It's been a while since local Legion members have had a place to gather, but things may slowly be starting to move in the plan to build a new Legion for the Prince Rupert area.
The original Legion was torn down and the land now hosts the new Gaming centre that is nearing completion on 1st Avenue West.
Since then the wheels of progress have been slow in building a new structure, but Rupertites have noticed some land clearing taking place on Park Avenue just west of the old Northern Tire building.
While there is still no definite time frame or even plans in place for a new Legion, many see this new burst of activity as a good sign that things are making a turn in a more positive direction.
The Daily News featured the latest developments as a front page story in Friday's paper.
VETERANS' BATTLE TO FIND NEW BUILDING MAY SOON BE WON
By Christian Webber
The Daily News
Friday, August 24, 2007
Rumors that the Prince Rupert Legion is ready to build a new facility are half true.
Right now, the organization that has been without a permanent home since selling its long-time building to make way for the community gaming centre has a crew clearing land and removing trees from land it has bought.
The legion bought a parcel of land last year on Park Avenue, behind the SEARS outlet. The organization has just received permission to clear the land.
"Everything has to go before the executive, then to the membership, and the membership is down right now for the summer," said Dorothy Millington-Jones, the president of the local branch of the legion.
What happens next will be decided at the next general meeting at the end of September.
She said that, right now, all they can do is clear the trees on the property to be ready for possible development.
Every November, the legion has a general election and everyone, from the president through to the executives could get changed again, she said.
"You can only make a year's plans then they could be dissolved, it's not something you can have ongoing because people change their minds," said Millington-Jones.
At the moment, the legion has great plans in store, she said, but she explained that they can only go one step at a time.
The size and style of the building that may be built is yet to be decided.
Millington-Jones said she is excited to have made a start on the new project, and she said the legion will limit itself to doing a little bit at a time on the project, to try to avoid obstacles and money problems.
"We can't say we're putting up a building because we can't yet. We hope to be building on it soon, but that depends on money," said Millington-Jones.
Since the legion sold the former legion building on First Avenue West, they have received no revenue. They only have the money from the sale, which was used to buy the land. Millington-Jones said the purchase took half of the available funds.
"It's all coming out of the sale, every cheque that is written is less the sale, so we have to go very cautiously," said Millington-Jones.
The legion holds two meetings a month, an executive and a general. In September, they will talk to the general membership; by then the land will be cleared and ready for building. Then, they will see what money they have left and what they can agree upon.
"It's not like we can just walk in there and say, 'yes we're going to put up a building and it's going to be this size'. There is a lot to be talked about," said Millington-Jones.
The other things that need to be discussed include parking, permission from the city and liquor licences - all of which will take time, said Millington-Jones.
"We're in a hurry but we can only go one step at a time," she added.
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