Legion makes good progress on renovations during pandemic-induced closure

With the pandemic forcing the temporary closure of their building, executives with the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 59 realized it was a good time to accelerate necessary renovations.

Two large dumpsters — one red and one green — have sat in the legion’s parking lot during the past couple of weeks as executive members slowly tossed out old building materials and furniture that was broken and unusable. A detached semi-trailer has also been parked nearby so the legion can store other materials that it wants to keep but has no room inside to store.

With the sale of its 94-year-old building to new owners last fall, the legion began the process in February of cleaning out the second and third floors of everything it owned. The items it removed were donated to museums, thrown away, or moved to the bottom floor that the organization now leases.

When the provincial government forced the closure of all businesses and organizations in mid-March over the coronavirus, executives realized they could move faster with renovations and downsizing since members would not be in the way. “We’ve been busy. We’ve been very busy,” Rene LaChance, first vice-president, said on May 21 as he and two other members threw out broken chairs and tables.

Dave Dryburgh and Rene LaChance toss broken tables and chairs into a dumpster as part of overall renovations and downsizing projects that are occurring at the legion. Photo by Jason G. Antonio

As part of the renovations, in a room off the main area, they installed rows of cabinets against two walls for storage, he explained. They also installed a sliding door in the sports room — where pool and darts happen — since that is where they will now hold their monthly meetings.

In the main room where members socialize, one corner has been cleared of tables and chairs so poppy gear and supplies can be stored there. A section of the ceiling has been removed since engineers are working upstairs to ensure the floor doesn’t sag. The engineers expect to complete that project by mid-July.

“The main thing is, if we had been open, we would have bothered the clientele,” LaChance said.

He didn’t like the legion being closed, but the pandemic provided the perfect opportunity for him and member Dave Dryburgh to work during the day and make significant headway in downsizing and making necessary renovations. If the pandemic hadn’t happened, it would have taken them longer since they would have had to work evenings and on Sundays. It has been mostly LaChance and Dryburgh who have completed this work during the past couple of months due to restrictions on how many people can be together in one space. When they needed help from others, though, everyone maintained a safe distance from each other. It will be a “huge, huge change for the membership” when they come back and see what has occurred, LaChance said. But deep down, they will know that these things had to happen even if they didn’t realize what adaptations would be made. “When (the health authorities) say the pandemic is over, we will be ready to open. You can guarantee that,” he added. “We are hoping for September so our leagues can start again, (and) in the morning coffee and the sharing of war stories.”