Legion plans new multi-million dollar building, apartment complex

Sault Ste. Marie’s Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25 officials announced Monday they have taken the first step in the process of gaining approval for a new complex at its current location at 96 Great Northern Rd.

“It will be a combination of a new Legion facility (branch) and an apartment building (built by Sal-Dan Developments),” said Pierre Breckenridge, Branch 25 1st vice president, speaking to SooToday.

“The funding (for the complex) will be a combination of input from the Legion, from Sal-Dan and from grants we will apply for. The total cost is only an estimate at this point...but it’s several millions of dollars,” said Clyde Healey, Branch 25 property development chair.

Federal and provincial funding will be applied for to help bring the project into being, Healey said.

The planning stage for the development is six months, the complex hopefully completed another two years, at least, beyond that.

The Legion and Sal-Dan will co-own and manage the facility, the property and facility to always remain in the name of the Legion, Healey said. 

“We have to follow the guidelines of the grants that we get,” Healey said, the apartment units to be, ideally, for veterans.

“We’re here to serve vets. If the vets fall within the criteria that are set by the government regulators that will authorize the money, the vets will get first opportunity,” Healey said.

Branch 25 officers and members voted unanimously (both in person and virtually) Sunday in favour of the development, 154-0, Healey said.

“Our membership seemed to be very enthusiastic about what could happen. We have steps that we have to take. That (vote) was the first one. (The Royal Canadian Legion’s) Provincial Command has to approve every move that we do. We are waiting for them. We’re gathering our information...but we want to let you know it seemed very successful yesterday,” said Helen Stewart, Branch 25 president.

“We’re going to be working rather diligently over the next six months to put in place a number of contracts with the developer, with the temporary location we will have to move to and how we’re going to move our facilities there. We have about six months to get that in place so we’ll be quite busy in that process,” Healey said.