Peggy Revell
After almost 80 years of serving as a hub for the local Ukrainian community, there’s a “For Sale” sign at the Ukrainian Literary Society Hall.
The hall was a community centre for the Ukrainian residents in Fort Frances, noted Metro Badiuk, who was president of the society from 1984 until last year.
“[The Ukrainian immigrants] wanted to sort of maintain their way of life, their heritage, their thoughts, so they would get together and associate,” he explained.
But, as it has happened with other cultural halls in the area, Badiuk said interest in these type of organizations and halls became watered down with passing generations. With only about a dozen members still in the society, they decided it was time to put the hall up for sale.
The first meeting held at the hall by the Ukrainian Literary Society, also known as Prosvita, took place on Dec. 16, 1928 when it was only partially constructed. Until St. George’s Orthodox Church was built in 1946, the hall would serve as a home for church services and many other community activities.
Even after the church was built, the hall continued to grow. From 1940-41, the basement and stage area was constructed, then in 1965 the present kitchen and dining area were built. The committee room was added later in a fourth stage of upgrades.
“There was something every day. There was always a weekly concert,” recalled Badiuk. “It was the centre of all our activities.”
These included fundraisers, holiday festivals, social events such as weddings, as well as dance classes, choirs, concerts, dances, bazaars, Bingo, lectures, and meetings.
“Their caterings were quite popular. [Members] worked real hard and everyone enjoyed them,” Badiuk added.
“When Christmas holidays came around, Jan. 7, we always had our caroling day and we went to greet the members,” noted member Mary Gushulak. “We were taught to sing the Christmas carols for the members. We’d go to their houses and greet them, and then they would give us a little donation to the church.”
“My biggest memory is that for every Christmas pageant, I was the devil,” recalled Ann Wood, another member who grew up participating in many of the hall’s activities. “I had a perpetual devil’s costume because it just seemed that whatever play there was, there was always a devil in it, and that was me.”
When “Culturama” still was a fixture in Fort Frances, the Ukrainian Literary Society also was there, with a choir singing a few songs in Ukrainian, added Gushulak.
“So we would be performing there at the arena, and that carried on for a few years,” she remarked.
Many of the hall’s historical items, such as photos and records, already have been moved across the street to St. George’s, noted Wood.
The society also is looking into the possibility of sending other pieces, including the canvas tapestry that was used as a stage curtain for so many plays, out west to a Ukrainian museum or archive.
