Mer Bleue Bog: DND confirms unexploded bombs from Second World War buried in popular Ottawa hiking area [Video]

The Department of National Defence confirms unexploded bombs from the Second World War lie buried inside the Mer Bleue Bog, a popular hiking and skiing area in Ottawa’s east end.

The existence of the bombs was unveiled this week through documents obtained by the Ottawa Citizen.

• IN PICTURES: The Beauty of Mer Bleue Bog

A DND spokesperson says the bombs are buried in approximately 865 hectares of land consisting primarily of peat bog. The parkland was actively used as a practice bombing range between 1942 and 1945.

The Mer Bleue Bog is approximately 7,700 years old, according to the NCC, and is a habitat for many species of regionally and significantly rare plants, birds and other wildlife. More than 20 kilometres of trails offer hiking in the summer months and cross-country skiing in the winter.

While it’s unclear how many bombs are buried at the site, historical aerial photographs and maps provided by DND reveal the former bombing …