Kamloops, BC
Photographs

I hope you are smiling as you read this - but, it appears that Peter Hayes has been taking photos beyond expectations. We are presently at the 2,500 mark and there are still more to be taken. We must now wait for the CDs to be brought from Victoria to Mexico for processing and addition to the web site - but it will be at least June or July before another shipment of web site mail arrives in Mexico.

Comments from Peter Hayes - 13 March 2005

Another beautiful day in Kamloops, the month of March has been wonderful. The reason for my email. Mt Lolo is finally coming down. Bids will be opened Monday pm 14 March. Phase 1 consists of a number of buildings that have to be removed by the 31st March. Phase 2 to start after April 1st when the rest will come down and the area will be returned to its natural state, a few months work. I took photographs of all the buildings during the first week of March to show what they looked like at the end. Take down will possibly start on the 16th March and I will try and take as many photographs as possible during the demolition.

Comments from Peter Hayes - 22 March 2005

The real blow happened today. Up to now they had been prepping the buildings, removing hazardous material and gutting them. Building #2 Supply went down at 0800hrs and Building #9 MSE Transport at 1400hrs today, 22 March 2005. In phase one which ends the end of March they are only bringing down certain buildings so some of the buildings will be around for a few weeks. The BC Corps of Commissionaires have security at the site and I am looking after that. I also have the responsibility of looking after the departments interests, buildings not in phase one and anything on site which is not in the demolition contract As the job puts me on straight days it makes keeping a photographic record easy, so you can expect a lot of photos for the web site. I have answered a lot of questions from the contractors: where is this, that and what was that used for etc., etc... I was on site after it closed when the commissionaires looked after it 24 and 7 (1988-1991). In 1991 they boarded the buildings up and the commissionaires visited the site three times a week. I took over that job in 1993 and kept until the demolition started. My knowledge of the site is extensive so the contractors took advantage of it. It is very interesting watching how the contractors work but I don't think I would want that sort of job.

Comments from Peter Hayes - 28 March 2005

The following buildings are now demolished and no longer exist: #2 Supply, #6 Junior Ranks Quarters, #9 Transport, #11 Pump house - Fuel, #12 POL Shed (Just by #39), #13 Garage - Fire Hall, #25 Construction Shops, #29 Utility Building, #38 Scrap Storage, #39 Skidoo Storage, and #44 Cold Storage - Greenhouse (Old Church). The Pool has been filled in. Mess Hall still standing. Tennis Court is down. Ball Diamond. The only thing left is the back stop behind home plate. The fence around the oil tanks is down. (Tanks removed a few years ago) A number of hydro poles brought down. You should see their bases, I would have hated to have to climb them. The following buildings are being used by the contractors - #43, #40, #45. All the buildings slated for Phase one are now down. Phase two starts April 1st when the remainder of the buildings will be demolished. I understand that Phase three will be the roads, sewers, water pipes, hydro poles and any thing else laying around. It is going back to grass so seeding etc. will be under phase three. As for the big trees on the property they are being preserved. The fish pond will not be touched. The McNair Park sign will be left in place, if you move it, that will be the end of it. (Trailer Park) Either it will be there until it rots, vandals steal it or destroy it, the good thing is that it is not going to the dump.

Comments from Peter Hayes - 5 April 2005

BB #5 WO & Sgt.'s Mess came down today. Four Hydro poles by building #2 were pushed over today, the remainder on site go tomorrow. Most of the day was spent crunching up the old mess so it can be moved to the dump(s) tomorrow. If anyone wishes to see the remains of RCAF Kamloops after the demolition contractors have finished with it they will have to visit the Heffley Creek dump for non-hazardous waste, Kamloops City dump for the for hazardous waste and Kamloops Scrap Iron for metal products. Just finished downloading CD #5 to the computer and onto discs (6) 315 photos. I have now over 1200 photographs + or - 1 or 2 and still about 4-6 weeks to go. I am going to try and have CD #0 and CD #1 on the way to you as soon as possible. Writing up the descriptions takes a lot of time.

Comments from Peter Hayes - 8 April 2005

Phase one has just been completed and I have just found out that the same company, HAZCO has won the contract for phase two and three. (Good News) Buildings #1, #3, #4, #7, #8, #10, #37, #40, #43, #45 are still standing plus all the the footings for the demolished buildings are still there. With a lot of other work to be done like roads, water, sewer pipes hydro poles etc. etc. it is going to be well into May if not later before the site is back to its original condition. I will be working on the descriptions this weekend and hope to have a couple of CDs in the mail Monday.

Comments from Peter Hayes - 10 April 2005

Doris will be mailing CD #0 and CD #1 Monday. They are in two different mailing envelopes each consisting of the CD, written description of each photo and a map. On the map I have added each large tree on site as they are leaving them, they will be good reference points for visitors after everything else has gone. #0 has only 27 photos on it all taken in May last year, good as it was material.. CD #1 consists of 220 photographs taken between 19 Oct. 2004 and 14 Mar. 2005. CD #5 finished up with 315 photographs for a grand total of 1400+ photographs up to date. Now working on descriptions for #3, #4 and #5, takes time. The contractor who had phase one has been successful in bidding on phase 2 and 3 so nothing changes. (Good) It will be about 4-6 days before any new demolition can take place as the remaining buildings have to be prepared before they can go ahead. They still have a lot of concrete to break and take up so that will keep them busy until the buildings are ready. I'm not sure if the photographs and how I did the descriptions are what you want so please let me know what you think of them, and if you would like any changes made, but don't get too technical. They look pretty good when you put them on as a slide show. Brag, brag.

Comments from Peter Hayes - 13 April 2005

The buildings left to come down are; Buildings #7, #1, #4, #3, #10 and #8. I think #8 is going to be a problem child. As there was a delay due to extensions being granted during the bidding process things are little behind. ENVIRO-VAC who prepare the buildings for demolition will not be in until Thursday and it will take them a few days to get organized again. They hope to have a couple of buildings ready by Monday so HAZCO can start demolition. You should see the cement that has come out of the ground, there is enough to sink a couple of battleships, (photos later) did they ever pour the cement when they built the domestic site. For the last few days HAZCO have been cleaning up, removing foundations, sidewalks, stairs and curbs, even the flag poles went today. Have finished the descriptions for CD #3 hope to have it in the mail on Saturday. (369 photos)

Comments from Peter Hayes - 17 April 2005

Demolition of the the following buildings will start tomorrow. #1, #7, #4, #3, #8, #10. I think #8 will be the problem child as it is made up of concrete blocks and is two stories high, plus that boiler removal will be a headache. That will not go until next week as they will be erecting scaffolding around it the weekend of 23-24 April. It will be interesting to see that come down. Any building I have not mentioned are being used by the contractors and will go eventually.

Comments from Peter Hayes - 18 April 2005

Doris will be mailing CD #3 to you on Tuesday 19 April. It has 369 photographs and covers from 16th to 24th March 2005. Today it was the turn of Bldg. #1 to come down. LC250 started at the CPO's office then the CAdO's and CO's office were opened up to the sun. After that it was the the Orderly Room, Mail Room, Accounts, Comm Center and finally Canex. The walls are still standing on three sides of Canex, those will come down tomorrow. The next building will be #7 possibly on Wednesday, to be followed by #6, #3 and #8 in that order. Number 8 I think will be the problem child as it is in a terrible state inside, plus it has the two boilers. It is also a concrete block building which is a little harder to demolish. That will take care of all the major buildings. The buildings left are all small ones that are being used by the contractors for storage etc. So there you have it as it stands at the moment, but of course subject to change, what's new.

Comments from Peter Hayes - 22 April 2005

Having nice hot weather at the moment, makes for a little dust on site but it is better than rain and mud. Thursday they started to bring down building #7 starting with the JR Mess at the south end and the games room on the north. Today they completed the dastardly deed on #7 by taking the gym down. The next building to go will be #3 Mess Hall and that will go early tomorrow morning so yours truly will be heading out around 0700 on his days off to record it. That leaves two large buildings to go, #4 Officers Mess around Wednesday and #8 Steam Plant/C.E. possibly the end of next week. Buildings #40, #43 and #45 will be the last as they are being used by the contractors. Dan Port called me earlier in the week asking about the Bus Stop and McNair Park signs as he and friends would like to restore them. I managed to obtain permission for them to take them hopefully this weekend, the sooner the better otherwise some idiots will come along and trash them. I hope to have CD #4 on its way to you on Monday and as things look at the moment it could be one CD a week, will try and speed things up if I can.

Comments from Peter Hayes - 23 April 2005

Just arrived back home from the site. (0800) The site boss has decided to wait until Monday before he brings the Mess Hall down. It was a nice drive out to the site at 0630. As of today I have sent the following to Victoria. Three CDs #0, #1, and #3. You have taken the pressure off writing them up as so now I can do a better job. Finding the time with working on site was becoming a problem what with everything else going on. Up at 0600 and not back home until around 1630 makes for a long day especially when you are on your feet the whole day, I'm no longer a spring chicken. To give you an idea of the number of pictures I have taken.: CD# 0 27 - 1 220 - 3 369 - 4 366 - 5 315 - 6 322 - 7 274 - 8 230 - 9 360 - 10 Starts Monday. Around 2450 to date. Maybe I have gone overboard a little but if you don't take them then they are gone forever.