North Saskatchewan Regiment meets recruiting goal as P.A. armoury prepares for renovations

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Maj. Ramsay Bellisle is the North Saskatchewan Regiment’s deputy commanding officer. (Image Credit: Submitted)

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North Saskatchewan Regiment meets recruiting goal as P.A. armoury prepares for renovations

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In Prince Albert, five new members have been sworn in, with another two or three people believed to be entering the recruiting system.

Bellisle credited a combination of community outreach and national recruiting efforts. Locally, three people worked to increase the regiment’s visibility by attending events and talking about opportunities to serve.

Part of that work was helping residents understand what happens inside the armoury.

“The armoury is not just a cadet place. There is army reserves going on,” he said.

The North Saskatchewan Regiment is a primary reserve infantry unit based in Prince Albert and Saskatoon. Bellisle said renewed use of the military training area north of Prince Albert has also helped raise awareness of its local presence.

While recruiting continues, the regiment’s century-old Prince Albert armoury is preparing for work that will affect military activities and community events.

The renovations include replacing the main parade floor, removing lead paint from interior brickwork and restoring large wooden doors.

Bellisle said the floor has accumulated several layers of concrete over the years. Those layers will be removed and replaced with a single concrete pad.

Remembrance Day services this year will be held in the Exhibition Centre, directly across from the Armoury. (Image Credit: File photo/paNOW)

Workers will also install infrastructure to accommodate a future elevator to the second-floor balconies. Bellisle said he expected electrical and fibre-optic lines to be moved beneath the floor.

Paint will be stripped from interior brickwork around the parade square, staircases and balconies, and the bricks resealed.

Large wooden doors, including five along the west wall associated with the building’s former stables, will be stripped, stained and preserved. Metal entrance doors will also be replaced.

Bellisle said the project required heritage approvals, and the contract was awarded at the end of August. Contractors were awaiting final security clearances before beginning work inside the building.

The anticipated construction means changes for Nov. 11 events.

“As a result, Remembrance Day cannot happen in the armoury because the contractor should be in the building.”

Bellisle said organizers were planning a service similar to the one usually held at the armoury, although the tighter space could affect the march-in by military members, veterans, cadets and other participating organizations.

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panews@pattisonmedia.com