The airfeld at Penhold was established 11 miles southeast of Red Deer, Alberta in 1940 as a RCAF Manning Depot. It was taken over by the Royal Air Force as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and designated No. 36 Service Flying Training School. The school and airfield closed in 1944 and only a military radio station remained on site at the time.
The Station re-opened in late 1951 as RCAF Station Penhold. No. 4 Flying Training School opened at Penhold as a NATO Flying Training School. In later years, the station would be home to a cadet camp an Air Cadet glider training school and an Air Reserve Training Centre.
In May 1965, flying operations ceased at RCAF Station Penhold and Air Defence Command assumed control of the Station. The only flying training done at the base was the summer Regional Air Cadet Glider Training School that opened the next year at Penhold. The former RCAF Detachment Innisfail, occupied since June 1960 by the Innisfail Flying Club, once again served as a relief landing field.
Penhold's airfield was taken over by the city of Red Deer and now operates as the Red Deer Reginal Airport.
The former base is now the community of Harvard Park. The airfield remains the Red Deer Regional Airport. Most of the original buildings remain in use, including all six hangars, the combined mess, several barracks the firehall, the transportations building and the PMQ homes. The former Penhold School however, now sits vacant.
Updated: March 21, 2005