Unexploded bombs assessment planned for Kitchener park

A Kitchener park, just across the street from the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium is on the minds of the Department of National Defence (DND).

Knollwood Park on East Avenue is listed as “in assessment” for an Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Risk Assessment. In other words, the DND has to determine whether or not the site is at risk for unexploded munitions, which includes military weapons like bombs, ammunition and equipment.

Although this may sound concerning, Kened Sadiku, a spokesperson for the DND tells 570 NewsRadio, the site is not a priority.

Why? Well, it has to do with what the park was used for in the past.

Primarily used as a vocational training school, and affordable housing site for recruits during WWII, Sadiku says,

“Given the nature of the school we would not anticipate the presence of any munitions items – this was a school and not a training area where munitions would have used. The site is still in assessment as we have not conducted a UXO Risk Assessment for the property. This site is not considered a priority for UXO Risk Assessment at this time as there is no indication that munitions were ever used at this site.”

In 1942, the Canadian Women’s Army Corps (CWAC) opened at the park, making the Kitchener site the largest basic training center for women in Canada at the time.

“More than 20,000 women served in CWAC during the Second World War. They were trained and served in 50 different occupations including, drivers, medics, signal operators, clerks, cooks, and entertainers,” Sadiku noted. “Contingents from CWAC that followed the front line at D-Day to do all the record keeping.”

An armoury and building for air cadets was put in the area after about half the park was sold to the City of Kitchener in 1966. That armoury burned down in 1975.

Once the munitions assessment begins, Sadiku expects the site will be listed as “No Risk.”

The status of the assessment can be followed here.