Branch Information
BRANCH HISTORY
The plaque reads:
“This building was erected in the interest of all seamen upon whom in no measure, defends the safety, peace, preservation and prosperity of our empire.“
The building was built in mid 1920’s and was commemorated on September 15th, 1926 an the official opening by then Premier of Ontario G. Ferguson.
RCSCC Vanguard was a unit of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets. and was amalgamated in 1958 with RCSCC Haida, Ark Royal and the Navy League Wrenettes Corps. Many other sea cadet organizations trained there.
The building then became the headquarters for the Sea Cadet Corps and the Navy League of Canada {eventually HMCS York} until 1959. It was the Haida, Vanguard Barracks.
In more recent years the building was home to the Rameses Shrine Temple for approximately 20 years till 1982.
In 1983 until present, the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 344 “Queens Own Rifles of Canada” has been headquartered here. The Branch has a Board of Directors of elected members under the leadership of President, Comrade Mary Keates.
The Branch is fully operational as a Royal Canadian Legion and maintains regular Legion business. They meet and host both Executive and General meetings for their Legion members. The Branch hosts many planned events for the Veterans, family, friends together with general public throughout the year.
The Royal Canadian Legion (Queen’s Own) Branch 344 does a great deal of fund raising efforts at the Club to enable the Branch to donate to local groups in need such as the Redwood Women’s Shelter in Parkdale.
The Annual Poppy Campaign is always well received locally and enables the Branch to assist both our Veteran members and local Veterans either at home or in hospital. The funds raised enable the branch to contribute a great deal of support to the much needed Veterans assistance programs that are within the local Community the District and Nationally thus making the branch a great asset to the community.
To help defray operational expenses the branch offers a variety of rooms and facilities for rent to local organizations and the general public to host meetings, and a variety of events Weddings, Birthdays etc.
Our building is one of the three oldest of its type in South Parkdale. During the war of 1812 – the United States continued their assault of Canada by moving West in Lake Ontario. In 1813 they attacked York and Fort York with a force of 1500 to 2000 men and landed originally just West of us and 150 Kentucky Rifleman landed on the area behind our building. They also attacked a boat company just to the West of the building.