ILWU 505 makes it official, work to start soon on new Union Hall for Prince Rupert

The downtown lot that once housed the ILWU hall is about to become
an active construction zone, with work soon to get underway to build
a new hall for the membership in Prince Rupert

A Friday gathering down in the hole at 1st West and Eighth Street signalled the start for a new construction project in the downtown core, with ILWU Local 505 announcing plans for a new union hall on the site of their long standing structure through the decades.

As we noted earlier this week, the lot where the union hall once stood has been cleared and today a number of dignitaries. from the Port, Industry, government and labour  joined ILWU members to celebrate the work ahead.

All together now ... the big dig is underway for a new
ILWU dispatch hall in Prince Rupert
(photo from MLA Rice's FB)

North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice was among those taking part in the groundbreaking ceremony, the MLA  noting that the new hall project has come together with support from the BC Maritime Employers Association, DP World, and the Prince Rupert Port Authority,  with 2.6 million raised for this project. 

Considering it's prime location downtown, travellers along Second Avenue and 1st Avenue West will have a good viewpoint to charting the progress from foundation to Grand Opening.

As we outlined on Monday, ILWU numbers are currently using the basement of the Church of Christ on Prince Rupert Boulevard on a temporary basis for their dispatch and union requirements.

More notes on Labour in Prince Rupert can be explored from our archive page.