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Airport dedicates new terminal

Joseph Malan
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - The Michigan City Municipal Airport dedicated its new terminal building Saturday morning.

"The dedication of this new terminal building today at our Municipal Airport is a result, first and foremost, of the outstanding dedication and effort of the all-volunteer Board of Aviation Commissioners and I express my sincerest thanks and gratitude to them for all of their hard work in helping build Michigan City's future," Mayor Chuck Oberlie said.

Construction on the $462,000 terminal building began in April, when city officials accepted a bid submitted by J. Shoffner, a general contractor in La Porte.

The new terminal building increases office space from 1,500 square feet to 2,500 square feet.

The terminal was designed by Fanning Howey, a Michigan City architectural and engineering firm.

The terminal now has a pilot's lounge, a room that has been dedicated to the memory of Marcus Derrickson, a longtime local pilot and member of the Board of Aviation. Derrickson, a pilot for Jaymar-Ruby, died in a plane crash in Lake Michigan off Miegs Field in Chicago more than a decade ago.

Inside the lounge will be a memorial plaque, along with a picture of Derrickson, his pilot ratings and accomplishments.

The old terminal building was built in 1986, when the airport moved from Franklin Street where Menard's and Lowe's now sit, to the current site on Indiana 212. The private airport there was operated by Joe Phillips until the city acquired it in 1985.

"Constructing a terminal building represents a significant milestone for Michigan City, Board President Tom Ringo said. "This new facility will provide a permanent base for our airport operations, create an appropriate venue to welcome visitors to our city, and provide visiting pilots an area to relax and prepare for the continuation of their flights."

The Michigan City Municipal Airport was named Airport of the Year in 2007 by the Aviation Association of Indiana.