Comox Archives and Museum is currently hosting a display of photographs and artifacts of HMCS Quadra Cadet Summer Training Centre. HMCS Quadra, located at Goose Spit, has been welcoming cadets from all over Canada since 1952 when more than 700 boys of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps from Winnipeg west, first camped on Goose Spit. This was the beginning of the summer use by the “Canadian Cadet Movement” that continues each summer to this day. Female sea cadets have been attending since 1975.
The spectacular location and training opportunities at HMCS Quadra continues to inspire and change the lives of young people from all across Canada. You will meet the cadets exploring our community and most notably, during the annual Comox Nautical Days celebrations. They are an impressive sight as they march in the Nautical Days parade and perform their unique public spectacle, called the Ceremony of the Flags.
This fascinating ceremony, at the close of Comox Nautical Days, culminates in the firing of the naval field guns and a special three-round gun salute called a volley.
At a special reception for the Alumni Association of HMCS Quadra, alumni president, Charlie Cornfield, expressed great appreciation.
“It has been many years since we have been able to put the artifacts on display for the members and others to see and the response has been quite remarkable,” said Cornfield. “Knowing already there is a desire to make the display even bigger and better for the summer of 2020 is inspiring to those who have worked so hard to collect and maintain the items that are currently in the collection.”
This special display will be at the Comox museum until the end of summer. Comox Archives and Museum, located at 1729 Comox Avenue, opposite the Comox Centre Mall, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday. Admission is free.