Summerside Hospitality During WWII

Board of Trade

The businessmen of Summerside, through the Board of Trade that formed in 1900, were instrumental in the establishment of the Air Force school. Their minutes indicate that as early as November 1939, the Chairman of Air Services, A.R. Brennan, began to lobby the government for a BCATP facility. In February 1940, local MP / Minister of Finance J. L. Ralston, stated in a speech the likelihood of PEI as a site for schools under the scheme that was unfolding. He publicly thanked the Board of Trade and Citizens' Committee "for their interest and cooperation in helping to expedite and facilitate the work of the Department of Transport and National Defence in the preliminary exploration and negotiation." The establishment of a school was announced in May 1940 and construction began that summer.

In the fall of 1940 the Board of Trade looked ahead to the need for a town recreation centre for the airmen that would be arriving. It appointed a special committee to bring citizens together to discuss the situation. On December 13, representatives from every organization in town attended a meeting, which resulted in the formation of a large general committee of 46 people. This group, later referred to as the Defence Service Committee or the Citizens Committee, was sub-divided into standing committees with B.W. Robinson as General Chairman and C.B. Morris as General Secretary. E.P. Foley, MLA was named Chairman of the Entertainment Committee.

To fill the temporary need for an entertainment facility, the Imperial Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) offered its lodge rooms for three days a week. When the committee met on January 8, it discovered that the Y's Men had acquired space for its own recreational centre. The subsequent opening of the Red Triangle Club, the Legion War Services Club, and the K of C Hut meant that there was no urgency to establish one large facility.

Considerable work was done by the Board of Trade in 1941 under President A.R. Brennan, and Secretary-treasurer R.S. Hinton. The group led the way in planning a civic reception in April 1941 for the officers and staff of the No. 9 SFTS. It took the necessary steps for the establishment of the 53rd Air Cadet Squadron. The Board also worked with the officials at the Airport to maintain goodwill. Three of its members, S.G. Merriam, L.R. Allen, and E.P. Foley, were appointed to collaborate with a Public Relations committee from the No. 9 School so that matters of mutual interest could be discussed. The special guest at the annual meeting in January 1942 was Group Captain Fullerton who thanked the Board and the community at large for their good fellowship saying that wherever he might go he would always remember Summerside.

The year 1942 was a busy one for the members. The major order of business centred around the government's request for the Board to take leadership in establishing one central recreational facility. At a special meeting on March 3, 1942, Mr. Pifher, a member of the Budget Board of the federal Auxiliary War Services stated that the three war services in town, namely the Y's Men, the Legion and the Knights of Columbus should amalgamate. A local Citizens Committee would have to finance the maintenance, but the government would put a building in shape. According to Board of Trade minutes Mr. Pifher said, "there were no more funds to run the local War Services, but that his Board did not want to see anybody close up until satisfactory arrangements were made and new quarters decided upon." The federal government guaranteed a grant of $4000 towards one central facility operated as a joint effort by the town organizations, similar to what was being offered in other communities. It offered local revenue from upcoming salvage campaigns towards the cost of maintenance. As a result, there was serious talk about adding an extension to the civic building. It would give larger quarters to the town departments and offices and provide a large hall as a recreation centre. A committee was appointed to lay the proposal before Town Council, which showed enough interest to have tentative building plans prepared. The proposal was forwarded to Ottawa but no agreement could be reached so the idea was eventually dropped and the three separate services remained open.

The Board had other concerns to deal with in 1942. It met with town officials and the Premier to plan a farewell for the No. 9 School. A reception and dance were held at the High School in late June and President Brennan spoke at the final ceremony on July 6 on behalf of the organization.

The members discussed the need for a wartime industry for the town and were successful in procuring a Dehydration Plant. Potatoes were processed for shipment overseas.

The desire to provide a welcoming atmosphere for the Air Force personnel was consistently strong. When Group Captain Lewis from No. 1 GRS was a special guest at the Board's meeting in June 1943, he expressed the goodwill that was felt by him and his officers and offered to be of assistance to the town in any way possible. That fall C/O Lewis worked with the Board of Trade to open up the RCAF Station for an afternoon visit by male citizens of Summerside.

The businessmen of Summerside, through the Board of Trade, played a significant role in the wartime years. Most of their achievements were made behind the scenes. A.R. Brennan, president for the years 1940-42, reflected on the organization's quiet presence. "Many of the things that have been done do not show on the surface … . Things done quietly in the correct quarter are frequently more surely accomplished."

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