More roof repairs needed at Royal Canadian Legion
By Chris Jones/The Oshawa Express
Despite a highly successful fundraising campaign earlier this year, more work is needed at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 43 in Oshawa.
This past spring, $50,000 was raised for critical roof repairs.
But according to branch president Stephen Bell, several more repairs need to be done to get the building up to date.
According to Bell, the repairs made with the previous money were specifically to the clubroom roof, the sports room roof, and other sections of the roof.
“We’ve still got another half of the roof to do,” says Bell. “We’ve continued our fundraising and we’re at around $16,000.”
Bell says they will need to secure another $25,000 to cover all the expenses.
The building was opened in 1967, and the roof was last replaced 25 years ago.
Other areas that Bell says the branch needs to improve upon are accessibility, particularly the bathrooms, as well a fresh paint job, and newer carpeting.
Bell says that they have until 2025 to improve accessibility, but they hope to get that done sooner.
“The place is outdated, and now that we figure we are staying, we’re going to try and do as much fundraising as we can to get the branch more up-to-date,” says Bell.
One other area that needs improvement is the auditorium, which has suffered due to leaks in the roof.
Bell says that the branch has been hostings dances, draws, a Chinese auction, and a pie-in-the-face event to raise funds for repairs. They’ve sold chocolate bars as well.
Bell says that there have been donations from several different individuals and organizations to help repair the branch. He says that one person donated $7,000, and their Ladies Auxiliary donated $10,000.
According to Bell, Branch 43 has veterans who visit from several different eras. There are veterans from World War II, the Afghan War, the Cold War, and even those who have served with NATO.
The legion’s next event will be on Remembrance Day, as well as a 50s and 60s dance on Nov. 17 at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10/person.
For more information or to donate, Branch 43 is located at 471 Simcoe Street South, or go to http://rclbr43.com/.