Postcard Memories is a weekly series of historic postcard views and photos submitted by Marcel Rousseau.
Some were previously published by the Orillia Museum of Art and History and in the book Postcard Memories Orillia.
CFB Edgar opened in 1952 as a radar station for the Department of National Defence. Part of a joint Canadian (RCAF) and American (USAF) project, its purpose was to mount a defence against Soviet air threats against North America.
The station consisted of 65 quarters for married people, a school, heating plant, sewage disposal plant, fire hall, pump house, mess hall barracks and homes for the service men and women on three miles of roads.
Included in the facilities was a ten-bed sick quarters providing medical and dental services, a school, a recreation building housing a gymnasium, bowling alley, swimming pool, club room, general store, barber shop and post office.
A skating rink built for the hockey team, a baseball diamond and a tennis court provided plenty of activity for the 184 military personnel and 89 civilians stationed there in 1961.
Part of the Norad Defense System, Edgar operated as both an early warning and a ground-control intercept unit.
In 1964 the base became redundant and it was sold to the Province of Ontario and used as a training facility for disabled adults. Called the Adult Occupational Centre for 35 years, it closed in 1999 and was offered for sale by the province for a mere $2.5 million.
No serious buyers were found and the complex was abandoned. A search on YouTube under the name “Base Edgar” reveals several videos showing what years of neglect can do to a community.
