Atkinson Point DEW Line Station

The station was closed due to military and technological obsolescence. The Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line system, of which Atkinson Point was a key part, was rendered less effective by the advent of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) and submarine-launched missiles. In the late 1980s, the DEW Line was replaced by the more advanced and automated North Warning System (NWS), which required fewer stations and personnel. This strategic shift, coupled with the winding down of the Cold War, led to the decommissioning of most DEW Line sites, including Atkinson Point.

The site is abandoned and has undergone extensive environmental remediation. After its closure, the station, like other DEW Line sites, was found to be heavily contaminated with hazardous materials such as Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), lead, asbestos, and petroleum products. From the late 1990s through the 2000s, the Canadian Department of National Defence conducted a massive cleanup operation. All buildings were demolished, hazardous waste was removed, and contaminated soil was remediated or contained. Today, the site is a barren landscape with few visible remnants of the former station, though the outline of the unmaintained gravel runway may still be discernible from the air. It is not used for any purpose.

Atkinson Point, designated as PIN-M or PIN-Main, was a 'Main Station' in the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line. Constructed between 1955 and 1957, the DEW Line was a chain of radar stations across the Arctic designed to provide early warning of a potential Soviet bomber attack over the North Pole. As a Main Station, Atkinson Point was a major logistical and communications hub for its sector. It featured a larger complex, a greater number of personnel, and a more substantial gravel airstrip (approximately 5,000 feet) capable of handling large transport aircraft like the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, which were essential for supplying the remote sites. The station played a critical role in North American air defense for over three decades during the Cold War.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Atkinson Point airstrip. The original military purpose for the site no longer exists. Its extremely remote location, the absence of any local community or economic driver (such as mining or tourism), and the prohibitive cost of rebuilding and maintaining infrastructure in the harsh Arctic environment make any future reactivation highly improbable.