This story was first published in 2016
KAMLOOPS - When people look for naval bunkers, Kamloops might not be their first stop. And it probably shouldn’t be, as the city’s 22 historic Second World War era structures are a little hidden and mostly used for storage now.
What they are, though, is a unique reminder of Kamloops’s history, says museum interpreter Sylvia Gropp
The 22 bunkers that still stand are located throughout the Public Works Centre on Concordia Way, amongst city buildings and properties like the Kamloops Fire Rescue training centre and winter salt storage. However, the bunkers predate almost everything in the area. Built in 1944 and 1945, they were part of an inland port concept for Kamloops, Gropp says. However, the project never actually reached its full potential; the war ended before manufacturing plans were put into place.