Neighbours strike deal with top-secret military base

[JasonH]

Neighbours strike deal with top-secret military base
Last Updated | Sep 23 2004 08:59 AM EDT

OTTAWA - Military officials at a training base for Canada's highly secretive JTF2 unit will make peace with their neighbours Thursday.

People who live near the base at Dwyer Hill, in southwest Ottawa, are set to sign a deal that they say should put an end to longstanding tensions between the base and its neighbours.

It's the first agreement of its kind between the Canadian military and a neighbouring community.

Residents near the base say it's not unusual to hear gunfire, explosions, and helicopters coming and going in the dead of night.

But neighbours became worried by Canada's plan to double the size of JTF2, Canada's version of the American Green Berets, or Britain's SAS.

"We were all concerned because the base was expanding right next door. We weren't involved. There was no communication," said Steve Klein, past president of the Heron Lake Community Association.

"The military have proven to be excellent neighbours and we've talked and resolved various concerns to the point where all of our neighbours voted unanimously to sign this agreement.

"And now I'm proud to announce we're good neighbours."

Dwyer Hill is one of five training facilities used by JTF2. Lt. Walter Moniz said it will still be used for exercises and some of them will be noisy.

But under terms of the agreement, the army will drop some of its veil of secrecy around its operations.

"We would communicate to the neighbours and let them know what's happening so it doesn't come as a total surprise to them," said Moniz.

The army will also try to reduce the noise at night and on weekends, he said. 

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

"But under terms of the agreement, the army will drop some of its veil of secrecy around its operations."

So lets undermine the best wpn we have against enemies both foreign and domestic.
Four words for you.  Suck it up buttercup.
Unbelievable.

 

[Scratch_043]

the way I see it, informing the neighbours ahead of time that you are going to be making alot of noise, is just a courtesy, sort of like telling the neighbours if you are going to be having a loud party or something like that, and doesn't 'undermine the best weapon we have...'

If it was needed to have THAT much security, they would move the training base up somewhere in N. Ontario, or someplace like that, that is secluded and secret, so that they can make all the noise they want, and not have anyone know what they are doing.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

I have been told that they do quite a lot of training in Pet.

 

[Garbageman]

If it was needed to have THAT much security, they would move the training base up somewhere in N. Ontario, or someplace like that, that is secluded and secret, so that they can make all the noise they want, and not have anyone know what they are doing.

The reason they are where they are is its close proximity to the National Capital Region.  Think about their role, and then think about how effective they would be at achieving it from Moose Factory.

 

[marshall sl]

[If it was needed to have THAT much security, they would move the training base up somewhere in N. Ontario, or someplace like that, that is secluded and secret, so that they can make all the noise they want, and not have anyone know what they are doing.


And where would you have the members live? They have private and family lives as well..

 

[Scratch_043]

sorry, I was making a point about the insignificance of the deal that was made. the public (as long as they have ears) already know that the excercises are going on, so what is the harm in telling them that there will be said activity.

 

[patt]

the way I see it, informing the neighbours ahead of time that you are going to be making alot of noise, is just a courtesy, sort of like telling the neighbours if you are going to be having a loud party or something like that, and doesn't 'undermine the best weapon we have...'

If it was needed to have THAT much security, they would move the training base up somewhere in N. Ontario, or someplace like that, that is secluded and secret, so that they can make all the noise they want, and not have anyone know what they are doing.

in a way u have to tell the people around the traning area just in case they think something is happening..if you notice alot of bases put in the paper that there will be an excerise going on within certin dates

 

[Scratch_043]

in a way u have to tell the people around the traning area just in case they think something is happening..if you notice alot of bases put in the paper that there will be an excerise going on within certin dates

exctly my point.

IMHO it does not sacrifice base security to tell the people when they are going to be woken up in the middle of the night.

 

[Nat. Cap. Girl]

Dwyer Hill is one of five training facilities used by JTF2.

one of FIVE?!

 

[Jarnhamar]

Yes the JTF has different training areas, DON'T PANIC.

I say move the JTF up to pet. Lots of room up there for training. Nice country side. No more cutting me off in as im driving to pet trying to pass them. maybe they will expand the gym up there so it's not as packed. Expand tim hortons. Maybe even open up a MEC somewhere


What better place to hide army type training than an army base? 
I don't think being 150KMs away from ottawa is going to be a big security lapse.

If they really wanted the JTF to be secritive they should have told EVERYONE about them. "hey folks canada has commandos. They have FIVE training bases, they deploy to countries you don't even know how to spell" and people would people have said "Who gives a shit"

The minute you use the *S* word. (Thats secret) People go nuts. Like throwing meat to starving dogs.

 

[Scott]

Yes the JTF has different training areas, DON'T PANIC.

I say move the JTF up to pet. Lots of room up there for training. Nice country side. No more cutting me off in as im driving to pet trying to pass them. maybe they will expand the gym up there so it's not as packed. Expand tim hortons. Maybe even open up a MEC somewhere


What better place to hide army type training than an army base?
I don't think being 150KMs away from ottawa is going to be a big security lapse.

If they really wanted the JTF to be secritive they should have told EVERYONE about them. "hey folks canada has commandos. They have FIVE training bases, they deploy to countries you don't even know how to spell" and people would people have said "Who gives a shit"

The minute you use the *S* word. (Thats secret) People go nuts. Like throwing meat to starving dogs.

In a simple world it would all be so easy, eh Ghost? I agree, move them to Pet. I don't know the infrastructure that's needed to support the boys in black but I am willing to bet that Pet has it all. Now, just so long as they can make it to Ottawa in time to door kick the bastards who bomb the PM's flower garden we will be fine.

 

[scm77]

lol.  Not his flower garden.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

I say move the JTF up to pet

Acesss to transportation hubs was probably one of the major factors in locating the Hill.

 

[Nat. Cap. Girl]

hey ghost.. I like your tatoo... a dead head fan?

 

[The_Falcon]

I thought one of the main reasons Dwyer Hill was chosen as the location for the Secret Squirrels, was the fact that it was the former location of RCMP SERT, and the government didn't want to spend the dough to built another facility for anti-terrorism training when they already had one. The RCMP chose the location because of it's proximity to Ottawa, not DND.

 

[venero]

Thats absoutly true.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

and your source is?

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Quote from PPCLI Guy
Acesss to transportation hubs was probably one of the major factors in locating the Hill.[/color]

I live 10 minutes away, that can't be the reason. Lil Abner keeps a still not far from here.

 

[The_Falcon]

and your source is?

The JTF 2 Book by xxxxx xxxxxxxx, oh and the official JTF 2 website http://www.forces.gc.ca/dcds/units/jtf2/pages/faq_e.asp