From a distance it looks like a battered golf ball, half-buried in the landscape.

But the Radome, as it's known locally, is a gem in Canada's military history and now may have a new lease on life.

The dome-like structure was built in 1960 to house the radar dish now displayed nearby in Clinton's main intersection.

It's part of tradition that dates back to the Second World War when Vanastra was the site of Royal Canadian Air Force Clinton -- a top-secret military installation built in 1941 where thousands of badly-needed technicians and mechanics were trained on radar, a technology that was key to winning the Second World War.

After the war Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Clinton survived and grew as radar became even more important because of the nuclear threat during the Cold War. At its peak the base grew to 250 acres with 2,600 staff.

The base was shut down in 1972 and evolved into the community of Vanastra as the old military buildings were converted to residential and industrial uses.

The Radome building, measuring about 1,300 square metres was used by a tool and die business but has been vacant for about 10 years.

In November the building was purchased by brothers Jason, Stephen and Andrew Oud, who have operated Vanastra Packaging since 1999. They own a number of other nearby properties, including one that functioned as the mess hall of the former air force base.

The dome is constructed from fibreglass panels stretched over a frame also made of fibreglass. Many of the 600 panels have large holes in them.

“We are hoping to resurrect the dome, but we haven't made any final decision," said Jason Oud. "We are investigating the best route to fix it.”

He said the historical significance of the Radome is not lost on his family, who emigrated from the Netherlands after the Second World War. Canadian troops played a major role in liberating the Netherlands from Nazi occupation.

“In our hearts we would like to see it restored. Our parents were liberated from Holland, partly due to radar technology,” said Oud.

But Oud said they are planning to use the Radome building for industrial purposes and are hoping the historical character won't put restrictions on its redevelopment.

“We would like to restore the dome, but we don't want to make the rest of the building unusable.”

Oud said the old Radome building is still in good shape despite deterioration in the past decade.

“People have been very encouraging . . . Vanastra is going through a bit of renaissance.” said Oud.

hdaniszewski@postmedia.com

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