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'Canadian Forces Base Petawawa', commonly referred to as 'CFB Petawawa', is a Canadian Forces Base located in Petawawa, Ontario. It is operated as an army base by Canadian Forces Land Force Command.

Contents

About the Base

Approximate Personnel Numbers

Infrastructure

Fitness Facilities

Recreation

History

Current operations

External link

About the Base

Located in the Heart of the Ottawa Valley stands one of Canada's leading military bases. Established in 1905, Canadian Forces Base Petawawa is home to 5,100 military personnel, 7,700 family members and 1000 civilian employees.
Along the shores of the picturesque Ottawa River, CFB Petawawa shares a natural bond with its host community, the Town of Petawawa, as well as the City of Pembroke, Ontario and the 16 other municipalities that make up Renfrew County.
As a partner in the Petawawa Community, CFB Petawawa offers numerous outstanding services and programs to the community.

Approximate Personnel Numbers

'Military:' 5,100
'Civilians:' 1,000
'Family Members:' 7,700
'Total:' 13,800
Of these, approximately 6,000 live in local communities of the Ottawa Valley. Majority live between Deep River and Pembroke.

Infrastructure

'Total Buildings:' 465
'Total Owned Lands /Petawawa Training Area:' 300 sq Km

Fitness Facilities

Located on Festubert Boulevard, Dundonald Hall is the main fitness facility on Base. It houses a 53,000 square foot field house, a 200 meter indoor running track, a 25 meter swimming pool, a wading pool equipped with a winding water slide, and whirlpool and sauna facilities.
The Recreation Complex houses a full size gymnasium, and aerobic studio, teen room, preschool play rooms and meeting rooms. The "Rec Plex" is home to numerous Base clubs as well, from the Karate Club to the Preschool Clubs to the Indoor Rock Climbing Club.

Recreation

The South Side Community Center offers similar facilities and services to another area of the Petawawa community. The combination of Recreation Service's, Family Military Resources Services and Canex shopping make this facility the ideal "one-stop-shopping" building.
During the summer your options include a relaxing round of golf on our eighteen hole course, wandering through numerous outdoor trails, lounging on a beautiful sandy beach, sailing or boating on the Ottawa River from our full service marina, or camping along the banks of the Ottawa River.
Winter temptation include extensive cross country ski trails and a link to the main snowmobile trail in Eastern Ontario. Ice fishing and curling are a few more options for you and your family throughout the winter months.

History

Founded in 1905 as the 'Petawawa Military Camp', or 'Camp Petawawa', the base was created by the Department of Militia and Defence upon the purchase of 22,430 acres (91 km²) of mostly agricultural property from local residents.
Canadian Forces Base Petawawa takes its name from the Petawawa River . The origin of the name PETAWAWA is lost in antiquity, but legend has it that it is an Algonquin Indian word pronounced 'PETWEWE". The translation means, "Where one hears noise like this", referring to the sound of the fast water over the rocks in the river. In another legend it is said that the area was named after an indigenous woman who inhabited the banks of the Petawawa River and lived to the age of 115 years old.
Early French explorers used a trail or route through this area. The Mattawa Trail, now called Mattawa Road still exists on parts of the base today. The site of Canadian Forces Base Petawawa was originally a German Immigrant settlement. German pioneers toiled to build a community out of the harsh and rugged terrain. Some of the topographical features in the training area still bear the names of these early settlers.
By 1904 the Department of Militia and Defence purchased 150 properties from these settlers totaling 22,430 acres. The Royal Canadian Horse and Garrison Artillery were the first to train at Petawawa Military Camp during the summer of 1905. In 1906 the Royal Canadian Engineers constructed huts, stables and installed water and gas systems. In that same year "A" and "B" Batteries of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, commenced the first of many marches to Camp Petawawa for summer training from their permanent station in Kingston, Ontario.
By 1907 combined training of tactical exercises were conducted by various other units such as A and B Squadron, Royal Canadian Dragoons; A and B Batteries, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery; No. 2 Company, Royal Canadian Engineers; a Battalion from The Royal Canadian Regiment; and detachments from the Medical and Ordnance Corps.
The first military aircraft flight in Canada took place at Petawawa. On 31 July 1909 under perfect weather conditions, J.A.D. McCurdy and F.W. Baldwin flew the "Silver Dart" at Camp Petawawa in the presence of Military Observers. From December 1914 to May 1916, Petawawa was used as an internment camp for 750 German and Austrian prisoners of “The Great War”. At the same time Canada Car and Foundry Company had developed three inch shells and were being tested at the camp by Russian artillery. The prisoners were instrumental in helping clear roads and timber to make these tests possible. From May 1916 to 1918, 10,767 Canadian troops were trained at Petawawa before being sent overseas.
During the 2nd World War, Two Artillery and One Engineer training centres were established in the Camp. In September 1942, 12,515 troops were stationed on the Base. The peak load was reached during 1943 when approximately 20,000 troops were undergoing training at one time. As in the previous war, Petawawa was the site of an Internment Camp. The camp's official designation was Internment Camp No.33; located at Centre Lake it held 645 civilian internees. There were 28 different nationalities the majority being German and Italian. During 1946 the first Regular Army Units arrived in Camp Petawawa and it was established as a permanent camp.
In 1947, the training of Militia and regular units was resumed. The Royal Canadian Dragoons and 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment were moved to Petawawa in 1948. Upon being given the status of a permanent camp, it was officially designated " Camp Petawawa" in May 1951. During the next few years construction continued in order to accommodate more regular units, married quarters and schools for the soldier's dependents. Units of the Special Force, such as 2 RCHA, 8th Hussars, PPCLI, and 1 RCR earmarked for service in Korea were concentrated at Petawawa before going to the United States for departure for the Far East. The 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade Group was stationed to Petawawa upon return from Germany in 1959. This formation was redesignated 2 Combat Group in 1966. The camp was renamed Canadian Forces Base Petawawa and allocated to Mobile Command.
On April 1, 1977, 2 Combat Group was disbanded. 2 Combat Group combined with the Canadian Airborne Regiment at CFB Petawawa to form the Special Service Force. The Special Service Force constituted a unique chapter in Canada 's military history. It derived its name from the first Special Service Force, an historic formation of Americans and Canadians which pioneered special forces operations in a short lived but immensely successful history during the second world war. The latter-day Special Service Force represented a compromise between the general purpose combat capabilities of a normal brigade and the strategic and tactical flexibility which derived from the lighter and more mobile capabilities of the Canadian Airborne Regiment. Units and Soldiers of the Special Service Force served in operations both home and around the world.
The Special Service Force was officially re-designated as 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group by a Ministerial Order signed on 24 April 1995 . This decision to re-organize and re-equip the formation was due to current emphasis in Canadian defence policy on general-purpose capabilities. With a smaller force structure, a smaller defence budget and more frequent operational taskings, it has become clear that general-purpose capabilities provide the best return on Canada's investment in defence. Accordingly, 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group of Petawawa has been designed to be a mirror image of its two sister formations, 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade, based in Edmonton, Alberta and 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, based in Valcartier, Quebec.
Currently there are approximately 6,100 persons employed at CFB Petawawa (5,100 of them military) whom are included in the units of 2 CMBG, CFB/ASU Petawawa and Lodger Units. Soldiers at CFB Petawawa have been involved in many operations throughout the world including tours in Afganistan and Bosnia.
In 2005, CFB Petawawa celebrated its first 100 years of service. A number of events were planned in conjunction with units and the local communities to commemorate this special occasion.

Current operations

The base supports Land Force Command (the Canadian Army) and is home to 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, which includes the Royal Canadian Dragoons and the 1st and 3rd Battalions of The Royal Canadian Regiment. See Land Force Central Area for a partial list of units based at CFB Petawawa.
The base motto is, in the eastern Anishinaabe language, ''endazhe kinamandowa chimaganishak'' (or fully vocalised as ''endazhi-gikinoo'amawindowaa zhimaaganishag''). The literal English translation is "Training Ground of the Soldiers". The translation used on the base is "Training Ground of the Warriors".

External link

★ Department of National Defence Canada - CFB Petawawa