CFB Griesbach
Encyclopedia
CFB Griesbach is a former army base in the north end of Edmonton
, Alberta
, Canada
. The site is named after Major-General William Antrobus Griesbach
(1878-1945), a veteran of the Second Boer War
, the First World War and the Second World War. Griesbach was also an Edmonton alderman and mayor, and served as a Member of Parliament
and a Senator.
Griesbach Barracks is home to Canada's Land Force Western Area
Headquarters. The site, however is no longer administered by the Department of National Defence
, but was transferred to the Canada Lands Company
in a $17.5 million 2001 deal, considered fair market value at the time. Former lodger units located here included the Canadian Airborne Centre and the Canadian Forces Parachute Maintenance Depot, both of which were moved to CFB Trenton in the mid 1990s, as plans to close the runway at Namao accelerated.
Much of the former Griesbach Barracks site is currently undergoing major redevelopment, with the entire 620 acres (2.5 km²) scheduled to be fully re-developed by 2018. Part of the land was purchased from Canada Lands in 2003 by the Capital Care Group, and is now used as a long-term care centre - the Kipnes Centre for Veterans, which was opened in November 2005.
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The site is named after Major-General William Antrobus Griesbach
William Antrobus Griesbach
Major General William Antrobus Griesbach CB CMG DSO was a Canadian politician, decorated soldier, mayor of Edmonton, and member of the Canadian House of Commons and Senate of Canada.-Early life:...
(1878-1945), a veteran of the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, the First World War and the Second World War. Griesbach was also an Edmonton alderman and mayor, and served as a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and a Senator.
Griesbach Barracks is home to Canada's Land Force Western Area
Land Force Western Area
Land Force Western Area is one of four operational commands of the Canadian Army. LFWA is responsible for all Canadian Army administration and operations in western Canada from the Pacific Ocean to Thunder Bay, Ontario...
Headquarters. The site, however is no longer administered by the Department of National Defence
Department of National Defence (Canada)
The Department of National Defence , frequently referred to by its acronym DND, is the department within the government of Canada with responsibility for all matters concerning the defence of Canada...
, but was transferred to the Canada Lands Company
Canada Lands Company
Canada Lands Company Limited is an arms length, self-financing Crown corporation reporting to Parliament through the Honourable John Baird, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons...
in a $17.5 million 2001 deal, considered fair market value at the time. Former lodger units located here included the Canadian Airborne Centre and the Canadian Forces Parachute Maintenance Depot, both of which were moved to CFB Trenton in the mid 1990s, as plans to close the runway at Namao accelerated.
Much of the former Griesbach Barracks site is currently undergoing major redevelopment, with the entire 620 acres (2.5 km²) scheduled to be fully re-developed by 2018. Part of the land was purchased from Canada Lands in 2003 by the Capital Care Group, and is now used as a long-term care centre - the Kipnes Centre for Veterans, which was opened in November 2005.