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Page 45 of 65
QUEBEC
Canadian Forces Station Senneterre:
Opened as RCAF Station Senneterre on 1 June 1953, the home of
No. 34 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron, one of Canada's Pinetree
Line radar stations.
After the closure of CFS Val d'Or in 1976, CFS Senneterre took over
Search and Rescue operations for Quebec's northwestern region.
In 1985, DND announced that the Pinetree Line would be shut
down as a part of the North American Air Defence Modernization Plan. As
a result, CFS Senneterre closed on 1 August 1988.
Most of the buildings remain today.
Source Material: DND Press Releases from June 1989.
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Canadian Forces Station Mont Apica:
Opened in 1952 as RCAF Station Mont Apica, with the radar functions being run by No. 201 Radio Station. No. 201 Radio Station was itself re-named No. 12 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron. Part of the Station's role was as a control centre for the fighter squadrons of Air Defence Command and a long-range radar station.
In 1963, The Intercept Controller School was established at the station, remaining until disbanding in 1969.
Technological changes made the station redundant and it closed in 1990. No. 12 Radar Squadron was transferred to CFB Bagotville.
Nothing remains of CFS Mont Apacia today. 12 Radar Squadron relocated to 3 Wing Baggotvile where it continues to provide radar tracking for fighter aircrew training.
Additional Source Material: DND press release from May 1989
& July 1989.
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Canadian Forces Station Val d'or:
The Royal Canadian Air Force established RCAF Station Val d'Or in 1954 as a fighter-interceptor base intended to protect Montreal and the St. Lawrence River valley and Great Lakes basin against Soviet bomber aircraft. The airfield was topped with asphalt by the mid-1950s as RCAF Station Val d'Or became a key component in NORAD.
During the early 1960s, RCAF Station Val-d'Or was considered as the site for one of the Regional Emergency Government Headquarters, commonly known as a "Diefenbunker", but this was put at CFB Valcartier instead.
By 1964, the flying mission at RCAF Station Val-d'Or had changed to see all aircraft based at RCAF Station North Bay and RCAF Station Bagotville but were deployed to the base in rotations; in essence, RCAF Station Val-d'Or was now a forward operating base.
During the 1960s, RCAF Station Val-d'Or became home to numerous airborne nuclear weapons as RCAF CF-101 Voodoo interceptors were fitted with the AIR-2 Genie.
The rise of the FLQ terrorist group during this period saw the Canadian military devise strategies to safeguard nuclear ordnance primarily stored at RCAF Station Val-d'Or against being seized by the group's members.
The Unification of the Forces resulted in the station being renamed CFS Val-d'Or.
CFS Val-d'Or saw its mission gradually decrease during the 1970s and it was closed in 1976.
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Canadian Forces Station Chibougamau:
Opened in 1962 as RCAF Station Chibougamau, with the radar
functions being run by No. 10 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron.
Re-named CFS Chibougamau. The station closed in 1988. Most of the
former station remains, with parts being used by the City of
Chibougamau. The operations building was used briefly by Transport
Canada, but was demolished in 1993.
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Canadian Forces Station St Sylvester:
Opened in 1953 as RCAF Station Ste.-Marie, with the radar
functions being run by No. 206 RCAF Radio Station. The radar unit was
later re-named No. 13 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron. The
station itself was re-named RCAF Station St.-Sylvestre, then CFS Station
St.-Sylvestre. The station closed in 1964. The only remains of the
former station are the guardhouse, recreation hall and the medical
building.
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Canadian Forces Station Lac St Denis:
Opened in 1952 as RCAF Station Lac St Denis, with the radar functions being run by No. 201 RCAF Radio Unit, later re-designated No. 11 AC & W Squadron. At the same time, 1 AC&W Squadron was re-designated 1 Air Defence Control Centre and remained as such until its disbandment, as the Montreal NORAD Sector, on 15 September 1962.
The station became SAGE capable on 15 September 1962 and began to report to the Bangor Sector at Topsham AFS, Maine. In September 1963, 11 AC&W began reporting to the Ottawa Sector at CFB North Bay. At one time a detachment of 1 Radar and Communications School RCAF Station Clinton Ontario were training enlisted personnel as Fighter Control Operators at the station. In September 1965, a new basic trade school to train Air Defence Technicians was formed to meet the forecast trade shortage. By 1973, over 25 courses had been run with almost 500 graduates.
11 AC&W was the operation responsible for the control of all test flights of the CF-104 Starfighters being built at Canadair in Montreal. The aircraft would leave the Cartierville Airport and proceed to the testing area under positive control of Lac St. Denis.
With the Unification of the Forces, the station was re-named CFS Lac St. Denis.
In March 1972, CFS Lac St. Denis became a detachment of the North Bay based Air Weapons Control and Countermeasures School (AWC&CS). Eventually Lac St. Denis acquired the Air Weapons Control and Countermeasures School and they carried on training Air Defence Technicians for two more years. The school was later moved to CFB Falconbridge and then to its current location at North Bay, Ontario.
The Canadian NORAD Region's ROCCs, both Canada East and Canada West, commenced operations in August 1984, with Lac St. Denis attached to Canada East.
The station ceased operations in December 1985 and the station closed on 1 August 1986.
Various business have occupied the site without ever achieving any long-term success. The site is now abandoned, left open and easily accessible. All that remains is the operations centre, graffiti-covered and in desolate state after fires and water infiltration, is often visited by paintball enthusiasts.
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Canadian Forces Station Moisie:
Opened in 1953 as RCAF Station Moisie with the radar functions
being run by No. 211 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron. The
station was re-named CFS Moisie. CFS Lac Moisie closed in 1986.
Unknown what remains today.
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Royal Canadian Air Force Station Parent:
Opened in 1953, with radar functions being run by No. 207 RCAF
Radio Station. This was one of the last Pinetree stations to be built.
The radar unit was later re-designated 14 Aircraft Control &
Warning Squadron. The station closed in 1964. The PMQs remain today,
but little else.
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