Air Force Heritage Park

The airfield was constructed by the Royal Canadian Air Force between 1940 and 1941 and officially opened as RCAF Station Summerside. Although it closed briefly in 1946, the station reopened in 1947 as home to the No. 1 Air Navigation School, a NATO training facility.

The park stands as a place of remembrance, education, and appreciation for the role Summerside played in Canada’s aviation and maritime defence.

Today, Air Force Heritage Park preserves this legacy—recognizing the people, aircraft, and history that shaped Summerside’s role in Canada’s military and maritime story.

Aircraft on Static Display

Visitors can view three historic aircraft preserved on site:

CF-101B Voodoo (101037)
CP-121 Tracker (131)
CP-107 Argus (10739)

History

A Brief History of the Base

As operations expanded, additional training and operational units were established, including maritime patrol and navigation schools. The growing number of personnel and families led to the development of base housing, completed in 1949 and named Slemon Park in honour of Air Marshal Roy Slemon.

During the Cold War, the base played a vital role in anti-submarine warfare, coastal patrol, search and rescue, and maritime surveillance. Aircraft based in Summerside supported operations across Atlantic Canada and beyond, contributing to both national defence and civilian safety.

In 1968, the unification of Canada’s armed forces resulted in the station being renamed Canadian Forces Base Summerside. By the late 1970s and 1980s, the base’s primary mission shifted toward supporting Fisheries and Oceans Canada, monitoring fishing activity on Georges Bank and the Grand Banks, while continuing to provide critical search and rescue services for the Maritimes.

Following federal budget cuts announced in 1989, CFB Summerside was identified for closure. The base officially closed in 1991, with most military operations relocating to CFB Greenwood in Nova Scotia.