Aviation history finds a home

After two years of living in cyber space, the Northwestern Ontario Aviation Heritage Centre finally has a place to call home.

NOAHC leased the office of the old Attorney General building across from the Da Vinci Centre on Waterloo Street less than a month ago. During the next few months, members with NOAHC plan to move historical artifacts to the new building. NOAHC plans to hold an open house sometime in the fall.

Jim Milne, president with Northwestern Ontario Aviation Heritage Centre, said the point of the building is to have people come in and look at the rich history of aviation in northwestern Ontario. Milne said they were just in the process of setting up.

"We’ve finally found a place to display and collect artifacts," Milne said. "We’ve been working out of our briefcases and our home computers."

Milne said he couldn’t think of another aviation heritage centre where historical artifacts came from northwestern Ontario.

The goal of NOAHC is to record the aviation history of northwestern Ontario. Milne said the dates go back as far as 1910 when the first aircraft flew out of Thunder Bay.

Thunder Bay’s history traditionally focuses on the city’s involvement with the railway and the harbour. However, Milne said the city has a rich history in aviation, including manufacturing planes during the Second World War.

"Our real claim to fame is the Hawker Hurricane," Milne said. "When the Second World War started, Can Car had a contract and they ended up building 1,400 hurricane out here."

Milne said NOAHC is taking donations of memorabilia relating to aviation. He said when they finish setting up, the idea is to have people come in and look at the displays including manuals, personal stories and other aviation keepsakes.

"People don’t realize how many airlines have operated in northwestern Ontario," he said.

The Northwestern Ontario Aviation Heritage Centre first annual meeting will be at the Confederation College Aviation Centre of Excellence on April 20. The meeting is open to the public and members.