Day Forty Four
Today, Ottawa was expected to be cloudy with possible showers in the afternoon. We took the opportunity to seek shelter Fallout style, and headed to the Diefenbunker cold war museum in Carp. The museum is located in a four story underground bunker built in 1959. The bunker remained fully operational with staff and supplies until 1994 when it was decommissioned and converted into a historical site.When we arrived, the area was surrounded with ten foot high barbwire fence and gates, giving you the feeling of a high security place. The exterior of the compound was what you would expect to see for a bunker, a little guard house, helicopter landing area, and a few sheds. The entrance to the shelter looked like a domed shed backed onto a hill. I personally was not expecting the complexity, and size of the bunker.
When you entered the domed shed, there were a few nuclear, and atomic weapons on display. A history board of the world conflicts leading to the Cold War were displayed along side them. At the back of the shed are two metal doors, opening up into a long tunnel leading into the hill.
When you reached the back of the tunnel, two large blast doors about a foot thick stood opened to the bunker itself. The bunker was designed to house five hundred people for thirty days in a war time situation. The tour is self guiding and will walk you through all four floors of the bunker, starting decontamination showers survivors would need to take prior to entering the living quarters. The tour is very in-depth, with staff walking around to assist in any questions you may have. The tour took us about three hours as there is lots to read if your willing to take the time.
MK43 Thermonuclear bomb
Atomic bomb
Entrance to bunker.
Blast doors to bunker.
Medical centre.
Full surgical room.
Dentist.
Communications was a big part of the bunker.
Communication repair shop.
Specialized tool to dispose of communication equipment.
Government office.
Each division of the government had their own room.
Boardroom.
War room.
CBC Radio had a station here also.
You had roomies, normally four to six in a room.
Storage room showing 60’s paraphernalia
Kitchen was not in bunker originally, set up showing the 60’s era
Cafeteria was in full use when it was staffed until 1994.
Cantina where staff could buy specialized items from above.
The bank of Canada had a safe at the bottom of the bunker. What’s a country without gold bullion to provide its value.
