Hamilton Air Force Association
FORMATION
On May 7th, 1945 an ad appeared in the Hamilton Spectator calling all interested air force personnel to reach out regarding the formation of a Hamilton Air Force Association. The war with Japan was still being waged, but as Club President Lem Hawkins recalled, “Everyone knew that the Japanese were finished and that soon it would just be a bad dream. The only good to come from it being that it brought us closer together.” On May 29th the first meeting was held at the Red Mill Theatre on James St. (Formerly the German “Deutches Heim” Club). On March 19, 1946 the first executive committee was elected.
THE EARLY YEARS
The “Club” as it has affectionately come to be known, had many happy years at various rented locations, including the old Commercial Club at the corner of James and Vine Streets from 1946 to 1950, and at the corner of Main and Walnut Streets from 1950 to 1959. Never to be forgotten is the date of February 4th1947, when the Club obtained its Public House License and could serve drinks on a daily basis. Early in its history the HAFA members turned their free time to fundraising for charities across the city.
HAFA IN DUNDAS
As the Club grew, the members began to look into the possibility of acquiring their own building. After much searching the lot in Dundas was purchased, right beside the old Turning basin of the Desjardins Canal.
The move to Dundas was popular among the Club members, over 90 of which lived in either Dundas or Waterdown. The new location was also admired for the “peace and quiet” it afforded. With the help of several large donations and countless hours of volunteer work by Club Members, the new HAFA building was completed and opened in 1960 at a total cost of $60,000.
The Club was designed to be a place of recreation for both the members and the community. It was equipped with an upstairs banquet hall with a bar, cloakroom, stage, a downstairs bar and a Members Lounge with a games room adjoining. Many tall tales and good times have been shared in the hallowed halls of HAFA, as the Club has welcomed generations of new members over its many decades of operation.
