The Royal Canadian Legion in Stayner is celebrating after receiving some long awaited tender loving care in the form of renovations. Branch 457 was originally located on Gideon Street in town, but in the early 2000s, the legion moved to its current home on Highway 26, which once served as a provincial police station. On Sept. 11, the legion celebrated the completion of nearly $200,000 in renovations by hosting a rededication ceremony, where the legion reaffirmed its values to the community. “Our mission is to serve veterans, including serving military and RCMP members and their families, to promote remembrance and to serve our communities and our country,” said James Brown, second vice president of the legion. An upgraded kitchen, new ceilings, dimmable pot lighting, new trim, paint, and the professional installation of local military history and artifacts were all on the list of things Branch 457 had redone or newly installed. Two subwalls were removed to create more space and the legion also had a garage door removed and plumbing and electrical upgrades. “These updated facilities will benefit the community through enhanced appearance and modernization thus allowing for more community social activities, providing meals to the community, while meeting the needs of our seniors, veterans and community as a whole and enticing other social groups to use our facilities,” said Brown. The renovations were completed through a capital grant the legion received in August 2025, of $196,200 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Brown says all in, the cost of renovations was $191,200, allowing the legion to return $5,000 back to the Trillium Foundation.
