Military exercises set for Cape Breton next month
Military personnel will undertake a number of infrastructure projects around the island
Members of the Canadian Armed Forces were at City Hall on Tuesday to discuss an upcoming exercise that will see over 400 military personnel based in Gagetown, N.B., placed in Cape Breton.
The exercises will take place from Oct. 24 until Nov. 23, with the majority of troops in Cape Breton from Nov. 1 until Nov. 24.
The main operating base will be located at Open Hearth Park, with military personnel creating a 500-person camp that is almost self-sustainable with kitchens, power, living quarters and supplies for the construction of various infrastructure projects throughout the island.
Jamie Tobin, public affairs officer with the Nihilo Sapper military exercise said that the exercise coming to Cape Breton is grand in scale.
“I can safely say that this is probably one of the largest to come to Cape Breton and I think because why we Came to Cape Breton is because of the reserve combat engineering regiment here as well as there are things we require to facilitate this exercise,” said Tobin. “One of the main objectives is
the construction of the 500-person base and what that does is
simulate the setup of an operation we call a theatre opening
or theatre activation.
Tobin added that the engineers leading the charge are the ones who are regularly asked to deploy ahead of other battle groups or regiments
One of the engineers being sent early on Oct. 24 who was in Sydney on Tuesday was Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Cotton, the commanding officer of 4 Engineer Support Regiment. He’s helping Parks Canada build a bridge at Warren Lake Trail in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park.
“Parks Canada has identified a bridge that needed to be replaced so, working with us, we’ll provide the expertise and labour and they provide the resources,” said Cotton, who added the bridge will stand the test of time. “It’s a permanent structure that will include all of the necessary reinforcements that will see that bridge being there well into the future.”
On Sunday, Nov. 12, there will be an open house for the public to tour and watch demonstrations at the main operating base at Open Hearth Park to thank Cape Breton for hosting the exercise.
Other construction projects will also be taking place throughout the month of November after the main operating base is complete and all troops are in Cape Breton, including a freshwater brook bridge construction at Louisburg National Historic Site, a snowmobile trail at Wreck Cove in Victoria County, infrastructure repair at St. Alphonsus Church in Victoria Mines and port inspection and dive training with the Royal Canadian Navy at the Canadian Coast Guard College.