This spring the parents auxiliary group for the organization decided something needed to be done.
"We've either got to build it up or tear it down," Paul Bishop, president of the parents group said.
Since many of the parents in the group were once cadets themselves and all have seen the benefits of the organization in their children's lives, the choice was simple. They would restore and rebuild as a sign in front of the building now proudly boasts.
Saturday (May 19) volunteers were busy gutting the basement of gyprock and old doors. Their goal is to get rid of everything contaminated by the mould and refinish the basement. They also plan to get the hall up stairs restored as well.
Kyle Renaud and Bill Cardiff both attended the cadet hall when they were young and were busy helping out. They say they want future generations to have the same experiences they had there.
"It's taught me a lot and kept me out of trouble," said Renaud. "Might as well do the same for the next generation."
The building, which sits on Drummond Road, was originally built by the community in the late 1960s and served as both the meeting place for the cadets as well as a community-gathering place. Since it's closure the cadets have had to operate out of the Westville civic building.
While that has worked out well, Lt. William Reid said the goal was always to get back to their own hall.
"Now there's people willing to come and do it," he said.
By returning to their original home, they'll also have more space to work with, he said
The community support for the project has already been phenomenal with a large transfer truck trailer donated for storage and garbage bins lent for removing the old debris, Reid said. People have also been giving pennies and Canadian Tire money to help cover the cost of supplies.
The biggest area where people can help now is with the physical labour aspects, the group says. More money will also been needed to help complete the renovations.
Bishop said he hopes that once the building is restored, it will give new life to the entire organization.
"Once we get this going and people start seeing it, maybe we'll get more cadets involved," he said.
For more information visit the 374 Flight Lt. Chisholm Facebook page or call Bishop at 752-4743.
The News
