ONTARIO:

Canadian Forces Station Armstrong:

Opened in 1954 as Armstrong Air Force Station of the United States Air Force, with the radar functions being run by No. 914 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron. Control of the station was transferred to the RCAF in the early 1960s, with the radar functions being run by No. 38 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron.

Re-named RCAF Station Armstrong, then CFS Armstrong.

The station closed in 1975. Some of the buildings remain occupied and some are in better condition than others.

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Royal Canadian Air Force Station Edgar:

Originally designated No. 204 RCAF Radio Station, RCAF Station Edgar was the southern most station in the Pinetree Line. No. 204 became operational in September 1952 and one month later, the unit was re-designated No. 31 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron and the station itself RCAF Station Edgar.

 Although Pinetree stations were much smaller than full-size bases like Camp Borden, they were still self-contained cities featuring standard military housing & barracks, a school, a recreation centre with a bowling alley & swimming pool, tennis courts, a baseball diamond,  an infirmary, a chapel, a firehall, a water treatment & distribution facility, a central heating plant, auto repair shops, cafeteria facilities and sports fields.

All Pinetree stations were equipped with one Search Radar, one Height-Finder Radar and a third back-up radar, and were situated at 150-mile intervals mostly along the 50th parallel, but also down the eastern coast and into southern Ontario and Quebec.

Unlike most Pinetree stations, RCAF Station Edgar also served as a Ground-Control Intercept station in addition to its primary function as an Early Warning Detection station. It was the job of No. 31 AC&W Squadron to track any incoming Soviet threats and then dispatch and direct fighter interceptors to head-off inbound Soviet bombers or missiles.

Overseeing No. 31 AC&W Squadron was No. 3 Air Defence Control Centre, also located at RCAF Station Edgar. No. 3 ADCC also coordinated the operations of No. 32 Squadron at RCAF Station Foymount, No. 33 at RCAF Station Falconbridge, No. 34 at RCAF Station Senneterre and 912th Squadron of and the United States Air Force' at the Ramore Air Station (later taken over by the RCAF and re-named RCAF Station Ramore). With the creation of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) in the late 1950s, No. 3 ADCC was re-designated the Ottawa NORAD Sector Headquarters.

When the Pinetree Line was first established, the RCAF utilized a manual system of plotting the movement of all aircraft on a large plotting board in the Operations Control Centre, situated inside a large reinforced concrete building, with Fighter Control Operators directing this process. In 1961, this system was replaced by the new Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system. A computer now determined the height, speed and direction of enemy targets and relayed the information to the Sector Control Headquarters. This change of operating procedures also lead to No. 31 AC&W Squadron being re-named No. 31 Radar Squadron and RCAF Station Edgar being placed under supervision of the Syracuse NORAD Sector Headquarters.

In May 1963, Ottawa NORAD Sector Headquarters re-located to RCAF Station North Bay and No. 31 Radar Squadron was later put under control of the Detroit Sector.

Continued upgrades in radar equipment lead to greater coverage areas for Pinetree stations. As a result, stations like RCAF Station Edgar were now deemed unnecessary as neighboring RCAF Stations Foymount and Falconbridge were now able to cover Edgar's area of responsibility. As a result, operations at RCAF Station Edgar were terminated on March 20, 1964 and the station closed at the end of the month. A station disbandment parade was held on 8 April 1964, with the RCAF flag being lowered for the last time.

The Ontario Government purchased the property for just over $218,000 and in 1965, the former station became the Edgar Adult Occupational Centre for handicapped adults. This facility closed in 1999 and the Ontario Realty Corporation put up the property for sale, marketing it for possible industrial or institutional usage.

From 1999 - 2011, the station sat vacant, except for the security guards guarding the property. The Department of National Defence has made a return of sorts to Edgar, as various Army Reserve units occasionally utilized the property for training. All of the station's buildings remained at that time, except for the Operations Control Centre building and the radar towers (they were demolished long ago), but slowly deteriorating.

In November 2010, the Township of Oro-Medonte has acquired 42 acres of forested land at the north end of the property for passive recreational and leisure activities. 

In July 2011, a developer purchased the remainder of the property for $2,500 and by the fall of 2011, all the buildings had been demolished, except for the gatehouse, the pumphouse and the chapel.  Developer Miya Consulting plans to build 82 houses on the property. 

Source Material:  the peraonal recollections of the author (1998-20112),  Township of Oro-Medonte media releasese - http://www.oro-medonte.ca/Newsroom/MediaRelease/index.htm , The Barrie Examiner - http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2873236 & Developer buys piece of former Edgar centre, Barrie Examiner, 21 July 2011.

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Canadian Forces Station Falconbridge:

Opened in 1952 as RCAF Station Falconbridge, with the radar functions being run by No. 33 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron.

Falconbridge, like many other similar facilities was a fully self-contained community. In addition to shared quarters, the station included 101 homes (PMQs), water and sewage facilities, a school, library, church, an infirmary, and a slew of recreational facilities including a bowling alley, recreational hall, gymnasium, sauna and children's wading pool. A post office operated from 1955 to 1960.

Following the Unification, the station was re-named CFS Falconbridge.

During the 1970s, Falconbridge also became as a training facility, specializing in basic and advanced instruction of Air Defence Technicians' courses.  Folowing the closure of CFS Foymont in 1974, Falconbridge expanded it's area of responsibility.

On 11 November 1975, CFS Falconbridge became involved in tracking what many believed to be a UFO.  Two U.S. Air Force F-106 aircraft were dispatched to the scene, along with Air National Guard and Strategic Air Command helicopters, but none was ever able to make a positive identification. 

The station ceased operations and closed in 1986.  The station was purchased by Pine Ridge Developments the following year, who rented out the former PMQs as private residences. The radomes were removed but the radar towers and the operations centre remaned.  

The some of the buildings were rented out, but the remainer of the buildings were allowed to deteriorate.  By 2003, Pine Ridge Development were the subject of criticiism for making only minimal safety improvements to the base's badly deteriorated former barracks and mess hall despite having rented out homes on the site to tenants with children. The sports field, park and playground slowly became weedy and overgrown.

 In 2007, the property was purchased by Kona Management, who immediatly began the process of making improvements to the property.  The homes were improved and the deteriorated buildings sealed up to prevent intrusion.  Most were turned into rental storage buildings.

The operations centre was demolished in 2007. 

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Canadian Forces Station Foymount:

Opened in 1952 as RCAF Station Foymount, with the radar functions being run by No. 32 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron.

 Re-named CFS Foymount. The station closed in 1974.

Portions of the former station remain in use as a commercial complex. The PMQ homes are private residences, but 3 apartment complexes are vacant.

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Canadian Forces Station Lowther:

Opened in 1957 as Lowther Air Force Station of the United States Air Force, with the radar functions being run by No. 639 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron. Control of the station was transferred to the RCAF in the early 1960�s, with the radar functions being run by No. 36 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron. Re-named RCAF Station Lowther, then CFS Lowther. The station closed in 1987.

The former station is currently used as a commercial-industrial testing centre. Other that the abandoned roadways, nothing remains of CFS Lowther today.

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Canadian Forces Station Moosonee:

Opened in 1961 as RCAF Station Moosonee, with the radar functions being run by No. 15 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron. Re-named CFS Armstrong. The station closed in 1975.

Parts of the station remain in use as the Northern Lights Secondary School, with the PMQs serving as housing.

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Royal Canadian Air Force Station Pagwa:

Opened in 1953 as Pagwa Air Force Station of the United States Air Force, with the radar functions being run by No. 913 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron. Control of the station was transferred to the RCAF in the early 1960�s, with the radar functions being run by No. 37 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron. Re-named RCAF Station Pagwa. The station closed in 1966.

Some of the station's buildings remain.

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Canadian Forces Station Ramore:

Opened in 1953 as Ramore Air Force Station of the United States Air Force. The station was later transferred to the RCAF. Re-named RCAF Station Ramore, then CFS Ramore. The station closed in 1975.

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Canadian Forces Station Sioux Lookout:

Opened in 1952 as Sioux Lookout Air Force Station of the United States Air Force, with the radar functions being run by No. 912 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron. Control of the station was transferred to the RCAF in the early 1960s, with the radar functions being run by No. 39 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron. Re-named RCAF Station Sioux Lookout, then CFS Sioux Lookout. The station closed in 1987.

Most of the buildings remain, but unused.

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Canadian Forces Station Lowther:

Opened in 1957 as Lowther Air Force Station of the United States Air Force, with the radar functions being run by No. 639 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron. Control of the station was transferred to the RCAF in the early 1960s, with the radar functions being run by No. 36 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron. Re-named RCAF Station Lowther, then CFS Lowther. The station closed in 1987.

Other that the abandoned roadways, nothing remains of CFS Lowther today.