MID CANADA LINE
SECTOR CONTROL STATION 700
Cranberry Portage MB

Cranberry Portage Manitoba
The following extract is taken from the book "A History of the Air Defence of Canada 1948 - 1997" by the NBC Group
RCAF Cranberry Portage (Sector Control Station 700) was located on Athapapuskow Lake, one quarter mile form the village of the same name and roughly 36 miles southeast of Flin Flon MB. By April 1957, it was up to full strength. As with other sites, it was limited in the service it could provide; in this case, detection only. Cranberry Portage was operational in the beginning of the following year and supported by RCAF Station Winnipeg. As with the other Sector control Stations on the line, it was responsible for the maintenance of a number of Doppler sites that branched out in each direction. RCAF Station Cranberry Portage closed in January 1964.



Frontier College website

The following extract is taken from "Cranberry Portage: A Profile" by Dr. Lloyd Nelson
In 1956, another construction and cultural boom invaded Cranberry Portage. That was the time of the "Cold War," and a mid-Canada radar site was in progress. Cranberry's geographical location was again a factor in its selection for this project and more workers and their families moved in and new stores opened to serve the enlarged population.

The radar technology introduced new types of occupations and lifestyles accelerating the process of culture change in the town. For example, this was the time when running water and indoor plumbing started to be installed in local homes. The growth lasted until April, 1964, when the site became obsolete and closed down. However, some of those who had come to work on it chose to stay and the buildings, such as a large hangar and the barracks, were left in place.


U2 - Forced landing incident March 1960
Satellite Image (Low Level) 2006

PHOTOS
Management Team Dinner, 1957/58 courtesy Glenn (Red) Jarvis
Chopper Pilot Dexter Dimick Checking weather courtesy Glenn (Red) Jarvis
SCS700 Radar Tech Reps November 1956 courtesy Glenn (Red) Jarvis
Fishing Contest at Caribou Bill's May 18,1957, courtesy Glenn (Red) Jarvis

DDS 706 Black Duck Lake SK

Site Aerial Photo

Doppler Tower

Diesel power generators

DDS 715 Lac LaRonge SK

Site Photo courtesy Glenn (Red) Jarvis

DDS 721

Claire Hutton at DDS 721 Sign Postcourtesy Gord Hutton