A single sign on an isolated stretch of Highway 11 is the only indication to passing motorists that a small vital community once existed in what is now known as Lowther, ON Canada. Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Lowther was a bustling military outpost from its opening in 1957 until its' closing in 1987. It was home to hundreds of families who quickly grew accustomed to the black flies in summer and the cold harsh winter months.
Located approximately 40 KM from Kapuskasing, ON and 60 KM from Hearst, ON, Lowther was for the most part a self-sustaining community. CFS Lowther boasted many perks for families stationed there including a bowling alley, canteen, pre-school, full service gymnasium; chapel services a Canex store and even Saturday afternoon movies for the kids. Many service clubs also operated on base including the Girl Guides and the Scouts Canada.
Daily Life on a Canadian Forces Station
Life on base was a good one for Lowthers' inhabitants. No matter the season there were many things to do and the community was tight knit. In the winter months there was a full service curling club, an outdoor flooded skating rink, skidooing, skiing and a week long winter carnival which saw the entire personnel divided into color teams and included huge ice sculptures, plays, a mock jail, dances and many more activities.
Summer on base was carefree for the children who called Lowther home and relaxed for the adults. With a bowling league the children and adults could get together for a Saturday afternoon at the lanes, they could visit the gym, take part in one of the many programs, fish fry's or picnics and even go for a bike ride down to the local rock quarry for an afternoon swim. There was even a teen drop in center appropriately named TeenTown for teenagers.
The Closure of CFS Lowther
In July of 1986 plans to decommission CFS Lowther along with 17 other sites were in the works and on April 1, 1987 CFS Lowther was officially decommissioned lending new meaning to it's call sign which was, 'Forsake, Frog Pond'. The base was closed in August of 1987 with most of it’s' personnel being reassigned to other posts. As part of a process that would take more than two years to complete the radar station, a ground-air transmitter receiver (GATR) site and recreational and living facilities would be completely removed and the land returned to its' natural state.
By 1988 CFS Lowther had become somewhat forsaken as it’s' call sign had once indicated. Though there were still buildings and radar towers present only three commissionaires remained to guard the once vibrant base. And by 1992 everything was gone including the guards. The old gymnasium had been moved into the nearby town of Opasatika where it was turned into a mushroom growing facility, and the remote radio site was taken over by Hyundai for use as a winter test facility.
As a memorial an AN/FPS-26 Height Finder antenna was relocated to the main throughway in Kapuskasing, ON where the many children who lived on base went to school and the majority of the families shopped and carried out other business. The closure of the base had a large impact on many of the surrounding communities and the memories of CFS Lowther will live on even in its absence.
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