Diefenbunker in bid for heritage protection

Ottawa City Council has introduced a bylaw to designate the Diefenbunker a heritage site.

The underground nuclear shelter already has heritage designation from the federal government.

Designed as a top secret station to house political leaders in case of attack, the bunker was built during the late 1950s under then prime minister John Diefenbaker.

There were seven such shelters built in various parts of Canada, each designed to accommodate more than 350 people. Most have been covered over or converted to other uses.

The one in Carp, near Ottawa, survives as a museum. The bylaw, put forward Thursday, would extend protection by the city of Ottawa.

The goal is to preserve all 88 acres of land above the bunker, says Diefenbunker curator Shawna Moffatt.

"That will then allow us to go back to Parks Canada and Canadian Heritage and say, 'OK, great, we have the entire site designated, the entire site is protected, can we participate in the Parks Canada cost-sharing program,' which will allow us to offset some of our capital costs," she told CBC Radio.

Moffatt says the bunker's air circulation systems, water systems, and above ground fencing are all in need of repair.

The non-profit group that runs the bunker relies on admissions and grants to fund upkeep on the bunker.

The bunker extends four storeys underground and includes the prime minister's suite, a war cabinet room, a radio studio, a Bank of Canada vault, and an emergency centre.