# CFB Rivers



## old medic (8 Sep 2010)

Tragedy and hauntings at ghost base CFB Rivers
Half a century ago the Manitoba military base was considered one of the finest in Canada but today it is derelict and the site of a tragic death three months ago as well as a lingering ghost
Aug 18, 2010 06:00 am | By Johnnie Bachusky | Red Deer Express 



> From a distance CFB Rivers does not look any different than it did in its heyday a half century ago.
> 
> The towering steam plant that provided heat for the entire base still shimmers under a hot summer sun. Visitors can make out the old hangers from several kilometres away. Sometimes small commercial planes can be seen taking off from the runways.
> 
> ...


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## snoman317 (8 Sep 2010)

Thanks for posting this. Born and raised in a town about 30 minutes from Rivers, I found it an interesting read. When we were little my dad would take a short detour to show us the old base. It's crazy to think that it was so vibrant not long ago, then to look at the town now.


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## Hawk (8 Sep 2010)

Its so sad to see Rivers in that condition. I grew up in Brandon, and met several kids from the base camping at Lake Wahtopanah. (I think I spelled that right - the lake at Rivers). My sister-in-law grew up there and she and a bunch of others are gathering on facebook.

I remember going to an air show there, probably 1961 or 1962.

Hawk


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## George Wallace (8 Sep 2010)

Many of Canada's former military Bases have gone this route.  I came across an old Base outside St Isadore, ON near the Quebec border, between Hawksbury and Montreal.  All that remains to identify it as an old Base are the runways, and some ruins overgrown in the  heavily wooded area.  Apparently in its hayday it had a population of nearly 30,000.  These Bases are spread across Canada and Europe.  It is indeed sad when one returns to visit one.


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## Edward Campbell (8 Sep 2010)

At least one of these abandoned bases should be a national historic site - maybe one already is or maybe it's in the works; I don't know.

Arguably, and I'm not trying to start one, Canada's three most important contributions to the allied victory in World War II were:

1. Being the original and remaining a highly productive "arsenal of democracy" - before the Americans were ready and willing to "tool up" and go into production;

2. The Battle of the Atlantic - which was critical to getting all that North American production into Britain - without which victory over Germany would have been impossible; and

3. The Commonwealth Air Training Plan that produced the aircrew to fly the planes (many made in Canada) that made victory possible.

The Commonwealth Air Training Plan involved the rapid building of dozens of aerodromes across Canada - Rivers was one of them; ditto St. Isadore. It's a pity that future generation will not be able to see one and, in some small, way understand our quite vital roles in fighting and winning the war.


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## mariomike (8 Sep 2010)

President Roosevelt also refrred to Canada as "The Aerodrome of Democracy".
"Captains of the Clouds" shows some of the RCAF stations:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captains_of_the_Clouds#Production

Detroit News:
"Detroit's nickname was the "Arsenal of Democracy" but stressed-out residents often referred to it as the "arsehole" of democracy.":
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/clio/detroit_riot/DetroitNewsRiots1943.htm


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## boboyer (8 Sep 2010)

E.R. Campbell said:
			
		

> At least one of these abandoned bases should be a national historic site - maybe one already is or maybe it's in the works; I don't know.



Fort Rod hill in Victoria, BC is a very good preserved base from the time era. I don't think it was on par with the bases of 30 000 people, or if it's the kind of historic site you meant?


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## Edward Campbell (8 Sep 2010)

boboyer said:
			
		

> Fort Rod hill in Victoria, BC is a very good preserved base from the time era. I don't think it was on par with the bases of 30 000 people, or if it's the kind of historic site you meant?




I'm out of my depth, despite having read history in university back when the earth was still cooling (or maybe because of that) I know nothing about historic sites, preservation/conservation and so on. I visit; I admire; but I'm ignorant about what should (or not) be a national historic site and/or how to create one.


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## karl28 (8 Sep 2010)

There is an old Army/ Airforce base that has gone this way to , out in Picton Heights near Trenton . You used to be able to go and explorer the old buildings but I don't think you can any more its been years sense I have been out that way .


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## George Wallace (8 Sep 2010)

A few years back we had a topic; Where has Canada's Military Gone?  where we pondered the disappearance of Canada's military from various locals across the nation.


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## Rifleman62 (8 Sep 2010)

Who do you think the federal government turned over the base and housing to?

Who do you think operated the"business park" and threw money at it (I don't know how much, so I can't say millions)?

What condition were the housing and facilities in a couple of years later?

So much for Rivers, which was discussed in an earlier thread.


Prior to WWII, the Federal Government established a Central Navigational School known as #1 CNS just south of Rivers. This quickly grew and with the construction of runways became an air-training base during WWII. Closed at the end of hostilities, it was reopened in the late 1940's and became a Joint Training base with all three of the military branches represented. This base was considered redundant in 1968 and closed in 1969/70.
    The base was turned over to the Department of Indian Affairs and became Oo-Za-We-Kwun Centre, a training place for the aboriginal peoples of Western Canada. An industrial park was established and industries were encouraged to rent the hangars for their various manufacturing enterprises. This venture was closed in 1980 by the Department of Indian Affairs, and the Federal Government offered the base for sale. An entrepreneur presently owns the base, utilizing some of the buildings for agricultural purposes.


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## old medic (8 Sep 2010)

Just for fun;

Ghost towns Photo Gallery - CFB Rivers
http://www.ghosttownscanada.ca/members/showgallery.php?cat=985

CFB Rivers Face Book Group
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=91838196958

Bill Hillman Remembers
http://www.hillmanweb.com/rivers/



Published in The Rivers Banner
Longtime residents of the Rivers area will probably remember a time when the air buzzed with the sound of RCAF aircraft from an airfield south-west of Rivers. Early in the Second World War, the Royal Canadian Air Force entered into an ambitious project: the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, an astounding program that saw 130,000 personnel from Great Britain and the Commonwealth graduate from 107 training schools across Canada.

RCAF Station Rivers opened May 1942 when No. 1 Air Navigation School (No. 1 ANS) re-located to Rivers from RCAF Station Trenton, becoming No. 1 Central Navigation School (No. 1 CNS). As the war progressed, Rivers also became a training centre for Army pilots and parachutists, as well as flying instructors from the Army, RCN and RCAF. Additionally, the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals and the Air Dispatch School made Rivers their home.

By the time No. 1 CNS disbanded in August 1945, No. 1 ANS and No. 1 CNS had trained a combined total of 11, 406 Commonwealth navigators.

RCAF Station Rivers would remain open after the war, becoming part of the post-war RCAF. In 1947, the Canadian Parachute Training Centre, established at Camp Shilo in 1942, merged with the Airborne School of the Canadian Joint Air Training Centre and re-located to RCAF Station Rivers, making the station Canada's main para-training centre.

Also in 1947, the Army Aviation Tactical Training School was established at Rivers to provide pilot training to Army aviators, as well as helicopter instructor training for the Army, RCN and RCAF. No. 6 Signal Regiment, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals and the Air Support Signals Unit provided communications duties at Rivers. 444 Air Observation Post Squadron was formed on 1 October 1947, but had a brief stay at the station as it disbanded 1 April 1949.

In 1948, the Joint Air Photo Interpretation School opened at RCAF Station Rivers. The school closed in 1960 and its personnel merged with the Air Photo Interpretation Centre at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, who became fully responsible for training photo-interpreters.

The Basic Helicopter Training Unit (BHTU) was established at RCAF Station Rivers in August 1953, initially to train RCAF pilots, but by 1956, Army helicopter pilots were also training at Rivers at the Army Air Tactical Training School (AATTS). After the closure of the helicopter school at RCN Air Station HMCS Shearwater, the Royal Canadian Navy began sending trainees to Rivers as well, making the BHTU the first tri-service flying training unit in Canada.

In 1956, with the Royal Canadian Navy having recently aquired its first fighter jet, the F2H3 Banshee, pilots from VF 870 and VF 871 Squadrons were also sent to Rivers for training. The RCN training program at Rivers continued until the disbandment of VF 871 Squadron in 1962.

The first helicopter employed by military forces in Canada was the RCAF's Sikorsky H-5 (S-51) in 1947. RCAF Station Rivers used the H-5 as a rotary wing trainer, but it was also used by the Royal Canadian Air Force in search and rescue roles.

In December 1963, No. 1 Transport Helicopter Platoon (No. 1 THP), a unit of the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps, was established at RCAF Station Rivers, along with their fleet of CH-113A Voyageur transport helicopters and one CH-112 Nomad. The platoon's function was to support the Army on field exercises. No. 1 THP moved to RCAF Station St. Hubert in 1966, but also established a detachment at RCAF Station Namao. In 1968, No. 1 THP was re-designated 450 (Heavy Transport) Helicopter Squadron.

408 Tactical Fighter Squadron, whose primary functions were reconnaissance and weapons delivery, moved to Rivers in 1964 from RCAF Station Rockcliffe, and remained until disbanded on 1 April 1970.

As a result of the Unification, RCAF Station Rivers was re-named CFB Rivers.

With the coming of the Canadair CF-5 Freedom Fighter into service, the runways at Rivers proved to be too short to handle the new jet. No. 4 Fighter Training School (formerly the BHTU and the AATTS) re-located to CFB Portage La Prairie in July 1970 and the Canadian Parachute Training Centre moved to CFB Edmonton, precipitating the eventual demise of the base itself.

CFB Rivers was declared surplus to defence needs and as a result, the station closed in September 1971.

In September 1972, the land was turned over to the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development for use as an industrial training centre for Manitoba Indians, the Oo-Za-We-Kwun Centre. The Rivers Gliding School, a summer Air Cadet glider camp opened at the former base in 1974, remaining until 1984, when it re-located to CFB Gimli.

The Oo-Za-We-Kwun Centre closed in 1980 and the land was sold by the Federal Government. Larry and Bonnie Friesen opened Hangar Farms Ltd. at this site in 1988. The Friesen's continue to operate a hog farm at this location today.

Only small parts of the old air station remain today including old supply buildings, two Second World War era hangars, a 1950s era arch-style hangar, power plant, fire hall, some two-story H-huts, ruins of the messes and five permanent married quarters. The entire airfield remains completely intact and although a reservoir sits across one of the runways, it is used by crop dusting airplanes and drift racing practice groups.
In the mid 1990s, the RCAF returned to Rivers with the help of some movie magic in the film "For The Moment", a film about an Australian pilot who comes to Manitoba to train under the BCATP, starring Russell Crowe. While most of the movie was filmed at the Brandon Airport, scenes of the actors standing outside their barracks were filmed at Rivers, requiring a fresh coat of green paint to be applied to the old buildings.


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## Zoomie (9 Sep 2010)

I was just up today flying around Southern Manitoba.  It really is amazing how much of the BCATP footprint that is still quite visible around the area.  

I flew around for just under 2 hours and conducted stop and gos at two separate airfield - both of which are BCATP in origin (Dauphin and Neepawa).  Dauphin still has the old WW2 hangars and the triangular runway setup - Neepawa has one runway still with the faint outline of the other 2.  Portage itself was first established under BCATP and later enlarged to what it is today - the familiar 3 runways are still in use.  Macdonald is a small town just 15kms northwest of Portage - it's runways, PMQs, Hangars etc were sold to a Hutterite coloney for $1.00 (rumour, no facts) and is now a successful colony that uses the still standing hangar line for hog and fowl storage.  The footprint of the runways is still visible in the farmed fields - even though the concrete has been ripped up for years.

You will find that a large majority of large airports in Canada had their start under the BCATP - Winnipeg, Regina, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Victoria to name a few.

If you spend time flying commercially across Canada and it is a clear day - look outside and see if you can spot an old abandoned set of triangular runways - they're out there - about one every 30-50kms.


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## old medic (9 Sep 2010)

I find the old bases and stations interesting. Zoomie had me looking for RCAF station Macdonald.
Again, just for interest sake:

Both 1987 photos












RCAF Station Macdonald, Manitoba


> February 1941.  Opened as RCAF Detachment Macdonald under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.  Location of No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School.
> 
> February 1945.  Closure.
> 
> ...



source: http://jfchalifoux.com/bases_stations_grande_prairie_to_moose_jaw.htm




> From 1965-1970, the abandoned runways were used as a racetrack for sports car and motorcycle racing.
> 
> Since 1972, the former aerodrome has been "Airport Colony Farms", a grain and livestock farm run by a "Hutterite Colony", a German speaking Christian religious sect.



source: http://www.militarybruce.com/history/base-history_7.html


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## boboyer (9 Sep 2010)

Can anyone pull up some long lost pictures or info of bases that were on Vancouver island/ the Gulf islands? I'm pretty sure there were a few bases but the only one I can find things about is Fort Rod Hill.


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## 54/102 CEF (9 Sep 2010)

Places I've heard of

Air Trg Bases http://www.ualberta.ca/EDMONTON/CONTRIB/airmuseum/aambcatp.html

Cross Canada http://www.militarybruce.com/history/base-history.html


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## eileenrhoward (11 Sep 2010)

my father was given a compassionate posting to CFB Rivers, in 1958, as I was born with breathing condition and needed a dry dlimate, my mother never considered this compassionate, they didn't even have a bingo hall, oh my gosh, by golly, she wanted to go back to ontario, geemy ma wanted to go home.  we went home to Ipperwash, the beach, we loved it there, we didn't live on base, we lived in a shack they rented on the beach, but no matter what, mom liked it better than rivers in 1958, my breathing made a remarkable recovery.  I still love to go back and see the old shack, and people still stay there in the summer, and it has the same kitchen table and chairs and I can prove it, same stove too, I have pictures of my dad asleep at the kitchen table holding a kitten and I went to the cottage this summer and low and behold there is no change. just like a time capsule. so weird, but a good feeling to see it is still useful, unlike rivers, where my house is a ruin. My dad was there alot in his career as he was a paratrooper with RCR. for 21 years.


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## mariomike (12 Sep 2010)

George Wallace said:
			
		

> Many of Canada's former military Bases have gone this route.  I came across an old Base outside St Isadore, ON near the Quebec border, between Hawksbury and Montreal.  All that remains to identify it as an old Base are the runways, and some ruins overgrown in the  heavily wooded area.  Apparently in its hayday it had a population of nearly 30,000.  These Bases are spread across Canada and Europe.  It is indeed sad when one returns to visit one.



CFB Downsview:
"Downsview Hangars facing demolition: Temporary stay on demolition of historic structures:
Constructed in 1943, these structures were designated as heritage buildings by the federal government in 1992 for the role they played in Canadian aircraft production during the Second World War. The hangars are owned by the Department of National Defence (DND). ":
http://www.heritagetoronto.org/news/issue/2010/01/05/update-downsview-hangars-facing-demolition


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## CEEBEE501 (15 Sep 2010)

boboyer said:
			
		

> Can anyone pull up some long lost pictures or info of bases that were on Vancouver island/ the Gulf islands? I'm pretty sure there were a few bases but the only one I can find things about is Fort Rod Hill.



Found this site which I guess you did to
http://www.militarybruce.com/history/base-history_6.html

The BC archives should get you some with the right terms aswell
http://www.bcarchives.bc.ca/BC_OUR_COLLECTIONS/BC_Visual_Rrd_Collect.aspx

There is a forum on plane wrecks on Vancouver island (links in the tread)
http://www.nanaimoinformation.com/forum/showthread.php?231-Mt-Benson-Pleasure-amp-Tragedy-Nanaimo-sites-amp-symbols

Happy hunting


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## pbi (7 Oct 2010)

The Picton site still exists: I was up there a couple of weeks ago. IIRC, during WWII it was opened as a CATP bombing and gunnery school, with ranges in the south part of Prince Edward County, off Point Petre and in Weller`s Bay (by Consecon village). I believe the Army took it over for a while as a RCA anti-aircraft school, and then when the Canadian Guards were created as a RegForce regiment, a battalion was garrisoned there. The latter was the source of the 1950`s era buildings (messes, barracks, heating plant, etc) that are still standing just to the SE of the CATP site.

I can recall as a boy in the early 1960`s going with my parents to the beach at Outlet Provincial Park (now part of Sandbanks Park, about 20 minutes from the camp) and seeing the Guards arrive in deuce and a halfs for swim parade. That stopped when the base was finally closed (1970-71??) For many years after the closure, the nearby Hallowell Township Fire Dept (now Prince Edward County Fire and Rescue) still operated the original 1940`s Marion-Ford 4x4 military range fire truck that had been assigned to the base when it still had range operations. They may still have it.

The original Picton CATP camp and airfield are still largely intact, but in increasingly decrepit shape. Most of the old green and red wood and shingle buildings still stand (why the whole place hasn't gone up in smoke escapes me-these must be absolute fire traps by now...). Over the years there have been a number of unsuccessful attempts to put the site to different uses. A small "industrial park" was set up in some old buildings (including the hangar line) but as far as I can see these have never amounted to much. There are still a few small business located here and there, but most of the buildings appear totally abandoned. The Prince Edward County Fire and Rescue still operates a fire station out of the old camp fire hall, but that seems to be the only "government" presence. The PMQs were at one point turned into a set of residences for mentally handicapped adults: I think that operation is still there (the PMQs are in use, anyway...)

At the west end of the camp are a few wooden "guard towers": these were not always there: IIRC they were built for a movie that was filmed using the old site (it could easily pass for a WWII PW camp).

You can still drive in and around the CATP site or the old PMQs unhindered, but the 1950's site to the SE has been closed off.

Also in the Kingston area, we have former CATP fields (with more or less of their WWII buildings still standing, and runways all still in use for flying) at Deseronto, at Kingston's Norman Rodgers Airport, and at Gananoque. There was a CATP "satellite" field located at Sandhurst (about 30 min W of Kingston on Hwy 33) but as far as I can see there is no trace of it left.

Cheers


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