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Project Phases

Project Ojibwa is a multi-phased program to bring HMCS Ojibwa from Nova Scotia to Elgin County on Lake Erie.  Click here to download the flyer.

Port Burwell Announcement
The Elgin Miltiary Museum press conference to announce Port Burwell as the site of the Ojibwa Sub Station in August, 2010. From left to right, Ian Raven, Executive Director, Elgin Military Museum; Lynn Acre, Mayor of Bayham; and Al Montgomery, Project Manager.

Phase 1 - Assessment: - engineering and condition surveys of the submarine and potential locations for a permanent home. Complete!

Phase 2 - Site Selection: - detailed surveys were completed on a number of potential sites for the permanent home of HMCS Ojibwa and a short list  was drawn up. The two finalists in the competition were Port Stanley and Port Burwell. Each community presented its most competitive bid and the museum made the final site selection in August of 2010.  The Municipality of Bayham was the winner with its bid on behalf of the Port Burwell. Complete!

IMG_6554 (640x427)
Port Burwell means summer fun in the sun. Beautiful beaches and summer festivals provide something for everyone.

Phase 3 - Move Planning: - detailed planning of the move, preparation of the submarine and site, scheduling and coordinating routing, designing and building the cradles. Complete!

Phase 4 - The Move: - Ojibwa is scheduled to leave Halifax in May, to travel by floating dry-dock to Hamilton, Ontario where she will be mounted on a shallow-draft barge and fitted with permanent cradles.  She is set to move through the Welland Canal en route to her new home in Port Burwell early November 2012. Complete!

Phase 5 - Mounting: - mounting the sub and permanently securing her on cradles is scheduled for November 14, 2012. Complete!

Forward torpedo bay june 2010 (800x531)
Now Ojibwa is in Port Burwell, much work will need to be done to make her ship shape for public visits - not the least of which will be adding a ventilation system! Seen here, the forward torpedo bay, June, 2010.

Phase 6 - Construction and Preparation: - design and construction of the support building and facilities, installation and preparation of exhibits, landscaping, installation of the Wall of Honour and preparing the vessel for exhibition.

Phase 7 - Official Opening Ceremonies: - slated for 2014 however :

SUMMER 2013

Ojibwa will be open to the public during the summer of 2013 so we can test our systems against real visitor traffic. We want to see what works best prior to the official opening slated for the 2014 - the one hundredth year of the Submarine Service in Canada.