Bob Agar visited Sioux Lookout on August 18, 1999 - some 10 days after Fred Southwell made his visit. Bob reported as follows "There is a newly paved road some 42 miles from highway 17 to the town of Sioux Lookout. The side road to the town of Hudson and the base was in very poor shape. I believe that the owners now live on the base. They have posted "No Trespassing" signs and have also locked both the front and rear gates. As a result, I was unable to gain access to the site. I did take some photos making use of a 200mm telephoto lens."
I have known Fred Southwell since 1959 when we were both very young FCOs at Holberg - some 40 years ago. Where has all the time gone to Fred? As was the case in the military, we went in different directions and I eventually found Fred in Sioux Lookout - back in 1966, when I was serving a tour in Armstrong. We were both amateur musicians in those days, and I recall taking a freight train from Armstrong to Sioux Lookout - just to play a dance at the Legion - and then catch the next return freight back to Armstrong. The things we used to do - when you sit back and think about it all.
Thirty-three more years went by before I eventually found Fred again - this time as a retired FCO/ADTech, living in (of all places) "Sioux Lookout". We haven't met since 1966, and probably never will, but Fred remains a good friend.
His latest form of assistance for the web site was to take a trip to the remains of the radar station at Sioux Lookout and take a series of assorted photos that depict the remains on 10 August 1999. I gather that the site is privately owned, and there usually is a barricade across the road at what used to be the "main gate" to prevent access to the remains of the radar station. What with all the vandalism in this day and age, I can't honestly say that I blame the owners for trying to control access to the site. None the less, Fred just happened to go out on a day when someone was fixing the barricade. Fast talker that he is - swish, in he went, and his series of photos pretty well says it all.
One of the GATR buildings is presently being used by a skidoo sled contractor. The FPS-6B and FPS-507 towers were torn down and sold for scrap iton - only the foundations remain. The Pinetree Trailer park in town is still there but they are selling the old trailers. It appears that the land might be used for the new hospital.
Thanks Fred, for providing the web site with another chapter for "Sioux Lookout".
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Updated: September 7, 1999