LEGION CLOSES BAR
Official cites poor optics of alcohol sales to finance substance abuse programs
Ron Hitchcock, president of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 001, stands in the nowclosed Lamplighter Lounge. Alcohol is now at odds with the branch's philosophy.
Jody Salway feels shutting down the Royal Canadian Legion's bar was the socially responsible thing to do.
“We have so many veterans and retired RCMP with substance abuse issues due to psychological injury, or injuries as a result of their jobs, and to put someone through rehab for alcoholism with beer money just didn't have good optics to us,” said Salway, the former executive director for Regina's Royal Canadian Legion Branch 001.
Salway said closing the Lamplighter, located at 1820 Cornwall St., was partially done for economic reasons. The bar was not doing much business, but the main impetus came down to it not aligning with the Legion's values, which is to serve the 2,000 veterans living in Regina.
The Legion announced the closure on its Facebook page on Nov. 27. Salway said four staff members were let go, and the area where the bar was is now being leased out.
Salway is still staying on with the Legion, but will be doing so in the role of a service officer, which has responsibilities he would like to see the organization focus on more.
This includes helping veterans in need of substance abuse or mental health programs, or those who need assistance filling out Veterans Affairs paperwork.
Salway said there are some members who have an emotional attachment to the bar who haven't welcomed the news, but he maintains the Lamplighter was a poor investment.
“We figured every year, what they were spending just to keep the doors open, we could have bought every veteran's family in Regina a year pass at the YMCA,” said Salway.
Ron Hitchcock, the president of the branch, said younger veterans he's spoken with were not interested in frequenting the bar.
Hitchcock said that while the branch is undergoing changes, the services the Legion provides will remain.
“We're committed to the idea of the mission of the Legion. And so in order to do that work, we're willing to give up this bar, and on the plus side of that is that we can now register as a charity,” said Hitchcock.
Along with the bar, the Legion's museum is also closing because it was being run at a loss. Hitchcock said families who have items in the museum will be contacted.
The museum area also has several murals, which Hitchcock believes are worth a considerable amount of money and could be sold to benefit the organization.
With the space not being used, the Legion will rent it out so it can remain on the second floor of the building. Salway said there's been ideas about turning the upstairs into a co-working space that could be shared with other charities and non-profits.
Hitchcock is also interested in starting up a healing centre at the branch. Not just for veterans, but also for firefighters, police officers, nurses and paramedics.
“That's something we don't have in this province, and I think most of them have to go elsewhere to get assessments done,” said Hitchcock.
Salway believes the changes will make the branch more agile.
“We just need to have a smaller footprint so we can move faster delivering services and programs to the community,” said Salway.