The Future of the Facilities
The negative impact of the closures can be to a great extent offset if the radar station facilities are properly used after the closures. Each site has been offered by the federal government through Public Works Canada (PWC) to the other federal departments, to the provincial governments, and if there is no reversion clause, to municipalities and regional governments and finally to the private sector via public tender. Local communities have been formed at each location to help in search for a suitable alternative use of the facilities. Although matters tend to change rather often, the latest developments as of the beginning of March were as follows:
CFS Lowther
Of all five radar stations which will close in 1987, only CFS Lowther may end up with some of its facilities used by the private sector. The town of Opasatica wants the GATR site to rent or sell it to the Korean automobile company, Hyundai, which operates its cold weather testing out of Timmins. Other uses for the facilities by the private sector are restricted by its distance from any town. The provincial government seems to be interested in using some of the facilities, along with the private sector, as a multipurpose training center for Northern activities. They could train OPP members and use some of it as a rehabilitation center. It is also possible that they could establish a training center for the Indians. The trailers and the quarry will go to public tender.
This article was obtained from the National Archives of Canada. Unfortunately, there is no way of identifying the source since we were only provided with the appropriate detail pertaining to this station. The article appears to have been written in the summer of 1988.