ABOUT BASE31

Operated as a military base until 1969, the site transitioned into a business park and airport and was purchased by PEC Community Partners in December of 2021. The new ownership group has embarked on an ambitious revitalization program that includes the adaptive re-use of many of the heritage buildings, transformation of the landscape, and significant investment in placemaking, public art, programming, site activation and food and beverage.

Today, Base31 is Prince Edward County’s newest cultural destination, located on the site of a former 70-acre WWII air training base just outside of Picton, Ontario. This year, Base31 will host over 100 unforgettable experiences, ranging from big stage concerts to intimate performances by Canada’s top musicians, a major curated open-air food + drink market, as well as public art, galleries, outdoor play spaces and programs for kids, historic tours and bespoke group experiences. In 2025, Base31 will open a museum celebrating the site’s heritage and the role that it has played within the local community, the nation and globally.

Base31 is the cultural heart of a larger 750-acre site that is being developed over the coming years into a dynamic collection of neighbourhoods with a mix of uses: retail, restaurants, places to work and create, parks, trails, and recreation areas, a full complement of community amenities, and a range of housing to suit many needs. Together, we will create a County-made community brimming with opportunity: to live, to learn, to play, and to thrive.

ABOUT BASE31

Operated as a military base until 1969, the site transitioned into a business park and airport and was purchased by PEC Community Partners in December of 2021. The new ownership group has embarked on an ambitious revitalization program that includes the adaptive re-use of many of the heritage buildings, transformation of the landscape, and significant investment in placemaking, public art, programming, site activation and food and beverage.

Today, Base31 is Prince Edward County’s newest cultural destination, located on the site of a former 70-acre WWII air training base just outside of Picton, Ontario. This year, Base31 will host over 100 unforgettable experiences, ranging from big stage concerts to intimate performances by Canada’s top musicians, a major curated open-air food + drink market, as well as public art, galleries, outdoor play spaces and programs for kids, historic tours and bespoke group experiences. In 2025, Base31 will open a museum celebrating the site’s heritage and the role that it has played within the local community, the nation and globally.

Base31 is the cultural heart of a larger 750-acre site that is being developed over the coming years into a dynamic collection of neighbourhoods with a mix of uses: retail, restaurants, places to work and create, parks, trails, and recreation areas, a full complement of community amenities, and a range of housing to suit many needs. Together, we will create a County-made community brimming with opportunity: to live, to learn, to play, and to thrive.

BASE31 VALUES

We are a team united by a set of core values that guide the place, project and people behind Base31.

CO-CREATION: It takes a village. Across every facet of the project, we’re building the vision from the ground up in the community through collaborations with the many talented people and organizations across The County..

HONOR THE SITE’S HISTORY: This place is home to a rich and layered history. The site and surrounding area have played pivotal roles in the stories of The County, the nation, and the Indigenous communities who are the original stewards of this land. Through storytelling and placemaking, we will reflect and share the incredible narratives that make this place special.

AUTHENTICALLY REFLECT PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY’S CULTURE: We are County-made. By drawing on the abundant talent, artisanal and enterprising spirits in the region, we will create a place that avoids cookie-cutter approaches and amplifies the best of Prince Edward County.

CREATE A WELCOMING PLACE: Base31 is for everyone. Through our spaces, partnerships, programming, local sourcing and other ways, we intend to create opportunities as widely and equitably as possible across the community, and to create a welcoming place for all.

BUILD SUSTAINABLY: It starts with our relationship to the land. We are working to regenerate local ecology and to embrace sustainable design, building and management practices.

BASE31 VALUES

We are a team united by a set of core values that guide the place, project and people behind Base31.

CO-CREATION: It takes a village. Across every facet of the project, we’re building the vision from the ground up in the community through collaborations with the many talented people and organizations across The County..

HONOR THE SITE’S HISTORY: This place is home to a rich and layered history. The site and surrounding area have played pivotal roles in the stories of The County, the nation, and the Indigenous communities who are the original stewards of this land. Through storytelling and placemaking, we will reflect and share the incredible narratives that make this place special.

AUTHENTICALLY REFLECT PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY’S CULTURE: We are County-made. By drawing on the abundant talent, artisanal and enterprising spirits in the region, we will create a place that avoids cookie-cutter approaches and amplifies the best of Prince Edward County.

CREATE A WELCOMING PLACE: Base31 is for everyone. Through our spaces, partnerships, programming, local sourcing and other ways, we intend to create opportunities as widely and equitably as possible across the community, and to create a welcoming place for all.

BUILD SUSTAINABLY: It starts with our relationship to the land. We are working to regenerate local ecology and to embrace sustainable design, building and management practices.

BASE31 HISTORY

The 70-acre site includes more than 40 former barracks, mess halls, hangars and administrative buildings. It is part of an approximately 750-acre property. The site was built by the Canadian government and originally operated by the British Royal Airforce as No. 31 Bombing and Gunnery School – RAF Station Picton. It was built in 1940 as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan that trained aircrews from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand during World War II. After the war, the RCAF took over command. In 1946, the Royal School of Artillery (Anti-Aircraft) used it as a training base and renamed it Camp Picton. In 1962, the First Battalion of the Canadian Guards utilized the base and the site was renamed Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Picton.

The site was decommissioned as a military base in 1969 and sold to former Mayor of Picton, H. J. McFarland. He renamed it Loch-Sloy Business Park in honour of his Scottish heritage. The site transferred ownership again in 1999 but the name was adapted to Loch-Sloy Business Park and Airport. Loch Sloy Holdings Inc. under the management of Jacqui Burley is credited with preserving many of the site’s heritage buildings and adapting them for flexible industrial and commercial spaces. PEC Community Partners Inc. finalized the purchase of the property on December 16, 2021.

Today, the site is a major cultural destination, hosting concerts by Canada’s top musicians, public art and galleries, nighttime experiences, food and drink establishments, outdoor leisure and play areas, children’s programming, historic tours and space for commercial and industrial operations. In 2025, Base31 will open a museum celebrating the site’s heritage and the role that it has played within the local community, the nation and globally.

BASE31 HISTORY

The 70-acre site includes more than 40 former barracks, mess halls, hangars and administrative buildings. It is part of an approximately 750-acre property. The site was built by the Canadian government and originally operated by the British Royal Airforce as No. 31 Bombing and Gunnery School – RAF Station Picton. It was built in 1940 as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan that trained aircrews from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand during World War II. After the war, the RCAF took over command. In 1946, the Royal School of Artillery (Anti-Aircraft) used it as a training base and renamed it Camp Picton. In 1962, the First Battalion of the Canadian Guards utilized the base and the site was renamed Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Picton.

The site was decommissioned as a military base in 1969 and sold to former Mayor of Picton, H. J. McFarland. He renamed it Loch-Sloy Business Park in honour of his Scottish heritage. The site transferred ownership again in 1999 but the name was adapted to Loch-Sloy Business Park and Airport. Loch Sloy Holdings Inc. under the management of Jacqui Burley is credited with preserving many of the site’s heritage buildings and adapting them for flexible industrial and commercial spaces. PEC Community Partners Inc. finalized the purchase of the property on December 16, 2021.

Today, the site is a major cultural destination, hosting concerts by Canada’s top musicians, public art and galleries, nighttime experiences, food and drink establishments, outdoor leisure and play areas, children’s programming, historic tours and space for commercial and industrial operations. In 2025, Base31 will open a museum celebrating the site’s heritage and the role that it has played within the local community, the nation and globally.

COLLABORATIONS

The Base31 revitalization strategy is deeply rooted in partnerships and collaborations and the belief that the most interesting and authentic places are built with members of the community. In keeping with that approach and since its inception in late 2021, members of the Base31 team began reaching out to individuals, organizations and businesses to explore how we might work together to build value for each other and the community.

Through a series of walking tours and meetings, hundreds of community leaders from the arts, heritage, business, community development, sustainability and naturalist communities were engaged, which resulted in the development of five guiding principles to guide the vision for the site:

Place + Culture
Housing For All
Farm To Table
Community + Economy
Future Ready

Our commitment to collaboration and co-creation ensures that every voice, every vision, and every dream is valued and contributes to a shared vision of success. As we work hand in hand with our community, we’re creating a legacy of unity, innovation, and profound impact that will resonate throughout Prince Edward County for generations to come.

COLLABORATIONS

The Base31 revitalization strategy is deeply rooted in partnerships and collaborations and the belief that the most interesting and authentic places are built with members of the community. In keeping with that approach and since its inception in late 2021, members of the Base31 team began reaching out to individuals, organizations and businesses to explore how we might work together to build value for each other and the community.

Through a series of walking tours and meetings, hundreds of community leaders from the arts, heritage, business, community development, sustainability and naturalist communities were engaged, which resulted in the development of five guiding principles to guide the vision for the site:

Place + Culture
Housing For All
Farm To Table
Community + Economy
Future Ready

Our commitment to collaboration and co-creation ensures that every voice, every vision, and every dream is valued and contributes to a shared vision of success. As we work hand in hand with our community, we’re creating a legacy of unity, innovation, and profound impact that will resonate throughout Prince Edward County for generations to come.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We work, live, make, grow, meet, and co-create on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Anishnaabeg, Huron-Wendat and Mississauga nations. Our site is adjacent to the Kenhtè:ke Kanyen’kehá:ka community in Tyendinaga (the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte).

We are grateful to all the Indigenous and Métis peoples who have been traditional and contemporary stewards of this region. We recognize that all non-Indigenous people are visitors to this land, and it is our responsibility to embrace our Treaty obligation to care for the land.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We work, live, make, grow, meet, and co-create on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Anishnaabeg, Huron-Wendat and Mississauga nations. Our site is adjacent to the Kenhtè:ke Kanyen’kehá:ka community in Tyendinaga (the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte).

We are grateful to all the Indigenous and Métis peoples who have been traditional and contemporary stewards of this region. We recognize that all non-Indigenous people are visitors to this land, and it is our responsibility to embrace our Treaty obligation to care for the land.

IT TAKES NEIGHBOURS TO BUILD A NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN

Base31 is undergoing a transformation into a unique new destination inspired by the history of the place. We have invited the community to co-create Base31 with us and hundreds have joined us in re-imagining its future. Thousands more have visited the site to see a concert, take a historical tour, enjoy new public art installations, or have a bite to eat. Now, we want you to join us in the next phase of the project as we envision the Neighbourhood Plan. This is your opportunity to get involved and help shape the future of this 750-acre community that is an extension of the 70-acre site known as Base31. Join us as we imagine and share ideas about what’s possible.

GET INVOLVED

IT TAKES NEIGHBOURS TO BUILD A NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN

Base31 is undergoing a transformation into a unique new destination inspired by the history of the place. We have invited the community to co-create Base31 with us and hundreds have joined us in re-imagining its future. Thousands more have visited the site to see a concert, take a historical tour, enjoy new public art installations, or have a bite to eat. Now, we want you to join us in the next phase of the project as we envision the Neighbourhood Plan. This is your opportunity to get involved and help shape the future of this 750-acre community that is an extension of the 70-acre site known as Base31. Join us as we imagine and share ideas about what’s possible.

GET INVOLVED

OWNERSHIP GROUP

Base31 is owned and operated by PEC Community Partners Inc.

PEC Community Partners is a group of community builders including CaraCo Group of Companies, DECO Communities, Fieldgate Homes, Paradise Developments, PEC Placemaking and Rockport Group.

The Ontario-based partnership brings together expertise in complete community development, affordable housing and commercial space, mixed-use residential, site servicing and infrastructure, and adaptive re-use of heritage sites with a specific focus on creative placemaking.

In 2021, PEC Community Partners Inc. purchased the Loch-Sloy Business Park, an approximately 700-acre property in Prince Edward County, Ontario, and the former site of a World War II training base. In its next chapter, the site will serve as home to one of the nation’s largest revitalization projects.

OWNERSHIP GROUP

Base31 is owned and operated by PEC Community Partners Inc.

PEC Community Partners is a group of community builders including CaraCo Group of Companies, DECO Communities, Fieldgate Homes, Paradise Developments, PEC Placemaking and Rockport Group.

The Ontario-based partnership brings together expertise in complete community development, affordable housing and commercial space, mixed-use residential, site servicing and infrastructure, and adaptive re-use of heritage sites with a specific focus on creative placemaking.

In 2021, PEC Community Partners Inc. purchased the Loch-Sloy Business Park, an approximately 700-acre property in Prince Edward County, Ontario, and the former site of a World War II training base. In its next chapter, the site will serve as home to one of the nation’s largest revitalization projects.

FOOD + BEVERAGE SPONSORS

Casa Dea Estates Winery
County Cider
Slake

MEET OUR TEAM

Tim Jones

CEO

Assaf Weisz

President

Liz Kohn

Vice President, Marketing + Communication

Ling Wong

Vice President, Finance

Alicia Brum

Director, Client Experience

Rob Clark

Director, Capital Projects

Sarah Ormsby

Head, People + Culture

Ben Ahee

Manager, Food + Beverage Operations

Mike Brady

Manager, Capital Projects Planning

Liz Bragg

Manager, Ticketing Operations

Emily Graham

Manager, Programs

Megan Lumgair

Manager, Program Administration

Kat Nason

Manager, Client Services

Teresa Shephard-Benway

Manager, Tenant Relations

Madeline Smolarz

Museum Curator

Kaitlin Sylvester

Manager, Marketing
(on leave)

Katrina Pidek

Manager, Marketing (interim)

Chris Tabo

Controller

JOIN OUR TEAM

We are builders, social entrepreneurs, artists, nature lovers, amateur comedians, musicians, meditators, foodies, dog-lovers, multi-generational County-folk and enthusiastic newcomers. Our team is fast-paced, light-hearted, highly collaborative and building an incredible place from the ground up.

Please view our active job postings.

JOIN OUR TEAM

We are builders, social entrepreneurs, artists, nature lovers, amateur comedians, musicians, meditators, foodies, dog-lovers, multi-generational County-folk and enthusiastic newcomers. Our team is fast-paced, light-hearted, highly collaborative and building an incredible place from the ground up.

Please view our active job postings.

AERODROME

Please be advised that the aerodrome at Base31 is permanently closed and as such will no longer be accepting planes to fly in or out of the runways. The Air Orange helipad will continue being open to assist emergency services supporting Quinte Health.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

Future Plans for the Aerodrome Lands
As part of our Neighbourhood Plan for the site, we have been listening to the community over the past two years and have heard very clearly that their priorities for the future development of the site are focused on three key areas: green space for recreational opportunities, affordable access to housing, and key services such as day care and health care. In the Spring of 2024, Base31 advised members of the Flying Club, seasonal storage clients, and pilots that have used the aerodrome of our future plans for the site and that we would be permanently closing the CNT7 aerodrome at the end of 2024.

AERODROME

Please be advised that the aerodrome at Base31 is permanently closed and as such will no longer be accepting planes to fly in or out of the runways. The Air Orange helipad will continue being open to assist emergency services supporting Quinte Health.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

Future Plans for the Aerodrome Lands
As part of our Neighbourhood Plan for the site, we have been listening to the community over the past two years and have heard very clearly that their priorities for the future development of the site are focused on three key areas: green space for recreational opportunities, affordable access to housing, and key services such as day care and health care. In the Spring of 2024, Base31 advised members of the Flying Club, seasonal storage clients, and pilots that have used the aerodrome of our future plans for the site and that we would be permanently closing the CNT7 aerodrome at the end of 2024.