Edmonton Garisson Airfield/Runway

[MPSHIELD]

I'm sorry if this is not in the correct area. I have also done a search but did not have any luck. I wanted to ask out there if anyone knows if the Runway at Edmonton Garrison  is going to be reopened. I have been told by 2 coworkers who heard it from their wives that work as civies on base.

I also know that the sources are through 2 and 3rd person but I was also on the range today and notice there are some civi contractors working on the runway running cable along the sides of the runway (for lights???).

Does anyone have any insight to this? Can someone clarify this?

I could see huge benefits in if this was the case. It is a shame they didn't keep it when the army took it over from the airforce.

Edit: Spelling Fix.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Infanteer]

Go talk to the Commissionaires down at Range Control - they'll give you all the details....

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Looking at Google Earth, it appears to my eye at least technically possible to re-open Rwy 03-21.  I don't see how the other one could be re-opened, as the big army buildings at the NW end of the old, long runway would make it unsafe for aircraft to conduct approaches and departures.

 

[aesop081]

I doubt anyone is willing to invest the money required to return any runways at the Edmonton Garison to service. Not with Edmonton International available for use.

 

[SupersonicMax]

YEG is 1 hour away from the garrison.  It would have been wise to keep it in the first place IMHO.

 

[Jammer]

...possibly for UAVs? I don't expect you would need the whole length

 

[aesop081]

YEG is 1 hour away from the garrison.

Yes i know, i lived there for several years.

  It would have been wise to keep it in the first place IMHO.

Yeah it would have been but since it was not done.....

 

[Rowshambow]

you also have to take in the fact that the ranges are on the other end of the runway, and the main runway is the route to get there.

 

[SupersonicMax]

you also have to take in the fact that the ranges are on the other end of the runway, and the main runway is the route to get there.

I think it s a fairly easy fix.

Logistically, it would make so much more sense to have a decent runway in YEG.  C-17s/Airbus/Hercs could land directly there, load and go, vice having to drive all the equipment and personnel 1 hour south to a civilian airport.

 

[dimsum]

Reopening it for UAVs would be great, but as CDN Aviator said, the time/money would probably be too great.

 

[TCBF]

I think it s a fairly easy fix.

Logistically, it would make so much more sense to have a decent runway in YEG.  C-17s/Airbus/Hercs could land directly there, load and go, vice having to drive all the equipment and personnel 1 hour south to a civilian airport.

- If I was to write a book of fiction about a 14,000 foot, B-52 and Space Shuttle capable strategic runway that was  originally built by the Americans in Canada in WW2, I would be tempted to include the following plot devices.
1. Airstrip is being made redundant - another airstrip in another city (Winnipeg) is less capable and shared by a civ airport, but their Member of Parliament has a lot of pull, so it won't close.
2. Closing the runway might open it up for civilian use, which would compete with the existing city airport, located halfway to Vegas (or so it seems).
3. A plan is hatched where an army brigade is transfer ed from another major city (which voted Reform Party), and that brigade needs new buildings.
4. Those new buildings are built half on/half off the NW extremity of the runway, limiting runway use and causing cracking in the buildings.
5. Individual not-at-arms-length with the decision to build the buildings there, thus removing the threat to the existing civ airport, finds himself retired and running the existing civ airport.  An amazing coincidence, but you can do that when you write fiction.

8)

 

[Kat Stevens]

TCBF, My ghast is completely flabbered that you could devise such a fiendishly twisted plot.  Even more so because you're not a mid 90s Liberal politician.

 

[Rowshambow]

Well Supersonic, I don't think its as easy as you think, don't get me wrong I agree that the benefits would have been awesome (if they thought of it orig) and did not put buildings on it. To move the buildings you would need to re locate the following (off the top of my head) All the ranges (which are ATS, and then the templating if the airfield was in play), Gas hut, rappel tower, Fibua house, Fire fighting practice area, seacan village, driving circuit, jump tower, 3 PPCLI buildings, LTF, LdSH(RC) and all its buildings, 1 CER buildings, 1PPCLI buildings, the wash racks, and the POL point. Then you would need to re surface, or rebuild (I am no eng) but am sure it would need something. Not impossible, but not really doable now either. As I said if this was thought out before it would have been awesome!

 

[TCBF]

... Not impossible, but not really doable now either. As I said if this was thought out before it would have been awesome!

- Well, according to my fictional book of fiction, it WAS thought out, and, for political reasons, infrastructure was built so the end result would be "... not really doable now ...".  Other fictional books in the series might involve why 2PPCLI ended up in Shilo instead of a new barracks at the St. Charles Ranges, or why the LdSH(RC) moved from Calgary to Edmonton, instead of Calgary to Wainwright, etc.

 

[SupersonicMax]

Well Supersonic, I don't think its as easy as you think, don't get me wrong I agree that the benefits would have been awesome (if they thought of it orig) and did not put buildings on it. To move the buildings you would need to re locate the following (off the top of my head) All the ranges (which are ATS, and then the templating if the airfield was in play), Gas hut, rappel tower, Fibua house, Fire fighting practice area, seacan village, driving circuit, jump tower, 3 PPCLI buildings, LTF, LdSH(RC) and all its buildings, 1 CER buildings, 1PPCLI buildings, the wash racks, and the POL point. Then you would need to re surface, or rebuild (I am no eng) but am sure it would need something. Not impossible, but not really doable now either. As I said if this was thought out before it would have been awesome!

I was writing about the path to the range that would be an easy fix, not removing all the buildings and making the runway usable again.

 

[Jammer]

Let's get Shearwater sorted out first...

 

[Dennis Ruhl]

- If I was to write a book of fiction about a 14,000 foot, B-52 and Space Shuttle capable strategic runway that was  originally built by the Americans in Canada in WW2, I would be tempted to include the following plot devices.
1. Airstrip is being made redundant - another airstrip in another city (Winnipeg) is less capable and shared by a civ airport, but their Member of Parliament has a lot of pull, so it won't close.
2. Closing the runway might open it up for civilian use, which would compete with the existing city airport, located halfway to Vegas (or so it seems).
3. A plan is hatched where an army brigade is transfer ed from another major city (which voted Reform Party), and that brigade needs new buildings.
4. Those new buildings are built half on/half off the NW extremity of the runway, limiting runway use and causing cracking in the buildings.
5. Individual not-at-arms-length with the decision to build the buildings there, thus removing the threat to the existing civ airport, finds himself retired and running the existing civ airport.  An amazing coincidence, but you can do that when you write fiction.

8)

One of the best runways in the world was turned into a parade square through deliberate sabotage.

I have to also wonder whether 2PPCLI prefers Shilo to Winnipeg.  The old base in the south end of Winnipeg looked fine to me.  The old Edmonton Griesbach base was also quite functional and reasonably modern.  I guess real estate values got too tempting.

Why is it always about politics?

 

[dangerboy]

One of the best runways in the world was turned into a parade square through deliberate sabotage.

I have to also wonder whether 2PPCLI prefers Shilo to Winnipeg.  The old base in the south end of Winnipeg looked fine to me.  The old Edmonton Griesbach base was also quite functional and reasonably modern.  I guess real estate values got too tempting.

Why is it always about politics?

The South side base in Winnipeg may have looked fine from the outside but it needed a lot of work and upgrades done to it.

 

[Dennis Ruhl]

The South side base in Winnipeg may have looked fine from the outside but it needed a lot of work and upgrades done to it.

As did/does Shilo apparently.  There seem to be a lot of different construction/renovation projects mentioned on the net.

I realize there is a cost to maintaining old bases but the whole point of a military is that it exists in peacetime for its potential in time of war.  Were there a general mobilization, it would be back to the tents and in Winnipeg you don't see the sun for the 6 months of 40 below when the wind blows from all four directions at the same time.  Can you tell I lived there a few years?

 

[aesop081]

Were there a general mobilization,

Why not have kept all the horse barns at bases just in case horses make a comeback too......

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