The Diefenbunker, Canada's Cold War Museum. If you are ever in the Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, plan to visit Canada's Secret Nuclear Bunker and take a walk down through history. Want to know more. Read on. Located in Carp Ontario, approximately 30 miles from Ottawa, Canada's capital, is a 100,000 square foot, four story building that you can't see! Buried in an old gravel pit is the secret nuclear bunker that would have housed Canada's federal government in the case of nuclear war. The photo shows early stages of construction with levels 100 and 200 almost complete. The facility was officially known as Canadian Forces Base Carp but it quickly got the nickname of the Diefenbunker after the Prime Minister of the day, John Diefenbaker. Constructed over a 14 -month period between 1959 and 1961, the building contains over 5000 tons of steel and 32,000 cubic feet of concrete. That is more concrete and steel than you'd find in a 10-story building. The building contains 358 rooms and was designed to house 525 people for 30 days in case of nuclear war. Here is a photo of the main blast doors. The two doors on the right are freight doors and normally always kept closed. The door on the left is the main door. There is a second similar door inside. The two doors act as an air lock and security system. The doors each weigh 4000 lbs. The facility was part of the military communications system and operated 24 hours a day, 7-days a week, 52 weeks a year, for 32 years. Every message the military sent passed through this facility. There was approximately 120 people, mostly military, in the building at any given time. The primary purpose of the facility was for Continuance of Government in the case of nuclear war. The theory was that if we could continue to govern the country even though we'd been attacked, we were less likely to be attacked in the first place. The facility was decommissioned in 1994 and was in danger of being closed and sealed forever when a group of local citizens took up the cause and the facility is now a private museum dedicated to educating the general public on the cold war. Here is a photo of leaving the facility along the 378 foot blast tunnel, back into the daylight again. Visitors to the museum will see various departmental offices, the CBC studio, the Prime Minister's quarters, various sleeping quarters, the hospital, cafeteria, communications rooms, secret communications center, the huge Bank of Canada vault with its 40 ton door, and much more. Here is a photo of the CBC control room equipment. It is still in 100% operational condition. Amateur radio operators will want to spend some time in the Emergency Radio Room that was originally licensed as VE3GOC and is back on the air as VE3CWM, broadcasting around the world once again from 45 feet under the ground. Here is a photo of the current Emergency Radio Room now operating as VE3CWM. The three blue cabinets are the original cabinets that sat in this room. The facility is open to the public for guided tours 360 days a year. Informative guides conducted tours daily. Call 613-839-0007 to reserve a place on one of these fascinating walks down through history. In my off hours, I act as the Manager of Volunteer Services for the Diefenbunker and try to encourage people to become involved in this incredible facility. I also conduct tours on a regular basis. For more information call the number above or visit their web site at www.Diefenbunker.ca.