Some Royal Canadian Legion branches are struggling to keep their doors open, as they face inflation and rising maintenance costs on aging buildings.
Several legions say the COVID-19 pandemic hit them hard financially and they’re still struggling to recover, even if they’re no longer at risk of closure.
Montreal’s Verdun legion sold its building over a decade ago and now meets once a week in a rented space.
President Darlene Harrison says the members are happy to have a gathering place, but high rents mean the branch can no longer afford a building of its own.
The branch in Grenfell has decided to put its building up for sale, due to what its president calls aging membership and an aging building.
Ken Box says members were spending too much time fundraising just to stay open, and that selling will allow them to focus on the legion’s core mission of supporting veterans and the community.
–The Canadian Press–