ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY
PAGWA ONTARIO
Pagwa River is located in Northern Ontario, 78 miles west of Hearst and 120 miles northwest of Kapuskasing, Ontario. This station is under the command of the USAF. The area surrounding the radar station is composed of:
- USAF Station Pagwa
- One mile west of station, the D.O.T weather station radio range and a grass landing strip.
- One and one half miles east of the station there is a Hudson’s Bay Store and approximately 8-10 log cabins occupied by trappers and Indians.
HOUSING:
The USAF have reported that there will be no accommodations available in their quarters and barracks. The only accommodation available is located in the Hill-Clark-Francis Construction Company barracks, which are located adjacent to the USAF Base. The barracks maintained by Hill-Clark-Francis are old and were constructed with the barest minimum facilities to house and accommodate construction workers. Burroughs DSSD has, therefore, undertaken to spend $1,500.00 on renovations and additional facilities. Some of the renovations which Burroughs has paid for are as follows:
RENOVATIONS:
- Six rooms equipped with the following:A seventh room has been made available to act as a lounge area. It would have the following:
FACILITIES:
Accommodation will be two men in a room. We realize that even with renovations and additional facilities inside the barracks, they are still not 1st class accommodations. The charge for these accommodations and meals is $5.00 per day per man.
MEALS:
All meals will be supplied by H.F.C. and are prepared by Crawly-McCracken Catering Co. The meals will be plain but ample.
HOSPITAL & MEDICAL:
The USAF maintains a small Medical Room with two medical corpsmen who are trained and equipped to render first aid and small minor medical help in emergencies. Serious cases will be flown out in L20 a/c maintained by USAF or in ambulance to Hearst.
CHURCHES:
The USAF has a chapel on base which is used by both Protestant and Roman Catholic. A Protestant Chaplain visits Pagwa about once a month for services. A Catholic Priest from Nakina or Geralton makes monthly visitations to the station.
RADIO & T.V.:
There is no T.V available. There is a station closed circuit radio station on the USAF base.
THEATRES:
The USAF Station show films in their Special Services Building and everyone is welcomed.
TRANSPORTATION:
It is recommended that you do not attempt to bring your car to Pagwa as the station is located 28 miles from the nearest highway. The only access to this highway is via a bush road which is nothing more than a logging road made years ago. This road according to the USAF, is very rough and treacherous and it is at times impassible.
RAIL:
Hearst Into Pagwa
Wednesday and Saturday Only
Leave Hearst - 9:00 am
Arrive Pagwa - 1:02 pm
Sunday and Thursday Only
Leave Pagwa - 2:20 pm
Arrive Hearst - 6:15 pm
Rail Fare - $3.35 one way.
NOTE:
All train schedules at Hearst and Pagwa run on STANDARD Time and not Daylight Saving time.
LIQUOR & BEER:
The nearest available outlet is located in Hearst, Ontario.
SHOPPING FACILITIES:
Limited to the Hudson’s Bay store only for personal needs and toilet goods. Take a good supply of shaving, dental goods etc. with you. The USAF PX is definitely out of bounds to all civilian personnel.
RECREATION:
Fishing is limited to the Pagwa River, located beside the Hudson’s Bay Store. Otherwise it requires a train ride and overnight camping out and return on train for fishing in a lake.
Hunting is fair to good, licences may be procured at the Hudson’s Bay Store.
BANKING:
Cheques may be cashed at the Hudson’s Bay Store in Pagwa River.
N.C.O.’s CLUB:
Memberships in the N.C.O.’s Club will be at the discretion of the USAF N.C.O.’s and will depend on good behaviour.
LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING:
The laundry and dry cleaning is done at Hearst Ontario by a civilian contractor and goes in and out by train. The local outlet is the USAF supply section and can be utilized by Burroughs Laundry and dry cleaning. Laundry and dry cleaning takes about one week.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
A leased vehicle is to be provided for the use of personnel assigned to Pagwa. Technicians should be prepared to leave their private automobiles in Hearst while working in Pagwa.
ROUTING:
From Lac St. Denis – Montreal, Highway 17 to Ottawa, Highway 17 to North Bay, Highway 11 to Geralton, road to Nakina. The final portion of travel (Geralton to Nakina) is on forty (40) miles of gravel road which at this time of year will be bumpy and washboard.
TRAIN SCHEDULE – NAKINA – PAGWA:
Leaves Nakina – Sunday & Thursdays – 11:15 am
Arrives Pagwa – Sunday & Thursday – 2:20 pm
Leaves Pagwa – Wednesday and Saturday – 1:12 pm
Arrives Nakina – Wednesday and Saturday – 4:50 pm
Please note that the above times are STANDARD not daylight saving time.
Cost - single trip $2.55, return trip $4.85
Signed:
L.A. Campbell
Personnel Manager
DSSD – Toronto
This detail was provided by John Payne for use on the Pinetree Line web site in October 1998. John was a Burroughs technician in 1962 and worked at many Pinetree Line radar stations installing the AN/FST-2 computer. This equipment provided radar data processing for SAGE.
The detail was obviously prepared by the Burroughs personnel group and was made available to their technicians who were proceeding from Lac St. Denis to Pagwa in July 1962.