HISTORY OF RCAF STATION HOLBERG
In this age of jet aircraft, rockets, and electronics, this unit is a study in contrasts in that in October, 1950, the initial construction began with two teams of horses. They provided the motive power for extending the existing plank logging road which ran from the Alaska Pine logging camp to the current campsite.
Using this means of access, rock blasted from the north-west base of 2,000 foot Mount Hansen was utilized for fill and the actual construction of living accommodations began.
The radar site conversely was built on the peak of another 2,000 foot mountain, Mt. Brandes, which had to be flattened to accommodate construction. This area was connected to the domestic site by a road featuring very steep grades built in record time by the Alaska Pine Company.
Although there were few instances to mar the construction phase, the winter of 1952 saw one of the worst snowfalls ever seen by the natives of this area block the connecting road to the operations site for a full two weeks. Since then, both sites have been subjected on occasions to winds estimated to be in excess of 100 miles per hour. There have also been local cougar scares, the one in 1956 occasioning national publicity.
The station considered a remote or isolated unit is located about five miles west of Holberg Inlet on Vancouver Island, BC. It is approximately 45 miles west of Port Hardy or about 180 air miles north-west of Vancouver.
Station facilities include a coffee bar, theatre, recreation hall, swimming pool and bowling alley.
Access to the station is mainly by air – service aircraft for service personnel and DND employees and Pacific Western Air Lines and BC Air Lines for civilians. From Port Hardy to Holberg the journey can be made by either BC Air Lines direct, or by Hole and Clarke Bus Service from Port Hardy to Coal Harbour and then by the service marine vessel "Nimpkish" to Holberg.
RCAF Station Holberg formally came into being on January 1, 1954, with the establishment of 501 Radar Squadron. On August 1, 1956, the unit was re-designated as 53 Squadron and assumed a major role in the western area of the North American Air Defence System.
This detail was obtained from the National Archives of Canada in August 1998 for use on the Pinetree Line web site. It is estimated to be circa 1957.