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“Diving Now, Diving Now” Submarine Room Display at the Naval Museum of Halifax. The Role that SAOC(E) played in the development of the Submarine Room at the Naval Museum of Halifax. After the last Oberon paid off in July 2000 artifacts were being removed from the Decommissioned submarines (Exception of Onondaga because she was slated to be a museum) and were stored at the Naval Museum of Halifax in hoping that some day a Submarine Room Display would be created. In the time frame between 2000 and 2011 nothing happened and the artifacts were in storage at the Naval Museum of Halifax in the room which now houses the display. In the 2011 & 2012 time frame I began the inventory process of identifying all the items in that room, taking photographs and keeping a record of what I had recorded. This was done in anticipation of having the Submarine Room Display completed by the 100th Anniversary of Submarines in Canada in August 2014. Due to financial restraints this never happened and again the time passed with nothing accomplished. In the spring of 2018, a Volunteer at the Naval Museum of Halifax, Mr. Guy Godin approached Jim Northrup one day in Tim Hortons in Dartmouth and expressed to Jim that the Naval Museum of Halifax wanted to resurrect the Submarine Room Project and wanted to know if Jim was interested. It has always been an interest at SAOC(E) to develop the Submarine Room at the Museum but difficulties in obtaining funds, the state of the “Crypt” which they originally wanted to use kept falling through. Jim Northrup being the Vice Chairman of SAOC(E) brought the topic up at the next available meeting. At the meeting Jim Northrup asked for Volunteers to help develop the Room. We had 7 members who were interested. We held our 1st meeting and everyone showed up. At the 2nd meeting we had 3 members show up. At the 3rd meeting there was Jim Northrup and myself. So Jim and I ran with the idea. We put together the Theme of the Room “Submarines in the Service of Canada”. We designed the layout of the space and began gathering information, photographs, video’s and artifacts that we could display. With the help of Rodney Lake another SAOC(E) Member the Bunk Space, Mess Room Area and Curved overhead was created. With the help of Submariners from MOG4 and HMCS Windsor they offered their help in providing items for the Bunk Space & Mess Room Area and building the frame which housed the Oxygen Generator. The Submarine Training Facility in CFB Halifax provided us with a mannequin and Victoria Class Model. Over the 14 months of the project artifacts were collected, inventoried and photographed. In August 2018, Crystal McManus brought her late father Charlie to a SAOC(E) meeting at MOG5. Crystal at that time informed us that she was a Graphics Arts Instructor at NSCC and offered her and her Class’s Services in developing the idea. NSCC was very helpful during the period of October 2018 to April 2019 in developing the concept and ideas. Numerous meetings were held with Crystal and her Students to discuss the topics and ideas. The Museum Staff along with Jim Northrup and myself put the “polish” to the ideas and made it happen. Jim Northrup and I were responsible for mounting all the wall panels and center display panels. The Museum Director Jennifer Denty & Curator Jennifer Gamble put together the artifacts in the Cabinets to Museum Display standards. Our deadline was achieved and the Museum opened to the Public on 08 August 2019. Brian Lapierre
