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Water Tower at south side of camp
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Betty Lake Water Tower NE of camp
Ben McIntosh arrived with his family in Wainwright in 1954, temporary living accomodations being the Wainwright Hotel until their house was ready a couple of weeks later. Ben was hired by the RCE Section, 19 Works Coy as the Chief Operator at the Betty Lake Resevoir. The water treatment facility, whose staff was entirely civilian was to be his place of employment until retiring in 1980. (reference page 71)
He remembers the falcon barn being built and welcomed the addition of new residents at the plant, as it was quite separated from the activity of the camp interior and the training fields. His daughter just recently whisked away a baseball jacket, a tangible memory of the ball tournament Ben’s team won in 1959.
In 1978, Ben was honored by the receipt of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, presented to him by the Commander of 1 Canadian Brigade Group, Brigadier General P.J. Mitchell.
Peggy (Rennie) Lovig remembers her family being one of the first to live at the PMQ’s. In fact the Cpl Bill Rennie (Service Corps) family of 8 once lived in what is now the Gun and Country Club House. This building was originally the North Gatekeeper’s residence (Davey Davison) in Buffalo Park days.
Peggy’s memory of annual family sports days in the Commander’s yard, and the Christmas parties at the theatre are precious segments of her childhood at Camp Wainwirght. She remembers the open swimming pool in the sports field but never recalls its being used, or even having water in it. The Warrior paper had mentioned its existence explaining the water shortage as being the reason for its idleness. When Betty Lake resevoir was complete, there were repairs done to the cement pool, but it appears as if nothing ever came of it.
Peggy’s dad left the forces in 1969; he and his wife live in Medicine Hat. Peggy and her husband Clare are the proprietors of the Book Chalet at the corner of Main and Third (Wainwright’s only street light intersection).