The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum in Brandon is moving ahead with a major redesign of its historic Second World War hangar. The museum’s board has selected a company to lead the design and build phase of the project, which is expected to cost around $15 million.
Board members planned to share details about the evaluation process and next steps at a special meeting for museum members on August 19. The chosen company will work on stabilizing the building and potentially adding a new half-hangar for restoration work.
The hangar, built in 1940-41, has serious structural problems. The concrete floor is cracking and heaving, and the wooden roof trusses have been damaged. Temporary support beams installed in 2023 have made it difficult to move aircraft around inside. The museum closed for eight months in 2022 because of roof problems before reopening in June 2023 after emergency repairs.
A $1.6 million gift from the late John Balushak, a retired engineer and lifetime museum member, helped kick-start the redevelopment. The museum also hired Zoe McQuinn as its first director general in July 2025 to guide the project.
The museum is a National Historic Site and houses the largest collection of flying Second World War trainer aircraft in Canada. Community members were invited to share ideas about what features and spaces should guide the museum’s future during the August 19 meeting.
