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Legion looking for its history
Rosalind Duane
rduane@nsnews.com
Lynn Valley Legion member Denis K. Crockett has recently embarked on a unique project to dig up the past.
He was elected by other members of the legion to be the point man on a project to put together pieces of the legion's past.
Starting with older members of the legion, Crockett tracked down items of interest including photos and old newsletters. He also uncovered an original copy of the May 22, 1953 issue of the District News, which coincidentally has a photo of the legion on the front. The legion hall was put up about that time, and a photo of the building graces the front cover of the publication.
Crockett's footwork for the project also included contacting the North Vancouver Museum and Archives to leaf through its collection of historical photos and documents.
The Lynn Valley history project is part of a bigger project that involves legion branches across the country.
To mark the 75th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Legion, which was last year, all branches were asked to participate in compiling a history of their own legion. Crockett explains that the Lynn Valley branch was unable to organize the history for last year, but is hoping to finish the project this year.
Crockett says he is pleased with what he has discovered so far, but believes he has exhausted most of the avenues of research he set out to explore, and so is asking the public for help.
The legion is interested in hearing from anyone who has photos or other items relevant to the history of the Lynn Valley legion, or to the Lynn Valley area. Crockett explains that the history of Lynn Valley is also important to the project because it helps him paint broad strokes of the community the legion has called home since 1930.
Before 1930, the Lynn Valley legion members met informally in various rented places and in private homes, but secured their own legion building around 1953, where they are still located today.
Crockett calls the building a "labour of love," and says it was through the initiative of the members that the permanent building came to be. Today, the Lynn Valley legion boasts more than 600 members, who are also anticipating the unveiling of another project they spearheaded. The veterans' walk memorial stone walkway at the new location of the North Vancouver Museum and Archives will be unveiled in May. Lynn Valley legion members have been involved with that project since the beginning, and helped promote and sell the memorial bricks that will make up the stone walkway.
Anyone with information or items associated with the legion or Lynn Valley is asked to call the legion at 604-987-2050.
published on 04/30/2006
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