It was with a happy heart that I read the story on the CBC News site, about CFB Petawawa. It never ceases to amaze me how much a full time military base adds to the local economy.
Petawawa, Ont. booms as soldiers return home.Petawawa is enjoying an economic boom as Canadian Forces soldiers return from serving in Afghanistan, many flush with salaries and bonuses earned while in combat.
Since last November, more than 1,900 soldiers have returned from tours in Afghanistan, and now spend their working days at CFB Petawawa — the economic engine of the Ottawa Valley, about 160 km northwest of Ottawa.
Many of the soldiers are returning after serving multiple, rotating tours that started back in 2003.
Petawawa mayor Bob Sweet said he's happy to see the troops back, and the money they bring with them. He says the local coffee shop is one of the places benefitting from the boom.
"During the deployment, you can get through the line-up in two minutes. Now, it's a 20 minute, half-an-hour type of thing," Sweet said.
Kelsey's Restaurant is humming now, but it has ridden out eight years of boom and bust. Every troop deployment slams the restaurant's revenue.
"Put it this way, the military is 80 per cent of our business," restaurant operator Kim Clouthier said. "So when they're here we are booming."
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2011/02/01/ottawa-petawawa-booming-201.html#ixzz1Cms3Jv8V I remember the first time I ever experienced a story about the local base contributing to the local economy. IN 1961 we experienced a measles epidemic on the base and the majority of soldiers in training there were Quarantined for a week or so. The town of Alliston and the city of Barrie felt that economic impact big time. The second time funnily enough was in Petawawa. Local businesses were complaining about the lack of military spending in the towns. The base commander ordered pay day for the troops to be paid in 2 dollar bills. The deuces flooded the local economy. It is funny how locals take to the troops, they are the first to complain of a disruption and just as quick to rely on troops for emergencies. A case of damned when they do and damned when they don't. Keep up the Great work and please give a thought to our troops and their families. I usually do not pass on e Videos that are non military BUT in this case I make an exception. Modern technology is marvellous but can also be dangerous. This News Video sent to me by 4 different vets says it all. http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/video?id=7621105 Nil Sine Labore Robby
