A brief history of the Kemptville Branch #212 Building

Historically speaking, the Royal Canadian Legion Kemptville Branch #212 was granted a Charter dated April 17, 1932 under the authority of the Canadian Legion of the British Empire Service League as it was known at the time. During the early days of membership within this National Veterans Organization, members held their meetings and social events in the Armoury Building and at other public venues in the Town of Kemptville.

As the local membership base increased, the Kemptville Legion members took that opportunity to design, fund and erect their own meeting hall. The Town of Kemptville Municipal Council kindly provided a parcel of land for the proposed structure at the entrance to Riverside Park and the Legion members began sourcing materials and building supplies to commence erecting the building. It is interesting to note that the majority of the lumber and other building materials came from a military 'H' hut at a former Army Camp in Brockville, Ontario which was dismantled piece by piece and transported to the Kemptville Legion site.

Volunteer labour, donations in kind and fundraising were essential in covering the costs to erect the building and work slowly progressed between 1953 and 1956. The official opening of the Legion Building and Hall took place on Saturday July 6, 1957. The ceremony was held in conjunction with the Kemptville Centennial Celebrations and in honour of the July 6, 1944 Anniversary of D-Day. However a cornerstone or dedication plaque signifying the importance of that event or who or what the building was dedicated to was not laid or attached to the structure at that time.

On Saturday April 29, 2017 the executive and members held a Dedication Ceremony in celebration of the 60^th Anniversary of the Building and Hall. To mark the occasion a special Dedication Plaque was affixed to the building in honour of the courageous men and women of the Town of Kemptville, Oxford-on-Rideau and South Gower who gave up their lives in military service to Canada and the Commonwealth. The plaque was formally unveiled by Sharon Murray, President Branch #212, Leeds-Grenville MP Gord Brown and North Grenville Mayor David Gordon. The plaque is located to the left of the main entrance doors.

Source: Courtesy of Roy Brown.