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During the Second World War, thousands of air crew members from �鶹��ýӳ��, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand trained at the British Royal Air Force No. 31 Bombing and Gunnery School in Picton, Ont. in Prince Edward County.

After the war, the site became a station for the Royal Canadian School of Artillery, then a light industrial park. After 2000, the 1940-built base sat largely dormant until it sold in 2021 for $14.5 million to PEC Community Partners Inc.

In the next three years, $50 million dollars was invested, and many millions since. Base31, as it’s now called, has become a destination, with concerts, art galleries, activities, food and drink.

It’s one of the largest-scale adaptive reuse projects in �鶹��ýӳ��, with work expected to span decades on the 750-acre site.

A 70-acre heritage area, The District (B31 District), is the hub, where concerts and other activities happen. The long-term goal is to establish a year-round mixed-use development that brings tourism dollars, and new residents, to Prince Edward County.

Under PEC Community Partners, a consortium of several Ontario builders and developers, 15 of 40 heritage buildings have been refurbished. Water and sewer services, disconnected for decades, were restored. Five more building revitalizations are in the offing.

The Drill Hall has been retrofitted into a concert venue with the installation of washrooms, extensive waterproofing and replacement of shingles and windows. The revitalized Exhibition Hall, opened in 2025, is home to a Lancaster bomber and military museum.

Sensory and Aviators public gardens opened last year. Other revitalized buildings house a day care, an indoor children’s play cafe and two art galleries. A brewery is slated for another building, and another is pegged as a future homeowner clubhouse. A former soldiers’ bar will be a new bar and event venue.

Four pickleball courts have been installed in the northwest area of the site that required remediation, to help meet the need for more local recreation opportunities.

Jordan Taylor, DECO Homes vice-president of sales and marketing, and Sam Myers, sales and marketing director for CaraCo Development Co. (both part of PEC Community Partners), said one of the biggest challenges has been working through unknown issues that come with near-century-old structures.

Another quandary was how to preserve original character while meeting modern standards and Code requirements, such as sourcing new products that replicate the look of the originals.

While the steel-framed hangars were built to last, the H-Huts (prefabricated wooden barracks) were intended to be temporary wartime structures. Maintaining original footprints, window locations and character of the buildings was a priority as they were renovated.

Local trades carried out the majority of the work, with the developers’ team assisting with structural work.

Base31 has become a seasonal destination with more than 100,000 visitors a year, but it’s time to start evolving it into a year-round, mixed-use community, say Taylor and Myers.

A September groundbreaking recently occurred for The Landing, a 120-rental building where 10 per cent of units will be affordable. It’s part of Hilltop Village, where sales have also launched for 458 new homes at Base31, which will eventually include 7,500 homes.

Eventually, there will be up to eight residential “villages,” each with distinct character, separated by “green fingers” of space.

The stormwater management pond will be part of a naturalized area and the central park will have a walking loop, community gardens, outdoor fitness and gathering spaces, with trails leading to the heritage area.

“The District is set up for visitors, but that’s not the end goal,” says Taylor. “We want the area set up for visitors and residents. We want it to be as walkable and livable as possible.

“We see sustainability and better living as a multi-pronged approach,” he adds. “We designed the community as something very unique. Homes will have increased window sizes to allow for more natural light, and there will be EV chargers in homes and the apartment building. Garages will be at the rear to create a safer environment that naturally encourages walkability. Everything will be connected with trails that will lead to a main central park, and small parkettes.”

“We will be practicing energy efficient building,” adds Myers. “The county is very interested in the environment and efficiency, and we’re open to exploring those options. The apartment building’s current design is 40 per cent above the national energy code.”

As well as having beaches and wineries of the county and Base31 amenities to enjoy, Taylor says residents will be living in the midst of Canadian history.

“One of the unique propositions about living here, is this is the most intact World War II bases left in �鶹��ýӳ��,” says Taylor. “That’s really special. You can’t find that anywhere else.”