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A $10 million project to reconstruct and expand Nelson Airport’s apron and upgrade airfield stormwater infrastructure is complete, improving safety, efficiency and resilience.

The airport is planning to invest a further $2.3 million in early 2026 to extend the covered walkway from the terminal to provide all-weather protection for people boarding and disembarking from aircraft parked at the southern end of the apron. 

The apron is the area where aircraft park, and where passengers board and disembark. It had reached the end of its life and needed to be fully rebuilt, with work starting in November 2024 on the resurfacing. A total of 22,000 square metres of asphalt was laid, including a 6,600 square metre expansion to the existing apron. At the same time, an old concrete stormwater drain on the airfield was replaced with a larger drainage system to increase the airport’s resilience to heavy rain events.

Nelson Airport chief executive Brendan Cook said the need to fully replace the old apron provided an opportunity to redesign it for a range of safety and efficiency improvements for airlines, plus a better passenger experience.

“The new stand (aircraft parking) design has streamlined access to the terminal for all aircraft. To make this an even better experience for customers, we’ll be extending the covered walkway in early 2026 to provide good-quality sound and weather protection for all passengers moving from the terminal to their aircraft – regardless of which airline you choose to fly with or where your aircraft is parked.”

Brendan said the successful project was completed on budget and to a high quality, and had been carefully managed by the project team and contractor Fulton Hogan to minimise disruption to airline operations.

“Fulton Hogan and the wider team has done a great job in a highly complex operating environment. We’re also very grateful for the collaboration of all our airfield operators, who have worked closely with us to manage their work around the construction.”

Nelson Mayor Nick Smith commended the airport company on its continued investment in upgrading its facilities.

“The successful completion of this $10 million project is a significant milestone for Nelson Airport in expanding the space for aircraft on the apron and improving the airport’s resilience to storm events.

“The extended covered walkway planned for early 2026 will further improve the experience for passengers and is particularly important for the smaller airlines such as Originair and Sounds Air.

“I also commend the airport company on improving the Airport Perimeter Walkway, set to reopen on Saturday. This 5km coastal walkway is used by thousands of Nelsonians and, although it does not generate any revenue for the airport company, Council welcomes Nelson Airport Ltd’s continued commitment to it.”

The Airport Perimeter Walkway, which was partially closed to enable safe truck movements to and from the work site, officially reopens to the public on Saturday 20 December, and has also received a facelift. Excavated material from the apron project has been reused as fill material to level out some boggier areas of the track. Other improvements include signage and seating. All the excavated material taken from the apron has either been reused or recycled, diverting about 8000 cubic metres of material from landfill.

Brendan said: “The perimeter walkway is highly valued by the community, so we’re pleased to be able to bring it back even better than before for everyone to enjoy. We’re very grateful for the patience shown for the extended closure and hope lots of people will join us for the reopening “Back on Track” celebration tomorrow (Saturday).”

The P180 Airport Perimeter Carpark prior to the airport entry barriers will also reopen by Saturday for walkway users.

Like other capital projects at Nelson Airport, including the new terminal development in 2019, the apron reconstruction work was fully funded by the airport company.

Photo: From left, Fulton Hogan Executive Divisional Manager Eamon Powick, Nelson Airport CEO Brendan Cook and Nelson Mayor Nick Smith check out the newly-completed apron.

At Mars, we love pets. It’s that simple. Across the U.S., our Associates are dedicated to improving the lives of dogs and cats and the people who love them, through our pet health services from Banfield Pet Hospital™, BluePearl™ Pet Hospital, VCA Animal Hospitals™, and Antech™ as well as more than a dozen iconic pet brands, including Royal Canin®, PEDIGREE®, IAMS™ and SHEBA®, among others.  

But our passion doesn’t stop there. We’re on a mission to bring our global Mars Petcare Purpose – A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS – to life every day through impactful initiatives. From supporting pets in need; advancing pet adoptions; advocating for a more pet-friendly society; and elevating the role of human-animal bond in mental health; to providing personalized health tools and precise nutrition for dogs and cats – we’re committed to helping pets and their humans live fuller, happier lives together.  

Here’s a look at how we’re making a difference across America.  

Feeding Pets in Need  

Mars is dedicated to tackling pet hunger and lending a hand to shelter communities across the country. Through a long-standing partnership with Greater Good Charities, we work to help support pets impacted by natural disasters and feed shelter animals while they wait for their forever homes.  

Since 2011, PEDIGREE® pet food and other Mars brands have donated over 55 million pounds of food – that’s equivalent to 235 million meals – to dogs in need through this partnership, fulfilling our unwavering commitment to make a tangible difference in the lives of pets.

Advancing Pet Adoption  

For the past 17 years in the U.S. – and since 2024, globally – we have also celebrated our annual Mars Global Pet Adoption Weekend, an increasingly successful initiative that helps dogs and cats find homes. During this event, Mars partners with shelters to cover adoption fees, making it easier for people to welcome a new furry friend into their lives.  

In 2025, Mars Pet Adoption Weekend in the United States marked our most impactful effort yet. More than 1,500 pets were adopted across the country, and we covered $185,000 in adoption fees at 23 partner shelters in 21 cities.  

Building Pet-Friendly Communities  

Through Mars BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program, Mars is creating more inclusive, pet-friendly environments across the nation. Since 2017, we’ve provided more than $2 million in grants and products and certified nearly 200 cities as pet-friendly. This program encourages cities to take intentional steps toward fostering spaces where pets and their parents can thrive together – from improving shelter conditions to advocating for pet-friendly policies.  

This year Mars announced the expansion of the program and investment of more than $1 million focused on increasing access to more green spaces and pet-friendly places, aiming to benefit 10 million people and pets around the world by 2030. This global initiative is powered by a strategic partnership with C40 Cities, one of the world’s largest networks of mayors focused on climate action. Mars and C40 Cities will work hand-in-hand with cities to create more green spaces in five cities around the world including Los Angeles.  

Easing Pet Parents’ Minds with Personalized Health Scan Tools  

All pet parents love and worry over their pets’ health. In fact, 65% of pet parents go online to try to self-diagnose their pet’s health issues.  

That’s why IAMS™ developed Poopscan, a digital AI tool that can identify dog feces and classify the stool for consistency, helping pet owners know when to call a vet. Poopscan gives pet owners the power to proactively monitor their dog’s stool consistency from the convenience of their smartphone. By leveraging AI-driven insights, pet parents can monitor their dog’s stool, detect changes quickly and save results to share with their vet.  

Supporting Lifelong Nutrition with Tailored Products  

Every pet is unique; so are their nutritional needs. It’s something pet owners think about every single day. Royal Canin, the largest brand in the Mars portfolio, is dedicated to ensuring pet owners have the right science-backed diets for their pet from daily meals to supplements and chews. In fact, Royal Canin was the first brand to make breed-specific diets and today has options for more than 40 breeds.  

Once pet owners have welcomed their new pet home, it can be overwhelming to find the right food for them, which is why Royal Canin offers tailored recommendations based on pets’ age, breed and unique health needs, everything ranging from digestive support, skin and coat support, probiotic and gut health and more.