The St. Catharines Armoury is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. The building is currently used by the Canadian Armed Forces as a drill hall. [1] The armoury trains the Lincoln and Welland Regiment and serves the 10th Battery of the 56th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA.
The armoury was built in 1905 to replace a previous drill-shed that was destroyed by an 1898 tornado. Before being paved over for use as a parking lot, grass outside the building was used for military drills. [2] The interior of the building has been used for local gatherings and events, such as a 1907 exhibition by the St. Catharines Horticultural Society. [3]
The Lincoln and Welland Regiment Association Band used the armoury as a rehearsal venue for more than a century. They performed in local events and festivals. [4] In December 2023, the military concluded that civilian bands could no longer be associated with the army, due to concerns about being confused with official military bands. [5] In 2024, the band associated with the armoury was ordered to leave. The band renamed itself to remove its association with the regiment. [4] The band is composed of civilian volunteer musicians and does not receive government funding. [6] Numerous volunteers were former members of the regiment. [5]