Combat Engineers at CFB Valcartier receive brand new multi-purpose facility
December 17, 2020 - Defence Stories
Caption
The new, modern 18,000-m2 vehicle maintenance facility for 5e Régiment du génie de combat.
The combat engineers at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Valcartier have been asking for it for a long time. Well, they finally got it: a brand new, huge, multi-functional building to work in.
The needs of military engineers have changed since 1971, when the combat engineers’ last building was built. In fact, things have changed so much that their space seemed to have shrunk over time, with personnel numbers doubling over the years!
The members of the 5 Combat Engineer Regiment (5 CER) have been rewarded for their patience – “Silver” in fact, but probably not the one you were thinking of. Their new facility is certified LEED Silver, meaning that it uses less energy than other buildings of comparable size, 30% less, to be exact. Its green and energy efficient measures include geothermal heating, plenty of windows, a green roof and reduced water consumption.
Speaking of water, a lot of it has flowed under the bridge since the first shovelful of dirt at the project’s ground-breaking ceremony three years ago. At that time, only the trenches dug to install the foundations were visible to those who attended the event.
“The construction of these new facilities has been a success from every point of view because of the professionalism of all project stakeholders.”
Jacques Vaillancourt, Project Manager, DND
“It’s a great honour for me to be in command of 5 CER as the unit moves into a new era. With its high-tech green architecture, this building will guarantee our members a pleasant and functional working environment for years to come.”
Lieutenant Colonel Jérome Patry, Commanding Officer, 5 Combat Engineer Regiment
Caption
The new, modern 18,000-m2 vehicle maintenance facility for 5e Régiment du génie de combat.
It’s a well-known fact that combat engineers appreciate beautiful buildings. With some 18,000 square metres of new space now at their disposal, they will have much to contemplate for quite a while. At the time of writing, personnel and equipment were still being moved from their old building to the new facilities.
The new workspaces will allow engineers to maintain their heavy vehicles in a secure environment, train in a learning-friendly atmosphere, and store materiel in massive warehouses. This new building will provide a working environment that promotes professional development and contributes to the well-being of personnel.
The combat engineers will also be happy to learn that the old building will soon be demolished. Since it is customary to keep the biggest gift for the end, there’s nothing like a big “boom” to bring a fitting end to the work, expected sometime in 2021.
For anyone wondering, there will eventually be an opening ceremony that should include a site visit. However, the current pandemic situation prevents us from setting a date.
Keep up-to-date with the Regiment by following the 5 CER’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/5ergc.