Topic: Whither the Royal Canadian Legion? Or RCL withers?

[dogger1936]

RCL Membership Statistical Reports

Membership by Military Service (2010) - http://www.legion.ca/_PDF/MembershipStats/2010Military_Stats_e.pdf - Note that even in 2010, the RCL continues to segregate the "Militia" from the "Navy, Army, Air Force and CF." Even so, and including RCMP, "others" and "Unknown", the membership with service was about 108K.

Compare that to a membership number of 340K (2011) - http://www.legion.ca/_PDF/MembershipStats/pdmembershipsummary.pdf

So, based on those two figures, only about 30 % of RCL members have previously served by their accounting.

Very interesting Micheal; thanks for this. I believe this illustrates the problem. Their division between militia and regular force angers me as well. Last time I checked we had these "militia" fighting and dying right beside their regular force brothers and sisters. Yet another outdated ideal from the RCL.

Hell I know we have way to many Walt's in out ranks but to paint us all with the same brush is wrong. I bet you have as much in common with 80% of the CF as you have with Joe Blow at the mall.

Fact is these places were designed by war vets for war vets. Navy Army Airforce. If your an ex service member who has joined the CIC to give back to the community; by all means come on in. If your a 30 yr old ex cadet with 12 years service in a youth program...No. You don't belong there. If your a civilian who had a great uncle serve once. You don't belong there. If your some random civi who likes having cheap drinks...you don't belong there. I know during my grandfathers generation you would have been laughed out of the legion as part of the cadet program with no other service.

Time to get back to what the legion was all about. An inclusive club looking out for our serving brothers and sisters best interest.

[dapaterson]

So, based on those two figures, only about 30 % of RCL members have previously served by their accounting.

They've served by their accounting?  Man, that's a lot of pay clerks and finance officers at the Legion!

[Get Nautical]

Very interesting Micheal; thanks for this. I believe this illustrates the problem. Their division between militia and regular force angers me as well. Last time I checked we had these "militia" fighting and dying right beside their regular force brothers and sisters. Yet another outdated ideal from the RCL.

Fact is these places were designed by war vets for war vets. Navy Army Airforce. If your an ex service member who has joined the CIC to give back to the community; by all means come on in. If your a 30 yr old ex cadet with 12 years service in a youth program...No. You don't belong there. If your a civilian who had a great uncle serve once. You don't belong there. If your some random civi who likes having cheap drinks...you don't belong there. I know during my grandfathers generation you would have been laughed out of the legion as part of the cadet program with no other service.

Time to get back to what the legion was all about. An inclusive club looking out for our serving brothers and sisters best interest.

My friend was in Cadets, a CI and later CIC but was not eligible for military service due to medical restrictions, it is still honourable to be contributing to society in other ways. so she joined the RCL Ladies Auxiliary and wears the her legion uniform with pride, unlike most of us (myself included) who don't even show up to vote, only pay dues and drop in for a drink during Remembrance Day and maybe another 3 days in the year (I am making a concientious effort to become more involved, when work doesnt get in the way)
It is up to us to get involved, although I'm not crazy about meat draws and bingo.

[Not_So_Arty_Newbie]

Not to hi-jack but I just learned from my father that Branch 154 (Ogden) in Calgary will be closing due to bankruptcy this month.

This is the third building for this legion, the second being built from the Shepard BCATP WO's and Sgt's mess. In the late 70's early 80's the current location was built. It boasts 2 banquet halls, a members canteen, a public lounge, and an 8 sheet curling rink on the second floor.  This facility has been mortgaged and paid off twice and they can now no longer afford the mortgage. As I really only have the chance to enter the facility about 3 times a year when I visit home I notice a large amount of bloody expensive security systems (uneccessary in my mind), televisions that didnt need replacing and others.  The branch membership would love to see a forensic audit but cannot afford it. Dominion Command replaced the Exec last summer. 

This folks is a shame, truly a shame. Hell the curling rink could sustain the place all year.  It just saddens me to see this particular icon die off after its inception by during the days of War Production at the Ogden CPR yards

[Get Nautical]

Curling rink, I'm impressed, sad that it is closing

[Kernewek]

So that's what they were hiding there! That legion is bloody huge. Now I can imagine why they can't afford the place. Of course, like you said, opening up the curling rink could have sufficed. I wouldn't doubt it. However, that was also the least "open" looking legion I've ever been by. Others have signs to welcome people in... others also have windows

[Get Nautical]

I imagine most of bldg's have been built between the 40s and 60s, built huge to support its members now dwindling away every year, expensive maintenance and heating costs that are through the roof.
Sadly Salmon Arm got rid of theirs for reasons above, it had a lovely commercial kitchen and banquet hall up stairs; that as a kid, the cadet corps would hold the annual mess dinner from, but because they switched to a one story design (kitchen was poorly set up, had all residential appliances/counter tops/half the space) and no banquet hall, meaning the bar wasn't separate, so no minors meaning here we are doing the annual mess dinner in a church basement, the people were all probably very nice but it wasn't the same.

[Not_So_Arty_Newbie]

The key thing about the Ogden legion is the land was donated and until the building was recently re-mortgaged, it had been paid off twice. The signage could be better, agreed.  better advertising could also help. The interior paint in the canteen, while in keeping with legion colours is painfull (although that can be fixed with a paint brush). But all in all it is a great facility,  I remember years ago (close to fifteen) various organizations would rent out the halls for conferences and engage the kitchen to cater.