Three Sites. One Legacy.

In our latest heritage video, 17 Wing Heritage Officer Mr. Gord Crossley takes us on a trip across Winnipeg to explore three historic sites recently recognized with commemorative plaques—each marking a place that helped shape the base’s enduring role in Canadian military aviation.

From No. 3 Wireless School at Canadian Mennonite University, to the former Brandon Avenue Air Station at Churchill High School, to Stevenson Field—today’s James Armstrong Richardson International Airport—each location represents a pivotal chapter in Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Winnipeg’s story.

Together, these sites reflect the evolution of military aviation on the Prairies: from early communications training and river-based air operations, to large-scale aircrew training under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, and onward to the integrated military-civil aviation hub that exists today.

As Base Commander, Colonel Jody Hanson, noted during the Stevenson Field plaque unveiling:

“As we mark this anniversary year, we honour our past with gratitude, strengthen our partnership within the community, and look toward a future shaped by innovation, service, and collaboration.”

These plaques remind us that CFB Winnipeg’s history isn’t confined to one location—it’s woven throughout the city itself.