CFS Senneterre

CFS Senneterre
RCAF Station Senneterre
Part of the Pinetree Line
Senneterre, Quebec, Canada
CFS Senneterre
Coordinates	48.36190°N 77.22271°W / 48.36190; -77.22271
Code	C-8
Site information
Owner	Private
Controlled by	Royal Canadian Air Force
Condition	Partially demolished, also repurposed
Site history
Built	1950 (1950)
Built by	Royal Canadian Air Force
In use	1953-1988
Garrison information
Garrison	34 AC&W Squadron

CFS Senneterre, initially called RCAF Station Senneterre prior to 1967, was a long-range radar and Ground Control Intercept station, part of the Pinetree Line radar defence network, situated 40 miles (64 km) north of Val-d'Or, Quebec. Situated atop Mount Bell, east of the town of Senneterre, Quebec, construction started in 1950. By 1953 the 34 AC&W Squadron became operational. From 1968 to 1973 Senneterre was the backup to CFB North Bay, the regional command post; in the event it was incapacitated by a nuclear strike, Senneterre was designated an Alternative Command Post (ALCOP). In 1988 the station was deemed no longer necessary as a long-range radar, and closed.^[1]

Post closure

After closure in 1988 some of the facilities were sold to private interests. At the operations site:

• Telebec purchased the southmost radar building and erected a cell phone tower 48.36140°N 77.22291°W / 48.36140; -77.22291.
• The height finder building 48.36261°N 77.22237°W / 48.36261; -77.22237 has been demolished for unknown reasons.
• The operations building 48.36180°N 77.22254°W / 48.36180; -77.22254 was demolished after a fire in the early 1990s.
• The SAGE Annex 48.36195°N 77.22271°W / 48.36195; -77.22271 is intact and privately owned.
• The northmost standing radar building 48.36208°N 77.22218°W / 48.36208; -77.22218 is intact and privately owned.
• The TX and RX communications buildings have been repurposed by a local firearms club as indoor target ranges.

References

1. A History of the Air Defence of Canada, 1948-1997. Commander Fighter Group. 1997. ISBN 978-0-9681973-0-1.