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LOOK BACK: Army camp in Port Alberni

The camp was built in 1941 in response to the Second World War
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This photo, circa 1950, shows the old Army Drill Hall, now the Glenwood Centre. It was built in late 1939 or early 1940. This photo is one of 24,000 contained in the Alberni Valley Museum’s digital archives at portalberni.pastperfectonline.com. (PHOTO PN16020 COURTESY ALBERNI VALLEY MUSEUM)

The current site of the Fall Fair Grounds in Port Alberni was once an army camp.

The camp was built in 1941 in response to the Second World War and fears of a Japanese invasion of the west coast. The Sixth Division of the Infantry had brigades assigned to Port Alberni, and 1,500 men were posted to the military here.

After the army units returned to their home base, the army camp sat vacant. The Fall Fair Grounds is now located where the camp once was.

READ MORE: Alberni Valley Museum opens exhibit on Second World War

Some of the army huts are still visible—the Kin Hut, now used as headquarters for the Alberni District Fall Fair office, is one of them.

The Glenwood Centre is located where the drill hall once sat.