The Lakeshore Lions Club is a service club with a bountiful history. It is the legacy of a special group of local men whose dedication lifted them to heights of personal involvement in the affairs of their community as seldom seen. Starting a service club in the lean years of the depression required an abundance of faith, and the men who laid the cornerstone for this Club all gave freely the main ingredient for success – hard work.

The founding Lions brought the Club through two of the most devastating periods in the 20th Century – the Depression and World War II. To those who knew these dedicated men, it would come as no surprise that the members who followed would be inspired to uphold the ideals of the charter members.

Formed just sixteen years earlier, in 1947 the Lakeshore Lions Club embarked on one of the most ambitious post-war projects undertaken by a service club. Plans were drawn for the construction of the Lakeshore Lions Memorial Arena, with a seating capacity of 3,000 people at an estimated cost of $225,000 – in those years a staggering sum!

The cynics – and there were many – must have been astounded on April 15th, 1950. With only $70,000 in the arena fund, raised on carnivals, car draws, house to house canvasses, residents donating a dollar for each brick, and donations from local industry, the Club broke ground for its new building.

Work progressed quite rapidly – and the money ran low just as fast. The members advanced personal funds to keep the project on target, but still more funds were needed. Fortunately, a member of the Club was a bank manager of the what was then Dominion Bank and a loan was arranged. And, showing their strong commitment to the project, all of the Lions personally signed security notes.

Creating an ice surface was no mean feat in those days. To give some insight into the work involved, about 120 tons of donated block ice was trucked from the Empire Ice Company to be crushed and packed around the piping to give the compressor a head start.

An interesting fact is the final cost of the arena project. Originally estimated in 1947 at $225,000, the actual cost came in at an amazing $225,030.20 – a mere $30.20 over the estimate! Bear in mind that the Club members were not engineers, architects or draftsmen but a group of 23 cost-conscious, dedicated people with a simple need in mind.

The arena was opened for business on the 14th of February, 1951, with residents of all three local municipalities turning out to celebrate the occasion. The project was a complete success!

With only 23 members on the roster (similar to today’s membership), the Club raised funds presenting Sunday night concerts, and later teamed up with the New Toronto Fire Department to present an annual gala day and car draw. Other fundraising activities included the hilarious and profitable donkey basketball games.

The arena ran smoothly and enthusiasm for adding an auditorium grew quickly. And, in typical Lions’ fashion, not one but two auditoriums and a modern kitchen that could serve 500 people at one sitting were completed in December 1958 at a cost of $190,000. Bingo became the Club’s main fundraiser and that loan was retired in 1963.

Over the years, many have enjoyed the first class ice facility – from the thousands of children who have played minor hockey for the Faustina Sports Club since the arena opened right through to the Ryerson University varsity team that plays its home games at the Lions’ arena and the Toronto Maple Leafs who now practice here.

Maintaining the arena in prime condition has required many significant upgrades to the facility. The most recent addition was the new Lions’ Den at the north end of the building, complete with a boardroom, kitchen and functions room.

The founding members of the Lakeshore Lions Club knew there was great need in their community. To quote from the Lions Code Of Ethics, they believed it was their duty… “To aid my fellow men by giving my sympathy to those in distress, my aid to the weak, and my substance to the needy”. And so, since its inception, the Lakeshore Lions Club has raised and donated in excess of $2,000,000 to the community.

The Club’s first project was financing tonsil and adenoid operations for needy children, followed by providing financial aid to children needing glasses and dental care. Over the years, its projects have helped many diverse causes – all well-deserving of its support. The Club concentrates on projects in its local area. However, if assistance is needed elsewhere, the Club tries to be of service, on the basis that helping people should not be dictated by boundaries.

The Lakeshore Lions Club’s single largest donation was $100,000 contributed to the Queensway hospital. Several others such as the Milton School for the Deaf, Stothers School, the Trillium Hospital Association, and the first “Lori’s Room” at St. Joseph’s Hospital have also received major donations. And, countless others have been supported by the Club on a smaller scale. Nonetheless, there is a continuing need in the community as the Lakeshore Lions Club received in excess of 100 requests for assistance just in the past year.

As well as its own projects, the Club also takes part in many community fundraisers that provide a lot of fun and fellowship for its members and their families, including:

• “Case for a Cure” for the Canadian Diabetes Association
• M & M Meat Shops’ annual fund raising for Crohn’s & Colitis research
• The Dave Dunmore Memorial Slo-Pitch Tournament
• Offshore Boat Racing in Port Credit
• Lorie’s Room Walk-A-Thon
  

Thank you for your interest in the work of the Lakeshore Lions Club. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to speak to any of the members of the Lakeshore Lions Club. You may contact us using our contact page .