The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.
Like a play that is a well-acted opening night after a chaotic dress rehearsal, there was no sign Thursday of the behind-the-scenes scrambling that went on this week at the new Steelworkers’ Hall at 66 Brady St.
By the time the ribbon was cut to the new Leo W. Gerard Hall, the multi-purpose union hall was ready for visitors.
There was no sign of the rolls of wire, lumber, sawdust and workers evident Monday when United Steelworkers Local 6500 president Rick Bertrand led a brief tour of the new facility. By Thursday afternoon, the main hall was transformed into an elegant ballroom — with a
musical trio playing on the main stage, a buffet of finger foods and an atmosphere reminiscent of a wedding or tiny social event.
Leo Gerard, United Steelworkers’ international president, was still wiping tears from his eyes when everyone poured into the main hall after the ribbon-cutting.
The hall can seat up to 530 people and is already booked for more than a dozen weddings and other community events.
The union hosted its first public event in December, when Santa Claus attended the union’s children’s Christmas party in the hall.
The main hall features a magnificent sound system with ceiling baffles, a large stage and six 170-inch projection screens on the walls of the giant room.
It’s a far cry from the Spartan space at 92 Frood Rd. that served the union — and the community — for more than 40 years.
Bertrand and his union were proud to show off their new digs, although they had moved in last spring, joined by sister union, USW Local 2020.
Bertrand won’t reveal the price tag to renovate the old grocery store into a magnificent community hall and convention centre.
That is between him and his members, he says.
But it is probably no exaggeration to say millions went into the project designed by Sudbury architect Richard Yallowega, whose father was a Steelworker, and led by member Roger Lafontaine.
Guests at the opening got to view areas of the hall that will be off-limits to visitors unless they are there on union business.
But it was the main hall, a small hall similar to the old Dieppe Room on Frood Road, the gleaming state-of-the-art kitchen, two classrooms and other amenities that impressed.
Gerard called it one of the most beautiful halls in Ontario, and not just because it’s named after him.
“Today’s a happy day,” said a smiling Bertrand. “It’s not just about Steelworkers Local 6500 who were on strike a year and a half ago. It’s about the community and the membership and getting together and showing what we’ve got. I’m very proud of it.”
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