Greetings Friends:

I know this email is a little long but we respectfully request that you take the time to read it as your assistance is urgently required regarding the following matter. In particular take the time to read the information in the attachment.

The Niagara Military Museum (formerly the Niagara Falls Armoury) is a facility dedicated to preserving Canadian history with a specific focus on the history of the military service of men and women from the Niagara Region. It is an all-volunteer organization. These people are not paid. They staff and maintain the museum on their own time (and often their own dime) to ensure that the contributions of our veterans to the history of Canada are not forgotten.

This volunteer-run facility is operated at a cost to the city of Niagara Falls of only about $50,000 per year. To put that amount in perspective it is LESS than the salary of ONE low to mid level city employee (Niagara Falls has 550 full time employees plus seasonal help).

Despite this minimal dollar figure the city of Niagara Falls is now contemplating forcing the museum to assume the $50,000 per year operating expense (which is untenable) or cease operations. This is, quite frankly, unconscionable. This museum welcomes approximately 9,000 visitors per year. It also hosts some ten other organizations as noted in the attachment. Some of its displays, including one outlining the contributions of local Black soldiers in the world wars, have received national recognition.

It is obvious from the above information that it is an extremely valuable asset to the city of Niagara Falls, not just as a tourist attraction but also as a social service provider.

At the moment the decision to potentially shut down the museum is just a city staff recommendation. Its ultimate fate will be determined by a vote of City Council within the next few months.

To ensure that the museum continues to function in its important roles we are asking for your support. Please take a few moments to do at least one (and hopefully all) of the following:

1. Go to the link at the bottom of this email and sign the petition.
2. No matter how small, make a contribution as funds may be required if the Museum has to retain legal counsel. Every dollar helps.
3. Send a short, polite note to the Mayor and City Councillors voicing your support for the city to continue funding the operation of the museum (email addresses below).

Mayor Jim Diodati - jdiodati@niagarafalls.ca
Councillors
Tony Baldinelli - tbaldinelli@niagarafalls.ca
Chris Dabrowski - cdabrowski@niagarafalls.ca
Lori Lococo - llococo@niagarafalls.ca
Ruth-Ann Nieuwesteeg - rnieuwesteeg@niagarafalls.ca
Mona Patel - mpatel@niagarafalls.ca
Victor Pietrangelo - vpietrangelo@niagarafalls.ca
Mike Strange - mstrange@niagarafalls.ca

4. Send copies of your correspondence to the Niagara Military Museum (https://nmm.life which they can include in their formal submission to the City.

5. Forward this email to all your contacts (friends and relatives) and ask them to do #'s 1-4 above. If you belong to a gun or conservation club ask your Executive to forward this email to your membership.

Let's help to keep this important piece of Canadian history alive and well.

Thank you for your support.

Gerry Gamble

The Niagara Military Museum and its many associated Armoury User Groups are reaching out to ask for your support at a critical time. Please take a few moments to write a letter of support to the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Niagara Falls, helping to preserve the future of our historic site.  The Niagara Military Museum, run by Volunteers , holds the stories of service and sacrifice of many Canadians from Niagara and Southern Ontario who served Canada from the Revolutionary war to Afghanistan.
 

Why does your support matter?
The City of Niagara Falls is currently reviewing its Core and Non-Core Assets as part of broader provincial initiative. The Armoury building—home to the Niagara Military Museum—is currently being considered a Non-Core Asset. This classification puts the building at risk of being declared surplus and repurposed, and there is a real possibility that our lease will not be renewed when it expires in March 2026.
Without your support, we may lose an irreplaceable part of our local and national history.

How you can help:
1. Review the attached materials, including our story and the petition outlining the significance of the Museum and the Armoury.
2. Sign the petition to show your support.
3. Write a short letter of support to the Mayor and City Councillors, highlighting the importance of preserving the Armoury and the Niagara Military Museum.
4. Send us a copy of your letter and the signed petition so we can include it in our formal submission to the City.
Every voice matters. Your support can make a real difference in keeping this community treasure alive for future generations.
 
Thank you for standing with us.
Sincerely,
Jim D.
President, Niagara Military Museum
Petiton to Protect and Preserve the Niagara Military Museum
--
NIAGARA MILITARY MUSEUM
Preserving and sharing the Tri-Service Military Heritage of the Niagara Peninsula

 

The Niagara Military Museum
Our Story
 The Armoury
. .
The Niagara Falls Armoury was constructed in 1911 and designed by government military architect T.W. Fuller. It was one of 11 armouries built during the 1896- 1911 Canadian Militia Reform and Expansion. The armoury functioned as a training and recruitment centre during World War 1 and later for World War II and the Korean War. It also served as the Department of Defence Armoury for the Lincoln and Welland Regiment, the 56th Field Artillery Regiment and the Army Reserve for many years.

In June of 1998, the Niagara Falls Armoury was designated as a place of history and architectural significance under the regulations of the Ontario Heritage Act.

Current Ownership
The City of Niagara Falls bought the Armoury from the Department of National Defence for $2.00 and took over formal ownership of the building in 2005.

Comments from the City Staff and Councillors of the day were as follows:

• “Turning the Armoury into a Museum is a good way to celebrate military in the City. It is always good when heritage is preserved”
• “We should be recognizing our military heritage”
• “A museum is part of what we do. We think this is an appropriate fill for the building. It preserves its history and its culture as well as the dedication that the men and women made for our country!”

The City’s Position and the Future
Under the City of Niagara Falls 2025 Asset Management Plan, the Armoury is under the Recreation, Culture, Cemeteries and Facilities line of Governance. Asset Management is about delivering value in a structured, predictable way that aligns with the community’s needs and priorities.

Also called Levels of Service, it defines the quality, reliability and availability of public services and is measured in three ways.

1. Community feedback.
2. How well an asset performs as it is meant to.
3. The activities that support those assets and services.

Given the foregoing Levels of Service, it is the strong opinion of the 10 User Groups, the Volunteers and the Board of Niagara Military Museum that each of those considerations has been satisfactorily achieved and delivered in all areas.

The bottom line, and after meetings and discussions with the City CAO Jason Burgess and staff from the Recreation and Culture Departments in January and April was as follows:

Unless the Volunteers that oversee the operations of the Niagara Military Museum buy the Armoury for $1.00 and assume the full operational costs of the Museum of approximately $50,000.00 per year, the Armoury would be repurposed for:

A. A Homeless Shelter or B. Affordable Housing
That request and recommendation would be submitted to the City of Niagara Falls Council for deliberation and decision-making during budget negotiations in the Fall of 2025.

The Volunteers of the Niagara Military Museum, after 12 years of dedication and commitment to the Armoury and to protecting the cherished memories of
Canada’s proud military past, respectfully declined the City’s offer!
 WHY- BECAUSE WE ARE JUST THAT – VOLUNTEERS!

If the primary consideration is reducing costs and taxpayer overhead and if the Armoury were eliminated tomorrow, based on the City’s annual operating budget of approximately $148,000,000, the resulting savings for the taxpayer would be
 $50,000.00 ~ $148,000,000
=.00033784%

The real question becomes ……..

• Preserving a Historical Armoury and Ontario Heritage Site, a remarkable Military Museum and tribute to Canada’s proud Military past, and a community hub that supports Military, Cultural and Educational Organizations.
 OR

A Taxpayer Savings of
.00033784%

The solution………….

• If the City of Niagara Falls wants to build a Homeless Shelter or Affordable Housing, then those should be “Greenfield Projects”, designed and built from the ground up for the purposes intended!
• Destroying an iconic Armoury, a Military Museum, and an irreplaceable part of our Heritage and our History is not the answer!
 The Niagara Military Museum
. .
 
Who Are We?
Created 12 years ago shortly after the City acquired the Armoury the Niagara Military Museum is a registered non–profit charitable organization. It is staffed by President Jim Doherty and a dedicated group of volunteers and young students working towards Community hours.

Inside this Armoury you will find amazing rooms and displays to the Army, the Navy and the Air Force containing thousands upon thousands of stories, pictures, models, artifacts and personal memorabilia, a true legacy of our Military past!

These rooms tell a powerful and proud story of Canada’s Military past and of our sacrifice during World War 1 and 11, Korea and Afghanistan.

Large displays that showcase the War of 1812, the Fenian Raids through pictures and artifacts, and the support and sacrifice of our Indigenous allies.

Throughout the corridors you will find the proud history of the Boy Scouts of Canada an organization that gave back to our youth and Canada.
In 2020, Canada’s War Museum in Ottawa borrowed the outstanding displays, stories and history of Black Military Veterans which was the work of Kathy Doherty, the late Wilma Morrison and the late Donna Ford. This display will be a substantial part of the national traveling exhibit as produced by Canada’s War Museum in the Fall of 2025.

What you will find within the walls of this Armoury is a true and complete collection of Canada’s proud Military history- a tribute to who we are and where we have been as a country Standing up for Democracy!

You will also find a complete Military Library housing hundreds of books and a
Wall of Remembrance dedicated to those who served and many who did not return that will touch your soul!
 A Community Hub
Beyond the Historical and Educational significance of the Armoury, it is estimated that between 9,000 to 10,000 individuals walk through its doors every year!

To the following groups and associations, it is home:

• Royal Canadian Naval Association – Niagara Region
• 56th Field Regiment (RCA) Museum
• Niagara Artillery Museum
• 2835 Cadet Corps, 56 Field Artillery Regiment
• Ontario Cadet League, Support Committee, 2835 Cadet Corps • Niagara Regional Police Pipes and Drums Band
• Scouting Museum of Niagara
• The Lundy’s Lane Historical Society
• 2nd Lincoln Militia Re-enactment Team
• Niagara Military Museum Volunteers and Board
• Canadian Survivors MST

One of the most significant contributions that this Armoury gives back to our Society and our country is to the young men and women who graduate from the 2835 56th Field Artillery Regiment Cadet Corps.

For the past 10 years, every Wednesday evening from 6-9 pm during September to June, approximately 40-50 young men and women of the 2835 Cadet Corp. train and drill, take marksmanship practice, organize supplies and study.

As per Mr. Tony Roystan, Support Chair of the 2835 Cadet Corp, stated:

“The Armoury is 110% the correct building and environment that you want to deliver this program in. It’s the history and the legacy of this building that possess so much strength and help establish the correct state of mind.”

As one Mother stated, “If it had not been for the Armoury and the Cadet Corps, I would have lost my son to the streets and drugs!” Today, that young man serves in a senior leadership role with the Canadian Armed Forces in Latvia.
 The Niagara Military Museum
Our Objectives
As the lease with the City expires in March of 2026, the Museum Board have requested a 25-year lease term renewable every 5 years based on performance, commitment and results.

WHY-
• To obtain long-term charitable funding via Ontario Trillium, New Horizons, Federal Development Ontario and others by demonstrating that the Armoury and the Niagara Military Museum have just that – a long-term future!!

• The planned improvements included:
� An elevator on the southwest corner of the building for enhanced
access for disabled citizens and visitors.
� Improvements to the window frames, seals, and glazing.
� Improvements to the lighting system that will reduce City costs by as much as 60%.
� Solar panels for further reductions in heating and lighting costs.
� Improvements to the outside of the Armoury as necessary

These planned changes and improvements to the Armoury will enhance the functionality and the general use of the Armoury for social events, receptions, meetings, weddings, celebration of life, award dinners, educational tours, catered events and many other types of functions.
 Please stand with us and support the Armoury and the Niagara Military Museum!
Lest We Forget!Y