Alberta's Aviation Heritage

By the mid 1930’s Edmonton had established a municipal airport, but it still needed a place for bush pilots to land when they were flying with pontoons.

As historian Pay Myers writes in her book Sky Flyers, the City’s engineering department decided to build a seaplane base just east of Edmonton at Cooking Lake.

Well it was a cooperative effort. The province bought the land, the federal government made the construction of the base and landing field part of a Depression Relief program, and the Edmonton Engineering department supervised the work and paid for the permanent building and equipment at the site, because the base would be run under the auspices of the Edmonton municipal airport.

The workers built a number of facilities at the seaplane base. There was an administration building, a lodge, a slipway and moveable dock.

A derrick was used to lift the planes to allow the changing of their landing gear. And there were buoys in the lakes for anchoring the planes.

It opened in 1935, um, Pilots and mechanics could get meals and accommodation at the lodge that was there. This lodge had a lovely big lounge with a stone fireplace. There lodge had a lovely big lounge with a stone fireplace. There were comfortable chairs, writing tables, magazine racks, smoking stands, reading material…. Recuperation, and I, I think it was a place where some rest could be had.

Business that serviced the bush also established facilities at the Cooking Lake base. This included storage sheds and repair shops. Vans couriered parts from the city. And Imperial Oil set up tanks to sell fuel and oil.

As historian Pat Myers indicates, The Cooking Lake Sea Plane base was a busy and important place.

Bush flyers, used the lakes and rivers of the north in the summer season. They landed on water, so they needed a place in Edmonton where they could land when they were flying on platoons. So, from that stand point, um, of the Bush flying in Edmonton’s important role in Bush flying, the Cooking Lake Seaplane played important role.

More than half a century later, the Cooking Lake Seaplane Base still operates, although bush pilots have given way to recreational flyers.



	Cooking Lake Seaplane Base Near Edmonton By the mid 1930’s Edmonton had established a municipal airport, but it still needed a place for bush pilots to land when they were flying with pontoons. As historian Pay Myers writes in her book Sky Flyers, the City’s engineering department decided to build a seaplane base just east of Edmonton at Cooking Lake. Well it was a cooperative effort. The province bought the land, the federal government made the construction of the base and landing field part of a Depression Relief program, and the Edmonton Engineering department supervised the work and paid for the permanent building and equipment at the site, because the base would be run under the auspices of the Edmonton municipal airport. The workers built a number of facilities at the seaplane base. There was an administration building, a lodge, a slipway and moveable dock. A derrick was used to lift the planes to allow the changing of their landing gear. And there were buoys in the lakes for anchoring the planes. It opened in 1935, um, Pilots and mechanics could get meals and accommodation at the lodge that was there. This lodge had a lovely big lounge with a stone fireplace. There lodge had a lovely big lounge with a stone fireplace. There were comfortable chairs, writing tables, magazine racks, smoking stands, reading material…. Recuperation, and I, I think it was a place where some rest could be had. Business that serviced the bush also established facilities at the Cooking Lake base. This included storage sheds and repair shops. Vans couriered parts from the city. And Imperial Oil set up tanks to sell fuel and oil. As historian Pat Myers indicates, The Cooking Lake Sea Plane base was a busy and important place. Bush flyers, used the lakes and rivers of the north in the summer season. They landed on water, so they needed a place in Edmonton where they could land when they were flying on platoons. So, from that stand point, um, of the Bush flying in Edmonton’s important role in Bush flying, the Cooking Lake Seaplane played important role. More than half a century later, the Cooking Lake Seaplane Base still operates, although bush pilots have given way to recreational flyers.