CFB Summerside
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Canadian Forces Base Summerside (CFB Summerside) was a Canadian air force base located in St. Eleanors, Prince Edward Island.
The airfield was constructed between 1940-1941 and was named Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Station Summerside. The airfield was home to training squadrons operating under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan with nearby aerodromes at RCAF Station Mount Pleasant and RCAF Station Charlottetown.
In 1949 the Summerside base housing was named "Slemon Park" in honour of Air Marshall Roy Slemon. During the Cold War, the base was home to anti-submarine and coastal patrol aircraft such as the CP-107 Argus and CP-121 Tracker. The station was also home to the 413 Transport and Rescue Squadron which operated the CC-115 Buffalo and CH-113 Labrador.
The February 1, 1968 unification of the three service branches into the Canadian Armed Forces saw RCAF Station Summerside change its name to Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Summerside.
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 personnel were transferred to CFB Greenwood in Nova Scotia.
The entire property including airfield, housing units, and hanger 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 College and several aerospace companies. Employment at Slemon Park facilities now exceeds pre-1991 levels.
The airfield remains active as the Summerside Airport, serving the western part of the province. The main runway at Summerside is more capable for large aircraft than the Charlottetown Airport, although no scheduled air service includes the Summerside field.
External link
- History and Heritage of Canada's Air Force (http://www.rcaf.com)
- Slemon Park Corporation (http://www.slemonpark.com)