WIX Archives
Canada - when will it ever end....
Posted by Lee Walsh on Thu Jan 30, 2003 05:52:04 PM
In reply top null posted by null on null
Caught this on the Cdn Aviation Historical Society website
Apparently, as of February 1, 2003 Boeing Corporation will be demolishing the Avro Arrow Hangers and other buildings...
By: J. Leonard
To those interested... Please print out and sign or fax or e-mail a copy of this document to Sheila Copps. There are many other channels we should pursue, I'll try to put together a page on the web site ASAP. Either that or in the discussion group.
Sheila [email]Copps Copps.S@parl.gc.ca[/email]
Website: http://www.pch.gc.ca/index_e.cfm
The Canadian Aviation Historical Society has a chapter in Toronto. Try contacting them, they may know of someone that can help.
Pete Waddell webmaster@arrow-alliance.com
Web Development and Communications
Ms. Sheila Copps Heritage Minister Government of Canada Ottawa, ON January 15th, 2003 Dear Ms. Copps:
The many thousands of Avro Arrow enthusiasts and historians are sickened by the announcement of Boeing's intention to destroy the hangars and administration buildings that once housed Canada's legendary Avro Arrow. By wiping clean the last vestiges of what was once our greatest achievement is to send a message that the Arrow was unimportant not just to us but to all Canadians. By destroying these buildings, Boeing will not only eradicate the significance of the Arrow but the many hundreds of Lancaster Bombers (Mk 10) built on that site as well as Hurricane and Spitfire Fighters. The Avro Arrow is a legend that must not die and each year, thousands of young Canadians become fascinated by the story of Canada's shining moment. They need to know that we can accomplish whatever we set-out to do and that for one moment in time, we were poised to leap far ahead of the rest of the world. We believe that those hangars and office structure are indeed hallowed ground for it was there that 12,000 dedicated Canadians did the impossible; build the greatest airplane in the world, an aircraft that was at least 30 years ahead of its time. We sincerely ask you to dedicate these buildings and the ground beneath them as a Heritage Site. We understand that the space is of economic significance to Boeing but of much greater significance is the pride that each Canadian should feel about the Arrow, the Jetliner, Lancaster, Hurricane and Spitfire. These were Canadians leading the world, at a time when we were little recognized for our skills and technology. The legend of the Arrow must live on not just as a story passed down from generation to generation but as a reality that can be seen and touched. Nothing could be more fitting than to dedicate one of the hangars as a memorial to the Arrow and 25,000 Canadians across Canada who believed in themselves. In this respect, the Society would be willing to work with the Government of Canada to provide many of the recovered parts of the Arrow. As well, it could be a fitting home for the full-scale model of the Arrow. Please consider our plea to preserve this important part of our heritage.
Ken Swartz
1) Boeing sold their property to the Greater Toronto Airport Authority in 2002. Boeing leases back a small section of the site for 717 jetliner wing production.
2) The use of the site is well documented in many fine books. Hurricanes and Spitfires were not made at the site.
3) Ms. Copps should be encouraged to support the celebration of the aviation heritage of Toronto in its many facets.
The most appropriate action would be for her department to provide financial support to the Toronto Aerospace Museum whose volunteers have taken on the task of building an aviation education center in the original de Havilland Aircrafy of Canada factory at Downsview Airport.
In these nationally designated heritage buildings the TAM is restoring the City of Toronto's Lancaster bomber, and making a full scale 1:1 replica of the Avro Arrow.
The Downview site already recognized as Canada's first urban national park and the Museum recognizes the site's 75 year association with aviation.
Financial support from Ms. Copps will advance the cause of Toronto's first and only aerospace museum, celebrate the history of all GTA based aviation enterprises, and will further the development of a growing educational resource.