Canadian Pacific Airlines floatbase facts for kids
The Canadian Pacific Airlines built a special float base in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, in 1946. This building was designed to be an office, homes for staff, and a place to park their "bush planes." Bush planes are small aircraft that can land on water using floats instead of wheels. Yellowknife was a very busy place for airplanes in the late 1940s. This was because people were looking for gold again after World War II. Over the years, many different airline companies used this important float base. It later became a pub and then a private home. In 1992, it was named a City of Yellowknife Heritage Site, meaning it's an important historical place.
Yellowknife's Important Air Base
A "float base" is like a special dock for airplanes that can land on water. The Canadian Pacific Airlines built this modern float base right on the waterfront of Yellowknife in 1946. It was a very important building for their operations. It served as their main office, provided homes for their workers, and offered a safe place to moor, or park, their bush planes. These planes were essential for reaching remote areas.
Yellowknife was a bustling hub for aviation during the late 1940s. This was mainly because people started exploring for gold again after World War II ended. Airplanes were the best way to get supplies and people to distant mining sites. The float base helped make Yellowknife a key spot for air travel in the North.
A Home for Many Airlines
The airline business back then was quite challenging and changed a lot. Companies often went out of business or joined together with others. Because of these changes, many different airline companies ended up using this same float base in Yellowknife over the years.
Here are some of the airlines that called this float base home:
- Canadian Pacific Airlines (from 1946 to 1949)
- Yellowknife Airways (from 1949 to 1951)
- Associated Airways Limited (from 1951 to 1956)
- Pacific Western Airlines (from 1956 to 1966)
- Northward Airlines (from 1966 to 1978)
- Air Dogrib (from 1978 into the 1980s)
Each of these companies played a part in connecting Yellowknife to the rest of Canada. They helped people and goods travel across the vast northern lands.
From Airplanes to Pubs: A New Life
In more recent times, the old float base got a new purpose. In 1993, it was renovated and opened as a microbrewery and pub called Bush Pilot Brew Pub. It operated as a pub until 1997. After that, it was changed into a private home.
Even though its use changed, the history of the float base is still important. In 1992, the City of Yellowknife officially named the CPA float base a Heritage Site. This means it's recognized as a special place that tells an important part of the city's history. It reminds everyone of Yellowknife's past as a busy aviation center.
