Cold Lake, AB
Photographs

The Pinetree Line radar station at Cold Lake closed down on 1 August 1991. After 42 Radar Squadron vacated the station, the site sat abandoned and neglected until 1998, when the Cold Lake Museum was opened.

All of the stations five buildings (with the catwalk that joined them), plus the guardhouse and the pump-house remain. The former Operations building contains displays profiling the Air Force, RCAF Station/CFB Cold Lake and 42 Radar Squadron, including a full-size Height Finder radar unit. The other buildings feature the Oil & Gas Interpretive Centre, Alberta Heritage Museum and the Aboriginal Museum. None of the three radar towers or radomes remain today.


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  1. The main road leading to the remains of the station - July 2004.
    Courtesy Bruce Forsyth.

  2. Operations building as seen from the main access road approaching the station - July 2004.
    Courtesy Bruce Forsyth.

  3. Remains of the pump-house - July 2004.
    Courtesy Bruce Forsyth.

  4. Remains of guard house and the Operations building - July 2004.
    Courtesy Bruce Forsyth.

  5. Fence around the compound - July 2004.
    Operations building to the left. Guard house and access road are also visible.
    Courtesy Bruce Forsyth.

  6. Operations building as seen through the perimiter fence - July 2004.
    Note the original DND "No Trespassing" signs on the fence.
    Courtesy Bruce Forsyth.

  7. Telecom building, former location of Radar tower #2 - July 2004.
    Courtesy Bruce Forsyth.

  8. Former location of radar tower #3 - July 2004.
    Courtesy Bruce Forsyth.

  9. Operations building with "catwalk" (upper left) - July 2004.
    Courtesy Bruce Forsyth.

  10. Operations building #2 (now the Oil & Gas Interpretive Centre) - July 2004.
    Former location of radar tower #2 (foreground).
    Courtesy Bruce Forsyth.

  11. Telecom building (now Aboriginal Museum) and the Operations building #2 - July 2004.
    Courtesy Bruce Forsyth.

  12. Backside of buildings showing the catwalk that runs from the Operations building to the Telecom building - July 2004.
    (L-R) - Diesel Plant, Operations building #2, Digital Data Converter.
    Courtesy Bruce Forsyth.

  13. The Operations building with the catwalk connecting to radar tower #1 (left) - July 2004.
    Courtesy Bruce Forsyth.

  14. The Operations building showing the connecting catwalk - July 2004.
    Courtesy Bruce Forsyth.

  15. Remains of assorted RCAF aircraft beside the Operations building - July 2004.
    Courtesy Bruce Forsyth.


Photographic Credits

All photos are used with permission.

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Updated: February 27, 2005