports in the area, which means new hangars would allow them to come to Olney. Other people have to leave their planes outside. "Thunderstorms or high winds can do a lot of damage to them," said Stark. "Oh especially hail, hail can bet them up pretty bad."