In 1940 the base opened as a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Manning Depot with one building.

It was one of several schools established as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

The station was operated and administered by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).

Six runways were listed as follows:|}[3] The primary Relief Landing Field (R1) for RCAF Station Penhold was located northwest of the community of Innisfail.

Mynarski Park, the residential portion of the base, was renamed Springbrook in 1995 when private developers purchased the lands from the Department of National Defence.