@ 7:19, where the temp/humidity recorder was located, there is another piece of equipment that was there but was removed by this time. It was the wind speed anemometer, and it is currently located and functioning - at the water treatment plant I work at a few km's away.
This was a real "Blast-from-the-past"! I was a kid at CFB Penhold from 1964 to '69. My father was a Lance Corporal in the Sigs Corps and worked in "The Hole". I don't know how he managed it; but one day, after bugging him for years, he took me down to where he worked. It was a large room that looked to me like the bridge on the Enterprise. There were tele-type machines running and "ticker-tape" machines too. My father could read the ticker-tape, which was paper tape, about an inch wide, with what looked like braille dots on it. There were no other kids down there, so it wasn't like "bring your son to work day", and I'm not really sure how long I spent down there (in my mind it was about 2 days, so in reality it was probably about 4 hours). RIP Dad.
What I think most people don't realize, is this bunker, and many like it, were actually decoys! The real government continuity bunker is in Edmonton, just a few blocks from the legislature grounds. It is still there, and still active today. This bunker a CFB penhold was a "plausible target" The Russians new exactly where its location was, and what its function was, and therefore was a target. It is strategically located far enough away from the actual facility so that a "hit" would not damage the real one, as there isn't a bunker out there that can survive a direct nuclear strike, except maybe Cheyanne Mountain in Colorado, and even they don't think it would survive. This particular bunker was in no way hidden - you could see it plain as day from the highway, and could walk right up to the outer fence when it was in operation, without anyone even questioning you (I know, because I did it as a kid in the 70's - grew up right close by to it)
@@CanadianCivilDefenceMuseum I would like to, but don't know much about it, other than its existence, and that it is still functioning today! I was a kid in the 70's/80's and my best friends dad worked at the Penhold bunker. I got to go on the base many times back then, but not in the actual bunker. They knew right from the get go that the Penhold bunker wasn't feasible, as even today, it would take a minimum 35 minutes to load up, transport, unload and get everyone in safely. Back the it was closer to an hour, as it was a 35 minute helicopter ride from edmonton to penhold. The max. warning time we got of an impending nuclear strike was 25 minutes, so there was no possible chance of getting anyone from Edmonton to there in time.
@@djteako I believe the AGT tower was the Legislative bunker but it has now been demolished. I’ve seen newspaper articles about a bunker to be built on 109th but no evidence exists and I’ve walked the area. The LRT line runs where the bunker could have been but no evidence.
I lived in RCAF Base Penhold when the bunker was being built. A year before starting Kindergarten a couple of young friends and I decided to go and see what was going on. Did I ever get in trouble that day! Mom was none too pleased. I've blacked out my dad's response.
My grandpa owned both bunkers in penhold - here's hoping he got most his $$ back and then some. Apparently he turned down a rep for George Lucas for the filming of starwars episode one.... sigh.. he really should have asked his family about this George fellow before turning him down..
Hey Brock, I've been going down the rabbithole with CFS Penhold stuff and have been trying to confirm the old rumour that the Hell's Angel's tried to buy CFS Penhold back in late 90s, and this led the government to buy back the bunker and demolish it. I'm also super interested in the George Lucas connection! Any chance you know more and would be willing to discuss, or maybe you have a relative who knows more? Thanks!
It would have been impossible to get an offer to film Star Wars in the bunker since, when Episode 1 came out, it was still very much active. I worked in the bunker at 743 Commsqn as a TelOp 212 from 76 until 82. I never really got used how cool this place was! Initially as all privates did, I worked in the Tape Relay Centre (TRC), then did a tour in the CommCen with a really great Sgt Ab Neustetter (sp?). Some other great folks down there were Sgt Gus MacDonald, MCpl Linda Dowdle, MCpl Des Flanders and many others. The entire team of TelTechs (George Dieriks(sp), Dave Ingalls etc). Once they brought in SAMSON we got to work in a state of the art Computer Node featuring the Burroughs 4800. (Probably obsolete by the time we got it up and running). I remember loving working in the hole every single day and loving all the folks who worked down there. Good Times. I also remember all the crazy RadOps down there and the TETechs - all crazy, all fun but all very good at their jobs and serious about their work at the time. My favorite guy (apart from my Jr. Ranks buddies) was CWO MacDonald. He could be a tough guy but he was always fair and taught me a lot about military dicipline (in a good way)LOL.
My dad worked there back in the early 90's we lived on the base. I remember exploring this place
@ 7:19, where the temp/humidity recorder was located, there is another piece of equipment that was there but was removed by this time. It was the wind speed anemometer, and it is currently located and functioning - at the water treatment plant I work at a few km's away.
This was a real "Blast-from-the-past"! I was a kid at CFB Penhold from 1964 to '69. My father was a Lance Corporal in the Sigs Corps and worked in "The Hole". I don't know how he managed it; but one day, after bugging him for years, he took me down to where he worked.
It was a large room that looked to me like the bridge on the Enterprise. There were tele-type machines running and "ticker-tape" machines too. My father could read the ticker-tape, which was paper tape, about an inch wide, with what looked like braille dots on it. There were no other kids down there, so it wasn't like "bring your son to work day", and I'm not really sure how long I spent down there (in my mind it was about 2 days, so in reality it was probably about 4 hours).
RIP Dad.
Red deer TV did a walk around back in the day, maybe was on the cartoon network in 96 for a quick tour.. would be great to find that
What I think most people don't realize, is this bunker, and many like it, were actually decoys! The real government continuity bunker is in Edmonton, just a few blocks from the legislature grounds. It is still there, and still active today. This bunker a CFB penhold was a "plausible target" The Russians new exactly where its location was, and what its function was, and therefore was a target. It is strategically located far enough away from the actual facility so that a "hit" would not damage the real one, as there isn't a bunker out there that can survive a direct nuclear strike, except maybe Cheyanne Mountain in Colorado, and even they don't think it would survive. This particular bunker was in no way hidden - you could see it plain as day from the highway, and could walk right up to the outer fence when it was in operation, without anyone even questioning you (I know, because I did it as a kid in the 70's - grew up right close by to it)
Please tell me more about the edmonton bunker. fred.a@civildefence.ca
@@CanadianCivilDefenceMuseum I would like to, but don't know much about it, other than its existence, and that it is still functioning today! I was a kid in the 70's/80's and my best friends dad worked at the Penhold bunker. I got to go on the base many times back then, but not in the actual bunker. They knew right from the get go that the Penhold bunker wasn't feasible, as even today, it would take a minimum 35 minutes to load up, transport, unload and get everyone in safely. Back the it was closer to an hour, as it was a 35 minute helicopter ride from edmonton to penhold. The max. warning time we got of an impending nuclear strike was 25 minutes, so there was no possible chance of getting anyone from Edmonton to there in time.
@@djteako I believe the AGT tower was the Legislative bunker but it has now been demolished. I’ve seen newspaper articles about a bunker to be built on 109th but no evidence exists and I’ve walked the area. The LRT line runs where the bunker could have been but no evidence.
I lived at CFB Penhold . when I was in kindergarten we did a tour of the bunker for a class trip probably in 85 or so .... thanks for posting
I live in Edmonton and I never knew we had these big shelters.
Yes, we had this since 1964 and we also had two bunkers here in Edmonton as well
Speedbro457 well, you do now...
Speedbro457 my grandpa owned this bunker
Red Deer should be ashamed this shelter was destroyed.
I lived in RCAF Base Penhold when the bunker was being built.
A year before starting Kindergarten a couple of young friends and I decided to go and see what was going on.
Did I ever get in trouble that day! Mom was none too pleased. I've blacked out my dad's response.
My grandpa owned both bunkers in penhold - here's hoping he got most his $$ back and then some. Apparently he turned down a rep for George Lucas for the filming of starwars episode one.... sigh.. he really should have asked his family about this George fellow before turning him down..
Brock Warkentin what’s your relation to Reg?
@@CanadianCivilDefenceMuseum Reg Warkentin?
Uncle
Hey Brock, I've been going down the rabbithole with CFS Penhold stuff and have been trying to confirm the old rumour that the Hell's Angel's tried to buy CFS Penhold back in late 90s, and this led the government to buy back the bunker and demolish it. I'm also super interested in the George Lucas connection! Any chance you know more and would be willing to discuss, or maybe you have a relative who knows more? Thanks!
It would have been impossible to get an offer to film Star Wars in the bunker since, when Episode 1 came out, it was still very much active.
I worked in the bunker at 743 Commsqn as a TelOp 212 from 76 until 82. I never really got used how cool this place was! Initially as all privates did, I worked in the Tape Relay Centre (TRC), then did a tour in the CommCen with a really great Sgt Ab Neustetter (sp?). Some other great folks down there were Sgt Gus MacDonald, MCpl Linda Dowdle, MCpl Des Flanders and many others. The entire team of TelTechs (George Dieriks(sp), Dave Ingalls etc). Once they brought in SAMSON we got to work in a state of the art Computer Node featuring the Burroughs 4800. (Probably obsolete by the time we got it up and running). I remember loving working in the hole every single day and loving all the folks who worked down there. Good Times.
I also remember all the crazy RadOps down there and the TETechs - all crazy, all fun but all very good at their jobs and serious about their work at the time.
My favorite guy (apart from my Jr. Ranks buddies) was CWO MacDonald. He could be a tough guy but he was always fair and taught me a lot about military dicipline (in a good way)LOL.
@@jlancaster46 starwars episode 1 came out in 1999, bunker was sold in 1994.
I assure you that you it was not active between 96-99