Explosives detection contractors have found a three-inch mortar shell on the former Blair Rifle Range lands.
The province, which co-owns the land just north of Mount Seymour Parkway, is taking over its administration for recreational trail use but the Department of National Defence announced last month that from its days as a military training range. They found the three-inch mortar on Monday.
鈥淎s part of our regular UXO safety procedures, the area was secured immediately and access restricted to ensure public safety,鈥� a statement from the Department of National Defence read.
According to the department, a military ordnance disposal team was due on site Thursday to 鈥渁ssess and safely dispose of the item.鈥�
Initially, National Defence聽 officials said their records indicated the range was only ever used for rifle and pistol training but out of 鈥渁n abundance of caution,鈥� contractors would be on site from Feb. 18 to March 3. That may now be extended.
鈥淎s a result of this find, we will be assessing whether additional site work is needed to ensure the area remains safe for community use. We will continue to provide updates to local residents if anything of concern is found, as well as final results once the investigation is complete,鈥� the statement read.
The department has done surveys of the land in the past that turned up no UXO but since those searches in 1977 and 1995, there have been advances in technology used to hunt for explosives, according to National Defence.
鈥淢apping, location, and record keeping techniques were often very limited at the time that military training took place at the former Blair Rifle Range, and this information was recorded and filed away in a period before computers existed,鈥� the release stated.
Donna Sacuta, a local historian who published a history of the range in 2015, said it鈥檚 a case of 鈥淚 told you so.鈥�
Sacuta had interviewed members of the Royal Westminster Regiment who said they did grenade and mortar practice there.
鈥淭hat had been the rumour from a number of people. I think they will probably need to do a closer look,鈥� she said, adding the defence department should probably also do a better job of keeping the community apprised of what鈥檚 going on in the survey. 鈥淭he dog walkers use that range extensively. I don鈥檛 want to be alarmist but there could be way more there than we realize.鈥�
