Curious whats happening in Winnipeg now?

[Griswald DME]

Now that PPCLI is in Shilo, whats happening at Winnipeg?  Is it closing down, or are they just keeping the air base open?  I'm assuming there must be a lot of pmq's empty now?  Anyone with info. on whats up there if you could please post it would be appreciated.

DME

 

[Inch]

17 Wing is staying open, 1 CAD HQ is there and I don't see that moving anytime soon.  I couldn't tell you what's happening with the VP part, they're in a different part of the city than 17 Wing.

 

[ghazise]

I was in Winnipeg last year, and they just started multi-million dollar construction at the Wing, so I doubt it's up for closure,  for the remaining land at Kapyong Barracks I beleive interested parties were looking at redeveloping it into a Urban Reserve, a seniors community village or a community college.  

 

[pbi]

2PPCLI has now finished moving out of Kapyong Barracks, and this should shortly be in the hands of the Canada Lands Corporation, the Federal Government's real estate agents. The remaining 17 Wing facilities on Taylor Ave (immediately south of the Kapyong site) will be closed in the next year or so and relocated to the North Site (17 Wg Main). These include Wing Supply, Wing Transport (Cargo), Wing EME Sqn, and some other minor functions. These moves depend upon the   completion dates of the new facilities at the North Site, some of which are underway now.

Our Bde HQ (38 CBG) will most likely relocate in the summer of 05 to the present 17 Wg HQ building, which should give us a much better facility, hopefully with an APU for emergencies (something we lack now on Taylor Ave: if the power goes out, we go out.) The end state, probably by Fall 05, will be that the entire South Site (less perhaps some PMQs) will be vacated and transferred to CLC for disposal.

The uses proposed by 2Ft Onion (as well as some other uses) have all been discussed over the last few years. The City will probably be given first refusal (they have already indicated that they want to build an underpass to take Kenaston Blvd under the RR line to avoid the horrendous 2Km traffic jams at rush hour every time a freight train goes by.) The First Nations will probably get an option, but the idea of the Urban Reserve was supported only by the last Mayor, Mayor Murray, who is no longer in. The west edge of the South site abuts Tuxedo , a considerably upscale neighbourhood. I have heard that these people expressed in no uncertain terms that the last thing they wanted next to their properties was an urban reserve. With the new Mayor, this idea may have died out. The area around the base is now mainly residential/commercial, so that IMHO is the most likely future use of the site. After that, the Province will probably be given an option, and then private bidders.

The majority of the structures on the South Site are in excess of 50 years old and are maintenance monsters: my guess is that they will be demolished.

Cheers.

 

[ArmyRick]

I have many fond (drunken and sober) memories at Kapyong barracks. I lived there for five years. It was quite a time. It sad that the army is no longer there. With equipment at CMTC, was there a real requirement to move 2VP to shilo?

 

[pbi]

I have many fond (drunken and sober) memories at Kapyong barracks. I lived there for five years. It was quite a time. It sad that the army is no longer there. With equipment at CMTC, was there a real requirement to move 2VP to shilo?

As far as I can tell, the move was driven mainly by the desire to reduce DND's footprint in the city by consolidating 17 Wing, and bringing the major Regular Army dependencies under one support base; Shilo. I don't think it had much to do with training, although being next to the Trg a at Shilo is probably a better deal for 2PP than having to make a big road move every time it wants to train. 2PP has not moved all of its gear to CMTC: there will only be a portion kept there: the rest will remain with the unit at Shilo for unit training and domestic ops response. As well, the fact of the matter is, much like 3 PPCLI in Victoria and 1 CMBG in Calgary, trying to keep large mechanized organizations inside the limits of a major city, especially in residential areas. brings its own share of problems. Finally, the continuing steady growth of Winnipeg will probably close over the old Kapyong site before too long: it is a prime area of the city.

As for "The Army" leaving Winnipeg: the Army was in Winnipeg long before 2PPCLI got there and it will be there long after. CO 2PPCLI made a point of publicly integrating 38 CBG units into the Farewell to Winnipeg Celebrations, to make this point. The Army Reserve will carry on with its "footprint" role, although we are all sorry to see 2PP leave. Cheers.

 

[aesop081]

I'm in Winnipeg now at CFANS,  The south side is pretty bare now with 2VP's departure.  The new building for supply and transport is under construction on the north side and everithing is expected to be moved up here by April ( what i've heard).  There are lots of PMQ's empty when you drive down there but i expect they will be keeping them for a while as there is not that many up on the airbase.  From what we were told, 17 wing will be growing quite a bit over the next few years and is in no danger of closing. After all there are 3 major schools here and the student output every year is fairly large ( by air force standards) and 17 wing also has administrative responsability for Portage-la-Prairie and all training there.

My 2 cents on the closure of Kapyong: With the german army's departure form shilo, DND decided to justify the base's existence by sending 2VP there.  Thus giving the goverment the ability to close and sell-off prime real estate in the middle of a large city.  If any of you have been to Edmonton (Greisbach) or Calgary....you can see how much housing is worth in these forme bases.  Seems to me like the goverment was killing 2 birds with one stone.  Personaly though, i think it is a mistake to remove the army from public view.

Cheers,