CFB Summerside
Encyclopedia
Canadian Forces Base Summerside (CFB Summerside) was an air force base located in St. Eleanors
, Prince Edward Island
, Canada
, now part of the city of Summerside
.
(RCAF) between 1940–1941 and was named RCAF Station Summerside.
It was home to No. 9 Service Flying Training School (SFTS), a flight school that operated under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
. Relief or emergency airfields were located at nearby RCAF Station Mount Pleasant
and Wellington
. Airmen were trained on Harvards. In July 1942 No. 9 SFTS moved to RCAF Station Centralia
and was replaced by No. 1 General Reconnaissance School (GRS) which flew Anson
s. No. 1 GRS was changed to No. 1 Reconnaissance and Navigation School in 1945.
The station was closed in 1946 but reopened in 1947 with the formation of No. 1 Air Navigation School (ANS). This was a NATO training facility. No. 1 ANS left in 1953 and the Central Navigation School was established. In 1949 No. 2 (Maritime) Operational Training Unit started operation. The influx of personnel and their families required the building of more accommodation quarters. In 1949 the base housing was completed and named "Slemon Park" in honour of Air Marshal Roy Slemon
.
During the Cold War
, the base was home to anti-submarine and coastal patrol aircraft such as the Lancaster B.X
, CP-122 Neptune, CP-107 Argus, and CP-121 Tracker
. Other aircraft operated from Summerside include the CC-115 Buffalo and CH-113 Labrador
. These aircraft were operated by various squadrons and units including No. 2 (Maritime) Operational Training Unit, No. 107 Rescue Unit, 413 Transport and Rescue Squadron
, 420 Air Reserve Squadron
, 880 Maritime Reconnaissance Squadron (Royal Canadian Navy
), 31 Support Air Group (Royal Canadian Navy), and 415 Maritime Patrol Squadron
.
into the unified Canadian Forces
saw RCAF Station Summerside change its name to Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Summerside.
In 1977, the Government of Canada formally ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS III), which mandated the creation of an Exclusive Economic Zone
extending 200 nmi (370.4 km) off all coasts. This created a requirement for military enforcement of sovereignty to protect natural resources within the EEZ, such as oil and gas reserves, and fisheries.
CFB Summerside's primary mission evolved during the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s into providing support for Fisheries and Oceans Canada
, the government department responsible for managing Canada's ocean resources. CP-121 Trackers were used to patrol Georges Bank
and the Grand Banks of Newfoundland to monitor foreign fishing fleets. Search and Rescue
(SAR) was a secondary role which was no less important to the civilian population of the Maritime Provinces which, relied on SAR aircraft
for urgent medevac
to large tertiary-care hospitals in Halifax
, Nova Scotia
and Moncton, New Brunswick
, as well as for mariners and air crew who frequently found themselves in distress, requiring rescue.
The 1989 federal budget cuts to the Department of National Defence
identified CFB Summerside as a candidate for base closure. In 1991 the base was closed and the majority of military units were transferred to CFB Greenwood
in Nova Scotia
.
, Atlantic Turbines and several other aerospace companies. Employment at Slemon Park facilities now exceeds pre-1991 levels.
The airfield remains active as the Summerside Airport
. Though the airfield has the longest runways in the province, it only supports general aviation
; scheduled passenger flights are offered at Charlottetown Airport
.
During its existence as an air force base, CFB Summerside was jurisdictionally situated in the township of Lot 17
. In the 1995 municipal amalgamation that saw the city of Summerside created, the city's municipal boundary was extended to divide the former base, with the Summerside Airport and the industrial facilities of Slemon Park remaining in Lot 17, while the residential area of Slemon Park was placed within the city of Summerside.
St. Eleanors, Prince Edward Island
St. Eleanors is a neighbourhood in the city of Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada.Located in the northwest part of the township of Lot 17 fronting Malpeque Bay, St. Eleanors was named after Eleanor Sanksey, a housekeeper for a Colonel Harry Compton....
, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, 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...
, now part of the city of Summerside
Summerside, Prince Edward Island
Summerside is a Canadian city in Prince County, Prince Edward Island. It is the second largest city in the province and the principal municipality for the western part of the island.- History :...
.
RCAF Station Summerside
The airfield was constructed by the Royal Canadian Air ForceRoyal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
(RCAF) between 1940–1941 and was named RCAF Station Summerside.
It was home to No. 9 Service Flying Training School (SFTS), a flight school that operated under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan , known in some countries as the Empire Air Training Scheme , was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, during the Second World War...
. Relief or emergency airfields were located at nearby RCAF Station Mount Pleasant
RCAF Station Mount Pleasant
RCAF Station Mount Pleasant was a Royal Canadian Air Force station in Mount Pleasant, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Two of its runways remain in use by members of the Experimental Aircraft Association....
and Wellington
Wellington, Prince Edward Island
Wellington is a Canadian village in Prince County, Prince Edward Island. The community extends as Wellington Centre onto Route 2 from Richmond through to St...
. Airmen were trained on Harvards. In July 1942 No. 9 SFTS moved to RCAF Station Centralia
RCAF Station Centralia
RCAF Station Centralia was a Royal Canadian Air Force training base located just outside the village of Centralia near Exeter, Ontario, Canada. It became one of the largest training stations in Canada....
and was replaced by No. 1 General Reconnaissance School (GRS) which flew Anson
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
s. No. 1 GRS was changed to No. 1 Reconnaissance and Navigation School in 1945.
The station was closed in 1946 but reopened in 1947 with the formation of No. 1 Air Navigation School (ANS). This was a NATO training facility. No. 1 ANS left in 1953 and the Central Navigation School was established. In 1949 No. 2 (Maritime) Operational Training Unit started operation. The influx of personnel and their families required the building of more accommodation quarters. In 1949 the base housing was completed and named "Slemon Park" in honour of Air Marshal Roy Slemon
Roy Slemon
Air Marshal Charles Roy Slemon, CB, CBE, CD , known as Roy Slemon, was the Royal Canadian Air Force's Chief of the Air Staff from 1953 to 1957. Slemon then served as the first deputy commander in chief of NORAD...
.
During the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, the base was home to anti-submarine and coastal patrol aircraft such as the Lancaster B.X
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
, CP-122 Neptune, CP-107 Argus, and CP-121 Tracker
S-2 Tracker
The Grumman S-2 Tracker was the first purpose-built, single airframe anti-submarine warfare aircraft to enter service with the US Navy. The Tracker was of conventional design with twin engines, a high wing and tricycle undercarriage. The type was exported to a number of navies around the world...
. Other aircraft operated from Summerside include the CC-115 Buffalo and CH-113 Labrador
CH-113 Labrador
|-See also:-External links:* * * *...
. These aircraft were operated by various squadrons and units including No. 2 (Maritime) Operational Training Unit, No. 107 Rescue Unit, 413 Transport and Rescue Squadron
No. 413 Squadron RCAF
413 Transport and Rescue Squadron is an air force squadron of the Canadian Forces. It was originally a flying boat squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War...
, 420 Air Reserve Squadron
No. 420 Squadron RCAF
No. 420 "City of London" Squadron RCAF was a squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force which existed from late December 1941 forwards. The Squadron's nickname was "Snowy Owl". Their motto was Pugnamus Finitum, Latin for We Fight To The Finish. No. 420 Squadron is no longer active.-History:No...
, 880 Maritime Reconnaissance Squadron (Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
), 31 Support Air Group (Royal Canadian Navy), and 415 Maritime Patrol Squadron
No. 415 Squadron RCAF
No. 415 Squadron RCAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force that first saw service during the Second World War. After unification of Canada's armed forces in 1968, the squadron continued to provide service within the Canadian Forces....
.
CFB Summerside
On 1 February 1968, the merger of the three service branchesUnification of the Canadian Forces
Unification of the Canadian Forces took place in 1968 when the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force were merged to form the Canadian Armed Forces....
into the unified Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
saw RCAF Station Summerside change its name to Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Summerside.
In 1977, the Government of Canada formally ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea , also called the Law of the Sea Convention or the Law of the Sea treaty, is the international agreement that resulted from the third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea , which took place from 1973 through 1982...
(UNCLOS III), which mandated the creation of an Exclusive Economic Zone
Exclusive Economic Zone
Under the law of the sea, an exclusive economic zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including production of energy from water and wind. It stretches from the seaward edge of the state's territorial sea out to 200 nautical...
extending 200 nmi (370.4 km) off all coasts. This created a requirement for military enforcement of sovereignty to protect natural resources within the EEZ, such as oil and gas reserves, and fisheries.
CFB Summerside's primary mission evolved during the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s into providing support for Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, frequently referred to as DFO , is the department within the government of Canada that is responsible for developing and implementing policies and programs in support of Canada's economic, ecological and scientific interests in oceans and inland waters...
, the government department responsible for managing Canada's ocean resources. CP-121 Trackers were used to patrol Georges Bank
Georges Bank
Georges Bank is a large elevated area of the sea floor which separates the Gulf of Maine from the Atlantic Ocean and is situated between Cape Cod, Massachusetts and Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia ....
and the Grand Banks of Newfoundland to monitor foreign fishing fleets. Search and Rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
(SAR) was a secondary role which was no less important to the civilian population of the Maritime Provinces which, relied on SAR aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
for urgent medevac
MEDEVAC
Medical evacuation, often termed Medevac or Medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to the wounded being evacuated from the battlefield or to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of an accident to receiving medical facilities using...
to large tertiary-care hospitals in Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
and Moncton, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, as well as for mariners and air crew who frequently found themselves in distress, requiring rescue.
The 1989 federal budget cuts to 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...
identified CFB Summerside as a candidate for base closure. In 1991 the base was closed and the majority of military units were transferred to CFB Greenwood
CFB Greenwood
Canadian Forces Base Greenwood , commonly referred to as "14 Wing Greenwood" or CFB Greenwood, is a Canadian Forces Base located in Greenwood, Nova Scotia. It is primarily operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is one of two bases in the country using the CP-140 Aurora...
in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
.
Current use
The entire property including airfield, housing units, hangars and support structures was renamed Slemon Park and was transferred to a local development authority named "Slemon Park Corporation". Today the site is host to a mix of public and private sector operations, including Holland CollegeHolland College
Holland College is the provincial community college for the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. It is named after British Army engineer and surveyor Captain Samuel Holland...
, Atlantic Turbines and several other aerospace companies. Employment at Slemon Park facilities now exceeds pre-1991 levels.
The airfield remains active as the Summerside Airport
Summerside Airport
Summerside Airport is located north-northwest of Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada.The airport is one of only two on Prince Edward Island with instrument approaches for bad-weather operations .-History:...
. Though the airfield has the longest runways in the province, it only supports general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
; scheduled passenger flights are offered at Charlottetown Airport
Charlottetown Airport
Charlottetown Airport, , is located north of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. The airport is currently run by the Charlottetown Airport Authority, is owned by Transport Canada and forms part of the National Airports System....
.
During its existence as an air force base, CFB Summerside was jurisdictionally situated in the township of Lot 17
Lot 17, Prince Edward Island
Lot 17 is a township in Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is part of Richmond Parish....
. In the 1995 municipal amalgamation that saw the city of Summerside created, the city's municipal boundary was extended to divide the former base, with the Summerside Airport and the industrial facilities of Slemon Park remaining in Lot 17, while the residential area of Slemon Park was placed within the city of Summerside.