Knollwood Park in Kitchener is to be assessed by the Department of National Defense (DND) for unexploded ordnance dating from its time of use during the Second World War.

Knollwood Park is one of more than a hundred sites in Ontario being assessed for this reason.

In 1940, the site where the park is located served as a training school for men before the opening of the Canadian Women’s Army Corps (CWAC) in 1942, according to the Department of National Defense.

“The CWAC Camp in Kitchener was the largest basic training center for women in Canada. More than 20,000 women served in the CWAC during World War II,” said DND’s Kened Sadiku.

DND said they were trained and worked in 50 different professions, including drivers, doctors, signal operators, clerks, cooks and entertainers.

A spokesperson said the school then operated as a shared site for men and women, until 1943 when the men’s school moved. In 1946, the site became a vocational training school for returning recruits.

In 1966, approximately half of the park land was sold to the City of Kitchener. After this, DND retained land for the armory and buildings for the Air Cadets. Part of the park remains the property of the DND, despite the fire of the armory in 1975.

What’s next?

DND said it did not anticipate the presence of munitions because this was a school and not a training area where munitions would be used.

The site will still be examined as an assessment of unexploded explosive ordnance (UXO) has not yet been carried out.

“This site is not considered a priority for UXO risk assessment at this time, as there is no indication that munitions have ever been used at this site,” Sadiku said.

DND said the government retains responsibility for UXO on Canadian territory and in its territorial waters to ensure the health and safety of Canadians.