Prince Albert Legion repairs building with provincial grant

WATCH: The Prince Albert Royal Canadian Legion branch 2 has repaired the roof, renovated a washroom and re-done windows.

The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 2 is completing some much-needed building repairs.

The Prince Albert Royal Canadian Legion Branch 2 has repaired the roof, renovated a washroom, and redone windows, thanks to $115,000 in funding from the Saskatchewan Veterans Service Capital Support Program.

“We’re losing our World War I and World War II veterans, whom we serve first, but now we have to look towards Afghanistan and any future conflicts,” said Saskatchewan Command Vice-President Patti Paul about the legion.

“We have to reach out to those younger veterans. And one of the things is maintaining the buildings, and that is to make it more welcoming to the younger veterans.”

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Since 2019, the province has given out $6 million for projects under the program.

“We had a lot of veterans who gave up their lives to make Canada the free and wonderful place that it is to live today,” said MLA for Prince Albert Northcote Alana Ross. “The legions are here to help support veterans, the families of veterans, and also to support communities.”

One of the next items on the list for the Prince Albert branch is upgrading the kitchen.

The province estimates that there are approximately 170 veterans’ service organizations in the province that are eligible to apply for these grants annually. Applications for this year’s grant close on June 1.

“I’ve been to many small communities,” said Paul. “I look at Frenchman’s Butte. That is the meeting place. There isn’t a store. There isn’t a restaurant. But everybody meets at the legion, and they’ve used a lot of the money. Their building almost looks brand new now.”