There is little I can tell you about this location aside from it likely being constructed in the 1960's as part of the nearby Rocket Range. Its use was to track rockets being launched nearby throughout their entire, relatively short, lifespan.
Rockets were already being tested in Churchill in 1954, but it quickly became apparent that a better, more permanent arrangement needed to be made, and construction began in 1956. In July, 1957, the International Geophysical Year began, involving 67 countries and was highlighted by the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik 1. Churchill became a focal point since branches of the studies included aurora, geomagnetism, and glaciology.
There was a skiff of snow on the ground as we rolled along Highway 101 and pulled up to the closed gates. As we began walking along the road into the park, I thought back to my earlier visit to Greenwater Provincial Park and wondered if it would be as well preserved.
As one who frequents Provincial Parks for camping, when I heard that there were a few that had been closed, permanently, I knew I would have to take the opportunity to have a look at how nature reclaims these spaces. I spend a lot of time in Gogama, and that seemed the perfect jumping-off point for a trip to the former Greenwater Provincial Park. As it turns out, once wouldn't be enough.
