By Taylor Chartrand

Tough times ahead for the Redcliff Legion

Feb 3, 2019 | 4:13 PM

Redcliff, AB – The Royal Canadian Legion Branch #6 has been around for awhile, 1926 to be exact.

As you can imagine, that is a lot of wear and tear on a building and because of that, the Redcliff Legion has some serious renovations ahead.

After speaking with Branch #6 President Stephen Marshall and other Legion representatives, they said they have roughly $60,000 worth of upgrades coming their way in the near future.

“One of our big things is our heating units,” explained Marshall. “We have four major heating units on the roof that aren’t operating the way they should be. If you go into an establishment and it’s cold inside, it doesn’t make for a good atmosphere.”

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In addition to that, Marshall said the Legion also has a couple other projects that need to be looked after as well.

“Eventually we’ll be looking at upgrades to the kitchen and we’ll also be replacing the carpets around the facility as well. We also plan on remodeling the dining room as one of our future revenue generators.”

Marshall said these renovations are long overdue and they won’t be able to soak up the cost without the support of the community.

“I feel this place is the backbone of the town. The costs associated with our renovations are definitely up there and it’s more than what we can raise ourselves with 50/50’s. We need the community support to get this place back to where it needs to be.”

As a former veteran, this facility holds a special place near and dear to Marshall’s heart.

“It’s got so much nostalgia. You come in, walk around and there’s trophies that go back years and years. There’s pictures on the walls of all the veterans from here who served in the war. You walk around and see nothing but history.”

Marshall said he wants to keep the legacy of the Legion alive.

“As the veterans get older, they’re leaving us. We need to keep this building open, like every other legion in the country, so the younger people know who was here, what they did and what they died for.”

To begin their fundraising efforts, the Legion has started a 50/50 that will be drawn on June 16th at Redcliff Days. Tickets are available at the Redcliff Legion.