CFB Goose Bay is in the news again. As usual no uplifting news, just the usual battle between unions, private contractors and the Canadian Government.
It is painfully obvious that Government, either PC or Liberal, has no intention [and never did] of keeping this base open for any serious military purpose. Years and years of promises of Rapid Reaction Battalions, Unmanned Drone Training, bringing in NATO personal to do feasibly study after feasibility study were just smoke and mirrors to keep the HV-GB elites and the unions quite while the base is being slowly demolished.
The reasons for the insistence of closing the base are varied and I don’t pretend to know most of them. Just some that come to mind are; high cost of operations, high cost of operations and high cost of operations.
I think the cost of operations could be lowered but the will from local companies and unions seem to always get in the way of that.
Another reason; there is no will to keep the base operational as the population of Labrador and the Province as a whole is very low, no political clout is a sure way to get ignored.
I am no military strategist but it would seem to me that CFB Goose Bay is ideally situated geographically for it to be useful for some sort of military purpose. If we are to have military, and we intend to defend the northern environs from friend or foe, then Goose Bay seems to be ideally situated, at least from an air defense perspective, and perhaps for deployment of troops too.
Any way the main purpose for this post is to offer up an alternative, for the homes and barracks, if it is to be abandoned for military use.
It is painfully obvious that Government, either PC or Liberal, has no intention [and never did] of keeping this base open for any serious military purpose. Years and years of promises of Rapid Reaction Battalions, Unmanned Drone Training, bringing in NATO personal to do feasibly study after feasibility study were just smoke and mirrors to keep the HV-GB elites and the unions quite while the base is being slowly demolished.
The reasons for the insistence of closing the base are varied and I don’t pretend to know most of them. Just some that come to mind are; high cost of operations, high cost of operations and high cost of operations.
I think the cost of operations could be lowered but the will from local companies and unions seem to always get in the way of that.
Another reason; there is no will to keep the base operational as the population of Labrador and the Province as a whole is very low, no political clout is a sure way to get ignored.
I am no military strategist but it would seem to me that CFB Goose Bay is ideally situated geographically for it to be useful for some sort of military purpose. If we are to have military, and we intend to defend the northern environs from friend or foe, then Goose Bay seems to be ideally situated, at least from an air defense perspective, and perhaps for deployment of troops too.
Any way the main purpose for this post is to offer up an alternative, for the homes and barracks, if it is to be abandoned for military use.
Why there has not been a larger effort to utilize the buildings for civilian use is a mystery to me [local developers lobbying aside].
I understand that some civilian use is in operation, but there are many many homes and apartments that site idle, and have been for years.
So why not utilize some of the area for non profit retirement homes and living?????????????
It is not like you are inventing the wheel, Retirement Miramichi is a good example of what can be done on an old military base if the will and the need is there.
I understand that some civilian use is in operation, but there are many many homes and apartments that site idle, and have been for years.
So why not utilize some of the area for non profit retirement homes and living?????????????
It is not like you are inventing the wheel, Retirement Miramichi is a good example of what can be done on an old military base if the will and the need is there.
I know the need is there, not everybody wants [or can afford] to retire to PEI or NB or Nova Scotia or even the Island.
Some I am sure would like to stay closer to their roots, family, quality of life in the great outdoors.
So why not? The picture from Google Maps shows one small area that IMO would be ideal; it looks very similar to the Miramichi complex. There are other service buildings on the base that could be used for recreation etc. It is close to shopping, outdoor activity, trails and the like, why there is even a small golf course on site that could be taken over for the purpose.
No brainer or what?
2 comments:
Good Idea. I'd love to retire to Goose Bay.
On the high cost of operating the base, I understand it is run by a private contractor. If it is then they obviously want to make money. As a result they pay their workers very poorly. lol, get a Co op to run it.
SERCO or any other private for profit would play no role in any co-op or private not for profit operation, it has been done and can be done if the will of the people is there.
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