CFB Winnipeg - underground base?

A friend of mine says he has it confirmed from multiple independent sources that CFB Winnipeg at the James Richardson Int'l Airport (YWG) includes an underground facility that may be more than 5 storeys deep--do any ATSers know anything about this?

Incidentally, YWG is one of the few airports in North America where both civilian & military aircraft share operations.

en.wikipedia.org...

It is also home to a NORAD regional headquarters.

Incidentally, YWG is one of the few airports in North America where both civilian & military aircraft share operations.

You are kidding right?

Bangor, Maine IAP...ANG tanker unit
Jacksonville, Fla IAP...Florida ANG unit
Memphis IAP, TN...Tenn ANG unit
Des Moines IAP, IA...Iowa ANG unit
Sioux City Gateway, IA...Iowa ANG unit
Minneapolis/St Paul IAP, Minn....Air Force Reserve and Minn ANG
Lambert St. Louis IAP, Missouri...Missouri ANG....

I could go on for a few hours typing in the civilian airports that have military aircraft operating from them........

Well if it does, the engineering team is not aware of it.



I fired off an email and got this in response.

"I checked with our engineering
team about underground facilities in the new terminal, and I found out
that the air terminal building has a basement and there is an extensive
network of underground utilities including land drainage sewers, waste
water sewers, electrical & communications systems, steam and chilled
water lines.

I hope that answers your question!

Thanks again for visiting our site!


-Carly"

Only boring, mundane utility lines and sewers!!

I wouldn't be surprised if there are secret underground bunkers sprinkled across North America. The Cold War ended only a few decades ago, but your sources may be pulling your leg about WAA.

edit to add:
Just to be sure, I replied and asked for clarification. I asked if there ANY underground facilites in the "old" terminal or the new terminal. Also, CFB Winnipeg. If I get a reply I'll post it.

[edit on 14-5-2008 by Tuebor]

I got this as a reply on my attempt on clarification.

"For security reasons, I can’t discuss whether there are or are not any underground facilities on our property besides what I have already mentioned in my email to you below. I’m sorry I couldn’t be more helpful."

So I guess it was a waste of my time.

"For security reasons..." sounds like yes to me. Funny that they would say that—how would knowing about an underground facility compromise its security?

I heard the facility was beneath the CFB, not the YWG terminal (old or new). The base has NORAD facilities which are certain to be subterranean. The only question is how extensive is the underground portion of the base. And, of course, what goes on down there.

So far as I know it is the only major civilian airport in Canada that doubles as an AFB, but thanks Swampfox46_1999 for pointing out the numerous stateside instances of this practice.

[edit on 15-5-2008 by Civilian204]

I'm not sure about the airport having underground facilities, but anyone who knows about them is surely unable to speak of them due to the Official Secrets Act (not sure of the exact name, the one I gave is the British equivalent). Despite the "anonymous" function here, I doubt it would be difficult to pinpoint a leak of something like that. Security ramifications would be potentially huge, not the least of which making the airport (already a known NORAD target) a bigger one in the eyes of the terroristically inclined.

I did find something else which is interesting on Google Maps though. It features verifiable underground stuff as well. The closest named intersection to this place is Donald Road and Hwy 220 pretty much exactly north east of Stony Mountain. Google Maps Link Just west of the intersection, follow Donald Road for about 1 mile before you'd see the fence by the looks of it. From the air it looks like a giant P-shaped road with little buildings and regular intervals. Some of the roads and trails lead underground and don't seem to come back out.

The interesting bit is that my buddy took a drive out there the other day and ran into this place by accident. Intrigued by it all, he snapped some photos. The fence surrounding this place does not indicate the nature of the installation other than to say that you're on camera and that there are explosives inside the fence, so don't go in. I can't tell from GM whether its something military, a bomb range for the RCMP or Winnipeg Police, or what. The satellite photos show cars in the parking lot, so it appears to be a workplace, though there were none when my buddy was there.

It's a very strange place and deserves a closer look. I might venture out there sometime this weekend and take a peek.

Dont forget Barns ANGB, Westfield, MA Swampfox46_1999.

Yes they have facilities underground...

Its called a BASEMENT!!!!

Originally posted by Anonymous ATS

I did find something else which is interesting on Google Maps though. It features verifiable underground stuff as well. The closest named intersection to this place is Donald Road and Hwy 220 pretty much exactly north east of Stony Mountain. Google Maps Link Just west of the intersection, follow Donald Road for about 1 mile before you'd see the fence by the looks of it. From the air it looks like a giant P-shaped road with little buildings and regular intervals. Some of the roads and trails lead underground and don't seem to come back out.

The interesting bit is that my buddy took a drive out there the other day and ran into this place by accident. Intrigued by it all, he snapped some photos. The fence surrounding this place does not indicate the nature of the installation other than to say that you're on camera and that there are explosives inside the fence, so don't go in. I can't tell from GM whether its something military, a bomb range for the RCMP or Winnipeg Police, or what. The satellite photos show cars in the parking lot, so it appears to be a workplace, though there were none when my buddy was there.

Golly, it looks like an explosives storage area to me. the bermed building spaced far apart says volumes. Several of the compounds are clearly storage with what looks like semi trailers parked. Several of the buildings have vehicle storage also.

As for no roads leaving, you would want limited access to a place like this. Nothing at all about an underground facility for this place is even hinted at with the road construction.

Try Google Earth, it has high resolution pics of this area.

Is this thread still active? I can't tell, as the times of the postings in Mozzila are messed up.

If yes, I will contribute by saying that I wouldn't go as far as to say Winnipeg of all places has a secret base. I live in Winnipeg, and have been to Richardson International, and there is nothing special, other than major construction of more terminals.

[edit on 123030p://111 by For(Home)Country]

If you dont think something is there... how did u find this post?

Now this is an interesting post... as old as it is. I live in Winnipeg, and was unaware of this story until a few mins ago when I was bored and googled 'Winnipeg underground'. I am new to this city as of last fall(Ontarian...), but I always thought there was something strange going on at the cities airport. I live 23 stories up in the DT and my balcony faces the direction of the Parliament Building, and airport with an unobstructed view.

I didn't know about the military or NORAD connection so that explains why I have seen military aircraft landing and taking off during the midnight hours - anywhere from midnight to 4-5 AM. In fact 2 days ago there was a ton of military craft action from about 1 AM onwards. I was wondering where they were all coming from. I thought possibly planes land there to get gas, but if there are headquarters there then I suppose that explains why they are there all the time.

My brother in law was heading the construction of the new terminal, but recently left it for a new company as of a few months ago. One thing that he said pops up that I never thought anything of before which was that when they finish the new terminal the old one is going to be demolished, but that his company wouldn't be doing that, and that the airport had hired another one for that project. That never sounded strange to me until just now after reading about possible underground facilities. Wouldn't you hire one company to do the entire job?....

IF there are underground facilities maybe the reason why they have another source coming in to tear down the current terminal is that whoever is tearing it down needs to know about special building construct properties... Hmmm interesting. Too bad this post is so old... lol.

ahh never mind, the thread was started 3 years ago.

I am pretty sure that there is no bunker under 17 wing seeing as they are extremely expensive to maintain and they already have a large bunker at 22 wing the NORAD command centre for Canada. there is however a backup airspace control room for the airport under the tower building in the basement complex witch is what they may have been referring to.

CFB Winnipeg DOES have an underground bunker. But it's very small. Back in the 1960's, a portion of the facility was used for rocket testing. As a result, a launch control bunker was built.

However, there was a 2-level underground bunker constructed at CFS Shilo roughly 100 miles away.

There are two larger bunkers located at CFB North Bay (3-levels) and CFS Carp (4-levels). But both of these have been decommissioned. One is now a museum. The other has been placed in mothballs.

reply to post by allenidaho


The bunker at 22 wing in north bay is unused yes but not decommissioned as far as i know, it can be put back to service whenever needed. its only unused because its cheaper to run the above ground building that the bunker, so it will remain at an operational state but unused until needed ie: threat of war.