Saturday, August 4, 2018

Festival Hall first opened in 1940 as part of a Non-Permanent Active Militia Training Centre, the next year becoming an advanced training camp for the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps. The facility's name was changed to the A-20 Army Camp. Soldiers came to Red Deer to learn skills for map reading, using weapons, defending against gas attacks, and equipment management, supply and repair. The A-20 Army Camp closed at the end of WWII. In 1950 the east drill hall of the camp was converted into an auditorium, and a gymnasium for the Composite High School (now Lindsay Thurber Composite High School), opening the following fall. In 1992, the Red Deer Cultural Heritage Society acquired Festival Hall. In the same vein of renovating the Cronquist House, they proceeded to renovate the old gymnasium and turned it into a warm and attractive community hall.

Posted at 02:00 PM