ATIKOKAN — A number of upgrades will help make the Royal Canadian Legion branch in Atikokan more modern and accessible, local officials say.
The branch was recently granted just over $90,000 from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation for work on the building’s hall space. That includes replacing all the flooring, finishing electrical upgrades, creating an accessible outside entrance, and building an all-gender and accessible washroom, said Elizabeth Shine, the first vice-president.
“I want to make it so the people in the community feel welcome,” she said.
“It shows we appreciate our legion, shows we appreciate our veterans, and allows the younger generation to feel they want to come here and be a part of our organization, and that was my incentive for everything.”
Shine is also a municipal councillor in Atikokan.
Work is scheduled to begin in February 2026, with completion expected the following November, she said.
The legion has already spent roughly $20,000 on the electrical work and, in order to qualify for the NOHFC money, must commit another $30,000 to the overall project, but a contingency fund can be accessed if necessary
An accessibility audit done by a third-party consultant found that to make the whole building fully accessible would cost over $250,000, Shine said.
The building was constructed in 1975.
“If we spent that kind of money — even getting a grant — with our portion, we might as well lock the doors,” Shine said. “So, I chose to go after partial accessibility and then hopefully down the (road) we can move ahead with the next (project).”
The NOHFC money was announced by Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Kevin Holland at an event at the legion on Oct. 10.
Addressing the crowd, he said his grandparents were members of the Kakabeka Falls legion and described any local branch as much more than just a building.
“It’s a cornerstone of community life. Back in the day when my parents got married, everybody got married at the Kakabeka legion,” he told Newswatch.
“They’ve been a fixture in our communities for most of our whole life, so a lot of great memories are made at the legion and … just the important work that they’re doing for the communities they serve.”
Shine said the legion is “the hub” in Atikokan, hosting everything from Air Cadets and retired teachers’ events to the Atikokan Lions Club gatherings, local darts competitions and Remembrance Day ceremonies.
She said the legion is also looking to get back to hosting weddings.
“I’m just overexcited, is what it is right now, but whatever anybody wants to do, we’re more than welcome to host it here,” Shine said. “We’re proud to do it and we hope people will look to us in the future.”
Holland added “It’s so important to maintain that connection to our past and what they do to honour our veterans. To be able to support their operations and help them to maintain their buildings and their facilities, I think it’s an important part of history that we have to maintain.”
