With nuclear tensions running high between Canada鈥檚 nearest neighbour and North Korea, an Ontario man says there鈥檚 still plenty of space available at his massive fallout shelter north of Toronto.
Bruce Beach says he鈥檚 ready to accept 500 people at his Ark Two shelter in Horning鈥檚 Mills, Ont., where he鈥檚 been preparing for a nuclear apocalypse for nearly four decades. Beach claims to have the largest privately-owned fallout shelter in the country, as well as a plan to rebuild society following all-out nuclear war.
The nuclear survival enthusiast built his shelter by fusing 42 gutted school buses together, then pouring two feet of concrete on top. The facility is outfitted with washrooms, a well, two large water tanks, large-scale cooking appliances, storage rooms, bunk beds and approximately half a ton of food.
鈥淭he structure is probably one of the best-designed in North America,鈥� Beach told CTV鈥檚 Your Morning during a tour of the facility. He had to bring a work light along for the tour, because the shelter does not have its own lights.
鈥淢ost people don鈥檛 think I鈥檒l ever need this shelter,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a difference of opinion about that, but it鈥檚 looking more and more like it鈥檚 going to happen.鈥�
Fire authorities have tried to shut Beach down for what they say is an unsafe structure, but he鈥檚 resisted their attempts and insists that his shelter is safe.
He adds that the structure is not just meant to help people survive a nuclear war. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about reconstruction of society afterwards.鈥�
The only people currently signed up to stay in the shelter are those who volunteer to help with its upkeep.
Beach says there鈥檚 still plenty of room available in the shelter for those willing to put in some work.
He also acknowledges that he may not live to see the day the nukes hit, but nevertheless, he鈥檚 hopeful his legacy will contribute to the survival of humanity.
