CFB Borden marks 100 years since RCAF took flight with unveiling of new monument, museum
The Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) storied history was marked across the country on Tuesday, including at one of its most important military bases, CFB (Canadian Forces Base) Borden.
CFB Borden celebrated the 100th anniversary of the RCAF with a monument unveiling and reopening of its Hangar 11 museum, inviting members of the public and Canadian Armed Forces to attend the festivities.
Hangar 11 was the first stop on the day, with the museum featuring pivotal artifacts of the RCAF's history at the base, which includes even the hangar itself, as one of the best preserved wartime hangars in the country.
A plane inside the newly reopened Hangar 11 museum at CFB Borden, taken on April 2, 2024 (Christian D'Avino/CTV News) According to the museum's director, Andrew Gregory, the museum pays special tribute to those who never made it overseas.
"The British government decided that it needed a Canadian training program and so Borden was the first site selected. So consequently, a Lieutenant Colonel showed up here on January 27, 1917 and immediately decided that an aerodrome should be built here and it becomes the first built military aerodrome in Canada," Gregory said. "Training began within weeks of the decision to build, the first casualty occurs on April 8. I think of the thousands that died during the first World War, we don't realize that in two years that the RCAF was operating here at Borden, 149 trainee pilots and instructors were killed."
CFB Borden officials then transitioned to the unveiling of its latest monument, the Ad Astra Monument near the entrance of CFB Borden.
Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
Ad Astra, meaning "to the stars" in Latin, points to the sky to honour all those who've served for Canada through the air.
"It joins several other installations created to ensure the service and sacrifice of Canada's military members are not forgotten," said Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny, Commander of the RCAF.
The museum and the monument are now both open to the public to attend and visit.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Freeland leaves capital gains tax change out of coming budget implementation bill, here's why
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Ontario woman surprised after 20-year-old fines suddenly tank credit score
An Ontario woman says that she was shocked when provincial fines from 20 years ago suddenly tanked her credit score last week, but the situation may not be as unusual as it seems, according to at least one debt expert.
Anger can harm your blood vessel function, study shows
Stress and anger can have a negative impact on cardiovascular health, studies have shown. New research points to just how the mechanism may work.
A 98-year-old in Ukraine walked miles to safety from Russians, with slippers and a cane
A 98-year-old woman in Ukraine who escaped Russian-occupied territory by walking almost 10 kilometres (six miles) alone, wearing a pair of slippers and supported by a cane has been reunited with her family days after they were separated while fleeing to safety.
Will an 'out of sight, out of mind' cellphone policy make a difference in Ontario schools?
Ontario’s cellphone ban in schools has been met with mixed reaction, with some teachers concerned about constant policing of kids and experts applauding the change as necessary for student learning.
A Utah couple accidentally shipped their cat with an Amazon return. A week -- and 3 'miracles' -- later, they were on a plane to meet a stranger
The Amazon returns employee wasn't at work the day one of her colleagues at a California warehouse found a small, furry stowaway in a box mailed six days earlier from Utah. But Brandy Hunter got the call anyway.
Dueling protesters clash at UCLA hours after police clear pro-Palestinian demonstration at Columbia
Dueling groups of protesters clashed Wednesday at the University of California, Los Angeles, grappling in fistfights and shoving, kicking and using sticks to beat one another. Hours earlier, police burst into a building at Columbia University that pro-Palestinian protesters took over and broke up a demonstration that had paralyzed the school while inspiring others.
Poilievre kicked out of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko'
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
Avalanche eliminate Winnipeg Jets from playoffs with 6-3 road win
Mikko Rantanen's first two goals of the playoffs propelled the Colorado Avalanche to a 6-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday that clinched their opening-round playoff series in five games.